Until I Have a Title...Here's a Bunch of Questions.

It is time now for our Friday fun-for-all. I’m trying to think of a clever name for it, and welcome your suggestions. I thought about…“It’s Friday: You Ask – I Answer” or, well, I’ll be honest, that’s all I got.

But I don’t like it. So help me. I want something cute and clever. Now, rarely do I think anyone as cute and clever as me - I’ll just be honest - but this time I am opening myself up to the possibilities that one of you may be as creative, or even more so, than me.

That’s a hard pill to swallow.

So, without further ado, let’s get this ball rollin’.

Little Miss Jenni writes: I'd love to be more clever, but I'm just seriously desperate. As a newlywed who has NEVER been a cook…I need cooking ideas for a man with a healthy appetite but who doesn't like casseroles or eggs…P.S. Pleasssssssssssssse tell me about the time you tried out for cheerleader.

Well, Jenni, here are my thoughts…and they run deep, so get ready. I’ve never known a man who doesn’t like two things: meat and potatoes. Okay, three things. But I digress. Now, I will also add that I’ve never known a man who doesn’t care if his meat and potatoes are thrown into one huge dish, covered in cheese and baked for one hour at 350 degrees. So this is an oddity, your man. But I get a lot of my ideas from my two favorite websites that offer recipes: www.southernliving.com and www.pauladeen.com

I’m sure you’ve heard of both and so I’m not telling you anything you don’t know, but what I love about Southern Living is the ease of the recipes and the fact that if Southern Living calls for it – you can almost be assured you will have it in your pantry. Once it called for dried mustard and I was so angry I almost cancelled my subscription; but I haven’t had that happen since, so all is good now.

And then there’s Paula – and what man doesn’t like a big helping of Paula on their plate? And the great thing about her website is each recipe is given a difficulty level (look for it at the bottom of each recipe) and you can bet that if it says medium – I am outta there! I’ve never even rested my eyes on one that says difficult. I am all about easy and Paula has plenty of these.

I also want to tell you about a blog that I just came across the other day from one of my friendly readers, called In Mama’s Kitchen. She has some really easy, southern, down-home recipes. And I love that! She also cooks for a house full of boys, so I figure she’s got the upper hand on that whole, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” thing.

In summary, don’t be afraid to try different things. Try pasta, taco salads, or make him grill. And remember - don’t make it fancy, just make it fattening!

And no, no cheerleader tryout story. My therapist says I am not ready to talk about it.

My Darling Debbie writes: I figure your husband is a lawyer. But do you call him AG because he is an elected official AG or that is just your nickname for him?

Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, you just told me in that one question that you don’t read my blog every day. Because didn’t I just discuss this a couple of days ago? Yes, Debbie, I think I did. So your punishment is that you have to go read this post again. Punishment, indeed.

But as to not be too hard on you, I will admit I hear that question quite a lot. About two years ago – before this blog ever even existed, I began calling him The Attorney General. I wanted to call him that while he was in Law School but he made me wait until he passed the Bar. Which he did.
First time.
My man.
So the moment I could uncross my fingers on that one, I started calling him that and it just stuck. Granted, I don’t call him that around the house. I have a plethora of names I use around the house. But the Attorney General is how I shall refer to him to you all, because why? Because my husband is a rules man. If you play a game with him, you had better follow every single rule and leave nothing out. If you ask him a question you had better plan on a 30 minute explanation that involves strategies from Fortune 500 and INC magazine. He is all things business and law and structure and rules and forms and legislature and policy. Whereas I am all things whimsy and girly and silly and obnoxious and free-for-all and undisciplined.

And I absolutely adore him.

Lovely Leah writes: First let me start by saying that I'm new to your blog but I LOVE it!!! Ok here goes ......... my question is in regards to dealing with difficult family members. Aside from my parents, all the other immediate family members in my life (my brother and his wife, my husband's parents, both of my husband's brothers and their wives) it's a one way relationship. If me and my husband don't make the effort then we probably would not be in contact with anyone in our family. We've been married a little over 15 years and have a 14 year old son and 12 year old daughter and it just pains me to see that their grandparents (my husband's parents) don't even put in any type of effort to get to know their grandkids, and I might be partial but they are really wonderful, fun kids!

Well, Leah, let me just start by saying, I suppose I could have left that first sentence out and not posted it for the world to see, but I figured that would disappoint you – and I’m about makin’ my readers happy.

Your question bothered me, and, well, I won’t lie, kinda made me mad. For you. And your family. I don’t understand grandparents that don’t want to see grandbabies grow up. I don’t understand brothers that don’t want relationships with brothers. Or cousins that don’t get the chance to run and play with cousins. I think of the relationships your children are going to miss out on, and I’m sad by it.

However, at the end of this life my hope would be that you and your husband could look back and say “we did what we know to be right. Whether reciprocated or not. Whether accepted or denied. Whether we got hurt or not. We did the right thing.” The right thing will be what your kids remember. The right thing will be what God blesses. And the right thing will be what causes your children and their children to remain close to you and your husband throughout the years. Keep, keep, keep on doing the right thing.

I’ll be honest - I don’t understand issues like this because I don’t have issues like this. As we speak my mom is the next room and I’ve asked her 12 times when she’s going home and she keeps changing the subject. And I have in-laws who would drive in their sleep to be with us for anything at anytime. I am blessed. I know this. But I am sympathetic to you and your kiddos none the less.

But ya know, this is where my sweet readers come in, it’s why I call them “my lovelies” because they are…and maybe they have some advice for you. And I hope that each of the comments in the comment section have words of wisdom for Leah if you have any idea what she’s going through.

Oh, blogging is nice. It really really is.

That’s all for this week, ya’ll. I have more questions that I plan on getting to next Friday. And yours are welcome any time, remember that! Just email them in to me.

So here’s your homework:
1. Think me up a creative name
2. Keep coming up with questions
3. And leave comments for your fellow blog readers.

Oh, and also, this weekend, be safe. Because I really do like ya’ll.