Thankful Thursday - Take 51

1048. Out with the ladies from work yesterday. Lots of laughs!

1049. Job offer when I didn’t need a job.

1050. Salty nuts

 

1051. Water.

1052. Almost finished with my paper.

1053. Gamecocks won again!

1054. The sweet gift of new earrings from my sweet hubster. No occasion other than he loves me.

1055. Shortbread cookies. Makes me wish for a brief moment I had been born British. Brief.

 

1056. Clean clothes.

1057. Cool mornings and evenings. Especially the evenings that allow me to work on my computer on the porch.

1058. Less humidity.

1059. Good talk with my dad today.

1060. My sister was able to experience Las Vegas for the first time.

 

1061. Growing friendships.

1062. Discipline to get up in the mornings and work out.

1063. The hubster. He holds me together when I’m falling apart.

 

 

 

Argos is an Owl

Beau and I went walking through Palmetto Islands County Park on Sunday. We stopped off at the Big Toy so we could run stairs a few times. While Beau was running those stairs, a little girl (aged 9) came and spoke to me and this is the how the conversation went:

 

Girl: He looks like an owl.

Me: He looks like a what?

Girl: He looks like an owl.

Me: An owl?

Girl: Yes.

 

I don’t see it.

 

This is how much USC hates Clemson

This is a pic of the three Clemson fans watching our game against Missouri. The ENTIRE stadium started singing the Florida State fight song to get them to leave the stadium. No one was watching the game. It was hilarious! Obviously the orange stood out among the garnet, black and yellow.

We’re going shrimping tonight! I’m excited! We went one time last year, didn’t do too well and then didn’t go back. Tonight we’ll try it again! With a little stop for some dinner on the way, we’ll be shrimping by 8:00. And hopefully filling out freezer with some delectable shrimp that I can cook up for us.

 

I’ve had a hankering for shrimp scampi lately. That buttery sauce slathered all over linguine. Yum. It would be perfect with some crusty bread. (Beau is thinking “yum” right now.)

 

Here’s what I’m making for the football game tomorrow:

Vanilla Bean and Bourbon Shortbread

3 sticks butter, almost to room temperature

¼ tsp salt

3 ½ c flour

1 T vanilla

1 vanilla bean

½ c sugar

½ c powdered sugar

2 ½ T bourbon

 

Mix the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla bean. Add every little black speck you can get out of that seed. You won’t regret it! Mix in the vanilla and the bourbon. Use good bourbon. It won’t be wasted. Once everything is incorporated, mix the salt and flour well and add slowly to the butter mixture. Once all is mixed well, turn out onto some plastic wrap, form into a disk and pop it into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

 

Remove the disk from the fridge and roll it out to about ½-inch thickness. Use whatever cookie cutter you would like, but I recommend avoiding something like a star. (The points tend to brown much quicker than the rest of the cookie.)

 

If you have a Silpat, now’s the time to use it. Place the cookies on the cookie sheet and bake on 350 for 25 minutes.

 

Enjoy!

 

Thankful Thursday - Take 50

1032. A great date night downtown with the hubster. We had a delicious dinner at Cypress and lots of great conversation.

1033. Gamecocks won on Saturday!

1034. Wonderful friends to tailgate with each weekend.

1035. Safe travels to and from the game.

 

1036. Celebrating Grandma Thelma’s birthday with the family.

1037. Pop-Pop’s new living quarters on James Island. He’s in assisted living and seems to really love it!

1038. Organization

1039. More sleep.

1040. A sweet dog that will lay with me.

 

1041. Hard conversations that change us to be better people.

1042. The ladies I work with that make my day a pleasure.

1043. Praise

1044. Thoughtfulness

1045. Future planning

 

1046. Smiles

1047. God’s love, shaping us into better people.

Getting To Know You...

Getting to know all about you…

 

Is anyone else humming the tune? Maybe just me.

 

I found this today and thought it to be interesting. Ask your spouse these questions to get to know him/her better. Conversations in a marriage are always wonderful, especially when it’s about getting to know each other better. Now, some of these we all probably already know about our respective spouse, but probably not all of them. So take a look. Check them out. And ask. It won’t hurt. In fact, I would venture to guess it will most likely help…be found interesting.

 

THE LIST:

1. List 20 random facts about yourself.
2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.
3. Describe your relationship with your parents.
4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.
5. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?
6. What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?
7. What is your dream job, and why?
8. What are 5 passions you have?
9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.
10. Describe your most embarrasing moment.
11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.
12. Describe a typical day in your current life.
13. Describe 5 weaknesses you have.
14. Describe 5 strengths you have.
15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?
17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?
18. What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?
19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.
21. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it first?
22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?
23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.
24. Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.
25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?
26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?
27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?
28. What is your love language?
29. What do you think people misunderstand most about you?
30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.

Thankful Thursday - Take 49

1009.  My cold is going away and it only took me out of work for 7 hours.

1010. Tomato soup is like chicken soup in that it helps to make you feel better.

 

1011. Understanding teachers.

1012. A class that is inspiring and has me thinking.

1013. People with experience, who, if listened to, can speak into your life in many ways.

1014. Friendships at work.

1015. Taking naps on the couch with Argos.

 

1016. Gamecocks won on Saturday! What a great way to start our season!

1017. Cool, crisp weather coming in. I love fall weather!

1018. A new Mexican restaurant we can ride our bikes to. It’s delicious!

1019. A newfound comfort with the shotgun that sits next to our bed. ;)

1020. Shrimping planned.

 

1021. My husband does a wonderful job making me feel cherished.

1022. Acting like a kid with the hubster.

1023. Dinner out with great friends.

1024. Progress at work.

1025. Reasons to bake.

 

1026. Great jobs for me and the hubster.

1027. Lunchables. Who knew these things could be so tasty.

1028. Forgiveness

1029. Clean water to drink.

1030. Fresh vegetables.

 

1031. A very fun weekend ahead that includes DATE NIGHT!!!!!

Entertaining

Beau and I did some entertaining Friday night. I was so proud of our dining room table. And Beau's idea to put candles in the fireplace was wonderful!

Thankful Thursday - Take 48

993. Dove that Beau killed and we ate. New experiences. New loves.

994. Dave and Robyn who opened their home to us and invited us to share in the dove adventure.

995. Safe travels.

 

996. Happy wedding for Jamie Lee.

997. Date night at the movies with the hubster.

998. Leftovers.

999. Gamecocks won their first game and football season has begun!

1000. 1000 reasons to be thankful for this amazing life God has given me.

 

1001. A weekend to get things done.

1002. A day off from work.

1003. Beach days with Beau and Argos.

1004. Dreams that make us laugh.

1005. Toilet paper holders up!

 

1006. Great conversation with dad this morning.

1007. Encouragement from the hubster.

1008. A new found confidence and empowerment.

Being the Perfect Wedding Guest

Because I got married a year and a half ago, it is still fresh on my mind. For those of you who are married, I’m sure you dealt with the same issue: people asking if they can bring someone or change a part of things that you have clearly stated. It really was a point of stress for us both. I will say however, that some are not aware of what the invitation is stating by looking at who it is addressed to.

 

This is what Emily Post writes:

 

Do not ask your host or hostess if you can bring a date or your children. The invitation will be addressed to the people invited. If you may bring a guest, your invitation will read "Mr. John Phelps and guest." If your children are invited, they will either receive their own personal invitations or their names will be listed under yours on the envelope. This is not the time to question your host's decision, to argue or beg for an exception. And, please, do not add their names to a reply card or show up with them anyway!

 

I say this to save any future brides and grooms out there the stress of having to also deal with this. They did not forget that you’re dating someone for a month. They didn’t forget that you have a 16-year old. They did it for a reason and that reason is usually a budget on the number of people they can afford to feed at the reception. Keep them in mind next time you RSVP for a wedding. J

Dove hunt in Batesburg

KE getting ready for the hunt. We had a great time with Robyn and Dave and will be grilling up fresh dove tonight.

Jamie Lee's wedding

Nicole, KE, and Jenn happy houring at Bamboo prior to a fun wedding at Alhambra Hall.

Moose at Red Eagle Lake

Towards the end of our trip. We would do a long 15 miles the next day and see a black bear with 2 cubs.

Baby mountain goat

This little guy didn't know what to think of us. Great ridge line picture though. This is near where we summited the Triple Divide where water goes to either the Atlantic, Pacific, or Gulf.

Pregolf dinner at Fulton 5

Great dinner with Robyn, Dave, and Carl.

Dinner after golf

Plenty of sunscreen worn but it was like the surface of the sun. From left to right is Morgan, KEE, Robyn, Carl, Dave, me, and Josh. Josh's brother in law, Rob, was in the parking lot feeling a little peckish.

PGA at Kiawah

So I am going back in time to capture some things on the blog. Forgive me but life has been busy. Great time and only our friends and I can bring tail gateing to a golf tournament. Josh thanks for your help that morning. Hehe.

Small Things

I really appreciate that Starbucks has the extra slit in the top of the lid so that my straw doesn't go kattywompus. Thank you Starbucks!