The Charity Chapter - Christmas Edition

 

Though I hum along to "O Holy Night" and wish the cashier "Merry Christmas" and have not patience with my kindergartener in Walmart, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

‭‭ And though I shop small and find the perfect Mudpie gift at the local boutique, and source out the exact item that was linked on the family spreadsheet for an even better price, and help my child memorize all the program songs; and though I have all the presents wrapped early with coordinating paper and ribbon, so that I could feel smug, and have not time to read the Christmas story in My Bible Friends, I am nothing.

‭‭ And though I bestow fresh cinnamon rolls upon all my neighbors, and though I diffuse festive blends of essential oils all season long, and have matching family pajamas, and have not unity on what is important, it profiteth me nothing. 

The true Christmas Spirit suffereth quietly while standing in long lines, and thinketh kind thoughts about husbands who accept plans without first asking making an already crammed month even fuller, it envieth not others’ new dresses for each festive event, the true Spirit of Christmas vaunteth not a Pinterest-worthy decorated house, is not puffed up with every kind of Christmas candy, 

Doth not stay up sewing until unseemly hours out of obligation to “what people might think if I wear an old dress,” seeketh not to stress out, is not easily provoked about Christmas parties, thinketh no evil towards the scale; 

Rejoiceth not in seeing every local lights display, but rejoiceth in the Light of the World; 

Beareth all butchered Christmas carols, believeth that Jesus is the Reason for the Season, hopeth that family gatherings will be tranquil realizing that we are all messed up humans, endureth weather that wasn’t expected.  

The Christmas Spirit never faileth: but whether there be Amazon or FedEx, they shall fail; whether there be parades, they shall cease; whether there be peppernuts, they shall vanish away. 

For we know in part what Christmas is all about, and we profess to do our best. But when the time for us to experience Christmas in Heaven is come, then that which was important for Christmas on Earth shall be done away. 

When I was a child, I spake merrily as child who hadn’t gone through hard things, I understood as a child whose most difficult puzzle was figuring out who had my name in the classroom name draw, I thought as a child who wanted the holidays to never end: but when I became a woman, I put away some of these childish thinkings. 

For now we see life as it really is, with parts that are dark as midnight; broken hearts, empty arms, and vacant chairs at the family table. Now I know in part these heartaches on Earth, but when we all celebrate Christmas in Heaven, then shall we empathize fully as we are known. 

And now abideth the happiest of holidays, peace on earth, goodwill to all men; these three important things, but the greatest of these is Love, His love come down from Heav’n, the True Spirit of Christmas.

Just We Three

Just we three, Daniel and Danielle and me. 

This was how life was 4 years at 6:28 p.m. and that's how it was today due to the social distancing necessary for now. Our life as we knew it took a drastic change for the better on March 20, 2016, with the addition of our little princess, Danielle Nicole! Fast forward 4 years, and due to Covid-19, all of our lives have taken another drastic change. For the better or for the worse, will be up to us in my opinion! This is history in the making, and I want to be able to look back and be proud of my actions and attitudes. It affects us all in some way big or small, from those losing family members to the four year olds with postponed birthday parties who won't be able to attend Sunday School the first Sunday they are four.

With childlike acceptance and consideration of others, Danielle was happy to tell her friends and family that her birthday party would be be later because, "The whole world doesn't want to get the "b"irus." Bless her heart!

We woke Danielle up early to open her four presents, mostly wrapped in green trimmings and trappings! (If you don't catch on by the end of this post that GREEN is her favorite color, please reread lol.) She was delighted with her green remote control monster truck that she promptly named "Thunder." The lime green flip flops, dark green sunglasses, green/blue bath bomb, grow-in-water dachshund, bug-catching kit, and Lisa Frank calendar also got rave reviews! I think Daddy was as eager to try out the monster truck as daughter was. Our dewy yard was soon covered in tracks, and Thunder was covered in dirt and grass clippings! 

As the day continued; happy video calls, messages, and GIFs poured in. 7 caterpillars were re-homed into a clear plastic cage with a built-in magnifier. Our living room was bedazzled with balloons taped randomly to the walls, streamers running from the fan to the four corners, and a happy birthday banner draped on the curtain rod. Funfetti cupcakes were baked, frosted with greenish frosting, and plastered with sprinkles. (A certain little chef got quite frosted also.) Presents from Aunt Rhonda, Uncle Wade, Jacob, and Neil were deposited on our front porch with no human contact. Feverish unwrapping ensued, the lava lamp was immediately plugged in, the craft kit splayed colorfully across the floor, and the new hot pink gingham dress was nonchalantly cast aside only to be lovingly and gratefully plucked up by Mommy. Fried deer meat was devoured, along with green beans and Cutie oranges. A 4 candle was lit, Happy Birthday was sung, and faces were stuffed with cake and cookies 'n cream ice cream. Chocolate milk was drunk, favorite stories (Red Fish, Blue Fish & Wiggle) were read, prayers were said, and all but one went to bed. 

Life goes on, and life is good; just we three - Daniel, and Danielle, and me.

a GRATEFUL heart

I am thankful for life... and that it goes on.

For God's protection, our guardian angel, for my friend who breathed a prayer particularly for me earlier in the day...

For airbags, car seats, safety restraints, and crash-testing technology...

That no one was injured when I rear-ended a Dodge pickup yesterday evening in the gloaming...

that the couple I hit were not angry or upset...For family and friends who stopped so soon to make sure we were OK... and got my Jeep off the road before anyone hit it...and came and got my groceries and purchases from earlier in the day...that Danl was home and could come comfort us and sit with me for the hours we waited on FHP. That Danielle was not traumatized...and seemed to understand that the Jeep was seriously injured and needed to go the vehicle hospital...That the young officer who worked the scene was kind and considerate and gave me the least possible citation.

I am thankful for pecans... And that I had plenty to re-toast for tomorrow's candied sweet potatoes since I severely over-toasted the first batch! #burnt

I am thankful for family recipes with notes at the bottom. 

#auntrose #candiedsweetpotatoes #schneidercookbook

I am thankful for the MRGA Book Club. It has, and is, totally enriching my life in in so many ways!

I am thankful that Mel brought me coffee this morning and took Danielle home with her to "help" take care of Baby Ellie.

I am thankful for crispy, ice-cold Diet Coke.

I am thankful my parents lent us their extra van for me to drive until we get our insurance rental.

I am thankful for Katie's crumb-topped banana bread. #perfection

I am thankful for ibuprofen.

I am thankful for our cozy home, for the warm bed into which I am about to crawl!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Y'ALL!

Make It a December to Remember

 

Happy December! 

The Christmas Season began yesterday for me. Since we were ill over Thanksgiving and just now are feeling mostly back to normal, it felt like those days were like Black Week instead of Black Friday! The experience of having our whole little household all under the weather at once left me completely undone physically and emotionally! Normal, daily life and health are more precious than ever now...

This pics are the ones that inspired me for my December avatars and yesterdays status...I love WhatsApp statuses and the connectivity and impromptu chats that result with my friends and family, but sometimes I get irked at myself, because posting current statuses squelches my need and desire to blog! And the bad thing about that is, WhatsApp statuses are fleeting and soon gone, while blogging is a forever diary!

I haven't put out any Christmas decor yet... and my cinema box still says, 

#BLESSED

#GRATEFUL

I💚AUTUMN

I did get out Danielle's Melissa & Doug snowman stacker and her Little People Nativity yesterday evening. She has been so enraptured with both since she hasn't played with them since last Christmas.

This Nativity is adorable! When you press down on the angel, the star lights up and it sings Away in a Manger. 

Well, even though I have so much more I could and would like to write, I have wedding cake to make! Suzanna Hiebert & Reuben Koehn will tie their knot tomorrow...and I wish very badly to witness their vows while wearing a new emerald frock. 

That means I must become a Desperate Seamstress before the day is over too!  

A Day in the Life of Danielle

Another month has already flown by since I penned (aka pecked) the D-Day post about Danielle, and more or less promised to do another like it when the 20th rolled around again! But I didn't want to. It seemed redundant. She hasn't grown or changed all that much, and it just didn't feel right when I copied and pasted that checklist in my new post box to fill out this month. So instead I'll just write about today...it was one of those just really good days when the sun shines, and the birds sing, and everything mostly stayed in its proper orbit! 

Little Princess actually snoozed until 7:30! Usually she's up and chirping around 6:30! Then she has milk, which I admit to warming 28 seconds. Immediately after guzzling that, she MUST have her paci shoved back in her little pie-hole and pink "lovey" clutched securely while she decides that she it's OK to visit with and maybe kiss her parents. Sometimes she's too lazy for real kisses and just puts her paci to our lips lol! 

Back to today, I have had no babysitters this week due to my sissies frolicking and rollicking around on vacay! So it was another day to buckle down and work from home as much as possible! After the house finally warmed up a little, and we had finished our pumpkin mug cake, Danielle took a shower with me, (this is epic! She darts about the shower, washing her hair and body, scrubbing the walls with a little brush, and props up her legs to shave just like mommy!) read books, vacuumed, (I wish kid's vacuums really sucked up dirt!) begged for chocolate, sat on the pot and read her Bible (Biba) for awhile with no results, tried to help me type, and all in all, entertained herself quite admirably until noon! I decided we both needed to get out of the house to enjoy the fall weather we at last have been blessed with! 

We made our way to McDonald's for a bacon, egg, and cheese McGriddle, (Breakfast All Day? I'm Lovin' It!!!) crispy hashbrown, fruit 'n yogurt parfait, bold & robust McCafe Americano with whipped cream, and a Happy Meal of chicken nuggets, fries, strawberry go-gurt, and apple juice! We sat in the sun (which Danielle insisted was the "moom" - she is still learning the differences of the heavenly bodies) on the steps of the Tom Byrne park gazebo, and ate our lovely lunch while watching two older guys play tennis. I hoped they couldn't hear that Danielle was imitating their grunting and groaning remarkably well! Next it was finally time for the great STINKS, STINKS! After getting that episode over with, we visited with some friends that had also decided the park was the place for lunch, before playing on the slides and swings. Only one faceplant into the mulch went on the accident report! Next stop was the Mattress Depot, where Danielle was most dubious of her mother laying down on various mattresses. I think she thought we had to take a nap in that strange place, and she was not pleased! I was most pleased with the king-sized, gel-topped foam mattress that will be delivered on Monday! Don't ask how long we have had our current mattress, or how old it is!!! Right as we bumped on to Garrett Road, Danielle slipped into la la land...and stayed there as I untied her shoes and tugged off her leggings and laid her in her crib where she napped for two happy hours! 

I tidied and typed, house and estimate respectively. Danielle woke up just in time to help me cook supper! She dutifully dumped the bag of onions so all those lovely little skin pieces could float about the kitchen before she set the table. Aka ALL the silverware from the drawer piece by piece! Meanwhile I was feeling like Jacob and Esau while I prepped a savory venison stew to go in the ForevaPot. I always think of that Biblical birthright meal when I make venison stew! I also cooked rice, as I have found out that Daniel actually can endure such a soup if I serve his over rice! And I baked some apples with my new favorite caramel baked apple recipe from Katie! Daniel arrived before the supper was ready to be served, so he and his little pig-tailed partner murdered some chips and salsa. Danielle was even sporting salsa on her forehead and in her hair! Then Danl wanted to split some red oak into firewood before the night fell, so we were an attentive audience of two, even hindering production by trying our hand with the maul for several swings. Let's just say we have no doubts about the weaker vessel(s) at our house! After supper, Daniel laid down to relax on the couch and soon began snoring what sounded like DO NOT DISTURBzzzzzz, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCESzzzzzz, so we kissed Daddy goodnight, skipped bath due to morning shower, brushed teeth, read a most fascinating Berenstain Bears book that even had a helli (helicopter) in it, prayed her little bedtime prayer of "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep...," and rocked and sang Jesus Loves Me, Jesus Loves the Little Children, Red River Valley, You Are My Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Mama's Gonna Give You a Mockingbird, and since it is always so soothing and fitting no matter the season, Silent Night, Holy Night. 

Good night.

THE BEST PUMPKIN MUG CAKE

(with my changes)

INGREDIENTS:

6 tablespoons yellow cake mix

• 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• whipped cream, for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large mug, whisk (with a small whisk or large fork) together the cake mix, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, milk, and vegetable oil. Whisk until smooth.
2. Cook in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Top with piles of whipped cream! 
3. 
   

Baked Caramel Apples

8 Macintosh apples, peeled and cut in half

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup real salted butter

Put apples in a 9x13 pan. Mix sugar and flour. Sprinkle over apples and dot with butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes.

(Don't worry that it looks dry! The apples will juice out, the sugar will syrup, and the butter will melt, turning it all into the most amazing mixture!)

My Thankful List 08-20-17

I'm THANKFUL...

...that I'm taking this opportunity to write! Today I decided that during Danielle's  meager naps, I should try to focus on doing "forever" things like writing on this blog, recording in baby book, creating the light fixture I dreamed up years ago etc... instead of  doing "daily always" things like eating, folding laundry, washing dishes, pittering and frittering and so forth! So, here goes!

...for chocolate chip cookie dough WITH PECANS! Oh my word, why do we ever bake the dough into cookies?! It's SO much better in its raw state. And it saves electricity! Score! (Side note: I AM eating whilst I'm typing! I decided it was OK to combine a "forever" with a "daily always.")

....that Katie and I carpe diemed a day and half and transformed Miss Smith's classroom into a tasteful world of ice cream! Retro string lights, hanging cones, a wonky ice cream truck, wild fun facts, and a frosty little night light that's on its way from eBay all added to the magic! Every other year we seem to end up with a food theme...Wonder why?! 

I used this marc johns pic for my bulletin. 

#lovemarcjohnsart

...that it works to use baking soda and Axe body wash to wash filthy work clothes when you discover that you have NO, NONE, NIL laundry detergent  to do laundry in order that your husband might have the benefit of bestowing clean clothing upon himself the next day!

....for Google! How else would I know how to do laundry without the proper soap?!

...that Danl unearthed a cool brown glass bottle on his last home site clearing job! Some guys might not bring home to their wife the world's weird uniquities, but mine does! :)

 (Why isn't uniquity a word?! I should patent it. Uniquity: noun; meaning something strange or unique, not common.) 

....that Daniel kept Danielle so I could attend Katie's classy woodland-themed baby shower as a "sister" instead of a "mom." Don't get me wrong, I ADORE being a mom, but it was awesome to take in the magical decor and delicacies without worrying about my child dismantling them! #daddydaughtertime #happymeal #mcds

...that God answers prayer! Sometimes I don't know if He changes the situation or just helps me to accept it, but I do know that Prayer truly is the Power! One of my friends mentioned in Sunday School a couple of weeks ago that "You can never pray too much!" What an inspiring proposition!

...that I finally figured out how to listen to a podcast! One of those simple things that seem hard until you just do it! I've only listened to Typology Episode 1 (Is anyone else familiar with the Enneagram typing system?? I was just recently introduced to it by a friend, and I am definitely intrigued!) and How I Built This - Spanx: Sara Blakely so far. Totally fascinating! America truly is the place where anything and anyone is possible!

...for the lovely summer vacation we had July 17 - Aug 1! We had the best time ever with old friends and new places! I still plan to do a belated trip report another day, another post. 

....for being able to cuddle and love little Isla Francine in RealTime! So thankful Pierre and Alisha and our beautiful black-haired niece could spend a week in soggy Florida!

...that we will be able to welcome Baby "Bob" before too long! Katie's due date of September 12 is swiftly approaching! 

...for darling Danielle who turned 1 year and 5 months today! She stomps around all grown up in her little rubber rain boots, Coach purse on her shoulder; not a trace of the chubby baby she once was. Until she spies her precious bottle of milk!

 End of story.

All is Well

You know how sometimes you have that feeling that all's right with the world and there really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? That's how I felt today! I didn't expect to; it was just was of those rare days that actually gets better and better instead of worse for once! And nothing huge or glamorous happened. Just sweet daily life! Daniel ended up taking the day off instead of working like he had planned. He suggested waffles for breakfast, which carb-loving me jumped right on! I threw chopped pecans in mine. Sublime! Then we all pittered around the house, just relishing togetherness. I hadn't properly "sorted" (as the Brits would say) my kitchen all week, so I washed up non-dishwasherable dishes for a good while. Danielle took an amazing 2.5 hour nap! After our lunch of Kraft shell macaroni and cheese and leftover brown sugar spiral sliced ham with horseradish, we cleaned up out in the yard and Daniel cranked up the lawnmower for the first time this year! Danielle was delighted to help mow the dog pen. At one point, she really pushed on the right lever and they leaped out of a straight stripe! Then she and I chillaxed on the front porch watching Daddy mow; she in her Little Tikes swing and I perching on the Pelican cooler I had just cleaned up from last week's oysters. We ate Mayfield Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream and soaked up the sun. The weather just kept getting better all day too. I had been pining for fresh pine straw in all the beds, so once Daniel was finished with the yard, he and Danielle drove the white truck back around behind the house and I raked up a large haystack of the free much-needed mulch. I distributed it around the front porch while Taby stomped happily after her daddy pruning trees. She LOVES being outside. And as I watched her toddling around, I couldn't help thinking, "Is this really my beautiful life? It's just too perfect...I'm beyond blessed." (disclaimer - I have MANY moments when life seems quite real and I have no problem believing that it IS my life lol.) Anyway, snap back to reality. Our yard, beds, and porch now look loved and cared for at last. They really look good if I may say so myself! Especially the porch with its new pale blue $5 metal table from Family Dollar! Danielle had wilted after her afternoon of adventures, so I put her down for a late nap. Then I sat on our front porch like a true Southerner and watched the sun go down as I ate a Cutie, drank water, and read in Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin. Love that book. Levon Kimmons had come over, so Danl was out shooting the breeze with him. Supper was Zatarain's Cilantro Lime Rice, Walmart shrimp grilled on skewers, cheese green beans, and Reese Pieces store-bought cookie dough cookies barely baked, then frozen. Outlandishly delicious! And now day is done, gone the sun. All is well. Amen.

#happysaturday

I know this is Sunday, well almost Monday actually at 11:59 pm, but I wrote this list in my head on Saturday, and I still want to share it!

1. Going to Market in the Park with Danielle...

(And later savoring the cinnamon rolls I purchased from Aunt Rose; gooey caramel pecan are thee best!)

2. Shopping WeCare with my sisters...

 Scored some apparently unworn BabyGap moccasins ($1.99) for Danielle and  classy black Yellowbox flip flops ($2.99) for me! 

3. Visiting Grandpa Smith at the nursing home...

4. Eating a corn dog, fries, and chocolate/vanilla swirled cup of ice cream from Dean's Grill...

(Thanks for the Food Certificate, Mr. Hiebert!) The gal at the window gave me a medium cup of ice cream instead of the small that I had the balance for! And a medium at this Southern food shop is a whopping 16 oz cup! I gave it my all and conquered!

5. Chatting with friends and neighbors at our hometown Piggly Wiggly...

especially made my day to say hey to one of my favorite Walmart employees there! Maybe we both share a love/hate relationship with Walmart!

6. Watching Danl operate his new machinery...

 He is so talented!

7. Taking a family walk on Garrett Road...

We all love the "new-to-us" jogging stroller!

8. Skipping cooking and dishes for an evening!

9. Ordering my childhood favorite menu items at Taco Bell...

(hard taco, soft taco, pintos 'n cheese!)

10. Hearing our baby "sing!" 

She loves to coo along to all her favorite little songs!

Life is Good...in so many ways!

How is Life Good? Let me count the ways....

Daniel is loving his new job at the Atmore Police Department! It makes my day to see him so happy and excited to go to work!

I'm pretty sure I've finally felt our baby girl move... some soft thumpish feelings....WOW! This thing of creating a new life is just plain amazing! I'm 19 weeks now, almost half-way!

The 6th Annual Yard & Bake Sale last Saturday was  a roaring success! Especially the Bake Goods Booth which brought in a whopping $2,544!

Diesel's surgery to remove a growth/tumor was successful! He rather likes having surgery, I believe, since he was allowed to recuperate like a king on the couch in the living room!

I finally gave this blog a new 'do! Not sure that I love it, but at least it's different! Trying to learn to not let my perfectionism hinder me from just getting things DONE!

The vintage strawberry coffee cup I got from pilfering through Aunt Charity's treasures delights my soul every time I drink from it! The handle doesn't get hot in the microwave either!

Melvin repaired the kitchen floor by the sliding doors in a flash! Why didn't we do this sooner?! So pumped about the pending kitchen renovations on the horizon - new countertops, flooring, pantry, and cabinet hardware! Also, "Goodbye, butter yellow paint!" "Hello, fresh creamy white!"

Jill is the best bestie ever! She has cut out, sewn, and shipped me two adorable maternity dresses, and is currently working on the third!! I am beyond blessed.

Trent, Kristi, and kids are home on furlough from Guatemala! It was awesome to be with Kris again yesterday and to finally meet my little cousin and birthday twin, Elena! She even has reddish hair! xo

William's Station Day is today! It's one of my favorite Atmore activities! I love small-town times....and all the booths of art, and things like funnel cakes and fried Snickers.

The kumquat tree on the porch is loaded down with perfect little orange orbs of tart sunshine!
I carefully counted and was pleased to discover that my precious tree bore 65+ kumquats this year! They are rapidly diminishing though. Harrison (Jarrod & Casey Schneider's 2 year old - I'm keeping him several days a week during peanut harvest) loves to pick them, but doesn't love to eat them, so I let him pick them and I let me eat them.

Bow Season came in today! I am thrilled to begin a new session of nature watching with a deadly weapon! Hopefully the new, cute little food plot (food plots CAN be cute, even though guys would probably digress!) that Danl planted will be my lucky charm this year and I will be able to nail my first kill with my bow!

Getting rid of clutter is so liberating! I am giving nursery closet tours today, free admission! I'm just a little bit proud of how much better it looks and how much roomier it is! I think MamaBear from Berenstein Bears and FlyLady are both smiling.

This list could continue, but my mocha hot chocolate got cold and I need to go microwave it, and then go out to walk in this lovely Fall morning. Fall is simply the best season God made, in my opinion. I've been rolling a Fall poem around in my head for over a month now...maybe tomorrow it will finalize and I will post it here. I've missed writing - and can't figure out why I've been so slackish. Also, ask me for my new favorite breakfast recipe! Gingerbread in a mug! Mmmmm.....

Official Due Date Release of Baby Girl Faircloth - MARCH 18, 2016

         August the 5th is quite ancient history by now! But it is still a most pleasant memory to look back upon! We saw our little jellybean for the first time! After my ARNP (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner) measured the baby, she announced that due to the baby's size, I wasn't as far along as they or I had predicted according to how they normally estimate pregnancies. So instead of expecting our baby to arrive on/around March 7, the new due date was pushed to March 18! This was good news and bad news to me; the bad news being that I had more weeks of nausea to endure and more time to spend in the "scary" part of the first trimester. The good news was that the number was changing from an ugly 7 to a beautiful 18! I just have this autistic fascination with numbers; I love even numbers, and abhor odd numbers. I always set the alarm clock to ring on an even number like 5:52, add a lovely 8 minute snooze and then wake up (or TRY to wake up) at the completeness of 6:00! Anyway back to the due date numbers, 7 is the ugliest of all the odd numbers. It's just incomplete, only unfinished, sharp angles. So I was delighted to replace it with 18 which is the number of all numbers to me!! My birthday is June 18. I was married to the love of my life at age 18. Hence, 18 just signifies all things good. Numbers just don't get any better than a stalwart 1 standing upright beside an attractive 8, such a pleasingly plump number of perfect symmetry. So even thought the chance of our little baby actually being born on March 18, is only 1 in 20, I love having March 18 as the official due date! I must cease with this elaboration of numerology! One more thought though, isn't it wonderful that the year 2016 is also an even number?!
         I had another ultrasound on August 11 because Connie (ARNP, I see her more than my OBGYN because I can usually get in sooner and I really like her!) is a mother hen and wanted to make sure everything was okay, (it was) and you could see legs sort of! Yay!!! On my next ultrasound 2 weeks later on August 26, we could see arms and legs just kicking and moving around like crazy! So exciting! Our little gummy bear is definitely growing! I also got the optional blood work done that day to determine gender and to check for genetic disorders.
         This past Tuesday, Daniel's mom and I went shopping around in Pace looking at baby stuff at consignment shops and at Target, and we were wishing so badly that we knew the gender! So I called to my doctor on a whim just to check the status of my blood work because they had told me it could be at least 2 weeks until we would know. And the nurse called back to say that my results had just come in that day!! I freaked out but managed to tell her not to tell me; that I would call back with my husband the next day! Danl was in Baton Rouge. We called the next morning but had to leave a message, so Danl told me just to let him know as soon as they called back and told me. When she finally did, I was so shocked to hear her say, "Everything looks good, and it's a baby girl!" I repeated back to her, "It's a baby girl???" I was shocked because my gut feeling was that it was a boy! But I know this little girl will be perfect for us!! We quickly planned an impromptu gender reveal party for our immediate family. I made mock Hostess cupcakes with pink centers. Of course we started with dessert first!! I made everyone vote what they thought it was gonna be, then everyone bit into their cupcake in unison! It was hilarious! Then we all settled down and devoured some delicious sausage and chicken jambalaya, garlic bread, Caesar salad, pizza, and PINK raspberry sherbet punch! :)
            I'm 12 weeks now; 195 more days to get ready to meet OUR LITTLE GIRL!!! Wow! Even though we haven't hesitated to tell everything as soon as possible so far, we are determined to keep the name we have picked out a secret until birth! That being said, I still love hearing name suggestions! So far my very helpful extended family has volunteered the following suggestions: Charlotte Amelia, Wilhemina, Fedora, and LeMonjello!!!! So nothing is too far out to fling out! Please leave your name suggestion in the comments below.

       

AW(s)

AW = After Wedding! 

Our life this past week has consisted of settling into the AW groove! 

No more sewing, lots more sleeping! 

And of course we both were back to work....amazing memories never far from our minds! Quality time Alisha, Pierre, Jayna, Jordan, Jemma, and Luc... baking brownies and maple sugar cookies shaped like maple leaves....walking around the pond....playing on the playground in the bright Canadian sunshine...getting mani-pedis {even Luc! He LOVED it!}...having fun with family and friends at the backyard BBQ...getting dressed on the 12th floor of the downtown Sheraton...lacing up Alisha's spectacular corset-back dress... {Mom and I pulled and pulled!!!}...gazing at Daniel all dressed up in his tux...{probably a sight we will never again behold!} ...walking over the Bow River to the River Cafe....wiping tears as Alisha & Pierre pledge their lives and love to each other forever...

laughing at antics during family photos...devouring all the hors-d'oeuvres and desserts...{they were EXCELLENT! and I tried to sample each one!}...savoring our salmon and bison steaks....tearing up over the toast from Jayna and Jordan....riding home {to the Deerfoot Inn} in a limo...{our first ride and probably our last!}....experiencing the Calgary Stampede rodeo in a first-class private box, chef included! {this once-in-a-lifetime event could be an entire post, but I will refrain!}...touring the old sights of Heritage Park....buying candy in the olde-timey candy store.... riding the flying swing ride with Luc....marveling at the majestic mountains of Banff....standing mesmerized by Lake Louise, the loveliest place in the world!...eating ice cream in the poppy garden...finally flying home sweet home...reuniting with our favorite fur children.....gearing up for the next nuptials....having fun with family at the family supper at Aunt Donna's....lighting the sky with Chinese lanterns....crying that Daniel had to work in Baton Rouge and miss Mel's wedding...accepting that life just isn't fair...transforming the Walnut Hill basement into a land of coral gerbera daisies in sparkly teal vases, polka dots, and sour gummy worms....eating Chipotle-style stacks at the Saturday night supper....doodling on the tables with Crayola crayons....staying up 'til 3 am decorating their tiny wedding cake....listening to the seraphic swells of the choir....watching my little sister become Mrs. Shane Boeckner!!...chowing down on white BBQ chicken....gazing at all the lovely gifts....sending them off to honeymoon amidst showers of bubbles and rice....

And that, my friends, is the short version! :)

cookie dough greek yogurt & cajun chicken legs

I tried this for a snack on Saturday and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was! I added a small sprinkle of Sweet 'n Low because I love things sweet! 

We tried this chicken for supper. It was so easy! And it was good. Nothing out-of-this-world, but we liked it. Quote Daniel, "I'm not complaining or anything, but it was just baked chicken. Really good baked chicken though!" 

I used Tony's for the Cajun seasoning.

Easy Cajun Chicken (Low Carb & Gluten Free)

Yield: Approximately 6 - 8 servings

Serving Size: 2 legs or thighs

An easy, delicious low carb recipe for Cajun chicken that the whole family will love!

Ingredients

• 5 lbs chicken parts (legs or thighs are best)
• 2 Tbl olive oil
• 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
• Ranch dressing for serving (optional)
For the Cajun Seasoning Blend (if making)
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbl garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme

Instructions

• Rub the chicken with olive oil. Add Cajun seasoning and toss until chicken is fully coated. Spread the chicken out on cookie sheets with at least an inch between pieces. Bake in the center of a preheated 400 degree (F) oven for about 50 minutes (40 minutes for wings). The skin should be golden and crispy, and the juices should run clear.

Notes

Approx nutrition info per serving (2pcs.): 495 calories, 26g fat, 0 net carbs, 60g protein

Delicious alone, these are made even more delectable by dipping them into ranch dressing!

the power of 15 minutes...and pot stickers!

I'm on Winter Break today through Monday! {WHCS is calling it Semester Break - I don't know why because it's not at the semester - since it still feels very much like winter, I am calling it "Winter Break!"} Anyway, we will be keeping the home fires {and heaters!}burning, so I made a lengthy list of things to accomplish over the long weekend, with the two greatest goals being to get our income tax info sent to our accountant, and to prep and paint the guest loo. Both tasks are towering over me like the Leaning Tower of Pisa! Finally, after making flour-less & butter-less deep dark chocolate cookies {which were absolutely amazing!} and pittering with other various things all morning to avoid the inevitable, I cleaned up from our lunch of leftover lo mein and POT STICKERS. {more on these babies at the end of this post!} Then I morbidly repeated FlyLady's mantra - "2015 is your year to shine, 15 minutes at a time!" and sat down to do taxes for ONLY 15 minutes, but ended up excitedly working on them for an hour! After supper, I decided to start cutting in with Kilz for 15 minutes before sitting down with my maple tea, but lo and behold if that mere 15 minutes didn't also morph into an hour! Needless to say, I was happy with the progress made in both areas! If it doesn't prove to be too bothersome, I am going to keep a tally of how many "15 minutes" it takes me to complete both projects! Usually, things aren't nearly as big of a deal as I make them out to be in my mind! Unless they are a bigger deal, which happens frequently. So, who knows which category these will fall in! I am still bonded with the notion that a very pale, fresh mint with British accents will be posh for the pot room! LOVE this mint bedroom! It is Benjamin Moore's "At Sea." We haven't chosen the exact tint we want yet. Please comment with color ideas!

And BREAKING NEWS FLASH! You can buy these tantalizing pot stickers at Dollar Tree for only $1!!!! I'm hooked! I made some homemade ponzu sauce to dip them in. Asian food just does it for me these days. Really, just FOOD in general! I think it's the grey, winter weather that has been making me so hungry lately! :) My recent posts have all been quite foodific! Oh well, it's who I am! I might as well add the recipe for the chocolate cookies!

Flour-less Dark Chocolate Cookies-recipe adapted from the Divine baker

Makes about 24 cookies

Each cookie is approx. 72 calories

Ingredients:

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces)
• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
•  2 cups powdered sugar, divided (plus 1/2 cup for cookie coating)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 large  baking sheets with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Set aside and let cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow cream.

Whisk 1 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Then, on a low speed, add these dry ingredients into the marshmallow cream mixture.

Next, add remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips to lukewarm chocolate mixture (dough will become very stiff).

Add chocolate mixture to cream mixture and blend well.

Place remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheets on rack 10 minutes.

Transfer to rack, cool.

10th anniversary!

As of February 20, 2015, it has been 10 years since we said "I do, I do... I will, I will!" Just like the old cliche, time truly has flown! Daniel and I both find it hard to believe that we have been married for 10 amazing years! And I'm not just saying this because it's the expected thing to say, but every year truly has brought us closer together and has made our relationship better. Sometimes I wish for the naiveness and unabashed optimism we embraced in the first few years of married life, but overall, the depth of our current relationship is far better than the carefree days of yore. I wonder what I will say in 10 more years on our 20th?!

That said, let me give you the details of the past weekend! At first, as this momentous date was fast approaching, we entertained ideas such as, "We should go back to Helen again!" "What about a cabin in south Georgia? We love Georgia." "Umm, let's not drive so far..." "Any state parks closer to home?" "I want to go somewhere we haven't been before, like maybe New Orleans?" "NO, definitely NOT New Orleans!" "Destin?" "Pensacola??!" "Now we're talkin'!" "Check out Topsail and Gulf State Park's cabins." "No, they are too ugly and too expensive!" "Let's go to Orange Beach, back to the Perdido Beach Resort! We know what to expect there, and we know we like it!" "Ummm...that's boring! We've been there twice..." And then finally after many hours of perusing the web, calling state parks and being on hold for 40+ minutes, we irrevocably reserved two nights at our old haunt, the PBR! Since we had been in the "cabin and cooking in mode" from the get-go to avoid purchasing all our meals, Daniel had the bright idea that we should take our toaster oven to the hotel! I latched on to this light bulb moment and bought some grub accordingly, to the extent that Danl was even a bit dubious, and asked, "Are you sure this is OK?" I replied, "Of course it is! It was your idea!" So I packed our little Black & Decker securely in a suitcase with food stuffed all in and around it for the ride. We headed out around 4:30 Friday afternoon and checked into our 493 square foot Gulf front room featuring our choice of king bed providing a panoramic view of the beach with a private, furnished step-out balcony {quote PBR's website lol!} just as the sun was setting. Awwwww.....now this is my style of "camping!" 

We knew we had to have  Lillian's pizza, so a shrimp scampi and a veggie patch pie were soon delivered and devoured. Superb as always! Then it was time to break out the toaster oven for freshly-baked, white chip macadamia nut cookies! Saturday dawned quite grey, but the wild winds provided perfect waves for the undaunted surfers! Some were quite amazing! Watching them really gives one an appetite! Toaster oven time again! Hot pigs in flaky crescent roll blankets... Lunch was sliced, chilled, peppered salmon on crackers, along with diet Coke, sparkling apple cider, and hostess cupcakes! {Thanks, Rhonda! You  know what kind of gift we like!} As evening fell, we felt to give our wee oven a much-deserved rest, and ordered room service. Danl got a philly cheesesteak, and I had fish tacos, which were really more like fish nachos. Very tasty! Then some feta cheese-stuffed, colby jack-covered mushrooms sounded good, so out with the B& D again! We were totally cracking ourselves up by this time and chortling over the fact that we are such foodies! The balcony door stayed open to air the room of food fumes! By and by it was brownie time! I hadn't even known you could buy a tiny snack size brownie mix perfect for a toaster oven, but yes, you can! I felt like I was 10 years old playing with an EasyBake! :) 

Sunday was sunny, contrary to the predictions, and it was so hard to pack up and get ready to go home! 

But after our breakfast of fresh Pillsbury Orange Rolls and Hormel pre-cooked bacon, we soaked up some sun on the balcony, and then tucked away the toaster oven along with newly-made memories of a perfectly relaxing weekend of no expectations, no obligations, and no reasons for getting up or dressing up! Quality time in quantity for once! Just us. 

{and our toaster oven.}