Author: Big Mama

That darn cat

While I was gone this past weekend, Caroline informed P that we are frequently victims of an unwanted visitor.

Specifically, an invisible cat.

On Saturday morning, she called P into her playroom and asked him if he could find her Elefun game. He looked around and couldn’t find it.

“See? It’s gone. The invisible cat took it.”

“The invisible cat?”

“Yes, the invisible cat that sneaks in and takes my toys. The cat took my Elefun.”

“What does the cat look like?”

“I don’t know. HE’S INVISIBLE.” (accompanied by a world weary sigh to indicate she is exhausted by the sub-par intellect of her parents)

She makes a valid point. (about the invisible part, not the sub-par intellect)

I just hate to tell her that the invisible cat has a name and its name is MAMA.

But as long as the cat is getting the blame, I sense a wholesale playroom cleanout coming on.
Christmas in September

If y’all are interested, head on over to the LifeWay Allacess blog for a chance to win Travis Cottrell’s new Christmas CD, Ring the Bells.

I’ve already heard some of the songs and they are causing me to break my own personal rule of no Christmas music until after Thanksgiving.
Striving for new levels of lazy

Yesterday I stayed in my pajamas until 1:45 p.m.

You might think I’d be embarrassed to admit that I had such a completely unproductive Monday, but you would be wrong.

Honestly, the only reason I changed out of my pajamas was because I didn’t want my friend who was bringing Caroline home from school to see that I was wearing the same thing I had on at 8:00 a.m. when she picked her up.

I’m all about the illusion of productivity.

And once I was dressed, I decided I might as well bathe the dogs while I was waiting on Caroline to get home because they had gotten to the point where they smelled like something that would cause a skunk to have olfactory envy.

Which reminds me of a story that P told me the other night about a friend’s dog who came home smelling beyond foul and they finally discovered he had rolled in a dead horse.

True story.

And I bet some of you are wishing I hadn’t told you about it, but it’s been in my head for weeks and I just had to get it out.

So you might be wondering what I did all day whilst in my pajamas.

And even if you’re not, you’re going to find out because here’s the thing, when you spend the majority of the day at home in your pajamas there isn’t much to blog about.

I got up with Caroline and made scrambled eggs, which she actually ate as opposed to just pushing them around on her plate. It was probably due to the fact that I bribed her with the promise of a Starburst if she ate them.

But it worked and I totally plan on using the same Jedi-mind trick tomorrow.

After she left, I had grand plans to take the dogs for a long walk but then discovered that my iPod was dead and clearly I can’t be expected to walk without any musical accompaniment. What am I going to do? Listen to nature?

So instead I answered some email, ate some Smart Start, and made a grocery list with every intention of going to HEB. But then P mentioned he’d grill hamburgers for dinner and we had everything we needed, so why would I go to the store for things we won’t need until tomorrow?

Procrastination is an entirely unappreciated art form.

Anyway, by 10:30 a.m. I was at a loss so I carefully weighed all my options and went with Option C, which was to catch up on all my recorded episodes of “Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood”.

I’ve already admitted I spent the day in my pajamas, I might as well throw out that I have a fondness for Tori Spelling.

Don’t act like none of you cried as the students of West Bev High chanted “Donna Martin graduates! Donna Martin graduates!”

By the way, Option A was to go to Target and Option B was to take a nap.

The next thing I knew I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to the sound of the phone ringing. And thank goodness it did or I wouldn’t have been awake to change out of my pajamas before Caroline got home.

Which would have been more embarrassing than admitting that I watch “Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood”.

Or maybe not.

But today is a new day and I have big plans.

I may even get dressed before noon.
Up in the air

Okay, so I wrote this yesterday on the plane, but the thing about being a gazillion feet in the air and flying over a desert is that there is no wireless connection. However, all this holds true today except the part about actually sitting on a plane.

I’m sitting on the plane on my way home from Las Vegas.

Oh yes, I have become quite the jet setter.

Unfortunately, I made a critical error and didn’t check in until I arrived at the airport, which placed me way down in the dregs of category B boarding. As I walked on the plane, I searched frantically for an aisle seat because, hello, claustrophobia issues.

Much to my dismay I now find myself seated next to some people who apparently indulged in too much Indian cuisine and adult beverages last night. The smell of scotch and curry is thick.

I’m not worried that they are reading this over my shoulder though because it’s safe to say they are out for the duration of the flight.

So now I’m just sitting here, breathing through my mouth, listening to some Christmas music because my iPod is on shuffle and it found its way to some holiday tunes. Who knew Christmas music could be so enjoyable in early September?

Oh, iPod. You know me better than I know myself.

Anyway, it was a great weekend in Vegas. I arrived around noon on Friday and Sophie picked me up at the airport.

We checked into our hotel and then immediately went in search of Mexican food because that is what we do. The concierge recommended a place called Lindo Mihoacan and the only reason I know how to spell it is because I still have the receipt from lunch. I couldn’t pronounce the name right now if you offered me a $106.

It was the first time I have ever been in a Mexican restaurant that didn’t know what I was talking about when I tried to order chips and queso. I was frightened for my palate.

I mean I once ate at a Mexican restaurant in Wisconsin and was able to order queso, which, granted, Wisconsin is the cheese capitol of the U.S. but still as far away from Mexico as one can get.

Which probably explains why the restaurant was called Charlie O’Brien’s Cantina.

The point is we ate a queso-less lunch, but did have some decent guacamole so all was not lost.

After lunch we hit the strip and played the slots for the next 24 hours.

Oh sure. Like we’d have that many quarters.

We spent most of the weekend at the Deeper Still event and it was incredible. Over the next week, we’ll be putting a lot of video and pictures up over at the Allaccess blog if you want to check it out.

You know, the last two years of my life have brought some huge changes. I resigned from my job and we became a single income family, which is a tricky proposition when that single income is based on a business that comes with seasonal fluctuations. I have been stretched and challenged in ways I couldn’t have imagined and have had my share of nights where I’ve been awake at 3 a.m. wondering how things would ever work out.

But in the midst of all that have come some of the biggest blessings of my life. I’ve seen God provide for our family in ways I couldn’t have imagined. After years of feeling trapped in a job that never felt quite right, I’m getting to do something that I enjoy.

And yes, there are still days and circumstances that are a struggle, where I still feel like I’m being pushed way beyond my comfort zone. I’m still learning to walk by faith and not by sight, which is hard for a semi-recovering control freak.

But like Priscilla Shirer said on Friday night, the purpose of the journey isn’t necessarily to get us to the Promised Land, but to get us to draw closer to God.

I find myself more drawn to Him than I’ve ever been in my life because He is where I find my provision. He is where I find my strength. There have been so many times in the last two years that life just hasn’t seemed to make sense unless I look at it through eyes of faith.

I’ve spent a lot of time lately worrying about what will happen or what won’t happen, and I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this once or eight hundred times, but I’m not a big fan of change.

But that’s life. It’s about change and it’s about trusting Him in the midst of those changes.

Even if some of them are as jarring as going from Travis Cottrell singing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” on your iPod to being blasted with “Mary, Mary” by Run D.M.C.

On Friday night, Priscilla shared this verse from Job 42:5, “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.”

By the grace of God, my eyes are learning to see. To really see Him.

Oh that they would see Him more.
Edition 36: Fashion Friday

Oh, yes. Fashion Friday is back.

For real.

I know there were some who thought it wouldn’t happen. There were rumors that I had given up on Fashion Friday.

Actually, I don’t know that anyone cared enough to discuss it, but it makes me feel better to think that maybe they did, so we’ll go with that theory.

Now that Caroline is back in school, I have spent a lot of hours shopping.

It’s all in the name of research.

Here is what I’ve discovered. If I had saved everything in my closet between 1986 and 1989, I could pull it out, wear it tomorrow and totally be in style.

Plaid shirts with ruffles down the front? Check. Ankle booties? Check. Gray jeans with tapered legs? Check.

I’m not going to lie, I’m frightened.

In fact, when A.J. got home from Africa, she informed me that top-siders are back in style. And I was all like, “NO WAY!” (because apparently my linguistic skills have also regressed back to 1988.)

She told me that everyone is wearing them and that they are so comfortable.

Yes, I know they are comfortable because I used to wear them frequently with my denim prairie skirt.

The truth is that I actually need a comfortable, flat shoe in my life, but the top-sider isn’t going to happen. I just don’t have the time to roll up the ends of those laces anymore while I make an awesome mix tape.

The point is that the fall trends have a lot of 80’s influence, so proceed with caution and remember less is more. I realize that fashion lesson sailed right over the heads of the cast of “Dynasty”, but it’s not too late for you.

Top Fall Trends

1. Berry Colors

This would explain all the purple I’m seeing in stores everywhere. I have to be honest, I’m not a fan of purple. In fact, I don’t know that I’ve ever owned a piece of purple clothing other than a pair of purple socks I wore in second grade because I wanted to be like Donny Osmond.

It just makes me feel like a grape. But that’s just my own personal issue.

The good news is that you don’t have to go with purple. You can look for fuschia, magenta, or burgundy.

Here are a few great pieces that will help you add these colors to your wardrobe.

2. Plaid

I told someone that being in Nordstrom the other day was like experiencing time travel. But without Michael J. Fox or a DeLorean.

I have never seen so much plaid.

It made me think about an outfit I had during my junior year that was a red plaid skirt with a red plaid shirt (Seriously? Was I Scottish in 1987?) but it was reversible and had houndstooth print on the other side. I can’t even describe how cool I was.

Especially when I wore it with my little Esprit booties that looked like they had wool socks coming out the top. Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.

Anyway, plaid is making a fierce comeback. I knew I should have saved that outfit.

Curse you, closet cleanout of 1991.

Here are a few cute things that will add some plaid to your closet.

Esprit booties are optional.

3. Floral/Abstract Prints

Although I do enjoy a floral print in moderation, just the term “floral print” makes me think of Mrs. Roper from “Three’s Company”.

There again, it’s probably just me.

Prints are very in this season. Look for them in jewel-tone colors or rich oranges and browns.

These are some really pretty floral prints.

Just remember, don’t overdo it or you might look like Mrs. Roper.

4. Romantic Blouses

Think satin, lace and ruffles. Not necessarily all at the same time.

Here are a few feminine, romantic blouses. You can dress them down with a pair of jeans or dress them up with a pencil skirt or a great pair of pants.

And I realize that this isn’t a blouse, but it is romantic and feminine and I ADORE it with every fiber of my being. This one, too.

If Anthropologie needs anyone to test either of these out, I am happy to volunteer my services. However, I’m afraid the only people interested in me trying anything out are the people who sell breakfast cereal.

And who cares about that?

5. A great pair of jeans

I’ll be honest. This isn’t on any actual trend list for the fall and I’ll tell you why. The fashion experts assume that if you care about fashion AT ALL, you will already own a great pair of jeans.

And I realize that I tend to harp on this A LOT.

But jeans are important, Ladies. (And you three gentlemen) Do not underestimate the power of a great pair of jeans. They will change your life.

Now is the time to find a pair of jeans that you will love and cherish. Don’t wait to lose five pounds, don’t wait until there’s a big sale, GO.

GO NOW.

You don’t need to spend a bunch of money, just find a pair that fit really well and are in style. They can be boot leg, straight leg (God bless you for your bravery) or trouser jeans. Once you have a really good pair of jeans, it makes everything in your closet look better. I guarantee it.

I’ll be back next week with the other five trends for fall. In the meantime, I’d love to hear from you if you’ve found some great fall items that you can’t live without.

Oh, and I’m heading to Las Vegas this weekend to blog about Deeper Still on LifeWay Allaccess because what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas. You can catch up with me there throughout the weekend.

Y’all have a great Friday!
Maybe one day she’ll be vice-president

This past weekend we spent the day with A.J. and her family down at their ranch. Late Saturday afternoon, A.J.’s daddy found a tortoise and brought it back to the house to show Caroline.

And, like she does with all God’s creatures, she almost loved that poor tortoise to death.

I think the dog was waiting for a golden opportunity in the form of a dropped tortoise.

Shortly after I took this picture, she asked me if I’d like to hold her tortoise, whom she named Becky.

Yes. Yes I would love to hold that tortoise as soon as I find a butter knife so that I can saw my hands off after I finish touching it.

We spent the better part of thirty minutes watching Becky try to plot an escape route off the porch, but tortoise security was tight.

Then Becky came up with a brilliant plan. She pooped.

Not just any poop, but some kind of disgusting alien tortoise poop.

From that moment on, Becky was dead to Caroline.

And good riddance, I say, because I was a little afraid that we had found ourselves a new pet.

I prefer my pets without any type of shell. Or amphibious tendencies.

Fortunately, Caroline and P found a good way to pass the rest of the afternoon.

It’s a scene I imagined so many times as I folded all those precious pink dresses and dreamed of all the baby girl sweetness that life with a daughter would bring.