Brigilicious Delish

It is no secret that I enjoy cooking. Blair will be home tomorrow afternoon and both of these recipes taste better the next day. Brigilicious Delish even if I say so myself!  Southern Living has has a new recipe this month, pound cake with strawberry glaze swirled in the middle. Can't wait to try it  Pound cake meets strawberry cake.Yummy!

 I started weight watchers this week and well.... neither Clay nor I could resist warm cake. I have extra points and one piece won't hurt, that is if I can stop at one piece.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Brigitte Barkley

1 ½ cups butter softened

1 8 oz softened cream cheese

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

3 cups all purpose flour

1/8 tsp salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy, gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs one at a time.

Combine flour and salt, add to butter mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla. Pour into greased and floured 10 in Bundt pan.

Bake at 300 for 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Potato Salad

Brigitte Barkley

2 ½ cups potatoes cooked and sliced

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp vinegar

½ cup chopped purple onion

1 ½ tsp salt

1 ½ tsp celery seed

¾ cup real mayonnaise

2 hard cooked eggs sliced

Boil potatoes with skins on, peel and slice while warm. Add vinegar and sugar and let set for a few minutes. Add remaining items and toss to blend. Chill and serve.

I make way more than the recipe call for, as many potatoes that will fix in my dutch oven.

Just in case you are wondering

 my lil plant is still a growing. I think it is happy here! This is been such a special daily reminder.

Thoughts of a year

Ok I know I get to thinking and then wham--- too much info and too many thoughts running in my head
Lots of things happen in a year,365 days,52 weeks. Some good, some bad, some planned, some not.

Mom got sick March 1st of last year. It was horrible for a few months.  I did not think she would still be here. It all sounded so scary then.  Amazing, she and my daddy just got home from a 10 day trip.

At this time last year it was all prom,graduation and college talk. The thought of all it stressed me out. Exciting but stressful, I could not imagine our home without Blair. One year later we are doing it.I have survived and she has blossomed!
.
One year ago I weighed my heaviest ever and vowed I would be healthy and never be that size, went on a diet lost 17 pounds, got back in my clothes and one year later I am at that weight plus 5 more!

Last New Years I vowed to see my old friends. I have lunch with maybe two old friends.

We have baby Allie Grace and are expecting little Stella Jo.

Garrett has grown 3 inches and got his drivers license.

One year ago on Valentines I cooked dinner for Garrett and his sweet girlfriend Miranda. She passed away in November one day after her 16th birthday.

I have not been to my inlaws in Gruver in well over a year, I have seen them 3 0r 4 times, just not been to Gruver.
I have had one sale in 2011 that totaled more than what I sold in 2010.

One year ago, Clay had a good job with insurance and great benefits, he was laid off in December.

We celebrated our 21 anniversary and Clay still loves me.

I am almost 45 years old. I  look older, feel a little older and but also feel wiser.

My sweet little Sunday School class has changed and I have all girls this year.

When I look back and I am just so thankful that God is in control. I am so thankful that I put my faith and trust in Him. Good and bad situations come along. I never dreamed a year ago that sweet Miranda would not be alive, I really thought my mom would be gone. Things happen, not always how we think they should and often not as we plan..... but I trust it is in God's time and in His plan.

What will this year bring?

Jan 12 and Feb. 13

I have discovered one good thing about blogging, I am seeing a pattern. Feb.13--- I was a grouchy bear according to Facebook and on Jan 12 --I admitted to being grouchy on here. Wonder what that could be? I had this lovely procedure done a few years ago and the only way I know it is PMS time is my mood.

Let me just tell you, that I was a pain in the butt well maybe a-- yesterday.
I was mad at the guys all day, I ranted and gripped and was just ugly! No fun for anyone and not fun for me either. It wears me out. I know I am doing it and I just can't seem to stop. That dang laundry, those dishes and that awful video game.... well..... it was all on my very last nerve. Poor Clay, Poor Gar and even poor Blaze.
Thank goodness I feel better today and thank goodness it is not an everyday occurrence. Hope my guys will still love me!
I think I will go cook something really good, do the dishes and not say one rude remark!

Happy Valentines Day and really I do think this day is a bit overated. Oh well....... that is a whole other blog....

Finally a new post-----

I was excited yesterday that Tammy Pollan told me she had missed my blogs. I have been so busy that I just have not had time to sit and type. Most of you already know this but I am a horrible typist. I really should have paid attention to Mrs Caldwell. So I try to type fast and then it is all messed up, I correct and then my five minute at the computer takes way too long.
Fast catch up:
Snow and ice == alot of work for a mama. I cooked, picked up and did laundry more than I like. I had to have patience for a house full of kids and a house full of messes. I had to remind myself and Clay, that we were making great memories. Day two of the snow was a blast. We ended up with 19 or 20 people at the farm and we played hard. We pulled people behind the truck on a knee board..... I know not safe, but really.... don't you have a fun memory of doing this. I figure it should be on a bucket list....something you can say... I have done that.We came in for lunch and you should have seen  my entry way---Tammy has a photo she needs to share and then you will understand. That afternoon we did a little redneck sledding. From boogie boards, skin boards, knee boards and stadium cushions, we tried it all.  The videos are priceless, the memory priceless and the best thing no one was hurt.

This week we had 4 basketball games...... A tough season for the Braves and needless to say I will be glad when we play the last game Tuesday night and walk out of the gym.  We have not had a Friday night open since mid August and this family is ready for a break.

Blair had her first week of being sick away from home and she is still like a demanding two year old.... she needs what she needs and she needs it right then. I think she called me a bazillion times in one day. I was at the office.... trying to work and  if I did answer my cell phone she would call the office phone. Anyway she survived and so did I. Actually  it was very nice to know she still needs her mama.

I have been busy with work and then on top of normal daily things I have not had much time.

As far as my small changes..... well I stink and am still looking for my want to. You may just have to see me fluffy for a while, just don't tell me, just smile and love me. My mama always tells me I am beautiful and am just fine like I am, to enjoy this phase in my household.

So after all of this------Make the most of the opportunities that present themself, make the most of each day, love the people in you life, laugh, be daring, do something fun, ignore the mess.  You may not get a doover

One last thought I did try to post the most hilarious videos this week and could not get it to, so that counts as trying to blog. I am still trying and you will laugh so hard.  It has been 6 months and I have decided I can share, even if Clay doesn't  like it. An afternoon at the beach with several Abbott's doing the funniest farts (with a straw) and the funniest laughs. It is priceless and makes me smile everyone time I look at it. Mama, Ryan, Greg, Me, Vic and Meg.

Love you my friends
Brigitte

Thought for the day---Words

I just must like simple words or words that don't make me feel pressured. Don't you think Small Changes sounds much better than DIET.

One of my nieces used to tell a lot  of " tricky's" when she was little, you know little white lies that little kids tell. Anway, I called them tricky's and one of my sweet friends ( MaryBeth) said "Brigitte it is not a tricky it is still a lie. You need to say lie."
I still  had a hard time with that and to tell the truth I still like tricky.

So........ small changes......that is my word for this journey and I am sticking to it!!!!

Oh and here is another one Fluffy---- doesn't that so much sound better than fat or big or overweight. As you know it really is not fat and it is not unattractive..... it is just well.... fluffy and I think fluffy is cute!
We have lots of fluff in our family.... all ages..... all sizes and it is cute to me!!!!!

I might think of another word I use so you better watch out!

I thought of one before I hit publish. Adventure. Doesn't that sound more fun than ----let's pretend or go for a walk or do chores. Yeah..... Adventure that word has had lots of fun in my house and lots of fun with lots of kids.

See it sounds like this---Today I will go on an adventure to try small changes and will tell a tricky that you are not fluffy!!!

just a note my family will get this and get me on this---- I really am nuts!