All my life I have thought that tomato soup was yucky and tasted metallic. Yea, I was raised to think that canned was the only way to get tomato soup. And why should I order tomato soup at a restaurant when I don't like it? My dear husband thinks it is amazing. Canned, that is.
Hey, Mrs. CS......make this!!!! You will like it. Get out your giant Le Crueset!!!
WELL....... We were watching an episode of PW and she was making it. It looked easy. I was hungry. He said that he would go to the grocery store. Ok, yea baby........ I'll make that. Can you pick up a loaf of french bread too? And a gallon of milk?
Tomato Soup
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large carrots, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, pressed
*( these really need to be finely diced.....food processor?)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 large cans whole tomatoes, the 28 oz size
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons parsley
1 cup water
Saute the top 5 ingredients. Add the tomato paste and cook another 3 minutes.
Add the remaining and boil. Reduce heat and simmer another 20 minutes or so.
You really want the vegetables tender.
Get out your immersion blender and puree until smooth.
Miss C.G. tied the knot! She recently married her love....... Mr. RS What a day that was! As if getting married isn't going to fill the calendar......We planned a wedding on top of Christmas & a mini vacation. Fortunately, I am a bit OCD and over all a decent planner!
Everything went off without a hitch. Did I also mention I interviewed for a new job 2 days before the wedding? AM I INSANE?????? Hey, God's timing is not always my timing...but I'll take it.
The Ringbearer just didn't want to hang out in a box.......
The cake looked pretty on that beautiful platter!!!
Something old.. (my pearls)
Something new... (dress)
Something blue..... (her tongue?)
Baby, is my tie ok?
Look who photobombed the pretty girls? JESUS!
What a good place for a new life to start!!!
RS entered our lives a few years ago and promptly introduced himself by announcing that he had no intentions of being enrolled in the "Flavor of the Month Club". We immediately figured out at that point he was a keeper.
RS will do the family pose now......
Some may call the wedding punch a "punch casserole" It was easy. It had a ton of things in it. It was delicious!! Anything served with that ladle & punch bowl should be tasty...... And can you believe we found all those cups for virtually about .10 each? WHAT???????
Since the wedding of the year is over.....Life continued on. We survived Christmas. We went to Branson for a few days after that to unwind and find a new kind of normal without the daily excitement of having Miss CG in the house. WAIT...... She is now MRS. CS! Gotta remember that one!!!
Hey, kids...gas was $1.89 per gallon at the Racetrack on the day you were married!
I started the new job....actually using my diploma and loving it. Yep...... I am finally back in the classroom!!!! Family things occurred and I found myself in the midst of crazy band planning events. I REALLY NEED A VACATION NOW!!!
As 2014 draws to a close, I sit here reflecting on the many blessings and events that have occurred this past year.
Meagann graduated from WHS in May and is enrolled at Collin County Community College. She is currently performing with an independent winter guard group based here in Frisco and last weekend signed a contract with the Blue Stars to perform in their Summer 2015 show. She is also working with the Little Elm ISD color guard and returned to Cinemark for the holiday season. One of the above pictures features Meagann at her 18th birthday party. We had several dozen of her friends over for a surprise party and gave them all a can of shaving cream to empty on her. It was quite the memory for all!
The hardest part for Greg & I this year was to watch Clay play his final baseball game as a Riverdog. The team had been together since his 1st grade year. What a run they had!!! Clay left middle school and began his Freshman year at Wakeland. This means I began my 8th year as a WHS band mom. He played the mellophone in the fall marching show "Venomous" and enjoyed a trip to Indianapolis for BOA Grand Nationals where they placed 15th out of 94 bands in the Nation.
The biggest news lies with Courtney. She spent the summer in London working with OM. Immediately upon returning in August, the decision was made that the wedding would be in December during winter break. Her fiance, Rick, is currently working for the Collin County Police Department and plans to enroll in the police academy as soon as he accumulates enough college credit hours. They recently adopted an 8 week old French Bulldog and named him "Winston."
She will be finishing up her pre-law degree this next year at UT Dallas. Her plans include law school the following semester.
Tramp isn't too sure of Winston. He prefers to be left alone but will tolerate the attention that Winston is eager to give. He jumps to the top of the closest couch in fear for his life. Nothing changes too much with Tramp.....his current hobbies still include squirrel watching, cuddling and napping.
In closing, I ask all of you to look around and count your blessings. We all have a blessing or two that goes unnoticed and taken for granted. Be thankful for all.......
Yea, you heard that right...............happiness. It all comes together in the end of this one and world peace is created around a plate filled with "Chicken/Turkey pot pie." This stuff is so easy.............It will simply make your whole world a better place. Easy assembly. Easy Peasy & Delicious!
Did I mention minimum dishes to clean up afterwards?
Run/Drive to the grocery store & buy these 3 things.
*A jar of Alfredo sauce....any flavor. I like the one with mushrooms!
* A half- bag of frozen mixed vegetables.
*A box of Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust.
Assuming that you have some leftover Thanksgiving turkey....chop up about 3 cups into small bite sized pieces. If not, you need to purchase & debone a roasted chicken.
*A roteriserie chicken
Roll out the dough and put the first layer in the pie plate.
Mix up the half bag of vegetables, the poultry & the alfredo. Spoon it into the crust.
Take the remaining pie-crust and arrange it on top & crimp the edges with your fingers.
Brush the top with an egg wash. Snip a hole or two in the top for steam to escape. Shake some freshly ground pepper & sea salt on top.
Bake @ 375 for about 25-30 minutes or until golden.
Use those leftover veggies for a vegetable beef stew!!!!!
Enjoy the holidays Friends! Take some time to relax and enjoy the moments!!!
Today, I have burned as many calories as I have cooked and assembled the side dishes.
The list is very long on Thanksgiving must haves for dinner.
Turkey
Stuffing
Sweet Potatoes
Hatch Green Chili Corn Casserole
Cranberry Crunch
Cranberry Jello (straight from the can)
Pink Fluffy Stuff
Green Bean Casserole
Williams Sonoma Gravy...this stuff is the bomb.
Dinner Rolls.......Aunt Laverne's secret recipe.
Pumpkin Cheesecake topped off with chocolate ganache.
TUMS..... by the bucketload.
In order to have all that as a late lunch/dinner.....one must have a fun breakfast. Tomorrow's will be sausage balls & cinnamon rolls.
Am I a glutton for calories? Not usually. Tomorrow is the exception. I like the side dishes. Personally, I can live without the jello-like cranberries. They just aren't special. The turkey makes me the happiest as a leftover sandwich. Oh dear....... I forgot to purchase the sourdough bread for my special sandwiches...........
A friend. (L.F.) called me several months ago asking about "monkey bread" This is the recipe I gave her. Totally easy-peasy. Totally yummy and good for those breakfast gigs at church or elsewhere when you need some good sticky sugar-loaded carbs. I have also done this one for a holiday morning breakfast.
Cinnamon Pull-apart Bread
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 TBS cinnamon
2 Cans (7.5 oz each) buttermilk biscuits*
1/2 cup butter, melted & divided
cream cheese glaze
Preheat oven to 350*. Cut the dough into quarters.
Mix Cinnamon & sugar together in a small bowl.
Roll the dough quarters around in the sugar stuff.
Place 1/2 of the dough in a greased bundt pan & drizzle with 1/2 of the butter.
Sprinkly a small amount of cinnamon on top.
Finish rolling the remaining biscuits & top with the melted butter.
Top the unbaked dough off with the remaining sugar stuff.
Bake 40-45 minutes and let it sir for 5 before inverting.
Glaze………….
4 oz softened cream cheese & 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Add 1 or 2 TBS of milk until it is your desired consistency.
* Substituting a can of cinnamon rolls here would be extra yummy.
This post is intentionally meant for my future use. I wanted a place to keep all these youtube videos in chronological order for myself to go back and watch in the distant future when band isn't such a major part of my life. This year begins my 8th year of being a band mom. I have sat through numerous football games and marching contests during the months of September & October. Someday I'll do the math there. It is too overwhelming to think of at this time. This is a complete you tube collection and fun pictures from all the shows my children have performed in to date. Enjoy!!
"The Fox Hunt 2007" Courtney was playing in the pit during this one.
"The Butterfly Effect 2008" This year she was on a drum. I can't remember which one.
This was actually taken at the Lonestar Drumline Classic.
Her Junior year was my absolute favorite show year. That year they performed "Check Mate" at the State Contest in San Antonio. She was on the cymbal line. This was the first year for cymbals at WHS. She was their section captain!
This particular video is their drumline performance of Checkmate. She was the White Queen.
The next year in 2010 gave us the privilege of seeing both our girls perform. Courtney was on a drum again and Meag played clarinet in the show. It was called "Practice Makes Perfect" and Miss M had the opportunity to be featured as the first performer to make a mistake!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKVFBPYThg0
The only picture taken where both girls were in the pic!
The Midas Touch in 2011 was a fun show to watch. Meag began her band career on the guard her Sophomore year and never looked back! Watch as King Midas turns the kids all to gold!!!
They were Division AA Champs at BOA this year!
"The Pied Piper 2012". This show was a fun one to watch. Near the end of the show many of the performers dive off the back side of the mountain! She has a featured solo near the middle of the show.
Yes, she nailed that rifle toss!
During the summer of 2013, Meagann had the opportunity to join the Blue Stars for their summer DCI tour. The show was called Voodoo and overall they had a 6th place finish when the summer ended in Indianapolis. It was quite the summer for her. Look up this show on you tube.
This one is M's final year at WHS. She was the Colorguard Captain. "Freeze Frame 2013" was a beautiful show. This is the first year that WHS used swing flags with their show. They were featured with the ballad. Her friend, Joye Dewey had the solo dance at the end of the show to "Ice Castles".
8th Grade Night Oct 2013
Winterguard is set to begin soon. Meag will be performing with an independent guard this fall. It is called CGT and many of her high school friends will be joining in on the fun. Here are a couple of her high school shows.
The first one is called Song of the Sirens. This was performed during the spring of 2010. She begins the show on the far right side of the floor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_qc9iiMiJo
Her final performance with WHS Winterguard in the spring of 2011 featured a show titled "Two by Two. It was based on the joy that the animals experienced as they emerged from the ark. Miss M was a giraffe. Imagine that!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujdp06YVq7k
This year is our son's first year at WHS. He is playing a mellophone during their production of "Venemous". The Show isn't finish yet and the current videos aren't released for public viewing yet. Stay Tuned.
This past weekend they were Division AAA Champs at our local BOA Competition!
(Note...not sure why those youtube links wouldn't post as a video. There are probably copyrights on them for certain songs. I just added the web address since I couldn't add the video.)
***So, the WHS ended their Venomous Show at the Semi-Finals round of BOA Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium. They placed 15th at the end. They earned a 5th place in over-all visuals. Did I mention that they won their division 3A in visuals? I could't have been prouder. There were 94 other bands performing from all across the United States. This was the first time that WHS was able to perform at that show.
You will have to google this show or look for it on vimeo. The copyrights have it locked..but it is worth the time to find it!
Summer 2015 Meagann performed again with the Blue Stars. The show was entitled "Side Show". She had an amazing time on Weapon line A. They earned a performance in the finals but didn't place. It was a fun one to watch.
Fall 2015 Wakeland performs "Forever 2015". We shall see how this one gets finalized. So far, the props are amazing!
