A woman is like a TEA BAG - you never know how strong she is until she gets into HOT WATER. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Friday, January 28

My Happy List...

Love the one your with... take that a step further and love the things you've got.  In times like these, when the world is full of crazies and the sky is dropping ice everywhere and friends are losing jobs (and "Baby, it's cold outside...")  Why not appreciate and love the memories, people and things we already have in our lives - instead of wanting to buy more.  I wrote a list a few years ago and taped it on the inside of a cabinet door - I thought I'd share it with you (in the full & expanded version below) in the hopes that it might inspire you to write down the things that mean the most to you and help to brighten an otherwise dreary day.  

Things that make me happy

Hot Tea - cups and cups of it.

Index cards - 4 x 6 plain (no lines) -  a stack of them - and a gel pen - oh my!

Lists - lots of them - BIG IDEAS written on these index cards.

The beach - the smell of salty air feels like coming home.  I cannot imagine life without the sound of rolling tide.

Ice water - in my tervis tumbler, with a lemon slice - lots o' water - because I am part camel.

Yankee Candles (Buttercream, Christmas Cookie) - they are the best - and so are the ones from Pier 1, but in leaner times I have been known to burn stand-in candles. 

Magazines - I love magazines.  Country Living, Rachael Ray, Woman's Day, Everyday Food and the ones that come to my house without warning - Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Stonewall Kitchen - that give me big ideas and break the bank.

Snail mail - letters and cards from my friends and family.  I have a pen-pal and I love to get mail from her.

Pearls - single strand - love them love them.

Chuck Taylors - especially red ones, 2nd choice: classic white

Cute note cards to write letters to friends and family.  It makes my heart siiiiing!

Red wine - and not that I drink it all the time, because I don't.  I just need to know it is there. 

Diet Cherry Pepsi - I drink this in place of a more normal person's morning coffee.  Coffee is dessert to me - I must have my Diet Cherry with breakfast. 

Date night with Jim - when it doesn't involve Christmas shopping or grocery shopping - those are great, but dinner out is better.

Swinging - I love to swing - and I have passed this down to my boys.  These days I mostly swing on my "mama swing" that Jim built onto Owen and Miles' backyard swing set.

Packer Football - nuff said.

Popcorn & Diet Coke at the movies - that is a meal in itself and the finest one I can think of.

Mexican Food - all the time.  Alejandro Alejandro!!!!

Cilantro - in salsa - it deserved a line all to its self!

Hanging with my mama.  We enjoy just being able to sit in one spot, talk some trash and eat yummy things - we sure do!

Cookbooks.  Cookbooks. Cookbooks. 

Sweet tea - house wine of the south - lots of ice.

Grandma LaTrelle's biscuits.  They allude me - I cannot make them myself - this bothers me more than you know.

Key Lime Cupcakes from The Cake Corner - cream cheese frosting.  One bite will make you deeply ponder life and the meaning of it all.

Painting pottery at Makin' Memories.  There is something special about getting to paint as an adult - it is healing.

Working out at work on my lunch hour.  Gets it done before I get home and that makes me feel like I have done something BIG!

Friends - I have all kinds.  Some that I vent to about cooking, wiping runny noses and how to get skinny.  Some I meet for breakfast or lunch.  Some from work and we talk trash and laugh BIG and HARD till we almost pee on ourselves.  Some I only get to email, but we haven't missed a beat.  I need them all and they help me survive!

Frosties from Wendy's - oh my.

Books - books on audio for the drive, books to read at night - books and books, because I have to be able to read.

My pajama sweater - this is a sweater I bought recently from Sam's Club to replace my old, grey sweater that I had from when I was pregnant with Owen.  My old one was sadly retired after an unfortunate hole grew too big for me to respectfully walk around the house wearing in front of my family.  My new one is charcoal grey, long and thin and I wear it in the mornings with my pjs before I get dressed.  I would want to be buried in this sweater - and my pajamas.  Who wants to be buried in a stiff suit????

Being with my mom and her sisters, my aunts and my Grandmas - it feels good to be a part of something and man do we have a good time!

Eating out - by golly, for mothers and women who cook, there is nothing more gratifying than having a meal served to you and not having to wash the dishes later.  It a slice of heaven, for sure.

Dreams - I daydream a lot about things.  I think about what I want to do with my house - changes I would make - decorating ideas, places I would like to visit -  and even though I can't have it all right now, I need to have something to look forward to - to work towards.  I think everyone needs to have a dream - it keeps me going and it gets me excited.

Zac Brown Band - Chicken Fried & Hwy 20 Ride

Dove Chocolate, Mr. Good Bar, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Lifetime search for the best Macaroni & Cheese Recipe - a tedious and fattening job, but someone has to do it.

Lemonade - extra lemons, extra sugar - tart, thick & sweet - extra ice.

Jeep Wagoneer - yes, you heard me right!  Old and retired, but I love those faux wood-grain painted beauties! 

Blogging - sharing something that will bring a smile or a tear - this makes me very happy.

The Pioneer Woman - her blog and cookbooks excite me - they make me want to work cattle and I feel like I need my own pair of chaps. 

GAP 1969 Low-rise Boot-cut Jeans - oh how they were made just for me - I have 3 pairs!

My cowboy boots - they rock - even when I am not wearing them!  They rock, all by themselves, laying on the floor.  I only need my one pair and I will have them forever.

The art of wrapping gifts - I have a talent for this somehow - and it is a double-edged sword because sometimes the gift inside is not as great as the wrapping on the outside.  Ah, the trials and tribulations of not being able to give everyone the world... LOL!

Tuesday, January 25

Because I have developed a love of the idea of giving canned gifts to family and friends (you are all very lucky you didn't get orange marmalade for Christmas - thank my mom for that one) I just adored these Ball mason jar gift tags... 
If you love them too - you can buy them here:
http://shopterrain.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=ST&Product_Code=HOUS-FIEL-135-001001&Category_Code=KITC-GADG

Saturday, January 22

A little spring...

You can find these cute cupcake picks at Layer Cake Shop Baking Supply - a little spring in the middle of winter!


http://www.layercakeshop.com/index.php/Shop/Decorating/Lemon-Slice-Picks.html

Lovin' Spoons - Pooler, Georgia

After reports of red velvet flavored frozen yogurt, we had to try out Lovin' Spoons - a new frozen yogurt shop that opened next to Publix in Pooler.  What a hopping little place we found - with plenty of yummy flavors to choose from... and a VW Bug coming out of the wall!


Owen picked the red velvet, while Miles picked the vanilla.  The flavors will change from time to time -on this day, we could choose from dark chocolate, Reese's Peanut Butter, Dulche de Leche (oh my!), Lemon Creme and a few others...

And here comes the fun - THE TOPPINGS...




Anything and everything you could ever imagine...



And if that isn't enough for you, drown it all in hot fudge or hot caramel ...



And top it all off with more sin and naughtiness... raspberry or butterscotch syrup and marshmallow topping!



All of this makes for some very happy boys...



Another very cool perk - games to keep the monkeys entertained - and doesn't this give off the feeling that the owners want us to settle in and stay awhile?

Wednesday, January 19

Every Southern Girls Dream...

 It was snowing - yes, in Georgia!  My little monkeys were outside playing with Madelyn and Mason from next door and it hit me that I could actually take steaming cups of hot chocolate outside to all of them - just like in the movies - just like people probably do all the time up north!



See how excited everyone was - it wasn't just me.  We were all shocked and happy, as only people living in the south can be when a treat like this comes along.





These children were even willing to let me take pictures of this huge event.




Happy oldest child...





And happy youngest child...

Thursday, January 13

Wednesday, January 12

It's Wednesday and at our house, all good things happen on Wednesdays. I decided to take the boys to get cupcakes from a local bakery. Why not?


Wouldn't it be lovely to have your very own glass case at home? And what's better than that is to have it filled with red velvet and key lime cupcakes with cream cheese icing!


Look at that face ... is it happy, is it wicked? "Mama - can I have two?"


Chocolate & buttercream filled cookie sandwiches - sandwiches are healthy, right?



Meanwhile, Owen decides that these would be perfect cakes for Mrs. Lynn.




Back to the gloriousness ...



And the perfection...



After much coercion on my part, I convinced my two accomplices that these decadent treats would taste much better at home. It was a hard sell. At long last ...




(Nope, Daddy would not approve of this outing - in the middle of the week and everything!) ha ha ha ha ha (this is my evil laugh) ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look how happy my child is...



Now, was there any doubt that Owen would choose the humongoid cookie sandwich? Taking bets on who thinks he can finish the whole thing in one sitting ... anyone?

... 

It must be pretty good


Finally, he took a break - just in time for mommy to sneak a bite!



Hello, Beautiful... Where have you been all of my life?



Just look at how lovingly someone iced and sprinkled...



Oh dear ...



Now how did that happen? I was standing right here the whole time!





The dregs of the cookie sandwich - not even my Cookie Monster could finish the whole thing...

My Owen - the caregiver.  Sometimes when Jim is out of town, Owen will decide it is up to him to take care of us.  Last night, before reading stories, he made drinks - and labeled them!  This is what I found when I came in the room.  Isn't he sweet???
 

Tuesday, January 11

Santa effectively deals with backorders.  Meet Matchbox Mouse.  This was one of Miles' number one requests for Christmas this year.  (Secretly, it was my very favorite thing too - and that is why Santa was so effective in making sure he got under the tree.)  Isn't he cute?  I think we need to name him, but that might result in the third or is it fifth "baby" with the name "Scraps."  Miles names all of his animals (babies) the same name.  I guess it is easy that way. 

Monday, January 10


While watching Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and hoping to find a recipe for the heavenly blueberry muffin french toast (iced, I tell ya!) featured on the show, I happened upon the lovely website of Chaps Coffee Co.  - home to the decadent french toast.     

The music and the layer-upon-layer pictures and textures from their website made my little heart SING!

See for yourself - here:

Now for that recipe - because I do not disappoint!

BlueBerry Muffin French Toast
as created with Guy Fieri from Diners Drive-ins and Dives
by Chaps Coffee Co.

Blueberry Muffin French Toast
6 1/4 c. All Purpose flour
1 Tbl. + 1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
20 oz. Unsalted Butter
3 c. Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
5 Whole Eggs
1 1/2 c. Fresh Blueberries

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Adds eggs and vanilla.
Beat until incorporated.
Scrape down sides of the bowl.
Add dry ingredients.
Beat until well combined.
Add blueberries. Mix briefly.
Spread into a greased 9x12 pan.
Bake 350 degrees for about an hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 lbs cream cheese
3 cups sugar
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Whip it up and serve on top.

Friday, January 7

Just keeps on coming...

That pesky Pottery Barn catalog just keeps finding my mailbox! 

This issue is all about my favorite things - comfort food.  In fact, it gives us complete directions on "How To: Throw a Comfort Food Party..."  As if I needed any more big ideas on how to eat creamy, cheesy, naughty things!  (Although, because I think everyone deserves to be all comfy too - here is the link below...)

http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/dinnerware-entertaining/party-planner/?cm_src=comfort_foodparty

First, they give you a whole list of parties you can host - my favorite was a Book Club Party - and then you can download the menu, recipes and even invitations!  Oh the big ideas!

Wednesday, January 5

Perfect Baked Potatoes

To bake the perfect potato with a crackly skin, you will need...

Olive Oil
Salt
Russet Potatoes - similar in size


Wash and dry the potatoes, then pierce each potato deeply with a fork or sharp knife several times on each side.  Pricking the potatoes will allow steam to escape during the baking - and keep explosions at bay.  Besides - who wants to clean up an oven after dinner?  Not me!  (If you just happen to have a penchant for cleaning ovens, you can always come over.  I will bake you some potatoes, minus the explosives - and after that, you can clean the oven just for fun!)

Side note - wrapping the potatoes in aluminum foil will produce a soft skin (not crispy). Technically, this is steaming rather than baking (as the moisture in the potato remains trapped) and the light, flaky texture will be missing. The texture of a steamed potato is entirely different from that of a perfect baked potato.  NEVER use aluminum foil when baking potatoes!

Rub or brush the potato with olive oil...



 Then roll the potatoes in coarse or kosher salt...



This makes the skin super yummy to eat - just don't eat it all - unless you want to carry around 5 lbs. of water weight the next day. 

Now bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to an 1 hour 20 minutes.  Enjoy with some butter, sour cream and cheddar cheese (and maybe some yummy, crumbly bacon - and some jalapenos if you are a Mexican girl like me!)

Ole!

My Milesy is Five!

 My Milesy turned five. FIVE. 5.


 

Sadly, I had to work, but only for most of the day and not all of the day.  Because of the overwhelming guilt for having to leave my child on his birthday, Jim and I decorated the house with streamers - so many of them in fact, that my dining room looked like the BIG TOP at the circus.  This made me happy.  We tied balloons to yarn and then strung that across the entire foyer area and then we hung streamers in every color, layer upon layer from Miles' door - I like for them to have the full effect as soon as they open their eyes. 

I woke him up at 7:30 -because I couldn't leave without whispering to him, "Today, you are five!"  I think that is important - because today will never come again - just like when your brand new baby is only a day old - you just never get that time back.

Like his mama, Miles loves the Marios Bros. game on his wii. 


We decided to have a Mario party and have a Mario cake.  The Cake Corner couldn't make Mario, but did the next best thing - Toad.


You have to turn out the lights to blow out the candles...


He doesn't know it yet, but there are DRUMS inside this box ... he is going to be a ROCKSTAR!



It is sometimes hard to get a normal picture of both boys - maybe this is normal?


Yes, "Candace (really does) Eats Cake"...  This is scary.... ha ha ha!