Happy Birthday, Aunt "Skeeter"!

I stayed Sunday thru Tuesday morning in Wadley, visiting and catching up with my family and Aunt "Skeeter". We enjoy our time together so much. It was hard going back to work on Tuesday after spending all day Monday talking about food, family, blogging, and um, more food. I also introduced Aunt "Skeeter" to Pioneer Woman. I got tickled listening to her getting tickled while reading PW's cookbook and blog in the next room. Aunt "Skeeter" has a great sense of humor and her laugh is contagious. So is PW's...they would make great friends.

On Tuesday, I headed back to Augusta just in time for work. It was a great day knowing that when I got off I would have spend-the-night company waiting on me at home--mama and Aunt "Skeeter"; I just can't get enough of them! It was Aunt "Skeeter's" twenty-fifth (plus a few but hey, no one is counting!) birthday. We had dinner at this wonderful restaurant called Manuel's Bread Cafe at Hammond's Ferry in North Augusta.

We sat outside; the weather was pleasant and the atmosphere was quiet. I ordered Cod Nachos for an appetizer  (UNBELIEVABLE!) and grilled pineapple and fruit salad with Greek yogurt for dinner. The nachos were huge and there was enough to share and have leftovers. Mom and Aunt "Skeeter" ordered salads. We particularly enjoyed the beets on the salad--they shared a few bites:)We stuffed ourselves stupid but had already made up our minds earlier that we wanted dessert and knew exactly where we wanted to go to get it. Our waiter gave Aunt "Skeeter" a dessert of her choice "on the house". She choose Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake and decided to save it and leave for Brandon to have when he gets home on Friday (she loves him). Now I feel it's an appropriate time to say a quick prayer over the cheesecake-- "Lord, I pray I will have the willpower to let it be in the frig, where it belongs (not in my belly) and save it for it's intended purpose. Amen."

Aunt "Skeeter", Me, and Mama at Manuel's Bread Cafe

Now for the exciting part of the evening--Dessert! We took Aunt "Skeeter" to the Boll Weevil in downtown Augusta. They have the largest layered cakes known to man. They are so large that 3-4 people can share one slice and still have leftovers. We let Aunt "Skeeter" choose and after some pretty intense decision-making she selected the Chocolate Coffee Toffee Cake. Y'all this bad mamajamma had coffee-toffee icing underneath dark chocolate icing and it was rich but oh so delightful. We got a couple cups of coffee and water and began digging in.

We had such a wonderful time and we made sure to remind each other throughout the evening. Aunt "Skeeter" made mention numerous times about how this was the best birthday she could remember having in a long time. I glad mama and I were able to spend it with her and we had fun making it special. Here's to many more visits, celebrations, and fun times together!

Love, xoxo

Playing Catch Up

So much has been going on in my life lately that it would make for a terribly long blog post if I tried to type it all out. I think I will start with the events of this last week until today.

Mom and I began a major adventure last week as we intro'd our new blog devoted just to recipes and our cooking excursions. Check us out here. We are so stinkin excited about this blog and haven't stop talking and thinking about it since.

Last weekend was enjoyable and relaxing. We had our friends, Barrett, Jennifer, and Claire, over for dinner on Friday night. I cooked Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore over white rice, fresh corn fritters, steamed broccoli, and garlic cheese croissants. Oh and Candy Bar Cake for dessert. Delicious!

Here is a pic we took with Claire using my iPad. Claire and Brandon and best buddies. It is so sweet to watch them play dolls and run and jump together. She likes me okay but this precious pumpkin loves her "Unca B":)

On Saturday night, we went over to the Gables for a Sunday School cookout. It was a fun time. I couldn't hang long as I was exhausted after  taking 2 classes at the gym Saturday morning, coming home and cooking until lunch, yardwork with Brandon after lunch, and then more cooking until party time.
I baked a Peanut Butter-Sour Cream Bundt Cake with Butterfinger-Ganache Glaze. Yum!

I also made my mama's famous baked beans for the cookout. Want these recipes and more? Well, follow "Our Friend Oven" and you will have access to them very soon;)

Sadly, on Sunday, I had to say a short goodbye to Brandon. He left before Sunday School for a week of work in Orlando. He's so darn sweet, though. On Saturday, he went out and bought an indoor orchid for me to sit on the counter so when I got sad I could look at it and be reminded of him. It's getting me by...

On a happy note, someone extra special came to Wadley on Sunday--the best aunt in the world, Aunt "Skeeter". Jasper and I headed to Wadley after Sunday School to make it in time for lunch with my family and then patiently wait on Aunt "Skeeter" to arrive. Mama and I have the most fun when she is around. She brought us each a paperback copy of "The Help". It made me VERY excited. I cannot wait to delve in but am waiting to get caught up on paperwork--BORING--before I become addicted (that's the word on the street). I think I will save the details of her visit for the next post. Don't want to wear you out with a lengthy post, my friends:)

Love, xoxo

What to Say...

Well I kind of lied, I suppose, in my last post about blogging some great recipes soon. Lord I do apologize ("and be with the starving Pygmies in New Guinea":) If it weren't for talking to my dad thirty minutes ago and him mentioning how much he missed my posts then another night would have trickled by without even logging onto "Up on Blue Berryhill". To tell you the truth I have lost all motivation for anything. I am tired and I don't feel well and I have a plethora of paperwork to complete and when I sit down at the computer to look at anything but work, floods of guilt consume me and I end up closing my laptop and calling it a night (or day). In fact tonight I came home from work, fed Jasper, laid on the couch, and attempted to complete this great book I've been reading called "Heaven is For Real." Around 8:08 my eyelids could not stay open for another second and I quickly fell asleep. I would still be lying there if it weren't for my sweetness who called and woke me up. I am glad I got off that sofa; I would have felt really crummy tomorrow morning.

Like I said, my days as of late have been really lazy. Failed workout regime, terrible eating habits, lack of sunshine, wg, etc. has gotten me in the slumps. Food has gotten the best of me. I need to figure out a way to do what I love--cooking, reading recipes, creating recipes--in a healthier way. I am tired of loving food but hating food. How does Pioneer Woman think about and cook food all day long but still keeps her figure? And Giada? Oh we won't even talk about how darn cute she is! Let me go and figure myself out...you might just here from me again tomorrow. So long for now friends.