Friday, January 13, 2017

Grey Hairs and Antacids: Use Your Words

Today’s post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once. All of the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the recipient will take them. Until now.

Use Your Words | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them.
I’m using: pinch ~ graded ~ fool's gold ~ spit ~ sentimental ~ braided
They were submitted by Jenniy of Climaxed.

                          
I got boys. This is probably not a surprise to you if you read this blog at all (you do . . . religiously . . . right?). It sure was a surprise to me though. I'm not complaining, I went through hell to have these kids: IVF, ectopic twin, pregnancy loss. But I came from a family of girls and I was expecting daughters. At least one. And I would have so much fun. Beautiful clothes, braided hair, I pictured it all. 

My mother had 2 girls. For whatever reason, my sister and I just assumed we'd have girls. Then we started our families. My first child . . . a boy. Five weeks later my sister had . . . a boy. 

A year later I was pregnant with my second child. A girl. I was sure of it. Everyone knew it. I was in the doctor's office having amniocentesis. I was high risk and although I'd refused it with the first pregnancy, I agreed this time. As the doctor ran the xray wand over my belly before the procedure, he stopped for a second between the fetus's legs. Suddenly the room went silent. Everyone, my husband, the nurses, all took a giant step back. The doctor silently keep moving the wand.

"Excuse me" I said, angrily, to the doctor. "My daughter seems to have something between her legs". The doctor didn't say a word, just kept scanning. "Go back" I said. 

Everyone in the silent room took another step back. The doctor, though, turned and bravely looked me in the eye. "I can go back" he stated, "but it's not going to go away."

Yeah, seems the only thing I'd be braiding is a baked treat.


Apricot Cream Cheese Pastry Braid, a sweet cream cheese apricot filling in a flaky puff pastry crust | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #pastry
Apricot Cream Cheese Pastry Braid


Apricot Cream Cheese Pastry Braid, a sweet cream cheese apricot filling in a flaky puff pastry crust | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #pastry

 

When I finally accepted that I was having only boys, I went to a number of department stores to look at the boys' clothes. I thought I'd feel better if I could find some cute things. I finally did, but I have to say that it wasn't easy. 90% of the kids' section is girls'. Colors and styles and options, hair bows and lacy socks even. The other 10% is boys'. Options are blue or brown, straight leg or cargo. {{sigh}}. Little girl clothing manufacturers would get an "A". Little boy clothing manufacturers . . . lets just say they'd need to be graded on a curve.


Two years later my sister was pregnant again. And she had . . . you see where this is going right? Nope. Two years later my sister had a girl. How COULD she do such a thing like that to me?


Now some would say that thinking girls are more fun than boys, or easier than boys, is like mining fool's gold. Girls aren't all fun and games, especially the teenaged ones. A friend once told me that boys may spit, but girls will scratch your eyes out.

I'm here to tell you that girls may be meaner to each other, but they got nothin' on boys when it comes to supplying moms with an instant head of grey hair and a chronic case of heartburn.

There's the time the school principal called to tell me that there had been a fight at school, and College Boy had videotaped it. And when, after much discussion and consequences, I got the same phone call the following year. The time his skateboard split his face open between the eyes and I could see cartilage.  

Skateboard between the eyes | www.BakingInATornado.com


The time he took his skateboard into class and tail dropped his school desk. And yes, his friend took a picture.

Tail dropping the desk at school | www.BakingInATornado.com

The phone call from someone at the art museum who was objecting to College Boy skateboarding on the marble bench out front. And we all know about the time College Boy and his friends lit my car on fire (got a picture of this one too). Yeah, I talk about it a lot, I'm still traumatized.


PurDude? Yeah, there are grey hairs with his name on them too. Like the time he got pulled over for suspicion of theft (he was innocent, I swear), and the time he was learning to drive and almost got run off the road by a cop. I haven't forgotten seeing him drive down the street and pull into the driveway at night without his lights on. And, of course, two months into his freshman year of college when he called on my birthday to say he's fallen outside his frat at 2 am and broken his leg. 

Broken leg | www.BakingInATornado.com


And let me tell you, I cleared the drug store shelf of antacids when he was home months later and I finally got the true story of what happened.

Awwwww, now here I go getting all sentimental. NOT!

So yeah, I wanted a girl. But in a pinch I'll take these two boys. And the truth is, I have to admit I've gotten used to I adore them. Spit and all.


Here are links to all the other Use Your Words posts:


Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics





Apricot Cream Cheese Pastry Braid
                                                               ©www.BakingInATornado.com

 
Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup apricot pie filling
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg beaten with 1 TBSP water
1 tsp white sugar

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
*Beat the cream cheese until it starts to get fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and pie filling and beat until all ingredients are incorporated. 
*Place the pastry puff sheet onto a baking pan or cookie sheet. Unfold the pastry puff sheet and roll out to about 13 inches long (width is fine as is).
*Working with the dough facing you so it is longer than wide cut a 1 inch slit along each of the folds at the top and bottom of the pastry. Starting at the top and working down each side panel, cut both into 10 slits horizontally, evenly spaced.
*Spread the cream cheese filling into the center panel, leaving 1 inch at the top and bottom. 
*Fold the top and bottom inch of the center panel up. Alternating sides, fold the side slits over the filling.
*Paint with the egg wash, sprinkle with white sugar and bake for 30 minutes.

26 comments:

  1. I love your boy stories! I love boys! I raised four of them. Of course I also love girls (though I only raised half as many). But yes. Antacids and hair dye? There a must for either gender! :)

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  2. I wanted a girl so bad and when I was pregnant with my youngest I was told she was a boy! We didn't find out she was a girl until the day before she was born. I was thrilled...my husband was asked if he needed to stay and see a doctor!!!!

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    Replies
    1. LOL, seems we have a lot of pregnancy stories in common.

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  3. Oh my gosh -- I have all boys, too! (And was so sure I was going to have a girl.) We're only just starting to think about college: my oldest is in 11th grade. I'm looking forward to checking out your blog!

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    Replies
    1. Sounds like we have a lot in common. And just so you know, the years from 11th grade to college pass in about a minute!

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  4. everyone thought I was having a girl too, but out came AJ. Then three years later I had to accept that AJ would be an only and I would never have a girl. Though there is a special bond between a mom and boy and I am loving every minute of it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I'm loving every . . . well, most . . . minutes too.

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  5. Both boys and girls can test our patience and turn our hair grey, I have three daughters and life with them growing up had its moments especially my second who was our wild child and daughter number 1 was jealous of daughter number 3 and would threated her all the time and say and do things to upset her younger sister, she was a nightmare baby and a nightmare child but grew into a wonderful and sweet woman

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And that's what makes it all worthwhile, when they grow up to be good people.

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  6. You can hope for fabulous daughter-in-laws and or granddaughters! I have 2 friends like you, one has now 2 granddaughters. She is in heaven with the pink as they are girly girls right now. The other friend as 3 grand sons but is hoping there may be a granddaughter in her future! She does have one DIL who is an exceptional darling.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, since I'm sure not having any more kids myself, I guess I'll start hoping for those greanddaughters!

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  7. Love the braided analogy and how you tied it into the recipe. It was a rough time with my girls as teens, but my boys.....yeah.... they gave me all my grays.......

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  8. My theory, FWIW: Girls are easier to start out and then get more difficult. Boys are hard to start out and then get easier. May not be true in all cases...

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    Replies
    1. You have both so in a few more years you'll have to let me know if that holds true or not.

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  9. Replies
    1. Yeah, I've had my share of . . . interesting . . . experience.

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  10. This put a huge grin on my face! Goodness knows you love those boys like no other no matter how many silver strands they try to give you. ;)

    And...I'd hold on to the car fire for a while too....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I love them but a few of those difficult (that's an understatement) circumstances have left some scars.

      Delete
  11. Haha, some get daughters, others get to braid apricot bread ;-)

    I was "expecting" to have a girl, too, for similar reasons. Hair, pretty clothes, a family member with similar interests like shopping,...

    When I was pregnant I had a hunch that it was going to be a boy, though, and even though I was happy either way I had no idea what to "do" with a boy when Daddy wasn't going to be around. You know, soccer and stuff.

    I think the two of us are managing pretty well. Of course he's not driving yet.

    You know what cracks me up the most about your sons' mishaps? The fact they are actually documented!!

    PS: There are Minion T-Shirts these days

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, of course they are documented, I have blackmail planned for these boys' future!

      Delete
  12. Funny. I wanted a house full of girls and got all boys but I wouldn't trade all the broken bones bruises and dirt for all the bows in the world.
    Love how you used the words.

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  13. My hair started to turn grey (prematurely) three or four years before I had my one child, a son. My hair must have known what was coming. When I was preggo, I would chug Maalox from the bottle. It was good training. He's a responsible young man now. We are a select group, we who read your blog! Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

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