Friday Nights

The fun thing about staying at my parents house.. especially this time of the year is...

Watching baseball games from the backyard

Roasting hot doggies over the bonfire

Eating yummy smores with my future sister-in-law Jamie Lynn

having Fun in the Tub

and staying up late watching the Olympics :)

Love, E

 

Weekend Plans

Mark your calendars for March 6 to come on over to the University of South Alabama's campus and come see me at the Gumbo/Chili Showdown! Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 day of the event... Kids 5-12 years old are $4 and kids under 5 are FREE. All you can eat gumbo and chili. All proceeds benefit the Regan Robinson Young Scholarship Fund. Click here to visit the website for more information and read about what a special person Regan was. Oh.. and we are selling really awesome t-shirts for $15 that you can also purchase on the website. It's a great cause.. so come out and have some great food and do something good!

Cream Cheese Brownies

I am not a huge brownie fan, but I tell you my mother-in-law makes the BEST brownies I have ever had.. cream cheese brownies. I was craving some but unfortunately did not have the recipe so I tried a different one and oh man.. not quite my mother-in-law's, but REALLY close!
Ingredients

• 1 package fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size)
• 1/2 cup vanilla or white chips

FILLING:
• 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract

FROSTING:
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
• 1 ounce semisweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Directions
• Prepare brownies according to package directions for cake-like brownies; fold in vanilla chips. Spread half of the batter in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan.
• In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg, flour and orange extract.
• Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over batter. Drop remaining brownie batter by tablespoonfuls over cream cheese layer. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl.
• Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out almost clean. Cool on a wire rack.
• For frosting, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly; stir in confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Frost brownies. Yield: 16 brownies.

A loooong Valentine's Weekend

Well good morning Valentine!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It has been a very long weekend, but a good one. We have temporarily moved in with my parents due to some unfortunate events, but on a positive note are looking at it as a vacation... you know the kind where you have 3 people sleeping in the same room and have boxes of food lying around, lol
We are spending today getting organized.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Yesterday, my sister made her valentine darling little cookies.. and I decided since she was being so sweet I better get over there and make my honey one too!

Her cookies

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
My cookie :)
  Then her valentine came by and gave her the neatest present... an oyster with a pearl inside. You wash and crack open the oyster and see what color pearl you have and then store it in an encased necklace. It was so much fun waiting to see what color she would get. She ended up with a white one. The oyster also comes with a list of the colors and what each one means.
You can buy them at Two Girls and a Pearl or you can buy them at McConaghy Drugs in Satsuma, AL for $30. I am sure they are sold other places too, but these are the two that I know of.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The hubby and I went to see "Valentine's Day" last night and it was really good! Even for people that hate Valentine's Day it is still a good movie to watch- PLUS very little to none profanity and no sex scenes- a rarity.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We came home (my parents house now) and ended up getting only 3 hours of sleep due to a wide awake not feeling too good little boy :) How romantic! But.. when we woke up from our 3 hours of sleep I have two Valentines to love on. Don't you just love all the heart shaped suckers, homemade valentines, and cheesy gifts! I sure do!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Happy Valentine's Day!
Love, E

Snow in the South

So... after 13 years of wishing for snow in Alabama... it finally happened!! BUT I had to go to work and school but that does not mean we did not go outside at the university and enjoy the beautiful snow flakes! Jimbo made sure to take Judson out at the house too. Man.. what a fun day!!

When it first started at the university

the happiest I have ever seen my boss ;)

Our side of the campus.. on my way to class from work

Wish it would have snowed more at our house

What a cutie-pututie

Get an "A" on it!

To my teacher friends- this is so cute....and clean!

Buffalo Chicken and Cheese Balls

Oh, how the honey can cook on game days! Jimbo cooked these delicious Buffalo Chicken and Cheese Balls at my parents house before the Super Bowl got started and they were wonderful! Give them a try :)

Ingredients

1 store-bought rotisserie chicken
1/4 cup hot sauce (recommended: Frank's Red Hot)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups sharp Cheddar
1/4 cup freshly sliced scallions
1 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying
 
Directions

Have oil heated to 350 degrees F.
Pick the meat from the chicken and discard the skin. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the hot sauce, pepper, cheese, and scallions, and toss to combine. Roll the chicken into 2-ounce balls, about the size of a golf ball.
Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Roll each ball in the flour, then the egg and then the bread crumbs. Set aside.
When the oil is hot fry the chicken balls in batches. Cook for about 2 minutes per batch. Remove the chicken to paper towel lined plate to drain the excess oil.

Baby Dedication

Yesterday was Judson's baby dedication at the church- and boy was he cute!
He did so good while we stood in front of the congregation and dedicated our child to God. It was very special... so thank you to our family who sat and witnessed our special moment. One day Judson will love knowing that you all were there for him. We love you.

Boogie

I have many, many names for my little bundle of joy- it varies daily and sometimes to the point where Jimbo

(my husband) just gives me a look like, "where did ya get that one from?" He has been my little butter bean, pickle, turtle dove, and like a thousand other silly names, but somehow or another Judson has acquired the nickname Boogie by my family. I was a little apprehensive about it in the beginning but I think I like it now!  Boogie like.. get down and boogie.. not boogie like booger lol, although I can see where you would get the two confused. It gets changed around too, "Come here Boogs!", "awww...come here boogster!" Haha!

Anyway... I think we have a little clown on our hands because let me tell you- our little boogie is hilarious! These pictures make me laugh :)