Yum-o!

Yet another great idea from Christine! Here are my two favorite holiday recipes:

Hilda Crockett's Corn Pudding: (Makes 6 to 8 servings)

1/3 cup sugar (I actually use about 1/4 cup and it's plenty sweet)
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Eggs
1 15 oz can cream-style corn
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease 2 quart baking dish.
Combine sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl.
Add and mix well and turn into baking dish.
Dot generously with butter.
Bake until center is almost firm - about 1 hour.

I make this first thing Thanksgiving morning and pop it back in the oven to warm up when the Turkey comes out of the oven.


Red and Green Salad with Cranberry Dressing: (Makes 8 servings)

In a food processor or blender, smoothly puree:
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 shallot, chopped
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/3 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Add 1/4 cup dried cranberries to above dressing.

In a large, shallow bowl, mix:

10 cups baby salad leaves
2 cups shredded radicchio or red cabbage
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 red bell pepper (stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced)

Toss with dressing. Add salt if desired (I don't usually). Garnish with red onion rings and dried cranberries.

I usually serve this salad at Christmas but it's so good it occasionally appears at Thanksgiving as well.

OK, I'm on a roll. I was going to keep this last McConnell (my maiden name) family Thanksgiving recipe a secret but it's too good not to share:

James Beard's Sweet Potatoes with Bourbon and Walnuts OR
Al McConnell's Sweet Potatoes with Scotch and Walnuts:

10 - 12 sweet potatoes (about 4 1/2 pounds), baked until soft (about 60 min.)
3/4 cup plus two Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/3 to 1/2 cup bourbon (my Dad makes them with scotch, he says, "1/4 Cup - at least!")
1/2 teaspooon salt - but do it to taste, it is usually less than that
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Cut cooked potatoes in half and scoop out pulp (about 8 cups) into large bowl of electric mixer. Beat at medium speed until smooth. In saucepan heat 3/4 cup butter, the bourbon and salt over low heat; add to potatoes and beat until blended. Turn into greased 6-cup baking dish. Dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with walnuts. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven about 20 minutes. Makes about 8 servings.

I don't like scotch but it is absolutely delicious in these potatoes as I imagine bourbon would be as well. We'll be feasting on Turkey with giblet and roast veggie gravy (might have to dig that recipe out too - it's from Martha Stewart and is so good), chestnut, sausage and sage stuffing, cranberry sauce, Hilda's Corn Pudding, Scotch Sweet Potatoes, and green beans. The green bean recipe I found has bacon and shallots in it. Christine's recipe sounds awesome so I may make a last minute switcheroo....either way bacon is involved so it's going to be good! And now I feel very full just listing it all!

I hope everybody has a fantastic Thanksgiving!

I am the proud owner...

of a six year old!

Holy cow! When did this happen? I swear the year between 5 and 6 went so fast and now I have a seriously big boy on my hands. Who knew I'd have a six year old asking for an iPod. Seriously. Get in line, buddy. And that's his buddy, Jeremiah, from down the street. I think it's so cool how they all get excited about their friend's birthdays, too. Love that.

So we are going out to dinner tonight. The birthday boy requested Carrabbas and then Saturday is the Star Wars Bowling Party. Thirteen 5/6 year olds bowling. Glad they serve beer! I will get back to blogging but for today it is all about the little man. It's my favorite day of the year!

All is right with the world...

Grey's Anatomy is back, baby! It was awesome from start to finish. It officially is my favorite show. I'd give up all the rest for it. Love it, love it, love it. Choices to make? Oh, please. It is all about McDreamy. Aaahhh...I know I should get a life but only if I can still watch Grey's!

Ok, ok...I can take a hint!

Thanks for caring enough to bug me about my blog! I just have been struggling to conjure up just about any mojo lately. Things are a bit crazy here. After being told for quite awhile that we would be staying here and that Mark would be able to ride out the rest of his military career here (which was awesome since we'd like to retire here) the Army has done what it does best - they've reassigned him! And I have to say it is my fault for allowing myself to take the mental leap to civilian life. I know better. I know that when it looks like you're going one way you will inevitably go the other - especially if things are working out exactly the way you want them to. Now, things are certainly not as bad as they could be. If he has to move this is probably the absolute best way to do it. He's moving to a job at Ft. Monroe which is near Norfolk, VA. That's about 3-4 hours from here. As far as we know it is not a deployable position and our other choices were Japan (which I would take in a heart beat if Spence were a little older and Mark wasn't so close to retiring - not that easy to job hunt from Japan!) or Ft. Riley, KS. which would mean an immediate deployment to Iraq. So all in all I'm really not complaining, just a little in shock.

So now we are trying to figure out whether or not he moves down there and comes home on weekends or if he goes down and then Spence and I move down there next summer. We just don't know. Kind of tempting to move as the cost of living is lower and we'd be so close to the beach. I've never lived that close to the beach before...very tempting. And as much as I can't stand to leave here and leave our friends and neighbors, the old military nomad part of me kicks in and starts to get a little excited about something new. And then there's just dealing with being apart and Mark and I are definitely "tag team" parents and question why we'd spend so much time apart if we really don't have to. We told Spence about it on Saturday. I think it's a lot for a little dude to process. I asked him how he felt about it and he started to cry and said he didn't want to move. I have a whole new respect for military families because we've moved twice with Spence but he was so young he doesn't remember. This would be the first that would really register with him. So I think Mark wanted to jump off a tall building but you also have to consider that Spence is five and was also pretty stoked about being near the beach, aircraft carriers and Busch Gardens. I think he's still young enough that he'll pretty much go with the flow regardless of what we decide. So we really need to figure out what is best for us and it's a bit much to wrap my little head around sometimes!

How glad are we that we didn't just buy a new house? Guess that would have made this decision easier! So that's what's doing here. Now to some fun stuff...

About an hour west of us are a bunch of vineyards and we finally took advantage of a beautiful Sunday afternoon, packed a picnic and headed out. We stopped at one of Virginia's must-see attractions (there's a fair amount of sarcasm there) - Dinosaur Land! This place is a riot. It's about an acre of land with huge paper mache dinos that are in pretty bad shape! There's also a 40 foot tall King Kong and a giant praying mantis. What more could you ask for? So we checked out the dinos and then hit the winery.


I love the pic of Mark and Spence with the vines behind them and the dinos on the table. That's just what it's all about for me. I'll miss the day that dinos aren't a part of my life.
I think I was having a Katie wine moment!













That's it for now! I will strive to be a better blogger!

The Big Day

Today is the day I am officially the proud owner of a kindergartner. Not just any kindergartener but this big kid with an amount of self-confidence I didn't know he possessed. He could barely eat this morning, he was so excited to go. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. I kept waiting for that moment when he would realize what was going on and just lose it. Didn't happen.

We walked to the bus stop, just four houses down, and when the bus came he just hopped on. His bus driver is terrific and told him where to sit. She told me she likes to keep the little ones up front near her and I said, "THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!" (suffering a little bus anxiety). So we followed him to school just to make sure everything was o.k. He hopped off the bus and started walking inside and I yelled to him and he turned around with this look like, "Oh yeah, she said she would follow me to school. Ok, bye." He waved and he was gone. That's it. So he comes home and I said did someone help you find your classroom and he said, "No, I knew where it was." Well, alrighty then. Some of you warned me this would happen but I guess you just don't believe it until it happens.

It's a bittersweet kind of day. More sweet than bitter. I remember being completely sleep deprived when he was an infant and thinking this day would never come and, quite honestly at the time, thought it couldn't come soon enough. And now it's here and I wonder if I wished too much away or didn't enjoy it enough but all in all I think we did o.k. I've struggled with my choice to stay at home, pretty much from day one, and today it became really all good with me. It was worth it. Pure and simple. I always thought I was that mom who would be dancing around the house when he went off to elementary school and really, not so much. I think maybe in another week I'll start tappin' my foot a bit.

And what's not to like about school? I don't remember any of my teachers looking like this:
Seriously, how cute is she? I took this picture at his open house on friday. And check out his new do. Daddy took him to the "big man barbershop" for an Army man haircut. No more Cartoon Cuts (WOO HOO!!! There is much rejoicing!) So that's really about it. Monday's are half days in Fairfax County so tomorrow is his first full day - 7:55 to 3:12 (not 3:15, not 3:10 - 3:12, that's when the bus arrives.) It's a long day for a little man. We'll see what kind of spirit he is in by the end of the week!

To Save or Not to Save...

That is the question. I did dive into my computer room and am slowing making progress. Here's my question: Do you save scrap supplies you're not using or are seriously out-dated for your kids to use? I have old CM short cuts, punches, die cuts, stickers and the requisite gazillion deco-edge scissors. I'd love to ditch, donate or sell them but I'm wondering if Spence will ever need them for school or something. Have any of you found that stuff to be useful for your kids? I even have this Fiskars punch thingy....any takers? (:

Have you seen this?

Just hopped on Ali Edward's blog and saw this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjPrL3n63yg

I saw these incredible guys on Good Morning America awhile back. Talk about inspirational. They had me in tears then and they got me again today.

Hot, hot, hot...

No, not me (LOL) - the stinking weather, of course. Seriously, 100 degrees and code red air quality. Thank goodness for the playdate otherwise the Spence-man and I may not be so happy staring at each other. We would be cool, but man, we'd be bored. So two five year olds smoked my butt in Toy Story Memory (repeatedly). It really wasn't pretty. Nothing better to show you how fried your brain is than to play Memory with a five year old. Quite the ego boost. Then they played entirely too much on the computer - just trying to level the playing field. (:

This blog is merely procrastination rearing it's ugly head. Lurking downstairs is a) Laundry; but even worse, b) The computer/scrapbooking room. To say that it is a disaster is a gross understatement. It's so bad that I just walk in there, look around and walk back out. I'm not sure how it got that way. It used to be an ode to organized beauty and now it's organized beauty's evil spawn. I literally can't wrap my head around it. Spence is at camp and this is precious uninterrupted time and I don't think I can get my mojo back until that space is conquered. Any advice? I think it's like dieting. I know that the only way to lose weight is to move more and eat less. The only way to fix that room is to dive in and do it.

We went to see POC2 again. It was awesome, again! I haven't seen a movie in the theater multiple times since I was in high school. Our sitter for the night has seen it four times so I don't feel so bad. And it really was worth seeing it again as we caught quite a few things we didn't see the first time. Totally as entertaining the second time. And we got to go out again - 3 weeks in a row!

Spence starts kidergarten in 2 weeks. His elementary school is on the year round calendar so his first day is July 31st. I think I'm freaking out more than I'm willing to admit (though that would be admitting it, wouldn't it?...hmmm.) Any advice from you seasoned moms? I feel panicked everytime I think about putting him on a bus. What if he freaks out? What if he forgets where to go? Ahhhh!!!!! Seriously, I'd love to hear how you prepped your kiddos for k'garten and how they did. He's going full day also 8:15 - 3:00! I know he'll be tired but I think after a few weeks he'll adjust to the hours. OK, now I think I'll go work on the computer room so I don't have to think about school. Perfect. Stay cool everyone!

Arrrr.....

ahoy, mateys! If ye scurvy dogs haven't seen PiratesII yet, ye better get your booties there soon or you'll be walking the plank. Savvy?

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ROCKED! I do not care about so called movie critics who didn't like it. I guess they don't like Christmas, the circus, puppies or anything else that is entirely TOO MUCH FUN! I am saddened by those who do not possess the fun chip. My personal opinion: these movies are way too much fun! I loved the first one and so, in a very out of the ordinary trip to the movie theater on opening weekend no less, we HAD to see it. I was a little anxious because the reviews have been less than stellar but have no fear...it was AWESOME! Maybe I don't get out enough or don't have a life because WOW was that a fun 2 1/2 hours. A great dinner afterwards with my main squeeze wasn't too bad either!

And if you'll allow me a brief regression to my early teen years - Check out Orlando Bloom in Pirates! You can keep Johnny Depp. But Orlando? That is a fine looking pirate. If I were 13 I'd so have a poster of him in my room. (As opposed to being 38 and having a picture of him on my blog. Yeah, that did not escape me.)

Now I only have to wait a year for the next one! Arrr.....

A little Q & A...

OK, Christine, thank you for a challenge I can get done on time! Come on everybody...I showed you mine, I wanna see yours! (:

1. FIRST NAME? -Vanessa
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? - I don't think so. I think my parents just liked the name but they did get asked a lot whether or not they liked Vanessa Redgrave.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? - About an hour ago.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? - yes
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? - Very thinly sliced (but not falling apart - that's key) honey or maple ham.
6. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? - 1 awesome dude, Spencer.
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? - I like to think so.
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? - Yes, but I write in it sporadically at best.
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? - Yeah, right, I just love sarcasm. (:
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? - Yup.
11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? - I like to think I would but I'm not sure. It is one of the reasons I'd love to go on the Amazing Race. I'm too competitive NOT to do it in a race!
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? - No.
14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? - I used to and now I'm not so sure. Trying to get that mojo back.
15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? - Mint chocolate chip
16. SHOE SIZE? - 8
17. RED OR PINK? - Red, baby!
18. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? - My increasing inability to make decisions and my constant second-guessing (and, like Christine, I like to watch TV too.)
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? - A couple of friends I let fall by the way side and my Grandfather.
20. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? - December 2nd in Ridley Park, PA - just outside of Philadelphia.
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? - Denim cut-offs and no shoes.
22. WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? - Applesauce, wait a sec.... some chocolate...mmmm...that is so much better.
23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? - The clock tick, my husband and son whooping it up watching the World Cup.
24. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? - Burnt Sienna
25. FAVORITE SMELL? - That first day in fall when the humidity drops, there's a beautiful breeze, the sky is brilliant blue and you inhale and think "ahhh, THAT is fall." The beach. Freshly baked muffins.
26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED WITH ON THE PHONE? - my parents.
27. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU MEET? - Their smile.
28. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? - I can touch my nose with my tongue. Yep, mighty "special."
29. FAVORITE DRINK? - non-alcoholic - Diet Coke; alcoholic - red wine
30. FAVORITE SPORT? - baseball
31. HAIR COLOR? - brown-ish (;
32. EYE COLOR? - green
33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? - No.
34. FAVORITE FOOD? - cannolis, blueberry muffins, lamb chops, chocolate covered pretzels, pad thai and pizza.
35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? - happy endings
36. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Garfield 2: A Tale of Two Kitties (sad, but true.)
37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? - Mauve cami with a men's Hilifiger multi-color stripe button down shirt.
38. SUMMER OR WINTER? - Summer!
39. HUGS OR KISSES? - Kisses
40. FAVORITE DESSERT? - White chocolate mousse or a cannoli.
41. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? - Jimmy Carter's "Our Endangered Values - America's Moral Crisis", 2 week's worth of Newsweek and the latest CK.
42. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? - I don't use one.
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? - Spence's belly-laugh, the ocean, a baseball game.
44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? - The Stones.
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME - Korea.
46. IF YOU COULD PICK ANY TWO PEOPLE TO HAVE DINNER WITH, WHO WOULD THEY BE? Really, just my husband. We haven't been out in awhile!

House Hunting

Ah...house hunting. So much more fun looking at houses when you have nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon as opposed to seriously doing it! When we moved here 3 years ago we didn't think we'd be here this long. It was just another military assignment - in and out in 3 years (or less). Now it turns out we will be here until Mark retires and we would like to stay here after that. So, we need to either refinance or move. There are also other considerations. Spence's school will not be the greatest. Also, and this could be a big one, behind the houses across the street from us is a four lane parkway. Right now it is lined with trees and you can neither see it nor hear it. There are two things proposed for that land behind the houses across the street: 1) The water authority wants to put in a bigger water main so they want to take an easement onto those properties and cut down all the trees. There will be construction and construction equipment there for 18 months (which, like all construction, probably means at least 2 years.) And 2) There is now a plan to widen the parkway by 2 lanes. Now this is all happening across the street and there are no final plans in place but still, it makes us think a bit. Throw in a slump in the housing market and the fact that 4 other houses on our street are for sale (one next door and one diagonally across the street to make matters worse) and I just don't even know if we can sell our house now. I'm thinking if we really had to sell we'd have to come in well below the other 4 houses. So we are house hunting to at least narrow down the neighborhoods we like but if we see something spectacular then what? Or we hope that nothing happens across the street and we put our house on the market early next spring when the house inventory is down. So that's where we are and it is confusing and frustrating but I do know that IT IS OK! (Love, love, love Ali Edwards!) Things tend to work out one way or the other. So that's the house hunting scoop for now! Happy Friday!

Back from vacation!

So things are a little nutsy here. School ended, Spence and I went on a whirlwind trip to Hershey Park (4 moms, 5 kids) for one night, I got a stomach thing on the way home (yuck) and then we went on vacation for a week to the Williamsburg, VA area. Then we came home, tried to catch up, started physical therapy (oy, my aching back) and somehow we are now in the throws of semi-serious househunting. How that happened is a whole other story. So, we're back but things are just a little crazy and I can barely look at my house. It is in that state where I look around and can't figure out where to start so I just don't. That feeling will pass - hopefully soon! And then I look around the house with the idea of putting it on the market and then I have to go take some Rolaids. I just bought a new container without checking the seal which, of course, is open so let's add one more thing to the list - "153. Return Rolaids to Safeway." Talked to a mortgage guy today and am completely bewildered by how much money these people are "willing" to lend you. Completely ludicrous. I'm thinking "Yeah, and we just won't eat or cloth ourselves for 30 years. Thanks." OK, rant almost over. Don't even get me started on the DC real estate market. Well, how about some lovely vacation photos? Great idea!

We vacationed with my folks a lot last year and we thought that a vacation with Mark's Mom would be in order this year. She graciously exchanged a timeshare week and flew in from Arizona for a week in Williamsburg. I love Williamsburg and hadn't been in awhile so I was psyched. I also wasn't too sure how Spence would like it. Seriously, how much history can a five year old really dig? I figured we'd do a little bit and then spend lots of time at the pool and doing kiddo friendly stuff. It turns out the coolest part of the trip was how much Spence got into the history stuff. We spent a full day at Jamestown (that's the little settler on the left), two full days at Williamsburg and a full day at Yorktown. We threw in a bonus day at Busch Gardens - hey, we all needed a break and Anheuser-Busch is nice enought to let military folks in for free! WOO HOO!!

Here is the young patriot with some friends he met along the way.
The guy in the middle put on his shades, too.

There is a cool thing at Williamsburg called "Revolutionary City" where every afternoon there are characters that act out scenes. While we were there the Declaration of Independence was just written and was read from the balcony of the Capitol. Then, Benedict Arnold showed up (boo) to inform us the British had taken over control of Williamsburg. Fortunately, there were brave, young patriots about who could protect the city from the "Griddish" (the kid was cracking us up).














After protecting the city, we joined General Washington for his march to Yorktown! Spence says his favorite part of the trip was the battlefield at Yorktown. He tried to run up and down every hill of it!

That's about it. I'm going to throw in a couple more of my favorite pics. More on the househunting later!

Scrapped...the movie

Don't know if you all saw this on Two Peas but I am rolling:

www.scrappedmovie.com

How about we all get together to see it when it comes out? And if we're going to do that we may as well make a whole scrapbooking weekend out of it! I had a passing thought of how cool it would be to do a documentary on scrapbooking but had no idea how, or the resources, to do it. I think this guy is hilarious and it will be worth seeing! Yes, I am now a linking fool. Have a great weekend!

I'm Susan?!?!

Just reading Shannon's blog and had to check out the Desperate Housewives quiz. I came up as Susan which I just can't believe except that the description is right on. It says something like - you try to do the right thing, but it never goes the right way, blah, blah, blah, and you have to remind yourself you are the grown-up. Or something like that. Fairly accurate. Constantly have to remind myself I'm the grown-up. Constantly frightens me that I AM a grown-up! When housewives came out someone asked me which one I thought I was like and, being the existential/philosophical gal that I am, said that they (the main characters) each represented parts of every woman. I guess now that I'm thinking about it, I am most like Susan but have dashes of the others thrown in (come on, doesn't every woman want a little Gabrielle in them?) I am still cracking up that Shannon is Edie - I need to hang out with her a little more! It really could be worse. I could be Brie. Oh, I have no doubt she's in here - she definitely rears her ugly head daily, but there's a certain amount of relief that she isn't the one running the show. OK - starting to overthink this WAY too much!

And if you don't watch Desperate Housewives this blog entry is completely boring to you - but really you should be watching! For shame! And with the Grey's Anatomy chaser...come on, that's a seriously great night of TV! And you can still catch Soprano's on Monday night at 10pm. OK, so I have a TV problem, sue me. If you need a brain dump it may as well be on good TV.

That's all folks...boring, but true. And I got to put off thinking about dinner for a few more minutes! Later! (And if someone could tell me how to do links I'll put one up for the quiz.)

http://abc.go.com/primetime/desperate/quiz/index.html

I ROCK! Woo Hoo - did it! There it is. Check it out! I know I'm road kill on the info highway, let me just have my moment of victory. (:

The Perfect Morning

Saturday morning was Spence's first T-ball game. The weather could not have been more gorgeous and he could not have been more excited. He's playing through Reston Little League so this is the real deal - team shirts, hats, pants - even socks! Our only team experience has been soccer at the "Y" so this is a big deal and Spence is really into it. Baseball has always been part of my life and to see Spence play is just too darn cool! He had three big hits and showed some awesome fielding! Not one ball got by him and he had great throws to first. After practices that look an awful lot like the Bad News Bears, we were really (pleasantly) surprised. Of course, these are five year olds we're talking about so we're not expecting major league plays but when a ball doesn't roll between their legs and they actually throw it straight - it may as well be the big leagues! There is no score keeping, there are only three innings and everyone gets to bat each inning. The kids only go one base at a time so they learn how to run the bases. With all the "balls going between the legs" action there would never be anybody left on base so it's a great way for the kids to learn the sport. Right now they are just learning how to get the ball and throw to first and how to run the bases. It can be a complicated sport so I think it's a great way to start them off. And, I forgot the coolest part, the team's name is the Volcanoes and they're motto is "We're Hot!" You have got to love that! So really, I always dreamed of doing stuff like going to watch Spence play baseball on a Saturday morning and there we were. How freakin' cool!

MMMMMmmmmmmm......

It's 11:00pm. The kid's asleep. The husband's gone. I'm tired but don't feel like going to sleep. I've been gaining weight like nobody's business and I'm hungry (or am I?)! So I'm looking through pictures to get inspired about something to blog or scrap tomorrow and I see this one from my "Week in the Life" pictures. Silver Diner Fresh Wild Maine Blueberry pancakes...oh, sweet Bessie...Mark has some Challah bread french toast smothered with strawberries...God, grant me the strength...I could do some damage right now. C'mon, what's your favorite breakfast food? It's my favorite meal of the day, or night. Not worth being fat again but maybe a nice reward for kicking a few pounds. I know you're not supposed to reward yourself with food but why the heck not? I'll feel miserable after I eat it and it will be so worth it. Have I mentioned their shakes????? I'm brushing my teeth now. Sweet dreams!

Props and a Shout OUT...

to Christine Revels 'cause she turned me on (hey now) to Joss Stone. Eons ago Christine posted something on her blog about getting the Joss Stone CD and how great it was, blah, blah, blah...something about listening to it in the tub with a glass of wine and I thought, "Hey, I really need some new music." So, I tossed that on my Christmas list and lo and behold I love that CD! I have worn that thing out. Just love it. I am always in the mood to listen to it. So, I know that I've been the world's worst blogger and every once in awhile I'll have to throw in something I've missed along the way and this is one of them. Thanks, Christine, it is one of life's great pleasures to find new music! I also got Kelly Clarkson's CD with it (not on my list) but Santa gets props too 'cause Miss Clarkson really can rock it out even though she's been dissin' the idol. I think I just am digging the chicks that rock and wish I was one of them!

Mark is away tonight (hmmm....could that be why there's actually a blog happening here? Coincidence? I think not.) and I am going to spend some quality time with Cathy Z. I think if she wrote a book just filled with old grocery lists I'd read it. I would end up more inspired to grocery shop. She rocks. See, another chick that rocks! Love that!

Go, Nudie, it's yo BIRFDAY!

OK - So I started this blog on Friday, April7th, which was my husband's birthday. I ran out of time and thought I'd cancelled it but lo and behold the title still showed up. Go figure. However, I'm happy to have some intrigue in my sparse blog! Nudie, obviously, is my husband. And he turned the big 39 which is totally freaking me out. I've known him since he was 18 (yet another reason to freak out) and I just don't feel like I'm married to a 39 year old - let alone almost being that myself!

So - when we were in college Mark was in the Kappa Sigma fraternity and they gave him the nickname "Menudo." To really appreciate the nickname I will have to dig up a photo and post it. Yes, he looked like a member of Menudo. Long, feathered back hair, two-toned jeans, shark tooth necklace, comb in the back pocket, high top sneaks with his jeans tucked in...I can't begin to tell you how NOT my type he was. And you can quit laughing now! I reallynhave to find a picture. So, his name was Menudo and literally everyone called him Menudo - even me! Over the course of many years I called him Nudo and eventually Nudie. I think I called him that for 5 years before I realized it was "Nude"-e. Oh well, too late by then and he doesn't care so Nudie it is!

So it was Nudie's BIRFDAY! Turning 39 must rock because he got a smokin' new iPod (I've cheesed out on gifts the last few years so he was do for something awesome) and I'm cracking up everytime it's someone's birthday because thanks to Fifty Cent (or as we like to call him - Fitty) I can't say birTHday anymore - It's BIRFDAY! And we gotta party like it's yo birfday...gonna sip Bacardi like it's yo birfday...so sad, the most WASPish girl you could hope to meet gettin' her groove on to Fitty. So anyway that was the blog more or less - all about my man's birfday.

And while I'm here let me just say that Chris was AWESOME on American Idol last night. Like, stopped what I was doing and just stared at the TV AWESOME. Oh my. My jury was still out on who I was routing for. Now I know. Just like when Constantine sang "My Funny Valentine" last season. Oh my. Love the idol.

CKU ROCKS!

I am still getting over CKU-Chicago. What a whirlwind! I have to say that after a little doubt (ok, a lot) I totally dig albums and want to do it again. I came home with a huge 12 x 12 "A Week in the Life" album, a 6 x 6 album that's essentially an "All About Me" album that we completed at the make-n-takes, and 5 mini albums from my classes. How stinkin' cool is that?! The doubt came from the fact that the "energy" at albums is a little different than at regular CKU. The Campus Crop was nowhere near as awesome as Minneapolis. Christine, Tricia and I were looking at each other like, what is this all about? I asked Ali about it in my album track and she said there is definitely a difference. CKU-A is really all about the albums and getting them done and the regular CKU is more about the "Woo Hoo CKU" (Ali's words). So anyway, the picture above is me in my album track with my loot. And here is an up close look at the loot. Let me tell ya, it was a little hairy getting packed up to go home! I think Ali Edwards is one of the coolest, most grounded, most real people I have ever met. She talked about being a "life artist" since she doesn't think the term "scrapbooker" really does it. She has some "Life Artist" merchandise on Cafe Press. Very cool. She has a manifesto she lives by (that may be a whole other blog entry) but the very first thing on it is "It is OK." Tear your paper? It is OK. Stick something in the wrong place? It is OK. Doesn't that just apply to life? It's amazing how you sometimes need the simplest thing affirmed for you. It's nice to have someone say to you "It's OK." Whether it's scrapbooking or life in general. Burnt dinner? It is OK. Not as far ahead getting the house decluttered? It is OK. Didn't get everything done on my list today? It is OK.
Love that.

I am nowhere near done with my album. As soon as I have a few pages completely done I will post some pics 'cause it really is awesome. Part of it was very labor intensive and her style is so different than mine that it took me awhile. It really blows my mind to see what she does. That she just sits down and designs pages and albums like this is astounding. Never in a million years would I come up with the designs she does. Really inspiring.

Also tried a few new things this time: like the Rolodex swap, for example. Twenty members of my album track made rolodex cards to swap. Very cool! I used up my Making Memories paper from last year's CKU (very appropriate!) I really needed something to get me out of my scrappin' funk. Between the rolodex cards, the classes, Ali and the make-n-takes - plus just being around some seriously talented women - I think I'll be coming out of that funk! I'd love to add some more cards to my rolodex. (Hint, hint)

Of course, the best thing about CKU is doing it with some awesome women! How cool that Christine, Tricia and Mandy let me crash with them. I was hoping to get a little spooning action from Christine but she wouldn't touch me. (: I really had a great time with them and they were really kind to put up with the sick girl. I'm seriously considering going to CKU at a different time of year because it would be so much more enjoyable without antibiotics! And check out how awesome Tricia looks. She's got the glow going on. She really looks fantastic.

We also met some awesome women in our Croppin' Commandos dorm. Christine has the best pics, I somehow managed not to get a single pic of the whole group but here are Julie and Katie. We lucked out, again, on coming together with a cool, diverse, talented and all around awesome group of chicks.

Now, I have to say that as awesome as it was, there was something missing. Hmmm.....what could it be? Lisa Bearnson? Yeah, she was missing, but no, that's not it. Hmmm....Stacy Julian? Nope that's not it either. Hmmmm.....what could it be? OK, you get one guess. Yeah, YOU! We really missed you guys - Mel, Chris and Ruth! We gotta work on getting together at another CKU - and, of course, Wilbur too!

Recovering

Still....trying....to....recover.........from.......CKU........zzzzzzzzz........

Floo Shmoo Achoo

My little man has the flu. Behold the magic of the flu shot. Not. He's sporting a serious fever but he's eating and generally happy as long as he is Motrined properly. Have to run out for some Tamiflu. Lovely. I was actually thinking of fondly Chris today as I tried to put Spence in a vice grip for a throat culture. (I told you it was a good idea to tell the dentist story.) He's a stong little sucker and I'm morally opposed to pinning someone down for something unless it's life threatening. I'm serious - today alone will be responsible for over 50 hours of therapy in his future. Poor guy. Five tries and then the genius doctor says, "Well, let's at least do a flu test." Hey, and guess what, it's the flu! We were there for three hours and my little man was done. More done than I have seen him in a long time. Got him home, got him motrin, got him his blankie and some cartoons, got him lunch and life is manageable now. So we ride it out. Can't wait til winter is over!

I'm a Blacker

I hang my head in shame. "My name is Vanessa and I am a blacker. I have been a blacker for over a month (I think). You lose your sense of time after awhile when you become a blacker. That's why I'm here today. To come out and finally confront the fact that I am a blacker. And I need help." For those of you who read Karen Burniston's blog you may know what a blacker is. It's a "Blog Slacker." Yup. No denying it. I won't bore you with the excuses. It's one of the 12 steps - "Stop making excuses." So I won't bore you. I won't seek pity over the fact my son is home sick with a fever yet here I am blogging so certain people can have their "update" - yes, yes, that's for you, Christine! LOLOLOL So you want an update? You'll just have to wait! Because there is only major thing happening right now and that is...

I AM SOOOO BLOGGING ON OUR NEW LAPTOP!

I know that it is wrong to worship material things but this baby ROCKS! I'm building a shrine. I'm sitting at my kitchen table. It doesn't take four minutes to wait for the next e-mail to pop up. And I can blog....ahhhhhh....without sitting in the cold dungeon which is our computer room. Deep, lovely, soothing breathe. This is so awesome. So I'm off to surf the internet some more as the lovely winter sun cascades through my kitchen window and my sick boy zones out in a fever induced-cartoon inspired coma. Pictures to follow. I know you've seen pictures of a laptop before but it has to be done! Hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day!

Happiness is...

Pajama Day at school! WOO HOO! Holy cow, was there one excited kid this morning! He got to take in a blankie, a pillow and one stuffed animal. They're having pancakes, bacon, yogurt and applesauce for lunch (which means I didn't have to pack one, double WOO HOO!) I didn't even have to ask him a gazillion times to get dressed, he got dressed before I even asked. Long live PJ DAY! I think the world would be a much better place with more PJ Days for everyone.

So check out the Spider Man get-up. Yesterday morning I asked him which jammies he wanted to wear. Now, here is the fundamental difference between five year olds and their moms. I'm thinking the newer, nicer looking (and may I say very cool) dino or race car jammas. Uh-uh. He wants his Frozone jammas (from The Incredibles) - do I need to tell you they are the oldest, most worn, really getting too short jammas he owns? So I resort to the no-fail Target trip. I think the world is a much better place with Target in it. Off to Target under the pretense of just getting slippers. Total score! Slippers: 70% off (One pair left in his size); Matching Spidey Jammas: 70% off (only two left in his size); Kid who doesn't look like a bum? So priceless! The jammas even have a pocket on the leg, complete with spider on it, which is big enough to hold his stuffed dog, Puddles! And just so there's no thoughts that I was crazy to get my kid new jammas for PJ Day - at least two other moms have already confessed to doing the same thing. I know, I know...If they jumped off a bridge, would I do it too? I don't care, lunacy loves company!

So it's Friday AND it's Jamma Day (which I may have to implement one day this weekend). Life is good. Have a good weekend everybody!

I'm it!

Thanks, Mel - this was fun! Hope you have a better day today!

Four jobs you’ve had in your life: Summer camp counselor in High School, Customer Service Manager, Test Production Specialist for City Colleges of Chicago (awesome job where I got to develop distance learning courses - I still miss that job) and Assistant Manager at a Scrapbook Store (another fave, for obvious reasons!)

Four movies you would watch over and over: Shawshank Redemption, Raising Arizona, Somewhere in Time, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Fugitive, Monsters, Inc... there's a bunch.


Four places you have lived: lovely Anniston, Alabama (twice - which was about three times too many); Wiesbaden, Germany; Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri (which they call "Fort Lost in the Woods"); Reston, Virginia.


Four TV shows you love to watch: Lost, Survivor, Commander in Chief, Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy.


Four places you have been on vacation: Alaska, Italy, Korea, Paris


Four websites you visit daily: More blogs than I care to admit to, ebay, hotmail, yahoo, 2peas


Four of your favorite foods: pizza, Baja Fresh Baja burrito, almost anything with cilantro and sundried tomatoes in it, ravioli...and I have to add a really awesome hamburger with fries.


Four places you would rather be right now: a quiet beach with a good book and a good bartender; on a balcony on a cruise ship in Glacier Bay, Alaska with a good bartender; one foot away from where I am right now scrapping at my scrapbook table with a perfectly clutter free, clean house so I would harbor no guilt while scrapping; Actually, I'm pretty happy being at home right now.

I have no one to tag - unless you happen to read this, Dad - in which case, you're it!

I want a do over

Yes, I'm alive. Barely. I want a "do over" on 2006. I woke up at 5:30am on January 1st with my period. Should have seen the signs. Went in for a same-day surgery procedure on the 3rd and had a serious reaction to the anesthesia. Ended up in the ER that night and got home at 4:30am on the 4th. I've felt like hell since then. It's now Saturday, the 7th and I am up and dressed and attempting to converse with the civilized world and seriously feel like I need to lie down. I'm so frustrated I can't see straight. So, sorry to be so negative. I just would like to feel normal again. Some positive things: 1) I'm married to the most awesome man. I'm not sure how he puts up with me but he's taken such great care of me. I don't even know what to say. 2) I have the most awesome kid. He has just rolled with the punches this week and tries to take care of me (which just ends up breaking my heart - it's suppose to be the other way around!) 3) You know how you have "friends" and then when something happens you find out that you have "FRIENDS"? It's good to know, especially when you don't usually have any family around. 4) We were so lucky to have Mark's Mom here. She was supposed to leave on the 2nd, ended up staying til the 4th and then changed her flight to stay til the 6th. Lucky, lucky, lucky. She was a lifesaver. So that's about it. I'm trying to get myself together and back in the game. Off to rest a bit.