Confessions: Remember the pigs?

I'll bet that's not a question you're asked very often! But you do remember the pigs, right? Actually, the correct name for them is feral hogs.

Whatever.

They're still here. And the problem is getting worse.

Our little patch of suburbia has been a featured story in all of our local papers. A few nights ago, we were the leading story on the evening news. That's just how we want our community spotlighted. Very classy.

We're thinking of having ham for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Not really. Feral hogs do not make good table meat.

Are you achin' for some bacon?



Oi!

We ROCK! (Or, several weeks in fast review.)

We ROCKED homecoming. And, we WON!

We ROCKED the part and were appropriately dressed.

Our homecoming court ROCKED the evening!

Isn't she gorgeous? "A" is our neighbor and she's beautiful on the inside, too. Last year when Burrito was a freshman and she was a junior, she made sure that Burrito's first days of high school went well. She walked and talked in the halls with him. She even invited him to sit with her and her girl friends at lunch. Umm... hello! A freshman guy walking, talking and lunching with gorgeous junior girls. Yep, that had to help Burrito's reputation! (We reminded Burrito to "pay it forward" when he started his sophomore year this fall.)

She deserved the crown - don't you agree?! Sadly, she wasn't crowned the queen. (We demand a recount!)

We ROCKED with the cheerleaders. (We love the cheerleaders, right Kat?)

We ROCKED in the stands.

Our drill team ROCKED the halftime show. (Go, "H"!)

Then we ROCKED with parties.

Kat's best friend "M" attended homecoming with us (an annual tradition) and then spent the night. "M" wasn't available to attend on the date we'd planned to have the birthday sleepover, so we had a "party-before-the-party" after the homecoming celebration. After all, a girl can't celebrate her 13th birthday without her best friend!

Bud headed for the coast the next morning and ROCKED on the water. (Not to be confused with walking on water!)

The next weekend, we ROCKED the "second" birthday sleepover with Kat's school friends.

We ROCKED several band competitions. (With another one this coming weekend.)

We ROCKED with success!

We're a ROCKIN' family!

Hi, I'm Dawn...

Hi, I'm Dawn... and I'm a bad blogger! (Everyone answers: "Hi, Dawn!")

We've had all kinds of parties and sumpthin' around here lately. The parties are fun. It's the sumpthin's that will kill you. And a stomach virus. And sore throats. And an upper respiratory infection. (Updated to add: These illnesses infected me - not the kids. Not Bud. Just me. All of them - just me!)

The worst of it? I completely lost my voice for two, whole days. Completely. Not even a squeak! That's pure torture for a lover of conversation like me.

But don't worry, I'm up to a husky whisper today. Tomorrow, I plan to be BACK. Back in the real world and back to blogging. You won't want to miss it - I have two weeks of catching up to do!

Happy 13th Birthday, Kat!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy birthday with all my love to my amazing, teenage daughter!

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me." (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NLT)

It's like we're havin' a party, or sumpthin!

When Bud and I were first married, we lived near his sister in Virginia and we would borrow her preschool-age son as often as we could. We liked to pretend he was ours. He's all grown up now and graduating from college this year!

During one of his overnight visits with us, we loaded him up in our car at an hour well-past his bedtime, in his jammies, and took him for ice cream. He thought this late-night adventure was terribly exciting. He sat in the backseat of the car, grinning from ear to ear, and licking his ice cream cone with sprinkles on top. Between licks, he exclaimed, "It's like we're... we're... we're havin' a party, or sumpthin!" Just thinking about that memory makes me laugh out loud!

To this day, whenever we have some fun events happening, one of us is sure to say, "It's like we're havin' a party, or sumpthin!"

Starting tonight and continuing through the weekend we have homecoming celebrations, the football game, a sleepover, a band competition and a birthday. A very special birthday! (Details about that on Sunday.)

People, it's like we're havin' a party, or sumpthin!

Works For Me Wednesday: Crustless Pumpkin Pie

According to Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer, today's post for "Works For Me Wednesday" should be on the topic of kitchen organization. That's a topic right up my alley. Or, right up my kitchen, so to speak.

However, I've had several requests for my crustless pumpkin pie recipe that I've been wanting to post. The recipe is so simple, only dirties one bowl and is really yummy. So, follow my thinking here...

Crustless pie = not making crust = no kitchen mess from making pie crust = organized kitchen.

Therefore, this post totally fits the subject requirement, right? (That's a rheutorical question... you didn't need to answer.)

Crustless Pumpkin Pie
(Makes 6 servings)

1 (15 oz.) can solid-pack pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup milk
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites (Note: I've used 2 large eggs, total, and skipped the whites and it works fine.)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray. (Or, I like to use six 1/2 cup ramekins for individual servings.)

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat all the ingredients until smooth. Pour the mixture into the dish(es). Bake, uncovered, until the filling is set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes for the 8-inch square baking dish, about 30 minutes for the individual ramekins. Cool completely on a rack. Refrigerate, covered, at least 3 hours before serving.

Serve topped with whipped cream.

Want more recipes that use pumpkin? Visit Steph for her Pumpkin Dip recipe. Then go see Prairie Chick for her homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe.

And that Works For Me this Wednesday!