The Big Five-O Party #1

This year I have TONS AND TONS of friends who will be turning 50. I expect to attend several parties in their honor, it will be a blast!

I don't look at it like a dreaded getting older kind of thing...

I consider us to be Nifty-Fifty...

First on the block to turn 50 in our group is Kathy.

On her actual birthday January 22 we went to The Ice House in Pasadena and saw some great comedians with her family and friends. Get this! five of the women at this party will be turning 50 this year...

Last night however was our turn, time for just us girlfriends. Dee Dee and I plotted and planned to make Kathy's day so special. Our idea of a good time always includes a good dinner so we decided to make Kathy's birthday "A Hoot" and take her to Hooters.


We started our evening decked out in our scarves and sunglasses ready for a convertible ride in my groovy new car. (Thanks Charles for stopping the repairs on your car to come take some pictures of some silly gals)


Woo Hoo!!!!

Next we made it to Hooters and Kathy Loved the idea. Dee Dee and I had not been there before, Kathy took her son to the one in Las Vegas when he turned 21 but when we walked in we realized we had just walked into a Man Cave...

We were the only girls in there.

We almost felt like we had entered into the "no girls allowed" Order of the Water Buffalo Lodge or someones basement during a secret Man Only ritual,we were intimidated, but we pressed on... We were welcomed in and had a cute waitress who sat right down and joined us. She was all into seeing Kathy's gifts and we had a super good time.

Soon after we arrived some families with small children came in for dinner. Dee Dee was Shocked! "I am 50 and never have been in here and they come in their strollers"She's a crack up.

To Honor Kathy's big day they made her a GIANT foil bow hat, we are talking HUGE. They have some big foil at Hooters. Kathy loved wearing her hat but unfortunately it had to come off to get back into the Mini Cooper.



We hit the mall a bit to work off our dinner then it was dessert time at Cheesecake Factory. NO Dessert Sharing allowed for this group of gals.



Funniest line of the evening...

Kathy- "I can't read this menu, Can you read it?"
Dee Dee- "Sure I can read it no problem"
Troy- "Here's a flashlight"
Kathy-"I don't know how you two can read this and I can't?"
Dee Dee- "Well, We're not 50 yet"


I am so incredibly blessed by these women and after some math we realized Kathy and I have been friends 40 years Yikes!!!!

Happy Birthday Kathy, And Many Many More...

I Thought You Understood...

Dear Steve, I thought you understood, I told whomever would listen about how you totally understood, and I was so proud of you, because YOU got Me!...

"My Husband knows what I love" I would boast, fully confident that you knew and understood my feelings and passions...

We talking about my love of a nice purse...

I was so excited when you got a bonus and said, "go get yourself a purse" starting my Brighton Purse collection.

You were excited and told everyone last Christmas that you bought this lovely number for me... Oh, how I loved that Man O' Mine.



So, I thought nothing of it today when I decided to do my birthday shopping for you and came home with this baby...





A bag I have been admiring and researching for quite awhile. I thought you would be happy that I was happy AND that you didn't have to go shopping for me, But you said the most shocking, heart breaking words a purse loving woman could hear...

"Didn't I just buy you a purse a year ago?"

Oh No!!!! What A World, What A World...

Something different

Last night we had a Potluck Thanksgiving at our Family Game night Ministry.

It felt SOOO strange to cook the Turkey and Gravy and that's it. It was so fun though and of course our meal was simply delicious.

One of the gals made seriously,the best Green Bean Casserole, it was Paula Deen's recipe so I say look it up and go for it... I will.

My other friend made some Crock Pot stuffing that was so good, I could have eaten the entire bowl... A Recipe I had to have... Give it a try

Slow Cooker Stuffing

1 - 8" square pan of cornbread (I like Marie Callender's) or you can use 2 boxes of Jiffy corn bread mix.)
8-10 slices of some other bread
4 eggs
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c, celery (you can get a pre-chopped mix of chopped onions and celery
at Stater Bros.)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth (15-16 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons sage or poultry seasoning ( I use poultry seasoning)
1 stick butter

Prepare cornbread according to package directions. Crumble cornbread and other bread together. (I like to crumble it and put it in a large pan, and let it dry over night).
In large bowl, combine all ingredients except butter and mix well. Put into a greased slow cooker and dot top with butter. Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for 3-8 hours. Makes 16 servings

Have a Blessed Day

Love, Troysie

Memoirs of a Kitchen Lady- Sadness and Gladness

This week was one of Sadness and Gladness in the life of this Kitchen Lady.

In my morning school I am there for breakfast and since the kids eat in a Self Serve manner I do not have much inter-action with them. I see them every day and wave to them, but that's about it.

Today I walked by and a little girl who was just leaving the line looked at me, waved and shyly said...

" Hi Troy!!"

Melt, Melt, Melt went my heart... I don't know if she overheard or asked my name, but wow, she new my name... I went home with a giant smile on my face...

At my lunch school, I knew the day would come, I have seen it many times before... A game I play with a little first grader ends because they outgrow me. Indiana Jones and Darth Vader don't want me to sing their theme songs anymore as they go by which is actually good cause I cant really remember who was Indiana and who was Darth. At least the Ninja Turtle still wants to be called Leo or Mikey.

But this week I noticed it, I thought he was distracted but it went on for the whole week. My little spy guy no longer holds his hand up like a phone and plays spies with me. No more "Over and Out" but the worst thing is that he is no longer calling me Tawnie... Wahhhhh He is growing up.

And I am not.

The Difference Between Women and Girls...

Just like Men and Boys, the Difference between Women and Girls is the price of their toys...

Take Tupperware for instance...

A gal at my gym is having a Tupperware party with "Amazing Discounts" Lasts forever, lifetime guarantee, won't stain or melt...

Sounds great right? "Unbeatable, lowest prices of the season" I begin to drool...

Over the years I have purchased several pieces,some good, some not so good. Some I look at and wonder Why??? like my $15.00 plastic container to hold my seasoning packets. What was I thinking??? and I worked and worked for an eternity to get my spinning spice rack that cost more than I want to mention and heartbreakingly never quite worked in my pantry. Then there are my things I can't do without like my batter mixing bowl, measuring cups and small storage containers, not to mention my giant thirst quencher cup that is NOT to be touched by any male in my household...

I cant even imagine how much my favorite giant red "Enormo-Bowl" set my brother back.

I know the stuff is expensive, but that is one of the rites of passage to become a woman... Give the "Serve and Store" stuff from the 99Cent store to the girls. I am a Woman and I Love Tupperware...

The Day After...

The Election was yesterday, So, it didn't turn out as Steveie and I voted... Oh Well...

If you don't Vote...

You don't get to complain...

November 2nd.

I have never been a Democrat...

I guess I should take that back, I was born into a Democratic family so I guess I was a Democrat up until the age of consent that is...

I remember when it became time for me to register to vote, my dad showed me the pamphlet and where to check the boxes I needed to become a legal voter. When it came time to choose my party, I had to admit to my father that I was not going to register as a Democrat... He was surprised, disappointed, but not too angry,BUT I still did live in his house and ours was not a republican house so he let me register as independent.

I didn't vote for Jimmy Carter...

When I met my hubby Steve he came from a Republican household so I began to vote like he did. Oh how Steve and dad loved to debate the issues, Dad loved Steve and Steve loved dad and I think they enjoyed having political differences, it was fun and exciting to them.

I just was glad I finally got to come out of the political closet and be what I truly am...

A Conservative Christian Female Republican...

Today I wear my "I voted" sticker proudly.

God Bless America