Got a Little Recipe for Ya, Ags!

(If you don't know that line, then you don't authentically bleed maroon. I'm sorry.)

My Farmboy Hash

This picture doesn't do this dish justice because it was taken "pre-45 minute simmer". So it just looks fresh and crispy right now. But ohhhh about 45 minutes of simmering-beauty later, you've got a simple dinner to warm any good'ole cornfed boy's belly. Simple and easy.

Instructions: Get a BIG skillet (12 inches at least) and put in the following:

one small bag of baby carrots, the fat ones

4-5 small potatoes, unpeeled (yea!), chopped into 1 inch chunks

1 yellow onion, chopped into 1 inch chunks

1 lb. sausage (I use Eckridge because it's extra fatty & juicy)

1 head of cabbage, chopped, piled high on top of everything

salt/pepper to taste

THAT'S IT! Let that baby simmer on med/low for at least 45 minutes or until everything is smushy and cooked down. It tastes great with sweet cornbread mixed in with it when served.

I hope you are having a great Fall!

Oh No He Didn't.....

Oh the Things to Come!

I believe he did. A little boy asked my daughter for a date. Well, not really a date per say, but it did have the whole 'arm-hooking/walking side by side' thing going on.

In kindergarten, that's a date.

But a little boy did ask Grace to "escort" him during his peewee football homecoming ceremony. She'd known him since they were babies, so after much disapproving at first, I allowed this "escort-ship" to happen. Grace was excited, thinking she was "homemade queen" - her words. In fact, as we drove up and she saw the crowds in the stand, she said....."That's not enough people to watch me!". She isn't big on attention, can't you tell?

She did look pretty though. Pretty as a "homemade queen".

These past two months have been super busy for the Ferrell family. So much so, that I owe several people apologies for not getting done what I said I was going to get done, and I owe a special friend....you know who you are....an apology for the likes of this one down below who purposely showed her ROTTEN side at a post-church lunch the other day. Keri, I hope your floors and Bri's room are okay - we left in a such a hurry because of ......

THIS ONE.

This is ALL I see of her these days...she's comin' and a goin' everywhichway!

Nine Months Old Tomorrow. Where did the time go?

The Good Stuff

So tonight....we just popped a frozen pizza in the oven (I made a salad to boot, so I did try to make it somewhat healthy), we're settling down into the night, enjoying the end of our 3-day weekend, we've visited family, gone to nieces' volleyball game.....all is good.

"I love you," says the hubs, as he leans in to kiss me on the cheek.
"Love y......"
Toot!.....goes the baby on the floor.
We laugh at the moment. And I, secretly, try to memorex those few seconds....a kiss spoiled by a 8 month old's innocent toot.....knowing that THAT stuff is the good stuff.

That little girl, above, messy.....nasty......drooly......trying to stuff fistfulls of those little airpuff thingys into her tiny mouth. She's the good stuff. And I can't forget big sister, who never fails to impress my with her sister skills. She's the good stuff. And how life is getting a little messy right now for us....living in tight quarters (love the shack, babe, but it's tight!)....trying to figure out what's the "next move" for the Ferrell clan (to build, to buy, to wait.....oh my!)......

It's all good. I love it.

Hello?? Is anyone out there?

It's been so long since I've blogged, I thought I'd at least ask. :)

Remind you, school has started....hence the no bloggy. Then Grace, playing a Barbie computer game, innocently clicked "yes" to a mad virus attack on our home computer. No bueno. My laptop is at the school, and requires way to much arm space to carry home each night.......so no blog unless the daddy brings his laptop home. Which was tonight. : ) He loves me hogging it.

I must, must start off by sharing a few pics of my 8 month old. Yes, 8 months! My sweet Sophers. We just love her. Every afternoon, Grace and I race to her "school" to rescue her and then resign to sit on my bed for the next 45 minutes and just hug, love, and laugh at her. She eats it up. She crawls now.....pretty fast, too. She doesn't babble much, but when she does, it's usually after I've just put a large amount of food in her mouth. She's a bit stubborn (like her momma), but we think we'll keep her. She's just so darn cute!

8 months!

Grace loves kindergarten. Someone told me that she'd just be "exhausted" after a day at school, but nope. Not mine. She's running on 100% before, I'm sure during, AND after school. No down time for me! Just the other weekend, I spent......oh maybe 10 minutes? with her sitting down, showing her the "one bunny ear" method to tying shoes. I was for sure this session wouldn't amount to much, but low and behold, not two days later was she tying her own shoes - in record time, no doubt. I was amazed. I'm a teacher......I should know better than to put limits on one's abilities!

Here's a few pics from her first "parade". The primary school's "Patriot Day" parade....she barely even looked at us when she walked by!

"Can you spot Grace?"

And finally, we've had our first cold snap here in East Texas. I, of course, dressed Grace in shorts that day. Fitting. : ) When I got home after work, I quickly put on my flannel pajamas and thought of the nice Fall weather to come. I heart FALL! It makes me want to cook.....stews, soups, cornbread. The good stuff.

Seeing how I have exactly 30 minutes (Sophie's late day naptime) to make dinner each night for my starving "lunchtime at 11am" daughter and starving "I'm playing quarterback with kids twice my size" hubs, I have to plan ahead or cook something quick. This soup recipe is a favorite, borrowed from my college roomate, Holly, and it makes you feel like you cooked. : ) It's on rotation at our house quite a bit in the Fall and Winter.

1 large can cooked chicken, drained
1 can cream corn
1 can Campbell's soup tomato juice
1 can veg all
1 can chicken broth
onion powder, salt, pepper
simmer on medium/low for 20-30 minutes
mix w/a side of sweet cornbread

I hope I blog again soon......Happy Fall Ya'll!

Perspective.

Make that PERSPECTIVE. All caps. And this week, I got some.

A few weeks ago, I heard of an old friend from my hometown being diagnosed with cancer. He's a year younger than me......I'll go ahead and admit that I haven't talked to him in ages, but he was (ahem!) my first "boyfriend" I think I remember having......many, many moons ago. I was shocked when I heard the news. It's too early for that. Too early for news like that.

However, thanks to Caringbridge.net, he has started journaling his experience at MD Anderson (where my mom took her treatment), and wow....if his first few journal entries didn't give me a whole new lease on my own life, then I think I might have my own disease to worry about - coldheartedness!

He journaled about having the "Why Me, God?" thoughts at first. But then, quickly realized that "he has a wonderful wife who will be there with him everyday, a healthy body to fight off this disease, and great family & friends to help him through it....so why NOT him?"

I could barely read it. I've always told Boog that if the dreaded C ever came my way, then to go ahead and make plans to re-marry because I just am not a fighter. But this......this attitude of what even sounds a bit thankful, or grateful, for the opportunity to show what God can do in a situation that sucks (for lack of a better word!) .......it floored me. Of course, the shame came over me because for so many reasons, I feel I would be having the "Why me's?" in that situation. At least I think I would.

However, I look forward to reading his & his wife's posts each day because, not only am I ready & hopeful to seeing his recovery journaled, but I feel my spirit of thankfulness for my own blessings grow ten-fold each time.

Gosh......God ALREADY has gotten the glory. Cancer, you lost that one.

This is Rare.

I have nothing to say. Nothing to blog. No photos to upload. No memory to recap. My life lately has been a total regimen of something like this:

work, sick baby, thinking about working out, not working out, work, sick baby, thinking about going shopping, not going shopping, work, sick baby, hoping to go to church, not getting to go to church, work, sick baby, travel, travel, see my sis, have everyone think I'm her (again!), have some laughs, travel home, date night w/ hubs (which is laughable....after dinner we went to Tar-Jay.....how romantic!) rest tonight, hopefully.

But then again, I have a sick baby who likes to get up at 4am and play.

I'll post more when I actually have something to post.

One funny before I leave. Last night, as I was falling asleep, I was staring at my cutie-patootie husband and noticed a skin-thing on his eyelid that I've never noticed before. When I mentioned this to him, his response?
" Don't look at the fine print now....you've already signed for me."

haha..... laughter solves everything.

The Longest Week Ever!

I didn't know what else to title this post, except for what I really am feeling - this has been the longest week ever. I started back to work, but honestly? Once you get back into the routine of working, it almost feels like you never left. (Darn those summers off for making you believe you have left...if just for a moment.)

I know why. It's because I've never had to be this "on top of it". I've got a baby that I need to make sure has enough formula, food, diapers, extra change of clothes, and wipes everyday for her "school". I've got a kindergartner that I need to make sure has clothes picked out a night, lunch packed by morning, backpack ready WITH her red homework folder in it, shoes on, teeth brushed....all of that ready to leave the house by 7:20 am. I teach all day. Come home....play with the girls. Try to have somewhat of a dinner cooked for the family.....bath, bed....do it all over again the next day.

: ) I'm smiling though. (I really am!) Because everyday this week, I've had probably THE cutest kindergartner ever come bouncing over to me (she gets to walk over from her school to mine at the end of each day) with huge smiles and it reminds me just how precious she is. And everytime I read one of Kelly's Korner's "Please Pray" posts, I almost ball at each heart breaking story of sick children, tragic accidents, you name it. Immediately, I go into my sleeping girls' bedroom and lay my hand on each one, thank God for their health and just for the opportunity to get to do all those crazy, hairy, tiny-detailed things.........

Also, God has given me one thing this week that eases my mind a bit. He has blessed me with a great class this year.....truly great. The kids are darling. I've never had such an innocent group of 9 year olds. They hang onto my every word, and even if they are pretending, they pretend well. So this teaching year should be a good one.

Grace's first day of Kindergarten

Sophie Hearts Bathtime!