The randomly selected winner is…Miranda!  Congratulations!!  I’ll get the book to you ASAP  – Enjoy!!

Motherhood, while marketed as a life stage of peppy bliss, can produce tremendous anxiety and isolation all, interestingly enough, while a woman is not physically alone.  As moms we have little people literally hanging on us all day…We are never physically alone and yet our souls starve for connection.

Only 35 pages into Tracey Bianchi‘s new book, Mom Connection, and she hit the nail right on the head.  How many times have you felt that isolation?  I know I’ve encountered it a few times over the past 6 years.  My children surround me, bubbling over with questions and quarreling with each other, and yet isolation.  I just want a bit of adult conversation!

I am very fortunate to have a very caring and loving husband, wonderful MOPS friends and those who I’ve known for years; and one particularly awesome best friend.   We all have kids and we can all commiserate.  When I feel that isolation creep in, I can call on one of them to reconnect and feel loads better.  But there is always room for growth and that’s where this book really comes in handy.

In Mom Connection, Tracey gives the reader numerous ways to find time in our already hectic schedules to reconnect with ourselves and friends.  She entreats us to occasionally slow down and match the meandering pace of our little ones.  Give up creating the perfect meal every night and just enjoy an impromptu chicken nugget picnic in the front yard.   Allow ourselves to find the rhythm that works for our family.  Her tone is reassuring and encouraging, without pretending to have all the answers.  She admits to being just as much a mess as the rest of us, and her personal anecdotes underscore that with both humor and tears.

I particularly enjoyed her chapter on rediscovering your hidden gifts and talents.  She acknowledges your lack of time, then pushes you to find your “One Big Thing” (pg 65) and make it work with your schedule.  Try to stretch beyond your “Mom” identity to help you thrive and grow as a woman.  Happy Mom = Happy Family.

And so to help one of you find your rhythm, I am giving away a copy of Mom Connection: Creating Vibrant Relationships in the Midst of Motherhood.  Just leave a comment below listing one of your talents or gifts that you’d like to pursue with some extra time.  I’ll announce the randomly selected winner on Wednesday (5/16) at 10pm EST.  Good Luck!

Thanks to MOPS International, Inc. for providing me this opportunity to review, and give away, a copy of this wonderful book!

Winner was chosen using Random.org.

Today was James’ Blue and Gold Banquet to celebrate their year of Cub Scouting.  James was very excited about it, particularly the cake decorating contest.  The theme for the contest was “Camping is Fun.”  He really wanted to participate so I asked him what he wanted on his cake.

“I want a tent next to the water with a boat.  I want me, Lucas, Haden, and Peyton in the boat.” (Those are the other boys in his den.)   The funny thing is we never went boating this year, but he sure felt it would make camping fun!  He and I got to work – me baking the cake and putting on the base icing.  He put on the blue icing and rolled out the fondant.  He was also responsible for making the people.  He helped me roll the little balls for the heads and drew on their faces and hair.  The finishing touches were the hats on their heads and oars for the canoe.

The cake in all its glory!
I don’t think James can just smile anymore – we always get this face!
But he is really happy…I swear!!

Here he is holding his first place cake!  He was so excited when they called out his number.  He marched right up there and held his cake with pride.

He also got his Lion Badge and Citizenship belt loop.  He is officially a Tiger Scout and all gung-ho for next year.  We are so proud of our scout!

Jay teased James that we were going to start calling the boys by their birth order since we can’t seem to call them by their correct names.  So in honor of that, here is a picture of Number 2 & 3.

All the Lutherans respond, “And also with you!”  Moving on…

Over the weekend we watched the original Star Wars trilogy.  The boys LOVED it, except James had nightmares about Darth Vader being Luke’s father.  I’m not sure why that out of all the things that happen in those movies bothered him, but he got past it.  Since then they have spent most of their free time reenacting the movies.  They even created their own Darth Vader costume as seen below and modeled by Ethan.  How I love these boys!!

Last Thursday our stove went kaput.  We spent the afternoon checking Consumer Reports.org and looking for sales online.  We lucked into a pretty good one at Home Depot – 10% off, free delivery and free removal of your old stove.  Hurray!  I checked out a couple options online; I really wanted one with Time/Delay bake function – this is important to the story.  I found one I thought would work great, it was less than $600 and it had the delay bake function.  Logan and I headed out to the Butler Home Depot in hopes of finding one in stock.  Alas the one I wanted was an online special, so they had to order it.  The sales associate and I double and triple checked that the stove in fact had the delay bake function.  We scheduled delivery for today (3/27) and spent the rest of the weekend cooking in the microwave and eating out.  (Lovely side note, the grill broke that same afternoon.)

Fast forward to this morning.  My lovely new stove is delivered right before lunch and right around the time I need to pick up Ethan from preschool and get James ready for afternoon kindergarten.  I sign off on the delivery because there are no dings, all the pieces are there, the stove top lit up, and the delivery people were super-friendly and courteous.  Later in the afternoon, I finally got a chance to sit down and look over the book for my new oven.  As I’m reading through on how to use the delay bake function, I discover the the model I have in my kitchen does not have the necessary buttons.  It also clearly says “only available on some models.”  But we double, nay triple checked that this model had this function!  They must have delivered the wrong stove.  TO THE INTERNET!!!  I type in the model number from my new stove and online it says Time/Delay Bake: yes.

I tried calling the main Home Depot number but got shuttled around to someone’s voicemail.  Jay suggested I call the local store.  Enter Peggy, the super helpful sales associate at Butler’s Home Depot.  I quickly explained the situation and she checked everything out from her end.  It turns out it was an error on the website.  She checked with GE and the model I picked did not have the function at all.  GE does have another model for $100 more that has the Delay Bake function.  We really didn’t want to pay more but I wanted the feature.  I asked if I can return the current stove and get the more expensive model.  Peggy’s reply, “I can do even better.  We’ll meet you halfway and give you $50 off and honor the 10% off sale.”  I about fell out of the chair.  We quickly loaded the other stove into the Vue and headed into the store.  Liz at the Service Desk took care of the exchange in no time, and my next new stove should be here on Friday.  So we have a couple more days of microwave meals, but everything after that should be smooth sailing.

In conclusion, always call the store first and make Home Depot one of your first stops for new appliances.

PS: Home Depot did not compensate me in any way for this glowing review.  They just did an awesome job handling my appliance mix-up!

Monday was a momentous night for me and my sister, but especially for me!!  We got to meet, and chat with, Pioneer Woman, Marlboro Man, and 3 of their wonderful children.  It was AWESOME!!  Pioneer Woman was at the Penguin Bookshop in Sewickley for a book signing to promote her new cookbook.  Mom got me the cookbook as an early birthday present, so I was psyched that PW was coming to Western PA.

Colleen, Logan and I left the house at 2:45pm and headed south towards Sewickley.  I was determined to be there before the signing start time of 4pm!  We made it around 3:30 and were handed ticket number 126 & 127.  The line wasn’t super long at that point, and the people in line with us were so friendly and just as excited.  The time passed quickly as we entertained each other with stories of our favorite PW recipes and snippets of our family lives.

Here we all are waiting patiently in line.

Logan was a trooper.  Colleen and I took turns carrying him and he made a TON of new friends with his charming smile and big brown eyes.

We made it into the book shop around 4:55.  They were letting 30 people at a time up to the second floor of the shop to meet Pioneer Woman.  The bookshop employees did a marvelous job organizing the signing.  They were extremely helpful and accommodating – one of the employees had made a few of the recipes from the new book for everyone to sample.  The Brie-Stuffed Mushrooms (pg 96), Fancy Mac and Cheese (pg 132), and the divinely delicious Citrus Butter Cookies (pg 236).  I am going to make the cookies ASAP – they are to die for!!

As we waited patiently for our turn to head up stairs, there came a raucous noise from outside; something akin to women’s shrieks of joy at a rock concert.  We turned around and saw this:

PW’s family had shown up with Marlboro Man bringing up the rear (which I’m sure is what prompted the happy shrieks outside!).  They were all smiling and waving to the crowd as they headed up the steps.  They soon came back down to chat with all of us and pose for pictures.  There was no shortage of people waiting to get a picture with Marlboro Man.

The women behind us in line asked for a picture with him.  He promptly put out his arm and said, “I’m waiting but I don’t have any one to put my arm around.”  I’ve never seen so many women volunteer to be first!   Colleen and I were quick to get in line, too.  He was very friendly, answering everyone’s questions and saying how much the family was looking forward to spending a little time in Pittsburgh before heading out to Columbus for the next signing.  The boys wanted to see “the stadium where the Steelers play” and they were hoping to hit Primanti Brothers for a late meal (check out this post).

I even got a picture with Paige!

After a few more minutes, it was our turn to join the crowd upstairs.  We were greeted with the sign below and plate of the Citrus Butter Cookies (once again must make the cookies!!).

Just past the sign, I was able to catch a glimpse of Ree in all her down-home glory.  She suddenly got up and was escorted past us.

“I’ll be right back.  I need to use the ladies room and I promise I won’t leave again!”  There was a chorus of nervous giggles from the crowd.  We were like a bunch of school girls meeting a rock star – which she kinda is, in the kitchen any way.  She soon returned, refreshed and ready to chat, sign books, and pose for pictures.

When it was our turn, I was so excited but managed to not freak out and act like a loon.  Logan had made it that whole time without fussing or screaming, and just as we were about to meet Ree he fell fast asleep.  She tried to get him to look at her, but he just snuggled in tighter and snored.  She told me how adorable he was and I told her how I discovered her blog not too long before I got pregnant with Logan.  And that he was my biggest baby, coincidence?  She laughed and thanked us for coming.

She and her family were very down to earth and made everyone feel welcome.  Colleen and I had a great time out and she has claimed any future chance to travel with me to the Lodge should I win a PW giveaway.

And, I got my book signed!!

Today is Ethan’s 4th birthday.  This is a momentous event that he’s been looking forward to for at least a month, but more likely since Christmas.  Everyday he’s asked if it was his birthday yet, when the actual date occurs, and how much longer!!  He’s been wearing a huge smile all day, and told everyone he’s met that TODAY IS THE DAY!!

For his big day, he requested a white cake with chocolate icing decorated with the Bat Signal.  I don’t think I did too bad in that department.

I think the smile says it all!

He’s had a great day and his present should arrive tomorrow in the mail.  He picked out an Ertl Dairy barn to go with his tractors because he’s a dairy farmer (at least that’s what he told me.)  In fact, he plans to be a farmer and a cooker (his word for chef) when he grows up.  He’s also going to live very far away from me and Daddy but he’ll still stop by and visit every once in a while.  I sure hope he does.

Can’t you just hear the laughter and feel the love