Red or Brown?

Rule #9
One very important thing about marriage:
This money is not just mine anymore.
It's OUR money.
I can't just go out and buy anything I want to whenever I want to.
No more shopping sprees.
Sad....

But,
It is ok to spend a little bit every now and then, right?
Especially when you haven't bought anything in a really long time.
Especially  when you've had a really hard week at school.
Especially when you really want something.......

I can't go crazy, though.
That's why I can only buy one pair of shoes.
Not two pairs of the same shoe, just in different colors.
So I need everyone's help.
Because this is such an important decision.
And because it's OUR money.
So I have to make sure it's the RIGHT decision.
I'm weird.

Minnetonka Moccasins. I want them.
Red or Brown?

Put a lot of thought into this.
Then let me know!

It's that time of year again........

So if your spouse or significant other is a Football Fanatic like mine, you know what the start of fall means.
Football.
All the time.
Everyday (I don't know how, but there always seems to be a game on TV).
No more Netflix movie nights.
No more meaningful conversations-at least not while the game is on. I'm lucky to get a grunt.
No more date nights....not that we have much money for those anyways, but it's nice to at least have the option.

Rule #8: If there's one thing that will get a hubby's attention, it's his stomach, a.k.a. the need/love for FOOD.
And if there's one thing that I'm good at and like to do, it's cooking!

I made this meal Sunday night for the Cowboys-Jets game, and let me tell ya, I turned some heads (Darren and Holly's).
Peach-BBQ Chicken:
-8 to 12 drumsticks                        -1/4 c water
-12 Fl. Oz. BBQ sauce                  -1 T butter
- 1/2 jar of peach preserves           -1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped.

*Roast the chicken in the oven at 425 for 20-25 minutes. After 20-25 minutes, broil it for 5 minutes to give it some color. Meanwhile, on medium-high heat saute onion in butter. Add the BBQ sauce, preserves, and water: keep warm over low heat. When the chicken is done, remove from oven and coat each piece in the BBQ sauce mixture. Return to a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. Let sit about 5 minutes before serving. Serve alongside the leftover sauce. De-lish!

I also made THESE yummy potato skins.

And THIS scrumptious Buffalo Chicken Dip.
*I used ranch dressing instead of blue cheese, and shredded cheddar instead of blue cheese crumbles or mozzarella.

Let me tell ya, Darren was excited when he saw what I made for him. Then he got even more excited when he tasted it. It made the perfect football meal for game day. He actually took his eyes off the TV to look at me and tell me how good it was!

Although that may have just been because it was a commercial...........

Married Couple Schedule

School has recently started back,
which would explain my lack of blogging the past few weeks.

Unfortunately, Darren and I are both in school, at different places, all at different times.
We never see each other anymore.
Sad.

However, in order to keep up with each other, my sweet little husband created a Microsoft Excel file.
It has each of our school schedules on it. And work, too.
He included all hours and half-hours of the day.
He even color coordinated it so we would be able to tell whether the other one was at work or school.
Then he color coordinated each of our different classes.
Then he made a key explaining what each color was.
Now I know that at exactly 4:30 on Thursday afternoons, he is in Income Tax II.
Then he suggested making it even more exact by putting in formulas & yada-yada-yada.......
To which I told him he just needed to stop before people started thinking he was some kind of geeky accounting nerd. Oh wait..........

Anyways, it was a very sweet thing for him to do. He even took the time to email it to me so I could put it on my desktop. What a cutie-patootie.

Rule #7: Busy married Couples, according to Darren, a good way to manage your time is by creating an Excel spreadsheet. I simply print out my school schedule and put it on the fridge.

Planning Your Wedding

I know I haven't posted a post in quite a while.
I really don't have much of an excuse except for the fact that I've been working, cleaning, and cooking for my wonderful husband.


RULE #6:

I know that many people are in the process of planning their wedding.
I work in a jewelry store, and many get engaged in the summers because they want a year to plan their wedding, hence a June wedding.
Also, it seems that several people plan for a fall wedding; it's coming up fast!

(Thank goodness...I'm ready for some cool weather and football!)

If I could give one piece of advice to upcoming brides, it would be this:

Make Your Wedding Personal

You want your wedding to be all about the bride and groom, and you want the atmosphere to be representative of the two of you.
You want to look back on your wedding day and think "It was absolutely perfect; I wouldn't do it any other way."

Mine and Darren's wedding was definitely "Us," and it was my perfect, dream wedding. And I think what made it perfect was all of the personal details.

One the guestbook table were pictures of mine and Darren's parents and grandparents (a few of them on their wedding day!).

All of the mason jars we used came directly from my mom's pantry. Not to mention my mom did the flower arrangements.

We got married and had the reception in my backyard....it doesn't get much more personal than that!

The buffet that held the drinks is the buffet from my parents' dining room.

Hanging from one of the trees were pictures of me and Darren growing up.

Those of you who know us, know that we are HUGE ice cream fanatics!!!!! So we had a homemade ice cream bar!

And here we are eating the ice cream! I look very happy. Ice cream makes me happy.

I carried my baby bible down the aisle with me.

It's tradition to wear my MeMa's lucky penny in your shoe on your wedding day.

Last piece of advice: Don't worry about what everyone else will think. Do things the way YOU want to, because it is YOUR day. Make it about you! =)

Summer Glow!

Have you ever had husband tell you that you look positively glowing, only to reply:

"No Darling, that's sweat from folding clothes all day, vacuuming, ironing, frying green tomatoes, snapping green beans, and sewing dresses out of the draperies, all in an 80 degree apartment since we're trying to save money on the electric bill!"

Okay, so I may be being a tad dramatic....I've never fried green tomatoes. I have snapped green beans before, but considering we live in an apartment there are no fresh veggies growing in this household. And no, I'm not cutting up the curtains my mom just made me to make dresses. I haven't had new clothes in a while, though.........

But the rest is true.

However, I do occasionally have glowing skin not caused from sweat.

For all you makeup lovers out there who want to find another means of getting a healthy glow not related to housework, you need this stuff:

Clinique Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator

 I used this for my wedding to get that "Wedding Glow," and I absolutely love it (I use the natural color).

It's perfect for when you're in a hurry and don't have time to go through your whole makeup routine.

Just dab a little on your cheekbones and you're good to go!

Also great for the summertime.

Visit your local Clinique counter to pick up your bottle today!

And no, I promise I'm not their new spokesperson. 

 

Picture Perfect

Rule #4:
Brides, don't skimp on a wedding photographer.
The pictures (and each other!) are the one thing you spend money on that you'll have after the wedding is all said and done.
They are living proof of all the hard work you put into your special day!

All pictures courtesy of HolliB Photography.

MeMa's Mac N Cheese

Rule #4:

Every Southern Housewife needs to know how to make macaroni and cheese.
After all, what husband doesn't like mac n cheese? For that matter, what Southern Housewife doesn't like mac n cheese?

It's cheesy, and noodly, and creamy, and bubbly, and loaded with yummy carbs...what's not to love?

It's the perfect comfort food. In fact, if I was teary-eyed, and feeling stressed about being a good housewife for my hubby, I honestly think a big ol' bowl of the cheesy stuff could cheer me up.

But not just any bowl of mac n cheese could do the job. Only my MeMa's macaroni and cheese!
I've been eating it for as long as I can remember. I could probably make myself sick on the stuff. Thanksgivings, Christmases, Birthdays...it was always MeMa's job to bring the macaroni (I would get mad when Mom would kindly offer to give MeMa a break and bring it herself instead....my mom is a wonderful cook like all moms are, but she doesn't make the macaroni and cheese like MeMa).

So, tonight, being the brave housewife that I'm learning how to be, I tried my hand at MeMa's infamous macaroni and cheese. And I must say, it was rather delicious. 

yummy yummy in mine and Darren's tummy

Granted, it didn't taste JUST like MeMa's, but after a little bit of tweaking, I think it will be really close. And honestly, can anybody make a dish that tastes exactly like their grandma's? There's just something about a grandmother's cooking that can't be matched.

But if you would like to try.......Here's the recipe for MeMa's Macaroni and Cheese (I know that my MeMa is not your MeMa, so it might be kind of weird for you to call it "MeMa's." You can call it whatever you like): 

- 4 c. dried BIG elbow macaroni                        - Black pepper, to taste
- milk                                                               - 1 stick of Oleo (margarine)
- 1 tsp. salt                                                       - 1 lb. sliced American cheese (NOT processed!)

*Cook macaroni according to package directions; boil approximately 7-8 min. Drain. Return macaroni to saucepan and ALMOST cover with milk. Add salt, pepper, oleo, and cheese, leaving 3-4 cheese slices to place on top before baking. Melt ingredients together on medium heat. Pour in casserole dish. Place remaining 3-4 cheese slices on top. Bake at 350 until brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Enjoy!

(It tastes very delicious with barbecue meatballs, green beans, and buttermilk biscuits.......mmmm....)