Belated Halloween

Why do we love to dress up our children?
Let me present exhibit A:



As I walked through a crowded room my hair would catch the breeze of all the older mother's collective sighs.

I just felt yours too.




Okay, okay.. only one more shameless promotion of my own childrens' cuteness. (Ignore Bo Peep's tired expression)



Oops- I lied. And you like it!

Why can't we be a normal family?

I ask you this simple question: "What is normal?"

In my book "normal" would include a little housie, with a little doggie, and some little kiddies.

If a "normal" father and daughter went onto the front porch one evening, they would return empty handed, but, oh no no no, not this family.






Yes, everyone, that is a snake. (Seth assured me it was not venomous).



Yes, this is my daughter petting the snake. Perhaps we should keep it and add it to the fish and two Amazonian frogs living in our guest bathroom. Nothing says home like a reptile/amphibian collection.

As a child, my husband had not only snakes, but birds, turtles, minnows (they only live the night apparently before floating to the top in a stinky mass suicide), dogs, more dogs, horses, cats, more cats, a giant hairball they named "Fluffy" and so on. I can see my fate unfolding before my eyes. As soon as Wyatt is old enough, I will be so outnumbered our house will resemble Ace Ventura's. "Come to me my jungle friends."




I can only cling to the girlie side draped in fake jewelry and clacking around in high heels. Oh please win girlie side. I need an ally! I'll buy you all the lip gloss you want...

Food Glorious Food

I have been wanting to blog some of my favorite cookbooks and recipes since I started (all of a month ago). Some of yall (as in my five readers:) may not be cooks, but I PROMISE these babies will NOT let you down!

Chicken Enchiladas

Not hard or tricky but oh so good. You can freeze uncooked enchiladas and cook later BUT don't add sauce or toppings.

* 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
* 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
* 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas (get the good ones from HEB tortilla maker place)
* Vegetable cooking spray
* 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
* 1 (8-ounce) bottle green taco sauce (get whatever heat level you want & the better the green sauce, the tastier your enchilada sauce)
* Toppings: diced tomato, chopped avocado, chopped green onions, sliced ripe olives, chopped cilantro (only put on if you aren't feeling lazy)

Preparation

Stir together first 5 ingredients. Spoon chicken mixture evenly over each tortilla, and roll up. Arrange in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Coat tortillas with vegetable cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Stir together sour cream and taco sauce. Spoon over hot enchiladas, and sprinkle with toppings.



**This comes from one of my all time fav cookbooks: Southern Living Our Reader's Top-Rated Recipes

**all these recipes can be found at Southernliving.com

also try:

-Hearty Potato Soup (sans bread bowl)-healthy!
-Chicken Fajita Pizza
-Chili-Rubbed Salmon
-Smoked Gouda Grits
-Chicken Pot Pie (cut waaaay back b/c it makes a TON)
-Hearty Tex-Mex Squash-Chicken Casserole
-Cheesy Shrimp and Grits Casserole (freezes great)
-Healthy White Spaghetti and Meatballs -more work but better for you
-Sweet Beer Bread-make me NOW!!! Oh BABY this is good warm!!!! and sooo easy!
-Garlic-Parmesan Pork Chops-quick prep time
-Peppery Chicken Fried Chicken-need I say more
-Grilled Salmon with Mustard Molasses Glaze
-Crunchy Cabbage Slaw
-Green Bean Salad w/ Feta
-Marinated Green Beans with Tomatoes, Olives and Feta (I left out olive-personal pref.)
-Two Cheese Squash Casserole
-Best Carrot Sheet Cake (my dad loooooves)
-Fudgy Chocolate Malt-Peppermint Pie (can only be made at X-mas b/c of Peppermint Ice Cream)
-Giant Spice Oatmeal Cookies -trust me!!! I'm not an oatmeal cookie fan but really good!
-Brownie Trifle -feeds a TON
-Old fashioned Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce (I went to Spec's pregnant with a toddler in tow to get Bourbon...classy!)
-Mocha Ice Cream-won the ice cream contest at church!

ENJOY & go make your husband fall in love again!

A Steel Cut Oats Day, Part Deaux-ish

Ok, here's the problem with creating a two part blog: I have to finish it. So I can move on quicker, I have decided to revise my normal writing style for a bullet format to finish the day and ill advised blog series.

-Steel Cut Oats disaster (see Part I)
-searched house for 20 minutes trying to find the new sheets for Shelby's bed (in Wyatt's closet)
-change tinkle sheets (Shelby's...not mine)
-commence what I will call "Battle of the Princess Stamps" (Nini so graciously gifted my toddler with princess stamps that she did not want to put away)
-get myself somewhat ready i.e. a step above homeless while Shelby lacquers up with lip gloss
-hop over piles of to-be-done laundry and load kids to begin errands (the fun can begin!)
-drop off the most obnoxiously large book at Goodwill (I mean who needs a 2.5' book of seek and find Elmo?)
-Target (focus, Shelley, focus! Get only what you NEED!) OOOOH! Young girl shirts on sale! Larger nipples for bottle: check. Wait in line to return 2 items: check. OOOOH! Princess panties for the potty trainer.
-Leaving Target with Shelby clutching new panties and fussy baby chewing on package but not before Shelby announces "I'VE GOT NEW PANTIES" to every person walking by.
-Return library books
-Get new library books
-shift baby to other arm in order to regain feeling in right arm (Wyatt exerts "0" effort to hold on)
-check books out
-"I'VE GOT NEW PANTIES" announced/yelled at checkout (hope there weren't any pervs in the Cinco Library kid's section)
-Load kids and marvel at Shelby's ability to hold 4 library books, 3 Target parking lot acorns, and 1 package of princess underwear all at once.
-Look down and realize my black coat has streaks of snot (thanks Wyatt)
-Undaunted, go to Bed, Bath and Beyond.
-Turn away for ONE SECOND and Wyatt is (OH THE HORROR!) sucking on the bar of the cart.
-Finish shopping
-Shelby informs male checker "I'VE GOT NEW PANTIES"
-He laughs and says he has three dogs
-Must drag my normally shy child out of store while attempting to tell male checker all about her own canine companions
-spray down children with disinfectant
-load children plus one additional acorn collected in parking lot
-make it home have lunch, put kids down for nap, and crash on couch before starting dinner

Yep, just another day in the Landry Household.