The Little Women

Once upon a time...



There were three lovely ladies who lived by the sea. They were full of beauty, kindness, generosity, and adventure. People would travel from all over to experience their hearts of gold.



I am one of those people.


And these three ladies still live there.


I am proud to say that they are my relatives.


Whether they like it or not.


And we had the pleasure of enjoying their company during our stay at the beach.




Have you ever experienced someone who just lights up a room upon entering it?


Well, that is what this lady does....





She is my Aunt Laurie. My Mom's younger sister. She is full of laughter, squeals, positivity, and gifts. Always.



Then there is my Cousin Carrie. She is not only a nurse.... but she spends her free time traveling to Haiti to give medical treatment and share His word. She is documenting her amazing experiences at http://wwwloveforhaiti.blogspot.com/


And then there is my Cousin Angela......


She is married to this incredible guy... Clay. They are expecting their first child in September. A little girl... Lillian Marie. I don't know if there are two better people in this world who deserve a sweet child like these two do.

Angela is one of the reasons I started this blog. She documents her amazing life and her pregnancy at http://www.cagalllup.blogspot.com/.

It was such a pleasure getting to see all of them and include them in our vacation memories.

I cannot wait to meet the new addition to "The Little Women" in September.

A Fourth of July Celebration For Two

Last year we went all out. We had a shindig, a hootenanny, a hoe-down. We grilled out, we played games, we watched fireworks. And people came from miles around. To celebrate the Fourth with us.



This year we couldn't seem to pull it together. Our schedules are busier. Our families all had out of town plans. We did have friends eager to come over - but ultimately, we decided to just take the year off and relax. Truth be told we (me and Kev) haven't had a single "hang out by the pool and relax" day AT ALL this year.

What a tragedy!

Seriously, though. I have been swimming once. ONCE - and it is July 4th!. And it was for a short time because it started to rain. Last year was a whole different story. You couldn't keep us out of the pool. We had goggles permanently attached to our faces. And flippers permanently attached to our hands.

It didn't go over too good at work.

And the flippers attached to our hands.... and NOT feet.... is because it is so much easier to get around the pool when you are floating in a raft if you have flippers on. Except for it is almost impossible to pick up your drink that is conveniently nestled inside your raft. But that is what our squirrels are for. Since we stopped taking acorns as payment for rent... they have to work for it. By doing odd jobs around the house. Like lifting a tropical drink up to my mouth.

It is just the way we like to do things around here.

So, it is just the two of us. Emphasis on the word TWO. And it is a major holiday that involves a major food extravaganza. And I DO NOT know how to cook for just TWO people. But I'm going to do everything that I can to restrain myself and shop conservatively.

The above statement was actually what I repeated to myself over and over and over... as I walked around the grocery store.

And then I came home with this.....




Behold - the cast of characters for our Fourth of July eating frenzy!

Our menu consisted of:
4 lbs of pork ribs
1 lb of firecracker shrimp
baked beans ( don't judge me! Bush's makes the BEST! This is another thing I leave to the pros)
watermelon
grilled pineapple
potato salad
french bread
blueberry pineapple crunch cake
and pina coladas

Ok- so I was thinking ahead. I was making sure we would have plenty of food for the next week... or next couple of days.... yeah. That's the ticket.


The plans for pork rib grilling started with this book.....

I got it for Kev - from Williams Sonoma - for Father's Day. Yes, Father's Day. Because he is a father to plants and wildlife. Get off my back! Anyway, he had grilled plenty of steaks, chicken and burgers and wanted to try some new things. Let me just say that this book is fabulous. It tells you every detail of everything you ever needed to know about grilling... and then some. Like what eye shadow to wear with your royal blue sweater. And you would be surprised because the answer is NOT royal blue as most of you would assume.

Maybe it is just me that assumes that.

Anyway, we opted to try the Memphis Style BBQ ribs. And um... before I jump ahead and tell you the outcome. Let me just say that the rub is FANTASTIC. I mixed up a ton of spices and literally rubbed it in to the meat. Then let it marinate for four hours.

Then having most of my part of the meal complete. I went outside and played "diving for pool rings to see how many you can get before you run out of breath". I'm pretty good at it. Unless Kev is in the pool and we have to fight for rings. Under water. Roller Derby style.


Oh... and I just wanted to point out Kev in the picture. In case you didn't recognize him. He is the small gray shark with the neon green shades on. The one hanging out by my arm. Trying to steal a ring. I got his gray shark swimsuit at the flea market. The shades were some he already owned.

And then the BBQing began.......

The ribs cooked for THREE hours on the grill. Yum.... they look so good.....

And then he brought them in and basted them with a spicy BBQ sauce I picked up at the grocery store. It is called Stubb's sauce. It had a picture of the man who makes it on the front. I figured that meant it was good.... because I always imagine putting my picture on things that I make and like.

And yes. It is ok to cook and eat topless when it is only the two of you around. That rule goes for both of us. Don't make me feel awkward about it.

And then there were these delicious beauties......

They are called Firecracker Shrimp. Due to the fact that they taste like Firecrackers going off in your mouth. I got the incredible recipe from The Pioneer Woman ( who can be accessed from my blog home page). This woman NEVER disappoints. I have officially decided to ask her to adopt me. Move me out to Oklahoma. And teach me everything that she knows.

And who ever thought that grilled pineapple was a good idea? Because they deserve an award of "grilled pineapple is a great idea and thanks for coming up with it". That is a real award. I've seen it at the flea market. The same place where I got Kev's swim suit.

Now is the part where I tell you that I. OFFICIALLY. HAD. THE. BEST. MEAL. EVER!! Those ribs just melted in your mouth. They were perfect. Perfectly delicious. D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S!

(Putting periods in between words and letters helps me to emphasize my dramatics for how wonderful something is)

And the shrimp, beans, potato salad, bread, watermelon...... all I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E!!

Amongst "high - fives" and german handshakes... we decided that preparing a meal together has become our new favorite past-time.

Right behind "diving for pool rings to see how many you can get before running out of breath".

AND. I. ATE. SO. MUCH. FOOD.!

I officially got the meat sweats. Which isn't pretty if you have ever seen it. And if you can restrain yourself when you are eating delicious pork ribs and shrimp.... you never will see it.

I expect to see it many, many more times in my lifetime.

That's how I roll.

I couldn't even eat dessert. A dessert that Kev specially requested. And just in case you don't know.... when someone "specially requests" something that you make. You make it. Because it is an honor.

And easy.

At least the dessert he chose was. It is seriously the easiest thing I have ever made. Except for a Lean Cuisine. It was so easy, in fact, that I made a squirrel do it. Because he owed me. And I went about my business. It was the blueberry pineapple crunch cake that I have made several times this summer. It is a Paula Deen recipe - my other cooking hero.

Sorry - no picture of dessert because I was sweating. Meat.

We ended the day by listening to( and seeing a little of) the firework showdown in the town of Gaston. It was a "neighborhood" competition put on by Bubba, Chet, Tiny, and Hillybilly Joe. They go all out. And I love it.

I hope all of you had an amazing Fourth of July!!!!!

Taking A Break For BBQ- My Favorite Thing!

What are you taking a break from?



Well, I'm glad you asked! I'm taking a break from writing about my beach vacation. Just a short little break to bring to you my experiences from the 4th of July weekend.


See, I was lucky enough to get a couple of days off. A couple of days of much needed relaxation, delicious food eating, swimming, and celebrating.



Now I know what you are thinking. Didn't I JUST go on vacation?



Why, yes I did. But sometimes you need a vacation from a vacation. I did not plan for this and jumped right back in to work. In to chaos, major changes, dust bunnies, dog and pony shows, and in case I haven't mentioned it.... chaos. Add all of these things to the summer scarf, the boyfriend jean, and antique jewelry.... and that about sums up the last two weeks.



Speaking of the summer scarf. It has become my new addiction. Except for in the extreme heat of Columbia... it is more of a summer sweat rag. I may be in a constant state of moist... but I sure look fashionable!



I'm just sayin'.



That is probably not the most appetizing thing to talk about on a post that is supposed to be dedicated to BBQ.



And speaking of BBQ.......



Let me tell you about the delicious meal we just had.



The main dish was from this place.......

Hudson's Smokehouse BBQ. In Lexington. And in Heaven .... I hope. This is my favorite place to go for BBQ. Hands down.

As you know... I love to cook. But there are some things that I have to leave to the pros. And this is one of them. I was planning my extensive menu for the 4th of July. And suddenly had a craving for Brisket. Since I was heading in to Lexington to get groceries... I decided to stop by this delightful place and pick up dinner for 4th of July Eve.

And yes... when you live in the country you have to "head in to" places like Lexington. Don't feel sorry for me. It fulfills my childhood desire to be Laura Ingalls Wilder. That and using the bathroom outside.

So, we usually get the BBQ plate which consists of a choice of meat and three sides. And these just aren't any ole sides. They are the sides that I dream of. The sides that we take family portraits with. And celebrate their birthdays. The sides are out of this world. I could eat their sides for the rest of my life. Broccoli casserole, squash casserole, green beans, sweet potato fries, mac n cheese.... and my all time favorite.... FRIED OKRA.

Fried okra is another one of those things that is better left to the pros. #1 Because I don't fry stuff. It is messy, hot, and fattening. #2 It stresses me out to pour a lot of oil in to a pan. It is so wasteful. And greasy. #3 I don't really have another reason. But I just LOVE my fried okra. I love it SO much that I participated in the Okra Festival Parade for four years in a row. I decorated my car. I waved to people. I ate okra with my hands tied behind my back. I exchanged marriage vows. With okra.

Now in case you are wondering.... Kev and okra have only just met. They have not shared a life long passionate affair with each other as I have. In fact.. there are several things that Kev had never had in his life before he met me. Like guacamole, mayonnaise, sour cream, salmon, applesauce and cottage cheese mixed and milk in a plastic cup. Oh and a messy, unorganized closet. But that is another story.

He thanks me for every delightful thing I introduce to him. Or at least he wants to but sometimes forgets.

Regardless. I am really just trying to make the point that the fried okra at Hudson's is out of this world. So, I bought a pound of chopped BBQ brisket and a quart of fried okra. I kept it simple this time because #1 We were making a TON of food for the 4th #2 We were making more food than you could ever imagine for the 4th.

I'm trying to get my point across. There was going to be a lot of food to eat this weekend.

Anyway, I picked up some fresh baked hamburger buns from Publix as well as chipotle sweet potato fries (in frozen section of Publix). And can I please just share with you that we just had the most delightful meal - EVER! Well, that may be a little dramatic because we have had some pretty good meals. But let's just say that it goes in my top 20 favorite meals of all time.

The brisket was juicy, perfectly seasoned, incredible. INCREDIBLE!! Add it to a soft, fresh baked bun and you have a cloud of goodness. I hid some in my pillow case for later.

Then we have the chipotle fries. Now we love us some sweet potato fries but these were HANDS DOWN the best! Excellent seasoning. Just enough spice to make them fun to eat. No need for ketchup.

AND last but not least.... THE OKRA! Yum Yum! We dipped it in Ranch. Just to make sure we were getting enough calories in our meal. To survive a long winter.

What a great start to the holiday weekend.

If you are ever in Lexington and have a hankering for BBQ. Please check this place out. You will not be disappointed!! It is truly one of our FAVORITE THINGS.

The Arrival of Vacation Kev

See this guy.....

His name is Kev. He loves the Karate Kid, Cheesy Chex Mix, plants, and drinking milk out of a glass. Not to be confused with a plastic cup. Which I did once and the outcome was not pretty.

I met this great guy on a blustery stormy snowy rainy night in 1991. He was a stranger who saved me from my hairdo by removing the Aqua Net hairspray from my hand and slowly talked down my bangs with soothing words.

Then he taught me how to make a pizza.

The rest is history.........

He is calm, reserved, quiet, focused, and sleepy.

Together we are like a mullet. He is "business in the front" and I am "party in the back". We balance each other out. We make sense. We were meant for each other.

And then we went to the beach.

And a new Kev emerged. A Kev that no one had ever experienced. Except for me.

And all was right with the world. Because everyone got to experience why I love this guy so much. He makes me laugh. We have so much fun together. We have the same sense of humor. He grills a delicious steak.

He finally let his guard down....

He became the life of the party.....


He made every one feel at ease (even when they were wearing matching shirts).....

He embraced his nationality....

And even swapped swimsuits with our niece.....

Wait.... WHAT?

My friends... I'm hear to tell you that things did get out of control. A little. Like the game of "swapping swimsuits at sea". Fortunately, I wear so many clothes when I swim that no one wanted to swap with me.

Besides the fact that Kev is so fit that he can wear a 13 year old girl's swim shorts..... I think we scarred some vacationers for life. Not to mention that we have been officially banned from Pawley's Island.

It was worth it, though.... for every one to meet Vacation Kev.

Jamaican Luau?

I know what a Jamaican is. I know what a Luau is. Until June 14, 2009, I had never heard the two words together. And they were being used to describe a festive meal we were about to enjoy.

That is when I knew for sure that I was on a Switzer family vacation. We tend to invent new things/make things up. When it is for a good cause. Like a festive meal.

Just the name Jamaican Luau probably makes you jealous that you weren't there. And you don't even know what we had to eat.

But don't worry. Because I'm about to tell you.

It all started back when I was a little girl and I came up with a cooking/cleaning rotation that would make everything run smoothly and deliciously.

Except for I wasn't that little of a girl. It was only a month ago. But it was before I received 10 more years of sun damage during this trip.

So, my parents and Bethany volunteered to be the chefs/party planners for Sunday night.

Do you remember me telling you about themed dinners?

Good. It will help explain this situation.

My parents went to Jamaica last New Year's. They fell in love with jerk chicken (a food... not a person). They fed it to us and we fell in love with jerk chicken. So, my parents decided to cook jerk chicken with the "fixins" but turn it in to a Hawaiian luau because they love that too. Two themes in one. A fantasy come true.

Jerk Chicken.

I thought that maybe if I typed it one more time in this post... then you would understand what we were eating for dinner.

I kill myself with my repetitive words.

My Mom went all out with the decor. She decorated the house and the table.....


And then she decorated us......

Basically we all got leid. Get it? Everyone in my family got it because we said it that night. A lot. Loudly.

Oh... and if you are wondering what Kev is looking at. Wonder no more. He is purposely looking away from the camera. You are seeing the beginning of "Vacation Kev". And I mean beginning. Because "Vacation Kev" got wilder and wilder as the week went on.

He is now renting himself out for parties.

And breakdancing competitions.

After our DELICIOUS DELICIOUS and did I say DELICIOUS meal of JERK CHICKEN.... we moved on to the festivities.

Jamaican Luau Bingo.

My Mom got each one of us a bucket. Painted our names on it. And filled it with bingo parts. "Parts" being aquarium rocks that may or may not have had old fish poop on them. We were on vacation... so who really cares. We played bingo until every single person (18) had won a round and gotten a prize.

My prize: a stack of post-it notes

Kev's prize: a box of pens

And we were thrilled! Because we needed both of those things for the office.

I was secretly hoping to get the travel sized kleenex or roll of toilet paper. Just because I have never won something like that at a bingo game.

Actually, I have never won ANYTHING at bingo. Because I have never played. I'm too young.

Fabulous meal! Fun times! Great company!

The Sounds of Happiness

Humming. Wind chimes. A purring cat. Balloons being blown up. A carbonated drink fizzing. A charm bracelet jingling. Popcorn popping. Waves crashing. Cheese being sliced. Hitting the jackpot on the slot machines. Splashing in the pool. Cat bird. 80's air guitar. Cowbell.


LAUGHTER.



These are some of the sounds that represent happiness. To me. You may have other ideas but I had no way to ask you. I live on the outskirts of town and depend on carrier pigeons for communication. Unfortunately, they are all on vacation at our bird sanctuary where they are "eating us out of house and home".



I apologize to anyone who dislikes that phrase. It is the only way I know how to describe it.



Anyway......



We all know how much I LOVE to laugh. It is a known fact. It is on record at the Gaston County Courthouse. It is obvious because of my laugh lines.

Someone else who LOVES to laugh...... Kev. He laughs about every 15 minutes. On an average day. Mostly at something I do or say. Usually without me even trying.

I have told you before about how I was raised on laughter. It is in my families' DNA. It is what gets you through life. It is what keeps you young. It is what keeps you sane.

So, if we LOVE to laugh so much and my family LOVES to laugh so much and my Dad's middle name is laugh. Then you can only imagine the "happiness sounds" coming from our beach house.

Sometimes you are laughing so much you don't even remember getting your picture taken. Like this one...... We sure seem to be having an awfully good time. Dave is holding a bag of shredded cheese. I'm sticking my hand in it. HILARIOUS!

And then there was skit night. Which I haven't even gotten around to telling you about yet. But just know that we not only snickered, giggled, and chuckled...... We reacted Jerry Springer style. I think the cops were called. I'm not sure because we all pretended to be asleep when they arrived. Stopping dead in your tracks and fake snoring fools everyone. Especially in my family.


Even with all of the stresses in life..... A couple of days of laughing helps you to forget the real world and enjoy your vacation....

This is what getting the entire family together under one roof does to a mother......

And last but not least.... the king of laughter. My Dad.

He was laughing SO hard when I took this picture .. that his head almost exploded. My Dad just makes me laugh. I laugh at his laugh. And I'm thankful that he gave me mine.

Have you laughed today?

Our Shelter From The Sun.... and Sometimes Rain

Before I begin this next post..... I wanted to share an idea that I had last night. An idea that I came up with when I was sifting through 673 pictures on my computer trying to find the right ones from each day.

673 pictures in no particular order.

I lost my sanity in the mayhem of it all. And may or may not have punched Kev in the arm and called him a hillbilly. Sorry Kev.

So, my idea is that I will not necessarily post an order of events from each day.... but will instead post mini themed stories like "laughter", "vacation Kev", "how much beer and ice can a family go through during a week at the beach", "skit night"... etc. I'm sure you get the point. I will also post some stories and pics about each family.

Basically, you will be hearing a LOT about this trip. And will be seeing a TON of pictures. This blog is documenting my life and my families' lives... and every second of this trip is worth telling about.

And so the next story begins.....

It is Sunday, June 14th.

The Cubans finally arrived at 12:30am. They drove in from Jacksonville after flying to Jacksonville from Cuba.

They smelled like cigars and guava fruit.

Wolfe also arrived on Sunday. She mainly came because of my brother. The other reason she came was to experience the Switzers on a bigger level than just Sunday dinner. It is an experience worth experiencing. But only when you are still young and able bodied. Luckily, Wolfe is both of those things. Actually she is MORE than able bodied. At everything. Don't let her fool you. Without getting in to too much detail at this time... let's just say that she threatened my horseshoe championship amongst other things.

Her first name is Laura. And I think she is fabulous. And she fits right in with our crazy group and it feels like she has been here since the beginning. The beginning of what I don't know. It just sounds good to say it that way. A little drama always makes things more interesting.

So, the group is complete. All 18 of us are in swimsuits on the beach and ready to party. That's right. I said party. Because that is what you do when you are on vacation. Regardless of your age. And especially if you grew up in the 80's.

But there were a couple of problems.

#1 The sun was hotter than Brad Pitt on any given day and Tom Cruise in Top Gun and the stuffed jalapeno peppers I made for Dave's party.
#2 The majority of the group was pasty white with a little more whiteness added in for good measure.
#3 I'm deathly afraid of sharks. And overgrown octopus monsters. And flying piranha. And clowns that live on the beach.

Long story short.... We needed shelter. And Kev was prepared to deliver. Because he always thinks ahead. Not only did he think ahead and purchase this tent... but we did a "practice" set up of the tent in our yard. He is mature like that. And organized. And smart. And he is great with landscaping and computers.

I'm just along for the ride. With a couple of good meals thrown in.

And so the tent building begins...... After he tells me to sit down on my "time out" mat and stop getting in the way.... Holly joins in. She's is military, you know. That means tent building is in her blood. I think.

More family members join in..... I wanted to help but I was in "time out".

Enjoying the completed shelter....

I jumped in to this next pic to make it look like I helped. Holly seems to be doing "the robot" while I am posing Run DMC style. Like I said before. It was an 80's party. All week.

Unfortunately, on day three we had a warning notice on our tent that stated we were not allowed to leave the tent up overnight. That resulted in the tent having to be taken down at the end of each day and put back up the following morning. I always seemed to "miss" this process because I was still eating or sleeping... or both at the same time.

We got so much use out of this shelter. It was well worth the cost and trouble. We were camped out on the beach from sun up to sun down every day. Even the one day of rain couldn't keep us away.

And yes. Our group and our belongings took up the majority of the beach. In addition to this set up, we also had a volleyball net and horseshoe court.

The above pic was taken on Monday. My cousins, Angela and Carrie, stopped by to hang out with us. They are sitting to the right. And are wondering what in the world they got themselves in to. Actually, I think they are slowly but surely scooting their chairs away from the tent as to not be associated with any nonsense that is probably about to happen. I don't blame them. I did the same thing a couple of times during the week.

Up next..... A Jamaican Luau???