Wordy Wednesday

So I got this e-mail today and the title was "Little gator in East Texas" ....OK that's not little. Now, I'm from Southwest Arkansas, not far from East Texas... I've seen a few alligators, we have one that lives at the golf course next to my house and suns on the 18th green. I've even seen one while driving that stretched across my lane from white line to yellow line. Every time I've seen one I get super scared.

If I ever saw anything like the gator pictured below, which looks like it's been around since the dawn of the Dinosaurs, I would never get close enough to it to kill it. I would like to think I would run screaming in the other direction but I'd probably panic and roll up into a fetal position and pray...

Anyway my questions is..
What would you do if you saw this while fishing (still alive)??

Want more wordless Wednesday Posts??

Whoa Betty

Betty Crocker you will be the death of me!!! As most of you know I'm on a Gluten Free Diet because of My Celiac Disease. Gluten is what is in wheat flour. As long as I keep it out of my diet, I'm great! This eliminates most of the foods that would make my butt HUGE, like bread, cookies, cakes, you know, all the fattening stuff.

But now Betty Crocker has come out with a line of Gluten Free Foods. Now, there are a lot of gluten free recipes for cakes and cookies, but they are all a little dry, grainy, and crumble very easily.

Our Kroger and Our Wal-mart here in Benton hasn't had the Gluten-Free Betty Crocker line on the shelves yet, but Linda in the Claims department here at work saw them on her shopping trip in Little Rock and picked me up a box of Cookie mix and a box of Cake mix.

I made the cookies on Saturday and OH MY GOSH. I was in heaven. I'm a little addicted to Sugar, which sucks because too much of it will cause me to be hypoglycemic. But I didn't care this weekend! I ate half of the box of cookies before I baked them. Then the other half I ate for dinner. Can you believe that!!?? I ate Cookie Dough and Cookies for EVERY MEAL.

I felt very guilty because they were so good I couldn't believe they were gluten free! They weren't grainy, they didn't crumble, they were AMAZING. I can't wait to try the cake but I'm gonna wait at least a week so I can work off all the cookies I ate last weekend (yeah right) ha!

I went to bettycrocker.com and they have tons and tons of recipes that are all gluten free that you can make with the cake and cookie mixes. Like the Ooey-Gooey Rocky Road Bars...Just that title makes me hungry!
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box (19 oz) Betty Crocker® Gluten Free chocolate chip cookie mix
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
3 cups miniature marsh mellows

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix butter, egg and vanilla until blended. Stir in cookie mix until soft dough forms. Press dough evenly in pan.
2. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until top is golden brown and center puffs slightly. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Gently spread chocolate evenly over crust.
3. Set oven control to broil. Sprinkle nuts and marshmallows over melted chocolate. Broil with top 4 to 5 inches from heat 20 to 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted. (Watch closely; marshmallows will brown quickly.) Cool 30 to 45 minutes to serve warm or cool completely, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered.

Oh Lord help me stay away from fattening food!!! If you're on a gluten free diet...or even if your not, these are AMAZING try them now!

Sean's Blog Debut

Since I blog all the time and Sean just discovered a few weeks ago that I even had a blog, I thought I'd introduce you to him. Sean's quiet unless he knows you and then he annoys you because he talks to much. He loves to joke around and he is hardly ever serious. He doesn't dwell on anything for very long and he is a very straight forward kind of guy. He's also very loving and what you see is what you get with Sean. He's a country boy through and through, loves to hunt anything that moves, loves to steer wrestle, plays the guitar, and works on the farm but not by choice. He's a jack of all trades and there isn't hardly anything he can't do, the hard part is getting him to do it!!

I'd like to take this time to Brag on my husband and his accomplishments in the Rodeo this year. Since the Sean started in May he's won about $7,000 dollars. After you take out fees and gas that number is probably closer to $5,000 profit but I think that's pretty good for amateur rodeos. His biggest check has been $900. Most of them average out to be about 300 a rodeo. He really wants to start the pro-rodeo tour next year.

Josh told me It would be interesting to get Sean's point of view on the rodeos he goes to and I thought It would be cool to do that also. Sean thought otherwise. He's very shy and he's not a man of many words so I had to pry this information out of him. Hopefully he'll warm up to it because I'm gonna keep on interviewing him periodically whether he likes it or not.

We conducted this "interview" last night while watching TV so he was quite distracted with the Outdoor Channel. I do realize that next time I do an "interview" with Sean..the TV will have to be off. I started with a few Icebreaker questions that took me asking him three or four times before he realized I was talking.

Q. What's your favorite food ?

Q. Sean, what's your favorite food?

Q. Sean!

A. What?

Q. What's your favorite food?
A. Meat and Potatoes

Q. Where do you see yourself in two years?
A. If its the same time as now..in bed. (it was 10:30)

Q. What your favorite TV show?
A. Family Guy prolly'

Q. Are you excited about Duck Season?
A. Baby, why are you asking me all this crazy stuff?

Me: For my blog, now answer my questions..

Q. How did you feel when you broke the barrier Yesterday?
A . (made a farting sound with mouth) I don't wanna talk about it.

Q. Ok so what's the biggest pet peeve you have about me?
(he's quiet for a minute or two)

Q. What do I do that annoys you the most?

A. There's a lot I'm still trying to decide which one bothers me the most. (he's teasing...or at least he pretends to be teasing) OK..That you can't keep up with anything.

Q. Do you ever think you'll learn to take out the trash when I ask the first time?
A. Whatever!

Q. Are you excited about this finals weekend?
A. yes I'm very excited.

Q. Where are we gonna put the new saddle? if you win it?
A. In the paper for sale.
Q. How much are we gonna ask for it?
A. 20,000..just kidding

Q. What's the fastest time you've ever been at a rodeo
A. 3.2 I think

Q. What are you doing tomorrow?
A. Baling hay

Q. When did you learn how to steer wrestle?
A. when I was in high school

Q. Do you ever get nervous at the rodeo.
A. Not what I call nervous... I don't know it just depends where I'm at. I try not to get nervous. You only compete with yourself.

Q. Do you like it better with a big crowd watching or no crowd at all?
A. You don't notice em.

Q. How do you feel about queens contests
A. Don't' make me answer that truthfully
(Let me insert here that Sean HATES the Queens' contests they do at the Rodeo. They are always before the Steer Wrestling and they take about 30 minutes and it's an awful long time to wait before steer wrestling and who, besides little girls, wants to see the Queens competition? I apologize if I've offended anyone...but we still think they are ridiculous)

Q. How many bruises do you have on your body at the current moment from steer wrestling?
A. (starts to count them) Like seven or eight.

Q. What's your least favorite part about going to a rodeo?
A. Driving

Q. What's your favorite part?
A. You get to see all your friends

Q. How do feel about your facial hair?
A. I told you not to ask me stupid questions or I wouldn't answer them.

Q. Will you shave your face soon?
A. No.

Q. When is the next time you'll shave your face?
A. March, maybe.

Q. Does it itch?
A. no

Q. Does is bother you when icicles get stuck it them? (while duck hunting he grows a very long beard and icicles grow on his beard, it's gross)
A. No you don't feel them, that's the beauty of having a warm beard on your face.

This is what I have to kiss every duck season....I'm really dreading it. He's already started growing that ugly thing.

Next time I'll actually have something interesting to ask him about....

Holiday Decor.

I got so excited about decorating my house that I broke out the Halloween decor last week!! Probably a little early but I don't care!!

Notice the fall printed place mats and green matching napkins. I bought the place a few years ago at walmart..the napkins were a wedding gift. I have greenery around the tops of my kitchen cabinets, so I added some fall leaves for fun.

And what is Halloween without the Pumpkins? Notice the cute plastic Dog Food holders in the background. Don't they go well with my decor??

And of course Jack-O-Lanterns...closer to Halloween I will make some Real ones!!

I also have a cute straw scarecrow in the flower pot outside and the super cute berry wreath pictured below....just no pictures of it on my door.
Oh my gosh I can't wait for Christmas Decorating!!! I told Sean I wanted to put my Tree up Now! but he vetoed it...which is probably a good thing. I mean no one puts up their Christmas Trees before Halloween...BUT I really want to!!

Not Me Monday-

It's Not Me Monday Again!

Saturday I spent most of the day trying to get over a sinus infection and I did not eat Gluten Free cookies from Betty Crocker for ALL THREE MEALS! I felt it later on Sunday with indigestion. I Love Sugar!

Sunday, Sean and his Brother Jason and I went to Oklahoma to a Steer Wrestling Jackpot. We did not leave an hour and a half late and miss the Cowboy church service before the Jackpot. I did not sleep the whole 4 hour drive except when we stopped for breakfast. I did not drink 4 sweet teas, eat a snickers bar, a Frito chili pie, and then finish the day with a McDonald's Salad...cause you know, Salad's are healthy and non-fattening and I don't eat fattening foods.

Let me tell you a little story about Yesterday It's quite depressing.

There were 30 steer wrestlers entered in this Jackpot. There were three rounds. The first and second fastest times were awarded money in each round and then they awarded money and a buckle to the fastest time of the average of all three rounds.

Sean was sitting first in the average after round two. He was pretty far in the lead. He was a 4.4 in the first round, and that tied for third but won no money. In the second round he was a 4.2 which won him second place and won his entry fees back. In the third round he had to be below a 5.7 to win the average, $1500, and the buckle and of course bragging rights. (For Sean, a 5.7 is really slow. He averages about 4.1 ish a run for this year)

Sean backed into the box, patted his horse frosty on the neck and got set to run his steer. Sean nodded his head, which gave the OK to open the gate to let the steer out. Frosty took off out of the box and Sean gracefully slid onto the steers back and threw him down pretty hard. It looked beautiful! I knew it was a fast time. I just knew he had won, the other two guys that were close to him in the average had a No Time on their third steer so Sean had it in the bag.

Just for the record...never count your chickens before they are hatched. Never! The announcer called out 4.0 +10. He had broken the barrier. He left the box too early. This was a Sean error, not a horse error. I wanted to cry. Part of me was mad, but part of me was sad for him. I knew he really wanted this, he wanted it more than anything. If we could only go back in time 4 seconds, just four small seconds then Sean could wait .01 seconds and get out clean and win the Jackpot. If only. My heart felt like it was about to fall into my stomach. I really almost cried for him. He looked disappointed.

When I finally got to go talk to him, he was upset but OK. I'm a pretty competitive person, and I give up easily :) If it were me I would've quit! Of course this is coming from a girl who at age 6-10 would get mad and quit playing putt-putt if I didn't make a hole in one every time. Sean on the other hand just said, "Man that sucks. I guess I'll just have to do extra good next weekend to win more money." Wow, I wish I could have that attitude.

To end the story on a happy note, he did come out ahead $500 this weekend by winning the Rodeo on Saturday Night so we aren't that dissappointed. There's always another rodeo to win somewhere...

Which brings me to next weekend's rodeo.. Everyone wish us well next weekend when we go to the Arkansas Rodeo Association Finals. Sean will enter into the Finals, $2,500.00 ahead of everyone else, making him a "for sure" winner of the year end award. He will get a Saddle and Buckle. He still has to do good in the rounds to win money though and we need the money to pay the bills, so far it's kept us going! So say a little prayer for us Thursday-Saturday. We really need the money!

This is me and Sean after a long, hard, hot day, Dreading the 4 hour drive back to the house, don't we look tired? ha!

Happy Monday!!

Weddings

Tonight I'm laying in bed with my Chocolate Children (yes they are in bed with me) watching Saturday Night Live, waiting for Sean to get home from the Rodeo. He called a minute ago to let me know he won!! Yay! That means he'll enter into the finals next month in first place! This weekend was the last weekend of rodeos of the season. In three different associations he will enter into the finals in first place in two of them and fourth place in the other.

I've been under the weather this week. The fall has brought on a nice sinus infection complete with Fever and all night coughing. I was forced to stay home from work so I feel lost without my e-mail! Maybe I should figure out how to send my e-mails to my blackberry?

I started feeling better today and went with my friend Shannon to a wedding. She shoots wedding photos on the side as a little extra money maker for friends. She asked me to come and help. I got a chance to take a few photos myself and had a ton of fun! I haven't got to edit them on her photo shop program yet but though I would share a few with you!Hopefully I'll get to do many more weddings to get better and to get practice. Shannon and I are both going to start taking classes this spring for photography and I'm really excited! We are hoping to turn this little project into a full blown photo business sometime in the far future. We have a lot to learn and I know I'm hungry for all the info I can get on photography!!

Top Ten Thursday

Today's Top Ten Thursday is Hosted by Jen at It's a beauty Filled Life. This weeks topic is Your Top 10 Bucket List Items. This topic kind of stumped me. I've had to really think about it. I mean, I'm not a big risk taker and I'm kind of lazy so I don't set too many goals. But I've decided since my bucket list is really boring that you could look at pictures of Banjo trying to be a cow dog while Reading about what I have decided to do before I die. I am a procrastinator so I'll probably do these things right before I realize I'm gonna die. If it's an unexpected death I'm S.O.L on completing my bucket list items.

OK So # 10. Eat a Real Red Velvet Cake. Full of all the things I can't eat due to Celiac Disease!

9. Become Really good at Photography and open up a Studio!

8. Build a House with a huge closet and a Big Bathtub so I can take lots of bubble baths.

7. Rope in a Rodeo

6. Teach Sean how to Take out the Trash. (this is the one item on my bucket list I'm afraid I will never accomplish)

5. Pamper myself in a very nice Spa

4. Learn to Surf

3. Retire and travel everywhere!

2. Go to Australia and Scuba Dive in the Great Barrier Reef

1. Have Children!!

Well That's my List. It will probably change to things more relevant and important as I grow older, but for now those are my goals!

P.S.

Don't you love how Birdie is totally oblivious to what's happening behind her in the background?!

Cool

Look what I figured out how to do!!