Christmas in Texas 2013

We had a wonderful WHITE Christmas this year! I love going back home! I have always loved my hometown and never wanted to leave. I love NWA too, but I reallllllllllly love McKinney, Texas!! Nothing comes close to the people, the shops, the feeling. You get it.

So, I was the only one who had to work on the Friday before Christmas. Quite a change from the housewife who is frantically packing, cleaning, and hopelessly waiting for everyone to get off work, school, etc. But, I wouldn't have changed it for the world! I am really enjoying working and even though it was party day and craaaaaazzzzzyyyyy, it was all worth it in the end. Plus, Kylie came to work with me. Those 2nd graders adored her!

We got to my parents house pretty late and my mom informed Kylie and I that we were going to a lunch at The Pantry the next day with her cousins. We could hardly wait! I always want to visit Downtown McKinney but we rarely get the chance.

My girl is ready to go. Look how precious she is in her winter beanie. I wish I could find some more in different colors for her.

My sweet Aunt Nikki has recently lost a lot of weight. She looks fabulous!! So we had to take a million pics! ha!

We saw Santa at a shop. Kylie jumped up there and talked to him. Then we went to an antique store where I saw this little baby. Alan and I play so many games during the winter months that it just jumped out at me. I asked the owner how much he was selling it for and he said $75. I jumped at it but Nikki and Kim decided that they were going to get it for us instead. Thank you, Ninni and BoBo!! We love it!

The square looked soooooooo different! They have really modernized it up. Except for the old Courthouse. That will always look the same. Unfortunately they filmed A Candace Montgomery Story there and those old memories cloud my awesome memories. Other than that, I love the look of the outside eateries.

Kylie and BoBo wanted to paint something. BoBo painted a reindeer and Kylie wanted to paint a duck. A duck. SMH.

There is so much to look at and so many great restaurants that Alan took me back to a new Pub that night for a bite and a drink. SO. Needed. That.

Blue Moon and fish and chips is not a bad way to end the night. When we got home I captured this little baby. I love it when my kids love on each other. What a great day!!

Yes, it's blurry but they are BOTH smiling! Come ON!! Next up: ICE!!

Merry Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas! I haven't posted all year but I hope to get back to blogging soon! I have been teaching all year and feel like I haven't had time for myself. But I do have this next two weeks off to spoil my babies (who are not babies anymore) and also to reorganize the house. I have already started and I vow to throw away all papers in 2013 that we don't need so that they don't accumulate allllllllll over the house!!

We had a truly blessed year and I have high hopes for 2013!

Chipotle Cream Shrimp

Since my surgery, I have been laid up on the couch with nothing to do but peruse the internet and watch tv. I think I have watched everything on ON DEMAND possible! I've even watched some things twice! So, today I felt good enough to cook something for Alan since he's been such a great help to me.

I had remembered a shrimp recipe on the Food Network channel, so I felt good enough to go shopping for the ingredients (with Riley) and came home and got to work so I could surprise Alan with the dish.

Not only did I surprise Alan with this dish, after we tasted it- we both looked at each other and the look was OMG!! This was one of THE best dishes that I have ever made! The best part is that it took all of 30 minutes!

Alan is still bragging about it to anyone who will listen so I took it upon myself to take a picture and post it on Pinterest to put in my recipe file.

Chipotle Cream Shrimp
Recipe courtesy Marcela Valladolid

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
2 pounds large raw shrimp (13 to 15 per pound), peeled and deveined with tail on
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
White or brown rice, cooked according to package instructions, for serving

Directions
Put the flour in a shallow bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and toss to combine. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Melt the butter in a large heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute until golden brown and just cooked through, 5 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate. Add the wine to the same pan and boil until slightly thickened, 2 minutes. Add the cream, chipotle chiles, Worcestershire sauce and garlic to the pan and boil until slightly reduced, 2 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan and toss to coat with the chipotle sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon cilantro and serve with white or brown rice.

Chocolate Cherry Puddin' Cake

I don't want to forget this recipe mainly because my husband and daughter kept talking about how excellent it was! I had a plethora of mismatched items in my pantry from my mom taking care of me last week. Apparently she meant to make a cherry chip cake and some pudding, but she didn't get around to it. We never missed dessert because she fed us so well! But tonight, we all had a sweet tooth!

So, I gathered items out of the pantry and made a delicious, moist cake. I used the cake mix, a large chocolate pudding, vegetable oil, milk, and topped it off with random chocolate chips. It was SO divine! The cherry chips were an added punch of flavor!

Chocolate Cherry Puddin' Cake
Betty Crocker cherry chip cake mix (or yellow cake mix)
large box of Jello chocolate pudding
2 cups milk
1 cup vegetable oil
chocolate chips

Mix cake mix, pudding mix, milk, and oil. Spray 13x9 pan with Pam and spread cake evenly. Throw chocolate chips on top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Voila!

I didn't get a chance to take a picture before they came running for it. Enjoy!

Halloween

Halloween

Scary, spooky,

Halloween is

Having fun?

Enjoying this?

Bobbing for apples

Trick-or-treating

Many people

New at meeting

Lollipops

Gummy Bears

Halloween is spooky

It's a scare!

Popcorn balls

And cotton candy

Everything for Halloween

Comes in handy!

by Kylie Rutledge

Donuts

Donuts

Donuts are yummy

Delicious they are 

You see them everywhere

Maybe on a car.

Donuts bring joys

To everyone,

Even girls and boys.

Donuts are tasty

Like a crisp sun

Donuts are good

Donuts are fun

by Kylie Rutledge

Hog Weekend

So, my last Hog post I bragged about our routine of staying at home, cooking and lounging around happily while watching the Razorback game. Then, Alan's friend offered us his season tickets for the game last night against Troy. We knew that it was going to be rainy but they were really good seats and we just couldn't pass them up. So, we arranged for the kids to stay with their grandparents and we were set! 

We left early so we could meet some of our friends who are die-hard tailgaters. When we got to Fayetteville, it was raining and storming so we decided to grab a bite to eat at Kosmos. I had eaten there before and knew Alan would absolutely love it. I was right and we stuffed ourselves on gyros while watching the rain. Best Greek food ever!

Then we went to the indoor mall to walk off our food and look at the hog gear. I found a jacket for half off and Alan got a new shirt. We also found the kids really cute shirts at the Houndstooth Clothing Company razorback collection. I love Kylie's shirt but they only had them in kids' sizes. booo!

When we got to the campus, we had to park really far away from all the activity. We walked in the rain to the stadium and by the time we got there, the rain was letting up. We found our friends and hung out for a while. Then we went and found our seats about an hour before game time.

I took a couple of pics with my phone and then it started to die. I had to get a pic of the student section. It's already all filled up! Those kids have so much energy and cheer the whole game without stopping. We especially love to watch them at basketball games. Makes me want to go back 20 years!!

I love looking at these pictures from when my grandparents went to the same stadium in August of 1971. SO much has changed since then. I also found this nifty little photo of me and my brothers in 1978 after we visited the stadium. I love my pose! I'm thinking that I should find 3 shirts like these, go to the same place, my grandparents old backyard, and take a picture of us to give to my parents for Christmas. Have you seen it when people do that? Then they put the two pics side by side.

The game was exciting at first, and then we just started looking lazy. We played pretty bad and still won. We had a couple of exciting passes and runs but other than that, Troy came here to win and they played better than we did. It kinda scares me for next weekend. We are not ready for Alabama! But I'm gonna cook an awesome meal for the game. Maybe I should make comfort food just in case! ha!

9/11 Ten Years Later

On September 11, 2006 over 3500 volunteer bloggers joined together with Project 2996 for a tribute to the victims of 9/11. Each blogger wrote an individual memorial for the victim that was assigned to them. I was one of those bloggers.

We all chose to honor them by remembering their lives, and not by remembering their murderers. My tribute was for Frederick T. Varacchi. He was COO for Cantor Fitzgerald and a wonderful husband and father. This is my tribute 5 years ago.

Today, on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I am watching the footage at home while my husband is waiting at the airport for a flight home. Not exactly where I wanted him to be but in our country life goes on and we have to treat each day like it may be our last and put our faith in our heavenly father. He is the one who is in control, after all.

Phillipians 4:6 tells us "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

It's so hard not to think about what could happen or what's going to happen. It's something that I struggle with daily. But I know that faith in God and prayer are whats going to get me through each day in this cruel world.

There are many names on the list that still need tributes. I happened to run across this article on ESPN and it is a daughter's tribute to her father who perished on 9/11. Also, he happens to not have a tribute post yet, so here's to Don Kauth.

Don Jerome Kauth, 51, was a divorced father of four who bought a house near his children and their mother in Saratoga Springs, NY so he be closer to them. He would wake up at 3am to commute to Manhattan where he was a bank analyst at Keefe, Bruyette, & Woods in World Trade Center 2, the South tower.

Don's youngest daughter, Cecelia Kauth was 15 on that fateful day. It was only her third day of high school when she heard about the attacks that morning. She remembers her dad as an amazing dad and incredibly supportive. He let her know how proud he was of her often.

To honor her father on this 10th anniversary, she chose to cross the country on her bike with her boyfriend, who is also a cyclist and two other friends. They started in Portland, Oregan and plan to be in NYC on Sunday, the anniversary of the attacks.

She is also raising money for World Bicycle Relief- you can read all about it and see her video here. Or watch it below.



What an amazing tribute to her father who loved this country and expected the best from his children. Her journey inspires me and I'm sure that her dad is smiling down on her today.

College Gameday

I absolutely LOVE this time of year! College football just makes me giddy! I didn't really feel that way until we moved near Fayetteville but there is Hog Fever everywhere and I can't get enough of it.

Here is the wreath that I bought last Saturday. I saw that my favorite shop had wreaths on Facebook and Alan gave me the go ahead to get one. When I got there, they were almost $200. Yikes! So I opted for this smaller one and will probably add to it. I also saw an awesome centerpiece that I am going to copy for my dining room table. Flowers and pendants and Hobby Lobby, oh my!

Alan and I love to watch College Gameday on ESPN on Saturday morning. It gets us pumped up for all the games that day. Then, I will usually cook in the kitchen all day while peering over my mixer occasionally to see other games. I love making cookies, dips, slow cooking meat. It has been sort of a ritual that we have started.

Of course, every year we say we are going to get season tickets and tailgate. It's just up the road, for heavens sake! But then we start to think about it and we love watching in the comfort of our living room on our huge tv and eating and drinking and hanging out without all the fuss. Yes, we are getting OLD!

I have a meal plan for each game this year. Only today is different because Alan is in Kentucky for a wedding and I have no one to cook for or watch the games with. :( So, I will be watching by myself, probably getting pizza for the kids, and reading the book I started this week. But next week, we will be using our customized plates from Amy Hannon @ Sincerely Yours Paper. She sent these to me after I helped her design her blog last year. I LOVE them!! Happy gameday!

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Don't knock 'em until you try 'em!! I came across these cookies on Pinterest- my new obsession- and I thought, "Ewwwwww- NO way!!" Cut to last week when I was subbing and one of my friends said that she had made some of these babies and that I should go get one. Well, you know I'm not gonna hurt anyone's feelings when it comes to food. So I grabbed one and took it back to my room to eat.

I took a bite and I immediately tasted the bacon. I was trying to convince myself of how awful they were until I realized that I couldn't get enough of this little cookie! I was plotting how I was going to sneak another one when I realized that I could get the recipe and make MY OWN!! I still sneaked another one, though! ha!

I found the best recipe at Mouth of the South and they are actually called Brown Butter, Bacon & Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I will say that mine are NOT flat! I can't stand a flat cookie. I used self-rising flour since that's all I had, and my cookies were ALL that!! I did omit the baking powder and salt, however.

I also never use parchment paper with my cookies- another flatner in my opinion.

Below is the recipe:

Brown Butter, Bacon & Chocolate Chip Cookies
(adapted from Cooks Illustrated)

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour  self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
4 oz semisweet chocolate bar, diced into 1/4" pieces
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chops (I like Ghirardelli 60% cacao)
3 tablespoons milk chocolate, grated
1 cup bacon that's been fried until crispy and diced into roughly 1/4" pieces

Adjust your oven rack so it's in the middle position. Pre-heat to 375 degrees.

Whisk flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Heat 10 tablespoons of butter in a 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly. Watch this carefully - butter can go from brown to burned very quickly. When butter is dark-golden brown and has a nutty aroma, remove from heat and immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stir the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter into hot butter until melted.

Add granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, salt and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until completely mixed. Add egg and egg yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth and there are no lumps of sugar remaining.

Let sugar/egg/butter mixture stand for a few minutes. Then whisk again for 30 seconds. Do this several times - you want to make sure that the sugar has "melted" into the liquid. When ready, mixture will be smooth, thick and shiny.

Using wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in grated chocolate, chocolate chunks, chocolate chips and bacon pieces. Don't overmix but make sure no flour pockets remain.

Using a teaspoon, place a heaping teaspoon of cookie dough on the baking sheet. I get about 14 on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes (my oven takes 11 minutes) until cookies are golden-brown and set along the edges but the middle is still soft. Remove from oven and set baking sheet on a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes.

Riley's 8th Birthday

I cannot believe that Riley turned 8 this year! Where has all the time gone? Although I would certainly not go back to ages 3-6 for him, 8 is a whole new world. He is such a busy body and filled with wonderment lately. He is definitely a little sponge and I am loving all our learning time together. Finally one of my kids wants to learn from me! ha! It's so great!!

Well, my parents wanted to come up for Riley's birthday this year since they missed his awesome surprise party last year. Riley has only had a couple of birthdays that he has actually been interested in, so we try to really make the most of it. Meemaw and Peepaw come over as well. Kylie missed it this year because her social calendar is full!

We wanted to give him another surprise party but I have to say, he was hunting around here looking for cake and presents ALL day! We sent him into his room with Alan so we could decorate and he KNEW what was going on. He came flying out of his room, we yelled surprise, and he was eying all his loot. He was so happy, just not that surprised. We can't fool him any longer. ha!

wow! look at all of my stuff!

these noise makers are cool!

taking it all in

ready to make a wish

blowing out his 8 candle

I'd better call the hogs since I got this hog hat.

opening one of his MANY presents

Alan's face when he saw what Ninni and Bobo gave him. A UT shirt!! ha!

He's just so cute!

One of his favorite gifts- night goggles!

First Day of School

The first day of school came so quickly this year! I was so excited for the kids to get back into their routines and for Riley to meet his new teacher. She is raring to go and Riley has a new attitude towards learning so I am thinking that this is going to be a GREAT year!!

Here are the kids as Alan and I were taking them to school:

Riley's face is priceless!! 

Riley at his new desk in his new room!

Kylie is thinking to herself- Mom, Dad- please leave now.

Both kids have awesome teachers. Kylie's teacher is a strong, intelligent, beautiful young woman who I think is one tough cookie! She is all about self-esteem and teaching our kids the SKILLS to succeed throughout their school career and life. Kylie is so excited to have Mrs. N as her teacher.

Riley has a regular teacher, autism teacher, 3 aides, a speech therapist, and an occupational therapist. SEVEN, people! SEVEN teachers!! First of the year gifts were not an option this year, needless to say. ha!

We really like all of Riley's teachers and with his strong will to learn lately he is soaking up things like a sponge! Right now, he is spelling words left and right. So we have been getting sight words to learn. This helps him in his reading so much! He had so much wall space that I made him a word wall with my old teaching tools in his room. He loves it and really looks forward to putting up each sight word every Monday afternoon.

A BIG praise this year is Riley is now eating in the cafeteria. The new teacher cut out all day snacking and eating lunch in the room. Last year, we could bring things to keep in the little refrigerator and also foods to be heated in the microwave and they were so good about getting my little picky eater to eat something. But this year, they did away with all that so all Riley was eating from his lunch box was cheese-its and fruit snacks. So, I started letting him get a hot lunch. Surprisingly, he eats more in a hot lunch than he ever ate from a lunch box. Who knew?

Here is my little man in the cafeteria. I LOVE it!!

And I have already subbed 2 weeks in Kindergarten. Go me!

Kylie just started Girls on the Run so she will be running with friends and a coach two days a week and then will do the 5K in November. I love it when we are all busy round here! :)