Summer of Hot Sauce

Most of us remember our lives with important events happening, like the year we went to Disney World, or the time we went snow skiiing, or the severe pain I felt having Jaxon.  

All of these are memorable!

But, I think this summer will be remembered for the best hot sauce I ever ate! 

Seriously. 

It all started out being a very normal day.  A friend had invited the kids over to play and have lunch.  We went; the morning was going great. At lunch, we fixed the kids sandwiches, and then she served me some chips and hot sauce.... she said her friend across the street had made it. 

Y'all, it was so good. I embarrassed myself by cleaning the bowl, and then getting more, and some more. I immediately asked for the recipe, but she didn't have it.  

So, we left, and I couldn't stop thinking about it, and I wanted everyone in my family to enjoy this great part of life that I had. 

So, the next day, I texted my friend, asking if she could pretty please, get the recipe for me. 

She did. And it took me a while to find the special ingredient because I'm not good at grocery shopping, but I finally did. And, I've been making a batch each week, taking it on trips with us, and giving it to friends to eat. 

So, you want the recipe. 

It only has 3 ingredients. 

1 VERY Large can of tomatoes, drained 

(And now I can't even think of the kind) You know the peeled and cooked kind. I think there is only one kind of tomatoes in a large can....?

3-4 Jalapenos, sliced and seeds taken out 

America's Finest Seasoning - I just put in 1/2 a cap full or so.

This can only be found at your local HEB, and I found it in the meat section. It has a picture of a cow on the front. I love it!

Now, go and try, and share, and tell your friends about it.

Firecracker, Firecracker, Boom Boom Boom!!

This picture of Kylee holding her burned up sparkler makes me want to run around saying, "Firecracker, Firecracker, Boom, Boom, Boom!" And maybe I did. :)

We had a fun 4th full of family time, fireworks, and food!! 

Last year, we entered the train cars into the Wall Parade that Jason's Dad uses for things around on the farm.  I re painted 2 of them this year, and touched them up some. It's fun to do with all the kids. 

The Girls 

And Boys. 

The Train! Jasons' Dad sat with Maggie on the last chair car thing!! He likes it!  And they were famous last year, making the front page of the Standard Times!!

After the parade, we hung out at the Big Holik Family Get Together.  Where every cousin, or friend, or kin folk, comes and swims, jumps, swings, eats, and talks about farming!

Maggie "hamming it up" for the guys.  

Here these guys are getting some powder ready to blow something up.  Guys and their toys. They love fireworks.

Playing with Brady 

We ended the day swimming at the lake, and watching the fireworks!! It was another great 4th down in the books! 

Where is your nearest ER?

It seems like life with Jaxon is going to be eventful, and full of injuries.  All because he is so reckless and wild!

My life with Jaxon as of late........

3 weeks ago, on what seemed to be a low key Saturday morning, I came into the kitchen to find Maggie's high chair pushed up next to a bookcase, and Jaxon was crawling on the floor under her highchair, and I could tell he was choking on something.  He stood up, threw up everywhere, but nothing came up. He said "I swallowed like a bullet." 

I'm thinking I don't think it there was bullet in the kitchen.  I scoped out the area, and figured out he swalled a straight, silver peg, that fits into one of the premade holes in the bookcase. 

I quickly called Jason, and he said, "take him in." After dropping the other 2 off, we checked in at the clinic.  After a little bit and an xray, sure enough the silver peg was way up high in his stomach.  They wanted us to come back the following day to make sure it was moving down; we did that as well, and it was moving down his intestines.  I watched for it to come out, but never saw it.  

Then it just so happened about 10 days after that he started running fever; no cough, no runny nose, nothing. Just fever.  My mom got worried that the "bullet" was stuck somewhere, and wasn't going to be able to come out, since I had never saw it.  So back to the clinic we went, and they did another xray and it was GONE. So, he had passed it!! Praise the Lord!

Then his poor toe.  Last week at mom's one day, him and Karter were building something. He picked up a huge rock off the driveway and it fell on his toe!! :( He came in crying, but not too bad.  But, sure enough the toe nail fell off. 

He now has officially lost both of his big toe nails before the age of 3!! 

And Lastly, we went to Georgetown this weekend for my cousins' wedding! It was 6:06PM in our hotel room, and we were getting dressed up to go. We needed to leave at 6:15.  Jason tossed Jaxon onto the bed, just kind of picked him up and tossed him.  Jaxon started crying; he said he hit his head on the ipad that was laying there.  I just kept getting ready because I was behind, and then after a couple of minutes I went to get something by the bed, and noticed his hair was sticking straight out in the back.  Then I noticed he had red stuff all on the front of his khaki shorts.  I touched the back of his hair, and it was bloody.  Poor baby boy, had hit his head just perfectly and it made a little cut on the back of his head.  

So, off all his clothes went, and back into the bath tub.  At this point, I was thinking, "Where is the closest ER?"  

We cleaned it up, and he started being silly about stuff!!  Then at the wedding, we were about to leave, but Kylee, Jaxon, and I went out to do one more song..... the chicken dance!! Addi bumped Jaxon with her rear, and he didn't see it coming, and fell back to the ground, and knocked his head on the floor. It got a huge welp, and started bleeding a little bit again.  

BIG SIGH..........

Lastly

To get even more sweaty, we played putt putt on night. It was funny to watch all the kids.  

Maggie thought they were easter eggs. 

Mom and her two brothers!!

Zipline, Paddle Boats, and Rope Swing

Me and this girl conquered the zipline!! Y'all, I was so proud of her.  At first, the sign said you must weigh 75 lbs to do the zipline, so we thought all the kids were out.  We headed down their to find out, that they could harness in with an adult and do it together.  Without thinking, we went and got in line.  Near the top of the tower, Karter bailed out and decided he was to scared. At that point I figured Kylee was a goner and would bail out too, but she didn't!! She just got harnessed in, and never said a word. :)

We ended up doing it 3 times!!

Karter liked it too!!

Look what crazy lady did it too!!

We ziplined over this swimming hole/pond thing.  They had paddle boats, rope swings, and a huge trampoline on the water that we all jumped off too!!

Sweet girl!!

If you want some good laughs, this was the place to be.  Whether it was laughing at Dad and Gregg doing the rope swing, or Brianne having NO upper body strength to get herself on the trampoline, or life jacket positioning on the body; it was hilarious!! 

A New Adventure - Hiking

On morning, we decided to go up a few trails and hike.  My uncle is an experienced hiker, meaning he's done it quite a few times.  Me, and my family, not so much.  But, with 2 strollers, a wagon, and a bunch of little ones, we started out!!

After a little ways, Jason and Jaxon decided to go back, since Maggie was asleep, and well, they were tired of hiking.  The rest of us went on....higher.....

Karter was a champ, and just walked and climbed, and kept going.  We saw a little water fall. 

Here we are a the top of this really tall sloping hill thing. I think I would call it a small mountain. Karter, Kannon, Kylee, and Lexi were the kids that made it to the top.  But, Kylee was hating it and wanted to go back. :) But, she toughed it out. 

Heading back down.

That evening we went to the fishing pond, and Brianne and the kids hunted for frogs and some of the kids caught some fish.  The landscape was beautiful!

It's Vacation - You can do whatever you want to do!!

We had a great time at the Lazy Hills Retreat for our Ruffin Reunion.  This is our second time to get together, and we all really enjoyed it.  Especially the kids.  I love them getting to be around the family, and then mentioning them and asking about them when we get home!!

The kids love swimming so we did lots of it!! Poor Chelsea had a hurt foot!!

Having fun with Paw-Paw!! 

The first time in the baby pool, Maggie just walked straight in and went right under the water. Crazy girl!! So someone had to walk behind her the whole time.  :)

Night swimming!!

Hanging out is fun too!! And Steven brought his remote control car to race on an really cool racing course!!

Silly picture all dressed in purple!!

We all showed up wearing purple to celebrate my cousin getting the head basketball coach at Abilene Wylie!! Go Coach Ruffin!!