valentine delight

There.  I did.  Found time to click on NEW POST.  Once I start typing away on the keyboard, I fall in love with the sound of the keys and get more than excited to document yet another story from the Loan family.  This one happens to be from the other night at 9:00pm (!) when it was decided to make 'valentine delight', which of course I found from another blogger friend, here.  Yes, I realize that most family's with a 5-year old are winding down for the night or maybe even most likely already in bed.  But, no, no, not here.  Not the night-owl Loan's house.  NOT US.  

I had bought the ingredients for this fun treat a couple nights before when there was 10 inches of snow on the ground and we were snowed in.  The reason escapes me, although I am sure it was a good one, of why we didn't make the treat that night.  But we didn't.  Sooo, on our way home from new members orientation at church, I thought that little nugget 5-year old would fall asleep.  But, as soon as we pulled into the garage, she hoped out of the car saying, "time to make valentine delight",  then looking up at me, "you said we would make it tomorrow night, which is tonight."  Oh, yeah, maybe I did say that. :/

Here is a very sad little girl in her daddy's t-shirt, who usually loves having her picture taken, but at this time was very anxious to get started on the task at hand and did not want any parts of the camera. 

 Just hold on pumpkin, I have to take one of our little set-up here before we begin.  {pictured below on the screen, one of my newest favorite blogs this blessed nest and the directions for putting all this together.}

And here is one of a very patient and scarcastic (if you can be those two at once) husband, who said "oh, are these pictures for the bloooog?" (include accent and drawn out syllables on blog). 

First Step.  Pop the corn!  [check]

Second Step.  Drink sprite straight from the two liter. [check]

3rd Step.  Melt Chocolate.  (IN MICROWAVE....my days of trying to melt on the stove top are OVER!)  [check]

4th Step. Pour melted chocolate (thank GOD I had seen our small group leader and great

friend Debbie melt chocolate in the microwave a couple days before...so I knew to add some oil to make it more 'meltable' and therefore 'pourable'. [check]

5th Step.  Spill half the bag of M&Ms on the floor. (Even the simplest of tasks become complicated in the Loan kitchen). Good thing I bought two bags ;) [check]

6th Step.  Mix M&Ms in with popcorn and chocolate. YUM! [check]

7th Step. Spread out on cookie sheet to let cool.  

 

8th Step. Fork in and Enjoy. :) 

Happy Valentine's Day (You should be proud I am actually early) <3

feeling inspired...

...and a little jealous. ahahah. 

I want a book like pioneer woman.  I want my blog to become famous like hers.  I am the most transparent person you will most likely ever meet.  Just being honest.  

A couple of weeks ago, my very best friends from college and I had a reunion and I was introduced to "the" pioneer woman and I have been addicted ever since.  Like bought her cookbook the next day addicted and I don't even cook.  I read the cookbook in it's entirety.  Then decided to brave a recipe.  I am TERRIBLE in the kitchen (below you will see the proof - I couldn't make this stuff up if I wanted to).  Actually, I told babe he could pick out a recipe or two (no more) that he wanted me to give a whirl. 

I am not married to Marlboro Man, as she refers to husband, but I am married to a good ole' country boy so to speak.  You know what he picked?!  COUNTRY FRIED STEAK WITH HOMEMADE GRAVY.  What?!

Here goes.  

I was just getting started in the kitchen and here comes the little pitter patter of tiny feet.  "Can I help?"  I love that little girl more than a kid loves being in a candy store, but at that point in time with this recipe when everyone's hungry for dinner...not exactly what I wanted to hear.  And then I remembered just a couple days ago, she was here....having cat scans from falling off daddy's shoulders. 

And feeling blessed that she was not hurt at all and is as healthy and happy as she has ever been (and still quite the daredevil), remembering that these are the moments to cherish...I said, "hop on up here punkins - just dig right into this raw egg mix" :)  And daddy did what he does best - starting capturing the moments with the good ole' cell phone camera. 

It's starting to get messy here people and I'm getting a little stressed out...time to break out the matching aprons.  Daddy!  Help us!  (please)

 

The whole process was going pretty smooth until it came time to 'fry' the steak.  The pan was too hot, the oil was the wrong kind, the meat wasn't cooking all the way through - just burning on the outside (way embarrassed to admit I had to stick it in the microwave to cook - oh well, I NEVER claimed to be perfect OR healthy).  I don't have pictures of this process, but I do have one of babe waving a towel in front of the smoke alarm that went off after a paper towel went up in flames. 

*You can't tell it in this picture, but I just know he is thinking, "I'm so proud of my wife..."  (or maybe the exact opposite - whatever that may be)

Then I was supposed to make gravy out of the leftover little bits in the pan.  Wellllllllllll, mine looked like this (which for those of you who have not read the cookbook is a far cry, a FAR cry from what they are supposed to resemble).

I did end up adding lots of milk and whatever else the recipe called for (like I know how to make gravy off the top of my head - this was 2 weeks ago).  And apparently too much salt, according to Travis.  But, he ate it anyway.  And so did Briley and I.  She thought it was the most delicious meal.  Seriously, she really did.  She melts my heart.  She helped me clean up for a bit and then I found her in the living room.  Do we have a future blogger on our hands?

I will have everyone know that I have since redeemed myself by making The Pioneer Woman's lasagna which was the very, very best lasagna babe and I have ever tasted.  He commented for the first time that I should have made extra of this and froze it.  He commented that he couldn't wait to take some to the guys at work tomorrow.  WOW!  And since I didn't want to disappoint after that, I haven't cooked a meal since.  He is so proud.  <3

new year, new look...bangs

Well, I can't lie...I don't just change my hair once a year, it's more like once a month.  I like to keep everyone on their toes, even me :)  It's not so much that I get bored, I just see someone (famous or not) and think to myself, "I need that"...for example, I saw this and thought I need that..or something like that.

merry christmas festivities (all three days of it)

Well, I am kind of an ALL or NOTHING type of girl.  Which means in the blog world that if I don't have the most perfect combination of words and pictures to make the most perfect post - it probably ain't happening. :)  Sorry for the slacking.  Let's play catch up again (story of my life).  

 MERRY CHRISTMAS!, from the Loans. 

{Pre-Christmas}

Well it started a couple weeks before December 25th when my all loving husband surprised me by ordering our Christmas cards.  GASPPPP!!  He did what?!  (not that I am surprised at all that he ordered them because this is just how great he is, BUT, with my particular self I couldn't believe that he would want to take on such a task to please me.) 

Travis is a gem.  I am [sometimes] a bit of a brat.  He deals (because he is a gem).  After taking one look at the card and realizing that it 'wasn't quite right' I decided not to send them out.  I know, I know - I am a terrible wife.  It's ok, I have since shown my appreciation many, many times over and the make-up has been taken care of ;)  We did end up giving them out to family members over our three day celebration of 'the most wonderful time of the year'!

{Christmas Eve}

1st stop - Travis' dads' brother's house.  Did you follow that?  We spent lunch with Travis' uncle and his family.  This is where we found out that Briley did not actually want a DS but a DSi (like I knew there was a difference).  PawPaw and MawMaw also realized that they would be making a trip to exchange that little handheld device.  It's Briley - what do you expect!?  Which meant, that Travis and I would be making a trip to exchange the games.  OMGosh.  

2nd stop - Travis' dads' dad's house.  Get used to following this sequence of explaining family members.  Think it's confusing.  Try living it :) 

3rd stop - Christmas Eve candle light service with one of my sisters and her lovely fam, my parents, travis' dad and step-mom, travis' step-mom's sister and her daughter.  Basically it was a whole clan of us.    

4th stop - My sister's house.  Every year on the night before Christmas we receive "magic pajamas" (I mean every year as in 25 years and running).  Mom now has expanded the tradition to buying for the husbands and grandkids! We had a delish christmas treat prepared by girl (see below) and a mean game of mexican train (one of our new loves)...we missed Aunt Linny - she was in Raleigh, NC (but have no fear - she would be joining us the day after Christmas)

{Christmas Day}  

HaPpY BiRtHdAy JeSuS! 

1st stop - our very own little humble of ode.  Another tradition - Christmas morning brunch.  It began with the two staples...monkey bread and quiche. And over the years as the number of attendees grew (significant other's families) - so did the 'staples'.  For example this year brunch included:  monkey bread, quiche (4 different types), biscuits and sausage gravy, pancakes, bacon, cranberry bread, coffee, juice - you get the idea. :)  Before partaking in all of the deliciousness, we partook in a new tradition - communion.  Sidenote.  "In Christianity, the basic meaning of the term communion is an especially close relationship of Christians, as individuals or as a church, with God and other Christians."  How fitting for our morning. 

2nd stop - Travis' mom's house.  Where of course she had another spread waiting for us including white beans, meatballs, pumpkin bread and many other little delights.  We opened gifts where we were surprised with a new comforter set for our room which I <3.  And Briley was overwhelmed with love as she opened package after package (after package - story of her Christmas season). 

 

3rd stop - Travis' step-mom's mom's.  Ahhhhhh, fried oysters!  One of many reasons we love this stop. hahaha. I'm just kidding.  (not really).  This is also where they have ham and fried tenderlion and all things yummy and also where Briley opens her packages from her pawpaw and mawmaw.  With the car completely loaded, we headed home around 11pm to snow falling.  Christmas Day complete (but this was kind of like another Christamas Eve for us...believe me...wait til you hear tomorrow's schedule). 

{Day After Christmas}

Starting the morning by opening our presents with Briley and we were supposed to make it to church, but after a late night of dance off on the Wii (yep, that's what we did) and some snow on the ground, we opted out (shame on us ;) 

2nd stop - My grandparents.  Do I have to list all of the food again?   I hope not, too much to mention - among my favorites - oyster stew and baked brie.  It was an afternoon of Briley and my nephew Hudson banging on the piano and strumming on the guitar strings.  Quite the duo they are. 

3rd (and final) stop - My sisters.  Again.  We had our traditional gift exchange and the kids opened packages galore.  We munched on leftovers and played the Wii.  It was noisy and chaotic like most  all things we do in the Miller family.  Love it.  

So after 3 days of festivities, 2 DSi's for the little punkins amongst many items (we threw out 20 bags of 'trash' from her playroom and bedroom the week after to make room for new items), snow, food, fellowship and even sweeping up inches, INCHES of pine needles from the tree it was a very merry time for all.  So there you have it, the 4th Annual Loan Christmas Routine - until next year (where the line up will most likely be very similar). 

Better say it now....who knows when I will get around to it.  Happy New Year!