Crawfish Invaders!

Some new pests have decided to take up residency in our backyard....with it's wet, damp and humid setting, I'm not surprised, but I would LOVE to catch a glimpse of of one of these!!! They are really only pests becuase of their extensive mud mounds!! Brad and I have tried to wash them out of their holes, but their chambers must run deep and plentiful, because I can't get them out. Through several coonass web sites, I have come across other peoples' ways of baiting them at night by using bacon, scrunchies, fire and chemicals....really, the discussion boards are loaded with all kinds of advice. Luckily we only have three holes. I'll keep you posted if they multiply... but I might have to steak out one night just to see the critters!!!

What is that stink?

So the other afternoon, after a long day of chores and time with kids, I headed to my usual spot... a comfotable chair placed intentionally under the afternoon shade of our backyard Magnolia Tree. Halfway across the back porch I stopped in utter horror as a wall of pure putrid hit me.... I immediately looked at the dogs (because they unfortanately are always who I turn to first when something goes wrong outside),...and there behind Bailey and the grill I saw the source of damaging power: Brad's makeshift compost was lying open and the contents were sprawled everywhere along the fence.
Now it's important to note that we live in a city and we have neighbors on all sides of our yard. It's also important to note that Brad refers to a large five gallon paint bucket with screw lid as a compost. So, I look over and see Brad's makeshift "compost"....when I say the stench was bad...it was horrible...it was utterly grotesque to the point I could not even stay in the backyard. I could even smell the stench in our front yard!! I was almost certain someone was going to call the department of sanitation or health on us it was so intrusive.
A couple of months, yes months, ago, Brad came up with the "brilliant" idea of forming a compost...again, his idea of a compost is placing our leftovers in a bucket with a lid...no soil, paper or anything else to absorb all the chemicals and acids...now this was not the first time he had tried to "recycle" our food...in fact, there have been several times over the past year where I have been out in the yard and randomly been overwhlemed by odors...only to find old onions, carrots, crab leg shells, you name it ....just rotting in random areas of our yard.
We still have a large area of the grass that has been "burned" by the contents of "the bucket," even after Brad stood out there for an hour trying to wash the smells away with the hose. Point of this story, if you are going to compost, do the research, and do it properly.

Garden of Love

April 27, 2010
Brad and I don't share too many hobbies, but one hobby that we have found we both enjoy immensely is gardening...we get the biggest thrill when we see a seed or bulb break through the dirt with green foliage, bees pollinating our fruit-bearing flowers or just picking what we have grown. I can already tell that harvesting our own fruits and vegetables will become a life-long passion. We are already planning on expanding and building more plots, while eventually becoming more and more self-sufficient...our own chickens and a windmill would be the icing on the cake (years down the road I am sure)!
Yesterday, I picked some green onions, and it was just super exciting for me. They smell sooo divine, and I am looking forward to using them tonight with cream cheese and ham over celery...YUM! Here is a picture of our squash, bean and bell pepper box (a few onions thrown in too)...

Rampagersssss

I haven't written about Maddy's soccer team in a while...here is a pic from their game this past Saturday. They have won one game this season, and they are a great group of kids! I have definitely learned a ton about development and patience, and I know as Maddy continues to age, hopefully (fingers crossed) she will be more inclined to playing than lying about in the grass and picking flowers (yes, this is what she has been doing..ha!)...but if she chooses the latter, I would love it too...I have this feeling Madelyn is going to be our artsy, free-spirit, and I love that. Maddy says she loves soccer, and really tries hard during practices, but when it comes to the games, she totally holds back. She's three. These are the carefree years! Ok, so here is a video from this past week's game...this was the only time Maddy went for the ball, but more importantly...listen to how OBNOXIOUS I am as a parent....this is so embarassing...never thought I would be like this!! I am posting this for sheer comic relief and to warn you about this horrible parental potential...

Disney on Ice

We decided to take Madelyn to see "Disney on Ice" this year. Brad bought some discounted tickets from work, and Madelyn was thrilled! She dressed herself in her Cinderella dress I had sewn for her for Halloween and completed the look with her well-worn sparkly tennis shoes and handmade sunflower hair clip! She was allowed to choose one "souvenir" item, and she picked the tinkerbell snow cone and spoon (price tag $17!!!!!).
You would not believe the pricetags on the things they were selling...and some people had armfuls and bags of it... $15 programs, $20 hats, $12 cotton candy...seriously. This was definitely a show for kids...Madelyn enjoyed it but we probably won't do it again.

Happy Earth Day!

If you haven't caught a showing of Food, Inc. yet, then please make sure you do. PBS is showcasing it all week, so check your local listings. Brad's dad gave us an audio recording of The Omnivor's Dilemna a few years back, and Food, Inc. touches on the very heart of the same issues. Educate yourself as best as you can on what you are eating and buying from your local grocery store. We need to educate each other on these points and take initiatives within our own families.
Another great documentary (Frontline) to watch is Harvest of Fear...if you know nothing or want to know more about GM crops...please watch....PBS also does a phenomenal job with their "POV" domentaries...of course, each has a "point of view"...but it's better to have one view than no view or knowledge on the subject at all...

Popsicles and Carwashing

April 21, 2010
Maddy's attempt at washing daddy's truck this afternoon...

Stalin's Utopia Grossly Disturbing

I have had several nightmares this week, and I think they are due largely in part to the historical thriller I read last week, Child 44.
I have never really delved seriously into Russian History, and let me tell you...the accounts and descriptions depicted in this work are bruttle. The complete lack of justice within this era is mindboggling. Just thinking of the terror, fright, and constant state of paranoia Russians faced for decades on end leaves me speechless. I felt so far removed from the hardships these Russians faced. Is it possible that people in this highly globalized and modern world still face leaders and governments like these? And if so, how? Why?
This book is real. It is propulsive. It is one of the first great books I've read that did not leave me wanting more.

Working Mom

It's official....I have been offered and accepted a job within the education field. It was one of those jobs too good to pass up...the kind that you always dream about finding...that never seem to come along...so I am super pumped. I applied for the job last week, and within days I was being called repeatedly to come in and interview. I interviewed on Wednesday with a committee of four, including the dean of instruction and principal...one question after the next. I was nervous no doubt, but I was excited too....I had so many ideas and amazing experiences to share from my former teaching. I had an answer and a story for all their questions, and I am so glad the principal called with the good news later that day.
I will be filling a newly-created position...a writing academic coach at a high school about seven miles away. I will be assisting special ed and other students specifically with their writing skills. I will also write curriculum and assist teachers with their writing instruction. I am hoping this was all meant to be since it happened so quickly. I am meeting with HR on Tuesday to sign my contract, and I will begin full time in August...with a few meetings in between. Yay!

Crawfish Boil Tradition

April 10, 2010
It is a tradition for some of my LSU besties to try and make it to the annual LSU Alumni Crawfish Boil every April. This year the mudbugs were right on target in terms of flavor and size, and we enjoyed ourselves while watching the kids run around like crazy. Here are some pics from this years amusements...
Ange and Maddy tasting...Madelyn thought they were too spicy!Erin, Maddy and TreyJulian and Madelyn...too much energy!!Omi, Toe and MadelynMadelyn on the way home...a rare sight!

A Must Read Memoir...

After being on hold at the library, I was super excited to begin this highly reviewed Memoir. I adore and revel in novels that depict life in America during the early and mid 20th century...the growing ages of our parents and grandparents.
From page one, I was captivated. The story of a girl growing up with her siblings and two beyond-eccentric parents is almost unbelievable. All emotions will be picked. I am amazed and still left baffled at he accounts retold in such bittersweet fashion. I appreciate my parents and grandparents all the more after reading this, and I strongly admire Jeannette for her unyielding sense of loyalty and gumption. Read this.

PS- My playlist is taken from this read...Jeanette's memories of her mother making the kids sing these songs (mentioned early on..page 18 to be exact) immediately reminded me of my own mother and her sisters all sitting in the backseat doing the same....there is a picture somewhere I should find,scan and post of this.. when they get together they still sing some of these very same songs and reminisce about the long car trips they shared together on the road.

Simple Pleasures

Our first strawberry was ripe and ready for picking this morning...Madelyn took over and ate the tiny thing right away. We are hoping for some nice fruits and vegetables this year...last year our tomato plants were huge, but they failed to produce even one tomato. We have a peach and lemon tree, blackberry, raspberry and blueberry bushes, onions, squash, tomatoes, and green and sweet peppers. One day, when the dogs have passed (bless their hearts, but they are super waring on our yard), we hope to have a huge garden...Brad has already made a make-shift compost.

Easter Sunday

April 4, 2010
We celebrated Easter Sunday by going to church and having lunch with family. Madelyn was spoiled with all sorts of treats from her grandparents and aunts, and she had a ball finding all the colored eggs. This is such a magical time in her life...she just lights up when you discuss the Easter Bunny with her!! She wanted to know how he got in our house... I just replied "very carefully."
Oh, and what is the deal with plastic eggs? What happened to the good ole hard boiled eggs... I just think the plastic eggs are so wasteful...hopefully everyone will save their plastic eggs and reuse them year after year. Easter morning...Maddy and her Easter Bunny gifts...Maddy and her Easter outfit in front of the beautiful Azaleas I'm so glad I captured this face....Madelyn was totally annoyed with all the pictures I was taking of her and she was in a hurry to "hunt for eggs.." so of course, these are the poses she started giving me. Love this dress and hat....Maddy did too... Homemade Strawberry Pie Madelyn and I made from the strawberries we picked earlier in the week.Maddy and her great AbuelitaLooking for eggs...Abuelita and OmaMaddy with Uncle Freddy and Aunt Alicia Toe (Maddy's name for Abuelito) and MadelynAunt Olga with little MaddyOmi and Madelyn

Hotdogs, Jellyfish, and Sand

I love the beach. I love searching for shells. I love listening to the surf break. I love bare feet and constant breezes. I love all the different walks of life that commune in harmony (at least that's been my experience). I just love it. Brad...not so much, but today he was a trooper, and we all headed to one of my favorite pocket beaches to grill hot dogs and let Maddy enjoy one of her (and mine!!) favorite places at sunset. Maddy's beach pose...

Soccer Update: Game #2

April 3, 2010
It was a balmy, humid morning to play, but the Rampagers came out strong and won their first game! The team's record now stands at one loss, one win. Way to hustle team!

Strawberry Fields Forever....

March 31, 2010
We went with some friends to our favorite strawberry farm in Alvin ...it has become an annual event for us to take Maddy to pick the delicious fruit they grow. Along with the farm, they also have a weathered tin building for locally grown produce, assorted grocieries, homemade pies, and plants, and adjacent to it they have a tiny walk-in smokehouse where they sell homemade sausage, brisket/turkey sandwiches, boudin and squirrel. We typically get a bite to eat (the cheddar jalepeno sausage is super yum) and sit under their enormous oak trees to picnic. I am a huge sucker for ancient oak trees... they are magnificent, and this farm has plenty to feast your eyes. Owen and Madelyn eating their sausasge rolls under the oak trees.Maddy and the youngest Kirkland, Aaron. This picture does not do this tree justice...can you even see Maddy? She is under the tree on the right. To me, this tree is simply perfecet....wish I could capture its beauty in a frame on our wall. Being our third year to pick, Madelyn is very familiar with the grounds and looks forward to these trips every year. This is a picture of Maddy picking at her first visit...she was roughly 20 months old..I remember she loved to eat them as soon as she picked them. Another pick from that year....2007The last two pics here were taken last year, 2009...notice the oak tree and Maddy's straeberry-lined mouth....my dad was also collaborating in eating them straight off the stems...Time flies...

Soccer Superstar

March 26, 2010
This morning Madelyn made contact with a soccer ball during her first official soccer game. The video above catches her reaction after she kicks the ball for the first time...Madelyn couldn't quite handle the "pressure"...should be an interesting soccer season with plenty of sideline smiles and giggles...btw: after watching footage and looking back on game.. I AM "that parent" constantly yelling out, or nicely put, cheering for my kid...ohh boy, good thing there are several of us like that out there!!!A shot taken early on in the game when Madelyn was taking the game very seriously...I can see why she might have felt just a little intimidated.

A Must Read: The Help

Several people recommended I read this book, and after two months on our local library's waiting list, I was lucky enough to get my hands on it...sadly, it took me three weeks to even open it, and now three days overdue, I am happy to report it is more than worth the late fee I will incur! When finished with the book, I couldn't help but reflect on the "Black Help" within my life...although short in length, I will never forget the ladies of the sorority house I lived in for two years during college...LSU to be exact...a true southern school with plenty of leftover racial tension.
Looking back...Sadie, Egnola and Rosie were always bright lights during those memorable years...just thinking of them makes me smile, and I am so thankful I was able to have a relationship with them during that time. Even thinking of Floyd, the occasional gardner, makes me laugh. I don't know how many afternoons I would hang out with the help in the small room off the kitchen...all the ladies surrounding a small black and white television catching their afternoon soap opera...ha! Matter of fact, a few years ago, I revisited the house during homecoming of 2005, and you know who I hung out with and was most excited to see? Yes, Sadie and the ladies...I even have a picture from that visit...we brought the ladies a 24 pack of Miller Lite...made their day and mine! Still, I can't help wonder which of my friends or acquaintances would have acted like Hilly or Elizabeth from the book if they could...hmmmm....sad. Egnola (did most of the cooking...amazing to think I took all that yumminess for granted back then...she was a serious slot-player, loved her husband, cigarettes, and crown victoria), Me (pregnant with maddy early on), Rosie (sweetest lady ever...did the housekeeping downstairs, always had a smile on her face), and Sadie (had a pet name for me : big legs, the biggest smile in the world, so full of youth)Sadie Selmon and I...I miss her!

Viva Las Vegas!

March 20 - 23, 2010
A view of our hotel from a veranda at the Venetian...do you see the Volcano going off in the distance?So, I have now officially been to Las Vegas and the infamous strip, and whoa! What a fun, whirlwind vacation. Talk about entertaining....there is so much to take in...from the grandiose and opulent hotels to the cacophony of ringing slot machines..this place is over stimulation to the max!
We were very happy with our stay at the Mirage and all its accommodations....the pool area was so lush and relaxing, and the eatery and lounge options within the hotel itself were definitely worth the stay.
One thing any "virgin-Vegas" goer should be aware of before going: bring money and lots of it...there is a reason Vegas has so much wealth. There is a definite energy to this place that will pull you in to all its glory...do not, I repeat, do not go expecting to win...expect to lose....I had a difficult time dealing with losing, especially when I thought of all the "things" or little vacations we could do with the money lost...I'm not sure why I had this notion we were going to strike it big with some absurdly large jackpot...I suppose it's every Vegas goer's fantasy, and unfortunately for us, did not come true. The trip was worth every penny though....and the two shows we threw in were highly entertaining, especially Cirque Du Soleil's Mystere (everyone should see this at some point). The Cirque Du Soleil show Love (featuring The Beatles's music) was much more like a musical, and conveniently located in our hotel.
We visited many hotels and their casinos on our trip...and I have to say The Wynne/Encore towers were my favorite....their decor was amazing and I was a total sucker for their exquisite mosaic floors. The feel of the hotel was warm and much more like a boutique hotel...unlike many of the compound mammoths. Aria was my least favorite...way too modern, industrial and monochromatic for my taste. I was in awe with the fantastic color scheme and mosaic work. Two other favorites were The Bellagio (incredible floral garden) and The Palazzo mostly because of their unique and memorable landscaping, inside and out..



An art-glass lover's dream....Brad in front of The Bellagio.We could not have been happier with our hotel choice. I am a huge fan of hotel reviews, and this place lived up to its reputation on tripadvisor.Our friends Callie and Rob went with us...so much fun!