Just for fun

I was working on the computer and Christopher came in for a visit wearing Bryan's (yes my feet are large, but no they are actually Bryan's) shoes.

Here he is trying to figure it out

We had to drop Bryan off at school and Christopher insisted on bringing the shoes. At 17 months old Christopher can only say about 3-4 words but he can still find a way to make his will known or "insist" on something.

Buffalo Springs and a Picnic

I was starting to go crazy which seems to happen at least a couple times every semester,

and Between Bryan sensing this and me telling him, "I am going CRAZY" we decided to go on a little adventure. We headed over to a little place called Buffalo Springs about 15 minutes out and spent an afternoon checking out the sights and having a little picnic.

It's a funny little area, Lubbock is as flat as can be and that is all I have seen for the past year and a half...until the other day, we went down a hill...WHAT, I didn't know they even existed here.Buffalo Springs has a little camping area which would be a perfect "practice camping" site for Bryan and Christopher next year perhaps when mom is having another crazy moment.

Thanksgiving or Bust!

Thanksgiving has come and gone and the last of the pie has been eaten up...thanks to me.

The dinner preparations began Wednesday

Oops!

But nothing that can't be fixed.

and I planned to photo document my steps but around 1:00 in the afternoon when my feet almost gave out on me and my eyes started tearing uncontrollably due to the onions I was cutting for the stuffing, and my nose running which caused me to take a minute to blow it which then caused a bloody nose, typical Whit, which then lead to me stuffing a sheet of paper towel up my nose, not pleasant, while blinded by onions in order to get back to chopping, let's just say it wasn't a pretty site and the pictures stopped.

(And for anyone reading this that participated in our dinner, I washed my hands, I washed my hands, I washed my hands, there was no actual blood drippage anywhere near the food, all was sanitary!) When the big day rolled around I was convinced I would have everything warm and on the table on time...yeah right!

Our little bird

The Turkey cooked in half the time I expected, I doubled the roll recipe (I used Afton's cousins) which started to overflow my Bosch so I just dumped half of it when I couldn't fit it in my largest bowl, and yes folks it still needed to double in size!

I started runnning around like a "Turkey" with my head cut off trying to cook the rolls and green beans, warm the spinach dip and stuffing while trying to make gravy which always takes longer then expected! It was crazy in the end and some of the food was cold but I think everything at least tasted pretty good, it had a nice flavor. I decided in order to entertain the way I would like, a double oven is a must and until then, cold food will always be my biggest nemesis!

Green beans, prier to cooking

There were no doors taken down this year to be used as our table (see Thanksgiving 08') and my last minute attempt to make Martha Stewart's hanging tissue paper puffs over my table never came to be...I made one and it looked ridiculous, never mind because the friends arrived and the festivities were underway ready or not. Our usually empty house filled with loving friends and the sounds and smells of the holidays.

Thank you everyone that came and helped make Thanksgiving 2009 a success, I love doing this and look forward to next year!

I love you!

I must take a moment and express my appreciation for my new found love...

MR. Clean

MAGIC ERASERS

This product will change your life. I first purchased the bathroom sponge and went to town on my tub, and miracles happened folks, miracles. The next purchase was the "Original" eraser and I went to work on my 1970's kitchen and a miracle happened again!

I used my new love in my sink and it took 10 years off at least. I even had rust marks on my laminate counter from letting a pot sit out too long and they came off with ease, even the red fruit juice stain...GONE!

Christopher has taken up to coloring on things he shouldn't but never fear, Mr. Clean is here.

(Sing it)

Mr. Clean Mr.Clean

From one housewife to another, go pick these up today!

Thanksgiving Prep, are you up for it?

So Thanksgiving is around the corner and preparations have begun!

I love hosting dinners at my house besides the fact that I can't talk, I am painfully shy and cooped up in a house with a 16 month old doesn't give me much practice, but someday I will write a book. The book will be very short because I still will not get the timing down so the veggies will be cold and the meat under cooked and then I will always battle myself on trying to add one more unnecessary yet potentially tasty dish to the menu.

Enough said, I am trying it out again, THANKSGIVING 2010 !

Christopher took a great nap the other day, which had me locked up with the dogs in the computer room for three hours so needless to say, I have my Thanksgiving menu planned, shopping list started, timeline written, recipes researched, and saved all in my Thanksgiving file on the desktop. I am usually not crazy, I am just going to go ahead and blame this one on my mom and sisters who are crazy list makers, or planning events months in advance (Karen).

I am keeping the menu traditional, because I am not big on change and I don't want to throw anyone for a loop. Besides the best parts about Thanksgiving dinner are: #1 Rolls; #2 Potatoes; #3 Dessert; and #4 Stuffing.

I have the Turkey purchased today so it can properly defrost in the fridge so I don't accidentally give anyone food poisoning. I also spent the other morning up to my eyeballs in pie dough making and freezing 6 crusts for the big day. Now six pies are probably even more then I could eat but in my recipe hunt I read about a lady that always made extra dough for chicken (Turkey) pot pie in order to use up the left overs, geniu-u-u-s-s-s!

So here is the Menu:

(We will have to compare and see what actually happens on the big day)

Appetizer

Hot spinach artichoke dip (Houston's Recipe)

Lime Punch (Paula Deen)

Dinner

Turkey (Alton Browns brine recipe from 2009)

Rolls and jam (Recipe undecided)

Potatoes and gravy (Martha Stewart's moms recipe)

Sweet potatoes (these always scare me but a friend promises her recipe will make me wantingmore, so she gets to make it)

Southern Mac-n-cheese (for the kiddos, a friend is making this one)

Cranberry sauce (the jellied kind from a can, call it nasty but it is oh so good)

Stuffing (Not from a box folks, I purchased the bread today so we will see what comes of it)

Corn

Glazed carrots

Green bean bacon bundles (Paula Deen)

Dessert

Pumpkin Chiffon pie (Grandma Paul's recipe)

Pecan pie (I going with moms recipe this year, pat yourself on the back mom, it's ok)

Apple pie w/ ice cream (America's Test Kitchen, don't fail me now)

Mile high lemon meringue pie (Cooks country)

Whew, and that is it folks! I am not making everything, I have some very helpful friends but I am up for the challenge.

I am off, wish me luck!

*This is soo not interesting to anyone but maybe my great-great-grandkids will want to know where the Pumpkin Chiffon pie they eat comes from...

Jeans, ahhh

Oh how I hate freshly laundered jeans!

I hate that they show me that I really haven't lost any weight despite the fact that they were falling off prior to being washed.

Bulging pockets, tight thighs and the dreaded muffin top (the pooch hanging over the top of the jeans)

Oh how I hate freshly laundered jeans!

A cultural day out in Lubbock

Bryan's mom came in town this past weekend so we decided to take her to the Heritage Museum. Bryan and I had not been, so it was a perfect excuse to go, especially with the weather being so nice. The Heritage Museum is 16 acres of land where they have relocated or replicated old ranching homes for you to tour.

Christopher broke free from his stroller and headed for the plains of Lubbock.

Going, Going, Going

Caught!

Happy Family, there was no chance Christopher was going to cooperate.

Dad and Son

We had a fun time but Christopher was finished so we didn't quite see all of it, so maybe another day.

Grandma and Christopher posing in front of the cowboy with the chew in his cheek... only in Texas

Thank you for having us Heritage Museum, and thank you for being FREE!

This little boy had a long day... Is there anything as cute as a sleeping baby?

Photo Restoration

My mom asked me to work on a couple of photos for a genealogy gift she is working on for Christmas.

Here is what I was able to do...

Before

After

I was pretty impressed If I do say so myself, I think I feel that way because this picture took a while.

Happy Halloween!

While Sandra was in town visiting I put her to work and she made Christopher his first Halloween costume. A Clown

We got some good use out of it by first going to Bryan's law school party

This was before I whipped together a hot glue gun felt hat -

and then to our ward Fall festival, Halloween night, and then later to a friends house. Bryan took Christopher around to the neighbors,

here he is chatting with Tiger while waiting for his goods!

Our wards Fall Festival/Trunk or Treat was interesting to see because our church parking lot shares the same lot with the Temple.

We decided it was time to head home when Christopher kept trying to run up to the temple doors.

Sheetcake and Christopher

Are you talking to me?

Yes...well hello then

My sisters and children came in town about two weeks ago and I had big plans to make most of the meals ahead of time and freeze them, including treats. There cannot be an insufficient amount of sugar around when you get the Paul girls together! I had some buttermilk laying around and what else do you use buttermilk for except mashed potatoes and Texas sheet cake.

Seeing how Texas sheet cake would be fitting for their visit since it is made out of chocolate butter and sugar, I couldn't go wrong. Every time I try to do anything, Christopher climbs up the barstools and onto the counter so this time I pulled up a chair and let him help.

His help only lasted so long until he was up on the counter again so I did what any mom would do, strapped him in his highchair and gave him the spatula so I could finish baking. I think he enjoyed helping, what do you think? The fun ended when he started sharing with the dog Bono.

No camera for you...time to say goodbye!

"The Moble" an extension of my life...

I can't believe it has been a year already! I spent the morning looking at my old posts and I am amazed at how fast time flies.

I read the post about working on Christopher's room and that I was hoping to get a mobile made which finally happened. I was hoping to find a mobile I could just buy but that never seems to work for me know does it! I get these "visions" as I call them, more like stupid ideas, which have me end up making something way more complicated and time consuming then I can handle.

Well, here is my mobile, a work in progress. It is not quite what I had in mind, but then again, nothing ever is when I make it, you think I would learn a lesson here, but never the less I like it, I guess. I have been working on trying to find more ways to bring color into his room so I am going to glue scrapbook paper to the birds and leaves.

Sorry the pictures are not great there was a lack on natural light happening with it being overcast out today.

Now do you see how the mobile is suppose to be an extension of the tree...ah you see it now?... no? Well it's suppose to be, at least in my mind, that is what 4 years of college will get you, crazy ideas. Shout out to Jenn, you get what I am after correct; I can count on you another product of ASU interior design program to see my crazy ways! Well as I look around Christopher's room, it is still not finished but I am ok with that, it gives my twisted mind something to ponder on.

Lubbock's 1st Pumpkin Trail

So I thought I had a fun activity planned this evening but like so many fantastic ideas this one did not go as well as I pictured in my mind. I receive an email every week updating me on all the fun and exciting happenings in Lubbock each week and I came across a FREE family activity to go view over 500 carved pumpkins and the community center. Well, I wasn't expecting much of a crowd but there were sooo many people I mean hundreds of people. All I wanted was a photo of our family having a great evening out but Christopher was not having it.

Christopher right before the tantrum hit

Christopher does not like to be strapped down and just wanted to run and run, not such a good idea when there are over 500 lit pumpkins with real candles.

Christopher running

Bryan and I at least had fun looking at the different carvings on the pumpkins while it lasted; my favorite was a pumpkin with two small pumpkins for eyes that looked like an owl. We wouldn't be in Lubbock if there were not at least a couple Texas Tech logos, only in Texas!

I didn't get our family picture to prove how fun we are...but I am glad we still made the effort to get out and spend some quality time together.