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I truly believe it's important to explore around your home. If you're unhappy with you're current latitude, chances are a little local exploration will shed a new light on things. Just leave your keys on the counter and step outside your front door. There's always beauty - even in the ugly. Thank God for that!

Our new abode requires a little exploration. I had the stroller and toddler by my side, so I wasn't as able to spend the kind of time I'd have liked, but there's always tomorrow.

This isn't a post about high-res photography or even photography at all - this stuff is snapped with a handy cell phone I pulled out of my rear pocket. What would you capture on your exploration?

And it has nothing to do with living by a lake or living by a dumpster or something in between!   I went exploring my old neighborhood prior to the move.

Check out the sad, abandoned couch… I contributed a pair of green satin pumps to pull the story into a photography project. 

So I will continue to grab my phone and GO! Hope you will, too - and be sure to share what you stumble upon! 

P.s. If you look at the dark and dreary with the eyes of an author, you'll bring beauty out of the ugly and it'll help lift your spirits. Unimaginable, I know - but true. Make that phone earn its' bill!

Kevin had a honey-do list to attend to, so we spent the day at Mom's house. But first-thing's-first, we had to get our Steak & Shake on. It's just what you do in Round Rock. Gigi hasn't quite grasped the beauty of a slider... and I think she might be the one who has been biting the straws that go to our Tervis Tumblers. (I'll chock it up to teething and let it go, for now.)

Kevin has a system. It must not be interfered with . 

It just dawned on her that she could be OUTside instead of INside.

Pause for the cause. Brother's trying to get a little game of peek-a-boo in. 

"Okay, bubs - I laughed at your antics. I'm cutting you off now." 

Ah, fresh autumn air...

And because she's a toddler, stairs of any kind are a current infatuation. 

"Look Mama! I made it down the stairs - NO HANDS!"

Hmm... if I can do it twice, I'll get twice the 'atta-girls'...

Little Levi Butt. 

She can sure crack herself up! 

Little bit of a ham! 

 She also happens to be the only one who was willing to be photographed.

Mom's lonely Hummingbird feeder.

Well, that's pretty much it. Not much of a story, I know - just a glimpse into what we were up to one day last week - and a few pics to give you a hint of the personality that is Gigi.
Happy autumn everyone! 

I'd like to Right A Ron...

by sending you over to my photography blog at www.JessicaReynoldsPhotography.com so you can meet a friend of mine and realize that I actually MEANT to mis-spell the above title.
Tee-hee!

Falling In Love...

Fall has fallen upon us Reynolds. 

 The first thing I always wanna do when fall blows in is dust off the cornucopia that lives in the garage and stuff it with squashworthy colors… and pump it up with pumpkin. 

It means the crock pot becomes a countertop staple – is there anything better than slow southern cooking? It means Cornish game hens and whole bird chicken will adorn our plates. It means we’re gonna run out of cinnamon at some point. It means that there will be a crunch beneath our feet because the leaves will pad our path. It means this ol’ girl is gonna get to break out a light jacket and put on a pair of jeans! I know I’m in the midst of it, but isn’t fall fabulous? It screams hope – fun – cozy – cool – crunchy – spicy – rich – herby and crackly.

 And speaking of herbs…. I am so in love with the herbs in our backyard. As I fill my Crockpot in the morning, I often pop outside (still pajama clad – just ask the birds and squirrels) to snip a sprig or two of rosemary or basil, while trying to NOT capture the attention of the little outdoorsy-girl who might be peeking out of a window.   

And the kids are loving it too! The bouncy ball has moved outside and if you keep baby G indoors too long, she’ll stand at the sliding door staring at its’ green grandeur. And she’ll eventually tug on your hand, point to the door and say “Ow-side?”

I hafta say, there’s some kind of bliss in having an OUTDOOR loungechair calling your name. I fully anticipate many minutes will be spent with a mug of something delicious, a magazine, a baby, and a mama on the back patio.

And maybe a box of tissues… the allergies are as vivid as the fall colors.

Crispy Fried Eggplant & Mozzarella Finger Sandwiches

I've never made anything with eggplant before. But I saw the pic on the back cover of Suzanne Somer's Eat Great Lose Weight cookbook and decided to give it a try. #1 Slice, oil, salt and pepper the eggplant - bake until golden. 

Create an herb spread containing fresh: garlic, basil, parsley along with red pepper flakes and olive oil. Spread it on your sammies-to-be.

Add a slab of fresh mozzarella to each sandwich.

Ok, so I cheaped out on the grated parm - this came out of the green canister. I won't lie. 

Dip that sandwich in whisked egg and apply the parm. (Did I mention this is low-carb sinfulness?)

Fry that bad-boy in the skillet. I used grapeseed oil, though it called for vegetable oil. 

Now that they're all nice and fried up, I suggest letting them drain a bit on paper towels.

This is especially tasty when served over a bed of baby greens and tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette. But it'll do to just grab it off the stove and devour before you've even bothered to gather a place-setting! (Wink!)

I need another vacation!

It's been so crazy around here; I need another vacation. But that's just not gonna happen, so I'm taking a FAKE-cation by examining some pics I took on our July trip.
Let's visit N'awlins... okay - so I'm a Texan and the honest-to-God truth is that even in my head I emphasize the "New" in New Orleans.
Here we go...

We entered the city - following a taxi - he knew where he was going. We just had to keep our eyes peeled for the long line of residents at the Crown Astoria Hotel, our home for the night. 

Yeah, dude knew where he was going.

Even the street lights have personality all their own. 

Just looking out of the hotel window was a sight. 

Even the sides of buildings were obvious rental space for ads. 

Kitschy little front door. 

Residential area. 

Anything that says "French Market" is cool. 

French Quarter water view. 

Not Disney - anyone know the what the scoop is on this building? 

Let's just be honest... this is pretty much the reason we stopped here in the first place, right? 

Local waitress.

Early morning grump... bring on the beignets and HURRY! 

Some of us are just more patient than others.

I can't say I know what this expression is. It seems to be a phase. I think I'll call it 'Hunter's Opinion Face.' He seems to wear it when he's got an opinion. 

See, child? They DO bring food. You just gotta be nice and wait a whole ten seconds for it. 

Can I just say - we're talking MASSIVE amounts of powdered sugar. MASSIVE. And they dropped their fried dough to dip fingertips in the white stuff. 

Seriously. I kid you not! 

Culprit # 1 

Culprit # 2

These are just a few of the pics we took in New Orleans this summer. I don't wanna be the neighbor that invites you over for dinner and fails to mention the slide show they're gonna slam you with.
Slide show over.
Jessica out.