Pary Moppins

It's Rodeo Time Again

2017-03-07T10:34:00.005-06:00

Houston Rodeo 2016

Ever since I was little, I have enjoyed the rodeo.
As soon as we moved back to Texas, Engineer and I wanted that experience for Diva as well.
We try to take our guests to rodeos whenever we have the opportunity as well.
I mean, we're Texan through and through so it is in our blood.

And guess what?! IT'S HOUSTON LIVESTOCK AND RODEO TIME AGAIN!! Yehaw!

While the rodeo is going on, they have Value Deals on Wednesdays so entry is only $5 for adults - but wait! There's more: Seniors and children 12 and under get in FREE!!!

Plus, there are dining and merchandise discounts available on Wednesdays.

Don't miss this chance to see small children hang upside down from the neck of a sheep in the mutton busting competition (that and the bull riding are my favorite events.)

Visit www.rodeohouston.com for more information.

Madly in Love

2017-02-22T11:44:00.003-06:00

You may already know how my people feel about their "precision writing instruments." Their love for G2 pens runs so deep that they ask for them for Christmas and Diva received not chocolate, but G2s for Valentine's Day this year.

I did not think that my band of nerds could get any weirder, but over dinner the other night, I realized they could.

Diva mentioned how her friend came into class with a new eraser saying how good it was (our geeky influence is spreading). Diva told the friend that it was her Daddy's favorite kind too. Engineer interrupted her story at this point and asked, "Was it the Pentel white eraser? The one with the blue wrapping?" She affirmed it was.

Engineer then said, "Of course your friend likes it! It is the best eraser!"

He continued in a definitive tone, "All other erasers shouldn't even be called erasers - they should be called smudgers since that's all they do!"

1-4-3 EM & DM for your finely tuned sensitivity to writing tools.

30 Day No Sugar Experiment & Other News

2017-02-16T13:07:00.001-06:00

Adzuki Bean Stew & Grain Free Cheddar Biscuits.jpg

We're alive and well and still loving life in the paradise that is Clear Lake. We've completed quite a few projects on the house but many of them are the boring maintenance not-at-all-fun kind. Still, it's nice to have those checked off of the list. That means the fun stuff gets ever closer to the top of the list.

My garden is mostly in the ground, well, earth boxes. Planting season starts so very early down here and as long as I can keep the dogs out of the boxes (they lurve the manure) we should have a bountiful crop in a couple of months.

Ever since we uprooted that blasted magnolia tree from our front yard, we have had a noticeable blank spot. I pined for a cherry tree since our house has an Asian look about it. Every time I asked someone "in the know" they told me no cherry trees are suitable for our climate. Because of that, the blank spot taunted me. I didn't want to commit to just any tree. At this month's Garden Club meeting, our guest speaker handed out a sheet letting us know what should be planted now and lo and behold, a Taiwan Cherry Tree was listed! Joy of joys! Last weekend we planted the ornamental cherry tree that is perfectly suitable for the Gulf Coast. And I only have to wait a year before it blooms again...c'est la vie.

Latest addition to the hat collection

Engineer hasn't had to travel at all so far this year which is such a blessing. Diva has been rockin' and rollin' at school and working diligently on her SAT prep course. I cannot believe college is only 2 years away!

A couple of days ago I mentioned on Facebook that we wouldn't be having chocolate on Valentine's Day due to a "30 No Sugar Experiment."

I have been asked about our findings of the experiment. You will notice that Engineer's findings are absent form this account. That's because he only partially complied. He had work lunches and dinners to attend. I was told that he needed to keep the lines of his homebrew keg clean so he had to drink from it and that somebody needed to eat the breakfast burritos and corny dogs in the freezer. Mmmhmmm.....

Sugar Free Apple Pie Bites

Here goes in true Moppins nerdy fashion:

Question: What happens to your skin if you don't eat sugar for 30 days?

Hypothesis: Diva's acne and my Rosacea would be less noticeable.

Experiment: Keeping all other routines in place, we cut out all sugar sources including sugar, white rice/flour, honey, maple syrup, alcohol, corn (including starch) potatoes (including starch) and sweeteners, and had limited sprouted bread (2 slices per week) brown rice (2 portions per week) oatmeal (2 portions per week) and limited fruit (2 portions or less per day.)

We used our skin, weight, and overall well-being as the measure of change but our skin conditions were the primary focus. For reference, I used Gillian McKeith's You Are What You Eat cookbooks for my recipes.

Grain Free Peanut Butter Bread Rolls

Observations: Skin - At about day 8 or so, Diva's skin became very sensitive to the high-powered over-the-counter face wash, astringent pads, and medicated moisturizer all of which she had been using to try and control acne. She then switched to a light organic face wash for normal skin and nothing else. Her face had simply stopped producing so much oil. Her skin has been steadily clearing up ever since.

Unfortunately, I have not noticed a change in the redness of my face however, as far as the texture of my skin, face and body, is much improved.

Weight - We both immediately started losing weight and have continued to do so. At our last weigh-in the two of us are down about 13lbs. Diva has dropped a dress size, maybe 2. I have lost enough weight that I am actually drying my jeans in the machine (not hanging them to dry) to get them to shrink a little. I had gained 10 stinking whole pounds in the 1 year in Bossier City!!! That's what good food and living next to a take away daiquiri place will do for you. I had begun losing that weight slowly since living in Clear Lake. But in the 30 days, I burned through those last few Louz-yana pounds and am now 12 lbs. off of my ultimate goal weight. Weight was only a measure of change and not the objective of the experiment...that being said, it sure is nice to be able to zip up a church dress that I couldn't just last month.

Overall Well-Being - We began the experiment on a Monday, on the following Saturday our household had descended into chaos. Everyone was mad at everyone else. No one could have a civil conversation and whenever anyone tried to talk with anyone else, it became a shouting match; this is highly unusual for Team Moppins. By the end of the day we had all scattered to different sections of the house so as to be left alone to stew in our rage. It was intense. The next day, everyone was back to normal. I looked up the symptoms of sugar withdrawal and the list fit us perfectly: headaches, mood swings, angry outbursts, anxiety, fatigue, severe cravings. Yikes! This has not been an issue since that one day.

Before we started this experiment, I felt really sleepy and lethargic by mid-afternoon, but I haven't felt that way at all since about day 7.

It was a bummer to have to turn down dinner with friends or wine in the evenings or our usual pizza on weekends or treats friends brought to school.

We had already planned to have one of our Pop-Up Cocktail Parties when we started the experiment. So there I was, mixing drinks, passing around pretzels (I love pretzels) and key lime dip (that I could try) while my husband and neighbors imbibed much more interesting cocktails than my iced tea. Unsweetened of course. Those kinds of things are a two-faced situation: on the one hand it stinks to not drink at your own party and have to explain to everyone why you aren't eating the delicious dip, on the other hand, it's empowering to be able to say no and stick by it.

Taco Pizza on a Cauliflower Crust

Analysis: We were both hoping for more change in our skin conditions although definite progress has been made. We have been amazed at how easily the weight has come off so far. Our outlook has been rather sunny and our general welfare is quite good.

Conclusion: I was surprised at how much this experiment affected us. We don't drink cokes every day, I make most food from scratch, generally chips and stuff are treats, etc. yet we experienced the Day of Rage, along with the weight loss and skin improvements.

I was also pleased that it wasn't as expensive as I expected. Another benefit was no wasted food left lurking in the back of the crisper drawer.

We decided that self-control is like a muscle that has to be flexed to be strengthened. Every time we said no, we built up more resistance. As for no chocolate on Valentine's Day, it was day 30 of the experiment and by then we were conditioned to be okay with no sugar.

Diva and I are proud of ourselves that we kept strictly to the plan. At Engineer's suggestion, we will be continuing on a no-sugar lifestyle for the foreseeable future. We have reaped too many benefits to discount that way of eating; however, we will also be introducing a "cheat meal" so as not to exasperate ourselves or become recluses with no social engagements...plus, we just bottled some pear wine that I'd like to be able to drink.

I am particularly proud of Diva that she did not succumb to temptations while at school and held her head high as she ate her mung bean casserole, asparagus and zucchini soup, or eggplant tagine.

I won't say that it was easy. It wasn't. I really missed fruit....and wine.

And for someone who enjoys food as we do, eating simply is not all that exciting. But then again, it has forced us to be aware of what we fuel our bodies with, or not fuel our bodies with as it was in the case of afternoon lethargy.

I meticulously planned out all of the food we would eat for the week with very little wiggle room. Every ingredient had to be scrutinized to see if it had obvious sugar or anything ending in -ose in it - fructose, dextrose, sucrose, etc. I was cooking all the time - which normally is a joy - but instead of baking brownies or muffins, I was making lentil stew and the like. Lentils are good but decidedly less fun than brownies.

Lately I've been trying to find ways to eat things we like but healthier versions. For instance, I made pizza using a cauliflower crust, cheddar herb biscuits made from almond flour, and bread rolls made from peanut butter. I have not yet found a no sugar brownie recipe.

Our saving grace was dairy. We did not restrict our dairy consumption and if anything, ramped it up. Diva and I have eaten cheese, butter, yoghurt, milk - all full fat - like our lives have depended on it.

The other grace has been nuts. We've eaten truckloads of mixed nuts.

Anyone want to give this experiment a try?

Happy Hot Buttered Rum Day!

2017-01-17T19:55:00.001-06:00

* I was sent tea by Pure Leaf and Influenster for sampling purposes. All opinions and rebellious tendencies are my own.

Did you know that January 17th was National Hot Buttered Rum Day?

All of the folks up north with their snow shoveling and skiing and other cold weather activities might really appreciate a warm cup of cheer about now.

But here in Houston, it is a humid 77F outside which isn't that conducive to the hot dreamy creamy concoction; however, I have never been one to strictly adhere to convention.

Nor have I ever been one to strictly follow a recipe...I'm seeing a pattern here...perhaps I have a problem with authority. I digress.

This past holiday season, I recently discovered the delectable goodness of hot buttered rum. What I never realized before then was that it is made with hot water and not by heating the whole drink.

It seemed like I was missing a trick there. Then it came to me - why not add one extra layer of flavor by making the libation with tea?! And Hot Buttered Rum Tea was the result.

Pure Leaf black tea with vanilla is perfect for this recipe because it infuses a depth of flavor.

If you or someone you're serving is tea-total or even more importantly, a designated driver, then simply leave out the rum and no one is left out of the deliciousness!

Hot Buttered Rum Tea

1c. softened butter
1 1/4c. brown sugar
1c. whipping cream
1 1/2c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. cloves, ground
1/4 tsp. nutmeg, ground
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
Pure Leaf Black Tea w/Vanilla teabags
Rum*
Cinnamon Sticks
Whole Nutmeg

Buttered part:

Cream brown sugar and butter in a mixer.
Pour in cream, powdered sugar, and spices.
Mix until whipped and totally incorporated.
Spoon mixture into a container and put in the fridge until ready to use.

Rum Tea part:

Make a mug of tea by steeping the Pure Leaf teabag in 6oz. boiling water for 3 or 4 minutes.
Remove the teabag and put 2 Tbs. of the butter mixture and a shot of rum in the mug.
Give it a good stir.
Serve with a cinnamon stick or some freshly grated nutmeg over the top.

*I prefer to use dark rum or spiced rum here but white rum is also good.

Cheers!

Jazz Loves Disney...and So Do I!

2016-11-01T12:50:00.000-05:00

"This is a sponsored post from Disney Music and One2One Network. All opinions, potential muffin basket bribery, and fanatical love of all things jazz and Disney are my own."

Did you hear that squeal of delight?

I get pitched periodically to review stuff--you, as my readers, know this. I always appreciate the opportunity but I'm not always overjoyed with the product. Y'all...when I opened my e-mail to see that there was a new review campaign that involved the latest reworking of Disney songs into jazz charts, I got excited - super excited...as in I may have squealed out loud. Then I set about finding out how I could apply for the campaign and thought about sending the person in charge a muffin basket just so they would include me. No joke.

Are you aware that Disney has produced several albums that orchestrate their time-honored classics into various genres? I know this because we have several of them: "Bibbidi Bobiddi Bach" and "Heigh-Ho Mozart" are both written in the style of well known classical composers and "O Mickey Where art Thou?" is arranged in the style of blue-grass. Jazz and Disney are two of our family's all-time favorite things so a new compilation arranging Disney songs in a jazzy way has sent us over the moon. Thus the squealage.

How much do we love Disney and jazz? Here are but a few instances of how jazz and/or Disney have played a part in our life:

Engineer is a phenomenal bass trombone player and has played in many jazz bands throughout the years. While in England, the musical director of the town band chose to feature Engineer in a Disney song that was written jazzy to begin with, "I Wanna Be Like You." It's kind of his signature tune now.
Engineer and I honeymooned at DisneyWorld and have since been back several times with Diva. It is truly our happy place and we have encouraged every young couple to consider honeymooning there too. I can't imagine being treated better as newlyweds than DisneyWorld.
Our first pet together was a cat named Tigger and he was the best cat we ever had.
As a child, my favorite record (and yes, I mean vinyl) was "Mickey Mouse Disco." I wore out "Disco Duck."
My singing partner and I used to go into schools teaching kids about styles of music (jazz being one of our favorite lessons). Our take away from that lesson was that one could "jazz" any tune. We often used Disney songs as examples kids could relate to when recognizing different styles of music.
Diva is a Disneyphile to say the very least. She can quote nearly every word from nearly every Disney movie and as for the songs, fuhgeddabowdit. She knows every tune and lyric by heart.
I was interviewed in college for my hometown newspaper and the reporter asked me what I wanted to be when I graduated. I told them I wanted to be a Disney voice when I grew up. If that same reporter asked me now, I would say a jazz singer. Seriously.
On any given day, someone in this house is quoting a Disney movie, most likely Emperor's New Groove or The Incredibles, although "Just keep swimming..." from Finding Nemo is basically a line said daily.
Our media library is almost exclusively Disney movies.
Jazz concerts are Engineer's favorite. He loves the atmosphere, the talent, the way the musicians showcase each other in solo spots then come back together in a cohesive band/combo; I love jazz, but Engineer breathes it.
And if you're still not convinced how entrenched we are in Disney-ness, just look at the name of this blog - Pary Moppins.

You can see that all aspects of our lives are musical and Disney-fied: before we were married, just after we were married, throughout our marriage, passed on to our child, in our work life, in our extra curricular activities, and the day-to-day nature of our very existence. The presence of Disney and music are all-encompassing here.

Okay, so I can understand how one may think that reworking children's songs could be super cheesy but there is no cheesiness here. The artists performing these tunes are legitimate jazz musicians and the album is even recorded with Verve (the Team Moppins preferred jazz label.) The tunes are so cool, you could easily have them playing in the background at your next cocktail party and no one would bat an eyelid that the tracks were from cartoons.

I have now listened to this album basically on a loop since I downloaded it and have fallen madly in love with some of the tracks. Here's the thing: many of Disney's mid-century movies' soundtracks were already jazzy. Think about the swinging tunes from Lady and the Tramp, The Jungle Book," or The Aristocats--they seem like no brainers to add to a Disney jazz album. The difficulty for the artist at that point lies in allowing the listener to challenge the sound they are familiar with in order to accept an updated version.

"Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" is the first song on the album. It is performed by Jamie Cullum who has been a favorite of the Moppins household since we lived in England and, yes, we even have a couple of his albums. We enjoy his crisp take on jazz standards and pop songs. His sensitive treatment of The Aristocats tune kept the fun vibe of the original and married it with his fresh style. His orchestration is on point and as I listened, I closed my eyes and could see the alley cats singing and playing. The introduction sets the scene perfectly of a cat slinking by smoothly, then it changes suddenly to frenzied caterwauling. Granted Jamie had good bones to work with; that was a great choice by Verve to put his track first, to get the audience hooked and excited about what was to come.

As soon as I told Diva about this album, she immediately replied, "They better have 'He's a Tramp' as part of the line up. That is one of my all-time favorite Disney songs." I told her it was number 2 on the playlist, and that it was also one of my favorites. Where as Mr. Cullum just had an iconic tune to work with, Melody Gardot not only had an iconic tune, she also had the added obstacle of iconic singer Peggy Lee. I've got to admit, there was a moment as the track started that I thought there was no way that someone could do that song, or Ms. Lee's voice, justice. Then I heard Melody say, "What a dog" and I knew it was going to be scrumptious. Her sultry voice fully embodies the tone of the piece and the character who sings it in Lady and the Tramp. The chanteuse has such an ease to her voice and between the buttery saxophone, walking bass, and the support from the yummy chords the piano was laying down, this was easily my favorite track on the album.

Some other notable tracks were the Stacy Kent's Bossa Nova version of "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo" sung in French. It thoroughly upped the cool factor on that tune. Cinderella's saccharin "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" gets a grown-up instrumental make-over by way of a solo muted trumpet and The Rob Mounsey Orchestra; I could easily see this version as the soundtrack to a couple's first dance. "The Bare Necessities" is light and bouncy yet has great flow.

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the absolute delightful and delicious French version of "I Wanna Be Like You" from The Jungle Book played by The Hot Sardines. It's frothy and feels like the French Quarter on a sunny day. What a super track to end the album with.

Here's a full track listing:

1. Jamie Cullum – "Everybody Wants To Be A Cat" – from The Aristocats

2. Melody Gardot – "He’s A Tramp" – from Lady And The Tramp

3. Stacey Kent – "Bibbidi Bobbodo Boo" (French version) – from Cinderella

4. Gregory Porter – "When You Wish Upon A Star" – from Pinocchio

5. China Moses – "Why Don’t You Do Right" – from Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

6. Raphaël Gualazzi – "I Wanna Be Like You" – from The Jungle Book

7. The Rob Mounsey Orchestra – "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" – from Cinderella

8. Hugh Coltman – "You’ve Got A Friend In Me" – from Toy Story

9. Anne Sila – "Let It Go" – from Frozen

10. Melody Gardot & Raphaël Gualazzi – "The Bare Necessities" – from The Jungle Book

11. Laika – "Once Upon A Dream" – from Sleeping Beauty

12. Nikki Yanofsky -"Someday My Prince Will Come" – from Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs

13. The Hot Sardines – I Wanna Be Like You (French & English version) – from The Jungle Book (US release only)

You can download the album starting November 18, 2016 from either iTunes or Amazon.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that Disney will decide to produce a second jazz album, perhaps even all instrumental. They have so many other jazz inspired tracks from Monster, Inc. and The Princess and the Frog that I would love to hear with fresh ears. I think "Prince Ali" from Aladdin would be a great choice as would "I've Got No Strings" from Pinocchio or "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" from The Lion King.

I highly recommend this album for kids, for parents, for grandparents, for everyone!

Perfectly Practical #227 - Tip to Get Your School Kids to Drink Water

2016-10-18T13:37:00.004-05:00

It's the middle of the first semester and by now a school day routine has been set and followed for the most part.

I know one concern we've had with Diva was that she doesn't drink enough. How can she concentrate throughout the day if her body isn't properly hydrated?

Diva is not a fan of plain water - never has been. That's a problem especially since we don't drink soft drinks often, I don't buy juice, and there is only so much milk one can consume (although Diva tries to push her natural limit. That girl loves milk.) We also don't use sweeteners so diet drinks are out.

AND she sees through that whole fruit infused water stuff; she considers that a waste of fruit.

She will drink water, but she doesn't enjoy it and will go for it only if she is really thirsty. But as we know, by the time the brain registers thirst, the body is already on the path to dehydration.

This is my solution: instant drink mix. I can harp on the child to drink water and even monitor her intake when she's home but she is at school for most of her waking hours so at least I know she's had one glass of water during the day.

Is it the healthiest option available? Probably not, but it does mean that her thermos comes home empty from school so I'll count that as a win.

Instant Drink Mix

3 Sachets of Unsweetened Powdered Drink Mix
2 cups Sugar

Pour drink mix and sugar into a pint jar. Screw down lid and shake contents in jar until mixed.
Stir in 2 teaspoons of mixture per glass of water.

Things to think about:

Two teaspoons of this mix is roughly 30 calories which is far less than most any other drink option.

You could use something other than sugar like honey crystals or coconut sugar if you don't want regular ol' refined sugar.

You could use powdered lemon or lime or even instant tea instead of the powdered drink mix if you don't want the food coloring involved.

Spring & Summer Hats 2016

2016-09-28T10:54:00.002-05:00

Easter bonnet 2016

It's hard to believe, but we've come to the end of the line.

Sadly, I have no more hats to show you.

>Sigh<
I guess that means I need to do a little shopping.
In the meantime, if you want to take a look back down memory lane, you can see my collection here:

Spring 2011
Summer 2011
Fall 2011
Winter 2011-2012
Spring 2012
Summer 2012
Fall 2012
Winter 2012-2013
Spring 2013
Summer 2013
Fall 2013
Winter 2013-2014
Spring 2014
Summer 2014
Fall 2014
Winter 2014-2015
Spring 2015
Summer 2015
Fall 2015
Winter 2015-2016

This is part of WIWW.

Madly in {Puppy} Love

2016-09-19T12:17:00.001-05:00

Engineer never wanted Diva to grow up not knowing the love of a dog so at 5 months pregnant, we trundled down English back roads to a tiny village outside of Oakhampton where a couple of guys were selling a Yorkie/Westie cross puppy. When we got to their house, I was in desperate need of the loo (I was pregnant remember) so I asked the owner if I could use his facilities and when I came back out, Engineer had a wiggly matted dirty little ball of fur in his arms.
He was grinning from ear to ear.

He was smitten.

As we drove the windy way home, we decided on the name Truffles since it was close to Valentine's Day. Engineer then spent every morning training Truffles to do all sorts of tricks. She could sit, stay, lay down, roll over, play dead, beg, and wave. He also taught her to freeze when a treat was on her nose until he said "okay."

She was a smart as a whip.
She was also stubborn as all get out.
She was every bit of a determined terrier.
Engineer said that she and I were peas in a pod; that's probably why she picked me as "her person."

As a puppy, Truffles would come lay across my feet while I was at the stove cooking. She also liked to lay across my belly while I was pregnant. She slept with us at night and many times I would wake up to find that she had wriggled her way under the covers and was laying on her back with her head next to mine on the pillow. If I happened to move my face toward her during the night, I would be awakened by a wet nose touching mine and a lick on the face.

Truffles loved walks in the English countryside, along the canal, or on the beach. She especially liked the beach because that walk would end at a tearoom which resulted in a bit of cake for all.

She went with me everywhere, to Diva's school, to work, to the bank, to my parents' house. She lived with us in two countries and two states, went on quite a few road trips with us, and outlived several of her doggie siblings.

You could always find Truff in a laundry basket or a bag, on a blanket or a pile of dirty clothes - anywhere warm, soft, and/or squishy.

Truffles had gotten a lot slower in her advancing years and walked with what we called the "Truffle Shuffle." She was not without her problems, she had severe allergies, chronic ear infections, she became blind and deaf, and developed arthritis and mammary tumors. It was when the tumors changed shape and size and she quit eating that we knew she didn't have much time left with us.

Engineer looked at me one morning last week and said, "You should take Truff and have a good day with her today; it may be her last." So we did. She rode with me to Diva's school (one of Truff's favorite things) and we spent a little while outside just letting the breeze caress her face. The dog affectionately known around here as Truffty Puff Dog McGraw and I ate pretzels (the only thing she would eat) and had a "Gilmore Girls" binge watching session. She laid on my belly and slept like she had done when she was a pup. I did a fair amount of crying and if a shifted at all, again, like she had done 15 years previously, she licked my face with her velvety tongue.

On Thursday of last week, we said goodbye to our first "Little Girl" and on Friday Diva woke up to the first day in her life without Truffles in it. Truffles almost made it to 16.

Engineer says we plant roses and dogs at every house. We had planted roses months ago and on Thursday evening, we planted a dog.

Madly in Love

2016-09-12T14:55:00.002-05:00

It's amazing to me how something as simple yet bizarre as an integer can spark a conversation in our house.

I'm sure that I've mentioned before about Engineer's fixation with numbers. I mean, c'mon...he is an Engineer after all. It is literally his job to be obsessed with numbers.

This morning as he was checking Diva's Algebra II homework, one answer to a problem was 24. Engineer then proceeded to describe how cool the number 24 is. Please keep in mind, this conversation was before 6:30a.m.

24 is divisible by the consecutive numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, as well as 6, 12 (6x2), and 24 (12x2) which are the doubles of themselves.
The first numeral (2) is the square root of the second numeral (4).
Both numerals are even
Etc.

In a bit of pre-coffee teasing, I said to him, "24 is certainly cooler than 38." (Engineer just had a birthday last week and he turned, yes, you guessed it, 38.)

He shot back, "Ugh! 38 is the worst! One numeral is even and the other one is odd, it's only divisible by 1, 2, 19, and itself! 38 doesn't even like 38! The best thing that ever happened to 38 is that I turned it" and with that, he walked away.

I am madly in love with my self-assured nerdy Engineer who is actually the coolest thing to happen to 38.

1-4-3 EM for making me laugh about math even before coffee.

The Land of the Living

2016-09-09T15:22:00.001-05:00

This was at the annual Arts District Open House in downtown Houston. That is Diva's friend on the right who gets roped into our silliness a lot of the time. They did not tell me that we weren't smiling for the photo, nor did they mention that my dress wasn't fastened in the back so it looks like I am wearing a tent. Thanks guys.

I took an unintentional 3 month break from blogging over the summer.

It wasn't that I wasn't cooking, wearing hats, loving my family, or generally doing perfectly practical things, it was that I was.

This summer one or more of us:

Met Frank from "American Pickers"
Went to Pine Cove summer camp
Attended White Sox, Astros, and/or Pirates' home games
Tubed in New Braunfels
Joined a chess club
Went to church camp in Colorado
Had a birthday
Jumped from an airplane
Took ballroom dancing lessons
Became a member of a pirate bar

There were some other pretty cool activities (and a good deal of traveling) thrown in which all went by so quickly; but, now it's time to get back into a routine...as much of a routine as a complete overhaul on the outside of one's house and a 15 year old learning to drive will permit.

Yeah, life is only getting more interesting around here.

I just wanted to let you know that the Moppins Family still lives...and takes ridiculous photos.

More to come...

Madly in Love

2016-05-25T09:43:00.003-05:00

It is finals week for Diva. The culmination of this semesters' teachings wrapped up in a stress-filled whirlwind race to the finish line of her inaugural year in high school.

Engineer went on a business trip during this time; but, before he left at the crack of dawn, he left Diva a little note of encouragement at her spot at the breakfast table.

I didn't know he was going to do that and it made me smile like a Cheshire cat when I discovered the letter.

This school year has been almost amorphous with change.
We changed houses, hobbies, and churches.
Diva changed states, schools, piano teachers, and styles of education.
Engineer changed jobs and with that, travel schedules.
My roles have been modified accordingly.

All of the adjustments have not been smooth ones. Now we have come through the other side with the beginnings of routines forming....just in time for summer's distinct lack of routine.

Back to the note.
I am so thankful for Engineer's thoughtfulness in recognizing that Diva's journey hasn't been an easy one this year, but that she has been diligent to the very end. He made sure to tell her he is proud of her accomplishments and that he was thinking of her.

Gosh I love that man of mine.

1-4-3 EM & DM!

Purex Plus Clorox 2

2016-05-17T12:55:00.002-05:00

*I was sent a bottle of Purex plus Clorox 2 to review. All opinions and horrific messes are my own.

So this happened...

Once again I am literally displaying my dirty laundry. The napkin pictured above was the nearest thing to me when I went to wipe up an unfortunate pasta sauce incident.

In our house, we don't tend to use paper towels. We never have. Instead we use dishrags and cloth napkins.

I've written before about the genius of using red napkins. Obviously, those were not available at the time of the aforementioned saucy explosion.

Both sides were affected

Unless we are having a special meal at the dining room table, these napkins are what we use - even when we have "back door guests." (You know what I mean, folks you are so comfortable with in your home that they come through the back door like family instead of using the front door like company.)

And although for the three of us well warn napkins aren't a big deal, I'd rather not have my guests use napkins that look like they've been used in a crime scene.

Fortunately for me, the good folks at Purex had recently sent me some detergent to review. This is not just any detergent but detergent with the stain fighting action of Clorox bleach.

Boy did I have a doozy of a test for that stuff. Not only was the napkin heavily stained, it was found in the bottom of the laundry pile days later.

Since the stains were so caked on, I followed the directions and pre-treated the areas with the liquid detergent for 5 minutes before washing the load.

Here was the result:

Did every trace of sauce get removed? No.
Would I be embarrassed to use the napkin in front of non-Moppins family members? No.

My only real issue with the detergent was that it was a bit heavy on the scent. I prefer a lighter perfume in my detergents. Saying that, the laundry out of the dryer did not have that strong of a smell.

I feel like the Purex plus Clorox 2 did the best job I could hope for seeing as those stains were thick, sticky, caked on, and had been there for several days.

Texas Pecan Cakes

2016-04-18T16:43:00.001-05:00

Two of my favorite things: roses and cake!

As I said last Friday on my Facebook page, you know it's going to be a good day when a package from Collin Street Bakery shows up on your doorstep.

What made that delivery even sweeter was that we were scheduled to have dinner with some friends on Saturday night and I was going to bring dessert. So instead of a messy kitchen and a bundt cake that didn't fully come out of the pan (does anyone else have this problem?) I had a clean kitchen and a rock star dessert for everyone to try - a Texas Blonde Pecan Cake.

Of course that also meant that for 24 hours I had to continually swat the hands of my people who really really wanted to cut into the cake, you know - just to make sure it was acceptable. Mmmhmmm...right...

Why were they so eager? Because it was a Collin Street confection! Enough said.
We are fans of their cheesecakes, their fruitcakes, their cookies, their breads, and now, we can add Texas Pecan Cakes to that list.

Please believe me that our affection for Collin Street Bakery is legit and deeply rooted.

In fact we like their baked goods so very much that we sent a fruitcake to England this past Christmas (it was received to rave reviews) and we're thinking about sending Texas Pecan cakes out for Mother's Day. Shhh...don't tell our moms...

Back to our dinner party and the introduction of Collin Street's cake to our friends:

Everyone loved it!
One of the guys said, "I took a bite just to be nice, (I don't like fruitcake) but I ate the whole piece because it was delicious!"

I found myself in the company of a photographer, an artist, and an interior designer so yes, there was some amount of fiddling to get the photos just right.

While we were photographing the cake, us girls were nibbling on the sliced piece.
Not one person disliked the cake and everyone thought it was the best fruitcake they had ever had, even though it technically is a pecan cake and not a fruitcake.*

There are actually five different flavors of Texas Pecan Cakes: apricot, pineapple, apple cinnamon, strawberry, and blonde. Each one is moist and dense in the best possible way and chock full of native Texan pecans.

I'm sure Collin Street has nothing against brunettes, but this Texas Pecan Blonde Cake sure was tasty. The Blonde is a fun if not decadent mix of pineapples, papayas, golden raisins, cherries, and of course, pecans.

Maybe an idea for the future? A Texas Brunette Pecan Cake...perhaps with chocolate chips? Collin Street, you are welcome to my idea for a new flavor.

Right now, some of Collin Street Bakery's most popular items are on sale (with code from mailer) until June 20, 2016 - perfect timing for Mother's and Father's Day!
Look them up at www.collinstreet.com to find your perfect treat.

I received a pecan cake in exchange for my honest review. All opinions, ideas for new cake flavors, and fabulous friends are my own.

*Collin Street Bakery uses their same honey batter for both their fruitcakes and their pecan cakes.

Winter Hats 2015-16

2016-04-09T11:48:00.003-05:00

Last night I won a gift certificate to a local Mexican restaurant for wearing the most fabulous hat at Diva's school's banquet. So it seemed fitting to post the winter hats that have been worn this season.

These are all vintage:

That is it.
I'm out.
These photos are the last of my winter hats.
It's very upsetting, I know.
I'm just going to have to console myself with a hunt for more...

This is part of WIWW.

Were you There?

2016-03-25T18:52:00.002-05:00

Easter is my favorite holiday. Oh sure, the holiday season between October 31st and January 6th is my favorite time of year but Easter reigns supreme as my favorite holiday. No, it's not just because it means a new hat.

I do very much enjoy the beautiful and colorful Easter dresses, the seersucker suits, and the chocolate. It's a joy to see the Easter Lilies being dedicated at church. The palpable excitement of children as they ready themselves for an Easter egg hunt is invigorating.

But it is the meaning and the music of Easter that I love most.

Growing up, I would visit my grandparents' church on Easter Sunday. Never was there a better day for a life-long hymn lover like myself to visit First Baptist Church.

If we were lucky, Dr. Alan Cox would play a phenomenally rousing rendition of "Because He Lives" on the hand bells and a older bass/baritone soloist would sing "The Old Rugged Cross" for The Special (Baptists, y'all know what I'm talking about).

However, when Dr. Jerry Payne on saxophone, Dr. Cox on trumpet, and someone playing trombone would stand at three points in the sanctuary and play "Were You There" antiphonally, that was the highlight of the Easter service for me.

Nothing epitomizes the three days of events more in my mind than that hymn, "Were You There."
The words are incredibly simple as is the tune; yet, the weightiness of what happen at Calvary is felt in every word and with every note.

Vs. 1 Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Yes, I was. It was because of a sinner like me that the God who spoke stars into existence humbled himself to become a baby, live among His creation, and have to be unjustly tried and sentenced to death on a cross.

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Luke 22:19 - "And He took the bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me."

Vs. 2 Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

Yes, I was...and still am. Each time I doubt His promises, fear for the future, or think I know what's best for me, I drive those spikes into His hands and feet.

Romans 8:28 - "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Psalm 23:4 - "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

Vs. 3 Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

Yes, I was. All my shame, guilt, and inadequacies were buried with Christ.

John 10:10 - "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

1 Peter 5:7 - "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."

Vs. 4 Were you there when He rose up from the dead?

Yes, I was. It was in that moment that death lost its sting and that He gave me the gift of a choice to accept everlasting life with Him.

John 14:3 - "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

Philippians 3:7-11 - "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead."

Chorus Sometimes, it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

The Creator of every living thing thought of us when He put His plan in motion to sacrifice His only begotten son so that we might have the choice to live with Him in paradise for eternity. He thought of all of us. We are all sinful and have equal opportunity to repent and turn away from those sins.

The Almighty God that set the universe in motion endured unthinkable torture, ridicule, and pain for you. The only truly innocent person to ever walk the earth was falsely accused, convicted as guilty, and put to death in the most gruesome and shameful way for you.

The Prince of Peace suffered, died, and was buried for me - a short, slow-driving, cookie monster with an astigmatism. 2000 years ago while in unfathomable pain, God Almighty was thinking of little ol' me.

How can I sing those words and not physically feel the stirring in my soul?
Not sometimes, but all the time, it causes me to tremble.

Madly in Love

2016-03-24T11:56:00.003-05:00

Diva snapped this pic

Last weekend, Engineer and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary.
That's a long time y'all.
Engineer would say how much he likes the number 17 since it is a prime number; that man loves him some prime numbers.

We celebrated pretty much all weekend. Saturday we went to the Houston rodeo and after an exciting round of events saw the Billy Currington concert.
After church we celebrated with Diva by having a lovely lunch downtown at a place called Artista before going to watch a high school friend perform with the Houston Grand Opera.
Monday started Engineer's vacation week and Diva's Spring Break so we headed back into to town and met up with some friends at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.


My best T-Rex impression. It must be pretty good since the other folks in the photo look quite scared of me.

The rest of the week was spent doing projects around the house and a whole lot of playing in the dirt.
We had a fabulous anniversary week.

Going back to thinking about numbers, here are a few more.
In that 17 year year time span we've:

Been through 6 moves in 2 countries and 2 states
Bought 4 houses
Gotten 3 degrees from 3 different universities between us
Had a child and have kept her alive and well for 14 1/2 of those years
Loved 5 dogs, 3 cats, and a rabbit
Lost 2 dogs, 3 cats, and the rabbit
Collectively been employed by 6 companies
Lost 6 grandparents
Had 2 nieces and a nephew as well as gained a step-niece and nephew
Gained and lost and gained an indeterminate amount of pounds between us, ah-hem...

We have also grown older, wiser, goofier, and closer through those years.
And I believe with all of my heart that we are better people because of each other.

I am so very thankful every day for my Engineer.

1-4-3 EM for 17 wonderful years and I can't wait to see what lies in the many more years ahead.

Madly in Love

2016-03-10T10:27:00.003-06:00

There is no doubt in my mind that good girlfriends are essential to a great quality of life.
And not to brag, but I have amazing girlfriends.

Everywhere I've lived I have been so blessed to have women around me whom I admire and learn from and love deeply.

These ladies in various states and countries have been my guinea pigs, my encouragers, my sounding boards, and my encyclopedias of knowledge springing from vastly different experiences.

Perhaps the quality that I most appreciate in all of them is their total acceptance of me - warts and all, so to speak.

I have asked them to do some pretty random and wacky stuff over the years and they've done it - without question and without fail.

This past week, I sent out a text to some of my sweet girlies that just said something like,
"Good morning! Could you please give me an adverb? Any old one will do."

I received a response from every last one of them. Not one lady asked what it was for or why I was asking.

I did however have one friend say that I got the award for the most random text first thing in the morning, one who assumed it was blog fodder (it wasn't at the time) and another say that if it were from anyone else, they would have asked if my autocorrect messed up my text.

That photo up top is why I was asking.

I had found this fun little wall hanging at Dillard's on clearance last year. About the time I procured it, I found out we were moving so it was never hung. Then it was in a box. After unpacking it, it did have a place on my wall but was blank. This week I decided to remedy that.

My plan all along was to have a party and have my girlfriends give me words as they walked in the door. Although texting them wasn't as fun as a party, it got the job done...well, almost. I was waiting on one last word to complete it.

All of this took place in the morning and we exchanged funny texts and I giggled at some of the words and it was blissful.

Then I checked Facebook and my mood instantly changed.

The first three posts in my feed were tributes to a little boy who had been battling brain cancer from Diva's school in Marshall. Marshall is a small town y'all. The death of a child is felt by everyone. I know this family, although, admittedly not very well. Devon went to school with the child and his sisters.

When I saw the news, I broke down in tears. I cannot fathom losing a child. I prayed for his family, his little school, his parents' marriage, and mostly for his Momma. His Momma who still has to run a company and be a wife and be a mother to her two girls and live her life. I prayed for her girlfriends to be a barrier and a soft place for her to land.

As I prayed I couldn't help but think of this Easter season. God sent His son to be fully man so that He might experience all that we do. So that He has felt what we feel. God Himself has grieved the loss of His child. I can only hope that John David's Momma will turn to her faith and know that the Creator of the universe intimately knows her pain and wraps her in His comforting arms.

My girlfriends were already aware of the situation and yet they didn't chastise me for being silly with them that morning. They gave my ignorance grace.

And then the last word came in for the mad lib.

That's when I sent them this text:

"...Thanks for being silly with me today. Little did I know that when I started this nonsense this morning, I would need some levity this afternoon after finding out about John David and weeping over his mother's broken heart. Thank you girls for being a bright spot and good therapy even though we are miles apart. Lots of love."

I am madly in love with and so very thankful for my girlfriends because they don't question my insanity, they just come along for the ride. And because they give me a wide berth of grace and are a sweet balm to a sore heart even if sometimes by accident.

Fall Hats 2015

2016-02-24T08:48:00.001-06:00

Tapestry Pillbox

I'm still trying to catch up with the move and holidays and posts and unpacking boxes...anyone who has moved can surely feel my pain. Yes I do realize we have lived in this house since mid-October but I feel like there is a solid 1 year grace period...or at least that's what I tell myself.

A few weeks ago I showed you what hats had been worn last summer (sheesh!) so this week, I want to bring you up to date on what hats were worn this fall. Then we will be back on track and on schedule. Ahh...what a nice feeling that is...now if only all the boxes were unpacked...

And we're off:

I don't think any new hats were worn only vintage ones including this North African fez and the tapestry pillbox pictured above.

Sometimes at estate sales, vendors will ask if I want to buy all of the hats as a lot. I get them at a better price and they have less inventory. I love those kind of vendors. This little black number was in such a lot. I wouldn't have bought it on its own but as part of a lot its okay.

I just love the vivid color of this velvet tam. I have a dress the same color and they look smashing together.

For some reason, this woolen darling reminds me a bit of Mary Poppins. I think it's the shape rather than the material or color. Regardless, it is in beautiful shape and was such a find.

This is part of WIWW.

Perfectly Practical #226 - Leftover Mashed Potatoes

2016-02-16T09:26:00.001-06:00

What can one do with leftover mashed potatoes?

If you are familiar with British food then you make Bubble & Squeak or Colcannon from the mash and cabbage.
Make potato bread, rolls, or pancakes
Use them as a topper for a Shepherd's or Cottage Pie* or meatloaf cupcakes
Make Duchess Potatoes (your people will think you're fancy)
Thicken soups
Make Potato Soup
Freeze them for another meal**
Make Baked Potato Casserole
Make a chocolate cake (I found an old country recipe using mashed potatoes)

I thought it was an impossibility, but I actually over-salted my mashed potatoes the other night. That was a travesty since we love mashed potatoes and I don't make them very often. We counted it as a huge loss. Yep. We were that sad about messed up mashed potatoes.

I kept the leftovers anyway because, well, wasting food makes me angry and I'm so glad I did.

A few days after the tragic potato mishap, I made mushroom soup, which was good, but needed something extra - like salty mashed potatoes! I added the potatoes to the soup and it was perfect! No waste here. Nuh-uh. No ma'am.

What do you do with your leftover mashed potatoes?

*What's the difference between Shepherd's and Cottage Pie? Shepherd's Pie uses ground lamb and Cottage Pie uses ground beef.

**For portion control, scoop potatoes into a muffin tin and flash freeze. Pop them out and put them in a freezer bag.

Madly in Love

2016-02-11T18:28:00.001-06:00

Engineer is a particular sort of fella.
He has many protocols in place for how he structures his morning, how he coifs his hair, how he designs his journeys to be in a circle, etc. Basically, he lives his life following self-implemented parameters that he has shaped and perfected throughout the years.

Mondrian Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow

If we think of life as a drawing, Engineer lives in a mathmatical M.C. Escher or Piet Mondrian piece whereas I live in anything from a dreamy Renoir to a cheeky Warhol to a chaotic Jackson Pollock, dependent upon the day.

Le chapeau épinglé - Auguste Renoir

It is my precise Engineer who makes our morning coffee.
And yes, there is a system.
No, it does not consist of tumping out a few scoops of Folgers and pressing a button on a Mr. Coffee where it percolates into a glass pot on a hotplate. If that were the case, I would {also} make the coffee {sometimes} {maybe.}

Oh no. This ritual consists of canned air, a grinder, a vacuum-sealed canister, happy coffee beans from a specific grower that have been specially ordered, and pressing a button on a coffee maker that gently awakens the beans before streaming the steamed juice into a thermal carafe that is NOT sitting on a hot plate.

Please understand four things:

1. This is great coffee.
2. I am grateful that Engineer is willing to make coffee in the morning.
3. Waking up to freshly brewed coffee is the BEST!
4. I love Engineer even MORE than coffee. *Insert fluttering eyelashes here*

All of this to say that when Engineer is traveling for work, I am responsible for making my own coffee. Gasp!

Because of that, never am I more thankful for the Keurig than when he is gone. Oh sure, I'll use the Keurig every now and again for an afternoon cuppa and our guests regularly use it (it's in their room) but it really comes into its own when I roll out of bed and can just pop a cup in and press a button. That's about all the effort I can manage first thing.

Does it compare to Engineer's specified coffee-making routine? Uh...no. But it does keep me from awaking as a zombie and morphing into a dragon lady.

The worst part though is that I know if I'm using a Keurig in the morning, there is no Engineer around and that is very sad.

1-4-3 EM! I am so thankful that you make coffee in the mornings; for without it, I would have no friends. ;)

Madly in Love

2016-01-29T20:24:00.004-06:00

Today Diva gave her peers a glimpse into our kooky family dynamic by leading a devotional that she authored entitled "Be the Ketchup." Bless her heart.

Two-thirds of Team Moppins does not enjoy sauce on their food. For example, I am the only one who eats salad with dressing. The exception to the no sauce preference is ketchup. Engineer insists that the only reason he eats fries is as a vehicle for ketchup.

Shortly after moving to Clear Lake, the three of us were in the car talking about our previous moves. We were discussing how we could see why God had us in certain spots at certain times.

Hindsight being 20/20 and all that jazz...

We could see how He impacted our lives directly, how sometimes He used others as His hands and feet to shape our circumstances, and how other times we were used to impact the lives of those around us.

It was recalling the instances where we had been blessings to others that the idea of "being the ketchup" was hatched.

Engineer and I cited the many times Diva had been called out as a particular blessing to a child that needed a friend or to an elderly person who needed to feel loved and special. Diva has a gift for befriending the lonely, for seeing the overlooked, and for embracing the quirky. She has been a safe-haven and a source of joy for people of all ages since she was very young.

Diva & Engineer continued with times where, looking back, I was the one strategically placed to be a blessing.

To those people, we were the ketchup in their lives - the extra ingredient that made their lives a little easier to swallow.

Engineer expressed that he felt like he was never the ketchup; he felt like his only contribution was that his job was the reason we moved every time.

He didn't see how important he was; but, how could he not know that he was the fries! It was by his means that she and I were where we needed to be when we needed to be there.

And besides, if there was ever a time when Engineer was most certainly the ketchup, it was in Bossier City.

After our conversation months ago, we have used the term "be the ketchup" as a call to action. It is our reminder to be a blessing to those around us and to be obedient to the still small voice who gently nudges us in a direction.

As Diva gets out of the car every morning for school, I tell her I love her, to have a nice day, and to be the ketchup...which has caused more than a few strange looks from passers by in the carpool lane.

1-4-3 EM & DM for being my ketchup.

Summer Hats 2015

2016-01-27T17:13:00.002-06:00

Here we are way into winter and I have yet to post anything about the summer hats we'd worn.
For shame.

I think that's what happens when you move, all sorts of things get packed into boxes and shoved in the corner...even blog posts.

Unusually, we had a good mix of new and estate sale hats.

So without further ado:

The cute orange cloche with netting at the top of the post was from an estate sale.

This pink ditty was found at Target

I love the cheekiness of this vintage hat with tassels that hang down in front

To me, this silver turban looks a bit like a Hershey kiss

Here's what Diva wore:

This one was also bought at Target

This black straw hat w/feathers was a Christmas gift

As was this zebra striped fedora

And this adorable cloche

This is part of WIWW.

Ore-Ida Totchos

2016-01-11T13:02:00.004-06:00

*I received coupons for Ore-Ida products from Influenster.

All opinions and gluttonous family members are my own.

"What the heck is a totcho?" That was the question my family asked when I announced that we would be having Family Fun Night complete with totchos.

Totchos are nachos but instead of tortilla chips, you use tater tots. Could there be anything better?

I gave my people a choice between breakfast totchos, chili cheese totchos, and bacon and cheddar totchos. Really, I didn't need to ask them. I knew that as soon as they heard the word "bacon" they would pipe up. I was right.

I'm sure this would feed a normal family of four but as we are decidedly not a normal family in any way, shape, or form, this fed the three of us until we were uncomfortably full. (I would like to blame the full-as-a-tick-on-a-dog's-belly syndrome on the vegetable crudites that were also on offer, but I would be kidding myself.)

If you want to try totchos for yourself (and you'll want to, I promise) you can try my recipe below or one of the ones from the Kraft Recipes Totcho Hub.
One great thing about totchos is that they are a perfect vehicle for leftovers.
Leftover ratatouille? Fab! Cook the tots, throw over the ratatouille and cover with mozzarella. Leftover chili or beans? Perfect! Cook the tots, pour over the chili or beans, and cover with pepper jack cheese.
Leftover ham? Awesome! Cook the tots, place the ham over the tots, and top with Gruyere cheese. The possibilities are endless and the clean-up is a breeze too! Love those one pan meals.

Spicy Bacon & Cheese Totchos

32 oz. bag Ore-Ida Tater Tots
8 oz. bag Cheese cubes or shreds (it won't hurt if you sprinkle on a little extra)
12 oz. pkg. Bacon
1/2 c. Sour Cream
Good handful of cilantro, chopped
8 oz. tub of Pico de Gallo
Sliced jalapenos, optional

Cook tots according to package directions.
While tots are cooking, fry bacon. Drain fat and set aside.
Mix sour cream and cilantro. Set aside.
Once tots are done, turn off oven. Take tots from oven and push them to make a pile in the middle of the baking sheet.
Sprinkle over cheese and place back in the oven with the oven off and the oven door shut.
After about 5 minutes, take cheesy tots from oven and crumble bacon over the top.
Spread pico over as well as the jalapenos.
Top with sour cream mixture.
Enjoy!

This is part of Full Plate Thursday.

Catching Up

2016-01-06T14:56:00.000-06:00

Truffles found a good sleeping spot

Happy New Year!

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Just to get everyone up to speed, we are in our new home and have mostly settled in although the boxes in the garage suggest otherwise.

I had many planned posts documenting our final weeks in the hotel (10 weeks in all) and our first few weeks in our new house. Despite all of the planning and the posts sitting in my "drafts" folder, very little was actually posted during the last few months.

Here are some highlights to catch you up on things:

We chose the stain on the left

There was lots of cosmetic work done on the house and as with all previous moves, there are lots more projects still to do...and not just cosmetic. It's only after one lives in a house for a while that one begins to find all of its particular quirks. And our little mid-century mod home has plenty of quirks to keep us busy.

Yes, our kid got baptized in a Marvel comics t-shirt

We officially joined our church and Diva was baptized by immersion (she had been previously been baptized by affusion.) She continues to help with the G.A. group at church and Engineer and I will be joining the choir in the new year. I've been recruited to help with coordinating food for about 250 people during a weekend long youth event that is happening in a couple of weeks. We are all still enjoying our respective Sunday School groups.

Diva & Ashley horsing around

We had visitors from Bossier, Tyler, and Marshall at different times come down. With them, we experienced feeding stingrays, being the only people in a restaurant because of inclement weather, Black Friday shopping, a polo match, a painting party, and the neighborhood Christmas party.

We've thrown open the doors to host slumber parties, a Halloween party, a Christmas movie day, and our annual New Year's Day come & go celebration.

Engineer has traveled to Las Vegas, Seattle, Denver, Atlanta, and West Virginia since relocating.

Garden club all about gourds

I attended a community garden club meeting and have completely fallen head over heels in love with our little neighborhood and its inhabitants. I'm now a full fledged member of the Timber Cove Garden Club.

I am also involved in a Ladies' Bible Study group which has proven to double as my little group of testers for various samples I receive.

Diva made it through her first semester in a new school and has made new friends. She got first chair in the All-Region Choir try-outs and this Saturday she will try-out for the All-State Choir.

That's what the floors used to look like

Diva also managed to fall down our spiral staircase of death (the same day as our New Year's Day party I might add) and hurt herself pretty badly. Because of that incident, Engineer and Diva found out that the local emergency care place is very nice.

We all went sailing with an instructor during the early days but I decided it wasn't my scene (I'll stick to the garden club thank you very much) but Engineer and Diva started a proper course of lessons. It was during those lessons where she saw her first jellyfish, had a pod of dolphins swim alongside their vessel, and had a front row seat as the Thunderbirds practiced maneuvers for an upcoming airshow overhead. It's precious time for them to do something together without distractions. But I know Engineer's true motive for getting Diva involved...he has already said there is no time to think about boys if her mind is out to sea.

Here's to a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2016!

Madly in Love

2015-12-30T15:19:00.001-06:00

Engineer and I don't give one another gifts on Christmas, instead, we fill each other's stockings. We've done it this way for years.

We are very blessed to have all of our needs (and a few of our wants) met and neither of us have the love language of receiving gifts, so in this very practical household, it doesn't seem prudent to exchange gifts.

That being said, I didn't even have much to put in his stocking this year. When I told him that his stocking was going to be a bit meager, he just looked at me with his beautiful green eyes full of sincerity. Then he said most humbly, "Honestly, I am so thrilled that you love it so much down here that that is the only gift I wanted and the best gift I could have gotten."

He means that too.

Engineer's happiness quotient is directly related to mine.
He tells me all the time that if I'm happy, he's happy...and that's not some platitude; he truly believes it.

It's not that hard to be happy when I am by Engineer's side and this is the view

Sunset in our 'hood

1-4-3 EM and I am looking forward to a lifetime of days to make you happy.