Goodbye Pinkey!

 

It was a sad day here for us on Wednesday because Jimmy and I had to tell Asa (and the other boys) that Pinkey was hit by an 18-wheeler and died. Ballard had given her to Asa for his birthday just this past June 30 after Belle had died just a few days before that. Ballard and Kim spent all day on the phone that day searching for the perfect FREE dog. And Pinkey was perfect. She was a female 6 month old black lab that even I fell in love with and let her inside a lot! She slept on our couch most nights. We had just had her spayed and she even had emergency surgery three days later for a hernia. Anyway, we thought that she was not going to the road anymore and felt comfortable leaving her out--WRONG! And it was Kim herself who witnessed the hit and called to tell me. How ironic is that. Poor Asa--his littl heart is broken. I debated whether to tell him that she died or that she just ran away but in the end it was Terri Irwin's interview on 20/20 that convinced me to tell the truth. If you didn't see that interview, you missed a powerful moment. So, being the sap that I am, I told Asa that he could pick out a puppy from Ms. Dorothy's dog's litter (she is Luke's teacher assistant). So we picked out TWO yesterday! They are a mix of dauschand and jack russell terrier. Yep, I am a SUCKER! Two more weeks and they will come home with us. and you guessed it . . . I'll be posting pics here. 

The Reading Rainforest--CA Book Fair

 
 
 
 

So far, it's going well. My boys LOVE to read so this is always a fun (but expensive) week! Hope you enjoy our version of the rainforest. 

A Few Recipes to Share

I bought a chicken cookbook at the book fair and last night I tried one of the recipes--can't remember what it was called but here is the jist of the recipe--too simple and WAY too YUMMY!--Just ask the boys.

Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts (cut in halves)
milk and eggs for dipping
1 cup of breadcrumbs
1 cup of Parmasean cheese (the kind in the green can that you put on spaghetti)
salt & pepper
garlic salt
olive oil

dip the chicken in the milk egg mixture, then bread with the other ingredients. cook over medium heat in a skillet with the olive oil. about 10 mins each side. YUMMY!


The other recipes is a mishap. You see, I LOVED the Paula Dean pork roast that my friend, Joy made for our monthly supper club a few months back. She told me that the recipe was on her website so I found it or so I thought. I think I have found a different recipe because the ingredients are not as she first told me but our family loves it--and I still don't have the recipe that she used that night. oh well, this one will do.

Barbecue Pork Roast by Paula Dean
1/4 teaspoon Worchestire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (4 pound) pork roast
1 cup barbecue sauce

Combine all ingredients and marinate for atleast 4 hours--preferrably overnight. Bake at 325 for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Now since I never have the ingredients when I need them, I subsitute quite a bit. Like I just made the marinade and I didn't have any worchestire sauce and only 1/2 cup of bbq sauce (which I add to the marinade) so I substituted some ketchup. nor did I have the garlic so I used dried minced onions. oh, and I didn't measure anything. so I'll let you know if it is edible Really, I'll let you know if it turned out ok. If you follow the recipe (unlike me), it is FABULOUS.

P.S. The carpenter is coming this afternoon to touch up the last bit on the cabinets and trim and put the knobs on the cabinets, so I should post the final pics tomorrow. LOVE it!

This and That

We had a GREAT day yesterday at LSU. Despite the rain and heat and everyone feeling totally gross from getting wet and muddy, etc., it was so festive and fun! We spent most of the day at the AGR house where it has become a tradition for Jimmy to cook jambalaya for the alumni--YUMMY as usual! There were not many people there compared to previous years but Howie and Aly and Katie were there as well as Bill and Will and Whitney so our boys had fun playing with all of them. And Darren and Jill and Cole came so we trecked over to the parade grounds--with the other fifty million people--to see the FREE Brooks and Dunn concert. It was hot and steamy and muddy--did I say that already?--but FUN! As we entered the gates, the guards made us pour out our drinks (???) and then we got so thirsty and Darren took us straight to the stage--we had a GREAT view. Then back to the AGR house we trecked--with Luke on my back!!!!!!!!!!! When it was time to leave, I was blocked in. Luckily we found whose car it was and I was on my way--but you know, I could still be blocked in at this very moment!!!!! and the Tigers won--so all was good!

So you are wondering about my bathroom--well, the reason I have not talked about it lately is because it is such a sore subject. Let me just say that it is gorgeous and ALMOST finished and when it is TOTALLY finished I will post pics. End of story.

This week is going to be C-R-A-Z-Y! I am chairman of the book fair which is all week, plus I need to work three full days (which is almost impossible b/c of no care for Luke) and then the boys and I are off next Friday to go to Greenville and Memphis to visit friends. So busy, busy, busy!

OOOOOHHHHH, Fall is in the air this morning--LOVE IT!

The Happy Couple

 

Here we are just before we left to go to dinner for our anniversary. Kim Jackson--God Bless Your Heart!--kept our boys for us so that we could go out. I know she was dog dead tired the next morning and we soooooooo appreciate her doing this for us. Anyway, we went to Sullivan's in Baton Rouge. It was pretty swanky! very nice but just give me a steak--you know a big ole' hunkin' piece of bovine straight off the pit----not cooked in 100 year old virgin sherry, blah, blah, blah! Ok, I know I sound a bit redneck but it's just me. The atmosphere was very nice. Jimmy and I are such people watchers and we was decided that every female in there had either had a boob job or was in desperate need of a lift. Now, don't get me wrong--I am fully aware of the sagginess that comes after birthing and nursing four children, however I do not wear clothes that accentuate the sagginess. Know what I mean? So suffice it to say that we were the only "perfect" people there and had a blast "admiring" those around us!!!! We were amazed at the people who were just arriving for dinner when were leaving after 9 pm on a Thursday night--don't these people have to work tomorrow? (it was obvious that these people were regulars). Yeah, I know--we are pretty removed from "the real world" however Jimmy and I are convinced that we like it that way. So where will we go next year . . . . . . . . let's just say that it will have a BBQ pit right next to our table so that I can see my steak being cooked--no wine involved (atleast not on the steak). :-) 

Happy 15 years Jimmy!

Today is our 15th wedding anniversary! Boy how time flies. Sometimes it feels just like yesterday and other times it seems like an eternity--I am such a different person than I was 15 years ago--and I would say for the better. It's amazing what maturity can do for oneself. Not that I was immature when I married -- but I was ONLY 20 -- but life's journey truly creates one's personality--does that make sense? Anyway, this is my time to tell Jimmy how much I love him and how lucky I feel that he is my husband. You know, we really have a GREAT marriage--perfect by no means but good in so many ways. The best thing that I can say about Jimmy as my husband is that he still makes me laugh! even when I don't want to--he can still do it. We have been through a lot -- moves, job changes, financial struggles, four pregnancies!, religious issues, and most recently the surprise appearance of a daughter that he knew nothing about. And for us, there has only been one choice--keep on keeping on and work it out! I so admire him for so many things--his drive to provide for us, his desire to be the best daddy that he can be, his compassion for others and even his intolerance of things that he believes to be wrong, his love for his children and his acceptance of having a daughter, and mostly for his absolute dedication to me. So many of these issues can either push you apart or draw you closer, and I am proud to say that we choose the latter. Isn't it Tim McGraw that has a song about Love being a choice, you know, you have to really work at it---and it is sometimes really hard. I have made some really bad choices in our years together that have affected the both of us (no, not THAT!) and he has always been there to forgive me and together we pick up the pieces. So today I say, "Jimmy, Happy Anniversary! Thanks for being my husband and for loving me. I couldn't be any luckier." 

Happy Birthday Missy!

Just wanted to say "Happy Happy Birthday" to my sister Missy. I won't say how old she is except that she is 5 years OLDER than me! She and I have always been close and I treasure her not only as my sister but as my friend. I hope you have a GREAT day, Missy!

  

  

  

Jimmy's birthday dinner

 

Yesterday we had dinner to celebrate Jimmy's birthday. His parents came and so did Claire. And then my parents showed up unexpectedly so it was a good day of visiting. The boys were so excited that Claire was coming that they waited by the road (under supervision of course) for almost an hour. I'm not sure if she realizes just how lucky she is to have four little boys who have fallen in love with her in such a short time. And we love her too. Each time that we visit with her, we get to know her a bit more for which we are thankful. 

  

  

  

more birthday pics

  

Happy 41st Birthday Jimmy!

 

Yesterday was Jimmy's birthday and we took him to eat at the Mexican restaurant in McComb. We had a GREAT time! The food there is GREAT and it was just plain fun! Happy Birthday baby! I love you! 

Luke "lovin' on" Deanie

  

The Abadie Family (minus Jimmy)

  

Happy 97th Birthday Deanie!

 

We spent the weekend in New Iberia visiting the Abadies. We went especially to celebrate Deanie's 97th birthday. Deanie is Jimmy's maternal grandmother. Although she is unable to communicate much now, she was a firecracker until just a few years ago. Everyone was there except for Jimmy (which was sad for all of us) and I think that Deanie enjoyed the busyness around her. We were outside by the swingset and picnic tables at the assisted living where she lives and it was not too hot so it was a very nice day. We brought cake and ice cream and had a real old fashioned birthday party. Nice! It really makes me think about getting old and how life truly goes in a circle. We are born totally dependent on others to take care of our basic needs and if we live long enough, then once again we may need help with those same basic needs--eating, going to the bathroom, dressing, getting around. It is sad but then we are ever so thankful when a love one is still with us for so many years. I have known Deanie for 16 years and believe me, she has set me straight a time or two!!!! So here's to you, Deanie. We love you!