Louisiana Bride: September 2016

Blogtember: 5 Photos

September 30, 2016

A few days ago the topic was 5 Photos That Describe Your Year.

I'm late to the party but let's round off the month with this! Oh, and just FYI I went with 6 and could have easily used 20.

First off, this particular recipe has been super popular on my blog, Pinterest, and in the Whole30 community. It's a favorite of mine too, and I'm thinking of making it next week. Here's the link >>> Breakfast Pumpkin Custard

Another biggie this year, we finally got to Jeremy's ears. His first surgery went amazing and the second is scheduled for Christmas. Not ideal for other people, but his seminary classes aren't happening then and the break after having his ear literally removed and put back on is welcome.

In case you're wondering why he's having surgery on something that I say we are just getting to, let me explain. We've talked about this our entire marriage. As a kid he had infections upon infections, then tubes... that didn't come out right. That whole mess caused something like 7 surgeries as a kid. Fast forward to when he was 18 and wanted to join the Army, he couldn't get in because after being examined by several doctors they all agreed that he didn't have ear drums. Earaches with this man are a weekly occurrance. One ear, the other ear, both ears. He's lived a long time in a lot of pain. After finding a really great doctor and biting the bullet we found out that he could rebuild the entire middle ear. The doctor was even able to salvage Jeremy's ear bones (whatever they're called) and we didn't have to use... why can't I think of the word for fake ones.

Anyway, ears, it's been the year of ears.

I also took up gardening, right now we are in the process of turning the bed over to plant a winter garden... which I think I'll have more luck with here. The hot weather + neglectful Emily combo doesn't makes tomatoes happy.

The second year of Motherhood has been amazing. Much preferred over the 1st year. I don't think I like infants if I'm being honest. Give me the melodramatic silly toddler any day.

Another big event for our year has definitely been the truck fiasco of 2016, which landed 3 idiots in jail for grand theft auto. It landed us a new car and a security system.

Also, bonus picture... I just can't get over how much fun life is for someone seeing everything for the first time. Goats were the best ever.

September 27, 2016

Today's topic:: Something that made you laugh or cry recently?

Y'all know I'm not about crying, too much to cry about to bother with it.

So here's a few things that made me laugh.

Now for my favorite, I wanted to post the whole Larry King Reads Mean Tweets but was unable to find it. Instead here are two of my favorites. (I would have posted a video that had them in it but it had too much language... womp womp)

September 25, 2016

Instead of just sharing one recipe, I thought'd I'd post the pinterest board where I share my recipes from this site.

I'd say about 90% of my recipes are family recipes, and most came from my grandmother. So browse around, pin a few, and if you really love pumpkin make my Pumpkin Better Than ... Cake.

September 20, 2016

Today's Blog-tember topic is: Something you wish more people knew or believed.

I'm just going to talk about right where I'm at in life now.

I'm on my 8th year of teaching, and for 6ish years of it I was constantly told that if I were a mother I'd be a better teacher. As if suddenly you have compassion for kids because you were in labor at some point.

One year I even had a parent yell at me over the phone that I didn't have children, admit I didn't have children. My response: That wasn't a graduation requirement for my Master's Degree. The Master Teacher who was in the room with me quickly snatched the phone away from me.

My very first year teaching I had a parent corner me and tell me I had no right teaching because I was too young, hadn't taught before, and didn't have kids.

Again with having kids.

I'm here to tell you something though, having a kid didn't make me a better teacher.

It made me worse.

Have a I always been strict? Yes. Did people think I'd soften up having a kid? I guess so. That aspect didn't change though, because I just have high expectations on behavior and the effort kids put forth.

So what changed?

Well if you've read the recent viral post "To the Spouse of a Teacher." You'd think all my stress is "these poor mistreated children" related. Some of it is, but after several years I've learned to leave work at work as far as that's concerned. I can't fix the children's parents, I can only make them think someone loves them and believes in them while they sit in my room.

The issue though, my mind is elsewhere. I'd rather be home with my child.

Instead when I get home I'm so drained from hearing other people's children peck me half to death that when my own child is tired or fussy I don't have the patience for it. I used it all up on other people.

My child basically gets sloppy seconds mommy.

The tired, just wants to lay down and watch TV, not even bother working out version of Emily.

He doesn't see the 8AM happy, tea drinking, haven't heard my name 1,000 times Emily.

So for everyone who thinks having a child makes you a better teacher, nope. However, it also makes you a worse mother.

Because by 4PM Monday-Friday I have nothing left to give.

September 19, 2016

Today I'm listing my favorite blog posts, and since my main focus for the majority of my time blogging has been food I'll share my top 5 favorite posts from my recipe vault. Enjoy!

Oh and true story, I thought I'd share more than breakfast recipes... but I'm just sharing my favorite breakfast recipes. It's my favorite meal of the day.

1. Coconut Apple Breakfast Bowl
This recipe is a Whole30 favorite of mine when I've had all I can take of eggs and need something light.

2. Clean Eating Green Pancakes
I went though a stint after the Green Monster Smoothie phase that led to a variety of green meals. This was the favorite.

3. Breakfast Pumpkin Custard
This is my most popular recipe on my webiste (used to be a green juice) and it's caused the most Pinterest related arguing. Is it Whole30? Why'd she call it custard? It's not really a custard, I just needed some way to describe what the texture of it was. It's a casserole that doesn't taste like meat.

4. Shortcut Cinnamon Rolls
Also known as, I love Pioneer Woman's recipe but just can't wait for dough to rise.

5. Whole Wheat Banana Bread
I adore this recipe, it's my go-to really ripe banana user-upper recipe.

September 18, 2016

Today's topic is to list one product that simplifies your life.

Is it weird to say that I'm having trouble thinking of it?

Forget it, I'll go with two and explain why...

In the event you blogged pre-smart phone & data plan, you'll identify with this. Back in the day if you had a post due for a company or for an affiliate company life BlogHer you had to wait until who knew when you get on your computer. Or worse yet, you'd miss campaigns because you had to wait to get home to get on the computer to check your email and send your pitch.

Smart phones solved all of that for me. Now when we are away from home I can easily see what's in my email and fix as much as I can fix on the blog from my phone. Granted there are issues that arise sometimes that you need a real computer to do whatever it is, but the smart phone solved all of that. I can't tell you have many campaigns I would have missed had I not had a smart phone.

The other side of that is the iPad, I'm a terrible sleeper and my iPad serves as a way to watch tv without waking up Jeremy... simple as that. Plus I can do other things on it... but videos are key.

Then last, but not least, my Fitbit Flex. I got my first Fitbit about 5 years ago (the Ultra) and wore it until it died. Now, thanks to Fitbit upping their technology my Flex won't die. I do use it to track steps, but the main thing I loved about it when I bought it was that they added an alarm feature that vibrated instead of making noise.

If you've ever slept in the same room as me you'll know one thing, I hate the sound of alarms. Having a vibrating alarm makes me wake up much happier. Just ask Jeremy, when his alarm goes off I feel the need to kill people. Especially when it's this awful nuclear power plant melting down sound that disturbs my dreams, makes me think I'm dying, and then... then I wake up.

Now I could have listed my love for dry shampoo, but we'll stick to these two.

September 17, 2016

So true story, I'm not doing the vlog day. I just don't have time to do it today.

Although It would be interesting to redo the accent vlog from 5 year ago to see if I've been overtaken by the Cajun accent yet or have stayed true to my Southern girl roots.

On to today's topic, de-stressing, it's my favorite.

What better day than today to write this, Jeremy actually surprised me with a massage this morning. Hence the above photo of post massage hair.

Don't think I'm someone who does this often though, this is my 3rd one in my life. Best one yet, that prenatal massage was no fun. Laying on my side and having a gentle massage was boring. Plus I should have waited until the 9th month to actually do it.

Now on to my list of my favorite ways to destress >>>

Massage or Facial, but that is few and far between.
Home facials, anything that makes me think I'll look better at 80 is a winner in my book.
Drinking hot tea and watching mindless TV.
Detox baths - 1/2 c baking soda, 1 cup Epsom salt, few drops of eucalyptus & lavender oil + really hot water for 20 minutes... with ground ginger if I'm feeling flu-ish for 20 minutes is awesome.
Reading
Cooking or baking
Hanging out with family and laughing.
Napping, and I'm not a napper so when this happens I'm beyond happy.
Singing really loud alone in the car. ]
Hanging out with friends.

How do you destress?

September 15, 2016

Today's topic is:: What's the craziest adventure I've ever been on?

That would have to be in time in Naples, Italy. Which also includes getting there and leaving.

It was just nutty overall.

We missed our train due to miscommunication, then were threatened to have the cops called while we all sat in a train station because there was such an issue with protesting that it wasn't safe. We went during the big economic crisis there.

To top it off I was mugged in a group of 11 people. Or he attempted to mug me. A guy on a motorcycle drove through our group and grabbed my purse (Cross body wearer over here, he didn't get a thing.).

Our day trip to Mt. Vesuvius was cancelled due to the wet winter weather... but we went to Pompeii anyway (without the entire group like we were supposed to the next day --- they were all in Florence that day) and got into a car with some stranger who charged up something like 40 Euros to ride up the mountain and then find out that... we couldn't go.

So we ended up going to Pompeii without our whole group.

But only because we were having to go back to Rome early because the train system was boycotting the next day (when we were supposed to be in Pompeii).

Then to leave Naples we had to board a train early to beat the protests.

It was plain crazy, but so much stinking adventure packed into two days.

Here's my original posts on it >>> Naples 1, 2, & 3.

September 13, 2016

I've stumbled all over this one today trying to decide who I'd swap with.

I'm going with my obvious choice though, The Duchess of Cambridge.

(source)

I've always been intrigued by the royals, so stepping into her shoes would be interesting. Especially on a off day. Catherine's day without a press opportunity for a charity, just at home (albeit a pretty grand home) with her kids.

I'd like to see what she wears at home, what's her schedule, what do they eat? How well do the kids behave? What's her relationship with her parents and siblings in private. How's William?

Clearly William is the "biggie" question.

What these people are like behind closed doors, no interview, no one around. That's the real question.

Or maybe... what's Camilla like? I'm still not fond of her and never will be.

Who would you switch lives with?

Or if you're coming here from the link-up, who'd you choose?

September 12, 2016

I put this post off from Saturday until today because, honestly you don't care that I swept and then took a nap at some point... and possibly figured out a way into Ulta.

So here's today... so far.

6:00 - Wake up, shower, makeup, and figure out how much dry shampoo it takes to look like I washed my hair recently.

7:00 - Make breakfast, tested out a compostable coffee pod I was sent by Influenster, & drove my 30 minutes to work listening to Sandy Rios in the Morning on AFR. I'm basically 50, I know it.

7:45 - 8:05 - I got to work and caught up on emails, made copies, and added what I needed to to my planner. Which was basically changing out what week I wrote what since I've been so mentally disorganized this past month. I also finally figured out the Brother printer in my room and made labels for Center Folders.

8:15 - 3:10 - I taught Reading. I fussed a lot, it's Monday and someone hit reset over the weekend. See also, I have zero patience for not doing what I asked the first 5 times. The book we are reading this week is really good though, the kids really seemed to like it.

4:00 - I got back into town late, my bus line duty ran long. Then I swung by the sitter's house to get Harrison... and put him down for a "nap" also known as Mama needs down time.

4:15 - Post nursing skin is a joke so I've been using every face mask on earth to make the acne go away. It isn't working. I watched videos on Youtube, basically beauty bloggers and The View. I'm not sure why I watch that show because I can't stand their political views lately, or at least the fact that anyone who disagrees with Joy Behar is treated like garbage.

5:30 - Jeremy started cooking dinner, he volunteered to take dinner to a couple in our Sunday School class that just had a baby. Notice I said Jeremy was doing it, I am in no mental state to get anything done. This once meal planning & preppnig queen was demonted quicker than Fergie after the tow sucking scandal. Like seriously... see the next photo.

Some time after 5:30 - I finally took my chicken out of the fridge that I cooked a day late to make chicken salad for the week. Last school year this would have been done on Sunday. It's like getting sick the first week of school killed my willpower to plan.

6:00 - Dinner

7:00 - Harrison's bath time.

7:30 - Harrison's bedtime.

8:00 - My bedtime & catch up on the DVR.

Super exciting, I know. Don't get jealous reading this. I know I'm not.

September 11, 2016

Day 11 of #blogtember and today's topic is favorite instagramers. I thought I'd take a #ff (follow friday) vibe and pick 4 people who I love to follow.

@mrskellystamps :: I've been following her blog since Harper was a baby and in the hospital, she's such a great woman of faith and it's so fun to see her adorable Southern style. She has always stuck to the way everyone blogged back in the day (pre 2010) and I love her style of writing and voice.

@lillouhandmade :: This is my best friend from high school's oldest sister. She started an Etsy a few years ago and she has some of the cutest hand painted signs around. Plus they were one of the families who lost their home in the recent flooding in South Louisiana and she posts updates if you want to see a first hand account of what it's like for so many families here.

@megcady :: I'm ashamed to say Meg and I live about 30 minutes apart and have never met for coffee lol! I'm the worst person to try and catch up with. She has the prettiest pictures and the best style. Plus the girl is a social media genius.

@tazandbelly :: Kristin is the go to blogger for bible journaling (in my opinion). As you can see from that pic her journaling is so stinking cute. She's also a fellow Whole30-er and posts recipes on her own page and over at her joint account with another IGer (@JenniferGreen) for their site @livewhole365.

So there's my top 4. Who are your favorite Instagramer's?

September 10, 2016

I'm swapping today's post (a day in the life) with Monday... there isn't much that happens on a Saturday. So it isn't really a true day in the life.

So instead, we talk books.

READ >>> The last book I really read was Eat Dirt and I loved it. There was a lot about gut health and how we try to over purify our environment. Basically, eat more dirt. Use less GermX. Simple.

READING >>> Beautiful Mess isn't really a book, it's more of a Mom's bible study. I'm already doing the Armor of God study right now too, both of which are great for this phase of life. But motherhood, there's nothing better than sitting around with other young (are we young?) mom's and discussing God and how we feel we fall short... when we really aren't. I'm personally a self deprecating over sharer, so hopefully someone feels better listening to me opening tout all my downfalls. Honestly, I'm not perfect and I'm not scared to death my child will turn out awful. It's all in God's hands.

WANT TO READ >>> Mom passed this onto me over the summer and it's next on my list to read. I read her other book while hooked to a pump (breastfeeding) last year and can't wait to get into her charming humor and life lessons.

September 9, 2016

I skipped yesterday, there just wasn't time to photograph the house, but trust me you aren't missing my scarcely decorated messy house at all. So onto the next topic, travel.

I know a few people that won't be surprised to read this, but...

I wish I had photos from the last time I went, but that was way back when you didn't automatically get a CD when you printed your disposable cameras.

I'll say this though, of all the places I've ever been it's the most magical. At least for me it was. England was my place where I stepped off the plane and felt like I was at home, it was the place I was supposed to be.

As far as food went, Italy and Puerto Rico beat them by a long shot, but I loved that place way more. I'd like to go back again as an adult, as a teenager I didn't have a lot of say over my schedule and made dumb mistakes in scheduling.

For instance, I had the choice between the Tower of London and the Meridian, we went to the Meridian and it was closed. Will you believe me if I told you I was there the summer the London Eye was first open and we didn't ride it, I only walked under it on the way to a river cruise.

But the reason I love that place the most was because I got to live in Great Missenden for 10 days. We worked with a vacation bible school and during lunch I'd disappear and wander down to a local bakery for lunch. Every day I'd get a hand pie and then go to the grocery store on the way back and get a popsicle and something to drink.

Now, I can't imagine letting a 14 year old wander around a foreign country like that unsupervised... but it was my favorite part of the trip.

So if I went back I'd want to stay in a smaller town and pretend that I actually lived there again.

September 7, 2016

Today's #blogtember topic, obviously from the title... 5 Things That Bring You Joy.

I'm pretty easy to please, and pretty inexpensive to please, as you'll see. I tell Jeremy all the time he should be thankful he married someone who doesn't tote an expensive bag and need fancy things. The simple things make me happy.

1. Reading or watching documentaries about monarchies. Particularly the British Monarchy, but the Tzars are growing on me. I just find their history fascinating. Basically anything from early British history to the Victoria era makes me happy.

2. This toddler. Who knew 18 months old would be the most fun ever. Today Jeremy patted me and said "I love you," so Harrison patted me and tried to mumble it too. Lest we not forget his current favorite phrase right now "need cheese." Because, cheese is essential to human life.

3. I attempted to garden this year, it was a minor bust, but I'm giving it another good go and hoping that a winter garden works better for me. I'll be basically planting basil like a made woman every summer for the remaining years of my life. Fresh basil for 3 months was amazing.

4. Sweets. Yes I know I'm a bit food focused, but sweets are my love language.

If you'd like an alternate number four substitute makeup. 30 year old Emily has begun to love makeup... and any night cream with bee venom.

5. Last but not least... again food... my beloved ribeye. Mid-rare, however Jeremy seasons it, with veggies and I'm a happy camper. There's just nothing better than a grilled dinner.

September 6, 2016

Today's topic is to create a playlist of your favorite music, I'm going to go with my top 12 all time favorites... because CDs only held 12 songs people. I refuse to upgrade my system.

See also, I'm not wasting precious iPhone space with music, it's all pictures all the time.

On to the music, in no particular favorites order.

1. Criminal - Fiona Apple
2. 1999 - Prince - because we danced the mess out of this one that New Year's Eve
3. Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve
4. Learn to Fly - Foo Fighters
5. Zombie - The Cranberries
6. 3 AM - Matchbox Twenty
7. Waterfalls - TLC
8. You Outta Know - Alanis Morissette
9. Shine - Collective Soul
10. Virtual Insanity - Jamiroquai
11. Wanna Be - Spice Girls - because I'd be lying otherwise, I was a huge SG fan in the 90's
12. Livin' La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin - my little bitty Puerto Rican grandmother would listen to the single of this song in Spanish when she went walking at night.

Didn't make the list, but I love some 90's music...
Truly Madly Deeply - Savage Garden
Iris - Goo Goo Dolls
Torn - Natalie Imbruglia
Kiss Me - Sixpence None The Richer
You Make Me Wanna - Usher - because it wasn't the 90's without an Usher song.
All That She Wants - Ace of Base

I'm going to quit here, because I could list 90's music until my keyboard wore out. There was a lot I wanted to add, but controversial lyrics and all.

Like every single late 90's teen I was glued to the tv after school for the Top 10 with Carson Daley. Which makes me wonder what kids do now for music, that's how we knew what the most popular songs were at the time.

Now I need to make a CD.

Or better yet, get out my boombox and listen to the radio for hours on end trying to make a mix tape.

September 5, 2016

I couldn't decide if I wanted to write about the ten or so birthday parties growing up that I ultimately hated, nothing against my mother... it's that dang song.

Or that one party that was rained out and some parent suggested we tie balloons to our feet, everyone try to stomp them out, and the last man standing one. I hid under the table screaming my head off, I was 5 at the time. I can even tell you that the cake was Beauty & the Beast theme and who made it. That's had badly the dang balloon game scared me for life ha!

But instead we will rewind to the week I turned 29.

If I'm remembering right my birthday was Wednesday of that week, but I had my weekly OB appointment on Tuesday. I was 37 weeks pregnant with Harrison at the time.

I kept telling Jeremy that Tuesday we needed to go head and go out to eat for my birthday because I didn't think we'd get to do anything on Saturday. As I expected, I got to the office and was immediately scheduled for an induction on Saturday because my blood pressure was starting to effect my health. Harrison was still doing good, I was just not able to carry all that weight easily. So as I thought, Saturday morning would be our induction.

After the appointment we went out to eat, bought a yoga ball because my doctor thought all the balls at the hospital has run away, and we grabbed an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.

Everything was going fine and dandy until Wednesday, my actual birthday.

It started off bad when I woke up really thirsty and broke my two sips rule (bad 3rd trimester reflux) and had a 3rd sip. I immediately started throwing up and when it finally stopped my entire face was doubled in size and the lymph nodes in my neck were so swollen they were showing. Jeremy suggested we call the hospital, but since my doctor wasn't on call I wasn't risking it. I was determined to not waste a single maternity leave day without an actual baby at the house.

So I went to work, swollen and probably in a blood pressure state that should have made me go to the hospital.

But I'm too stubborn for that.

Instead I got a phone call from my OB, from her cell phone, which she doesn't do, saying my urine test came back and I needed to check into the hospital the next morning because my BP was so bad.

Happy Birthday right?

Then 15 minutes later she called again.

Turns out the lab at the hospital I go to was having issues and all lab tests had to be sent to another hospital in town... and someone had mixed up my results with someone who had dangerously high blood pressure.

Major sigh of relief there.

We discussed how labor was supposed to go again, since I wouldn't be treated as someone with preeclampsia. Ball, check. Not being stuck in bed, check.

Then we got to the hospital Saturday for the induction.

The nurses apparently didn't get the memo that my results had been mixed up. They insisted I get on a drug that would cause me to stay in that bed without the ability to use my yoga ball to progress labor. I wasn't having it and refused to take the drug and made them call my doctor.

This didn't go over well, but I wasn't taking what they wanted me to take.

It was an "over my dead body" situation.

Luckily my doctor said I was right and I didn't need the drug. And everything else went as planned. '
You can read about it here and here and here.

September 4, 2016

Reading... & working on the Armor of God bible study by Priscilla Shirer.
Playing... old 90's music every day in my car
Watching... a few BBC documentaries about the last few years of the Tzar's in Russia.
Trying... to work out, but we are on a level of busy that I can't keep up with yet.
Cooking... all Whole30 for the whole month for #septemberwhole30!
Eating... all sorts of bad stuff before tomorrow.
Drinking... La Croix, any flavor any time. We just can't agree how it's pronounced in my house.
Calling... the student loan people soon, I should be able to get my $5,000 off for 5 years in a low income school. Had I taught SPED it would have been 18,000.
Texting... my sister and Jeremy in only gifs.
Pinning... food, always food.
Tweeting... anything funny, I've been dying over the political stuff the parody White House Press Secretary puts up. @weknowwhatsbest
Going... to work, and then work again. At least it's a long weekend.
Loving... that it's a long weekend and we were able to come to my parents. See also - it appears the troubles of sharing a room we had over the summer have vanished, maybe.
Hating... you don't even want to really know. That's a IRL conversation to have. But other than that, politics.
Discovering... a all the things I can do with makeup, hello 30's.
Thinking... about making 31 days of October all about going back to my blogging roots.
Feeling... hot and sweaty, when's fall?
Hoping... that the seminary years go quickly.
Listening (to)... the Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey podcast
Celebrating... Harrison sleeping better at my parents house!
Smelling... bacon, everyone's eating breakfast before church right now.
Ordering... a new iPhone case, I accidentally ordered a 6 Plus and need a 6s. All the sad faces over here. Dang Amazon charging for returns.
Thanking... the Lord that everything always works out, whether it be how we wanted to or now... it works out.
Considering... using foundation. I know it's vain, but I've been thinking about using it.
Starting... to finish the book I started 3 months ago.
Finishing... that book I started 3 months ago.

garden

Summer Favorites

September 3, 2016

Today's post topic is to list your favorites from the summer, so in no particular order here goes our list of what we did this summer.

I (with lots of help from Dad & Jeremy) started a garden. We maybe got 5 tomatoes and 3 zucchini out of it... but my shallot, green onion, and basil growing skills were good.

I wish I could have found the pic of Harrison eating figs at the orchard, but we went fruit picking in July and managed to get a nice amount of strawberry fig preserves out of it.

This happened during the summer, but it isn't really a summer activity. My neighbor cleaned out a lot of her books and gave me several she bought on trips in England. I was the most excited about that David Starkey book Monarchy. He is by far a favorite BBC presenter of mine.

We also played outside, a lot.

And went swimming a time or two.

In the photo above Harrison had actually fallen asleep in the lazy river.

In playing outside, we might have used a kiddie pool as a sort of rinse off system after dinner.

There was a small getaway to New Orleans for us as well, we took Harrison to the aquarium for the first time and he was in love.

I'm pretty sure the other guests at the bed & breakfast hated us. Between Harrison insisting he climb the stairs and not being happy about his sleeping arrangements we weren't exactly the best of guests.

And to top off exciting things of the summer, Jeremy had his first surgery to rebuild his ear drums. He started on his left ear and so far it has gone perfect, he has his last post-opt appointment this month and then we get to start discussing operating on his right ear.

Selfishly enough, I can't wait to have fans on at our house all the time.

Maybe I should do a post about what all is involved in his ear situation.

Until next time, which will be tomorrow... and the topic is what I'm currently up to.

I'm late to the game, but I recently saw a few blogger friends doing this and thought it would be perfect. Especially since I've been wanting to do a back to blogging basics theme for 31 Days in October. So let's bust out the first two days of Blog-tember!

About Me

If you're new around here I definitely haven't done an intro post in quite some time.

I'm Emily, a Central Louisiana girl, gone North LA for college, and then taken kicking and screaming to South LA for the career side of life. If you're curious, Louisiana doesn't equal Cajun. Just way down south does, I was raised much more Southern. And Bible Belt, I should write a Baptist Bible Belt Stereotypes post just for fun!

I've been blogging since October 2008 and started this space to keep up with wedding planning. After the fact a few friends convinced me to keep it going and it turned into a recipe space. It evolves, but I keep my Louisiana Bride name. Mainly due to the tag (and life post wedding) & the fact that changing social media accounts would not be fun. Way back in the beginning of Twitter I remember being about to play with my name, now it's so saturated that I almost don't want to lose what I have. Several people have bit the bullet and revamped their blog names, but I just can't.

I'm also of the hippie type, at least my husband and sister identified me as that. Saying "identified" sounds so psychological, but my hubby is a psychologist and that term gets thrown around a lot, so whatever. Anyway, at the risk of sounding hipster... I'm not the new trendy hippie type. I just like to save money and use things that don't irritate my allergies. Some of this also spins off the fact that cancer is a big issue in our family and I'm hoping that through a healthy diet and lifestyle (for the most part) that I can help things stay at bay.

I'm married to Jeremy and have one son, Harrison who's 18 months old. We also have a soft wire hair miniature dachshund that turns 10 tomorrow. She's quite the old lady these days. Two years ago Jeremy graduated with a Specialist (I like to say it because he is too modest to say it, he just says masters) and I was hoping that would be the end of school... but recently he decided to get a Masters in Divinity. So, basically, we are on a whole new adventure. Or we will eventually be on a whole new adventure.

Oh & there aren't any current pics of the husband who I suspect is Amish.

Anything you want to know, just ask.

Goals

Let's just focus on this month, my only goal for the remainder of the year is to not see another snake.

1. Participate in & complete the September Whole30 Challenge. Summer got the best of my Paleo ways & now that breastfeeding has come to a close it's time to lose the weight I gained when I quit pumping.

2. Keep up with the homework for the Armor of God study.

3. Workout 5 days a week at least during Whole30.

4. Find some new recipes!!!

5. Find a good book to read and finish it, I was doing way better at this a few months ago.

6. Keep upping my skin care routine and stick to it, again the breastfeeding hormones did a number on me.

So that's it, now onto the next post so I've totally caught up!

My Grandmother's Recipes

Chicken Fromage

September 1, 2016

I dug out another of Nanny's recipes last week for dinner. I made a few changes to this one though, mainly so it fit my tastes.

The original recipe called for Grouper, but chicken fit it perfect without the fish taste I so despise.

I used my beloved Gordon Ramsey method for cooking the chicken before adding the fromage topping. Which, by the way, the leftover was amazing on crackers. It was like a Pimento Cheese without the Pimento.

Chicken Fromage

Ingredients::

1 lb chicken breasts

1 tbsp butter or oil

1 small chopped onion

2 cups shredded Jack cheese (use the type you like)

1 cup Mayonnaise

6 dashes of Tabasco

Salt, Pepper, & Garlic Powder to taste

1 lemon

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions::

In a small skillet, saute chopped onion in 1 tbsp butter over medium heat until softened. Transfer to a large bowl and cool slightly. To the bowl add the cheese, mayo, Tabasco, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 380. While oven is preheating sear chicken at medium high heat for 3 minutes each side in an oven proof skillet. Seasoning with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a squeeze of lemon juice. After searing, toss 3 1 tbsp pats of butter to the chicken. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. After the time is done, remove the skillet, top chicken generously with cheese mixture and place back into the oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted really well. Serve immediately.

These didn't turn out to be my favorite food pictures ever, but it seems impossible to photograph melted cheese. Slicing the chicken and having the cheese topping stay in place seemed even crazier, so just trust me when I say this was really good.

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September 1, 2016

Chicken Fromage