The Grass Eating Moo Cow

Is staying.... Yes, the daily Les Miles saga ended yesterday. The "Grass Eating Moo Cow" isn't going to Michigan. Those were my friend Wendy's exact words. I'm still laughing!  What's really funny is that Wendy really likes Les! Imagine what's being said by all the people that really don't like him. I personally don't have a problem with him except for the fact that when you listen to him talk you either want to yell at him to "spit it out" because he ums & ahs so much or you have no idea what he just said. Ever heard the term talking in circles? That would be Les. Some of you may be wondering why Wendy called him a grass eating Moo Cow. Well that would be because he eats grass. You think I'm kidding?

(I found this pic saturdaydownsouth.com)

During the Bama game they showed him pick a blade of grass & eat it. The game was on National  TV so everyone saw it & it was all over everywhere. When asked about it Les said this.... "I'll put my knee on the ground and look for a small blade now and then. You might try it. It's not a bad deal. I suspect it's better than chewing tobacco and some other things that people put in their mouths. I've always seemed to enjoy a blade or two now and then, not that this was a meal in any way but more of kind of being in touch with where I was at.". I'm so glad it wasn't a meal Les.... He's our coach & thanks to the contract extension he received yesterday, he will be for the next 7 years! 

Moving on. Right after Christmas I received an email from Nine West that they were having a sale. Of course I checked things out. I found a super cute pair of black closed toe heels. I don't have any of those. They were on sale & then there was an additional percentage off. My total price with tax & shipping was $25. Aren't they great?

I love them! I'm wearing them for the first time today. The original price for these was $70. I love a deal!

Toodles!

Check This Out

I got a blog award! It was given to me by Amy at Nine-Ninety-One. Thanks Amy!! I just recently found her blog. She has some cute kiddos!

The rules are to:
1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award
2. Answer 10 questions
3. Pass it along to 7 blogs you've recently discovered and enjoy
4. Leave your recipients a note, telling them about the award

Here are the ten questions:

1. Why did you create this blog?
Vicki told me to. HA! Really, my friend Vicki told me I should start a blog so I did.
2. What kind of blogs do you follow?
A lot of decorating blogs & some that are just regular blogs about people & their families

3. Favorite Make-Up Brand?
I guess I'd have to say Revlon since I've been using their base for years.

4. Favorite Clothing Brand?
I don't have one. I buy clothes everywhere from "nice" stores  to Penney's to Sam's. Wherever I find a deal on something I like!

5. Indispensable Make-Up Product?
Lip Stick/Gloss & Chapstick

6. Favorite Color?
Red! I like pink a lot too.

7. Favorite Perfume?
Victoria Secret Very Sexy & one of the Angel ones but I can't remember which one.

8. Favorite Film?
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days - I don't know that this qualifies as a "film" but I LOVE this movie!! I watch at least a little of it EVERYTIME it's on TV which is really, really often.

9. What country would you like to visit and why?
Italy. The food & wine would be fabulous.

10. Would you rather forget to put on mascara on one eye or forget blush on one side of your face?
Mascara. I have dark eyelashes so I don't think it would be that noticeable.

These are 7 blogs that I enjoy.
Elements Interiors  Kara's blog is all about Interior Design & she's really funny!

Webbisodes I found Shannon when I became part of the Christmas Ornament Exchange. She was one of the hosts.

Excursions of the Spurgins - Aishlea is a southern girl & her blog is about their life & now she has a cute little baby boy.

Honey We're Home - Megan  has a great house. Her closet is to die for!! She's got a cute baby boy too.

Just Shy of a "Y" - Angie's is another blog about their lives. I seem to be drawn in by this. Does that make me incredibly nosy?? Her kids are adorable!

Karen at Home - I don't know how I found Karen's blog but she's got an adorable baby girl that I love reading about. She was the other host for the Ornament Exchange

Southern Comfort in a Northern Life - I love Melanie! We play Words With Friends all the time. Her blog is about her life & the decorating of all her houses from her many moves.

I have a lot more than 7 & blogs that I read & a couple that I really love but they don't post often enough. Yes, I'm talking to you Wendy & Mrs. Carolyn!!

On another note - Today is Day 4 of the Les Miles to Michigan saga. I swear it's like the Sportscasters have turned into the Paparazzi & Les is a rock star. I guess it just shows how big time college football really is.

All boxes of Christmas stuff & the trees & the wreaths are all stored away. YAY!!!! It's nice to have the house back to normal even though it's looking really bare.

Toodles!

The End of Christmas....Almost

I really can't believe it's Monday already. I know, I say that all the time. We had a great weekend. It started off with the Cotton Bowl party we went to Friday night. Lots of friends, great food & an LSU win made it a fab party. This could also be the last game that Les Miles coaches as a Tiger. Rumor has it he's going to Michigan. We should find out in the next couple of days.

Saturday, I had a hair appt. My roots were awful. I didn't understand why they looked so bad until I realized that it had been 12 weeks since my last highlight. I NEVER go that long. I guess that's what happens with the holidays & vacation. I went with low lights this time as to not become a total blond. Not that there's anything wrong with that but my natural color is about as dark a brown as you can get. So now my roots are all good, I got a trim & feel much better! Don't you always feel better after having your hair done?

Once I got home I managed to get a lot of ornaments off the tree before we left for Mass. The Saints game was on when we left & they were winning & all was good with the world. After Mass we went to Sammy's for dinner with our friends, the Smith's. We all love Sammy's & they have about a million TV's that we knew would all be tuned to the Saints. Well, they lost. Ugh! Now that LSU & Saints football is over we can't wear jeans to work on Fridays anymore. That's a real bummer. Do you know how easy it is to throw on a pair of jeans & grab a shirt on Friday morning? It's one of the things I love about football season!

Once we were home I got back to work on the Christmas decorations. This was stuff from the tree in the kitchen.

And the big tree.

That's why I call it the big tree. I think I got 4 boxes of ornaments boxed up before calling it a night. Sunday morning I was back at it. I am happy to say that all ornaments, garland, bows, nativities, EVERYTHING is boxed up.

Notice I didn't say anything about Christmas trees. That would be because they're still standing. Once I got all of this stuff boxed up I wanted a break. So I took one. For the rest of the day. It was really cold & started raining. Perfect napping weather. So I took one. Only a short one. Like an hour. We watched football & I read. It was a great day. So, today when I get home from work the trees will come down & all of the boxes will go in the attic.

Reading update: Remember I said I was going to read actual books at home & my Nook away from home so that I could get through the bag o'books I have?  Well, I finished "Secret To Happiness" by Sarah Dunn. It was interesting. I liked it & it was a very easy read but it was different. I came away thinking that Holly, the main character, was kinda weird. Still a good book. Sunday, on my break, I started reading "Family Ties" by Danielle Steele. I like a lot of her books & there are a lot that I wouldn't even attempt to read. This one is really good. I'm so curious to see what's going to happen. I'm hoping to finish it tonight. 

Toodles! 

Shrimp Dip

I told y'all about the shrimp dip I was making for the Cotton Bowl party we're going to tonight. I forgot that I posted a recipe for this shrimp dip awhile back. The one I made for tonight is entirely different. Y'all I know it's not often that I post a recipe but this is really good & even I can make it. This is what you do.

2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
2-4 Tablespoons of Hot Sauce - This depends on how spicy you like it. I use 3.
(2) 8 oz. packages of cream cheese.
Garlic - I used granulated garlic because it's what we had. You can use fresh or that stuff in a jar.

Layer 1 - Mix all of these ingredients together & spread it on the bottom of a platter. I always use a platter with a lip around it since it's a layered dip.

Layer 2 - A bottle of cocktail sauce. I use Louisiana because it's our fave. Spread it on top of the cream cheese.

Now everytime I make this I misread my recipe & end up layering things in a different order. I don't think it matters but the order I'm giving you is the order that the recipe calls for.

Layer 3 - Boiled Shrimp. The recipe says 1 -1 1/2 lbs. Peel them & layer on top of the cocktail sauce. I usually cut some of them up & leave some whole, depending on the size of the shrimp.

Layer 4 - An 8 oz. bag of shredded/grated mozzarella cheese

Layer 5 - Grated Parmesa Cheese. I forgot to buy it this time so I just used parmesan in the can. I've done this before & it's fine.

Layer 6 - 1 Chopped bell pepper

Layer 7 - Green onions. Just put as many as you'd like

Layer 8 - A Roma tomato cut up. I normally make the dip the day before I need it but I wait until the day I need it to put the tomato on. I don't want it to make the dip soggy.

I serve it with Wheat Thins or Sociables but any crackers will do.

This is what you end up with.



Looks good huh?

We're off to the Mitchell's to hopefully watch the Tigers beat the Aggies. Then things will get interesting with the coaching situation. Les is rumored to be one of the top candidates for the Michigan job. We shall see.



Geaux Tigers!! Isn't my shirt cute??

Toodles!!

An Update

So I got a lot of response from my last post about reading. I'd love if everyone would send me their favorite authors & books. Leave a comment or email me. I'm always looking for something new to read. The Nook has this great feature (I'm sure the Kindle does too) that lets you make a wish list. It can be done directly from the Nook or if you're on the computer on Barnes & Noble's website you can add stuff to it there & it will be on your Nook as well. I took some time the other day & made a list. That way when I'm ready to download a new book I'll have some to choose from. Like I said, I do better with a list. Last night I downloaded Emily Giffin's new book, Heart of the Matter. Well, it's not really new but her newest. It came out at the beginning of 2010. I love her books.

I've done really well on the Dr. Pepper intake. Granted it's only been 3 1/2 days but still. I haven't had one in 2 days. This wasn't really done on purpose, it kinda just happened. I made some sweet tea (sweetened with Splenda) & I've been drinking a lot of that.

Tomorrow is the Cotton Bowl. Seems like forever since LSU played a football game. Dean & I are going to our friends, The Mitchell's, to watch. It's going to be a Tapas party. I'm making Shrimp Dip. Yeh, I know. Not exactly Tapas but this is something I know how to make that is good. It's a favorite of mine. I'll share the recipe & a pic once I make it. The great thing about it is it taste better if you make it the day before you're going to eat it. I guess it gives the shrimp & all the other flavors time to blend together. I'm very proud of myself for getting up this morning, getting ready for work & leaving early enough to go to the grocery store & get the ingredients. Yay for me! One less thing to do after work.

Something I've noticed in the last couple of weeks is that I'm getting emails from Match.com on a regular basis. Like, every day. I don't know where they got my email address. I have a match. I don't need them.

Oh, I almost forgot - The washing machine is fixed!! WOOO HOOO!! Dean Rocks! The new timer came in yesterday & it took Dean all of 10 minutes to install it. Now, I'm really annoyed that we paid the service guy $70 to tell us it was the timer when that's what Dean thought it was to begin with. Still, $70 for the service call & $80 for the part is a whole lot better than buying a new one. To me washers are like tires. I hate spending money on that type of stuff.

Well, this was all really random. Oh well. GEAUX TIGERS!!

Toodles!

Want to read??

I know everyone is in the whole resolution mind frame but I'm not. Not that I don't have about a million and one things I NEED to do this year but I know me & I know saying I have a resolution doesn't mean a thing. I've had them in previous years & it's always been a colossal fail. Except maybe 2003 when we got married & I wanted to lose weight. Between having all 4 of my wisdom teeth out & stress I was the thinnest I've ever been & it wasn't difficult, but I digress. Anyway, no resolutions, just a "to do list". I do better with a list.  I have lots of house stuff on it & I'd like to read more books. My good friend Wendy started a book club a couple of years ago. This is Wendy & her oh so adorable baby, Miss Emily.

How cute is that flower?? I found that the day I went to Market. I also got her an adorable little hat. Can't wait to see a pic of her wearing it.

Too cute! Anyway, back to the book club. You may remember it, "The Worst Book Club Ever" as dubbed by Andrea after attending one of our get togethers. We don't talk a whole lot about books & we don't all read the same book.  Shockingly, the book club is still in existence. Probably because of the reasons we're the worst book club ever! Anyway, the first year the goal was for everyone to read 50 books. No problem. Well, for me anyway. I read  almost 100. In 2010 it was decided that everyone would set their own goal. Mine stayed at 50 since I'd far exceeded that the previous year. Well, due to lots of different factors, mainly Words With Friends & reading blogs, I did not meet my goal. I really enjoy reading & now I have a Nook which I completely & totally LOVE & I also have several bags o' books from Mrs. Joyce (my MIL). I've come up with a system to enjoy both. When I'm at home, I'll read the actual books & when I'm away from home (work, car, etc.) I'll read my Nook. At least until I can get through some of the stacks of books which will help me on another item on the to do list, de-clutter! The only time things will be different is when I have a book loaned to me from the Nook & that's because you have 14 days to read it. The Nook is so great for traveling or just to keep in your purse for anytime you find yourself waiting. So, why am I telling you all this you ask? Like I said, I know everyone is making resolutions & goals for the year & if one of those is to read more books I have a series that you might enjoy. The High Heel Series! Good friend Wendy turned me on to this series. Thanks Wendy! These books are too funny, even though they're mysteries & someone seems to always end up dead. They're a lot like the Stephanie Plum series written by Janet Evanovich except Maddie has much more fashion sense than Stephanie. She's a shoe designer! Gemma Halliday is the author. I've read some background on her & she was an actress before she became a writer. She didn't make it big time but she's been in a couple of movies that I've seen. Another plus is these books are only $3.99 on the Nook & they're lendable. This is working out great for Wendy & I. She buys a book & lends to me & I buy a book & lend to her. I finished the 3rd book yesterday. BTW, this weekend had to be the laziest weekend I've ever had. I didn't feel so great. This merry go round weather is killing my sinuses. Anyway, I laid around & read pretty much the whole weekend.  It was positively glorious!

What else is on my "to do list"? House stuff mainly. I'm also going to attempt to cut back on my Dr. Pepper intake. I say that as I sip on my 32 oz. D.P. from lunch. I was at Sam's & it was .87. I couldn't resist!

Toodles!

Happy New Year!

We're having a very low key New Years Day. Laying on the sofa watching football are all the plans that we have! I did clean up my closet this morning so I don't feel bad about doing nothing the rest of the day.

Yesterday started off shaky but ended up a good day. The repair man came to see about our washing machine. After spending $70 on the service call he told me it was the timer which would be $240 + another service call + it would take 2 weeks for it to come in. We decided to just buy a new one. We were going to do that today but Dean got online & determined that he can buy the part & possibly fix the washer himself so we're going to try that. The machine works, you just have to do everything manually. It's a pain but if it saves me $400 I'll deal with it for the time being.

After the repairman left I met my friend Vicki & Godchild Lane at Chick Fil A for lunch. It was soooo good as usual. I'm going to attempt to eat better this year so I had a chocolate shake. I brought Lane his Christmas gifts.

I thought this cup was so cute. The blue part on the bottom unscrews & is like a little bowl that you can put snacks in.

It's hard to believe Lane is old enough for Monopoly Junior but he'll be 5 in February.

After lunch I went & had my nails done & then went home & napped. We went down the street to a party at our friends. It's so nice to just be able to walk. We had tons of food & wine & had a great time.

Happy New Year from our family to yours!!!!

Toodles!