Weekend Happenings, Dance Mom Story #3, Coconut Shrimp Update

Good Friday morning!

And a beautiful Friday morning it is!

Cool.

Refreshing.

October sky.

Ahhhh!

RANDOMNESS #1 - My plan was to photograph The Beagles this week. Running through the leaves. Rolling through the leaves. Chasing each other through the leaves.

I think you get the basic idea of the picture I wanted.

So, I picked a beautiful Fall afternoon, spread out a Fall colored throw under a tree with falling Fall leaves, and I summoned The Beagles.

Sparkle rarely runs these days. And I missed my only opportunity to photograph her slowly ambling toward me because Copper was doing exactly what I wanted him to do... RUNNING THROUGH THE LEAVES.

When Sparkle reached me, she crawled into my lap and got comfortable.

And Copper continued running, rolling and chasing (his tail) through the leaves.

I took 75 to 2,046 pics of Copper, but these four were my favorite.


He thinks I have food. You can tell by "the tongue licking his chops" pose.


And I call this one "curly ears."


Mr. Regal Beagle.


He's always, always been a happy guy.

My plan for next week... Set everything up again and summon The Beagles, but only take pictures of Sparkle slowly ambling toward me. At the speed she's moving these days, I should still be able to get 75 to 2,046 of her... and four of those will most definitely be my "favorites."

RANDOMNESS #2 - I am getting prepared for our November 3 Fall Feast. Last night, I decided to buy the various sized pumpkins I will need for the Punkin' Chunkin' competition. I had everything from ginormous pumpkins to little, bitty pumpkins for the kids to throw during the contest.

And then I spotted the butternut squash.

They were huge.

They were oblong in shape.

They were heavy.

They were perfect to add as a tie breaker for any punkin' chunkin' discrepancy.

I added them to the buggy.

I picked up a few other things, and headed to the checkout.

As the nice lady was ringing me up, she made a comment under her breath, "Squash shouldn't be that expensive."

"I'm sorry. What? What did you say?"

"I can't believe squash costs that much," she repeated.

Hmmm. I hadn't checked, but because of her response, I assumed they were in the $4 or $5 for two range... which indeed is a little pricey for squash.

And then I looked at the register.

And the register said $10.73...

For two butternut squash...

I wasn't even going to use as nourishment...

But for chunkin'...

And I felt ashamed at my punkin' chunkin' extravagance, and had her put the butternut squash away.

But I kept my other gourds because they were reasonably priced. Nay! They were even marked down a little because "tis the end of the pumpkin/gourd season," and I was providing a service to the community by helping rid the stores of the unwanted pumpkins/gourds/etc. (which will all probably be thrown into a dumpster next Thursday).

And I felt better about myself.

RANDOMNESS #3 - Dance Mom Story #3 - Roxie and I were participating in our THIRD major recital. That meant I had TWO major recitals under my belt... and I was now considered a Professional Dance Mom.

You will understand what happened when another Dance Mom who had THREE little girls in the recital came up to me and asked in a slightly hysterical voice, "Will you please dress Sally for their second dance number? I have to dress my youngest daughter and try to run backstage to see my older daughter perform, and everything is just happening all at the same time," and then she trailed off into the Hysterical Dance Mom giggle.

"Of course. Of course, I will dress your daughter and my daughter, too. No problem." I heard the words, and I looked around to see which idiot Dance Mom had actually uttered them.

Yep. That would be me.

"What have I done?" I muttered to myself. I took out the Official Dance Recital Costume Sheet and checked out everything that needed to be done to prepare the chicks for Dance No. 2.

Different colored tights from the ones they would already have on... Check.

Different shoes... Check.

Different head piece, but NO hairstyle change... Check.

Slip on one-piece costume with only 32 accessories... Check.

Make-up stayed the same... Check.

Re-apply lip gloss... Check.

Throw a handful of glitter powder on them as they were heading out the door... Check.

Okay. Breathe. Breathe. This was indeed doable.

IF I had 22 dance routines between Dance #1 and Dance #2.

In real life, I only had five dance routines. Five. FIVE!!!

As soon as the girls finished Dance #1 and skipped off the stage, I grabbed Roxie and her friend and we ran down the hall, down two flights of stairs and into our dressing room.

I had set their bags together and we started the "taking off the costume" process.

The little girl I was helping had an extremely organized Dance Mom for a Mommy. Her bag had a place for everything and everything had a place in her bag.

As I took her black tights off and threw them over the back of my head, she said in a sweet, small voice, "There's a special section for my tights, Miss Belinda, so I don't lose them."

"I understand, Sweetie," I replied, as I threw two of Roxie's jazz shoes and one of the little girl's jazz shoes into the opposite corner of the unbelievably crowded AND HOT dressing room. "When you get finished with this dance, I'm going to collect and gather all of your things and put everything in it's special section. I promise."

And I really did intend to do that, too, but I think I lost way to much bodily fluid during the flop sweat phase of the costume change, and I'm pretty sure I was dangerously dehydrated.

When everything was said and done, the other girls were lining up and the two chicks I was responsible for were ready to go except for the reapplication of lip gloss.

I grabbed Roxie by the shoulders and kissed her square on her lips. I did the same with the other little girl.

Mocha Mist lipstick has never looked so good on seven year-olds.

I gave them their final pep talk before going onstage. "Run. Run as if your lives depended on it. Catch up to your group and don't stop until you are on that stage!"

"Did they make it?" you may ask.

I cannot say I saw them dance in Dance #2 of that specific recital, but when everyone returned to the dressing room a few minutes later, several of the other Dance Moms told me ALL the girls had done an outstanding job (as they stepped over my lifeless body lying under the ceiling fan in the middle of the room).

And I chose to believe "ALL the girls" meant Roxie and her little friend.

Coconut Shrimp Update

I shared a Coconut Shrimp recipe in September, and I told you I would let you know how it turned out as soon as I made it at home.

It turned out great!

Yes, it did!

Austin and Mikie are my coconut shrimp experts and they both loved it.

Once again, I wish I had not wasted so much time being intimidated by the shrimp over the years.

The shrimp is ridiculously easy.

The shrimp is ridiculously good.

I think I'm going to tackle the lobster next.

The lobster has always intimidated me, too.

Weekend Happenings

1. I have sad news to report. Every year at this time, Mike goes out of a town for a work meeting. It always falls on the best week of the year... the last week of October.

This year he is going to Dallas, Texas. He'll go to meetings every day, but at night, he'll go out to eat at these fantastic Tex-Mex restaurants, and he'll eat homemade quacamole and authentic Mexican cuisine.

Thankfully, I have four pizzas and a frozen bag of vegetable soup in the downstairs freezer, so I (and whatever kids are around this weekend) will be eating "high on the hog," whatever the heck that means.

Or I might cook something very impressive and delicious while he's away.

Or not.

Truth be told, I have no idea who will be where any time this weekend.

Except for Austin.

And Mikie.

2. I'm hoping Mike and I will be able to go on a date tonight. We want to see the Captain Phillips movie with Tom Hanks while wearing sweaters, boots and jackets.

3. Austin will be heading to Anniston/Jacksonville for his weekend jobs, so I cannot count on him to eat anything I might prepare at home.

4. Josh is working on plans, so I have no idea what his weekend will hold (except he gets the Auburn game on his television in his apartment in Hanceville, so he might go back to the apartment Saturday night to watch the game).

5. Roxie is attending the last home game of the Gardendale Rockets tonight.

6. And Mikie is going to Dallas for five days. Did I mention that already? Did I?

If anything exciting does happen this weekend, I'll be sure to let you know Monday morning. It will be a surprise for all of us!

Have a glamtastic Fall Weekend. Even though my Mikie will be far, far away, I will try to do the same. I'll be back Monday with pics (of something), stories (about something) and some Halloween Family Goodness.

Take care, and I'll talk to you next week.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda