Yo Yo, I Be Chillin...a Rap

In honor of my mama's 300th blog post, Sydmeister is here to rock da house and give ya the 411 on whassup!

That's right! S to the Y to the D...SYDNEY

I be chilling wit my madre all summah long,

We be dancin', and drawin', and singin cool songs!

I done been to da waterpark and jumped on trampolines,

Eatin' lots of popsicles, and chocolate chip dreams,

Pesterin' the house cat, every chance I get

Breakin' mama's stuff till she almost has a fit!

I been hangin' at da crib and cruisin in my benz

But I feel da need to go to school and hang wit my frenz...

I gots lots of learnin', and playin', and colorin' to do

And visitin' with Elmo and my boy Winnie da Pooh

So, mama, gotta tell ya...and please don't pout,

I need summah to be over, girl, 

Peace out!

Syd

AKA

"Early Risin' Dream Shakin Rappin' Extraordinaire"

Think Fall

As we endure one of the hottest and most humid summers on record, take a moment to visualize pleasant days ahead. Close your eyes and think about fall...one of my favorite times of year.

...a brisk wind blowing..chilly but not so chilly you need a fur-lined parka...
...the ever so slight smell of wood-burning fireplaces curling in your nose...
...the sound of leaves crunching underfoot and blowing in the breeze...
...warm bowls of stew, soup, and chowder waiting on you at dinner time...

Well, while we are the subject of chowder, I must share with you my all-time favorite and super easy chowder recipe. I am making it today. Yes, I realize it is 102 degrees outside with a heat index of 129 degrees and 99% humidity. That is all well and good, but this chowder is soooo good that you'll want to crank the AC down to 59, put on a sweater, and bundle up on the couch with a warm bowl between your knees, baby. And if you just can't wrap your mind around a toasty vessel of chowder right now, print the recipe out for cooler days.

It even has a fancy name: "Seafood Bisque"

I love the word bisque and it's unique spelling and elegant connotation.

or you could call it  "Frozen Shrimp Dump Soup" but I prefer the prior.

To this day my husband thinks I slave all day to make this chowder and he dreams about it with a capital D... so here's hoping he doesn't read this blog post and discover my deception.

You will need:
2 cans of cream style corn
2 cans of potato soup
1 can of cream of celery
1 block of cream cheese
1 stick of butter (da real stuff)
1 package of frozen seafood (I use frozen shrimp, but crawdad tails or crab meat will do nicely)
1 pint of half & half (Lawd a mercy!)
cayenne pepper for seasoning
a crockpot
a large spoon for stirring
a small spoon for sampling...often

Directions:
1. Melt the cream cheese block and stick 'o butter on high in the crockpot. Stir.
2. Add everything else, stir. Sample and decide how much "fire" you want and add cayenne pepper accordingly.
3. Cook for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low or however long you want to cook it, suits me just fine.

When you get done, it looks like this:

But don't eat this everyday in the fall, or you will look like this:

Best wishes and pass the gravy,

Nesha

Finances

I have been thinking about something lately and I am wondering if anyone has thought the same thing.

I think we can all agree that the economy is pretty crummy right now. People are being RIFed and downsized and let go everywhere. The cost of gas is high. The cost of some of my favorite Wally World items has gone up. It's just yucky all the way around.

I hear people mentioning:
"It's tight right now."
"I sure could use a raise."
"Please pray that God bless me financially."
"I need a breakthrough with my finances."
"How can I use 389 coupons and walk away paying only $5.93?"

As I have reflected on these comments that I have heard from a variety of people, I can't help but wonder if people are being good stewards of their money. Are they living within their means? Are they enslaved to credit cards? Are they buying stuff they cannot pay for and paying tons of interest?

So, with love, I say these words: "Yes, I will pray that God bless you financially, if:

1. you turn off your EXPENSIVE smart phone and media package plan and get a pre-paid cheapo that simply makes and receives calls
2. trade in your gas guzzling late year model SUV that is costing you a FORTUNE each month for a good dependable used car
3. turn off your DISH network or Direct TV and watch old movies if you have to watch TV or rent one from Red Box for $1.00
4. quit eating out EVERY other night and make sandwiches at home
5. stop buying new outfits, earrings, shoes every weekend and wear something twice for a change
6. pay off your high interest credit cards and SWEAR that you will NOT finance anything unless it is a major purchase such as a car or home...nothing else is worth going into debt over. If the money is not in the bank, DON'T buy it. This goes for buying boats, four wheelers, and other unnecessary entertainment items.

Well, that's my list. If you can afford all of the above, more power to you. But if you can't afford all of the above and you are whining about your finances, get on your knees and ask God to give you the strength to make the necessary changes in your life and handle your money responsibly.

That's my sermon for today.

Now, where is the offering plate?

Road Trip - Part 3 "Great Aunt Ellen Had a Farm"

My mom's mother has a sister.

Her name is Ellen. Which would make her my mom's Aunt Ellen. And my Great Aunt Ellen...and Sydney's Great Great Aunt Ellen.

Which is entirely appropriate 'cause she is REALLY great.

Ellen is married to Pete. They have a farm and live out in the country. Their farm is scaled down from what it used to be, but still, it is a gorgeous piece of country that you would see in a magazine.

Gorgeous, eh?

While we were visiting my grandma and the shoe store in Missouri, we went out to visit Aunt Ellen. And it inspired me to write a song about our visit. It is to the tune of Old MacDonald Had a Farm, so feel free to hum as you read.

Great Aunt Ellen had a farm.

E-I-E-I-Oh!

And on that farm she had some horses, E-I-E-I-Oh!

There were 3 little horses

And Sydney really liked 'em

They had really cool names,

But can't remember what they were...

Great Aunt Ellen had a farm,

E-I-E-I-Oh!

And on that farm, she had some cows.

E-I-E-I-Oh!

With a moo, moo here..

And a mad lookin' cow there

Big black cows that

looked kinda scary

Great Aunt Ellen had a farm, E-I-E-I-Oh!

And on that farm, she had a swing, E-I-E-I-Oh!

And the little girl swang, and she swang, and she swang

She swang in the breeze and talked about the trees

Great Aunt Ellen had a farm, E-I-E-I-Oh!

And on that farm, she had cats and dogs, E-I-E-I-Oh!

With a Kitty Mew Mew here

And a doberman named Joy there

Who played with a coffee can,

And was really crazy,

Great Aunt Ellen had a farm, E-I-E-I-Oh!  

And on that farm, she had a beautiful stocked pond, E-I-E-I-Oh!

And a paddle boat too,

In which Gigi tried to fish

With water spiders everywhere

And a kid without a care

Great Aunt Ellen had a farm, E-I-E-I-Oh!

And on that farm, Gigi actually caught a fish, E-I-E-I-Oh!

Which Syd had to kiss



which flipped it's fin in her face

Which made her laugh at loud





Which entertained the entire crowd

Great Aunt Ellen had a farm,

E-I-E-I-Oh! 





Road Trip Part II - Shoe Diva

Let me introduce you to my absolutely all-time favorite shoe store.

It is called Nearly Perfect Shoes."

Theses stores are only found in the boot heel region of Missouri.

If you adore shoes like I do, it is worth the drive to snatch up some of the most UNBELIEVABLE

bargains you will EVER see.

And lucky for me, my Grandma lives in the boot heel of Missouri.

So, a trip to Grandma's automatically means a trip to Nearly Perfect Shoes.

See, when name brand super expensive nice shoes that are sold in department stores don't meet inspection for the slightest reason (say there is a small nick on the sole or maybe a shoelace is 1 inch too short)

they cannot be sold in stores and that is where Nearly Perfect Shoes comes in.

I figure, my feet aren't perfect so why should my shoes be?

Especially when they are sold at a FRACTION of the price.

I took Sydney to Nearly Perfect Shoes for the first time and I have never been prouder.

 She is a SHOE DIVA..just like her mama.

She squealed with delight as she scanned the aisles...just like her mama.

She tried on pair, after pair, after pair, after pair of shoes and smiled with glee...just like her mama.

She jumped for joy when she found the perfect pair...just like her mama.

She put the shoes on and pranced around and them placed them back on the rack...just like her mama.

She shopped till she dropped and didn't know when to stop buying shoes...just like her mama.

I am proud to say that I bought a VERY comfortable pair of Clark's that retail at for $85...for $28.

And...a gorgeous pair of New Balance tennis shoes that retail for $109...for $32.

And...a fantastic pair of Origins clogs that retail for... heck if I know... for...$22.

And I could go on, but you would just continue to be insanely jealous of my fabuluscious deals.

So, do yourself a HUGE favor and make the trip to Nearly Perfect shoes.

Now, excuse me while I visit their website and grab those flame covered tennis shoes that I made Sydney put back on the rack.

Toddler Road Trip 2011 - Part 1

During a moment of mental weakness, I volunteered to accompany my mother (and bring my toddler along) on a road trip to Missouri to visit my Grandma. Don't get me wrong, I love my Grandma. She is VERY special to me. I would go see her more often if she didn't live 600 miles away. I have FOND memories of my grandma.

But this trip was going to be different...It was just mom, me, and Sydney. It felt a little weird to not have a man along with us during this long trip. You can always count on them to change a tire, pop the hood open, and perform any necessary magic to bail you out of automotive trouble. I tried to plan for everything that could happen that would require intervention.

My first priority was to ensure Sydney's happiness during the trip. 10 - 11 hours is a long time for a kid to be in a car seat.

I finally broke down and bought a portable DVD player. I do not know why I have waited so long... I guess it was because I never had one. Pure jealousy. Best $$ I have ever spent. Period.

I packed candy, snacks galore, excessive amounts of toys, every CD & DVD she owned, and lots of wet wipes. MANY wet wipes.

The trip started out great. We left very early in the morning and Sydney watched the sun come up. She kept saying, "Pretty! Beautiful!"

She took a nap.

She sang songs to us. She watched videos. She was undeniably the most perfect traveling baby to ever walk this planet. Unbelievably agreeable, cooperative, sweet, and most of all, QUIET...even after nearly a half day of driving with only a stop or two for gasoline.

I rejoiced and sang praises to my Lord for the safe and calm trip to Grandmas.

As a reward, I took her to the local park where she frolicked and played...in the 104 degree heat, sweating profusely, at 7:00 PM, with a heat rash.

*Let me pause to say something about Missouri heat. We Texans need to SHUT UP about our heat. We have heat, yes, and humidity...but it does not even COMPARE to the humidity and heat in a place like Missouri. It literally feels like someone has a wet flannel blanket wrapped around your mouth and head as you are walking through the depths of Dante's Inferno. I am not kidding. I have never experienced heat of this magnitude.*

Anyway...little did I know that my angelic child was about to introduce me to the Eternal Night of Horrors.

I drove the entire way. My back hurt. My eyes were scratchy and dry from the air conditioning blasting my face. I was EXHAUSTED and ready to drift off to Sleepy Land. My child had other plans.

She was in a strange place. She had been in a car seat all day. Her agenda for the evening was:

1. Do not sleep.
2. Stay awake.
3. Do not sleep.
4. Cry.
5. Whine/Fuss/Whine/Fuss
6. Do not sleep.
7. Refuse to lay down.
8. Kick mother in face/chest/stomach.
9. STAY AWAKE AT ALL COSTS.

She followed the agenda to the letter. I drifted in and out of conscienceness. I prayed. I cried. I begged her to please lay down. I subjected myself to unending and annoying Elmo videos. I DID EVERYTHING I humanly knew how to do to get her TO GO TO SLEEP.

By 4:00 a.m., she was picking up speed and I was about to lose it. My mom and I put Sydney in the car and drove her to town and back. Miraculously, she drifted off.

But when we got back home, I clicked the car seat buckle to gingerly lift my cherubic precious one out of her seat, and her eyes popped open and she said, "ALL DONE!"

I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I flung my child towards my mother and collapsed on the couch. I got 1 hour and 20 minutes (maybe) of brief shut-eye. Sydney NEVER went to sleep.

I called my pediatrician a couple hours later (when they opened at 8:00) and got expert advice.

Needless to say the nurse on duty was amazed that my child had gone nearly 30 hours without sufficient sleep. He told me to give her an adult dose of Benadryl because one of us had to get some relief...and since she was 2.5 and above the weight limit, it would be safe. I do not believe in drugging my child to induce sleepiness....yep, that is what I used to believe. I FIRMLY believe in this now. Don't judge unless you've been there, my friend. You gotta do what you gotta do.

I. was. about. to. pass. out. So, I considered it a safety issue, ran down to the local pharmacy, and gave Sydney a dose. She was out in 15 minutes and slept 4 hours. And while she slept, I slept, and all God's children slept.

Thank you Jesus.

Every night was a battle to get her to sleep and I counted the days until we returned home and I could get her back in her Sealy posturepedic bed.

That sums up Day 1 of our trip. Tune in again this week for more exciting events on my Toddler Road Trip 2011.

Cousins Haiku

Two blondes one brunette

giggling, splashing, smiling too

loving summer fun.