Raves

Flexible Friday #2

Friday, June 6, 2008 By Sherra

I told you on Wednesday that I would share some of my favorite country music songs. I was thinking about why I love country so much and I know that a big part of it is that so many country songs tell a great story.

I love story-telling and I love how real so much of the songwriting is. I also love songs that move me. Whether it moves me to tears or it moves me to smile or it moves me to get up and dance, I love all the emotion music brings to our lives.

First, a few personal country facts I want to share:

1) I do not own cowboy boots
2) I do not own a cowboy hat
3) I do not line dance
4) I can ride a horse
5) There is such a thing as too much twang in country
(and too much banjo).

Now here are some great songs that I think ya’ll will love even if you think you don’t like country!

Five Great Songs by Women Country Singers

Every mama should make sure her daughters hear these…

1) This One’s For The Girls – Martina McBride
2) Somebody’s Hero – Jamie O’Neal
3) Room to Breathe – Reba McEntire
4) I Didn’t Know My Own Strength – Bobbie Cryner
5) I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack

Five Great Patriotic Country Songs

These pretty much always move me to tears…

1) Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning) – Alan Jackson
2) Have You Forgotten? – Darryl Worley
3) American Soldier – Toby Keith
4) Some Gave All – Billy Ray Cyrus
5) God Bless the U.S.A. – Lee Greenwood

Come on now, don’t be scared. Search for the songs and have a listen–it should be no surprise that I’m an iTunes fan. You might be pleasantly surprised and want to add some new music to your iPod. 😉

If you already love country, take a moment and share a couple of your favorite songs in the comments section. I’m always looking for great new tunes personally recommended by friends!

The Teenage Twins Birthday Trip

Wednesday, June 4, 2008 By Sherra

Before I divulge the location of the birthday trip for the darling twin daughters, can I just say that I’m less than inspired that only TWO of you commented on Flexible Friday (thanks Kerri & Wendy) about whether you have a ME day or ME hour and what you do with your ME time?!

Ladies, seriously. No one schedules time for themselves and will share how they do it?

Or are you all so busy with your ME time that you’re unable to click the “Comment” link at the bottom of the post and comment? Come on, we’re suppose to be inspiring each other here!

Okay, I’ll stop ranting about that and move right into a rave!

I’m taking the girls to Nashville for the CMA Country Music Festival.

Stop laughing.

For many, country music has become more mainstream with artists like Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Sugarland, etc., who have all had crossover hits in recent years.

True Confessions

For me, I’ve loved country since I was in grade school. I have Charley Pride albums. I saw Kenny Rogers in high school at the State Fair.

I have the Statler Brothers autographed 8 x 10 picture.

Ahem, your laughing is getting louder. I can hear it in Georgia.

It’s not the only music I love. I really love all kinds of music. I can’t imagine life without music. As I noted in the “About Sherra” page, I had an iPod before iPods were cool.

I was a teen in the late 70’s and early 80’s and also went to Summer Jam concerts and heard REO Speedwagon, AC/DC, Cheap Trick, Head East, The Baby’s and even went on .38 Special’s tour bus.

See how well-rounded I am?

But Barbara Mandrell, Lee Greenwood, T.G. Shepherd were all concerts I loved too.

I can still hear the Tammy Wynette, Lynn Anderson, Roy Clark and Johnny Cash albums that my parents played.

Yes, we did watch Hee Haw at my house in the Midwest.

Should I not admit that? Sorry family.

It is a requirement to like country music if you live with me. PhilBillPaul tolerates it. The Grunter not so much.

“Poor Phil” (as my family likes to refer to him) has sat through Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney and some others I’m sure I’m forgetting.

All three of my girls love it. Maybe it is more of a chick thing?

I had always heard about this big Nashville event called Fan Fair and wanted to go. Some years ago, they changed the name to the CMA Music Festival and moved it to downtown Nashville.

My friend Ann shared with me that when Dan returned from Iraq that she wanted to do more things for herself (oh, that sounds like a ME day or even better, a ME trip and she might need a friend to go with her!).

One of those things on her list was to go to more music concerts because she loves music so much. She had just recently gotten more into country music and wanted to go to a live concert or two.

Don’t give me an idea if you don’t really mean it. I told her I knew of a concert that might be beyond her idea of a *little* live concert. It’s actually a four day event and anyone she could think of would be there.

We’ve been for the past two years and were going to go again this year. Alas, that darn husband surprised her with a trip to England.
(Nice job Dan 🙂 )

I got over it and then mentioned to my girls that maybe we could go if they wanted to chip in and it would be their birthday present.

We’re leaving today and if you even remotely like country music – it is an event like nothing I’ve ever witnessed. You can check out the details and all the artists who will be performing at cmafest.com.

It’s an amazing event and this is fair warning that you will have to endure pictures that I will post next week when we return!

On Flexible Friday, I’m already thinking I’ll post some of my favorite country songs.

Yee Haw!

Admit it, you want to know what’s on my iPod.

If you stop laughing, I might just tell you…

Graduation Party Fun Food

Wednesday, May 21, 2008 By Sherra

The graduation party fun seems to be all-consuming for families with seniors (and families with kindergarteners?).

The Grunter has made this all a little too easy for us since he’s not participating in the ceremony and didn’t want to have a party.

I’d feel more guilty about it if he hadn’t made a lot of other things really hard for us and in case anyone forgets, we will have TWO more seniors next year. I’m pretty certain they’ll be walking in the ceremony and want a party too. I’ve heard that I need to start the planning now. (Giant SIGH)

Here’s a little last minute tip for those supermom party planners (i.e. my friend Leigh Anne) who need just one more thing to do for the party…luckily these are super-easy graduation treats for the food table and you can never have too much chocolate!

I’m putting this is my “party file” for next year. (Yeah, sure, I have a party file.)

Our neighbor had these at her son’s party over the weekend and they were gone by the time we arrived. She was nice enough to email me the instructions and the link. Thanks Marla! 🙂

Aren’t these just too stinkin’ cute?!

Grad Caps

Miniature peanut butter cups
Frosting or peanut butter
Chocolate-covered graham crackers
Fruit leather

Step 1
Place a miniature peanut butter cup, bottom up, on a plate. Top with a small dollop of frosting or peanut butter, then press on a chocolate-covered graham cracker.

Step 2
For a tassel, tightly roll up a small square of fruit leather. Cut fringe on one end and attach the other end to the center of the graham cracker with another dab of frosting or peanut butter.

The idea comes from FamilyFun.com

Sidenote: Someone on the website suggested using mini m&m’s to hold the tassel.

There’s even a video if you need help assembling them. Seriously…let me know if you needed the video.

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A Year by the Sea

Friday, May 16, 2008 By Sherra

Doesn’t that sound like a fabulous thing to do?

Spend a year by the sea. Ahhhh…

Sign me up. My bags are packed. I’m ready to go…

But I have a few obligations and responsibilities I have to tend to before I can go. I’m guessing you do too.

So short of leaving, you can read the book…

A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman

Joan Anderson is the author of that book and she is one of my favorite authors. I saw her almost a decade ago on Oprah and went right out and got the book. I still love the tagline of the book because I know that is really who we all are — unfinished women.

Since then, she has published 4 more books and I have devoured them all and given some of them as gifts.

On Wednesday night I had the privilege of attending a Borders event called “Getting Better All the Time: Women and Writers in Conversation.” If you’re in Atlanta, I’m sorry you missed it.

She was an absolute delight! Warm, funny, sincere and truthful – all the qualities I love in a women at any age.

My friend Wendy and I were so glad we made the trek downtown. It’s still an effort to get out and do things like this that feel selfish to many women but are really the things that lift us up and keep us going when we’re tired and overwhelmed.

Of course, having dinner after we left Borders was an added bonus!

I was sad that I forgot to snap a picture of us with Joan (our new friend whom we now feel like we can call by her first name).

I did, however, snap pictures of our desserts at The Cheesecake Factory.

I chose the LEMON RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESECAKE
Raspberry Vanilla Cake, Creamy Lemon Cheesecake, Raspberry Lady Fingers and Lemon Mousse

Wendy went for the CARAMEL PECAN TURTLE CHEESECAKE.
Pecan Brownie and Caramel Fudge Swirl Cheesecake, Topped with Caramel Turtle Pecans and Chocolate

Obviously, we were both counting calories. Not.

I can’t wait to dive in to her new book this weekend. Just the title makes me smile…

Second Journey, The: The Road Back to Yourself

And I love the tagline of this one too. “The Road Back to Yourself” It’s like she wrote it just for me.

My personal recommendation is to start at the beginning and read every one of Joan’s books. Or go wild and read the new one first. Read them out of order. Just read them!

Do something for yourself this weekend – eat some cheesecake and curl up with a good book! Make every weekend Mother’s Day…you deserve it!

P.S. If you click on the purple text link of the book titles, it will take you right to Amazon.com and you can order the book and have it delivered to your door!

Grandma’s Applesauce Cookies

Friday, May 9, 2008 By Sherra

When we want to try to eat healthy…

…okay, that made me laugh just typing it.

Let me start over.

When we’re out of chocolate chips, we make these cookies.

Well, that and if the applesauce doesn’t have mold on it since no one really eats it except if it’s in these cookies.

(Or at Red Lobster in lieu of a green salad.)

They could be mistaken for being “semi-healthy” if there is such a thing.

I’m sure you could use whole wheat flour and sneak in some flax. Yum.

I did grow up eating these and the recipe is in our family cookbook.

These could be my Mom’s recipe or Betty Crocker’s. I just don’t know for sure.

Truth be told, these are really good! So maybe when you are burned out on chocolate chip cookies and brownies, you might give these a try.

Applesauce Cookies

3/4 C soft shortening
1 C brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 C applesauce
2-1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves

Heat oven to 375º. Mix shortening, sugar & egg thoroughly. Stir in applesauce. Measure flour by dip-level-pour method or by sifting. Blend dry ingredients; stir in. Drop by spoonfuls on greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Makes 4 dozen.

Enjoy and let me know if you try them and if you like them!

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