Leavin' in the Va-an

We're going on vacation! We leave at 5am(hopefully) tomorrow morning for a week in Virginia with Grandma and Poppa. We'll try to sneak in a trip to D.C. while we're in the area and I'm hoping to meet some of the friends who live in my computer.

I am hoping and praying for internet service at the resort. If I have it, I'll blog from vacation, promise. I will. Seriously. I promised, didn't I?

Miss me.

Wordless Wednesday

Random photos

Grandma and BeBe need a fix. Here are a bunch of pictures from this month.

Check out that goose egg. He can thank his big brother for that. Riley loves slamming his head into the wood flooring. Brock isn't a fan but Riley thinks he'll get used to it and start to enjoy it.


The Guy has given me permission to put up pictures of him as long as they're "good" pictures.

Riley would NOT smile. This is becoming a thing with him. Sign of things to come?

Me and my boys.




Riley gets to run around shirtless after bath because he usually eats some more and then brushes his teeth right before bed. This way he goes to sleep with a clean, dry shirt. It took me a while to figure this out. All that explanation just in case you were wondering about him in just pj pants. I do fully dress him for bed.

A little blurry, but Brock loves hanging out on the couch with Dada.


This outfit is for an 18 month old. Brock is 11 months. I cannot button the last buttons on either side because my boy has thunder thighs. I sure hope he grows into them someday.


I have more cuteness that I'm uploading now. I'll be back soon for more!

Stop fighting it

Brock is having a day. He took a short morning nap, which was good since we had to go pick up Riley from "school". Then he decided to not take his second nap....at least not when he needed it. Lots of playing followed by a lot of screaming. Rocking chair with Mama didn't go over well either. So I took him out and we played for 20 minutes before he lost it again. He fought it for another 20 minutes before finally passing out. I hate hearing my baby scream.

In honor of my little sweetie, I'll show you some good parenting on my part.

I let him pull the devil cat's tail.

No front claws and he's only put his teeth on him a few times. Trouble takes a lot of abuse from the boys.

There's a tv up there.


You're a good Mom, promise. Just put some clothes on me, I'm cold.

Help me Rhonda

Hook a sistah up. I never win anything. Like, ever. I once one my choice of cassette tape out of the free stuff closet at a radio station in Meridian. I was probably 13. I think I got BelBivDeVoe. There wasn't much to chose from.

Now, if I had a choice, and someone could control such things, I'd pick to win a large lottery or maybe The Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. But since it is unlikely you are going to be taking care of that up for me, I'd like to win some swag from Aunt Becky over at Mommy Wants Vodka.

I was obviously the last to submit my post. I'm #28. All the way at the bottom. But I'd love you forever if you'd head on over and vote for me. And if you'd tell all your friends to do the same. And make sure to give random strangers on the street a heads up about it.

Thanks bunches. MWA

Now go HERE!

Poor Aunt Becky

Well over a month ago I signed up for a chance to get some swag from Aunt Becky. She went to the woman blogging conference know as BlogHer. I didn't even know this sucker existed until one of my favorite blogs, Cake Wrecks, talked about it. That's how I learned of dear Aunt Becky. I love her. She is funny. She has 3 kids, 2 about the same age is mine. She cusses like I used to. She's a good writer, like I want to be. Anyway, she's awesome and she wanted to do a contest to give away some of the free stuff she picked up at BlogHer. I wanted that free stuff. So she sent me 2 of the business cards she never got a chance to give away at the conference.

I took them out of the envelope immediately. Then they sat there. On the table, on the bar, on the island, on my computer desk, on my bedside table.....Yea, I had such grand plans. Such pitiful, not gonna happen plans.

I got a few pictures here and there.

Here the cards are languishing amongst my piles of junk:




Brock had a quick touch before I was worried the ink would do something to him when he, inevitably, put the things in his mouth.


Upon reading a very poignant post by Aunt Becky I realized that today was deadline day for the swag. DANGIT! I had nothing! The posts that I've checked out so far are super cool and witty. What's the point? The point is I said I'd do it and, dadgummit, I'm gonna do it!(Why can't I take this attitude with working out or eating right? Maybe this is the first step.)

So we headed to the park. I nervously watched Riley go up and down the stairs of the gym, chasing 2 bigger, older boys.




I like to think that Aunt Becky was a bit nervous as well.


Brock wanted in on the action. He shows off his standing skills:


I got one last picture before they were consumed.


So far there are no adverse reactions to the ink.

Chicken Pockets

As many of you know, I'm a fan of crock pot rotisserie chicken. It's so easy and it goes far for weekly meals. I'm always on the lookout for new ways to use it and I found one here.

Chicken Pockets



You'll need:
3 oz(or maybe a bit more) cream cheese (I actually used fat free!)
3tbsp melted butter
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/8 tsp salt and pepper
1-2tsp italian seasoning(I added a bit of tarragon as well)
1 pkg crescent rolls (I used reduced fat--look at me go!)
1/2 c. Italian breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the cream cheese and 2tbsp melted butter until well blended. Add in chicken, salt, pepper, and italian seasoning until incorporated.
Make an assembly line of 1tbsp melted butter, the breadcrumbs, and the chicken mixture.


Separate the crescent rolls into triangles. Place a spoonful of the meat mixture in the center of each triangle.


Mrs. Matzat says to pull corners together and twist slightly and seal edges. I never managed this. Hers are so pretty. Mine are not. I just managed to fold everything up and seal the edges.


Brush the tops with butter.


Roll in the breadcrumbs.

Dang these pictures are dark.


Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 25-30 minutes. These suckers are good. I was pleasantly surprised. I was a bit worried they'd be bland but they weren't. I served them with some steamed veggies from that nice Giant guy.

Brothers

When no one is crying, they're so cute when they're together!

Riley was not trying to be helpful. I'm pretty sure he was preventing Brock from playing.


Not sure what's going on here...


And one from an early morning photo shoot with me, the boys, and some animals. If you look closely, you can see the fear in Bronco's eyes because Trouble is so close to him.

Crab Cakes

This is a special treat we have every once in a while. It's also good with chicken!

1 lb fresh crab meat
2tbsp Old Bay seasoning
1/4tsp dry mustard
2tbsp mayo
1tbsp worcesterchire sauce
1/2tsp salt
1tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 chopped roasted red bell pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/2C + dried bread crumbs
Butter for frying

Put everything(except butter) in a bowl.


Mix it up.


Add more bread crumbs to make it the right consistency.


Melt some butter in a pan.(can you tell I took a lot of pictures of this one?)


While that's melting, form the crab mixture into cakes.


Put them in the pan and cook, at medium high, for about 7 minutes. Check to make sure the bottom is nicely browned before flipping over.


Fry for another 5 minutes or so. Check them again for brownness. Serve 'em up!


I made a remoulade sauce and some cole slaw.


The remoulade consists of:
mayo
ketchup
worcestershire sauce
horseradish
lemon juice
salt and pepper

I make no measurements. It's all by taste.