Author: Big Mama

  • What’s cooking? Besides me. In this heat.

    So our summer is off to a good start. We’ve had a lot of doing nothing which is not a complaint. At some point I’m hoping I’ll get bored enough to start cleaning out closets and such, but I’m not there yet. Right now I’m choosing to spend my down time watching Netflix and reading books.

    My people spent a few days fishing in Louisiana and they got back last night. I was so glad to see them that I barely noticed how terrible their fishing clothes smelled.

    That’s a lie. I totally noticed how bad their fishing clothes smelled because it was like a garbage bomb went off in my house.

    Also, aren’t they cute? I keep thinking the Outdoor Channel or some such will come calling to give them their own fishing and hunting show because they are seriously like a couple of professionals. I mean look at all that equipment.

    Clearly, I’ll be cooking flounder for dinner in the near future. I highly recommend this recipe for flounder stuffed with shrimp and crabmeat if you happen to find yourself with some flounder that needs to be cooked. In full disclosure, I don’t use the shrimp. I just double the crabmeat because I think it tastes better that way and I have a tenuous relationship with shrimp.

    And speaking of dinner, what is everyone cooking this summer? I think that summer dinners are the hardest thing in the world and my reasons are twofold:

    1. It’s so hot.

    2. I don’t want to cook.

    But I will offer you two fairly easy dinner solutions I have recently put together with the hope you will share some of your own ideas in the comments.

    The first one is Pioneer Woman’s Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken. The actual recipe is in her newest cookbook which is available here. (This isn’t an ad, but her newest cookbook is my favorite in terms of easy, quick meals.) But this version on her website is actually closer to what I made because I didn’t use a slow cooker because I’ve decided my Crock Pot makes everything smell the same. (I know. It’s stupid. But it’s how I feel.)

    So I just cooked a pack of four boneless, skinless breasts along with about eight boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I threw them in the dutch oven, salt and peppered them, sliced up an onion and fresh garlic and then poured a bottle of barbecue sauce over all of that. I cooked it at 300 degrees for about 2 1/2 hours. Then I drained the liquid, shredded the chicken and then poured in another bottle of barbecue sauce. I served it on slider buns with coleslaw on top. It makes a ton, my people loved it and there were leftovers for days. That’s a cooking trifecta.

    The second dinner option is my current favorite. My friend Karla makes this panzanella salad that I love and so I decided I needed to learn how to make it because it’s essentially bread and tomatoes and what else do you need in life?

    I found this panzanella salad recipe and it’s different from the one Karla makes, but so delicious. And, to turn it into an actual meal and not just a side dish, I added arugula and then pan-seared some deer steaks in the cast iron skillet that I sliced thin and served on top. Here’s a picture minus the steak on top because I am a terrible food photographer.

    I also added fresh mozzarella because cheese means never having to say you’re sorry. And I think next time I’ll add some black olives. All that to say, it’s delicious and perfect for a summer meal when you don’t want to eat hot food.

    But clearly I can’t spend the rest of my summer cooking these two meals so I’d love some other suggestions for anything that’s easy and fairly healthy and doesn’t require hours in the kitchen.

  • Fashion Friday: Edition it’s still hot here

    Well.

    It’s still hotter than ever here, just in case you were wondering. At some point I’ll quit talking about it but that day is not today. I just need you to know it was so hot that when Caroline and I stopped at Sonic today to get drinks while we were running errands that the ice in my unsweet peach tea melted before I finished drinking it. That’s just wrong.

    But that’s not really what I’m here to talk about because it’s Fashion Friday.

    So I’m going to start by talking about my sister, Amy. She started a new business last fall called All Things New and she makes the most darling leather earrings. They come in all kinds of patterns and colors and are super lightweight.

    Look how cute these are! I’m dying over the brown leather with the turquoise and the fourth of July choices. God bless America and cute earrings.

    They are $12 a pair or 3 pairs for $10 each, plus shipping. You can see all her cute designs and order through direct message either @allthingsnew here on Instagram or here @allthingsnewcreations on Facebook. They are the perfect summer earrings because you’ll forget you even have them on.

    Here are some other cute things I found this week:

    1. kalama ruffled top

    I love this little striped ruffled top. It’s on sale for $39.95 plus an extra 25% off. It also comes in yellow. I think either would be so cute with shorts or a skirt.

    2. loft fluid pull on skirt

    Speaking of skirts, that striped top above would look darling with this skirt. It comes in fern or sapphire. It’s $39.99 but 50% off with the code FLASH at checkout. And it has all 5 star reviews. That blue is divine and so summery.

    3. lucie eyelet back tank

    The front of this just looks like a normal tank, but look how cute the back of it is. It’s on sale for $39.95 plus an extra 25% off. It comes in pink, white or turquoise. I love the length and that it’s a little more extra than just a normal tank.

    4. bp etched flat hoop earrings

    These are great hoops for those of us who like to wear earrings by the pool or at the beach, yet don’t want to ruin a good pair. They are 50% and just $5.98.

    5. vans old skool sneakers

    I love my Vans. They are so comfortable and look great with everything, but my white pair have seen better days at this point. These are $64.95 and come in a bunch of colors and patterns, but I am loving this gray and white stripe because it’s a neutral but different than what I’ve had.

    6. all-american jersey robe

    Here’s my summer time dilemma. I have totally embraced the caftan for lounging around the house at night and cooking dinner, but I also need a robe option to throw on while I blow dry my hair or put on my makeup. I love this little short robe because it’s super soft and lightweight. It’s $38 or 2 for $60 and comes in several color options.

    It also comes in plus sizes here.

    I also love this in bloom robe. It’s a little pricier but perfect if you’re looking for something with a little more pizazz. It’s a gorgeous color.

    7. gap boyfriend popover linen tunic

    These linen tunics from Gap are great because they are classic and can be thrown on over a swimsuit or worn with shorts or with white skinny jeans. They also come in tall sizes if you want it a little longer.

    8. lou and grey drawstring romper

    I have a romper that’s similar to this and I adore it. In fact, I love it so much that I kind of want to buy this one as a back up and I probably will at some point. It’s so hot right now and this is perfect when I’m just doing stuff around the house during the day. And, who am I kidding, I’d totally wear it to the grocery store. It’s $59.50 but I bet it goes on sale at some point.

    9. bauble bar aimee y-choker

    This has been my necklace of the summer so far. It’s $48 and also comes in silver. It looks so great with just about anything.

    And there’s also this longer bauble bar layered chain y-necklace that is another great option. It also comes in silver.

    10. grecerelle casual loose pocket maxi dress

    I bought a navy maxi dress similar to this one about a month ago and wear it constantly. Then I found this one on Amazon whilst I was looking at caftans. It’s just $23.80 and comes in a ton of color options. I ordered the dark gray and LOVE it. For size reference, I bought a small and am normally a size 4 but it’s still roomy. I also like to tie the front part up in a loose knot. It looks great with everything from a pair of flip-flops to my wedge heels.

    That’s it for today.

    Have a good Friday.

  • Big Boo Cast: Episode 108

    In this episode we discuss Southern Charm at length so be forewarned.

    But we also discuss caftans, summer books we are reading, and how hormones in your forties are the worst. It’s like we’ve officially crossed over to Mrs. Roper territory.

    You can click here to listen. Or here. You can even listen right here on the blog.

    And if you’re on the Facebook, well, we are, too.

    We’d love for you to subscribe on iTunes, and we’d be honored if you’d leave us a review.

    Here’s where you can get more info on the stuff / products / places we mention:

    – Chili Pad

    – (Here is Coolio, in case you were confused.)

    – State’s huge walk-off win against Florida State

    – Southern Charm

    – Patricia’s custom pet caftan

    – The Bachelorette

    – Southern Charm New Orleans

    – Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin

    – Love and Ruin by Paula McClain

    – Fitness Junkie by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza

    – Go Ask Ali by Ali Wentworth

    – Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

    – Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

    – Verdusa women’s summer color block half sleeve split loose shift maxi dress

    Our new Big Boo Cast t-shirts from Milk and Honey Tees! (and for the record, this shirt is CRAZY soft)

    Sponsor:

    FabFitFun (coupon code “BIGBOO” for $10 off your first box)

  • No more pencils, no more books and no more lunches to pack

    Hello and welcome to Summer 2018!

    I’m so happy that we are out of school that I will do my best to not even complain about how hot it already is for early June.

    Except it really is so very hot.

    But I don’t have to pack a lunch for approximately the next 100 days and that feels like a victory.

    Caroline got out of school last Thursday and she celebrated by going shopping all day with one of her best friends. Like mother, like daughter.

    Then we headed to the coast on Friday to spend the weekend with some friends. P went down earlier than us because he had plans to fish with a friend and so this left Caroline and me to get everything packed up and get Piper and Mabel to the vet for the weekend by ourselves. I woke up early on Friday morning and began to finish cooking for the trip, doing laundry, buying ice, packing suitcases and coolers, gassing up the car and then taking Piper and Mabel for a long run at the park so they could burn a lot of energy before being boarded all weekend.

    While I was accomplishing all of that, Caroline managed to basically only pack a pair of bathing suit bottoms, a toothbrush and some face wash. Apparently just being fourteen is exhausting enough.

    I did have her help me get Piper and Mabel to the vet because, well, it’s essentially a goat rodeo to get them in the doors. However, I’d come up with a strategy that involved leaving them in the car with Caroline until the vet techs were ready to take them back to eliminate the terrible waiting in the waiting room that only causes everyone involved to need a Xanax or a shot of tequila. Or both.

    As I checked them in, one of the vet techs asked, “Do they still have a tendency to be a little fractious?”

    Um. Yes. If by fractious, you mean more nerved up than a cat after thirty-four cups of coffee, then YES.

    But they actually did pretty well during the drop off. Maybe they heard it was going to be 102 degrees this weekend and decided they should just enjoy their mini-vacation in an air-conditioned facility.

    After that, Caroline and I made our way to Rockport. P met us there along with our friends and from that point on the weekend was full of eating, laughing, talking, floating in the water, playing cards and fishing. It was essentially the perfect kick off to summer vacation.

    When Sunday came we were all relaxed, a little sunburned and sad that it was time to leave, but we packed up and made our way back to San Antonio. I woke up at 7:15 Monday morning to go pick up Piper and Mabel from the vet. Needless to say, they were a little overly enthusiastic at being reunited with their people and their yard. Mabel spent a full ten minutes running in circles around the backyard in between sticking her feet in her water dish. Why does she do that? I have no idea. Why does she do anything she does?

    However, she did stop long enough to write two haikus about her weekend.

    Some call it fractious
    It’s more like stranger danger
    I don’t need judgement

    These dogs keep barking
    Yet they have nothing to say
    I feel so fragile

    Anyway, we are all home and spent most of Monday unpacking and doing laundry and getting everything lined up for our summer calendar. Caroline is taking Drivers Ed (I know. I can’t believe it.) and has soccer training and other activities planned. At some point I’m going to have to go to the grocery store like an adult and think about meals that don’t involve me calling and ordering food to go. But I’m choosing to Scarett O’Hara that for now and think about it tomorrow.

    For now, I’m sitting on the couch with Mabel curled up next to me. I’m about to get caught up on The Bachelorette before I watch a few episodes of Riverdale on Netflix because apparently summer for me means rotting my brain. I also just put some essential oils in the diffuser because I’m a little addicted to the combination of peppermint, eucalyptus and lavender. However, I just realized that I accidentally put in patchouli oil instead of peppermint and now I have the urge to put on a caftan and eat some avocado toast.

    But I guess I’ll settle for some peanut butter and chocolate ice cream instead and finding out if Becca has a chance at true love instead.

  • Big Boo Cast: Episode 107

    If you’ve been thinking to yourself that you would really like something mindless and light to start your summer off right, then this episode is for you. We discuss the caftan that has the potential to change our life or at least make summer better, along with some thoughts on good nail polish colors.

    You can click here to listen. Or here. You can even listen right here on the blog.

    And if you’re on the Facebook, well, we are, too.

    We’d love for you to subscribe on iTunes, and we’d be honored if you’d leave us a review.

    Here’s where you can get more info on the stuff / products / places we mention:

    – Urban Outfitters bowtie slides

    – Steve Madden SLINKY slides

    – OTBT Nova Platforms

    – Bussola Frida wedge (Sophie’s FAVORITE summer sandals)

    – The Magical Summer Caftan (discovered by Lisa Whittle) (loved deeply by Sophie) (for your inner Maude)

    – Lisa Whittle’s 5 Word Prayers Daily podcast (just FYI if you’re looking for something really encouraging and beautiful)

    – OPI Lisbon Collection

    – OPI Funny Bunny

    – The Playtex Funday Bra

    – Closing Song

    Our new Big Boo Cast t-shirts from Milk and Honey Tees! (and for the record, this shirt is CRAZY soft)

    SPONSORS:

    Casper

  • Fashion Friday: Edition it’s officially summertime here

    Today is our first official day of summer vacation. I mean, technically, we’ve already had a few days off due to the high school finals schedule and Caroline’s exam exemptions, but yesterday was truly the very last day. I guess that means my baby is now a sophomore in high school and I don’t even understand how that has happened.

    Needless to say, I’ll be soaking in some downtime with my people this summer and cannot wait.

    Here are a few things I found this week:

    1. steve madden chiara sandals

    I certainly don’t mean to keep pushing these sandals on you, but the more I wear them the more I love them. They are so comfortable and still make me two inches taller. It’s all the benefit of a heel but feels like a flat. I just highly recommend them.

    They are $79.95 and also come in black or white.

    2. bp twist back tee

    How cute it this tee? It’s on sale for $14.98 and also comes in a black stripe, pink or white. It’s perfect for summer.

    3. lush raw edge side slit tee

    This tee is also on sale for $15.90 and also comes in black. I love the raw edge, the side slit, the v-neck and the longer length. The navy would just be perfect with white jeans for a casual outfit.

    4. loft ruffle cuff tunic dress

    Gulley and I ran in Loft this week because she was looking for a few cute dresses and we agreed that Loft has really stepped it up. They have so many cute things, including this dress for $69.50.

    5. j.crew factory tie-front tank

    These tie-front tanks are on sale for $19.95 and also come in white or black. This is the perfect thing to wear with shorts, jeans or skirts. And you can always layer a denim jacket or light sweater over it. It’s the benefit of looking like you’ve tucked something in without having to tuck something in.

    It also comes in a this darling stripe version in case you’re interested in that. I love a stripe for summer.

    6. sims stone pendant necklace

    These cute necklaces are named after my friend Sheaffer at Sheaffer Told Me To and they are $42. They come in several color options and are a perfect pop of color for all your summer outfits. They even make a white t-shirt and denim shorts look like you really tried.

    7. j.crew factory tie-waist midi skirt

    I have featured this before and it is so darling. I actually saw a friend of mine wearing it yesterday with a black tank and wanted to die from the cuteness. It is even better than the picture and it also comes in a seersucker blue stripe.

    8. j.crew factory embroidered sleeve t-shirt

    This cute embroidered tee is just $23.50 and also comes in white or blue. I love that it’s soft and easy to throw on, but still really great.

    9. who what wear wide leg paperbag pants

    I saw these in Target yesterday when I just ran in to get sunscreen and a few new pool floats. Isn’t that how Target always works? These are super soft and could easily be dressed up or down depending on your lifestyle needs. They also come in a black and white striped version and are $32.99.

    10. bp flat oval hoops

    I bought these last fall and Caroline immediately stole them from me. And so I figured it was no big deal and I’d just get another pair since they’re just $8.00. However, they were out of stock. Until today! IT’S A SUMMER MIRACLE.

    But, seriously, they are so great and lightweight and EIGHT DOLLARS.

    That’s it for today.

    Have a good Friday.