The burger of a lifetime...literally!

I love me a great, big, juicy burger.
In fact, I would honestly bypass a steak.
Yes, I said it!
I would bypass the meat among men, for a scrumptious burger and fries.
It's become quite a longstanding family joke, since I did just that years ago at my brother's rehearsal dinner.
But come on, I was just a mere 14 years old then.
Well, admittedly, some things haven't changed...

AND NEITHER HAS THIS BURGER!

WHAT?

In the spirit of new healthy eating resolutions, and the attempt at disengaging my love of all things fried -
I am reminding myself what happened TWELVE YEARS AGO when this burger was ordered!
Beware, I am warning you that this is the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

No lie - No exaggeration!
That date is correct!
See you see it? Scrawled right there on the bun?
The date was written in 1997 to document a little experiment that I was trying.

Purpose: To determine
If it doesn't rot, is it still food?

(And yes, I was going through an all things natural phase in my eating habits.)

Procedure:
This cheeseburger, from an anonymous food chain (don't be fooled by the biscuit wrapper), was purchased and left to sit on my kitchen counter.
It was NEVER, EVER refrigerated.
What was the result?

It did not rot.
It did not mold.
It did not smell,
but it did preserve itself quite nicely, if I don't say so myself.

Why?
You tell me!

I didn't consume a fast food burger for two years after this experiment.
But please note...that was a decade ago.
I have found my way back to those drive thrus.
LOVE me some $.99 double cheeseburgers!

So, if Wendy's, McDonald's, Burger King etc. want to lavish my family with a years supply of goodies....I promise, I will not turn it down, and we'd be a great spokesfamily - really, check out our picture...pretty please!

I know many of you are asking, "why in the world did you save that all these years?"
Meet me in person, and I'll tell you.

But can you only
imagine my great, great, grand children's surprise when they open up my hope chest and find this little bit of legacy laying there for them to .......?

Ponder? Preserve? Preheat? hee hee

Ah - I know, I get excited about the little things. :)

*Stay tuned for more detailed results of our true scientific findings.
I am truly hoping that in the last 12 years some things have changed in the fast food industry.
My 8th grade son's science experiment will be asking this same question, that I asked years ago.
He is using three varying burgers, along with free range beef that we bought, and a homemade roll (better get the wheat grinding).
Oh, by the way....we're a bit behind on this, so any help from you science guru's would be much appreciated. ;)

A Sunday Moment

SIMPLE OBEDIENCE

We've determined one of our 2009 family mottoes to be
"Simple Obedience". *

It seems...well...so simple, but it's...not.

One act of obedience is better than one hundred sermons.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.
True OBEDIENCE is true freedom.

"Endurance is long obedience in the same direction," from Jo's pastor.

Wendy has encouraged me,
"One of my favorite Truths on obedience from Scripture is that blessings ALWAYS follow obedience. It is a promise from God, and I have experienced over and over again."

Isn't that a wonderful reminder, even in the midst of the seemingly mundane moments?

*(based on our pastor's last sermon)

Decorating dilema solved... inexpensively

You ladies crack me up.
Many of you inquired as to what decorating inspiration hit me for my
washing machine dilema.
Can I mention that reading your comments was a highlight - you are some funny women!

My husband got home right before my friends arrived, but he assured me that having the oven and dryer right where they were was just fine.
( I left out the part about our oven also having been replaced. I've been cooking on only two burners for two years - it was about time. That oven was on our back deck...yep, it was.
Just tellin' ya - had to have a bit of confession time).
Across the dryer, I spread out a long table runner with an accent napkin, and then lit a beautiful jar candle. It was glamour at its finest, and such a cozy welcome.
Some thought it was a memorial, and others responded, "only at Jen's." :)

On to better things....
My quick and thrifty Tablescape.

I must preface my post.
Typically, when we have family gatherings, we line up the food like a feeding trough and herd them on through. I mean... line up in a single file line and help ourselves buffet style.

Christmas Eve, we were going to have a very small group since two of my three brothers' families were not joining us. Seating, and serving 19 is a breeze, and I really wanted to make the kids feel special with their own themed table.

At their table, I went with the candy cane theme since I could put it together in five minutes.
I already had the red table cloth on the table, and I purchased all of the candy cane candles (ten in all) at two different yard sales this summer at the staggering price of $0.05.
That's right...five cents a candle, and they were brand new.

The elevated glass bowl - $2 - yard sale.

I am going to say something about the tacky plastic covering glaring through the camera lens.

First of all, it's not very noticeable in real life.
Second of all, a few true designers read my blog and will CRINGE in contempt at what I am going to say.
Adding this to my daily table was a great decision.
AHHH....I know, stop throwing tomatoes.
I thought it was going to seem like I was taking up residence in an '80 tacky diner as well, but it's not so bad...at all!
This comment is for those ladies with small children.
I LOVE a pretty table and tablecloth.
I change them out nearly every month and have different themes that go along with our varying traditions.
BUT life, kids and cloth covered tables were NOT cutting it until I splurged on this top of the line addition.
Now I can decorate to my hearts content and just wipe the spills right up. Yes, my kids have stopped cringing in terror everytime they drop taco dip from their plate.
"NUFF" SAID!

I did double duty with the dining room.
First, for my family, and then for the ladies who made it past the warm "dryer" greeting.

My table doesn't compare to many of the gorgeous tablescapes that were being shown around blogland, but this was done quickly, simply, inexpensively and with much love. :)
Any one can do it in minutes, and that's literally all the time I had to give.
I was singing for our Christmas eve services which meant I would be gone from 2:00 until my company came.
It's amazing how one simple touch makes all the difference.
My girls loved folding their napkins for the candy cane table. :)
I love cloth napkins.
People don't use them on a regular basis anymore and you can find them in droves at yard sales for pennies.

I wanted to show you the Christmas present I bought for myself....at a local thrift store.
I had been eying these dishes since Thanksgiving, but knew they were a want and not a need - even though they were dirt cheap, so
I passed.

And then the week before Christmas, I did a big U turn when I saw a sign out that said all Christmas merchandise was 50% off.
Yes, even at a thrift shop.
I thought there was no way she had any left, but SHE DID.
Brand new...in boxes.
Do you really want me to tell you? It may make you covet?

(oh yikes - the plastic table looks really 80's dinerish with the flash).
Focus on the bowl, people.
I got complete place settings for 12 people (dinner plates, salad plates - 16 of those, bowls and mugs) $20.
I know hate me.
It was such a highlight, and I feel the Lord just gave me a big bear hug for waiting.
I am thrilled that both of my tables, and all the decorations, from candles/candlestick holders to napkins, came together for literally pennies on the dollar.
With a bit more time, I would have added greenery and a table runner etc, but this shows you what can be done with little money and little time. :)

Now here is the bedlam behind the scenes (although, when your doing dinner by candlelight, I don't think bedlam moments are possible). Did you catch it an earlier picture?

You see, my dining room has been taken over by my school room.

One of these days, my beautiful buffet will not be surrounded by a little plastic desk and school books. And I am not even showing you the wide angle....whew!

Thanks for joining me.
Here's a great big "Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year" from Santa.
I mean my dad - the Patriarch of our family.
Shouldn't he do Santa some year? He'd be the best.
He's even told the Santa at the mall to call him if he got sick

Thank you for a great 2008!

It's difficult for me to believe that six short months ago, I just started reading my very first blogs and now I "think" in blog posts (and have written gazillions in my mind.)
Can you relate?
I guess it's time I come out of the closet and actually tell my friends IRL that I have one. :)
I've realized that unless someone has a blog or follows a few closely, they just don't get it, do they? It is quite a surreal experience to feel close to many of you that I have never met.
If you had told me six months ago that I would actually type a sentence like that, I do believe I might have scoffed at you...hee hee.

You have all become such a unique part of my life, and I am so blessed with how you have enriched all aspects in my attempt at balancing beauty and bedlam.

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement, and your desire to grow with me as we passionately pursue this adventure of womanhood.
The fact that you keep coming back to visit - even when you know how little I edit, as well as how much bedlam comes with the package, continues to marvel me.
So invite your friends, the more the merrier.
I desire this to be a safe haven.
A small little corner in this Blog sphere where we can take off the masks, and know that there are many others on this same journey.
Let's live Life to its fullest in 2009...together!

(Be thinking about posts for two upcoming Mr. Linky parties...a Beauty and Bedlam party where we share the true bedlam moments that arise amongst our typically beautiful posts. And a "God watch" party, where we either share the God Watch that we are on right now, or one where He already gave you the answer in His perfect way. Thanks to Kimba and Emily for those suggestions)

So from my family to yours on the eve of '08,
May you fully understand the grace that only He can give.

And when that balls drops and the song is singing, may you get lots of these. :)
Hoping to meet many of you IRL this year.
(I enjoy that so much more).
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Love you,
Jen

And I didn't even apologize for the fact that every single family picture we took, my youngest dd did NOT have her hair bow in. Yes, even the eternal optimist can sometimes let the little, superficial things get me down. :) hee hee

Want to share your family photo?

Real time...Right now!

In honor of savoring every moment, I have a dilemma I would like to share with you...

quickly, I might add,
since I have twenty women coming to my home in just a few hours.

This is the annual Christmas party that I host for the ladies in my Classical Conversations home school group. And I canceled it before Christmas.
That's right...two days before the party...
and rescheduled it - for tonight - Tuesday.
Best decision I ever did make...that week. :)
So here in lies the problem....
Yes siree!
Nothing in the Deep South says "Welcome to my feathered nest," more than a dryer finding residence on the front porch (or the side in our case).
You see old faithful went out on the eve of the 25th...
and the new one just found its rightful place, but the old one has yet to find its home.
And it's too heavy for my boys and me to move.
I'm strong, but not that strong.
It's a race against the clock to see if my hubby gets home in time.
For the sake of balancing this bedlam with some true beauty, how about I put a table runner across it, light some beautiful candles and call it a night?
Come on decorating gurus...what should I do?
A little cloche? Maybe some topiaries?
Ah....you gotta love it!
Off to make some yummy hors d'oeuvres and finish cleaning!
I am so glad these women love me...in spite of myself. :)

*edited to add...you must read the comments - they are much better than my post.
Oh, this could be fun. Maybe I will just tell my hubby it's ok to be late.