I love making hair bows for Elisan. I think I've made her over
30 handmade hair bows in various colors!

I made these two Christmas hair bows today
and I thought they turned out very cute!

I'm such an old fogey!

Yes, this post (or rather, rant!) is about cell phones (again!)

I'll admit, I'm an old fogey in my 33 years, but there are some cell phone users out there who need a good dose of cell phone etiquette!

Here are three examples of people who are so wrapped up in themselves, to pay attention to those around them.

In the checkout line: The other day, a lady in front of me at the grocery store was chatting it up on her phone as she was checking out. The cashier looked helpless as she was trying to get the girl to finish up her transaction without, God forbid... interrupting her telephone conversation! When it was my turn to check out, I asked the checkout girl if that got on her nerves, and she said that it was one of the most annoying things she's ever had to deal with.

At school:
I was waiting to pick up Elisan from school when I noticed that one of the dads who was picking up his little girl did not even acknowledge anyone around him, including his little girl, as he was dialing a number on his cell phone. I'm thinking to myself, 'Could you at least say hello to your child and perhaps the child's teacher, make your way to your car and then place your call?' I thought his behaviour was so incredibly rude. He's also one of these.

At the car wash:
I was hanging out at the car wash, when a girl from across the room caught my attention. She was having the most animated conversation! Hands raised in the air, body shaking with laughter and she was using a very loud voice. When I looked to see who she was chatting with, I didn't see anyone at all, because what?... yes, she was on her cell phone (with the ear attachment.) Not only did she look ridiculous having this totally animated conversation with no one present, but she was disrupting those around her.

Whatever happened to good ol fashion conversation with those around you? Why is it that people are more concerned with chatting with someone on the phone, rather than striking up a conversation with the check out girl? Or teacher? Or, heck... even your own child?

Don't get me wrong, we are a no land-line family, so my cell phone is my only form of outside communication, but gee whiz, I do understand the importance of common decency and manners.

I know... I'm just an old fart who maybe is just not important enough to get phone calls all throughout the day from important people.

Sure, that's it.

Right.

Just don't get me started on drivers on cell phones, again!

Just a little reminder!

Hi Everyone,

Just thought I'd remind y'all that Thanksgiving is next week. Yes, that's right... it's already here.

Oh... what was that? You already knew? You mean, I'm the only one who is just coming to the realization that Thanksgiving is next week?

And that I need to buy a turkey? Plan a meal for extended family? Oh, and also bring down all of the Christmas decorations and decorate the house the day after because the girls will not stop bugging me about it until it is done?

Oh.

Yes.

That's right.

Everyone has something in their home that makes their life easier! Here's your chance to show it off!

One of the things I disliked most about this home when we bought it was the pantry and laundry room. The two are combined and this room is located in my kitchen. I couldn't get past the fact that my dirty laundry room was in my kitchen! Ewwww! But...we bought the house anyway.

Not long after we moved into the house, I commissioned Randy to make the room more user-friendly. He made my shelves deeper, put in some elfa shelving baskets, added a laundry pole high above the washer and dryer to hang freshly laundered clothes and finally, he put in the peg-board on the wall so I would have a place to hang everything from my purse and keys to dustpan and brooms.

So, here are some photos of my pantry/laundry room. The peg-board has by far made my life easier and more organized!





Show us what makes your life easier!

This is not my recipe, so I must give credit where credit is due. This recipe belongs to a friend of mine named Cheryl from church. She gave me a Christmas tin filled with this wonderful "Hot Mocha Mix" last year and it is THE best hot chocolate recipe I've ever tasted.

It makes a huge batch, plenty enough to go around to friends and neighbors (hint, hint!).


Cheryl's Hot Mocha Mix

You will need:

Large pot
Large sifter if you have one. (I just used a strainer)
*Keep all the containers to refill with mocha

Ingredients:
8-quart instant dry powdered milk
Largest size Nestlé’s Instant Chocolate Milk Mix
Largest size Coffeemate Creamer (Original Flavor)
1 box Powdered Sugar
½-1 cup Cocoa (either “dark” or “milk” chocolate)
6 tbsp. Cinnamon
Optional: Container of instant coffee mix.

Use the better-known products like Nestlé’s, Coffeemate, etc., because they tend to have a richer flavor.

You will need to sift all ingredients by putting small amounts of each ingredient in sifter, (alternating ingredients) sift it into pan and then just keeping doing it until you have mixed all of it ~ then use the empty containers to refill. You will still need a couple of extra containers because it makes so much. Be prepared for your kitchen to be dusty ~ you and everything around your preparation area will be dusty, but it is worth it!!

I have thanksgiving in my heart!

In honor of my friend, LA of The Pink Kitchen, I'm posting 50 Things in which I am thankful for.

My
HEART
is full of thanksgiving for...(in no particular order)

1. Randy, the love of my life.
   
2. Elisan Rae, who is truly my Rae of Sunshine.
3. Kyla Mae, who has my heart wrapped around her finger.
4. My home, my fortress, my safe place.
5. Randy's job and his abilities to do it well. And because of his job I'm capable of...
   
6. Being a stay at home mom which, I have found, is my niche'.
7. My mom, for her boldness, forthrightness and preserverance.
8. My father, for his kind heart, loving spirit and empathy for those down-trodden.
9. My brother, for being so utterly and completely opposite of me... At least one of us turned out right - (snicker, snicker!)
   
10. My SIL, Christi who is a neat person to be around, a great wife and mom, a true inspiration.
11. My nephews, who are strikingly handsome and darn-right sweet as can be.
12. My BIL and SIL, who through adversity, have become a force to be reckoned with.
13. My niece, who is beautiful and Elisan's best friend.
14. My extended family, who has taught me that it's okay to be a red-neck.
15. TiVo. What did I do without you for the last 32 years?
16. My recipe collection, namely my salsa recipes.
17. Texas! Yeehaw!
18. My church. I've made a connection like no other.
19. Volunteering at my church. What a difference it has made in me.
20. My mini-van. Who would have thought that luxury is found in a mom-mobile?
21. My Ipod. (read #15)
22. Blockbuster Online Rentals. DVDs in the mail are pure bliss. Which brings me to #23...
23. 24, absolutely THE BEST SHOW on TV ever! We're starting season 4 tonight on DVD.
24. Texas A&M. Although, I'm not an Aggie, my husband is and I see the influence it has on his life.
25. Speaking of Aggies... my friend Cyndi, who is also an Aggie (2%er). She talks faster than a speeding bullet and I catch every word. Truly, a friend 'til the end.
26. My friend LA who, as she put it, is my kindred spirit. There's really no better way to describe it. We suit each other to a T.
27. eBay. Which has given me a source of income over the last year.
    
28. Goodwill. It's taken me a long time to discover the wealth of GW, but now that I have, I've found a little somethin' for everyone there. Just because it ain't new, doesn't mean there isn't any life left. (Just think if our men in our lives felt that way!)
29. Clorox Ready Mop. Why is it that I'm always the last to know about cleaning products that make my life easier?
30. My health and the health of my family. We've been blessed with tremendous health - barely a sniffle 'round here.
31. My Lord, Jesus Christ. Without Him in my life, I'd be nothing at all.
32. Music. Music has filled my home from as far back as I remember. I hope to carry on that legacy for my kids.
33. Hot Wings from Wing Stop! Why hot wings? Well, because it's about the ONLY thing I cannot cook. And, because I crave them at least twice a month!
34. Mexican Food. Living in Texas has taught me to appreciate the ART of Mexican food.
35. Denmark. I never knew anything about the Danish culture or people until I was submerged in their country. I'm thankful for every minute I spent there. Hi Charlotte!
    
36. My friend Pam. She's a great friend and I'm fortunate to have such a strong Christian influence in my life.
37. My friend Angie, who I can call upon at any time of the day for fashion and etiquette emergencies.
    
38. My friend Amanda, who to date, is my longest-running friend ever.
39. Mommy drinks - which consist of Coffee, Soda and Hot Chocolate.
    
40. "AT WAIST" jeans by Old Navy. I love these jeans! THEY.ARE.NOT.MOM.JEANS.
41. Shopping! I'm not a shop-o-holic, because... well, I can't afford to be one. But, I love a bargain and I love telling people about it.
42. That we've paid off the girls' college funds, so that they will be afforded the opportunity to further their educational career.
43. The ability to be able to send Elisan to private school.
44. Internet and email. I'd be on the phone a lot more, if it weren't for email.
    
45. Instant messenger... for those times, when I just can't wait for email.
46. H.E.B. grocery stores. The best store-brand of foods ever!
47. Outdoor cooking. You can't beat the flavor of grilled meat.
48. Blogosphere. What a novel concept.
49. A good hair stylist.
50. My ENELL bra. It has saved my self-image. That is, until I can get a boob reduction!
    

Today's Forecast: 87 Degrees & Sticky

Yes, the word "sticky" was used to describe today. Oh yay! It's November and time to break out the summer clothes.

Randy said he was ready for some snow. Mmmm, be careful what you wish for...because if I recall correctly, we lived in Minnesota and Denmark, remember?

As much as I would love to have real seasons, i.e. a true brisk Autumn, cold Winter, glorious Spring and hot Summer... it's just not going to happen. Not here in Texas.

I was listening to Rush Limbaugh yesterday and he was talking about South Florida, where he does his live broadcast. He was reveling in the fact that it was Summer year 'round where he was. If only I could gain that perspective, I wouldn't have these fits of discontent when the forecast is "hot and sticky" in mid-November.

Want to be my friend?

(Disclaimer: It is not my intention to offend. This is simply a dissection of my life, thoughts, feelings and emotions - most of which, should not be read too deeply into too, because really... I'm a surface-only kind of gal. If you are reading this, and find yourself offended, step away from the computer...)

I was recently chatting on the phone with one of my closest friends and we both had such an amazing realization that I wanted to blog about it.

I've come to realize that my friendships no longer thrive around my children. That my relationships with my girlfriends is simply that... because they are my girlfriends.

When I first had Elisan, I was very lonely but within a year, I fell into a wonderful group of women, who not only filled the lonely void in my life, but we had common interests and that was mainly the fact that we all had children in similar ages.

What we found, was that each of felt as if we had fallen into that lonely pit of despair and found solace in each other. We had formed a group of friendship, but it centered around our children.

As the years passed, all of us (with the exception of one) had more children. Our group was a wonderful support group for our growing families. The group evolved from being about us surviving as new stay at home moms, to survival with two or more kids. Our little playgroup was no longer little. The outlet for moms was quickly becoming overshadowed by the overwhelming size of the group.

Soon after, the layers of the friendship began to peel away because of busy schedules, part time jobs, volunteering and school. It wasn't much longer before our group began to peter out. Several of the women continued to meet weekly (and still do) but for the most part, the group had disintegrated.

It was a tragic end to a group of women who formed a bond out of loneliness and pure survival of motherhood. It still pains me to know that I no longer have relationships with these women whom I shared intimate thoughts and feelings with.

As the year passed, I began to develop closer relationships with a few of the moms from the original group that I had more in common with. As as the months flew by, I realized that my friendships with them didn't involve our kids anymore, but it was about us, being moms, wives, friends, employees, etc. It wasn't about our kids anymore. It was about us. What a revelation!

Oh sure, don't get me wrong, our kids still played together, but realistically, I was more concerned with my friendships with these women, than I was about my kids getting to spend time with other kids.

As it turns out, two of my best friends have since moved away, but it doesn't stop us from blabbing on the phone (or Instant Message) for at least an hour a week. Another friend is working, so I don't see her as much as I'd like, but my busy schedule and her busy schedule keep us from getting together much any more.

I have new friends now, who I love and cherish and hope that they know how much they mean to me. They are my friends because of me! Not my kids...

Finally, to the relationships that I put on hold because I didn't think I had anything in common with them once I had kids... I'm sorry. It's taken me a long time to "find myself". I hope that we can re-kindle our friendship to the level in which it was left off.

So, that's it in a nutshell. For the first time in a long time, I'm completely content in my life and in my female relationships.

Do I have room in my heart for more friends? Of course! Can a new friend have children that my girls can play with? Sure! That's even better! But, will my friendship exist because of our kids? No... I'm not that person any more. I want a friend that likes me for me and I like them for them.

You've got sole!

Show us your shoes... And tell us why you like them.






I like these shoes because they are mary janes and I love mary jane shoes. I like them because they are a flat heel height and are comfortable to wear all day. I also like the color because they go great with jeans and khakis. Finally, I love them because they are preppy.

I bought them at Wal-Mart for $22.00. They are leather and one of my best purchases this season.

Show your shoes!

There's something about music

Music has a way of bringing back a moment, a feeling, an emotion that we may have long forgotten.

Music was an important part of my growing up. I recall my dad putting an LP on the record player and the sounds would filter throughout the house. Those are fond memories to me because it was always such a happy time. Who can resist the wonderful sounds of music?

My mom and dad still to this day has a huge collection of LP's. There's a little bit of everything, from Elvis to Charlie Pride to Jose Felciano. But, what gives me the most vivid memories of those days long ago, is none other than Willie Nelson.

The "Red Headed Stranger" was played all the time in our house. I don't recall having a great fondness for the actual music as a child, but I do now, as an adult.

Not only does it bring those childhood memories rushing back, but the sound of Willie Nelson's voice, is just... well, soothing and comforting. (I know! Willie Nelson! Who woulda thought?)

I continue to love the songs of Willie Nelson. I've even seen him in concert, but really that's not anything special since a LOT of Texans have seen him in concert. It kind of goes with the territory, ya know?

I hope that as my kids grow, the music they hear today will create lasting memories for them as well. I hope the music that I listen to not only brings them joy, but comfort as well. I want them to have a flood of memories of their childhood when an "oldie, but goodie" comes on the radio when they are driving their kids to school one day.

And, just for my dad, I occasionally throw in a Willie Nelson song for good measure. You can never get enough of Willie and there's no reason why they can't love his songs as much as I do!

What songs bring back memories from your childhood?

Me + IKEA = Lotta Luvin'

In less than 2 weeks there will be an IKEA within throwing distance of my house. I'm giddy with anticipation I can hardly stand myself.

And because I have the luxury of being a stay at home mom, I look forward to perusing the aisles in the wee small hours of the weekday morning. Now, if only they carried milk and bread, I'd be set!

IKEA was always a blue box mystery to me. Driving by in Houston, I recall someone telling me it was "just a furniture store". (Oh, the lies!) So, I never bothered to go in, since I was never in the need for furniture.

When we moved to Denmark, our friend Theis (pronounced "tice") recommended that we shop at IKEA for our household essentials. I was thinking that was weird, but in a foreign country, you don't really argue with the natives.

Imagine my surprise when I walked into IKEA and saw that big blue arrow pointing the way to organizational bliss! I loved it.

After that, we went to IKEA all the time. It was our entertainment. And apparently, we were not alone, because it was by far the most crowded store in Denmark. (Denmark, a country of 5 million people was home to 4 IKEA's.) We affectionately named it "The Wal-Mart of Scandinavia".

Upon returning to the states, one of our first orders of business was going to the nearest IKEA and buying some of the must-have items we needed for our new house. This is one of those items.

Yes, it is a garbage can! This is the most awesome trash bin ever. In Denmark, it was marketed as a laundry hamper. But, for us...it was an AMERICAN sized garbage can - because you know us American's...we're glutinous and excessive. We bought not one, but two of these wonderful trash cans...well, because we're so glutinous and excessive that we needed two.

To this day, I'm still completely in love with my trash bin. So, now after finding the garbage can of my dreams, I'm officially IKEA's biggest fan!

Now, go forth and find the trash can of your dreams!

My Hair Affair

I've always had the same hair style with the only variation being long or short. I've always sported all one length hair, except for one unfortunate memory lapse when I forgot the reason why I don't wear bangs. That was back in 2002ish and it was a long road getting my hair back to my usual all one length style.

When we arrived back in Texas from Denmark, my hair looked like this. I kept the long hair for a while, not really knowing what I wanted to do with it. At one point, I decided to donate it to Locks of Love and I cut my hair chin length the fall of 2004.

Here's what the new style looked like. It was a cute cut, but as always, I was regretting cutting my hair so short. Like I said, I didn't stray too far from my variation of long/short hair.

By February, a year later, this is what my hair had grown out to. Look familiar? Yes, it was long, straight and (um...) all one length. Go figure.

Then one day, I decided to go for it and get a really sassy hair cut and pay mucho dinero (that's Spanish for "oh my gosh, you just spent waaaaaay toooo much money!!!") to get my hair cut at a salon in town. It was an 'upscale' salon and my appointment was made with one of their mid-level "star" stylists. (Whatever that means... does anyone really know?!)

I arrive at my appointment and meet the girl who's going to butcher, I mean, cut my hair. The tips of her hair are dyed in blue. That right there, should have been an indicator to high-tail it right outta there, but no... I didn't want to be mean! (Puh-leez!)

But, because I had arrived at the salon with the intention of coming out of there with a new 'do, I told her to take my long luxurious locks and treat it as a blank canvas. Okay, no I didn't actually say that, but it was essentially what I was doing.

This is the result of that haircut. Sure, it doesn't look too bad. But, what you don't know is that I have natural flat curls in the back, so this cut, only accentuated the natural flat curls of my hair that I always desperately tried to hide. I also had many, many, many (many, many) layers cut in my hair, so I couldn't even get it around a curling iron because the hair would go everywhere. It looked horrible and I hated it. I felt as if I had "BAD HAIRCUT" stamped across my forehead.

I lived with this haircut for about a month before I went to one of those cheapy hair cutting places to try to fix my hair. It was my lucky day, because I made appointment with a man named Andy and he has been salvaging my hair since April. I've probably had 4 haircuts since then and finally I am happy with my hair.

Why? Because it's my same old 'do I used to. But, truthfully, I can live with this style. It's me! Kind of like a little trademark. I owe it all to Andy. He's awesome - and at $14.95 a cut, who can beat that?

So, now... I've memorialized my hair affair in commentary and photos, hoping to avoid more unfortunate hair offenses.

Drive time conversation

The school commute always produces lots of conversations. Some meaningless, some meaningful. Not sure how to catergorize the following conversation.

Elisan: I don't want to have a baby when I grow up.
Me: Why not?
Elisan: Because it will hurt my booty when it comes out.
Me (playing devil's advocate): Kyla Mae wants to have a baby when she grows up.
Elisan: Kyla, do you want a baby?
Kyla Mae: Yeah, and a puppy too.

Another great idea for Monday's Blogging Photo Assignment, courtesy of Not a Cookie Cutter!

What are you eating?


It's not necessary to throw in the recipe, but if it looks yummy, don't be surprised if I come looking for you!


I won't bother putting the recipe down for my meal. It's SHRIMP GUMBO! ~Laisse Les Bon Temps Rouler~ This is one of our favorite meals. It's rich, thick and very flavorful.




So, show us your meal from any day of the week. It can even be your breakfast!

Yummy Food!

The best thing about a pumpkin, are the seeds inside! I love roasted pumpkin seeds. It's the best fall tradition around my house! Here's my YUMMY FOOD recipe for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.


Clean and air-dry pumpkin seeds; Preheat over to 250 degrees.

1/2 stick of butter (melted)
2-3 tablespoons of steak seasoning (or any multi-purpose seasonings)
1 tablespoon of pumpkin spice (which is cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice)

Coat the seeds in the melted butter and seasonings.
Place on a cookie sheet and put in the oven for about 1.5 hours. Stir every 30 minutes. Seeds should be dry and crunchy! We eat them whole!

Enjoy!

Haphaz Mama

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My name is Erica and thanks for stopping by!

I'm a wife to an amazing husband, who I have to honestly say is my perfect match. He's the funniest person I know and because he's so shy and introverted, I'm also the only person in the world who knows he's the funniest person in the world. Shhhh, it's our little secret. No need for word to get out!

I'm also a mom to two of the most beautiful and sweetest girls ever. They are smart, independent, loving and kind. Who could ask for anything more?

I am by far one of the most blessed people I know. Sometimes I don't always remember how blessed I really am, but strive daily to at least once during the day thank God, my Lord and Savior for the blessings I call *my* family.

I'm a child of the MOST HIGH GOD and I am not afraid to share my faith. I attribute my very life to His saving grace, because truth be told, I was... oh, who am I kidding... I am a wreck without God in my life.

So, welcome to my blog. I *try* to be funny here and my sarcasm doesn't always convey. I'm rarely mean (on my blog), although I do have a mean streak running through me at a very particular time of the month and sometimes I get diarrhea of the mouth.

I'm a budding photographer and I love capturing the exciting AND mundane moments in our lives. I'm creative and I love to cook and read. I'm also a loyal and honest friend.

I like to try out new things and I've dubbed myself to be a professional craft dabbler - only doing things mediocre at best because I get bored and move on to new and exciting things.

I'm a fierce rule follower and oftentimes get frustrated when people break the rules, so don't make me hurt you. I enjoy being physically fit and working out is my one self indulgent passion.

Finally, my family is my priority. My purpose in this season of my life is to serve them with joy, gladness and all of my heart.

I hope you enjoy my little piece of real estate.
Much love,
Erica

another test... c'mon blogger, what's the deal?

Buy my shirts!

I saw a link of So Many Joys website about custom t-shirts and I thought I'd give it a whirl! After getting utterly and completely frustrated with Cafe Press, I tried Zazzle! I loved it!

It was fun creating my own designs and seeing the final product.



"Madame Queen" is what Randy's grandpa, E.R. always referred to his wife. I always thought it was cute, even if it was meant to be sarcastic at times. So, I adopted it for myself!

Try creating your own designs! It's fun! Or, you can just email me to create a design for you.

Great Deal!

Several weeks back, I posted about this awesome "tote bag to end all tote bags" that I bought at The Container Store. Well, I found some on eBay and they are a great price! You won't be disappointed with this Reisenthel Carrybag! LOVE IT! (BTW, I bought one from this eBayer last week!)

See what I mean?

 

Introducing - "STYLISH ELISAN" 

Stylish Clothes

No, this isn't about me and my quest for better dressing. No, this post is about Elisan and her quest for better dressing.

A coupla weeks ago, I brought out some clothing for Elisan that I had purchased while she was at school. It was just a few things I got at Walmart, but I have to admit, they were really cute.

She immediately said, "Mommy, I don't like them, I love them!" and then proceeded to dance around singing, "I have stylish clothes! I have stylish clothes!"

Okay, first up... she's FIVE! Oh my goodness. What's up with that? Stylish clothes? Who told her about that? And how did she even know that word?

Truthfully, it's not a word we use around here. Yes, it's true... none of us are stylish.

But, to use it in the happy dance? I was baffled.

Nonetheless, the moment passed, I forgot about it.

Fast-forward to last week. Elisan is allowed to wear regular clothes (or pretty clothes) on Fridays and forego the boring school uniform. So, last Friday, she said she wanted to wear her STYLISH clothes.

So, I'm thinking to myself... what are we getting into now? Are the days gone where I could pick out her clothes and she'd wear them without complaint? Am I now required to take her with me, as I clothes shop for her, to ensure that she is indeed stylish?

Let me remind you... she's five!

And the final blow... At church on Sunday, our beloved Children's Pastor told Elisan she looked stylish! STYLISH! Of all the words to use, she used "stylish!"

(Insert sigh and groan) I'm so totally finished.

SCORE!

Today, I headed out to the local Goodwill.

All of my friends know that I love Goodwill and why not? It's one of the best re-sale shops around - without the high prices, like some consignment shops. So, imagine my surprise when I found this:


I've never owned a D&B purse, so I can not attest to it's authenticity. However, I've been around long enough and seen my fair share of knock-off's and this is definitely NOT a knock-off. It still has the wonderful leather smell to it.

The only "flaw" if you could call it that, is that it doesn't have the signature D&B fob.

And, the best part? I paid $5.99 for it! SCORE!

I love Goodwill and now you know why!

Getting Organized

Contrary to popular belief, I am not as organized as I appear to be. However, I do like to be organized, but sometimes it only comes when I'm thoroughly disgusted with the (lack of) organization of an area of my house.

This brings me to the girls' craft cabinet. A few weeks ago, I posted on the weekly Blogging Photo Assignment that my favorite piece of furniture to be the antique pie shelf that belonged to Randy's grandparents. The cabinet is a great place to store the girls' stuff because of it's easy access, plus, it's in the kitchen where they do their activities, crafts and projects. It's perfect and if I didn't have this piece of furniture, I know that it would be clutter mayhem around my house.

However, when I posted the picture of the cabinet, I didn't show you what the inside looked like. And, that's because it looked like.... um,... Clutter mayhem. Despite it's appearances, everything inside was not neatly stored. Upon opening the door, something invariably always fell out! Forget about finding anything in there...

So, I tackled the cabinet and it's contents last week and this is the final outcome! I bought those awesome plastic bins at the Dollar Tree. They are neat because the lids close in the center, but do not lock in place, so the girls can easily get inside. I separated all of their stuff and labeled it into catergories - crayons, play-doh, polly pockets, markers, paint, etc. And stuffed their coloring books and paper on the bottom. It looks great and the girls LOVE it! I love it! We're all very happy with the outcome. The best part is that NOTHING falls out when the door is opened! I have one more spot for another bin, for when they take on another activity that requires storage!

Amazing how $11.00 changed my life!

Now, go out and GET ORGANIZED and post a picture for us to see!

Thank you to our tea-sip friends!

My husband is giddy with excitement! That's because he "scored" (his words) tickets to the A&M vs. UT game to be held the day after Thanksgiving. For those who have lived under a rock for their entire lives... Texas A&M and UT play their game on this particular weekend, every year. It's tradition!

A great big HOWDY goes to my dear friend LA and her husband, Matt for the tickets! You see... they moved to NY last year (boo-hiss!) and can no longer go to the games. But, I don't think Matt is ready to relinquish his season passes, just yet!

So, who is Randy taking with him to the game? Well, I can tell you this... I was not invited! Randy, instead invited his brother.

Eh, what do I care? I'm not an Aggie and I'm not a Longhorn.

I'm an Aggie-by-marriage!

With Fall in full swing and Halloween around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate for this week's Blogging Photo Assignment to be focused on the Fall/Halloween Seasonal Decorations! Pick your favorite and show us yours!



This is my Fall decor. Fabulous, isn't it? I know, it's mediocre at best. And, since our family doesn't do the Halloween thing, this is pretty much it!


Show us yours!

Girl Talk

Today I just want to ramble about my girls!

We celebrated KM's birthday last week and here's a picture of her at the party.She had a great time and loved every minute of it. It was wonderful to see my family, even if the trip was brief. I'm glad to be there, but I'm as equally glad to leave. The girls have a fabulous time visitng with their grandparents and the grandparents dote on them non-stop. It also gives Randy and me a nice break from the girls - so, it is a win-win! Elisan says she's going to move there when she grows up, but I tell her that she's going to have to live with us forever and take care of us! Why is it that our grandparent's homes are always some magical place that we love and hold dear to our hearts, even as we get older?

Elisan is loving school and amazes me on a daily basis. She is learning to read and is even more quizzical than ever. Her teacher calls her "cutie-patootie" which is what I call her sometimes, which makes it even more sweet. Elisan's teacher is awesome and we love her. Sending Elisan to private school is the best sacrifice we could have ever made. I realize that now.




Elisan often says she wished she could go to the same school as some of her friends in the neighborhood, but I quickly remind her that she is very lucky to get to go to her school. I tell her that she is lucky because she gets to PRAY at school, learn about the Bible and celebrate holidays like Christmas - and learn the true meaning of it. Since Elisan has been in some type of religious education for her entire life - whether it is at church or pre-school and now, Kindergarten, she really doesn't realize that simple things like saying Grace before a meal, can be viewed as disrespectful to certain sects.

Thank God, and I say that with all sincerity, that she is living a life that teaches her she can pray and she can learn about the Bible and she can live out her life according to what God expects from us. It's just awe-inspiring to me, especially in this day and age. And even though one could argue that I'm forcing "my" values and beliefs on my children, I am not. I am, instead, giving them the greatest gift I could ever give to them.

My girls are so precious to me. Their differences amaze me. It's hard for me to not compare Kyla to Elisan --size, shape, hair color, eye color etc. They are nothing alike and they even look so very different. It's hard to tell who favors who, but I'd venture to say that personality-wise, Elisan is 50% Randy and 50% me... funny how that works, huh? KM...well, I don't know who she belongs too. She belongs to herself, yet, calls me mommy anyway.

Part of my want to keep them little forever, but the other (small) part of me can't wait to see them blossom into beautiful, thoughtful, caring young ladies. That even in this world, in this day and age, that something beautiful can come from it.

I didn't know what to title this post and had three different titles describing what I thought I would write about. This post has evolved from random thoughtless thoughts to a tribute to my girls. I love them and I'm glad to be their mom.

Elisan all-time favorite sandwich is the chocolate sandwich, made with Nutella and peanut butter.

It was one of those things we discovered while in Denmark. We were visiting some friends and they had these neat little thin chocolate and hazelnut wafers that you put on toast and they melted on top of the warm bread. I don't know the name of them, or else I'd link it.

Anyway, I asked my friend about it, and she said it was much like the flavor of Nutella, but Nutella was a spread. I wanted... no, scratch that... needed to buy Nutella after I had tried the yummy treat!

The next thing we know, Elisan is only wanting to eat Nutella and PB. And to be honest, it's delicious! In fact, we've been back to Texas for over two years and she's still eating chocolate sandwiches which is why today's YUMMY FOOD installment is "CHOCOLATE SANDWICHES" made with Nutella.




Be sure to check out recipe sites like ALLRECIPES for more yummy recipes!

Whatta Man!

No, thank God, this is not a post about Randy and his bathroom habits... although, I could write some stuff that would make your toenails curl!

No, this is about Randy, poop and Kyla Mae.

Let me start by saying that Randy is a hard worker and has been rewarded for his hard work and dilligence over the last 10+ years working at his present job. It's no surprise that Randy has worked his way up the engineering ladder and I'm proud to say that he is part of the upper management at his plant.

Because of this, I always want/try to make a good impression when we are around his co-workers. Several weeks ago was Randy's company picnic. The girls and I were excited about the opportunity to meet some of Randy's new co-workers and see the old.

We had a great time. There was all of the cotton candy, ice cream, snow cones, sodas, BBQ (and all the fixin's) you could eat. There were pony rides, hay rides, an inflatable bounce house, a rock climbing wall, games, prizes... It was nice and the company spared no expense.

It was almost a perfect day... until...

Elisan wanted to play one of the games scheduled for the kids, but Kyla Mae did not. So, Randy brought her to the playscape while I stayed with Elisan.

After Elisan's game was over, we went looking to meet back up with Randy. We couldn't find him.

We hollered and hollered and nothing. So, we went to the bounce house and Elisan played a bit. Next thing I know, I see Randy and KM coming out of the bathroom.

Apparently, KM decided that she didn't want to stop playing long enough to alert her daddy that she needed to go poop, until it was too late.

From Randy's account, she emerged from the playscape with her pants and undies down, poop still hanging from her booty and poop on her hands, which was also smeared on the front of her shirt!

(Okay, think... company picnic... lot's of people... Randy's a manager... poop!)

He said, once he got her to the bathroom, the first order of business was washing the poop off of her hands! Yuck!

The second order of business was tossing the undies... they were not salvagable - at least, they weren't because there were no proper facilities to clean them.

Third, he stripped off her poop smeared shirt and washed it in the sink, meanwhile wiping the poop off of her booty with dry toliet paper.

I can just imagine the scene, as I'm sure most parent's can, because this is not the first time a newly potty trained child (or really, any child) has not stopped long enough from playing to go take care of business.

So, ahem... we left after that. That's it, party's over. Let's go.

Kyla Mae, was however, remorseful about the whole thing. She kept talking about how she pooped in her undies and how sorry she was.

(Note for KM: That's okay, baby girl. We all have accidents sometimes!)

With that said,

[CHORUS]
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man (yes he is)
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man (he's a mighty,mighty good man)
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man (gotta say it again now)
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man (yeah)
by Salt 'N' Pepa

Blogging Photo Assignment idea courtesy of
NOT A COOKIE CUTTER!

What's your favorite spice - or in my case, seasonings!

I use TEXJOY steak seasoning on everything!


In fact, when I'm back home, I stock up on TEXJOY because it is the best brand of seasonings I know of. The company TEXJOY originated and is head-quartered in Beaumont, Texas.



Show us yours!

Ouch!

Ouch! I've been without internet, and even as I type, I'm waiting for my ISP to bail on me AGAIN...

With that said, I'm here (for the moment) and waiting patiently for the technician to darken my door Tuesday afternoon, so I can get back to the business of blogging and eBaying!

Until then...

Yummy Food!

A new installment to my little bit of internet space entitled YUMMY FOOD! Feel free to grab my button and post your own yummy food recipe on your site.

This recipe is one of my favorite cake recipes. Don't let the layering freak you out. Just pop the cakes in the freezer for a short while and they are a cinch to cut in half.

This cake is beautiful and oh, so delicious! Enjoy!



Luscious Four Layer Pumpkin Cake
by Kraft Foods

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 1 hr 42 min
Makes: 16 servings, one slice each

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

4 large eggs

1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

1/4 cup caramel topping

1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Beat cake mix, 1 cup of the pumpkin, the milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. of the pumpkin pie spice in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely. Beat cream cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and remaining 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; mix well. Stir in the whipped topping.

CUT each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife. Stack layers on serving plate, spreading the cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top of cake.) Drizzle cake with caramel topping just before serving; sprinkle with the pecans. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.

First Generation

I received an email from my (non-native Texan) friend Kimi about a recipe book that is going to be published featuring recipes from third generation Texan women.

I've always known my roots, but as I pondered the fact that I'm not a third generation Texas, or even a second generation Texan, it really took me aback.

For those who know me personally know that I LOVE TEXAS. Especially since having lived in Minnesota and Europe - albeit, briefly. But, there is no denying that I am a true life Texan... drawl and all.

So, when I "discovered" that I was only a first generation Texan, it a mild blow to my Texas ego. Only a Texan will understand where I'm coming from. Texas is a state of mind, not just a state.

I think people from other parts of the world will never "get" it and truly believe that Texans are strange cow-folk from the backwoods of some farm somewhere in the middle of Cut and Shoot - (which, for you non-Texans...that's a real town!)

Cow-folk or not, I'll take Texas any day of the week!

There is one third-generation Texan in our household and that's Elisan. Randy is a second-generation Texan, which makes her a third generation Texan (minus my genes!)

My poor little KM... She's not a native Texan at all. She's native Minnesotan and last I heard, there is no prize for that. Hopefully, she'll forgive us for that one day!

In the meantime, maybe I'll submit the recipe in Elisan's name. That is, if I had one! Maybe my Cajun maw-maw can loan me a recipe. Afterall, there's a lot of Cajun's in this part of the world, too.

What are your roots?

Down to the quick

How is it that a little person in all of her five years, can cut me down, right to the quick, in one fell swoop?

How is it that I can hear some of the worst human tragedy on the news or on the home-front, and not shed a tear... but, one comment from my little person in all of her five years, can bring me to tears?

What's worse, is that she'll never know how she hurts me, because she dosen't understand what she has done to hurt me. And really, it's not my place to tell her.

I just pray, that as the years pass and all of the love and nurturing that I show her, will help her to be more careful with people's feelings.

This is what you see as you enter our humble home. I would love to have a new door. In fact, it's on our "to do" list, but it is a low-priority level.

I'd also love to have a fall wreath, but spending money on something I don't get to see, except as I'm driving away, doesn't interest me right now. Ah, such is life.


Feel free to grab my button and publish to your blog!

Also, send me YOUR idea for Photo Assignment of the week!

It's official! I've had the BIGGEST BLONDE MOMENT of my life!

Oh, blogger...how you've betrayed me!

One of my friends IM'd me to say that they left a comment on my blog. So, I bop onto the blog, only to see that, "NOPE" there are no comments.

So I did a little investigating...

Sure enough, my comments were being moderated, which meant that I had to approve them to be published on my blog.

Um. Let's just say, there were over 50 comments that were sitting there waiting for me.

The comments were like little dollops of goodness when I read them, but I'm sad, I didn't see them when they were first posted!

Yes, I'm blonde, and a nerd.

So... comments are enabled! Post your comments people and know, that I'm not a nerd anymore!

(P.S. - Seriously, thank you for all of the comments! I thought I was writting out there to NO ONE!)

Snickers Bush vs. Gore

A blast from the past! This is my favorite all-time commercial! Enjoy!

In honor of my friend Leigh Ann, here's my creative project.

I made a set of stationery to give to Elisan's teacher for Christmas.

The Commute

I'm tired of commuting Elisan to school and it's only been 8 weeks!

The drive is horrendous and I'm not exaggerating. I travel approximately 12 miles to Elisan's school and it takes me 50 minutes to get her there.

Yes... Really.

I am a total stress ball by the time we arrive at the school, that I'm nearly shaking like a leaf. If there is a phobia for being stuck in traffic, I have it.

Luckily, I've been taking an alternate route the last couple of weeks and the traffic, albeit, is hectic, it is managed my signal lights, which guarantees movement on a regulated basis. It sure beats sitting on the freeway with no where to go!

However today, I made the terrible mistake of listening to the traffic report and decided that I'd check out the freeway route again, since the traffic guy said it was not too congested. Oh, boy! What a mistake that was!

We barely made it, with two minutes to spare. No unexcused tardy slips today! Whoohoo!


Another thing that irritates me about the morning commute is the amount of people talking on their cell phones.

I'm so sick of seeing people yakking on the phone and not paying attention to what's going on around them. I've had plenty of near misses with people talking on the phone.

It's like an addiction for some. They pick up the cell phone as soon as they get in the car. It's like a smoker, who lights up, in the same manner.

I am not totally blameless in this, since I have been known to use the phone in the car. However, I use good judgment when determining when it is not a good time to chat it up with friends and family.

I'm waiting for "driving while under the influence of a cell phone" to become illegal in Texas... Until then... Hang up and drive or move outta my way you relentless addicted cell phone abusers...um, users.

Mom Jeans

I recently posted about my distaste of shopping for jeans! I even admitted that I like the high-waisted (a.k.a. "mom") jeans.

I came across this video clip courtesy of VERY MOM.

Check it out, have a laugh and have a great weekend!

The tote bag to end all tote bags!

I am a tote bag freak! I love tote bags, all kinds of tote bags and can't seem to stop myself when it comes to tote bags.

I truly have enough bags, but can never seem to convince myself of such.

I have tote bags for all occassions, but I never found a tote bag that was large enough or sturdy enough to carry all of my stuff. I needed a tote to carry my totes. Crazy, huh?

Well, I finally found one and I LOVE it!

This tote is made by the company Reisenthel. It is a German company and this "Carrybag" tote is designed to act as shopping basket type tote. It's very lightweight and mega-durable.

(Sidebar: This would have been awesome for us in Denmark! I don't know how I survived without it. Especially since you had to buy your grocery sacks at the store, if you wanted to -gasp- carry your groceries out of the store!)

Anyway, I bought mine at The Container Store for $30.00. They also had a very pretty floral version too, but I didn't want to get something too flashy, since I'm not a flashy person, but these are really cute too! The Reisenthel website has a really great selection of patterns, etc., but too bad, they are not offered in the U.S.

So, put this on your Christmas list. I know you will not be disappointed.

I'm a Rice Crispy Treat Drop-Out

I'm not trying to brag, but I consider myself a pretty good cook. I can cook just about anything and I'm not afraid to try new stuff. I love to cook and I find great satisfaction in a well-cooked meal.

My mom even comments that I've become a better cook than she is.

So, why is it that I am not successful at making rice crispy treats? Is there some cosmic secret to making them?

I've NEVER been successful at making them. They fall apart, don't hold their shape and are gooey. What gives?

I follow all of the steps according to the directions, and yet... disaster prevails, yet again.

Yesterday, I made a batch for Elisan because she had one of those store-bought varieties and raved at how much she loved it. I thought I would "wow" her by whipping up our very own treats at home.

I was half-way through the process when I remembered how I seem ruin every batch of rice crispy treats I've ever made. But, I pressed on, thinking that maybe this time would be different.

It wasn't.

So, we have a pan of icky, gooey rice crispy treats that can be eaten with a spoon.

Want some?