Dinner Party at Nana's!!

Before I got my new and wonderful Pioneer Woman cookbook, I was experimenting with twice baked potatoes. I pierced the skins and popped a couple in the microwave, cooled, sliced in half and scooped out the middles. As I was smushing up the potatoes and looking for something to make them spicy and delicious, my granddaughter Kelsey climbed up to the cabinet wanting to cook. I gave her the busy duty of opening the softened stick of butter.

It was one of those times my camera was just sitting there and I just snapped a random shot of my precious grand baby. Then as I often do, I got distracted looking for something in the refrigerator and when I returned to my potatoes, this is what I found.

The butter all neatly unwrapped and sculpted. Yes, those are tiny teeth marks and 3/4 of the stick is missing.

After looking for the cheese that I swore I had gotten out, Kelsey informed me "I eat the cheese". All 5 slices.

What do you say when her momma comes to pick her up and asks "Did she eat?"

Bad Nana!

Pioneer Woman Comes to Town!

5.5 hours - longer than my labor to deliver Lexi! But we stood in line to have our cookbook signed by Oklahoma blogger wife/mom/homeschooler Ree "Pioneer Woman". She's inspired much of my cooking with her recipes and tutorials. I got a new camera AND coffee maker because of her influence. I can use the coffee maker, my camera is quite another story.

I don't just love to read her blog.....I pretend I AM her...me and about a million of her other new "best friends". And to think, I said a little prayer that this OKC book signing was everything she might want it to be and we got there EARLY, only to find ourselves about 500th in line.

As the line snaked around and inched forward, I think her girls meandered out to find the ladies room. They were gracious and happily signed cookbooks. Such polite girls with beautiful smiles.

A little later, here came her 2 sons and hubby, a/k/a Marlboro Man. I can only imagine this little guy's thoughts at being asked to write in a book! I'm not sure who the gentleman is getting his cookbook signed, but Ree's mom, sister and nephew came out and visited with him.

There are some definite disadvantages to being the one with the camera in her hand.

Marlboro Man and Lexi

MM had PW's camera in hand and briefly set it down to sign autographs. As he wandered down the line, we were all keeping the camera in surveillance. Noticing the camera - and Marlboro Man - check out this girl who picked it up and attempted to capture one of Ree's famous Marlboro Man photos. He caught her in the act and it was a fun laugh. Try explaining to your 11 year old why a strange woman is trying to photograph Ree's hubby's backside. Funny history.

To check out the hiney history, click HERE

About 4 hours in, we had made friends up, down and sideways through the looped line.

5.5 hours of not only signing, but personalizing cookbooks....Ree's still glowing. My hands were having sympathy cramps!

The grand prize - To Lexi. ... WHAT?? ... Lexi was absolutely thrilled to not only have the cookbook signed to her, but Ree high-fived her for being a homeschooler and for our Quartz Mountain home stomping ground. Made the wait totally worthwhile!
(P.S. I requested the cookbook dedication to Lexi)

Check out her blog for ordering a cookbook or a book signing near you.

Lock up the Kids?

I am devastated with the news of little Somer - added to the list of kids who have been abducted and murdered. As I listened to the news this weekend, I was very aggravated at the direction some of the journalists were going - to all but blame the parents for not keeping close enough watch on their children. Even Marc Klass (father of victim Polly) appeared on news shows with this advice and these statistics (although I'd question that number):

"Every year 800,000 children disappear, and a child disappears every 40 seconds. Of these 800K, 74 percent are children under 10 and 78 percent of them disappear within a quarter mile of their home."

In Somer's case, she was walking home from school with 2 siblings and a friend - she ran ahead into the grasp of a predator. Or even Polly Klass - abducted from IN the house at a slumber party. HOW IN THE WORLD CAN A PARENT BE VIGILANT ENOUGH TO PREVENT THIS?? WHEN DID LETTING YOUR KIDS PLAY OUTSIDE BECOME NEGLECTFUL PARENTING?

Here's my suggestion: DEATH for all predatory pedophiles. Quick and efficient, get them off the face of the earth. No plea deals, no life in prison, no ankle bracelets, no registry, no castration. KILL THEM DEAD.

Yes, parents must be cautious and instill awareness and safe habits in their children, but let's rid the world of these hideous vermin.

Let's protect the innocence of childhood.

Spelling B-E-E

Daily Spelling Power Instructions: Say the word, use in a sentence, repeat the word

Keith's first time: "Quiet" "Q-U-I-E-T" "Quiet"

I wonder how long this would have continued if the kids hadn't started laughing.

Ten-Twenty-O-Nine

Cleaning day today, took my bathroom apart from the mini-blinds to underbelly of the toilet. Got my closet all organized over the weekend. Ready to settle in for a long winter's nap.

Note to self: Order firewood

Tonight Lexi is scheduled to play softball. No rain in sight, but the wind is blowing like a hurricane. Putting pork steaks in the oven with carrots, potatoes and onions. Nicholas has karate, so we eat in shifts on Tuesdays.

Yesterday my sweet son turned 13. I miss the days of buying him toys - he prefers CASH these days. He used a chunk of his birthday money to buy a paint ball gun. He and Keith went to the local paint ball shooting place and played warrior. They came home covered in something they assured me would wash out. The bruises on my hubby's ribs weren't quite so temporary. I'm starting to think about Christmas buying. Have no great ideas for the kids. We'll be making some family gifts, something Lexi and I do together. Keith and I recently purchased a new TV, so our gift this year will just keep on giving. Am I the only one who doesn't care for the skinny narrow screen? I'm a square TV girl...but I do love the sound control that keeps the commercials from breaking the sound barrier.

What's for dinner at your house? What's Santa bringing? Helloooo...are you there? =D

Update on Us!

School in full swing, we're in a really nice rhythm and the kids are doing well. They're usually finished by noon Mo-Thurs and on Fridays we participate in a group studying Oklahoma History. Softball is winding down, more games cancelled than played due to this wet, wet Fall weather. Go TUTTLE - in their quest for a 3rd straight softball State championship.

Today and tomorrow we celebrate "Fall Break", which mainly consists of the kids sleeping late and no scheduled studies.

My little boy turns 13 on Monday. Wow. I'll post more later, but just typing that is shocking to me! THIRTEEN! a teenager. Look out world!

I am working 2 days a week at a local office. Keith works mostly from home, so it seemed a perfect opportunity for me to earn a little extra money AND interact with other grown ups!

Today I'm preparing meals for a friend who lost her mother and a new mom (her 5th, but still!). This is the first year I am not making Halloween costumes, although I did just make Lexi a Sacajawea outfit for a presentation she did. Our worm farm is thriving and I'm studying Square Foot gardening and planning my spring planting. I ordered seed catalogs this week.

We are NOT getting the H1N1 vaccinations - taking normal health precautions and added some C to our vitamins.

OU plays Texas this weekend - so BOOMER SOONER!! If you didn't see the Sam Bradford & Colt McCoy video "We are Second"...watch it. You'll see who is really #1.

Have a wonderful weekend!