Baby Sister's Got Some Skillz Ya'll

I would like to introduce a new character to this blog-o-rama, my baby sister, Jo. When I say "baby" I don't mean younger sister...I mean BABY cuz she is 20 years younger than me. It just so happens that baby sister inherited all the athletic genes in our family's genetic pool. (I have zero - please reference Buford's comments about my ability to break toes.) Anyway, Jo is in her junior year on a BB scholarship to University of Nebraska at Kearney - yes, she has some skillz! She also is apparently working on a career in film on the side as shown in her You Tube debut:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0-ZDdWk3U4

(Jo is the short haired girl - just in case ya wondered. Her teammate, Hinkley, is the blond who does some "hang time".)

Disclaimer: Do not take a drink of coffee, Coke, or whatever beverage you may be consuming while watching this...it is a sure bet you might spit it all over the screen or laugh so hard that it comes out your nose.

Update 11/4:
Not that I'm braggin' or anything, but here is an email my parents just got from our cousin, Dick, who attended the UNK game against UNL (Lincoln: aka the big, bad girls):

Just a note to let you know that I think Kassi played a GREAT game last night. It was really fun to watch her play. Even though we never got to see her play high school ball, it looked like what I picture made her a top Colorado All State player. (Miram was not able to go because of the commitment she had here at home with an open house for our church ladies).

Not only did she get in a LOT of playing time, but she was invaluable to the team. She was virtually the only guard who could bring the ball down the court without being stopped by the two guards from UNL. Whenever the coach took Kassi out for a rest, it was extremely difficult for Kearney to get the ball down the court unless they put two girls to the task. Kassi could always do it by herself.

Another thing she was great at was seeing who was open under the basket and getting the ball to them with long passes before UNL got set up. She has a really "strong" arm whether she was passing left handed or right handed.

A big thing in her quality of play was that she played extremely aggressively without any fouls last night. :) I would sure want her on my team!

I couldn't stay after the game, but let her know I was really proud of her.
Dick

Autumn Yumminess

Sunday afternoon there was nothing to do - seeing as how the Broncos weren't playing til Monday night. (On which occasion they were taken to the Bret Favre school of football.) Buford was napping therefore I couldn't obsessively run the vacuum over every piece of flooring in my house though I really, really wanted to. So I decided to bake something. I found a pumpkin bread recipe and lo, I had all the ingredients on hand! I was not going to the grocery store, no way, no how - so pumpkin bread it would be. I had thoughts of not having to cook breakfast all week...just slicing off a piece, perhaps slathering it with a bit-o-cream cheese, and pouring a hot cup of coffee! But alas, the yumminess of this pumpkin bread exceeded its size and as of this morning (Tuesday) only a small chunk remains. Even Min has eaten some and has not died from ingesting two fruits at once (pumpkin and apple). He is not allergic or anything, just has an aversion to most anything of the fruit family. He should be Grace's kid, she doesn't like fruit either. Or coffee, but I think I've mentioned that once or ten times.

Anyway, I thought I'd post the recipe and share this wonderful, moist, chunky, and aromatic bread. If fall had a flavor this would be it.

(Oh, and the loaf is so moist you could totally sneak in a few tablespoons of ground flax seed, wheat germ, or whatever other sneak-in type healthy items you have on hand and no one would know!)

Chunky Apple Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 c sugar
1 c canned pumpkin
1/2 c water
1/3 c vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 2/3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 c chopped, peeled tart apples
3/4 c chopped walnuts
(2 T. sneak-in healthy ingredient) optional

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, water, oil and eggs; mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and cloves; add to the pumpkin mixture. Stir just til combined and dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in apples and walnuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5 x 3 in. loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. (My loaf only took 1 hour and 20 minutes.) Cool loaf for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.


A good use of that 10 minutes of cooling time is to brew a fresh pot of coffee so you can just slice and devour immediately. Which I'm not sayin' that's what I did...I'm just sayin' it might be a good use of the time.

Holy Grounds

As most of my friends know, I am a huge "fan" of Beth Moore. Her Bible studies and teachings have had a huge impact on my Christian walk and have just flat out changed my life. Now, Beth has quite a hankerin' for Starbuck's cappuccinos and I just know that our heavenly Father is building a coffee shop right around the corner from her heavenly mansion. Now I'm quite certain that it won't be a Starbucks because, well, there won't be any weird Pisces symbols in heaven and we won't need any "bucks" either. It will be a free and unlimited supply of foaming, frothy arabica goodness! So today, I got to thinking about what this coffee shop might be called and what we will do there (certainly not mooching off the free wireless!)

Here are some names I came up with:
~Jesus' Java Joint
~Lion & Lamb Lattes
~Cornerstone Coffee
~Everlasting Espresso
~Beth's Blessed Bliss

Anyway, you get the depth of my weirdness...

As my imagination got carried away, I also began to think about who I might be hanging out with at this little piece of heaven in heaven. There would be Beth, of course, and I don't think I will have to tell her how much impact she had on my life - I think she will just know. And also, there would be my BFF Grace, because in heaven she will have glorified taste buds and be completely healed and therefore able to drink coffee...besides we won't have to have "diet" anything there! I really hope a few biblical gals stop by for a chat and a cup of joe. I'd like to sit with Jochibed and ask her what it was like to put her baby Moses in that basket. Did she just bawl while she was weaving it together and smearing it with pitch? I would have. Trusting God doesn't mean we don't have intense motherly emotions. Rahab is another one I'd like to meet. How did she find herself in her original profession? Was her heart beating 100 mph when those spies were hiding on her roof? What was it like marrying an Israelite after a life of paganism? Did she have any idea that she was going to be in the lineage of the Messiah? And then there's Martha, I'd just like to give her a big hug and thank her for serving as the first example to many of us in a line of Marthas. I know she'd laugh when I'd tell her about how my food was identifiable at the church potlucks because it had the tightest plastic wrap. Finally, three unnamed women: The Woman at the Well; The Woman caught in Adultery; and The Woman with the Issue of Blood. First, I would like to know their names and then their entire life stories right up to the point where they had their Jesus encounters. Then I'd like to hear in painstaking detail how they felt when they saw Him, heard Him, touched Him and experienced His forgiveness and redemption. What were they like after that day? So many questions - I would be a captive audience. Coffee and conversation - they were made for each other!

So, Lord, I'm sure that you can think up a much better name for this coffee shop than I can. And, I promise, us girls will only take a quick break to share a cup and a chat and then we'll be right back in the throne room singing: "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sits on the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever!" ~AMEN

Why the Barefoot Seamstress?

Grace came up with the name actually because I work (sew) without shoes on. I originally wanted to call the blog "Sew On and Sew Forth" but some other clever person must have already thought that up because blogspot wouldn't let me use it. So I went with Grace's idea of the Barefoot Seamstress and hopefully will not be confused with or accused of copying from the Barefoot Contessa which is one of my favorite shows on Food Network. It's just simply because I sew sans shoes!
Yes, it's dangerous given the fact that I could impale my foot on a stray pin or needle at any given moment but I have my reasons:
Reason #1: I hate to wear shoes when I'm indoors. The minute I come in the door I kick them off. Could be due to the fact that growing up my shoes were usually covered in cow manure.
Reason #2: I can't feel the pedals of my sewing machines very well with shoes on. I am always in danger of accidentally pressing down and stitching through the wrong part of the fabric or my finger. (Which I have done many times.)

Holy Twinkle Lights Batman!

Today is October 25 - there are 6 more days til Halloween, 28 more days til Thanksgiving, and 61 days til Christmas...yet my town is hanging garland and colored lights on the bridge heading to the main street. Really people, what is the deal??? I've pondered the possibility that perhaps that particular city employee just had nothing else to do today and so he was assigned decking the halls duty. "Hey, Bob, why don't you stop hanging around the office and go put up garland or something." (I don't know if the guy's name was Bob or not but that's Med's favorite name for a male adult person so I used it.)

Here's my beef: The fall colors in this area are so beautiful right now. The temperatures are still warm. The sky is pristine blue and the mountains are snow less and glorious. It is still time for oranges, golds, purples, and reds...for mums and pumpkins and scarecrows. Not holly and bells and tinsel!!! Please let us have our fall...Please don't remind us of the looming holiday insanity. I want to enjoy autumn and Thanksgiving with leaves and pies and cornucopias and pilgrims. Stop this Christmas nonsense already. It completely loses it's specialness when you have the decorations up for 6 stinkin' months! Bah Humbug! That is all...

Girl Talk

Disclaimer: Okay, this post is going to be about girl stuff so Buford ya might just want to scroll on by.

I had my yearly exam today and am proud to say that I am very healthy. There are more indepth checks that I will have to endure soon because of my age (scoping and squishing will be involved) but today's visit went well. Blood pressure was 104/64 (I so totally ROCK!) Buford said he's seen corpses with higher blood pressures but he is just jealous!
I saw a new midwife (Tracy) because Dian (the midwife who delivered all 3 of my kiddos) had a very important meeting with some hospital bigwigs. Tracy was very cool - I especially liked how she said it was perfectly normal to gain a couple of pounds a year in "bone density". Yes, that's it precisely, I have very dense bones!
Even after all the good news about me, Tracy did give me some disturbing information and that's what this post is really about - not just a brag bag about my wonderful bp. When I told Tracy the age of my daughter, who is 9, she asked if I had considered getting Med the HPV vaccine. She says they begin giving it to girls as young as 8. And then she quoted the alarming statistic that 80% of sexually active girls between 13-18 have HPV. Oh, help me Jesus! I told her that we were Christians and are doing everything possible to promote purity in our kids so at this time, the vaccine isn't really a consideration. But I've just been thinking about that statistic all day. How do we protect our kids? By vaccinating them, getting them on the pill or teaching them safe sex practices??? How about instead we teach them that Jesus is crazy about them, that He gives them beauty and self-worth, that sex is a valuable gift created by God for married people. Can we teach them that it is okay to be different and okay to take a stand? This is such a hard topic for lots of parents to talk about with their kids - me included. But let me say that if you start out with lots of prayer, asking God to bring up the right opportunities and right words, He is happy to answer. It really does work! In the meantime, here are some resources that might help:
An article in Today's Christian Woman Mag about the HPV vaccine
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2007/julaug/2.30.html

Family Life Today Website has tons of information/articles as well as Passport to Purity which is a whole weekend to spend with your child.
http://www.familylife.com/

"And the Bride Wore White" by Dannah Gresch. I almost couldn't handle reading this book because it made me so sad that I didn't have something like this when I was a teenager.
http://www.amazon.com/Bride-Wore-White-Secrets-Sexual/dp/0802483445/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-6333197-0430818?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193278971&sr=8-1

And finally for younger girls: "The Princess and the Kiss". This is a beautiful storybook that even Min likes to read. It also has a companion workbook to do with your daughter.
http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Kiss-Story-Gods-Purity/dp/0871628686/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-6333197-0430818?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193279142&sr=1-1

If any of you have any other great ideas/books/programs etc. I love to hear about them in the comments!

Until then,
Keep it Pure,
Keep it Real,
Keep your blood pressure down,
And always keep it Semi-Homemade,
Cinde

Min turns 7

My little Minimus had his 7th birthday Friday. We celebrated with a pizza party for his 1st grade class, a trip with 3 friends to the Corn Maze (Pirates of the Cornibbean), and a Spiderman cake. There were lots of presents, of course, which kept Minimus and his next door friend occupied all day Saturday. Buford was also occupied as he solved every puzzle in Min's new I SPY computer game.
As soon as I can figure out how to put pictures in this blog, I will post some of the birthday festivities. I'm just happy that a few minutes ago I finally figured out how to put up the "File, Edit, View..." toolbar. I'm sure the Microsoft people get a big kick in moving stuff around with each new version so those of us who are well versed in the Jurassic version have to hunt for everything in the new Vista version.
Anyway, I digress. Min is 7...something about 7 leaves "baby" in the dust. I think when they are 6 you can still classify them as babies and get away with it. After all, Kindergarten isn't real school yet, is it? But here we are at 7. 1st grade, eating in the cafeteria, carrying his own tray. Riding his bike to school with his buddy...mom not following behind. Doing homework and reading logs. Not wanting to kiss his mom in front of his friends..."Is there lipstick on my forehead???" he asks in exasperation.
Min, here are some favorite things from your babyhood...you probably don't need them anymore but you might want to remember someday...
Guh-guh: a baby afghan made by Grammy, it's in the top of your closet if you need a snuggle.
Blues Clues: You used to watch Blue and Steve/Joe every morning. Because they're whose clues?
Sippy cups: I was loathe to give these up because of the spill proof factor, but you've outgrown them for sure.
The little rocking chair: This chair was aunt Marla's, and mom's, then yours, and now Connor's. You spent some time in this little chair...and even took a nap there on occasion.
Training wheels: You took the training wheels off your bike a year ago on Mother's day. I won't forgot it since that was the last set of training wheels at my house until grandchildren come along.

Min - you will always be my little squishy, even when I'm 90 and your 60 something.
I love you so...Happy Birthday.

Putting the Garden to Bed

We began winterizing the yard today...pulling out brown vines with mushy tomatoes hanging on, mowing up leaves, rolling up hoses. Another year of yardwork coming to a close. (Note to self...don't leave the big shovels in the garden shed at the back of the yard in case we have 3 feet of snow and can't get to the shovels! We have experienced this problem before.)
Of all the progress I've made in life, overcoming the "Martha" demons, the yard can still sometimes send me into an OCD frenzy. There is so much I'd like to do, so much that is out of my control (ie. weather, weeds, plant diseases, etc.), and not nearly enough hours in my summer, week, day. But today, on this glorious yet breezy fall day, I just enjoyed being out there. I am thankful for this beautiful yard. For trees that have purple leaves on the outer branches and gold ones on the inner...they look like they are glowing with a flame from within. YEAH God for thinking up that tree...even though I haven't the slightest idea what species or variety they are. I am thankful that I had help from Max and Med getting those dead tomatoes out of the vegetable garden, getting the carrots picked and mums trimmed. I am especially glad that Max can work the dreaded weed eater like a pro. (Flippin' sweet weed whacker skillz.) He even managed to put on the rototilling attachment and get the garden soil turned...in neat little furrows. His papa would be so proud of this Future Farmer. I am thankful that all that work got finished before the wind started tonight, bringing with it supposed 30 degree temps and snow tomorrow.
Sleep tight, dear garden, I will see you again in spring!

Grace's Top Ten

My Bff decided that her blog name should be Grace Goodenough. I love it because isn't that the truth...If God's grace ain't good enough then nothin' is. In honor of her birthday month, I decided to list the...

Top Ten Things I love about my BFF, Grace:

10. I love the way she puts clothes, jewelry, colors, and home decor together in ways that I would never think of in a million years...and it always looks funky and marvelous!

9. I love to share a big basket of chips and guacamole with her. I love how she orders quesadillas without the cheese! ;-)

8. I love how the littlest, most unexpected things can totally crack her up. (Shooting butterflies!)

7. I love how she does my hair...and then studies on it for future improvements.

6. I love how people continually ask us if we are sisters when we are out together.

5. I love her generous spirit and how she invited me to be a part of the Green Pear. She might have the only hair salon in the world that has a seamstress in the back room!

4. I love that, in spite of the fact that she drinks diet Dr Pepper and I abhor it, and I drink coffee and she abhors it, we can still be best friends!

3. I love that we didn't meet until we were almost 40. I waited all this time to have a friend so true...and it was absolutely worth it. I'd wait another 40 just to know her!

2. I love how we did Bible Study together before we went shopping or did any other typical girlfriend stuff!

1. I love how God orchestrated our move to this town, put a friend from high school practically in my backyard, how that friend told me where she got her haircut, how I needed a haircut and came to the Pear, how I just happened to mention "Breaking Free" during that haircut and how at that very moment, Grace and I were instantly bonded as sisters in the Lord.

I love you Grace! Happy Belated Birthday. You are the best friend and sista a girl could have.