Do You Pinterest?

I do.  I am now an addict, and I try to only surf it during the weekends so I won't waste countless hours on it.  Here are some things I learned/done/made/bought due to the wonder of Pinterest:

1.  Lesson Plans:  There are so many new ideas out there, and teachers love organizational tools, so going on Pinterest should count as professional development.  Just type in what you are looking for and there it is, in a cute picture and smile.  Life got easier.

2.  Planning my wedding:  Okay, I am planning an elopement, but Pinterest is helping me to organize the dream vs.  reality of the big day.  It is much more fun than just using a big notebook, which I have as well.  I also have a few of my own ideas, and I am looking forward to sharing, as well.

3.  Organized my closet:  I used Pinterest to make outfits out of clothes I own, and now I go to my board to help organize what I am going to wear during the week. 

4.  Cleaning House:  Take a dryer sheet and wipe off your baseboards.  It attracts the dust and repeals it so it stays cleaner longer. 
I love, love my organizational board because it reflects the life I really would like to have. 

5.  Cooking:  Biscuits, pound cake, and more.  Yep, I have found some wonderful ideas and it is cheaper than buying new cookbooks. 

The appeal of Pinterest is that is shows you the life you want if you had the money and the time.  It is like a modern day fairy tale with neat little virtual boards to tidy up and slay my giants.

We Are Talking Biscuits Here

My granny can make a mean biscuit.  I do believe it is her speciality.  When I was a child, she often made cat head biscuits (about as big as the cat's head).  I often got the name mixed up and called them cat house biscuits.  People would look at me strangely, and my papaw would smile and say, "It was something she picked up while I was in the war."

Granny never appreciated the joke. 

Now, do I have her recipe?  No.  I have tried, and it never comes out just like hers.  She has the magic, and I am Mickey Mouse with dancing brooms.  Not exactly the same.  So, in order to feed my kiddos something other than WOMP (the sound the can makes as it hits the counter) biscuits, I came up with this:

Robyn's Biscuits:

2 1/2 cups of All Purpose
4 tbs. of baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cream of tarter
1 stick of butter
1 cup milk (buttermilk or whole)

Preheat oven to 450.  Mix all dry ingredients and butter, except for one small section.  Take a pastry blender and break butter into fine pieces that blend into the flour.  Two knives can substitute for a pastry blender.  Add milk and and mix together. 

Put on a floured surface and either roll out or press down.  I prefer to place the dough between parchment paper and press out with my hands. You can make the biscuits as thick as you want.  Cut out and place on a parchment lined pan.  I then take the butter I have left and soften in the microwave for a few seconds.  I brush the butter over the tops.

Bake about 10 minutes.

My granny is so proud of me.

Want a Hot Dog?

Okay it has been months since my last post, and to be honest, life went crazy.  Falling in love, raising a family, health scares, jobs woes; you name, we got it.  Well, life is still crazy, but I have missed writing.  I miss the catharsis of putting my thoughts to paper..virtually of course.  It is time to begin anew. 

The focus of this blog will continue to be home and hearth, and I am no longer comfortable about airing personal business.  I have Facebook for that :)

So, what has called me out of my self-imposed exile?  How about good, old-fashioned hot dog chili.  Yep, I got my granny's recipe, and it is too good to ignore.  Her chili is quick, easy, and makes your dog almost church fund raiser good.

Ingridients:
2 1/2 lbs high quality ground beef
2 to 3 tbs. chili powder (for your taste)
1 tbs. salt
1 tbs. brown sugar
3 tbs. tomato paste
1 3/4 cup water
finely diced onion
Sprinkle of Worcestershire sauce

Now, instead of browning meat, just cook it in the water.  As you stir it, it will become very fine.  Combine all the ingridients and simmer for at least 20 minutes. 

That is it.  It is delicious, and Granny swears it is due to the brown sugar.  I made it Saturday, and it was even better on Sunday. 

Enjoy!

It Was the Best of Times, and It Was the Worst of Times

I haven't posted in a while due to life just being chaotic.  Adjustments are being made, and there have been good days, great days, and some days...well...not so good or great.  It has just been life with the good, the bad, and the ugly; however, it has been ours.  It is real.  No need to deal with fiction when reality is just better in so many different ways.  With that being said, I would rather have a bad day with the Flatlander than a perfect day with somebody else.  He centers me.

The good:  The kids, all of them.  A night with rain beating down, pumpkin candles, Russian tea, and the sounds of Billie Holiday. 

The Bad:  I really don't want to go into deeper details out of respect for all involved, but let's just say life can throw you a curve.  Just when you you have a chance to inhale, you watch something fall apart.  You may want to ask God "why me", but shouldn't it be "why not me".  Every person who is under the moon tonight has problems, and sometimes they just seem to overwhelm.  My minister reflected on this just last Sunday and made several valid points, and this is what I am holding to this week:

1.  Repent:  Luke 13:1-5
2.  Reform: 
3.  Remember:  Psalm 77:7-8
4.  Revive:  Hosea 6: 1-3
5.  Report:  Be prepared to report how your hardships glorify God, your first true love.  
 
Someday soon I plan to "Go Tell It on the Mountain".

The Ugly:  Recently, I did a two part posting over toxic relationships, and I did so due to somebody actually acting out toward me in a manner that made me extremely uncomfortable.  Basically, they wished that my new marriage, life, and relationships will crumble around me.  Karma was going to get me.  Why?  Because we aren't close anymore.  Even though I tried to ignore her, for the most part, I must say that her attitude did bother me just because I am that much of a thought on her mind.  That my happiness bothers her so much, she must wish harm for good.  Needless to say, even though I am not a Buddhist, I really don't think that is purpose of Karma.  We don't go through life doing good to repay others with bad.  I don't see why we want bad things to happen to others.  Here is my open statement to her, "I don't want anything bad to happen to you, your marriage, or your life.  I believe you have a good heart, and you deserve to exist without pain.  My life shouldn't be your focus, as your life shouldn't be mine.  Let's just exist without being in each other's way.  Believe it or not, you are not even a blip on my radar, anymore.  I will wake up tomorrow with a clear heart and mind and move forward.  I suggest you do the same."

Simplicity for Survival, Part II

To end a toxic relationship, you also need to remember that you cannot control the toxic waste that streams from their mouths.  If they were dysfunctional with you, then they will be as well without you.  Some people are also born for the fight.  They are not content unless they "have their say".  They may smile at your face and then talk freely about you behind your back, and this is okay.

What?  Yep, you read right; it is okay.   If it damages your reputation in anyway, then take direct action; however, if it is just with another person over coffee, then you know that is okay to ignore them.  Yes, it hurts.  Hurts bad, but when you attack back you open yourself to more heartbreak.  Remember, this person isn't your friend for a reason.  In a perfect, post therapy world, we should be able to say, "Excuse me, but I don't appreciate what you said."  In reality...well, it may not be met with the response you want.

You are not a bad person.  I am not a bad person, and their opinions of you shouldn't make you feel like you are.  Yet, what if you are the one trashing somebody over coffee?  Then stop.  Stop being that person.  Stop bullying.  Stop feeding your own insecurities.  We are all beautiful in our own ways, and the attempt to destroy others for your own self-gratification is only taking away from your peace of mind.  If you must vent, then vent to one trusted confidant, and make sure your opinions are balanced.  No need to drag others into a moment of muck.

So, just in case you are the one going through a detox or you are the one causing the detox, know that God knows the truth, and the truth is really in your heart on why it is happening.  Accept and move on and hopefully surprise visits in Walmart won't be that bad.

Simplicity for Survival

Something happened this week that made me want to use this forum to rant and give my side and yell and scream and vent and no.  No, I am not going to do it.  Why?  Because that is not what I want to carry with me every day.  I do not want to use my words to condemn a person or situation just based on my perceptions and so called intuition.  That is more simpleton than simplistic. 

Life can sometimes be unfair.  People can be unfair.  Add it all together, and it is enough to explode, but that is far from how I want to be.  Removing toxic relationships can be painful for both parties, especially when one can only be vindicated through hateful words and painful condemnation.  It hurts.  It does bother me, but if I respond then I am the one who creates the drama.  Not fair to either party because it doesn't promote healing.  Sometimes it is best to cut your losses and walk away without blaming the other person.

My new life contains a new fiance, new home, new job, and it isn't perfect.  The beauty of it requires sacrifice and faith in the unknown.  Be patient with me as I acclimate and remember life isn't perfect.  Just deal with your own and let me deal with mine.

Planning a Party

Sunday is our engagement party.  It began as a shower, but it is now a full scale party with both genders and many people RSVPing.  I really hope it turns out well.  We rented a cabin at a local lake, so we will have access to a grill and playground.  Considering how many people are needing to be fed, I am keeping things simple with hot dogs, sausages, chicken, potato salad, seven layer salad, cowboy baked beans, fresh fruit, and a cake that I hope is as pretty in person as it was on the order form.  

I am doing the decorating myself, and I am using the color scheme I had planned to use when I was organizing a church wedding.  Navy and hot pink it is.  I super glued 10 mason jar centerpieces Saturday, and I plan on filling them with wildflowers.  I want to keep things rustic and simple, but I still think small twinkle lights will  make it there some how.  

This party is becoming more and more important, and I think it is because I am no longer planning a church wedding with family and friends.  When the big day arrives, it will be just the two of us with our kids, so this is my only chance to include everybody.  Yeah, they were with me the first go around, but they have also been with me as the world turned upside down on me.  They were the ones who believed in me when nobody else did, and for that, I need a way to say thank you; the engagement party is one big thank you for their love and support.

This party is also a good bye.  I am in the process of moving, and I won't be in our area on a daily basis anymore.  I am already spending more time there than here.  Bittersweet, more sweet than bitter, bitter than sweet.