Preparation for Family and the Fourth

So far this week, Mom and I have been in "high gear," preparing as much food ahead of time as we can before the rest of our family begins to arrive this weekend. Here are just a couple of things that have been done so far:

Hens cooked on the Big Green Egg

Mom announcing that she's glad she doesn't "pick chickens" for a living

Spaghetti sauce for Manicotti

Mom also smoked a pork shoulder, made a hashbrown casserole, and we breaded steak Tuesday afternoon. (That's an hour and a half of my life that I'll never get back, but, BOY, is it good!) I still have to make fudge under the watchful eye of Mom (the last three times I've made it, it's never solidified) and at some point, we're going to go over to Joe Patti's in Pensacola and get some shrimp and jumbo lump crabmeat (for West Indes salad) before everyone gets here.

With thoughts of family on the brain, we've also "adopted" a small family of ducks--a male and female mallard and a baby. We noticed the little one Monday and when they came by Tuesday, I fed them crackers. They came back again yesterday for another snack. I don't mind feeding them, but I don't want them to become completely dependent on us, so they get one snack a day and that's it, no matter how many times they return. The little one is so fun to watch. He zooms around trying to keep up with his mom and she, of course, doesn't let him get to far away from him before she's calling him back.

The "Little Family"

Mama and Baby after their cracker snack

I'm really looking forward to very own "little one" getting here this Sunday! Carter will have all kinds of people to play with and take him swimming--even before breakfast, if he wants to go!