While at my brother in law's wedding, we had the most amazing roasted potatoes. While in the ladies' room, I struck up a conversation with the cook, and she told me how easy it was to make these potatoes. I had a 50 pound bag of potatoes I had just purchased from the bulk foods place, so we made them the next day for dinner, but without all of the butter, and changing the seasonings to what we enjoy. They were awesome, and very easy.

Just cut up your potatoes, put them in a bowl, drizzel with Olive Oil (or the oil of your choice...at the wedding they used melted butter!), and top with seasonings of your choice, and bread crumbs. Toss with your hands, spread out on baking sheets, and roast at 375 for about 30 minutes. There were no leftovers!

There are two things we must discuss at the very start of this article:

1. No, I'm not pregnant.

2. Nothing in this post is to be construed as medical advice. Seek the advice of a competent medical professional and exercise your own good judgement.

3. It was very hard to come up with an appropriate photograph for this particular post, but the one below reflects my memory of the experience.

Tuxedo Cat Drinking from Toilet Alan And Sandy Carey

A couple of different friends have had some morning sickness during their most recent pregnancies, and so I've written a post with some information on how to cope with morning sickness.

I found out about the impending arrival of our last child at the emergency room. The flu had run it's course through our family, but I hadn't recovered. I couldn't stop being ill. The slightest motion made me feel awful. I literally felt like I was living life on a merry-go-round or on an amusement park ride for most of my pregnancy (It's no wonder I eventually fell down the stairs, breaking my leg and collar bone 6 months into my pregnancy). I was sure it was only the flu, because I still had a new baby, only a couple of months old. The doctor came in and told me that my particular strain of the flu would resolve itself in 9 months. He did give me some artificial hydration and some medicine to help with the very extreme nausea, but it really only took the edge off for the next few months, and helped me with the nutrition and dehydration (which is very important).

With all of my pregnancies, I've had some kind of morning sickness, and it's no fun. Here's a few things that I found which helped me:

1. Sea Bands.

Okay, so they look a little dorky. They really do help though, especially with that merry-go-round feeling. They are awesome on airplanes or boats or anywhere you may get motion sickness.

2. Ginger Tea

This is my favorite brand:

Not everyone likes the taste, but ginger is naturally very good at helping with nausea. I personally love it, and always have ginger tea in my kitchen somewhere just in case I am not feeling so good. It tastes better with a generous amount of honey. When I had morning sickness or when I have the flu, I just make a big pot of it, and sip it all day long.

3. Lavender Tea

This may sound a little strange, but lavender blossoms make really awesome tea. I use what I have in my back yard, because it's not sprayed, and I know where it came from. Some people find that it affects their allergies negatively so if you have issues with that, it may not be helpful for you.

4. Cold Wet Washcloth on the back of the neck

One of the nurses that were there when I had my kids told me that she always found a cold wet washcloth on the back of the neck helped her out with nausea. I have found that it works pretty well for morning sickness, but it gives me the chills when I have the flu.

I don't like "Interrupting" my normal flow of articles and posts...but I need to ask a quick question...

I was talking to my mom this morning, who told me that the website is displaying funny on her computer....that all she gets is the text on the cork board background, and that the words sometimes are half on the white and half on the cork. Is this happening for anyone else? I've not had any other complaints, but if there are display issues, I'd like to know so I can fix it. Thanks!

Backyard Raspberries

It happened again...someone stopped over while the girlies were out back picking raspberries. They came out of the overgrown berry patch, and offered my friend some of what they picked. Nothing like fresh fruit from the garden.

Then she asked the question that everyone asks..."So, what do you do with the raspberries?"

The girlies think this is a weird question. We eat them, silly! We eat them.

I grow about 2 seed packets worth of sugar snap peas, about 100 or so Raspberry canes, at least 100 or so strawberries (mostly Junebearing), gooseberries, currants, and cherries. 

What do we do with them? We eat them of course...fresh from the garden....all day long...why ruin it with sugar and cooking?

(I don't eat the peas. I have a green vegetable phobia that I'm still working through...but the kids eat them like potato chips and occasionally fight over them).

Is there any better thing to be eating on a hot day?