There’s Nothing A Short Screw Can’t Fix

November 25, 2011 By 5 Comments

We learned a valuable lesson at Thanksgiving yesterday. Sometimes things get tough and stressful and you think they’re going to just be ruined, but then when you realize a little screw can fix all your problems, life doesn’t seem so bad.

You see? When Jason got ready to drop the turkey into the 350* peanut oil, he realized that a tiny pinhole was in the bottom of the pot and panicked. Between the fact that the oil was leaking out, there was an open flame in close proximity and OMG THERE’S A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE POT AND WE HAVE AN 18lb TURKEY TO COOK IN 2 HOURS, we quickly realized we had a small problem.

See? Look at that flame and oil leaking out.

Whatever would we do? What COULD we do? We didn’t just have another giant pot sitting around. We thought and thought, obviously after turning off the gas, and decided to dig through the toolshed.

{This is where you realize you had your mind in the gutter when you read the title to this post.}

Maybe we could just screw a short screw in the hole in the pot to seal it up? Well, couldn’t hurt, could it? Except the oil is hot and we have to get it in there.

But a little finagling, a lot of careful handling, a little bit of spilled oil and a few crossed fingers later, the pot was {hopefully} fixed.

So it worked.

Our turkey cooked up golden brown and crispy, we even made a second smaller one for leftovers and there wasn’t another single drop of oil leaked out of the pot.

We ate ourselves into a coma and enjoyed being surrounded by 26 family members.

All we needed was a good screw to save Thanksgiving!

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Thankfulness Abounds!

November 24, 2011 By 7 Comments

Today, as I sit and think, I realize I have so much to be thankful for. And like every good blogger, I’m going to tell you about a few of those things.

  1. I’m thankful for the sun, moon and stars. I’m thankful for the clouds, grass and air. I’m thankful for gravity (except when talking about the pull it has on my boobs).
  2. I’m thankful for employment, education and religion.
  3. I’m thankful for the freedoms we have in this country. While it may not be perfect – never has been, never will be – we celebrate freedoms that most countries long to have.
  4. I’m thankful for my family and that we’re close enough to see each other on a regular basis.
  5. I’m thankful for the gifts I’ve been given. No, not just the Coach bag or iPad… I mean the gifts of love, respect, compassion and trust.
  6. I’m thankful for my friends. The ones I see often and the ones that I don’t see often enough. I love that all of us can pick up where we left off, even after years of not being in touch. I’m thankful for old “friends” who are becoming good friends the older we get!
  7. I’m thankful for social media. There. I said it. I’m thankful for it because I’ve made so many people I honestly and truly consider my friends that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Some of my SM friends are now some of my closest and dearest friends. This is odd to some, but perfectly normal for me.
  8. I’m thankful for my Charlie and the fact that I feel him with me always. There’s not a minute in the day that I don’t know that he’s sitting on my shoulder, guiding me through my day.
  9. I’m thankful for Jason. After 13 years of marriage, lots of rocky Auburn/Georgia weekends and a few ups and downs, he’s still my very best friend. I don’t talk about him much on here, just because he doesn’t want to be an internet sensation (ha!) but I really don’t know what life would be like without him. I’m so glad I agreed to say yes to a date with “that older man I met at New Year’s Eve” back in 1995. Thank you for being you, Jason!
  10. I’m thankful for the my precious Henry. My reason to smile. My reason to get up. The reason our life contains happiness!

Bonus Item:

I’m thankful for chaos. And for the fact that chaos makes me who I am.

I’m a mother, a wife, an employee, a blogger, a daughter, a sister and an aunt. I’m thankful for the fact that I can juggle thirty bazillion things at once and rarely drop the ball. I’m thankful that my life looks like this:

(PHOTO/Ashlee M. Culverhouse)

Filed Under: Family, Memories, Thoughts Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Reasons I’m Glad It’s Fall

September 6, 2011 By 8 Comments

Anybody who has read my site for any amount of time knows that I hate summer. I’m not a huge fan of spring either. I’m really a fall and winter person.

Imagine my excitement this morning when I heard it’s going to barely hit 80 this whole week! I’m just beside myself with fall giddiness! Now, living in the South, I know we’ll still have our fair share of 90 degree days before it finally cools off for good so I’m not putting away the summer duds, but this is a VERY welcomed treat!

There are ten main reasons I’m most excited about Fall.

  1. Jeans. Need I say more?
  2. Football. All college football. I couldn’t care less about NFL, but college football IS HERE! Y’all know I bleed orange and blue, but really any college football will do!

    UGA football 2010

  3. Holidays. The best holidays are in the Fall — Halloween and Thanksgiving.
  4. Toffee Mocha. I hope Starbucks will be releasing the Toffee Mocha again this fall. If not, I’ll cry. (Or I’ll just not put on an additional 10 pounds.)
  5. Soups. ‘Tis the season to make crock pot soups — minestrone, chili, etc.
  6. Hoodies and sweaters. Like jeans, need I say more?
  7. Fall Color. Did you know that only 5% of the world’s population gets to experience fall color? If you’re one of the lucky ones, make sure you soak it in. It’s an experience you get that not many others do. 
  8. Fall Festivals and The Fair. Corn dogs, funnel cakes, caramel apples, midways, overpriced tickets for rides, hayrides, avoiding clowns, petting zoos, tractors, cotton candy… shall I go on?
  9. Allergies. Oh wait, I’m NOT excited about that. But I’ll muddle through them because it’s FALL!!!
  10. Proximity to my Birthday. Mark your calendars. I’ll be 29 for the 7th time on December 9th. I expect gifts. Lots and lots of gifts.
What are YOU excited for this fall?

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I’m Thankful

July 21, 2011 By 20 Comments

This has been a most unusual week. A week like no other I’ve ever had. A lot of sadness, a lot of triumphs, a lot of talk of insecurities and anxieties. Not necessarily for me or Jason, but for those around us. It’s made me really ponder things I’m thankful for RIGHT. THIS. MINUTE. Here are 10 of them.

  1. I’m thankful for AIR CONDITIONING! Need I say more? Oh, yes, I should. WORKING air conditioning!
  2. I’m thankful for my oldest and dearest friend who will just call and say she’s in ATL and is coming by!
  3. I’m thankful for divine timing. Two minutes difference in chain of events could have made this week a whole lot different… for a lot of people. In good ways and in bad ways.
  4. I’m thankful for a son who is thoughtful and caring. Even though he has his moments of pain-in-the-butt-ness, he’s such a gentle soul and really does care a lot about life and people.
  5. I’m thankful for busy people who are taking time out of their lives to make others know how much they are loved, appreciated and needed. They are reaching out and being open and honest. It’s amazing to see how kindness and compassion can change the feel of a situation.
  6. I’m thankful for the chance to take a very short vacation to the beach this weekend. It’s for a wedding, but there’s BEACH involved. Which also means HEAT, but I’ll take it. Since we’re not going to be able to take a long St. Simons vacation this year, this will have to do.
  7. I’m thankful for perspective. Being able to see the good in a situation or being able to make heads or tails of a situation is valuable. I’m so glad to be (fairly) logical and rational, otherwise this week would’ve been a lot more difficult.
  8. I’m thankful for hospitals that do amazing things. In the last two weeks, I’ve heard of 8 year olds having aneurysms, young women whose lives are forever changed physically and emotionally, brain injuries that have essentially been corrected, babies who have beat the odds and survived trauma during birth. It’s just overwhelming to me what can be done in hospitals now.
  9. I’m thankful for social media for making a small world even smaller (yes, I’m looking at you, Dana and Chelle).
  10. I’m thankful for my husband. This last week has shown me, REMINDED me, what a good person he really is. He’s caring, thoughtful, loving, appreciative, sensitive and gentle. Sometimes (for all of us) it gets hidden under all the hustle and bustle of life, but it’s always there. Sometimes we just look for it or it takes a traumatic event to bring it ALL to the forefront.

What are some things that you’re thankful for over this past week? It can be as simple as an extra cup of coffee or an hour alone. Or maybe that a small miracle has happened in your life.

Whatever it may be, take a minute and be grateful. Be thankful. Tell someone you appreciate what they do for you.

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Morsels from a Long Weekend

November 29, 2010 By 15 Comments

How ever did y’all survive without me for 5 whole days? I know you were starting to shake in the corner of the room from withdrawals, but here’s the exciting news… I’M BACK! I promise to never leave you for that long again.

So Wednesday afternoon, we loaded up the kid, the dog, our clothes and some yummy food to head to Fort Valley. We stopped at the parents’ house to drop off the food and get Jason’s fishing gear. We got to pick up some pecans to snack on, too. Not at a store, just right there in the front yard. There’s nothing better than fresh from the tree pecans.

We made our way out into the Land of No Cell Phone Service where we would spend the next few nights. What a beautiful view from the back porch…

Our friends came out for pizza and beer that night. We hadn’t seen them in several months… well, since we moved probably. Newt and Amy are great! Newt is a pecan farmer and this is his busy time of the year. He pretty much makes Amy, who teaches at the Blind Academy in Macon and is also a photographer, a single parent for about 4 months at the end of the year. Their kiddos are precious. Meg is 7 and Russ is 4. I love em like I love my own!

Anyway, we ate, drank, played, were minding our own business when a MOUSE runs across the floor! I should say that the parents haven’t been out at Potterville in about 2 months so it’s been sitting empty. But a MOUSE. Newt grabbed the fishing net and in one swoop, caught it and threw it outside. There were many screams and lots of laughter from the kids (and girls).

Minding our own business again and dang if there wasn’t another. They were cute, too. I don’t care much for rodents, but they sure have adorable little faces… but are so menacing and frightening! We couldn’t catch that one and just figured, eh, it’ll be ok. The Hileys left. We got dressed for bed and DAMN IF 3 MORE LITTLE ASSHOLES didn’t run out from under the stove. Jason and I looked at each other and said, “Let’s get out of here.”

We packed our stuff up, dropped off the dog at my parents’ house and headed to the Days Inn. Yes. We stayed at a hotel in Fort Valley, one mile from my parents’ house. One mile from my 3000 square foot house that is sitting empty. Sad? Very. But it was all good… and mice free!

Thursday morning we headed to my parents’ house to get ready for lunch and watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Yes. I cried again. I always do. This year was special because a girl that was on my dance team when I was a Captain performed in the parade with the Indian dance troupe she has started, Arya Dance Academy. I am so excited and proud for Rupal… it’s a memory that can barely be topped!

Lunch was great. We were stuffed. Then it was time to prep for our yard sale. Friday and Saturday were yard sale days. We helped on Friday and the parents took over on Saturday. Henry had a lemonade stand and made $17. We racked up on Friday and I can’t wait to use the money in Vegas. I’m gonna turn it into THOUSANDS!

Jason and I headed home on Friday. Got home in time to watch the end of the Auburn/Alabama game aka the Iron Bowl which now should be known as the HeartAttack Bowl. Wow. What a game. Auburn won by 1 point. Typical game for this rivalry. It wouldn’t matter if both were in the top 5 or one was #1 and the other #374, it’s gonna be a great, close game.

Saturday involved getting up at the crack of dawn, packing up and heading to another rivalry game, the Georgia/Georgia Tech game. We got to Athens around 9am. For a game that didn’t start until 7:45. Yes. We’re hardcore. And stupid. We tailgated with some old friends and enjoyed the fellowship. Two of Jason’s buddies from Augusta came over and hung out with us, too.

The game was wonderful. I got to meet @libbycake and her awesome Grandpapa! The Dawgs ended up winning so my household is very happy at the moment.

Auburn moved up in the polls to #1 in the BCS. Still #2 in the others. We play this Saturday for the SEC Championship against South Carolina. There’s nothing good about having to play a Steve Spurrier team twice in one year, but I feel optimistic about it. Then it’s just biding time until we get to take on Oregon for the National Championship.

It was a weekend and holiday that included fear, peace, thankfulness and fellowship. Here’s to the beginning of the Christmas season!

Filed Under: Adventure, Family, Food, Friends, Memories Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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