Hash Brown and Egg Casserole

Looking for a last minute breakfast idea for tomorrow morning? I've got just the thing.
A few weeks ago, I had a few girls over for a dinner party and I went with a breakfast theme. I tried out two casseroles - this was a crowd favorite.  Normally on Christmas morning we have a large family breakfast. This year we will be attending church services together so we will need a quicker breakfast, so this will be perfect!

Ingredients:
1 (2 pound package) frozen hash browns potatoes, thawed
1 pound pork sausage
1 small onion, diced
7 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
12 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Place the hash browns in the bottom of the baking dish.
2. Heat a skillet and cook and stir the sausage and onion until sausage is crumbly, evenly browned and no longer pink; drain.
3. Whisk together the eggs, milks, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and pour over the hash brown potatoes. Layer with half the cheddar cheese, the sausage mixture, and the remaining cheese. Cover with foil.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove the cover; return the casserole to the oven and bake until a knife insterted into the cetner comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.


This recipe was originally from AllRecipes.com and has been slightly adapted for our preferences.
Enjoy and Merry Christmas.

Boomer Sooner!

Over the Thanksgiving holiday my family had to celebrate in true Oklahoma fashion - we dawned our Crimson and Cream and cheered on our Sooners. We were thankful for football, family and of course, a Sooner victory!

 My face in this picture makes me laugh.. I'm not sure what is it ....maybe it was because I was thinking "Dad, will you please shave the goatee!!??"

I love going to the games. I just love seeing people who are so passionate for their team and the loyalty of fans. Anyways - Boomer Sooner. Beat OSU tomorrow! (Had to add that - I couldn't call myself an Okie if I didn't!)

Guess Who's Back!

I knew it had been awhile since I've posted..but I didn't realize it had been THAT long since I've posted! A lot has happened since September!

I had high hopes of posting a beautiful sentiment on Thanksgiving..but that never happened. I really enjoy Thanksgiving. You get the family time and food just like Christmas but everyone is so rushed and frazzled many people want the day to just be over. Thanksgiving is just a nice time to relax and enjoy family without the stress of gift-giving (and honestly, should it be that stressful to give - I think not!) 

I haven't been blogging much since the arrival of the iPad. I have been leaving my ol' laptop at my office and only having my iPad for home. It would take me a lot longer to type an entire blog entry on my iPad - I guess I could try..but I feel like it'd be more trouble than it's worth..so any way that is my explanation for the lack of blog entries as of late.

I'm going to try to get back into writing some.
Maybe I will just write about being Thankful in December still. I know- gasp- we can only be thankful in November right before we eat turkey. It's just uncalled for to be grateful the rest of the year!

But for now I leave you with this - a look into what it was like to have my mom as a mom .

When I was little I would come home from school/church/someone's house--and my room would look at little like this..but add in toys. My mom would come in and clean everything off the floor and pile it up on my bed. She'd even take everything from underneath the bed and closets. It was a MEAN and dirty thing to do..because you'd have to clean it all up before you could get into bed{..or sleep on top of it all or on the floor (both of which- I am sure I tried to do) }
Well now that I am older. I will do this to myself. I have lovingly defined this as "mom-ing myself" and have to do it often but frankly - I HATE hanging up my laundry/clothes..and yes, I shouldn't air my dirty laundry on the internet--but have no fears that's all clean laundry you're lookin' at! ;)

Now... I feel the need to clarify this - I love my mom and at the time I HATED when she would do this to me..but her annoying OCD ways of cleaning that drove me into sarcastic fits of rage as a child have now become the way I enjoy cleaning...

So..thanks mom for all that you've taught me and the monster you've created. I really do appreciate it!

Hosanna

Lately "Break my Heart for What Breaks Yours" has just been on my heart. I'm not normally one to share lyrics. I find myself to be the opposite of a trendy music lover. I don't try to be cool. I'm over that..I pretty much got over that after trying out for cheerleader like 6 times and never making it. Coolness is not a big deal. Just be you. Anyway, off that mini soapbox. These lyrics have been in my head for a few weeks now. Especially the "Open up my eyes to the things unseen, Show me how to love like You have loved me, Break my heart for what breaks yours." I have just been trying to live out my faith. I'm not entirely sure what that evens means but I know that God didn't call us to go to church because we are supposed to, go home and eat a pot roast and see ya next Sunday. He called us to live out. Be Jesus to the people in our community. 


Ouch - I haven't been doing this. I've been going about church as a legalistic to-do list. I go to church, I tithe. I say my prayers. I'm a good person -- IT IS SO MUCH MORE than just that. So leaving you with a this song by Hillsong United called Hosanna - google/youtube. It's a great song. Until next time ---- 


I see the King of glory
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes
I see His love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing, the people sing

Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highests from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/h/hillsong_united/hosanna.html ]

I see a generation
Rising up to take the place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees, we're on our knees

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity

I've tasted the Apple juice

.....and I like it.

iHappy?

I've never been a hater of Apple products. I honestly could have cared less. I find myself to be practical with my purchases, except for when it comes to shoes. With that, all practicality just flies out the window. I have a Dell computer and I like it. If I replace it, I'll probably replace it with a Mac, but that's only if I win the lottery. I have an Android because I like my cellphone service provider. I am not going to switch just for the iPhone. In Marketing terms, I'm probably what you would call a late-adopter. In normal person terms, I'm the person who still likes nice and new products but I'm going to wait it out and see what others have to say first. Also, if you wait it out a bit-- prices tend to drop. Some might say I'm a cheapskate. "She get it from her mama!"

On with my story....I have wanted a Nook or Kindle since around last Christmas. I have currently being using their free apps on my phone. I love reading on the app. It's so convenient. I have always been a reader. I honestly thought, there's no way I would want to use an e-reader. It's just not the same as a real book. While that is true, it is still a wonderful invention.

For months, I have researched Nook vs Kindle. I have looked at both in person, asked people for references, and, of course, did quite a lot of online research. (So late-adopter of me!) In the back of my mind, I thought what about this iPad thing. My roommate has one. I had played on it numerous times. I finally decided that the iPad would be the better purchase because I can download both Nook and Kindle apps on the iPad. With both apps, I can share books with friend with Kindle and Nook. I can have the best of both e-reader worlds. I even tried winning a free iPad in a texting competition - that should probably be it's on blog.

Fast forward to my birthday. The time finally came - I made the purchase...I was finally getting my iPad. Once I made my purchase...I had to wait a week. SHOOT ME. Patience isn't my thing. But then one Friday morning (just a few days later, actually!) it arrived in the mail! Oh what a glorious day. It really was such an exciting day. I had waited for a long time to make my big purchase. I could have bought the Kindle or Nook months ago. I have a decent job. But I saved up my money and made a good logical decision before I purchased. I had waited a long time for the day it arrived! It was so worth it. It made it more exciting.

Also - I recommend Apple Refurbished products. I have gone this route previously. In high school, I purchased my iPod via Apple Refurbished and I still use it today. They warranty them the same but you can save a lot of money. This is the way I got my iPad. If you have questions - please ask me. My iPad was used but it arrived with no scratches or problems. Apple doesn't send out bad products (Yea, I'm sounding like one of those people!) 

You might be from Oklahoma if......

Your sunglasses have burned your face......

If you have lived in Oklahoma you understand when we say it's been a hot summer we mean scorching temperatures. I've lived in Oklahoma for, well all of my life. I've even been blessed to be from the hottest part of this great state - Southwest Oklahoma. I remember summers being hot, but this summer has been unreal. I understand that most people that read my blog are also from Oklahoma so you understand my pain.

Ironically,  I'm writing this blog on a day when the weather is actually normal.. {in the 90s rather than 130s!} but most of this summer has been pretty rough.

Things I have learned this summer:

- Leather seats CAN be deadly. The man who thought of leather seats and a wood grain steering wheel has obviously not experience 120 degree temperatures! Skirts/shorts are cooler when outside but once you sat down, you are looking at third degree burns on the bootay. I have considered driving with potholders so I can handle my steering wheel. I can imagine the looks I'd get as I'm driving down the road with big potholders, I think it would prevent texting and driving. {I might be onto something here!}
- I've learned why people cannot live on the surface of the sun. Although, I'm thinking we've come as close as humanly possible this summer.
- Why my dad insisted I keep the doors closed as a child..because "we don't a/c the entire neighborhood!" Yes, I've come to find out how much a cool house costs.
- I have also learned that the Oklahoma clay ground can actually shrink up from the excessive heat and burst water pipes and close a town for a day...except pharmacies. We don't close. We're more reliable than the mail! Anyone in Shawnee last week had to learn this lesson the heard way.

And this last thing might just fall into the "You might be a redneck if.." but whatevs. I have found a solution to burning my face each time I put on my sunglasses.

I should probably mention that I'm slightly embarrassed and how dusty my car looks in this picture. I didn't realize it until it's blown up for the world to see. I'll get right on that! 

Yep, that's right. You can laugh, but it works!

and on the bright side...you aren't having to shovel snow each morning just to leave your house!

Kind of low quality phone picture but you get the point! 

Josh's Birth: It's Kind of a Funny Story

After blogging about the current camera dilemma at my house, it made me think of a fairly funny story...

Since birth, my youngest brother has been a little bit of surprise child. The whole fact we were having another brother was QUITE a surprise so to offset that shocker we had planned his birth. He was to arrive by planned c-section on Monday morning, April 17, 2000. We had planned one last weekend of fun with just two children. We were going to go stay in Lawton at a hotel and then get up Monday morning and get a little brother. We were going to eat at Cracker Barrel and get to swim at the hotel. It's sad now that is what excited us, but we were from a small town and we were little and enjoyed simple things.....or we're SUPPOSED to that is. Joshua being the little toot that he is decided to come on Friday night...at around 2am or something insane. No one had expected that. We all rushed to the hospital. {For some odd reason, my parents gave me the camera and told me keep up with it. I was 12. I couldn't remember my homework but a camera should be fine right? Hello that's a BIG responsibility.} I'm sure you see where this is going....we get to the hospital which was an hour away from our house and I have to go to the bathroom...this is the last time I remember seeing that camera. I hope someone enjoyed using it that day. Thanks to them my little brother will grow up not having any pictures from his birth. If he didn't look so much like my dad, he might think he was adopted..which I have tried to tell him before. ;)

This baby picture is pretty believable, right? I'm working on a project to create pictures for his childhood memories...I feel like it's the least I can do..I'm kidding but I do love a little Photoshop craziness. {MOM - please show this to Josh. I know he will CRACK up because I am!!}

I'm glad 11 years later we can joke about this. People still won't leave me with the responsibility of  keeping up with the camera...which I guess is appropriate considering my charger is lost - oops.

Which this brother is the same brother here---> Oh Brother!. I think I could have an entire blog about the things my siblings do and say..seriously they're hilarious. Even though they are surprises or as they say - "bonuses"...I wouldn't have it any other way.