When P-Dub Came To P-Town

or Why Mommy Needs To Get Out More


I've been a recent follower of Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, and her multi-dimensional website for only a few months now. From the beginning I have pitched my tent smack dab in the middle of her blog and ingested every delicious morsel I could get my should-be-cleaning-something eyes on. From this obsession (because, if I'm gonna be honest, that's really what it is) and her honest writing I have grown to feel like P-Dub is a close friend. Apparently, from the comments and chatter I overheard at her cookbook signing yesterday from the other 400 (give or take) women in attendance, I'm not the only one.





Everything anyone had to say to each other about P-Dub the others already new because, hello!, we're all reading the same blog! Even when the MC tried to tell us her plane got delayed in Seattle we all new he was lying because we had all read her post from that morning saying she was in Portland in her hotel already.


From left to right: Person to close to camera, Mom, Summer

My Mom, sister Summer, and I have been planning for this night since P-Dub announced the new addition to her book tour a few weeks back. If you follow her blog (which you should) and have read any of her posts about her previous book signing engagements you would know:

• Babies are her weakness
• Especially if they are cute
• Pregnant women are another weakness
• Previous book signing attendees have brought homemade treats for her
• She's hilarious
• She does an amazing Ethel Merman impersonation

So, in making our plans my sister and I took this knowledge into consideration. Although I do have the most adorable kids on the planet...





I knew that by the time we waited for our turn to have our cookbooks signed not only would they be be sleepy, cranky, and disheveled, but I would look like I'd been through a tornado and barely survived.

They have a bed time for a reason people! ME!

So, no kids. Decision made. Only slight wavering because of extreme cuteness that I am faced with everyday. Especially when Hazel discovered Charlie's pictures in the cookbook and my mom taught her to say, "Poor old Charlie" while making this face:


Poor, old Charlie

So we decide to bring our "bestie" homemade goodies. I made Sleepy House Cookies which are a family (and anyone else who's ever eaten them) favorite. Summer brought a bottle of wine and Fudge Decadence (another fav). It wasn't long before a "friendly" sister competition started between the two of us as to which one P-Dub loves the most. Because she knows us so well and all.


cookies for my "bestie"


Who will win P-Dubs heart?

While we worked our way through the crowd to snatch spots to stand in the back I realized we weren't alone in our idea to bring gifts. Plus we were one-upped by all the cute babies and adorable pregnant women in attendance. Cheaters.

When P-Dub arrived she happened to walk down the isle where we were and I have to say that woman is as beautiful and friendly as she seems in her blog posts and interviews. When she was next to us my mom kept telling me to reach out and touch her. I didn't. I so missed out on an opportunity of a life time. Dang it! Let this be a lesson to you young whipper snappers: Always listen to your Mom!


Summer offering me abc gum (funny face)


Summer offering me abc gum (practiced posed face)


Summer trying to ignore her irritating younger sister

I enjoyed the Q&A time before the book signing commenced. Especially the Ethel Merman impersonation. We had a long wait before we got our books signed. I was number 307 out of 340 tickets.


Person to close to the camera with her cookbook (Does anyone else notice the phone holder the lady in the green shirt has? Reminds me of a few of my aunts...)

We used that time wisely, of course. We got coffee at the Starbucks where P-Dub's MIL and daughter got their coffee. I know. Cool, huh? You envy me. Admit it.

We were then grateful to find three empty chairs in the event area. While we waited we: looked through Cake Wrecks book and laughed so hard I cried, tried to decide if the person sitting in front of us kissing the woman next to him/her was a him or a her (Welcome to Portland, ya'll!), and counted how many times the woman behind us said, "Well, like I said" when she was talking to her friends. Loudly. But she stopped playing my game and I got bored with her and so we came up with ways to make a lasting impression on P-Dub. These are the ones I can remember:

• Faint when I get up to the table (There may be a story about that happening at my Gpa's funeral. Not on purpose, of course. But I was wearing a short dress.)
• Use my "extra skin" to make myself look pregnant
• Make a list of the similarities between me and P-Dub (ie. excessive seating when nervous, habit of taking pics of hubbies tush, love for butter and wine, her name is Ree which is the last part of my name and one of my nicknames, Broadway show tunes etc. ect. ect.)

I'm sure she would have enjoyed my list. I decided, instead, to ask her about her plans for a children's book staring Charlie and told her about Hazel's face she makes when talking about his pictures. Hazel is going to be so excited when it comes out in the next year. I also asked her to sign Charlie's picture for Hazel.

Summer tried to out do me by having P-Dub sign her book to: My very best friend Summer Bryan. Though that's what Summer's books says, she doesn't have proof that it was signed by P-Dub because P-Dub didn't actually write her own name. Also, if they were best friends P-Dub wouldn't be using Summers last name! Amateur.


Ree-United and it feels so good


Notice the use of first name only. Hmmm...I wonder who her best friend is?


Poor, old Charlie

We had a great evening together and can't wait for the next one. Here's that cookie recipe:

Sleepy House Cookies
Cream together:

3 C brown sugar
2 C butter softened to room temp
2 eggs
set aside

Combine:
4&1/4 C flour
2 tsp soda
1 Tbl cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt

Add to creamed mixture then add:
2 C chopped pecans
3 C chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla
Mix well

Refrigerate dough for about 2 hrs.
Roll 1'' balls into powdered sugar and bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.
We like to make all the dough into balls rolled in the powdered sugar and then freeze them to use when we have company or an emergency craving. Enjoy!

My Community

The number one question I get asked when talking to other mom's about my blog is, "Do you feel like blogging is a way for you to let out all your frustrations from the day?" I quickly respond with an emphatic, "Yes!"

I am constantly surprised at the community I feel I have through blogging. Even though I don't personally know most of the ladies of the blogs I follow I am consistently encouraged by the passions and struggles we share. Through pregnancy, labor and delivery, potty training, and nasty attitudes you guys are here sharing your stories. We share recipes, homeschooling tips, and humorous stories. I look forward to sitting down and reading from you everyday.

As a SAHHM (stay-at-home-homeschooling-mom) my world sometimes seems limited and lonely. I am realizing now that my community is far reaching. From my family, my friends, my church, and my blogging community I have the support I need. But sometimes I need to reach out to let these people know that I need them. Something I'm sure we all struggle with.

I am speaking at church tomorrow about this very thing and wanted to share my message with you. It's long so bear with me. Let me know if you have any questions. And comments are, of course, always welcomed and appreciated. Also, I didn't type out the scripture passages so you might want to look them up so this makes more sense.

Message for Sunday, March 28, 2010

Last week when I said I had something to share I was referring to a word of thanks that's been on my heart for you all. As I've prepared for today, though, it has become a word of thanks plus what I pray is a word of encouragement to us all.

Just For Me Brownies Story

A few years ago our dear friend Becky sent my mom a recipe for Cookie Dough Brownies (recipe at the bottom of the page). On the recipe card in the space where you write how many servings there are Becky had written, "Just for me! :) She told my mom that she makes these brownies and keeps them in her freezer and would keep them for herself. It was her emergency stash. I'm sure most women have one of those. I know I do.

I also know that one of the only times we women do share our stash is if a girlfriend comes over and we're gonna sit down with our coffee or tea and have a little treat while we our struggles and our hearts with each other.

These brownies have three layers. To make the brownies correctly you have to give each layer time to cool and set up. But with each layer the brownies get better and better. I see that in relationships too. The more layers we get into with each other the better the relationship gets.

Keep this in mind as we talk through these verses.

Mark 10:46-52

Blind Bartimaeus wants to receive physical sight.

Jesus, being all knowing, could have healed him. *No questions asked. But Jesus stopped and asked, "What do you want me to do for you?" Not what do you want or what do you need, but what do you want me to do for you.

*( ie. Woman with the issue of blood - Matt 9:20-22)

For Bartimaeus to say he wants to see is him committing to what seeing means.

What did receiving physical sight mean to Bartimaeus? What was he now aware of?

What does it mean for us to receive sight spiritually speaking?

I heard a clip from a Bible study video today that explains this well. It's like God is saying to us, "You think you are here. Let me show you where you really are. then let me show you where I want to take you."

Seeing the bad is hard. And while seeing the good is relieving, most times it's hard because it's like the war is on and sometimes the fight seems harder than being ignorant of the situation. (example: finances, weight, a fight where you realize you are the one at fault) And sometimes having the faith to get through your circumstances is a fight on it's own.

Now lets look at Mark 10:47-49 specifically.

It's like a typical high school movie.

The unpopular kid is picked on & mistreated until the cool kid in school pays attention to him. Then all those who had just been ignoring and mistreating him turn around and now act like they've been friends with the unpopular kid forever.

But they aren't his real friends. Just like these people around Bartimaeus. They shove him out of the way and ignore his pleas for help. Until Jesus calls him out and pays attention to him.

What a contrast to the story of Luke 5:17-20.

This paralytic man was close enough to these men that they would carry him to the place where Jesus was.

They were close enough to him that when they couldn't get through the doorway they carried him up on a roof, tore the roof apart, then lowered him down in the middle of a meeting right in front of Jesus.

They had the faith and the ability to do what he couldn't.

Romans 1:11-12

When I first read vs 11 I assumed that the spiritual gift Paul was talking about was prophecy, teaching, tongues, ect. I also thought it seemed a little bold of Paul to say he would be imparting these gifts to the people.

But when we read vs 12 Paul clarifies what he means.

He explains that the spiritual gift is "you and I being mutually encouraged by each others faith".

Not just Paul encouraging them with his faith, but them encouraging each other. I know that for me sometimes I don't have faith for my situation but I can for my friends and vice versa. But we have to let each other into those struggles in order to be encouraged by each others faith.

TVBC is really good at loving each other. We bring meals, and visit the sick, and go to the hospital to be with each other. And I love it. Being on the receiving end of this love a few times in the last year has given me more of an appreciation for this ministry. And hearing from friends and family who have never seen this kind of love from a church before has opened my eyes to see how rare it really is in our culture.

Today what I want to encourage all of us to start doing is to go deeper. We all need stretcher bearers in our lives. People with whom we are so close we let them get in on the nitty gritty parts of our lives and hearts.

I'm sure we all have a friend or two that we share some of our private thoughts and struggles with. But how close are we letting each other get to our hearts and deep struggles.

We all need these kinds of relationships and we need each other. I'm not saying that these relationships don't exist. I want to encourage us to have more of them.

I tell Nathan almost everything. But there are times when I need advice in my marriage and I need to seek out other women to counsel me. When it comes to being a mother and struggling with my kids advice from a women who's been in my shoes is so helpful. I'm not necessarily going to find these things in just one person though.

Older women need the younger just as much as the younger need the older.
ex: raising kids, relating to husbands, help around the house, advice on growing up, mentoring, commiserating

Younger men need the older men and vice versa.
ex: raising kids, relating to wives, help with projects, financial advice, commiserating

Couples need each other
advice, commiserating, children

How big is your personal community?

How close do you let your community get to the issues of your heart?

Who is in your community?

It's time we pull out our Just For Me stash and let each other in.

Also, here's a list of books I've been reading lately that have ministered to me in this place I am right now:

Battlefield of the Mind - Joyce Meyers

When I Lay My Isaac Down - Carol Kent

Get Thin, Stay Thin - Arthur and Judy Halliday


Just For Me Cookie Dough Brownies

1 tsp salt, 2 C sugar, 1&1/2 C cocoa. Combine. Then add: 1/2 C oil, 4 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla. Mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. Cool completely.

Filling: 1/2 C butter, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1/4 C sugar, 2 Tbl milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 C flour. Cream together and spread over cooled brownies. Chill (about an hour).

Melt: 2 C chocolate chips, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla. Pour over chilled brownies. Freezes well.

I store them in the freezer so they last longer. :) Enjoy!

Hazel's Debut

Dance Video Sure To Win Some Awards

More Kid Laughs Plus A Hubby Laugh

If you remember Hazel is potty training. Today we've had great success. She's been in undies all day (except nap time) and she went #1 &#2 in the potty today.

Trying to encourage this I told her I am so proud of her for going poo in the toilet. Then she told me, "I to proud you, mom, going poo poo in da toiyet.."

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Hazel showed me an "owie" on her finger the other morning. Then after sticking her finger in her mouth she let me know, "It not owie. It boogah."

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Tonight Nathan and I went on a grocery shopping date. We had a great time together. We don't get out together much and this was a very laid back evening for us. It's amazing how grocery shopping changes when the kids aren't around.

Anyways, on the way home we decided that we needed dessert. Instead of going to a restaurant for ice cream we'd got to a sore a get a gallon that would last longer.

That's what we call frugal spending people.

Well I had to make a detour to the lady's room. Which meant that on the way to the ice cream we passed the bakery. And that's where Nathan forgot about our ice cream mission and got lost in the cakes.

All the cakes looked wonderful so he had a hard time choosing which one he wanted. I didn't really have a preference which made it harder for him. After he narrowed his choices down to two cakes neither of us could make a decision. So we did eni meeni miny mo. It didn't work for Nathan. So he had me assign each cake a number between one and ten. Then he chose a number, which was two, which was the exact number I gave the Oreo cake.

The lady in the bakery place our cake in a box, placed a removable price label on the top, and sent us on our way. Then Nathan remembered the ice cream. That choice was easy though. Vanilla.

So after 10 minutes of choosing a cake and getting ice cream we went to the self check out line to pay. Then when Nathan went to scan his precious, 10 minutes to pick out cake, instead of peeling the REMOVABLE price label off to scan it, he tipped the cake on its side!

I slightly freaked out. In a "I'm laughing at you because I can't believe you just did that" sort of way. The cashier at the register next to us started laughing too. Nathan's comment? We're just gonna eat it! And he was right. And only the top was a little smudged.

25 Random Things About Me

Awhile ago this survey was being passed around on Facebook. I enjoyed it so much I thought I'd share it with all of you.

And just to stay completely honest with you about my OCD problem I had the hardest time reading other people's 25 random things only to find that they would reword 2 or 3 things about themselves over and over. Example?

1. I hate these kind of things.
2. I don't know why I'm doing this.
3. It surprises me that I'm filling this out.
4. I can think of a million other things I would rather do than fill out a survey like this.

Correct me if I'm wrong but those are all the same thing.

So, here is my list of 25 random things about me.

1. The way my husband smells in the morning makes my heart skip a beat. The smell of a newborn baby makes my uterus skip a beat.

2. I believe that if I don't understand something it's because that thing is stupid. Not me.

3. If I could be guaranteed my sanity, I would have 10 kids. I enjoy being pregnant. I LOVE giving birth. Jury's still out on the nursing thing.

4. I hate clothes shopping for myself. I could shop for others all day.

5. I love grocery shopping especially at Costco.

6. I can have clothes picked out for my family in less than 5 minutes. It can take me an hour to find something for me to wear and I probably still won't like it.

7. It doesn't matter if it's a lake on the top of the tallest mountain, there are still sharks in it. And you can't convince me otherwise. Unless the water is clear AND in a pool, there are sharks.

8. When Nathan and I first met I thought I could never marry someone like him. Now I can't breathe without him.

9. I could live in a bookstore or library...as long as there is a coffee shop nearby.

10. My kids are the most beautiful, smart and imaginative. And I tell them so.

11. Besides being a mom, my dream jobs would be: author/journalist, fashion designer or marine biologist working with whales. (Of course I may be rethinking this last one since the latest whale troubles at Seaworld!)

12. I have 23+ journals. All of them have been written in. Two of them are full. As a kid I always wanted to journal but was too afraid my sisters would read them.

13. I've always admired: Amber's confidence in style and her talent with hair and make-up, MaShayla's quick wit and sense of humor, and with Summer, well, she's my older sister and I always wanted to be just like her.

14. When I was young I wanted to grow up to be Tippy. Tippy was a homely looking dog who belonged to a good friend of ours. I'm glad I'm not Tippy.

15. I dream of singing the National Anthem at the opening of a major sports event someday. Public speaking, however, makes me want to hide behind my mom's skirt like a little girl.

16. I like country music. and sometimes it ministers to my spirit more than worship songs.

17. My mom is the ultimate hostess and has taught me well. I enjoy having people over and putting her teaching to good use. However, I am also probably the biggest recluse in my family. I love to be alone.

18. I own all 10 seasons of Friends and all 7 seasons of Gilmore Girls. I'm only slightly embarrassed by this.

19. I knew Nathan and I would get married 3 years before he did.

20. I love de-cluttering my house (and others, too!) But I don't enjoy cleaning. My mom used to tell us to say "goodnight" to your house and it will say "goodmorning" to you. Mine usually has mean things to say at me.

21. I love museums and sightseeing.

22. Food tastes better when someone else makes it...and I add salt.

23. I love getting lost. Especially with Nikki. I think it adds adventure to a trip or outing. And it's funny.

24. My mom and my mother-in-law are two of my closest friends.

25. I like going to Catholic services because of the traditions and rituals. I think it's interesting and regal.

I hope you've enjoyed my randomness. I might just come up with a new list soon. Do you have a list like this? Leave a comment with the link.

A Culinary Masterpiece Gone To Waste

My sis-in-law came over today so we could knock two movies off of our Gilmore Girls movie list. We enjoyed Sixteen Candles during the kids nap time and An Officer and a Gentleman after the kids went to bed.

Ashlie was kind enough to bring lunch out for all of us. And it was good. Love me my Thai food. And the kids enjoyed their BDonald's.

For dinner I decided to make a double batch of chili with homemade stewed beans. This was my first time making beans and I may or may not have called my mom about ten times for instructions. I'll never tell.

I was super excited about this recipe and was hoping to post it here today. But, alas, I left Auntie Ashlie in charge for a few minutes and...well, let me back up.

About two days ago Nathan and I were talking in the living room and I was suddenly overwhelmed by the smell of garlic powder. Realizing my "energetic" two year old was missing from the room I jumped up to run to the kitchen with a picture of mountains of garlic powder covering my kitchen floor.

I was wrong. About the garlic mountains. I was correct in assuming who was guilty. Abiah just doesn't do that kind of stuff and Amelia is too short to reach that cupboard. And I am constantly chasing Hazel away from that cupboard.

Anyways. I was relieved to see there was only a small amount of garlic powder sprinkled/dumped on the floor. As I went to clean the mess up I realized that the mess would have been much bigger if I actually had more than 2-3 tsp on hand.

Mental note: pick up garlic powder. Mental note: stored. Mental note: lost in storage.

So as I'm preparing to make chili tonight I go to the afore mentioned cupboard to pull out the salt, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder and... ZING! Mental note found! A few hours too late.

I turned the meat that was browning down to low and left the beans boiling on high. I told my SIL Ashlie that I need to run to my mom's. (She lives about five minutes away. And no, Nathan doesn't hate that.) I tell her that status of dinner and let her know it shouldn't be a bother but she might need to look after the beans once or twice. I didn't call my mom for the eleventh time to let her know I was coming over. I knew she'd be there and be glad to see me (I'm her favorite! Shhh! Don't tell my sisters.)

I was gone for about twenty minutes. and when I walked in the door...smoke? I smell smoke. No. I smell something burning! I hurried to the kitchen. And sure enough my beans. My precious, first time cooking them beans!


Ashlie trying to look innocent. Don't let her fool you!

My extensive training as my mother's daughter had prepared me for this very moment. I knew NOT to scrape the bottom of the pan. I also knew to calm down and not yell at my SIL. Everything would be okay. I transferred the unburned beans to a new pot and found that only a small layer on the bottom of the pan had been burned. Whew!


Small layer of burned beans after being scraped out of the pan.

Then more of my training came into play. Season the heck out of the chili to cover any "smokey" flavor that there may be. When I had accomplished this I brought Ashlie a small dish of the chili to try. When I handed it to her she asked, "What's this?"

"Your mistake that I fixed," I said. And then I told her that I was going to use this against her for the rest of her life (bitter much?) and we had a lovely rest of the evening together.


Finished product. Mmmmmmm!

I do hope to publish this recipe soon as it is a favorite. But since using homemade beans I realized I'm going to have to rework the amount of each spice used.