I'm becoming my mother...and it's a good thing...

I know, I know...I've done a horrible job at blogging and I really want to start again, especially since I spend about 30 minutes a day "stalking" other blogs (most of who I have never met!).

It is becoming more and more apparant that I am a lot like my mom...for example, I have recently found myself baking for no reason at all. It's been fun, I've tried new things, and I now have a well-stocked pantry full of random condiments such as coconut oil (quite pricey), cloves (ground and whole), and a wide variety of different types of flour (whole wheat, all-purpose, self-rising, cake flour, etc...). While it has cost a pretty penny to stock the pantry, it is nice to be able to open a cookbook without having to run to the grocery store for ingredients.

So, today I thought I'd share a family recipe. And while we're on the topic of family recipes, let me encourage you to not only have family recipes, but have them written by hand (either by the owner of the recipe, or even you). I have quite a few of my mom's and Mommand's and hope to one day have a kitchen large enough to frame and hang.

This is my "Ma-Mama's" Sour Cream Poundcake Recipe
(I will go ahead and admit there are several out there that are similar, but I think what sets this apart is sifting the flour twice, and then measuring).


Ingredients
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 large eggs
3 cups flour (sift twice and then measure)
1 cup sour cream
3 cups sugar
1/2 lb butter (2 sticks)

Set oven 325 degrees.
Dissolve the baking soda in sour cream and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine and cream the butter, sugar, and add the sour cream mixture. Add the sifted flour to the creamed mixture alternating with eggs, beating after adding each egg. Add the vanilla and pour the mixture into a greased/floured tube pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

10 Things...

A friend of mine, Beth, just made a post about 10 interesting things you may not know about her. I thought it was a good idea, and decided to do the same...

1. I do not drink sweet tea. At. All. Yes, I know I'm from the south, but I don't like it. Neither does my brother...we figure it's because we never drank it as a child, so we never developed the taste for it. So, it tickles me when people will say, "Oh, (insert name of restaurant) has the BEST sweet tea." I can't imagine any being any better than another.

2. Dislike tomatoes...almost as much as sweet tea. What's strange about this is I LOVE salsa, Mexican food, Italian food, etc...I think it's a texture issue.

3. No, my mom didn't go to Mercer and my dad didn't go to Duke. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked that, or even a dollar for each time someone thought they were the first person to point that out to me, I'd be Bill Gates rich. Seriously. My first name, Mercer, is my dad's middle name, and was his dad's middle name. I like it.

4. I am way more addicted to my blackberry that I want to be. My husband keeps telling me to get a new phone, but I just figured this one out, and I like it. A lot.

5. I collect cookbooks. I'll get on a kick where I'll cook from the same one for a few weeks, and will then shelf it, and grab another. I read them from cover to cover over and over again. Pretty sure this is something I picked up from my mom.

6. I'm pretty emotional. If I don't cry at a movie, then I probably didn't like it...that's how I rate movies...

7. The DVR and I are pretty good friends...I almost wish it wasn't invented, then I wouldn't be so hooked.

8. I am obsessed with celebrity gossip. When I get online in the morning, I immediately check out people.com and tmz.com.

9. I knew within a month of dating Mike I would marry him...I didn't think it would take 7 years to do so, but I stuck it out. It was worth it. :) Even though his mom tells me I let him drag it out too long.

10. And you probably know this...I am becoming the crazy dog person I didn't want to be. Tucker is the center of mine and Mike's world, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Frosty Paws

We didn't want Tucker to not get to take part in my birthday festivities, so we introduced him to Frosty Paws... I have known about Frosty Paws for years, as my aunt's dog, Dusty, got them every night for dessert...in fact, if you forgot to give them to him, he would bark at the fridge...by the way Tucker enjoyed his first sampling of Frosty Paws, I am sure he'll love them just like Dusty!

I didn't want to upset his tummy, so I only gave him a little bit...so I put the cup on the coffee table to grab the camera and he got the cup off and ran to his bed with it...obviously, he got caught!

On another happy note...he is 3 for 3 today in "pottying outside!" Good boy!

29 and holding...

I was out of town this past weekend for work, but came back for a quick visit Saturday night to celebrate my birthday with friends...it started off at El Vaquero and ended up at Viva El Toro...can you tell we like margaritas?

At El V, we noticed a group of Irish folks singing at their table and thought it would be a great idea for them to sing Happy Birthday! Not only did they sing, but one guy also did the Irish Jig.

We like to go to Viva El Toro as we have a good friend who loves karaoke...well, she wasn't the only one that took the stage that night!

I had a great 29th birthday and can't wait until 30!

This past weekend...

Happy Belated Valentine's Day!

Before you read about the Valentine's events, let's quickly talk about the snow we had on Friday....it was beautiful, and you betcha---we let Tucker play in it! He of course, thought it was something you could pick up (like a leaf) with your mouth, run with it, and eat it!

It didn't bother him one bit!

Before the snow, Tucker and I "slaved" over a hot stove making Mike some muffins...we wanted to surprise him at work...you'll learn more about the muffin symbolism in a bit...

We kept it low-key this Valentine's Day...we went to Mike's sister's house for a family cookout and then came home to see our little boy. When we first got Tucker, I started calling him, "my little muffin." Why you might say? Well, I guess because I knew he was from English descent, and of course, there are English mufins...so he quickly became my little English muffin. So, now we call him Muffin...he answers to it just as he answers to his name.

Ever since I got my February issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray, I decided I wanted to make Tucker the Pooch Pupcakes for Valentine's...they're pet-friendly, and people-friendly too.

Both of my boys like them...they each got a clean-plate award!

I am pretty sure he is looking for more pupcakes...

My two boys...I love you both!

random smile for the day...

This afternoon, I did some cleaning while Tucker supervised (chased the broom, sniffed like crazy when I sprayed Scrubbing Bubbles, played in the piles I swept up)...needless to say, he had a great time and it did make me smile while cleaning...

I guess when hanging our coats I didn't even think twice about hanging his vest with our coats by the door...so, later when I went in the laundry room, I just smiled at this sight...it was too sweet to not take a picture...just more proof that he is treated like a human...

(sshhhh...don't tell him he's a dog!)

Baptism

This past Sunday, our great-niece Isabella was baptized at Holy Family in Columbus, GA.

She didn't even cry when the priest poured water over her head.

I love how she accessorized with sparkly shoes for this special occasion!

Chris, Alexia and Isabella Bedford. Sarah & Geoffrey Williams (Godparents)