Finders Keepers

A couple weeks ago Matt and I went to an antique/flea market-type place.  It was huge.  So much stuff from furniture to dishes, books to movie posters.  I don't think Matt had high expectations going into it, but he ended up finding something:



Apparently it's a series of mugs that have the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria on them.  He already had one and he found another.  I don't remember which one he had, which one he found and which one he needs.  Anyways, it was a unique find and I think because of it I might be able to get him to go to other flea markets.

My finds were a bit more decorative:

The first one is a candle holder.  It doesn't photograph well, but it's glass with metal edging.  It's really cute.  The next is a little lantern.  It's more decorative than anything, but I think it'll look cute somewhere.  P.S. I took this picture like 2 seconds after the mug picture, but there's a milk jug in the lantern one.  How weird is that?

Today I went to Goodwill.  I don't feel like taking pictures of what I got because I'm super-snuggly with Nigel-Man and he's being super, super cute right now.  Like WAY cute.  Cuter than normal.  He keeps snuggling closer and closer to me.  And curling his toes.  He's the bees knees.  Anyways, I got Christmas decorations!  I think Matt thinks I'm addicted to Christmas decorations.  Doesn't bother me one bit.  P.S.  He has no idea that I bought Christmas ornaments today.  He'll find out when he gets home from work.  Anyways, once he finds out what they are he'll be down with it.  I found 2 boxes of glittery star-like ornaments.  They're 3-D.  And then a lady who was shopping next to me found another box of them.  I hugged her.  So we got 3 boxes of those (at 99 cents each!) and then a kit to make an ornament of your dog's paw!  It's like this plaster stuff and you stick your dog's paw in it and voila!  See what I mean?  Matt's going to be THANKING me for going there today.

Bon Appetit!

For our 4th of July celebration I made a bean dip (as seen in the previous post's picture).  It was super easy and very yummy.  It could probably be used as a vegetarian main dish or you could probably add some meat to that baby if you so choose.  We used regular tortilla chips and Fritos with it, but I bet if you put it in soft taco shells it's be like a bean taco or burrito.  Just add lettuce and you're set!  I got the recipe from the Mel's Kitchen Cafe blog, but here it is for you:

1 can of black beans

1 can of white beans (I used Great Northern beans)

1 can of shoepeg corn (I used canned corn since I already had it)

1 7oz can of Herdez salsa verde

2 cups of shredded Colby Jack cheese (I used 1 cup Monterrey jack, 1 cup sharp cheddar)

4-6 chopped roma tomatoes (squeeze liquid out of tomatoes before chopping)

garlic salt to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)

Avocado-optional (I don't like avocado so I didn't add it)

Rinse and drain both cans of beans. Also drain the can of shoepeg corn. Make sure to squeeze liquid out of tomatoes before chopping so the dip doesn’t turn runny. Put everything (except for the avocado) in a bowl and mix together. Spray a shallow baking dish (I used a glass pie plate) with nonstick spray before spooning in the bean mixture. Sprinkle a little cheese on top and pop into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and it is all warm and bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with diced avocado and serve with tortilla chips.

Happy 8th of July!

Celebrating the 4th of July four days late (and posting this 10 days even later) means you get all the decorations for 50% off.  Read: I bought all the decorations and party supplies for $3.50.



Even Nigel celebrated by switching out his tan-colored placemat for a more patriotic placemat:

Now if we could only get him to not be afraid of the fireworks.  Still.  Two weeks after the 4th.  Darn dog.

Haunting



Apparently everyone on Food Network is making salmon today.  Do you know what I think of when I hear salmon?  Fourth grade.  Gee, Jenn, that's a weird connection.  Please tell us why you think about fourth grade when you hear salmon.  I'd be happy to...

In fourth grade I was a spelling bee queen.  I was in all of them and I was good.  Real competition, right here, I tell ya.  We'd even have practices I had to go to.  Yes, I was a loser.  Who cares.  I liked spelling.  Andrea, my bff at the time, did them, too.  In order to remember how to spell the word citizen we rhymed it with 'zit'izen and BAM... you've got citizen.  Clear skin was important to us apparently and zits were on our minds.  Anyways...

I was in the spelling bee and it was my turn.  "Jennifer, spell the word salmon".  Without so much as blinking I stated "Salmon.  S-A-M-O-N.  Salmon."  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  The silent L!  What kind of dumb language has a silent L?  Stupid America.  Cost me the spelling bee.

After the spelling bee I went to go see my mom to tell her the news.  She taught in the same school I went to, but was unable to come to the spelling bee.  I got to her classroom and told her I lost and I think I was crying.  She gave me a card and it said that she was so proud of me.  I still have it.  It has hugging bears on the front.  I'm pretty sure she wrote that before knowing what the outcome was going to be. 

And thus, I'm having a pity party over my 4th grade spelling bee defeat that happened twenty years ago while watching Rachael Ray cook.  Maybe the spelling bee is the reason why I don't eat seafood.

P.S. I used spellcheck for this post because how embarrassing to misspell something while gloating over your amazing spelling abilities outside of fish breeds.  It was all correct.  Salmon, 1.  Jenn, 1.

Skeeter Bites Bite

I've found the one thing I hate about Atlanta.  Mosquitos.  It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I get at least one new bite each time I go outside.  I just got done counting and I'm at 11 bites.  Ask Matt how many he has.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  So I looked up why some people are more susceptible to them than others.  According to all the research I've done here are the more "at risk": men, those who are overweight, those with type 0 blood, sweet smelling sweat and hairlessness.  Seriously?  I can't change my blood type.  Maybe I'll stop shaving.

Happy 4th!

The Lawsons may not be together this holiday, but we still wish you a Happy 4th of July a la last year's holiday!

Notice the red, white and blue?

Treasure Hunting

Matt and I just spent the night with Grandma a couple of nights.  On our way to Illinois and on the way back to Georgia we made a pit stop in good ol' Paris, TN.  Let me tell you why Paris, TN is so fantastic.  Grandma doesn't have internet.  It's like living back in yester-year.  You don't need to check your Facebook, no need to respond to e-mails.  You just get to hang out.  Another great thing about Grandma's - it hasn't changed since the day I was born.  Sure, she's painted her house and got new carpet a few years back, but the essentials haven't changed - the mattress of the bed we sleep on was her parent's, same with her microwave.  Not only are these things the same, but I took some pictures (on my phone - sorry about the quality) of some iconic gems at Grandma's.  Josh and I played a game via text messages.  I took a picture and Josh had to name the room the item was located.  Amazing.

Let's start with Andrew Jackson.  Grandma has a picture of him in her family room.  I used to think he was a relative of ours.  Why else would anyone have a picture of him in their house?

Grandma provides entertainment at all times.  This is a waterproof book that's in the shower in case you want to belt out a tune, but aren't sure of the words.  My favorite is Singin' in the Rain.

This is the wallpaper in her bathroom.  Doesn't it SCREAM retro?  I love it. 



Not the best picture, but it's a picture of a ceramic cat.  Actually, a ceramic cat doorstop that's sitting atop a pillow.  Creepy, but I can't remember it not keeping watch over the middle bedroom.



And last, but not least, the Welcome to Paris, TN sign!  No, it's not at Grandma's, but on the way to dinner (yummy BBQ), I was sitting at a red light and had a perfect shot.  Just look at that giant catfish!