How to survive in Texas without an oil well

I grew up in Indiana, well at least the first part of my life.  When I moved to Texas at 10, I swore I would never become a Texan.   Up until that point the only person I ever knew from Texas was this girl at Girl Scout camp when I was 9.   We had the misfortune of bunking together and I swear that the entire time all she did was talk about "In Texas we do...."  "Texas has ...."   "Texans do/don't..."

Nobody cared.  

So the truth about Texas?   Okay here is the truth for those of you who aren't fortunate enough to be "Texan".   There are a few things Texans love beyond reason.  If you know a Texan, love a Texan, or just visit Texas, these are the things you should understand.  Most make me scratch my head but a few are really worth it.  Here they are in no particular order.

Texans Love:

-Whataburger:

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I am not going to lie here, I don't get it.   It's a hamburger.  It isn't the best burger I have ever eaten by far,  not even close.   It is fast food and while it isn't as greasy as McDonald's, it is just a burger.  Oh, and their special ketchup?  The regular kind is....Ketchup.   People go crazy for this stuff.  It tastes different.   Maybe it has a little extra vinegar but it is just KETCHUP.   The spicy is okay but in large doses it is too much.  My husband hates it.  I tolerate it at times.   Really, the love is unreasonable.  People who leave Texas and come back make Whataburger their first stop the minute they get back to Texas.   I think I may eat 2 a year.  Nothing they make can't be made better at home.  Really, my taquitos are the BOMB and my husband's burgers are even better than that.   If I want a burger on the run, they are okay but I am not going to lie, I like Carl's Junior better.

-Bluebell

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Oh. My. GAWD!   The summer of 2015 will be surely go down as one of the darkest moments in Texas History!   Why?  Well, first Blue Bell stopped selling ice cream then Whataburger stopped selling taquitos.  Dear lord, the world was coming to an end.  Every time I got on Facebook or Twitter people were in panic. (Don't get me, a chicken lady, started on how it is pathetic people can't buy eggs and make their own breakfast.  It is the simplest thing in the world!)    Blue Bell is okay.  I mean, I liked it a lot the first time I ate it....when I was 10!   Now?  Well there are actually a lot of ice cream and frozen yogurts that I appreciate more.  I am not 10 anymore, after all. My taste has actually learned to appreciate a finer quality of ice cream.    Still, don't tell a Texan that God didn't gift them with Blue Bell because they are sure it is actually the closest thing to heaven on earth.  

Dr Pepper:

They drink it for breakfast, lunch, dinner.  They drink it in the ballparks, football fields, deer stands.  They drink it everywhere.  I seriously think some of them take it to the bathroom with them.  If you drink coke or pepsi you are obviously a Yankee because no self respecting Texan drinks anything but Dr. Pepper and don't even pretend with anything but the real stuff.   Don't be surprised if you go somewhere and ask for a 'coke' if they ask you what kind, either.  They aren't being funny and they aren't offering you a wide variety of flavored coke.  They mean do you want a Coke, Dr Pepper, Sprite, ect.   They call everything Coke here.

Sweet Tea

Alright when they are not drinking Dr. Pepper or beer (see below), they are drinking sweet tea.  It's ice tea with sugar.  No biggie but they have recipes for it.   They are darn near militant about how it should be made.  You use simple syrup which is basically sugar dissolved in hot water. Then you brew really strong tea and add the simple syrup.  That is apparently the right way to do it so I have been told.  Guess what?  As long as the tea is strong enough, I can't actually tell the difference between real sweet tea and what I make which is tea without sugar and added Truvia.   Don't tell the Texans though!

Chips and Salsa/Queso/Guac

Okay seriously this is one of the greatest things ever!  I mean as soon as you get seated at any good Tex-Mex place you get a heaping bowl of chips and many bowls of salsa. If you are feeling really adventurous you may get a side of queso or guacamole.  Life is good in Texas when you are eating Tex-Mex.

Beer
Texans love beer.  Especially Shiner.  Now here is another thing I do agree on with them.  Usually, if I do drink beer, which I don't often, I will chose Shiner because, well it's good...for beer.

Football
Football is king in Texas.  High School football takes up 20 minutes of the nightly news on Friday nights in DALLAS during the fall.  I swear you have never seen anything like the football fever.   Me?  I prefer baseball so I just sit back and watch.

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Margarita's and Joe T's

Alright, there are a few places in Texas that make amazing Margarita's and this one is definitely completely worth it.  For my money Baby A's in Austin has great Rita's and there are several places in San Antonio that make a Prickly Pear Rita that would make you drool.   In DFW the best is definitely Joe T Garcia's in Ft Worth.   I stand with every Texan in the love of Margarita's.   They are well worth the sip. 

  

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Buc-ee's 

Nobody gets excited about going to the gas station unless it is Buc-ee's.  Oh lord in heaven there is no place on earth to fuel up both your vehicle and your body like Buc-ee's.  This isn't just a gas station it is a shopping experience.   Yes, I will agree with the Texans, Buc-ees is the BOMB!

Country Music
No everyone doesn't listen to it.  When I was in high school I thought it was stupid.   I swore I would never give in.  I was not a country fan.   Then I moved to Austin, Texas to go to college and Garth Brooks happened.  Next thing I know, all I listen to is Country or Christian.

Now believe it or not, Texans don't actually wear boots and cowboy hats everywhere, no matter what you saw on "Dallas".  We don't all own oil wells either.  In fact, most of us work regular jobs and it is too darn hot in Texas to wear boots in August...But......

Boots 

I love winter mostly because I get to pull out my boots.  I have probably 15 pair of  boots, maybe more.  That doesn't really include booties either which is an entirely other issue.  Okay so most of my booties are heels and I don't wear heels much anymore because, let's be honest, where am I wearing them when most of the things I do are outdoors and a lot of it is in the mud?  Not to hunt and not to the ballpark.

No, they are very Texan but they are warm!

Somehow, when I take photos of my boots it is usually my western ones.  Not sure why except they are obviously the Prettiest. Things. Ever!

These are the shortest pair I own and frankly they are the most comfy with jeans. I wish I had them in grey but alas, I didn't pick up both.   Silly me.

These are my favorites, my wedding boots.  I have shared them before but sue me, they are just so amazing!

These are my most colorful.  Love them.   They were one of my first pair.  I have a pair of Ropers that I have had for a long, long, long time.  I can't recall the last time I wore them.  I need to dig them out of the closet. 

Cowboy Hats

Truthfully, I rarely see anyone wearing cowboy hats around town unless I am at a country concert.

Here is me in the same hat looking a little different.   I still crack up at the Halloween pictures.   I swear I should have been a man.  Seriously, these photos freak my husband and kid out.

Okay, so there I am for real.

And hat 2.   Seriously, both these photos are of me going to a country concert.  That is really the only place I ever wear them, except on Halloween, of course!   

Hey, it's okay Tuesday: I'm feeling like a female failure!

Happy Tuesday!   It's time for "Hey, it's okay Tuesday" the hop where I get to share all the things that are OKAY with me even if they aren't "normal".   Here is what's okay with me:

Be sure to link up with Amber With Airing my Dirty Laundry above 

It's Okay:

* Every night I go out and spend some QT with my chickens.   They are very entertaining, believe it or not and my hubs and I just sit out there with them and watch and sometimes one will come up to us and let us 'Chicken Cuddle'.

* I spent several minutes this morning figuring out when we will have fresh eggs from our little ladies.  Have you seen the price of eggs?  

* That I laugh that sad sort of laugh when the news, Twitter,  and talk radio start all getting upset that Whataburger won't be selling breakfast at 11pm anymore because of the egg shortage.   Really?  There are people who lost their homes and lives in the flooding in Texas and people are freaking out about not being able to get taquitos until 5am.  It isn't hard to scramble eggs, add some cheese and a slice of bacon or crumbled sausage and boom, you have  your own breakfast taquito.  You can even make them ahead and eat them all week.   There are bigger problems in the world than no Blue Bell ice cream and no Whataburger taquitos.  (Don't worry, I will pin some recipes tomorrow on the blog for those very confused.)

Vanity Fair Cover 

* I am super jealous that Caitlyn (Bruce) Jenner looks better in a dress than I do.  Is it wrong for me to think (s)he does sexy female better than me?  Will I get the benefits she got if I take female hormones?  It might be worth a shot!  I am really feeling like a failure on the female side.  I mean, I understand that there is surgery, hormones, and a lot of make-up involved in but gosh she is in her 60's and looks better than I do at 44.  Time to hit the gym and really eat right.  I still won't look sexy but at least I won't feel like a blob. 

* I am currently obsessed with Peppermint Essential Oil.  A friend Janetta (who sells for Young Living) sent me a sample months ago for my headaches.  I didn't believe so it sat on my bathroom counter for, well, ever.  I had the worst headache last week and nothing was working.  Not my OTC pain killers and not my prescription medication.   I figured I would try the oil because it sure couldn't hurt.   I swear to you, my headache went away in the time it took me to lay down and take a 45 minute nap.  Since then I have been adding a drop to my water bottle in the morning to ease stomach pain, had my step-kiddo take it when her tummy hurt and I ordered some oils.  My friend sent me a Young Living reference book so I am excited to learn more. 

**** A note: don't consume oil unless you know it is quality.  I researched it and most oils are not fit to consume. Also, obviously I am not a medical doctor so this is my experience only. 

* I still haven't picked up a paint brush and put it to a piece of furniture in weeks.  It finally stopped raining so maybe I can get a little done Sunday.   I have 4 pieces that need some attention.  Also, sadly, I have a house full of my stuff that could use some sprucing up.

* My hubs, who calls me the social media queen, is on something called Periscope and I have no idea what it is or why I need it.  Has anyone used this?  Is it amazing?  Am I missing out on a life changing part of social media?  

*I don't think I have time for more social media.  I really don't have time for the social media I have.  

*I started giving my Wednesday blogs 'Friends' type titles and I don't think anyone noticed, or cares. Remember how "Friends' always had titles "The one with...."  That's my Wednesday blog.  Speaking of my Wednesday hop, I am shamelessly begging y'all to join in!  

Alright that's what's okay with me today.  I promise since I ranted about Taquitos I will have some recipes pinned on my blog tomorrow so all you Whataburger freaks can make them yourself.  I mean, if you can scramble and egg.  If you can't scramble an egg, I am sorry, there isn't any hope for you in the kitchen.

Shameless Plug/Reminder and cry for Co-Hosts! 

A special reminder!  My blog hop "What I'm Loving and Have a Pinteresting Wednesday" will be up at 9pm Central tonight.  Please consider joining me and sharing all the things you are loving and/or pinning this week.   Also, if anyone is interested in co-hosting this hop please send me a message.  I really would love to share and grow this hop.  (I don't have a fancy code because I haven't figured coding out yet.  Just a button.  I know, I suck.)

Blog will post at 9pm Central so you can join the hop

I'm a freak!?!?

It is really interesting....being a single person in 2013.   I think my life has been relatively uneventful until now.  I have been responsible and tried to do the right thing....apparently even though I have done that, I am a bit of a freak.  I didn't realize this until T informed me a few days ago of this fact.   Men are so strange.  So, I am a freak.  I don't really know why...probably the red hair thing.  I can not tell you how many times I have been asked "Is it true what they say about gingers?"  Let me set the record straight right now.  Whatever you have heard about red heads. Whatever people have said about how freaky we are.  It is absolutely not true.  We are worse.  Okay, now that that is cleared up......

 I thought I would embrace my freakishness.

What makes me a freak?  I used to think it was being a female and being so in to sports but I met a lot of ladies who are that way and realized, that doesn't make me a freak, it just makes me really cool.

The first night T and I officially went out, I picked a place that we could watch the Rangers play.  Yu Darvish was pitching.  I admit, I didn't see much of that game.  When a guy makes you laugh and smile so much that your face actually hurts, you have to ignore baseball for a little while.  Okay, maybe that does make me a freak, I don't know.

I like ketchup and onions on my hot dog and beans in my chili.  I think that makes me a definate freak in some peoples eyes. 

I keep my good alcohol in the freezer.   I don't know if that makes me a freak or just really smart.

I know my dogs are just dogs in my head but I still refer to them as my kids and say stupid stuff like 'Come snuggle with mama.'   That is mostly just trying to get the little goobs to do what I want but I reason with them like they are people so maybe that is a little bit freaky.

I do not understand the Texas fascination with Whataburger.  I admit it. That may not make me a freak outside of the state but in the state not only am I a freak but the fact that I prefer Heinz to Whataburger ketchup may actually get me kicked out.  While we are on the subject....Dr. Pepper is fine but Cherry Coke is AMAZING!  Especially if you can find a drug store and have them make it fresh! Just saying.

I want to be a good house keeper but I want a wife to be a good house keeper for me.   If that's wrong, I don't want to be right.

Okay, honestly...I really can't think of anything that makes me a freak unless you think that shrine I have to Dirk Nowitzki is odd.   Aside from that, I am pretty normal for a girl who gave her bike it's own bedroom and named her Skye.

---I feel a sudden need to add...this is a little bit tongue in cheek and T was teasing me because my dogs have their own steps and I had a bunch of books sitting on my coffee table because I had just been to the book store.  At least, I think that is what he was teasing me about.  Boys are so....male!



Happy Friday, FINALLY!!! Have a good weekend. 



Simply,
Laura