About time...

So, I finally built a bridge and got over my anger at the internets eating my first halloween post attempt.  I won't lie, this is probably going to be the readers digest of the first version, because well... Bloggy just hasn't earned my trust yet.... "Draft saved" isn't enough for me anymore... 

Moving right along *snap snap*  (Phi Theta shout out)  On to the halloween pictures! 

The weekend before Halloween, my parents came to visit.  Since we were not sure of our Halloween plans, we decided to do a costume dress rehearsal so Nana and Poppy (or Puppy) could see the cute little zebra. 

I even added a bow so everyone would know that she's a GIRL zebra.

Pretty successful costume experience... no tears or attempts at undressing.

Then came the fall carnival at Avery's daycare.  The kids were encouraged to dress in their costumes.  However, something had changed in the last 5 days and we ended up like this...

Mad/Sad Zebra

Then came the Great Pumpkin Festival.  Avery is obsessed with all things pumpkin.  Upon arrival she went charging towards a pile of pumpkins screaming "Punkin Punkin Punkin!!!!"  Ryan sang,  Avery got a tatoo, good times were had by all. 

The Pied Piper for the Children of the Corn.

The "punkin" tatoo which she LOVED.

*side note* Do you know how HARD it is to take a picture of a toddler's hand?!?  I mean, I spent a good half hour chasing her around and this was the best shot I got.

Then on Sunday, we decided to make the trek to D-town to go to  my home church's trunk-or-treat.  But when Avery heard she'd have to wear the costume again she wasn't happy.

I promised her that I wouldn't make her wear the hood, and she went along with it.... mostly.

I can't believe you're making me do this AGAIN!

Who knew colored rice was so much fun?!?

I have many more pictures, but my internet connection has to walk knee-deep in the snow both ways to get us on the world wide web, so it makes uploading pictures a royal pain.  (Now you see why the blog and I had a lover's spat?)

Dang it...

I FINALLY made my halloween post.... and then the internets ate it.

RUDE!

It's like real life Etsy!!

I reeehhheeealllly wanna go to this on Saturday, but I think my day is pretty booked...  Someone please go and tell me all of the beautiful things you found.  And, while you're there, eat an Irma's burger and a Mary Poppins cupcake from Cuppies and Joe for me... but don't tell me about those... I might punch you in a fit of jealousy.   *really missing the City right about now*

The Girlie Show

PS.  I saw that Jessica totally called me out about the lack of Halloween posting.  Pops just emailed me some pictures from the weekend, so that post is coming tonight or tomorrow.  For everyone else who really wants some fall time cuteness, check out Parker in his adorable little man sweater.  Seriously, I'm dying from cute overload!

Halloween pictures are forth coming...

While you wait, here is something delicious to eat...  !Me Gusta Comer!

Tamale Pie
1 pound ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can Rotel
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
3 cups (6oz can) French fried onions
1 package corn muffin mix (plus everything you need to make the corn muffin mix)
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Brown beef in large skillet; drain. Stir in taco seasoning, corn, rotel, bell peppers, and 1 ½ cups fried onions. Pour mixture into 2-quart oblong baking dish. (or an 8x8 pan)

Prepare corn muffin mix according to package directions. Spoon batter around edge of dish. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes* or until corn bread is golden. Top with cheese and remaining 1 ½ cups onions.
Bake, uncovered 1 minute or until onions are golden.

*I ended up baking it for more like 25-30 min. before the cornbread was done, but I'm begining to think my oven has issues.

(a note:  if you do not like spicy food, or have small children who will be eating this, you might want to use the mild Rotel.   That said, my 19 month old ate this like there was no tomorrow.  She didn't mind the spice, I guess.)

Jealous????

You should be.

Momma, was I two when I was born??

This is what I imagine my daughter saying to me one day...  and it makes me sad. 

Little A was born into my whirlwind of a life.  She was born on the Thursday of Spring Break in my final semester of law school.  I was back in class a week later, and back at work a month after that.  After graduation, I spent the next two months studying, stressing, and crying over the bar exam.  After the bar exam, I spent the next 6 weeks stressing out over the fact that a single test (that I was sure I flunked) would determine my professional future.  When we finally thought the "hard times" were over, I found myself among the unemployed in May. 
Ya know what though?? Everyone told me that having a baby is stressful.  In most cases, that's probably true, but for me, Avery was a breath of fresh air.  She calmed my nerves and made me blissfully happy.  She is exactally what I needed and came at the perfect time. 

We would try to schedule family pictures around BarBri classes and RG's summer schedule.  We'd say, Oh, we'll go to the park and take pictures, but it was such a hectic time, that we didn't get to do many of the things we wanted, much less take pictures.  We DID manage to take some pictures though, of just everday life....  And then our computer ate them.    Crashed, hard-drive destroyed...  pictures, videos of the first few days, gone forever.

I cried.  I'd cry again right now, but I'm at work.... and, Fergie says big girls don't cry. 

Thankfully, I had already printed some pictures from snapfish and we have pictures taken in the studio for Christmas and whatnot.  But I still feel awful that we lost some of those early pictures and videos. 

So, my new years resolution (2 months early) is to take pictures.  Lots and lots of pictures.  And print those bad boys off!!  A changes so much everyday that I don't want to miss a thing!

On that note, here are a few pictures of baby A for you to enjoy!

Graduation Day - 2 months old

First Rice Cereal - 4 months old

Shocking! 4 months old

First OU Game - 6 months old

8 months old

Christmas Pictures 2008 - 8 months

Dear Oklahoma Wind:

Ok, I know you've got a reputation to uphold.  What, with being included in the first line of the state song, I realize you've got some pretty big shoes to fill.   I honestly don't mind you "sweeping down the plain" (preferably on days that I am not wearing a skirt) on occasion.   Sometimes you even help relieve some of the outrageous summer heat.  But let's be honest...

You're not a tornado
You're not a hurricane

Could you please stop pretending to be something you're not?  I realize that other wind related disasters get all the press and maybe you're just starved for attention, but seriously, the gale force winds for days on end have got to stop.  Making my car door almost impossible to open and threatening to strew the contents of my file folder across the city is completely unacceptable.  Also, "rats nest" is not a hairstyle I'm particularly fond of, so if you could leave my hair alone as well, I'd be much obliged. 

Once you calm down, I'd be happy to discuss the possiblity of potraying you in a better light, as a producer of energy, rather than a wrecker of semis and high-profile vehicles.  

Thank you for your attention to this matter and I hope to hear less from you soon.

Warning: Domestic Deliriousness Ahead

I love to cook.  (Mom, you can get up off the floor now.  I know you thought I'd never say that. Also, this doesn't mean that I want you to stop bringing me those delicious peanut butter things when you visit! Just so we're clear.)

It's true...  I went from living off of a diet of sandwiches and cereal in college to becoming a full on Suzy Homemaker.  I've gotten better at it too, especially compared to a rather unfortunate Broccoli Beef incident about 4 years ago that I don't think my husband will ever let me live down. 

One thing I DON'T like about cooking, is weeknight cooking.  When I don't get home until 6ish and Avery goes to bed at 8pm, I'd rather spend every second of those two hours trying to get a slobbery kiss, not making dinner.  I try my best to have quick dinners or cook on the weekends and have leftovers M-F. 

That's why when I stumbled across this blog, I almost peed myself with excitement. 

Crock Pot Mania

This WONDERFUL woman cooked in her crockpot everyday... for A YEAR.

A. YEAR.

And then she shared all of her recipes on her blog, so that blog stalkers busy moms like me can "borrow" them.  The recipes are really diverse too!  Not just Roast and other typical crockpot meals.  The Mongolian Beef is calling my name because I haven't had the Chang since the Hatches moved back west.  I will have to make it soon.  Now, because of this fantastic blog, I will be adding much slow-cooking goodness to my arsenal.  And sneaking in a few more slobbery kisses. 

Check it! 

I'm crazy brown, furry, animal... gimme some CANDY!

Something to note about me:  I either do things incredibly early... or never.  Case in point:  I bought Avery's 1st Christmas ornament in AUGUST, but waited around so long that the only Christmas decor that made it up in the house was our tree.  I can't remember when we actually put it up, but it was late enough that I didn't bother to put up any other decorations because I didn't want to repack them in a week.  

It should come as no surprise that I'm already freakin' out about halloween costumes.  The problem is, I live in Oklahoma.  You never know whether it's going to be 40 or 80 on Halloween until October 30, and even then, it's a crapshoot.   I thought surely that when I bought My little stinker's costume last year that it would be chilly enough to wear fleece.  I was sorely mistaken.  It was 80 last year, and poor A spent a sweaty half-hour at most in that costume.  She later ended up pantless, in a church, wearing a onesie with a devil on it, but that's a different post entirely. 

Not wanting to shell out much money for a costume that may or may not be worn, I've been browsing ebay.  There were plenty of costumes, from princesses to peacocks, and some for less than $10.  I came across a posting for a rare brown, furry animal costume.  I thought, "oh, come on now.... at least make a guess as to what it is. How can you not know what kind of animal a costume is?"  Short ears = bear,  long ears = dog,  no ears = gopher.  But DangIt, if it was a marketing ploy, it worked.  Putting "RARE" in the title with no accurate description of what kind of animal it may be sucked me in.  I had to see the costume.   What if it were a sasquatch costume?  Now, THAT would be rare, for sure. 

Well, there is no "head" to the costume.  I looked at the picture of the body and instinctively thought, Duh, that's a bear!  And then saw the picture of the back of the costume... A bear with a horse? tail?   What WAS that?  A horse, a bear, some mythical creature I don't even know about?     Maybe "furry, brown animal" wasn't such a bad description after all. 

What do YOU think that is?  

Under Construction...

The ole blog needs a major overhaul. But seeing as how I'm incredibly lazy no good with html, it's going to take a little more time.

Here's a brief run-down of whats new:
- my 3 month unemployment streak finally ended at the beginning of September. We will still be on a diet of ramen and crackers for the next 6 months to catch up on past due bills. We're also accepting all dinner, wedding, and other invitations at which there will be "heavy hors d'oeuvres" served. Just FYI
- I joined a firm in Husband's hometown. The inlaws live here and in some instances my name proceeds me. (which in all cases has been a good thing). I'll have to do my best to protect the family reputation and not become an In-law-out-law-at-law.
- The commute is much better. Same distance, but I shave at least 30 minutes off of the commute time. I actually have to worry about the possibility of speeding tickets.
- I do miss the city though. I miss the lunch friends and I hate being far away from A's daycare. But honestly, more than a few feet away is too far to be from this: