Yankee Doodle Dandy

Another 4th of July is almost on us and I am already making lists. I am also getting that familiar frantic feeling. I went back and noted a blog from years gone by and thought it was appropriate. I will try to remember my own advice as I prepare for another 4th of July. Oh and Happy Birthday America!

Hope today finds you with a smile on your face after the 4th of July holiday. Ours was the filled with family, friends and traditions that have not changed since I was in the 3rd grade. Flags, fireworks and food. Parades, parties, and perfectly lovely catching ups.

I do have one complaint. Why is it that when all my tribe is converging in one place, I feel it necessary to become Super Mom? I know many of you do the same thing. We kill ourselves the week before, and once everyone gets there, it's the being together that is special, not the ironed sheets or waxed floor.

Case in point. I got it in my head that we just HAD to have homemade ice cream for the holiday. There is nothing better than peach ice cream, straight off the paddles. So....To Porter for peaches. Then Braums for half and half and whipping cream. The grocery for rock salt and sugar. Oops, forgot the ice...another stop. All the while, my group is arriving and you know, being together.

I am in the kitchen, making the custard for the base. Swimming? "No, I have to keep the eggs from curdling." Layering the ice and the salt. Ding Dang container won't spin. Start over. Visiting out on the deck? "No, have to undo and reload." Finally begins to rotate. Make note: Grandchildren could care less about the process. Add ice. Add salt. Can't hear the conversations of my family and friends over the whir-whir of the motor. Finally the maker stops. Oh yeah. Empty and repack with ice and salt so the concoction can "ripen".

At last, the great unveiling. I unscrew the lid and pull the paddle from the canister. The peaches and vanilla ice cream are in soft mounds and the results smell like summer. It's perfect. It's delicious. It's ready and .....there's no one here to taste it but me. Everyone has gone. To the lake. To float the river. To shoot fireworks. To play tennis. To celebrate the holiday.

So, I empty the salt and ice, clean up the machine and put the ice cream in the freezer. Anyone who has made ice cream knows it is never as good as when it first comes out of the machine. My family has missed the moment. Actually, while I trying to be Martha Stewart, I was missing the moments. Lots of them.

I will remember next time. It's my holiday too. I'll say 100 times, "Keep It Simple." "Keep It Simple." "Keep it Simple."

Now, I've got to run. I had the idea to needlepoint belts for all the men in my family. There's only 6 months until Christmas and that's a whole lot of stitches. chrissie

Happy Life

Mel's commentary on her daughter Madison's wedding is lovely. It should be. The event, the participants, the sweet spirit of the day were all...lovely.

Sometimes weddings can get a little out of hand. They become more what the parents "of" want rather than the "ofs". Madison and Zach's wedding day was all their own.

It was youthful, fun and lighthearted. It reflected the personalities and interests of the bride and groom. The audience were all people who the young couple felt close to and had shared their lives with. A wedding should be a celebration and this was surely one.

The groom and his groomsmen came through the field in whatever they felt comfortable in. Seersucker suits, bow ties, full beards and horn-rim glasses. The bridesmaids wore a favorite dress and carried paintbrushes tied with dried flowers. Children scampered through the aisle of grass, scattering rose petals along the way. A saxophone began to play, "Isn't She Beautiful", and she was.

Madison came down the aisle on the arm of her proud Papa, and the groom beamed as she made her way toward him. She wore a vintage gown that her paternal Grandmother and her Mother had also worn on their wedding day. The lovely lace Juliet cap was accented with soft feathers, bridal white of course and peeking out from under the ballerina length skirt of tulle were leather and linen boots, laced daintily around her ankles. She was absolutely enchanting.

Mel and Kevin allowed these passionate and committed children to make the wedding their own. We all painted good wishes on a canvas at the guest book and were all invited to be in the family portrait at the end of the ceremony. Perfect. A perfect wedding. All good things to Madison and Zach. Chrissie

It Takes a Neighborhood to Have a Wedding

We are all familiar with the expression "It takes a village to raise a child." That took on extra meaning for me this past weekend when my only daughter married the love of her life. Help came in many ages and sizes - young and old, family and friends, rental companies and complete strangers. People willing to do whatever they could to help with this joyous occasion. We are truly blessed to know them all.

When you are having the ceremony in the field across the street from your house, it also takes a neighborhood to have a wedding. In this case, my neighbors mowed, edged, trimmed, painted, picked up litter, and offered their parking spots for the weekend. They moved tables and pictures, hauled dishes, offered the use of their houses and electricity.

If you are lucky enough to live in the same town, neighborhood, or house for over 30 years, the DNA of your neighbors is woven into your own. Perhaps you were their high school teacher, you watched their children be born and grow up, and then you were their children's teacher, too, whether in the real classroom or in life by example. You know their aunts, uncles and cousins. You watched them play in the field that was placed in a perpetual trust because people who came before you watched the neighborhood kids play in the field with its tree and tree house. You've seen boys and girls play football and soccer, baseball and golf there. Build a BMX bike track complete with a pond. Have neighborhood cookouts and volleyball games. And then you watch your daughter walk down the aisle there, with those same people in attendance.

Chrissie's son Tom graduated from OU this year, my daughter got married in a neighborhood field in Muskogee. These milestones do not happen without a myriad of people helping, supporting, encouraging, teaching, leading, and loving us along the way. Here's to all the wonderful people who helped us pull off a memorable weekend and one of life's major milestones. Love you all.

The bride and her father rehearsing in the field.

A Rite of Passage?

It's a right of passage. Driver's Ed. Learner's Permit. And at 16, the Driver's License!!!! It's a given. 16? Here are the keys to your car.

It is certainly more convenient. There is no rationing of who gets the family car. No whining. Your teen can get where he needs to go without you. He can run errands and help with the younger family members. There is no more car-pooling or late night pick-ups. It's so much easier. However, with the convenience, comes risk.

Did you know traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for American teenagers, killing 5,000 teens-and injuring 250,000-every year. But there's a simple way to cut down on the danger. Scientists say: Don't give kids their own car.

In a study of 5,500 teens, researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found that 25 percent of kids who had their own cars or the free use of one had been involved in a crash, whereas just 10 percent of teens who shared the family car had suffered an accident. Researchers found that kids with their own car or keys gain a "sense of entitlement about driving" that renders then less cautious and more arrogant behind the wheel.

Additionally, the Philadelphia study found that teens with parents who set clear rules and kept tabs on their whereabouts had half as many crashes, were 71% less likely to drive drunk, and 30% less likely to drive while using the cell phone.

So, inconvenient as it is, it seems that the safest decision a family can make if for parents to control access to the car keys. Just as we baby proofed the house when they were small, we must continue to follow through on their well-being and safety as our children begin to drive. It's important. It could save their life. chrissie

Come Down To Dinner

Eating Together.
It matters. Could anything be more simple? It matters when our children are small and it matters when they become teenagers. A family dinner is important to instill good eating habits, for social interaction and for strengthening family ties. It's a time to communicate about the day. It's a time to reflect and renew. It's a time to give thanks. It's a time to be together.

Let me take this family dining idea a step further. I read alot about "just grab a pizza or a bucket of chicken, but sit down together." Certainly with all the activities and practices and events in the life of a family, drive-thru's and fast food are often the only options. I may be old-fashioned but sometimes "sitting down to dinner" should be more than a paper sack and squeeze packets of catsup. "Eating Right" is difficult with food to go. Eating Out is expensive! And "nothing says lovin' like something from your oven", right?

It takes a plan but our families are worth it. Casseroles can be made and frozen over the weekend. On Sunday, Dad can charcoal not only steaks but chicken breasts, pork chops and hamburgers for the rest of the week. Baked potatoes from the microwave, broiled tomatoes and a bag'o'salad with extra veggies make a meal. Try baked apples with the pork, whole wheat pasta tossed with fresh Parmesan and garlic butter and spinach salad from a sack with bacon bits, Durkee's onions rings, hard boiled eggs and Catalina dressing. Make fajitas out of the chicken breasts. Throw the peppers and onions on the grill (on foil) and then just wrap up. Shred the chicken and rewarm with the vegetables. Serve with flour tortillas. Hamburgers, baked beans and potato salad from the deli, fresh fruit and chips. Bingo. Four nights of meals.

Take dinner with your family one more step. Set the table. Use real napkins. Add candles or fresh flowers sometimes. Recognize a good grade, a soccer score or passing a driver's test. Celebrate the little things. Celebrate the big things. Enjoy being together.

Every once in a while, how about pulling out your wedding china? If those dishes just stay tucked away, our children will not associate them with anything "family." Aren't those darlings we love most of all worth the "good stuff"? And don't we want them to appreciate beautiful things, ...and know which fork to use when they have dinner with the President? ( a favorite Wagner reason to use their manners).

Turn off the TV, don't pick up the phone, and keep the conversation positive. Dinnertime is NOT the time to argue, chastise or pull rank. A study by Columbia University has found that teens whose families eat together are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol. They also have less stress, better grades and -- perhaps most importantly -- better relationships with us! Dinner around a table grounds our children, gives them a sense of who they are, and is the way to nurture and love them.

Here's one of those dishes you can make ahead and freeze. It is similar to Beth's at Harmony House and is a Wagner family favorite. It is good with rice and a grapefruit and avacado salad with Martinique Poppy Seed Dressing. Note: An easy way to jazz up rice is to brown every 1 cup rice (dry) in 5 tbsps melted butter. Transfer to casserole. Substitute chicken or beef broth for the water. Throw in some slivered almonds if you're feeling frisky. Bake, covered, at 325 for about 45 minutes or until done.


Swiss Chicken Casserole
1 T butter or margarine
1 cup milk
4 boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
8 slices swiss cheese
1 pkg stuffing mix
1 can mushroom soup
Melt butter in casserole dish. Add Chicken Breasts, cover with swiss cheese. Mix soup and milk and pour over chicken and cheese. S and P to taste. Mix stuffing according to package directions and put on top of casserole. Can be frozen at this point. When ready to bake: Bake, still covered, at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until bubbly. Serves four generously.

Keep cool this week!!! chrissie
*****************************************