Nov07

Monday, November 26, 2007

Luvin' Every Minute of it

After a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, yesterday Mike and I took the kiddies downtown Vancouver to visit one last time the old oak tree that has watched over Fort Vancouver and Officers Row for over 150 years and is soon to come down. Afterward, we trekked over to Ester Short Park to see the HUGE Christmas tree all lit up in blue and purple lights. The boys skateboarded and rode their bikes, while the girls jumped on the rocks in the pond. The park is so pretty, especially this time of year. Then off to Starbucks to warm up with beverages and walk back through the leaves under the oak trees lining the streets. These are what memories are made of! Click here to see pictures of our fun day.

Downtown is full of history. One of the buildings, Smith Tower, was named after my great-grandpa. During the holidays, you can ride in a horse-drawn carriage through the streets of downtown. Cassidy, Brandon and I did this a couple times a few years back and rode in the gorgeous carriage that was used in the movie Gone With The Wind.

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From the chronicles of my new Chick-lit WIP entitled:

'Holding Auditions For New Boyfriend' ©

(Our heroine on date with Subject B...)

...In the midst of dinner and cocktails, I mention an imported beer and that I wanted to get a six-pack of this particular brand for my brother who's coming to town to visit.

Subject B: "What's a sex pack?"

Heroine: "Six pack," politely corrects.

Subject B: "You said sex-pack."

Heroine: Oh...My...God. "A six-pack. Why would I say sex-pack?!" (in my defense I AM getting over a cold, stuffy nose and all...Ahem.)

Subject B: "Because that is what what you said."

At this precise moment, our waiter walks up to our table to see how everything is.

Subject B: Looks perfectly collected when he says, "Hey, have you ever had a sex-pack?"

Waiter: Nods head. "Sure, man. Had one last night. Had a six-pack of Bud-light."

Subject B: "So you had a sex-pack?"

Taken aback, I can feel my face flushing. I slink down a little lower in chair. If I tap my heels together, perhaps I'll disappear...

Waiter: "Sure" --then tossing his back back, as it dawns on

him--he lets a big laugh. "Oh, a SEX pack. No. Since I got together with my girlfriend, I don't do that anymore." Little louder, dude, I don't think the people waiting to be seated heard you...

I knew my face was redder than the buffalo wings at what

the waiter thought. Ohmigod. I wanted to smear the grin off my date's face. The nerve of that guy! Odd sense of humor. On first date. Red Light! He's probably a sex robber. "Check, please!" My ticket outta here. Solo!

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Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Music I'm listening to: Seether (Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces)

--- New fave song from cd: 'Fake It'

One of those days

When you see this on your way out the door, you know you should just turn around and walk back inside.

Hahaha!

2 days to Thanksgiving and I'm harried. Yesterday, like me, apparently half of Vancouver left their shopping until Monday. Upon finding a parking spot half-way to the next town, I made a mad dash under the rain. I hate the rain. I'm like a cat. Though I'm lucky to have straight hair that requires no flat ironing, let me tell you what rainwater does to it. Frizzes. Combing does no help. The more I comb, the bigger and wider it gets. Or so it seems. As I scurry to the grocery doors, my left shoe fills with rainwater. The cute Converse I'd not worn since summer somehow had a hole in the sole. Fantastic to have to pull off tennie and drain rainwater like a pitcher. Once inside and weaving way through aisles, in meat department found a 25 pound turkey. Couldn't decide between young or old turkey, so grabbed the young. Off I go to gather more stuff from list. 5 aisles later when I went to check the time on my cell phone, discovered it'd escaped from my jeans pocket. Into a 5 minute search, found it nestled atop frozen turkeys, chilled and fogged over.

Dancing With The stars.

Mel B. Mel B. I am soooo rooting for her. I want her to win. What about those perfect scores! My man and I watch this show together. He's rooting for Helio Castroneves.

4 Quarts of beer!

2 jars full. That's what my honey brought home tonight from one of our favorite haunts. That's a lot of micro brew. I love these Ball jars. In fact -- and to Mike's gasp -- I already have ideas what to reuse these for:

Mike: "How could you even think to reuse these to make gifts? They're

my beer jars. 5 bucks a deposit. Each. I can refill a jar for $12.00."

Me: "But, baby, they'd come in super handy for making holiday gifts..."

Mike: <Groan, groan> "Fiiine. But the other 2 jars under sink are mine."

A couple weeks a go I bought a magazine called 'Holiday Gifts From a Jar' complete with ingredient cards to attach to jar. It's fun and unique. Now, along with the other pint jars I have left over from when the girls and I made strawberry jam in August, I have quart size ones. Woo-hoo!!

Strawberry Jam we made. Want the recipe? Click here.

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Monday, November 19, 2007:

The Countdown Begins...

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? The last couple months I've been buying things here and there. With a blended family, together we have 4 kids. The girls are the same age, as with the boys, so it's almost like we have 2 sets of twins. My daughter has made her wish list -- itemized where each item can be bought and the price. That child is way too organized. I wonder where she gets it...hehe. My son waits till much later. For friends, I've found some really cool and unique stuff on the internet I want to buy. I don't do much shopping on the net, but I may this year! I also like to make fun personalized gifts for everyone.

With the weather cooler, it feels like it should be December. Okay, maybe I'm tired of the rain already. And it's too warm to even have snow in the forecast. One of the perks is we can still wear flip-flops, looking stylish with our cute little jeans and goose-down jackets.

In the middle of the night, I woke up in a mere panic thinking it was Thanksgiving morning and that I'd forgotten to dethaw the turkey...YIKES! And, that I'd not finished shopping for Thanksgiving dinner, or taken out all the fancy dinnerware, linens, etc. It's that Martha Stewart side of me, wanting everything to be perfect. Today I am gonna get it all done! Along with all the other things...like exchange bar stools that are waaay to tall for breakfast bar. Something I really should have done yesterday, but I was just enjoying the lazy day too much with my man.

No Desperate Housewifes last night. So we caught some of the American Music Awards. Tonight is one of my new fave shows "Samantha Who?" With the writers strike who knows how long these shows will be airing new episodes. But being a writer, I support them.

Off to jump in the shower and start my day.

Happy Monday!

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November 15, 2007:

Thanksgiving Recipes

One of the things I'll always remember about past Thanksgivings was my dear grandma cooking up a storm, while the ladies (and Grandpa) in the family tried to help. Grandma was a stickler and everyone knew nothing compared to her wonderful cooking. Years of experience. A big family. Tried and true recipes. She would be up at the crack of dawn, looking fabulous in the kitchen, as she moved with grace with an apron tied about her waist. Oh, the delicious aromas mingling in the air as my little sis, cousins and I watched the Macy's Day Parade, in between going to the kitchen to nibble on scrumptious appetizers and relish tray. At dinner, along with all the trimmings, one thing we could always count on was Grandma's oysters and corn... a recipe handed down from her German parents and generations back. I didn't like oysters. I guess it's an acquired taste.

Sadly, Grandma is gone now, and oh how I wish I had that recipe. Last Thanksgiving, My sis decided she was going to make it. Or something close as she could get. A sweet gesture. You see, none of us have that recipe, Grandma knew it by heart. But it will always hold in our memories. I'm thankful for the other recipes of hers that I do have.

Here is one I love and always make for the holidays:

Carrot Raison Slaw

What you will need:

5 tbs. fresh lemon juice

6 tbs. Best Foods Mayonnaise

6 large carrots, peeled and shredded

3 tbs. pepper

3 tbs. sour cream

1 1/3 C. raisons

Mix together well and serve.

Another one that is also a hit is my ex-husband's grandma's salad that she always brought for the holidays. (She reminded me of my own grandma, and I loved her dearly, just like my grandma.) I like to carry on traditions, and now I make this too every holiday.

Red Cherry Salad

What you will need:

1 8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained

8 oz. cool Whip

1 can cherry pie filling

1 C. chopped walnuts

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened, condensed milk

1 C. coconut

Mix all ingredients well and chill before serving.

Picture of the week

This is what our cat Spice does whenever I leave my purse in plain view for his taking. He thinks it's his own personal pillow. He also does this with Brandon's backpack, and anything else he spies. See what I mean? Territorial king of the house. We live with him. We're lucky we get part of the bed at night, because he takes over that too...lying on his back, all stretched out...

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November 13, 2007:

Eye Candy Tuesday

Editing is hard work. Any writer will

tell you this. I've read this story so

many times, it's practically burned

in my brain. My personal rule of

thumb: read it 7 times. I gave

myself December 1 deadline to

send off book. So, to take a

little break from the voices in my

head, (and then do pilates) I'm

posting a little eye candy.

Send me one of yours. I'll pick

one and post it next week.

I'm so excited! My new computer arrived last week, with a 22" monitor. At first, I thought there was no way I could write with a screen thatsize. (I can look around the corner and across the room and see what my kids are doing on the computer. Very good thing!) This past weekend, I spent a good deal of time transferring files. Now that I'm all used to the screen...I love it!!!! And, getting on internet is super fast. From firing up, I'm on in like 8 seconds. No kidding! My old computer -- which is still on desk until I finish transfers -- looks like a pee-wee screen. Hahahaha.

For a little fun, check out this Thanksgiving quiz sent to me by a dear friend and CP, Carm.

I scored a 12. Wow! My feathered friends would be so proud!

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

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November 12, 2007:

Manic Monday

Laundry is done, so we won't be naked....woo-hoo! My other to-do list is being crossed off. With 4 kiddies in the house this weekend, my writing was put on back burner. Tuesday is all about edits. And then after that, plotting book I promised my daughter Cassidy would be all hers.

I hate that the days are shorter. I love sunshine! Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I'm so not ready. We host it every year at our house. But I'm one of those people who does great under pressure. And this year, Cassidy, bless her heart, offered to do the holiday dinner grocery shopping. This, of course means, since she's too young to drive, I would have to drive her and her friends to the store. Which, btw, is looking more and more fabulous. I'll drop them off with a list, dash off to run errands...or whatever, and pick them up. Saves me, I figure, 2 hours in grocery aisles/lines.

....Another frightening thought:

Click For Update

Get-away with my man time! In 3 weeks, Mike and I are driving 6 hours to Spokane to see Tool in concert. The next day, back in Portland is the Seether concert (I'm so stoked to see both bands) so it's gonna be one crazy weekend.

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