Friday, September 30, 2011

Another Week

Yet another week has FLOWN by. Tomorrow is October 1...how did that happen?! Football season is rolling along. My photography business is booming {LOVING it}, and school just finished up the first 6 weeks. Y'all remind me, the next time someone asks me to be in charge of a new gradebook system for 300 teachers....to say NO. We updated our system this year to Teacher Access Center, and it's a nightmare! Teachers, if you use it, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about.

Moving on. There hasn't been much excitement this week. Trey had to dress up as his favorite nursery rhyme today. He chose Humpty Dumpty. I looked online for ideas on a costume, and refused to buy one. One of the 'homemade' options was to cut a hole in a poster board and have his face go in that hole, and then draw the egg on the poster board. Really?! I'm sure that would have lasted 5 minutes. So, while Joe and I finished off the last 3 episodes of 24, season 6 {ADDICTED to that show, we may just start it over when we get thru season 8...I'm not joking}, I painted. This is what Trey's Humpty Dumpty looked like. {I'm a bad mom and didn't get a picture of him in the shirt this morning...hopefully, it's still in one piece this afternoon.


Tomorrow, I'm off all day to photograph a friend's wedding. It's going to be so much fun I can hardly stand it. I'll miss another football game, but I won't miss the after party. Grammie is keeping the kids, and they are SO excited about that. Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Sibling Love

Here's proof that Trey and Em can be super sweet together...



...OR not.

Monday, September 19, 2011

BBQ Pulled Pork & S'mores Bars

I thought I would share the two recipes that got rave reviews at the party Saturday night. We only had a handful of bars left, and only one scoop {from 2 crock pots!} of the pork left. I'd say they were a success!

Let's start with the Pulled Pork...it was SUPER easy. Maybe you can keep a secret better than I can when someone asks you how you made it. You know you are supposed to say, 'A little of this and a little of that'...but I spilled the beans. Oh you know, from a McCormick's packet of seasoning. Seriously, find this little packet on your spice aisle:


Ingredients:
3 lb boneless pork roast {shoulder, butt...whatever, just no bone!}
1 pkg Slow Cooker McCormick's BBQ Pulled Pork seasoning
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

  1. Place pork in crock pot. {I ALWAYS use the crock pot liner, LIFE savers!}
  2. In a mixing bowl: dump the seasoning packet, ketchup, vinegar, and brown sugar...mix well
  3. Pour sauce over pork
  4. Put the lid on the crock pot, and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for about 4 hours.
  5. Open the lid after desired time, grab a couple forks and get to shredding.
    {The recipe says remove pork and shred, but seriously...who wants that mess?}
I served these on hamburger rolls with different cheeses, mayo, mustard, you name it. I also had the ramen slaw as a side, and some people added that to their sandwich!

Okay, now for the dessert!

Golden Graham S'mores bars...people were ALL over these! I doubled, and still almost ran out!



Yes, they are as sinful as they look.

Ingredients:
1 box Golden Graham cereal
1 - 10 oz bag of mini marshmallows {about 6 cups total}
1 - 12 oz bag of chocolate chips
5 tbsp. of butter
1 tsp of vanilla {optional, but I did it!}

Put chocolate chips in refrigerator to chill. Spray 9 x 13 dish and set aside. In a large bowl, pour out the box of cereal. In a mid-size sauce pan, melt the butter. When the butter is almost all melted, add 5 cups of the marshmallows {save 1 cup for later}. Stir constantly, until almost completely melted. Add in 1 tsp. of vanilla. Remove from stove, and pour over cereal in large bowl. Stir until cereal is coated. Stir in chocolate chips. Add in remaining 1 cup of marshmallows, and gently stir until well distributed. 

Press cereal mixture into 9 x 13. Cover and put in the refrigerator to set. After set {I had mine in the refrigerator most of the day, just because I made them early}, run a knife along the edges of the pan and it should come right on out, and set on a cutting board. Cut your bars, however big you want them! Warning, if you want to double it, I think it is just easier to make it twice instead of trying to make it all in one bowl. It can get messy. I made two separate, and it stayed much cleaner! Y'all, I'm serious...delicious!!


Soccer!

Trey had his VERY first soccer game Saturday morning! I must say, 5 year old soccer is quite entertaining!

Joe started it off with a pep talk...

Before the game started, we had to have a team discussion
about Trey's loose tooth...game plan, who needs one?

And then, they were off! Like a bunch of fire ants!

It doesn't take long for Trey to find the best spot on the bench?
Smart boy.

Houston, we have a daisy picker...

Whew, that was tough work!
Don't worry that he pulled himself  out of the game to take a water break.
We had to have a little discussion about toughening up.


Trey was ALL over the place, but he knew he wanted the ball!
I may have teared up when he scored the first goal, of his first game EVER!
He ended up scoring 2 out of the 4 goals for his team. Yes, I'm proud!!

Stay tuned...I'm going to share the recipe to the pulled pork sandwiches and s'mores bars that we served at the football party Saturday night...they were a HUGE hit!






Friday, September 16, 2011

C.R.A.Z.Y. Week

Monday Night: Trey's Curriculum Night
Tuesday Night: Open House for me, Joe, & Mimi {Uncle Cody babysat}
Wednesday Night: Dinner with friends from out of town {Tennessee to be exact}
Thursday Night: Working dinner to plan wedding photography with dear friends {kids in tow}
Friday Night: Maids come, Carpet cleaners come, Prep to host after game party tomorrow night
Saturday: Trey's first soccer game, Joe's football game, post-game party at our house
Sunday: Photo shoot in the evening

How's that for a week? Yes, we're still alive...don't ask me how...and no, I didn't cook. {not.one.single.night} That's great for Weight Watchers, NOT. I consider it an act of the Good Man Above, that I stayed the same this week and didn't gain.

We've had fun the last four weeks helping Trey transition into Kindergarten mode...or transition us, however you want to look at it. As of Wednesday, this week, Trey had 2 {not-so-good} notes home. Those hurt the heart. {They weren't terrible, just keeping his hands to himself, and staying in his seat....MUCH better than the kid in his class that is pulling hair, and lifting up girl's dresses!} Moving on...after a LONG, discussion with Trey on Wednesday, he brought home his FIRST good note yesterday. SO proud! Hey, it's the little things. Last night, I told him I would help him read his library book before bed. We curled up in my bed, and started reading Wings of Light: The Migration of the Yellow Butterfly. {Yes, that's the title...I should have known something was up}. I'm yawning, but making it thru the pages...until I get to this page:


Go ahead, I'll wait...reread that last paragraph, and not laugh. SERIOUSLY. Kindergarten, y'all. Am I naive, or is that a LITTLE advanced for a 5 year old? Much less, his mom trying to read the book to him. I just about lost it when I read, 'She trembles in response.' COME ON. No worries, I got creative...doesn't it say that the butterflies landed on the flower and then flew off into the sunshine? That's how I read it. I can only imagine what is coming next in this adventure called Kindergarten.

Changing subjects............Emery's Halloween costume.

Source: etsy.com via Kristy on Pinterest


Can you stand the cuteness? I can't. Yes, I'm copying something off of Etsy...don't judge. I can make the tutu and headband, and I just ordered the leg warmers and suspenders off of Amazon. Success! NOW, if I could just talk Trey into this Hobo clown. So far, he's not having it. Apparently, Mr. Hobo can't compete with Transformers or a Ninja. Help me.


Well, that's all the fun for this week. I'm praying for a calmer week next week!


Monday, September 12, 2011

Annual Football Party

This Saturday night, I will be hosting the annual after game party at our house. I think this is my third year to host one? It's a good incentive to get stuff done around the house before the whole coaching staff and their families are hanging out there! :) I think I have the menu set...BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, cole slaw, spinach artichoke dip, and some kind of dessert. Dear Pinterest, thanks for the menu ideas.

Here's what I have so far:

The pulled pork...


Cole Slaw:


Spinach Artichoke Dip:
{Yea, so I'm famous at parties for this dip that I serve in a hawaiian bread bowl. Pinterest isn't sophisticated enough to handle this recipe. 2 tubs of Walmart Spinach Artichoke dip, and pour it in the hollowed out bread bowl. Don't be jealous!}

Now, for the hard part...I can't decide between these desserts!

Smores Brownies


Oreo Brownies


OR

Golden Graham Smores Bars


Decisions, decisions...what's your vote?


Saturday, September 10, 2011

10 years

So hard to believe that it's been 10 years. I still remember being in Ms. Mitchell's Kines class at SFA. I remember being glued to the TV for no less than 3 days straights. Our volleyball games were cancelled, and the whole country was in shock. Praying for those families affected, as well as all of the firemen, policemen, and military that protect us every day.

Watch this. Hang on, get tissues first...and then watch this.


Friday, September 2, 2011

In an effort to get something on the blog, I'm going to break it down to bullets. Don't judge.

  • Emery is living large being by herself at the babysitter. {AKA Grammie's}. The other day, we were on our way to the car rider line to pick up Trey and this is what I hear from the back seat, "I don't want to pick up Trey!" No worries, that was short lived and the next time he mentioned 'leaving', she threw a grade 10 fit on the floor. 
  • Tonight is Joe's first regular season game...please tell me why I'm nervous? Oh, that's right...the outcome will determine how pleasant this 3 day weekend will be!
  • Trey is doing well at school, he already has a girlfriend...one that actually claims him! He needs to watch himself, she has 2 older brothers at school that'll eat his lunch if he's not nice.
  • Speaking of Trey, we hadn't been able to kick a pesky cough for going on 2 weeks. He didn't have a fever, so I tried to be 'cool' mom and let him ride it out. Until a lovely rash appeared 2 days ago. Diagnosis? RUNNING Walking Pneumonia. Why running you ask? Well, one with pneumonia would usually be laid up...not Trey, he's been running around crazy over the last couple of weeks! I think we were about 30 seconds from heading to the ER, if the Pulse Ox reader didn't get the right reading. We are loaded up with a nebulizer/albuterol, antibiotic, and steroid.
  • I LOVE our doctor. He is Joe's team doctor, and really looks out for us. Including telling Trey to stay home from school, but he'd see us at the football game tonight. {Priorities people, priorities}
  • I am beating the busses this afternoon and getting home...why? It's Friday, Friday {nevermind}...BUT, it's cleaning lady day, and I love pulling into the garage and smelling Fabuloso. 
The End.