Merry Christmas!

Here's wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas.  I'm going to be taking a blogcation for about a week and a half to enjoy my family to the fullest.  Take some time to enjoy your families as well.  I'll see y'all in 2013!

Texas Music Around Fort Worth Weekend of December 21, 2012

Friday, December 21, 2012

JD Monson @ The Woodshed Smokehouse – 6:00

Drew Kennedy @ The Spice Rack Tapas Bar & Grill Burleson - 9:00

Nick Verzosa @ White Elephant Saloon - 9:00 - $5

Seth Savage @ Chubby’s Burger Shack - 7:00

Gary Kyle Band @ Railhead in Willow Park - 7:30 

Heather Roberts Band @ The Grease Monkey

 

Jason Elmore & The Hoodoo Witch (Blues/Rock) @ Red’s Roadhouse - 9:30

Bobby Dean & Timeless Country @ Pearl’s Dancehall & Saloon - 9:00 - $10

Wheeler Brothers & Emory Quinn @ Magnolia Motor Lounge - 10:00 - $10

Sideshow Tragedy @ Fred's Texas Cafe - 7:00 

Preservation Hall Jazz Band presents a Creole Christmas @ The Live Oak Music Hall - 8:30 - starting @ $35

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Chris Watson @ The Woodshed Smokehouse – 6:00 

Ryan Ready @ The Spice Rack Tapas Bar & Grill Burleson - 9:00

Dust Devils @ White Elephant Saloon - 9:00 - $6

Bobby Duncan @ Chubby’s Burger Shack - 7:00

Casey Thompson Band @ Railhead in Willow Park - 7:30 

Randy & Mike of 92nd Roadhouse @ Stagecoach Ballroom – 8:00 - $6

Devin Leigh @ The Grease Monkey

The Jimmy Jones Band @ Red’s Roadhouse - 9:00

Dale Watson & His Lonestars (Christmas Show) @ Pearl’s Dancehall & Saloon - 9:00 - $15

The Crooks @ Magnolia Motor Lounge - 10:00 - $8

Greg Reichel @ Fred's Texas Cafe - 7:00 

Stuff We Find In Our Yard

I heart sunsets.

Christmas Gifts For Classmates

We've been busy little bees making Christmas gifts for Maddie's 1st grade classmates.  These were simple to make and we had a good time making them together.  

Here's what you'll need:

wooden stars (or any shape really, just as long as the initial will fit on it)

paint

brushes

glitter paint

ribbon

jingle bells

stencil

stencil brush

varnish

paint pen

parchment or waxed paper

larger needle that ribbon will fit through (not necessary but makes life easier)

I bought the little wooden stars at Joann's.  They were plain wood and had a red ribbon tied on them so you could hang them on the tree.  We painted the boys' stars green and the girls' stars red.  Oh, and by the way, you might want to use parchment paper or waxed paper to protect your table - I used newspaper and that was not a good idea because the stars stuck to it and it wasn't pretty.  

Each star got two coats of paint - of course, let each coat dry fully before you apply the next coat.  We put one coat of the glitter paint on each star.  After they were completely dry, I removed the ribbon that the star originally came with because there was paint all over them.

Next I took the stencil and stenciled the initial of all of Maddie's classmates on the stars.  Then I flipped the stars over and wrote Merry Christmas 2012 on the back and Maddie wrote her name on each star.  Then I applied a coat of varnish to both sides of the star - making sure not to fill in the hole where the ribbon goes.  Cut some ribbon and thread a couple of jingle bells and the star and then tie a knot.  I took another piece of ribbon and tied a bow around the jingle bells so they'd stay in place and not flip over on the backside.

I think they turned out pretty cute.  And the total cost for everything including the paint and brushes was less than $25 - can't beat that!

Found @ The Library

Ummm...apparently my butt went psycho yesterday when I took a picture of this book.  Oh, and it most definitely went psycho Sunday night - I mean, like, off-the-wall psycho.  Heck, my butt goes psycho at least a few times a week.  Is the sequel to this book called The Day My Butt Met Zoloft?

Easy Sweet & Tangy Green Beans

A while back I wrote about this recipe for Caramelized Green Beans.  I changed a couple of things in that recipe, so I decided to re-post it and call it something else.

Easy Sweet & Tangy Green Beans

12 oz. bag of frozen french cut green beans
6 - 7 slices bacon
1/2 an onion
1/2 teaspoon jarred garlic (you know, the jar of stuff you keep in the fridge)
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Chop bacon into bite size chunks.  Chop onion.  Add onion and bacon to saute pan and cook until bacon is crispy.  (This usually takes a while for me.)  Add garlic when bacon is just about done.  Scoop onions and bacon and garlic into a separate bowl leaving as much grease behind as possible.  Sop up grease with paper towels and discard.  (I leave a little, tiny bit of grease in the pan.)  Now add your frozen green beans to the pan and cook for a bit.  Add your bacon, garlic, onion mixture back to pan and stir it all up.

In a small bowl mix sugar and soy sauce.  Pour this mixture over the green beans and stir.  Add pepper and a little bit of salt to taste.  Cook for a few minutes longer and serve.

Click here for more great recipes:

Texas Music Around Fort Worth Weekend of December 14, 2012

Friday, December 14, 2012

Blue Hat @ The Woodshed Smokehouse – 6:00

Mike Wasden @ The Spice Rack Tapas Bar & Grill Burleson - 9:00

Tommy Alverson @ White Elephant Saloon - 9:00 - $10 

Austin Allsup @ Chubby’s Burger Shack - 7:00

Steve Helms Band @ Railhead in Willow Park - 7:30 

Honky Tonkers @ Stagecoach Ballroom – 8:00 - $6

Zach Coffey @ The Grease Monkey - 9:00

 

August Heat (Classic Rock) @ Red’s Roadhouse - 9:00 - $5

Rawstin @ Pearl’s Dancehall & Saloon - 9:00 - $7

Statesboro Revue w/ The Cerny Brothers @ Magnolia Motor Lounge - 10:00 - $10

Boxcar Bandits @ Fred's Texas Cafe - 7:00 

Traveling Red River Songwriters' Festival @ The Live Oak Music Hall - 8:00 - $10

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Jeremiah Houston Band @ The Woodshed Smokehouse – 6:00 

Luke Holman @ The Spice Rack Tapas Bar & Grill Burleson - 8:00

Phil Pritchett @ White Elephant Saloon - 9:00 - $5

Jordan Scott @ Chubby’s Burger Shack - 7:00

Riverwood Band @ Railhead in Willow Park - 7:30 

Sonny Burgess @ Stagecoach Ballroom – $12.50

Greg Luce @ The Grease Monkey

Charla Corn (Christmas Show) @ Red’s Roadhouse - 8:30 - $5 

Billy Keeble @ Pearl’s Dancehall & Saloon - 9:00 - $10

Mike & The Moonpies w/ Wayne Floyd @ Magnolia Motor Lounge - 10:00 - $8

Hares on the Mountain @ Fred's Texas Cafe - 7:00 

Stuff We Find In Our Yard

Was it early 2011 that it snowed like crazy here in Fort Worth?  Wasn't that awesome?!  That's when this picture was taken.  I love it when it snows. 

I heard it snowed a little bit yesterday morning but I was what felt like two steps away from death with a stomach virus or food poisoning and I didn't feel like getting up and looking out the window. 

Bring on some more snow, Jack Frost.  

Brave Man

Cute Christmas Books For Kids

We've been busy, busy checking out books at the library.  We've come across quite a few cute children's Christmas books.  Here they are:

My Penguin Osbert

This book is called My Penguin Osbert and it's written by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel.  For ages 4 and up but it's beautifully illustrated so I think any age would like it.  Here's the description via Amazon:

"Each year at Christmas, Joe writes a letter to Santa. But they've had a few misunderstandings in the past. Last year, for example, Joe wanted a fire-engine-red racecar with retracting headlights, and he did get one — but it was only three inches long. So this year Joe is really, really careful. He describes exactly what he wants — and on Christmas morning, guess what's waiting for him under the tree! Santa has brought him a living, breathing, black-and-white penguin named Osbert. Will anything in Joe's life ever be the same?"

Llama Llama Holiday Drama

And you can't talk about cute holiday kids books without mentioning Llama Llama Holiday Drama written by Anna Dewdney.  Ages 3 and up.

"If there's one thing Llama Llama doesn't like, it's waiting. He and Mama Llama rush around, shopping for presents, baking cookies, decorating the tree . . . but how long is it until Christmas? Will it ever come? Finally, Llama Llama just can't wait any more! It takes a cuddle from Mama Llama to remind him that "Gifts are nice, but there's another: The true gift is, we have each other."

When Cows Come Home for Christmas

When Cows Come Home for Christmas written by Dori Cachones is another one of my all-time favorite Christmas books.  I just think it's so dang cute!

"The cows have come back to the family home, to be together around the Christmas tree. But while dancing the Cowpoke Polka, Moosha crashes through the floor! She is stuck, right in the only place the tree can go. Will Christmas even come this year?"

Christmas in the Time of Billy Lee

I have a new favorite Christmas book this year.  It's called Christmas in the Time of Billy Lee written by Jerdine Nolen.  This book touched my heart.

"One holiday season Ellie makes three wishes: that her parents will see that her friend Billy Lee is not imaginary; that snow will fall on Septon's Creek for the first time in fifty years; and that joy will return--especially to her parents, who always seem worried lately. Billy Lee always says, "There is magic in believing something good with all your heart." When Ellie begins to believe, all kinds of miracles occur, from broken tree lights twinkling again, to angel shapes appearing in snow, to the biggest one of all: a baby brother arriving soon."


Check these books out at your local library and read them to the kiddos!  

Texas Music Around Fort Worth Weekend of December 7, 2012

Friday, December 7, 2012

Rachel Stacy @ The Woodshed Smokehouse – 6:00

Jeff Lindberg @ The Spice Rack Tapas Bar & Grill Burleson - 9:00

Davin James @ White Elephant Saloon - 9:00 - $10 

The Highway 80 West Band @ Chubby’s Burger Shack - 7:00

Marley Prase @ Railhead in Willow Park - 7:30 

New West Band @ Stagecoach Ballroom – $7 

Don Pendley @ The Grease Monkey

 

Fast Lane (Eagles Tribute Band) @ Red’s Roadhouse - 9:00 - $5

The Rocky King Band @ Pearl’s Dancehall & Saloon - 9:00 - $10 

Blackbird Sing w/ Grant Jones & The Pistol Grip Lassos  @ Magnolia Motor Lounge - 10:00 - $8

Casey Thompson Band @ Fred's Texas Cafe - 7:00 

Luke Wade & No Civilians w/ Arielle O'Keefe and Karyna Micaela  @ The Live Oak Music Hall - 8:00 - $10

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Midnight River Choir @ The Woodshed Smokehouse – 6:00 

Luke Holman @ The Spice Rack Tapas Bar & Grill Burleson - 8:00

Scott Copeland @ White Elephant Saloon - 9:00 - $6

Mike Jones @ Chubby’s Burger Shack - 7:00

Dirt Road Gypsies @ Railhead in Willow Park - 7:30 

Randy Tatarevich & The 92nd Roadhouse Band @ Stagecoach Ballroom – $7

Texas Country/Red Dirt Christmas with Brandon Steadman Band​ @ The Grease Monkey

Walt Wilkins & The Mystiqueros @ Red’s Roadhouse - 9:30 - $5 

Dr. Honky Tonk @ Pearl’s Dancehall & Saloon - 9:00 - $10

Shurman w/ Charlie Shafter & The Gnomes  @ Magnolia Motor Lounge - 10:00 - $10

Johnny Beauford & The Jack Kerowax @ Fred's Texas Cafe - 7:00 

KXT Holiday Concert @ The Live Oak Music Hall - 8:00 - $15

Stuff We Find In Our Yard

So technically I didn't find this thing in my yard - I just heard it.  I still don't know what it was.  I can only assume it was some kind of bird...or monkey...or sasquatch.

Autumn Rainbow

I took this picture Thanksgiving day.  It makes me happy.