Happy birthday to you...

Posted on | Monday, January 31, 2011 | 1 Comment


Today is Alex's birthday. Last week I went to the post office to carefully pack and ship his present in hopes that it would get there by today. It arrived on Saturday, much to our delight. I made him wait until I could get on the phone for him to open it, which I can assume was nothing short of torture for the poor man.

Don't fear the ruching

Posted on | Sunday, January 30, 2011 | 2 Comments

Yesterday I ventured into the land of taffeta and tulle along with Katy and my Mom in an attempt to find my wedding dress. We went to two bridal boutiques - one that is locally owned called Moliere that sells couture dress and the other was David's Bridal.

Can I say right now that the two experiences were polar opposites?


Moliere had three brides in the small shop, and while it made the space was slightly crowded the consultants were right beside their customers one hundred percent of the time. I felt like a bride and really enjoyed trying on the mountains of fabric and hopping onto a tiny box to be critiqued. If nothing else the service I received there makes me want to purchase my dress from them.

At David's Bridal the only word that comes to mind is "pandemonium". I had made an appointment over a month in advance and as I was waiting to be see three walk-ins came in also wanting to try wedding dresses who were taken back before my consultant was able to greet me. It took forty-five minutes (during which I was told to "look at shoes") to get to a consultant and smooshed into a mirror-lined corner as I tried on dresses. Perhaps it was because the weekend in busy, but I felt pressured to pick a dress just to get out of the cramped space.

Talk about being frazzled! I found dresses I really loved at both stores. And I think I might have found "The Dress", although as I think about it this morning over a cup of warm coffee I keep looking back at the other two dresses I fell in love and having second thoughts. I think I might go back on a weekday and try on the three again and make a better decision that isn't based off of a feeling of claustrophobia.

It definitely was an experience, I'll say that much.

The incredible edible... eggplant?

Posted on | Friday, January 28, 2011 | 1 Comment

The vegetable (that's technically a berry) has always left me wondering if it came from another planet. Purple and strangely shaped; it looks like something Barney might tote around. I've Previously tried to cook this supposedly versatile food only to be faced with bitter leathery mess that left me bereft of the need to have such a diversified pallet. They were shuffled over with sardines, boiled cabbage, and brussels sprouts in the no-cook category.


But then, I managed to cook myself into liking brussels sprouts. Maybe I was missing some key ingredient in not botching the foodstuff. If I could get myself to like sprouts surely their was some way to redeem the eggplant.

Thank goodness for Alton Brown. I stumbled upon his Good Eats episode on YouTube explaining the wonders of the vegetable/berry. According to the king of good cookery I had made this strange food all wrong! They're naturally bitter in flavor (at least the kind Americans like myself know about) and need to have a bit of extra treatment or spices to bring out their other flavors. I had simply roasted my purple produce with a smidgen of olive oil and meant to eat it as a side dish. No wonder it tasted like a bitter chunk of shoe leather!

Realizing my mistake I was willing to try again, with a little help from Alton. This time instead of merely roasting them with a boiler I was going to make eggplant parmesan, with a few variances from the original recipe. Per Alton's orders, of course.

"Neither rain, nor sleet..."

Posted on | Tuesday, January 25, 2011 | No Comments

"... Nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." While the saying was originally created sometime around 500 B.C by the Greeks it's still a rather relevant adage for the events that happened earlier this week. You see, a small parcel was left on my door step.

This is around the time that I could say something catty like, "I wonder what it could be?" However that would imply my audience lacks the most basic reading comprehension skills. I guffaw at the very thought! Of course you all remember the voting that occurred earlier this month, which can only mean one thing --

Yowza

Posted on | Monday, January 24, 2011 | No Comments

I've been a mom for a little over four years and in that time Kael has surprised and amazed me, however I think this might have taken the cake. Last night he randomly waltzed up to me and began reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, followed quickly by the State Pledge of Oklahoma. And although bits were mumbled he knew both entirely from memory and could repeat them at a moments notice. Color me astounded (and not a little bit proud)! I can't lie; it was freakin' ADORABLE. Thankfully Alex snapped me out of my excitable flailing long enough to grab my camera and press record.



The pledges are as follows for anyone who might be curious (or cannot fully understand what Kael is saying):


United States--
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, With liberty and justice for all.

Oklahoma--
I salute the flag of the State of Oklahoma. It's symbols of peace unite all people.


At his school each morning they meet in the auditorium where the principle discusses the school's daily events and lunch menu; and of course they end the assembly with reciting the pledges. I have to say the difference between standing next to him in a huge auditorium full of children and hearing it at home is jaw-dropping. Mainly because he wasn't prompted at all initially, and when I ran and got my camera the only thing I said was, "Can you say the Pledge of Allegiance, Kael?" I'm still a bit floored to be entirely honest.



Admit it, as the tag states -- my kid is pretty darn awesome.

5-7-5

Posted on | Sunday, January 23, 2011 | 1 Comment

Today calls for haikus. Five sounds like a good solid number.



Kael how you amaze
With unceasing energy;
Makes my world go 'round.


Hearing that small laugh
And carefully chosen words;
Such a blissful thing.


Eater of apples
And creator of mischief;
If there's quiet, worry.


Prince of mess-making
Imagination abound
Our days are nev'r dull.


Tiny trains and play things
Strewn across the living room
A weekend with Kael.


Mean green

Posted on | Saturday, January 22, 2011 | 1 Comment

As a kid you couldn't get me to eat a Brussels sprout if you tried. They would sit on my plate uneaten, looking like a bitter tasting bright green eyeball. Or so I thought. As an adult I've maintained a moderate phobia of this miniature cabbage, avoiding the vegetable if at all possible. But as I have learned to cook I've discovered there are a lot of foods I never tried in my youth that are really delicious. So I took a deep breath and added a container of them to my shopping cart this week.

Apparently there are a lot of ways to cook these guys. Who knew? You can cook them in butter, with brown sugar, sauteed, boiled, fried, roasted, grilled, in a salad, as a side, as an entrée... I was a little bit bamboozled as I looked for a recipe. I thought the best option would be a side, one that didn't make them taste like bitter mooshy blobs. According to the internet sauteing with a little bit of brown sugar and mixed with either caramelized onions or pecans was the way to go.

I didn't have any onions, but I did have a surplus of pecans. Bingo!


Opening week

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Three weeks out of the year the college I work for has an eruption of students. Fall is by far the worst week, but Spring is a close second. Students needing help locating classrooms, professors, schedules, and books. Working at the Information Desk means I will talk myself hoarse for several days as I try to calmly explain that I cannot give a student their professor's cell phone number, or that the Biological Science Lab really is on the second floor.


Naturally after work earlier this week I walked around campus and tried to covertly take pictures. It didn't work that well though, since every time I attempted to covertly take pictures of the pandemonium the students all miraculously disappeared. Oh well, you can get the gist of things from the pictures I did get.

These are not the best biscuits in the world, they are merely a tribute.

Posted on | Monday, January 17, 2011 | No Comments

I woke this morning and I wanted biscuits. I needed biscuits. Light, warm, fluffy pieces of floury wonderment. Normally I'm a Pillsbury kinda girl. Unroll the can, plop them on the baking sheet, wait ten minutes and your done. Except, I didn't have any on hand today. And I really didn't feel like wrestling Kael into presentable clothing just to go buy some.


That's when the thought struck me: why don't I just make my own? They can't be that hard. C'mon, they're biscuits! After some quick Googling confirming this assumption I went to my fridge and pantry to collect my ingredients. If I can make cookies and hollandaise sauce I certainly can make a batch of biscuits from scratch.

They are the easiest ingredients ever, by the way. You don't even need eggs or a mixer! Fabulous. Pretend that my salt is in the picture though, you kinda need it. Unless you enjoy bland tasting biscuits.

Busy busy

Posted on | Saturday, January 15, 2011 | No Comments

As the title implies this week has been busy. Very good, but busy.

Oklahoma missed out on a majority of the snowpocalypse that landscaped much of the Midwest and South last week. Or, at least it missed central Oklahoma. We got a light dusting that lasted for about a day and then was gone. I don't think I have ever seen such a mild winter in this state. Not complaining, mind you, but it is different than what we are accustomed to. Every year I have been here has had some kind of a weather disaster during the winter. Ice storms that knock out power for weeks on end, blizzards that leave hundreds of cars (and their drivers) stranded on the interstate Christmas Day, hail that demolishes cars and damages buildings... It's always left me with a looming apprehension of winter.


Sure is pretty though.





Kael and I also went to the Central Oklahoma Asthma and Allergic clinic on Wednesday to try and better understand what happened in December and how we can avoid it happening again.

Let's put it to a vote!

Posted on | Monday, January 10, 2011 | 3 Comments

I'm in a bit if a conundrum. You see, I need to pick out mine and Alex's save the date cards sometime this week. Originally I thought this would be an easy task; pick out a card I like, get everyone's addresses, and mail them out before the end of January.

Well.

I have the addresses, but choosing a card has proven to be more difficult than I expected. I've whittled it down to eight cards but I am stumped as to which would be the best fit. Alex, being the wonderful gentleman he is, is trusting my judgement on the matter which places the decision firmly on my shoulders. Yikes.

So, my darling readership I am asking for your opinion on the matter. Perhaps between the seven of us (with perhaps some additional help from a certain fiance) I can pick one before the week is over. Let us put it to a vote!

Adventures with Katy

Posted on | Friday, January 7, 2011 | No Comments

This post could also be called, "We ate a lot of food and put things in boxes".


Earlier this week I realized that Katy and I haven't had a lunch date in well over a month, and that I couldn't precisely recall the last time I had seen my best friend. An easy solution was to declare today our super awesome Alisha and Katy Date Day. Included in the festivities was sushi, car rides, ice cream, hat wearing, and shoving a duvet into a tiny bag.

A wonderful way to spend my Friday.

I adore Katy. I truly do. She is like the sister I never had (even though I distinctly remember asking for a little sister from Santa when I was about seven years old. You are late, Mr. Claus!). I don't know what I will do when I move away later this year. Probably drown my sorrows in a pint of Ben and Jerry's.

You might notice Katy looks different. I for one love the new and improved Katy. We match! Now we can pretend to be sisters and random strangers might even believe us. Awesome!

Belated Resolutions

Posted on | Thursday, January 6, 2011 | No Comments

Happy New Year!!!


Yes, yes, I know. It was a week ago or whatever. I was too busy fighting off the plague to make an appearance here in cyber space. Except for maybe a little self-righteous Facebooking that I may or may not have done whilst incapacitated and on antibiotics and NyQuil. I admit to nothing.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to 2011 with joy and excitement. And with perhaps just the tiniest smidgen of apprehension (both at the prospect at such gigantic events that are already unfolding and also the concern regarding whether or not I’ll be able to continue being so incredibly awesome; it’s exhausting you know). I face every situation believing in the best, but I know I could just as likely get struck by lightening/a bus/a rogue piece of shrapnel from an epic ninja fight. Sounds silly, but not entirely impossible, thanks in part to my healthy dose of clumsiness and poor gross motor skill.

Being fully aware of how daunting the idea of a rogue ninja attack could be, I am dedicating this year to living an entirely more positive and great existence. So, how do I intend to spread some super good awesome greatness around this year, you ask?

Let me count the ways…

1. Bettering my budget. Sometime this year I am going to do the No Spend Month (not sure if it should be before or Alex and I get married..). The concept is simple enough, cut spending down to the basic essentials. After paying the bills, I allow myself a very limited budget for anything personal, which includes food, clothing, gas, coffee, and anything else my family wants during the month. I have over the past few months become very lax in my controlling of my superfluous purchases and I think stopping that spending for 31 days could break that habit of trying to look for things that would “improve” my life.

2. Helping myself. This one is a bit tricky, but also a necessity. Not only do I want to become a healthier person, but becoming a person I take pride in. It's simple (in principle); when I look good, I feel good, and when I feel good I don’t drown my sorrows in sugary-sweet-fat-dripping-heaps of culinary pleasures. When I exercise and take care in my body my flare ups come less and my body is happier. I know that bettering myself isn't only about going to the gym or eating a strict diet, it's also about loving the person I am -- something I that I truly need to work on, perhaps even more than losing a few pounds.

3. Being better. Finding what I am good at and what I love and building on it. I think this will mostly be focused on cooking and photography, two things that I know I have a talent for but don't spend nearly enough time cultivating. I am not sure yet how/what I will do, but I think I might dedicate one day a week to both a photography project and a cooking project and blog about each. I might also add some crocheting in there if I can manage it since I would love to build on that hobby as well. Oh, and maybe add studying a new language to that list, too.

4. Staying Clean. Or, at least staying organized. Moving to Alabama gives me the perfect opportunity to overhaul my apartment and rid myself of things I have no value in. I have books, clothes, and knick-knacks that I don't even know how I acquired. I hope to take this whole moving cross-country (and the preparations therein) as an opportunity to truly organize myself/my home. My usual tactic is to attack a closet or a niche of a room only to lose momentum quickly thereafter. Hopefully this year I can rectify this and finally organize my entire house within a decent span of time. And then keep it that way.



I think that four is more than enough for a person as busy as myself. Best of luck to everyone else who is making resolutions of their own!

About

Photobucket I was born and raised in California. I have also lived in Hungary, Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, and I will be moving again this summer. Kael is my incredibly awesome kiddo who is growing up far too quickly, and Alex is my fiance who makes me happier than should be legally allowed. I write about them a lot. I'm mildly obsessed with cooking and photography. I write about those things, too.

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