Easy White Clam Sauce

I have made this recently and it is super tasty. Thanks to Slick's mom and the 2000 Snow's Great Calm Cook-Off Cookbook. I wonder how she got the recipe in the cookbook... hmmmm.

Easy and Tasty White Clam Sauce

2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup olive oil- I used basil flavored and it was super tasty
1 T Butter
2 6.5 cans Snow's chopped clams drained. RESERVE JUICE.
1/2 c dry white wine
1 T chopped fresh parsley
1T chopped fresh Basil
bit of pepper

In medium Saucepan, saute on med garlic in butter and oil until garlic is cooked but not burned. Add reserved clam liquid, wine, parsley, basil and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 min. Add clams and cook another 5 minutes.

Serve over cooked linguine or other pasta and Parmesan cheese. Be sure to cook that linguine well- mine was more dent'e than soft...

Lasagna 101

My sister asked for this recipe. Hill Dog: here you go!

Lasagna 101:

A combination of recipes from Ellie Morrison home cook extraordinaire, The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook and my own experiences.

Ingredients- all approximate measures:

8 or 9 oz package flat homestyle dry lasagna noodles
2 jars of spaghetti sauce- I like Classico Sweet Basil
1# ground beef
1 c water
15 oz part skim ricotta
1 egg
1# shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup water
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 T parsley flakes
Dash nutmeg
¼ c fresh basil chopped
Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic salt

Preheat oven to 350


Brown ground beef flavoring it with salt, pepper and garlic. Drain any excess fat. Add to the pot 2 jars of sauce and a cup of water. I use the water to rinse the jars so we get every last drop of tasty sauce. Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, mix together in a small bowl the ricotta, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, egg, ½ cup water, parsley flakes, fresh basil and nutmeg.

Assemble: Spray a 9x13 and a small side dish oven proof pan with cooking spray. Put about a ½ cup of sauce in the 9x13 pan and ¼ cup into the small one to serve as the base. Lay 3 noodles side by side in the 9x13 to cover most of the bottom. Spread about a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture on each noodle, sprinkle with ¼ of the mozzarella, top with a generous ladle of the sauce meat mixture. Then repeat two more times in the 9x13 and use the remaining noodles and sauce in the small pan. Sprinkle all remaining Parmesan cheese and mozzarella over the top of the assembled lasagna. Spray cooking spray on foil or use easy release foil to tightly cover the pans. Bake for 45 minutes covered. Then, uncover and bake for 15 minutes more to brown the top nicely. Remove from oven to rest for 15 minutes before cutting to give cheese time to settle.

Refrigerate any uneaten portion and reheat for lunch the next day.

Uncooked lasagna can be frozen. Cover tightly with additional foil and freeze for up to 2 months. To cook, thaw in refrigerator 24 hours, let sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.

Envelope Icing... Who knew?

I have just seen a wonderful item for envelopes of all types- wedding invitations to Christmas Cards!!

Envelope icing! It is a sticker printed with pretty much anything you want- your monogram, return address or just pretty colors.

The sticker wraps around the envelope so that if you have your return address on it, it is on the back and the large rectangle where you write names and addresses is on the front.

Icing is available in a full array of colors- something to match everything! And if you are super organized with your addresses... they can be printed directly onto the icing for you! That means of you have an excel document of your Christmas list, you can send it in and all of the names come pre-printed on adorable stickers ready for you to send them out!

Save precious time and be super cute in the process! What about baby announ

cements? If you have the list of anything you are sending, they can be printed and sent to you!

Check with me soon to place orders for Holiday cards and let's get together to customize an Icing look for you!

25 more now... save later

The following is a public service announcement:

Regardless of where you purchase your wedding invitations, PLEASE take the advise of the person working with you and order an additional increment- if they come in 25's, get 25 more than you think you need, if they come in 50's get 50 more.

This morning I had a bride contact me looking to get 5 more invitations. It's going to cost almost as much as her initial order to get the additional 5 she needs because we have to order 25 and pay shipping for them... if she's ordered 25 more at the time... it would have been an additional 5% of the cost of of her order! Yikes.

Getting Married in Vegas??

Hosting a Las Vegas style party or skipping town to hit the strip for your wedding? Look no further than Announce, Invite & Delight for all of your Las Vegas Destination Paper goods!

We have super cute Save the Dates, Invitations with flair, programs and napkins to match. Fancy or frivolous, we have what you need to get your Vegas on!

So... double digit?

So I am sitting in my newly messy and slightly organized office working when the Peep comes in because she needs help with her addition on the computer game she is playing...

"Mommy what is 12+73??"

"I will be there in a minute to help you figure it out."

She walks away and says, "Oh, never mind, 85..."

WOW.

What is a Wedding Paper Timeline?

Time lines. They've been around since... the beginning of time. Think on it. We use them all day every day. It is all about making a plan. Yours might go something like mine... Get up. Shower and dress. Eat breakfast. Drop the Peep at school. Go to work. Have lunch. Pick up form school. Cook something lovely for dinner. Relax.

Often people are unsure of all of the wedding paper needs and that is where the wedding paper timeline comes into play. It is a comprehensive listing of the optimum dates to consider and order all of the wedding paper... things you might not think about until the last minute... things like imprinted napkins, thank you notes with your married name, programs, menu cards... and of course Save the Dates and Invitations!

Visit the Paper Girl at her home on the web for more information and to create in 10 seconds your own Wedding Paper Timeline!

Kicking it Up!

Since the Peep will be starting Kindergarten in the fall, I have started revving up business for the Paper Girl's Paper... Announce, Invite & Delight, LLC.

A little background: Founded shortly after the Peep was born and the Paper Girl realized that although she needed to stay home to take care of the Peep, the Paper Girl could not just sit around all day.

Today: Paper Girl was awarded a distinguished Dealer Award from one of the country's oldest and largest wedding invitation supplier, Carlson Craft.

A little information on the Paper Girl's Company:

How do we meet with you?

All of our meeting are by appointment- either at your office, at my office, or at a mutually agreeable location, like a Starbucks! I have many wedding albums and you flip through them to your heart's content and make a selection that will be perfect for your wedding.

What if I don’t want to meet, I just want to order from the website?

It is totally possible that we will never meet you. All of our invitations are offered through our website and you can place your order directly through it. We will contact you for payment, and other than that, you can do everything from the comfort of your home or office or wherever you have Internet access!

If you find that the ordering process is too daunting after you have made a selection, simply e-mail us all of the details- and we will gladly place the order for you!

Your tag line says Wedding invitations should be the easiest part of planning my wedding... What do you mean that invitations should be easy?

We have a successful proven wedding paper timeline available on our website. Brides who take advantage of our suggested time frames for their wedding paper have been the happiest. We know all of the questions to ask and what to have you consider before we meet to ensure you know what you are looking for before we get together.

Are there hidden charges for things like envelopes?
WHAT??!! Definitely not! All of our printed products come with envelopes free of charge- many of the wedding invitations actually include double envelopes. Black ink is included in the price for everything and it is clearly shown on the website what charge might be incurred with things like ink color changes. The website shows the shipping charge estimate for your product.

If you are in Texas, we are required by the state to charge sales tax.

Does that mean I have to be from Texas to place an order from you?

We ship out of Minnesota, though our offices are in Fort Worth, Texas. We can ship anywhere in North America with ease, and to other destinations with a little planning!

Let Them Eat Cake!

I love cake.
I love all holidays that allow for the consumption of cake.
I love chocolate, lemon or white cake.
I love strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting.
I love birthday cake.
I love birthday cake for breakfast.
I love homemade cake.
I love bakery cake.
I love cake from McDonald's birthday parties of the 1980's.
I love fancy wedding cakes of today.

Yesterday we hosted a baby shower for the soon to be born Jay Jr. and true to tradition... we served cake!

Luckily that little luncheon was here in the Big City so I had to keep the leftover cake... and I just had what is the best cake move of ever- take one bite off of the cake with a fork.... then walk away...

Yesterday's cake was what I might consider my favorite bakery sheet cake right now- a lemon cake with soft fluffy butter cream frosting. These days we like getting it from Texas Star Bakery. They do not know I am giving them a shout out, and I hope they don't mind.

We have had fancifully decorated cakes form them in the past with 3-D flowers coming out of the cake- and I don't mean roses, I mean bluebonnets, daffodils, buttercups... these are really skilled decorators, but yesterday's cake just had polka dots on it and we added a few Fisher Price Little People Animals to spice up the baby shower. No matter- the cake was as fresh as if I had baked it that morning and is still just as wonderful today. MMMMMM. Cake for dessert tonight.

If you are anywhere within a 50 mile radius of the Big City... I highly recommend a trip to Texas Star Bakery. They might make other things than cake- but really who cares?!

Sad Sad Day

Mayfset 2009 has been canceled by the Tarrant County Department of Health due to concerns of the Swine Flu.

Yuck.

Dang them.

Texas Girls

I love my Texas friends. Here's why:

FRIENDS: Never ask for food.
TEXAS FRIENDS: Always bring the food.

FRIENDS: Will say 'hello'.
TEXAS FRIENDS: Will give you a big hug and a kiss.

FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
TEXAS FRIENDS: Call your parents Mom and Dad.

FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry
TEXAS FRIENDS: Cry with you.

FRIENDS: Will eat at your dinner table and leave..
TEXAS FRIENDS: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing,
playing dominoes or cards and just being together.

FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.
TEXAS FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
TEXAS FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowds' asses that left you.

FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.
TEXAS FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, 'I'm home!'

FRIENDS: will visit you in the hospital when you're sick
TEXAS FRIENDS: will cut your grass and clean your house then come spend the night with you in the hospital and cook for you when you come home.

FRIENDS: have you on speed dial
TEXAS FRIENDS: have your number memorized.

FRIENDS: Are for a while.
TEXAS FRIENDS: Are for life.

Well priced invitations!

We have a new section on our Announce, Invite & Delight, LLC website called super budget friendly invitations... they are lovely invitations that are very reasonably priced!

If you are getting married and want to invite friends without breaking the bank, get to it!

Eddie V

There is a new restaurant in the Big City called Eddie V's... it has quickly become a favorite of many of our friends... and the Peep. It is a growing chain that owns the Roaring Fork from Scottsdale where Slick and I enjoyed the Flinstone Rib...


We had a lovely friend in a couple of weeks ago and decided to take him there for a steak while Slick and I were having fish... you know Lent and all of that... but the Peep and Mr. Patrick wanted steak. Rib eye to be specific- medium, thank you. Mr. Patrick was such a trooper sharing his meat with the Peep- even when she wanted seconds.


Now her favorite thing to ask for is to go out to Eddie V's or to have steak on the grill at home. What have we created???!!!

Really?? Texas Girls??

Three guys are lucky enough to get married all in the same month.

They recount their experiences here:

The first man married a woman from OHIO . He told her that she was to do the dishes and house cleaning. It took a couple of days, but on the third day, he came home to see a clean house and dishes washed and put away.

The second man married a woman from MICHIGAN . He gave his wife orders that she was to do all the cleaning, dishes and the cooking. The first day he didn't see any results, but the next day he saw it was better. By the third day, he saw his house was clean, the dishes were done and there was a huge dinner on the table.

The third man married a girl from TEXAS. He ordered her to keep the house cleaned, dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed, and hot meals on the table for every meal. He said the first day he didn't see anything, the second day he didn't see anything but by the third day, some of the swelling had gone down and he could see a little out of his left eye, and his arm was healed enough that he could fix himself a sandwich and load the dishwasher.

While I am absolutely against family violence, I think this is a good representation of many of us…

Duck... Duck... Yuck...!

One of Slick's favorite things to get when we go out to dinner is DUCK. Almost regardless of where we go, if there is duck on the menu, he orders it. If it is a special for the night- look out- he is definitely getting it. I know this about him. I was served duck at his parents house on one of our early dates. I thought it was super cool. Made a big mess but was really cool with the sour cherry sauce and wild rice... I mean, my mother in law is a masterful cook and if she can serve Uncle Ben's Wild Rice then dang it I can to!

Over the vacation last week Slick had duck at dinner one night and the Peep was super curious. This curiosity was partly fueled, I think, by Mr. and Mrs. Mallard who have recently flown in and are vacationing at my parents pool, but who am I to speculate on the thoughts of a 5 year old...

So over dinner I mentioned that we had a duck in the freezer at home and Slick- who is really the one in charge of our larder- was genuinely surprised. I decided then that when we returned home I would thaw and prepare the duck with cherry sauce that Slick so likes.

Thursday was the big day.

I checked in with Slick early in the day to see when I could expect him home for dinner and put the duck into the K2 sink with cool water to thaw.

Then I went looking for my duck and cherry sauce recipe. It is really Slick’s mom’s recipe. According to the recipe card, she shared this information with me in June 1999. For those of you keeping score at home, that was Slick’s first birthday after we were married. I went all out, duck, champagne, strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting. And Slick was sick and ate and went directly to bed. That was the last time I remember making duck.

So armed with my 10 year old recipe, I gathered the ingredients- all of which were in stock in the house. I must have purchased the cherries when I got the duck knowing they went together. Man am I a planner or what?

So duck thawed, rinsed, dried, cleaned, quacking at the Peep who was not as amused I thought she would be, the duck went into the oven. Look at those orange slices. Look into the cavity of the bird to see it is stuffed with onion and oranges. Notice the scoring of the fat laden skin. I was on a roll!

Then to the cherry sauce. Pretty easy. Look at the full plump cherries! I am a natural! The Peep tried the sauce. Again fairly unimpressed but I assure her that it will be tasty on the duck at dinner. She is such a trooper that she agrees and starts playing computer games at the kitchen counter to keep me company while the duck roasts.

The recipe says cook for 30 minutes then 20 minutes per pound and the last 20 minutes apply a little of the glaze to the duck. I follow al of these directions. Then I check my favorite yellow cookbook and it says cool 45 minutes then 30 minutes… so apparently I need to cook the bird somewhere between 1 hour 15 minutes and 1 hour 30 minutes… After 2 hours in the oven, it still is not reaching the needed 180 degrees! We decide to take it out anyway. Man it is lovely. Brown and sparkly in the way that only food cooked in animal fat can be. Gross, I know, but seriously.

I plate the quarters and Slick and I head into the dining room to eat… the Peep had given up a while before and eaten cheerios…

We sit down. We say a blessing. It went something like “Dear Lord, please don’t let the duck kill us.” But I can’t remember it word for word.

Then Slick begins a lovely dinner of duck, wild rice spiked with cherry sauce, sautéed zucchini with garlic and steamed broccoli. I have one bite of the duck and remember why it must have been that I never made it again.

I can't stand duck. One bite. I had one bite.

The wild rice was right on. Thanks Uncle Ben.

Happy Spring... Happy List

Welcome back friend.

We have missed you.

I see that you have brought little green buds to the trees and crape myrtles.

I love that about you.

Welcome Spring.

Things to be Happy About this week:

1. Clearing your head
2. sharing
3. being barefoot in the grass (soon!)
4. baby leaves
5. tulips
6. organizing your goals, closets and life
7. a tan people notice
8. looking forward to Easter ham
9. pink stuff
10. preparing to make egg shaped cake balls!!

It may be funny today

It may be funny today. I thought it was funny yesterday. And Sunday. Slick not so much. but it might be funny today.

Last week Slick got his new crackberry for work. The Blackberry 8830 or something. It is pretty cool.

While on vacation last week in sunny Florida we turned on the navigator and went all around the Tampa/ St. Pete area and had a great time. Until we tried to go to the Tampa Children's Museum. Apparently whoever posted all of the exciting reviews on line that we looked at Sunday morning neglected to mention that it was closed. And demolished.

We arrived there just in time to see the dump truck out front and it was lovely. New plan. Let's go to the Dali museum and then the pool at the hotel. Great. Change the location on the navigationized fancy phone. Uh-o. Phone slipped into Slick's vat of diet Pepsi from the bagel shop. I immediately started laughing. I couldn't help it. It was funny. Slick was NOT amused. So neither was the Peep. Then I was in trouble. Jeez.

Back to the hotel to try to dry out the fancy phone. Turns out it eventually worked, but the guy at the Verizon Wireless store told Slick it would not last long- that since we were already there- on a Sunday afternoon- go ahead and get the new one for a small fee.

Check. Slick needs to sync to the computer system at the broadband company before meetings the following morning. USB cord into the bag.

We get back to the hotel with a couple of hours of sun left and hit the pool.

It is really funny how the Peep is just as happy in the pool of the hotel as she was on the beach the day earlier. I am thinking we should just go to a hotel next year and stay there the whole time...

Any way. We head into the hotel to sync the phone and computer... to discover that the Verizon Wireless guy put the wrong USB cord into the bag!! It is now 6:00 on a Sunday night.

We head out and find wal-mart across the street form a Target. The Peep vetoes wal-mart and we head for Target. The guy in the electronics department says they don't sell USB cables. They just don't have any demand for them. Really?

Slick and I look around and find a nice Wii accessory that plugs into the computer with the right connectors. $10.83 and we are in business, we hope.

By this time the Peep is pretty tired- and she is not the only one. We grab a nice Italian dinner and head back to the hotel- I think for the fifth time that day- by now it is after 9. Slick and the Peep work on the computer while I packed and at 10:00 I heard him tell the Peep to cross her fingers... Happily it worked- but not before we lost the whole day to a Clark Griswold inspired day of antics.

Thankfully the rest o the trip was calm and relaxing!

The Peep goes Country

Here is the Peep a few weeks ago at the Big City Stock Show. Now you Houston/ Woodlands/ Spring Folk- I know it is nothing like the Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo and all of the fancy singers and such that you have... but in the big city... it is what we do for fun in January.

Posing so beautifully with the Peep are no doubt two Junior League members- possibly ones I know- but maybe not. The Junior League of the Big City is paid for dressing up as Hoss and Elwood and walking around all year getting kids and parents excited about the Big City Stock Show.

Thanks friends, this is a keeper!

Squirrely

We have a million billion squirrels in our neighborhood in the big city. Partly because we live in an old neighborhood and partly because the neighbors keep their dog indoors... At any rate The Peep and I saw a super funny squirrel activity yesterday!

Putter Rooster is more social than other dogs in the neighborhood and when she has the chance to go outside, she likes NOT to stay in our yard like the well behaved dogs, but to go visiting. Visiting the neighbors. Visiting the neighbors neighbors. Visiting across the street. I think you get the idea.

So when she is outside on purpose, we have her in the harness- her kryptonite- and tie her to the rope that extends to the end of our yard, but not into the street. The rope is a good rope. Cotton and soft. So soft in fact that apparently it is a fine bedding product for squirrels. Ysterday the Peep and I saw a squirrel trying to take the rope, which is tied to a post on our front porch- I know what you are thinking- CLASSY- up the tree to it's squirrel house!

Now I thought it was funny and called the Peep over. Mistake. Last week on Wa Wa Wubsy a couple of beavers ate part of the tree house- one stick of the tree house to be specific and the tree house fell down. The Peep is concerned that the squirrels will pull out the post from the porch and the house will fall down!

I am more worriedthat they might try to adopt a dog...

I know you ALL care!

Well it has been ages since I had time to send you an update on the Quick books fiasco! Mostly because every waking moment- well maybe not EVERY waking moment- but FIFTEEN HOURS of last week I was on the phone with technical support!!! FIFTEEN HOURS!!!

Holy Cow!!

Why would I want to pay??

Why would the customer service representative at a software company get miffed at me when I said I did not want to pay for technical assistance from a more qualified person??

How is this logical at all??

I called for help (after looking for weeks on their unhelpful website for information.)

I followed her instructions.

The program would no longer open. At all.

Then she suggested I needed a service plan to speak with a technical assistant. No thanks. I'll talk to him but she jacked my program.

Hello?? I was on the phone from 3:15 PM yesterday afternoon until Hilldog came over at 5:00 to relieve me so I could meet with a client- and Hilldog got off the phone at 7:30!

And the technical assistant is supposed to call back this morning! 5 minutes ago.

I wonder if he will call??? Takers??

The Peep loves burgers

There is a hamburger place in the big city known for having the BEST burgers in the world! A few weeks ago the Peep decided she was ready to try one and we called Hill Dog and went. Immediately. Here you see the Peep waiting for the call of her name signaling the burger is ready.

Here you see her chowing down on the cheeseburger, plain and dry. Without pickles.

What an adorable girl!

Makes the parents proud!

From the what is with people file... and a tasty recipe!

What is with people??

Slick, the Peep and I ventured to our neighborhood wing and pizza joint across from the college in the big city tonight for, what else, wings and pizza.

The restaurant is on a busy road with parallel parking so I did the driving. Somehow Slick and I both did our drivers ed classes in Texas, took the driving text at the same DMV and both have valid licenses, but he CAN NOT parallel park.

So I was in Slick's white hot car parallel parking when three people emerged from an academic building and headed for the compact car with a hatchback in front of our space.

They started loading their gear into the hatch-back portion of the car. And then all piled into the 2 door car. All while I had to patiently wait for them to get the @#%$ out of my way so I could finish parking!

I know you know- you pull next to the front car.

You put your car in reverse.

You back into the spot and straighten at the last minute.

Then you PULL FORWARD to center yourself in the area between two cars! I had to sit there while CLUELESS or RUDE, take your pick, finished and vacated their spot.

HELLO!

Let us all become more self aware from this story. Which incidentally is NOT a complaint since I have started leading a NO COMPLAINING life... Thank you Elaine, for the NO Complaining Rule suggestion.

Now for the recipe:

Duke's Soon to be Famous Lemon Squares

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix in a food processor with the plastic dough blade in palace until it is coarse sand's texture: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 sticks of butter cubed.
Press into a 13x9 baking dish with either clean hands or the flat part of a measuring cup. Bake about 22 minutes.

While the delectable crust bakes, combine really well in a glass bowl: 4 eggs beaten, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1/3 c fresh lemon juice and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Let sit while the crust finishes baking.

As soon as the crust is golden brown, stir and pour the filling over the hot crust and return to the over for about 22 minutes longer.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cool before cutting with a plastic knife dipped in hot water.

16 List from BC

Months ago BC sent me a link for Facebook that I recently figured out how to post... thought I'd share it here too... Something about how you list 16 things you like and send it to 16 friends...

1. I love cows. Cows are cool. And tasty.
2. So are Knotty Knotes.
3. I love when the weather permits the opening of the windows for some fresh air.
4. I love the feeling after the house is clean.
5. I love that the Peep is getting rid of some baby toys to make room for her big girl life.6. I love caramel apples.
7. I love when the tulips start to poke out of the mulch because they are Slick's favorite flower.
8. I love daisys in vases all around the house.
9. I think it is funny when the squirrels play tag in the yard.
10. I love a freshly vacuumed car.
11. I love meeting for lunch. Or Dinner.
12. I love that my sister lives 4 blocks away. I hope she moves soon. But not too far away. Something we can get to in a car. Like not Hawaii. Or London.
13. She probably won't move to London because she has lost her passport. In her house.
14. I have lost my sanity. In my house.
15. I love taking a 30 minute nap. Every day possible. Like today.
16. I'm not sure working form home is working out all that well for me. It's 2:38 and I'm on facebook, have a load of wash in the washer and dryer, have a kid taking a nap and a dog that REALLY wants me to nap with her on the couch. I just might.

Happy Things this week

Been a while.

Time to get happy.

Ten things that make me happy this week:

1. An adventure at the grandparents house
2. Watching baby chicks hatch
3. Watching the Peep "lead her cow for judging"
4. Pink Cowgirl hats
5. cinnamon rolls from a can
6. white cream gravy
7. cold noses snuggling with you
8. fast cars
9. sidewalk chalk
10. Slick's return to the big city

A trip to the stockshow!

The Peep, Lulu and I went to the Big City to the Stock Show today. It was fun and a beating all rolled into one!

The peep was up at the crack of 6:00 because she did not want to be late... we got her back into bed to have her reemerge at 7:30 calling for everyone to get up!! We had to get going soon!

After a tasty country breakfast complete with gravy, thank you Lulu, we made it at the early time of about 11:00. On the way inside I laid down the law. We were here to loo and have fun, but we would not be buying any hats, boots, chaps, tractors or horses. Ok by everyone.

We met Lucy 3 in the information booth and we had no more than said hi and given her hugs then she asked the Peep if she wanted to go get a pink cowboy hat...!! At least the Peep had the good sense to look at me before yelling yes and running off with Lucy 3 into the exhibition area...

Ten minutes later she could not have looked cuter in a pink straw hat- which I will say she kept up with by herself for the remainder of the day!

Off to look around and after a couple rows of hats, boots, tractors and salsa makers, the Peep was ready for animals!

We passed through the stage and food area and stumbled upon the Ballet Folklorica and watched for three dances- they were cool and the Peep was fine to leave knowing they traditionally preform at the Big City's Mayfest... We hit the FFA Barnyard to check on the big momma pig and her 16 piglets, the goats, the checks hatching before your very eyes and the guinea foul.

Then a trip to the magic show and a look at cows, longhorns and a few goats.

The Peep wants to know why we don't have a cow. I said because we live in the city... I don't think she's going to take that as a good answer for long!

Things I learned living in Texas.

Slick was talking to someone in the "East" this week and they might have suggested that Texans talk rather slowly and move at a similar pace. Wonder what she'd think about this??

Thanks Lodie for the tidbits in the first ever e-mail I have gotten from her.

A possum is a flat animal that sleeps in the middle of the road.
It is not a shopping cart, it is a buggy!
People actually grow and eat okra.
"Fixinto" is one word. It means when I get to it, which is right about now.
There is no such thing as "lunch.” There is dinner and then there is supper.
Iced tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it when you're two. We do like a little tea with our sugar.
Backwards and forwards means "I know everything about you."
The word "jeet?" is actually a phrase meaning "Did you eat?"
You don't have to wear a watch, because it doesn't matter what time it is, you work until you're done or it's too dark to see.
You don't PUSH buttons, you MASH EM. Same with potatoes.
"No. d’ ew?" is a common response to the question "Did you bring any beer?"
You measure distance in minutes.
You switch from heat to A/C in the same day.
All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect, animal or month.
You carry jumper cables in your car --- for your OWN car.
You only own four spices: salt, pepper, garlic salt and Ketchup.
The local papers cover national and international news on one page, but require 6 pages for local high school sports and motor sports, and gossip.
You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit "a bit warm".
You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good stew weather.
Fried catfish is the other white meat.
We don't need no dang driver's Ed. If our mama says we can drive, we can drive..

0 for 2

Slick likes to cook and I like to eat. And Slick likes to choose restaurants and we both like to eat. Last week we were 0 for 2.


The first night last week we went to dinner it did no even start out well... the Peeper sitter was 30 minutes late after a case of food poisoning the night before- yikes!

Slick had reservations at 3 of our favorite COW restaurants. We chose the one in Downtown Big City because the Legendary Stock Show is coming to town soon and we did not think we would be able to get in for a few weeks.

We sit and the young lady who comes over asks us How we are? Great we say. Is this our first time at the Cow Ranch? Nope we say. We are old hat and we are excited for some cow. Excellent she says. Then How are we? Well... we just told you we were great. Still are but now thinking you are a moron!

Then our waiter comes over- an 89% dead ringer for my cousin David-Fred. Freaky. We order my favorite indulgence- Still Bottled Water. David-Fred II might never have served it before. Slick's 209 G and T comes with a dry lime and so does my Fancy H2O. Nice. Dry limes. Yum.

The Happytisers come- strange Calamari Worms- not at all what we remembered from a previous trip- with catsup mixed with jalapenos- "cowboy cocktail sauce?" Poor guys...

Then forever- and two bottles of water later- thanks to Slick keeping my glass full- out comes our cow. Mine is so tough that while the server is waiting and I try to saw through it to show him that it was indeed cooked to perfection, I have to get a new knife that is tighter in the handle...

Slick's cow looks nice- it was supposed to come with cook's butter on the top... We were thinking that the cow would be hot enough to melt the butta... I guess we were wrong.

When Slick asked David-Fred II what the deal was- that our food felt cool and that it seemed that it had been sitting waiting for us for a while... DFII said- "What you are tasting is exactly right. You really have a good taster." Well duh.

Then the next time DFII comes over I tell him how hard my "untenderloin" is. I am a girl who has had a fair share of cow. I know a good tenderloin. This was suitable for a shoe. DFII's response- I am not kidding- "Well out of every 100 tenderloins, there are always a few that aren't up to par." It was all I could do not to laugh in his face. We were paying good money for bad food. DFII did offer to get me a new fillet of sole but I was almost full of the tasty but cold cheese grits. No thanks- I don't need another under par tenderloin tonight.

Apparently DFII thought we were fair complainers so he told the manager who gave us some random discounts off of our meals- like 45% or something equally strange- and on out way out- the manager walked in the other direction away from us and hid in the kitchen.

Chicken.

More musings of try number two soon!

If you give a kid a camera...

For her birthday the Peep got a couple of the If You Give a ... books. You know the ones- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and the like.

I would now demonstrate what happens if you give a 5 year old your new camera...

She will take pictures of the Jelly Bellys that Slick received from one of his vendors.

She will like the colors so much, she will go around looking for other things colorful to take pictures of.

She will find a bowl of random ornaments and take their picture too.

This will remind her that it is Christmas time and there are many things around the house decorating.

She will go on a spree taking pictures of those as well.

The next thing you know there are 20 or so pictures from all different angels of the downstairs of the house, including several unflattering ones of you and the family which must be deleted immediately!

Slick, Me and W

Slick and I were reading the paper this weekend and laughed out loud at this Associated Press compilation of one liners from W over the past few years.

We thought you might like it too.

President George W. Bush will leave behind a legacy of Bushisms, the label stamped on the commander in chief's original speaking style. Some of the president's more notable malaprops and mangled statements:
- "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." - September 2000, explaining his energy policies at an event in Michigan.
- "Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?" - January 2000, during a campaign event in South Carolina.
- "They misunderestimated the compassion of our country. I think they misunderestimated the will and determination of the commander in chief, too." - Sept. 26, 2001, in Langley, Va. Bush was referring to the terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks.
- "There's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail." - Oct. 4, 2001, in Washington. Bush was remarking on a back-to-work plan after the terrorist attacks.
- "It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber." - April 10, 2002, at the White House, as Bush urged Senate passage of a broad ban on cloning.
- "I want to thank the dozens of welfare-to-work stories, the actual examples of people who made the firm and solemn commitment to work hard to embetter themselves." - April 18, 2002, at the White House.
- "There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again." - Sept. 17, 2002, in Nashville, Tenn.
- "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." - Aug. 5, 2004, at the signing ceremony for a defense spending bill.
- "Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." - Sept. 6, 2004, at a rally in Poplar Bluff, Mo.
- "Our most abundant energy source is coal. We have enough coal to last for 250 years, yet coal also prevents an environmental challenge." - April 20, 2005, in Washington.
- "We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job." - Sept. 20, 2005, in Gulfport, Miss.
- "I can't wait to join you in the joy of welcoming neighbors back into neighborhoods, and small businesses up and running, and cutting those ribbons that somebody is creating new jobs." - Sept. 5, 2005, when Bush met with residents of Poplarville, Miss., in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
- "It was not always a given that the United States and America would have a close relationship. After all, 60 years we were at war 60 years ago we were at war." - June 29, 2006, at the White House, where Bush met with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
- "Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die." - Dec. 7, 2006, in a joint appearance with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
- "These are big achievements for this country, and the people of Bulgaria ought to be proud of the achievements that they have achieved." - June 11, 2007, in Sofia, Bulgaria.
- "Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your introduction. Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit." - September 2007, in Sydney, Australia, where Bush was attending an APEC summit.
- "Thank you, Your Holiness. Awesome speech." April 16, 2008, at a ceremony welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to the White House.
- "The fact that they purchased the machine meant somebody had to make the machine. And when somebody makes a machine, it means there's jobs at the machine-making place." - May 27, 2008, in Mesa, Ariz.
- "And they have no disregard for human life." - July 15, 2008, at the White House. Bush was referring to enemy fighters in Afghanistan.
- "I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office." - June 26, 2008, during a Rose Garden news briefing.
- "Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have helped transform 13 small colonies into a great and growing nation of more than 300 people." - July 4, 2008 in Virginia.
- "The people in Louisiana must know that all across our country there's a lot of prayer - prayer for those whose lives have been turned upside down. And I'm one of them. It's good to come down here." - Sept. 3, 2008, at an emergency operations center in Baton Rouge, La., after Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast.
- "This thaw - took a while to thaw, it's going to take a while to unthaw." Oct. 20, 2008, in Alexandria, La., as he discussed the economy and frozen credit markets.

Thanks Lulu for the following...

To Those of You Born 1930 – 1979

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads.
As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes.
Riding in the back of a pick- up truck on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon. We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar. And, we weren't overweight. WHY?
Because we were always outside playing...that's why!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And, we were O.K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride them down the hill; only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's and X-Boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms. WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.
Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all. If YOU are one of them? CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.
While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave and lucky their parents were.
Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?