Mardi Gras Heaven

If you know me you know that I love Mardi Gras. I know some of you are thinking "how could you?!!" but not all of Mardi Gras is bad. There are parades that are more family oriented and some spots along the parade route that aren't as bad. It is just so much fun catching beads and stuff with friends/family and a bunch of strangers! Anyway, defending my love for Mardi Gras is not the point of this post.

I was able to go to New Orleans during Mardi Gras season this year and on my trip I got to visit Mardi Gras World. This is where they make the floats for the parades and have a kind of a museum of some Mardi Gras stuff. It was fun to see inside some of the floats and see all the beads and loot they throw during the parade. I wish my friends Kelli and Eric were there to share it with me because they love Mardi Gras as much as I do!

one of the floats



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see the stacks of bags piled up with beads in them!



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more beads and stuff to throw!



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Dishes - Realistic Housewives

Dishes, dishes, dishes. A Real Housewife would clean up all the dishes after every meal/snack so that there are never any dirty dishes. A Real Housewife would make sure that the dishes go immediately into the dishwasher after using them and not let them sit in the sink for a couple of days or maybe longer. A Real Housewife would unload the dishwasher as soon as it was done so that she could start the process all over again.

I get so tired of doing the dishes. I try to put them in the dishwasher after they are used but that doesn't always happen and so they might sit for a while, or a day or two days. Something always comes up with one of the kids or we are running out the door to get to school or some activity and so the dishes wait. Or sometimes I have to confess I just don't want to do them right then and so the dishes sit. What I really hate is unloading the dishwasher. For some reason when those dishes are clean I can't seem to make myself put them away. That should be the easiest part, right? Thankfully, my husband came to my rescue! He unloads the dishwasher and I load it. It has made a real difference in the amount of dirty dishes that pile up in the sink.

I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem. I know at least one other person that has the same problem, my mom. Maybe that's where I learned it. HaHa! I love you momma!

Easy Granola

I have been meaning to post this for some time but kept forgetting. Anyway because we lived overseas we often had to make things that you can just buy in the grocery store here such as - pie crusts, syrup, salsa and another one is granola. This recipe is from a friend, Mr. T, we will call him since he still lives overseas. It is  really really good and really easy to make. I like to eat it mixed into vanilla yogurt and eat it for breakfast.



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Easy Granola
10 cups oatmeal
nuts, seasame seeds (optional) (I used - 1 small can of almonds, chopped and about 1 cup pecans, chopped- I didn't add sesame seeds)
1 cup honey (or a little more if you want)
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt

Mix all liquid ingredients and salt in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Heat in microwave until warm. The hotter you make the this mixture, the clumpier the granola will be. (Watch it carefully in the microwave or you will have a hot sticky mess! I know because I did it!) Put the oatmeal, nuts and seeds in a large bowl and mix. Then add the liquid mixture and mix thoroughly. Half of this batch will fit into a  sheet pan. Cook for about 45 min to an hour stirring every 15 min or as it starts to get golden on top (don't let it burn). After it is nice and golden take it out and let it dry for a little while. Add raisins or other dried fruit after it is cool (if desired).

Riding the Train

Last week was winter break so one day the kids and I adventured out to the Aquarium. But we didn't drive there like we normally do this time we rode the train! Actually MARTA but to the kids it is just a train. It was really nice to take public transportation again! Thankfully a really nice man pointed me in the right direction when we got off because I was a little confused as to which way to go. I'm sure he thought I was crazy. I am but oh we'll! Bailey and Jesse loved it! Jack did too but at every stop he would say "dis our stop momma?"

More Food Network

We also stumbled upon a little cafe known as "Cafe Beignet's" and had a little snack of coffee and of course beignets. On the wall was a sign that said Alton Brown had featured their beignets on the show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." I know Alton knows food but I personally don't think they were all that. anyway it was fun to add to our places that have been featured on Food Network.

Triple D

You all know Billy and I love the show "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" and live to visit them when we can. And so today we were able to do that in New Orleans. We went to a place called "Katie's" and it didn't disappoint! We had some of the best crab cakes we've ever eaten along with some really good fried shrimp and crawfish. I mean really good. Thanks Guy for the tip on Katie's!

Valentine's Eve

Here's what I have been doing the day before Valentines for probably the last 6 years. I make lots of chocolate covered strawberries. I would love to eat them all but I give some to friends, teachers and neighbors. I found this year though that I will only be using Ghirardelli Chocolate because it was so smooth when it melted. I had to use a little bit of Toll House morsels and well they almost seemed pasty. Happy Valentines Day!



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The Man

I came down stairs today and Jack was sitting in this big chair with the recliner stretched out like his legs were long enough to reach the end. He was sitting here as if to say "I'm the man!" Little Squirt.


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Star Student

This past week Bailey was the star student in her class. Each week there is a different student picked as the star student. Her teacher has found that highlighting a student for one week has done wonders for their self esteem. And of course the kids love getting to be the line leader and all the other special things that come along with it. We had to make a special poster with pictures of Bailey from birth to present that she got to share with the class on Friday. Also, Billy and I and his mom, Nee Nee, came to the school and had lunch with Bailey on Friday. It was a fun day for Bailey. And we loved it too. Bailey is really shy at school which is hard to believe!

Star Student being the line leader!


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Bailey's work was on the principal's wall of pride!


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Bailey and her teacher Ms. Hunter...she is the best teacher! We love her! Maybe she will move up to first grade next year!


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