My kids, some tears, a few pics, and some laughs!

Last weekend I went out to my sister's house on Friday to spend the night.  We had a family reunion on Saturday.  I hate the reunions on my granny's side of the family.  BORING!  We get together, we eat, and we leave.  It's been like that all of my life.  Plus, everyone always sits with their own families.  It's pointless.  It's a bunch of who are you again and how are you doing and which kids are yours BS!  But this year I took my kid, my Bitzee!  Just so I could say, this is my kid, the four legged furry one!  It was so nice for a change.  Instead of, no, I can't have kids, hysterectomy remember?  Or, no, those are BRANDEE'S kids!  I get that a lot.  Everywhere I go people just assume when I have one of them that they're mine.  Not that I mind, they're great kids and beautiful!  All of them.  In fact, I actually used to pretend Kenna was mine.  From the day she was born.  I was 15, so give me a break.  I had always wanted kids.  And I babysat her all of the time.  So when people talked about her being mine, I just didn't correct them.  Why bother?  It wasn't like I told people she was mine.  When they'd say, she's so beautiful, she looks just like you!  I'd smile and say thank you!  HA!

Anyway, I'm closest to Brandee's kids, because they live here and I see them the most.  But I love all of my nieces and nephews.  Each and everyone of them.  In different ways, because they're different kids.  Some people might say that Kooper is my favorite, but it's not true.  Maybe he was, maybe the old Buffee "loved" Kooper more.  When Kooper was younger Brandee needed more help.  I was that more help.  When I moved out into my own apartment he spent most of the weekends with me.  So we were very close.  Brandee and Kenna lived with us when she was younger, so the same went for Kenna.  Brandee was a single mom and I loved and adored her kids.  (I wasn't your typical Aunt, atleast not like any aunts I had or know).  I love children.  I especially love my nieces and nephews.  I try to be in their lives as much as possible.  I try to do everything I can with them.  I'm there for every holiday, every birthday, anything and everything.  I hope they know that and know how much I love them.  I went to Kenna's graduation, in the heat, with strep throat and a fever, feeling like I was dieing.  Because I needed to be there for her.  To show her that no matter what, Buffee loves you and is there for you.  No.Matter.What. 

When Brandee had Kamden, she didn't need me the way she did before.  So my relationship started out differently with Kamden.  Plus, I got married.  But I've honestly tried to make up for that with Kamden.  I adore Kamden.  When I say he's one of my favorite people EVER, I'm completely serious.  Of all the people I've ever known, in my entire life, he's one of my favorite.  People, not just children or family.  So there!  He amazes me.  He hates my Bitzee, but I'm okay with that!  He calls her "The Little Dog of Horrors"!  Because she's so mean.  She truly is a little monster!  I guess it's only cute to me?  Ha!       

And Khylee, well, I can't have kids.  She was born on my wedding anniversary.  It was a difficult time for me.  (She came on the heels of our failed adoption).  But I love and adore her too.  How could I not?  And she loves and adores her Buffee.  I know because she told me so and I can see it in her smile every time I see her.  She's the happiest little thing.  She's a new baby, the boys will be grown soon.  I rarely, if ever, get to see or talk to Kenna now.  So I know how precious this time is.  I know that it won't be too long before the boys are teenagers and Aunt Buffee's not "cool" to hang out with and spend the night with.  I always thought Kenna and I would be close forever.  We had that kind of friendship.  *tears*  But I know things never really turn out the way you think they will.  Hopefully one day we can get back to that friendship. 

Anyway, so over the weekend I took Kooper to his first ever NFL game.  Yes, I'm still the coolest Aunt ever to him!  (It was his reward for honor roll last year).  The game was our season opener.  It was a pre-season game but still.  Kooper and I were both very excited!  We got to the stadium about an hour before the game was scheduled to start.  So that we could walk around and check out all of the food stands.  It was Kooper's first time.  I wanted to make sure he had plenty of time to pick out whatever he wanted to eat.  Once we got there it started to rain.  And rain, and rain, and rain.  The game was delayed 2 hours.  That meant we were 3 hours early.  It was hot and miserable.  We weren't aloud to take our seats because of the thunder and lightening.  So we sat in the hallway and talked.  Once the game finally began it started to rain again and didn't stop until half time.  Then it started again once the game started. And it rained on us for all of the 3rd quarter and most of the 4th.  But Kooper was a good sport about it.  Despite the heat, and the rain, and then the cold, we had a blast!  And I can't imagine having gone through all of that with anyone else and had as much fun as I did with my Kooper!  I can't wait to take him to another game.  I hope that all of the rain and delays and everything we experienced just adds to the memories later in life for him.  Its a game I doubt either of us will ever forget!        

Here are some pictures from our weekend!

(On the bus)

     (Still on the bus)

(waiting for the rain to stop)

(Finally we made it to our seats)

(our AMAZING seats/view)

   

 

SaS- Bread and Butter

Happy Thursday Seekers!  Too bad you're not sitting here with me as I type this up!  Seriously, it's a shame we don't have smell-a-puter!  Ha!  My zucchini bread is in the oven baking and it smells fantabulous!  So if you haven't already, break out your favorite bread recipes and link on up with my sissy over at the tank!  I lurve me some Thursdays!  All thanks to Brand and her SaS!   

Growing up my mom always made zucchini bread and banana nut bread.  She didn't bake that much, at least not that I can remember?  But I do remember loving her zucchini bread.  It was my favorite.  Until this summer, I had never even attempted to make zucchini bread, or any other kind of bread for that matter.  I'm not much for baking unless it comes out of a box.  Pillsbury, Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker, now that's my kind of baking!  But I came across a recipe for some zucchini bread and was dying to try it.  

About a week later I was over at my mom's house and out of the blue she asked me if I wanted some zucchini!  It was fate!  I went home that night and baked it!  Of course I totally screwed up and ended up having to bake 4 loaves instead of 2.  (I added the sugar to the dry ingredients instead of beating it in with the eggs.  So I doubled the recipe so I could beat the eggs with the sugar).  But it worked out perfectly and I ended up having a loaf for my momma (who gave me the zucchini), a loaf for Brandee's family, and 2 for mine.  We love eating to my house!  (Yes, I know that sounds funny, but we talk like that around here, get over it)!

Zucchini Bread

2 cups grated zucchini

(about 2 1/2 to 3 medium sized zucchinis)

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

pinch of fresh ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  This yields 2 loaves or 4 minis.  Bake 1 hour for 2 loaves (mine took about 1 hour and 20 minutes on the larger loaf) or 45 minutes for the mini loaves.  It should turn golden brown and begin to crack. 

First grate the zucchini.  I used the small side of the grater, I don't know if it really matters or not?  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl mix dry ingredients.  Set aside.

In a medium size mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar until thick.  Add oil and vanilla, continue mixing until incorporated. 

Add zucchini and wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. 

The recipe said to use parchment paper.  I didn't have any, so the MIL taught me how to use brown packaging paper.  She had a roll of it.  Apparently that's what they used back in the day before parchment paper.  Anyway, she said to spray the inside of the bread pans really well and then spray the brown packaging paper as well.  You can see by the pictures it works perfectly!  It pulls right out and peals away nice and clean!

Like most breads I love this warm with butter!  Yum-o!  I hope you enjoy this as much as all of my families did! 

 

 

Hillbilly Hump Day (The Storm)

So I took a break from writing my HHD posts, because I didn't really have anything of significance to write about.  Until now!  Happy Hillbilly Hump Day Seeks!  I'm back, atleast for today!

Remember how I said I could feel it in my bones that a storm was a brewin'?  Turns out it wasn't just my arthritis!  Nope, I was right!  And when it rains, it definitely pours! 

So up first, pregnant billy's baby daddy.  I found out why he hasn't been coming around.  He's in jail!  Yep, I saw that coming.  Something like 17 counts of attempted armed robbery.  Apparently he was caught in the act, inside someones home ripping them off!  HA!  Momma and Daddy billy must be so proud!

Up next, all the billy kids got new hairdos!  And they weren't back to schools hairdos either!  Nope, they are the kind hillbillies give their kids with LICE!  Buzz cuts for the billy boys and short cuts for the billy girls.  Man, makes my head itch just thinking about it!  And I told Justin if he goes anywhere near that house, he's dead!  (Maybe I shouldn't put that in writing)?

And remember how I told you that the hb's have dogs, the ones I had never even seen for the first few months we lived here?  And the broken window, remember that?  Apparently they're having issues containing them because of the broken window.  And one of them is a pit.  (Yeah, I'm so not happy about that).  Well their pit attacked a cat down the street about 2 weeks ago.  A friend of the MIL's and he was really upset, because his cat was hiding up under the house and he couldn't get her out for about 2 days.  (Old houses, Riverside, built up off the ground).  Well when he called animal control he had no proof it was the hb's dog.  So nothing happened.   

Then yesterday the pit attacked and KILLED a lady down the street's cat.  Apparently a lady who loves her cat like I love my dogs.  A lady that just so happens to be married to an attorney!  A lady who called animal control.  A lady with a DEAD CAT as proof.  A lady who's now taking the hillbillies to court.  (I told the MIL if that pit kills one of my poppies, there's gonna be a dead hillbilly.  She said she'd kill that pit herself.  I said no, we're going to have a DEAD HILLBILLY on our hands, believe you me)!  Not.Even.Kidding. 

When animal control came out the billy dad showed him their small Chihuahua and said "this is the only animal we own"!  Ha!  He sat there and argued with the man for about an hour over the citation, for $250.00.  (Whoopdy big shit, your dog killed a cat asshole)!  Well, my MIL, being the nosy woman she is, caught the animal control guy, Sammy, just as he was leaving and brought him around back where their other dogs just so happened to be hanging out.  While they were out there about 10 other neighbors showed up and all of them signed affidavits saying the hb's have the pit, among many other animals!  HA!  All of which are willing to testify in court, for the citation and the lady suing them!  HA! HA!  HA! HA! Oh man!  Karma's a bitch for real dude! 

So there you have, good times, good entertainment all courtesy of my hillbilly neighbors.  William and my MIL believe this is the beginning of the end for the hillbillies.  They're going to have code enforcement all over their asses now!  HA!  It almost makes me feel guilty. . . . almost. . . . Ah hell, who am I trying to fool?  I love it!  Serves those hillbillies right for being filthy nastyass buggers!   

Sorry it's so late in the day, I've been under the weather.  But better late than never!  Hope everyone had a great Hillbilly Hump Day!

SaS- Shut Your Pie hole!

Happy Thursday Seekers!  It's that time, head on over to the Tank and link up your favorite pie recipes with my sissy!! 

Pie, pie, me oh my, I love pie!  (Sorry, I was having a "Michael" moment)!  I honestly LOVE pie!  All kinds of pie!  I have a hard time picking my favorite, because I like so many!  Normally if I'm sharing a pie recipe it's my momma's chocolate cream "fake out" pie.  But since I've already shared that one, during our "Stuff it" SaS, I had to come up with something else.

Few things go together like chocolate and peanut butter!  I happen to them love both.  Put them together in a pie and that's my kind of heaven!  Did you know that Reese's is the #1 selling candy bar in the USA and Canada?  Yep, a little bit of trivia I learned watching the Food Network!  It also happens to be one of my FAVORITE chocolate bars, candy, whatever you want to call it!  It inspired this pie recipe!   

I looked up several recipes, to get a feel for what I wanted, and I came up with this. . . .

Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

pie:

2 chocolate ready-made pie crusts

(this makes 2 pies, 1 for you and 1 to share)

1 pkg (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding

1 pkg (3.4 oz) butterscotch instant pudding

2 1/2 cups of cold milk

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

8 oz container if cool whip

topping:

mini marshmallows

chocolate syrup

Reese's peanut butter dessert toppings

(cookie pieces, peanut butter chips, & sprinkles)

In a large mixing bowl (with a hand held mixer) mix both pudding pkgs and milk.  (Do not follow pkg directions, only add 2 1/2 cups of milk).  Once your pudding becomes thick, add 1/2 cup of peanut butter (about 3 large spoon fulls).  Beat with mixer until creamy.  Fold in cool whip.  Evenly distribute pie mixture into ready-made crusts.  I originally bought one chocolate pie crust and had to go back to by a second one.  But they were all out of the chocolate ones.  So I got one of the Oreo pie crusts.  You could also use a regular graham cracker pie crust if you wanted.  I'll let you know how this one turns out?? 

Add the marshmallows, chocolate syrup, and Reese's topping (in that order).  Cover (with the plastic lid it came with) and place in the freeze for atleast 6 hours.  (Hide one for yourself, it's that good)!  Remove the pie 20 minutes before serving!  I added more chocolate syrup to the individual pieces!

There you have it!  Heaven in a pie shell!  Hope you'll try it out and love it as much as I did!  

(before I added the cool whip)

Wordless Wednesday (2)

Wordless Wednesday, a Tale of my Two Pound Chihuahua!

From the moment she was born, I knew she was mine! She was like the missing puzzle piece to my life. I know that sounds crazy. But like most of the crazy in my life, I’m okay with it! As you all know, I can’t have children, so my “poppies” (as we call them) are my kids. I love them. And Bitzee is my favorite. Yeah, yeah, I know, as a parent you’re not supposed to have favorites, but since they aren’t “real” children, I’m not feeling guilty about it. I can’t help the way I feel, I’m just being honest. I love them all, but Bitzee is my baby. We treat her like the baby and she acts like the baby. She was named Loona at birth, but became Bitzee by way of nicknames. . . Little Bitz, Bitzee Booboo!

She rules the roost. She’s only two pounds, but you can’t tell her that! She has the heart of a lion and the body of a rat! She goes everywhere I go, accept work. She fits inside my purse. She draws attention everywhere we go. You’d think she was a rock star! And in true Chihuahua form, she HATES everyone but me! She’s mean, M-E-A-N! And I love it! I love everything about her! Especially the fact that she likes to bark at and bite my MIL! It’s almost as if she knows. . . .

Anyway, here are some pictures of my Bitz!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Isn't she the cutest thing you've ever seen????