Black-eyed Pea Cornbread. Cheers to 2014!

Happy New Year's, from our tiny kitchen to yours.

For as long as I can remember, my mom has insisted I eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for luck in the new year. It's a good thing she always has a yummy dish prepared…. because for years I've been gobbling up handfuls of black eye peas. A southern tradition indeed.

This year, we introduced the black-eyed pea cornbread to New York. And it was delicious.

Cheers to 2014 - for health, happiness and hearty meals. :)

***

My Mom's Black-eyed Pea Cornbread

Mix together:
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup oil
1 onion, chopped
2 jalapeños, chopped
3/4 cup cut corn, drain
1 lb. browned sausage (can also use hamburger, spicy is great too!)

Add last:
1 cup cooked black-eyed peas (drain)
1/2 lb. grated cheese

Pour into well greased pan (sheet cake pan or oblong casserole)

Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Can be served hot or cold.

A very Texas Christmas!

This is one of many firsts for us...not living in Texas at Christmas time. It was so good to kick off the Christmas season southern style...tex-mex, whatatburger, shorts weather, cars, suburbia, family, friends, kids and traditions. A whirlwind trip for sure, but we made the trek from NYC to Dallas followed by Lott, Tyler, Nacogdoches and Houston in 4 days and had a great time... a little loopy from lack of sleep, but who needs sleep anyway?

Twas three weeks before Christmas
and two NY transplants
headed homeward to Texas
to see uncles and aunts

and cousins and fathers
and mothers and such
with just 4 days to visit
it seemed like so much!

But we learned once again,
upon our flight reaching ground
that all time in Texas
just seems to slow down

We had wonderful visits
too many to track
we can't wait to repeat it
next time we come back!

Home sweet home in NYC... and by sweet, I mean it's Holiday Baking time! 

26 & Dallas.

It has finally happened. I have entered the second quarter of my life. AHHHHHHHH. Just kidding. I still have a 2 starting with my age, I think I will be OK. For four more years anyways... ;)

Well, as I told my family, God must know how much I love my birthday since He sent us back to Dallas for it! It was quite a whirlwind, especially since we had a 6AM flight from Florida to get there! However, in-between the chaos of travel and work, we were beyond excited to see friends and family. I am not a fan of large mixed crowds - they are exhausting and I feel like you miss out on good conversation and catching up. Luckily we were able to meet with separate groups of people during our short trip - sure, we might have had two dinners in one night, but who's counting?

It has only been 3 months since we left Dallas for NYC, and I was worried that my niece and nephew would be driving cars and dating - but luckily, Chloe has not started kindergarten yet, and Jude is still very much a little one. 

Being in Dallas felt... strange. It was our home, but it was not our home. We got to drive a car on familiar streets while having personal space (you do not get this privilege outside of your apartment in NYC), our hotel room was larger than our apartment, we listened to Kidd Kradick, watched our familiar local news anchors and splurged in Taco Bueno and Whataburger - not to be found in The Big Apple. We enjoyed coronoa-rita's, tex-mex, biscuits & gravy and good company. Until we meet again Dallas...

Our favorite part of coming back to New York City is the skyline - there is nothing like the view of the skyline you get driving back to your apartment (although, I get SO car sick in the taxis). But, of course, the best part is getting our sweet doggies, Pickle and Sundae, back home with us. Play time must have worn them out - they put themselves to bed. That never happens!

Saying Goodbye to Dallas

I've never experienced a move before and I believe even if you have, each stage of your life is so different. Richard and I are experiencing a mixture of pure excitement, wonder and joy about our NYC adventure...but a very bittersweet feeling leaving our wonderful nest of good friends and family. During this time I thought everything would go by so fast, but it has been quite the opposite. I have been enjoying every minute of dinner with friends, birthday celebrations, church services, bachelorette parties and just seeing people... much more than I have ever appreciated. Friendships and family relationships are such a work in progress and take time to develop and moving to a new city feels like you are starting over again. In my moments of anxiety, I have been reminded by friends that have moved away that you are gaining a new experience and a new network... you aren't losing what you have worked so hard to build...you are just making it bigger and better!

It's funny... when you prepare to leave a city,

you start to see all the reasons you love a city and it's uniqueness.

We've also been told by other "traveling" couples that when you move away from everyone you know ~ you each rely on one another more than ever before...building a new strength in your relationship. Richard and I have been thinking about what we want to get out of our time in NYC and what we want to accomplish. We have started our little list and hope to share those experiences with you in the upcoming months as we head down our journey together. We are pretty pumped!

Here is a glimpse into our lives as we prepare to leave Dallas...

Goodbye Lunch With Our Families :: Tex-Mex Style!

Goodbye Dinner @ Gloria's With Prit & Dana
(2 very sweet ladies I worked with at the City of Mesquite in the Fire Dept)

Goodbye Lunch @ Ali Baba's with my Community Service / Historic Mesquite Crew!

Richard heading off to NYC to meet with our broker and find an apartment!

St. Patty's Day Parade with Alisa, Brandee & Amy!

Richard boo-ing the NY Rangers! :) Our niece, Chloe, was SO ready for some cake at our Going Away Lunch!

Our super cute cake that Bren made! Love her and her talents!

Our "Going Away Fiesta"!

Our "Going Away Fiesta" included a pinata, playing Loteria (Mexican BINGO), Cascarones (basically throwing confetti filled eggs at each other...yep, look at that amazing shot up there) and other fun games! 

Our "Southern Style Farewell" included a crawfish boil and frying just about every food you can think of!
 Fried PB&J and  Pickles were two of my favs!

Our "Southern Style" Farewell!

Saying Goodbye to Sean at our fav spot - Pluckers!

Saying goodbye to Jessa at "Into My Garden Tea Room" in Downtown Plano!

Saying goodby to Grammy at her farewell concert!

My Capital One co-workers!

Goodbye Happy Hour with Richard's Co-Workers!

Richard's co-workers gave him a goodbye sign with a mini-van when they found
out we were driving to NYC in one! :)

Saying Goodbye to Christie & Frank :: Our friends we met in the CARES Program!

Walking Sonny home one last time... It has been such a blessing developing a relationship with her! The night before we left, she brought tons of food (as usual) and two dresses, fingernail polish and cooking pans for us. So thoughtful.

Goodbye Texas!

February Fun

Happy Heart Day!

We decided to go on a "duck hunt" this Valentine's! We've never cooked duck before...so we thought we would give it a try! We spent the Saturday night before Valentine's Day shopping at Whole Foods for a duck and yummy sides. Whole Foods now has a wine bar in the middle of the store...you can drink a glass of wine while shopping. So fun!

Duck Hunting!

Getting ready to put the duck in the oven!

YUM

Beard Contest

Richard's beard contest has come to an end. The official voting began this week on TPN's facebook page. Richard is up for: "Best Named Beard", "Best Lumberjack Beard" and "Best Ultimate Beard"

"The Wife Shield"

Kristi's Baby Shower

Our close friend's Kristi and Ben are about to have baby #1! We are SO excited for them. We can't wait to meet Miss Kaylie Petty!

Babyshower Fun!

Jude's 2nd Birthday

We can't believe our sweet little nephew is already 2 years old! Time sure does fly. =)

Such a funny picture! Jude wasn't too sure about his new bike and helmet.

Jude LOVED the balloons!

Mindy's Bachelorette Party

Richard and I are in our friend's Mindy and Evan's wedding this upcoming April! We are so excited for them. :) We celebrated with manis/pedis at Polished, the Omni Dallas, dinner at Hattie's and nightlife nearby!

One of my closest friends is getting married! Fun night out in Dallas with the bridal party.

Pink Pandas

Richard joined a kickball league with another CARES Team that we have become friends with over the past 2 years! They are named the "Pink Pandas"...ha!

CARES

This is our second to last month serving as a CARES Team - very bittersweet as we are just getting to develop relationships with residents in the Corners/Corners East community.

Homemade Italian Night was a huge hit!

Dessert Night for Valentine's Day!

Pickle and Sundae

Pickle and her new toy! She loves playing with Richard!

Sundae is such a lap dog! What a cutie.