This Christmas holiday, our first Christmas as a married couple, was spent visiting our wonderful family and friends. 1,434.8 miles and 1 8-inch windshield crack later, we're back home! Below in map form is an abbreviated view of our trip: Daphne to Starkville, Starkville to Brookhaven, Brookhaven to Jackson, Jackson to Brookhaven, Brookhaven to Gadsden, Gadsden to Memphis, Memphis to Daphne!
Daphne: We packed our bags, loaded up the 'stang, and bid Mardi farewell. No worries! My friend Liz was a very capable caretaker for Mardi while we were gone.
Starkville:We changed into fancy clothes in an un-fancy gas station and arrived with time to spare in Starkvegas to attend our friend Lori's wedding. We actually had 5 (five!!) friends getting married that same day, but Lori won out since she was a scripture reader at our wedding =) The ceremony was in a Baptist church in Starkville and was absolutely beautiful. I'm not usually a fan of traditional in-a-big-church-weddings, but this one was very personal and unique. Afterward, on what seemed to be the coldest night of the year, we enjoyed a semi-outdoor rustic reception off site. I guess since I am post-wedding planning I tend to appreciate all the details that went into a wedding better. Lori had burlap and mason jars and frozen custard and delish food! She did a great job! We skipped out on the reception early though because we had to make a 3 hour drive to ...
Brookhaven: We stayed here for a few days with Stuart's parents. Though not pictured on the map, we took one day to drive to Prentiss, MS with Stuart's dad to visit Meme, his grandmother. She wanted to take us out to lunch. In a town of around 3,000 there aren't many restaurants to choose from; however, we happened upon Williams' Old Time Country Buffet. It had an all-you-can-eat buffet with various fried meats and delightful vegetables which often contained more pork than they did plant product. Most of the patrons there were in head to toe camo and appeared to have just walked out of the woods. I ate only vegetables but still think I gained a pound or two. Otherwise, back in Brookhaven, we just enjoyed time relaxing. I even read a novel! We also took some time to go on a few family walks around the neighborhood and took a drive to see Christmas lights. On the second to last day of this leg of the trip we took a short drive to ...
Jackson: We met up with several friends at Mugshots, a delicious hamburger joint. I had a burger smothered in blue cheese and, well, it just doesn't get much better than that! We enjoyed our dinner together and then headed back to ...
Brookhaven: one more day here, then we were off to ...
Gadsden: Being married is wonderful, but it definitely complicates holiday plans since there are now two families to visit with. Stuart and I decided that we would spend more time with his family, but even it out by spending the big days of Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with my family. We arrived in Gadsden a couple of days before the 24th and were able to visit with my old church family and my Uncle Jerry. On Christmas Eve we had our traditional Brown Family Christmas (mom's side), which usually involves eating a lot of delicious foods and watching the kiddos open present. If we're lucky, there is singing involved.
Exhibit A of delicious food
Trenton, the youngest of the grand-kids, ate too much of Exhibit A and had to take off his pants.
Trenton walking with Papaw around the back yard. Presh!
The yearly family shot
On Christmas Day in Gadsden, Santa came and he brought SNOW with him!!! It was the first recorded white Christmas in Gadsden in 100 years! We opened our Christmas presents and headed outside to play!
Newly fallen snow on the yard reindeer my dad made
=)
Good thing Stuart grew out his vacation beard so his face was warm!
Our Christmas day finest
View from the front seat of the 'stang on our way to ...
Memphis: After a 4 hour drive, mostly in the snow, we arrived at Dee Road to celebrate the Saulters/Ray family Christmas! We had a great visit with them and especially with little Vera Kate!
Vera Kate has taught me that I like children after all! =)
Two peas in a pod ... watching present opening while wearing a Saulters' family tradition
Uncle Stu is learning!
The Ray's most beautiful Christmas decoration: La-a. Long story there.
Finally, Monday morning, the time came to head back to our little neck of the woods. Stuart had been disappointed all trip because a Chipotle restaurant was supposed to open in Memphis, but was not yet ready for us. I had no idea the love and obsession Stuart has for this restaurant until we were married. So on the way home, we took all highways and back roads so that we could go to Tuscaloosa (The Armpit of the South) to eat lunch at their Chipotle. Stuart got his burrito, and we got to pass through a lot of interesting places along the way, such as the twin cities of Guin and Gu-win. Guin is the only city in Marion County that sales alcohol; Gu-win (same pronunciation) has a population of 204 and has 1 policeman.
That's a happy man right there, folks
We made it back home safely after an 8 hour drive! Mardi welcomed us back with open arms. I think she was afraid we abandoned her because she has been super nice ever since! And I think now we're ready to stay home for a while ...
The holidays are finally upon us! This means that I am (finally) finished with my surgery rotation, and now Stuart and I will be driving around the Southeast United States to visit with family and friends! Of course, we couldn't begin our holiday festivities without the soon-to-be-famous annual tacky party.
Yes, friends, that is a floor length hunter green velour skirt you are seeing! Stuart donned his green cords and women's sweater and we got the party started! Unfortunately I had one of my too-frequent blond moments: I took about 50 pictures of the party to later discover that I had no memory card in my camera. They saved on my camera's 'hard drive', so to speak, but I don't have a cord that can connect my camera to the computer. So you have to work hard to imagine about 25 friends in their tackiest clothes, eating fried twinkies and pigs in a blanket. A good time was had by all!
After the tackiness was over, I decided to take a morning to spread the Christmas love by making treats! Stuart went for his marathon-training 3 hour run last Friday and I headed to the kitchen (yes, I am running a half-marathon with him; no, I have not yet started training - I bake instead). I spent a wonderful 4 hours in there and wound up with flour in my hair and on the floor, and a counter covered with homemade Reese's cups, lemon shortbread and cake-mix cookies. Now, I have a passion for good food blogs, and here is my weak attempt at capturing my cooking on film (don't judge me).
Baker's semi-sweet squares melting and getting ready to be made into cups!
Mardi loves Publix too!
The Reese's in action. I put homemade caramel in some of them.
Cake Mix Cookies, made famous by the lovely Laura Copeland.
And a way to use up leftover scrapbook paper - recipe cards!
Since I put a picture up of Mardi, I have to mention our latest adventure. Apparently Mardi loves Christmas just as much as we do. She loves it so much that she just can't stop herself from eating decorations. Without giving too much detail, one day last week she threw up a Christmas bow. Two trips to the vet and a whole lot of steroids later, she is on the road to recovery, and we are now having to cat-proof our home.
Stuart and I left Daphne on Saturday morning and were blessed to be able to attend a wedding of one of Stuart's dear friends, Lori, in Starkville, MS. We actually had 5 (FIVE!) friends to get married that day, but could unfortunately only attend one wedding! After the celebration (and delicious food I might add), we drove back to Brookhaven to start our family holiday travels. We are currently here with Stuart's parents and will be heading to Gadsden to see mine on Wednesday. After that it's on to Memphis on Christmas Day to see Sal, Brian, and little Vera Kate! We can't wait!
I'll have to give a play by play later. I hope you all are having a great holiday season! I'll leave you with this video which I think is important for us all to reflect on this time of year!
I must say that I have always loved grocery shopping. Even when I was younger I used to go to Food World with my mom on Friday nights (maybe that's why I wasn't cool in high school??) to get groceries for the week.Maybe it's because I know that if I combine the right things into my cart then I can create something delicious later!
I've spent my dollars at quite a few grocery establishments in my day. I spent my parents' money at Food World in high school, then moved on to the exciting world of Kroger in college. There were a few dark days at Super WalMart when my semester funds ran low in college. I try to put those mealy apples and bruised bananas at the back of my mind. When medical school started I felt kind of fancy pants for a while and shopped at Fresh Market, until I realized that would quickly put me in even greater debt than I was already in. And most recently when God lead me to Stuart in Daphne, he also lead me to PUBLIX.
Before we were married, I used to drive 30 minutes across the bay, just so that I could get my groceries at Publix. Here's why:
1. BOGO. If I am clever and shop their buy one get one sales to stock our pantry, and also supplement that with coupons, I can get away cheaper than if I had gone to that dark place from my college days (walmart). For instance, yesterday I got Smart Balance organic milk for ... 50 cents! 2. They have commercials that make me cry. Like this one, and this one.
3. The employees there are like the nicest people I have ever met. They come up to you if you look confused and ask what they can help you with. The other day I couldn't find fennel for a soup I'm making next week, and I was escorted to the fennel section by two gentlemen who then told me great ways to use it in recipes! Once Stuart and I were checking out pineapples and someone came up, helped us pick the best one, and then asked if he could core it for us for free! I may have squealed when I said "yes, please!" Then when time comes to check out, they will unload your car for you and take your groceries out to the car - no tips accepted!
I could go on and on, but I doubt you share the same love for groceries as I do. Anyway, the whole purpose of this blog today is to tell you that they just opened up a Publix that is 1.2 miles from our front door! Yes, we measured! We went there yesterday to purchase ingredients to make pimiento cheese for our small group Christmas party. Stuart can attest to the fact that I had been counting down the days until it opened. I considered wearing formal attire, but decided not to.
Once we arrived and walked up to the front door, what did we find but a Boar's Head HOT DOG CART! If there's anything I love more than Publix, it might just be hot dogs (and Stuart, of course). Alas we were in a hurry and didn't stop for the $1 hot dog and soda delight. We walked inside to grab a basket and were immediately greeted by a lady with fresh slices of Clementines. We grabbed one while she educated us on the delicious mini-fruit. Then on to the cheese section where we passed the tiny end-of-the-aisle kitchen where two ladies were cooking a sample dinner for which all ingredients were on sale.
Eventually we grabbed all the ingredients for our pimiento chese and got out of there quickly; otherwise I would have wound up talking to all the employees and touring the new store... But I'll be back next week!
Stuart and I decided to take the plunge and enjoy our first Thanksgiving together by hosting the families at our place for a weekend-long extravaganza! It all began on Thanksgiving day when my parents drove in from Gadsden, and Stuarts fam drove in from Brookhaven/Memphis. We all met up in Moss Point, MS at Taris and Corey's (Stuart's cousin's) house and enjoyed our first Thanksgiving meal! Some of Corey's extended family are from Louisiana/the Bayou, and they make a mighty fine jalapeno infused fried turkey and spicy sweet potatoes!
Friday of course was arguably one of the most important days of the weekend ... The Iron Bowl. If you watched it you know it was quite the entertainment event (War Eagle). I think mom and I frightened Stuart's grandmother and baby neice by hootin' and hollerin' so much! Dad isnt into football as much as mom and I are, so during the game he and Stuart decided to be a bit more productive and make a hammock stand for the hammock I bought in Panama many moons ago. They did such a good job and now my hammock has a place to rest other than our bedroom floor! Too bad it's cold now and we can't use it!
Saturday was the day that we hosted the family at our house. Stuart and I got up at 6am to prepare our 22 pound turkey for the feast! Stuart was a great sport and did the yucky stuff, like pull out the turkey neck and rub the gooey butter rub on the XL fowl. We follwed the recipe for Paula Deen's Maple Cranberry glazed turkey, and let me tell you friends, it was delish! The day before I had prepared my cornbread dressing and homemade cranberry sauce, and then everyone else brought delicious sides!
After the turkey went in the oven for the start of its 6 hour roast, Stuart and I went to pick out our first Christmas Tree! We went to Home Depot (cheaper than a farm we found ...) and wound up with an 8 foot fir tree that is gorgeous! Then all the fam showed up at noon and we chowed down yet again! Later that night was the Egg Bowl (MSU vs Ole Miss) which State won! Another exciting day of football and feasting!
Sunday both our parents and Sally went to church with us, and then we headed out for a walk on the Bay to take a few family pictures! Stuart and I are deciding if we want to send out Christmas cards, so maybe you will see one of them in your mailbox soon! Here are some pictures of the weekend!
Dad and Stuart working on the hammock stand for our porch
Stuart testing out the hammock. He may need to work a little on his technique =)
My wonderful husband, yanking a turkey neck out of a small opening
Carving up the roast beast! That's Vera Anne over there coaching Stu
Some of the fam chilling in the living room waiting on the turkey to finish!
My parents and Stuart's two grandmas enjoying the grub
What do you do after Thanksgiving? Pile in the car and go shopping, of course!
Sunday was family picture time! Here are my parents walking down the pier behind our house. Cute, I know!
Vera Kate! Mine and Stuart's little niece! She has convinced me that I actually like babies =)
Family photo shoot
This was a difficult pose for several reasons, but I think it turned out ok =)
