On a Day Like This . . .

October 29, 2008 at 1:33 pm (A Penny for my thoughts)

I can’t believe it; there are no more articles to write!  At least for a while anyway . . . so I get to blog and not feel guilty.  Yay.  Today;s big project is cleaning (really cleaning) the house.  So, I am hoping for some nesting instinct to kick in a little to make things a bit easier.  Cleaning always goes faster when done in a manic state!

What I present to you this morning are a list of my wandering thoughts for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

  • I was sad this morning to discover that yet again, I forgot to soak the beans for 15 bean soup over night.  I was looking forward to that too!  My plan of attack:  a giant green post-it reading:  SOAK THE BEANS!
  • I am reading another great book, and I must give credit where credit it due.  Thanks, Mandy!  I am finally reading Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen.  For some reason I was reluctant to check this out.  Perhaps I was waiting for the tidal wave of early pregnancy hormones to subside so I could read it without having a breakdown.  I’m 91 pages in after a day and have to make myself put it down.  It’s really enthralling.  How does she do it?
  • Jonah ate squash last night – willingly.  I had one of those moments where I wanted to call my friends and brag about it, and then had the sense to get ahold of myself.  It’s just squash, but I somehow hope that it is a sign that I am a decent parent after all and/or that my child might just grow up making healthy choices.  Then he asked for, begged for candy as he batted his eyelashes at me, and it occurred to me that the squash may have all been a ploy to placate so he could eat candy.  Sigh.  Supermom moment over.  :)
  • I watched the Today show do a piece on Sarah Pailin’s, Michelle Obama, and Cindy McCain’s wardrobes this morning.  Maybe I have been watching too much Bravo! but I actually thought to myself, “$150K for a wardrobe isn’t as outrageous for clothing as they’re making it sound.”  Now hear me out, I think $150k for clothes is ridiculous but I know that celebrities can spend that on a few outfits, easy.  Just watch The Rachel Zoe Project.  Seriously though, do they really expect the potential VP or first lady for that matter, to shop at TJ Maxx?  Yeah, right.  So Michelle Obama says she shops at J. Crew.  Sure, for Jay Leno, but let’s see if she’s making a run to Macy’s for a presidential ball?  I doubt it.  And for that matter, how come no one’s asking how much Barak’s, McCain’s or Biden’s suits cost?!  I highly doubt they got theirs at Khol’s either.  Sigh.  It’s just annoying.
  • We’ve only had our new landline phone for a week, and we’re already getting telemarketing calls. I am slightly impressed at how quick on the draw they are, and curious.  Oh well.  Another number to register on the do-not-call list.

Well friends, the electrician just called to say that he is on the way.  I guess I will brush my hair afterall.

Leave a Comment

Smatterings

October 27, 2008 at 1:35 am (A Penny for my thoughts)
Tags: , , , , , ,

First off, I have to say that I am jealous of my Tennessee friends who are already enjoying the chilly weather while we in Oklahoma are bounced mercilessly between warm and cold.  Then the weathermen here have the gall to complain about “bad” weather coming, i.e colder weather.  It’s fall, meaning that the temperature is supposed to drop!  I have been really spoiled by Tennessee’s fairly predictable seasons.  Sigh.  Being pregnant isn’t helping.  I feel hot all the time. 

Speaking of the bun in the oven, we will be 19 weeks tomorrow . . . already!  Only one week until the big reveal – boy or girl?  I’m taking your wagers now.  Baby has popped, meaning that I finally look pregnant instead of appearing to have feasted on one too many Dunkin’ Donuts.  Also, baby is riding high.  Jonah was low, so I could (and did) eat as much as I wanted.  Not so this time ’round.  I have found that out the hard way more than once now.  Just a little too much and HELLO!  the reverse switch magically turns on.  The latest fiasco was Hideaway Pizza.  It was my first time there and the pizza was good.  Too good.  So, hopefully lesson learned since I will only get larger from here on out.

After finally getting the nerve to pay my hefty library fine, which I blame entirely on the morning sickness phase, I have gotten back into reading.  My latest love is Ruth Reichl.  My friend Carla who has impeccalbe taste in books and food first lent me a Ruth Reichl book called Garlic and Sapphires.  Not only can Ruth write, she’s funny and knows how to cook.  Oh, and her books, which read like fiction, are not.  I found her other two books snuggled in with the cookbooks, Comfort Me With Apples which was a little racy for my taste in some spots but fabulous and now I am devouring (ha ha, pun intended) Tender to the Bone. 

Reading Ruth Reichl always gets me in a cooking mood.  I desperately want to be a great cook, but I understand that cooking skills take time to develop and I am behind.  My mom cooked because she had to feed us, not because she liked to.  I think her mother, a severe woman, was the same way.  My mom’s dishes were simple, easy and always good.  My dad, on the other hand is more of the chef in the family, and his mother has been a cook her whole life.  My Nanny is a country cook to the core – messy, funny, sweet, and her food tastes like she literally stirred love into it.  The woman’s fried potatoes are an art.  Dad’s forte is the grill, but he likes to mess around in the kitchen too.  His fried catfish batter is awesome, and of course, he caught and cleaned the fish too.

While my Nanny showed me a thing or two in the kitchen on ym summer visits to Oklahoma, that was about the extent of my cooking education.  I got a heap of cookbooks for my wedding.  My Nanny gave me a battered and worn opy of the Joy of Cooking and my mom passed along the Survival Cookbook.  Jason got me the ringed binder version of the new Betty Crocker cookbook.  I would have to forgo this on my own.  And I did pretty well much to my (and Jason’s) surprise.  Oh there were blunders – big ones, but over time I have grown to really love it. 

My current favorite cook is Paula Deen.  I just love her personality.  How can you not love that laugh?  Her recipies, while wildly fattening (remember, everything in moderation) are fairly easy to master and incredibly good.  So, I picked up one of her cookbooks at the library and was thrilled to see a heap of good Southern recipies that I cannot wait to try.  My next big feat is to cook my own greens.  I’ll let you know how that goes.

Okay, It’s late, I need to work, and now I am hungry.  Ciao!

1 Comment

The Baby Shower – Office Style

October 17, 2008 at 4:19 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: ,

 

There’s nothing like a good dose of televised hilarity to cheer me up.  Of course this means that The Office came on last night followed by the SNL Political Weekend Update.

So The Office is really interesting this season.  Pam and Jim are, after all, a normal couple who are not always in sync.  Neither are good at multi-tasking I guess.  Who really is, though?  From Dwight giving birth to a watermelon baby covered with butter (ew!) to Jan singing a painfully long and embarrassing rendition of Me and Bobby McGee (poor Astrid – or Astird . . .) to Michael purposefully saying that Holly was a weirdo who smelled like old tomatoes – it was priceless.

Oh, and we rolled when Angela tried to do an Anne Geddes style photo shoot with Jan’s baby – I’m supised she didn’t prop her up with a mini saxaphone too!

I’m really curious to see where this thing with Michael and Holly is going.  The evil Jan obviously senses Michael’s affection for her despite his attempts at fake hatred.  Is anyone else wondering how Jan is supporting herself and her novelty-named child?  Surely Serenity by Jan can’t be doing that well.

Anywho, all you Office freaks please humor me and let me know your favorite quote from last night’s show!

1 Comment

If I was there today . . .

October 15, 2008 at 6:42 pm (The Abundant Life)
Tags: , ,

Right now at 1pm on Wednesday, hundreds are gathered in Nashville at Judson Baptist Church to celebrate the life of our friend Ashley.  I got  text from Carla at 12:30 saying that the church was already packed out.  That made me smile.  And it brought pang of sadness to my heart, selfish in nature I admit.  I wish I was there with everyone to honor such  brilliant light of a person. 

I wish I could be there to say long with my friends that Ashley’s was a life that seemed to pulse joy and hope and goodness into everyone she was around.  When someone passes, no one wants to remember the negative things about that person, but honest to goodness, I couldn’t think of a thing.  I tried.  Well, she didn’t like to change really gross diapers . . . heck, neither did I.  :)

If I was there I would stand with my friends and say, “Didn’t she have an amazing smile?  Didn’t she have the best laugh?”  She loved to laugh, and always seemed to find a way to do it.  We had the best times there on Monday nights at the Y, where she and I first got acquainted. 

If I was there today, I would celebrate with everyone how absolutely amazing she was with kids.  I know she wanted to have her own so badly, but really she had lots of them that just adored her whether at church or at the Y.  Jonah was enthralled with Ashley’s beautiful blue eyes and that great smile.  He loved that miss Ashley would let him “pop” the air out of her cheeks.  She even babysat him once on New Year’s.  She asked ME if she could watch him.  Jason says that was his first real date.  ;)  

If I was there today I would talk about what a friend she was.  Never focusing on herself, her illness - always wanting to know how you were.  Always setting out to make sure you knew she cared.  I would say she had great faith, courage, grace, and beauty – unfortunately only the kind that can one can come by through persevering through trials.  And did she persevere.  That girl embodied the word.  Never felt sorry for herself, although I know she enjoyed the cancer free times immensely.  She is wearing the crown of life indeed, her life’s verse that we all had on our orange Ashley bracelets.  (James 1:12)

I’d say, dance, girl.  Laugh.  Enjoy being whole again.  Enjoy being healed, forever.  Can’t wait to see you again. 

I think of all this as I sat in the doctor’s office today listening to the heartbeat of new life, of my unborn child, watching Jonah’s eyes widen in amazement.  All I can say is, Isn’t God amazing?

3 Comments

Goodbye Sweet Friend . . .

October 14, 2008 at 1:32 pm (The Abundant Life)
Tags:

Ashley Carol Holmertz
HOLMERTZ, Ashley Carol Age 23, our precious angel has found rest and healing in the arms of Jesus, October 12, 2008. She fought the good fight and now receives the Crown of Life as promised in James 1:12 to those who love the lord. She will be missed so deeply by her fiancé, Chris Buttram, Chattanooga; mother, Judy Gemmill; step-father, William Gemmill III; father, Frederick Holmertz, Rockford, IL; sister, Allison Marie Holmertz; brother, Eric Nicholas Holmertz, Colorado Springs, CO; step-brother, William Billings Gemmill IV; maternal grandfather, James Crossman; paternal grandparents, Rowland and Eleanor Holmertz. Visitation will be today from 3-5 and 6-9 p.m. at Judson Baptist Church where services will be conducted 1 p.m. Wednesday. Internment will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Park. Although her battle with cancer was long, she endured with the grace and beauty of an angel, and now she will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, Amen.

2 Comments

Send Out a Prayer

October 10, 2008 at 8:27 pm (The Abundant Life)
Tags: , ,

It’s strange sometimes how tragedy and joy seem to intermingle.  As my family will be celebrating 60 years of my mother-in-law’s life this weekend, a dear friend in Tennessee, and truly one of the most wonderful people I’ve known, is literally fighitng for her life against cancer. 

I just can’t wrap my mind around what Ashley and her family are expereincing, and my prayers feel so feeble.  I hate being so far away, feeling so detatched.  Still, if you only knew, and some of you do, how precious she is to so many, I know that my prayers are joined by thousands of others.  

Ashley, Judy, Bill, and the whole Holmertz-Gemmill family – you guys have blessed my family beyond measure in the short time we had with you all in Tennessee.  We love you, and pray God’s peace that passes all understanding would overflow your hearts and minds.

**Update** 

Ashley went home to be with the Lord today, Sunday October 12, 2008, at 2pm.  Please pray for the wealth of family and friends she leaves behind.  She’s not in pain anymore, praise God.  She will be greatly missed.

2 Comments

Tidbits

October 6, 2008 at 8:20 pm (A Penny for my thoughts)
Tags: , , ,

First order of business:  Book Club.  I’ve received several positive responses; thank you!  Now the questions is, what to read?  I say let’s vote on a genre at least.  So post or message me on facebook your suggestions (for genres or books) and we’ll take a vote.

Second, I am 16 weeks pregnant today.  According to my What to Expect Calendar  Little Z is the size of a naval orange, can hear my voice (and probably those of Jason and Jonah who tend to not use an indoor voice), has eyebrows, and eyelashes.  Very cool!  No movement felt yet, but that should start in a couple of weeks or so.  Any of you who’ve been pregnant know that the kicking and punching is cute . . . at first.  Then it starts to feel like actual kicking and punching, from the inside out.  Ouch! 

I promised an update on Jonah’s dentist appointment; in a nutshell, it was great.  We went to the Dental Depot.  Not only was this office fun for Jonah what with the constantly moving model train that runs throughout every room in the building, but the staff were super friendly and they give you free t-shirts and water bottles.  Hey, I love free stuff!  I am proud to announce that Jonah is cavity-free and had a no freak-outs during the entire x-ray, cleaning, examination process.  In fact, he can’t wait to go back in 6 months, but I think he just wants another Shrek toothbrush.

Other than that, I can hardly believe we’ll have a new president in just a month.  Honestly, I’ve had a hard time making a decision.  The older I get the less I want to be affiliated with either political party, so no loyalty to go with.  I agree with my husband that no one could pay me enough to take over the big ole mess our country is in.  On a lighter note, did you all get to catch the SNL skit of the VP debate?  HILARIOUS!

Leave a Comment

Calling All Bookworms!

October 3, 2008 at 3:57 pm (The Abundant Life)
Tags: ,

I had a great conversation, if instant messaging on Facebook counts as a conversation, with Miss Mandy the other night over one of my favorite topics – books.  I love books.  I own a lot of books.  Jason also owns a lot of books.  When we moved from Tennessee, the bulk of our belongings were . . . books.  Okay, I made my point.  :)

So as Mandy and I were chatting excitedly about books we’ve read and books we hope to read, she suggested an on-line book club.  I’ve always wanted to be a part of one.  So, let’s do this thing!  If you’re interested, leave a comment here and if you have Facebook, message me there too, and I’ll create a group.  Then we can choose a book, when to start, etc.

I can’t wait!

2 Comments

Thingamajigs

October 1, 2008 at 2:50 pm (Uncategorized)

Well, my wish came true.  The weather here finally got its act together and is beginning to feel more like Fall.  It was in denial apparently, trying to be an endless summer.  I am hoping this was my last time to switch the A/C off, again. 

Today is a big day for Jonah.  At 3 o’clock we will go to his first dental appointment at the Dental Depot.  We chose this place for three reasons:  A) It has a train theme.  B) They take our insurance and C) They are less than a mile away.  Let’s hope this is a pleasant experience.  He is excited now, but gets all wierd around strangers. Still, if they offer him a new toothbrush or a toy, the kid will be good to go.  I will update you tomorrow on how it went.

I am at home today about to begin hacking away at an impossibly long “To Do” list, most of which is cleaning chores.  Yeck.  I feel like I have months of catch-up to do, and it looks that way too.  What can I say, morning sickness doesn’t really help with trying to have a well-kept home.  My biggest chore will be laundry, which I hate. There’s just so much of it, and I get a little resentful thinking, “I didn’t wear all this stuff, why should I have to put it up?”  I know, no supermom award for me.  :)

I know this is random, but I just finished a couple of really great books.  I think they’re really great, anyway, but they’re pretty different from anything else I have read, a little odd to tell the truth so I hesitate to recommend them to everyone lest you all think my taste in literature has taken a turn for the worse.  Then again, I don’t really care that much.  I love Reader’s Digest, Mercer Mayer and C.S.  Lewis.  I’m eclectic, and I love it.  Anyway, my grandmother (Nanny – Dad’s mom) lent these books to me the last time I was down in Ryan for a visit.  My grandmother, while barely only having a high school education, is an avid reader.  Always has been.  Where do you think I got my love for Reader’s Digest? 

She handed me two worn, paperback novels and said, “Here Crys, I think you might like these. But it’s okay if ya don’t.”  She’s so funny.  Turns out these books are written by Fannie Flagg.  Fannie Flagg is none other than the author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe on which the movie Fried Green Tomatoes was based on.  I can’t really decide if I liked the book or the movie better, both are great in their own rite.  I devoured both of these 300+ page books in about 2 weeks – Standing in the Rainbow and Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!   Like I said, they’re a little odd, but fun.  Like they say on Reading Rainbow, don’t take my word for it.  :)

Alright, the laudry is calling me.  SIgh.

1 Comment