Butt, Butt, Butt, Butt

Because we had over 800 comments on my "You Mean I Only Have to Cook Once a Week?" post, I've selected eight winners. When I first started this Blook Tour, I figured I'd write everyone's name down on a piece of paper and draw the names out of a hat. Well, that was before 800 of you left comments! So instead of writing down 800 names, I used the highly scientific method of scrolling up and down through the comments with my eyes closed. After a few seconds of scrolling, I stopped, opened my eyes, and wrote down the name showing on my screen. I did this eight times which is how I arrived at the winning recipients of Trish's book.

Ok the moment you've all been waiting for :::::::drumroll::::::: Here are the names of the eight winners of the Blook Tour! They will each receive a copy of Trish Berg's The Great American Supper Swap!

In no particular order....
Erin
Megan
Susan
Callie
Ann Marie
Leslie
Alice
Kristen

Separate emails were just sent to your email addresses. Congratulations and good luck on starting your own supper swapping groups! Trish has answered many questions in the comments section of this post. If you have additional questions for Trish, please feel free to visit her at her website and ask away!

Thank you to everyone who participated and left a comment!

I know I didn't update last night, but I have a good excuse reason. I actually went out with a friend. No husbands, no kids, just my oldest friend. Well, she's not really old. She's the same age as I. And I am definitely not old. I've just known her the longest. I remember making her laugh and getting her, and a couple other students who sat near me, in trouble back in high school. Ahhh good times, good times.

Anyway, as I was saying, one of my best friends on earth, Jen, and I went out to eat last night. We did really well too. We talked at length and didn't mention diapers even once during our conversation. Neither of us felt compelled to cut the other's entree into bite size pieces and we never told one another, "Finish your drink, a napkin is not a toy, or don't chew with your mouth open." We did very well being Jen and Dawn instead of just "Mom" and "Mom". All was wonderful until a little kid came running by our table and Jen nearly reached out to grab him and tell him to settle down until she remembered that he was not her child and she was out for the evening alone.

I thought of getting all philosophical about how we parents sometimes forget the people we were pre-kids and become "So & So's Mom" or "So & So's Dad". I was going to sing the importance of retaining some of you, the person. I was going to warn against becoming only you, the mom. I know the experts say to take a class, take up a hobby, learn a new skill, get out and exercise, make a little time, every day, for you. However, in the real world, I also know it's sometimes impossible. For those with tight finances, it's usually not affordable to just "take a class" or buy supplies for your hobby. For those whose spouse works long hours or is deployed, how are you supposed to find time to go to the gym or even read a book some days? And is it really so horrible to put your life on hold, so to speak, to become so & so's mother? So & so will only be little for a short while. You've got your whole life ahead of you to take up skydiving, poker, knitting, painting, tennis, or whatever it is you want to do. Just a thought.

Ok, back to my story. So I went out to eat with my best friend, Jen and after dinner, I went back to her home to borrow their video camera. So I'm sitting there talking to Jen, her husband, 3 boys, and 1 daughter. I'm not sure who started it, but suddenly the conversation turned to butts. (As you'll recall from a previous post, "butt" is the funniest word in the English language.) However, it's not just funny in English, as I learned from these guys.

"Dad, how do you say "butt" in Polish?
Dad answers, but I've forgotten what the word was. Apparently it was hilarious though as the boys all started parroting "butt" in Polish.

Butt, butt, butt, butt.

Jen looks at me, rolls her eyes and says, "I'm here all day with the kids trying to teach them not to say stuff like that. He comes home and in mere seconds has them being obnoxious in foreign languages."

And we're in Chicago. Chicago has the second highest concentration of Polish people next to Poland. Someone is bound to understand what they're saying in school come Monday. Gee, thanks Dad!


The hole Clay dug into his wall.


The instrument of destruction. Thankfully it was a safety nightlight, or I can only imagine what he would have done with the screwdriver. In fact, I'm actually pretty surprised he didn't try to unscrew the nightlight. Oh and where did he even get the screwdriver? Out of my middle son's tool box in the garage, of course.



Do not adjust your monitors. Yes, she really does have a white beard. Diaper cream - it's not just for butts anymore.


Brooklyn's artwork. Markers have a way of multiplying in my house. For every Sharpie I toss out, two more appear, much like the Hydra fought by Hercules. Thankfully this came right off with a diaper wipe.




And the Piece de resistance, the banana peel found in my car today. The only way I knew it was a banana peel was from the Chiquita sticker. Ok, this trend of finding food is getting embarrassing, quite frankly. I can understand the occasional fruit snack in the couch cushions, cracker under the chair, wrapper behind the dresser, and French fry on the floor of my car, but this is ridiculous. My wonderful husband cleaned out my van today. He filled the tires with air, the tank with gas, and he washed it inside and out. I'd like to say this disgusting banana was all he found, but alas he found enough nasty, moldy fruit to cover Carmen Miranda's head. I think I may have to put locks on the fridge and cabinets.

I Won't Send you Canned Lunchmeat

First off, I want to let you know that I've signed on with Books & Such Literary Agency and am working toward getting my book published! Yay! I've also added a button on the right side of my blog (right under the BlogHerAds) where you can sign up to get the details on my book. I promise I won't send you any spam (the mail OR the canned lunchmeat). Speaking of Spam, awhile back, my family saw a show featuring a Spam Festival held in Austin, TX. On this show, we saw several people walking around wearing shirts that read KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD. Of course I just had to get one of those shirts for my Austin. While ordering that shirt for him, I saw another one that read MAKE AUSTIN NORMAL! I think I may have to get that one now too! ;)

Anyway, back to what I was saying - No one will sell or give away your address. No one, except me, will use your address for any purpose whatsoever and the only thing I'll use it for is to send you a newsletter four times a year about the status of my book, book signings, contests to win a signed copy of my book, etc. So, if you're interested, please feel free to sign up! :)

My little Brooklyn is sick and crabby tonight and doesn't want me to put her down. I think the stress of the past month and my cold have finally caught up to me also and I feel like I have an elephant sitting on my chest, so I'm leaving tonight's post to Trish...

Ok, Ladies. I have to be honest. When Dawn first offered to run my blook tour for TGASS, I was a bit nervous. Because you all love her so much, rightfully so since she IS AWESOME! I felt like the friend of a friend being introduced as the new kid in school. And yes, I felt like the geek. Then, the morning after Dawn posted the blook tour, I checked in and there were NO COMMENTS - ZERO! I was devastated. I called Dawn immediately on the phone and told her I was sorry, I must be a blog killer. Like first degree murder, I would be forever known as the blog killer.

But praise God, you all accepted me – Thank you! I am overwhelmed by your response and interest in supper swapping. And I encourage you to give it a try….

And BIG NEWS - I HAVE DECIDED SINE YOU HAVE SHOWN SUCH AN INTEREST IN SUPPER SWAPPING AND THE GREAT AMERICAN SUPPER SWAP I WILL BE GIVING AWAY 1 FREE BOOK FOR EVERY 100 COMMENTS POSTED BY FRIDAY MIDNIGHT. SO PASS THE WORD TO ALL YOUR GIRLFRIENDS. SO FAR WE ARE UP TO 6 FREE BOOKS AT OVER 600 COMMENTS!

Dawn wanted to post some more advice for you ladies. Here are the steps to get you started. These are from my site.

1. START WITH WHO YOU KNOW – Ask a neighbor, a girlfriend, or a co-worker to
give it a try.
2. HAVE COMMON GROUND – Either live nearby, attend church together, or work at
the same company so delivery can be easily coordinated at that common location daily or
weekly.
3. PLAN 3 MONTHS OUT - Choose and plan your meals for at least three months at a
time, and write or print them on a meal calendar so each family knows what is being delivered
for dinner each night.
4. START WITH FAMILY FAVORITES - Choose recipes to start with that are your
family favorites. New recipes should be tried out on your individual family before they are
introduced into the co-op.
5. AVOID PAN-DEMONIUM - Use 9x9 or 9x13 glass Pyrex pans with snap on blue lids,
semi-disposable Zip-Loc containers, and Whale of a Pal Tubs for soups and stews. Rotate them
through the group (See the Pan Formula in my Great American Supper Swap book)
6. HONESTY TASTES BETTER - When you establish your meal calendars, be honest
and up front about food likes, dislikes, and allergies to avoid problems down the road.
7. BUDGET MEALS - Buy ingredients in bulk for your meals when items are on sale. Try
to budget recipes so you don't make two expensive ones back to back. (i.e. pot roast is more
expensive than pizza burgers)
8. ADAPT DELIVERY TIMES - Delivery times can vary depending on what works for
each family. If you deliver at dinnertime, have the meal cooked and ready to eat. If you deliver in the morning, have your meal prepared but not cooked with baking instruction included.
9. BE FLEXIBLE - Be flexible with one another when life throws you a curve ball, like a
sick child, a broken down car, or unexpected circumstance. Have a meal back up plan for those
nights agreed upon at the outset, like switching days or having pizza delivered if you are in a
pinch.
10. RELAX AND ENJOY THE RIDE - Relax and enjoy the ride. Don’t expect your supper
swapping group to remain stagnant or to last forever; some families may swap longer than
others. If a mom leaves, let them do so guilt free. We typically ask for one month’s notice so we
can adapt our meal calendars.

You can get more information and recipes on Trish's website.

Trish has answered many other questions in the comments section of my Monday post "You Mean I Only Have to Cook Once a Week?" To recap - Trish will be giving away 1 free book for every 100 comments left on that thread. We're up to 6 free books right now. It's not too late to get in on the contest - just leave a comment on the Supper Swapping post with your name and email address and we'll enter you in the drawing.

Diapers Only Hold so Much Before They.....

Hey there! I knew you guys would like the supper swapping idea! I hope those of you who give it a try are successful and gain a little extra time and a little less stress at the dinner table. I know Trish has answered a lot of your questions in the comments. Just scroll through them quickly until you see the really loooooong comments. Those are from Trish. I'll try and reprint them in a post later this week so they're more easily accessible. Remember the contest will run until midnight on Friday and if you leave a comment on yesterday's You Mean I Only Have to Cook One Night? post, I'll enter your name in a drawing for one of Trish's books, The Great American Supper Swap.

A camera crew from ABC is coming over tomorrow to film and interview me for World News with Charles Gibson. Tonight I really should be cleaning. Or thinking of clever things to say to the reporter. Or perhaps getting some sleep. Or losing 50 pounds. Or begging my children to behave tomorrow morning. Instead I'll be cleaning out my washing machine. I know, you're thinking 'what a strange thing to do when she's going to be on national t.v.' Cleaning out my washing machine wasn't my first choice of activities, however I inadvertently washed a diaper. I'm not talking about the cloth kind either. I'm talking about a disposable, super-mega absorbent, nighttime, pull-up kind of diaper. SpongeBob couldn't hold as much liquid as this thing did. Then, much like all good things, it had to end. It exploded. In my washer. It left behind a trail of sticky gel-like material and fluffy diaper particles all over every article of clothing in the machine. Despite the fact that I'll run the washing machine fifty times, I'll be finding this gel stuck to surfaces in my house for months to come.

I Only Have to Cook Once a Week?!

OK, I'm taking a break from posting tonight. I was going to write, but my baby girl has been screaming her head for three hours straight and it's taken me that long to type out these two sentences because she's on my lap squirming and screaming. Instead I'm going to host a book tour, or is it called a blog tour? Hmmm, how about a blook tour? I'm hosting a blook tour because I already have this typed up and ready to go. I'm hosting a blook tour for a very sweet and funny girl, Trish Berg who has written a book on supper swapping, which, I think, is a really cool idea. The tour will run from the time I post it Sunday, the 16th until Friday, the 21st at midnight Eastern time.

Trish started emailing me during my Ebay auction. She thought I might be a bit overwhelmed (can't imagine what gave her that idea), so she jumped right in and offered up her wise advise and prayers. I can't thank her enough for helping me to navigate the waters. The reason Trish was so very knowledgeable and helpful to me is that she is a published author and national speaker who is working on another book due out in January 2008. She knows what she's talking about.

I'm hosting this tour for Trish, not only because she's an amazing person with a really kind, good heart, but because her book is awesome! I really didn't know what "supper swapping" was until I read her book, but what a terrific idea it is! I can't wait to get a group of friends together and give it a try. Hey, anything to shave off a few minutes in the kitchen and save a few dollars is worth a try if you ask me! Trish shares her expertise on supper swapping or co-op cooking, as it is also known, and includes examples from her own supper swapping experiences. She includes helpful hints to get you started, fellowship ideas, and (my favorite part) some of her tried and true recipes.

And (here's the really cool part!) anyone who leaves a comment on this posting will be entered into a drawing for a FREE copy of Trish's book The Great American Supper Swap! Trish will be giving away, not one, but TWO free books this week to the readers of my blog who leave a comment on this posting during the tour which will run from Sunday night, September 16 when I post it until Friday night, September 21 at midnight Eastern time. Also, feel free to write to Trish with any questions you might have about supper swapping. Here's a little interview with Trish...

The Great American Supper Swap
Solving the Busy Woman’s Family Dinnertime Dilemma
By Trish Berg

Many moms struggle with their endless to-do list, and dinner is just one more thing that usually doesn’t get done. Author and speaker Trish Berg has a great way to solve your dinnertime dilemma and shares all her secrets in her new book, The Great American Supper Swap.

Thanks for being here, today, Trish.

Thanks for having me.

I wanted to begin by asking you what IS supper swapping?

Supper swapping is really a simple solution to that ever present “What’s for dinner,” question that hits most moms at 4:30 every afternoon.

Its moms helping moms by sharing the cooking responsibility for their families by cooking in bulk then swapping meals during the workweek.

And how did you become a supper swap mom?


First of all, I’m a wife and mother of 4 kids all under 12, and so life at our house is pretty chaotic most days. I’m just like all the moms out there struggling with my daily to-do list, and dinner was just one more thing stressing me out.

So, four years ago when one of my girlfriends asked if I wanted to try swapping suppers with her and two other gals to simplify dinner, I gave it a try. I had no idea how much supper swapping would bless my life, or that God would lead me to write this book and help other families as well.

That sounds great. But how exactly does supper swapping work?


One great thing about supper swapping is that it can be adapted to meet the needs of the families in the group. No two supper swapping groups have to look alike.

Basically, women join with 1-4 other women to form a supper swapping group. Each mom chooses one weekday to do the cooking for everyone in the group. The rest of the week, dinner is delivered to their door, hot fresh, and ready to enjoy with their family.

You only have to cook ONE night a week and the other nights, you essentially get free meals catered to your door? Wow! With so many other dinner options out there, why do you think supper swapping is becoming a hot trend?

Basically because moms need help. Today families run at a fast pace unheard of 30 years ago. Usually, dinner is a fast food, on the go grab bag, or relegated to pizza, take out or frozen quick fix meals. These meals are unhealthy and expensive.

Studies have shown that women today still do most of the cooking. Just looking at the workweek, that’s 5 dinners a week, 260 dinners a year. Whew! No wonder we’re all tired of cooking and settling for grilled cheese, pizza or take out.

Supper swapping cuts a moms cooking by up to 80% since she only cooks one day a week.

For about 1-2 hours of meal preparation and 15-30 minutes or less of meal delivery one day a week, you get a week’s worth of hot, fresh, homemade dinners.

Eating dinner together as a family has got to be a better way than going through drive-thrus for fast food on the run. Speaking for myself, I know I could probably make an entire Happy Meal out of the food on the floor of my van.

Eating dinner together as a family opens communication, helps children to eat healthier, feel more connected to their parents, feel loved and cherished. These benefits have a lifelong impact on our children.

According to research from Columbia University, children who eat dinner with their family on a regular basis are 60% less likely to smoke cigarettes, 50% less likely to use drugs, and 66% less likely to drink alcohol.

If a mom wants to start supper swapping, where can she get more information?

There is a ton of how to information, delicious recipes, encouragement and support in my book The Great American Supper Swap, available at bookstores and online at amazon.com and christinabooks.com, or contact me via my website for a signed copy.


What do you hope families gain from supper swapping?


Supper swapping can save families $4000 a year or more, reduces a moms cooking by 80%, adds deeper faith and friendships, and helps families eat healthier food.

BUT MOST OF ALL – I want families to gather back around their dinner table each and every day. That is my passion. A return to the family meal.

Though I’m an avid supper swap mom, each family must find what works for them and re-claim their family dinner however they can. Supper swapping is just one simple tool to help moms make that happen.

But if you’re stuck in a rut singing the dinnertime blues, ask a couple girlfriends to give supper swapping a try.
When it comes to dinner - DON’T GIVE UP. DON’T GIVE IN. JUST GET SWAPPING!

The family meal has a lifelong impact on our kids!
For more information on The Great American Supper Swap or Trish Berg, go to http://www.trishberg.com/.

Remember, when you leave a comment, be sure to include your name and email address so we can notify the winners!