Sunday Night Suppa

One of the traditions that my entire family has is Sunday night supper (or as we say in the south-"suppa"). My mother, aunts, cousins, and grandfather come to our house and pig out! It is a great time for us to reconnect after not seeing each other for a whole week. I am very close with my family and they all live within five-ten minutes away. I am truly blessed. I don't know if this is an "only child" mentality but, I can't imagine not seeing them on a regular basis. These posts will include the recipes and pictures of our time together!


Tonight I made vegetable soup and HOMEMADE banana pudding. I got the recipe for the pudding from one of my favorite ladies, Christy Jordan. 

 

Vegetable Soup

3 cans diced Italian style tomatoes 
1 can pinto beans
1 can red beans
1 can whole white sweet corn (drained)
1 can lima beans
1 can butter beans
2 cups frozen okra
2 cups frozen green beans
1 can new potatoes
1 can tomato paste 
2 cans water
1lb. ground beef


Seasoning:
2 bay leaves
Minced garlic (season to taste)
salt and pepper (season to taste)

The banana pudding was delicious!!! See the link above for the recipe! So easy, and sooo good!!!

 

My beautiful cousin, Presley (Winnie). 

 

 PawPaw and Mallory

 My aunt, Tammy, who would not let me photograph her face because she didn't have her makeup on! That is also why you do not see my mother. She too, did not "have her face on."

Kids' Art...

As I was looking at my refrigerator the other day, I realized I have to find another way to organize the girls beautiful art work. Everyday they are bringing home the cutest crafts and I just throw them on the fridge in layers. I was so excited to remember an email I had gotten several weeks ago from the guys @ Make and Takes. They used a curtain rod to hang art work on (see their post here). I WAS SO EXCITED!!! This is something easy and cheap too!

 

  

I just used one ring per art work. 

Winter Cons

There are a lot of things that I love about winter. I love the cold, crisp air. I love the snow that we have gotten this year (and the snow days home from school). I love sitting by the fire and hearing the wood crack and pop. I love the big fluffy sweaters and scarves. I especially love the holidays that come during the winter months. However, I do have one major con about this season...DRY SKIN. Sophia has really suffered most. When she went to the doctor on Tuesday, I showed him her scalp. It looks as if she has cradle cap (or as I sometime accidentally say cradle crap). Her head is so dry and flaky. He called it something in medical terms that I could never repeat, pronounce, or spell. He told me to grease her scalp at night with Eucerin lotion and wash it out the next morning. So, as you can see below...we have one big mess on our hands! She thoroughly enjoyed it though! I imagine it did feel good. Who doesn't love getting a head massage with thick, greasy, cream? Anyway, I am hoping washing it out in the morning will reveal nicely moisturized skin! 

 Is it me or does Fifi resemble a chipmunk in this picture? :)

 

 

 She sat so still and was so patient. She is so precious.

I love that they both have the exact same expression. They are also doing the exact same things with their mouths. Their new thing is sucking in their bottom lips. I must tell them that this is not a flattering look (even though there is really nothing they could do to look bad in my eyes).

Daddy Day-Care

The girls stayed home with daddy today. He is such a sweet man! We have to rotate days to stay out with them when they are sick. I took a day Tuesday, Gran Gran on Wednesday, and today was Daddy's day! They had so much fun! Last time he kept them I came home to a beautifully cleaned home and the girls' toenails were painted (remember this post?). Well today, this is what I came home and found.

 Needless to say, they had a blast. Who would know that Sophia was sick? Looks like there will be a lot of cleaning tonight! Wish me luck!

Woman Lady

Tonight my oldest daughter (and by oldest I mean 3, but when I say it like that it sounds like I have a 20 year old), called me the most hilarious thing I have ever heard so I had to blog about it. As we were walking to the playroom she says, "Come on woman lady!" I laughed so hard I thought I was going to rupture something. Of course, then, she gets tickled, and then Fifi begins to laugh. It was really a funny moment that I will remember for quite some time. I love the age that my girls are right now. I never know what is going to come out of their mouths. 

*Sophia update* Both of the girls stayed home with Gran Gran today. They had a blast. They built tents, snacked all day, had NO discipline, and NO NAP. Thanks Mom!!! Tomorrow they will be staying home with daddy. I can't wait to see what the house looks like when I get home...TBA.

So long all of you WOMAN LADIES...

The Flu...Take 4

Sophia woke up this morning with a temperature of 102. She has been a little congested but that has come to be the norm during these winter months. However, there is always a bright red flag waved when one of my babies gets a fever. We went to the doctor this afternoon and she had a positive flu test. This will make the fourth time my poor baby has had the flu. I am just wondering though, how long do you stay positive after you get the flu? Our pediatrician wasn't convinced that the flu was the only thing going on with her. Her throat was extremely inflamed and her right ear looked questionable. We knew what that would mean...a SHOT! She screamed for just a minute and was ready to pick out her sticker! Here she is fast asleep with the stickers close at hand. She is saving one to give to her big sister. Precious...

Weekend Wrap-Up

This weekend we had A LOT on our agenda! Friday night I spent some well needed time with some of my best girlfriends. We had a get together over at Jodi's house. It was, well, definitely interesting!

  

Saturday was a low key evening. We stayed in and enjoyed family time together. These are my most favorite nights! We ordered Outback and played all night! The girls played a little too hard. So much so, they had to take a "time out" for being ugly and not sharing!

 

 

  

  

  

Sunday we woke up to the most beautiful weather. We knew instantly we needed to go to the zoo! The girls had a blast! Their favorite part was feeding the lorikeets. They were so brave and didn't even flinch when the birds would land on them. I couldn't believe it! I was scared to death! I didn't want those birds coming anywhere near me!

  

  

  

  

  

After the zoo, because we weren't exhausted enough, we headed on over to the Galleria. The girls have never been to Build-A-Bear and we were in the area so, hey, why not? Let me just say that it was....a...disaster. Maybe this is why we have yet to go. The girls were so overwhelmed. They could not make a decision. But then again, they truly get it honest. I have trouble picking out bread. Fifi wanted a bear, then she saw a bunny, then a cat, then a dog, and Mallory wanted a chipmunk which they DID NOT HAVE, then she wanted Hello Kitty. Next, (before deciding on an animal) they saw all of the clothes and shoes to dress up the stuffed toys. Well, of course they wanted to go ahead and accessorize the animals that they HAD NOT PICKED OUT! Long story short, Mallory chose a bear (which she thinks is a chipmunk) and Sophia chose the sweetest bunny. It turned out to be really neat. They got to put a heart in them and give them a bath! However, we will wait a long while before going back! :) 

  

  

  

  

  

  

We will miss you weekend. Hurry back soon!!!

Playing Around...

Tonight I had class (I am working on my master's degree-I will be finished this summer) and when I got home my girls looked so beautiful that I just had to take pictures! I could stare at them forever. I look at these pictures and am just reminded how precious this time is. I know that I will probably turn around twice and they will be grown.

 

A daughter is a miracle that never ceases to be miraculous...full of beauty and forever beautiful...loving and caring and truly amazing.
-- Deanna Beisser

 A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.
-- Author Unknown

Our daughters are the most precious of our treasures, the dearest possessions of our homes and the objects of our most watchful love.
-- Margaret E. Sangster

MeatLove and one hot mess!

Tonight my honey made us not meatloaf, but meatLOVE. It was so yummy! 

 We followed this yummy meal with what we thought would be so fun to make and eat. It was a hot mess!!! Earlier in the week a fellow blogger, Beth (whom I adore), had the cutest recipe for meringue ice cream cones. This was so precious that I had to try it!!! I am by no means a great cook or baker but I thought this would be fail proof. It all started with the meringue...

No fluff. No peaks. What had I done wrong? I beat this meringue to death trying to get some fluff. It finally got a little thicker. However, I am positive there was never a peak or even a valley. Maybe it was closer to a rolling hill. Anyway, I decided to go ahead and fold in the m&ms. I then transferred scoops of the "mixture" to the baking sheet. I predicted it would all run together and form a great big blob. It didn't, but then again, things aren't over yet. 

 (yes, my daughters look homeless because I have been so busy whipping the meringue and have not had the chance to wipe their face or comb their hair)

After about 15 minutes of putting the meringue in the oven I began to smell smoke. Hmmm, surely not. Oh yes! THEY WERE BURNING. I immediately pulled out the ones that were on the bottom rack and got this...

WHAT...IS....THIS????? Did I just make pancakes? You will be happy to know that the other pans were alright and continued to cook without burning. In the meantime I got the cones ready.

 I totally got this right (there was no cooking involved in this step). Alright so, the timer goes off and I get the meringue out of the oven and begin to transfer to the cooling racks. Well, guess what happens??? THEY BEGIN TO CRACK AND BREAK. Long story short, I did manage to save most of them. Mine did not turn out as cute as Beth's did. But, they tasted yummy and the girls LOVED them! That's what it's all about, right?