Chapin Is the Place To Be

The night started out like this....



We picked up the kids from my parent's house. It was Michael's SEVENTEENTH birthday. And I have ABSOLUTELY no idea how my sweet little nephew became SEVENTEEN.


So, Michael spent the day on the lake. With his Mother and Randy. And then we all met up at their house for an extravaganza.

I think it is so weird. And strange. That we ( most of my family) live in "Columbia" but really we live an HOUR apart. From Gaston ( the special place that I call home) to Chapin ( the place my sister and her kids call home) is an HOUR apart. I'm sure it is because they ( the government) likes to keep the "rednecks" as far apart as possible. We are smart, you see. And seem to cause rambunctious trouble.

But we have learned how to fight the system. And therefore, we met in Chapin. On a Saturday night. To celebrate.

And that is where I took my prized photograph of this grasshopper... And then I needed to take another photo to prove that I have MAD skillz when it comes to picture taking.
Kev, do you see why I need a fancy camera? Because I take pretty pictures of bugs.

I love it out there. In Chapin. Just as much as I love it in Gaston. It is the country air. And the "good ole boys". And the laid back peace of mind.

And the golf carts on crack....

Who wouldn't want to ride around on this piece of machinery? It is air conditioned. And easy to drive. You can even have your kids drive you around.

That's more important than you realize.

But now I MUST introduce you to RANDY. The outdoor cook/chef extraordinaire. And he blew my skirt up with his food prep. And made my tummy beg for more.

He created the ULTIMATE cookout possible. And I bathed in the Crisco oil and vinegar like it was my daily bath.

Fried fish. From Lake Murray.

Fried Chips. And these chips were NOT like your every day Ruffles in a bag. They were like wing chips. Hand made slices of potato with vinegar and salt water sprayed on them.

Can I get an AMEN?

But then came the squash. The thinly cut, fried yellow squash. And that was all she wrote.

Except for I'm the "writer" and I always have more to say.

SEVENTEEN year old Mike. And his girlfriend, Sam.

The birthday cake disaster. Because every one is always dying to destroy a birthday cake on their face.....

We played "corn hole". We talked. And talked. And laughed. And talked some more. And had an amazing time with family and friends.

And declared Chapin as the "best place to be on a Saturday night".

Happy Birthday Michael!! When did you get the permission to grow up so fast?

We love you so much!

From The Kitchen Of Kim

That's right. I got a menu board. A chalkboard menu board to be exact. Because I like things old school and charming. (Dry erase boards are not charming.) And I hung it up in my kitchen.


And it makes me giggle with delight every time I walk past it.


I have been wanting one for SO LONG. And because I like to over explain myself. And because you are dying to know.... I will list out all the reasons why.



1. I LOVE lists. Especially when I can see the entire week's plan all at one time. There is something about knowing your plan for the day that helps you get started on the right foot. ( Unless you are left footed) I hung this menu plan at the entry way to the kitchen. So when I am on my way at tooearlyo'clock in the morning to make my tea, I can see what is for supper and I can make plans accordingly. ie; pull meat out of freezer, turn on crock pot, etc.



2. I love chalkboards. I always volunteered to clean the boards and erasers for my teachers. Actually, I did that to get special attention. And may or may not have needed extra credit points on a regular basis. So disregard this reason.



3. I was tired of Kev texting/emailing/calling me ALL DAY LONG to ask me what was for supper.



4. Kev has NEVER done #3. I just put it there for laughs. And actually.... he is SO happy about every single thing that I make for dinner. He just shows up when I ring the dinner bell ( me screaming that dinner is ready) and eats it with a smile. He is easy going I tell ya. EASY GOING.




5. It does tell Kev, however, the nights that I work late. It changes from week to week. So, it's easier for him to keep up with. I came up with a symbol of a "CL" in a circle ( I'm so clever) which means that I'm closing. And then he eats leftovers. In peace. Because I'm not there. It is good to get a break from me every now and then.




6. It also helps with the planning of my couponing. And keeps me focused. I buy meat on sale now - AND FREEZE IT. ( I can't believe I'm actually freezing meat - two weeks ago I would have thrown up a little in mouth at the mere mention of buying meat to freeze it. And look at me now. Who knew that my mid life crisis would consist of buying food in bulk WITH COUPONS and freezing it. I'm even using a sharpie marker to write on the package what it is and the date. Is this the longest statement in parenthesis that you have ever read?) My point is - I plan my shopping on Sundays. Write a menu. And then stick to it. A clear plan prevents me from picking up last minute take out when I am running late.



7. It makes me feel like I am running a restaurant. And in a way... I am. Except for I don't seem to get any tips. Unless I should consider burps as tips.?? I do live in the country after all. And we do things a little different out here.



And now... just to give you an example on my mad money saving and chalkboard planning skills... I present to you Sunday's meal of Mahi Mahi and squash....

For $4.20 we feasted on fresh goodness. I got two Mahi Mahi filets for $4.00. 2 fresh ears of corn for 20 cents. And 2 different kinds of squash plus jalapeno peppers for FREE. Straight from my Dad's glorious garden.

Eating cheap never tasted SO good.

And just a little tip for you.... If you choose to put up a chalkboard in your kitchen.. HIDE THE CHALK. Especially if some one from my family is coming over for a visit. We can not be trusted. And I know this. It was the first thing I thought of when I bought the chalk. I keep it hidden and only get it out when I am the only one at home. I can't imagine the chaos and shenanigans that would be caused if the chalk gets in to the wrong people's hands.

And now I'm off to buy an adorable pair of shoes. That I probably won't be able to walk in for longer than 30 minutes. But they are super cute. And are my "treat" for saving so much on food.

That's how this couponing thing works - right?

Living It Up At The Fairfield Inn

I feel so wild and crazy. More than normal. And I'm almost afraid to tell you how out of control I get when I am all alone.

The key word is "almost". Because I feel the need to tell you every thing and there is no reason why I would hold back on this.

I'm out of town for work. For the week. And as much as I miss my sweet Kev - who happens to be at home all alone nursing himself back to health after oral surgery- I feel like a teenager or maybe more like a middle aged person all over again.

Don't get me wrong. I'm working super hard. And a lot. But tonight for supper... I got a bowl of freshly made guacamole and chips. That's it. One of my most favorite treats in the world.

And not only did I just get dip and chips for supper. But I'm eating it in THE BED. The one I'm not sleeping in, of course. But do you know how long it has been since I have been able to eat in the bed. I feel so naughty. And also realize why Kev doesn't think it is a good idea. Good thing I'm not sleeping in this one. It looks like a gang of wild dogs got a hold of an avocado and fritos.

And then there is the remote. The precious remote. Of which I usually only get to hold during the day. If I happen to be home alone. But tonight - and every night this week - I get free reign over this amazing controller of my happiness. Flipping back and forth between BRAVO, TLC, The Food Network, and possibly a little MTV. It is like heaven on Earth.

So, please forgive me if I do not catch up on my blogging as originally promised. Or if I don't go through my coupons and plan out next week's shopping.

It's Kim's time. And I plan to make the most of it.

Now, if I can just get Kev to travel here to bring me a better electronic set up. I never realized how spoiled he has made me. With the HD and the flat screen and the surround sound. Top Chef is not the same without the crashing around of dishes behind my head.

I may go ultra crazy and not even brush my teeth tonight.

It's how "all alone Kim" rolls.

Lots Of Catching Up To Do...

I'm going to start off by showing you this picture....

I took it last Saturday night and am pretty happy with how it turned out. My nephew, Austin, held this grasshopper ( ?) forever. And it never moved a muscle.

He told me I could use this pic as my Christmas card. Maybe I will. It sure was easier to take a picture of a bug than it is to get Kev to pose for a Christmas card picture.

And it's green.

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to let you know how terribly busy I have been lately.

With celebrating.

With cooking.

With couponing.

With enjoying family.

And this week I am heading out of town for work. The plus side is that I will be in a hotel room for four nights. With nothing to do but blog. Blog. Cut coupons. And blog.

The negative side is that I will be leaving Kev behind. To fend for himself. Even though I have prepared and packaged enough lunches and suppers to last a lifetime. And then a couple more days.

It's this little obsession I have. Having to cook and prepare meals for him. In my head I worry that if there is nothing fixed - he will be on all fours in the kitchen sniffing for crumbs.

I have never claimed to be normal.

Regardless, please just hang tight. The stories are coming. And we will be all caught up in no time.