Author: Big Mama

I think it was Monday evening when Caroline mentioned that her throat felt a little scratchy and I gave her mom response option B which is “You’re fine. It’s just allergies.” But then she woke up Tuesday morning and it did seem like her voice was a little scratchy. However, she tends to play up any symptoms to their fullest and I felt like there was a little dramatic effect thrown in for good measure, mainly because she sounded less like someone with laryngitis and more like Kermit the Frog.

By the time I picked her up from school on Tuesday she had lapsed into full-blown, hack up a lung coughing, but insisted she still wanted to go watch the high school girls play soccer that evening with P. And, other than the cough, she seemed to be feeling fine so I agreed.

They got back home around 8:00 and she showered and got in bed but couldn’t quit coughing. When I went in to give her some cough medicine I pushed her hair back out of her face and that’s when I felt it. Fever.

Dang.

At some point in the last two months we have clearly angered all the germs and they have set up camp in our home to seek their vengeance. This might be payback for my mockery of essential oils.

(I know, I know. Essential oils are the greatest thing since Mr. Hall invented the cough drop and are the key to world peace and inner serenity. I’m not opposed to oils. I even have some peppermint oil and lavender oil in my home. I just forget to use them.)

(I need you to keep in mind that I also used to mock email and fax machines. My track record for recognizing innovation is poor at best.)

Anyway, Caroline woke up during the night with a cough that sounded like someone was trying to wrestle a cougar and – I’m no doctor – but I know that’s not how the human lungs are supposed to sound. And so it was clear by 7:00 a.m. that she wouldn’t be going to school but would absolutely be going to the doctor, especially when I took her temperature and realized it was 102 which is super high for her because she rarely has fever.

The doctor visit confirmed that she doesn’t have the flu or strep but rather some mystery virus that apparently comes with fever, a cough and a throat that feels like it’s on fire. So we picked up her favorite sweet tea from Raising Cane’s and came home and spent the day on the couch with Advil, a blanket, a hacking cough and some tears. I think the lowest point came about an hour ago when she sneezed all over me and then said, “Don’t worry, Mom. I didn’t get it on my blanket.”

Perfect. I’m so glad the blanket won’t catch her virus.

It has not been my favorite of the days.

And so that’s what’s going on around here.

Needless to say, I’m back in the Thin Mints. And the wine.

Just a couple or four quick things today.

1. Red beans and rice recipe

Several of you asked for my recipe yesterday but there are a couple of things you need to know.

First, I don’t actually use red beans. Second, I don’t really have a recipe. It’s all a little of this and a little of that.

1 pound pinto beans (you have to soak overnight or quick soak and bring to a boil and let simmer for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours)
2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 lbs smoked link sausage
Tony Chachere’s cajun seasoning
salt & pepper to taste

Cover beans with water and soak overnight or quick soak. Add water as needed. Drain water and then cover soaked beans with fresh water. Add cans of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce along with cajun seasoning, salt & pepper to taste. Let simmer for about thirty minutes and then cut sausage into quartered slices and add to beans. (If you want to get fancy you can cut up an onion and sauté with sausage before adding but I’m usually not fancy) Let simmer another 45 minutes and then serve over rice, preferably with some cornbread.

2. Mabel & Piper

The girls ride with me almost every day to pick Caroline up from school and they are always on high alert. This is no time for wagging tails or shenanigans. In fact, Mabel has (naturally) written a couple of haikus about it to add to her book of poetry.

Carpool means trouble
Kids running backpacks flying
I am on the case

Riding in the car
Isn’t for the faint of heart
Danger all around

Not to be left out, Piper also tried her hand at writing. Here’s what she came up with.

FOOD. WHEN WILL I GET MORE FOOD?

3. The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You by Jessica Turner

I think one of the hardest things about being a mom – especially a mom of little kids – is looking up and realizing you can’t remember the last time you did something for yourself or by yourself, including going to the bathroom. That’s why I thought you might want to know about Jessica Turner’s new book. It’s all about the importance of carving out a little time even in the midst of raising a family.

It’s available here on Amazon and here on Barnes & Noble.

4. 25:40 Love

I recently discovered the 25:40 Love shop online and fell in love with all their cute products. The best part is they feature a new charity each month and donate 15% of all profits to that charity. This month happens to be Show Hope which works to help orphans.

Just look at some of the great things they sell.

This great barn wood chalkboard

darling picture frames

And this Have faith pillow cover

I love when you can buy cute things for your home and give money toward a good cause all at the same time. And today the sweet people behind 25:40 are giving away a Have Faith pillow cover to one of you!

All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a comment on this post – maybe you can tell me what your favorite thing is from their store. You can find all their great products here. I’ll leave comments open until this Sunday and then pick a winner using Random.org.

Hope you have a great day.

It’s been a nice three day weekend around here except for the part where Caroline just remembered at 9:00 p.m. that she had a bunch of makeup math homework due tomorrow from the two days of school she missed last week.

Related note: I just poured myself another glass of wine and opened up a box of Thin Mints.

On Friday night Caroline had plans with friends and P was at the ranch, so I had a couple of friends over and hung out until the late hour of 8:00 p.m. when I decided I was in need of my pajamas and the couch. Caroline got home about 9:15 and I managed to stay awake until 10:15 before we crashed for the night.

Saturday morning was delightful, mainly because P took the puppies to the ranch and that meant I got to sleep in for the first time in ages. And the truth is some stupid birds woke me up with all their cheerful chirping and greeting of the day around 7:30 but I was able to roll right back over and pass out until 9:15 and I don’t feel even one bit bad about it.

Then Caroline had more plans because her social life is much more interesting than mine these days and I cleaned up the house and attempted to organize a few things before I braved Central Market. Apparently this is where everyone in the greater San Antonio decided to spend their Valentine’s Day afternoon because it was packed. PACKED. There were all manner of people buying exotic fruits and fancy pastries and special crackers to celebrate their Valentine.

As for me, I bought some Romaine lettuce, a bottle of wine and some sour cream because I am just that fancy.

Later that evening most of my dad’s whole side of the family came over for pizza. We hardly ever all get together these days because everyone is busy and scattered, but my aunt and uncle were in from Houston and so a big group of us decided it would be fun to catch up. That whole side of the family is Italian so I’ll tell you that in addition to being a lot of fun, it was also very loud.

At one point I looked around the room and saw Caroline playing with my cousins’ kids and my sister’s kids and thought how amazed my Me-Ma and Pa-Pa would be if they were here to see it all. All this family and this next generation that’s coming up. We all spent so much time at their house when we were all little kids that it’s hard to believe we’re now all full grown adults with kids of our own.

If you could hear me this might be when I’d choose to sing a chorus of Circle of Life from The Lion King. And maybe I could hold Mabel over my head for dramatic purposes.

P got home on Sunday and we spent the rest of the day just relaxing and catching up on all our various activities. I also chose to bathe all three dogs since the weather was supposed to get cold and I decided if they were going to spend that much time inside I’d prefer that they not smell like the owl poop they found to roll in while at the ranch.

Piper and Scout are not fans of the bath and barely tolerate it, but I think Mabel would ask for bubble bath and candles if she were aware of the concept. She thoroughly enjoys a good bath which I think can be traced to all the hydrotherapy I had to give her while she recovered from her javelina injuries.

Yes, that’s a real sentence that I just typed.

Then on Monday we celebrated President’s Day with a morning soccer camp and then avoiding the rain and the cold by lying on the couch and watching movies. I also cooked a big pot of red beans and rice which happens to be one of my favorite cold weather meals that I’ve neglected to cook all winter because no one else in my house loves it as much as I do. But I loved myself so much when I ate a big bowl of it with homemade cornbread just a little bit of go. There was a fire in the fireplace and the sound of rain falling outside and I thought life couldn’t get much better.

Until Caroline remembered all that math homework. And I remembered that I don’t know how to convert percentages into fractions.

That’s right. This Saturday is Valentine’s Day.

We’ll be celebrating in our usual way which basically involves avoiding eating at a restaurant at all costs on the day when you’re guaranteed to have a forty-five minute wait time. I’ve found it’s much more enjoyable to sit around and eat chocolate in the comfort of your own home.

The truth is P was planning to cook Caroline and me a Valentine’s dinner last night to get a jump on the festivities, but her stomach bug caused us to put those plans on hold until sometime next week. The good news is she’s feeling much better and should be back at school to finish the week for which I am grateful.

Anyway, whether you care about Valentine’s Day or despise Valentine’s Day or feel indifferent about Valentine’s Day, there are lots of cute things this week that you could buy for yourself to mark the occasion.

And just a reminder that Barrington Gifts is offering 10% off with code LOVE10 at checkout in case you want to go big.

1. sam edelman lida espadrille flat

Speaking of going big, these are not a bargain shoe. However, they are so fun that I had to show them. I love a shoe that can make an outfit and these totally fit that qualification.

2. triple chevron layering necklace

This is a great accessory to throw on with even a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Even better, it’s only $16.

3. lace shift dress

I have not seen this dress in person so I cannot vouch for its length or its quality. But it seems to have potential and it’s only $48, plus Nordstrom has free shipping and free returns. It also comes in navy.

It’s in the junior department so, if nothing else, it might be great for your high school or college aged girl.

4. steve madden pondrosa suede boot

I ordered these boots in black when they were full price and loved them, yet decided I didn’t need them. But now they are 40% off which makes them just $77.96. I may have to reconsider my earlier claim that I didn’t need them.

5. lush cuff sleeve woven top

I saw this top in the store a few weeks ago and meant to mention it and then forgot. It’s a great style with some interesting details. It’s only $34 and comes in lots of colors. Perfect by itself or layered under something because it has some length to it or is thin enough to do a half-tuck.

6. tassel lariat necklace

This is similar to my Kendra Scott necklace that I adore, but a bargain version. This one is only $48 and also comes in silver.

7. laced interlude tee

How pretty is this? It’s rodeo time in San Antonio and this would be perfect with a pair of skinny jeans and some cowboy boots. It’s on sale for $49.95 at Anthropologie. I’d totally get it if I didn’t already have so many things in my closet that look similar.

8. dari shirtdress

I was on the fence about this shirtdress – not because I don’t love it, but because the reviews aren’t great. Yet hope springs eternal that it’s a keeper. It’s on sale for $69.95 and I may have to drive out to the store to see if they have one in person.

9. i want knit all cardigan

This is a great piece to transition from winter to spring. Or spring to summer depending on where you live. It’s lightweight and easy to throw on over a tank or a tee shirt or a dress like the one above to give it that little extra something that layers offer to an outfit.

10. west coast striped dress

I realize this may not look like much, but I think it would be so versatile. Cute with sandals or Converse when the weather is really hot or paired with a denim jacket, boots and a scarf when it’s cool. Or even as a swimsuit coverup.

Best of all, Ruche is offering 25% off everything through February 16 with code LOVEYOU at checkout.

That’s it for today.

Have a great Friday.

Well today didn’t quite go as planned.

When I tucked Caroline into bed on Tuesday night she complained the her stomach hurt and she had a headache, but I just kind of blew it off because I figured she was tired and would feel better in the morning. However, morning came and she was clearly feeling worse.

I was already scheduled to finish recording the last half of the audio version of Nobody’s Cuter Than You at 10:00 a.m. so I stayed with Caroline until it was time to go and then P was working right around the corner and filled in until I finished around 1:00 p.m.

On my way home I called to see if there was anything she wanted from the grocery store and she said, “Yes! What can I eat?” I listed off bananas, rice, applesauce or toast but she didn’t want any of those because she is her mother’s daughter and no matter how bad her stomach may feel she will ask for sushi or a pepperoni pizza. I can’t explain why we are like this but it’s a real thing. Do not offer us Saltines and Ginger Ale. We want none of that sensible nonsense.

So the rest of the afternoon was spent trying to find things she could eat that wouldn’t make her worse. It was basically a total exercise in frustration for both of us until we finally reached a compromise and I let her have Cheerios without milk.

I also took this opportunity to watch a few episodes of The Good Wife on my laptop and reorganize the shelves in my closet. At some point the shelf that holds my workout clothes had become mingled with the shelf that holds my leggings and tank tops and it was causing all manner of confusion when I get dressed in the morning. It just goes to show that I will let so many areas of my life remain completely unorganized, but I have to have order in my closet.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is it was a fairly uneventful day until I was on Twitter and noticed that the Dot Mom Conference had posted the line up for the conference this fall and that Christy Nockels is leading worship.

Umm.

What?

I already knew Sophie and I were going to be at Dot Mom again this year and that we’re not only emceeing but also speaking at one of the keynote sessions. However, I had no idea about Christy Nockels and now I am totally beside myself with excitement. I just need to practice acting like a normal person who won’t immediately ask for a comprehensive list of all her hair products the moment we meet.

And in case you’re wondering, Dot Mom this year will also feature Karen Kingsbury, Sherry Surratt, and Rebekah Lyons. It’s in Nashville, TN this September 26-27 at Brentwood Baptist Church and is open to moms of all ages and stages. You can find out more here. And I’m not sure if I mentioned this, but Christy Nockels will be leading worship.

But as for right now I need to go curl up with my sweet, sick girl and watch a movie.

See y’all tomorrow for Fashion Friday.

In lieu of any type of real paragraphs that tell you all about how I went to get my car washed yesterday and then returned some things to Old Navy, I’m just going to fill you in on a few things you might want to know about.

Trust me. It’s better this way.

1. Free ebook download

Just in case you haven’t heard, my memoir about marriage, The Antelope In The Living Room, is free right now in ebook form. This means it will cost you exactly FREE DOLLARS to download it wherever you like to get your ebooks for your Kindle or Nook or what have you.

2. Valentine’s Day playlist

One of my very favorite musical groups (as opposed to groups of people that are non-musical?) is Lady Antebellum. And so I was excited to find this Valentine’s Day playlist that Charles created for his wife’s blog. I’m a sucker for a good love song.

Of course you can always just opt to listen to Diana Ross and Lionel Richie sing Endless Love on constant repeat instead. I can sing both parts of that song. Not well, mind you, but still.

3. Hymns for Her

Speaking of love songs, Dave Barnes has a new EP out just in time for Valentine’s Day. I’m more than a little bit in love with it. You can find it here on iTunes.

And just so you understand the depth of my love for Dave, here’s a promo video he made for it.

4. Barrington Gifts

I believe I’ve mentioned how much I love my Barrington tote. And so I was excited to see they’re currently offering 10% when you use the code LOVE10 at checkout. You can find all their great products here.

5. Target video

A friend of mine found this video on Facebook and sent it to me before I’d even finished the post I wrote yesterday. It confirms that Target has some magical hold on us all.

In fact, I need to go return something there tomorrow and I’m worried returning my $15 item will end up costing me an additional $100 before I get out of there.