Don’t make me pull this car over.

Sometimes Annalyn is naughty. Actually . . . these days, she’s naughty fairly often. Her most recent misbehavior of choice is spitting. And screaming is a pretty close second.

We’ve been having what you might call “discipline issues” at our house.

Since Friday, though, I’ve found that – surprise, surprise – immediate and consistent consequences really make an impression.

The thing that I’m having to get over is that handing out immediate and consistent consequences is darned inconvenient!

Don’t worry. I’m getting over it. So over it that I have, in fact, pulled the car over, gotten out and walked around to her side, and dealt with the problem.

It’s not fun, but it seems to be working. This week (so far . . .) she has been sooo super sweet! I had to work late tonight, and when I got home, all she wanted to do was hug me and kiss me and sit on my lap.

Now that’s something I could stand more of!!

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On another note, Monday night was the last chat for our Me, Myself & Lies study. I hope those of you who participated got something out of it. I really enjoyed our chats and hope to visit with you ladies more!

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And on yet another topic, Monday night was also the day that Mark broke his healthy (or, at least, uninjured) streak. He fell at work and badly sprained his ankle. We know for sure it’s not broken because he got the privilege of sitting in the emergency room for six hours. Putting him home at 4:30 a.m. That’s in the morning!

Poor guy. At least they gave him crutches this time.

(Yes, this time. He may or may not make a habit of getting injured . . .)

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How’s your week going?

Play on, playa.

Clearly, I've always known good music. Here I am, playing the bass clarinet, circa 1990. No, it's not a saxophone. Yes, my pants are tight-rolled.

Mark said it doesn’t count as “knowing the words” if I can only say things like “play on, playa” and “hey-ah, hey-ah, hey-AHHH” in rhythm.

Whatev. You know I’m down with Dre.

What? You didn’t? Huh. Well, as a little party favor for our 30th birthday party slash reunion, Smitty and I decided to make mix tapes. On CDs.

I was all for a mix of top hits from 1978 and 1979. But Smitty overruled me and said songs from 1997 (the year we graduated) would be better.

That was until she discovered ’97 was the year of both MMMBop and the Spice Girls. It was also before I discovered that that catchy ditty, “Mouth,” is actually a dirty song.

However, we persevered. Because for our friends, only the best.

And by “the best,” I mean lots of cream cheese and pop tunes from the late 90s.

Now that I’ve whipped you into a frenzy of curiosity, I’ll reveal the songs that made Saturday’s playlist. Don’t even tell me these don’t take you back. Back all the way to . . . 1997.

• No Diggity (Blackstreet & Dr. Dre)
• You Make Me Wanna… (Usher)
• I’ll Be Missing You (Puffy Daddy & Faith Evans)
• Return of the Mack (Mark Morrison)
• How Bizarre (OMC)
• MMMBop (Hanson)
• Where Do You Go (No Mercy)
• The Impression That I Get (The Mighty Mighty Bosstones)
• B*tch (Meredith Brooks)
• Criminal (Fiona Apple)
• The Freshmen (The Verve Pipe)
• Semi-Charmed Life (Third Eye Blind)
• If You Could Only See (Tonic)
• One Headlight (The Wallflowers)
• All For You (Sister Hazel)
• Building a Mystery (Sarah McLachlan)
• Secret Garden (Bruce Springsteen)

After we put together this tape CD – but before I realized I’d exhausted my iTunes budget – we looked up top songs of 1978. Just for kicks.

Because when you get to the ripe old age of 30, that’s what you do on a Friday night for kicks.

It was a good year for music. But what I found later that night was that the real year for good tunes was 1989. As I said to Mark, “Your brother is so lucky! He graduated in the year that has all my favorite songs!”

Because I’m pretty sure my brother-in-law jammed to Paula Abdul, Tiffany and yes, New Kids on the Block.

Not really. But maybe Big Mama can appreciate this list, as she, too, apparently came of age in that wonderful musical year.

In case you aren’t as familiar with the sounds of ’89, here are my top 20 faves (in no particular order, because I’m writing this late at night and I have no brain power left for that sort of thing). And yes, I am cheating and linking this up to OhAmanda’s Top Ten Tuesday.

• Look Away (Chicago)
• My Prerogative (Bobby Brown)
• Straight Up (Paula Abdul)
• Miss You Much (Janet Jackson)
• Girl You Know Its True (Milli Vanilli)
• Right Here Waiting (Richard Marx)
• Lost In Your Eyes (Debbie Gibson)
• The Look (Roxette)
• I'll Be There For You (Bon Jovi)
• You Got It (The Right Stuff) (New Kids On The Block)
• Eternal Flame (The Bangles)
• Wild Thing (Tone Loc)
• When I See You Smile (Bad English)
• If I Could Turn Back Time (Cher)
• Buffalo Stance (Neneh Cherry)
• Bust A Move (Young M.C.)
• Love Shack (B-52's)
• Cherish (Madonna)
• Heaven (Warrant)
• She Drives Me Crazy (Fine Young Cannibals)

What’s your favorite year for music?

For more than just bagels.

Apparently, cream cheese is a necessity for every appetizer known to man. Or, at least, known to me.

On Thursday night, Smitty and I took a field trip to the grocery store. I had my list of ingredients and a couple extra recipes for good measure. (Smitty had conveniently accidentally forgotten her wallet at home, so she wasn’t able to buy her ingredients and supplies.)

When I realized just how many bricks of cream cheese I needed, I had to laugh. And flash back to this post of BooMama’s. Look, if BooMama says it’s good stuff, you know it to be true, right?

I decided to forgo the fruit dip, mainly because buying three different kinds of fruit and cutting it up just seemed so . . . expensive . . . and time-consuming. (Only the best for my friends, you know.) But even so, I bought three blocks of cream cheese.

I have no idea how many rectangular foil packs of goodness were sacrificed for Smitty’s cheesecake squares. But let me tell you right now, it was well worth it. After Mark ate his leftover pieces on Sunday, he got himself off the couch, looked at me and said, “Okay, I’m going to drive to Smitty’s house now and get the rest of the leftovers.”

Smitty lives about an hour away. He did not drive there. But oh, he was tempted.

Anyway, this post is supposed to be all about the cooking and the recipes and the yummy treats we gorged snacked on Saturday night. So here you go. To compliment the awesome hamburgers that Mark grilled and the rocking mix tape Smitty and I burned, we had tortilla rolls and MexiDip. (And veggies and brownies and beans and chips and . . . ugh, no wonder I thought I was going to die from a stomachache by the time I fell into bed that night.)

And if you’re wondering where the photos are, you can just keep on wondering. After taking about a trillion pictures Friday night and almost missing my daughter’s first real steps (can I get a WOO-HOO!?!), I decided to put the camera down and just live on Saturday. Imagine that. (But don’t get used to it. I am sure it won’t become a habit or anything.)

Tortilla Rolls

10 burrito-sized flour tortillas
1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1 cup finely shredded cheddar (that’s fancy shredded for those of you who, like me, hate grating)
1 small can green chilies (or 2/3 of a large can, if you live on the edge)

Mix up all ingredients except tortillas (because that would be weird). Spread on tortillas and roll up. Refrigerate the 10 rolls overnight or at least for a few hours. Then slice into pinwheels. Eat the ends, because nobody wants to see those on your platter. Serve with salsa.

This is a recipe that can be a little healthier, although nothing will help you if you eat 47 in one sitting. I may possibly speak from experience. Low-fat tortillas, cream cheese, sour cream and even cheddar lessen the damage. Although, for the record, I went full fat this time. Unh-huh.

MexiDip

2 blocks (8 oz.) cream cheese (yes, I said 2)
1 can Mexicorn
1 small can green chilies
1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies)
1 can chopped olives (I don’t love olives, so didn’t use the whole can. Just couldn’t do it.)

Mix it all up and refrigerate overnight. Make sure you drain the corn and Rotel. It will look disgusting, but I guarantee your guests will ask for the recipe. And hog the bowl. Mine did. And, in fact, that was my response when I ate this for the first (second, third and fourth) time at my cousin Sondra’s house. It may look ugly, but it is tasty.

Have you tried any new recipes lately? For a few to add to your cookbook, check out Rachel’s Mouthwatering Monday at A Southern Fairytale. And this post will be linked to Friday Family Recipes, as well as Tasty Tuesday (which is hosting The Finer Things in Life's Bloggy Progressive Dinner!).

Photo by House of Sims

Saturday Review: business cards

Since you all asked (well, two of you asked), here are my new bloggy business cards. I ordered them from FedEx online (formerly known as Kinko's), and even though the site said I'd receive them in seven business days, I got them early on Friday.

I don't love them, to be honest. The paper is not that great, and the size seems off. The design is pretty straightforward - the same image from my blog header, my name, e-mail address, blog address and Twitter address.

The smallest amount I could order was 250. I told Mark that I sure didn't need that many. He kindly said, "I don't know. I'm sure all those big bloggers gave away a lot of cards when they were starting."

So optimistic, that husband of mine.

Have a good weekend! I'm off to finish cleaning the house for my party!

Welcome to the Party!

Oldies music makes me smile . . . and throw jazz hands in the air. I think it has something to do with three years in show choir and a director who loved the oldies.

And the smokes. That man could hardly manage a 30-minute bus trip to competition without going into withdrawal. But I suppose that’s another story.

Today, Robin and Jo-Lynne are hosting a Blog Hop for all of us folks not going to BlogHer, that little blogger get-together happening this week.

Aside from wondering if I’ll ever find another occasion to wear a poodle skirt, thinking about a Blog Hop just brings to mind fun tunes from the 1950s.

And Grease. And . . . milkshakes.

Speaking of movies made in 1978 (that would be Grease, please keep up), I am really busy this week. See, it’s a big birthday year for me and for a lot of my friends. And because several of us have found it difficult to clear our calendars to celebrate each of these big days, Smitty and I decided to throw one big party for all of us.

I won’t go into details about all the many things I have to do between now and Friday evening. I won’t bore you with squeals of how excited I am to see all my old (but not that old!) friends. And I won’t whine about how I’m a little tiny bit nervous about mixing my high school friends with my college friends.

Nope. I’m just going to say to anyone and everyone who stops by today – Welcome! and Hello!

Robin had some advice for the Blog Hop, and she warned against being too wordy or linking to a dozen of our favorite posts. I mean, you all have a lot of blogs to check out today!

But I can’t help it. Just in case today’s visitors want to learn more about me and just in case my wonderful readers want to relive the good times, here are my links. My rule-breaking (sorry, Robin!) links about very important topics.

• A big announcement about my daughter starting to (kind of) walk.
• Rolling my eyes at my choir director (It’s a wonder I didn’t get in more trouble.)
• My favorite Mexican restaurant and the beauty of chili from a can.
• Celebrity lookalikes (I write about real serious stuff on here.)
• And a real mushy post about my husband. He’s great.

And, oh yeah, I like to share pics of my cute kiddo. Exhibit A:

Have a great day, friends. And don’t forget to hop on over to Robin’s place for the party! (And I just found another party - check out the Happy Blognerd Bash, too!)

Is that even a word?

Look how excited I was to get a desk for Christmas.
The better to play school with, of course!

I am such a nerd. And I’m okay with that. After all, if I wasn’t the proud owner of no less than four AP Stylebooks, who would my friend Kevin call when he has a grammar emergency?

Last night, for example, he called wondering how exactly to write about a range of numbers and if AP had finally changed their ruling on capital-w Web site.

[For the three of you who are wondering, numbers are still written as words when under 10 and written as numerals when 10 or higher. And AP stands firm on the hideous W.]

Lately I’ve been proofreading a lot more projects at work, so I’ve been spending even more time with my trusty AP guide. And I’ve noticed – sadly, for the first time – that my dictionary of choice should be Merriam-Webster’s.

Since my copy of Webster’s was given to me as a high school graduation gift, I’ve been using the online version for the most up-to-date pronunciations, spellings and definitions.

Little did I know just how updated the dictionary was. Until I found the list of new words, that is.

For example, “sock puppet” was added to the dictionary in 1959. But it’s on the list of New Words in 2009. Apparently this year enlarged our understanding of the puppet made of sock, though. Because a second definition has been added.

Did you know a sock puppet is also a false online identity used for deceptive purposes? I had no idea.

Not surprisingly, making the list are media favorites staycation, carbon footprint and reggaeton. Just kidding. I am not accusing the media of bringing us reggaeton, an apparently popular kind of music from Puerto Rico that “combines rap with Caribbean rhythms.”

And I’m sure you won’t be shocked to know that webisode, vlog and frenemy are now accepted parts of the English language.

But waterboarding? Did we need to resurrect that one? Weird.

So, there you have it, folks. Further proof of my nerdiness. For more, check out these oldies but goodies. Good stuff there.

Heard any new words lately?

You say I’m crazy. I got your crazy.

Next weekend, I’m going to a blogging conference called She Speaks. Technically it’s a conference for women called to write and speak in ministry, but they’ve added a blogging track. And since those are the classes I’ll take, I’m calling it a blogging conference.

I am So. Excited.

On the other hand, as I sit here at my computer, I’m wondering why I ever signed up to go in the first place. I feel so inadequate and small, and the view from my couch doesn’t help. I see blocks scattered on the floor, laundry stacked in a basket, books laying next to the bookshelf and dishes on the dining room table.

Going online to read my favorite blogs makes it even worse. Some sick, sad part of me is compelled to check my stats over and over; and then, even worse, compare them to the subscriber numbers I can see in Google Reader for other blogs.

I can’t compete. They’re cool; I’m not. They’re thin; I’m not. They have four perfect children; I don’t. They don’t yell at their kids, their houses are clean, their careers are amazing (and they’re younger than me!), they write way better than I do, their hair is prettier than mine, and on and on and on and . . .

Hold the phone. Who let the crazy out? Let’s pull it back in now.

I know I said that the Me, Myself & Lies study is hard, but it’s not been for nothing. I am learning something! Those things that I was letting spin me out of control are not true.

Well, okay, other people’s houses might be cleaner than mine. But who cares?

Because, the fact that I’m going to this conference is a total God thing. I had no idea how I was going to pay for it, and I happened to mention it in passing to my boss. My boss, who is running a company in a struggling industry in a difficult economy; the same one who said the company would pay for it as professional development! That offer came out of nowhere and just about knocked me off my seat! (Wouldn’t that have been good for the career – passing out in the CEO’s office?)

Clearly, I can’t take it lightly that I am going to this event.

After all, I remember what happened in February at Blissdom. When I got all freaked out about how cool and together and smart and funny and WHATEVER everyone else was – and missed out on a lot of fun.

Besides, it turns out that I’m not the only one freaking out a little bit. Somehow, that is so encouraging. Well, their freaking out is a little encouraging (misery loves company or something), but most inspiring is the way these women reframe their thoughts and focus on the good things God has planned for us at this conference.

• Lisa talks about clicking – or not – with new friends at conferences.
• Lysa writes about competing with and comparing ourselves to others in ministry.
• Holley shares that sometimes God has to tell her “Enough” with the insecurities and fear.
• Shelly talks about how going to this conference is out of her comfort zone.

So there. I’m not going to panic. I’m not going to wear my insecurities to the party. I’m going to pack my cutest outfits, my laptop and my new business cards, and I’m going to connect with blog friends, meet new friends and learn a whole lot about blogging and online ministries.

And I promise, when I get back, I will tell you all about the cool things I’ve learned and new friends I’ve made! Believing in myself and having a darned good time at She Speaks is going to work for me.

[As always, for more Works for Me Wednesday, visit We Are THAT Family.]

Ten {perfect} little toes.

This week’s contest at I {Heart} Faces is about feet. Pictures of feet, to be specific. Since I’m pretty sure my feet photos aren’t about to win any awards, I’m not competing. But I am going to show you some feet.

Annalyn’s feet, to be specific.

Look at those tiny toes! And those skinny legs! I took this photo in the first month or so after Annalyn came home – probably before we even arrived at her due date (since she was born 7 weeks early).

This photo is actually part of a larger one of my sweet girl sleeping. But there’s just something cute about feet that made me crop this section out.

(Then again, there’s certainly something very cute about a quietly sleeping baby!)

For more feet pictures, check out I {Heart} Faces.

Me, Myself & Lies – Week 5 Recap

Alternate title: When the Going Gets Tough . . .

This week’s study was all about remembering . . . and forgetting. The homework (though I have not completed it yet, ahem!) focused on forgetting not (in other, less complicated words: remembering) God’s benefits. And the video focused on forgetting our past and ourselves.

As with most topics in this study, those of us on last night’s chat find these instructions to be difficult. Not difficult to understand. We seem to grasp the WHY of these teachings fairly easily. It’s the HOW that is proving difficult for me – and, I think, for others doing the study.

For me, personally, it’s hard to get past the surface when discussing these matters. Because you know what? Getting past the surface and actually facing what’s in my messy, dirty, dark thought closet? It’s hard. And it hurts. And I don’t like it.

There. I said it. I don’t like this process.

Please, please don’t misunderstand me. This study and the Truth it is based on are amazing. Jennifer Rothschild, the author, is sweet and wise and wonderful – and she uses all of those characteristics to hold a mirror to my heart and then point me straight to God.

But – and make sure you hear this in the right tone of voice: whining – it’s hard!

See, what I’m learning is that I have a little issue with denial. Because I was raised – even in the middle of the Midwest – to be a good Southern girl. And a good church girl. One who answers the question, “How are you?” with an “I’m fine, thanks. And you?” every time.

That’s not to say that we don’t talk feelings in my family. On the contrary, it’s often all we do. And that, strangely combined with the Southern background and church culture of my childhood, is exactly why I would just rather not rehash all the nasty stuff that’s going on inside my heart, if you don’t mind, thank you very much.

Now, I can put on my Bible Study Face and confess all my sins and dredge up long-forgotten hymns and half-memorized Scripture to meet each situation.

But the truth? Well, the truth is, friends, that I’m not really addressing my issues.

I’m doing a lot of talking and a lot of listening to my Bible study friends. But I’m not doing much praying and certainly not enough of listening to my God.

Apparently – I either believe that I can handle all my junk on my own, or I believe that my junk isn’t that bad after all. And I think it’s a little bit of both.

One of the things that Jennifer said in the video that accompanies last week’s chapter was this: When we are full of ourselves, we dishonor God and we are the most miserable.

I think that’s the place I’m sitting squarely in. Full of myself, but standing my ground. Because taking a step outside of that spot to dig deeper into truth and reality and issues? Is scary.

There you have it: I’m scared. I don’t like this study. It’s hard. This stuff hurts.

And as scary as it was to admit all that to you, it’s even scarier to think about truly opening up my heart and really leaning on God to work through this thought closet renovation.

But I’m going to do it. Partly because I don’t like to be a quitter. And partly because I so enjoy our Monday night chats and can’t imagine dropping out on you. But also because this is what I need to do. God didn’t bring me to this study for no reason. It’s no accident that I found this book and found a group of ladies to join me in working through it.

So I’ll keep on keeping on. Will you?

[For those of you not struggling quite so desperately, I also discuss this week’s lesson at To Live Beautiful, where I ask: What tangible things do you use to remind yourself of God’s blessings in your life?]

This post is linked to What I Learned This Week.

Hooked on a feeling

Last weekend, Smitty came over. We hadn’t seen each other in a few weeks, and we had a lot to catch up on. She asked me an interesting question, one that stuck in my mind, asking over and over, until I finally had an answer.

She asked me, “What movie has truly impacted you?”

The first movie she thought of when she was asked that question was Contact. I can’t remember watching that entire movie, but I know it has some pretty deep questions and implications. So that didn’t seem strange to me.

What was strange was the fact that I just couldn’t think of a movie that’s impacted me. I like a lot of movies. I think I’ve watched a lot of movies. And I’m pretty sensitive, so I feel like I’m affected by a lot of things I watch (and read and hear and . . . well, you get the picture).

But I didn’t have an answer to her question.

The answer came the next morning, as I was driving to meet my cousin for the scrapbook retreat. And I think Smitty will like it, especially because she’s also a “scene” person.



The movie scene that impacted me – and still does – is the scene in Hook where one of the Lost Boys examines Peter, staring at and touching his face until finally, he recognizes his friend.

And he breathes, “Ohhhh. There you are, Peter.”

I don’t know what it is about that scene that gets me. But it gets me every time. I suppose it’s the notion that no matter where you go or what you do, the real you is still somewhere inside.

So now it’s your turn: What movie (or scene) has impacted you?