I Brag Freely About This Skill

What's that you say? You need a surefire way to make people ooh and aah over your cooking prowess this Christmas? Look no further, I have just what you're looking for! It's a recipe you might have heard of, I've seen it at least ten times on Pinterest in the last month and it is guaranteed to please. Trust me, I know this.

Ladies and gentleman ('cause we all know a good man can throw his weight around in the baking department, am I right?), it is the one and only Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls.

Now, I know that these little lovelies might have the reputation for being difficult to make, but that's why I'm writing this post. Do they take a little time and intentionality? Yes, it's true. But what good thing doesn't require that? And believe me, y'all, these are Very Good Things. With a little time and practice, you'll be whipping up a half batch of these suckers in no time. This recipe is my go-to for when we have company, when I need to take something to a breakfast or when I just want to have four pans of goodness sitting in my freezer just waiting for Saturday morning. 

Ree's recipe is for a full batch which makes a LOT of cinnamon rolls (8-9 round pans, to be exact). I've only needed that many at once on a few occasions, so I like to go for the half batch. I made some this week for our Chapel Department Christmas Breakfast and took pics while I did. I thought I'd walk you through the process so you can see just how doable it is.

I am on a mission, y'all. Your people need these cinnamon rolls.

For the dough starter:

- 2 cups whole milk (Don't skimp, buy the good stuff. There's no lowfat in cinnamon rolls, m'kay?)

- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil

- 1/2 cup of sugar

Combine these in a pot that is large enough so you can add 4 1/2 cups of flour in the next step. Our large saucepan is big enough for me when I'm making a half batch. Stir the milk, oil and sugar together and set over medium to medium-high heat. You're going to "scald" this mixture, which just means heat it up until you see that it's just on the verge of boiling. I wait until I see the little boiling bubbles just starting to form, but DON'T let it boil. 

Once it's reached that point, take it off the stove and set it aside. Let it cool until the side of your pan is just warm to the touch, which means the mixture is likely lukewarm. That usually takes about forty-five minutes. I took Knox to the field to run around while this was happening. See? Multi-tasking.

Here's what you'll need for the next step:

- 1 packet (0.25 oz) of Active Dry Yeast

- 4 cups of all-purpose flour

Once the mixture is lukewarm, sprinkle the packet of yeast on top and let it sit for one minute. Then, add the four cups of flour and mix it all together gently (I use a wooden spoon) until it's combined. It will look mushy and that's just right. Cover your pot/pan with a clean towel and set this in a warm place for at least an hour to rise. I've discovered that if I turn our oven on to 200 degrees and sit the pan in the middle of the stove top, it is just the right amount of warmth to get the dough to rise. While I waited for it to rise, I went upstairs and worked on our Christmas cards. I think the ability to multi-task while I make this recipe is probably the root of my pride. And I'm ok with that.

To finish the dough, you will need:

- 1/2 cup of flour

- 1/2 heaping teaspoon of Baking Powder

- 1/2 scant teaspoon of Baking Soda

- 1/2 heaping Tablespoon of Salt

Add these to the dough and mix gently and well. Now, at this point I had to go to book club. So I put the lid on the saucepan and stuck the dough in the fridge. That's the beauty of this dough- you can use it right away or stick it in the fridge for a day or two until you have time to do the next steps. If you do put it in the fridge, just make sure you take it out about 30 minutes before you plan to use it so it will be pliable and rollable. 

I went to book club, ate some amazing goodies, drank hot chocolate, and worked on some knitting while we discussed Tina Fey's "Bossypants" and other sundry topics I won't divulge here. Came home, took my dough out of the fridge, let it sit for about 20 minutes and voila!

Isn't it pretty? I love a good dough. Make sure you sprinkle your countertop with plenty of flour before you plop your dough onto it. Something about the half batch dough is that it ends up being a little more tacky than the full batch. I've found that the flour on counter and flour on my rolling pin takes care of that and makes it easy to work with and roll out. Knead the dough just a bit using the flour on the counter to eliminate the residual tackiness. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle that is about 20 inches from left to right and 12 inches from top to bottom. Be careful not to roll it out too thin, as that can get problematic once you load it up with the next group of ingredients.

Here's what you'll need for the absolutely amazing filling:

- 2 sticks of butter, melted

- Sugar

- Light or dark brown sugar 

- Cinnamon

Pour the butter over the rectangle of dough and spread it around with the back of a spoon. Next, sprinkle the entire surface with sugar. I use about a cup, I guess. I don't really know, I just sprinkle until the butter no longer has a sheen to it. Generously sprinkle the cinnamon over the sugar. Now, Ree doesn't call for brown sugar but I've found it adds a rich flavor to the filling that I really love. I don't use as much brown sugar because, um, hello? There's already sugar on there. So, I just dot the entire surface with it. 

At this point, it's good to just step back and take it all in. I like to think this is what Monet would have painted if he had been acquainted with Ree and Paula Deen.

You're ready to roll! No, seriously. You're ready to roll up the dough. Starting at the top of the rectangle, roll the dough towards you keeping it pretty tight. I like to sort of lift my dough as I roll it, so it comes up over the buttery sugary goodness instead of squishing it forward. Does that make sense? Roll, roll, roll, until you have one long cinnamon roll log. 

Now you need to get your four pans ready. I buy the aluminum cake pans (NOT pie pans). They are the perfect size for this recipe and it makes it so much easier to give them away, if that's your goal. If you're keeping them for yourself, these pans work just fine for eating an entire pan in one sitting and then throwing the evidence away. Not that I've ever done that before....

Ree says to spread butter around in the pans, but I just spray them with olive oil spray. You know, because I'm so health-conscious. Using a sharp knive, cut 1 inch slices and place them in the pans. I alternate cutting slices off the cinnamon roll log from opposite ends AND distribute them into the four pans at once (instead of filling up one pan, then the next, etc.) so that there's a more even distribution to the pans. I usually end up with eight to nine slices in each pan.

The next thing is to cover the rolls and let them rise for 20 minutes. Again, I sit them on my stove top while the oven preheats to 375. While they rise, I clean off my counter and wash any dishes I've used. After you've let them rise, pop them in the oven (four pans fit nicely all at once, by the way) and let them bake for 15 to 17 minutes. 

While your rolls are baking, go ahead and make the icing. My experience with the half batch is that you do NOT want to halve the icing recipe. I've actually found that what Ree lists in her recipe is enough (with a little left over) for a half batch, and I need to double it for a whole batch. Trust me on this, one of the beautiful things about these cinnamon rolls is the icing to dough ratio. It's perfection. Don't mess with it.

For the icing you will need:

- 1/4 cup melted butter (I just melt a whole stick, because you'll definitely need more)

- 1/2 cup of whole milk (I end up using more, but start with that)

- 1/4 cup of strong coffee (I keep Starbucks VIA on hand so I can make a single cup, again you'll probably end up using more than 1/4 cup)

- 2 pound bag of powdered sugar

- 2 teaspoons Maple or Vanilla flavoring. Ree calls for maple, but I don't care for it so I use vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl, dump in the powdered sugar and mix in 1/4 cup of melted butter, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of coffee and 2 teaspoons of your chosen flavoring. Using a large whisk, mix it together really well. At this point, my icing is still too thick so I add smaller amounts of each of the wet ingredients until it tastes right and is a slightly thick and pourable (BUT NOT TOO RUNNY) consistency. Oh yes, you've GOT to taste test it as you go. I always make sure I can taste a hint of coffee and that the powdered sugar isn't the first taste that hits my tongue. That's when I know I've got it just right.

In the meantime, keep an eye on the rolls in the oven. Ree suggests baking them for 15-17 minutes, but your oven may need longer like mine. I take them out when they're lightly golden brown on top and I can tell that the center roll is baked through and not too mushy. Like this...

Give the rolls a couple of minutes to sit and then using a 1 cup measuring cup, generously pour it over the rolls while they are still good and warm. You want icing to fill up every crevice and even fill up the little spots in the pan that are empty. I usually pour one cup over each pan, let it soak in for a minute and then pour another half cup or so over each pan. You'll wind up with this breathtaking sight...

I know that looks like a WHOLE lot of icing, but those darling little rolls are going to soak it all up and be so delicious. You've got a couple of options at this point:

A.) Grab a fork and chow down. Whether or not you invite others to join you is up to your discretion.

B.) Let them cool for a bit, cover with foil and pop them in the fridge if you know you'll eat them/take them to a party/give them away in the next few days.

C.) Let them cool completely, cover them with foil, place each pan in a gallon freezer bag and stick them in the freezer. When you're ready to eat them, take out however many pans you need and warm them in a 275 oven for 20-25 minutes (foil off).

And there you have it! I know this post is insanely long and you might think it would take a long time to make these. I started this batch at 5:30 and was done by 11, and don't forget all the stuff I was able to accomplish in between. 

So, go forth! Make cinnamon rolls! The world will be a better, happier, more delicious place for it. 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

And the winner of their choice of a 5x7 print is...

(drum roll, please, a la "Christmas Vacation")

Aubrey!

Congratulations, my friend! Let's chat so I can get your print to you ASAP.

If you didn't win (and oh, how I wish I could buy you all the print you loved), don't fret! Abby has provided a discount code for 10% off your entire order of anything you purchase from the Father of Joy! Designs shop during the month of December. When you go to check out, over to the right above your order total, click on "Apply shop coupon code" and enter the code DRAMAQUEEN.

So go load up your Etsy cart and give your friends something joyful to hang on their walls the whole year through!

*Winner was picked through a random number generator on random.org which is a much more reliable method than trying to get Knox to step on one of twenty-six different post-it notes. Not that I tried that or anything. What? He has big feet and all the fur made it confusing...*

Ooooooh...pretty!

Let's see, we've taken care of my birthday, I stayed in my pj's and makeup-less all through Thanksgiving (girls only weekend, remember? so there's no way you're getting pictures of that) so that must mean....

It's time for a Christmas giveaway!

When Jason and I moved to Abilene, TX, I started going to a women's Bible study hosted by First Baptist Church. It was my first experience with a Beth Moore study (more about that here) and it was such a helpful place to meet some other women and make new friends. One evening we randomly exchanged prayer cards with someone in the group and my person was Abby. Out of that random card swap, I found a kindred spirit out in Texas and my friendship with her has been a HUGE blessing ever since. We've seen each other through the newlywed season, family drama, pop culture events, What I Wore Wednesdays (she's the one who got me started on that) and so much more.

(Abby and I at her wedding in 2008)

Abby is all sorts of creative, crafty and talented. She's done multiple blog designs for me, including my current one. It has been so much fun to watch her take her talent and creative gifts and make them available to the folks in Abilene and beyond. She's recently opened up an etsy shop and is offering a variety of prints, of which I want them all! I bugged and nagged politely asked if she would design a print around Jeremiah 29:11 and girlfriend did not disappoint. 

What I love about Abby's designs are how bright, crisp and colorful they are. Having these powerful words in front of me as I work in my little crafting spot is a joy and sweet reminder of the One who knows and loves me best.

This week, YOU have the chance to win the 5x7 print of your choice from Abby's shop.

All you have to do is head over to her shop and take a look at all the gorgeous and fun prints she has listed. 'Cause you're going to find beauties like this...

...and this...

...and this (which I'm pretty sure I need at my house, pronto).

Come back over here, leave me a comment letting me know which print you just have to have and you're entered to win! Want more than one entry? You can do any of the following to get extra entries, just make sure you leave me a separate comment each time you complete one of them:

- Become a follower of my blog (or let me know that you already follow SDQ)
- Post about and include a link to this giveaway in Facebook
- Tweet about and include a link to this giveaway on Twitter

Can't wait to see which prints you love! I'll keep comments open until Sunday, December 11th at midnight (EST) and I'll announce the winner on Monday, December 12th. Good luck!

Some good reads out there in bloggy land...

While I'm working on some posts of my own, here's some other good stuff to read. Go take a looky loo!

"Christians are weird about counseling." It's true. We are. And sometimes that makes me really sad.

"Unbound" I've been reading Angie's story and writing for years now, and I always walk away with a good strong word. This time was no different.

Mocha Momma is a new blog find for me and I am really appreciating the fresh perspective she's bringing to a host of thoughts rattling around in my head. I'm kind of jealous of her "Drag Queen Tupperware Parties" experience and "On Writing" is the kick in the rear I've been needing when it comes to putting my thoughts to paper (or blog.)

"I Was Previously Unaware That Such A Bridge Even Existed" You know what's a really great last line when it comes to parenting or, as I discovered in 2001, teaching? "This is not up for debate." Thanks, Mom.

If you're not reading Abby's blog, you really should be. I'm just sad we didn't discover WIWW before I left Texas, because I could've really used her spiritual gift of fashion live and in person.

------------------------------

                                                                                Source: google.com via Leslie on Pinterest

It's true. And you never know what that battle may be. In my own life and in some new friendships, I've been grateful for the kindness and mercy of folks who understand the battle of depression and anxiety. Heather Armstrong, aka Dooce, has been a loud and persistent voice in that discussion. And for that, I am very, very, very grateful. 

Do me a favor? 

Click over and read "Autumnal Equinox". 

Then, be kind...

Updates on Caden

Caden made it through surgery yesterday, but the next 36 hours are still critical. I thought I'd list the various ways that you can directly stay updated, if you'd like, rather than having to check my blog.

Adam and Becca are posting updates and pictures on her blog- The Stanley Clan

If you're on Twitter, you can follow Becca there- @Becca1612

A Facebook has been created for Caden and the Stanleys- Candles for Caden

An update was posted on their blog just a short while ago. Please go and read and continue to pray!

Caden Thomas

I've said it before and I'll say it again- The blogging world is a glorious thing. I've had more than one blog friendship turn into a real life face-to-face friendship now. It never ceases to amaze me how following a rabbit trail around the Internet has led to some pretty sweet relationships that have encouraged and challenged me in the best ways possible. My friendship with Becca started just this way, and then I was lucky enough to hang out with her in person and see even more of our blogging heroes (you can read about that here and here.)

Becca, her husband Adam and their daughter Jayci have been committed to mentoring at-risk kids in Atlanta for a while now. I've been amazed to read and see how they've imitated Christ, literally moving into the neighborhood where these kids live so they could care for them, love them and show them a Greater Love that can transform their lives. For the last year, they have painstakingly renovated a house smack dab in the middle of  where these kids live and faced setback after setback. A great joy in the midst of this was Becca's pregnancy with their second child, a son. They finally closed on the house last Tuesday, while Becca was in labor! That girl is a rock star.

Last Wednesday, they welcomed Caden Thomas to the world.

However, it was soon discovered that Caden was born with some very serious and totally unexpected heart issues.  Today, at less than a week old, Caden will be in open heart surgery all day. Adam has explained what will happen in the surgery here. Please go and read. Please feel free to leave them a comment. Becca and Adam are reading them and I know any and all words have been and would be such an encouragement to them.

Most of all, please pray. As one of my favorite ladies, Beth Moore, would say- y'all wouldn't waste a prayer on this family. Thanks, y'all...

Shockingly, yes, sometimes I don't have anything to say.

Here's the thing.

When you're unemployed (five months, please dear lord, don't let it be going on six...) and your days consist of working out, endlessly submitting resumes and cover letters, a fair amount of moping, and general housework, there's not really a lot to write about. Add to that the fact that this season of my life has me processing some stuff that I don't care to share with the entire Internet (thank the lord for a fabulous therapist) and, well, you have a southern drama queen whose mouth is generally more quiet than chatty these days.

{Jason might beg to differ, but he's bound by sacred vows to listen to me, right? He does it so well, my ever patient husband...}

But.

There's always a but.

I've always loved having this space to write about anything and everything. The problem is, I started this blog almost six years ago when there weren't many blogs and only my nearest and dearest took the time to read it. Six years, a marriage and two states later, there's a lot more people reading than before. Some of y'all I've never met but we've become friends anyway through this crazy thing called blogging. You've encouraged me, cheered for me, prayed for me (and Jason), loved on me through your blog comments and emails. For those folks, I legitimately call y'all my friends even if I've never seen your sweet face in person. That's just the way it works.

 And truthfully? There's probably some people reading my blog who I would rather they didn't. However, that's the deal you make when you have a public blog and I'm cool with that. Still. What to do to maintain this space as a place for me to be authentic?

Well.

A dear, funny and wise friend encouraged me that my blog doesn't have to be where I spill my guts all the time and that she'd love to see me just write about the things I like. Hmmm, write about the things I like....sure, I can do that.

So, that's what I'm going to try to do. I like writing. I need to write. I need to focus on the good in my life, the joys that are coming, the gifts that are present but perhaps I don't dwell on enough. I'm not foolish enough to call this a blog comeback, because we've all seen how that's turned out on here before.  Still, I needed to write this. I needed to write it out, this new "vision" for what blogging could look like for me. For a girl who wears her heart on her sleeve, it's good for me to strike some sort of balance between sharing all the emotions that run through me and shutting off completely.

So.

I have a running list in my head of things I want to blog about. For accountability's sake, I'm going to start this list here with the idea that then I'll actually write those posts. Stay tuned to see if this actually works...

- My weekend in Nashville with Allie and the Country Music Marathon/Half-Marathon
- Oprah's last show (Seriously, I took notes. SO GOOD.)
- Sitting in a room of seventeen women waiting to interview for the same job
- Celebrities, diets, exercise and is it all for real?
- Glee and the gloriousness of its last four episodes

All good things start in North Carolina

Back in May, The Pioneer Woman embarked upon a delightfully grassroots book tour for her new cookbook {also known as Leslie's Favorite Kitchen Utensil}. One of her stops was in Charlotte, North Carolina and I totally would have been there if it wasn't for a little thing called my job and a stupid administrative policy that doesn't allow us to use our vacation days in May. Apparently, Charlotte made quite an impression on Ree when a fan brought her a box of pastries from Amelie's French Bakery.

And yes, the fact that sugary carbohydrates are a priority in Ree's everyday life is part of why I admire her so.

Ree wrote about the entire box but what especially stood out to her was one salted caramel brownie. Unfortunately, she lives about a thousand miles away from Charlotte and therefore- no daily salted caramel brownies for her. Some folks sent her the recipe for them, she tried it out and voila, Salted Caramel Brownie.

Turns out, the brownie was slowly starting to work its way into the hearts and minds of anyone who saw Ree's post. It grabbed a hold of Traci over at Total Momsense and caused a complete writing block.

{This I understand. I blame my writing block on the fact that Lifetime insists on showing about four episodes of Grey's Anatomy a day. Yes, please!}

I added to the writing block by sending her a post about Salted Caramel Cupcakes and the gauntlet was thrown. The next thing I know, Traci is not only blogging about making said cupcakes, she's come up with a spectacular sounding cupcake recipe and a ridiculously tempting cream cheese icing. 

Did I mention she lives up in Franklin, a mere two hours from me? Roadtrip! I'd get to hang out with her and her super fun family, bake an obscenely decadent recipe and poke around the city I lived in twenty years ago.

Lucky for y'all, we video taped our cooking escapades and I took a shot at editing everything together using my fancy new Mac {school computer, and now my PC is dead to me.}

A few observations:

1. I totally hogged the camera and was pretty much useless in the kitchen. I could say it was for the sake of photojournalism, but let's be honest- there's nothing a drama queen loves more than a camera. Been that way since I was seven, folks.

2. Traci was infinitely more patient with the caramel than I would have been. I took notes on how to handle frustration in the kitchen without throwing things.

3. For those of you who don't read Traci's blog regularly {and you should}, you need to know that Coach is her husband and he likes to clean. A lot. Especially when he's nervous or anxious. It's quite endearing.

Watch, be inspired and go make these cupcakes! 

Haiti

I’ve never been. I’ve never traveled across the ocean, looked its people in the eye, seen the poverty for myself, carried those images back in my heart.

But my friend Meredith has.

There is a group of high school students at Trinity that has been preparing to travel there to help however they could and I know their young hearts are aching for those they’ve never met.

My home church in Durham, NC has a long-standing partnership with pastors in Haiti and I can imagine that there are some folks at Blacknall Presbyterian that would hop on a flight tonight to be in Port-au-Prince beside their brothers and sisters in Christ.

So what do the rest of us do? We pray. We give. We pray some more. And maybe we give some more so that the folks that are there to help have what they need.

• Text "Haiti" to "90999" to donate $10 to the Red Cross -- The US State Department very quickly put together this number to channel relief contributions directly to first responders who will be on the ground there. {The $10 will show up as a charge on your next cell phone bill.}

• Text “Disaster” to 90999 to give $10 to Compassion International’s Disaster Relief Program -- They will be working directly with the local churches who knew where these families live and will be providing immediate relief to them. {This will show up on your next cell phone bill as well.}

• If you give, go over to Kelly’s Korner and leave a comment on this post. She and her husband are donating $1 for every comment that is left.

• Head over to the Tasty Kitchen blog and enter a giveaway that is, in turn, giving to Haiti earthquake recovery efforts. The Pioneer Woman and her family are donating 10 cents for every entry. That may not seem like much but given that she usually receives over 12,000 entries per contest, it could really add up.

Twenty bucks, two texts, two blog comments. You in?

Sabbatical

I’m going to be taking one for the next couple of weeks from my little piece of the internet.

Teaching has me particularly busy as I continue to find my footing in the midst of a new kind of curriculum and a school culture that is different from what I am used to. I’m loving every moment in the classroom {check out my classroom blog if you haven’t already} and need to make sure I’m giving it all the attention it needs in these first crucial months.

In addition, I always want to make sure that whatever I put up on my blog comes from an authentic place. I can’t really do that right now so I’m stepping back for a bit until I can. Healthy boundaries, you know?

Now if something incredibly funny happens in my classroom or I’m otherwise inspired to write about things that I can, I’ll post. But I just wanted to let y’all know that I will most likely be scarce around here for a while.

If you’re looking for some other blogs to read in the meantime, check out the ones I have linked in my sidebar. There’s definitely good stuff there! Thanks, y’all…

This post is also known as “Too tired to write a real post so I pulled out the ol’ Facebook tagging/forward thing.”

Three names I go by:

1. Leslie {pronounced “Lez-lee”, my mom insists she meant for my name to be pronounced with a z.}

2. Leslie Ruth

3. Lulu. That’s what all my friends’ kids call me.

Three jobs I’ve had in my life:

1. Frozen yogurt girl at Zack’s Yogurt on Robinhood Road in Winston-Salem, NC

2. Peanut brittle maker at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri

3. Teacher, aka BEST JOB EVER

Three places I’ve lived:

1. Long Island, New York

2. Abilene, Texas

3. The wonderful, the beautiful, the one and only southeast {I couldn’t pick between TN & NC}

Three favorite drinks:

1. Shirley Temples

2. Caffeine free Diet Coke.

3. My husband’s version of sweet tea. It is suh-weet.

Three television shows I watch:

1. Grey’s Anatomy

2. Army Wives

3. Will & Grace. Over and over and over again.

Three of my favorite foods:

1. We’ve discussed the power of macaroni & cheese already.

2. Bananas

3. Krispy Kreme donuts {not that I’ve had one in almost three months}

Three of my favorite restaurants:

1. Macaroni Gril

2. Wendy’s

3. Panera

Three things I couldn’t live without:

1. My husband

2. My sister

3. My Marmee

Three things I can’t stand:

1. People who smack their lips while eating. SERIOUSLY.

2. Teachers who refuse to delight in their students

3. When Carolina loses to Duke in basketball

Three things I’m decent at:

1. Making my dog happy

2. Writing: notes, blog posts…maybe one day a novel?

3. Conveying passion and excitement to my students

Three things I’m looking forward to this weekend:

1. Beth Moore’s simulcast. A church in Amy Beth’s town is showing it!

2. A long workout on the Riverwalk

3. Writing a weekly letter to someone I love very much

Three things I’m addicted to:

1. Reading blogs

2. Collecting cute/sassy/chic stationery

3. Bags of any and all kind. Purses, tote bags, laptop bags…you name it, I’ll want it.

Her appreciation of big hair was inspiring.

Back before Jason and I started looking at moving to Chattanooga, I had discovered a hot pink blog by the name of Ministry So Fabulous. I’ve discussed before what will immediately draw me into a blog:  a funny southern woman who loves Jesus. Well, Amy Beth is all that and more. For months I read her blog, marveling at the ministry she created to help young girls build confidence and find their true worth. The heart, wit, and self-deprecating humor of this woman in Cleveland, Tennessee made a powerful impression on me and I found myself wishing that she and I were friends in real life.

Fast forward to September/October, the decision was made to move to Chattanooga. Imagine my joy when I looked at a map and discovered that Cleveland was a mere thirty minutes from Chatt. I emailed AB asking for her thoughts on living in Chattanooga, secretly hoping all along that this would be start of a beautiful friendship.

And it was.

And bonus? I get to be friends with Cousin Cate as well.

Amy Beth asked me to write a guest post regarding my extensive shower throwing experience. I am beyond honored to be featured on the hot pink blog and you can check it out right here!

{I encourage you to take some time and wander around Amy Beth’s blog….I think you’ll be as inspired, impressed, amazed, encouraged as I have been…}

The First Day

Oh, my friends, it was a good one. A really good one.

But first, can I please tell you what time my body woke me up this morning just rarin’ to go? FOUR A.M. What the heck? That has never happened to me before. Usually my pre-first day of school jitters/hyperness has me completely unable to go to sleep the night before. Not this time. I went to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and then BAM. Four stinking a.m. I’ve often said that it’s just rude when my body wakes me up mere minutes before my alarm is set to go off. But two hours?! That’s just spiteful.

Even with the false alarm, I got off to school in the most organized fashion that I ever have. I’ve discovered that due to my commute off the mountain and over to the school {about thirty minutes, which passes quickly} it is going to be essential for me to prep everything the night before. I’m talking lunch packed, outfit picked, school bags already in the car.

Oh…wait. You say that’s just part of being a responsible adult? Well, looks like I’ve finally arrived.

The day with my kiddos went swimmingly. Schedule was followed, transitions were smooth and children were attentive. Success! I have to confess that there was part of me that wondered if I would remember how to do this. I think my horrible experiences substituting had me spooked. Lo and behold, this time around teaching was just like riding a bike. Once I stepped to the front of the room, it all came back. The tone, “the look” {you know the one- it would snap you back to obedience but quick}, the directions, the routines, it was all there. It feels so good to be a teacher again!

I came home ready to take Knox for a walk. We had gotten to the top of our street when I spotted the storm clouds and the rain started to fall. Back we went. Twenty minutes later the sky was clear once again so we headed out a second time. We didn’t even make it to the top of the driveway before it started raining. Sigh.

Have you ever promised your energetic dog the thing they want most in the world only to rip it away from them? Twice? I imagine it’s like offering your toddler a giant bowl of ice cream, dipping the spoon in, getting it to their lips and then BAM. It’s gone. The wailing that follows is something akin to Knox’s moans and groans as he laid on the floor by the front door looking longingly towards the street.

After dinner the sky was clear and I thought we’d try one more time. A half mile from our house the sky opened up. OF COURSE. Thankfully, we were just around the corner from our friends’ home and they gladly took in one sopping wet dog and his owner. And my across the street neighbor called to ask if we were ok and did she need to come get us because she had her boots and raincoat on, ready to come to our rescue. I am seriously blessed in the neighbor department, no?

And with that, I’m going to wrap up this glorious day. If you’re needing one more moment of zen, might I suggest that you head over to my friend Leslie Sloan’s blog? You really won’t want to miss the video tidbit she has waiting for you.

{P.S. If you’ve left me a comment or sent me an email over the last few weeks, please know that I’ll be responding to you this weekend. The back to school craziness consumed me but my inbox is now at 260 and as a girl who likes to keep it around twenty, that is seriously stressing me out. Maybe I should have tackled some of those emails this morning. Because did I mention I woke up at FOUR a.m.? Yes? Ok.}

Is “blogiversary” a word?

On July 3, 2005, I started this blog with this post…

Lessons from Oz

"Yes, Dorothy, what have you learned?"

"Well, I guess I've learned that if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I shouldn't go looking any further than my own backyard. Because if it's not there, I never really lost it to begin with...there's no place like home!"

Vacation is snuggling on a couch in Kiawah Island, South Carolina with my 4 and 7 year old cousins to watch "The Wizard of Oz." There is nothing else to do, no other pressing agenda than to settle in with these sweet girls (after they have fought over who sits where, of course) and watch our "most fav-oh-wit movie evah."

It really is my most favorite movie, has been ever since I was captured by the color, spectacle and wonder of Oz. I wanted to be Dorothy on a grand journey with faithful friends and a cute dog. Well, maybe I just wanted that fabulous dress and ruby slippers. My mom made that possible on Halloween when I was 8 years old. The dress was perfect, just like Judy Garland's, with a white blouse and the trademark blue gingham pinafore. And thanks to two bottles of Wet and Wild nailpolish, I had my ruby slippers.

Now it is my turn to watch it through a child's eyes. The girls narrate the entire viewing and punctuate it with question after question. Madison and I discuss the witch and the flying monkeys and agree that it is violently unfair when they take Toto away. After I explain (again) why the Winkie soldiers are chasing Dorothy, Abby nestles into the crook of my arm and murmurs, "I love my Leslie." Does it get better than that?

I realize that my 8 year old wish has come true. I am in the middle of a grand journey. Many faithful friends accompany me. I don't have the cute dog yet, but as the Wicked Witch says, "All in good time, my pretty, all in good time!"

Four years. I don’t remember how I found out what a blog was or even how I knew to set one up on blogspot. But one summer evening, while on The Cruise Family Beach Trip, I did. And honestly? I don’t think I’ve ever been the same.

I’ve always loved writing. The fifteen journals spanning from age ten to the present testify to that. A small box of my elementary and middle school writing projects give voice to my love of words. The fact that I would rather bury my nose in a well written novel than anything else {have I mentioned that you have to read Love Walked In?} is a testament to what the written word does for me. Written words are an outlet, a catharsis, page upon page of my imagination, emotions and musings. Once they are on a page they are mine but even better, I can share them if I want.

I love this blog. As in I’m getting teary-eyed even as I type thinking about how this, my little piece of the internet, has been such an encouragement and accountability for me over the last four years. It’s taught me to choose my words carefully. I’ve learned how to use my words to recreate the image or experience I want to keep forever. Best of all for this social southern drama queen, it has connected me to you.

From North Carolina to Texas and then back again to Tennessee. And allllllll the places in-between where I have discovered new friends who have graciously shared their words with me as well. From a single woman without a cute dog to a married woman with a freckle-faced monster. Thanks for listening to the ramblings of this southern drama queen…

Happy Blogiversary, dear diary!

We interrupt this beach vacation for some sassiness

One of my dear friends back in Abilene, Texas, Tiffany, is seriously talented when it comes to fun and sassy things for your home. Tiffany’s creative blog has been incognito for a while but it looks like she’s diving head first into the crafty waters these days and, trust me, you want in.

Among her wares are some darling name signs, jewelry and absolutely darling appliquéd tees for kids and adults. But my favorite? These lap desks…

I think we all know a kiddo or two in our life who would benefit from one of these.

Tiffany’s got a couple of giveaways going on over at her creative blog. You can also get a closer look at thing over in her etsy shop. Go take a peek!

So much to blog…

And yet so many pools to lay out by and expanses of beach to explore. We’re down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina this week with Jason’s entire immediate family. It’s a Petree Family reunion! Which means ten adults, two teenagers, five kids and two toddlers are soaking up all this glorious place has to offer.

And there’s a K&W Cafeteria five minutes down the road from our resort. Glory be. I may have to abandon fresh and healthy eating for lunch one day. I hear that southern baked macaroni and cheese calling my name…

I do want to post my thoughts about Michael Jackson’s passing. My four year blog-iversary is on Friday. So you’ll probably see a post or two this week. In the meantime, check out some of the links on my sidebar as well as the following bloggy gems:

• Annie Blogs
• c jane enjoy it
• Breaking News
• Total Momsense

See y’all in a bit!

Go Tell It On The Mountains, Indeed!

So, I’ve been sitting on some news but I had to wait before it was truly official before I could announce it here…

I got a teaching job!

That’s right, I have been hired to teach at Brainerd Baptist School. Now, it’s still up in the air as to what grade I’ll be teaching (3rd or 5th) due to some lingering situations. However, I will definitely be teaching come fall.

Which means I won’t have to write a post like this one. Instead, you’ll be seeing more and more posts like this or this or this.

And the answer is YES, I am ridiculously excited over the prospect of having a classroom of my own again, a group of kiddos to teach and nurture, teaching colleagues to bounce ideas off of, a community of believers surrounding me.

I can’t wait!!!

{Now, as a side note, come August I will be starting a brand new blog for my classroom to keep parents informed of the going-ons of my class. I’m hoping that I can enlists the services of Sharon of Redbud Designs to design my new blog. Perhaps you remember her? She designed my current blog design and did my friend Allison’s as well. You should really check her out. Even better, she has a giveaway going on right now and you could win a blog design of your own! Go see… }

Sniff. Hack. Cough.

You know what's fun on a jam packed weekend that is stuffed to the gills with a baby shower and many planned visits?

A raging sinus/head cold/congestion/can't breathe through my nose/throat feels like swallowing daggers thing.

Still, I was determined to press on and accomplish everything I had planned. And I did. Sneezing and coughing all the way through. A lovely thought, no?

The baby shower for Anna's first was a smashing success. I enjoyed the rhythym and blues of Will McFarlane at Brightleaf Square while watching some seriously free-spirited adults dance wildly. I took a photo walk around the most beautiful campus ever. I attended a profound worship service at my NC home church and worshipped across the aisle from UNC basketball legend, Phil Ford.

Throw in visits with dozens of dear friends and you have a pretty great weekend. Monster sneezes and all. Pictures to come...

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If you have not gone to see "Night At The Museum 2: Battle of The Smithsonians", do yourself a favor and go NOW. Seriously, it's even better than the first one. And if you haven't seen the first one yet, rent it and then go see the second one. Although my only grief with the second one is that The Ruby Slippers are not treated with the respect they should be. Hmph.

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My friend, Lisa, sent me this quote from this article. She knows what speaks to me.

"While Adam's competitors come packaged with humanizing backstories — Kris Allen is married, and Danny Gokey, as you may have heard seven or eight hundred times, is a widower — Adam's personal life remains shielded. He was apparently made by the hand of God and left in a basket backstage at Wicked, where he was discovered, bestowed with a lifetime supply of black nail polish, and raised by musical-theater queens." - Mark Harris

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If you are needing some new t-shirts for summer and share my faith, might I suggest you stop by Wild Olive Tees? They have some absolutely gorgeous tees (in several different fits, gotta love that) that highlight particular scriptures in very creative ways. This particular tee, "Unfolding", is part of a fundraising effort in honor of Stellan and his MckMama {the red one is a classic fit and the white one is more fitted}.


They're not paying me for this endorsement, I'm just a fan of a cool and inspiring t-shirt. And I want to win a giveaway they're doing. So sue me, I'm a fan of free {and fabulous} stuff!

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And one last bloggy link. If you're watching "The Bachelorette", you should really be reading Sophie's recaps. Hilarious. Witty. Southern. Everything you could want in a recap of a disasterously cheesy show on the brink of extinction.

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Ok, that's all for now. I'm off to blow my nose. Again and for the hundredth time today. Oh, I almost forgot! I might have some big news tomorrow about a certain teaching position. Stay tuned...

Neither Here Nor There

Well, apparently Amy Grant (aka, Mrs. Vince Gill, how lucky is she?!) made an impact on a lot of y’all out there. From crying along with me on “All I Ever…” to your own stories of (almost) meeting her to a universal love of That Hair, I think it’s safe to say that Amy has left a long and lengthy legacy. If I win the big honkin’ prize in Boomama’s giveaway, I’ll be polling all of you for what I should talk to Amy about.

You think it would be appropriate to ask about her current hair products?

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I realize I haven’t posted about our owl family in a few days but I do have some news: there is another owlet! I noticed him the other day on what I have dubbed “The Landing Branch”, thought he looked smaller than what I remembered and then saw the first two owlets in a nearby tree.

Sometimes it takes me a while to put things together. It’s been that kind of week.

The 4th grade class of my dear friend, Rita, has been entrusted with naming the little ones. They have come up with some creative and hilarious suggestions and I thought I’d throw the poll back up to see what y’all think. Check the upper right corner and cast your vote!

And since some of you are going through baby owl withdrawal and because it’s fun to mess with the rest of you who are freaked out by the owls, here’s a little fix for ya…

 

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Seriously, y’all, last week I thought I either had some sort of neurological disorder or that I was pregnant. Turns out neither is true, I just have some anxiety issues. After a panic attack (and I wouldn’t wish one on my worst enemy), the Week O’ Dizzy that sent me to the couch for almost ten straight days and a visit to the doctor, I now have a better grip on the situation and some awesome little yellow pills that chill me out somethin’ quick should I need them.

By the by, after checking my ears, throat, lungs and heart, the first thing the doctor said was, “Well, I don’t think it’s Swine Flu.”

Um, thanks for that diagnosis but I wasn’t really worried about that.

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Remember Baby John? Look at what that little rascal can do now….

I swanee, have you ever seen such a sweet smile? His mama has the gift of humor and laughter (which she inherited from her mama, she comes by it honest) and it is clear that Baby John will have it too. I love him so.

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Jason and I are headed to Charlotte tomorrow because…

ALLIE IS GRADUATING FROM UNC-CHARLOTTE!

Remember how I mentioned that she needed prayer for her missing math credit? Get this, the only way to get the credit she needed was to take a final for a class she had not attended this semester. Y’all, seriously, raise your hand if you’ve had that exact nightmare. {Cue the entire Internet raising their hands} That’s what I thought. My sister lived it and better than that, she passed the final. More than passed, she rocked that thing! I’m telling you, there’s nothing that woman can’t do.

So it’s Charlotte tomorrow for her departmental ceremony and then on to Blowing Rock for the weekend for a truly worthy celebration of all she’s accomplished.

I can pretty much promise I’m going to get weepy at several different moments.

So y’all have a good weekend and I’ll be back Monday with lots and lots of pictures of some graduation goodness!

Long time since I’ve seen your smile…

Can you finish that lyric? All together now….

”…But when I close my eyes, I remember.

You were no more than a child,

but than so was I, young and tender.

{at the top of your lungs} Staaaaaaaaay for a while…”

Do you remember what she was wearing in the foldout poster in the record cover for “Straight Ahead”? I do. {And you better believe I did everything I could in 1984 to get my hair to look like that}

Did you play out the piano part of “Sing Your Praise To The Lord” on the back of an armchair while your sister mimed the violin part? Allie and I did.

Audrey and I knew every single word of every single song on “Unguarded” and it was the closest we could get to punk rock (the album was our hero’s big move to pop) since our mothers had forbidden us from singing “We Built This City on Rock & Roll.”

No, I am not making that up. They thought it was the devil’s theme song. It’s amazing we grew up to be as normal as we are.

The Lead Me On Tour was my first real concert and I remember waiting for some guy named Micheal W. Smith to get off the stage because who was he compared to the one, the only, my musical idol- Amy Grant.

I adored her. I emulated her. I sang her songs constantly. I met her once when we lived in Nashville, TN. We were shopping at a fabric store in the Green Hills area and there she was. I swear, I almost passed out. I frantically found my mom, begged her to go with me and ask Amy for her autograph (I was nine at the time.) She was gracious and kind and it made my freaking decade.

I still love and respect Amy Grant. She’s been through some rough patches, had to endure it all in the limelight but has come through it all graciously and with an amazing head of hair.

Sigh. I still want her hair. As much as I love Amy Grant, I’m pretty sure that Boomama {aka Sophie} loves her more and has certainly had more chances to be close to her than me. In honor of Amy’s newly released EP, Sophie has an incredible giveaway going on at her blog. So, go check out the giveaway here and then make sure you go give Amy’s new EP a listen over here {or you can just click on the picture below.}

I’m going to go listen to “All I Ever Have To Be” now. And cry. That song always make me cry.