my first guest post

I'm so excited to be guest posting for Duane Scott today over at Scribing the Journey!! This is my first guest post everrrrrr, and I had a lot of fun putting it all together.

Hop on over and see for yourself - especially if you're hungry and cold!

cheese, quilts, and reading

As you read in my last post, I wasn't feeling very well in the first part of the week. The second part of the week, my cold got better, but then I ate some cheese, and I've been feeling very sluggish because of it. This is what happens when I crave something that is "legal" on my diet, but still doesn't sit well with me. I take a few bites anyway - and then suffer.

For three days.

The question is: Will I ever learn?

The answer is: Probably not! :))

But in other (good!) news ... Next week is Thanksgiving, and not long after that, it'll be time to start getting things ready for Christmas! Ashlee and Daniel are coming and will be here three or four days. I'm so excited I might just wet my pants stay away from forbidden food that makes me feel awful.

We plan to go see the new Narnia movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader while they're here. Can you believe I've never read the Narnia series?

Biggest crime for a reader, I know. However - in celebration of the new movie coming out, I'm going to read as much of the series as possible. 

How 'bout you? Are you doing anything special to celebrate the Holiday Season? Leave a comment and tell us about it! Or - tell me what you're reading and whether you would recommend it. I'm always on the lookout for great books!

One more bit of good news before I go. I finally finished Jessie's Coca-Cola quilt!! This is the good part about being down with an illness. You tend to get a lot of hand sewing done. :)

I could have wrapped it up and given it to her for Christmas, but since it's been hanging on the stairwell for three years (cough, cough!), I didn't figure it would be much of a surprise.

Next post, I'll show you her reaction to (finally) getting the quilt.

 

P.S. I chose Coca-Cola because 1.) She likes Coke! And 2.) Her bedroom is decorated in Coca-Cola garb. Her bed cover is red, and her sheets are black. Her curtains are also black, so it goes well with what she's put together. Not sure how we coordinated so well ... I guess we're just awesome like that. 

*rolls eyes

simple woman's daybook 7//22/10

Outside My Window... Seems like the sun has been rather elusive lately. Time for it to come out with a vengeance once more!

I am thankful for... God's faithfulness.

From the kitchen... It's pretty darn clean! Lately, I've made brownies, a birthday cake, and blueberry muffins. And lots of dinners of course.

I am wearing... Blue shorts, and a blue t-shirt with an American flag on it. Woopty doo.

I am creating... I'm still on the quilt and the bread cloth (embroidery). Lame, I know.

I am going... to see my Mom and brother's in a few weeks! Woot!

I am reading... The Same Kind of Different As Me, A Lifetime of Wisdom, and The Disciplines of Grace. Too many projects at once!

I am remembering… to shampoo my carpets before school starts. I will do this. I will, I will, I WILL!

I am hoping... Ashlee and Daniel's house sells.

I am hearing... The dryer telling me the clothes are ready, the AC, and clickety click on the keyboard.

On my mind… Next school year, writing, photography, what project I could possibly make and give away  next.

I have noticed… that it's almost nap time. ;)

A Favorite Thing... Words. Music. Making music. Sunshine. Oh sorry, you said "thing."

Around the house... The laundry really is calling my name. And it's rather chilly in here. I pay good money to freeze myself out.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week.... Lunch with my sister-in-law tomorrow!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing ... A few pics, if you don't mind. Love these flowers.

**This post has been part of The Simple Woman's Daybook link up.

L.E.N.S. challenge

I'm joining in the L.E.N.S challenge this week over at the Home Is Where You Start From blog! I just heard about it, but I have a good picture for their theme, which is bokeh. In layman terms, that  means blurry background. :)

This is the birthday cake that I made for Andrew this week. Honestly, I chose to take the picture of this view because the lettering turned out pretty awful. But we won't talk about that! We'll simply enjoy the colorful candles, with much bokeh in the background.

Be sure to hop on over and check out the other entries. And if you'd like to learn more about bokeh, click here.

(Click to enlarge)

reflections from a mother's heart - entry 1

**Click on the left hand side bar, under Reflection from a Mother's Heart to read more about these entries.

Question: What was your favorite pastime as a child? Did you prefer doing it alone or with someone else?

Hands down, I choose the frequent trips to my Grandma Brown's house. Although it was fun to be with Grandma by myself, I think it was funner when the whole family was there : aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents.

Many times, the kids would simply play on Grandma's two acres, lush with grass, rose bushes, willow trees, and fruit trees - all while the parents talked politics inside. We loved it when a good political talk was brewing. It meant sneaking a few of Grandpa's Oreo cookies from the cookie jar, pouring a small cup of coffee, and dipping them - just like Grandpa would.

As we got older, it also meant (for some of us), smoking on the hill conveniently nestled out of view from her front window. But we'll not discuss that.

Other pastimes at Grandma's house were playing games, eating her fantastic cooking (specifically her biscuits and gravy, peanut butter balls, and pies!), and canning fruits and vegetables. Her and my mom knew how to make work seem like a wild and crazy good time. Grandma was the oldest of nine kids, and learned early in life how to work. Working was always regarded as a good and necessary thing, and I admired her ability to simultaneously love it and have fun.

Much to be thankful for.

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How about you? Do you have a favorite pastime? I'd love to hear them in the comments section, or if you prefer - start a discussion in my new BlogFrog Community widget! See? Over there, on the left hand side! In fact, I'll start a discussion about this, and you can just follow me over there. See ya' there!

a coffee for mr. coffey

Congratulations to Billy Coffey, who has won the Starbucks gift card giveaway. Billy, if you'll send me your contact info (email me at PrairieTales@hotmail.com), I'll get the card right out to you.

I did use random.org to determine the winner, because nobody guessed correctly who cut the middle of the brownies out of the pan. So I thought pooling all of you into one and randomly choosing would be the best way to determine a winner.

What's that? Who did bake those brownies and cut the middle out?

Well, not me. Because, contrary to Billy's belief, I do not eat brownies - not even gluten free brownies, because I don't eat any grains. Or sugar.

Boring, I know.

It was not Jessie either. Because Jessie doesn't like to cook.

It was not Shaun, because Shaun doesn't cook very much, and he likes the crunchy edge pieces.

It was not Ashlee, because Ashlee lives in Georgia with her new husband. :)

Peter is as innocent as he looks. Peter eats anything and everything, no matter how it's cut. But he was innocent. This time.

It was Andrew. My pitcher loves to play chef, and he likes what he likes when it comes to brownies. He'll not hesitate to eat edge pieces, but apparently, given a choice, he prefers the middle!!

So congratulations to Billy Coffey for winning some coffee!!!! Sorry, I couldn't resist. If you haven't visited Billy's website, please hop on over there by clicking here. Billy is an incredible writer with his own book, Snow Day, coming out this year. I'm personally twiddling my thumbs, waiting for day it hits the shelves. I'm going to gobble Snow Day up like Andrew gobbles brownie middles.

Now I'm off to start my day with Jessie, who is feeling akin to Eeyore today. And for very good reason. Stay tuned to find out why!

food, family, and a fun giveaway

My family, we like what we like. Some of us like our food to stay completely untouched by other foods. For instance, no corn touching the chicken. Or the potatoes touching the stuffing. Some of us don't like frosting on our cake. Some of us will eat anything and everything, as long as it'll make a ... well, you know. Some of us eat ranch dressing on everything. And some of us can't stand anything that hops in the grass to be deeply imbedded into our deli chicken.

Like this.

When I found this pan of brownies on the counter yesterday, I knew exactly who had taken a bite out of crime the middle.

Question is .... can you tell me who took a bite out of the middle?

Why would you want to waste your time doing that?

Because you, or someone you love, is a Starbucks gulper sipper. And whoever guesses correctly first, will receive a five dollar foot long Starbucks gift card.

If a latte people guess correctly, I will use a random generator to determine the weiner winner.

So, my thirsty readers, who would go and do an out of the box thing like cut a huge piece of brownie from the middle?

Hint: The same person that cut the brownies, made the brownies.

Other Hint: "Family" includes anyone on the right sidebar. Son-in-law (Daniel) and future son-in-law (Peter) included.

Disclaimer: My family is not allowed to participate, and that includes extended family. That wouldn't be fair, and I'm all about fair.

Winner will be announced sometime.

Chester the Grasshopper

All blog posts about the upcoming wedding are on hold. There are obviously uber disgusting hoppin' things going on around here, and I knew you would all like to get in on the action.

Last Sunday evening, Ashlee informed me that Peter had found a grasshopper in the deli chicken that we wolfed down for lunch that day. Peter was fitting right into the family when he warmed up a piece for himself for dinner. As he neared the end of his snarfing, Jessie looked over to notice he was trying to keep the chicken from coming ... back ... up.

Turns out there was an itty bitty full grown grasshopper nestled comfortably in the bone of the chicken wing.

When Ashlee told me, I thought, Oh sure ... a grasshopper.

I mean, how did they KNOW that it was a grasshopper? Perhaps it was just a little something that resembled a grasshopper. Perhaps they were all being teenagers, aka overdramatic. I mean, a grasshopper?? In the chicken? Like, in it? IN the chicken?

I didn't really want to take a look see. But my curiosity got the best of me. And here's what I found. What do you think? Grasshopper? Or no grasshopper?

(Click to enlarge)

The reason we call him Chester:

There are very few things that will grab my undivided attention at this point in the wedding prep. But that, my Lovely Lurkers, succeeded in grabbing it like a shark grabs its victim from the murky waters. I was captivated ... sick to my stomach ... completely grossed out ... sorry for Peter ... upset with the deli ... but after that ... I couldn't help but laugh. I am at least fortunate enough to not have even touched the batch of chicken, since it was not gluten free (hence the reason I could laugh). But my stomach was turning and heaving for Peter (Poor Peter!!!)   ... and Jessie, who needless to say, did not finish her leftover chicken that evening. For everyone that ate it at lunch, it was just too late. Who knows, maybe they unwittingly ate this grasshopper's babies without even knowing. Now isn't that a comforting thought?

Chester sat in my refrigerator (along with the two other untouched pieces) for a day and a half before I decided to take it in to the Deli to let them know of their mishap, if that's what you want to call it. I admit, I immediately saw dollar signs when I saw the grasshopper. Memories of cut off fingers in Wendy's chili flooded my mind. Granted, that finger was fake. But I knew my grasshopper was real ... once alive, and hopping with joy in the weeds wherever this young chicken called home.

I never really considered throwing enough of a fit to actually come home with the wedding paid for anything substantial. But I at least wanted the Deli to know of their less than accomodating customer service. And I secretly hopped hoped that they would return my money, and perhaps everything on the ticket that day, which only consisted of the sides and a dessert.

Ok! And maybe a few groceries to boot. I admit it.

I walked away with $6.28 for the chicken. And just before I left the manager said, "You know, I think I should give you a ten dollar gift certificate, just because I feel so bad."

How generous of you.

Aloud, I said, "Oh, thank you very much. I appreciate it."

I wonder if this means I'll be making the fried chicken next Sunday.

~Brenda

Thankful for What Was

I woke up on Thanksgiving morning, and a very unexpected homesickness wafted over me. I missed my Grandma. I missed my Mom, and my brothers. I missed the awesome family get together's that always took place at Grandma Brown's. A place where I never once felt unwelcome, unfed, unloved. Memories of her apple pie, and ability to make a home flooded my mind, and I was well on my way to a miserable day if I let myself continue.

Then I received a short email from Jeanine. In it, she stated, "Make a choice for a good day!"

I determined to do just that, and as you can see ... it turned out quite well!! Here are a few of my favorite moments, kids, and loved ones in the world.

So, although I was homesick for what was, I also became aware of the tremendous blessings that I have here and now, close to me. There's nothing better than piling into one house, all of us together, kids swarming about, everyone laughing, feasting, and just being together.

More than that, I decided that it was not such a bad thing to be missing what was. Many people never experience the joy and love and togetherness of a family like I had growing up. Is it not better to have had it at one time, even though it is now gone?

I think so.

And so, this Thanksgiving, I am thankful for what was ... and what is. How God has enriched my life with close family, extended family, and the love that permeates my heart each time we are priveledged to once again be together!

I hope all y'all had a wonderful time of thanks with your loved ones, whether in years past, or yesterday.

~Brenda

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

From Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem In Memoriam:27, 1850:

Me and Mahi-Mahi

Any of my Lovely Lurkers ever try Mahi-Mahi?

We tried it for the first time tonight. Nothing fancy. Just wrapped each piece in tin foil, sprinkled a dash of salt and pepper across the top, gave it a little pat on the butt of butter, and threw it on the grill for about 15-20 minutes.

And you know what I love about Mahi-Mahi?

• It doesn't taste fishy
• It is easy to digest
• It doesn't taste fishy
• It's easy to prepare
• It likes ME!
• It doesn't taste fishy

I'm smiling like a fish thrilled to find something new that actually agrees with me. And heck, maybe it'll even give me a little nutrition that isn't found in the other bazillion kinds of meat I eat.

Me and Mahi-Mahi, we're partners now.

I love it and it loves me.

And did I mention it doesn't taste fishy?

Cuz I don't like any fishy taste.

Me and Mahi-Mahi, we have a blossoming relationship that will continue to bloom and bloom until I'm darn good and sick of it.

How much does Mahi-Mahi love me?

Mahi-Mahi loves me so much that when Shaun took me to my favorite fabric store after our masterful dinner, I felt light as a feather. I was able to soak in the millions of mesmerzing colors, the boat load of quilting books, and the endless spools of thread without one single gut cramp.

Maybe Mahi-Mahi and me will have to mesh more often.

If you've never made Mahi-Mahi, what are you waiting for? Mesh and mingle with your Mahi-Mahi. Make the plunge, and even marinate your Mahi-Mahi if you can manage.

C'mon! Join the Mahi-Mahi mania!!

~Brenda, master of Mahi-Mahi