Christmas Shopping Fun!

I was doing last minute Christmas shopping and headed down to Fogo de Chao to get a gift certificate. I was doing a no-no, talking on my cell while going down I35, and I missed my exit. Since we are working on updating our kitchen, I thought I would stop by Fabric Factory, because I don't get down there that often. On my excursion, I had brought a blue bag to put all the gift cards in that I was accumulating.

Got out of the car with the blue bag and my handbag, open the trunk, throw the blue bag in the trunk to keep it safe. A nano second before the truck closed, I realized I had the blue bag on my shoulder and can you guess the rest? My handbag, keys, cell phone, wallet and all my other worldly treasures were locked in the trunk! Yes, I am 22.1 miles and 29 minutes (40 minutes IF there is traffic - Galleria, 2 days before Christmas, no IFs here) ...just a little ways from another set of keys.

I go into Fabric Factory hanging my head like a dog that just lost his bone, and ask to use the phone, hoping that I get an answer on the other end of the line. My wonderful, loving husband answered and as I stumble through the story, thinking he is going to explode, he is fantastically unfazed by the new task that has been added to his busy day!

Thirty-five minutes later, my worldly treasures have been rescued from the dark and cavernous trunk!
Thanks to my knight in shining armor who rescued the day!

And thank you to all the great people at Fabric Factory that let me sit on a beautifully upholstered couch!  Rest assured that I will be back for my fabric on a less stressful day!
You can visit Fabric Factory at http://www.fabricfactory.com/

My Husband's Daughter

There comes a time in every young girl's life that she wants her father. My husband and Kelly's mother were divorced when she was just a toddler. Her mom remarried. Even though, try as he might, my husband was unable to keep a constant presence in his daughter’s life. There were several attempts at different ages to become connected again with her. I am testament to one such attempt when Kelly was around 14 years old. She visited us around Christmas and I dressed my daughter and Kelly in matching footy pajamas. They at least acted like they were excited!

There comes a time in every woman’s life that she wants her father. My story is similar to Kelly’s in a lot of ways. My parents divorced when I was 11 and because of my circumstances, I was not back to a consistent relationship with my father until I was 30 something. We met one day and I got his side of the story and then realized that there are at least two sides to every story. As our relationship renewed, I felt closeness that I had rarely experienced with my father before and it was wonderful!

The love between a young girl or a 30 something woman and her father can never be as sweet as this moment captured in time!

Pickled What?

My mother-in-law, Mama Lou, calls me on Friday to tell me about this great new recipe, "Pickled Grapes." OK, I have heard of okra, asparagus, and onions being pickled. Even eggs and one of my dad's after work snacks "Pickled Pigs Feet." That one I always declined to try!

So when Saturday dawns, I decided to try my hand at "pickled grapes." Mama Lou had told me the ingredients, so I went to the internet and found one that had all the correct spices, garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes. I did all my Saturday errands and stopped at the local Tom Thumb last for groceries. Red, green, black grapes...check...rosemary, garlic...check...white vinegar, kosher salt...check. Sugar was in the pantry and we always have red pepper flakes.  Look for pint jars - none to be found. Jaclyn was with me and volunteered (I think) to go to Wal-Mart and get the jars.

While she was gone, I plucked the grapes off the stems and washed them well. When she arrived, we started making the pickled part. Water, rosemary . . . . . where's the rosemary? All three of us; I, Jaclyn and Ronnie looked everywhere, the fridge, the trunk of the car, the pantry, the microwave (I have been known to put items in there that belonged elsewhere). Looked at the receipt and I paid for it so . . . into the car and back to Tom Thumb. Customer Service was very nice and told me to go get another package.

Back to the house, add red pepper flakes. . . . NONE, I can't believe it, we have NONE.  This is a staple in the pantry and there are NONE.  Text the neighbor and a few minutes later her great kids show up with a baggy of red pepper flakes.  OK, we are ready but, did we put in the sugar, vinegar, kosher salt? Don't really remember, but we continued with the rosemary and garlic. Mama Lou's jars had a stick of rosemary, our recipe said to take the needles of a 4" stem of rosemary, so we did. Simmered this concoction and then poured over the grapes in the jar; made 3 pints. Let the jars cool to room temperature, and then into the fridge for at least an hour. By now it is time for Ronnie to cook our mini-steaks on the grill.

Bedtime. Ronnie and I decide to try the grapes - Mama Lou, REALLY? You liked these?!?!? Then I started thinking about the day. I think we may have skipped a few ingredients - mainly the sugar - oh, yea the vinegar was supposed to be white WINE vinegar. 

So come this Saturday, Jaclyn will be gone to the Citizen's Police Academy and Ronnie will be at Christian Brothers doing free oil changes for single mothers, and I will go the grocery store and buy more grapes, white WINE vinegar, stock up on red pepper flakes and check my bag before I leave to come home and make "Pickled Grapes Uninterrupted!"

The funniest part though was when Jaclyn came back over on Sunday. We told her how good they were and she tried one and promptly spit it out!

Here is a beautiful picture of Mama Lou’s “Pickled Grapes.”  Below is the recipe!
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Crispy Fall Weather - Fall Mantel Party 2010

It is so wonderful to finally feel the cool air and the renewal of my spirit. The 100+ temperatures in North Texas made me very “dewy.” I should have bought stock in P&G for deodorant alone!

Fall Mantle Party at the Nester

As soon as the morning air was the slightest crisp, it was time to celebrate by decorating my mantel to bring this new season into my home.

The cornucopia was made several years ago. I bought “fall bushes” took the flowers and leaves apart and glued them to round stryfoam ball. Since orange is not my favorite color, I choose more of the purples and reds. The candle holders and candles I received a couple of Christmas’s ago from my boss (yes, she is a female).

Peter Piper Picked . . .

390 Peppers (Free) (13 strings X 30 peppers)
$20.00 of Postage - Ronnie’s dad sent them, plus detailed instructions, which I found (if you know me the simplier the better) a better way to string the peppers.
$11.63 - One hour and 45 minutes at $7.75 per hour, putting peppers on the string to dry out.
$15.50 –  After they dry, bake in oven two hours and put through food processor.
TOTAL = 1 jar of pepper flakes = $47.13

For $47.13 Sam's would have sold me enough pepper flakes to last a life-time!

Reasons Why You Rock

I was fortunate to attend a 2.5 hour seminar by Kathy Light, author of “Reasons Why You Rock”, this past Saturday.   As she begins, she reflects –
"One Saturday, when my daughter was just seven years old, she came bounding down the stairs with her usual cherry smile proclaiming, ‘Mommy, you have to come see the Power Point I made on the computer! It’s called, “Reasons Why I Rock” and it’s about all the reasons why I rock. If I ever get sad, I’ll just read it and it will make me feel happy!’ "

WOW! What a statement!
WOW! What a wonderful way to make us all be better – focus on our positive selves! WOW! What a great way to spend a Saturday morning with good friends and a great teacher!

Kathy Light’s book  is all about what it says – Realize Your Greatness and Amplify Your Personal Power. With chapters devoted to How YOU Rock, with worksheets to complete; you actually take the time to reflect on aspects of your life where you ROCK. As you write down your thoughts, you get more and more introspective and realize that you do ROCK!
I would recommend this to all my girlfriends (and guyfriends) . . . go to her website to learn more! http://kathylight.com/

See Anything Out of Place?

I always put ice cream in the Microwave for about 20 seconds to get it soft – well, it works too well, if you get your 2 scoops out and then put the ice cream, not in the freezer, but back into the microwave.  The bright side - it gives me an excuse to try Blue Bell's "Cotton Candy" and "Blackberry Cobbler" flavors!