Tip for the Week....

Well Ladies, I must say, that I enjoy reading every one's blogs so much! I always find such helpful advice and thoughtful dialogue. That is what gave me this idea sort of a tip central....

I am a collector of books. New books, old books, books on gardening, books on cooking, books on etiquette, books, books, books, and of course we own several copies of"The Good Book". I thought that since I had such a wealth of knowledge at my hands, that I would perhaps find something that I felt like would be a thoughtful and lovely tip for the coming new week. I encourage your tips and ideas too... goodness knows we can all always use new ideas. I'm breaking it up into 4 categories of marriage, home, beauty, and including a recipe. If this seems like it is catching, I may add more areas of interest in the future. Thanks for your ideas!

1. Marriage- This is timeless advice, but I have always found it to be true.... "Never go to bed angry at your spouse." Anger and emotions does a couple of things, first being that if you are angry, you probably are not doing alot of snuggling, thus losing that contact with each other. Secondly, anger and heavy emotion do not make for a good night sleep. Your blood pressure rises, your heart beats faster, and your body does not get to that relaxation state that you need to achieve REM. Thirdly, when you do not achieve a good nights sleep, your face tells it all. You have circles under your eyes, your skin looks dull, and by the end of the day you are dragging. Now, I don't know about you, but this is not the face I really want my husband to come home to. Moral- Do not go to bed angry with each other. Work it out, and your body will thank you for it!

2.Home- Try to clean up your clutter- Clutter breeds, I am a firm believer of this. Think about how easy it is to add to clutter. However, if you spend just 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes ( I recommend after the dinner dishes are done) in the evening, just picking up, it will be much harder for your clutter to pile up on you.
Joshua 24:15 "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

3.Beauty- Take time every morning to say a small prayer for yourself. I put this under beauty, because as women, we so often take care of everyone else's needs, leaving ourselves to the last. Suddenly you look up, it's 4:30 and you've still got your workout wear on and your hair in a crazy half ponytail, half bun. By taking this 5 minutes or so,to focus on yourself, you probably will be more apt to take a few more minutes to slap on some moisturizer, maybe a little blush and some gloss on your lips. I promise it will make you feel better.

4. Recipe- Ok, for my chicken lovers....here's a recipe so simple and easy, it'll blow your mind!

Take 8 chicken pieces... (I personally love breast and the boneless work great on this, but whatever floats your boat. ) about 8 hours before you are ready to fry, soak your chicken in a mixture of buttermilk (enough to coat evenly all pieces) 2 tsp of black pepper, and Jane's Crazy mixed up Salt. Refrigerate and soak for at least 8 hrs. After this, place 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour & 1/2 cup of House Autry Chicken Breader, and a tsp of each, basil, oregano, and Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt in a large dish and whisk, whip 2 eggs and set beside your flour mixture. In a large skillet(cast iron if you've got it!) heat 2 tbsp of oil, any kind you have and heat. Coat each piece of chicken on both sides with the flour mix, then dip in the egg wash, then back in the flour mix. Gently lay in your oil. An easy way to test your oil, is to take a small piece of potato, and dip in the oil... if it bubbles, your oil is hot enough. Depending on what type of chicken you are using, a general rule is about 8-10 min. before flipping the first time, the cover and let cook. You will want to check on this about every 3-5 minutes, by gently piercing with a fork, once the juices start to clear, flip one more time and cut the heat down to medium low. Generally it takes about 25-30 minutes . This sounds labor intensive, but actually it's not, and if you really want to jack it up one more Southern notch... once your chicken is totally done, add one stick of butter, and one bottle of Kraft Barbecue sauce. You should also fill the bottle half up with water and add this. Cover the pan and turn the heat to low. Let this simmer for about 8 minutes, and it's outta this world! The sauce forms a gravy, which, my kids go nuts over and usually are sopping up with biscuits.

Because the chicken is so rich, I usually serve pretty simple sides, like rice cooked with chicken broth instead of water, applesauce, and a green salad of spinach, green onions, green olives and cilantro. Dessert at this point is totally optional, you may even want to save you applesauce for last and serve it over pound cake. It may sound simple... but in a case like this, especially if you serve it really cold, it'll be great

Confessions of a Big Girl

I have a struggle with my weight. It bogs me down, and in fact there are times when if I don't watch out, it will consume me! I try to follow Weight Watchers, however I am an Epileptic and am on a medicine that unfortunatly makes my metabolism like a turtle. I come from a long line of hippy girls and I've come to accept it as a fact of my life. Once I came to terms with the fact that I would always, always, be on a diet, I actually started to find some humor in it. I have included a clip of fiction that I wrote inhopes that if there is anyone out there who shares this struggle, you may find a few minutes of humor and understanding. Enjoy!

So here I sat, with my cup of real coffee trying to decide just what the heck I could use to expand my advertising. I mean let's face it would you rather have someone cater your affair, wedding, etc who really looked like she enjoyed the food, or some twig who looked like she had never even eaten? Ding ding ding... go for the girl with the gut and the butt, you'll be more satisfied with the end result, I promise, or my name's not Jenifer Helton! Great, I certainly don't think I could put that on my advertising. I'm stuck! I'm hungry, but something in me wanted to bust out laughing. The concept of the idea was good, but I really don't think the words gut and butt belonged in advertising.... I somehow think the whole Nair incident yesterday may have wiped away some brain cells. Which by the way... NEVER PUT THAT STUFF ON YOUR EYEBROWS. Don't ask, just adhere to my advice, and trust me, don't leave the towel in the bathroom floor, for the cat to lay on.... let's just say that Oscar the Fat Cat's big orange fluffy belly, is welllll, it turns out he wasn't so fat after all, just furry.

The Smallest Blessings... Memories

Spring has officially sprung here in beautiful Virginia. My sweetie and I went this past weekend to get the first batch of "mater" plants and some squash. I also planted 6 strawberry plants, 2 rhubarb plants and 1 new rose bush. Needless to say, it was a long and HOT (94 degrees!!) weekend. But, we sat on the deck, listening to the 60's beach music station and simply enjoying each other's company. It was a sweet moment that we got to spend together, with no cell phones ringing, without a house full of teenage girls, or a yard full of friends.

Tonight I made a comfort food dinner... hamburgers with gravy and onions,cucumbers in vinegar, beets, squash and onions, and a yummy peach pie for desert. In the midst of eating dinner it occurred to me that we were eating my Great grandmother's favorite dinner. She always made this every Wednesday when my mom and I would go visit during the summers when I was a little girl. I don't know what made me think about it, as my granny has been dead for over 10 years. I spent the rest of dinner telling my sweetie and my baby about her. She was beautiful, elegant, and a little bit feisty! She and her friends had mink stoles, cat eye glasses, and big jars of ponds cold cream on their dressers. She raised a huge garden, had the most fabulous red geraniums, and made the best potato salad ever. She taught me and all of my cousins how to drive in her trusty green maverick and then a snazzy red Taurus.I could go on and on for hours, perhaps even days, but that's a blog for another day.

My blessing this week is my memories... whether they are new or old, they are treasured and sweet. When was the last time you took some of your best memories out and dusted them off? I once heard that as long as you remembered, things and people never really went away.Take the time to make memories with your family and you too will have a gift to treasure for years to come, both to enjoy and to give. Have a lovely and memorable week.

Pennies from Heaven

Now, I know that some of you may be wondering what the heck I'm doing... I'm suppose to be in Myrtle Beach. Well, the Lord works in mysterious ways.

I originally was not suppose to even go this year. Financially I just could not swing it, and the accountant in me wasn't going to take away from something else to go and play. However, through the wonder of friendship, my girlfriends decided that they were going to treat me! I was so excited and feel so blessed. Still, though in the back of my mind, something just wasn't sitting right.

On Sunday evening, I totally cleaned the car out. I have the biggest vehicle (yes, I am the proud owner of a gas guzzler, I must admit), so I had decided that the least I could do was to drive. I took every single thing (a small feat in itself, as I believe I may have found Jimmy Hoffa) out of the truck. I finished my day out, still feeling uneasy, but starting to really get excited.

At 2 am, Monday morning, my dear friend Debra's father, Charles Erwin Farmer, affectionately known as "Bubba" lost his battle with lung cancer. At 6:45 am my dear friend Vickie lost her sister unexpectedly to diabetes. She was 42 years old.

Everyone quickly kicked into gear, calling, making arrangements, etc. At 7:30 am, I went out to my truck and saw 2 brand new shiny pennies sitting in my seat. I was having such a bad morning that I thought, what the heck, I'll sit on them. thinking for sure that my husband must have put them there, I really thought nothing of it. After all, it was such a busy day. On Tuesday morning, I went out and giggled at the thought of riding to work on them again. When I opened the door, I reached for my cell phone, as I had agreed to make the call to cancel our reservations. I happened to glance down, and dropped the phone!!!! There now were 3 pennies. This is crazy I know, right? Well, I called my honey and asked him why he kept leaving pennies in my seat, only to have him tell me he had no idea what I was talking about. I shook it off, and began the trip to work, riding on my pennies. About 9:30 am, I called Kingston Plantation to cancel our reservation. The clerk told me I must have been mistaken, that the reservation had already been canceled on Sunday. We disagreed for a few minutes, however I finally took the cancellation number to call each one of my friends.

We still today, do not know who canceled the reservations, or where the pennies came from. I sadly received a call this morning that my 98 year old grandfather is being put in Hospice. It is a strange story and it has been a stranger week. I typically only work 2 hours on Fridays, and you can bet that my first stop will be to see my grandfather tomorrow as soon as I leave here. Have a beautiful week and remember to kiss and hug the ones you love every single chance you get. Life is my blessing this week, and perhaps it is one of the greatest blessings, as we never know when it will be taken away as quickly as it came.

Note* I still have the pennies in my seat, and am working on getting a picture of them to add to my post. *

The Smallest Blessings-Friendship

Every year in April, 5 close friends and myself go to Myrtle Beach for a "Girls Weekend". It's my mother, my cousin, and some other ladies. Unfortunately I got laid off last September, and although I did go back to work, it was at a much reduced salary. I scrimped and saved for the last few months, but something always has come up, so I made the decision ( a big girl decision) that I just wasn't going to go this year, we simply could not afford it. I was very sad to have to tell everyone, especially my mother. We in the past had made the 5 hour ride together, and it really served as a sweet and private time for us.

About 2 weeks ago, I got a call from one of my dearest friends, asking me if I still was not going to be able to go. I told her yes, financially there really was just no way. She said ok and after a few minuets of idle chit chat, we said goodbye. The next day she called me again, asking the same question. I have to admit, that at first, I was a bit angry. I told her again, that nothing had changed... she quickly cut me off by saying that everyone had talked the night before and that I had to go. She then laughed and said that one of the best things about friendship was the chance to do something nice for someone else and that the "girls" had decided that they were paying my portion.

I encourage everyone who read this to take this to heart. Friendship, true friendship is being able to experience the joy of not only each other, but the opportunity to do something nice for someone else. It doesn't have to be extravagant, it doesn't even have to cost anything. I challenge you all to do something unexpected today for your friend. Whether that be your spouse, your sister, or just a girlfriend from college, surprise them with a gesture and when the thanks come, encourage them to pass it on. If everyone did this for one day, perhaps it would spill over into the next.
Have a wonderful day!

Blessings of being a Woman

I'm a few days late, with my post I realize. I hope that everyone will understand upon hearing my reasons.
For the past 9 years, my gorgeous husband and I have been trying to have another baby. Unfortunatly it just doesn't seem to be in the cards. We've done every test under the sun, treatments, etc, and nothing has worked. Last monday, I geared up for "the day"... anyone who has been through the whole precision of trying to concieve knows what I am speaking of. As the events of the day unfolded... work, taking our daughter to ball practice, making dinner, laundry, I grew more and more tired. At about 9 pm, I thought I would just lay down for a quick nap... well, the next thing I knew, the clock was going off and it was 6 am, tuesday morning. I panicked, I cried, and I yelled at the ceiling! I had missed my little window of opportunity.I went through the morning like someone in slow motion.At about 11:30, one of my dearest friends called me with some exciting news..... she was expecting her third child. I think I went into a hazy fog.
I spent the next few days in a state of turmoil. I was so happy for her, and yet felt so betrayed by my own body.
On Sunday at our Easter services, there was a little girl in the pew in front of us. She looked to be about 18 months old... cute as a button! I stared at her, and then felt a little pat on my arm from my husband. I think in that moment, we came to a mutual decision that we would just let nature decide what was best for us as a family. My husband told me that whether I had 1 child or 40, I was a woman in his eyes. I know it's crazy, but I felt like I needed that confirmation.

My point to this, is that my blessing this week is womanhood. We as women, run ourselves to the max. We try to do it all, we down ourselves, if our hips or bottoms aren't what society thinks they should be, or if we aren't looking like a Victorias Secret model in our wonderbras. I encourage each and every woman who reads this to take a moment and hug yourself, your curves, and your femininity, not to harbor disappointment when you feel as though your body is betraying you. God made us in the image that he felt was right for us, it is for him to decide what our bodies should do, and no one else.
I recommitted myself to God yesterday, feeling as though I had gotten off the path in striving for something that maybe just wasn't meant for me as a woman to do more than once. Til next week..... or I guess I should say thursday!

My loves

I hope that I get this right.... I have so much that I am thankful for everyday, so this was very hard for me. I hate to sound selfish... but my blessing today will be for my eyes. Now before you stop reading and think I've gone crazy, hear me out.
With my eyes, I see every morning when I get up that the "coffee fairy" (my sweet husband) has left me coffee to enjoy and a note to read. I see the way that my daughter is curled up sleeping looking about 8 years old (until she unfolds her legs and turns into my little super model at 13). I see the love that we have put into making our house beautiful and the feel pride deep in my heart. I see the daffodils that we planted years ago when we first moved here to our home.I see that Oscar, the cat's big orange belly is now fully covering his bottom paws when he sits up and I have to laugh.
I see a million things a day, but none as sweet or dear to me, as those things that I see within my first hour of waking each day. I thank God everyday for this amzing gift that he has given me, and know that if tomorrow I woke and could not see, I will have been more blessed than I ever could have imagined by what I had seen the day before.
I have included a picture of my beautiful daughter, as watching her grow into a young lady has been amazing.