‘Tis the Season

It’s that time of year again. The time when someone in your home will get sick, be it a cold or the flu. In this case, the someone is me. I have been fighting a cold for a while now, and in retrospect, I should have let it take its course so I wouldn’t be sick on Christmas Day. But I never claimed my hindsight was 20/20, so I have that going for me.

Today I have last minute shopping to do. That should tell you just how sick I am, because normally nothing would make me go to the mall this week. The way I see it, I got sick from someone while shopping, so I’m just paying it forward. I can be very charitable that way. All kidding aside (or mostly kidding), after shopping I shall be enjoying a hot toddy, featured today at H&B.

Then after that, I shall be imbibing (there really is no other word for it) Nyquil™. There is nothing quite like the nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, so you can rest medicine. Hopefully that will help me have a nice Christmas.

My future posts may be quite garbled, but that’s a small price to pay for comfort 😉

Om Nom Nom….

I am trying to get into the habit of cooking on Sunday evenings. I know that sounds weird, but with finicky kids, I got into the habit of cold dinners or just hot dogs on Sundays. I’ve gotten in the habit of stews and casseroles, and so far they have been met with success, at least by Eldest and any guests I may have over.

I did say my kids are finicky.

Anyway, I happened to be over at Laura’s Sunday morning, and found a new post, which is unreal because she seldom posts on the weekends. She claims to have a life, but I think she is just stalking goats, or George Clooney. Anyway, she posted a recipe that I just had to try. Why? Because tater tots, cheese, sour cream and chicken, that’s why!

Here is Laura’s recipe, slightly modified from the one she posted:

Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

2 lb. bag of tater tots, thawed
1/2 cup chopped finely onion
16 oz. sour cream
1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
16 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups French fried onions
1/2 cup melted butter (NOT margarine)
1/4 tsp. salt and pepper
10-12 chicken tenders (or 4-5 boneless-skinless chicken breasts), cubed

Place tater tots in large bowl, and break them up well. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the French fried onions. Scoop half of the mixture into a 9×13 (23x33cm for my foreign readers) baking dish or pan, distributing it evenly. Place the cubed chicken on top, followed by the rest of the mixture. Top with the French fried onions, and bake at 350* F (about 180* C for my foreign readers) for about an hour (about 60 minutes for my foreign readers…).

The casserole was a hit. My hips cringed a bit, but whatever. If I end up needing angioplasty, it will be worth it! 😉

ENGLISH!! DO YOU SPEAK IT??

No, I’m not going to quote Samuel L. Jackson in its entirety here. I admit to having a jones when it comes to the English language. I came here not speaking a word of it, and worked hard to learn it. So sometimes I get a bit… frustrated when the kids get sloppy.

Last night at dinner we were discussing family stuff when the subject of my BIL came up. For some reason, Eldest was confused about his role in the Army, and Little One decided to set her straight:

Little One: He just came back from a deployisation!

Me: Deployment!

Little One: That’s what I meant.

Trust me, if it were once in a while it wouldn’t be a big deal. But each kid had an Engrish moment yesterday. It was like the stars colluded with Fate and threw a touchdown homerun. Between using slang and this, I don’t think my ears stand a chance.

No Coal For YOU!

Well, it’s that time of year again. The time when people everywhere are scrambling around to get their Christmas gift shopping done before the inevitable “What did you get me??” moment sets in. There is nothing attractive about someone with a deer-in-the-headlights look on their face. Especially when it’s your significant other who should know better by now.

Moving on (before a tirade sets in), here is a gift guide for the holiday that will hopefully make things easy….well, easier….ok, not get anyone in trouble.

As a general rule, women hate getting clothing for Christmas, unless they get to pick it out themselves. Sometimes our significant others tend to buy the wrong size. This is a losing situation for them: too small, and we cry about needing a bigger size, or too big, and we cry because they think we are fat. But PJs are different!! The only thing men have to remember is what kind to get. Trust me, you do not want to get a hankie with straps at Victoria’s Secret when your beloved prefers 7 oz weight flannel.

Or vice versa.

Anyway, you can’t go wrong with a PajamaGram. They have beautiful PJs in different styles, and all of them come in a sweet hatbox. You can even have the PJs personalized.

Comfy and cute! And warm…very warm!! And you can wear these all day. Total win!!

Another good gift to give is the gift of scent. Trust me when I say that a woman is more apt to be impressed by a bottle of perfume than by a car deodorizer, ok? However, a man can’t just pick something willy-nilly and think he’s going to get kudos. Tresór by Lancôme may be the second best selling perfume in the world, but that doesn’t mean it will smell like it on her skin. Perusing her vanity table and paying attention to what she wears is crucial here. If that isn’t a possibility, then go out of this world to get her something special!

Zen perfume was synthesized from the scent of roses that were sent up to the space station. Turns out, the scent of roses change when in zero gravity. Yes, I want to grow roses in zero gravity now. What??

Of course, some of y’all will just be too terrified about picking the wrong thing, be it clothing or perfume. In this case I say, go for the bling. Jewelry never fails, as long as it’s not a gangster emblem hanging from a huge chain. That’s just tacky. Necklaces and bracelets are always a safe bet, because you don’t need to know sizes for rings, or if she has pierced ears (you should know these things by now, but I will cut you some slack here). A very popular trend right now is the charm bracelet. Some, like Pandora™ and Trollbeads™, tend to be very pricey, but there are other options that are more affordable, like Brighton. They have a huge selection of charms, which makes making a unique personalized bracelet very easy.

Just remember to pay attention to her favorite things, and you can’t go wrong!

Hope you enjoyed shopping with Aggie. The next installment will be Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Also known as Valentine’s Day 😉

Color My World

I was struck today by a beautiful quote I read by the artist, Marc Chagall.

In our life there is a single color, as on an artist’s pallette, which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love.

Most of us are concrete about such things as color. Leaves are green, skies are blue, clouds are white (around here, we prefer them grey!). But emotions, charged or subtle, have colors too. When we are sad, we are blue. When we are mad, we see red. When we are envious, we turn green, unless we have had too much alcohol. Then it’s literal and not figurative. But love? Is the color of love that deep dark red that flows through our veins? Is it the soft blue of a calm lake? Could it be the bright green of the new buds of Spring? Or maybe the blazing orange of a bonfire? Perhaps, the dark glowing umber in the smoldering embers?

Courtesy of Matus at Deviantart

The truth is, everyone sees the color of love differently, because love is not as easily defined as anger, or jealousy, or sadness. I close my eyes and try to picture what love’s true color is in my mind. And as the pallette of emotions drips its paints on my heart and soul, I come to the realization that love, true love, is simply colorblind. 🙂

It’s the Great Pumpkin!

Ok, not the Charlie Brown one, but the one that will decorate our Thanksgiving table. I had seen the Great Pumpkin Challenge at the Ranger™ blog, and decided that this year, I would have something less conventional at our table.

Well, having seen the stuff I make, this should come as no surprise to anyone who reads my blog…

Anyway, this shall be my canvas:

And these shall be my tools:

Maybe….I may change my mind halfway through and make something else entirely different. I might take metal sheets and emboss them, or just paint the thing in purple and be done with it.

You’ll just have to stay tuned…. 😉

I Sheet You Not

Last night my back was bothering me quite a bit, letting me know it was time for me to stretch it out. The fact that it was 11 PM may have been a factor in that. I finally locked down and went to bed, and as I laid down I gave a sigh of contentment. I can pretty much sleep anywhere, as long as my lower back has some support, like from a small pillow, if need be. No, what made me sigh in contentment were my 600 count sateen sheets.

Ahhhhh!!!

Trust me when I say, there is nothing quite like the feel of high count sheets. (Ok, maybe there is, but this is a family friendly blog, so keep it to yourself!) A couple of weeks ago, I had put a set of sheets on my bed that I had purchased back in 2000 or so. I went to bed that night, and felt like sandpaper was scratching my skin. I got up, took them off, and put a high count sheet set on my bed, consigning that other set to the donation pile. From now on, nothing less than 450 count will ever grace the mattresses in this house.

Some people may think that’s a bit high maintenance, but trust me: it’s like sleeping on a cloud. Besides, I’m totally worth it! 😉

Musical Crush

Ok, y’all know Country music isn’t my kryptonite. But sometimes there’s a song that melts the heart. This is one, sung by my latest crush, Ryan Laird:

SWOON!!!! 😉

The Habit of Beauty

Beauty is a relative term. I don’t claim to have it, or have had it, or even had a passing acquaintance with it. But I do admit to wanting to stem the aging tide as much as possible. Vanity may not be a strong vice with me, but she’s still there, poking me with a stick. Why? Because she can.

Even so, we all have our little habits when it comes to our bedtime. Wash our face, brush our teeth… that kind of stuff is second nature. I have a little basket on my nightstand that holds my favorite money wasting beauty tips. Shea hand cream, and footsie cream, too… argan oil lip balm…. Dead Sea eye cream….and yes, even perfume.

Perfume?? Well, yes. Look, I know dang well it does nothing to keep you looking young. But it makes me feel nice, and pretty, and feeling young is just as important, if not more so. And that, my friends, is the true secret to looking young 😉

Superstition Silliness

Here in Texas we love rain. It’s like a long-lost friend: you remember it fondly, and rejoice when you see it. This past weekend we got a healthy visit from our long-lost friend. Let’s just say, my front lawn no longer looks like a fire hazard.

Anyway, a few days before that, we had a freak storm come through. I went to pick up the kids at the high school, when the skies opened, the wind whipping the rain sideways. It was glorious!!!! Unfortunately, not for the kids. Eldest was in ROTC uniform, and son had his instrument and couldn’t shield his face from the onslaught. But they make it to the car, and off we go slowly, not just because of the school zone, but because some people around here freak out when there is water falling from the sky.

We get home, and I instruct the kids to take hot showers ASAP. Son goes off with no complaint, but Eldest decides to just change into her PJs and a robe. Whereupon Momma freaks out:

Me: Eldest, you need to take a shower, now!

Eldest: But Mom, I’m already dry.

Me: Doesn’t matter. Go get in a hot shower.

Eldest: But why??

Me: I don’t want you catching a cold.

Eldest: …….

Me: It’s an old wives’ tale. Just do it!!

Eldest: Mom, you know I’ll be fine.

Me: Go take your shower before you catch your death of cold!!!

Eldest: (sigh)

Yes, I well know that you get a common cold from a virus. I also know the reason we associate catching a cold to being wet is due to winter, and dry air lowering the body’s resistance to the virus. I KNOW THIS, PEOPLE!!!!

But it doesn’t matter. It’s ingrained, and I will enforce it until the day I die. Or until the kids move out.

Whichever comes first 😉