This past Saturday morning the little man and I woke up early – reallllly early – so that we could head down to Florida with my sister-in-law and my nephews.
See how bright-eyed and alert they were? Those five hours of sleep they’d gotten the night before did them a world of good. However, they livened up as the day went on because by mid-afternoon, we were at the beach, doing our by-diggity best to give the Clampetts a run for the money.
Really, all we were missing was a big ole rope running around the car. And maybe a couple of hay bales strapped to the top.
Since we’ve been here we’ve spent almost all our time at the pool, and given last week’s run-in with the rebellious mole, that means I’ve spent the last two days wearing something akin to full-on body armor. The other vacationers have been kind enough to pretend that they don’t mind sharing the pool with someone who essentially looks like she’s ready for an ATF raid, and they’ve all been very gracious and welcoming when they haven’t been eyeing me suspiciously and avoiding me at all costs.
All Jokey McKidderson aside, we are having an absolute blast. A. and I have perfected a pool trick that we are currently calling “The Power T,” but the name may change tomorrow. Mainly because we may not remember the name tomorrow. But when we made up the name yesterday afternoon, we thought it was ROCKIN’ with a side of EXTRA AWESOME.
The boys have had so much fun together, and tonight, when Janie and I went in another room so that we could watch “The Next Food Network Star” in peace, JUST AS THE GOOD LORD INTENDED, I had just gotten settled under my comfy blanket when I remembered that my phone was in the kitchen. So I hopped up, walked back through the den and noticed that each boy had a can of warm Coke. For their burping contest. A. is apparently very dedicated about honing his burping skills because just this morning my precious, blessed child ran up to me, burped in my ear and then said, “Hold on, Mama. Gimme a second. I want to burp in your mouth.”
Sweet, sweet memories. Tender times.
And just in case you’re wondering if we’re doing any cooking, let me just assure you that when I call my sister-in-law The Queen of Appetizers, I have very, very good reasons.
On this trip I have eight reasons, in fact. Eight cream cheese-laden reasons.
Tonight Janie used some of that cream cheese to make a little something called Hot Bacon Swiss dip, which is essentially a pound of softened cream cheese mixed with a cup of Swiss cheese and a few chopped green onions, then topped with crushed Ritz crackers and baked until bubbly. At which point you top the whole concoction with crumbled, crispy bacon.
And then you give thanks to the Lord, who is good and worthy to be praised.
We also made this salsa, which, as Janie pointed out earlier, “totally counts as a vegetable.” So we’re eating extra healthy.
I don’t know exactly what’s on the agenda tomorrow, but I’m guessing it involves some combination of pool / turkey sandwiches / cream cheese / warm Coke / burping contest. With no small degree of sunscreen application and reapplication thrown in for good measure, because PLEASE REMEMBER THAT MAMA’S A WEE BIT PARANOID.
By the way, this afternoon I asked A. if he’d take a picture of the view from our balcony, so he did.
You’re welcome. I hope you enjoy, you know, up-close photos of screens.
Wish you were here.
Have so much fun and enjoy all the dips! That one sounds heavenly!!!
Traveling with children is not for amateurs. (PS: Did he burp in your mouth?)
Must…have…recipe! =) That sounds absolutely divine! Enjoy your trip.
Here’s one for the vacation…
1 bar of softened cream cheese
1 can of drained rotel
8 oz. of sour cream
1 pkg. of hidden valley ranch powder mix
a squirt of lime
2 tbsp. of chopped fresh cilantro
puree in a blender and eat or chill and eat later.
It is good on chips or even as a topper on anything you put on a tortilla
Just had to share. It is a vacation musthave.
I wish I was there too!
Love it! Glad you’re having a great time.
Where is the hot bacon-cream cheese-ritz cracker dip recipe? You cannot talk about cream cheese and bacon and not post the recipe–you just can’t! Doesn’t have to be all Pioneer Woman-ish with photos. Just a lovely bullet point recipe would be appreciated. Thank you from the bottom of my clogged heart. : )
You are SO FUNNY! But then that’s not exactly news to anyone. This post just reminded me of that again…
I’ve got the perfect match for that next bar of cream cheese deliciousness! You have to try Raspberry Chipotle sauce (http://www.amazon.com/Original-Roasted-Raspberry-Chipotle-Sauce/dp/B000B66X3G)over the cream cheese. Have some water crackers (http://www.carrscrackers.com/cgi-bin/brandpages/product.pl?product=735&company=140)with it and you will think you’ve died and gone to heaven. And if you hate it, just don’t tell me about it. Okay?
Too funny! Have a great trip and enjoy the Florida sunshine!
Try this…
I’ve got the perfect match for that next bar of cream cheese deliciousness! You have to try Raspberry Chipotle sauce (http://www.amazon.com/Original-Roasted-Raspberry-Chipotle-Sauce/dp/B000B66X3G) over the cream cheese. Have some water crackers (http://www.carrscrackers.com/cgi-bin/brandpages/product.pl?product=735&company=140) with it and you will think you’ve died and gone to heaven. And if you hate it, just don’t tell me about it. Okay?
Oh the joys of boys! I realized yesterday, as my son was burping up a storm, that while I did teach him to say excuse me, I neglected to teach him to simply keep his mouth closed. Fun times.
I must be but an infant in the cream cheese department. I didn’t know there was any other kind of cream cheese except Philadelphia. I couldn’t figure out why some kind of prescription rash cream would be 1/3 less fat and why you would take a picture of that.
That’s pretty much the view from the room I’m in right now — as long as I focus on the screen as much as A.
Have super-duper fun! May your sunscreen be powerful and all your burps sweet. (As if.)
Why? Why can’t we be neighbors?
We’d be good! I promise, Lord!
That photo is rockin awesome! And the burp in your mouth……oh there are no words! Bwaaaahahahaaa!
That boy! Refreshing!
You, for real, make me laugh out loud. I just commented on Big Mama’s blog & I read you the same way, with a slow southern country accent for effect. You just crack me up, thanks!!
Your boy could not be any cuter! Seriously, what a heart-breaker he will be one day!
I love your sense of humor. You are my kind of funny!
How fun, with a lot of cream cheese to boot! Love the MSU t-shirt!
Enjoy your vacation & blessings always,
Kaye
Matthew 21:22
I want some of that dip and salsa NOW! And I’ll take a side of beach with that since I am still praying and planning (and wishing and hoping and dreaming . . . sorry about the My Best Friend’s Wedding song there) for our beach vacation that looks like will not come until Labor Day but I’ll take it.
Oh, and I don’t mind a side of paranoid mom clothed in whatever-you-want. ;)
You are all kinds of funny…as always! The burping information made me laugh so hard but I was really trying to stifle it (you know, like when you just kind of blow the laugh through your mouth and nose and try not to make a sounds…like you did at church when you were a teenager…I know you know what I mean) because the 3.5 year old would ask what was so funny and then I would have to tell her about the burping in the mouth and I’m just not ready to let that kind of fun out of the bag yet :)
I’m leaving for the beach Tuesday at 5. Well, actually we are driving to the fabulous town of Meridian to spend the night and finish up on Wednesday.
I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!
Keep havin’ fun!
Hugs~
I am ashamed to say (and praying that NOBODY that I know reads these comments) that I WON a burping contest against my son. In the car. With no one else in hearing range. But I seriously opened up a can of whoop gut on him and his eyes were bigger than pizzas when I was done.
I fully intend to come back here shortly and delete this comment.
actually, I MEANT to say that I opened up a can of “whoop gas” on him… sorry
Sounds like you are having a great time!
have a wonderful trip. we are maybe going to florida in september, or costa rica. i just want a beach :)
–mari
I big fat puffy heart cream cheese :)
Laughing out loud, wiping my eyes, and totally relating to having the precious boy-child that turns on the burping contest…..and in your mouth, no less. Have a wonderful time.