Weekend Wrap Up

Happy Monday! 

....well as happy as it can get for a Monday :)

Just remember...

Hang in there. 

This weekend actually kicked off on Thursday night when a group of us went to see the one and only Garth Brooks in concert! He is performing SEVEN shows over the weekend in Dallas and so we jumped in our boots and headed out to the opening show. 

Now I have been to many country concerts in my life, and I will have to say this one makes top three. No doubt about it. He sang all of his old classics and it was just one big ole party. Top three moments for me, personally:

1. The whole AAC singing 'Unanswered Prayers' a capella (had some serious chills)

2. The Trisha Yearwood segment (Kristie and I made a mad dash from the bathroom for this one)

3. Friends in Low Places (...duh)

He has a 'day off' on Monday, but if you can find you some tickets for Tuesday - it'll be worth your while. I promise!

Friday morning Jeff and I took off work and headed down to Beaumont for the weekend. Now, as I'm sure you know by know, Blue Bell has implemented phase 1 production - which includes the surrounding Houston areas (NOT Dallas). SO - J and I did our research and realized that we drive through a couple of counties that have Blue Bell. We then did the righteous and noble gesture of packing a cooler with dry ice packs and stopping on the way to bring the ultimate surprise to my parents. (Okay okay....there was a little self-interest in there, too....)

I may have teared up. Okay no I really did. It was the first thing I saw when I walked in. And what a glorious sight it was. This girl LOVES her some Blue Bell.

 ....do you not pack ice cream in your Kroger parking lot?

Char and I normally drive straight through...so this was an adventure for him!

I took this when we unpacked the cooler. I personally think they should use this on their website. This is the epitome of pure joy. 

Later that night, after the three helpings of ice cream settled, the four of us loaded up and headed out to play putt-putt. Yes, you read that correctly. My mom reeeeeeally wanted to play, so we appeased her and did just that! I will say, we all had some really good laughs :)

The signs told us where the "fun photo spots" were. So we did what we were told. :)

And these were just a couple shots of us trying to get mom's ball out from under the bridge. Susie and bridges don't mix when it comes to putt-putt. Hiiiiilarious.

...then we rewarded our 36 HOLES with Blue Bell and Iron Man 3 :)

Saturday morning we ate something other than ice cream, mom and I did some damage in Hobby Lobby while the boys watched football, and then went for a little family swim!

While most dogs fetch like normal, we have to have multiple balls because Charlie must keep one in his mouth at all times. 

Best buddies :) 

The world's happiest pup! 

 

 My new favorite picture.

After more lounging and sports watching (seriously...so much football/baseball/golf happening this weekend), dad and I donned our aprons to make a new dish: eggplant involtini. 

If you've been around here long enough, you know that a) I love to cook/bake, and b) I get that love from my parents. Every time I go home I spend some quality time with the parentals in the kitchen! 

 This dish was deeeeeelicious. I brought an eggplant back home with me and will definitely be making this again tonight! OH, and when you have a themed dinner (Italian), Susan makes sure you have a themed table setting :)

My parents are just the bees' knees. 

Then our counter took on its usual three-carton-look and we ended the night with a wild game of scrabble. Wild meaning Jeffrey made up rules as he went and my mom was so delirious she couldn't talk she was laughing so hard. Good times.

Sunday morning after church we had a big southern Sunday lunch and headed back north. Always a good weekend at home. I just sincerely love hanging out with my parents. God blessed me with some amazing ones. :) 

Countless bowls later and we're still not over it. 

And Blue Bell really needs to hire me for social media purposes. 

Have a fantastic Monday everyone! 

Until next time,
Katy

Linking up here and here

 

Take me out to the BALLGAME!!

It's hotdog baseball season!!!

In honor of the Texas Rangers' opening weekend this past weekend, I thought I'd do a little tribute to America's favorite pastime! So, funny thing....I hate sports. I didn't play them, I don't understand them, and I don't really care to watch them on TV. All the people that love me know this. And they accept it.

Since I moved to Dallas in 2011, baseball has really grown on me. I've actually gotten better about sports in general, but I'm constantly looking at the Rangers' schedule and found myself counting down to the start of the season this year. 

Me and Seester (melting) at my first Rangers game in 2011

But I still don't care for sports. So why do I thoroughly enjoy the one outdoor sport in hot Texas summers? 

Here's what I have come up with... 

1. My dad's love of the game

It is no secret that I am a daddy's girl. Well, this is his sport of choice. He's loved baseball since way before me, so I grew up associating baseball with my dad. We even threw him a baseball themed surprise birthday party a couple years ago. This is a pretty big factor because I'm pretty sure if my dad loved football, I'd eventually embrace football. 

Growing up in Beaumont, we were Houston Astros fans. Biggio and Bagwell are the two names that pop out of my childhood. I remember being little (around 10 or so) and the Astros doing something big and my dad started cheering so I started cheering and jumping on the couch (sorry, mom) and being so stinking excited for something I knew nothing about. But dad was excited, so I was too!

Ever since I've moved to Dallas, I've given dad a "weekend in Dallas" for Father's Day and it always includes a Rangers game!

2012 Game

2013 Game

2014 Game - look at that smile!

I bought him that shirt before his first game in 2012 and he's worn it ever since. Maybe I should get him red one this year :)

2. It's not hard to "get"

It's slow enough for me to understand. There are way too many rules in basketball, I always lose the ball in football (hello - there's an 8-person pile up and I'm supposed to know who 'got' it?), I have zero clue about anything soccer related, and hockey games are cold and loud. So baseball it is folks.

3. Good 'girls night/date night' venue

Because it's slow-paced, you can hear yourself have a conversation. How lovely. Yes, there are times when everyone hoots and hollers, but for the most part, it's pretty chill.

Date Nite - September 2014

In fact, me and my girls have been known to buy the 50 cent tickets, sit at the top of the bleachers and just hang out!

This was in 2012. Don't judge the instagram filter....couldn't find the original

 

These are especially nice on weeknights when the weather is still cool. It's a cool venue with a different atmosphere and really good food. Which leads me to....

4. Hot dogs. 

I have a serious (kind of sick) love of hot dogs. I remember I went to a friends' birthday party when I was a kid and ate three hotdogs... so the kid's mom called my mom. I'm like what? I like hotdogs. Gimme them dogs.

And you know what happens every other Wednesday night at that ballpark in Arlington? 

DOLLAR HOT DOG NIGHT!!!

Em shares my love of dollar hotdog night :)

I'm pretty sure this picture above is from a 50 cent ticket night. So that right there was a pretty cheap girls night.... 

Don't get me wrong.. I love the chicken baskets, too. Pretty sure on this trip Mercedes and I got 2 hotdogs, 2 chicken baskets, and 2 things of fries to "split".....

5. The seventh-inning "shop"

You may call it the seventh inning stretch, but I always stretch myself over to the Rangers store, so for me, it's the seventh inning shop!! Rangers gear is just so cute. I was just online shopping for some gear yesterday! The more games I go to....the more outfits I need!!

6. Blue Bell in a baseball hat

This doesn't need explanation. All I know is they better get this "contamination" thing under wraps cause if I don't have Blue Bell in 100 degree weather...well...I don't know what I'll do but I won't be happy!!

The "hat" from the ice cream J bought me at our first Rangers game :)

So that's why I love baseball, y'all. It may have absolutely NOTHING to do with the actual game....but does that really matter? Nah. I don't think so :) For me, it's all about the fellowship!

Me and Brooklyn at her first game last year!

Family night at the ballpark!

Prepare to see several Rangers pictures over the next few months! Happy Monday everyone!
And GO RANGERS!

Until next time,
Katy

Ice Cream Parlor Parfaits

Blue Bell is a staple in my life. We're compatible, we're always there for each other - it just works for us. 

On my Chaotic Christmas Checklist, I had planned to do a Blue Bell Holiday Flavor taste test. Y'all. I was so excited. I planned to do it last night (my first night home for the holidays), and was literally counting down the days. So dad got home from work, I went to the store...and there was no holiday ice cream. 

You would have thought I was hit with a stun gun. My mouth dropped open, and I kept starting at the large freezer thinking one would just appear. But alas, it did not. I called my parents, and we sent out a search party. If there's one thing we're serious about - it's Blue Bell. We went to SIX different grocery stores to find holiday Blue Bell. And we only found one flavor. You can't really do a comparison taste test with one flavor. 

So, I moped for about half an hour and then decided I was instead going to make one of my favorite childhood desserts....that still involved Blue Bell.

This, my friends, is my mom's Ice Cream Parlor Parfait.

Side note: speaking of ice cream parlor, my parents' house came with a built-in bar, and since they don't drink, my mom turned it into a Blue Bell bar. See? It's a family inherited passion. 

Once we surrendered the search party, we watched White Christmas (annual tradition!), and I made us some parfaits. 

LOOK at the excitement! I tell you what, it really doesn't get much better than this man right here. Love my dad.

Parfaits are really the easiest dessert to make. 

Things you'll need:

Parfait Glasses
[Blue Bell] Ice Cream - we used vanilla above

Frozen Strawberries (sliced and sweetened - in a carton at Kroger)

Hershey's Chocolate syrup (optional for some; required for me)

Once you let the strawberries thaw some, you simply layer the fruit/chocolate syrup/ice cream until you fill the glass. Cover with saran. Refreeze. Indulge. 

SO simple. But so yummy and so festive! You can add blueberries for the 4th of July, add nuts, add sprinkles, experiment with the hundreds of Blue Bell flavors -- I mean the possibilities are endless.

My one warning - don't break the glass. I can't tell you how many parfait glasses my friends and I have shattered over the years. You attack the frozen dessert with enough...eager anticipation...and that glass is a goner. 

Until next time,
Katy