Man, I'm such a grinch. I have no holiday spirit, none. Not a drop. I don't want to decorate, I don't want to listen to Christmas songs, I don't want to be bombarded with Christmas at every turn. Where can someone go to escape this madness? I guess there are countries where Christmas is not observed, but do I have to go sooooo far? Shouldn't someone be ALLOWED the opportunity to live a Christmas free existance?
We had a great Thanksgiving. We went to Colstrip and spent a couple nights with Thad's parents. My mom and dad and little sister came into town to eat with us, and John was with us to and fro. Thad's grandmother (Schelle's mom) passed away last week, so I was in charge of the entire dinner, and I think I hit it out of the park. The bird was good, partly due to the brining that Thad's dad and Thad himself were in charge of. The stuffing was something I saw on Food Network, and it was so intriguing that I just had to try it (see link below for recipe). We also did sweet potatoes, mashed yukon gold potatoes, green bean casserole, and two kinds of pie. The chocolate truffle pie (recipe in previous blog) and Thad's mom made a pecan pie. All in all, a huge success.
Christmas might be trickier. I'll be working, Thad will be on call, so Elora will probably spend Christmas with grandparents this year. Nothing has been completely firmed up yet, but hopefully we'll get to celebrate the holiday a few days after the actual day.
My birthday is Wednesday. I'll be 28. Wow, should 28 feel like the train is about to derail? Just kidding, I really don't feel put out that I'll be getting another year older. It's just surreal to age and see everything changing quickly and know that another year has passed. I'm over thinking it, but I can't help but wonder if this feeling of loss will get any easier the older I get.
Well, I better get to work. Real quick, I'd like to tell Adrienne THANK YOU for the great blog, and for the birthday necklace she got for me. I love it, and you knew I would. Check out her blog here!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DENA!!!!! I DON'T MIND GETTING OLDER IF I GET TO BE AS HOT AS YOU WHEN I GROW UP!!!!
Oh, and don't forget, the stuffing recipe I used was this one!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Easiest dessert ever.... for reals.
So, I stumbled across this recipe in a Kraft Food and Family magazine (Holiday, 2007) last year and tried it. Nothing could be freaking easier, and the decadence of this cake is unparalleled. You will need a glass of milk for even the smallest slice.
Chocolate Truffle Pie
*you can sub in different types of chocolate, such as Ghiradelli's
Chocolate Truffle Pie
1-1/4 pkg. (10 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate*
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
*you can sub in different types of chocolate, such as Ghiradelli's
Make It
HEAT oven to 325°F. Microwave chocolate and cream in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted. Stir until completely melted. Cool.
WHISK in eggs, sugar and flour. Pour into greased 9-inch pie plate.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Music in my life
My zune is my favorite belonging. I can see why people become a little protective of their zunes and ipods. It's a place where I can maybe scroll through 50 songs (anyone that has driven with me knows that I don't listen to a lot of songs all the way through) and find the PERFECT song to listen to. It may take 50 songs to find it, but by God I'll scroll to find one that matches my mood at that precise moment.
I love how music plays such a huge roll in my life. There are so many bands, songs, melodies, etc. that accompany memories of different periods of my life, from childhood on through the "dark" ages (the period of time that I was drunk a LOT) up to becoming a mom and dancing in the living room.
Here are a few of the songs and memories that accompany them:
"Tired of Toein' the Line" by Rocky Burnette
It isn't likely that you will find this song on i-tunes, but I found the video below. My mom had this record when I was just a baby, and apparently I would walk along the side of the couch when I was just learning to walk, and bounce up and down to this song. When I came home from my first weekend at college my mom played this record and suffered an emotional breakdown on the couch. I heard it on the radio once and called my mom, got her answering machine, and left this song on the message. I called her back later and made her listen to the message and she cried again. It's kind of my mom's song to me.
"Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" by Mozart
One of the prevalent cars in my family's history was this blue Buick. I remember the smell of this car, and have a lot of fond memories of my family in it. I'll forever associate two things with this car: horeshound candy and Mozart. My dad was something of a renaissance man when it came to music. A lot of what my brother and sister and I like is based on things that we listened to growing up with my dad. I'm grateful for my dad's taste, and I hope that I can instill an appreciation for music in Elora the way he instilled it in me.
Pick-a-song by Sublime
Sublime is a hard band to really focus on for musical memories because they have been the soundtrack to a lot of the funnest times in my life. So many of them from the summers between my years in high school, and then later when I discovered 2 girls (and boys I didn't really know) that shared my love of Bradley and Lou Dog. Adrienne and Krystal had their own little apartment in Sheridan for a brief period of time, but the time spent their has left images like photographs in my mind. Through a haze of smoke we talked about plans for our big, bright futures and wasted many hours distracting ourselves from school and family and jobs. Lounging on secondhand furniture from the Salvation Army, cooking up feasts of meals as though we weren't all living on the barest of shoe string budgets. Trying to impress the boys we hung out with by being able to take a bong rip WITHOUT COUGHING.
Later, Sublime's surviving members formed Long Beach Dub Allstars, and this was just another chapter to our time together. We scraped together enough money for all 3 of us girls, and 3 guys, to go to Boulder, CO and see LBDAS in concert. Levi supplied the joints, and Scott decided to lead us to The Hill in Boulder (the notorious location of illicit drugs) to score some acid. We got to the concert and the Levie and Scott took a hit. It didn't appear to be working, so they thought it might be bunk, resulting in them TAKING THE WHOLE THING. Turns out that shit wasn't bunk, much to our amusement. Krystal and I were dancing when some douche tapped her on the shoulder and bitch-slapped her (I think we'd had to get nasty with him when he tried to push through us earlier). Krystal flew at him, long hair flowing behind her like a superhero's cape, and punched that sucka down. I almost flashed my boobs at Opie, but lost my nerve when he actually did a double take as I was putting my hands up to my tank top.
Here is a great Sublime song, and I dedicate to those crazy girls, and to Steel Magnolia, and Lethal Enforcer. "It's like banana flavored chocolate in pudding form!"
"Little Boxes" by Malvina Reynolds, "Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson and "My Little Buttercup" by The Three Amigos
These are the three songs I sang to Elora regularly when she was a baby. I love the repetitiveness of "Little Boxes", and she loved it too. There were times that she'd be screaming and I would sing her that song and as long as I kept singing she would be quiet. "Banana Pancakes" was probably the first song I ever sang to her, and I loved it before I was pregnant because I knew I'd sing it to my baby when I had one. "My Little Buttercup" is one of the sweetest songs, and I love the line "Dear little buttercup, with your eyes so blue" because Elora's eyes are just the most gorgeous blue. Kind of an odd selection of songs, but they're all great.
Banana Pancakes
My Little Buttercup
Little Boxes
"Midnight Special" by CCR
Oh, Currey Currey Currey. How many memories do we have that carry the same soundtrack in our hearts. Whether it was when we wanted to marry Lou Diamond Phillips or playing Nintendo at the trailer we grew up in on Laredo Court. Eating Hamburger Helper at Dad's when our parents were sepereated, and dancing for a video camera with your dorky older sister. This song, among many others, stands out as being the song I'll always hold for you. I danced with you at your wedding to this song, and it makes me smile when I hear it.
That's all for now, but I could do this ALL DAY LONG. I think I've found a new mission in life!
I love how music plays such a huge roll in my life. There are so many bands, songs, melodies, etc. that accompany memories of different periods of my life, from childhood on through the "dark" ages (the period of time that I was drunk a LOT) up to becoming a mom and dancing in the living room.
Here are a few of the songs and memories that accompany them:
"Tired of Toein' the Line" by Rocky Burnette
It isn't likely that you will find this song on i-tunes, but I found the video below. My mom had this record when I was just a baby, and apparently I would walk along the side of the couch when I was just learning to walk, and bounce up and down to this song. When I came home from my first weekend at college my mom played this record and suffered an emotional breakdown on the couch. I heard it on the radio once and called my mom, got her answering machine, and left this song on the message. I called her back later and made her listen to the message and she cried again. It's kind of my mom's song to me.
"Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" by Mozart
One of the prevalent cars in my family's history was this blue Buick. I remember the smell of this car, and have a lot of fond memories of my family in it. I'll forever associate two things with this car: horeshound candy and Mozart. My dad was something of a renaissance man when it came to music. A lot of what my brother and sister and I like is based on things that we listened to growing up with my dad. I'm grateful for my dad's taste, and I hope that I can instill an appreciation for music in Elora the way he instilled it in me.
Pick-a-song by Sublime
Sublime is a hard band to really focus on for musical memories because they have been the soundtrack to a lot of the funnest times in my life. So many of them from the summers between my years in high school, and then later when I discovered 2 girls (and boys I didn't really know) that shared my love of Bradley and Lou Dog. Adrienne and Krystal had their own little apartment in Sheridan for a brief period of time, but the time spent their has left images like photographs in my mind. Through a haze of smoke we talked about plans for our big, bright futures and wasted many hours distracting ourselves from school and family and jobs. Lounging on secondhand furniture from the Salvation Army, cooking up feasts of meals as though we weren't all living on the barest of shoe string budgets. Trying to impress the boys we hung out with by being able to take a bong rip WITHOUT COUGHING.
Later, Sublime's surviving members formed Long Beach Dub Allstars, and this was just another chapter to our time together. We scraped together enough money for all 3 of us girls, and 3 guys, to go to Boulder, CO and see LBDAS in concert. Levi supplied the joints, and Scott decided to lead us to The Hill in Boulder (the notorious location of illicit drugs) to score some acid. We got to the concert and the Levie and Scott took a hit. It didn't appear to be working, so they thought it might be bunk, resulting in them TAKING THE WHOLE THING. Turns out that shit wasn't bunk, much to our amusement. Krystal and I were dancing when some douche tapped her on the shoulder and bitch-slapped her (I think we'd had to get nasty with him when he tried to push through us earlier). Krystal flew at him, long hair flowing behind her like a superhero's cape, and punched that sucka down. I almost flashed my boobs at Opie, but lost my nerve when he actually did a double take as I was putting my hands up to my tank top.
Here is a great Sublime song, and I dedicate to those crazy girls, and to Steel Magnolia, and Lethal Enforcer. "It's like banana flavored chocolate in pudding form!"
"Little Boxes" by Malvina Reynolds, "Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson and "My Little Buttercup" by The Three Amigos
These are the three songs I sang to Elora regularly when she was a baby. I love the repetitiveness of "Little Boxes", and she loved it too. There were times that she'd be screaming and I would sing her that song and as long as I kept singing she would be quiet. "Banana Pancakes" was probably the first song I ever sang to her, and I loved it before I was pregnant because I knew I'd sing it to my baby when I had one. "My Little Buttercup" is one of the sweetest songs, and I love the line "Dear little buttercup, with your eyes so blue" because Elora's eyes are just the most gorgeous blue. Kind of an odd selection of songs, but they're all great.
Banana Pancakes
My Little Buttercup
Little Boxes
"Midnight Special" by CCR
Oh, Currey Currey Currey. How many memories do we have that carry the same soundtrack in our hearts. Whether it was when we wanted to marry Lou Diamond Phillips or playing Nintendo at the trailer we grew up in on Laredo Court. Eating Hamburger Helper at Dad's when our parents were sepereated, and dancing for a video camera with your dorky older sister. This song, among many others, stands out as being the song I'll always hold for you. I danced with you at your wedding to this song, and it makes me smile when I hear it.
That's all for now, but I could do this ALL DAY LONG. I think I've found a new mission in life!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
You're like water for my soul when it gets thirsty
So, I'm back, and not 4 months later! Yippee! Actually, I wasn't able to take any pictures at Colstrip Days because my stupid camera reset itself and everytime I took a picture it filled my memory card. So I'm waiting on Adrienne to get her act together and post some of the pictures she took.
We had a good time, saw a lot of people we knew from high school. The memory is bittersweet now, as one of the many people there passed away this last weekend. Josh Davidson was only 26, and he passed away due to complications with diabetes. I worked with Josh since 2006, and I grew up across the street from him. It's really sad, and my prayers and thoughts are with his family right now.
I'm playing hookie from being a mom today. Elora is at daycare, and I'm supposed to be working on mid-year reviews for my peeps, and cleaning my shower. I have the living room picked up, the kitchen picked up, and the shower is fermenting in mildew remover. So once I've posted I head back to the grindstone.
Elora is doing wonderfully. She continues to get mouthier with her mom and dad, and God willing this is only a phase. I'll put pictures up soon, I SWEAR!
PEACE OUT!
We had a good time, saw a lot of people we knew from high school. The memory is bittersweet now, as one of the many people there passed away this last weekend. Josh Davidson was only 26, and he passed away due to complications with diabetes. I worked with Josh since 2006, and I grew up across the street from him. It's really sad, and my prayers and thoughts are with his family right now.
I'm playing hookie from being a mom today. Elora is at daycare, and I'm supposed to be working on mid-year reviews for my peeps, and cleaning my shower. I have the living room picked up, the kitchen picked up, and the shower is fermenting in mildew remover. So once I've posted I head back to the grindstone.
Elora is doing wonderfully. She continues to get mouthier with her mom and dad, and God willing this is only a phase. I'll put pictures up soon, I SWEAR!
PEACE OUT!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Don't call it a comeback!
Haha, the last post I put up was on St Patty's Day. I don't even have enough time in the 5 minutes I'm going to spend writing this to go over all the stuff that's happened in nearly 3 months, so here's a brief overview.
1) We went to Vegas in April for a wedding. It was a good time, as indicated in the picture below:
2) We went to Colstrip for my brother's graduation in May, and that happened to fall on Memorial Day weekend, so we spent the weekend in Colstrip.
3) I saw a plastic surgeon about a breast reduction. I scheduled my surgery for 6/13 hoping that insurance would be taken care of by then. It wasn't, so I didn't have the surgery, but I'm scheduled now for 8/1, so hopefully the poop is in a group by then.
4) Adrienne came up on 5/30 and we went to SATC on opening night. We had a bunch of fun, lots of laughs, and (if you can believe this) only 1 drink and 1 and 1/2 beers. We finished the weekend by walking in the Central Heights Elementary Cougar Fun Run. We're totally "cougars".... RAWR!
Elora is gorgeous, but she's getting a smart little mouth on her, telling her mommy and daddy "NO" and accentuating her displeasure with a little slap. I'm trying to but the kabash to that, but she doesn't really grasp all of the intricacies of the English language yet, so we're doing the best we can.
She's telling me "NO" right here:
And here is her face, covered in chocolate:
Well, I feel like a weight has been lifted just by getting this updated. Be back soon with pictures of Colstrip Days!
1) We went to Vegas in April for a wedding. It was a good time, as indicated in the picture below:
2) We went to Colstrip for my brother's graduation in May, and that happened to fall on Memorial Day weekend, so we spent the weekend in Colstrip.
3) I saw a plastic surgeon about a breast reduction. I scheduled my surgery for 6/13 hoping that insurance would be taken care of by then. It wasn't, so I didn't have the surgery, but I'm scheduled now for 8/1, so hopefully the poop is in a group by then.
4) Adrienne came up on 5/30 and we went to SATC on opening night. We had a bunch of fun, lots of laughs, and (if you can believe this) only 1 drink and 1 and 1/2 beers. We finished the weekend by walking in the Central Heights Elementary Cougar Fun Run. We're totally "cougars".... RAWR!
Elora is gorgeous, but she's getting a smart little mouth on her, telling her mommy and daddy "NO" and accentuating her displeasure with a little slap. I'm trying to but the kabash to that, but she doesn't really grasp all of the intricacies of the English language yet, so we're doing the best we can.
She's telling me "NO" right here:
And here is her face, covered in chocolate:
Well, I feel like a weight has been lifted just by getting this updated. Be back soon with pictures of Colstrip Days!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Happy St Patrick's Day!
Happy St Patty's Day, from our family to all of you! We both worked, and work tomorrow, so there will be no partying tonight. After staying home sick yesterday I'm not interested in making tonight as Irish as I did in the past. But Thad, Elora, and I each wore our respective holiday t-shirts today, so here is a picture of our fam:
Hope everyone had a great day, and I hope your poop is green tomorrow.
Oh, and a shout out to my girl Danielle, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Hope everyone had a great day, and I hope your poop is green tomorrow.
Oh, and a shout out to my girl Danielle, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Blogging is Power
I just read a banner on Perez Hilton that said "Blogging is Power". I seem to have misplaced my power lately, since Blogspot so lovingly told me that I haven't logged in or posted here since FEBRUARY 6TH! Geez, Mary Rose, what could be so important that you haven't updated your blog in over a month?
No excuses, I really didn't have any. I've been busy with work and home, trying to keep everything balanced, and the balance didn't really include blogging. The only reason I'm blogging right now is because I woke up at 3:30 with a stomach ache (gas, BLECH!) and I'm sitting in the bathroom trying to make myself feel better before I simply bite the bullet and get ready for work.
News? News? You clamor for news? Hear you go:
1) We're going to Vegas on 4/11 and seeing to of our good friends become forever forged together in matrimony. It was a very spur of the moment decision, and I'm glad I made it. We got a screaming deal ($860 for both our roundtrip flights and a two night stay in the Monte Carlo. We're extremely excited to be going!
2) I've been going to yoga at a place thisclose to my work, and I love it. Even right now, my shoulders are tight and sore and I can't wait to schedule my first massage at the same place, click here to check it out.
3) I finally made the leap and stopped at TLC on Friday to buy some new bras. Lo and behold, I'm now faced with a truth I can no longer deny...... I'm a G cup. As in, "GEE, those boobs are enormous".
4) We still haven't heard anything of interest from a single doctor in the Denver area. My radiation oncologist down there told me that the eye doctor may want me down there to have another look and see if there have been any changes. I'm pretty sure at this point that if they want to see it they'll have to get a good look at it from here because I'm not making one more non-informational trip to Denver. I'd rather go to Mayo at this point, at least there I don't think I'd be dicked around to such an obscene level. Don't get me wrong, I don't really blame the doctors, if this stuff in my eye/lung is rare then I can see where they would get stumped, but don't assume for a second that I'm willing to jet down at their leisure when they don't seem sure that they can figure anything out.
5) Thad is building a patio out back for the new hot tub he got for free from a buddy. I guess the guy was going to leave it at his old house because the pump was cracked, but Thad asked if he could take it during the move and now it languishes in the backyard.
6) My pal Adriennit (that's Adrienne in Cheyenne) will **fingers crossed** be coming up this week for a workshop and some MARY TIME! If you know me you know how much I a.d.o.r.e. this girl, and we always have a good time together. I'm going to force her to watch at least one movie, and as many episodes of Metalocalypse as she can physically take.
7) Last but not least....... Elora Monkey-girl. She is my radiant moonbeam of joy. She's also a pill. She's been going through the normal toddler stuff, fits, biting, all sorts of great fun. We got a new camera, but since I'm not near that one I will post some new pictures of her when I exit the commode.
Well, my stomach still hurts a little, and my neck and shoulders are really sore, so I'm going to go give myself a self-massage against the wall before I hop in the shower. Thanks for stopping by to read this! Hope it was semi-worth the wait.
No excuses, I really didn't have any. I've been busy with work and home, trying to keep everything balanced, and the balance didn't really include blogging. The only reason I'm blogging right now is because I woke up at 3:30 with a stomach ache (gas, BLECH!) and I'm sitting in the bathroom trying to make myself feel better before I simply bite the bullet and get ready for work.
News? News? You clamor for news? Hear you go:
1) We're going to Vegas on 4/11 and seeing to of our good friends become forever forged together in matrimony. It was a very spur of the moment decision, and I'm glad I made it. We got a screaming deal ($860 for both our roundtrip flights and a two night stay in the Monte Carlo. We're extremely excited to be going!
2) I've been going to yoga at a place thisclose to my work, and I love it. Even right now, my shoulders are tight and sore and I can't wait to schedule my first massage at the same place, click here to check it out.
3) I finally made the leap and stopped at TLC on Friday to buy some new bras. Lo and behold, I'm now faced with a truth I can no longer deny...... I'm a G cup. As in, "GEE, those boobs are enormous".
4) We still haven't heard anything of interest from a single doctor in the Denver area. My radiation oncologist down there told me that the eye doctor may want me down there to have another look and see if there have been any changes. I'm pretty sure at this point that if they want to see it they'll have to get a good look at it from here because I'm not making one more non-informational trip to Denver. I'd rather go to Mayo at this point, at least there I don't think I'd be dicked around to such an obscene level. Don't get me wrong, I don't really blame the doctors, if this stuff in my eye/lung is rare then I can see where they would get stumped, but don't assume for a second that I'm willing to jet down at their leisure when they don't seem sure that they can figure anything out.
5) Thad is building a patio out back for the new hot tub he got for free from a buddy. I guess the guy was going to leave it at his old house because the pump was cracked, but Thad asked if he could take it during the move and now it languishes in the backyard.
6) My pal Adriennit (that's Adrienne in Cheyenne) will **fingers crossed** be coming up this week for a workshop and some MARY TIME! If you know me you know how much I a.d.o.r.e. this girl, and we always have a good time together. I'm going to force her to watch at least one movie, and as many episodes of Metalocalypse as she can physically take.
7) Last but not least....... Elora Monkey-girl. She is my radiant moonbeam of joy. She's also a pill. She's been going through the normal toddler stuff, fits, biting, all sorts of great fun. We got a new camera, but since I'm not near that one I will post some new pictures of her when I exit the commode.
Well, my stomach still hurts a little, and my neck and shoulders are really sore, so I'm going to go give myself a self-massage against the wall before I hop in the shower. Thanks for stopping by to read this! Hope it was semi-worth the wait.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)