• Travel

    After Christmas Getaway 2020

    January 7, 2021 - By 

    The Monday after Christmas we got up and headed out to Inlet Beach near Panama City Beach, FL. We make a little detour on the way down to our favorite sausage store, Conecuh. If you’ve never had Conecuh, you are totally missing out. It is made in Evergreen, AL and I think most of the Southeastern states have stores that carry it. They have a special Christmas Hot sausage that has red and green peppers in it and it is spicy! We got several of those and a few other things. We also got some Conecuh bacon to try since…

  • Life

    Memories, Dreams, and Reflections 2020

    January 4, 2021 - By 

    So I did this post back in 2011! Cannot believe it’s been that long and really, I thought I had done this post more than once. I got the idea from Ashley’s blog, which is no longer updated. See the bottom of the post for the ‘rules.’ 1. Me! 2020 has held lots of ups and downs for everybody including myself. I’m happy to have made it through the year without getting COVID (knock on wood) and having a good year working from home 9 out of 12 months. It’s pretty difficult to be a supervisor when you’re not in…

  • Life

    Memories of the Month {12.2020}

    January 2, 2021 - By 

    This month I was happy about: Christmas of course! Time off work. More time with Drew & Caitlyn. This month I was sad about: just trying not to be sad this month. Here’s my rating system for entertainment: ♥ ♥ = Love it! A must read/see! ♥ = Really good! Highly recommend. ✓ ✓ = Good, not great ✓ = Not much to talk about X = Awful. Total waste of time Movies I watched were: Fred Claus ✓ ✓ Elf ♥ Babes in Toyland ✓ ✓ Christmas Vacation ♥ ♥ TV Shows I watched were: Brothers and Sisters (ABC…

  • Life

    Christmas Day 2020

    December 31, 2020 - By 

    On Christmas Day, we got kind of a late start. Rob and I were up till pretty late. We did are normal preheating the oven, got dressed, and got ready. Drew and Caitlyn came over. We practically had to drag the teenager, Alex, out of the bed. We ate our traditional breakfast of Sausage Balls and Apple Dumplins, which was all amazing. We opened stockings before eating breakfast. Santa was generous this year with several gift cards and card games. The boys both got The Office Uno. The Grinch made an appearance again this year and he brought Max along.…

  • Life

    What’s Up Wednesday ~ December 2020

    December 30, 2020 - By 

    With it being the last Wednesday of the month, it’s time to link up with Shay and Sheaffer for What’s Up Wednesday. What We’re Eating We didn’t have a lot of pasta left from Christmas day, but we did have a lot of our meal from Christmas Eve so we’ve been eating that. What I’m Reminiscing About I’m thinking back to Christmas Day. It was a little odd, but still good. I am out of town so I haven’t had a chance to finish my Christmas post, but I will get that up soon. What I’m Loving I’m loving all…

  • Life

    The Weekly [12.13-26.2020] Christmas Vacation Edition

    December 27, 2020 - By 

    I didn’t write a weekly post last week so I’m combining 2 weeks worth here. PICS & GOINGS ON Dec. 13th On Sunday, the 13th we attended our Boy Scout Court of Honor. You can read more about that >>>> December Court of Honor Dec. 18th Friday was our last day of work and school. I sent out a big box of goodies to my sis, mom, brother, and cousins. After that I went and got some wine and chocolate for a few of my friends and made special surprise deliveries to them. I came home and made a 4…

  • Life

    I hadn’t thought of you today…

    December 26, 2020 - By 

    Frank Zappa…a name I heard as Rob read from book that he got for Christmas. As he read he said the name “Frank Zappa”…in my head “Dad loved the Zappa family and their music.” Then I remembered what today was… 2013 the family and I were in the air on an airplane. You can read about that here. This combination of days. Christmas and the day after. Christmas such joy and elation. Soaking in the family moments. Yesterday on my Timehop app a cropped pic of this popped up. It was Dad’s last Christmas (which we knew would be the…

  • Life

    Christmas Decor 2020

    December 24, 2020 - By 

    Happy Christmas Eve, everyone! I really wanted to get this posted way before now, but man, I’ve just been busy. You would think having this week off that I would have so much ‘free’ time, but honestly, we have stayed busy with last minute shopping, wrapping gifts like Personalized Christmas Gifts, baking, and catching up on some everyday life stuff. Anyway, today I’m sharing my Christmas decor for this year. Honestly, I thought I’d dome more of these post through the years, but it doesn’t look I’ve really done any dedicated Christmas decor posts since 2008! Geez! Let’s start outside!…

  • Life

    December Court of Honor

    December 23, 2020 - By 

    Last Sunday our Boy Scout Troop met in person for a the only Court of Honor we’ve had this year. Thanks, COVID! Alex has been the SPL (Senior Patrol Leader – boy leader in charge of entire troop) for the last year. Typically our troop has elections every 6 months, but due to COVID the term for that group of leaders was extended. The troop voted on a new slate of leaders a couple weeks ago. Alex is happy to not be in the leadership core now. Ready for a break. Discussing the ceremony. Alex is modeling in perfect form…

  • Life

    December 2020 Monthly Musings-The Holidays

    December 19, 2020 - By 

    Today I’m linking up for Monthly Musings for December with Patty & Holly. 1. If you celebrate Christmas, what are your traditions? We go to a Christmas farm and cut down a real tree. I make lots of cookies and chocolate covered everything. We go to Christmas Eve service and have a big feast that evening that I cook (Ham, Hashbrown Casserole Cracker Barrel Copycat Recipe, and another side that I change up year to year. Sometimes I do Bacon Wrapped Green Beans or Candied Green Beans Christmas morning we wake up and I put Sausage Balls and Apple Dumplins…

  • Recipes - Sides

    Andouille Cajun Dressing (with Gluten Free option)

    December 18, 2020 - By 

    This year for Thanksgiving I wanted to try something other than the Apple Cornbread Dressing that I normally make. I found one from Emeril. I tweaked the recipe just a tad and was so glad I made it. Everyone loved it. It is a bit spicy, so if you like spicy then great. If not, see below on how to make it not spicy with some simple substitutions and omissions. This would go great with any turkey or ham. We deep fry a turkey that’s injected with Tony Chachere’s Creole Style Butter Marinade. I made a Popeye’s Cajun gravy copycat…

  • Life

    The Weekly [12.6-12.2020]

    December 14, 2020 - By 

    Another week gone in a blink. PICS & GOINGS ON The bookends of our week were full fledge Christmas decorating. Sunday we went Christmas tree shopping. Friday we went shopping for new outside lights. Rob is completely over the icicle lights that we have been hanging on the house. We ended up spending way to much money, but feel ok about it as we felt like we needed an upgrade and we’re almost completely LED lights outside now. Saturday Caitlyn and Drew came over to make sausage balls. Drew had cut his finger the night before and decided it would…

  • Life

    The Weekly [11.29-12.5.2020]

    December 7, 2020 - By 

    Last week was our coldest week so far this season. We survived and are thankful for a heated house! PICS & GOINGS ON I finished off this upgrade, I guess you could call it. These are Boy Scout popcorn tins that I have around the house that we use for little trashcans. I didn’t like the design on this one, so I painted it and put a ribbon with a chalkboard heart on it. We don’t really use the word rubbish around here, but I liked that word more than trash or garbage. Tuesday was our coldest day yet. Lows…

  • Pork - Recipes

    Sausage Balls

    December 4, 2020 - By 

    Sausage Balls have become part of our Christmas tradition. This Sausage Ball recipe is one that my Grandfather started making back before I was even born! An in law of ours brought this recipe to our family. My Granddad loved it, but tweaked it a bit through the years. We made them every Christmas. I’ve continued the tradition by making them ahead of time, bagging them up, and freezing them. That way we can heat them up through the Christmas season and sometimes even in to the new year, because I double or triple the recipe. I am happy that…

  • Life

    Currently – December 2020

    December 2, 2020 - By 

    Holy moly! How is it December? Here’s another Currently post. I have been doing some baking lately. I have several recipes to update or just share for the first time. I’ve made pumpkin bread, oatmeal cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies. Of course with the holidays coming, I’ll be making more cookies like Pretzel Square Bites, Snowballs, Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crackers. I’m getting tired just thinking about it. I have done a tiny bit of Christmas decorating. I have 1 Christmas bin that we store in a different part of the attic that is super…

  • Life

    Memories of the Month {11.2020}

    December 1, 2020 - By 

    This month I was happy about: having a little break for Thanksgiving. This month I was sad about: just been kind of in the dumps here and there throughout this month. Not for any other reason that just tired and stressed, I guess. Here’s my rating system for entertainment: ♥ ♥ = Love it! A must read/see! ♥ = Really good! Highly recommend. ✓ ✓ = Good, not great ✓ = Not much to talk about X = Awful. Total waste of time Movies I watched were: Alex and I watched a bunch of movies. Happy Death Day! – ♥…

  • Life

    The Weekly [11.22-28.2020] Thanksgiving Week Edition

    November 30, 2020 - By 

    PICS & GOINGS ON Sunday -We did our normal routine. Church Online. Rob left to help with in person 11am service. Sunday School online. Lunch. -I made some brownies for our Boy Scout Scoutmaster’s birthday that was on Monday. -Rob, Alex, and I went to church to serve at the college ministries Thanksgiving. They had a positive test within the group, so that caused for extra precautions to be taken. They drove up and go their meal and stayed in their cars for worship. -Discussion with Alex about the recent issues. -Drew came over. At one point, he was like…

  • Life

    November 2020 Monthly Musings-Christmas

    November 27, 2020 - By 

    I’m late getting this post up, but I always enjoy Monthly Musings of others. Link up 1. Favorite Holiday Tradition I love all the Christmas activities, from going to cut down a Christmas tree and decorating the house to watching Christmas movies. Baking and making other goodies withe family. Christmas tree shopping: 2016 / 2015 / 2012 / 2011 / 2009 2. Must Have Holiday Wardrobe Staples I wear more red at Christmas. I love my tacky Christmas sweaters when it gets cold enough for those. 3. Favorite Holiday Recipe/Dish? I started the tradition of ham and fixings on Christmas…

  • Life

    What’s Up Wednesday ~ November 2020

    November 25, 2020 - By 

    Today I’m linking up with Shay and Sheaffer for What’s Up Wednesday. What We’re Eating I’ve been doing lots of baking lately. I’ve got several recipes I need to get posted, but this week and last week I have been super slammed at work. These Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies are so yummy! What I’m Reminiscing About With Thanksgiving tomorrow, of course, I’ve thought back to other Thanksgivings. Look back with me at previous Thanksgivings: 2019 / 2016 / 2015 / 2013 What I’m Loving I’m loving that its the holiday season. Here’s hoping its not too stressful. What We’ve Been…

  • Life

    The Weekly [11.15-21.2020]

    November 23, 2020 - By 

    Happy Turkey day week, yall! I can’t believe its the holiday season already! I’ve got 2 very busy days ahead before being off for the rest of the week starting Wednesday. I am so ready! iPHONE PICS & GOINGS ON Kayleigh sheds more than any corgi we’ve had, I think. I’ve been trying to brush her every other day, but last week was crazy and I didn’t get to it. You can see this large ball of hair that I got off her. Her nails also grow extremely fast. We use a Dremel to file her nails. That’s what her…