Halloween Flashback

As most kids do, I LOVED Halloween. I still love Halloween. It's a wonderful time to get dressed up and beg people for candy without getting in trouble! I was a hardcore trick or treater.

Every Halloween I would get dressed up, long before it was time to go trick or treat. I ran around the house in my costume in anticipation of the nights events. As dusk crept closer I would gather my pillow case (because a regular trick or treat bucket wouldn't be nearly big enough) and my grocery sack and headed over to my Aunt Emily's house. Her neighbor hood was always the best place to trick or treat. Everyone decorated and gave out really good candy. It's all about learning the good locations! My mom, dad, sister and I would get to my aunt's house, eat supper and head out! My mom, sister, aunt and I would walk while my dad followed in the car. The car was necessary because after I would fill my grocery back it would start getting too heavy for me to carry. Most kids would stop at that point but not me! I'm hardcore! I would go empty my load into the pillow case and keep going! My candy would last me for an entire year. No joke. An entire year. After I made all my rounds and spent several hours of my evening chanting "trick or treat smell my feet give me something good to eat".
After all the rounds had been made and I simply couldn't go anymore We headed back home where I sorted my candy. All the Snickers went in a pile, all the Jolly Ranchers, Twix, Tootsie Rolls and whatever else I got. I always gave my mom most of my tootsie rolls and my dad some of my Recces Peanut Butter cups and they would also "shop" around in my pile and take what they wanted. I had plenty to share (we were a socialist household when it came to Halloween). I would have a few pieces, then go to bed. Every day after Halloween my mom would put a piece of candy in my lunch box. I never really gorged myself on it, as a matter of fact, I really didn't eat that much of it. It was still fun to go gather the candy and then share it with my family.
Now that I'm older I don't trick or treat but I do go walk with  my cousin, Mollie, and her friends and this year is the first time we are taking my nephew, AJ. I love seeing all the kids costumes. The little princesses, angels, cowboys and cowgirls, ballerinas, bumble bees. It's adorable to see kids so excited just to dress up!

Well, that's my Halloween Southern Soapbox. I hope y'all make lots of fun memories this year!

Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday

Wonky:

   - My sinuses have been total crap! I'm pretty sure my ears have hurt every day since forever...

   - Having to go to a class that really is completely pointless to attend. I'm referring to my math class. I'm better off going home and teaching myself than actually paying attention and listening to my professor. He confuses me.

   - It always weirds me out when I see shoes or other various articles of clothing in the middle of the street.

   - Hurricane Sandy. That sucked.

   - My poor Rebel got SO sick Sunday night. He was throwing up all day Sunday and all night Sunday night. He would just lay on the floor, wouldn't even come to bed (he sleeps with me and goes to bed every night at 9pm). I finally decided enough is enough so we went to the vet. He barely wagged his tail when I got the leash out and once we got to the vet he just laid on the floor. He was pathetic. They did xrays and drew blood and finally decided that he had pancreatitis. The only thing you can do for that is with hold food and water and administer fluids through an IV. So Rebel spent the night at the vet, making me very sad and lonely. Our wonderful vet tech, Leslie, called me the next morning and said that he was feeling MUCH better and if he kept his breakfast down we could bring him home. So Rebel is home now feeling MUCH MUCH better. We are still having to limit his food intake. He can only have a few spoonfuls of canned dog food a few times a day, which we will gradually increase. Hopefully it doesn't flare back up.

Woot-tastic:

   - My little Prim asleep in my lap. She's so cute! Also, I discovered that she looovvveeesss Granny Smith Apples!

   - It's still really weird for me to actually drink in public. Ryan and I went out to eat at Chili's the other day and had margaritas, and I had ribs. YUM.

   - Ryan got a new car. Like new new,not new to him new. This is a cross between woot-tastic and wonky. While the new car is REALLY cool and has a lot of buttons.. it also comes with a lovely car payment which basically means that trip to Chili's that I mentioned before... was our last date EVER. Well.. we can go have a date and sit in his new car. We just can't go anywhere because that would cost money.

  

   - Jixer is cute and I love him but I love him more when his daddy is home. Otherwise, Jixer is a bit annoying. He's clingy and mopey and won't be still. But he's cute so WOOT

   - I used to hate buffalo wings but at some point in the last year or so I've started liking them. So much that I will actually request them. Weird but yummy.
   - I am so looking forward to seeing my monkey (AJ) in his costume tonight!

Well, that's my Southern Soapbox. I hope you enjoyed and I hope you have a great Halloween. BTW, you are entitled to at least some of your kids/cousins/nieces/nephews candy that they gather tonight.

Fashion Friday: Fall Fashion Don'ts

It's Fashion Friday! It's starting to get chilly, even here in Texas, which means there are about to be some REALLY interesting fall fashion (or not so fashionable) choices out there. Hopefully we can eliminate some of those with my "Fall Fashion Don't" list.

Fall Fashion Don'ts by jastevenson

Number 1: Leggings do NOT replace pants! Wearing leggings with a sweater or t-shirt that does not at least cover your butt is actually kind of disturbing.  

Number 2: Uggs are named Uggs for a reason. Because they're ugly. Wear them in your house... but not in public. 

Number 3: Tights with open toed shoes is just weird. If it's too cold to wear open toed shoes... don't wear them! It just looks weird.

Number 4: There is such thing as too much bling! Limit your bling ladies... and I suppose I should go ahead and include men in that too.

Number 5: High waisted jeans are not ok. They died several decades ago, let them stay dead please.

Number 6: Tacky or unseasonable purses... no. 

Number 7: Chunky heels are bad. They make short people look shorter and not stick people look like fat cows. So unless you have a body like a model (I hate you... ok just kidding you can stay...) you shouldn't be wearing these shoes.

Well, that's my Southern Soapbox for today! I hope you all stay fashionable this fall... and don't let me catch you breaking any of these rules!

Menu Monday October 15, 2012 - October 22, 2012

Menu Monday

Keep in mind that I don't necessarily make my menu in the order that I am going to cook in. I will not be making chicken enchiladas and mexican pizza back to back. 

Photo courtesy of Google

Lasagna Soup

      French Bread

Lemon Pepper Chicken

      Roasted potatoes and carrots

      Salad

Baked Ziti

      French Bread

      Salad

Pot Roast

      Roasted veggies

      Mashed potatoes

Chicken Enchiladas

      Refried Beans

      Rice

Mexican Pizza

      Refried Beans

      Rice

Tortellini Vegetable Soup

Chicken Picata

      Angel hair pasta

      Steamed Veggies

Giant Salads

Loaded Potatoes

Pork Chops

      Mac n Cheese

      Green beans

Crock Pot French Dip

      Salt and pepper potato chips

I considered putting the grocery list below here too but then decided not to. Would y'all like me to start doing this? Also, sometimes when I post a link to the recipe, it's not necessarily the exact recipe I use. Example: the french dip. I actually use my sister's recipe but the one on the website is similar. If you want the recipe I use, or a recipe that I don't have a link to just let me know and I will post it. I'll try to get around to posting the recipes on my blog too.

Well, that's my Southern Soapbox! Happy eating!

Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday

Hey y'all! Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday is back!!! So here we go!

Wonky:

   - The Stupid Spider from Hell. Excuse my French... but that's what it was. First of all you should know that I am not a fan of spiders. Especially when they're in my house, even less of a fan when they're in my room, and well... when they decide to make their new home under my bed.... the thing officially must die. SO I spent 3 hours killing this *#$@%* *@!%$* thing. THREE HOURS. About 10 of which were spent trying to get my two dogs and cat to kill it for me... then about 10 more yelling at them because they gave up after like 2 minutes of trying.. probably thinking that it was food and giving up when they realized that mommy is just crazy. About 2 hours of the time was spent with me laying on my stomach hanging off my bed trying to find this stupid thing. So I found it the first time, tried to squish it with the Swiffer sweeper and the %$#*@ thing moved! UGH. I found it again, this time by having my nose about 2 inches away from it. I screamed a lot. It didn't move at all. I finally was doing some homework when I saw its legs poking out from behind a box. I grabbed my bug spray and SOAKED that thing! I probably used about half the can on this one spider. It kept moving its legs, so I sprayed it some more. I also slept with the spray on my night stand... just in case. 

- My government professor's unrelenting obsession with bashing Mit Romney and Paul Ryan... seriously move on
- I miss my kids at the church I used to work at :(

Woot-tastic:

   - I'M 21!!! Yay.
   - The Voice is really an amazing show with a lot of talent. You should watch it. Plus, Adam Levine is hot.

   - This face.... seriously. How could you not love this sweet face?

Well that's my Southern Soapbox for today! Hope you enjoyed it!

 

A Birthday Times Two!

Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday will be back this week. Today there are more important things to talk about!

Twenty-one years ago I decided to make my appearance into the world a month ahead of schedule, which happened to be my mother's birthday too. I came a month early to come on my mom's birthday. It was a crazy ride right from the word "go". I had all kinds of medical issues and had to be taken to a different hospital. Thankfully everything fixed itself on its own and by the grace of God I was out of the hospital in about three days. Now I am twenty-one, in school to get my teaching degree, dating the love my life, I have an amazingly adorable nephew, and a family that I would trade for the world. I am truly blessed to have the life that I have and the people that are in it. You guys have made these twenty-one years worth it! Without y'all I wouldn't have laughed, loved, or had nearly as many memories as I do now. So, I thank y'all, my family, the love of my life, and my friends for providing me with these great years!

Most of all I want to thank my mom. It's her birthday too! I am honored to have shared my birthday with you, even if you were enjoying having your own day. Every day on our birthday we wake up and great each other with "Happy Birthday!", we blow candles out together (sometimes my candle manages to float in cereal.. my mom is talented that way), and celebrate another year together. My mom is truly the most amazing lady I have ever known. She has the biggest heart, and she seems to know EVERYTHING (when you start getting older you're able to admit that your parents are smarter than you are). I can call her with a cooking question, a construction question... the women knows everything. Obviously, without her I would not be here today, but more importantly she has made me, at least partially, who I am today. She's an amazing lady, wife, mom and grandma and she deserves, at the very least, to be celebrated.

We had a very busy week of celebrating! Wednesday, our actual birthday, Maegan, AJ, and Ryan took me to TGI Fridays for my first legal drinks! I had a Strawberry Rum Punch and an Amaretto Sour. They were both very yummy. Then on Thursday we went to supper at Carrabbas where I had a Bellini, also rather yummy. Friday was more fun than I expected it to be. I had to observe social dance for a paper I have to write, which I was expecting to be incredibly boring but thanks so my Sasterpants (Maegan) it was really fun! We went to Billy Bob's and made a girls night out of it. We ended up getting to see the bull riding for free and we also took a picture together on a "bull" AND as we were walking to the parking lot we saw a mechanical bull and.... we rode it. Yes, there was video taken. No, I am not posting it on here. Finally, Saturday was my birthday party. It was rather cold so we didn't get to do all the stuff I wanted to but I still enjoyed hanging out with everyone and playing Bingo.

Well, that's my Southern Soapbox! It was a great birthday week!

Haiti's Jewels

Hey y'all! Every now and then it is put on my heart to promote some sort of cause. It doesn't happen very often but when it does I want to do all that I can to help out!

I started out a few months ago promoting Project Bring Lila Home to help raise money for some dear friends of mine and their adoption! They have awesome t-shirts (I'm wearing mine right now) that are SUPPPPPERRRR comfy and cute!

Found at Haiti's Jewels

Found at Haiti's Jewels

Anywho, now I am asking you to look at some AWESOME jewelry! Not only is it awesome jewelry but it's for a cause! Haiti is the poorest country in the world and this business helps provide jobs for Haitians AND it helps give them a skill. A marketable skill. A skill that they can pass down and teach to others. Get the drift? On their "about us" page they say that providing ONE person with a job creates about TEN [TEN] more jobs and you can be a part of that process. All of their jewelry is made from things they find laying around. I have a pair of earrings made from broken beer bottles! They also use shells, rocks, and other natural materials, because of that every single piece is one of a kind. My awesome cousin, Katy, knows the Americans that teach the Haitians to make the jewelry so I know this is a good cause!

Please support the poorest nation in the world and check out this store, it's really amazing what we could do for these people just by buying a cute pair of earrings (they also have necklaces and bracelets, ask me about them if you're interested as I don't see any pictures on the site).

That's my Southern Soapbox for today! BTW, if you're not sure what to get me for my birthday, and you want to get me something... buy something from this store AND bonus... you can keep it if you want, you don't have to give me the present.

Fashion Friday: Twenty First Birthday!

Happy Friday y'all! It has been a booger of a day BUT I'm quickly recovering as I look at these new outfit options for my TWENTY FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!! I'm so beyond excited! Remember while you're looking at these that it will be in the mid to upper 80's for my party and for my birthday dinner (two separate events on two separate days).

Twenty One! by jastevenson

I'm not sure about this top for a night time dinner. I love this top but usually I wear black for dressier night time outings. I really want those shoes (happy birthday to me...)! Love this outfit though.

Well, that's my Southern Soapbox! Hope y'all like it!

Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday

Howdy y'all! IT'S WEDNESDAY! I feel like I've worked really hard to get through the first 3 days of this week.

Wonky:

   - Need I explain this one? Thankfully I found a gas station with about 3 miles left to empty. Cuttin' it close! I was, however, 5 minutes late to class. Opps.

   - I had my first government test today. I have NEVER been so nervous about a test in my life, and that's including math tests. My test review, not even complete, was more than 5 pages, handwritten, long. AH.
   - Something died in Ryan's AC vent so we are having a city inspector come look at it because the complex isn't doing anything about it. I had an appointment with the guy for Tuesday... he never showed. I called him, his phone was off. He finally called me back and said they ended up having a meeting SO hopefully he will show up tomorrow morning.

Woot-tastic:

   - I studied for my Government test by the pool! Thankfully, I think all my studying paid off!

   - MY BIRTHDAY IS IN A WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! woot!

   - Monday was my saster's birthday! We had lots of fun and ate YUMMY (like OMG they were amazing) cupcakes. AMAZING! I love you Saster Pants!

   - Just thought I should mention that Prim is awesome! She's soooo sweet and friendly. I love her.

Well, that's my Southern Soapbox! Hope you enjoyed!

Fashion Friday: Fall In Texas

Happy Friday everyone! Here in Texas it is getting cool enough (for now) to actually wear jeans, but not quite cool enough for long sleeves. I put together this little outfit, although it's about to warm back up. The joy of living in Texas.

Fall in Texas by jastevenson

I couldn't decide which shoes to put with it, a problem I frequently have. I'll be putting together some colder weather outfits soon since our weather guy (Pete Delkus) has been talking about SNOOOWWW this winter! Speaking of snow, is it sad that I've only had one white Christmas? Anywho...

That's my Southern Soapbox!!! I hope you liked my outfit!

Fashion Friday: A Turquoise Affair

Good morning everyone! Fashion Friday is BACK (sorry I'm a day late)! Take a look. I hope you enjoy!

Turquoise on the Beach by jastevenson

I absolutely love this outfit! I know, it's fall but here in Texas, and most of the south, we are still having 90 degree days so it might be a while before I start posting outfits with long sleeve shirts (and it's possible that we never get cold enough for long sleeves this year. Welcome to Texas). Since all of these outfits resemble things that I would actually wear, I won't start posting cold weather outfits until I am actually wearing them, or about to start wearing them, unless I decide to change my mind and conform to the rest of the countries climate :P. Anywho, back to the outfit! It's simple, light (very important in Texas), and comfy (very important for me)! The long maxi skirt means you don't have to shave your legs that night although with those strappy sandals you better not have gnarly toes!

Well that's my Southern Soapbox! I hope you enjoyed!

Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday

I'm sorry I've been MIA! Between school starting up and begging for a new addition to the family (will explain more in a minute) I've been a little preoccupied! I apologize!

Wonky:
   - waking up at 7am. Yes, I realize for "normal" people that is a "normal" time to wake up. I am not a normal people and it is not a normal time for me. I hate mornings things just look so much more optimistic after 9:00am.
   - I was making hard boiled eggs Monday night so I could eat them for breakfast on Tuesday morning (the morning I had to wake up at 7am). I put the eggs in the pot, turned to water on high to boil and walked away, because a watched pot never boils. Mostly because I didn't want to stand there for 5 minutes waiting for the water to boil. I was going to come back and check them in 15 minutes, 5 minutes for the water to come to a boil and 10 minutes for the eggs to cook. I started watching Harry Potter and got sidetracked. I think the eggs cooked for an extra 20-30 minutes. Long enough for about half an inch of water to evaporate. Thankfully hard boiled eggs are very forgiving and they were still edible.
   - Speaking of Harry Potter... I really do love the HP movies but Goblet of Fire has to be my least favorite. Simply because Robert Pattinson is in it. I really really don't like R-Pats. Please don't write hate mail for that comment.
   - I got some really crummy professors this year. My history professor is ok... his lectures can be hard to follow. My math professor is pretty much useless. I do better going home and teaching myself. My government professor drives me NUTS! First of all, she's very obviously a liberal and makes her opinions about EVERYTHING known, to the point that it seems opposing opinions would be unwelcome. Also, she can be a little hard to follow because she's ADHD and goes off on these long random rants that have nothing to do with anything.... like fantasy football (which I do not understand at all except some guy picked Tony Romo so he's going to loose :D. Cowboys fans please don't hang me).

Woot-tastic:

   - Well, obviously my new hedgehog! I got my sweet little Primrose this past Wednesday. Meet Prim!
   - I'm going to be 21 in less than a month!!! WOOT!
   - I gave Prim a bath AND clipped her nails without her even puffing up! She's awesome.
All I can think of for woot-tastic stuff is Prim-related. I'll spare you all my rants about how completely amazingly adorable she is.

Well, that's my Wonky and Woot-tastic Southern Soapbox! I hope you enjoyed!

Introducing Primrose Stevenson-Bonney

That is Prim, the hedgehog. Yes, hedgehog. I got her this past Wednesday! She is absolutely adorable and I am totally in love and obsessed with my little Prim. She is very very sweet. She will let anyone hold her without "puffing up" and putting her quills up. She loves to explore. I have to put a sheet over my bad so she doesn't get any Prim poo on my blankets. She will take you down for some popcorn. She is about 100 grams (4 ounces, so 1/4 of a pound) and about the length of my hand when she's all stretched out, so about 4.5 inches...ish. She is so well mannered. I was clipping her nails and she actually fell asleep while I was doing it!

Why a hedgehog you ask? Well first of all, look at that face! She's adorable! Also, they are very easy to care for and very very sweet. Surprisingly, hedgies are not related to the porcupine and they are not considered rodents. They are actually classified as a shrew, along with moles. Unlike the porcupine, hedgies quills are not barbed and they cannot "shoot" their quills. When they are scared or feel threatened hedgies curl up in a little ball, similar to the picture above except when they feel threatened the tuck their little heads in too and put all their quills up (she has her quills down in the picture). It is still possible to pick them up when they have all their quills up but it does hurt. Imagine picking up a bunch of very sharp toothpicks. But when she has her quills down, which is most of the time (unless the cat or dog are trying to eat her) it feels like petting a bunch of drinking straws. Unlike rodents, they do not smell and their teeth do not continually grow, so they don't chew on everything like a gerbil or hamster would. Also unlike gerbils, hedgies are much more social with people. However, they do not like other hediges. At all. Often times if you house two hedgies together they will kill each other (which makes me wondering how the whole breeding thing works... I guess they put aside their differences for the sake of the species, I don't know).

I am sure you will all hear more stories about Prim in the near future! I will, hopefully, be taking her to class with me on Friday. She pretty much goes everywhere with me. Except work and food places.

Asleep on the way home from the pet store

Well that's my Southern Soapbox! I hope you enjoyed meeting the newest edition to my family!

Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday

Hey y'all! I know, it's not Wednesday. Sorry, I got side tracked. I'll do better next week [maybe]. Anywho, I'm still working on my "Why I was missing" blog post. I'll get it done eventually. Until then, enjoy Wonky and Woot-tastic. 

Wonky:

    - Working out in the gym and then having a flood of younger guys (seniors in HS or youngins in college) come in to "work out". I'm pretty sure when guys say they're going to work out it actually means they're going to go up to the gym, stand near the equipment and watch one guy work out while the other 6 stand there talking and pointing out his mistakes. Sounds like city workers to me. They also like to YELL across the gym to each other.

   - My pink eye is back. Again. For the third time. THIRD!!!!! AGH

   - The college I USED to go to took FOREVER getting my transcripts to my new school (I'm changing because the admissions department at my old school is horrible, as you can tell from this story). They forgot to send them two or three times THEN when they finally did send them the admissions dept put in my test scores wrong so I couldn't register for classes at my new school. I then had to call the school I am leaving to find out what they heck is going on and can they send the correct scores. After being transferred 500 gajillion times (seriously, that's exactly how many) I finally was sent back to the place I started and was told to tell my new school that it is, and this is a direct quote, "just how they do it at Collin". Thankfully, my new school made it work some how.

   - The bank I bank at changed their website and reset everyone's passwords. I am now locked out of my account and will have to call my friend that works there because I have no clue what my member or account numbers are.

   - Maizy (my car) failed the emissions part of the state inspection. The NO2 was too high :( Sad day.

   - I was sitting in the living room the other night and George was sitting on the floor in front of me. We both saw a spider crawl in front of him, and like a good kitty he went to attack. Unfortunately the spider was able to scuttle under our entertainment center. George, trying to insure that this spider would not jump out when I walk by starts to look for it, which is great. Except he was looking for it around the fireplace... which is not really near the entertainment center. While George had his back turned the spider, of course, starts to scurry across the floor TOWARDS ME! And like any normal female, I'm yelling at George, "Look George! Here it is!" "Turn around Kitty! Get him!" and when none of those worked I got my flip flop and beat the crap out of the spider and muttered "Stupid, worthless cat." Seriously, how did he manage to catch a bird and 2 bunnies when he can't even get a stupid spider.

Woot-tastic:

Obviously not us on a walk.
But cute none the less.

   - Going on walks with AJ. Seriously, awesome.

   - Sunflower seeds are one of the best parts about summer. Although, the lady whose car I hit when spitting out a seed probably doesn't agree with me. 

   - The movie Crazy, Stupid, Love is kind of awesome. I love it. It has Ryan Gosling shirtless.

   - Got my hairs did. It's pretty. My favorite part is the scalp massage my hair dude gives me while he's washing my hair.

Well, that's my Wonky and Woot-tastic Southern Soapbox. Sorry if it wasn't very eventful and, again, sorry it was late, Good night!