Football is here!!!

Anyone that has followed this blog for any amount of time knows that I LOVE FOOTBALL SEASON!  I love our Texans and my Aggies!

Texans football has started off full swing.  We had an amazing first tailgate...we were chosen as the 3rd runner up for tailgate of the game!  We were so happy!  The judges came by and we served them our drinks and snacks...and Jimmy's famous chicken legs.  We should have won if you asked me...but the judges gave the husbands feedback that the winning team had girls in bikini tops.  Well, these 3 mommas are never going there, so 3rd place it is!

Here I am with Courtney and Sonia, my favorite tailgating friends.  This is our 3rd year tailgating together, and we just keep getting better!

P.S....My Mom made us these wine glasses.  I'll have to get a better picture of them so you can see.  They have the Texans logo and beautiful red, white and blue beads.  We plan on using them each week!

 

As we say in Aggieland...if you do something twice, it's a tradition.  Well, we have a new yearly tradition of heading to the A&M vs. Sam Houston game.  Hubby went to Sam and I'm an Aggie, so it's the perfect adventure for us! 

Obviously, Jaxson wears winning colors ;)

 

We met our long time friends, Britney and Brandon before the game for a few beers at an old nasty bar that I spent every Friday afternoon of my college career in...Dudley's Draw.  We had so much fun, that when we started to walk into the game and it started raining...that we turned around and walked right back inside.  We never made it to the stadium, but we had a fantastic time.

 

Football season means lazy weekends at home, tailgating, and trips to Aggieland with great friends.  What more could I ask for?

 

Do you have any fun football traditions that you love?  Are you excited about Fall?

 

 

Sweet Home Alabama

I recently took Jaxson to spend a week in Alabama to see my extended family...my Edaddy and Aunt Cindy. They live on the Tennessee River, and we had a amazing time!  My parents and my sister drove in, and Jaxson and I flew.  I've gotta tell you flying with a 2 year old is not easy.  On the way there, he was a good boy, sitting in his big boy seat and watching his movie (Brave is the favorite right now...he calls it Bear) and eating his snacks.  He got really scared when we started to descend.  I think it hurt his little ears.  The flight attendant would not let him sit in my lap.  So, my sweet, scared little guy cried for about 15 minutes...I mean, really cried like I have never heard him before, and then made himself sick.  It was awful and heartbreaking, not being able to hold him, only being able to lean over him in the seat and try to hold him down.

So, on our way home....after sitting on the runway for over an hour before we took off...I shared this little tale with the flight attendant.  He said that he can absolutely sit in my lap, but that we just can't share a seat belt.  Problem solved!  Jaxson climbed in my lap when we started to descend, I held him and loved on him, and no problems.  Just so you know...that is an option...

Anyway...we had a fantastic vacation.  We spent time at Edaddy's and Cindy's and had the best time ever.  Jaxson named Cindy "Cha Cha" which still makes me giggle.  I love it.

Get ready for picture overload...

Jaxson with my Daddy, PopPa

Mom & Me

Aunt Cinny's House.  I wake up there each morning thinking, wow...I could live somewhere like this.  There is just something so calming, so peaceful about the water.  If I could talk hubby into moving here...I would in a heart beat.

Arts and crafts on the patio

He LOVES riding in the buggy.

Jaxson's first rope swing.  Val and I have been fighting over whos turn it is to swing for the last 25 years.  

This is Morgan.  She is the kindest sole I've ever met.  In case you can't tell, Jaxson adores her.  He calls her Gorgan.

She has arthirtis.  Bad.  She can barely walk.  Jaxson doesn't care.  He would sit with her for hours.

Buddies

Val and Aunt Cinny

On the boat

"Jaxson Drive?"

Mom & Aunt Cinny.  Sweet Sisters.

Jaxson loves his PopPa

Jaxson, Val & Me

Jaxson, Val & Mom

My precious, perfect Edaddy, Jaxson & Me

We can't wait to come back for a visit!  Jaxson has been asking for Gorgan, Cha Cha, and DDaddy since we got home!  I feel so blessed to have such wonderful loving family!

Weekend at Club Adams

So...it's the end of the quarter at work.  In my type of sales, that = SUPER STRESS.  I needed to get away and clear my head before heading into the last week, so my dear Hubby agreed to a weekend at my parent's house, which we loveingly call Club Adams.

It's so nice to be home.  My parents are the greatest people I know, and they love having us there.  Hubby and I got to sleep until *gasp* 9AM two days in a row!  I couldn't tell you the last time that happened.  

We also spent a whole day in the pool.  It was so relaxing and fun...and Jaxson had a blast.

My Daddy bought Jaxson (or him and Jeff...haha!) a remote control boat.  He LOVED it.  He kept saying "mote, mote!" and wanting to drive it all around the pool.

Bandit even enjoyed the day, lounging on the float almost the whole afternoon.

It was the perfect weekend and well worth the 8 hour round trip!

I am so grateful to have such amazing parents and a home base where I can relax, be myself and let the stress just melt away...

Say no to carbs...Cauliflower Bread

I've been on an Atkins kick lately.  I know it's not the most healthy way to lose weight, but it's the easiest thing for me to do since I've been traveling so much.  I'm not doing it 100%, but just very low carb.  I still drink wine - duh!

My new favorite thing is cauliflower bread.  It is SO GOOD and so easy.  And, I'm going to share it with you!

Here's what you need:

1/2 head of cauliflower

Splash of milk

food processor

2 eggs 

2 cups cheese (I like mozzarela)

Seasoning (I use Italian seasonings)

Olive Oil

Cookie Sheet

Preheat oven to 400

Spray cookie sheet with lots of olive oil.  LOTS.  If you don't, these will really really get stuck.

Chop cauliflower into chunks

Put in food processor or chopper and process into rice grain like sizes or smaller (you really can't get it too small in my opinion)  You should end up with about 2 cups.

****Beware - riced cauliflower smells AWFUL.  The first time I made it hubby kept saying from the den, "I've checked Jaxson's diaper like, 4 times and it's fine but he smells like he is dying!"  Poor Jaxson.  It wasn't him, it was the cauliflower.

Beat the eggs like you are making scrambled eggs, and add in a splash of milk

Combine all the ingredients and stir them up well.  You should have a kind of paste.  A very smelly paste.

Make four patties about 1/4 inch thick.  I use two cookie sheets so nothing gets crowded.  You could make these any size you want, but I make 4 of them in case I want to use them for pizza or as a wrap for a sandwich.

Cook for 10-12 minutes, watching carefully towards the end.  They will brown on the edges a lot because of the olive oil, so don't be alarmed.  

I add a little more olive oil, cheese and turkey pepperoni and broil on low for 5 minutes for yummy pizza, I eat them with a little spray butter, use it for bread...the possibilties are endless!  I make a batch of these a couple times a week and store them in a baggie in the fridge.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Summertime Summertime!

Hi Friends!

Summer has started off wonderfully at the Ellis household.  We are enjoying the sweltering Houston weather and spending some great time outside.

We got Jaxson his first pool and he loves it!  I ordered it on Amazon for $50 and it was worth every penny.  We've spent numerous afternoons out there.  I even love it!

Even Daddy loves the pool.

I love just love summer.  Everything about it.  Sunkissed skin, the smell of sunscreen, sitting outside all afternoon...Everything!

Jaxson loves watching the birds on our bird feeder.  Everytime he sees one he says, "say hi?" and runs over to the birds yelling "hug!".  Poor little guy doesn't understand why they fly away and don't want a hug.  He's so sweet.

How is your summer going?  What things do you love about summer?

Jaxson's 2nd Birthday - Sesame Street!

My sweet baby boy turned 2!

And, of course, we had to celebrate Sesame Street style!

I spent way more time than I had to get his little party together, but I'm so happy that I did!  It was so fun and I was thrilled with the way everything turned out.  I loved loved loved seeing his reaction to all the decorations the day of the party.  It made me so happy to bring him joy!
Below are some of the details....

Are these not the cutest cups in the whole world?  Everyone LOVED them!  They had everything from lemonade to water to rum punch in them!  I ordered them from Kimberly's Foam Party.  She was amazing to work with and did such an amazing job!

The drink area.  We had rum punch for the adults (something that was requested over and over again as people RSVP'd from Jaxson's first birthday party...I don't know if I should feel proud or ashamed of that!), lemonade, iced team, roaring waters, and bottled waters.

I wrapped the bottled waters with stationary that matched our invites and theme.  I purchased the files from StoryBrookLane Crafts.  There were so many cute things...I just didn't have time to print them all!

The sign in table in our entry way.  I created a shutterfly photobook for his first birthday party, and had everyone sign it.  My goal is to do one for each year (at least until he is 18...) and keep them all for him so he can see who celebrated him when he was little and how much everyone loved him.

This is me before the party...next to my wreath that took 3 evenings to make with ribbon, pom poms, elmo and a cable tie. 

Hubby made this sign for me.  He was super sweet...went to Lowe's...bought the wood...painted it and attached the sign and grover.  It's now in our playroom and it makes me smile each and everytime I look at it.

This mural is 5x6 feet, and is STILL hanging in our entry way.  Jaxson LOVES it.  He hugs and kisses his "friends" every morning, and rides over there in his little truck to say hello to them in the evenings.  I can't bear to take it down yet.  It cost five dollars and I would have paid five hundred for it after seeing how happy it's made him!

Here he is with his Aunt Vallie.

I spent lots of time making poms for the party.  I made Elmo, Grover, and Cookie Monster Poms in small and large sizes.  They turned out super cute, but were a HUGE pain to make.  I still have them if anyone wants them...just email me. 

The food spread.  I did a terrible job at taking pics of the food.  We served...

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Little Cheese Smokies Wrapped in Crescents

Chips and Summer Salsa

Southern Living Grape Pasta Salad

Peanut Butter and Jelly Star Sandwiches

Homemade Chex Mix

RAINBOW CAKE!

I made his cake all by myself this year...and didn't even get a good picture of it.  It took half a day...but it was delish and way worth it.  Everyone loved it.  It had six layers and tons of sprinkles on top.  I took a lot of pride in making his cake myself.

We rented a bounce house for him...and he LOVED it!  I barely saw him or any of the other children all afternoon!  All the sweet little ones had red cheeks and happy smiles all day.

My Daddy and his best friend.

I was super PC and bought a pinata that had pull strings.  So, instead of beating cookie monster to death for candy, you just pulled the ribbons and one ribbon made all the candy fall out. 

The kids did great...taking turns and then pulling all the strings together...

I LOVE this picture.  Jaxson laughed and laughed as all the candy fell on his head!

And then the big kids pulled Cookie Monster's legs off....and Jaxson cried...

His favorite part of the day was everyone singing Happy Birthday to him.  When the song ended, he said "More, More!"  What a little Ham!

Our little family.  Thank you God for blessing us.

Here is Jaxson considering a bite of the rainbow cake.

The bounce house was amazing and worth each and every penny!

My Cookie Monster pom and the adorable tie I ordered him that he refused to wear.

The view from above.

My dearest friends from college.  I adore these ladies and would not be the woman I am today without their love and support.

My favorite Mommy friend!

My Daddy with "Kiss" and Don, Jaxson's Godparents.  Kristy hung each and every pom and swirlie for me the night before.

My partner in crime at work, Rebecca and her sweet son, Carter.

Toys toys and more toys.

Jaxson's Godparents...in Bert Orange!

After everyone left we had some adult jump jump time.  I've gotta tell you - it's fun!  A true stress relief!

Favors - Candy Bars

COOKIE! 

The view from the front door.

My Grover tissue pom

I wrapped all of these little candies

Jaxson loved all of his little friends!

Happy birthday to my precious 2 year old!  My life has changed in the most amazing way possible!  I love you!