And a happy new year!

Christmas break couldn't have come at a better time. Granted, my two weeks off work are nothing compared to the almost 6 weeks I got as a student--but I enjoyed every single day of my break. I headed back to Clinton a few days before Christmas. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sad to leave S&B behind. But I did get to come home to this creature:



Yes, that is Bacchus. In his daily form (aka fat, happy, and avoiding humans that are not my mother).

I spent the next few days with my family and friends. Matthew came to Jackson for a few days. We saw the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (and you should too!), hung out with Porter, Meg and Dip, and went to Will's annual Christmas party. I finished up all my last minute shopping; I hate procrastinating, but I'm so bad about forgetting things and having to go get them the day before Christmas!

My mom, Meg, Dip, and I made Christmas sugar cookies. Due to our icing difficulties, they weren't all beautiful. But they were indeed damn delicious.



We spent Christmas Eve with my dad's family in Vicksburg. It was a nice night, even though we missed our traditional Midnight Mass! I was very upset about it, and not too pleased to get up for church the next morning.

But after Santa's delivery, we did go to church and then came home for a delicious lunch. I made out alright this Christmas--a number of gift cards (Target, VS, Newk's, etc.), some money, my BEAUTIFUL green LeCreuset teapot, a knife set, and a variety of clothes.

My mom got a new iPhone and new iPad this Christmas. Not that she didn't need it...her ages old Blackberry Pearl had seen better days. But this new technology required Meg and I to do a lot of PATIENT teaching. She is now learning how to text, use emoji, send picture messages, and even FaceTime! To say that giving her iEducation over the break was time-consuming would be an understatement. But, all is well--she is becoming a pro in no time!



The day after Christmas, Meg, Mom and I set off for Tulsa...yes, Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was close to an 11-hour drive from Jackson, but we made it in one piece. We stayed for a few days before journeying back. It was really nice to see a bunch of my cousins, lots of aunts and uncles, and my grandparents. I like to think it was a mini-family reunion, since it is really rare to get all of my mom's siblings in one place at one time.

However, with that many people, survival can be difficult (if you know what I mean...). One thing I always say about the Ingrams is that every one of us thinks we are right about everything. It makes for an interesting time. I got my fill for the year of FoxNews, due to my grandmother's obsession with the "pundits" and their "knowledge" and "political beliefs". Let's just say that I took full advantage of being legally able to drink....



Then, finally I made it back to Oxford, in time for the new year! Martin was nice enough to cat-sit for me while I was away, so I brought him back some of Oklahoma's finest beers. I was sure happy to see my babies, though. Sasha soon greeted me by strangely snuggling up inside a coat hanger. No, I don't get it either.



For New Year's Eve, Matthew came over from Houston. We went to dinner at McEwen's (on the square) with Stephen and Tripp. It was a lovely, five-course meal. Not cheap, of course, but EXTREMELY delicious. I think the crab cakes for the appetizer were my favorite part of the meal. They were literally divine.



And it was really nice to get all gussied up to go somewhere. I don't think I had worn heels in months before this. We all really enjoyed dinner and its fanciness, and then carried the party back to my house where we brought out the champagne.



Colby, Martin and Rosie were at the house with us--we turned up the music, shot some fireworks, watched Anderson and Kathy's NYE special, and had a great time together. It was a low-key but celebratory evening that I won't soon forget.

I can't say I was excited at the prospect of going back to work today. Like these little suckers, I'd much rather be having the holiday hangover in my bed. But alas...back to the grind I go!



LHC

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

Well, I finished work on Friday and have a holiday until January 2nd! Nothing like when I was a student, but there are no complaints here--two weeks off will be MUCH enjoyed! Can't wait to relax.

On Monday, Alyssa, Rosie, and I held our first annual Battle Lane Christmas party. A variety of our co-workers and friends came. We pigged out on soup, snacks, and holiday beverages. And we finished the night with Dirty Santa. I was lucky enough to get an awesome Mississippi glass, courtesy of Sharon. Meg and I were the only one who dressed festive....except for Sasha and Bougie :)



I had decorated a beautiful Christmas tree pre-party, but S&B decided it would be their new toy. I had to move it into my room until right before the party, since they were kenneled in my bathroom anyway. I do think it ended up very nice though!



On Thursday, after probably waiting entirely too long, I FINALLY got a hair cut! And although it is a bit shorter than I would have wanted, it looks good and it is a much needed change.



Other than that, life has been the same old routine. Again, I am SO happy for break, and for Christmas to finally be here. Can't wait until Santa comes in ONE WEEK! And no, not THIS Santa:



LHC

I'm back...Holiday edition!

At the request of Porter, I will make every attempt to blog more often. After all, what are we supposed to do all day at work if we don't have our friends' lives to read about? But really...

Anyway, I figured for this post, I'd get into the holiday spirit and talk about some of the things I'm hoping to get for Christmas. Yes, it's a bit materialistic, I know. But you won't see any iPads or new Lexuses on here, so I'm at least a reasonable materialist.

C.O. Bigelow
Lemon Hand Treatment (Ultra-Moisturizing and Skin-Brightening Formula)

I'm obsessed with this stuff. My mom bought some for me last year and I thought, "oh, so she's gone on another of her Bath and Body Works shopping sprees." But in reality, this is my favorite lotion I've ever used, and I'm on the verge of running out. Since it's hard to find, I figured Mom could pick this one up as an awesome stocking stuffer...

Tea kettle



So yes, I may be dreaming when I say I want a Le Creuset tea kettle. But my parents have two, so I don't see why I can't at least get my one. They have a blue and a red one. I have a little red tea pot I got in Argentina, but I'm ready for a step up. So why not this one?!

Touch Gloves

As an iPhone (addict) user, these are going to be a must-have this winter. Because, let's be honest, NOTHING is worse than trying to text with numb fingers. And these are leather and stylish! A complete win-win for my hands and my social life.

Pashmina



Yes, I know. What kind of freak girl am I to not own a pashmina? Exactly why I am remedying this this Christmas. Come on mom, this one is only $9.99!

So I'm trying to expand my list further, but it's so hard for me. Every Christmas, I try really hard to not only ask for things I'd like, but rather things I really need. It makes sense to me to take care of both, and be practical in what I ask for. Any ideas that you may have, please feel free to share! A girl could always use some suggestions.

LHC

A terrifying reality

In 6 days, Mississippians will head to the polls to vote on, quite frankly, a horrifying initiative.

Proposition 26 seeks to redefine "personhood", thus creating many ambiguous interpretations of the laws regarding reproductive health in the state. Not only does i26 attempt to outlaw abortion (quelle surprise, as Porter would say), but also to ban birth control (no matter what these loonies might fallaciously claim).

In my ever so humble opinion, I can understand their goal of making abortion illegal. After all, conservatives have been fighting this battle for decades now, and no matter the practical repercussions, argue their religious beliefs before the law. However, I cannot respect nor accept Personhood USA coming in and completely confusing the voters by creating an incredibly poorly written intiative. The repercussions on the everyday lives of Mississippians, should this unfortunate proposal pass, would be devastating. Our state already suffers from high teen pregnancy rates and a lagging educational system; must we make this worse by banning contraception and the right to safe sex, in of all places, a state that needs it worse than any other?

It makes no sense to me. All that comes to mind is very ugly words, when I think about the supporters of this nonsensical proposal. They clearly haven't thought out what the consequences of its passage might be--and, even more terrifying, is that they seemingly could care less. Perhaps scarier yet is the wide range of support the proposition is receiving. Both gubernatorial candidates applaud the intiative, and I know a sad few (I thought) intelligent adults who either haven't bothered to research the measure, or only see it as "anti-abortion."

Now I know...most of my blog readers (all three of you, right?) feel the same way about this, and probably already knew how I felt as well. But still...we must speak out. Someone will be listening, and this is a crucial time for our state to influence others to make the smart, and right, decision.

LHC

Halloweeeeeen!

In pictures :) (to spare you from my typical babbling posts)



Last Saturday, after the Ole Miss-Arkansas football game, I ate dinner with my family and my Aunt Mary Lee and cousin Virginia. Mary Lee came down for the game (she is a Hog, after all) and we ate a big dinner of taco soup and cornbread together! It was great to see everyone, and in typical fashion, she had a giant bowl of halloween candy out and sent us home with pumpkin cheesecake.



In keeping up an annual tradition, Meg and I visited the St. Peter's pumpkin patch this week. I picked out 5 or so mini pumpkins to decorate my house and office! And of course, it's not a trip there without a fun photoshoot.



For work, I helped throw a halloween study break for my FASTrack students. This did involve a bit of work on my part--namely, baking 200-ish mini cupcakes, icing them, and decorating them. In the end, the students LOVED them, and they all got eaten. I was even incredibly flattered when someone asked if I got them at Emileigh's. HA! In my dreams...



And last, but not least, I bring you a picture of a halloween costume. No, not mine. Rather, my precious kitten Bougie's. I admit, I did buy the unicorn costume with the intention of Sasha wearing it. However, with her rebellious nature and more petite frame, that didn't quite work out. So.....this. Call it feminine if you'd like, but he's CUTE and you KNOW IT!

Anyway, back to watching my slew of halloween movies and zombie TV shows. Until next time.
LHC

In a nutshell

This was my week!

Now I know this may not be the most, shall we say, stimulating post. But if you love me, or are hopelessly bored, then it should be mildly interesting at the least.

I enjoyed the grove and post-game (for obvious reasons...) with Porter, Faison and her family, and Bobby Joe last weekend. It was really great to hang and drink with them! Watching Ole Miss get pounded by Alabama...not that fun. But everything else? Fabulous.

Once the workweek started, things started to go downhill. I love my job, but boy do I get exhausted and fast. Waking up at 7am everyday is not terrible, but getting off around 5 then trying to proceed with some semblance of a social, active life is DIFFICULT. I have standing plans on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so my breathing room is not really existent.

This Wednesday, I went with Meg and my friend Audrey to see Young Frankenstein the musical at the Ford Center. Meg and I watched that movie COUNTLESS times as children, so I'm fairly accustomed to the story lines and humor. However, I totally did not pick up on a lot of the dirtier content when I was young--that truly surprised me during the musical, but, of course, I loved it.



Thursday was our weekly dinner club, with Austin and Alyssa. This week, Alyssa treated us to chicken cordon bleu, asparagus, mashed potatoes, all with a white wine sauce. Austin and I may have taken the easy way out with a boxed strawberry cake mix and strawberry icing...but that was okay. We paired it with Hocus Pocus and an episode of the Walking Dead, and I was happy as a clam.

I'm excited about this weekend--no, not the Arkansas game, but the fact that my parents and some extended family will be in town! I'll get to see everyone and we'll have a big family dinner on Saturday night. It will be so nice to just hang out and relax with all my people. And cross my fingers, I will have Sunday just to lounge around the house and prep for the week ahead. I don't get nearly as many days hanging at the house as I would like... Such is the life of a working girl.

LHC

Cooking: Round 2

So, I've been doing weekly dinners with my roommate, Alyssa and our friend, Austin. We take turn cooking the entrees and desserts--last time Austin made pasta with homemade sauce, and I baked bread pudding with a whiskey sauce.

This week I was in charge of dinner, and I tried my hardest not to disappoint Alyssa and Austin. I found an awesome chicken and dumplings recipe on allrecipes.com, and I went with it. I was careful, though, to choose one that had great reviews and suggestions, so that I could be sure it would not be a fruitless effort.

It was fairly simple. Step 1: Cook the chicken in a brothy mixture with sauteed onions and carrots.



Shred the chicken and make and add the dumplings.






And cook it all together (of course, that's an excessively simple summary, but you get my drift). And so a little over an hour and a half later--ta da! My most amazing concoction to date.



I was so proud of myself, and of course, they were delicious. I even ate them for lunch today, too :) Leftovers are the best!



So yes, my domesticity is improving! (Austin made banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting--didn't get any pics because they all got eaten!) The thing I love the most about cooking is having such a tangible outcome to my hard work. And this was a damn tasty outcome. I really want to keep cooking even more--next week Austin and I are collaborating on dessert while Alyssa cooks dinner. I'll have another chance then to get creative and explore a new recipe! And of course, I will post the result (no matter good, bad, or ugly...) on here. Until then!

LHC