Strawberry Butter

Good Tuesday morning!

The Gallery Pics are of Roxie's room and it's slow progression toward completion. We're getting there! I also have a pic of Mikie, Austin and Josh wearing their Auburn Championship hats. Roxie has a t-shirt, but by the time Austin got in last night, she was already in bed. She'll get her own "by herself" picture added in The Gallery tomorrow proudly wearing her Auburn shirt.

RANDOMNESS #1 - My friend, Robin, had an interesting tidbit I thought I would pass along today. "There is an app for Mac you can download that is a pill reminder. A little pill blinks at you until you take the pill and click on it. I figure if I must get old, I will do it with style!" Robin is on the cutting edge of technology. Me... not so much.

Usually, I spend 30 minutes or so trying to remember if I did take my pill. Then I have to call the pharmacist to see what will happen if I take two pills because I can't remember if I took the first one. When the pharmacist says, "That would be bad," I have to decide if not taking a pill at all will be detrimental. It's mentally exhausting. Almost as mentally exhausting as trying to figure out how to use a Mac and an app. I am so BEHIND on technology... and until I find the meaning (and really understand it) of the word "widget," I fear I will always, always be a techno-dinosaur.

RANDOMNESS #2 - For all of you Panic Attack sufferers out there, today is Honesty Day. In other words, Pollyanna has left the building.

I have started seeing a new doctor who prescribed a medication. I have been dealing with Panic Attacks without the regular medication because I didn't like how it made me feel four years ago when this particular journey began.

This doctor prescribed a new medication for me to try. So far, the Panic Attacks have escalated, and I can honestly say they are worse than my original attacks four years ago... which is saying a lot. Also, I'm beginning to itch.

Fun fact for you... When you're 49 years-old, you don't care quite as much about scratching in public. In fact, you don't care at all. (Maybe that's just 49 year-olds on medication.)

After a talk with the doctor last night at 10:12, we decided to start coming off the meds (oh, yeah), and she gave me some breathing exercises to try. The exercises were helpful... unlike the breathing exercise they tell you to do when you are in labor having nine pound babies.

Long story short, I'm still struggling with this particular illness four years later, and I am ready to get better if at all possible. My heartfelt prayer for 2011 is to do just that. I'm praying God will answer that prayer with a "YES!"

My new doctor told me if I had to have an illness, Anxiety Disorder was the best one to have because it is so treatable. As I scratch my way through Wal-Mart headed to the blood pressure machine, I'm beginning to wonder if she's right.

RANDOMNESS #3 - I'm all for aging normally and gracefully, etc. But I've been thinking about the next decade of my life and what it may hold. Technically, I could have married children and grandchildren. There's no doubt my friends will be having marriages and grandchildren in their own families.

So I've come to a decision. I think I'm going to start a Botox envelope. I'll just use it for those joyful occasions when I may be photographed at certain events. Between Body Pump, wearing two pair of Spanx at a time and Botox, I could come off looking pretty good. And I'm prepared to be honest about it. I'm not going to deny that I've had poison directly injected into my face to get rid of signs of natural aging.

My guess is I'll probably have some major itching. I may be scratching, but I'll be looking good!

Strawberry Butter

Melia and her mom, Lisa, made Strawberry Butter after Christmas, and they were kind enough to share not one, not two, BUT three containers of this delicious spread with Austin and family. It is WONDERFUL.

You will need the following:

1 pound butter (not margarine)
1 box powdered sugar
1 8 ounce box frozen strawberries

1. Soften butter.

2. Cream with sugar.

3. Add the strawberries. Mix very well.

4. Serve with fresh, hot bread, biscuits OR muffins.

If you like strawberries (and your know you do), this is a wonderfully easy spread to make and enjoy with your breakfast. Or you can give it as a gift to the Faulkners... three different times. You do whatever you think best.

Enjoy!

Have a blessed Tuesday. Wednesday Wisdom, Seasonal Traditions/Parties, Randomness and new pics are only a day away, and if I do say so myself, I've got some good stuff. Be sure and check in Wednesday.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting (and Anxiety-Ridden) Belinda

Weekend Happenings

Good Friday morning!

The Gallery Pics are from last night's dinner. I made Martha Stewart's Bacon/Egg/Toast Muffin. It was quick, easy and delicious. I'll be posting the entire recipe on Tuesday's post, but the pics will be posted today. A little blog teaser!

CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST! - In honor of my 500th post on A Simple Life, I am having a contest for the last Mystery Bag Party. The first SIX WOMEN who comment in the Comment Section, via e-mail or Facebook beginning 6:30 a.m. Friday, OCTOBER 1, will be eligible to climb on board the Big Gold Van for the fourth and final Mystery Bag Party!

I'll announce winners as soon as the first six people have entered the contest. Mark it on your calendars... Friday, October 1 at 6:30 a.m.

REMINDER #1 - Belinda's Project Life is up and running! So far, it is current! I'm having problems posting on Facebook, but unless something goes terribly, horribly wrong, it will always be posted by 10:00 p.m. each night. Tonight, Saturday and Sunday will be no exception!

REMINDER #2 - If you are a Newbie, click on Newbie Information on my right sidebar. It will give you all the information you need to become acquainted with A Simple Life.

RANDOMNESS #1 - I think I want a chicken. Just one. And I think I want a chicken that lays brown eggs. And I think I want to start cooking with my own fresh, brown eggs. But if I get a chicken, do I need a rooster? And if I get a rooster, will he be enough company for the chicken... or will she need another chicken/girlfriend to hang out with when she and the rooster are not getting along? (I hear roosters are very egotistical and not very good listeners.)

Don't mention this to Mikie yet. I don't what to "ruffle his feathers." Get it? I made a rooster joke.

I'm going to think about it a little more.

RANDOMNESS #2 - I had a horrible panic attack yesterday afternoon. It was one of the worst ones I've experienced in a long time. As soon as it passed and I was able to breathe again, I opened my Bible and read and read and read. And look what I came across...

"When we're feeling overwhelmed, frightened, uncertain of which way to turn (PANIC ATTACK... CAN'T BREATHE, CAN'T FOCUS, HEART RACING), God is in control of our journey. Even if there are hidden obstacles along the way, we need not stay paralyzed with fear (PANIC ATTACK... CAN'T BREATHE, CAN'T FOCUS, HEART RACING, LEGS NUMB, BREAKING INTO A COLD SWEAT). While we can see only the next step in front of us (PANIC ATTACK... I'M GOING TO DIE), God sees the whole path (NOT TODAY, BELINDA... AND NOT FROM A PANIC ATTACK). He knows what's up ahead, and He will be our faithful guide till the end of our days (Psalm 48:14). Just as He led the Israelites through the desert by pillars of both cloud and fire, in His compassion He will shine His light on the way we are to take (Nehemiah 9:19). We will never be abandoned in our times of desperate need (Psalm 142:6)."

"When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way." Psalm 142:3.

I share this only to let you know (again) things are not perfect over here. I try not to dwell on a lot of the negatives on A Simple Life because I want it to be a place you ENJOY visiting, and I'd much rather encourage you than "bring you down." But the reality is we all live in an imperfect world. There are people all around us hurting, searching, stuck in the depths of despair.

And it's our job to find them, pray for them, give them an encouraging word, a hand to hold, an ear to listen, a kind word to lighten their spirit... It's our responsibility. It isn't a choice. It's the right thing to do. And I have to remind myself to do those things each and every day. And too many days, I fail.

Weekend Happenings

The weekend begins a little scattered for the Faulkner Five. Austin will be traveling to Atlanta for the JSU game, but he'll be home Sunday morning for church, food, laundry and Melia (not necessarily in that order, I am sure).

SEMI-FUNNY STORY - When Austin left for school last year and was coming home on the weekend, someone told me, "You know he's not coming home to see you. He's only coming home to see Melia."

To which I very honestly replied, "I don't care! As long as I get to see him even five minutes on the weekends, I don't care!"

And that only made me love Melia more!

Okay. I digress. Back to Weekend Happenings... Josh is going to the high school football game with a friend Friday evening. I'm helping chaperon a birthday party for one of Roxie's friends, and Mikie is meeting Austin for dinner in Gadsden. See what I mean? Scattered.

Saturday will remain scattered with Josh attending an English "class" at UAB with fellow students (worth mega bonus points), and cutting a yard or two when he comes home that afternoon.

Four out of five Faulkners should be "back in the house" by 4:00 or 5:00 p.m. Saturday night... where we all plan to crash!

Sunday, the Faulkner Five will hopefully be attending church and having Sunday dinner together. Our church resumes classes Sunday night, so we'll be attending different Bible studies throughout the building. (I'll let you know which class I pick Monday!)

And that's it for us. As always, EVERYTHING is subject to change when you have three teenagers in the mix!

Have a great weekend. Plan a date (or two or three), eat dinner with the family, watch a movie or a football game together, TAKE A MUCH NEEDED NAP, attend your church and enjoy the fellowship and time spent there, reach out to someone in need, call someone who has been on your heart this week, and by all means, take a little time to notice the simple pleasures which are all around. Like roosters in someone's driveway!

Next week, I have many, many ideas to share, so come back to A Simple Life just to take a peek!

Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

Water Date

Good Thursday morning!

The Gallery Pics are of Roxie and Ally's "run" after church. We'll see if it becomes a habit!

RANDOMNESS - Fun fact for you... When you have panic attacks on a regular basis, AND your panic attacks are the kind where you think you're having a heart attack, blood pressure readings become a way of life. I mean, if I see a blood pressure machine in a gas station next to the beer display, I'm all over that, baby.

The last couple of weeks have been trying, at best, so I've been hitting all of the blood pressure machines around town... CVS, K-Mart, Wal-mart, etc. And since I ALWAYS have a low blood pressure reading, imagine my "panic" when my blood pressure was 134 over 64 at the K-Mart blood pressure machine last night on the way to church. It has never been that high! Never!

For those of you who may be peacefully unaware, anything under 120 (top number) is normal and anything under 80 (bottom number) is normal. That being said, my bottom number was normal, but that is not good enough. No, siree!

The kids had already made it to church, but I decided to go to another drugstore before heading to service. This particular drugstore does not have a machine. The pharmacists take the blood pressure personally.

A nice young girl came out from around the counter with a blood pressure cuff. She put it on, pressed a button... and nothing happened. "Hmmm. Someone said this one was broken." She reset it. Pressed the button. Again, nothing. She did it again. Nada.

"Maybe they were right. Maybe it really is broken," I offered.

"Yeah. Let me get another cuff," she said, and off she went.

She brought the next cuff out and wrapped it around my arm. It was a manual cuff. She quickly pumped it up, listened, watched and announced, "Okay. It's 120 over 100. Hmmm."

"What? Five minutes ago it was 134 over 64. My bottom number isn't supposed to be over 80. In fact, the chart on the CVS machine clearly says 100 and above is DANGEROUS."

"Yeah. That's definitely not good," she agreed.

"Do you think we could do it one more time?" I asked. She was a VERY sweet girl, and I was being equally sweet, too. You know, since I was on my way to church and all.

"Sure." And with that, she re-cuffed me, pumped it up, listened and watched. "Hmmm. Now I'm not getting anything at all. Like, I'm not even hearing your pulse. Do you feel okay?"

"Well, I know I'm still feeling alive," I answered. "Tell you what. Let's start over, and try just one more time, and then we'll decide if we need to call the ambulance or not."

"Okay," she said, cheerfully. Again, a very sweet girl.

Third time was a charm. I had a reading of 110 over 70... both very good numbers.

"All right. I'm going to church (to pray), and then I'm going to come back over and get it checked one more time before I head home. Is that okay?" I asked.

"That's fine. I won't be here, but someone else will be able to take it for you."

"Perfect." So I headed across the street to pray.

As soon as church was over, I headed back to the drugstore and a new young girl came from around the back of the counter with the broken cuff.

"That cuff is broken," I told her.

She smiled sweetly and put it on my arm and pushed a few buttons. "Hmmm. This cuff isn't working."

"No, it isn't," I agreed. "I think it's because it's broken, and all. You're probably going to have to use the manual cuff." (I knew God was very pleased at how "sweet" I was being... but it was getting harder by the minute.)

"I don't know how to do that yet, and there isn't anyone else here tonight who can read blood pressure. What are you going to do?" I could tell she was genuinely concerned, so I told her I was going to run to a couple of machines and then visit my friends, The Paramedics.

They know me by name, and if it is a slow night, they'll even let me bunk on a cot. I don't know about you, but the next best thing to staying with a relative in the hospital who has just had surgery is staying with The Paramedics. They have heart starting machinery, oxygen and my snoring doesn't seem to bother them a bit!

DISCLAIMER - Please know I do not sleep at the local Fire Station. That part is a joke. But, please know I have asked if I could. Seriously. I did.

A few more stops at local blood pressure machines around town, a few more good readings, and I was ready to head home and go to bed.

I don't know how you spend your summer evenings, but I'm not going to recommend "blood pressure machine hopping" as a date anytime soon. I think we can come up with something better than that, don't you?

Blog Linkage - Today's linkage is all local, but all good. It is very light, summertime reading. Enjoy!

1. If you want to experience summer in Canada through the eyes of a family who has just moved to that part of the country, click on "The Phillips Home" under My Blog List.

2. If you want to experience summer in Texas with no air conditioning through the eyes of mom who has recently gone through that traumatic experience, click on "Big Mama" under My Blog List.

3. If you love dogs with floppy bellies, click on "Confessions of a Pioneer Woman" under My Blog List.

4. If you love newborn babies (and we all do), click on "a little bit of me" under My Blog List.

5. If you are on a budget and try to look for free things to do on vacation... and sometimes it just doesn't work out, go to www.coalcreekfarm.com.

Water Date

How many of you have ever gone to Spring Valley Beach? I think I am one of the few who have not been, but I have always heard wonderful things about this water park.

It is not an inexpensive date and it is a large, "spread out" kind of place. However, one-on-one with your date would be a perfect way to spend plenty of quality time keeping cool during these incredibly hot summer days.

Birmingham Bargain Mom readers will receive a $2 off discount on admission (per person) when they print the post found on her website and present it at the ticket office. Go to http://blog.al.com/bargain-mom.com. Scroll down until you see Spring Valley Beach Promotion. Click on the title and print off the information. They have to see the paper. They will not give you the discount because you have read about it. The discount is good Monday through Friday, anytime during the day.

To get directions and see what Spring Valley Beach is ALL about, go to their website at www.springvalleybeach.com.

Take a picnic and sunscreen, and make it an all-day date!

Have a terrific Thursday. Is that right? Can it really be Thursday? Oh, my! This week has flown! Slow down, Summer! Friday, as always, I'll be sharing Weekend Happenings and a couple of pics... and depending on what happens today, maybe a story or two.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

Strawbernut Ice Cream

Good Tuesday morning!

The Gallery Pics this morning are courtesy of the Zac Brown Band. Well, actually, they are the photos I took of Hannah and Roxie before they left for the Zac Brown Band concert Friday night. They are rockin' those cowgirl hats, aren't they? (But with a humidity level at nearly 100%, we just used them for the pics, and then left them in the car. I believe professional photographers call them "props.")

PANIC ATTACKS - Well, this has definitely been "Panic Attack Week" for me. Last night I couldn't even sleep... and I can ALWAYS sleep. (I love that about me. I think I'll have to put that on my list of "Physical Attributes I Like About Myself." I'm a sleeper!)

This morning, I got up and Googled the correlation between Panic Attacks and Menopause. (Yes, from now on "Menopause" will be capitalized on the blog... like it's a person or a country or something.) I stopped Googling symptoms over a year ago because it really made things worse for me. However, after a "Sleepless in Seattle" type night last night, I told Mikie what I was going to do (so I would be held accountable), and I looked up two websites.

Guess what? There is a HUGE correlation between the two. It is unexplained, but Panic Attacks and Menopause go hand-in-hand in many women... especially women who are already prone to having the attacks. Eureka!

You would think those facts would make me feel better, but alas, another symptom of Panic Attacks is NOT feeling better... even when faced with the facts.

I am also almost 100% sure the book Kim (my walking buddy) and I continue to read (Calm My Anxious Heart) is helping to escalate the attacks. Unlike any other illness or disorder, Generalized Panic Disorder does NOT get better by talking about it. Venting, being honest and upfront tend to aggravate the symptoms. However, it makes me angry enough I refuse to be silent. There has to be a way to desensitize myself from this insidious (great word, by the way), joy-sucking condition which has been my constant companion for three and half years now. I just haven't figured it out yet.

I did want to share some insights I gained from this week's chapter though. Let it be known, I DID enjoy Chapter 7 very, very much. It has "The Enchanting Belinda" written ALL over it!

It was about writing your very own life purpose statement. It gave FOUR very specific ways to do this. I love that! I don't like vague suggestions... "You should really write a life purpose statement, you know?" Always, always TELL ME HOW!

Of course, out of the four specific ways to write the life purpose statement, I immediately connected with one girl, sort of connected with another girl, and did not care for the last two girls' way of doing it AT all. It's okay. We don't think similarly. (I was just lucky Girl Number One thought the same way I did!)

This is the definition of a faulty focus... "Many women today are nearsighted, not in their eyesight but in their life focus. They don't know why they're here or where they're going. They drift like a ship without a rudder. Dr Swenson says that aimlessness is common. 'Americans are notoriously shortsighted. We live in a state of myopic mania that blurs the future. The horizon is never visible in the middle of the dust storm. But we must have a vision that extends beyond tomorrow. Living only week to week is like a dot-to-dot life.'"

It doesn't sound very fulfilling does it? I didn't think so either. (Fun fact for you... I was reading this in the eye doctor's office yesterday waiting while Josh had an appointment. Coincidence... perhaps!)

I'm sorry, but other than Randomness and the regular summer stuff I'll be sharing this week, I want to talk a little more about the life purpose statement... so I guess that will be our Topic of the Week. Well, that and the fact I think I had my very first hot flash last night. (I'll be calling some friends today to see if I have self-diagnosed myself correctly.) It could be a very long week on A Simple Life.

I would like to share a verse I loved in this chapter (and will be repeating over and over and over today). "Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as women who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the evils of these days. Don't be vague but grasp firmly what you know to be the will of the Lord." Ephesians 5:15-17.

I especially love, "Don't be vague." I do not like vague. I never have. I never will.

Avoid the heavy stuff, if you must, but do NOT skip the following recipe. That would be a horrible, horrible mistake.

Strawbernut Ice Cream

This recipe was given to me by my friend, Evelyn Crenshaw. Evelyn got the recipe from her Mom, Pat Moore, who in turn received the recipe from her sister, Carolyn Hinkle. (See how I NEVER take the credit for things I had nothing to do with?)

You will need the following:

1 can sweet condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
2 cups sugar
2 or 3 cups strawberries
1 banana
1 cup pecans
8 ounce Cool Whip
Enough milk to fill container

1. Blend and chop the strawberries, banana and pecans.

2. Mix everything together before putting in ice cream freezer.

3. Add milk to Fill Line in ice cream freezer.

4. Follow manufacturer's instructions.

Evelyn insists this is good stuff, and I have to admit, I am intrigued. It looks like a Strawbernut kind of week over at the Faulkner Five household. Oh, and she said you could use peaches instead of strawberries, too. (We'll just call that Peachnut Ice Cream.)

Have a terrific Tuesday. Enjoy this day the Lord has given you, be kind to others, plan something with your family and have pizza for dinner tonight. After all, it's summertime and the living is supposed to be SO much easier!

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting and Slightly Warm Belinda

Winter Boredom Busters

Good Wednesday morning!

The Gallery Pic needs a little explaining. During my periodontist visit yesterday morning, I was told I wasn't going to be dismissed for two more weeks. TWO MORE WEEKS before I can go to Stage Three. The little tool shown above looks very "dental" until you add the necessary element... a broken toothpick. That's right. A broken toothpick. And get this... They want you to put the broken toothpick in your mouth and move it back and forth around the crown and surgical area. And you hope your husband or your 16 year-old son do not decide to sneak up behind you and say, Boo!" because it would all be over then! It's very high-tech, isn't it? Two more weeks.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - PANIC ATTACKS - It's "doctor week" around here... for me. Today I go in for bi-yearly stress test because I have a tiny tear in one of my valves I've probably had since birth. You may think this would cause me great stress and worry, but to the contrary. When you suffer from panic attacks which copy heart attack symptoms, you actually look forward to stress tests. I know. It's nuts, but so are panic attacks.

Even though I've decided to write a little about these attacks today in my quest to de-mystify all things labeled "mental illness" or "mental disorder," panic attacks are different. The more you think, talk or write about these attacks, the worse they become. It opens a door most people would like to keep closed.

"Why open the door if it is going to make everything worse?" you ask. Good question. My particular door was open anyway because of the test, so it was a good time to talk about the attacks which have been very prevalent the last two or so weeks.

Again, I want to mention this particular illness in case someone else may be having these attacks, and may be embarrassed or ashamed. And I want people to know there isn't anything to be ashamed of because it isn't anything your body or mind can control. As I've said before about Josh's OCD, it's a chronic illness like any other (asthma, diabetes, etc.) which needs treatment and sometimes medication. I doubt people who have never experienced a panic attack (which can have many different symptoms) can truly understand, but they most certainly can be compassionate, listen if you need to talk, read information about the attacks, etc. Not talking about it and/or pretending it's not a big deal is not helpful AT ALL.

In my particular case, attending my kids' sporting events has an added bonus. There will always be a defibrillator, medical personnel and an ambulance located at the end of the football field. It's the next best thing to being in an Emergency Room.

Also, over a year ago when my grandmother had knee surgery, I was more than willing to take a night shift to sit with her. She had a rough night, and apologized the next morning. It was an unnecessary apology. Having nurses come in every half hour or so to check on her (us), doctors down the hall, monitors in the very room I was staying in... I was very content.

Unlike what many people may think, panic attacks do not always occur in high stress situations. In most cases, they begin during your most relaxed time of the day. It totally catches you off guard. They also occur in locations where you may be your most comfortable such as church, Wal-Mart, home, etc. There is not a lot of rhyme or reason when it comes to panic attacks.

I know I've mentioned it in an earlier post, but I think about it quite often. Several years ago, I overheard a woman who was experiencing extreme grief and depression ask another woman, "Is it okay for a Christian to be depressed?" I'll never forget the woman's answer.

"It's okay to be depressed. It is not okay to STAY depressed. You need to keep praying." Her answer was not unkind. It was just very uninformed.

This woman would not have answered the question in the same way if it had been about diabetes. "It's okay to have diabetes. It's just not okay to have diabetes over a long period of time. You need to keep praying."

I agree we need to pray for healing. I do. But if God decides to answer the request with a "no" or "not now," it is my responsibility to prayerfully seek good doctors, prayerfully consider medications and prayerfully take care of my illness and body.

I am much better than I was December 16, 2006 when I had my first attack. I am much better than I was the year 2007 when I had four tests, each one more extensive than the last, and four Emergency Room visits. But it isn't over yet.

My attacks are accompanied with chest pains, racing heart, sweat, nausea, numbness, extreme weakness and a higher blood pressure reading. If you have panic attacks, your symptoms may be totally different. It is a very personalized illness.

And my panic attacks were triggered by Josh's illness. I suffered my first attack almost a year to the day of his total breakdown with OCD. That also made no sense to me. We had learned so much. We were getting the help he needed. He was starting to show some small improvements. In other words, we were moving forward. According to my doctors, this is not uncommon. Moms do what they have to do when they have a sick child as long as they have to do it. When things started settling into a routine, my panic attacks began.

The ONLY reason I share this with anyone reading today is to try to diminish the stigma. Believe it or not, I used to be a pretty private person. But it's time to talk. It's time to admit we do not have perfect lives, perfect families or perfect bodies.

But we are supposed to encourage each other, pray for each other, lift each other up, and NOT avoid the ugly or uncomfortable or sad situations other people face every day. Because believe it or not, if you live long enough, you will find yourself in an ugly or uncomfortable or sad situation... and you will want someone to reach out to you.

"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry." Psalm 10:17. On the sidebar of my Bible next to this verse, it says the following:

"Jesus paints a vivid portrait of how much the poor, needy, afflicted and oppressed are valued by a compassionate God... and how his children are to represent Him on earth in the way they support and defend victimized and lonely people. Unfortunately, we do not always come through for those in need. Our Father has a very tender heart toward those who suffer and cry out to Him." In striving to be more Christ-like, shouldn't we do the same?

Be the person who reaches out to someone in need today. Yes, it takes time. Yes, there is a good chance it will be unpleasant. Yes, it may make you sad for a time. Sorry. We were never promised a perfect, painless life.

Let's make that call or visit TODAY!

Wednesday Wisdom - I have two today. Both of them refer to winter, but one is serious and sweet and the other a little humorous.

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." Edith Sitwell.

"Winter is the season in which people try to keep the house as warm as it was in the summer, when they complained about the heat." Author Unknown.

Winter Boredom Busters

I looked around for some new winter ideas for moms with small kids, and I found a couple of good websites from moms in the know. These ideas are from a website called www.bostonmamas.com.

Play Flour. Sprinkle flour onto a cookie sheet (or use a rimmed baking sheet or large plastic tray to cut down on mess) and let your kids draw or race match box cars in it. When the kids are done, sweep up the flour and put it in a sealable container labeled “Play Flour.” Reuse as necessary. The possibilities are endless and different textured materials (such as cornmeal, oats, etc.) will offer fun fodder for sensory exploration. (I love the term "fun fodder," don't you?)

Wash the Dishes. If you don’t own a dishwasher, your kids may not find this as exciting as mine do. Fill the sink with water and bubbles, give them a washcloth and some plastic stuff to wash, and let them go to town. Give your kids straws to make bubbles with water and dish soap. Remind them not to drink from the sink! (Austin used to wash Josh's bottles for me huge amounts of time. He loved it. When he tired of dishes, we would let the soapy water out, refill the sinks with clean, warm water and a little blue food coloring to make lakes and oceans. He would play with his animals and dinosaurs until his hands were pruny!)

Simulate Summer. Have your kids hop in the bath and break out the summer pool toys. Let them wear a bathing suit to simulate summer (or you could multi-task and give them a bath while they play with beach toys).

Make Indoor Snow People. Buy marshmallows, cake decorating gel tubes, and other little candies. Have your kids use toothpicks to assemble snow people, then decorate using the gel. You can also use the gel to stick on sprinkles or other nonpareils. Toothpicks make good arms and rope licorice makes a great scarf. Display for the day, and eat for dessert later. Or, don’t tell your kids they’re for eating at all, and display until stale.

Make Pomanders. Take Mandarin or Clementine oranges that are getting slightly hard, and stud with whole cloves. Use a toothpick or fork to make starter holes, otherwise the cloves will be hard for little fingers to push. Make patterns, or just randomly insert cloves all over the orange. Display a whole bowl as a centerpiece or place a few here and there to fill your house with a lovely scent.

Of course, I had to go to a Disney website for just one idea.

Make It a Family Night. Turn family night into a movie-themed event night! Depending on the theme you pick (Animal Night, Diva Night, Magic Night, Pirate Night, Princess Night, Super-Hero Night), choose a movie and dinner and/or snacks which go with the theme.

Animal Night - Planet Earth OR Fox and the Hound. Add animal crackers to munch on with popcorn.

Pirate Night - Pirates of the Caribbean OR VeggieTales - Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. For dinner, add jerky to the menu.

The ideas are limitless... and fun!

I'll have another blog listed tomorrow under Blog Linkage with even more Boredom Busters, so check back for easy, fun ideas.

Have a fun Wednesday. I'm pretty sure my Wednesday will improve as the day progresses. (How's that for a "glass half-full" attitude?) Tomorrow I will have two or three things for you to read under Blog Linkage, and I'll tell you about a fun date Mikie and I had Sunday afternoon (in GREAT length and detail). I bet you can't wait, can you?

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

Sunset Picnic

Good Thursday morning! (The best morning of the week!)

Sorry! I don't have a "Thought for the Day" to bestow upon you. Actually, there were three more little signs hanging in the office where I copied the "breathtaking moment" thought, but I ran out of time... and space to write them on my hand. So I guess I should have called it "Thought for the Week," or "Thought for the Month." If I'm not going to be consistent, I should have just put "Thought." What I'm trying to say is I will not be having a "Thought for the Day" every day. Too much pressure on my little ol' brain.

I've been hearing about a young man who is traveling all 50 states and staying a week in each state working a different job. He was in Alabama this week coaching high school football, and Rick and Bubba interviewed him this morning. He's going to Florida next week and he will be working at Universal Studios. He tries to get a job each week which best represents the state he is visiting. What an adventure! I admire that kind if ingenuity (good word) and inventiveness in people, although I don't really have those qualities myself. He's writing a blog about his travels. If you're interested, you can go to www.livingthemap.com. What an exciting thing to do!

Weekend Family Fun

Argo Drive-In - I'll go ahead and tell you right now, Fast and Furious is still at the Argo Drive-In. But Mall Cop is still there, also. (Can't recommend Fast and Furious... highly recommend Mall Cop.) As always, double-check Friday morning to make sure the movie hasn't changed. The number is 467-3434.

Dollar Movie - This Saturday and Sunday they are showing Confessions of a Shopaholic (PG), Hotel for Dogs (PG), Mall Cop (PG) and Bedtime Stories (PG). For showtimes, call 822-5187.

Stadiumfest at Samford University - This is an all-day event held at Samford this coming Saturday. It is FREE! Here are just a few of the things offered for people of ALL ages:

Veggie Tales Characters - Bob and Larry will be there
Bibleman will be making an appearance
Face Painting
Inflatables
Demonstrations from skateboarders and BMX experts
Jugglers
Puppeteers
Christian Concert featuring multiple Christian artists
Speakers Scott Dawson and Rick Burgess
Fireworks at the end of the evening

There is so much more. For more information, go to www.stadiumfest.com. They have an excellent website with times for each activity, etc. This would be a great one-on-one date with your child or teen, or a great way to spend time with the family at a fun, exciting Christian event.

A Little Bit of My Story - Part 4

Where am I now? I ask myself that question all the time. Like Josh, I appear to be much improved. Like Josh, I feel like everything is right under the surface, ready to take over at any given moment. I can't let my guard down, which is part of the problem. It's always in the back of my mind.

Has it changed my life significantly? In some ways. I'm not comfortable doing some things I used to do. During Josh's illness, my little escape was one or two trips a day to Wal-Mart. Not necessarily to shop, but to get out and maybe see someone and talk to someone. Since two of the attacks happened in Wal-Mart, I rarely go there anymore (rarely meaning once a week at the most). I have to make myself go that often.

Church is difficult, again because I've had several attacks there. I spend much of the service making myself stay put, but not really getting much out of the message or the worship music at this time.

While nighttime used to be my favorite time of the day, I dread the evening hours now. My attacks are always worse in the evening.

Although Mike rarely goes out of town, on the occasion when he does, it is very hard to keep our family schedule... but I make myself continue.

I make myself go out of town. I make myself go camping. I make myself go shopping alone with Roxie across town. I make myself do many little things I used to take for granted.

At one point, I was on the Internet constantly reading, reading, reading about panic attacks versus heart attacks. What were the differences? What did this symptom mean? I finally stopped going to the Internet at all for any information. I will not allow myself to do it because it causes more anxiety, not less.

Off and on for a while, I would check my blood pressure several times a day. Now, I will only check my blood pressure when I go to the pharmacy to specifically pick up medicine. I do not make special trips all during the day.

I overheard a woman ask another woman one time if it was okay for a Christian to be depressed. The woman paused, and then replied, "It's okay to be depressed. It's just not okay to stay depressed." This was a woman who had obviously never had a mental illness.

While I wasn't angry with her, it did strengthen my resolve to try to help people understand it is not a choice. It is not a choice to have epilepsy. It is not a choice to have asthma. It is not a choice to have severe food allergies.

And it is not a choice to have OCD or panic attacks or depression. These illnesses are just as real as anything mentioned above. And if you suffer from any of these very debilitating illnesses, it doesn't mean you have less faith in the healing power of God. It does not mean you are a "weak" or "immature" Christian.

No one would ever say to a mother of a child with chronic migraine headaches, "It's okay to have a headache every now and then. It's just not okay to have them all the time."

It's time for people to try to understand. It's time for people to have compassion for the things they cannot always see. It's time for people to stop being "uncomfortable" and start a dialogue. And it's really time for people to stop being ashamed of having an illness they have no control over.

I, for one, am tired. The last three and a half years have been exhausting... mentally, emotionally and physically. And the years have taken a toll on the Faulkner Five. But if it enables us to be more aware so we can help another family, or befriend someone who is going through something feeling very alone, or gives us a chance to tell how God helped us time and time again... then that's what we'll do.

When everything is said and done, I don't want Josh's suffering to be for nothing. I don't want what little I've gone through to not have a meaning or a purpose. Now that's when someone could honestly say, "It's okay to have a real illness. And it's okay to talk about it, and feel sad about it, and even be angry about it sometimes. It's just not okay to keep everything bottled in, and be secretive, and feel shame because you're sick." Wow! I think I would actually hug the person who said that to me. (Little known fact... I'm not a huge hugger outside of the family... except for babies and kids!)

I know you're all relieved this week is over, and I've gotten all that off my chest. Next week's topic will be "Plastic Surgery... How Much is Too Much?" Just kidding. We have three kids to put through college, two aging dogs, an old house and the big gold van (which is almost as old as the house and the dogs). I'm afraid my plastic surgery needs are low, low, low on the list of ways to spend our money.

Don't worry. I'll figure out something to talk about next week! Maybe pet peeves!

Sunset Picnic

This is a simple, fun, romantic date to put together. I'm planning one of these with a little twist as I write this, but because Mikie reads the blog from time to time, I don't want to give too much away.

The first time we had this date, we were newly married. On our deck, I set a beautiful table with fresh flowers, tablecloth, candles, good china, etc. Because we were both working (and it was a date for me, too), I went by our favorite Italian restaurant at the time (Salvatore's), and ordered our favorite dishes from there. I then went to a bakery and bought two portions of a fancy Italian dessert. When Mikie arrived home, we had a romantic dinner on the deck with delicious Italian food (I didn't have to prepare) and a decadent (good word) dessert. To top it off, always time it so as you're eating as the sun is setting. It just creates a beautiful, special, not too expensive, memorable date.

It's also nice to be able to have a date in the middle of the week sometimes because when you do have kids, the weekends can be really, really busy.

"Oh, good grief! Anyone could do that!" you might be saying. That's true... but have you had a Sunset Date. Sometimes the most obvious date is the one we never try.

NOTE: I also planned a Sunset Date at a little lake near our first home. I had the red checkered blanket, fried chicken, potato salad, pickles, cake, etc. Everything was packed in a beautiful picnic basket. We set everything up under a huge shade tree and fixed our plates.

Unfortunately, across the lake lived a HERD of geese, and when they spotted us, they started swimming at warp speed toward us. (I know the correct term is "gaggle," but if you had seen these things coming at us, you would have said "herd," too.) They were very loud and aggressive. They were not scared of humans at all. Basically, they attacked us and ate our food. Not only did they ruin our sunset picnic, but they gave me another "Birds That Hate Belinda" story to add to my repertoire. I say all this to remind you to be careful where you plan your picnic. Location, location, location. (Somewhere without woodland animals is always preferable!)

And, after thinking about it a little while, I AM going to leave you with a little "Thought for the Day." "Just Do It." (That's from Nike, you know.) Stop putting things off. Today is the day!

Have a fabulous Thursday! Check in tomorrow for a wonderfully, wacky devotion book for the kids. Fun and meaningful. You won't even have to remind them to do their devotions in the morning.

Have a safe day, and I'll talk to you tomorrow!

Pick a Town... Any Town

Good Wednesday morning!

Already Wednesday. Days are flying by, aren't they? April has been a surprisingly short month so far. Oh, well. Another Wednesday, another episode of LOST looming in my future. (Maybe that's one of the reasons Wednesday is NOT my favorite day of the week!)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: I saw the following on a sign in an office yesterday. I jotted it down to share... "Life is not about how many breaths you take, but how many moments take your breath away." Pretty good, huh?

A Little Bit of My Story - Part 3

The meeting with my internist went well, but it was not what I wanted to hear. "Why is this happening now?" I asked. "Things are just starting to settle down with Josh. We're understanding what we have to do, and we're working on everything. We're sleeping again. We're eating as a family again. We even went to church together for the first time in a year. This is ridiculous."

She (patiently) explained to me when a child is sick, most moms do without sleep, food, or anything else they need to get through the sickness to take care of the child. Then, depending on how long or how severe the child's illness was (or is going to be), their own body will react. In my case... panic attacks.

"Well, I'm not having this. We're not finished with OCD. From everything we're learning, it's here to stay. I do not have the time OR energy for this. This is ridiculous."

"It doesn't matter how many times you say 'ridiculous.' This isn't going to go away anytime soon. It's not uncommon and denying you have panic attacks isn't going to work."

"Ridiculous," I muttered.

Then I started the medicine "thing." Unfortunately, what worked for most people, didn't work for me. I must be the person Josh inherited that specific gene from. I was taken off the anti-depressant, but I was given an anxiety drug to take when I felt the attacks coming on, as well as a small dose in the morning and a small dose in the evening.

While this medication did nothing to stop the panic attacks, it did keep me out of the hospital every three to four weeks.

BUT, before the medications even had a chance to work, my attacks got much, much worse. I had not one, not two, but three heart tests... each one more comprehensive than the last.

The first one, a nuclear stress test, was a breeze. They proclaimed it a success. I left the doctor's office having chest pains, shortness of breath... otherwise known as a heart attack or panic attack.

The second test, a nuclear stress test with an immediate ultrasound of my heart, showed a tear in my aortic valve. WHAT? I thought they said I didn't have any heart problems. A tear in my aortic valve sounded serious. I was assured it was not, but they would have to check it every two years for the remainder of my life. (That was okay with me. A little known fact... When you have panic attacks which have the same symptoms as heart attacks, the hospital is your favorite place to be. Plus, having to have my heart checked every two years because a cardiologist said it was necessary made me feel less "ridiculous.")

The third test was straight off the Rick and Bubba Show. I wanted the test where they put the dye into an IV, and then perform an X-ray. (Rick, Bubba and Speedy all had this test done, and talked about it on their show.) It showed the heart in tiny slices, thus letting the doctors see if there were any blockages. It was the last non-invasive test I would be able to have, but it was also one of the better tests. The test results for that one came back, "No significant sign of heart disease."

"That's good," Mikie said when I called him.

"What does 'significant' mean?" I asked.

"Not enough to worry about," he replied.

"But there is something. Otherwise, it would simply say, 'No sign of heart disease,' and they would leave out the word 'significant.'"

"It's okay, Belinda."

"It's ridiculous, is what it is," I mumbled to myself.

You might wonder where I am right now with regard to the panic attacks. Tomorrow, I'll finish up this little part of my blog with my prognosis at this point and time of my life. I will say it is still a daily struggle, but some days I'm hopeful... and every day I'm thankful God is in control, because even though there were times I thought I could do it myself (handle Josh's illness and my own), I never had to. God's hand has been on this family in so many, many ways. Some of which we've been blessed to be able to see, and others we will probably never even know.

But I digress. Tomorrow, folks... check back tomorrow.

Pick a Town... Any Town

On slips of paper, write down any and all little towns surrounding your area. For example, in my area I would write down the following: Trussville, Cahaba Heights, Mountain Brook, Vestavia, Hoover, Pinson, Homewood, Birmingham, etc. That's eight right off the top of my head.

Now put the slips of paper into a bowl, and pick a family member to draw a piece of paper. Whatever town is written on the paper you draw, you will be spending a day in that town this spring. That's right. A whole day.

Now that the town has been chosen, as the mom and/or dad you will need to do a little research. Call the Chamber of Commerce. Go to the town's website. Call the local librarian. They know EVERYTHING! See if you are going on a day the town hosts a Festival or other special event.

You will need to choose five or six (or more) things to do in that town on any given Saturday. Here are some ideas:

1. Restaurant (Not a chain. Pick a restaurant located only in this town. Example: Cafe on Main in Trussville.)

2. Park or playground

3. Library (Check to see if there is a story time or something special going on that particular day.)

4. Stream or creek (You can use this for wading or fishing or tubing or pictures.)

5. Store (Pick a store that is unique to this area alone. Example: Smith's Variety in Mountain Brook.)

6. Bakery

7. Museums

8. Biking Trails

9. Tennis Courts

10. Some sort of Fun Zone (Example: Froggy's in Warrior or PlayStation in Trussville.)

11. Book Store

12. Yard Sales

13. Movie Theater

Mountain Brook is the location of The Birmingham Zoo and The Botanical Gardens. Hoover, of course, is home to the Galleria and the Hoover Met. (There might even be a ballgame scheduled for the day of your visit!) Homewood has a fantastic little bookstore, as well as Ed's Pet World. As you can see, the possibilities are limitless.

You may have all of the above in your little part of the world, but everything is a little different and exciting 15 minutes away.

NOTE: This can also be a very low cost tradition. If you pick going to yard sales, the library for story time, a park for a picnic, playing tennis, a museum, etc., you are talking gas money only. This can cost as much (or little) as you like.

Have a great Wednesday. I have a romantic date for Mom and Dad tomorrow. (The kids need to see you date, Mom and Dad. It's very important for kids to know Mom and Dad are "in love" and need to spend that time alone together. Almost as important as it is for Mom and Dad!)

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Meat and Potatoes Casserole

Good Tuesday morning!

Wasn't Monday a nice day... especially compared to Sunday? I love a clear day after a stormy one? Our state was hit hard, but our particular neck of the woods was spared. Our hearts and prayers go out to the people who suffered loss, and the families who lost loved ones.

Before we get to the business at hand, I did want to tell you a little story about the Drive-In Saturday night. I specifically called to find out the running time for Fast and Furious, because even though I like Vin Diesel (The Pacifier), I knew Fast and Furious was not a Disney-type film. On the contrary. It was for a totally different crowd. The information I received was the movie lasted one hour and 50 minutes. The movie started at 7:15, so I figured 9:15 would be a safe time to arrive to watch Mall Cop. Wrong.

We pulled in the Drive-In at 9:15, and there were things on the big screen not suitable for 12 year-old girls... or 47 year-old mothers. "Girls, get in the floor," I yelled. They minded and played and looked away from the screen. I got out of the car and went to the concession stand. A very nice teenage girl opened the screen and asked if she could help me.

"Did you start the movie later than 7:15?" I asked.

"No, ma'am. We started right at 7:15," she responded.

"Well, how much time is left for this movie?" I asked, trying another approach.

"About 15 or 20 minutes."

"Then you must have started a little late because that would make it a two hour and 20 minute movie," I said... more to myself than to her.

"No, ma'am. This movie is one of those two and a half hour movies," she responded.

We were both being polite. I was just trying to figure out how much time we had to kill in the floorboard of the big gold van. A young man (another teenager) in the concession stand corrected her.

"No, no. It's at least a three hour movie." WRONG!

I wasn't going to argue with them. They were being very respectful. I was just trying to figure out how much longer before the next movie. And then the sweet girl told me, "If it's bothering you, you could go ride around for 20 or 30 minutes and then come back."

That idea wasn't too appealing. Argo is pretty much "out there," and the thought of "riding around" until the movie let out, and then being on the road with the teenage boys who had just seen the UNBELIEVABLY DANGEROUS DRIVING STUNTS on the big screen just screamed CRAZY to me.

"Uh, I think we'll just stay in the floorboard," I replied. And we did. We turned off the sound, the girls played in the back, and I sat with my mouth hanging open at the things that were shown in the last 15 minutes of that movie. I don't know if I'll be able to see Pacifier 2 if it ever comes out. Vin Diesel was a totally different person in this movie. And, of course, if I read the lips correctly at the end, they left it open for Fast and Furious 4. Can't wait! NOT!

A Little Bit of My Story - Part 2

The day after being released from the hospital, I still felt very weak, but I attributed everything to the diabetes. Again, 212 seemed like a very high number to me. I scheduled a time to see a nutritionist to learn how to eat (diabetic-style), and totally took myself off sugar until that time.

I went to an eye doctor at 8:00 Monday morning to check and make sure there was no damage to my eye (as instructed by the ER doctor), and was assured there was none.

Later Monday morning, at Roxie's school Christmas party, it happened again. The only differences this time around were no eye problems, but added sweating and dizziness. I felt as though I was going to faint. I left the party, drove to a fast food restaurant and ordered some food (no sugar), and ate in the parking lot until I began to feel better (about an hour or so). I was still thinking diabetes.

I attended the classes for eating (diabetic-style), and for a few weeks everything went back to normal. I didn't feel any differently. Then one night, standing in line at Wal-Mart, the sickening feeling began again. I couldn't breathe. My chest was heavy. I thought I was going to pass out. I had seen a friend earlier that evening in the store, and looking around I spotted her at the entrance talking to someone. I made my way to her and asked her if she could stay with me until Mike came to get me. I knew I didn't need to drive. She walked with me to my car, followed us home and then took Mike back to Wal-Mart to pick up the big gold van. As was now becoming my pattern, in about an hour my symptoms started subsiding.

However, I now had a diabetic meter. My blood sugar was within the 70 to 100 range. Whatever was making me so sick was not diabetes.

The next day as I was ironing, I had the television on and saw the commercial featuring Aretha Franklin. She talked about her blood sugar being well over 400 before she began feeling terribly ill. "I must be the biggest weenie in the world," I thought to myself. She would probably laugh at 212. I then started asking around, and I found out that 212 was not considered a high number at all. Especially when the majority of the time my blood sugar was well within the acceptable range. Something else was going on.

Several more weeks passed, and we were all sitting in the den watching Survivor. Roxie was sitting on my lap in the rocker when my vision again faded in my left eye, and the exact same symptoms returned. I immediately got up and checked my sugar. It was normal. I called Mike in the bedroom and asked him to take me to the paramedics to check my blood pressure because we weren't talking diabetes any longer.

The paramedics were wonderful... but my blood pressure was not. It was 170 over something (I don't remember EVERYTHING). Now, I have NEVER had high blood pressure. I have always been blessed with very LOW blood pressure. That's one good thing that does run in my family. The paramedics told Mike to get me to the hospital at once because it looked like I was either having or about to have a heart attack. Off we went again. (Neighbors sat with the kids until my Mom was able to get to the house.)

I was hooked up to the machines again. I had vial after vial of blood taken again. And Mike sat there looking pitiful and rubbing my hand again. After an hour and a half, my symptoms started subsiding, and the ER doctor came in and said I did not have a heart attack or a stroke. He suggested panic attacks.

"I am not imagining all the things going on in my body," I retorted. "I am having real symptoms."

"Exactly. Panic attacks have real symptoms. There's nothing about them that is make believe," he assured me.

He told me to make an appointment with my regular doctor the next day, and take it from there. I did and she saw me the day after I called her. What happened next is a trip down "Doctor Lane."

Tomorrow, I'll share how a perfectly healthy 45 year-old woman was doing very well December 15, and totally fell apart December 16. At one point in the first quarter of 2008, I was going to eight (COUNT THEM... EIGHT) different doctors. Let's name them, shall we?

1. Internist

2. OB/GYN

3. Cardiologist

4. Neurologist

5. Psychiatrist

6. Rheumatologist (I have arthritis... He didn't really have anything to do with my panic attacks.)

7. Podiatrist (To be honest, I only saw him once. He went with the diabetes diagnosis and had to check circulation in my feet. It tickled... meaning the circulation in my feet was fine, and I just needed to see him if I experienced any problems in that area. Bye-bye!)

8. Optometrist (I have to be checked every six months because of my "eye thing" which isn't related to diabetes at all. Turns out it is called an ocular migraine which sometimes occurs prior to my panic attacks. There is no pain involved, but there is no rhyme or reason to them either.)

Before we get into tomorrow's story, I would like to say the eight is now down to five... and I don't really count my OB/GYN or Rheumatologist or Optometrist in this mix. They are just check-up doctors. Oh, and I don't count my dentist either. Again, just a check-up/cleaning thing. So actually, I'm down to TWO... and I'm praying that one day very soon, those will be gone, also. (Nothing against either one of them... great doctors. I'm just so ready to move on.)

Meat and Potatoes Casserole

This recipe was donated by my friend Melaney's mom, Shelby Dutton.

You will need the following:

1 1/2 pound hamburger meat
Salt and pepper
Thinly sliced onion
Thinly sliced red potatoes
Cream of Chicken soup
3/4 cup of milk
Shredded cheddar cheese

1. Press the hamburger meat in a 9" x 13" casserole dish. (Do not brown meat.)

2. Salt and pepper.

3. Place thinly sliced onion on top of meat. (The onion can be easily removed if you have children who do not like onions.)

4. Place thinly sliced red potatoes on top of onions.

5. Salt and pepper potatoes.

6. Mix Cream of Chicken and milk together in a bowl. Drizzle it over the potatoes.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

8. Sprinkle shredded cheese over casserole and place in the oven for another five minutes until cheese melts.

9. Let casserole sit about five minutes before serving.

That's it! If you have a meat and potato kind of family (which I do), this should be a hit! The Faulkner Five are trying it Wednesday night, and I'll let you know if it gets a five star rating Thursday morning.

Please have a good Tuesday. Don't let anything or anyone stand in your way of finding the joy this day has to offer. It's officially spring, you know. Tomorrow's Seasonal Tradition is a good one, so don't let my scary panic attack stories keep you away. Come on back and check it out.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Preschool Party Ideas

Good Monday morning!

The Showcase Pic this morning is Roxie and Kendall ON THE WAY to the Argo Drive-In at 9:15 (Mall Cop)... not coming home at 11:30.

The Gallery Pics as predicted are of the girls at Alabama Adventure Sunday afternoon which was the second part of Kendall's Birthday Book. Should we or shouldn't we? That was the question of the day during Sunday School yesterday morning. Would the rain miss us by going above us... or come later... or totally dissipate? Or would we decide to go and be hit by tornado warning after tornado warning ALL afternoon?

Well, what can I say? We're sassy, adventurous, IMPATIENT, Alabama girls. We went for it! (And thankfully, it paid off.) Everyone else in the State of Alabama yesterday afternoon was the safe, we'll-wait-until-next-weekend-because-it's-not-going-anywhere, patient kind of Alabamian. WE HAD THE PARK TO OURSELVES FOR FOUR WHOLE HOURS! That may not sound like a lot of time to you, but in the first hour alone, we rode 12 rides. We NEVER waited and if we wanted to stay on a ride and ride it again and again and again and again... we did! And as everyone knows, that's almost as much fun as the ride itself. It was great. It was cool. And at the end of the day, Kendall and Roxie declared it a success. Life's good.

Again, I don't feel bad about not having any pics of Austin in the Gallery, because next week is PROM WEEK, so the focus will once again be on him. Josh is okay with this... for now. He'll be getting some picture time in the near future. Don't worry.

Thought to Ponder: The only thing worse than bathing suit shopping for yourself is bathing suit shopping for your 12 year-old daughter. She tried on three I would have gladly paid $150 each for, but the pattern on one was too, too different. The pattern on the other one was too, too simple. The pattern on the third didn't matter because it didn't go with curly hair. WHAT?? (All three had very good coverage and a good price... my only two criteria. I was only kidding about them being $150 each.)

Survivor - Okay. Mikie and I watched Survivor last night. It was very good, but very confusing... almost like LOST. There were so many alliances going on, I wasn't sure who was going to be voted off. But in the end, the only thing that really matters is that J. T., the Alabama boy, is still there. Everyone loves the Alabama boy. And who can blame them... he's what "southern" is all about. (Evelyn, get ready. We're driving to Sampson to take a "famous person" picture for my scrapbook when he wins the million!) The other guys "running the show" are all running out of time. When you have a big ego, it puts a huge target on your back (Surivor-speak), and there are a lot of huge egos in that little camp (Coach, Taj, Tyson, etc.). It's only a matter of time.

A Little Bit of My Story - Part 1

I bring up the following not for pity or sympathy as I said before, but to make it more "common" and not as taboo.

On December 16, 2006, almost one year to the day from when Josh became so ill, I had a panic attack.

I was sitting beside Mike watching Austin play basketball when my vision began to diminish in one eye. It was very apparent, very fast and immediately after my vision faded in my left eye, I felt as though every bit of energy ran out of my body... from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. I felt heaviness. I couldn't breathe. I felt as though I was watching everything around me from somewhere far, far away.

I touched Mike's knee and told him something was wrong. "What is it?" he asked, watching me. I explained as best I could what was going on, and then I told him I was going to go out of the gym and call my doctor.

He got up to walk with me, but I since I was able to move and walk and talk, I wanted to do it myself. I stayed in his sight, called my doctor and explained what I was feeling. He told me to get to a hospital immediately. He said I could possibly be having a stroke or a heart attack.

I motioned for Mike and he asked a friend to sit with Josh and Roxie for the remainder of the game. We didn't even tell them I was sick because there wasn't time, and I was afraid of what it would do to Josh. I knew he couldn't come with us in the car in case I did have a heart attack. It would be devastating to any child, but Josh was still so sick himself, we couldn't risk it. We called my Mom and she immediately went to the gym and arrived a few minutes after Austin's game was over.

Some people have asked why we didn't call an ambulance. I knew Mikie would be able to get me anywhere I needed to be faster than an ambulance. Also, I didn't want to risk the kids seeing me leave in an ambulance. Again, I was thinking it would do more damage to Josh's condition.

At the hospital, I was hooked up to all the machines and given oxygen and they took a lot of blood. After a couple of hours, the symptoms started to subside. After more and more tests, they came back into the room and said I was diabetic. My blood sugar number was 212. It was supposed to be between 70 and 100. To me, that sounded extremely high, so I felt confident they had discovered the problem. What I found out in the days to come was very frightening to say the least... and had nothing to do with diabetes.

Josh and I (along with Mikie, Austin and Roxie) had been fighting his mental illness for a year, and although there was improvement, the fight wasn't over. And now, I was about to begin a new fight of my own... a fight which continues to this day... a fight which will be much more difficult this week (April 20 through April 24) because I have chosen to discuss it and thus, it will be in the forefront of my thoughts.

I had just started the journey to understand OCD and the horribly debilitating effects it had on someone's life. Now, I was going to have to start a new journey of my own. A journey I was certain I wasn't equipped or prepared to travel... alone or with God. And once again, I was partially right. I wasn't equipped or prepared, but God was and still is.

Josh and I are still struggling. This week's stories will be strictly about my panic attacks. I wish I could say they are totally under control (they are most definitely not), or I have totally overcome them (I most certainly have not). But once again, I believe being quiet and embarrassed or ashamed is not the way to go. For me or anyone else out there suffering in silence, it is just that... suffering.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you the little story about how I found out diabetes wasn't the culprit causing my symptoms... and how I learned to love Diet Dr. Pepper!

Preschool Party Ideas

When I say "Preschool Party," I am referring to the little birthday parties you give your child at his or her preschool. I know many of the schools have specific rules, but in our area (and in our little preschool particularly), we were able to bring snacks for the entire class to celebrate our child's birthday. We were not supposed to bring party bags or gifts or play games, and it was to be held in the time frame of the normal snack time.

This may not apply to everyone, or you may have better ideas on how to handle the infamous Preschool Party. However, after having nine such parties (three for each child), I found a few tricks which made these parties SO much easier... especially when I was hosting with a younger brother or sister in a stroller.

Here are just a few ideas...

1. Whatever the theme of the child's birthday party is going to be at home, carry the theme over to the Preschool Party. For example, if I was having a Super Hero party at home, I brought Super Hero paper plates and napkins. If I was having an Indian party at home, I made Indian headbands for all the kids to wear during snack time. If I was having a Safari Party at home, I went to the library and borrowed a cassette tape of "jungle" music to play during the party... anything to set the mood for the party theme.

2. Instead of bringing individual cupcakes, a huge bag of cheese puffs and cups which had to be refilled time and time and time again, I used white lunch bags. I packed the bags with foods which went with the party theme. For a princess party for Roxie, I packed individually wrapped princess fruit snacks (plain fruit snacks for boys), slice and bake sugar cookies (with pink and clear sugar on them), white popcorn (keeping away from ORANGE... a very non-princess color) and a red jello cup.

3. Instead of trying to keep refilling their drink cups over and over, I bought individual Kool-Aid twist top drinks, individual mini-Sprites (caffeine-free) or juice boxes in a cooler (already chilled). I put these out with their snacks. When they were finished with their drink, they had to go to the water fountain (just like their regular snack time).

4. I also decorated the bags with theme stickers. The birthday child would help with this one, and they thoroughly enjoyed it. I would fold the flap down and close the bags with one final sticker (Princess, Batman, Dora the Explorer, etc.), and it was ready to go.

5. When I entered the school, I had two Wal-Mart bags loaded with 20 birthday snack bags, 1 medium cooler on wheels with the drinks (one for each child and one for the teacher), and one more Wal-Mart bag with the plates and napkins, my camera and a cassette tape for "mood" music. That's it. When I left the party, I had one empty cooler, my camera and my cassette tape. (And sometimes a baby in a stroller.)

You may have some amazing ideas in this department. Feel free to share. Preschool moms need all the help they can get during this busy time of their lives.

Something I started doing during their elementary years was helpful, too. We were allowed to bring cupcakes to the lunchroom during the birthday child's lunch period, and they could pass them around to the other kids. After years of noticing tons and tons of uneaten cupcakes with all the icing licked off (homemade OR store bought), I started sending a list to school a couple of days before the birthday. It listed every Krispy Kreme doughnut our local grocery store carried (seven different varieties). The child simply had to sign their name under their favorite doughnut (glazed, chocolate glazed, chocolate sprinkles, apple cinnamon, etc.). The morning of the birthday lunch, I would go to the local grocery store, pick up the correct amount and kinds of doughnuts and arrive at lunchtime with my two boxes.

I again had "theme" napkins. The children would come to me, I would give them the doughnut they had chosen a couple of days earlier on the birthday napkin, and they would sit down and enjoy their treat. (The teachers loved it, too.) I always bought three extra glazed in case someone had been absent on the day we sent the sign-up sheet, etc. It worked out great... especially for the guys who didn't want theme cupcakes when they were 11 years-old and in the 5th grade. Doughnuts are universal AND cool.

Have a wonderful Monday. Tomorrow I have a new dinner casserole donated by my friend, Melaney. You'll just have to add a vegetable or two and/or a salad and you're set. It sounds good, and I will be fixing it for Wednesday night dinner. Wednesday's Seasonal Tradition will be our last "spring" tradition as we move into Mother's Day and Graduation activities coming up during the incredibly busy month of May. I have a romantic date for Mom and Dad... meaning no kids! I also have a great devotion book for elementary age boys and girls. All three of mine enjoyed it... but I think it's geared more for the male species. You can be the judge. Lots to do. Lots to talk about. You won't want to miss a minute of it!!

I'll talk to you tomorrow.