Thanksgiving - Part 2

Well, I just have to say that as much as I enjoy being a Southern girl, being back in the midwest begins to feel so home-like. Pretty sure it's the food. Yes, mostly the food. Out here the salsa is spicier and the Krispy Kremes give out free hot ones. Life is just a little sweeter out here. ;) Ok, ok, I'm kidding. But in all seriousness, I'm SUPER excited about lunch tomorrow! This:

is in the crockpot as we speak. The picture definitely doesn't do it justice. It looks like meatloaf...and that, it definitely is not. It is a roast, rubbed down with chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika (smoked paprika? who knew!), seared and plopped in the crock pot. Deglaze the the searing pan with some stock, throw in a little tomato paste and chipotle peppers and reduce. Add in a bunch of garlic and onions, pour over the roast, wait 6-8 hours...and voila! At least, I'm really hoping for "voila." There's a lot of excitement and anticipation built up, and this baby better deliver.  I'm planning to throw together some guacamole, and unfried-refried beans (crockpot was doing double duty today!) that are currently sitting in the fridge. And then there are the fresh-made whole wheat tortillas I picked up from H-E-B today....YUM! I'll let you know how it turns out. Like I said, expectations are hiiiiigh!

Ok, so on to more interesting topics - the rest of our Thanksgiving vacation in Oklahoma! We took Audrey to Rusty's to get a taste of Oklahoma-style custard. I suppose it's not very different from Georgia-style... Anyway, I think she liked the chalk best. :)

I think we wore her out...

Thursday I took these three to Chick-fil-a for breakfast! Uncle David and Aunt Susan "helped" Audrey get up to the slide in the playplace... I think they had a good time. Also Audrey finally started to warm up to David. All it took was a couple trips down the slide on his lap!

We kicked off the weekend by stepping on a bee. The poor little kiddo. I was very thankful that my fellow "crunchy" girlfriend (Sherilyn!) had a fight with a bee a few weeks ago herself, and was able to point us in the right direction. Audrey's whole little foot swelled up, but we treated it quickly, and she soon fell asleep on Mimi's lap and by the time she woke up she wanted to walk on it! She didn't complain about it at all after that!

Saturday morning we went to breakfast with some ladies from my family's church, and then to Lydia's salon to get ..... ~ Audrey's first hair cut ~ !!!! (Pics to come!)


Then we were off to OU to take more pictures with Heather. Those will come later as well... but for now, these will have to do!

Later that day we watched Georgia get beat...very anti-climactically, I must say. It was still fun watching football with my fam. It's been a while!

Ok, that's all for now. Next time....potty training! Ah!

Blah

Well, nobody get in a tizzy because I'm updating 2 times in just as many days, and definitely don't let yourself have expectations about this post. I have very little to say other than...AAAHHH!!!!

Since you're no doubt dying to know why I'm losing my mind, let me fill you in. Roy came home exhausted, and sick (?), so Audrey and I ventured out to the grocery store by ourselves. I have to admit I was a little stir crazy after not getting out at all since Sunday afternoon (!!!!!!). I tried to get Audrey to the park today, but after repeatedly telling her to come get ready I realized she was laying on the couch. Which is weird for her. She didn't have a fever...so apparently it's a silent killer. Just kidding.

Anyway, back to the part where Audrey and I went to the grocery store and barely lived to regret it. So, the fussyness started when I told her she couldn't watch "Doggies" (101 Dalmations) in the car because the DVD stuff wasn't set up. Truth be told, I was really relishing the idea of q-u-i-e-t. That was a pipe dream. Once in the store, it was tantrum after tantrum. From not getting a cookie because the bakery was closed (and seeing as her attitude didn't improve her chances of getting one anyway were slim-to-none), to the lobster tank not being mobile and readily available for adoption. Fits all over the place. I usually love H-E-B, but we were in and out as quickly as possible. When I went to put her in the car I smelled something... "Are you poopy?" "Nope." Translation..."YEP." Apparently it had gone "boom."

Home, bathtub, unload groceries, lots of dishes, messy house. Now, I sit sharing this with all of you because Roy obviously wouldn't appreciate being an audience at the moment. :)

On the upside, my darling husband let me sleep in this morning and even fixed Audrey breakfast! It was glorious.

This afternoon Audrey helped me make pumpkin cream cheese muffins for Roy to take to the guys at work tomorrow. Mostly she dumped things and licked things, but it was a lot of fun. :)

Ok, I should probably get to bed before I succumb to the desire to eat said pumpkin cream cheese goodness. I'll leave you with this:

Oh, how quickly the time goes by.

Lazy Monday

It is a this:

 kind of day. Banana Bread Mug Cake. (see http://passthesushi.com/banana-bread-in-a-mug/) After several rough nights, a long weekend, the onset of some pretty cold weather, and feeling kind of icky, Audrey and I have officially done....nothing....today. Not even make Banana Bread Mug Cake! Apparently Deborah, Amelia and Claire are having a Lazy Monday party at their house (without us), but we're definitely there in spirit! And productivity level.

Linda brought us back to sunny San Antone last Monday night/Tuesday morning and stayed for a few days. It was only supposed to be through Thursday morning, but her car had other plans and she didn't leave til Friday afternoon. :)

We went to the did-up Riverwalk, complete with hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights. Audrey (and I) were in heaven.

These pictures don't really do it justice, but I promise to make Heather take lots of pictures when she's down later this month!

We finally rode a "boat" for Audrey!

The guy taking this picture took it, and then said, "oh I think you blinked." ...nope, that's just how my eyes look when I smile. :-P

Saw the Alamo...

We ate at one of our favorite local dives...

They have wooonderful BBQ, but what they're infamous for is their Thai BBQ (made with sriracha and wasabi!) and their Spicy Thai Burger.

(sorry for the blurryness!)

My husband is a brave, brave man. They make that thing with Thai peppers they grow themselves, stick 'em in a food processor, and then mix with the hamburger meat. One bite opened up sinus passages I didn't know I had. Woo-hoo. It was some GOOD stuff.

Well, that's pretty much the highlights from the last week or so. I'll leave you with some pictures from our shopping trip last night. :)

Audrey trying on crowns in the Disney Store. You can tell how big she thinks she is. 

We were trying to get a family picture, but sooomebody kept sticking her tongue out and making her mom laugh.

Ok, that's all. Happy Monday! :)

Thanksgiving - Part 1

Well, one thing this holiday season has managed to hold to tradition - going to my parents' for Thanksgiving. And at the price of a measly 7 hour trip! It seems like children's play... Anyway, Roy had to work all day the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so we loaded up that evening and drove through the night.

I have to take a minute to post some pics of my I-have-too-much-time-on-my-hands-and-no-wrapping-paper...presents. My family exchanges presents on Thanksgiving, which is kind of a nice precursor to the Christmas rush.

And then there's David's present... for some reason this makes me giggle every time I see it. :)

Mk, enough of that.

So, we had a spectacular time. Lots of games, laughing, togetherness, and of course eating. Roy and I managed to sneak a night out in there, and of course Braum's had to be included. What else are you supposed to do while you're in Oklahoma?

Glory.

Roy headed back Sunday morning, as he had to check in at the hotel that evening. Audrey and I stayed a few more days and Linda brought us back yesterday.

Ok, a shower beckons and I shall update more later. :)



P.S. There is officially Christmas music playing in our living room. WHUT!

Thrill Issues

*Ahem*

The Slide of Terror.

It might not look so daunting, but this monstrosity is a good 10 feet tall. And, of course, Audrey adores it.

The slide is named such because this momma can't follow Audrey to the top while keeping her stomach intact. So I keep a careful hand under her (from the ground) and then pray she slides down the front of the slide and not the back.

Actually it's not so bad.

...that was a lie.

Anyway, today we dropped Roy off very early at the hotel and brought the car back, since he'll most likely be there aaaallll day. We did a little last-minute shopping (before heading to OK for Thanksgiving!) and then headed to the park for a run.

It was a spectacular day for a run...

Audrey was a big fan. :)

And then there was this pretty little thing... never seen one of those before!

We had a nice little run and went down the slide a few times (of course). Not the Slide of Terror, a much more up-to-date and safer one. :-P

So I can't wait for Roy to get home today. I keep finding little surprises that he'll really like and so he needs to get home.

First on the list is this...

When I was at the grocery store this morning they were pulling out some HOT whole wheat tortillas...YUM! Roy really likes quesadillas, and I never make them, soooo why not?

Anyway, I certainly have more than enough to keep me busy, so I'm trying to, um, keep busy. :)


I'll leave you with this (quite wonderful) picture from the other night when we went to the hot tub... I have no idea what they were doing, but it's cute!

Draggy

Heyo.

This post is for Diane, who claims to like reading this blog and requested more posts! :)

Well, today has been a little rough. Since Wednesday I feel like tiredness has hit me like a ton of bricks and today has proven to be no different. I woke up with Roy and Audrey as usual, but that didn't last long. After breakfast I fell in and out of sleep while Audrey watched Bugs (A Bug's Life). She was super fussy and on the verge of falling asleep herself so I eventually put her in bed and went to bed myself. I awoke to really loud clanging sounds, and I never actually figured out what they were...

We just had popcorn for lunch. What has the world come to?

I think this might have been the first time she's eaten popcorn - wow! When the bowl gets low, she starts eating with one hand and hoarding with the other...


Audrey has been learning her "ABC's" ...and she might or might not think that it is universally understood that "'A' is for 'Audrey'" hehe. She also thinks every electronic screen is a touch screen. Can you imagine never knowing otherwise?!

The other night we stopped by the nearest mall, and they had a Disney store........

Although Audrey was much more excited about the Godiva store, and I must say I can't blame her.

Last Saturday we went to this really cool park that right by us. There are several REALLY cool running trails, and I'll have to take pics soon!

Someday Audrey and I are going to document our apartment and such....the park...etc. Lots of pictures to come - promise!