Hopilicious

My Mother:

Lover of coffee.
Believer in Shopping.
Fanatic of Dr. Pepper.

My Mother:

Kind.
Happy.
Graceful.

My Mother:

I couldn't live without her cooking.
I couldn't live without her guidance.
I couldn't live with her.

My Mother:

Hope.
Hopey.
Hopilicious.

My Mother:

Married to Cowboy.
Mother of Cowkids.
In all reality, a Cowgirl herself.

Peace, Love, & Happy Birthday Mama!

Sweet T

The Joys of Youth, and a Big Head

Yesterday, while we waited five hours for Autumn to run her race....

(Which she did very good in. Kudos Sis, for being able to run in the wind & the ice....Well there might have not of been ice, but i wouldn't know, the cold made me delirious...more so than usual anyways.)

I came to appreciate the Joys of Youth....

You see, as Trail sat there in the cold, without a Jacket on (You would've thought his Mother would've raised him better than that?!) the only thing in the world he was wishing for was simply, a Flying Horse that could take him back to the house so he could get a blanket....


Now I know Trail loves his horse...

(Pink Panther is his name...Yes I said HIS.)

And he believes in him no doubt....

But I just don't see the "Flying" thing happening for these two.

Or at least not anytime soon....


But then again, they have surprised me before...

Peace, Love, & Pink Panther & Trail! They're unstoppable!

Sweet T


P.S. Now I know why Trails head is so big....It's full of imagination!

Poor, Lost Soul

Dear, Dear friends of mine...

Today I ask that you say a prayer for a poor, poor soul that is lost in this world.

She is so lost, that she has in fact lost her mind.

She has lost her ability to think clearly, and rationally.

She has lost all common sence, and sence that is common.

She has lost her Dr. Pepper drinkin', cake eatin' mind!  (And we know it's gettin' bad when you can no longer drink Dr. Pepper, I mean come on! It's vital for life right? Well, thats what my Mom told me anyway...)

Pray for Autumn.  Who has lost all the things listed above due to.....TRACK.

I know?

Awful isn't it?

Her mind is so far gone, that she gave her consent to run?

Run?

Running?

Ran?

Ranning?

I don't even know what that is anymore? And here we have my dear, poor, lost sister doing two miles of it everyday?

Not only is she just r-u-n-n-i-n-g,  (Sorry, I stutter when I say bad words.)  But she is also j-u-m-p-i-n-g (Another bad word!)

I don't know what we are going to have to do to save her, but I will stop at nothing!!

NOTHING I say!


Peace, Love, & Maybe I'm the one who has lost her mind?

Sweet T


P.S.
Yes, Autumn is running track today.
And Yes, she is fast.
And yes, she will win.
And yes, I am jealous (because I am devestatinlgy slow, but hey, thats what you get for having cankles...)

Amen.

A picture says a 1,000 (or 2,000) words.

First Reaction:

Well, how sweet. Just look at those two little angels!

Second Reaction (after Studying the picture more closely.):

Those two are going to be trouble with a capitol T & R (for Trail and Reno...get it?) when they grow up.

First Reaction:

Oh look, Lovebirds!

Second Reaction:

Why is she harassing that nice old man riding his bike??  Call the Police!!

First Reaction:

She's holding an ADORABLE Baby...

Second Reaction:

Why is she torturing that child???

First Reaction:

Cute couple...

Second Reaction:

Isn't she a little....Old for him?

First Reaction:

Lovely Family Portrait.

Second Reaction:

WHAT IS ON THAT MORONS HEAD?!



Peace, Love, & Be careful what you put on the Internet

Sweet T

Chipper Chili

This Meat Packed Monday (THE REVOLUTION!) is going to have to turn into a Tasty Meat Tuesday, because for some reason I am way less busy on a Tuesday, than I am on any given Monday.

Is that a sign?

I think it is....

I don't know what it is supposed to tell me, but it is definitely a sign...

A sign that we should eat meat the whole week long! Most likely....

Anyways, lately I've been feeling a little chili....

And no, not the kind of chili you experience when you walk outside with wet hair, (by the way, I don't recommend doing that...EVER.) but the kind of chili you experience when you eat chili.

Which makes me ask the question:  Why do they call a spicy meat soup, Chili, and at the same time call cold weather chili?  

The world may never know....

Which brings me to my Meat recipe for the week: Chili, and yes it is the spicy kind.

This Chili....(Which contains lots of beef, as every plate in America should...)

(Which I don't have a picture of because I have come to the conclusion that there is no possible way on this earth to make Chili look appealing by way of photography. 
It's impossible.
It's inconceivable.
And it's possible, and conceivable that maybe I am just a moron, and don't know how to use the "Food" setting on my camera....
I am sorry.)

Is a defiantly something I would eat on a chili day (Your chuckling on the inside...I know it.)

It warms the soul.

It warms your heart.

It warms the Earth!!

Just kidding...but if any chili could do it, it would be this very Chili.

It contained all the ingredients necessary to make this Chili take on some sort of magical ability to make all who consume it, a little bit happier...and a little more chipper.  (Chipper Chili?  AHA!!)

So anyways, instead of explaining the magic to you, I'll just provide the recipe so you can experience the warming of hearts & souls for yourself....

• 1 pound. Ground Beef
•                 seasoned to taste with pepper, salt, & Garlic Powder
• Chopped onion - to go into the beef.
• half can tomato paste
• 1 can Garbanzo beans
• Half Cup Beef Broth
• A third cup of freshly brewed coffee
• A Fourth cup of chili powder
• Tablespoon Oregano
• Anything else you feel like adding, Really folks, this is as simple as simple Chili can get...

Start by cooking the Ground Beef, in addition with the Chopped onion.

Add the pepper, salt, and Garlic power....Add however much you feel like, if your having a really good day, throw in an extra dash of salt...Trust me, it will add to your merriment.

Once you have the meat cooked all nice and...cooked, add the tomato paste Beef broth.  Beef Broth.  The next best liquid invention next to Dr. Pepper. Let it simmer on medium high...or high, it doesn't matter.  This Chili is as simple as me.

Proceed to add the Garbanzo beans, and Chili Powder.  Yummm.

After the Garbanzo Beans are nicely cooked in, add the coffee, and oregano.

Let the chili simmer half covered until you are ready to eat.

And then when that time comes, let the heart & Soul warming begin.

The End forever and ever Amen.

(By the way, I suggest you garnish the Chili with a piece of corn bread(or two or three...) sour cream, cheese, and jalapenos, it makes all right in the world.



Peace, Love, & May your hearts and souls all be warm forever.

Sweet T


P.S.  This Chili is so simple...Please add anything you feel like or wish, because your own personal touch will make this Chili even better.   But Don't forget the BEEF!!!

A Sunday Birthday

I love Sundays.

Today I love Sundays even more than usual, because this Sunday is My Daddy's birthday, and I get to make fun of his age all day!  (He's 40 by the way, so I'll be taking him down to our Local Allsups here in an hour or two so he can get the Senior discount on the Chimichangas...)

Just kidding, I won't make fun of him ALL day...

Naturally, when people talk about their father's they are bursting over with pride because of who their Dad is, and all that he's done, and this case is no different.

I love my Daddy, and he is the type of role-model that not many daughters are lucky enough to have. 

He is the hardest-worker I know, and his hard work definitely reap benefits.  Just watch him do anything from doctoring cattle on a daily basis, to showing in a Ranch Horse Show, and you will notice that he works at what he does very hard.

He has also been blessed with tremendous talent that not many have.  He does not brag about this talent EVER though.  Instead, he is always quick to applaud someone else for their "job well done" rather than think about himself.

He is fun.  There is never a dull moment at our house, because we are either playing football out in the yard, roping at the feedyard, watching an old John Wayne movie, or just sitting around talking and telling stories, and this One of Daddy's favorite things to do, and I'm pretty sure everyone elses' too...

I'm so grateful to have Daddy in my life as a role model, a teacher, a friend, and most of all my Daddy.

Peace, Love, & He is sooo OLD....Uh, I mean...Full of Knowledge.

Sweet T

Without A Valentine

Tonight my family and I are having our Annual Fancy Valentines Supper.

It's a tradition that I wouldn't miss out on even for a George Strait concert, or shopping spree....well, ok maybe I would the shopping spree, but that's besides the point!

The point is we are celebrating it a week late due to traveling conditions the prior week, so this makes it even more special because we're putting a spin on an old tradition. 

Cool isn't it?

It makes me feel rebellious.
 
I think I might I might go start a bar fight. 
Wait I'm not allowed in those. 

Nevermind, I think I'll go TP my neighbors yard. 
Wait, I'm not allowed there either?  So much for feeling rebellious...

Anyways, I didn't actually have what you would call a "Valentine" this year, so the extra week gave me some time to find one!

But I didn't manage to do that....Yes, I'm fine, these aren't tears, I just have something in my eye....*sniff, sniff*, in both eyes!  (Forgive me, I was born a moron...)

So I had to settle for the most handsome guy in town.....

His name is...Rail.

He's a babe.

He can rope too.

Be jealous girls.

*Gasp* Wait!

What's this?!

Who is this girl with my Valentine???

Why Rail?! WHY???!!!



Peace, Love, & I guess I'll just be Valentineless this year...Oh well, that's what chocolate is for.

Sweet T

This Lady...

This Lady.

This Lady who has two (adorable/funny/wonderful/their my best friends) kids.

This Lady who makes wonderful meatloaf muffins....Seriously, If I could choose my last meal, it would be these darlings...

This Lady who is my Style Icon.

This Lady who has lovely brunette hair.

This Lady who I would not want to fight....ever, ever, ever....

This Lady who is just as nice, as she is funny.

This Lady who is talented in so many ways.

This Lady who makes fun of me...rightly so too.

This Lady who is quick to offer a helping hand.

This Lady who is quick-witted.

This Lady who is lively.

This Lady who has always been there for me, and everyone else.

This Lady whom I look up to.

This Lady who turned 30 last week.  (But looks much younger.)

This Lady whom I, and so many others, love.

Peace, Love, & Will this Lady make me some more Meatloaf Muffins?? Pretty Please? With Meatloaf on top???

Sweet T

Lovely Market Street

Oh dear readers, and humans alike, I have some sad, devastating news:

My Lovely Mother & My Sista don't love me.

I know, awful isn't it?

They are such, sweet, lovely ladies, yet they can't seem to find it in their heart to take care of lil 'ol me...

What will I do?
Who will I confide in? 
Who will I talk to? 
Who will I make fun of?!

You see today.....

My lovely mother, and my Sista went to the dentists office so Sista could become a Brace(less)face.  (If you didn't catch my drift she's getting her braces off...)

I 'magine she looks remarkable, but all lovely facts aside, they didn't bother to take me with them.

They are going to go to Market Street afterwards, and they still didn't bother to take me with them.

Market Street!

The very grocery store that stole my soul, and made my life whole again.

The very grocery store that I was once almost escorted out of because I had "too many samples." 
(Too many samples??  Is there such a thing??)

The very grocery store that every time I encounter one of it's kind, I scream gleefully.

The very grocery store that my Lovely Mother, and my Sista neglected to take me too....

How will I ever recover?

How will I ever get through this?

Pray for me....


Peace, Love, & Maybe they'll bring me back a "surprise."  Fingers crossed!

Sweet T

For Goodness Steak....

The weekend has been full of San Antonio.

A city that I have always loved, but now (much to S.A. residents dismay,) love even more.

It's authentic.

It's lively.

It's beautiful.

And I wish I could go there every three and half weeks.

Just for a quick visit. 
To take a few pictures by the river walk, eat a few enchiladas, buy a few pairs of boots, fight a few battles at the Alamo...you know nothing TOO big...

But the details of my weekend in the wonderful city of San Antonio will have to wait, because right now more important things are at steak!

And yes I said STEAK.

Yesterday, as I hope you all remember, was another Meat Packed Monday (the revolution) and I was not around any computer, at all, until around 6 o'clock, and by then I was exhausted, drained, just wanted my mommy, and chicken noodle soup.  (Not to exaggerate or anything....)

So, since I wasn't able to post yesterday about one of God's greatest blessings: BEEF.  I will just have to post my beef recipe today.

Today though, I am going to venture to post the unexpected! 
(Is your anticipation level a 10 yet?? I thought so....)

I'm going to post a fast food beef recipe!!!

No don't gag yet, this isn't any regular fast food recipe, that will cause your arteries to clog, or your heart to frown.

This is a Schlotzskys fast food recipe, and it is delicious, wonderful, and makes all right in the world.

My parents wouldn't allow me to actually photograph the sandwich in the restaurant, seeing as there were alot of military personnel in the room, so I got this picture from the Internet, but don't let the graphic design technology fool you.

This sandwich looked just as good in person.
Tasted just as good as it looked.
And had nutritional values as well.

It's the perfect sandwich, because it's everything you want in a sandwich:  It's Beautiful inside, and out.

So here is my beef recipe for the day (a day late, but it's here none the less...):  Eat beef.

Any kind of beef.
Rare, medium rare, or well done.
With a little fat on it, or alot. ( I prefer, ahem, alot!)
Cooked on a grill, or in a skillet.
Baked into a loaf of perfection, or sliced with a knife, tender, and juicy.

It doesn't matter how you eat your beef.

All that matters is that you eat beef, and alot of it.

Preferably everyday of your life, for the rest of your life, Amen.


Peace, Love, & The Beef Revolution Continues! (Joyfully, and Lovingly.)

Sweet T

Lasagna Recipe

Ok as promised here is my much anticipated lasagna recipe!!

Or at least I hope you anticipated it.....hopefully.

• 1 Package of Lasagna Pasta (I don't know what the proper name is, someone help me.)
• 1 Package Ground Beef....Did you hear me?  B-E-E-F!
• Mozarella!
• 1 Chopped Onion
• 1 Jar Tomato Sauce/Pasta Sauce...Or you could be ambitious and make your own, but our Tomato vine is not prospering due to all the snow....

The Mixture:

• 2 Cups Cottage Cheese
• 2 Eggs
• Basil...Fresh or not, whatever you prefer....
• Parmesan Cheese

How To:

Start by cooking the ground beef in a large skillet (preferably a pretty red one, or turquoise, or pink....do they make pink? Mental Note: Make pink kitchenware!!)

Season the beef extremely well.  It takes a lot of pepper, a lot of salt, and a lot of garlic powder, and and some love if your feeling gracious that day, it makes all the difference.

Add the chopped onion to the beef.  You can use half an onion, all the onion, a fourth of the onion...depending on how oniony (oniony?) you like your breath afterwards....

While the beef is cooking, have a large pot of boiling water on the stove as well, with the lasagna pasta init.  Cook them till they are just the right texture:  not too soft, and not too crunchy...You'll know when they are done, because a beautiful light will shine upon the lovely pasta, and a voices from heaven will be singing sweet music....Not really, unless you love to cook, and the magic will happen...

Now while the beef is draining, and the pasta is cooling, begin you cottage cheese mixture.
Get a large, pretty bowl, and mix the cottage cheese, eggs, basil, and Parmesan very well.  And then Wa-Lah cottage cheese lovers dig in! Well, never mind...I would wait until it is cooked.

Now the Layering begins!

Start with a layer of pasta, and then top that with a layer of the ground beef, and then a layer of the cottage cheese mixture, and then tomato sauce, and then mozzarella!  And then proceed to do this process over, and over again until you run out of fixin's. 

(2 casserole pans may be used because we make enough for two dinners, because this recipe definitely goes under the "freezes beautifully section".)

Once you have your dish covered in foil place it in the 350 degree oven, and let bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Then take the dish out of the oven, look at the lasagna, serve the lasagna, love the lasagna.

Amen.


Peace, Love, & Angels will sing on this beef-it-full dish

Sweet T

Beef Recipe #1

Ok I'm well aware today is a Monday...

and that Mondays are usually stereotyped typed as either of the following:

Lame.
Boring.
Unbearable.
Moronic...Nevermind that's what I'm stereotyped as, rightly so too...
Tiring.

But despite these facts I'm finding myself in an incredibly good mood on this Monday evening?

Could it be because it was a BEEF-it-full day?! I think so!!

As you'll remember it is Tori's goal in life to get beef back on our plates and in our stomachs, on mostly every night of the week, month, year, etc...

So today (Monday,) is our "beef" day of the week.  One of Tori's goals is to name this meat packed Monday, and me being the high school student that would rather focus on other things than homework, has had lots of time to come up with some ideas.  Observe....

1) Meat Packed Monday....An obvious name, but with good results I would say.
2)Meat Me For Lunch Monday....meAt. Get it?  Got it? Nevermind....
3)Eat Meat This Monday or Pay the Price!...a little too brutal?  Ok, I get it....
4)Meat Your Maker if You Don't Eat Meat On Monday!.....Sorry, I'm getting a little carried away, but what can I say? I LOVE BEEF!

Well those are my ideas anyway, however lame they may be...But my vote is that whatever we "name" our Mondays, that it must end with, Revolution, because after all we are trying to revolutionize the foodie world right??

Can I get an AMEN?!

Thank You.



So for my Beef Recipe....

I chose to make Lasagna.

Your mouth is watering already, yes?

Well how bout now?

This lasagna was the most delicious I ever had, and I'm not saying that because I helped make it, or because it contained lots (lots, and lots, and lots!) of beef, I'm saying that because it is the whole and honest truth. Honestly.

Granted, I'm a huge Italian food fan, this Italian dish was made perfect by the beef.

It was seasoned just right, contained just the right amount of onions, and was cooked to it's perfect state.
It was indeed perfection on a plate.

And Little Bro agrees whole-heartily with me...

And you will agree with me whole-heartily as well, if you choose to make this dish, which I whole-heartily hope you do.  Whole-heartily.

That being said, my Mother will post the recipe tomorrow, because her head holds all the knowledge needed to create this one-of-a-kind BEEF filled dish.
Amen.


Peace, Love, & All we need is Beef, Sweet Beef.

Sweet T


P.S.  I'd like to dedicate this post to these guys.

Without them I would be scrawny, mean, ugly, and hungry.

LONG LIVE BEEF.  (the revolution!)

Eat Beef, and Live!

Look at these faces....

Do you know what they need?
What they long for?
What is crucial for their well-being? and their livelihood??

BEEF.

Beef, is the answer to....everything.  It's the answer to a healthier you, to a more attractive you, to a happier you, to a more out-going you, to an awesome you.

Beef sustains life, especially when your the daughter of a cattleman.

For me, beef pays for college, keeps me fit, buys me clothes, keeps me full, buys me clothes, keeps me happy, buys me clothes, keeps me ALIVE, and buys me clothes.

In fact, just this afternoon, I had a wonderful, delicious lunch of steak, potatoes, and greenbeans.  And already I m feeling as if I could take on the world!

But, it has been brought to my attention by my aunt and comrade, and fellow blogger Tori, (http://www.scoutsmithscoop.blogspot.com/) that a lady, that goes by the name of Oprah, wants to put an end to my happiness, to my full stomach, and to my stylishly clothed body.  Oprah has started a new campaign that goes by the name of "Meatless Monday."

Now this idea is all fine and dandy until we get to the whole "Meatless" thing, and the fine and dandy just stops right there...so if you think about it there is absolutely nothing fine and dandy about this whole statement. (Is it possible to say "fine and dandy" too much?  Fine and dandy, fine and dandy, fine and dandy, find some candy, dan and randy....Nevermind, I just answered my own question.)

Anyways, in my opinion Mondays are bad enough as it is, and then you take away my meat, and well, they just become downright unbearable!

So if you will go read my dear Aunt Tori's blog you will find that she totally disagrees with Oprah, as do I, and wants to start her own revolution (You go girl!) that involves a Monday absolutely FULL of meat.  What could be better than a meat packed Monday?  That's right, absolutely, positively, most definitely, nothing.

So join the cause!
Join the revolution!
Fight for your right to eat meat!
Fight for your right to enjoy a delicious steak whenever you want to!
Fight for the chance to have a a plate full of meatloaf with a side of meatloaf!
And we will straighten out the world, one dinner plate at a time.


Peace, Love, & Beef, it's whats for Dinner....and breakfast, and lunch, and snack time....and I could go on, and on, and on Forever, Amen.

P.S.  Tomorrow we will be posting meat packed recipes, and votes for what our meat packed Monday revolution should officially be called.  So present your ideas to the world, or to your friends, or to somebody you meat, uh, I mean...meet on the street, and  help the meat eaters cause.

Big Blue & Cookies

Over Christmas break we went to Matt & Erica's for an adorable/precious/funny/I want to take him home with me, little boys  first birthday party.

Kuper was the birthday boy, and he is also auditioning for America's Next top Baby Model in June....Just kidding, but if there were such a thing, he would be the winner.

Just look at those dazzling eyes!
And that confidence!
Well it was either confidence, or confidence induced by his first sugar rush....

And speaking of sugar rush's...Kupers father (Better known as Matt,  or Moron, whatever you prefer to call him...) is responsible for Trails on-going sugar rush.

You see, Moron...uh, I mean, Matt, was in charge of Trail for a full day, while us girls and the birthday boy went shopping....

Well, instead of feeding a Trail a healthy, and nutritious lunch like any normal person would do, Matt let Trail pick out his own lunch.

And Trail chose "Big Blue" with a side of cookies....

Big Blue?  I can only imagine what is in "Big Blue" to make it well, Blue...

I have a very strong hunch that there is a lot of artificial flavoring in there.

And the artificial flavoring is responsible for this...The on-going Sugar Rush.

And when I say "on-going" I mean that he still has not recovered from it, and he will probably never be the same again.

Thanks Matt.
I now have to live with a kid on a sugar high for the rest of my life.


Peace, Love, & What's next? Big Pink???

Sweet T


P.S.  Here are more results of Trails sugar rush....

Pray for him.

Today I wish....

That I could go to the tropics, or Italy...whichever is more convenient.

That there were heaters in our basement...lots, and lots of heaters.

That I could eat cinnamon rolls...lots, and lots of cinnamon rolls.

That my hair was really, really long so it would keep my neck warm.

That I had insulated sweatpants, toe socks, mittens, sweatshirt, parka, legwarmers, etc...

That I could go get a manicure, and paint my nails red.

That I had a laptop in my room so I could blog in the warmth, instead of the frigid cinder block garage.

That I knew Spanish, so I could order enchiladas properly.

That I could run like the wind.

That I had a cute winter coat, so I wouldn't frequently be mistaken for a hobo.

That my name was Scarlett.

That my boyfriends name was Rhett.

That I was a Southern Belle.

That my pickup was pink.

That jewelry grew on tumbleweeds.

That I wasn't a moron.


Peace, Love, & Oh, I wish that I could sing too....for the benefit of my unwilling listeners.

Sweet T

Dad's Got Skill

On any normal day (and it's most defiantly not a normal day, since it is -57 outside!) I would post pictures and write a "caption" under them either explaining them, telling you how I feel about them, and so on and so forth....but with these pictures, no explanation is needed.

Because I think you can see for yourself that my Dad's been blessed with some major talent.

Yep Dad's got skill, and he's humble to boot!


Peace, Love, & Too bad his daughter(s) is a moron

Sweet T



P.S. Apparently Brother's got skill too....