Biannual Trip to Wal-mart

This morning I went to Walmart. I only go about two times a year. Typically, I schedule these trips around oil changes so I can shop while my car is being serviced. Today I went without a list and came home with Christmas lights, a salad spinner, men's socks, 2 pairs of carhart Dickies (indestructible pants that Stephen likes to work in), and a mulled cider scented candle, a purchase I'm already regretting. Even as a type, the remainder of the smell is making me sick. I should have known better. At least I dont have to go back for another 6 months...by then I'll be buying diapers. AAAHHHH!

French Onion Soup

Yesterday, Stephen brought home this huge bag of Vidalia onions (given to him by a friend who recently took a trip to Vidalia, Georgia).

My first thought....French Onion Soup. About this time last year Delta magazine featured a party where they served French onion soup out of McCarty pottery (made in Merigold, MS for more than 50 years). Since reading the article, I have had a small facination with making French onion soup and eating it out of a McCarty bowl. While I don't have enough McCarty for a crowd, I do have enough for the two of us.

Finished product

Recipe from Southern Sideboards

Are You Serious?

Our across the street neighbor has some strange parking habbits, but this topped them all. This is the veiw from my front door....his car blocking our driveway.

Monday Night Bible Study

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching. " Hebrews 10: 25.

For the past year, Stephen and I have participated in a Monday Night Bible Study. We feel so privlieged to be a part of this group and are so thankful for these friends. Last night was our turn to host.

17 weeks and Killer Cocoa

This is me at 17 weeks.





On a totally unrelated note, I made homemade hot chocolate tonight. It reminded me of how much hot chocolate I drank in highschool. My friend Win and I studied for almost every test together. "Killer Cocoa", as we liked to call it, was our favorite study break treat. The recipe: 1 packet of hot chocolate mix, water, a candy cane, whip cream, and some sort of chocolate shaving on top.
Tonight I made it differently...found a good recipe on Cooks.com. I like to think of it as "Killer Cocoa Revised" Here it is.

1 tbsp. cocoa powder

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. water

1 c. milk

bit of vanilla, if desired

whip cream

Combine cocoa, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Heat it on low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the paste from sticking to the pan. After about 1 to 2 minutes, add milk and vanilla. Mix it all together until it reaches your preferred temperature. Top with whip Cream.

Ingredients

Whip cream is the best part!

I doubled the recipe and shared with Stephen.

Hotty Toddy

"Everyday a holiday, every night a celebration." I don't know where this quote originated, but these are the words my grandfather used to describe Ole Miss. This is us in the grove before the Auburn/Ole Miss game.

Tennis

Not long after moving to our street, I met my across the street neighbor. During our first conversation she asked me "Do you play tennis?" I responded "Yes, I've played since I was 8 or 9 years old" My mother, a true lover of the sport, has been preparing me for this question my whole life. I was forced to play and take lessons through most of my school years. At first, I hated it and would beg not to go to my scheduled tennis lesson. My mom and I still laugh about an argument we had when I was attempting to get out of a lesson. Trying to point out her obsessiveness I said, "Mama, you make everyone play tennis. You make me play tennis, you make Lucy play tennis, you make George play tennis. If Chuck (my then 75 y.o. grandmother) lived with us you'd make her play too. You'd make the Pope play tennis."

With all that said, I did join my neighbor's ladies tennis team and have played for the past two seasons. I love it and I'm so glad my mother was persistent. This picture of me was taken this past Wednesday night after I played my last match of the season.