I know, I know, you missed me ;)

Hi there everyone!!

The holidays are coming to an end and I can finally get my mind wrapped around things other than shopping, wrapping, traveling, cooking, baking, taking pictures, eating, and drinking!

I hope everyone had as blessed of a holiday season as our family did.  We were able to travel to my husband's family's houses for Thanksgiving and Christmas parties while we had Christmas day at our house with the little ones playing with their toys all day!  My husband and twin toddlers were also lucky enough to spend 11 days on the east coast with my family and friends.  What a memorable time!!

Just so you know I wasn't purposefully neglecting the blog, I wanted to explain how busy we were through a montage of pictures :)

Thanksgiving at the McCoy's playing Thanksgiving Bingo!

The kid's 3rd time being on Santa's lap (1st: while in the belly, 2nd: 9 months old, 3rd: 21 months)

Headed to Philly with Byron, my sister, Kelly, and her friend Kayla for the Army/Navy game.  We stayed with my dear friend Stella and her boyfriend Dan in the city.  We started the weekend off with a fun time at the bars.

Just a few of the party crowd at the tailgate at Army/Navy

Never a dull moment, but always a good time. I love my Stella (china doll).

Byron's birthday (12-12-12).  I tried to incorporate as many "12's" as possible.  We started the day off with an order of a dozen donuts.  Aunt Alice and Uncle Mark even surprised Byron by driving from Virginia for his birthday!

...and a dozen oysters...

The kids got a chance to run around on daddy's old practice field on the United States Naval Academy yard.

The kids got to experience what it's like to feed the duckies at Ego Alley in Downtown Annapolis.  I love this place!

We celebrated Christmas early in Maryland with the Savoie/Middleton/Brice family.  Always a great time and always great food!

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Our annual Christmas pajama picture. Who doesn't love new pajamas?!

While on the east coast, I was able to meet up with most of my college friends for Kristen's wedding in Philly.  WHAT A FUN TIME!!!! I totally lost a dance-off with an older gentleman...embarrassed...

Due to fog, we were forced to sit in the airport for 6 hours and THEN told that our flight was cancelled.   With a frustrated husband and wife with two toddlers it was an interesting situation. Thankfully we have a family that was able to get our flight changed and a hotel room for us. We stayed in an airport hotel, ordered Chinese food that was delicious, and made our flight the next morning (barely!!).  My father-in-law KNEW I was going to need those drink coupons.... Thanks Matt!

Girls' Night Mexican Christmas Party at El Camino in Clinton.  Tis the season to sing "Feliz Navidad"!  This was my first Christmas living in Clinton.  We drove around and looked at the lights in the town and I even got to see the "ghetto"! ;)

The kids' first snow...wasn't much but they got to wear their new boots that Kel Kel gave them.

Oh yea, we got a kitty...it was cousin Sarah's.  Her name is Kiki

Christmas celebration at the McCoy's.  Always a great time!

So...my husband is pretty amazing at sports. He helped his baseball team in high school win States.  Therefore there was a 10th reunion for his baseball team to celebrate what a great game they played.  It was such a fun experience meeting more of my husband's friends.

Christmas celebration at the Shoemaker's.  You can judge the time we had by this picture ;)

Christmas morning at our house.  The MO great-grandparents, Granny, Papa, and Aunt Casie joined us during the day.  Then we were visited by some CRAZY carolers later in the evening.  

As you can see it has been a very busy month. We are so lucky to be able to spend these fun, memorable times with so many loved ones.  I can't thank everyone enough for being in this life of mine AND ours!  Without each and every one of you we wouldn't be where we are today. 

I plan on getting back on the blog after the New Year (...so I can continue picking up Christmas toys that are around the house...) 

I hope you have a safe and enjoyable New Years.  

Also, we are trying to get to 2013 blog views by 2013.  Why not start setting crazy goals now, right?

Recipe # 9

I made this for our playdate a few weeks ago.  It was DELICIOUS!!

Italian Panini

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp mayonaisse

1 Tbsp basil (I used the squeeze bottle basil...LOVE it! So handy!!)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 loaf of focaccia bread
6 slices of prosciutto 
1 1/4 cups of fresh mozzarella (about 1/2 of a block) sliced
4 roma tomatoes sliced


Preheat panini maker to medium-high heat.

Mix the mayonnaise, basil, and garlic powder in small bowl.  Cut the focaccia in half (hamburger bun style so you have a large top and large bottom...if you ate enough of these paninis you would TOTALLY have a large bottom!) Spread the mayonnaise mixture on the top slice of the focaccia.  Place the tomatoes, on the bottom slice of foccacia.   Then place the prosciutto on the tomatoes. Place the cheese on the prosciutto.  Place the top slice on the cheese and gently put the sandwich on the panini maker. Be sure to have the height adjusted accordingly for this size sandwich.  I left the panini in the panini maker for about 10 minutes, but I watched it constantly.

Slice into small rectangles and enjoy!!

Shout Out SHATurday # 4

Well, it's been a pretty busy past two weeks and will continue to be with the holiday seasons and traveling.  I know it's a few days late for the Shout Out SHATurday but, you know, there was lots of shat going on so I'm excused.  (For those of you who don't know what Shat can be here is our definition: cool stuff, fun events, things that can turn your day/life around in a positive way).

This past week's Shout Out SHATurday goes out to my Director of B.S., my aunt, and one of my best friends: Diane Savoie (or as most of us call her, Di).   HEY DI!!

Di is an inspiration to all women and men.  She has definitely put up with some SHAT in her life that can truly break a woman down.  But she has embraced the SHAT.  With her positive attitude towards life and her will to live a strong, happy life she has given all of us another perspective towards our own lives. 

"F" Breast Cancer!!! (DC Breast Cancer walk)

In a few words Di is a laugher, she's a cryer, a dog lover, an artist, a breast cancer survivor, a comedian, a music trader (we like to trade music), a wine connoisseur, a gardner, a lover, she's my older sister I never had (or will have unless there's something I don't know...), she's my "idea bouncer" when I need another brain to do some storming.

Di I can't thank God and you enough for being in my life as well as all of the other lives that you have touched.  You truly are an amazing person and bring so much positivity into everyone's life you enter.

I love you! 

You are the SHAT!!

Shout Out SHATurday # 3

Although we should ALL be thankful ALL of the time because we are able to live and breathe and enjoy life, this time of year seems to be the time when MOST people are realizing how much they should be thankful for all that they have.  (I do apologize for the multiple CAPS in that one sentence...it can annoy people at times) This Shout Out SHATurday goes out to my family.  Hey Savoie Family!!!

There are many of you that I cannot be with due to distance during this Thanksgiving time and, of course, I wish I could.  I would like you all to know that I am incredibly thankful for the memories that you have embedded in my heart and soul during our Thanksgiving holidays.  We always got together to celebrate what it means to be a family and to be thankful.  There were times, like most families, that it was a very tiring day, but at the end of the day we were always thankful to be able to spend the time with our family.

(Not my family, but "Lord please keep us straight"...read on!)

Some fun memories that I have with my family during the time of Thanksgiving are:

1. Eating at the 'kid's table'...yes one kid was involved at the "kid table" because I was the only child in our family for 9 years.  It was a fun table...

2. Thanksgiving is not the most eventful of holidays with the family, especially as a child, so I did not find it as fun early in my ages.  Therefore, my fun aunts decided it would be fun to tie me to the stair well... Lord I wish I had that picture.... (age 4/5??)

3. Wishing I had more in common with my elders I moped until my aunt actually drew me a picture of Axl Rose (because I loved him as a 6 year old)

4. One too many martinis during the appetizers I realized I REALLY wanted corn muffins....my mom told me I should make them. She likes to add some sugar to her corn muffin recipe so I just had to do the same thing.  (**Remember..one too many martinis)  I put the muffins in the oven. Right before they came out of the oven I said, "Oh shoot...mom...you said sugar, right? I put a cup of salt..."  Needless to say, Nani wouldn't have any of my 'salt-licks' that Thanksgiving

5. My husband and I started dating (long-distance) dating 3 months prior to Thanksgiving. My aunt's friends (who are gay, for the record) brought these AMAZING desserts! Pepere always says his "Grace" before we eat.  At the end of his grace he says, "Lord, please keep our family straight". If we had food in our mouths, it would have been all over the table because everyone tried keeping their mouths and faces straight but COULD NOT and spit everywhere!

6. While Byron was at training in CA I travelled to MD to spend Thanksgiving with my family.  Pepere and I had the Belly-Off. 

7. The kids' first Thanksgiving was in MD. They seemed to enjoy themselves as did we!  Byron and Pepere wanted nothing to do with Apples to Apples, but guess who came back and CONQUERED?!

Audrey with Di's Turkey head

They LOVE Thanksgiving! 

Smith Island Cake??? Di says, "Yes!" Matthew says, "Totally fashionable!"

Enjoy your time with whomever you may be spending it with this Thanksgiving. Be thankful for what you have and what you don't have. 

This Shout Out SHATurday goes out to my family for instilling Thanksgiving traditions in me.  Love, family, food, wine, and memories. 

I look forward to giving our family the same traditions that you gave us and then some!  

I am thankful for you all.

Recipe # 8

This recipe did not come from just my mom and I.  It was inspired from Campbell's Cooking with Soup Recipe book.  However, like most recipes, I changed some of the recipe to my liking.

Supper a la King

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 whopping Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 package Johnsonville Italian Sweet Sausage (5 sausages), cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces

1 cup chopped bell peppers

1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables (I used the asparagus stir fry)

1 can Campbell's Cream of Celery soup

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup shredded cheese (I used shredded mozzarella)

1 package biscuits (I used pillsbury flaky biscuits)

Place the garlic, olive oil, and onions in the pan and brown.  Once the onions become 'clear'ish place the sausage in the pan, cover, keep temperature at medium-high until sausage is almost cooked through.  Place peppers and vegetables in pan, cover for 4 minutes.  Follow directions on package for biscuits.  Turn heat to low-medium.  Pour soup, milk, and cheese into pan and stir occasionally so the cheese doesn't stick to the pan.  After 5 minutes on low place desired amount of biscuits (split) on plate.  Pour sausage dinner over biscuits.

Happy Life Experiences

Dancing heals stress: Completely stopping what I am doing to dance to Bruno Mars with our children

Funny-kid-parent time:After dinner while chatting with my husband our kids turned their plates over and started banging on them as if they were drums.  Instead of getting upset or teaching them that turning their plates over isn't the best decision my husband and I decided to become professional drummers and drummed on everything we could until we were out of breath.  Our kids LOVED IT!

Girls' night: Wine, apps, and Twilight Saga.  Made me feel like a gitty teenager again!

Play date: Not only did our kids get to have "kid time" the moms got to have "adult time"...there's not many times during the day that I get adult conversations and meals with adults.  Having those times helps me stay sane sometimes!  (See kids banging plates comment above - ha) 

Couples' Thanksgiving Feast: Getting together with friends to celebrate that we are thankful for our friendships with food and drinks! COME ON! Who WOULDN'T love that?!

Sporadic trip: We decided we are going to spend time in the Christmas capital of the country: Branson, MO.  I have never been and we look forward to spend some family time in a different location than usual with great friends!

Recipe # 6 & 7

This week I ended up using Campbell's "Cream of..." soups to make the majority of our dinners.

The first two recipes I got from simply calling my mom and telling her ingredients I had in our kitchen.  

Goodyear Shrimp (Totally made this name up...)

Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 whopping Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 bag of large frozen shrimp (31-40) (thawed)
1 cup chopped bell peppers (I used red, orange, and yellow bell peppers because I always have them chopped and in a ziploc bag in our freezer ready to get tossed into a dinner.   I do the same with the red onion.)
2 tsp Herbes de Provence
1 tsp Crushed Red Peppers
1 can of Campbell's Cream of Shrimp soup
1 bag of Uncle Ben's 90 second Garden Vegetable rice

Directions
Place the garlic, olive oil, and onions in the pan and brown.  Once the onions become 'clear'ish place the shrimp, bell peppers, and spices into the pan.  Cover, stir occasionally.  When shrimp is completely cooked pour soup into pan.  Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 5 minutes so ingredients can soak into soup.  Follow directions on rice bag.  Place desired amount of rice on plate and scoop shrimp dinner onto rice (unless you don't like it touching then you can have your shrimp dinner on the side of rice...whatever makes you happy).  

Suggestion: I accidentally got the shrimp with the shell still on and we didn't peel it until AFTER it was all cooked and on the plate.  If I would've remembered what I did in the past, I would've thawed the shrimp THEN peeled the shrimp, then cooked the shrimp



Recipe # 7

Homemade Mushroom Hamburger Helper

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 whopping Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 lb ground beef (Because it was a good price, I purchased 5.5 lbs of ground beef then divided it into quarters, placed the quarters in ziplocs, and froze the meat. Therefore we used about 1.375 lb ground beef)

6 large mushrooms, sliced

1 Tbsp dried tarragon

1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup
3 Tbsp sour cream

2 bags Idahoan Roasted Garlic mashed potatoes

Place the garlic, olive oil, and onions in the pan and brown.  Once the onions become 'clear'ish place the ground beef in the pan, cover, and brown. When the ground beef is almost completely browned, turn heat to medium, place the sliced mushrooms and tarragon in pan and cover for about 3 minutes.  Mix the soup and sour cream in with the ingredients in the pan.  Follow directions on Idahoan mashed potato bag.  When potatoes are done place desired amount onto plate.  Place hamburger dinner over potatoes.

Homemade "Craft" # 2

Wine Cork Wreath

I was given 2 ziploc bags of wine corks a few years ago.  In my collection of wine corks I probably had about another 35-40 corks.  These corks have been sitting around the house taking up space and only some of them being used as decorations in bowls or carafes.  

One night the ladies decided to get together for dinner and wreath making and a light bulb popped up above my head and I knew EXACTLY what to do with the wine corks!! 

Placing them one by one strategically, yet randomly, throughout the front and side of the olive branch wreath I hot-glued the corks. Finally I added a bow to coordinate with the season.  So I could change the bow for each season (or whenever I wanted to) I did not glue the bow to the corks.

Unfortunately I am unable to hang this on my front door (for now..) because the storm door squishes the wreath.  I have it hanging in our "retreat" (bar/mudroom) as a decoration.

For another craft, I'm going to do the same thing when I have enough corks for a smaller olive branch wreath so I can hang it in our house.  

Keep Your Head Up....It Can ALWAYS Be Worse!

You're human right?  You've had a few days in your life that have been just plain ol' BLAH! Those days when you just can NOT get out of a funk?  Let's prove that we can put the FUN in being in a FUNKY mood!

What's worse than forgetting to pluck your eyebrows before a date?

Not having any eyebrows at all.

What's worse than cleaning your bathroom?

Cleaning a bathroom in the mall.

What's worse than having an annoying song stuck in your head?

Not having a radio/iPod/CD to get rid of it.

What’s worse than running out of gas? 

Not having money to buy gas at all.

What’s worse than getting old?

Not getting old. 

Be thankful for what you have.

Feel free and comment on this post with "What's worse than..."

First Experience of Deer Camp

Happy weekend to all!!

This weekend will be my first experience of "Deer Camp".  I never heard of Deer Camp until I met my husband.  If you don't know what Deer Camp is, this is what I think I'm getting myself into:

All of the hunters (men and women) hunt during the peak hunting hours (all day? just at dawn and dusk?), sit around the camp fire at night, eat, drink, tell stories, and make memories.  The majority of the people who are going this weekend are family members and the rest are close family friends.

While the hunters are all out hunting, the women and children (I believe) will be making some crafty things, enjoying one another's company, eating, drinking, and making memories.  Like the hunters, the majority of the people that will be with the women are family members and close-family friends.

I'm very excited for my weekend as we have family all over the state coming to Clinton, MO!

Always a fun time spending time with family!!

Shout Out SHATurday #2

This Shout Out SHATurday goes out to Cortnie Deakyne, or as I still call her from childhood, "Dinky". HEY DINKY! 

Awkward Friend Photo!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Nice hair!!"

 

 

Cortnie and I met when we were about 18 months old at Miss Joyce's house (our home-daycare). Since then we have been friends! Vacations, gymnastics, cheerleading, shopping, modeling at Marley Station Mall, zoos, sledding, dancing, laughing, family, wine, Barbie-land, Ocean City, and SO MANY MORE MEMORIES are what have created such a fun and loving friendship!

Now that we are grown and separated (physically by states) Cortnie is my most reliable wine-phone chat partner. Like good friendships should be, Cortnie and I can go months without chatting and once we get on that phone or sit on that bar stool the beat is back on because it has not been skipped one bit!

 

 

 

 

Great surprise visit!!

 

 

What were our parents thinking??

 

 

 

 

I am eternally grateful for this fantastic friend!!! Thanks for putting up with my SHAT for 26 years! You are the SHAT!

Recipe # 5

This recipe comes from "Giada".  When cooked to the right temperature (not over-burnt) these are SO DELICIOUS! You can make the dipping sauce that the recipe calls for but we are actually going to put the chicken tenders over a salad with blue cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, red onion, mushrooms, pine nuts, and poppy seed dressing or raspberry walnut vinaigrette.

This is the first time I'm introducing this to the kids and they aren't salad fans yet so I'll serve their with sweet potato fries.

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup buttermilk (I NEVER have buttermilk in my house so I followed a recipe online for a substitute: 1 Tbsp white vinegar OR lemon juice in measuring cup.  Add enough milk to 1 cup line.  Let sit for 5 minutes. Use as much as the recipe calls for.)
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders (about 18)
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan 
• 3/4 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Brush 1 tablespoon of oil over each of 2 heavy large lined baking sheets. Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the chicken tenders and stir to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash the garlic with the salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and then the remaining 1/2 cup of oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with pepper. Transfer the vinaigrette to a small serving bowl.

Stir the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a pie dish. Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk and dredge them in the bread crumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. Arrange the coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the chicken tenders and bake until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Transfer the chicken tenders to a platter and serve the vinaigrette alongside for dipping.

Be Silly!!

Are there nights when you can't fall asleep because of a little voice in your head talking to you and reminding you to do things the following day?  Ellen Degeneres believes this little voice is your 'inner-child' playing with your mind because you haven't been silly lately.  Being silly will help this 'inner-child' come out and play and help ease some stress.  Due to Ellen's suggestions I have been able to find some child-silliness in our adult world: tag amongst coworkers in a restaurant (don't worry, one of the "home bases" was when we were taking orders, hide and seek with our children, playing bingo and other boards games at Thanksgiving.  

There are two 'i's in Silliness....So see some silliness in your day!

Take the time to be silly! Enjoy time being less-stressed!

Thanksgiving Parade Bingo

Thankful for Games! 

For 86 years the Thanksgiving Parade has been giving joy to those who are up the morning of Thanksgiving.  Some get to watch the parade and some do not because they are cooking the actual Thanksgiving dinner or they are hunting or they just don't want to watch it.  

                                            Float from Parade in 1930's

To those of you who have the interest in the parade or have people in your life who ARE interested in the parade....

Do you have kids or Thanksgiving guests that REALLY enjoy the parade on Thanksgiving Day?  Or do you have family members that come to visit and they have helped with their part in Thanksgiving dinner and you want to spend time with them but you really have to get Thanksgiving dinner ready and don't have time to chat as much as you would like to?  Well for the past few years I have made sure that my part in Thanksgiving dinner was completed so I could get out of my mom's hair while she made the rest of Thanksgiving dinner.  I was able to keep family members out of the kitchen with Thanksgiving Bingo! Every year it changes with the different balloon additions/replacements, performers, clowns, etc so I make different cards every year! Before Thanksgiving I run to the dollar store (for the kids or non-drinkers) or liquor store (for the Thanksgiving Eve-Caused Hangovers) for prizes.  

We play three ways: BINGO in a Line (Vertical, Horizontal, or Diagonal), Postage Stamp BINGO (4 in a corner), and Blackout BINGO (every item on card has been seen in the parade).  I use a bingo-card making program that generates random items from my Thanksgiving Parade list.  We usually use a pen or pencil to cross out each box but if you want to get fancy with stickers or markers, feel free!!

This year we will have over 150 items for our Thanksgiving Parade Bingo!

If you are interested in having your very own Thanksgiving Parade Bingo generated, please comment on this post with your email address, or you can email me at bigred6584@gmail.com, and tell me how many cards you would like emailed to you so you may print them.  

Have fun with it!!