Cookbooks

I have a lot of cookbooks...41 to be exact.  I counted them yesterday because I was curious and after talking to my cousin Caryn, I realized I have only a handful.  I forget how many she told me she had but I'm pretty sure I'm not even close.  I took out a few to show you.  Don't let the camera strap bother you...obviously my photographer doesn't know what she's doing. Haha!
The Pioneer Woman Cooks is my newest addition.  I had the opportunity to sit and read it cover to cover the first weekend I had it and I LOVED it.  Its a beautiful book. 

I have recipes printed in these two books.  I'm famous!!  The Popp Family Cookbook Project is my Grandma Berger's family (Daddy's Mom).  The Annual Pecan Festival Recipe Book is from my church, Holy Trinity. 

This Popp cookbook is probably my favorite cookbook because it holds my family's recipes and I cherish them very much.  Although if I ever put together our own family cookbook like I have talked about for years now, it will probably move to the number one spot. 

Here is proof I have recipes in this book...here is one of mine. 

This is another one of my favorites because I am a huge Paula Deen fan.  Jeff got this one for me for Christmas a few years back.  When I put it on my list, I told him to order it from her website because I knew she signs all the cookbooks.  That was first thing I checked when I got it and sure enough...

there is was...AND....

I flipped the page over to see if it bled through. Its real. 

This is where I keep my cookbooks.  I got this nifty cookbook stand from my Mom.  She had it in a closet at her house not being used so I put it to good use. As you can see, I'm out of room on my stand.

The drawer is crammed full of recipes that I have printed out, written down or have been passed along to me.  I also have another recipe card holder that holds alot of recipes my Mom gave me when I got married.  I will always keep them even if I have the recipes memorized because they are in her handwriting.

And this box holds a recipe binder that my cousin Dina gave to me years ago when I started talking about doing a family cookbook.  This was so I could get organized and have a place to start compiling everything.  Life took me down a road that year that was unexpected and its been full of twists and turns since so the cookbook kept getting pushed back but I'm bound and determined to get it done.  There are too many great dishes our family brings to our gatherings that I don't want to see lost.   

So yes, 41 cookbooks and I hope to add more to the collection.  I do reference most of these books and have made at least one dish from each...some more.  I have been known on occasion to pull them all out, plop down on the couch or in my chair and peruse them for new recipes.  I love comparing recipes to see how different they are, who uses what and why.  I especially love the books that have stories behind their recipes.  I have three more books on my wishlist now, the follow-up to my Paula Deen cookbook and both of Trisha Yearwood's cookbooks.  I'm hoping maybe Santa will bring me one or more...wink,wink. 

Brazoria County Fair

Along with the cook-off coming to a close Saturday evening, so did the fair.  Christopher spent a lot of time out at the carnival with friends and cousins this past weekend.  When they weren't helping at the cook-off, they were spinning themselves silly on the rides and chasing the girls so we rarely saw them.  Saturday evening after the awards ceremony my brother and I took Isabella down to ride the ponies and then next door to the petting zoo.  I tried so hard to get a good picture of her riding the pony that I didn't take the time to set my camera correctly so the pictures were crappy and blurry.  This was probably the best picture of her...

It was so much fun watching my girl at the petting zoo.  I thought it was only puppies that she loved but I really think its all animals.  This child is not afraid of anything...well okay, she was a little unsure of the bigger goats but who could blame her.  There were a lot of people in there and Bella was constantly moving but I did manage to get a few shots of her feeding and loving the animals....

She was fussing here because the goat was eating out of her cup and wouldn't stop.  Mommy to the rescue!!

I swear to you she was probably pulling the little hairs on this one...

Giving the calf a hug...this was the third time I had asked her to give him a hug.  When we first approached the calf, no one was around and she was so sweet with him.  I was getting ready to take some pictures and these punk kids walked in and just ruined it.  They did apologize for messing things up...I think the look I gave them must have given my aggravation away.  Oh I wish I could have gotten the one of her little arms wrapped around his neck, it was really sweet.

And last but not least, saying hello to Mr. Donkey...

After she ran out of food for the animals and had said hello to everyone, we headed back to our camp.  We walked by the ponies later that night and she grunted and pointed to ride them but I convinced her they were tired and going night-night.  So from there on, it was "night-night".   She did also manage during the week to recognize the cows, so not every animal is a puppy now, but a puppy or a cow.  Hey...one animal at a time. 

BBQ Cook-Off

We survived another cook-off!!  I'm always excited when it arrives but equally happy to see it go come Sunday morning.  Participating in the cook-off is a lot of hard work. Cheers to my brothers for hanging in there through it all.  Of course I can't forget Mike, Alex and Sue for all their hard work but the boys start on Thursday (Wednesday really) setting it all up and tear it all down on Sunday morning. This year was extra special to me because it truly was a family affair.  It took us 12 years but my sister and I FINALLY became official members of Berger's Bums.  It dawned on me Sunday afternoon that I didn't get a picture of our banner (for proof) with our names on it or the front of our camp.  Guess I'll have to do that next year.  Sue and I are already working on changing the name of the team to Berger's Bums and Divas.  The guys weren't crazy about it...but they didn't dismiss the idea either so there is hope!  We have a whole year to wear them down.  Ha!

When I say its a family affair, I mean this in every respect...we make our kids work too!  No really...the kids WANT to help out.  I think all of them inherited the "love to cook" gene. 

Here we have Makenna, Brandon (Sue's kids) and Christopher (mine) prepping chickens and I think ribs. 

   
While the adults sit back, relax, watch...and critique...

The Chief's in Charge...well, they like to think they are in charge.  :)  My brothers...Tony & Bryan.  You can feel sorry for me now.  No really...FEEL SORRY FOR ME.  They torture me all the time.  Even at 38 I still get poked, prodded, tripped, teased....but they claim its all out of love...and their brotherly duty to torture me.   

Wow...now that's a crew!!  Here we are waiting on the awards ceremony to start.  From the left we have...
Mike, Cindy, Brady, Alex, Bryan, Makenna, Me, Brandon, Tony and Isabella.  Brady and Isabella were all tuckered out...the rest of us weren't far behind them!  Kinda wishing someone would hold us while we took a nap at that point!  Ha!

We have fun every year and every year we have tons of food and cold beverages.  This year we added fajitas to the table.  We only placed in the top ten in one event and that was Friday Night Feast (8th place). Tony was happy about that but is still determined to reworked his creation for next year and push it to the top six.  We also participated in beans, chicken, ribs and brisket.  Last year we placed 3rd in chicken and a few years back we were 10th in brisket.  A few wins here and there but enough to come back for more.  We really do have a lot of fun doing this...the kids enjoy it and it gets the family and friends together for a few days.  I do know one thing for sure...none of us care to much to see or eat bbq for a very long time when its all said and done. 

Smile

Uncle Kracker's song "Smile" is dedicated to my babies...because every single time I see them they make me smile.  No matter what kind of day I've had, they can change it or make it even better simply by being there.  I love these kids with every piece of me and would do anything for them.  They are the best of me and by far my greatest accomplishment.

http://www.cmt.com/videos/uncle-kracker/426988/smile.jhtml

Smile

You're better then the best
I'm lucky just to linger in your light
Cooler than the flip side
Of my pillow, that's right

Completely unaware
Nothing can compare to where
You send me, lets me know that it's okay
Yeah, it's okay
And the moments where my good times start to fade

You make me smile like the sun, fall out of bed
Sing like bird, dizzy in my head
Spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe
Shine like gold, buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Oh, you make me smile

Even when you're gone,
Somehow you come along just like
A flower pokin' through the sidewalk crack
And just like that
You steal away the rain, and just like that

You make me smile like the sun, fall out of bed
Sing like bird, dizzy in my head
Spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe
Shine like gold, buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Oh, you make me smile

Don't know how I lived without you
'Cause every time that I get around you
I see the best of me inside your eyes
You make me smile

You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe
Shine like gold, buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild

You make me smile like the sun, fall out of bed
Sing like bird, dizzy in my head
Spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe
Shine like gold, buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Oh, you make me smile

October 15, 2002

Jace Andrew Bevers was born!  Today would have been his 8th birthday and I just wanted to wish him a Happy Birthday.  I miss him and think of him every single day.  Every year I try to be as happy as I can be and I think I am going to do okay until the week of his birthday arrives.  Its been hard this week and I have also been missing my Mom and feeling very lost this week.  I know he is having quite the celebration in Heaven (with Momma probably heading up the festivities) but I sure wish he were here with me.  8 years...wow!  Sometimes I wish I had one of those computer programs where I could put a picture of him in it so it could give me an idea of what he would look like now.  But I don't really need it because I know he would be a very cute and very handsome young man.  That makes me smile. :)  Oh Jace...Mommy thinks of you every single day.  I love you so much sweet boy.  There are still days the thought of you takes my breath away.  Peace to you angel....and I wouldn't mind seeing you in my dreams again.  Forever in my heart, Mommy

  

Yogi Bear

This past weekend the kids and I went camping with some friends at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park in Waller.  If you have young kids and like to camp, this place is a must see.  Here is a link to their website to check it out http://www.lonestarcamping.com/. Our friends had a camper so we stayed with them but the park also has cabins for rent and an area for tents.  They have a water park, swimming pool, miniature golf, activity center, fishing, a place for horseshoes and much more.  The boys took their bikes and rode around on the trails there.  Christopher figured out his way around really quick so he wanted to ride his bike whenever he got the chance. During the month of October the park celebrates Halloween every weekend.  All the campsites decorate for Halloween, costume contest and trick or treating.  They also give the kids an opportunity to plant magic pumpkin seeds and in just a short 3 hours, the pumpkins appear--pretty magical don't you think?  It was loads of fun and after you pick your pumpkin you have the opportunity to paint it at the activity center.  Isabella decided to paint hers but Christopher passed.  He wants to carve his closer to Halloween.  We ended up missing the costume contest Saturday evening.  My sweet girl was having so much fun during the day, I couldn't get her to lay down for a nap so about the time we were ready to dress for the contest she was tuckered out and fell fast asleep.  Chris decided not to participate but tagged along with our friends and their children Mason and Kynlee for the contest while Miss Bella and I stayed back at the camp. She woke up about the time everyone came back and started trick or treating so she helped Mommy pass out candy to all the kids who stopped by.  We had lots of fun playing, relaxing, riding on the golfcart, sitting by a fire every night and roasting marshmallows.  Most definitely plan a trip back!! 

Here are some pictures from our trip...

Planting those magic pumpkin seeds....

  
The kids with their pumpkins...aren't you amazed how fast those pumpkins grew! 

Bella painting her pumpking with my sweet boy Chris helping her out when she needed it.

The finished product...ta-da!!

And I'm afraid that will be it for the pictures because the rest of them were taken vertically but they are coming up sideways on here and I'd hate for you to view them that way. Its never done that before!!??!!  If I get it figured out I'll post more.  This just stinks!!

Happy Birthday Paul Franklin

Today is my nephew Paul Franklin's 15th birthday.  Its so hard to believe this child, the first born grandchild, my first nephew is 15!!  I can still remember exactly where I was when the phone call came in letting me know he had made his debut.  How excited we were for him to be here but so sad that he was so far away in Jacksonville, Florida.  My brother was still in the Navy then and stationed there.  That like to have killed us not being able to be right there when he arrived.  My family made a trip at Christmas to see him, I had to stay behind for reasons I can't even remember now but it had to have been dang good ones!  Paul Franklin is such a wonderful kid, um young man.  He's so good with his cousins and my son Christopher adores him.  Paul still lives in Florida with his mom but visits a few times a year and on occasion, we've made the trip there to see him.  Paul and Chris can pick up as if no time has passed when he comes for a visit. They are like two peas in a pod and go together like peas and carrots.  I miss him and wish he could be here in Texas with us year round but sure do enjoy his visits when he's here.  I know the kids do too!  He is coming down next week for the BBQ Cook-Off and the Fair and I can't wait to see him!  Happy Birthday to you Paul Franklin, Pooh Bear, Peanut Butter, Nephew, Paul Punkin....you're the best!!

Good Times

For the first time in a long time, I had a weekend to do anything I wanted.  A weekend that wasn't full of working on the house or running errands or going here and there.  I got to do something fun and something fun is exactly what I did!  My friend Marilee invited me to go shopping in Old Town Spring Saturday with her and her son's girlfriend Lindsey.  She surprised me by booking a hotel room in The Woodlands for an overnight stay as well...an evening out to toast my new life and new beginnings as a single lady.  What a beautiful weekend it turned out to be.  I had so much fun spending time with these two awesome ladies, talking about everything under the sun and toasting the good life.  I went to places I had never been before, tried food I never had before and tried new wines I had never had before and discovered I really do like white wine!  Don't ask me which kind because I have no idea but I do know what to ask for!  Ha!  Every meal was enjoyed outside because it was such a beautiful weekend.  I enjoyed the Woodlands very much and spent time at places I thought I would only hear about.  Here are some pictures from our weekend of fun.   

This was at the little wine tasting place in Old Town Spring...

Outside of Crush Wine Lounge...

And at Tommy Bahamas enjoying our wine...