Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Cake Balls
"Mmmmm"..... red velvet cake balls.
Mal is such a big helper in the kitchen. I believe I have mentioned this once or twice. She also has some pretty good ideas. She suggested we leave some of them undipped and keep them in the freezer. Bingo! They are now our new favorite dessert, or mid afternoon treat or "hey, I'm passing by the freezer I think I will have a cake ball" reward to self. The texture is great, yummy and addictive and for some reason the frozen concoction makes the box mix taste practically homemade. Mal even suggested making them into ice cream sandwiches. Genius!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Gymnastics
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Typical Saturday
Together Mal and I made......
Spicy Roasted Chickpeas(yum)
Naan
Pasta with white sauce and sauted spinache and mushrooms (per Mal's request)
Baked cheesecake with blueberry,strawberry and peaches
and puppy biscuits for the four legged members of our family. Mal requested we make smaller ones next time as well so she doesn't have to break them up for the kittens lol
and we played.
Today(sunday) we will be eating salad, just salad.
Epiphany with Bread
I watched Oprah this morning as I folded uhmm about "cough" five loads of accumulated laundry. Pathetic I know. This episode of Oprah was an interview with Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher. I laughed and I cried and then I laughed until I cried. It may be some hormonal issues at work coming through here but I still think it was a really good interview.
I plan on getting Carrie's book Wishful Drinking as soon as I can. Like tomorrow? So anyway as I was folding my heaping mound of laundry and laughing/crying along with Debbie and Carrie, I was also taking bites of the naan I made yesterday (recipe from Tasty Kitchen of course) which was nicely doused in cinnamon and sugar. Somewhere in that chaos, mid chew, I realized that this naan happened to be a favorite childhood treat of mine. It hit me that this delightful naan I had made with my own hands yesterday was just like the Indian Fried Bread my grandmother would have ready for my brother and I as an after school snack on occasion. I always looked forward to the fried yummy goodness and was happy with it only after it had melted butter and cinnamon sugar running off the sides. She always called it Indian Fried Bread, which I took to mean bread that the Indians/Native Americans cooked over an open fire in a cast iron skillet.(Okay, so I was in some serious need of a few history lessons). Huh, well how about that? The Indian portion of Indian Fried Bread referred to the Middle Eastern country far away from Southwest Kansas. Now I have been to restaurants that serve naan and I have eaten it, but never prepared it myself.........wait for it........except when I was making my version of Grandma's Indian Fried Bread!!! So there lies the epiphany. This knowledge has put my grandmother in a whole new light. Well just imagine, we were eating Indian Fried Bread/Naan before eating Naan was cool. (The italics should be sung in your head to the Barbara Mandrell tune please.)
Naan will probably become a regular in our household again, or at least until I am sick of it. Though I'm sure I never will be able to eat it without thinking of several things.......my grandmother, Native Americans bent over an open flame or the size of Eddie Fisher's penis. ( Please see video.)
Friday, February 18, 2011
Missing My Mom Today
There are days I miss my mom more then others. Like today. I think about her constantly but there are times when a song or a phrase can trigger the memory of a precise moment in time. That song or phrase has the power to make me a little girl again, even for just a few seconds and I get the joy of reliving a really great moment with my beautiful mother. She absolutely loved music. If I have anything retro(love that phrase btw lol) playing inevitably it will evoke a sweet memory.
But then there are the dreams. Early on after she died I literally would pray to God to let me dream about her, and I did. A few times. Even now I only dream about her occasionally. Last night though I was able to dream about her. "Thank you God." It was a silly dream. We were in Las Vegas of all places, riding in a limo. I was pointing out sights, but more interestingly I was pointing out important people to my life. "Oh mom look there's ______. You remember _______ don't you? I wish you would have been able to meet _______ before you left." We were having a great time, but I never was able to see her face. That is how it is in my dreams anymore. I can touch her and hold her soft hands but I can't see her face. Unfortunately that is how it was when she was alive too. I know now how I took her for granted and never took the time to really SEE her. I mean she was my mom after all. Right? What more was there to know?
If somebody back then had presented me with a long list of questions about her I probably would have been able to answer them. Even the ones asking about her hopes and dreams, but when I looked at her then I still just saw my mom. My mom/best friend. That was all that was important to me. Now things are different. When I have a distinct memory where I am able to imagine her or even when I look at a photograph I don't see just my mom. I see all the many things she was to so many people. I see all the reasons why so many people still love her. I see the reason why my dad is still in love with her ghost after all this time and why there never EVER could be another. I see why his heart is broken. When I "look" at her now I see a smart woman who accumulated a lot of friends and memories in her life. I see not only a wonderful mother but an amazing wife, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend, to all of us that loved her.
She was my "go to" person on everything, which I think is typical for most mother daughter relationships. I had a question about my children? Why open a book when I can go to my mom? A question about marriage, God, groceries, cars, animals, wounds..... you get the picture. I would go to my mom, and yes occasionally she would tell me to open a book. To be honest I didn't always follow her advice. For a lot of years after I lost my "go to" person I would either just figure it out on my own or leave it be. Not something I recommend. I also was very stingy with her memory. I would love to sit and visit about her with somebody that loved her like I did, but there was no way I would waste a precious memory on say a co-worker or a neighbor who "gasp" had no clue the person she really was. But now I am beginning to enjoy sharing stories about her to everyone. I love telling them to Mallorie, who loves hearing them just as much. With my being able to share her I also have managed to partially fill her void with many "go to" people now.
Now over the years I have accumulated a nice, long list of highly important questions for her, ones that I always thought only she could answer. So lucky for you all that most of you reading this blog are my "go to people". I know that I will simply put the questions on here, presenting them to you and get the amazing answers that I need. Right? But most importantly I feel like the "go to" people in my life are the people I love and that love me back. I am fortunate to have you all.
It is a wonderful Friday for me. I believe I will enjoy a cup of coffee then turn on some Manilow or Bee Gees and Mal and I can boogie our way to a clean(somewhat) house. Just like my mom and I used to do.
Terrie
But then there are the dreams. Early on after she died I literally would pray to God to let me dream about her, and I did. A few times. Even now I only dream about her occasionally. Last night though I was able to dream about her. "Thank you God." It was a silly dream. We were in Las Vegas of all places, riding in a limo. I was pointing out sights, but more interestingly I was pointing out important people to my life. "Oh mom look there's ______. You remember _______ don't you? I wish you would have been able to meet _______ before you left." We were having a great time, but I never was able to see her face. That is how it is in my dreams anymore. I can touch her and hold her soft hands but I can't see her face. Unfortunately that is how it was when she was alive too. I know now how I took her for granted and never took the time to really SEE her. I mean she was my mom after all. Right? What more was there to know?
(My mom, Marsha, watching over her niece and nephew.)
If somebody back then had presented me with a long list of questions about her I probably would have been able to answer them. Even the ones asking about her hopes and dreams, but when I looked at her then I still just saw my mom. My mom/best friend. That was all that was important to me. Now things are different. When I have a distinct memory where I am able to imagine her or even when I look at a photograph I don't see just my mom. I see all the many things she was to so many people. I see all the reasons why so many people still love her. I see the reason why my dad is still in love with her ghost after all this time and why there never EVER could be another. I see why his heart is broken. When I "look" at her now I see a smart woman who accumulated a lot of friends and memories in her life. I see not only a wonderful mother but an amazing wife, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend, to all of us that loved her.
She was my "go to" person on everything, which I think is typical for most mother daughter relationships. I had a question about my children? Why open a book when I can go to my mom? A question about marriage, God, groceries, cars, animals, wounds..... you get the picture. I would go to my mom, and yes occasionally she would tell me to open a book. To be honest I didn't always follow her advice. For a lot of years after I lost my "go to" person I would either just figure it out on my own or leave it be. Not something I recommend. I also was very stingy with her memory. I would love to sit and visit about her with somebody that loved her like I did, but there was no way I would waste a precious memory on say a co-worker or a neighbor who "gasp" had no clue the person she really was. But now I am beginning to enjoy sharing stories about her to everyone. I love telling them to Mallorie, who loves hearing them just as much. With my being able to share her I also have managed to partially fill her void with many "go to" people now.
Now over the years I have accumulated a nice, long list of highly important questions for her, ones that I always thought only she could answer. So lucky for you all that most of you reading this blog are my "go to people". I know that I will simply put the questions on here, presenting them to you and get the amazing answers that I need. Right? But most importantly I feel like the "go to" people in my life are the people I love and that love me back. I am fortunate to have you all.
It is a wonderful Friday for me. I believe I will enjoy a cup of coffee then turn on some Manilow or Bee Gees and Mal and I can boogie our way to a clean(somewhat) house. Just like my mom and I used to do.
Terrie
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Smile
I'm choosing to believe that the glaring rainbow effect bouncing off the school bus along with some horrible picture taking on my part is really just Mallorie's radience and essence coming through to us all. lol
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
I'm Tard
It is a beautiful, I mean gorgeous, I mean a completely breathtaking day here in Southwest Kansas. Having acknowledged that I must say my brain is mush. My legs feel like jello and I practically can hear my pillow calling out to me. "Terrie you must come here. I am soft, cool and I will hold you". The adolescants of a certain middle school completely wiped me out today until I must dig deep, REAL- deep to tune out that soft pillowy voice. Thankfully the great outdoors has a louder call. Mal and I are heading out to take in some sunshine and warm air. We are breaking out the bike and the tennie shoes and maybe even a dog leash, ya know, in case Mal has to drag me back. Ha, no, for Abigail of course. Being the sweet, devilish, loving, and wonderfully abnoxious puppy that she is, we must take her along. Right? sigh......yeah right. Ok I'm going. I'm getting up. I'm ready. (Yawn.) "Coming Mal!"
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day!
Welcome all (four or five of you), to my first official blog on my all new blogspot! It is my area to vent, ramble, and stand on a platform and preach to the masses. So here I go........
Mallorie and I have several bedtime rituals, but the one most related to Valentine's Day is the nightly "I love you more then......". In honor of this I made her a book. The title being, How Much Does Mommy Love Mallorie? We have read it MANY times already today. I did not realize how often I mention food items in relation to my love for our youngest child. I love you more then chocolate (I refrained from adding on a PMS day). I love you more then candy and pie! The book made Mallorie happy, she loves reading it to mommy and then adding her own I love you more thens at the end. But now I am very hungry and I have a major craving for chicken fried steak. And yes Mallorie, I love you more then chicken fried steak.
So Happy Valentine's Day to all my loved ones. I hold each and every one of you very dear to my heart. Dinner is in the oven, Mal is headed for the tub. I am looking forward to sitting on the couch, holding my husband's hand and watching an ALL NEW episode of American Pickers. Yes people, life is good!
Mallorie and I have several bedtime rituals, but the one most related to Valentine's Day is the nightly "I love you more then......". In honor of this I made her a book. The title being, How Much Does Mommy Love Mallorie? We have read it MANY times already today. I did not realize how often I mention food items in relation to my love for our youngest child. I love you more then chocolate (I refrained from adding on a PMS day). I love you more then candy and pie! The book made Mallorie happy, she loves reading it to mommy and then adding her own I love you more thens at the end. But now I am very hungry and I have a major craving for chicken fried steak. And yes Mallorie, I love you more then chicken fried steak.
So Happy Valentine's Day to all my loved ones. I hold each and every one of you very dear to my heart. Dinner is in the oven, Mal is headed for the tub. I am looking forward to sitting on the couch, holding my husband's hand and watching an ALL NEW episode of American Pickers. Yes people, life is good!
Mal's Magnifient Fruit Salad
Mallorie is my right hand gal when it comes to doing anything in the kitchen. She is a pro a cracking an egg and whisking anything! Here is a great little fruit salad that she did for our dinner this weekend.
The yummy ingredients are:
one apple, an orange, 30 grapes, 40 blueberries, a banana, juice of half a lemon, 1/3 C of honey and a small container of yogurt(flavor of your choice). The yogurt was MIA at picture taking time.
First we chopped the apple into chunky pieces, which Mal added to the bowl.
She then added an orange cut into chunks.
She counted out 40 blueberries,
and 30 grapes and which she added them to the ensemble.
Next, she added the banana that she sliced with a table knife.
She mixed the fruit VERY gently lol.
Her favorite part is rolling the lemon(go figure). I think she was able to release some kindergarten aggression(to be dealt with in a future post) on the lemon. It was extremely tender!
She then squeezed the juice into her hand over the bowl in order to catch the seeds. Sniffle.......so proud,
She added the honey to the lemon juice,
then squeezed in the strawberry yogurt. She was torn between strawberry and peach. We did a "eenie meenie miney mo" to help us decide. You can tell the winner.
A couple of stirs,
a little pouring action
Beautiful! Not bad baby girl, not bad at all.
Holding my breathe.....
Ah! Thumbs up! Yummy and good for you. Who could ask for more? Thank you Mallorie!!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
More From the Archives
These are a just a few items from my previous blog which I have discontinued. They are pictures I wanted to hold onto and a bit of documentation of fun times with my girls.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The Lights at Crown Center
Pictures from an evening at Crown Center.
Slow down Mal!
It was VERY cold!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Pockets
I message to visitors in my home who may need to borrow a pen or a pencil. Bring your own. lol. I noticed Mal had some extra baggage in her pants. "Hey, Mal whatcha go goin' on?" "Oh, I just am carrying my pencils in my pcoket."
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tackling a big piece of pie. The pie won.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Halloween Extended
Since moving to KC several years ago I have taken McKinsey and several friends to Worlds of Fun for the Halloween Haunt as part of her birthday celebration. We downsized it a bit this year, taking only her best friend. Although our great friends from Garden City joined as did Morgan's boyfriend, making it a total party of six females and Morgan's man. Ha! We had a great time being frightened. My throat is sore this morning from all the screaming. We drug ourselves in about one o'clock this morning with nothing else to give. I am already looking forward to next year.
The birthday girl (the one on the right).
Eileen and friend.
McKinsey and friend.
Birthday girl and me.
McKinsey and Audrey.
The teens are a posin'.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Trick-or-Treat
Here are a few pictures from last night. It was a major success. Much better then last year. Mal easily said "Trick or Treat" and "thank you" loudly and clearly. She was completely enthralled with the whole Halloween extravaganza and could barely carry her bucket (it was full) by the time she got back to the house. I was a bit concerned each time I would see a person dressed in a frightening costume but Mal didn't even notice. She was waay to busy looking for the next porch light.
Side note, my party at school went really well also. We had lots of parents attend and NOBODY threw up(yay!), although I did get close. I was winding lights around a faux tree and made myself extremely dizzy. lol. I almost fell down, the kids thought it was hilariousSunday, May 25, 2008
These are a just a few items from my previous blog which I have discontinued. They are pictures I wanted to hold onto and a bit of documentation of fun times with my girls.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The Lights at Crown Center
Pictures from an evening at Crown Center.
Slow down Mal!
It was VERY cold!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Pockets
I message to visitors in my home who may need to borrow a pen or a pencil. Bring your own. lol. I noticed Mal had some extra baggage in her pants. "Hey, Mal whatcha go goin' on?" "Oh, I just am carrying my pencils in my pcoket."
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tackling a big piece of pie. The pie won.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Halloween Extended
Since moving to KC several years ago I have taken McKinsey and several friends to Worlds of Fun for the Halloween Haunt as part of her birthday celebration. We downsized it a bit this year, taking only her best friend. Although our great friends from Garden City joined as did Morgan's boyfriend, making it a total party of six females and Morgan's man. Ha! We had a great time being frightened. My throat is sore this morning from all the screaming. We drug ourselves in about one o'clock this morning with nothing else to give. I am already looking forward to next year. The birthday girl (the one on the right).
Eileen and friend.
McKinsey and friend.
Birthday girl and me.
McKinsey and Audrey.
The teens are a posin'.
These are a just a few items from my previous blog which I have discontinued. They are pictures I wanted to hold onto and a bit of documentation of fun times with my girls.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The Lights at Crown Center
Pictures from an evening at Crown Center.
Slow down Mal!
It was VERY cold!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Pockets
I message to visitors in my home who may need to borrow a pen or a pencil. Bring your own. lol. I noticed Mal had some extra baggage in her pants. "Hey, Mal whatcha go goin' on?" "Oh, I just am carrying my pencils in my pcoket."
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tackling a big piece of pie. The pie won.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Halloween Extended
Since moving to KC several years ago I have taken McKinsey and several friends to Worlds of Fun for the Halloween Haunt as part of her birthday celebration. We downsized it a bit this year, taking only her best friend. Although our great friends from Garden City joined as did Morgan's boyfriend, making it a total party of six females and Morgan's man. Ha! We had a great time being frightened. My throat is sore this morning from all the screaming. We drug ourselves in about one o'clock this morning with nothing else to give. I am already looking forward to next year. The birthday girl (the one on the right).
Eileen and friend.
McKinsey and friend.
Birthday girl and me.
McKinsey and Audrey.
The teens are a posin'.
These are a just a few items from my previous blog which I have discontinued. They are pictures I wanted to hold onto and a bit of documentation of fun times with my girls.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The Lights at Crown Center
Pictures from an evening at Crown Center.
Slow down Mal! It was VERY cold! 
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Pockets
I message to visitors in my home who may need to borrow a pen or a pencil. Bring your own. lol. I noticed Mal had some extra baggage in her pants. "Hey, Mal whatcha go goin' on?" "Oh, I just am carrying my pencils in my pcoket."
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tackling a big piece of pie. The pie won.
Halloween Extended
Since moving to KC several years ago I have taken McKinsey and several friends to Worlds of Fun for the Halloween Haunt as part of her birthday celebration. We downsized it a bit this year, taking only her best friend. Although our great friends from Garden City joined as did Morgan's boyfriend, making it a total party of six females and Morgan's man. Ha! We had a great time being frightened. My throat is sore this morning from all the screaming. We drug ourselves in about one o'clock this morning with nothing else to give. I am already looking forward to next year. The birthday girl (the one on the right).
Eileen and friend.
McKinsey and friend.
Birthday girl and me.
McKinsey and Audrey.
The teens are a posin'.
The birthday girl (the one on the right).
Eileen and friend.
McKinsey and friend.
Birthday girl and me.
McKinsey and Audrey.
The teens are a posin'. Saturday, November 1, 2008
Trick-or-Treat
Here are a few pictures from last night. It was a major success. Much better then last year. Mal easily said "Trick or Treat" and "thank you" loudly and clearly. She was completely enthralled with the whole Halloween extravaganza and could barely carry her bucket (it was full) by the time she got back to the house. I was a bit concerned each time I would see a person dressed in a frightening costume but Mal didn't even notice. She was waay to busy looking for the next porch light.
Side note, my party at school went really well also. We had lots of parents attend and NOBODY threw up(yay!), although I did get close. I was winding lights around a faux tree and made myself extremely dizzy. lol. I almost fell down, the kids thought it was hilarious
Sunday, May 25, 2008
The Fountains at Crown Center
Here are a few pictures of a recent trip to Crown Center. A few of them need to be clicked on to get a better view of the image.
Peace!
"Run Boo, Run!"
Tentative at first.
Very inviting on a hot summer day!
Soaked in the end.
Peace!
"Run Boo, Run!"
Tentative at first.
Very inviting on a hot summer day!
Soaked in the end.
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