I Feel FALL in the Air

I feel Fall in the air...a skittish briskness banishing humidity into oblivion, the crisp breeze wisping through my messy hair.

I see Fall in the air... garish scarecrows standing forlornly in grocery stores, peanut dust rising in billows everywhere.

I hear Fall in the air... the bang of city shotguns shooting smugly at dove, crunchy leaves dancing down from the trees without a care.

I smell Fall in the air... the sultriness of summer slinking away like an unwanted demon, a smoky fire crackling in which to stare.

I taste Fall in the air... a spicy sweet potato pie cooling on the counter, Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte catching me in its snare.

I love Fall in the air...memories of true love beginning eleven years ago, falling over and over again for the man whose life I share.

smf
10.27.2015

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.

       

Faircloth...Party of 3!!!

I have always cracked up at this pic and now I can finally use it! 

Daniel and I are so thrilled to be expecting our first child around the first week of March! We were getting suspicious during the tail end of our Canada trip that maybe we were going to be parents! So the day after getting home, I grabbed a couple tests at Walmart and BAM! It was POSITIVE! Our lives will never be the same! We managed to keep it mum over Mel's wedding weekend, but secret-keeping is not our style! Even though I haven't yet been to the doctor, we told the world! As you can imagine, we will be finding out the gender and spreading that news as soon as possible too. But first we need to see our first sonogram this week Wednesday, August 5! 

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! :)

Pioneer Woman's Fried Tacos!

I had been craving PW's fried tacos! Tonight, we INDULDGED. (She calls them "My Brother's Chicken Tacos" but we call them as this post is titled!) Of course, we veer off the exact recipe, and we think our changes are the bomb. To be like us, use FLOUR tortillas, and make a fresh pico de gallo to dump on them instead of the lettuce and tomato. Green chilies are not a pantry staple for me, so I skip them. By the way, 16 tacos is totally the right amount for two people. Just kidding! But we did put away 7 of them with ease.

My Brother’s Chicken Tacos

Prep Time:

 10 Minutes

 

Cook Time:

 30 Minutes

 

Difficulty:

 Intermediate

 

Servings:

 8

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 whole Corn Tortillas (small Size)
• 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Pieces
•  Salt, Cumin, Chili Powder To Taste (or Use Taco Seasoning)
• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 2 cans (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
• 1-1/2 cup Finely Grated Cheese (cheddar Or Cheddar/jack Mix)
•  Sour Cream
•  Hot Sauce (Chulula Or Other Brand)
• 2 cups Thinly Sliced Romaine Lettuce (or Any Lettuce)
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
•  Canola Oil, For Frying Tacos

Preparation Instructions

*Be careful frying with hot oil!*

Season diced chicken liberally. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes. Dump in the diced green chilies. Stir and cook until chicken is totally done inside. Turn off heat and set aside.

Have all other ingredients---grated cheese, sliced lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, and hot sauce---ready.

Also have a plate ready, as well as a stack of five or six paper towels to hold in your hand.

TO FRY

To fry the tacos, heat a couple of inches of canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high. Place some chicken in the middle of a tortilla, then fold tortilla in half. Clamp the tortilla shut with a pair of heat-proof metal tongs, then carefully lay the taco---one side down---in the oil. As you lay it in the oil, use the tongs to hold the top side down for a few seconds to form it in place. Once it stays put, repeat with two other tacos. Turn tacos after 30 to 45 seconds, or when each side gets light golden brown (not too brown.)

One at a time, remove tacos from the pan with tongs, holding sideways as you remove them to allow oil to drip out of the sides. Place the taco in the stack of paper towels. Fold the sides and corners around the taco to tightly hold it, then give it three or four shakes to remove excess oil. Remove it from the paper towels and place on a plate. Repeat with other tacos in the pan.

As you continue frying the other tacos, have someone carefully place some grated cheese inside the tops of the tacos (gently pry them open just enough to place the cheese in). Then just let them sit until ready to serve---the cheese will melt as it sits in the warm taco.

To serve, garnish in this order: a smear of sour cream, dashes of hot sauce, shredded lettuce, diced tomato. You'll need to slightly open up the tops of the tacos to get all the garnishes in there.

Tacos will be hot for a minute or two after frying, so don't rush into eating! They'll stay nice and warm for a little while after frying.

Outside my window...

Outside my window....the grey clouds of a summer thunderstorm are looming.

I am thinking....that some homemade vanilla ice cream would hit the spot right about now!

I am thankful...that I don’t have any checking to do or lesson plans to make! Definitely a perk of my new office job at Schneider Farm Fence.

In the kitchen...sits Danl’s new Savage .22 bolt-action , bull-barrel rifle he bought with birthday money. I got to shoot it today and totally annihilated a leaf!

I am wearing...an old dress that I call my “Carrot Branch” dress. The fabric came from WeCare Thrift Store.

I am creating...my dress for Alisha & Pierre’s wedding! Once again, I aspire to channel Princess Kate.

I am going...to go out an d help Daniel reinstall the running boards on Bonnie.

I am reading.... The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Attention Deficit Disorder In Adults.

(I feel quite strongly that I have this wonderful disorder because…Oh yeah I could really use some chocolate cake!)

I am hoping...to get the orange hall bathroom “minted” this week! And also “Londonified.”

I am looking forward to...flying to Calgary on June 28! And attending Pierre & Alisha’s wedding on July 4! And seeing my little sis tie the knot with Shane on July 12! And listening to my cousin Renae & Erik Olson say their “I do’s” on August 23!

I am learning...that there is nothing like having family that you can count on to always be there for you.

Around the house....things are looking better! I’m still a FlyBaby in the process of becoming completely FlyWashed!

One of my favorite things.... is sitting in my red chair in the evening knowing that the dishes are done and the house has been moderately straightened and broomed while visiting with Daniel about his day or the guns he wants to buy while he relaxes in his ninja turtle green La-Z-boy. (Talk about a run-on sentence!)