I've been reading about how everyone else does Thanksgiving cooking, etc. I'm not sure what different between me and them, but mine seems alot smoother! I get everything for the turkey out the night before. Then I set the alarm and get up and put it in the top oven. Now I admit I cheat a litle, but that'd because I don't like dressing. I buy the prater's frozen dressing and thaw it out. I mix two pans of it together and cook it in a cast iron skillet because Coy likes it crispy. Don't ask me why, I just don't like it. So if I buy it already made. then I know it'll be good and Coy loves Praters dressing and gravy! My sweet pototatoes are simple. Kim, Coy' sniece, told me how to do them and they turn out beautiful everytime. You wash and the potatoes and leave the skin onYou boil your sweet potatoes at least 2 days before. After they turn soft. Let them cool. Then store, wrapped in saran wrap in the fridge. I put them in the bowl to catch the drippings. The morning of the meal. take them out and let them get to room temperature. Then you just slide the potatoes out of their jackets. Mix in some brown sugar and melted butter. Heat. Them top with marshmallows and broil til marshmallows melt. (Watch them carefully they burn easily). I promise these are the best sweet potatoes! I cheat and use sister schubert rolls, too. Last time I tried making something withyeast in it turned out harder than a hockey puck. So I just don't go there!
I clean as I go and start with an empty dishwasher and an empty trash can. I think that is a big key to keeping the clean up under control.
I guess the main thing I try to not make it more difficult than it has to be. If I can cheat with premade things, and my family likes it, then it's good enough for me. I like drama free holidays!!!! No family dressing up (we usually just all have on jeans), eatunbg early (usually before 12), and everyone gets seomthing they love on teh menu.
So there you have it. How we do Thanksgiving....and we love it!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Grace
Grace, you were the baby who drank the each bottle like it was the last one you might get. You were the one who has been reading since the first day of your life when you proud daddy sat you in his lap and read the newspaper to you. Later, he and I would sit in the rocking chair in your bedroom and read to you. You have always loved books. You were the toddler who saw 'rectangles' instead of bricks. You were the one who would yank anything out of your hair your mama put in it. You were the one who remembers mama dressing in a matching outfit with JoGail (I think you are still mad at me about that). You were the one who took on the job of soccer goalie and never looked back-even when your mama was crinching during a shootout.
You are growing at church and in your faith. You have handled the changes well there. With David leaving and Bro. Paul stepping in, you haven't missed a beat. I am very proud of the young Christian lady you are becoming. I have enjoyed watching you go thru the crossover ministry.
This year you have started high school. You have hit it going full speed. Cross country wore you out alot but you stuck it out, even with bursitus in your knee. You have admitted that you enjoyed volleyball more than you ever thought you would--mainly because of your teammates and coach. Academically you are in all the PreAP classes you can take and are learning Spanish and about Ag. You still make me smile when we ask what you learned at school today. I have seen you get spitting mad becasue you didn't 'learn' something sometimes. You have always gone to school with the expectation that you woulld learn something that day.
Your personality is coming out. You aren't as shy and have participated in pep rallys-even rapping the Freshman Rap! You've competed in your first FFA competition as well.
I pray the you never forget how special you are--not only to me and daddy but to God as well. No matter how much Daddy and I love you, God loves you more! You are special talented and unique! Happy 15th birthday!
You are growing at church and in your faith. You have handled the changes well there. With David leaving and Bro. Paul stepping in, you haven't missed a beat. I am very proud of the young Christian lady you are becoming. I have enjoyed watching you go thru the crossover ministry.
This year you have started high school. You have hit it going full speed. Cross country wore you out alot but you stuck it out, even with bursitus in your knee. You have admitted that you enjoyed volleyball more than you ever thought you would--mainly because of your teammates and coach. Academically you are in all the PreAP classes you can take and are learning Spanish and about Ag. You still make me smile when we ask what you learned at school today. I have seen you get spitting mad becasue you didn't 'learn' something sometimes. You have always gone to school with the expectation that you woulld learn something that day.
Your personality is coming out. You aren't as shy and have participated in pep rallys-even rapping the Freshman Rap! You've competed in your first FFA competition as well.
I pray the you never forget how special you are--not only to me and daddy but to God as well. No matter how much Daddy and I love you, God loves you more! You are special talented and unique! Happy 15th birthday!
Friday, November 04, 2011
7up biscuits
My sister found this recipe on pinterest and shared with me.........these biscuits rock! They are good! And Easy!
7up biscuits
2 cups baking mix
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup 7up (I used sprite)
Cut sour cream into biscuit misx. Add 7up and combine well. Roll out and cut into biscuits. Bake in 9X9 pan the has some melted butter in it. Bake at 450 for about 8-10 minutes.
7up biscuits
2 cups baking mix
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup 7up (I used sprite)
Cut sour cream into biscuit misx. Add 7up and combine well. Roll out and cut into biscuits. Bake in 9X9 pan the has some melted butter in it. Bake at 450 for about 8-10 minutes.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
What a wonderful relaxing fall day! Laundry is about finished and cooking is pretty much complete!
I made some stew last night (it's in the fridge for lunch tomorrow) and taco soup. I'm just learning to make taco soup and I must say that this batch is pretty good! At supper it was quiet except for the sound of spoons clanking against bowls! I made this dessert for JoGail. I though tit was something I remembered her liking, but she says now she didn't like it. Coy likes it thouhg, so it's still a good deal. I'm expecting JoGail to change her mind once she tries it-especially with a little honey on top!
Grace went to the doctor with her knee problems. It was diagnosed as pre pataller bursitus. Dr. Rich thinks she probably (at some point) pushed her knee pads up (without realizing it) and then dove for a ball. When she hit it inflammed the bursae sac. She is icing it and is styain goff it for 2 weeks. Hopefully that will help with her pain. They have just finished the 2nd 6 weeks of school. I'm telling you her freshman year is flying by! JoGail is her usual happy self. She is a little bummed out that her dad won't allow her to go trick or treating this year...guess it's just part of growing up. She wants to be a hobo. Grace was eeyore. They wore their costumes to school yesterday.
Taco Soup
1 can green chilis
1 pound hamburger meat browned
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can chili beans, drained
1 can rotel (we love this stuff!)
1 can chopped stewed tomotoes
1 can drained corn
1 can tomato soup
Mix all together and simmer in crockpot. Makes a good sized pot. Very low fat, too!
It's really good topped with some cheese!
Sopapilla Cheesecake
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 packages crescent roll dough
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat first three ingredients together until smooth.
In 13x9x2 pan unroll first package of crescent dough. Lay flat in bottom of pan, pressing seams closed.
Top with cream cheese mixture. Unroll 2nd package of crescent rolls and lay on top of cream cheese mixture, pressing seams together. Mix butter, cinnamon and sugar together. Pour over top of crescent rolls in pan. Bake for 30 mins at 350. Really good heated and topped with some honey.
I made some stew last night (it's in the fridge for lunch tomorrow) and taco soup. I'm just learning to make taco soup and I must say that this batch is pretty good! At supper it was quiet except for the sound of spoons clanking against bowls! I made this dessert for JoGail. I though tit was something I remembered her liking, but she says now she didn't like it. Coy likes it thouhg, so it's still a good deal. I'm expecting JoGail to change her mind once she tries it-especially with a little honey on top!
Grace went to the doctor with her knee problems. It was diagnosed as pre pataller bursitus. Dr. Rich thinks she probably (at some point) pushed her knee pads up (without realizing it) and then dove for a ball. When she hit it inflammed the bursae sac. She is icing it and is styain goff it for 2 weeks. Hopefully that will help with her pain. They have just finished the 2nd 6 weeks of school. I'm telling you her freshman year is flying by! JoGail is her usual happy self. She is a little bummed out that her dad won't allow her to go trick or treating this year...guess it's just part of growing up. She wants to be a hobo. Grace was eeyore. They wore their costumes to school yesterday.
Taco Soup
1 can green chilis
1 pound hamburger meat browned
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can chili beans, drained
1 can rotel (we love this stuff!)
1 can chopped stewed tomotoes
1 can drained corn
1 can tomato soup
Mix all together and simmer in crockpot. Makes a good sized pot. Very low fat, too!
It's really good topped with some cheese!
Sopapilla Cheesecake
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 packages crescent roll dough
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat first three ingredients together until smooth.
In 13x9x2 pan unroll first package of crescent dough. Lay flat in bottom of pan, pressing seams closed.
Top with cream cheese mixture. Unroll 2nd package of crescent rolls and lay on top of cream cheese mixture, pressing seams together. Mix butter, cinnamon and sugar together. Pour over top of crescent rolls in pan. Bake for 30 mins at 350. Really good heated and topped with some honey.
Monday, October 24, 2011
They did it!
Eustace swept the cross country contests today! Both the varsity girls and JV girls had perfect scores! The Varsity boys and JV boys also won first place! The middle school teams rocked it as well! Both the varsity teams will be advancing. If I am not mistaken, every high shcool kid from Eustace who ran medaled....that's pretty awesome!:) I have pictures of Grace I just haven't uploaded them yet. I'm telling you, my baby is growing and learning to have fun.
Tonight I threw together a Cowboy Casserole. Some of you may know it as tatter tot casserole. Not sure why I like the name change, but I do!
1 package hamburger meat
1 can whole kernal corn, drained
1 can cream of something (whatever you have) soup
1 bag tater tots
shredded cheese--if you want
Cook hamburger meat until brown. in an oven proof skillet. Mix will corn and cream of something soup. Return ot oven proof skillet (I used a cast iron) --you can add cheese her eif you want---and top with tater tots (cover it good). Bake according to package directions. You can add seasonings however you want.....I usually throw some slap ya mama seasoning on the browned hamburger meat.
The girls and Coy love this....so simple and yet so good!
Tonight I threw together a Cowboy Casserole. Some of you may know it as tatter tot casserole. Not sure why I like the name change, but I do!
1 package hamburger meat
1 can whole kernal corn, drained
1 can cream of something (whatever you have) soup
1 bag tater tots
shredded cheese--if you want
Cook hamburger meat until brown. in an oven proof skillet. Mix will corn and cream of something soup. Return ot oven proof skillet (I used a cast iron) --you can add cheese her eif you want---and top with tater tots (cover it good). Bake according to package directions. You can add seasonings however you want.....I usually throw some slap ya mama seasoning on the browned hamburger meat.
The girls and Coy love this....so simple and yet so good!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
wow..where has the time gone??
I was driving the other day and thinking...outlloud...like I like to do. I realized that almost half of Grace's freshman year of high school is almost gone! Poof! Gone! Then tonight she was on the couch watching 7th voyage of SInbad iwth her dad and it hit me again that in 3 1/2 years she probably won't be sitting there doing that!
And I don't know if I have ever mentioned this, but I love hearing stories from my girls during their junior high years...they are just good stories! And I don't have much longer for that, either!
Oh yeah and only 6 more years of working the ocncession stand.............haha...you ladies know I enjoy that! Can't beat those BBQ nachos!!! (Now before you go, eeewww, let me just state that our concession is well known fo rthe products we sell. It really is good, and we have a specific way of making nachos, BBQ or not......maybe one day I can tell our secret, but for now you just have to trust me on this! )
Good things are happening at EHS these days....Band perofrmed well at competition, FFA is in full swing of showing animals, etc, the girls volleyball team is playoff bound and the football is 7-0! That's alot for a small school, but the BIG action is Monday.....the district cross country team. The cross country team here is a dedicated group of indiviuals. They train all summer long, run in the wee hours of the morning and sometimes double back and run again at night. Cross Country in Texas involves a team of 5-7 runners running a course. The higher you place the lower your score. The boys run 3 miles while the girls run 2 miles. The team with the lowest score wins. There's not alot of cheering at cross country meets. It's like, as a parent, you see them start as a huge group. Then you move to finish line to see them finish, dying from exhaust. Some courses are chilly, others straight. Some courses are on grass/dirt, some go on sidewalks and tracks. And rain or shine, hot or cold you run. (unless there's lightening). I've seen shoes unrecognizable because the runner ran through the mud. I've seen runners covered in clothing from head to toe and I've seen runner with as little on as possible. They just run and LOVE to run. And Eustace has kids who love to run. Both in high school and middle school. Kids that you look at and think that kid's not very athletic looking that will kick your tail in a cross country race. Kids that EXPECT to medal in a cross country race. Kids that pour their heart and soul into running. And I have one of those kids. Try as we might, she loves to run and train with the others. She can recite times and tell you when and where she was when she broke her fastest time. A kid who comes home from cross country meets exhausted for the rest of the day becuase she gave it her all. A kid who really doesn't want her parents at her meets because it might jinx her and her routine....(yeah, we went to the one here and we're going to the district race on Monday)...I love that girl and am proud of her dedication to the sport. She's a pretty good girl if I do say so myself! I hope to have some pictures to post from the district meet next week. All too soon this will all be over and Coy and I wil lbe sitting here just looking at each other....well, him at the tv and me at my computer!
And I don't know if I have ever mentioned this, but I love hearing stories from my girls during their junior high years...they are just good stories! And I don't have much longer for that, either!
Oh yeah and only 6 more years of working the ocncession stand.............haha...you ladies know I enjoy that! Can't beat those BBQ nachos!!! (Now before you go, eeewww, let me just state that our concession is well known fo rthe products we sell. It really is good, and we have a specific way of making nachos, BBQ or not......maybe one day I can tell our secret, but for now you just have to trust me on this! )
Good things are happening at EHS these days....Band perofrmed well at competition, FFA is in full swing of showing animals, etc, the girls volleyball team is playoff bound and the football is 7-0! That's alot for a small school, but the BIG action is Monday.....the district cross country team. The cross country team here is a dedicated group of indiviuals. They train all summer long, run in the wee hours of the morning and sometimes double back and run again at night. Cross Country in Texas involves a team of 5-7 runners running a course. The higher you place the lower your score. The boys run 3 miles while the girls run 2 miles. The team with the lowest score wins. There's not alot of cheering at cross country meets. It's like, as a parent, you see them start as a huge group. Then you move to finish line to see them finish, dying from exhaust. Some courses are chilly, others straight. Some courses are on grass/dirt, some go on sidewalks and tracks. And rain or shine, hot or cold you run. (unless there's lightening). I've seen shoes unrecognizable because the runner ran through the mud. I've seen runners covered in clothing from head to toe and I've seen runner with as little on as possible. They just run and LOVE to run. And Eustace has kids who love to run. Both in high school and middle school. Kids that you look at and think that kid's not very athletic looking that will kick your tail in a cross country race. Kids that EXPECT to medal in a cross country race. Kids that pour their heart and soul into running. And I have one of those kids. Try as we might, she loves to run and train with the others. She can recite times and tell you when and where she was when she broke her fastest time. A kid who comes home from cross country meets exhausted for the rest of the day becuase she gave it her all. A kid who really doesn't want her parents at her meets because it might jinx her and her routine....(yeah, we went to the one here and we're going to the district race on Monday)...I love that girl and am proud of her dedication to the sport. She's a pretty good girl if I do say so myself! I hope to have some pictures to post from the district meet next week. All too soon this will all be over and Coy and I wil lbe sitting here just looking at each other....well, him at the tv and me at my computer!
Sunday, October 09, 2011
Lucky me!!!!!
Coy and the girls has last Monday off (Fair day).....I got to work.....My district's fair day is tomorrow.....and yep, I'm pretty sure I have strep throat....so I get to go to the doctor...I ahd planned on Hobby lobbying and birthday shopping.....not sure now what I'll do. Just depends on when I can get in at the doctor. I already know my regular doctor is out tomorrow (tried to schedule my thyroid checkup), so it'll just have to be whoever can see me, gag me with the strep test and write a good prescription.
My girl.....JoGail
JoGail and Justin
JoGail was recently asked to Homecoming for our local EASA football team. Now I'm not sure how other small communities do this, but it is a rather elaborat aaffair here. Football players and cheerleaders have someone walk them out on the field. There is no queen or king, everyone jsut gets to walk on the field. The girls get the guys garters and the guys get the girls mums. MIne was th eLAST order the florist was taking at Memories of Elegance......thank you ladies!!!)It's kind of interesting and neat to watch. JoGail was asked by Justin. Now JoGail and Justin go waaayyy back .They have the longest perfect attendance streaks in their class. They both go back to Headstart days. Now before you can ask how she has perfect attendance for so long, let me assure you that iIdo not send my kids to school sick. If they get sick it's over the holidays or spring break.She has had antibiotics only one time in her 11 years. My girls just really don't get sick. She did get poison ivy last year and the doctor assured us more than once that she wasn't contagious and I asked her about staying home and she went beserk. "How can I miss a day? They might teach me something good today? "So. How do you argue with that 5th grade logic???? So off she went. She broke her arm....at school....on a Friday, so she was good to go Monday. Anyway, back to my story, she fixed her makeup and got all ready and off we went at 6:30. She looked beautiful. They had them all lined up in numerical order...he was number 18.....it started sprinkling on number 1......we made it to player number 3 before the bottom fell out. It was mad chaos. People running everywhere...me trying as hard as I could to put my camera up. I waited to try and find her and ran then figured if she didn't have enough sense to ge to the car (There really wasn't anywhere else to run to get dry) , well, I didn't know what I would do. I got in the car. I am soaked, sore throat, the works. A friend's mom called and had JoGail. They knew I was trying to get sick and offered to take her to their house and change her clothes then bring her back (there was a 30 minute delay). So I went home. So here's some pictures of my baby.....love this girl and her heart....and her love of life....she has taught me how to have fun....I am not sure why it posted them all twice........
My girl.....JoGail JoGail and Justin
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