The Birthday Butt.

This weekend we are celebrating my oldest turning double digits (future post).  It has been a busy weekend of cooking and cleaning in preparation for the festivities.  Both of our families live here in B-Town and we pack the house in for every birthday party.  April is a VERY festive family birthday month.  We have partied non stop since the beginning of April. 

Now it's my turn.

I have served the same birthday menu for the last ten years (give or take some bad attempts at straying from the norm).   Let's just say the time Skip tried to grill for 30 people our back deck nearly caught on fire. 

We don't do that anymore.

Here's what works for me that doesn't burn the deck up.

Barbecue pork
Chicken Pasta Salad
WM Potato Salad
MarytheKay's Killer Salsa
Chips
Veggie tray
Fruit tray
Lemonade
Cherry Limeade by Kelly's Korner
Cake
Ice Cream

The BBQ pork is one of my absolute favorite things to make.  It has changed over the last ten years and I finally feel like it is near perfection.  I had fun yesterday taking step by step photos of the process.  This is a meal that you can serve to three people as easily as thirty. 

I LOVE that about pork.

For my birthday parties I buy two really good size Boston Butt Roasts.  Why, butt?  I don't know.  It's really a shoulder.  I guess some guy wanted to be funny and named it BUTT so he and his buddies could snicker every time they said it.

"I said butt."  hee hee

Good times.

I rinse them really well after I open the package and place them in my covered pan.  I have used a crock pot and a roaster, but I really love how it turns out slowly cooked in the oven.  That is my favorite method.

Look how cute they are snuggled up ready for bed.

Next, I slather on all the seasonings in this picture.  I cover it all with a HUGE pile of brown sugar.

Night Night, butt.

"I said butt."  hee hee

This is the type of meat that you want to cook VERY LOW and REALLY SLOW if you want the perfect finish.  Here is a look after 3 hours at 250 degrees.  Look at all the yummy seasonings and the juice. 

Take the time to baste the meat and put it back in the oven for several more hours.  You might want to repeat this process several times during the day.

This meat took exactly nine hours before it was falling apart tender.  Look how it peels off just with the touch of a fork.  You don't have to work hard with this if it is done right.  It falls apart naturally when finished.

Just shred the meat.  This particular batch made 22 cups of shredded meat.

Discard the bones and waste.

In your roasting pan you should have lots of juice and crud.  Just scoop out the crud and put the meat back in the juices and stir around to absorb.

At this point you can put it back in the oven at 175 degrees to let the shredded meat really blend with the spicy sweet juice.

I don't cook it and serve it the same day, but you totally could.  If you don't, just put it in the fridge and slowly warm it up the next day.  VERY LOW and REALLY SLOW applies to warming the meat, too.  I warmed it at 200 degrees for 3 hours.

Spicy.  Sweet.  Tender.  Juicy.

PERFECTION.

Enjoy!!

Reality in my circus.

My sweet cousin is visiting B-town for a couple of weeks with her one year old baby. He is so sweet and squishy it's making me miss my babies. I have spent a lot of time talking with my cousin about motherhood, especially first-time motherhood.

Oh, what I know now that I didn't now then.

It's amazing how things change with time and the number of kids you have. It's a combination of "been there done that" , maturity, and just plain exhaustion but every mommy I know has evolved as the years go by.

When Zeb was my only baby, I would spend my whole day watching him, delighting in him.  I would lay on the couch with him napping on my chest.  We would spend hours in this position.  My world revolved around his needs and his schedule.

He was never dirty. 
He was never hungry.
He bathed every day.
He never missed a nap.
He never wore any diaper other than Pampers.
He never watched TV.
He never went very long without a parent's full attention.
He was read to every day.

Fast forward to baby number two.  Our beautiful princess, Langley.  I adore having a daughter.  As a middle child she has learned to take her lumps.

She was sometimes dirty.
She sometimes had to wait for food.
She sometimes bathed regularly.
She sometimes had to miss a nap, or nap in the car.
She sometimes wore Pampers, but mostly Luvs.
She watched whatever big brother watched on TV.
She sometimes had to wait for mommy or daddy.
She would sometimes get read to daily, sometimes not.

Fast forward even more to baby number three.  Our wild man, Wit, or Bob.  Whatever.  Everyone needs a Wit, or two, in their lives.

He is always dirty or sticky.
He always has to wait for food, or he gets it himself.
I don't remember the last bath he had.
He misses more naps than he takes, life on the go.
He only wears generic diapers.
He would watch TV all day long if I let him (and some days that's just easier).
He has learned that he can get attention by being naughty and mischievous.
Reading time?  Um, not unless Zeb or Langley do it with him (which is only when I remember to make them)

As I have been talking with my cousin it makes me realize that I don't want to go back in time.  I would miss my crazy reality too much.

Life in my circus is pretty fun.

How has your parenting evolved?

Changing my diet, one condiment at a time.

Somebody famous wants to kill me.

I went to college weighing 107 pounds.

I had just lost about 30 pounds and I was desperate to protect it.  I would weigh myself constantly.  Every time I ate, I would weigh.  Every morning noon and night, I would weigh.  As I watched the scale inch upwards, I would get depressed and very critical.

I was on the verge of having a huge problem. 

What I didn't realize (in my immaturity) is that my body couldn't support the 107# weight.  Frankly, I'm not sure if there is any adult woman that can support that little weight.  I know enough about my body to know that I will NEVER BE there again.

The best thing that ever happened to me was the day Skip threw my scale away.  I think he was getting worried about the unhealthy behaviors on my part.  It was literally the defining moment for me in terms of my weight.  Instantly, I felt completely freed from obsessing over every little calorie and every little pound.

My weight crept up into a more normal ratio for my height and structure.  I settled into a comfortable size.  I was confident about my body again.

Fast forward to today. 

I have had three babies and I am in my late thirties.

*groan*

My body is different.  My ability to eat without being intentional is different.  My metabolism has changed.  I have half-heartedly tried exercise in the past and quickly puttered out.  I have been so resistant to change.  Disobedient, even.

About three weeks ago I was sharing with my blog friend, Kristen, my desire to lose some weight before summer.  I had my doubts that I would be successful because the effort involved always stopped me.

I am lazy.  Period.  End of story.

Anyway, she came up the idea to tackle the 30 DAY SHRED together to get ready for our separate 20 year reunions and swimsuit season.  I prompted emailed her all the ways in which I am a lousy accountability partner and that I would have us both quitting before day 4.

Either she didn't hear me, or she just doesn't take no for an answer.  She said we should go for it starting April 1st.  Before I knew it, two more blog friends, Denise and Sara, joined in on the "fun" and we started shredding.  What I was dreading has become the best part of my day.  We check in with each other daily for support, encouragement and feedback.  These girls have pushed me farther than I ever dreamed.

I just finished DAY 11 of the 30 Day Shred. 

I know!

If it wasn't for these girls supporting me and cheering for me, I would have thrown the TV out the window along with Jillian and her hateful minions.  Except that I can no longer feel my arms and the thought of picking up something that weighs more than 2 pounds makes me want to throw up.

Other than that. 

It's time for me to make some changes.  I have been living too long without a thought for a healthy body.  This was the kick in the pants that I needed.

Even though I feel like JILLIAN IS GOING TO KILL ME EVERY SINGLE MORNING. 

Bring it.

Thank you, Kristen, Denise and Sara!  You girls are the wind beneath my flabby wings!!

This thing called the Internet.

During my final semester in college a new class became mandatory for all education majors. 

Internet 101.

At that time, I had already completed all the hours I needed before my student teaching semester and I had to add in this silly class.  All of us did.  We were very unhappy about it.  I remember sitting in front of the computer while the professor walked us through setting up an email account and logging on to AOL. 

Bet you five bucks you can still hear the dial-up screech in your head.

Anyway, I remember thinking..."Yeah, right.  When will I ever use this thing?  It's just a fad."

Just a fad, people.

I was 23, married, in my last semester of college before the "REAL" world started so clearly I was qualified to declare the Internet a fad.

Clearly.  I mean.  Who needs the Internet with hair like that?

I would have never dreamed how much this world would rely on the Internet for our daily life.  Everything has changed.  Information is a click, or touch away.  Anything you could ever think to ask is available as quick as your fingers can type the question. 

I even love how our language has changed.  Back before the Internet craze, if you would have used these words in your vocabulary people would have thought you were mental and needed medication.

Google it
Text me
I like you on facebook
I saw this tweet the other day
Do you stumble?
LOL
Let's skype
Just click here to get your widget
Bing
What's your favorite app?
Are your cookies enabled?
I'm an Angry Bird addict.

For me, this "fad" has become one of the most important daily sources of encouragement and support.  One of my favorite things to read on the Internet is blogs.  My google reader list keeps growing with amazing blogs and amazing writers.  I have met some of the neatest, kindest women on the pages of their blogs.  Reading and connecting with other friends on this journey called life is something that I am very thankful for.  I admire reading about people's struggles and their victories.  I love when their truth comes to the surface and leaves me feeling validated about my own truth.  This may sound crazy, but I truly believe that some of the connections I have made through this blog are God's gift to me. 

Some of my greatest friends live in the computer.  And when I have my phone with me, my greatest friends live in my back pocket.  I take you with me wherever I go.

How cool is that?

I certainly never imagined that back in 1997. But back then I was just trying to make my hair as tall as it could be.  So I didn't have much room for all this knowledge.

I thought I would share with you some things that I am reading today.  If you are new to these blogs, stop in and say "HI!"

I promise they won't bite.

1.  I wish this lady was a real friend of mine.  Her daily devotionals are RIGHT ON and so relevant to my life.  This is her latest about eating junk.  I have been changing some things lately and this hit me between the eyes. 

2.  You have to go meet Denise.  She is pure sweetness with an extra layer of cute.  You must enter her awesome giveaway.  On second thought, don't because I want to win. 

OK, fine.  Enter and I hope you win.  Doesn't the Bible say to be happy for those who win the giveaway you wanted to win?  I will google it.

3.  Speaking of changing eating habits, this is a MUST READ.  Julianne is a real friend/family member of mine.  I love her to pieces.  This journey that she writes about is every woman's struggle.  Her writing is funny and honest and real.  Her blog has been neglected for some time but I hope she will keep it going.  Why don't you tell her that, too.  Maybe we can nag her into a comeback.

I have been told that I am real good at nagging.

4.  This post about eating meals as a family really slapped me upside the head.  Life is moving way too fast and our schedule is too tight.  I am trying my hardest to hang on to eating dinner as a family.  We have had to adapt due to our busyness.  I hate the nights that we don't have together.  I don't want life to pass this little family by.

5. I wouldn't be true to myself if I didn't link up to my bff, PW.  I will be making this cake in the near future.  My grandma raised us all on her GO BIG RED cake (pure Nebraska Cornhusker fan) and I have never attempted to make it because of the layers.  But this looks like something anyone can master.  I would probably need more frosting on the top though.  No offense, PW.  I hope we can still be bffs.

6.  Slow down today and read this.  Take a deep breath and soak up the beauty around you today.  Make sure you add this blog to your feeder.  Everything she writes is WONDERFUL.  Some days she is funny, some days insightful and some days a recipe.  Every day is just right with MarytheKay.  Now go give her a GREAT BIG HUG from me!

There are so many more people in this computer that I love.  I hope someday to meet them in real life!  I have a possible trip that I am praying about in November to meet this dear friend.

*Crossing my fingers*

Feel free to leave any links to your favorite reads in the comment section. 

I big red puffy heart the Internet!

The common thread.

Today.

It's been eighteen years since my dad passed away.

Not a day goes by that I don't think about him.

I miss him.

My kids struggle to understand that they have a grandpa in Heaven that they have never met.

I try to find the common thread between his life and theirs.

I hope this helps.

Big Macs

basketball

running

black licorice

Guy's Barbeque chips

golf

biking

coaching

baseball

Wrigley's spearmint gum

nature

family

pancakes

Orange Julius

church

Jesus

volunteering

red tulips

Dances with Wolves

Alf

wheat pennies

buckeyes

buffalo nickels

fishing

hiking

Denver Broncos

Nebraska Corn Huskers

mountains

snow

skiing

camping

tennis

loyalty

honesty

fairness

kindness

hated injustice

favorite verse Ephesians 4:20,  "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us."

These are the threads that will keep us connected to a man that left before we were ready.

Prom 2.11

Saturday was the night of the high school prom.  What a wonderful night it was!  Langley was asked to the prom by a very sweet, very handsome HS senior.  He is the son of very dear friends and he was in charge of choosing the attending flower girl.  He chose my beautiful girl. 

Which of course meant that I got to go to prom!! 

(jumping up and down!)

YAY, me!

The last time I went to prom, I was 18 and I looked like this.

Why Skip isn't smiling is beyond me. 

Maybe it was cool not to show emotions back in 1991. 

I'm too old to remember.

And why we ordered this picture is also beyond me.

Also, too old to remember.

But, I do know this.  Three major things have changed in these last 20 years. 

1.  Dresses are STUNNING!  Literally, works of art.
2.  No one dyes their shoes to match anymore.  I know!
3.  Boys smile.

Anyway, back to PROM 2011!! 

That sweet HS boy that I mentioned earlier, well he has an even sweeter sister.  She is the MASTER OF ALL THINGS HAIR.  I asked begged her to come over early and do Langley's hair for the special night.  She was so happy to come get her hands on Langley's blond curls.  I had an idea in mind but she BLEW ME AWAY with the final product.

Gorgeous.

After her hair was perfected, it was time to get dressed in an ivory silk dress with a pink sash.  She looked like Cinderella.  We borrowed the dress from a friend of ours and I have been a nervous wreck ever since.  I am well aware of the fact that this dress could be ruined by a certain TWO YEAR old boy that lives here.  As a result, I have had the dress locked up avoiding any kind of disaster.  (I must return it quickly!)  Thanks, Jenn, for the amazing dress.  I am just sad that I couldn't get a picture that did this dress justice.  It was heavenly.

Here is my beautiful girl.  I barely recognize her without her sport shorts and t-shirt.  She cleans up nice!

Here is the cutie boy that asked her to the prom. 

By the way, he was nominated for Prom King so his mommy came with me.  We had the best time people watching and NOT AT ALL judging the revealing (good golly) nature of some dresses.  Nope.  Not us.  We are not judgers.

My girl was so nervous.  We had to be there an hour before coronation and I think the waiting was killing her.

But they had lots of surprises for her. Isn't this dreamy?

Langley's escort was a girl that I taught in Kindergarten.  I adore this girl!  Not only is she GORGEOUS, but she also loves the Lord.  She is dear to me!  I voted her dress BEST OF THE NIGHT.  And the best part was that she and Langley had the same hair style! 

Love.

I am so proud of Langley for stepping out of her comfort zone and indulging her mommy by wearing a special dress.  I don't think of her as shy, but she really REALLY is.  Experiences like this are so good for her. 

Thank you, Tag, for inviting her to be the flower girl for PROM 2011.  This will be a special memory for her!

I think I liked this prom better than mine!

At least my date smiled more.