Parenting Permits and Happier Things

You know, there are just some people that should have to fill out an application and obtain a permit to become a parent. It makes me really sad sometimes. Frustrated, too. David and I would LOVE another child. There are thousands, millions of other couples who would, too. Yet there are people walking around out there with more children than they have brain cells. That probably sounds rude...but it's true. Let me tell you why.

Today...I'm driving down the freeway going about 60. We are stopping all of a sudden because of a wreck ahead. I look over in the lane to my right and what do I see in the backseat but a child's head sticking up, looking out the back window. He couldn't have been more than 18 months old. He was laughing, jumping up and down on the seat, and beating his hands on the back windshield. Not a car seat in sight. The woman who was sitting in the backseat jerked him down quickly and put him back IN HER LAP. Being the shy person that I am, I pulled up next to her and stayed RIGHT next to her car, trying to get their attention. Neither of the women would ever look over my way. There were 3 small children in the backseat, none of them in a carseat. Heck, I don't even think they had seatbelts on. If they did, they would have had to share one. I was ready to scream "CAR SEATS, WOMAN!" if she looked at me. I was very glad that they weren't the car up ahead in the .

Just two weeks ago I was at the grocery store. As I'm coming out of the store into the 100-degree heat with my cart full of bags, this woman pulls up to the front door of the store. She skids, throws her car into park, turns on her hazards, rolls down one window and gets out. She actually parked right where I was going to walk down the ramp with my cart. I'm glad she did. As she ran around me to get into the store I looked in her car. There was a newborn TINY baby and a child, maybe 6 years old. They were in the backseat with the window down. ALONE. So again, I'm so shy....I waited for her. I stood there for TEN whole minutes with my groceries all getting hot. I didn't care. I couldn't wait for her to come back. :) She finally came running back out of the store and saw me standing by her car. I said, "did you know it is illegal for your to leave your children in the car alone?" She said, "I was only in there for a few minutes!" I said," does that make it legal then?" I then proceeded..."I could have called the police and you would probably not be getting back into your car with those kids. Did you know that?" She said, "oh...uh...well...I didn't know." I said, "Don't EVER ever do that again. It's illegal and the next person who confronts you about it could be someone who arrests you." (I made sure her son heard everything I said.) She said, "oh..well, sorry." I was sort of hoping for an audience and some applause, but she just drove off quickly and I went to my car. It felt good but it also made me sad for her kids. I hope her son told Daddy that night. :)

Ok, on to happier things! I just want to list some random things that make me happy.
I love reading favorites lists on other blogs. I hope you find something fun in mine! :)

Nickel Creek. Ahhh, one of my favorite bands ever. They just ooze talent! (Note: I had posted one of their videos to play in this space, but I'm removing it now so it doesn't play every time you come here, lol.)


Ribbon. I definitely have an addiction to ribbon. But don't you think it looks soooo pretty in my jars? (photo above) I do use it, though. I think every scrapbook layout I do has ribbon on it :)

Davies-Gate Garden Made Lotion. This is my absolute favorite lotion. My mother-in-law gave me a big set of this right after I had Noah. It reminds me of pampering myself when Noah was a tiny baby. It's great because it's now available at Bath and Body Works! It smells really yummy and clean.


The Golden s. Yeah, I love this show. The writing is so hilarious! It's on Lifetime I think 6 times a day, so I can usually watch it getting ready in the morning, cooking dinner or going to bed at night. My favorite character is Dorothy :)


KI Memories. These scrapbooking papers and embellishments are such eye candy. Definitely my favorite supply to buy, use, and just stare at. hehe Their new lines are soooo gorgeous. And more is being released this week!

Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby ice cream. Oh my. I haven't had this in quite a while, but just thinking about it makes me want some. THE best ice cream. Description: Fudge-Covered Peanut Butter-Filled Pretzels in Vanilla Malt Ice Cream Rippled with Fudge & Peanut Butter. I don't like plain ice cream. It's always better with lots 'o stuff in it, especially if one of the "stuffs" is peanut butter! :)

Some other things without photos:

* My new white high-thread count sheets
* Noah running around in his Darth Vader underwear
* Ordering pizza for dinner (tonight!)
* Walking thru my church hallway and knowing LOTS of people! (we go to a really big church)
* Reading blogs!

Oh, by the way...I usually work on my blog in the late afternoon. That is the most convenient time for me right now. When Noah starts school I'll be doing some morning blogging, too :) Thanks again for all of the comments. They are so fun to read!


The recipe that I'll share today is something I made for dinner last night. Noah absolutely LOVES salmon. I sure didn't when I was five! But he loves it so I make it quite often. This is our favorite recipe for salmon. David thinks it's better than any restaurant salmon we've ever eaten. I agree with him. :)

BBQ Roasted Salmon
(I adapted this from a recipe in Cooking Light.
It has a YUMMY spicy/orange flavor.)

1/4 c. orange juice
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
4 (6 oz. each) fresh salmon fillets (or any firm, strong fish)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
Cooking spray
Lemon slices (optional)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large Ziploc bag.; seal and marinate salmon in refrigerator 1 hour, turning once.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove fish from the bag and discard marinade. Place fish skin side down in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Combine sugar and next 4 ingredients (sugar thru salt) in a small bowl. Rub over fish, leaving a thick coating on top of the fish. Bake at 400 degrees until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. (probably 20-30 minutes, depending on fish thickness) Serve with lemon slices, if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

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God bless your Thursday! :)
- Jennifer

"Be free,... simple, a child. But be a sturdy child, who fears nothing, who speaks out frankly, who lets himself be led, who is carried in the arms; in a word, one who knows nothing, can do nothing, can anticipate and change nothing, but who has a freedom and a strength to the great. This childhood baffles the wise, and God Himself speaks by the mouth of such children." - François Fénelon