Invisible Friends, I can’t lie.  I absolutely adore everything about Marjie from the blog Modern Day Ozzie and Harriet. There’s nothing I don’t like about her.  She’s funny.  She’s creative.  She cooks dinner–with dessert–for her ginourmous family every night.  She has a dog 400 times the size of Queen Bitty.

And he’s as nice as she is mean.

Did I mention Marjie has nine children?  And she cooks every night? With dessert? And homeschools two of her kids?  And sews?  And bakes homemade tasty bread that leaves me drooling?

I need lessons.

Let’s learn how she does it, shall we?

How did you get started blogging?  How did you come up with your title/ name?

I was urged by a couple of other homeschooling moms to start a blog, but I didn’t think anyone would ever read it.  At one point, the kids were applying to Amazing Race.  One of the questions was what TV family we were most like.  The kids said the Brady Bunch, but my husband said NO, all of them belong to both of us, and we were more like Ozzie and Harriet.  Having never seen the show, because I’m 12 years younger than he is, I asked, and he explained that Ozzie doesn’t appear to go anywhere to work, Harriet is always around, and the family has no particular problems.  It’s like that in our little corner of the world, too.

What does being creative mean to you?

I don’t think I’m creative.  People who do wonderful things, like writing great stories like yours, or make beautiful confections or who paint are creative.  I think I’m just another engineer.  You disagree, and I’m flattered!

Marjie in a dress she sewed

Aww, shucks.  I’m a sucker for anyone who likes my stories.  But enough about me. Why do you think it’s important for women to balance creativity in their daily lives?

Everyone has to have something to change their outlook on the day.  It’s up to us to figure out what works for us – reading, cooking, sewing or whatever!

What kind of creative things do you do every day?

I try to make a new and different food every day, even if it’s just a side dish.  I sew when I can, wallpaper when I’m inspired, clean when I’m not.

Tell me about your family.

We’ve been married 30 years and have 9 children aged 9 to 25.  We have 3 daughters and 6 sons.  Most of us are redheads, and burn accordingly.  The first seven kids were born between 1984 and 1990, and then there were our 2 little surprises.  I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Favorite food?

Veal Picatta

Favorite song?

I turned off the radio in 1984, when my first son was born, and have never turned it back on.  I decided that I would listen to everything the kids ever had to say, and be able to hear their squabbling in the background.  That way, they would know they’re important to us.  We have never had any trouble with any of them, and this is one of the reasons why.  On the positive side of this, my stereo from 1978 with the record player and 8 track player still works well!

Do you like to dance?

While at a college dance, someone stepped on my left foot and snapped 2 bones in it.  I decided to refrain from such dangerous activities in the future.  Besides, I never was much good at dancing, anyway.

If you could take a trip with anyone and go anywhere, where would you go and who would you take?

If my husband and kids are around, that’s vacation enough for me.  I’ve always meant to drive to all the lower 48 states, but never got to all of them.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever been given?

When Ryan was 7, he went to the grocery store with his older sisters and bought me a box of peppermint tea for my birthday, using his tooth fairy money.  I was touched.  Also right up there is the diamond solitaire my husband bought me for my 19th birthday, when we’d been married 7 months.

What’s your ideal pet?

Thor – a giant dog who’s not too bouncy and barky, faithful, loyal and handsome.

There’s an enormous present waiting on the kitchen table for you.  What’s in it?

A great new kitchen appliance that I don’t even know I want yet! Or a spectacular piece of fabric for some wonderful thing I don’t know I want to make yet.

Does Thor want to meet Bitty?

Of course.  Thor loves all little critters.  Of course, he would never insult royalty by referring to her as a critter.

Marjie in a dress her grandmother made for her

How did you get interested in sewing?

One of my grandmothers was a fabulous artist  and seamstress.  She was also gorgeous, so much so that when I met my dearly beloved, and he met my grandmother, he commented that my granny was hot – and she was 68!  I used to buy clothes, and alter them when necessary, but things changed.  I didn’t take up sewing seriously until 2004, when I decided that I was too fat for junior styles, and didn’t like most of them anyway, and too young for women’s styling, and needed to take matters into my own hands.  I can read, therefore I can sew.

Do your daughters sew too?

I taught them the basics from the time they were about 8, and signed them up for 4H sewing club for 4 years.  They don’t choose to sew at this time, but they can.  That’s what matters.

How do you cook every night for so many people and still smile?  I would climb a clocktower.

Schedules and planning (at least preliminarily).  Sunday is roast turkey breast night.  Monday is fish night.  Tuesday is steak night, and Brownie Tuesday night.  Friday and Saturday are minimal effort nights (spaghetti and meat sauce or tacos or something similar).  Bread and dessert Sunday through Thursday.  Beyond that, it’s whatever I feel like eating.  There are no menu choices, and you will eat what I cook; there are no alternative offerings.  This is a benevolent dictatorship, after all, and said dictatorship extends to food!

What’s your favorite thing to cook?

Soup!  Or shrimp!  That doesn’t mean I do it often, but I do love them!

What big crowd cooking recipe is your favorite?  Any tips to share?

When in doubt, roast a large meat.  Cut potatoes into chunks, and throw them in with the large meat, and you have most of the meal.  Garlic powder is always a proper seasoning for any meat.  Salad or cooked veggies, bread or rolls, and go buy a couple of buckets of ice cream and some really good cookies for dessert.  It doesn’t require that much effort if you simply think ahead and plan.  A side note for anyone who has people “drop by” from time to time:  Canned ham.  Cooks up easily, tastes good, looks like you spent hours and hours getting this meal together.  People will drool, and proclaim your genius.  And who doesn’t like to be proclaimed genius?

How are you creative with homeschooling?  What’s some of your favorite activities you’ve done?  How do you think it allows your children to be creative as opposed to a private or public school?

I love the Calvert homeschool curriculum.  It gives me everything I need to do for any given grade level, and often gives ideas for extra activities.  One of the fun things we ever did was make ice cream in a bag – actually, it was 2 bags – and we love having a dog in the classroom.  We’ve done things like make clay dishes as Robinson Crusoe did when we read that book.  We’ve made shields as a tribute to King Arthur.

But the best of all was the Star Spangled Banner the boys drew in the front 2-1/2 years ago.  It was 30 ft by 42 feet, and my girls had to do a truckload of hunting to get enough sidewalk chalk for this sucker.  It was the beginning of the school year, and it was awesome.  Calvert suggested outlining it in yarn to show the kids how big the flag which inspired Francis Scott Key was, but of course I had to go one better.  Silly me.

I started homeschooling because my youngest was two months too young to be admitted into public school, despite the fact that he could read, add and subtract.  Now, he’s finishing 4th grade with 5th grade math, despite the fact that the schools all say he belongs in 3rd grade.  Would he ever be bored!

What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever sewed?

A blue and silver velvet burnout princess seamed dress with a deep flounce at the hem, which I wore to our attorney’s Christmas party a couple of years back.  I certainly stood out in a sea of black and red outfits, and felt like a princess with all the attention the attorney’s single clients were paying to me, despite the 6′3″ red-headed accessory I have with me everywhere.

Do you really bake dessert every night? How are you not 400 lbs?

About 1992, my dearly beloved told me that the one thing his mother did well was bake, and if I wanted my sons to think fondly of my cooking, I needed to make dessert every night.  I rarely eat it.  When everyone’s home, there’s never enough for me, and when they aren’t, I won’t eat chocolate things anyway.  I’m also not that fond of frosting on cakes – too sugary – so that saves me from 400-pounds!

What’s your favorite story?

Where the Wild Things are, Twirl and The Gift! ( I didn’t pay her to say that.  I swear.)

Should we set up Bear and the Dolphin and Thor and the Lobster for a playdate?

Oh, yes, wouldn’t they have fun?  We’ll bring the puppy cookies!

For more about Marjie, check out her blog!

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  We have a whimsical week coming up!