New Year's Eve...

I know y'all are thinking I bet that Caryn has some amazing fabulous plans on New Year's Eve.  She probably gets all fancied up, glues on her fake eyelashes, wears her best push up bra, drinks the bubbly, and goes on a hot date with the man friend!  Then after the crazy night of clinking glasses and smooching at midnight I come home to a clean house and two sleeping little people (that even had a shower and brushed their teeth)!

Ha!  Nope!

None of that is happening tonight!

In fact, I am sitting in the bed (yes, already sitting in the bed), in my best yoga pants (that have never been used for yoga), no bra (sorry if that is too much info for the 10s, but it is true... and let's be honest I do not have a push up bra (what am I trying to do get a boyfriend??), my fancy hair is in braids (yes, plural, I am obvi channeling my inner 6 year old), and I am watching the latest Bridget Jones Diary movie (the one with McDreamy... I love him so, even when he was the lawn boy).  The man friend is making us dinner, and it smells delish (it might smell better because I am not having to make it... this makes it one of my most favorite meals!

The day has been good.

We took the kids to the movies (not Star Wars) but we did enjoy watching Sing!  Y'all, it was so good!  The music was too fun and the kids loved it!  So, it was an afternoon well spent!  After that, Sophia and I went on a quick visit to see our Honey (momma) and Kitty (my sister) and later to see our Moss (name for grandmother) and Ella (my Aunt Cathy).  Sorry for all of the translations, I am noticing that all of my people go by different names... no one can just be a MawMaw or Aunt So And So (what can I say, we like to do things a bit different).  Anyways, it was fun to get out with my Red, have some ice cream, and some girl talk.

I have kind of been sitting here in the bed for an hour (man friend might disagree and say it is closer to 2, but I did not ask him)!  Tonight will just be low key for us.  The days are long gone of us going out and staying up until midnight... that does not sound like fun to me at all!  I am quite happy sitting here with the kids, having a very late dinner, and watching a movie.  No place I would rather be!

Happy New Year's Eve to you!!

Slap yo' granny...

First things first, this post is not about assault.  I do not want anyone to read this and think that I am telling you to go and slap yo' granny!  This is just a silly saying that I just happened to pick up from my MamMaw (who was a granny).  Whenever she made something super delicious, she would tell me, "it is so good that it will make you go and slap yo' granny!"  Her other saying that would be used in this instance was... "jump back Loretta".  Y'all, I do not know who Loretta was, but my MamMaw was always telling her to jump back!  Anyways, I slaved over dinner tonight.

this is pretty much what I looked like while slavin' away at the stovetop

Okay really, man friend got it all started for me, and I just did the stirring and the serving.  My children were not interested in the meal, because they will not eat anything but catsup, chicken nuggets, and fruit, so this meal has notta one of those things in it.  Friends, they are missing out!  This meal was soooooo good!  It would make you wanna slap yo self and your granny, and then make you wanna change your name to Loretta and then jump on back!  Just thought I would share.  I would have taken a picture of the meal, but I was more into eating it.  You be the judge!!

Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Alfredo...

Don't let the name fool ya, slow cooker??  Wha?  I saw it said slow cooker, but it was 5 p.m. when I was needing to start cooking...

so slow cooker (ain't nobody got time for that)!

Here is what you need...

recipe says 4-6 chicken breasts (but I had a rotisserie chicken, so that is what was used)

Cajun seasoning (we use Tony's)

butter (love me some butter, a lil less than 1/2 a stick, you can be the judge, I wanted to use more, but man friend was standing there next to me and I thought he would judge me if I used more)

green bell pepper

red bell pepper

heavy cream (2 cups)

lemon pepper (had no idea this stuff came in a lemon flavor)

basil (I used some from a lil jar)

salt (a lil shakey shakey)

garlic powder (a lil shakey shakey)

garlic (just because I like it, I gave it about 1/2 a spoon full)

black pepper

box of penne noodles

Shred up your chicken, throw it in a skillet with some Pam

add the Tony's Cajun seasoning... cause it is delicious.

This is where I added butter (because I did not believe that man friend sprayed the pan down)

add the chopped up peppers

cook it up for a bit

pour in the 2 cups of heavy cream and add a lil bit of shakey shakeys from the seasonings and some garlic.

Forgot to mention, you should be boiling those noodles.

Bring that yum stuff to a boil, then turn it down.  It will get a lil thick.

Add your cooked noodles to the yum stuff, coat 'em up, serve 'um up, enjoy!

If you try a bite and do not feel like you could serve this dish up at the Olive Garden, then you messed up at some point and should just start over!

This will for sure be made again in our house!  We loved it!!

Enough with my recipe, I am not trying to become a cooking blog!

Before all of the feasting, we had a good day.  I had to go to work (no bueno... that is Spanish for no good).  I was very lucky to only have to work until noon!  While I was working away, Aron was at home with the kids.  They had such a fun morning.

Breakfast at Cracker Barrel (so jealous)!

Then a trip to Cabela's.

After that he took them to High Rise, a place that is just one big American Ninja Warrior training ground for children (and adults)!

Later, I met them for lunch, and the rest of the day was spent at home.  It has been the most perfect start to the holiday weekend.  Tomorrow, we will hopefully go to the movies.  We had been planning for weeks to take the kids to the new Star Wars movie, but today they let us know they want to go and see Sing....

ummmm, that was our my face!

Seriously, Sing?

Who are these children?  It just hurt my heart.  I thought we shared the same love for movies, and now they throw it all away for musical animals.  So, we really are unsure of what we will get to watch... well, I told Aron he could take the kids to Sing, and they could come back for me later.  (he was not down for that idea)

I guess I am signing off, we are watching The Revenant... y'all, the bear scene is so terrifying!  Aron is not allowed to go hunting ever again!!

Six

Well, the man friend and I have been sitting in the bed just looking at a blog post I had done 6 years ago.  It was filled with pictures of the day that our Brayden was born.  Honestly, we both sat here and cried a little bit (Aron, there are only about 10s of people who read this (majority of the 10s are family, so it is okay that I shared we were a bit emotional... I know, I am an over sharer), anyway, we just cannot believe how small our guy was, how young we look, and how little Sophia was (and we both commented how big we were, ha!).  Six years since Brayden made his first appearance... at 7:11p.m..  Oh, what a day and night that was!  I had kind of forgotten how the whole birth was so crazy, multiple messed up epidurals, then no epidural, and how I thought that I was going to not survive!  Funny how you forget those things and are able to look past it and focus on the happy!  (PTL)

Earlier, I was laying in the bed with Brayden, trying begging him to go to sleep, but instead he just wanted to talk.  I had my arm underneath his head, and he was squirming around.  Finally, he was not moving and his breathing changed a little bit, I could tell that he had fallen asleep.  Normally I would creep out of the bed, cheering on the inside that I survived another day, but tonight I just stayed in the bed next to him.  I was thinking that six years ago, I was doing the very same thing with him.  Sitting up in a bed, with him right in my arms, trying to console him and get him to settle and go to sleep.  Six years.  It was like a weird full circle moment.  I just cannot believe how fast this time is going, and I know that I say that all of the time, but tonight it just really hit Aron and I.

Sweet Baby Bear is growing up!  He is very much into Star Wars and loves to play video games.  Over the past few months he has become very interested in Legos (and leaving them all over the floor for us to step on)!  Brayden loves his sister, and enjoys having playdates with his buddies.  Brayden loves to do everything but sit still and be quiet.  I am not sure how many times a day I am having to tell him to stop running or stop screaming (it makes me nutzo, but I constantly remind myself that he's a boy and boys are loud)!  He is in kindergarten, and loves his teacher and his classmates.  He counts by 10s, can count to 100, and can write his numbers and letters.  I kind of feel that he is a genius (as I am sure that most mommas feel this way about their little people).  Brayden is a lover.  He always wants to hug or kiss you and tell you that he loves you.  I love that about him.  He adores his daddy, and they have so much fun just being together.  We are still working on getting him to eat anything besides chicken nuggets and catsup, but so far it is a no go!  He ain't having it!

We adore Brayden and cannot believe that he is 6!!

Back in the day...

when I did not have children, I had a lot of free time.  I would fill my days with my man-friend, go shopping, meet up with friends, go out, stay up late (who am I kidding, I still do that), and I would read!  Books!  I was a BIG reader.  Over the years, I have fallen in and out of reading, because I just have not had anytime to sit silently and focus.  Now a days, I read things like spelling words or a grocery lists.  I miss it!  When my cousin was visiting this past week, she made the comment that she will just sit and read, for hours.  Hours y'all!  It hit me like... hummm, I used to do that and enjoyed it very much.  Welp, I think it is time that I pick it back up again.  I have been looking over my...

I''m Gonna Read That List

Yes, I have a list of books that I would like to read.  I love a list friends, it just makes me feel good to mark something off, thus the book list!  I thought I would share the list with you, and possibly, if you find that you have a moment to read one of the books, we could get together and chat about the book.  Kinda like a book club, but maybe not so much a club where you have like dues and stuff... just a couple of people who are reading the same thing.  Just a thought.  Okay, enough of the friend outreach program (haha), back to my list.

Just a warning... I like to read for fun, so my books to you may seem like a poor literary choice, and that is okay.  I like funny books, who done it books, and bios.  These books may not be on the top 100 list, and that is a o.k. with this chick!

#1.  Girl on the Train.  Dying to see this movie, but I want to read the book first.  I need to get busy on this one.  I tried to check it out about 6 months ago, and there was a wait list... for months!!

 2.  Spelling It Like Is Is... I love Tori Spelling.  I loved her on 90210, watching her on her last reality show, heck I even watched her cooking/ entertaining shows.  I have had this book for a few years, but it is getting ready to be read!  So exicted!!  (told you, literary masterpieces... I think not).

3.   Interesting that this is on my list, seeing as how the author Carrie Fisher passed away just today.  So, so sad.  I really enjoyed her, and cannot wait to dive into the Princess Diarist.

 4.  I love Emily Giffin!  As soon as her books come out, I am always quick to read it.  I've been wanting to read it for sometime... well, the time is a coming!

5.  Love me some JK Rowling and I cannot wait to read it.  Also, a movie I would like to see, but this will have to come first!

6.  Y'all, Amy Schumer is too funny, like inappropriate funny.  She talks about things that just make people so uncomfortable, and I love that!  I wish I could go to one of her shows, but for now the book will just have to do.  Anyone else like Amy Schumer?  Anyone?

7.  Now, a few years ago I started this book.  I had a very busy job and a family that demands my time, so the book was never finished.  I cannot wait to see how this ends!  I found this book on Amazon, and it seems like the perfect book to read as we are entering the Mardi Gras season!  #Enjoy #YoureWelcome

 8.  I could read a book about the royals anytime.  I think since I am in the middle of the Netflix series, The Crown, this seems like it should be moved to the number 1 or 2 slot!

9. The Antelope in the Living Room.  This has been on my list for a while, just haven't had the time to look into it. 

 So, 10s of people reading... are you a reader?  If you have children, when do you find the time to do it?  What are you reading?  Anything that I should add to my list?  I wonder how long it would take me to get through these?  I will give ya an update if I ever finish one!!

#RIF #ReadingIsFundemental #MommyIsTryingToGetAHobby

These things make me happy...

First things first, this little guy has a birthday on Thursday!  He will be 6, and once again I have decided that time is moving too quickly!  Slow down!!

 I have kind of postponed his birthday celebration until next month, birthdays that are around Christmas are too hard!!  At least I have a few weeks to plan something for our guy.  Right now, he is very into Star Wars, so whatever we plan, Star Wars will be a part of it!  I have been looking on Pinterest (because I love a good project when I have absolutely no time to pull it off), and cannot wait to share some of the things I would like to do for his party!!

Turning 6... (my baby)

Over the break, my lil sister spent a few nights with us.  She keeps me young and helps me with all of the new fun iPhone apps.  Do y'all have Snapchat?  We (by we, I mean me) are obsessed!!  I think we played around with this the other day for an hour.  Time well spent!  The kids love it, but I really enjoy the filters that make my skin look like its glowing and that make my chins go away!  Thought I would share the silliness that happened (and I know that my sister would not appreciate, hopefully it helps her to know that only 10s of people read this blog)!

 This is me as a Christmas baby.  I think I look like the scariest thing ever!!

 Sad face.

 Sophia looking like a teenager wearing a poinsettia headband!

 Brayden as a Christmas elf riding on a reindeer!!

 This should not be on my things that make me happy, but I tried to make Sophia happy by making her a crystal blue dog with these silly beads.  They!  Are!  RIDIC!  Obviously we will not get rid of them, because Sophia will never have that, but geez, what was I thinking buying these shiny things!!  Guuuuurrr!!  Gemmies= things that do not make me happy!

I was looking through my phone last night, and I somehow overlooked this sweet picture of the kids before they were going to bed on Christmas Eve.  They had to make sure that we put out our cookies, poured some milk for Santa, and then write him a quick little note.  They really just needed him to know that they love him and they will see him next year.  Y'all, I love these two and their sweet hearts!!

On Christmas Eve, Sophia wanted to get dressed up and I let her wear my pearls.  Probably a bit much for Christmas Eve, but she is a southern girl, and southern girls love a good set of pearls!

The day after Christmas...

Just a few things happening here today...  that is right.  Today, I will attempt to clean the house.  I know, I know, it is the day after Christmas.  I should relax, sit back and enjoy the fam, play with our Christmas gifts, take a nap... I want to do all of those things, but our house is looking a bit rough.  Seriously, I would take a picture and insert it below, but I am afraid the 10s of you reading would judge me and question my domestic diva status!

Right now, our living floor has become a dumping grounds of teeny tiny Lego pieces and a Palace Pet hangout.  The kids bedrooms have overflowed and taken over the house, and it is time that I take back my house, at least the living room!!  I might even take down one of the trees (but I do not want to go cleaning crazy, maybe I will save that for next week).

One thing I am really excited about is mopping the floor!  For Christmas I asked for a Swiffer Wet Jet, and Santa delivered.  Yes, I asked for a mop for Christmas (be jealous)!

In other news, I was so sad to see that George Michael passed away yesterday.  I have only listened to him sing Last Christmas everyday this month, I just love that song!  It is one of my favorites.  Now that I think about it, he sings a lot of my favorites...

1.  Jitterbug (loved dancing to this song as a little girl okay, adult girl)

2.  Father Figure (really loved the beat of this song)

3. Kissing a Fool (listening to this as I type)

4.  I Knew You Were Waiting for Me

5.  Wake Me Up Before You Go Go (classic)

He was so cute (back in the day).

Geez, in other news, Carrie Fisher, aka Princess Leia suffered a massive heart attack (on an airplane) and is in ICU!  I was shocked, not the Princess!  I feel like I have grown up secretly wanting to wear my hair in side buns and hang out with Han Solo (he is so dreamy... if you are into that whole Harrison Ford thing, which I am).  Anyways, back to Carrie, I hope she pulls through!

 Speaking about Star Wars, Brayden turns 6 next week, and our big plan to celebrate is to go and see Rogue One!  We are so excited to go and see it, and celebrate our guy!!

Where is the time going?  Wasn't he just born?