Boobie Prize!

Now, I don't make it a habit to talk about my girls in a public forum, but I wanted to share my experience with my very first mammogram. See, I am real wimp and don't like pain one little bit. Heck, when I was pregnant, I begged my Dr. to start my epidural 2 weeks before the due date...just in case! Pain just isn't on my agenda....really. So, embarrassingly, I have to admit that last year, when my Dr. told me it was time to get this much talked about joy-of-being-female experience done, I kind of skipped out on it. I just didn't do it. No harm, no foul...right???? Come on....work with me here.

So, fast forward to this year and my annual physical...Dr. (being all on top of things and all) notices I haven't had my girls checked out when she looks through my file. You know what happens next, right? She tells me about how important this is (I even asked about the "new" guidelines, which she quickly dismissed as garbage). She even goes into great detail about her recent Mammogram and how it didn't hurt...really, she said that.

Well, since I am in a season of life where I need to get everything in order for this upcoming move, I decided to schedule the test. My head started swimming when I called for an appointment and they could see me so quickly (in less than a week, when I was figuring a month and knowing myself would probably managed to talk myself out of doing it ~ again).

Anyway, I went this morning for an 8:30 am check in for a 9:00 am scan. You won't believe it! It was more spa experience than squish the girls until they scream experience. The imaging center I went to was very peaceful, quiet and a bit posh. The technician who performed the test was super sweet, gentle and understanding about my great fear of pain. Honestly, there was no pain. It was more like some pressure, but nothing even vaguely what I expected! AND I was finished and out of there at 8:55 am.

So, why am I talking about this - here in public? It is because breast cancer is serious stuff and I lost a dear friend to this awful disease 6 years ago and know so many others who have lost dear, precious women to it as well. If you have been putting off getting your Mammogram (like me) I encourage you to go get it done. I didn't hurt a bit...REALLY.

Moving....

When you hear that word...moving...what does it make you think of? For me it means boxes and big trucks and for sale signs. Yes, the Southern Somedays family is going to be moving. Now, you know why I have been a little lax in my blog posting ~ it has been a bit up in the air around here!

My DH has taken a new job and we will be relocating over the summer, after the children finish up their activities and such. So, to add to all the excitement of DD finishing up her senior year of high school and getting ready to head off to college we are getting ready to head off to a new state!

I say "new" state, but actually it isn't new to us. We will moving back to South Carolina! We lived there for many years in several different towns as DH's job transferred us. We are actually moving back to the town where DD was born (how funny is that?). My oldest DS was also born in SC, and I have family in the Upstate of SC, so this feels like home to us! We loved SC and have often wished we could end up back there. Now we are!!! There are some really big pluses about our new location, one being only an hour from the Beach!!! WhoooHOOOOOO!!!! THAT makes it a winner in our book.

So, I am giving you a heads up...Southern Somedays will probably have a decidedly transitional feel for a while...now where are those boxes?

P.S. I don't know why the spacing on this post looks all wonky....Blogger isn't liking me much today!

Great Southern Ladies Book Give Away!

Y'all head over to Sweet Tea and Biscuits and read about this fabulous give away http://sweettnbiscuits.blogspot.com/2010/02/suck-your-stomach-in-and-put-some-color.html#links! You will love it. I found Shellie (the author) back when I was living in the great white north of upstate NY and she kept me feeling connected to my wonderful southland so I can't wait to read her book. Also, find out more about the great web ring called Southern Mommas http://southernmommas.ning.com which is filled with wonderful ladies who have a heart for the south and the joy that is being a Southern Belle! Now, hurry on over and enter, the give away ends on February 26th.

Saturday...it is cold so lets cook!

My husband is truly a Southern man! Yes, he thinks Banana Pudding is the best dessert/snack around. I have found this to be a particularly strong love among our Southern menfolk. Do they do Banana Pudding up north? Honestly, when we lived up there, I never remember seeing it. Where as in any self respecting Southern Home Cooking restaurant, it is a standard....much like our Mac-n-Cheese being listed in the vegetable category! Now, that is just how it is done ~ don't' ask questions! Anyway, due to my DH's great love of this dessert and my particular love of him, I have learned to make it pretty darn well (oh, and it must be topped with meringue - NOT whipped topping! So, step away from the Cool Whip and we will all be OK).

So on this cold, windy Saturday I thought I would share the recipe that I use. Now, it isn't "my" recipe, it came from the hallowed halls of Southern Living! This is truly the best recipe and includes that illustrious HOME MADE CUSTARD....be still my heart, oh, heavens! Yes, it does....

Banana Pudding (done right!)

1/3 cup all purpose flour
dash of salt
2-1/2 cups milk
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups (more or less) ripe bananas (I usually just cut the as I layer to get as much as I want)
Vanilla Wafers
4 large egg whites (at room temperature)
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine flour and salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milks and yolks; stir well. Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract. Do NOT just start eating this yummy custard now or you won't have any for your 'nanner puddin'.

Arrange banana slices in bottom of a 2 quart baking dish. Spoon one-third of pudding mixture over banana. Arrange a single layer of wafers on top of pudding. Repeat layers twice, use any remaining wafers around the edge of the dish (turned up on their sides!), push into pudding.

Beat egg whites at high speed of a mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue evenly over pudding, sealing to edge of dish.

Bake at 325 for 25 minutes until golden brown.

***Banana Pudding may be a bit soupy when you first remove it from the oven. Let Cool at least 30 minutes before serving. YUMMMMM.

This is my banana pudding before spreading the meringue.
Here we are with unbaked meringue.

The final shot....amazing stuff, really!

For all you Frugal Fashionistas!

Homecoming 2010

Last week was Homecoming at my children's school, so it was a flurry of activity all week. One of the biggest highlights was that DD was on Homecoming Court, which was so much fun for her.

During the Homecoming game pep rally she was escorted by her little brothers! I don't know that they appreciated the experience like they should have!

During the Walk-Out for the Homecoming festivities, she was escorted by her handsome Daddy!

It was another one of those bitter sweet nights for a Mom. She is a Senior and our time of sharing events like this with her is ebbing away...the countdown is on ,and I hear the ticking of the clock much louder than I would like. Only one or two more formal occasions in her High School career and after that, well...I will be lucky if I see photos on Facebook. Sigh....

Since we all love the shoes!

She and her handsome date getting ready to catch a limo with friends to the Homecoming Dance.

Aren't' they cute?

Ahhh, to be young again.............

Baby steps and Monday Motivation!

Wow, I am showing y'all my mess (or at least ONE of them...there are plenty more). You may be asking why I am showing you the deep dark secrets that my kitchen cabinets hide; well, it is part of my New Years Resolution to pare down and simplify (Year 2!). Once-upon-a-time this was a well oiled and organized cabinet - one that provided much support and help in my times of need...Now? Not so much! Over the last couple of, gulp, years I have let it become a jumbled mess of stick-anything-that-doesn't-have-a-place-in-that-cabinet (think: that scary kitchen junk drawer - on steroids!) So today I tasked myself with tackling this cabinet, just this one as to not overwhelm or scare the natives...baby steps!

This is the cabinet that holds all my lunch making supplies and left over paper products from various parties and such. One thing I really dislike is being wasteful and by letting this cabinet become disorganized, I was very wasteful because many things that could have been used over the years were forgotten or became damaged and had to be discarded. THAT really bothers me!

Removing everything was where I started and deciding what things needed to find a better home was the 1st step to progress. Also, deciding what things needed to find the trash can was another important step! The collection of flower vases found a lovely home in the basement, neatly placed on a shelf!

Now things are back in and organized! We can now make use of the left over paper products as the need arises AND I can easily find the right dish without having to "unstack" the world.

FINISHED!

Gosh, I feel almost giddy!