Sweet Cece's!

I must say, this week has been somewhat stressful, but nothing unbearable. A highlight is how it was nicely topped off with a treat, frozen yogurt! Because we had to pick up a few things at H-E-B, it was convenient how Sweet Cece's was next door to it!

 

Inside was a cute tree filled with lights and flashy ornaments, we didn't get a picture of it.. But we snapped one of the conversation chair that sat in the middle of room. How cute is that?!

                                                   Now, onward to the yogurt! I loved the
                                            cute little area where the flavors where at, especially
                                                                 the "roof" on top!


                                    


                                                 This is all [actually most] of the toppings!
                                             Seeing it gave me great Joy, it reminded me of Willy Wonka.

                                                                       Our cups......
                                                    

                                                                I thought this was too cute!
                                                           This was on the wall, wasn't close enough
                                                                 so I had to use the zoom.
                                                                             

                                         Overall, I'm happy with the experience I  had coming here.
                                                 The yogurt was great and it was adorable inside.
                                                    It's definitely worth another go! Loved it!

Cats, Turkey and Black Thursday

It seems like I'm getting about a post a week.

I guess that's better than nothing!

CC and I cleaned the front yard last week.

Manziel enjoyed playing outside with us....

you know, the cat that showed up at our house a few weeks ago and never left.

Little did he know just one short week later he would be crated up

and on his way to get neutered!

This boy is so wild that surgery didn't even stop him.

He was ready to play and run and be terrible just a short while after we got home.

And now he and Luigi are best friends....

after Luigi didn't know who he was and chased him up a tree! 

We have been enjoying making Caramel Apple Cider....

one of our favorite things to do when the weather turns colder! 

I love this time of year because they sell whole turkeys.

I love making turkey.

Emil's mom came from Dallas for a few days last week and I made a turkey for us.

I seasoned it up with rosemary, basil, tarragon and Herbs de Provence. 

Then I stuffed it with apples, onions and halved garlic cloves....

It was so moist and juicy and delicious!

It was perfect! 

CC made rolls from one of Mom's recipes. 

Emil's Mom, Karina, and her granddaughters. 

And I have been having lots of Cafe Lattes.... 

Thursday, Thanksgiving, Emil decided he wanted a pecan pie....so.....

the smart girl that I am, thought.... "I know Wal-Mart is open today....

Maybe I should just run by there....."

HUGE mistake!

Apparently Black Thursday was going on..

It was a riot.

I have never seen anything like it my life. 

I had to have a worker escort me through the bakery just to get a pecan pie...

there was a line there of people waiting to buy a TV.

Insanity.

That's the only word for it. 

Definitely something I will never forget....

or make the mistake of running to Wal-Mart on Thanksgiving ever again! 

Friday CC had her first part in the service meeting.

She did so good. She is usually so shy, and I was worried,

but she was great! 

We all went to watch her as a family.

It was a night I will forever remember, having all of us there together,

watching CC do her part.

I wish Mom was there to see it too. Then it would have been perfect! 

I had a MAJOR scare.

My Charlie, my perfect, sweet, prince, baby boy Charlie, got sick.

Real sick.

He was laying in bed all Saturday, then by Saturday evening he wasn't able to even stand.

Each time he tried, his legs were shaking and he'd fall.

Somehow he made it to Lena's room Saturday night and he didn't move or potty afterwards.

All day Sunday I was so nervous at work and going back and forth on taking him to the emergency vet or waiting to see if our regular vet could see him Monday.

Our vet had an opening today, so I called in and switched my day off.

Yes, I swapped my only day off for the rest of the year to stay home with my sick cat.

We have what I feel is the best vet ever, Dr. McGhee.

We were lucky to get him. Days that he is there are usally so booked up.

Charlie has arthritis, lower back inflammation and an infection.

He was given two shots and sent home with two bottles of pills.

The medicine must have done it's magic because he walked out of his carrier when we got home.

He used the litter box and was jumping on the couch and even made his way up to snuggle

with me until I fell asleep.

I was terrified that something really dire was happening to him. 

I know he's 12 and things are going to start going downhill, but I am so in love with my little boy it broke my heart to see him in pain.

If you thought he was spoiled before...HA! You haven't seen anything yet!

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On another note, no more college football until the bowl games.

What ever will I do with my Saturdays???

I guess homework...and housework... and studying....and cooking...

and all the things I seem to neglect when college football starts.

And Johnny "Football" Manziel...

too good for words....

too good!

I hope he gets the Heisman!

Colors, Coffee and an IMPORTANT MESSAGE

Two weeks ago on my days off, the girls and I went to the park.

To our surprise, the trees were trying to change a little color.

I loved seeing these Texas trees try so hard to produce

the rich colors that fall brings. 

It definitely made my heart smile.

The girls enjoyed the cooler weather too.

Even though we were in the beginning of November,

you will notice CC and I still have sandals on! 

I also managed to get a photo of Bella.

As big as she is, once she senses the camera she begins moving

and photographing her is nearly impossible.

But we got it this time.

I love this little brat so much.

She makes life hard, very hard in fact, but I love

her and I am so happy we have her! 

My red cutter rose also has been busy lately giving me some

beautiful blooms.  

With everything that has happened this year, I haven't had the

chance to photograph, or even care for, my roses the

way I would like to. 

The girls and I went out to this cute little area for Starbucks drinks

last Tuesday. I had to snap a picture of the

sky before we left.

It was so beautiful! 

My smart girls both ordered cold drink and their pretty little

hands were freezing! 

We did get a few pictures of us. 

It was bittersweet for us because this is the cute little shopping center

we would always go to with Mom once the weather got cooler.

We go get a holiday flavored Starbucks drink then walk over to

Bath and Body Works to get some good smelling sanitizers

and lotions. 

Not all of the trees were lit up and the area around the

little bridge was dark as well.

I told the girls this just means we will have to go back again! 

This week has been super busy.

Work has been non-stop.

I told my Papa Bear sometimes at the end of the day

my mouth is so tired of talking!

I love my job and I love helping people out,

but sometimes it feels like the words just all run together

and I'm not giving each member individualized treatment.

What I have learned from my job, and if anyone is reading this, I BEG you take it seriously....

GET RENTAL REIMBURSEMENT ON YOUR INS POLICY!

I cannot tell you how many claims I have submitted where the member runs over

and object in the road or hits a deer or just plain, old has a wreck...

they are traveling (as so many will be doing now) and they have no rental reimbursement

on their policy.

I have to tell them all I can do is take the report, call a taxi for them and that is it.

Rental is only a few dollars a month, and the headache it will save you in the long run is well worth it!

also...

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE....

don't travel with only $4.26 in your checking account and with no credit cards.

I don't care if it's a pre-paid card, if you are getting in a rental or have to rent a hotel...

YOU WILL NEED A CREDIT CARD AND MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT!!!

I wish I was joking.

I'm not.

I've had a family of four, including an infant and a dog, driving in the middle of states,

located in the middle of nowhere, get in an accident.

They didn't have rental on their policy and only a few dollars in their accounts.

They were hours from home and hours from their destination.

I've had the state trooper yell at me that I should be giving them more coverage.

I. DIDN'T. SELECT. THEIR. POLICY.

THEY DID!

Please review your insurance policy and if you are traveling this holiday season,

please add collision coverage and rental reimbursement.

The fact is... you never know what may happen.

And just because you have 25 cars at home (yes, I've taken that call) and think you don't need

rental reimbursement, if you're in an accident and you are no where near home

or your destination, how much help are those other 24 cars going to be?

None.

You can always remove the coverage after the holidays

but for now, make sure your insurance policy

gives you the best coverage you can get!

Turkey and Stuffing Balls w/Cranberry Sauce

When I was sitting in the doctor's office earlier this week I flipped through

the pages of a working mothers magazine.

There were a few simple recipes listed.

The one that grabbed my attention was Turkey and Stuffing Ball

with cranberry sauce.

The recipe itself is really, really easy.

MEATBALLS:

1 1/4 cups of packaged seasoned stuffing

1 1/4 cups turkey or chicken stock

1 lb of ground turkey

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 medium apple, peeled and grated

1/4 cup finely grated onion

2 tsp poultry seasoning (they suggested Bell's)

2 large eggs

You can also get creative and add: 

1/4 c. finely chopped celery

1/4 dried cranberries

SAUCE:

1 (16 oz) can of jellied cranberry

1 tsp of brown sugar

1 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce

To cook the meatballs:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line two

baking sheets with non-stick Reynold's foil.

(My suggestion because I LOVE that foil soooo much!)

2. In a small bowl, stir together the stuffing and stock and allow to

stand for about 2 minutes to soften.

3. Place the turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt, pepper, apple,

onion, poultry seasoning, eggs and stuffing mixture

and stir until well blended.

4. Form 1 1/2 in balls, place on foil lined pan and bake

about 20 minutes or until firm, and golden.

To make the sauce:

1. Combine all three sauce ingredients in a large saucepan.

2. Bring to boil over medium heat.

3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The recipe calls for you to toss the meatballs in the cranberry sauce.

I personally liked having the sauce in a little bowl

and dipping each turkey ball in it.

You can even place a toothpick in each turkey ball for dipping.

However you serve it, it's delicious and fun!!

I hope you enjoy!

And visit Kelly for more delicious side dishes!

Picture Dump....

Why is it so hard to find time to blog?

After getting home from work, it's late...we eat, I try to spend

some time with Emil and the girls.

Before I know it, it's after midnight...

and I have to get to bed, only to wake up,

get Emil ready for work,

get myself ready for work...

and back to the office I go.

I need a vacation!

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Micah's eye started looking watery...

then dripping and swollen....

So we took him to the vet....

Too much money and eye lubricant later he is all ok... 

 The girls and I went to Nightmare on Grayson for the last time ever.

They are closing their doors this year.

Our tradition is over. 

It was bittersweet. 

We tried to take in every moment of it.

We are still in our Aggie gear! 

Speaking of the Aggies,

we've been enjoying watching Manziel do his thing

along with Swope, Malena and Evans every Saturday.

Even Micah enjoyed watching the Aggies whoop

Mississippi State Bulldogs! 

Our next favorite.... Alabama's Crimson Tide

has been doing exceptionally well.

I admit, I might have shed a few tears with McCarron

when they made the winning touchdown against

LSU...or as Lena says...

LSBoooooo!

CC even made a red velvet cake to cheer

on our teams!! 

Lena made me this super cute and fall perfect

background for work.

I love all beautiful creations she comes up with! 

It is November,

but Texas weather doesn't know it yet.

In fact, we're still wearing sandals and on most days

shorts! 

My roses are still blooming.

I did lose my white Kennedy rose this year.

I haven't decided what I putting in it's spot.

But my knockout, Peace and Cutter roses are doing great!! 

We've also enjoyed taking photos of the moon.

The moon is so beautiful this time of year. 

I finally found the man in the moon (not on this picture)

and Lena found a rabbit. 

And we've been taking nightly walks...

mostly to capture images of the moon!

But the weather has been cool enough at night

that you don't almost get a heat stroke being out in it! 

Yesterday I took the girls to the park.

I've had a few days off from work, so I've been catching up homework, housework

DVR'd shows and resting.

I also had a very important test done earlier this week.

We are hoping for a good outcome. I'll find out more in a week when the results roll in.

The girls and I stay up watching the election.

It was sooooo fun!

Nail biting at times.

Then we stayed up for Romney's speech.

I recorded our President's speech.

Couldn't stay up that late!!

HA! Now I KNOW I'm getting old.

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There's been this cute, young, little orange and white kitty hanging around the house.

We tried to let him in because it was cold out and he was hungry,

but he was too aggressive w/ our other cats, so we put him back out

with an old dirty towel, bowl of water and food.

Now he hangs around all the time and we

have to dash in and out of the house.

I feel sorry for the little guy!