Sunday, February 28, 2010

Are you the conductor?

We had dinner with some friends last night - which by the way was fantabulous! oh my goodness it was yummy. We had shrimp cocktail, salad, soup, palette refresher of sorbet, flank steak, with rice, asparagus, and a stuffed tomato. Dessert was so chocolatey. a round of cake, then dark mouse, then light mouse and chocolate shavings and a sliced strawberry for garnish - WOW. I felt so pampered and in complete bliss.

During dinner, the conversation lead to some of the things people have been able to do during their lives. All kinds of travel and all types of experiences. One of the ladies there said that really - we don't get to orchestrate the big things in life. We can somewhat control the everyday stuff, but the big stuff not so much. I have been thinking about it and think she is right. We can set goals and work towards big things, but ultimately it is how we deal with what has been orchestrated that counts.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

A Little MeMe

Today, we got our house cleaning chores done and out of the way first thing.  We haven't really unpacked any boxes today - maybe I will start in my hobby area.  I have some crafting to get done by next Saturday, so I better get going on it.  But before I do I am going to make some brownies and leave you with a little MeMe.  What is a MeMe you ask?  Just a little something about me right now.

I WANT:  my craft room all unpacked and set up
I HAVE:  the most wonderful husband and doggie in the world
I WISH:  I was skinny and athletic
I HATE:  that my weekends aren't longer
I MISS:  my family in Idaho - they are the best
I HEAR:  The news reports about the Hawaii Tsunami and the Earthquake in Chile
I WONDER:  If I am going to like my new ward as much as I do my old one
I REGRET:  Not checking in with friends more often than I do
I AM NOT:  scared
I DANCE: when no one is watching
I SING:  when I am happy
I CRY:  when the spirit touches my heart
I AM NOT:  Lefthanded 
I MAKE WITH MY HANDS:  Yummy food, beautiful needlework, greeting cards and home decor
I WRITE:  my blog & lots of lists
I NEED:  a new car
I SHOULD:  be better at sending thank you cards
I START:  thinking about garden planting in march
I FINISH: each day with family prayers

Now it is your turn -
Smiley from millan.net

Friday, February 26, 2010

A little bit of everything

Smiley from millan.net
I have been thinking about sitting down and updating my blog, but there was too much to write.  I kept putting it off and it wasn't getting done.  I will just pick up with today and move on.  I am so ready for spring.  I have almost made it through February in one piece and yes my sanity is still in tact.  Whew - I didn't think I was going to make it.  
Smiley from millan.netRalph was my ultimate life saver.  He really helped make everything run smooth and he was great to lean on when I needed strength and to cuddle with when I needed some love.  Thanks sweety!

Our ward and the Curtis family really made the actual move easy.   We love our ward and will be so sad to have to move on to a new one.  Hopefully, we will be able to make new friends.  We are mostly unpacked.  The office and the hobby room is still mostly in boxes.  The basement is still a bit unorganzied, but I at least know where everything is and how to find it.  Tomorrow is clean house day and unpack some more boxes.  I am really missing my stamping. 

I was on the elevator today with the Presiding Bishopric. They were making their usual small talk. I noticed that they all had ties on that had geometric square patterns. So, as I was in my usual "don't filter what I say" mode, I asked them if they called each other this morning and coordinated tie patterns.  The response was hilarious - first they actually took a moment to look at each others ties, then commented about how they have a rack in their office and they don't choose a tie until they come in to work so that they can match- yeah right - but funny.

Two days ago I was on the elevator with Bishop Burton and other employees that work at the COB.  The elevator happened to stop on one of the floors and nobody got on or off - or so it seemed.  After the doors shut, Bishop Burton said - "there goes Harvey"  I thought it was hilarous.  What was even funnier is I got back to my desk and my co-worker had to ask who Harvey was.  I guess I dated myself by knowing, but it is a classic - Jimmy Stewart movie.  Funny and worth the watch.

We celebrated Ralph's B-day this week.  Not a big party - just a get together with us and his Mom.  We had home made french dip sandwiches, oven fries and vegetable plate.  He didn't want a cake, so I made lemon bars with white chocolate chips.  Very tasty.  The recipe for our sandwiches came from - The Pioneer Woman's French Dip Sandwiches  The recipe has officially been added to our permanent file. 

We made a pot of soup this week.  With all the rain and snow, it just felt right.  Ralph made a curried chicken and split pea soup.  It was good, but what made it better was the home made focaccia to eat with it.  I scanned the internet for a good recipe and found one Thyme and Parmesan Focaccia.  I made it slightly different, but it has been so good.  I love home made breads.
Smiley from millan.net I have been sucked up into the olympics I love watching all the events. Well... maybe not curling. I can handle a little bit of that event, but then I get bored. It is amazing what these althletes have invested.  So much time, money and effort into their chosen sport. And it all comes down to a hundredth of a second, a lane change, or one little slip and fall that can determine whether you move on, get a medal, or go home defeated.

Tonight - as much as I have enjoyed watching the sports.  I have had enough TV.  Instead of being glued to the TV again to watch the olympics and all the goings on - I decided to sit down at the piano for a while.  Smiley from millan.netIt has been a long time since I have done that - what a great relaxing activity.  I played through some Joplin - ok fumbled through some Joplin and pulled out some of my old stand bys that I enjoy playing.  It was good, and a motivation to spend some more time at the key board.

Well, I think I have a little dog that needs to go potty before bed time - somehow that has become my job.  Ok well, I don't mind.  Riley has been so good since we have moved.  I expected him to run around the house and mark everything, but he hasn't.  Yay for us.  Anyway
Ta Ta for now
Smiley from millan.net

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Dear 2010

So far 2010 and I have not been the greatest friends. Smiley from millan.net We are in the middle of the 2nd week of February and I can confidently say, if the next 10½ months are anything like the first 6 weeks , I am going to need some serious therapy!
Smiley from millan.netThis cold has hit me with a vengeance as it always does when I get a cold. Yes Mom, I am taking extra vitamin C and all my regular vitamins. I came into work today to see if I could at least put my head above all the paperwork on my desk. We have rotated assignments this week and I didn’t want to end up behind before I had even gotten started. I have been assigned the trouble accounts and am not really looking forward to working with all their “issues”

It was my turn to fix dinner last night – we had left over chicken, steamed broccoli and twice baked potatoes. Comfort food if I do say so (except the broccoli). I don’t have a said recipe for twice baked potatoes, but my standard is – bacon, green onion, butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, Lawry’s seasoned salt, and black pepper. Pure yummyness! I made extra so that I could have one for lunch today.  Hopefully I won't be so stuffed up that I can't taste how good it is.

Back to work - Ta Ta for now
Smiley from millan.net

Monday, February 8, 2010

Football and stuff

I am staying home from work today.  Not really playing hookie.  I have a cold - that I have been trying to fight off, but it has over taken me as of this morning.  So, while I am not sharing my cold with my co-workers I can alleviate some of my stresses by working on the packing - with what little energy I have.

It turned out that watching the neices and nephews on Saturday was a welcome break to packing.  Ralph and I were tired at the end of the day so it was a great excuse to quit for a while.  We had pizza and watched the 2nd Night at the Museum movie.  The kids were great!

Yesterday we went up to one of Ralph's brothers homes to watch the superbowl.  We had a great time and way yummy food.  We all brought up our dogs to play together and that was kind of funny.  Riley let the two younger dogs know that he wanted to be in charge.  Once they accepted that the evening went fine.  They loved to chase the ball.  There was a coon hound there that kept dragging the little Australian collie around by its collar/neck.  Kind of funny, but not really.  Behavior issues up the wazzoo with that one. 

So, I thought it would be nice if the Saints won the game, based on the fact that they haven't ever won the superbowl.  But when I remembered that Austin Collie played for the Colts, there was no way I could support him getting a superbowl ring his first year of playing pro-ball.  So I became even more invested in the Saints winning the football game.  They did it!  Yay! Yay! Yay!Millan.net

Well - I guess I better get a few things done before run out of energy and have to crash for the day.   I will leave you with our recipe for

Buffalo chicken dip -
•2-3 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
•1 cup of ranch dressing or blue cheese dresssing
•1 cup of Franks Original Red Hot (do not substitute this please)
•1 8 oz block of cream cheese (do not use fat free, 1/3rd less fat OK)
•2 cups of shredded cheese - any blend of cheese you like.
•Green onions (optional)

•mix together the cream cheese, dressing, hot sauce, and shredded cheese - add the shredded chicken. Spread into an 11 x 7 pyrex baking dish and put into a 375 F oven for 20-30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Garnish with green onions and serve with celery sticks and slices of toasted bagette or crackers.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

A whole lot of nothing

I wish I had a great vacation to report on or a great recipe to share with you, but right now I am drowning in stuff to be packed and, lessons to prepare!  Still have a lot of boxes to fill and a lot of cleaning to be done by next weekend. 

We will take a break and watch the superbowl on Sunday with one of Ralph's brothers and his family.  We are bringing a veggie tray and buffalo chicken dip.  There is always so much yummy food.  Oh yeah, I just remembered Ralph volunteered to watch our neices and nephews tonight while their parents attend stake conference so we will be spending part of the evening at their house.  Thought I would check in and say HI!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Riley B.

When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive. When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile. When I am happy, he is joy unbounded. When I am a fool, he ignores it. When I succeed, he brags. Without him, I am only another man. With him, I am all-powerful. He is loyalty itself
His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever — in case I need him. And I expect I will — as I always have. He is just my dog.

aka
Cowboy Name - Dirty Doodle McGee
Irish Name - Riley Booger O'Dell
Sports Name - Balls
Superhero Name - The Red Rocket
Indian Name - Chief Poops on Rugs