Pie Party and Some Other Musings

Every year for the past almost 10 years, (minus the 4 years we were in Washington in an 800 sq ft cabin) my family and I have been hosting what we like to call a pie party.  I can't take credit for this AMAZING idea because that would be just wrong to my East Coast relatives who started it way back when, but I will say the minute I heard about a Pie Party I was all over it like Meringue on Lemon Pie.
I usually have it the second Saturday in November because to me it's a way to have Thanksgiving (minus the Turkey) with ALL my friends and family.  It's also a way for me to get my favorite dessert!!

When I was preparing the prizes this year I got SO excited for this party I almost did a happy Pie Party dance. I'm pretty sure it would have looked a bit like Elaine on Seinfeld so I reigned in my excitement and got to putting together those prizes you see up there. We give out prizes to 3 categories; Best in Savory Best in Show and  UGLY but it Tastes Damn Good  aka  UBITDG!!

While putting together prize baskets, I thought about all the families that would come with their delectable pies and my heart overflowed with gratitude for many reasons. The first reason that my heart was exploding with joy, was that I am so grateful to be back here in Nevada. That sentence up there... well it's one that even as I type it I still can't believe I'm saying it. It's taken me quite a long journey to get HERE, and I don't me here as in Nevada here, I mean HERE as in this place of contentment that has come over my heart regarding where ever HERE happens to be. 

I have to say that there have been countless tears shed and plenty of tantrums had, over not having that kind of an attitude. I'm happy to report though, that Jesus has done a work in this bratty girls heart, and it's a good work. A work I know I couldn't have done on my own. 

He has made me realize that it's not about the place, it's about the people. 

I now know that even if he called me to live in Texas(please don't dear Lord baby Jesus) I think I could manage to keep this grateful, contentment going. 

As long as there was Pie in Texas! Psh... of course there would be PIE in Texas!! Those Texans have got the right idea when it comes to pie. I have heard they make a pie for just about every occasion... so yea I think I could manage, but for now I'm staying put with a happy heart right here in good ole Nev a duh!!
I do so apologize to leave you with  mouths watering ...let me  make it up to you with this quote that I feel fits just perfect with this here Pie Party blog and truly is a recipe for happiness. 
 "Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with  LOVE, GRACE, and GRATITUDE." Denis Waitley

Hello... Goodbye

If the month of April were laid out like a Math equation for me this is what it would look like;

April 7+7=14-7=7+3=10-3=7+1=8-1=7+1=8-1=7+2=9-2=7 May

Hello.

Sister Gina, brother in law Izzy

Mom and Dad with all the grandkids

Brother Jeremy and daughter Emma



Goodbye.


Hello.

Friend Trista and her college bound boys Brandon and Sawyer

Goodbye.

Hello.

Friend Christine aka Weeny

Goodbye.

Hello.

Brother Greg and his girlie friend Tanya

Goodbye.


I'm taking ideas for motel names now.

My Friend Allie

Do you ever come across someone who is so larger than life in personality that you just want to be their friend so you can ride along on their "coat tails" of life so to speak?
Ya know, just so you can be a part of the adventure?

Well, that's how I feel about my friend Allie.

Let me take you back to the first day we met.

A very long, long time ago... I would say around 23 years to be exact(I am SO old) I met my treasured friend Allie. I started going to a church in Carson City called the Vineyard. I'm not exactly sure how I ended up going there, but there I was. At a new church. No friends. No familiar faces. And We were meeting in this warehouse, office type building(which was a step up from the tents we soon would be meeting in) and it was also quite the change from my Catholic days of big, beautiful church buildings, where no one spoke to each other, before or afterward. You got in. You got out.
Very anti-social. Church was not about meeting friends. It was a much more reverent event back in those days.

Honestly, that's not entirely true. But it sounds good doesn't it? And don't forget my theme word here on my blog is hyperbole.

So there I was standing in the back of this new church talking to this lady named Judy, who was so friendly it was almost frightening, but not, because she was just so fun to listen to and she asked so many questions. She was talking about this girl named Allie that I should meet and in walked this shorter than me, bigger hair than me, naturally curlier hair than me(I was a tad jealous of that since I used to pay the big bucks for my curls)little bit of thing with a great big smile.

We became kindred spirits right from the start for many, many, many reasons.

It's funny how a friendship starts. There are of course many books, quotes, and poems about friendship, but this is one I think best describes ours at that moment in time;

"Friendship is born at the moment when 1 person says to another, "What! You too? I thought I was the only one" C.S. Lewis

We had so much common ground to walk upon, and that is where it all began. We learned that,
We both loved babies and children. I would call what we had a baby romance for sure. But that wasn't all that caused our instant friendship. We both talked really loud. Laughed really loud. She burped really loud. We kind of both Lived Out Loud. Her laugh of course was louder, and world re-noun... she was after all nick-named Gunner Allie for a reason. We blamed this loud tone on the fact that our parents came from the east coast, but really I don't think we can blame either Vinnie, or Ellen for our loud factor. She at the time played the Saxophone, and I sang. She could talk like she was from the east coast,(for that we can give the credit to Vinnie and Ellen) and so could I. She was so funny. She burped really loud. She loved Jesus, so did I. Instant friendship. Did, I mention she burped really loud?

We were like:
Laverne and Shirley.
Lucille Ball and Ethel.
Thelma and Louise.

There are so many memories that I could share about my friendship with Allie, so many in fact that I think I am going to start a series called, My Adventures with Allie.
I do this, if for nothing else, but to lure her back to reading my blog, and also hopefully to inspire her to write as well. That girl has got some stories she needs to share with the world.

So this is my intro, to Allie, stay-tuned for more Adventures with Allie.

P.S. The picture above from Left to Right, Judy(who I mentioned in the story)Allie, Sista Jen, Jentry, and Me. This is my beloved Birthday Club. More stories to come about all of these girls.

Favorite Captured Moments #4

"But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine."
Thomas Jefferson

Is there really, anything under the sun(or the clouds in my case) better than old friends?
I don't believe if I searched the whole world over, with a fine tooth comb that I could ever find better friends than the ones that have crossed my path in this beautiful life.

As I look through all the photos of this year I am reminded that although I might live in a little tiny cabin in the woods, with barely enough square footage for the 7 people that live in it, I have so much! SO MUCH! I often feel I am the wealthiest person in the world when it comes to the people department.

I also don't feel worthy. Of all the kind words, and deeds that have been given to me and my family from said friends. You all are amazing! Truly, I love and appreciate you so much. If I haven't already told you this, I am saying it now.
FRIENDS... FAMILY... Thank you for making my life so very rich on every level possible.

You know I am a girl who LOVES words, and I find that when it comes to this department; my friends and family there are NO WORDS to ever really express how grateful I am for you.

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival."
C. S. Lewis

Do you even know how hard it is to choose favorite captured moments from just one year? So many pictures, so little time. As I stroll through each and every captured moment, I am brought to that place where there was love, laughter, and life. This my friends is where it's at!
"I got two turntables and a microphone, where it's at!" Thank you Ben Folds :)

At the end of this summer we started what we hope to make into a new Scofield family tradition. We had an end of the summer BBQ. It was so fun to finally have many of the friends and family here in WA that have taken such good care of us, over for a little gathering. My Giant is still working on the Garden area for next year but I hope to be eating and sharing some of our own growth next year from it.

And I hope that you can be there!

Erston and Blue

They call us Urban Homesteaders.

We call them Hippie Accountants.

We found each other through a mutual friend Craig.

They have a passenger bus, 1940's stream line, fully metal hollow tube, that now holds all they own.

We had some land for them to park said bus for a few days before they head out on the road on their big adventure.

They garden, make their own wine, beer, tea bags, relish.... you name it, they make it.

We want to learn to do these kinds of things.

They have "hello" time. Every night at 9pm they stop what they are doing, whatever conversations they are having with another person and re-group to say hello lover.

We admire that.

They have no children, only a cat named Sketch.

We have 4 children who love them and are already learning so much from them.

The world would say we are crazy.

We say we are new friends and that settles that.

The conversations have been long, inspiring, and helpful.

I will be sad when they leave.

Pre Qualifications for My New Friends :)

Here is my thought, are you allowed to have pre-qualifications for new friends? My good friends Marie and Lolita said tonight that we do indeed do this anyway, but my thought was more of like and interview process. Not the civil once over we give people before we decide whether or not they are worth our time.

When I get to Washington can I just ask as I am being introduced to someone; "So tell me do you like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Billy Holiday's music because if you don't we should just end this conversation right now?"
Or can I say, " Oh you don't appreciate the beauty and novelty of old VW bugs, that's too bad!" SLAM DOOR!!
"You have never seen the movie What About Bob? Well, come back and talk to me when you do"


I realize that this is not at all something I would be ballsy enough to actually do and that more than likely my best friend for quite some time will be my GPS- Gloria Paige(Thank you Jeni) still I would like to think I could be this brave or colorful at some point in my life.

I lead a rich fantasy life.

Tuesday

Found out later last night that my mother in law has breast cancer. Sigh, more tears. I am hopeful and prayerful that she will be just fine but all the same it is a shock!! Prayers appreciated. She goes for Surgery next Monday.  I have the day off so I will probably go and see her and try to put on a brave face.

I said goodbye to a friend who is leaving on Thursday with a brand  new baby and a 4 year old to Japan today. Her life is in transition and she is amazing to me. Handling it all in stride.

Called another friend who has not had to work in over, well... her whole life but had to get a job due to recent financial changes. Her and her hubby have not had a paycheck in over a year. I am hopeful that things will all work out for them.

I am making Corned Beef and Hash even though I don't like to claim my Irish I do have some and thought I would celebrate this Irish meal with some great friends.(Turned out oh so good if I do say so myself)

Still trying to think of an idea of how to wear a man's tie fashionably!!

Yelled at my kids, hate when that happens. Quickly said sorry but all the same I just don't like that when I yell and they look at me as though I have become a crazy woman because I have. I am a yeller in my weak moments and I hate this about myself :(

Got a call from a friend who I am going to see very soon and I can hardly wait. I appreciate that she is rearranging her whole weekly life just to squeeze in a few days with me. I haven't flown on an airplane since last year around this time when I went to see sister in Europe. I am a little nervous because of what happened last time I traveled but know I need to get past my fears because there is a whole lot of world left that I want to see.

I am enjoying blogging all this week because of Spring break. I am also enjoy a very clean house because of it as well.

Life sometimes really doesn't make sense

 I have one friend who is fighting for her life again for the fourth time against brain cancer and then on the other hand I have a friend who recently took her life by hanging herself in her garage. She left behind 2 daughters 12 and 9.  I have another friend who is at Standford right now with her daughter who is fighting against cancer. Another friend who has banked her whole financial life and world on her hubbies financial adventures. I have another friend who is struggling in a marriage that was built on lies. 

Jesus help them all please because you know all I can do is ask the impossible from you and be me in the meantime and I know I am not enough.

Some of my thoughts

Here are some of my thoughts for this Thursday afternoon-

-My love/hate relationship with my dogs is one that I have been pondering lately. They are the cutest dogs I have ever owned they are also the most destructive annoying dogs. I am not sure why I have allowed as much as I have with their shenanigans!! I am not sure why I agreed and even sought out this scenario in my life again. They do bring me some small piece of joy or I am sure I wouldn't keep them. However, this morning when they had eaten a whole pack of new bubble gum I was considering doing alot of things to these 4 legged creatures and these things were not nice.

-My thoughts on all writers being egocentric - I had this thought the other day. All writers have to have a certain sense of ego in order to think that their ideas are first of all good enough to be published in a book and second of all great enough ideas that people should pay money to read them. This thought had me a bit perplexed once again about my aspirations of becoming a published author and even why I have a blog. 

-Friends and some disappointments that I have finally come to realize in that area of life are this; some of my friends that have left stronger imprints than others still influence me today even though I haven't seen or heard from them in a while. One friend I have used to love to write with a plain old Bic pen , still to this day I like to write with a Bic pen because of her and when school supply shopping time comes around that is one item that is always on my list. Other friends I wonder was it just that we went to the same church that even barely classified us as friends. I am excited that Louie is blogging about this topic because it's something that I have been thinking alot about lately. Also, I am quickly learning in my 30's that every person who wants to be my friend maybe I don't want to be theirs and how to navigate through that one has been interesting. There are circles of friendships. The inner circle for me consists of my family first which right there makes it a big circle, then a middle circle of friends that are like family to me and that I share everything with, and finally an outer surface circle or what I would like to say is the acquaintance circle of friends.

-Music, why have I been given so many songs and what should I do with them. Why are we given certain gifts without the time to really pursue them. Will I ever move these songs out from the notebook and on to a recording. Dunno. I am however looking forward to going back to my Uncle's recording studio and getting some songs that my Grandmother wrote recorded. 

-The current political thoughts, honestly isn't this over already? But in reality I told Mo the other night that I think either of these guys are crazy for signing up for this job. You could not pay me enough money... no way would I ever take this job. Not on your life!! Also to the shock and awe of those of you who think I am an Obama groupie I will have you know that I do believe both of these gentlemen would do a fine enough job and I don't really care at this point. By that I mean, I won't be moving to Canada if Mc Cain does win. But he won't!! Last debate sure was interesting.

-Motivation, where it comes from , why it's lacking for me right now, and What can I do about that?

-Deja Vu's - This is my topic of research currently in my Psych class, lots of thoughts there. What are they really? Why do some have more than others and some none at all?

-School , I am so over it. Really, what's the point that I am going through all these hoops and for what? To get paid a measly teacher's salary. Sorry but I am just thinking it might not be worth it anymore. Although if Obama gets in, he has mention ECE several times in all his speeches and has some good plans for those of us pursuing that degree, hint hint Jessica :)

Those are them folks, hope you enjoyed the journey inside my brain for this week.

Andria's Graduated

I am so happy for my friend Andria who tonight graduated from Nursing School. She made her way through this education with a pregnancy and birth of a child, with many financial hardships, with an overwhelming amount of doubters from those closest to her. She is amazing. She is one of my heroes. Here's to you Andria. Way to go!!

Friends

I am so grateful for the friends that I have been given in this lot in life. Friends come in all shapes and sizes, all colors and walks of life, all personalities and tempermants and I am thankful for each and everyone of them.There are those that I have so much in common with it's almost scary. We seem to be reading the same script at times and can go without even saying what we are thinking. We struggle with the same issues and get to rejoice in the same success. They hold a mirror up right in front of my face that I have to reflect upon with the help of thier tender loving care. Then there are also those who I couldn't be more different from and I constantly learn new ways to navigate through life because of the chiseling that they cause. They think different, react different, smell different :) and just march to a different drummer. I learn so much from my friends and they feed my soul. I have really good friends and I don't take that for granted. Today I am thankful for my friends. My life would be so different if they were not in my life. I am glad I am not alone in this life. My life is so much richer, deeper, better because of them. I am thankful for THE friend that sticks closer than any brother or sister. I Know He has given me true earthly treasures in these friendships and I love Him more for that. I love my friends.

These are a few of my favorite things.....

When the bugs RED, When the love flows, When the friends are great..... I simply remember my favorite things , and then I don't feel so bad.

Always have time for a friend

This article was about a college professor who started his philosophy class by presenting his students with a large empty mayonnaise jar. He then proceeded to fill it with golf balls. "Is this jar full?" he asked his students. They nodded in agreement. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles under the table which he dumped into the jar, which he shook to allow the pebbles to roll into the open areas. "Is the jar full now?" he asked again. And again the students agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of sand, also from under the table, which he poured into the jar. The sand filled up what little space there was left. "Would you say the jar was now full?" he asked. The students responded with a loud "Yes!" This time they were really sure. The professor smiled and then produced two cups of coffee which he poured into the jar filling the empty spaces in the jar. When the professor announced that the jar was now full, the students laughed. The professor then told his students that the jar represents each one's life. The golf balls are the important things -- your God, your family, your health, your community, your friends -- whatever you consider to be the most important things in your life. "Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full," he said. The pebbles, on the other hand, represent the other things that matter to you such as your job, your house, perhaps your car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff -- like your computer, your cell phone, your HDTV, your DVDs, your shoes and clothes. If you pour the sand into the jar first, the professor told his students, then you won't have space for the golf balls and the pebbles. "If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff," he said, "then you will never have room for the things that are truly important to you." The professor told his students to pay attention to the things that are "truly critical to your happiness." You should make time to spend with their family, he said. You should go on vacations together. You should take time to get your medical check-ups. Play golf or tennis or go swimming at the YMCA. There will be time enough to clean the house or buy another shirt or skirt. "Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." As his words sank in to his students, one of them raised her hand and asked the professor "What about the cups of coffee?" "I'm glad you asked," he said. "It just goes to show that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room to share a cup of coffee with a friend."
I just thought this was really great and very true. Thought I would share it with my bloggin friends.

Shout Out!!

Just a shout out for my friend Shontell. Lord, let that baby come like yesterday already.
Health, pain free as possible, peace, comfort, strength, rest, wisdom and a debut very soon. Thank you Jesus.
Baby Samuel's already in big trouble.

Old Friends and New Friends

Had a great time this week connecting with some friends. I am truly grateful for all the friends that God has brought into my life over the years. One of my friends that I've known since I was a teenager moved back from Oregon recently and hanging out with her is like hanging out with family. Another new friend that I got to hang with this week blessed me tremendously with new ideas and a fresh way to look at some things in my life.
Then I had a question for all you bloggers that I think will be kinda fun. I am a person who loves to have people around 24/7. Maybe that's why I have 4 children. Anyway, even if I am not necessarily doing anything with them but just living my life, I just enjoy sharing my life with others. BUT part of being a person who loves to have others persons around 24/7 is that I have really crappy time-management skills. I would rather just sit and chit chat or play with kids then do the things in life that need to be done.
SO here's the question: Can you be a person who has both good time manangment skills as well as good people skills at the same time??
This is a honest question because to me I don't see how you can. I would rather say no to the clock and pretend that it's not there than say no to a person who might need something or my kids who just want to play.
I need better time-management skills. I think that the two are somewhat related. What do you all think?? Maybe, it's a matter of priorities. Priority to me are the people in my life.

Happy B-day Allie

Happy Birthday My Dear Old Friend Cali- Allie. Hope it's a good one.
Hey have you heard the new country song "My next thirty years"??
It's a good one. Also "She's somebody's hero" that one made me cry.
Ya know it's our time of year for listening to country.