Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Spring Break

We finally had our Spring Break this past week with no plans for anything big. {We are going for our annual beach trip in 6 weeks…so I didn’t really see the point}.

Instead we enjoyed a nice, productive break close to home. We spent the week playing outside until the streetlights turned on and we had “grocery store” feet…

Grocery Store Feet

We cleaned out lots of “rat’s nests” here…

Peaceful

…and at our house.

We enjoyed picnic lunches at the park…

Picnic @ Park

We ate our first fresh watermelon and pineapple of the season…

Watermelon

Pineapple

We finally weaned Owen from the bottle {he was down to only 1 a day but refused to drink from a sippy cup}. He is now drinking whole milk and everything is out of a sippy cup.

OSippy

We did some canning…

Strawberry Jam

We made a jaguar for a school project…

Baby Jaguar

…out of recyclable materials…

Recycle

We did some planting…

Plantings

{the garden is on the agenda for this weekend}.

We played in some puddles…

Puddle Playing

We practice catching pop flies…

Pop Flies

Now only 5 more weeks of school until summer vacation!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Family Favorite: Pimento Cheese

My family loves some Pimento Cheese {just as long as it is not too mayonnaisy}.  Jody and I snacked on Pimento Cheese Sandwiches at the Masters a few weeks ago.  I gave some to the teachers for their Easter Happy/Sack Lunch

I use to make mine using the pimentos in a jar until I was introduced to the recipe in Frank Stitt's Southern Table Cookbook.  The recipe comes from one of his long-time employees, Miss Verba.  Her recipe calls for 3 large fresh red bell peppers...

Red Peppers

You place the peppers on a grill over a hot fire or under a hot broiler, turning occasionally until the skin is black and charred all over...

Blistering

Once they are blistered, you place them in a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap to steam for 10 minutes.  While your peppers are steaming, grate a pound of sharp yellow cheddar on the small-holed side of a hand grater...

Shredded Cheese

After the peppers have steamed, the blackened skin just peels right off..

Peeling Pimentos

Remove the skin, stem and seeds {don't rinse the peppers or you will wash away their flavorful oils} before chopping...

Pimentos

Pimento Cheese
1 lb. sharp yellow cheddar
¼ lb. cream cheese, softened
1 t. freshly ground pepper {her recipe calls for white, I used black}
3 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
½ c. mayonnaise {hers calls for homemade, I used store-bought}
1 t. sugar
Splash of hot sauce
⅛ t. cayenne pepper

Grate the cheddar on the small-holed side of a hand grater.  Transfer the grated cheese to a bowl, add the cream cheese, pepper, bell peppers, mayonnaise, sugar, hot sauce and cayenne pepper.  Blend together thoroughly.  Refrigerate and serve chilled.

We like to eat ours on crackers, toasted french bread, celery, croissants...

Pimento Cheese

Last week I was asked to send something for Teacher Appreciation for Banks' school.  I quickly volunteered for Pimento Cheese...

Teacher Tray

I sent a bowl of pimento cheese with a variety of crackers and celery sticks.  I hope they enjoyed it!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Signing the Jeans

Banks has been working really hard the past month on his AR {Accelerated Reader} points.  Mrs. Propst takes them on a special treat when a group of them all get 15 points.  Banks has finally achieved enough points to go on a special outing {I wasn't sure he was ever going to get there}.  But then he set his sights on getting to do this...

CBM Jeans

When they reach 25 AR points, they get to sign the blue jeans in the hall...

25 AR Points

Way to go Banks!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Delano Mile Run

The Delano Mile Run {part of their physical fitness test} is big stuff for Banks' school. They have been training for this run for a while.  Thursday morning they loaded up on school buses and headed to a local park with a running track...

mile run

Jody and Nanny Nan were there when he arrived to cheer him on!  All the children were assigned a number then they lined up at the starting line...

getting ready

On your mark, get set, go...
they're off

Here is my little runner...
Run Banks Run

Crossing the finish line in 9.04...

finish line

After they run, they each got a ribbon and a popcicle!

ribbon

...then they stayed to cheer on the second graders!  What a fun day!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Field Trip to the Zoo

Last Thursday, I went with the Banks and the rest of the 1st Grade {all 140+} on a field trip to the zoo...

B&E at the Zoo

Banks and his friend Eppes.  I was assigned to chaperone these 2 for the day {they are brothers from another mother}

We hooked up with some friends from a diffent class {all girls of course}...

Waiting on the Train

...and explored the zoo together {Banks, Sophie, Mrs. Hart, Eppes, Shakiah, Janiyah, Annalaura, Markayla and Mary Bradford}.

We watched flamingos...
Flamingo Watching

Flamingos

Fed birds...

Birds


Acted like gorillas...

Gorillas?

And chased monkeys...

Monkey

After a scoop of ice cream, we ended the day with a train ride around the zoo...

E&B Train

Can you tell this group is pooped?
Train Crew

I can't believe his 1st Grade year is almost over!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Luck of the Draw

Jody bought one raffle ticket from a friend a few weeks ago.  Guess what?  His ticket was drawn.  The prize was 2 tickets.  Let me give you 3 hints and see if you can guess where he won tickets...

Clue #1:

Clue 1

Clue #2:

Clue 2

Clue #3:

Clue 3

If you guessed here...

Masters Ticket

Then you win a prize!  Jody won 2 tickets to Monday's Practice Round at the Masters.  {He has been to the tournament rounds with his dad the past 2 years but never a practice round.  I have never been.}  Clue #1 - the fabulous grass at Augusta National {if mine could only look that great}, Clue #2 - Magnolia Lane {the road the golfers and members take into the club} and Clue #3 - the famous pimento cheese sandwiches {wonder how many they serve during the week}.

We left town heading to Augusta after a quick Easter brunch prepared by Debbie.  When we checked into our hotel, Jody was asking them directions to a few chain restaurants.  The front desk suggested a local dive {Rhinehart's Oyster Bar} instead.  I always opt for local over chain, they are always better and this was no exception!

You know it is going to be good when you pull into a packed parking lot and there is a line of motorcycles parked out front...

Rhineharts

The neon sign above the door reads Beyond Casual and that sums it up perfectly.  Everything is served on paper plates with plastic silverware and most everything on the menu is under $9.  We pigged out and our tab was less than $50.

We sat outside at a picnic table and quickly noticed most everyone else was a local.  Right down from our table they were roasting these...

Roasted Oysters

We started out with a dozen for $5.98.  They were served like this...

Bucket o Oysters

...along with a plate of crackers, drawn butter and the fixings to make your own cocktail sauce.  Then we decided to try a cup of Jambalaya...

Jambalya

...it was the best I have ever eaten {Jody even got a cup to go for breakfast the next morning}!  I got the fried shrimp basket with fries {which were just like the fries we cook in a cast iron pot outside at the lake}.  Jody got the Buffalo Grilled Shrimp with Dirty Rice.  Everything was DELICIOUS & DELIGHTFUL!  If you are ever in Augusta, you need to make it a point to eat at one of their 2 locations.

We got up a the crack of dawn the next morning and headed for Augusta National.  It is truly amazingly beautiful.  Here is a picture I took walking in the back gate about 8 am...

Walking in the back gates

The dew was still on the ground and it was such a peaceful walk to the front of the course.  We walked around for a little while and headed to the front to get our picture taken at Founder's Circle in the front of the clubhouse...

The Circle

This is the back of the clubhouse...

The Clubhouse

...isn't it beautiful?  I'm sure the inside is equally as FABULOUS!  Across from the back of the clubhouse is a putting green.  Jody noticed that Geoff Ogilvy's caddy and swing coach were standing there.  When we turned around we literally amost ran into Geoff himself.  It was hysterical!  He was very personable and spoke to us before heading to the putting green...

Geoff Ogilvy on Putting Green

...where he practiced one handed while drinking a cup of coffee.

This is the fairway of the 10th hole...

Walking down 10

...aren't those "little" houses fabulous?  I think it would be so peaceful to wake up to the views of Augusta National every morning and then enjoy a cup of coffee on the back porch.

We headed to the 9th hole in time to get a great viewing spot for when these 2 players arrived...

Freddie&Tiger Practice Round

...Freddie Couples and Tiger Woods.  I don't agree with what Tiger has put his family through but he is an amazing golfer.  I was neat to experience a piece of history in the making.  All the fans were every supportive and glad to see him back in the game he dominates.

I have never been to a tournament round but the practice rounds are very casual.  Once they get on the green, they throw several balls out there and practice putting to different places on the green.  They also stand around and soak everything in...

Freddie & Tiger on 9

Tiger gave the crowd a quick wave while walking to the tee box on 10...

Tiger Waves

Here is Amen Corner...

Amen Corner

...where holes 11, 12 and 13 can all be seen.

We stood around at the tee box on 15 just to get these shots...

Tiger Driving at 15

Freddie on 15

...we were super close to Tiger, Freddie and Jim Furyk {who joined up with them on the back 9}.

I loved this picture of Freddie Couples propped up on his caddie...

Freddie and Caddy

By this point in the day, we had worked up an appetite.  Luckily the food at the Masters is delightful...

Masters Menu

...and you can't beat their prices!  The concession buildings were extremely organized {on the same scale as Disney}.  These people know what they are doing. Jody and I opted for their famous pimento cheese sandwiches and were not dissapointed.  We almost got these for Mary Reese...

2 for $1

...2 mini moon pies for $1.  We washed down our sandwiches and chips with a few draft beers...

Beer Line

Everything was packaged with the Masters logo...marketing at its finest.  Even the metal tables had the logo cut out of it...

Marketing at its finest

We saw people from all walks of life.  A few even decided the grass was a nice place for a nap...

Afternoon Nap

...not sure I would have had the nerve to take a nap on their grass.  I was nervous taking off my shoes to feel of it with my toes!

Jody got stuck on the other side of the rope when Ben Crewshaw walked through...

J & Ben Crenshaw

...he reached over and shook Jody's hand.

These 2 golfers were definitely the most stylish on the course all day...

Golf Fashion

We ended the day watching the golfers skip balls across the water hazzard on 16...
Skipping the ball

...crowds had been gathering and cheering all day long.

Finally, a shot of golfers walking up the fairway to the 18th hole...

Walking up 18

The course is amazing.  Pictures do not do it justice.  If you ever get the chance to go...don't turn it down.

A perfect ending to a quick overnight getaway...

Sunset

Thank you Debbie, John B and Nanny Nan for keeping the children so we could go on this trip!