I know a lot of people get excited about the New Year. There are resolutions to be made and eventually abandoned, and the chance to turn over a new leaf and begin life with fresh zeal and a new outlook. These are definitely good things to be excited about. But as for me, I'm mostly excited about the food. Big surprise, huh - that seems to be my favorite part of just about any holiday.
There are two things in particular that I look forward to on New Year's Eve, and we'll be making and devouring them tomorrow just like we have been for years. I'll go ahead and post the recipes here now, though I'll be putting them up on my food blog later, after I make them and take pictures. Don't worry, you're not missing out on much by not seeing the pictures yet - it's not very photogenic food. But it's so good!!!
Traveling Tacos (sort of a layered taco dip, I don't have exact amounts for this one)
Combine refried beans with salsa. Spread in a pan. The pan and amounts depend on how much you want. For our little family, we do an 8-inch pan. Layer on top of the bean mixture: guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced olives, chopped tomatoes, and shredded lettuce. Chill for a few hours, and serve with tortilla chips.
Hearty Cheese Dip (This supposedly feeds 20, so we usually cut it in half and it serves the two of us and the kids quite nicely)
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground sausage
16 oz. jar picante sauce
8 oz. jar diced tomatoes with green chilies
28 oz. can refried beans
4 oz. chopped olives
3 lbs. Mexican Velveeta
Brown meat; drain. In a large pot, melt cheese, stirring every few minutes. Add picante sauce and tomatoes to melted cheese. Stir well. Cook for five minutes on medium high heat. Add remaining ingredients to cheese mixture; stir well and cook another 10 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.
I'm going to thoroughly enjoy the munching tomorrow night! These yummy dips are worth staying up until midnight for!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Why My Husband is Awesome!
Jeff noticed that I have been feeling down, and especially down about my looks. I have been especially critical of my hair, since I cut it myself a while back and didn't do a particularly even job of it. I was excited about it at the time, but I've wanted to get it fixed professionally for a while, especially since it was growing out and really looking shaggy. So that awesome man that I married told me that part of his birthday money would be used to get my hair cut at a salon. Is he awesome or what?!
So when we did our shopping today, I stopped in at the hair-cutting place in Wal-Mart and had them fix my hair. I'm so pleased with the results! It's really short in the back, and longer in the front, with side swept bangs. It should be really easy to style, according to the lady who cut it.
This, friends, is why my husband is awesome.
So when we did our shopping today, I stopped in at the hair-cutting place in Wal-Mart and had them fix my hair. I'm so pleased with the results! It's really short in the back, and longer in the front, with side swept bangs. It should be really easy to style, according to the lady who cut it.
This, friends, is why my husband is awesome.
A Little Update
Yeah, I haven't gotten on and posted much lately, sorry. I've been feeling a little down, and not really in the mood to post anything. But I figured it was time to post a few pictures and stuff.
The Saturday before Christmas my cousin Esther and her husband Nathan were here, along with their adorable little Hannah, and we decided to get together for the evening. We met at the Discovery Center at the Gateway Mall. Someday it would be fun to go through there and do all that cool stuff that you do at Discovery Centers. But at the time, it was just the place where we met. We walked around the mall for a while, but since it's an outdoor mall and the temperature was quite low, we settled on Barnes and Noble and stayed there for a good long time.
The children's section was especially fun, especially for Zaylee. She found the train tracks and stayed there pretty much the whole time. Every once in a while another child (or Thomas) would want to play too, and Zaylee would grudgingly be forced to share a car or two, but she was always quick to get them back, often at the expense of the other child. I helped her share as much as I could, though. :-)
Here's the only picture I took of everyone together (except me, because, well, I was taking the picture). Doesn't everybody look so nice and cold?
After Barnes and Noble, we went over to the hotel where Nathan and Esther were staying. The walk over was quite chilly, but we all survived. We had dinner (Pizza Hut pasta - the best fast food pasta I've ever eaten!) and watched The Wizard of Oz. It was Zaylee's first time seeing that movie, and she was enthralled. I think the lion was her favorite, she giggled every time he did something silly. All in all, it was a nice visit, and we had a pretty good time.
Aunt Karen wanted to see a picture of Thomas in the adorable red long johns she gave him. When I went to take the pictures, he was ready for bed and definitely needing some sleep (read: he was extremely tired and fussy). So all the pictures I took turned out something like this:
Isn't he so cute, though, even with that fussy face!
Finally, a video from Christmas morning. I had the camera set up to take lots of pictures and videos, but we were too involved in opening and enjoying our gifts to bother with the camera at all. Eventually though, I remembered that I have a blogging obligation to include at least one picture or video from Christmas morning. So here is Zaylee having a grand old time with the pompoms from my brother Owen, currently Elder Danes. Both Zaylee and Thomas have really been enjoying those pompoms!
The Saturday before Christmas my cousin Esther and her husband Nathan were here, along with their adorable little Hannah, and we decided to get together for the evening. We met at the Discovery Center at the Gateway Mall. Someday it would be fun to go through there and do all that cool stuff that you do at Discovery Centers. But at the time, it was just the place where we met. We walked around the mall for a while, but since it's an outdoor mall and the temperature was quite low, we settled on Barnes and Noble and stayed there for a good long time.
The children's section was especially fun, especially for Zaylee. She found the train tracks and stayed there pretty much the whole time. Every once in a while another child (or Thomas) would want to play too, and Zaylee would grudgingly be forced to share a car or two, but she was always quick to get them back, often at the expense of the other child. I helped her share as much as I could, though. :-)
Here's the only picture I took of everyone together (except me, because, well, I was taking the picture). Doesn't everybody look so nice and cold?
After Barnes and Noble, we went over to the hotel where Nathan and Esther were staying. The walk over was quite chilly, but we all survived. We had dinner (Pizza Hut pasta - the best fast food pasta I've ever eaten!) and watched The Wizard of Oz. It was Zaylee's first time seeing that movie, and she was enthralled. I think the lion was her favorite, she giggled every time he did something silly. All in all, it was a nice visit, and we had a pretty good time.
Aunt Karen wanted to see a picture of Thomas in the adorable red long johns she gave him. When I went to take the pictures, he was ready for bed and definitely needing some sleep (read: he was extremely tired and fussy). So all the pictures I took turned out something like this:
Isn't he so cute, though, even with that fussy face!
Finally, a video from Christmas morning. I had the camera set up to take lots of pictures and videos, but we were too involved in opening and enjoying our gifts to bother with the camera at all. Eventually though, I remembered that I have a blogging obligation to include at least one picture or video from Christmas morning. So here is Zaylee having a grand old time with the pompoms from my brother Owen, currently Elder Danes. Both Zaylee and Thomas have really been enjoying those pompoms!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Better Christmas Pictures
We got the tree up! This time for real... (sheepish grin)... Jeff and I put it up and decorated it last night, after our outing with Nathan and Esther (more about that in a later post). We did it after putting the kids to bed for two reasons - first because we got home late and they were tired, second and most importantly because if they're asleep they can't make a mess!
Here's the tree and the stockings, all lit up and pretty. Thomas' stocking is different because he wasn't born yet when we got these ones. I crocheted the one on the end for him last year.
When the kids woke up this morning, after I got them all dressed up for church, they were just enchanted with the tree! Both Zaylee and Thomas were thoroughly engrossed with playing with as many ornaments (or "armaments," as Zaylee pronounces it) as they could reach.
Isn't Zaylee cute in her "Snow Princess" dress? Thank you, Karen, she loves it!
I love this look on Thomas' face!
I also have a few Christmas decorations around. Nativities, holiday-themed salt and pepper shakers (Thank you again, Karen, for your contribution to our new collection!), and this fun little table centerpiece. The foliage is a little wreath we bought at D.I. for our first Christmas together. The candle we received from Michelle a couple months ago when she was going through getting rid of stuff. I was really pleased with how well they paired together!
Now it's finally starting to look and feel a little like Christmas. Finally. :-)
Here's the tree and the stockings, all lit up and pretty. Thomas' stocking is different because he wasn't born yet when we got these ones. I crocheted the one on the end for him last year.
When the kids woke up this morning, after I got them all dressed up for church, they were just enchanted with the tree! Both Zaylee and Thomas were thoroughly engrossed with playing with as many ornaments (or "armaments," as Zaylee pronounces it) as they could reach.
Isn't Zaylee cute in her "Snow Princess" dress? Thank you, Karen, she loves it!
I love this look on Thomas' face!
I also have a few Christmas decorations around. Nativities, holiday-themed salt and pepper shakers (Thank you again, Karen, for your contribution to our new collection!), and this fun little table centerpiece. The foliage is a little wreath we bought at D.I. for our first Christmas together. The candle we received from Michelle a couple months ago when she was going through getting rid of stuff. I was really pleased with how well they paired together!
Now it's finally starting to look and feel a little like Christmas. Finally. :-)
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Check This Out
I was recently introduced to this short (43 minutes) Internet movie, and I thought it was pretty cool. The songs have been stuck in my head all day. It's the story of a wannabe super villain Dr. Horrible, the girl of his dreams, and his hero nemesis Captain Hammer. It's funny and heart-wrenching, and has great music. Check it out and see what you think.
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Thursday, December 18, 2008
I Did It!
Just a quick post to let everyone know that I finally bit the bullet - I drove to Wal-Mart all by myself! This is the first time that I've driven here since we dropped off the U-Haul when we first moved. I've been too scared. But last night we needed wet wipes and a variety of other things, and the kids needed to go to bed, and I needed to get something for Jeff for Christmas. So I told him to stay home with the kids while I went shopping on my own. And I survived! Now that I've gotten over this hurdle, convincing myself to drive will be a little easier each time. Whew!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, but not here....
In this holiday season, Jeff and I have already put a lot of work into preparing our home, making it look beautiful and festive for Christmas.
I'd like to take you all on a photo tour of our festive home, so lovingly decorated and beautified. Prepare to be amazed!
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Here is our tree, already set up and beautifully decorated with bows and balls and garlands and lights.
Here is a lovely scene of Christmas decorations, everything from nativities to wreaths and pretty old Christmas cards.
And here is the corner where the gifts will be wrapped and lovingly placed under the tree.
You can see that some of the gifts for the kids are already wrapped and ready to go!
Yes, in our home, the Christmas spirit and festivities abound!
I'd like to take you all on a photo tour of our festive home, so lovingly decorated and beautified. Prepare to be amazed!
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..
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..
Here is our tree, already set up and beautifully decorated with bows and balls and garlands and lights.
Here is a lovely scene of Christmas decorations, everything from nativities to wreaths and pretty old Christmas cards.
And here is the corner where the gifts will be wrapped and lovingly placed under the tree.
You can see that some of the gifts for the kids are already wrapped and ready to go!
Yes, in our home, the Christmas spirit and festivities abound!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Happy Birthday Jeff!
Yesterday (Sunday) was Jeff's birthday! I've been keeping Jeff guessing for several days as to what I was giving him as a gift. He would ask me a yes-or-no question, and I would answer as vaguely as possible while still being truthful. Drove him crazy! He was so excited to actually find out what I was giving him that he made me stay up until midnight on Saturday night so he could open his gift as soon as it was "technically" his birthday. Truth be told, I didn't actually "stay up" - I fell asleep on the couch and he woke me up at midnight with his puppy-dog eyes and pleading voice. So I took pity and told him to get the present out and open it up.
Jeff loves all things spicy, so I gave him a hot sauce gift set - five hot sauces featuring habanero, jalapeno, chipotle, datil, and cayenne peppers. He was so excited!!
We have been enjoying trying out the hot sauces on various foods. First we did tortillas dipped in the sauces one at a time, and then fried potatoes, with different sauces on different bites. I like hot sauce too, and Jeff has been nice enough to share. They're all really yummy, but the habanero sauce is really really spicy, so I haven't really been too eager to make him share that one!
For his birthday cake, Jeff wanted something light and lemony. Together we decided on a lemon pudding cake, and I made it up for him last night. We ate it so quickly! It made an 8-inch cake, and the whole thing was gone within ten minutes. It was so delicious! It was light and moist and creamy and lemony and sweet, wow! The recipe is over at my food blog.
Jeff loves all things spicy, so I gave him a hot sauce gift set - five hot sauces featuring habanero, jalapeno, chipotle, datil, and cayenne peppers. He was so excited!!
We have been enjoying trying out the hot sauces on various foods. First we did tortillas dipped in the sauces one at a time, and then fried potatoes, with different sauces on different bites. I like hot sauce too, and Jeff has been nice enough to share. They're all really yummy, but the habanero sauce is really really spicy, so I haven't really been too eager to make him share that one!
For his birthday cake, Jeff wanted something light and lemony. Together we decided on a lemon pudding cake, and I made it up for him last night. We ate it so quickly! It made an 8-inch cake, and the whole thing was gone within ten minutes. It was so delicious! It was light and moist and creamy and lemony and sweet, wow! The recipe is over at my food blog.
Ward Christmas Party, and Our Beautiful Old Building
On Friday we had our ward Christmas party. There was lots of good food, and we got to enjoy getting to know some of the ward members. Zaylee enjoyed eating the little chocolate cakes!
I really wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to take some pictures of our building. I got a couple nice ones, but wasn't able to get a good picture of the chapel. I couldn't figure out how to turn on the light in the chapel - it's an old building, so things aren't laid out exactly how you would think. I'm firmly convinced that the switch to turn on the chapel lights isn't in the chapel at all. Anyway, I went up to the cry room above the chapel (yes, there's a cry room!) and took a picture from the "window." Without lights, it didn't really turn out, but it gives the basic idea.
I really need to go back and take pictures when the lights are on. There's some beautiful old details that are just wonderful, and the stained glass windows are so pretty! Here's a window from a smaller room.
The detail under the stair rail:
The old wooden pews in the cry room:
The doors have these wonderful old-fashioned locks:
It really is a charming building, and I'm glad that we have the opportunity to go to church there.
On an mostly different note, I received a calling this Sunday to be the Ward Music Chair. I will be over all the music in the ward - Sacrament Meeting, choir, etc. I'm excited, and kind of nervous. I've done all sorts of musical stuff in church, mostly accompanying and singing. This is the first time I'll be in a music leadership position. I hope I do a good job.
I really wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to take some pictures of our building. I got a couple nice ones, but wasn't able to get a good picture of the chapel. I couldn't figure out how to turn on the light in the chapel - it's an old building, so things aren't laid out exactly how you would think. I'm firmly convinced that the switch to turn on the chapel lights isn't in the chapel at all. Anyway, I went up to the cry room above the chapel (yes, there's a cry room!) and took a picture from the "window." Without lights, it didn't really turn out, but it gives the basic idea.
I really need to go back and take pictures when the lights are on. There's some beautiful old details that are just wonderful, and the stained glass windows are so pretty! Here's a window from a smaller room.
The detail under the stair rail:
The old wooden pews in the cry room:
The doors have these wonderful old-fashioned locks:
It really is a charming building, and I'm glad that we have the opportunity to go to church there.
On an mostly different note, I received a calling this Sunday to be the Ward Music Chair. I will be over all the music in the ward - Sacrament Meeting, choir, etc. I'm excited, and kind of nervous. I've done all sorts of musical stuff in church, mostly accompanying and singing. This is the first time I'll be in a music leadership position. I hope I do a good job.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Temple Square Lights
On Sunday we went to see the lights on Temple Square with Jeff's sister Joy and her her family. We drove down to the trax station, then got to ride on the train to Temple Square. Zaylee was so excited to ride on a train!
The lights were just beautiful. I tried several times to get a good picture of the actual lights, but I couldn't figure out the best settings on the camera for it, and the batteries were running low. So I focused on pictures of other things. Here are the kids, all bundled up in the stroller and excited to be out and about.
I took several pictures of the Temple, but this one turned out best. I love the unique angle.
They had beautiful nativities set up all over Temple Square. This one was in the middle of a pool surrounded by floating lights.
And I absolutely had to take pictures of this one - a Japanese nativity, just like little kokeshi dolls. Mom will love this one - she has a wonderful little collection of kokeshi dolls. Each of these little figures was about 2 or 3 feet tall.
About this time my camera batteries died. It took me several tries to get the Japanese nativity pictures. So the rest of the time I just focused on looking around, enjoying myself, and keeping Zaylee and Thomas from throwing fits because they were tired and cold. All in all it was a good evening, and I'm glad we were able to go out and spend time with Joy and Jim and their kids.
Yesterday we got to enjoy some beautiful snowy weather. Zaylee kept climbing up to the windowsill to look at all the snowflakes falling - it's hard to see in the picture but we were getting some pretty large flakes!
I'm thinking of making those eggnog truffle cups today, because making sweets seems like the perfect way to spend a cold, wintery day!
The lights were just beautiful. I tried several times to get a good picture of the actual lights, but I couldn't figure out the best settings on the camera for it, and the batteries were running low. So I focused on pictures of other things. Here are the kids, all bundled up in the stroller and excited to be out and about.
I took several pictures of the Temple, but this one turned out best. I love the unique angle.
They had beautiful nativities set up all over Temple Square. This one was in the middle of a pool surrounded by floating lights.
And I absolutely had to take pictures of this one - a Japanese nativity, just like little kokeshi dolls. Mom will love this one - she has a wonderful little collection of kokeshi dolls. Each of these little figures was about 2 or 3 feet tall.
About this time my camera batteries died. It took me several tries to get the Japanese nativity pictures. So the rest of the time I just focused on looking around, enjoying myself, and keeping Zaylee and Thomas from throwing fits because they were tired and cold. All in all it was a good evening, and I'm glad we were able to go out and spend time with Joy and Jim and their kids.
Yesterday we got to enjoy some beautiful snowy weather. Zaylee kept climbing up to the windowsill to look at all the snowflakes falling - it's hard to see in the picture but we were getting some pretty large flakes!
I'm thinking of making those eggnog truffle cups today, because making sweets seems like the perfect way to spend a cold, wintery day!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Nightmare at the Laundromat
Today was one of those days when I really missed living close to my parents. We had a little schedule worked out - every Thursday we would go over to their house to do our laundry and spend the day with them, and usually included me making some delicious lunch, dinner, and/or dessert. This was great not only because we got to spend time with my family and have a good time together, but also because we didn't have to spend any money on laundry. Laundry wasn't a chore, it was an excuse to have a great day!
But now, things are different.
Today we went to the laundromat.
We visited Smith's Market to get a few groceries and pick up some change so we could do our laundry. Jeff and I decided that it would be more cost-effective to go to the nearest laundromat than to use the machines in our building, and we would get it all done faster too. So we (the whole family) headed over to the coin-op. Upon arrival, we realized that we had left our laundry soap at home. No big deal, they had detergent dispensers, so Jeff popped in three quarters and got a box. I loaded all the clothes into a huge front-loading machine (four-load capacity, wow!) while Jeff inspected the box. He realized very quickly that he had accidentally bought dryer sheets instead of detergent. No big deal, we needed those anyway. So I sent him back to the dispenser. He comes back with Clorox 2. By now the clothes are all loaded, and ready to go. I open the box, read the directions, and roll my eyes. Clorox 2 is bleach for colors, not detergent! Back to the dispenser!
This time Jeff finally comes back with a little box of Tide, and it's real detergent. Okay, so I loaded the detergent into the detergent place, and the bleach into the bleach place, and we start the machine. After it gets going, I read the instructions on the machine and realize I put the bleach in too soon, and we should have added more detergent (it was, after all, four loads of laundry, one of which was the nasty stuff from the bathroom bucket, namely Zaylee's wet/poopy clothes). Oh well.
The kids, through all this, were having the time of their lives, running around the laundromat and opening and closing all the machines they could reach (thankfully they didn't open any that were running). Jeff got a load of bedding going, and we stood around waiting. Zaylee and Thomas got a kick out of watching our clothes go round and round in the washing machine. I got a kick out of seeing all the stuff in the machine that really wasn't supposed to be there...like Jeff's sharpie and Zaylee's little toy balloon.
When the washing was done, we loaded the bedding into one dryer and all the clothes into another. In our defense, it was a really big dryer and should have been able to dry all of our clothes in a timely manner. Okay, so we should have listened to the lady who told us that the smaller ones heat better and the big ones were kind of old. But it was so big, and we really thought it would work!
While the clothes were drying, we took a brief walk outside, to let the kids (and ourselves) run off some energy. One of the most interesting sights on our walk was the enormous dog that, standing on its hind legs while leaning up against its fence, stood as tall as Jeff. One of the highlights of Zaylee's day, I'm sure, was when it started barking and startled the living daylights our of her. Those big dogs sure have deep barks.
We got back to the laundromat in time to learn that our bedding (in a small dryer) was finished drying, and our clothes (in a large dryer) were not. Not only were they not dry, but they were starting to smell a little funny. I guess that washing four loads of nasty laundry with one load worth of detergent isn't such a great idea after all. Next time we'll definitely use our own detergent.
We put a couple more quarters in the machine and let the kids play with the laundry carts while Jeff and I watched infomercials for some super-cool sandwich maker and the Cricut Expressions cutter. Well, it was a step up from the Mexican mariachi music videos that were playing on the other station!
When the dryer was done, I checked the laundry. Still damp. I fed in a couple more quarters and went back to the infomercials, while helping Thomas push the laundry cart in circles around the laundromat. I must have gone around that place fifty times or so before the machine was done again. But when I checked and the laundry still wasn't dry, I decided that I had had it. We loaded our damp, stinky clothes and our over-excited kids back into the car and headed home. The kids were fed lunch, and the laundry is now draped over our little-used drying rack. The clothes that didn't fit on the rack are still sitting in the laundry basket, patiently waiting their turn while they stink up our bedroom.
Man, I miss my mom's laundry room!
But now, things are different.
Today we went to the laundromat.
We visited Smith's Market to get a few groceries and pick up some change so we could do our laundry. Jeff and I decided that it would be more cost-effective to go to the nearest laundromat than to use the machines in our building, and we would get it all done faster too. So we (the whole family) headed over to the coin-op. Upon arrival, we realized that we had left our laundry soap at home. No big deal, they had detergent dispensers, so Jeff popped in three quarters and got a box. I loaded all the clothes into a huge front-loading machine (four-load capacity, wow!) while Jeff inspected the box. He realized very quickly that he had accidentally bought dryer sheets instead of detergent. No big deal, we needed those anyway. So I sent him back to the dispenser. He comes back with Clorox 2. By now the clothes are all loaded, and ready to go. I open the box, read the directions, and roll my eyes. Clorox 2 is bleach for colors, not detergent! Back to the dispenser!
This time Jeff finally comes back with a little box of Tide, and it's real detergent. Okay, so I loaded the detergent into the detergent place, and the bleach into the bleach place, and we start the machine. After it gets going, I read the instructions on the machine and realize I put the bleach in too soon, and we should have added more detergent (it was, after all, four loads of laundry, one of which was the nasty stuff from the bathroom bucket, namely Zaylee's wet/poopy clothes). Oh well.
The kids, through all this, were having the time of their lives, running around the laundromat and opening and closing all the machines they could reach (thankfully they didn't open any that were running). Jeff got a load of bedding going, and we stood around waiting. Zaylee and Thomas got a kick out of watching our clothes go round and round in the washing machine. I got a kick out of seeing all the stuff in the machine that really wasn't supposed to be there...like Jeff's sharpie and Zaylee's little toy balloon.
When the washing was done, we loaded the bedding into one dryer and all the clothes into another. In our defense, it was a really big dryer and should have been able to dry all of our clothes in a timely manner. Okay, so we should have listened to the lady who told us that the smaller ones heat better and the big ones were kind of old. But it was so big, and we really thought it would work!
While the clothes were drying, we took a brief walk outside, to let the kids (and ourselves) run off some energy. One of the most interesting sights on our walk was the enormous dog that, standing on its hind legs while leaning up against its fence, stood as tall as Jeff. One of the highlights of Zaylee's day, I'm sure, was when it started barking and startled the living daylights our of her. Those big dogs sure have deep barks.
We got back to the laundromat in time to learn that our bedding (in a small dryer) was finished drying, and our clothes (in a large dryer) were not. Not only were they not dry, but they were starting to smell a little funny. I guess that washing four loads of nasty laundry with one load worth of detergent isn't such a great idea after all. Next time we'll definitely use our own detergent.
We put a couple more quarters in the machine and let the kids play with the laundry carts while Jeff and I watched infomercials for some super-cool sandwich maker and the Cricut Expressions cutter. Well, it was a step up from the Mexican mariachi music videos that were playing on the other station!
When the dryer was done, I checked the laundry. Still damp. I fed in a couple more quarters and went back to the infomercials, while helping Thomas push the laundry cart in circles around the laundromat. I must have gone around that place fifty times or so before the machine was done again. But when I checked and the laundry still wasn't dry, I decided that I had had it. We loaded our damp, stinky clothes and our over-excited kids back into the car and headed home. The kids were fed lunch, and the laundry is now draped over our little-used drying rack. The clothes that didn't fit on the rack are still sitting in the laundry basket, patiently waiting their turn while they stink up our bedroom.
Man, I miss my mom's laundry room!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Eggnog Truffles Recipe
Since a couple people have expressed interest in this recipe, I'll go ahead and post it, so you guys don't have to wait until I actually try them. It looks really yummy, and fairly simple. I'll post the recipe with pictures on my food blog once I've made them, but in the meantime:
Eggnog Truffle Cups
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. shortening
6 tbsp. eggnog
1 package (10-12 oz) vanilla or white chips
1/2 tsp. extract (recipe calls for rum extract, but I would use vanilla or almond)
1/4 to 3/4 tsp. nutmeg
In microwave-safe bowl, melt semisweet chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Using a narrow pastry brush, brush the inside of 1-inch foil candy liners with 1/2 tsp. melted chocolate. Freeze for 45 minutes or until firm.
Using 1/4 tsp. chocolate mixture for each cup, brush on another layer of chocolate. Freeze until firm.
In a small saucepan, bring eggnog to a boil over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla chips until melted; stir in extract. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until filling begins to set.
Spoon or pipe 1 1/2 tsp. filling into each cup. Freeze until firm. Carefully remove and discard foil cups. Cover and store truffles in an airtight container in refrigerator. Just before serving, sprinkle with nutmeg.
Yields 3 dozen.
Eggnog Truffle Cups
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. shortening
6 tbsp. eggnog
1 package (10-12 oz) vanilla or white chips
1/2 tsp. extract (recipe calls for rum extract, but I would use vanilla or almond)
1/4 to 3/4 tsp. nutmeg
In microwave-safe bowl, melt semisweet chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Using a narrow pastry brush, brush the inside of 1-inch foil candy liners with 1/2 tsp. melted chocolate. Freeze for 45 minutes or until firm.
Using 1/4 tsp. chocolate mixture for each cup, brush on another layer of chocolate. Freeze until firm.
In a small saucepan, bring eggnog to a boil over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla chips until melted; stir in extract. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until filling begins to set.
Spoon or pipe 1 1/2 tsp. filling into each cup. Freeze until firm. Carefully remove and discard foil cups. Cover and store truffles in an airtight container in refrigerator. Just before serving, sprinkle with nutmeg.
Yields 3 dozen.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Christmas Tag
I don't know if I've been tagged for this one or not, but I wanted to play along, so here's my answers to the Christmas tag!
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Usually wrapping paper - it comes cheaper. But I do keep gift bags when I receive gifts in them, and will use them if it fits the gift and the person receiving it doesn't mind getting a used bag!
2. Real tree or Artificial? Our tree is an artificial tree that we bought for our first Christmas together. And when I was growing up we had an artificial tree that was so fun to put together!
3. When do you put up the tree? Growing up, we would always wait until after my sister's birthday on December 8. Now, it's just kind of put up whenever - sometime after Thanksgiving but before Christmas! This year, it will be when the boxes are unpacked enough for the corner to be empty.
4. When do you take the tree down? A few days after Christmas.
5. Do you like eggnog? Oh, so very much! Jeff and I just love the stuff! I enjoy using it in recipes as well as drinking it. I found a recipe for eggnog truffles that I want to try sometime this holiday season...
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't remember.
7. Hardest person to buy for? It varies. I just don't think I'm all that great at coming up with good gifts, no matter who they're for.
8. Easiest person to buy for? This year it was my mom. I knew right away when I saw it that I was going to get it for her. But I won't say it, because she's reading my blog more now that I've moved away, and I'm not going to give it away! ;-)
9. Do you have a nativity scene? I think I have three - a simple, small white one we bought our first year; a little candle holder one that I got at DI last year; and a larger, though still small, really cute one that Mom got for us. My mom collects small nativities, and spreads them all over the house for the holiday season, and I think I want to start collecting them too, it's a great way to keep in mind the real reason we celebrate Christmas.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Ummm, I don't do Christmas cards. I'm too lazy.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can't think of any.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? As a kid I loved those puppet-like specials, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming To Town, stuff like that. Now I think I prefer the more adult ones like It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street (black and white version).
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I pick stuff up throughout the year, but sometimes procrastinate until mid- to late-December.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably as a child. We were always passing toys back and forth for Christmas or birthdays.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Everything!!! I have a favorite Christmas cake that I'll have to make and post on my blog at some point, and I love all the cookies and the breads and other treats that pop up this time of year.
16. Lights on the tree? Yes. Growing up it was always the colorful lights, sometimes blinking. Now we have a pre-lit tree with white lights. It looks much more elegant.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We traveled last year, and I don't want to do it again! There were too many gifts to haul back and forth and it was just too difficult. I'd rather travel for Thanksgiving, and spend Christmas at home.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? For the first couple years of our marriage, it was a bow. Now we have a little star ornament that we rig up on top of the tree. Maybe some day we'll actually fork out a little money and buy and actual tree topper.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning. When I was growing up we opened our Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve, but I haven't really carried that tradition over to our little family yet. I want to some day though.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I like classy elegance in Christmas decorating - white lights, red bows, gold accents.
24. Favorite sense of the season (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste)? That's a toss-up between smell and taste. I like the foods of the season!
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Usually wrapping paper - it comes cheaper. But I do keep gift bags when I receive gifts in them, and will use them if it fits the gift and the person receiving it doesn't mind getting a used bag!
2. Real tree or Artificial? Our tree is an artificial tree that we bought for our first Christmas together. And when I was growing up we had an artificial tree that was so fun to put together!
3. When do you put up the tree? Growing up, we would always wait until after my sister's birthday on December 8. Now, it's just kind of put up whenever - sometime after Thanksgiving but before Christmas! This year, it will be when the boxes are unpacked enough for the corner to be empty.
4. When do you take the tree down? A few days after Christmas.
5. Do you like eggnog? Oh, so very much! Jeff and I just love the stuff! I enjoy using it in recipes as well as drinking it. I found a recipe for eggnog truffles that I want to try sometime this holiday season...
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't remember.
7. Hardest person to buy for? It varies. I just don't think I'm all that great at coming up with good gifts, no matter who they're for.
8. Easiest person to buy for? This year it was my mom. I knew right away when I saw it that I was going to get it for her. But I won't say it, because she's reading my blog more now that I've moved away, and I'm not going to give it away! ;-)
9. Do you have a nativity scene? I think I have three - a simple, small white one we bought our first year; a little candle holder one that I got at DI last year; and a larger, though still small, really cute one that Mom got for us. My mom collects small nativities, and spreads them all over the house for the holiday season, and I think I want to start collecting them too, it's a great way to keep in mind the real reason we celebrate Christmas.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Ummm, I don't do Christmas cards. I'm too lazy.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can't think of any.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? As a kid I loved those puppet-like specials, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming To Town, stuff like that. Now I think I prefer the more adult ones like It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street (black and white version).
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I pick stuff up throughout the year, but sometimes procrastinate until mid- to late-December.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably as a child. We were always passing toys back and forth for Christmas or birthdays.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Everything!!! I have a favorite Christmas cake that I'll have to make and post on my blog at some point, and I love all the cookies and the breads and other treats that pop up this time of year.
16. Lights on the tree? Yes. Growing up it was always the colorful lights, sometimes blinking. Now we have a pre-lit tree with white lights. It looks much more elegant.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We traveled last year, and I don't want to do it again! There were too many gifts to haul back and forth and it was just too difficult. I'd rather travel for Thanksgiving, and spend Christmas at home.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? For the first couple years of our marriage, it was a bow. Now we have a little star ornament that we rig up on top of the tree. Maybe some day we'll actually fork out a little money and buy and actual tree topper.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning. When I was growing up we opened our Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve, but I haven't really carried that tradition over to our little family yet. I want to some day though.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I like classy elegance in Christmas decorating - white lights, red bows, gold accents.
24. Favorite sense of the season (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste)? That's a toss-up between smell and taste. I like the foods of the season!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Slowly Adjusting
I've been feeling a little better today. When I wrote my last post, I really was absolutely miserable to be here, in this tiny apartment and this huge city. I just didn't want to blog about that, because I knew I would start crying if I tried to write how I was feeling.
But today I'm doing better. We got a large cabinet at Wal-Mart on Saturday, and put it together, so now we have more space for unpacking food. I've unpacked several boxes today, and am finding that we have a little bit more space for stuff than I thought - still not nearly enough, but it's seeming a little less dismal to me than it was before. I even dragged the stroller out and down the stairs and took the kids on a little walk this morning. I was hoping to get some pictures of the area, and the beautiful old buildings all over - but wouldn't you know I forgot my camera! Oh well, we'll be here a while; there will be plenty of opportunities for picture taking, I suppose. Anyway, it was nice to get out of the apartment and away from all the boxes for a little while. It was a really short walk - just a couple blocks - I'm going for baby steps, a little at a time!
Salt Lake really is very big. I never thought I would live in a big city, I've always preferred slightly rural areas. You know, if there isn't a field right next door, there's at least one or two within a short distance. I like places where cows or horses are common sights, even the occasional llama in someone's yard. But Salt Lake is nothing like that - no livestock, no fields, and definitely no llamas! Just huge 4- or 6-lane roads all over the place. It seems like everything except our apartment is enormous. Even Wal-Mart is overwhelming - they have a two-level parking structure instead of a simple parking lot! The whole big city experience has been overwhelming and intimidating to me, and it's going to take me a while to adjust. So far I've gone from major dislike and terror (especially of those freeways!) to mild dislike and nervousness. But that's progress! (But I'm still terrified of the freeways)
Want to see mycloset hole in the wall kitchen? I found my USB cable and was able to upload a picture I took on Saturday. I have Zaylee in the picture for size comparison.
For informational purposes: there is nothing behind the fridge. No cupboards or drawers, just wall. And I can't put anything there, like shelves, because that would block the dishwasher and take up half the kitchen. There are exactly four drawers in the kitchen - right there to the right of the oven, and they're each only about six inches wide and a foot deep. There's a little space above all the cupboards that we'll use for appliances and such. But as for large, awkwardly shaped things like my pizza stone, wok, and bamboo steamer, I just don't know where to put them! Sigh.
Yes, I'm slowly adjusting, but it will definitely take time.
But today I'm doing better. We got a large cabinet at Wal-Mart on Saturday, and put it together, so now we have more space for unpacking food. I've unpacked several boxes today, and am finding that we have a little bit more space for stuff than I thought - still not nearly enough, but it's seeming a little less dismal to me than it was before. I even dragged the stroller out and down the stairs and took the kids on a little walk this morning. I was hoping to get some pictures of the area, and the beautiful old buildings all over - but wouldn't you know I forgot my camera! Oh well, we'll be here a while; there will be plenty of opportunities for picture taking, I suppose. Anyway, it was nice to get out of the apartment and away from all the boxes for a little while. It was a really short walk - just a couple blocks - I'm going for baby steps, a little at a time!
Salt Lake really is very big. I never thought I would live in a big city, I've always preferred slightly rural areas. You know, if there isn't a field right next door, there's at least one or two within a short distance. I like places where cows or horses are common sights, even the occasional llama in someone's yard. But Salt Lake is nothing like that - no livestock, no fields, and definitely no llamas! Just huge 4- or 6-lane roads all over the place. It seems like everything except our apartment is enormous. Even Wal-Mart is overwhelming - they have a two-level parking structure instead of a simple parking lot! The whole big city experience has been overwhelming and intimidating to me, and it's going to take me a while to adjust. So far I've gone from major dislike and terror (especially of those freeways!) to mild dislike and nervousness. But that's progress! (But I'm still terrified of the freeways)
Want to see my
For informational purposes: there is nothing behind the fridge. No cupboards or drawers, just wall. And I can't put anything there, like shelves, because that would block the dishwasher and take up half the kitchen. There are exactly four drawers in the kitchen - right there to the right of the oven, and they're each only about six inches wide and a foot deep. There's a little space above all the cupboards that we'll use for appliances and such. But as for large, awkwardly shaped things like my pizza stone, wok, and bamboo steamer, I just don't know where to put them! Sigh.
Yes, I'm slowly adjusting, but it will definitely take time.
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