By Jenny White | Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - 08:59
I love all the spring things popping up in stores. If you're looking for some awesome new shoes for spring, consider getting something with an unusual pop of color or pretty print.
By Jenny White | Wednesday, January 25, 2012 - 15:48
Acrylic on carved wood, 4' x 1', $100, by Brie Handgraaf
My co-worker Brie Handgraaf created this gorgeous piece of art.
I love this so much.
I like how you can't see it all - as pretty as it is - there's even more, out of our view. I don't know....it just spoke to me. Made me feel hopeful, to know there's more out there than what I can see with my own eyes.
It's the perfect painting to be at an art show benefitting My Sister's House.
This painting, and many more by other artists, will be up for sale at My Sister's House Art Show on Friday night at the beautiful Booker T. Washington Theater. The Show is from 7 to 9 p.m. and there will be lots of beautiful art for sale with proceeds benefitting My Sister's House. Admission is free and there will be wine and beer for sale and some light refreshments.
I recently walked through an empty house for sale that My Sister's House is hoping to buy for additional emergency housing for battered women in our community. I tried to think what it must feel like to come into a house like this, with your kids, a few clothes, no funds and nowhere else to go. To be that desperate to get away from an abuser that you put yourself in the hands of strangers......
This is why what My Sister's House does, is so important. To offer a warm welcome, a warm bed and a little peace to those who need it most.
And hope. Hopefully, offer a little hope.
Please come to the art show on Friday night, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Booker T. Washington Theater. For more information call me at 407-9966.
Full disclosure: I am on the Board of Directors at My Sister's House. So I'm totally biased. Also, Brie is my friend and co-worker. More bias.
By Jenny White | Tuesday, January 24, 2012 - 16:30
People, do you know how hard it is for a mother of a 2-year-old and a 12-year-old to read an entire book in one weekend? It's near impossible.
But I did it.
This past weekend I read "The Dry Grass of August" by Anna Mayhew. It was smart, funny, poignant and a straight-up page turner.
This book was so good, I ignored and neglected my children for an entire weekend to see what was going to happen next. AND I stayed up until 11:18 p.m. on Sunday night to read the end.
It's that good.
Braswell Library and the Friends of Braswell Libary are hosting the author of "The Dry Grass of August," at a Meet the Author event at 6:30 p.m. March 1. Mrs. Mayhew will talk about the book, answer questions, sign books and discuss her literary gem. Everyone is invited.
If your book club read "The Help" or wished they had ("The Dry Grass of August" kind of reminds me of that book), get to reading this book and get your club to the March 1 event to meet and mingle with what will be your new favorite author.
Also, I am a Friend of the Braswell Memorial Library.
And, we need some new Friends.
We have a good group of Friend volunteers that raise money for special library events or materials, but our numbers are small and we need some help.
We love it when Friends sign up and pay the $25 fee - it goes toward a great cause and we are very grateful.
But is someone out there is thinking, "I wonder if I could help with anything at the library, because I really love Braswell Library!" - the answer is YES!
We could use you!
Our next meeting is Feb. 1 at 4 p.m. at the library and if you come, I'll promise you you'll have a good time and we'll find the PERFECT way for you to contribute.
Get to reading! (They have copies at Books-A-Million).
Naptime Chef's apple bread with cinnamon sugar topping Emmy and I made this weekend
Since I LOVE to read foodie blogs and sites, I'm going to incorporate more of that kind of stuff here, on Charm Chicks.
We hardly ever eat out at my house, so I pretty much have to prepare ALL of our food. Ken helps out a lot too, he has several dishes he's really good at and will whip something up every few weeks to add to the usual rotations I have going. (Best. Stuffed. Peppers. Ever.)
We all eat breakfast in the morning. Unless I have extra $ for coffee and a bagel at Dunkin Donuts.
And except for Emmy (who probably eats the most nutritious lunch out of all of us, at First Baptist Day Care) we all eat something from home for lunch. Unless I have extra $ money to eat out.
I am very cognizant about eating clean, organic, no-processed food. But that doesn't mean that's what we eat all the time. Mainly it means I feel bad when I bake up some Tyson chicken nuggets for dinner on a hectic night. And some nice preservative-full tater-tots.
I have found that when you plan meals ahead, you eat a lot better food.
Here's what we're having this week:
Monday - leftover spaghetti and meatballs from Sunday
Tuesday - Taco Night! (I make my own seasoning, we love Jack's Salsa from Harris Teeter and I shred REAL cheddar. Serve with organic refried beans, and regular Ortego taco shells).
Wednesday - Compliments of the great LOGOS chefs at FUMC
Thursday - Pizza night, probably from Little Caesar's because I've got a dinner-time meeting.
Friday - Probably fish sticks and tater tots, because I'll be gone during supper AGAIN!
Saturday - something with chicken. Grilled outside if it's nice, or roasted with veggies over rice if I cook it inside.
Sunday - BIRTHDAY GIRL DAY! We'll be partying all day with family, so probably leftover chicken and veggies.
Wow, this was a bad week to start this. I have to desert my post two nights in a row. My kids probably will love it!
I try to get a little extra cooking done on the weekends, to last a bit through the week, like a casserole or some cookies or something for breakfast during the week.
Here are a few edible things I got done in the kitchen this weekend:
I'm counting the spaghetti, because that will be dinner once (tonight) and lunch for Ken and me.
I made this Apple Bread on Saturday morning with Emmy. I THOUGHT we could eat on it a few days during the week at breakfast, but it was gone by Sunday. This sweet bread got three thumbs up from my crew.
I'm trying to find a good bread to make. I used to make sourdough bread in the winter time, but I am TERRIBLE about remembering when to feed and what time of day to do it, so I'm not stuck baking bread at 6 a.m. I tried this one. It was good, but not as good as sourdough bread. I have dough for three more loaves, which will be good to cook in the next two weeks.
Got this cookie dough made to make cookies for Thomas' lunch this week.
Our grocery bill is not cheap. It is expensive to buy organic food or the good stuff that's not processed. I am trying to parlay my love of cooking into a second job, selling Pampered Chef products, to help with our ever-climbing grocery bill. We'll see if I can actually make money and not spend it all on cool cooking tools and stonewear.
What does your food menu look like for the week? Give me some new ideas!
By Jenny White | Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - 13:23
A shot taken of Emmy's dollhouse. Clearly, she's teaching that baby how to stick like glue to the Mama.
Ah, kids.
You can't live without them and you can't get away from them.
Last night I eased myself away from Emmy Velcro White who was sprawled out on the floor watching Super Why. I got about 6 feet away from her, turned on the laptop and got online wanting to look at some of the Golden Globes gossip/fashion stuff on some of my favorite gossip sites.
Here comes Thomas, 12.
"I need to use the computer, whatchya doing?"
And he makes himself comfy on the floor beside me. I do not like people hovering over me when I am online, especially when I'm looking at horribly inappropriate gossip sites.
"Ummm, you'll have to wait your turn - go do something else. Don't hover!" I told him.
So, of course, he goes over to awaken/torture Emmy from her Super Why trance. Of course he does.
At this point, the site has just now loaded and I'm just getting into some good stuff about Brangelina, Cameron and Diddy and who wore the worst dress.
And the crying starts. And the shrieking.
Then she starts kicking.
And then the, "Mom, she's kicking me!" starts.
I sigh.
I close the computer.
As I turn to address the situation, I notice the smell of coffee coming from the kitchen.
I decide to let them fight it out themselves.
Ken is sitting at the kitchen table, with a delicious smelling cup of coffee watching the news.
I decide to trade in some gossip searching from some real news.
"I can't even get away from them for TWO MINUTES to look at some Golden Globe gossip sites," I complain to my husband as I squeeze by him to fix my cup of coffee. "They won't leave me alone!"
"Don't come in here, if they're going to follow you," he warns.
But too late.
"I hope you're going to spank her," Thomas wails, flopping into a chair at the table. "She just kicked me in the head."
I refrain from asking why his head was in kicking distance of her feet, as I sit down with my coffee.
I also refrain from saying, "Go way."
And in comes our little black-belt midget, coming straight for my lap, of course.
We found ourselves all back at the kitchen table, where we'd just cleaned up from dinner.
And there, as I weakly smiled at Ken's annoyed look, made sure Emmy wasn't in kicking distance of Thomas and sipped my sweet coffee, I had a Thanksgiving Day moment. You know, when you look around the table at all your family, and have an overwhelming feeling of thankfulness – that kind of moment.
It was a brief moment, as these moments are prone to be, but just long enough to take the edge off my annoyance and anger at ALWAYS being needed or interrupted or whined at or sassed at or clung to. Sometimes, that's all you need, a moment.
By Jenny White | Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 17:05
All moms want to be good moms.
Why else would we try to teach hardheaded boys manners, cram at least one vegetable a night into a two-year-old's open crying mouth and read Madeline 1,479 times? We want to be known as good moms.
We want to be percevied as always putting the kids first - all about looking out for their best interest.
So you know it's got to be bad when I said to a friend recently that I'd rather my kids be sick than my husband.
I mean - THAT'S A TERRIBLE THING TO SAY - right? It's basically saying I'd choose for my kids to catch something versus my husband. Like I'm putting him first, right?
It's not that.
The pure-straight-up annoyingness of my husband getting a cold - much less being REALLY sick - has superceded my maternal instincts.
You know how you can pick your kid up after an afternoon of playing and suddenly notice how warm she is? She doesn't act sick yet, but clearly has a fever. She's carrying on, like a good solider.
Yeah, that doesn't happen with my husband.
He'll start the sickness foreplay days in advance of the REAL symptoms settling in.
The hacking: [COUGH, HACK, HACK] "I've got a cold coming on....."
The fatigue: "This cold is just killing me."
The sickenss advertising campaign: "Do you feel bad? I am feeling SO BAD. God, I hate getting sick!"[HACK, HACK, COUGH, PITIFUL STUMBLING TO GET A KLEENEX]
I mean, WHO stays home from work when you have a cold?! Ken White, that's who.
And he wants it old-school when he's sick. I'm talking cold cloths, chicken noodle soup, in bed all-day, constant temperature taking, drinks with straws and humidifiers.
The last time he was sick Thomas and I actually were snickering at all the moaning. It was hilarious.
He just randomly moans and cries out in pain. From his stuffy nose.
I just don't know how to rationally deal with such irrational behavior, when it's coming from a 40 year-old adult.
My mother-in-law says the same thing about my father-in-law, so maybe it's an inherited thing.
What about you? Is your significant other a big baby when it comes to being sick?
I have been looking at some gorgeous wedding gowns online this week, doing research for an upcoming feature I'm working on. Aren't they beautiful?
And, there's the Winter Wedding Show coming up this weekend that I'm going to. Heavens Angels Events is producing the show and It will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Northgreen Country Club. Carolina Charm is going to have a table there (early, from 1 to 3 p.m., so come and visit us then) with wedding and engagement forms available for brides so you can get your engagement and wedding in the Rocky Mount Telegram Life section. Everyone needs a newspaper clipping of their good news for a scrapbook, right?
One of the vendors who will be there is Elizabeth Michaels Bridal and Specialty Shop at the Shoppes at Tiffany. Owner and stylist Elizabeth Simmons will be on hand at the wedding show to help brides make a plan of attack for finding the perfect wedding gown. Some of her top tips include:
Brides should shop for the bridal gown before shopping or purchasing the bridesmaid dress.
She should have a date, time and place locked in before shopping her dress. The type of dress and train sets the tone for what type of wedding you desire.
So many girls come in with the idea that they should wear ivory because they have been married before. Old Tradition. Wear the color that best compliments your skin color.
Set time aside time to shop for a wedding dress preferably, not less than two hours. Call ahead to make an appointment if the bridal shop operates by appointments.
Once you find your dress, your decision to wear a headpiece should be based on your personality and what you want. Try to pick a veil that will enhance your dress not take away from the dress.
Girls come in the store looking for a particular dress or style, chances of the store having that particular dress style size is slim. Call before the appointment and ask what brands of gowns the store carries.
Start looking for your dress at least six months in advance.
Come with no more than two friends or family members to help you decide if you don't want to decide alone. More than two can muddy the water.
Investigate the fine print details: Find out what discounts are being offerred. Find out if there is an on-site alterations and how alterations are handled. Most gowns have to be ordered. Find out about the ordering policy, turnaround time for ordering and layaway procedures if available.
You never know when you're going to set her off, and I pride myself on being a conflict avoider type of person. But with this kid, it's impossible.
I'll be giving her a piece of chocolate and all of the sudden I've got a screaming banshee on my hands because she wants the WHOLE bar.
NOW.
There's no gradual workup to her rage, its onset is hot and fast.
She even bows up, on her tiptoes, like the rage is just bursting out of her like a firecracker.
And she's not one of those kids with a quiet cry. It's a scream/cry.
As she's screaming, she's twisting and melting her one little piece of chocolate in her balled up fist of a hand and, BAM - all of sudden things have gone from Code Orange to RED ALERT GO FIND COVER.
She's not just mad now – now, she's got a handful of melted chocolate she's wielding like a weapon getting ready to destroy every piece of clothing we both have on.
Melted, messy chocolate in the hands of a mad two-year-old is not a fun nor an able-to-come-out-without-a lot-of-stain-remover experience.
Usually, it's over quickly. We dry tears, talk about one piece at a time or none at all, use a box of wipes to clean up the mess and take deep breaths.
But, man.....this psycho-terrible-twos thing is getting old.
Frankly, this recent experience was enough to make me not even want to be near chocolate for the last week.
Hmmmm....
Maybe I can make her mad with some butter tonight.
I went to the most gorgeous wedding this past weekend. My husband's friend and co-worker Dorneeta Davis married her sweetie, Walter Harper, on New Year's Eve and it was the best New Year's Eve party EVER.
The church was just swathed in white tulle, white flowers, white lights and white candles. It really was like a winter wonderland - so beautiful.
I really wished Emmy was with us, while watching Dorneeta come down the aisle in her dress - Emmy missed a real live princess.
The reception was at the Imperial Centre and it was the most elegant, fabulous, best catered party I've ever been to! Ken and I agreed it was the best New Year's Eve we'd ever had. (Though this is coming from two people who have celebrated the last several New Year's Eves in sweatpants on the couch!) Thanks Dorneeta for giving us such a great reason to dress up, hang with good friends and get the grandparents to babysit for a night out! It was really beautiful.
Speaking of weddings, for all you gals out there who got gorgeous engagement rings for Christmas - there's a Wedding Show planned here in Rocky Mount, coming up. On January 15, Unlimited Bridal Productions will have its Winter Wedding Show from 1 to 4 p.m. at Northgreen Country Club. Cost is $5 per person to attend, but if you're a bride or groom, you can register here and get in free.
Planning a wedding will probably be the biggest even you'll ever put on - so do it right! There will be vendors there showcasing food, music, jewelry, wedding dresses, bridal party attire, flowers, venues, planning services and more! If you've got questions - this is a great place to get information, help and personally meet the people that help to make you and your day gorgeous!
For more information about the show and the vendors who will be there, check out this Website.
I'll be running more information and some interviews with some of the vendors in the next few weeks, so check back for that.
1. Happy New Year! Yesterday I organized my house (somewhat) and today I am all about organizing my office. Also - I have watched a lot of Hoarder shows in the last few weeks on A&E and I am intent on purging stuff. Nothing is safe......
2. Including my kids' rooms. I like to take advantage of when they're gone and clean out their room for them. You wouldn't believe all the junk I've thrown away and they haven't noticed a thing is missing! I make myself feel better about it by rationalizing I have to make room for all the stuff they got for Christmas. Sorry Happy Meal toys, games with missing pieces and random, headless mermaid dolls!
3. My husband cooked a great pot of black-eye peas for New Year's Day that we are still working on - and I cooked a ham, so we are really working the leftovers this week. I'm making these yummy sandwiches tonight and a ham potpie later in the week.
4. Read "The Dry Grass of August" written by N.C. author Anna Mayhew ASAP. If you liked "The Help" as much as I did - I've been told this book is as good by my friend Jim Curtis who works at Braswell Library - he knows good books. Last time I checked they had the book at Books-A-Million. Anna Mayhew is coming to meet and greet, sign books and discuss her award-winning novel on March 1 at Braswell Memorial Library, sponsored by the Friends of the Library. I am crossing my fingers I can have the book read by the time Mayhew visits. Check out Anna Mayhew's Website here.
5. I should tell you I am a Friend of the Library - you should be too. The Friends is a non-profit entity that supports Braswell Memorial Library. The group is supported and run by volunteers who love the library. Make a donation today and join! Check out the info page here.
6. Do you have a pair of these LL Bean boots? I have wanted a pair of these boots since I was in high school and never got them. They are quite fashionable now, so if you have a pair from back in the day (the 1980s!!) get them out and keep your toesies warm! Here's a story about their comeback. Here's a link to LL Bean to buy you a pair.
7. Some fabulous after-Christmas deals out there:
Love this skirt at asos.com
It's $35 at asos.com and you can find tons of other great deals on sweaters, dresses and accessories.
J.Crew's tissue T-shirts are my favorites:
This pretty striped T-shirt is $19.99 at jcrew.com. Be sure to check out their bathing suits on sale - UNBELIEVABLE PRICES!
Now is the time to buy a new pair of boots:
Piperlime.com has some great deals on boots right now. These are only $30 here. Even cheaper, their summer sandals. Get a $90 pair of sandals for about $20. Check it out!
And I love it when I find an REALLY expensive item marked way, way down....
This mohair poncho is regularly $188 and is marked down to $50 at zara.com. Perfect for our newfound winter weather.
If you prefer shopping in person, some of our local boutiques like Stephanie's, Totally You, Abundantly More, Virginia's and Bourgeois Bella Boutique have some great deals going on now too.
8. I am sick of politics already! And we have a LONG WAY to go! I am going to try to tune all the nastiness out for about 9 months, and then start listening to those still standing!
9. My 12-year-old got a loft and room makeover for Christmas. It looks like a college dorm room now. Due to the random way my brain works and propensity for anxiety, I find myself suddenly worried about HOW THE HECK ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR HIM TO GO TO COLLEGE!!?! I'm glad he likes it, though I get heart palpitations every time I walk in......
10. My other baby is all about taking care of her babies these days. Watching her take care of her babies is what I imagine it must be like to watch yourself on a reality TV show. She takes them everywhere she goes, reads to them a lot and is always threatening time-out.......sounds familiar.
By Patsy Pridgen | Friday, December 30, 2011 - 15:44
“Mom won a cooking contest?!” read the text from my daughter to my husband.
Yes, I can hardly believe it myself, but I won first place in the Nash Community College Best Chocolate Dessert Contest. This event is part of our annual Christmas lunch at school.
Notice there is both a question mark as well as an exclamation mark behind my daughter's text. That punctuation is there for a reason. You see, I have never been known for my culinary skills. I have about six basic meals that I rotate. Some involve crock pot cooking, where I just dump some kind of meat and a can of soup in the big old pot and hope for the best six hours later.
So for me to win a cooking contest was a little bit of a joke in my family. Heck, as I said, I could hardly believe it my own self.
“Exactly what did you bake?” my daughter asked later in the day when she phoned.
“A chocolate-chocolate chip cake, page 266 in the Junior Guild Cookbook. The Down East One,” I replied.
My daughter didn't seem to recall the one time I had made this cake before, maybe around 2003?
Anyway, I know you readers are dying to have this recipe, so in case you don't have a copy of the Junior Guild Cookbook mentioned above, here it is.
Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cake
1 box of yellow cake mix (OK, I now admit that this cake is not entirely from scratch)
1 large box of chocolate instant pudding
1 cup of vegetable oil
4 eggs
6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 ounces of sour cream
½ cup of chopped pecans
Mix all ingredients together. (I stirred it up by hand since my electric mixer is broken and I can't remember to buy a new one.) Spoon into a 10-inch Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes.
Hint from me: do not be disturbed if the cake seems gooey when you first take it out; that's kinda the texture you're shooting for.
Sounds pretty chocolaty, right? Believe me, it is. But is it an award-winning dessert?
Well, it happened to be on one particular December day when there were only two other entries and both of these looked to be the same dessert, that chocolate éclair cake thing. I love that dessert, but my theory is that the two sorta canceled each other.
Also, not to be bragging (me, brag?) but I had read the directions carefully and knew that part of the judging criteria was appearance. (Isn't that so true of life in general, but I digress....) So, I took my chocolate-chocolate chip cake and DECORATED it. I let my imagination go wild!
First, I used a little chocolate frosting which helped to cover the cracks that were developing after I flipped the cake out of the bundt pan. And then I sprinkled crushed candy canes over the frosting . Further damage control—and very festive. Finally, I unwrapped several more candy canes, and stood them up inside the hole of the bundt cake. Hey, flashy catches the judge's eye.
So, contrary to the advice I gave everyone in the last edition of Charm (the part about buying Keebler cookies rather than making homemade), I actually got in the kitchen and baked a Christmas dessert. On a whim, I decided to try something I'd never done before, enter a cooking contest. It was fun! And rewarding. I won a $20 Harris Teeter gift card.
Happy New Year to me...oh, and to all of you too.
Patsy and what's left of her award winning Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cake!
My almost 3-year-old is busy, busy, busy rearranging our Christmas decorations as fast as she notices them.
It started as soon as we got the boxes down. As soon as we sat one down and turned to get the next one - she would have the top off the one we had just set down, going through it like there was a bucket of candy at the bottom - flinging stuff out, left and right. It was non-stop, "What's this mommy? What's this Daddy?" "LOOK AT THIS!!"
I tried to be patient, but everyone knows that to decorate your house for Christmas, first you have to have a BIG mess. There's garland strewn from one room to another; holiday regalia unpacked with no place to go until you take down some of the non-holiday stuff; and lights all over the place, sadly crunching as one person after another steps on them, no matter how much you beg them to pick them up.
And adding a toddler to the mix can make the mess exponentially BIGGER.
Not wanting to ruin her excitement - it IS exctiing - I tried to keep my cool and create some Christmas decorating traditions for her that included her in what the rest of us were doing and restrained her from breaking and destroying things.
Here are some ideas we came up with:
Candy Canes: I had picked up a few $1 boxes of candy canes to put on some presents and decided I had a much better reason to open them - The Christmas Decorating Day Candy Cane Extravaganza! Simply put, DISTRACT WITH CANDY. Her brother was really into this idea - he was all for demonstrating.
Nix the Christmas music - it's time to debut your handy DVD collection of Christmas Cartoons and Shows: Everyone knows your kids will sit still longer if they're watcing some riveting cartoons. ( I mean, you do this too, right?). We turned off the Christmas music (Ken was really heartbroken about this) and turned the TV on for the 2011 debut of "Frosty the Snowman" and "Rudolph."
Christmas Decorating Toddler Style: I gathered up all the Christmas tins, soft door hanger things and Christmas books and put Emmy in charge of them. I emptied out one box, put all these things in there and earnestly asked her to "please help me put these out." I handed her the whole box and told her she could put them anywhere.
Our Creche Keeper: This next idea will not work if you have an expensive creche display. I don't. It's one my grandfather gave me years ago and I treasure it. But it's not too fancy and the people aren't too breakable. I mean, they made it through Thomas' years as a toddler creche keeper. (And I recently saw at Towel Town, they have my replacement people, if I need some).
Emmy had already found the "barn", so I swept her Lego people out of it and showed her the people that really go in it, telling her the Christmas story as I did it. Making a BIG DEAL, about how precious all the people were, especially the baby Jesus. "Do you think you could set the people up for me?" I asked her seriously. She solemnly nodded and got to work.
As I rummaged around looking for my Christmas ribbons, I heard her talking as she worked and stopped to listen. Let me tell you, there's nothing like hearing the Christmas story told via a small child. They don't get it anywhere close to right, but somehow, it's the best version EVER.
"Mawy, Mawy, your baby is Jesus and he loves me," (followed by a spontaneous, abbreviated version of Jesus Loves Me)
"Heaw come some people to bwing you pwesents cause its yor birfday!" (followed by a spontaneous version of Happy Birthday).
"You a good baby," (followed by Mawy leaning down to kiss Jesus).
I couldn't resist - I leaned over and hugged her tight.
"You're a good baby too, you know," I whispered.
"I helping, mommy?" she asked, turning around to peer at me, very seriously.
"Yes, you're helping," I said. And hugged her tighter.
She takes her creche keeping duties very seriously. Every night she puts them all to bed - laying them down. In the morning she wakes them all up and everybody gets back into position.
Have you ever had one of those months/weeks/days where you feel proud of yourself that you kept your head above water, but when you look toward the horizon - landfall is still pretty far away? And the water is very deep? And you know in the coming months/weeks/days there is going to be a lot of water up your nose, coughing and that terrible pain when the water goes up your sinuses?
It's during times like these I force myself to take stock of my blessings and think of them – mantra-like – until I can breathe deeply, without the threat of large volumes of water going up my nose.
Here's what I make myself think about when my worries threaten to take me under:
One perfect white zinnia I saw inexplicably blooming in a bed of dead-for-the-winter summer perennials.
Catching Emmy whispering to her doll baby - "It's okay, little baby, it's okay. I got you..."
My dog Suzy, when she sighs so contently as she puts her head in my lap for some evening TV.
Seeing Thomas cradle his sister like a baby, comforting her when I can't, because she's gotten in trouble for something.
How my husband does laundry, cleans the bathrooms and cooks for me on weekends.
I think about other children out there, suffering or sick, and am so thankful and humbled that my children are safe and sound for now, tucked in their beds, sleeping peacefully, with no worries.
Suddenly, I see calm waters and a horizon. And there's a beautiful sunset.
By Jenny White | Thursday, November 3, 2011 - 10:29
Busy, busy, busy, with the upcoming Charm issue. Sorry for the lack of posts this week.
There are a few shopping opportunities I wanted to let you guys know about.
Tonight, the Shoppes at Stoney Creek are having their annual Chocolate Night (I think the Chocolate is at Wade Designs) and Christmas Open House events.
I've been in most of the stores over there this week to borrow pieces for the upcoming Charm issue and all the stores are stocked to the rafters with beautiful things.
The Open House hours are from 5 to 8 p.m. tonight. Go early and get a quick bite to eat at the The Grill (or let your significant other and/or kids loiter in the restaurant as you shop!) Go support our local stores! I promise, you'll find something you want to buy!
Also, next week on Tuesday, Bailey's Fine Jewelry at Westgate Shopping Center on Winstead Avenue is going to have a trunk show featuring some special pieces from their Estate Collection. I love old, estate jewelry and if I could afford nice jewelry, I would surely scour the estate cases and auctions to find my "gems".
The Estate Trunk Show will feature over $3 million worth of inventory, with pieces ranging from $400 to over $35,000. The show will also include celebrity pieces previously owned by Bob Hope, Tony Curtis, opera singer Beverly Sills and even a piece given to Mia Farrow by her good friend, Frank Sinatra.
“We’re so excited to host the Estate Trunk Show and have such a huge collection of pieces to show,” said Marci Bailey, who oversees the Bailey’s Estate & Antique Collection. “Each piece tells such a unique story and we can’t wait to share them with our patrons.”
Lastly, I put together a fashion inspiration board - all about what to wear with your red skirt. I found the BEST red pencil skirt at A Second Season this week, that's what got me thinking about this ensemble. You could do the same thing with any striking color pencil skirt: Cobalt blue, yellow, orange, etc.
By Jenny White | Wednesday, October 26, 2011 - 15:10
It's that wonderful time of year when the humidity lessens, the leaves fall and the evenings just seem made for being outside.
This time of year always makes me rethink my intense dislike of exercising. Especially running.
The cooler air seemingly evaporates the nice haze of laziness that surrounds my endorphin glands during hotter months and makes me want to RUN! Inexplicably, I will start jogging when out with T on his bike and Emmy in her stroller.
Last week when this happened, I think T was so alarmed, he thought someone was chasing us.
"What's wrong - why are you running?" he anxiously asked me as he came up beside me on his bike.
"I just felt like it," I replied.
"That's just weird, Mom," he replied and sped up to make sure no one knew he was with/related to this jiggly woman spastically running down Hawthorne.
This wonderful feeling of wanting to run usually lasts about 90 seconds after I speed up.
This is when my brain starts sending RED ALERTS to the rest of my body.
"Bad Idea. Bad Idea. Bad Idea," reverbates throughout my body as I suddenly realize I can hardly breathe and I start calculating exactly how far away I am from the Sheffield Road Firehouse with licensed EMTS that could revive me should I not be able to get enough air circulating around inside me again.
So I slow down and get back to walking.
There's nothing wrong with walking for exercise, but I need to lose weight and I could burn so many more calories if I picked up my pace.
I hesitate to run with any of my friends because:
A) I am absolutely SURE they've never run with anyone as out of shape as myself
B) They might push me to keep running when I want to quit.
C) I might die from pain and lack of oxygen when they make me keep going.
D) Then I wouldn't want to be friends with them anymore.
I am very inspired to run when I hear my friend Alane Brewer Floyd talk about her runs. She too is a busy mom, works, is about the same age as me and reminds me a lot of myself, trying to keep all her balls in the air - juggled and in place. She isn't someone who has run all her life or is all militant about it. She's just a regular person, like me, trying to be more physically fit. She never thought she would enjoy running - until she tried it and stuck to it. She recently was telling me about running 18 miles in some event she did. I loved how surprised she was that she was able to walk and function the next day.
I asked her for some advice to get me started and thought I'd share it with you in hopes there will be others of you out there, running with me, suffering with me:
How long have you been running?
I have been running since April 2010, so about 18 months. I stated running because I needed to be a more functionally fit as kids were learning to ride bikes etc., and I needed more calorie burn during my short workout times.
Where do you run? (Gym, neighborhood, treadmill at home?)
I usually try to run outside in my neighborhood or around Westridge (safe, flat, lots of variation). It is much more visually interesting and if I run 2 miles out, I can't totally quit until I get back to the start (another 2 miles), unlike when I'm on a treadmill. But I will run on a treadmill at the gym, if there is a streak of bad weather.
What kind of shoes do you wear?
Currently wearing Muzino stability running shoes, but have tried several brands and support to find one I like. There are some running stores like Raleigh Running Outfitters, Omega Sports, and 9th Street Feet in Durham that will analyze your gait and recommend appropriate running shoes. What is most important is that they are running shoes and 1/2 to a whole size larger than your regular shoes to allow your feet to swell as you run, without causing blisters.
When will the first three minutes of intense pain and thinking this is a bad idea subside? Does it take weeks or months or years for this to stop at the beginning of every run?
LOL! Even now, some days are way harder than others. But I find if I walk or warm up well first, that this feeling is less. But it still takes me about 2-3 minutes to get into a rhythym with my ipod and get comfortable. Now my brain and body know just to keep going.
Why do you run - why not just walk? Are you sure running is better?
I initially started to run so I could be more functionally fit and burn a few more calories in a short workout. And that I can do it anywhere, even when I travel - all I need are shoes. I now run for the physical satisfaction and mental stress relief it offers. I am not sure it is always better than walking, especially if you have previous joint damage or pain. However, for me I often alternate – five minute run, one minute walk – and find this works well. There are intervals for calorie burn and then physical breaks for my body.
Break down your run for us - what is the worst part for you, the best part?
Worst part - actually finding the time and having the dedication to go when I would rather sleep-in or sit in front of the television.
The best part by far is the physical and mental accomplishment, Even when I finish a short run – knowing I pushed myself, knowing that I am doing something that I never thought I could do. And if I can do this, then I can do anything else I find hard. And I have seen a significant weight loss and shifting of body shape from my increased running.
How far/long do you run now? When you first started?On an average day, (three to four days a week) I try to run three to four miles. I try to run a little further on Saturdays – five to six miles. I am preparing for my first half marathon, 13.1 miles, in mid-November so I am increasing my distance trying to get ready. My fartherst ever is 18 miles in a day.
When I started, I had time goals instead of distance. I would run 1 min and walk 2 min for a 30 min workout. Week #2 run 1 min, walk 1 min. Week#3 run 2 min, walk 1 min. etc.. gradually building until you are running for the entire workout. But in 30 minutes, I averaged around 2 miles.
Do you have a recommendation on how to get started if you're not running at all now?
There are lots of programs out there to help one start running, the "Couch to 5K"program is one. Tracy Proctor from The Rocky Mount Endurance Club helped me work out the logical plan I started to outline above. But it takes time, and should be very gradual. My initial program was 12 weeks in length and added a minute of running every week until I was able to do about 15 - 20 minutes without needing a walk break.
I know running isn't for everyone. I used to think it wasn't for me. But for whatever reason, I am now hooked. Running is hard, physical, social, rewarding, affirming, invigorating and peaceful all at the same time. I have met the most amazing and encouraging people in the Rocky Mount running community that have encouraged my journey no matter how small my accomplishment. There are lots of local area races to keep you motivated and challenged and it is a year-round activity that I can do with my kids, whether they run or bike beside me.
I am going to try it I think. I am going to stick close to the firehouse, with the EMTS........
By Patsy Hinton Pridgen | Tuesday, October 25, 2011 - 11:47
Despite our good intentions, sometimes I think my husband and I are top contenders for the Grandparents Who Screw Up the Most Award.
There was the time I taught Riley and her little brother Sammy, then five and three, the lyrics to “Shake Your Booty.” Hey, we were dancing around the living room at the time, and that is a great boogie song. Problem is, the words, “shake your booty” seemed to rattle other people when these two preschoolers would suddenly belt out the lyrics in the back seat of the car or at the dinner table or whenever the mood struck them.
Recently, my husband was the unwitting accomplice in Sammy having his “fry pulled” at preschool. It seems good ol' Granddaddy Al had given Sammy a piece of candy when Sammy stopped by the office before school to show off his OshKosh overalls and cowboy hat. (It was dress like a farmer day at school.) Granddaddy slipped the piece of candy into the top pocket of Sammy's overalls and admits telling him, “Here's something you can eat later when you get a little hungry.” Sammy got hungry on the playground. Evidently he was not supposed to be sneaking candy, especially when he was warned to put it up and then ate it anyway.
But these are misdemeanors compared to the tooth incident. Baby brother arrived on August 11 (number three in this sweet little family; yes, I am so proud and happy). It was time for the back-to- school party at the church preschool. Tired parents asked if we grandparents could take Sammy and Riley.
We were told to expect a water slide for the kids and lots of great desserts made by the teachers. A water slide plus one Sammy Bowles turned out to spell trouble.
Background: My husband and I are the parents of three daughters. They were not wimps, but they didn't really push the envelope either. We never had any broken bones or even stitches. They did not run around the house throwing themselves onto couches and beds. They did not see what they could jump off or jump onto.
Sammy is all boy and he does all of the above. I should have been watching him like a zealous lifeguard that day. Instead, I zoned out for just a couple of minutes in the 100 degree heat. And suddenly I heard a thump followed by a wail.
It was Sammy. Somehow he had fallen from the top of the water slide into the wading pool. The water had cushioned his fall, but one little girl standing near him screamed, “His tooth is gone!”
OH. MY. GOD.
I ran to the side of the pool, picked up my poor little grandson who was bleeding profusely from his mouth and forced myself to look. Yes, one of his front teeth was indeed missing. Root and all. There was only a big gaping hole there now.
I stuffed a beach towel in his mouth to staunch the bleeding. The other children were all looking through the wading pool for Sammy's tooth. They never found it, but the kiddie dentist, who was contacted that Sunday afternoon, said he didn't put baby teeth back in anyway. There was no fixing this Humpty Dumpty tooth.
So...my husband and I took home a child that had left with two front teeth and returned with only one. We couldn't say “I'm sorry” enough.
His parents took it well. His mom even snapped his picture once we cleaned up all the blood.
And Sammy. After he casually inspected himself in the mirror, he was ready to go play. And he was pretty excited that the tooth fairy was coming to see him. The worst grandparents in the world felt bad that the tooth fairy was coming three years early for a baby tooth that was somewhere at the bottom of a wading pool on a church playground.
By Jenny White | Tuesday, October 25, 2011 - 09:19
1. I am so excited about our Children's Book Bank idea! If you missed it last week, read about it here.
I've had a few people offer books and one mom has offered to put a book box at her office at MBM. This is one of those things that YOU can help with with minimal effort and no real cost - you can either go through your kids bookshelves and donate all the unused and unappreciated books appropriate for ages 0-3 OR put up a box and some flyers around your office, daycare, school, preschool or church and have your own mini-book drive. Call me at 407-9966 and we'll take care of you either way.
I'm telling you, it could really make a difference. I truly believe if more kids could read better in our local schools - things would dramatically improve for them. I mean the teachers, the students that make straight A's, the students that need extra help - EVERYONE.
2. Terrie McGowan Smith won the two free tickets to Tar River Orchestra's "Cowboys and Aliens" concert at 7 p.m. Friday at the Dunn Center. Have fun!
Also - thanks for all the nice comments about the blog from all the ladies that vied for the tickets! It's always nice to know there are people out there that actually read these ramblings!
3. Emmy is going to be a Princess Pirate for Halloween. I love the way she says it: Pwincess Piwate.
We're making it out of stuff we have at home. It's the perfect character for her to be - a little frou-frou and a little bad attitude. With a weapon.
4. My church - First United Methodist Church - is having a Holiday Shopping Spree on Nov. 5 with lots of crafty and artistic vendors selling their treasures from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the fellowship hall. There will also be gently used Christmas ornaments for sale - I bet there will be some vintage GEMS! You can also pre-order some Christmas wreaths and/or greenery that will be available for pick-up in mid-November and lots of good baked goods. See you there!
5. I'm working on the last issue of Carolina Charm for this year - it's a "Holiday" issue and will be chock-full of pretty, shiny fashion and beauty stuff. It's been fun looking for sparkly party clothes. Here are some of my favorites so far:
On a day when I was complaining about my 2-year-old's pre-occupation with books and her need to have a pile of about 20 in each room of my house and how I had to go around and pick them up all the time - I innocently/divinely came across this interesting statistic:
In middle-class income homes, there are 15 books per 1 preschool child.
At this point, I was chuckling, thinking, "Yeah, more like ONE HUNDRED and 15!"
Then I read the next part:
In low-income neighborhoods there is 1 book per 300 children.
Wow.
Let's pause for a moment and let that sink in.
That is a staggering statistic - 1 book, per 300 children.
Those numbers troubled me so much, I started calling people at the Down East Partnership for Children to see if anyone could tell me if it was really true. I mean, for that many houses to not have ANY books for the kids to read, that can't be true, right?
It's true.
So I started thinking.
What kind of difference would it make if some of the kids in our community's low income neighborhoods had more books to read/look at, when they were Emmy's age - I'm talking before starting school, or even preschool.
Studies have shown that introduction to reading and books at very early ages CAN make a difference in literacy.
And our local school seem to struggle with literacy.
(Be honest. If you've had kids in the local schools, you've never thought it was a crying shame that there are kids in the 6th grade that CAN'T PASS THE READING EOG TEST? I mean, by 6th grade, shouldn't 100 percent of the kids be able READ?! And have you ever wondered how different your kid's education experience would be if he were surrounded by kids who could pass a basic reading test?)
I started calculating how many bags of 15 books I could put together from Emmy's bookshelves.
Then my newfound friend at Down East Partnership for Children, Jason Rochelle, emailed me some statistics from our 2009 Census that basically say there are about 3,000 children living below the poverty level in Nash and Edgecombe county.
This really is beyond what one person can do - I need some help.
So - as my 12-year said when he offered to help me with this crazy project - "I'm thinking one word, Mama: BOOKDRIVE!"
(It's two words, I know, but that's what he said. See why we need to help the schools?)
My bosses at the Telegram have agreed to support our idea and we will have a box put up in our lobby for anyone who has some books they can donate. The Telegram is also going to let us store, sort and bag the books here. The people at Down East Partnership for Children have agreed to help us sort the books and get them delivered to the kids that need them most.
The bottom line is this: I want all your gently read/worn or new books appropriate for 0-3 year-olds that are laying around your house not being used or properly appreciated by anyone in your family. Board books, picture books, alphabet books, books about numbers, colors, animals, shapes and words, story books and rhyming books.
Put up a box in your office, your child's preschool, your church, your husband's office, your sister's kids' daycare, wherever you can. If you email me at jwhite@rmtelegram.com, I'll email you back a nice sign to put on the box you put out. I also have a digital electronic flyer I can email you to send to your friends.
We're setting a deadline of Dec. 1.
If you have any questions, please email me or call 407-9966.
By Jenny White | Wednesday, October 19, 2011 - 10:15
(If you just want to score some free tickets to the Tar River Orchestra's upcoming "Cowboys and Aliens" concert on Oct. 28 at the Dunn Center and don't want to read all about my "E.T." love - just skip to the bottom.)
My favorite movie of all time is "E.T."
We have it on DVD, so I could watch it anytime I want. But there's something special about catching it on TV.
If it's on, I have to watch it.
They don't put it on very often and if I pass by it - I always gasp, "E.T. is on!" and stop whatever I'm doing and watch it.
And it seems like the past few years they put "E.T." on during the holiday season. I make everyone in my house watch it.
My 12-year old likes it, but isn't transfixed by it like me and my husband have been since we were both about his age. He says E.T. looks fake and the part where the government people take over Elliot's house makes no sense - "Why are they wearing those suits - it's an alien, not a plague!"
I tell him to go make me more popcorn.
When I saw the Tar River Orchestra was planning a concert with a cowboys and aliens theme, I quickly checked to see if they were playing any "E.T." music - THE BEST MOVIE MUSIC EVER. And they are. The concert is at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Dunn Center. Tickets are $12 for adults and kids are free. You can get them at the door or go here to order online.
Oh my gosh - I am tearing up RIGHT NOW thinking about the scene and score when E.T. and Elliott are saying goodbye.
And sometimes when I see my 12-year-old and his crew all coming down the road on their bikes (minus the police chase, of course), I think of this scene:
I mean, wow. Don't you just wish all tween boys could find a nice alien and learn such a great lesson about love, loss and growing up?
Other music this great orchestral concert will feature includes "Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz" by Austrian composer Johann Strauss II: The Waltz king's most popular work featured in A Space Odyssey; Charles Ives' humorous cowboy song "Charlie Rutlage"; a variety of selections from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma including: "Oklahoma", "Oh What a Beautiful Morning", "People Will Say We're in Love", "Surrey With the Fringe on Too"; and a crowd-pleasing Sci-Fi trifecta including the Star Trek main theme and selections from Close Encounters of the Third Kind and (my fave) E.T.
The Tar River Orchestra folks were kind enough to give us two tickets to give away to a lucky Charm Chicks reader. If you want to go to the concert, email me your name at jwhite@rmtelegram.com, leave a comment here or on our facebook page. We'll pool all the names and randomly pick one lucky winner to get the two tickets. Let us know by next Wednesday if you want your name in the pot.......
Tuesday Trend Report: What to wear with black pants
By Jenny White<div style= | Tuesday, October 18, 2011 - 12:44
For fall and winter, I don't know what I'd do without my black pants. I have two pair I really like - one pair from Banana Republic that is getting a little tight, and one pair from Stephanie's I bought shortly after having Emmy and sadly, they still fit me. Both are well-made and I'm thankful for the good quality, since this will be the THIRD year I've been wearing them both. Investment pieces, people........
This photo board is just for inspiration - most of these items are WAY above my budget (a Gucci scarf?! yeah - right) and not in any stores around here. It's mainly just for ideas.
I could wear all of these outfits to work and dress them up or down, depending on my day and where I have to go afterwards (who am I kidding - I don't need any day to night outfits unless it involves my black YOGA pants!).
And since my black pants will be in heavy rotation this season, I need to start thinking of different options for my tops. I like the mint green color of the bow-blouse and the embellishments on the boho top from topshop.com. If you have followed this blog for any amount of time, you know belted grandpa sweaters area weakness of mine. But I tried to veer from my standard gray cable and liked this colorblock belted cardigan. The orange and blue tops both have something about them that stands out and makes them interesting, (studs on the shoulder, interesting draping) which is what you need to pair with a pair of plain black trousers.
For fall and winter, black trousers are the perfect blank canvas. Have fun with it.
