Cake

Toys parents dread.

2008-11-14T08:28:00.000-08:00

A list of another ten toys that parents dread is on The List Universe.
It reminds me of a certain rainy afternoon when I, in a moment of weakness, bought a brand-new box of Play-doh for the kids.
They immediately combined all the beautiful bright colors into one huge ball of poo colored brown.
I launched into a lecture on why we should try to keep the brand-new Play-doh in their separate colors for at least a little while.
The kids gave me the 'what-ever you say, crazy lady' look...it's the same look the neighbor girl gives me when I try to explain to her why she can't take her stuffed animals in the hot tub.
I sounded just like my mother.
Sigh....."Just don't get it on the carpet."
I like Lego's though.

Tagged!

2008-10-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

It's my first time.
I love people....I don't really like to talk to them or have to deal with them in any way but I do like to look at pictures, watch them, read about them and know what they are thinking. I enjoy reading these list and this is the first time I have been tagged to do one....I hope I don't blow it.

I was tagged by Tonya who I swear has had her eyes replaced with camera lenses and her hands with knitting needles.

Here's the rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Write 7 random things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post.
4. Pass on the tag.

1. I have a hard time talking about myself unless it is in storytime format.
2. I enjoy sports more than I would like to admit and I am sometimes amazed at all the useless sports knowledge that I possess. I wish I had someone to watch with....my husband and kids are total WOW/Spore/CS geeks.....sigh.
3. Lately I'm watching a lot of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, my favorite episode The monkey's Paw was on today and Night Gallery.......oooo pooky.
4. I would like to have a plus-size dressform just so I can make myself a big poofy princess dress that fits me perfectly.
5. I'm 2 stamps away from getting a free travel cup from Dutch Bros. They sent me this awesome coffee card....a weeks worth of any drink any size for a $1 and when I fill it up a free cup...sweet.
6. I know that I'm to old to be saying 'sweet' and 'awesome' as often as I do but I don't care. At least I've stopped saying 'right on' so much.
7. I really need a haircut.

Well there it is.

The Acrobat.

2008-05-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

My girl Gigi has always been a danger baby, always wants to go higher in the swing, faster in the wagon and would have loved Splash mountain if we hadn't gotten totally douched on the first drop. So far (fingers crossed, knock on wood and all that) she has had only a couple of bumps and bruises, maybe a minor road rash. The girl is tough as nails, nails I say.
Last Friday night she tested that toughness with a couple of backward somersaults down the stairs....at 3 in the morning...in the dark. She said that she had a bad dream and was going to crawl in bed with us when it sounds like she got a bit mixed up and instead of turning right into our room she turned left toward the stairs realized at the last second where she was, tried to correct, over-corrected and fell back in what I'm sure was a magnificent backwards swan, she said she was falling 'forever' before she hit the stairs....all of them and the wall at the bottom. It took us about 1/4 of a second to leap from our bed to the bottom of the stairs see if she was still in one piece. She was.....big knot on her leg, a bump on her noggin and both elbows slightly rug-burned. There were a few tears after the initial 'ow' but she's okay. I was thinking it probably scared the bah-jeezus out of her for sure.
My father-in-law was spending the night and of course bolted from his room to see what was going on. It probably wasn't G going down that woke him but her parents freaking out about it. She was found to be okey-dokey and he said that that was the most exciting thing that has happened to him in months....Grandpa doesn't get out much. We brought her to bed with us so we could keep an eye on her and after a little while she said in a quiet voice "Grandpa was in his underwear." Yes, yes he was. So we had quite the early morning underwear party..........ahh gotta love that family bonding.
She doesn't seem to be traumatized.
She said it felt like she was flying.
I think we're going to need a bigger first-aid kit.

What's in mom's pockets?

2008-05-09T19:26:00.001-07:00

This is all part of a little game I like to play at the end of the day called..."What's in mom's pockets?"
C'mon who doesn't have a rubber zombie with his arms chewed off in their pocket?

May the 5th

2008-05-05T19:27:00.001-07:00

Improvised margarita shaker and glass.
We love tequila!

2-fer’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day!

2008-02-22T11:05:00.000-08:00

We have four cats....not on purpose, I really don't like cats very much. The reason we have four cats is a boring story and doesn't matter a whole lot. What does matter is that one of them is abnormally large, black, poofy and named 2-fer. He's a baby kitty (if baby kitty means a 6 mo. old mammoth sack of cat fat) and yesterday I gave him a good washin'....not on purpose.
This is my story and I'm sticking to it.
We have a stackable washer and dryer system, front loading washer w/dryer on top, it's cool I love it. So yesterday I was washing a blanket and a small bathroom rug no big deal usual domestic goddess stuff. The wash was done so I took the blanket out and put it in the dryer without turning the dryer on, I was thinking I would put it back in the washer for another spin to try and get a little more water out of it after I hung the rug to dry. So that's what I did. I hung up the rug and put the blanket back in the washer, set it for the 15 minute spin/drain cycle and then went back to planning my dream vaca......I mean cleaning the toilet. 15 minutes later the washer buzzer goes off, I open the door, reach in to grab the blanket and 2-fer's soppy little head pokes out from the folds.
I was HORRIFIED (I stood there, feet glued to the floor with my hands over my gaping mouth) as I watched this poor little kitty practically ooze out of the washing machine and on to the floor, expecting at any moment to see some sort of terrible injury or for him to just be dead. Instead I floated above myself, mouth still agape as he staggered like a sailor on shore leave through the kitchen and into the living room where he plopped himself down on the floor in the sun and started to try to clean himself.
Then I took a couple of pictures....and maybe a short video. He was pitiful looking and the pictures just don't capture how miserable he was.
So here it is.....I am absolutely fucking amazed that that cat survived 15 minutes wrapped in a soggy blanket spinning at about 1300rpms and is for the most part completely unharmed. I was worried that maybe he had some kind of unseen injury and he was going to die during the night but he didn't. He's fine, he plays, he eats, he craps...totally fine. He even still likes me....yeah, like I was real worried about that. Anyway...so I almost killed the cat in a really awful and nightmarish way yesterday.
But I didn't.
He's super-fluffy and smells real good now....'mountain fresh'.
zanna

New Door Friday!

2007-11-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

Our house was built in 1926 and this is the original door. You can tell that it really is a beautiful door but 80 years have taken it's toll and it's fragile and drafty so we need a new one.
It's been kind of a long ordeal but it's finally here and being installed right this very minute.

I can't wait to get my hands on the old one, I plan on cleaning it up and replacing the glass with a beveled edge mirror. I also have pretty glass door knob to replace the dented up brass one. Then I'll hang it over couch. I love to recycle the stuff from our house......the giant stack of windows in the basement that I've been turning into message boards is a testament to that. Just might be finding my calling with this recycle, reuse and renew thing.....very satisfying not to have to buy new materials. I am such a cheapskate. Living on an extreme budget to get out of credit card debt a couple of years ago and trying to keep a zero balance has done it to me. That and having to go through another persons years and years of craft stash and throwing away most of it due to age/rot has kept me from buying more crap that I intend on using 'someday'.
It's amazing how resourceful a person can be to keep the jingle in their pockets.

Home!

2007-10-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

This beauty lives at the Georgia Aquarium.
We're back from Atlanta, yays. A great time was had by all but now it's time to get back to work.
I really needed that time away from chores and 'the remodel' and the school and my role as Chief of Household Operations, it helped me get my priorities in order and make some decisions on the upcoming holiday/auction season. I have put a lot of projects on the back burner for a while now and I think I am about ready to get to it.
I am sometimes jealous of the folks I know that can be creative and spend most of their time working on projects and things they WANT to do as opposed to the things they HAVE to do. Like the dishes, heh.
I made a promise to myself a little while ago that my family would not suffer while I am all off being creative all by myself. Now I'm not saying that I always keep to that promise but I am getting better at managing my time and somewhat pleased with myself when I have a couple of hours in the evening to work on something ....you know after the kids are clean, PJed and safely tucked in their beds, the dishes are done and the laundry is at least folded. Who am I kidding, I mostly just want to pour myself a glass of wine and fall asleep on the couch.
Being away from home for a week has made me see that I've been slacking a bit lately and like I said it's time to get back to work.
suzanne

I've got mail!

2007-10-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am a geek......why do you ask?

Cake!

2007-10-08T10:03:00.001-07:00

Cupcake cake is still cake.
It's been a while since I made anything sweet.
J-Boy's birthday is a great reason. He likes German Chocolate so me and my 'Crazy Aunt Betty' whipped up this gooey delight. Devils food cake made it extra chocolaty. This is 29 cupcakes, I just couldn't fit that last one on there.
Next I'm going to make a cupcake cake using mini-cupcakes. So cute.

New Kitchen

2007-09-20T11:50:00.001-07:00

Like I've said before......demolition is my favorite part!
Finally making big time progress on my new kitchen. We are major weekend warriors when it comes to working around the house and waiting for custom stuff doesn't help. But we are getting closer to a completed, sparkley clean and new kitchen.
yay

Farmer Gigi

2007-09-19T10:54:00.001-07:00

The garden has totally gone to seed but she doesn't care.
"See mom...... there is still lots of good stuff."

reboot

2007-09-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

I have logged on a dozen or so times to post and can't get past Stephanie's face. I forget what I am going to say and I change my mind about posting anything at all. I have even thought about deleting the post or the whole blog altogether but there is too much good stuff on here and that just doesn't seem right.
This is my good news blog and there is good news to be told.
Therefore I am declaring this an official 'reboot'.
Reboot my head and reboot this blog.
I'll post something a little later today, I have lots of remodel pics.
Now I have to go do my chores. Fun.

Steph

2007-09-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

Stephanie Kaye Wilhelmi
One year ago today heaven welcomed it's most beautiful angel.
She seemed to know that her 17 years was a lifetime and she lived it to the fullest.
Oh Steph.....we miss you so much.
Peace and love babygirl.....peace and love.
Suzanne, Ben, Jacob and GiGi

Sheetrock...rocks!

2007-06-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

I love this stuff. Just look at the lovely new walls. I can (finally) almost imagine what it's going to look like when we are done. The sanding is hard and dusty work, my allergy pills are working overtime but it is soo worth it. I'm building muscles too.... so it ain't all bad. There is also this little voice way back in a corner of my mind that whispers oh so quietly 'hard work is good for the soul'. I like that voice, it's the same one that tells me to eat cake. I should listen to it more often. I can't wait to move on to the next room.
I thought having all my craft/art supplies packed away would be kind of stressful but I have so much going on that it has been kind of a nice break not to have a project to finish and with the mindless mudding and sanding I am stashing away in my irontrap of a memory(ahahahaha....ha) lots of ideas for when we are done.
This real life stuff is majorly cutting into my way more exciting online life as well.
Oh and then there is the mealmaking, housecleaning and care of the children......sigh.
I'm going to need another cup of coffee.

Remodel

2007-05-31T09:04:00.000-07:00

Remodel is another word for pick your house up, give it a couple of good shakes, hit yourself in the genitals with a rubber mallet and then write a huge check for the privilege.
We cashed out a bit of equity to do a quick update of our kitchen, yay. Of course this is us and our house we're talkin' about. We never do things the quick and easy way......we never get the chance. The joy of owning a cool old house is always balanced by 80 years of (sometimes) surprising quick and easy fixes that were deployed before us. Things like extension cords hardwired into outlets and cheap garden hose for internal water lines. And so our kitchen remodel begins ....in the laundry room...no wait....the spare room closet.
Soon to be part of the laundry room....(destruction is my favorite part)
wow.... look at all that room!

Laundry room/craft room.....yeah baby!
Lots to do.
I can't wait to start on the kitchen.

Ridge to River 2007

2007-04-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

'Sister's Superstars' made their first appearance at the Jr Ridge to River last Saturday.
They overcame spinouts in the kayaking, loose training wheels in the biking and the 'slide of doom'...I mean 'rockslide'.Part climbing wall part FTL Drive this scream machine was hardly even given a second thought as the Superstars crossed the finish line in 25th place overall but 1st in guts and spirit.
Nobody got hurt. Nobody cried. Everybody had fun and they all got ice cream at the end.
We can't wait for next year.

Empty Bowls

2007-03-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

Spent the weekend glazing about 120 ceramic bowls for my kids' school Empty Bowls Soup Project. Every year all the kids (Pre-5th, about 150) work on this project starting in the fall with making soup kits to sell. The money from the soup kits goes to buying unglazed ceramic bowls and supplies. The kids then paint the bowls and sell them at our annual Empty Bowls Soup Supper in April with all those proceeds going to our churches food bank.
With just a 'little bit' of grown-up help they decorate, serve and clean up on the night of the supper. It's really cool to see the kids work so hard on this project.
The soup is donated by local restaurants and is delicious. There is usually a wide variety and you can eat as much as you want! I love soup, in the winter I make it a couple times a week. The rolls they serve are pretty yummy too.
Glazing the bowls took a lot of time and a lot of counter space but it was worth it. I can't wait to see them after they are fired. I have a kiln in the basement that needs to be put together and it's a good thing I can't do anything with it right now or I'd be firing these bowls myself along with some of the vintage greenware (naked lady ashtrays, tiki masks etc..) that I've been hording, the last thing I need is to start another project right now so I'm glad the weather is getting nicer so I can distract myself with some yard work or something.
Yay Spring!

Gigi pictures

2007-02-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

Gigi likes to take pictures......lots of pictures. Pictures of the dog.
Pictures of her friend.
Pictures of her brother.......lots of pictures of her brother.
She's pretty good too.
Better than her mom.

Here birdy birdy birdy..........

2007-02-15T15:49:00.000-08:00

During her visit over Christmas break my mom kept her hands busy making popcorn garland for me. I had heard from a few people that it was kind of a pain in the butt but we wanted to try it so a couple of months before I had begun saving all the leftover popcorn in a big paper bag, it got really stale. We're talking chewing gum popcorn stale. Well the staleness made it so easy to string! We tied small pretzels on the ends for anchors. They looked so cute on the Christmas tree, very homey and traditional.
When I took the tree down the day after Christmas....what too soon?!?.... my feeling is Christmas is over, get on with the new year already...anyway, when I took it down we strung the garland on a tree in our backyard. The winter birds loved it.
I have a big metal tray that fits perfect in the top branches, I usually load it up with stale bread in the spring and summer but in the winter it gets full of snow so I usually don't bother with it. This was a fun way to give the birdies a little treat. Recycle, reuse, renew.
It's torture for the dog, because it's cold and she's such a baby she doesn't want to go outside to chase them, she might get a chill.
I love how the popcorn looks with the birdhouse in this picture.
Looking out today at the rain and all the yards that are muddy and brown.........I miss the snow.

Happy ...early... Valentines Day!

2007-02-13T22:12:00.000-08:00

It's a good old world,
This world of ours,
With its sunset skies,
And its summer showers;
Its flowers to bloom,
Its birds to sing,
Its wintry gloom,
Its buds of spring;
Its goals to win,
Its work to do,
Its love,
Its hope,
Its dreams,
and......YOU!
...........................................................Maurine Hathaway

2007-02-09T18:20:00.000-08:00

ME.......by Jacob
Crazy, silly, sleepy and funny.
Brother of Gigi.
Loves pie, chocolate mousse and video games.
Fears Alien vs Predator the movie and black widow spiders.
I want to fly when I grow up.

Veggie Lasagna

2007-01-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

Lots of lovely veggies! This is one of my favorites even though lasagna is kind of one of those foods that can be really bad for you, a big stack of cheese, pasta and meat, usually pork sausage, can't be good. I like to make this version with no meat, half the usual amount of cheese and tons of veggies. Assembled and half-baked the day before give the flavors a chance to 'kick' and my food planning ....urge, habit, fetish, hobby.... yeah that's it, my hobby is satisfied. So after about 20 years I think I'm getting pretty good at this cooking thing.

Chicken pie

2007-01-24T15:52:00.000-08:00

Chicken and veggie pie I made a couple of weeks ago. I had forgotten that I took a picture of it. I do that all the time, I either get so caught up in the cooking and the serving that I completely forget to grab my camera and snap a few or I take a ton of the same thing and never use them. I get distracted......damn you real life.
Anyway I like to use a springform pan when I make any kind of pie. You can make them nice and thick and if you let them cool enough slicing and serving is as easy as .....mmmmpie.

gigi

2006-12-28T08:19:00.000-08:00

"Gramma Pete.......if you wanna race you hafta go FAST!"

Mail call

2006-12-14T07:56:00.000-08:00

So I did my Christmas cards the day after Thanksgiving...call it 'Holiday euphoria' or whatever but they were signed and safely in their addressed envelopes by November 25. Yay for me! So early, so productive, so on track for a stress-free holiday. But this is me we are talking about. 'Queen of Procrastination', 'Duchess of don't do it know' 'Mistress of the multiple incomplete projects'....heh that's my fave.
I have yet to even buy the stamps to mail them, oh yeah...they sit in a neat little bundle right next to my computer so it's not like I lost them or can't find the time to go to the many different places that I already go to that sells stamps and it's not like I don't drive by 5 or 6 pretty blue mailboxes every single day. The mailman comes to my house personally for Christmas sake! Pathetic, I know. I think it's because I think greeting cards are one of the biggest rackets that we buy into. $3 to tell a 5yr old happy birthday....I think the kid would rather you spend $2 on Pla-doh and $1 on a dilley bar from DQ. At least Christmas cards are cheap and if it really bugged me I could make my own but the paper arts are just not my thing. I know I know paper correspondence is a dying art and it's important to keep in touch with people you don't see all the time...you know the people who you can't remember the last time you saw or talked to but every year you send them a card....and they send one back. Cycle complete. Relationship intact. I should probably even do one of those sooo popular family newsletter type cards that let everyone know what you been up to...2 so far this year....but that's why I have a blog and if you don't already know what were doing then I probably don't want you to know. So there!
I think I'm grumpy today, might need a cookie or some bacon.

"Mom...

2006-12-05T13:33:00.000-08:00

....how do people get old if they don't have any kids?"

Tree Bed

2006-11-29T12:40:00.000-08:00

When I was about 11 or 12 my mom helped me build a fort in the middle of a huge lilac bush in my Gramma's front yard. It was sooo cool, tiny but super cool. It had a wood floor and just enough room for this old wicker butterfly chair and that's it. Totally surrounded by branches and leaves it was the perfect place to hide out, read or just watch the neighborhood.....ah yes a voyeur even at that tender age. I'll bet I spent most of that summer vacation in that bush. The part I remember most is just watching the birds in the branches. Come to think of it my favorite kid summer memory includes green leaves, the smell of late lilacs, sunshine(a'course) my first Stephen King novel and watching the birds build nests.
This bed reminds me of that so it deserves a hearty...
I WANT THAT!

Rainbow

2006-11-12T18:36:00.000-08:00

I love being able to look out this window.......something new every day.

Naptime....

2006-11-02T12:55:00.000-08:00

......sorry didn't mean to wake you.

2006-10-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

We have been super-productive the past few weeks and are feeling pretty proud of ourselves thank you very much.
Ben just put in a complete sprinkler system that is pretty impressive. I don't know if it's the really cool rotating fountain sprinkler heads or the thought of having lush green grass without having to drag that damn sprinkler all over the yard ...yay. I took a few of pictures but none of them really showed the scope of the destruction at the time. It was awesome. The trenches are filled now but the yard is still pretty muddy in places and it will be a miracle if any grass grows before the snow flies but it will be worth it in the spring.
So I thought one huge project wasn't enough how about two. A week before Ben was going to start the on sprinklers I decided I was going to paint our bedroom...yep a simple paint job. Give the room a little freshening up before winter. Well gosh it is the only room in the house we haven't painted yet! Two weeks later and my 'paint job' has include the removal of a wall, hanging sheetrock and of course all the lovely mudding and sanding that goes along with that...cough. I ripped out the 40yr old carpet and 70yr old linoleum...I think it was linoleum. I'm sure whatever it was it was chock full of Asbestos. Sheetrock dust, lead paint, Asbestos and I stepped on a nice big pointy nail. I'm amazed I survived.
Our house was built in 1926 so everytime I tear into a wall or rip up flooring I'm always kind of half-way expecting to find treasure. I did find something this time, not treasure exactly but pretty cool none the less. A beautiful wood floor with not a mark on it, you can see where the former owners (we are only the third owners) did some remodeling, I think they expanded the crawlspace and added the windows. Great idea. Then they put a wall up and made the area into a walk-in closet with the windows in it...? Who knows maybe the closet was supposed to be little office. Anyway the wall is no more. Me, my trusty hammer and my favorite pink Chuck Taylors made quick work of tearing that baby down. "Tear down this wall" ...hah. The floor wasn't stained in that part and was on the fence on if I wanted to completely strip, sand and restain the entire floor or give it all 'a good shelacking'. I decided on a little of both...a couple coats of new stain and three coats of poly somethiny-somethin. Nice and shiny. It doesn't match perfectly but I really like how the little imperfections and scuffs are deeper and richer looking now. So much more interesting ...and shiny. Being able to open all the windows now is awesome, our room would get so stuffy and stale before.
I love my new bedroom. Now I'm thinking that the old bedroom furniture is looking a little rough, I really want to finish the basement and I think J-bot's bedroom could use some freshening up........maybe a little 'paint job'.
Maybe not. I think my husband is is still recovering from that last major project combo platter so I may have to wait until spring before I do anything else major to the house. That works out for the best with the holidays coming and the weather getting cruddy. Time to be inside and crafty.

Bunnies

2006-09-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

Cutest bunnies ever! Fun times at the Waterville Fair.... stinky but fun.
And now the sad news. On Sept.1 our close friends lost their beautiful 17 yr old daughter so suddenly I still don't have the words to describe the affect that it has had on our happy little clique. So I won't....describe it that is. I will just say that she was an amazing young woman and she is deeply loved and missed by all of us.
So I will make them a quilt 'cuz that's what I know how to do!
I hope to use as much of her clothing as possible and make it big enough that the whole family will be able to cuddle up. It depends on how much raw material I end up with but I'm thinking from experience that I will probably be able to make multiple blankets out of the same fabrics. We'll see.
With the bunnies out broadening their minds and my craft room in amazing 'is this MY craft room?' order, I am chomping at the bit to finish projects and get started on CHRISTMAS. I had a great time last year with the things I made and my Christmas spirit was easily found so I'm hoping for a repeat this year. My soap and tamale friend Wendy or as my girl calls her 'Winny' and I are going to be making soap again after a couple of years of uh....being dirty heh...along with hopefuly some body oils. I might even make some more candles and I found a pattern for the cutest little scrubby ducks....and then there is the food that I want to make this year.
Man I gotta get started!
But first I have to go clean the patio!

Camp cooking.

2006-08-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

Chicken, corn and garlic bread on the campfire last Memorial Day camp trip. Delicious....or maybe it was the view.

Bronco

2006-08-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

Big blue bronco
You brought us so far
Sad to say goodbye

We finally sold our old 89 Ford Bronco yesterday. I didn't think I would be so sad, I couldn't even watch it drive away. Cried like a baby I did. Lots of memories tied up in that pile of metal.
We bought it in '93 in Florida while my husband was still in the Navy. We drove it all the way across the whole country after he got out. I think it's bulk probably saved our lives when we got stuck in a tornado while crossing Illinois. Many many camping trips and probably a little too much late night 4wheelin'. Pop the top, blast the stereo and it was a cruising machine in the summertime or stick it in 4wd and it would chew through any snow bank in the wintertime.
Ah well... it was getting old and of course my memories will be sweet because I didn't have to drive it the past couple years. I kind of feel like it's the end of something... I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it's time to be more serious...I mean the years are just flying by. I've done alot but there is still so much more. Maybe it's time to truly grow up.
GAH....I hope not.

Cherries!

2006-08-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

Rainiers and Bings.
One of the best things about living in central Washington is the awesome climate. Now I'm not talkin' Western Washington with all the Seattle rain and gloom, I'm talking sunshine and blue skies for about 300 days out of the year. Snow in the winter, flowers in the spring, hot hot sun in the summer and leaves in the fall..you know the drill. Well the result of such great weather is tons of fresh fruits and vegetables. My garden is exploding with life and fruit seems to drop out of the sky..it's like it grows on trees or something. These cherries represent the last of a massive amount that were given to me by a neighbor, we have eaten our fill and I don't want them to go to waste so I made a delicious pie filling and stuck it in the freezer for future tasty treats.

B-day breakfast.

2006-08-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

California Eggs Benedict. It may not be pretty and it took a little longer to make than I would have liked but it sure was delicious! Tomato, avocado, ham and two things I've never made before in my life.. poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. I will probably make this again after I get one of those egg poacher thingys..and I work off the 5000 calories.
Not so much posting lately. Lots of distractions. Oooo look a pretty bird.

Stuffed burgers!

2006-06-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

Mozzarella stuffed burgers. I added chopped onion and red bell pepper to the meat before forming the patties, very proud of the perfect meat-to-bun ration by the way. This was the first time I've made these so I didn't get crazy with the ingredients as I wanted to see how they would cook up first. The cheese was nice and melty, I cooked them over low heat to make sure the patties didn't break open and lose all their cheesy goodness. This one is cooked and stacked just how I like it, lots of lettuce and tomatoes with just a smidge of mayo and mustard.....it was delicious!
I think next time I'll whip up a mexi-burger...a nice big slice of queso fresco and a smoked chile inside with avocado and salsa for toppings....my tummy just growled, I'll make them this weekend!

Cody's reward.

2006-06-13T07:53:00.000-07:00

Cody didn't waste any time on the big Memorial Day camping trip, he had his pole in the water before we had the tents up. The reward for his dedication......this beautiful fish and the knowledge that his grandpa, dad and uncles have been fishing off that same dock for about 15 years and never got so much as a nibble. Sweet sweet victory.

So busy.

2006-06-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

Wow..... almost a month without posting. I've just been too busy. I have been taking lots of pictures so when I have some spare time I'll post more but 'til then here's a nice picture of a cool mushroom from the lawn.

Red

2006-05-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

Big red blanket. I finished this a couple of months ago for a birthday gift and now that the day is here I can post about it without giving up the suprise.
The picture doesn't show how truly rich and red the fabrics are or how amazingly well they go together.
Towels, embroidered shirt,red jeans and ultra-thick and soft corduroy pants....6" squares as usual, they're my favorite.

Coconut cake

2006-05-16T07:26:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day coconut cake. I was craving this as a special treat 'cept I was going to get one of those frozen cakes from Sara Lee...you know she's cheap and easy, haha. All I could find was chocolate and chocolate is good and all but when you have a craving for coconut, chocolate just doesn't cut it. So anyway... I called my crazy 'Aunt Betty' (crocker) and we whipped up this tasty little number using two different sizes of heart shaped cake pans and tons of toasted coconut...mmm.

Studio Friday...ROBOT!

2006-05-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

Of all the robots in my 'studio' (spread all over the whole house) this one is my favorite. Good ole trusty Kenmore sewing machine...er I mean robot. It's perfect! It has only a few tasks that it knows how to do but it does them very well and it doesn't give me attitude like say...the computer. It can sew through layers of denim with ease. It's also nice and light so I can move it around. I have Singer that has fancy stitches and button-hole settings and lights etc. etc.. I save that one for special stuff....this one is my workhorse.

DIY...Farm Edition

2006-05-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

Yes... you too can learn to make your own zebra at neatorama.com.

friends and neighbors

2006-05-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

Jacob, Gretchen, Indy and Sara coloring Easter eggs. Sara (the redhead) moved away soon after this picture was taken. The other kids are a little sad and the neighborhood is alot quieter without her. They all played together almost everyday for the last 5 years. Sure there were fights....parents seemed to care more about them than the kids did....but mostly fun times and good friends.

eww... part2

2006-05-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

Black sour watermelon with bright red super sour lime push-up pop....now with new and improved staining power. Warning stains skin and clothing!

eww....

2006-05-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

After lots and lots of begging the kids got these for a treat. I know...I'm weak. Gigi picked an eyeball one but was so freaked out she wouldn't eat it 'til I pulled out the eyeball and made sure it wasn't real. The eye was kind of squishy on the outside and there was this red ooze that was gross looking but actually pretty tasty. Both kids were unable to finish them. J-bot said 'too much sweetness' and 'all melty'. Gigi wanted to save hers in a zippy bag which is code for 'I don't want this anymore but I still value it enough not to throw it away'....so I put it in a bag next to the four other misc. frozen treats that she hasn't finished.
The grownups had Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. They were delicious and only 100-150 calories a sandwich. Yummy

Yay Spring 2

2006-05-01T07:22:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been a whole month since my last post. Darn that 'real life'. Always getting in the way of my more interesting and fabulous cyber-life.
Some really cool stuff has happened this last month....the best thing of all was J-bot got his cast off! hurray hurray He's doing great, is back at school and had his first communion. He has a slight limp but doesn't let that stop him.
GiGi turned 5 years old...don'tcha know! Oma and Opa Pete came to town and much celebrating was done by all
Bowling is over. Me and the girls ended up with 4th place and I got a really cool trophy for having the best improved average...I'm still not sure how I feel about that. I mean they're kinda saying 'Hey...glad you don't suck as bad as you did before'. I'm gonna put it in a nice safe place. In the basement right next to the home economics trophy I won in High School, you know ..the one that says 'Hey...glad you didn't burn the place down this time'.
The weather has been awesome...sun sun sun with just a little breeze. Perfect for ignoring any and all inside chores. I'm really good at that.
There was a couple of rainy days so I was able to finish as in done and gone 3 big blankets (pictures later)...yay for me. My sewing machine has a funny sqeak now that I hope a little oil will take care of. I'm going to take a break from sewing for a while....yeah right.
Right now I think I'll go ignore my chores.

Yay Spring!

2006-03-30T09:34:00.000-08:00

Time to get rid of some old bread and give the kitties some lovely birds to stalk and chase.

Domestic Bling!

2006-03-29T07:23:00.000-08:00

ooooo...shiny.
So finally after over ten years of faithful service we had to retire our trusty and oh so crusty Kenmore gas BBQ. I'm suprised it lasted as long as it did considering how much I used it.
A good little grill it was, although lately it was getting a little run down...the starter was broken, the top grill was almost falling apart and it just looked bad in a 'I hope you've had your shots' kind of way.
So anyway..my loving family ( knowing how much I love to cook outside) all kicked in and bought me the smack-daddiest BBQ I have ever had the joy to grill on. At first I thought it was a little too big and shiny for my humble backyard patio but now after using it a couple of times ...I Love It.
My favorite culinary challenge is seeing if I can cook an entire meal on the grill, especially in the summertime with all the fresh veggies from our garden...heaven. Well that is no longer going to be a challenge with 5 burners and a side burner with a griddle.....dude, I could cook breakfast....blueberry pancakes and grilled sausage yum.
I think I'll get used to how big and shiny it is...someday.

mmm...Twinkies

2006-03-28T09:56:00.000-08:00

Prepackaged snackcakes are never very high on my treat list.......'cept for the occasional 25cent Little Debbie from the local Plaza Super Jet I can't remember the last time I bought a Hostess anything.
I may have to make an exception for the banana Twinkies. I must find them, buy them and then eat them 'til my teeth are coated with their delicious lard based cream filled banana goodness.

lemon bars

2006-03-27T08:50:00.000-08:00

The absolute easiest lemon bars EVER!

1 lemon cake mix
1 egg
1 stick of soft butter
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice

Heat oven to 350'. Mix butter, egg and cake mix together until crumbly. Press mixture evenly in the bottom of a 13x9 baking pan or lg. springform pan. Set aside.
Mix condensed milk and lemon then pour over cake mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool completely before cutting.
Delicious and so easy. I can see using grapefruit juice or some other citrus juice and them being even more yummy.

Chicken.

2006-02-27T18:42:00.000-08:00

A lovely little chicken massaged with olive oil and herbs then slow baked in a clay dish. So juicy and tender...we thank you humble chicken for your ultimate sacrifice to our dinner table.
You will also be made into a delicious soup, become a tasty addition to a nice crisp salad and truly enjoyed in lunchtime wraps where you will be nestled in among fresh spinach and tomatoes.
I could easily become a vegetarian if only I could still eat meat.

Pillow

2006-02-27T18:35:00.000-08:00

Vintage fabric landscape panel used for a simple square pillow. Goes well with the old chair that we lovingly refer to as 'big green'.

There goes the neighborhood!

2006-02-26T22:33:00.000-08:00

I found out today that our neighbors are looking for a new house.
Is it wrong for me to hope they don't find it?

Studio Friday.....Something old, new, borrowed and blue

2006-02-24T09:39:00.000-08:00

My favorite blanket!
Old....jeans, favorite embroidered shirt, hippie pants, blue fleecy, and hubby's flannel. Stained ripped clothes put to good use.
New....full-size sheet, full size poly-cotton blanket. I like to use blankets, they are cheaper and wash/dry better than cotton batting.
Borrowed....I made this blanket with somebody in mind to give it to...I haven't been able to part with it so I guess that makes it ...uh borrowed yeah....borrowed.
Blue....I love how all the different shades of blue go together so nicely.
I want add another one.
Cheap....this blanket only cost me about $15 in supplies to make!
I'm starting to get together another one using reds....velvety, silky, veloury reds. I need to make one more trip to the goodwill and then I'll be set to start sewing it together. I can't wait.

2006-02-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

WooHoo....we're halfway done. Three weeks down, three weeks (hopefully) to go.
What a little stud. He is doing so awesome! Well....as awesome as kid in a body cast could do. He can roll himself over, crawl around on his belly and get himself into a standing position. The standing makes me a little nervous because he is till having trouble getting himself OUT of a standing position.

Studio Friday.....FEAR!!!

2006-02-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

I'm sure like all mothers I fear not being able to protect my children when they aren't with me. Therefore I have created this magical force field to surround them. I like to imagine it protects them from getting seriously or even slightly injured when they go to school or to the neighbors. I know it's silly but it makes me feel better and keeps me from being completely overprotective. You can only tell them to be careful so many times before they don't hear you any more.
Well...last week we experienced a major malfunction in the force field resulting in a broken femur. It happened at school while playing football with the big boys. Poor J-Bot...he got the full treatment...included was a ride in an ambulance, getting his clothes cut off, an IV, 2 days in the hospital and a partial body cast. He was sooo brave considering how much pain he was in.
Now he's doing pretty good...no pain and he has a wheelchair that reclines so he can be on the computer....phaheeeww. I can tell that he's starting to miss school.
Thanks to all our family and friends and all the prayers from the folks at St. Joseph's School. A special thanks goes out to Uncle Chris for the Nintendo DS ....GiGi loves it too!
I still fear them getting hurt but I don't think I'll be any more or less protective than I was before...I still believe in the force field!! I do know I'm gonna get pretty buff from carrying him around..heh.

Meat.

2006-01-26T14:08:00.000-08:00

We had some good friends over for a little poker and beer a few weeks ago and they brought over some excellent rib steaks that my friend...we'll just call him the 'Doctor' from now on... cooked to perfection using a 2 cast iron skillets and a hot oven.
He slowly carmelized a 1 or 2 pounds of purple onions, yellow and red bell peppers and a ton of garlic in a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. When the veggies were done he turned up the heat, moved the veggies aside and added the steaks....two per skillet....seared them about 3 minutes per side. This was no easy feat considering the size of the meat (we had almost 2 entire steaks leftover) compared to the size of the skillets and the amount of veggies. But then again he is the 'Doctor' and he does know how to operate. After a quick searing he popped them into a hot oven and let them cook for another 15 minutes, smothered them with feta and mozzarella then baked them til the cheese was melted. The best steak I have ever had in my life!
As if the steaks weren't done perfect enough, the onions and peppers were awesome and the cheese was over the top. Not something I would eat on a regular basis...simply to decadent....but ultimately unforgetable.

Joe.

2006-01-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

Check out Joey Schmoes sweet new collar. Black leather with brass suns, moons and stars. She is such a stylin' dog. I can't believe it was only $4 at our local junk.....I mean... liquidation store.
Oh and I got my computer back on track......yay for me!

Computers are your friends....

2006-01-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

...yeah right. My computer is so messed up I can't access anything, who knows where all my pictures are. I am now writing from my daughters computer with no printer or camera hookup and all parental controls firmly in place. Surfing is resticted to Disney.com and Nick Jr.
Sigh.

Resolutions.

2006-01-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

Usually I'm not much into New years Resolutions....to much pressure....but this year I resolve to get stuff done! Not just started but finished. I have painting, improvements and general all around' clearing out the clutter' to do around the house. I also have a couple of quilting and furniture projects that I need to finish before I lose my creative vision. It's hard for me to start something new when I have things to do hanging over my head, no matter how far I put them on the 'back burner' they are always there.... keeping me from giving whatever I AM working on my 100%. Another reason why I need need need to get this stuff done is I have a big fat garden planned for this spring and I don't want to be stuck inside.
Having a big nasty virus on my computer is really helping me to stick with this resolution (I'm writing this on my husband's) really cuts down on the food, craft and gossip blog surfing. All the cool stuff is on my computer...... his is all full of icky politics and games...eww.
So it ain't all bad. Life is good.

Studio Friday...Ta-dah!!!

2005-12-16T12:06:00.000-08:00

Ta-dah! People throw away good stuff. I found this window in the alley behind my house, it was bright yellow and had two broken panes. I cleaned, painted then sanded it. The pictures are 8o year old black and white shots of the town I grew up in. Getting the photos matted was the tricky part because they are odd sizes. I used some electrical wire that my husband had left over from a project to hang it. So....ta-dah. Our house was built in 1926 so it fits nicely over the fireplace in the living room. Last year we replaced all the original windows in our house and saved them in our basement for later projects...I can't wait. Now if I can only find some spare time...I know I put it right here next to my extra money but now I can't find that either.

Cheetos....again!

2005-12-16T10:30:00.000-08:00

HammmmBurger.
uhhhh......yum, I guess.

Chicken soup.

2005-12-16T09:18:00.000-08:00

mmm....homemade chicken soup. I'm not much of a chicken eater but I really like chicken soup. Not the canned kind...homemade. I think mine is the best and this batch was extra delicious. I simmered a couple of chicken breasts in 2 cups of broth until they were shreddable then I raided my fridge for veggies. I found carrots, celery, yellow onions, green onions, zucchini, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme and cabbage. I also found about a cup and a half of wild rice left over from dinner. The shredded chicken,veggies and rice all went into a pot along with the left over broth and about 5 cups of water. 2 hours of gentle simmering and this was the best chicken soup I've ever made. There was a lot of it so I was able to freeze some for later. The frigid weather has put me in a soupy mood...I think I'll make some clam chowder this weekend. Maybe I can get Mr. Janedoh to make his famous biscuits to go with it.
mmmm.....chowder.

Tree hunter!

2005-12-12T20:55:00.000-08:00

Observe the mighty hunter tracking the rare and elusive tannenbaum. Could danger be around the bend? We tremble with fear...oh no wait, that's just the sub-freezing temperature.
Man it was cold that day. We did find a nice tree and eventually thawed after treating ourselves to hot chocolate and hot-buttered rum. Our dog Joe came home with feet so frigid they were red and raw so she spent the rest of the day curled up on the couch...poor puppy.

Christmas time!

2005-12-12T20:39:00.000-08:00

Nothing gets me in the Christmasy mood more than baking massive amounts of sugary treats. This year I also made kahlua and mocha mix....both went together quite nicely during testing...hic. I need to get my hands on more bottles for the kahlua, the easy close bottles are a lot harder to come by than they used to be so I may have to find an alternative...or else keep all the kahlua for myself. Hmm...that may not be that bad after all.

Studio Friday...What was I thinking!

2005-12-09T17:55:00.000-08:00

About 6 months ago I decided to make the grand sacrifice of giving up my craft room so the kiddos could have a playroom. So I went through everything....organized and purged...packed and then moved most of my craft stuff to the basement....and now after some time has passed I realize that I...I....'sniff sniff'...I miss my stuff and my room. I miss all my crap being spread all over and being the only one that knows where the good stuff is, I miss being able to walk into the room and being able to work on a project at will. Now if I start something I pretty much have to finish it because it usually is spread all over the living room. I hate having to go down into the cold icky basement to get what I need....waaaahhhh.
Those darn kids hardly even play in that room. I should reclaim it.
Yeaahh...that's what I'll do. I'll slowly ever so slowly start moving my stuff back upstairs 'till it's all back in it's proper place, scattered from corner to corner that is. The room will be mine again muahahaha...haaa.
I'll start tonight.

It's the simple things.

2005-12-09T07:46:00.000-08:00

When it's only 11 degrees outside and you need to keep warm all you really need is your favorite blanket and your best girl.....I mean dog.

Studio Friday...Where the Wild Things Are!

2005-12-02T18:05:00.000-08:00

The 'wild things' were home all day today cuz it was a.........Snow Day!!
Tons of wintery fun was had by all and then we made peanut butter cookies and hot chocolate. Yummy! We also learned that the red sled goes faster than the blue sled.
We love the red sled.

The dark side....

2005-12-02T08:17:00.000-08:00

...of the park.
Thanks to sorryigotdrunk.com

Snow!

2005-11-29T16:11:00.000-08:00

For the past three months he's been saying "I can't wait 'til it snows."
Now he says "I wish there was more."
Sheesh.
I say...'he sure is cute in his snowsuit.'

cranberries

2005-11-29T13:23:00.000-08:00

Fresh cranberries for cranberry sauce. So easy and so much better than canned. All you need is...
1 bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
In a small saucepan on med. heat disolve the sugar in the water. Reduce heat and add cranberries and orange zest. Simmer uncovered until all of the cranberries have popped and the sauce is at desired thickness... the more you simmer it the thicker it will be.
After all the cranberries have popped I like to use a potato masher as a stirrer to smash the bigger chunks or you can run the mixture through a strainer for a smoother jelly-like sauce.
Can be made the night before. This recipe makes quite a bit of sauce, you should have plenty for Thanksgiving dinner.

Veggie time!

2005-11-29T12:58:00.000-08:00

So after a lazy summer spent drinking too much, a hedonistic trip to Mexico that would have made the Ancient Romans jealous and a Thanksgiving weekend choc full of mashed potatoes and cheesecake it's time to start taking better care of myself again......darnnit.
Anyway here's a good way to start....mushrooms, zucchini and onions sauteed in garlic and olive oil. A couple of drops of sesame oil make it taste like butter. I like it when the veggies are still kind of crunchy.

Studio Friday....Let's Pretend!

2005-11-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

It's 5:07 am...I should be in my nice warm bed. But instead I'm sneaking out of the house and into the cold and snowy darkness to take advantage of all the post-Thanksgiving sales because now it is time to pretend to be........Santa Claus!

Sunday breakfast

2005-11-21T11:54:00.000-08:00

Easy like sunday morning...
Dreary day, big mug of joe and the sunday paper. I like to read the comics first and then if the paper is depressing I read them again. My husband made breakfast and fed the kids.
I even have dinner in the crockpot (potroast).
Ready, set..........loaf around.

My new purse.

2005-11-19T17:50:00.000-08:00

Cool plushie corduroy (I think it might be upholstery fabric) on the outside and super skinny corduroy on the inside. Nice and deep to hold lots of junk.
Thanks to my pops-in-law for the vintage fabric.
On a side note... check out the retro-chic genuine Naugahyde wing-back chair and recycled towel pillow circa 1970's.
Recycle reuse renew......or just cheap?
You be the judge.

more pizza

2005-11-19T13:49:00.000-08:00

What can I say, it's the perfect food. This one is Greek Pesto from McGlinn's.
A delicious mix of artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, onions, garlic, spinach,fontina and feta... hand-tossed and wood-fired to perfection. $11 well spent.

Sweetness

2005-11-18T13:38:00.000-08:00

My first Studio Friday....woot!
I love candy! Gummies are my favorite and who could resist these. They really did have little tire tracks on them! I tried to get them to show in the picture but I'm not much of a photographer... they sure were yummy though. I ate the whole bag while at my sewing machine. I'm glad there wasn't very many blue ones.... they tasted kind of funny.

Check this out!

2005-11-02T12:33:00.000-08:00

Ultra-cool artist Nishant Choksi.
Sigh......I wish I had laser vision.

Seeds

2005-10-31T13:57:00.000-08:00

My favorite part of carving the Halloween pumpkins? Roasting the seeds. I like to toss them with a little fine grain sea salt before spreading them out on a baking sheet and sticking them in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes. I've tried a few different spices over the years ...garlic salt, cumin, Johnny's and even cinnamon, but salt is my fave. The darker roasted ones are extra crunchy. Yum.

Tuna!

2005-10-31T12:58:00.000-08:00

Mr. Janedoh caught this Yellow Fin Tuna off the coast of Cabo San Lucas. He really wanted to catch a Dorado, supposedly they are good eatin' but I think it's kinda funny that he caught a tuna because he is always telling me how much he loves it when I make it for him for lunch... so much so that now I just roll my eyes and say "I had no idea". It was an adventure in itself just bringing that baby home. We luckily were able to get it fileted, frozen and packed in a cooler(along with the Marlin my friend Carla caught) before we had to jump on a plane back to the real world the next day. Thankfully the cooler passed customs and all the fish stayed frozen till we got home...about 30hrs after this picture was taken. I had visions of the empty cooler coming down the luggage conveyer belt followed by half-frozen chunks of fish in ziploc bags leaking stinky blood all over my fellow travelers luggage. It was all cool though, we ended up with about 25lbs of tuna and now we know what to expect for next time.
I caught and released a 6ft. Marlin...reeled it in all by myself, thank you very much. Well kinda, I had excellent instructions from Fisherman Nino and lots of experience in boat piloting from Capt. Roberto...oh and thanks first mate Martin, you the man! We drank many beers on the boat, ate pretty good boxed lunches and an excellent time was had by all.
I can't wait for our next trip to Mexico. We promised the kids a trip to DisneyWorld next year but after that we're Cabo bound baby!

pizza

2005-10-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

Homemade crust, olive oil, garlic, spinach, red peppers, zucchini, green onions, feta, mozzerella, olives and shrimp. Yum.
The crust was a little too sweet, I'll adjust the recipe for next time. Everything else was delicious.....the feta gave it a nice flavor and the shrimp was perfect. I really like using olive oil and garlic instead of the usual red sauce. Half the usual amount of cheese made it nice and light, reduced the guilt factor.......c'mon veggies are good for you, right.

Apparently....

2005-10-06T17:52:00.000-07:00

...when you make oatmeal cookies, you need flour. Who knew!
I would have liked to have seen the confused look on my face as I wondered where I went wrong.

bubbles

2005-10-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

pumpkins

2005-10-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

Ahh...what lovely little pumpkins you are! Perfect for pies and other goodies.
Generously given to us by friends in exchange for homemade lasagne...an excellent trade.
I love Fall.

bringing up the rear

2005-10-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

A nice sunday hike ..... right before meeting the grumpiest, most ill-tempered and tenacious rattlesnake in Tumwater Canyon. It was right in the middle of the trail and would not move! My Mr. Janedoh hurled rocks at it to chase it off but it only moved a couple of feet off the trail so we kept an eye on it and then hauled-ass by.... we had a good laugh in the car about how much of an animal lover he is as he was just trying to chase it off, not trying to kill it. I was so proud of the kids, they stayed calm and did as they were told.
Mountain kids ... roar.

cheetos!

2005-10-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

I'm allergic to strawberries......these have not one speck of real strawberries.
SCORE!

Calamari

2005-09-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

Finally......pictures of a giant squid!!
Let's deep fry that baby and dip it in wasabi!

Tossed salad!

2005-09-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

Veggies are good.

Peach Pie

2005-09-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Fresh peaches from our neighbors tree. I'm not very good at making pie crust so I cheated and used store bought, it was okay.... just okay. I think next time I'll at least make an attempt at making my own. Baking it in my springform pan made the pie nice and thick...it also gave me a great idea for deep-dish pizza....yum.

Leftovers

2005-09-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

Leftovers from my husband's birthday party. I didn't get a chance to take any pictures the day of because I was so darn busy!
We had delicious slow cooker BBQ beef, corn-on-the-cob with fresh dill butter, black-eyed peas, grilled salmon and of course... CAKE! My husband boozed up a watermelon with Rum and blended us up a couple of batches of watermelon daiquiris that sure did hit the spot 'cuz it was blazing hot that day.
Sometimes the only thing better than having a party is chowing down on the leftovers the next day. I made these tacos from the BBQ beef and leftover pico de gallo and we even had leftover beer...yay for me. Oh and I'll be damned if I gonna do any more dishes....paper plates and plastic forks for all!

eewwww....I think I'll just have some ice cream instead.

2005-08-17T13:04:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's all edible....even the little rat turds! It's true. The rats are made out of brownies covered with fondant, the turds are made of brownie crumbs and the cake is made of ...well...cake.
I found it here!
I especially like how they pinched off pieces of the edges to make it look nibbled.

Mooommmm.....

2005-08-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

....you farted!

2005-08-12T21:51:00.000-07:00

This would make an excellent addition to my humble kitchen .... and a reminder to my husband not to get in the way.

mmm...what's for dinner?

2005-08-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

I found this in some old food photo's. Lovingly cooked by me for a special occasion...maybe my mother-in-law's birthday.
Delicious!

2005-08-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

Testing Testing...
Hey, look at me, I have a blog!
Wow .... it's kinda crowded in here.