S'mores

I must warn this is a long one. Today is my first day back at work this week and its Wednesday!  I would like to thank Mother Nature for for giving me 2 unexpected days off from work.  This past weekend, the Southeast experienced  Snowpocalypse 2011. The weathermen were predicting 5-8" of accumulation in the Birmingham area but we only got between 2-3" and it was mostly ice.  I was completely ok with this because ice is the stuff they will shut entire cities down for and I think I have established the fact that I am not a fan of cold weather so I'm not one to go build snowmen or make snow angels. No thanks, I'll stay inside in front of the fireplace and enjoy the scenery from my window.  Before the winter weather hit, we had a relaxing and fun weekend.

Friday night, we had dinner with Patrick and Megan at our favorite little hole in the wall Mexican restaurant, La Bamba in Homewood.  Saturday morning we got up early to run the usual weekend errands.  We had a lunch date at 1 at a local restaurant, Baumhower's.  Ben had written a story on Friday for the BBJ that this restaurant was featuring "Smothered Duck" in honor of Auburn playing in the BCS National Championship game. The owner was so pleased with the story that he invited Ben and I for lunch on Saturday to try out the duck.  Ben got the duck while I stuck with a salad.  The duck must have been delicious because there wasn't a morsel left on his plate.  The manager informed us that the previous night, the local Fox station had come in to do a story on the duck plate because they had seen Ben's story online and saw how many positive comments it had received.  Also, while we were there eating the local ABC station showed up to do feature on you guessed it, the duck plate.  Only in Alabama, could a story about food that represents the opposing team have so much popularity.  However, I am very proud of Ben for realizing that it actually was a story.  While we were out farting around on Saturday we decided to stop in IO-Metro to browse.  Well browsing turned into purchasing.  I am a furniture lover, it comes with my obsession of bedding.  Clearly, we live in an apartment with limited space and have no need for furniture BUT Ben spotted it first.  A beautiful dresser.  We have a dresser in each of our bedrooms, both of which were purchased when we moved away for college. You know, you find something you sorta like that is reasonably priced so you have somewhere to store your clothes.  We saw the dresser and I was immediately in love.  We did talk it over during lunch and decided we would walk back to IO Metro and measure it to make sure it would work in our bedroom.  We told the nice little salesman that if it would fit we would call him back to order it.  The first thing we did when we got home was measure and by golly it fit!  We get it tomorrow and we are so excited!  We put the dresser we liked the least on Craiglist and have someone coming tonight to pick it up.  Oh happy day!  Saturday night we went over to Patrick and Megans to watch the Ole Miss basketball game which we lost but it was a very close and back and forth game.

 Sunday was super lazy.  The inclement weather was arriving later that afternoon so we had to prepare.  We went to Home Depot to stock up on firewood and we got the last 2 bundles.  Our next stop was Publix so we could pick up the stuff to make s'mores.  And that's all we did that day. It was lovely.  I did do some studying but it was mostly all R&R.  That night we built a fire and then made s'mores.  I must say that s'mores are one of my favorite foods.  They are so simple and the fact that I only get them once in a blue moon makes them taste that much better.  Monday we thoroughly enjoyed the city being shut down and stayed in bed until almost noon.  We had big plans to watch the BCS title game with the Werners that night and we had food preperation to complete.  We mustered up the energy to make Buffalo Chicken Dip and Stuffed Pizza bites, both of which were big hits.  Our little group wasn't as big as we expected due to the icy roads but we still had a blast with just  the 4 of us.  Of course we were cheering for Auburn to support the SEC.  I must say I thought the game was not as exciting as I expected since both teams are strong offensively but it was still exciting since it came down to the last 2 seconds of the game.  Also, I must say that Oregon's uniforms were TERRIBLE.  They looked like legitimate ducks running around.  Anyways, we were thrilled that Auburn ending up winning and giving the SEC a 5-0 record in the BCS! Monday night, my supervisor informed me not to come in until 1 on Tuesday which was awesome news.  I got up early on Tuesday to study before I had to get ready for work.  As I was making my lunch to eat before I left, I got a text message from my supervisor advising me to just stay home because all of our afternoon patients had cancelled due to the "icy" roads.  So yes, I thoroughly enjoyed my unexpected 4-day weekend.  We have a really short work week and then another 3-day weekend thanks to Martin Luther King Day!  I have a huge test on Saturday morning so I would love all of your prayers.  It is for national boards and I have to pass to graduate in May and to get my license to practice Audiology, no pressure right?  I've been working hard studying and have confidence but I still need prayers!  Since the Super Bowl is right around the corner, I am going to share the Buffalo Chicken dip & Stuffed Pizza bites recipes.  They are both super easy & delicious!

Buffalo Chicken Dip
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 c. cooked chicken, shredded
Frank's hot sauce
Ranch dressing
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Boil your chicken and shred.  In a mixing bowl, beat your cream cheese with a mixer until smooth and creamy.  Add ranch dressing and Frank's.  Now taste. Too ranchy? Add more Frank's. Too spicy? Add a tad more ranch.  Remember you will be adding bland chicken that will soak up all of those flavors so keep that in mind.  The color should be pretty awful but thats ok, its the taste that matters. Don't forget your salt & pepper. Once you get the orange mixture to the correct taste, add your shredded cheese and mix.  Finally, add in your chicken.  Give it one final taste and make adjustments accordingly.  Place in greased 8x8 dish and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Serve with bagel crisps.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls
from OurBestBites.com
1 roll refrigerated pizza dough
marinara/pizza sauce
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
mozzerella cheese
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.


Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it's 400 degrees. Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". You're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (Note that you're not putting the marinara sauce on the dough- it's for dipping after) . You just need to be able to enclose the toppings in the dough so keep that in mind.
When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter (I've used both and there's not much difference in result) and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.   Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I'd check them after even 10 minutes. Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

the boys making their s'mores. How sweet.

Ben's awesome fire he built for us.

Best part of the weekend!

New kitchen gadget. Megan had one of these & I just had to have one.

Our new dresser!



Top 10 of 2010

My friend Amanda shared a blog with her top ten of 2010 so I thought I would play along.  We're not even a week into 2011 and it's already been a great year so it was fun to reflect back on 2010.  These are in no particular order.

1.  Snow in Hattiesburg

We got so much snow to be so far down south last winter.  It was the 3rd winter in a row for the pine belt to get wintry weather and I think it's because it followed me down South.  Snow just makes everything so peaceful and brings out the kid in all of us.  It was beautiful while it lasted but not being a fan of cold weather I wasn't too sad to see it go.

Yaya Snow!

Our backyard

2.  Faulkner

While he was only with us for 4 months he still brought so much joy and craziness to our lives.  Faulkner was the weimarainer we took in just a few months before we moved from Hattiesburg.  He was close to being euthanized and we couldn't stand the thought of such a sweet boy receiving that fate.  He and Layla got along wonderfully and they helped wear each other out.  However, the little guy just could not adjust to living in a small apartment when we moved to Birmingham.  He was like a baby waking Ben up every hour during the night needing to go outside or wanting attention and he also began tearing up our carpet.  We decided to search until we found him a new home.  We found a lovely couple from a town outside of Birmingham that adored him.  He now gets to spend his weekend in the summers at the lake and even gets to go to work with his new "daddy."  We feel so blessed by the fun times Faulkner brought to our lives.



Faulkner

How precious??

3. White Coat

In April, the 3rd year Doctorate of Audiology class received our white coats. How official!  This was a great acclomplishment in our graduate career and it was super nice of the university and Speech and Hearing department to honor us.  I was also so blessed to be able to share the occasion with my wonderful family. 

Lindsey E. Piper, AuD (ALMOST THERE!!)

The funnest AuD class ever

4 & 5.  Getting house sold & Moving to Birmingham

These 2 go hand in hand.  We knew moving was an likely and eventual step but who knew it would come so fast?  When I moved to Hattiesburg in the summer of 2007 the economy was fabulous but we all know how that quickly changed.  We were so fearful and worried that we would have to move and still be responsible for a house 3 1/2 hours away.  Thankfully, this was not the case.  We put the house on the market in early April and by the weekend of my white coat ceremony 3 weeks later, the house was under contract!  Everything fell into place and the new owner took ownership at 12 noon the day we pulled the U-Haul out of the driveway to Birmingham.  We were so excited to be moving to the "big city" where we had friends and a great externship waiting.  Ben's future was unknown but how quickly did that work out.  It was amazing to see God work when we put all of our trust into him. 

6. Anna's Pregnant!

Finding out my best friend was pregnant was one of the most exciting things ever.  Especially when it was extrememly unexpected!  I'll never forget how she told me and how honored I felt to be one of the first ones to know.  We had been planning a trip for our group of girls to come visit me in Birmingham in the summer.  So she started off the conversation by deciding on a definite date and the she said but I won't be able to enjoy any margaritas with y'all.  It took me a second and then I know I must have shouted YOUR PREGNANT?!?! with her responding by bursting out in laughter.  It was such a fun call to receive.  I can't believe that little Lucy Kate will be here in less than 6 weeks!  Anna will make a fabulous mother and I am so excited for her and Nathan's little blessing to get here.  Needless to say, this will be one of my favorite events of 2011!

Anna at 27 weeks!



7. NOLA Trip

Spending a weekend in New Orleans with some of our great friends to watch Ole Miss take on Tulane was definitely one of the funnest of 2010.  Our friend, Megan who is from NOLA and still resides there opened up her home to us that weekend.  We got to eat beingets, spend a day on Bourbon, eat yummy seafood, and cheer the Rebels to victory.  Everytime I hear Enrigue Inglesia's "I Like It" on the radio memories from this trip always come to mind! This was the only road trip we got to take this fall for the Rebels and I don't think anything could have topped it!  Such a fun and memorable trip!

Our group on Bourbon

Beignets at Cafe du Monde

8. Our 2nd Anniversary

We did it! We're no longer newlyweds & we still love each other!  I couldn't believe how fast the 2 years flew by, but that means your having a ball right?  I can't imagine spending those 2 years with anyone else. 

2 happy years later

9.  Allison & Katie Pregnant!!

Not only is my best friend expecting, but so are 2 of my sister-in-laws!  Allison, the middle girl is expecting her 4th child and is due on July 4th. I find this one super exciting because they are finding out the sex of the baby in early February.  This is great news since Ryan & Allison take light years to name their child :)  Katie is the youngest of the girls and she and Trevor are expecting their 1st and she is due in mid-May (Sorry I can't remember the exact date Katie).  Unlike Allison, she is not going to find out the sex and let it be a surprise!  It will be so sweet for 2 cousins to be so close in age.  I think Ben's folks might have to come out of retirement because this time next year they will have 7 grandbabies!  How blessed!

10. Football Season

By far the funnest & most anticipated part of our year.  Ben starts our countdown in early summer to get us excited and hyped up.  Even though our football team was pretty pitiful for the most part with only 4 wins on the season, this did not hinder our fun or excitement of going to the games.  Having the Grove makes losing a lot easier to swallow especially when your surrounded by so many wonderful folks.  We had a rockin' good time and a wonderful set of friends to Grove with and the funnest bunch to sit in the stands with. We have already started planning the 2011 season!

Fresno State

Vandy

Auburn

Sanford Statdium. UGA vs. UT

Vault Hemingway! Home of the Rebels!

It's hard to imagine 2011 being any better than 2010 but I can't wait to see what's in store for us and meet all of our new babies!  Happy New Year!

Christmas Wrap-Up

I apologize from the drought in my posts lately but the holiday season is always so busy.  There wasn't anytime to stop and focus long enough to fill everyone in on what was going on.  It all started with the weekend before Christmas.  I went home for our annual ornament swap and to celebrate Kinsley's 2nd birthday.  This year we had it at Jene's house in Southaven.  Oh, how I adore her house. She is so creative and has the best eye and you can see that all throughout her house.  I definitely want Jene's help when we finally settle.   We had food and drinks galore; cream cheese and pepper jelly puffs, ornament buns, salad, cheesey dip, cherry crunch, baby bites, hot chocolate, Amaretto sours, and a champagne & raspberry vodka drink.  Everyone did a great job choosing their ornaments this year because I wanted to take them all home.  Jene drew my name and obviously she gave me the most gorgeous ornament of them all.  It was a chocolate brown cross made out of old tin with gold specks outlining the edges.  It is so beautiful and looks perfect on our tree.  We stayed busy talking until the morning hours.  It was a great night to catch up and see all my favorites.



All the girls with our ornaments. This was probably take # 536

The next day we celebrated Kinsley's birthday.  It was your typical 2 year old birthday party with all the kids running around getting into everything.  Sure, children are a blessing but events like these make me grateful that I haven't recieved this blessing yet hah.  Kinsley got a lot of toys but her favorite was a toddler-sized grocery cart full of groceries.  She had an ice cream cake filled with cookies & cream ice cream that she loved.  It was a fun afternoon

After traveling back to Birmingham for 2 days of work, we ventured back to Southaven to spend Christmas with my family. While we were home, we got to see alot of our friends who we hadn't seen in some time.  My mom, sister, and I went to our old neighbor's house who we consider a 2nd mother to have dinner and Christmas with her and Heather's best friend, Jessica.  We usually go out to eat but now that Kinsley is around we decided to just hang out at Goldie's house and have pizza and wine.  They gave me a beautiful piece of EttaB pottery, a red and green platter that has Mississippi written across it. They know I love me some Mississippi and pottery!  Ben awoke on Christmas Eve morning at 3 am sick as a dog.  At first, he thought he had eaten something bad.  However, he awoke again 30 minutes later with more sickness.  He decided to move to the living room and sleep on the couch in hopes of keeping me from getting whatever he had.  This getting sick every 30 mintues continued well into the morning.  He was so sick that we had to leave him there all alone while we went to Nana's to have Christmas with my mom's family.  We had a great time at Nana's but it was sad not having Ben there and knowing how miserable he must be feeling.  When we got back to my parents that evening, Ben was awake and had been sick free for a few hours.  He was able to eat some noodles that my Nana had sent for him.  They stayed down and he was able to get rest that night.  My sister and Kinsley spent the night at my parents house so we could all wake up there Christmas morning and we could have Santa with Kinsley.  We stayed up late putting together an art easel, tricycle, and handful of other things that were ALL pink.  When Kinsley woke up Christmas morning, she was so overwhelmed by all the toys in my parents' living room.  It took her a few minutes to realize that all the toys were for her.  We then opened presents which takes so long because one person (this year it was Heather) hands each person a present and we take turns opening first.  It requries a break in between where we run to the potty, refill our coffee mugs, snatch a slice of ham, etc.  Santa was great to all of us.  Ben got pleny of Ole Miss stuff and a game for his Xbox, Heather got a laptop among others, and I got my favorite, clothes and jewelry.  We spent the rest of the day relaxing and watching Christmas movies.  That night we went back to my Nana's to visit with her.  She was so excited to see us and happy to see that Ben was feeling much better.  We had to leave the  next day to go back to Birmingham because Ben had to go back to work for a couple of days.  However, not before my mom and I had a chance to do a little after Christmas shopping.  We were only focused on getting new tree trimmings.  My mom has had mostly the same ornaments since I was probably 5 or 6 with a few new additions.  She decided that she wanted to completely redo her tree next year with her colors being chocolate brown, lime green, and copper (she adores my taste).  We went to Dillards first because I had spotted some beautiful beaded leopard print, yes leopard print, balls before Christmas and I hid them in a special place to get when they went on sale.  So after all this time of wanting pretty leopard balls, I finally found some!  We then headed to a home decor shop that has the most gorgeous Christmas trees every year.  My mom loaded up on all sorts of goodies and we both bought a tall and skinny lime green reindeer that will find a special place in our homes next year.  When Ben and I made it back to Birmingham we had our own little Christmas with the 3 of us.  My mom got Layla a new dog bed and she was in love. How could she not be?  It was a Serta tempurpedic dog bed.  She is now sleeping better than us!  Ben got new clothes for work, a case for his Ipad, and new shoes, with a few other goodies.  I, of course got some new clothes, and monnogrammed lunchbox (Thanks, Arenda!), jewelry and new cowboy boots!  We had a wonderful night together and I am so grateful to be so blessed.

We were leaving for Florida to spend a very long weekend with Ben's family so I had a mile-long to do list to complete on Monday.  Oh no, I woke up bright and early Monday morning and had to beeline to the bathroom.  Yep, I had caught Ben's bug.  So instead of getting my to-do list done I spent the day laying on the couch sipping ginger ale and catching up on my tv.  Thankfully, I got over it pretty fast and we were still able to make it to the beach.  We spent the next 4 and a half days sleeping in, eating deliciuos food, walking on the beach, playing games, and watching football.  All of Ben's sisters are spread out all over the country so this is the one time a year we can usually all get together and see them and all their children.  The youngest girl, Katie couldnt make it this year because she is expecting and it was going to be a long trip from California down to Florida. She was definitely missed but the next time we see her she will have a baby!  My first trip to the beach was in 2005 when Ben and I had just started dating.  Their were only 2 kids, Harrison & Davis.  They were 5 and 16 months old.  Now there are 5 kids and 2 more on the way!  It is always so fun getting to see them spend time with them.  They are so goofy and fun.  The long weekend went by way too fast but thankfully we had beautiful mild weather so we were able to spend a lot of time outdoors. 

I apologize for pictures being in random order.

 

Enjoying birthday cake

Eating M&M's that were in her stocking with her new toys

Layla checking out her stocking

Enjoying her treats and new bed.

Lunchbox!  One of my favorite presents!

Merry Christmas from the Pipers!

Stuffed stockings.  New reindeer too!

Opening gifts wore her out

Last day at the beach & first picture of 2001

Hannah & me with our lovely ornaments

Ipad case

Now we're home and back to the grind.  We are very excited for this new year and all the blessings it has in store for us!

Quick Update

I'm typing this from my iPhone as we drive to Florida so bear (correct use) with me. Here's what I have been up to since the last time I blogged. Details to come

Ornament swap
Kinsley's 2nd birthday party
Christmas
Ben got the stomach bug
I got the stomach bug
Piper trip to the beach

I definitely will not be blogging during my relaxing time on Florida. Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas an has a safe and new year!

See y'all in 2011!!

Bunco Buns aka Ornament Buns!

Here's what I'm taking to the Ornament Swap tonight, along with babybites.  They are super easy and they are great to make ahead and then bake right before the party.  My aunt always made these when I was growing up for Christmas and I always wondered how she got the ham and cheese inside the rolls.  Who knew it was so easy!

Ornament Buns
2 pkgs. dinner rolls (I like to use Hawaiian rolls)
4 Tbsp. yellow mustard
4 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 pkg. honey ham (I like the Hillshire Farms ((GO MEAT!!)) hearty slices. You can half each slice & have plenty)
1 pkg. swiss cheese (Each slice will be enough for 4 sandwiches)

Cut all of your rolls in half.  In a bowl, combine mustard, worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, and butter.  Spread mustard mixture on both sides of the roll (I found that using those cooking paint brush utensils work the best).  Place a piece of cheese and ham on each roll and top.  Place rolls on baking sheet and spread a little more butter across the top.  Cover with foil.  Bake @ 350 for 15-20 minutes until browned and cheese has melted. YUMMY!!

Scrooge

I am so excited that the Christmas season is in full swing and that was apparent here in Birmingham last weekend.  As I have said in earlier posts, Ben was starring in Scrooge the musical as young Ebenezer.  The show opened last Thursday.  But of course, young Ebenezer had to catch all the crud that's been going around the week of the show.  After 3 days of taking Sudafed and Lord knows what else, he decided to go see a doctor Thursday morning, yes opening day.  The doctor thought it was walking pneumonia but thankfully it was only sinusitis.  He got a shot of antibiotics and steroids along with 4 prescriptions and the show went on!


Opening night was completely sold out and we later learned why.  A local Christian non-profit, AMBUCS, had purchased all the tickets.  AMBUCS is a group that helps families with children who are paralyzed from the waist down buy these motorized tricycle gadgets that help them move around.  The tickets were given to the parents of these amazing kids so they could enjoy a night out while a local church babysat the children.  The non-profit also invited some of its donors to share the experience.  From this one night, AMBUCS was able to raise enough money to purchase 70 of these little tricycles! Amazing stories like this one help me remember that the world is still full of generous, kind-hearted people.

They weren't the only ones to enjoy the show.  Ben's dad, oldest sister Natalie, aunt and uncle, Bob and Arenda, along with my parents, sister, Kinsley, and Nana all made the trip from Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi to see Ben perform.  Ben's dad got here earlier than everyone else so we took him to one of our favorite sandwich places, Diplomat Deli.  Their sandwiches are phenomenol and the best part is it is in the middle of a wine & high gravity beer store.  After lunch, we took him by our apartment to see our massive tree.  He couldn't believe that the 2 of us were able to cart it up 2 flights of stairs by ourselves, much less get it in the tree stand.  Even with its' massiveness, he loved it and took several pictures to share with others.  We then ran over to the Embassy Suites to greet Natalie.  The greeting didn't last too long because shortly after Natalie's arrival my sister was calling to let me know they were already at our apartment.  We rushed home to let them in.  Ben took a nap and Nana and I entertained Kinsley while Heather got all gussied up and mom and dad went to check into their hotel room.  My family are big Italian food lovers, and whats not to love? So I took them to a local place, Lovoy's in Homewood.  After dinner, we went back home so Kinsley could get settled in with her babysitters for the night, our dear friends Patrick and Megan.  They were so nice for keeping her so that we could enjoy the musical without a toddler.  Megan is a 1st grade teacher and babysits quite often so I knew Kinsley would be in great hands.  It didn't take long after their arrival to see that Kinsley had developed little gah-gah eyes for Patrick.  We left with little fuss from Kinsley and made our way to the show.  I was very excited since I had never seen Ben act.  Although I knew he was very talented, I was still so shocked and impressed by how well he did.  I am a little biased being the Mrs. but he did perfect at everything: the singing, danching, and acting, even with a stinkin' sinus infection!  He has a beautiful voice and it was wonderful hearing it amplified since I usually hear it when he's singing beside me at church.  I must say one of the best parts of the show was watching my Nana watch the show.  She got tickled at the littliest things, so much so at times that she would even snort a little.  Watching her and the rest of my family enjoy it so much made it that much more enjoyable for me.  After the show, I drove them through one of the beautiful old neighborhoods here.  Every house has a real tree that is full of lights in their front yard, along with all the other pizzazz of lights garrland, and wreaths. None of the cheesy stuff.  Sunday morning we took them to a late breakfast at a yummy little diner before they had to head back to Mississippi. 

Tonight we are having a mini Christmas party at Patrick and Megan's.  We are going to watch the best Christmas movie EVER and eat party foods. Can you believe there are some people who have never seen Christmas Vacation in its entirety?  I sure couldn't!  Their lives will be forever changed tonight.  We plan on having a few more mini-Christmas parties to enjoy our other favorite Christmas flicks before we all part ways for the holidays.  This weekend, I am heading home (Ben has his 2nd round of performances) to celebrate Miss Kinsley's 2nd birthday!  Can't believe that girl has been here for almost 2 years.  What a blessing she has been to our family! Friday night, I am getting together with my closest group of friends so we can do our annual ornament exchange.  We draw names in November to know whom we are buying for and then we each bring a yummy dish or 2.  There is also usually a bottle of wine or 2 invovled.  This year makes it really excited since Anna is expecting Lucy Kate in just 2 months!  She is the first one in our little group to procreate so it is extra exciting this year!  I should have some funny stories & pictures to share next week!

Ornament Faves

So I've seen a few blogs that have posted pictures of their favorite ornaments so I decided it was a great idea and thought I would share my favorite Christmas tree ornaments with y'all.

The first is one of 4 feathered star ornaments.  All of Ben's family gets together every year on Florida's Gulf Coast to spend New Year's.  We got engaged in early December and we purchased these little beauties at a gift shop in Apalachacola.  These were the first ornaments we purchased as an engaged couple.  When I saw them I had to have them since they are covered in feathers and well I'm sort of obsessed with feathery things.  Not to mention they were 75% off in an after Christmas sale.

After our first Christmas together with our lime, copper, and brown themed tree, I decided we needed to spice up the tree.  I am also a sucker for leopard print but one would never guess that being in our house (hah).  Well after browsing through shops and internet searching, I could never find leopard print balls.  Well, then I found out that Anna had made some for her tree so I had the "aha" moment and had to make them.  I enlisted the help of my crafty mom.  We dunked the pad of our finger in brown paint and then "stamped" a gold ball in random places like a leopard.  We hung them on the tree to dry and then outlined the "spots" with a black sharpie.  They look great on the tree and give it that "pop."   I have a feeling I might be seeing more leopard balls appear on Christmas trees soon!

 Even though we live in a small apartment, we still had to put up our Ole Miss tree, it wouldn't feel like home or Christmas without it.  When I lived in Hattiesburg all by myself this was the only little tree I had.  We started collecting ornaments for it in 2006 when we were dating.  We usually add an ornament or 2 to it every year.  Now that we live in Alabama the only college ornaments out there are orange & blue or "crimson" and white BARF to both.  Lucky for us, I have a wonderful sister who knows how much we adore our Ole Miss tree.  She saw a pair of these Ole Miss helmets and picked them up for us and gave them to us for a Thanksgiving happy. How thoughtful?  I love them because they have a vintage look to them.

It's not Ole Miss without Colonel Reb.  My best friend, Ashley gave me this gorgeous hand-painted Colonel Reb ornament for my birthday last year.  I just adore its uniqueness.  Maybe next year we will have a Rebel black bear hanging in our tree :)

"It's not going in our yard, Russ, It's going in our living room."

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  We had a really busy but also a lazy and relaxing weekend.  While Ben was away at practice Friday night, I had sushi with a few friends and we went and saw Love and Other Drugs.    The sushi was delicious and the movie was alright.  It had some funny moments but it was overall predictable and there were way too many raunchy scenes.  Saturday, I got some errands run, including picking myself up a couple of items from Ann Taylor Loft with some birthday money that has been patiently waiting to be passed along to some fine retailer. They were having a 30% off sale SCORE! We settled in to watch the SEC championship. BORING.  I usually love watching football, even if its not SEC but Saturday's game was for the birds.  I didn't care the outcome either way but I do think Auburn is going to pull it out in the NC game and the SEC will have another national championship. I mean whoever believes the SEC isn't the best conference needs to have their head examined and then pick a team so they can start cheering for the best conference. We had some friends from Ole Miss passing through the 'ham so we offered for them to stay with us.  We invited Patrick and Megan over and we cooked a meal that is meant for sharing and watched Ole Miss basketball take on Southern Miss. The Rebs got the W and we had fun just hanging out.

Sunday Funday turned into Sunday worday...wah wah.  We set out early Sunday afternoon to get our Christmas tree.  After some internet research we found a tree farm 15 miles from our doorstep so we decided to head out to the country and find our perfect tree.  You see, that is what we have done the 2 previous Christmases.  However, we were also living in South MS and had the best little tree farm right up the road, Smith's Christmas Tree Farm.   This great little tree farm is also owned by some friends of ours family.  So you see, they would take us out to the best parts of the farm that had the best batch of trees EVER and let us pick from them.  Not to mention, the friendliess of South MS folks and warmer temperatures.  We didn't quite have the same experience yesterday.  Bummer #1  It was maybe 40 degrees, if we were lucky.  Bummer #2 They did not have our favorite, Carolina Sapphires "this year" Bummer #3 The prices were not tree farm prices, I guess they thought they were the Saks of tree farms  Bummer #4 No live wreaths...ok there are plenty more bummers but I do not want to sound whiney & ungrateful.  So after about an hour of walking around and finding nothing but massive 9 ft. and plus trees and Frayser Firs that had been shipped in that were ridiculously over-priced, we debated on leaving and just heading to Lowe's to pick up one of their shipped in, more reasonbly priced trees.  However, we decided to walk over to a little area of the farm we had not visited.  Well it was in this area that we found our tree.  A beautifully-shaped Leeland Cypress that had the perfect price.  We couldn't believe it.  We got it strapped on to the top of the Yukon and headed back to the city.  Before we left we had cleared out what we thought was the perfect space for our new tree.  After yours truely and Ben carted the tree up two flights of winding stairs, we realized either our living room had shrunk or this tree was much much larger than it appeared out in the wilderness next to all the ridiculously large trees.  It was definitely the latter.  This has not been a problem in the past because we had the people who knew our house and knew the space and could help us choose the perfect tree.  Did I mention we live in an apartment? On the 3rd floor with a dog that escaped the looney bin?  After numerous 4-letter words and furniture rearranging, we got the tree settled in the tree stand.  As Ben started cutting the netting off the tree, I felt like Ellen in Christmas Vacation as Clark was cutting the rope away from their tree.  And thats pretty much what happened, minus windows breaking and such.  I had to go fetch the hedge clippers that we had thankfully kept when we moved.  We had so many clippings from our Griswald tree that I made a swag for the front door and plenty leftover to dump off the balcony.  It was finally time to start decorating.  We got all lights put up that we have used on our previous trees to realize we were only about halfway up.  So I send Ben to Home Depot to pick up more while I start on a soup and chocolate chip pound cake for dinner.  By 7, the tree was FINISHED.  As we laid in bed that night, much like Clark & Ellen Griswald, I turned to Ben and said, "I have a confession, I hate our tree."  to which he replied, "you know, I don't really like it either."  This of course started the debate of what we should do...go get a new one more appropriate for our living quarters or just suck it up for a couple of weeks, even if our guests do have to turn sideways to shimmy into the guest bedroom.  Well, the conclusion was made that we are extrememly fortunate to be able to afford something as silly as a tree that we will throw out in a few short weeks and that it will be a GIANT reminder of why we celebrate Christmas, because of Christ's generous gift of his only son. 

When we ran out of lights

Finished

Happy Monday Y'all!


Sauerkraut and Tortellini

That's what we've been eating this week.  I went to the grocery store early this week and spent a small fortune, but my goal was not to return there until hopefully after the holidays.  Well obviously, I'll need to go for fresh produce but no big shopping.  I've only cooked twice this week with Ben being gone every night practicing for the musical and we had turkey day leftovers to munch on for a couple of days.  Anywho, I thought I would share the 2 recipes we have enjoyed this week. 

The first one is a tomato artichoke pasta.  We have a tried and true tomato artichoke pasta but when I saw this recipe on Our Best Bites, I couldn't resist giving it a try.  The best part of the recipe calls for fresh pasta, and we made it better buy using cheese tortellini from Buitoni.  You can get a $1 off any Buitoni item by clicking here.

Tomato Artichoke Pasta
recipe by Our Best Bites

Extra virgin olive oil

5-6 cloves garlic, pressed

1 can diced tomatoes

3 oz. tomato paste

3 oz. white cooking wine or chicken broth

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 C chopped green onions

6-7 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

1 package fresh pasta (or 1 lb. dried)

In a large saucepan, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boiling. When oil is hot, add garlic, green onions, and artichoke hearts. Saute until garlic is fragrant. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, wine or chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Heat through and toss with cooked pasta.

I recommend using 2 cans of diced tomatoes.  We used the Hunt's kind with italian seasoning and that helped give it extra flavor.  And of course, I'm always in favor of using white wine instead of chicken stock.  It really gives depth to the flavor.  We also used a 6 oz. can of tomato paste, this helped thicken up the sauce since we used 2 cans of the diced tomatoes. 


The next recipe sounds a little odd.  I was unsure about it since I am not a huge fan of saurkraut but I thought we give it a try.  I found this recipe in the Spring when I was still working for the nursing school at USM and one of the professors was throwing away a bunch of magazines.  During a slow day (which was pretty much everyday)  I flipped through them and came across this one.  This recipe makes a TON.  It is definitely one to make when you want leftovers for a couple of days, and it reheats very well. 

Turkey Gyro Pitas
1 lb. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can Sauerkraut, drained & rinsed
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Sauce
2/3 sour cream
3 Tbsp. Mayo
2 Tbsp. Ranch
1 half tomato, chopped
1/2 cucumber, chopped
Pita bread
Lettuce

In a large skillet, cook the turkey, onion, sauerkraut, and brown sugar until meat is no longer pink.  Drain.  While meat is cooking combine sour cream, mayo, and ranch.  Add tomatoes and cucumber to the sauce.  Preheat oven to 350.  Place pita bread on a baking sheet and place in oven for 7-8 minutes until warm.  Stuff pitas with meat, sauce, & lettuce. 

I thought this recipe sounded very interesting and I was totally unsure about it when I first read it but we really like it and it's a hearty meal.  Now, if your someone who doesn't really like the taste of ground turkey and usually only eats it when its in Chili or something that really masks the taste, I wouldn't recommend it.  Our tastebuds have become adapted to its unique flavor so we don't mind it.
 
One last thing, here's the link to the photos of Kinsley from her photo shoot at Ramblin' Rose Photography in Memphis a few weeks ago.  We had a blast doing them and the pictures are gorgeous.  Click on proofing at the bottom and the password is Kinsley.  I'm  having so much trouble deciding which ones to purchase.  Please help!

Happy Weekend!!

November Wrap-Up

Hello December, how did you get here so fast??  I hope everyone had a filling and blessed Thanksgiving.  We sure did.  Thanksgiving is always an event and this year was no different.  After stuffing ourselves to the point of almost sickness, we all gathered around the table for a fun game of Funglish.  If you haven't played this game yet, you should. Anyways, in the middle of our game a nice little lady knocked on Nana's door to let us know that the street was flooding (it was quite the wet day in North MS) and that a truck parked in front of the house was soon to be underwater.  Of course, we all jump up to look outside and it had to be my Dad's truck that was about to drown.  After moving the truck to a less flooded location on the street, my dad and Ben went to investigate the "massive" flood.  They came to find that the sewer drain thing was built up with pine straw and leaves.  They fetched a shovel and rake from Nana's shed and got to work.  They were out there in rolled up pants and barefoot working in freezing cold water with temperatures in the upper 40's for about half an hour trying to relieve some of the fall foliage buildup.  Thankfully, after their hard work the water subsided and no one's truck had to drown.

Black Friday went fairly smoothly.  This is only the 2nd year my sister and I have gotten up early and took part in the madness.  We don't go stand in lines at 10 pm and wait around for the hot items.  We are there just to get toys for the kids at ridiculously low prices.   My sister racked up on items for Kinsley.  Apparently, that kid has been very good this year.  I didn't purchase any gifts, just a few items for myself that were a steal.  It was my birthday eve!  We did run into a few of my favorite people on Friday, Hillary and Anna & Corrie so that made getting up early a little more exciting.  Not to mention Chicfila for breakfast. Hello Heaven to my mouth.  I just want to add how I think Black Friday makes people go crazy.  I have never witnessed people go so crazy over materialistic things, seriously some people act like they saw Jesus walking out of the tomb.  Frankly, I feel that if you can't afford buy these unnecessary items any day other than Black Friday, you should probably stay nestled in your nice warm bed.

And then came my BIRTHDAY!!!  OHHH HAPPY DAY!!! And, boy was it a happy day!  I woke up super super early (7:30!!!). The excitement surrounding such a day just keeps me restless.  I was the first to awake in my parents' house so I brewed a big ole pot of coffee and had a few moments to myself.  My mom made birthday French toast for breakfast and for dessert I was surprised with the birthday staple in our house...ICE CREAM CAKE!! Then I got to open my gifts! My parents gave me a football charm for my Pandora bracelet, no other charm could be more appropriate for me. They also gave me some work appropriate clothes (I was super grateful for these) and some money so I could go buy that "hobo bag I have been eyeing." Ben gave me a beautiful pearl & diamond David Yurman ring. That boy sure knows the way to my heart :)  My birthday was the same day as the Egg Bowl so we had planned to leave late morning to get to Oxford so we would have a long day in the Grove.  As I was getting out of the shower, My dad yelled that a red car had pulled up.  It was Anna & Nathan!  She knew she wouldn't have a chance to see me all day since we would be in Oxford so it was an awesome surprise having them stop by on their busy day of errands.  It was another successful day in the Grove.  Our tables were overflowing and our cups were continuously emptied.  Our little group has been fabulous all year, taking orders from me and always bringing their A-game.  They were so sweet to remember my birthday (Thanks honey for letting them know how big of a deal my birthday is) and they had a super sweet champagne toast and Ashley, one of the sweet wives made special birthday cupcake for me complete with the entire group singing Happy Birthday!  I got to spend my day surrounded by so many friends in the place I love.  We didn't get the win, but I'm not sad. It just means we get to put this disappointing season behind us.  In my opinion, we can't feel too terrible about the outcome of our season. We knew this was going to be a difficult year and we happened to be in the toughest division in the toughest conference in the county.  Hotty Toddy Y'all!!  Now we can give all our cheers to the Rebel basketball squad. I think this might be our year to make it to the big dance :)  On Sunday, 3 of my best girlfriends, Ashley, Jene, and Hannah took me to brunch.  It was super yummy and it was so nice to spend a couple of hours with them just talking.  It was quite the holiday weekend!  I'm sharing some pictures below from the weekend.  I don't have a picture of Ben & I yet, so hopefully I'll get that one posted soon :)

Enjoying Happy Birthday to Me in the Grove after the game

Beautiful bday present from Ben

Birthday cupcakes Ashley made!

Did y'all know Layla was a model & making us boocoodles of $$??

Birthday breakfast Ice Cream Cake!!

Another Grove birthday cake for all the November babies!