Woman About Town

My 101

2012-01-01T21:39:00.004-06:00

Well, I think it's time to admit that I've been woefully derelict in keeping up with My 101. Here's where I've moved the needle in the past few months:

101 things to do in 1001 days

Learn to juggle
Take a martial arts class
Make a will
Make a living will
Train to run 3 miles without stopping
Try a yoga or pilates class
Go to the Lauren Rogers Museum
Learn to play at least one song on the guitar (or, sheesh, just PRACTICE once in a while)
Write a food article and get it published
Write at least one poem or short story
Plant an herb garden
Make fresh pesto with basil I grew
Drink wine in California
Eat salsa in San Antonio
Treasure hunt on Highway 49
Host a New Year’s open house party
Visit the famous fried chicken place in Lorman
Go the fall flower show/festival in Crystal Springs - I did this! I actually took a day off work and did this! It was great. I took tons of pics of plants, bought a hilarious piece of yard art, and ran into a frew friends!
Learn more about the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict
Give blood
Learn to play the harmonica
Get my piano tuned
Buy sheet music for a song I like and learn to play it on the piano
Learn to do a passable waltz
Go ice skating
Attain APR accreditation
Read at least 3 current books on my profession
Take a road tour through the Mississippi Delta
Enroll in a Millsaps Enrichment class of my choosing
Take Clay to Disney World
Celebrate my birthday in style
Boil/steam a live lobster
Go to a rodeo
Host a formal tea, like at the Savoy
Write a letter to the editor of my local newspaper
Perform in at least one stage production
Attend at least one college alumni event
Get back in touch with some of my college professors
Book a session with a personal trainer
Learn more about how to maximize Adobe Photoshop
Plan a surprise party for someone
Replace at least three outdated light fixtures in my house
Plant some vegetables and keep them alive long enough to harvest them
Plan and take at least one “destination trip” in honor of a holiday (Salem at Halloween, Plymouth Rock at Thanksgiving, etc.)
Stop cussing. Seriously STOP.
Renew my passport
Spend an entire day in complete silence (This one is going to be very difficult.)
Check out a library book, read it, and leave a note in it for the next reader.
Attend one religious service of a faith other than my own, just to observe
Start buying more goods that are made in America
Find a professional mentor.
Act as a mentor to someone who needs me
Take Clay fruit picking at a local farm
Make something yummy with what we pick
Take Clay to the Petrified Forest - We did this one! What fun! We took the forest trail, flumed for gems, and bought some keepsakes from the gift shop. This was a great day!
Buy him a bag of shiny tumbled rocks
Take Clay to Rocky Springs
Take Mom to the opera
Rent a boat and go deep sea fishing with dad
Do a “Godfather Week” at the house, where we eat Italian food and watch the Godfather series (once Clay goes to bed. Eeek!)
Go camping
Have an indulgent breakfast in bed.
Have my eyes checked (Dear Lord, I’m getting old.)
Take a weekend trip alone. COMPELTELY ALONE.
Win a bet
Look up more shadow puppet instructions and expand my repertoire (Dog, deer, dinosaur, rabbit, and bird are getting kinda old.)
Throw a tapas and wine party
Go on a picnic (Because you can never have too many.)
Toast the sunset
Go see an author read from his/her work
Fly a kite.
Ride a horse
Go see a fortune teller or psychic
Ride a train
Find the perfect swimsuit
Have a facial
Move more of my bills/notices over to electronic or auto-draft
Clean out/shred as necessary in ALL of my old files (Gulp.)
Add money to a parking meter about to run out
Repair the back yard arbor
Whittle something
Kiss a new baby
Throw a Mediterranean party with grilled lamb, veggies, tzatziki, the whole nine
Start a personal, meaningful family tradition at Easter
Photograph a sunrise
Go to Pepsi Pops
Go to a ceramic painting shop and paint something cool.
Take a family trip to the wildlife preserve in Louisiana
Learn how to change my own oil in my car
Learn how to check and flush/fill fluids in my car
Learn the basics of how my car works
Get a book on constellations
Try to identify at least five of them in the sky
Write a love letter
Surprise someone
Put Christmas decorations on the outside of the house - We did this one! We went above and beyond our normal wreath on the door with two tiny trees flanking the door (adorned with bows), red ribbon wrapping the two front columns (a la peppermint), a lit garland, and both colored and white lights.
Have sandal heels re-tapped or CHUCK THEM
Make a care package for someone
Buy something hand made.
Visit a place that’s rumored to be haunted
Tape and edit a video to create a FINISHED PRODUCT.

Start date: February 16, 2011
End date: November 13, 2013

More merrymaking

2012-01-01T21:17:00.010-06:00

We had such a joyous holiday season!

One night, we bundled up and went out to see the lights at Winners' Circle Park! Every year, the City of Flowood pulls out all the stops, stringing lights all over this public park. Admission is free, Santa is in attendance, and train rides and hot cocoa are available for a small fee. There must be thousands of lights, and they are absolutely gorgeous. We dialed up one of the Clay's buddies and met he and his family out there. We rode the train, saw Santa Claus, and basically ran wild along the beautifully illuminated trails. What fun!

We also enjoyed the festive atmosphere at the Mississippi Museum of Science's Christmas Festival. Again, tons of lights, a live nativity, and lots of live music (both choirs and instrumental groups). Again, we sat on Santa's knee (shyly asking for a pair of binoculars). We also got the chance to peep inside the museum at night, gaping at all of the aquariums and running into a few old friends.

On Christmas Eve, we met up at my sister's house for a delicious dinner. For the menu, we decided to focus on greatest hits. We started off with munchies - a melted brie topped with Mississippi honey and sliced almonds, served with crackers. Then a gorgeous rosemary wreath studded with olives, cherry tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella balls. (I found this cute recipe idea on Pinterest. It looks very festive, is super easy to to put together, and is actually healthy.)

For an entree, we had a gorgeous rib roast. Nine pounds of rib roast was PERFECT for 10 people (8 adults, 2 kids). To accompany it, we served green bean casserole, salad, rolls, and potatoes roasted in the drippings from the roast (unbelievable). Dessert was a decadent homemade cheesecake with chocolate sauce. (Grace is an awesome baker!) I could definitely see this becoming our go-to menu for Christmas each year. Everything was delicious and tasted of the holidays.

Yesterday, we finished up our holiday celebrating with hubs' side of the family, and it was GREAT! A huge spread of fried turkey, amazing ham, casseroles, dressing, and the most sinful caramel brownies you can imagine. Tons of present opening, laughing, talking, plus a quick walk! My father-in-law cracks me up. (Plus, he has a quality that reminds my of my dear grandmother - every plan he touches flourishes and grows. I admire a green thumb so!) And Clay loves seeing everyone, petting the dogs, and playing video games with cousins and uncles.

What an amazing Christmas season. I gotta admit, this one was particularly good. We are so blessed to have our health, our families, and all of the undeserved gifts we enjoy on a daily basis. Here's to a warm and wonderful 2012.

Hollying and jollying

2011-12-04T20:38:00.009-06:00

It's early December, and Christmas has arrived at the Bradshaw house! Last weekend, we took down all of the fall decorations and brought out our garland and tree! We decorated the inside of the house, hung ornaments, and introduced Clay to our new Elf on the Shelf.

If you've never had an Elf on the Shelf, I'll tell you a bit about it. My younger sister gave it to Clay last Christmas, so this is our first season using it. Basically, it's a little stuffed elf that comes with a book. The book tells you that the elf watches the goings-on at your house every day and flies to the North Pole each night to report to Santa. Each morning, he's in a different spot, so you have to wake up and find him!

We named our elf Jingleshanks, and he's doing a ton more than just reporting to Santa. He's couriered letters to and from Santa back and forth from the North Pole, in addition to bringing out our Christmas decorations, stocking the Advent calendar, and more. I have tons of plans for this little guy before the season is through!

We introduced Clay to him over a special Christmasy breakfast with snowmen doughnuts, fruit and milk.

This weekend, we decorated the front porch with lights and garland. We also went light peeping! There are some houses that are really done up! I also volunteered with a couple of friends to ring the Salvation Army bell outside of a grocery store, which was really fun! We wore nutty Santa hats, brought a boom box and a Christmas CD, and danced and sang along to the carols as we rang our bells. If you gave both going into and coming out of the store, you got four high kicks, a la The Rockettes!!

Thanksgiving!

2011-12-04T19:43:00.007-06:00

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving! Due to the kitchen renovation currently going on at Mom's house, we hosted the extended Thanksgiving celebration at the Bradshaw house this year. What fun! I had a great time decorating, cooking and enjoying the day!

Here's the menu:
Appetizers - I made a fun marinated goat cheese appetizer with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, basil, rosemary, and chopped black olives. We served it with a loaf of sliced, toasted french bread. To go along with it, I had a fruit tray of sliced ripe red pear and purple grapes. As a finishing touch, I served a bowl of salted mixed nuts and some split dates, stuffed with whipped cream cheese and a half a pecan.

Main course - After some deliberation, I decided to make the same turkey recipe that I made last year. (The only change - I omitted the white wine in the gravy. One in our party is with child, and I felt it was better to be safe than sorry!)

For sides, my sweet sister Laura brought all kinds of delicious stuff. She made my grandmother's classic dressing, and she also made another stuffing with sausage and apple (a delicious meal in itself). Then, she made tender roasted brussels sprouts with prosciutto and a balsamic glaze. She also brought baked sweet potato rounds, dressed with a bit of red onion and bacon. YUM!!

We also had the now-traditional homemade cranberry sauce and Sister Schubert rolls.

Dessert - Here's the crazy thing - we had strawberry cake and sweet potato pie, but dang it if I could eat ANY of it!! I had a piece of cake a couple of days later at mom's house, and hubs ate some of the pie in the ensuing days, but I don't think anyone even ate dessert on Thanksgiving Day! We were all too stuffed from dinner!

At any rate, I really enjoyed hosting! Hubs and I found a sweet little wooden table (and matching chairs) at Target, and we dressed it up as the kids' table. It worked perfectly!

Veterans Day

2011-11-12T22:34:00.007-06:00

Taking little man to Vicksburg National Military Park had been on my list for a while. Mom took us there when we were little, and I have fond memories of patrolling the battlements, hopping around the monuments, manning cannons and just running around out there.

Yesterday was Veterans Day, and I thought, "What better time to visit?" The weather was gorgeous, the leaves were turning brilliant fall colors, and we had a free Saturday. So off we went.

We arrived at around 10:30 a.m. After a quick trip to the visitors center (where we learned more about the seige of Vicksburg and bought a cool Union infantry cap), we headed out for the driving tour. Clay LOVED running around (and on) the monuments, blasting the enemy with heavy cannon fire, and exploring the Cairo (the Union gunboat on site).

And it is a gorgeous time of year to visit. Cool enough to keep you from sweating as you run up and down all of those earth embankments, absolutely amazing fall foliage, a nice breeze - it couldn't have been prettier. Before we even left, Clay was asking when we'd go back!

Next time, we'll arrive a little bit earlier and bring a picnic. We stayed from about 10:30 a.m. until about 1 p.m., and we only left then so we could go grab a late lunch.

Halloween!

2011-11-12T22:20:00.006-06:00

We had a great Halloween here at the Bradshaw house! First of all, the week before Halloween, we went out to Boo at the Zoo. What fun!

Years ago, Boo at the Zoo was a scary event that was desigend for older kids. The zoo would pay college and high school students to dress up in horrifying costumes and lie in wait for unsuspecting visitors in all of the park's nooks and crannies. SO, you'd be strolling nonchalantly along, and a hideous werewolf would jump out from behind a corner and scare the pee out of you.

Over the past couple of years, the Jackson Zoo has wisely reconsidered thier approach, turning Boo at the Zoo into more of a harvest carnival event, with games, candy, and a costume contest. We suited up and headed out. Clay loved the carnival games (and the hot dogs we purchased on site for dinner), but I think his favorite part was just getting to run through the zoo in his Batman costume as night was falling. The whole place was decorated, and he jumped and hopped and caught bad guys, all without having to constantly hold my hand. He was in heaven!

Then, on Halloween night, all of us suited up and went trick or treating. There was a great crowd in our neighborhood, and I loved getting to see all the kids (and some of the parents! Huzzah!) dressed up. We came home with a significant haul, and Clay enjoyed opening the door and handing out candy to the rest of the trick or treaters. (He kept exclaiming, "Look! Mom! We have some more customers!!")

Needless to say, we had a GREAT TIME! Other Halloween doings included carving three pumpkins (That's one of them at left. The other two looked like Jack Skellington and Boba Fett!), making our traditional spiced pumpkin seeds, and trying out a new recipe that I found on Pinterest for pumpkin cookies with caramel frosting. (OMG.)

My little punkin

2011-10-16T21:09:00.009-05:00

We took a trip to Nichols Boyd Pumpkin Patch this weekend! For the past three years, it's been on our list to do in October. Clay loves seeing the animals, riding the hayride, selecting his pumpkin, and playing on the big swings and hay bales out by the pumpkin patch.

If you've never been to Nichols Boyd, it's easy to find. Just take 25/Lakeland out past Brandon. Get off at 43 and follow the signs! At most, it's a couple of miles off 25.

When you first get there, you'll sign in and pay for the hayride. Then, while you wait your turn, you can check out the caged bunnies, quail, chickens, turkeys, goats, and Porkchop the Pig. Once you board the hayride (Sit on the left-hand side to have a better view of all the animals.), off you'll go to check out the farm's zedonk, fallow deer, cows, donkeys, goats and ducks. Once your animal encounter is complete, the hayride will deposit you out at the pumpkin patch, which is surrounded by a shaded playground of rope swings and hay bale mazes. Adjacent fields of sunflowers make for great family pics.

Once you choose your pumpkin and let off some steam, you'll get back on the hayride for a trip back to the barn. There, you can buy fall treats (I cannot recommend the homemade peanut brittle enough. It's the best I've found.) before heading off for other adventures.

A few pics of my little sweeties:

This is Clay snuggling up to one of the stuffed scarecrows on site. They have tons of little vignettes set up everywhere for picture taking.

This is hubs and my little punkin on the hayride.

See the pretty sunflowers? I kept trying to get Clay to pose in this one with me, but he was soooo over the picture taking by this time.

Fall family fun!

2011-10-16T20:49:00.011-05:00

When Brian and I first started dating, I remember going with him to the fair. His parents owned a pool shop then, and they had a booth in the TradeMart. After we swung by to visit them, I remember going on some rides and having our pictures taken in one of those Old West booths.

But since we've grown into adulthood, we've just not put the fair on our priority list. I mean, it's dirty. It's expensive. The food will harden your arteries in a hot minute.

But then, last year, we thought that booger might be old enough to enjoy the fair. And dang it all if he didn't LOVE every minute of it! It's fast becoming a fall tradition at the Bradshaw house, so here's our 2011 report:

We started at the petting zoo, which is completely free to enter. If you want to hand feed llamas, camels, goats, cows and more, you can either pay $2 for a bag of carrots or drop a few quarters into the feed machines throughout the tent.

The llamas and the wooly cows were amazingly soft. And the camels had long, dark lashes. There was even a zebra and a giant tortise in the back, though you couldn't feed them.

A few scenes from the day:

Clay and hubs atop the ferris wheel. Clay really wanted to ride this, but I think he was bored once we were aloft. Not enough risk for my little speed demon.

The dragon coaster was HILARIOUS, mainly because it was completely rickety and jarring and you felt like it would fall apart and kill you at any minute. We absolutely loved it. I honestly could not stop laughing the whole time.

As usual, the boy loved the vehicle rides. We rode this Jeep ride, a motorcycle ride, and another one that was designed to look like race cars.

We enjoyed all beef hot dogs and a lemonade at the Mississippi Cattlemen's Association booth, and we couldn't leave without sampling syrupy biscuits from the biscuit booth! Clay took a whirl down the big yellow slide with me (a perennial favorite), and we *might* have bought a bag of Malone's taffy when we left. (A bag that may or may not have lasted 24 hours once we got home.)

All in all, a GREAT TRIP! Think we'll be going every year for a while!

Adventuring in Jackson

2011-09-24T21:49:00.003-05:00

This past week, Clay and I had TWO great adventures I thought I'd share!

First of all, we went to see a touring production of Peter Pan, starring Cathy Rigby. When I heard that Peter Pan would be playing in town, I knew it would be a perfect choice to serve as one of Clay's first big musical theatre shows. I invited my sister and her 8-year-old son to come along and bought our tickets.

We had a filling dinner at Sal and Mookie's pre-show, then arrived at Thalia Mara Hall just in time to take our seats as the lights dimmed. I had worried about Cathy Rigby in the role, but I had no need. She did a fine job and from our seats, her slight build and posture were easily believable as that of a boy.

The two little guys we brought with us loved the show, often commenting on specific characters, effects, and set pieces. Clay got scared a few times by the pirates and the crocodile, but a hug or two seemed to solve the problem.

During intermission, we trotted down to overlook the orchestra pit, where we pointed out the different instruments and waved to the musicians. (They seemed delighted to see us, by the way. I was amazed that we were the only ones taking advantage of such an educational opportunity.)

All four of us enjoyed the show, and I'm so glad we got the chance to attend! Kessler is bringing Beauty and the Beast to Jackson as their next production, which might also be worth checking out.

On Thursday night, I packed up little man and a picnic dinner and headed for Symphony at Sunset, an annual open-air concert held at The Cedars in Fondren. It was an absolutely gorgeous night, and we thoroughly enjoyed the evening. The orchestra played a selection of songs celebrating America, and the decor matched the stars-and-stripes theme. (Though I do wish they'd allow the musicians to wear slightly more casual clothing for outdoor concerts. We're all lounging around in jeans and flip flops, blankets spread out on the grass, and the musicians are up there in the same white button-ups and black slacks as always. I would have loved to have seen them in white T-shirts and black shorts, or even jeans and those cute black T-shirts with the tuxedo fronts on them!)

At any rate, Clay again got to see the musicians and the instruments (this time from an even closer vantage point). They also provided glow sticks for the kids and offered star-shaped iced cookies (from Campbell's! Yum!) and ice cream.

Clay did a great job paying attention for the first half of the concert. We left for home shortly after intermission so as to get little people into bed.

On both occasions, I was very proud of his behavior as an audience member! He seemed very interested in what was going on (particularly during Peter Pan), and I think he really enjoyed himself at both events! That's my boy!

Tremendous!

2011-09-24T21:32:00.003-05:00

I got the chance to see the movie The Help a couple of weeks ago, and it was amazing. You may recall that I read the book this movie is based on a while back. Also, they filmed a few of the scenes here in Jackson, Miss., where the book/movie is set.

Even without all of that, though, I think I would have loved this movie. First of all, it was expertly cast. There wasn't a weak link in the ensemble. You may be aware of my love for Viola Davis. She doesn't disappoint here in her role as Aibileen Clark. Emma Stone, who plays Skeeter Phelan, is pitch perfect. Minny, played by Octavia Spencer, made me laugh and laugh. I could go on and on, but let's just say that each character is interesting, and leave it at that.

In addition, growing up in the Jackson area made watching this movie very special for me. I recognized some of the locations, some of the clothes, and many of the characters. And as a native Mississippian, I can tell you that the film is very true to Southern life in many ways.

Not only that, the story is engaging and uplifting. This one is a MUST-SEE!!!

Clay the adventurer!

2011-09-11T20:29:00.008-05:00

We've been having lots of adventures lately! First of all, we went by the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science to see their Frogs! exhibit. We saw giant, ugly looking brown toads (They were super-still.); tiny, neon-colored poisonous dart frogs; and measured how far we could hop in relation to various amphibians.

Even though it was a hot day, Clay and I still hit the trail system out back. Of course, he picked the next-to-longest trail they had! We had a good time exploring and looking for lizards, but for our next visit, I may wear hiking boots!!

We also went by the Mississippi Wildlife Extravaganza. They hold it each year at the Trademart. Clay got to practice shooting a bow and arrow (several times), we sampled fudge and deer sausage, and we even heard wild turkey calls! The people at the booths gave him tons of free stuff (tote bags, wildlife posters, candy, etc.), and before we left, we even got to try zip-lining!! (That's him in the ziplining safety gear.)

In August, Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus also came to town. We've not missed a single one of their performances in Jackson. The show was fun, with acrobats, clowns, and trained horses, elephants, and even camels! This year, they had a new act - the ring of terror. Three motorcyclists drove at dizzying speeds in a metal cage. Just when you though it was safe to look, they sent a woman in a sparkly costume in the cage to stand in the center, while the motorcycles whizzed all around her. Yikes!

Cly had such fun. We bought him a box of popcorn, and he was sticking his little arm ALLLLLL the way in it to get the last kernels before the night was over. On the way out, we also picked up a mug for him that looks like an elephant! Not too practical for drinking, but he's enjoyed playing with it!

Today, we visited the Mississippi Petrified Forest. I hadn't been since I was a kid, and WOW. There's a short and fun nature walk which takes you through the park. You can see the petrified logs in the same places that ancient floods washed them, centuries ago. After that portion of the visit, you can explore a small (but really cool) geological museum featuring fossils, more petrified wood, and precious stones. (They even have some giant shark jaws!) After that, we flumed for gems. (Think panning for gold.) We found obsidian, amethyst and more the little bags of dirt we purchased at the gift shop. And how could I fail to mention the gift shop?! Jewelry, polished stones, even slabs of petrified wood were all on offer.

Admission is $7 for adults, and preschoolers are free! (Fluming is $4 per bag of goodies.) They are open nearly every day of the year, and they even have a pavillion you can rent out for gatherings. (This place would be PERFECT for a little boy's birthday party!) I just cannot recommend it highly enough. We so enjoyed our visit!

Update on My 101

2011-09-02T21:18:00.002-05:00

It's been MONTHS! Shame on me! BUT, even though I haven't been posting it here, I have been making progress! See below!!

101 things to do in 1001 days

Learn to juggle
Take a martial arts class
Make a will
Make a living will
Train to run 3 miles without stopping
Try a yoga or pilates class
Go to the Lauren Rogers Museum
Learn to play at least one song on the guitar (or, sheesh, just PRACTICE once in a while)
Write a food article and get it published
Write at least one poem or short story
Plant an herb garden
Make fresh pesto with basil I grew
Drink wine in California
Eat salsa in San Antonio
Treasure hunt on Highway 49
Host a New Year’s open house party
Visit the famous fried chicken place in Lorman
Go the fall flower show/festival in Crystal Springs
Learn more about the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict
Give blood
Learn to play the harmonica
Get my piano tuned
Buy sheet music for a song I like and learn to play it on the piano
Learn to do a passable waltz
Go ice skating
Attain APR accreditation - Woo hoo! This one is done! It was a long haul, but it was worth it!
Read at least 3 current books on my profession
Take a road tour through the Mississippi Delta
Enroll in a Millsaps Enrichment class of my choosing
Take Clay to Disney World
Celebrate my birthday in style
Boil/steam a live lobster
Go to a rodeo
Host a formal tea, like at the Savoy
Write a letter to the editor of my local newspaper
Perform in at least one stage production
Attend at least one college alumni event
Get back in touch with some of my college professors
Book a session with a personal trainer
Learn more about how to maximize Adobe Photoshop
Plan a surprise party for someone
Replace at least three outdated light fixtures in my house
Plant some vegetables and keep them alive long enough to harvest them - We did this over the summer! Tons of cherry tomatoes!
Plan and take at least one “destination trip” in honor of a holiday (Salem at Halloween, Plymouth Rock at Thanksgiving, etc.)
Stop cussing. Seriously STOP.
Renew my passport - Check and check. We are ready for Rome!
Spend an entire day in complete silence (This one is going to be very difficult.)
Check out a library book, read it, and leave a note in it for the next reader
Attend one religious service of a faith other than my own, just to observe
Start buying more goods that are made in America
Find a professional mentor
Act as a mentor to someone who needs me
Take Clay fruit picking at a local farm
Make something yummy with what we pick - We went blueberry picking in May, and we made blueberry streusel muffins. YUM.
Take Clay to the Petrified Forest
Buy him a bag of shiny tumbled rocks
Take Clay to Rocky Springs
Take Mom to the opera
Rent a boat and go deep sea fishing with dad
Do a “Godfather Week” at the house, where we eat Italian food and watch the Godfather series (once Clay goes to bed. Eeek!)
Go camping
Have an indulgent breakfast in bed
Have my eyes checked (Dear Lord, I’m getting old.)
Take a weekend trip alone. COMPELTELY ALONE.
Win a bet
Look up more shadow puppet instructions and expand my repertoire (Dog, deer, dinosaur, rabbit, and bird are getting kinda old.)
Throw a tapas and wine party
Go on a picnic (Because you can never have too many.)
Toast the sunset
Go see an author read from his/her work
Fly a kite
Ride a horse
Go see a fortune teller or psychic
Ride a train
Find the perfect swimsuit - The one I bought for my trip to Orange Beach was pretty dang awesome. I got tons of compliments on it. Too bad that when I went online to buy it in every color it came in, it was nearly sold out. :(
Have a facial
Move more of my bills/notices over to electronic or auto-draft
Clean out/shred as necessary in ALL of my old files (Gulp.)
Add money to a parking meter about to run out
Repair the back yard arbor
Whittle something
Kiss a new baby - My sweet best friend had a new arrival in July! Baby love!!
Throw a Mediterranean party with grilled lamb, veggies, tzatziki, the whole nine
Start a personal, meaningful family tradition at Easter
Photograph a sunrise
Go to Pepsi Pops
Go to a ceramic painting shop and paint something cool
Take a family trip to the wildlife preserve in Louisiana
Learn how to change my own oil in my car
Learn how to check and flush/fill fluids in my car
Learn the basics of how my car works
Get a book on constellations
Try to identify at least five of them in the sky
Write a love letter
Surprise someone
Put Christmas decorations on the outside of the house
Have sandal heels re-tapped or CHUCK THEM
Make a care package for someone
Buy something hand made
Visit a place that’s rumored to be haunted
Tape and edit a video to create a FINISHED PRODUCT

Start date: February 16, 2011
End date: November 13, 2013

Pinterest - my new addiction

2011-08-31T21:25:00.006-05:00

If you haven't been over to Pinterest.com yet, I almost hesitate to tell you about it. For a list-making, project- and recipe-collecting, (slightly?) OCD person like myself, it's the web version of crack cocaine.

You see, Pinterest allows you to save photos and bookmarks of the things you find on the web. All kinds of things - products, project ideas, recipes, funny quotes. And it lets you organize these things on "boards" any way you wish. So, I have a "Spooktacular!" board where I've pinned fun Halloween ideas - foods, costumes, decorating schemes, links to products I want to buy.

And the site just keeps that information there for you, organized in your intuitive way. AND THEN you can see what your friends on Facebook are pinning. Or just browse what everyone's pinning, to see if there's anything there you like.

You can see how this is dangerous for me, no? I've already had to get ruthless about what I pin. If it doesn't look fairly cheap, pretty easy, quick, and fabulous, I won't pin it. Otherwise, you end up with something like 3,000 pins. Like some of my friends. (I am sooooo not kidding.)

The process is completely addictive and a huge time sink.

However, if you decide to click on over there despite my warnings, welcome to the dark side! Be sure to look me up!

Scrutinized

2011-08-31T20:58:00.006-05:00

For years, it's been on my personal "to do" list to attain APR accreditation. The process to do so is rather lengthy:

1.) Submit an application and a readiness review questionnaire. On the basis of these documents, you are allowed (or not) to go to the next step.
2.) Sit for a readiness review. You put together a professional portfolio, then you present it to a panel of 3 APRs. They ask questions to determine your professional areas of strength/weakness. Based on this review, you are allowed (or not) to go to the next step.
3.) A computer-based examination of 187 questions that tests your knowledge, skills and abilities in a variety of topics necessary to the field. You must pass the exam to achieve accreditation.

After a little more than 6 months to get through all the steps, I think I can safely say I've done it at last. I took the exam on Saturday and got a B! Woo hoo! It's not technically official until I hear from the Public Relations Society of America, but it's looking like I can FINALLY mark this one DONE!

Table 100

2011-08-06T10:19:00.003-05:00

There's a new restaurant in town! Table 100 is located on Lakeland Drive in Flowood, right next to Lowe's. I've been there twice now, so I thought I'd weigh in.

On my first visit, I popped in for lunch one weekend. After settling myself at the bar, I ordered the macaroni and cheese gratin (small plate) and the farm to table vegetable plate. First - the macaroni and cheese. It comes out in a small iron skillet, which I think makes for a wonderful presentation. It's also quite a large portion, so I think it would make a great appetizer to share. Secondly, the dish has a nice, crunchy breadcrumb topping. (YUM!) The macaroni is flavored with Parmesan cheese and ham, which is a great combination. My only regret? I wanted MORE HAM. Bites with a piece of ham in them were perfectly seasoned, owing to the saltiness of the meat. Bites without a piece of ham, however, were undersalted to my taste. (Plus, I love ham. More ham equals more love.)

Then, my vegetable plate came. It featured a delicious, buttery ear of Silver Queen corn, a gorgeous cornbread muffin, a tender pile of creamy lady peas, a nice heap of mashed potatoes studded with sauteed onions, and a divine bowl of black eyed peas. Each vegetable was absolutely delicious. (Particularly the black-eyed peas. I'm not sure what they were cooked with, but they came in almost a light brown sauce that was rich and full of flavor.) I do have one small gripe, though. The vegetables on this plate rotate according to what's in season, available, looks good, etc. But the combination of vegetables that ended up on my plate were very starchy. Beans, corn, potatoes, and bread. I longed for something greener (green beans, perhaps?), or something just raw and fresh (a bit of sliced, dressed fresh tomato?) to balance the plate and provide color. Other than that, though, I had no problems with this dish. Each vegetable was delicious and expertly cooked.

I returned for dinner last week. I started with the watermelon mojito. Dear LORD, it was good. I could have easily drank two or three of them. Delicious. I followed it with the duck confit spring rolls, which were yummy and served with a kicky sauce. My friend chose the crabcake, and I found myself stealing bites form her plate. (When I return, that will be the first thing I order.)

For an entree, I selected the pasta bolognese. I was surprised to see that they were putting the hearty sauce on angel hair noodles. While the taste was excellent, I am used to seeing bolognese served on a much more robust noodle, such as a penne. At any rate, it was very tasty, and the sauce held a hint of sweetness that I still haven't been able to pin down. I finished with a nice, creamy peach melba that was entirely satisfying. My friend got the cheesecake, infused with some sort of tropical flavor that I can't seem to recall at the moment. (Must be the mojitos. Heh.)

At any rate, I highly recommend this place. Prices are spendy, but the food is made with care and the service is outstanding. I enjoyed both of my visits there, and I'll definitely be returning!

Nose in a book

2011-08-06T10:02:00.003-05:00

I've had my nose in a book for a while now. Because hubs and I are planning to go to Italy in the spring, I've been gravitating towards books involving travel and/or Italy in some way. Thought I'd weigh in and report on some of the pages I've devoured.

Lady in the Palazzo is written by Marlena de Blasi, she of A Thousand Days in Venice fame. In the autobiographical book, de Blasi relates how she and her husband relocate to Orvieto, a charming hill town in Umbria. The couple finds an apartment, contracts to renovate it, and settles into a new life of friends and food in the town. It's not much of a plot, but de Blasi writes evocatively of food and the Italian way of life. (And there are some recipes at the end! Woo hoo!) This is a great armchair traveling book for those who love either or both.

Eat My Globe, by Simon Majumdar, has alot more action. Upon turning 40, the author realizes that he has some unaccomplished goals. Namely, to go everywhere and eat everything. To whit, he quits his job and schedules a 14-month jaunt around the world, basing his itinerary on the best dishes the world has to offer. Majumdar really does cover quite a bit of territory during his trip, and he honestly evaluates both the places he visits and the foodstuffs he consumes. Plus, he's both a gifted write and a funny guy. Highly recommended! (P.S. Majumdar and his brother run a food blog - Dos Hermanos - that's updated regularly. Worth checking out, even if the photos and text layout rather oddly on screen.)

Lastly, I just finished Passion on the Vine, by Sergio Esposito. A native Italian and a devotee of both wine and food, Esposito runs Italian Wine Merchants in New York City. His book describes how he fell in love with Italian wines, got to know their producers, and developed a market for them in the United States. Readers follow him as he rambles across Italy, meeting winemakers and tasting delicious dishes. I learned alot about Italian wines by reading this book, knowledge I plan to put to good use when we visit Rome!

All three were great books for vicarious traveling. Hmmmm . . . what will I read next?

Stop the drama!

2011-07-26T21:32:00.002-05:00

Mmmmmmkay, so just before we went to the beach, Clay gave me a black eye. Then, after a (blissfully uneventful) week on vacation, I came back home and had emergency gallbladder surgery. That was quite enough excitement for me, but apparently the universe disagreed.

The week after my surgery, I get a call at work from our daycare. Seems Clay was reaching/climbing up to the top of his cubby to get something, and the whole thing fell over on him. Seems he has a big gash in his head. (Turned out to be on the back of his scalp, but I was imagining it right in the center of his forehead at the time.) Seems he will probably need stitches.

Gulp. I hurry over to the daycare, calling the pediatrician's office on the way to see if sewing up a head is something they can do at the office. (It is. Seriously?) Get to little man, get him to the doctor's office, then physically HOLD him still while they put four STAPLES in his scalp. (Apparently, staples hold the scalp together better than stitches. Who knew? I'm learning all kinds of things I don't care to be informed about.) It was special.

Mom and dad were kind enough to keep him for a couple of days, until the wound wasn't so sore and raw. (Ick.) Back to daycare he went the following week.

And did I mention the following week? HOW could I have forgotten? On the way in to work, I got a big ugly flat tire on the Interstate. It was burning up hot outside, and I was wearing a dress with a full skirt. I called hubs, who didn't pick up his phone. Then I called my boss to let him know I'd be late.

My boss was all, "So you didn't actually TALK to Brian? You left him a message? Don't worry. I'm on my way. I can put the spare on in, like, 10 minutes."

Little did the poor man remember that NOTHING involving me takes 10 minutes.

He gets there, jacks up the car a bit, and it rolls. (We were on a bit of an incline.) So, we inch the car up a bit to get on level ground (probably shredding what's left of the tire). Then, he jacks the car up again, puts the spare on, and lowers the jack. We are sweating like pigs. It is a sad state of affairs, people in the computer.

I'm trying to "help," in my anemic way, and in the meantime, every 18-wheeler whizzing past is blowing my skirt to kingdom come. (I'm still convinced that half of I-55 saw my panties that morning.)

Guess what? Spare's out of air. Blankety-blank-blank.

By this time, hubs is there, and he luckily has some fix-a-flat. We fill the spare with air, take it to the shop, then go back to work. Picked the car back up on the way home.

Needless to say, I'm really, REALLY hoping that this week is drama-free.

Party on.

2011-07-26T21:17:00.009-05:00

A little more than a week post-op, we had little man's birthday party. Every year since he's been born, I have pulled out all the stops and thrown a huge birthday party for him at home. Year 1: big election-year theme party. Year 2: a rootin' tootin' cowboy party. Year 3: the luau to end all luaus.

The only problem? By year 4, little people have their own ideas about what they want their party to be. I was gearing up for a huge backyard circus party with a pony, a clown, and a cotton candy machine, but Clay insisted on a party at Pump It Up. And, well, considering I was barely off the operating table, it ended up being a good idea. (Looking back on it, I have no idea how I would have been able to clean up after that pony.)

All in all, I probably spent about the same amount I would have on a blow-out home party, but 1.) I didn't have to clean up the house before the party, 2.) I didn't have to clean up the house after the party, 3.) I didn't have to decorate, and 4.) I didn't have to cook. Worked out pretty well.

Scenes from the day are below. What a little cutie!

She's got a ticket to ride . . .

2011-07-04T12:50:00.002-05:00

It's official. I've sent the passports off to be renewed (and Brian has already gotten his back), and we bought the airline tickets shortly before we left for the beach. Hubs and I are going to Rome - ALONE - in the spring! Woo hoo!!

You may already know that before booger was born, hubs and I traveled to Europe a few times. Since little man came on the scene, I haven't felt comfortable being that far away from him. But by next spring, he'll almost be FIVE, so I think it's time for hubs and I to continue our treks overseas.

I've bought a few guidebooks, and so far, here's what I'm interested in seeing:
Colosseum
Roman Forum
Pantheon
National Museum of Rome
Borghese Gallery
Vatican Museum
St. Peter's Basilica
Capolitine Museum
Appian Way/Catacombs
Trevi Fountain
Baths of Diocletian
Cappuccin Crypt

Plus, maybe a day trip to Tivoli to see Hadrian's Villa OR maybe to Pompeii or Ostia Antica.

Still left to do: book an apartment, buy advance passes for top attractions, and learn a little Italian. Woo hoo! Rome, here we come!

Never a dull moment at the Bradshaw house . . .

2011-07-02T17:01:00.002-05:00

Ever since we got back from the beach, I've been having some stomach troubles. On Saturday (the day we came home), I was hurting a bit. I told myself, "Well, Nicole. You are just getting too old to eat and drink like that. Time to suck it up and admit you aren't 20 anymore."

But in the ensuing days, even light, healthy meals were causing me pain. And on Thursday night, after I got Clay home from the salon, I was in so much pain that I knew this was something more than indigestion. It got to the point that, though I felt foolish, I had to ask hubs to take me to the emergency room. (Dad was kind enough to meet us up there to pick up little man.)

After lots of questions and an ultrasound, I was told that I had gallstones. Lots of them. And that if I wanted the pain to stop, I needed to have my gallbladder removed post-haste.

I couldn't believe it. I eat a pretty healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, all that good stuff. The doctors and nurses kept telling me that we really don't know what causes gallstones and that gallbladder removal is a very common surgery for them to perform. (One nurse said they even call it their "blue light special," because they do so many of them.)

So, the next morning found me getting prepped for laproscopic surgery. By mid-morning, I was in the O.R, and by about 2 p.m., I was waking up from anesthesia. I was back home by 7 p.m., held together with stitches and surgical glue.

The whole thing was just wild, and it happened so fast. I'm a bit sore, but all in all, I seem to be recovering well. The doctor told me I'd need to take a week off work, but I'm not sure that'll be the case. I could definitely see myself going in for some half days, at least, next week. (Just can't drive if I have the pain meds in my system.) According to the doctors, you don't even need your gallbladder to live. The body adjusts once it's removed, and you apparently never notice it's gone.

So, now I'm the same Nicole I was, minus one pesky gallbladder. Nuts, ain't it?

Adventures in hair care

2011-07-02T16:52:00.005-05:00

On Wednesday night, after Clay had his bath, he was puttering around in the bathroom. Brian and I noticed he was awfully quiet in there. When we checked on him, we discovered that he'd been cutting his own hair. And not just a strand or two in the back.

There was a patch in the very center of his forehead that he'd cut right down to the scalp. I gasped as I saw him, and he immediately said, "I'm sorry, mama." (At least the boy knows when he's done wrong.)

I didn't want to make it any worse, so we scheduled a salon appointment for Thursday night to see if anything could be done to correct the damage. When I ask Miss Kathy (our hairdresser) if she could salvage anything, she shook her head sadly. "We're pretty much gonna have to buzz this one." Dangit. Clay has such pretty hair, and I love the style of it.

At first, Clay thought the trimmers were really fun, then he happened to catch a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. I don't think he was prepared for how different he'd look. He cried a little and said, "I want my hair back!" I felt like the devil.

However, one sucker and a couple of pep talks later, he was telling me he liked it. And I notice now that he's mentioning some of the same positives I talked up (it's cooler for summer, easier to wash, hey - it might even make you faster in the pool!) when he's telling others about his cool new 'do.

Before:

After:

Tasty reads.

2011-07-02T16:43:00.002-05:00

While at the beach, I had the chance to devour two food-centered books that I think nearly anyone could enjoy. The first one (my fave among the two) was The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. The book had been recommended by a friend, as well as O Magazine, and it was actually released last summer.

Rose Edelstein's life is trucking along just fine, until her ninth birthday. Around that time, she begins being able to taste emotions in her food. Whether the person preparing her meals is angry, rushed, sad, happy, unfulfilled - Rose can eat one bite and know. This magical gift, of course, tells Rose much more than she wants to know about her mom, dad, and other adults in her life. As she grows older, Rose learns to cope with and eventually embrace her gift, while also discovering the she isn't the only member of her family with special skills.

I thought this was a great, original novel. Bender does a admirable job taking things that seem impossible and making them absolutely believable. It's also a delight to watch Rose's eventual triumph unfold.

I also read The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. In this book, chef Lillian holds a cooking class at her restaurant once a month. The book tells the story not only of Lillian, but of each of her students. Each one is dealing with different problems and joys in their lives, and each one is taking the class for a different reason.

As the story progresses, I realized that the essential ingredients were actually the students and the impacts they have on one another throughout the book. This tome is not as complex as the first one, but made for a perfect beach read. Plus, the descriptions of food were divine.

Life's a Beach! continued . . .

2011-06-26T13:56:00.008-05:00

Day 5 dawned a bit cloudy. To make the most of the weather we had, hubs, Clay and I took a nice drive out to Fort Morgan to explore. The historic fort there, completed in 1834, is open for visitors, and there's also a small museum you can visit.

Fort Morgan was active during four wars — the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II. The fort is most famous for its role in the Civil War Battle of Mobile Bay. In that historic battle, Union Admiral David Farragut uttered his famous "damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead," going on to win the conflict. The fort has tons of dark, spooky corners that you can explore, so bring a flashlight and a sense of adventure! Admission for all three of us was only $10.

After our tour, hubs wanted to take us to a restaurant we'd heard a lot about, but never visited. Off we went to Lambert's, home of the throwed roll. Lambert's isn't far from the outlet mall in Gulf Shores, and it's a big, family restaurant. Clay amused himself on the big wooden toy train out front while we waited for our table to be ready. At Lambert's, you order your dinner from the menu (I had chicken and dumplings with green beans and fried apples, hubs had fried chicken.), but you also get the "passalongs," big pots of food that are brought to your table and free for the taking. (Passalongs were cabbage, black eyed peas, apple butter, fried potatoes, etc.) Plus, you get all the rolls you can eat tossed your way. (Clay caught one all by himself!) The food, particularly the potatoes and the rolls, was tasty! We really enjoyed our lunch here, more for the atmosphere and friendly service than anything.

Feeling like an evening in, we flew kites on the beach after our nap that afternoon. There was a great breeze, and Clay just had to hold on to the end of the string. No effort required! A great day!

The next morning, we hit the pool almost as soon as we woke up. After a nice swim and a shower, my older sister Laura and I dolled up. We were headed to Foley to get our shop on at the outlet mall. After a quick and delicious lunch at The Shrimp Basket (I, of course, had the shrimp basket. Laura got some tasty steamed oysters. YUM!), we found treasures at Banana Republic (Button-up dress shirts for $11?! Whooopeee!), Gymboree (I didn't pay more than $3.99 for any piece of clothing I bought for Clay here. Great deals.), and more. (Starfish jewelry! Cute sandals! I was in heaven!) Fun!

We had to keep an eye on the time, though, because we'd chartered a boat for the whole family (plus some old friends of ours who also happened to be in Gulf Shores) that evening. We wanted to stop by and get some drinks and snacks and make it out to the dock before the rest of the family arrived. We'd chosen the boat and tour we'd booked very carefully. We wanted a pontoon boat, due to mom's shaky footing and all of the little ones aboard. We lucked out with the Josephine, docked at Pirate's Cove. It was the perfect vessel for us, and captain Jerry motored us around the bay, showed us some dolphins, and generally charmed our whole group. All in all, there were the nine adults and four children on our boat, and we all had a great time. The sky was a bit cloudy that evening, which kept it from being too hot, and Jerry let us stay out on the water as long as we wanted. This was one of the highlight activities of our trip!

We decided to keep our last day in Orange Beach low-key. We walked the beach, looking for shells. We flew kites. To spice up our day, we had one last, throw down meal. The previous evening, our boat captain had recommended Wolf Bay Lodge. (There are locations both on 20 and at Zeke's Landing. Very convenient.) After a trip to the salad bar and a cup of oyster stew, I had the grilled snapper. Dear Lord. That was some of the best grilled fish I've ever had. Well-seasoned, perfectly cooked, and a super-generous portion. Hubs had the flounder. We could have easily ordered one entree and split it, ordering an extra salad/potato. We each boxed up half of our orders, but not before we tried the chocolate eclair cake. It was at this point that I realized if I didn't go home soon, none of my clothes were going to fit.

All that, plus a few pitchers of Josh's spiked lemonade, a bunch of hands of Spades, some margaritas, and a 500-piece puzzle of the American flag and Lady Liberty (actually, it was only 499 pieces. ONE PIECE was missing!), and you have our vacation!

After doing a last bit of laundry and packing up a bit, we left the following morning. On the way back home, we stopped off in Seminary at Heather's Dixie Grill for a quick lunch. Delicious, cheap, and speedy! Just what we needed! We also stopped by Donna's #6 on the way back in from Jackson for fresh berries, cucumbers, tomatoes and a big cantaloupe. (A little homemade peach ice cream didn't hurt, either.)

We had such fun! Hmmmm . . . I wonder where we'll all go NEXT year?

Life's a Beach!!

2011-06-25T21:18:00.009-05:00

We just returned from a week in Orange Beach! Wow! So. Much. FUN!

This is the first vacation I've taken with my extended family as a group. Yep, that meant me, hubs, little man, plus mom and dad, plus my older sister, her husband, and their son, PLUS my younger sister, Grace (who flew in from Oregon), and her boyfriend. I would be lying if I didn't admit that I had been a little worried I'd wrap my fingers around someone's neck before the week was out.

But, really, I shouldn't have fretted over it. We all had a great time, and it was a wonderful, relaxing week.

They key was finding the right condo. Because Grace and her boyfriend were only there for two nights (and my brother-in-law ended up only staying a night or two more), we did just fine with a big, three bedroom, three bath condo. Each family had their own bedroom, and Grace and Ryan sacked out in the den. We stayed at The Enclave, in unit 707 (We booked via http://www.homeaway.com/), and I couldn't have been more pleased. There was an ample beachfront balcony for mom, an indoor and outdoor pool for the boys, and a gorgeous, inviting stretch of sand just steps from our door.

On Day 1, we traveled in. Hubs, Clay, and I stopped off in Lucedale, Miss., for lunch. (At Tommy's. Two words. DON'T. GO. The place is a dive, service was slow and surly, and the food isn't even very good. We always try to eat local. Sometimes, it's a smashing success. Others, an epic failure. Tommy's was the latter. Stay away.) We rolled into Orange Beach at around 4 p.m. or so, ordered some pizzas, and then hit the beach. Clay loved chasing the waves, playing tag with everyone, and generally getting all his ya-yas out.

The next morning, we made some bloody marys and headed back down to the water. After a day of sand and sun, we had a big, family photo taken on the beach. Our sweet photographer (who shoots a lot of beach weddings there) was so patient with our big group. I can't wait to get the pics back!! We decided to have photos made because, really, we are so rarely all together. Now that Grace lives in the Northwest, we only see her during the holidays, and it's difficult to schedule a portrait then. This way, we were all in the photo, relaxed, and in a gorgeous setting. The photographer took a big group photo of all of us, plus photos of each smaller family, some of us girls with daddy, the grandkids with the grandparents, etc. Lots of great combinations.

Monday was Grace and Ryan's last day at the beach, so the two of them went parasailing with Brian and I. I'd always wanted to try it, and it seemed as good a time as any. I found it incredibly peaceful, almost like hot-air ballooning, but even quieter. We saw all kinds of rays and jellyfish in the water from above. Plus, we got great views of the shoreline. I would do it again in a heartbeat. (Incidentally, we went with the parasailing folks down at Zeke's Landing. It wasn't far from our hotel, and they had great prices.) Then, we got to enjoy the boat ride while Grace and Ryan parasailed, so it was a two-fer! I really enjoyed it.

We'd worked up an appetite by this time, so we headed to FloraBama for lunch. If you've never been, it's this big, ramshackle bar/restaurant right on the Florida/Alabama state line. I had an order of steamed Royal Reds (shrimp) with an order of fries, and hubs had a big, juicy cheeseburger. Grace got the oysters (spicy), and Ryan had a burger as well. YUM!

After a shower and a nap, we had shrimp boil from Lartigue's that night and walked the beach, looking for shells.

After a leisurely breakfast of cinnamon rolls and fruit the next day, we spent the morning at the pool.

My brother-in-law had plans for all of us for lunch that day. We headed to the Tin Top, which was a short drive from our condo, for some of the best seafood I've ever had the privilege of eating. We started with the crab claws, which were served in loads of creamy Tin Top sauce with bread for sopping. OMG. We nearly licked the bowl. We also tried the Oysters Fenton, which come in a rich, buttery, garlicky broth. Dear Lord, have mercy. For our entree, hubs and I split the steamed crab leg and shrimp platter, which was delicious. Needless to say, we didn't have room for dessert. Though eating like we did at the Tin Top was not cheap, it was absolutely worth it. One of the highlight meals of our trip.

That evening, we loaded up the boys and visited Adventure Island. What fun! My sis, her husband, and my sweet nephew played putt putt while hubs, Clay and I hit the arcade. Clay loved playing the Jurassic Park game with hubs, and they looked darling riding the Go-Karts together! We took a spin on the tugboat ride, cashed in our tickets for a few prizes, and had some ice cream before heading home.

More to come . . .

The Most Amazing Room EVER

2011-06-15T21:47:00.007-05:00

When I was pregnant with Clay, I decided that his nursery would have a nautical theme. I spent some of the months of my pregnancy choosing crib bedding with sweet little sailboats on it, buying a matching window valance and lamp, and searching ebay for tiny model ships and hand-carved wooden captain figurines. I even found a brass plate that said "Captain" to hang over his bed and a wooden sign reading "Poop Deck" that we put by the changing table.

Well, needless to say, my little baby has grown up. And the four-year old boy that I have now is not really amazed by sailboats. He much prefers Spiderman.

So when we ran across a Spiderman sheet set at Target during Memorial Day weekend, he was enthralled. How could I say no? And so it began.

We bought the sheet set, plus a light red blanket and pillow sham, as well as a dark blue dust ruffle, red window valance, and Spiderman throw for the rocker. Once all of that was in place, we scooted by Lowe's and picked up a cool contemporary lamp. We painted the shade black.

We decided to paint the silhouette of a city skyline on the long wall, then buy some Spiderman wall decals and have Spiderman siwnging and jumping his way through the city. THEN we thought, "Why not paint the city in black chalkboard paint? That way, he can write on it." Check and check.

We trolled ebay (my trusty sidekick) for the decals, as well as a couple of lots of Spiderman toys and some comic books that we could frame and hang on the wall. By the end of the weekend - Voila! Clay thinks he has the coolest room ever.

This is the long wall before we applied the decals. We brought the baseline of the city up fairly high on the wall so Clay would have plenty of eye-level room to draw.

Here's the bed and the same wall with some of the decals up. You can also see the neat lamp. (We put a few decals on the shade of it, too!)

Here's the rest of the city, the corner rocker, and the bookcase. I have some Spiderman comic books that I've framed to hang above the bookshelf, but I haven't put them up yet.

Spiderman is everywhere! More decals around the dresser.

More eye drama

2011-06-15T21:37:00.003-05:00

Remember back when my mom had that awful eye infection? Well, for the past week, I've had some eye drama of my own.

Last Tuesday night, I was sprawled out on the floor in the den, reading with Clay. He was goofing off and hopping around like he always does, when WHAP! He hit me in the eye with his hand. Hard. It stung a bit, but the pain subsided quickly. (He was all, "I'm sorry! It was an accident!" and I was all "Ouch.") I didn't think anything of it until later in the evening, when I noticed my eye was sore.

When I awoke Wednesday morning, my eye was bright red and almost swollen shut. Eeeeek. I went to MEA to make sure he hadn't scratched my cornea. After some (very painful) tests, they determined that he'd just given me a really bad shiner. (I blame Wii boxing.)

And guess what? There's not a whole lot you can do for a beat-up eye when it comes to medical treatment. I was instructed to take Aleve to reduce swelling and a apply hot and cold compresses. Really?

The eye has healed, but veryvery slowly. After the initial red/swollen look, I rocked a purple puffy eye for several days. Then, the swelling concentrated itself into one rather large bump in the center of my eyelid for a few days. Today (more than a week after Clay hit me) is the first day it's even looked close to normal.

So, my advice to all the other moms out there? Bob and weave, sister. Bob and weave.

Catching up.

2011-06-15T21:29:00.003-05:00

Sooooo much has been going on lately that I have failed (miserably) to visit this space.

A quick recap of recent activities:

I don't think I ever mentioned that I had the opportunity to sing at New Stage's annual benefit performance at the Fairview Inn. They assigned me two songs from Wicked (a solo and a duet), and I got the chance to perform with some super-talented people. It was a fun night, and just the right amount of rehearsal commitment (small) for my crazy schedule. (Plus, dinner was DIVINE! The whole staff stayed late and served us our dinner in a private room once we finished performing. So sweet of them!)

I took Clay to a birthday party at Shiloh Water Park a couple of weekends ago. The place is still a huge hit! He actually enjoyed getting his face wet more this summer (must be all the time we've been spending at Grammy and Poppy's pool!), and he was fierce with the water cannon!

Last weekend, Clay and I went blueberry picking at Locust Grove Berry Farms. Ooooooh, how I loved it! We got there right at 7 a.m., when they open, and picked for about an hour. (Which ended up being perfect, because, believe it or not, it started to get warm at about 8 a.m.) We ended up with several cups of berries for about $4. We're making muffins tomorrow!

It's official - Hubs and I are going to ROME in the spring! We've sent off our passport renewal documents and booked our airline tickets! Hoooray! I've been dreaming of visiting Italy since before I got pregnant with Clay, but it's never been the right time. Guess what? It's the right time!! I cannot WAIT. I will spend the next several months poring over accommodations, attractions, etc. The planning and anticipation of a trip is definitely something I count among the pleasures of travel.

In the meantime, I'm taking a quick vacation to the beach with my entire family! We've rented a condo in Orange Beach, and the whole gang will be there! Should be fun!

Update on My 101

2011-05-24T21:01:00.002-05:00

Truckin' right along . . . Four more things checked off!

101 things to do in 1001 days

Learn to juggle
Take a martial arts class
Make a will
Make a living will
Train to run 3 miles without stopping
Try a yoga or pilates class
Go to the Lauren Rogers Museum
Learn to play at least one song on the guitar (or, sheesh, just PRACTICE once in a while)
Write a food article and get it published
Write at least one poem or short story
Plant an herb garden
Make fresh pesto with basil I grew - Done! You know, I was never a huge fan of pesto in restaurants. It always seemed way too oily for me. But when I make it myself, I can control the ingredients! I LOVED the pesto I made. We served it over orzo. Delish!
Drink wine in California
Eat salsa in San Antonio
Treasure hunt on Highway 49
Host a New Year’s open house party
Visit the famous fried chicken place in Lorman
Go the fall flower show/festival in Crystal Springs
Learn more about the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict
Give blood
Learn to play the harmonica
Get my piano tuned
Buy sheet music for a song I like and learn to play it on the piano
Learn to do a passable waltz
Go ice skating
Attain APR accreditation
Read at least 3 current books on my profession
Take a road tour through the Mississippi Delta
Enroll in a Millsaps Enrichment class of my choosing
Take Clay to Disney World
Celebrate my birthday in style
Boil/steam a live lobster
Go to a rodeo
Host a formal tea, like at the Savoy
Write a letter to the editor of my local newspaper
Perform in at least one stage production
Attend at least one college alumni event
Get back in touch with some of my college professors
Book a session with a personal trainer
Learn more about how to maximize Adobe Photoshop
Plan a surprise party for someone
Replace at least three outdated light fixtures in my house
Plant some vegetables and keep them alive long enough to harvest them
Plan and take at least one “destination trip” in honor of a holiday (Salem at Halloween, Plymouth Rock at Thanksgiving, etc.)
Stop cussing. Seriously STOP.
Renew my passport
Spend an entire day in complete silence (This one is going to be very difficult.)
Check out a library book, read it, and leave a note in it for the next reader - This one was easy (and fun)!
Attend one religious service of a faith other than my own, just to observe
Start buying more goods that are made in America
Find a professional mentor
Act as a mentor to someone who needs me
Take Clay fruit picking at a local farm
Make something yummy with what we pick
Take Clay to the Petrified Forest
Buy him a bag of shiny tumbled rocks
Take Clay to Rocky Springs
Take Mom to the opera
Rent a boat and go deep sea fishing with dad
Do a “Godfather Week” at the house, where we eat Italian food and watch the Godfather series (once Clay goes to bed. Eeek!)
Go camping
Have an indulgent breakfast in bed
Have my eyes checked (Dear Lord, I’m getting old.)
Take a weekend trip alone. COMPELTELY ALONE.
Win a bet
Look up more shadow puppet instructions and expand my repertoire (Dog, deer, dinosaur, rabbit, and bird are getting kinda old.)
Throw a tapas and wine party
Go on a picnic (Because you can never have too many.)
Toast the sunset
Go see an author read from his/her work
Fly a kite
Ride a horse
Go see a fortune teller or psychic
Ride a train
Find the perfect swimsuit
Have a facial
Move more of my bills/notices over to electronic or auto-draft
Clean out/shred as necessary in ALL of my old files (Gulp.)
Add money to a parking meter about to run out
Repair the back yard arbor
Whittle something
Kiss a new baby
Throw a Mediterranean party with grilled lamb, veggies, tzatziki, the whole nine
Start a personal, meaningful family tradition at Easter
Photograph a sunrise
Go to Pepsi Pops
Go to a ceramic painting shop and paint something cool - Clay and I did this together a few weeks ago. His piece turned out cooler than mine, I think, but hey, I'm trying, right?
Take a family trip to the wildlife preserve in Louisiana
Learn how to change my own oil in my car
Learn how to check and flush/fill fluids in my car
Learn the basics of how my car works
Get a book on constellations
Try to identify at least five of them in the sky
Write a love letter
Surprise someone
Put Christmas decorations on the outside of the house
Have sandal heels re-tapped or CHUCK THEM
Make a care package for someone
Buy something hand made - This one has been accomplished several times over! I bought lots of cool stuff at Arts Alive, an annual arts festival held in Smith Park. I also ordered some wonderful things on etsy for a friend's sweet new baby!
Visit a place that’s rumored to be haunted
Tape and edit a video to create a FINISHED PRODUCT

Start date: February 16, 2011
End date: November 13, 2013

A fine line

2011-05-24T20:38:00.004-05:00

I finally had the chance to get by the Mississippi Museum of Art today for their current exhibit - The Orient Expressed. The exhibit explores the cultural phenomenon known as Japonisme through more than 200 pieces from throughout France, Belgium and the United States. The collection will be on display through July 17, so you still have time to catch it!

As for myself, I enjoyed the exhibit very much. There were several pieces that particularly caught my eye. Coastline of the Orient was like a tiny, perfect window onto a seaside landscape. So delicate and fine. Fusiyama from the Foot of the Hakani Mountains, a photograph, almost looked like a fantasy image. The mountain is ephemeral, wrapped in fog, looking like a voluminous ghost. The Rice of Plenty reminded me of something out of a fairy tale book - three women walking, viewed almost as if through a keyhole. I thought it was enchanting.

And some of the images of women - tending children, washing, sealing letters - were striking in their universality. Baby Talk, which showed an Asian woman cooing to her newborn, captured the essentially human way we interact with our children. The child was cradled close, and as the mother cooed to her little one, her chin jutted up and out a bit and a smile lifted the corners of her mouth. I remember having the exact same posture and expression when I "discussed" things with my tiny bundle!

Some of the pottery, glass and china on display is amazing. The large lobster platter they have, tilted impressively so you really can appreciate it, is striking in its coloring. (And it doesn't hurt, I suppose, that I can imagine eating lobster right off it! Hee! Probably not the thought the museum had in mind!) There was a crackled glass two-handled vase that completely won me over. It's a large-to-medium-sized piece, and the clear, textured glass is tinted the palest amber. The design features underwater plants and fish, and the almost tactile quality of the glass really does complete the illusion that the fish are swimming through water. Breathtaking. I think, of all the pieces on display, it was my favorite.

If you haven't been by the museum for this exhibit, I encourage you to make a little time to appreciate it! Plus, the companion items they have for sale in the museum gift shop are amazing. Everything from elaborate kimonos to tiny dolls to interesting books and paper goods.

Just call me Daisy Fay

2011-05-14T16:19:00.004-05:00

I took Clay to the library a couple of weeks ago. I'd intended to check out a nice stack of books for both of us, but after we selected HIS books, he sorta lost interest. Which meant I had to hurriedly grab a tome or two of my own while making sure he didn't wreak havoc. Hovering near the end of the large-print aisle as I watched him cavort in the reading area, I finally just grabbed a book that looked halfway decent and told myself it would have to do.

The book I checked out was Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man, by Fannie Flagg. I've never read much Fannie Flagg, though I was aware she was the author of Fried Green Tomatoes. This book turned out to be a delight. The device Flagg uses to tell Daisy's story is that of a diary, and it was wonderful to hear Daisy grow up, and "listen" to her voice changing a bit as she got older.

Basically, Daisy is the only daughter of a Mississippi couple in the 1950s. Her father is charming, but he is a hard drinker. The reader follows Daisy on her adventures in Jackson, then down to Shell Beach on the Gulf Coast, then up to Hattiesburg, and finally to the Miss Mississippi contest in Tupelo. Throughout, Daisy's opinionated, honest take on the world around her will make you root for her. A funny cast of supporting characters also makes this book a joy to read.

Recommended!

Clay doings

2011-05-14T16:00:00.005-05:00

A while back, Clay and I found ourselves with a free morning. We headed over to Harry the Potter, a paint-your-own pottery store in Flowood, for a fun morning activity.

Clay chose a small dish shaped like a fish, and he picked lots of blues, purples and grays to paint it with. I selected a large chip and dip plate and tons of greens, browns, and a fiery red. We had such fun! Clay mixed his paint and dabbled it all over the fish, while my design was a bit more structured. When we finished, we signed our names on the bottom of our creations and paid for our pottery.

I picked up the finished pieces last week. Clay's fish looks WAY better than my chip and dip plate! (Clearly, his artistic technique was superior.) Next time, I'm going to let him paint the big, expensive piece!

We also swung by the Amazing Butterflies exhibit at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science last weekend. It was big fun! Clay loved climbing on the rope spiderweb, reflecting light into the mirror with his butterfly wings, and curling up in the cocoon. We paid our regular visits to all the fish and frogs in the aquarium section, and we also really enjoyed walking on some of the trails behind the museum.

Before we left Lefleur's Bluff State Park, we also took the opportunity to play at the Riverside Playground. We'd never been there before, and it's so much fun! First of all, it's really BIG. And there's lots of places to be and things to do inside. Clay loved climbing up into the towers, walking on the balance toys, and riding the rocky horses. Bathrooms are conveniently located adjacent to the park, and the day was absolutely gorgeous for playing outside.

This morning, the whole Bradshaw clan headed to the Mississippi Children's Museum. We love this attraction, and Clay could spend days inside. Particular favorites this morning included the forest maze, the build-a-boat racing stream, the digestive tract (He loves the sound effects!), and milking the cow at the barnyard. (They've been talking about farms at daycare.)

Oh, plus - we found time to dress up like pirates and create a treasure map. ARGH!!

Riots of bloom

2011-05-14T15:46:00.002-05:00

It's May, and my garden is blooming! First, the cheery little daffodils and iris bloomed. Then, the confederate jasmine filled the air with its heady scent. Now, we've got lilies, gorgeous blue hydrangea, butterfly bush, gardenias, and tons of red geraniums. The forsythia I put out in the fall is also shooting up, and all of my mums from last fall have already budded.

On Easter weekend, we planted our first vegetable garden at this house. Clay went with me to Lowe's to pick out all of our plants. We chose two blackberry bushes, three strawberry bushes, three tomato plants (two cherry tomatoes, and one big striped variety), two pepper plants, two cucumber plants, and an eggplant. (Me, to Clay, as he was putting the eggplant in the cart, "But you don't even LIKE eggplant." Clay - "Oh, I do. I like eggplant." We shall see!) We also planted some seeds - sunflowers, radishes, and nasturtiums - in addition to some spring onions.

So far, all the rain we've been having has been kind to our vegetable garden. All the seeds have sprouted, and we've got little tomatoes on each of our tomato plants. The onions have started coming up, and our strawberry plants have put out a few little tentative white berries. (Though I may not get any. I have a feeling it's going to be a war with the creatures of the wild on that.)

If I can keep everything watered and disease-free, we'll be eating tons of great stuff in just a few short weeks! YAY!

Update on My 101

2011-04-28T19:20:00.003-05:00

An update on my list! Five things checked off so far, and a couple of others are in progress! Woo hoo!

101 things to do in 1001 days

Learn to juggle
Take a martial arts class
Make a will
Make a living will
Train to run 3 miles without stopping
Try a yoga or pilates class
Go to the Lauren Rogers Museum
Learn to play at least one song on the guitar (or, sheesh, just PRACTICE once in a while)
Write a food article and get it published
Write at least one poem or short story
Plant an herb garden - Done! We've got basil, rosemary, chives, sage, dill, parsley, and thyme! Yum!
Make fresh pesto with basil I grew
Drink wine in California
Eat salsa in San Antonio
Treasure hunt on Highway 49
Host a New Year’s open house party
Visit the famous fried chicken place in Lorman
Go the fall flower show/festival in Crystal Springs
Learn more about the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict
Give blood
Learn to play the harmonica
Get my piano tuned
Buy sheet music for a song I like and learn to play it on the piano
Learn to do a passable waltz
Go ice skating
Attain APR accreditation
Read at least 3 current books on my profession
Take a road tour through the Mississippi Delta
Enroll in a Millsaps Enrichment class of my choosing
Take Clay to Disney World
Celebrate my birthday in style
Boil/steam a live lobster
Go to a rodeo
Host a formal tea, like at the Savoy
Write a letter to the editor of my local newspaper
Perform in at least one stage production
Attend at least one college alumni event
Get back in touch with some of my college professors
Book a session with a personal trainer
Learn more about how to maximize Adobe Photoshop
Plan a surprise party for someone
Replace at least three outdated light fixtures in my house
Plant some vegetables and keep them alive long enough to harvest them
Plan and take at least one “destination trip” in honor of a holiday (Salem at Halloween, Plymouth Rock at Thanksgiving, etc.)
Stop cussing. Seriously STOP.
Renew my passport
Spend an entire day in complete silence (This one is going to be very difficult.)
Check out a library book, read it, and leave a note in it for the next reader
Attend one religious service of a faith other than my own, just to observe
Start buying more goods that are made in America
Find a professional mentor - Check and check! Woo hoo!
Act as a mentor to someone who needs me
Take Clay fruit picking at a local farm
Make something yummy with what we pick
Take Clay to the Petrified Forest
Buy him a bag of shiny tumbled rocks
Take Clay to Rocky Springs
Take Mom to the opera
Rent a boat and go deep sea fishing with dad
Do a “Godfather Week” at the house, where we eat Italian food and watch the Godfather series (once Clay goes to bed. Eeek!)
Go camping
Have an indulgent breakfast in bed - Who knew that all I had to do to get this was ASK?!
Have my eyes checked (Dear Lord, I’m getting old.)
Take a weekend trip alone. COMPELTELY ALONE.
Win a bet
Look up more shadow puppet instructions and expand my repertoire (Dog, deer, dinosaur, rabbit, and bird are getting kinda old.)
Throw a tapas and wine party
Go on a picnic (Because you can never have too many.)
Toast the sunset
Go see an author read from his/her work
Fly a kite - Clay and I bought kites at the toy store in the Renaissance mall, and they are so easy to fly out on the reservoir. On a windy day, you just kinda toss them in the air!
Ride a horse
Go see a fortune teller or psychic
Ride a train
Find the perfect swimsuit
Have a facial
Move more of my bills/notices over to electronic or auto-draft
Clean out/shred as necessary in ALL of my old files (Gulp.)
Add money to a parking meter about to run out
Repair the back yard arbor
Whittle something
Kiss a new baby
Throw a Mediterranean party with grilled lamb, veggies, tzatziki, the whole nine
Start a personal, meaningful family tradition at Easter
Photograph a sunrise
Go to Pepsi Pops
Go to a ceramic painting shop and paint something cool
Take a family trip to the wildlife preserve in Louisiana
Learn how to change my own oil in my car
Learn how to check and flush/fill fluids in my car
Learn the basics of how my car works
Get a book on constellations
Try to identify at least five of them in the sky
Write a love letter
Surprise someone
Put Christmas decorations on the outside of the house
Have sandal heels re-tapped or CHUCK THEM
Make a care package for someone
Buy something hand made
Visit a place that’s rumored to be haunted
Tape and edit a video to create a FINISHED PRODUCT - I did this, too! Though my completed video was no great shakes, now I know it isn't such a big deal to put one together. It's easier than you think!

Start date: February 16, 2011
End date: November 13, 2013

Easter fun!

2011-04-26T20:57:00.013-05:00

Our little family celebrated a fun Easter last weekend! We made cupcakes, visited the Easter Festival at the Mississippi Museum of Agriculture and Forestry (where we ran into Grammy and a rose garden full of beautiful blooms), and had a relaxing dinner with my family!

Our weekend in pictures:

Yum! We took these to Clay's classroom for sharing!

Our love of carousels knows no bounds.

It seemed as though every rose bush at the Ag Museum was in bloom! Gorgeous!

I love this picture. Even though Clay looks SO OLD in it!

Little people were very excited about their Easter baskets!

I've met my match.

2011-04-26T20:39:00.004-05:00

I recently finished reading The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffrey Steingarten. What can I say? As a lover of food and a voracious eater, the title appealed to me.

Steingarten serves as food critic for Vogue magazine. (Yeah. I thought the same thing as you. "Vogue has a food critic?" When I think of Vogue, I think of dresses and bags and makeup and jewelry and tons of super-skinny models who never eat anything, much less consult the advice of a food critic. But I guess I've been wrong.)

At any rate, the book is a collection of essays on various food-related topics: Kobe beef, the perfect french fry (and the perfect ketchup to dip it in), truffle hunting, ice cream, salt, the American obsession with low fat foods, produce in the American supermarket, and on and on.

Steingarten is rapaciously curious about food, and he seems to revel in research and recipe testing. These tendencies, combined with a love of eating and a nice sense of humor, make for entertaining and informative reading.

The only thing I found off-putting, at times, was that Steingarten is obviously writing from a position of, well, privilege. He lives in New York City and thinks nothing of popping out at any hour of the day to track down the most obscure ingredients. He pays insanely high prices for foodstuffs, writing in dulcet tones about a crate of glorious peaches he had shipped direct from California (to the tune of $6 or $7 PER PEACH). He has ample time and resources to buy hundreds of pounds of potatoes, various jugs of different oils, and several versions of deep fryers to conduct an extensive french fry test at his apartment.

Man, that Vogue expense account must be generous.

Other than that slight chafing, however, I found the book enjoyable and enormously interesting. I learned a lot, and I'm considering buying his second book, It Must've Been Something I Ate.

The book of greed.

2011-04-15T20:48:00.003-05:00

I recently finished reading Curtis Wilkie's Fall of the House of Zeus, which chronicles the meteoric rise and subsequent indictment of Dickie Scruggs. Wow.

If you aren't familiar with Dickie Sruggs, he was a home-grown Mississippi trial lawyer who took on some of America's biggest businesses and won. He landed big settlements for victims of asbestos poisoning in Mississippi and later went on to litigate Mississippi's tobacco settlement, a HUGE case that sent ripple effects throughout the United States and made Scruggs a millionaire for life.

As you read the book, you'll learn more than you ever wanted to know about a parade of familiar Mississippi politicians and lawyers. Even more astonishing, though, the book pulls back the curtain a bit and shows you how things really get done in state politics and law.

Wilkie delineates the connections between local business leaders, elected officials, and others with clout, and these connections are countless. The people that run this state went to Ole Miss together, pledged the same fraternity, grew up in the same small town, etc. And how do things get done once these folks are in positions of power? Well, one calls in a personal favor to another, and that's pretty much that.

In other words, your average John Q. Public, who doesn't happen to have such connections, doesn't have a prayer when trying to get legislation passed or effect some other desired outcome. He's not part of the network.

The other thing that disturbed me was the absolute greed I read about in this book. For many of these lawyers, $1 million in fees wasn't considered acceptable. (How can a million dollars be unacceptable?! I find it difficult to grasp.) They were all after what Wilkie calls the "big lick" - a giant settlement that would support a lavish lifestyle indefinitely. And the awful thing is, many of them got it. Private jets, multiple homes, frequent world travel, expensive cars and jewelry. The pursuit of these things dominated their thoughts, and some of the "characters" Wilkie writes about also seemed to begrudge other colleagues their success.

While reading this book certainly won't shore up your faith in humanity, I did find it fascinating. And aptly named. The story of Dickie Scruggs is something of a Greek tragedy.

Worth reading.

Dinner with Guy

2011-04-15T20:31:00.005-05:00

A quick weigh-in with an out-of-the-way restaurant review - Guy's Catfish and Steak House in Vaiden, Miss.

We were driving up towards Memphis from Jackson on Thursday night when hunger struck. A quick search on the smartphone told us that Guy's Catfish was just ahead at Vaiden. We called them to make sure they were open and get the (incredibly simple) directions we needed to find them from the interstate, and we were in business!

First of all, you can tell from the moment you enter Guy's that this is a family-owned business. The whole clan seems to be there, from babies to grandmothers. We were lured by the heavenly smell of the catfish buffet, so we ordered that for dinner and started loading up our plates.

First the catfish - I don't know what spices they are putting in the breading/coating of their fried catfish, but they make for an amazing result. The fish is perfectly seasoned. I would tell you that you could skip tartar sauce (and really, you could), but then you would miss out on their delicious homemade tartar sauce. And nobody wants that, right?

The hush puppies were crispy and oniony, and the green beans had a sweet, vinegary note that I loved.

All that to say, Guy's is a winner. If you find yourself up near Vaiden, check it out!!

More Memphis . . .

2011-04-15T20:14:00.007-05:00

Saturday morning found us up and at 'em for a fun-filled trip to the Children's Museum of Memphis. We arrived promptly at 9 a.m. (when it opened), enjoyed free on-site parking, and paid our $30 (total) to get in.

Clay immediately noticed the big FedEx plane to the right of the museum entrance, so our first stop was a stint as pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit. We explored the Mississippi river exhibit, then spent some time checking out groceries at the mini-Kroger before heading into educational exhibits about dentistry, auto mechanics, and more!

Clay loved the fire truck and police car, and we spent a good while on the "stage" where you can be in your own music video. (He loved seeing himself on TV!) He also really loved the construction area, where you can climb through a "house" in construction, connect different bits of PVC pipe together, and practice drawing blueprints. Then, it was off to build structures with wood slats and see how far your paper airplanes would fly in another exhibit.

We finished up in the Wizard of Oz section, where we practiced putting the stuffed scarecrow back together and tried on wild Ozian hats. A trip to the museum store for a puzzle and a little yellow car rounded out the visit, and we were back in Southaven for lunch and a nap a short while later.

One we'd had a rest, we decided to explore the Memphis Botanic Garden. I'd heard good things about the "Your Big Back Yard" exhibit, which sounded perfect for little man.

They've basically created a giant bird house (complete with a HUGE bluebird and a suspension bridge that leads to a fun slide) in one section of the garden. It's flanked by a GIANT nest for kids to play in, a little woodsy "theatre" where they can put on shows, and an interactive maze and spiderweb crawl.

Past all of that, kids can tunnel through the ground like worms and play in one of several playhouses designed and constructed by local artists. (Clay loved the house of twigs. We got inside and pretended we were two little pigs. Daddy was the wolf and, of course, we DID NOT let him in!) The houses are fanciful and imaginative. One contains all sorts of "found" instruments, like a xylophone made out of old wrenches. Another has a cool little loft space the kids can climb up into, with a tiny, high window they can peep out of. Just lots of fun and creativity.

Once we finished enjoying that part of the garden, we checked out the rest of it - roses, a beautiful water garden, and some fun swings. We finished up shortly before they closed, then headed out for dinner.

The next morning, it was back home! 9I didn't get to go to a SINGLE outlet mall. Sniff.) I can recommend a family trip to Memphis without reservation. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit!

Memphis fun!

2011-04-14T21:47:00.018-05:00

Last weekend, our little tribe packed up and headed to Memphis for some family fun! We took off Thursday night and checked in at a Residence Inn in Southaven. (We always stay in suite-style accommodations, and we didn't really feel a need to be in Memphis proper in the evenings.)

Friday morning found us headed for the Memphis Zoo! I'd never been there before. First of all, the neighborhood surrounding the zoo is gorgeous. Large, historic homes sit back from the street, nestled among mature lawns and plantings. (I wonder how much some of those houses cost. Shivers.)

We arrived just as the zoo was opening at 9 a.m. Parking was $5, but because we are members at the Jackson Zoo, we got in for half-price ($20 for all three of us)! Yay! Because we anticipated a long day there, we rented one of the cute covered strollers they offer (8$). Then, off we headed to explore.

The entrance to the zoo is very impressive. A large, Egyptian-style structure serves as your ticketing area, and in front of it are large, two-dimensional animal statues. (Clay loved them, insisting on having his picture taken in front of the hippo.) Once inside, you're greeted by all the public facilities (restrooms, stroller rental, information office, shop, etc.), plus some beautiful fountains and statuary, before entering the actual exhibit space.

First, we toured the "Cat Country" exhibit, where we saw leopards, cheetahs, and other gorgeous animals. We noticed that the lions didn't appear to be out this early, which was a disappointing discovery we remedied later in the day. Then, we peeked into the Tropical Bird House. We LOVED this. Though in many parts of the house, a glass or cage separates you from the birds, two large open-air viewing rooms put you up close and personal with gorgeous specimens. They were flying all around us. A great experience.

We were disappointed to find the penguin exhibit empty, though we did enjoy watching a nearby pelican exhibit for a while. We spent a little time in their jewel-box of an aquarium before getting to know the Komodo Dragons. There were three of them, all in different enclosures, and Clay was completely fascinated by them, going right up to the Plexiglas for a chat, then stepping back a bit when one got a little *too* active. (Incidentally, did you know that a Komodo Dragon can eat a small deer in about 20 minutes? No joke. Clay clearly understood the food chain.)

After stopping by the hippo exhibit for an ice cream, we checked out the China exhibit. It started with a short educational film, then you entered this part of the zoo to observe Asian monkeys, otters, birds, and the star attraction - giant pandas. There were two of them, and they were so cute! Much more social than I thought they'd be. One was in the day room, clearly posing for pictures and enjoying being adored by throngs of fans.

Afterwards, we made our way through the African Veldt exhibits, getting up-close looks at elephants, ostrich, zebras, and rhinos. At the giraffe exhibit, we arrived just in time for a keeper chat, so we got to see the giraffes reach their looooong tongues out to fetch the pieces of banana he offered them. Fun!

Then, it was off to the Northwest Passage exhibit, which was probably my absolute favorite part of the zoo. Decorated with totem poles and interactive play spaces (a canoe you can climb in, little nooks and crannies you can explore and use for photos ops, etc.), this exhibit features polar bears, bald eagles, sea lions and other favorites. There's even an air-conditioned space (though it wasn't hot that day, I can imagine how valuable this would be as the months creep into summer) where you can view the polar bears from one side and the sea lions from another in perfect, climate-controlled comfort. Smart.

Directly adjacent to the Northwest Passage exhibit was the Teton Trek, another snazzy combination of enclosures featuring grizzly bears, wolves, and elk. This exhibit also features a gorgeous lodge (perfect for special events) and a fun water feature that the kids can cool off in on hot days. We were getting hungry by this time, so we stopped at a couple of food carts nearby and bought hot dogs, popcorn, and drinks to enjoy in the picnic area next to this exhibit. While there was nothing particularly bad about this fare, if I had it to do again, I might try to time my day so I could lunch at either the Cat House Cafe (sandwiches, salads, pizza, etc.) or one of the other sit-down restaurants in the zoo.

A quick loop around took us to primate canyon, where we saw monkeys, chimpanzees and orangutans. We also enjoyed the flamingos in this part of the park. The Denizens of the Deep South exhibit was closed due to renovation. (These exhibits are clearly in an older part of the zoo.) We ended our day back at the GREAT playground adjacent to the Cat House Cafe. Clay loved playing here, and the equipment was completely age-appropriate for him. A loud roar from the nearby Cat Country exhibit sent us running to see the lions, which were out and on the prowl, before leaving.

To tour the entire zoo took us from about 9 a.m. until about 2 p.m., so it's a full day to be sure. But it's a GREAT facility, and we all really enjoyed it. So many of the animals they feature are not available at our local zoo.

As well, much like my experience of the Museum of Natural History Museum in New York, I think one can observe at the Memphis Zoo the evolution of what the American public thinks a zoo should be. Older parts of the facility showcase animals in smaller enclosures, viewable from one side. The newer, flashier exhibits (China, Northwest Passage, Teton Trek) brand each experience with corresponding architecture/decor, enclosures viewable from multiple vantage points, complimentary indoor spaces, larger habitats, and more interactive features. Just walking through the Memphis Zoo, you can see how the expectations of the consumer have risen over the past couple of decades, and it's obvious that the zoo's strategic plan (They are building a Chickasaw Bluffs exhibit next.) is responding to customer demand. Very impressive.

After such a long day, we headed back to the hotel for a nap, a dip in the pool, and a light dinner in Southaven.

More to come . . .

What Clay is doing now.

2011-04-02T13:31:00.005-05:00

Eeek! I haven't been doing these for quite a while! Here's what Clay's up to these days:

Clay can identify all of his letters (and the sounds they make) and his numbers.

When we are speaking words, he can tell me the letters they start and end with, based on the sound of the word.

He can successfully count to 15. (After that, he starts making stuff up.)

He can write his name.

He can dress himself, use the bathroom himself, wash his hands, and brush his own teeth. (Though I still try to get in there and do a couple of swipes with the toothbrush, just to be sure we're covered.)

Last night, he slept the whole night through in his underwear, not a pull-up. No accidents!

He can color inside the lines of a picture, but he seems to prefer drawing his own creations.

When he's drawing or writing his letters, he is completely focused on what he's doing.

He seems to remember everything we do! This is good most of the time and annoying only occasionally.

He loves role playing. Sometimes we're fire fighters. Sometimes we're Velma and Scooby. Sometimes we're doctors or dinasaurs or superheroes. (And sometimes, mama and daddy are REALLY TIRED.)

Good eats.

2011-04-02T13:17:00.003-05:00

I had the chance to try a couple of new (to me) places for lunch this week. Though I've purchased bread from Great Harvest Bread Company before, they recently opened up a location in Ridgeland where they serve lunch. A co-worker and I swung by there for a bite this week. I ordered the Ya Ya Chicken salad sandwich on wheat bread. It was deliciously savory, and the bread choice was just right. I bravely resisted the temptation to order one of their come-hither desserts. (They seem to have every baked delicacy in the world on display, and they are selling cookies in packs of SIX. Waistline says no. Maybe if they'd sell single cookies, I could sample one?)

As they are new to the lunch-serving business (They've only been serving lunch for about a month.), I found they still had a few kinks to work out. Only 1 register (a mistake, as the line got quite long at times), probably not quite enough tables (people started circling for them like vultures before we left), and not quite enough staff (meals were a little slow to come out, but more noticeably, tables were not often bussed quickly). I'll definitely go there again in another month or so to see how they're coming along.

This afternoon, I finally got around to trying Five Guys Burgers and Fries. YUM! The chain restaurant has a pretty limited menu of burgers, fries, and hot dogs, but they do well with the items they focus on. Portions are generous. A small burger is quite big enough, and I'd say that three people could split an order of small fries. (The fries were especially good.) The Ridgeland Renaissance location has a lovely outdoor seating area, and you can also choose to snag an inside table near the kitchen and watch the staff at work.

They are also building a Five Guys at the Dogwood Festival Mall in Flowood, so you'll have even more options to choose from to satisfy your burger-and-fries-fetish!

Shenanigans!

2011-04-02T12:58:00.007-05:00

Last weekend, we planted all of our patio pots! They look so beautiful! I love red geraniums, and I plant them nearly every year. They're great because they are hardy, don't mind drying out a bit (I'm notorious for forgetting to water.), and I love their bright red flowers. This year, we also put out a cherry tomato plant and a strawberry vine, in addition to our usual potted herbs (basil, chives, thyme and parsley). Both the front and back yards are looking beautiful!

Last Sunday, we packed up our little clan and headed to the Disney Live! Magic Show at the Mississippi Coliseum. The show featured Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald in addition to several of the popular princesses. There was song and dance, a little bit of magic, and a whole lotta relentless cheer (which, as you know, Disney is famous for the world over).

Clay watched the whole thing very intently. (It amazes me how he focuses so closely on live performances. I never worry about taking him to see any live show, because I know that once the lights go down and the curtain goes up, he will absolutely be the ideal audience member.) We snacked on our popcorn, enjoyed the show, and bought a quick little souvenir on the way out.

Yesterday was my sweet nephew's birthday. He had his party at the Baptist Healthplex in Clinton, and it was so fun! When the gym first opened, they had a glassed-in room that featured a rock-climbing wall. For whatever reason, they later removed the climbing wall and put active games in the glassed-in room instead. They had a couple of Wiis; a Dance Dance Revolution game; some neat stationary bikes with video monitors that let you ride different races/routes (harder than it looks!); a big, lit-up electronic floor game with tons of options (step on the lit red dots, avoid the lit-up panels, etc.); and tons of other fun stuff. Clay loved being there and playing with the older kids, and it was great to share another birthday with my nephew.

This Saturday, we decided to swing by the arts festival out at Ridgeland's Renaissance Mall. They held it for the first time in 2009, and it's grown every year since then. Basically, they invite artists from all over the Southeast to come out and exhibit/sell their work at booths. This year, they had some great activities for the little ones. Clay sculpted with play-dough, made his own hat at another crafts booth, decorated a hand puppet at a third tent, and, finally, colored his own T-shirt with fabric markers. He looked awfully cute, hopping all around with his handmade hat and shirt. We perused some of the art booths, caught a quick lunch, and headed home.

The arts festival lasts through Sunday, April 3. So if you didn't get by there today, it's not too late!

In the garden

2011-03-22T21:29:00.003-05:00

We've been enjoying spring (and even summer) temperatures for a couple of weeks now, and the garden is bursting into bloom! Daffodils are well into their season, and iris are opening up everywhere. Azaleas are budding out in the backyard, and my Japanese magnolia is gearing up to flower.

Plans for this year include finally installing the long, wide flower bed alongside the patio that I've been dreaming of, as well as replacing one of the arbors that supports my Confederate jasmine. (With all the wind we get in that location, the old arbor is having a hard time. I'm hoping to replace it with a metal structure, one that we can concrete securely into the ground.)

I've already pulled the hammock out of storage, and Clay and I have spent a couple of lazy afternoons in it!

I did a little light weeding and cleaning up last weekend. This weekend, maybe we'll find time to buy new bedding plants for the patio pots and put them out. I'm also really hoping to do just a little vegetable gardening this season. I think Clay would love planting vegetables, watching them grow, and (hopefully) eating them once they are ripe!

I love spring!!!

Fun with Clay and Hubs

2011-03-22T21:17:00.004-05:00

I get so tired of people who say there's nothing to do in Jackson. Truth is, there's almost TOO MUCH to do in Jackson. For the past two weekends, we've been making the most of it.

A couple of weeks ago, the Jackson Zoo held their annual Zoo Day, with fun booths and activities for the kids, trainers and guides stationed all throughout the park to teach you more about the animals, clowns, carnival games, and more. Clay absolutely loved it. We started with the giraffes, and after watching the orangutans (particularly active that morning) for a bit, we made tiger masks and took a minute to visit with the caricature artist. After playing on one of the zoo playgrounds, we saw the tigers and alligators before winning a few carnival games (free candy for prizes) and spending some time watching the otters play. Then, it was off to see the monkeys, chimps, and rhinos before a few turns on the carousel, a clown performance, and a trip to the gift shop. All of this made little people very happy! We hit up a Mexican restaurant for lunch and then headed home for a rest.

Last weekend, Mal's St. Paddy's Day Parade was in town! We enjoyed the children's festival at last year's parade so much that we went again this year! I thought the festival was even better this year, with two spacejumps, a few fun carnival rides, another clown performance (that's two weekends in a row!), a pet parade (with ADORABLE pets all tricked out in green), and a children's parade. Little man loved it, especially the rides and all of the dogs!

Plus, with the warmer temperatures, we've been enjoying grilling out and eating dinner on the back patio. On Sunday night, we invited my parents over for a lovely dinner of steak kabobs, grilled veggies, couscous, and strawberry cake. The temps were heavenly, and the company was, too! So fun!

Now, THIS weekend, there's not only another parade on Saturday, but we also have tickets to a Disney LIVE! show on Sunday! Woo hoo! I'm beginning to think it doesn't get any better than this!

Keep looking UP!

2011-03-05T16:26:00.003-06:00

We took little man on his first visit to the Russell C. Davis Planetarium today! They are learning about the solar system at daycare, and he's really into it. Brian and I both downloaded free planet apps for our phones, and now booger can tell you which planet is the biggest, which one has rings, which ones are hot, which one we live on, etc. I thought a visit to the planetarium would be the perfect complement to what we've been learning.

I hadn't been to the planetarium in ages. Their website is not usually up to date, so it's best to call them (601-960-1552) and either ask or listen to the voicemail message to find out what's playing. On the weekends, the planetarium opens 30 minutes before the first show. We went to the 1 p.m. skyshow, called Two Pieces of Glass. It was all about telescopes and what they help us see in the sky. The show was short (30 minutes), and Clay really seemed to love it! The 1 p.m. start time makes it the perfect activity to enjoy just after lunch and just before nap.

While we were there, I bought a couple of educational books and a toy space shuttle in the gift shop. So fun! He's already been zooming the shuttle all over the house!

Anyway, if you've not been to the planetarium in a while, I highly recommend it. A fun, quick, educational activity, perfect for a rainy Saturday!

The lights of Birmingham

2011-03-05T16:12:00.002-06:00

Went on a fun Birmingham shopping trip with one of my dearest friends last weekend! Quick recap:

We left town just after lunch, arriving at the Birmingham Marriott (which is in close proximity to The Summit) well before dinner. After checking in and freshening up a bit (Now just WHY don't they open the lounge on the concierge floor on weekends? Leisure travelers like free desserts, too!), we headed out for some food and retail therapy.

A quick stop at California Pizza Kitchen turned out to be a great idea, with yummy mushroom ravioli (You know I got the cream sauce, right?) and a nice glass of red to wash it down. We began our assault on the Summit with trips to Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids (OMG have you seen their cute Easter stuff?), and Urban Outfitters. Our feet sore and our wallets considerably lighter, we headed back to the hotel for some gossip, bad TV, and shut eye.

The next morning, we took advantage of the free buffet (Hello, eggs, bacon, grits, and fruit!), then decided to check out World Market. I'd never been there before, and I think I could have spent every last cent I have in there. They had the prettiest window coverings, plus great furniture, jewelry, and kitchen accessories. I really loved their kitchen textiles, glassware, and dishes. It got me thinking about re-doing the whole kitchen. Whoops. I went wild, of course, in the Easter basket section. (Clay is going to have one rockin' Easter basket this year.) I went ahead and signed up for their rewards program, and I've been browsing their website since returning home. (This could be a real problem.)

After that, it was back to The Summit to hit up Swoozie's (I love some of their partyware!), A Pea in a Pod (My friend is five months pregnant.), and more. We stopped to re-fuel at The Cheesecake Factory, where I sampled the hummus and edamame, and my friend had the crispy crab bites (which taste just as good as they sound) and the sliders. We split a piece of key lime cheesecake.

After that big lunch, we decided to go back to the hotel to unload some of our purchases and cool our heels. It seemed like I'd barely laid down on the bed, and I was asleep! We did wake up in time to doll up and head out to Satterfield's for dinner. I had the bouillabaisse (with a big piece of crusty bread) and a nice flight of three red wines. Delish!

On day three, after another filling breakfast, we strolled through Whole Foods to grab a few snacks for the road and specialty items to take back home. (Truffle butter. Yuuummmmm.) Then, we were off!

I really didn't do as much damage to my rusty old credit card on this trip as I thought I would, but I did manage to come back home with some finds! Plus, I got to catch up with my sweet friend and relax s bit. (Sleeping IN? A NAP? WHO is this marvelous woman?!)

Form and function

2011-02-21T20:30:00.012-06:00

This is the tale of my bathroom re-model - so far. When hubs and I bought our house seven years ago, we knew we'd have to re-do the master bathroom. First of all, it was the only room in the house that had vinyl flooring. Everything else was either carpet or ceramic tile. Secondly, that vinyl flooring was starting to curl up a bit in a couple of places, so we knew it was something we'd have to address eventually.

At first, we just thought we'd tile the floor. Then, little people started kicking the cultured marble on the tub surround, and it got knocked out of place. So then, we thought we'd tile the floor and the tub surround. Well, pretty soon, hubs was looking at our fiberglass shower and saying, "Why don't we just pull this out and tile in here, too?" I wasn't crazy about the expense and extra mess of that idea, but I could see that he did have a point. So, off we went to buy some design books and pick out tile and faucets.

I chose an inexpensive 16" square tile for the floor, and a matching 6" tile for the vertical spaces. To elevate the look of that tile selection, I picked out a beautiful glass and tumbled marble mosaic to use as an accent. We called a contractor that we'd worked with before, and one week and a few thousand dollars later, we've got about half of a totally new bathroom. Below are some before and after photos.

This is the tub area before. You can see at the bottom that the vinyl is starting to curl up due to moisture. The piece of cultured marble facing the camera was also slightly out of alignment, due to little feet kicking it!

This is the tub area after. You can see the 6" tile I chose, and we ran a band of the mosaic around the tub that was the same height.

This is the shower before. Just your standard fiberglass shower with a glass door. It served its purpose well enough, but it certainly wouldn't win any beauty contests.

This is the shower afterwards. We put the mosaic tile in the floor of the shower, in a decorative band along the top, and on the back of the niche that's holding all of the bath supplies. We're using a basic curtain and rod right now because we have to order the new glass door. We also replaced the stainless steel faucet and shower nozzle with an oil-rubbed bronze one.

This is the water closet before. Pretty depressing. At the threshold of this door, more vinyl flooring was starting to peel up. Plus, I think the basket I was using as a garbage can had been around since the Dark Ages.

This is how it looks now. Nice tile floor, plus we replaced the wastebasket and all the hardware (toilet paper holder, door knob, even the tiolet handle). I painted the frame of the mirror in here with oil-rubbed bronze spray paint to match all the new hardware.

I'm really pleased with how far we've come. I knew going into the remodel that it would probably take longer and cost more than we anticipated. We went a little over on both counts, but not by much. What drove me nuts was the MESS. I am a little OCD, and it was difficult for me to live with the DUST created by a remodel. I basically went home and cleaned feverishly every night for about a week. Exhausting.

Now, after we rest a bit (and save a bit more), we'll tackle the other side of the room. See below.

I want to replace the countertop, sinks, and faucets, in addition to buying new mirrors. We've already bought the matching hinges and knobs we need for the cabinets, we just haven't replaced that hardware yet. Once we do all of that, I'm thinking this remodel will be about complete.

And if we survive it, we may think about re-doing the kitchen someday. Shudder.

Goings on

2011-02-21T19:11:00.003-06:00

Lord, have we been busy at the Bradshaw household!

Last weekend, we made the most of the gorgeous weather by spending most of Saturday at Lakeshore Park. We took a ton of old bread and fed every duck and goose in the place. We ran all around, counted the boats in the water, and played on the playground. We stopped in at Kroger long enough to pick up some lunch, then took our food back to the park for a picnic before heading home for a well-deserved nap. It was an absolutely beautiful day, and we've decided that we'll buy a red kite and head back on another pretty weekend to fly it.

On Sunday, we all packed up and headed to a puppet performance by the Bunraku Bay Theatre. The traditional Japanese puppetry features artfully carved puppets with three operators each. One puppeteer operates the head and right arm/hand, one puppeteer operates the left arm/hand, and a third puppeteer operates the feet. The puppets are really works of art, and the performance took place at the Alamo Theatre on Farish Street, a historic building.

I worried that Clay wouldn't like the show because of the music (which is something he is not used to) and the fact that he couldn't understand the words. But, as usual, he was rapt at attention. The kid loves live performances. The only part he didn't like? The lion puppet. He got a little bit scared of its snapping jaws, which made a sharp clicking noise. When it came out into the audience to bite people on the head (no lie - for good health and long life), Clay was all, "I need to go home now!" But I held him in my lap, and he was fine.

Afterwards, we had dinner at Sal and Mookie's. YUM! I love their food! What a GREAT WEEKEND!!!

My (New) 101

2011-02-15T21:21:00.004-06:00

A few years ago, I stumbled onto this site. This way of keeping up with life goals is very natural to me (I'm definitely a list-maker.), and so I tried it. I ended up crossing off about 60 percent of my list, and I had alot of fun along the way. I've re-evaluated the items I didn't complete last time, chucked some of them, and added new goals. See below for the new list! Wish me luck!

101 things to do in 1001 days

Learn to juggle
Take a martial arts class
Make a will
Make a living will
Train to run 3 miles without stopping
Try a yoga or pilates class
Go to the Lauren Rogers Museum
Learn to play at least one song on the guitar (or, sheesh, just PRACTICE once in a while)
Write a food article and get it published
Write at least one poem or short story
Plant an herb garden
Make fresh pesto with basil I grew
Drink wine in California
Eat salsa in San Antonio
Treasure hunt on Highway 49
Host a New Year’s open house party
Visit the famous fried chicken place in Lorman
Go the fall flower show/festival in Crystal Springs
Learn more about the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict
Give blood
Learn to play the harmonica
Get my piano tuned
Buy sheet music for a song I like and learn to play it on the piano
Learn to do a passable waltz
Go ice skating
Attain APR accreditation
Read at least 3 current books on my profession
Take a road tour through the Mississippi Delta
Enroll in a Millsaps Enrichment class of my choosing
Take Clay to Disney World
Celebrate my birthday in style
Boil/steam a live lobster
Go to a rodeo
Host a formal tea, like at the Savoy
Write a letter to the editor of my local newspaper
Perform in at least one stage production
Attend at least one college alumni event
Get back in touch with some of my college professors
Book a session with a personal trainer
Learn more about how to maximize Adobe Photoshop
Plan a surprise party for someone
Replace at least three outdated light fixtures in my house
Plant some vegetables and keep them alive long enough to harvest them
Plan and take at least one “destination trip” in honor of a holiday (Salem at Halloween, Plymouth Rock at Thanksgiving, etc.)
Stop cussing. Seriously STOP.
Renew my passport
Spend an entire day in complete silence (This one is going to be very difficult.)
Check out a library book, read it, and leave a note in it for the next reader
Attend one religious service of a faith other than my own, just to observe
Start buying more goods that are made in America
Find a professional mentor
Act as a mentor to someone who needs me
Take Clay fruit picking at a local farm
Make something yummy with what we pick
Take Clay to the Petrified Forest
Buy him a bag of shiny tumbled rocks
Take Clay to Rocky Springs
Take Mom to the opera
Rent a boat and go deep sea fishing with dad
Do a “Godfather Week” at the house, where we eat Italian food and watch the Godfather series (once Clay goes to bed. Eeek!)
Go camping
Have an indulgent breakfast in bed
Have my eyes checked (Dear Lord, I’m getting old.)
Take a weekend trip alone. COMPELTELY ALONE.
Win a bet
Look up more shadow puppet instructions and expand my repertoire (Dog, deer, dinosaur, rabbit, and bird are getting kinda old.)
Throw a tapas and wine party
Go on a picnic (Because you can never have too many.)
Toast the sunset
Go see an author read from his/her work
Fly a kite
Ride a horse
Go see a fortune teller or psychic
Ride a train
Find the perfect swimsuit
Have a facial
Move more of my bills/notices over to electronic or auto-draft
Clean out/shred as necessary in ALL of my old files (Gulp.)
Add money to a parking meter about to run out
Repair the back yard arbor
Whittle something
Kiss a new baby
Throw a Mediterranean party with grilled lamb, veggies, tzatziki, the whole nine
Start a personal, meaningful family tradition at Easter
Photograph a sunrise
Go to Pepsi Pops
Go to a ceramic painting shop and paint something cool
Take a family trip to the wildlife preserve in Louisiana
Learn how to change my own oil in my car
Learn how to check and flush/fill fluids in my car
Learn the basics of how my car works
Get a book on constellations
Try to identify at least five of them in the sky
Write a love letter
Surprise someone
Put Christmas decorations on the outside of the house
Have sandal heels re-tapped or CHUCK THEM
Make a care package for someone
Buy something hand made
Visit a place that’s rumored to be haunted
Tape and edit a video to create a FINISHED PRODUCT

Start date: February 16, 2011
End date: November 13, 2013

A word on auto maintenance

2011-01-30T20:40:00.002-06:00

Since the beginning of our marriage, hubs and I have split pretty much everything 50/50: our bills, our chores, everything. So, when my car needs maintenance, I take it to the shop myself.

Well, two years ago, I had some brake work done at a local chain car repair shop. As part of what I paid for during that round of service, I got a lifetime warranty on ceramic brake pads.

Well, I'd noticed my brakes making some noise this week, so I took the car back to the same shop on Saturday morning. I mentioned that I'd brought the car in two years ago for brake work, and they pulled up my old invoice on the computer. They told me they'd make the repair, and also replace a couple of rotors, etc. They also noted that on my previous invoice, I'd declined some additional service on my last visit, and did I want to get that done now. (I declined.)

Well, when I went to pay my bill, it seemed higher than it should have been for the work they had done. I mentioned that I had the lifetime pad warranty, and the man at the counter told me that the warranty was based on a certain period of lifetime for the brake pad itself.

I believed what he told me, paid the bill, and left. But it gnawed at me. Later that day, I told my husband that I thought I'd been overcharged. We dug through our old invoices and found the actual invoice from two years ago. There on the front, in plain English, it noted that the brake pads had a lifetime warranty. On the reverse of the invoice, "lifetime warranty" was clearly defined as the lifetime of the VEHICLE. In other words, as long as I own that vehicle, they are supposed to be providing the brake pads, gratis.

Hubs was livid. He went marching back in there with the invoices and my credit card, and he got them to refund the nearly $200 they'd charged me for brake pads.

It was a rather disillusioning experience. I mean, they sat there and viewed the digital invoice of the past work they'd done for me. I asked them point-blank about the warranty. I wonder now if they even did all of the other work they charged me for. And if someone can smile at you and then rob you like that (right to your FACE), what does that say about people? About human nature? Did they think they should swindle me just because I am female? Or because I seemed friendly and gullible? Just very disheartening.

Anyway, I've already requested (and received) some good recommendations of other places I can have my car serviced. Needless to say, I won't be darkening the door of the original shop again.

Mississippi Children's Museum

2011-01-29T21:30:00.005-06:00

I finally had the occasion to take little man to the Mississippi Children's Museum last weekend. What a hoot!! He absolutely loved the place, and I had so much fun with him while we were there!

He loved it all, but particular favorites included the interactive digestive tract (He had to go through that THREE times!) and the little kitchen (complete with TONS of plastic food). We also spent a significant amount of time scanning food at the farmer's market, dancing to country music over by the jukebox (He was dressed up in a cowboy hat and bandanna kerchief! So precious!), and racing the boats we made over by the water exhibits. I purchased a family membership on the spot, and the kind I bought ($85 per year, and worth every penny) allows you to list THREE adults on the membership. (Pawpaw can take him there, too! Yay!)

If you go on a Saturday, be sure to get there EARLY. We arrived at 9:30 a.m. (They open at 9.), and we parked right near the door. By the time we left at 11:45 a.m., cars were parked all the way down the lane to Frontage Road. And even though it was starting to get a little crowded at that time, the inside of the facility is so expansive (three floors, tons of interactive exhibits) that you hardly notice crowds until the place is really and truly packed.

If you haven't been yet, and if you have kids, you really should go. I promise that you will absolutely love it. What a wonderful treasure, and a long-needed addition to the cultural landscape in Jackson.

Book fiend

2011-01-29T21:18:00.004-06:00

A sweet co-worker gifted me a Lemuria credit for Christmas, and I ran right out and bought two books. Ive finished reading both of them now, and I thought I'd weigh in.

Oyster by John Biguenet came highly recommended, and I absolutely loved it. The plot moved along at a nearly lightning pace, and characters were amazing. (Primarily Therese, who drives the action of the entire book. Dude, when two men are dead by page 50, you know you've got a page-turner.)

Here's the quick version: Set in Louisiana in the late 50s, Oyster tells the tale of two rival families: the Petitjeans and the Bruneaus. Both families harvest oysters for a living, and ecological changes are putting full-time oystermen out of business. Therese Petitjean, a young girl, is offered in marriage to Horse Bruneau, more than 30 years her senior. The match will unite the two largest surviving oyster families, ensuring continued success, as well as lift the Petitjeans out of mounting debt. When Horse turns up dead, well before the wedding, his three sons are sure that a Petitjean is to blame. One murder later, the real killer is still on the loose.

I thought Biguenet did a wonderful job of capturing the atmosphere of Louisiana and the region's love of food. As well, Therese is one of the strongest female characters I've read in a long time.

I also just finished reading The Invisible Bridge, by Julie Orringer. The book begins a few years before the onset of World War II, following Andras Levi, a Hungarian Jew with dreams of becoming an architect, and his family. As a young man, Andras moves to Paris to attend design school. He is flourishing there, winning design awards for his academic work, meeting a woman and falling in love, and generally making a life for himself.

Of course, all that stops as Europe is plunged into war. Andras and his brothers are forced to work in labor battalions to support the Hungarian army, and before the end of the book, many of my favorite characters had suffered terribly.

I purchased this book because one of the clerks at the bookstore recommended it. The book is very well-written, but it can be difficult to read at times because of the heavy subject material. Not a quick or an easy read, but one worth delving into if you have an interest in history and a yen for a well-told tale.

Chinese New Year!

2011-01-29T21:08:00.002-06:00

Last year, as you may recall, I invited my family over for dinner and celebrated the Chinese New Year. We ate dumplings and clear soup, gobbled up a delicious chicken noodle dish (with long noodles, symbolizing long life), and then had sweet almond cookies with hot tea for dessert.

It was such a smashing success that we decided to celebrate again this year. Now, the Chinese New Year isn't officially until Feb. 3 this year. However, that did make it awfully close to the Super Bowl, so we decided to push it back to late January.

We had such fun! I'd really encourage you to try celebrating yourself! Basic decorations can be purchased at most party supply stores, and you can find some really special things at Asian food markets as well. And with quick convenience foods (like the pre-made dumplings at Kroger, that you just steam and serve), it's really easy to put a meal together.

There are all kinds of traditions you can choose to observe, as well. You can check out Wikipedia for ideas. We gave each guest red envelopes stuffed with foil wrapped chocolate coins (to bring both wealth and sweetness in the new year). We also all wore red (to scare away Nien).

What I really like about celebrating Chinese New Year is that it's well past the hustle and bustle of Christmas. No one has any prior time commitments, and we're not madly juggling schedules like we are in the thick of the holiday season. Also, the food is light and healthy. What's wrong with a couple of steamed dumplings, a chicken noodle dish chock full of veggies, and a few cookies with tea? It's practically virtuous. So it just becomes an opportunity for us to get together and enjoy one another.

Birthday girl

2011-01-16T16:18:00.002-06:00

I recently had a birthday, and it pleased me so much that I thought I'd write about it here.

First of all, you should probably know that I'm not one of those people who worries too much about turning a year older. What I like is to celebrate something, anything, and a birthday gives me a wonderful excuse to do just that. In fact, I prefer to stretch my celebrating out over several days so as to prolong the birthday halo.

On the morning of my birthday, I awoke to cards, sweet kisses, and a chorus of "Happy birthdays!" from my two men. So darling!

Later, my co-workers treated me to breakfast at Broad Street Bakery & Cafe. I LOVE this restaurant. Now, during Christmas 2009, the bakery had made a special holiday scone - a ginger apricot scone. I tried it then and fell in love. But then the holiday season ended, and the bakery stopped making it. I resigned myself to 11 months without it. However, when Christmas 2010 rolled around, did the bakery start making my scone again? NO! Aaack! I posted sweet entreaties to their Facebook account. I begged the checkout girl each time I ate there. All to no avail.

However, on the morning of my birthday, WHAT had my sweet work friends arranged to have baked up special for me? An entire baker's dozen of heavenly apricot ginger scones! It was pure bliss. I ate my fill, then froze the remainder in individual serving sizes, so I can stretch the baked yumminess out for another month or two.

All day on my actual birthday, I got sweet phone calls, e-mail messages, and texts from people wishing me a happy birthday. Lots of fun little conversations and chances to catch up with folks.

Then, in the early afternoon, a beautiful bouquet of flowers was delivered to my office. Sweet hubs. He knows just what to do, doesn't he?

The next day, I treated myself to a fun lunch with a friend in the middle of a hectic work day. (Happy birthday to me!) We met at Nagoya, I didn't rush through my meal, and we had a wonderful time, talking and laughing.

Later, hubs and I dropped little man off at my parents' house for the night while we went for a leisurely dinner at Parlor Market. We had the charcuterie platter, then I got the mussel pasta (a special - mussels with squid ink pasta, garlic, and Parmesan. OMG.), and we finished up with the apple tart. Divine!

So, with that, I *may* consider my birthday celebrating over. (If you don't count the Birmingham shopping trip I'll take with my good friend next month. It is, after all, still a little close to my birthday, right? Right?)

A modern Greek tale

2011-01-08T21:13:00.002-06:00

I recently finished reading The Secret History by Donna Tartt. I'd heard wonderful things about the book, so I was excited to finally get my hands on a copy.

The plot: Young Richard Papen seems to hate his life in Plano, Texas. On a whim, he applies to a small college in Vermont - Hampden. He is thrilled when he is accepted and seizes the opportunity for escape. Once he arrives at Hampden, he falls in with a close-knit group of five classics students, and their academic and social worlds intertwine. However, a series of bloody events take their toll on the small group of friends, barreling them towards a shocking, and almost inescapable, conclusion.

The book reminded me in some ways of A.S. Byatt's Possession in that it read a bit like a modern classic. Because the students study the classics, and the tale is set at a college, the reader already finds him/herself in the academic frame of mind. From the very beginning of the book, the author admits that a murder has taken place. But the reader continues from page to page not to find out if this is indeed so, but to discover how the story will unfold. Such a device reminds me of Greek tragedy. The audience knew the basic plot, but they kept coming to the theatre to see a particular treatment of the plot. (ie., How will these artists interpret this story?)

Another aspect of the book that felt classic was the idea of fate. After a certain turning point in the book, I began to think that some of the characters had lost their free will. Based on what we knew about each character, and what has preceded before, it was almost unthinkable that they could/would do anything other than what they did. Once a certain point was reached, everything was already decided.

Tartt writes beautifully, and she displays a strong grasp of human nature and characterization in this book. For me, this book read quickly, and I have already passed it along to a friend. For winter reading, I prefer a book that makes me think, and this fit the bill perfectly. This is a great winter book to curl up under a blanket with. Recommended.

Remodeling

2011-01-08T21:06:00.002-06:00

Ugh. There was a time when I would have been so excited to be remodeling my master bathroom. In my younger days, my little eyes would have fairly sparkled over such a project, and I would have had binders full of ideas, samples, and dreams.

Now, however, I just dread the mess, the expense, and the huge time sink I fear this project will be. Back in late November, when we had a contractor working on a repair at the house, we asked him to give us an estimate on tiling the floor of the master bathroom and the tub surround. We also requested that he quote us on ripping out the fiberglass shower and tiling that as well.

Now the time is here. Eeek! We've finally chosen some tile (No easy task! There are too many choices!) and ordered it. We've yet to choose new fixtures or even ORDER the shower door (though I think we at least know which one we want now). Then, we'll have the day-to-day management of the work as it's being done. I'm praying that will go smoothly.

Based on how this project goes, we'll decide whether we have the fortitude to remodel the guest bathroom. And then, looming in the distance like some hideous monster, is the kitchen.

Do I have the mettle for this? I'm about to find out.

Holidays: That's a wrap!

2011-01-08T20:49:00.004-06:00

Our holiday celebrations for Christmas and New Year's are finally complete! We had a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner at my sister's house this year. Here's what we served:

Appetizers - Laura laid out some beautiful deer sausage, Mississippi State cheese with a variety of crackers, salted roasted almonds, and hummus (YAY!) with pita chips and baby carrots. Yum. I ate WAY too much of the pre-dinner nibbles, along with several glasses of champagne.

Entree - Lobster thermidor. I was a little leery about cooking this, but it turned out buttery and rich and beautiful. The classic recipe calls for killing live lobsters (one for every two people), chopping up the meat, making a cream sauce, then nestling the meat and sauce back into the halved shells for their final bake in the oven. Since I didn't feel like killing lobsters on Christmas Eve, I ordered huge, beautiful lobster tails, then took the recipe from there. It actually ended up being easier than I thought, and I think I'll be cooking with lobster more often now. We served this rich concoction over pasta, along with dad's famous salad and some Sister Schubert rolls (or hubs would divorce me).

Dessert - Key lime pie. Grace made a beautiful looking Key Lime pie, and mother spent a good amount of time making mamool, but I was honestly so stuffed from dinner that I didn't eat a single bite of dessert this year! Oh, the horror!! I will have to do a better job of pacing myself next year!!

We also visited Brian's family on New Year's Day for our Christmas celebration with them. Another delicious menu!!

Entree - We had two HUGE, succulent hams! They were so good that we were slicing off pieces well in advance of lunch to "taste test." I swear to you, one of the dogs roaming through the house jumped up and snatched some of this ham right out of my hand. THAT'S how good it was.

Sides - Brian's green bean casserole and macaroni and cheese, as well as black eyed peas and cabbage. Soooo good!

Dessert - Brian's mom made her famous banana pudding for dessert. Divine!!

I always celebrate the holiday season all-out. We go see lights, we drink hot chocolate, we cook huge meals and bake cookies and decorate and really make the most of the holidays. Perhaps that's why I'm not sorry to see them go, when the time comes.

The weekend of New Year's (after the tornadoes blew over. Sheesh.), I cheerfully took down the Christmas decorations, boxed them up, and put them away. After the excess of the holidays, I delight in the austerity of January. My mantel is swept clean, my cupboards are no longer bursting at the seams, and I'm ready for a lull in the merriment.

I've cleaned out my closet, Clay's closet, and (shudder) the toy chest. I've ordered seed catalogs for spring, and I'm ready to sip a nice cup of tea by the fire, leaf through them, and savor the anticipation of spring.

Enjoy your winter!

A Victorian Christmas!

2010-12-23T16:31:00.005-06:00

Last weekend, hubs, booger, and I loaded up in the car and headed to Canton for their annual Victorian Christmas event and display. Every year, the town decorates its little square in thousands of twinkling lights. Visitors can also take little train rides around the square, view the scene from atop a carousel horse, take horse and buggy rides, and visit three little "museums" offering animatronic Christmas displays. Hot cocoa and snacks are on hand, too!

We took Clay to see the lights last year, and he really enjoyed it. We arrived early (5:20-ish), just as the evening was getting dark enough for the lights to put on a show. Canton lights up the whole square, with a giant lit Christmas tree; several light displays featuring toys, elves, etc.; and lights festooning the facades of many of the buildings on the square. After enjoying our train ride, we explored the lights and took some fun rides on the carousel and the little antique cars ride. By then, it was starting to get chilly, so we warmed up inside at the animatronic exhibits.

A word about the exhibits - they can be kinda creepy. It's basically three long hallways with various "booths" depicting loose themes - baking, toy making, etc. But, in addition to the animatronic characters, there are TONS of current and vintage toys crammed into these small spaces, many of which have no relation whatsoever to the theme. There's a lot to see, and kids love it, but it can be a little puzzling for adults. Regardless, for $1 per museum, it's a great way to get the feeling back in your fingers and toes for a while.

We so enjoyed our experience in Canton this year. We were in and out in about two hours, which was enough to feel Christmasy but not so long that we froze to death. Picked up a little dinner on the way home and turned in right on time.

Oasis of art

2010-12-12T09:42:00.006-06:00

Sometimes, when I'm having a really hectic week, I'll try and visit the Mississippi Museum of Art during my lunch break. It doesn't always work out, but when it does, I'm very glad I went.

After rushing by the bank one afternoon last week, I thought to myself, "I'll pass the museum on my walk back. Why don't I duck in for a few minutes?" I was rewarded with a great exhibit, plus the gorgeous Bethlehem Tree!

There are two parts to the museum's current exhibit - 1.) Oraien Catledge : Photographs of Cabbagetown and 2.) River and Reverie: Paintings of the Mississippi by Rolland Golden.

The photography exhibit showcases black and white images of poverty, shot over two decades in an Atlanta neighborhood. You will recognize these faces - flattered but shy because they are not used to being photographed. Collections of dirty children, wearing only their diapers, as they gather on rickety porches. The whole town coming out to play in a busted fire hydrant. There are some similarities that stretch across the poor, no matter where they live. The pose of bravado that covers the naked need. I found these images extremely moving.

River and Reverie was more soothing, showing the many incarnations of the Mississippi river. Different seasons, different times of day. I love the sunsets, as they provide the kind of window view I think everyone wishes they had. Interestingly, some of these pieces had a pointilistic quality, and I found others to be very fluid. Colors ran the gamut, with some paintings offering multiple shades of brown (the muddy Mississippi) and others showing off all the blues, purples, yellows, and reds in God's paintbox. I loved so many of these: Pastel River I and II, Sultry Evening (with its reds and blacks), Eternal Passing (which showcased a sunset through headstones), Westerly Turn, Rainbow Sunset - just beautiful, beautiful to look at.

Golden notes in the exhibit literature that he'd spent several years working on Katrina-related art. When he couldn't keep doing that because of its emotional weight, he turned to the river for inspiration. How true that nature often seems to calm our souls. I found the resulting work to be like a cool hand on a fevered face. I wonder if he felt that way as he painted it.

In addition to these wonderful offerings, the museum also has its permanent collection on display and the Bethlehem Tree, both of which are free! The Bethlehem Tree is particularly notable, featuring more than 150 authentic eighteenth-century figures. You'll notice Mary, Joseph, and the Christ child at center, huddled at the base of an evergreen. In the branches of the tree, brightly colored angels hover, celebrating Jesus' birth. Scattered all around the holy family are the Three Magi, a host of townspeople, and various travelers. You'll notice that the angels are so bright and clean that they almost seem to glow, and that the townspeople are rendered in more earth tones. They are also pictured with fruit, vegetables, animals, and other things that tie them to Earth, as the angels twirl gloriously above. There's a lot to see and notice here. Definitely worth checking out.

A note: Even if you don't visit for the paid exhibits, you could enjoy the tree, the permanent collection, and grab lunch in the museum cafe. It would make for a wonderful morning, and you'd only have to pay for lunch! What a deal!

It's Christmas all over the place!

2010-12-12T09:32:00.003-06:00

More holiday fun! On Friday night, Clay and I loaded up and headed to the Christmas celebration at Winners Circle Park. Every year, the city of Flowood decorates the park with thousands of twinkling lights. On select nights during the holiday season, they sweeten the deal with train rides through the park, appearances by Santa, and hot cocoa.

We picked the perfect night to go! It was cold enough to feel Christmasy, but not cold enough to necesitate lots of bundling up and Kleenex. Clay marched right up to Santa, said hello, and told him what a good boy he'd been this year. Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas, and Clay replied that he'd love a teddy bear. After accepting his free candy cane, we headed to the train! A quick $1 ride later, we were exploring all of the lit-up paths of the park. We swang on the swings for a while, then sipped some hot chocolate before hopping back into the car to see lights in some of the neighborhoods near the reservoir.

Last night, the whole family showed up at the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Museum for their annual Christmas event. We enjoyed a free hayride through the decorated Small Town, Mississippi, before heading to the Children's Barnyard to check on our favorite animal friends. (The pig was particularly active last night.) Before it started to rain, we ducked into the General Store to get a few little treats, then went back to the indoor part of the museum for the Christmas show. (It's a largely ad-libbed affair featuring Santa, Rudolph, and the Pearl River Redneck. No joke. Funny, though!)

After that, it was a fun tour through the museum, with the toy trains being a star attraction. (Though Clay always loves the antique planes, too!)

Hmmmm . . . what'll we do next?

Babalu

2010-12-05T15:33:00.003-06:00

Wanted to weigh in on a new restaurant I tried out this week. Babalu Tacos and Tapas has opened up at the Duling Street complex in Fondren. It's in some of the space the old Auditorium used to occupy. I'd been following them on Facebook prior to opening, and I was excited to try them out when they began serving lunch last week. Here's the skinny:

First of all, park down near the sign for the restaurant. If you park up where you used to park to get into The Auditorium, you'll be too far down. The entrance is right where you see the pretty outdoor tables and green umbrellas.

The inside of the place has a Cuban feel, with washed-out blues on the walls and a spare aesthetic. They had a noiseless episode of The I Love Lucy Show projected onto the wall, showing off Ricky Ricardo at about 15 feet tall! The restaurant specializes in small plates, so you'll have the opportunity to try several things when you visit. I chose the calamari (very very good, with a masa flour coating), the Mexican corn (delicious roasted on the cob, with a cheesy, buttery sauce. I would have preferred, though, for lunch, if they'd cut the corn OFF the cob after roasting and then added the mix-ins, serving in a bowl with a fork. Corn on the cob is a bit messy for lunch on a weekday.), and the chicken empanadas (which were tasty enough, but lacked the zip of chili, lime, cilantro, etc. that I was expecting).

As I watched the other tables receive their orders, I began wishing we had gotten some of the dips on the menu as well. The guacamole is made table side with a stone mortar and pestle (much like Dos Caminos in Las Vegas), and the quesos and salsas looked really really good. In addition, the drink menu looked fun.

Verdict - This would be a perfect place for drinks and appetizers after work with friends. (Or a place to duck into during Fondren After 5 or Fondren Unwrapped.) If you're starving, though, don't go, because it will take several small plates to fill you up.

Holiday happenings

2010-12-05T15:21:00.005-06:00

Last night, hubs, my dad, and I took Clay to the Clinton Christmas parade! What fun!

I hadn't been to a small-town Christmas parade in YEARS. I realized with a start this year that we hadn't taken Clay to a single parade his whole little life. So, we called my dad, picked him up, and headed to Old Town Clinton. The weather was really mild, and since we got there about 20 minutes early, we found a great spot to watch from, right near First Baptist Church. We threw a blanket from the car down on the grass and prepared for the festivities.

It was so cute to watch Daddy and Clay together. After we got there, they took off to explore before the parade got started. They walked all over downtown Clinton, scooting right back to our blanket just as the parade began. We saw tons of lit-up floats, caught candy and treats, and clapped our hands to the music of the marching bands before Santa and Mrs. Claus came by in a horse-drawn carriage. "I've been very good this year!! Very good!!" Clay shouted out, letting Santa know that he was extremely deserving of any special toys that might be on the wish list.

After the parade, mom came to meet us all at The Irish Frog for dinner. After a very filling meal (I had the grilled shrimp, AFTER I downed nearly an entire order of queso and chips.) and lots of kisses, it was home and to bed. It was a really great night!

Clay and I also spent some time this weekend making a gingerbread train from a kit I bought at Target. It was awesome! All the gingerbread pieces are already baked and ready to go inside, as well as the icing and the candy. The kit came with a handy tray to mount your creation on. All we had to do was glue the pieces together with the icing and decorate! So fun! Clay insisted that we use EVERY PIECE of candy that came in the kit, so our train is quite encrusted! Heh.

Also this weekend, I got the chance to go to the Preview Party for the Chimneyville Crafts Festival. So nice! I invited a good friend of mine, and we headed out on Friday night to check out all the handmade items on offer.

While sipping drinks and nibbling on spinach dip, little roast beef sandwiches, chocolates, and other delights, I bought a beautiful piece of yard art from Pearl River Glass Studio, a gorgeous dogwood bracelet, two lovely handmade pottery items (a jar for honey and a pretty teal berry bowl), and a hilarious clock for Brian made from a piece of computer motherboard. I also found some delightful little pottery Christmas trees that Clay has loved rearranging into different formations on the TV console.

I really enjoyed the show this year! There were tons of gorgeous things for sale, and I took lots of cards to refer back to one our bathroom remodel gets under way. (Yikes. Pray for me.)

Christmas pics

2010-12-05T15:13:00.009-06:00

We got our holiday photos made a few weeks ago for our Christmas cards. Since I've sent them out now, I can give you the big reveal! Look at my sweet little angels!

And I love this one. The way Clay is looking back at the camera over his shoulder is so him.

And then one of all three of us. Brian doesn't like this one (He thinks he looks goofy.), but I think it's sweet!

Lastly, me and hubs. I always love to get pics of just the two of us together. It reminds me that when we started out, we were just two, and now we are three.

Hark! Hear the bells!

2010-11-27T21:45:00.003-06:00

We've spent the past few days bringing Christmas to the Bradshaw house! On Friday, Clay and I packed up all of the fall decorations and started pulling the Christmas bins out. We've got garlands draped over the top of the piano and the mantel, and we put the Advent calendar up. Everything looks so festive! Clay has been running around, chattering about Christmas and decorations ever since!

I love the holiday season - the hot cider and cocoa, the cookie baking and cards, the decorations and the music. The only thing I'm not too excited about these days is the present shopping, which is why I'm doing most of that online this year. (I just tire of crowds and lines. I can get the same deal online, shipping is often free, and the item is delivered right to my door. Plus, I can shop in my pajamas at 10 p.m., and no one is the wiser. What's not to love?) I went to www.Hearthsong.com and got some perfect gifts for booger - a little chef's set with an apron and some cooking tools, a play mat that looks like a little town with roads running through it, some building toys, and some fun animals masks that make sounds.

Today, we put up our big Christmas tree. Clay helped us hang the ornaments, and he was so excited! (He only broke one!) Later, I made a quick run to the crafts store for a few extra things. I got some special candy for the Advent calendar, and kit for a gingerbread train (which I think booger will LOVE), and a tiny, metallic retro tree that will look GREAT in my kitchen with a few ornaments and some tinsel.

Hurrah for Christmas! Now, what on earth am I going to cook this year? Two years ago, it was rib roast (divine). Last year, it was crown pork roast (good, but not as divine as the rib roast). Any ideas, people in the computer? I'm thinking maybe seafood? Or game?

Thanksgiving!

2010-11-27T21:26:00.005-06:00

Oy vey. We have had a busy Thanksgiving!

For about two months now, hubs has been having trouble with his back. He has a large herniated disc, and pressure from said disc has been tampering with his sciatic nerve and giving him all sorts of pain. After physical therapy, pain meds, wait-and-see, etc., his doc finally recommended back surgery, which we rolled into on Tuesday. (The Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Aaack!)

At any rate, it was an out-patient procedure, and he has been recovering very well. It's just been one more ball to juggle as the holiday season begins. (And on the up side, I addressed all of our Christmas cards in the hospital waiting room. Expect your glad tidings early this year!)

So, for Thanksgiving, I spread my work load out over the week, which served me very well on Thursday. Tuesday night, I made hubs' favorite cranberry sauce. (I thought for half a minute about switching to a recipe with port and oranges in it this year, but hubs begged me not to. Ah, me. NEXT year then!) I also went ahead and made my pie dough on Tuesday night.

On Wednesday night, I made a delicious pumpkin almond amaretto pie. Found the recipe at epicurious.com. I whipped up some amaretto vanilla whipped cream to top it with (which was VERY well received).

Then, on Thursday, I just had turkey and gravy duty. I chose another epicurious.com recipe, with an herb butter and lots of shallots. The gravy had a delicious cup of white wine in it, and I pureed the shallots in, too, so the gravy would be smooth. OMG. Delish. The gravy? Good on everything. Dressing, turkey, rolls split in half. I've even ladled it over some plain brown rice. Dear Lord, it's good.

My sweet sister made some amazing savory sweet potatoes, sliced into rounds and baked with bits of red onion and bacon on top, as well as some roated asparagus with red bell pepper and a lemony dressing and some yummy green beans. (And let's not forget the traditional cornbread stuffing! Yum!) Mom handled rolls, appetizers (Her spinach dip was soooo good.), and drinks. (Ballatore Gran Spumante, anyone?)

Booger and my sweet nephew sat at the "kids' table," which we decorated with a HUGE turkey Clay, hubs, and I made. (See little man above, putting the finishing touches on the brown body with craft paint.) I also bought little silk autumn leaves and wrote each person's name on them to use as place cards. Festive, without being the least bit fussy. I've tucked them away for next year!

Hope you and yours had a happy Thanksgiving!

My 101

2010-11-15T21:27:00.004-06:00

Well, I kinda fell off the wagon on this in 2010, didn't I? The challenge officially ended Sept. 28, and here it is, six weeks later, and I'm just getting back around to the final tally! See below for how far I came!

101 things to do in 1001 days

Record family history (Create a family tree with my grandmother? Photos? Stories?)
Take Clay’s picture professionally at least once every 6 months
Make a will
Make a living will
Talk with Laura about Clay
Send a Christmas card to an estranged family member
Write to my grandmother
Attend services at three local churches
Volunteer in a way that’s meaningful to me
Go back to the gym – at least 3 times a week
Lose 10 pounds
Keep it off for 6 months
Train to run 3 miles without stopping
Try a yoga or pilates class
Go to the International Museum of Muslim Cultures
Go to the Smith Robertson Museum
Go to the Lauren Rogers Museum
Take an art class (pottery, painting, etc.)
Paint a picture
Learn to play at least one song on the guitar
Write a food article and get it published
Write at least one poem or short story
Paint the front porch swing
Tile the master bathroom
Plant some flowering shrubs in the back yard and DON’T let them die
Plant an herb garden
Fix the patio table
Get a window shade for the baby’s bedroom
Have an energy audit done on the house
Paint the shed in the back yard
Paint the inside of the garage
Take Clay swimming
Drink wine in California
Ride in a helicopter - Got this one done in Orlando.
Ride in a hot air balloon - Got this one done in Orlando, too!
Go to Graceland
Go to New York City
Create a “great books list” and start reading (at least 5 books)
Create a “great movies list” and start watching (at least 5 movies)
Treasure hunt on Highway 49
Host a New Year’s open house party
Host a “dinner among the leaves” party
Host an Easter brunch
Throw a Kentucky Derby party
Celebrate the Chinese New Year
Pay off the last of my student loan
Buy some sexy new underwear
Attend at least one live concert
Go the fall flower show/festival in Crystal Springs
Visit a botanic garden
Learn more about the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict
Watch a meteor shower
Give blood
See snow
See the ocean
Adopt an Angel at Christmas
Go bowling
Pay for the person behind me in line
Do an anonymous good deed
Learn to bake a good loaf of bread
Go on a day hike
Write a letter to the editor of my local newspaper
Go on a vacation sans baby
Let Clay ride in the convertible with the top down
Perform in at least one stage production
Attend at least one Mensa meeting
Attend at least one college alumni event
Get back in touch with some of my college professors
Learn how to play poker
Learn how to shoot a decent game of pool
Make a real paella
Make a real sangria
Get a facial
Start taking vitamins again
Take mom to have her makeup done
Discover 5 new recording artists I really like and buy their CDs
Find a pair of sunglasses that will change my life
Find my signature fragrance
Take some pictures of leaves turning color in the fall
Set up and take some faux-tography shots of the baby
Write to Grace
Visit Grace in Oregon
Go on a picnic and eat food that I MADE, not food that I bought
Visit a dermatologist
Book a session with a personal trainer
Buy sheet music for a song I like and learn to play it on the piano
Learn to do a passable waltz
Bring the baby to visit my dad at work
Take a bubble bath
Light some candles just for us, when we DON’T have someone coming over
Make mint juleps and drink them on the front porch swing
Go ice skating
Preserve Clay’s foot and hand prints
Attain APR accreditation
Buy or make Clay a kick-ass Halloween costume
Give a gift that I made.
Send someone flowers for no reason
Begin using my wine notebook again and identify at least three new wines that I like
Buy a birdfeeder and set it up in the back yard
Fix the broken window pane on the porch
Spend an afternoon lying in the hammock

First day of the challenge: January 1, 2008
Last day of the challenge: September 28, 2010

Now, even though I didn't finish all the items on my list, I found this to be a very rewarding exercise. I'm going to reassess the items I didn't get to this go round. Look for a fresh list on January 1, 2011!

Megamind!

2010-11-12T20:56:00.005-06:00

Last weekend, hubs and I took little man to see his second movie in the theatre. We found ourselves with nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon (Gasp!), so, on a whim, we decided to see Megamind, the new computer-animated film voiced by Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt and Tina Fey.

What fun! The movie was fine for children, but there was plenty in it for adults, too. Here's the plot: Megamind (whose head is unnaturally large and whose skin is a bright shade of blue) and Metro Man (who looks deceivingly human) are sent to Earth from dying planets when they are just babies. Metro Man (voiced by Pitt) has to good fortune to land in a mansion, where he's adopted by a wealthy family. Megamind (voiced by Ferrell) lands in the yard of a prison.

As the two grow up, they find themselves at odds. Metro Man is always receiving praise and saving people. Megamind, unfortunately, undertakes several science experiments that go wrong, bringing scolding and punishment from the same teachers that dote on lucky Metro Man. In exasperation, Megamind finally decides being bad is the only thing he's good at, so he chooses a life of crime.

For the next decade or so, the two aliens battle it out against the backdrop of Metro City, their epic struggle covered in detail by local news reporter Roxanne Ritchi (Fey). In a fluke plan, Megamind apparently kills poor Metro Man. Suddenly, the outcast has achieved his dream - a city he can rule with impunity. But all the stolen loot and fancy paintings in the world don't satisfy him now that his archenemy is gone. Purposeless, Megamind finally has to come to terms with who he is and what he really wants in life.

I thought this movie was a hoot. I laughed out loud several times and found myself smiling throughout. The scripts is smart and funny, with quick pacing and an especially lovable protagonist. Voice work was excellent, and the animation was fun, too!

If you're smart, you'll go see it!

More fall traditions

2010-11-12T20:43:00.005-06:00

Since we've got TONS of pine cones lying around the yard these days, Clay and I decided to make pine cone bird feeders last week. First, we smeared the pine cones with crunchy peanut butter. (No one in my house ever eats the crunchy kind. I'd bought it for a recipe a while back, so it was nice to have an excuse to use it for something!) Then, we rolled the gooey pine cones in bird seed, tied a string around one end, and hung them in the trees near the birdbath. So far, one has been totally picked clean, one has been discovered, and a third lurks, undetected.

Also, since we've been reading a lot about leaves changing color with the seasons, we decided to go on a leaf walk. Little man and I headed down the trail near the old Mississippi Craftsmen's Guild, on the Natchez Trace, with a plastic zip-top bag to collect interesting specimens. It was a gorgeous day, and we found tons of stuff - feathery leaves that had turned deep red, some yellow heart-shaped leaves, and lots of acorns. When we got back home, we made a little booklet out of construction paper, decorated the front of it with colored leaf stamps, and glued our specimens inside. (They have slowly been turning brown ever since, but he loves his leaf book. I don't have the heart to take it from him!)

We stopped at a farmer's market to get some new pumpkins for the front porch. They had the white ghost pumpkins, the pretty gray Cinderella variety, and those cute jack be little pumpkins that Clay loves. We also got a couple of turban squash. (I adore their distinctive shape and mottled colors.) The front porch looks very festive!

We've also been slipping pureed pumpkin into everything - especially pancakes and waffles on weekend mornings. We've decided we like both topped with blackstrap molasses, rather than traditional maple syrup. It just tastes more like the season to me, for some reason. (Must be the association with the molasses cookies I make each fall. STILL haven't gotten to that recipe yet this year!)

We planted about 45 iris bulbs in the back yard, and I'm hoping they grow well in the springtime! I'm really excited about how the back yard is coming along. My plants are filling out a bit and becoming further established, and it's really starting to look nice out there.

Curtain up!

2010-11-07T14:57:00.005-06:00

Finally got back to New Stage recently to see The Miracle Worker. I'd never seen this show live, and I knew some of the cast members, so I was excited to settle into my comfortable new theatre seat and take in the show.

First and foremost, I thought this show was cast and directed very well. Absolutely no weak links in the main players. Sharon Miles (as Viney) and Larry Wells (as Captain Keller) gave me particular joy, and of course Jessica Wilkinson (as Annie Sullivan) was a major pillar of the production. Blocking was obviously carefully thought-out, as in many scenes, quite a few actors on stage could result in a cluttered appearance and/or nonsensical crosses.

Though the play was written in the late 50s, it being a period piece protects it from seeming dated. The set and lighting were beautiful and served the production well. Costuming by Angelle Mundia was wonderful, save for one odd-shaped bustle on Mrs. Keller that I found a bit distracting.

All in all, I thought this was a wonderful production, and I'm glad I had the chance to go see it! Next up at New Stage: The 39 Steps, a thriller/comedy, Jan. 25-Feb. 6.

Food as art

2010-11-07T14:44:00.003-06:00

I grabbed a friend and ran off to Parlor Market last week to indulge. The restaurant's been open for about six weeks, and I'd heard great things about it.

We parked less than a block away, then made our way inside. It's a cozy, slightly dim space. The restaurant is located in an old downtown building, and it's been beautifully refurbished. Some of the walls look like old, historic brick, and there is gorgeous stained wood everywhere. An L-shaped bar and an open kitchen add to the ambiance.

We started off with cocktails and appetizers. I had the Front Porch cocktail, a mix of iced tea, lemonade, vodka, and mint. So delicious I had to get a second one. To start, we chose the mussels, which were cooked just until done and served in a spicy, tomato-based broth inspired by South Carolinian cuisine. Excellent portion size, and the crispy shoestring potatoes on top gave the dish nice texture. (We didn't leave a single mussel, in case you were wondering. No appetizers left behind!) Then, we had the soup special, a rich celeriac and truffle bisque, with lots of cream and butter. A few vinegary mushrooms awaited at the bottom of the bowl, and a crispy sage leaf garnished the top. I found it delightful to eat this dish with a bit of the tiny cornbread muffins that are served table side.

For the main event, we got the boar special - a braised cut of wild boar, served atop herbed speatzle and dressed with an amazing chimichuri sauce. The meat was very tender; you didn't even need a knife to cut it. And the chimichuri sauce made the dish - lots of complex flavors in there. We also chose the beef short ribs with homemade pasta. OMG. Tender pasta, creamy mushroom sauce, beef like butter, and maybe a few fried capers thrown in. We were in heaven.

After all that, it's no wonder we didn't go for dessert. Next time . . . ;-)

Final salvo

2010-11-07T14:34:00.004-06:00

I had the chance to read The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch, recently. If you aren't already aware, Pausch was a professor in the computer sciences department at Carnegie Mellon. He was in his early 40s, his career was cooking, and he was married and had three very young children. Everything was going great.

Then, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His physician gave him 3-6 months to live.

While Randy beat the odds for something like 10 months, he eventually succumbed to his disease. But fighting cancer for nearly a year gave him time to put his affairs in order, make some plans for his family, and give one final lecture at Carnegie Mellon.

He decided to talk about how to live well and achieve your dreams. The lecture was an instant phenomenon, and the book grew out of that presentation.

Though the book is slim, it can be difficult to read sometimes. Not because the writing is, in any way, clunky or tiresome, but because as you read, you feel sorry that a person like this didn't beat cancer. The book shares stories of some of the people who impacted Pausch's life, taught him things, made him a better person. Several stories illustrate the importance of following one's heart and going about one's life work with passion. Still more vignettes teach us how to get out of our own way and keep trying, even when things seem hopeless.

There is a lot of good advice in this book. Pausch noted in the final pages that part of his motivation for giving the last lecture, and for writing the book, was so that his children would have something tangible to remember him by once he was gone. Though some books an recordings are certainly cold comfort in place of a living, breathing father, I admire Pausch for all he did to try and be a presence in his children's lives, even after he was gone.

Recommended.

Halloween tricks and treats: a photo journal

2010-10-30T21:35:00.013-05:00

Our spooky skeleton pumpkin!

Cupcakes!! We ate some, and I gave some away at work.

Our fun sugar cookies!

Yummy spiced pumpkin seeds (recipe here)

The Bradshaws: a family of crime-fighters!!

My heroes!

Fall frolic

2010-10-24T19:24:00.009-05:00

Have I mentioned lately how I love fall? Well, I do. We've been reveling in the season lately at the Bradshaw household. Here's the skinny:

We made our traditional two loaves of pumpkin bread. One's already been devoured, the second one awaits us in the freezer. We also whipped up two batches of fun Halloween cookies shaped like ghosts and pumpkins. (Neither batch lasted very long. Clay put an end to the last ghost tonight after supper.) Luckily, we still have enough ammunition to make at least one batch of molasses cookies and an awesome tray of Halloween cupcakes.

We carved our first pumpkin last night before dinner. Clay chose a fun owl pattern that we found on the Internet, and he looks pretty good, if I do say so myself! We toasted and spiced the pumpkin seeds this morning, because I absolutely LOVE spiced pumpkin seeds. (We'll probably carve another pumpkin mid-week, just so I can keep the high going. I remember one time, when I went to a pumpkin-carving party, I collected all the seeds from everyone's pumpkin and had spiced pumpkin seeds for about a month. Good times.)

Clay and I are all set with our Halloween costumes, too. He's going as Spiderman this year. (His strategy for fighting crime? Disarm the bad guys with his unbelievable cuteness.) And dude, he has got the Spiderman costume, Spiderman shoes, Spiderman gloves, even a Spiderman treat bucket. He knows no overboard. (One of my friends has gently pointed out to me that he might take after his mother in this regard.) I'll be Batgirl. Hubs hasn't decided what he'll be, but it's looking like either Ironman or Superman. Can't wait for trick or treating this year!

This morning, we spent a little time gardening. We raked a bit of pine straw and used it to mulch the flower beds, watered (AGAIN. Some rain would be VERY appreciated.), and planted a row of daffodil bulbs along the edge of a flower bed. Still have some iris bulbs to get in the ground, plus plans of some butterfly bush, forsythia, and Lady Banks Rose once we get a few drops of water to loosen up the dirt. Shoveling today was tough going.

I really love planting daffodils. Planting any bulb in the fall is such an act of faith. You plant, hoping you'll be around to enjoy the bulbs when they pop out of the ground six months later. And daffodils are such cheery little scouts of spring, peeping their heads up before all the other flowers and sending back the word that all is ready for the blooms to follow.

At any rate, that's some of the celebratory fall frolic we've been up to. Still hoping to do a quick picnic along the Trace somewhere to see the pretty leaves turning! What a great time of year!!

The Reader.

2010-10-17T19:10:00.003-05:00

Wanted to jot down some of my thoughts about books I've read recently.

I read Bella Tuscany, by Frances Mayes (she of Under the Tuscan Sun fame), while on vacation. This is the kind of armchair traveling that I love. Mayes writes of Tuscany in language dripping with both adoration and vibrant description. She writes of food, of gardens, of little side trips she and her husband take. It's an easy, quick read, with some recipes sprinkled in here and there that I will probably try. Worth looking in to.

And now I feel that I have to go to Italy in the spring. Heh.

I also finally got around to reading The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. I'd been meaning to pick it up for a while now, and the filming of the movie adaptation here in Jackson finally gave me the kick in the pants I needed. I thought it was a wonderful book. The movie chronicles the lives and relationship of three women living in 1960s Jackson, Miss.: Abilene, a black maid raising her seventeenth white baby; Minny, a sassy black maid who is widely recognized as the best cook in town; and Skeeter, a young, unmarried white woman.

I recognized many of the places in the tome (and some of the character names are alarmingly close to old Jackson names), and I thought the book was even-handed. I loved the characters, and I felt that Stockett's explanation about why she wrote the book was an understandable one.

What interested me about this book was that most stories about racism involve men and violence. This story about racism was about women, and about all the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways that the race question played itself out amongst them. There were stories that affirmed our faith in people, and stories that called that faith into doubt. All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book. Highly recommended.

Lastly, I picked up The Magicians, by Lev Grossman. I bought this book on a whim, and the cover proclaimed it a New York Times bestseller. Hmmm . . . It was an okay book, but nothing really special. It tells the story of Quentin Coldwater, a smart but melancholy young man who is recruited to go to a magical college called Brakebills. At Brakebills, Quentin learns how to do real magic, makes new friends, even meets a girl and falls in love. He later gets the chance to visit the fantasy world of his dreams.

But here's the thing - none of it makes him happy. He's still the same old depressed, whiny dude we meet on page one. And that became quite tiresome. If someone is going to learn magic and have grand adventures, he should at least appreciate it. But not our Quentin.

The end of the book got too convoluted and dragged on a bit, too. Needless to say, I won't be reading the sequel - The Magician King. (If Quentin became a king, he'd probably still be just as mealy-mouthed as he was before. Sigh.) Skip this one.

Fall Fun!!

2010-10-17T16:15:00.007-05:00

Our little tribe has been having lots of fun lately! In addition to our Orlando adventure, we've been yukking it up with some of our traditional fall activities.

Right before we left for Florida, we went to the circus! We took little man to see the circus two years ago, but we missed it last year because they didn't travel to our town. (Shame on you, Ringling Brothers!) When we heard it was coming in late September, we bought some seats right up front. Clay absolutely loved the elephants and the lion tamer act. (Though it struck me that the lion tamer act was more of a "don't get eaten by the lions" act. Those lions definitely did NOT look happy to be there.) I was completely amazed by the trained house cats act. Seriously. I have cats. I can't even convince them not to hork on the floor, much less persuade them to jump through hoops and crawl along tightropes. We got a big box of popcorn, and little man was sticking his arm in it up to the shoulder by the end of the show, just to get the laaaast little bit of popcorn in there. So much fun!

Shortly after we came back from Florida, Clay's daycare took a group trip to Nichols Boyd pumpkin patch. We rode the hayride with his class, swung on the tree swings, saw all the animals and chose a pumpkin before eating a picnic lunch under the trees. The weather was absolutely perfect, and we really enjoyed this day. (And OMG if you haven't bought some of Gran's homemade peanut brittle from the shop, you are completely missing out. I inhaled it in less than 24 hours.)

Then, before we knew it, the state fair was in town! Hubs and I were so excited to take booger to the fair this year. It's the first year he's been tall enough to ride anything! He adored the rides and (as usual) showed no fear. We rode the carousel a couple of times, then the bumblebee ride, the swing ride, the hot air balloon ride, and the miniature roller coaster. Then, we hit the big ferris wheel, and we rode in that ski-lift-type ride up and down the midway. We enjoyed one of those tasty (and free!) biscuits and petted lots of animals at the petting zoo (again, free!). Lastly, I couldn't leave without taking little man down the big yellow slide at the fairgrounds. I have been whooshing down this thing since I was a kid, and I still love it. I sincerely wish they'd open it up for EVERY event they hold at the fairgrounds. I would pay to get on it every time. We practically flew down it, and then we headed back to the Trademart to look at the shiny antique cars before calling it a day. Loved, loved, loved it.

Orlando Trip Report, cont.

2010-10-09T15:37:00.007-05:00

Day five dawned ominously cloudy. For about half a second, I thought about skipping GatorLand again. But we forged ahead, and I'm so glad we did! It was cloudy during the morning, which kept temperatures cool, and it never rained.

Our resort was less than 10 minutes from GatorLand, but you'd never guess it. The park feels miles away from everything. We found the place easily, parked in the free lot, and headed towards the queue to get in. $80 or so later, we were looking at little and medium-sized gators sunning themselves in the entryway pools. We hooked a left to see the giant tortoises and HUGE snakes. Then, we headed past the train station (The train wasn't running yet.) and into the "jungle," where pens with individual types of gators were located. We saw Cuban gators, Australian gators, some "celebrity" gators and more. This part of the park was really beautiful. Think long, winding paths through dense foliage, with areas here and there where you could peer into gator habitats. Then, the path turns into a boardwalk that goes out over the water. You can get REALLY close to some huge gators. There were tons of beautiful birds out there, too. We climbed all the way up to the top of the lookout tower - three stories. You could see most of the park from there. Then, we looped back around to train station, where we hopped the first train of the day.

After our ten-minute ride, it was lunchtime. We let Clay play in the playground and on the splash pad while we got lunch from the snack bar. The brats with peppers and onions, chips, and drinks Brian and I got, as well as Clay's hot dog kid's meal with Goldfish crackers and Oreos, cost about $20.

After we'd had our fill of lunch, we headed for the petting zoo. On the way, we stopped to take goofy pictures with the huge fake gator they had set up. So fun! Clay loved the petting zoo. They had goats, cows and chickens. The goats and cows would come right up to you to be petted. (And hoping for food. If you tried to buy a little corn from the machine there, the goats would eat it out of the machine before you could even get your hand in there to retrieve it! Wily little critters.)

We tore Clay away from the barnyard long enough to see the Gator Jumparoo show. They ran raw chickens out on a wire, and those big gators jumped totally out of the water to eat them! Yikes!

We walked further down the right side of the park to see the snake exhibits, the albino alligators, some beautiful tropical birds, some deer and two turkeys. You could even feed some of the birds. If you waled into the aviary with some purchased bird food, they'd light all over you while they at it. Then, we found ourselves in the right place to see the Up Close Encounters show. We sat in a small, shaded stadium, and the park trainers brought out tarantulas, snakes and other animals for us to see and touch. Clay and I even got to hold a BIG snake at the end of the show. He wasn't scared at all!

By this time, we were getting pooped. After some cold drinks and a trip through the gift shop (Clay had to have a stuffed alligator; Brian and I got fudge.), we headed home.

I so enjoyed my trip to this park. It's almost like the anti-theme park of Orlando. It wasn't crowded, it's easily do-able (at a leisurely pace) in one day, and being out among the water and the trees is just relaxing. It didn't hurt that most of the park is shaded, either.

You'll still drop some dollars here, but it's nothing compared to what you'd spend at most of the other Orlando theme parks. It's just an easier, less rushed day.

After we finished up at GatorLand, we came back to the condo to take a nap before dinner. Refreshed, we set our sights on Downtown Disney again. We ate at Wolfgang Puck's restaurant, where I had the pumpkin ravioli (with sage and nuts), hubs got the barbecue chicken pizza, and Clay had a cheese pizza with fries and fresh fruit. Yum! This place is loud, but the food was really good, and the location is super-convenient.

We were hoping to go up in the "Characters in Flight" balloon, but due to wind, it was grounded. We contented ourselves with walking around Downtown Disney for a bit and stopping for a second time at The Candy Cauldron for more chocolate coins. We ate our treats on a bench by the river before a trip back to the condo.

On our last day in Orlando, we decided to laze around instead of pack in more activity. We lolled around the condo in the morning, eating breakfast in. A little before lunch, we headed back to Downtown Disney. We had our sights set on the T-Rex Cafe. We'd seen the restaurant on our jaunts through Downtown Disney before, and Clay was dying to get in there. We breezed right in at about 11:30 a.m. (no wait) and took our seats in the ice cave. We could barely restrain Clay from running wild all through the restaurant until we could order our food.

After we ordered, our waitress held our table for us while we examined all the dinosaurs in the restaurant. They had a big T-Rex skeleton embedded in the ice cave, plus some wooly mammoths. We saw a pachycephalosuarus, some pteradactyls, stegosaurus, triceratops, a giant squid, and, of course, a few Tyrannasaurus Rexes. Clay loved this place, and there were more animatronic dinosaurs there than in the whole exhibit that came to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science during the dino exhibit.

And the food was really good. Brian got the ribs and a lava flow, and I had the roast chicken with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The chicken was tender and well-seasoned, the mashed potatoes were nice and fIavorful, and, after a week of carb-rich meals, the roasted vegetables were just what the doctor ordered. I ordered Clay the roast chicken with mashed potatoes, and his apple juice came in a fun red cup that lit up. He thought it was awesome.

After we ate, we (of course) made a trip through the gift shop. I bought Clay a little collection of 8 dinosaur toys. They'll be great toys for the plane ride back.

From afar, we noticed that the "Characters in Flight" balloon was flying!! We hurried over, walked right up to the ticket window, and paid for a ride up. We got right on the balloon (no waiting!), and up we went! The views were great from the top of the balloon. You could see Epcot and some of the other Disney landmarks. There was also a nice breeze blowing. Wonderful. We took some pictures and headed back to the condo for a nap.

We spent the evening in, too. We ordered room service and lazed around, reading, packing, doing a little bit of laundry. Clay played with his dinosaurs, and we looked back over all of our pictures, talking about all the fun we had on our trip.

Conclusions - the condo was a clear winner. Having a full kitchen, two bedrooms, and a washer dryer is just unbeatable. We flew home with two suitcases full of clean laundry. I also came away thinking that GatorLand was one of the funnest things we did on our trip. Even though we spent quite a bit of money there, the pace was slower and the park was easier to cover in a day than, say, Sea World. The next time we take the bit on vacation, we may only go for 5 days instead of 7. I could tell that little man was getting a little tired on the last couple of days, due to the non-stop activity. Plus, then we'd have a few days of down time once we got back home.

All in all, we had a blast in Orlando! We'll definitely be back!

Orlando Trip Report, cont.

2010-10-09T08:59:00.006-05:00

Looking for a slightly more relaxed day, we decided to hit the WonderWorks Museum, then grab some lunch. The WonderWorks Museum really is a wonder. It's basically an interactive science museum. Every exhibit offers something for little people to do and experience, not just look at. We felt the force of 70-mph winds as we learned about hurricanes, heard the different roars lions make depending on what they are communicating, froze our shadows on the wall, played music with our feet on a huge piano, got to see what the inside of the space shuttle would be like, and landed a plane in the flight simulator. I even got to lie down on a bed of nails and take a ride in the rollercoaster simulator! Clay loved seeing himself dance to techno music on a colorful screen, push the "wonder wall" and see his handprint appear on the other side, and climb up into the life-sized spacesuit to peer out of the face shield.

He had a blast, and he's already asked if he can go back to the "upside down museum." It's not cheap to get in, but you can come and go all day (It's open from 9 a.m. until midnight.), PLUS you have the next three days to return and enjoy the theatre and ropes course in the basement. And all of it will cost you about a third of what you'd pay to get into Sea World. And it's air conditioned. (Did I mention it's air conditioned?) Highly recommended.

By noon, we were starved. Adamant that I wouldn't eat another sad lunch of theme park pizza, we headed to Cafe Tu Tu Tango, which I'd read about on chowhound.com. It's a locally-owned tapas place with tons of original art all over the walls. We ordered something for Clay off the kids' menu, then set about deciding what we'd have. We chose the carne asada (a mild steak served with guacamole, fresh tomato salsa, lime and tortillas), the dynamite shrimp (which were DELICIOUS with some kind of amazing Asian sauce and lots of toasted sesame seeds), the vegetable skewers (cherry tomatoes, onions, patty pan squash, and baby zucchini, grilled and served with a delicious tahini dipping sauce) and (my favorite) a plate of sliced pears over arugula, drizzled with a sweet balsamic vinegar reduction and topped with decadent crumbles of really good blue cheese. This was served with the most delightful pecan crisps - like little crunchy crackers of pecans. The complementary flavors of sweet, musky, and peppery were amazing, and the pecans gave the dish great crunch.

We finished off with the banana pizza, and thin-crust pizza topped with strudel, roasted banana, cinnamon sugar, a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and caramel sauce. (OMG.) We washed it all down with mango tea.

Everything we had came to about $50. Not a cheap lunch by any means, but we paid $30 only one day before to eat crappy pizza in the heat, kwim? (Perspective, people.) I would go back there in a heart beat. It was completely worth it.

We lazed around at the condo pool the rest of the day.

Day four was supposed to be our GatorLand day. Unfortunately, it started raining (hard) the night before, and the morning dawned gray and forbidding. Not wanting to chance it, we decided to plan a day of indoor activities and shift GatorLand to Thursday.

After a big pancake breakfast (Gotta love Bob Evans. Our waitress even remembered us from a few days before.), we originally thought we'd go to the Orlando Science Center. However, there is ONE day a week that the center is closed. You guessed it. It's Wednesday. We were looking for something impromptu, and we spotted a model train exhibit off International Drive. We pulled in to discover that this location also offered quick helicopter rides. Sounded like a morning!

We started off with a short helicopter ride around Orlando. The whole thing last about 5 minutes. We hopped into the helicopter, donned our headsets, and took off. Riding in a helicopter is probably the closest I'll ever come to feeling like a bird. Unlike flying in a commercial plane (or even one of those small 7-seaters), you feel that precious little exists between you and the air. Views are great. We rode up and down International Drive, seeing some of the attractions we'd already been to (Sea World, the WonderWorks Museum) from above. Take-off was almost a bit of a shock, feeling how easily the helicopter ascended. Again, Clay was a little trooper. He didn't flinch or ask to hold my hand or even act scared.

After our flight, we toured the small model train exhibit. The exhibit is about 2,000 square feet, but the more you look, the more you see. The folks who put it together also have a sense of humor, tucking in characters from the major theme parks here and there throughout the scenes. Shrek peeked out at us from behind a tree. Shamu floated in one of the lakes. We saw two young wizards on their brooms, flying amidst some mountain tops. We enjoyed the train exhibit for a while until some little people in our travel party started acting out - running away from parents, yelling, and HITTING their daddies. Unfortunately, such behavior cut our model train trip short. Little people had to be hauled out to the car, screaming, while ignoring explanations that bad behavior meant going back to the hotel instead of staying out and having fun.

On the drive back, we were treated to the dulcet sounds of crying and loud begging to go back to the train exhibit, which we blithely ignored. Sigh.

Once back at the hotel, we enjoyed a nice nap before the evening's festivities. We'd planned dinner at the House of Blues and an evening Cirque du Soleil show to round out our rain day, and we wanted everyone to be well-rested and READY TO BEHAVE before we ventured out again.

Refreshed and ready for some good eats and an evening of entertainment, we loaded into the car and headed for Downtown Disney West. Our mission: to pick up our Cirque tickets and find some grub.

Picking up the tickets was easy. Our GPS system led us right to the Cirque theatre, and parking was free! Tickets in hand, we strolled right over to The House of Blues for an early dinner. We happened to hit the restaurant right during happy hour, so I had a $3 margarita and ordered my dinner from the half priced appetizer menu. I had a bowl of gumbo and the rosemary flatbread. Yum. Hubs chose the cheeseburger with fries and a beer, and little man had a pizza. The food was really good, and with drinks, our tab came to around $45.

We still had about 30 minutes before we needed to head to the theater, so we poked around Downtown Disney for a while. We bought Clay some brightly-wrapped chocolate coins at The Candy Cauldron, then perched on a bench overlooking the lake while he sampled some. Nearby, some musicians started playing music with a synthesizer and a steel drum, and Clay had to go over and dance for a bit. We leisurely made our way back to the theatre and settled in for the show.

It was great show, too. There's not a bad seat in the house, and I had no regrets about buying the cheapest tickets. They even have boosters for the kids, so little people can see all the action, no matter where they are seated.

Clowns, acrobats, some amazing bicycle tricks, trapeze artists, jugglers, and a crazy trampoline act (Clay's favorite) were all on the agenda. A troupe of four little Asian girls moved with such quickness and precision that they almost appeared animatronic. The only thing that gave me pause - I had thought, based on the advertisements for the show and the fact that it's hosted by Disney, that the staging and lighting would be lighter, more fanciful. In truth, the stage, set, and lighting (even the music) are much more somber that I would have expected. Nothing scary, but not as lighthearted as I thought it would be.

After the show, we headed back to the condo for sleep. After I put little man to bed, I filled up the amazing jetted soaking tub, poured myself a glass of wine, and settled in for an hour or two. Sigh. I need more vacations.

Stay tuned for more . . .

Orlando Trip Report!

2010-10-09T08:44:00.007-05:00

We returned last weekend from a week in Orlando with little man! Since he's still too little for most of the offerings at Disney, we decided to stay at a resort and dip our toes into several different types of activities. Here's the skinny:

We left Saturday on a 3:15 p.m. direct flight from Jackson to Orlando. We flew Southwest because they were the only airline offering direct flights, and it paid off! Our flight left on time, and it was blissfully uneventful.

I worried that Clay might be nervous or scared (It's been two years since he's flown.), but no such thing. We buckled him up with his CARES 5-point harness, and he settled into his seat. We had to taxi for awhile on the runways, and I think he had a moment there where he thought we weren't going to fly at all. He turned to me and said, "This airplane isn't flying." But pretty soon, we started zooming down the runway, and he got excited when we took flight.

I think it really helped that we checked out all those books from the library ahead of time about going on vacation and riding a plane. Numerous times, he repeated lines from the books about buckling up, showing the agent his ticket, and taking a trip. It was really cute!

I worried, too, that he might get sick. Nope. In fact, once we were airborne and the newness wore off, he laid his head in my lap and went to sleep for about an hour. Can't ask for much more than that, can I?

When we landed in Orlando, we were starving, so we stopped at Oishi, a little sushi/teppanyaki place, for some food before checking into our hotel. I felt like I could eat a horse, so I ordered edamame as an appetizer (hubs got the gyoza), then shrimp tempura (which came with miso soup, salad, and rice). Brian got a sirloin and chicken hibachi dish, and we got chicken and rice for the baby. The food was soooo good, and it came out quickly.

After we'd filled our tummies, we hit the road for Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa. We found it without too much trouble. It's a stone's throw from Sea World and Disney, and it's adjacent to a HUGE outlet mall! (Woo hoo!!)

I was extremely pleased with out unit. We got a two-bedroom, two-bath condo with a full kitchen, sitting room, and washer/dryer. We found a fabulous deal on it at the Orlando Convention and Visitors' Bureau site. The resort has a spa, a business center, a couple of restaurants, and a gorgeous pool with a huge pirate ship/slide in it. Our master bath had a roomy jetted soaking tub in it, and I made use of it shortly after we checked in. We got little man to bed and turned in early.

The next morning, we hit the road in search of pancakes. We found them at Bob Evans, which is apparently a chain restaurant, just not one we have here in the metro area. And, boy, was it good. Lots of delicious food, quick, and not very expensive. Hubs loaded up on eggs, sausage, and blueberry crepes, and I had waffles and bacon. Little man amused himself with pancakes topped with blueberries and a few bites of our food. YUM.

We swung by Publix on the way back to the resort to stock up on fruit and other snacks (plus a bottle of wine) for the unit, then hit the pool.

Clay loved it down there. The children's side of the pool is a zero-grade entry pool, so I just pulled my beach chair into the water a little bit and relaxed while Clay splashed around. He found some other children to play with, and we also climbed up the pirate ship a little bit and swung in some of the poolside hammocks.

By 4:30, we were hungry again, so we made our way to Ming Court, purportedly one of the best Chinese restaurants in Orlando. It did not disappoint. First of all, the restaurant is beautiful. Winding dragons, stone elephants, and lions decorate the entrance, along with beautiful koi ponds. They even had a machine that dispensed fish food for 25 cents. We let Clay feed the fish for a bit before going in to our table. Decor inside is as delightful as out. Clay absolutely loved the giant, colorful dragon suspended form the ceiling. We ordered pineapple juice and a chicken bento box for him, and hubs and I both splurged on the Enchantment Wok. (It's was $25 per person, which is much more than our usual fare. We'd skipped lunch, though, and we were starving. Plus, the waitress recommended it.)

We were thrilled with the result. Dinner began with a flavorful wonton soup, and then out came a heaping plate of fried rice and a large platter of crispy scallops, meat with peppers and onions, and sweet shrimp. OMG. It was sooooo good. Looking at all the food, I was afraid we'd be wasting most of it. Nope. We ate ALL of the meat and the veggies, and most of the rice! Clay loved his food, too. Of course, the french fries were his favorite, but then he hopped on the chicken, the noodles, and bites of what we'd ordered. He finished up with a small dish of ice cream with strawberries liberally strewn around it.

Seated in the dining room, one is surrounded by windows showcasing landscaped pools, waterfalls, and statuary. Calming music and the sounds of birds play over the restaurant's sound system. The whole thing is a wonderful experience. And though we chose one of the more expensive things on the menu, there were many entrees in the $10 to $15 range, plus a wide variety of appetizers and a la carte items for as little as $4 or $5. I highly recommend this place. It is a nice restaurant, which I would normally not suggest for those dining with little kids. However, because we were they very early (4:30 p.m.), we had the place almost entirely to ourselves. Nice!

On day two, we girded our loins with a healthy breakfast at the condo and set out for Sea World. We'd bought our tickets online ahead of time, and we arrived at the park right at 9 a.m., when they opened. We breezed through parking and check-in, and then we were off to see the park. We started our day with a trip to the top of the Skytower, a rotating ride that gives you a bird's eye view of the entire park. Because it was early, we were the only people on the ride! Clay scooched his bootie around on the seats, craning for more views.

Then, we checked out the Dolphin nursery, which we had completely to ourselves. According to the trainer stationed there, they had calves as young as two week's old in the pool! We sat Clay on a perch atop the hand rail, and he got a great look at the mothers and babies. This was almost magical.

After that, we headed for the Shark Encounter. This was a great exhibit. You tunnel through an aquarium, so sharks are on either side of you, and above you as well. I thought Clay might be scared, but he wouldn't even let me hold him! It was in this exhibit that I really started to feel like we were at Sea World. We almost made lunch reservations at Sharks Underwater Grill, but they didn't open until noon! (We had plans to go to the Shamu show at 12:30 p.m.) We contented ourselves with an up-close look at some of the rays and smaller sharks in the pool in front of the restaurant.

We also checked out Penguin Encounter, which had soooo many penguins in it that I feared they might be crowded. Tons of different varieties of birds, with shaved ice dropping in slowly from the ceiling! There was even a big, viewable tank where you could see the birds swimming. I was surprised by how graceful they were in the water.

After that, we were in just the right place to see Clyde and Seymour Take Pirate Island, a show featuring sea lions, otters, and a HUGE walrus. I thought the story line was pretty dismal, but Clay loved seeing the animals, and out of all the shows we saw at Sea World that day (a total of four), this has seriously been the one he has talked about most.

After that show, Clay was so enamored of the sea lions that we headed straight to Pacific Point Preserve. At this attraction, you can see the sea lions as they bask in the sun and swim in the pool. You can also buy small fish and actually feed a sea lion yourself! We couldn't resist, and the sea lions were expert beggars. Clay threw a fish RIGHT into a sea lion's mouth! (A bird got another, but we were on such an animal high by this time that we hardly cared.)

By now, it was about 11:30 a.m., and we were getting hungry. We had an hour to grab a bite before we had to be at Shamu Stadium for the 12:30 p.m. show. We decided to stop at the closest place - Seaport Pizza - and get lunch. Yuck. The pizza was awful, and you weren't even able to eat in an air-conditioned space. We should have forged ahead, despite our rumbling stomachs, to find something better in the park. This was a waste of $30. I would gladly have paid a good deal more to sit somewhere nice and cool and eat decent food.

After lunch, we joined nearly everyone in the park that day at Shamu Stadium to see Believe, one of the park's signature shows. They were only offering it twice that day, at 12:30 and again at 5:30 p.m. We had a feeling Clay wouldn't make it to the evening show, so we wanted to be there for the afternoon viewing. The killer whales were amazingly beautiful. Clay's jaw completely dropped the first time he saw one, and he loved this show.

After it was over, we stopped by the Garden of Discovery for some animal interactions (parrots, a falcon, and some other animals) before arriving back at the Nautilus Theatre (Ahhhh, air conditioning!) for the 1:30 p.m. showing of A'Lure: The Call of the Ocean. This was one of my favorite shows of the day. It was Cirque-style, with tons of fun effects: two giant seahorses that came out into the audience, bubbles that fell from the ceiling, jets of water spewing out, acrobatics, aerialists, amazing costumes, and dance. We all loved this show, and it gave us a chance to sip some water and get cool.

When this show let out, we realized there was nearly a whole side of the park we hadn't seen! We made our way to the Jewel of the Sea Aquarium, which Clay absolutely loved. It's aptly named, a little jewel-box of a space adjoining a gift shop. The fish swim in tanks under your feet and above your head, in addition to tanks positioned all around the room, The jellyfish were beautiful (and the only ones we saw in the whole park), as were the coral and tropical fish.

We left this aquarium and stopped by the Manatee Rescue and alligator exhibits. The underwater viewing at the manatee exhibit was the BEST. It was almost as if a couple of the big animals were doing underwater tricks for us! They swam straight up to the glass to have a look at us, showed us their big tummies, and did slow turns in the water.

We realized now that little man was starting to flag. We decided to sit a bit and have a cold drink while we watched Blue Horizon, the dolphin show. This was another favorite. The dolphins were so social, and they did some fabulous tricks with the trainers. Again, not the best of storylines, but all you really want is to see the animals. There were some colorful costumes and some neat gymnastics in this show as well. The trainers dove into the water from impossible high perches, hardly making a splash when they entered the water.

We cruised on by Dolphin Cove, but we didn't stop to feed the animals this time. We headed for Stingray Lagoon, where Clay and I were both brave enough to put our hands in the touch pool. The stingrays have learned how to splash people, and a big group of them will come over to the side of the water and splash their fins on the surface, sending water everywhere!

It was nearly 4 p.m. by this time, so we stopped in the gift shop to pick out a memento (Clay chose a big stuffed killer whale), and headed back to the condo. We sacked out for about an hour before heading afield to find dinner. We wound up down International Drive at Maggiano's Little Italy. It appeared to be a chain, but it's one we don't have back in Jackson. (Plus, I was jonesing for some Italian.). I got the Rigatoni "D," a delicious blend of rigatoni pasta, chicken, whole sauteed mushrooms, onions, and cream sauce. Brian had the lasagna special, and Clay had spaghetti and a giant meatball. Add some salads and a glass of wine (for mom), and you've got dinner. We came back to the condo and tumbled, exhausted, into bed.

More to come!

Chowhound

2010-09-12T18:26:00.003-05:00

Hubs and I went to two new (to us) places this weekend.

Friday night, we packed up little man and headed to Giovanni's in Brandon for some pasta. The restaurant is small and tucked into a strip mall on Lakeland Drive.

I think one waitress was handling the entire restaurant, so service, while very friendly, was slow. Also, I think that she was on duty busing tables. As a result, there were quite a few dirty tables around.

I got the cheese ravioli, and hubs and little man both got spaghetti and meatballs. Both dishes were very good, with lots of tangy tomato sauce and tons of cheese. Both entrees also came with a dinner salad, and the house dressing was a tangy vinaigrette. Both hubs and I got iced tea, which tasted like it had been sitting in a pitcher for a few days.

Prices were reasonable, and the turtle cheesecake was gooey, creamy and delicious.

Verdict: I probably wouldn't return to dine-in at this restaurant. However, take-out would be a possibility.

I heard through the grapevine that Ding How, which has relocated to Old Canton Road in Ridgeland, serves dim sum on Saturdays and Sundays. You may be aware of how I love dim sum. In every city I travel to that has a Chinatown, I head over there and track down a restaurant that serves it. Now, I have a local fix!

The restaurant opens at 12 noon on Sundays to serve dim sum. However, I recommend that you show up at 11:45 a.m. or so, because when we showed up at noon, the restaurant was already filling up, and we had to wait for a table.

We loved the crab dumplings (delicious dressed with a bit of soy sauce), the edamame dumplings (something I'd never had before), the jasmine dumplings (with lots of garlic - YUM!), and, of course, the PORK dumplings. (Nom nom nom!) We also tried a shrimp and eggplant dish, as well as a chicken and sticky rice concoction wrapped in lotus leaves. We finished up with a coconut dumpling, so Clay could have a little something sweet. (Incidentally, I wasn't sure if he'd like dim sum, but that little rascal was scarfing down dumplings right and left! That kid makes me proud!)

Again, the staff seemed a little thin for the number of people that were in the restaurant. I'd also note that this was some of the most expensive dim sum I've ever had. For hubs, myself and little man, we spent about $35. (For a similar meal in a large city, we probably would have spent at least $10 less.) However, since Ding How is (to my knowledge) the only dim sum game in town, they can probably get away with it.

Verdict: I will most likely be back, but EARLY this time!

Fall yumminess

2010-09-12T14:10:00.006-05:00

Clay is learning about apples and the letter "A" at daycare. I try to mirror classroom activities at home, so we've been reading Johnny Appleseed and getting ready for fall. We decided to make apple pies, and it was so much fun!

I got a little heart-shaped pie mold at Williams Sonoma, and We made four delicious hand pies. They lasted less than an hour at the house. Here's how we did it.

Crust
(This is the crust recipe that came on the pie-mold box. We halved it to make four pies instead of eight.)
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 sticks butter, cut into small dice
6-8 Tbs. ice water
1/2-1 cup pie filling (We made our own; see below.)
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp. water
In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and 2 Tbs. sugar. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water and pulse just until a dough ball forms. Refrigerate at least two hours.

Pie Filling
We peeled and finely chopped three apples, added cinnamon, a little sugar, some allspice, a dash of vanilla extract and a few handfuls of dried cherries. Mixed well, then threw in a bit of flour (for thickening) and cooked in a small saucepan until the apples were getting soft. We ended up with way more pie filling than we needed for four hand pies, but we've been topping waffles with it and eating is up in a variety of ways. (It is soooooo gooooood!!)

After rolling out the dough and making the hand pies (a couple of spoonfuls of filling go in each one), we baked for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Voila!! They were absolutely delicious, and I love that the portion size is reasonable. We will definitely be making these again!!

The Streak

2010-09-09T20:22:00.002-05:00

Over the past couple of months, I've picked my running back up. I go really early in the morning, because it's the only time the temps aren't sky high. Even so, it's pretty muggy out some days.

I remain insanely jealous of the male runners, who can throw on just a teeny pair of shorts and jog along to their heart's content. We women have to wear sports bras, and they literally go over the HOTTEST part of your body, where all the blood flow is concentrated.

I mentioned to hubs the other day that it wasn't fair how guys could run around in almost nothing and enjoy the cool breeze, while women had to layer up just so they wouldn't get locked in jail.

He asked me if I'd like to run topless.

I told him that it wouldn't really be practical for women to run without sports bras, because they are functional athletic clothing.

There was a pause.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, it hit me. Women should be allowed to run bottomless.

That way, everyone's dangly parts are secured, and everyone gets to enjoy the morning breeze. Now THAT would be equality.

Local eats

2010-08-29T21:43:00.003-05:00

Finally had the chance to swing by Mimi's Family and Friends in Fondren last week. I'd been hearing good things about it, so I decided to treat one of our sweet (and talented) contractors to lunch there.

The cafe is in a fun, funky space right near Butterfly Yoga on State Street. Original art hangs on the walls, and seating is provided by an eclectic mix of cafe tables and patio furniture. Both I and my companion chose the lunch special - a delightfully gooey chicken enchilada, served with black beans and a peppy tomatillo salsa.

Service is quick and friendly, prices are very reasonable, and the cafe also offers a selection of sweet treats to finish off the meal - everything from cookies to cupcakes to pastries.

I will definitely be returning there to sample more lunch fare, and I hear they serve a great breakfast, too! Drop by if you get the chance!

Out and about

2010-08-29T20:32:00.005-05:00

We've been busy lately!

Last weekend, my husband's boss was being honored the by local Goodwill chapter for her volunteer work. We turned up on Thursday night at the Jackson Country Club to celebrate her giving spirit and enjoy a delicious dinner. The Jackson Country Club really is a gracious space, with rooms that flow into one another and a roomy banquet hall. The food and service has been wonderful for every event I've ever attended there. Plus, you usually see lots of people you know at these types of events, which is always fun! I left the function that night determined to do more volunteering and more informed about some opportunities that would be a good fit for me!

Saturday night found me at the Old Capitol Inn for "Dance with the Stars," a benefit for the Mississippi Opera. I happened to know a few of the stars dancing, which made the evening all the more fun! Firstly, the event planning was flawless. There were plenty of people there, but the space wasn't too crowded. (The event was a total sell-out.) We enjoyed dinner (delicious hot food, as well as sushi - YUM!), drinks and fun entertainment, all the while raising money for a great cause. Plus, live music by the Capital City Band - old, big band standards, with some great vocals.

On Sunday, hubs and I attended the Chocolate Ball at the University Club. The event was a fundraiser for The Ronald McDonald House, which provides lodging and food for families near major children's medical centers. More delicious food, drinks and an incredible chocolate buffet. (And I finally got to try some of Gigi's cupcakes! Divine!) But that was not the highlight of the evening. Not only did I get to meet Ronald McDonald, but WE DANCED. You read that right. I danced with Ronald McDonald. I would be lying if I didn't acknowledge that it was one of the highlights of my year! Now, to track down those photos everyone was snapping . . . !

Last Friday night, I turned out at the Mississippi Braves game. Me and a bunch of work buddies took the place over for an employee appreciation night. I got great pics and video footage, and I think a good time was had by all. Once the sun went down, a nice breeze picked up. It was positively lovely out there! Plus, one of our employees sang the national anthem, and another group of my work peeps led the stadium in "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at the 7th inning stretch. Fun, fun, fun!

Here's to more adventures!

Movie hound

2010-08-23T21:10:00.003-05:00

Watched a couple of movies lately that I thought I'd weigh in on (briefly).

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past was completely panned when it came out, so I avoided it in the theatres. I caught it on HBO recently, and I must say, I didn't think all the vitriol was well-deserved. It's cast well, and though the basic premise is a bit cringe-worthy, I thought it was executed smoothly.

Here's the skinny: Connor Mead (Matt McConaughey) is an insecure teenager who finds the girl that he loves kissing another boy at a school dance. Humiliated, he vents his frustration to his Uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas). The consummate ladies' man, Uncle Wayne steps in and teaches Connor all the tricks he needs to get what he wants out of women - without ever getting too close. The vestiges of these lessons keep Connor from ever truly connecting to Jenny (Jennifer Garner), the true love of his life.

Years later, when Connor's little brother, Paul (Breckin Meyer), is getting married, Connor travels to the wedding only to be haunted by ghosts of his past girlfriends, who vow to change him for the better.

I thought performances were solid. Though the storyline is trite, the actors did a good job with it. I also thought there was good chemistry between Garner and McConaughey, and Michael Douglas' oily Uncle Wayne gave me some gleeful moments. Go in expecting the standard rom-com, and you won't be disappointed.

I had higher expectations for The Soloist, considering that Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx served as leads. While I thought the storyline and the performances were great, I considered the script a bit heavy-handed and preachy for my taste.

In this film, L.A. Times writer Steve Lopez (Downey) meets a street musician named Nathaniel Ayers (Foxx). Lopez is surprised by Ayers' talent, and by his claim that he studied at Julliard. Upon checking on the claim, Lopez discovers that Ayers did, indeed, study at Julliard before dropping out due to mental health reasons.

What evolves is an unlikely friendship between the two men, with Ayers demanding more commitment than Lopez feels comfortable giving. Eventually, both men learn a little something about friendship, dependence, and independence.

This movie is based on a fascinating true story, but I did feel at times that the filmmakers were looking more to produce a social comment than a compelling narrative. The film dwells on the idea of rehabilitating those living on the streets and questions the validity (and wisdom) of such a thing. I would have rather had more story and less pontificating.

On the trail . . .

2010-08-23T21:02:00.002-05:00

I recently finished reading Searching for God Knows What, by Donald Miller. I'd read his Blue Like Jazz a while back and loved it, so I'd been meaning to get back around to him.

I really like this book. I really like Miller, actually. I like it that he seems to think about his faith himself, rather than letting others tell him what God wants for him. In this book, Miller dwells on the human relationship with God, and he draws some parallels and some conclusions that I'd never thought of before. He quite accurately paints ways in which our organized faith might have gone a bit wayward, but he appears to do it without malice. There are lots of historical references, tidbits of quotes and songs, and parables in here, and the book reads easily, as if one were talking these things over with a good friend.

I recommend both this book and Blue Like Jazz if you are interested in thinking more about the nature of faith and love.

Master of His Domain

2010-08-17T20:37:00.002-05:00

I am unbelievably thrilled to report that my child is potty trained. Though he does still wear a diaper at night, that's it. No more pull-ups and precious few accidents. Little man has taken ownership of the big boy underwear.

It only took me three years.

I Was Told There'd Be Cake . . .

2010-08-14T19:00:00.004-05:00

I picked up this book of short essays because I fell in love with the title - I Was Told There'd Be Cake. Though I don't think the book quite lived up to my delight at the label, I did enjoy this quick book of essays by Sloane Crosley. I imagine that the book would be more relative to me had I been Jewish or if I lived in New York, but there's enough universality to make a satisfying read for nearly anyone.

Crosley's essays cover all kinds of topics, from the dating scene in New York to her experiences at some of her early jobs to the summer camp she attended as a child. She definitely has a knack for words and an uncanny ability to draw comparisons/contrasts from the past to the present.

A quick, fun read. This book would be great beach/vacation reading. Though I didn't laugh out loud (a la David Sedaris), I did find myself smiling throughout.

Memoirs

2010-08-14T18:47:00.003-05:00

When I read The Liar's Club, by Mary Karr, I remember thinking to myself, "This woman is a genius." That said, I can't believe it's taken me this long to get back around to reading more of her books. I've just finished two more of her memoirs - cherry and lit.

cherry, as you might suspect, details her first awakenings to love and sexuality, picking up somewhere around when The Liar's Club left off. Karr discusses her first love, some misadventures in dating and her decision to leave Texas as a young adult. What I really liked about this book was that Karr doesn't trivialize her first crushes, even with the perspective of time. She realizes that those early flutterings of romantic love aren't unreal just because they are new, or just because she was a teenager.

lit covers Karr's later life, particularly her experiences of motherhood. Indeed, this book is framed as a letter of sorts to her son, to whom she explains the journey of her alcoholism and recovery. Also playing a major role in this book (as in every Karr memoir I've read so far) is Karr's mother, whose presence is, by turns, cathartic and malignant.

Of the two, I preferred lit, perhaps because I myself am a mother now, and I understood Karr's desire to explain things to her son. To help him understand major events she was going through during her growing-up years and put his childhood memories into context.

But the real treasures in both books are Karr's voice and writing style. She clearly understands that all events she's recounting are filtered through herself and her own recollection, and she admits that this filter may be faulty and/or flawed. She is unflinchingly honest about her own failings, and there are times that her laser-like perception of human nature is almost uncomfortable.

I highly recommend both books. I have a feeling I'll be reading more of Karr's work in the future.

Oy vey.

2010-08-10T21:34:00.003-05:00

How I have neglected this blog lately. But I have an excuse. Really I do.

My mother has been in the hospital for nearly three weeks now. First of all, do ALL of you remember the 2010 Eye Incident? Mmmm hmmmm. Before all of that was said and done, we put eye drops into mom's eyes on a vigorous schedule for WEEKS.

Well, you would think that would have taught mom a little lesson about going straight to the doctor at the first sign of illness. You would be wrong. Mom had a cough for a week or so, but did not make a doctor's appointment. She told all of us she already HAD an appointment scheduled for the following week, and that she'd have the issue taken care of then.

Well, her doctor's appointment was with her rheumatologist, who of course said he had no expertise in coughing and wheezing. He sent her straight to the hospital emergency room, where she was diagnosed with pneumonia and immediately admitted.

After a few days of antibiotics and rest, mom was feeling better. However, an unusually high white blood cell count prompted the doctors to run some tests, including a CT scan. They found a softball-sized abscess in her lung. Yuck.

That, of course, led to a chest tube to drain the abscess, as well as talk of surgery to remove any growths in the area and clean out the tissue. Thankfully, we ended up sidestepping any major surgery. The abscess is now gone, and mom's condition has greatly improved.

They are planning on switching her from IV antibiotics to oral antibiotics soon (YAY!), and now she just has to do some PT rehab so she can build her strength back up. Then, she can come home.

So, how has your late July/early August been?

About and about!

2010-07-16T22:01:00.003-05:00

So, soooo much going on lately!

A few weekends ago, we toted little man back to Shiloh Water Park for the first time since last summer. He was enchanted. Now, he's big enough to operate the water cannons by himself, without help from hubs. (I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not!) He looked so cute, running around in his little swim trunks! We usually go shortly before the park closes, and we have the place nearly to ourselves. We spent about two hours there, laughing and splashing around, until we got hungry enough to head over to Sonny's for some barbecue.

And last weekend, we had booger's birthday party! Our little volcano was turning three, so we decided to celebrate with the luau to end all luaus. I decorated the entire house like crazy, we rented a big water slide so the kids could hang ten, and one of my friends smoked us a bunch of pulled pork. We also served a yummy fruit platter (I got unbelievably lucky with the fruit. Everything was perfectly ripe.), some coconut shrimp, a green salad studded with mango and macadamia nuts, chips, and a few handfuls of sweet potato fries. I made a luau punch (just a mix of pineapple juice, orange juice, and Sprite), which we served in bright yellow cups with umbrella straws. We had a cake that looked like an island floating in the ocean, and we perched a hula girl or two atop it. I threw on a sundress and gave the guests leis, grass skirts, and sunglasses. It was all very festive!

Clay was a little too scared to go down the slide (He went down it a couple of times, then decided he'd had plenty of it), but he loved playing in the big pool at the bottom and watching the other kids come down. He also had big fun opening his presents and blowing out the candles on his cake!

Sweet little guy started a new daycare this week, and he's been remarkably well-adjusted about the whole thing. We've already been invited to two birthday parties for kids he's met there, so we'll be doing some space-jumping this weekend and then going back to Shiloh next weekend. I'm looking forward to meeting some of the other parents.

In other news, hubs' birthday is coming up (movie and swanky dinner plans to come), AND we've booked a fall trip to Orlando. We're going to stay at a resort (we picked Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and spa - 2-bedroom condos with full kitchens and washer/dryers, an awesome pool, a couple of places to eat on property, plus a little convenience store) and hit Sea World, maybe the Magic Kingdom at Disney, the beach, and a few other attractions. We think booger's a little young for the full-on week at Disney experience, but we might dip our toes in a bit while we're in the area. Any recommendations for the Orlando area?

Adventures!

2010-07-04T10:18:00.003-05:00

We've been busy lately! Last weekend, I took little man to get his first official haircut at a salon. (Up until now, I've been hacking away at it myself. And, pardon the pun, but that just isn't cutting it anymore.)

We went to a little salon near our house. Clay was very impressed with the big chair he got to sit in, as well as his bright yellow drape with the penguins on it. He watched in the mirror with interest as the stylist sprayed his hair with water and combed it. Then, she started trimming it. He was ok for the first little bit, but by the end, he was crying. She finished up quickly, then stopped the tears with a grape popsicle. (It was one of those that are encased in the plastic. We used to eat them all the time as kids. I had to show him how to suck on the open end to get the juice out. It was really sweet. I feel now as though I've given him a real life skill!) All in all, not too bad.

Afterwards, we went to the library to check out Curious George books and had lunch at the McDonald's (where he got to play on the indoor playground for the first time; we usually just go through the drive-through) as a reward for being brave.

During the week, I met up with some work friends for a delish dinner at Nagoya and ice cream at Marble Slab afterwards. I really love going out with this group. We always have fun conversations, and there are lots of different perspectives at the table. (And have you TRIED the coffee ice cream with Heath bar mix-ins at Marble Slab?! Good night, it's yummy!)

Yesterday, little man and I went to see the new Megalodon exhibit at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. It was big fun! Booger always loves going there, and I love taking him. It's very kid-friendly, with ledges where little people can stand to have a better vantage point of the exhibits. Plus, they have some exhibits the kids can touch, which Clay loves. Yesterday, they even had a touch pool set up where he could touch live hermit crabs, horseshoe crabs and starfish. That was a BIG HIT! We spent a couple of hours looking at the fish, and then we headed home for lunch and a nap.

For dinner, we met up with my parents at the Mediterranean Grill on Old Canton Road. (We know the owners of this restaurant, and we love going there.) We all ate together (shrimp - YUM!), then mom and dad came back with us to our house so we could shoot a few fireworks. Clay thought they were a little scary (We had the big cannon-ball kind, which were REALLY loud.), so we shot a few fireworks, sent him to bed, then finished them up.

It's been a really busy time lately, but really fun, too! We'll probably relax today, then get into more trouble on Monday. (We all have the day off! Woo hoo!) Then, next weekend, we'll throw the luau to end all luaus.

Whew!

Catching up.

2010-06-24T21:12:00.003-05:00

Giddy from our last get together, myself and several of my college buddies met for dinner at Sal and Mookie's last night. (You KNOW I got my jumbo cocktail and my fried calamari, right? I finished it off with a chocolate tiramisu.)

It was wonderful to catch up, gossip about old times, and just relax a bit. I had a great time, laughed alot, drank some wine, and still got home to bed before 11-ish. What's not to love?

Plus, it was fun to fall back into that little family. When you do theatre, you form close relationships with the people you work with, primarily because theatre requires a TON of labor hours and you spend all of your time together. When shows begin, bonds are established quickly. And when shows end, it's like a family saying goodbye. I basically spent all of my time with these good folks for four years, and I have many very positive memories about them. I really enjoyed seeing them again, remembering all the nutty stuff we did and trying to figure out where all of our mutual friends ended up after college.

Here's to more nostalgia!

See Mom Cry.

2010-06-24T21:07:00.002-05:00

We found out last week that the daycare booger's been going to, the one that we absolutely LOVE, is closing at the end of August. I am heartbroken.

First of all, it took me FOREVER to find that place. I toured many, many daycares, got information from the health department, etc. and so forth. And when I made my choice, I knew I was making the right choice. And booger loves it there. He loves his teachers. He's very comfortable with all the other kids there. He has a great space to play in, they feed him well in a separate cafeteria, and they have a nice little shaded play area out back. The building's new, and the daycare is family owned and operated.

Even if I find him a GREAT new place to go, he isn't going to understand why he's not going to his school. And I think he'll miss his teachers terribly.

We've toured two places, but neither of them have really wowed me. I've got a third tour lined up for tomorrow.

I'm just disappointed. And feeling rushed to find him a placement before it's too late. And I'm totally dreading the first two weeks of taking him to some place new, when he freaks out at drop off. Maybe I'm overreacting. Maybe he'll be totally cool. But my guess is that it will be a difficult adjustment for all of us.

Bleh.

Life's a dance!

2010-06-22T19:31:00.004-05:00

On Sunday night, I grabbed a college buddy and attended the final Round II performance of the USA IBC. We saw some amazing contemporary dance. I like Round II better than Round I because it's the modern dance round, and every piece is different. During Round I, when dancers are performing classical work, the competitors must all choose from the same repertoire. As a result, you'll see the same pieces danced over and over. I much prefer Rounds II and III, when the introduction of contemporary dance and the winnowing of competitors makes for a much more varied evening.

At any rate, we saw two hours of some truly beautiful art. (And Round III of the USA IBC begins tonight! Try to catch a performance this week if you haven't already!)

After the show, we met up with a third college buddy and caught up for a few hours. (Pity it was a Sunday night. Not much was open. I was totally jonesing {Spell check says jonesing isn't a word. What do they know?} for some calamari and a jumbo cocktail from Sal and Mookie's, but they closed at 9 p.m. Sigh. I suppose it was not meant to be?)

It's funny how everyone's lives take such a different path. One of my buddies teaches theatre in a high school in Tupelo, another one has lived all over the U.S. and is now back in Jackson, working as a paralegal. I've run into a few other college friends lately, too: two guys who started a political campaign consulting company, a girl who's pursuing her graduate degree, another friend who owns his own chain of restaurants. The variety of life choices and experiences is amazing, even within a tight-knit group.

We're going to all try to get together again later this week, before we all scatter to the winds again. Should be fun! (And maybe I'll get that calamari after all . . . !)

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Next

2010-06-22T05:00:00.003-05:00

Had to weigh in quickly on the book I just read. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is the third book in Stieg Larsson's trilogy about Lisbeth Salander, a Swedish woman whose constitutional rights are astonishingly violated. I'd already read the first two books in the trilogy, and I was thrilled to pick up the third book.

I am happy to report that the third book is just as good as the previous two. More character development on the part of Lisbeth in this book and a worthy outcome to many of the plot points from book #1 made this book a great read. I could not put it down.

I have no idea if Random House will use the outlines for future books the author left behind to try and continue the story of Lisbeth and her friends, but I can't imagine them not further mining the trilogy for profits. There is already work underway for screen versions of the stories.

Even though Larsson did not originally intend for this book to be the final end for the characters he created in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I find that each of the three books in the series is a complete story in itself, with a satisfactory ending. Though I am sad that my relationship with these characters may be over, I feel the author wrote three full books, each with its own fulfilling conclusion. I hope Random House doesn't screw the whole thing up by handing the outlines over to a ghostwriter not up to the task to produce future books in the series.

Just direct your feet . . .

2010-06-14T20:50:00.002-05:00

. . . to the dancing side of the street!

On Saturday night, the USA International Ballet Competition kicked off in Jackson, Mississippi. Fair warning - I am completely biased towards this fabulous organization, partly because I used to work there, but mostly because it's just plain wonderful. Hubs and I seized the opportunity to leave little man at the grandparents' house and enjoy a date night.

Every four years, the entire city of Jackson is transformed into a ballet mecca. (No, you read that right. I am totally not kidding.) Young dancers from all over the world gather here, along with artistic directors, master teachers, professional dancers, and fans, to perform in and watch some of the very best ballet that the world has to offer. For two weeks, 100 promising young dancers perform in three rounds of ballet competition, with the best of the best walking away with medals, cash, and professional contracts.

The competition kicked off on Saturday night with the traditional opening ceremonies. Hubs and I put on our fancy clothes and settled in for the show. There was lots of speechifying from the governor, the mayor, the honorary chairman of the IBC, the chairman of the board of directors, and more. The official USA IBC flame was lit, the dancers paraded in with the flags of their countries.

Then, Rasta Thomas and his Bad Boys of Dance company performed. What fun! Very athletic, with lots of jaw-dropping turns, spins, kicks, and general sultriness. The best number was at the very end, when the guys all tangoed to the famous piece from Carmen with a group of blow-up dolls. Hilarious! Personality to spare! Hubs and I laughed and laughed.

After the performance, we had a late dinner at Styx (onion soup, steamed dumplings, edamame, all the yummy stuff) before heading home and turning in.

And we SLEPT LATE the next day! What is this life of luxury that I'm living?!

Very first movie.

2010-06-14T20:47:00.002-05:00

On Sunday, I took booger to see his very first movie! We have the first Shrek movie on the DVR at home, and he enjoys watching it from time to time. When I found out a new Shrek movie was coming out this summer, I figured it would be the perfect choice for his first movie in a real live theatre.

We got there just as the previews were starting and settled in to the first row behind the handicapped section. (That meant no seats were directly in front of us. Good, because he's a short little feller.) He was totally transfixed once the show came on. Shrek, donkey, and the dragon were all big hits. About 1:15 into it, he got a little restless. I asked him if he wanted to go home, but he said he wanted to stay and watch. So we did! He made it through the entire movie, and he seemed to be having a good time!

I wouldn't take him to anything much longer than 1:30, but if a movie is that or less, it's fair game!

Sultan of summer

2010-06-14T20:39:00.003-05:00

On Friday night, Clay, hubs and I were playing in the back yard when we heard a noise. A noise that sounded suspiciously like an ice cream truck. Now, I've barely heard (or seen) an ice cream truck since I was a kid. They used to tour the neighborhood I grew up in every night. We'd all be playing outside, hear the faint jangly music, then scatter like leaves in the wind back to our own houses. We'd tear through the door shouting, "A dollar!! A dollar!!! I NEED A DOLLAR!!!" We'd rifle through the couch cushions or our piggy banks or mom's purse until we found the required sum, then dash back out the door to catch the pied piper of sweet, icy goodness.

Ice cream trucks don't come to the neighborhood we live in now. I've never seen one. So when we heard that siren song of frosty treats, I almost didn't believe it. Just in case, we grabbed some cash and headed out the front door. And there it was. A beat-up old van with "Ice Cream Truck" written clearly across the front, blaring its tinkly song, complete with a menu painted on the side.

Clay chose his very first ice cream truck treat, a Bugs Bunny pop. Hubs got a chocolate covered icea cream bar, and I had a yummy ice cream sandwich. By the time Clay got to the end of his treat, we'd put it in a bowl and given him a spoon, but he really did enjoy every bite!

Ahhhhh, summer!

Lean, mean cleaning machine!

2010-06-10T21:02:00.003-05:00

Sometime on Saturday morning, hubs and I realized that our 15-year-old washer was no longer agitating. And not in that, "Hell, no! We won't go!" way. In the "I'm just going to sit here full of water and clothing and not wash anything," kinda way.

Now, when our matching dryer acted up a few years ago, we bought a few parts and fixed it. But on Saturday, we were in the midst of a busy weekend, the washer was not working AT ALL, and, quite frankly, I was ready for an upgrade. After checking out Consumer Reports, we headed to Lowe's and bought a Whirlpool Cabrio. It was one of the cheaper Cabrios, but it got great rankings in CR's testing.

They delivered it Sunday night, and I have been amazed at how much more clothing I can fit into a load. The new machine has a few fancy bells and whistles (It automatically senses how much water to add, based on how much clothing is inside.), and it's supposed to be much more energy efficient than our previous model. (We even scored a "green" state rebate on it! Woo hoo!)

Mainly, though, it's actually washing our clothing, which was a heckuva lot more than the old one was doing. What remains to be seen, though, is whether it will last 15 years, like our previous Whirlpool.

I can dream, can't I?

Snug in his bed

2010-06-10T20:47:00.002-05:00

They delivered Clay's big boy bed last weekend! The delivery guys even set it up in his room, so hubs and I didn't have to put it together. (A plus for us, because we are tired, old and decrepit.) Clay immediately loved the fact that he could jump on the bed and watch himself in the dresser mirror. Due to that quality alone, the big boy bed became an instant favorite. He's slept in it every night since Saturday.

We were wary of his ability to actually stay on the bed throughout the night. We'd bought a set of rails, but we decided to create crash pads out of pillows on each side of the bed and see how it went for a few night before installing the rails.

Night #1 - fell out of bed two times. wailed like an Irish banshee set on fire each time.
Night #2 - fell out of bed two times. cried the first time. squawked the second time, then crawled back into bed and went right back to sleep.
Night #3 - not a peep.
Night #4 - not a peep.

We'll see how it goes tonight, but it's looking pretty good so far! We may just take the rails back to the store!

When I tiptoe back in to check on him before I go to bed, he's all snuggled up and looking angelic, his little golden head on the pillow, his soft fingers curled next to his face. I look at him, so small on the twin-sized mattress, and think about the day when it will probably be too short for him. One day, he'll probably need a double bed. Eeek.

Tonight, before he went to sleep, he said his prayers with me and asked God to bless all of his friends at school. Then, he looked at me and said, "Mama, you're my best friend." ~Sigh.~ There will be a day when he'll be embarrassed to walk through the mall with me. But for right now, I'm his best friend.