Did I Say Happy Birthday?

Jimmy Buffett's birthday was on Thursday. To honor this occasion I decided to make something special.

I thought to myself, what on earth do you make for Jimmy's birthday? Then, like a song, it hit me--
OF COURSE! I'll play for gumbo!

Well, you played it, so I made it!
Introducing
Aimee's
Fall in Love at First Bite
GUMBO


I have never made gumbo like this before and it is SO deliciously addicting!
You will need: (roughly, measurements should vary depending on how you like it)
1-2 lbs Chicken & seasoned cooked and chopped
1lb Chicken sausage, spicy would be good
1 lb Large shrimp cooked chopped
1 Large Spanish onion chopped
1 Large bunch of celery chopped
1 Large red bell pepper chopped
1-2 Large green bell peppers chopped
4-7 Cloves of garlic
8-10 Cups chicken broth
1 28oz Can stewed tomatoes
2 Limes
16oz Bag of frozen okra thawed and chopped
1 Cup uncooked long grain rice
Red pepper flakes ( Be careful they are spicy)
and Louisiana Cajun Seasoning ( I went Crazy with this stuff it is so good, spicy, but good!)

Step one: Cook the chicken, sausage, and shrimp all separately. I used tons of the Louisiana Seasoning and garlic with each. Use the juice from the limes to cook the shrimp.

Step two: Saute onions, bell peppers and celery and remaining garlic until soft.
Then add tomatoes, chicken, sausage, okra and broth and simmer for and hour. Then add rice and simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Step three: Add cooked and chopped shrimp continue cooking, 20 minutes or longer if you want on low.

Step four: Eat and enjoy!

You have to top off Gumbo with something sweet
especially when there is a birthday involved.
Inspired by one of my son's favorite songs, I made,

What else?
A Gingerbread Jolly Mon!
I completed him with his own Hawaiian shirt, cut offs and of course flip flops! But something was still missing.....


Then I thought what goes better with a Gingerbread Jolly Mon then a
Gingerbread Hula Girl at Heart Girlfriend!
Complete with grass skirt, bare feet, puka shell necklace, and of course a flower in her hair.


It was perfect, except.....


They needed an island with palm trees, the clear blue sea, and the stars above in the sky!
and they lived happily ever after!


Also just in case you are not into molasses I got you a
black and white cookie!
And a Birthday Wish!

I HOPE YOU LIKE IT!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Buffett!
Enjoy your Birthday Wish!

Happy Birthday Mr. Buffett!

Today is
Jimmy Buffett's Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday Jimmy Buffet we Love to hear you-
Sing!
Happy Birthday!

My Son The Super Hero!

I thought I would share my family's Halloween experience.
This year I asked my son what he wanted to be for Halloween and not surprisingly he answered “Spiderman.” I thought to myself – Why did I even ask? I should know that. Suddenly it hit me, we have passed the point, where as a parent I can pick out his Halloween costume.

This realization made me kind of sad. In the past I have really enjoyed picking out his costumes.

His first year
he was a lobster


followed by a monkey


and last year, true to my Parrothead roots, I chose the Shark Costume.


The shark was my favorite.


However this was another milestone in the world of Sawyer Bean,
Picking out his own costume.
Spiderman.


He made a terrific Spiderman, it's almost as if he was born to be Spiderman.


It could just be me, but I swear he got faster with that costume on. It was like, as soon as he put it on he didn't stop running.




I also learned something new this year, just in case someone else might find it useful I'll share.
When you get your child's costume, if you are planning on having them wear "warm clothes" underneath, BE SURE to have them try it on with clothes underneath it the first time! Unless they are planning to wear a coat over their costume, in that case, good luck with that.

I did not do this,
instead we let him try on his costume and run around the house for hours. When it was time to put the costume on for Halloween it took me an hour to convince him that he needed to wear clothes underneath it. He insisted that Spiderman doesn't do it that way, and I insisted that Spiderman's mom said that he does! Eventually after MUCH convincing he put the costume over his clothes and had a very Happy Halloween. Overall we had a really great Halloween, I hope you did too!

Hey! We Match!

I was never really into the whole mommy and me matching outfits.

But then,

I saw these!


and I had to get them.

08.08.08

today is my dad's 60th birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPS!

We got you a Birthday treat!
Make a wish!
I know it will come true!
May you always have a school boy heart!!!!

Love you, Happy Birthday!!!!

Finally Lobster! Thanks to 'Bayou at the Beach'

After we reached Rhode Island we really wanted to try some lobster.
After all, when in New England...
So we came across the Bayou at the Beach in Misquamicut.

You know it's got to be good if there is a pirate flag out front!

Pirate flag...Bayou... I'm getting Jimmy Buffet vibes!
And you know, I LOVE Jimmy Buffet!

It was here we became official, and tried not only the New England Lobster Roll,

but also the Clam Fitters,

the Clam Chowder or should I say "Chowdah"

and the New England, Maine Lobster served over Steamers.
I can now say we tried it ALL and it was delicious.
I know it seems a bit extreme to try them all, but again, when in New England!

OH! and during dinner, guess what song played!
"Trying to reason with hurricane season"
Jimmy AND Lobster, does it get any better?

Thank you Bayou at the Beach we truly enjoyed it!

Next time were at Misquamicut we will come see you again!

Happy Cinco de Mayo, late.

I know it is technically Ocho de Mayo, but better late then never!

LOOK! What I saw on Cinco de Mayo!

We Love you Jimmy!

Thanks for all the Inspiration!

You can DOOOOOOO It Dad!

My dad just casually mentioned to me, he quit smoking two months ago. Two months is HUGE when quitting smoking, (Heck, two hours is huge when quitting smoking) especially after xxx amount of years.
He said to me “Aim, it's so hard, I loved smoking”. All I can say is:
I know Dad, I know. I have SO been there. It sucks (at first) to give up those “addicting little friends”. After all cigarettes are always there to fill the void in life whenever you feel you need something but don't know quite what. Unless, of course you run out and can't make it to the store to buy more. However cigarettes are not your friends. YOU DON'T NEED THEM ANYMORE!
You have us, we smell better and give better hugs!

For this accomplishment I would like to express how incredibly proud of you I am. The road can be difficult. So for you, and anyone else fighting the same battle, I will leave you with the following statements of encouragement. They help me when I am faced with a challenge:

“You can DOOOOOOOO it!”-Rob Schneider from all the Adam Sandler movies

“Keep moving forward!!!”- Walt Disney

"Never measure the height of a mountain, until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was." Dag Hammarskjöld

"You did it Pops, you did it!" your grandson

and also some famous words of wisdom:

“Yesterdays are over my shoulder, So I can't look back for too long,
There's just too much to see waiting in front of me, and I know that I just can't go wrong!!!!”
-YOU KNOW IT! The Great One - Jimmy Buffet

Dad, you deserve a Hug!

and some flowers

and some gum!

We are working on a third generation Parrothead here
and we need you.

So KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! WE LOVE YOU!!

AND WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!!!!

This is my first blog EVER!

I don't just mean on my page, I really mean EVER! So I thought I would start by introducing myself.

Hello my name is Aimee and I am a Photographer.

I am also a mother, a wife and a survivor of life's challenges. I like to take pictures. I like to paint. I paint on canvas, walls, anything I will paint on anything. I am inspired by my family, my son, my husband, music, particularly Jimmy Buffet, and pretty much everything I see in the world around me. I was born an optimist and if I am truly lucky I will leave this world with that part of me unchanged. I believe in God and I believe in Karma. I try to live my life knowing that one day or another I will answer to both. Now after I post this I will be an official blogger. That was fun! I think I am going to like this.

Also today is my mother's birthday. She is turning 29 (In her dreams! Just kidding). No really, she would kill me if I put her real age, so I will just say that age is a state of mind. Its only a number... Yeah right, that is why I got so excited when I got carded at the liquor store the other day!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LORNA! ENJOY YOUR TRIP!