Low Carb Southwest Sausage Balls

This weekend I didn't know what the weather in southern Oklahoma would do. It seemed like every day, the forecast would move icy weather closer to home. All we had was cold rain. I went to the grocery store Friday after work to get some things to make. I decided to make some sausage balls but that didn't have much carbs. I don't know about the rest of you all, December was filled with rich carbs. Here is the recipe:

Low Carb Sausage Balls

• 1 pound breakfast sausage 
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used mild cheddar)
• 2 eggs
• A dash of salt & pepper
• A small can of diced green chiles
• 1/2 teaspoon of Pampered Chef Southwest Seasoning
• 2 Tablespoons of Corn Starch

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Mix ingredients in a medium size bowl until all ingredients are combined. Use a teaspoon or ice cream scoop to put balls on a foil lined cookie sheet. I would put 8 on a cookie sheet. Bake the sausage balls for 25 minutes. They can be stored in the refrigerator in a storage bag and reheated.

Here's to 2016

Where have I been in a year and a half?  I know, I know, I should've updated this more often.  I was so busy having fun!

We'll start with the year of 2016.  It wasn't a bad year.  A lot of people have said that it was horrible.  I don't think it was but these people tend to say that about every year.  Why do you want to be like that?

In January, we had my little cousin's birthday party.  He enjoyed Dirty Santa so much, that we played Dirty Fayv for his birthday.  He was still asking about that this year!  I got a new pair of Lucchese boots that I've always wanted!  I won a $200 credit from Ruelala, so I saved it until I found the perfect boots.  These boots are so comfy and worth it.

In February, my friend and I took her sons to Fort Worth to the Stockshow and Rodeo.  We went on the last Saturday and the rodeo was sold out when we got there!  We wound up going to the carnival and then we went to the Stockyards to eat BBQ.  I successfully parallel parked my car on the left side of a one way street.

In March, my friend Miranda and I got to walk across the stage as Senior Consultants.  I wasn't a Red Jacket in my company yet.  I was so excited when I got my jacket.  I can't wait to earn my directors suit by the end of the year.

This summer, I got three kittens.  I had a really bad mice problem, but these kittens were mousers.  I had Domino and Dice who are in kitty heaven and now I have Tasha.  Tasha was supposed to go live with neighbors but she worked her way into my heart.  I was really hands off with her but she loves to cuddle.  She's a fighter though and really tough for a small cat.  She was found alone with her sibling but she was the only cat that survived.

In July, my aunt Pauline passed away.  I wasn't really sad because I'll always remember her stories and her chuckle.  She wouldn't want me to be sad.

We went to our convention in August.  It was so much!  It is a really motivating experience.  We also had fun with a dance party and awards.  I received my red high heels as a contest in my national area by recruiting team members.  I was the only person in my whole national area to do this!  I thought surely someone else would do this too.

Jessi took several trips with me.  She likes to ride.  Usually if I have to get gas in Tishomingo, she rides with me as long as the weather is dry.  I have cream colored car seats.

Jessi is also warming up to Tasha.  Tasha wants to cuddle up with Jessi so bad but Jessi won't have any party of it.  The two boy cats thought Jessi was there mom and they would lay by her and try to nurse her back.  Jessi loved the kneading but would freak out if she realized what they were doing.  Jessi loves to give Tasha kisses though.

My niece Shaina passed away.  It was a sudden thing.  I think all of our hearts are still broken.

In September, I had to get a new door.  Some fool broke into my house.  The weird thing is that they didn't get anything of large value.  Drawers were opened.  They found a check of my mom's and cashed it that afternoon.  We figured out who they were.

In December, my mom and I got to go to McAlester and go to Pete's Place.  It was so delicious!  If you go during the week day, they have a smaller portioned lunch menu.  Mom was going to get the fried chicken and they said it would take 25 minutes so she didn't get that.  We also went to Norman the day after Christmas and bought from the sales.  I took my mom to eat at Chuy's.

New Years Eve was awesome.  It was an 80's themed party. 

The Cowboy Snowman finally got to see snow!  It snowed this past weekend.  I was snowed in for a few days.

I hope that this year will be as fun as the past year.

Summer 2015

This has been the best summer ever! Usually summers are filled with bills, hot weather and no kinds of fun.  Last year, I didn't even take off from work.  I got severally burned out and that wasn't fun.

Mom and I went to California for a weekend in June! I had been there several times but I'm glad that Mom got to go with me! We didn't do much except sleep, eat, visit and do it over again.

Early summer was filled with pretty plants and flowers.

Trips to the shaved ice stand in Tishomingo is always fun.  The ice is so soft! My favorite flavor is pina colada!

Mom and I went to our school's reunion.  It was nice to see people that my mom went to school with. I wish more of my generation went.  I guess they think it's just for older people but older people are fun!

            

The summer wasn't too incredibly hot.  There was a few weeks that had triple digit heat but then there weren't.  I think when it rained so much, I even got out my yoga pants and long sleeve t-shirts.

We had a tropical storm named Bill even though we live nowhere near the ocean! It just stayed over Southern Oklahoma for ever it seemed.  This was in June but in May, it also rained and rained.  There were rivers that flooded and you couldn't cross bridges!  I had several leaks in my roof and ceiling pop up and that wasn't fun! I even had water come through my oven hood.  I'm thankful for the rain but not 50 inches of it in a short time!  Right now, there is still some patches of green grass but the late summer heat has made some of the grass die.  Usually by now, the trees are brown, but most are still green.

Buddy got bit by a snake that was by the dry creek.  He should've known better than to play with a snake.  He took some medicine and got all better.

I went to town one Saturday and went to Hamburger King.  That is probably my favorite place to eat in Ada.  I wish I could find someone to go with me!

On the 4th of July, I had no plans and I didn't care that I didn't.  About 3pm,  the electricity went off!Mom needed to go to Tishomingo, so she said that Jessi could come with us since I didn't need anything either.  Jessi always enjoys a trip.  She saw a big yellow lab in the parking lot of the dollar store and didn't want him to be there.  She only likes the friends that she likes.  Jessi is weird.  Who ever heard of rain on the 4th of July any way?

                 




     

                             

I got my 3rd quarter prize from my company! I intended to wear it with my awards night dress but when I got to our conference, I received another jewelry set for being a 4 quarter star!

Buddy got bit by a snake during the rains but he got better.  He shouldn't have been playing with a snake any way!  He slowly got better and is back to his silly self!

Being a part of my company has been a great experience.  The motivation and girl time is amazing.  It's not competitive because we lift each other up.

Before I went to Dallas, I went to Sherman to buy groceries and just get out of the house.  You can't go to Texas without going to Whataburger!

The day I left for Dallas, Jessi and I got to enjoy the beautiful crepe myrtles in the yard.  I'm sure I enjoyed them more than Jessi.  Jessi just likes to watch the squirrels in the trees.

          

Dallas was amazing!  At the conference, I got to attend an ice cream social.  I asked the rest of the girls if it was ok to eat my ice cream because they didn't have one.  They said, sure it was.

I bought a selfie stick and it took a while to get a hang of it.

The weekend was filled with tons of laughter and fun.

        

I was the Queen of Sales at my unit's awards night.  That was such a surprise.  I kidded everyone and told them that I carry my tiara in my car and asked if they did too.  I had to laugh about the night that I won it.  My director had the new fall products, so I decided to be the volunteer for the new men's cologne.  It's hard to tell what it smells like if you spray it in the air.  On my way home, I was so afraid that I'd get stopped and be smelling like a man with a tiara on my head.

I put a blanket in the front seat of my car and Jessi and I went to my friends house.  Jessi doesn't get to ride much in my new car because I have white leather seats.  She's done it a few times but I made sure that I have her a blanket in the car.  I was laughing at her the other day because I woke her up from taking a nap, so on our way back home, she actually fell asleep in the car.  Usually she is up looking around.

My girl Daisy finally has become my best friend.  I've had her for 4 years and it took her that long to become my companion.  I don't know if all Doberman's are like that.  I knew she would be, I just didn't know it would take that long.  She gets so excited to see me when I get home from work.

The mornings have started to be cool.  I guess this feels like a real end of summer.  Usually everything is burned up and dying.  Hopefully every summer will end like this.

The Best Weekend

It's July and I'm thankful for the 2 plus months of rain that we've had.  Usually by this time, the grass is brown and crunchy.  Now, it's green and lush.

Saturday, I had to take my car to Ardmore to get the oil changed at the dealership.  My mom didn't have to work, so she got to go with me.  Sometimes it's fun to go on a trip by yourself but it gets lonely if you do it all the time.

I didn't have breakfast, but I knew that we'd eat when we get to Ardmore. I'm sure that Ada has plenty of dining choices but you go to Ardmore to eat and shop at Hobby Lobby.  By the time we were on the outskirts of Ardmore, I asked mom what she wanted to eat.  I'm pretty much fine eating anywhere in Ardmore.  She said, Two Frogs Grill because in her words, "we know the food is good." I couldn't decide on what to have because this was my second time eating there.  My parents have been there numerous times but they always forget to bring me, hmmph.  The first time, I had the sauteed shrimp which was excellent.  This time, I had the fried catfish.  It was awesome! I told mom that I want to go around eating catfish, well as long as it's reputable.  Their catfish was in strips, so it was crunchy.  I'm not a big fan of big fillets because the middle is usually gooey.  Yeah, that doesn't sound good, does it?  My sides were fried okra and red beans.  Mom doesn't make beans enough like grandma did because it's just the three of us. My taste buds are growing because I like onions, tomatoes and beans.  The hushpuppies were excellent too!

After lunch, we went to Bang for Your Buck.  Mom had heard it advertised on the radio.  We were just browsing, so we didn't get anything.  I think sometimes they have some great items but Saturday wasn't the day.

After I got my oil change, we went to the Hallmark store.  The store in Ada had a lot of things on sale but at this one I got some gift bags, a lid for my new Tervis tumbler (that I got for 75% off!) and a card.

That night, I did some laundry and cleaned the den.  It was so nice to sleep on clean sheets!!

Sunday, I decided to go to Sherman, Texas to do some grocery shopping and just to get out of the house.  It seems like most summers, I just stay home with the curtains drawn to help save electricity.  I don't have as many bills this summer, so I wanted to go somewhere.  Plus, like I said earlier, it wasn't raining and no bridges were closed, so I could get out!  I think it's actually easier to get to Sherman than Norman because there's no speed traps and the highways are great with no hills. 

I didn't stay long because that afternoon, my family was getting together for my cousin's belated birthday celebration.  Who doesn't love a pizza party?  I think I'll be an old lady that will have a pizza party.

That was my weekend and I hope more weekends will be great like this!

The Middle of the Summer

It's the 3rd of June and I don't have the air conditioner on at 10 in the morning. I know that there's been a lot of summers where the ac comes on at 7am.  This summer has been strange but I don't mind it. In May, it practically rained all month and then in June, we had Tropical Storm Bill.  I live in Oklahoma mind you, not in south Texas.

The only bad thing about the rain is that I have a leaky roof in several places.  The rain in May started the damage and then the rain in June made it worse.  In June, I actually had rain coming down the chimney.  I had water on top of my stove because water was coming through the oven hood.  I also have leaks in the bathroom (luckily) and then in a spare bedroom.

After mom and I got back home from California, the sun was finally out! While we were there, everyone back home was talking about how hot and humid it was. In California, it was hot but not nearly as humid.  Back home, I loved how the sun felt on my skin even though it was hot.  I was definitely deficient on Vitamin D!

I bought the floppy hat at Cracker Barrel.  I have a large head, so it's difficult to find hats that fit.  Funniest thing is that the sales lady at Cracker Barrel said that the hat was adjustable to fit different sized heads. I said, well, my mom says my head is big.  There was awkward silence and then I laughed.  I didn't know what else to do.  I got my Ralph cat eye sunglasses in March at a glasses sale!

My unit got our Chevy Cruze! Actually, on the 30th, we earned our second car in 3 months! My director will be driving a Chevy Equinox! We are all super excited!  One of my sister consultants, finished her Director in Qualifications and now she is an Independent Sales Director! That is quite an accomplishment!

Buddy, aka Buttercup, Butter-roo and Budro got bit by a snake when he and Talulah were playing down by the creek.  For a few days, he wasn't doing good. He was just laying down but as the days went on, he started feeling better.  I hope that he won't play with snakes any more!

Last Saturday, I had to go to town to run errands and go to the store.  I had missed breakfast time and I didn't feel like fast food, so I decided to go to Hamburger King.  Hamburger King is an old timey diner that makes the best cheeseburger and fries.  In the wintertime, I go there and have chili or frito chili pies.  If you get there early, you can have a great breakfast too!

This holiday weekend, I plan on doing nothing.  By Sunday, I'll wish that I had done something.  I need to really clean my kitchen and inside the bottom cabinets.  I think we're going to take a bunch of stuff to the dump, so I need to get rid of a lot of things that don't really have a use or that I can't give to other people.

For the past month, I've had foot problems. I thought it was from where Jessi had scratched my foot and then I thought it was dry skin because it would hurt when I walked and then I touched the side of my foot. I was talking to a friend and he said it sounded like plantar fasciitis.  I had been wearing some cute Target sandals and rain boots when it rained so much.  I ordered some Croc flip flips to wear around the house, some support inserts for my flats and then some Birkenstocks to wear.  I hope my foot gets to feeling better soon.

Summer Reading

My favorite thing about summer is reading books! Yes, you can do that in the winter but my hands are usually under a blanket trying to stay warm.  Winter is for movies.

I just got through reading Hugo & Rose written by Bridget Foley.  I choose this book from PopSugar's Best 2015 Summer Books for Women.  This was the first book on the list and I just went for it.  It's part surrealist fiction mixed with every day life.  It was quite interesting.  I'm usually partials to romance or a fun read like a Lauren Weisberger book but I'm glad I choose this book because I went out of the box with my reading.

Last summer, I read The Fallback Plan by Leigh Stein.  It is a fun read about the life of moving home after college and figuring life out.  I think we all can relate to this.

When I was working another job years ago, I read The Paris Wife by Paula McLain.  This book explores the life of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley, from Hadley's perspective.  It goes from Hadley's life, meeting Ernest, getting married and living in Europe.

I plan on getting more books on my Kindle app and I will update this list!


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California Dreaming

This was the Red River before we left.  The month of May was just filled with rain, for almost 30 days. I've never seen the Red River this high!

Earlier this month, my mom and I went to California to visit my great-aunt Pauline and her family.  It was a short trip but a fun trip!
My aunt lives in Tracy, California which is near San Jose.  I've been there twice before but this was my mom's first time to Tracy.  My mom had been there when my aunt lived in Mountain View.  One of my aunt's sons came over and mom said it had been 40 years since they all had seen each other.

We landed in San Jose.  Our cousin, Tina lives nearby, so she came by and picked us up.  We were in traffic for a really long time.  You have to weave around hill valleys.  They should have made the roads go on top of the hill and back down but people probably wouldn't be safe drivers.

Saturday morning, we went to eat at a Mexican restaurant.  I could eat Mexican food at any time of the day.  I had a chicken enchilada and chicken flautas.

Sunday we went to Baskin Robins.  I had praline ice cream.  We don't have Baskin Robins here in Oklahoma, so it was a special treat!

We really didn't go on any adventures, which I don't mind.  It had been a long time since I've been on a vacation and I enjoy lazy vacations.  It's nice to eat, sleep, visit and do everything over again.

 On our way to San Jose and on our way back, we had a layover at LAX.  We didn't see any stars.  We got off of our plane and had to underground to another terminal.  When we got off of the escalator, there was a lady with a golf cart.  She asked us if we wanted a ride and we said yes.  We went way across this tunnel to the other terminal.  Later, I told mom that I was glad that lady was there or we'd still be walking.  The terminal that we were at reminded me of how Will Rogers airport looked when I was a toddler.  My grandma and I would go pick up or drop off relatives at the airport.  Back then, you could actually go to the gate even though you didn't have a ticket.

I didn't realize that I needed this short vacation.  I'm sure that my mom needed it too.  I liked it because we didn't do much.  Isn't that what a vacation should be?  I can't wait to go back to California.