Sunday

Yesterday Travis and I met his real dad for the first time ever. I think that things went well. Travis said that he would probably go visit him from time to time. He is also going to paint our motorcycle's gas tank which I'm really excited about. He is an awesome painter! He paints and airbrushes cars and signs for a living. Here are a few pictures of our visit.

This is my neice, Hayleigh, holding one of Paw Paw's puppies.

Me and Amy

Allie and Aunt Trisha

Aunt Trisha, Hayleigh, and Puppy

Steve (Travis' Dad) and Travis

Steve and Travis in front of one of his paintings.

Steve, Amy, and Travis

I have to say that I am really surprised at how much they all resemble each other.

A lesson in etiquette

I believe that having good manners is the key in fellowship, be it with family or friends. Lately I'm feeling as though that some people have totally forgotten how to behave toward others with kindness and respect. I was always told that a person only knows what they are taught, so it might be helpful to give a lesson, or several, for those of you who know not. To start, here are a few helpful definitions.

Etiquette: The practices and forms prescribed by social convention or by authority. One aspect of decorum, is the code that governs the expectations of social behavior, the conventional norm. It is an unwritten code, but it may be codified in written form. Etiquette usually reflects formulas of conduct in which society or tradition have invested. An etiquette reflects the underlying ethical code itself. Like "culture", it is a word that has gradually grown plural, especially in a multi-ethnic society with many clashing expectations. Thus, it is now possible to refer to "an etiquette" or "a culture", realizing that these may not be universal.

For further reading on etiquette please go here.

Loyalty: faithfulness or a devotion to a person or cause. Steadfast in allegiance to one's homeland, government, or sovereign. Faithful to a person, and ideal, a custom, or a duty. Feelings of devoted attachment and affection. Fidelity, trustworthiness, constancy, integrity, sincerity, adherence, bond, tie, honor, reliability, good faith, conscientiousness,dependability, commitment, support, earnestness, obedience, duty, truthfulness, devotion.

When you look up the word loyalty on the Internet, Wikipedia says this, "Loyalty evolved as fellow-feeling for one's family, gene-group and friends. Loyalty comes most naturally amongst small groups or tribes where the prospect of the whole casting out the individual seems like the ultimate, unthinkable rejection." Hmmm.

Here is the way I look at it. Family always comes before friends. You are genetically linked to these people and therefore they should be the first to step up for you. Or if you are married into a family the same should be true. Family is a social "tribe" where you fight for each other and do not want anyone left behind or to do without or to be mistreated, etc. The same is true with families within the family. (Like Travis and I in the Gibson/McCoy family) Travis and I make sure each other come first in our social world. Next, would come his brothers and their families. Just like Jason and Kassie should make sure they each come first as well as their daughter, Emily. After that, then if the situation should arise it would be the loyal thing to help out or stick up for or whatever needs done for me or Travis or for Tony and Jodie (Travis' other brother and his wife), just like we would do for either of them. Is any of this making sense? Being loyal shows you care. Taking a friend over a family member is just wrong.

Here is an example of my so called loyalty chart:
Travis
My Parents
Travis' brother's and sister and their families
My best friend
A really good friend
A good friend
A friend
An acquaintance

This is the way I was taught.

Happy Birthday to my Mom today!

I can't sleep....urrgh! Why does my mind want to start working when it's bedtime?

Recipes

My sister in law, Amy has asked me for a few of my recipes, so I figured it would be easiest to post them here.

Apple Stuffed Pork Chops (Gooseberry Patch Best Ever Casseroles Cookbook)

6 thick pork chops
2 T. Raisins (I didn't use this)
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. butter, melted
1 1/2 c. toasted bread crumbs
2 T. orange juice
1/2 c. apple, cored and chopped
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 t. cinnamon

Cut a pocket into the side of each pork chop, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside. Toss bread crumbs, apple, cheese and raisins together. Set aside. Combine butter, orange juice, salt, and cinnamon; stir into apple mixture. Stuff pockets with mixture; place in an ungreased 13x9 baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes; cover. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Simply Lasagna (Kraft Food & Family Magazine)

Prep: 20 minutes Total: 1 hour 35 minutes

1 lb. ground beef
2 1/2 c. shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 container (15 oz.) Ricotta Cheese
1/2 c. Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, mix 1 1/4 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, the parsley, and egg until well blended; set aside. Drain meat, return to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Pour water into skillet and stir until well blended. Adding water to the sauce helps cook traditional noodles during the baking, so you don't have to cook them beforehand. This saves you 15 to 20 minutes of prep time. Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce onto the bottom of 13x9 baking dish; top with a layer of 3 uncooked lasagna noodles. Noodles will expand to fit the dish during baking. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of the meat sauce over the noodles. Repeat layers two more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles and the remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with greased foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil; continue baking 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting to serve.

Makes 12 servings, 1 piece each.


Easy Chicken Parmesan (Kraft Food & Family Magazine)

Prep time: 5 minutes Total: 40 minutes

1 jar (14 oz.) spaghetti sauce
6 tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour sauce into 13 x 9 baking dish. Carefully stir in 4 tbsp of the parmesan cheese. Add chicken; turn over evenly coat both sides with sauce. Cover with foil.

Bake 30 minutes. Uncover.

Top with mozzarella cheese and remaining 2 tbsp. parmesn cheese; continue baking 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (170 degrees) and cheese is melted. Serve over hot cooked pasta if desired. (I used rotini pasta)

Makes 6 servings.


Un-fried French Fries (Kraft Food and Family Magazine)

Prep time: 15 minutes Total: 39 minutes

1 1/2 baking potatoes (about 3 medium)
1/4 c. Kraft Light Done Right House Italian Dressing
1/4 c. parmesan style grated topping

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash potatoes; pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1/4 inch thick strips; transfer to large bowl. Add dressing and grated topping; toss well.

Arrange potatoes in single layer on large baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray potatoes with cooking spray.

Bake 12 minutes. Turn potatoes over with large spatula. Continue baking 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

Makes 6 servings, about 2/3 cup each.


Nilla Apple Crisp (Kraft Food and Family Magazine) I made this today. It looks and smells great!

Prep time: 20 minutes Total: 55 minutes

8 c. thinly slicked peeled Granny Smith apples (about 4 large)
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar, divided
2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
1/3 c. old-fashioned or quick cooking oats
1/4 c. cold margarine
25 Nilla Wafers, crushed (about 1 cup crumbs)
1 1/2 c. thawed Cool Whip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss apples with 1/4 c. of the brown sugar and 1 tsp. of teh cinnamon. Spoon into 8 or 9 inch square baking dish.

Combine oats, the remaining 1/4 c. brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender or two knives, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add wafer crums; mix well. Spread crumb mixture evenly over apples.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or unitl apples are tender. Serve warm or cooled. Top with whipped topping.

Makes 12 servings, 1/2 cup each.


Enjoy! Whew, that was a lot of typing!

Valentine's Day

Travis called me on his way home from work yesterday afternoon and said that he had to make a couple stops before he would be home, but he wouldn't say where he had to go. Ended up, he got me 6 red roses then he had me put hersey kisses that he got for me in the refrigerator and in there were 6 more roses. The white rose in the picture is a silk rose because the card says that he will love me until the last flower dies, which of course it won't. That was just the sweetest thing. I was telling him later that when I first read the card I didn't see the silk flower, so I was thinking, "Okay, he is going to love me for about a week?" Ha ha. I guess it was just one of my "brunette" moments. The flowers are just beautiful. He did such a good job for me. Thank you Travis honey. I love you! Later that evening, I made a new Lasagna recipe. It turned out really good, alittle rich with the cheese, but it was good. Today if I get time before Travis gets home I am going to make Nilla Apple Crisp made with Nilla Wafers. I love apple crisp so it should be really good.

Yesterday my new friend Angie came over in the afternoon. It was really good having someone to talk to and spend time with. She is a really nice person and someone I think I can be really good friends with. Saturday night we are all going to a murder-mystery dinner theatre, so I'm really exicted about that.

Happy Day of Love!

Trisha = Martha Stewart?

Since now I have more time on my hands, but it's not official yet, I have been working around the house cleaning like crazy and actually cooking! I was leafing through my new Gooseberry Patch Easy Casserole cookbook yesterday morning and picked out a few dishes to make, made my grocery list and headed out to the store. I seriously think people at the store thought I was a crazy woman. I was buying weird things (for me) like onion soup mix and had no clue where it was, so I was back and forth through the store's isles. I felt like such an idiot, but hey, I'm not a pro or anything. So, anyways, last night I made Apple Stuffed Pork Chops and Unfried French Fries (I know that doesn't really make sense, it's just what it's called). Here's a picture for you :-)

Since I'm not a big "pork chop person" I didn't really like them, but Travis did. The fries were awesome though. He loved them too. And I think that after last night the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. He was really impressed with dinner and I got lots of hugs and kisses :-) Yeah! Tonight I'm making Lasagna. Yummy!

Please Use Caution!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let everyone know, if you didn't already, that a big snow is coming this afternoon into tomorrow morning. So if you have to be out and about be super careful! I would hate to have to see your name on a squad run sheet!

It has been super cold! Travis and I have completely decided that we are investing in a furnace and running duct work for next winter, especially since the temperature in our living room was a whopping 48 degrees this morning. Yes, that is with our wonderful baseboard heating that was recommended we purchase. To anybody that is thinking about getting this type of heat, don't bother. And according to AEP it is the most expensive form of heating. Well, you live and learn. It just sucks to be a naive homeowner, and too cold!

I'm Proud of Travis

Let me start off my saying how proud of Travis I am. He finally took the step and called his real dad for the first time. I think that overall he feels better now that the initial conversation has taken place. I heard Travis actually laughing alittle while he was talking to him. He is still really nervous about how things will work out. I know how much he wants to be able to have him in his life, so I'm hoping things work out the way Travis is wanting them to. I am really excited for him though. Steve (his dad) asked Travis to tell him all about me, and it was so sweet, Travis said, "She is just awesome." and proceeded to tell him that I'm a good cook and that I work, etc. It was just nice to hear him say that. Steve also was very anxious to answer all of Travis' questions, which I think was great. Travis said he couldn't think of what all he wanted to ask so Steve told him to just sit down and write him a letter and he would do his best to answer all of his questions. In my opinion, he didn't have to do that, he could've just been secretive about it and let it go, but I'm really glad that he wants to help Travis understand.

On a sadder note, Travis lost a grandmother over the weekend. It was his step-dad's mother. I had met her one time right after we got married. She seemed like a really nice lady. And from what I've heard she really liked football.

The weekend was the kind where we'd make plans then change them. I just decided it was too cold to venture out too much. Really, it was too cold to do much inside our house too. It was freezing cold in there. On Sunday, we went to the Parkersburg mall with plans on going to the bookstore. There is no bookstore there anymore! Just our luck. With the weekend being screwed up, I'm hoping that my week goes better. So far, it's not though. I should've just stayed in bed this morning :-)

TGIF

Finally...it's Friday! I think that this was the week for meeting new people. First on Sunday we met Travis' sister, Amy and her family. Then on Wednesday we met Joe and Angie. I have been talking to Angie for quite awhile on myspace and we read each other's blogs so it was good to finally put a face to my online friend. We met at Bob Evans and talked for almost two hours. I think that after the initial awkwardness that we really hit it off. They are both really nice people and so much fun to hang out with. So hopefully Travis and I have some new friends.

Things with Amy and her family are going really well. Travis is still working up the courage to call his real dad though. I understand, the best I can, why he's having a hard time just dialing his number. I have been trying to give him suggestions of things to talk about, but it's hard when we know nothing about him or his personality. I will just be glad when it's over with so then we can move on. I just hope that Travis finds the answers he needs to understand. I couldn't imagine not knowing my father. I have to keep reminding myself that I am very lucky to have my dad and to know who he is. It seems like such a given point to have your mom and dad, but not all people have that. So I am thankful for mine.

Hope everyone enjoys the snow!