Thanks ADT

Ok, I could have shot my husband tonight. First, you should know that I hate to be home at night alone. I'm the biggest scaredy-cat ever. Any little sound in the house will make my brain go crazy and I start imagining stuff in my head. So, after I put Gavin to bed tonight, I turned on the TV to watch my weekly dose of fake fighting - WWE Raw. Jason hadn't come home yet - he was working late. While I was watching TV, one of those ADT home security commercials came on - the one where the couple are laying in bed and hear a noise; and the husband gets up and sees a man all dressed in black kicking in their door. HELLO! I'M HOME ALONE! and I see this commercial. Great. Now, I have visions of someone busting down our front door while I'm here. So, I went into the kitchen to wash some dishes and finish straightening the counter to get my mind off of the commercial. Then, the next thing I hear is something scraping against our patio doors (in our living room)! Oh, my gosh, my heart was racing. I peeked around the corner into the living room to see what it was, but then Jason came to the front door. He was dying laughing. It was him. He said he knew it would scare me. I'm thinking about putting an ad in the newspaper: Husband for sale. Fair condition. Comes with insurance. If interested, give me a call.

This one is for Jason

I've noticed that I don't post much about Jason - mainly just Gavin and some other stuff. So, this post is all about my husband. Some of you know that my life seems to revolve around food (the waist line shows). I try to be a good cook - I want to be better than Jason at something; but there are several things that he's better at cooking than I am.

1. Jason is THE grill master. He can grill anything to perfection and with great taste.
2. He watched Alton Brown's Good Eats about making the perfect pancake. You'd think that making pancakes isn't really rocket science - but Alton Brown showed us the "correct" way. And now, Jason makes the best pancakes for breakfast on Saturday or Sundays. They're thick and fluffy, and they're the perfect tan color. Umm, so yummy. *Disclaimer - Jason watches Food Network because he has no choice - I'm usually watching it, so he has to watch it too - not because he likes to.
3. Another breakfast food that he's great at making is an omelet. He was playing around in the kitchen one morning and figured out how to make them.
4. Jason can also make gravy very well. It can be homemade gravy, or from a packet, and it's still perfect - consistency and taste.
5. He found another recipe on Food Network - fried zucchini. The zucchini is cut into strips and then rolled in panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, and then deep fried. It sounds kind of funky, but it's delicious.
6. His onion rings are the best. They're thick with a lot of breading. I love onion rings.
7. His hamburger steaks are to die for. They're not just plain old patties. He seasons them with steak seasoning, grills them, and then puts them in the oven with mushroom gravy. Yummy.
8. All you ribs fans out there...Jason's ribs are the ones you want. They are fall-off-the-bone delicious.
9. He fries the best french fries. I usually just poke them in the oven (and they're usually real soft and mushy); but when Jason fries them in our deep fryer, the fries are tan and crispy...just like I like them.
10. Last Saturday we were trying to figure out what to have for lunch. He came up with the idea of french dip sandwiches. It was so simple. It was just roast beef thinly sliced from the deli and heated in the oven with a can of beef broth and seasonings. We ate them on Kaiser rolls with provolone cheese. Soooo good. I wouldn't have ever thought of it.

I know that this post sounds like Jason is the wife - but there are just some foods I leave to him to cook, cause I'd ruin them. I'm so lucky to have a guy who can cook. I bet you never knew I married a chef at heart, did you?

Pork Chop Casserole

I found a recipe from my grandmother's church cookbook - I love church cookbooks. My sister, Kelli, made a pork chop casserole from it a few weeks ago. I decided to try it tonight, and it was soooo good. Here's the recipe: Pork Chop Casserole: 1 cup rice (not cooked) 2 cans cream mushroom soup (or I did 1 mushroom, and 1 cream of chicken) boneless pork chops (I had 6 thin sliced chops) sliced onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms *Of course, onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms are optional, but they give the chops a great flavor. Pour uncooked rice into the bottom of a casserole dish. Mix the cans of soup with a little water and pour a little bit over the rice (just so it has moisture). Layer the pork chops on top of the rice. Salt and pepper them.Then, layer the onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms on top of the pork chops. Pour the rest of the soup mixture on top. Cover with tin foil, and then bake @ 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. *I like to use different seasonings in my food. In this one, I sprinkled some McCormick's Basil & Garlic seasoning in the soup mixture before pouring it on top. I also put salt and pepper in the soup mixture as well. *This recipe fed Jason, me, and my mom. If you're feeding more than that, you may want to use more rice because there were no leftovers after we were finished eating. *I also put my casserole dish on top of a cookie sheet in the oven because it began to boil over the sides of the dish.

Shout out

I want to give a shout out to Kelly and Ali! Jason, Gavin, and I were spending "family time" browsing Target last night (of course near the toy aisle) - when Gavin should have been in the bed - and saw these 2 wonderful ladies. It was kind of funny because I read their blogs all the time, but I haven't seen them in person in a LONG time. It was like seeing celebrities! Kelly and Ali - hope to see you again soon.

Wiggle Worm, Part 3

Ok, here's Wiggle Worm Part 3...As you know my child is a wiggler. He never sits still. In the past, though, I haven't buckled him in his bouncy seat or swing, but now I do! I left him alone for just a minute to go fix his bottle. And this is what I saw when I walked back into the living room:

(Look at him smiling at me! Sneaky little thing!)

I think I'm in for it when he gets in school.

I've been tagged...

Answer the questions with 7 responses. . .then tag 7 people. What I was doing 10 years ago - Spring of 1998 1. getting ready to graduate high school 2. filling out scholarship and financial aid forms for college 3. working a few hours at Moore Photography sending out mass mailings 4. getting my belly-button pierced (that summer) 5. driving a Chevy Cavalier 6. and 7. a couple other events I'd rather leave in the past Seven snacks I enjoy: 1. popcorn 2. wheat thins and hummus 3. cheese 4. peanut butter bread 5. glass of milk - most of the time, chocolate milk 6. dried cranberries 7. yogurt Seven things I would do if I became a billionaire: 1. pay off all my debt - credit cards, both vehicles, house, hospital bills (babies are expensive!), Jason's motorcycle 2. buy a cricut die-cut machine so I could scrapbook more from home 3. buy some land out in the Inman/Campobello area and build a house with a large kitchen with lots of cabinets, lots of walk-in closets, and a bathroom that has a jacuzzi tub and a separate room for the toilet! 4. go on an excursion somewhere - Europe? Australia? Hawaii? 5. give back to the church since we don't tithe the way we should 6. put it all in a savings account to draw lots and lots of interest 7. put some in Gavin’s savings account Seven of my bad habits 1. biting my fingernails! yuck! 2. putting a load of laundry in the washing machine at night and forgetting to put them in the dryer before going to bed 3. leaving my shoes laying around the house 4. not closing the mailbox all the way 5. checking my email 24/7 as if I'm going to miss something important 6. not rinsing out my glass of milk before putting it in the sink 7. blogging and surfing the internet instead of going to bed at a decent hour Seven places I have lived: 1. Wellford, SC 2. Spartanburg, SC 3. Tigerville, SC 4. Lyman, SC 5. with my parents 6. with a roommate 7. with Jason, now Seven jobs you've had: 1. painter - high school summers with my dad 2. afterschool program and summer camp counselor - YMCA, Wellford Elem, Berea Elem 3. Pilgrim's Pathway - my uncle's Christian bookstore 4. The Silver Closet - silver jewelry store off Congaree Rd. 5. afterschool program director - Travelers Rest YMCA during college 6. childcare at MTCC 7. now I teach - 3rd grade for 3 years, and now science lab this year for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders Seven places you would rather be: 1. in bed 2. in a hotel room away from home with Jason 3. Daytona Beach, FL 4. sitting in a sunroom watching and listening to a thunderstorm 5. getting a massage 6. on a cruise ship 7. Neverland Seven plans you have for 2008: 1. celebrate 1 whole year of Gavin being alive and healthy 2. go to the beach with mom, dad, and everybody 3. get my house clean – top to bottom 4. finish tiling our sunroom floor so that it can be my scrapbook room 5. have a yard sale to get rid of some of our junk 6. lose the 10 pounds I’ve gained since having Gavin 7. possibly going to either Las Vegas or Orlando – I said possibly Seven People who E-mail you regularly: 1. Mom 2. Kelli (my sister) 3. Jason - when he's at work 4. Greer ScrapHappy - I'm on the email list 5. teachers and administration at school 6. credit card people wanting me to get another credit card 7. dirty advertising companies Seven things you think about often: 1. how much weight I've gained since having Gavin 2. what I'm going to cook for dinner 3. how I need to clean my house 4. what I’m going to teach next week 5. what I’m going to wear the next day to school 6. how much Gavin has changed in just 7 months 7. how I wish to be closer friends with Meredith & Michael, and 2 other couples from church – they have children about the same age as Gavin. We have a lot in common, but never have time to do anything together. *I'm supposed to tag 7 people, but the people I would tag have already done it.

Yo Gabba Gabba

Oh, my word. I love to watch cartoons, and Gavin likes them too. So this morning, all 3 of us were watching Noggin and eating breakfast when Yo Gabba Gabba came on. Somebody PLEASE tell me...is DJ Lance on crack? I mean, what he's teaching the kids - manners, politeness, etc. - is great; but that man is annoying!! Are kids really supposed to like this??? Does anyone else feel my pain?

Friday Five

Five things I plan to do this weekend:

1. go to Jason's daddy's wedding

2. listen to a vacuum cleaner sales rep just so we get a 2 night vacation (desperate, I know)

3. wash and fold some laundry

4. make a model of a compass for a 4th grade lesson next week

5. play outside with Gavin

Anyone have any exciting ideas for me?

My Sweet Child

You know, I always talk about how sweet Gavin is and mushy gushy stuff like that. Well, he decided to show his true colors tonight, and I thought I'd show you just how sweet my child can be.

Notice that his bib says, "Hello world, I have arrived." That's the statement I believe he's trying to make. I wonder if my neighbors can hear his "message" through our walls?

I took a picture of him doing this with my cell phone and text messaged it to Jason (he's working late), and told him that I was getting ready to take this wild animal to the animal shelter and drop him off.

Yes, I sat there and took pictures of my child screaming; I laughed while I did it too. Is that bad?

He was actually screaming for 2 reasons...1) He'd just spit up all over himself right after I had put a clean bib on him. (Notice how nasty it is.) 2) He was so tired because he'd only taken 1 nap today, and he wouldn't let me rock him or do anything with him to soothe him. So, I put him in his exersaucer so he'd wear himself out a little more.

Disclaimer: Just to let you know, I'm not that bad of a mother to sit and let my child scream like that. I did get him up, gave him a little Tylenol to calm him down, and he finally gave up and went to sleep.

Motherhood? Zookeeper? Are they the same?

Random Things About Me

To copy Natalie's post, "100 Things About Me", here are some random things about myself, but I'm only doing 50. I couldn't think of 100 things. That would take me several weeks to do. 1. When my mom was in labor with me, she was watching Dallas on TV. 2. Mom and Dad were going to name me Mary Amanda, but changed it to Mary Kristin when I was born. 3. I knew my sister's husband pretty personally before she did. I used to go camping with Natalie and Amanda Abrams. Their dad and brother, Paul, were teaching me how to water ski. When the boat started going and as I was pulled up out of the water, the water rushed up the back of my bathing suit, and I got a wedgy. Before I could pull my bathing suit out of my crack, Paul swam over to help me balance, and my bare hiney sat on his knee. We still make jokes about that. 4. When I was in 2nd grade, I shaved my legs and arms with an electric hair razor. 5. Gavin wasn't exactly a "surprise", even though that's how I explain it to people. He was a slip-up...a "we didn't move fast enough" surprise. Too much information? 6. My very best childhood friend and I are no longer "friends". Noel and I were inseperable when we were younger - we were glued together at the hip. As we grew up and got into middle school, we went our seperate ways, to say it nicely, and I haven't seen her in years (even though she lived right across the street from me before I got married). 7. My daddy baptized me when I was younger. He is an ordained minister. 8. I am the "milkman's daughter". I don't look like anyone in my family. (But some people say that I look a little like my mom.) 9. I was a high school band nerd. I loved being in the band. I played in "the pit" - xylophone, bells, marimba, etc. I didn't have to try out for band. They were needing someone who knew how to play the keyboard, and I did. 10. I was one of the drum captains my senior year in band. Jason Gibson was the other drum captain. I don't exactly know why I was one, but I wasn't about to complain. 11. I've never broken any bones, or gotten any stitches (knock on wood). 12. I think my worst accident as a child was on my bicycle. I was about 7 or 8, I think. I was riding my bike and turned my head back to see what was behind me, not watching where I was going, and ran into the back of a parked car. My bike slid underneath the car, and I busted my lip. All I remember was a lot of blood. I have a scar on my lip from it - you can see it if you look close enough. 13. My great-grandmother, Mama Pye, died in 2001. I haven't been to visit her grave since her funeral. 14. Mama Pye always begged me to give her time for her to teach me how to crochet left-handed, since both of us were left-handed. I never gave her that time - I was always too busy. I cry everytime I think about it now. Oh how I wish I had let her. 15. I don't watch ANY scary movies. They give me nightmares. 16. My favorite meal of all time is my mama's pinto beans, mashed potatoes, cornbread, homemade chow-chow, and onions. (I know you're turning your nose up and saying gross.) 17. Getting my job at Chandler Creek was a piece of cake. I had student taught there and the principal already knew me. I was so nervous when I went in for the interview - I was expecting a lot of hard questions. But I walked in, she looked at me, asked me how I was, and showed me the papers already filled out and signed. I was offered a 4th grade position, but she told me she would move some people around and put me in 3rd grade. I taught 3rd grade for 3 years, was the grade level chairperson last year, and now I'm teaching in the science lab. Wow, have I been blessed. 18. I used to have my belly-button pierced. 19. Natalie mentioned on her blog that she has let go of some of her OCD tendencies since she has had Emma. I am the exact same way since having Gavin. My house used to be halfway clean - now we have stuff everywhere. And although it bothers me some, it doesn't bother me as much as it would have before Gavin. Another example - I used to make sure I dressed nicely all the time, make-up done, and hair done; now, I just throw on whatever clothes that don't need ironing, put on foundation and mascara, and throw my hair in a pony tail, and walk out the door. I also used to be a stickler on being early to wherever I went. Now, I'm just lucky to get there on time. 20. While working at Chandler Creek, I became close friends with one of the other 3rd grade teachers - Andrea Washburn. She and her husband have now moved back home to Illinois. They sent us Christmas presents and we got them on Christmas Eve. The Christmas presents that we bought them are still sitting here in our dining room in the box. The box has yet to be mailed to them - 3 months later. 21. I have had 3 wisdom teeth pulled. The 4th one is still in my mouth. It has to be cut out by an oral surgeon. I've been putting it off for about 7 years - and I will continue putting it off. 22. I attended USC-Spartanburg for 3 years. The summer before my senior year, I decided to transfer to North Greenville College. I had to go to school longer, but I didn't care about that. It was a good choice. 23. At North Greenville, students are required to attend chapel. You're allowed to miss chapel 2 times and still receive an A. I had skipped (yes, skipped) chapel 3 times, but had forgotten and only thought I had missed it 2 times. I got a B in chapel. Instead of graduating with a 4.0 GPA, I graduated with a 3.96 instead - just because I skipped chapel one too many times. How ridiculous is that? 24. I'm a school teacher, and I don't like to read. 25. I have been wishing that I could stay home with Gavin next year. 26. I love to scrapbook. My pages aren't very elaborate or loaded with embellishments. I'm a very square person, and I like my things simple and in lines. 27. I should be cleaning my house right now, instead of playing on the computer. My furniture is covered in dust, my kitchen floor needs to be sweeped, and I have about 3 loads of clean laundry that need to be folded. But alas! My kitchen counters and dishes are clean, and my living room floor has been vacuumed! 28. I hate talking on the telephone. I'm not a person to just sit and chat on the phone. I like to say what needs to be said, and get off. 29. I love the sunshine. I love to wake up and open all the blinds and open the front door to let the sunshine in. 30. I've gained 10 pounds since having Gavin. Something has to be done about it! 31. I am allergic to cats. Within about 30 minutes of being around cat dander and hair, I start sneezing and my eyes start itching. I guess that's why I'm not much of an animal person. 32. I love just about all food - Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Italian, Southern...You name it, and I probably eat it. 33. When I first got pregnant with Gavin, I had to see a different doctor than my regular one - you know how they make you see all the doctors in the group. I was sitting on the exam table, and he was going through my file. He looked up at me and said, "26?"...questioning my age. I said yes, and then he said, "Oh, I was going to guess about 16." He was serious. Thanks, doc. 34. I have a pair of "grandma" sandals - as my mom puts it. I still wear them because they're comfortable. What can I say...I'm becoming an old hag. 35. Mom told me that when I was little, I had some health problems that made doctors think I had leukemia. But after some tests, they found out that I was just allergic to orange juice. I can drink it now, though. It doesn't bother me anymore. 36. Jason and I have been married for 4 years. It seems like forever. 37. Speaking of weddings, if I could do it all over again, I would do things differently. I would keep it a lot simpler - the guys wearing khaki pants and a nice white collared shirt, and the girls choosing a dress of their own of a specific color. I wouldn't get so wrapped up in all the details and etiquette stuff. It would have been more relaxed and casual (and cheaper). 38. I'm tired of my money going to help people who won't help themselves. I worked at the community center several summers during college. I got to see first hand some of the people that walk through those doors. I don't think it's fair that my tax dollars pay for free childcare for some of those parents when they sit at home all day and not work. I don't mind helping people in need; but they need to attempt to help themselves and not mooch off of everyone else and try to get a free ride in life. (That's all I'm going to say about that. If I get started, I'll go on for hours.) 39. Jason and I have completely spoiled Gavin. We went to Walmart and decided to walk through the baby section and look at toys. We bought Gavin yet another toy to add to his collection. 40. I think I'd like to have one more child. At first, I adamantly said that Gavin was going to be our only one. But now, I believe I'm changing my tune. Maybe one more wouldn't be too bad. 41. I cannot make gravy. Everytime I try, I can never get it right. Jason laughs at me, because he does get it right when he makes it. My "gravy" tastes good, but it's not gravy. It's, it's, I don't know...something else. 42. I don't ride roller coasters. I don't like the way they make my stomach feel. The only one that I've ridden that doesn't take my stomach is Top Gun at Carowinds - and it even goes upside down. Go figure. 43. I have become a wrestling fan. I like to watch John Cena. (Don't tell anyone.) 44. Having Gavin made me hit my knees more than I ever have before. I don't know why, but adjusting to motherhood (and recovering from having Gavin) was hard for me. I have never cried and prayed so much in my life. I was literally on my knees praying everyday - praying for strength and healing. It's funny how God uses moments like that -when we're at our lowest point - to bring us closer to Him. 45. I have traveled some outside of South Carolina. When I was in middle school, my family went with daddy on a business trip to New Mexico, California, and Texas. I very vaguely remember that trip. I've also been to Arizona, New York, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Florida. 46. I like to mix a spoonful of peanut butter with a spoonful of honey and spread it on my toast or biscuit for breakfast. My sister likes to use peanut butter and syrup, but I think honey is better. 47. I married a young pup - Jason is a year and half younger than I am. 48. I am a daddy's girl. I can get anything I want from my dad. 49. I have been going to the chiropractor since January. Someone rear-ended me 2 summers ago, and my neck started hurting out of the blue back in December. The x-ray showed where my vertebrae were no longer parallel - they were crooked, and the bones were rubbing against each other whenever I turned my head. I love going to the chiropractor. I feel so relaxed when I leave his office. 50. One of my far fetched dreams is to open a children's book store. I'd like to have story time each week, with milk and cookies for the kids. The only children's book store that I know of is Knights and Pages on the east side of Spartanburg - but I think it has closed down.

7 Months Old

Gavin turned 7 months old last week. Here are a few pictures I took for his baby book:

This is the only picture I was able to get of him smiling.

Instead of smiling, this was what I got.

And finally, after taking about 20 different pictures, he says, "Mom, I can't take anymore."