Take me home

Sunbeam bread got me thinking about my home, Louisiana. Here are a few things that cross my mind when it comes to Louisiana....
1) A snoball is NOT a snow-cone. Nor is it shaved ice. It has a texture all it's own and is not easily duplicated. Everyone has their favorite flavor or combination. I'm looking forward to my next chance at a spearmint or strawberry personally.
2) The Holy Trinity is sacred in Louisiana. Many people are strong in their faith. BUT there is more than one holy trinity and the second involves onion, bell pepper, and celery. Don't believe me? Watch a Southern cooking show or ask someone about Cajun cooking.
3) The delicious red crustaceans that people enjoy by the pound are CRAWfish not crayfish. And they are best served spicy with mini red potatoes and corn-on-the-cob (served on newspaper is best).
4) Red beans are not from a can. They come dry in a bag labeled Camellia :)
5) Sweet tea is serious business.

and last but not least
6) Blue Bell ice cream is THE BEST. (My kids go through a gallons of ice cream quite easily)

 

Texas has brought us a LOT closer to all of these things considering I can get all of them here except the snoball. And that makes going home this weekend even more exciting. A long road trip topped off with great food, great friends, and specialty foods that speak to your soul. Yeah you right!

Monday musing (minus the morning part)

Yes, it's Monday but not even close to morning. I'll count the Monday part good and move along with some musings.
--I was so tired for free coffee at Dunkin so I went back to bed and then made my own later. Two nights of crappy sleep will do that to a person.
--Amanda doesn't have strep, thank goodness. She has science state testing on Wed. so we really need this virus to be gone.
--We love the pond.....it is so peaceful and has just enough wildlife to have us take notice. Had a random weird crane there this weekend along with some geese passing through. I'm sure Fritz thinks he has moved to the Great Frontier. Amanda did catch the first fish so that was a sweet surprise for her.
--The kitchen is 'almost' together. I think I have two boxes left. I hate thinking I might want to move some stuff around so for now I'm going to see how functional it really is. Still wondering where the flatware organizer is, guess I should get to those last two boxes.
--Ian is signed up for football. (Sean will play through middle school.) Navigating a new system is a very strange feeling.
--I'm trying Flylady again. I know the basics (shine your sink, etc.) in my head but keeping tasks small and manageable is a good reminder. I tend to do 'if you give a mouse a cookie' style cleaning and then I become a frustrated beast. Two big bonuses - laundry is under control and I LOVE having my bed made and looking purdy.
--Back to cooking again :) Pork loin in the oven slow roasting with orange marmalade across the top, pine nut couscous, and cantaloupe for dinner today.
--Deadliest Catch started last week. I really love those guys. Miss my favorite Capt. Phil.
--We are supposed to be heading to NOLA this weekend for Collin's fraternity formal (50th Anniversary).....excited at the possibility of hometown crawfish and seeing some friends we haven't seen in a long time.
--I bought my children their FIRST loaf of Sunbeam bread, ever! They like Texas even more now. And they are wondering what happened to 'wheat bread Mom'.


Many things remain on the list of things to do (exercise! [I did get out once last week, lol], DMV trip, camera repair).....and several have been added (paperwork for Mag's ortho consult & 15yr. well check, mail assorted things like the old Direct TV receiver, find out about Lone Star Storyteller contest for Mag & Amanda).

For now, I'm off to put out a HotSpot for 5-minutes as Flylady has reminded me. I think I can get one of those boxes done if I work fast.

Monday Morning Musings

Not sure I'll get to this every Monday morning, but ideally I'll stop and take the time to jot down some things that I'm thankful for, commitments of the week, maybe some recipes, and whatever my brain dumps out.
Today I am thankful for:
-free coffee Monday at Dunkin Donuts (and I didn't even know about it!). I got free coffee in a travel mug no less. That's like winning the lottery for me :)
-warm spring breezes
-Direct TV installation (if they would just get here already!) Need to program Deadliest Catch.....new season starts tomorrow.
-time to sit and a read a few blogs and laugh at the world. If you don't mind a little bad language, you must check out http://www.peopleiwanttopunchinthethroat.com/ and laugh with me
-strangers that are willing to extend a hand to someone totally new and they help you move in AND bring you food.
-a working washer and dryer
-school busses
-a Sprout's within minutes of my house

Anyone have any favorite spring recipes that are relatively healthy? I need to meal plan for the 2nd half of the month and I would love some new ideas. I can't figure out Pinterest to save my life and it leaves me feeling inadequate anyway. Guess I am not an overachiever.

I need to read Catching Fire before the movie comes out. I enjoyed Hunger Games but am dragging my feet on this one. The movie trailer was intriguing so I guess I'll get sucked into the madness.

Still on the to-do list - exercise. Gonna have to 'schedule' it because I am not self-motivated. It's on the list with a sports physical for Sean, IEP update mtg. for Amanda, DMV trip for car reg., camera repairs, unpacking, and grocery shopping.

Enough computer time for this Monday, bed to be made and boxes remain......

Relocation ramblings, episode 4

Houston we have a problem........
we own a gas dryer
the laundry room requires electric

6 people
loads of laundry & bedding to wash

I do not have the smarts or energy to try make it work like they did on Apollo 13
Cue depressing movie music

Relocation ramblings, episode 3

subtitled: Embracing the Chaos --

• Last week I posted about not being ready for 48*. Well let's just say that yesterday's 41* and thunderstorms was really cold. And even the people who aren't new here were cold too because every Starbucks drive-thru was packed. Apparently everyone else was seeking refuge in the form of a caramel latte as well. It is April, right?
• I dropped my beloved Canon camera the other day and tweeked the lens :( So my daily photos are now done with my phone. Not happy but it still counts.
• This week school lunches have been made in the hotel. It's called 'making it work.' I can't wait to have a real kitchen again.
• School busses are a beautiful thing except when you miss it (or the driver leaves early and at least five students end up calling their parents for a ride home from school, grrrrr)
• I could survive with food in a cooler (no fridge) if I had to. However, a washer and dryer is a NECESSITY. Having no washer or dryer (and paying $4 per load to wash & dry)  is a royal pain. I am dragging my feet on doing anymore at the hotel because ours will be set up this weekend. Save about $20 and wait or scramble for more quarters? I think I'll wait.
• My brother magically appeared here yesterday. Apparently he travels to the area quite frequently with his job and the office was about 5min from our hotel. Sweet. Another bonus to living here.
• Right now I am savoring the sunshine, watching the breeze blow on the pond, listening to the birds sing, and waiting for the carpet cleaners to finish. The phone guy just left and two pods have been delivered. It's time to cowgirl up and move some boxes ya'll.

Relocation ramblings, episode 2

the journey continues:

• it is possible to get the center gum part of a Blow Pop without biting into the candy part. It took me an hour. And much ignoring of the temptation to 'just get it over with' as the kids kept insisting.
• the Forest Gump soundtrack remains awesome
• Jimmy Buffet is not so awesome in the kids' minds, parrot-heads they are not!
• the world is SMALL when you can run into Irvine MTV friends while eating in Deming, NM
• over our 1500 mile trek, we managed to get 40 states in the license plate game - Alaska and Maine included, but Rhode Island and Vermont remain missing
• hotel living isn't horrible
• $3.50 per load of laundry using the hotel machines is horrible
• Collin did a great job with the final selection of the house - it is spacious, in a great area, and the view is spectacular :) I would share video if I could figure out how to upload it
• I feel lost all the time; sort of like I'm on the Amazing Race without the crazy challenges
• there is lots of amazing shopping close by
• there are some buffalo within in a couple of miles of my house too
• I wasn't prepared for th 48* rainy weather we had today. It's April. I am only armed with a sweatshirt. Looks like I need to watch the weather.