Potluck Ponderings

Highlights of our week: On Monday I caused us to miss a field trip to the Southern Pines Police Station...just crazy and didn't check my calendar Sunday night (maybe I was too psyched about seeing Jack Ryan again?). We ran into friends who didn't forget the field trip at W* endy's for lunch, so that was a nice bonus...and when I remembered I had forgot. We finished our errands and our last minute Thanksgiving shopping for cream cheese, 1/2 n' 1/2 (well, not really for Thanksgiving, but you gotta have the cream w/the coffee!) and butter (Land o' Lakes on sale for $2!!) and 25 other things that weren't even on our list. Oh, and felt for cow spots...that's where Nate turned the cart over on himself by standing on the side in the craft department...and where I think I talked to B. (I'm still having PTS flashbacks from the moment the cart and Nate hit the floor!) When Joe came home...he suggested we eat out and check out the "F* urniture Liquid

Friday night, while Emily and I were away at the Girlscout Swap-a-thon, Nate and Daddy were alone...some not so good things have happened when they've been left alone (like Nate sticking a key into an electrical outlet...) but I digress. This particular story lets us find Nate playing trains in the den floor, he's gotten quite good at putting the track together and playing independently with this toy. He was lining his trains up and said, "Daddy, I need Gordon" (for those of you NOT in the know, Gordon is a pal of Thomas the Train...Nate currently has Toby, Emily, James, Scarlouey...thankfully for parents they have their names on the bottom of the trains). Daddy said, "Well, go to your bedroom and get Gordon...". To which Nate replied... "Gordon not in my woom...he's at Wal-mart..."

This is my fav...and I've made it for several events, including Holly's 2nd baby shower (for Evan). Joe thinks it's too garlicky if I put both cloves of garlic in, so sometimes I bland it down for him...I usually go ahead and double the recipe ;) Easy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained 1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed butter-harris teeter) 1/3 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup roasted red sweet peppers 1/4 teaspoon dried basil Dash salt Dash pepper DIRECTIONS In an electric food processor, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill until you are ready to serve. I've also made it with other beans (Black, White kidney beans...lots of calcuim...) To make Sun-dried Tomato Hummus, just replace peppers with tomatoes. I've als

Yep...it came in the mail today, the long awaited toy catalog...wasn't from Sears, wasn't from JC Penny's...it was from Wal*mart who seems to be stealing some marketing ideas this season. The kids poured over it, fought over it, said things like, "Wow"...." Momma , yook ". It comes down to the basics, Nate wants a spider man bike that he can 'wide on the wode , wite now' and Emily's too overwhelmed with choices to want anything...but really would just like a pair of roller skates that weren't even in the catalog. She understands, though, that Christmas is still over a month away. Nate, however, wants us to leave for Wal*mart " wite now!". It may be a long month.

Joe has accepted a new job in Hamlet...his third position to hold in a year. Amazingly, this has been a phenomenon I hope is not repeated, ever. To say that this has been stressful, is an understatement. It is, of course, only a 30 minute drive and what sounds like an exciting opportunity and fun co-workers (he knows a few people that work there already). I won't bore you with all the enginerding details...but he'll be a project manager at a chemical facility. He's excited about the change, excited about the challenge and excited about the shorter drive. I'm relieved...ready for whatever's next...whether that be across town or right here on this corner lot. And sure that even through the moments I struggled in my human heart, He has known the plans that He had for us and and that it has been for good and not for disaster, to give us a future and a hope. (Jer 29:11 NLT).

Joe's uncle, Richard "Dick" Miller, ran a good race for the Kansas State House of Representatives. We have mixed emotions; in that since he lost, he might have time in the next year to hop in the RV and head to the Carolina's for a visit. Kansas State's loss is our gain. He was found too conservative to garner the support of the local media...but fought a good door to door fight getting out and getting to know people! I have enjoyed "living" his campaign experiences. I am quoting his weekly article to the Manhattan newspaper...a column entitled "Thoughts from the Prairie". I am so thankful he is a part of my children's legacy! Thoughts from the Prairie by Dick Miller Now What? The view out of my window as I reminisce and write about the past five months is very similar to that at the last house I visited last night on the campaign trail. The sun was just setting in a splash of color as I rang the last doorbell. After a wa

Well, here we are about 9 weeks into the school year and I am trying to decide what's working, what's not, and where I need to realign my priorities... It is not as easy as it sounds and yet I know I tend to over analyze each element of our schooling...because, well, bascially...er...I'm pretty scared I'm going to get this wrong and our children's academic experience will slide into the gutter. I'm worried that she'll be a Latin speaking child who won't be able to add....or that she'll have the states and capitols memorized but won't be able to write a paragraph. Sometimes in my quest for the best education for her...I lose sight of some simple priorities....reading, writing and arithmetic. So, here's what we've been trying (unsuccessfully) to accomplish every day: Chores (appropriate for seven year old: emptying dishwasher, picking up toys, making bed, swiping mirrors, dusting) Bible (using Veritas Press Bible Cards: Genesis -Joshua; me