Back pedaling...

My blog has been pushed by the way side so that I could rest and prepare for baby and now she's here and three weeks old...More on that later.

We finished football season at the big 5A school. Goodness what an adjustment but it has been a good change. The Ridgeland Titans made it to the first round of the playoffs and we unfortunately were defeated by Oxford.

In the midst of all the football fun, my friends in Attala County and the my home church gave Lorelei Marie to very nice baby showers and we got lots of stuff.

She's here!

Lorelei Marie Dees didn't want a December birthday so when my water broke at 5 p.m. on November 30 we were off to Women's in Flowood. 

She'd been breech for about a month and the took her by c-section.

We are adjusting and loving our sweet girl! 

Catching up

Baby Dees is a girl! Now, the hard part -- coming up with a name and trying to decide to go L name. From my grandma to my niece, we've all got L names. I've already been told that I won't be disowned if we got a different route. My sister's name was almost Jennifer. 

We are now into football season mode! New school, new job, new team. Paul's the offensive coordinator for the Ridgeland Titans. 

Seven years ago, we went from a 3A school to a 1A school (his alma mater). So for me 5A is a big adjustment. I miss my kids and my friends and I'm pregnant and hormonal. The pluses really did out way the minuses. I've just gotta adjust. Here's a snap from the Friday night scrimmage. 

Bonus of being in Ridgeland is getting to see my sister and niece! 

Her fancy chocolate milk at Another Broken Egg. She said it was ice cream. 

Tasty Tuesday: Mexican Cornbread

I actually cooked last night and since I'll be out of pocket on Friday, here you go. This Mexican cornbread is super easy and goes well with summer veggies and winter soups. 

Mexican Cornbread

1 1/2 c. Self rising corn meal

1/2 c. Oil 

8 oz. Sour cream 

1 cup grated cheddar cheese 

1 small can of mild green chilles (can sub jalepenos) 

2 eggs, beaten 

Can of creamed corn

Mix ingredients and pour in 9x13 casserole. Bake at 450 degrees for 30 mins. 

Baby Dees is on the way

 

Cheerleader or football player? We aren't sure but we are due on December 26 and it is certainly an answered prayer. 

Between 9 years of life's curve balls and a few ups and downs, including two moves, me loosing my job, Paul changing jobs not once but twice and helping raise a bunch of Ethel Tigers, it finally happened. 

I've had friends and family that struggled to conceive but I never thought it would happen to us. No major testing was done and no drugs were taken. In the end, we had to wait until God made it happen. 

Last spring/summer, I was at the end of my rope. I have no patience on a good day and I'd just had enough. I cried and cried. Paul finally said to me -- "Do you not think God has a baby just for us?" 

We talked about all the options and decided to continue on our way. 

One day, maybe, I'll feel like sharing the entire story but for now I think that should remain private. 

I just ask that you pray for us and this baby. That's the best present you could give us.

What to do with the blog...

When I started this blog, it was to chronicle our lives at Ethel High School and the children that would become "our kids."

Over the years, I've done some different things on the blog but at the heart of it remained football and our lives.

With Paul's job change and another interesting development, I'm just going to leave the blog as it is. We are always going to be Ethel Tigers. Paul's been a Tiger since he was 13 years old and I've been along for the last seven.

It will be a chronicle of our lives and I'll do some more fun post on crafts, cookies, foodie Fridays. I'm going to get in the swing of things.

More to come....

Leslie

Changes bring a wealth of emotion

When I close my eyes and I imagine Paul's last game before he retires, we are standing on Ethel Tiger Field and we walk off together as we have on many Friday nights for the past seven years. However, that's not going to be the case.

On Tuesday, Paul told his players that he would no longer be the head coach at Ethel High School and that he had accepted a position as the offensive coordinator at Ridgeland High School. Over the last two months, I've shed a lot a tears about this. Both, happy and sad. This wasn't something Paul sought out, Coach Burton came to him and it was just too good an offer to refuse. Paul is an offensive minded football coach and this also meant a pay raise.

I remember sitting on the floor of the old field house, matching practice cleats and thinking "What have we gotten ourselves into?" He had no money in his football account, no player practice clothes and the uniforms had holes in them. Heck, it was June, school was out and we didn't even know who was playing football. And so the work began, for not only Paul, but for me too.

There's been a lot of parenting and a lot of love that has gone into this 7 year journey at Ethel and I know that the work will continue without us.

We don't plan to move. We will still reside in Kosciusko. We still plan on attending some sporting events at Ethel and we still need some of the kids to help us out at the monthly antique auction. So we aren't going away from everything.

Plus, once you're a Tiger, you are always a Tiger! 

In a nutshell...

It's been a blur of Easter cookies and family fun. Plus, the Ethel Tigers were named the Class 1A State Powerlifting Runner Up. 

Here's a recap in photos! 

 More to come...Changes to come. 

Kiss Me I'm Irish, I Mustache You if You're Irish Cookie Pops

I made theses as part of my cookie business. Super cute when you don't have a Shamrock Cookie cutter. 

Use your favorite sugar cookie dough and royal icing recipe. Cut the cookies a little thicker than normal so that cookie pop sticks can be inserted prior to baking. 

Happy Saint Patrick's Day from a freckled faced, curly headed, fair skinned,  half green eyed, and a slightly Irish gal!

Landry turns two

My one and only niece Landry had her birthday party in Rolling Fork this past weekend. Her mom, Lisa, did a great job with the decorations and the cake and of course, I made the cookies. She's one loved and spoiled little girl. LaLa and Uncle love her to the moon and back.

Show me the Dough Cookies

After my Christmas Cookie explosion and buying 101 Wilton Cookie Cutters for my birthday, I've started a small cookie business. I really enjoyed the "art" of icing the cookies and it will fill up my time between traveling with Paul to antique shows and selling antiques locally in Kosciusko and Ridgeland.

Currently, the plan is to sell cookies in the Kosciusko, Madison and Rolling Fork areas. I've got a delivery person for Madison and Rolling Fork is my hometown. Who knows one day I may ship cookies and have a website. For now, I've got a Facebook page and a big thanks to my cousin, Dru, for coming up with a name.

Now, I've got cookies to bake and a logo to create. I'm quite excited as I have a few Saint Patrick's Day orders and Easter looks to get really big.

My Valentine's birthday.

The lighthouse in Biloxi, MS.

View from the Beau Rivage in Biloxi.

 

There are some occasional perks to being a coach's wife in addition to getting a lifetime supply of team/spirit t-shirts, dateless Friday nights from August to at least November, and a new stadium chair every season -- Coaching Clinic. 

Paul got to hear awesome speakers on the Mississippi Gulf Coast including, Mark Richt of Georgia. Me, I got to do some birthday shopping and I watched "Frozen" and "Saving Mr. Banks" and "Monuments Men." All great! In his off time from the clinic, we tried to do a little antiquing. It was nice to get away for a few days. 

We didn't celebrate my birthday with family until this past weekend and we celebrated my niece's too. She'll be two on Thursday!

Foodie Friday: French Toast Bake

The husband and I don't normally eat a big breakfast except on Saturday and when he told me he found a recipe on Facebook, I was a little shocked! Super easy to make and yummy. It does have to chill over night in the fridge.

 

French Toast Bake

 Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
1 loaf of thickly sliced bread...
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling
Cinnamon for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar & mixed.
2. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan.
3. Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla
4. Lay single slices of bread in pan
5. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer
6. Sprinkle some cinnamon over bread/eggs
7. Add 2nd layer of sliced bread
8. Spoon on remaining egg mixture
9. Cover & chill in fridge overnight
10. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (covered for the first 30 minutes)
11. Sprinkle with powdered sugar & cinnamon
12. Serve with warm maple syrup

We ate it without powdered sugar and syrup and a couple of pieces of turkey bacon. We are going to try it out this weekend by substituting Splenda Brown Sugar Blend for the Brown Sugar.

Happy Friday!

Foodie Friday: Seafood and Chicken Gumbo

 

Everyone thinks that their mom is the best cook but MINE IS! She's been making this gumbo for our family as long as I can remember. It's my go to crockpot meal or comfort food. It's so thick that you don't have add rice to your serving. If you aren't much on seafood, this can be made with just chicken. I usually have chicken and shrimp on hand.

 

1 pound of fresh shrimp

1 pound of crabmeat

2 chicken breast

1 can Ro-Tel Tomatoes

1 (8 oz.) can of tomato sauce

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

Dash of hot sauce

5 Bay leaves

1 cup chopped bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup cut okra

1/2 cup flour

1 T. creole seasoning

4 cups chicken broth.

 

Boil and dice/shred chicken. Boil shrimp in two tablespoon Creole seasoning. Cool and peel. Mix flour with bell pepper, celery and onion. Saute in oil (I use olive oil). Add to chicken broth. Add remaining items to broth. Cook on low heat for 4-5 house. Best if cooked in crockpot.

 

Happy Friday!

 

 

District Powerlifting Champs Again!

My husband started the powerlifting (weightlifting) team several years ago and we've been very proud of the accomplishments. Our first meet this year and we claimed our third District Championship! South State here we come!

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Christmas X5

Not everyone has to take part in five Christmas celebrations but Paul and I do. For once in a good long while I didn't have to rush to get back to work -- the joys of self-employment. It was nice just really enjoy Christmas and lots of family time. Plus, one of my favorite Christmas traditions, the Christmas Eve Communion Service at my home church, Rolling Fork United Methodist Church.

Christmas began with Memphis to my Aunt's home with her family and my Mimi, next it was to Valley Park to my late great-grandmother's home where my Uncle Horace and Aunt Florence host the Newman celebration (Uncle Horace had to be taken to the ER that morning so when we arrived everyone was the kitchen preparing the meal. He's on the mend now.), then a day off from celebrating where we all just chilled in Rolling Fork, Christmas Eve lunch at my Grandma's with presents with my Grandma, Uncle, Aunts and Cousins, followed by church service, and finally Christmas Day with presents with my parents, Lisa, Landry, Bryan and Paul. After lunch, Paul and I traveled to my inlaws to eat supper and do presents on our way home.

The Christmas Cookies were a hit! I am sure everyone will be expecting them for years to come.
My sister, Lisa, niece, Landry and I started our own tradition this year of decorating Christmas cookies in our pjs on Christmas Eve Eve. Landry had way to much fun with the sprinkles. That was her job this year. Next year, we've all got to get matching aprons.

 

Christmas in Memphis

Christmas in Valley Park

 

 Christmas at Grandma's House

 

Christmas morning with Miss Landry at my parents' house