The Suits Sisters

Goal: Twice Baked Potato Casserole. Recipe found here .  Level of mess {to clean up}:  Easy Eatable:  Yes, even Sara went back for seconds... Bottom Line: Easy recipe (I've made it before), feeds a crowd and the cool thing about this casserole is that while you're eating it, you can actually hear the arteries in your heart getting clogged. If you're a calorie counter, save some calories for this one. 

A post for Grandma and Grandpa 4 pounds on the left, 11 pounds on the right Holding a toy  Sitting up {The dreaded} Tummy time  4 month shots {with neon band-aids to prove it} Snuggling with her French lovey  Spitting up...all the time...

We celebrated, and were a part of, Kent's brother's wedding this past weekend. It was Suits Wedding #6. We snagged a family picture since Kent was not only in "real" clothes, but in fancy clothes!   iloveheriloveheriloveheriloveher  Have I mentioned that I come from a large in-law family?  That moment, at the end of the reception, when you're holding your tiny sleeping baby and you think, "Will I be at your  wedding someday?"  I'd be remiss (why yes, yes I did graduate from college) if I didn't give a huge thanks to our nanny, Anna. We dragged her to a bridal luncheon, wedding, reception and sat her on this red sofa for 6 hours watching babies and she never complained once!

Goal:  The Pioneer Woman's Iced Coffee Level of mess {to clean up}:  Easy Eatable:  Yes Bottom Line:  Easy, fun, tasty Anna and I set out to make iced coffee at the beach. Somehow Dad and I ended up making it. So far we were 1 for 1 together so I felt confident. We worked with top of the line equipment: a cool whip container, milk jug and pickle jar (which surprisingly didn't smell like pickles at all. Go Ma).  We made the coffee, after soaking it overnight, at breakfast and we were sippin' iced coffee on the beach in no time.  It was a big hit!  Added Bonus: Making your cup of iced coffee might make you fill like a super cool Barista.  

Happy Cow Appreciation Day better known as We'll Do Anything for Free Food 

Hope your Monday is off to a great start...

Dear Patch, that pack of Smarties on top of your dinner? You're welcome. Dear Mother in Law, thanks for paying for my peaches and frozen veggies today. Dear Chick fil A Workers, thanks for oohing and ahhing over my baby cow this morning. I was so overwhelmed I couldn't figure out what to order (3 count chicken minis + Coke Zero)   Dear Fellow Walkers Across the Lake Murray Dam, I didn't really  want   to smile and say "Good Morning" to all of you...I was just trying to be like my Mom. Dear Pediatrician, you are super laid back. Shouldn't we at least worry about something ? Dear Kent, this single parenting gig is for the birds. Come home soon. Dear Tiny Su, thanks for sleeping till 7 every morning. I owe ya.  Dear Ma and Pa, I anxiously check my email every morning waiting for mail from you. Thanks for being my pen pals.  Dear Boxes, if I trip over you one more time so help me...  Dear Whole Wheat Bagel with Melted Peanut Butter, no ...

cruisin' down sparks street  Although we don't have a full time job/calling/reason to move, we've watched enough HGTV to know that your house will sell quicker and easier when all of your junk  stuff is out of sight. A closet looks much bigger when there are 4 dresses in it instead of 40 (guilty). SO once the Missionaries moved out, we hit the ground running and began to pack things into boxes.  Boxes from Chick fil A that have pictures of waffle fries on the side of them.  And suddenly lunch at Chick fil A seems like a nice break from packing...  The Best Time to Pack: When you're sick of tripping over things in the middle of the night. When you think to yourself, "Someone just put me outta my misery!" When you want to run around the house yelling, "MY FAVORITE NATION IS DONATION!!!!"*  The Worst Time to Pack: When everything reminds you of your childhood home. When everything seems valuable or sell-able.  When "I might need this so...

It's been one week since The Big Goodbye Part 2 (See part 1 here ) and it doesn't get any easier, that's for sure. With 1 week left before BG2, Ma and I threw together a bucket list because Ma has this bad habit  quirk: Regrets. You could fly her to the moon and she'd come back and say, "I mean, it was great and all, but I kinda wish I had gotten 2 moon rocks instead of 1" or "I wonder if I talked enough to my fellow astronauts... Or maybe I talked too much??"  So we needed a visual list to cross things off, in order to feel accomplished. We finished everything on the list! We finished the last episode of Season 3 of Downton Abbey at Midnight, the day before they flew out (with a wake up call of 3AM), but we finished! 

We celebrated BirthChristGiving before Ma and Pa left. For all the holidays they'll missed. It was a fun filled event that included Christmas music, grilled steaks, homemade oreo ice cream and a white elephant gift exchange.   BABIES are cute at fake Christmas and we can't wait for the real deal. Santa, she's been nice so far...  Just chillin', listening to some Christmas music.   Kent taking time to reflect after drinking iced coffee from a  glass measuring cup.   HAPPY BIRTHCHRISTGIVING!!

Peach Ice Cream... which I've always thought was HOMEMADE until today is this the first year it's NOT homemade or have I been duped all along?    At the Peach Festival  on a swing, in the shade with a stylin', sleepy chick to keep us company   +Choosing not to watch my husband do fireworks for the youth group. I become the 85 year old Grandma of the group who worries and says that it's too loud, too close and too long.  

Mornings started on the front porch for most of us. For Ben  others it started by stumbling out of bed, onto the sofa for ESPN and then onto the beach.  2 stylin' girls ready to hit the beach!  Kitchen clean up crew  Here's our very own heart patient success story Although Ma still can't hit, she looked quite fab playing wiffle ball this year. Miss Skinny Minny.  This is what vacation is all about: leopard print shirts and wide-armed sleeping  We have a shrimp night and every year we've bought medium sized shrimp. This year Charlie bought jumbo shrimp and it turns out that jumbo shrimp make you feel fancy and RICH.  Why?  You dip them in butter and then you get two bites out of each shrimp. The second bite makes you feel ritzy and overindulgent. We put away 6 pounds easily. 

We spent a week at the beach. On the beach, really. This is the first year that everyone was on the beach early and stayed late into the afternoon.  Except for the one day when Mom went touring with a real estate agent.  Anna even applied sunscreen on.the.beach. instead of going back to the house every 2 hours. We were shocked.  Here's part of the set up.  Ben putting the finishing touches on his corn hole boards First time touching the ocean resulted in no reaction whatsoever. Maybe next year. Beach bums. The tiny beach bum was a trooper all week long.  Watching the NBA Finals  Grandma introduced Caris to HGTV  Cute bathing suits to match two cute girls  Baby GAP pink bathing suit $2 at local thrift store . BOOM. Chubby leg rolls! YES.  Uncle Wes helping Uncle Ben adjust Caris. It takes a village.