Our alternative Thanksgiving schedule was a great advantage for my Black Friday shopping. In the past, I'm already tired from being on my feet in the kitchen all day, but I still had fun on the all-night shopping outings. This year was different thanks to my well-planned strategy.
I started Wednesday night by renting a few movies and staying awake until 3 a.m. Thursday. To ensure I would be adequately tired for a long afternoon nap, I slept only until 7:30 Thursday morning. I spent the day watching the Macy's parade, pouring over the advertising inserts in the paper, online reviews of products, and a massive spreadsheet of all available deals. After hours and hours of planning and research, I had readied my list of stores, list of deals, coupons and insert copies. What I thought would be a marvelous nap, though, was not to be. What the heck?! I was home alone. I enjoyed a glass of white wine. I snuggled up on the couch in comfy jammies to watch a boring movie. How could it have gone wrong?! I have no idea, but it did. I think I was just too anxious and excited to sleep, so I decided to just start my shopping early.
It was 10:15 when I left the house last night, and I've now returned home more than 19 hours later. I would love to show you pictures of me loading down my car or freezing as I stood in the sleeting rain outside JC Penney's or slowly snaking through the line at Bath & Body Works. But, that would give you the WRONG impressing. Black Friday was a blast! I amassed excellent deals from the outlet mall to department stores to boutiques.
My online shopping was done by my husband as he sat at work and also by myself as I stood in line. Of the three major online deals I wanted, I only managed to secure one . Boooo..... I may never let myself get excited about BF online deals again. It was just a big letdown. But, the in-store shopping was certainly not a letdown.
If you don't already do it, grab your mom and/or aunts, cousins and great aunts and begin planning your 2011 BF shopping spree. In the meantime, I am just going to take a little nap...
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Tuesday Treats - Thanksgiving Meal
This is the third year in a row that Daniel has been in the midst of a night shift at work through Thanksgiving. In the past, we have worked around it and still managed to celebrate on the actual holiday. As you can imagine, it's not ideal. This year, we changed things up, and it resulted in a wonderful holiday weekend.
We were joined for the weekend by my parents as well as my sister and her husband. Saturday morning was spent poolside in Georgetown to watch Abigail compete in a short meet. Then, four of our group headed into Austin to see the Longhorns win a football game. Sunday was all about Thanksgiving. It was such a great day to relax and enjoy the celebration with no regard to work schedules or exhausted people.
Since everyone out there in blogland is just now preparing their own Thanksgiving feasts, I wanted to share my favorite recipes that we enjoy for our meal.
Daniel takes care of the turkey and dressing. We're all about a cajun fried turkey and cornbread dressing. There are no recipes for these, and I'm not involved with them. I just know they are mighty tasty! (He also makes the mashed potatoes and deviled eggs.)
Sweet Potato Casserole (Fabulous recipe courtesy of Ted Moore in Summerville, SC)
2 cans of large sweet potatoes
2 cups sugar
12 tbsp of soft butter
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
Mix all of that together and then top with:
2 cups pecans
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 cup brown sugar
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Green Bean Casserole (Can't have a southern meal without it.)
2 cans cut green beans
1 can french style green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Mix soup and cheese in 9x13 baking pan. Add beans. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Top with can of french fried onions and return to oven for 5 minutes.
Corn Pudding (This stuff is the yummiest goodness!)
1 can cream corn
2 cans corn
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
8 oz. sour cream
2 eggs
2 T butter
Combine ingredients in 9x13 baking dish and bake for 35-45 minutes.
Cranberry Sauce (The great Paula Deen is responsible for this deliciousness)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 (16-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped apple
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup Grand Marnier (we didn't have this, but susbstituted Moscato)
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
Combine the sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries and return to a boil, then lower the heat so that the liquid simmers. Add the apples, walnuts, raisins, Grand Marnier, orange and lemon juices, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool.
Ham
I've found the best ham is the Sam's Choice double glazed ham. It's a bit pricey, but extremely tasty.
Although Daniel and I share the main meal cooking duties, the baking is all me. I LOVE to bake. This year I didn't make as many as I have in the past, but there were still plenty of pie to go around.
Pumpkin Cheesecake (Recipe courtesy of my mother's friend Sandy. This is always a crowd pleaser!)
The first thing you need to do is prep your spring form pan. Wrap the bottom ~ and up the sides with heavy duty tin foil ... press it good so it's tight. Next place a roasting pan in the oven and fill it about 1/3 to 1/2 full with water. When you actually are baking the cheesecake you will have the spring form pan sitting in the water in the roasting pan.
Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter ~ melted
dash of cinnamon
Combine the crust ingredients and press them into the bottom of the spring form pan
Filling
3 (8 oz.) packages of Cream Cheese ~ softened at room temperature
1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
3 Eggs
2 Teaspoons vanilla extract (real vanilla is preferred to the imitation vanilla)
In a large mixer bowl beat cream cheese until it is fluffy. Gradually beat in milk until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Take out 1 cup of the filling and reserve. Set rest of filling aside
Pumpkin Filling:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
Mix all ingredients. Add pumpkin mix to main filling mix (not the 1 cup reserve). Mix well. Layer half of pumpkin mix and then half of your reserved filling mix over crust. Repeat layers. Cut through batter with knife several times to create the 'swirl effect'. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Cherry Cream Pie (This is my family's favorite, and the absolute easiest pie to bake.)
8 oz. cream cheese
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
Graham cracker pie crust (see cheesecake recipe)
Combine all ingredients and fill pie crust. Refrigerate until set. Top with can of cherry pie filling. Refrigerate until set.
Caramel Pecan Pie (Rich but super yummy!)
Pumpkin Crunch (Another piece of greatness from Paula Deen)
1 (15 oz.) can fresh pumpkin
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
2 sticks butter, cut into pieces
FROSTING:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. softened cream cheese
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin, evaporated milk, cinnamon and sugar until well combined. Add eggs and mix well. Pour mixture into a 9X13 baking dish prepared with a non stick spray. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over entire top. Sprinkle nuts evenly over cake mix and top with butter pieces. Bake at 350ยบ F for 50-60 minutes. Set aside to cool. Prepare frosting while cake is cooling. In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, whip cream cheese until light. Add in whipping cream and continue to whip until fully combined and thickening. Add powdered sugar and cinnamon and whip until smooth. To Serve: Scoop out a slice of the pumpkin crunch and top with a dollop of the cream cheese frosting, or frost the entire pumpkin crunch with the frosting.
Creamy Lemon Supreme (This is my prettiest and tastiest pie, courtesy of Pampered Chef)
Crust:
12 lemon creme-filled sandwich cookies, finely chopped (1½ cups)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 lemon
Filling:
2 lemons
1 package (2.9 ounces) lemon cook and serve pudding and pie filling (not instant)
½ cup sugar
2 cups water, divided
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1. Lightly spray springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. For crust, finely chop cookies. Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter in small bowl. Press crumb mixture into bottom of pan. Cut 6 thin slices from lemon; cut each slice in half. Place lemon halves against inside collar of pan with cut side touching crust. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
2. For filling, zest lemons to measure 1½ teaspoons zest. Juice lemons to measure ¼ cup juice. Combine pudding mix, sugar, ¼ cup of the water and egg yolks in small saucepan; stir until blended. Stir in remaining 1¾ cups water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full boil; remove from heat. Set aside ½ cup of the pudding; cool slightly. Whisk butter and lemon juice into remaining pudding in saucepan; cool 15 minutes, stirring twice.
3. In large bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; mix well. Whisk in reserved ½ cup lemon pudding and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping, spread over crust.
4. Stir remaining lemon pudding mixture and spoon evenly over cream cheese filling, spreading gently. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.
5. Garnish with remaining whipped topping and lemon zest. Cut into wedges.
We were joined for the weekend by my parents as well as my sister and her husband. Saturday morning was spent poolside in Georgetown to watch Abigail compete in a short meet. Then, four of our group headed into Austin to see the Longhorns win a football game. Sunday was all about Thanksgiving. It was such a great day to relax and enjoy the celebration with no regard to work schedules or exhausted people.
Since everyone out there in blogland is just now preparing their own Thanksgiving feasts, I wanted to share my favorite recipes that we enjoy for our meal.
Daniel takes care of the turkey and dressing. We're all about a cajun fried turkey and cornbread dressing. There are no recipes for these, and I'm not involved with them. I just know they are mighty tasty! (He also makes the mashed potatoes and deviled eggs.)
Sweet Potato Casserole (Fabulous recipe courtesy of Ted Moore in Summerville, SC)
2 cans of large sweet potatoes
2 cups sugar
12 tbsp of soft butter
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
Mix all of that together and then top with:
2 cups pecans
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 cup brown sugar
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Green Bean Casserole (Can't have a southern meal without it.)
2 cans cut green beans
1 can french style green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Mix soup and cheese in 9x13 baking pan. Add beans. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Top with can of french fried onions and return to oven for 5 minutes.
Corn Pudding (This stuff is the yummiest goodness!)
1 can cream corn
2 cans corn
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
8 oz. sour cream
2 eggs
2 T butter
Combine ingredients in 9x13 baking dish and bake for 35-45 minutes.
Cranberry Sauce (The great Paula Deen is responsible for this deliciousness)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 (16-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped apple
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup Grand Marnier (we didn't have this, but susbstituted Moscato)
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
Combine the sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries and return to a boil, then lower the heat so that the liquid simmers. Add the apples, walnuts, raisins, Grand Marnier, orange and lemon juices, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool.
Ham
I've found the best ham is the Sam's Choice double glazed ham. It's a bit pricey, but extremely tasty.
Although Daniel and I share the main meal cooking duties, the baking is all me. I LOVE to bake. This year I didn't make as many as I have in the past, but there were still plenty of pie to go around.
Pumpkin Cheesecake (Recipe courtesy of my mother's friend Sandy. This is always a crowd pleaser!)
The first thing you need to do is prep your spring form pan. Wrap the bottom ~ and up the sides with heavy duty tin foil ... press it good so it's tight. Next place a roasting pan in the oven and fill it about 1/3 to 1/2 full with water. When you actually are baking the cheesecake you will have the spring form pan sitting in the water in the roasting pan.
Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter ~ melted
dash of cinnamon
Combine the crust ingredients and press them into the bottom of the spring form pan
Filling
3 (8 oz.) packages of Cream Cheese ~ softened at room temperature
1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
3 Eggs
2 Teaspoons vanilla extract (real vanilla is preferred to the imitation vanilla)
In a large mixer bowl beat cream cheese until it is fluffy. Gradually beat in milk until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Take out 1 cup of the filling and reserve. Set rest of filling aside
Pumpkin Filling:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
Mix all ingredients. Add pumpkin mix to main filling mix (not the 1 cup reserve). Mix well. Layer half of pumpkin mix and then half of your reserved filling mix over crust. Repeat layers. Cut through batter with knife several times to create the 'swirl effect'. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Cherry Cream Pie (This is my family's favorite, and the absolute easiest pie to bake.)
8 oz. cream cheese
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
Graham cracker pie crust (see cheesecake recipe)
Combine all ingredients and fill pie crust. Refrigerate until set. Top with can of cherry pie filling. Refrigerate until set.
Caramel Pecan Pie (Rich but super yummy!)
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
36 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan halves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) In a saucepan over low heat, combine caramels, butter and milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Gradually mix in the melted caramel mixture. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool until filling is firm.
Pumpkin Crunch (Another piece of greatness from Paula Deen)
1 (15 oz.) can fresh pumpkin
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
2 sticks butter, cut into pieces
FROSTING:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. softened cream cheese
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin, evaporated milk, cinnamon and sugar until well combined. Add eggs and mix well. Pour mixture into a 9X13 baking dish prepared with a non stick spray. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over entire top. Sprinkle nuts evenly over cake mix and top with butter pieces. Bake at 350ยบ F for 50-60 minutes. Set aside to cool. Prepare frosting while cake is cooling. In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, whip cream cheese until light. Add in whipping cream and continue to whip until fully combined and thickening. Add powdered sugar and cinnamon and whip until smooth. To Serve: Scoop out a slice of the pumpkin crunch and top with a dollop of the cream cheese frosting, or frost the entire pumpkin crunch with the frosting.
Creamy Lemon Supreme (This is my prettiest and tastiest pie, courtesy of Pampered Chef)
Crust:
12 lemon creme-filled sandwich cookies, finely chopped (1½ cups)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 lemon
Filling:
2 lemons
1 package (2.9 ounces) lemon cook and serve pudding and pie filling (not instant)
½ cup sugar
2 cups water, divided
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1. Lightly spray springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. For crust, finely chop cookies. Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter in small bowl. Press crumb mixture into bottom of pan. Cut 6 thin slices from lemon; cut each slice in half. Place lemon halves against inside collar of pan with cut side touching crust. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
2. For filling, zest lemons to measure 1½ teaspoons zest. Juice lemons to measure ¼ cup juice. Combine pudding mix, sugar, ¼ cup of the water and egg yolks in small saucepan; stir until blended. Stir in remaining 1¾ cups water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full boil; remove from heat. Set aside ½ cup of the pudding; cool slightly. Whisk butter and lemon juice into remaining pudding in saucepan; cool 15 minutes, stirring twice.
3. In large bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; mix well. Whisk in reserved ½ cup lemon pudding and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping, spread over crust.
4. Stir remaining lemon pudding mixture and spoon evenly over cream cheese filling, spreading gently. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.
5. Garnish with remaining whipped topping and lemon zest. Cut into wedges.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Hittin' the Books...
And, we're back in our school-year routine. I've been dreading the fast-paced craziness that comes with school, but the kids have been eagerly anticipating going back to school. Needless to say, it's going to take more than eager anticipation for us to get back into a timely routine, so we were a bit frantic on the first day. Oh, well. They didn't give us tardy slips, so we're in the clear.
Even though we were late, we were very prepared. Those backpacks are full of all the necessary supplies (and even some unnecessary ones).
And, if you look even closer, you'll see that each item is labeled with the owner's name. And, I mean every item. Every crayon, marker, marker lid, etc... Daniel and I spent an evening last week labeling everything to play by the rules. (But, that doesn't mean we didn't think it was a superfluous act.)
By school time, I had completely forgotten my aggravation with labeling supplies and couldn't stand how independent my babies looked in their classes. By today, the second day of school, Abigail requested that I not walk her to her class. I went anyway, and she walked as quickly as possible so that Cooper and I couldn't keep up. I assured her I would be walking with her for the first week and then she could be on her own.
I hope this little guy doesn't decide he wants to be completely independent!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Tuesday Treats - Coke/Butterfinger Cake
I baked two new recipes, a Coca-Cola cake and a Butterfinger cake, last week for Bible study. Then, we had a neighborhood barbecue over the weekend and I decided to experiment. I combined the two recipes and ended up with a scrumptious dessert. You must try this out, but beware... it is not diet friendly!
Ingredients
1 cup coke
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter, softenened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 jar caramel sauce/topping
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 large Cool-Whip
1 king size Butterfinger bar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Combine coke and buttermilk and set aside. Beat butter at slow speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs and vanilla/ beat at low speed until blended. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda in separate bowl. Add to butter mixture alternately with coke mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in marshmallows. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 10 minutes. While it's still hot, use a fork to punch holes all over the top of the cake. Combine the sweetened condensed milk and caramel and pour mixture evenly over cake. Cool cake completely. Cover cake with Cool Whip. Top with crushed Butterfinger.
Sorry I don't have a picture. I was too busy eating and then wallowing in my misery from the richness of the cake.
Ingredients
1 cup coke
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter, softenened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 jar caramel sauce/topping
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 large Cool-Whip
1 king size Butterfinger bar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Combine coke and buttermilk and set aside. Beat butter at slow speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs and vanilla/ beat at low speed until blended. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda in separate bowl. Add to butter mixture alternately with coke mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in marshmallows. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 10 minutes. While it's still hot, use a fork to punch holes all over the top of the cake. Combine the sweetened condensed milk and caramel and pour mixture evenly over cake. Cool cake completely. Cover cake with Cool Whip. Top with crushed Butterfinger.
Sorry I don't have a picture. I was too busy eating and then wallowing in my misery from the richness of the cake.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Annie
Last week, Abigail and I joined our neighbors, Kristy and her daughter Morgan, for a night out in Austin. We ventured to the city for the summer musical "Annie" at Zilker Park. Each year, there is a free musical presented Thurs-Sun nights at an amphitheater, and we finally made it to a performance for the first time. It was a late night since curtain call isn't until sunset, but completely worth the exhaustion. The girls loved it!
We arrived an hour before showtime to enjoy our picnic dinner and get a good seat with our blankets, but we weren't early enough. We ended up in the very back, but the seating hill is steep enough that we still had decent seats. Although, I'm sure everyone seated near us wasn't as thrilled with us being nearby since I couldn't make Abigail stop singing along to every song in the production.
We were all impressed with the production and thoroughly enjoyed our evening. I can't wait to take Abigail back next summer!
We arrived an hour before showtime to enjoy our picnic dinner and get a good seat with our blankets, but we weren't early enough. We ended up in the very back, but the seating hill is steep enough that we still had decent seats. Although, I'm sure everyone seated near us wasn't as thrilled with us being nearby since I couldn't make Abigail stop singing along to every song in the production.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
I Fought the Law, And I WON!
A few months ago I had to go into Austin during a weekday, which NEVER happens. It was an emergency I needed to tend to, and it turned into an unfortunate trip. I ended up getting a ticket as I entered the freeway. Ugh...
I was so annoyed. I've been ticketed just three times in my driving career, all for minor speeding tickets. The last of those occurred when I was pregnant with Cooper. In fact, I was driving down a rural highway and racing to get to a potty break 95 mph over the speed limit), one of the pitfalls of being pregnant and commuting an hour to/from work. Ha! Anyways, I'm not an aggressive driver, but on this day in Austin, I was mistaken for one. I was ticketed for following too closely, when neither my passenger (my sister) nor I saw a vehicle in front of me. Yeah, when I entered the freeway, I was too close to a vehicle in the freeway merging process, which is why I quickly changed lanes into an open lane with less traffic. Then, I got pulled over. Grr....
Needless to say, I disagreed with the ticket. And, I don't easily accept things that I don't agree with. Yeah, I'm an arguer. I like confrontation. I like to argue. Blame my parents for letting me compete in debate through high school. ha ha!
I did question my resolve each time the prosecutor's office offered me a reduced fine and a chance to keep the ticket off my record, but I continued through the process of challenging my ticket over the past three months. Even this morning, when I appeared for my jury trial, I was offered a chance to plead out with an even lower fine and be done with the situation. I assured the prosecutor the issue wasn't about money for me, but rather that I wasn't guilty and I still wanted a jury trial. (I was going to feel very stupid if I lost the case and it did become about money when I had to pay higher insurance premiums.)
After fours hours in court, with one of those being an hour of jury deliberations, I was very relieved to win my first (and hopefully last) court case. It was an interesting morning in court as I struggled to recall all my moot court experience in college. I'd like to think my poly sci prof would be proud of me, but most of all, I'm just glad to be rid of that stinkin' ticket!
I was so annoyed. I've been ticketed just three times in my driving career, all for minor speeding tickets. The last of those occurred when I was pregnant with Cooper. In fact, I was driving down a rural highway and racing to get to a potty break 95 mph over the speed limit), one of the pitfalls of being pregnant and commuting an hour to/from work. Ha! Anyways, I'm not an aggressive driver, but on this day in Austin, I was mistaken for one. I was ticketed for following too closely, when neither my passenger (my sister) nor I saw a vehicle in front of me. Yeah, when I entered the freeway, I was too close to a vehicle in the freeway merging process, which is why I quickly changed lanes into an open lane with less traffic. Then, I got pulled over. Grr....
Needless to say, I disagreed with the ticket. And, I don't easily accept things that I don't agree with. Yeah, I'm an arguer. I like confrontation. I like to argue. Blame my parents for letting me compete in debate through high school. ha ha!
I did question my resolve each time the prosecutor's office offered me a reduced fine and a chance to keep the ticket off my record, but I continued through the process of challenging my ticket over the past three months. Even this morning, when I appeared for my jury trial, I was offered a chance to plead out with an even lower fine and be done with the situation. I assured the prosecutor the issue wasn't about money for me, but rather that I wasn't guilty and I still wanted a jury trial. (I was going to feel very stupid if I lost the case and it did become about money when I had to pay higher insurance premiums.)
After fours hours in court, with one of those being an hour of jury deliberations, I was very relieved to win my first (and hopefully last) court case. It was an interesting morning in court as I struggled to recall all my moot court experience in college. I'd like to think my poly sci prof would be proud of me, but most of all, I'm just glad to be rid of that stinkin' ticket!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Out of Sorts
For months now, I feel like I've been on a roller coaster that won't stop to let me off. Now that we are in the second half of 2010, I'm taking a moment to realize how much the first half affected me.
We were ambitious enough to have a completely handmade Christmas that certainly took it's toll on personal time around the Hardy home. It won't stop me from doing it again, but we'll need to downgrade the extravaganza.
Weddingpalooza really taken over our lives this year in so many ways. Since Christmas, I've hosted three bridal showers. As much as I love party planning, I think I've worn out my welcome on checking all the hostess blogs for ideas. I designed and printed the programs for Kendall and Trevor's wedding, which seemed like a simple offer of my time but turned into a huge debacle that went down to the wire. I ended up using two different printers and not getting the correct product until after the rehearsal dinner. Yikes! Fortunately, the bride never knew about the complications, but I was definitely stressed and worn out over this issue. My sister's wedding a few week's ago was what really put me over the edge. We had just three weeks to plan and I used every minute available, sleeping just a few hours each night to allow for enough time to complete all the projects. Everything turned out beautifully, but I was just too tired to even know what was going on during the wedding.
For the school year, it seemed that I became the go-to parent for the kids' class parties. This seemed to be never-ending. Have you ever realized how many occasions we have for parties? I think I was just catching up at work from taking a day off for a party when it came time to begin organizing the next party. May was the big one when we had program performances, dress rehearsals, costumes to be sewn, projects to be made, teacher gifts to be bought, etc. It definitely seemed to be piled on too much in one month.
Now, the school year and weddings are over and, on the surface, I have recovered from this craziness. I'm caught up on checking the mail, bills are all paid, I'm blogging again, the house is finally clean (that was the most neglected item), and I'm starting to feel caught up on my sleep. However, I still don't feel recovered mentally. I can't stand feeling like I'm jumping from one project to another like a chicken with my head cut off, and I want to know how to prevent it. I don't want to become a recluse and not take on anything outside of our home. I love being creative, helping other people, and having projects outside the home. But, I've got to take a stand for my own well being.
How do you avoid overcommitting yourself? How do you find the balance between taking care of your family but still volunteering outside of the home? Help!
We were ambitious enough to have a completely handmade Christmas that certainly took it's toll on personal time around the Hardy home. It won't stop me from doing it again, but we'll need to downgrade the extravaganza.
Weddingpalooza really taken over our lives this year in so many ways. Since Christmas, I've hosted three bridal showers. As much as I love party planning, I think I've worn out my welcome on checking all the hostess blogs for ideas. I designed and printed the programs for Kendall and Trevor's wedding, which seemed like a simple offer of my time but turned into a huge debacle that went down to the wire. I ended up using two different printers and not getting the correct product until after the rehearsal dinner. Yikes! Fortunately, the bride never knew about the complications, but I was definitely stressed and worn out over this issue. My sister's wedding a few week's ago was what really put me over the edge. We had just three weeks to plan and I used every minute available, sleeping just a few hours each night to allow for enough time to complete all the projects. Everything turned out beautifully, but I was just too tired to even know what was going on during the wedding.
For the school year, it seemed that I became the go-to parent for the kids' class parties. This seemed to be never-ending. Have you ever realized how many occasions we have for parties? I think I was just catching up at work from taking a day off for a party when it came time to begin organizing the next party. May was the big one when we had program performances, dress rehearsals, costumes to be sewn, projects to be made, teacher gifts to be bought, etc. It definitely seemed to be piled on too much in one month.
Now, the school year and weddings are over and, on the surface, I have recovered from this craziness. I'm caught up on checking the mail, bills are all paid, I'm blogging again, the house is finally clean (that was the most neglected item), and I'm starting to feel caught up on my sleep. However, I still don't feel recovered mentally. I can't stand feeling like I'm jumping from one project to another like a chicken with my head cut off, and I want to know how to prevent it. I don't want to become a recluse and not take on anything outside of our home. I love being creative, helping other people, and having projects outside the home. But, I've got to take a stand for my own well being.
How do you avoid overcommitting yourself? How do you find the balance between taking care of your family but still volunteering outside of the home? Help!
Friday, July 16, 2010
We're So Cultured, We're Almost Yogurt
We have new neighbors, Sergei and his wife, Tamara, and their son, Yuri, who just moved in next door. Upon getting to know Sergei a bit more, we discovered that he is also from Odessa, however he is from the other one, in the Ukraine. Moreover, he has a very interesting job as a full-time musician in the The Flying Balaika Brothers, a Russian folk band. He plays the balalaika, a Russian instrument shaped like a triangle and very similar to the guitar.
Since the kids are gone, and Daniel was in the middle of a week-long break between shifts, we've been staying up late, sleeping in late, and trying to occupy our time with outings that aren't convenient with small children. I would definitely say a concert that doesn't begin until 9:30 falls into that category, so we headed to South Austin on Monday night to hear The Balaika Brothers.
The nine-member band was amazingly talented and beyond impressive. They played two sets over a two hour period, and it was foot-stomping, dance-inducing fun that we can't wait to go back to hear. I think we'll even try to find a show that the kids can attend, as they will love the dancing. See for yourself...
Since the kids are gone, and Daniel was in the middle of a week-long break between shifts, we've been staying up late, sleeping in late, and trying to occupy our time with outings that aren't convenient with small children. I would definitely say a concert that doesn't begin until 9:30 falls into that category, so we headed to South Austin on Monday night to hear The Balaika Brothers.
The nine-member band was amazingly talented and beyond impressive. They played two sets over a two hour period, and it was foot-stomping, dance-inducing fun that we can't wait to go back to hear. I think we'll even try to find a show that the kids can attend, as they will love the dancing. See for yourself...
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Father's Day
Since we were in San Antonio for Kendall and Trevor's wedding over Father's Day weekend, the kids found their own ways to squeeze in Daddy time.
While Abigail and I attended the bridal breakfast, Daniel and Cooper spent the morning at Bass Pro Shop. They didn't bring photographic evidence, but Cooper does have a new bow and arrow set to show for his trip. Even though Cooper was the one who walked away with the new toy, I think Daniel was the privileged one to spend time with his little man in a Man Store.
Later that day during the wedding reception, Daniel and Abigail slipped away from the festivities to have some daddy-daughter time, and it was certainly a treat. I love the way Daniel treats Abigail to special time and showers her with attention. I see the way he is preparing her to have certain expectations from a man some day, and I love it!
They enjoyed a private carriage ride through downtown San Anotonio in a carriage fit only for a princess!
While Abigail and I attended the bridal breakfast, Daniel and Cooper spent the morning at Bass Pro Shop. They didn't bring photographic evidence, but Cooper does have a new bow and arrow set to show for his trip. Even though Cooper was the one who walked away with the new toy, I think Daniel was the privileged one to spend time with his little man in a Man Store.
Later that day during the wedding reception, Daniel and Abigail slipped away from the festivities to have some daddy-daughter time, and it was certainly a treat. I love the way Daniel treats Abigail to special time and showers her with attention. I see the way he is preparing her to have certain expectations from a man some day, and I love it!
They enjoyed a private carriage ride through downtown San Anotonio in a carriage fit only for a princess!
We are lucky parents to have these two taking this ride with us!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wedding Extravaganza Part I
The first big event of June was Kendall & Trevor's wedding. Now, Trevor is Daniel's cousin. But, Kendall may be one of my favorite relatives! Ha! We do love Trevor, but he certainly did do a great job of adding to the family.
The wedding was a weekend-long event in San Antonio that we all thoroughly enjoyed. After the rehearsal, we were treated to a great dinner at County Line on the Riverwalk. That was a blast! Great food, entertaining speeches/toasts. Apparantly I was enthralled that I didn't bother to take my camera out even once. Oh, well. You'll have to take my word for it. It was a great night!
The wedding day began with a bridal breakfast at our hotel. And, this was a new experience for me. Abigail, being the main guest from our family as the flowergirl, was seated at a table with some of the bridesmaids. I was seated elsewhere, with the moms. Yes, that's right. I was relegated to the Mom Table. I'm trying not to take anything bad away from this experience, but I certainly didn't feel young and spry. Alas, I only have this far-away shot of my princess at the breakfast.
Daniel's sister, Daniel's mother and I took the flowergirls out for a stroll above the Riverwalk (read: panic trip to find the right size of shoes for the other flowergirl to wear to the wedding due to a last-minute growth spurt) after the breakfast. Yeah, it was sticky and sweaty and a good cause for either a shower or a trip to the rooftop hotel pool, but the girls were too cute and attracted attention and comments from tourists all around us.
Once we enjoyed our afternoon in the pool, a nap and another shower, the main event was calling our name. I must say, my babies have never been more lovely.
And, we didn't disappoint as a family, either!
Once the wedding was in the books, the party began and it certainly disappoint. We had the entire Buckhorn Museum & Saloon to ourselves, plenty of food and drinks to fill us up and a wonderful band to entertain. My kids were the stars of the dancefloor, especially Cooper. I never could talk him in to dancing with me, but I don't think there was a pretty sorority girl in attendance that left without getting a dance with the Coopster!
I did see Cooper getting his shoes tied by more than one girl and I'm afraid he may have been setting them up to be able to look down their dress. Ha!
I wish I had pictures of Kendall and Trevor, but you'll have to trust me that they did get married! It was absolutely beautiful and we can't wait to hear all about their new life they've just begun this week in OKINAWA!
The wedding was a weekend-long event in San Antonio that we all thoroughly enjoyed. After the rehearsal, we were treated to a great dinner at County Line on the Riverwalk. That was a blast! Great food, entertaining speeches/toasts. Apparantly I was enthralled that I didn't bother to take my camera out even once. Oh, well. You'll have to take my word for it. It was a great night!
The wedding day began with a bridal breakfast at our hotel. And, this was a new experience for me. Abigail, being the main guest from our family as the flowergirl, was seated at a table with some of the bridesmaids. I was seated elsewhere, with the moms. Yes, that's right. I was relegated to the Mom Table. I'm trying not to take anything bad away from this experience, but I certainly didn't feel young and spry. Alas, I only have this far-away shot of my princess at the breakfast.
Daniel's sister, Daniel's mother and I took the flowergirls out for a stroll above the Riverwalk (read: panic trip to find the right size of shoes for the other flowergirl to wear to the wedding due to a last-minute growth spurt) after the breakfast. Yeah, it was sticky and sweaty and a good cause for either a shower or a trip to the rooftop hotel pool, but the girls were too cute and attracted attention and comments from tourists all around us.
Once we enjoyed our afternoon in the pool, a nap and another shower, the main event was calling our name. I must say, my babies have never been more lovely.
And, we didn't disappoint as a family, either!
Once the wedding was in the books, the party began and it certainly disappoint. We had the entire Buckhorn Museum & Saloon to ourselves, plenty of food and drinks to fill us up and a wonderful band to entertain. My kids were the stars of the dancefloor, especially Cooper. I never could talk him in to dancing with me, but I don't think there was a pretty sorority girl in attendance that left without getting a dance with the Coopster!
I did see Cooper getting his shoes tied by more than one girl and I'm afraid he may have been setting them up to be able to look down their dress. Ha!
I wish I had pictures of Kendall and Trevor, but you'll have to trust me that they did get married! It was absolutely beautiful and we can't wait to hear all about their new life they've just begun this week in OKINAWA!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Summertime!
School was out a month ago, but my summer started last week! The kids are gone for a few weeks to visit grandparents, and I am in true summertime. The first few days were spent overcoming exhaustion, tackling neglected housecleaning and catching up on all the life I had missed in the busyness. Now that I'm all caught up, I'm getting to play a little.
Yesterday we drove down to Lockhart to check out the world famous barbecue mecca. We met Kelly Ann and Taylor at Black's BBQ for our first foray into the BBQ scene. Next time we'll plan to go on a Saturday when Kreutz is open, as that's where we really wanted to eat. But, we weren't disappointed with what Black's had to offer... all kinds of tasty bbq with live music to set the atmosphere.
It was Sunday, so there weren't many shops open in Lockhart, but Daniel and I did peruse a few cute antique stores and I picked up some paintings in one of them. (Now I can't wait until I can talk Daniel into painting my bathroom so I can hand my new decor in there.)
After lunch, Taylor and Daniel went to a watering hole for a few rounds of pool while Kelly Ann and I roamed around to see if we could find any shops open. We did see this comical sign for a Chinese takeout restaurant...
Ha ha! Small towns just crack me up. They are too cute!
When we drove back into Round Rock, we decided to lengthen our day of outings and go to a baseball game at the minor league park near our house. Unfortunately, our team is an Astros farm team, meaning they stink this year, but we still had fun.
Tonight we're off for more excitement and something we've never even come close to doing. I can't wait to share it with you tomorrow...
Yesterday we drove down to Lockhart to check out the world famous barbecue mecca. We met Kelly Ann and Taylor at Black's BBQ for our first foray into the BBQ scene. Next time we'll plan to go on a Saturday when Kreutz is open, as that's where we really wanted to eat. But, we weren't disappointed with what Black's had to offer... all kinds of tasty bbq with live music to set the atmosphere.
It was Sunday, so there weren't many shops open in Lockhart, but Daniel and I did peruse a few cute antique stores and I picked up some paintings in one of them. (Now I can't wait until I can talk Daniel into painting my bathroom so I can hand my new decor in there.)
After lunch, Taylor and Daniel went to a watering hole for a few rounds of pool while Kelly Ann and I roamed around to see if we could find any shops open. We did see this comical sign for a Chinese takeout restaurant...
Ha ha! Small towns just crack me up. They are too cute!
When we drove back into Round Rock, we decided to lengthen our day of outings and go to a baseball game at the minor league park near our house. Unfortunately, our team is an Astros farm team, meaning they stink this year, but we still had fun.
Tonight we're off for more excitement and something we've never even come close to doing. I can't wait to share it with you tomorrow...
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Hitting The Range
I've picked up a new hobby. Well, I guess one night on a driving range doesn't make a hobby, but that's the plan.
I now have my own set of golf clubs!
After trying them out by hitting balls down the street one night, Daniel and I made a date night of it at a nearby driving range. It was great!
Of course, I'm used to hitting balls in this fashion...
But, I'm getting the hang of this new-to-me sport. And, it's awesome to be able to share something outdoors with Daniel. This is definitely going to be a great date-night past time.
I now have my own set of golf clubs!
After trying them out by hitting balls down the street one night, Daniel and I made a date night of it at a nearby driving range. It was great!
Of course, I'm used to hitting balls in this fashion...
But, I'm getting the hang of this new-to-me sport. And, it's awesome to be able to share something outdoors with Daniel. This is definitely going to be a great date-night past time.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
May Madness Part IV: AWANAs Awards
If you spend any time with me during the week, you know that Wednesday is a helacious day for our family, schedule-wise. There are just too many irons in the fire on one day. But, one thing on our schedule is very much worth the racing around. We love AWANAs. Abigail has learned so much scripture and true Bible knowledge in the past two years that I wouldn't trade my tired body at the end of Wednesdays for anything.
This year, she was in her first year of Sparks, which is for kindergarten through second grade. She completed the yearly book as well as an additional bonus book at the end of the year. By the time she completes the Sparks program (in two more years), she will have memorized 107 verses. Suffice it to say, she is definitely spending her time in the right place on Wednesday nights. I can't think of anything better to occupy her time than committing the word of God to memory.
I am truly proud of what she accomplished this past school year in AWANAs!
Friday, July 9, 2010
May Madness Part IV: Kindergarten Graduation
Abigail's kindergarten graduation was presented immediately following the musical presentation of "Arf". Again, this was a big deal that makes me wonder what we're setting ourselves up for when a real graduation comes around. But, it was cute to see them in full dress of cap, gown and tassle.
Although it was a quick trip, I was thankful both events were combined into one night and Gran & Grandad were able to attend everything.
Aunt Kelly (and Uncle Taylor) even made the trip up from San Antonio to witness this historic (ha!) time.
Although it was a quick trip, I was thankful both events were combined into one night and Gran & Grandad were able to attend everything.
Aunt Kelly (and Uncle Taylor) even made the trip up from San Antonio to witness this historic (ha!) time.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
May Madness Part III: Abigail's Musical Program
After a weekend spent sewing a dalmatian costume (non-traditional, mind you, I went for cuteness over actual canine representation), I was anxious to see the kindergarten class' presentation of "Arf". It turned out pretty cute, and Abigail, of course was absolutely brilliant. Ha!
I wish I had some decent photos to share, but I haven't talked myself into being one of the parents who shoves her way in front of everyone and gets in the way of all the other photographers, just to get a closeup of her baby. Alas, I have these crummy shots (and not even one full-length shot of the crafty pillowcase dress and pantaloons I made from dalmatian spotted fabric!).
She didn't have but one or two speaking lines in the musical, but she was featured with a group of girls in one of the songs. Enjoy!
I wish I had some decent photos to share, but I haven't talked myself into being one of the parents who shoves her way in front of everyone and gets in the way of all the other photographers, just to get a closeup of her baby. Alas, I have these crummy shots (and not even one full-length shot of the crafty pillowcase dress and pantaloons I made from dalmatian spotted fabric!).
She didn't have but one or two speaking lines in the musical, but she was featured with a group of girls in one of the songs. Enjoy!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
May Madness Part II: Abigail's End of Year Rodeo
Abigail's school has a kindergarten tradition of hosting a rodeo for the kids as the end of year party. Let me tell you what... They aren't messing around. I (and the kids, in my opinion) would have been pleased as punch with pizza and free play for a few hours. But, these moms and teachers in charge are serious about the party planning. This shin-dig was no small deal. (I can't imagine what we're getting ourselves into by the time it's real graduation time if this is what we're into for just kindergarten graduation!)
My cowgirl was dressed for the event, for sure! Doesn't even rodeo girl show up in silver glitter boots?!
The event began with an introduction of each child as they paraded their stick horses to a round of applause from the parents.
Abigail's stick horse, named Oolah (short for Oo-la-la) was made from a jeans pants leg and adorned with a feather boa mane and all the pink accessories we could think of.
Daniel and I then took over a group from Abigail's class and ushered them through the rest of the day.
The next few hours were followed by endless games of waterguns, jewelry making, sack races, hay digging and a plethora of other silly games the kids enjoyed.
We all enjoyed a picnic lunch to wrap things up.
Aside from being a hot, sweaty mess, the kids had a blast. And, the parents were relieved to return to work for the afternoon!
My cowgirl was dressed for the event, for sure! Doesn't even rodeo girl show up in silver glitter boots?!
The event began with an introduction of each child as they paraded their stick horses to a round of applause from the parents.
Abigail's stick horse, named Oolah (short for Oo-la-la) was made from a jeans pants leg and adorned with a feather boa mane and all the pink accessories we could think of.
Daniel and I then took over a group from Abigail's class and ushered them through the rest of the day.
The next few hours were followed by endless games of waterguns, jewelry making, sack races, hay digging and a plethora of other silly games the kids enjoyed.
We all enjoyed a picnic lunch to wrap things up.
Aside from being a hot, sweaty mess, the kids had a blast. And, the parents were relieved to return to work for the afternoon!
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