Who Could Ask for More?

Sticky handprints on the door
Chalky footprints on the floor
A messy girl named Emmy
Now, who could ask for more?

Canadian Girl

This is from last year on Canada Day. I gave it to Devon's parents who were here visiting.

I'm your little Canadian girl
Though I live in the US
I'm your little Canadian girl
It says so on my dress
I'm your little Canadian girl
From head to toe it's true
I'm your little Canadian girl
And I sure do love you!

A Moment in Time (7/7/08)

It’s 6:00 p.m. on Monday night and you are standing outside under the porch (because it’s still over 100 degrees). Your white shirt is wet from the water you poured on yourself from your water table and covered in dirt from my garden. Your eyes are wide and you are staring off in space. At first I think you are daydreaming, and then you give a little grimace that lets me know you have actually just pooped. There is leftover dinner on your face and you are barefoot. You are perfect and you are mine.

Miss Independent

You, 18 months old, on the top stair saying no, refusing my help, wanting to walk down all by yourself.

Me, using all my patience to stand there with outstretched hand. Careful not to touch you, knowing you will grab my hand at the last second because you can not actually walk down without falling.

You, repeating this process for all of the 12 steps in our home. Always first wanting to go down by yourself, then realizing you need mommy's help.

Me, smiling to myself remembering as a kid that I told my mom I would rather roll a gutter ball than have her teach me to bowl.

You teaching me, as we tackle the stairs, an important lesson in parenting. Letting your children climb the stairs of life on their own, always in the background with an open hand, ready to help if they need it and ready to catch them if they fall.

Recipe Book

Here's some recipes I put together for my cousin Becky when she bought her first house. She doesn't like to cook. She came out to visit me once and I was going to make Mexican food and she said, "I can make guacamole, I know how to make guacamole". So, we buy all the ingredients and she proceeds to tell me how to make it. Hence the recipe title and instructions. The rest are family favorites...


Becky’s “I can make it” Guacamole

8 small avocados
3 tomatoes
¼ of a purple onion
1 jalapeño
Garlic powder to taste

Have someone else mix all the ingredients together.


Better Than Mi Mexico Margaritas


3/4 c. frozen limeade
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. tequila
1/3 c. triple sec
Ice to fill blender

Pour above ingredients into blender and blend until frothy. Makes 6 drinks.

Devon’s Glorious Goldfish

1 box goldfish
1 bowl

Open goldfish carefully, pour into bowl
Serve as an appetizer before dinner

Forget Starbucks-Tetney’s Mocha Frappacinos

Frapppacino Mix:
Make 9 cups of coffee and put in pitcher
Add 1 can sweetened condensed milk
Add 2 servings of vanilla flavoring
Add milk to fill up pitcher
(Leave space at the top for pitcher top and to pour)
Mix and chill

Blended Drink:
Add equal parts ice and mix in blender
Add chocolate syrup
Blend until drink is smooth
Top with whipped cream if desired

Get Your Own Beer Cheese

5 lbs. Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese (leave out at room temperature for 2 hours)
1 can of warm beer
3 T. cayenne pepper
1 ½ T. Worchester sauce
1 ½ T. garlic salt
1 ¼ t. Tabasco sauce

Mix thoroughly for 5 minutes with mixer.
Serve with crackers.

Me So Poor Baked Spaghetti
Quick and Cheap

1 can spaghetti sauce
4 servings spaghetti noodle
Shredded cheese

Boil noodles and add to casserole dish
Pour spaghetti sauce over noodles
Top with shredded cheese
Bake for 20 minutes at 350

Pretend You’re At Red Lobster with Nannie’s Shrimp Scampi

2 lbs. large unpeeled shrimp
3 T. margarine
1 c. chopped red pepper
2 T. garlic powder
¼ c. parsley
¼ c. lemon juice
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
½ c. apple juice

Peel shrimp. Melt margarine in small skillet over medium heat.
Add bell pepper and garlic. Sauté 2 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Pour in apple juice, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper.

Place shrimp in casserole dish.
Spoon mixture over shrimp.
Broil 6 minutes.

This Will Make You Toot-Aunt Patsy’s Jumbalaya

1 sausage link chopped
2 chopped chicken breasts
½ c. chopped onions
½ c. green peppers

Brown and cook meat with chopped onions and peppers

In a separate pot, cook 2 boxes Cajun style rice.
Add 1-2 can chili beans in chili sauce.
Add chili powder to taste.
Add meat mixture.

Simmer.

Yo’ Momma’s Banana Pudding

Mix together:
3 small vanilla instant pudding packets
5 c. skim milk
1 c. sour cream
¾ of a large cool-whip tub.

Layer in a large bowl:
Vanilla wafers
Pudding mixture
Bananas
Top with remaining ¼ of cool-whip and wafers.

Refrigerate overnight.

Uncle Kenny's "I Don't Do Low Carb" Brownies

I've misplaced this recipe, but the title was still cute!

Tooth Number 8 (and 9)

Tooth Number 8, Tooth Number 8
You made us wait and wait and wait

Emmy would cry and then boo-hoo
While you took your time to come on through

But now it seems she's feeling fine
Oh wait, I feel Tooth Number 9

Tooth Number 9, Tooth Number 9
You make our daughter cry and whine

And cling to mommy for dear life
Oh the pain, Oh the strife

Will you come quick or make us wait?
Like your friend Tooth Number 8

When you are through, she'll feel good again
Until, that is, Tooth Number 10

The Dog, the plants and the stuff in the fridge

Written by my mama, circa 1975 (I think-Mom, correct me if I'm wrong).

THE DOG, THE PLANTS, AND THE STUFF IN THE FRIDGE

Most of us have heard the age-old tale…
About the tied down housewife with her kids and her male.
This may sound different but family ties don’t bother me,
If all I had to worry with were humans – why, I’d be free.

There’s the dog - - she’s cute and smart, but she has caused some woes,
All that digging in the yard, then the kids leave the gate open and away she goes.
So I run the 50-yard dash to catch her much to the neighbor’s amaze,
And in addition to all this, she’s due for puppies in just a few days.

You want to hear about the houseplants? There’s some in every room.
I never have to buy them, they’re gifts from all occasions from July to June.
Plants are sunning in every window blocking out the fresh air,
They’re so pretty – I’d be a mean one if I didn’t give them care.

Now I’ve got a new hobby with this special sour dough stuff,
You keep it in the fridge and use it for baking bread and that’s not enough.
You can make cinnamon rolls and other recipes, it’s really quite good,
But there’s lots of rules, rest it for 3 days, use it in 6, I’m getting in a bad mood.

My husband wants to go on a two-week cruise; save some money, find a place for the kids.
Forget it, I said, it’s not the money or the kids. It’s the dog, the plants and the stuff in the fridge.
I’m not a slave to my house, husband or kids, or even playing a long game of bridge,
I think by now you understand – It’s the dog, the plants and the stuff in the fridge!

12 Days Before Christmas

12 Days Before Christmas My Car Contained These Things:

12 Banana Puffs

11 Old Dried Craisins

10 Cheerios

9 Board Books

8 Target Bags

7 Stuffed Animals

6 Sippy Cups

5 Teething Rings!

4 DVDs

3 Baby Socks

2 Pilates Bands

and a Princess Wand from Cousin Stephie

Arizona Christmas

Intro to my book one day

I was crying on the plane again this weekend. No, I’m not afraid of flying. I was in the middle of one of the best books I’ve ever read and at a part written with such emotion that I couldn’t control it. I’m sure the flight attendant thought that I was leaving someone important behind or that Devon (who was sitting beside me snoring away) had made me upset, but I was just so overcome with emotion by this book. For some reason or another, I always find myself crying on the plane. It’s like my emotions are heightened at such a high altitude.

I fly a lot-usually a couple of times a month. I often bemoan our flight benefits because it seems we are never at home. But I realized something about myself in mid-crying jag this weekend. When I am up in the air, I am so inspired, by literally everything. I listen to the people around me, take notes and plan to write a book about my traveling adventures and all the conversations and people that I eavesdrop on. I read a running magazine and commit in my head to training for a marathon. I write a love poem to Devon and remember back sentimentally to a time would I would cry because I was leaving him in Houston for another 1-2 weeks. I write a retirement song for my dad and plan his retirement party in my head. I see an old lady crocheting and I am determined to take it up too. I tear out recipes from magazines and decide to try one new recipe a week.

In reality, my story ideas will sit in my carry-on bag; I will have to choose between exercising and making a nice dinner and will definitely not have time to make anything with yarn. When we land, real life will take over. But, just for now, 37,000 feet in the air, even though my eyes are red, there is snot running out of my nose and I have mascara running down my face, I am the person that I want to be.