One of Those Nights

You know those nights, right?

Nothing is quite right.

Grant is in our room, apparently dying with the flu.  He is moaning and wailing and probably gnashing his teeth.  I'm not sure about the gnashing part.  That is just speculation.

Lucy is wide awake in her crib singing "Dowa, Dowa, Dowa, dee Explowa!" over and over and over again.

Michael is crying about the possibility that I may suffer a premature death.

I wanted to make Apple Cider Donuts and have them ready when everyone wakes in the morn - but I don't feel so sweet or domestic to provide piping hot donuts upon everyones awakening. 

Tomorrow is Halloween.  I used to love Halloween and then I didn't.  I used to think it was harmless fun and then I thought it was the gateway holiday to Wiccanism.  I feel like tomorrow I am reverting back to my harmless days.  In fact, I want to go buy a circa 1950's house dress and wear red lipstick, pearls and heels just for irony. 

I found out today that despite my grammatical pretense - I have, in fact, been using the wrong form of 'its' for my whole life.  I know the difference between who's and whose, but I am humbled to realize that I have been an "its" offender.   What evs.

Do you notice how many "I's" are in this little rant?  I think I'll spare you any more.

What I'm Thinking About...

Chocolate Covered Katie.

I made her pumpkin baked oatmeal tonight and as I ate it out of my new celery colored stoneware ramekins, with it's toasty little baked crust on the top, all drizzled with maple syrup (no white sugar at all!), and warmy, cinnamony, deliciousness - I was transported into some kind of dreamlike, swirling, hazy state of euphoria.  It was that good.

Check her out.
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/11/10/baked-pumpkin-oatmeal-for-one/

(photo courtesy of Chocolate Covered Katie - link above)

What I Am Thinking About...

Marcel the Shell

The cutest thing ever.

To Hell With Moderation

Do you want to know what?  I don't like people who compulsively diet.

That's right.

Exercise all you want.  Run day and night.  Get up in the middle of the night to do additional Pilates.  Go right ahead.

Turn down a piece of warm bread and butter?  You are a fool.  If someone offers you a chocolate chip cookie and a glass of milk and you say no?  I simply do not want to be your friend. 

What I am Thinking About

H.W. Crocker III

An Open Letter to Mr. Crocker.
Dear Sir.
This evening I read an article you wrote entitled "Use NFP, It Doesn't Work" and I want you to know that I loved it.  I found your article while doing research for an article that I am writing about NFP.  I put in the Google search function "NFP Doesn't Work" and your article was delivered from cyber-Heaven.  The part where you quoted the tearful NFP-lover with her "wonderfully made" body made me laugh so hard that I woke one of the children sleeping on my floor. 

I have spent the last hour trying to find contact information for you - but to no avail.  That is why I am writing you this letter on my own blog.  Fat chance you are going to see it.

So my research changed from NFP to contact info for HW Crocker III, and to my surprise I discovered that you also authored "Triumph".  Sir, If I were anywhere near you I would pat you on the back, or give you a hug, or something like that.  I like the way you think.

So please accept this letter with a hefty dose of praise.  I thoroughly enjoy your work.
God Bless You,
Sharon Kieffer Steele

If you'd like to read "Use NFP: It Doesn't Work" here you go.
You're welcome.
http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/crocker/04828.html

Scenes from a Roadtrip

Is is wrong to love a bug?  Because I was smitten with this little jumper.

Nevermind the chocolate on the teeth.  After a long hike, nothing soothes the soul like an entire box of moonpies.

Self Portrait Artistes.

Mijas.

The End.

What I'm Thinking About...

This Article...
http://www.colve.org/?p=873

What I'm Thinking About...

Lily Allen.

I love this song.  I love this video.  The end.

What I'm Thinking About...

Don't you love it when a tame little dinner party erupts into a full-fledged Par-Taaay?! Oh.  My absolute favorite.  After a few glasses of wine - some steak (I don't even eat meat!) - a couple of beers - bread and butter - 2 pieces of Boston Creme Pie - a whole lot of laughter - some Euro stories out of Grant - the whole place busted a move to 1st Wave on Sirius.  First up was the Violent Femmes "Blister in the Sun."  These are the times that make histories.

What I'm Thinking About...

Ellie Goulding - and how much I love her.

I love her too much.  And I think you're going to, too.

What I'm Thinking About...

I am really thinking about the implosion of my beloved homeschool group......

But in order to keep my mind off of that I am thinking about months and how September 2011 is going to be bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. 

I don't really have a favorite month - If you pinned me down I'd probably say June - but it is possible that is not exactly true.

I absolutely have a most UNfavorite month.  That month is February.  I am almost certain that month is evil.

What I'm Thinking About...

Sharon's Chicken

I will now share with you the recipe that I developed all by my self and that I hear is pretty good.   It is basically the most ghetto thing that you can ever put in your mouth with the exception of Mountain Dew.

Without further ado:

1 Cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Mustard
1/2 Cup Grape Jelly
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

Cook heavily salted and peppered Skinless Boneless chicken thighs on the grill until they get good pretty brown grill marks on both sides.  Take them off the grill and put them in a baking dish and cover with the above sauce.  Seal the entire deal with lots of tin foil until you are pretty sure that a meteor could hit it and still not penetrate the foil.  Put in a 300 degree oven and cook for about 2 hours or until it smells "done."  Unwrap it and pull chicken with two forks in the sauce so it will soak up all the ketchupy goodness.  Serve over white rice.

You're Welcome.

What I am Thinking About

Hurricane Irene.
Update #1

sky...

Will keep you posted.  I am filling up the bathtub right now. 

Retro Camera Love

Here's the part of the story where I try to pretend that I am "The Bachelorette"

... Where I copy a really cool picture that I saw because I'm too cheap to buy it...

Where I show off my mom/bestie...

... and where I show off my children's good looking feet...



Nighty Night.

Update

What I'm Thinking About

Date Night.  And how I hate that term.
Night Out? Cheesy.
Happy Hour? Tacky.

Regardless, I am going to meet Mr. Steele at Uncle Julios for a bowl of soup and some footsies under the table.

Have I mentioned how much I love soup?

What I'm Thinking About

Shrimp and Lobster Soup from Uncle Julios.

Soup is my favorite food -  and Uncle Julio's Shrimp and Lobster Soup is some of the best.  The rest of their menu isn't super great but their Friday Soup du Jour is like a little sip of shellfish heaven.  Combine that with a margarita and some chips - WoooWee!  My favorite Friday treat.  (Not very penitential, is it?)

What I'm Thinking About

The Great Earthquake of 2011.

It took me a good few full seconds of shaking to figure out that this was indeed an earthquake.  After spending the first half of my life on the West Coast - earthquakes are passe to me.  My kids thought?  Whoa.  The felt like, like the whole world was shaking!

Basically, if I hear another one of my West Coast "friends" mock us about our little weenie earthquake I am going to vomit.  It's all hardy-har-har until January when their mercury falls below a tepid 40 degrees when we are going to never have to hear the end of their "cold snap."  Gag me. 

Plus.  We sustained some major damage here, folks.  Do you know how long it took me to straighten out these pictures?  Yeah.  I am still digging out.

I Won I Won I Won!

It's not so much that I won - but it is where I won from that makes me so excited.  I won the giveaway from Hairdresser on Fire.  My fashion muse.  My hair isn't going to be able to sleep tonight!

You can find her blog on my sidebar or follow the link here: http://www.hdofblog.com/

Sweet Dreams.

What I'm Thinking About....

This Post...
http://houseunseen.blogspot.com/2011/08/5-reasons-my-marriage-comes-before-my.html#more
By a new fav blogger of mine. 

And because I love him so much - a pic of my beloved for your viewing pleasure.

What I'm Thinking About...

The Mad Men Collection at Banana Republic!!

I suppose what I like best about this is that it hearkens back to a time when people used to dress - for a ride on the train, for a trip downtown, for company.  It was a time when clothing was as crucial to ambiance as decor, architecture or good lighting. 

If I could get my hands on that grey little number in the middle.... whoa.

What I'm Thinking About Today...

Bad Haircuts.  And how much I secretly love them.

Perhaps it's because I love to laugh about them.  Whatever the reason... I got a real doozy this afternoon and I am in love with it.  It is a cross between Helen Mirren and Dorothy Hamill. 

Do you cry when you get a bad haircut?  I tip extra big.

I'm sure we'll be laughing at this one for years to come. 

What I'm Thinking About

A few years ago I heard a talk by the unsinkable Vaughn Treco, who proposed that we adopt the Friday Fast as a part of our own personal spiritual practices throughout the year.  His question: If the Church has been doing this for thousands of years, why do anything else?

Guess what, I agree.

So, I ask you, do you observe the Friday Fast?  If yes, tell me why.  If not, I challenge you to reinstitute the Friday Fast in your own spirituality.  And I want to hear your thoughts.

http://www.causes.com/causes/630975

What I'm Thinking About...

Here's what I'm thinking about today: Camping food.  I want to spice up our camping noshes but, as always, I'm afraid that the kids won't go for it.  Here is an article with all kinds of interesting variations:

(Image via Sunset Magazine)

http://www.sunset.com/food-wine/kitchen-assistant/campground-cooking-recipes-00400000043132/page13.html

How about you?  Do you go ghetto or gourmet for your camping trips?

What I'm Thinking About...

I was in a rotten mood today.  For no apparent reason.  So here's what I'm thinking about to keep my mind out of the funk:

My resin flower jewelry.  Aren't they pretty?  I made 'em!  

New Post

Here is the linkedy-link to my newest COLVE article.

I was feeling very, very sappy when I wrote this.  Read it and weep.

http://www.colve.org/?p=522