Yard Sale

How how I loathe running yard sales! Especially since I apparently chose the hottest, muggiest days known to existence to have it. Oh well, at least we made $165. Pretty good, for stuff I was going to give away for free anyway!

Wednesday's Walk 7/22/2009

I was made aware of this blog carnival by another beautiful blog,



She got it from the original blog, here where blogger Lynette Kraft writes "Join me for Wednesday's Walk Down Memory Lane! It's a brand new blogging opportunity designed to help you document those precious times in your life that you don't want to forget! If you print your weekly memories you can begin your own book that you can give to your children someday! (And pull it out every now and then to share stories with your family. Kids love to be told stories about themselves, and stories from momma's childhood!)"

So, here is my first "Wednesday's Walk."

My husband and I had been trying for a while, even before being married, if truth be known. Regardless of a paper document and vows spoken before friends and family, we were already committed to one another, just as much as when we said our vows. In our hearts, we were married. We both felt led, by God, that we were to go ahead and to try and start our family. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and knew it would take forever to get pregnant, and we wanted to avoid fertility treatments if possible. So, I charted my basal body temperature and we tried. But I never would ovulate. To get pregnant, you MUST ovulate. Your eggos can't get preggo if there aren't any eggos to begin with! So, needless to say, we ultimately ended up needing clomid. I was disappointed but also excited, since now we felt like we finally had a chance! Several months, and the clomid did work. I did ovulate. But we still never got pregnant. Til the 4th cycle. I got pregnant that January (2006). I was sick as a dog and definitely feeling the hormones pretty stoutly. Yet, I have always been a worrywort, so in the back of my mind, I had raging anxiety. When we had our first ultrasound, part of me wasn't surprised when they told us it wasn't a viable pregnancy. I had a blighted ovum. I was heart-broken, and though initially my doctor told me to hold to hope that a second ultrasound 10 days later would show a baby, maybe I had ovulated later than I thought. But I knew...from charting I knew exactly when I'd ovulated, and by my early positive on a home pregnancy test, I had to have gotten a positive at 4 days after ovulation for it to be as late as it was on the ultrasound. I did have more ultrasounds though, I never could give up completely, til I knew for sure. Each ultrasound was 10-14 days after the last one, with the very first one at almost 8 weeks. I was approaching 10 weeks, and at 15 weeks he said they would want to induce me versus a d&e, so I made the decision after the last ultrasound showed it was breaking down and there was still no sign of a baby at all. I knew then there was no hope. My baby was long gone.



I was heart-broken, but I trusted in the Lord's timing. This wasn't my baby, this was the Lord's baby, and He'd taken it back, nearly as soon as he'd given it to my body. For whatever reason, I had to trust in that or I would be eaten alive by fear, rage, and sorrow. So I had a d&e, my first ever stay in a hospital, and we named our baby Quinn Dallas, a name I felt worked for a boy or a girl. Dallas was my great great grandmother's middle name, and little did we know, but just a few short months later, we'd buy her house, even if we didn't know it at first. I kinda feel in my mommy gut that Quinn was a boy. Just a feeling. I wish we'd done the testing, but our insurance wouldn't pay for it and my doctor said there wasn't enough tissue regardless. I think it would help, if I had answers as to why it happened. But then again, I know it wouldn't.

But help most certainly did follow. We were given the green-light to try again, and again with the clomid we returned to TTC. A cycle passed, and nothing. But then we went on vacation, to Gatlinburg. I ovulated while there, we road a roller coaster at Dollywood, and we had fun with friends from my most favorite site ever in the world and lo and behold.



which led to this:



then this:



some more of this:



and finally, this:




So, I know now why I couldn't have Quinn here with me Earth. If I had not lost Quinn, I couldn't have Oscar and Matilda. And in a perfect world, I most certainly want all of them, including a miscarriage I had with my ex-husband. But it's not a perfect world. But God's will IS perfect, and I trust in that.

Me and Mrs. Jones

I have a wonderful neighbor, Mrs. Jones. She is about 80 and is always coming over and bringing me treats like flowers and home-grown pecans, or just dropping by to chat and compliment my roses. She is such a sweetie. But I was feeling like a terrible neighbor- I never did that for her. So I made her some banana muffins.

I started, with my fave recipe from my fave cookbook. Mine is a 1946 reprint. It used to belong to my great grandmother, Leva.



You take 1 and 3/4 all-purpose flour plus 2 Tbsp of baking powder and 3/4 tsp of salt, or 1 and 3/4 cups of self-rising flour, which is what I always use. Then add 1/2 cup of sugar. I added 1 tsp of cinnamon as well, my own personal flair I suppose. And I never sift, I always use a whisk, til it's smooth.



Then you add 2-3 mashed bananas (let them get over-ripe for easier mashing and smoother baking) plus 2 eggs, and 1/2 cup of melted shortening. For me, the end result was way too dry/sticky, maybe I used too much banana or flour.



So I added half of one of these, which I have like 400 billion of. Another bit o' personal flair. MMM....apple prune juice.



That addition made the consistancy PERFECT, and man, did that batter smell GOOD!



Then you bake them about 380 degrees for 20 or so minutes, I think mine ended up being 25 minutes. It really depends on your oven. Just play around with it, being very modest at first, until you see how long it will take. Don't wanna burn them!



Oh, and if you are trying a new recipe and plan on giving it as a gift or taking it to a potluck or whatever, I recommend muffins. That way you can sample one to make sure it's tasty and edible before giving it.

Enjoy!

No longer a "Not Me Monday" virgin

I definitely did NOT make cookies today, just for the express purpose of using the chocolate-covered sunflower seeds I thought I wanted to eat but ultimately didn't enjoy. It must have been from a bad batch. I certainly didn't eat the entire first bag I got. and I most certainly didn't travel 6 hours away just to get the dang things.

I know I didn't sneak an Archie comic into the grocery cart and I certainly didn't feign stomach upset just to have some private moments in the bathroom to read it.

I also am for certain that I did not forget to properly set my oven and microwave clocks after the blackout yesterday and did not thusly try to put my kids down for a nap 2 hours before bedtime. Not me!

How to make fried chicken...

I had dinner tonight with my great grandmother. In spirit at least. :)

I went delving through her old house the other day. It's mostly junk, and the house is literally falling apart. But I did find a few gems. Keep in mind, one man's trash is another man's treasure, and that second man is probably me. Or woman rather... That goes without saying, but I said it anyway.

But I digress- I decided to make dinner "with" this lady tonight. Of course, an occasion such as this calls for fried chicken.

First you take a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. Being well-seasoned by your cherished great grandmother's hands 50+ years ago is entirely optional, but I swear it makes everything taste better.



Then you use whatever oil of choice in a med-high heat (I set mine to a 6). Vegetable oil is probably most common per Suth'n tradition, but I prefer regular olive oil, non extra-virgin. Extra virgin has too much flavor for me I think, the flavors compete in the fried chicken. Using your very last bit of olive oil is entirely optional and NOT recommended, as it means you have to go to the grocery store tomorrow.



Then you make your dredge. I typically grab several things and ad lib it. Every time is something different. It typically is some variation of what I have pictured below. I do about a cup and a half of flour, and 1 heaping Tbsp each of the other stuff, except the salt, that I just sprinkle a bit. Maybe 1/2 a tsp if I guesstimate. Using your great grandmother's antique bowls is again, entirely optional, but prefered. I wonder what the last thing she did with them was?



Then I make my egg mixture to bind the flour. I use 1 egg, about an 1/8 or so cup of milk (buttermilk or whole milk is best, but I didn't have any today) and I like to add a shot of worchestershire sauce. I call it wista-sher sauce by the way, and I don't think I'll ever be convinced to call it anything else.



Make sure the egg mixture and flour mixture are both well-whisked. I never sift flour btw, I always just whisk it. And have another bowl handy filled with bread crumbs. Or crumbled chips and crackers. Even corn flakes! Whatever floats your boat! My husband and I both prefer whole wheat crackers, oddly enough. Has an interesting flavor. Anyway, I set it up as thus, to minimize mess and nuisance. Chicken goes to my 4 o'clock, egg wash to my 6 o'clock, flour at 10 and bread crumbs at 2. I take the chicken (pre-salted) and dip in the egg, then the flour, and give it a lick and a promise kinda coating (not very much) and then into the crumbs, and then back into the flour. I make sure I coat it very well this second time. Then plop into the now hot oil in the skillet. Oh, and be sure and save a portion of the flour mixture before you start this process, for the gravy later.



Continue til all the chicken is in the skillet and happily sizzling. Granny Gran, can you smell it?



Now here is the tricky part. You don't want to bother it too much, or the breading will fall apart. I let it go maybe 5 minutes before turning it the first time. Then I turn them over every 3-4 minutes afterwards til they are a nice golden brown. Feel free to cut into it and check and make sure it's done before serving. You probably knew that anyway, but hey, I felt like saying it anyway.



And we're done!



Now, time for gravy! Some say this is the best part. I can't say I disagree. You take your still sizzling skillet full of chicken drippings and stuff, taking care to use a fork and fish out any large clumps of breading, or not, whatever, I rarely do.



Add that flour you saved earlier.



Splash in some milk, or water if you prefer, about 1/4 a cup? I have no idea exact measurements for this, I literally splash it in there.



Here you need to hurry, it will set quick. Stir continuously and as soon as you think you see it's almost set where you want it, transfer it to another bowl, which you have previously set aside in a handy location. It will continue to set in that bowl. If you wait til it's already set as thick as you want in the skillet, it will be too thick by the time it's in the bowl. It happens really fast, I promise! If you do happen to let it overthicken, just splash in a bit more milk. And if need be, if you over-compensated and it's too thin, add more flour. And voila, gravy! Spilling milk as you do your patented "splash" is entirely optional and not at all recommended, unless you enjoy extra range-scrubbing.



Enjoy your classic southern meal! I like to serve mine with mashed potatoes and green beans. The gravy goes great with the mashed potatoes too. Oh, and finishing it off with some faux tea in your great granny's carnival glass pitcher is entirely optional as well, but oh so recommended.



For some reason, I feel like I should say "entirely optional" one more time.

Waterlogged

On my husband's side of the family, they are all about water safety. My husband, his sister, and her mother were all lifeguards before and it's a subject dear to their hearts. Considering my own fear of water and my own terrible swimming ability that's taken years and much help/instruction on improving, I also wanted to make water safety a priority with my kids. This year, like last year, we focus on getting them not only used to the water, but to also have a respect for it. We also try to train them to instinctively go for the edge of the pool, if they fell/got in.

So, today was our first day in the pool this year. Here they are jumping into awaiting arms.

A Breastfeeding Checklist

Before ever having children, before even trying to conceive children, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. I had learned of the many benefits of breastfeeding. I was determined. Plus, I am an admitted hippie and it's honestly the hippie thing to do. And that was that.

While trying to conceive, I informed myself even more, now placing emphasis on improving the chances for success at breastfeeding. When I learned I was pregnant, and especially when it was discovered to be twins, well, I was even more revved up for it. I read books, websites, consulted with other moms who've breastfed. I did it all.

Despite my immense desire and drive to breastfeed, the whole time I also held a healthy acceptance of the fact that it may not work out. Indeed, many mothers don't breastfeed, for various reasons. Whether by lack of a healthy supply, not enough family support, or simply because for whatever reason, it's not a good fit for your family, and I fully support that. I admit- there are things about breastfeeding that are irksome and not at all glamorous as you'd imagine something so natural and elemental, and almost magical, to be. A large part of it is, or was for me, but that painful and annoying underbelly is indeed there. It's just something you have to decide for yourself. For me, I was excited and ready.

So when Oscar and Matilda was born 6 weeks early, I put forth every bit of knowledge I'd gleamed from my many resources, every aged tome, every acronym-laden mommy forum, every parenting magazine, every cheesy birth show on daytime cable, you name it. And come up with this lovely to-do list for myself. I followed it to the T for the first month or so, and most of it til Oscar was finally getting his milk from the tap versus pumped, which was around 3 months old. It makes me look/sound pretty OCD, I admit, but hey, maybe I am.

Either way, it's pretty cool I think. I still have it too, tucked in their keep-sake drawer.

28 months old!

So, the kids are now 28 months old. I have absolutely no idea on their height/weight, I'm guessing around 32-33 inches tall and 24-26 lbs? They haven't been to the doctor's since their 2 year check-up, which went smashingly. Healthy as can be! And I am so in love with their pediatrician, Dr. Amy Self. She is so knowledgeable and comforting, and so supportive of parents' right to parent as they see fit (within reason of course.) She just loved that I was still breastfeeding them. She walked in and immediately goes "ok, first things first, are you still breastfeeding?" When I replied that yes I was, she slapped her hand on her knee and goes "I KNEW it! I knew you could do it! That is just awesome!" It's nice getting that sort of support and encouragement, when you have had your fill of random strangers and distant family members sharing their negative opinions. It gets old, really quick and I don't mind saying it!

With a heavy heart however, I must confess, the kids are now weaned. I stopped them cold-turkey. It was getting were it felt strange and I felt like it was keeping them from eating more solids, and since they, or Oscar to be specific, was not eating much at all and not gaining weight, sometimes even losing it, I felt it was the best decision for our family. As much as I miss it, and believe me, I do, I still do feel it was the best decision. His appetite for solid foods have picked up, so I guess it was a success? They still ask for it, but they don't get upset like they did the first week. It was just so hard to arbitrarily decide to stop, when they were getting so much enjoyment out of it, and I enjoyed those special snuggles too. It was like for those moments, they were my teeny tiny babies still, comforted by their mommy like no one else could. Oh well...on to happier things...

They are both evolving from toddlers to little children, with the advent of their own little games. It is so intriguing to watch. One game in particular I think is something of their own invention. It seems basically like tag, except you sit there and just tag each other in the chest, while giggling and going "Gassy!" At first, you'd think they were saying "Got you" or "Gotcha" but they can say that clearly, so I have no idea what they are saying. But they love the game, so I guess that's all that matters. They also love kitchen play and working in the garden. Oscar especially loves helping me with chores, and his dearest favorite is to help me wash the laundry. He must assist in every step of the way, from transferring the wet laundry to the dryer, putting the dirty in the washer, adding the soap, twisting the knobs, turning it on, and then overseeing the water filling up. We cannot leave til he sees bubbles. It's funny...and a bit OCD I believe? LOL. And Matilda really couldn't care less about helping with chores, she is all about her jewelry and stickers. We've been trying to potty train them, or at least get Matilda not so terrified of pooping in general, so we've taken to giving them stickers as "potty prizes." I got them a roll of stickers from the Dollar Tree, a buck for a whole roll. Tilly only wants the pink one. She also only wants the orange vitamin. She is getting picky picky with colors!

So, that's our update. Here is a recent picture. This is from our family church's "homecoming" where everyone comes over one Sunday, brings a dish, and we sit around, socialize, and visit the graves of those who've passed before us.

After a hiatus...

We're back! Sorry for the lack of activity. Just kind of got carried away with other things. But now we're back, so be sure and come back to visit us. :)

First, a recap of our summer thus far...

I've been working with my garden pretty heavily this year, and was expecting a boon of strawberries. Well, the raccoons, slugs, beetles, and birds all have different ideas on that. But finally, I think we have such a plethora of berries, that even all the wildlife can't eat them all up. Here is a recent batch. Tiny, but so juicy and just the perfect tarty sweetness.



A bounty of herbs: coriander, chives, oregano, rosemary, lavender, italian basil, dill, sage, thyme...plus a single berry. This was when the various varmints were getting into my garden and absconding with the fruits of my labor. Literally!



And my pride and joy, my great great grandmother's rose. She lived in this house before we did, many years ago. The house changed hands, to non-family, several times I believe, and it now back to us. I've been struggling to identify the particular rose it is, but I feel confident now that it's Nurse Edith Cavell.



So, that's it for now, but I will update on the kiddos soon!

My Twins Are 2!

And still happily breastfed!