Lucky Me

Lucky You! I hope this dish brings us all luck the whole year through!

It is thought (mainly in the South) that the Black Eyed Peas will Bring a Luck filled & Prosperous Year to those who eat them on New Years Day! This is a Tradition my family has done my entire Life! All besides that one year in my late teens when I found myself too busy to make it home for Dinner, thinking Tahoe was much cooler place to be! I learned my lesson & As Long as I live I'll NEVER go a New Years Day without this Delicious dish again!

As I am Preparing for Our New Years Eve festivities, I decided to get some prepping done for Our New Years Day Dinner... And as I was scamming through my Beloved Cookbook collection, I've settled with this Favorite! It comes from the Kitchen of a woman in my Grandparents community! {This is their country road! Not too many houses around! Grandad calls it God's Country! }

Well I'm not sure what they call it out there... Let's say their neck of the woods... Or Since there are few trees let's say Tumbleweeds!!!

Believe me these Women in the Texas Panhandle know how to cook! My Grandma & her Friends put together a cookbook of all of their favorite recipes, and the BOOK IS OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!!

From the Kitchen of Lucy:
Spicy Black Eyed Peas

1lb. of Smocked Bacon OR Pork Sausage Sliced
1 lg. chopped onion
2 lg. Green Peppers diced
1 can of Ro-Tel Tomatoes
1 16 oz. package of Dried Black-eyed Peas washed

In Large Skillet Prepare Sausage, remove and Saute Onion in Drippings until tender. Add Tomatoes, chillies, Peas. Add water and cook over medium heat for 45 min. to 1 hour, until beans are tender, add additional water if needed! Add Sausage, or Bacon as Garnish on top.


The Bottom of the Page reads ~
Psalm 119:103 How Sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter then honey to my mouth!

How Sweet is this book?

Another Luck Bringing Belief of ours is:
NEVER take down your Christmas Tree Until the the First of January!

Happy New Years Everyone!!

I hope this 2011 Brings you all Much Luck & Many Many Blessings!

All Wrapped Up

Christmas has Come And Gone! All of that prepping and it's Over like that! Nicely wrapped gifts quickly turned this home into one heck of a mess in the blink of an eye!! I LOVE just sitting back and taking in all of the excitement on every ones faces! What a Magical time Christmas is! For the First Ever time we had Christmas Morning at our own home! It was the first time in my life to not stay at either My family's home or Jess' parents, it was sure different but still nice!

My Boys The Night Before Christmas! Here is a little bit of our our Christmas Happenings all Wrapped Up into one long post!

Drew's fist School Homework assignment


Trent was Busy Busting Almost all of our Ornaments all month! While I was Busy Bustin Out Bands!!
Here was one of my favorites... If I had a Girl... this would have been my outfit of choice!!

Our First Gingerbread House

But I don't have a little girl!! I just have couple of Precious (Gross) little Boys! :)
WHO... Were Pretty Good this year... SO SANTA PAID THEM A VISIT!

The Lomas & Johnson Ladies

And Lastly One Of the Most Wonderful Performances at Church Yesterday! Drew And Logan Did Fantastic!! This was one VERY PROUD MAMA!!

Hope you all Had Yourselves a Merry Little Christmas!! We Sure Did!

NOCEMBER

Yep, that's what I said... Nocember! According to Drew that is the month we are currently in! I got a little run down of 4 year old facts yesterday!

In a VERY MATTER OF FACT Manner he Stated "MOM.....

• We live on planet Earth,
• Santa lives in the North Pole
• IT'S Almost Christmas Because it Nocember!! (a 4 year old mix up of combining Novemebr & December)
• Santa is going to bring him his Rock Star Stuff Because he is going to be a star SOON!
• You should wear a lot of dark red lipstick because it a happy time... It's Christmas! "

So I was chuckling to myself today thinking of Drew's made up month Nocember! But to me it kinda feels like NOCEMBER! Christmas is rapidly sneaking up on me? We are half way through December, and I feel like hours ago it was November!

As you can see Trent didn't enjoy Sitting with Santa! Drew on the other hand is just anxious to spout out all of the items on his list! HE WANTS SERIOUS BIG BOY STUFF!! Speakers, Microphone, Rock Star Clothes... Where does he come up with this stuff?

We Have managed Deck the Halls around here, we have visited Santa (still need to visit him again at the Mall) we are a few Holiday Parties Down, 2 Birthday's Down (Sister Shannon & Brother Will), and the Christmas Cards are Out....

BUT I haven't had one second to sit back and enjoy one bit of it! I haven't even purchased ONE Christmas Gift!! Christmas Shopping is one of my FAVORITE things to do!! I might be the only person who LOVES walking, browsing, people watching in crowded Malls during the Holidays. It all makes me sooo happy! I can't wait to get out there, and tear it up!!

So Happy Nocember!

In a few Days, I'm putting an end to the madness & Craze I have created for myself with my little business! I'm throwing in the towel for the year, and focusing on OUR DECEMBER!! Fulfilling peoples Trew Luv Christmas Wishes has ME WAY BEHIND!

Coming Up for Air

Wooooowza! Talk about Christmas Craze!

It's December 1st, and if this is any indication what this month has in store for me as far as Trew Luv is concerned.... GOODBYE UNTIL January!

Trew Luv has been shown some MAJOR Luv Lately! With very little spare time over here, I feel like I'm coming up for air and taking a little break to blog! I feel like up to my eyes (very heavy eyes) in fabric, pearls, rhinestones and needles!!

Talk about needles, those bad boys are DANGEROUS!! I have a Toy story band-aid on my thumb and Spider Man one on my middle finger! I have my sewing machine to thank for both... I guess I'm not at the top of my game at 3:00 AM! But I'm not too worried about how fashionable my fingers are.... I have Darling accessories on my head to distract your eyes from roaming towards my Colorful Boy Band-aid covered fingers! Plus the only place you will have found me outside of this TREW LUV FACTORY for the last few days is the POST OFFICE, shipping out orders! Pretty cleaver Idea hugh??? That was also my grand plan for an enormous mistake of OVEREATING TERRIBLY this Thanksgiving... Wear The FLASHIEST headbands possible and make Great eye contact... That way NO one will notice that my pants barley button!
Speaking of Thanksgiving! We had a Fabulous Thanksgiving... two as a matter of Fact! One Thanksgiving Day with the Johnson's, and the Second with my Family that I hosted for the first time ever Saturday! Both were lovely!

So with all of the Crazed Shopping Women out there... YES, I'm a little sleep deprived Sure.... BUT you won't hear any complaining from this girl! I AM Grinning ear to ear, and so is my Jess.... He checks the order forms every night as he comes to kiss me goodnight and I stay awake cranking em out! I see him Grin too!

Not bad for a Stay @ Home Mama... Not bad at all!

And if I can get past this Christmas with all my fingers.... I'll be able to Introduce, Some NEW FASCINATING Goods, you are all sure to LOVE!

Anyone Need a Job?

ME in Trew Luv and one Of my real life Trew Luv's Drew...

the EW in TREW

Taken at our family shoot last month by Jessica Cole... this was before all of the Crazienss took place that day!

Might I also mention my Thankfulness for the AMAZING Photographers who not only purchase from me, but also share their greatness with me! Thank YOU Thank YOU!! Below was taken my a friend's / photographer Samantha , this little band here has been keeping me pretty busy, you can find it on the heads of baby girls, as well as women nation wide!

29 and Feeling Just Fine

As of Today I am 29 years old!

WEIRD!

It seems as if it were JUST YESTERDAY, me and my friends were all driving around wondering what we were going to do for the weekend! Dropping everything and going on Trips, Going to Fabulous Dinners all the time, Celebrating Any and Everything Just because we could, and buying a Brand Spanking new outfit for EVERYTHING! Having No other worries in the world, ohhh those were the dys!School, Dating, planning a wedding, expecting a child, expecting another child, and BAM here I am 29! A Married Mother of two precious, amazing Boys! It seems like just yesterday I was Turning 21, HOW Am I all of the Sudden 29 years old??

I keep Second Guessing myself thinking I must be Wrong?!?!?!

But Yep, It's True! I better enjoy and SOAK up this year for all it's worth! Because it's the last of my 20's :(

I'm completely content at where I am at this age, and am Loving Life, Everyone in it, And

MY NEW BROWN HAIR!

I changed it up FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 29 YEARS, I'm now I'm a BRUNETTE!!



It's not going to stay for too terribly long, because Jess Just can't quite seem to fall in love with it!! I LOVE IT! And I LOVE These Ladies who helped me welcome 29 last night! These Ladies are Very Dear to me & I love each of them.... They Sure Showed me a good time :)

Today has Been Fabulous.... Because of this Wild Weather Jess was home with us today, and the boys spoiled me pretty good!

29 Isn't anything to be overly excited about by any means... It's just Fine... Scared to see how I react to 30! Speaking of 30 My Girlfriend Turns 30 in a couple of weeks, and we are throwing an UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER PARTY!! So Needless to say, I should have a Entertaining post to go with it! Hope Everyone has a Wonderful Family Filled Thanksgiving! I have So Much to be thankful for lately! I count my blessing EVERYDAY!

Had Enough

By the Time this Picture was Taken, My Boys ( Husband Included)
had HAD ENOUGH!!!

Pictures are one thing that does not fly with any of them!!!

So We had a Family Shoot... like we do EVERY YEAR, for our Christmas Cards!
And this Year things got a little wild! I can usually beg and plee with them to cooperate for just a second, so we can capture a pleasant Beautiful Family Photo....

Our Shoot Started out just fine with the talented Jessica Cole, and proceeded DOWN HILL as it went on! I felt so bad for her!! It's clear that My Begging wasn't working this time!

It was like a segment the 3 Stooges... Of course The Johnson Boys all being the Stooges!!!

• First Trent (the Tornado) wanted to be anywhere but where the camera was. Running away every chance he could down the Dirt Roads!


• Drew wasn't feeling 100 % (and We Soon Found Out the Hard way as HE THREW UP DOWN MY ARM)


• Then Trent Threw his little head back into my face BUSTING MY LIP, which wouldn't stop bleeding! As you can see my one eye is filled with water ;)


• Trent then BUSTED MY NECKLACE as his clammy little fingers grasped it and pulled it off my neck!
  
• Trent then was passed to Jess and somehow managed to pop a few top buttons open giving him the Joe Dirt Look!

All & All it was CRAZY! I TOO HAD HAD ENOUGH for ONCE!

THIS WAS THE VERY LAST IMAGE FROM THAT DAY!! It's Not soo bad from an outsider looking in... But boy was I frazzled by this point!

Hopefully we will look a bit more PUT TOGETHER in ones from earlier in the shoot!
Or Maybe I should just BE REAL and send out an AS IS Christmas Card! After All She Did Do a Great Job at making us look good, for all of the Ruccus we had just put her through!


I may have had enough of the Craziness that day... BUT they better not... for one second think I'm Giving up!!! I'll keep on Keeping On! (a little more Joe Dirt for you)

As I did when I took Both boys to Drew's Preschool Photo Day!

They were a bit better behaved on this morning!

I tell the Johnson Boy's... If they weren't so Great Looking, I wouldn't want to take their picture so much! Really I just can't help myself!

A Little Fall

Fall is My Favorite Season!

I'm in Love with the tosty Fires we are having in the Fireplace every night, Hot Coco, The Colors of the Trees as they change, Colder Weather, and Trips To Bishops Pumpkin farm.

We have Enjoyed A LOT of All of these things so far!

Here we are Picking Pumpkins @ The Pumpkin Farm!

After a few Trips To The Pumpkin Patch, we were pretty well set for
Halloween!!

We had a Great one, though it was bit different this year... We changed up by having it at our house! We have Always done it at Jake And Shannon's in the past!

Here we have Our Spooky Vampire, Ninja, Scare Crow, Stinky little Skunk & a Country Diva.




I Love Fall because of the plain Beauty of it... And Because Thanksgiving, & My BIRTHDAY!!!

But this Year it has been SUPER SPECIAL SO FAR because......

My Mother & Sister Jennifer are OFFICIALLY CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS!!!!

And I'm In love with their Location! The Fact that my mother Took the Job in Monterey makes me ONE VERY VERY HAPPY GIRL!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONTH TO ME!!!! Ohhh how I'm looking forward to spending LOTS AND LOTS OF TIME THERE!!

I'm thankful that we will be able to make many memories like this one here in Monterey a few weeks back when she came to scope out the Area... and meet with the company!! It will be so nice to see each other regularly & not have it cost us a Fortune!!

Happy FALL Everyone!!

If I had Only Known

At this time last year, we were going about our every day life! When the phone rang and we were presented the most Horrific, Shocking, news! Little did I know that life as I know it was about to Drastically Change! My future, would be minus ONE VERY VERY IMPORTANT PART OF MY LIFE!!!!

The loss of my Big Brother happened on this day One Year Ago, and It has Been the most Emotional, Painful, year imaginable! I try to keep on a positive note, and Try to Remain Thankful for All Of the Precious Memories we have, and am thankful that God Made US Siblings! I couldn't Dream Up a More Perfect Role Model, Fun Loving, Funny, Handsome, All Around Great Guy to have as a Big Brother! His influence on me for 28 years has help me to become a better person! I don't understand God's Plan in only giving him to us for 30 years... But I am Thankful for EVERY SECOND I GOT WITH HIM!

November 6th, 2009 was a day that I lost much more than my Brother... I lost a Dear Friend, and possibly the person who knew me better than anyone in the world... Besides my mother! We have been through Everything together!!
There were 5 sibling total, Jake being the oldest! HE WAS PERFECT! Now I'm the oldest, and I can't hold a candle to him... I'm no good at the Decision Making, Planning, and Advise Giving! He was our families Go To Guy!! We're lost little puppies without him!

I Tell you Life With out him Is Rough! I don't go one Day without a Sick, Agonizing feeling in my stomach of Painfully MISSING HIM!!

Besides Being the Best Big Brother...

~ He was A FANTASTIC, PROUD, LOVING FATHER ~

~ An Amazing Husband~

(I used to lecture Jess on the way home, from Jake And Shannon's house telling him he needed to learn from Jake)

He was Such An Awesome Cowboy!

He was An Extremely Smart Man!
A Great Friend!

A Great Advise Giver, It seems that EVERYONE went to him with their problems!

I know he was loved by MANY, and MANY people are missing him, not just me!

His funeral Was HUGE!! And the notes and Calls from so many people sharing their love for Jake is Just unbelievable!! Such a Great Person He was!!

Like I said I try to stay positive, BUT...

I HATE Seeing Clark Tucks... I still Break my neck to see if it's him! I hate I now have ants, I know I could call Clark and have someone else come out... BUT just seeing his guys takes my breath away, is a yucky kind of way! And I can't give any other company my business!

I HATE not being able to call him for the stupidest Stuff! I often forget he is gone and dial his number to ask a question... Stupid I know... But when you have Someone in your Life your whole life... It's hard to register sometimes that they are Gone!

I Call his house when I know no one is there just to hear his voice on their machine!

If you had the opportunity to know him you too are Blessed!

If you didn't you sure missed out on One Heck of A Guy!

I wouldn't wish this feeling upon my worst enemy... No one should ever have to feel the pain my family has experienced...

But the fact of the matter is... Death happens EVERYDAY, and It just was my first time experiencing it hit so close to home! Which has made me WANT TO TELL EVERYONE, TO LOVE YOUR FAMILY, AND TELL THEM! DO NOT TAKE ONE SECOND YOU HAVE WITH THEM FOR GRANTED! You never know if it might be your last chance you have to be with them! Life here is precious, But I know what we have in store for us after is EVEN MORE PRECIOUS, I just wish I had Jake here for a LOT Longer!!

After Experiencing Something Like this, Ive learned to not sweat the small Stuff in life... Nothing matters, Nothing Besides Having your family with you, happy & Health, all together!

We Never know what tomorrow holds.....

I SAY IT EVERY DAY... I Still Can't believe he is gone!

I LOVE JAKE BEYOND BELIEF, AND MISS HIM EVERYDAY!!!!!!!