pensieve.me

It's as good a reason as ANY to have a party!

I'm hosting a party on Friday for one of the silliest reasons on the planet.

Once upon a time I would buy anything if it was on sale for at least 75% off.  With great enthusiasm I would justify rationalize explain to my husband "BUT-HONEY-LOOK-HOW-MUCH-MONEY-I-SAAAAVED!!!" while he would just shake his head and praise God that at least I wasn't a retail price binge shopper. 

I swear it was like a druggie getting a fix, the "high" directly proportional to the percentage off.  Once at the Hallmark store, I found decorative clay vases and urns for ONE CENT and flipped in-store cartwheels for HITTING THE MOTHER LODE while the employees--thrilled to get the blasted inventory OUT OF THEIR STORE AND INTO MY CAR and unconcerned it was probably some accounting glitch in their system (Why in the world would they sell ANYTHING for a single penny???)--assured me I wasn't doing anything "wrong" or peculiar by buying a dozen clay vessels.  

I got them home, put 'em in my "sale closet" smugly satisfied that Christmas shopping was done for a few people; though in mid-July I didn't even know who I'd give them to.  

That was inconsequential.

On another visit to the same Hallmark store, I hit the lottery again, this time with a 75% off jackpot. 

 

I found a dozen soup and sandwich trays reminiscent of blue and white delftware, marked down to $2.50!  Originally $10, I scooped up every one of them!  Imagining my future, I envisioned monthly get-togethers with my girlfriends just for the sake of using the darling plate-trays and soup mugs.  And,
s u r e, to enjoy my friends' company, too.

I've used them once in the decade-plus I've had them.  I'm sure that's a sin of some sort.

Soooo...when my beloved blog sistah, Amber, began encouraging others to host a girlfriend party, the wheels started turning in my head.  She reminded me that nurturing friendship requires intent; I realized it had been a long, long time since I hosted a gathering in my home for "no reason" other than the sake of investing in others' lives.  Sowing friendship; reaping tenfold the same.  

While I love The Matrix the blogosphere and my imaginary friends the wonderful writers I've met in person--and the ones I've yet met but whose blogs I adore--I realize it's way too easy to invest in those friendships at the expense of the women who will pick up my kids from school when I'm in a pinch, bring me dinner when I need it, or hug me when I need the touch of kindred soul.  And much more important, how will I know when they need a kind word or touch or dinner when they're too sick to get out of bed if I'm not in on-going relationship with them?

So, yes, on one hand I'm hosting a party on Friday for one of the silliest reasons on the planet:  to use my soup tray-plates & mugs.  But on that other hand?  It's to share life with special friends...just because it's passed time.  For both :).

YOUR TURN:  How are you investing in the lives of your friends?  How have your friends surprised or blessed you lately? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wanna host your own Sister Party?  Visit The Runamuck for details.

Super dishes!

{Originally posted on 1/25/08.

I tried over half these recipes and if you're looking

for some FABULOUS Super Bowl Party dishes,

you've hit the mother lode!

Please add YOUR favorite recipes 'cause

I KNOW there are some GREAT ones NOT listed yet!}

Are you looking for some delicious Super Bowl recipes?   Some memorable dishes that will make your party, large or small?  Snacks, finger foods or entire spreads that satisfy your ravenous, Super Bowl appetite?  Well, then...just scroll down to the links below and I think you'll find plenty of what you're looking for. 

Feel free to add links to your own recipes or to others you've found on-line...then, whenever you're looking for the recipes, you'll know where to find them the next time!

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BlogHop '08...& YOU'RE INVITED!

When you think about it, in comparison to the millions of blogs in existence, only a few bloggers are able to attend BlogHer; those who are going just have bigger mouths large readerships good reason to write about it:

THEY'RE BLOGGERS, PEOPLE!  We ALL write about the minutia of our lives, and in a blogger's life?  Meeting the people you read IN REAL LIFE is tantamount to a middle-aged hacker golfing in a foursome with Tiger and Phil and Vijay, or a highschool basketball standout playing with Michael Jordan, or ME COOKING DINNER WITH PAULA DEEN!!! 

So, for the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of the rest of us, we'll continue blogging as usual without the concern of plane crashes or falling into an earthquake crevice or being run over by a wayward railcar or having to eat beans and rice for a month to make up for travel expense.  See?  All good things.

Oh, and one more thing...YOU'RE INVITED to a special cyber-party for those NOT attending BlogHer!  Simply write a party post and link it back tonight beginning at 10 p.m. EST (9:00 Central).

It's your choice what to include, but I'd love to find some wonderful party recipes you might have; hopefully, you'll be meeting some new bloggers, so a quick intro post might be good including a FEW links to your favorite archived posts; or maybe you'd like to offer "party favors" (aka a giveaway). 

A word of advice--the briefer your post, the better, 'cause that will allow you to visit a few more bloggy friends (note to self:  read, then re-read previous sentence!).

Karen at Simply...A Musing Blog and co-host of Behind the Blog radio show has set up a chat for us beginning at 10 p.m. EST (9:00 p.m. Central).  Just follow these easy directions:

1. Go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com and sign up for a free "listener account" by clicking on "Register" on the top blue navigation bar and join in the conversation.

2. Once you’ve done that, you can find our chat tonight by typing in www.blogtalkradio.com/simplyamusingdesigns and then once we're live and on the air, you can click on the button that says, "listen" and a new page will open up and you’ll see the chat room!

3. If you'd like to chat in the chat room, once you've clicked on the listen button, you should see another button that says "chat live" and if you click it, a new window will pop up and you'll be in our chat room and ready to chat.

Last but not least, please help spread the word!  Pick up the button and link the image back to my main page--write a post, Tweet it, Plurk It, Stumble it and Kirtsy it...with a party, I'm all about the more the merrier!  Mr. Linky will be up by 10 EST, earlier if I'm able :).

Have I left anything out?  Email or leave a comment, and I'll get back to you when I'm able. 

Make friends.  Mix and mingle.  The party may start at 10:00 EST tonight, but I suspect it'll last all weekend long ;) :). 

I had a secret...and now I get to TELL!!! Can you say BIG APPLE??

Wanna win a trip to New York City?

Wanna win an all-expenses paid trip to New York City valued around $4,500?!

Wanna win an all-expenses paid trip to New York City valued around $4,500, including round-trip airfair, three days and two nights in one of Manhattan's finest hotels, a personal meet and greet with one of my close, personal friends* who happens to be The Diva of Dish???

Well, then, what in the world are you waiting for?!  CLICK THIS TO ENTER!!

And with that, ladies and gentlemen, I just decreased my own chances of winning.

S i g h...

Sometimes it ain't about me at all ;).

P.S.  If you win, will you take me???  Please?

P.P.S.  Hey y'all...nevah mind what I had as the previous PPS--THANKS WITH ALL MY HEART TO ALL OF YOU who so kindly and thoughtfully entered either "Robin at PENSIEVE" or my URL in the referral blank for the "How'd you hear about the contest?" blank.  That blows all kinds of air up my skirt while simultaneously giving me the warm fuzzies, and lemme tell ya...not much feels bettah than THAT! :)

* "close, personal friend" perhaps better described as "imaginary close, personal friend" ;).

Hey Y'all ~ It's the ULTIMATE Blog Party :)

If you're visiting PENSIEVE for the first time, I'm so grateful you included me in your blog hopping this week.  I've recently written about the origin of my blog title (if you don't already understand the reference) and a quick way to get to know me is to read this.

• I like to write and read poetry, so I created Poetic License
• Picture Puzzler was born because I like to play games (you're invited to play that, too).
• I chase alligators and charm snakes
• I recently discovered I'm an opera lover although I like most music genres.
• I think everyone who can donate blood, should.
• I have a crush on Paula, Jamie and Bobby Deen--and Phil their webmaster, and best of all, they crush me back in my mind.
• I'm mom to three, wife to one, pet groomer to a dog, cat and two lionhead rabbits, and...I'm a daughter of the King (which means I'm a princess! :) ).
• I've been mistaken for Bo Derek AND Cousin It...!

Janice and Susan's Ultimate Blog Party is fun, but it can be over- whelming; if you're new to blogging a few tips might help make your week even more enjoyable.

• Don't wear yourself out the first day.
• IMHO, it's better to comment meaningfully rather than comment often <---YIKES!  I realized after writing that, it must not sound like I meant it...I'm just saying it's nice if the author can tell you actually read the post and that you didn't just comment to "get credit" (does that sound just as "bad"???)
  
• Subscribe right away to those that make an appealing first impression--you won't remember to "come back later".

I hope you'll add PENSIEVE to your readers or subscribe via email; if you do this week, how 'bout letting me know.  You might just win a prize.

Speaking of prizes, I almost forgot!  How could I do THAT???!  There are tons of prizes to be won at the end of the party--my favorites include (cross my fingers, throw salt over my shoulder, rub my lucky rabbits' foot, and since we have two rabbits, I have eight feet to rub...!):

Triple Metal Hoop Earrings from Two Belles & a Bead  (#147)
A set of cool daywear including a camisole and panties by Karen Neuburger (#109)
$25 gift card to Target, donated by Mommy Bytes (#117)
$20 Amazon Gift Certificate compliments of MommyDaddy Blog (#140)
$15 GC to Amazon from Mommy Cracked (#129)
$40 credit for blog design from RS Designs (#71)
Not too far behind these are a cool knitting bag from Crafty Mom (#136), a beautiful handmade silver cross necklace from Dandelion Dayz (#135).

 

Wow, there's plenty of reason to join in this week's fun!!

:)

One of our car convos and why I was "quiet" yesterday

My poems were written early yesterday because I knew after school drop off my day would spin out of control and blogging was not going to be a part of it.  I hosted a baby shower for a new friend in our Sunday School class Bible Fellowship last night, and my day was to be filled with little more than cooking and cleaning. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So on the way to school, my middle child uttered perhaps the STRANGEST thing that has ever flowed from his lips...if you've been reading PENSIEVE a while, you know that's saying a lot (and you might want to skip this part if grossness grosses you out (even if it's only words, it paints a disgusting picture).

T:  "You know what I think about doing when I get chill bumps all over?"

He pauses for effect.

T:  "I think about getting a knife and scraping them all off into a bowl...and EATING them...."

I'm gagging at the thought, but he's not done and it gets even MORE disgusting....

T:  "...yeah, I think the same thing about people who have bad acne...I just wanna scrape it off into a bowl..."

Thank God, he didn't wanna eat that, too! 

You know, I used to wish I could creep into the minds of my children to know their secret thoughts and unspoken dreams.  Thomas is curing that, revelation by revelation.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So, back to the baby shower.  It was a "Sip & See", which is code for she's already had the baby.  For weeknight things like this, I keep it simple, but simple still means preparation.  It was dessert only, not a full "shower spread", and I made my favorite recipes:  sour cream pound cake, strawberry creme puffs, fudge**, and butter mints.

Needless to say, between cookin' and makin' the above, then cleaning my house...I didn't stop to use the bathroom yesterday.  At 6:53, seven minutes before guests were due to arrive, I finally changed clothes and brushed my teeth, and finished just in time to greet the first guest.

Then the second...

...and the third.

At 7:30, the guest of honor was not here; originally, I planned the shower for 7:30, so I thought maybe that time had stuck in her mind instead of the revised earlier time.  At 7:45, we were all a bit concerned--I envisioned her stuck in a ditch on the way to my house!--so I called her home.  She answered on the second ring.

"Hey (name not used to protect the innocent, although she was guilty and she doesn't even read my blog)."

Her:  "Hey Robin, how are youOHMYGOODNESSI'MSUPPOSEDTOBEATYOURHOUSERIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!"

Me (laughing):  "It's okay...I was just worried..."

Her:  "I'mOnMyWayOutTheDoorNowI'MSOOOOOSORRY!!!  I just forgot...if you knew my day...."

And I'm like, you don't have to come, it's okay, we'll bring the party to you, yadayada, and she insisted on coming.

Ya know, in my pre-kids days I would've never understood how you could forget your own party....  Now?  (and this lady has four children)  I totally understand...it didn't phase me or really surprise me that much.

And when all was said and done, we had a splendid evening :).

**Can someone tell me why mine always crumbles when I slice it???  It tastes GREAT, but it's hard to get any "usable" squares out of it...am I cooking it too long?  It's the Fantasy Fudge recipe off marshmallow cream.

Scenes from Valentine Tea

Each year's party, at least in most recent years, begins with Noni reading this passage~

"When did you last have a tea party?  When was the last time you enjoyed a cup of tea with someone you cared about?  Isn't it time you did again?

...perhaps the idea of a tea party takes you back to your childhood.  Do you remember dressing up and putting on you best manners as you sipped pretend tea out of tiny cups and shared pretend delicacies with your friends, your parents, or your teddy bears?  Were you lucky enough to have adults who cared enough to share tea parties with you?  And are you lucky enough to have a little person with whom you could share a tea party today?  Is there a little girl inside you who longs for a lovely time of childish imagination and "so big" manners?

It could be that the mention of teatime brings quieter memories--cups of amber liquid sipped in peaceful solitude on a big old porch, or friendly confidences shared over steaming cups.

But even if you don't care for tea--if you prefer coffee or cocoa or lemonade or ice water, or if you like chunky mugs better than gleaming silver or delicate china, or if you find the idea of a traditional tea overly formal and a bit intimidating--there's still room for you at the tea table.  Few can resist a tea party when it is served with the right spirit.

You see, it's not the tea itself that speaks to the soul with such a satisfying message.  And it's not the teacups themselves that bring a message of beauty and serenity and friendship.

It's not the tea, in other words, that makes the teatime special.  It's the spirit of the tea party.

It's what happens when women or men or children make a place in their lives for the rituals of sharing.  It's what happens when we bother with the little extras that feed the soul and nurture the senses and make space for unhurried conversations.  And when that happens, it doesn't really matter what fills cups of holds the liquid.

It really isn't the tea.

It's the spirit of the tea party.

And, it is  in that spirit I offer an invitation to tea."

Excerpted from Emilie Barnes' "An Invitation to Tea".

More to follow...

Mothers and Daughters and Traditions and Tea Parties

Thirteen years ago, my mother-in-law timidly asked me if I'd be interested in hosting a mother-daughter Valentine tea party for my then three-year-old daughter, her first grandchild.  After giving birth to four sons, she was delighted, finally, to have a little girl with whom to celebrate life, and it came eagerly and generously in the form of darling dresses and doll babies, treasures and trinkets. 

And tea sets.  The perfect tea set.

Sarah delighted in little girl tea parties with the joie de vivre of her toddler companion; it mattered not if they were filled with imaginary confections or apple juice and sugar cookies.  Before Rachel had full command of her speech, she was taught how to serve and how to be served, and she had equal affection for both.  Rachel thrived on her Noni's undivided attention, and sometimes they even invited Grandy to join them.  Those tea parties sometimes lasted longer than their real-life counterpart!

Perhaps this was the genesis of Sarah's Valentine Tea Party idea, but I imagine it pre-dated Rachel's birth.  Before the age of ultrasound, every time she was pregnant, Sarah was certain "this time" she'd have a daughter.  Rachel's arrival had been anticipated for 30 years.

Over the past 13 years, the Valentine Tea has taken many forms.  The first few years found pre-schoolers and their mothers arriving dressed in their Sunday best.  In addition to ribbons and lace, the girls were adorned with all manner of grace and "best behavior".  For the first five years or so, we made a card for the fathers (since they weren't invited), and a Valentine-related craft.  The menu was a child's dream--heart-shaped PB&Js, heart-shaped Jello Jigglers, heart-shaped cookies, heart-shaped butter mints.  Fare for the moms was a bit more traditional--chicken salad and croissants, strawberry creme puffs, fresh fruit.

In time, I decided to do something "more" with the Tea.  Intentional about reaching young hearts, for several teas, I read a "moralized" Valentine story to them (you can find a variety of these at your local Christian book seller); other years, attempting to cultivate "other-mindedness", I asked the girls to bring diapers and wipes for us to give to the local crisis pregnancy center.  The last few times I hosted it in South Carolina, the girls could come without their moms, and somehow they always ended up IN the creek in our backyard (the first year that happened, they were still dressing in Sunday best!  Oh, how I remember the mud on one of the girl's white, chiffon-layered, junior bridesmaid dresses...:/).

There were always surcies for mother and daughter, finding perfect treats was one of my favorite parts of the Valentine Tea.  I'd scout all year for "nice" things at bargain prices, then squirrel them away until tea time. 

As a "words" girl, creating each year's invitation has always been fun, too.  Usually, I'd write a poem invite (no surprise there), but over the past few years, I've loved making Stampin' Up creations.  This year's is decidedly non-Valentine-ish--I wanted to stay away from "traditional" pink and red and went with a totally different color scheme. 

When we moved to Tennessee 4 1/2 years ago, I couldn't let our tradition die.  It meant too much to my mother-in-law, and surprising to me, it meant too much to me.  Once again, we tweaked the Tea to fit our stage in life, and it became a family affair--my sisters-in-laws, their daughters, my mother-in-law's best friend and sister-in-law, too.  All the younger girls get to invite one friend along with their mothers. 

I've come to appreciate the tradition of our Valentine Tea.  It provides a sense of identity to the women in our family; it binds us together and strengthens family (and friendship) ties.  It brings a dimension and richness to a holiday known for celebrating romance, and for us, instead, fosters a different sort of "love".

It means more and more to me every year.

 

Bacon Tomato Cups

Bacony, biscuity, oniony, Swiss cheesery, and (gulp) tomatoey snack GLORIOSITY--

The means to the end:

1 10-count can biscuits
1 pound bacon, crisp-fried, crumbled
2 small or 1 large tomato, seeded, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded
1/2-1 cup mayonnaise, enough to bind the ingredients
2 teaspoons basil

Preheat oven to 375ºF.    Spray mini-muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray.

Separate biscuits; cut into quarters.

Note:  I've always wondered if there was a difference in taste/texture between plain buttermilk biscuits and the flaky layer version; I bought two small cans and tried 'em both for today.

Take biscuit quarters and press into prepared mini-muffin pans.  Using my almost-as-much-fun-as-my-kitchen-blow-torch Pampered Chef Mini-Tart Shaper makes it easy.

Thumbs are the best tool around for seeding tomatoes.  Slime-a-ly disgusting, yes, but highly effective.

 

If you take your time when you're chopping everything up, it might just end up in perfect piles like this:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 

The ingredients looks so colorfully appetizing, don't you think?

NOT so appetizing once they're all mixed together--

Scoop out the mixture and fill the biscuit-lined muffin cups; the mixture WILL be taller than the biscuits themselves, which is just fine.

Bake for 20 minutes; remove from oven.  Spoon mixture which has overflowed back into muffin cups; bake for 5 minutes longer.  Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before removing.

Enjoy!

 

Want the recipe without my running commentary?  As you wish:

Ingredients:

• 1 10-count can biscuits
• 1 pound bacon, crisp-fried, crumbled
• 2 small or 1 large tomato, seeded, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded
• 1/2-1 cup mayonnaise, enough to bind the ingredients
• 2 teaspoons basil

Preheat oven to 375ºF.    Spray mini-muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. Separate biscuits; cut into quarters.  Spread out in prepared muffin cups.  Combine remaining ingredients in bowl, add enough mayonnaise to bind them together, and fill muffin cups.  Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, spoon mixture which has overflowed back into the cups.  Return to oven and bake about 5 more minutes.  Cool in pan 5-10 minutes before removing.

Additional Cook's Notes:

• I've experimented with other cheeses and varied the ingredients, and this recipe seems to incorporate well just about anything you'd like to try.
• Before filling the muffin cups, be sure to wipe away any excess cooking spray; otherwise it bakes onto your pan and discolors it.
• The aroma from these alone makes this recipe worth trying--even my kids who typically turn their noses up at anything out of the ordinary wandered into the kitchen, curious about what smelled so good :).

Fun Monday, Soooo Sweet!!

Beckie over at Give it a Try is this week's Fun Monday hostess with the mostest.  Here's her directive:

"I want to know what your favorite treat is.  Is it sweet or sour?  Is it plain or salty?  Is it candy or chocolate?  Is it homemade or store bought?  For instance, if your favorite is chocolate, tell us what kind specifically - sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes not so much.  I have heard a lot of talk about Junior Mints, but is it your favorite or just a tasty treat?  It can be anything, popcorn, peanuts, ice cream or chips, maybe you have more than one favorite - that is ok, just show us your favorite(s) and tell us why you like it so much.  C’mon, what gets you all juiced up?"

I wrote this post from memory, on my laptop when I didn't have access to wireless, and unfortunately, my memory was a bit sketchy...I thought Beckie had asked us to write about SWEET things in particular.  And, just the thought of all my favorite sweets (does having more than one "favorite" negate my ability to use the word "favorite", because I love each and every one equally...totally depending on my mood and for what my uber-ugly tongue has a taste) rendered me hyperglycemically happy--a calorie-free, mental sugar high.  This sweet euphoria released a bit of manic poetry, so without further ado, I offer today's Fun Monday:

An Ode to All Things Sweet

“Life is short,” it is said, “Eat dessert first!”

A philosophy perfect to me.

The only dilemma that scrambles my brain

Is when choices are more than just three.

 

You see, I was made with more than my share—

One sweet tooth just wasn’t enough.

Instead I am blessed with a dozen or more

To make a decision is tough.

 

There’s no such thing as a “favorite dessert”

Why limit myself to just one?

When dozens of treats are calling my name

Pick one? No, I’d miss too much fun.

 

Just thinking about my fav-o-rite sweets

Puts an instant smile on my face.

Dinner is simply a means to an end—

“Hurry, finish your long-winded grace!”

 

Italian Cream Cake, scrumptious tiramisu,

Have GOT to top any list.

Close in pursuit: luscious crème brulee

Chocolate cake? No way to resist!

 

And ice cream, dear ice cream, sweet treat of youth

In a bowl, topping cone, on a stick.

Delighted to try different flavors,

But chocolate I ALWAYS will pick.

 

And candy, oh my, I’m starting to shake

All this sweet talk is making me dizzy!

How 'bout cashews and popcorn and barbecue chips,

With Vanilla Coke, delightfully fizzy.

 

Hershey Kisses and Turtles and ol' Baby Ruth,

Yikes!  You're learning so much about me.

I love M&Ms, peanut, of course--

Time to go, 'cause now I'm hungry!

Be sure to visit Beckie for the rest of the Fun Monday players!

 

Photocredits:

Cool cake at the top

Tiramisu: Marmalade Mel at Flickr

M&Ms

Edy's Chocolate Ice Cream