Guitars and Pralines

Update

2010-12-21T08:53:00.000-08:00

Is anyone out there?!! I don't know if y'all have given up on my little retro blog or not but I'm still here. It's been a long time since I had the opportunity to sit down and write a post. I've had good intentions to sit down and catch y'all up but it just seems like my life has been a bit out of control this past couple of months. My whole life has literally changed overnight.

Let me explain what's been happening. A few months ago my husband was contacted by a big law firm based out of San Antonio to work on a few cases. They wanted to use his expertise in the health care field. My husband loved it! What shocks me is that this call came out of left field and he had previously discussed a dream of going to law school. Well, this entire thing just ignited his passion and so after serious consideration and prayer, we decided to go for it.

My husband enrolled into the Princeton Review to help prepare him for the LSAT. The week of the LSAT was insane. We had two state inspections show up on two different accounts and the day prior to the LSAT we were in a car accident (thankfully nobody was hurt). I felt horrible for my hubby as he was under tremendous stress but he still scored really well. Praise God!!!

That was just one of many hurdles yet to come. Next we had to get accepted into law school. My husband researched and found a particular school he wanted to attend. It was a private law school that had an amazing health care law program. The odds were totally against us getting into this private school but again we went for it. We jumped in the car and drove over to the school and my husband met with the dean. He explained why he felt he would make a good candidate for the upcoming 2011 class. The dean showed no emotions/expressions so we had no idea if he was going to give my husband a chance or thought he was insane for trying.

On December 3rd my husband checked the mail and.....HE GOT ACCEPTED!!! Not only did he get accepted but he received a personalized letter from the dean himself.

As if the holiday season isn't busy enough, we've been preparing to move out of state. It will feel so weird not to be living in the Lone Star any longer. We've been calling Texas our home for nearly 6 years. But I'm excited about returning to the deep South. We will be moving to the Magnolia state. For those who don't know the Magnolia state it's Mississippi.

My husband has a lot of roots in Mississippi and Louisiana so we will be pleased to be returning and being around all of our old friends and family once again.

As for Christmas, we'll be spending it home this year. Our very last Christmas in Texas. It's hard to imagine. I've been swamped trying to get all my holiday shopping done. We've been on the road a lot this past month, Dallas, Baton Rouge, San Antonio, etc. I planned on shopping before the big rush but time got away from me and I've had to deal with crowds this year (blah). That's the one thing I don't like about the holidays (crowds). Houston is a the 4th largest city in the United States. The last census reported 7 million but that was nearly 10 years ago. With all the people moving to Texas in the past decade I know we are pushing at least 2 million more in this city alone. That's a lot of holiday traffic, y'all. Makes me crazy. That's one thing I will not miss...not one bit...Houston traffic. I almost prefer L.A. traffic over Houston traffic. Yes, it's that bad.

Today is also my Anniversary. My husband and I are headed out on the town. I found the most beautiful black dress. As every woman knows, it's impossible to own too many black cocktail dresses. We are heading into the city to celebrate at a little German restaurant. Can't wait! I'm proud to say after all these years of marriage bliss I still think my hubby is adorable. I'm proud to be called his wife.

In need of a break

2010-09-29T13:51:00.000-07:00

In need of a break

I'm writing this post when I should be working. I have a pile of work that needs to be completed by Thursday afternoon. That's less than 24 hours away!!! My husband and I landed another big account two weeks ago. It took a week for the company to sign the contract and then the contract had to bounce back and forth between legal council (amendments). We are literally drowning at the moment because a huge inspection will be set for the end of October (not much time to prepare). My husband and I have been working on 5 big contracts and I told him no way can we bring on another without leasing out an office and hiring staff. Currently it's working out where we have little to no overhead. He's out in the field servicing the accounts most days and I work out of our home office. It was working out great because I had time to work on the house, run errands, do my shopping, and blog a bit. Now, no such thing as down time. I'm grateful for the work and success God has blessed us with but I need to find a balance. I'm overdue in the pedi/mani department. Perhaps I can slip away for a few hours Friday afternoon.

Day Off

2010-09-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took the day off. Well, sort of. I jumped out of bed and made breakfast for my hubby, then started a load of laundry, went jogging on the greenbelts, came back and worked on my yard (pulled weeds), cleaned off the porch, wiped down the front porch rocking chairs, ran to the grocery store, made dinner, cleaned the fridge, took out the trash, and washed my car. Yep, I'm exhausted today but at least my car will look nice and clean while running errands. Thank goodness for my restful day off.

My Favorite Fall List

2010-09-10T12:53:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Pie Bubble Baths

Carmel Apples

Apple Cinnamon Spice Candles

Favorite Slippers

My favorite OPI fall color "Boris & Natasha"

Cheering on LSU Football Team

What are some of your Fall Favorites?

Coolest Barbie Evah!!!

2010-08-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

I came across this Barbie and couldn't wait to show my hubby. I collect retro Barbies and I must have this one. Does anyone remember watching this movie?

I remember spending my summers at my grandparent's house in central California. After spending countless hours swimming in the pool my sister and I would cuddle up on the couch with our Papa and watch The Twilight Zone. One afternoon the movie The Birds came on. It was my first horror flick I ever saw. I was pretty young, my sister and the neighborhood kids were all about 5 years older than me. Everyone had seen The Birds but me. I begged my Papa to see it and told him I was old enough and I wasn't scared. My Papa said alright but he would have to watch it with me.

My Papa loved to play jokes on us and right before one of the attacking scenes he left the room. I was so enthralled with the movie I didn't notice. However, when the shot came of the birds swooping down to attack my Papa threw a wet washcloth and stuck to the side of my face. I nearly jumped out of my skin. To this day I'm terrified of black birds and crows.

What Do You Believe...

2010-08-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

This blog has become sort of a online journal for me. It's a way to keep track over the year of events that have played out in our lives. This year has been overwhelming and downright exhausting at times. We've had a lot of things going on but all in all they have been true blessings. My husband started his own consulting business at the beginning of the year. It was something we'd discussed but scary when we actually put it into action. We started with one account and nearly 9 months later I'm pleased to report business is booming. We have clients that we've had to put on hold because we have too much work. That's a good problem to have. I feel extremely blessed considering the state of the economy. We actually have seen our larger competitors shut their doors from lack of business. However, we keep prospering and growing like a weed. My husband just landed another HUGE account. I honestly do not know how he'll be able to take it on. His calendar is bursting at the seams already. I've taken on more and more responsibilities but I think we are going to have to start considering hiring staff soon.

I shared this with a individual who asked me, "do you think this is a good time to hire? You know with the economy and all." To tell you the truth, I wanted to shake that person. I wanted to scream, "stop watching the news and live life!" Oh, I too have seen the news reports on the failing economy but I refuse to be fearful. Not irresponsible but fearful. There is a BIG difference.

Companies are laying people off and establishing hiring freezes due to what the media is reporting. Consumers are not spending money due to what the media is reporting. The Gulf Coast lost millions of dollars in tourism because of what the media is reporting. When did the media have so much power over the way we live our lives? I don't know about you but I put my foot down. I don't go to the media for guidance and provisions. I go to the Almighty God. I'm not going to put my future in the hands of CNN or Fox News. No way! Our nation was founded on faith. If you look back to the Revolutionary War the odds were against us. We were colonies fighting an established country with a large army. But even with the odds stacked up against us George Washington lead us to victory by his faith and perseverance. It's a shame that Americans no longer have the passion we once had. We didn't become a strong nation out of fear so why is everyone all of sudden so scared? Sometimes we have obstacles in life but we can overcome them if we believe we can. I'm not willing to give up because we have a bad economy or place stipulations on what we can achieve.

If you have a desire in your heart and want a better future, a better education, a better career, a better life, etc.. GO AND GET IT!!! Don't allow anyone, especially the media, to convince you otherwise. A lot of people in history have prospered during hard times. The difference is that never quit, believed in themselves, and kept working hard. Your future is what you believe you can do not what the economy allows you. Now excuse me as I step off my soap box and get back to work.

It's Back to School Y'all

2010-08-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's back to school already. On my way home Friday I cut through the back of our neighborhood and found myself smack in the middle of a traffic jam. I was sitting in front of the elementary school vehicles lined the streets and parents holding their children's hands as they made their way to the entrance (open house). We do not have children yet so I was completely caught off guard that black Monday was around the corner. My husband and I refer to it as "Black Monday" because it's horrific trying to commute out of the community to the freeway downtown. Poor hubby, he'll have to get up early in the morning to avoid the rush. Once I got around the group of families pouring into the neighborhood streets I couldn't help but think back to when I was a kid. The first memory that came to mind was when I was about 9 years old. I remember that first day of school vividly. My mom dropped me and my older sister off at school in our family's new Jeep Wagoneer. My sister was listening to the Go's Go's. I jumped from the back seat before my mother could kiss me goodbye. After all, I was 9 years old and didn't need my mom embarrassing me. I wore my jean skirt, purple IZOD shirt, side pony, and a Strawberry Short Cake lunchbox. I grew about 2 inches that summer so I was much taller and felt more mature as I towered over the younger kids. I even convinced my mom to let me wear lip gloss. It was bubblegum flavor. I thought I was too cool for school. What is your first day of school memory?

This was our family car during the 80's. Same color and everything.

I had this exact lunchbox. I carried a lot of PB&J in that little box.

I totally had the Debbie Gibson hair. Sometimes I'd wear it in a side pony.

The only make up a 9 year old girl could get away with. My BFF had the Dr. Pepper one.

I think my sister and I listened to this tape a million times. I knew every beat and lyric by heart.

Summer Countdown

2010-08-18T12:25:00.001-07:00

Summer is finally coming to an end. I can't believe how quickly it flew by this year. I heard that school starts next week. We don't have children so I have to rely on the news or hear through the grapevine. In a way I'm sad but on the other hand I'm eager for fall. August has been truly a disgustingly hot month down here in the Bayou City. That's what they call Houston "Bayou City." Texas is pretty much always a warm state but August has about killed me. It's hot when I wake up, it's hot during the day, and it's hot when I try to sleep at night. All this heat makes me sleepy and cranky.

My husband asked me what I would like to do this weekend. I told him I would like to drive down to the coast. It's one of the last weekends of summer and I want to spend it on the beach. At least I can feel the cooler breeze of the Gulf of Mexico. I decided I want to head down to Corpus Christi this weekend. I have a new book that I'm itching to crack open.

What is the one thing you would like to do before the end of summer?

Summer

2010-08-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

How are y'all spending your summer?

Mystery Meat

2010-08-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

I practically fell out of my chair laughing when I came across this picture because it is very similar to what I saw. It's almost like the artist himself drew this specially for me.

Yesterday I had to run a few errands and it took a bit longer than I thought. I called my husband and told him I was running a tad behind and that dinner would be delayed. All I can say is, OH MY GOODNESS!!! Y'all, I knew something was wrong the minute I opened the door that leads from the garage directly smack into our kitchen. The house was smokey and the kitchen counters were layered with cooking powders and sauces. There stood my husband beaming from ear to ear like a little kid. He had attempted to make dinner.

Now I should be very thankful because I hear a lot of women complain that their husbands don't help enough around the house. However, this was not what I wanted to come home to after a full day on my feet and fighting traffic. It was rather cute how he set the table, silverware completely disorganized, paper napkins from our paper towel rack, and mismatching plastic cups he dug out of the miscellaneous section of my pantry.

I didn't know where to begin so I set my bags on the living room floor because my counters were a complete mess. I smiled and pretended to be happily surprised. Well, I was surprised alright but I couldn't go as to say I was actually happy about what I walked in on. He was grinning like a Cheshire cat and quickly began showing off as though he was filming his own cooking show on the Food Network Channel. At this point I was gritting my teeth as I examined the sorry state of my beloved pots and pans. I didn't know if I should cry, run, or start screaming. Confused by the overwhelming mixed of emotions I stood there in complete silence with a silly grin utterly paralyzed.

Finally, after he explained the mystery meat was teriyaki chicken (his own homemade sauce), I picked up my heirloom silver fork from the charcoaled skillet. Tears were stinging my eyes but I choked them back, "honey, where did you get this fork?" He looked bewildered as to why I was asking such an odd question. He told me he found it in that box I have sitting on the large side table in the dining room. He was referring to my silverware chest that holds all of my antique cutlery on top of our buffet. This fork was part of the collection handed down from my grandmother. I nodded slowly ready to scream my head off but looking at how proud he was over his culenary masterpiece I refrained myself. Instead I told him he had done enough (damage) and asked him to pick out some dinner music while I prepared a salad to go along with dinner.

I scraped the poor pitiful burnt meat (lumps and all) from the skillet. Then tried to fight the rice out of the pot. I slid the serving platter and bowl onto the table. It was a total disaster. Then I looked across the table at my husband eagerly waiting to try his teriyaki chicken. It made me laugh as he wrestled with cutting the first peice. Do you remember Clark Griswold on Christmas Vacation eating that burnt turkey that his sister-in-law made? It was sort of like that. He leaned across the table and asked, "How's yours? It's not too dry is it?" I burst out in laughter and looked at him, "Seriously? Hon, you know how much I love jerky but let's leave that to the professionals." He too giggled and we decided to go out for dinner. Once our waitor delivered our meal I leaned over to my husband and begged him to promise me to stay out of my kitchen when I'm gone.

Surf, Sun, and Fun

2010-08-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

Last week my husband and I decided to take a mini retreat and get some down time. We went down to Galveston Island. I don't know why but I've always found the beach relaxing. Just hearing the waves and listening to the seagulls is so calming. It's been so hot lately that it was nice to feel the breeze off of the Gulf of Mexico.

At first I didn't know what to expect considering the oil spill. I've been absolutely heart broken over it. We have dear friends and family back in Louisiana and Mississippi that have told us terrible stories of what they've seen. I'm disgusted and want to cry when I think of all the animals and wetlands that have been destroyed by this negligence. We also saw on the local news that they have found tar balls from the spill washed up on Galveston. At first we weren't going to go but then my husband convinced me that the people in Galveston need our business. It's true, the people and businesses along the Gulf need our support through tourism. We went and had a fabulous time. I had so much fun and the beach was fun. I didn't see any oil. We had a great time.

2010-07-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

Last night my husband took me out on a date. We were designating Friday nights as date night but things got busy and it sort of fell through the cracks. The other day I mentioned that I missed not dating anymore. Doing house chores, working on the yards, and work has really been taking up all our free time. I think we finally got into a rut. Have you ever been in a rut? Everyday seems to be the same. It's like that old commercial by Dunking Donuts...."gotta get up and make the donuts." Do you remember that commercial? That's how I've been feeling lately.

Well, yesterday my husband called me and received a huge bonus check from one of his projects. He told me to get ready because when he got home he was taking me out on the town. We ended up at a fantastic Indian restaurant. It was delish. Anyone else love Indian food? The restaurant was so relaxing and had excellent service. The staff had bow ties on and it really reminded me of the 1950's. The manager was so sweet and kept checking on us. He kept asking my husband if he liked the food. My husband has a favorite Indian dish that we haven't been able to find at any of the restaurants in Houston. He asked the manager if they could prepare it and they happily whipped it up for him. My husband was in heaven. Then afterwards took the long way home through the city. I love driving in the city at night. I remember we use to drive through San Francisco at night. It's like an entirely different world than during the day.

We had such a nice time that we are back on the track with our Friday date nights. I wonder what we shall do next weekend. Any ideas for a fun date night?

I forgot what I was going to say....

2010-07-15T16:32:00.001-07:00

I've been doing a lot of this lately. Yesterday I walked into the room and completely forgot the reason of why I walked in there. I'll start a task and then my mind just turns off. Is it the heat? Am I tired? I don't know. I feel that I haven't been on the ball. My poor dear husband. He has to keep track of everything for me. I'll ask him, "Where are my keys?" "Have you seen my purse?" "What was it that I needed to pick up at the grocerey store?" He's like my personal assistant. He always has the answer. Sometimes he doesn't even respond but will hand me my keys, purse, or list. He's my rock. I can't imagine how bad it's going to be when I'm an old lady. Poor guy.

Old Couple Driving

2010-07-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

This makes me giggle.

Lazy Summer Afternoon

2010-07-10T17:35:00.001-07:00

Today was one of those relaxing weekends. I hardly did anything but lay around in the A/C and read a good book. My husband worked a little on organizing the garage. After relocating a year ago we are finally getting to the garage. I did my part last weekend by weeding out my holiday decorations. We've decided we need to clean house. I can't believe everything we've accumulated in the past few years. It's nice feeling to declutter and organize the closets, attic, office, and such. It's been a great time to work in the house because it's been so hot and miserable outdoors. However, I suppose that's just summer in Houston. One day it's nice and the next day it feels like living in an oven wrapped in a wet blanket. It makes me yearn for my native California. I use to enjoy summer when I grew up on the west coast. Now I look forward to fall. Texas is really hot during the summer. We lived nearly 5 years in Austin. I must admit it was hot but not nearly as humid as Houston. I found a great little ice cream shop nearby. It's become our little weekend retreat. We like to reward our hard work by indulging in some frozen heaven. It really helps cool us off. My favorite is strawberry. I like to go out for ice cream instead of keeping it in the house. I think I would be tempted to eat the whole carton during a hot weekend, Ha. How are you spending your summer so far?

My New Specs

2010-07-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I picked up my new eye glasses. I normally wear my contacts but my new frames look absolutely fabulous. Very chic! They totally made the outfit and gave me yet another style. I think I'm actually going to start wearing glasses more often. I'm terrible on my frames. I use them only when I watch television at night when I take off my make up and contacts. At night I'm embarrassed to admit I toss them onto my bed stand. I was so hard on the last pair that the screw actually came out. I kept telling myself I was going to run to the office to have them fix them but I never did. Instead I stuck a pin to hold them together. Not fashionable at all! I've worn contacts for nearly 12 years and never leave the house with my glasses on. However, my neglectful behavior finally caught up with me. I was having issues with my left eye. At first I thought I had strained while on the computer too long. After about 3 days I knew it was not strained and something was wrong. I made an appointment at my eye doctor and found out that I had infection in my left eye. Who knows how I got it. I've been traveling a lot int he past couple of weeks. He prescribed some medication (eye drops) and told me not to wear contacts. WHAT!!! I told my husband that I had to buy new glasses. No way could I be seen in the old frames. Besides, I think the prescription had changed since I wore them last. It's my fault for procrastinating. I'm usually on top of everything else but this area of eye care hasn't been a priority. I've gotten so use to popping my contacts in and out that I rarely need to use glasses. Now my back was against the wall and I was forced to buy another set of frames. I'm glad I did because the new glasses are really chic and trendy and looks great with my red hair. I just colored my hair 3 shades of red and I love it! I suppose it all worked itself out in the end.

Happy Independence Day

2010-07-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

Hope y'all have a wonderful, relaxing, and safe holiday weekend.

Let's talk BBQ

2010-06-26T17:33:00.001-07:00

It's grilling season and the other night my husband grilled the best chicken EVAH! We both love teriyaki chicken but the other afternoon when I was at the grocery store I accidentally grabbed another sauce. Boy, I'm so happy that I made the error because the new sauce was excellent. It's KC Masterpiece Caribbean Jerk. Y'all, it's so good over chicken with grilled pineapple. I made a teriyaki rice as a side and fresh fruit. Thought I'd share. Any good grilling tips for summer? What's your favorite things to grill?

Clothes Make the Man

2010-06-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

MY RETRO MAN

Don't you wish men looked like men of the 1950's? They really had style back then. I'm one of those lucky gals who has a husband that wears a suit and tie to work. And I must admit he looks very sharp in his threads. He also loves to wear hats. He looks good in them too. I'm a firm believer that accessories make an entire outfit. You can slip into a dress but when you add the pumps, earrings, bracelets and handbag, now you've got an outfit. Same with men. If you have a hat, cool shoes, watch, or a snazzy necktie, you're instantly cool and the ladies fall weak in the knees.

Recently I've started purchasing monogrammed handkerchiefs for my husband. At first he wasn't that excited and kept forgetting about them. However, I started carrying one in my purse and when he began to sweat (we live in Houston y'all) I'd pull one out and he would blot his face and neck. This really worked well and he began carrying them in his pocket. You wouldn't believe how many compliments he gets on his monogrammed hankie's from women. We also began investing in more hats. He looks very retro sporting his hats and people go crazy for them.

However, my husband's favorite accessory are his neckties. I think all men look classy and handsome in a necktie. I think that's one of the most attractive looks for a man. I recently came across a fabulous blog called TIEPEDIA at www.tiepedia.com This is a fantastic blog full of great ideas, funny stories, and neckties (of course). If you have a minute swing by and introduce yourselves to Matt. He's a great guy.

Back from New Orleans

2010-06-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

Hi Y'all! I'm back from our trip to New Orleans. I had a so much fun visiting family and friends. We ate like kings or should I say I ate like a queen. I've had my fill of shrimp. Seriously, I've had enough shrimp for the entire year. A lot of people are nervous about the seafood in New Orleans due to the oil spill in the Gulf. However, we get a lot of our shrimp and fish from Lake Pontchartrain. Lake Pontchartrain is clean from oil. And there's shrimp and catfish farms that are also oil free. It's the oyesters we have to worry about it and the restaurants are very careful about where they receive their seafood.

I think it's terrible what has happened in the Gulf. It makes me want to cry when I see the brown pelicans. Things were just starting to get back to normal after the hurricane. You don't see the blue tarps on the rooftops, old local shops have now open, and people are starting to return after nearly 5 years. For this to happen makes my heart really go out to those in Southern Louisiana. And poor New Orleans! The oil spill has scared the tourist. They think that the seafood is toxic. I'm telling ya from first hand experience it's been one of the best trips to NOLA I've taken in years. The food is great and the French Quarter wasn't crowded. If you want to go to New Orleans this is the time to book your trip.

They have the Louisiana Seafood Festival in the French Quarter during June. We happened to catch the tail end of it. They didn't serve oyesters but they did serve blacken catfish, red fish, and andouille and gator sausages. The gumbo was delish! I had so much food that I have to diet for the rest of the month. Again, this was one of the best memories I've had visiting the French Quarter and I use to live in there.

This was taking as we walked through the French Quarter. I love this area because it has a lot of my favorite shops located here. One of my favorite shops in the French Quarter is called Santa's Quarters. They have a ton of Christmas decorations all New Orleans. I have a alligator and street car ornament that I purchased a few years ago. I love them!!!

This is the St. Louis Cathedral. It's the heart of the French Quarter. On the back side they have a statue of Jesus raising his arms. At night there is a spot light shining on the statue that makes a giant shadow of Jesus that reflects off the church. It's pretty amazing when you see it. I tried to get a snap shot but it didn't turn out. Bummer!

Here's a vintage Mardi Gras dress worn by one of the past Mardi Gras queens. I love all the cool customes.

Below you'll see some pictures of the infamous Cafe Du Monde. Of course you can't come to New Orleans without ordering beignets. They are beyond delicious. Who knew that fried dough and powdered sugar could be so good.

As you walk through the streets you'll see musicians playing pretty much on every street corner. This was a great jazz band we watched while cooling off outside the French Market.

The FRENCH MARKET!!! I use to love shopping here on the weekends when we lived in NOLA. You can find the most unusual things here from jewelry, foods, linens, clothing, etc. I use to buy a lot of my Christmas gifts for my relatives back in California. I never had to worry about someone else buying the same thing.

Take'n it Easy in the Big Easy

2010-06-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

We're heading to New Orleans. My husband has a conference down in the Big Easy. I'm so excited because we get to see family & friends during our stay. Monday was my B-Day but we are celebrating in NOLA. I'm planning on having my Birthday dinner at Arnaud's. They have fantastic cuisine and live brass band in the evenings. I'm also going to hit all my favorite little boutiques off Magazine Street. Yippee! We'll be staying at the hotel where the conference is being held. I also plan on relaxing and soaking in some rays by the pool. We'll be in NOLA for an entire week so I have plenty of time to enjoy everything.

I can't believe it's been over 6 years since we moved from New Orleans. We were discussing it last night. I asked hubby, "Have we really lived in Texas that long?" In a way it seems like yesterday but on the other hand it feels like a lifetime ago. I enjoy Texas and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to live in Austin/Houston. But it still doesn't feel like home. Something about New Orleans always feels so warm & fuzzy (familiar) when you go back. It's not just family and friends but the whole New Orleans culture. There's just a way of life back there that's hard to explain to someone who's never been. Sure the music and fantastic Creole food is really great but the people really make it special. When I close my eyes I can smell the sweet pralines in the air, the sounds of the Dixie bands, and the old shabby ceiling fans slicing through the thick humid air. Of course I don't love the hot humid summers but I think I'll be too busy to notice or care.

C-Ya when I get back!!!

And the winner is......

2010-06-06T17:57:00.001-07:00

Thanks y'all for participating in my Retro Giveaway. It's now time for Bob Barker to reveal the winner. Bob says.....

DARRIN @ Dad's Dish

http://dadsdish.blogspot.com/

Darrin has a fantastic blog. I just recently came across it and love it. Y'all should take an opportunity to stop by. Darrin, send me your address @ pralinemadness@hotmail.com and I'll ship out your new BBQ book.

HAPPY GRILLING!!!

My Retro Giveaway

2010-06-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to thank y'all for following my blog and always leaving such sweet comments. I've met some really great people in blog land. As an appreciation I thought I would host a "giveaway" and because this is a retro blog I wanted it to be something fun.

Check out this fun book just in time for summer. It's called, Outdoor Grub Hot'n Spicy Barbecue, by Carol Tennant. This has all sorts of fantastic recipes. Living in Texas we are sort of BBQ snobs and I must say they have some finger lick'n good recipes in this book.

So if y'all are one of those cool cats or grill masters out there that are interested in my giveaway you must:

Leave me a comment and tell me you're interested at a chance to win this awesome cookbook.

Let me know that you are a follower of my blog.

Rub your lucky rabbit's foot and wait to hear if you won on a future post.

Good luck!!!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-28T21:08:00.001-07:00

Summer Plans

2010-05-26T11:57:00.001-07:00

I'm starting to prepare for the summer season. I have a few things I hope to accomplish this summer but mostly I want to enjoy it. It seems the past few years I have been super busy and before I know it the summer ends. Here's my summer plans.

1.) I have a three trips planned out this season.
2.) I'm going to read two books I've purchased but haven't cracked open yet.
3.) I'm planning on taking advantage of the new frozen yogurt shop.
4.) I'm going to hit a few garage sales.
5.) I'm going to get together with old friends for dinner.
6.) I'm going to take advantage of the Farmer's Market.
7.) I want to visit a few local museums.
8.) Go hiking in nearby National Parks.
9.) Go to the beach.
10.) Clean and organize our garage.

How would you like to spend your summer?

`

Bread Making Mama

2010-05-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to stay focused on eating healthier. I even have my husband staying on track this time. We've been shopping at the Farmer's Markets and health food stores. I love this time of year because all the fresh produce that's available. It's easy to find meats, fruits, and veggies but not so easy to find healthy breads. I read an article on all those horrible preservatives they use in breads that line the shelves at the grocery stores. It scared the dickn's out of me. I'm currently looking to make my own whole grain bread but don't know where to start. I have read several reviews on bread makers but I really would love some advice from someone who is experienced in the bread making area. Any suggestions?

Piggly Wiggly

2010-05-21T09:24:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm supposing y'all are interested in hearing where we ended up on our little venture out. We headed out on Mother's Day weekend and ended up stopping in Natchez, Mississippi.

If y'all haven't been to Natchez you're really missing out. It's gorgeous and is full of history. We shopped at the little boutiques, dined on Southern cuisine, and drooled over the historical homes. It was a beautiful weekend.

We didn't stop there. We decided to head down the Natchez Trace. Again, beautiful scenery. The Natchez Trace is also full of history. Some of the greatest people in our American history have traveled down the beaten path of Natchez Trace. It starts in Mississippi and runs all the way through Tennessee. I've never had the opportunity to drive the entire thing but it's a wonderful drive if you're in the area. We couldn't have asked for better weather and more perfect weekend to take our adventurous road trip.

We ended up in Jackson, Mississippi. Since we were only a few hours away we figured we would go check on some property we have outside of Jackson. Jackson is the capital city of the magnolia state and really laid back. The people in Jackson are so nice. I enjoy visiting Jackson when we come through. My mother-in-law is from Mississippi so my husband has family all through the state.

One of my favorite things about Mississippi is the shopping at the local Piggly Wiggly. Yup, they still have Piggly Wiggly. I make my husband stop at the Pig everytime we are in town. I love Piggly Wiggly. My BFF's (back in Austin) dad owned several Piggly Wiggly's in Texas. This was years ago but he still has Piggly Wiggly memorabilia around his house. I actually have a Piggly Wiggly t-shirt that I sometimes wear on the weekends. Oh my, you should see how people react to it. People will stop me in stores, restaurants, or on the walking trails and ask me, "where in the South are you from?" The Pig, it's a Southern thing y'all.

Weekend drive

2010-05-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

I know it's been awhile since my last post. I apologize. Life has been pretty crazy over at our house. Nothing really exciting to report but just busy with everyday life stuff, working on the yards, cleaning the garage, playing with new recipes, running errands, hosted a dinner party, church activities, etc... Perhaps now I can finally sit down and catch up with y'all.

My husband has been working a lot of hours lately. He had a huge account and managed to successfully complete it. Things are really getting busy and before he starts his next account we've decided to get away this weekend to the country. We are taking a mini road trip. I'm really excited because we are taking an entirely new route and I get to see a whole new region of the state I haven't explored before.

Back when we were newlyweds we use to go on road trips to the mountains in California. We wouldn't know where we were staying but packed a small weekend bag. I would also pack a picnic lunch in a cooler and we'd hit the open road. We had the best time and met so many fantastic people. Oh the cute little towns we'd come across. Sometimes we'd find an adorable bed and breakfast. Last year we explored the Ozarks and ended up staying at little cottage in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. It was fun.

Who knows where we'll end up. We leave early in the morning. I have a new dress that will be perfect for the country. Thank goodness for cell phones. Don't forget to call your mom this weekend!

Wonderful weekend

2010-04-09T09:50:00.003-07:00

I just can't get over how beautiful the neighborhood looks. Al the flowers and trees are in full bloom. I've been spending more time in my flowerbeds this season too. Last year we moved to Houston right in the middle of spring so I wasn't prepared. It has taken me almost an entire year to just get everything situated. I'm so happy that this year I have time to plant beautiful flowers and set up the patio.

My husband and I've been do some business travel this week so I'm anxious to spend the weekend just playing in the yards. You should see my Azaleas. They are absolutely gorgeous. I just wish they would last all through the summer. Of course they won't but I did find some other plants that are going to last all season. I'll take pictures this weekend and share with y'all.

So much has happened this past month. We celebrated my hubby's 40th B-Day. Yes, my husband is now officially 40. We drove over to San Antonio where we met up with our dear friends from Austin. My friend's hubby's B-Day is the day before my hubby's so it was a birthday weekend. During the trip we had a chance to tour the missions (we've wanted to do that for years). They are so beautiful and I'm so glad we finally broke down and went on the tour. It was the perfect weekend too. The weather was fantastic. I don't ever remember being in San Antonio with such lovely weather.

Last weekend my new furniture was finally delivered. Well, let me rephrase that. My living room set was finally delivered. I've been waiting for over a month. It looks fabulous. I can't believe the difference it has made. I'm so happy with our decision.

Sunday was Easter and my husband purchased me a new computer. I'm typing from it right now. It's so awesome and my other computer was soooo slow. Our neighbors across the street invited us over to a BBQ. Not just any BBQ but a Texas BBQ (smoke brisket and all). My neighbor is really into it and researches rubs and so on. I can't tell you how awesome the food is. I live on a street full of fantastic neighbors. They are always cooking food for us. No wonder I'm having a hard time losing weight, LOL.

This weekend we are planning on working in the yards. I'm heading down town to visit another friend from Austin for lunch. She's in for the afternoon. Sometime this weekend we are planning on driving up to the country "Hill Country" and taking pictures of the bluebonnets. They are so beautiful this time of year. I'll be sure to post some pictures when I get back.

Gotta run! Have a wonderful weekend............

Benefit Cosmetics

2010-04-05T20:10:00.001-07:00

I love makeup. I remember being a little girl and sneaking lip gloss and a tiny bit of blush on my cheeks. I begged my mom to let me wear it in the 5th grade. Of course she said no. I had to wait to the 7th grade before I was allowed to wear eyeliner and mascara. Ever since....I've been hooked. I have an entire cart (yes, I said cart) dedicated to makeup. It's one of those plastic carts on wheels that I have organized my eye shadows, lipsticks, and other products. If there was a fire I would roll it out first, LOL. I'm always trying different shades of lipsticks and eye shadows. Lately, I've been loving Benefit Cosmetics. They have wonderful shades for Spring. And they have adorable accessories. Just look at this cute lipstick case. Totally cute!

Happy Easter...

2010-04-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

HAPPY EASTER, Y'ALL.....

Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend. Any plans? We'll be attending church tomorrow morning and then heading back to indulge ourselves in our Easter feast and chocolate bunnies. I don't think you are ever too old for a chocolate bunny.

My favorite Easter memory is hunting those colorful Easter eggs. That's when eggs were hard boiled. We would dip them in the dye and add colored glitter. Oh the countless hours of fun we had as kids decorating those little white eggs. I also enjoyed the plastic eggs full of jelly beans. YUM! My mother would buy us those marsh mellow Peeps in shapes of chicks. Does anyone like those? I wasn't a big fan but I think my mom bought them for herself, LOL. She was always happy to accept the Peep offering as I gladly donated them to anyone who would take them off my hands. She always seemed to be the first to take them, LOL. My favorite candy was the chocolate bunny. I had a system of how I took out my basket. I would first start off with the jelly beans, then move onto the chocolate eggs (malted milk balls), and finally work myself down to the gross candy. But I always saved my bunny for last. Maybe break an ear off one day and wrap it back up in the shiny tin foil. Then perhaps another ear and so on. It would take me almost three weeks to work on that basket. But the Peeps, they had to go within the first few minutes, LOL.

What was your favorite candy that you loved to get in your Easter basket as a kid?

Spring and Summer Must Haves

2010-03-18T10:46:00.001-07:00

I'm loving this weather. It's in the 70's down in Houston, Texas today. It's been in the 70's for the past couple of days and I'm thrilled about it. I'm over winter already. Bring on the sunshine. Today I'm getting my closet and accessories prepared for this fast approaching season. Here's my list of Spring and Summer Must Haves.

It's that time of year when I change out my cool winter colors for warm spring & summer shades. The new Michael Kors edition from Estee Lauder has some fantastic colors. I really love the Starlet Rose lip gloss. Beautiful color!

I'll be needing a new cosmetic bag and love this one from LuLu Guinness. I love her stuff.

Lollia is my favorite brand for bath scents. They make wonderful perfumes. Light, floral, and fantastic.

My new flip flops. I love the color and pattern. They will look great with my pink polished toes.

Busy but Blessed....

2010-03-12T08:32:00.000-08:00

Hi y'all! I know it's been a long time since I've posted. Things at our house have been super busy and I haven't had a lot of blogging time. I'll catch y'all up.

Last summer my husband was laid off from his company. It was a complete shock and a very scary time for us. However, my husband and I put our faith in God and He completely came through for us. For the past 3 years my husband has discussed starting his own business. He has the knowledge, education, experience, and established relationships to be successful. However, it was never a good time and the thought of being 100% self employed was overwhelming. It's a big step in faith to put your household bills, retirement, investments, your entire future based on a dream. When I was younger I would have leaped and gone for it. But as you get older you have more responsibilities and "retirement" doesn't seem all that far away.

Well, I'm happy to say that the layoff really turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to us. My husband wasn't even looking to open his business but he began getting calls from clients he had worked with in the past. They asked to retain him for contracts. One contract lead to two. Then two to six and now he has so much work that he's been turning down contracts. He even started training me so I can help him keep up. It's been a lot of work and we weren't prepared how quickly it took off. However, I'm really proud of him and I'm thankful that God has blessed us with so much. And it's a lot of fun to have a family owned business. I feel closer to my husband because I'm involved more in what he does. It's an interesting field.

I've learned through this whole experience that it's all about attitude towards what happens to you in life. Sometimes things don't go your way but if you are willing to work hard, be optimistic, and ask God for help.....you can't help but be blessed.

Hope y'all are doing great. I'm anxious to visit your blogs and see what you've been up to. Have a wonderful weekend.

Swimsuits

2010-02-26T08:37:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was out shopping for a new black pump and noticed the swimsuits already on display. I couldn't help but browse through the new season suits. I happen to make the mistake of trying one on. I normally know to stay clear from a good swimsuit fitting this early in the year. This is the time when my legs haven't seen an ounce of sunshine and are white and pasty. I have a good friend who's from Spain and she always has lightly brown toned legs. What I would give to have her legs. A tan year round without even trying. Me, no I have pasty white glow in the dark legs. I've tried self tanners and even broke down and got the spray tan. Nothing really looks natural on me. Once I even used a self tanner and forgot to do my feet and hands. It looked like I had bright little white mittens and socks on. It took nearly a week for the tanner to wear off. My co worker's gave me a terrible time.

The one good thing about trying on a swim suit this early in the season is that it keeps me motivated to go to the gym. I've been hitting the weights and cardio all winter long. I'm hoping by June my legs will look fabulous in a new swimsuit. What type of swimsuits do you like and why?

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-13T16:21:00.001-08:00

Do you remember getting Valentine's in school? I do. One of my first memories of looking forward to Valentine's Day was when I was in the 3rd grade. That's when I had my first secret crush. I didn't even reveal it to my BFF back then (we told each other EVERYTHING). I remember one morning I dropped my Hello Kitty pencil case in class and he picked it up (without destroying it...why do boys at that age destroy everything) and handed it to me. Our hands touched and immediately I had it bad. He was the most cutest boy in my class. He had big blue eyes and sandy blond hair. And he was a surfer (grew up in California). I thought I would absolutely die waiting for Valentine's Day to finally arrive. I waited patiently as he crossed the classroom and began putting his Valentine's into everyone's homemade paper pouch (arts & crafts). Finally he reached my desk, I thought my heart was going to leap from my chest. I smiled REALLY big and he....he...he threw the dang Valentine in my face and called me a dork. I wanted to burst out in tears but instead I told him I didn't want his stupid Valentine because he was gross. Yup, true love. We had it bad for eachother.

Who was your first Valentine crush?

Rain, Rain, Go Away....

2010-02-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

It's been raining cats and dogs today. I've been eagerly waiting for another beautiful sunny day. Last week we had a couple of good days and I started to see some green foliage begin to push itself up through the brown, ugly, hibernating brush. I got excited as I was attending to my yard and wanted desperately to drive down to the nursery to see what I could thumb through. However, as much as I'm itching for Spring fever in my hands my head brings me back to reality. Mardi Gras is about a week away and I've lived in the South long enough to know that we usually get our cold snaps during that week. We also get another right before Easter. So what is a gal to do? Well, I've purchased some big plastic containers that I've already began planting bulbs in. Now I just have to sit and wait for this cold rainy season to be over.

What are you doing to pass the time during this cold season?

WHO DAT

2010-02-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

WHO DAT! WHO DAT is going to win the Super Bowl!!!

Y'all we are so excited about the Saints going to Super Bowl this year. Normally I could care less (I usually go shopping during the Super Bowl) but this year I'm actually anxious to watch the game. The only thing that would make it even better is if we were back home in Nawlns watching the game with our family and friends. Of course we'll be talking to everyone by phone tomorrow but being apart of the group would have made it festive. I can't imagine how crazy the French Quarter is going to be tomorrow (especially if they win).

In honor of our black and gold beloved Saints and with Mardi Gras season coming around the corner we are celebrating with a Mardi Gras theme dinner. Today I'll be putting our Mardi Gras table together. I'm really looking forward to getting some fried shrimp. YUM!

I love being a girl

2010-02-05T13:54:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite things about being a girl is being a foofoo girl. I love make up, lipstick, perfume, lotions, and nail polish. There's something about trying a new nail polish that gets me all giddy. I can't wait for Spring when I can reveal my naked toes in a pair of new leather mules or sandals. I feel that my toes have gone into hibernation and are aching to be awakened to the warm sunny Spring temps. Well, I might be getting ahead of myself considering we are only in the first week of February but I stopped by ULTA and browsed through their OPI collection. I found the perfect shade of red. I love painting my toes a bright glossy red during summer. I love the OPI Alice in Wonderland collection. Not only am I a huge Alice in Wonderland fan but I'm also in love with the color red. So the color "Off with her red" is so perfect for me. What is your favorite nail polish?

New Furniture

2010-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

My hubby and I have decided that it is time to replace some of our furniture. We have been shopping and shopping and finally found what we are looking for. We had a few pieces delivered last night. To tell you the truth, this morning when I walked down the hallway into the living area it almost felt I'd walked into strangers house. I couldn't believe what a dramatic impact new furniture can make. I love getting new furniture but it's also draining. You want to make sure you get the right piece for the right price at the right place. Wow, just saying all that makes me tired. It's almost like buying a new car. I love having a new car but the whole process gives me a headache. When I was younger buying furniture meant if I see something I like I'd buy it. Now I'm into researching my product and price (experience after getting burned). I'm older and I really research before committing myself into a purchases these days. I've slowed down and I take time to think about what I'm buying. This really does help weigh out the pros and cons to every big purchase. What are some of your tips when buying furniture? And have you ever made a big purchase that you have regretted?

MAD MEN

2010-01-24T19:44:00.000-08:00

Check out what I came across....MAD KEN, LOL! That's hilarious. I love the wardrobe on this show. However, I find the plot a bit depressing. I know it's suppose to be a drama but I think we have enough TV series like this one. Where have all the fun shows gone? Everything on television is dark and gloomy. I like something that makes me laugh. We have enough to be depressed about these days. I wish we had a fun show like the Brady Brunch, Chips, Love Boat, etc. Something that you can watch as a family and forget the economy, politics, and stress of life. Anyone feel the same way?

Look at those retro dresses. Wouldn't it be fun if society began to dress up again?

HOLY COW!

2010-01-21T06:46:00.000-08:00

The other day I was out shopping and I started feeling sluggish. My husband and I've decided to replace our living room furniture. I pretty much know what I'm looking for and now its just finding the "deal." We're in an economy slump, y'all. It's all about saving money where you can. We spent a good amount of time visiting some stores the other day and I could feel my energy level quickly dropping.

We decided to stop off and get a drink at McDonald's. I told my husband to order a large size drink and we'd share (soda is bad for your teeth). I was floored when he passed a large size coke to me. Y'all, this thing was enormous. I had to hold it with two hands because I was afraid it would tilt over in our console. Really?!! This is now considered a large drink?

I was so amazed at the size that I looked up some information. In the 1950's a serving of Coke was considered 7-oz.. Today, a small serving of Coke is 16-oz, a large Coke is considered 32-oz., and the child size drink is 12-oz.! We are giving our children nearly double the amount of cola as an average adult during 1950's. YIKES! No wonder America is so unhealthy. It's shocking to see how much more calories we are drinking and eating now. Why has America gone crazy with Super Sizing? Did y'all know that United States has the most cases of Diabetes and Heart Disease than any other nation in the world? What on earth are they putting in our food and why are the portions so big? I believe that I'll be packing an ice chest this approaching week of bottled water and a regular size can of soda in the trunk of my car. It's not a financial issue but more of a health issue. Next time a need a little pick-me-up I'll grab a can of soda from my ice chest and skip the 800 calories.

Tabasco

2010-01-17T17:17:00.000-08:00

On our little vacay we stopped by the Tabasco plant. It was so much fun and really interesting. It was freezing that day so we were practically the only guests there. Normally it's really crowded so the tour guide gave us extra Tabasco sauce.

This is my hubby being silly with a massive over sized bottle of Tabasco bottle.

I found this really interesting. The barrels they use to make Tabasco comes from Jack Daniels. They buy them from the Jack Daniels plant and wash them out before they mash the peppers into a liquid form. Then they add salt to the peppers and wait for 3 years before they open the barrel. The salt settles on top of the barrel into a thick hard residue (almost like cement). Did y'all know that? I didn't. And I didn't realize that every jar of Tabasco sauce comes from this one individual plant. They supply the world's Tabasco supply from Avery Island, Louisiana. They also sell the pepper oil to candy and gum makers. The next time you purchase cinnamon gum you'll know that the oil came from Avery Island.

At the end of the tour you can visit the Tabasco Country Store. Good night! Do they ever have so much Tabasco paraphernalia in there. I've seen the catalog but I wasn't prepared to be overwhelmed with so much Tabasco goodies. Y'all, they even have Tabasco flavored ice cream. They have two flavors, original and Jalapeno. My favorite was Jalapeno.

Check out this chandelier made from empty Tabasco bottles.

I bought these really cute sack cloth kitchen towels. I'm a big fan of sack cloth towels and to make my day....they had Tabasco bottles that are Mary Lake Thompson!!! I couldn't resist the combination (had to have them).

I purchased these little Tabasco goodies for two of our neighbors. I ended up making my own little gift bag for them. This is how it turned out. * Note to all my Yankee friends....those are not baby lobsters. They are Crawfish.

And a visit to Louisiana wouldn't be complete without a box of Aunt Sally's pralines.

Vacay photos

2010-01-15T15:50:00.000-08:00

Ok, here are some of my photos from our vacation....

Here's the little Cajun cottage we stayed at. Our friend, Lyn, owns a B&B outside of Lafayette, Louisiana. We love to stop in and see her at least once a year. She's so cute and I love her Cajun accent. She makes the best breakfast too. She delivers our breakfast every morning by leaving a basket full of yummy warm things on our porch. She has a about 4 cottages located on her beautiful property that are filled with antiques and antique furniture. We stayed in the smaller cottage for two.

Here's our little Cajun cottage.... It's much prettier during the Spring/Summer months. It was so cold all the flowers and trees are pretty much dead in these photos. But I still think it's cute.

Here's our living room

Our kitchen/breakfast area

Our bedroom

Our Bayou view...I love the old antique Annabelle lamp posts.

And our yummy breakfast

That night we ate at one of our favorite Cajun restaurants, Prejeans. They have the world's best Gumbo. They make it out of a dark roux and duck. To die for....That's my hubs in front of a gator.

I'll have to post more over the weekend. There's way too many pictures to post right now. Hope y'all like my photos.

I'm back from vacay!!!

2010-01-13T15:35:00.000-08:00

I literally have been home for 2 hours. I've unpacked and started the mountain of laundry. Oh my goodness...the word fun can't even begin to describe what a good time we had on our little vacay. We ate ourselves silly with some of Louisiana's best Cajun cuisine, pralines, and even toured the Conrico Rice factory (best dirty rice in the world). For those who aren't from the region, dirty rice is type of rice it's not actually dirty y'all. We toured the Tabasco factory at Avery Island and even stopped by a plantation down in New Iberia. I have all sorts of stories and about 200 pictures. But I'll have to post those later this week.

I just logged on and saw that my good friend, Jill, over at peeptoepumpsandpearls just tagged me. I love getting tagged and reading others because you get to really know some of your fond blogging buddies. Here goes:

Rules:

1.) Answer 5 questions with 5 answers

2.) Tag 5 other bloggers

Question #1- Where were you 10 years ago?

1.) I was living in Eugene, Oregon and working for an insurance company. I was dating a wine salesman and often attended wine shows. I made a lot of friends in the wine industry while I lived there. I didn't realize until after I moved to Oregon that the Pacific Northwest has huge wineries. My favorite winery in Oregon is Duck Pond. The property is gorgeous and they have a fantastic Pinot Grigio.

2.) I remember celebrating Y2K at home. Again, I was in Oregon and it was cold and rainy that year (when does it not rain in Oregon, ha). I didn't feel like going out because it was so cold and instead watched movies in my pj's. I ordered in Chinese and was in bed by 9 PM. I was leaving for Seattle the following day and needed my rest.

3.) I purchased my very first car on my own. I bought a brand new Toyota Corolla (my first grown up purchase). It was black and had grey upholstery. I had it shipped to the dealership because a lot of the cars sold (new) in Oregon do not have A/C. The summer months are very mild in the Pac Northwest so you don't need A/C. However, I'm from California and my family lives in the Sacramento Valley so I would die if I were to ever visit them in the summer (not unusual to get up to 115 in summer months). Thank goodness I did because I moved back to California and kept that car for another 2 years. I wouldn't have survived those summer months without A/C.

4.) I had my first major adult relationship break up. I was a long way from home and had to make a huge life decision on my own. I believe those hardships helps make you stronger and more mature when you handle them on your own and not under the influence of others. You really evolve in character.

5.) I began a career in insurance that lead me to take a position back in California (where I met my husband). This year was the stepping stone to my future of where I am today. It was a hard year but good year (a lot of growing up).

Question #2- What is on your "TO DO LIST" today?

1.) Laundry

2.) Check e-mail

3.) Pick up mail from post office

4.) Start dinner

5.) Clean out my car from road trip

Question #3- What 5 snacks do you enjoy?

1.) Chips and Queso

2.) String cheese

3.) Grapes

4.) Popcorn

5.) Ice Cream

Question #4- 5 places you have lived?

1.) San Francisco, CA

2.) Eugene, OR

3.) New Orleans, LA

4.) Austin, TX

5.) Houston, TX

Question #5- 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire? The first thing we would do if we were billionaire's....we wouldn't tell ANYONE. Money divides relationships. It's a powerful thing that if used properly can help lives but it can easily destroy lives too. We wouldn't stop working but would use the extra to enrich our lives as well as others. Again, we would never reveal the amount of money we had to ANYONE.

1.) After I tithed my 10% I would donate 20% to my our favorite Christian charities (medical missions).

2.) I would invest in future business adventures (anonymously) that would help fund community outreaches to help people in need in our area.

3.) Become 100% debt free and use my income to work for others. Money gives you the opportunity to bless those who you normally wouldn't come across. I would have the ability to travel to other parts of the world to give hope to the hopeless. New hospitals, medicine, medical procedures, schools, housing, clean water, etc... So many people who need help across the globe. Again, we would anonymously donate.

4.) I would want to build my own plantation style home (small version). I would want a home where I could entertain guests, bless them with Southern hospitality, raise my future children there, and create a Godly family heritage that I could pass down to future generations (make many wonderful family memories). I remember vividly my grandparents house all the way down to the old cracked candy dish. It's the little memories that become the big things you desire most in life.

5.) Selfishly, I would want to buy my Mercedes SUV and perhaps my other dream car...1955 T-Bird. My father use to own a classic car business and I fell in love with a 55 T- Bird he restored.

I tag.....

Blonde Episodes http:blondeepisodes.blogspot.com

Turley Times http:turleytimes.blogspot.com

A Different Kind of Southern Girl http:adifferentkindofsoutherngirl.blogspot.com

At Home with Libby http:athomewihtlibby.blogspot.com

Simply Country Chic http:simplycountrychic.blogspot.com

On Vacation Y'all!

2010-01-07T15:47:00.000-08:00

Hubby and I are heading over to the cottage in Bayou Country (Louisiana). We are looking forward to filling our tummy's with good Cajun food, visiting with some old friends, and relaxing while listening to some live Zydeco. Hope y'all have a fantastic weekend! Will post when I get back.

"Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!" (Cajun for Let the good times roll)

HOOKEM HORNS

2010-01-06T15:30:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the BIG game between Alabama and Texas. I just wanted to take a moment to say....

HOOKEM HORNS!!!

GO TEXAS!!!

His secret chicken affair....

2010-01-04T11:04:00.001-08:00

How do you know when you are getting older? You begin to talk about your health. When I was younger I remember hearing my older relatives talk nothing but health issues. Who was in the hospital, what type of medications they were on, the pains and aches in their back, and of course, who recently died. I would think to myself...being old is the pits. All you ever talk about is health.

Now that I'm in my thirties I've become more aware of my health and others around me. I'm a little obsessed with health these days. I'm constantly reading the calories, trans fats, sugar, preservatives, etc. on the packaged food at the grocery store. I've made it my mission to eat whole food grains and produce (organic). And to cook more healthy meals at home rather than eating out. My husband on the other hand hasn't fully gotten on board with the healthy eating habits. No, he's actually been putting weight on rather than taking it off. He was born and raised in New Orleans. And everyone knows that nothing can kill you faster than a Louisiana diet.

My husband turns 40 this year and all of sudden it has become my mission to make sure he breaks some of those unhealthy eating habits and start weening him off fried food, french fries, and chocolate (pretty much in that order). Knowing that he isn't getting enough fiber in his diet I've began forcing him to drink a glass of fiber in the morning. It's almost like getting a small child to take his/her medicine with the look of disgust on his face. He usually tries to run off before I pour the glass but I've caught onto his escape route and road blocked him. His mother, my MIL, did a horrible job making him eat his fruits and veggies. Now it's like a WWF wrestling smack down to get him to eat anything vegetable like. It was either broccoli or fiber. He chose the fiber supplement.

So, this has been going on for almost six weeks now. I began cooking and packing his lunches. I even included healthy snacks. But for some reason I noticed my hubby has been putting on a few pounds. At first I didn't notice right away but when he was working in the yard I noticed his favorite T was fitting a little snug. Then at Christmas his new shirts were also a bit tight. How on earth is he gaining weight when he's eating more healthy meals I thought......

Over the weekend my hubby and I ran some errands. Now I have given up fast food for nearly 3 months but sometimes will stop by to grab a drink (if I'm out). This weekend we were driving down the street and I noticed I forgot my bottled water at home. I told my husband to stop by the local Popeyes a few blocks away. He tried to talk me out of it. I got frustrated with him and told him to go through the drive thru because I was thirsty. Again, he tried to talk me out of it. Finally I asked why he was trying to keep me from getting a drink from the fast food eatery. He decided to turn into the parking lot and get in line rather discuss it any longer.

Here's what happened.........

We pull up to the window to pay and wait patiently for my drink. When suddenly a pimpled face teenage boy sticks his head out of the window, "Hey, we saw you pulling in so we put the chicken on the fryer for you. Your number 2 will be ready in a minute."

My husband (who turns white) gives the kid a stern look. Obviously the kid took the cue because he immediately looks uncomfortable as he peers over to the passenger seat at me. At this time I lean over the console to get a better glance of the boy.

Me- "What? Chicken!" I peer into my husband's deer in the headlights expression. "You've been eating Popeyes fried chicken this whole time?!!!"

I turn my focus to the now intimidated boy's face as he begins to turn red and sweat. "Tell me, how often does my husband come through here?"

He looks at my husband and says with a question, "twice a week?" My husband gives him a little shake of the head as to not tip me off but it's too late. I'm onto them.

I point the boy, "You better not lie to me. Save yourself, because he's already up in his neck in number 2." He sheepishly smiles and disappears behind the glass window.

"Blank Blank Blank." I call my husband by his full name. "I don't believe you've been eating all that fried chicken. What have you been doing with the lunches I've been sending with you?"

My husband's demeanor quickly changes into pride as he says, "I'm not lying to you when I say I've eaten them."

Me- "Are you telling me you ate the chicken and the lunches I've sent?"

My husband puffs his chest up and smiles- "Yup, I ate the lunches because I knew one day you would ask me and I could say I did without lying."

This is my life, y'all.........

My 1st Award for 2010.....

2010-01-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

I just received my 1st award for 2010 from Kori over at http://blondeepisodes.blogspot.com/. I love this award!!! It's so cute and I feel so honored to receive it. Kori follows over 500 blogs!!! Yes, I said 500 blogs. That's a lot of blogs. I feel so privledged to have met her this year. She is such a sweetie and has one of the best blogs I follow. It's really retro and she always has some interesting posts. I suggest stopping by and visiting her if you get the chance. She's so cute.

The rules after receiving this lovely award is to pass it onto someone else you admire. I'm going to pick Jill over at http://peeptoepumpsandpearls.blogspot.com/ (I wish I knew how to only put the link by name but I still haven't figured that out yet). I chose Jill because she has become a really good blogging friend this year. She has an adorable blog and she is a wonderful person. So, Jill I'm passing this award off to you.

Two amazing gals that I've met while blogging this year. You both make me smile.

Happy New Year!!!

2009-12-31T08:25:00.001-08:00

I hope y'all have a fantastic New Years. Any New Year's Eve plans? We normally have a New Year"s Eve party but this year we are taking it easy. Last year we hosted a dinner party and invited our friends from tennis class over. But this year it's just going to be the two of us. I think it will be a nice change (I won't have to cook, prep, or have to deal with a massive clean up). It's going to be foggy and raining this evening so I decided to pull out some movies. I picked, Down with Love, with Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor. I love the retro feel of that movie. I also picked, That Touch of Mink, with Doris Day and Cary Grant. I grew up watching lots of Doris Day movies and I love them!!! I'm also ordering in Chinese take out. I think it'll be a great way to bring in the New Year, snuggled up with hubby.

How will you be spending New Years Eve?

How was your Christmas?

2009-12-26T12:26:00.000-08:00

Hope y'all had a wonderful holiday. We had a fantastic Christmas. I got so many great gifts. My husband surprised me with a ton of fabulous things this year. One of my favorite gifts was a gift bag of 3 sets of pj's. I love comfy pj's. I got the cutest pink and black set that I couldn't wait to sport last night. And this afternoon I'm enjoying sitting on the couch and reading some new books I got for Christmas. Just wanted to pop in to say hi and see how y'alls holiday went. What are some of your favorite gifts? Anything special happen this Christmas?

Merry Christmas

2009-12-22T10:48:00.000-08:00

I totally remember getting one of these when I was a kid. I grew up in the 70's/80's and these little bouncer's were the "cool" thing to have on my block. Mine was red with a round handle. I still remember rushing into the living room on Christmas morning and finding it leaning against the tree with a nice red bow. I couldn't wait to go outside and show it off to my neighbor's Kim and Stacey. Stacey had a blue bouncer with a Donald Duck head and Kim had a blue one like mine. We bounced all around the drive way down the sidewalks until my mom called me in. That was one of my favorite gifts of all time. Simple and probably didn't cost more than $20.

I'm going to be busy the next couple of days getting prepared for the holiday but before I log off I wanted to wish y'all and your families a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I hope your holiday is simple and fun as little red bouncer.

Our Anniversary!!!

2009-12-20T10:08:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow is my hubby's and my Anniversary. We'll be married 7 years. Wow, in a way it seems like we've been married for 50 years but in another it only seems like yesterday. We've had a lot happen in the past 7 years (some good, some bad) but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I'm one of those lucky gals that married her best friend. My husband is so wonderful, y'all.

Since he has to work Monday we decided to celebrate yesterday. He gave the the most adorable apron that I've had my eye on. I saved it under my etsy account and he must have looked it up. I was so shocked when I opened my gift. I didn't expect it at all. I love to collect aprons. A gal can't have too many cute aprons. When we lived back in Austin we would drive down to San Antonio for a weekend to enjoy the Riverwalk. The Riverwalk is so beautiful during Christmas and it's very romantic. But this holiday season we are in an entirely new city and my hubby's work schedule has been a little crazy this year. We decided to keep it simple and take a small trip in January. I can't wait to for our mini vacay. It's going to be so much fun. I'll share in another post.

Here are my top 5 reasons why I love being married to my husband.

1.) He plays guitar and makes up silly songs about me.

2.) He listens to me gab about girl stuff for hours and never complains.

3.) He's got my back no matter what.

4.) He's hilarious and can make me laugh even when I'm crying.

5.) He loves, encourages, and supports me always.

Happy Anniversary, Babe!

The Holidays

2009-12-19T20:37:00.000-08:00

I finally finished up my Christmas shopping so now I can sit back and truly enjoy the holiday. This afternoon my husband and I stopped by a new French bakery he came across last week. It's awesome and filled with so many goodies. We definitely have to make ourselves go jogging tomorrow, lol. My husband got a napoleon and I got a cupcake. Ok, that might not sound so bad but you didn't see what we brought home. Two boxes of a huge selection of cookies. They are all so delish and the car smelled so good on the way home. I wish they had a car freshener that smelled like cookies. However, I would constantly crave them so maybe that wouldn't be a good idea, lol.

We also cruised around downtown and looked at all the cool Christmas decorations. I wish we had window displays like they did back in the day. One of my favorite scenes in the movie The Christmas Story is when the entire family was standing in front of the window display. That's when Ralphie saw the Red Ryder BB Gun. I wish life was that simple again. Back when families spent more time together, gifts were more simple, and the holiday wasn't so commercialized. I guess I'm old fashioned because I love the retro lifestyle.

Preparing for Christmas

2009-12-17T08:44:00.001-08:00

Today I'm swamped with housechores and errands. I'm trying to get everything prepared for the approaching holiday week. Can you believe that Christmas is now literally around the corner? I still have to pick up a few little items for Christmas and begin to plan for our big holiday feast. However, I did finalize our Christmas menu.

Our Christmas Menu

Roasted Cornish Game Hens smothered in a plum sauce

Teriyaki Wild Rice

Sweet Potato Praline Casserole

Roasted Almond Green Beans

Grandma's Fruit Salad

Dinner Rolls

Pecan Pie with French Vanilla Ice cream (dessert)

We are planning on gaining at least 5 lbs. from this dinner, lol!

Tomorrow I'm running to the grocery store to buy our hens. I've learned my mistake from this past Thanksgiving. Wow, it seems like I have to start shopping earlier and earlier each year because of the crowds. I don't remember the grocery stores being so crowded when I was younger. It amazes me where all of these people are coming from. And how more difficult it has become to shop during the holidays. I guess it is something we have to get use to.

Well, this year I have my trusty old deep freeze ready to go. I truly love my deep freeze. It's like having my very own meat market in my garage. When I'm out grocery shopping I always stop and eye up the meat department. I've gotten in the habit of asking the butcher when the next big sale is coming up. It saves us a lot of money and helps me keep within our grocery budget. Also, helps to shop in advance before the big holiday rush at the market.

Is everyone ready for Christmas? What helps you prepare in advance for the big holiday?

What's cooking?

2009-12-15T09:06:00.001-08:00

Today I'm whipping up some of my favorite recipes. I decided to make a meatloaf, mash potatoes, and green beans tonight. My husband loves my spicy meatloaf. He hasn't always liked meatloaf (have to agree) because most meatloaf recipes are too bland. But I found a good one a few years ago while flipping through some cookbooks. It's made with horseradish and spicy mustard. Over the years I've added a secret ingredient (by accident). However, it's pretty good.

My favorite thing to collect are cookbooks. I've found some great ones. I just ran by Half Price Books the other day and found a jewel. It's a Brennan's cookbook. If y'all aren't familiar with Brennan's it's a famous restaurant in New Orleans/Houston. Oh, do they serve the best dishes. I'm getting hungry thinking about it http://www.brennansneworleans.com/

My husband got me a subscription for Louisiana Cooking magazine for my birthday this year. It has some fantastic recipes. However, he's more into seafood since he was raised on the Gulf. Me, I'm more into Chinese and Mexican food since I was raised on the West Coast. The Mexican food is really different out in Texas. They call it "Tex-Mex." It's good but different. When I was living back in Austin I would eat at a place called, Mesa Ranch Grill. They had the best fried cactus in world. It's sooo good http://www.mesaranchaustin.com/ I use to live just around the corner from the one in north Austin. My husband and I would walk down and have our fill and work it off with a brisk walk home. The food reminds me a bit more of what I grew up on.

Back in San Francisco, my favorite Chinese restaurant is the Four Seas http://www.fourseasr.com/ I like the lunch buffet. Here in Houston, they have a pretty good size Chinatown, I found a place called, Nit Noi, http://www.nitnoithai.com/ that I like. I also found a few other restaurants in Houston I like such as Dolce Vita Pizza http://www.dolcevitahouston.com/ Mama Ninfas http://www.mamaninfas.com/

Massas http://www.massas.com/

What are some of your favorite restaurants/dishes? As you can see, I'm a big time foodie. I heart food! I enjoy looking over menu's and creating dishes with new ideas. It's something that I like to do (research restaurants). Sort of how a realtor loves to look at real estate in other regions; I enjoy looking at restaurant websites and reading the menu's, lol. Ok, I have to run. I have something in the oven. By the way I just posted a new banana pudding recipe on my cooking blog http://www.gigikitchen.blogspot.com/ It's a good one!

Christmas Hospitality

2009-12-13T19:26:00.000-08:00

When I first moved onto my street 8 months ago things were slightly different. Everyone pretty much stayed to themselves. It's an older settled neighborhood so families have come and gone but most of the original owners still live on our street. I love our neighborhood because the houses are unique, filled with big beautiful trees, lush green yards with tropical flowers, and a ton of greenbelts for walking/jogging. Yes, it was almost perfect. However, the neighbors on my street didn't even know each other. I suppose that's not uncommon these days with everyones hectic schedules and all.

One afternoon I decided I was going to change all that. I decided to make a chocolate chip cookies for everyone on our street. I made a huge batches and put them in little containers with pink tissue paper and wrapped them in a pretty pink bow. I delivered them to their front door and introduced myself as the "new girl" on the block. Everyone was surprised but very friendly. I also handed them a note card with my husband's and my first and last name along with our contact info. They exchanged theirs as well. I told them, "It's good to know who my neighbors are so I can look after them. If I see anything suspicious or they need anything at all (even sugar) please feel free to call me." Before long I began getting a hello here and there, then one by one stop they began visiting me in my yard, and now my neighbors bring food over.

The other night I didn't feel like cooking and I got a knock on my door. My neighbor across the street sent over Lemon Bars. Just as I shut the door another neighbor brought me Enchiladas. That same evening I was in the yard and I stopped to talk to my elderly neighbor across the street when the two neighbors down the street stopped as well. My elderly neighbor couldn't get his lights up on his house so the neighbors son offered to hang them for him. Everyone has lived on this street for over 10 years and they are now starting to get to know each other. It's amazing how far a little hospitality can go. Tomorrow I'm making a batch of sugar cookies for everyone. It feels so festive.

How do you spread Christmas hospitality where you live?

Our Cajun Christmas Traditions

2009-12-12T08:41:00.000-08:00

This post is for Amy. I told her that I would share some of our crazy Louisiana Christmas traditions. Back in New Orleans we celebrate Christmas a little different from most of y'all. I made a list of things that we do that you might find a little strange but when is New Orleans not strange?

1.) Instead of Santa Claus we have Papa Noel. Papa Noel lives down in the hot, humid, swampy bayou of Louisiana. He's a Cajun legend and you'll find often momma and daddy's reading books called, The Legend of Papa Noel or Cajun Night before Christmas, on Christmas Eve. We own both books and I've made it our tradition that hubby read them aloud every Christmas Eve.

2.) Santa is pulled in his sleigh by 8 reindeer. But Papa Noel is pulled in a Cajun boat called a, "Pirot" (Pier-O) by 8 alligators. There's Gaston, Tiboy, Pierre, Alcee, Ninette, Suzette, Celeste and Renee. Every Christmas season I make sugar cookies in shapes of alligators. I also make peppermint Fluer De Lis, and Lil Cajuns (they are actually Gingerbread men but we call them Lil Cajuns).

3.) On Christmas evening after a day of festivities we have a big holiday meal. Then we go into the living room to see what Papa Noel left us in our stockings. It makes the holiday cheer last through out the day. Papa Noel usually leaves us a hilarious letter written in Cajun for my husband to read. He has been traveling a long way from the Bayou to Austin the past couple of years so this year he'll be happy to only have to travel to Houston. In our stockings he leaves pralines, Cajun crunch, chocolate alligators, alligator jerky, and hot sauces. My husband collects hot sauces and Papa Noel always seems to find a new one he doesn't own.

4.) When we go back to New Orleans for Christmas we meet our friends on Christmas Eve night and set bond fires on the bayous. This is a fun event in Louisiana because we always run into friends. The purpose of the bond fire is to light up the swamp for Papa Noel so his alligators can see while delivering all those gifts to the boys and girls in Bayou Country.

5.) I love spending the holidays in the French Quarter. Everything is so magical with the Christmas decorations and the gas lanterns. I love all the Christmas Zydeco and Jazz the Quarter is filled with. And we always make it a habit to eat beignets at Cafe du Monde.

Heaux, Heaux, Heaux...

Merry Christmas, Y'all!

So, that's our Cajun Christmas traditions. I would love to hear all about yours.

Saying goodbye to an old friend

2009-12-10T09:04:00.000-08:00

The other day I was vacuuming and I could smell something burning. It was a funny smell like something electrical. I began looking around and didn't see anything so I continued vacuuming. Then suddenly smoke began pouring out of my machine. I instantly turned it off and watched helplessly as my vacuum began dying in front my eyes. The poor thing. It was like watching an old friend passing away.

I purchased that vacuum before I married my husband. Hoover and I've been through a lot of moves, life changing events, and relationships. And here my poor little friend finally gave out on me. I remember when I first purchased Hoover. I was walking through the mall one Christmas and cut through Sears to the parking lot. As I walked past the vacuum display I was taken back by the beautiful machine. It was bag less. That's when bag less machines were just coming out. It was bag less and purple. What gal doesn't need a purple vacuum cleaner I thought. At that time it was one of the more expensive purchases I made for my little apartment. Because the bag less feature was new my little Hoover cost a small fortune. However, I definitely made a good investment considering that he worked his little heart out for the past 10 years, 3 days a week, before he gave out.

Last night my hubby came home and we went vacuum shopping. Not something I looked forward to doing during Christmas but it needed to be done. Funny how I purchased it 10 years ago around Christmas and it breaks down around Christmas. Anyhoo, I found one that I loved at Target. And it was purple. However, they didn't have one in back. Don't you hate it when that happens (It's like playing with your emotions when you get hooked on the display and then....nothing) I really liked it so my husband decided to try Walmart around the corner. I winced at the thought of going to Walmart and especially during the holidays. We did a drive by and saw that the parking lot wasn't too bad. So we decided to go in and actually it wasn't such a bad experience as we had anticipated. We found the vacuum right away at $20 less than Target and we were able to walk right up to a register and check out. It was our lucky day.

Last night I ran my new friend, Bissell, over my floors. She did a fine job. I couldn't believe how much more advanced she was from my old friend Hoover. She gave me a much deeper cleaning and it was easier to use. Today I've become a vacuum maniac. I've been vacuuming every room in the house. I called my husband and told him how much I love my new vacuum. That's when you know you've finally grown up when you're overly zealous for household appliances, lol.

What household appliance or tool are you absolutely in love with?

I also wanted to thank Amy over at http://bamamy.blogspot.com/ for giving me a sweet blogging reward. If y'all haven't visited Amy before you really should. She is a new proud momma of twin baby boys. They are precious!!! Her blog is hilarious. She always keeps me laughing as she blogs about her love for Bama football (Roll Tide), her new adventures in motherhood, and her Martha Stewart crafting abilities. Love ya, Amy!

Favorite Christmas Memories

2009-12-06T10:40:00.000-08:00

My favorite Christmas memories are from my childhood. When I was little we would go over to my grandparents house. My Papa was a jazz man and we would wake up to a house full of Christmas jazz. My Meme would be in the kitchen making her famous Swedish pancakes and hashbrowns. Afterwards we opened gifts and my Papa and I would dance around the living room. My favorite gift I received as a little girl was from my Meme and Papa. It was a red Snoopy watch. I was obsessed with Snoopy when I was younger. I even got a Snoopy electric toothbrush. It had a huge Snoopy handle and the holder was Snoopy's dog house. Very cool!

My grandparents have passed on many years ago. However, I still carry on the tradition of playing Christmas jazz and serving Swedish pancakes/hashbrowns on Christmas morning.

What are some of your favorite Christmas memories?

Decorating for Christmas

2009-12-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

Y'all, I'm so excited today. We got snow! Not enough to stick or anything like that. At least not yet but we have an entire day of cold weather moving through so you never know. I'll be crossing my fingers for white winter wonderland. We don't see a lot of snow in south Texas so it's pretty exciting.

Since it's all Christmas like outside I thought I'd post some of my decorations on my blog. I'll start with the outdoors.

This hangs above our garage.

Our front porch

Kitchen area. Back in Austin and New Orleans I would keep the rest of the house more of a French traditional Christmas theme and decorate the kitchen table cutesy but that's all. This year I decided to go with more of a retro Christmas theme. I used red and white polka dots to jazz it up and tie everything in together.

Our Christmas tree. It looks much prettier in person than in this picture. Wow, that bird looks big in this picture, lol! We have white doves and butterflies surrounding the entire tree. But that one dove looks more like a hawk in this photo, haha....The torch lamp looks stupid next to the tree but the patio lighting is horrible so I kept it there. Grrr, one of those decorating sacrafices that really drives me crazy.

Some of my favorite ornaments

It's Christmas time....

2009-11-27T10:49:00.000-08:00

Hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. We had a fantastic day full of good food, good memories, and many blessings. Today I'm pulling out the Christmas decorations and getting started on decorating the house for Christmas, YAY! Sending my love and hugs to y'all.

Warm up those ovens, y'all!!!

2009-11-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I shopped and shopped for the perfect turkey. It's just the two of us so we obviously don't need a 13 lbs. bird. I normally try to find a 3-5 lbs. turkey and usually don't have a difficult time tracking one down. For the past 5 years I've lived in Austin so I knew exactly where to get one but this year I'm in a whole new city. I thought to myself, "how many people would be looking for a small turkey?" Well, it was hard to find y'all. I had to go to three different grocery stores to find one. And the crowds!!! I'm just relieved we have a small bird this year. That's something to be thankful for.

Tomorrow the sequel to the big Turkey day. I'm gathering all my recipes and tomorrow I begin to prep for the big day. I know most people wouldn't put that much effort into a meal for two people. Although it's just the two of us I want our holiday to be just as special as if we had a huge crowd of people gathered around the table. I think it doesn't matter where you're at, who you're with, what you'll be eating to make a holiday special. I think it's about attitude. Many people ask if we are going home for the holidays each year and when I tell them no they make that expression (like they feel sorry for us). What they don't realize is how much fun we have. We watch our Thankgiving parade, eat orange cinnamon rolls, stuff ourselves with holiday dishes, watch our favorite Christmas movies, and decorate our Christmas cookies. We have a blast. So, for those who might not be celebrating the way you traditionally celebrated in the past; remember that it's all about your attitude. You can make any situation fun by making it your own.

Happy Friday Y'all

2009-11-20T16:39:00.001-08:00

Hubs is on his way home from work. Every Friday night we drive down to our favorite 50's style hamburger place and order shakes. It's our way of catching up and talking about the past weekly events. It's a nice way to unwind while listening to some 50's bee bop. It has become our weekly routine and I love it. It sets the mood for the whole weekend. Gotta run, I've got a strawberry shake waiting on me. Have a awesome weekend!

Blonde Episodes

2009-11-19T07:15:00.000-08:00

I just recieved an award from Kori over at Blonde Episodes http://blondeepisodes.blogspot.com/ She has the most adorable blog. Really fun to read and great retro pictures. Y'all need to stop by her blog when you get an opportunity. She's a real sweetie. Thanks for the award, Kori!!!

And it's only 10 o'clock in the morning

2009-11-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

This pretty much sums up my day. I have a ton of house work because the trip to Dallas put me behind. I try to keep a daily cleaning schedule and I'm still trying to catch up. I even doubled up on my chores Monday and Tuesday but I'm still overwhelmed Wednesday. However, I did manage to fit some baking in. Last night I finished baking my Christmas cookies and they are now in the freezer. That takes a huge weight off my shoulders knowing that my cookies are ready to be defrosted/decorated in time for the holidays. I made over two dozen Alligator, Fleur De Lis, and Lil' Cajuns. The Alligator and Fleur De Lis cookies are sugar but our Lil' Cajuns are actually gingerbread men. We just call them Lil' Cajuns to go with our New Orleans themed Christmas.

This Friday I'm going to try to fit in some Christmas shopping. There's a few things I can't order online. I thought since I was out I might pick up a turkey and throw it in the deep freeze. Last year the selection was so slim and I went early that holiday week. This Thanksgiving I'm planning on getting the perfect bird. That reminds me that I have to start on my Thanksgiving menu this evening. I'm already exhausted and it's only 10 am. Hope y'all are having a fabulous hump day.

Weekend in Dallas

2009-11-15T16:46:00.000-08:00

I just returned from a quick trip to Dallas. My husband had a speaking engagement at a conference and I decided to tag along. We decided to stay through the weekend and make it a small get away. I had so much fun. Dallas has so many adorable and fun boutiques. I found all sorts of cool stuff. And my hubby was happy when he spotted a Razoo's. The trees were beautiful and quite different from those down in Houston. It definitely put me in the holiday mood. This week I'm starting to organize for the holidays. I'm planning on whipping up some of my Christmas cookie's to freeze for decorating in December. What are y'all doing to prep for the holidays?

My Favorite Thanksgiving Tradition

2009-11-09T10:46:00.000-08:00

I get up early every Thanksgiving morning and make my homemade orange walnut cinnamon rolls. They are so delish and I promise I'll post them on my cooking blog http://gigikitchen.blogspot.com/ later this week. The house smells of orange cinnamon yummy goodness and it doesn't take long for my husband to make his way to the kitchen. He's like a little kid checking on the rolls as he opens and closes the oven door. I begin to prep for our holiday dinner while he turns on the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Soon we pull out the rolls and find ourselves snuggled on the couch as we vote on which float we like the most. It's so much fun watching the floats and marching bands. It really helps us feel festive for the approaching day. I don't think it could be Thanksgiving without the Macy's Thanksgiving parade.

This weekend

2009-11-06T16:38:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling very domestic lately. I'm taking full advantage of this fabulous weather and I'm working in the yards this weekend. I also found some fantastic new recipes and I'm baking some blueberry muffins and chocolate chip cookies. I might even start my holiday baking early and freeze some of my gingerbread/sugar cookies for December. Can you believe the holidays are so close? I'm so behind buying gifts. I'm usually finishing up around this time of year. Today I purchased my first Christmas gift. I better get out there before the stores get REALLY crowded. Has anyone started their shopping yet?

A Beautiful Fall Afternoon

2009-11-03T12:51:00.000-08:00

Fall weather is fantastic but all my flowers start to die (boo hoo). I decided to take a quick snap shot of all my hard work this summer wilting away.

I've been seeing this adorable little brown bunny on the greenbelts near my house. I decided that I would grab my camera and see if I would get lucky this afternoon. Just when I had given up on catching a snap shot of my little furry friend I turned the corner and he was feasting on shrubs. He let me get really close before I spooked him. I LOVE bunnies and this one is a cutie. He has the little white fuzzy tail and all.

On my way back home I pass this house. It's down the street from mine and I'm in love with it. It so Southern and the yard is beautiful. I've only been in my house for little less than 8 months so I'm still learning about the region. Austin was completely different so I'm constantly looking around the neighborhood for good gardening ideas. This house speaks to me, LOL!

What are some of your favorite flowers/plants?

Halloween

2009-10-31T19:13:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, Y'ALL!

I told y'all that I would post a few snap shots of my fall decorations. I'm not big on Halloween outdoor decorations so I try to keep it fall friendly. Wow, we had a big turn out for trick-or-treaters tonight. We actually ran out of candy (first time). I couldn't believe how many kids there are tonight. I don't think they live in our neighborhood but parents are dropping them off here. How do you feel about trick-or-treaters who don't live in your neighborhood. Do you think your candy should be reserved for kids who only live in your neighborhood or for anyone who stops by your house?

My front porch

My front door

I thought this little fall cloth sign was cute and little different.

My poor flowers. The storms really did a number on my flowers. They looked so pretty before those darn storms. I think the scarecrow helps brighten it up.

And you can't have Halloween without trick-or-treaters.

This has nothing to do with Halloween but I love my door knocker.

My Halloweenie Table

2009-10-26T17:13:00.000-07:00

Today and tomorrow are my hubby's days off from work until the actual day of Halloween. I'm happy that he'll be home to help pass out candy to all the kiddos in the neighborhood. I don't like to decorate until the week of Halloween because I keep a Fall them up all the way through Thanksgiving. Hubby is going to help me decorate the outdoors tomorrow. I'll probably do something very simple. We never do anything scary or demonic. Wow, I've driven by some houses down the street and they have all sorts of scary things on their lawns. I would have been scared to death to trick or treat at those houses when I was little. Is it me or has Halloween gotten a little dark these days?

Tomorrow I'm planning on running by the Christian bookstore to pick up pencils, stickers, and goodies for my candy bags. I like to find pencils and stickers that say, "Jesus loves you." I think all children should hear that God loves them and that they are special. Not very many children hear that these days (very sad). I'm also planning on buying some pumpkins. I'll show pictures of the outdoors in a couple of days. Until then, here's my Halloweenie table.

My Halloween placemats & Bat glasses

My Texan Cowboy Boo Spiders....

Gotta have CANDY!!!

Squirrel vs. Me

2009-10-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

If you're a follower then you've probably have heard me complain about the squirrel situation where I live. We have a gang of squirrels that my husband evicted from our attic when we first moved in. You'd think they would moved along and found a new home by now but instead they have become little fuzzy terrorist that have declared war. They have torn up my flowerbeds, ripped up my patio furniture, knocked down my bird feeder, and they go as far as yelling at the birds. I didn't know squirrels could argue but I've heard it my own ears.

Today is a beautiful afternoon. I truly couldn't ask for better weather, no clouds in sight, cool breeze, and temps in the lower 70's. Surviving a summer in Houston can be brutal and I've felt like I've been in hibernation for the past 4 months. So I'm in heaven right now. I decided to open the windows and french doors to welcome that fresh air into the house. Not a good idea.

I entered the living room and I saw something move in the corner of my eye. As I tip toed and peered over the sofa I saw one of those tree rats starring me down. No kidding, he actually had an attitude and was eyeball'n me. My gut reaction was to scream and run for my husband (who's dead asleep because he worked last night at the hospital). I was frozen and as I looked into his black bitty eyes I began to realize how ridiculous it was that I was scared of a little squirrel. I pushed my chest out and my shoulders back and marched over to that squirrel. I was going to tell him a thing or two. But he took action and slid by me running across my sofa onto the kitchen tile. He turned around and began yelling at me. I ran after him with a broom. It was literally squirrel vs. woman. He took off across the tile like a silver bullet and out the french door onto the patio and leaped for the tree. There he continued yelling at me and I raised my fist and began telling him to stay out. Yup, I showed him.....and my neighbor who lives behind me that I don't know. I can only imagine how insane I must have looked. Can you imagine working in your yard and watching the woman next door yelling at tree with a broom in hand? Stupid squirrel!!! How's your weekend?

The Salon

2009-10-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

So I finally made an appointment to get my hair done. I've been pulling it back in a pony for the past month. I've been trying to grow it out but finally my roots are looking a bit on the shabby side. I even tried to cover it with a thick headband but it's just not working anymore. I'm normally on top of getting my color touched up but my last trip to the salon didn't go so great. I asked for dark red with bright red highlights. As I lifted my head from the bowl I noticed the girl across from me gasp and her eyes bulged. I took this as a bad sign and for good reason because my hair was orange. Not red but bright pumpkin orange! It took nearly 5 hours for them to fix my hair. We ended up covering it with some thick blond highlights and all and all it turned out as my hair began growing it grew into a pretty golden color. Not bad at all. I even had a guy at the grocery store tell me I looked like the "fine" news girl on channel 2. Still can't figure out what bothers me more; the fact he was missing a tooth, smelled like beer, and was sporting a mullet or the fact that this was my first compliment in ages and I was actually flattered, LOL!

You'd think this would be my worst salon experience. Not a chance. My worst salon experience was about 8 years ago. I was living in New Orleans and was trying to survive the humid summer months. I remember I was sweaty and hot when I arrived at the salon. I quickly changed into a smock and began eagerly flipping through the latest issue of People magazine. As I was reading an article my nose began twitching and sneezing. I grabbed a Kleenex from my purse and went back to reading the article. Within seconds I noticed I was getting strange glances from people walking by. Finally my hairdresser walked out from the back and began laughing. He told me to look in the mirror. I looked like Magnum PI with a thick black mustache. I was wearing mineral makeup back then and a piece must have fallen on my upper lip. When it began irritating my nose I wiped it across my upper lip with a Kleenex. I was sweaty so the black eyeliner smeared into a large thick line across my face. Not one person told me but just starred (how rude). However, I was in New Orleans; they probably thought I was in drag, LOL!

The missing Hershey Bar

2009-10-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

I've been dieting (after I saw a very unflattering photo of myself) and within a week have already fallen off the wagon. Tonight I was craving chocolate sooo bad that I climbed out of bed and made my way down the hallway in pink fuzzy slippers and all to the kitchen. I pulled the top off the cookie jar (my secret stash) and reached inside to find it EMPTY! I flipped on the kitchen light and peered into my cookie jar; no Hershey almond bar to be found. Hubby! Immediately I knew he had found my stash once again. How could this be? That cookie jar has been empty for nearly 3 years and it's sole purpose is for decoration. How did he know that I slid my emergency chocolate in there? I mean, it was the perfect hiding place.

My tingling chocolate senses told me that there was chocolate in the house. I thought it was odd that he was so eager to run to the grocery store last night to pick up a few items I needed. That meant one thing and one thing only, CHOCOLATE RUN! Ok, but where would he stash all that delicious chocolate? Sherlock Holmes would have checked the room he spent the most time in, his office. I looked everywhere, desk, bookshelves, closet, but came up empty handed. Then just as I was about to leave I noticed one of his diploma's was off centered and turned to the right. I slid my hand behind the frame and I hit the mother load. Peanut m&m's, Hershey kisses, chocolate covered pretzels. Holy cow! I did as any woman half crazed for chocolate would do and wiped out an entire bag of m&m's, handfuls of kisses, and a couple of pretzels. I think I have consumed about 3 days worth of calories in one night. Ok, why did I have to go looking for that stash? I was going to break off a few squares from my Hershey bar and now I went crazy and ruined my diet. Tomorrow is going to be a carrot and celery day for sure. And I have to explain to my husband where his missing chocolate is. We don't even have kids or a dog I could blame, LOL! But in all fairness he created this monster when he stole my Hershey bar. Yup, completely 100% his fault. Think he'll buy it (wink).

My Yard

2009-10-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

Today is a beautiful afternoon and perfect for working in the yard. A cold front hit last night and the temps are mild for southern Texas. I've been pruning my trees and bushes back. There are tons of butterflies in the yard that have been flying around me. God has made some beautiful things. I decided to take a few snap shots of my flower beds before the winter months begin to roll in. If you look at one picture you'll see my little yard bunny. He's my first outdoor bunny. I love bunnies and I'm starting to collect them. I got him at a garage sale for only $1.00 this past spring. I think he was worth much more but I gladly forked over $1.00 to get him. Awww, I wish Houston's weather was always as nice as it is today. However, then it would only attract more people. I think 5 million people living in one city is big enough, LOL!

Have a fantastic weekend................................

Retro Kids Cooking

2009-10-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

I came across this really great retro cook book for kids. I think it would make a fantastic Christmas gift for someone who has children. Teaching kids to cook is such an important skill that goes overlooked these days. Look how many young women who do not know their way around the kitchen. What a fun way to spend quality time (cooking). Just thought I would share with y'all....

Retro Rocket Thursday

2009-10-08T14:22:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted "RETRO ROCKET THURSDAY" so I thought since it's been long overdue I'd make today a blast from the past. Hang on ladies as we step back in time to the year 1951....

Top 10 Songs in 1951

1.) Sixty Minute Man by Dominoes

2.) Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston

3.) Dust My Broom by Elmore James

4.) Cry by Johnnie Ray

5.) Too Young by Nat King Cole

6.) Cold Cold Heart by Hank Williams

7.) Glory of Love by Five Keys

8.) Three O'Clock Blues by BB King

9.) Hey Good Look'n by Hank Williams

10.) How High The Moon by Les Paul & Mary

Academy Awards 1951

Best Actor
Humphrey Bougart for "The African Queen."

Best Actresses
Vivien Leigh for "A Streetcar Named Desire."

Best Movie of 1951

An American in Paris

Sports in 1951

20 year old "Willie" Mays joins the NY Giants

Harry S. Truman is the President of the United States

Popular T.V. Shows of 1951

I Love Lucy
Dragnet
Hopalong Cassidy
The Lone Ranger
Theatre
Amos'n Andy
The Jack Benny Show

Economy during 1951

*U.S. involved in the Korean War

Average income $3, 515
New Home $16, 000
New Car $1, 800
Gallon of Gas .23 cents
Min. Wage .75 cents
Postage stamp .03 cents

Books Published in 1951
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Howdy, y'all....

2009-10-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been awhile since I've blogged. I've been super busy and this week I caught the flu, yuck! But I'm back and logged on. I can't wait to see what y'all have been up to. Hope everyone is happy, blessed, and healthy.

Decorating ideas

2009-09-28T00:19:00.000-07:00

Teaching the Next Generation

2009-09-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted but we had a big storm come through a couple of days ago. It could have been a mini hurricane by the way the wind whipped through our neighborhood. It really made a mess of things. There were trees that blew over into the road, split a good size one in the neighbor's yard, and it even knocked out our power for nearly four hours. We've been cleaning up. Hubby worked in the back yard picking up tree limbs and pine cones while I picked up three large bags of pine needles from our driveway and front porch. My poor birds. I'm not sure where they took off to but they are back tonight. I can hear them tweeting from the tree outside my french doors.

As soon as I finished cleaning up the driveway and porch I began organizing the garage. I came across my empty peanut butter containers along with several other type of containers. I began filling them up with nails and screws when it occured to me....this is something that my grandfather use to do. I use to watch him in his shop do this very thing years ago. Not only did he do this but I've seen my father do it as well. This got me thinking of other things that I picked up on as little girl. My grandmother loved humming birds and had to have a humming bird feeder near the back window so she could watch them. I have a humming bird feeder in my back yard near my back window so I can watch them. My mother cooked chocolate chip cookies on rainy weekends. I cook chocolate chip cookies on rainy weekends. Hmmm........

What little things has your grandparents/parents taught you that you do today?

College Football

2009-09-20T18:26:00.000-07:00

My hubby and I are so excited that football season is here. My hubby is a LSU Tiger and I went to U of O (Oregon). But we proudly fly the purple and gold flag on the house. Where did y'all go to school and what team are rooting for this season?

Geaux Tigers!!!

Go Ducks!!!

It's time for Fall decorating...

2009-09-19T16:01:00.001-07:00

I had such a great time reading about how everyone spends their fall season. It made me so hungry reading about gumbo, soups, stews, sweet potato pie, and pumpkin spice milkshakes. One word, "YUMMY." It got me in the mood to finally decorate for the season. Let me take y'all on my fall decor tour....

I picked this cutie up at a garage sale over the summer for $1.00. At the time I couldn't figure out what I was going to do with it but I knew it would come in handy. I decided to put it to good use and make it a fall centerpiece. What do y'all think?

I decided to put my old books in the corner of our fireplace. I picked up this cute scarecrow at a thrift store for .25 cents. I thought it was cute.

Here's our mantel. The walls in our house are being painted green. I have no idea what to do with this fireplace. I don't like the color of the wood mantel. I'm thinking about having it stained a dark brown to match the mirror. But the brick is a ugly dull color. I'm absolutely clueless on what to do with it. Any suggestions?

Here's our guest bathroom.

This is my french wire basket. I love collecting them. I used this basket to display my soaps.

This really has nothing to do with fall but I love my tea soaps. They are made out of tea and you pour them into your bath water. The aroma is delicious and I immediately begin relaxing once they begin to dissolve. My favorite is the Lavender tea.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out all my fall decorations....

Howdy!!!

2009-09-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

Howdy to all my blogging sista's! Sorry I've been MIA but my schedule has been truly hectic. I finally got some down time and I'm taking full advantage of catching up on my Sunday comics and blogging. I want to express how much I appreciate all your kind comments on my cooking blog. Y'all are the best! I'm sorry I haven't had time to reply but I'll work on that this evening.
I just received some fantastic new recipes that I can't wait to share with you and will begin to post tonight.

I look forward to stopping by y'alls blogs and reading your posts to see what y'all been up to. Before I zip on down the road to blogger land I must ask your opinion:

1.) What are your family traditions for fall? Do you watch a favorite movie, bake a special dish, play family games, etc....

2.) Do you decorate your home for fall and how?

3.) What is your favorite fall dessert?

MY NEW COOKING BLOG

2009-09-09T07:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Y'all, I just wanted to share with you my new cooking blog. I absolutely love cooking and I'm going to start posting all my recipes to share with my family and friends. Stop by and take a look. I just started posting so I only have two recipes posted at the moment but I have more coming in the next couple of days so be on the look out. http://gigikitchen.blogspot.com/ This holiday season is going to be tons of fun so be sure to check in.

Thanks, y'all!!!

TEXAS CORNBREAD RECIPE

2009-09-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

TEXAS CORNBREAD

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 c buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tblsp melted butter

1/4 c chopped chili peppers, mild or hot, or chopped and drained

Jalapeno chili peppers to taste

1 c cream-style corn

1 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

1.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (or 400 if glass baking dish). In mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, and baking soda.

2.) Add buttermilk and egg; beat until batter is smooth. Place butter in 8 inch square pan or baking dish in preheated oven.

3.) Pour half of the batter into hot pan. Spoon cream-style corn evenly over batter, scatter chili peppers over corn layer, and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

4.) Top with remaining batter. Bake cornbread until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot!!!

Donna Reed, No. Lucy Ricardo, Yes!!!

2009-09-04T10:04:00.000-07:00

You know those type of women that seem like they have it together? They look like a million bucks no matter where they are, when they walk they glide through the air, everything they touch and do is successful. Yeah, that's not me. I've been known to wear my Piggly Wiggly T-shirt's and jeans, I trip over air almost on a weekly basis, and almost everything I touch breaks. Donna Reed, absolutely not. Goofy Lucy Ricardo, yes. Poor Lucy, bless her little heart. She tries her best and for unknown reasons she gets herself in a mess. That is the story my life, y'all.

Yesterday I was meeting a friend for lunch. I finished up an appointment early and for the first time had some time to kill. I decided to run my car through one of those drive through car washes. We've gotten a few showers in Houston the past few weeks (not complaining because we need it). So, here I am driving through the car wash (you know, that tunnel thing). There's a young man (employee) waving me through. He's going to dry my car once I exit (not bad, I don't even have to get out of my car). Just as I reach the end I think I'm 100% out of the tunnel, right? Nope! I roll down my window to ask him a question and out of nowhere a water cannon goes off shooting me on the side of my face. It felt like someone had slugged me it was so much water. I quickly rolled up the window but electric takes it's sweet time. By the time I completely rolled out of the car wash I was soaking wet and so was the inside of my car. The young man is now rolling in laughter as well as the 50 other people standing there pointing. I felt like a complete idiot.

To make matters worse I had to go to lunch looking like a drowned rat. As soon as I stepped inside the restaurant my friend looked at me funny. Then looked outside at the sunny and dry afternoon. "Did it rain?" she asked while all trying to figure out why I'm soaking wet. "No, I had a incident at the car wash." She and the other patrons began chuckling. Does this stuff happen to anyone else or is it just me?

The "MeMe" Award

2009-09-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

THE "MeMe" AWARD

Wow, I just received the "MeMe" blogging award from Libby over at Cooking with Libby I'm so excited because this is my second award since blogging. If y'all get an opportunity I suggest you stop by her blog when you get a chance. She has a ton of great recipes and she's a real sweetie. Thanks, Libby!!!

Not only did I receive this award but I also got tagged on the ABC's. Upon receiving this award you have to list the 7 personality traits about yourself. Then tag 7 more bloggers. I'm going to leave it open to everyone to answer these questions. I hope you do because it's a fun way for me to get to know y'all better. Let me know if y'all play along so I can stop by your blog. OK, here goes....

7 Personality Traits

1.) Happy ~ I'm generally a happy person. I have a hard time staying mad, angry, or depressed for very long.

2.) Forgiving ~ I'm quick to forgive and ask for forgiveness when I'm wrong.

3.) Kind ~ I've been in all sorts of situations so I try my best not to judge and show compassion towards others. You never know when it's going to be your turn to walk a mile in worn uncomfortable shoes.

4.) Funny ~ I think I'm hilarious- hee, hee!

5.) Outgoing~ I'm not afraid to try new things or walk up and talk to strangers. You'd be surprised how many friends I've met that way.

6.) Trustworthy ~ If I give you my word than I will do my best to fulfill it. Even if it means costing me big time.

7.) Loyal ~ I'm extremely loyal. Not very many people are loyal these days (want to ride the fence). Well, there's no fence riding for me. I've been tested on this a lot. This is where integrity comes with a price.

And here's my ABC's...

1. A – Available/Single? Married

2. B – Best friend? My husband

3. C – Cake or Pie? Cake

4. D – Drink of choice? Sweet Tea

5. E – Essential item you use every day? Lipstick (gotta have my lipstick)

6. F – Favorite color? Green

7. G – Gummy Bears Or Worms? Gummy Worms

8. H – Hometown? I live in Houston, Texas but I grew up in California

9. I – Indulgence? Chocolate

10. J – January or February? February

11. K – Kids & their names? Not yet

12. L – Life is incomplete without? Family

13. M – Marriage date? December 21

14. N – Number of siblings? 5

15. O – Oranges or Apples? Oranges

16. P – Phobias/Fears? Claustrophobia/snakes

17. Q – Quote for today? I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying

18. R – Reason to smile? My marriage

19. S – Season? Fall/Autumn

20. T – Tag 3 People? I'm tagging everyone

21. U – Unknown fact about me? I like to write

22. V – Vegetable you don't like? Brussel sprouts

23. W – Worst habit? Worry; I worry about everything.

24. X – X-rays you've had? Arm

25. Y – Your favorite food? Chinese

26. Z – Zodiac sign? Gemini

Fall Pie Pockets...

2009-08-31T07:58:00.000-07:00

Has anyone run by Williams-Sonoma lately? Y'all, they have the most adorable pie molds for fall. They have little apples and pumpkins. Absolutely darling for this season. I wonder if you could freeze them like a pie? That way you could pull them out on a weekend and warm them up in the oven.

Friday Date Night

2009-08-27T20:23:00.001-07:00

My husband and I have designated Friday nights as "Date Night" so we can keep some spice in our marriage. Every week I try to come up with a new date idea. Last week it was bowling but this week I came up with a really great date. Our very own drive-in movie. Oh how I miss the drive-in. I remember going to the drive in to watch the movie, Grease. My older sister and a group of her friends took me and my best friend. She wasn't thrilled about it but got stuck babysitting and was forced to drag us along. It was the coolest thing ever!!! I ate milk duds and they even tasted better at the drive-in movie. Well, these days it would be difficult to find the traditional outdoor theater so we are going to create our own drive in movie date night (minus the car and being outdoors).

I'm planning on throwing an over sized blanket on the living room floor along with throw pillows. And turning off everything but the television.

I'm going to order Chinese take out (yummy).

Finally our movie feature will be "The Twilight Zone." I bought the series off of Amazon.com and I can't wait to snuggle with hubby and watch the old episodes.

Who are you? Betty or Veronica?

2009-08-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

Did anyone else grow up reading Archie comics? When I was a girl my best friend and I use to read them on our summer break. I remember being about 8 or 9 and laying by the pool, sipping Orange Crush from the glass bottles, and reading about the love triangle between Archie, Betty, and Veronica. Reading Archie was like watching High School Musical for kids today.

Archie comics have been around for 70 years, y'all. And for 70 years Betty and Veronica have been competing for Archie's love. Not anymore. Archie finally made up his mind and proposed to Veronica. C an you believe he proposed to Veronica?!! I always thought deep down Betty was his girl (heavy sigh).....

Who are you most like, Betty or Veronica?

A RETRO KITCHEN

2009-08-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share with y'all one of the coolest sites I've come across for the kitchen. Y'all know how much I adore retro things and I've found a company that makes new retro appliances. Now y'all can remodel that kitchen into your retro utopia. They also carry them in several colors including pink. A pink kitchen, Y'all!!! A girl can only dream...Well, I'm very fond of red. I would do mine in red and have cherry accessories. I think I'm going to slip the website onto my hubby's desk (wink). Here's the site if y'all are interested http://bigchillfridge.com/site/fridges

Of course if I'm going to have red kitchen appliances I would have to top it off with red accessories......

A Retro Date.....

2009-08-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

My hubby called and is getting off work early this afternoon. Friday is our "date night" so we decided to have a retro date and meet at Princess Hamburgers for old time burgers and shakes. Then head over to the bowling alley. We both like to bowl and it'll be a good way to stay cool indoors while having fun. What are y'alls plans this weekend?

Retro Lunch Boxes

2009-08-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

Summer break is about over and kiddo's are heading back to school. I think back when I was a girl and what I remember of my school days. I remember those big green vinyl seats on the bus, bus fumes, individual metal desks that had a flip top, the smell of chalk dust, standing in line to sharpen my pencil, the recess bell, playing on old metal playground equipment (type that would burn your butt if it was too hot), and carrying my old metal lunchbox filled with PB&J sandwiches, apples, cookies, and change to buy milk in the cafeteria (I would purchase chocolate milk of course). Look'n over my list there's gotta be at least 4 violations with OSHA, LOL!!!

I believe when I was a kid my favorite part of the day was lunch. Now that I'm all grown up not much has changed, LOL! I thought it would be fun to look up retro lunchboxes and see what they might be worth these days. If y'all have any stashed up in the attic or closets you might want to dust them off. They are worth a pretty little penny.

Since this is a retro blog I decided to use metal lunchboxes from the early 1950's. I looked them up to see what they have sold for. This is what I found.....

Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck (1954) sold $535.25 -$700

Davey Crockett (1954) sold $695.00- $900

Hopalong Cassidy (1954) sold $450- $1000.00

Who would have thought to have invested in lunchboxes when we were kids?

A Diet Nightmare!!!

2009-08-16T20:05:00.001-07:00

This is a true story, y'all! If you spend any quality time around my house y'all would figure out pretty fast that my hubby and I are both very competitive with each other. Oh, it's not the uncomfortable kind...we like to kid and joke around. Even our tennis class laughs when we play against each other. We are both a good sport about it all but we like to win (and remind the other by breaking into a silly victory dance).

Well, we both need to drop a few pounds and decided to challenge each other by who could drop the most weight first. We decided to cut out sweets (we love us some chocolate). The first day went by ok but the second (I was crawling the walls). I was detoxing for some chocolate really bad. The third day I was in sugar shock and started to feel weak as my body was adjusting to no chocolate in the blood stream. My husband was going through it as well but being stubborn we didn't dare break down. Neither one of us wanted to admit to being the weakest link so we concentrated on the taste of sweet victory.

The other night I was awoken by a sharp pain in my shoulder. And when I say a sharp pain I mean it was an excruciating pain. I couldn't believe my eyes as they shot open. My husband was biting me!!! I slapped his head and leaped from the bed. I screamed, "What on the earth do you think you're doing?" My husband was dazed and confused as I flipped on the light. No joke this is what he says, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bite you. I was dreaming I was eating a donut (as he wiped the drool from his mouth). It was huge and chocolate but no matter how hard I tried to bite down I couldn't get it in my mouth." I laughed so hard I thought I was going to pee my pants. I told him, "Get up. I'm making some chocolate chip cookies before anyone else gets hurt." I'll tell ya, if Weight Watchers had a crises line......LOL!!!

Sew, what are you up to?

2009-08-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

Who loves to sew? I've been getting my holiday things together. Before you know it the holidays will be here. Lately I can't find any cute decorations for Halloween. I want to create my own Halloween table setting. I bought the cutest fabric to make place settings. It's so cute!!! Once I finish them I'll post. What type of sewing projects are y'all working on?

Household cleaning tip of the week

2009-08-10T13:09:00.001-07:00

I don't know about y'all but I love hearing any household tip that makes my life a bit easier at home. I take great pride and joy in caring for my family by creating a clean and comfy environment. Keeping house has never been an easy chore and I truly appreciate all the advice I can get. I've decided to research household hints and tips and share them with you. This week I'm posting on vinegar. Y'all, vinegar is a powerful thing! I'm only going to list five ways but it's a miracle worker and has thousands of ways to help the average housewife.

5 ways you can clean with vinegar

1.) Fruit flies- You can get rid of those little boogers by setting out a small dish of undiluted vinegar.

2.) Cleans mildew- Wiping down walls, doors, and showers with white distilled vinegar with a cloth or sponge.

3.) Cloudy glassware- Soak a paper towel in full-strength white distilled vinegar and wrap around inside and outside the glass. Wait a few minutes and then rinse with warm soapy water.

4.) Clean refrigerator- Clean the shelves and walls of your fridge with half and half solution of water and white distilled vinegar. Gets the crusties, nasties, and smelly's out of that fridge.

5.) Remove stains from teacups- Scrub gently with equal parts of baking soda and vinegar to remove those pesty stains.

If y'all have any household tips for vinegar please share!!!

New Recipe

2009-08-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

TEXAS CHILI

Ingredients

2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 large sweet onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, minced

3 cans (15 oz.) of pinto beans

2 (28 oz.) of cans diced tomatoes

4 (8oz.) cans tomato juice

3 jalapeno peppers, minced

1/2 c. chili powder

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1.) Cook and stir beef, onion, and bell pepper in a large pot over medium heat until the beef is brown and onion and pepper are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain grease from beef.

2.) Stir in beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, jalapenos, chili powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Bring mixture to a slow boil; cover and reduce heat. Simmer chili at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so that it does not stick. This chili can be simmered for several hours; the longer you simmer, the more flavor you get.

* Serve with your favorite cornbread!

RETRO ROCKET THURSDAY

2009-08-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

For Retro Rocket Thursday we are going back in time, y'all! Put on your space suits gals as we travel back in time to the year 1950.
Average house cost ~ $8,450.00

Average yearly salary ~ $3,210.00

Cost of a gallon of gas~ 18 cents

Average cost of a new car~$1,510.00

Black & white T.V. ~$249.95

James Dean gets his break when he appears in a Coca~Cola Advertisement

POPULAR MOVIES

Cinderella

Samson & Delilah

Sunset Blvd
Father of the Bride
King of Solomon's Mines
Annie Get Your Gun

Nat King Cole's MONA LISA came out

The Korean War breaks out

2009-08-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching one of my favorite movies, "The Stepford Wives." Stepford looks like the perfect community to me (minus the computer chip thingy). I love the wardrobe they used on this film. And the hair, make up, and accessories...

Family Fun on a Budget!

2009-08-01T16:27:00.001-07:00

Doesn't it seem like everything cost a small fortune these days. Is it me or has the prices increased and the quality decreased? Everything is overpriced and built shotty at best (nothing built to last). I went car shopping last year and about passed out on how much the prices have soared in the past 4 years. And my husband and I went to a movie; my goodness it was just the two of us. Now I know why my mom and aunts make a big deal over that senior discount, LOL! It makes me wonder how a family can afford to do anything. When I was a kid we had all sorts of fun and it didn't cost nearly as much as it does today. But that's when socks, underwear, and a bike were considered Christmas gifts. You should see what my niece and nephew get for Christmas!!! I think my sister takes a small loan out during the holidays, LOL!!! I think a good pair of socks would change those kids. Did anyone else get socks for Christmas? And yesterday I was at the outlets and some kid had a nicer phone than me. How does that happen? He doesn't even hold down a job? Priorities in this country are out of control if you ask me. That's how we got into this deficit mess. I think we need to pull back the reins a little and begin to watch those pennies. So, I began to think of cheap but fun things a family can do on a weekend budget. This is what I came up with:

1.) Zoo- Most cities have them and they don't really cost much for admissions. They usually have activities and shows too. You could take the entire family to the zoo to learn about the animals that God created.

2.) Board Games- Most of us all have some collecting dust in the closets. Dust them off and sit around the dinner table one afternoon or evening. Set out some snacks and sodas. You would be amazed how fast time goes by and how much fun you'll have.

3.) Hiking- There are thousands of National Parks and hiking trails around our great country. Look up on the Internet to check and see where the nearest park is located and put on your hiking boots. Pack a picnic lunch and fill up an ice chest. These are the memories you'll cherish not the trip to the mall or department store.

4.) Museum- It's a great way to stay cool this summer and you will learn all sorts of cool things about your state and city. We love visiting local museums.

5.) Bike Ride- Ride your bike at the local park or bike trail. Afterwards you can go out for a scoop of ice cream.

This is my list for cheap entertainment. I would love to hear your suggestions on how to have family fun on a budget. Looking forward to reading your ideas!!!