SOCIAL MEDIA

{the correct way to wash a baby}

July 29, 2010

I highly doubt any of you every wondered if you were actually washing your baby the correct way, but there is a correct way. My sister recently learned this.
She wasn't thinking much about her actions and washing him from bottom to top. My Mom asked her if she would wash her head with the same thing she washed her butt with. She doesn't. But good point right. 

When I helped her bathe him last Saturday night my Mom was quick to pick on her. Luckily Joshua was bathed from top to bottom. Needless to say the poor kid will be tormented when he starts dating.
Lesson learned. 
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Freeman Family Reunion

July 27, 2010

Saturday we had our annual Freeman family get together in Natchitoches. As usual the uncles were as bad as ever. I feel sorry for Aunt Billie and Nanny having to grow up with those guys, but they have some pretty funny stories. Really makes you realize just how much parents don't let their kids get away with these days.

Some of the guys playing music.
Amber and Brittany playing a dance game on the Wii.
Brittany and JC
Me and Jeremy, I was continually getting smacked with the controller while we danced to Spice Girls- Wanna Be.
Beginning of tired baby eyes.
This one cracks me up. Passed out with his fingers in his mouth and his fat baby gut hanging out. Look at those thunder thighs!
How much did you people spend on his baby toys? Should have just bought a pack of water bottles. Half full water bottle is the funniest thing ever for some odd reason. I started a bad habit by letting him drink out of my water bottle. Now he thinks he HAS to drink out of my water bottle. Baby won't take a bottle or a sippy cup for juice, but he can drink out of a Ozarka bottle.
All of that happiness didn't last long. 30 miles out of Vidalia he decided he was mad and it was time to eat.

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Show Us Your Life-Favorite Grilling Recipes

July 23, 2010

I figured I'd repost this one! I actually did the pork in my Crock-Pot over night to save some time that Sunday after church.


BBQ Pork Sandwich on Grilled Jalapeno Corn Flat Bread

INGREDIENTS

JALAPENO CORN FLAT BREAD:

  • 2 1/4 cups bread flour
  • 3/4 cup masa harina (or any comparable corn flour)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • About 1 1/4 cups water, room temperature
  • 1 jalapeno grilled with top on, skinned and seeded, coarsely chopped
  • Oil, for coating dough

BBQ Sauce:

  • Oil, for pan
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 (20-ounce) bottle tomato ketchup, or combination tomato paste and sauce
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses or cane syrup
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar, plus more to adjust acidity
  • Hot sauce, to taste (recommended: Crystal)
  • 1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer

Slaw:

  • 1 small head green cabbage, shredded
  • 1 to 2 medium carrots, grated
  • 1 bunch green onions, coarsely chopped
  • 1 small bell pepper, coarsely chopped
  • 1 small bunch parsley, leaves coarsely chopped

For theDressing:

  • 1 cup mayonnaise (preferably homemade)
  • 1/4 cup coarse ground mustard
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, plus more to adjust acidity
  • 1 teaspoon celery seeds
  • Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Rub:

  • 1/2 cup chili powder (preferably ancho)
  • 1/2 cup smoked paprika
  • 3 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (adjust to personal preference)
  • 1 tablespoon salt, taste for level
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Pork:

  • 1 (1 1/2-pound) pork shoulder steak, no more than 3/4-inch thick, not trimmed

DIRECTIONS

For the flat bread:
Combine all dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the honey and water and mix on low for 3 minutes, then medium for 1 minute and then gently fold in the jalapenos. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise for 1 hour. Punch the dough down, roll into a ball and let rest for 15 minutes. Punch the dough down again and roll into a ball, then let rest for 30 to 60 minutes.
Heat grill to medium.
Roll the dough into desired shape, approximately 1/2-inch thick and coat it with olive oil before putting on the grill over indirect heat. Grill to desired level of color, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
For the BBQ Sauce:
Coat a large saute pan with oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, and the powders. Briefly saute and then stir in all the remaining ingredients. Bring to boil and immediately reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes. Cool and puree in a blender. Set aside.
Cook's Note: This sauce will keep for 10 days covered and refrigerated.
For the slaw:
Combine all the slaw ingredients in a large bowl and set aside until ready to serve. Add the dressing immediately prior to serving.
For the dressing:
Put all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the pork:
Preheat charcoal grill over high heat.
Combine all the rub ingredients in a bowl and coat the pork liberally with the mixture. Set aside for at least 5 minutes.
Sear over hot coals (with a little hickory - NOT SOAKED). Turn and move the pork to the side of the grill. Cover the grill and cook for about 15 minutes for medium and medium-well on the ends. Remove the pork from the grill to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil, to rest. Chop the pork as desired.
To Make the Sandwich:
Divide and mound chopped pork on the flat bread, 4 pieces for an open face sandwich, top with generous serving of the slaw and drizzle with BBQ sauce.
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{if you had guts, i'd hate 'em}

July 22, 2010

I finally remembered what I forgot to post about.

We went to see Meriwether play the other night in Ruston at Rabb's. I could have lived with it not being at Rabb's. I have apparently come accustomed to local concerts in restaurants that have ZERO smoking. It has apparently been so long since I've been at a local concert that allows smoking that I can't control myself.

Case in point: the girl next to me blew smoke my way and I {without thinking} started waving my arms around like I was in a burning building and attempting to save my lungs. Jer thought I had lost my mind.

Back to the concert, it was Meriwether's last night to play with their guitarist Steve, he is leaving to start a band called Night Eater. There drummer had already left to play with 10 years and the lead singer's brother was playing with them. This is apparently the year to leave a band considering Tyler Read completely broke up in May.





{steve and drew}





{I don't know what it is but sweaty rocker guys are sexy. But I still feel like they need a bath}



All was good until I ended up on the edge of a minor mosh pit.



This isn't a good pic but two half naked guys kept running into me. I wasn't exactly in the best moshing outfit{a dress} but that didn't keep me from hitting the mess out of them. Best place on earth to take out anger on people.

It is really going to be different hearing Meriwether without Steve, he is an amazing guitar player. We could already tell a big difference without the drummer. They said they are replacing people and not breaking up, but the sound is definitely going to change.

***This is partly why we were so tired at the wedding Friday. Meriwether didn't go on stage till 1am and we didn't get home until almost 3. We then had to get up and drive to south Louisiana for the wedding that was about 5 hours away. Not fun.

Video warning: language.



Meriwether-If You Had Guts, I'd Hate 'Em from Kyle Clements on Vimeo.
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{bullet points}

-If Jer got the job in my school district we would save about $200 a month on health insurance. Why is it cheaper to have dependents on your health insurance but more expensive to have a spouse? I just feel like people without kids are paying for it big time.

-I am in a workout slump again. After traveling last weekend I just can't get back into my routine. I hate not having a routine.

-This house needs a good spring cleaning, and I am not doing it until summer school is out.

-I don't know how people don't die after having kids. One weekend in the same hotel room as a baby and Jer and I are probably never having kids. Lack of sleep sucked...the restaurant sucked more. Babies and restaurants don't mix. I already knew that from going to restaurants, but being at the table with a baby is worse than hearing from a distance.

-My parents are buying new living room furniture and I have now been bitten by the new furniture bug. I would kill for a new couch and to find the chairs and bench for my dining room I have been wanting.

-I am scared to death to start a new school year. It is reeking of negative right now. I'm not good at being positive when I am surrounded by negative. I guess this will be a lock-myself-in-my-room year.

-I found a recipe for mug cake that is only 2 WW points. 1 bag angel food cake mix + 1 bag of reduced sugar cake mix{any flavor}, mix in a container together and whenever you want cake scoop out 1/4 cup and add 2 Tbsp. Microwave for about 2 mins. Eat.

Those are just a few things I've been thinking lately. How has y'all's week been?
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{bullet points}

  • If Jer got the job in my school district we would save about $200 a month on health insurance. Why is it cheaper to have dependents on your health insurance but more expensive to have a spouse? I just feel like people without kids are paying for it big time. 
  • I am in a workout slump again. After traveling last weekend I just can't get back into my routine. I hate not having a routine. 
  • This house needs a good spring cleaning, and I am not doing it until summer school is out. 
  • I don't know how people don't die after having kids. One weekend in the same hotel room as a baby and Jer and I are probably never having kids. Lack of sleep sucked...the restaurant sucked more. Babies and restaurants don't mix. I already knew that from going to restaurants, but being at the table with a baby is worse than hearing from a distance.
  • My parents are buying new living room furniture and I have now been bitten by the new furniture bug. I would kill for a new couch and to find the chairs and bench for my dining room I have been wanting.
  • I am scared to death to start a new school year. It is reeking of negative right now. I'm not good at being positive when I am surrounded by negative. I guess this will be a lock-myself-in-my-room year.
  • I found a recipe for mug cake that is only 2 WW points. 1 bag angel food cake mix + 1 bag of reduced sugar cake mix{any flavor}, mix in a container together and whenever you want cake scoop out 1/4 cup and add 2 Tbsp. Microwave for about 2 mins. Eat. 
Those are just a few things I've been thinking lately. How has y'all's week been?
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{way back wednesday}

July 21, 2010

High school.
The land of school uniforms, side ponytails, over plucked eyebrows, the "watergirl mafia"{as we were called by a coach one day}, white under-shirts, clogs, illegal ankle socks, and "please coach let me ride the bus to the game, I promise I won't argue with people again" cupcakes, Canterbury Tales, senior journals, video reenactments of stories/songs, car jacking, and fried chicken Fridays.

Good times.

I didn't own another pair of khakis until I started teaching. I hated them that much after 6 years of uniforms. I still wear that water-girl jacket in the picture too. For the record my class never had a single cheerleader. We were all in band or water-girls. I played clarinet in the marching band, was a majorette, and was a water-girl for JV and Varsity football. My best friend Gabby played flute, was in color-guard, and was my sidekick the majority of our football antics that got us kicked off the football bus during playoffs. After being forced to ride with the cheerleaders we were ready to draw blood and begged to get on the football bus. One coach said yes, the one that particular bus said no, a football player cussed at us, and we went nuts. Getting in fights with football players is a quick way to get put back on the cheer bus. By the end of senior year I was one cheer from jumping out of a window.
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Yes, another wedding.

I have literally been to so many weddings this summer I am having trouble remember that I even went an where I went. Time in beginning to merge into one massive wedding.

This past weekend my cousin Chris got married to his now wife Brandi. That now makes two Brandi's in the family, which now makes every conversation have the statement "Which one?" added to it. That is also wedding number 7 of the summer. One left to go. Does this exempt me from the next 5 years worth of weddings?

The wedding was fun. The baby that was sick of riding in a car was not fun. It is now going to be another 5-30 years until we have a kid after spending the night with Joshua. It seems like we did something else, I'll have to look on my camera and see.
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Traveling Garter

July 15, 2010

Remember the Traveling Garter Post?

Well pictures from Em and Travis's wedding were just posted by their lovely photographer Nathanael Gassett on his blog. Here is the one of Rachel, Me, and Emily holding the garter we have all worn.

I have been friends with Emily for years and have been good friends with both of their husbands since elementary school. No better way to bring together old friends like wearing the same garter haha.
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When all else fails...

July 14, 2010



When you are being denied the right to sleep in front of the glass door because your horrible mother won't open the wooden door...sleep in the window. Also act pathetic when you realize how far you are from the floor an make someone pick you up.

She had to crawl on top of the couch to get here by the way. She was also hidden behind the curtains until I found out her hiding spot.

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Not Part of the Game Plan

July 12, 2010

The plan today was to complete a few more assignments, work out, and pretend like it is actually summer and I have nothing to do. Did that happen? No! I got a text this morning that brought to my attention that a professor had been assigning things that were not in the assignment list we were given last week....bad news for me. I had been so on top of things and getting stuff turned way early only to discover some random assignment had been posted and due Saturday and that we had a quiz due tonight at midnight. Holy summer session! 


So I get to work. Turn junk in late. And continue to work on things that were posted in the assignment list not late yet. Then something that never crossed my mind happened. Ellie started acting really strange, wobbly, and slightly disoriented. But still attempting to focus on what I was saying panicking at her. The vet said it was a seizure and after a long list of environmental cause questions we determined it was just so freak seizure. Now I get to document any more of them she has and write down when, and how long they happened. Yay. If it becomes a problem I have to bring her back with a stool sample.


Hopefully this never happens again but I am not that familiar with dog seizures. My parents had a dog years ago that was on medication for it and my grandparents pug has seizures, but only when he is stress out, so he isn't on medication. These dachshund are my babies and I would seriously die if something happened to them before they were the ripe of age of doggie-wheelchair dachshund. I'll probably still be a mess for a good while even then. These kinds of things make me realize how much more I love my dogs than most people I know. Consider this to stress me to the equivalent of your kid having a seizure. Offensive to moms, maybe, but they are my babies. 


Anyone ever have to deal with this before? This was just a bit too much for me today after waking up to stress. 
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Show Us Your Life-Favorite Bible Verse

July 9, 2010

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34


This is hands down my favorite verse. I am a massive worrier. The first day Jeremy was gone to Africa I went to open my bible and just happened to open it to this verse. Now when things start getting crazy at work I just say this to myself. Everyday is a new day, there is no reason for me to fret over what may or may not happen. Especially with teaching, I never know what is going to happen and it is so easy for me to get caught up in what could go horribly wrong.
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{fill in the blank friday}


fill in the blank friday.


{thelittlethingswedo.blogspot.com}


1.  My favorite thing about this week has been       having one day of no online class work and my Dad coming yesterday    .

2.  The weather this week has been      Not as bad as usual. My kiddy pool hasn't been nasty hot all week. Yes I have a kiddy pool big enough for my floaty. .

3.  The last (interesting) item I received in the mail was     a 13th check from the school board that none of us were expecting. It was small but still money I didn't expect to see  .

4.  The last movie I saw was      The Crazies. It was crazy  .

5.  If I could be doing anything I felt like today I would     lose weight laying out and not have work to do .


6.  As a teenager I was       happy for the most part. Teen life is much easier with good friends .

7.  I wish I could trade lives for the day with      Prince Williams girlfriend. I have always wanted to know what it was like to be around the royal family     .
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The Ongoing Story of a Half Crazed Weenie

July 8, 2010

As if the pine cones weren't enough...Maddie decided to start tunneling to China. Now if she'd quit digging with her teeth an tunnel like a regular dog I could fill the hole up.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.4.4
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Tales of a Very Bad Daschund

July 7, 2010

For some reason this was never a problem with Ellie, but Maddie chews like it is no ones business. She is a month shy of two by the way. I've tried everything to get her to stop, she doesn't even care about the no chew spray. Luckily we have gotten to a point where she rarely chews stuff up. Until today...
Maddie decided the basket of pine cones that have been minding their own business for two years needed to go. Notice the devil daschund isn't looking at the camera. I called her name and she wouldn't look at me, she knew she had done a very bad thing.
Sucks getting caught doesn't it. I doubt that the guilt she is experiencing now will even cross her little doggie mind next time she attacks something.

.....................


In other news Baby Sophia made her grand entrance today!

Her Mom sent me a better pic but this is off Facebook. She is 8lbs 3oz and 19 3/4 inches long. I can't imagine how excited her Daddy is, when Gabby was pregnant with their older son he was stationed in Iraq and didn't get to come back until he was a few weeks old. It must be so fun for him to be here for the whole pregnancy and birth. Congratulations Gabby and James!
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Sisterhood of the Traveling Garter

July 4, 2010

Happy 4th by the way!


Ya see, this whole garter ordeal started back in spring of 2009 when I couldn't find a single garter that made me happy. With my wedding dress being as flowy and potentially sheer as it was color wasn't an option...and neither was a bunch of fluff and bows. I had to wear spanx to smooth any potential lumps and bumps so I was not about to mess that up with a garter. 
I finally broke down one day and bought a cheap $5 garter at Wal-Mart. It was solid white and has the least amount of frill I could get my hands on. 


Anyway, it came time for the garter toss and my good friend Ryan happened to catch it. What we didn't know then was that this cheapo garter was about to spark a group tradition.
As you can tell, crazy Ryan was more than happy to catch the garter. He has a sweet girl who was currently living in Japan {I think} who he was totally head over heals for. Ryan ended up being the next to marry, and married Rachel in May 2010. 


Apparently Rachel has put as much thought into the garter situation as I had. Guess we aren't the type of girls to care about that kind of thing. When we arrived at their wedding Ryan signaled to me that he had something to tell me later...turns out they had forgotten about a garter till the day of the wedding and Ryan just happened to still have mine in his car and wanted to know what I thought of Rachel wearing it. I thought it was hilarious by the way, and so the garter was stuffed up yet another dress and attended another wedding. Instead of just dying out in someone's rear view mirror like many of them do. 




{Jeremy,Emily,Rachel,Ryan,Jonathan,Travis,Emily, & Stephanie}



The time came to toss that garter yet again and Rachel had a bit of a surprise for Ryan, pink tights under her dress. If someone ever questioned whether those two were right for each other that moment right there should have sealed the deal that they were soul mates. Oh, I forgot to mention Travis wouldn't go out there to catch it on account of the fact he was engaged an therefore thought he wasn't single enough to catch it. Yeah right, if I could get away with it I'd still go out there just because it's fun. Luckily, the guy who caught it didn't want it and tried to give it back. Emily and I then decided the garter would come live with her and she would wear it on her wedding day to continue the traveling garter tradition. No better way to create an inside joke at a wedding than having a line of brides who wore the same garter. 



And so ends the story of the traveling garter for now. Travis and Emily got married yesterday! Emily's brother caught it so I'm sure we can get it back if we need it. I'm so happy Emily {not me, Emily B., the other Emily B.} thought of getting their photographer to take a picture of all three of us who wore the garter with the garter. I can't wait to get a copy of it, it will be a funny story to tell our kids one day. Well one of the nicer stories to tell our kids, I'm sure our parents have tons of horrible stories considering me, Ryan, and Travis have all been friends since elementary school. Travis's mom and my Mom were tell a story about the time Travis hit me with his backpack in 2nd grade and gave me a bloody nose...so I guess it has already begun. 
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{fill in the blank friday}

July 2, 2010

                                                              
{http://thelittlethingswedo.blogspot.com/}

1.  This weekend for The 4th of July I'll be       going to a wedding, finishing my Case Study, and grilling with Jeremy, his Dad, and maybe his grandmother    .

2.  Fireworks are      not much fun without crazy friend to experience them with. Nothing more fun than nearly blowing yourself up  .

3.  Nothing says summer like       snowcone stands opening up. Yum dreamcicle with extra cream  .

4.  My favorite summer memory is       our giant water balloon fights that lasted months. We would hide in random places to catch the ones off guard and without balloons. I think we supported the majority of Fred's business with out the water balloons and candy we bought as kids  .

5.  My favorite thing about sumer is     sleeping late and homemade ice cream .


6.  Summer in a word is       humid  .

7.  If I could choose to have summer or winter year round I'd pick      winter, I love summer, but it is so dang hot here. I prefer to freeze to death     .

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{flashback friday}


This is a pic of the girls at Gabby's wedding. Correct me if I'm wrong Gab, but wasn't this December 2005? From left to right: Me, Elise, Gabby, and Brittany. I thought this was only fitting since Gabby and her husband James are about to have baby #2 in a few days. I've been quite open with all my girl friends about wanting a girl and Gab is finally giving me one! I can't wait to meet Sophia in September when they come to LA to visit. Britt {far right} is expecting #2 while we are in Berlin, and she finds out pretty soon if my wish for another girl is going to be fulfilled.

5 days till baby Sophia arrives!
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{in honor of cohen}

July 1, 2010

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