Bye Bye Oscar

The Party Must Go On!... because we knew the show would. Everyone stopped coughing (mostly) and having high temps long enough to got to Nana and Grandpa's so we could party. Our Southern theme was awesome. Our Newbies had a great time and one of them even won the Oscar.

Look who started to get into the Oscar spirit... she loved our red carpet!

A copy of the book and deviled eggs to showcase the 1960's...

as well as shrimp cocktail and a wedge salad

Food is always important at the Oscars, but even more so when it

comes to The Help and Southern fare. This carmel cake was as big a hit in the

book as at our party. Thanks everyone for pitching in. Yummy night!!

We had a little co-cola like the women in The Help drank.

Enjoying the show!

It was sad to say good-bye to my Golden friend, but I

presented him to newbie and winner, Nicole.

Swag! Co-Cola glasses and candy created in the '60's.

Always a great time ~ so glad the show could go on!!

I interrupt this week to bring you...

When the week started I had a calendar full of activities ahead. The kids were off Monday and on Tuesday wouldn't you know, Tennison had a cough. A barky cough. He gets that and nothing else so I sent him to school. About a half hour before his day was done I got a call, "Tennison is in the office, no fever but a bad cough." I'll come get him.

Short version: By 6:00 he was asleep with his head on my lap in the doctor's office. By 6:30 he had a 100 degree temp, a diagnosis of pneumonia and I was armed with three prescriptions.

Pathetic!!

My very favorite pediatrician in the whole entire universe said about the meds, "This isn't going to be cheap." I said We'll make it happen, it's his airways. He says something along the lines of, "We have a saying in medicine, if they aren't breathing it isn't good." I hear ya!

He even got an inhaler... he's good at it.

The craziest thing happened. I went to tuck Ten in for a nap this afternoon. After taking his temp (101 degrees), giving him Tylenol and a breathing treament we proceeded to blow through approximately 952 Kleenexes. Nearing 952 he got a bloody nose. After 52 snot screws (Uncle Steve's name for twisting a Kleenex into a screw and cramming it up your nose) it kept bleeding. He tells me, "Dad says not to blow your nose with a bloody nose." Ok. 25 minutes later I said, Blow your ever lovin' nose. "But Dad said..." Dad's not here and I'm on bloody nose patrol... blow please. Would you know it stopped after a few honks.

Now for the crazy thing. I hear this pop!! Ugh, what is Moka doing downstairs. Tennison says, "Maybe she got into your cake." I don't have a cake.  Pop!! "MOKA!"  I go downstairs to find Moka outside and this on my stove...



I left eggs boiling on the stove for a good 30+ minutes...

the water evaporated and the eggs were blowing out of their shells!

Have you ever seen a burned outter shell? Me neither.

Shrapnel flew!!

This incredibly unexpected week will go down in the record books. I'm not quite sure if the Oscar party will take place, but what I know is that this house is the only place I'd like to be this week. With my little man taking his temp, giving medicine, stopping bloody noses, and cleaning up egg shrapnel. A week interrupted for sure.

One Big Step Closer Part Two

Time to get cooking! I want to try out my main dish

recipe and in order to do that I put on my apron.

My friend Kendra made this for me for my 40th.

She's smart, she put a little homage to my blog on the front.

And she's super talented. This apron is even reversible...

see, told you she's smart!

I told her she should call them Wonder Aprons,

they make a girl look busty. I mean look.

Now to the cooking.

I have chicken marinating in buttermilk and hot sauce.

The printer ink is out, so I use my laptop to see the recipe.

Time to get the dredge ready...

Lunch break... while the chicken bakes.

Yumm... veggies on focaccia bread, to die for!

Oven-fried Chicken! Not sure Aibileen and Minny would

agree, but I really can't imagine using Crisco like they do.

Main dish - Check!

One Big Step Closer

Knowing the Oscars are coming, I came home this morning saying Today is the day I highlight my hair. Tennison's response, "No, it looks good like that." Thanks Lumpy, but a girl knows when she needs to highlight!

I'm going out on a limb and documenting this experience. Here we go!

It all starts here. A $10 kit, who can beat that?

Actually I can, this one was free! I called Clairol to tell them

I had purchased yet another kit without all the "ingredients"...

coupon for a free kit came in the mail.

The panic sets in, the fear levels rise with each ticking minute,

and as I feel the burn (literally) I wonder what it will look like

when the towel comes off. Maybe Oscar will give me good vibes.

Don't panic! I'm not panicking...

The cap comes off, I wash my hair, and fearfully look in the

mirror at the finished product. Phew, no burn marks or stripes.

Thanks Oscar!

Yes!! I can go out in public later!

Now that the locks are done I can go work on part two of this blog.

You've been taking pictures of yourself, running around with a plastic

bag on your head, and talking to yourself. What is up?

... says the dog who thinks I'm nuts.

Oscar Countdown

10 days and counting until our 18th Annual Academy Awards Party. It was time to take down Valentine's Day...

And time to shift into Oscar mode...

I've decided the Oscar needs to be near me for moral support these last 10 days.

I needed inspiration for my menu so I set him on the cookbook!

Last week something came up which caused me to switch gears for our theme.

An hour later I decided some good Southern food, inspired by

best picture nominee The Help, would be awesome.

Apparently this isn't fazing Moka. She wonders why I scurry around.

Stay tuned!





Bragging Rights

Scott and I have never really made a big deal out of Valentine's Day. We did have a Valentine's dinner snafu once while we were both working. We made a crock pot recipe that had noodles cooking in it all day... disgusting. The runniest looking noodles you've ever did see. What is a young couple to do, on the day set aside for love, when all of the restaurants are booked? I can't remember.

We have planned two Valentine's parties. A couple years ago we hosted a couples dinner party and played the Not-So-Newly-Wed Game... we created some questions and learned a lot about our friends. And might I add there were 2 babies born approximately 9 months from that night. Just sayin'! This year we hosted another party with some of our favorite couples - lunch at our house and then went to see The Vow, a nice romantic movie for Valentine's.

This morning, on Valentine's Day, I woke up very bleary-eyed to this...

Once I got my contacts in I saw how amazing it all really was.

Because of this, I feel like I have bragging rights. Scott gets major great husband points for this. I have always said that for me, flowers are kind of a waste of money because they die. These are not real, but real amazing! They show me real love because he chose exactly what I like. The perfect colors and style. He knows me. He keeps notes about what I like. He's a catch that guy!

Oh, downstairs there was one more vase full...

He is my Valentine forever!

Because I LOVE HIM THE MOSTEST!