Menu Plan Monday

On the menu for this week:

Grilled Brats with Fried Onion Strings
Crockpot Beef Pot Roast with carrots and mashed potatoes
Chicken Piccata
Grilled Chicken with salad
Pan Fried Fish and homemade mac & cheese

We are once again "vowing" to eat at home more. We have been pretty good, but not as good as we truly want to be. I spent most of the morning watching "Grill It! with Bobby Flay" and EVERYTHING looked amazing. I quickly saved many of the recipes to my "recipe box" on the Food Network website so I can hopefully plan for them in the coming weeks.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Swim Lessons Week 2

My friend Melissa (the one offering her pool for the lessons) got an underwater camera. After seeing the pictures she sent over, I am in awe and I want one!! I am not sure I would use it much since we don't have a pool, but the pictures were amazing.

Swimming lessons are technically over, but we are planning to get Taryne to the pool as much as possible this summer.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Cousins!

Last weekend, we had a visit from Mimi, Aunt Tanya and Theia. Taryne hasn't seen Theia since Thanksgiving so this was the first time they actually "played" together where they were both walking and active. Taryne has always been good about sharing, but she hasn't had a lot friends come over to play. Usually we play at the park or at school with other kids her age.

She was very good about sharing and the few times she took something from Theia (and we reminded her about sharing), she either gave it back or quickly found another toy for Theia. They cooked, played, colored, went to the park and splashed in the tub together.

Taryne was so excited to see Theia. She walked around talking about Theia before the visit and again after they left. Unfortunately, Taryne won't get to see Theia again until Christmas since they are moving to Maryland in a few weeks. So it was sort of a "goodbye" visit too.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Menu Plan Monday

I'm back! You probably thought I had just forgot and decided to give up. No way! I am determined to stick with this, but had a few weeks of just "stuff" and not much motivation. I have decided I am going to get back on the menu plan chuck wagon.

So this week we are planning to have the following:

Tacos
Beef Stir Fry and Fried Rice
Chicken and Pasta dish (probably one of the Macaroni Grill meals)
Sandwiches
Salad with chicken or beef
Fish (baked or pan fried, we will decide that night)

We have one more week of swimming lessons, so the meals this week have to be pretty fast and easy to prepare since we get home close to 7 from the lessons.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Swimming Lessons

Last week we started swimming lessons. We are very lucky to have a good friend offer up her home to several moms and children for private swim lessons. Thanks Melissa!!

We only had lessons 3 days last week due to weather. While it is already pretty hot here, the pool was a bit chilly for Taryne and several of the other children.

The first 2 days, Taryne cried almost the entire time, but she did really well. She went under water several times and did not swallow water. The third day she walked to her teacher, Hannah, and raised her arms up for her to pick her up. She did SO well that day. She dunked under water, kicked around the pool and I could hear her laughing from inside.

She is ready for this week's lessons. I hope this week is as good or better as Wednesday.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Wedding Shower for Josh & Janna

Kyle's brother, Josh, is getting married in August to a sweet girl. We are very excited about having Janna as part of our family.

We recently helped host a couple's shower for them in Valley Spring (tiny community outside of Llano). There were lots of family and friends at the shower. It was nice to see so many people, especially those we don't see very often.

For food, we had hamburgers and a great variety of homemade desserts brought by the hostesses. We made cake pops for our dessert and they seemed to be a hit. I made German Chocolate, Chocolate and then Orange Dreamsicle flavors.

Congratulations Josh and Janna and we can't wait for the big day!

Until next time...Gig'em!

Mother's Day 2011

I think I had the best mother's day any mother could ask for. I spent it with my sweet daughter and husband. They treated me to lunch and then I was able to take a nice long nap and do absolutely nothing. Perfect!

God has truly blessed me with a wonderful husband and a beautiful daughter. I look forward to many more mother's day with Kyle, Taryne and hopefully a sibling for Taryne since she walks around asking for a sister. Love how she is specifically asking for a sister. When we ask about a brother, she says no, sister.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Cake Thief

I had baked a cake to make German Chocolate cake pops for a shower and Taryne decided to help herself to a little cake while it was cooling...

Until next time...Gig'em!

Shower for Baby Connor and Parents

Recently a few ladies and I hosted a couple's baby shower for our very dear friends, Jenn and Adam. They are expecting their first baby. I am a little behind on this post since Connor arrived 2 days ago. He is just adorable. Granted it was only a picture, but I can't wait to meet him!

The shower was at our house and we had tons of food, fun and games. And of course there were lots of great gifts and necessities given to the parents-to-be. The theme for the day was sports. I think most Aggies are pretty big sports fans and since a little boy was on the way and his new room was a sports theme, we had to carry that over to the shower.

We hung little sports themed onsies all over the house for part of our decorations.

So much yummy food...there was more than this too!

Cake, diaper cake, favors, games and more onsies.

Toss the wet diaper game...quite entertaining to watch!

The wonderful Parents-To-Be, Jenn & Adam

I am so thankful for such a wonderful set of friends. I know they will be awesome parents! Congratulations guys!

Until next time...Gig'em!

Almost to my goal...

I have been working very hard to reach a goal I set in January. That goal is to earn a $1,000 gift card to Best Buy from Thirty One. There are other great rewards I can work toward, but this is what I wanted and what we need right now.

Our home computer is on its last leg and we really, really want to completely switch over to Mac for everything at home. So we plan to buy a Macbook Pro with this gift card.

I know I am super close, but I also feel like I am so far away. I have several catalog parties out and so I do not know how far away I am to my goal.

Hosting a party (at home or catalog) this month gives you the opportunity to earn MORE free product than ever before. How you ask....well, this month, once you reach the party minimum of $200, you are "bumped up" to the next party level. For example, if you have $450 in sales, you bump up to the $500 party level that also gives the hostess free shipping.

I know there is a little over a week left, but there is still time for an impromptu party or catalog party. And don't forget the great customer special. Spend $31 and get the Mini Zipper Pouch for only $2.31.

Don't forget about the graduates and Father's Day. What high school or college graduate wouldn't love a personalized tote, purse or even stationary?

I want to just say a quick thank you to everyone. You all have supported me in this business over the past year (almost a year) and I hope that in the next year, Thirty One allows me to give back to everyone and my community more than before.

Questions? Email me and I will get back to you soon.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Sam Houston

Last Sunday, we spent the afternoon in Huntsville visiting Charlotte and Zach. It was sort of a sad day for me because Charlotte and Zach were about to move to the Dallas area. So this was our last trip to visit them in Huntsville.

So after lunch, we visited the Sam Houston monument just outside of town. Charlotte and Zach have tons of pictures from the monument over the past 6 years, but we have never actually stopped.

We ended the afternoon by playing with their kitties, Chloe and Peach. Taryne just loved playing with the kitties!

Taryne must have somehow known that they were moving a little further away. All week she has been walking around saying "Charlotte" "Zach" over and over again. Maybe she sensed my sadness. After having them so close the past 6 years, we will have to adjust to them being 3 hours away. I know that is not that far, but they just can't "pop" over one evening.

Until next time...Gig'em!