Since it has cooled down to a respectable 90 I've started planning for lovely fall food. Soups, chili, pumpkin something something, bread, you know everything that tastes wonderful but heats your house up, re-creating hades.
Here are my favorite sites to assist in my endeavors
Pioneer Woman has reinvented my life. I love all of her photography tips, cooking tips and her humor. This is a great site for slightly fancified cowboy food. Meat and potatoes at its best, with the occasional fancy dessert.
Mels Kitchen Cafe Mormon bazaar food at its best, without being too bizarre, if you know what I mean. (Think green Jell-O concoctions and cream of soup mysteries.) Mel makes wonderful comfort food and uses things you probably already have on hand and I love her BEST recipe section which provides you with the best cookies, brownies, breads, soups etc so you don't have to wonder "hmmm is this really going to be worth it?"
Tasty Kitchen provides more variety than the other two sites, well organized and has great pics.
This Little Piggy's Food Blog My favorite muffin recipe comes from this site, that right there gives it prestige, this blog also has a lot of wonderful cooking links on it.
So go cook something.
And...
What's your favorite cooking site?
AND...
go try these breadsticks because they are EASY and WONDERFUL (plus they make canned soup and salad respectable)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Things only a resident of Moapa Valley would understand
Some people do not realize that living in this desert is not so much a life style but a survival experience. Only those who have lived here will understand my list!
1. The Cement Dance. Convincing yourself that you don't need to shoes to run to the trash can outside, or to the car really quick, or to take someone the phone outside; only to realize your bare feet are in danger of suffering 3rd degree burns from the hot concrete. You dart from shade spot to shade spot, wincing and hopping from foot to foot and even trying to walk on different parts of your feet.
2. Thinking 90 degrees feels like Fall. This people is just sad.
3. Changing of the leaves. This event equals when all the leaves only turn brown and DIE!
4. Traffic jam is a tractor holding everyone up on main street.
5. Cannon fire is not a frightening thing. On Friday night the sound of an ear splitting boom is not unusual. It's our high school's way of celebrating a touchdown.
6. People STILL accidentally call your mother by her maiden name. And on the rare occasion, your granny.
7. You are related to almost everyone in your high school... some how.
Can anyone relate to this?
1. The Cement Dance. Convincing yourself that you don't need to shoes to run to the trash can outside, or to the car really quick, or to take someone the phone outside; only to realize your bare feet are in danger of suffering 3rd degree burns from the hot concrete. You dart from shade spot to shade spot, wincing and hopping from foot to foot and even trying to walk on different parts of your feet.
2. Thinking 90 degrees feels like Fall. This people is just sad.
3. Changing of the leaves. This event equals when all the leaves only turn brown and DIE!
4. Traffic jam is a tractor holding everyone up on main street.
5. Cannon fire is not a frightening thing. On Friday night the sound of an ear splitting boom is not unusual. It's our high school's way of celebrating a touchdown.
6. People STILL accidentally call your mother by her maiden name. And on the rare occasion, your granny.
7. You are related to almost everyone in your high school... some how.
Can anyone relate to this?
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Conversations Over Heard
Sometimes I hear the ends of conversations and feel shocked/ and or disgusted/ and or horrified/ and or amused. I really don't have the room to judge because I did not hear the beginning of above mentioned conversation. Below are some examples. Draw your own conclusions.
*At Lin's in the Dairy section, a woman on her cell phone* "It is really red. I mean, like a cherry. I asked him that was normal, he said not usually!"
*Dropping Ella off at nursery* "....kind of terrible, but what can you do about it? I gave him some mouth wash but I was afraid he'd swallow it. Cuz how do you rationalize with him not to swallow?"
*Brent playing with Ella in her toy room. They had her princess carriage and her school bus* "And that is why you should not drive drunk!"
What frightening conversations have you walked in on?
*At Lin's in the Dairy section, a woman on her cell phone* "It is really red. I mean, like a cherry. I asked him that was normal, he said not usually!"
*Dropping Ella off at nursery* "....kind of terrible, but what can you do about it? I gave him some mouth wash but I was afraid he'd swallow it. Cuz how do you rationalize with him not to swallow?"
*Brent playing with Ella in her toy room. They had her princess carriage and her school bus* "And that is why you should not drive drunk!"
What frightening conversations have you walked in on?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Annual Auto Clean-Out
About once a year I bite the bullet and clean out my car. I see it mostly as hopeless task, which is why I only do it once or maybe twice (in a good year.) I had a problem with cluttered car syndrome even before I had children, the problem has only been amplified by the needy little creatures who require their equal weight in baggage, even if you are only going to the grocery store! So with the fear of being redundant (remember my couch about a year ago?) here is what I found, and yes it is shocking, alarming and somewhat impressive...
3 Bracelets-when I drive I tend to discard jewelry, it gets in the way
2 Clothespins-I think they were left over from the pomegranate festival where I had a booth selling tutus
Duct Tape-its multiple uses extend to the automobile, for example if I ever need to restrain a carjacker or repair my bumper-good to go
Shoe Polish-goodness I think that has been in there since my sister's wedding in 2005.
Womanly supplies-yeah every woman needs her goods in her car, or you end up wearing a diaper home from a shopping trip, that's a story for another day.
Birth Charts-in case I forget how much my child weighs or need to know in an emergency their head circumference. haha
6 Books-I like to read
Magic Wand-useful for casting spells on offensive drivers
Old Camera- huh?
Purse-my daughter's
Rattle-obviously we know why that's in there
Air filter-hmmm need to get that to where it belongs
2 Coats-the weather can be so unpredictable you know 115 one day 105 the next
Sweater-see above
Monkey hot pad-I think this was used to transport food a couple of years ago
2 Diaper bags-one is strictly for church one is for every day wear
2 strollers-one is a jogging stroller and it only makes an appearance in the car occasionally the other is my "mall" stroller and its permanent home is the car. I have no other place to put it
3 camp chairs-these are constantly being utilized for various outdoor activities
Hot dog roaster-I was wondering where that went to
2 Raouuuul blankets-they are good for transporting/wrapping up furniture etc. and the quality one's can only be purchased in Mexico out of the back of Raouuuul's van
Snowboard-goodness you must be amazed by my vehicles load capacity by now
BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE-hopefully you are not bored by now but I can understand if you are still reading strictly due to morbid curiosity
Kitty pillow-induces sleepiness and is therefore necessary for road trips with toddlers
Jean blanket-for picnics
Boxes-free around Christmas time from the Post Office
Mystery Box-which is huge and I use for various teaching assignments to build children's interest in whatever mundane thing I am about to introduce to them
3 pairs of shoes-due to the fact that my son can kick shoes into the trickiest cracks where they disappear, amongst other things, into the "abyss"
Rug-I think I was going to take it back and never did
Instructions to my dishwasher-what??? Didn't even know I had any let alone was storing them in my CAR????
2 Shopping basket covers-shopping baskets strike fear into my heart almost more than public restrooms
2 phone bills-I think I intended to pay them in person but ended up doing it online
A monkey-don't worry it's not real
A writing tablet-where I began recording this madness
Spanish Scriptures-my husband leaves his church equipment in my car Monday morning because he doesn't want his car to be "cluttered up."
2 Gospel Doctrine Manuals-see above
Rocks-it's inevitable when you live in the country
Color swatches-par for the course
Tree-hehehe just an air freshener, but at this point you are ready to believe anything huh?
Moldy sippy cup-ewww there is a difference between clutter and nastiness and I draw the line at the latter, even I have limits
Giant Lollipop-that came in really handy when we were stuck on the freeway for 3 HOURS!!!
Christmas cards-I'm festive
Ball-that would be my son
WHEWWW thanks for staying with me. Pat yourself on the back you made it through the list. And just so you know I did this in April/Mayish so some of that stuff seasonally makes more sense. We were outdoors a lot in the spring. I don't think of myself as an unorganized mess. My lawn is kept, my children are groomed but the car is my closet/black-hole/weakness I'm always in a hurry/late and throwing things in the car but obviously not throwing things out of the car. UNTIL I crack and can't find my, hmmm lets say snowboard, because it is buried somewhere in the disaster of my car. I think I'm making myself a target for all kinds of crime scenarios. ANYWAY, since this infamous cleansing I strive to be better and realized I truly did/do have a problem and am dealing with it. My car has been much better it's currently only sporting the bare essentials, a few toys and a diaper bag, but sometimes I miss having every thing you would ever need at the tip of my fingers. Oh yes and I do have the best cargo space in my gas-guzzling SUV ever, in case you were ever in doubt. I could never go back to a car. Where would I put my stroller? Not to mention my children? hehehe
So, what do you have in your car? And if it's nothing more than a pack of tic-tacs please go do me a favor and throw in a random basket of clutter so I will feel better about myself.
3 Bracelets-when I drive I tend to discard jewelry, it gets in the way
2 Clothespins-I think they were left over from the pomegranate festival where I had a booth selling tutus
Duct Tape-its multiple uses extend to the automobile, for example if I ever need to restrain a carjacker or repair my bumper-good to go
Shoe Polish-goodness I think that has been in there since my sister's wedding in 2005.
Womanly supplies-yeah every woman needs her goods in her car, or you end up wearing a diaper home from a shopping trip, that's a story for another day.
Birth Charts-in case I forget how much my child weighs or need to know in an emergency their head circumference. haha
6 Books-I like to read
Magic Wand-useful for casting spells on offensive drivers
Old Camera- huh?
Purse-my daughter's
Rattle-obviously we know why that's in there
Air filter-hmmm need to get that to where it belongs
2 Coats-the weather can be so unpredictable you know 115 one day 105 the next
Sweater-see above
Monkey hot pad-I think this was used to transport food a couple of years ago
2 Diaper bags-one is strictly for church one is for every day wear
2 strollers-one is a jogging stroller and it only makes an appearance in the car occasionally the other is my "mall" stroller and its permanent home is the car. I have no other place to put it
3 camp chairs-these are constantly being utilized for various outdoor activities
Hot dog roaster-I was wondering where that went to
2 Raouuuul blankets-they are good for transporting/wrapping up furniture etc. and the quality one's can only be purchased in Mexico out of the back of Raouuuul's van
Snowboard-goodness you must be amazed by my vehicles load capacity by now
BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE-hopefully you are not bored by now but I can understand if you are still reading strictly due to morbid curiosity
Kitty pillow-induces sleepiness and is therefore necessary for road trips with toddlers
Jean blanket-for picnics
Boxes-free around Christmas time from the Post Office
Mystery Box-which is huge and I use for various teaching assignments to build children's interest in whatever mundane thing I am about to introduce to them
3 pairs of shoes-due to the fact that my son can kick shoes into the trickiest cracks where they disappear, amongst other things, into the "abyss"
Rug-I think I was going to take it back and never did
Instructions to my dishwasher-what??? Didn't even know I had any let alone was storing them in my CAR????
2 Shopping basket covers-shopping baskets strike fear into my heart almost more than public restrooms
2 phone bills-I think I intended to pay them in person but ended up doing it online
A monkey-don't worry it's not real
A writing tablet-where I began recording this madness
Spanish Scriptures-my husband leaves his church equipment in my car Monday morning because he doesn't want his car to be "cluttered up."
2 Gospel Doctrine Manuals-see above
Rocks-it's inevitable when you live in the country
Color swatches-par for the course
Tree-hehehe just an air freshener, but at this point you are ready to believe anything huh?
Moldy sippy cup-ewww there is a difference between clutter and nastiness and I draw the line at the latter, even I have limits
Giant Lollipop-that came in really handy when we were stuck on the freeway for 3 HOURS!!!
Christmas cards-I'm festive
Ball-that would be my son
WHEWWW thanks for staying with me. Pat yourself on the back you made it through the list. And just so you know I did this in April/Mayish so some of that stuff seasonally makes more sense. We were outdoors a lot in the spring. I don't think of myself as an unorganized mess. My lawn is kept, my children are groomed but the car is my closet/black-hole/weakness I'm always in a hurry/late and throwing things in the car but obviously not throwing things out of the car. UNTIL I crack and can't find my, hmmm lets say snowboard, because it is buried somewhere in the disaster of my car. I think I'm making myself a target for all kinds of crime scenarios. ANYWAY, since this infamous cleansing I strive to be better and realized I truly did/do have a problem and am dealing with it. My car has been much better it's currently only sporting the bare essentials, a few toys and a diaper bag, but sometimes I miss having every thing you would ever need at the tip of my fingers. Oh yes and I do have the best cargo space in my gas-guzzling SUV ever, in case you were ever in doubt. I could never go back to a car. Where would I put my stroller? Not to mention my children? hehehe
So, what do you have in your car? And if it's nothing more than a pack of tic-tacs please go do me a favor and throw in a random basket of clutter so I will feel better about myself.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Take a Look at This
THANK YOU bug man for keeping things like this DEAD and out of my house. If you or any of your friends have experienced this alien'ish' THING roaming freely around your house, please call my incredibly efficient, courteous, professional pest control agency at...
On Target Pest Control at 702-397-2371
Because, this thing could
If you are not utterly disgusted, repulsed or otherwise affected please come by my house and see it in person, it's blood-chilling. I thought it was a crawdad at first. ewww
On Target Pest Control at 702-397-2371
Because, this thing could
- carry off your child
- eat your entire house
- wrestle your cat and win
- throw a brick back at you if you attempted to smash it
You realize this is 4 inches, with antennae, which is equivalent to a Polly pocket or about half the length of my foot and I wear a size 8!
If you are not utterly disgusted, repulsed or otherwise affected please come by my house and see it in person, it's blood-chilling. I thought it was a crawdad at first. ewww
Monday, July 19, 2010
Reason I Hate Moapa Valley Today
1. Ugly freaking desert
2. Hotter than freaking hell
3. Dirt everywhere, no trees
4. 1% humidity feels like my lungs are filled with water
5. No rain
6. No shopping or conveniences
7. It will be October before we see double digits again
8. Snakes
9. Big bugs
10. The dry air gives you premature wrinkles!!
Why do YOU hate MV today?
2. Hotter than freaking hell
3. Dirt everywhere, no trees
4. 1% humidity feels like my lungs are filled with water
5. No rain
6. No shopping or conveniences
7. It will be October before we see double digits again
8. Snakes
9. Big bugs
10. The dry air gives you premature wrinkles!!
Why do YOU hate MV today?
Thursday, July 8, 2010
I Am Not Making This Up
I am crazy. My husband is crazy. We dream. The only difference is I remember everything and my husband, well he is blessed, as are most men, with selective memory. I could fill up notebooks upon notebooks with my dreams but I tried that once and it made me dream even more. My dreaming is constant and consistent but my husband is more sporadic. About every 6 months or so, he has what I have affectionately deemed "freak outs." He wakes completely looks at me and mutters some crazy nonsense I have learned to embrace. I play along, having a little fun, asking questions until he becomes even more confused but I figure its fair due to the fact that HIS NAME IS NOT REALLY JED!
Which is one of the many episodes we have had...I wake up to find him staring at me.
"Yes Jed?"
His response, "That's not my name."
Well then who are you? I still haven't learned his real name.
Episode #2 (not in chronological order, in fact not in any real order)
This was right after we were first married. I woke to shaking. What's wrong? The frantic look in his eyes is scaring me. "DON'T DUMP IT THERE!!!"
huh?
"Back the truck up over HERE."
Apparently I was driving a rock truck over a cliff. oops
Episode #3
"OH NO! I missed my flight."
At this point I am a pro now. I slyly ask-Where are you going?
"Reno."
Why are you going to Reno? (Here I am thinking I've finally figured out where his "other" family lives, he is gone a lot you know. )
"Basketball-Keel is going to kill me"
HAAAHAHAAHAA!!! He is thinking he is still in high school and just made a pun of his b-ball coach's name, while completely out of it.
Episode #4
I wake up last night to him laughing uncontrollably. What's so funny?
"The game," he replies as he is holding what appear to be invisible binoculars.
At this point I am laughing too-"What game," I oh so innocently inquire.
"The video game, it's in 3-D," he then proceeds to bust out some sweeeet wii moves, rolls over laughs a few more times and starts snoring.
I start plotting in my head how I can incorporate this into the blahg.
Now in all fairness-
Here are two of my more recent dreams
Dream #1-Pretty simple-I dream I am a levitating, hissing hell cat. I can fly. It's pretty awesome.
Dream #2-This dream is more detailed. I dream I am a waitress at a restaurant. My cousin (who I haven't seen in years) comes into the restaurant where I work. When she pays for her food, I steal her debit card, drain her bank account and buy....
a HARLEY DAVIDSON, complete with side car, in which I store my surfboards and sister. We then proceed to drive (my sister and I) up the coast stopping at a town named Ork to rest and of course surf. Any questions?
Have any crazy dreams lately?
PS-I know I butcher quotation marks. I follow my own rules. Which is fodder for another post. Just call me the e.e.cummings of the blogosphere.
Which is one of the many episodes we have had...I wake up to find him staring at me.
"Yes Jed?"
His response, "That's not my name."
Well then who are you? I still haven't learned his real name.
Episode #2 (not in chronological order, in fact not in any real order)
This was right after we were first married. I woke to shaking. What's wrong? The frantic look in his eyes is scaring me. "DON'T DUMP IT THERE!!!"
huh?
"Back the truck up over HERE."
Apparently I was driving a rock truck over a cliff. oops
Episode #3
"OH NO! I missed my flight."
At this point I am a pro now. I slyly ask-Where are you going?
"Reno."
Why are you going to Reno? (Here I am thinking I've finally figured out where his "other" family lives, he is gone a lot you know. )
"Basketball-Keel is going to kill me"
HAAAHAHAAHAA!!! He is thinking he is still in high school and just made a pun of his b-ball coach's name, while completely out of it.
Episode #4
I wake up last night to him laughing uncontrollably. What's so funny?
"The game," he replies as he is holding what appear to be invisible binoculars.
At this point I am laughing too-"What game," I oh so innocently inquire.
"The video game, it's in 3-D," he then proceeds to bust out some sweeeet wii moves, rolls over laughs a few more times and starts snoring.
I start plotting in my head how I can incorporate this into the blahg.
Now in all fairness-
Here are two of my more recent dreams
Dream #1-Pretty simple-I dream I am a levitating, hissing hell cat. I can fly. It's pretty awesome.
Dream #2-This dream is more detailed. I dream I am a waitress at a restaurant. My cousin (who I haven't seen in years) comes into the restaurant where I work. When she pays for her food, I steal her debit card, drain her bank account and buy....
a HARLEY DAVIDSON, complete with side car, in which I store my surfboards and sister. We then proceed to drive (my sister and I) up the coast stopping at a town named Ork to rest and of course surf. Any questions?
Have any crazy dreams lately?
PS-I know I butcher quotation marks. I follow my own rules. Which is fodder for another post. Just call me the e.e.cummings of the blogosphere.
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