Tag, I’m It – 7 Random Things October 13, 2008

My good buddy Rena over at Insert Grace Here tagged me. I’m supposed to tell the public seven random things about me. In an ideal world, I’m thinking they should be things that should be somewhat interesting. So, these are seven things, they are random, and whether or not they are interesting is up for debate. Strange? Maybe. Intersting? Doubtful. But thanks for the stress, Rena! I really needed one more thing to do today. (You know I’m kidding, right?)

7 Random things about me…

1. My second toe is shorter than my third toe, just like my mom. No, my mom is not shorter than my third toe – my mom’s second toe is shorter than her third, and mine are like hers. I know this was supposed to be random things about ME – sorry to drag you into this whole ugly mess, Mom. Hope that wasn’t a secret!

2. I have all my wisdom teeth (and I have no fillings or cavities). That’s why I’m so smart! I also get this from my mom, but I won’t go into the whole “mom’s teeth” thing. I think her toes have been stepped on enough for today.  Also, I consider this a blessing from God because I am DEATHLY AFRAID of the dentist after a traumatic childhood visit to the sadist dentist.

3. I can recite the Girl Scout Promise in French. Had to learn it for some sort of international badge. I don’t know why it’s still in my memory taking up space. I sure could use that space for something else more useful, I’m sure.

4. I can’t chew gum in church. We weren’t allowed to chew gum in church as kids. Sometimes I chew gum as I drive all the way to church, walk through the parking lot, into the hallway, go to the fellowship hall, visit with friends, but when I walk through the church door into the sanctuary, I get this horrible feeling that I have something really bad in my mouth that needs to be spit out. I DO! It’s gum!! “Spit that gum out, young lady!  This is God’s house.”  (That’s not my mom, that’s the voice in my head.)

5. I like almost all foods, except for celery. It repulses me.  And to pair it with peanut butter and raisins??  Are you kidding me?  Who wants to eat “ants on a log” anyway?  Wait!  I’ve just figure it out – that’s what it feels like when I have gum in my mouth at church – like I just bit into a giant piece of celery coated with peanut butter and raisins.  Ewww – I’ve gotta go spit…

6. I was horrified when my dad made me take public speaking in High School – “When will I ever use that in the future??!!” Now I love to speak at women’s conferences, bible studies, retreats, etc. I still get just as nervous in a room of only 25 ladies that are close friends as I do in a room of over 100 ladies.  I hope they don’t read this, then I’ll be really nervous.

7. I think cookie dough always tastes better than the actual baked cookie. My favorite cookie dough is oatmeal, followed by chocolate chip cookie dough. I used to love sugar cookie dough, but having overindulged in the past, I have a bit of an aversion there.

Oh – and you get a bonus today …

8.  I love corny puns.  Especially when I make them up.   Here’s my latest.  “Please don’t burn my toast.  I’m black-toast intolerant.”  See?  Hilarious, I know!

Alrighty then.  That’s about it for the randomness.  I think I’ve freaked myself out (and probably my mom, too).  I’m going to make an appointment for therapy. 

I’m a Believer!

Laura

Recipe for Crushed & Shattered Dreams* April 15, 2008

Ingredients:

• 1 overscheduled mom
• 1 overscheduled dad
• 3 overscheduled children
• 1 work day at church
• 1 school carnival
• 1 ball practice
• 1 half empty pantry
• 1 commitment to bring 2 cakes to the church cakewalk
• 1 commitment to bring 5 gallons of homemade lemonade to church fair
• 1 curvy road

Instructions:

Combine all overscheduled ingredients early on a Saturday morning.  Be sure overscheduled mother picks up overscheduled teen from friend’s house and takes her to grocery store after church workday to purchase items for 2 cakes and dinner, while overscheduled dad takes 2 other overscheduled children to school carnival & conducts ball practice. 

Get home from grocery store and realize that all the eggs in (dirty) fridge are boiled, and thus, cannot be used in baking 2 gourmet cakes for cakewalk.  Call overscheduled dad at ball practice and ask him to please pick up eggs on way home from said ball practice plus pick up one bag of ice (in his spare time, of course). 

Cook dinner while waiting for eggs.  (Be sure that the enchiladas you cook are “too spicy” for anyone to enjoy.)  When eggs, sunburnt husband, and dirty overscheduled children get home, send them all to tub and begin making cakes – one “Orange Dreamsicle” and one “Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Dream.”  Allow overscheduled clean children to “help” while dinner is baking.

Eat enchiladas.  Listen to complaints – “My mouth is on fire!”  “I need some more water!”  “Why did you make these so hot?”  Try to clean up mess so that you can make another mess while finishing cakes.  Run to Dollar Tree to pick out two cute plates for gourmet cakes.  Finish cakes with artistic garnish & flair (think Martha Stewart).

Make 5 gallons of homemade lemonade & slice 15 lemons.  Allow children to “help” again. Try to lift 100 pound lemonade dispenser.  Decide that husband will be the one to move it.

Let all ingredients rest until Sunday morning.  Load up the van early.  Begin 17-minute ride to church.  As you round a curve in the road, turn the wheel sharply to avoid oncoming traffic in your lane.  Listen carefully for the crunch of 5 gallons of lemonade toppling on top of artistically garnished cakes, crushing Orange Dreamsicle cake to smithereens and half shattering Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Dream.  Pull over to the side of the road & hysterically throw a hissy fit in your Sunday clothes.  Pick up lemonade from atop your shattered dreams cakes, and continue to church house in strained silence.

Get very angry at oncoming car, overscheduled children, overscheduled husband, and overscheduled self.  While in communion service, realize that it was only cake, the “wasted time” spent baking it was time spent with children, that you really didn’t want your husband have a head-on collision on the way to church, and that artistically decorated cakes are not indispensable to the church cakewalk.  These things happen…

James 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Vow to carry cake on your lap next time.

*Based on a true story.

I’m a Believer!
Laura
 

Blogophobia & Cheese Bread April 8, 2008

Ok – so I only have two blog posts on here & I think I’ve developed a case of blogophobia.  I checked the urban dictionary and it says that blogophobia can be similar to “online stagefright.”   Aaaah!! I have that!!  After I wrote my other posts I started having strange thoughts – “What if someone reads this?”  or worse “What if no one reads it?”  “What if I leave out a comma, spell a word wrong, or (gasp) misuse an apostrophe?”  “It’s kinda weird to ask people to read my stuff.”  “Why would I write a blog & not ask people to read my stuff?”  “What if I put too many …s and parentheses ?”  Irrational, I know… (Or is it?)

During my deliberations with myself, I received an email with a quote that seemed to help a little bit.  It said “What other people think of me is none of my business.“  So with that in mind, I began considering the possibility that I could get over my new found phobia…

Then, I had the genius idea that I could post a recipe!  People do that all the time, and they’re not weird.  I’ve shared recipes before.  I can do that because I’M A BELIEVER IN GREAT FOOD.  Yes!  Here I go – blogging a recipe!