College

So, I'm having a little dilemma. I realized this week that I could take college classes and finish my college degree in the next three years (while I work) and even be able to afford it. The catch? It would be a degree in either Social Science, Sociology or Sociology/Criminology.

I have always figured that I'd study business. Not because I have a particular career path that I'm dying to follow. But just because I have a lot of experience in offices and figured it would be a natural, especially since I don't know what I want to do.

But, there are a few reasons I haven't returned to college yet. I work full time, and taking classes at my local college/university would take forever, because I could only really sign up for maybe 2 classes at a time because of work. I also have my son half of each week and studying when he's here will be more difficult, so my studying will be isolated either to late evenings or the half of the week I'm alone. The cost is another reason I've been hesitant. But, the university that I can do an "external degree" from would only cost me about $11K plus books to complete my the rest of my degree.

I think that is pretty good, considering it's the only option that I could start pursuing while my son is this young. I've also been waiting because I'd like to buy a home of my own first, and then save/spend on my education. If I end up doing that, it will take at least another year.

Ugh! I wish, I wish, I wish! But somehow the wishing doesn't help! I have to just start doing for myself and stop waiting. I guess that I should really pursue a Saturday job to bring in that little extra to save for a house.

The good thing is that I feel like I have a viable plan that I can go after now.

My Kid Cracks Me Up!

If you have kids, then you know the amazing comedy that can sometimes erupt spontaneously. If you don't have kids, there is no way to really explain what it's like. You'll just have to wait and see.

Tonight, while I was talking to my son and tucking him in bed, our conversation rambled from one topic to another. We started talking about vocabulary, and long words. I mentioned the word sphygmomanometer. If you're not familiar with the word, it is the blood pressure cuff that they use in your doctor's office.

So my son comments that a lot of those medical words are long. Like thermometer. Ther-mom-eater! Grrrr! Well, he explains, that's what it sounds like. Hi, I'm Ther, a mom eater!! He starts snapping at me. We're both laughing, it's a good one!

Nobody can make me laugh like my son.

Best Biscuits

I love this biscuit recipe. I am a little picky when it comes to biscuits, but this recipe is on my top ten homemade biscuits list. For a couple of reasons. They are simple to make. In about 10 minutes or less, you can be sliding these into the oven. They rise beautifully and have a flavor that is nice enough for both sausage patties or some nice jam.

I brush some butter on the top of these when they're just about done baking. Be careful not to over bake these, they'll be a little light on the top but more done on the bottom if your oven is like mine.

INGREDIENTS

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon white sugar
* 1/3 cup shortening
* 1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
3. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 15 to 20 times. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.

Bacon

This is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. If you love bacon like I do, check this out:

glumbert - Jim Gaffigan loves bacon

Blast from the past

A few months ago, I was at a friend's house for dinner and suddenly a song from a TV show popped into my head from out of nowhere. I couldn't quite remember what it was from, just that it went '3-2-1 Contact.'

Of course, with the internet being what it is today, I was able to find what I was looking for immediately. If you were a kid in the 80s, perhaps you'll remember this song, too.

Restaurant in the Sky

Someone sent me an email with all of these pics and asked if I would eat here...my answer? NO! Ok, more like hell NO.



This place hauls up a table and chairs (that swivel 180 degrees) by a crane and serves dinner. Go check out the other crazy photos at their website.

Eek!

Also, go check out Forbes' Most Unusual Restaurants in the World slide show. (click on the spot where it says "In Pictures.")

Cute Websites

I know that some people know about these websites, but just in case...

These are my 2 favorite cute websites to look at. Stuff On My Cat. The name says it all. And Cute Overload. Again, appropriate name! Go check them out. New stuff every day to make your day a little brighter.

Mini Food

I'm always like a big kid when it comes to mini stuff. I love huge food, too, anything that is good enough to get into the Guiness World Book of Records. But I've got a real soft spot in my heart for mini food.

This was something made by hercuteness over at craftster.org. Here is a link to her project.

It was inspired by an article in the Martha Stewart magazine. Of course, I think that the things that I frequently see in the Martha Stewart magazine are impossible to make at home (at least it won't look half as good!). So, it was nice to see these pics...the real thing.

Isn't is amazing?

2 Million Minutes

I found this on YouTube. I think that this would be a very interesting documentary to watch. It compares and contrasts American high school students to students in India and China.

Mio fratello ti chiama Giovanni.

I've been having fun lately listening to podcasts designed to teach you Italian at Learn Italian Pod.

They have a beginner's section, which is definitely where I am skill-wise, and the recordings are about 10 minutes long each (some are a little shorter). I go in and listen while I work, absorbing as much as I can and sometimes listening to the same recordings a few times.

I am trying to stretch this brain of mine! I've also found that it is fun to go to Italian food blogs and try to figure out what they are saying. And I've also found a good online dictionary to help with my interpretations.

Here are a few Italian food blogs (lots of transplants to Italy from other European countries it seems, I keep finding Italian food blogs where the owners are Swedes, Germans, etc.):

Un Tocco di Zenzero (A Touch of Ginger)
Il cavoletto di bruxelles
Cuoche dell'altro mondo (A Cook From Another World)

I find it very entertaining to see Italians cooking Asian food and how many other Italians reply with enthusiasm to those types of recipes.

Creamy Potato Soup

I tried this recipe from Recipezaar this weekend. I think that I should've boiled my potatoes a little bit longer, but overall the flavor was good. Next time, I'm going to add a sprig of fresh rosemary and some parsley for extra flavor.

What if...

What if you could take a big risk in your life, without the risk? What if I told you that you could try doing something that up until now you were afraid to do because of the possibility of failure but that it would be a success...guaranteed?

I guess that is the crux of risk, that there are no guarantees. But I think that it's an interesting way to free your mind to start really dreaming big, if only to see what your big dreams truly are.

If I could try something without the fear of failure...I think that I would change jobs and do something completely different from what I've been doing. Maybe interior design or criminal forensics. Something that holds the promise of excitement and new experiences.

I've always been drawn to color and shape, the joy of beauty for the sake of beauty. I also really thrive in cold, hard scientific facts. Things that can be relied upon, researched and referenced. Somewhere in this mix of art, criticism and detail is a joyous career awaiting to be discovered.

I think that a lot of problems in the world come from the paralysis that some of us suffer from. We get locked into our little lives, our little problems and forget how much of a difference our efforts can make. I was watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition last week and the family that was selected made an incredible difference in the lives of so many people in their community. They had 7 people living in a house that was less than 600 square feet. Yet, they made a difference to other people, even having so little. With no promise of reward, they contribute to others because that's what they believe in.

If I had nothing to fear, not only would I dream of living a great life for myself, I would also pursue a purpose driven life.

Recipe that I must try!

My sister blogged about picking up some yummy pepper shooters at a hoagie shop in Philadelphia. Pepper shooters are cherry peppers (hot) stuffed with a hunk of sharp provolone cheese wrapped in prosciutto. They also had salamancinis, which are pepperoncinis stuffed with a hunk of sharp provolone wrapped with salami.

Her boyfriend asked her to try to recreate the peppers at home. So, of course, my sister tried to meet the challenge and moved forward. Her shooters looked like this. However, she did say that they didn't turn out quite how they were at the store, so I started looking online for a recipe to try.

Here is what I found:

16 cherry peppers
1/3 pound grated provolone cheese
3 to 4 ounces prosciutto
Salt and white pepper to taste

For the marinade:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
\ cup red wine vinegar (don't know what this measurement was supposed to be, so I figure just add to taste)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
{ cup chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, thyme, marjoram, oregano, etc.)

Whisk marinade ingredients together in a non-reactive bowl and set aside.

Remove the stems and cores (with seeds) from the peppers using a sharp paring knife. Quickly blanch if desired, and then dry the peppers well with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix the cheese and prosciutto with the salt and pepper. Carefully fill each pepper with the cheese mixture and place in jars or a shallow non-reactive casserole dish. Refrigerate.

Late New Year's Resolutions

I'm like many people. I resolve not to make resolutions each New Year's Day. I think that people should have an ongoing desire to improve themselves.

But regardless of what I say, I find that the beginning of a calendar year is a good time to look back and decide what needs to be changed as I move forward. Even without meaning to, I find that I give myself goals every year.

So what is it this year? Well, oddly enough, it's not too different than every year before this one.

(in no particular order)

1. Spend meaningful time with my son.
2. Get regular exercise, to improve my shape and feel better, stronger.
3. Eat better...same reasons as above.
4. Find happiness and joy in a relationship with a great guy.
5. Work in a fulfilling and rewarding job.
6. Save towards buying a "home" of my own.
7. Learn more Italian.

and last, but not least, and possibly the most important

8. Take more risks to get what I want out of life.

Back to School Lunch Box Ideas

I've been doing research on what to pack in my son's lunch box. Why? Up to this point, my husband had taken care of school lunches. But now, since we'll have two households, I don't think I can count on him to take care of that anymore!

I wanted to find fun, yummy and fairly healthy foods for my son. Things that I'd pack myself for lunch. Since I've been to a ton of different websites and compiled a list for my own convenience, I thought I'd share the ideas with others.

Main Dishes

1. Sandwiches - PB&J, PB&Banana with Honey, Various meats & cheeses, egg salad, chicken salad. Liven up the sandwiches by using pita bread, mini bagels, tortillas, English muffins, dinner rolls, regular sized bagels with cream cheese, or use cookie cutters to make sandwiches into neat shapes
   
2. Macaroni & cheese (try to slip in some steamed broccoli or another veggie they'd like)
3. Potstickers with dipping sauce on the side
4. Cold tofu with a soy, sesame oil and green onion dipping sauce (serve w/edamame)
   
5. Cold noodle salads (sesame noodles with chicken)
6. Pig in a blanket (a hot dog baked in a crescent roll/biscuit coating)
7. Hot soup in a thermos
8. Cubed cheeses with cubed ham, crackers, olives, pickles, and artichoke hearts (think: party tray)
   
9. Try chicken salad in an apple "cup" - cut the top 1/3 of the apple off and removed interior flesh, fill with chicken salad and replace the top

Side Dishes

1. Carrot sticks and other veggies with ranch dip in a container
2. Low-fat crisps/chips (smaller snack size bags)
3. Rice cakes or oat cakes
4. Baked pita chips (easy to do at home, using pita bread)
   
5. Pasta salad
   
6. Potato salad
7. Rice pudding
8. Banana or zucchini bread, also try carrot pineapple muffins
9. Dried fruit (apricots, raisins, etc.)
10. Fruit salad, fruit cocktail (remember to buy those with light syrup or juice)
    
11. Fresh fruit (apples, bananas, citrus, pears, pineapple, melon, cherries, grapes, peaches, nectarines, kiwi, mangoes, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)...make fruit more interesting by placing it on bamboo skewers
    
12. Granola / trail mix (Wild Oats' website has recipe for trail mix)
13. Applesauce cup
14. Olives / pickles
15. String cheese
16. Yogurt
17. Reduced fat, hard cheese
    

Drinks

1. Water
2. Water with a Country Time lemonade pack mixed in (low sugar and it's real sugar, not HFCS)
3. Sparkling water flavored with fruit
4. 1% milk (regular or chocolate)
5. Juice box (check to make sure it's 100% juice...freeze the juice box and it'll thaw by lunch)

General Tips

1. Use low-fat cheese on sandwiches. Though cheese provides calcium, it's the second leading source of artery-clogging saturated fat in kids' diets.
2. Switch from ham, bologna, salami, pastrami or corned beef to low-fat alternatives. You can still buy the ham and bologna...just look for a lower-fat, lower-sodium variety.
3. Include at least one serving of fruit in each lunch.
4. Use whole grain breads instead of white breads (beware of 'enriched flour'...it means it was ground so fine that it lost all it's nutrients and they've been added back in; however, your body doesn't absorb the added nutrients the same way it would in their natural forms).
5. Limit cookies, snack cakes, doughnuts, brownies, and other sweet baked goods. These are big sources of saturated fats.
6. Pack baked snacks instead of fried snacks - even if they use Olean (it can cause cramping & diarrhea...cha cha cha).
7. If you send juice, use 100% juice.
8. Avoid Lunchables.
   

If you have any ideas to add to mine, leave me a comment...I can certainly use any good suggestions! Also, if you haven't checked it out, Google 'laptop lunches' to see the American version of the Japanese bento box.

So, what would you do?

I have been hurriedly searching for a place to live the last few weeks. I've been searching online, in newspapers, and by word of mouth. And after about a month, I don't really have much to show for my efforts.

My problem? Well, it's a few things.

First, I have a small budget that I'd like to stick to, simply because I don't feel like throwing away most of my paycheck each month to someplace that isn't going to give me much return in the way of a long term investment.

Second, I will have a 7 year old boy half of each week and that cramps some folks' style.

Last, I have certain standards that I won't compromise on. I won't live with a creepy 45 year old man who's interested in the fact that I'll be recently divorced. I won't live with partying 21 year old kids. Or people who have older kids that may prematurely educate my son about some of the more delicate intricacies of the relationships between men and women.

So, right now, I feel that I'm faced with two choices.

The first...dum - dum - dummm - is a mobile home in a small trailer park not too far from here. Or as my friend Ben would call it, "wheel estate." I would have one small room to myself, the living room and a small kitchen. The owners keep the other room and are in town about 3-4 weeks per year. Otherwise, it's all mine. Yup. And, in case you're wondering, the trailer park is just like you'd imagine a trailer park being. Inexpensive cars...lots of them...The only other thing is I am not sure if trailers get more bugs than regular apartments...I hate spiders...or if they're more/less expensive in regards to utilities. It's also an older place, but has new carpet and paint. And a swamp cooler. That's right, no A/C.

The second is a room and shared living space in an apartment just across from mine. The benefits of this place is that it's really close to my son's school. I'd be in a regular apartment, so I know what to expect, and I'd still live close to my neighbors that I'm friends with. Very close. But I would also have company. I guess that can be good or bad, depending on how well we get along long-term. Also, my current place also has an exercise room. The bad part, I'd be sharing with a 24 year old bachelor. But, he's the geeky, non-partying type...so maybe?

Each would probably cost about the same.

So, what would you do?

Got a job!

Since I'm not starting until the 20th, I'm not going to say too much about it except that I'm really happy!

I think that the people are going to be great to work with and that it will be a fun place to work. I feel like my coworkers will be very supportive of me and allow me to grow.

Yay!

Flowers from a friend

flowers

Crazy Week, Anyone?

When Monday rolled around, I thought that it was just me. I was feeling a little down in the dumps but figured that it was the result of a few small things that were bothering me. Nothing important, but just made me feel "blah."

So, I thought, I need to call a friend and get cheered up by hearing about someone else's good week. So far, this is what my friends have been going through this week.

1. One friend has mono, stress at work, stress with friends and stress from their ex.

2. One friend got a flat tire on Tuesday and was laid off on Wednesday. They also still haven't found a new place to live and their lease expires tomorrow.

3. Another friend was feeling so blue that she left work early. Twice. One day, she left at 12:30pm. (Oh the lucky ones who get to work at a family business!)

4. The first friend I'd called had been dumped at 6am that morning. I called them at 8:30am. No chance they were going to cheer me up.

5. A family member moved from one state to another and a bunch of her stuff was broken due to poor packaging by the friend she'd hired.

6. My poor son got scratched in a freak cat-accident at a neighbor's house.

7. My poor, poor son got debris in his eye while playing with sticks and stuff outside and had to undergo the terrible treatment of an eye washing by evil Nurse Mom.

Whew, am I ready for Friday!

Guess what I learned to do?

I learned to change the oil in my car! Yay!

I know that it seems silly that I should be so excited about changing my oil (and believe me, I was SO excited), but it was an accomplishment to me.

I think that every girl should know how to change their own oil in their car. Thank goodness for my neighbor Ben, who showed me how and made sure to emphasize what I should and should not do. Basically, it's pretty easy as long as you remember those things.

I've also learned (but I'm still practicing) how to whistle when you put two fingers in your mouth. Another of my neighbors, Christine, taught me how to do that. And every time I successfully whistle, I start laughing like mad. I can't help it, I'm just SO tickled to be able to do something that I didn't think that I'd ever be able to do.

Drew Carey Career Aptitiude Test

Just for kicks, I completed the online Drew Carey Career Aptitude test. Here are my results.

How to Raise Intelligent, Healthy, Happy Kids

Doesn't that sound like the handbook you should've been handed when your child was born?

Instead of having one essential manual to raising children, there are about 100,000 "authorities" on the subject, including our parents, siblings, friends and even complete strangers.

Your boss knows just the trick to make your child sleep through the night (and NO, it didn't work). Your mother-in-law is sure that you're breastfeeding your child too often. And, by the way, won't that rot their teeth? And while we're talking about health, your own mother thinks that the baby is overweight and that it's a permanent condition.

Child-rearing is one of the most individual experiences I've ever known. While certain books were helpful (What to Expect When You're Expecting), many were either overkill or simply wrong. And good intentions aside, I almost felt like everyone's suggestions were somehow compensation for not doing something right when they raised their own kids (who are often times akin to demon-spawn).

So all that being said, here are the few things that I think may apply to everyone:

1. Time goes faster than you think. I know that sounds simple. But the faster you can start relishing every day, week and month instead of looking forward to the next part in your child's life, the better. I wish the last eight years had gone slower. I hope that time slows down even now.

2. Good manners are a must. Start coaching before he can speak. And keep reinforcing all during his youth. Otherwise, he will annoy his teachers, friends and friends' parents. It's MUCH harder to learn good manners when you're older, help him out by starting now.

3. Nutrition will affect how he learns. Have a good, balanced diet including plenty of vegetables. Sneak them in casseroles if you have to, and try your best to help your child experiment with food more. Again, it's a life-long habit.

4. Don't try to be a best friend. Be a Parent. They'll have lots of other friends, but only two parents. Kids need discipline (I said 'discipline', not 'punishment'), and it makes their lives easier to know what's expected of them. Kids whose parents are lax on discipline have a difficult time at school and making friends.

5. Spend quality time with your kids. This does NOT include watching TV. The most important part of quality time is talking and really listening. Most of the time when my son goes into another long-winded story about some new Storm Trooper ship he's created my mind immediately wants to wander. But, it's important to him, ergo, it's important to me.

6. Don't let him chicken out of experiences when it's safe. My son tries to convince me to let him skip his swim lessons. I can't blame him for trying. :) But I know that it's safe and that it's just the fear of the water that makes him hate it. But ultimately, he's way better off if I stick to my guns and insist he try it. He was also trying to refuse taking his training wheels off his bike. That was about 1 week ago. He rides his bike with more comfort than me now! Sans training wheels.

Well, that's about all I know. Good luck to anyone raising their own.

Trail in Boulder

Beautiful, isn't it?

2nd Grade Already!!

That's right.

I'm the proud mother of a child headed into second grade this fall. Eek!

When we were young kids, most of us wished to be older. Now, of course, most of us wish we could be younger!

But mostly, now I just wish to be aware enough to enjoy each moment with my son...because lord knows that I haven't figured out the secret to slowing down time.

This year has flown by. I was lucky enough to be at home with my son this year, so I got to meet and interact with all of the children and parents from his class. It was an awesome experience.

I've met people from Finland, Burma, England, New Orleans, Cascadia (California), along with a few locals as well. And they pretty much were friendly, nice people no matter where they were from.

We went shopping together, went for coffee together, had birthday parties together, shared food and recipes, went for walks and hikes together, and volunteered at many school events.

I think that I'll really miss being at home now that I've had such an amazing year with these wonderful people.

Dating after marriage

What a strange new territory. I never really thought about dating again until recently. After going to court and turning in the proper paperwork to get my divorce moving, it starts to seem more like a real possibility.

The problem? The last time I dated, I thought this: dating sucks.

Sure, it's fun, having those first excited feelings when you meet someone new, but after a few go-rounds with some...*a-hem*...losers, the appeal of dating now seems even less thrilling than when I was younger and could still qualify as somebody's "trophy wife."

These days, I'm nobody's "trophy" (of course referring strictly to looks). I'm a mom and I'm almost 30. And, I look about right for those circumstances, perhaps better than some. But it's not my looks (or theirs) that concerns me.

I think about how long it really takes to get to know someone. And to trust them. I have a difficult enough time just making good friends, let alone trying to find someone good enough to share my life and my bed with.

I guess I can try to forget about dating and focus on trying to fulfill all of my dreams for myself. And maybe if Mr. Right happens along at the right moment, I'll notice him. In the meanwhile, I think I need to make sure to avoid all the Mr. Wrongs that apparently think that physical attraction is the main basis for all good relationships.

Annoyed.

Okay, since I'm going through a divorce, there are many things that I get annoyed at, as you might imagine.

I get annoyed at the thought of all the stuff that's been bothering me for years, the things that led me to get divorced and the fact that my husband still doesn't get it. He doesn't understand that while trust issues are at the heart of many of our problems, the other "little things" are probably worse.

How would you feel if:

You were sick enough to call in to work and stay home, but your spouse didn't ask you how you felt, if you wanted a drink or some medicine from the store, or left your child at home for you to care for them while you're sleeping...because you're SICK?!

You agree to become the partner that works while your spouse stays at home to raise the child for a while...and they promise that they'll do this job well (you explain that they need to do all the stuff you do) and then, they never dust, vacuum once every couple of weeks, usually didn't make dinner and also didn't bother doing a good job folding your laundry. Not to mention that they took plenty of time to go have coffee with friends at the Starbucks all the time.

Whenever your family or friends came over, all of sudden your spouse becomes Mr. Congeniality. Offering to get everyone drinks, food, being in general charming, friendly and smiling, while during the rest of your life, he's nothing like that.

Green tea as a diet aid?

I like to drink green tea, but I usually don't drink it in large quantities. But after reading a post on Craigslist, I decided to try out consuming more to see if I "got the burn!"

So, I drank one more very large cup than I usually would (probably around 5-6 cups total) and I can't believe how hot I got! It woke me up last night and I had to open my sliding door for air.

Also, this morning, I started with one cup of green tea and it warmed me up so much I was the only parent dropping my kid off at school who wasn't cold.

I was guessing that it must have increased my metabolism, but I wanted to know more after experiencing such immediate results. So, I googled green tea and weight loss and found this article...it was a study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/70/6/1040

It showed that green tea consumption (not just caffeine, but green tea) increased the body's natural energy expenditure during the day and promotes fat oxidation.

Awesome!

So, I'm going to keep it up and see how much of a difference I see in the next few weeks.

Gotta shed a few pounds

I've decided that I need to get back into the swing of things and lose a few pounds. Or, more specifically, inches.

I'd like to trim my tummy down and lose a little overall so that my arms, thighs, butt is slimmer in general.

So, I've been reading different things about how to lose weight. Of course, there are as many diets out there as there are dieters, so it's a hard thing to figure out exactly what to do. I've decided, that in addition to bicycling 3x week, I need to start walking on the other days, at least 30 minutes of hard walking. I also want to start some tummy exercises, but I find the ones I've tried too challenging for a beginner, so I'm going to try some dance-exercise stuff to strengthen up before trying the harder stuff.

But the hardest part will be the diet. I know that I should be eating loads of fruits and veggies...but when I'm choosing between an extra helping of broccoli and another serving of pasta with cheese, broccoli loses! I think that I need to find more exciting ways to prepare fruits and veggies. I also need to find more ways to make them convenient, so that it's easier to eat a banana than reheat my rich chicken leftovers from the night before.

I also need to start incorporating some of those key snacking staples...nuts, water, green tea, high fiber granola, peanut butter, cheese, etc., in healthy portions.

I should weigh/measure myself now and track my loss. Maybe that's what I'll do today!

What makes a good job?

I've heard people say that you should work doing something that you would do even if you weren't getting paid.

Since there are few jobs that pay you to eat or shop, and even fewer that pay well, I've decided that the above advice is nice in theory but may lack in feasibility.

When you decide to look for your next job, what are the criteria that come to mind? How does one determine whether a job is good, bad or simply mediocre? Of course, this is all subjective, so everyone's answer will be different.

Money
Like it or not, money is essential if you don't have a trust fund from a rich dead uncle. But obviously, money is not important enough to override things like a bad working environment or inability to advance.

People
Your boss, coworkers, and customers will probably be a huge make-or-break point at your new job. The only way to avoid working with jerks altogether is to take a position as an enbalmist...and no, I'm not interested!

Location
I hate commuting. You may love it. That could make the same job a dream job or a nightmare, depending on who's interested.

Perks
A casual dress code is a dream of mine. It makes me feel elated. Lunch on the boss/office is nice too. But jeans....oooh, I'd be in heaven. Time off to take care of personal things as necessary is also a must-have.

Room to Advance
Unless you've found the "it" job, chances are good that you'd like the ability to move up or learn a different position. I've interviewed for great jobs that had no possibility of advancement. They're also known as 'dead-end jobs.'

Appreciation
There's no substitute to having an appreciative boss and coworkers. And it's even worse if other bosses do a good job at recognizing excellence in their subordinates and your boss doesn't. You'd think that they'd teach all bosses this at boss school, but unfortunately, some of the best supervisors fall short of being great because of this.

As soon as I find my dream job at the end of summer, I'll let you know!

Today is the first day of the rest of your life...

So. If you had the chance to take back control of your life, what would you do? If you could start pursuing your own interests without having them conflict with a partner or spouse...would you start to dream bigger dreams?

Since I'm going to be divorced this year, I've started to think about what I want.

And I realized, it has been a very long time since I've thought about what I want.

Travel. Financial security. Simple furnishings in a simple home. Food...different kinds at home than I've been able to make before and trying new stuff at new restaurants. Maybe new love (but definitely on my own terms).

But mostly, I think I'd like the first four.

If you got to start dreaming anew, what would you dream of?

April 20, 2007

Today was an uneventful, yet busy, day.

My son was off from school for a professional development day, so we planned on goofing off.

We started our morning with cinnamon sugar cake doughnuts at the Marketplace Bakery. A couple of my old people were there and we enjoyed stories of camping in the snow as youngsters and some bridge talk. When I say bridge, I mean the type that goes over the water or a chasm. I never knew it but there are some that cantilever to the sides versus drawing up to allow passing boats by.

After some playing back at home, we headed over to the Jamba Juice and redeemed a coupon they'd mailed to us. We enjoyed a pomegranate smoothie and then checked out the bocce ball sets at the Sports Authority. I thought one set might be okay, but it cost $79.99, and I thought, hell, I better be sure it's okay! So we went over to Dick's at the mall and looked at their sets. They had a nice resin set but the case was busted on the bottom. And for $79.99, regardless of the 10% discount, that was no deal. Bocce balls weigh a ton and you must have a carrying case.

On the way back home, we stopped at the Target and found a nice compromise. An inexpensive set that was slightly smaller and had a simple carrying case. Since we're completely new to the sport, the $27.00 sale price was perfect.

By 5:00pm, we were in the park at the bocce courts. The weather stayed slightly warm and we played without jackets, enjoying the simple thrills that the game offered.

Dinner at home was a new recipe: basil cream chicken. It was dee-lish!

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend. I hope, I hope!

An Old Friend

My good friend that I think of often.

Mikko Robert Keskinen Davies

My "Old People"

I moved to Colorado last summer. I didn't really know too much about the area, but thanks in large part to the friendly locals, we've been learning more and more.

Once, on a visit to a local bakery in our small old town area, I joined a group of older folks sitting at a lone table in the hall. I was welcome to join them, and have been ever since. Most of them grew up here and have been sharing the most amusing stories with me. After I visit with them, I find my mind wandering to what new stories they told me.

This is the best way to get history, if you can. Straight from the mouths of the elderly themselves who lived it as teenagers.

Some of the most amusing stories are those that tell of medicinal remedies long gone (thank goodness!). Others tell of life as teenagers in small towns and all the trouble they got in. They all remember who the town doctor was and who the sheriff was. They can tell you who owned the local homes that are now being renovated by eager new purchasers. They can tell you that the real estate office down the street used to be the mortuary. And they can tell you stories about the folks that now grace the pages of the newspaper obituary section.

If you haven't met your local old people, hurry up, before they're just an entry in the newspaper and their history is lost.

Ammonia, Bleach and Baking Soda. Oh My!

I feel like I've been breathing bleach, ammonia and baking soda for the last few days! I've been helping a friend move and clean her apartments for four of the last five days. Whew! It makes you want to never move again! Or clean again, for that matter.

Unfortunately, that won't be the case for us! We feel like it's only a matter of time before our new management at our apartments discovers that we are paying month-to-month and tries to stick us with a new lease...at $250 more a month! That's what we've been hearing from our neighbors, so we are bracing ourselves for a move in our not-too-distant future.

We are also anticipating some other large changes in our personal lives, namely that my husband and I have decided to get divorced.

It's for a lot of reasons. And it's something that we've been building towards practically from the start of our relationship. I think that the biggest thing is that I got married too young. I didn't really know who I was and by the time I knew, I realized that I had a lot of issues with my husband. He's a good person and a good father, so I don't want anyone to think that he's a bad guy. We just didn't end up being a good fit, is all.

It's been a little rough trying to figure out what to do and when in the whole divorce process, but I think that so far it's going ok.

And I'm looking forward to living alone for the first time in my life. Well, except for when my son is with me and of course, I'll have a cat. So, somewhat alone, but still it will be a big change.

So, I think it will be a good change ultimately. So no need to tell me you're sorry for me. (Which, I don't think that people can help!) Caryl, nice to hear from you again, what's new in your neck of the woods?

Restaurant Review: Jim's Hamburger Haven

I think that I can finally relax. I found a good hamburger in Colorado.

Don't laugh, it's not funny. In fact, it's been a very sad, long search for a burger worth mentioning.

But at last, after a good recommendation (which are just as rare in CO as a good burger), we ventured out to Jim's Hamburger Haven in Arvada, CO on Sunday morning.

Based on the online reviews I'd read, I ordered the small, double meat with cheese, everything on it, with a side of onion rings and a vanilla shake. Next time, I think I'll order a large double meat with extra cheese and a side of fries and a coke.

I think that the key (besides a fresh, hot, really prepared when you order it burger) lies in the seasonings. The burger uses good beef and the smell hits you when you open the door.

The restaurant itself is reminiscent of times gone by, with small framed photos of classic cars hung on several walls. The employees are young, friendly and efficient...an awesome combination.

The onion rings were crisp and tasty, but after going so long without a good burger, I could've simply skipped the rings and eaten two burgers. But still, they are pretty darn good. Especially for a breaded onion ring.

The prices are very reasonable and the kids' meals are served in cool classic car cardboard boxes.

I heartily recommend a trip to this small, hometown burger stand. It's worth it.

Couple of household tips:

Use a small amount of white vinegar in your rinse cycle to soften clothes.

When the weather is going to drop below freezing, spread a little bit of silicone on the rubber part of your car door to avoid having your door freeze shut.

Menu for the week

OK, I got into gear and here's my menu for the week:

Monday: Italian sausage meatball subs and green salad

Tuesday: Corn chowder soup with homemade foccacia

Wednesday: Pesto shrimp pasta

Thursday: Homemade macaroni and cheese & side of steamed broccoli

Friday: Store bought submarine sandwich & green salad (or leftovers)

Trying to dream of a dream job

I've been asked what my dream job would be. And honestly, I feel sad to say that I do not know.

I'm not sure if everyone knows what their dream job is because it's easy to figure out, or if everyone else somehow has had the opportunity to witness a friend with the dream job or what.

I like change, getting to try different things. I like art, color and creativity. I like doing things with my hands and dislike having to work on my computer too much. I love to eat, love to taste new flavors and even love to read about food. I have a soft spot in my heart for all things made by craftsmen. Handmade objects, made better than a machine ever could, made with care and passion...that is the stuff of the American dream.

But a dream job... alas, I come up empty.

I have considered trying to get a job with an interior design firm, thinking that perhaps I'd be inspired to major in design. I have considered working for a caterer, learning the ropes in case I'd ever one day take the leap into the unknown world of owning my own business.

If anyone has any suggestions that you think might fit, let me know! Until then, the quest continues...

Oh, and one other thing...I would like to earn a decent living!! (Oh dream jobs can be a let-down that way!)

Warm days and restless thoughts...

Must...get...motivated! (Imagine captain Kirk saying it.)

Ok, so I haven't been hitting my 2xweek workout resolution that well so far this year. But, I have been trying to add different things in, like yoga, bicycle riding and walking.

The warm weather we had today (we were in the fifties...it was so awesome, no jacket required) made me feel so antsy, I had to move. But, since I'm broke and not currently working, I settled on staying in and doing laundry.

I also working on piecing together some fabric that I cut out yesterday for a couple of quilt blocks. Quilting is one of my on-again-off-again hobbies that I enjoy obsessing over. I pieced together two blocks, and they are quite pretty. Now, I need more fabric!

I ran down tonight and picked up some free tickets for a hockey game from a liquor store that emails me specials. I was excited to get them because we haven't yet seen our local team, the Rocky Mountain Rage, play.

Hi Cyndi! Thanks for the welcome back! Hope all is well with you!

Menu for the week

Monday:
Slow cooker Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes and corn

Tuesday:
Slow cooker enchiladas with refried beans and Mexican rice

Wednesday:
Hmmm...we'll see. I'm thinking of a local Korean restaurant or I might just stick to the plan.
Italian sausage soup with salad

Thursday:
Pork chops with sauerkraut and kielbasa in the slow cooker (I think this is Polish) with mashed potatoes and apple sauce

Friday:
Ham and potato soup and salad

Creating a weekly food plan

As a wife and a mother, cooking a balanced, on-time meal everyday has been a challenge. So, I started to analyze what I could do to make my problem disappear. And in the process, I am eliminating wasteful over shopping and making tastier meals.

My secret? I create a weekly dinner plan. I start by thumbing through my recipes or searching for new ones online. Then, I go into the Excel spreadsheet I created (I know that sounds...well, anal, but you have to believe that it makes everything easier) and input information.

My spreadsheet has 3 basic sections.

There are columns for Monday - Friday and space in each to type in the planned main dish and side dishes. Under that there is a shopping list section. This only includes the items that I need to purchase, after I've gone through and checked my pantry for items that I might already have on hand. This stops me from buying another pack of ranch mix when I've already got one. And the last section has a place for notes for each day. I might type in food reminders or make notes about library books being due. It helps minimize my need to have additional planners.

I always try to be sure and include at least 2 days of dinners using my crock pot. No rushing on those days! After my son is off to school, I come home, get the meal assembled and forget about it.

I find that using a meal planner helps me make sure I'm including enough vegetables and getting enough variety in our diet. It has also helped me save money and time.

Once I've input the information into the spreadsheet, I print it off and go shopping. Then, I hang the plan on the refrigerator door. I put all of the recipe cards that I'll be using for the week on my counter and I'm set.

As Martha would say: Meal planners. They're a good thing.

Colorado's Blizzard 2006

Here is our photo after it had been snowing all day on Wednesday.

I think we're expecting more in a day or two. It will be a white Christmas this year!

Couple of pics from Denver's Museum of Nature and Science

The Alma King, the largest complete rhodochrosite in the world, measures 14 cm x 16.5 cm. You can get a sense of the size with my mom in the picture. Rhodochrosite is Colorado's state mineral.

Gray Wolves, my favorite diorama at the museum. They looked so real, I kept expecting one to turn their head and look at me. The museum does a really great job!

World's Best Macaroni and Cheese

Ok. So maybe I haven't tried all the macaroni and cheeses of the world, but this one is pretty dang good!

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. elbow macaroni (I like Barilla)
5 Tablespoons flour
5 Tablespoons butter, plus couple extra Tablespoons for the topping
2 1/2 or 3 cups (depending on your tastes) shredded Cabot Vintage Choice cheddar cheese*
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Emeril's essence (recipe follows)
2-3 slices sourdough bread, cut into smallish cubes

Instructions:
1. Boil pasta in large pot of water until al dente; drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, begin melting butter in a large skillet/saucepan. Once melted, add the flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring, making sure not to brown the flour.
3. Slowly add milk while whisking (ensures it will not clump).
4. Remove from heat. Add 2 - 2 1/2 cups of the cheese (reserve remaining 1/2 cup cheese for topping), stirring until melted.
5. Stir in heavy cream to adjust consistency.
6. Pour macaroni into skillet and coat with the sauce.
7. Pour into a buttered baking dish and top with cubes of bread, remaining 1/2 cup cheese, 2 Tbsp butter (broken into small pieces to help the bread get toasty) and 1 teaspoon of essence.
8. Bake in oven at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly and bread crumbs are toasted; approximately 30-40 minutes.

Emeril's essence:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup

*Cook's note: I found this aged cheddar at Costco.

Trip to the Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs

Here is a lovely photo from one area in the Garden of the Gods. It is a place of stunning beauty and history.

And here is a photo of some mule deer that I caught while we were hiking. I think they are about as tall as me (around 5' 7")! (Click on the photo to enlarge, so you can really see the deer.)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

It's been snowing since last night. I believe that this is our fourth snow of the year.

The view from my balcony.

Green Bean Casserole Recipe

This was my favorite dish at Thanksgiving this year. It's leftovers disappeared the soonest, by my own hand! I think it's the yummy taste of the onions that really gets me.


Green Bean Casserole, from Paula Deen
1/3 stick butter
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups sliced green beans
3 cups chicken broth
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (2.8-ounce) can French-fried onion rings
Pinch House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 cup grated Cheddar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Saute the onions and mushrooms in the butter. Boil green beans in chicken broth for 10 minutes and drain. Add the green beans, mushroom soup, onion rings, and House Seasoning, to taste, to the onion mixture. Stir well. Pour into a greased 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes, then top the casserole with the Cheddar and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the casserole is hot and cheese is melted.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Delish!

Thanksgiving 2006

Thanksgiving went well this year.

Our Menu:

Appetizers:
Green olives
Cabot sharp aged cheddar cheese with Nonni's Panetoni crackers
Veggie crudites with ranch dip
Hot wings with dip

Main course:
Salad with cranberries, feta and nuts
Honeybaked ham
Mashed potatoes with poultry gravy
Sausage, apple and dried cranberry stuffing
Green bean casserole (my favorite thing, I think; it's a Paula Deen recipe)

Dessert:
Sweet Potato Pie (my favorite of the two pies)
Apple Crumble Pie
Vanilla Ice Cream

Beverages:
Lucien Albrecht Rose Champagne from Alsace
Two Rivers Riesling

I hope everyone had a lovely thanksgiving!

Sunset from my balcony

Apple Pie Experiment #1

This is the first apple pie that I've ever made. I made it entirely from scratch using a recipe that I found in a Cooking Light magazine.

We all thought it had a funny taste to it, and the only thing that I can guess it that it was the apple cider that made it funny. Oh well, next time I'm going to try a recipe from Allrecipes.com, since I'll know from the reviews whether or not it should be any good.

But it looks good, at least!

The Power of Two

Some people have all the motivation that they need built in.

They get up, exercise five days a week, organize their closet and garage on the weekend and still manage to learn that new hobby they are interested in.

I envy them. For myself, I don't have that built-in fire under my tush.

But like a snowball, I gather speed and mass under the right conditions. Namely, when I am around those who share my interests.

Thank goodness for me that I found someone who shares many of my own interests. My friend and I are tuning in to the same wavelength it seems.

We both want to learn American Sign Language. We both want to learn a foreign language as well. We agree that Spanish is the most practical, but that we'd like something more exotic, just for fun. We'll see if practicality wins out!

What new thing will you be learning during the next year because of the inspiration of friendship?

A Store Review: A Tea Utopia in Lafayette, CO

A friend and I visited A Tea Utopia on Tuesday, November 7, 2006.

We walked into the warm, sunlit shop in the middle of the day. The first thing you notice when you enter is the "wall of tea." One of the two main walls of the shop has nothing but shelves filled with jars of loose-leaf tea. Signs indicate that customers should feel welcome to open the jars and smell the teas.

We opened many jars, but left the vast majority unopened. I smelled tea from China that was so smoky it reminded me of roasted meat. I inhaled oolong that made me sigh. I saw a jar of genmai green tea, which normally has toasted brown rice in it, that had tiny, little popcorn mixed in.

The store proprietor came out and offered assistance. If you need advice on how teas will compare to others that seem similar, this is the lady to ask. She handmixes each tea on the wall, carefully selecting the aromatic pieces of the puzzle. She experiments with different blends, sometimes tossing a whole batch if it doesn't come out so well.

I enjoyed a freshly baked blueberry scone with a cup of iced jasmine tea, sweetened to my liking. My friend enjoyed a cup of an herbal tea, scented with vanilla, and a Nonni's biscotti. It was lovely to sit and talk, enjoying our treats. Customers pay for the items purchased at the conclusion of their visit, probably to allow them to add on extra food items as they give in to temptation (hey, we didn't originally start with that scone and biscotti!).

There were a couple of elderly women enjoying tea and conversation, so quiet that they were in their own world and we in ours.

I recommend this store for several reasons. The vast selection usually gives more room for experimentation, going outside of one's boundaries. The fresh pies and other treats would attract even a non-tea drinker. And lastly, the warm atmosphere and hands-on approach of the owner lend the store a very local flavor. It's comfortable there.

A Tea Utopia
1280 Centaur Village Drive Unit 7
Lafayette, CO 80026
303-665-8201

Casseroles, casseroles everywhere, and not a bite to eat!

I admit that I've been making too many casseroles lately. But, darn it, they are easy!

This week we've had

1. elbow macaroni and cheeses with chicken and vegetables

and

2. ziti casserole with three cheeses and italian sauasage meatballs

Both were delicious, but now I've decided that I need to get back to eating real meals; meals where the entree and side dishes exist separately in time and space.

The trick is finding easy, fast, healthy, and inexpensive meals of that variety. I'll post recipes as soon as I figure them out!

My Christmas Shopping has officially begun.

I finally faced the facts. Christmas is indeed coming and time is not slowing down. Rats.

Now that the facts have been faced, I now have to determine what gifts to buy everyone.

On a budget, no less. So, I am hoping that my favorite pasttime, that is, tinkering with crafts of all sorts, will pay off.

I found my inspiration this year in Martha Stewart's Holiday Handmade Gifts, on the stands now.

Homemade goodies of all sorts. I hope that there will be something for everyone. We'll see!

Here is what I want to make, so far:

Candles in unique vessels
Sweets - truffles and cookies
Possibly soap

I can't give away all my secrets, since a particular gift-recipient may be reading, but suffice it to say that I should be keeping myself busy on the weekends!

Does anyone else have plans to make some handmade gifts this Christmas?

No, really. No...REALLY!

Today I bought the most high-end pair of shoes I've ever heard of.

When I slid my feet into them and asked, "how do they look?" the answer I got was, "HOT! I'd wear just those and nothing else!"

I am not the biggest Sex and the City fan, but even I happened to catch an episode that featured these shoes.

Here they are. Manolo Blahnik's. And my husband tells me they retail for about $575-900 per pair. I bought mine for...wait for it...$1.99. And no, I won't tell you where!!! Hee, hee, hee! It's my secret!

I also bought a pair of Ann Taylor leather knee-high boots. How much? You guessed it. $1.99.


I was freaking out when I left the store! I tried to call my sister, but alas, she's on vacation. I can't wait to tell her. She's a big Sex and the City fan, so she should know what they are. Whoo hoo! Nothing like a good deal to make your day!

Home Based Food Delivery?

I may have to face the music soon. I might have to get a job.

Yech. Blah. Do I really have to?

I have been trying to figure out what job I would really love to have over the last few months. And now, it seems it will come down to the purely practical. After we start paying for our new benefits and contributing to the new 401K at my husband's job, we will definitely be short of cash.

So, the question is: what kind of job can you have and still be there to drop off and pick up your son from a 6 1/2 hour school day? It gives me at most, 6 hours to work. And, I need to be off for holidays and absolutely cannot work on weekends.

And then, just to be pig-headed, I would like to make more than $8 an hour, and I'm not thrilled at the prospect of going back to secretarial work.

I keep thinking of Paula Deen. She started her food delivery service from her kitchen (yes, against food codes) and basically had her sons go from business to business, selling her homemade lunches. And once business really got going, she was making about $1,000 each week.

I don't know if I can be that ambitious, after all there is only me. But I find myself wondering: can I get a business license and my food handler's card, rent/share kitchen space and sell lunches (while craftily trying to avoid paying taxes) and actually make a profit?

If anyone out there does this for a living, or knows someone who does do this, can you offer any advice, or recommend any must-have books for information?

Restaurant Review: Casa Alvarez in Lafayette, CO

Tonight, my son and I went out in search of good Mexican food (again!). This time, our travels took us to Casa Alvarez.

We arrived late for dinner, at approximately 8:00pm, and were seated promptly. Our server, whose name was either Cevia or Ceria or some such thing, was extremely friendly and courteous.

We sat in the dining room that is shared with the bar, and the atmosphere was that of a neighborhood establishment. Folks sat at the bar in clumps talking about global warming and politics.

My margarita was big and good. There was just enough tequila for me to taste it above the sweet and sour.

I ordered their carnitas enchilada and a beef taco combination plate. My son ordered the children's enchilada plate. Our food arrived shortly after ordering. Everything tasted fine, but wasn't spectacular. However, everything was prepared on site. The chips and salsa were fresh. The crunchy taco shell of my beef taco was fried on the premises.

Overall, I would give this place three and a 1/2 stars out of a possible five. They earned extra points for the friendly, efficient service and the margarita, but simply did not compare to Mi Casa in Costa Mesa, which is our Mexican food standard by which all other restaurants are judged.

Casa Alvarez
502 S Public Rd
Lafayette, CO 80026
(303) 604-4396

Hours:
Sun-Thu 11am-9pm
Fri-Sat 11am-10pm

Payment Types:
Cash, Credit

Happy Halloween!

Here is my little guy, all geared up and ready to go!

This is a completely homemade costume. Just a cardboard box and lots of styrofoam. I used craft glue and some masking tape, too.

Just a note, if you attempt to make any costume using styrofoam, be sure to only use latex (water-based) paints or, if you plan on spray painting, be sure to "seal" the styrofoam with some masking tape. I believe that all spray paints will "melt" the styrofoam on contact.

Weekend Fun!

My sister came out to visit us this weekend from LA. We had a good time!

We played Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution Party Edition (oh, I bet my neighbors loved to hear us rock out). We carved our pumpkins and baked pumpkin seeds. The batch with the cinnamon sugar was so yummy! And we broke open and ate a pomegranate, which are in season and delicious!

We checked out a local bar in Denver called the Blake Street Tavern. It was very much a local's bar and the drinks were good, service was likewise.

And lastly, we showed my sister my son's Halloween costume. Which is a surprise! I'll post a photo tomorrow showing the finished product.

Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds
1 1/2 cups rinsed and toweled dry pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. melted butter
Pinch salt
Sugar and cinnamon, to taste

Heat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Toss the cleaned seeds with the melted butter and salt. Spread into a single layer on a large cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring once half-way through.

Once removed from the oven, toss in a bowl with cinnamon and sugar until the desired sweetness/taste is achieved. Serve.

Good Food Hunting

I think that I have good taste.

I like my taste in food, interior design and architecture and clothing. I should; after all, they are my tastes.

I can't always afford to buy the best, but I feel happy at being able to recognize it when I see it (or eat it).

But lately, my passion for enjoying a simply delicious meal seems to be a bad thing.

I'm not one of those people who can walk into an Applebee's and declare that their food is wonderful. (Sorry, but I was conscious when I ate there...and to be fair, it wasn't bad...it just wasn't that good.)

See, if I could truly enjoy a meal from McDonald's, then I'd probably be as happy as a clam.

But as it is, I've tried two Mexican restaurants, multiple chain restaurants and a few fast food restaurants and find myself wondering: where is all the good food in Louisville, CO?

And to make matters worse, if you ask a few different people their opinion on a particular restaurant, you're likely to get responses that range from, so-so to great to absolutely hated it.

I'm looking for mostly affordable, but absolutely delicious, makes-you-wish-you-could-eat-more food.

Anybody have any recommendations?

Too cold for beer...

It's getting too cold for beer while I'm watching my son play outside, so I have been looking online for some nice "cold-weather cocktails." One more nice thing about some truly cold weather. I think that I will enjoy this search!

Here are a few that I'm considering...maybe somebody out there has tried one of these and has an opinion? If I end up making one of these, I'll let you know what I think!

Peppermint Patty
Make one serving hot chocolate, add 1 ounce peppermint schnapps

Hot Scotch Chocolate
1 serving hot chocolate, add 1 oz. butterscotch schapps

Toasted Almond
1 shot amaretto
1 shot vodka
1/2 shot Kahlua
Half & half

Heat the half & half in a pan until very warm, add liquor and stir to mix. Serve hot.

Hot Hopper
1/2 shot creme de menthe
1 shot white creme de cacao
1/2 shot Bailey's Irish Cream
Hot chocolate

Make hot chocolate, add other ingredients and stir. Serve hot.

Hot Toddy
2 shots whiskey
1 shot simple syrup
4 cloves
ground cinnamon, to taste
ground nutmeg, to taste
boiling water
lemon slice
cinnamon stick

Combine ingredients through nutmeg in a mug. Add boiling water to fill. Garnish with lemon slice and cinnamon stick. Serve hot.

Our first snow!

We had our first snow day here in Louisville today. It is still snowing, in fact. It started sometime around 9:30 this morning and hasn't stopped all day. Most of it simply melted when it hit the ground, but then after 3pm, it started to actually look like snow on the grass, roofs, etc.

It is so nice to have some variation to the weather. After years of living in almost perfect weather in Southern California, the change is welcome. I have been purchasing scarves and shopping for new mittens. I served my son and his playmate hot chocolate this afternoon. My hot coffee in the morning seems too good to be true.

Granted, I'll need to shop for new socks, add a blanket to the bed, get the worn out tires replaced and god knows what else...but somehow, that's okay.

Here is a photo of an abandoned stool that I rescued and reupholstered.

Here is a photo of a bag that I made using fabric sample books. (Front and Back)


Here is a photo of the view from my apartment this evening.

Barium for breakfast?! My favorite!

NOT!

Ok, now that I'm back from 7th grade, let me just say, if you don't have to get an upper GI done, don't! Of course, why would you?

My "temporary" physician (it's better than the other nicknames I have in mind...I am not fond of this woman) ordered an upper GI to see if my little heartburn problem had caused any real damage.

So, here's how it works.

First, you put on a stylish hospital gown, preferably one that leaves a draft coming in the front so that you feel you will expose your chest at any moment. Check.

Second, you take a little cup with crystals in it and throw them all in your mouth at once, chasing them with another little cup of fluid. The little crystals start reacting at once in your mouth, sort of like medicinal Pop Rocks. Heres the tricky part: you have to swallow them really quickly, so that they pop in your esophogas/stomach and expand, leaving you full of gas...and you can't burp. Or at least, they tell you not to. This process fills you with "air" so they can get a better look. Check (interspersed with quiet burps).

Third, and my personal favorite (note the sarcasm), you start to drink big gulps of chalky, lumpy barium. Mmmmm. In this third step, you will stand up, get x-rayed, then lay down, and get more x-rays. I almost couldn't drink anymore on cue. That was the worst part! Check.

Fourth. While lying down, roll over. Roll over again. Roll part way. Lay on your stomach, lay on your back. You get the picture. Check.

Fifth, you drink a thinner version of the barium mixture. On cue. While lying down. Check.

And if you're lucky (like me, yippee!), at the end, they'll tell you that you're fine.

I guess that the peace of mind was worth drinking and eating all that stuff. Thank God!!

Scrapbooking at Cut It Out!

Last weekend, I got together with a new friend for a little scrapbooking. Luckily for me, there is a new store in Louisville, CO called Cut It Out that has tables where you can work. And the owner Trish is super nice!

My friend Steph and I had a lot of fun (although I'm afraid that we might've talked more than we scrapbooked) and got a bite to eat at a local New Mexican style restaurant. I tried a bite of her flan, which was very good, I must admit. I've never tried it before because the texture looking a little "wobbly" for me. But this was more like a soaked cake texture.

I managed to finish my second scrapbook, which covers the second year of my son's life. I plan on doing three more to cover the first 5 years of his life. My first two have turned out so cute, that I can't wait to finish the rest and start working on a school scrapbook for him!

Trish demonstrated the Cricut (pronounced cricket) machine for us, which is like a printer, except that it prints out a die-cut design. Just put in the cartridge with the style font/graphics you'd like, type in the design and press go. It was pretty darn cool. You can even feed in whatever kind of paper you'd like the design to be cut out of, so it coordinates with your page.

We'll be getting together again on September 9th, and I'll post the event on My People Connection. My People Connection is a great site that allows users to host events and sign up for events (with no fees to them) as a way to meet new friends. And they do mean friends...this is not a dating service. Which makes it so great, because married folks like me can attend events and there is no pressure, just nice people who like to do stuff!

If anyone out there is in the Boulder/Denver area and would like to come hang out on September 9th, check out MyPC about a week before and I'll post the information. It's free to attend and you only purchase what you like from the store as needed (they'll open a tab for you).

Cut It Out

Louisville, CO 80027

Isabella at Last!! Congratulations to Kristi!

My blog-friend Kristi has just announced the arrival of her beautiful baby girl. Please congratulate her...it was a long and difficult journey!!!

Congratulations Kristi!!! She's beautiful.

Cat Photo and a Crazy Week!

What a crazy week.

My son started 1st grade. I've been volunteering at a local thrift store that benefits the Birds of Prey Foundation (this has been fun...I'm redoing their jewelry case). I've had a doctor's appointment, a portrait studio sitting and tomorrow I'm hosting a scrapbooking event through My People Connection.

Whew!

But most importantly, I've been reading every possible moment and falling in love with the main male character in Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.

Ladies, this is a book for you. This is similar to what they would call a "chick flick". I guess this goes in that category "chick lit".

Boy, oh, boh. It doesn't have a photo of Fabio on the cover and, in fact, it has been recognized for it's historical and geographical accuracies. But even so, it certainly does make my blood pump.

It won't teach me how to increase my income; it won't teach me how to improve my personal relationships.

However: I don't care.

This is reading for the sheer enjoyment of it. It's an indulgence when I read it. Like eating a ripe strawberry. With champagne. By the fire. With some hunka-hunka Scottish love next to me. Well, you get the picture.

The story is about an English woman who falls slips through a "door" back in time over 200 years. The year is 1743. The place is Scotland. Everything is different in that time period and the main character is trying to find her way back home to her husband and 1945 without being hanged, raped or who knows what else, and along the way meets Jamie.

I'm doing it quite the injustice above, so I'll just say that I strongly recommend the book. You won't regret it!

Going back to basics: Glazed Carrots

Frustration.

Some days, I look at the kitchen and that is the feeling that comes rushing to the surface (not so unlike my acid reflux problem): frustration.

What am I going to cook for dinner? It's only a matter of time before someone else actually asks me that question. What am I going to tell them?

Since I can't very well tell them, "Shove off, I'm not in the mood...," I have to change the way I think about food.

My husband always manages to prepare some ultra-easy, piece of cake meal that makes everyone happy. And sometimes, I feel like a little knowledge (and a small budget) can be a dangerous thing.

I know just enough to know that I want to make miraculous meals that make my family swoon, but I also know that - well - I'm tired. I'm tired and I don't have three New York strip steaks in the fridge to whip out.

But I also know and have to remember that food, at its most basic, is simple.

And when I can remember that, we're all better off.

Here is a simple side dish, suitable for chicken, pork, beef, or any hot meal.

Glazed Carrots
Serves 4

1 pound medium carrots (about 6), peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick on the bias
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar (although I prefer brown sugar)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Ground black pepper

Bring carrots, salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and chicken broth to boil, covered, in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until carrots are almost tender when poked with the tip of a paring knife, about 5 minutes.

Uncover, increase heat to high, and simmer rapidly, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 1 to 2 minutes. Add butter and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to skillet; toss carrots to coat and cook, stirring frequently, until carrots are completely tender and glaze is light gold, about 3 minutes.

Off heat, add lemon juice; toss to coat. Transfer carrots to serving dish, scraping glaze from pan. Season to taste with pepper and serve immediately.

Cherry Cream Cheese Tarts

These mini-cheesecakes are a wonderful alternative to bustin' your hump for hours, and you still get to enjoy that delicious, light, cream cheese flavor and the fruit topping of your choice. People always remark about how good they taste!

I recommend that you share them with friends, family and neighbors to avoid that "oh-my-god-I-just-ate-12-mini-cheesecakes" feeling.

TIPS/USEFUL INFO:
Instead of spooning the cream cheese mixture over the vanilla wafers, I pour mine into a large ziptop bag, close it, and cut off a corner for a quick piping bag. Much, much easier!

When you first pull your tarts out of the oven, they will be these gorgeous rounded top muffins.


But before you know it, they will be cooled...and sunken. Don't Panic.
This is supposed to happen. Place your fruit topping in the indentation, it fits perfectly!


Cherry Cream Cheese Tarts - AKA Blueberry
Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (they MUST be softened...can't skip this step)
1 cup sugar (white, granulated)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
12 vanilla wafers
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling or other pie filling

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place a paper cupcake liner in each cup of a muffin pan. Beat cream cheese with a handheld electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Lay a vanilla wafer, flat side down, in each muffin cup. Spoon cream cheese mixture over wafers. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow tarts to cool completely. Serve with cherry filling on top, or pie filling of your choice.

You're On Notice!

This was too funny! I saw it over at Interrupted Wanderlust and had to create my own.


If you want to create your own, go here.

Eldorado Springs

On Thursday, we went down and checked out Eldorado Springs, about 20 minutes southwest from where we are.

It is a beautiful canyon between rocky outcroppings of mountain, which you are very likely to see daring climbers ascending high above you.

There is a freezing cold river that you absolutely have to walk into (don't ask why, it's a river, do you need another reason?) and hunt for unique, sparkly and colorful rocks.

There are trails that head off in different directions, including one which is wheelchair accessible.

I saw a group of four young climbers in the middle of a climbing lesson with their instructors helping them into harnesses. I saw a small Asian family grilling some little foil packages over some very fragrant wood charcoal.

I saw lots of flowers and a few bugs. Here is one very cool bug:

Some lovely purple flowers:

Some chokeberries (no, actually, they won't make you choke):

It was a fun day and a beautiful place. We got out just before it started pouring, too!

Dinners, easy as 1, 2, 3!

I love fondue.

I love the idea of this wonderful, interactive food and also love the taste.

However, making fondue sometimes just doesn't seem convenient.

And while there is something to be said about working hard to make a meal and enjoying the fruits of your labor, there is also something to be said about working smart with quick-to-prepare foods that offer less work and great quality.

Usually, quick-to-prepare and great quality don't go hand in hand. But luckily for me and my family, two meals this week fell under this category with much success.

The first, was Voila from Bird's Eye.

Voila comes in the freezer section and is easily and quickly prepared in a skillet.

I tried the Three Cheese Chicken with radiatore pasta, carrots and broccoli. The most important part: my son liked it. The next most important part: my husband and I liked it, too!

The veggies weren't overcooked, the chicken wasn't rubbery or grisly, and the pasta was perfect.

The second meal that I had this week that fell into this category was fondue.

No, you say, fondue that is quick and easy? Yes. It's true.

If you have ever seen this package and wondered if it was any good, here's your answer: YES.

Swiss Knight Fondue is a quality product that is half gruyere and half swiss cheese and tastes so similar to a pot of fondue that I once slaved over that I was shocked the first time I tried it.

I served mine with some kalamata olive bread, some parboiled white potatoes and some blanched broccoli. Dinner with flair in no time flat!

So next time you're looking for a quick meal but don't want to stop at the local burger joint, try some Voila or fondue...you'll be glad you did!