Livin' Life.....in Da Heel of Da Boot

I will catch up soon!!!

2010-07-16T12:26:00.001-05:00

I promise. I know everyone has given up on me by now but I will update soon. Promise. Pictures and everything.

Way too long......

2010-04-21T16:02:00.002-05:00

It has been forever since I posted last. I had computer issues. Oh well, I'm back now.

I still don't have a whole lot to write about but I will try.

I am still working in the cafeteria. I would rather be home but it's a good place to work and I know that since I do have to work, it is the best place for me at this time in my life. The most I have to miss out on with the kids is maybe a field trip here and there. I really miss being home in the mornings to get them off to school but I am here waiting for them in the afternoon. Besides, where else can I get a two month vacay!?!?

My garden is planted and it is pretty big. Most of my seeds have sprouted. I am praying for a great garden to show off. I get a little too competitive in my garden growing but it's all good. lol

I put some flower beds in front of the house with some of those little solar lights. It helps it look not so plain. There are a few more touches I want to add but it takes time.

We are finally starting to feel at home in this house so we are getting ideas on how to make it fit us better. It's just to get it done!

Well, I have to get going. We have softball practice to get to.

Just a look around.....

2009-07-01T14:05:00.007-05:00

Not much going on around here to write about so I thought I'd share a few pictures.

My favorite tree.

My handsome boy, Hoss. Sorry it's sideways I don't know how to fix it.

Coming to attack. They think I have something for them. BWAK!!! What, says you!?!?!?!

Fighting over the last strawberry.

My Lucky dog. He has little man syndrome. He has been know to intimidate the biggest of UPS men.

The view from my backyard.

That's a small tour from around our little homestead. It's nothing fancy but it's home. Wish ya'll could all come visit.

The middle of June already!

2009-06-16T10:20:00.002-05:00

Time just flies, doesn't it? I can NOT believe it is June 16! I feel like half my vacation is over already. And it just started!

There are alot of things I would love to get done over the summer. If I get my butt in gear and really tackle this house and get some freezer meals done, it will make my life so much easier once August gets here. I have to go back to work, as much as I don't want to.

We've already celebrated Kaleb's birthday. He had his closest buddies over and they had a camp out in the backyard. Complete with a campfire and smores. It was pretty fun.

I've always known my little man was smart but I didn't know just how smart he was! He was referred by his teacher to be tested for Gifted and Talented. This 11 year old child tested at college freshman level in several areas on the broader spectrum tests with his guidance counselor. They are having the school's psychologist come and give him some more tests. He also had science/math camp this week with a trip to NASA on Friday. This is a reward for scoring so high on his LEAP tests. There are only about 40 kids from the whole parish that get to participate. I'm very proud of him.

Well, I better get off of here and get some work done. I'm sure my chickens think they are starving.

Getting things done........

2009-04-26T12:34:00.002-05:00

We are slowing but surely getting things done around here. The new chicken coop just needs a few more touches and it will be done. It's livable for the girls so they are in there we just need to make sure it is waterproof. It is so much nicer than their old home. And it SMELLS so much better. lol It still smells like new wood and pine shavings. I will post a picture as soon as it's totally done. I still need to paint it too and I'm going to hang some flower pots from the rafters on the outside. Yes, I have big dreams.

My garden area is all tilled and fertilized. I am WAY WAY late in getting my garden in but oh well, what are you gonna do? We've had a lot of adjustments this year and we're just getting started here on the new place so it'll take some time. Next year will be much easier.

Heck, I haven't even gotten my front porch done yet. It's totally ho-hum and needs some curb appeal. But, I have more ambition than time or money!!!

One really cool thing though is that my city boy husband is totally getting into the homesteading lifestyle. I love watching him get all excited over things.

In other news, I've confirmed with my boss that I will indeed take the full time position at school. I fought myself back and forth over this for months. The economy is scaring me though. So are the prices of everything. I went to WalMart yesterday. I had 4 little bags, not even full mind you and 2 of the deli pizzas. It rang up to over $80. I wanted to throw up! OMGosh! I don't know how people are getting by.

I don't LOVE my job. But, it's not bad. I can handle it. The hours are pretty good besides having to get up so dang early. But, on the other hand, I see quite a few people down my road leaving at the same time as me. It's a part of life for many of us and just something that has to be done. So, no more feeling sorry for myself. I need to put on my big girl panties and do what I have to do.

Spring is finally here........

2009-04-13T15:17:00.002-05:00

Spring time is so exciting isn't it? We have so many projects going on I don't even know if we'll accomplish it all. We're in the process of building the chickens some new digs and I am soooo behind on my gardening. My plants should be in the ground like a week ago!! Oh well, it'll all work out. I hope!

We have the week off from school. Yippee! I needed a break from that cafeteria. It feels so good and so "normal" to be home. I'm still trying to decide if I want to go back next year. I've been praying on that for weeks now!

Our girls are giving us so many eggs these days. Such hard working ladies. If anyone needs eggs give me a call or stop by please! $1.50 a dozen. I'm just trying to pay my feed bill not get rich! lol I really love those girls though. My husband has gotten chicken addiction because he is talking about building a new pen for more babies. Ahhhgggg...... I created a monster. With all the farm type plans he has, you would never guess that this man has transplanted from the city. lol

Well, I'm off to figure out whats for supper. It's so nice to not be too tired to cook. I LOVE IT!!!!

Hello, is anyone still out there????

2009-03-14T10:36:00.002-05:00

I'm back, I'm back!!!!

Where to start? It's been so long.

Well, we had a great time in Vegas. We got to go up to Ely and play in the snow. We had a blast doing that. It was so nice to get away and visit. But, we're back home now and things are starting to feel "normal" again.

We've gone through such a big transistion in the last few months. I think it all caught up with me and I got in a sorta "funk". Even my doctor offered me some "happy" pills but I think all I really need is some warm air, sunshine and garden dirt between my fingers and toes. I'm feeling myself coming out of it now and I am very relieved about that.

I've neglected some online and real life friends and I'm so sorry for that. I've been a terrible friend. I don't like to spread my grumpiness around. lol I still love you all, I promise. And I miss you terribly.

Oh well, I have things I need to get done today. I had high hopes for today but the weather is not cooperating. I have to run to the feed store and then come home and get inside stuff done I guess. I'll talk to you all later.

Hello from Las Vegas

2009-01-01T00:32:00.002-06:00

Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. We've had alot going on.

Right now we are visiting with family and having a great time. We don't see them often enough!

The week before we left was spent both working and trying to move all at the same time. I don't even want to think about what's waiting for me at home!

As of right now, my interenet is off. It may be a while before I have it up and running again. I have satellite internet so I have to wait for them to come and install a satellite. No telling how long that will take. Until then, I will update when I can and hopefully check in using the internet on my phone. I really hate using that though.

We'll be home this weekend and hoping to see all our friends and family. I miss being home.

English Toffee Anytime.......

2008-12-12T16:30:00.002-06:00

My friend is having a contest on her blog. Go check it out. If you follow the instructions you'll get some really great toffee.
http://swampsuburbia.blogspot.com/

The Most Boring Blog on the Internet

2008-12-09T19:06:00.002-06:00

It's no secret. I know this. I must have the most boring, stale blog on the internet. Fortunately, it doesn't bother me one bit. ;-)

I just feel like I don't have anything to write about. My dear friend Andrea gives me all these topics but when I sit down to write about them.......nothing comes out. I'm not much of a story teller I guess.

Anyway, I can let anyone who is interested know all about what's been going on with us.

I've been working at school EVERYDAY now. I like it, I guess. I work with some really sweet ladies. They make it bearable. The thing is, it's not the job. Anyone who knows me well knows what a weird homebody I am. I HATE not being at home. If it wasn't for that I'd probably really like it. I miss not being able to clean my house when I want. I miss having the energy to do the things I like to do. I have some very sore feet when I come home in the afternoons. One of the saddest things is that I miss listening to FOX NEWS all day. How sad am I?! Gee whiz, girly. You NEEDED a job!!!!! I know, you can say it. It's ok.

The kids are great. I can't believe it's almost halfway through the school year already. Before we know it, it'll be spring and softball season. I'll have to try and keep my accident prone husband off the field this year. You can go back to the beginning of my blog to read all about that.

For Christmas this year, we'll be making the trek to Vegas. It's been quite a while since we've seen our family there. We're looking forward to it. With that being said, I have so much to do to prepare that I just don't feel like I have time for. YIKES!

And wouldn't you know it. Right as I'm ready to publish this post, I have to wait for a good ol' Louisiana thunderstorm to pass through first. Stupid satellite internet.

Twilight....My movie review.....

2008-11-22T12:16:00.005-06:00

So we went to see Twilight last night. It was pretty good for a low budget movie. Bubba liked it even more than I did. Of course, he didn't read the books so he didn't have any expectations and he didn't notice all the things that were wrong and missing.

I liked it enough that I want to watch it again. I won't go back to the movies to watch it but I'll buy the dvd and probably watch it everytime it comes on HBO or Showtime. Not because the movie was amazing but because I'm a loyal fan. And really, who can get enough of the Twilight saga?

I was dissapointed when I first saw who was cast as Edward. He was never MY Edward. However, I think Robert Pattinson pulled it off. It was a bit shakey at the beginning but it got better. James Franco would have been much closer to MY Edward. Alas, he's too old to play the part and I doubt that he would have had the time to play in the low budget teeny bopper movie. They probably couldn't have afforded him anyway.

I wish there would have been more time to build the characters. Two hours wasn't long enough for this movie. The emotions and relationships between the characters are too deep for a two hour time slot. The movie barely scratched the surface.

Alice was adorable, of course even though Ashley's acting was so-so. I was sad that we really didn't get to know her. Jasper, oh gosh, I laughed everytime I looked at him. It was awful. One character that they nailed was Emmett. Kellan WAS Emmett. He had the look and the personality. We even got a glimpse of what a clown he is. I loved Esme even though she only had like 2 lines. Carlisle, ehh, he was kind of bland. Rosalie was what I'd expect Rosalie to be. Charlie was a doll. Billy was right on and Jacob looked like a little kid but you could kind of feel his down to earthness. He's a scrawny little boy though so I'm wondering how they are going to make him grow if they continue with the sequels. And Bella, honestly, she's pretty much how I envisioned her.

All in all, this is a good movie. In one way it's better for those who don't know the story because they can't pick it apart for it's flaws. On the other hand I'm glad I know the story behind the things that were happening because they just didn't or couldn't capture it on screen.

I have lots more thoughts on this movie but I hope you all go out and watch it to see for yourselves. Draw your own conclusions. The things that were important to me may not be the same for you. We at least have to support it so that we can see a "New Moon" in the future. Hopefully they'll have a bigger budget and be able to do more.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-11-04T14:34:00.004-06:00

I thought I'd share our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe with ya'll today. The kids are home today so I'm making them a treat. I had to send them outside first though!

I came across this recipe on the web years ago and it's been a favorite ever since.

1 cup (2 stick) softened butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 bags of semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. With your fingers, place golf ball sized dough balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or just until edges are light brown.

I prefer the milk chocolate chips, of course the kids like the M&M's. I have both in the picture above. 1 bag of baking M&M's and 1/2 bag of milk chocolate chips. Any flavor chips work well.

Another tip: If you want to give your chocolate chip cookies a more interesting flavor, add a teaspoon or so of cinnamon to your dough. YUM It doesn't taste cinnamony but it gives a nice accent to the chocolate.

What's your favorite cookie?

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T13:07:00.004-05:00

Miss Bertha

2008-10-23T08:08:00.007-05:00

Miss Bertha is a Light Brahma pullet. She is my husband's favorite chick (besides me!).

Light Brahma's are a heavy breed chicken. They are very hardy and are brown egg layers. Miss Bertha isn't laying yet but come Spring she should be quite productive. I can't wait!

I'm so sad that we lost her twin sister. I'd love to have more Brahma's because they are so sweet and pretty but even the hatcheries are sold out right now. Miss Bertha is not a show chicken, she comes from hatchery stock but I think she's a beauty anyway. I can't wait to see her when she's full grown. She's only 8 weeks old right now.

Now, I have a thing about bird feet. They look kinda freaky. But, look at her neat feathered feet.

Miss Bertha takes lots of naps with her sisters. Here she is with Miss Rhoda.

And lastly, here are the new babies. I had to order these to replace the ones killed by the evil rat terrier Sassy.

There are 27!!! of them. They are still just little girls, only 3 weeks old. I tried to brood them but it seems the rules are a bit different here in South Louisiana. These girls do not like being under lights. They like being outside! lol They will chirp and holler and have a fit until I put them out there. I guess our normal weather feels like a brooder. It does to me!

We sectioned off a little area for them inside the big girls fence. We had to seperate them because the big girls were pecking them. They are starting to get used to each other now though. Once they get big enough to defend themselves we'll start easing them into the same space.

I never expected to have 37 chickens. Heck, I didn't WANT 37 chickens but I was so sad when we lost half the other batch I just had to order more and they won't send less than 25 at a time for the safety of the chicks. This last time they threw in 2 extra. Now I love them all. It's a horrible addiction, I tell ya.

Kitchen Inspiration

2008-10-20T17:17:00.002-05:00

This set of dishes is the whole inspiration behind my kitchen decor. I LOVE these dishes and all the colors in them. This picture does not do them justice. The downside is that my little kitchen is running out of room for all my rooster and chicken paraphernalia.

Tomorrow I will be featuring Miss Bertha. She is my one surviving Light Brahma pullet of the Chicken Massacre of 2008. She had a twin sister but she fell to the evil rat terrier Sassy.

Kiss your cafeteria lady

2008-10-17T18:40:00.003-05:00

Well, maybe not kiss her, unless you want to. lol But really, they should have Cafeteria Lady Appreciation Day. Those ladies work hard. And tell your kids to not be so messy!!! ;-)

Oh how I wish

2008-10-16T15:59:00.002-05:00

I had something to post about. I'm so sorry I'm such a boring blogger.

Not a whole lot going on in my life to write about.

We're in kinda sorta negotiations on a house. Yeah, kinda sorta. It's complicated. IF we get the house, I'll post all about this mess. lol

I get to go to work in the cafeteria tomorrow. YAY! It's only for tomorrow but whatever, I get to get out of the house!

Crawfish (or Shrimp) Etouffee......

2008-10-06T10:05:00.012-05:00

Today we're using shrimp. My grocery store was completely out of crawfish and I didn't have any in the freezer so I had to settle for shrimp. Poor me. ;-)

I've been meaning to post this for a while but as I've come to find, I'm a really lazy blogger. lol

Etouffee is a South Louisiana classic. You will find as many recipes as you will families. Everybodys got their own little touches. The recipe I'm posting today is pretty basic.

I wish I would have taken more detailed pictures but I hate my camera. It takes really crappy pictures.

You start with a light roux or as I call it the "peanut butter" stage.

This is 1 cup of oil and 1/2 cup of flour. Be careful with your roux. Please don't burn it. If you burn it, you have to start all over. I won't even admit to how many times I did that when I was learning to cook. It's a pain and it makes you want to throw the whole pot out the door and go to Burger King. Don't get discouraged. Practice makes perfect. OR, you could always use this:

Whatever works for you. This saves alot of time but I personally can't justify paying several dollars for something I can make for pennies. That being said, I have used it in the past. No big deal.

Now, I add water to my roux. About a pint. Mix it until it is all smooth. NO LUMPS. Then add the chopped veggies. It will be thick but there's a method to my madness. I promise.

Let this cook, stirring frequently for about 30 minutes. If you decide that your roux mixture just doesn't have enough color for you, you can add about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce. It enhances both color and flavor.

Next, I add the shrimp. With all the hurricane stuff going on down there, I haven't been able to get to Holly Beach for fresh shrimp *my shrimp guys home was washed away, again ;-( * so I had to settle for frozen from the store. Louisiana shrimp is best. Check the package. ;-)

I use the shrimp directly from the freezer. I just run it under water to make it seperate from the plastic cut it across the top and squeeze it into the pot. All the juices are frozen and I don't loose any of them.

This is going to melt down right into my roux. This is why I don't add all the water at first. It would get too runny. You don't want a runny etouffee. It's has to be thick and creamy. The shrimp and vegetables all make their own water as they cook down so don't be tempted to add too much water at first. You can always add more later but it's hard to take away.

Once it's all cooked and melded together, taste it and season it. I use Tony's of course but you can use whatever you like.

I forgot to get a picture of it finished in the pot but you can get an idea of how it's supposed to be from the plated picture.

Serve over white rice with a side of potato salad, green salad and/or crusty bread for dipping.

You can't get more Louisiana than this. Give it a try.

Crawfish Etouffee
1/2 cup flour
1 cup oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1/2 stalk of celery, chopped
1 1/2 pints of water
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 pounds crawfish or shrimp
1/2 cup green onion tops
1 tbps. dried parsley
Seasoning to taste

Make a light roux. Add water and tomato sauce and mix until smooth. Add chopped vegetables and cook about 30 minutes. Stirring frequently to prevent sticking or scorching. Add seafood and cook another 20 minutes or until seafood is done. (If you use frozen like I did, it will take a bit longer) Don't overcook. Add seasonings to taste. If it's too thick add a little water. If it's too thin you can add a bit of cornstarch to thicken.

I Must Confess

2008-09-26T13:49:00.002-05:00

I've grown to really, REALLY like being home by myself during the day. Why does that make me feel guilty? Maybe confessing that will jinx me and the school will finally call me in to work? I kinda hope so, I kinda hope not. lol No really, I do hope so. While I like this alone time that I have to do things without any interruptions, I feel very unproductive. I guess I shouldn't because I do get an awful lot of things done. I know when I start work, I'll miss these quiet days.

I Guess I'm Not the Sharpest Crayon in the Box

2008-09-17T15:34:00.003-05:00

So here's the deal. Since I haven't written a post in so long, I was going to do a whole tutorial on gumbo making. It's been nice and cool here the last few days and it just feels like gumbo weather.

I made a very yummy gumbo last night. I took pictures of the whole process, even the potato salad.

Today I went to get the pictures off my camera to write the post. My memory card wasn't in my camera!!! My usb cord has mysteriously disappeared so NO PICTURES! Ugh.....

I'll do it again another time, I promise.

It looks like we'll finally have a pretty weekend to go outside and get some work done so if we do anything interesting like, maybe build a chicken coop(I hope) I will take pictures to share.

So sad...........

2008-09-08T14:24:00.003-05:00

One of my sweet little yellow babies was eaten by a mean old lab today. That's the second time this particular dog has ticked me off. The first time he jumped on and knocked down my baby. The human one. Now this!!! He doesn't know it yet, but we have a score to settle. I usually love dogs, especially labs but this one......... grrrrrr.........

My babies are here.....

2008-08-28T16:53:00.003-05:00

They're getting settled in their new home.

Who couldn't love this face and those fluffy butts?

In the Words of My Dear Friend Amy....

2008-08-23T19:48:00.002-05:00

"I haven't fallen off the face of the earth..." lol

There's just not a whole lot to write about lately. My life is oh so NOT exciting!
Of course, I rather boring over exciting most of the time anyway.

We've finished our first full week of school with no problems. Even Gracie likes school. Maybe I shouldn't say that and jinx myself?

I'm waiting on a call anyday now to go to work. I applied at the school board to work in the cafeteria. Oh so glamorous, I know, but you can't hardly beat the hours. I have to start off as a substitute and wait for something permanent to open. So really, it'll be last minute calls for now.

I'm so bored at home by myself. I finish all my work and there's no one here to mess it up for me to have to it over again! I feel so unproductive just sitting here twiddling my thumbs every day. I've also heard and seen way too much of the national news stations. I'm a news junkie when I can actually listen to it. And believe me, it's been so quiet here during the day, I'm listening to too much of it.

So yeah, that's all that's been going on lately. That's why I haven't bothered to bore ya'll. lol If something exciting happens, I'll write.

Conquering Fears.......

2008-08-14T07:45:00.004-05:00

I'm so proud of my sweet girl. Two days in a row now, she has faced her biggest fear. Being with strangers....... I put her on the bus with her brother, sister and cousin this morning. She ran out to meet the bus and everything. But, once it was time to actually step on there, she wasn't so sure. She wanted me to go with her. Don't those sad little faces just break your heart? It didn't take long to talk her into getting on so I kind of ushered her up the steps before she could change her mind.

It makes me kind of sad because I feel like I pushed her into it all at once. I know it needs to be done but she is still my baby. I don't remember the other ones being so babylike when they started school even though they were the same age. Maybe it's just because she is my last.

Her teacher said she did well yesterday but she had a problem staying in her seat. Hey, I've already warned her that she's a handful. That's why she's in school this year. She needs practice before going to K. She's smart. She doesn't need to educational part, she needs the learning how to control herself part!

So, we've passed another milestone today. I've had a stressful week with these milestones. I've been dreading this week for a while now. I'm relieved that it's going better than I thought it would but I can't wait for the routine to actually feel normal. I just feel kind of out of sorts still.

Back to School......

2008-08-13T09:04:00.005-05:00

It's that time of year again. This year I'm both happy and sad because my baby is going to school. I dropped her off this morning. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be but it wasn't nearly as easy as it was with the other two. This one has been attatched to me since the day she was born. It's just her personality I guess.

I went in with her and showed her where to put all her stuff. Then she saw puzzles and wanted to play so we put a couple of puzzles together. Then, the bell rang and I had to leave. Ugggg..... When I first told her I had to leave, she just said ok, but as I walked to the door she ran after me crying. The teacher's aide had to hold her so I could leave. It makes me cry but I know she'll be ok once she gets used to it. I just hope she starts having fun and doesn't cry all day. That just breaks my heart.

The other two are always ready for school. They love it. I'm so lucky that they're such easy kids.

My house is eerily quiet right now and I'm not sure I like it. This is the beginning of a big change in our lives. Nothing will ever be the same. No more babies at home, I plan to go back to work soon, the older two are so independent. When did this happen? On one hand I'm excited about it and on the other I'm not sure I'm ready for this!

Learning to can......

2008-07-29T10:52:00.004-05:00

So, I wrote a while back about buying a canner and teaching myself to can. Well, I guess I didn't really NEED the canner. I've only water bathed so far but I WILL pressure can something soon. I think....... I'm building up to that.

This is what I have done so far.

I have grape jelly, apple jelly, hot pepper jelly, watermelon jelly, vinegar pickles, banana pepper rings and jalapeno pepper rings.

The grape jelly and apple jelly, I made from frozen juice concentrate but all the other stuff is fresh from the garden. Well, I didn't grow the watermelon(mine didn't come out this year), but my neighbor did! Aren't those shiny jars just beautiful? I have to say that the watermelon jelly is so good I want to eat it right out of the jar with a spoon. It's quickly becoming a famous item in Lacassine, La. lol

I was so nervous making my first couple of batches but I've relaxed and it's becoming quite fun. I really, really enjoy it. Even if you do just a few jars a day it really adds up. It gives me a sense of accomplishment to learn such an important skill. I mean, really, it's just jelly and pickles but it kinda goes deeper than that.

Today I have to deal with this......

But, I'm not complaining. I'm very blessed to have it to deal with. I love not having to buy peppers from the store. I just have to decide what to do with them. Can them, freeze them or dehydrate them?

What warm clothes does

2008-07-16T16:04:00.004-05:00

to sleepy cats.
Can you see him?

Cleaning the Oven

2008-07-15T15:21:00.002-05:00

I cleaned my oven today. I consider myself a pretty good homemaker but this is not my favorite chore. It's not exactly on the list of my top priorities. I'm ashamed to admit that it's been at least a year since I've done it. It was really, really bad. I would have been embarrassed had someone looked in there. YIKES! How does that stuff get in there anyway? I mean, it's not like I stand there and throw the food directly into it.

I'm not one to use many harsh chemicals in my house but there is a time and place for everything. Today, I made friends with a can of Easy Off. Thank God for this stuff or I would have put off cleaning the oven for at least another year. I left it on there for several hours and I still had some scrubbing to do. After about 45 minutes, it looks brand new!! Ok, maybe not BRAND new. There are a few spots that we'll just have to live with. I'm done. My legs are numb from kneeling and my hands are raw. I scrubbed straight through one of those sponges with the scrubber thingy on them.

Oh well, at least it's done now and I feel better about myself. ;-) I'll try not to let it go another year. I mean, it would be much easier if it were done regularly right? Or not...........

Note to self..................A self cleaning oven is worth the extra $$$.

Go forth ladies (and gentlemen) and take a look at your oven. Is it screaming in agony like mine was or do you take extra good care of it?

One more week!!!

2008-07-10T09:44:00.002-05:00

Bubba saw his dentist this morning. He said he'll take out the wires next week and if everything looks good he'll keep them off. Woo Hoo!!! Pray for him ya'll. He needs this out of his mouth. He's lost over 20 pounds that he really didn't have to spare. It's hard to believe it's been over 5 weeks already. I'm ready for this to be over with.

Red Beans and Rice

2008-07-09T11:34:00.012-05:00

Red beans and rice is the traditional Monday supper here in Louisiana. Stories say it's because Monday was always wash day and one of the busiest days for a homemaker. She could put on a pot of beans and they could simmer away while she went about her work.

I tell ya, things haven't changed much for me. Monday is my busiest cleaning day of the week. It's amazing how things can pile up over the weekend.

I cooked a pot of beans and rice Monday. Here's how I did it. (Now, ya'll bear with me. I'm no Pioneer Woman here. Most of my pictures are horrible!)

I started with 2 cups of rinsed dried red kidney beans, a big spoonful of garlic, dried parsley, Tony's seasoning, 1 large bellpepper, 1 medium onion and about a 1/2 lb link of smoked sausage.

Now, if I were making this for company I would add alot more sausage, but most of us are trying to cut our grocery budgets and well, we really don't need that much smoked sausage at one time anyway. Instead of cutting it in slices, I slice each slice into quarters. It stretches it further.

Pour a little oil in the bottom of a heavy pot. Just barely coat the bottom, not too much. Add in the onion, bell pepper and sausage.

Cook this over medium to medium high heat until it all gets nice and brown. You want the bottom of the pot to get brown, but not burt so be careful, don't keep your heat too high. I was going to get another picture here but my camera was being crazy.

Once you get that nice brown on the bottom you need to get it up. Pour in two cups of COLD water into the pot and scrape all those brown bits up.

See, you already have a nice brown gravy. You could even put this over rice if you wanted to.

Now put in your beans, garlic and a good sprinkling of dried or fresh parsley(whatever you have). There are no food police here. Now you add the water. At this point you want to completely cover the beans plus about 2 more inches of water over the top.

Bring to a good rolling boil and then bring it down to a hard simmer.

This is 30 minutes in.

This is about where you want your water level to stay now. It's just covering the beans but there's still enough of it that there's plenty for the beans to absorb. You can put a lid on it and come back and stir it and check the water level every 15 minutes or so. Add more water if you need to. Don't burn them!!! Scorched beans are NASTY!!! But of course, I'VE never done that. ;-)

Here we are 2 hours later! Yummy. Now, I season it. I didn't put the seasoning at the beginning because supposedly the salt will keep the beans tough. I can't tell you how much salt and pepper to put, just season to your liking. If you have too much water, just boil it a bit longer with the lid off so it can evaporate. To make it creamy, smash some of the beans against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon. The starches will come out and thicken the the gravy. Serve this over a scoop of rice with some buttered cornbread on the side. We also top ours with pickled jalapenos or banana peppers or vinger pickles. I'll introduce you to those in another post. This is good stuff people.

Ok, Ok, I know I need to update.....

2008-07-02T09:04:00.003-05:00

So, it's been a while since I posted. I told ya'll this would be hard for me!!! I have the hardest time coming up with things to write about. Well, that's not entirely true. I come up with topics in my head all the time. It's getting them typed out that's my problem.

We went to Holly Beach this past weekend. It's always been one of our main summer destinations. After years and years of spending the summers there, I started taking it for granted. It even got to the point where I was sick on going.

Holly Beach is not a pretty place by most people's standards. There's no white sand or blue water. The water looks more like chocolate milk. She has a beauty all her own. If you look past her surface flaws, you find a very whimsical, enchanting place. I have lots and lots of good memories there.

One day in September 2005 a big bad wolf named Rita came blowing in to Holly Beach with her 15+ foot wall of water and changed this

Into this

The first time I went back after the storm, I couldn't hold back the tears. It almost felt like a part of me was pulled out. Not to mention the hurt I felt for the people who lived there, in Cameron and Creole. Thankfully everyone had evacuated and no one lost their lives.

Today they are rebuilding but it's not the same. The landmarks are gone. Most of the roads are washed away. I can't tell where anything used to be. New people have moved in and bought lots and built huge fancy houses, which in my opinion is silly but, that's their business. It used to be such a laid back place with all it's little cabins. It didn't look like anybody was trying to outdo anybody else as far as material possessions go. With all these big houses, it looks like they are trying to pretend they're in some resort town. A resort town Holly Beach is not! lol I guess I just don't do well with change but I feel like it's changed the whole atmosphere there.

I Bought a Canner.....

2008-06-24T17:00:00.004-05:00

This is the Presto 16 qt with the weighted gauge. It's received good reviews so I went ahead and bought it. It was on sale. It's small but it'll be good for me to learn on plus you can use it as a water bath canner too. Now hopefully one day I'll actually use it. ;-) I'm still a little chicken.

My garden is growing good so I'm sure I'll come up with something. I'll definetly be making lots of pickles with all the cucumbers I have and probably some watermelon rind preserves when we get drowned in watermelons here soon. I've already put all my beans in the freezer but I'll be planting again in August and I plan to do a major expansion. I just wish my tomatoes would do better. I have more cherry tomatoes than I know what to do with but my big tomatoes aren't producing enough to do much with. Maybe a couple pints of salsa. I have lots of peppers too.

Stay tuned while I experiment. I'm sure I'll come up with all kinds of creations.

A friend suggested I do some Cajun recipe tutorials on here. I think that's a good idea. However, I'm not cooking much right now since Bubba can't eat. Once he's better and I get back into the habit of making his favorite meals, I'm going to post some on here. And maybe I'll do some canning ones too. Ya'll can learn along with me.

Isn't this the cutest thing ever???

2008-06-18T22:35:00.002-05:00

A pile of 3 day old baby kitties.

What's Wrong With So Many Young Adults Today??

2008-06-17T09:31:00.005-05:00

Something came to my attention this morning that makes me so mad I could spit! The attitude of so many young people nowadays frustrates me to no end.

Wasn't there a time when someone who made it through high school by the skin of their teeth was grateful for a job?

Now, I know not ALL young people are like this. Some are being raised right and have good values and work ethic. But, I have to admit that I am seeing this trend of entitlement more and more. I'm trying to raise mine with a good attitude. I sure hope they don't turn out like little snots.

What prompts an 18 year old, barely educated, new to the workforce, still living at home in a low(er) income rural area kid, to say, "F-you. I'm not sweating for $9 an hour?"

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME????? Seriously? Did I hear that right????

There are grown men here who are having to raise families on that, who are grateful just to have a job. What an ungrateful little brat! Oh my goodness.

People who actually make the sacrifice to go to school or learn a trade don't even get to start at the top of the ladder. What the hell did you do to deserve to? Hang out with your friends all night and sleep all day???? I guess I'm too old fashioned but I just don't see the logic. What has happened that so many people, young and old actually, think that they can have everything for nothing? How can you have the world without ever making any sacrifices and working hard?

True, there are some people in this world who SEEM to be getting a free ride. But the way I look at it, is it really free??? They've paid in some kind of way. We see alot of those people in the media. Look at the things that they do. The way they portray themselves. I'm sorry but I'd rather sweat and keep my soul than to sell it for a "free" ride.

The Beauty of Life

2008-06-15T17:37:00.002-05:00

I read this quote from somewhere today and it really, really made me think.

"The beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are but on how happy others can be because of you."

As a Christian, as a wife and mother who strives to be that Titus 2/Proverbs 31 woman, this quote really speaks to me. It's even hard to write the feelings that I have about it. I have so many things going through my mind but am truly at a loss for words. I need to think about it some more.

Leave me a comment. Tell me what you think. What comes to your mind when you read and think about this quote??

One of My Favorite Places

2008-06-10T17:53:00.003-05:00

We took Kaleb to Baton Rouge Saturday to celebrate his birthday. We went to the Rural Life Museum and to the BREC Zoo.

I'm sure you all know about zoos so I'm not going to bore you with that.

I'm going to tell you about one of my favorite places in the world. http://appl027.lsu.edu/rlm/rurallifeweb.nsf/index

I love, love, love this place. I would live there if I could. But, only if it were never dark. Bubba and I both agree that it might be kind of creepy in the dark.

These are all real places. People actually lived in these houses. Not all at this exact place. Alot were brought in from other places and they just put them together like a typical plantation but still.... They were once someone's home.

I don't know if it's because I'm such a history nut or if I've just studied the early Cajuns way too hard, but it's like I can imagine them there. I can almost feel them there around me.

If you ever have a chance to visit Baton Rouge, I highly recommend taking a couple of hours to walk around this awesome plantation.

I'll leave ya'll with some pictures.

This is the kitchen to one of the bigger Acadian houses. The kitchen was built away from the house back then.

Can you imagine having to wash your clothes with this stuff?

Or even worse, with this!

The School

The Church

Sugar Mill

A barn

Acadian House(this is the one that the kitchen goes to)

Just another day.......

2008-06-06T10:33:00.004-05:00

So the oral surgery went fine. He bounced back quick. He doesn't let himself stay down for anything. By today, his mouth is sore and the inside of his lips are a bit irritated from the bars.

He traded in his rubberbands for wires today. The doctor lied. It's not anymore comfortable than it was before! lol He's actually having a harder time eating now than he was before. He has to go back once a week from now until the time he's healed. Anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks. It's too soon to tell.

I do know that I will be the blended soup queen by the end of this! Last night he had a very yummy, creamy asparagus and chicken soup. He's not big on any of the nutritional drinks so I'm having to be creative. Did you know that plain yogurt and peaches in heavy syrup make an awesome smoothie???

On a different note, tomorrow is my boy's 10th birthday. He is so excited.

Instead of doing birthday presents we always do something fun. This year he decided that he wants to go to the zoo. He's been planning his day for several weeks now. The weather is supposed to be good......but hot! So long as everybody remains healthy we'll have a fun day. We'll have to remember to pack up daddy's blended smoothies and soups so he'll have something to eat for the day.

Oral Surgery......

2008-06-03T18:39:00.002-05:00

How fun! Bubba goes in tomorrow to have his jaw repaired.

Think of me please.

Do you realize I have to put up with another 2 months of man whining???

Man whining is not cute. Especially when your not allowed to whine back.

I think he'll get really grouchy not being able to eat real food. It's already getting to him.

Maybe I should have my jaw wired shut while I'm there?? ;-)

I'll update tomorrow.

My Poor Husband

2008-06-02T10:19:00.003-05:00

So, I blogged Friday about my feelings on softball. Well, wouldn't you know it. That same night, the dreaded thing happened. Bubba got hurt. Ugh....

So now I have a husband with a concussion, a broken jaw, a broken tooth and split gums.

This man is the most accident prone person. I should have known it would happen sooner or later. I know it was an accident and I didn't give him a hard time. I would never bully him into not doing something he loves just because he might get hurt. Not something like softball especially. It's not supposed to be dangerous! lol

Anyway, I had words with my mother over this situation Saturday morning. She was more worried about wether or not he'd be able to go to work than if he was ok. She's of the mind that you rule your man with an iron fist. Make him sit in a recliner 24 hours a day (unless ya'll are getting stupid drunk somewhere) as to not be exposed to any kind of potential injury in case, God forbid, he can't go to work and pay YOUR bills!!!! ***GASP***

Even if Bubba couldn't go to work, I would not turn to her to pay my bills so this makes it her business how????

And for the record, he DID go to work. After we got back from the hospital we slept for about 3 hours and he got up and went did some work for a senior couple in town because he knew they'd be waiting on him. I begged him not to but he did anyway. I sent Kaleb with him just in case. He could at least call me or 911 or something if he needed to. He ended up coming home within a couple of hours and going back to bed but still. It takes alot to keep this man down. He keeps me on my toes that's for sure. I just don't know what I'm going to do with him. It's a good thing he's so cute and I love him so much. ;-)

Softball

2008-05-30T14:50:00.006-05:00

Love it or hate it, it's one of those things I expect to be doing come Spring. Well, not doing it myself, but watching.

My husband and kids love softball. The sport itself doesn't bother me. It's actually pretty fun. However, there are 3 things about softball that I don't like.

1. Leaving my house
2.People
3.Heat

Anyone who knows me, knows that those are 3 things I dislike immensely. I know. I have issues.

I really hate leaving my house. There ARE times when I'm really looking forward to getting out and doing certain things but for the most part, if you ask me to go somewhere or come visit you, you have to practically drag me out of my house. It's not that I don't want to, I just have to talk myself into doing it. lol Mostly, I hate having to drive.

Next, I have an aversion to people. I don't like being around alot of them at one time. No matter how nice they are or how much I like them. It is what it is. I can't help it.

Next, I don't like to be hot and I don't like to sweat. Hot, wet air is no fun to sit in. It's like a sauna. I don't like those either.

Thankfully, we have a short softball season. It starts off pleasant with nice weather. You know, sunshine and cool breezes. It ends in stifling heat and sweat drenched clothes. It's starting to get that way now. We have a few weeks left and I can't wait till it's over.

So tonight I'll be sitting at the softball field. Chelsey and Bubba both play. I'll bring my book and read between batters. I'll smile and cheer and do all those things I'm supposed to do while occasionally checking the time and hoping it's all over soon.

A Great Cajun Blog

2008-05-29T08:51:00.001-05:00

I found this blog a few months ago and it's becoming one of my favorite places. If you were ever wondering about all things Cajun this is an interesting read.

http://stuffcajunpeoplelike.wordpress.com/

We can be a strange bunch but you gotta love us. Right??

Figuring out this blogging stuff

2008-05-28T14:36:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I've thought about creating a blog for a really, really long time. A couple of years actually. I can really procrastinate when it comes to some things. lol

First of all, I rarely have anything to say. Well, that's not entirely true. Sometimes my big mouth opens and doesn't know when to stop, so look out. Second, it just seemed like a big pain to get it all set up. The second reason is proving to be true.

I have a problem with doing things halfway. If I can't make it perfect then I just don't do it at all (like waiting so long to start a blog). I'm having trouble making it look the way I want it to look and I'm still trying out all the stuff so it most probably will be changing often until I get it the way I want it.

So besides all that, ya'll stop by often. Give this place some life. I'll try to find something interesting to talk about.