Nashville

So, we went to my husband's college friend's wedding in Nashville back in August.

It was the most effort I have ever expended to get anywhere.

We left by 7 on Friday morning, assuming we'd arrive at Samary Plantation by 7 for dinner.  A 10 hr 45 min drive, and we had just over 12 hours to make it in.

Perfect.

Or, not.

View from the road, while it was still going smoothly

We were happy if a little bored in the car, the baby sleeping in the back, us trying to keep quiet in the front.

Then we'd play with her on the back for awhile, stop, nurse, change diaper, eat food, repeat.

Shout out to my old AR camping days

Until Little Rock.

We got off the highway to stop for lunch.

Idling at a stoplight, our car... stopped working.

Travis took car of the tow truck, etc, while I kept stayed with the baby.

Keeping the baby happy by looking out over Little Rock

The verdict from the car place: the fuel pump was out.  They could fix it in the morning.

Thankfully, Travis's friends from growing up live in Benton, a suburb of Little Rock.  They took fantastic care of us, even providing a crib.

Hangin' at the Car Dealership

And offered a car to borrow!  We were set to go in the car, but had to go by to get our clothes to wear to the wedding first.  While there, they said our car was done.  

Still on track, and in our own car.  Back in our car by 10:30, plenty of time to get to Nashville by 5.

Until: a. construction in the middle of nowhere

and b. a violent storm

Aftermath of the storm

driving into the plantation

We missed the actual ceremony (which apparently included lightening in the background) but were able to make it for a perfect Southern Living reception (and I say that with the upmost respect).

A menu full of fresh summer veggies followed by square dancing.

The next morning

We partied late while the baby slept in a house on the property (yay baby monitors), slept a little, met the happy couple for coffee on the porch in the morning

view from the porch

stopped by Franklin, TN for mass (where there were semi-traffic jams on a Sunday morning), and hit the road.

Whew.  

Franklin

Congrats, Jess and Gordon!  

Compost: Life Comes From Death

Every day, I collect sweet potato scraps, coffee grinds, and old green beans for my compost pile and top it with dead grass.

In six months, this persistent effort will yield dark, rich soil, perfect to grow tomatoes, zucchini, greens, and other vegetables in my summer garden.

Death makes way for life.  Life comes from death.

Eucharistic Procession, Gatewood Neighborhood, Oklahoma City

Last Sunday, out of the darkness that threatened from the Black Mass, arose a Eucharistic Procession at St. Francis of Assisi, with some 3,000 people in attendance to pray for the city and honor Christ Jesus.  

St. Francis, before the prayer service

Rosary school gym, dedicated overflow from the Church

Corpus Christi parishioners in the real overflow, outside

Episcopal priest with his children

Shaded overflow

St. Damien's Parishioner

End of Procession

People Pray Outside Church after the Procession

Texas Seminarian kneels in front of Eucharist

To read some of Archbishop Coakley's remarks, see my article here.  

Daily Life: Hilarious

As the baby is trying to maneuver around the maraca under her leg:

Me [to the baby]: Are you stuck from the maraca?  Or is the maraca stuck under you?

My husband: That's a metaphysical question.

Me: It's just a physical question.

Him: All physical questions are metaphysical.

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It's cool now??*

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Travis, after studying during intercession to get ahead: Well, the stuff we're doing right now is actually pretty hard.

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Pediatrician's Nurse about my crawling baby: Are you giving her plenty of tummy time, mama?

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While walking around our new 'hood:
Me: I'm really glad our house number is even.  I like even numbers so much more than odd, and its both even overall and if you add all the digits, it's even.  It'd be even better if every digit is even, but that's okay.

Travis: Well, zero isn't even or odd.

Me: Yeah, but I like to think of it as even.


*I mean, NPR is great.  Love Krista Tippet's On Being.  Have had driveway moments.  But cool?

Eating with a Baby

In a breakfast rut?  Same ol' cereal getting boring?  No time for oatmeal?

Eat with a baby!

(Okay, so this won't actually solve the time problems...)

But!  It will get your out of your normal breakfast foods.  Suddenly, things like sweet potatoes seem good for breakfast, because that's what the baby is eating*.

And it is good.  It's delicious and nutritious and easy and cheap- the quad equivalent of trifecta of food!

Your baby loves avocado so much her face turns green?  Avocado-toast for breakfast!  Yes!  Add a hard-boiled egg for protein- she loves the yolk, too.

Her love of peaches and blueberries reminds you to eat your fruits, too.  The way she smashes them on her mouth indicates their deliciousness.

Plus, it's a chance to teach her baby sign language and prepare her for a future of being brilliant, just like you.

Clean up and enjoy the day!





*Real sweet potatoes: just cleaned, poked, and put on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes at 425.  This can be done ahead of time and warmed in the microwave.  Cut and serve!

(And I'm no feeding-a-baby expert, but I do a combo of this and this- basically soft table food and nursing after 6 months, only mama's milk before.)

Big League City: please don't out-cool me.

So, did you see that piece in the NY Times about Oklahoma City?  How everyone is moving here because it's affordable, you can buy a house, etc?

Yeah, I hated that.

On my way to Braum's.
Super cool apartments.
Looks like Dwell.

If too many people do that, it won't be true.

This will happen instead.

At the Myriad garden's

Yeah, I love the myriad garden's renovations as much as the next person.

But, for real, don't get too cool, OKC.  I love you the way you are.

Myriad Garden's

Ramshackle paths and all.

Also Gatewood.  

Green-eyed Monster/New Column

Green-eyed monster keeping you from enjoying the blessings in your own life?  Check out my take here- it's my first young adult column.

Classic Oklahoma Sunset
(just beause it's pretty)

And then fuel that giant ogre with my sister's food + fashion + travel blog.  Hey, you can learn to make some of that fabulous food of hers.  Mmmm, Beignet's!

And someday soon, if I ever emerge from August, I'll tell you the story of a Nashville wedding.

The Past Month

1.

This happened.

And worked: all five babies slept.  

Beach Trip '14!  Woo-hoo!

2. German Catan. 

Notice: Germans assume a basic understanding of probability.

And, yes, I won. 

But I may or may not have played against kids who didn't remember all the rules.  So.  You know.

3. These books are great.  And I'm already looking forward to this one.*

(And as is this one, only I haven't reviewed it.  

I just read it on the beach.  

Light enough for beach reading, good enough for couch reading.)

4. Food.  For the babe.  

That's happening, big time.

peaches.

As is crawling.  

5. My family likes to pretend we're on TV.

and hang out at the beach

Yes, that's the father of my child.
And, yes, that's during beach karoke.
Thanks, Rachel and Chad, for a whole new world.

6. My husband's family gathered at the lake.

7. Some day soon, we're moving.

*Yes, I'm shamelessly sharing my recent published pieces.