Maggie May, Maggie Moo, Magpie...

One year ago tomorrow, marks a very special day for us! I was nearing the end of my MS150 training and decided to ride in the "Space Race" with Fisher. It was cold, it was rainy, and we were miserable. However, about 10 miles from the finish line, we noticed a small puppy running down the gravel road. We were in the middle of nowhere and had no clue where this sweet thing had come from. Melissa, lover of all sorts of animals, forced us to stop and help out our new furry friend. And I was like, "Oh brother. I just want to finish this bike ride and she wants to save a dog?! What in the world are we even going to do with this thing??"

WELL, I'll tell you what we did! After inquiring of the local residents (local meaning rural...and residents meaning the one house in sight), we decided we had no choice but to take this puppy home. So Fisher hopped back on her bike, clipped in her pedals, and said "hand me the dog!" She rode to the next rest stop, approx a mile away, and a wonderful woman there promised to keep the puppy safe until we could finish. My hero!

I have never riden 10 miles that fast!!! Needless to say, you know how this story ends. And it sounds silly to say, but we have been so blessed by Maggie! She has brought so much love, laughter, and fun into our little family. She keeps us in shape and always on our toes. Maggie has also caused the occasional property damage (i.e. bedroom furniture anyone??) but that's another story for another day. And of course she has already been forgiven :)

Here's one of our first pictures of Maggie...she was about 6 wks old.

Poor Maggie got a haircut for her "anniversary". I know it had to be done. It was a long time comin'. But still. You gotta feel for that girl! How embarassing! Check out that pile of fur. And we weren't even halfway done!! Seth had a nice "styling salon" set up in the garage for us.

Brush, clip, brush, clip...

At least she won't be as hot this summer? You really can't tell THAT big of a difference, especially from far away.

Melissa, thank you again for making us stop on the bike ride to save Maggie! That was such a fun memory and I miss not having you to ride with this year!!

Greg & Jacky's Wedding

Today Seth & I celebrated our 2-year anniversary of being engaged (well, I did at least) so it was only fitting that we attended a wedding last night. It's been probably 4 months since we've gone to one...which is probably a record streak, considering the matrimony madness our friends have gone through over the past couple of years.

Poor Greg was suitemates in the freshman dorms with some of the guys from LG. He put up with their pranks, jokes, and endless hours of Playstation and still wanted to be friends. Imagine that. We've gotten to know Greg & Jacky pretty well over the years. Both are accounting nerds like myself and as of a few months ago became our close neighbors in Spring Trails! We share the joys of home ownership, mexican food, and complaining about work. :)

The lovely bride & groom...Mr & Mrs. Babcock! The only words I can think to describe this wedding are...exquisite, gorgeous, breathtaking...I could go on. WOW. It knocked our socks off!! Every last detail was covered and the flowers and dresses were so beautiful.

Dave instructed me to take this picture because "nobody back home will ever believe he was at the Houston Junior League" :) Needless to say, he was pumped.

All the boys

Seth and his hot bride

Check out the back of her dress! Ah...gorgeous. I think we might be in the background of all the cake-cutting pictures - sorry guys!

Seth & Greg...one with yardwork, budgeting, and golf.

We got moves. We know.

Now I have to hand it to them...this was a first. The wedding party got down with their bad limbo-ing selves and had a blast. It was really funny to watch...can you believe Jacky limboed in that dress??

County boys at a "big city wedding". It was pretty exciting for them.

Zach & Lindsey...poor thing drove down from Abilene...again.

What a fun time! It was nice to see old friends and party with our bad selves. :) Congratulations Greg & Jacky!!

Shmury Duty!!

Mary,

Canceled: Your Montgomery County Court Jury Duty is Canceled for CCL1 on 03/31/08. Thank you for using E-Jury

Montgomery County District Clerk

The Summons

No, it's not my new favorite movie.

No, it's not the latest John Grisham book I've read.

This time folks, it's the REAL DEAL.

I have come to dread jury summons over the years for some reason. I think I am petrified of being chosen as a juror for some monster case that never ends...which requires me to live in a hotel, not being able to see my friends and family, and stay awake for hours on end in an old smelly courtroom listening to people argue. (The staying awake issue is for another blog, another day) This fear most likely dates back to the OJ Simpson trials in the 90's. For some reason, I still remember most of it pretty vividly. I remember rushing home from school to hear the latest updates from my parents. I remember kids lining up at the pay phone in the school cafeteria during 6th grade lunch, trying to get ahold of their parents, trying to find out what the ultimate verdict was. I remember Liz T. (yeah guys...I don't forget any of you!) yelling out "not guilty!!!" and everyone dropping their jaws in shock.

Hold up. I know some of you are either thinking 1) what?? pay phone? what are those? is that like a cellular phone? OR 2) you were only in SIXTH grade when that ended??

Anyway.

I remember stories of jurors trying to find a way out of the trial. It was too much. It was too emotional. I remember that substitute jurors were assigned and had to sit through it as well. Bloody gloves, news cameras, "exhibit A's"...THAT's what I think of when I think of jury duty.

Clearly, this re-affirms any doubts you may have had about my over dramatic-ness. But I mean really...you never hear anyone say, "Awesome! I got a jury summons - yes!!! Can't wait!"

The only positive thing to come out of this is that I get out of work and don't have to take personal time. But I think I'd almost rather be at work instead.

So to make things worse, I decide to report for "duty" using the online system. This was given as an option instead of appearing in court on Monday, April 14th (the DAY after the MS150. Like I'm going to want to report anywhere, right?). It asked me simple questions about my name, address, sanity...

So then I start thinking..."how can I possibly get out of this??" The county courts must REALLY like the sound of my name (i.e. Mary = old fashioned name = strict moral values??) because this isn't my first time to get called....nay, not my second either. This is my FOURTH time to be summoned and for once, I have no excuse to get out of it. Called 2 times in high school between October and May of my senior year (I had hit the golden age) and once in college. All 3 times I met the full-time student qualification. However, since I am not a full-time student, mom, felon, military or government official, or insane, Montgomery County wasted no time making their move.

Let's back up a second. I had a mini-brainstorming session last night with Seth about how I could prove to be "not of sound mind". I mean, what does one have to do? Run down the interstate naked? Lock themselves in a closet for days on end? Because whatever it is, I could probably do it. However, I was then criticized by said husband for not being a good American citizen and performing my civic duty. Whatever.

So to make a long story even longer, I am hereby due to present myself in court at 9am SHARP in Conroe on Monday morning. Yeah. Stupid online system actually chose me to be a juror. I didn't even get to answer the questions like, "do you believe in the death penalty?" or "do you believe people are innocent until proven guilty?" where my answers could have possibly been my ticket to safety. Good news is, I can't recall any celebrity murder cases in the Montgomery County area lately, so hopefully it won't be as bad as I think...

Couldn't Help Myself...

REALLY couldn't help myself. I don't want to bore everyone with another blog today, but really, I have to. 1) Because Seth is not here to listen to this and 2) The Bachelor is KILLING me this season!!

I haven't even gained my composure to read Lincee's recap yet. I cannot believe these girls. They are NUTS! Apparently The Bachelor has become a full-blown season of "Bachelorette's with Talent". They are pulling out all the stops. Never mind sharing small talk about your personal hobbies and interests. Never mind getting to know each other. Just try to jam as many as your secret talents as possible into the 20 seconds you have with him and let her rip!! I don't know if I have them all named, but here are my thoughts so far on the girls:

Ashley: Oh brother. Grow up. A bit immature for the show. You flaunted your rose like you just won the blue ribbon in the jump roping contest at field day. And I'm tired of these "I've been looking at your lips" lines. Really? Guys fall for that??

Robin: Mixed feelings. Liked her a lot last episode. Questioned her this time. Something bothers me about her. I don't know if its her voice, pouty face, or what

Amanda: Really like Amanda! And bless her heart with the hiccups. It could be worse though. Like stress-related gas! I think he did good giving her the first rose. She doesn't seem as dramatic and skanky as some of the others.

Erin H: Hilarious. I'm a little sad she had to go home. She always took the words right out of my mouth when she had her one-on-one time with the camera. Perhaps a bit too much makeup. Maybe a little heavy on the lipstick. But funny nonetheless.

Marshana: Oh my. This is not going to end good, I promise you. Seems a bit needy and insecure to say the least. And for some reason, I keep thinking "Simba" when she comes on the screen. I don't really know how that relates except maybe Simba = Lion King = Africa = Marshana?

Holly: Think she is really cute. Looks like one of our neighbors actually. If she's not too ditzy she might have lasting potential. Especially after seeing next week's previews. And who doesn't love a children's book author?

Erin S: New York has a shortage of hot dogs. You need to get back to your daily post!

Kelly: That voice. Husky!

Amy: Reminds me of someone I used to know. Don't really have an opinion on her.

Kristine: EYEBROWS. Wow. If she'd take care of those monsters it might not be so bad. But boy are they thick. It's the only thing I can focus on when they show her.

Noelle: Seems really sweet. One of the ones I thought might have lasting potential. But maybe not because she is so quiet and timid. And she hasn't exactly sung a song or played any sort of instrument yet. Earth to Noelle...it's the new "strategy" this season!

Shayne: Are you freaking kidding me? No way. Please send her home. She reminds me EXACTLY of Juliette Darling on Dirty Sexy Money. Her voice drives me nuts. Her whining drives me nuts. And yes, I am 88% certain she is on the show for her 15 seconds of fame. My mom thought she'd make it to the end. NO WAY BECKY, not gonna happen.

Carri: Walking example of putting it all on the line. Singing opera during your face time with the Bachelor = not appropriate.

Michelle P: clarinet...cat?! (that's what I wrote while taking a few notes at the end) 1) I hate cats so it really made it worse that she was saying how her cat was the love of her life 2) I love dogs so maybe I would be bawling about Maggie after being kicked off - hard to say 3) She tried REALLY hard.

Ok, I've calmed down a bit now. This really was an episode to watch with some girls. I should've been forewarned. And for some reason it hasn't been recording on the DVR either! What? I used to bet my LIFE on the dependability of that thing. Watching it on abc.com isn't quite as fun. I'll have to work on that. And it's quite possible I have way too many things set to record on Monday night. But who can even remember after the ridiculous suffering we've gone through with the recent strike? I taped anything and everything!

Suckers

That's what we are. Big time suckers. I'm a sucker for clever marketing schemes. Seth can't resist "as seen on TV" products. Those of you who've been around for a few years know about the pride Seth takes in our knife set.

It's not just any ol' knife set, folks. It's the RONCO Six Star 20-piece knife and block set.

"...and don't let the low price fool you - Ronco Six Star knives won't perform like a discount kitchen knife. These sharp stainless steel knives can tackle anything from carving to chopping to paring... and so much more"

According to the infomercial, they also cut everything from concrete blocks to soda cans, and they can still slice cleanly through a tomato.

AMAZING. Why wouldn't he have bought them, right?

He also fell for Mighty Putty - "great for anything from your smallest craft projects to your largest home improvements! The easy way to fix, fill and seal almost any surface, and make it last."

ALL FOR THE LOW LOW PRICE OF $19.99!

BUT WAIT!!!

If we had ordered NOW (then), Mr. Infomercial would throw in THREE FREE TUBES of the powerful bonding epoxy stick for NO EXTRA COST!

Do we get sweet deals or what?

Don't even get me started on the swivel sweeper, mop h20 (this one's in the works), "best of the 80's" or any other crap...I mean lovely item he's found on the tube.

Now I, on the other hand, am not completely blameless, as I have a hard time restraining from "new" products. And unfortuantely, it doesn't really matter what it is. If there's a commercial for an all-new ice cream snack...don't worry, I'm on it. For example:

YUM! Why didn't they think of this sooner?? (p.s. check out Blue Bell's website for all their new products on the market...they have some delicious sounding ice cream flavors in the works)

This is the reason I was given a budget for the grocery store. Most girls get a budget for their "personal shopping needs". Like the mall. Or the salon. Unfortunately, I have completely blown it and my husband is on to me. I've now been instructed to "make a list" and STICK TO IT. I "cannot" buy anything that's not on the grocery list, no matter how tasty, how urgent, or how necessary.

But ladies, good thing we can find a loophole in every poorly formed, not well-thought-out-enough agreement (especially ones that involve shopping). You should SEE how long my grocery lists are now!! :)

Here is another example of a grocery must-have that I've already mentioned several times. Filling? No. Satisfying enough as a morning snack? Not really. But they are so wonderful. Honey Butter is by far the best...but the only other one I've tried is pizza (which tastes like pizza goldfish). 80 calories of pure goodness.

Ok, well I've already had lunch but now I'm officially hungry again. Perhaps I should look into any recent job openings at HEB.....

Banana Walnut Brunch Squares

3 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium)

3 tbsp granulated sugar

1 (17.5 oz) can Pillsbury Grands Refrigerated Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (I didn't use these)

1/4 cup maple syrup

Banana slices, if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat eggs, bananas, and sugar with wire whisk until well blended.

Separate dough into 5 rolls; set icing aside. Cut each roll into 8 equal pie-shaped wedges. Gently stir dough pieces into egg mixture until well coated. Spoon mixture into sprayed dish; spread evenly.

In medium bowl, mix flour and brown sugar. With fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts. Sprinkle mixture over dough mixture in dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until center is puffed and set and edges are deep golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix icing and syrup until blended.

To serve, cut into squares; place on individual serving plates. Drizzle icing mixture over each serving; garnish with banana slices.

1 serving: 440 calories, 21g fat, 58g of carbs....

Uhhh...don't pay attention to the nutritional info...focus on the taste!!!

Always a Road Trip...

Someone once referred to us as "Weekend Warriors". Sounds super cool, I know. The kind of people who always have to leave town for SOMETHING when 5 o' clock Friday comes around. We have enjoyed a couple relaxing weekends at home, but on Friday we once again hit the road... destination: not Houston. We spent the day in LG for the Anderle's annual crawfish boil and then drove to SA town to spend time with my family (sans Emily) for the rest of the weekend. Gotta love the trusty old civic that gets us to and fro. Never mind the radio that doesn't always work. Forget that "clickity clack clack" that happens when you turn left. Focus on the mpg. 34 to be exact. My husband's pride and joy. It's almost like he created the fantastic gas mileage - he's THAT proud. And that 2-door is sooo comfy on those 4 hour car drives to SA. Very easy to stretch out, nap, relax, etc. Even better with the dog in the car (luckily we had a break from that this time around). It's always fun and easy to de-stress though when we're "home" and with our family. Sorry I don't have any pictures - I truly intended to take some but again, the camera was left in the car.

On to brackets. We did fabulous on the first day - 16 for 16! I had a feeling I was really onto something this year. Last year my husband ridiculed my March Madness bracket...I changed it...and then my original one was practically a winner! I haven't let him live that down YET. So, it works out perfectly that YOURS TRULY is once again in the lead. Not that I'm doing great, but I'm beating Seth, so that's all that counts. 34 for 49. Almost 70%! Gonzaga and Purdue's losses really threw me though.

All in all, this is a boring blog. I'm aware. Give me some time to come up with some new material. I got some new magazines in the mail this weekend when we were gone so I'll flip through those, find the latest info, and give you a summary. Oh, but I will post a recipe for a coffee cake I made for breakfast last week. Super easy and pretty good!

Ten Thursday Thoughts

1. "For God so Loved the World..."

How humbled should we be to celebrate the meaning of this Easter weekend with loved ones and our Christian families! Jesus paid the ultimate price so we wouldn't have to. Take time to praise Him for the amazing gift of grace we've received.

2. Less than one month to the MS150. Almost at the $1,000 mark for fundraising. Cumulative fundraising is over $4M!!!

3. While at the doctor's office this morning...after stepping off the scale...the nurse responded with a "wow. (pause) i didn't expect you to weigh THAT much."

...I'm still not sure whether to take that as a compliment or not...

4. At said doctor's office, I received a tetanus shot that has effectively numbed my left arm. Then the nurse missed my vein taking blood. Why does everyone have it out for me today???

5. Yes, to answer the many questions you've formulated in your head...I am overly paranoid about my health. Doctors love me because I make them money. Insurance companies hate me, because I actually get my money's worth outta them. But I believe in the importance of seeing the dentist every 6 months, a yearly physical and bloodwork, plus any other yearly exams. You just wait. One of these days, I will be so on top of things, that the doctor will be able to catch a rare disease before it's "too late" and you all will be so thankful to have me around for 80+ more years.

6. Can't wait for the Ags to BTHO BYU tonight!

7. Can't wait for UCLA to kick our butts in the 2nd round...solely for the sake of our bracket though. There's a lot of cash up for grabs, people!

8. We are about ready to celebrate our 1 year anniversary with Maggie. Sadly, she will not get to spend Easter with her loving parents because her un-loving grandparents got new carpet and have exiled her from the house. :( :( :( Thankfully, Buster & Berkley have taken her in for a weekend sleepover party. And I bet she doesn't even notice we're gone!

9. New episodes of The Office will be coming to YOUR living room in April!

10. Can you tell I'm running out of things to say?

We will be making quick visits to both SA town and LG this weekend. Thank goodness tomorrow is a holiday because I can't imagine squeezing both of those in without it. Did I mention I have worked more four-day weeks than five-day weeks since coming to APC? WHOOP!

Bloody Brilliant!

I think I might have giggled while watching The Bachelor last night. And when I giggle during a TV show, you know it’s going to be good! It was just so refreshing – FINALLY a Bachelor with a personality. Saying I have been disappointed with some of the last few seasons is putting it lightly. What happened to the good ol’ days with Bachelor Aaron and Bob? Or hello, Andrew Firestone?! I won’t argue that Brad Womack was good looking last season but he was a bit of a dud. Andy Baldwin (gag), Prince Lorenzo (double gag), and company may have had entertaining women on the show but otherwise weren’t much to brag about. At least in my opinion. I just ended up losing interest and reading the recaps instead. But Matt Grant, my friends, is a man worth watching.


Not only is he bloody good looking but he can keep up a conversation without it being painfully awkward, he’s got a sense of humor, and quite possibly has a lot to offer us this season (i.e. his sweet dance moves). Never mind the crazy chickens all vying for his heart! After seeing several of the ladies offer up performances of their special “talents” (i.e. musical ability, ripping through beer cans with their bare teeth, etc), I got to thinking…what talent might I offer up to grab the Bachelor’s attention? How could I really make a lasting impression?

-Serenade him with a quick sonata on my French horn?
-Wow him with my funny jokes?
-Demonstrate how quickly I can type?
-Write him a clever poem or two?
-Sing my own special rendition of “Say My Name”?
-Bake him some bread?

I’m assuming that all these (and more) are what really sealed the deal for my husband. I guess special talents really do help. I mean, how could anyone resist? It’s totally obvious to me now why I am the object of Seth’s affection.

We shall see what this upcoming season has to offer. I’ve already got my eye on 3 girls who I think have lasting potential. This was supposed to be the year I gave up on this reality TV phenomenon that has rotted brains of Americans everywhere (well except for SYTYCD for which I will remain forever faithful). I suppose I’ll have to have one last go at The Bachelor…

I would write weekly recaps, but unfortunately that's been done. Sooo yesterday. Looks like I'll need to come up with another clever way to make a name for myself in this world of blogging...

Aggie Guitar Hero - because this was bound to happen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSbCApA0GEU

Whoop!

Believe in Him by Max Lucado

“. . . whoever believes in him shall not perish . . .”

The phrase “believes in him” doesn’t digest well in our day of self-sufficient spiritual food. “Believe in yourself ” is the common menu selection of our day. Try harder. Work longer. Dig deeper. Self-reliance is our goal.

And tolerance is our virtue. “In him” smacks of exclusion. Don’t all paths lead to heaven? Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and humanism? Salvation comes in many forms, right? Christ walks upriver on this topic. Salvation is found, not in self or in them, but in him.

Some historians clump Christ with Moses, Muhammad, Confucius, and other spiritual leaders. But Jesus refuses to share the page. He declares, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6 RSV). He could have scored more points in political correctness had he said, “I know the way,” or “I show the way.” Yet he speaks not of what he does but of who he is: I am the way.

Many recoil at such definitiveness. John 14:6 and Acts 4:12 sound primitive in this era of broadbands and broad minds. The world is shrinking, cultures are blending, borders are bending; this is the day of inclusion. All roads lead to heaven, right? But can they? The sentence makes good talk-show fodder, but is it accurate? Can all approaches to God be correct? Every path does not lead to God.

Jesus blazed a stand-alone trail void of self-salvation. He cleared a one-of-a-kind passageway uncluttered by human effort. Christ came, not for the strong, but for the weak; not for the righteous, but for the sinner. We enter his way upon confession of our need, not completion of our deeds. He offers a unique-to-him invitation in which he works and we trust, he dies and we live, he invites and we believe.

We believe in him. “The work God wants you to do is this: Believe the One he sent” (John 6:29 NCV). This union is publicly dramatized in baptism, for to be baptized, as Paul wrote, is to be baptized into Christ. (Gal. 3:27)

Believe in yourself? No. Believe in him.

Believe in them? No. Believe in him.

And those who do, those who believe “in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Catching Up

Our sweet little dog Maggie has been diligently working on a flowerbed for us the past few weeks. Day after day she was at work in the backyard, most likely trying to create the perfect hole in the ground. But why stop at one hole? Let's just dig 4 or 5 until they all combine to become one perfect ditch. And then let's lay in it during the warm weather to keep cool. And then mommy & daddy will be so happy with what I've done and realize that grass was never meant to live there in the first place.

We are so proud!

I really should've taken some before and after pictures. This mini-landscaping job has been a long time coming. And perhaps we were asking for it, as she's been slightly neglected, not receiving her 2 walks a day for the past month or two. I know. Not spoiled in the least, right?

Well, the top soil, plants, and mulch are in...along with a nice stone border, thanks to Seth. And Maggie was sweetly reminded that digging up the expensive azalea and/or its sibling plants would render severe conseqences. From her father. (Please. I don't want to be the one she hates!) Hopefully there won't be anymore backyard landscaping in the near future, seeing as we are limited on space as it is. If Seth had his way, our cedar tree would come down and suffer a painful and tragic death but I cannot justify spending money to cut down a pain-in-the-butt tree. Yet. Luckily the pansies and petunias are still hanging in there from the winter months so we don't have to re-do the front yard yet...but I have a feeling this warmer weather will do them in over the next few weeks.

I took a quick snapshot of the finished product. I know it's not much...

OH, I almost forgot about the best part of our gardening experience this weekend. As I'm working the flower food into the ground, my nose picks up on a horrible stench frighteningly close to where I'm kneeling. I freeze and 2 thoughts quickly come to mind:

1) Did someone soil their pants?
or
2) Did Maggie poop somewhere near here?

Then came the lightbulb. I calmly asked Seth the following:

Mary: "Honey...did you put some of Maggie's poop in this hole?"

Seth: "Yeah I thought it'd be good fertiliz....get your hands outta there!!!!!!!!!!"

Gag me.

In other news...

Less than one month until the MS150! I had a great weekend of training and hope to fit in 2 more distance rides before the big weekend. Seth will be so sad when the bike rides are over because right now he gets to go play golf while I'm on the road. Needless to say, he is way spoiled right now. But he is a great help each weekend as I prepare for the rides...please, like I know how to pump up my tires, keep up the bike maintenance, and load the bike rack on the car. So his efforts do not go unnoticed. He gets up super early to help me with this every Saturday and I love him for it!! :)

Here's an interesting article for your St. Patty's Day enjoyment. It has nothing to do with the holiday, but I thought you might appreciate the head's up:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23355862/

And sadly enough, I believe it. Once a stellar waitress back in the day, I can fully attest to the neglectful treatment of lemons (and pretty much everything else) behind closed doors. I'm sorry people, but when whiny guests are at their table asking for this, complaining about that, sometimes you just have to give them what they want, whether or not sanitation is an issue. We once ran out of clean forks, and as I calmly explained that to a male guest, he simply said "I don't care...I just need a fork now!"

So folks. I gave him what he wanted. He got his fork, alright. But I stand by my previous comment that "we were temporarily out of clean forks". Too bad so sad for him.

I'll stop the blogging there :)

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

1 lb ground beef
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 cups tomato sauce
8 oz egg noodles
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute the beef in butter and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Drain. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Cook and drain the noodles. Add the cottage cheese, sour cream, and green onions to the noodles. Layer in a 2-quart casserole dish starting with the noodles and ending with the meat sauce. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and bake for 20-25 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Simple yet tasty. It's similar to hamburger helper, but homemade...so MUCH better.

One More...

Ok, I don't want to overdo it on the blogging today, but I just get a kick out of Victoria Beckham. It's a shame there was only one episode of that "Coming to America" show they had on TV awhile back when Posh & Becks decided to cross the Atlantic and join the ol' US of A. It was a riot! And not because I think "wow, she's so cool!!!". It's more like, "wow...she is crazy ridiculous!"

So, I'm sitting here, eating my lunch, surfing the latest celebrity news when I catch a quick little mention of the former Spice Girl...

"Someone give Victoria Beckham her own lifestyle TV show already. In a chat with British Vogue, the permanently stiletto-clad Posh Spice pokes fun at her top-heavy, size triple-zero body. "I would never put my health at risk. Obviously working out is important," she begins, before cheekily declaring, "Well, I don't. I have joined a gym, but I can't bring myself to start. What do you wear on the running machine? I can't bring myself to wear flat shoes." Mrs. Beckham also has some anti-Cinderella advice for when you find that perfect pair of toe-crunching heels only to discover they don't have your size: "I just stick toilet paper in -- if that's what it takes to get a nice shoe."

Classic.

And you thought I was the crazy one...

Gosh, gotta hate when this happens!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,337232,00.html

Giddy Up!

Alright, secrets out. I twilight as a barrel racer. Look at me go!

This poor girl (below) had a tough time during the calf scramble. That brat of a calf tromped all over her, kicked her in the face, ripped her jeans (it was almost an r-rated rodeo!!!) and more. Now why, I ask, did she persist to try and lead that calf into the ring to claim her prize? I have no idea. I 100% guarantee you that if a 200 lb calf stepped on MY FACE, I would probably need an ambulance. And CPR. She was a trooper.

Thank you, Paula & Ben for our fantastic seats!!

Rascal Flatts did not disappoint. I've heard some negative feedback about their past performances so I was trying not to set high expectations, but I think it was a pretty good show! Minus some shady dance moves and some psychedelic videos on the jumbotron...

All in all, a great 2008 for the Houston Rodeo!

Lunchtime Slip

In an effort to bring a super-healthy lunch today, I think I actually overstepped my boundaries and packed one that would make even a football linebacker envious.

Let me start my saying this: I take pride in a fully-stocked pantry. I try to only make a grocery run every 2 weeks, so I will buy everything we need to "survive" in the meantime...including all the "just in case" items (Like if we change our mind for dinner at the last minute...you have to have the backup ingredients for something else...or if the president decides to stop by, you need to have enough pecans to make him a pie, etc). So needless to say, I might occasionally go a tad overboard at the grocery store. My children one day might love me for this. And be quite hefty because of it.

ANYWAY.

I seemed to have a lot of options this morning for "side items" to my Lean Cuisine pasta. Because...please. Those measly 300 calorie meals are NOT filling enough to hold me over for the 7-8 hours until dinner time. So, in addition, I included the following:

-vanilla yogurt (100 cal)
-pringles stix (80 cal)
-grapes (approx 100 cal)
-hostess mini chocolate cakes (100 cal)
-granola bar (150 cal)

What in the world was I thinking?!??!!

I might as well have gone to McD's for a Big Mac and fries!! :) So, unfortunately some of those snacks will just have to wait until tomorrow. Which almost makes me a little sad because I love them all.

Tonight is another late at the rodeo! Here's hoping Rascal Flatts pulls through for us. Not that I mind the rodeo part, but I wish they would start the concerts a littttttle earlier for these weeknight shows. That "6:45pm" time is deceiving since they should really say "2.5 hours of yeehaw rodeo fun, 1/2 hour of stage change and other nonsense, and 1 hour of your favorite entertainer at the very end!" Next year I'm going on a Saturday. To enjoy all of the rodeo-ness to its fullest.

p.s.

My blog has over 1,000 hits now! Incredible!

Clash of the Grocery Chains

I had a feeling it was going to come to this. Ever since the "Kroger - Coming Soon!" sign appeared on my most un-favorite road (Rayford). Ever since the possible HEB location at Rayford and Riley Fuzzel was discussed at the last HOA meeting (which has yet to be started, by the way...and neither has the Chic-fil-a or Starbucks promised either...).

Before I begin the comparison, let me defend my bias. I am from San Antonio. Almost born and raised (at least during the years where I was able to capably observe my grocery surroundings) a devoted HEB'er. It's practically treasonous to shop anywhere else in SA town. And almost impossible because HEB has pretty much taken over every corner and nook in that town. We spent family retreats at the HEB campgrounds. I took my lunch to school in HEB grocery bags. Lots of my friends WORKED at HEB. I lived within a 2 mile radius of probably 4 locations. Get the picture?

And of course this post was spurred by a frustrating experience at none other than...Kroger.

Kroger

1) If you spend enough, you get discounts on gas
2) They're exclusive - you have to have a "membership card" (note...I think cards are ridiculous)
3) Their meat section is not THAT great (EVEN at the new one...how hard is it to package some stew or chili meat for me people??)
4) They have free samples
5) They carry certain products that HEB has yet to pick up on (i.e. Pringles Stix, certain kinds of granola bars, and ice creams)
6) I would say they have a better wine selection...except for the overcrowded Woodlands HEB
7) They have approx 28 check out lines...so that explains why only 5 were open on a busy Sunday afternoon
8) Kroger-brand shredded cheese is NOT good...has waaay too much texture
9) Their grapes were $1.50 opposed to the $8.50 I mistakenly paid last time at HEB
10) They almost always have Starbucks. But they're always crowded. So that almost cancels out the benefit of having it.

HEB
1) They're my hometown hero!
2) I did a project on HEB in college. They have a solid family-run business background and do a lot for the community (disclaimer: I have no idea what Kroger may or may not do for the community...so don't judge)
3) Fantastic meat section
4) Lots o' samples. When I stop by after work, I can almost always count on ample displays of cookie and crescent roll samples
5) Usually have a sufficient number of check-out lines open
6) Carry 32-packs of Aquafina water for only $4.99 (unless you catch the $3.99 sale!)
7) They don't have crazy ladies playing the piano that make you want to shoot yourself while getting your groceries like it's previously mentioned competitor
8) They don't offer discounts at their gas stations (as far as I know)
9) HEB seems to be more popular with the Girl Scouts
10) Their fresh fruit and vegetable section is not a big open circle that becomes a free-for-all, with anxious shoppers ramming into each other

Clearly, HEB is the winner. Now I won't go to the extreme I did with Wal-Mart and completely swear off Kroger. Because for the time being, it is 6 minutes opposed to 12 minutes away from our house. But I still have my qualms. They're going to have to really do something magical for me to put a dent in my deep loyalty to those three precious letters that practically roll off your tongue.

We went a little crazy and saw BOTH Vantage Point and The Bank Job this weekend. While both were good, Vantage Point was super good. I would watch it again. And we went out to eat twice...in one weekend! Look at us! I think we went out to eat two times total last month. (Ok...maybe 3, but that's it) Like I said...wild and crazy. Maybe this month we can eat out 4 or 5 times! We'll see. Baby steps.

As I was perusing the classifieds during my lunch break today...NOT actively looking for a puppy in need of a loving family, mind you...I came upon a strange ad:

"Beta fish in need of good home"

What? People are adopting out their fish now? I'm sorry, but for the love! Just flush that thing down the toilet and move on!

Clearly it's obvious that my love for animals does not extend far beyond dogs and puppies. Except maybe a cute little baby pig. Like this one!

Yeah, I would bring that home. Only if it came with a guarantee to not get any bigger. Maggie would still welcome Porky with open paws.

And I know you're dying to know...but yes, we did Chatahoochie with AJ last night at the rodeo. What a good concert...one of the true great country singers who can sound the same live in concert as on their album. So we had a good time minus 2 things:

1) It took us nearly 2 hours to GET to the rodeo. It should've taken us 45 minutes. Traffic around Reliant was atrocious. I guess last year wasn't as bad because we went straight from work downtown and got there early schmerly. Trying to get there the same time as everyone else = not so fun. Thankfully we arrived in time for the barrel racing. I really love the rodeo part too! And the calf scramble was hilarious as usual.

2) There was a large group of suspiciously underage-looking young adults sitting a few rows behind us. Basically, this group of 30 or so hoodlums was causing all sorts of ruckus. I knew it would bother me the minute they ran up the steps and started screaming and waving their snuck-in bottles of liquor in the air. Now, historically, I am a tattletale (just ask Emily & Rachel). And I don't mind someone having the occasional beer or margarita at a public venue, but when you are disrupting the general public with your inappropriate shenanigans (i.e. the young gentlemen decided to use the top part of our section for a restroom...) I think someone needs to intervene. Luckily I didn't have to because we must've had an even BIGGER tattletale also sitting in our section. So the big bad Reliant security guys had to bust into section 638 (I know....we were high...but next week we're on the 4th row!) with their weapons and spotlights and attempted to regulate. Needless to say, I was disappointed in their methods of regulation and none of the crazies were reprimanded. So I accepted that I couldn't really do anything about it, we moved seats, I enjoyed the show, and prayed they had alternate means of transportation to get them home (Along with parents or guardians that had a fantastic means of punishment when they got there).

Oh my gosh, listen to me!!!! I'm going to be THAT mom, aren't I?

So excited for a weekend at home!! I will attempt 52 more miles (give or take) on my bike, spend some quality time with the husband, and not overlook the time change.

Quick Promo

You know how some things are just too good to be true? Like...when you don't even care how bad they are for you...or what kinds of negative repercussions might follow? I have the prime example.

Sugar Cookie Bliss

I would love to eat an entire package. All 2 dozen of the suckers. Then I think I would experience true bliss. And a very bad stomachache. A true necessity at all times of the year.

Puppy Woes

It's recently been brought to my attention that I have a small addiction. Gotta love your BFF for shootin' it to ya straight. It's not necessarily a BAD addiction...it can bring love, happiness, cheer, laughter, and lifelong friendship to you and your family. I mean, really...who can say no to love and laughter? A terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad person...that's who.

Ok, so I'm going to lay it out on the table. Just get it out in the open.

I think I'm addicted to puppies.

Wow, that was tough to say. I'll admit I do keep a close eye on the classifieds (Woodlands, Anadarko, SPCA, humane society, etc). But I have to...because I can't risk missing a glimpse of my possible next future child. I know, right? Too risky.

I came thisclose to bringing home another Anderle this week. A fun-loving 7 wk old lab/collie mix...to be Maggie's lifelong BFF and little brother for FOREVER. I even asked her what she thought...and she was all for it. I won't even attempt to post his picture because it will break your heart. Reason and sense set it however and we started realizing several things...1) where will the puppy be when we go to hawaii? 2) who will keep the puppy the gazillion weekends we're out of town over the next few months? (cause Lord KNOWS my parents won't want 2 granddogs coming to visit...they're hesitant with one!) 3) will the puppy be an accomplice to maggie in her attempts to destroy our backyard? 4) repeat numbers 1-3.

Sigh. I feel like I've just broken up with my middle school boyfriend or something. Cause yeah, I did break a lot of hearts back then. With my glasses and braces and bangs and knee-length shorts and "too-healthy" figure (if you know what I mean).

And no. I will absolutely not post any pictures. They've since been burned.

We are going to see Alan Jackson at the rodeo tonight - yee haw! I'm so pumped about driving downtown and dealing with parking and paying for expensive sodas to watch the show. I have high hopes though. We had to settle for alternate entertainment this year since George decided to be a no-show. I mean, what in the world???

And holy cow, look at the number of hits on my blog! I've nearly hit 1,000! Now what I'm really curious about is this...does that number more accurately describe 1,000 different people who have read my blog...or 6-7ish people who have come to my blog 80,000 times each? I'm leaning toward the latter.

Style Watch

Good news - apparently leggings are on their way OUT! According to discussions found recently in US Weekly and on the Style channel, the unfortunate individuals who tried to re-popularize this old school fad will have to find something else stretchy to sport. Perhaps spandex biker shorts? Oh wait, those have already been BROUGHT!


I know. You're blushing aren't you? Not only do I slighly resemble a bike cop, but MAN do I look good. If only this could be incorporated into my daily wardrobe. Spandex would have a THROW-DOWN with Aggie tshirts and sweatpants!

We made homemade chocolate chip cookies on a whim tonight. It's not often that Seth craves sweets so I was up to the challenge! Sadly, we only had 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and were too lazy to go to the store so we had a mini-batch...but man were they gooood! It wasn't even that hard. Why don't I make homemade cookies more often? Oh right. The invention of slice and bake. And speaking of those...I cannot WAIT to make the Easter bunny slice & bake's...ummm I mean my special homemade Easter cookies for Bible study on Wednesday... :)

Nifty Fifty

Birthday festivities were in the works at the Anderle household in La Grange this weekend. My in-laws have been re-modeling part of their home the past few months, but we managed to turn a partially completed kitchen into a wild & crazy 50th birthday celebration venue! Notice the creative use of electrical wires as a hanging mechanism for the balloons. That's what happens when you have an engineer for a husband. I thought we did quite well! And I also think I did quite well with the picture taking this time around!

Seth, Chase, and their dad. Yes, of course I dressed him up!

All the cousins (and a couple of friends) with the old man. I apologize for my A&M sweatshirt. I actually had a normal one on underneath...I just got a little cold. I know a lot of you still don't believe me...but it's the truth!

Seth's mom and dad (man, we took a lot of pictures in front of the island). Mary Lou made an excellent poppyseed cake for dessert.

Birthday boy in all his birthday glory! Those are flashing lips that I brought for him to wear.

Disclaimer: Brace yourself for what you're about to see.

My father-in-law prides himself in his dancing abilities (hm...much like his daughter-in-law perhaps?) His all time favorite dance moves come from an oldie-but-goodie...

The Chicken Dance.

Who can turn 50 without doing the chicken dance for the party guests??

Oh, a fun time had by all. Earlier that day, I rode 50 miles in and around Bastrop State Park for the Pedal Thru the Pines bike ride. Talk about tough. Although this year I didn't have to walk up any hills!!! (Last year was a bit of a struggle) It was a beautiful ride, but definitely the toughest so far this year. My neck, back, and legs all feel just l-o-v-e-l-y today. But don't worry...I ate more than enough fajitas and cake to make up for it this weekend :)

We'll be back in Houston the next couple of weekends - yea! I need a break from driving...until Easter at least...