blogging?

are we blogging anymore ladies? I held off for a while- I didn't want to be the only one posting... I miss you all!

Blogging, stew, Leah and Laura Beth?

Hello my sweet friends! I am missing the mess out of all of you. I am trying to start blogging daily on our family blog- it just sort of helps me focus on the good things that go on in a day and remember to write about it. I decided to focus on the projects that I do and cooking...because I LOVE to cook! I will make sure I link it on here whenever I put up a recipe! Here is the recipe that I put up yesterday:

Hearty Beef and Vegetable soup with Cheddar Beef Wraps
ingrediants for soup:
2 Tbs unsalted butter
5 oz fresh sliced onions (1 1/4 cups)
1 cup diced celery
1 cup crinkle cut carrots
1 Tbs minced garlic
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
10 oz. freshed sliced squash/zucchini (2 1/2 cups)
1 (32 oz.) box reduced-sodium beef broth
1 (20 oz.) package refrigerated diced potatoes and onions
1 fully cooked beef tips with gravy (17 oz package)
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

click here to see the entire recipe- all of the steps are included- it was a VERY yummy meal!

On to my next topic of interest:

Leah- how was New Jersey? I can't wait to hear all about it! I haven't talked to you in forever and I'm having Leah withdrawals! haha!

Laura Beth- Your message box is full on your phone! I can't reach you at all-- I am also having Laura Beth withdrawals! I miss you- please call me when you get a free moment- I just want to hear how everything is.

ALL: I have talked to the rest of you within the past few days! I loved catching up with all of you!

I hope that all of you have a fabulous Tuesday! Think of fun things to post today!

I love you! Adair

Christina's Cajun Country Adventure

Hi Everyone!!!

I'm so sorry I have been MIA over the past few months, I didn't even realize it! I'm so glad Adair started this blog BC its a great way to keep in touch and I miss all of you girls soooo much!! So Thank You Adair you are always thinking ;) Well there really isn't a whole lot that has been going on, but I'll start at the beginning... James and I had the time of our lives on our honeymoon (pics on facebook), but when we came back reality just had to show its ugly face, so James went back to work and I just pretty much tried to get comfortable in my new cajun skin. ha ha I have since found my way to the grocery, tj maxx & marshalls, the mall, the gym (which I need to go), and a few other vital places in my everyday living needs. I now feel as if I have made monumental steps towards being a independent women in the sense that I have learned to be comfortable being alone. It is so great when James is home and I miss him when he isn't, but the reality of it is he just is not able to be home 3/4 of the time. Don't get me wrong though I have enjoyed being here in Lafayette, it has all of the culture of Nola and none of the crime. Plus the food is AMAZING! Which by the way I totally felt like that episode of sex in the city where Carrie learns how to go to lunch alone with not even a book...I know you girls know what I'm talking about LOL But on the upside I have meet a group of fun girls, not as fun as y'all! and we get together usually once a month for book club which should be named wine club! I was also excepted into a Mardi Gras Krewe, which is so so so much fun. It reminds me of a sorority for after college, minus the drama, plus more drinking. I have even meet all the alumni AOII's in the area, which they are so nice! It seems like its been one holiday after another and mardi gras around here is as big as Christmas, so I have been immersed in preparations for everything. FYI I do not know why I did this but I signed up and am dancing in the mardi gras ball show...girls I'm freaking out ha ha its going to be in front of over 2500 people and I'm going to be up there just a shaking it to tina turner! Crazy I know. Plus on top of all of that I am finally finishing up my degree at Univ of LA Lafayette and will be done by may... so keep your fingers crossed for me...I only need 3 hrs! Oh Ya I almost forgot, we move down here, I learn to make gumbo from scratch, eat crawfish that burn your lips off, and trying still to lose my southern accent that screams Hi not from these parts.. and we are probably moving in the fall. Which I guess its not all for nothing but james has decided that he wants to pursue his PhD in geophysics, which I totally support and am supper proud of him, so we sent off all the applications back in Dec and now are just waiting and waiting... We should start hearing back in the spring around aprilish. Please keep us in your prayers to make the right decision where to go or even if to go. He does have the option to go to UL, so we are just waiting to hear what are options are for now. As for me I can not wait to get a job!! Again I probably sound crazy but I know for sure that staying home is just not for me. At least not now anyway. Its just not as fun to have time to do things when there really isn't anyone to do them with. So that's what I'll be doing when he goes back to school. Other than that there really isn't alot going on, just the everyday stuff like school and trying to keep busy. Which if anyone wants to come visit my doors are always open!! :) I might even make ya some gumbo, ha ha who knows! On a completely different note: James and I are planning a vacation this summer in June or early July to go to Mexico! There are a few couples that might be joining us and I wanted to invite anyone that is interested to jump on board! I have all the details if anyone would like me to email them, and just to put this out there it is an amazing location and a great price... and when I say great price I mean alot of bang for the buck! Hope y'all will consider it. Plus when are we having a girls weekend???? I can't wait to hear everything that is going on in everyone lives right now! I miss you girls so much and I promise my next entry will not be this long. ;)
xoxo
Christina Crane

student teacher

here is the link to my student teacher's blog- I got her wanting to start blogging again! She is so cute- that is not her baby in the pic- it is her husband's nephew. She is a really sweet girl and a great teacher!!!

http://sproulefamily14.blogspot.com/

Love ya'll
Adair

Recipe: Chicken Breast Supreme

I took this recipe from a fellow blogger- Kelly's Korner (Harper's mom)

I tried it last night using turkey bacon and low fat ingrediants- it was SO good!!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

4-8 strips of bacon

16 oz sour cream

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 can of sliced mushrooms1 jar of dried beef (this is found near tuna or spam)

Wrap the chicken in bacon and put in a greased pan

Mix up all the other ingredients. Tear up the dried beef into small pieces (this is what gives the meal the real flavor)

Pour mixture over chicken and bake at 350 for 1 and 1/2 hours

Serve with brown rice and pour extra mixture over the rice- I also served this with grilled green beans and feta. It was YUMMO!!!!

Much love! Adair

I'm here...Finally!

Hello my lovely ladies! I miss you all and pray for each and every one of you! Nicci - I def have to think about my bucket list but will post it soon! I have some news and I know each one of you will support me on my decison. I am moving home to FL and working for the TPA base of Air-Tran Airways. Bryan and I have been doing a lot of talking and watching shows about traveling to Europe. We both hope to travel there in a few years and the only way I'll be able to is if I get out of debt and start saving. I feel if I moving home and live with the 'rents I can save $900 a month. I will still be able to travel for free and see you all and Bryan. Adair - I know this puts us farther apart but SouthWest flies out of TPA and should be able to get to Bham. I thought about moving to Memphis but that just doesn't help me save/pay off Credit Cards.

Anyway, I'm doing good other than that lil bit of news. Bryan and I are finally starting to really understand each other and move forward in our relationship. We went to church with his family last week and decided to keep it up as much as can. Please pray for him, he's trying to get into grad school at Harvard, Yale, Columbia or Chicago. He wont know anything until Feb 18 at the earliest. I know he will get into one but I know the waiting is killing him.

My father is having surgury on the 3rd of Feb to remove his prostate cancer so please pray for him on that day.

Ok, enough about me.....I wanna know what's going on with everyone else. I would love to get to Memphis so let's start planning something. Love you all and bye for now....

~Min-Min~

Oh and Adair, I will post the pics from my visit soon. Today is the first day I've had to just chill!

My Bucket List

Good morning Monkeys! I will add to this list as I think of things!! It is no particular order! I have a lot of work to do but I look forward to the challenge called "life"! Hugs!

1. Be a servant to my Lord daily

2. Meet my prince charming and fall in love 

3. Be a loving and faithful wife and spend the rest of my days making my husband and children happy. 

4. Be an amazing friend to all who need one 

5. Have 4 children that I can love unconditionally forever

6. Go to Europe again

7. Win "Teacher of the Year"

8. Learn how to officially play tennis (I am guessing the Wii does not count)

9. Attend Wimbledon and the U.S. and French Open at least once

10. Ride barrel horses again

11. Adopt a baby 

12. Go on a Mediterranean cruise

13. Visit the 7 Wonders of the World 

14. Go to the Kentucky Derby and wear a big, fancy, Southern hat 

15. Travel with my parents 

16. Take many girl's trips to NYC 

17. Travel with my mom to Europe 

18. Go on an African safari

19. Write and illustrate a children's book

20. Visit the Greek islands 

21. Take singing lessons

22. Own a vacation home 

23. Learn something new everyday 

24. Give to someone everyday 

25. Graduate with my specialist degree 

26. Become an administrator or curriculum coordinator

27. Learn to surf

28. Go on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic 

29. Always remain close to my dear friends 

30. Work on and grow my faith every single day 

31. Attend the Olympic games- both summer and winter 

32. Go dog sledding in Alaska

33. Be debt free 

34. Go to every Ole Miss football game as long as I am able 

35. Be a stay at home mom even if it is only for one year 

36. Build my dream home 

37. Buy a house on Lamar in Oxford 

38. Visit Australia 

39. Leave a mark 

40. Grow a garden 

All my love, Nicci 

P.S. Legally Blonde is coming to the Orpheum in early March and I really want to go! let me know if you would be interested!