Monday, November 29, 2010

Thanksgiving turns to Christmas OVERNIGHT

Okay, so first of all, I think it is time to take this down.


Second, can I just say “huh???”



First this… (yes, I am wearing sweat pants...no comment please)


Then this….

And then this…. I left my gloves out in the garage so I didn't track the snow in everywhere. I went out the next morning and they were frozen solid.


Holy Snow, Batman!
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Sunday, November 21, 2010

Trans Siberian Orchestra






On Thursday night I saw TSO for the first time. What an incredible experience!




The light show was amazing.



The music incredible.


Did I mention pyrotechnics?


Wow..... seriously unbelievable.


Yes.... I will be going again next year!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

What a Beautiful Bride!

I always love doing custom work, especially when it involves a wedding. I had such a fun time designing this lovely necklace for Hope. Below is my finished design. She was so thrilled with it.


I came across her wedding blog post here. Look how darling she is!



How fun would it be to get married in Disneyland? I love Disneyland. I think I will go put my Pump Up the Grump sweatshirt on ~ featuring one of my favorite dwarves.




Muah!
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Thursday, November 4, 2010

My Coned Dog




I don’t know, maybe it is my warped sense of humor, but I find this funny. A weiner dog with a cone.

Here she is in happier times. Look at how incredibly fine she is. Please note the seasonal necklace. Thank you.


Then there is this…





The Cone of Shame.

Maggie and I speak the same language. I get her. She gets me. These are the top five things I hear her saying…
1. Pah-leeeese… no self respecting dog should ever be photographed like this.
2. Seriously, do I need to open my mouth and let out some foul odor to get you to stop?
3. Okay, okay, I know I have a little root grow out. What? I have been busy.
4. Maybe if I don’t make eye contact she will stop.
5. How much more do you really think that you can humiliate me?

And this…


The shame of it all.

Who knows Maggie, maybe there is a lesson to be learned here... just sayin...

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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Chicken Enchiladas Suiza

Okay, so I have to say right up front this is a modified version of a Pioneer Woman chicken enchilada recipe. But seriously - - this is some incredible oooeeey gooey madness going on. You will love it!

Ingredients
2-½ cups cooked, shredded chicken
(1) 14 oz. can chicken broth
3 Tbsp Oil
12 whole corn tortillas
1 whole large onion, diced
(3) 4 oz cans whole green chilies, diced
1 whole jalapeno, seeded & finely diced (optional)
1 teaspoon paprika
½ cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup sour cream
2-½ cups Monterey Jack cheese, Grated
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Picante Sauce (optional)
Cilantro, Chopped

Preparation Instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften (do not allow to become crisp.) Place tortillas on a stack of paper towels to drain.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and ½ teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add ½ cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.

In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in the rest of the can of chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 ½ cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add ½ teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro.

Serve with picante sauce, if desired.

The Pioneer Woman even finishes off her recipe by saying "Faint as necessary". Honest to goodness, I think that should be a step in the process!

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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The Road Home

They say that death is a natural part of life; and I guess in real terms, it is. However, having never been faced with being in the midst of death, it had always been incredibly frightening to me. I wasn’t present when both my grandfathers and my maternal grandma passed away. But I did experience the profound sadness that accompanies the loss of your loved one.

As my sweet Grandma’s time was approaching, I started to feel sorrow creeping in. It was difficult for me to understand my Dad’s calm countenance. His strong faith and belief that Grandma was headed to a better place created in him such a sense of peace.

I arrived in time to spend some hours with Grandma before she passed. In those hours, Daddy read to her different passages of the Bible and sang to her. We reminisced of wonderful times together as a family. I put lotion on her hands, Chapstick on her lips, and kept her mouth moistened. I whispered in her ear words of encouragement, and told her it was okay to go. It was her time, in God’s perfect timing.

Those last few moments were priceless. I watched as she lifted her eyes, spoke without words, and raised her hand to the angel who took her on the journey home to be with Jesus.

We will miss you my beautiful Grandma. But in the midst of our grief, we are happy in knowing that you are dancing with Grandpa and laughing with Uncle Jim and Uncle Clayton. And most of all, we are comforted in the knowledge that you are at peace with your Heavenly Father.



Muah.....

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Thursday, September 30, 2010

Internationally Speaking

Wow, what an interesting week it has been on Etsy. This tends to be a slower time of the year for me in my shops on Etsy. Perhaps Americans aren’t buying right now, but a big shout out to the rest of the world!

This last week I shipped to:
New Zealand
Netherlands
Ireland
Turkey
Great Britain
Australia
Canada (3 times)
Spain
Peru
Israel
South Africa
Belgium

What an interesting week. It just may be that Americans aren't buying as much as those around the world. I say ~ Bring it on!

Friday, August 6, 2010

Smootchie Lips, Mischievious Grins, Sweet Smiles

I don’t know about you, but I find that when I look into the eyes of these beautiful girls I know, beyond all things certain, that God is brilliantly amazing at creating perfection.

Here we have smootchie lips.





And here we have mischievious grin.



And here we have sweet smile.


Perfection in two little girlies….


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Thursday, July 22, 2010

Seeking My Soul

Seems as though life takes us on journeys and we sometimes wonder when/if we bought tickets for the ride….and while on this adventure we feel like we left something at home, like your toothbrush or camera…

Well my journey has been so crazy lately, that I think I left behind my soul/heart somewhere. I am not sure if I lost it on the last adventure, or whether it accidentally got kicked under the bed and I just can’t find it. My world has seemed so twirly lately that I had to do something…And at the risk of being overly metaphorical, I can just say that I wasn’t capable of putting someone else’s oxygen mask on when I was totally gasping for air myself. Taking care of everyone else first was just killing me.

There are few places in life where I can go and center myself. Sometimes it is just in my own space of creativity, but mostly it is at the ocean, on the beach, and more specifically in the water at Leo Carrillo Beach. So I went.

This is the place…right here….in these waters…














And in this sand...



And of course Lifeguard Tower #3 holds special memories… and I won’t go there right now…but I can still see Sandy the Lifeguard’s face…..


I spent time watching the sunrise, and one morning at 5 a.m. I got up and went for a walk on the beach and found these little treasures…















And saw this… I don’t know, maybe I have been away from California too long, but seriously, who walks their miniature pony on the beach?




















The sunsets were phenomenal.



My spirit was nourished. As for my soul/heart, I am still looking….



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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Spring Break and Wildlife Refuge

So the past week Jake was away for Spring Break with his buddies. There I was, a mom alone, left to her own devices. Hmmmm…. So I thought maybe I would play music really loud…. I could walk through the house wearing only a towel…. Boy, the possibilities were endless. But what I really enjoyed was the quiet… the simple quiet of it all.

I was sitting on the couch late one night polishing some jewelry, and I heard this strange noise. It was kind of a scratching sound. I stopped, listened some more….and nothing. Hmmm, must be Scooter lying under the magazine rack scratching himself. And once the foul odor of dog gastro-intestinal distress reached my nose, I was fairly confident the scratching sound was Scooter. The week went on rather uneventful, occasional noises, frequent dog smells.

Jake arrived back home on Sunday evening. He was drawn downstairs to slay monsters and kill enemy soldiers ~ ahh the world of online gaming. As he was sitting down there with his AK57, he heard a noise coming from the fireplace insert. He sprinted up the stairs and said “Ummmm mom, I think there is something in the fireplace downstairs.” We went down together and banged on the top of the stove. The next thing I knew I was hearing this:

Muskrat Susie, Muskrat Sam
Do the jitterbug out in muskrat land
And they shimmy
And Sammy's so skinny

Nibbling on bacon, chewin' on cheese

Sammy says to Susie "Honey, would you please be my missus?"
And she say yes
With her kisses


And now he's ticklin' her fancy
Rubbin' her toes
Muzzle to muzzle, now anything goes
As they wriggle, and Sue starts to giggle


And the next thing I heard was that cooing and chirping sound…. Okay…so that is what I heard coming out of my fireplace - The Captain and Tennille . I think Susie and Sammy already did the raccoon love dance and I have their love children nesting in my fireplace.

Great…a momma and her babies in the fireplace. Raccoons can be fierce – seriously fierce. I looked up homeopathic ways to deal with varmints and I am leaning toward letting them grow up in a loving warm environment until they are 10 weeks old. At which time the momma and youngsters will leave the nest for bigger adventures. I think that is my solution of choice, given the sticker shock alternative of the “Critter Gitter.” Good Lord, $1,200 to $2,000 to get them out of there and do you think they really “relocate” them??? I think not. I can’t be responsible for Susie and Sammy’s love children’s demise. I just can’t do it.

So, welcome to the Poulson Wildlife Refuge. Tours are conducted daily 5 am- 12:01 am.


Monday, March 1, 2010

Year One

Every time I look at Kayla I think she is an old soul, kind of like she has been here for a while and is pretty skeptical about it all. Last night was her first birthday celebration. It was met with a little bit of apprehension. Witness the look in the eyes - - There she is all safe in mommy's lap...what is this birthday stuff?



Then what is up with all the presents? Wait, I think I am supposed to be opening these.... Thanks everyone for your support, but I think I can take it from here....




I wonder what this one is......




Prada maybe?



Uh... nope - Radio Flyer - - even better!




And what about that birthday cake thing? I don't know what all the fuss is about.... What?!?! Seriously, I get in my highchair every day, sometimes even twice a day....





Okay - here it comes.... Wow, the cake.... Can I be more underwhelmed? Alright, alright.... I will stick my finger in it .. there - are you happy?




Well, alrighty then .. not too shabby.....




Maybe just another couple of bites....









This is just pretty darn yummy... and much easier to eat when you use your entire fist....




What?!? What are you looking at???




Okay, seriously....NO ONE told me that this ewwiee gooey yummy bit of madness was going to go right straight to my hips....



Love you little Miss Kayla!!!!
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Sunday, February 7, 2010

Birthdays and Parties

Do you ever feel sometimes like you just wish everyone would forget that it is your birthday? Like it is just another day? Well... I have. But I also know that I would feel yucky if the people who love me didn't celebrate it either...Geesh what a woman huh?

Mom and Daddy came down for the weekend and for my birthday we headed to J'Amy & Eric's. Maycie kept following me around with a birthday balloon that she was pretty insistent should be attached to my body at all times.

Happy Birthday Grandma!



Kayla was just pretty sober most of the night



With intermittent smiles, and pouts.


























This was the scene in the kitchen. Kirk with the asparagus, Mom making sure everything was going as planned.



J'Amy and Grandma.... pretty ladies!



Ashley and Drayton


Maycie helping Grandma open presents...



Maycie helping Grandma read cards...



Maycie helping Grandma eat her birthday cake....



It was a perfect birthday - a happy day... although the candles on the cake were arranged in a "4" and "0".... ya right that is it... my 7th anniversary of my 40th birthday :)




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