January 2007 Archives

Please pray for my grandmother's first cousin, Carmella Duncan, who passed away today. Thanks.

Bob the Trousered Ape can help you out:

How do you solve a problem like Godzilla?

6 Week Old Fifi

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Sunnyday's Lemon Squares

I am definitely adding this to my WW menu.

A twin leans over and kisses the cheek of her sister in a heart-warming picture that would not be out of place in any family home.

Yet these siblings are a not even born and the astonishing images have been captured on a new 'four-dimensional' ultrasound scan of the womb.

Via the Daily Eudemon.

Why does this bother me? I knew it would happen. I expected it, yet I am still surprised. I sent my grandmother some of the pictures from the Baptism because she couldn't make the trip ("Oh Pansy, I can't come! I am too sick!"). She said it: "Oh Pansy, I can't believe all the weight you gained! Your father said you look good, but I couldn't get over it!" Lady, please, get over it. I know I am not Gisele Bundchen, but dang! Who the heck tells a woman with a 4-week old baby how startled they are by her weight gain? Isn't that in line with telling a nine-year old who just lost their parents in a car accident "Sucks to be you! Christmas just won't be the same from now on, huh?"

I am in good company. She said "Oh, your father, my son, he looks like such a natural born priest in those pictures. Too bad he's not a priest, just a deacon."

I don't know why she gets to me so much, it's always the same ole, same ole. Oddly, the more I know how she will react, the more it irritates me.

Two weeks ago, I joined Weight Watchers (again). I signed up for the Core plan which is very similar to my diabetic diet. Since I am already a super hottie, I really need to lose weight for health reasons. I am at strong risk for developing Type II diabetes if I am not careful.

Week one, I lost three pounds. Last week, I gained back two. It is totally not my fault though! I found lemons in the pantry. They were going to go bad. I had to do something with lemons. So of course, I had to make Lemon Poppy Seed Cake. I mean so, the recipe has 6 eggs, and 2 1/2 cups of sugar, and 2 sticks of butter, but I used fat free sour cream! Give me some credit! Lemons are fat free!

If you don't get AOL and wish to join me on my weight gain loss journey, here's the recipe:
Lemon-Poppy Seed Cake Batter
From Southern Living

Prep: 15 min.

1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Stir together flour and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beating at low speed just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla; stir in lemon rind and poppy seeds. Use batter immediately, following baking directions for desired cake in "Pick a Pan" below.

Pick a Pan: Lemon-Poppy Seed Cake Batter can be baked in lots of different shapes and sizes--just use these times as a guideline, and be sure to grease and flour your pans. With smaller muffin pans and molds, we found it easier to use a vegetable cooking spray with flour. Check for doneness at the minimum time range, continuing to bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Variations with added fruit and nuts will require the maximum time and yield more mini cakes.

Bake at 325° in 1 (12-cup) tube pan for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Bake at 325° in 3 (8- x 4-inch) loaf pans for 55 to 65 minutes.

Bake at 325° in 7 to 9 (5- x 3-inch) loaf pans for 25 to 35 minutes.

Bake at 325° in baby Bundt pans for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 14 to 16 baby Bundt cakes. (Spoon 1/2 cup batter in each 1-cup mold.)

Bake at 350° in muffin pans 23 to 28 minutes. Makes 32 to 38 cupcakes.

Bake at 350° in miniature muffin pans for 9 to 11 minutes. Makes about 9 to 10 dozen cupcakes.

Yield: Makes about 7 cups

George Will, on his son who has Down's syndrome:

What did Jon Will and the more than 350,000 American citizens like him do to tick off the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists? It seems to want to help eliminate from America almost all of a category of citizens, a category that includes Jon.

I thought our modern, tolerant society was all about celebrating diversity and welcoming the differently abled. So how does this increased screening for Down's syndrome fit in with that?

The life expectancy of people who have Down's syndrome has doubled. People with Down's syndrome grow up, live at home, hold jobs, pursue their interests.

But apparently that's still not good enough. So they must be culled. (After all, it would be mean to put them in an institution.) Exactly what standard of convenience must unborn children meet to be allowed to live?

And as genetics grows more precise, will the standard of convenience rise?

"She'll never be able to read or drive without intervention. She'll have to be fitted for corrective lenses while she's still in elementary school, and she'll have to be checked every year to make sure the lenses still work. Of course, there's always surgery, but... And then there's the obesity problem. She'll be teased... she'll always struggle. There's always surgery, but... And then the depression, that means constant vigilance, maybe even medication, and that doesn't always work... Are you sure you want to put her through all that?"

In twenty years, will someone like me make the cut?

Dr Bruchalski's going to be on EWTN tonight! (On Raymond Arroyo's show.)

If you don't know who Dr Bruchalski is, you really ought to watch the show.

My husband is flying out of town this afternoon to attend a funeral. I'm packing his suitcase, and, since it's the first time either of us has flown since 2004, I'm checking out the carry-on baggage rules at the airline and the TSA website.

So let me make sure I'm understanding this correctly: If my husband wants to carry a tube of toothpaste in his carry-on luggage, it has to be a mini-tube. Can't be a regular tube that's half full; has to be a mini-tube . And the shampoo has to be a minibar size as well. (Good thing I'm sending the electric razor so I don't have to figure out how to pack the can of shaving cream.)

And this micro-toiletries have to be packed in a quart-size ziplock bag. Not gallon. Not pint. Quart.

And he will have to remove the quart-size bag, and place it in the tray with his shoes and keys.

And if he does not follow these instructions, he might be exhibiting suspicious behavior.

But if he refuses to take his assigned seat, and instead demands that he and his friends be given seats that aren't all together but just happen to be in strategic positions throughout the cabin, and requests safety equipment that he doesn't need but that could potentially be used as a weapon, then he is a victim, and those thuggish, bigoted pilots and airline crew need to get over their lyin' bigoted eyes and go to sensitivity school.

Yeah, I so believe the government takes my safety seriously.

Thanks to the the Souzeks for all the wonderful pictures they took!

In other news, Berylla's baptism is this Sunday. For months I have been working on her Baptismal gown. The boys all had this little white mini tuxedo thing, and a Girlie needs a girlier gown. When I was pregnant, I put the job aside because I "had time". A cut here, a stitch there. It has become more urgent the last week to get it done. Part of me thinks I am nuts for making it when I could have just purchased it. However, I didn't want satin, I didn't want to spend lots of $$$ on something that will be worn barely one day. Don't get me wrong, I do not minimise the importance of baptism. I am a bit nervous the whole time prior to baptism that something might happen to my baby (God forbid) and they might expire with Original Sin on their soul (not obsessively, crazy nervous, just relieved when they are finally baptised is a better description). It is very important to me to have my children become officially Catholic. The major significance in my opinion is just not on the attire. Just the minor significance :wink:.

I found a pattern on ebay for $2. I bought a really pretty off-white eyelet fabric for like $30. I got notions at Wal-Mart for $2. Oh yeah, I put them all on my debit Master Card so I suppose I can say "and the cost of being able to have a Baptismal gown just the way you want it? Priceless..." Oh never mind.

Like I mentioned, I have been sewing a bit here and there. It is not that difficult a task, but time has not been on my side. Yesterday I attached the skirt to the bodice. The skirt is huge and needed some big time gathering. My sewing machine has the different stitch settings controlled by a Gameboy that attaches to the machine. The boys find this irresistible to touch, so as I am attaching the skirt, Fredegar grabs the Gameboy and changes the stitches and the needle breaks. When I turn the gown rightside out, there is a pucker there where the needle got stuck in the stitching. I really don't have time to fix it, so I am going to find some way to cover it or simply hope no one notices. I still have to add bows and buttons and make the bonnet. I have to do this amidst tennis lessons, school, my schoolwork and oh hooray, I am cutting my hair on Saturday (I am very excited as this is long overdue)!

I like to sew, but I really am a sloppy seamstress. I rarely press things as I sew because that would mean having an iron out around active boys. Most of my sewing comes with the hopes no one gets too close to look at the finished product as it has that "hmm, something is not right-oh you didn't press" look.

So if it comes to mind on Sunday, please say a small prayer that Berylla's Baptism turns out to be a nice day. :)