Monday, May 31, 2010

you're taking me where?

in all honesty, i was not sure what i was getting into when beth said we were going to a crawfish boil. i wondered... what exactly is a crawfish? is there crawfish eating etiquette? what's the proper way to excuse myself if i don't like it? does it go with wine?

what i found was... it's kind of like a shrimp, but not really... i'm pretty sure there are no rules for eating crawfish... i liked it, so i didn't need an excuse... and yep, it goes with wine!

i promised pictures... here's the proof!

meet my first crawfish...






mmm hmm... yummy!


another addition to the adventure repertoire!

Sunday, May 30, 2010

when the cats away...

friday i handed over my official ringmaster wooden spoon for a quick trip to south texas... attended a high school graduation, toured the old stomping grounds of a good friend (beth), went to wal-mart (the old kind - before they had supercenters and remodeling) and wound up at my first crawfish boil (and i've got the pics to prove it!)... we had a great time...

hard to believe, but the circus survived without me! i must say, i was more worried about kyle's sanity than i was about the kids, but i returned to my sweet hubby (sanity intact) and regular antics of the circus (and yes, they are all still alive!)...

let's have a serious moment... while i was sitting in the stands at the football stadium for graduation, i found myself admiring the small(er) town... wishing for a slower pace and more simplicity in my life. not the hustle and bustle of meaningless activities, but more quality time with my hubby and babies... (calm down mama, i'm not moving to south texas). the experience just made me stop and think about the way we live and what is truly important...

well, that's enough "deep thinkin" for one night... so, i tell gracie "no more swimming tonight" while we were at aunt kerri's house tonight, and gracie says "but, mom, God told me in my head i could swim more"... really? pretty sure that wasn't God... nice try, though... welcome back to the circus...

Friday, May 28, 2010

hello, new hair!

let me just say, just because your best friend is a hairdresser does not make you one... trust me. at this point you're thinking "oh crap, what has she done?" oh ye of little faith! what you should be thinking is "oh crap, what has she done?" and jackie should be wondering what she's gonna have to fix. jack ~ guess i should tell you what i did... i colored my hair... by myself... it's not that bad... really... just really dark... really, really dark... the ringmaster (that's me) got sidetracked and forgot to wash the color off... for a while... a long while... sorry.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

look out slash...


this boy plays a mean guitar... he can even play behind his back (or so he says...). and before you get all riled about the hannah montana guitar... he has his own... this is just what was handy "when the music came to him"... he's even better on the drums... he calls them "the crash symbols"... at 2, he's already got rhythm (thanks to his mama). between cale and his daddy, someone is always on the drums... i really hope the neighbors don't call the sheriff...

i think i'm a rocker's mama in the making!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

gracie's last day of k-4



well, today was gracie's last day of pre-k, otherwise known as k-4. where has the time gone? she shouldn't be this big! last night, we discussed her entrance to kindergarten... and that she would have a new teacher... and new friends... and her response follows:

gracie: "i am so excited to be in kindergarten"
mama: "you are? why?"
gracie: "cause, kindergarten is the best!"
mama: "why is that?"
gracie: "because they take short naps!!!"

oh, to be five! the simplicity of life... the excitement of every adventure... the blessing of each day!!!

what a nice evening at the ranch...

we had such a lovely evening! breakfast for dinner, a trip to atwoods, gracie running around naked with a pull-up on her head, bathtime, and then some "girl talk" with gracie while daddy put the babies to bed. it was busy, but so fun!

because it was so wonderful, let me show you the cinnamon toast we had for dinner...
(it is the best, by the way, thanks to the pioneer woman... i didn't think it would be that different, but oh... my... you must try it)



ta da! the finished product!!! (fair warning... keep your hands back when you take them out of the oven... people get grabby!)



this toast recipe just cements what i believe about butter... everything is better with butter... real butter! most who know me know that i DO NOT run out of butter... ever! mmm hmmmm... yummy!

oh, wait, i should probably tell you how i made it... (acutally, how the pioneer woman says to make it... she's brilliant! thank you, pioneer woman! and thank you for the cookbook.)

1 stick of butter, softened
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tsp of cinnamon
2 tsp of vanilla

mix all ingredients and spread on bread. bake for 10 min at 350 degrees.

and now... a self-portrait by gracie... yes, that is a pull-up on her head. don't ask...

Sunday, May 23, 2010

meet my 1st garden!



so, i probably should have put pictures of my babies, but right now i'm most excited about my new garden. tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, okra (thanks to cale), watermelon (cause kyle wanted some), strawberries (gracie is beside herself!), basil, and cilantro. mmm hmmmm... yummy!

i've never had a garden before. i've wanted a garden since we moved to our house 4 years ago, but i've been a little busy since then. Busy? With what, you ask? eating bon bons and painting my nails! But not this year... i'm having a garden! thank you honey for catering to all of my little whims (and shoveling a lot of dirt)...

and just a little warning to all you little bunnies around... no messin' with mama's garden or i'll send tucker after you...

Saturday, May 22, 2010

yippee... my first post!

so... i think i can do this thing they call blogging! it's a whole new thing to me. i know, lots of people do it, but it's all new to me. i was telling some friends (hi, girls!) last night that i was thinking about doing this and they said i should... so, i'm gonna... and it's gonna be great, and funny, lots of people will follow me... and i'll write a cookbook... and i'll be really famous... did i just write that... outloud? sorry... ok, not really...

however, i think blogging could be a bad thing for me... and by bad i mean addictive... and by addictive i mean so much fun! i just hope someone reads it... besides my mom... and my mother-in-law...