Sweatin' with Love

Over the past few weeks my sweet hubby has been, I believe, trying to mentally preparing me for his next home "project". It usually starts with this quote, "Honey, I've got it! I know exactly what we need to do."

My response usually includes a look that attempts to read what is on his mind of creativity, and then I promptly ask, "What do you want to do?" with a hint of sarcasm in my voice. However, this time I was very eager to see him accomplish this project.

Home "Enjoyment" Project. (I like to refer to them as enjoyment projects because that is exactly what they are once they are completed...something for us to enjoy in or in this case outside our home.) Since I relate so much to cooking instructions I will be describing this project through recipe terminology.

Recipe Title: Outdoor Fire Pit and Garden Extension

Ingredients:
2 Shovels - 1 flat, 1 curved
1 borrowed Super Duty Pick-Up truck (now my hubby wants one and have to say this want-to-be country girl is slowly falling in love with one too!)
1 borrowed wheel barrow
3 pairs work gloves
1 truck load of river rock
64 landscaping rocks
1 fire pit bowl (on clearance! YEAH!)
100 black trash bags for bagging all that sod that our builder so nicely laid a year ago
4 bottles of Advil (Gonna need it for all those out of shape muscles we forgot about)
1 heating pad
1 excited Princess (aka Samantha Grace) asking if it's time for S'Mores yet every 15 minutes

Preparation:
I have to say that I was quite shocked at how eagerly my hubby attacked this project knowing that the first step, digging up all the sod, was going to be the hardest and most tasking step of the entire project. Despite many suggestions from outsiders to get hired help, we (and yes I do mean we) completely dug up, shook off excess dirt (or shall I say red clay since we do live in the south), bagged and loaded in the pick-up an entire truck load of dug-up sod. This Momma says with lots of proclamation in her voice, "I'm done! Next time we will either get a tiller or help." I think hubby will agree too!
After the sod was dug, Daddy and excited little Princess, went to our favorite rock landscaping establishment to get landscaping rocks and a truck load of river rock. SamantThisha Grace thought this was just the cat's meow! Especially since when she got home, she proudly presented me with a blow-pop that the owner of the store had given her. Gosh! I think she will now want to go there everyday. Anyhow...
At this point in the project, this is where Mommy graciously took the Princess and Prince Charming away from under Daddy's feet so he could attack his project with vengeance. That he did. Upon us returning 5 hours later, this is what we found...

 This amazing pit was accompanied with one very sore Daddy!

I could not be prouder of my man! We are looking forward to breaking it in tonight and to many camp-outs in the backyard this summer. Now if we can just find someone that would sell us some cheap firewood...

Only in...

Yesterday, I got very brave and took both kiddos on multiple errands. I have to admit I was quite nervous. I knew that they would behave for the most part, but my Elijah-Bug is such a schedule baby that sometimes breaking that schedule doesn't work all too well. But he did AWESOME!

While at one of our errands, I had just gotten both kids situated (one in the stroller the other hanging on for dear life to the stroller because we were experiencing wind gusts up to 20 mph) when this random lady walked up to me and placed her hand on my shoulder like I was her long lost friend. She looks me in the eyes, as I am thinking...'Who are you and what are you about to do or say?' Then she tells me, "You are not going to believe this but I just went through the entire grocery store with my fly unzipped!" Then she proceeded to zip her fly right there in front of us. Samantha Grace's eyes were as big as saucers.

I was thought, 'Mercy!'

And we thought kids say the darnedest things. Then I thought, 'Only in the south would some random person come up to a complete stranger and admit that she walked through a public establishment with a wardrobe malfunction.'

Happy Friday!

Rolling the Dice

Tonight is one of the nights I look forward to each month...BUNCO! I know what you are thinking, Why is this Southern Baptist Minister's Wife gambling? Well, let me assure you that no bets are placed and we play in a form that is more like Yatzee. It's mainly set-up as a night where 12 women can get together to eat, laugh, roll some dice, try and keep score, and some walk away with some fabulous prizes!

My favorite part, besides the actual playing of the game since I am an extremely competitive person, is to see what each host comes up with for supper. Yes, this is the cooking dork in me. Could really care less about the actual game just the food. Well, this month is my month to host, which means I have to come up with the menu. I have to admit that I tossed around SEVERAL ideas. But finally resolved on these few recipes for tonight's delicacies. 

I have put links with each picture because I cannot claim originality for any of these and thank those wonderful cooks out there that came up with them. I think that is one of the beauties of cooking is the handing down of recipes. Some of my favorite recipes are recorded in my grandmother's handwriting. I promise I can still hear her voice while I cook those special recipes.

So, as I digress, tonight's menu is as follows:

Main Dish: Lots 'O Meat Lasgana 

I apologize for the above picture not being really good. I am borrowing pics from the linked sites.

Breadsticks in the bread machine: Easy Italian Breadsticks

Dessert: Milky Way Cake

Hopefully after enjoying our dinner we will be able to roll the dice with efficiency, laugh away our worries and just have a lot of fun together! Happy Bunco Night!