Haphazard Happenstances

It's that time again...

2009-11-11T10:07:00.004-06:00

I'm working photo Christmas card designs and that usually means a FUN GIVEAWAY is in store!

Stay tuned!

This is the Christmas Penguin I'm going to use on the girls' Christmas goodie exchange for their classmates! Isn't he cute?

Thai Beef Salad

2009-11-10T06:43:00.004-06:00

Thai Beef Salad is one of our favorite salads! Definitely a treat in our house, because sadly, the girls won't/can't eat it because it is too spicy. But, as far as salads go, the flavor in this salad is truly outstanding! I know some people can't get with the idea of using fish sauce in a recipe. And I'll admit, it takes some getting used to. But, if you want that "authentic" flavor, you must use fish sauce. Otherwise, you are missing out!

I'm not sure what made me go searching for a beef salad, but I'm glad I found this recipe. I adapted this Thai Beef Salad recipe from Martha Stewart's website. Here's the original if you are interested. My version is below! Enjoy!

THAI BEEF SALAD

Dressing:
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
2 1/2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 fresh serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
Handful of cilantro, stems removed, finely chopped

Salad:
4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/2 med red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1/2 cucumber, peeled, thinly sliced
5 cups mixed salad greens (or fresh spinach)

Steak:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional - if you don't have sesame oil, just use 2 tbsp of olive oil)
1 boneless sirloin steak (1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Topping:
1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Prepare salad dressing, set aside. Prepare salad ingredients - greens, cucumber, green onions and red onions - place in salad bowl and toss.

Heat oil in non-stick skillet. Season steak with freshly ground pepper and coarse salt and pan fry in skillet until desired doneness. (I like ours medium.) Remove steak from pan, and let rest for 5 minutes. This ensures that the steak juices remain in the meat, rather than on the plate when you slice it up. When cooled, slice the steak into thin bite sized slices.

Top salad with sliced meat, peanuts and dressing.

Long Lost Friends

2009-11-09T06:52:00.003-06:00

At Kyla's soccer game on Saturday, she was pushed down by a little boy on the other team. Immediately, the little boy went over the Kyla, helped her up off the ground and asked her if she was okay.

Turns out, that little boy was a former teammate from last year and he even remembered her first name. His name is Alexander.

During half-time I noticed the two of them talking and I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures of them as they caught up with one another... Wonder what they were talking about?

Thank you Alexander for being such a gentleman on the field!

Stuff heard 'round the house!

2009-11-08T13:55:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, I was talking to Randy about how I thought Kyla had a very dynamic personality and how I've noticed how other kids are drawn to her.

During that conversation, Elisan asked "what does dynamic personality mean?" And in our reply to her we said that Kyla had a lot of friends and that all of the kids liked her, etc., and Elisan said, "Yeah! She's cute, smart and has a good vocabulary."

Randy and I both chuckled and then he said, "Yes, because a good vocabulary is important to most people."

Make this salad!

2009-11-06T07:07:00.001-06:00

This salad is so yummy! A great combination of flavors too!

Citrus Salad with Bacon & Red Onion
(from the Kraft Food & Family Magazine)

8 cups mixed greens (for those who shop at HEB... I buy the bulk salad greens rather than buy the pre-packaged greens. Much cheaper too!)
1 orange, peeled, sliced into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup of dried cranberries (I got mine on the bulk bin aisle at HEB -bought what I needed, rather than an entire package on the dried fruit aisle)
1/3 cup red onion rings, thinly sliced
3 slices cooked crispy bacon, crumbled
Balsamic Vinegarette (the recipe called for Kraft dressing, but I made my own version at home)

The Golden Apple

2009-11-05T11:54:00.005-06:00

This Texas girl tries her very first Honeycrisp Apple.
Some things are better demonstrated than wrote about.

(p.s.) I just got dissed by my friend for making a video about trying an apple.

Eeek!

2009-11-05T07:30:00.002-06:00

37 scares me...

Transformation nearly complete!

2009-11-04T16:36:00.003-06:00

About 3 - 4 years ago, I made the terrible mistake of painting Elisan's bedroom Barbie pink. What looked like a nice muted pale pink on the paint strip was actually the worst color known to man. And, ask anyone... my favorite color is pink and even I HATED it! But, because I refused to re-paint a perfectly painted room again, I kept the putrid pink in E's room for way too long.

Mix in the fact that Elisan had mix-matched furniture... well, her room looked like the Clampett's had moved in.

I had finally had enough and I decided to begin scouring Craigslist for used bedroom furniture. But, after many, many weeks of not finding what I wanted I began to lose hope. Until one miraculous day I walked into the Salvation Army and there it was. A bedroom set fit for an 8 year old.

The furniture set came with an amoire, desk and nightstand. It is Lexington brand and is solid wood. It is in nearly perfect condition. I am not afraid to say either that we paid less than $300.00 for all of it. All I needed to do now was paint E's room.

Elisan picked the color she wanted... and I went one shade lighter. I knew better than to go brighter, since the pink that was in her room was very bright. I must say, the color looks phenomenal too! I am very pleased with this color and it reminds me of "Tiffany" blu e.

I have some more decor projects I am working on and hopefully I will be sharing those soon. I'll also be on the lookout for a desk chair. In addition, I'm contemplating what to do about a headboard. I'm thinking of upholstering a headboard with a nice coordinating fabric, but I haven't decided yet.

But, until then, here's Elisan's room as it looks today.

Pumpkin Seeds!

2009-10-31T14:40:00.002-05:00

Most of y'all know we don't celebrate or participate in Halloween at our house. But, we LOVE roasted pumpkin seeds.

So, each year, I buy the girls a pumpkin and we carve out a happy face. But, the best part is roasting the seeds!

Here's how I do it!

1 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp hot sauce
1 tbsp seasoned salt

Mix above ingredients with seeds until coated. Spread on cookie sheet and roast on 250 degrees until dry (approximately one hour) stirring every 15-20 minutes.

Fall Weather = t-shirts and shorts

2009-10-29T18:47:00.002-05:00

I used to get so frustrated when October would land on the calendar and we'd still be wearing shorts and flip flops.

I don't know what made me change my mind about our Texas winters. I think it occurred when I lost nearly 30 pounds of extra padding. It was then that I quickly realized that I don't like the cold so much. In fact, anything below 65 degrees and I'm looking for a hooded sweatshirt.

It's hard being cold-natured. Especially living with Randy. He laughs in the face of cold weather and will ride with the top down on his sports car in the dead of winter just to prove to others that it ain't cold here in Texas.

Me? The more clothes the better. I am most comfortable when I am nice and toasty. And, much more pleasant to be around.

So... as October comes to a close, I realize that our short sleeved, short wearing weather is quickly coming to an end. Oh well... At least the girls were able to enjoy a beautiful Sunday afternoon at the park.

Someone hand me a sweater, will ya?

Spooky randomness

2009-10-28T06:53:00.003-05:00

I think "Randomness" is by far my favorite style of posting because I can neatly wrap up a week's long of events in one tidy blog entry. There isn't much about life that is neat and tidy, but at least my blog life can be right?

So, yes... the sickness is gone from my house. Elisan still have a cough, but the dr. said a "flu" cough can last up to two weeks. Poor child sounds like she smokes a pack of Camels a day. Speaking of cigarettes... have you checked out the price of a pack of cigarettes lately? Okay, that doesn't sound good... let me state for the record that I DO NOT SMOKE, however, there was a time in my life that I enjoyed a cigarette or two while I was in early 20's. I was what they call a "social smoker," much like a "casual drinker." Anyway... moving along... So, yes, the price of a pack of cigs is over $5.00/per pack. Let's do the math, shall we?

20 packs (per carton) x $5 = $40.00 per carton (and upwards depending on brand, etc.)
One cigarette equals $.25/each
A "pack a day" habit can run an average smoker approximately: $1825.00/year
If you and your spouse smoke, we're talking $3650.00/year (minimum!)

And this is assuming the cost is not hiked during the year due to "sin" tax - which, who are we kidding... it usually is. I think I'd kick the habit just to save money! But, I realize it is not that easy to do, considering I watched both of my parents kick a 20+ year smoking habit many, many years ago!

Okay, I know for a fact that there are some folks there that have a "Starbuck A Day" habit or a "Sonic A Day" habit, but wow... you can at least brew coffee at your house or buy a six pack of soda. If you are addicted to smoking... you are pretty much at the mercy of the tobacco companies.

So, yeah... that was indeed random, wasn't it?

We bought Elisan new "new to me" bedroom furniture at the Salvation Army several weeks ago. It is adorable and I can't wait to get her room updated and painted. I bought two sample quarts of paint yesterday and applied various patches of paint in her room to decide which of the two I liked the best. Well, let me rephrase... which of the two Elisan liked the best. Thank goodness of the two, she picked the color I can live with the best. I realize it is not MY bedroom, but I can at least steer her in the color choices, can't I? So, hopefully in a week or two, her bedroom will be nearly complete. I'll post pictures then.

Meanwhile, yesterday I got the spooking of my life. I was looking for a bedframe on Craigslist and I found an ad for a solid oak bed frame for $50.00 in a neighboring community. The lady gave me directions and I mapped it out and it was about 18 miles away. But, around here, that isn't that far because of a lot of people live out in the middle of nowhere around here.

So, anyway, I load the girls up in the pick up and we head out. We drive and we drive and we drive. Finally when (according to the directions) we are almost there, I get a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. We are out in the middle of NO WHERE. Literally. According to the directions, the "next left" is actually a dirt road only wide enough for one vehicle. We continue on that road for at least a mile, then we veer left and go through a gate (like a horse gate, not a fancy gated entry) and travel down a winding dirt road. We come up to the residence and I honestly can not tell which of the two buildings is the barn or the house. Then I see a fellow (who, upon meeting, was missing a front tooth) lean out the door and wave me up to the house.

I left the girls in the truck with the doors locked and the cell phone. I didn't want to scare them, but I didn't want to bring them in with me.

As I walked into the house, not a single light was on inside. The house was dark, musty and smelled like cigarettes. (Is this the second time I've mentioned cigarettes in ONE post?!) The floor was sinking in several places and there were boxes everywhere. Clutter and trash was stashed in the corners of the house and cardboard led the way through the house to avoid tracking the piles and piles of mud from outside. Cats (plural) and dogs (plural again) were running in, out and around the house.

Y'all... my good sense told me to just run away, but being the nice Southern girl I am, I helped collect the bed frame and load it up into the truck. As we finished getting it into the truck, we chatted for a few minutes. The people were pleasant folks. Just hard on their luck. And on one hand, I felt terrible for fearing for my life, yet on the other hand, I felt terrible for them because of their circumstances.

Truthfully, the $50 I paid them for a bed frame, that unfortunately is in disrepair, will probably help them more than it could help me. It just goes to show you, you just never know about people. Some of the nicest people you meet are those you might not ever typically look at twice and the people who tend to trample all over you, are the people we oftentimes clamor to be their friend.

This morning, I stopped by my local Goodwill on the way home from the gym. If I've said it before, I've said it a thousand times... I {heart} Goodwill! Anyway, I scored a set of bed risers for $2.99. I've priced them all over town (Bed Bath Beyond, Wal-Mart, etc.) and I haven't been able to find a set of four for less than $15.00. So, yay me!

I think today I'm going to spend my time finishing up odds and end projects I have spread out across the house. I will probably clean Elisan's walls and baseboards in preparation for painting over the next few days.

Yes, I know you are jealous, because my life is thrilling! Oh, wait, it really IS thrilling... if you count my experience yesterday! Yep, you don't wish you were me, now do you?

Sickness, be gone!

2009-10-23T10:46:00.002-05:00

What a week.

Tuesday evening, Elisan began complaining of a headache. I didn't think much of it... I gave her Tylenol and all was fine. Later than next (early) morning, Elisan came into our room around 3:00 a.m. and complained that she was "hot". I told her to kick off the heavy comforter and sleep under the sheet. (I tend to not care about too much at 3 a.m.)

Wednesday morning, she woke up and complained that her tummy hurt and she did not want to eat breakfast.... sooooo unlike Elisan.

So, finally, I put two and two together and realized we had the makings of the flu. I took her temperature and sure enough, she had fever to boot!

The next two days were spent on the couch in a fever fog. I was hesitant to give her loads of tylenol or motrin because I wanted her body to combat the virus on it's own. I did however give her meds when her fever topped 102 or above. Most articles I read on fever stated that fever under 102 was considered a "healthy" temperature to allow your body to fight off whatever virus was coming against it.

Other than a fever and slight cough with some congestion, she felt pretty good. The complaining that she was missing school did not cease either - and still hasn't! We're on day three of missing school.

Speaking of school, I talked to one of the teachers across the hall from Elisan's classroom and she had 11 out of 18 kids out for the flu - some of which were confirmed Swine Flu cases. Wow! Elisan asked me why she got the flu and I told her it was only a matter of time. I mean, with so many kids in close quarters, breathing, coughing and sneezing on one another... I'm surprised we've held out THIS long!

So, although there isn't an official diagnosis... I'm guessing it was the swine flu. And now, we're on the downhill slide of things. Whew!

I just hope the rest of us don't get it! That would stink!

Battle of the Bones

2009-10-16T17:46:00.004-05:00

Someone... Anyone! Enlighten me, please!

Why is the skull & crossbones look for clothing and accessories so popular now? What is it about a skull that is "cute" on a girl? What is the purpose? What is the statement you are making when you dress your daughter in this style?

If you think this look is cute, please tell me why. If you don't like this look, I want to hear from you too!

8 is my favorite!

2009-10-15T09:45:00.003-05:00

I've been blessed with little girls who love to talk. And I mean, not just converse, but they love to talk for talking sake. Talk, talk, talk... all day long. And it's no surprise that when the both come home they are both brimming with talk because they've had to restrain themselves at school all day.

What I've found this year in particular, is that not only is Elisan talking more, she's talking more substantively. We are having actual conversations that involve her life, not just random occurrences. Kyla still converses in randomness. For example, Kyla will say out of the blue something about a trip we took 3 months ago. Or, about a show she watched on TV yesterday.

Elisan on the other hand will talk, answer questions, try to relate what she is saying by using examples and she is animated in her discussions.

Just recently, we moved Elisan's bedtime up to eight o'clock. She said she didn't want to have a bedtime for little kids anymore - which was 7:30. How we managed to get that child to bed at 7:30 until recently, I have no idea. But, Kyla still goes to bed at 7:30 because she is a "little kid". During the time from 7:30-8p.m., I will sit down with Elisan on the couch and we will just talk.

She talks about anything and everything. She talks about the books she's reading, school, her friends, the boys in her class, the teacher, church, soccer... whatever strikes her mood, we will talk about it. I'll admit, there are times when my eyes will glaze over when she begins talking about things like seating charts and science class, but for the most part, I'm as equally engaged in her conversation as she is.

Lately, I've been reflecting on how quickly she will get older and she would rather talk to her friends - in regards to the same things she now talks to me about. This makes me sad, but I know that it is all about growing up. I just hope and pray that the time I'm spending with her now, will have a lifetime effect on her as she does get older and mom is not as important to her as I was when she was 8 years old.

By far, 8 is my favorite age of Elisan. For now... I'm going to hang on her every word, get into her world and show her that I care about her and the things that makes her happy and sad. As a mom of a growing girl, I think that is one of the best things I can do for her is offer her my undivided attention and love.

(Thank you Lord for the continued wisdom in growing my girls.)

Explanation Please?

2009-10-14T10:28:00.003-05:00

Okay, so my previous post sounded so pitiful, yet on the other hand... so selfish. I tend to agree.

Let me explain myself so I don't come across as a big 'ol loser!

We have been going back and forth on the whole dog issue for over a year. September 2008, I decided I wanted a dog, but then decided against it because I was dealing with the breast issues and biopsies that I didn't think I could handle one more thing on my already fragile plate. Then in January 2009, I decided to revisit the puppy conversation, but soon after, I was hired to work at my church and that shelved the puppy talk for a while.

Summer rolls around and our babysitter would bring her adorable family pets over to our house to let the girls play with them and I got excited about getting a dog again. And in August, we all know about the shelter dog incident... (Sigh...)

Well, then I quit my job and I told Randy that since I would have more time at home, I thought getting a puppy would be ideal for us. The girls were a year older too, which I think made a huge difference. So, the hunt began.

I didn't want to spend a fortune on a dog, so I looked on Craigslist for a puppy. Found one and honestly, he was as cute as can be. He had a great personality and was very playful and curious.

As soon as we got home though, I knew we'd have a problem. He was too tiny. He was all over the place and under our feet as we walked. It was nerve wreaking!

I also think he was just too young for us. He was only 9 weeks old. In addition, he must of had a bladder the size of a peanut because he peed about 6 times in just the first two hours - and not just outside. And, don't get me started on the pooping!

If you were not holding him, he whined. He you put him in his crate, he yelped. If you left the room, he cried. I honestly thought that an infant sling would have been perfect for him. Nighttime was more like a nightmare. I don't think he slept more than 2 hours the entire night. I should know... I was up with him, taking him out to pee, cleaning up after his accidents in his crate and trying to stop the incessant whining/yelping/crying.

The long of the short of it was that honestly... I did not think I would be able to care for this puppy without losing my religion. And, I know myself well enough to know that hanging on the puppy for a few weeks to see how things ironed out would only prolong the inevitable and secure the fact that the girls would be super attached and be devastated if we had to find another home for him.

So, I made the best decision for all of us. I get to keep my sanity and the girls were totally okay with me finding a new home for "Charlie". The lady who adopted him was very sweet and super excited to get him. And, she seemed super patient... something I apparently lack a lot of.

I think I need a hobby. One that doesn't involve live animals.

Am I really THAT person?!

2009-10-13T09:48:00.003-05:00

I loathe myself right now. Really, I'm at an all time low of self loathing right now. Why? What could be so bad that I cannot even bring myself to tell my faithful readers how insane I am!? But, rather than keep you suspense, I'll dispense my foolishness to you.

Here's the bulleted gist list:

Been wanting a puppy.
Scoured online ads for a puppy.
Found an adorable puppy.
Bought puppy.
Brought puppy home.
Realized an hour into having puppy that I am crazy for thinking a puppy is a smart idea.
At 1:00 a.m. this morning, I further realized that having a puppy is a stupid idea.
Had "the talk" with the girls this a.m. to tell them that the puppy needs a new home.
Found a potential new owner and I'm meeting her this morning.

Once and for all, I have decided we are not and will never be dog owners. No more dog talk. I'm done. So very done.

Should have listened to Randy.

With Love from Denmark!

2009-10-12T08:33:00.002-05:00

Our good friend Charlotte from Denmark sent Kyla Mae a fun birthday package in the mail. Charlotte always sends the most beautiful handmade cards and the cutest little goodies for my girls. Thank you Charlotte!!

A party fit for a 6 year old!

2009-10-11T13:44:00.005-05:00

Whew... can I just be honest here? I'm so glad this party is o-ver! Hosting a party for six year olds is just plain ol' hard work. But, everyone, including the birthday girl, had a great time. I just hope the parent's don't think I was half a bubble off center because the party was kind of random at times. Oh well...perhaps I'll hire Elisan next time to be my personal assistant party planner!

Click on this photo! There's always a kid that steals the show! I wish I could say Kyla was a good sport about it, but I can't. Oh well! She's six... what do you expect?

Oh, and don't get me started on the cake. Total disappointment... Blah... I don't even want to talk about it.

Happy Birthday Go-Go Girl!

2009-10-08T07:06:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was Kyla's sixth birthday!
Her BIG party is this weekend!

Love you my sweet girl!

Homecoming

2009-10-04T12:08:00.007-05:00

Friday was the final day of Homecoming Week at Elisan and Kyla's school! This year, I made a homecoming mum for Elisan to wear to school. We had a lot of fun making it and I think we've started a fun little tradition at our home!

I remember wearing gargantuan homecoming mums in school. Just like everything in Texas... bigger is better. Honestly, if you could not stand underneath the weight of your homecoming mum, then it was not big enough. Am I right?

What I love about our school is that all grades participate in the fun stuff like pep rallies. It was fun for them and brought back flood of memories for me. A lot has changed since I was in school, but one thing will always remain the same... that is big hair bows! Check out the bows on the cheerleaders! One girl's bow practically frames her entire head (second from the end... if you are having a hard time finding her!)

I am not disparaging this tradition... in fact, I embrace it. I just wish Elisan wasn't quickly growing out of the hair bow phase. Sigh... there are some things you just have to accept and move on.

So, Randy indulged my desire to relive my past and brought all of us girls to the homecoming game on Friday night. Let me just state for the record... it is not fun and it will never be fun to bring two girls to a football game that are 8 and 5 years old. Don't kid yourself into believing it is a good idea. Just don't. Save yourself the trouble - and in our case, the $16.00. We left at half-time. That is, of course, after the homecoming queen was crowned. Randy, you can thank me for that little nugget of life that you will never get back.

And finally, I drew a name for my last freebie giveaway! Man... only three of you commented for this giveaway! Hmmm, perhaps my sense of humor is not shared by most of you!

Kris, I'll send you an email and we can work out the details of your cards!

Another Giveaway! I'm feeling generous!

2009-10-01T20:06:00.004-05:00

Leave a comment to receive 12 custom "Motherisms" notecards! I'll even go so far as to customize it with your very own favorite "motherism" and check lists. Can you feel the love?

So, leave a comment... tell your friends! I'll draw a winner on Sunday.

Mama D's

2009-09-28T17:00:00.006-05:00

I have a girlfriend at church who makes fabulous baby accessories with her mother. Joan and Jenny are women after my own heart! Not only do they both sew fabulously, they also have THE GIFT of decorating! Oh, how I wish I could decorate. But alas, I do not have a décor bone in my body.

Anyway, Jenny and Joan began making these gorgeous bags and then started making the rounds at all of the local area craft shows and festivals. They are quickly making a name for themselves with their high quality handiwork.

In this picture I am modeling a diaper bag that I'm sending to a friend who recently had a baby. (Shout out to Angie and Addison!) I wanted to show pictures of this beautiful bag and just how BIG and ROOMY it is! Just perfect for a new mom, don't ya think?

So, go check out Mama D's online Etsy store and see all of the beautiful things they have to offer!

Soccer Fall 2009

2009-09-27T19:25:00.001-05:00

Book Giveaway - AND THE WINNER IS...

2009-09-27T12:14:00.002-05:00

Kristi, I'll run this by your house this week! Enjoy!

Give Away!

2009-09-25T06:48:00.005-05:00

My dear friend Leigh Ann got me hooked on the author Mary Kay Andrews about two years ago! Her books are positively Southern!

A few weeks ago, LA sent me Mary Kay Andrew's latest book called, The Fixer Upper. It was a fun, lighthearted, easy to read "chick-lit" book. So, now it's time to pass it along to another reader.

If you are interested in winning this book, leave a comment in the comment section. I'll draw a winner on Sunday and mail it out on Monday!

Goodluck!