Christi's Realm

Secondhand Fashion Week: Day 7 - Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T22:54:00.013-05:00

Today I must confess that this is not my actual Easter outfit, since what I wanted to wear was brand new (a $50 dress bought for $7 on clearance at Kohl's - YAY!). Later I modelled an outfit that I would ordinarily wear to church were it not a special occasion. Eddie said it looked kind of goth, but in a cute way. I am also wearing a special ring that my Nanona (great-grandma) gave me when I turned 16. I don't wear it often since it's a genuine opal and I worry about shattering it!

Liberty is wearing the same dress that I wore for my first Easter in 1986! The rest of her outfit was obtained more recently than that but is all still secondhand with the exception of the bunny ears in one of the pictures. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of Liberty and I together due to a tragic diaper episode that left her entire dress soaked.

I am wearing...
Black top by Canyon River Blues, secondhand from my mom (free)
White cami by Old Navy (not secondhand)
Skirt by Tracy Evans Limited, secondhand from my sister-in-law Jen (free)
Ring, secondhand from my great-grandma (free)
Shoes by Kenneth Cole Reaction, $1 from a rummage sale
Necklace, from my honeymoon in Gatlinburg (not secondhand)

Liberty is wearing...
Dress by ??? (no tags), secondhand from her mommy (free)
Tights, secondhand from a friend of my mom's (free)
Shoes by George, secondhand from her cousin Taryn (free)
Bonnet, $? secondhand from Goodwill
Bunny ears, from Target (not secondhand)

Visit AmandaBeth Online to learn more about this fashion event!

Secondhand Fashion Week: Day 6 - Pink and Blue

2010-04-04T22:02:00.009-05:00

For Day 6, Liberty is appearing in two different outfits because the one I planned on having her wear ended up being too warm for her to actually wear, but I really wanted her to wear it since it kind of matched mine. So she will be appearing by herself in the dress she actually wore all day (to her cousin's birthday party) and appearing with me in a different dress.

I am wearing...
Pink sweater by Cejon assecories inc., secondhand from my sister-in-law Jen (free
Dress by Old Navy, $5 from Goodwill
Earrings, secondhand from my friend Laura (free)

Liberty is wearing...
Sweater by The Children's Place, 50 cents from a garage sale
Dress and kerchief by Blueberi Boulevard, $3.50 from a garage sale

Here Liberty is wearing...
Sweater and dress by The Children's Place, $3 from a garage sale

Visit AmandaBeth Online to learn more about this fashion event!

Secondhand Fashion Week: Day 5 - Enjoying Spring

2010-04-03T22:52:00.002-05:00

I was really excited yesterday to have my husband home in the afternoon to take our pictures, but then I didn't have time to post them yesterday or today until now! Oh well, better late than never!

I am wearing...
Top by Self Esteem, secondhand from my friend Julie (free)
Cami by delia*s (not secondhand)
Skirt by Faded Glory, $1 from a rummage sale
Ring by Avon, secondhand from my gramma (free)

Liberty is wearing...
Top and pants by Disney Classic Pooh, $3 from a yard sale
Lacy headband, 50 cents from a consignment sale
Shoes by Circo, secondhand from her cousin Taryn (free)

Visit AmandaBeth Online to learn more about this fashion event!

Secondhand Fashion Week Giveway!

2010-04-02T11:54:00.006-05:00

Image: Inspired Boutique
AmandaBeth Online is offering an adorable giveway for handmade fashiony note cards! To learn how to enter, check out the entire post about this giveway: Giveaway 2 - Inspired Boutique Fashion Cards!!!!

Secondhand Fashion Week: Day 4 - Painted Piggies

2010-04-01T22:53:00.002-05:00

Liberty is 9 months old today and in celebration of this occasion, she had her toenails painted for the very first time. It was perhaps a bit too optimistic for me to hope that she was old enough to stay still for this process... I end ed up having to repaint several toes... several times. In the end I managed to get some decent looking piggies and then I painted mine to match.

My hair is straight today because I went for a long-overdue trim (my bangs are no longer straggly!) and my stylist blowdried and straightened my hair. This is a rare event for me, so I shall probably celebrate by not washing my hair for several days. :) Anyway, my outfit today is dressy because I wanted a chance to include one of my few pairs of secondhand shoes (I only have one other pair, which will also be making an appearance later in this event). They're strappy sandals that are super cute but kind of uncomfortable (why can't adorable shoes also feel good?!).

I am wearing...
Floral peasant top by ByChoice California, secondhand from my sister-in-law Jen (free)
Black cami by Old Navy (not secondhand)
Rayon gauchos by Geoffrey Beane, secondhand from my mom (free)
Shoes by Mudd, $1 from a rummage sale
Claddagh ring, secondhand from my mom (free)

Liberty is wearing...
Sundress by The Disney Store, $3.50 from a consignment shop
Lacy headband, 50 cents from a consignment sale

Visit AmandaBeth Online to learn more about this fashion event!

Secondhand Fashion Week: Day 3 - Ribbons and Flowers

2010-03-31T23:01:00.004-05:00

I decided to try to take my own pictures today, which was an interesting experience without a tripod. I tried to take some pictures outside, but that didn't turn out so well, so I went inside and propped the camera up on my ironing board. I managed to get a few usable shots, but overall I think I definitely prefer having someone else take my picture (ie, torturing my husband by getting him to take way too many pictures).

Today I am wearing what is probably my favorite secondhand find - embroidered crop pants (actually I think they're supposed to be capris, but they're more like crop length on me because I'm short, I mean, fun-sized) that I bought while I was in Missouri visiting friends. I got to use my friend Julie's mom's employee discount to get them half-price!

I am wearing...
Top by goodclothes, secondhand from my sister-in-law Jen (free)
Pants by New York & Company, $3.50 from a consignment shop
Organdy hair ribbon, salvaged from a shower gift (I think... can't remember exactly but I know I didn't buy it and it was previously used on something else, thus definitely secondhand!)

Liberty is wearing...
Onesie top and pants by Carter's, about $1 from eBay (I bought this in a lot with several other clothes, so it didn't have an exact price)
Mary Jane socks by Trumpette, $2 for 6 pairs from a consignment sale
Organdy hair ribbon, cut from the same piece as my ribbon

Visit AmandaBeth Online to learn more about this fashion event!

Secondhand Fashion Week: Day 2 - Sweet Serenade

2010-03-31T16:26:00.000-05:00

My Day 2 outfit was supposed to have been actually photographed on Day 2, but we ran out of time before Eddie had to leave for work and then he ended up having to work late and by the time he got home, Liberty was asleep. So I had to wait until today, Day 3, to actually get the pictures. Then I didn't have enough time to get my actual Day 3 clothes photographed, so later I'm going to experiment with taking them myself. (And did I mention we don't own a tripod? We do have tons of books though, so maybe I can make a tower...)

Anyway, my Day 2 outfit includes an accessory that is also secondhand - earrings! I rarely get used earrings... in fact I don't think I've ever bought any, but I do have a few pairs that were given to me. I actually forgot that I had this pair until I was digging through my jewelry trying to find something to match my top. So, once again, Secondhand Fashion Week has helped me rediscover something that I had forgotten about!

My photos also feature a few (non-wearable) secondhand items. My piano was given to me by my wonderful mother-in-law and the picture (a Sandy Lynam Clough) hanging over the piano was purchased on eBay.

I am wearing...
Pink top/attached blouse by Carolyn Taylor Essentials, secondhand from my sister-in-law Jen (free)
Jeans by Land's End, secondhand from my mom (free)
Pink & silver earrings, secondhand from my friend Laura (free)

Liberty is wearing...
Top by Jumping Beans, $1.50 from a garage sale
Cordoroy pants by Sonoma, $1.50 from a garage sale
Ballet-style shoes by Disney Classic Pooh, 50 cents from a garage sale

Liberty's top, pants, and shoes all came from the same garage sale. I love the outfit so much that it's what she wore for her 6 month portrait!

Visit AmandaBeth Online to learn more about this fashion event!

Secondhand Fashion Week: Day 1 - A Dollar or Less

2010-03-29T23:09:00.002-05:00

Today Liberty and I are both wearing clothes that cost a dollar or less. My black top is something that my husband Eddie bought for me at a garage sale while I was pregnant with Liberty. Because I couldn't wear it at the time, I stuck it in a pile of clothes and forgot about it... until now. I was so pleased to realize that it actually fits quite well now that I have a waistline again! Though it's a simple, comfy top it has a few details that transform it into more than just a basic black top - the sleeves flare at the end and the v-neck is accented with lace, sequins, and tiny beads.

I am wearing...
Shirt/faux white cami by ??? (tags cut out), 10 cents from a garage sale
Jeans by Levi's, secondhand from my mom (free)

Liberty is wearing...
Jumper and shirt by Cherokee Baby, $1 from a garage sale
Mary Jane socks by Trumpette, $2 for 6 pairs from a consignment sale

When I found those adorable shoe-socks at a kids consignment sale, I thought the concept was genius but I had no idea how great of a deal I was actually getting. Later I discovered that these retail for over $25 (for a set of 6) new!

Visit AmandaBeth Online to learn more about this fashion event!

Are you a frugal fashionista?

2010-03-25T17:10:00.002-05:00

This week, I've been looking through my clothes and trying to pair together my cutest secondhand pieces of clothing because my friend Amanda over at AmandaBeth Online is hosting a Secondhand Fashion Week beginning this Sunday. This will be my first time participating in one of her blog events and I can't wait. At first I wondered if I had enough clothes to pull it off since even though I'm pretty frugal, I buy more from clearance racks than from secondhand stores. Plus since I've spent much of my married life either pregnant or recovering from being pregnant (ie, unable to wear my regular clothes), I haven't been acquiring that many clothes lately if you exclude the maternity ones. But after taking a look through my closet, I decided that the challenge to work with what I have should be fun! Plus, much of my precious daughter Liberty's wardrobe has been purchased from garage and consignment sales, so I'm thrilled to be able to include my very own "live paper doll" in this event! After all, what's the point of having a little girl if you can't play dress up with her every now and then?

So how frugal is your wardrobe? Please check out AmandaBeth Online and consider joining in this event. Also be sure to explore the site for some great fashion inspiration!

If left to chance...

2010-03-22T13:23:00.004-05:00

...I am convinced that all second-borns would not survive. I'm serious.

I realized this today as I was eating lunch with Peter. He was sitting in his high chair and Liberty was next to him in the exer-saucer. Lunch, which was leftover cheesy chicken casserole, was going quite well. There I was, at the table enjoying my food and the sound of the children making each other laugh. I thought that the way they interacted with one another was so cute! Then I heard Peter say, "Here's one for you." Oh. Not so cute anymore. I jumped up from my chair as he was reaching down to give Liberty a piece of chicken. Disaster averted. But no, I then realized that apparently he had already been covertly sharing his meal with her since there appeared to be something in her mouth. Upon further probing it turned out to be not just one something, but two pieces of chicken that she was happily gnawing on. She had been sucking all the cream cheese/cheddar sauce off the chicken... so much for no dairy until she turned one! Lesson learned: do not put the baby within reach of the toddler during mealtimes.

So yes, this leads me to formulate a theory that I have long suspected: if left to chance, all older children would innocently kill or irreparably harm their younger siblings. Clearly the universe does not operate at random; if you want proof that there is a sovereign God, there you have it.

Census 2010

2010-03-17T13:38:00.004-05:00

So we got our census form in the mail a few days ago. I even knew to expect it this week, because guess what? Last week, the government actually mailed us a letter to tell us that it would be arriving in about a week. I kid you not. When I got that letter, before opening it, I thought, "This looks kind of small to be a census form." But what did I know - I had never seen one before. Turns out I was correct in thinking that it was too small, since all it contained was the herald letter which basically told me to look for the census form in a week and then stressed the importance of filling out and returning it promptly. I get why they want to make sure we fill it out and return it... I just don't understand why that couldn't have been emphasized in the same envelope that the census form arrived it. Actually, it was talked about with the form too, so really my question is, why the need to do it twice? And this is in addition to the $2.5-million census ad they ran during the SuperBowl. Is the population that stupid that we need it pounded into us over and over again, or do they really think these efforts are going to convince the fringe radicals who won't fill it out anyway?

Man: The Crown of Creation?

2010-02-28T23:08:00.001-06:00

In examining the false teachings of patriarchy, there is often a focus on how it directly devalues women. Patriocentric views of women are manifested in various specific teachings such as those relating to the "proper" female role (which is limited to extra-Biblical extremes), but what is sometimes missed is the fact that the patriarchy camp also incorrectly views men. This is done by raising men to a super-status that is not Biblically supportable. Patriarchy emphasizes an extreme androcentric view of society, of the church, and of the family. Even sisters are encouraged to serve their brothers but not vice versa. (Of course Scripture does clearly teaches that in Christ's kingdom we must all be as servants, but Jesus failed to mention that the servanthood principle is related to gender. Perhaps that is because it is not?) Basically, not only do the teachings of patriarchy directly devalue women but they also indirectly lower women by elevating men erroneously. In an article featured on Vision Forum Ministries we are told:

"Man is God’s glory because he shows forth God’s authority over all creation. Man is therefore the crown of creation and shines forth the image and glory of God in a way no other creature does, even in a way the woman does not. What distinguishes the man from the woman (beyond the physical differences)? It is his headship over the woman. In other words, man’s authority and headship makes him the image and the glory of God in a way that surpasses all other creatures, including the woman."

So there we have it: according to this, headship and authority over a woman makes one more of an image-bearer of God. This logic is astounding. It suggests that my 2-year-old son, who is under my and his father's joint authority, is made more in the image of God than I am, simply because he will someday have headship over a woman if he marries. This leads me to wonder where it leaves the males who actually never do marry and thus never exercise authority over a woman, but perhaps it isn't that a man actually does exercise this authority but merely the fact that he could if he wanted to that sets him apart. Either way, it's a concept that joins a long list of patriarchal teachings that are Biblically insupportable.

But why does it matter? On the surface it may sound like harmless sexism, but consider the fact that the Biblical basis for valuing human life is that we are made in God's image (Genesis 9:6). This is what differentiates us from other creatures and why God forbids the murder of human beings. What then is the logical progression of believing that the male sex bears God's image in a way that surpasses that of the female sex? Perhaps the notion that a man's life is more valuable than a woman's life, an assault on the intrinsic equal worth of every human being. While I suspect that the author of the above quote does not actually embrace this conclusion, this does not change the fact that he treads dangerous ground in advocating the false view that males alone are God's crowning achievement.

Introducing Cucina di Christina!

2010-02-05T18:31:00.003-06:00

I am pleased to announce the launch of my latest venture, my new cooking and recipe blog Cucina di Christina! If cooking interests you, please check out the new site often to see what's cooking in my kitchen! Because this blog will be devoted exclusively to cooking-related subjects, I will no longer continue posting recipes here on Christi's Realm. The recipes already posted here have been imported to the new blog but will also remain here.

Cranberry Pecan Mayonnaise

2010-02-02T13:37:00.002-06:00

I finally finished using my turkey leftovers by making turkey club sandwiches one night a few weeks ago. To give the sandwiches a fun twist, I made this delicious mayonnaise. Later, I tried mixing the leftover mayonnaise with some tuna... different, but very good!

Cranberry Pecan Mayonnaise

1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. chopped pecans, roasted
1 Tbsp. honey

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate in an airtight container.

Note: After using this for turkey club sandwiches, we had quite a bit left over to put in the fridge. We used it all up within about 2 1/2 weeks and it still tasted fine at that point. Beyond that, I have no idea how long it would stay good in the fridge.

Recipe from Taste of Home October/November 2009 issue.

Find this recipe and more over at my new blog, Cucina di Christina!

Free Kashi Sample

2010-01-28T12:17:00.010-06:00

I learned about this great deal on a commercial this week. Visit Kashi's website and sign up to receive a free sample in the mail! Choose from GOLEAN Crisp!™ Toasted Berry Crumble cereal, TLC® Dark Chocolate Coconut Fruit & Grain bar, or GOLEAN Crunch!® Honey Almond Flax cereal. I picked the one with dark chocolate, obviously! This offer is good through 2/14/2010 or while supplies last.

Image: Kashi

Recommended Site: Christian Family Planning Network

2010-01-21T00:14:00.006-06:00

Observant readers may notice that I have added a new section on the right to feature "Recommended Sites" here. The first badge to be added is for a site called the Christian Family Planning Network. So today, I'd like to talk a little bit about that site and why I have chosen to promote it here on this blog.

In November of last year, I was introduced to the Christian Family Planning Network by a friend. I decided to join it because my husband and I have successfully used and continue to use the same method of family planning which is promoted by the site, FAM, and I was interested in a place that could offer support, answers to questions, and camaraderie with other ladies who use non-hormonal family planning methods. Perhaps at another time I will post more about my personal reasons for using this method, but right now I'd like to focus on the site itself. I want to feature the site here because I believe it fills an important need in promoting from a Christian perspective a safe, reliable, and ethical alternative to hormonal birth control methods. I have asked the site's founder, Stephanie, to answer a few questions about the Christian Family Planning Network to highlight what it is and what is its purpose.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Sure! As Christi already mentioned, my name is Stephanie. I'm a 24 year old Bible College graduate. I've been a work-at-home-wife since June of 2008. The CFPN is my full-time job! My husband, Daniel, and I have been married for two and a half years. We used the Fertility Awareness Method to avoid pregnancy for our first year of marriage, and have been waiting for child #1 since then.

What is the purpose of the Christian Family Planning Network (CFPN)?
The purpose of the CFPN is to educate engaged and married Christians about their options for birth control beyond artificial or hormonal contraceptives, and hopes to overturn the common misconception that all natural birth control methods are the Rhythm Method of decades past.

How is this purpose accomplished?
This purpose is accomplished through our active message board community, as well as our online courses. On our message board, we have places for women who are interested in using natural methods to avoid or achieve pregnancy. We also have boards for women who are pregnant or parenting. We all know how much women like to chat about their lives and their hobbies outside of their fertility, so we provide space for that as well.

Our first two online courses began in January. The first course is FAM101: Just the Basics, and teaches people how to begin charting their fertility signs so that they can know when to avoid or abstain, or have sex if they're trying to conceive. FAM201: Beyond the Basics covers more advanced charting techniques, like what to do if your temperature or cervical fluid sign is unreliable, if you're not ovulating, or if you're post-partum. FAM201 also covers the effect that exercise, nutrition and lunaception (moonlight) affects your cycle.

Why did you decide to start the CFPN?
Back in summer of 2007, when I was engaged, I joined a secular site that promotes the Fertility Awareness Method. I noticed that there were a few other summer brides asking similar questions to me. We wanted to know what to expect on our wedding night as we were all virgins and new at this whole charting and being married thing! So, I started a "buddy group", which is a small group of women who are all interested in the same thing. This gave us our own place to ask our questions of each other and get answers. Throughout the summer, our group grew in number, as the 2008 brides began to get engaged and research their options, and circumstances of the 2007 brides began to change.

In the spring of 2008, we split the original buddy group into three groups: 2007 brides, 2008 brides and those who were trying to get pregnant, or were already pregnant. By the Christmas of 2008 we had enough babies born that we started a parenting buddy group. About that point, the administration of the website we were on made a decision to support a pro-choice view of emergency contraception. I had been thinking that we needed to move our network of buddy groups (at this point we had about 50 women) to our own website for a few months, and it seemed like a really good time to do it!

January 17, 2009 was the first day we were on our own website. We stayed there for a few months, but we quickly realized that we were no longer the "Engaged & Newlywed Network". In order to change our name, we had to change our URL. So, the moderators decided that we would pay for our own hosting and our own domain, and we became the Christian Family Planning Network on May 15, 2009 at our current URL. As our name changed from one site to the next, so did our purpose, and that's how we got to where we are today!

Who can join the CFPN?
Anyone who is interested in learning about how a woman's natural fertility cycle works! This means men, women, young, old, dating, engaged, married, etc. You do not need to be a Christian or agree to our Statement of Faith to be a member, but all our leaders do hold to our Statement of Faith. Christian values such as marriage between only a man and woman, abstinence before marriage, and the sanctity of life are all upheld by our leaders as well, and we do hold those in high regard on the message board as well.

We have a section of our message board called "Just Curious". This is for people who are not engaged or married, who are "just curious" about what their bodies are doing. We encourage them to participate there, and in the off-topic parts of the board, but ask that they refrain from joining the buddy groups for people who are actively using (or planning to use) the method in a marriage relationship until they are engaged.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thank you, Stephanie, for sharing with us about the Christian Family Planning Network! I hope that gives everyone a good idea of what the CFPN does and why it exists. Please check their website http://christianfamilyplanning.net/ to learn more. You can also access the site by clicking the banner at the top of this post.

Favorite Taco Meat

2010-01-20T16:28:00.003-06:00

We had this for dinner this week, so I thought I'd share. It's not a from-scratch recipe, but much tastier than the typical from-a-seasoning-packet meat. I make it with ground turkey, but this could be made with any meat.

Favorite Taco Meat

2 lbs. ground meat
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 cup salsa
1 packet taco seasoning

In a large frying pan, brown meat until no longer pink. Drain grease and return to pan. Add remaining ingredients and simmer on low heat for several minutes to intensify flavors.

Note: I usually half this recipe since 2 pounds is too much for our little family. Sometimes I still use an entire packet of taco seasoning, which makes it pretty strong but still good. Or if I end up following the recipe and only using half a packet, I use some of the extra seasoning and some salsa to mix into cooked rice. It makes a quick and easy side dish!

Find this recipe and more over at my new blog, Cucina di Christina!

Pop-Tarts® Sprinklings™

2010-01-15T00:41:00.012-06:00

Last year, Pop-Tarts® introduced an online club called Sprinklings™. According to their site, by joining the club you receive "a smattering of samples and a variety of values." When I first joined in September, I received a printable online coupon. A few weeks later, my Blueberry Muffin sample arrived in the mail (containing a package of two full-size pastries) along with a few more coupons. Then I basically forgot all about it until the end of December when I received another package from Sprinklings™, this time sharing with me their brand new flavor, Wild! Grape. Apparently it hasn't even hit the shelves yet! It tasted pretty good and I'm always excited about getting free snacks in the mail, so I though this was one deal worth sharing. The email address I used to join has not been sold to spammers, though it's always a good idea to use a separate "junk" email address to register for deals like this just in case.

Using Turkey Leftovers

2009-12-29T20:56:00.003-06:00

For Christmas this year, we hosted dinner - it was our first experience cooking a holiday dinner as well as our first experience cooking a turkey. I like cooking to be somewhat challenging, so I wasn't content with just any old turkey (plus I don't really like turkey). It had to be an exceptional turkey! So, we made a Tyler Florence recipe... fresh sage and butter rubbed under the skin of a maple-roasted turkey shingled with smoked bacon on top and homemade sage cornbread stuffing inside. We totally misjudged the time and dinner ended up being later than planned but it turned out great. It was super moist, just the way I like it! But it was a 13.5 pound turkey served to just four adults and one toddler, so there was plenty of turkey left. After two days of leftovers, we had eaten all of the side dishes but still had quite a bit of turkey. So I decided to adapt a chicken salad recipe and make turkey salad for dinner last night. The cold, creamy salad made a nice change from eating hot turkey. (And I still had turkey left after making this, so the remaining turkey went into the freezer and I expect we'll do something like turkey club sandwiches with sometime, whenever we recover from turkey burn-out.)

Turkey Salad with Walnuts and Grapes

1/2 c. Miracle Whip
2 Tbsp. sour cream
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. honey
2 c. turkey, broken or shredded into bite-sized pieces
1 c. seedless green grapes, quartered or sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1/2 c. walnut pieces

Combine the Miracle Whip, sour cream, lemon juice, and honey in a medium mixing bowl. Add turkey, grapes, onions, celery, and walnut pieces and stir gently until mixed in. Add more Miracle Whip if needed.

Note: I used a mix of dark and light meat, but it could be made any way you prefer.

Find this recipe and more over at my new blog, Cucina di Christina!

Poppy Seed Bread

2009-12-19T23:41:00.003-06:00

My mom has been making this delicious bread for as long as I can remember. She makes it every Christmas season and it was usually part of our traditional Christmas breakfast (which also consists of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, sliced peaches from a can, and orange juice... eclectic but yummy!). Of course I have to carry on this tradition, so I've got a loaf tucked away in the freezer waiting for us to eat this Christmas morning.

Poppy Seed Bread

1 pkg. white cake mix
1 small pkg. instant coconut cream pudding
1/2 c. oil
1 c. boiling water
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients and mix for about 4 minutes with an electric mixer. Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Yields two loaves.

These freeze beautifully!

Find this recipe and more over at my new blog, Cucina di Christina!

Orange Juice Balls

2009-12-16T18:36:00.001-06:00

This unique no-bake "cookie" (it's not a true cookie, but I'm not sure what else to call it) tastes delicious served right out of the freezer. Other recipes I've seen only call for refrigerating the balls, so it really just depends on your preferences. I served these at a party last week where they sat out for about 5 hours and still tasted fine, but were a bit mushy at that point.

Orange Juice Balls

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 c. melted butter
1 box (12 oz.) vanilla wafers, finely crushed
1 c. finely chopped pecans
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 c. coconut

Beat orange concentrate and butter together until well combined. Mix in vanilla wafers and pecans. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Form dough into small balls (use approximately 1 tablespoon of dough per ball) then roll in coconut. Freeze on wax paper in an airtight container until just before serving. Yields about 7 dozen.

Tips:
To easily crush the vanilla wafers, place about half of them into a gallon ziplock bag and use a rolling pin until finely crushed. Repeat with remaining wafers.

Use a Pampered Chef small scoop or something similar to get perfectly-sized balls. This was a lifesaver - the scoop shaped them for me into a mostly round shape and they all ended up roughly the same size.

Find this recipe and more over at my new blog, Cucina di Christina!

Holiday Baking

2009-12-15T18:49:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite parts of the Christmas season is the holiday baking! Growing up, we had some great recipes that became traditions that were made every year for as long as I can remember such as Sugar Cookies, Poppyseed Bread, and White Chocolate Dipped Pretzels. New traditions later would come along like English Toffee or Spiced Pecans. Now that I have my own family, I am enjoying sharing some of these same traditions with Peter and this year we will be making a few recipes from my own childhood as well as a few new ones. (It is my goal to share all of these recipes on the blog at some point this month, but we'll see if that actually happens or not!)

My baking list:
Sugar Cookies
Poppy Seed Bread
Orange Juice Balls
Oreo Truffles
Buck Eyes

Technically, some of these items probably don't count as "baking" since they aren't baked, but who cares. So far I've got the first three recipes made and will hopefully complete the last two this week. The Buck Eyes are for a cookie exchange that I'm attending next Tuesday morning so that definitely needs to be completed soon!

What are some of your favorite holiday food traditions? Please feel free to include entire recipes in your comments. I love finding new recipes!

Find these recipes and more over at my new blog, Cucina di Christina!

The Santa Myth

2009-12-09T14:56:00.001-06:00

As Christmas approaches this year, we are faced for the first time with the decision of how we will handle what I like to call "The Santa Myth" with our son, Peter. This is his third Christmas, but his first year with a significant comprehension level so it hasn't been much of an issue previously.

Growing up, my brothers and I never "did" Santa but my parents weren't militant about it either; we didn't ignore Santa's mythical existence, we simply knew the truth that he wasn't real. While some of the more radical people we knew shunned such things, we still watched Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and even had some Santa ornaments hanging on the tree. My parents preferred to tell us about the real St. Nicholas, the person who the Santa Claus myth developed from, and we even had a nifty picture storybook about him. So since Santa was never a part of my childhood, I have difficulty relating to the notion that it's somehow mean to "deprive" a child of this experience. And the suggestion that it is deprivation raises the question that if Santa is so important to the holiday, then perhaps our entire focus is wrong. In fact, two years ago I responded to someone on a message board when they stated that "Christmas was less satisfying with Santa out of the equation":

"I want my kids to focus on the real meaning of Christmas, that God loved them enough to send His Son under the most humble of circumstances so that they could be redeemed. That has nothing to do with Santa and if they can't cherish Christmas without Santa, then they would be totally missing the point."

So here are my top reasons for questioning Santa Claus, none of which involve wacko conspiracy theories like how the letters of Santa can be rearranged to spell Satan or anything like that. *grin*

1. This may seem pretty basic, but in case it's not: it's a lie. It may seem like a harmless lie, but that doesn't make it any less false. And it's not that it's just one lie - pretending that Santa exists when he does not - but often an entire package of them. Because once you start down that road, then you have to buy presents that are "from" Santa, then eat the cookies and pretend that it was Santa who ate them, etc. When I was 4 years old, I asked my mom why we gave toys to "Toys for Tots" if Santa brought toys to everyone. Instead of trying to spin it, my mom told me the truth (and apparently, I had already been told that Santa wasn't real the year before, but had forgotten).

2. Believing in Santa can take the focus of the Christmas season off of Jesus, and on to the more materialistic aspects of the holiday. Sure, presents are a fun part of the holiday, but should not take center focus. Santa tends to emphasize the "me, me, me" aspect because it's all about what he is going to bring you. This also detracts from the concept that gifts are about giving, not receiving.

This doesn't mean pretending about something is always bad. When I was little, we didn't believe that the Tooth Fairy was real but we still had fun with the idea. We'd put our tooth under the pillow and get money, which we knew had been left by our parents but we still would tell people, "Yeah, the Tooth Fairy left me a dollar!" But the difference with that was there's nothing inherently spiritual about the tooth-loss process and our fun make-believe involving a tooth-stealing fairy wasn't distracting us from something more important.

3. Mixing truth with myth can cause confusion in the mind of a young child. We live in a country where Christianity is continually questioned. Then we have Christmas, which is supposed to be about Jesus' birth, but instead is largely secularized. (Just watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and count how many religious references you see compared to secular.) To a child who had believed in Santa, learning that he is actually not real could cause confusion. That child might then wonder what other things about Christmas are not real, maybe the nativity story or even Jesus Himself. In a world where the real meaning of Christmas - the celebration of Jesus Christ's human incarnation to redeem sinners - is often ignored in the name of political correctness, why have another figure competing with Jesus?

Noel Piper in Treasuring God in Our Traditions observes "...celebrating Santa and manger will postone a child's clear understanding of what the real truth of God is. It's very difficult for a young child to pick through a marble cake of part truth and part imagination to find the crumbs of reality.... Santa is so much like what we're trying all year to teach our children about God."

She then goes on to list the similarities that Santa has:
"He's omniscient--he sees everything you do.
He rewards you if you're good.
He's omnipresent--at least he can be everywhere in one night.
He gives you good gifts.
He's the most famous 'old man in the sky' figure."

For my own children, my conclusion is that it is simply not worth it to perpetuate a myth that adds nothing to the real Reason we celebrate while having the potential to take much away. Instead, there are plenty of meaningful Christmas traditions such as Advent wreaths as well as harmlessly pointless ones (baking sugar cookies!) that will build lasting memories with our little ones.

Liberty's Birth Story, Part 2

2009-12-05T23:26:00.000-06:00

Note: The following story contains discreet references to various aspects of the birthing process.

After I finished the IV fluids, I was transferred to a delivery room a little bit before 4 AM. As I was wheeled to the room, I passed my doctor in the hallway and waved. It was kind of funny because ealier in the week when we had discussed scheduling my induction and I had mentioned that I'd like to wait until after July 1 (because of my mom flying in), my doctor had commented, "Oh that's a bad day for me anyway." Oh well - I guess my mom wasn't the only one for whom the timing wasn't great. Anyway once I got to the room, my doctor came in to check me. After exchanging pleasantries, I inquired about my epidural since obviously nothing on earth was more important than that. The pain was getting worse, for both me and Eddie's hand. Tragically, I was told that there were two emergency c-sections that had recently come in and only one anesthesiologist on duty. But, she assured me, she would have him sent in as soon as possible and she hoped that I would get it in time. This concept was a bit of a shock for me, because I had not entertained the possibility of not getting an epidural. But I was optimistic about getting it in time though not thrilled about enduring more un-drugged labor while waiting for it. I was measuring 6 cm now, which means I had only dilated another 1 1/2 cm in the past hour. My doctor said they could probably do the epidural up to 8 cm, so I calculated that I had at least another hour before I'd reach that, maybe more. Dilation sometimes slows down toward the end and people get "stuck"... and getting stuck would have been fine with me.

While my doctor was in the room, I was unable to talk through contractions though they weren't unbearable. But after my doctor left, stating that she would return to check on me soon, the contractions started getting so bad, with each one seeming worse than the last, that I became vocal. Not actual screaming (yet), but I really started panicking about the idea of having to go through the entire birthing process with no epidural and I asked Eddie to please, please, please pray that I wouldn't have to because, as I told him through suppressed screaming, I simply cannot.

Apparently we can do the things we think we can't.

My doctor came back when she heard my screaming from the hallway. It was about 4:25 AM [by the way, I am able to be pretty precise with these times because there was a big clock on the wall in front of me and I had nothing else to do between contractions besides look at it] and I asked her to check my dilation again. I was horrified when she told me I was already 9 cm. I knew that this meant no epidural and that I was going to feel every bit of the rest of the labor. The contractions were absolutely unbearable at this point. At the risk of sounding overly melodramatic, I was writhing and kicking in agony and screaming through the contractions. It was almost like childbirth was some terrible punishment resulting from the curse of sin... oh wait, that is what it was!

Within a few minutes of the doctor checking my cervix, I suddenly felt like I had to push. I told her that I felt sure my body was telling me to push, so she checked me again; I was fully dilated and effaced. The nurse team quickly started breaking down the bed and prepping the doctor for delivery. You know how sometimes Hollywood portrays things unrealistically and we say about something like, "It's not like the movies"? Well, this time it was. It was every bit as dramatic as a movie birth, complete with blood-curdling screaming. But I pushed for just under 15 minutes, so it wasn't as long as it could have been. The contractions were coming every minute or less at that point and I pushed with every contraction, so that was about 15 rounds of pushing, give or take. After Liberty's head was fully out, the doctor told me to shop pushing, so I "sat out' one contraction. Later, Eddie told me that the cord was wrapped around Liberty's neck and that was why I couldn't push. After that, it was one more push to get the rest of her out and she was born at 4:45 AM.

Liberty was placed against me immediately and it was wonderful to hold her, but I must confess that I was rather dazed from the whole experience. After Peter came out, I felt fabulous because I had felt no pain. This time I felt so drained, physically and emotionally. But there were some positive difference between the two births. Like, I had been worried about the placenta not birthing (with Peter it didn't on its own and had to be removed) but this time it came out pretty quickly. Good thing too, because I've heard that having the placenta removed is more painful than pushing the baby out (I wouldn't know though - I didn't feel any of it with Peter). The biggest plus though was that there was no tearing with Liberty which ended up making my overall recovery much less painful than it had been after Peter (2nd degree tear then).

Afterward, in contrasting my epidural birth with my natural birth, I'm still a total epidural fan. I never experienced any of the possible side effects of an epidural (like headaches or the baby being too drowsy to nurse) and even though I tend to be "kinda crunchy" (as one Facebook quiz called my parenting syle), when it comes to pain that bad I can't logically process why I shouldn't make it go away if I can. I did ask my doctor if she thought that not having the epidural is what helped me to not tear this time around, but she did not think there was any correlation. Oh and speaking of being kinda crunchy, even though I had horrible afterbirth cramping every time I nursed Liberty, I didn't take any pain meds other than Ibuprofren (they kept offering me something like Darvocet or one of those narcotic painkillers, can't remember which exactly). So this thing really turned into a drug-free experience from start to finish!

I also had an excellent hospital experience and liked this hospital even better than the one Peter had been born at. The nursing staff was wonderful, I labored and recovered in the same room/bed so I didn't have to be moved an hour after giving birth (like seriously, why do they make you do that at other hospitals?!), the visitor rules were not enforced, and the food was great (and yes, after 9 months of pregnancy involving first nausea/vomiting and then heartburn, good food is important). This hospital also allowed the baby to room in with me even when I was sleeping, so Liberty didn't spend any time in the nursery at all. I think the only time she left me was for her hearing test. Overall, the experience was completely positive other than the agonizing pain, which was nobody's fault, and I'd definitely birth at that hospital again (hopefully not for a while though!).

Liberty Elisabeth

Liberty's Birth Story, Part 1

2009-12-03T16:02:00.000-06:00

Eddie and me on June 25th, less than a week before Liberty's birth
Note: The following story contains discreet references to various aspects of the birthing process.

Before I really begin this story, I probably should provide a little background info to explain why I happened to be awake at 1:30 in the morning. Without getting into too much detail, let's just say I had gone to bed intending to go to sleep but Baby apparently was crushing my bladder into oblivion. After getting up several times to try to alleviate this feeling, it was so uncomfortable that I couldn't sleep and I was getting tired of walking to the bathroom every 2 minutes, so I decided to sit up and read until I wore myself out. So that is how it came to be that at around 1:30 AM on July 1, I was propped up in bed reading a Francine Rivers novel.

At about that time, I noticed something that I thought might be a contraction. Not painful at all, but noticeable. I had been having mild contractions occasionally for the past few weeks, so I didn't think much of it. Several minutes later though, I noticed another one so I decided to start roughly timing them. I glanced at the digital alarm clock on Eddie's nightstand and went back to reading my book. About 5 minutes later, I felt another contraction, followed by more. My contractions were spaced between 5 and 7 minutes apart and seemed to be stronger than any I had felt prior to that night. I decided that if they hadn't stopped at 2:00, then I would wake Eddie up. They continued so I woke him up and said, "I might be in labor, but I'm not sure. I don't know what to do."

What I meant by that was, "I don't know what to do now that we have a toddler sleeping across the hall." Back when I had been pregnant with Peter, we had a false labor episode which involved going to the hospital at 3 AM but since we didn't have any other kids yet, it wasn't a big deal. (Other than having to pay the 10% coinsurance on this which was about $25. But I digress...) The issue now was that if we dragged Peter out of bed and woke my BIL and SIL up in the middle of the night for a false alarm, then I'd feel like an idiot (after all, with this being the second baby, I shouldn't fall victim to false labor, right?). So I told Eddie that I was going walk around the house for a while to see if the contractions slowed. I walked from our bedroom to the kitchen on the opposite end of the house and then back. Then I walked back to the kitchen; as I passed the clock/radio next to the stove, the time read 2:07. I started walked back toward the living room and had just reached the edge of the kitchen when I felt something that might be my water breaking. It was just a little bit though, not enough to get on the floor. I stood for a moment on the tiled kitchen floor contemplating whether this was really happening or not and then I did something very stupid. For some reason, or perhaps no reason at all, I chose to leave the tiled kitchen and run across the carpeted living, down the carpeted hallway (passing the tiled hall bathroom as I went), through our carpeted bedroom, and into the master bathroom. As I passed the semi-conscious Eddie, I said, "I think my water might have broken but I'm not sure." A few seconds after reaching the tiled bathroom, the floodgates opened.

Okay, let me just say that even though this was my second baby, having my water break like this was a totally new experience. With Peter, my water was artificially broken by my doctor in a hospital bed and shortly followed by an epidural, so I had no idea what to expect with "natural" water breakage. Seriously, I have to wonder how it is possible that I had that much liquid inside of me. Finally it stopped, so I felt safe enough to change clothes. Then it started again, so I had to change AGAIN, and also grabbed a towel to put on the seat in the car. During this time, Eddie broke down the pack-n-play, put it in the trunk, put all of our bags in the car (one for each of us, including Peter), got Peter up, and strapped him in the carseat. We were pulling out of the driveway within 10 minutes. We took Peter to his Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Jen's which was only slightly out of the way from the hospital, and then were back on the road. During this time I also managed to call my mom...

Brief rabbit trail about her. My mom had wanted to be present for the actual birth. She was there for Peter's delivery and quite enjoyed watching her first grandchild enter the world. And so, she had booked her flight for July 1; the baby was due July 11 so it seemed safe. Then when I had problems with high blood pressure and was put on total bedrest, my doctor and I decided to induce on July 3, so everything was all scheduled so that my mom would be there.

So anyway, I called my mom and had to share the news that I expected that she would be missing the birth since at this point it was about 2:30 AM and her flight wasn't due until 5 PM. At least, I fervently hoped that she would be missing the birth, otherwise I'd be in labor forever which even with an awesome epidural would still be boring. In a strange twist of fate, I did absolutely get my wish to not be in labor forever but I would later regret that I wasn't in labor longer. More on that later.

While I was speaking to my mom, she was surprised that I did not seem to be in any pain. By then it had been at least 20 minutes since the water breaking and although I was having regular contractions, they were not painful. They were a bit uncomfortable, but hey, pregnancy generally is at the point anyway! So I was having a totally normal conversation without any indicators that I was in active labor. I remember thinking that my labor must not be progressing very fast since the contractions didn't hurt and I wondered if I would be dilated much more than I already had been.

We reached the hospital at about 2:45 AM and pulled up in front of the emergency entrance. Once we got into the labor/delivery triage, we discovered that I didn't have my insurance card with me (of course!). I had given it to Eddie two days earlier to pick up my self-use blood pressure cuff and he had left it on his bureau. Naturally since I was in labor they couldn't not treat me, so we moved past that. I was still feeling okay and was standing at the counter checking in for several minutes without much discomfort and no pain at all. Then I was put in a little room while Eddie went to park the car. At about 3 AM, a nurse confirmed that my water had broken (not that I needed confirmation) and she measured my dilation at between 4 and 5 cm. I had progressed roughly 1 1/2 cm since going into labor, since I had been 3 cm at a check-up two days earlier.

I don't remember exactly when the contractions went from uncomfortable to painful, but it was shortly after the time Eddie returned to my little room that I started squeezing his hand during contractions. A nurse came to my room to get some bloodwork and detailed information from me since I had forgotten to preregister with the hospital. She also started the IV fluids which are required before getting an epidural (this I had requested as soon as I checked in... wasn't about to go through labor without that!). At that time I asked whether I would be delivering in the room I was in now... I didn't think so because it was pretty small... but they hadn't mentioned moving me. I was told that I was not in a delivery room but that they could deliver in it if the hospital was really full, which it was! Turns out I was one of 3 laboring women in the triage at the moment and there were only 2 empty delivery rooms. But, she told me, "You're the only one with water broken so I think you've won the race." Yay.

By the way, there's nothing worth watching on TV at 3 AM, even with 70+ channels to choose from. Next time I will plan to go into labor during the day, when programming is much more exciting. And by this point I needed some distraction from the pain, but since the TV wasn't cutting it for me, I contented myself with leaving semi-permanent fingernail indentations in Eddie's hand.

To be continued...

Turkey Muffuletta

2009-11-20T17:39:00.001-06:00

Ever had a muffuletta at a sandwich shop or other restaurant? It's a delicious, unique sandwich that is popular in New Orleans. A muffuletta is traditionally made with Italian meats like salami and ham. This recipe however uses turkey, a healthier meat choice. It tastes fabulous and is a favorite in our house.

Turkey Muffuletta

1 loaf (16 ounces) Italian bread

Dressing:
1/3 c. olive oil
3. Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh minced basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Filling:
3/4 lb. sliced deli turkey
6 oz. Swiss or provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1 jar (7 oz.) roasted sweet red peppers, drained and chopped
1/4 c. pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped
1/4 c. black olives, chopped
1 large tomato, sliced
3 Tbsp. shredded Romano cheese
1 Tbsp. minced fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Optional: chopped red onion

Cut bread in half lengthwise; carefully hollow out top and bottom, leaving a 1-inch shell (discard removed bread or save).* In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, basil, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes. Brush over cut sides of bread. Combine chopped red peppers, green olives, and black olives. If using red onion (it adds some nice color and flavor), combine with the peppers and olive as well. In the bottom bread shell, layer turkey, cheese, pepper-olive mixture, and tomato. Sprinkle with Romano cheese, oregano, and black pepper. Replace bread top. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

Healthy tip: for a low-carb version, try omitting the bread and cutting the turkey and cheese in bite-sized pieces. Toss all filling ingredients with a green salad topped with the dressing. I haven't actually tried this (we love bread), but it can't be bad!

*A good use for the saved bread is homemade bread crumbs. The bread can be reduced to crumbs in a food processor and then toasted in a toaster oven or in the oven on a baking sheet at low heat. Whenever I've done this, I use the crumbs within a few days so I'm not sure how long these would last stored in a container (not having the preservatives that store-bought bread crumbs have). It would probably be best to freeze the bread or bread crumbs if they won't be used within a few days.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home December/January 2008 issue.

Find this recipe and more over at my new blog, Cucina di Christina!

Welcome to my new but kinda old blog!

2009-11-17T13:38:00.000-06:00

I have decided that I miss having a personal blog, since I've stopped posting on my Xanga (because no one is on Xanga anymore) and I kept forgetting about my old Blogspot. So I've started this new blog but I have imported some posts from my old Blogspot. Anyway, that is why there's a three year gap between this post and the last one...

Bless the Broken Road

2006-08-24T22:25:00.000-05:00

I recently stumbled across a courtship website -- one of the many floating around cyberspace --that uses the catch-phrase "Courtship: Never Know a Broken Heart." Additionally the site suggests that "courtship is God’s royal plan for believers to find the love of their lives in His time. It produces strong, stable, permanent marriages without all the pain and rejection along the way. " (Nevermind the fact that a university study found that courtship marriages statistically have a higher divorce rate than marriages in general.)

The site "was birthed in the heart of [the founder]... during a time of prayer and fasting, God began to reveal the sorrow of His heart for young people who go through painful journeys to find love. [The founder] heard the heart cry of the Father God that the brokeness must stop."

(It is baggage like this that caused me to avoid using the term "courtship" to refer to our relationship).

The danger in this way of thinking is that it actually sets people up for a broken heart. Out of my personal friends, there are as many "courtships" that did not end in marriage as actually did. Following a model of courtship does not guarantee that you will not experience heart break. If that is your goal upon entering a relationship, you just might be setting yourself up for a disastrous marriage. The whole point of courtship is to make sure that you are compatible for marriage and that God is in fact calling you to that. If it becomes apparent that you are not, it is far better to end the relationship than to proceed into marriage!

And ending it may leave one or both persons heartbroken. Having your heart broken is not the worse thing that could happen to you. And definitely preferably than an unwise marriage. Marriage is permanent (or at least should be). The heart mends. Depending on how you handle the heartache, it may even mend to stronger than before.

I know. In a little more than a week, I will be marrying my sweetheart (who in my humble opinion happens to be the best man alive ;). But neither of us can honestly say that we've never cared for anyone else besides each other. We've both experienced the pain that a broken relationship brings. Neither of us regret it. I would not go back in time and change that past relationship if I could, because I grew and matured from it in ways I would not have otherwise.

That's not to say that I actually recommend that everyone go out and get a broken heart. God's plan for every life is different and individual. There are many people who will not have a broken heart... romantically. But they will experience pain in other ways. A life without pain is like a life without happiness. We cannot truly feel joy without knowing what sorrow is.

We live in a fallen world. It is not God's design for us to always be "happy." James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." It is not just romance that can cause one's heart to break. Sickness, death, friendship, sin, repentence... As long as our heart still beat, they will break.

Modesty: An Overlooked Definition

2006-05-01T20:24:00.000-05:00

There's a topic I feel strongly about and am frequently reminded of, for one reason or another. The latest reason was attending an annual homeschool convention. The topic is modesty.

In my opinion, the homeschool community has been improving in that area. However, many people would disagree with me. Why? We have different definitions of the concept of modesty.

In the past, homeschool conventions and other events were dominated by a certain "look" - something along the lines of denim or homemade calico jumpers, dresses, and skirts. For women and girls, that is. Men and boys oddly enough always looked a lot more mainstream, but that's a side issue. In recent years though, there has been a gradual shift in female clothing styles toward trendier skirts, tops and even, Heaven forbid, pants and jeans. I have heard this change criticized as being "wordly" and "immodest." My view is that we're finally starting to dress modestly.

Modesty is a big issue -- and rightly so -- in homeschooling circles. It is the topic of many books and convention workshop speakers. I am not suggesting that it is not important and should not be emphasized. My point is that it's been incompletely taught and as a result, incorrectly embodied.

Modesty is primarily taught as a lust issue: women should dress "modestly," ie, not inviting lust from men, not causing a brother to stumble, etc. That is absolutely correct, but not the full definition of the word. A seldom-mentioned aspect of modesty and the truest definition of the word is not attracting attention to yourself. Yes, that includes not causing lust, but also means not attracting attention, period. As in, causing yourself to stand out. Which even goes beyond clothing itself, it emcompasses attitude, body languge, one's inner spirit. But my original topic pertains to clothing.

That's why I think the homeschool "look" misses the point of modesty. If you're walking through a store and repeatedly turning heads because of the outfits (often matching) that you are wearing, that is not by definition modest. It no doubt is successful at discouraging lust, but still makes one the target of prolonged and often negative attention. That's why I referred to homeschoolers' clothing style shifts as an improvement in modesty. While still maintaining appropriate coverage/concealment, more and more are turning to styles that are actually currently in style. And by style I'm not talking about the very latest fashions or anything copied from popular actresses and trendsetters. Just the basics of inobtrusive modern style, yet modest. Style and modesty: they don't have to be contradictory terms.

P.S. I still enjoy the occasional denim skirt. In fact, I wore one to the convention.

Thoughts on Relativity

2005-12-07T15:31:00.000-06:00

One of the things I distinctly remember learning somewhere along the way in my homeschool education was the importance of absolute truth. We were taught the error in the modern concept of all truth being relative, no truth is absolute, etc. I've never forgotten that.

However, this does mean that every single thing in the universe falls into the category of absolute truth. While it is important to recognize that there do exist absolute truths in many important areas, we sometime fail to recognize the relativity of other areas. A quick illustration of relativity is how weather is viewed regionally. There never has and there never will be an absolute definition for what constitutes warm and cold. For someone living in New England, a 50 degree December day is warm. But for someone living down South, that is considered cold. Similarly, in Rhode Island, we get a 1/2 inch of snow and think "Wow, we got off easy!" In Texas, you get a 1/2 inch of snow and they call it a blizzard. (Okay slight exaggeration there! :) But I have lived in both states, so I am qualified to make these observations.)

I was musing the other day about gas prices. Last spring, around May I think, I distinctly remember not filling up my entire gas tank, because gas prices had risen to the $1.90s. I was waiting for it to fall back to the $1.70 range. [It never did.] Gas prices continued to rise slowly throughout the summer, until suddenly the Katrina disaster caused prices to spike practically overnight to over a dollar more per gallon. I went from thinking that $2.40/gallon was high, to being faced with paying $3.50/gallon. When gas dropped down to $3.10 range, it was a huge relief. Suddenly gas was cheap again. [Not.] So anyway, I was contemplating this the other day when I noted gas prices as low as $1.97/gallon. I was thinking to myself that this was amazingly cheap until suddenly I remembered last spring, when I had considered that price to be too expensive to fill up my entire tank. It's amazing how your perspective can change in just a few short months.

Pretending to be Christine

2005-11-11T23:30:00.000-06:00

While in Missouri in August, during our costume photo shoot at Julie's, I got to wear the beautiful dress her mom made. It's a replica of the "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" dress that Christine wears in the stage version of "The Phantom of the Opera."

Sometimes it seemed, if I just dreamed, somehow you would be here...

Being a Single Young Woman

2005-10-13T13:04:00.000-05:00

Anyone who has read my Xanga blog probably realizes that the topic of the appropriate roles for single young women is something I'm particularly passionate about. Which is natural in the light of the fact that my position as a live-in nanny is condemned by many as being outside of my proper sphere. Admittedly, I have a personal bias here. But my bias is meaningless if it is in violation of Scripture, so I have wrestled long and hard over this. And I sincerely believe that Scripturally, there is nothing wrong with young women living outside of their parents' home, whether it be for college or jobs.

Which is why I find it particularly distressing when I am directly or indirectly told that I am in rebellion, sin, somehow outside of my role, outside the umbrella, or whatever cute phrase you want to use. I've battled against this for years (literally) and frankly, I am tired of it. My patience, unfortunately, is very very low. And I seriously fear that the next time I have to deal with this, I will just explode and react totally inappropriately. So maybe if I react here, that can be prevented.

When people get on their soapboxes (and yes I am on my own soapbox right now!) and tell young women that the Bible forbids them from living outside of their parents' roof, they are lying about the Word of God. When people tell me that I am in rebellion because I don't live with my daddy, they are making judgment calls that they have NO right to make. If they could point me to Scripture indicating that all young women are required to live with their parents until Prince Charming comes and carries them away, I would be more than happy to concede the point. There are no Scriptures that indicate this, directly or indirectly. Instead, there actually are Scriptures that directly REFUTE this. You need look no further than Exodus 21:7:

"And if a man sells his daughter to be a female slave..."

It kind of puts a hole into that theory that God requires girls to remain under the so-called "umbrella" of their parents. Because it seems to me that if that were the case, selling your daughter into slavery would kind of be forcing her outside of this "umbrella" and I'm not quite sure how a father can protect his daughter when she is legally owned by another man.

So Biblically speaking, if it's okay for my daddy to sell me as a slave, then why is it not okay for him to give me his blessing to work and live outside of his home? Would it be okay if he sold me to my employers instead?

The problem with the patriarchy movement and any other movement that adopts this way of thinking is that they aren't using the Bible as the authority for their beliefs. They are basing them on their own preferences and then exploiting and twisting Scripture to back them up (on the rare occasions that they actually do quote the Bible, instead of the latest book by a patriarchy guru). I've been told by proponents of patriarchy that if I left my parents' home (even with their blessing) that it would be like leaving a marriage. I found that statement extremely offensive on a number of levels and I was given no Scripture to back up this ridiculous assertion. I think it's time for people to stop inventing things about the Word of God and then judging those who don't conform to their warped view.