Spicing it up and a little dovetailing

Dovetailing is a term I learned in FOODS 101 with Mrs. Nicols. As a 7th grader, I interpreted it to mean doing many things at once. The dictionary definition of dovetailing includes the following:

only things of a different nature can adhere ; cohere  is for things of the same kind that stick together and form a whole

During one frantic dinner time, I was "multitasking."  While cooking  mushrooms and reviewing a spelling test and getting crayons for a toddler to color and texting a teenager to remember to pick up his brother, I reached for the spices I have used multiple times and quickly sprinkled the fragrant combination of familiar flavors onto the concoction. Immediately, a waft of sweet cinnamon filled the kitchen air and permeated the frying pan brimming with mushrooms! Not really a coherent combination.

One can easily see the resemblance of the colorful season salt and cinnamon spice jars. An understandable mistake. How often does one dial a familiar number by its pattern, rather than by the numbers (when asked for the number, you think and then mimic the dialing motion with your fingers). I find myself cooking by feel, rather than with clarity - reaching for an ingredient based on color, or shape, rather than waste the time reading the label. This helps me save 5 to 7 seconds per ingredient!! And those packaged food items....I can't remember the last time I actually read the instructions. While some might claim this is a scatter-brained approach, I suggest multi-tasking (aka, motherhood) may be the true mother of innovation! Of course, cinnamon mushrooms may not be a hit, but most of the time things work out. Just look at the history of unusual or interesting culinary or fashion fusion and I'll bet a mother was behind the idea. Ever wonder about the '80's fashion combo of oversized scarves and big hair, or the 60's colorful nehru jacket matched with flare pants? What else could account for the classic combination of orange jello salad sprinkled with shredded carrots?

 I am convinced that the above method is how such combinations of chilled fruit soup or coconut carrot soup started. One of my FAVORITE conflicting flavors is the sweet taste of fritos and peanut butter.

1 cup sugar

1 cup Karo Syrup

Mix in saucepan and bring to boil

Add 1 cup peanut butter and pour over 1 bag FRITOS chips 

This is one of the best DOVETAILS I have ever tasted. Only a multasking mom could of figured that one out.

(and NO CINNAMON was involved)

Sarasota, Florida--Medical conference--JUST THE TWO OF US

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Evans and Aunt Kim for their generous love for our children. They helped watch Carson and Jessie and get them to their school and activities while Brad and I escaped to Florida.  While I relaxed by the pool, Brad attended morning meetings. We had the afternoon and evening to explore the quaint little town. 

The home of John Ringling is built here and all the artwork he and his wife collected through their lifetime is displayed in an art museum. Amazing what a LARGE disposable income can buy!

Situated on the West side of the Gulf of Mexico, Sarasota is home to many theaters and performing groups as well as art museums. Bays and inlets provide a lot of water activities, although it was much too cold in late April. 

This Longboat Key park is on a island with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and Sarasota Bay on the other.

A TOUR of downtown Sarasota was a MUST SEE! I often filled up on the ROLLS at restaurants we ate at because that is my favorite food group!

Hyatt Regency was our home away from home during our vacation.

Cruising around the Bay in this barge was very relaxing and peaceful.

Our Cruise guide informed us that only 3 percent of these homes are occupied year-round. During Christmas and Spring Break boat riders will actually see people using their elaborate, expensive, and extravagent property.

Views from the Cruise Ship

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Easter 2010

Celebrating Easter in 2010 was made much more enjoyable with a visit from my sister, Tanya, from Colorado! The holiday was at the beginning of their Spring Break.

The weather cooperated this year for a beautiful Easter egg hunt in our backyard. Kansas Spring's are temperamental at best and often the hunt's are held inside. What a treat to enjoy the glowing rays of the sun on our faces and bodies! When is a child TOO old for a HUNT? I hope Jessica is never too old because I love seeing her joy and happiness on this day!

A washing machine can chew up anything..............except...........

Young mom's know the value of a good lamination machine. Babies and toddlers put anything in their mouth - the more valuable the item, the more certain that it will soon be tainted with watery saliva. A protective clear coating of plastic assures one that her beloved toddler can empty her wallet and slime any one of her credit credits and a good swipe at McDonald's will still be guaranteed. Get a hold of that unprotected social security card and you can be assured of a trip to a government organization for replacement (you will need LOTS of laminated items to keep your toddler-in-tow occupied while you wait and wait and wait...).  Hopefully, you will KNOW not to wear heels!

The fine art of lamination works for teenagers as well. Many important documents can be hidden in the bottom of jeans before being dumped in the wash.  The soapy, watery agitation in the washer can do almost as much damage as the unforgiving jaws of a child.

I learned this the hard way when Brandon's beloved scripture mastery cards went through the wash. He uses these to memorize important scriptures that he learns in his early-morning bible class.

Amazingly, he is still using the protected cards!

Maybe a mom can LAMINATE a teenage brain!

A week of milestones....

My 15-year-old got his braces off this week. The 15-minute appointment was worth the 2 years of waiting for a beautiful smile. Spring's awakening of the fragrant flowers has released the pollen and Hunter struggles with allergies and asthma. I miss his green, glowing eyes, but appreciate his clear sight--especially when he practices driving with me!

Jessica met her classmates for next year's kindergarten class at the annual round-up!  

(my sister-in-law lives in a different state and said, "Although they don't call it round-up here. Here Round-up is what you use to kill things...which should not be associated with Kindergarten"

 She was so thrilled and said--screamed-- to me today that she does not have to go to pre-school since she is in kindergarten.  Since I am still paying the fee and NEED my sanity time, she is going.

Here is one of the many pictures taken for Brandon's senior photo shoot. If you have a teenage son, you know the campaign that you must sweep just to get them to POSE for a picture. Why would such a handsome young man in the prime of his life give up the battle of documenting his fleeting good looks for a mere connection with ESPN? 

He SCORED on this one, even though Tiger Woods did not!

The Animals Have Escaped

Today, my son has an appointment for his SENIOR PHOTO SHOOT.

It will only last 10 minutes---according to him--he has no time or interest in taking pictures!  

(You might know why if you look at my BLOG)

The Animals Have Escaped--is the name my blog because I am losing one of my "animals" soon!

I am Stephanie Bishop and I started blogging 2 years ago to keep in touch with my family and store all the thousands of pictures I take of all the events my four children participate in--3 BOYS and 1 GIRL--the surprise at the end of the rainbow!

Someday, my future-daughter-in-laws will scrutinize this information and wonder if she should marry into this crazy family!!!

Technology is so intriguing to me and learning and expanding my skills keeps the synapses in my brain connected. 23 years of marriage has produced a lot of visual memories and the large, heavy scrapbooks sitting on my shelf, neglected and full of dust, are proof. Digital archiving and retrieval takes so much less space, time and energy! (that point CAN BE argued)  Here I am ignoring my precious daughter to meet more "virtual" friends.

Drawn to this hobby seem to be a crowd of young Moms seeking that much needed adult interaction. What a refreshing look into the future by learning about the empowering women who are raising the future leaders of tomorrow!  You inspire me with your energy, wit, creative skills, mothering gifts and so much more.

MOMMY IN THE MIDDLE is a new endeavor I am embarking on. Middle-aged, living in the midwest, in the middle of the country, and in the middle of my parenting years, I will post my reflections on my blog in the middle of the week


WEDNESDAY!


Hope to meet some of you and offer you some humorous insights into raising children!

Lisa Bearnson, of Creative Keepsakes fame, worked with me at our college's paper, The Daily Universe, and we had many classes together and worked on our senior project.  I even went to her wedding reception (probably gave her a cheap wedding present--we were poor students then)

She is a blogger, right!!


I would like to connect with her again!

DISHING IT---What a clever idea!!!


Check this out to join in on the FUN!!

Easter 2010

What is a girl to do without SHOES!

It is not likely that I am wearing heels in the morning unless it is a Sunday. However, recently I attended a morning event where heels were required. After the service, I decided to dash through Sam's club to pick up milk and toilet paper. Thinking to myself, if other women can walk through this store looking all put together, why can't I?

My feet are not OTHER WOMEN's.

Having 3 boys participate in summer scout camps has taught me one thing: DO NOT throw away the worn, dirty, cracked, laceless winter tennis shoes!  They are perfect for ONE more week of dust, dirt, heat, rain, leftovers, and sweat!! and then you can put them to sleep, preferably in a TOXIC WASTE container after a week of scout camp!

What a difference 9 years makes

As promised in my post of pictures of a 2001 road trip, I offer these reflections of a changed vacation plan from 2001 to 2010.

1. Technology and the Internet
'01--We had to tote a small suitcase to transport maps and books from AAA in order to plan the trip; (still got lost MANY MANY MANY TIMES with emotional meltdowns in between) 5 pieces of paper contained typed important information as well as a calendar. The paper carried remnants of McDonald's ketchup at the end of the trip. We filed it away in Carson's scrapbook as he drew a pretty great drawing of a cat. 4 months in advance, we began negotiation to secure the "right" price for accomodations and recreation.

'10--I carried an I-POD Touch that fit in the palm of my hand. Phone numbers, addresses, email, calendar, WI FI access to helpful information--all at the touch of a finger. Activities to keep the kids entertained while waiting in line motivated me to ALWAYS have full battery power. (I would've stored virtual gum in there if I could!) We named our price on PRICELINE the day before we needed a hotel and arrived at our destination safely by listening intently to our friendly GARMIN GPS with the sexy voice. (never got lost)

Itinerary--Day 1 and 2: Mini-van loaded with "entertainment" accessories kept everyone sane during the 2-day trip to NewPort Beach, CA. We booked our first night sleep in Albuerque at a STARBUCKS (free WI FI) 200 miles out of town. We were led their by our GPS to the hotel.

Using EXPEDIA.com 3 days before we left, we committed to a CHEAP 3-day stay in Newport Beach 15 minutes from Disney, my sister, Chris and 5 minutes from the beach!!! Using the free WI FI in the hotel, we printed off 3-day passes to Disneyland and Universal Studios for 6 people. (we then transferred cash to make sure our account did not crash!)

The "UNABOMBER" (aka Brandon) decided to join us on our vacation and appears in many pictures. The "disguise" provided needed protection from the harming sun's rays. Strong acne medication makes your skin vulnerable to damage.

2. Keeping everyone PLUGGED up or PLUGGED in
'01 A pacifer, fruit snacks, lollipops, gum, jolly ranchers, duct tape, etc. was used throughout this trip to keep the young from screaming. As persistent young parents, we encouraged many educational activities during the long road-trip such as reading, puzzle solving, math facts. ONLY a 1/2 hour into the trip, the fighting began. A western Wyoming Walmart was a welcome site as we dumped the old uncomfortable car seat and "installed" a new one to keep the prince happy. We would've paid anything to make him stop SCREAMING. BEST IMPULSE purchase ever was the stand-alone DVD player. It may have sucked the brains out of the kids, but it kept them ALIVE!

'10 With the purchase of our 2007 Honda Odyssey mini-van (a CARMAX success story) keeping all 4 kids PLUGGED in was easy. (we never worry about sucking their brains out anymore, just our own SANITY) Jessie could listen to Disney show tunes with the wireless headphones while the teenagers could listen and watch HARRY POTTER movies on the DVD and rock out to Green Day. The splitter allowed all 4 kids to listen to the DVD movie hanging from the wall while the driver peacefully made his/her music selection.
3. An independent fashion consultant
'01 Wherever we traveled, Mom chose the wardrobe. Making sure all boys were matching was not only a fashion statement, but a safety factor. Traveling through all the parks with 3 boys made us crave caffeine and high doses of anxiety meds. These matching GAP shark shirts (found a deal) were tugged on many times, dragging the disobedient into the safety of the "gam."

'10  Lists of clothing items to take and the number of pairs of underwear and socks were given to each boy in hopes that the chosen wardrobe would make it into the suitcase. A close observation in the photos taken, one will notice the SAME shirt, pants, etc on the teens each day. (Of course, Jessie was dressed by Mom and willingly took suggestions of color choices). During a long line at Disney, I observed Carson wearing a pair of shorts that DID NOT even ZIP up. They were two sizes too small. An experienced Mom just made him pull his t-shirt down.

4. We go together like ramma lamma lamma ka dinga da dinga dong 
'01 We thought we had invented the genius idea of putting our cell phone number in Carson's fanny pack in case he got lost. During the 1 1/2 hours he WAS LOST, Carson never even thought to TALK TO A STRANGER and share our cell phone number. Because we only had one cell phone, we relied on WALKIE TALKIES to stick together. The problem was, so did every other of the 10,000 visitors to the park. Access to an open band was impossible. (we got lost MANY MANY MANY times)

'10 A much more creative approach to preventing child endangerment (besides a parent's approach to discipline) is BLACK PERMANENT MARKER. A SPRINT texting plan and 4 phones worked wonders at preventing the inevitable separation that takes place with 6 people on different entertainment agendas trying to maneuver the park to see ALL attractions and get your $300 a day worth of FUN!

5. Creative ways to pack food and supplies to carry into the park so we could still pay our mortgage AFTER our vacation

'01 As mom's of multiple children know, a stroller can pack a load of crap for any outing. Diapers, wipes, bottles, diaper creme, blanket, extra clothing, video camera, camera, sunscreen, sunglasses, water bottles, cooler, mini fridge, portable TV, rope, legal drugs, camel back filled with diet coke, etc...That is how we survived the theme parks with these 3 boys.

'10 One VERY HEAVY pack carried by mom carried all the supplies we needed. Boost, water bottles, medicine, cell phones, camera, video camera, passes to the parks, etc. 


PRICELINE works like magic for finding an affordable and available hotel and one can find a Walmart for food and supplies anywhere in the USA---except Orange and Los Angeles, County. 

(I also noticed that ALL the mini-vans on the California freeway had OUT OF STATE LICENSE PLATES!!!!!)

 A balcony breakfast from a luxurious resort overlooking a golf course was our BEST FIND! 

 Somehow, Dolly Madison donuts from Smiths, felt dummy downed for the occasion!

6.  The "possibility" of meeting family/friends and the "reality" of making it happen
'01  Participating in my brother, Greg and Tori's, wedding was the catalyst for this 3-week road trip.  Arrangements for this gathering took place a year in advance.

'01 Several months before hitting the road to California, we also contacted friends we lived next to when in Provo, Utah--Patty and Marion Hammond--and asked if we could visit them in Las Vegas while passing through. After several phone calls, the date was set and specific directions were given to their home. We got lost, AGAIN!

Pictured below are their children Jared, Trent, and Diana and our 3 boys!

'10  The FIRST day of our trip, while on a western Kansas highway, I accessed my FACEBOOK account and left a message for two Arizona friends.  Minutes later, I read my "in-box" messages on FB and began to make arrangements to meet. While waiting in line at Disney and Universal Studios, I logged-in again and like "magic" we secured the plans--when, where, how to meet in Arizon! Using our handy, dandy GPS, we NEVER got lost.

L-R:  Jana and Nathan Cherrington

Stephanie and Brad Bishop

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.  ~From the television show The Wonder Years

----John, Emily, Allison and Kate Cherrington---Bishop Kids

1998-2002 PHOTOS of the Cherrington family living in Kansas can be found here

Visting with Jennie, Andrew, 

Ben, Isacc, Zoe and Madeline Rounseville

The Rounsevilles relocated from the midwest to Arizona in 2005. Making their home in Prescott, AZ is a dream come true for the family who would choose to live in a tent if it had central cooling. Andy often dumps his SUV for a bike and heads to work in the ER.  Jennie  and I served together in Cub Scouts and Primary. Andy experienced life in one of the most busy downtown ER's in the midwest as he completed medical residency at Truman Medical Center. Jennie and I share a lot of similar experiences of single motherhood and surviving residency. 

We are forever bonded and had a short, yet memorable time catching up at their home in Prescott, AZ, a town Northwest of Phoenix in the mountains.

2001-2005 PHOTOS of the Rounseville family living in Overland Park, KS

If you wish to see ALL the photos during our 10-day trip, this is the PLACE for smilebox albums.

We only part to meet again.  ~John Gay

Look forward to a post in 

2020 listing the travel changes--

"Portable self-contained Urinals "

Imagine the Possibilities