tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582558708689643642024-03-04T20:06:42.459-08:00Sweet Tea and TacosGibsyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12916913773263235392noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-17061944370683436102016-03-22T09:59:00.001-07:002016-03-22T09:59:21.424-07:00My Famous BrisketOk, it's not famous, but is delicious. Besides the grilling, I'm the one that handles the large pieces of meat in our house. (Go ahead, laugh. I went there.)
Recently, I've had several people ask about it. I almost feel guilty, because it's not some super secret recipe. It's my grandma's recipe, and it's fantastic, and it's easy. <br />
<br />
Are you ready?<br />
<br />
My secret ingredient is this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31gXGFO7fno7hAThXZuMy1s_XLj6UAd92uELQvvcG-WdWntpRViIpfrvA_jlpn6cQn8JBIEcYyj2Weks4rXMh0hQEmWa7EE5EuQNgj4TQ_ohitVOUowh2NZ1EhP2gmySrruifw1UGpI1L/s1600/IMG_9969.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31gXGFO7fno7hAThXZuMy1s_XLj6UAd92uELQvvcG-WdWntpRViIpfrvA_jlpn6cQn8JBIEcYyj2Weks4rXMh0hQEmWa7EE5EuQNgj4TQ_ohitVOUowh2NZ1EhP2gmySrruifw1UGpI1L/s320/IMG_9969.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>photo credit: claudessauces.com</i></div>
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That's right. I only use this marinade. It's heaven. I pick it up at the grocery store, it's not even something you have to search out. They carry it at our grocery store. (If you don't live in Texas, or they don't carry it where you are, order it <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Claudes-Brisket-Marinade-Sauce-Pack/dp/B00JZ0X4B8/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1458665818&sr=8-3&keywords=claude%27s+brisket+marinade" target="_blank">HERE</a>.)<br />
<br />
So here's what I do:
<br />
<br />
For a small brisket (i.e., 3-5 lbs to only feed your small family):<br />
1. Rinse brisket and pat dry.<br />
2. Throw it in the crockpot.<br />
3. Dump entire bottle of marinade on top.<br />
4. Cook on low for 8 hours.<br />
5. Let it rest for 10 minutes, slice or chop it up, and eat!
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For a large brisket (anything over 5 lbs, usually for me it's a 13ish pounder for my friends):<br />
1. Rinse that giant thing and pat dry.<br />
2. THE NIGHT BEFORE - place in a throw away foil container large enough to fit your hunk of beef. Google how long and what temp your meat needs to cook based on your poundage.<br />
3. Cover with marinade. (You may need 2 bottles.). Let sit overnight.<br />
4. Cook times and temp will vary depending on your meat size. (See number 2.) Put it in oven.<br />
5. Let it rest for 10 minutes, slice or chop it up, and eat!
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<br />
This recipe works for the meat to be a main dish along with your favorite potato and veggies, or it can work to be chopped up for tacos. When I use it with tacos, I serve it on tortillas with avocado, cheese, cilantro, and <a href="http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/09/chuys-jalapeno-dip.html" target="_blank">THIS DRESSING</a>. Enjoy!
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-20545189216832014292016-01-18T10:52:00.001-08:002016-01-18T10:52:36.730-08:00AdaptI was talking with a dear friend that is also expecting another baby this year, and while we normally make our resolutions, this year we found ourselves lacking in a clear path. We realized while talking that we both had a major change coming to our lives and families this year, and maybe that was enough. <br />
<br />
When William was born, I had 3 1/2 weeks to adjust to being a mom before I was back to school. Kyle was home with us for two of those weeks. We lived in a rent house, so I prepped the house the best I could, but could only do so much. The week after I went back to work, Kyle's mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. We spent the next several months working on very little sleep, traveling to Waco on the weekends with a newborn to help the best we could, and somehow trying to adjust to being a new family. <br />
<br />
Honestly? It kinda sucked. <br />
<br />
I am determined for us to have a different experience this time, as this will be our last child (at least, as far as my plan goes), and that's why I picked the word adapt. I want this year to be about us preparing and adjusting to be a new family of four. So why will this take a year?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The House</span><br />
We bought a house when WP was 7 months old, and we looked for a few specifics with this house. The main one was "no unused space." This will be a blog post all on its own, but in short, it means getting a nursery together, changing my office to an office/guest room, and an overhaul to how our house functions. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Me at Work</span><br />
I may work only 30 or so hours most weeks with several days off during the year, but all of that is spent running by own business. I want to work this year to continue striving for balance between work and home, and adding a second kiddo into that mix.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Me Personally</span><br />
Mom of two. Some days I can barely handle mom of one. I'm going to give myself time to adapt to this new role. I'm shooting to take 2 months off this summer to get to know our baby girl, spend time with my sweet boy, and figuring out how to take a shower and work and recover.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Us as a Family</span><br />
Kyle gets to take an entire month off to be home with us this time around, and we'll need to figure out man on man defense. William will need time to adjust to being a big brother and we need time with him to let him know how very important he is to us. <br />
<br />
I look at this list, and it's a lot, and it's enough. This doesn't mean I won't have other goals for myself along the way of this year, but my main goal will be adapting to this new and wonderful time in our lives. I can't wait.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-9490520487048620882016-01-11T11:42:00.002-08:002016-01-11T11:42:41.932-08:002015I started writing this long blog post about all that was worthwhile in 2015, but honestly, I was bored writing it. (Worthwhile was my 2015 word.) If I'm bored writing it, you'll be even more bored, and I just couldn't do that to you.<br />
<br />
Instead, you get the highlights from 2015, my deep thoughts, and my word for 2016.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The highlights (in no particular order):</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">July 2015 </span><br />
We went on our very first family vacation to San Antonio. It was a blast! We stayed on the Riverwalk, we ate, we walked, we road the boats and visited the DoSeum. WP was fantastic in the car, and we had a blast!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">May 2015</span><br />
I got a new car! I've been waiting for this baby for awhile, as I needed the space, and I drive a lot. It came in handy when later in May I was caught in a flash flood and almost had to escape said car. I'm not sure if my old car would have had the clearance to make it through. I am thankful!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">October 2015</span><br />
We found out we are expecting our second baby, and on New Year's Eve, we found out that sweet baby will be a girl! We couldn't be more thrilled. You can look forward to many more posts about our girl!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's what I learned in 2015:</span> While I might want to be home with my kids most of the time, me working allows us to achieve our family goals. My job allows me summers, Christmas break, and flexibility with my kids. It allows us to put our son in preschool and have Baylor season tickets. It allows us to take family vacations and put money towards our future. And don't get me wrong, I love my job, but who doesn't have the mom guilt now and then? So - all those late night concerts, the Saturday contests, and the extra time I spend with children that are not my own is SO worthwhile when it allows us to live how we would like to live. <br />
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For 2016? My big word is adapt. More on that to come. <br />
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Do you have a word for this year or a resolution? Please share! Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-3465117629605911852015-10-28T09:17:00.001-07:002015-10-28T09:17:42.713-07:00Crockpot Lasagna SoupI got this recipe from <a href="http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/slow-cooker-lasagna-soup/" target="_blank">Baked by Rachel</a>, and it did NOT disappoint! It was chock full of veggies, too, so you'll feel nice and full. WP actually ate some of it, too, which these days is a small miracle.<br />
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<i>Yep, you got a picture halfway through dinner again. There's no waiting around here.</i></div>
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I'm going to repost her recipe, but with a few changes I would have made.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 lb ground beef <br />
1 cup onion, chopped<br />
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
15 oz petite diced tomatoes, undrained<br />
1/4 cup tomato paste <span style="color: red;">(I would have used a little more.)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">1 tsp dried basil <span style="color: red;">(I would up it to two.)</span></span> </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">1 tsp dried oregano <span style="color: red;">(double this as well)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">1 1/2 tsp salt</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">1 tsp ground black pepper</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">(1/4 tsp red pepper flakes - I left this out.)</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">6 cups chicken broth</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">1/2 cup heavy cream</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">3/4 cup Parmesan cheese</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">4-5 oz malfadine pasta noodles <span style="color: red;">(I used farfalle noodles.) </span></span> </span></span> </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Shredded whole milk mozzerella, for topping</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Directions:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Add veggies, tomato paste, spices, chicken broth, and ground beef. <span style="color: red;">She calls for the meat to be browned ahead of time, but honestly, you don't need to. Use a low fat meat, 93% or so, and there will be so little fat it won't matter. <span style="color: black;">Cover, and set on high for 4 hours, or low for 8.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">When time is up, stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and pasta. Cook on high for 30 more minutes, ladle it up and top it with mozzerella cheese. </span></span> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Enjoy! </span> </span> Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-6767084185842340232015-10-21T10:07:00.002-07:002015-10-21T10:07:25.197-07:00Roast Beef Sandwiches<br />
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I have an odd work schedule, which is sometimes great and sometimes not. It goes through spurts of being really really busy to having leisurely days sitting on the couch. October is fall concert season, so there's a span of two weeks when I'm usually not home a bunch. I dropped one of the choirs I was in this year because it was getting to be too much, but somehow I ended up coming back to play for them anyway, thus adding two concerts back on the books. <br />
<br />
In October, my concert schedule looked like this:<br />
Oct. 9th - judge mock region tryouts<br />
Oct. 12th - Schola Cantorum concert (Ft. Worth)<br />
Oct. 13th - Schola Cantorum concert (Grapevine)<br />
Oct. 15th - concert in Arlington<br />
Oct. 20th - concert in Roanoke<br />
Oct. 22nd - concert in Justin<br />
Oct. 27th - concert in Trophy Club<br />
Oct. 30th - concert in Haslet<br />
<br />
That's 8 concerts in addition to all the other things I usually do. I know, I'm tired just by looking at it, too. <br />
<br />
When I have these kinds of weeks, a lot of time my family is left to fend for themselves, but honestly, I get tired of eating fast food, too. This year I decided to whip up as much as I could in the crockpot so we could all eat, even if it was different times. <br />
<br />
On Monday I made some delicious roast beef sandwiches. I started with the french dip sandwich recipe from <a href="http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2015/05/01/slow-cooker-french-dip-sandwiches/" target="_blank">here</a>, thanks to Buns in My Oven, but I made a few adjustments. <br />
<br />
Here's what I did:<br />
<br />
3 to 4 lb chuck roast<br />
1 can beef consume (who even knew this existed?)<br />
1 can french onion soup (she calls for two, but I didn't read that part, and had to improvise, hence the next two ingredients)<br />
1/2 a box of beef broth<br />
1 packet of french onion dip mix<br />
<br />
Dump all of these ingredients in the crock pot, and set it on LOW for 8 hours. Do not try and cheat it and put it on high for 4 hours! Trust me on this!! Chuck roast is a very thick cut of meat and really needs to cook low and slow. <br />
<br />
Shred the meat, slap it on the bread of your choice (I used Hawaiian Sweet Rolls hamburger buns), with provolone cheese. I'm sure it would be delicious to let it heat in the oven, but I just didn't have time for that. <br />
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That isn't a glamorous picture, and I don't know why it's upside down, but whatever. Kyle has the flu, and we are running on fumes here, people. <br />
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Toddler approved!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-20788719230376244072015-10-13T10:17:00.001-07:002015-10-13T10:17:14.140-07:00 IntroductionsI know (hope) I have some new readers, so I'd like to tell you a few things that you might or might not know.<br />
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<h4>
About Me </h4>
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1. I have an adorable husband and an even more adorable two year old boy. Our house is loud and full of cars and dinosaurs. Sometimes it drives me nuts, but most of the time I like it.<br />
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2. I am a full time musician. Not one of those that shoves amps and guitars into my hatchback, but one that actually works. I teach voice, piano, and I'm an accompanist for several choirs and our church.<br />
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<i>What? Sometimes I practice the organ in leggings. Don't judge.</i></div>
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3. I love Dr. Pepper and naps. These two things make me able to survive.<br />
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4. I need a little bit of time on my own most days. Even 20 minutes makes a huge difference in my personality.<br />
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5. I love clothes and shoes and make up, but I change into my pjs and throw my hair up as soon as I'm done for the day.<br />
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<h4>
<b>What's coming up on the blog?</b></h4>
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1. More clothes! I have a lot of fun picking out my outfits for school every day, and I thrive on finding fun things on a budget.<br />
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2. Crockpot meals! I'm going to start cooking way more in this thing. I'm far too tired at the end of the day to cook an awesome meal, so I'll share my findings with you.<br />
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3. October's Deal! Last month was my little "Out of Treats" sign, and this month will be another fun thing you're sure to need.<br />
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Is there anything you want to know? Ask away, and I'll answer on the next post.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-43090350743600920612015-09-21T11:50:00.004-07:002015-09-21T14:37:58.709-07:00"Out of Treats" Halloween signToday is the first day of fall! (***Edit***Apparently, fall this year starts on September 23rd, not today! In my heart, though, it's already fall.)<br />
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Fall is my absolute most favorite time of the year, and if I hadn't been sick all weekend (thanks for coming to school sick, kids!), then my pumpkins would be out. I love the colors, the crispness in the air, Baylor football, boots, cardigans, etc. It's a magical time of year!<br />
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On a related note (and it is related, I promise!), I've noticed that many times, people want my crafty goodies for themselves, so I've decided to offer them on here! I've been following this cool blog, <a href="http://www.livinginyellow.com/" target="_blank">Living in Yellow,</a> and she does the coolest thing. She picks one clothing item or accessory and features it on her blog and in her etsy store for the first ten days of the month, then they are all shipped out. I love this! I'm going to be doing the same thing, except with crafty goodies instead. <br />
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So back to how this is related to fall. Every year I get asked to make this fun sign, so I've decided to make it the first item featured on my blog. <br />
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Usually I have to put this sign up because I've eaten all of the candy. You might just want to put your kids to bed or have time to yourself. Want it for yourself? It's available <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/248974942/halloween-out-of-treats-sign?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank">here</a>! This is only available until September 30th, and all signs will be shipped out by October 10th.<br />
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Have you started decorating for fall yet? What's your favorite part of this wonderful season?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-81031174428533882452015-09-09T14:01:00.001-07:002015-09-09T14:01:24.405-07:00Stitch Fix #2 Oh wait, you didn't see a review #1? My bad. Deal with it. I might get around to posting it, I might not.<br />
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Anyways.<br />
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Stitch Fix, much to my husband's dismay, is a blast! If you haven't heard the hype yet, each month (or how ever often you set it) you pay $20 and get 5 items of clothing/accessories/shoes. You try them all on, run around the house putting on a fashion show and getting opinions, and then you keep and pay for whatever you like, minus the $20 styling fee. The items you don't like, you pack up in the enclosed return envelope, stick it in your mailbox, and you're done. When you check out online, you get to review the items you received. I have been over specific with my reviews, but from what I hear, that makes each fix better and better. <br />
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The first fix I kept a fabulous pair of black pants that were just the right length for my short legs, and they had no zipper. NO ZIPPER. It's like maternity pants that actually make your butt look good. I didn't take any pics of those, because I was to busy with the aforementioned modeling around the house.<br />
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This second fix, I kept two things. The first one I kept is a dolman top, which is super flattering. I haven't taken pictures in it yet, but <a href="http://behindblueeyesblog.com/stitch-fix-16/" target="_blank">this chick</a> has, so you can look at her blog and see it in all it's glory.<br />
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The second thing I kept was the Florence color block dress. This dress fit perfectly. It has an elastic waist (my best friend), and was perfectly modest without looking like a prude. I've worn it to church and to school and gotten compliments in both places. It's such a great dress that I'm considering it for our family pictures next weekend. <br />
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My son wanted no part of this picture, but it was his first day of preschool, so he got it anyway. <br />
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So how do you get on this awesome stitch fix deal?<br />
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1. Sign up. Follow <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/5661912" target="_blank">this link</a>, and support my shopping habit with a referral credit. <br />
2. Fill out a profile that asks everything from what you do for a living to what body parts you like to show or not show off.<br />
3. Link your profile to a Pinterest board of styles that you love. My last stylist noticed that I had a lot of polka dots on my board, so she sent me a polka dot top. It ended up not fitting well, but it was seriously cute.<br />
4. Stalk the front door and wait for you fix. <br />
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Happy shopping, friends!<br />
<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-33626403566476131492015-08-06T13:55:00.003-07:002015-08-06T13:55:54.266-07:00*tap tap tap* Is this thing on?So, the last thing I posted was 6 months ago. I'm aware. You see, I've been so busy making sure my life was worthwhile, that I let anything that wasn't a top priority drop. There were two weeks in May that I never even turned on the tv. Summer is almost over, and I feel like I'm still recovering from spring. So what the heck was I doing?<br />
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- I had the busiest accompanying season of my career. There was a lot of difficult music to be played, and I played it. I am so thankful to have had all the work!<br />
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- In the midst of my busy season, our sweet music minister had to have surgery and I was supposed to fill in for 2 weeks. It ended up being 2 months! It was fun, and my organ skills definitely improved, but made for a 7 day work week!<br />
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- Kyle got a promotion! Ok, so this wasn't me, but it meant some different schedules for him, which meant more work on the home front for me. <br />
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- We bought a new car! I had driven my Nissan Versa to near death, and it just didn't have space I needed. I brought home an awesome Mazda CX-5.<br />
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Oh, and I met Derek Holland from the Texas Rangers while I was signing paperwork.<br />
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- I finished up a school year at 3 new schools. Whew. A change is good, but hard!<br />
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- We went on mini-vacation with my parents, a vacation just the three of us, and a girls' weekend (just me, Kyle and WP didn't go). <br />
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- I'm working on a decluttering project, threw a birthday party for my soon to be 2 year old, redid said 2 year old's room, several home projects, and all that other life stuff.<br />
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Y'all, it's been a really busy 6 months! I've got a lot more in store for the last half of 2015, but we can talk about that later. Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-76477491002325612022015-02-08T12:11:00.001-08:002015-02-08T12:11:07.053-08:00Worthwhile Project: JanuaryWhen I decided on my one little word for 2015, I didn't know how hard it was going to be! I didn't know it would make me question everything I was doing in life to make sure that I was living my life how I wanted it to be. January was so hard, I almost thought about not continuing the project, which is why this blog post is a week too late. <br />
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Here's my January day by day:<br />
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January 1 - Kyle and I went to the Baylor bowl game and had a great date day.<br />
January 2 - I organized the pantry and revitalized my blog.<br />
January 3 - WP snuggle time!<br />
January 4 - We took down the Christmas decorations.<br />
January 5 - prepared for the semester<br />
January 6 - blogged<br />
January 7 - workout<br />
January 8 - Taught WP to say tea<br />
January 9 - contacted band directors for spring accompanying<br />
January 10 - rested<br />
January 11 - family time<br />
January 12 - took care of a sick WP<br />
January 13 - took care of a sick WP<br />
January 14 - still a sick WP<br />
January 15 - rested<br />
January 16 - rested<br />
January 17 - cleaned and organized my car<br />
January 18 - friend time<br />
January 19 - family time<br />
January 20 - practiced contest music<br />
January 21 - taught WP to eat with a fork<br />
January 22 - started a new student<br />
January 23 - mastered a hard accompaniment<br />
January 24 - friend time<br />
January 25 - began painting an old desk<br />
January 26 - celebrated Kyle's Nana's 87th birthday<br />
January 27 - contest rehearsals<br />
January 28 - went to sleep early!<br />
January 29 - contest rehearsal<br />
January 30 - celebrated Kyle's birthday<br />
January 31 - played a major contest, made WP a pillow<br />
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Some of these may seem not that important, but they were all things that were part of things I find important. Some days, resting was the best thing I could do for myself. Some days, I felt like I was rocking the world, some days, I felt like I was drowning. There's a lot going through my head about what I want my life to look like, but I think that will come with time. <br />
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How did your one little word go in January?<br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-22141563128966001122015-01-10T11:40:00.000-08:002015-01-10T11:40:42.911-08:00Wannabe Pioneer Woman: Beef StewI got a new cookbook for Christmas! I had so much fun cooking with the cookbook I got last year, that Kyle got me another one of Ree's fabulous cookbooks.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061997188/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Food From My Frontier</a> has some delicious looking recipes, and I jumped into cooking right away! Ree's beef stew smelled so good that I didn't even get any pictures of it.<br />
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A tip - START THIS ONE EARLY. I am terrible at reading directions, and I failed to realize that the meat needed to cook for 2 hours.<br />
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Yeah.<br />
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I ended up going to Schlotzsky's to pick up dinner and we had this for lunch the next day. It was worth the wait! I also didn't have any beef broth, so I used chicken broth instead, but it turned out fine.<br />
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The recipe calls for a beer, so I grabbed an <a href="http://austinbeerworks.com/" target="_blank">Austin Beerworks</a> Pearl Snap. <br />
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Did you see the news about the 99 pack of beer back in the fall? One of those guys was my husband's college roommate, so we are lucky enough to have a steady stream of beer!</div>
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You know you're jealous.</div>
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But enough about the beer. Make this stew! Start early! The Pioneer Woman has it posted on her website <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/01/beef-stew-with-beer-and-paprika/" target="_blank">here</a>. (Her pictures and instructions are amazing.)</div>
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-69965101505577389222015-01-06T18:46:00.001-08:002015-01-06T18:48:51.557-08:00Worthwhile***Did you notice my awesome new layout?? BIG thanks to <a href="http://www.my-ramblings.com/" target="_blank">Crystal</a> at My Ramblings!***<br />
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I had hoped to sit down and write this post full of energy and excited about 2015. After being up at 4:20 this morning with my psycho toddler, I realized that just isn't going to happen. I'm going to write this post tired and exhausted, because it needs to happen, but more about that in a minute.<br />
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Usually my new goals are lofty and wordy and I have no chance of remembering it. This year, I decided to keep it to one word - one word to focus on through the year. Turns out, there's a whole "one little word" thing that you can read about <a href="https://aliedwards.com/projects/one-little-word" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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My word?<br />
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I am really bad at procrastinating, especially on important things that would lead to bigger things. Another year comes around, and I am nowhere near where I wanted to be, and I'm tired of it. I think "Meh, I don't feel like doing blah blah today, I'll wait until tomorrow" and tomorrow never comes. Every day I want to do something that is worthwhile towards my future. That doesn't mean that every single moment of every day has to be purposeful, and rest is definitely worthwhile!<br />
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To keep myself accountable, I'm keeping a note on my phone of one thing I do each day that's worthwhile. I'll be sharing with you each month what those things are to keep myself accountable as well. Blogging is one thing I want to do more of this year, which is why I'm writing this post TODAY, when I'm grumpy and exhausted.<br />
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What's your one word for 2015?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-8610302530022569642015-01-02T10:49:00.000-08:002015-01-02T10:49:00.936-08:00See ya later, 2014!As seems to be our norm, we had some big changes in 2014. I don't think I've ever sat down at the end of the year and thought, "Well, nothing changed this year." It seems the only thing that remains constant is change itself.<br />
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So what changed with the Gibsons this year?<br />
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We bought a new house and moved to a new town...<br />
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We moved to Roanoke, TX this year and bought a beautiful house that we love. It not only had a great office space for me, a dining room that could double as a waiting space for my students and parents, but the house was practically new, and the finishes were all what we would've picked. <br />
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William turned ONE...<br />
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Our sweet baby boy turned one in August. I'm in disbelief that I have a tiny person running around the house instead of a little infant. It happened overnight, I'm positive. He's such a silly little boy and full of joy, and we celebrated with an awesome robot birthday party. <br />
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I changed school districts.<br />
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I loved my old school district, and loved the people there, but it was time for something a little closer to home. Switching has let me work and be a mom when I need to, and help to support the district that we live in. I love the new schools I'm working with, and the new teachers as well. It's a great fit for me!<br />
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We had a pretty good year over all, and I'm excited to see what 2015 has in store. My resolutions are ready as well, and I'll post about those soon.<br />
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What was your favorite part of 2014?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-3100066273441250752014-08-13T10:34:00.001-07:002014-08-13T10:34:33.823-07:00So...we moved.Every day I think, "I'm going to sit down and blog" and every day Kyle comes up with something he thinks I need to do on the house, and then pinterest thinks I need to sit down and do stuff. Oops.<br />
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It's about time to blog about our new house!<br />
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We moved a whole 7 miles from our other house, so while it wasn't a big move, there are definitely some differences! Where Trophy Club was more of an affluent (and we weren't) and golf course community , Roanoke is more laid back and country. Some differences:<br />
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Trophy Club: A major highway was behind our house. We heard the highway All. The. Time.<br />
Roanoke: I walk two houses down to the end of the street and see cattle and goats. It's so quiet right now, I can hear my Dr. Pepper fizzing.<br />
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Trophy Club: I got to my house by passing the golf course on a lovely tree-lined boulevard.<br />
Roanoke: I get to my house on a bumpy tree-lined country road (and I LOVE it!)<br />
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Trophy Club: 4 restaurants<br />
Roanoke: The unique <a href="http://roanoketexas.com/DocumentCenter/View/8" target="_blank">dining</a> capital of Texas!<br />
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Trophy Club: From my house, I see more houses.<br />
Roanoke: From my house, I see Texas Motor Speedway!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo from <a href="http://www.redbullairrace.com/en_US/event/fort-worth" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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Our house is only 2 years old, so it has some great efficiency features, and we've had a lot of fun making it ours. William and Bryson have adjusted quite well to their new surroundings as well. <br />
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More to come!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-82493388162360870892014-07-04T18:27:00.004-07:002014-07-04T18:27:39.164-07:004th of July DecorEven though everything isn't unpacked yet, I was itching to get some seasonal decor up!! Having to skip Easter decorations nearly killed my inner Martha Stewart. I didn't get as much up as I wanted to, but I'm pleased at the start! <br />
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We already have blue chairs in the dining room, so I made a runner of red chevron duck cloth, and added red candles and star picks to my sugar mold.<br />
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I am in LOVE with our new mantle at this house, and I've been playing with the decor on it since we moved in. It needed a few things just for the 4th!<br />
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Seriously...this wood! I love it!<br />
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This was a printable I found on <a href="http://www.landeeseelandeedo.com/2014/06/fourth-july-printable-america-beautiful.html" target="_blank">here, </a>The frame I already had, it just needed a new home.<br />
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Last but not least, a pop of yellow flowers in a mason jar! <br />
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What's your favorite 4th of July decor?<br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-7647500403631895332014-06-24T10:48:00.004-07:002014-06-24T10:48:58.265-07:00Nailed it.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had grand visions of summer. This is my first summer as a part time stay at home mom, and I'm assuming my other teacher friends are like this, too. You can't just stay at home during the summer. There have to be activities. Activities and field trips and things that build your child's brain or you are a crappy mother and teacher the end. (Totally not true, but I know you feel me.)<br />
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That, coupled with my need for order and a schedule and more Type A nonsense, turned into today's major fail. You see, my friends make fun of me, because I'm the one that decorates for the seasons around the house, even with a newborn. I make homemade cookies instead of picking some up. My child's bedding is handmade. None of these things are in an attempt to be better than anyone else or to prove anything, it's just the way I like to do things. <br />
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It started with this<a href="http://dreambookdesign.com/2013/07/diy-4th-of-july-flag-shirt/#_a5y_p=1604233" target="_blank"> pin</a>: <br />
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This woman did this with her baby!! I can do this!!! Summer! 4th of July! <br />
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Got my paints...<br />
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Gathered up a tiny tshirt, a paper plate, and wipes. I'm ready to go.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">NAILED IT.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Getting paint on his hand was easy. The thing is, when babies get things in their little hands, they scrunch them together, and don't open them up. Then they do open them up, and they touch everything. That doesn't even look like a handprint.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Then the tiny painted hand went everywhere else, too. (Note the blue splotch on the bottom.) As I'm trying to get wipes to that paint, he was smearing it on me, his arm, and his head. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">HIS HEAD.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Next, I tried painting the stripes, and because of the paint brush I picked, it came out looking like a gay marriage equality shirt with a big blue splotch. I added a few more lines to try and fix that, and attempted to get some of the blue paint of the bottom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">My first thought was, "This is going straight in the trash," but I decided this was a good reminder for myself that not everything has to be perfectly put together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So here you go - my imperfect hair, my messy kitchen, and my child with blue paint on his head.</span></div>
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He still may not wear it outside the house...</div>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-41759135104064285302014-06-22T19:29:00.001-07:002014-06-22T19:29:02.850-07:00Summer Adventures: VBSWe had a blast with Vacation Bible School! This year's theme was "Weird Animals: Where Jesus Love is One of a Kind." I loved it. It was all about God making us all different, and embracing those differences. <br />
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This is the first year I've gotten to volunteer at VBS as a regular ol' person in the congregation, not as a music staff member, and it was a lot of fun! I volunteered for the craft area, which ended up being more "science experiments" than crafts, but thankfully, I had an engineer helper in my room who was fantastic. <br />
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Every night before VBS geared up, the church served dinner for the families working and attending. I got to eat great all week without cooking! The kitchen crew went above and beyond, not only cooking wonderful meals, but putting in place a "Mom crew" to help those of us that were single parenting that night or had more kids than hands, etc. What a blessing that was! <br />
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Even though WP was a little too young for actual VBS, the nursery was also in full swing, so he got to go with me every night and play with his church friends. Since he is home with me in the summer and not at daycare, I really loved that he got some social interaction. Every night he went into opening assembly with me where we got to sing and dance (I sang, he danced) as well. <br />
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Our VBS is over (thank goodness!), but there are still many going on this summer. Take your kids! Volunteer! You'll get to know the people in your church much better, and even if the kids are too young to know what's going on, they associate church with fun and getting loved on, and that's a good start. <br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-71401306300148122522014-06-05T18:44:00.001-07:002014-06-05T18:44:28.229-07:00IT'S SUMMER!!!!Oh my goodness, so much has happened in the last couple of months! We packed, we moved, finished up another school year, went through the busiest time of my job, all with a baby. We're still settling in, but now that I'm out of school, I can get back to the important things, like blogging!<br />
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Here's what you can look forward to this summer on my blog:<br />
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- the return of Wannabe Pioneer Woman! I have a sweet new kitchen that I am ready to cook in!<br />
- our new house tour! As I get things put together, I'll show it off on here.<br />
- our staycation<br />
- WP's first birthday coming in August *sob*<br />
- our many fun summer projects!<br />
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I'm so excited about this summer. Last summer, I was super pregnant and spent most of the summer being huge and going to bed at 8pm. I have a lot to make up for!<br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-2454794907816690282014-03-14T18:15:00.000-07:002014-03-14T18:15:00.713-07:00House HuntingUmm, yeah. I haven't blogged in a month. I haven't forgotten about all of you, I just get REALLY busy in February. Pile on the normal busyness with house hunting, and I was barely making it. Spring break is FINALLY here, though, so I have time for cooking, packing, and blogging!<br />
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I wrote that paragraph on Sunday night. To follow came Kyle getting strep, WP having croup, a double ear infection, and cutting his first tooth, Bryson cutting his foot, and me getting a cold. Seriously. <br />
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So our house hunting adventure...<br />
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To follow our time window of needing to move Easter weekend, we needed to close early to mid-April, meaning we need to have an accepted offer mid-March, and the first time I had to actually go looking was March 2nd. Two weeks to pick something and get an offer accepted. <br />
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I didn't need two weeks.<br />
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In the days of the internet, I feel like you should already have a good idea of what's out there. We had it narrowed down to about 6-7 houses, set the date and time with my bestie realtor Stef, and were set to go! Sunday morning an ice storm hit. Sleet, snow, you name it, it was falling. I seriously had this.one.day. to go house hunting, and Stef was incredible and met us anyway! <br />
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We slipped and slid our way to a new construction home office, which of course the home we came to look at conveniently "sold yesterday," so we conveniently walked back out the door. <br />
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We were greeted with big dog barks at the second home we went to, but surely the owner put her dog up. Nope. A large German shepherd dog met us at the door, and was not too thrilled that we were there. For some reason, I decided to be the dog whisperer (idiot), and went in to try and calm the dog, while Kyle and Steffi stood on the porch. He barked at me non-stop, and somehow I got this giant mad dog that could have killed me into the study and closed the doors. If that wasn't enough, the owner met us in the hall in her pjs, obviously as surprised to see us as the dog. She swears she never got a call, but I swear she'd been smoking something.<br />
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We rang the doorbell at the next home, hoping not to get a repeat of the former home. We got a repeat, though...of the door bell. It didn't stop. It kept going. And going. And going. It was so loud, we couldn't hear ourselves talk. Kyle finally got that one shut off. Then there was the back bedroom full of dolls. Creepy, staring at you dolls. I'm out.<br />
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The next couple of homes were blah, and as the snow kept falling, we decided to go to one more - our favorite online home. It was beautiful. It didn't disappoint, either! We loved it from the minute we walked in. A gorgeous study, right at the front, tile floors that look like wood (cool, right?) deep dark stained cabinets, a fireplace mantle that is beyond gorgeous. All of the nice features they could pick for this home, they did. <br />
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We put in an offer the next day (which is a story all in its own), and two days later we had an executed contract. I promised Kyle I wouldn't post pics until we close, but trust me, it's gorgeous! Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-65950807622067111592014-02-05T18:29:00.001-08:002014-02-05T18:29:31.383-08:00Narrow Creek Memories - Finding the HouseIt's crazy to me that when we move out of here, we will have lived here for 3 1/2 years. We lived in our Grapevine house for 4 1/2, so almost half of our marriage was in this house. This was our start over house. We both switched jobs here, got out of debt from our "old life" here, brought our first baby home to this house; so many good memories. There are some memories I will be happy to leave here as well, but I'll do just that. Leave them here. <br />
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Over our last couple of months in this house, as we pack our belongings to move to our next adventure, I want to remind myself and share with you those fun, wonderful memories that happened on Narrow Creek Court.<br />
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Selling our last house was no easy feat. We had 60 showings before we got our offer. That's right. SIXTY. If Kyle hadn't been unemployed for that and been able to clean up and scoop the dogs out of the way at the last minute 60 times, I might have just burned the place to the ground to be done with it. <br />
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Once it did sell, however, things moved quickly. The closing got bumped up, as our buyers were going to be out of the country for a bit and were on a timeline with their own house, so we had to be quick. We looked and looked for a place in Grapevine, but on our new, lower budget, the only things available would require us to start a business on the side, and I was never that good at science.<br />
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I will always remember 10 days before moving day - I called to schedule the movers and said, "Here's the date we need you. I don't have an address yet. I can't tell you where we're going." I felt like Moses and the Isrealites, carrying my belongings through Grapevine in search of the promised land. <br />
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One week before moving day, we happened to see a house in Trophy Club that looked like it would work. It was nice, and a little further west than we wanted to be, but our options were slim. Our dear friend (and realtor), Steffi took us to see it, and not only would this work, but it was the perfect layout for us. <br />
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We immediately put in an application, and found that another couple had also put in an application that day as well. Y'all, Kyle didn't have a job, but our credit score was better that the other couple, and we amazingly got the news that night that we had a house. <br />
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We got the keys and signed the papers two days before our set move in day, finished packing, and moved ourselves and our two dogs two towns over.<br />
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More to come...Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-4488018146430834812014-02-02T09:20:00.000-08:002014-02-02T09:20:20.483-08:00Your parents are musical? Here's your life.I read this hilarious <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/nstemet/30-things-only-people-who-grew-up-in-musical-famil-jo40" target="_blank">Buzzfeed</a> article about kids that grew up in musical families, and I sat cackling on the couch to myself, because this IS my husband's family. My family wasn't overly musical, but my mom and grandma and I would sit down at the piano and sing hymns in three part harmony (Mema's a tenor. It was handy.). Since WP will grow up in a very musical household, I decided to put together my own list. <br />
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<b>Your parents are musical? Here's your life: </b><br />
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1. You ALWAYS go to church on Christmas Eve. Not because you should, but because Mom is playing the organ. Or the piano. Or singing. Or all three.<br />
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2. You get to see your grandparents and godparents at least once a week because Mom and Dad have rehearsal.<br />
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3. You've already sat through more piano lessons than most children ever by age 1. <br />
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<i>This was actually during a piano lesson. He was two feet from the piano.</i> </div>
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4. Doesn't everyone have a grand piano, a clarinet, a guitar, and at least 7 saxophones at their disposal?<br />
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5. You change churches because the music director changes, not the pastor. (Oh, and that might have also been your mom.) <br />
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6. The national anthem at sporting events is quickly followed by a family critique session.<br />
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7. You get to football games early so you can hear the band pre-game show. (Texas, our Texas! Texas, Texas, Texas...)<br />
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<img alt="Texas 09" src="http://www.baylor.edu/content/imglib/1/1/0/9/110967.jpg" style="height: 368px; width: 555px;" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.baylor.edu/gwb/index.php?id=42873" target="_blank"><i>photo credit</i></a></div>
<br /> 8. You eat dinner at 4:30 like senior citizens so that everyone can get to rehearsal.<br />
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9. Family holidays usually involve at least one composer or conductor in attendance.<br />
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10. You will never ever ever live down that you made your mother puke in the middle of a concert when she was pregnant with you, and she swallowed it and kept on singing. <br />
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Yup, that happened.
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On one of our recent freezing spells, I put a bag of beans and ham hocks in the crockpot before I left for work, and whipped up Ree's cornbread to go with it. </div>
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The cornbread is so colorful! It's basically a normal cornbread recipe with a bunch of peppers. </div>
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Look how pretty! These can be cut ahead of time, too, to save you valuable time trying to get dinner on the table. </div>
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Her cornbread could be made in the skillet or oven. I chose to do the peppers in the skillet, and put everything in the oven. </div>
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It came out looking beautiful! </div>
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It was fairly tasty, too. I prefer a sweeter cornbread, so this wasn't my favorite, but it went well with the beans. </div>
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Now if that isn't a good Southern meal, I don't know what is! </div>
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-75523327113289421492014-01-20T08:48:00.000-08:002014-01-20T08:49:14.331-08:00I love it when a decision is made for me.There is absolutely no sarcasm in that post title. In most cases, I like to be involved in decisions involving me, but this time, I'm so glad this decision was made for me.<br />
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We're moving in April.<br />
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For those of you who haven't known me all that long, let me give you some back story. We worked alongside Kyle's parents in a prosperous family business when we first got married in 2006. In 2008, we became some of the early victims of the credit crunch and on the front end of the recession. In April of 2008, Kyle had to lay off me, then lay off himself. We were left in a very nice, expensive home with no income. After many more layoffs (recession), fast forward to 2010. We finally had had enough of trying to recover, and chose to sell our dream home.<br />
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We sold our home, paid off ALL of the debt we had from being scantily employed over 2 years, started completely over, and rented a house in Trophy Club. (That story is an interesting one all in itself, but I'll get to that another day.)<br />
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Over the last three years, we have built a new life here - we've gotten to know our neighbors, became a part of the community, and brought our first child home to this house. We love it. We also built ourselves back up financially, got back on our feet, and are now ready to buy a home again and get settled.<br />
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After speaking with our landlord yesterday, he is not ready to sell this house, so with that, we gave our notice that we will not be renewing our lease. This decision has been weighing on us for some time: if he wants to sell, do we buy? What if it's too expensive? What if he doesn't want to sell?<br />
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The decision was made for me, and I'm grateful. Our plan is to stay in Trophy Club or Roanoke, as I want to stay as close to my students as I can. Please pray for us as we house search, as we apply for a mortgage with one totally self-employed person, and for our sanity, as moves can be stressful all in their own.<br />
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I'll have another goodbye to this house post at a later date, because I'm sentimental like that, and I'll tell you all about my OCD ways of packing that have only just begun. :) Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-74486878428540292242014-01-18T09:45:00.003-08:002014-01-18T09:47:17.301-08:00Sewing Corner"Sewing Corner" sounds like it should be the name of a show on PBS, but no, it's part of my house.<br />
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Kyle got tired of my sewing machine being in the living room, and I got
tired of having to drag it out every time I wanted to do something. It
needed its own space, and I needed to be able to sit down and sew when I
had time.<br />
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We haven't talked about this a lot, but we haven't really made it public either. Our lease is up in April, and our landlord may or may not want to sell this house. We are ready to buy, so we may very well be moving in a couple of months. <br />
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So basically I needed a permanent space in a place that may not be permanent, and not to spend any money on something that may not fit in a new house. I made some space in our guest room and went to work finding something around the house I could make work to put my sewing machine on. I'd been using an antique table that belonged to my Nanny we had in the living room , and that seemed like the perfect thing to move use.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQcGv-ye_ostMI4qjNNYlvt1CyD7uVEnRRsqtZmtQyCy2PlxmQy-UxepQ79l5fTluYT6TdNyjnxSQK11vPVEhPVjhrUSAAqW4TsQCRfvadulPeqGWAuM6SwbnA2MjzqEIPK7_cSZ8VPs5/s1600/sewing+corner+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQcGv-ye_ostMI4qjNNYlvt1CyD7uVEnRRsqtZmtQyCy2PlxmQy-UxepQ79l5fTluYT6TdNyjnxSQK11vPVEhPVjhrUSAAqW4TsQCRfvadulPeqGWAuM6SwbnA2MjzqEIPK7_cSZ8VPs5/s1600/sewing+corner+2.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
This table was the perfect size! I added a lamp we had sitting around not using, and boom. Sewing Table. (And yes, that's a Dr Pepper back there. Everyone needs Dr Pepper when they sew! Or wine. Wine works, too.)<br />
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My mom gave me a thread rack for Christmas, so I put that on the desk nearby, since we're not putting anything else on the walls right now.<br />
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The antique sewing machine here belonged to my great-grandmother.<br />
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Now where to store all my fabric? The women in our family have a slight fabric addiction. When we cleaned out my Nanny's house, we cleaned out an entire room of fabric. My grandmother once had an old fridge in her dining room with all of her fabric in it. My mother turned one of her rooms into a sewing room, with her multiple machines and the closet solely for fabric.<br />
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We have a problem.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQkjbjFAzkPqgY1oh1CamSSi3dT8b0EtBFxYA_UyJqnAwXD2Dx2KYhPPC447gjAJOOdeThfY6MF9DjAddB5hHcSBliHrEySTG5r2mk2NNzvPnyZaKqY7JG9uLcvF0vzKXWbY1z83TqmEz/s1600/sewing+corner+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQkjbjFAzkPqgY1oh1CamSSi3dT8b0EtBFxYA_UyJqnAwXD2Dx2KYhPPC447gjAJOOdeThfY6MF9DjAddB5hHcSBliHrEySTG5r2mk2NNzvPnyZaKqY7JG9uLcvF0vzKXWbY1z83TqmEz/s1600/sewing+corner+4.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
This dresser was mine as a girl, and my mom's before that, and already in our guest room! It's now filled with my craft supplies and fabric, and out of the way!<br />
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So there you go! My absolutely free sewing corner that can move to anywhere we go!<br />
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What creative ways have you come up with to make room for your craftiness?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558255870868964364.post-54839411922802861592014-01-15T17:43:00.002-08:002014-01-15T17:43:12.275-08:00Teachanista: Emerald Jacquard PantsI bought new pants this weekend. Three things have made them my new favorite pants:<br />
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1. They're green. <br />
2. They are ankle pants, which means they aren't too long for me.<br />
3. I bought them on clearance! $9.99 people (they're $19.99 online, in store was cheaper!)<br />
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Navy Blue Tee: Target</div>
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Green Awesome Pants: Old Navy (<a href="http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=96984&vid=1&pid=938683032" target="_blank">here</a>)</div>
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Gold Necklace: I've had this one forever, you can find something long and gold anywhere.</div>
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Shoes: DSW, my go to sparkle shoes</div>
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You can't see the full jacquard print on these babies, but click on the link to see an up close view. </div>
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Oh, I love these pants! </div>
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11535277456771117410noreply@blogger.com0