Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014

Man it has been busy and life throws curve balls at you all the time.  I'm super late on this post.  I've been working on this since Jan 25 (see the date difference?) and now it's Feb. 22!!  This is Chloe's new favorite recipe that she has on our kitchen menu once a week.  It will be on there as long as Jackie can hang.  He's not a repeat eater at all unless it involves Chicken Fried Steak, Chili Mac or Bacon.  You get the point.

We had a big ice storm on Feb. 4, we were without power just one night but Harmon and Jeanie were out from Tues to Sunday and Martin and Kara were out Tues through Friday.  School was out luckily on my day off Wed, I took Chloe and Whit with me to Memphis the day after the storm and when we got as far as Crawfordsville all the trees had no ice and no snow on the ground.  It was amazing.

We lost a bunch of trees and J.Harmon, Jeanie and Harmon helped get the yard back into shape except one tree that is still on top of the chicken yard.  I spent a few days Feb. 10 to be with mom in Oklahoma City, she had a big surgery then I went back the next week to give them another hand.  While all this was going on my 86, soon to be 87 year old grandfather on March 5, got cornered by a steer and bruised his leg.  We all know now that when you're on a blood thinner, a simple bruise can't be overlooked.  So it bled for 10 days until they figured it out.  He is still recovering.  Slowing him down is like asking me to slow down.  Glenn is why I am short tempered, very active, rarely sitting still and when I find it hard to find words, I get this from him.  I love hearing him tell a story with his pauses and gets disgusted for not getting his words out.  It's only going to get worse Jackie.  But he is also the sweetest, most genuine person.  What a great inspiration they both are.  He's married to a fantastic cook and mate.  They've been married now 67 years.  I talked to Melva this morning and she said they were sorting cattle so he drove down to the lot in her car so he could oversee it.  I told her to take a photo of her Cadillac in a pasture with 100 cattle and he sitting in it with the windows rolled down.  It will be priceless I'm sure.

This is my grandmother Melva Dickey's recipe that I have modified.  I have my modifications below.  I make a whole one of these, freezing half of it for later.

Melva's Chicken Casserole

1 pkg Uncle Ben's instant wild rice (plus 1 cup white rice cooked, otherwise it's too cheesy)
1 can each: cream of celery, mushroom and chicken soups
1 can Rotel
1/2 c green pepper (I omit this when I don't have it)
1 whole chicken, stewed and removed from bone (I use chicken breasts that I cook in the onion and celery)
6 slices Velveeta cheese (I use about 4 oz and use light)
1 onion chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
Chili powder (I use 2 T)

Cook chicken breast in onion and celery with some olive oil.  Cook both rices while chicken is cooking.  Heat soups together until bubbly. In a greased casserole dish (I use two 8X8 or close to it), layer rice, then chicken, cheese and sprinkle with chili powder.  Pour soups on top then top with rotel.  Bake 350 for 45 minutes.  (I cook at 375 covered for 35 minutes) I didn't get a good photo of it so sorry!!! :)

I have added some recent photos!

 I couldn't get a good photo of the dish but here's her recipe,
my modifications below.

Biscuit loved the snow!

Here's a photo Chloe took of us at the law office when our power
was out.  She's funny, she put that box in a wall that had an empty
slot in.

Jackie and Chloe went up to Spring Hill to sled down Hwy 42
Here's Aussie, the smartest but dumbest dog ever.  Chloe says
she is going to give Martin a coupon to have Cesar Millan
come to train him....He bites kids, herds bicycles and spends
a lot of time on the street.

Chloe action shot of being pulled up the hill

This is the Cutest Snowman and dog...that's Biscuit
on the leash!

I love this photo of Chloe

Dr. Calico wasn't into the snow

How Chloe got this photo I don't know.

My 2013 Lists, Birdeye

This is Eggs, Chloe's French chicken that she's had eating out
of her hands this winter break...Chloe's a great photographer

Essie Mae Christmas morning

We had the Shanks' and Smith's over right after Christmas
for after Christmas fun!

Grandad's tie that Chloe gave him for Christmas

Wynne Presbyterian's Tree during the Christmas Eve service

Birdeye Geese on our way to Birmingham Jan. 3

That's a lot of birds

The after bowl game dinner in Birmingham

Christmas at Harmon and Jeanie's

We hosted the BBC's After Christmas Party Jan. 18...drum roll
please...front row:  Johnny and Beverly Edwards, Beth Bradshaw,
Cecelia Killough, Lisa Blanton, and Mel Harvey (standing)
second row: Jody and Stephanie Hodges, Sarah Cook,
Robert Beaton, Ashley King (holding Sarah Alyce, youngest member of the BBC),
Lauren Dodson, Jerry Harvey.  Back row: Stan Bradshaw, Michael Hirons,
Joy Shepherd, Jackie behind, Kara and Martin Smith, Chuck Blanton,
Jon David King, Kyle Killough, Trent Beaton and Bryce Dodson.
Not pictured, me and Tammy Beaton

The church's candlelight service was neat

The parachuters at the bowl game

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

I like to reflect on the past year of things that Chloe's up to, things I'm reminded to be thankful for and things that crack me up.  Cheers to the list!

My 2013 funny and amazing things:

-Cat Sail video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awf45u6zrP0 hahahahahaha!  We’ve watched it about 2 million times…

-TuJague’s leg in my driveway (during her Christmas break around Dec. 29, 2012 she was outside playing in the yard and yells, “Mom, mom.  I think Tu Jague’s leg is out here”.  We put him to sleep in October 2012.  And it was, Gumball dug it up and brought it to the driveway.  I told you we have a love/hate relationship)

-Mike Ross’ Christmas Card (I don’t think he has a publicist)

-Chloe introducing me to the prank gift boxes at Wal-Mart, I laughed until I cried and had a crowd gathered around me as I wiped the tears away

-My BBC email accidentally got in the paper last May when we rescheduled our Bike To Work cookout due to the rain.  It invited all readers to come over with mac and cheese for the kids and celebrate Beth Huff’s birthday.  Hahahahahaha!

-Miley Cyrus’ twerking dance on the MTV Music Awards, what was she thinking?  What was that outfit?

-My insulin pump failure in the middle of the Katy Trail without my long acting insulin or syringes (What a dumb person I was by trying to pack light.  I had to check into an Emergency Room in Missouri to get syringes because the pharmacies were all closed on a Monday night…)

-Zipper’s death when we were at my step mom’s funeral. 

-Chloe and I fostered 18 cats and dogs with successful adoptions.  Spay and Neuter people.  It’s that simple.  Do it for your community and the health of your pet.

-During Chloe’s 7^th grade tea, I stepped on a piece of Biscuit’s poo and had to played like it was mud but it was stinky poo

-Whit can eat an entire Subway footlong in a single sitting.  Chloe claims he takes advantage of Grandad when Grandad picks up after school and Whit orders a hamburger with extra onion and extra pickle and a 24 pack of chicken McNuggets…or his own medium hand tossed Pizza Hut pepperoni pizza

-Kara’s Sonic Lunches (she eats leftovers in her car and orders a Sonic tea, lol)

-I backed into a pole at Sam’s last October and have a dent in my bumper that Jackie hasn't seen yet, thankfully
-Watching Chopped and Restaurant Impossible and Chloe's newest is Hotel Impossible...fun times!

-My good friend Joy found her birth mother and her birth father’s family.  It’s a priceless story that is still unfolding

-August rode his bike over to our house in June.  He had turned 3 in March

-Chloe started wearing contacts

-My family survived planning and directing our 4^th Kids Marathon and 3^rd Kids Triathlon

-Chloe learned how to swim freestyle 200 yards (and a shout out to Memaw who made sure she took swimming lessons over the summer)

-I bought 11 tickets on Stub Hub for Justin Timberlake’s the 20/20 Experience Tour at FedEx Forum and four of them were counter fit.  Stub Hub gave me credit back for them.

-I called the owner of our local paper about starting a column based on physical fitness, local races and bike rides and he was on board from the start.  The Active Life is what we call it in the weekly Wynne Progress.  Kara and I are very thankful for our family of writers who help with column ideas and the list continues to grow.  Thanks Laura Wood, Neall Jackson, Lisa Blanton, Kyle and Cecelia Killough.

-Jackie, at a Cross County Community Foundation Meeting (in front of everyone) said, “HEY, Keeli! We’re starting the meeting!” He grumbled because of the small talk in the crowd. Chloe and I continue to laugh out loud...hahahaha1

2013 things I'm thankful for:

-Food on the table. I love to cook and grow my own ingredients
-A roof over our heads when others don't
-A job I enjoy and am very thankful for
-Our health, here's to many more healthy years!
-Our neat church with our new pastor, Wynne Presbyterian Church is thriving and serving our community
-Family, we're so blessed and I'm thrilled Chloe will have lots of cousins to hang with as she grows
-The "how to do your hair in 50 different braids" from Santa.  It's been a God-send since Christmas Morning....:)
-Chloe's love of her animals and friends even though we have to push her to stay in touch with her friends.
-Piano for Chloe, she's beginning to love to practice.  I know, what?  She loves to practice
-A great school for Chloe that's challenging and safe
-Medicine and technology-I took it for granted on the Katy Trial this summer
-We survived another Turkey Trot 5K with Chloe and Jackie and I a few Half Marathons, 10K's and lots of bike rides plus that ole Big Dam Bridge 50 miler
-I almost died in my driveway in August while choking on a piece of pizza while walking and talking on the phone.  I was literally seconds from death.  I'm not kidding.  I am slowing down this year and cutting back on the multi-tasking...
-Laughter.  We must laugh at ourselves, it's energy building
-Forgiveness is a gift.  Let go of the grudge, it's only holding you down.  Forgive others as you want to be forgiven.
-If I've left out something...speak up! :)
Happy New Year!

I love this photo of Biscuit at Memaw and Grandad's pond
Love the action shot by Chloe

RIP Matchie...Memaw and Grandad lost him the weekend
we got the flash flood Friday, Dec. 20.  He never came home
during the 8 inches.  He was a great shelter dog.  We miss him!

Neon Pig Cafe and Grocery, Tupelo

Here's Chloe at the Rotary
fundraiser the other night

Here we are in the box...front row
is Drew McGraw, Crime, Carter McGraw,
 and Mary Meadows
Back row LJ McGraw, Chloe, me
Jackie and Bing

Here's a view of Legion Field

Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014

Happy New Year!  I don't know about you, but I'm glad 2013 is in the past and I'm looking forward to 2014.  We're just back from Birmingham where we saw Vanderbilt crush the Houston Cougars at the BBVA Compass Bowl at Legion Field. (I know, that's a cooky name for a bowl, it's right up there with the old Poulan Weedeater Bowl). I'm not one to compare college or NFL stadiums but Legion Field was a great stadium.   (Thank you Kathy for reading the blog.  Yes I know it's the Seminoles not the sweet gators playing Monday!)  Makes me crack up :). Hahahahahaha!

I'm thankful for Yelp on my phone that sent us to the Neon Pig in Tupelo Friday for lunch.  This cafe reminds me a lot of the Trolley Stop in Memphis.  It's a short jaunt off US 78 and is worth every bite.  From their website they are: neon pig is an old-school butcher shop, a food bar, and has one of the best craft beer selections in mississippi. this is not a chain restaurant!  we strive to bring old-fashioned goodness back into the food industry by specializing in house-cured meats. we are homemade & handmade, and we love our local farms! save tupelo, buy local!

I ordered the special, of course, which was the Salmon Tacos.  The food is served on a thick, brown paper towel.  The three tacos were served open faced with pickled red onions, pico and two homemade sauces, one tangy, one sweet, like hoisin.  They were divine.  Chloe opted for the kids grilled cheese and she wasn't impressed but ate about half of it.  All plates come with a bag of chips and they only had spicy jalapeno chips or bbq so that didn't impress CoCo.  Jackie ordered their Smash Burger and said it was the best hamburger he'd ever had.  And this was at 11:20 am on a Friday in Tupelo, Mississippi.  So I guess there's something to it.  The Smash Burger is aged sirloin, like a steak burger.  The pickled onion, homemade kaiser roll and sweet, tangy sauce was excellent.  He ate every crumb.

If you're ever in the Northern part of Mississippi, make the 3 minute trip off US 78 and enjoy the Neon Pig.  They also have a butcher shop featuring local beef, local honey and greens.  You'll love its casual flair.

The Neon Pig Cafe and Grocery, Tupelo, Mississippi, 1203 N. Gloser St., 662-269-2533 http://neonpig.net/

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Pecan Tassies, Birdeye

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Kara and I figured out this year that our Christmas Party has been going on for 6 years.  We have a great time inviting our mutual friends and celebrating together.  I've been making this recipe for each party and it hasn't gone out of style yet.  My mother gave me this recipe 20 years ago.  It's super duper easy and delicious.

Mother's Pecan Tassies (I've made a recipe change for 48 total pecan tassies)

Crust:
1 C. butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 C. flour

Filling:
4 T. butter melted
1 C. brown sugar
1 egg
1 C. chopped pecans
1 t. vanilla

Cream butter and cream cheese and add flour.  Soften dough for at least 1 hour.  Then divide into balls about a large walnut size and press into mini muffin pans sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  (Pressing is best using a Pampered Chef tool that will make them easy to form and somewhat uniform, if you don't have this, you can use a honey tool and dip it into flour so it won't stick)

Mix filing and add to the 48 shells (you will need two mini muffin tins) about 3/4 full, too full and you'll over fill the mini.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes and remove from pans and cool on a rack. (you can store these in the refrigerator for a week in an air tight container, let come to room temperature)

I'm in love with these "mini pecan pies" now for 20 years!

Alexis, Kara and I

The ladies on Kara's stairwell

Alexis put this on Facebook

Deliciousness I tell you...

Merry Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas!

Yes my friends, it has been a busy season.  I'm excited to announce that the three of us got our Christmas things put away today in 1-1/2 hours with only minimal complaining.  And I have to brag that I finished making my annual 6 gallons of tamales today too plus went to church, wrote an article for the local paper the Wynne Progress and made tacos for lunch. Whew, that's only today.  Jackie's cousin Counts Louise was here Friday night and slept for 12 hours straight while Jackie and Chloe and Stephen and Counts Elizabeth went to LB Vaught's Duck Club Friday.  I totally enjoyed having dinner at Kara's Friday, then early Saturday I knocked out yoga, bible study, Killough's Blueberry Muffins and did 100 tamales then a bike ride at 3 pm.  That's called knocking it out and now I'm pooped.  Here are some fun photos from the last few weeks.

The Grinch from the Cross County
Arts Council's Festival of Tree Reception.
I told Chloe I thought her dad needed
to borrow this outfit.

Chloe took Biscuit and Gumball to the Wynne Presbyterian
Church's luminary event...they did great tied up!

The Gumball's tongue cracks me up.

I drove during the Cross County Arts Council's annual
holiday lighting contest...this is Mr. Hare's yard...amazing!

Christmas morning

Chloe was dog sitting Penny Stacy (and still is) and insisted
that she get a stocking...there's Essie Mae checking out her bone

I'm not sure who Santa is, but if I
really knew Santa, he would have known
that Chloe already has an IPAD but
somehow Chloe got an IPAD mini.
Who is Santa?

The youth in front of the Wynne Presbyterian Church after
putting out, I'd say, 300 luminaries

How exciting that Teddy who came up
here 2 years ago, had a great Christmas
in Maine.  My goodness, he's still so
handsome!  Spay/neuter people! :)

December 2013, Birdeye

I love the colors here...Biscuit of course

He's not the stateliest-of-dogs but he is who
he is.  Love or hate.  I pick love/hate as I do
other members of the family

Chloe took this just outside of Weatherford,
Oklahoma when we went to my grandparent's
house at Thanksgiving.  It was a school house
and is named the same as the neighborhood
 where J.Harmon grew up

When we picked up Chloe's Christmas gift in
OKC when we were heading out of town, Chloe
took this in the parking lot

And she squealed when she got this shot

Almost home, we caught this tom cat outside
the Bulldog restaurant as we were on our way
home.  Spay/Neuter people.  It's just that simple.

Chloe's handy work during the ice we had Dec. 5

Chloe had a narrative part in yesterday's church
program.  That's Whit down front with one of Harmon's
miniature donkeys.  The donkey did okay until he
smelled the hay in the manger bed.  Then his tongue
was all over the place, thankfully Whit restrained him.
Because you know, when you eat, you poo and that
wouldn't be good in church.  Just saying.

Chloe and Emily Hirons hosted the Cookie Tea for these 7th
graders at our house.  We were glad to host but also glad it's
over.  She had a good time.  And look, she's the shortest
7th grader dang it.  I was hoping for some long legs.  Anyway...

Monday, December 16, 2013

Well we've had 3 Sunday's of Advent so far.  It's gone fast, hasn't it?  Only one more Sunday till Christmas.  It's been busy of course for us and I'm sure all of you.  Chloe's unending photography still amazes me.  She's such a gift.

If you can, I encourage anyone and everyone to get the Austin Theological Seminary's Advent Devotion Calendar every year.  We've enjoyed it for several years now, but this year, it's been exceptional.

Merry Christmas! :)

New Fosters again....Birdeye

Sadie...she's adorable!

Stan is so handsome!

Here's a body view, she's about 10 lbs 

Stan is about 20 lbs

Monday, Nov. 25, 2013

THESE TWO HAVE FOUND HOMES!! I'm thrilled to report! :)

Spay/neuter people...Just when I think we've been in the clear on fostering (it has been nice not having to deal with more dogs) these two show up and on the same dang day!  But I love them both.  Sadie is about 3 months, some kind of shepherd mix.  Crate trained and leash trained already.  I love her.

Then there's Stan who we adopted out in August.  He's back because of a move that didn't allow dogs.  He's so sweet!  Some kind of miniature border collie.  He's very smart and is a great listener.  Probably 6 months old now.

Both are vetted and can go anytime.  Spay/neuter, it would prevent these unwanted litters.