Random Roundup

1. Justin and I have been talking for quite a while about moving all my crafting/sewing stuff into his office and we finally started this week. We started by cleaning up his office and eliminating a bunch of stuff that he doess't need or use anymore. It always amazes me how we are still in love with each other regardless of the fact that he and I are such opposites when it comes to organization. I am a strong believer in everything should have a labeled home and he is a strong believer of the "piles" filing system....it makes me want to pull my hair out. Come to think of it maybe sharing a work space is not such a good idea. Ha. Too late to turn back now.

2. Anyone want to take a guess at what Haley and I had for dinner on Thursday night? I will give you hint: Justin was out of town. We had pizza! This time from Little Cesars so we splurged for crazy bread too. Yummy! Haley loved it as usual.

Justin was out of town for three nights on a "work-related" fishing trip. He insisted that he had to go even though I am still not convinced. The trip was to Port O'Connor and it was a fishing tournament put on by our company as an employee appreciation type thing but the only people who get to go are managers and outside sales. Can you tell I am a little bitter? However as I typed that last sentence I thought to myself...do I really want to go spend three nights with a bunch of men talking about fishing and getting obnoxiously drunk? No thank you. I guess I can't be mad at him anymore. Unfortunately he did not win the tournament but he did come home with a few entertaining stories and a new DXP cup (yeah).

3. Saturday night I ventured out for my second night ever away from Haley. I figured I was due a little girl time so I made plans to drop the little munchkin off with my parents and get together with my best friend from high school Megan. Stay tuned for a separate post about my adventures in Austin (to entice you to come back I will just tell you that there was a "Keep Austin Weird" event taking place Saturday night). I returned Sunday morning to pick Haley up and was glad to find her in one piece...however she did have a faint smell of cheese puffs on her breath at 9 am. Ha. It was a nice trip and hopefully will be a good reminder to me that every now and then I need some Sara time.

4. Monday night we had corn casserole for dinner which was super yummy. It was a recipe that I was introduced to by Justin's family but had yet to make it myself. They serve it at just about every Nebraska holiday and it is always a big crowd pleaser. It is different from other corn casseroles I have tried because it uses pasta. I gawked the first time I saw it since I am used to my moms which is more like a corn bread. We enjoyed it so much Monday night that we had it again Sunday night with burgers. This is definitely going to be a new Texas Buskirk staple.

Corn Casserole
1 can (15 oz) cream style corn
1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn,  undrained
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 medium onion
1 cup of macaroni
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in an 8x8 baking dish and bake uncovered at 325 for 1 hour, stirring after 30 minutes. Serve to your friends and family so they will be amazed by your cooking skills.

Our Dream

It may not look like much now but you should see what I have envisioned in my head. This little, abandoned, meat market is about 3 miles from my parents house right on I10 and every time we drive by it we say to ourselves how we should buy it and turn it into a BBQ joint; Justin could cook the amazing BBQ, I could serve up some great desserts and sides, and some day Haley and our future babies could be the wait staff. We always try to come up with names for the place too: S&B BBQ, B&S BBQ (we are so creative - ha ha).We are definitely taking suggestions if you have one. Unfortunately we are not risk takers so this dream has a 99.8% chance of coming to fruition. However, it is still fun to dream.  

The building is an old slaughterhouse and is way past run down (see the plywood door and windows, overgrown grass, worn paint). I have no history on it or when it was last in business. I haven't been able to see inside so who knows what kind of business is going on in there. It would have to be totally gutted. They don't have the for sale sign up any longer (I found it jammed between something that look like a tiny silo and a small shed) so I am not even sure it is for sale.

Regardless of all this I still think it is a wonderful dream. Plus it has the word "bacon" painted on the side of it...and I love me some bacon! 

University Camp

Until next year!

Summertime

This picture perfectly sums up our Texas summers...

Tan lines and mesquito bites.

Not until this summer did it also mean I was a bad mommy. I really need to remember to reapply...sunscreen and bug repellant are my friends. Ha.

Random Roundup

1. Justin worked late on Wednesday night so Haley and I once again had pizza. It is some what of a staple for us when he is away. This time was a real treat though...we had leftovers from Pizza & Brew. Yummy. Their Buffalo Chicken Pizza is to die for...even three days later heated up in the over.

2. We spent the weekend out of town again!! We headed to my parent's neck of the woods to get together for father's day and to float the Blanco river. It was a ton of fun. The weather was beautiful and the river was full and flowing. We spent the entire day lounging around soaking up the sun and hanging in our new luxurious river recliners (once Justin found out they had tubes with built in coolers he had to have them). Only the best for Haley's dad. Stay tuned for pics later this week.

3. We started trying to use time outs with Haley. It seems ridiculous even to me, since she is so young, but I had to come up with something. I found that I was starting to raise my voice (yell) with her and that isn't the mom I want to be. In particular we have started using time out to keep her out of the trash can. Our little girl is like a sneaky little raccoon. One second she is playing sweetly with her toys and the next minute I turn around and she is pulling an empty package of (insert some gross food here) out of the trash. We have moved the trash can multiple times but to no avail. The time outs seem to be working in that she knows she is getting in trouble but I am not sure she has made the connection between them and the trash can. We will just have to keep at it. Wish us luck.

4. The peach tree seems to be stalled. We still have a ton of fruit on the tree but it doesn't seem to be getting any bigger or ripening at all. We have had multiple people suggest to us that we should be watering it more so we will give that a shot and see if it helps. I am going to be ridiculously sad if we don't even get one edible fruit for this years harvest. I will keep you guys posted.

5. My new favorite summer show is Toddlers & Tiaras. It is hilarious because those moms are so crazy! Plus it is fun to watch because I know in ever episode I've watched that Haley could easily take Grand Supreme!!! Ha-ha. For those of you not up to date with your pageant terms Grand Supreme is the highest award you can get. Only cutest, most talented, princesses win it. Oh my gosh...it is happening to me!

My Guys

"Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad." -Proverb

It is a simple and straightforward quote but one that to me seems completely perfect for this occasion. No need for a bunch of fluff and fuss when it comes to dads. They like dirt and rocks and power tools and beer.

First to Justin...we are only getting started with our journey as parents but I can already see that I am going to be changing a bunch of diapers. Ha ha. I know, I know, you have a weak stomach. But, in all seriousness, you are awesome. Even though Haley can not speak the words I can see it in her eyes just how much she adores you. When you walk into the room she lights up. Whether y'all are reading a book or hanging out in the garage she is having a blast. WE absolutely adore you and and truly appreciate all that you do for us on a daily basis. We couldn't do it without you! We love you.

Second to my father...You were, and are, an amazing dad. Thanks for showing me how to be a good person and how to become a great parent. Thanks for instilling in me the values that really matter. And thanks for nudging me to play sports...I really am not blessed with the gift of dance. Ha ha. Love you.

Third to all the other fathers in my life (my father in law Dean, brothers, uncles, grandpas). You may not realize it but each and every one of you help to shape our lives. We love you all.

Happy Dad's Day

Random Roundup

1.  I was so happy to be home and stationery for an entire week. It was nice to just sit around and enjoy my husband and sweet baby. Sometimes we get to running around so much that I take them for granted and forget to live for the little moments.

2. My parents came to town this weekend. We had dinner on Friday night to celebrate my dad's birthday which was last Saturday.  It is pretty crazy when we all get together these days...getting a table for 11 makes most waiters cringes. Hehe.

3. Saturday we went to Kurt and Agata's to enjoy the pool and catch some rays. The get together was in honor of Agata's birthday which is today...the big 30 The party was a lot of fun...we are already looking forward to the next one!

Haley is really enjoying pool time these days and stayed in the pool just floating around and watching all the big kids for a ridiculous long time. For the most part it is easy to keep her entertained in the water but every now and again she gets it in her mind that she wants to climb out, then climb back in, and so on and so forth. It makes me extremely nervous that she doesn't seem timid at all. I guess it is going to be a long summer! Ha.

4. I have another quilt top done. I had hoped to have it ready to go by the time we left for Nebraska but that just didn't work out. It is a quilt that I specifically made for outdoor/picnic use. It is primary colors in antiqued shades with a theme of children and toys. I envision big family picnics on it in the park. I better start trying to convince Justin now that the fire ants aren't that bad this year. Ha.

5. Subway makes the best cookies in the world. I could eat them by the dozen. Side story...there is a Subway that I go to at least 2-3 times a week and when I walk in they begin making my sandwich before I even ask. It is hilarious. Apparently I am pretty predictable...6 inch wheat, turkey breast, American cheese, toasted, with lettuce, extra spicy mustard, and s & p. And don't forget the cookies.

6. Justin caught another fish (yawn). Hahaha - only kidding. The three amigos and my dad went out kayak fishing on Saturday morning before the big birthday party. They had a pretty good time and from what I hear Justin caught a pretty big fish...it was filleted before I even got home so I will have to take his word for it.

Random Roundup - Two Week Special Edition

1. Haley took her very first plane ride. Everything went pretty smoothly...she didn't even cry once. We didn't have any issues with her ears or the air pressure changes and we were able to keep her entertained for the entire flight. I did cheat and gave her her old friend paci...on the advise of my doctor. It was like reuniting two best friends after years apart. Makes me wonder if I stripped it away too early? Egh, she seems to be doing just fine without.

Justin and I were another story. Packing the night before the trip was chaotic for me. Will I need this toy or that one. Will she want to read this book or these seven. By the time my head hit the pillow we had managed to get it all in. The next afternoon at the airport I began to question me packing skills. We (Justin) had to lug what seemed like a ridiculous amount of luggage for 5 nights through the airport, plus a car seat, a stroller, and a diaper bag. Justin was a trooper. I think I saw people point and laugh and crack an imaginary whip at him a few times but he just kept trudging along. I think he thought if he stopped to defend himself he might fall over. Ha. I love my husband.

2. I tried another new recipe last week that turned out pretty yummy. Lemon Cupcakes. They were a little more difficult than my typical dessert endeavors but were worth the extra effort. Plus not making them wasn't an option. Once I see a recipe that looks half appealing and has "Lemon" in the name I have to make it. I love lemon. I am addicted to lemon! I even took the extra time to pipe on my lemony cream cheese frosting so the cupcakes would be extra cute. Didn't turn out like you see in the magazines but I am still learning the art of cake decorating so give me a break.

3. We spent this last weekend with ECLG and Kurt & Agata in Rockport. Chris' family bought the condo last summer and they have been so nice to let our family share in the fun. It was a great time. We spent the whole time lounging by the pool and just being lazy. The boys managed to get a little fishing in and Haley and I snuck in a three hour nap on Saturday. We also watched The Hangover which makes me laugh till my side hurts every time...no fail. That movie is freaking hilarious! Unfortunately we didn't stay too late on Sunday cause Justin and I had to get home to a house full of chores. It is amazing how dirty a house gets when no one is in it for 2 weeks...or how easy it is to forget how dirty you left it. Ha.

4. The reason for our quick trip to Nebraska was Justin's big 10 year reunion. His class of 36 had 11 show up. Doesn't really sound like a lot considering my graduating class was close to 600 but it was still a good time. We had an impromptu reunion on Friday night at the local bar and then the real reunion dinner and dance on Saturday night. We had a great time and probably drank a little too much. I will attribute spending the majority of the night hanging out with Justin's high school girlfriend and her friends to the amount of booze I took in. Plus they were all pretty cool. Oh what might have been. Ha. It was also great to have a chance to meet some people who knew Justin when he wore a wrestling singlet.

5. We have a couple potetntial careers paths for grown-up Haley popping up. First off, and most beneficial to her againg parents, a doctor. She can now identify all of the following body parts: head, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair, hands, finger, feet, toes, belly button, and heart. If this doesn't pan out she could also become a zookeeper since she can identify all of these animals: giraffe, elephant, zebra, monkey, alligator, cow (with sounds effects), duck. As a last resort she could be a cartoonist cause she has Elmo down pat. Ha.

Nebraska

We had a wonderful time as usual. Thanks to everyone and we can't wait to see you all again at Christmas!

Memorial Day

I know I am a week late but I wanted to post some of the pictures I took in Hemingford on Memorial Day. Each year the local veterans group, and various members of the community (Justin joined them this year), get up bright and early on Memorial Day and hang flags all around town for those veterans who are no longer with us. All of the flags flying were donated by the soldiers families. It is quite a sight to see with so many flags waving in the breeze. Justin's Grandpa Keith served in the US military during Korea and has a flag flying in his honor. It was pretty cool to see and a nice chance to take a minute to remember him.

"Custom"

***Forgot I had this post already in the works from before the chaos started.***

I have been working on for my cousin and his wife. They asked me to help them out with some "custom" curtains for their little man's room. I was glad to help. Check out the finished product.

There really wasn't much work for me. I just cut a pre-made quilt in half long ways, bound the rough edge, and added some loops for a curtain rod. I think they turned out pretty cute and should look perfect paired up with the rest of the room's decor.

MIA

Busy busy busy. We have been so busy packing, traveling, unpacking, repacking, traveling. I just haven't had time to sit down and blog about it.Give me just a few more days and I should be back to my normal routine.