Waffle House

You know how sometimes you go to a baby shower on a Tuesday night and get to visiting and decide you want to keep hanging out so you and your 2 friends all get in your mini-vans and head out into the Wild Blue Yon to keep up the festivities because you're still young and you can?

Well, that was me last night.  We roll into a local joint around 9:30 only to find out they close at 10.  We were completely appalled and dumfounded to find out every joint in town closes at 10.  This town is a dive.  I found great humor in the fact that the knowledge hit me the way it did, seeing as how normally at 9:30 on any given night I've already been in my pj's for 78 minutes and am lounging happily in my chair with my face in a book.  But some nights you just need a place to go visit with the lady folk.  Some nights you like to pretend that you're still a fun kind of girl with some spring in her step.

Enter Waffle House stage left.  We straight up rolled into the Waffle House.  I was a wee bit overdressed with my diamond studded broach and pearls but they didn't seem to mind.  At the Waffle House they treat you like family.

Karaoke was our waitress and she was the sweetest thing.  Nevermind the fact that I'd already eaten three square meals plus shower food, those hashbrowns topped with sauteed onion and tomato and cheese were calling my name.  They hit the stomach like a lead bomb but for $2.30 were oh so worth it.

And this cup of hot cocoa topped with whoop cream and mini-chocolate chips?  Shut the front door, it was right.

We stayed until midnight.  The jukebox played.  The indigestion was in full swing and us lady folk had us a jolly ol' time.

That brings my Waffle House experiences up to a grand total of 2.

Some would say that's 2 times too many but I daresay I could see another visit in my future.  Where else can you get a Waffle and a Steak after 10 on a Tuesday night?  And you will be completely blown away by the condiment selection on every single table.  Everything from Lea & Perrins to Casa de Waffle (picante sauce). 

And as Karaoke would tell you, it's really the only place the colorful people go after 10.  Most nights you get dinner and a show for under $5.  Now that's what I call a bargain.

Apple Scones & Devonshire Cream

What better way to enjoy an apple a day than when tucked happily inside a scone and topped with Devonshire Cream?

This is a simple recipe.  Takes under 15 minutes to whip up.

His & Hers

This in essence is a Hot Apple Cake topped with bubbly butter and sugar.  You cut the squares into scone shapes and top with the cream.

Apple Scones:
2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
3 T butter
1/4 c sugar
1 c diced apple
1 egg
2/3 c milk
Garnish: 2 T butter, 2 T sugar

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.  Cut in butter; add sugar and apple.  Mix in egg and milk; stir until soft dough forms.  Knead until well blended.  Spread in a greased 8x8 pan.  Top with melted butter and sprinkle sugar on top of dough.

Bake at 450 for 25 minutes.  Cut in 2x2 squares.  Cut each square in half diagonally.

Serve warm with Jam and Devonshire Cream.

Devonshire Cream:
3 oz cream cheese
1 T sugar
pinch of salt
1 c heavy whipping cream
Cream together cream cheese, sugar and salt.  Beat in cream until stiff peaks form.  Chill until serving.

Thanksgiving Vlog

Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week?  This weekend is a great time to spend a few minutes thinking through the details of next week.  Go ahead and get your menus together and get your grocery shopping done, if you can.

I'm going to be trying out some of the desserts from Pinterest.  There is nothing better than a house that smells like freshly baked goodness.

Hugs,
Bugs

My Poor Patio Chairs

If I ever get my hands on this little guy, he's toast. Yesterday I was on the patio and could not believe it.  One of my cushions looked like it had taken a beating.  My first thought was to question the boys, but the detective in me saw the signs.  My cushion looked just like my hammock that was destroyed.

This morning the kids started yelling, "Come Look Mom!!!"  And there he was.  Just goin' to town on my cushion.

We opened that door and said this is NOT Bed Bath & Beyond so you can take your 20% coupon self and get on outta hey-ah!

He gone.  And he took his new down comforter with him.

Rest Time

Every day at 1:00pm we shut it down.

All the phones turned off.  A note placed on the front door not to knock or ring the door bell.  And we have quiet time.  It's as much for me as it is for the boys.

It's the couple hours were we slow and rest.  My big boys will sleep but now I am giving them the option to sleep or read during rest time.

It's my favorite time of the day!  For me, I do whatever refreshes me.  I may nap, read, or catch up on housework.  It's whatever I need that day to energize me.

When you are home all day, every day, with your kids, it is very important to know what refreshes and energizes you.  Then you have to be intentional about taking care of yourself.

For some reason, actually I know exactly why, but I've been Mean Mama this week.  Whew.  The noise levels have seemed extra loud around here and my patience fuse has felt extra short.  It's that hormonal thing that seems to be getting worse with age.

So I am about to go crawl under my covers.  The sun is shining into my windows and my room is so warm!  I may or may not sleep but I'm stopping for a few minutes to rest.

When I wake up I'm going to read my books.  And have a piece of chocolate. 

My friend gave me an excellent idea to try.  She said to make a list of 50 things that refresh and energize you.  She also warned it is harder than it sounds to think of 50 things.

It's good to have an idea of some quick things you can do to energize yourself (i.e. light a candle) and some more involved things that energize you (i.e. asking your husband to take the kids out of the house so you can enjoy your house in peace and quiet).

Do you know that refreshes you, and do you make time to do it?

8:24pm

You know you're getting old when the phone rings at 8:24pm and you look at each other startled, mumbling something about who could be calling at this hour.

Are you as tired as me?  That time change just about did me in, I'm tuckered out.  Plum tuckered out that is.

So I've been wearing my Gingerbread socks.  I really wear them year round, under boots and whatnot.  They are ugly as sin but make me so happy.  They fit better than most.  Snug and right.

We decked the halls last weekend.  I figured I best not show you the finished pics because I don't want you to get angry with me.  That can be sensitive business, posting tree pics before the turkey.  I know some of ya'll out there are passionate about it so I'm respecting the turkey.  Plus I'm too lazy to get the camera out and upload the pics.

It turned out all right, the decorating.  After some tweaking, I love it.  I'll give ya a hint.  Old white window.  Red wreath.  Burlap trimmings.  Pops of red here and there.  And then of course the obscene show of glitter.  The more glitter the merrier I always say.

I'm learning how to take advantage of the library.  But in a good way.  I'm trying to reform my ways.  No more having 16 library books that are a month overdue.  No more getting kicked out 'cause we too loud.  I'm trying to change my ways.  I just reserved 11 books online.  No make that 12, I just re-remembered one to add to the list.  If all goes well they'll be ready for me for pick up manana.  Do you like how I just threw that Espanol right in the middle of the library talk?

And while we're on the subject, who knew purple Now & Later's were so dang good?  I'm like an addict.  I didn't realize it, but we got crappy candy this year to give out at Halloween.  It wasn't intentional.  It felt strategic.  Biggest bag for least amount of money.  We should've known.  We had a whole big bowl left over.  Anyways, those Now and Later's, the purple one's, whew, they good.

Can you tell we've been watching Duck Dynasty re-runs tonight.  I got my redneck talk on.

Well, She Gone.

Burlap Beginnings

We have the beginnings of a burlap tree. This is a very rough draft I just threw up real quick last night.  And, all 9 picks on the top are for sale.  I was going to switch to burlap and creme but all my other Christmas stuff is very whimsical.

I love the pinecone pics.  These sprigs were dirt cheap so if you want them let me know.  I got a steal of a deal on them!

I have 9 sprigs on top and it is only $40 for all of them! They are all brand new, just bought them last weekend. I call the color Pewter...not silver and not gold but could lean either way.

 

You can click on this link to see my normal decorating.