Sunday in Photos

Waking up with the kitty

Butterfly @ the dog park

Awesome book I found @ Barnes & Noble

Venison jerky today!

Fall Colors

Dogs!

I purchased this journal today, and started to write in it:)

Breakfast for dinner

 I hope you all had a great weekend!

Have I mentioned our animals are spoiled?

This is currently what I am doing right now.  Making jerky.

What kind of jerky?  Chicken jerky.

For the dog & cat.

Believe it or not, our cat LOVES chicken jerky.  I find it a little strange, but to each their own.

As long as he doesn't get a huge piece he's ok,

he has gotten ahold of a large piece and almost choked.

{not my fault, it fell on the floor and he acted like a wild hyena trying to get it}

I'm trying to drastically decrease items in my freezer for the move, so this is what happens.

I can't eat it all, after all!

I will let you guys know the recipe if it turns out well and I don't overdo it!

They Have Lost Their Minds

So, Jesse is gone and I think the kids {our furbabies, of course} have lost their marbles.

Last night the two of them played and played and played...At like midnight.  Good thing we don't have neighbors under us!  Here are the crazies in action:

They look innocent, but don't be fooled.

Anyway, I went to bed and had Spuz waking me up constantly and this morning Stryker felt like bugging me all morning and then was not cooperating when I got him on a leash.  Then he ate dirt at the park.  Go Stryker.

I hope I don't go crazy!

Feeling Like Fall

Today it's really feeling like fall.

Driving at about 11 this morning, it was relatively cool, unless in the sun.
Keep in mind cool is a relative term because our forecast is looking a bit like this:

So, cool is about 70 degrees at 11 AM.
Relative.

Anyway, the heat has definitely broken.  Leaves have not started changing really, but it's not like we get much color in the fall.  I also don't think that it's cool enough for boots, jackets, or sweatshirts...Well sweatshirts are good at night.

I really am embracing this weather, it's much better than the summer kind;)

So to celebrate fall I...

Bought a spiced pumpkin candle...

Started my Halloween cards...

{don't hate!}

And watched some football...

Falcons vs. Redskins.

I hear the Seahawks are playing tonight, hopefully I'll be able to catch that later on!

What do you do to celebrate fall?

Breakfast: Biscuits & Gravy

Today I had some sausage (via our friends who were moving and had to clean out their freezer) and decided we would make biscuits and gravy.

I've made biscuits and gravy before, but believe I found a way to cook them without them tasting like flour.  I found the original recipe here, at TastyKitchen which I made some adjustments to.

First you brown the sausage (obviously).  You can use ground, linked, or uncooked patties and break them up.  I find that ground is best for us, but you can do whatever you want or whatever you have in your freezer.  We had patties this time because that's just what we had.

Add the flour, stir.

I found that one trick is to cook the flour & sausage together for a couple of minutes.

This way the flour seems to soak up some of the flavor of the fat (grease) from the sausage.

Add 1 cup of cream.

And 1 cup of milk.

You can also do one or the other.  I happened to have cream and milk on hand.

Add seasonings.

I added salt, pepper, and I sprinkled some parsley and nutmeg.

Let go to a boil, stirring often.

Mixture will thicken.

When it is relatively thick, you can turn the heat down to a simmer (I turn it down to low) and the mixture will thicken even more.

Break open biscuits & serve.

The recipe:

• 1 lb of Sausage (linked, patties, or ground) uncooked
• 3 Tbs Flour (more if needed)
• 2 cups milk or cream (or you can use a combination)
• Can of your favorite biscuits (or your favorite recipe)
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• Nutmeg (a pinch)
• Parsley (to taste)

1. Cook sausage in a large skillet.  You need about 3 Tbs of fat/grease in the bottom of the pan.  If there is more/less you might have to adjust the liquid or flour to compensate.
2. I usually cook biscuits at this time so they are warm still when gravy is done.
3. Add flour.  Stir, and cook for additional 2 minutes.
4. Add milk/cream.
5. Boil until thickened.  Keep in mind the mixture will thicken more as it cools, and you can add more milk/cream if the mixture is too thick, and more flour if it's too thin.  If you are compensating, add small amounts at a time.  Too much may cause you to add way too much of either, which will effect taste.
6. Add pepper, salt, nutmeg, and parsley.
7. Cook until mixture is thickened.
8. I usually turn the gravy to low until ready to serve with biscuits.
9. Split biscuits, top with gravy.

Enjoy!

Look, A New Blog!

Today I am starting a new blog to go in a new direction.

There are quite a few changes coming for us in the near future, and I thought that a new blog would be a good place to redirect some energy.

So, I am choosing to simplify.

New blog, simple layout.

I will try my hardest to keep this one updated.

Promise.

When it came to a new name, I wanted something a little simpler than thinking about being an Infantryman's wife, as was the previous blog.

I feel as though there is a lot more to life than the Army,

Even as my life often revolves around it.

I just want this blog to be a little bit more open to other interests in my and J's life.

I am going to talk more of myself in first person {I have edited the "about me" in this regard}

 because, well, J has never blogged here...

And if Spuz and Stryker {the fur babies} grow thumbs and learn to type, I'll probably be the only McAdam doing it!

We currently have moved three times, and we have been to our current post, Fort Benning, twice now.

We are preparing for another PCS {permanent change of station} soon.

I feel as though often times people don't embrace what they have being in this lifestyle,

{don't get me wrong though, sometimes you're in the suck and that's easier said than done}

But there is so much to life, and the military is awesome in the fact that it gives you new

friends, a variety of experiences, and many challenges.

You grow.

I am one to believe everything happens for a reason.

And here is where we belong.

Also, feel free to join the Wednesday Walkabout via Chantal!