Friends & Food

Whew it was a busy weekend {but pack full of fun}!

My little boy is growing up...



He got invited on a Parish Retreat to Camp McDowell for the weekend with one of his friends.  It was the first time he has been away for the whole weekend {except for with family}!  I must admit that I had some mixed emotions...I was thrilled for him because I knew he would have such a fabulous time but I was sad because these invitations just mean he is growing up!  I think he had a ball hiking, riding his scooter and playing twister!  I sure was ecstatic to see his face when he rolled in this afternoon!

Friday night, Mary Reese and I met a group of friends at the neighborhood Mexican joint before heading here...

...to see the sold out performance of the Wizard of Oz.  The 3rd-5th Graders at Banks' Elementary School put on the play and it was top notch!  Our group decided we might need to sit in the balcony which proved to be a smart decision considering we had 10 lively children {most of which were 5 and under} in our group!

Before Mary Reese and I left for dinner, Owen walked down the hall looking like this... 

...he found some lipstick and I think ate it for a snack!  Needless to say...he required a quick bath!

Saturday morning we loaded up for...



...Pancake Day!  My kids look forward to this fundraiser every year.  Banks was actually torn about going to Camp McDowell when he realized he would be missing Pancake Day.  The pancakes and sausage were delicious & delightful as usual.  The Murphree Family can't wait for next year!

I knew Mary Reese would need some entertainment with Banks being gone, so I told her she could invite a friend over Saturday.  She picked {in their words} "her best friend for her whole life"...


...Gray!  They played, ate, visited with Granny Lulu and piled up in my bed for a little movie time!  Mary Reese was devastated when Gray's dad showed up to pick her up!

However, she did cheer up when these appeared at our doorstep...


...who wouldn't be cheered up by a box of Girl Scout Cookies!  Samoas are my all time fav {with Thin Mints coming in close second}.  Two of my children also share my love of the Samoas.  Honestly, it kind of makes me sad that I have to share the box with them!

My newest cookie monster discovering my favorite GSC...


And this was his reaction when Mary Reese wasn't sharing her cookie with him...


I had a similar reaction 12 hours later...


...when I discovered the box was EMPTY!!!

Dusting

Yesterday morning we woke up to a light dusting of this...



Thankfully, we were already out of school for President's Day {I don't want to have to make up any more days}.

I think this one could have played in it all day...


All this one wanted was a bowl of it to eat...




This one wasn't too impressed...


He hated the sub-zero temperatures! He was very thankful that I only made him stay outside long enough to snap his picture.

We lucked out and got an few extra hours added to our already long weekend...a 2 hour delayed start!  I am officially over the coldness and ready for SPRING!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day when you are a mother of 3 small children and a wife of a Nascar fan:

The morning did show some promise.  I got to bath all by myself totally uninterrupted {I did have to get up at 6:30 to manage this}.  I also made a trip to the grocery store all by myself!

Then I did 6 loads of this...



...and changed the sheets on every bed in the house, made Jody a "snack" to take to his Nascar watching party and made Poulet for Monday night's dinner.  I also prepped our Family Valentine's Day meal.

We took the kids to The Melting Pot about a month ago.  Since then, they have been dying to fondue again.  Jody and I decided that a Valentine's Fondue might be fun.  Growing up my family always fondued on New Year's Eve with the Smithson's.  We always used peanut oil to cook our meat.  At The Melting Pot I was introduced to a broth method, so I decided to give it a whirl...



...I used vegetable broth, mushrooms, garlic and green onions {similar to the Coq au Vin method}.

We cooked...


...steak, shrimp, chicken, carrots and mushrooms.  It was delicious & delightful!

I ate my Valentine's dinner with this ♥...



Notice we are eating at the stove.  My original plan was to eat at the table using the fondue pot...but since the Nascar race had a major delay...we made an adjustment and ate in shifts.  Mary Reese, Owen and I were the 1st shift.  Banks and Jody were the 2nd shift.  How romantic!

After devouring our main course, we moved onto dessert...


...the Flaming Turtle {minus the flame}.

 We dipped pound cake, marshmallows and pound cake...


...I tried to buy some strawberries but there were none to be found in the city!  Mary Reese quickly reminded me that I also forgot the Rice Krispie Treats.

It was just a good as The Melting Pot for a fraction of the price!  Fonduing at home is super simple & super fun {even when eaten at the stove in shifts}!

Valentine's Day Parties

I am not {and never have been} a huge fan of the holiday surrounding this shape...



...and I really can't stand these things...


I never have!  But since I having children, I have grown fonder of the holiday.

I ♥ how hard they worked on their Valentine's cards for all their friends...


Banks picked out Up this year.  Mary Reese went with Princess even though her class is 83% boys!  I told her they wouldn't mind!

I ♥ how excited she got when she got dressed for her party...



She was pink and hearts from head to toe!

This got a work out this week creating Valentine goodies...

We made these to put these with their Valentine cards...

Chocolate M&M Double Doosies!

And sugar cookies for Mary Reese's party...

And a chocolate chip cookie cake turned out for Banks' class...

And to keep it all real, I didn't ♥ how this one stuck to the pan...

I should have lined the pan with parchement paper but I was out!

Jody and I don't plan a romantic dinner out for Valentine's.  Honestly I don't see the point.  I would rather go out another night when all the crazies aren't out!  Instead, we have a fun & special dinner planned to do involving the entire family.

Valentine's Day Happies - Cheese Straws

The kids took "happies" to their teachers today in honor of Valentine's Day...



Usually I send something sweet but this year I thought their teachers might be in a diabetic comma by the time Valentine's Day rolls around!  So I opted to pair their kitchen towels with cheese straws.

I will be the first to admit...I have always been intimidated by them.  But once my mom passed along all her tips she learned from the Cheese Straw Making Guru of Decatur...I found them surprisingly easy!

First I shredded my cheese and let it get to room temperature...



I also cut up my butter and let it get room temperature...



Then I sifted some flour, salt, baking powder and red pepper...



Once everything gets to room temperature, I layered it in my food processor...



Then processed it until a ball is formed...



Then I fit a cookie press with a star tip {I have also used the ribbon tip but I personally prefer the star}...



...before loading the press with the cheese mixture and cranking them out...



I neatly lined them on a lightly-greased baking sheet...



...and baked until crisp.

After they cooled, I bagged and tagged them for all our teachers...



Hopefully they will love the little bite of savory to cut down all the sweets they will eat this week!

I also made a second batch...



...for the church bake sale.  They sold them for $6.00 a bag...maybe I need to go into the cheese straw making business?

Got Talent?

Banks came home from school a few weeks ago and said he wanted to participate in Ben Davis Got Talent.  I suggested that he get together with some classmates and perform together.

His teacher email me the next week wanting me to encourage Banks to participate.  I asked her if she heard what he was planning because he told me one kind of questionable talent option a few nights before.  She emailed me back to let me know the rumor was an Elvis impersonating act with his friend Eppes...



Perfect...because he told me their talent was going to be a hot dog eating contest with Krystal Mini-Pups!  I was thrilled with the change in talents!

The 2 Elvises met at my Dad's house last Sunday for a little choreography session to prepare them for Thursday night's show!  Eppes came home from school with Banks on Thursday to get in one last practice session.

They were both beaming with excitement by the time we arrived at school.  They got a little boost of confidence from Mrs. Propst before the show...



Here they are during their big performance...



The hit of the night was when they threw their "sweaty" scarves into the audience...



All the girls were screaming and fighting over the scarves {and a few tears where shed from an audience member who didn't catch one}.

Some of the nights other talents included...



A song and dance number to This Little Light of Mine by Hilton, Savannah, Ashton, Jamie and Lucy {some of the girls in his class}



Jack breaking a board during his karate routine



Ian singing Take Me Out To The Ballgame



A dance to Hoe Down Throw Down by the Hartbreakers from Mrs. Hart's class {Meredith, Janiyah and Mary Bradford}



A female Michael Jackson Impersonator

The peanut gallery took in every act...



Mary Reese, Gray and her cousin Charlotte.  Mary Reese left that night already planning the talent she and Gray were going to do when they get to 1st Grade!  All I can say is...Ben Davis watch out!!!

Here are most of the participants {minus Ian and Jack} from Mrs. Propst class after the show was over...



Ben Davis definitely has TALENT!  I will give huge round of applause to the teachers...they had 41 acts involving 56 kids and had us out of there in an hour and a half!

Here is a video of the complete performance {it only last 2 minutes}...