Sunday, October 28, 2007

8 Random Cooking Things

Did anyone have any idea that a tag-type game exists in the blogging world? Because one does. I was reading my friend Deanna's blog, simply to see what's going on in her world, and there, at the bottom of her post, is my name...with the directions that I am now being "tagged" and must write about 8 random cooking things...are you kidding me????!!!??? But because I am a good friend, I will not let her down. So here goes...
8 Random Cooking Things
1. Ummm, I don't cook. Ever. Unless you count heating up a DiGorno pizza, or a Stouffer's lasagna (that stuff is dang good...especially the veggie kind), or a Gerber Graduates box meal, or something else of the sort. I can, however, brown some ground beef and pour a little Prego over it...I can even cook the noodles myself. I'm a genius with boiling water.

2. The kitchen is officially closed on Tuesday nights. That's when my family eats at Chickfila. No questions asked. We've been there every Tuesday night for the past 9 years. Only they recently stopped the cheap kids meals, which is why we started going in the first place. We could each get two kids meals at a cheaper price than a value meal, and it was the same amount of food!! Now we just go for the combos.
3. Whenever it's our turn to bring dinner to LIFE group, we order pizza. Papa John's has a mean Italian Meats Trio pizza. Or at least, they used to. I called last week and they told me they were no longer selling it. So I didn't order anything. But always, always, always make sure you order your pies with extra sauce when you do decide to get something. Trust me, it's so much better that way.

4. If you have a baby and I volunteer to bring you a meal, you're getting the Publix chicken deal. Because honestly, it's good, it's easy, and it's cheap. I mean, you can get a whole rotissere chicken (or 8 pieces of the fried stuff), two hot sides (not the potato salad junk), 4 rolls, and a 1/2 gallon of sweet tea for $9.99. You just can't beat it. And they've got some great rotissere flavors...

5. Most of the time spent in the kitchen is spent washing Harris' dishes. Since we don't cook all that often, we don't run the dishwasher a whole lot. At the end of the day, it's just easier to hand wash his sippy cups and spoons and forks and stuff...it takes about 5 minutes, and James and I alternate nights. One of us puts the little guy to bed, the other washes...and then we switch.

6. I do make a mean sweet tea. It's the one thing I make sure to have in my fridge when my brother or sister babysit. Four tea bags, some boiling water (again, I'm a genius with this stuff), two heaping cups of sugar, and a little cold water can go a long way...I totally put the sweet in tea.
7. My dogs love my kitchen floor. In ths summer, they use it quite frequently to cool themselves down...I think it must feel good against their skin. I haven't tried the technique myself, but there are times during the summer when I'm hot enough to think about it. I've seen Harry give it a shot before. And it's so much easier to clean up their drool off the kitchen floor than it is off the carpet.

8. The kitchen floor makes an awesome race track. Harris absolutely loves to hop on one of his many ride-on toys and take off throughout the foyer and kitchen/breakfast area...it's so much fun to watch him. He pumps his legs really fast and then lifts his feet off the ground. He loves those things. And I love to watch him go. It might be my favorite part of the kitchen.

And so now, for the tagging...I think you're supposed to tag three people. I'll definitely go with Kim, Catherine, and Kelly. Many of you are off the hook this time (for example, if you just had a baby)...but know that if I ever get tagged again, I'm coming your way...

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Christmas in October

So this morning we headed out to the pumpkin farm...and I'll totally promote the heck out of Washington Farms in Watkinsville, GA. Awesome.
James and Harris rode the "cow train" and the hayride, as well as visited the petting zoo. James got to shoot a corn cob gun and a pumpkin slingshot, and Harry got to ride in a wheelbarrow while we picked the perfect (super cheap) pumpkins.


Harris also got to have his picture taken with the Great Pumpkin and Santa Claus all at once!! (Just kidding, it's only Pop...)

All in all, a pretty good day. Minus the fact that I didn't think about the effect of the sun on Harris' crazy rash. We ended up with a pizza face baby for the rest of the afternoon. And we were supposed to get to meet baby Bella tonight, so it really stunk. Check out these pics of my absolutely adorable crater-faced kid.


At least the Dawgs won.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love at the Auburn Festival

So I highly recommend the Auburn Festival. Here's why:
#1: Elvis. With chest hair. Enough to blow in the wind. And I honestly can't say what was better: the fact that there was an Elvis impersonator at the festival, or the fact that he had fans. Real fans...the kind that stand as close as they can to the stage and sing along. The kind that turn their cheeks up to meet The King when he bends down to kiss them. The kind that want his scarf to get close enough to brush their fingertips. It was great. Especially when he sang the wrong words to "Love Me Tender." It was almost as good as the girl who sang the wrong words to the National Anthem and didn't even know it.

#2: The Kiddie Train. At an extremely reasonable price.


#3: A horse-drawn carriage. Again, reasonably priced. And Harry and I got to ride with a true Auburn resident; a lady who lives just past the tracks and was able to walk to the festival. She can also walk to the new Auburn library (they've upgraded their old 600 sq. foot building) and is allergic to bee stings. But not to worry...her son is, too, and since an epipen costs $300, she just plans to use his allergy medicine if she ever gets stung. It's amazing what you can learn about someone while riding a horse-drawn carriage.



#4: Auburn City BBQ. Which is way better than Cluckin' Pig. And kids under 3 eat for free...always.

#5: A great view of the Auburn water tower, which has just been "renovated" with a fresh coat of paint.

#6: Completely free admission. Cheap food. Good entertainment. I can't wait until next year. Neither can Harry.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

the Elisha Winn Fair

So, we've got a little bit of history right in our own backyard. Well, pretty close to our own backyard. Last weekend, we went to the Eisha Winn Fair in Dacula with some friends. As I am typing this and thinking about what I might say that is of historical interest, I realize that I have no idea who Elisha Winn is or what he may have done. I am fairly certain that he is one of the "founding fathers" of the Methodist campground in Lawrenceville, but that's about all I know. That and the fact that his family lived in a big white house that sits on Dacula Road next to the Apalachee Farms neighborhoods.
Here are Harry and Quinnie at the fair...

The fair was fun, I guess. We toured the big white house, saw some men dressed up like Confederate soliders, toured a one-room schoolhouse, had our pictures taken with a "jailbird," and set the kids in front of a large teepee. I don't know much about history, but I'm not sure there would have been a teepee in Mr. Winn's backyard. Just a hunch. Oh yeah--we also got to hear the "Little Miss Dacula" contestants sing their favorite country songs. Nice. If this baby turns out to be a girl, please slap me if I ever enter her in the "Little Miss Dacula" pageant. What am I going to do with a girl?!?!? I can't brush my own hair, let alone someone else's!


E, balloon, Harris, baby, Quinn, and the teepee

Anyway, the fair was pretty much our most recent form of excitement. I think there's something happening in downtown Auburn in the next couple of weeks, so we'll try to hit that up, too. Until then, know that posts may be few and far between. James is serving on a federal jury in Atlanta, so Harry and I are on our own for most of the evening. We're having a lot of fun, but I'm wiped out by the time he's in the bed. I love that little guy.
(I think this why Woody is obese.)

My friend Katie

is having a baby! Like, today. Check out her story (as told by her hubby) on their blog...

www.greenfamily.blogsome.com

and join in the fun of welcoming baby Bella Reese!

Sunday, October 7, 2007

If you read my Mom's blog...

...do so with caution. It's strange, but she is trying hard. I love you, Mom.