Considering it's been a good 2 weeks or more I'd say it's time for a post.

Rewind to the last post, and we've since celebrated Thanksgiving, and gotten a jump on Christmas!

Thanksgiving morning we had a big breakfast here at the house before all splitting up our separate ways for various festivities. Mr. P and I took a trip to his grandmother's house for lunch, and I stayed the night to do some Black Friday shopping in Charlotte. We dared attempt WalMart at 10pm, and nearly got trampled in the masses for a few 5$ DVDs. Back at home the next evening my dear father turned 70! We had dinner at Longhorn's (his favorite) and then came back here (the Perry Estate) to hang out. My sister joined us for the night (always a treat) and we had some fun just hanging out. Saturday our little family went to Harmon Tree Farm where Paul and I cut down our very first Christmas tree!! Something I've had my heart set on for months now. I had done it several times before with my parents, but Paul never had. My sister documented the whole thing on her camera, which later became our very first Christmas photo. I am soo happy we have this memory together, I'd love to make it a tradition, cutting down our tree each year, we'll see.

Our tree however, wasn't up a week before it was looking like this..

That's right folks, it toppled over. Come to find out, it's VERY lopsided. This has caused us to rethink the "cut it down" approach. The Frasier Firs seem much more symmetrical. However,  we still love it, it's massive and the only first Christmas, Christmas tree we will have. Thankfully we both agree on massive trees so something smaller was not an option! 

Anyways.. Thanksgiving weekend also brought us a W for USC, they beat Clemson the 3rd year in a  row. Which hasn't happened since the 70's. We're thrilled!! I got to put the USC ornament on top of the inlaws Christmas tree last weekend. Another tradition of the holiday season! However, we all know now that Clemson pulled out the ACC Championship last weekend in Charlotte. Pretty neat! 

Since then it's been pretty much a Christmas palooza. We put our tree back up, and I even dragged out an old fake one. We had a few ornaments break, and several others that just didn't fit the theme of our live tree, so I decided to put up a second one. A sturdy one that I know won't tip  and the ornaments won't fall off of. 

Here's the final product!

I still need a topper and tree skirt for the live tree.

Here's the beauty up close!!

It's blue, silver, and purple with some silver and blue ribbons. I also inherited some silver swirly picks from the mother in law and stabbed those in there too. I really do like the way it turned out. I just hope I like it enough to use this color scheme a few years to come, decorating isn't cheap.

We also spent a day with the inlaws (his parents) decorating their house and tree. Tree day over there has always been one of my favorite traditions with them, seriously it's an event that lasts the entire day, but at the end it's soo worth it.


In other non seasonal news, the weather in SC is crazy, school is keeping me rather busy, I finally upgraded my phone, and on Sunday I'm traveling to NC to visit my best friend. Oh, did I mention the Sunday after Thanksgiving I had a guest! My best friend since high school (Jessica) surprised me. She's been living in Florida for almost 4 years now, and managed to sneak up here to see us for the weekend. It was so special and so sweet, but too too short. I cannot wait for her to get back up here at Christmas and spend some real quality time with her.

I guess that's it for now. 

blog with a purpose

Okay, so lately I've stashed a camera in the kitchen just in case I remember to photo something I'm doing.

Last Sunday it was Paula Deen's biscuit recipe. This is something that Mr. Perry has been asking for, for months now, so I got up and got to baking. I've never made biscuits from scratch before, but was surprised at how easy they were. Seriously, it took all of 10 minutes to get it all together. They tasted great, I just wish I had made them a little bit thicker. I'm pretty proud of them in any way.

All they took were butter, buttermilk (or milk),  and all purpose flour.

The first step was to cut the butter into the flour as seen above. Basically you just mash the butter up into the flour. This was the hardest part because the butter was cold, I have no strength. The instructions said to do this til it resembled corn meal. You do cube the butter before this so it makes it somewhat easier to work with. 

Then you slowly add the buttermilk (or reg. milk) until it becomes.. dough. Seriously, looked JUST LIKE biscuit dough from a can. You might have to use your hands. I had a Pampered Chef Mix n Chop from a shower and used that. Seriously LOVE that tool!

This is where I started thinking though..

I imagine you could add cheese, fresh/dried herbs, or something else arromatic and flavorful at this point to make some other delicious biscuits for various meals. 

.. but we stuck with plain for today!

Not sure whats up with that photo, but I rolled it out on a floured surface and cut out my biscuits. 

I will say, the didn't rise as much as I thought they would, so for round 2 this will be thicker. 

I ended up with 9 biscuits. I liked the size of the cutter I used, because I think it's a good sandwich size. 

OUR FINAL PRODUCT!!! 

The recipe on Food network didn't have  a temp or a time listed. I started at 350 *, but Mr. Perry had me bump that up to a solid 400*. Anyways, you bake til golden brown. 

I enjoyed mine with grape jam, and Paul with syrup. 

See I told you I could write a blog with a purpose. 

I actually have some photos and a blog waiting to be written but for now I'll just update you on my Monday!


I taught elementary school today.. third grade to be exact, and ya know I didn't totally hate it. Subbing in elementary schools always has been something I've never been 100% excited about. Yes I do realize this is what I spent four years learning how to do in college. My days there just weren't as easy as they were with my older kids. But... it's the holidays and I had a hair appointment, so I was determined to work as many days as I could. Even if that meant ..elementary school. Don't get me wrong, the kids are wonderful, and I love that after being there 10 minutes I'm already their bff. However, it can get veryyyy taxing with the constant questions and what not. It's also always something brand new. Each elementary teacher has their own way of doing things, and I never can quite get in the groove at the school.Very confusing at times. Sooo many behavior plans, seating charts, lesson plans or lack there of at times...were my elementary teachers like this and I just didn't realize it? One thing I do love however is that I actually get to teach. From taking attendance to lunch count and read alouds, I just adore being in command of a classroom. It's a pretty magical/powerful feeling to have 19 something young minds at your fingertips.

Anyways, back in June I became.. "chemically dependant", my hair stylist's nice way of saying you're stuck with me. I got a major chop off and some highlights. The highlights were brand new to me. Hard to imagine at 25 years old I had never had my hair professionally done. It just never really crossed my mind honestly.  I've had a trim since then, but today I finally went in to get the roots touched up. I'm honestly amazed at how long they lasted, and it even still didn't look that bad. We decided to definitely keep it short with LOTS of layers, in fact the shorter the better. If it grows out it just ends up in a pony tail and then has the potential to become ungodly long as it was before. We also took it up a notch with the color, a lovely blend of two shades of blonde, and normal blonde and blonde blonde. Instead of just my test run with the highlights as before they are covering my head.

You will see exhibit A below. It will take a little adjusting too, and some playing around with to get the right look, and also make up, but I think I like it! Now I'll really get to see if blondes have more fun!

a laugh

Thanks Mr. Perry, you always know how to make me smile.

life update

It's been a crazy few weeks here at Casa de Perry.

I'm working like a maniac in the schools, and learning to love it. Which may might just mean I'm learning to love teaching. We'll see, don't hold your breath though. I love the flexibility I have to pick which dates I work, and where I work at. I'm home by 4 which these days means, just enough time for a nap before dinner, and a load of laundry. Crazy to admit, that I wish I had more hours in a day to keep the house clean. I am becoming quite the little housewife.

We had a festive Halloween. I swear NOTHING comes close to any holiday in the HG, but this year was pretty neat. We didn't decorate (minus our pumpkin, which didn't get carved) and didn't pass out candy. Instead I got a small bag of treats for my neighbors and took the girls who live on our street trick or treating. I think they loved not having to walk around with mom. I think the mom's themselves loved it too. After that I headed to a small Halloween party at a family friend's house and enjoyed catching up with lots of fun people! I will say there is slightly more of a social scene here in L-town as opposed to Columbia.

This past week I've started to really get thinking about some upcoming events this month. Thanksgiving, Taylor Swift in a few weeks as well as a handful of birthdays and then.. Christmas! I am for once excited about the holidays this year. I know it will be a wonderful season of firsts for Mr. P and I, and I want to make sure to savor every second of them.

More recently this past weekend we took family photos and attended a family member's wedding. I LOVE how our photos turned out. We attemped to make it a USC/Clemson photo as we are the family divided. It was the first time all six of us kiddos were together in a lonnnnnnnnnng time. We seriously could not stop laughing being our goofy selves during the picture taking that we were asked to leave the room. God blessed me with three amazing brothers and a sweet little sister through marriage and I couldn't be more thankful. I think that's what every parent's goal in life is, is to see their children happy being around each other. Later on that day we had a wedding to go to. My 2nd since our big day,  but the first Mr. P and I got to attend together. It was beautiful, and being on the other side now a wonderful reminder to hear those vows read again.

I think I covered about all the bases here. Two more days til the weekend!!  Lucky for me I only am teaching half days both of those days so I can get a few errands and chores done.

the phone saga

My husband manages to drown phones like it's a job. Seriously!! I can't even remember how many he has been through in almost 8 years. Maybe... 10, who knows. It's become seriously a running joke about Mr. P and his phones.

Anyways, once again this past week he killed another phone. This time it was in a cup of water in his car. We've got a backup thankfully while a new one is on order. It should be here later this week.

In the mean time, I've have my precious phone for over 2 years now, and am starting to consider upgrades. I fear if I do go the smartphone route I will be constantly on the internet and what not. I have a laptop and a nook, so I'm covered in the wireless devices, but I hate the other phones that are out there now. Too many flips, twists and slides for me.  I like simple one piece phones, preferably no touch screens either.

you better watch out, you better not cry....

Santa Claus is coming to town, and soon. I am getting so excited for the holidays this year. Maybe it's marriage, maybe it's... well I'm quite sure it's marriage. It's the holiday's my way!! Pinterest already has my mind going in 1000 different directions. I absolutely cannot wait to start our on traditions and build a stockpile of decorations of my own.

Last year Paul and I got the 2010 Willow Tree ornament, so this year we'll be adding this one to that collection.

I'll probably pick up at least one more ornament for the year too. I'm thinking those personalized ones from the kiosk at the mall..maybe?! We'll see. I also am so excited to use some precious ornaments we got as wedding gifts.

I also started making this, this weekend..

which will soon be finished up, painted a lovely seasonal color and fitted to hold a stocking. Mr. Perry gets one too.

I am also thinking a larger one for the front door to do in a wreath?! Maybe.

I also need to figure out how to display all those Christmas cards we will get. I've seen lots of cute ideas and hope I can make that too!

and then.. a tree skirt too is also hopefully in the DIY projects for me.


and probably the biggest part of my Christmas creativity so far, the list! I've started this before, but it's high time I finish it..


The Christmas 2011 list.

I always love a few good movies.

Bridesmaids
The Help


and my Nook has been pretty lonely lately, so monetary donations to B&N are also appreciated.

For skin care and pampering, things I can NEVER have enough of.

A bathrobe, or wrap with some sweet initials on it.
Gift Certificate to POUT (for all my favorite products)
a Clarisonic MIA (like an electric toothbrush for your face)
manicure and pedicure

Garnet and Black Jack Rogers, or white, or any color really

new jeans!

solid black or solid brown boots, I'd really love some newer cowboy boots

cookbooks
an apron
a heavy duty rolling pin

a Keurig and some KCups

a few Fiestaware pieces we don't have already

I would LOVE that white bedding I was talking about in an earlier post.


for now that's about all I can think of but I'm sure I'll update it soon!

bedding overhaul

I have a serious problem with the way I want to switch my bedding. I guess it's just my indecisiveness in general and the fact that I get bored easily.

Our home at the moment is covered in darks, reds, browns, khakis, blues. All great colors, but they are just so bold and masculine I'm ready for a change. Yes I know we've barely had the new bedding on our new bed six months, but it's too.. matchy for me. The same pattern is on the bed spread, shames and everything else. Too much print for what I want right now.

We're also starting to discuss painting some rooms, the entire house for the most part is one dark khaki color. We have hopes of lightening up the bedrooms a good bit, and probably the downstairs too. But for now we'll stick with the bedrooms for this post. I'm super excited about finally starting to put some of our taste into the house, so it will finally feel like a home.


For our room, I want.. solid white linens. Crazy you might think, but I almost always had a solid white down comforter on my bed at my parents house. I think solid white is refreshing and clean. Two things I love. It's also easily washed (we're going for cotton or something else simple) and I can change out the throw pillows seasonally and it makes bringing the furniture in the rest of the room together so much easier. I can also throw in a monogram or two pretty easily, and color sheets look so bold against white back drop.

I like this photo because it shows off a dark headboard like we hope to build soon, and two simple lamps like we already have. I probably would have some more pillow though, I love fluffy bedding. My parents still have tons and tons of old quilts and afghans from my grandmother that would bring some history and some color into this as well. Our house is still so boxy and boyish that it needs a taste of family desperately.

For our future guest room I want some more color but not the bold brash ones we have now. Purple is my favorite color and we have none of it in the house. So that's an option. I've also notice cool greys, yellows and burlap trending as well. I also have a 200 year old wrought iron bed at my parent's house still that I want to bring in the house.

Until we get that bed brought over the upcycled barn would I think would look great.

I love the gathered purple comforter, and check out that chandelier.

One final photo so you get the idea. 

Maybe soon we'll add these to our collection here at home, or maybe Santa will just bring them. Either way I would love to crawl up in any of them for a nice nap. 

We had another great week here in Perryland despite it being overcast and rainy most of the week. I got to share a lot of special moments with some great friends and family members. I could not be more blessed!

Schools were only open 4 days with week due to Columbus Day on Monday, the SC State Fair also arrived in town this past Wed. So it seems as if with all this Fall is here in full swing. I got to sub in elementary school again, and in middle school for the first time  this week. I enjoyed the experience but am looking forward to getting back to my highschoolers again on Monday! Middle school however provided lots of break time which I spent reading. I am such a fan of teachers who have books in their classes still, it made it so much easier to get through the day. On the upswing, I did get requested by teachers to sub this coming week. Glad to know my name is getting out there and the work is coming.

We've switched to the Fall scents here at the house too, lots of cinnamon, cloves and that sort of thing. I also got a new Pumpkin Spice creamer to go with my coffee. Mmmmm, delicious.

Thanks to some great neighbors we now a pumpkin and two beautiful mums on our front porch. Now all I need is a great wreath for the front door to get us til Christmas time. Then the massive task of decorating a house for Christmas with NOTHING to start with.

Thursday my best friend visited us for the night from NC. We usually see each other 1-2 times a year, and the last time we got to visit was the wedding. With all the craziness around here lately I truly appreciated this girl time. LOTS LOTS LOTS of laughs and  yummy treats. She also got us one last addition to our kitchen. I'm daring to say it's complete now.. we went to Bed Bath and Beyond and got a waffle maker. The Cuisinart Classic to be exact, as if I would get another brand!? I used it this  morning and am so glad we've got it. I made a little too much batter, so it's being stored in my small Pampered Chef batter bowl (love it) and I can make them easily as the week progresses. It was such a special visit and I can't wait til I can return the favor and make one up there to see her soon. I hate that we live three hours away.

I think that's it for now. There is some beautiful weather here this weekend so I'm dying to do something fun with the days ahead.

It's Sunday morning, we've skipped church and family lunch in lieu of sleeping in. It's a nice change up and giving me a chance to sit out here on my beautiful porch and drink coffee. I have a stack of laundry to do, a house to clean, and soo much more to do, but it will all have to wait for now. I'm really just enjoying this quiet moment. I know Christine would love this kinda thing, I would love for her to be here with me.

I'm sure we've all seen this quote posted on Twitter, FB and elsewhere this week with the passing of Apple Founder Steve Jobs. I hate how easily I forget that our time here is limited and can get so caught up in living by other peoples opinions of us. I thought it was such a nice reminder to keep searching for my peace, and my place in life and this world and that as long as I keep that first, I will get there.

bacon crazy

Here's a little refreshing post to switch things up around here and get you thinking..

I'm watching Travel Channel today and hanging out around the house taking care of week old chores. Truthfully I thought I would for sure sleep til noon before waking up to be lazy today if I didn't get a call to sub. I didn't get a call to sub today, but I did wakeup at 8, and just couldn't go back to sleep. The fact is though, I really missed my quiet days at home.

Anyways, this post is all things bacon (if the title didn't give it away). It seems as if the breakfast meat loved by so many has now become this phenom where we're putting it in donuts, burgers, ice cream.. you name it. The truth of the matter is.. I don't even remember when the last time I had bacon was!! Well I do since it came on my sandwich at breakfast this morning, but otherwise sausage links are my breakfast meat of choice. Don't get me wrong I do love bacon, especially think Hormel Black Label bacon like my dad buys, but Mr. P refuses to buy bacon, so we don't. I also love baked bacon, one day when I need bacon I will attempt that.

Check this site out.. http://www.baconfreak.com/ for some lovely bacon inspired items.

After some quick research I've determined you can get bacon everything.. coffee, chocolate, hot sauce, bacon in pancakes, candy bars.

This one struck my interest.. spreadable bacon.

and if you're looking to class it up a notch. They have some great wine and bacon pairing packages. 

Onto our next bacon site.. www.iheartbacon.com a blog with all things bacon posted. Recipes and other stuff that has to do with the beloved breakfast meat. It's got small print, and odd colors so I didn't spend too much time checking it out. 

Then we have bacontoday.com. Daily News on the World of Bacon. Did you know that September 3rd was International Bacon Day?! I tell you bacon has consumed our lives. This site has some slighty more creative ideas for your bacon pleasure, a bacon soup bowl perhaps?!

The bacon sites and ideas go on and on. And we wonder why America is dealing with this obesity epidemic?!

. 

Mr. Perry has requested this make the blog.


If he ONLY knew how much I've been slacking lately. But here's some motivation and a little bragging for both of us.

Mr. P has recently gotten into woodworking and this was our first project. A basic adirondack chair, plans courtesy of www.ana-white.com. TONS of other great plans there that we hope to try out soon. I am really into the Farmhouse bed plans, simple and just what we need. I can't wait to sit in it on the back porch or wherever I decide to keep it and drink some coffee and just have some nice quiet time.  I am so lucky to have such a great husband who is talented. He also left a cute bouquet of flowers in the fridge for me to find this morning.

A quick update on the week.. I was able to sub most all week long again and really felt immensely more confident in the classroom. I have two days down for next week already and am looking forward to them too. Everyday another step in the right direction.

We've had a slow weekend, USC was at home but we sold our tickets. However, Spurrier did put Connor Shaw in  and it seems we might have a QB finally.

As for us we were able to pull out lots of wedding presents tonight when we had an impromptu dinner at our house. Our neighbors across the street joined us, and some old neighbors who used to live across the street stopped by to say hello. She also brought me two gorgeous plants for the porch. We all pitched in and threw together what we had and it turned out beautifully. My contribution was the corn casserole, mashed potatoes and green beans. I LOVED being able to pull out place settings, serving pieces and see it all come together. My only complaint is that I don't have a larger dishwasher, and I hate doing dishes. The weather today here was perfect so we were also able to enjoy our meal al fresco.


SC State Fair in just a few days!! Cannot wait.

Ahh! So I completely missed the boat on blogging last week.

It was a busy week, with five full days of teaching for me. I got to sub in various classes at the high school, and really enjoyed the experience. The week got kicked off last Monday morning at 5:30 am with a call from the automated system notifying me of the job, which I glady accepted. It took a little rearranging to get there and back, but we figured it out.

On another WONDERFUL note, my car got fixed last Monday too. With the exception of the fuel gage (it's reading full) I'm back up and running. SO GLAD!! Because, I was able to lock down the rest of the week working.

Thursday night seestor and I had a date with another set of great sisters. We surprised our littles with dinner at McAlister's and then LionKing in 3D. So much fun to get out on a weeknight and socialize. I have a handful of  good friends here in Lexington, but I'm still very much settling in and trying to develop those friendships like I had back on my parents side of town.

Friday got here all to fast, but was very much welcomed after a full week in the classroom.


Saturday we had a full day at home. After a late big breakfast at IHOP with a sweet neighbor, Mr. P, our friend Stephen, roomie Nate, and I got to work hard core in the back yard. It took several hours and lots of power tools, but we finally were able to deconstruct the massive jungle we had growing back there. Seriously, think... 3 years of no landscaping whatsoever. Anyways, last night we were able to sit out on the back deck around a lovely fire and enjoy some s'mores and the fruits of our labor. I made a big pot of chilli for dinner which was a perfect meal for the first chilly night of Fall.

Our Sunday went off as usual, church, lunch, home. At the moment I have two days of subbing this week at the high school scheduled, and hoping to fill up the rest of the days as well. We shall see, and I hope to do a better job at blogging.

the cards are in

I had a night in tonight and decided to rent a movie. Mr. P was out with a friend, so it was just me, popcorn and some Coke. I also painted my nails. It was surprisingly a lot of fun, and I forgot how much I like to just sit and watch a movie.  It was my first time actually using pay per view, and I got...

I still have some MAJOR wedding fever, so am trying to soak up all the bridal bliss I can. I need a good wedding to go to soon. Anyways, it was a funny movie.. but not the funniest thing ever like I've heard. It's a 48 hour rental so I'll probably watch it again at least once before the weekend is up.

Have you all seen this movie?! What did you think of it??

It has been one long day.

My wake up call generally is about 5:30 am each morning when the alarm goes off for Mr. P. This means, at least 30 minutes of poking and prodding for him to wake up, shower, and get out the door to work. As fast as I can I'm back asleep soundly in the middle of our bed. Getting a king size bed was the best thing we did for our marriage. Space, space, space.

Today however, I got another call.. about 7:20 to be exact. I've  been on the sublist most of the school year now and finally got a chance to go in and work today. I was beyond excited for the job, not to mention a tad bit nervous. It was third grade, and just my luck my wonderful neighbor was off today and gladly let me use her car to make the trip. It was a little stressful, but otherwise great. I am hoping to get another call very soon. So glad my teacher pants still fit and I still have somewhat of my teacher touch. A few more jobs and I'm sure I'll be a pro and one step closer to a full time job in a classroom. I find it beyond my wildest imagination that I'm even considering that.

Jeremiah 33:3 written all over it.

I was particularly excited for today though because Christine was coming to visit. So after a quick nap I made dinner for us. Green beans, scalloped potatoes, and BBQ chicken. The chicken was on sale this week at the grocery store which made me EXTRA excited. I am trying to get my coupons organized and stock piled so I can start taking better advantage of those deals.

Anyways, our mission for the night was to create this.. Again another pinterest.com finding.

Directions for it are here... http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/05/how-to_one-shoulder_ruffle_shi.html

It turned out really cute. It will take a few attempts with different fitting shirts to get the right look, but it's definitely very easy. WalMart of all places had NOTHING to choose from, so I ended up with a men's small tee shirt. I will advise, you cut the ruffle from the bottom of the shirt, make sure you get a long one. I also used the sleeve from the open shoulder to make my  ruffle extra ruffley, and then I decided that the  man sleeve was too long/big, so we took that out all together. Christine suggested a possible tee shirt dress. Leggins, a belt and some flats and I think we might be in business.

Anyways, for future crafting I'm hoping I can find an easy Christmas stocking pattern. I'll be needing two of those this year, and am desperately ready to get our couch and chair downstairs in a more presentable state ASAP.

Happy Friday everyone!! Tomorrow I'm tackling mac n cheese in the crock pot.

parents

We all have them, whether they physically birthed us or adopted us or whatever..  most of us have two people we call Mom & Dad, or something else of the sort. Some of us have only one or even more than two, or look to our "parents" as other figures in our life.

Now, I know I don't have children and will probably get some flack from this post, but I don't care. Isn't that what a blog is for!? It's my opinion, I respect how you decide to raise your children. Please do the same once that times comes. Which ain't in the forseeable future for us.

I was blessed with a great set of parents. I didn't always agree to this statement, but overall I can say it's been nice. They've instill great values in me that I know will take me a lot further in life than any material possession.

What I love the most about my parents.. they've told me no. On more than one occaision. They've done a great job at keeping me in check with reality. I've gotten everything I ever needed, most of what I wanted, and the rest they were right about or, if I wanted it badly enough.. I went out and got it myself. A safe home, car to drive, food to eat, and college tuition were a much better trade off than a new car, designer clothes, and the latest greatest whatever..

In the world I've lived in thus far I think that's a really good thing, and in today's world, a great one. I haven't seen where a lifetime full of yesses gets us anywhere productive. With uncertain times the power of  the little words no and yes can make a HUGE impact on how we all make our future decision. I also know now that I'm married and out on my own, just how lucky I am to still have them in my life and am ever grateful for the decisions they made raising me. They really are wise. I also love how they still put their two cents in (respectfully) in the decisions I make today as a wife and adult.


So my question is.. why don't parents say no? You tell me. I see it in so many of my friends lives, and those friends with children of their own. Do they think they are going to win some award for being BFF with their child!? From my perspective all telling your kids "yes" gets you is up shit creek without a paddle. They turn into greedy little brats, then when you really should be helping them out.. you can't because you've exhausted your resources, or they are rebelling and you can't even speak to them. I've seen it happen, we all have.

This economy sucks, we know it, but hey.. like everything else it will get better. It will turn around, and once again we'll find ourselves back on top. The sad thing is that people today are freaking out because of not having enough to go out to dinner, or buy a new car. Not being thankful they can eat, have a working car (which I've never been so grateful for as I have this week), not even being thankful for amazing supportive families. Seems like all I ever hear is complaining. Mr. P and I have really tried not to dwell on the negative, but to really be glad for all we have.

So parents, tell your kids no. It will help you now, and save you a huge heartache in the future. It won't kill them, it will just make them a.) go get a job and work even harder or b.) realize you were right and it wasn't a necessity for their survival. Then, 10 years from now when they know the value of that help they can really appreciate it.

Just my two cents.

a little baking experiment.

I spend a good bit of time these days on pinterest.com. It's a neat little site that lets you "pin" your interests on to various boards, and follow others. Pretty catchy once I got the hang of it.  Lots of great recipes and holiday ideas that I can't wait to try out. If I could cook or bake for a living I would.

Anyways, I came across this recipie/idea a few weeks ago and have been really wanting to give it a go.

It was called, Pumpkin Muffins, but really to me is more like a cupcake.

Those are your two ingredients, and you just mix them and bake!

350 for 20-30 minutes. 

I adjusted mine somewhat and used chocolate cake mix instead. Soo moist and delicious. I also mixed up a batch of cream cheese icing and that really put them over the top. I was banking on the pumpkin throwing off Mr. P, but turns out he loves them too. I will say the batter was a little heavy, which made it hard to put into the cupcake papers, but not to bad that I wouldn't do this again. I was actually thrown off because Publix was OUT of canned pumpkin. Never fear though, across the street at the Pig they had it. We actually used Libby's  Pumpkin Pie filling instead. 

it's been six

Hard to believe that six short months ago we were here..

and now we're halfway through the first year of our life together. I know I haven't posted many photos lately so I figured today would be a good chance to do that and think about the past six month of our crazy married life together.  Which now as I'm re reading this before I post it got a little too crazy and pictures are lacking. My b. 

Moving on.. 

After our amazing wedding we spent a week in Jamaica. All I can say is.. Can I please go back now?! I just recently looked at the photos Paul took there and found this one. Definitely one of my favorites from the trip. It was right before we went snorkeling I believe, and look at that long hair. 

we got back home and settled into life together and I got to getting the TY notes out and putting away all of our wonderful wedding gifts. It was a mess for a good two months after we got back, but I got through it and appreciate all the generosity from our family and friends. We are soo blessed. 

 Of course you've probably seen those before, and as you've probably already read we've had a crazy summer of fun at the lake. Lots of sun and fun on and in the water.  We've had birthdays, holidays, home improvement projects and cooking adventures.  Everyday together has been such a blessing and a gift. As we begin to think of the holidays coming up I am so excited to see how we make this first one together one we won't ever forget. 

But, on the horizon we've got one more thing before the holidays take control of our lives

... FOOTBALL SEASON

I snapped the beauty from my phone at Saturday's game. 

It was a rough start but thankfull history did not repeat itself and the boys pulled out a W. The ensemble for the day was my boots (so happy to have them back) , skinny jeans, black turtleneck and a lovely g&b print scarf, plus Paul's favorite earrings.  We've had a good chill here the past few days which has thrown my wardrobe for a loop, but this Saturday should be considerably warmer and we can stick to our basics. 

The other thing that's on my mind.. 

the SC state fair!

I can't find any pictures sorry. 

But it's arriving in less than a month and oh my goodness I can't wait. 

food.rides.exhibits.friends.

I don't know what I love the most but I just can't get enough of it. The only drawback is that now I live 40 minutes away instead of 5. 

So that's it for today. A hodgepodge post of sorts. I can say that the past six months have brought me more joy than I ever could have imagined. All the ups and downs of this year (so far) have only reaffirmed the fact that I married the greatest man alive.  

It's been a quiet week here at the Perry Casa.

In fact, really not much to write about. So we'll just have a brain dump of sorts on here.

I am beyond excited it's FRIDAY!! Or well was. Friday means all my adult friends get the weekend off, and I have a shot at socializing. Tonight that included a trip to the mall and glass of wine around the fire pit. Which reminds me, I have a fire pit yet to be assembled in the garage. Maybe next week's project?! To top that off our friends up the street said they have three trees of logs to burn for us. I love a good fire!! S'mores here I come.

My precious Blazer is sick this week. The diagnosis is a bad fuel pump. So for now the gas tank is sitting in our garage til we can get a new fuel pump. What better way to strengthen our marriage than auto mechanics?! Just a fact though, this was likely caused by driving around with less than a half of a tank of gas.. So for all of you out there who put in a gallon or two at a time, it will bite you in the butt.

Gamecock football is at home tomorrow night. Starting to finally get excited for that. We're hoping to see lots of friends at the games, and of course come away with a W.

It's downright cold outside. I think the sweltering temps are nearly gone for the year. I'm thinking I just might be breaking out those boots tomorrow for the game.

Have you been on pinterest?! It's slowly becoming addictive.

Same for the Sims game on FB.


I've found a new appreciation for my friends in far away places lately. Despite the hours/days/distances I'm so glad I can ALWAYS lean on those people for support. I'm also learning just how lucky I am to have married Paul.

and because I know she's reading this, I'm developing a small miniscule tiny hole in my heart for Christine. Part of me really hates we live so far apart now. I never realized how lucky I was to have someone to constantly hang out with and just have around before I got married.

I need to bake something.. stat.

That's it.. maybe I'll take some pictures and have a real post soon.

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”Isaiah 46:4 NIV

How amazing is that?? Hubs is reading ahead for church tomorrow so I thought I'd take a look back at some of my favorite verses myself on the internet and that was the verse for today. Extremely resassuring as I take yet another massive leap into the unknown.

Just thought I'd share. I know I was promising a post with substance which will come I just haven't had much to write about other than our oh so exciting life.

Carolina just beat UGA tonight in another close game. This makes  8 out of the past 11 games with them down to less than a touchdown. Now counts down to our kick off at home next weekend. SOO PUMPED!! I had a precious outfit today consisting of black leggins, an oversized garnet top and my wedge heels to match. PLUS, after yesterday's hair cut I'm rocking the short hair and curls. I think I might have FINALLY  found the magic touch or combination of arsenal to get the curls I've always dreamed of. With a little more work it will be perfected. We watched the game here at home with friends and had a great time. Periodically we'd take a walk and check on the other neighbors watching the game.

No photos sadly, as I have been slackin with my cameras. It's sad that I can sometimes carry 2-3 cameras with me yet never have them charged, or near the computer for blogging. Maybe next weekend. So now begins the hunt for my perfect gameday outfit.

I'm looking forward to another Sunday Funday with the family. Have I mentioned how much I just LOVE Sunday?!

I had big ambitions of a cute Labor Day post.. ya know, one with precious photos of cute parties and cute food.

Well that got me.. no where.

Anyways, the Labor Day weekend has passed us now, and most of us are headed back to school and work tomorrow. I've enjoyed the extra day here at home with the fabulous Mr. P. Our Labor Day consisted of errands and a non productive trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond, a good nap, and a trip to WalMart for ice cream. We did kick start our morning with a 3 mile walk across the dam. Praise the Lord for some cooler temps. Yesterday (Sunday) we had our usual trip to church, lunch with the family and then we FINALLY went and got this beauty...
 

A chest freezer, and we are SOO pumped. It's the "practical" wedding gift from Mr.P's (and now mine) grandmother. Hence the trip to WalMart for ice cream, had to make sure it was keeping things frozen. Hehehe. Anyways, even more of an incentive for me to get to exreme couponing now. We got a place to keep it now!

In other world news, the USC Gamecocks did in fact WIN this weekend!!! Even though the game got off to a rough start the boys pulled through. I swear I got goosebumps just watching the pregame highlights. So beyond PUMPED for two weeks from now when they play at home.


A real post will come soon I promise!!

What I Love Wednesday

Roasted red potatoes..

We had a simple dinner tonight, Baked chicken with our favorite Zoe's seasoning blend and the juice of one lemon sprinkled on top, peas, and my beloved potatoes. Hubs is back hard core on his diet, and I'm obliging. We had an off weekend with a dinner out and a few quick fixes here at the house. Anyways, the potatoes... they are nothing more than red potatoes cut into chunks, spread out on a baking sheet, brushed with some oil and again sprinkled with the seasoning mix and baked at 350 for about an hour. We cook ours good and long to get the outsides a little crisp, but the inside stays soft. Really, the easiest most perfect side dish. I also love they they are real potatoes, and not from a can.

So that's what I'm loving today..

What are you loving??

gettin crafty.

I think I've decided that I want to become crafty.


The thought is.. I see so many cute home decor items, and dresses and skirts that if I just learned to sew and craft a little they can be mine for a fraction of the cost. Not to mention, my wardrobe would nearly quadruple.

My sister sews, somewhat. So I'm thinking there isn't much to it. Of course, I do need a sewing machine, patterns, fabric, and all the stuff that come with it.

I'm googling around and finding some simple dresses (or so I think) that might be right up my alley.




..ok, so google searches for easy to sew dresses and easy to make dresses proved insufficient for photos. Maybe for now we'll just stick with crafting.


I'm dying to make a ribbon wreath.

It was def. much easier to look up online, but I would love to do one in garnet and black for the Fall, or just a fun fall colored one. Speaking of wreaths, Christmas will be here fast...119 days.. to be exact. For our front door I know we will be putting a wreath on it, do we go live and just add simple touches, or fake and get one that is done all up to save for years to come??

I'm also starting to gather ideas for table and mantle decor.








Then comes the china, we have Fiestware that I love, but I am searching for something to bring it into the holiday season as well. Maybe some place mats and napkin rings!??? Or do I start early and pick out yet another pattern. It's not like we'll be hosting any large family meals for a good 10 years. Am I crazy for already thinking about the holidays.

We determined about a week back we will be going with a LIVE tree!! YAYY!! I hope that I can talk Mr. P into a day trip to the mountains to pick one out.

Ok so back to crafting..

I've considered doing a canvas for our kitchen with a bible verse on it or something to make it feel more homey. I'm not one for self done art on the walls (don't tell the hubby) but I would love it if I could rework a few things to at least give our visitors the impression that adults live here.

What other fun crafts are there that I can do for cheap!?!

Finally Friday

Woo hoo!!


To get things started, let's have a little Rebecca Black. 

It's not the real video, and I didn't make that one, but you get the point!! 




This week I've been addicted to The Sims Social app on Facebook. If you're a fan of the classic Sims game you might just want to check this out. LOVE IT!! It's honestly Farmville taken to a whole new level. I've hacked Mr. P's FB and set him up a sim as well, and now we're "Totally Inseparable" hehehe. I'm wonderful I know. 


And..  last night I got into Words With Friends on FB as well. It was a little hard to get the hang of, but I think I have it now. 


I'm also ever grateful for Sudoku on my hubs Android2, it's great for killing time while we're riding around town. Hence, last night's hour drive to figure out what we were eating. At one point I said I felt like we were dating.. we had no place to go, not a whole lotta money, and were very hungry. However, we settled on Texas Roadhouse, and were very very pleased. The service was great, lots of young people who were well groomed, extremely polite and the food was good too. LOVE those rolls and cinnamon butter!! 




Now that I've officially convinced you all that I'm a nerd I'm headed back to caring for my sick hubby today.

Gameday Gear

Ok, so USC football is RIGHT around the corner. With some moderate progress last season there is A LOT of talk about how far these guys will go. Our baseball team recently brought in the 2011 NCAA CWS National Title again, so there is LOTS of hype in the air here.

Football games for me have always been a fashion show. My typical game day outfit is a simple black dress with a few garnet accessories.

Of course I have several black dresses, seriously.. once I counted them because a friend borrowed one and I think I had at least 10. Anyways, this is a favorite of mine from Ann Taylor LOFT. It's a short wrap dress and it was on clearance. I've worn it soo many times!! Including our rehearsal for the wedding.

That's the closest I could find to my actual dress online. I do, however draw the line at the heels. Heels are NOT game appropriate.  The up and down, the crowds, stairs, and 10 mile hike to the stadium most certainly do not comply.

So this year I'm hoping to add these to the mix..

My standard footwear. <3 I die.


I also have a long cotton black dress to try out as well, but believe I will save that for cooler weather.

When cooler weather does get here, I like to be prepared with a good wool coat. I think something like this is on the shopping list. This way, I can put it over jeans and a black turtleneck and just hit the tailgate.

and then of course my throngs ( I think that's a word) of scarves.

With the baby bro inlaw off at Clemson, I am also cautiously looking for appropriate purple/orange attire  in the event Mr. P and I make it up there for a game.

My next big debate is on the gamefaces, those little tattoos you buy and put on your cheek!? Are they a do or a don't? Definitely can be cute, but I ain't 8 and am I'm not a sorority girl.. So I'm not sure I fit the bill. As much as I LOVE this time of year I am proud to be a Koala at heart.

Happy Hump Day!!

It's a quiet week at Casa de Perry this week. Nothing wild going on although I did go  eat Chipotle and see One Day with my pal Megan. Props to her for getting me out of the house and out socializing on a weeknight. It was an overall good movie, but not my absolute favorite. Chipotle however did not disappoint! I had a rice bowl with chicken.  I'm still holding out to see Glee, and the new Sarah Jessica Parker flick How Does She Do It? After seeing the Help last week, and then this week One Day, I realized I should make more of an effort to actually go out and see movies. I really do like seeing them in the theater.

I need to either a.) find a generous friend or b.) try my hand at graphic design and get a banner for this little blog. Something to spruce it up a bit.


I just made broccoli casserole for dinner tonight in hopes of winning Mr. P's taste for that lovely green veggie. It's been in our freezer for a few weeks and we're trying to use up as much of what we have in our pantry right now (its loaded) before we go buy more food. I realized Monday at  dinner, that outside of my lovely breakfast dates that I don't even remember the last time I have been out for dinner. It's crazy how life before marriage was dictated by dining out and now it's a super special thing.

A commercial for Garnet and Black traditions just inspired me to do a post on gameday wear for those ever so important USC games. We're at just over a week a way from kickoff in Charlotte, and then two weeks from our home opener here in town. Get excited folks!!

Emily talked me into playing The Sims Social on Facebook. Not gonna lie, kind of addicting. It takes me back to the regular Sims game for sure. Good times there, good times.

Okay, so I think that's it for this post. Off to work on my super gameday one!!!

Fall is HAIR

Hahha, don't I make you laugh.

Anyways, so just before the Summer got started I went in for a major chop. I mean, we're talking like close to 12 inches folks. I have loved it and never looked back. At least not totally. Well, cooler temps will so be here and I'm in need of a trim. I am also thinking I will have the highlights redone as well.  Hello wife hair?!!? I've been so proud of myself lately and made sure I've had plenty of time before leaving the house to fix my hair properly (and makeup for that matter). So here's a few products I hope to snag before it cools down to continue keeping this mop of mine perfectly coiffed for Fall.


Exhibit A, texturizing powder such as..

This retails for somewhere around five bucks, so I'm hoping it works. My hair seems to be a frying vat of grease minutes after I wash it, leaving most any style flat and lifeless. Some volume for the winter would just be great.

Exhibit B, Bumble and Bumble stuff..

Hair (un)dressing creme.  It's a little more expensive, but it won't break the bank. I saw it in an add in this month's Cosmo, and the model looked fabulous. I LOVE to rock the messy look with my locks but the never seem to stay messy past the first 15 minutes. There's a miracle product for us all and this one might just be it.


Exhibit C, a new straightener.


I'm not posting a picture because I think we all know what they look like. I'm not leaning towards a specific brand at this point, but def. a higher end one. My ole trusty Revlon from highschool has just about bit the dust.


Exhibit D, curls curls curls.


This Fall I am going to master the art of curls in my hair and nothing is stopping me. I got a great new set of hot rollers last year for Christmas and have yet to really play with them myself. So this season I'm pulling out all the stops to achieve this look, and have it stay..

See look how cute that would be??

It seem's as lately we've gone crazy kitchen experiementing. Here's a little post to catch you up! I am sorry no pictures here, I'm not that dedicated to blogging yet. I only have one follower!!

Ok, so last week we attempted the stuffed chicken breasts with pimento cheese. Tasted great, but I still have a lot to learn about stuffing anything. It kinda looked like a pimento cheese explosion. The sad part is, I hate that I wasted that much pimento cheese!! That stuff isn't cheap to make. However, I can brag that I have converted Mr. P to homemade pimento cheese now. I hate that fake store bought stuff!!

Last night, we splurged and made Shrimp and Grits. Turned out wonderfully, except for my heavy handed hubby with the white wine during deglazing. So watch that when you're making it on your own. I was suprisingly pleased at the simplicity of this recipie. We jumped the gun and got proscuitto in the deli at Publix, before we made it to the back of the store and saw they had the Andouille (sp?) sausage. If you can, use the Tasso ham, or Andouille sausage, those meats have all the seasoning in them. We also used thick yellow grits, which make this recipie truly Southern I believe, and here's a tip, add some heavy cream to them and they will be nice and smooth.

Anyways, this weekend we were blessed with a nearly seven pound pork loin.  Our plan is for three 2ish pound roasts. Tonight we simply roasted it in the oven for a little over an hr with the usual Old Bay and garlic seasoning. For sides we made green beans, and Paula Deen's Corn Casserole. I only learned this week you can really kick up those canned green beans by cooking them in a little chicken broth (or add a buillion cube) on medium for close to an hr. Thanks MIL!! This was also my first attempt at the corn casserole. It turned out WONDERFULLY! Definitely one for the regular menu I believe. Our only adjustment was we had no sour cream, so we whipped up some heavy whipping cream. I made it in the suggested 9 x 13 pan, but believe next time I will be using a smaller deeper pan.  The best part of that recipie is that I've been begging Mr. P to let me try it, and he always said no, but the fact we had all necessary ingredients to make it won out tonight. I always enjoy when he likes something he swore he wouldn't.


For at least one of the other roasts we're slow cooking it. I was messing around on pinterest today and found this little puppy.  Brown sugar and Balsamic glazed pork loin. Here's the stock photo from the site.

Now doesn't that look delicious?!  Along with that I found these..

Sweedish Hasselback Potatoes. Just google the name and you can find several recipies. I'm sure neither of these are diet friendly, but I'm DYING to make something creative in the kitchen. Since baking is strictly forbidden, I think I'll be able to get away with some hearty dishes. Results to be posted!!

Today marks FIVE months of being married!!


Five short (but oh so long) months ago tonight we were having the time of our lives at the most beautiful reception ever. No joke, my mother and father really out did themselves.

Anyways, we had a great week long honeymoon in Jamaica before starting our married life here in smalltown, USA. It's been a crazy trip, but definitely worth every moment. When Mr. P asked about my blog last week I simply said this.. "This year will go by faster than we know it, and we won't ever get this time back.. " Meaning, I know a year from now, we will probably be wishing we were still newlyweds learning to tackle life together. 
As far as celebrating, we're cooking dinner together and spending time here at home. I love our house, and hope we can be here for many many years to come.

I'm probably one of the last 1000 people to talk on AIM anymore, but I still and LOVE it. It's a great tool to keep in touch with Mr. P during the day. Anyways, we usually talk about the important stuff, bills, the family, and of course DINNER. Like I said earlier we're on a health kick so my traditional meal plan has gone out the window. Previously it was .. cheap, cheap and cheap. I made whatever I could with what we had at home, plus whatever meat was on sale. Anyways, this week we've committed to chicken. It's cheap at Wal-Mart and with the new diet Mr. P is slowly opening his mind to more creative ways of chicken. He just sent me this recipie, Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Pimento Cheese , the picture surely looks good.

It's suggested served with squash or zucchini, but since we don't have those handy we're going with the canned veggies in the pantry, and maybe a sweet potato. I am hoping I can use my new toaster oven for this one tonight. If I can remember I'll post a picture and let you know how it turns out.

A few weeks ago Mr. P switched to a new schedule at work, and now works from 7 am- 4pm. I am LOVING this. It makes my days at home alone feel a  little bit shorter, and we're both enjoying that extra time together.

Time together spent doing chores like going to the dump, and taking care of other errands together. Today we took a massive haul of yard trash to the dump, and we also had a return at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Since we've given up on juicing, we decided we didn't really need it, no matter how pretty it was. Instead, I got to bring home a lovely...


TOASTER OVEN!!

The Cuisinart Custom Classic to be exact. I am so pumped, and right now am hunting the web high and low to find a recipie to make in it tonight. Now if we just get a waffle iron, and a coffee grinder, our kitchen should be just about complete.

Such is the life of a housewife, I also believe I've finally won the victory over the ants that have taken over our kitchen.

the diet life

About a week ago Mr.P kicked his weight loss into high gear after watching, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.

Thankfully, his "juice diet reboot" barely lasted a day, and we're  back to eating. He used all last week to work himself up to the no food, only juice diet that is displayed in the  movie. By 11:00 pm, Friday I had to pull the plug and thankfully our friend Ryan got him to eat.

Turns out I wasn't the only one who was against giving up food altogether. So in true husband and wife team fashion, we're going this road together. As the wife, I'm promising not to bake or bring junk into the house. I'm also working up creative ways for those vegetables that Mr. P has sworn off. So far we've got carrots off that list!! In addition, I'm just not cooking the way I used to. We're also making it a priority to get out of the house and get moving. He also has given up soft drinks which already has made a HUGE difference.

So that's it. We've been eating lots of turkey and fresh veggies the past few days, and tonight we're having chicken, rice and peas. I'm dying for ice cream or some form of cheese or pastry, but like I said we're in this together so I'm doing what I can to support him.

it's begining to look a lot like Christmas...

Not so much, but it's closer than we think. In fact several customers are already coming in trying to fill their lists early. It's a tad bit inspirational I think. Mr. P and I briefly discussed this the other day, we've decided to combine all major gifts as just one from the hubs and I, and then cut out the random gifts to our less closer friends. Instead, I think we're going to tackle a great baking baking project and begin a tradition of our own, and give out these in lieu of gifts to the masses!

It's never too early to think about Christmas cards, it is??

It's 134 days away!!

Anyways, that's what's been on my mind this week. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the photoblog stalking I've been doing, and the constant relooking at my own wedding photos. I guess I just want to be prepared come the holiday season. After all it's our first Christmas together, married. I am getting excited about it to say the least.

I'm debating between a new photo of Paul and I (hopefully taken by a generous talented friend) or some sweet shots from the wedding. Who knows, we might get lucky with just a random shot between now and then too. Either way I can't decide on if the card will be one photo, or a small card sized collage of images. Of course it will be super cute and super preppy. I'm thinking maybe deep purple and gold. So far this morning I've spent some time on Snapfish.com, but know there are other sites out there that do this sort of thing, so I'd be interested on hearing any other thoughts about those sites.

Now, pending Mr. P and I take a photo with his family, do we send out our own, or what?? When is it appropriate to send out the cards, and does the photo on the card need to reflect the season? Meaning, since the recipients know that our wedding was in March, is it still appropriate? I'm in no rush to take a new photo since Mr. P just kicked off his latest diet, so I probably need to step it up too. I definately want this to look good.


Happy Friday everyone, and have a wonderful weekend!

Friday brain dump

I've been on a blogging dl this week, so here's a brain dump. I'll do an actual post after this with an actual topic.

-I'm still not over our wedding.
-I cooked a turkey this week for the first time ever.
-I didn't burn the house down doing it!
-I got some WONDERFUL news that a good friend is moving closer to home at the end of the year!
-My husband has gone on a total health kick, and I couldn't be more proud.
-I'm still very much struggling with what direction my life is going.
-My beloved Jack's come in Garnet&Black, and also Purple&Orange
-I'm getting a little pumped about cooler weather so I can get back in the swing of running.
-I need new work out clothes like whoa!


It's a rather short brain dump for now, my brain is distracted so maybe I'll lengthen it later.

hg4l, family, and the importance of laughter

Gosh this weekend has slipped away.

I've loved literally every moment of it.

I'm feeling a little nostalgic tonight, so here's a photo of my favorite 4 girls from my beautiful bridal brunch the morning of the wedding.

hg4l, these girls truly are my heart and am ever so amazed at the lovely young women they've grown into. 

Now, onto family. 

At the end of the day that's all we have. They're ones who see us through our best and worst times, and still love us just the same. Our families teach us more than any job, school or friend ever could. Only now that I've got a family of my own (me and Mr. P) do I realize just how important that is. We don't always agree, and we  can't pick out dinner to save our lives, but whatever the challenge is we work as a team and get it done. I love my husband, and our family, and together we can move mountains. 

and laughter. 

I woke up every so early this morning for another breakfast date with Maggie. This time we tackled another new to us off the beaten path cafe in town. I googled this one, and after perusing the menu we decided it would fit our tastes. Upon first appearances we knew this one would fit the bill. However, I was sad to see that there were no crepes on the menu as stated on FB and their site!! Trajedy. We sipped our coffees and enjoyed our sandwiches as we caught up on the week. What better way to start off the morning than with some fun and fellowship.. 

The rest of the day brought on total SUPER SEESTOR SATURDAY, we haven't had one in a long time. We celebrated the 3rd birthday of my sweet little neighbor, visited the mall (got nothing), and hung out here at the house. We had a full house for dinner, plus a few after! Our long time friends the Howell's joined us for dinner (tacos), and later us girls had some fun with my favorite stuff ever. Indian Healing Clay. It works wonders for your skin. Mr. P referred to is as African Magic Mud. He's too cute. We had so much fun. 

So it's late and I'm about to turn in, but I wanted to get this real quick blog in before I hit the hay, once again reminded how much I am loved, and how much I love my family and that laugther is always the best medicine.

kitchen wish list

I love to eat.. no really. I am a total foodie and am constantly trying new places and new recipes. I just saw a commerical for Patak's Tikka Masala and am scrambling to figure out how to get this on my menu at home ASAP. Usually my tv stays on Food Network all day long. I even found myself actually wanting to pick up this month's Southern Living magazine at Publix. I chuckled and said to Paul, I know we're really married now, since I have never ever wanted to read that before in my life. My mom reads it!! Enough said. The only downside of my food experimentation is that Mr. P isn't. He is strictly, meat and potatoes guy. Only a coveted handful of veggies are in his diet. This makes our dinners and other meals very simple, yet boring.

Anyways, more than eating.. I just am at home in the kitchen. I would cook all day if I could. In fact, I hate those easy to throw together dinners simply because I love the challenge something new brings me. Shortly after we married I got my KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer and my Cuisinart food processor and got to cooking and never looked back. I've had moderate success since then and even have spread the love of these two products to the husband. He originally laughed at my desire for a food processor. Now we come to the two things that I am waiting on patiently to add to our kitchen to finally make it complete.. Okay, so that might be a little fib, there is always something I want next.  These two items are..


the toaster oven,

I'm dieing I feel like without this. So many times I'm fixing for two, or even just myself and want to bake/toast something and don't because I hate to use the whole big oven for it. NYC housewife Sonja Morgan is  mid writing a cookbook dedicated to her use of this wonder appliance. Yes there are others out there but I just love the Housewives and am sooo excited to get my hands on this!! Not to mention, the clean up is nearly non-existent  Now that we've done some rearranging in our own kitchen I actually have room for this. I am hoping to find an under cabinet mounting one,  but I don't think they make those anymore.

The next thing I am wanting is a waffle iron, a deep Belgian waffle maker.

Cuisnart makes a nice one.. Hah, you'd think they were paying me to talk about their products but they aren't. My dad has always done his research on appliances and that has led to sort of being brand loyal with them in me (and now Mr. P). I don't mind the $$$ price tag because I know one day I will be teaching my kids and what not to cook with these same appliances. They make a great product!  

This week in the kitchen so far I've experimented with pimento cheese and crisp. The PC was super easy. Sharp cheddar, mozzarella, pimentos and mayonaise. I got the original recipe from a coworker who just said she used cheese, mayo and pimentos. I did use low-fat mayo and it has worked just the same. I added the mozzarella cheese to it because we had some in the fridge and wanted to save some of my cheddar for grits in the morning. We also had some spicy mayo in the fridge as well from a friend of ours so I added that and a dash of ranch dressing to bring a little more dimension to the mix. It turned out great, I love PC that is thick and with whole cheese in it. This is perfect on crackers and on sandwiches. Mr. P loves it, despite his original hesitations. Don't you just love it when that happens..

I also made an apple crisp, and a blueberry crisp, but have gotten quiet reviews so I am taking that as those being an epic fail. Slightly embarassing. I followed a recipe found online and combined them with some pie filling and frozen berries. They looked pretty and smelled nice, but I never actually tasted them myself.

Happy Cooking!!