I Think I Need A Winter Nap Now!

I can start by saying that Thanksgiving was a success. Entirely too much food was cooked and consumed, making me most thankful that I don't have to eat like that everyday! We had two dinners, one with the RedHead's family on Thanksgiving night and then lunch with my family yesterday. I spent my time in the kitchen making bacon-wrapped cocktail wienies (the most delicious little things ever...I'll put the recipe at the end), pecan pie, pound cake, and sweet potato casserole. I really enjoy being in the kitchen making all of these goodies, but I lack the willpower to not overindulge in them which is why I don't make them too often!

On Friday, Black Friday, I went to Walmart at 5am to take advantage of a few sales that we had scoped out earlier. It was crowded for sure, but nothing like what I've heard of in other cities...this is where it pays off to live in a small town. I was there for about an hour and was able to get everything on my list: a GPS, new bath towels (my favorite deal at $4), a toy for the Bug, and several toys/clothes for our AngelTree child. Everyone was in good spirits and very polite. I can happily say that I had a great experience, although I was a bit baffled by the women pushing around carts carrying no less than 15 crockpots or 6 RockBand game systems. What is that about???

Friday evening some friends of ours had an oyster roast, so the RedHead and I got to go out for a little adult time while my Mama kept the babes. It was much fun and I got to catch up with a lot of my highschool friends that I haven't seen in a long time. Oh! And I tried my first oyster...not raw, but steamed. It wasn't that bad (I gave it a generous dollop of cocktail sauce) but I don't think it's something that I'll be too anxious to eat again.

I think it's time for a long winter nap after such a busy Thanksgiving celebration, but I keep thinking I'm forgetting something. Oh yeah, now it's time to get started with Christmas!! Guess I'll sleep after New Years.

Bacon-Wrapped Cocktail Wienies


1 package Center Cut Bacon
1 package Beef Cocktail Wienies
Brown Sugar (how much is up to you, but aprox 1 cup)

*Cut each piece of bacon into 3 pieces.
*Wrap each wienie with a piece of the bacon.
*Line them side by side on a jelly roll pan.
*Cover with brown sugar. You can use less or more (I tend to go with more), but make sure that there is at least a thin layer covering all of the wienies.
*Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until all of the sugar has melted.

These are delicious and so easy to make!
(Image courtesy of recipetips.com because sadly I didn't take a picture before we devoured them.)

Giving Thanks

There's a lot for me to be thankful for this year...probably too many things to list, so here's what I am thankful for in this moment.

My Bug baby who is sleeping on my lap right now.
A kind, loving husband who is working right now so that I can be at home with our babes.
My Monkey who has increased my daily smile count 100% since the day he was born.
The fact that my Monkey still takes 2-3 hour naps each day.
A pecan pie cooking in the oven.
Having a safe home to live in.
My mama, who helps us with the children whenever we need her (for this I am doubly thankful).

These are just a few of the blessings God has given me and I am thankful for each and every one. Happy Thanksgiving.

Can I Get A List Please?

I know I've mentioned my affinity for lists before, and even proposed that I would abandon my list making...well, that lasted all of a week. Okay, maybe I only made it 2 days, but I tried. Now I'm in full on list mode as I work on my Christmas shopping list and currently my house updating list. The house list is taking precedence because 1-I had to start by doing some intense dusting and cleaning of baseboards/molding before the painter could start and 2-I'm really getting motivated by the idea of selling our house so we can begin building!

First on the "prepare to sell" list was to get some rooms in our house painted. We have tried our hand at painting ourselves, but it just isn't our thing. So, we're having our foyer, living room, dining room, and both bathrooms painted. Luckily, we have found this guy that is VERY reasonable and was available immediately. I think that he'll be done in the next 2 days, so then I can begin putting my house back together again. Then I have a few "decorative" projects that I want to do, so here's my shopping list:
-new shower curtain
-new towels
-shelf for bathroom
-lamp for kitchen
-large frame (because I want one of these. Check that chalkboard! Except smaller because I don't think I can make my own frame)
-possibly a rug for the living room (I need something pretty, but cheap...taking suggestions)

I think I'll stop there because this is going to cost moola and I'm I shouldn't spend too much if we're just going to sell it in a few months.

Forgive Me Friends...This Week's Confessions

I'm going to purge a bit and share with you my 7 weekly sins (nothing too juicy I regretfully admit).

Confession 1: Let's get the dirtiest confession out of the way first. I am loving Britney Spear's new song, 3. And I think she's a really good singer. And I dance to it in my car. (This is bad; it should count at 3 sins really.)

Confession 2: I like to say that I'm hanging on to the last 5 lbs of baby weight because I'm nursing, but I really know that there's only one real reason...Reese's PeanutButter Cups.

Confession 3: I love pink and green...I love Lilly...but I refuse to buy it for 3 reasons. 1-too expensive 2-a girl with double Ds doesn't do strapless 3-my hips are always too wide for those shift dresses (see confession #2)

Confession 4: I stink at staying on budget. I haven't stayed on budget since I went out of work. And the RedHead knows this. Boo! :(

Confession 5: I told my Monkey that we were out of icecream because I wanted to eat the last serving while he napped, Bad Mommy!

Confession 6: I'm totally planning on buying a back-up frozen pecan pie just in case mine doesn't turn out well. (Atonement for future Thanksgiving sin next week.)

Confession 7: I haven't shared with any of my friends or family that I'm blogging. It's no big deal, but I just didn't want to tell anyone when I started. I'm thinking the RedHead may know, so maybe I'll share with others soon.

There they are, this weeks confessions. Anything you want to confess? Oh, and please don't crack on #1, I'm fully aware of how bad it is!

Popcorn or Peanut Butter

...my two lunch choices. I'm none too happy about the fact that I can go to the grocery store and buy a hundred dollars worth of grocerys and only get dinner covered for maybe 4 nights. Breakfast-covered, snacks and drinks-covered, lunch-bread and peanut butter or a bag of popcorn, ugh. I've tried planning my meals and clipping coupons but inevitably I end up with the same "cheap" meals (pizza, pasta, veggies and rice, pintos-greens-cornbread) and then the coupons entice me to buy stuff I don't really want or even need just to save $0.35?!

I'm taking any suggestions because I've done a bad thing and ended up going WAY over the food budget by going out to eat because I don't think I can eat another plate of spaghetti for dinner or bowl of popcorn for lunch. If you know of any tried-and-true cheap dinners please share immediately! My budget and taste buds will thank you.

A Little Something To Look Forward To

The RedHead and I have started talking about the reality of beginning to build our "forever home" in the next year or so. We have looked through houseplans and magazines and books for the past two years, and I think we've found a winner! We found it about a year ago and just put it aside to revisit when the time was closer for us to begin building. Well, we're almost there.

The plan is to start by having some updates done to our current home; new front stoop, new flooring in the kitchen and bathroom, and new paint in the dining and living rooms. We have been working on a few things a little bit at a time (new stove, kitchen sink, bedrooms painted) so hopefully it will help our house sell quickly.

Once the updates are done we will list our house (most likely in early spring) and then start construction. I am sooo excited about this step, but I know what it means. Going back to work. Blah. That, I am not ready to think about. I know that it is 9 months away, but time passes so quickly that it will be here in no time. I have to keep telling myself that this is my "little something to look forward to!"

Click here to see 0ur Forever Home!

Oh...and imagine it with an extended front porch that comes out even with the garage and goes across the front of the house. And one (not 2) large garage door. Exterior will be a bit altered to look more like this picture. Ok, I'll shut up now!

A Man to Emulate

My husband's grandfather passed away this past Saturday, so we've been away for the past couple days to attend his visitation and funeral. I have to say that I sadly didn't get to know his grandfather very well...we only see his grandparents a couple times a year since they live further away, but what I witnessed in his passing spoke volumes about the man he was.

I had the honor of standing in the line to receive condolences from those who came to pay their respects at the funeral home and I bet I shook no less than 500 hands that night. Then yesterday, at the funeral, I heard moving words spoken about him, the works he did, and the faith he had in the Lord. As a veteran, he had the Honor Guard there to do their part in the services. The shots rang out and Taps was played; it was a special moment.

Even after his death, he is touching people...it made me want to know that I will be remembered in the same way, and so may my husband, and that I will raise children who leave their mark on this world. I want to be known for giving more than I received, treating others fairly and kindly, and most of all I want to be known for my faith. He was a man to emulate.