So, at the last minute, they picked up the phone and FaceTimed with my parents.
.
We jotted down some advice on marriage for the newlyweds.
Showing posts with label newlywed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newlywed. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
The Pounding
My niece, Megan, got married last month.
She got married right in the middle of that snowstorm we had.
The wedding was far, far south of here - near the Alabama line and still they had issues because of the snowstorm.
They wound up having to change the venue the day before the ceremony because the road to the church was un-navigate-able.
They wound up having to prepare their own corn boil for the wedding reception because the caterer couldn't get there.
They started the ceremony a little late so that some of the guests could slip and slide to the wedding.
My parents, Mike and I weren't able to get there.
So, at the last minute, they picked up the phone and FaceTimed with my parents.
They adapted.
They made it work.
They are married as married can be.
Wrapped with smiles and love that only newlyweds can wear.
They shared the joy of receiving things to make their home feel the presence of family.
They began building memories that will follow them forever.
They opened the gifts which were assembled with love and happy thoughts.
They learned a little more about their family members and one another.
Their pantry will be fuller.
Their bellies will be warmed and filled with the love shared by family.
Their home will be blessed.
Their home will have decorations and touches which surround them with the hugs of relatives.
We planned a simple affair.
Our children, Mike, and I recently hosted an old-fashioned pounding to celebrate their new life together.
We served simple fare.
Bryan grilled up some Boston butts to make delicious Bar-B-Que and stirred up some of his special white sauce to top it.
Bridgette and Jessica baked up cute little brownie bites.
Jessica stirred up some slaw.
I picked up corn-light-bread and chips.
I stirred up some baked beans.
We invited aunts and uncles in our extended family to join us for the celebration.
We chatted and laughed and enjoyed the fellowship
Some advice was philosophical and some was short, quick, and to the point!
Some advice was straightforward and some was wreathed with emotion but all was heartfelt!
Some advice took lots of thought and reflection.
Some was more everyday and humorous.
All of it was offered with love and practicality.
The folks brought gifts that were practical, utilitarian, and sensible as well as a few which were extraordinary and unique.
Wishes were wrapped and included with merriment.
Blessings abound and happiness multiplied while we supped and interacted with joy for the newlyweds.
From eldest to youngest, we al surrounded them.
A good time was had by all.
And we sent them off with a bounty, warm hearts, and sweet memories.
May they have a long and happy life together!
So, at the last minute, they picked up the phone and FaceTimed with my parents.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Cooking causes some - shall we say - differences...
Cooking and food have proven to be things that are tough on the harmony of our marriage sometimes.
I think part of the reason is that I have always thought of myself as a pretty decent cook. Then, I married somebody who is a fabulous cook. Plus, we joined together later in life - after we were sort of set-in-our-ways. Then, there is the fact that both of our mothers are fabulous cooks and we still get spoiled by them cooking for us every now and again.
I know there is that age-old chuckle about the new bride preparing food for her man after their nuptials and how she burns things and he eats it or how she tries out new recipes and he chokes it down. We have those experiences in our brief marriage, too. There is also that age old stigma of the man being the king of outdoor cooking. We have those experiences as well because I never learned to cook on the grill. When I was younger, my mother (a REALLY fabulous cook) did that. Then, my husband got a gas grill for his first Father's Day gift, I think, and he did that. When the children were old enough, they wanted to compete in outdoor cookery contests and they did that.
So, there was never a need for me to learn. Then, one year, my children decided to give me a gas grill for Christmas. I experimented with it - burning some things till they were rubbery, undercooking some things and having to re-bake them, charring some things and having to toss them, etc. I didn't become a master of the outdoor cooking techniques because shortly after getting the gas grill, Mike came along and he became my King of the Grill.
Not only is he the King of the Grill, but he is also the King of the Frypan. He can stir up the most delicious southern breakfast I have ever eaten on a Sunday morning - actually, most folks would generally just call it brunch because we have gotten spoiled and don't eat till late on Sundays most weekends. Mike also batters and fries minute steak, fish fillets, and his pork tenderloin is to-die-for! He has a smoker and can slow cook delicious roasts and turkeys. (You can see the most outrageous of these attempts chronicled HERE.) He has a couple of deep fryers and uses them to cook battered squash, okra, fries, hush puppies, and the fish he catches. (You can see him in action HERE.)
So, when it comes to meal preparation, menu planning, and dining in general, we have had some - shall we say - differences. One of the first heated disagreements we ever had was early in our marriage when we were having baked potatoes and had no sour cream. It has become a running joke in our household that we will never be without sour cream now (which reminds me, I need to run to the store). We both have in our heads certain foods, styles of preparation, and condiments which are a must with certain foods - and those ideas are not always conjoined.
Being older and more set-in-our-ways has caused some - shall we say - differences, as well. Not only do we have certain ideas and habits when it comes to menu-planning, we also have our own ways of preparing and our own favorite recipes. Those don't always overlap either. (I've even joked that if it isn't the way his mother or grandmother prepared it, then it is prepared incorrectly.)
Like any married couple probably has, I've shed some tears, he's pursed his lips, we've both gritted our teeth at times when it came to meals, menus, and cooking. However, I think we are both growing to adjust and adapt. My attitude has sort of come to the point that on a day-to-day basis, I'm going to cook and eat what I want and like. If he chooses to also enjoy that, then good for him. If not, he can fix what he wants. Most times he will give my 'weird dishes,' and 'weird conglomerations,' and 'city cooking' a try and winds up liking them. (Like earlier this week when I made Chicken and Broccoli Cobbler. You can find the recipe HERE.) Most times I absolutely love what he prepares and I have the added pounds to show for it.
So, I guess we have achieved that happy-medium at this point. There are still times when he isn't going to give on what I really like and I'm not going to eat turnip greens or sour kraut unless there is nothing else available and I've gone a long time without food. (Yes, I will lovingly prepare it for him if necessary - like I did HERE but that doesn't mean I'm going to like it or taste it.)
So, today, while Mike had to work - overtime - again - and I had one of my favorite meals:
I think part of the reason is that I have always thought of myself as a pretty decent cook. Then, I married somebody who is a fabulous cook. Plus, we joined together later in life - after we were sort of set-in-our-ways. Then, there is the fact that both of our mothers are fabulous cooks and we still get spoiled by them cooking for us every now and again.
I know there is that age-old chuckle about the new bride preparing food for her man after their nuptials and how she burns things and he eats it or how she tries out new recipes and he chokes it down. We have those experiences in our brief marriage, too. There is also that age old stigma of the man being the king of outdoor cooking. We have those experiences as well because I never learned to cook on the grill. When I was younger, my mother (a REALLY fabulous cook) did that. Then, my husband got a gas grill for his first Father's Day gift, I think, and he did that. When the children were old enough, they wanted to compete in outdoor cookery contests and they did that.
So, there was never a need for me to learn. Then, one year, my children decided to give me a gas grill for Christmas. I experimented with it - burning some things till they were rubbery, undercooking some things and having to re-bake them, charring some things and having to toss them, etc. I didn't become a master of the outdoor cooking techniques because shortly after getting the gas grill, Mike came along and he became my King of the Grill.
Not only is he the King of the Grill, but he is also the King of the Frypan. He can stir up the most delicious southern breakfast I have ever eaten on a Sunday morning - actually, most folks would generally just call it brunch because we have gotten spoiled and don't eat till late on Sundays most weekends. Mike also batters and fries minute steak, fish fillets, and his pork tenderloin is to-die-for! He has a smoker and can slow cook delicious roasts and turkeys. (You can see the most outrageous of these attempts chronicled HERE.) He has a couple of deep fryers and uses them to cook battered squash, okra, fries, hush puppies, and the fish he catches. (You can see him in action HERE.)
So, when it comes to meal preparation, menu planning, and dining in general, we have had some - shall we say - differences. One of the first heated disagreements we ever had was early in our marriage when we were having baked potatoes and had no sour cream. It has become a running joke in our household that we will never be without sour cream now (which reminds me, I need to run to the store). We both have in our heads certain foods, styles of preparation, and condiments which are a must with certain foods - and those ideas are not always conjoined.
Being older and more set-in-our-ways has caused some - shall we say - differences, as well. Not only do we have certain ideas and habits when it comes to menu-planning, we also have our own ways of preparing and our own favorite recipes. Those don't always overlap either. (I've even joked that if it isn't the way his mother or grandmother prepared it, then it is prepared incorrectly.)
Like any married couple probably has, I've shed some tears, he's pursed his lips, we've both gritted our teeth at times when it came to meals, menus, and cooking. However, I think we are both growing to adjust and adapt. My attitude has sort of come to the point that on a day-to-day basis, I'm going to cook and eat what I want and like. If he chooses to also enjoy that, then good for him. If not, he can fix what he wants. Most times he will give my 'weird dishes,' and 'weird conglomerations,' and 'city cooking' a try and winds up liking them. (Like earlier this week when I made Chicken and Broccoli Cobbler. You can find the recipe HERE.) Most times I absolutely love what he prepares and I have the added pounds to show for it.
So, I guess we have achieved that happy-medium at this point. There are still times when he isn't going to give on what I really like and I'm not going to eat turnip greens or sour kraut unless there is nothing else available and I've gone a long time without food. (Yes, I will lovingly prepare it for him if necessary - like I did HERE but that doesn't mean I'm going to like it or taste it.)
So, today, while Mike had to work - overtime - again - and I had one of my favorite meals:
tomato soup in a cup, cheese, and Ritz crackers
YUM!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Newlywed Knowledge
I have seen all sorts of movies and television shows about newlyweds and how it takes some time to get to know one another and what things one's partner likes. Probably the most oft contested jumping off places are the old jokes about the new bride learning to cook the foods her husband likes. Well, let me tell you that it doesn't matter how old the bride is - that learning curve is still the same.
Mike really, really, really likes spaghetti. Seems great, huh? A simple dish of pasta, sauce with a little meat sauce should be easy - how can one go wrong? Well, let me tell you - there are lots of ways. First, the sauce cannot have chunks of tomatoes - even if those tomatoes came from the garden tilled and tended by yourself - even if those tomatoes were carefully canned by yourself. (Why would he grow something that he doesn't really like to eat?) Secondly, there shouldn't be much more in the sauce besides ground beef, onions, tomato sauce, and a wee bit of spices. Then, there are the noodles. Oh my goodness! The noodles are the hardest part.
I've never really paid that much attention to spaghetti in my life! I'd simply look for a package that said spaghetti and see which was the cheapest, grab it off the grocery shelf and all was good. Then, I read where I should look for whole-grain and pasta which was not enriched with a bunch of stuff. So, I settled on eating the whole grain and didn't pay much attention to spaghetti - just bought the cheapest. No longer will that work. Today, while standing in the pasta aisle at my local grocery store, I have never felt more intimidated. I knew that Mike likes 'white' noodles - not whole grain. I also knew that he wanted them to be "the big round kind." Eventually I settled on simple inexpensive plain old spaghetti noodles.
When I started getting dinner together, in he walks to inspect the ingredients. Since the box didn't say "red cross" on it, immediately he decided that I had the wrong product. So, I listened to him mouth off about it for a bit. Then, I walked out onto the deck and got into the truck and drove up to his mother's house and sweetly asked her if she had a box of noodles. Boy was I surprised when she handed me a box of THIN spaghetti noodles! You should have seen the confused look on her face when I asked her if this was the kind she had always bought. Hesitantly she responded that it was - at times she had simply bought the cheap store-brand, but this type is what she had always bought - even when Mike was a kid growing up. So, I took the box of noodles and zipped back to my own home. After I showed and compared what I had bought to what his mother had bought, he started chuckling. Then, several times he apologized - several times.
The entire time we were eating, he was bragging about just how perfect this spaghetti was and how he loved me.
Mike really, really, really likes spaghetti. Seems great, huh? A simple dish of pasta, sauce with a little meat sauce should be easy - how can one go wrong? Well, let me tell you - there are lots of ways. First, the sauce cannot have chunks of tomatoes - even if those tomatoes came from the garden tilled and tended by yourself - even if those tomatoes were carefully canned by yourself. (Why would he grow something that he doesn't really like to eat?) Secondly, there shouldn't be much more in the sauce besides ground beef, onions, tomato sauce, and a wee bit of spices. Then, there are the noodles. Oh my goodness! The noodles are the hardest part.
I've never really paid that much attention to spaghetti in my life! I'd simply look for a package that said spaghetti and see which was the cheapest, grab it off the grocery shelf and all was good. Then, I read where I should look for whole-grain and pasta which was not enriched with a bunch of stuff. So, I settled on eating the whole grain and didn't pay much attention to spaghetti - just bought the cheapest. No longer will that work. Today, while standing in the pasta aisle at my local grocery store, I have never felt more intimidated. I knew that Mike likes 'white' noodles - not whole grain. I also knew that he wanted them to be "the big round kind." Eventually I settled on simple inexpensive plain old spaghetti noodles.
When I started getting dinner together, in he walks to inspect the ingredients. Since the box didn't say "red cross" on it, immediately he decided that I had the wrong product. So, I listened to him mouth off about it for a bit. Then, I walked out onto the deck and got into the truck and drove up to his mother's house and sweetly asked her if she had a box of noodles. Boy was I surprised when she handed me a box of THIN spaghetti noodles! You should have seen the confused look on her face when I asked her if this was the kind she had always bought. Hesitantly she responded that it was - at times she had simply bought the cheap store-brand, but this type is what she had always bought - even when Mike was a kid growing up. So, I took the box of noodles and zipped back to my own home. After I showed and compared what I had bought to what his mother had bought, he started chuckling. Then, several times he apologized - several times.
The entire time we were eating, he was bragging about just how perfect this spaghetti was and how he loved me.
Monday, February 28, 2011
New Adventure
Being a newlywed, there are lots of things that Mike and I haven't done together yet. This afternoon was probably a test. We joined forces to put together an exercise bicycle. (No, we aren't beginning to train for the Tour de France! Do you think we have really lost our minds?) You know, the whole experience really worked out lovely. Maybe it was because Mike didn't have his glasses and was relying on me to read the directions - yes, he actually went along with following the directions! Or, maybe it was because it was really an easy project for us to take on together.
I must admit that when I saw that box sitting there, I did wonder how long it would take us to assemble it. When I began to lay out all the metal tubes and angled parts, I wondered whether there was going to be elevated voices. When I began sorting all the different nuts and bolts and washers, I wondered if there would be tools flying through the air and stitches. You know, though, we really are a good team.
I realize it is kind of an age-old joke that couples shouldn't try to assemble something together if the relationship is to be preserved. As it turned out, Mike was glad to hold parts and let me use the wrenches at times feeding my power-hungry independent soul. I was more than glad to let him use that little hex wrench thingy and turn the little short chops to tighten the hex bolts in the tight spots, too. So, it went together smoothly and no animals, tools, or buildings were harmed during the assembly.
In all seriousness, at one point I caught myself watching his hands at work and noticing the wedding band on his finger. I thought to myself, "How can I be so lucky to have this man as my own?" You know, I catch myself noticing that ring hugging his finger pretty often. I notice it when his left hand is gripping the arm of the chair, when he is holding the steering wheel, when he rubs his hand across his whiskered cheek, and, well, just lots of times. It is really amazing to me what that little twinkling circle means to me and I wonder if he has any idea how important he is to me and how flattered I am that he wears that ring as a symbol of our love and his commitment to me.
I must admit that when I saw that box sitting there, I did wonder how long it would take us to assemble it. When I began to lay out all the metal tubes and angled parts, I wondered whether there was going to be elevated voices. When I began sorting all the different nuts and bolts and washers, I wondered if there would be tools flying through the air and stitches. You know, though, we really are a good team.
I realize it is kind of an age-old joke that couples shouldn't try to assemble something together if the relationship is to be preserved. As it turned out, Mike was glad to hold parts and let me use the wrenches at times feeding my power-hungry independent soul. I was more than glad to let him use that little hex wrench thingy and turn the little short chops to tighten the hex bolts in the tight spots, too. So, it went together smoothly and no animals, tools, or buildings were harmed during the assembly.
In all seriousness, at one point I caught myself watching his hands at work and noticing the wedding band on his finger. I thought to myself, "How can I be so lucky to have this man as my own?" You know, I catch myself noticing that ring hugging his finger pretty often. I notice it when his left hand is gripping the arm of the chair, when he is holding the steering wheel, when he rubs his hand across his whiskered cheek, and, well, just lots of times. It is really amazing to me what that little twinkling circle means to me and I wonder if he has any idea how important he is to me and how flattered I am that he wears that ring as a symbol of our love and his commitment to me.
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