Things I REALLY want to do this summer...and other ramblings

This is so cute:)

To make it...you know to the gym

To lengthen my shirts that are too short...stupid dryer

TO SEW SEW SEW SEW SEW.....:)

How did he get in there?? ;) Hello there Mr. Tatum

I just want to snuggle up with this guy when I go to bed...is that too much to ask?

When the sun is going down...deep sigh

Spray painted trash bin....or bedside table??

Preferably not while it's 109* outside though

Cruise around with two bare feet on the dashboard...just because...

Sunset not required!!:)

Why all the controversy?

"FIFTY SHADES BABY...FIFTY SHADES"

I really do have a hard time understanding the controversy over this trilogy?  Being mildly intelligent {personal opinion of course} I can understand societies need to hold women to a different standard than our male counterparts when it comes to these sorts of "naughty" topics, so I do of course understand, but I am out to make a point here.  

Example:  County libraries in the state of Florida had a ban on the book series that has only just recently been lifted.  FLORIDA!  I lived in Tampa, and in Tallahassee and let me tell you there isn't much conservative left in Florida.  I remember going to the bookstore when I lived in Brandon with my then two year old daughter and being ENRAGED because right behind the counter on the shelf {with the naughty bit covered but still} penthouse, playboy and the like were readily visible and available for the "the convenience of the masses". 

{INSERT POINT NUMBER 1...we are talking about literary work here not pornographic photographs!} 

{INSERT POINT NUMBER 2...The books are GREAT!!  I have read hundreds of romance novels in my day...ask anyone that has known me since I was 13...and these books are good!}

{INSERT POINT NUMBER 3...Take that scary first step down off of that dangerously high horse and read a few chapters...I dare you not to become engrossed}

Let's all continue to glorify the Hugh Heffners of the world {no offense Mr. H} but give me a break...just because it isn't marketed for men???  Really....it's like we have returned to the days of Henry VIII's Tudor England!  

NO SPOILERS HERE

Book 1 is all about how this remarkably damaged and deep man and naive but extremely grounded young 

woman who share a connection like the kind we women day dream about....yeah you know the one I mean;)

Book 2 is a continuation of the story.  The first book is a cliff hanger so Book 2 picks right up and is my favorite of the three.

Book 3 finishes up the journey for these two people. 

I can't say much else because I don't want to ruin it for all you naysayers that are secretly dying to read it...however, the "chemistry"  {I'm laughing....seriously;:} between these two is incredible and I would highly suggest it for anyone who loves a good romance.

One last thought on this subject before I leave you....Christian Grey wants a Brunette that likes to eat!!  Sweet Justice ladies!

Summah Time, Strawberries & The Carolina Coast...

Being a college student at any age drains the bank account, as we all know.  But we were very blessed to have the chance to go and spend a few days at my grandmothers beach house back in May after the kids got out of school.  We had such a fun relaxing time and the kids were in heaven spending their days playing in the sand.  We only saw one jellyfish {even though Christopher thought it was from Nemo and tried to go and play with it....rolling eyes at my fearless son} and we managed to escape with a slight tinge of sunburn on the boys  backs after the first day.  Here are some photos from our trip!

Day 1 so excited they didn't know where to start

"Mommy look at me I can do it" {He was fresh out of his cast and in a walking boot so taking it off at the beach was an experiment that ended in heavy amounts of motrin at night and ice packs where his foot was swollen}

On the waterway headed to get hot dogs and ice cream

First night at the beach {We have not made it to the sand yet....see the anticipation in their eyes!!}

There was a perfect little canal that formed making a little wading pool for them that was deep enough to swim and play but safe enough from the rip

Strawberry Festival 2012....again with the ice cream:)  My babies can throw back some ice cream!

Up next...my adventures in travel as I head to Florida to visit my brother and his family for a few days next month!

Reunions and such

Lat night, I was able to meet up with some girlfriends that I don't get to see as often as I should and would love to share! 

Once upon a time there were these crazy girls in tech school living in Texas.  Ashley, Beth and Wendy.  Ashley and Beth were roomates at first.  Later, Beth moved down the hall with Wendy even though she still loved Ashley to the moon and back {still sorry about that Ash}.  Anyways, Ashley and Beth spent a good bit of time together and were great friends:)

Ashley and Beth late 2000 {i think}

After Beth moved down the Hall she became friends with Wendy.  Eventually, Ashley forgave Beth for moving down the hall and they all merged to be buds.

Life took these girls away from Texas.  Ashley to California, Beth to Arizona, and Wendy back home to Carolina.  Eventually Beth made it back to Carolina and reconnected with Wendy and has stayed in contact although they don't hang out as much as they should {we are going to fix that though}

Wendy and Beth before Wendy got married summer 2006...

Wendy and Beth at the Kid Rock concert 2010 @ Fort Jackson, Columbia, SC

Ashley and Beth reconnected while Ash was living in TN and Beth in KY back in 2009.  They were able to spend some time together and Ashley used to go stay with Beth while her hubs, Brian was deployed.

Ashley and I at the Rainforest Cafe in Nashville, TN summer 2009...No I was not drinking my eyes don't cooperate with the flash so sometimes my pictures look questionable.

So three young ladies starting who started on a crazy journey headed towards adulthood in 2000...

{L to R...Wendy, Ashley & me}

Twelve years, eight children, and a few husbands;) later...

I love you crazy chics!!!  

Until next time...xoxo

It all started when this fabric was a STEAL!

I don't get the opportunity to sew as much as I wish I did, but on occasion I get to go through the throngs of fabric that sit all alone and abandoned in my room and find a cute project to work on.  


I have been making the color block dresses that are so popular on pinterest for my daughter Anna the last couple of months {they are so incredibly easy and forgiving and take no time at all} and she asked that I make her something a little more "dressy" for my cousins High School graduation on Saturday {GO BEN}!!!!!  


She wanted to go with black and white peace signs but I was able to talk her into something a little more appropriate for the occasion:)  

It started with a little bit of this...

I had the bottom of a tank top left over from another dress and I used that to fashion a double layer tube top {she is at that age where she is "developing" so I decided to sew in some booby pads for good measure} and it worked out great!

I had a moment with the elastic thread {I even had to call my Aunt} but i got it sorted out and got the bottom shirred and attached to the tube.  

**When you are sewing with elastic thread remember that if you are shirring you will have to really up the tension on the top thread but if you are sewing through several layers...DO NOT MAX OUT YOUR TENSION...you could damage your bobbin housing:/  YIKES**

It was cute but it needed something.  She didn't want to do a strap, but at the same time I felt it looked a little old for her so we compromised...


Shout out to Cynde who inspired the ruffle...here is a link to her new blog!
http://ruffledsnippets.blogspot.com/

I totally messed up the ruffle bk it is not even all the way around but I have a plan for that too....it's called pinning a big old fabric flower in the middle of the front ruffle when she wears it!!

I feel better because it has more "coverage" and she still looks adorable!!!  Yes, I know the bow doesn't match it was what she had on today...I can't decide if I want to do a red and brown cheer bow or a fabric headband for the graduation??

Am I making my kids intellectually challenged??

In true form, I am taking a full load of classes over the summer in the hopes of accelerating this process so I can hurry up and return to the world of deadlines, drama and office gossip.  I am taking a business communications class and the other day the topic of kids and technology came up; Specifically, how by giving our kids all of the popular gadgets before ensuring that they have a strong interpersonal communication background {they can actually carry on a real life face-to-face conversation} is crippling them as they move into the future and need to do things like:

• Become involved with school activities requiring them to "TALK" to people
• Interview for a job
• Interview to get into college
• {Gasp...and Heaven forbid...although very realistic} Require some sort of therapy requiring them to...again with the gasp SPEAK!!!

USA Today named 2010 as "The Year We Stopped talking to one another".  The article can be accessed here but here are some tidbits that may or may not surprise you:

• 93% of Americans use cell phones
• 1/3 of these technology toting Americans use smart phones {I thought this would be higher}
• Between June 2009 and June 2010 there were 1.8 trillion text messages sent in the U.S.

Now, I have unlimited texting because I am a text-er!!  I stay so busy I have to look at my phone {HA} to see what day of the week it is.  I don't have to track my texting because it is unlimited but I know there have been months where I went over 6k texts in one month.  As I sit here {slightly embarrassed} and think about how many texts I would need to send per day to achieve this rediculous feate I am puzzled.  Realistically I bet I average about 100 texts per day {What!!!  Ok now I am really emabrrassed}.  No wonder I never have time for anything...but in my defense, I am able to communicate with friends and family that I otherwise wouldn't because I don't have time to sit on the phone.  Ask my friends...I have to schedule phone calls...SIGH...I'm rationalizing....:(

The point here is WHAT IS THE COST!!!!

Michael Osit, a clinical psychologist who has written a book, "Generation Text", that talks about the disadvantages and dangers of raising children in this extreme digital age, makes some interesting points about this issue which has become the norm in so many homes and families {including my own}.  Are we raising generation "TEXT"?  He makes the observation that our children have "access and excess available...in today's 24/7 digital age".  Click on the book title above to read the article from Pricenton's business newspaper about this man.

This next article courtesy of The Telegraph {One of my favorite UK publications} is short but I love it.  The author, Matthew Moore, interviews this women who has some very insightful views on this issue.  She uses the word "infantilising" to describe what is happening to the minds of our kids.  The article states that "Regular web users displayed a need for constant reassurance typical of small babies...".  Unfortunatley, the vidoe can no longer be seen but the ultimate comparison in her interview is this:

"I often wonder whether real conversation in real time may eventually give way to these sanitised and easier screen dialogues, in much the same way as killing, skinning and butchering an animal to eat has been replaced by the convenience of packages of meat on the supermarket shelf,"

I want to close this post out with some statistics to consider...just stick them in your back pocket for a rainy day:) 

• 71% of teens actively maintain a facebook account

• 75% of the older generation maintain a facebook account
• OK let me break it down because I am now at an age where that word older bugs me out:/  YIKES!
• Millenials (aged 14-26)
• Generation X (aged 27-43)
• Boomers (aged 44-62)
• Matures (aged 63-75)

• 88% of teens have witnessed cruelty to another teen on a social networking site.

• 25% of teens have had an experience on a social networking site that led to a face-to-face confrontation

• 22% have had an experience resulting in the ending of a friendship

• 33% of internet sex crime relationships were initiated via a social networking site

• As of June 2011, 38% of facebook users were age 13 and under and only 62% of parents with kids ages 13-16 are friends with their kids on facebook!!!!! 

Thank you for spending your time with me today!  I know this isn't my typical fun light hearted type of topic but it is one that i think is important so thank you for indugling me!


Blog on bloggers!!!!!!

Love, Beth

The endless mission of "Waistline Reduction"

Now that summer has made an appearance and the gardens down here in the south are a plenty, I figured it might be a good time to take advantage of the season and work on some low carb options.  


Thanks to the fabulous world of pinterest dreams of fairy tale picnics in meadows and perfectly clean, white kitchens are just a click away {rolling eyes because it's fun but not reality}.  Anyways...here are some recipes that are actually quite delicious and low carb.

This recipe for "Eggplant Rollatini" is a great alternative to Eggplant Parm.  She roasts the eggplant instead of frying it saving on calories also.  I always suggest going with a lower calorie cheese because they are still low carb, but also lower fat and calories.  This is a delicious low carb alternative to this traditional Italian classic.

Sara Moulton has a fantastic website with recipes that would be appropriate for any occassion.  This particular recipe "Summer Salad" is one of my favorites.  I don't use fresh mozzarella because I live in the real world and it's not something I can get my hands on whenever the mood strikes me...{Oh cook, can you please run into the kitchen and roll some fresh mozzarella for my lunch}...I don't think so, but the soft mozz that they sell in the grocery store is quite good .  Make sure you use a good ripe avocado as that will also make a difference.

"Canadian Bacon, Asparagus and Cheese Fritatta"  Oh yes please.  Just be mindful of the calories with this one.  You can also use egg beater or any egg white substitute to save on calories and fat content by omitting the eggs {just be prepared to eliminate some flavor content too!!  YIKES!!!

That is breakfast, lunch and dinner in reverse order.  So eating low carb doesn't have to be boring or difficult.  All three of these recipes are easy enough for even the novice cook to whip up and also have a healthy veggie component!!!  I'm really working hard to keep on this track for the summer with the hopes of reducing my waistline:(  Wish me luck!!