finally getting around to it

when we first moved into our house,
we had no window treatment in the kitchen.
so mom threw up some cute napkins and we called it a day.
i planned on finding something within those first few months,
just never did.
back in the fall i finally decided on burlap.
bought some, but it sat waiting on me.
so yesterday with mom's help, we finally got around to it.

nothing fancy, just plain and simple.
and it only took 6 years to finally do it!

exercising with a partner

lessons learned:

*my partner can only focus on certain moves for seconds at a time.

*jumping jacks are hard to accomplish while holding hands.

*ab work should probably not be done with someone jumping on your stomach.

*they should make some sort of protection device for women. (yeah, the archway that mama was making was not as tall has he thought.)

*dodging legos can be a workout in and of itself.

*taking pictures while continuing to workout, makes for some blurriness, but i was fearful of jillian jumping out of the t.v. and smacking me around for stopping!

*from now, this must happen during nap time or before my partner wakes up in the morning.

yep august, i am dumping you as my 30-day shred partner, but promise to take you out for some running.

happy fat tuesday

my parents took travis and i to new orleans the summer of my 21st birthday.
i fell in love with the whole place.
the FOOD, music,
salty humid atmopshere,
the accents,
and so much more!!
it is a party all the time,
and i can't even begin to imagine what it is like today--
the last day of mardi gras.

we won't be able to eat our traditional shrimp etouffee tonight,
so i whipped it up last night.
(does two years on a row count as a tradition?)

now if you like shrimp and spicy,
you are gonna LOVE this!

the ingredients:
roux (flour and butter),
the holy trinity (the cooking one that is),

(1) diced tomatoes,
(2) garlic,
(3) cajun seasoning, pepper, cayenne peppper, salt,
(4) green onion, parsley,
and (5) shrimp.

the process:

(1) melt butter and gradully whisk in flour

(2) cook roux for 15-20 minutes (should be a caramel color)

(3) add in trinity and garlc and cook until limp (5 minutes)

(4) add shrimp, spices, onions, parsely and stir to coat

(5) add 1 cup water and tomatoes, boil, reduce to simmer for 10 -15 mintues.

serve over rice

with some crusty french bread topped with garlic and chive butter.
yummy!

recipe courtesy of the southern lady herself:

paula deen

from paula deen celebrates!

(if you don't have this book i highly recommend it--

it covers just about any holiday you could think of,

including elvis' birthday!

i'm sorry

to all those people/things that have been cut off in my pictures.
i am going back and fixing all of you!
so, if you are a follower (i think there are only 3),
i sincerely hope that you won't get all those posts again.

recent crafting

saw this here and just had to.
gift for some precious twin boys born in december.
(burp clothes, initial onesie, and crinkle toy)


and this idea come from bonny -
decorate chip board all festive,
place on ring with photo christmas cards,
and finish off with ribbon.

quote jar

it has finally started: our quote jar.
i saw this post,
and just knew that this is something i wanted to do.



the first quote:

while watching max and ruby,
t: "can i watch the news?"
a: "nope. it's mine."

move over jiffy (updated)

you no longer will take up space in my pantry.
i have found another kind of corn bread-the homemade kind.
the kind where i can pronounce all the ingredients.
the kind my husband has raved about.
the kind i have considered eating for breakfast.

the recipe (from betty crocker's cookbook - bridal edition):

1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, melted
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt.

1. heat oven to 400 degrees. grease bottom and side of square pan, 8x8x2 inches, with butter.
2. beat milk, butter, and egg in large bowl with whisk.
3. mix dry ingredients together, then stir into milk mixture bit by bit, until flour mixture is moistened (will be lumpy). pour into pan.
4. bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. spread a dabs of butter on top of warm bread and serve.

*this is a sweet cornbread
*this recipe is not exactly as it reads in the cookbook, but with my little tweaks here and there!

a big deal

yeah, it's just a banana,

but that's a pretty BIG deal around this house!

what happens when

you step on an opened tube of toothpaste?then mama cleans up your foot,
leaves for just a moment (yes to take a picture of the toothpaste),
and you turn the powder upside down.

at least things are smelling minty fresh and like new baby bottoms around here.

if you couldn't tell,

august LOVES to brush his teeth,

and is trying out his comb as a new toothbrush.

slacking

i've been slacking around here lately.
slacking with my picture taking, too.

i guess you wouldn't know it (especially with lack of pics),
but i am taking a photography class.
learning quite a bit,
so maybe you will start "seeing" some of my new knowledge soon.

on sunday, we made it down to the woods.
when the moisture stopped dripping out of the sky,
i got out the camera and captured some of our fun.

the kids snacked on just about anything we had.

and rode every riding toy we had.

the daddy's and erica took the kids for a jeep ride.
e.n. is in there,

you just can't see anything but hat.

and it wouldn't be a jeep if it didn't need a tow every once in awhile.

the boys chillin' in the hammock.

august wanted out, so the girls jumped in.

then e.n. decided he had enough, too.

these kids love being at camp.