Winter and Pigs

We had another winter storm Tuesday.  They just about cancelled our livestock show on Wednesday because Tuesday, they were supposed to be able to do things to prepare, but because of the crazy weather, they couldn't.  They did manage to pull the show off yesterday even though they had to start later.  I think my toes were close to freezing off since I stood in 30 degree weather with my tennis shoes on for two hours at our concession stand!  What was I thinking?

This is my son's senior year, so last one to show an animal, and I'm proud to say he placed fifth in his class and made auction.  So! Excited!  The auction was tonight.  I will probably post more about it later as I just got home from the auction an hour ago, and I really must sleep some soon.

Winter Storm Brewing

That's an oxymoron!  Winter... brewing.  Get it?  It's the little things that make me smile.  There's a winter storm whipping up outside right now.  We had 70 degree weather Wednesday.  It was 67 when I left for work Thursday, and now, Thursday evening, it's 38 degrees already.  Gotta love Texas weather!  There's a lot of wind.  I can hear it blowing while I sit in the recliner playing on my computer (hope the power doesn't go out!).  It's raining softly now.  It will likely start to rain harder and turn to sleet soon.  Our school district, which rarely cancels school for hurricanes or ice storms, is delaying school by two hours tomorrow.  That tells me it's going to get much worse!  I've got my fingers crossed that we can just stay home tomorrow.  That would be grand!  But hey, two hours later is two hours, right?  I wonder how I'll spend my two extra hours not having to be at work... That's easy!  Sleep!  And my car is safely parked in the garage in case we have any major ice.  Stay safe out there!

Valentine's Day with Teleflora

Valentine's Day is going to be here before we know it. I love to get flowers delivered to me, and Teleflora the best way to order them and know that they will be exactly what you asked for and on time. I hope my husband gets the early order deal where we can be entered to win NBA tickets! They're having some other great deals, too. To whom am I sending flowers this year? My mom, who is a widower, and she will be so surprised. Now to decide what I'm getting...

Order Early! Valentines' Day is right around the corner! Get $20 to spend on bouquets $80+.at Teleflora.com with code AFSPEND20. Offer valid 02/03- 02/11 only!

Don't Forget to order your Valentine's Day flowers! Take $15 off all Valentine's Day flowers at Teleflora.com with code AFVDAY15. Offer valid 02/08- 02/15 only!

Save 25% on Teleflora's Heartfelt bouquet and enter to win NBA final tickets. Use code AFHEARTFELT. Offer valid 01/14- 02/14 only!

Mini Penne Chicken Tetrazini

Catchy title, huh?!  My husband and I are trying to eat low fat, so I've been researching recipes.  And since my friend over at Three Side of Crazy posts lots of recipes, I thought I would jump in with one as well.

I found a chicken tetrazzini recipe I liked and made some modifications to the ingredients and the preparation, then put it in a program that determine the calorie, carb, fat, and protein per serving.  Everyone liked it, even the teenagers!  Here's my mini penne chicken tetrazzini!

4 cups cooked Barilla mini penne pasta (or whatever brand you like)
2 Tablespoons butter (not margarine)
1/4 cup flour
3 cups Store-brand 1 % milk
12 ounces chicken broth
1/3 cup parmesan/romano shredded
2 cups chopped or sliced white mushrooms
3 small chicken breasts, baked, diced
1/3 cup frozen green peas
1 cup 2% milk shredded mild cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake chicken ahead of time and dice.  Set aside.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  While that is cooking, melt butter in a small skillet or a sauce pan.  Stir in flour.  Whisk in milk, chicken broth, mushrooms, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes.

Stir the parmesan, pasta, turkey, and peas into the milk mixture.  Transfer to a baking dish.  Sprinkle with shredded mild cheddar cheese.  Lightly cover with foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.

I served this with spinach salad.  My family loved it!  I forgot to take a picture, so what you see above is the portion I'm taking for lunch tomorrow.  Please let me know if you try it!

Nutrition Information:  Serves 8
Per Serving - 363 calories, 44 g carbs, 10 g fat, 25 g protein

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My Memories Digital Scrapbooking

It's  been a long time since I had the chance to scrapbook, but I am thinking about doing some digital scrapbooks so that I can print multiple copies for my twins when they graduate as well as the grandparents and myself.  The program I use most is My Memories.  It's a very easy program to use, and they have such cute layouts!  Almost all I have to do is add my photos, and there are a lot of options to choose from.  Check out the software and let me know what you think.  And use this code STMMMS85884 to get $10 off.  Have fun and get creative!

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Camera Critters

My sweet, pretty Lacy.

 

I'm linking up with Camera Critters today.  Come join the fun!

 

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Two Jobs?

Whew!  Am I exhausted!?  I don't know how I was able to work a second job from June through December because I'm having a hard time just working my main job now!  I thought I would have some more time on my hands, but nooooooooooo.  Meetings, errands, household chores.  I don't know how everything got done when I was working from 8:15 AM to 9:15 PM
or later most nights.  I sure did enjoy the extra income, and with kids going to college next year, I sure could still use some extra (can't we all?), but I seriously don't know how I managed to do it!  I'm going to bed now. Thankfully, tomorrow is Friday!

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My Year in Books (2013)

I love to read!  And I love using Goodreads.  I keep track of all the books I read, and at the end of the year, I like to take a look back at what I've read and set some new goals for the coming year.  My goals for 2014:

• to read books by at least 3 new authors that I have never read before,
• to read at least 2 nonfiction books,
• to read more books in 2014 than 2013,
• and to read at least 4 young adult novels that I can recommend to my students.

Here is my year in books:

Stephen White
*Compound Fractures

Robert Swartwood
The Serial Killer’s Wife

Lemony Snicket
*The Hostile Hospital

James Patterson (6)
*Private Games
The Christmas Wedding
*Gone
*Private London
Zoo
*Alex Cross, Run

Wilson Rawls
Where the Red Fern Grows

Darcy O’ Brien
The Hillside Stranglers
Gregory MacGuire
*A Lion Among Men

Tim LaHaye
*Appolyon

Alan Jacobson
*Crush

Kristin Hannah
Firefly Lane
Andrew Gross (2)
15 Seconds
Eyes Wide Open

John Grisham
*Sycamore Row

Anne Frasier
Hush

Janet Evanovich
*Takedown Twenty

Ethan Cross
The Shepherd

Robert Crais
*Suspect

Patricia Cornwell
*Unnatural Exposure

Michael Connelly (4)
*The Black Box
*Nine Dragons
*The Drop
*The Overlook

Ally Condie
*Matched

Richard Castle (2)
*Deadly Heat
*Frozen Heat

Jefferson Bass
*Carved in Bone

21 authors (7 authors were first-timers for me
31 books (30 fiction, 3 of which were young adult novels; 1 nonfiction)
21 books were part of series

There is a 3-way tie for my least favorite book – A Lion Among Men (although I enjoyed the first two books in the series), Matched (the author tried too hard to mimic The Giver, yet the style was repetitive and predictable), and The Shepherd (poor grammar and way too much suspension of reality).

My favorite book was Sycamore Row by John Grisham. I love the main character, and Grisham does courtroom drama better than anyone!   However, I would say that Michael Connelly is also one of my favorite authors.  I'm starting 2014 by reading his most recent book now.

Are you a reader?  What is your favorite genre?  Do you use Goodreads?

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Happy New Year! 2014

The only way my New Year's Eve could have been better is if I had been able to see ALL of the kids (saw three of them) and if the Rockets had won their game.  Everything else was pretty much... perfect!

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