Show Us Your Life- Thanksgiving Traditions

This week's theme at Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life is Thanksgiving traditions and recipes. Last year Brian and I were in our second year of marriage and trying to establish some new traditions. The holiday season is pretty hectic, going between both families and though it's great, I just wanted to start something that would allow us to slow down, spend time with friends, and show off our cooking skills without competing with the long-time cookers. We invited two couples over to have a Friends Thanksgiving Dinner. We split the menu between the 3 girls, spent time cooking and preparing, then had a delicious meal! I set the table with our fine china and we discussed the things we were thankful for. It was such a great time and a wonderful new tradition for us to do over the years!

Brian prepared the turkey. He was so proud!

My table setting. I thought it turned out pretty good!

One of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes is broccoli casserole. Hope you enjoy!

Brian's Favorite Broccoli Casserole

2 pkg. frozen, chopped broccoli, 2 beaten eggs, 1 cup mayo, 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded, salt and pepper, 1 can condensed mushroom with chicken soup or celery soup, 1 tsp. worchester sauce, 1 tsp. minced onion. (Topping) 1 stack Ritz crackers crumbled, 1/4 stick of butter.

Cook broccoli and drain. Combine all the ingredients except the crackers and butter. Grease with butter on all sides of 9x9 baking dish. Pour mixture in the dish and top with Ritz. crackers. Pat with butter. Bake for 45 min. at 350* or until brown.

I heart cold weather!

Though I don't sell anything, I love homemade items- whether I make them or someone else does. Go check out Show Us Your Life at Kelly's Korner- This week is What Do You Make? It's excellent!

In other news- TOMORROW'S HIGH IS 56!!! I adore cold weather. I like to cuddle with Brian and Bodie by the fire. I like to drink hot chocolate. I like to eat cold weather foods. I like to wear Auburn sweatshirts and cheer for my team. I'm so excited!

Have a blessed night my friends!

Auburn Traditions!

Kelly is hosting Show Us Your Life again at Kelly's Korner this week. This week's tour is sharing favorite teams, traditions, and how our schools tailgate. In my personal opinion, Auburn is the best. I, of course, am pretty biase.

As an alumni of Auburn University, my hearts SINGS for Auburn Tiger football! Nothing beats the Saturday before Labor Day when all anyone in Alabama can talk about it football. At our house it starts in early August, watching past glory days on the internet, listening to band cds, and planning which games we are going to attend. Out come the shirts, the shakers, and the very competitive nature. There's nothing like it.

Our coach Gene Chizik (Chizzy) coming down Tiger Walk.

Our first major tradition is Tiger Walk. During this, our team, coaches, and cheerleaders come down Donahue Drive to the band playing War Eagle, Glory, the Hey Song, and so many more. Everyone is there and everyone is excited.

The next major tradition is the pregame show! As a former member of the Auburn University flag line where I met my husband and my best friend, I adore the band. Pregame is high energy and high school spirit! I love when they come down the field in the shape of an AU!

One of my favorite traditions happens right before the band marches out. The Auburn Raptor Center lets the eagle out of a cage in the upper deck. The eagle flies around the stadium and eventually lands on the field as 90,000 people are screaming War Eagle. Whether you are an Auburn fan or not, it is incredible. And somehow the eagle never leaves the stadium, which is always amazing to me.

Finally, Toomer's Corner. There is a old tree on the corner of College Street and Magnolia Ave. that we (meaning all Auburn fans) roll when Auburn wins. It seems strange I'm sure, but it is really cool. There is nothing like driving to church on Sunday morning and passing a corner full of toilet paper that all of Auburn celebrates. It develops this sense of unity in a weird and crazy way. You really can't beat it.

Well, I hope you enjoyed reading about some of Auburn's traditions! I can't wait to read about how everyone else celebrates football!

Show Us Your Life- Desserts!

Kelly is hosting Show Us Your Life Friday again this week over at Kelly's Korner. This week's theme is your favorite dessert recipes.
I have to begin by saying dessert is my favorite part of every meal. I really love anything sweet, even if it's just something small. It makes me smile. Pie, Cake, Cookies, Candy.... yum.......

Chocolate Chip Pie
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. butter
2 eggs
2 c. total of chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans
1 pie crust (I usually use oreo)
Mix together the sugar and flour. Melt butter and add to dry ingredients. Add eggs and mix until combined. Add in chocolate chips, coconut, pecans and stir. Pour into an uncooked pie shell. Bake at 350* for 35-40 min.

Cake Mix Cookies
1 box of cake mix (Funfetti is always great!)
2 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
A container of your favorite icing (Or homemade if you like!)
Mix the ingredients and spoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 10 to 12 min. Top with icing.

Dirt Cake (YUM, my FAVORITE!)
1/2 c. butter softened
1 pkg. cream cheese
1/2 c. confectioners sugar
2 boxes instant vanilla pudding
3.5 c. milk
1 (12 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 pkg. Oreos, crushed
Gummy worms
Mix the first three ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Mix vanilla pudding, milk, and whipped topping in a large bowl and mix. Mix in butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar mixture. Layer in a large bowl. Start with oreos, then pudding, etc. I layer worms between each layer.

I hope you enjoyed the recipes! Have a blessed weekend! War Eagle!

Show Us Your Life- Dinner Recipes

I am excited about this week's Show Us Your Life at Kelly's Korner! This week's post is our favorite dinner recipes. I am really beginning to enjoy cooking. I am not great at it. I don't do it near enough. But I really enjoy it. Hope you love the recipes!

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The first recipe I want to share is one I got in college. One of my friends made her mother's Mac and Cheese for something and I thought it was the most delicious thing I ever ate. I have probably made it a 100 times since I got the recipe. It's perfect for guests or for a nice meal with your husband!

Scrumptious Mac & Cheese

1 (8 oz.) pkg. elbow macaroni

2 c. cottage cheese

1 (8 oz) sour cream

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c. sharp cheddar cheese

Cook and rinse the macaroni and set aside. Combine cottage cheese, sour cream, egg, salt, and cheddar cheese. Add macaroni and stir well. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. casserole dish. Bake at 350* for 45 min. Serves 6 to 8 people.

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Another recipe we love is fried rice. I am a major fan of Chinese food. There is nothing better than an egg roll and hot and sour soup. Yum. My mom had this recipe from a friend who lived in China for a while. It's the closest thing I have found to restaurant quality.

Fried Rice

4 eggs

1 t. salt

2-3 T. vegetable oil

5-10 sliced green onions

1/2 pd. chicken

1 pkg. frozen peas

2-3 c. cooked rice

Mix the eggs until partly cooked. Remove from the skillet. Saute green onions, chicken, and frozen peas. Add soy sauce. Stir in cooked rice. Add eggs. Continue to saute until done!

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Finally, salsa. Brian and I have Mexican creations all the time. Either homemade quesadillas, fajitas, or tacos. The major ingredient for all of these is salsa. I am not a fan of store bought salsa, so this is a quick and easy recipe that is great for any Mexican treat, or simply for a party or get together. Everyone loves it!

Spectacular Salsa

2 cans Del Monte original stewed tomatoes (Do not substitute brands.)

2 jalapenos from a jar

1 t. salt

1 t. garlic

1 t. cumin

2 palmfuls fresh cilantro

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Use a blender to create the consistency you love!

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Now to my dilemma of the day- it was a student's birthday again today. We had chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing and a crimson A (for Alabama) on top. I was seriously unsure what I should do. The immature part of me said "Ashley, don't eat that. You will be supporting the other team. Who cares if you offend a child." The more mature, chocolate loving part of me said, "You can't just NOT eat this cupcake. You have been cupcake depraved in school for the past 2 years. Ignore it. It doesn't mean they will win." The mature side won. I used my finger to smear away the A, then ate a delicious and wonderful cupcake. War Eagle.

I love my life.

I hope you enjoyed the recipes! Have a blessed evening!

Show Us Your Life

My goodness, I have missed blogging! The past several weeks have been swept away with setting up my classroom, celecrating my birthday :), new teacher orientation, and did I mention? setting up my classroom.

Though I haven't participated up to this point, I am excited about Show Us Your Life at Kelly's Korner. This week's tour is of our wedding reception and honeymoon. Enjoy!

This is right before we cut the cake. I, of course, smothered my wonderful husband with cake, which I said I wasn't going to do. He returned the favor with a big fat kiss :)

The groom's cake was Auburn themed. It was the only thing we could even dream of having. War Eagle.

Once we tossed the bouquet and shot the garter, we headed to St. John! (Actually, we headed there the next day.)

We honeymooned in St. John. We stayed in the Westin. We could only fly into St. Thomas so we took the ferry to St. John.

The trip was wonderful. It included scuba diving, renting a dingy and riding around the island, and riding the back of a taxi to different parts of the island. We also shopped in St. Thomas, which is so much fun (but I am not much of a barterer.) We are waiting until after we have turned 25, then we are headed back!

Hope you enjoyed our life tour! Have a magnificent evening!

Show Us Where You Live FRIDAY!

Again, I am joining Kelly at Kelly's Korner for Show Us Where You Live Friday. This week is the garage and yard.

Before I begin, I must explain that the yard is ALLLLL Brian. He loves it. Bodie is my baby and the yard is his. He wakes up early on Saturdays to mow and chop and trim. He comes home from work to mow and chop and trim. He really loves it. I, on the other hand, am not a yard girl. Give me an indoor project, a decorating project, a craft project and I am all over it, but these pictures I am about to post are all Brian. He's amazing :)

These pictures are of our side yard. It is the prettiest part of the yard. The rose bush is beside our kitchen window and when we eat at the kitchen table, they are a GORGEOUS view.

This is my hydrangea bush... or plant... whatever you call them. It is the only thing I get credit for in our backyard. Isn't it pretty?

Here is a view of the backyard. We have a pretty large patch of grass in the middle. We also have 2 fig trees. I love to eat them, but I generally have to beat the birds to them, which is difficult.

Next is the garage. Had I taken pictures of it a month ago, you would have seen my entire classroom (in boxes), an old couch and loveseat, a whole lot of things that needed to be given to Good Will, and no cars. Brian and I FINALLY took a Saturday several weeks back to clean and organize. We managed to sell our 20 year old couch and loveseat for $50 to a couple who thought we were having a garage sale (yes, it was that bad.) My classroom went to the attic until I find a job and a lot of things went to Good Will. And here is the final product!

Brian bought these shelves from Target on sale for a decent price. They are perfect for all his man stuff he has to store. You know what's funny? Coolers. We own 4 coolers of various shapes and sizes. We have used them for tailgates, picnics, my trips to throw showers, and yet, Brian claims we need another cooler because those "don't work." I really don't get it, our food stays cold and they are plenty big, but we need a new cooler.

We also spent our first 9-months with bikes in our way. Before my classroom went to the garage (and now the attic) Brian couldn't park in the garage because of the bikes. Then, ONE DAY, I made a trip to Ross where I found these bike hangers for $9.99 a piece. Apparently they aren't cheap at athletic stores, so I swipped them up, and NOW we both fit in the garage!

Finally, here is my most recent craft project. I have been pretty busy with appointments and hanging out with friends this week and have been very confused with what time I was doing what. So, I created this calendar with things I had around the house.
The board was from my classroom. It is pretty battered in the back because kids beat it up, so it was time for retirement anyway.
I used ribbon I had around the house- I thought it was different from the usual calendar and it made it quirky.
Finally, I used paint pen to write the days and black paint around the edges and

da dadadaaaaa
Our family calendar!


I was pretty pleased and finally have a place to write things down!

PS- One day I am going to start making these posts on Friday, not Thursday :) I just get so excited about them!

Have a blessed evening!

Show Us Where You Live FRIDAY!

Once again, it is (almost) Friday and time to show off our houses :) I missed last week's post because my laundry room is currently in the process of being redone ( I will post pictures when everything is completed) and I don't have a playroom, so I am even more excited to show my master bedroom (even if I am a bit early)! This bedroom was a huge part of the reason we bought this house- the people before us had a king bed and the room still looked huge which is never a bad thing.

I love my bedding. When Brian and I were engaged, I looked everywhere for bedding that would be perfect for a man AND a woman's room. I knew we wanted something in the sea foam green or robin's egg blue family, but I could not really find anything that was perfect. Finally, we were married and headed to St. John and I told my mom that if she saw something that was pretty, go ahead and get it- and this is what we got! It is pretty and calm and is everything we could have wanted in a bedspread, quilt thing.

This view is from the bedroom door- You can't see it very well from here but the picture above the bed is of a path with trees on both sides. We got it from Ikea (LOVE that store) to replace a headboard and have basically fallen in love with it. (picture below)

(From our bathroom)

(From our closet)

My parents gave us the furniture from my room growing up which was a huge relief financially AND it looks great! Our chair was from Marshall's before they went out of business. I really loved getting deals from that store!

This picture is under the glass on my side of the dresser. I love that he was that adorable, even when he was a little boy. And I got to marry him :) Shows great promise for our children.

Well, in other news, my interview is tomorrow at 11. I am nervous and excited and antsy and really hoping I hear something by the end of the day tomorrow so I don't have to think about it and think about it and think about it all weekend. I haven't been able to focus on ANYTHING practically all week trying to keep my mind fresh on ideas for the classroom. It's been a rough week for the family, so it would be pretty great if something could just go FANTASTICALLY.

Anyway, thanks for the prayers for tomorrow! Hope you enjoyed the master bedroom! Have a blessed Thursday night!

Show Us Where You Live FRIDAY!

So, thanks to Rebecca , Ginny, and my completely online graduate program (ha!) I am really into blogs right now and my FAVORITE blog to follow is Kelly's Korner. I am encouraged by her faith in Christ and love reading about the things going on in her's and Harper's life. Anyway, Kelly hosts Show Us Where You Live Friday and I have been so excited to post my first pictures of my house- I have been looking forward to it all week! So without further ado, our bathrooms!

My FAVORITE room in my house is the master bath. I love laying in the bathtub with a good book. As we were looking for a house, I insisted we get a house with a nice, big bathtub- We succeeded!

This is my bathtub! The TV was on the wall when we looked at the house before buying- we wrote it into our contract :)

In the window behind the tub I have various little knickknacks. The bell is from a cute little shop in Brookhaven, MS- It used to hang from my drawer, but the drawer knob fell off, so it was moved to the window. The bottle was a wedding gift of maple syrup from our friends in Vermont- I hated to throw the bottle away, so I put a J on it and put it in the window!

These pictures hang on both sides of the tub.

This picture was the center piece at my Mobile wedding shower. It was taken the day Brian and I were engaged.

This was a wedding gift from our sweet friend Hillary. It has our monogram and wedding invitation.

This is one of my favorite things in our bathroom. I got an ice bucket from Initially Yours and had it monogrammed with our initials. It dresses up the collection of shampoos and soaps without cluttering the tub area!

The chandelier above the tub.

Finally, these are post cards from our honeymoon in St. John. We had them framed. They are hanging above the toilet.

Next is the guest bath- Though it is small, I think it is pretty cute. I got the shower curtain from Pottery Barn outlet in Memphis for $9.99. The pictures are actually old magazine adds I got at an antique store in Decatur. We had them framed. They hung in both of my apartments in Auburn, then moved to our guest bath in both the apt. and the house. I love the one with the baby's because Brian and I are 2 Johnsons (as I had planned to be my freshman year at Auburn when I purchased the add :), so Johnson & Johnson.

I missed last weeks showing of our office, so I am attaching pictures :)

The office was recently cleaned out. We call it our Auburn room. The loveseat is mine from Auburn. Bodie has decided that the back of it is her favorite place to sleep. It is adorable.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of our home! Come back next week for more!