No Tricks... But Bloggie Treats for Me!

I know today is Halloween and all, but yesterday was full of bloggie treats for me!  Yesterday was my town's Fall Steeplechase.  Much smaller and subdued than the full-blown soiree for the horse set (and just those who want to show off their new spring smocks and togs) in the spring, the October event is not quite as dressy an affair.  You see more jeans with dressy-casual tops for the ladies and khakis with polos for the men.

Yesterday we spent time at two spots.  The first was with the party we arrived, cute fun girlfriends and their families from my BUNCO group.  The second was with couples we knew from our Sunday School class.  Mike and I attend a VERY LARGE church in our town, and so our class is very representative of the size.  We know people in the class, but have never felt we really KNEW them.  Does that make sense?  Anyway, we decided to go visit their tent.

Oh my heavens... what did my rabid football fan of a husband discover when we made our way to the second spot?  Satellite television with the South Carolina/Tennessee game playing!  There was no turning back.  Some other husbands continue to hand him bourbon and cokes... Still no turning back.  South Carolina is playing well and is winning... Again, no turning back.  Whoo Hoo - we won!

Don't worry, I had fun too!  Look closely and see my latest Lilly purchase around my neck:  a cute gold turtle necklace purchased on the Nantucket trip!

But one of the highlights of the day was getting to know two fellow bloggers from my town even better.  Both were what I would call acquaintances from around town and our VERY LARGE church.  We knew each other's names.  Our husbands knew each other.  But that was about it.  Enter blog world... and, well you know what happens when I get to know fellow cute bloggers!  I HAVE to get to know them better... even if it means flying up the eastern seaboard to do it.  This time all I had to do was go to a horse race!

So without further ado, let me introduce them to you!

Aundrea, from The Road We're Own, is a precious girl.  She is an amazing mom to four children, has a true heart for God, and knows how to have fun in most everything she does.  I love her sense of humor - pretty dry, like mine.  Another plus is that her husband can mix quite a drink on demand...  that, I really love!  I have loved getting to know her both through her blogs and quick convos at our club pool over the summer.  With this girl, I look forward to lots more fun events together!

Monica, from Monica's World, is another mother of four - boys!  We have lots of fun talking about the antics of those testosterone-y creatures.  This chick is the most amazing writer.  She too has a heart for God and shares both her faith and everyday life events with honesty and humor.  If you haven't read her, you must!  She has chronicled the pregnancies and births of each of her boys in such a way I laughed so hard I had tears streaming down my face! 

These girls know I am making these introductions... so please take a look at their blogs!

Hope you and your goblins had a wonderfully spooky Halloween!

Godly Mothering... A Few Thoughts

Some of you read my my lamentations from Saturday, and some you left sweet messages.  Thank you!  Writing the word "lamentations" takes me straight to the Book where that title can be found.

I keep scraps of paper and notes from sermons and teachings in the drawer beside my bed where I also keep my Bible.  This morning I was cleaning out the junk that accumulates and came upon an envelope covered with notes about being a Godly Mother.  (Perhaps it was from a Mother's Day sermon???)  Ok God... I'm listening.  And what I read completely made sense given the day I had.

Saturday evening, Mike and I held a "family meeting" with the boys (remember those???).   I told them how disappointed I had been by their behavior.  I scolded.  I corrected.  Earlier that day, I spanked the younger one and embarrassed the older one in front of his friend.  All in all, I had been an ogre of a mother... not that they didn't deserve it!

But the amazing thing is that after that... and after all the other times we as mothers chastise, scold, correct, and punish, my children came back to me.  Our children always come back to us.  They bury their sweet faces in our laps.  They hug our legs.  They beg us to tuck them in and tell them that we love them.

And I ask WHY?  

I try to be a Godly mother.  I pray for my children.  I pray for Godly friends. I pray for their physical, emotional, and spiritual protection.

But the role of a Godly mother is more.  She is protective.  She is supportive.  She is devoted.  She is instructive.  And most of all, she is there to prepare her children for their own Godliness.  God knows (no pun intended) it's hard.  He knows sometimes we just want to give it all up.  But I think that is why He puts that sweet desire and passionate love a child has for his or her mom.  Our children want us back and are saying in so many words that they crave the Godly mother.  God put that desire as part of His plan.  His plan for all of His children:  moms and kids alike.

Did June Ever Have One of These Days?

I don't feel very loving right now.  I want to rip my pearls off and pull my hair out. My head hurts and it has for about an hour now.  I don't know whether I am cut out for being the mom of two "tweenage" boys.  Right now it stinks and I just want to run away.  Hey Wally and Beav, how about my feelings? 

Maybe this will help...

Just kidding... (maybe)

Shrimp Scampi a la Bevy

I've never been known as a "foodie", nor have I ever had people rave about my cooking. Oh, I'm pretty decent in the kitchen, but I'm no Martha, Paula, or Julia. (Maybe it has to do with that "a" at the end of their names...) So imagine my surprise when my picky eater boys complimented me on my version of an online recipe. Of course I didn't have all the right ingredients, so I improvised. Which is what I do with most recipes!

So here's Shrimp Scampi a la Bevy


* 1 1/2 pounds of medium or large shrimp, peeled, deveined, etc.
* Spaghetti (or angel hair pasta)
* Coat the pan with extra virgin olive oil. (They said 8 tsp of butter, but I love extra virgin)
* Heat on medium high
* Toss in:
3 cloves of diced garlic
Numerous shakes of Old Town Geek seasoning
Zest of one lemon
1/4 cup (?) of lemon juice
Fresh parsley
Salt
* Stir until bubbly
* Toss in shrimp and cook until white
* Pour shrimp over cooked pasta
* Pour glass of white wine for you and the hubby and lemonade for the kiddos...

Yummalicious!

Fields of Faith

Yesterday I had waited all day for it: Bunco night. I love the Wednesday night when I am able to relax with my friends and a glass of wine. Sometimes we play. But more often than not, we just sit around, chat, and partake the wonderful hors d'oeuvres our hostess prepares. I was ready to go. I had the boys' golf and youth group deliveries and pick-ups worked out for the late afternoon and evening.

And then S told me the news: no Middle School youth group tonight. Instead, they were invited to this thing called "Fields of Faith".


I won't go too much into it. You can read about it here. I will say that all over the country, on October 13, high school chapters of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) hold events on their high school football fields. There is music, a local speaker giving a testimony, and a challenge to find faith in Jesus Christ.

S wanted to go. I wanted to go to Bunco. S wanted to invite a friend. I wanted to drink wine with my Bunco friends. Oh, that's easy, I thought. I'll just drop the two kids off and have my husband pick them up when it was over. But it didn't sound just right. I mean, two sixth graders in the midst of over a hundred people at the local football field? Sigh... I'll go too. I'll give up MY night. That's what we mothers do.

But oh how glad I am that I went. Of course S and his friend were not near me. They went over (within my sight, but without their knowledge!) and hung out with their friends. I saw my son and his friend singing their hearts out. I saw S lifting his hands in praise. I saw the two of them and other kids listening and taking in the testimony of a wonderful young woman who told of leaving her Sikh tradition and becoming a Christian.

S and his friend later came over to sit with me towards the end. He thanked me for being there on this "awesome night". It was a great night for me to be with my child. It was where I needed to be.

(Oh... and guess what? I got the date wrong. Bunco is NEXT week!)

Bevy

It's a Golden Day for the Game... Cocks!

In light of yesterday's win over number one ranked Alabama, I feel I have no choice but to post about my team:   South Carolina Gamecocks.  Being a Gamecock fan is truly not something to take lightly and is not for the weak of heart.  You see, South Carolina is not known for its strong football program.  We tend to start strong, but being in the SEC (the powerhouse conference in football), we tend to get beaten down mid to the end of the season... by teams such as Alabama!  So yesterday was definitely a golden garnet and black day for us!

But Gamecock fans are found not only in South Carolina - or even the south for that matter.  Two weeks ago, on the infamous Nantucket trip, I met John.  A friend of Gabi's, we saw him and his cute wife leaving the breakfast establishment we were walking into.  He was wearing a Carolina shirt with his Nantucket reds, and I literally squealed when I saw him.  After big hugs, we talked about Columbia and the bars we both frequented back in the day, his fraternity, and people we both knew!  His fraternity advisor is one of my father's best friends, and his initiation ritual was held in the basement of the Episcopal church where I grew up!  Oh. my. word!

Here we are with J's Flat Stanley

But the very best part was when John and his wife left.  He started the chant done at all the games and yelled, GAME!  And I immediately, with no thought at all, yelled, COCKS!  Only a cute girl from South Carolina could have gotten away with that.

A Preppy Mom's Car

After reading True Prep and re-reading TOPH, I was inspired by the illustrations and descriptions of the various preppy rooms and the like. So much so that, as I surveyed my Honda Odyssey, I felt led to write my own.  So I invite you to take a visit...

Front bumper:

 Vanity plate from Edisto Beach where we have a summer house 

Back window:

 Converse College Donor sticker changes every year Pink and Green sticker from Gabi in preparation for 

the BIG trip!

 Camp sticker from S's camp

Front seat area:

• CD case contents: 3 REM CDs from the late 80s to mid 90s, soundtracks to Rent and Les Mis, and whatever S and J have thrown in there
• Tissue box
• Lilly Pulitzer Bermuda Bag found under the driver's seat from this summer
• Pink and green Turvis Tumbler a gift from a student last year. Usually filled with Crystal Lite Pink Lemonade
• Brooks Brothers button-down and Vineyard Vines polo still in plastic bags to be returned/shipped to said stores as they are too small for J and too big for S, respectively. Have been in the car for over a month now.
• Lilly Pulitzer key fob free gift from last sale
• Lancome lipstick in "Crushed Rose"
• Linda Francis Lee's Devil in the Junior League audiobook in the CD player I know it's been out forever, but Frede Ware and Nikki Grout always make me laugh!
• S's golf glove
• My bucket bag

Back seat area:

• Hot pink golf umbrella with my monogram in green
• Target's version of the Reisenthel Market Tote used as a trash basket
• Four sets of headphones at any given time at least two or three don't work due to kids throwing them around the van or dead batteries. Remember, I have only TWO children
• J's golf glove
• Basket of DVDs
• Random DVD or CD who knows?
• DVD remote NOT in the correct remote holder
• Football
• Chick-fil-a french fries and cups have finally been cleaned out

Cargo Area:

• S and J's golf bags
• Lilly P. and Publix reusable grocery bags
• My tennis bag
• Numerous golf tees
• Masters folding chair from 1993. In here because you just never know when you may be tailgating! 
• Jumper cables
• Sand from trips to Edisto and Pawleys Island

Aren't all preppy mom-mobiles traveling storage units? And aren't they all really a window into our worlds?

Bevy