Leigh vs. Laundry: December 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

The Happiness Project :: Week 45

Things have been pretty quiet

on the ol' bliggidy blog over the last week.

I've been enjoying the holidays with my family.

Here's a few snippets of our awesome Christmas.

Want to join me in my quest
to scout out happiness for a whole year?
Simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

The Happiness Project :: Week 44

We're busy over here, wrapping presents

and getting ready to go over to my parents' house

to celebrate Christmas Eve.

I just love the hustle and bustle.

You can feel the excitement in the air

as each gift is wrapped and topped with a bow.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Thursday, December 19, 2013

An Oldie but a Goodie :: I shocked myself by eating six dozen cookies in four days. Well, my husband helped, but the point is that the cookies are gone.

Originally posted 12/20/10

I had big plans for this post.

Last week I went to the annual cookie exchange
at my mom's best friend's house.

There were so many scrumptious cookies
made by seriously southern women
and I intended to photograph the
beautiful cookies and include recipes

but...we ate almost all of them
before I had a chance to grab a photo.

So, you'll just have settle
for a picture of the empty basket
full of abused wrappings that
was once overflowing with cookies.

Also, I'm feeling lazy
(probably from eating so many damn cookies)
so I've decided to just share the recipe
for the cookie that disappeared the fastest.

It is oh so gooey and yummy.

Enjoy and sorry that I don't
have a photo of said cookie.

They sure were good when
I ate them all up uncontrollably.

OATMEAL CARMELITAS

1 3/4 c. Quaker oats

1 1/2 c. flour

3/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 c. butter, melted

1 c. nuts, chopped

1 (6 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

1 (14 oz.) bag caramels

1/4 c. water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. Combine first five ingredients. Add butter, mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup for topping; press remaining mixture onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes; cool. Top with nuts and chocolate chips. In saucepan melt caramels and water, stir until smooth. Remove from heat and drizzle over bars, sprinkle with reserved topping mixture. Continue baking 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool. Cut into bars, store tightly covered in cool, dry place.

In other news...

Koen pointed at my belly this morning and said "ball?"

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Who knew that grits could change your life?

I'm completely obsessed with the

Southern Living Cheddar Cheese Grits Casserole recipe.

A lady in my Bible study made it for a pot lock recently

and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.

If you see me in real life

and I have a far away look in my eye

it's because I'm dreaming of this casserole.

I just had to share the recipe with y'all.

It's just about the yummiest thing

I've had in a long while.

Southern Living Cheddar Cheese Grits Casserole

Ingredients

4 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish: parsley sprigs

Preparation

Bring milk just to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in butter and grits. Reduce heat, and simmer, whisking constantly, 5 to 7 minutes or until grits are done. Remove from heat.
Stir in egg and next 3 ingredients. Pour into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until mixture is set. Serve immediately. Garnish, if desired.

Southern Living
NOVEMBER 2005

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The Happiness Project :: Week 43

We celebrated a little early birthday party

for Griffin over the weekend and

I don't mean to brag BUT

I pretty much came up with the perfect formula

for throwing the best party for a 9-year-old boy.

First, you buy a HUGE cookie cake.

Add to that, all of his friends and an indoor soccer arena.

If you put a ton of kids in a cage with two nets

and a soccer ball, they will have a blast.

The party pretty much takes care of itself.

Of course, adding an absurdly gargantuan pizza doesn't hurt.

Throw all of this together and

you will get yourself one beaming little boy.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

An Oldie but a Goodie :: A Cold Snap

Originally posted 12/7/11

We recently had a cold front blow through Georgia.
Temps got down to 32 degrees,
which is pretty chilly for folks around here.

It was just cold enough to leave
a blanket of ice on the world outside my door.

This made for grumpy conditions

inside my home each morning.
Between chasing the boys around
to squeeze them into big ol' coats,
gloves, hats, and mittens,
I would get a bit cranky.

The mad dash from the front door
to the chilly car was such a pain
and scraping the ice of the windshield
of my car was an unwanted
extra step in my already
rushed morning.

I would pull out of the driveway
with a scowl on my face
and damn the cold
as the heater in my car
tried to cough out warm air.

The boys would be marveling
at the patterns of ice on their windows
and I would barely hear how sweet
they were being in the curiosity.

I was simply too annoyed to see the beauty.

Then, as I unsuspectingly pulled
up to the exit of our neighborhood
and looked right to check the traffic,
I saw the most beautiful field covered in ice.

The winter sun shimmered on
the blanketed grass and
it looked like tiny crystals glowing.

How could I stay grumpy
when something so beautiful
glistened in the freezing air?

As I turned out of my neighborhood
to drive Griffin to his school
just up the road,
my heart took in all the beauty around me.

I offered up apologies to the winter air.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

The Stay at Home Mom Chronicles :: Griffin's Grooming Kit

My days around here seem to run together.

Ordinary moments unfold around me daily

and I need to stop and relish in them.

One day, my boys will be out living life

and I will miss these everyday experiences.

So, I am taking the time to document

the simple moments that pass between us.

I'm calling this little collection of memories...

Griffin's Grooming Kit

My mom recently bought Griffin

his very first grooming kit

and it's been a huge deal over here.

Each morning, Griffin takes a moment to

spray on his Batman Citrus Scented Body Spray.

I had to teach him to spray it and walk through it

because he was applying about 20 sprays in one sitting.

We had a little talk about there being a fine line

between smelling fresh and smelling stinky from over-application.

He's also very proud of his Citrus Scented Hair Gel.

Before school, he puts a glob of gel in his hand

and smacks it onto the front of his hair.

He then grabs his Batman comb and

runs it through the gel, creating one smoothed down

and crusty spot on his head.

He refuses to use our trusty "No tears baby shampoo"

and has to wash his hair with his citrus scented shampoo.

It's so cute to see his little hair product

lined up in the shower next to mine.

My little guy is growing up, just a bit.

I know I'll always treasure the memory

of my almost 9-year-old boy's first grooming kit.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

The Happiness Project :: Week 42

Our Christmas tree ornaments

make me ridiculously happy.

Each one holds a special memory.

I just love this nest my mom and Koen

made together last year,

those little thumbprint chicks are so sweet.

Lately, I've found myself stopping

in front of the tree as I pass by

and reflecting on each ornament.

When we were decorating,

we couldn't find one box in storage

that held all of our non-breakable ornaments.

We searched high and low and finally gave up.

I was sooo sad until I remembered

where I'd put them the next day.

So, now I have even more of

an appreciation to see them hanging.

I know that it's silly that

a grown woman gets so excited

about a Christmas tree

but I treasure the memories attatched

to each decoration

and love to have them

visit us for a short time each year.

Monday, December 9, 2013

The Legend of Tomorrow :: Episode 3

When we last left the residents

of the sleepy town of Tomorrow,

Helen had just been given a vial of poison

to use on her philandering husband, Lovelace

and his suspected mistress, Mindy.

As she rode through the town square,

Helen saw Mindy up ahead

and in a fit of passion, kicked her horse into

a frenzy and he barrelled through town towards her nemesis.

Her horse chased Mindy down a secluded alley

and trampled her to the ground.

She fell over without the slightest scream.

Corbin's baby would surely be lost now.

In a panic, Helen fled the Village of Tomorrow

and left Mindy alone, suffering in isolation.

Hours later, when Lovelace couldn't find Mindy,

he ventured out into the woods to see

if she'd escaped to clear her mind.

He wanted her to move to the town

of Yesterday with him with all of his heart.

He searched well into the night.

Meanwhile, Helen had fled in

such a hurry that she mistakingly

dropped the vial of poison in the snow.

Little Lucy Smith happened upon it

and thought that it was fruit juice,

drinking down the poison in one gulp.

Her knees buckled and she fell to the snow,

the world spinning as she tried to focus her eyes.

Even the ducks were worried about her.

The next morning, a crowd had gathered

in the town square at the request of Corbin and Trudy.

It was Mindy's birthday and they had organized

an awesome party but Mindy never arrived to

hear them shout "Surprsie!"

It had all been a horrible mistake.

Helen and Lovelace happened upon each other in the woods.

She reached into her pocket for the vial of poison

and realized it was no longer in her pocket.

Lovelace pretended to be excited to see her

but kept one hand on the pistol in his pocket.

He would marry Mindy

even if it meant ending Helen.

Only one of them would leave the woods alive!

Tune in next time to find out...

Did Mindy lose Corbin's baby?

Would little Lucy Smith survive?

Could the guests return all of Mindy's birthday presents for a full refund?

Who survives in the fight between Helen and Lovelace?

All of this and more will be revealed on the next episode of

The Village of Tomorrow.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

The Legend of Tomorow :: Episode 2

When we last left Mindy,

she was seeking solace at The Hunter's Tavern

after seeing her ex-boyfriend, Corbin

tightening the laces on her sister, Trudy's ice skates

in the middle of the town square.

She knew better than to drink away her worries,

there was a slight chance that she was carrying Corbin's child.

Instead, she wandered over to the cafe and ate two pancake specials,
with bacon, a side of hashbrowns, a biscuit, a slice of apple pie,
and drank 6 cups of coffee.

She was always an emotional eater.

As she walked home with an upset stomach

and a broken heart, she happened upon Mr. Lovelace.

She took a step back, they had always loved each other from afar

but he was engaged to Helen, Mindy's arch enemy.

Mindy knew better than to get tangled up with Lovelace.

Yet, her heart raced beneath her heaving chest as they spoke.

Helen happened upon the two talking,

her heart stopped because she knew that

Lovelace had always carried a torch for Mindy.

As she hid behind a snow covered tree,

she heard the dreaded words escape Lovelace's mouth;

"Mindy, forget Corbin. You know that I've always loved you."

Helen's tears froze on her cheeks

as she hurried to the town medium, Zelda for advice.

She told her that the only way to stop

Mindy and Lovelace would be to destroy both of them.

She gave her a vile of poison to do with what she saw fit.

Mindy had fled from Lovelace,

her heart was shattered by Corbin

and she knew she would never love again.

Lovelace came to her in the night,

declaring his love and begging her to run away

with him to the town of Yesterday, which

was two towns over.

They could get jobs and live on love.

Meanwhile, back in the town square,

Corbin leaned in closer to Trudy

as they planned a surprise birthday party for Mindy.

He missed her so and Trudy was a great party planner.

The two spoke in whispers as they made plans.

It was all a huge misunderstanding.

Tune in next time to find out...

will Helen poison Lovelace?

Will Mindy move to the town of Yesterday with Lovelace?

Was she carrying Corbin's baby?

Would she find out about the surprise the party?