Dinner Party Menu

Last weekend I had a couple friends over after our journey to see "Avatar" in 3-D AND IMAX!! It was amazing! Now, I am not an action movie kind of gal.. Give me "Pride and Prejudice" any day! But the cinematic genius that went into this film was riveting! I sat for most of the movie with my mouth open and hand outstretched to touch the 3rd "D". Incredible!

Afterward, we came back to my house. I served Havarti cheese, baked brie and crackers while I finished cooking (I had done most of the prep before the movie and had my roommate put things in the oven before we got back). For dinner, we had a peppercorn pork tenderloin, a spinach/orzo salad and some garlic bread-sticks (don't get excited, they were those pop-and-go things from the refrigerated section). Desert? Just some Chocolate Chip Caramel Walnut Cookies.. Want the recipes?

Baked Brie

(You can omit the pecan/honey/brown sugar mixture.. It's just as amazing, I promise!)

Ingredients

1/2 package Puff Pastry Sheets
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 (13 ounce) round Brie cheese

Directions

1. Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature. Heat the oven to 400F degrees. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
2. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet a little bit. Stir the pecans, honey, brown sugar and rosemary in a small bowl. Spread the mixture into the center of the pastry square. Top with the cheese round. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg mixture. Fold two opposite sides of the pastry over the cheese. Trim the remaining two sides of the pastry square to 2-inches from the edge of the cheese. Fold the sides up onto the cheese and press the edges to seal. Place the pastry-wrapped cheese seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Brush the pastry with the egg mixture. ** Don't let the top get too high or it will burn!
3. You can decorate the top with pastry scraps or additional rosemary, if desired. Brush the pastry with the egg mixture.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is deep golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with crackers, apples or bread.

Spinach/Orzo Salad

(This is my Aunt's recipe.. So simple and perfect with a bold main dish. I promise, YOU WILL LOVE this salad. It's substantial and can be served both warm or cold. You could also add pine nuts, red onion or something like dried cherries.)

Ingredients

1 bag fresh spinach, washed and dried
2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
zest of 2 lemons
fresh lemon juice, to taste (I squeezed almost a whole lemon)
1 1/2 cups of orzo
24 basil leaves, torn
3 tablespoons olive oil (I think I used more)
2 cups pralined pecans (found in the produce section)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Pile the spinach leave on top of each other and chop them into bite-size strips. Prepare the basil leaves the same way.
2. Throw the pecans in a Ziploc, cover with a cloth and use a meat tenderizer (I didn't have one, so I used a hammer -- LOL) to break up the nuts. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, lemon zest and chopped pecans.
3. Cook the orzo according to the directions on the box. Once the pasta is drained, pour the hot pasta into the bowl with the spinach to allow it to wilt and the pecans to soften a bit.
4. After a couple minutes, add the feta and toss.
4. Drizzle the olive oil on top and add the basil, salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Toss and eat immediately or refrigerate and eat later (again, it can be eaten warm or cold).

Peppercorn Pork Tenderloin

(I really just eye-balled this one.. Feel free to do the same! Mine was pretty peppery and the salad above prooved to be the perfect, mild accompanyment!)

Ingredients

Juice of one/half lemon
1/2 cup crushed Peppercorns
2 tablespoons pepper
1 cup olive oil
1 3.5 ounce pork tenderloin
i tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons rosemary
little garlic powder (not garlic salt)

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and pour into a Ziploc bag.
2. Throw the pork loin in and let the party begin (No, it's not ready yet! I mean the marinating party!). Can let it sit for an hour or more. I had mine sit overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 350*F and put the loin into a lightly sprayed roasting pan. Let it bake for about 25 minutes for each pound (mine was in for about 1 hour and 15 mins). You should take it out when the internal temperature is about 150*F.
4. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to bring the temperature up and the juices to settle. Cut and serve!

Chocolate Caramel Chip Walnut Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar (I just used more light brown..)
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chunks
2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup caramel balls (found in the nut section)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 32F.
2. In a mixing bowl beat butter and both brown sugars until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
3. Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture and stir just until combined.
4. Mix in the chocolate chunks and pecans. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with the back of the spoon.
5. Bake about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly on cookie sheet. Remove to a rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!

My Valentine!

I haven't been posting for awhile.. In the past month or so we have had three attempted break-ins. I have three roommates and we live in a house on campus; well, on the edge of campus. We are the most accessible house and in a neighborhood that's not the friendliest (see #1). We have been in the house each time and, as you can imagine, we are very freaked out. Thankfully, we have a police station on campus and an officer has been able to get to the house quickly. Even so, we decided that a dog might be a good organic security system, so to speak. So, without further adeiu, meet Valentine!

Book Review - The Undomestic Goddess

My bestie, Laura, was saying the other day that she was looking for a new read! I am the queen of Chick-Lit books and I had to think for awhile before I could suggest something worth her time. Now, these are not Romance novels; I liken those to R-rated (or worse) movies. These are like Romantic Comedies! They're friendly, funny and oh-so-easy.. Just like I like my men. LOL Just kidding!! Honestly though, I recently realized that if you went through my bookshelf and called out the colors of my books, it would sound like this:

"Pink, light pink, purple, white, pink, pink, neon green, dark pink, turquoise, pink, pink, pink and polka dot!"

Now, I know many of my readers are hard-workin' stay at home mommies who have much more important things to do than read such trivial works of literature, but I thought of a fun one you might enjoy!

The Undomestic Goddess

by Sophie Kinsella

Now, this is actually the cover for the audio book, which I also highly recommend. Katherine Kellgren does great voices and, I don't care how old you are, that is always fun!

Sophie Kinsella is one of my favorite authors! She has a very unique way of writing, being able to capture the innermost thoughts of the most mindless characters! She wrote the Shopaholic series, which was turned into a movie, but my favorite Kinsella books are the ones that act alone!

Amazon.com summarizes the book as:

"Samantha Sweeting, the 29-year-old heroine of Kinsella's latest confection (after Shopaholic Sister), is on the verge of partnership at the prestigious London law firm Carter Spink—the Holy Grail of her entire workaholic life. But when she finds she has made a terrible, costly mistake just before the partnership decision, she's terrified of being fired. In a fog, she stumbles out of the building and onto the nearest train, which drops her in the countryside, where she wanders to a stately home. The nouveau riche lady of the house mistakes her for the new housekeeper—and Samantha is too astonished to correct her. Numb and unable to face returning to London, Samantha tries to master the finer points of laundry, cooking and cleaning. She discovers that the slow life, her pompous but good-hearted employers and the attentions of the handsome gardener, Nathaniel, suit her just fine. But her past is hard to escape, and when she discovers a terrible secret about her firm—and when the media learns that the former legal star is scrubbing toilets for a living—her life becomes more complicated than ever."

Here's what I like about this book.. Ms. Kinsella takes the mundane, the trivial and the seemingly useless tasks in making a home and gives them dignity. She compares homemaking to the fast-paced career that Samantha maintained at the beginning of the book and comes out even, if not in favor of the simpler things in life. In a world where we bask in adulation of big cities and luxurious lifestyles, I liked how The Undomestic Goddess valued the country, hard work and ingenuity.

I have the book on my shelf, but I also downloaded the entire text on www.4shared.com! I'd be happy to email it to you, if you'd like! Enjoy!

Other Kinsella Books you may like:

Can You Keep A Secret?

Remember Me?

7 Quick Takes!!

1. I've just realized that I haven't been including a link back to Jennifer's blog, Conversion Diary, even though she graciously hosts the 7 Quick Takes each Friday! How rude of me! With what I did the other day and now this little stunt, I have officially put myself in the running for the Rudest Blogger Award! Writing acceptance speech now.. Please start voting!

2. Speaking of acceptance speeches, IT'S AWARD SHOW SEASON! Many of you know I'm Catholic. I love my faith. It defines me and my relationship with Jesus is numero uno! However, a close second is my devotion to all things celebrity. It's lame, useless and sometimes just plain wrong, but I can't help it! It's like a train-wreck kind of thing.. I just can't look away! Additionally, I love movies (I've been known to go to the theater once a week!) and I'm a fanatic for everything cinematic! Needless to say, this time of year is my favorite. Last weekend was the Golden Globes (which basically award the most popular movie, not the best), which I conside to be the playoffs and the grand-daddy of them all, the Academy Awards (March 7, 2010) is like my Superbowl. Last year was, hands down, the best Oscar's ever and I'm so excited to see this year's.

3. Last night someone tried to break into our house. This happened to me when I was ALONE in the house over break as well (not to mention the incident when I was house-sitting), so you cannot imagine how freaked out I am. We also got back from break to find a lot of random stuff missing. Anyway, I was coming into the driveway when I saw a man come around our house and when I walked in, my roommate said that someone had just tried to open the door. We called the campus police but they didn't track anyone down. Now, I know I just said I love movies but I should have specified.. I love every kind of movie except horror. Those near and dear to me can tell you.. I am so easily scared. Previews to scary movies have me eyes closed and humming so as not to experience an ounce of fear. It's also quite lame and, I've realized, perhaps limiting me in my ability to remain calm in real-life freaky situations.. Perhaps I should condition myself with a weekend of horror flicks? Any suggestions?

4. I've decided that once I (finally) get my degree, I'm going to go to Ireland (my birthplace and where most of my family resides) and travel around, supporting myself by playing folk music in the streets and in pubs for a couple months. My favorite place in the world is walking through our dairy farm pastures, passing the cows and breathing in the thick, clean air. I hope to get a vespa or something and make my way around the countryside. Where will I put my guitar? I don't know. But I imagine my trip filled with beautiful music, scenery and people. Wanna go?

5. Have you ever been to the website 43things.com? It's like a virtual bucket list. You can find or create all the things you want to do before you die and make a list of it! It's wonderful to think about.. Then to have an actual list to work off of? I think it's a good idea to try to complete at least one or two of them a year! For example, this year I have decided to grow my hair out to donate to Locks of Love. Simple and doesn't take much effort. LOL What can you do this year to get something on your list crossed off?

6. Do you know my dearest, favoritest singer in the world was nominated for a Grammy? Maura O'Connell is an irish/folk singer from County Clare in Ireland and finally recognized for her beautiful voice and arrangements. A couple years ago she sang at our festival and we got to talking. I told her that I'd always wanted to sing with her and she told me to let her know anytime I was going to be at one of her shows. My mom surprised me with tickets to see her in Cincinnati a couple months later and so I emailed Maura with the news. Leaving for the concert I still hadn't heard back but wouldn't you know, she replied minutes later! I, of course, didn't see the email and was quite surprised to hear her ask for the house lights up towards the end of the concert and call my name! I made my way down the long aisle and sang with her to this song. It was a dream come true! She's coming back to our festival this year and I hope to sing with her again! Maybe this time I'll have proof! LOL

7. Prayers for Haiti, especially my friend Gregory Grene.. His twin brother was killed in the earthquake. Very sad. Gregory is the lead singer of The Prodigals and always a friendly face at our festival. I know he, along with many others, is struggling at this time. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Please go see Jen at Conversion Diary. She's so kind to host the fun!

(Whimper) I did something bad..

"Is someone in trouble!?"

Okay, so I'm a very protective person. My dearest friends have called me a "Mama Bear" because I go all "Oh, no you di'in't" on anyone who says or does mean things to the people I love. Or to good people in general! Mind you, I'm sure I've hurt people just as much as the next guy, but I still feel physically upset when I even think of past instances in which I couldn't stand up for someone.. For instance, a friend of mine once received an anonymous letter condemning her parenting style and basically persecuting her for the choices she's made for her family. On a side note, I've always been scared that people thought it was me because one time I asked a question in her comment section about her choice to do something in particular, genuinely curious about her perspective. I swear, I did not send the letter! LOL Anyway, for days I felt physically ill that I could not really stand up for her and kick this person's.. teeth, and it still aggravates me today! (I know.. Get over it, right!?) LOL

Anyway, during the last week or so, the comments on Hallie Lord's article about skirts and dresses went from rude-less to rude-ilicious! One person in particular was extremely immature and I was disgusted. Perhaps this woman had been abused by a skirt in her past.. I have no other explanation as to why she was so ferocious about getting her point across! She made a really snide remark towards someone who, to me, was giving her perspective in a helpful, friendly way. I wanted so badly to cheer on the friendly lady and give her some encouragement but unfortunately, because of the Not-So-Positive Polly, the comments were disabled.

So, here's what Mama Bear did. I clicked on this lady's blog and left an anonymous comment (no, I'll admit, I did not want Debbie Downer coming to stay at my blog!!) saying that I thought she was being mean-spirited and immature. Please don't go looking for it.. I'm so embarrassed. I should have just left it in blog-world. I do have a tendancy to claw at people who treat others badly, but I'm not everybody's Mama Bear! Don't get me wrong, I think this lady is a total bee-yatch. I just should have realized she isn't going to change and walked (typed) away. (Sigh) This might be my first experience in blog-regret.. Has anyone else experienced this sickening feeling? Do you have advice for me?

PS - Looking for the picture above, I fell in love with the Bearenstain Bear books again! Did you have a favorite?

Nanny of the Year?

Not only did she write on MY wall, but the mother of the new family I am working for (though I've known them awhile) had this as her Facebook status tonight..

"Caitie Beardmore you are awesome! My kids love you and you feel like, wait, ARE part of our family. Had to do a shout-out for the best nanny ever."

Who me!? (Eyelash batting) Oh, I'm sure I'm not the.. Well, okay! :)

(Sigh) So nice to be working for a sane family again.. I held out and it paid off! The mom actually runs her own business placing nannies and housekeepers with families in Indy. Coming from her, it meant a lot!

P.S. Yes, that means I quit working for the last family I was with. I'll just say this.. If Satan himself was married with a couple kids, even HE wouldn't let his youngins play with these "children of the corn". LOL

Modesty - A Top 10 List

Did you read Hallie Lord's (aka Betty Beguiles) article at Faith and Family Live!? It's fantastic and the comments were virtually rude-less (just go with it)!! A joy to read, that one! The article or Hallie, you ask? Both, I say!

It came at a perfect time because I was thinking of all my different points-of-view on modesty and how they all fit together! Each one I feel strongly about, so how can I express all my points without contradicting myself and sounding ridiculous (please, do yourself a favor and follow that link)? Well, you know I'm a loyal fan of Top 10 Lists (but not David Letterman), so here we go!

The Top 10 Things I think about modesty!

10. God is Not Lookin' At Your Uggs - First thing's first.. When we meet God face-to-face, the last thing He will say is, "Oh. My. Me! Where did you get that skirt!? It's hideous!" Heck no! He looks at the disposition of our hearts, not the dress that cost us so much it killed us! We are more than fabric and God looks right past the clothes into our souls. Aren't we lucky?

9. But That Doesn't Mean They Don't Mean Something - Having said that, we do live in a society in which clothing is not so optional and oh-so-expensive. We gotta wear somethin' and we decide how we'll spend our money. I don't think you can take Number 10 and say, "See? God doesn't care what I wear! I will just slip into a tube top and some acid wash jeans (the jeans are not so much immodest as they are terrifying) and skip on down to daily Mass!" Hold on there a minute, sister! What I'm saying is this: if we are more than fabric, our clothes should never define or outshine us! I think that's a great little rhyme to remember when picking something out too.. "Does this define or outshine me?"

8. Don't Let Clothes Define You - Let's get a little more specific, shall we? Clothes that define us are clothes that say something more about us than we can say ourselves. If someone can make an inaccurate assumption about who you are through your clothing, you be needin' a shopping trip, girl! This can range from sloppy to slutty. Example: when I went to Ball State I had a friend who was a great Catholic girl and committed to purity. But the girl dressed like a drag queen! Guys constantly got the wrong idea about her and she found herself in many less-than-stellar situations. She never behaved badly, but no doubt it was her clothing that was sending a "Happy Birthday Mr. President" kind of message.

7. Don't Let Clothes Outshine You - Clothes that outshine us are peices that draw so much attention, they don't allow the wear-er to be the center of attention. These are humility-lacking peices. I think of it like a cake.. Wearing a modest skirt may be like sprinkles on a cake! It livens things up, implies a certain festive nature and can show off the baker’s creative side! However, when that dessert is brought out, no one says, “Oh! Sprinkles!” We say, “Mmm! Cake!” The sprinkles are there to enhance, not overpower. However, if you put sparklers and candles and gemstones and a glow-in-the-dark robot on top of that cake, what do you think people will notice? Hello, robot! Similarly is our dress. When we see a lovely Catholic woman, we shouldn’t be distracted by what she wears. We should be concentrating on who she is and guess what! That is exactly what modesty allows us to do! Modest clothes let US shine, not the other way around!

6. There IS Such a Thing As Feminine Clothing - First of all, I'm referring to the culture in which we live. We're not in the land of milk and honey in which the only fashion dilema is what size burlap sack to put on first. The fact is, we live in a society in which the choice for men is pants or shorts and the choice for women is pants, shorts, capri's, dresses or skirts. Men don't have the choice of walking around in ball gowns and pencil skirts. Why? Because dresses and skirts are distinctly feminine. Pants can be both feminine and masculine, but dresses and skirts are specifically made for us ladies! There ain't no such thing as a masculine dress, my friends! Having said that, lumber jack plaid isn't that far out.. I'm just saying.

** To me, this is similar to the debate that goes on about traditionally built cathedrals and more contemporary churches. Can the mass be said in both? Can one grow her Catholic faith in both? Absolutely! But there is a structure that is DISTINCT to the Church. You could walk in blindly and be able to say, “Oh! This is a Catholic Church!” And there is purpose to a traditional structure. Same with skirts and dresses.. You could look at someone from far away and say, “Ah, that person in a dress is a woman!” It helps accentuate and celebrate the gifts of a woman! **

5. Clothing Should Honor Us - Britney Spears vs. the Berka - In one of her stand-up acts, Kathy Griffin (the shameless but sometimes-you-gotta-admit hilarious comedienne) talked about her time in Kuwait and how the native men there would not look her in the eye because she was not wearing the traditional berka that women are required to don. She was irate about it! I, however, see it very differently. They cover the women because they believe the female beauty is too sacred to be shown to every man. Only the husband is permitted to see the entirety of what his lady has goin' on! They look at our culture with our Britney Spears-es and are disgusted! Now, don't get me wrong.. I'm NOT ABOUT to find me a berka and go to town and I don't, by any means, consider the Muslim faith to be dripping with truth. But I'd rather be covered and cherished than be exposed and thrown about like a peice of trash-ola!

4. Clothing Should Inspire Us - I call this the The Uptown Girl Factor (Feel free to enjoy the song while you read this little number)! A couple years ago I started to really hone in on my individual style. Before this I could easily walk into an ecclectic store, take one look around and exclaim, "One of everything, please!" I find beauty in so many looks.. classic, boho, vintage. But I started to buy only the things that inspired me! Things that made my eyes widen, my breath catch and my knees weak. Same with clothing! There are outfits that I could wear while buying tampons at a gas station and still feel on top of the world! I walk like I'm being followed by a doo-whop-ing Billy Joel; bouncin' and behavin' all over town! These clothes inspire me to be the best woman I can be and this is a big part of modesty! God calls us to find Clothing that allows and encourages us to be the woman He created. PS - I just watched that video.. Ah! Not the model of modesty, is it? Whoops! :)

3. Clothing Should Honor Others - I'll just say this.. I want there to be lots of men in Heaven. If me dressing modestly helps even one guy get closer, I'll happily cover the girls up and don an outfit that encourages us both to be pure!

2. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Just try it! Maybe you're resistant to the dress thing because you just haven't found ones you like.. Search around! I always find good ones at Goodwill (the ones right by a Target especially!) and Dressbarn. With confidence, you can pull off any look! You just have to love it! If you really enjoy the dress you have on, people will enjoy seeing you wear it. Spend time searching for the ones that inspire you and slowly work them into your personal fashion line. Have fun with it! And get some Spanx already! Makes every dress 100 x cuter!

1. But Remember What is Truly Important - Finally, only in America can we have such conversations. There are plenty of people in our world who only have the clothes on their backs and are unable to have such a blessing as modest clothing. Modesty does not only relate to look but emphasis. If you're spending hundreds of dollars on a modest dress, you're missing the point. If all you think about is clothing, you're in line for a reality check, my friend! Thank God you are able to serve Him in such a way and go take a bag of immodest clothing to Goodwill. Some lady who is not as bright as you will be in luck. :)

Merry Christmas, Family!

My favorite pottery studio is minutes away from my childhood home and I could spend hours and hours there! If you're in Lafayette, All Fired Up is a fantastic place to make your friends, your family or yourself a creative, thoughtful gift!

This Christmas I made each member of my family a plate. Wanna see them?

I'm missing two because Papa Bishop and JeriNana took theirs home, but you get the idea!

Let's start with my FAVORITE one! I told you I'm obsessed with paisley!

For mom

For Caroline - Age 4
(I call her my little polka dot!)

For Michael - Age 8

For John - Age 17

For Brian - Age 18

For Annie - Age 6

For Tommy - Age 23

For Dad

For Will - Age 14

For me! Age? Priceless!

Perhaps I will go into business making personalized plates for families.. Interested? ;0)

* 7 Takes Friday! *

Hi Ladies!

Hope you had a lovely Epiphany! When I was little, I always felt badly for the Wisemen because I felt that although they found the baby Jesus (go, Wisemen!), they missed Christmas.. LOL Don't worry! I got it into perspective! :)


1. I love to paint pottery. I'm a fanatic, actually.. And I think I'm going to start my own shop on Etsy.com! Have you been? I'm sure you have.. If not for wonderful, unique, handmade crafts, it's fantastic for inspiration (aka downright copying). Of course, my pieces will be completely my own but I'm on a paisley (the design, not the Brad) kick that just won't quit! I'll keep you posted!

2. Did you watch the People's Choice Awards? FYI - Awards show season is like a prolonged Superbowl game to me! Many times I have to watch each show alone because there are very few people who take it as seriously and will pay as much attention as I do! I can remember who won what and (just as importantly) who wore what from years past. (Sigh) I'd like to pretend it's enlightening but I'm assured that it's quite lame. My brothers say so.

3. Ready for your new favorite website? Right now! Go to www.4shared.com. I have just downloaded numerous books (Chick Lit, of course) that I have been (shamelessly) dying to read! It has music, audio books and more! Enjoy!

4. Okay, one more? www.TVDuck.com. You're welcome.

5. Just saw "It's Complicated" with my mom tonight! Some parts I'm not crazy about but John Krasinski (Jim from "The Office") was BRILLIANT! There were some pretty big laughs and I love Meryl Streep. All in all, I say: AWESOME rented movie!

6. My brother just got casted in a Speedway commercial and has an audition for.. (drumroll, please!).. "Army Wives" on Monday!! Watch out for this kid, okay!? He WILL be on SNL very soon. Be ready.

7. You know what I missed this Christmas season? Those Walgreens "Town of Perfect" commercials! Did you see any? I guess I didn't watch that much TV, but they were so enchanting! I loved the music! Here's one (okay, 10) for the road!



Posts on their way? Picture posts! One on the plates I painted for my family for Christmas and one of all the loot I got when I thrift-store-shopped in Chicago! If you're lucky, I'll include the route I took! Don't miss it!

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

So the kids in our family sing a lot and this Christmas we recorded a little Christmas album for our parents. This is me singing "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" with some of my brothers/cousins! Enjoy!

Advent Calendars

Now that we're near the end of this great season, I thought I'd share some pictures of some of the Advent Calendars I've seen! Granted, I got these ones off Google images, but many are similar to others I've admired these past few weeks and years before. Maybe you'll see one you'd like to try next year! Enjoy some of my favorites!

What's Christmas w/o Photo-shop!?

Truth is, we haven't gotten a chance for the whole family to get together for a family picture, so we're using Photoshop to create the ideal Christmas Card. Care to put in your vote? Which one would you like to see in the mail?

(You'll need to click on the pic to see the whole things.. Hilarious!)

Pic done.egg on Aviary.

Since my brothers won state this year, we figured a football themed picture was appropriate..

Mike and Nor plus four, plus four.egg on Aviary.

How about something a litte more topical? Jon and Kate Gosselin have been in the news a lot this year. Could we be a family with just as much pizzaz?

final final.egg on Aviary.

One around the tree??

They Won State!!!

My brothers, Brian and John, are on the 2009 Indiana 1A State Champions team! The final score was... (Ready?) 52-0! Our defense didn't let them get so much as a field goal! We are so excited for the whole team, but have such a special place for our boys!! Go John, #54! Go Brian, #60! I am so proud of you!



We made this sign for my brothers.. My Uncle Phil came up with it. We also had another one that read, "We drove all the way from Cleveland to witness CC's victory!" My cousin held that one and got on the jumbo-tron for, like 20 seconds! He tried to turn it over quickly so that they could read the other side, which said, "Go Brian! #60 Put the 'stangs out to pasture!" The other team was the Mustangs. Anyway, the camera men cut away from us before he could but we got some laughs from our array of posters! I screamed my head off at this game! It was one of the best days ever!! It means so much to Brian and John.. To our family. I just can't express how excited we are!!

On one of the IHSAA blogs, someone wrote that #60 (Brian) was impressive and that he consistently "disrupted" the game. He never let the other team get off easy. He kept coming at them play after play! He got two sacks and, even though his leg was injured, played almost the entire game. He has worked his butt off for so long, I am so proud of him! This was his last game, as a senior. Love you, Bri-guy!

Congrats, CC Knights!!!


Brian is #60, on the far right!

Here's my brother, Brian, being quoted in an article for our newspaper about winning the Football State Championship yesterday!

"After three years of terrible losses, heartbreaking losses, it's here now," said CC senior defensive end Brian Beardmore, who recorded a game-high 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks. "We've been looking at this since we came in as freshmen. I actually cried. I was crying like a baby. Everything I've been dreaming and waiting for, it finally came to us, and I'm so happy about it."

I love him!!


And there's Johnny Boy! On the far left of the.. JUMBO-TRON!! Whoo hoo! We kept screaming for John and he would do little dances for us! Love that kid!

7 Quick Takes

I know it's not Friday, but I felt like posting my quick takes..

1. I helped with a high school retreat this past weekend. It is called Search and it was really amazing! So many leaders shared their stories and it touched the hearts of a lot of kids. My brother, Brian (a senior and 18 years old), was the co-leader for the weekend and did a fantastic job! I am so proud of him! When Brian was little, my mom once found him crying in the garage. It was one of those someone-just-died kind of cries. When my mom finally convinced him to tell her what was wrong, Brian blubbered, "No one in our family has EVER made it to professional sports! Ever!" LOL Obviously he is a sports nut (see #2), but he has a deep side too! He gave his witness and I cried the whole time.. (Sigh) I love that kid! It was a great way to spend the Feast of Christ the King.. Bringing others to Jesus. What better way could you celebrate!? I think it was my favorite Christ the King ever! :)

2. Speaking of my brothers and sports, the boys have made it to the state championship in football! Both Brian and John (junior, age 17) are amazing players.. When we watch the games, the announcer is constantly saying, "Beardmore with the take down.." Or "Beardmore with the assist.." Okay, actually I have no idea what each of those mean, but we always "Whoop! Whoop!" when we hear their names. I love watching them play! The state game is this Friday and we're playing the #3 team (we're ranked #1) who are also undefeated. They have worked so hard! I am so proud of them! On a sad note, I lost my favorite ring at the last game.. I was glad they won and everything, but it was a really cute ring! Bummer!

3. Tonight I am taking the 12 year old that I babysit to see "New Moon" and then I'm seeing it again with Laura! Matt and Suzanne and I might see "The Blind Side" tomorrow afternoon and on Saturday, if I get all my work done, I'm going to take myself out to see "Precious". I am a movie fanatic. And I will say this.. In Indy you can go put butter on popcorn on your own. It's like fountain drinks for popcorn and you can keep the mother going all night long! It's both the best and worst thing that has happened to movie theaters and unfortunately, I usually get there about 30 minutes early so that I can get a continuous flow of fake buttery goodness on my popcorn. It's horrible.

4. Okay, I have to say that it's horrible because no one should ever love that much butter on their popcorn, but really, it's amazing.

5. The semester is almost over. I cannot wait! It has been a tough couple months! I'm ready to take some time off and I have some things planned for the break. Last year, over break, we went to Chicago and I got to see "Wicked" from front row, center seats for $25.. This year, I'm even more excited because I'll be seeing my brother, Tommy on stage! Tommy is doing his Christmas Show at Donny's Skybox at The Second City theater in Chicago. Yes, THE Second City theater! This is where Steve Carell, Chris Farley and Molly Shannon all got their start! He's doing sooo well! If you're around Chicago over the next few weeks, visit Second City's website and purchase tickets to the Friday night 9pm Holiday Show! Click here to see his standup video!

6. Can I tell you what I'm doing for my younger siblings for Christmas? I'm very excited! For Caroline (age 4) and Annie (age 6), I am recording myself reciting funny poems, singing songs, reading stories and putting a CD together so they can have story parties with me at bedtime or in the car even though I'm an hour away! I'm also making us "sister blankets".. I'm doing the tied fleece blanket thing and making us each a cozy blanket. I'm doing the same for my brother Michael. I'll be making him a CD of jokes and short stories for him to listen to at bedtime and a blanket as well (though his will not be as pink and delicious as the girls'). I don't know about the older boys yet. But we're pooling money together to get my parents a night's stay at a hotel in Indy which we will book for a day or two after Christmas. They're pretty fond of that one. :) I would tell you what I want but this is only a 7 Quick Takes.. I'll have to wait until the 137 Quick Takes edition.

7. I recently decided that I would tidy up my car whenever I was getting gas. So a couple weeks ago I was throwing away old receipts and water bottles and organizing the random things that end up in my car (on this particular day; hairspray, a pack of cards, 85% of my school books, a bag of erasers, one basket of folded laundry and 7 shoes). This took me a good 15 minutes and my gas had finished pumping. I began to leave and a woman stopped me. She pointed out that I hadn't closed my little gas door thing. I thanked her and as I merged into traffic, called my BFF Laura. When she answered, I got silent. "Caitie?" She said. "Uh oh.." I replied. "I think I might have left the gas pump without ever taking the actual pump out of my car.." Laura laughed, "No way!" I gulped, "Oh my gosh.. They probably got my license plate!! They're gonna chase me down and prosecute me!" "Oh Caitie!" said Laura. "They can't prosecute you for being stupid. Just turn around and go see if it's lying on the ground."

My mom had done something similar a few years before, only the gas had still been pumping.. Picture a continual flow of petrol being strewn about the gas station as the pump flails about in the air. They had to wait hours for the gas to be shut off, the owner to come, the damage to be figured out and a payment to be made. But I had just driven away! I was sure that the gas had stopped pumping, but how would I know if there was damage or not! Was I going to be arrested and get my license taken away? Laura convinced me to drive around the block and take a peek. Sure enough, the pump was lying on the ground, looking like a fallen comrade and begging to be put back in its home. "Should I go back and put it away?" I asked. "Just go," said Laura. "It's not that big of a deal."

You know, it's one thing to have friends who enjoy you. It's quite another to have friends who understand your quirks and can roll with their punches. This Thanksgiving I am thankful for the people around me who get who I am, what I'm really about and who can laugh with me as I try not to take myself so seriously! :) I am thankful for all the laughs and joy in life. I am thankful for my faith and my family. Most of all, I am thankful for my life; "Caitie Moments" and all!

The Only Rx is More Cowbell!

Lately there's been some talk about doctors performing "unnecessary" procedures and their motives. This has merely been the most recent conversation, as I have been the quiet observer to countless of these in the past couple years. I've always remained silent and not spoken up, but I'm gonna make like Oprah and get awkward about it. :) I don't usually get too serious on this here blog of mine, but I feel strongly about this issue and, as my father is a pediatrician, it hits too close to home for me. I can't help but be a bit offended. I'm not addressing any recent topics of conversation, just a general perspective that I disagree with and at least this blog is a less confronting place to respond with my thoughts.. Please forgive an over-protective daughter who sees her dad work so hard and make so many sacrifices for his family. If you'd rather not hear my perspective on the issue, feel free to click here and enjoy the rest of your day! :)

First, I find it interesting that people who are not actually familiar with someone's medical history (nevermind not actually familiar with medical school -- online research doesn't count, my friend) can be so quick to identify what is or is not necessary in their medical treatment. Second, I find that people who think certain medical procedures are unnecessary are usually the ones who have not gone through an experience in which such a procedure would have been life-saving. You think it's a power-trip? You think it's a ploy to rake in the dough? You think it's about scare-tactics? Whew.. Well, you're blessed to have such a perspective. There are many people who would disagree because that extra ulrasound, for example, would have saved their child's life. Thanks be to God you are able to say such things, I guess.

Before I go any further, I want to point out that trusting that God will provide for you is not mutually exclusive from receiving medical attention. We've all heard the story about the man stranded in a flood who has faith that God will save him. When people try to rescue him, the man denies their efforts, ensuring them that God will protect him. In the end, God tells the man that He had, in fact, tried to save him; by sending other people to help. I have faith that God works similarly through physicians every hour of every day. Trusting in medicine does not mean you do not trust in God.

Physicians dedicate their lives to helping you live yours. I'm not saying that every doctor treats his or her patients with a mindfulness about God's will. I'm not saying they're all steller people with perfect histories or intentions. Plus, not every physician is going to be the one for you. One person's Dr. Evil may be another person's Patch Adams. :) I'm also not saying that their ONLY interest is your well-being and they just tear up their paychecks because, gosh darn it! They just live for those early morning rounds and flu shots! ;) What I AM saying is, I think it's unwise to make the generalization that doctors don't have a genuine interest in their patients' well-being and that ulterior motives drive their work. Do they have to make a living? Of course! But most physicians focus on exactly what you do; a happy, healthy life for you and your family.

Additionally, doctors deal with the ever-looming threat of malpractice suits, many times from situations that could not have been helped or foreseen. Do they have to be extra-vigilant nowadays? Yes, they do. Do procedures sometimes end up to be unnecessary? Sure. But how do you know an intervention is unnecessary until after it's complete? Are you willing to take the risk? Well, I'd thank God your doctor isn't! When you're responsible for the health of another, it seems like a good idea to ensure that you've done anything and everything to protect them. And yourself. It's hard for me to imagine why we would be resentful of having more care than necessary.. Only in America would such things be said. I can't imagine a discussion of the evils of superfluous health-care happening in a country in which they have none.

My dad has come home many nights with a very heavy heart. I have seen tears for those he could not save, I have heard him fight for those who he could and I have seen the patience and humility it takes for him to deal with people who think his profession is exploitative. When you have been called from your bed into the hospital at all hours of the night, leaving your family to go tend to the health of someone else's, you can comment on whose interest doctors have at heart. When you've lived through the experience of having to explain to someone that their child is dying, you can comment on the "bias" of their profession. Until then, I just can't help but find it ignorant and insulting.