Countdown to April 19, 2008

Mr. G suprised me this Christmas with a very special gift: a completed registration for the 3rd Annual SLC 1/2 Marathon (Merry Christmas to me!). We've been talking about tackling a marathon for some time now, but have never really been able to wrap our minds around 26.2 miles of running....without dying. So, we'll start with 13.1 miles with the sole goal of finishing the race. Never mind the race part, just finish.

To do this, we are going to start a rigorous 12 week training schedule, where every week we will run a long distance, starting with a 4 mile run (no sweat!) and gradually working our way up to 13 miles (I...can't...breathe!). Somewhere in there we will also need to reevaluate our diets to ensure we are properly carbed-up and hydrated. I keep reading about this energy gel used to keep the body strong during a long run, but the sound of it reminds me of Double Dare slime and the thought of ingesting it is repulsive. Maybe it is an acquired taste and actually becomes a staple runner's "food" one can not live without (ahem...doubtful). You do what you have to to survive.

Because you are the lucky readers of this blog, you get to hear about our progress, since I know talking about it to the world (all three of you who read my blog) will help me to complete this goal.

Wish us luck! Oh, and if you decide you, too, want to run the race let me know. It always helps to train with another person

Christmas Time is Here

This last week, we pulled out our Christmas decorations. Over the years, and thanks to my days at the BL, I have collected some really great Santas and other ornaments that I have always enjoyed during the season.

Lately, though, I have become increasingly more of a Scrooge. As I get older, I am finding it more and more difficult to enjoy Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love the season. I love giving. I find no greater joy then finding that one suprise for Mr. G, giving the chocolate letters to my co-workers for Dutch Christmas, or making my way through the holiday crowds to play Sub-for-Santa for a family, that all they really wish for is a warm coat and a pair of snow boots.

So why the Scrooge? What gets me down? The expectations. The obligations. The commercialism.

I really don't enjoy gift exchanges. Why?? What a great opportunity to GIVE and, even more exciting, to receive? Isn't that what its all about? What's wrong with every gift exchange ending with a $10 gift card to Old Navy? I don't want to sound ungrateful, or unappreciative, because I'm not - my collection of gift cards usually come in handy when I need a great shirt in the after-Christmas sale. So often it's a feeling of, "Oh my heck, it's Christmas eve and I forgot I have to buy a gift." I know if I feel like that, so do others. Hence, the $10 gift cards (oh, and don't forget, most gift exchanges have set dollar limits, so you know how much "gift" to give.) I really just want to do something for other people that I know is special for them. Give them their "warm coat and boots." Perhaps that's what I expect (see...expectations) in return.

A group of friends and I were talking recently about general Christmas gift giving. One girl told about someone she knows who provides a Christmas list (great idea, if you're 6 yrs old), but it's not enough to say 'red cashmere sweater,' she also provides the item number and bar code so whoever is so fotunate to purchase the red cashmere sweater is sure to get the "right" one. It is all so wrong.

This year, instead of my focus being so much on the production of "Christmas," with Santa, lots of presents, worrying about what set of parents haven't seen us for the last 3 Christmas', or the annual trip to Vegas, I am focusing on the real purpose of the season. The real point. Because nothing else matters.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

For the last week, the weatherman has been predicting an impressive snow storm starting Friday night and lasting through Sunday morning. So many times before, the weatherman gets a little too excited about his storms, and we end up lucky to get rain. Well, this time he got it right. This is what I woke up to this morning. The prictures don't do it justice. I looked out side to this Winter Wonderland, the Marshmallow World, the Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow! So far (and it's only 8:00 AM) we've received about 8 inches of snow! And it's not over. As you can see, it is still snowing!

And while I was in take-a-picture-of-this-beautiful-sight mode, I headed for the backyard to capture it's beauty. Lo and behold, I spy a racoon nestled in the corner of the house! He was starring at me initially, both of us at each other, like deer in the headlights. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Then he put his head down, as if to keep his nose warm. I continued to spy on him from inside the house. At some point he lifted his head again and realized I was stalking him and scurried off to a more private location. It's hard to tell from this picture, but he's a big boy. I bet he weighs 30 lbs (is that big for a racoon?).
My cute little next-door neighbor, Ethan, was taking full advantage of the storm. He pulled out his sled and used his steep driveway as his sledding hill.
What I didn't capture in this picture was how Ethan's sled came to an abrupt stop and he rolled about four times down the driveway. That didn't stop him though. He did it again.

Happy Birthday Clara!

On Saturday Clara celebrated her 4th birthday with a dozen friends at The Little Gym in Sandy. When we got there, the kids were all sitting quitely eating cake and ice cream. It was shocking how well behaved they were being, but apparently they had just spent an hour tumbling and making a racket in the little gym, so they were pretty tuckered out.

What Happened to my Header???

Anyone have any advice on how to fix my header? It's been fine since I changed it, until today when I logged in and Mr G's head is missing. Any technical support you have, please, HELP.

UPDATE: I don't know what the problem was, but apparently the header problem has fixed itself.

UPDATE 2: Well, it looks as if the header just wants to be broken when viewed from certain computers. From home, it looks great. From work, Mr G's head is missing. Seems to be the case for my two blog stalkers as well.

Getting to Know Mrs. G at Christmas Time

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. My Mom sent this to me and instead of forwarding to everyone I know, I will just post it here for the world to see! Feel free to take this and pass it on.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? The gift wrap is part of the presentation. I prefer wrapping paper (and it all has to coordinate), but a gift bag well presented works too, for a neighbor or something.

2. REAL OR FAKE TREE? Fake trees are great if they look real, but my fake tree cost me a whopping $40 dollars 8 years ago, so you can only imagine what it looks like. I've been lobbying for a real tree this year just to mix things up a bit, but Mr. G seems to think the house is going to burn down.

3. When do you put up the tree? First weekend in December. This "after Halloween" decorating phenom is crazy.

4. When do you take the tree down? New Years Day. And I love a clean house!

5. Do you like eggnog? Never been a fan. One year I made eggnog ice cream with my friend Jenny Nelson. We were about 10 years old. I didn't really know what eggnog was then, I only knew that it supposedly taste good, plus it was the middle of the summer, so the thought of ice cream made my mouth water. I didn't know it at the time, but it really tasted like eggnog, just frozen. I've never liked eggnog since.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? The cabbage patch doll my Mom made for me and it was dressed in my baby clothes. I still have it.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes! My mother-in-law gave it to me as gift last Christmas. I love it and can't wait to make it the center of attention!

8. Hardest person to buy for? Dad

9. Easiest person to buy for? Mr. G (although he generally just buys for himself. Punk)

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever got? I don't recall ever getting anything terrible. If I did, I've repressed it from my memory.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail is way more fun.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Scrooge, with Albert Finney or the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas cartoon.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Late November, early December

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I recall.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Fudge fudge fudge. I could eat it all day.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear lights on the tree, but I really want to put colored lights (red, green and white) on the house. There are a couple houses in the neighborhood with these lights and I LOVE it! I've been lobbying for lights. I have not won my case yet.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Star Carol, 4 part harmony, a'capella

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I either want to be home or with Mr. G's parents, but probably not on vacation in Mexico.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixon, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen, but do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all?

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I have Obi-Wan Kenobi (really just a vintage Santa tree-topper that when Mr. G first saw asked why I had Obi-Wan on top of the tree) or a star, depending on my mood that year.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One present on Christmas eve, usually pajamas, and let the real fun begin Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Crowds everywhere you turn, and parking is horrendous. Shop online.

23. What I love most about Christmas? Giving

Inaugural Cabin Visit - Thanksgiving Weekend

After the Thanksgiving festivities, Vic and I invited some of the family up to the cabin for the weekend. It was a beautiful weekend with a lot of sun, but don't be fooled, it was a very cool high of 20 degrees outside. Most of the weekend was spent lounging around, watching movies, football, or playing games with each other. Notice how everyone seems to be wrapped in blankets? Apparently we didn't crank the heat high enough. What, 64 degrees isn't warm enough? Grandma brought several crafts for Koree to work on. She had picture frames, 3d puzzles and the most exciting gingerbread house. Grandma struggled to keep the roof together, but apparently she worked it out. How fun, they even hung a wreath on the door!

At any given time you could find Grandpa reading his book, Koree playing her Nintendo DS or all of us gathered around the table for a game of UNO or even better, a mean game of Battle of the Sexes. Dan and Elizabeth donated this game to the cabin and it is obviously going to bring many hours of battling. The questions for the boys are along the lines of, "What instrument does a girl use to dry her hair?" Answer: blow dryer. Easy. A question for a girl might be, "Who was the MVP during Super Bowl XXXIV?" Answer: No girl on this planet knows the answer to this question. This game was obviously created by men.

Crazy lady...see, I come by it honestly.
Sibling bonding...We missed you Rach!Ben, Dan and Randy were instrumental this weekend in getting our satellite dish hooked up to the house. Ben especially wins the prize for standing at the top of a ladder in below freezing conditions, at night, to ensure the dish was installed correctly. It was paramount the dish be installed and working since the Utah - BYU football game was on this weekend. It might have been better just to read a book and forget about the game since the Utes fell apart in the end. Thanks anyway guys!!!Elizabeth and Amy doing some girl bonding...

Thanksgiving Feasts

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. There is nothing like having an excuse to eat yourself sick, even though every year you commit to only eating until you're full. The latter is impossible. In our family, we kick off the Thanksgiving holiday the Sunday before Thanksgiving with a feast with Dad, Kathy, the kids and grandkids. We set-up the grub hall in the basement and elbow to elbow we pass around the bird, the frozen jello salad, the stock pot of Stove Top stuffing, 10lbs of mashed potatoes, and don't forget the bean casserole and homemade rolls. You have your choice of beverages (I always take a Diet Coke or Diet Dr. Pepper, but only really drink bottled water). And we mustn't forget the PIE! Good ol' Costco pumpkin pie, each slice the size of Texas with a giant dolup of Cool Whip.

This year we started a new family tradition by going around the table to vocalize what we are thankful for. It seems we are all grateful for our family, our friends and our freedoms, but I think Jasmine said it all when she said she was thankful "for the food." Every year the grandkids (plus Kati, Emily and Riley) get a Christmas advent calendar - the ones where you open the paper door and out falls a waxy piece of chocolate. This is a favorite among the kids. I wanted one too, so while shopping at the Dutch store the other day I picked one up for me and Vic. It will be a race to see who gets that waxy chocolate first!

This year we spent Thanksgiving day with Mom and Randy and the gang. Ben and Laura were in town and joined us, along with Jen and Gerardo and Uncle Mike, and Nic and Jon and their family were at the house for a few minutes before heading to Cushings for their feast. There was a feast similar to Sunday's feast with Dad (really, how much can you mix-up Thanksgiving?). Randy was ambitious this year and cooked up three turkeys - one fried, one baked and the other smoked. All three were so delicious. Again, elbow to elbow we gathered in the dining room and ate ourselves sick. Luckily this year Vic and I ran in the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 6K in City Creek Canyon, so the feast was slightly guiltless.

Notice the red "frozen" Cranberry Salad in the center of the table.

That was my contribution which basically melted before dinner started.

What is up with Mr. Crazy Eyes??

If You Don't Plan Adequately...

I am in the process of making a quilt for a dear friend who had a baby several weeks ago. Unfortunately, because of my poor planning skills I have run into several problems. Here are the top 10:

Planning Problem # 1: It has become a tradition to make a quilt for my friends having babies. The problem is, as I think I've stated in a previous blog, I procrastinate. I never start the project until AFTER the baby is born. If I were a better planner, I would decide on a quilt pattern and gather the materials several months BEFORE the baby is born so upon arrival I have a special gift. Friends that have received quilts can testify the quilt usually comes for the kid's 18th birthday.

Planning Problem # 2: When I go to the fabric store I don't always have in mind the design of quilt I am going to piece together. In this case, I bought the material before I found this really great quilt pattern book. Flipping through the new book I found a fun pattern. I pay no regard to the amount of material I need to purchase for this design since I had already purchased it, but I thought it was cute, so I moved forward.

Problem # 3: I am 12 blocks and 20 hours into this quilt. I plan on continuing to follow the quilt pattern, just shrinking it down to crib size. Too bad I failed to plan on buying the neutral fabric used to actually piece the blocks to each other. Therefore I spend a lunch hour driving to the quilt shop Jenny told be about in Centerville. I spend $18 on two yards of designer quilt fabric that I think will look great with the blocks I've made. I even took a block with me to ensure everything matched (NOTE: this is the only planning moment during this whole project - and, so you know, I never spend this much on fabric, but this quilt is going to be great, right?).

Problem # 4: The fabric I bought to piece the blocks together looks ridiculous. I decide to scratch the piecing material and just sew the squares to each other (draft pictured above). I think this will look much better, but I need to make about eight more squares because the quilt has just shrunk substantially. Too bad I am running out of material to make the blocks and will need to go back to the JoAnn Fabrics to purchase more material to finish the additional blocks.

Problem # 5: I spend another lunch hour at JoAnn Fabrics looking for the same four fabrics I've used to piece the blocks. I have found two of the four quickly, but I can not locate the other two. It hasn't been that long since I bought the fabric. It's not like the two missing fabrics could possibly be that great that they are suddenly sold out. I search every isle at the JoAnns thinking perhaps they have just been stashed randomly in a dusty corner. I even check under the cutting table - perhaps somebody just purchased these fabrics and they haven't been returned to the shelf. Wishful thinking. I can't find the two fabrics and now I'm going crazy because every grandma and stay-at-home mom in the Salt Lake area is at the JoAnns at lunch hour.

Problem # 6: I go to a diffrent JoAnn Fabrics after work. If the Salt Lake store doesn't have it, surely the Bountiful store will. I study the calico fabrics for a good 45 minutes. I make my rounds around the store (the whole idea of them being stashed in a dustry corner). I search through a 10 foot high, 300 bolts-of-fabric pile that have not been returned to the shelf. Nothing. I am starting to get depressed, so I plan (wow, a second planning moment I forgot about) on improvising. I buy two fabrics that are very similar to the fabrics I am looking for. I think I will strategically place the different squares so maybe my friend won't notice which of these blocks is not like the other. On the way home I pass by a Bernina/Nuttall Fabric store that I didn't know was in Bountiful. Feeling lucky that I might find something there, I stop. Nothing again. The lady tells me there's another JoAnn Fabrics in Ogden. Psssfff. I'm not going to Ogden to maybe, potentially, but not likey buy fabric that matches my blocks. One good take-away from Bernina, they did have the special bobbins I've needed for the last 7 years so now each bobbin can have its very own color and the lady said my quilt block was so cute.

Problem # 7: I am not excited about improvising on the blocks. Strategically placing them is not going to hide the fact that different fabrics are used. My friend will know my secret. I can't do it. After work, again, I head to Hancock Fabrics. I now remember why I never, ever go to Hancock Fabrics. Ghet--to. That store is a disaster. Not only is the store a disaster, but they have the worst selection of quilting fabrics, all disorganized and such a racket I feel like I need to shower when I leave the store. Of course, after making 15 laps around the store (checking those dusty corners again) they don't have what I need. What a waste.

Problem # 8: Since I was in the area, I decided I would give JoAnns one more try. Maybe, just maybe, these two bolts of fabric have magically appeared on the shelf. Is it my lucky day?????? I scan the entire store, again. I touch every bolt of fabric, again. I even find one of the fabrics (there is hope!) with the same pattern - one bolt of yellow, one of pink, and one of aqua. I need blue. I almost asked the sales lady with the platinum blonde permed hair and gigantic black rimmed glasses (think female Drew Carey) if I could go into the backroom and search out the fabrics in the dusty corners behind the "employees only" doors, but I am so turned off by fabric stores at this point, I just leave.

Problem # 9: I still don't have the right fabrics. The improv fabric isn't doing it for me either. I am considering stopping by the quilt store in Centerville again. Maybe they have it. Doubtful though - they're all designer and stuff. I am actually contemplating going to Ogden. This is so wrong.

Problem # 10: I told my friend the quilt would be done in about week. That was assuming, at the time, I would be able to jump-skip into JoAnns, buy some extra material and crank out some quilt blocks. The "week" is almost come and gone. The baby may really be 18 before this quilt is done.

Amish Friendship Bread

Earlier this week, Heidi brought a couple of Ziploc bags full of yellowish colored goo to work. After explaining that the goo is a starter for Amish Friendship Bread, which is like an advent calendar for a loaf of bread in that it requires 10 days of fermenting and some human attention (several days of mushing, adding a few ingredients, mushing some more and then baking), she asked if I would take a bag and pass it on, as instructed. I was excited to have the opportunity, as I had only heard of the AFB, but never received any for myself.

I brought the AFB starter home and sat it on the counter. For a couple of days I did as instructed and mushed the goo in the bag. I was really looking forward to the next step where instead of just mushing, I could actually add some ingredients.

The next day I get home from work and notice that Vic has taken the garbage out. Not only was the rank smell emanating from the bag shocking, but even more shocking was the fact that Vic actually took the garbage out (one might think the garbage removal as being a "boy" chore, but it has somehow been generally delegated to me).

Later, as I am preparing dinner, Vic comes into the kitchen and informs me that the house smelled like "ass" when he got home from work. He proceeds to inform me that he looked for anything in the kitchen that might be the culprit causing the smell. Continuing on he asks me, "And what was in that bag on the counter? I think that was what was causing the smell," he continues to say, "and it looked like ass! So I knew that was it, so I threw it away." Wait....WHAT!?! "NO!" I exclaimed. "That was my Amish Friendship Bread!" After having to explain the mushing and fermenting and 10 days of work that goes into the bread, and how disappointed Heidi was going to be when she finds out he had just thrown this away, all I get is, "Well, just get the recipe and start over." Too bad its a secret recipe only known to the Amish!

Needless to say, Vic was very apologetic and walked around with his tail between his legs the rest of the evening. Meanwhile, Heidi and I laughed until we cried, then she promised me she would give me another starter so I can continue with the 10 days of mushing.

And the winner of the costume contest is......

not me. I lost to a banana. I think the voting was rigged.

THE RESULTS ARE IN: Thank you to all who voted! The real winner of this contest, with 100% of the vote, is Britney! Too bad there is no prize attached. Just pride.

Happy Halloween

I have to say, I've always enjoyed Halloween. It is the one day a year I can get into character of something scary and unusal. This year I dressed up as Britney Spears. This was a fun costume because every piece of it was almost like the real Spears - fake hair, outrageous boots, bug-eye sunglasses and goddy jewelry, a wife beater which reads "Fed-Ex" (get it?), and don't forget Sean Preston totin' around in my oversized handbag holding his Budweiser sippy cup while I sip on my large Starbucks beverage.
Kate was supposed to be an M&M (this was her department's team costume), but when the t-shirt arrived, it was as if the shirt was made for a six year old boy. She was a good sport.Since I know you're wondering...I was actually wearing underwear under this skirt.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Honey-Pecan Butter

I just made the best butternut squash soup, which is the perfect dinner for a cool autumn night. I fell in love with this recipe several weeks ago when I had a taste of my Mom's fixings. I made it tonight for dinner and MMMMMM, it was tasty! Here is the recipe (comes out of the AARP magazine, of all places) which serves eight people. I cut it in half for just me and Vic and have a couple servings left over. Note, it does take a couple of hours to prepare, so keep your afternoon open if you don't want to eat late. Tastes great with rolls.

2 butternut squash, about 4 lbs.
2 tablespoons butter
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Large pinch freshly grated nutmeg (I used ground nutmeg to taste, since only Martha Stewart has fresh nutmeg)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons toasted and finely chopped pecans (I used almonds since I forgot to buy the pecans - worked out great)

1 tablespoon honey

Whole leaves of Italian parsley

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Halve the squash and place pieces cut side down on an oiled baking sheet. Bake until the squash can easily be skewered, 45 - 60 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes. Remove the seeds and discard (I did this before I cooked the squash and it was fine). Scrape pulp and reserve. Discard peel.

2. In soup pot over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add bacon and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add squash and broth and simmer until squash falls apart, about 30 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes.

3. In a blender, puree soup in batches until very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Strain into a clean soup pot and add orange juice and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. If soup is too thick, thin with additional water or stock.

4. Make compound butter by mashing together the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, pecans and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Roll butter in plastic wrap into a cylindrical shape, 1 inch in diameter. Store in the refrigerator.

5. To serve, ladle soup into festive soup bowls. Cut 1/4-inch slices of pecan butter and float one in center of each soup. Garnish with parsley.

THE BEST PART: Nutrients per serving: calories 194, protein 7g, carbohydrates 31g, fiber 7g (saturated fat 3g), cholesterol 10mg, sodium 714mg

Eet smakelijk!

Tag! I'm it!

Blog tag - Rach got me. So now I guess the rules are that I am supposed to list six facts, habits or embarrassments about myself and then tag six more people. Well geez, Rach tagged the six people I know that might actually read this, so I might skip that part.

Fact/Habit/Embarrassment # 1: Tonight I had a Halloween piano recital, where I played some guy's Ritual Fire Dance for two pianos in a go-go girl costume. To the audience I'm sure it was amazing. To me, who has put 1000s of practice hours into this piece, it wasn't perfect. I totally botched the ending, which is the best part. Good thing this piece moves, otherwise someone might have noticed. At least my costume rocked!

Fact/Habit/Embarrassment # 2: I am working on being a nicer person. Colleague A once sent me an email criticizing Colleague B. Because at the time I was such a terrible person I responded, but instead of responding to Colleague A, I responded to Colleague B, the person initially being criticized (note: dumb, dumb, dumb). My response was not nice either, and now I had just sent it to the wrong person. Ruined my life in that moment. It pretty much ruined her's too. Lesson learned: look for the good in people, not their faults. That way if you send an email to the wrong person, at least you are complimenting instead criticizing them.

Fact/Habit/Embarrassment # 3: I am painfully shy. Those who know me never believe it when I say it, but it is absolutely true. For example, I see people I went to high school with all the time who, in my mind, were the "popular kids," the homecoming queens, football stars, school officers and everything I was too shy to ever be (BTW, I am a self-proclaimed nerd too). It stresses me out. There is always a moment of recognition between me and that person and what do I do? Oh, just look away and pretend I'm invisible. You know, like a two year old who covers their eyes to hide - if I can't see you, you can't see me either. The old home town is too small. Maybe I should move to Nebraska since nobody actually lives there.

Fact/Habit/Embarrassment # 4: I am a girl who likes to start lots of projects, but can never finish them. For example, I think I can paint. Can I really? No, not like Heather Woodbury, but I like to think that someday my art will actually be lovely enough to hang on my wall, that is, if I could ever actually finish a painting I've started. I also like to make quilts for my friends who have babies. In fact, my friends always tell me they look forward to receiving one of my quilts even if it is just before the child leaves for college. My latest ambition: to create a Mary Engelbreit cross stitch called "Believe." My Mom made this cross stitch and I love it. It only took her 7 1/2 years to get it done. Well, at least I know I come by this fact honestly.

Fact/Habit/Embarrassment # 5: Mr. G was just reading over my shoulder as I ponder Fact # 5. Soliciting feedback from him, he said "You're nappy." It's probably a fact.

Fact/Habit/Embarrassment # 6: I've been reading "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. I know several people who have read this book and testify that through this "law of attraction" and a mental shift in positive thinking, your life will be changed forever. I'm all for positive thinking and believe there is some truth to it. The fact is, I always get to the part of the book (or more recently, while listening to the CD that Heidi let me borrow) that says the law of attraction doesn't compute "don't" or "not" or "no" or any other words of negation. Then it precedes to list several examples, such as "I don't want a bad haircut" then in italicise the "Universe" interprets this to mean "I want bad haircuts." This is the Nephi 2 of this book - I just can't get past it. Sorry, but if I say I don't want a bad haircut, then I really mean it. If I say I don't want to walk for 10 miles with a rock in my shoe, then I really don't want to walk for 10 miles with a rock in my shoe. The real secret is this book sucks. If any one out there wants a copy, I have two.

Tag Renee. Get blogging.

Cabin Fever

Last weekend we loaded up the Budget moving truck and made our way north to Idaho to start making our cabin a cabin-home. I followed Mr. G, who was driving the moving truck. It was a pretty uneventful trip for me, driving the Acura, and for Mr. G, aside from the pouring rain and wet snow, windshield wipers that didn't wipe, no radio and my hyper head lights glaring in his mirrors (note: I was scolded multiple times for following too closely).

Rebekah cleaning and unpacking the kitchen

Because we didn't leave the old home town until after 4 P.M., it was pretty late pulling into the new digs on Friday. So we unpacked one mattress and set-up camp on the living room floor for a good night's sleep. We woke up Saturday morning to several inches of snow. It was absolutely beautiful, but so, so cold.

Mr. G tightening the bolts on the table I put together. Wouldn't want any wobbly legs now.

We were able to move in all of the furniture within a couple of hours. The rest of the weekend was spent CLEANING (everything had a layer of construction dirt on it), putting the table together, getting the beds on their frames, hanging curtains and most exciting of all getting the stackable washer and dryer situated.

Jeff helping Mr. G with the washer and dryer set-up

Our friend Jeff, who is building a cabin in the area, was kind enough to come over and help Mr. G get the washer and dryer hooked-up. This was no small feat. As you can see, the space was just big enough for the unit to fit which meant close quarters for the two guys to work in. After all the hoses were hooked-up Mr. G had to climb on top of the stack to ensure there were no kinks. Later these Yahoos discovered there is a removable panel on the washer/dryer so you can see all the connections from the front. Still, they were both so proud to get it hooked up and operating, UNTIL . . .

Mt. G ensuring no kinks in the hoses (notice the snow out the back door?)

On the test run of the washer, I noticed a strange smell, like burning rubber. When I went to check on the washer, sure enough, there was smoke coming out of the barrel. There was a mass panic to turn everything off and figure out what the heck went wrong. This was such a bummer because the fellas were so proud of their handyman skills to hook things up. After much frustration and enormous patience, Mr. G somehow managed to get the barrel to spin without burning rubber. It made me pretty nervous the rest of the weekend to wash anything - I certainly didn't want any of the brand new sheets to come out smelling like burnt rubber, but it appears to be fixed and my sheets and towels came out smelling sunshine fresh.

Weekend in B-town wasn't so "Crappy"

I just returned from another fabulous weekend spent with my sissy, the jellybean and boo in Boston. They are always so hospitable when I am in town so I just keep coming back for more. Even though Rach and Boo were pretty much sick the whole weekend, that didn't stop us from having a good time. Some highlights of the weekend:

• Quilting marathon - finished quilting a dog quilt for Rachel's friend Tiffany, who is having a baby soon. From what I hear, it was the hit of the baby shower and Tiffany nearly cried an Alabama river.



• Texas Roadhouse - mmmmm, the chicken critter salad. So good. Oohh, be careful though. If you're having trouble with the Aztec two-step (ahem, looseness of the bowel), you probably shouldn't eat salad, then sit in gridlock traffic...



• H&M - Rach graciously ditched the R.S. Women's Conference (which by-the-way. is quite a production with her ward, and I know she really wanted to attend) to take me to the H&M. She's the best sissy ever. Finally, I have some pants that fit.



• Yard Sale - Cute wicker table and chairs, $40; VHS and DVDs, 4/1$; golf clubs and cart circa 1973 $75 (eventually marked down to $55 and still didn't sell); Confederate soldier flasks, $25; friend's old poopy toilet - priceless. Rach made off like a bandit, the neighbors...they didn't do so well. They couldn't quite grasp the idea that at a yard sale you have to be willing to basically give away your junk. That means, if you are selling a vacuum that you bought six years ago for $40, pricing it at $35 at the yard sell doesn't make a lot of sense. And if someone offers you $20 for the p.o.s. - TAKE IT! Nope, the neighbor schlepped the vacuum right back into the house with 90% of their junk that didn't sell because it was all priced way way way too high and they weren't willing to dicker. Noelle enjoyed herself though. She was in her own FAO Schwartz playing with all the toys for sale.



• Pizza, beef stew, delicious homemade rolls, guilt-free chocolate cake, almost guilt-free pumpkin cookies - the pizza and the beef stew and the homemade rolls (which I ate about 2 dozen) came to fruition, but the cake and cookies - didn't bother. Rach and Boo's tape worms wouldn't allow them to eat much, so we had to forgo the goodies. We'll try again next time when every one's feeling a little better.

Thanks for the fun weekend! Looking forward to seeing you again very soon.

Scarlet

Scarlet has been a member of our family for seven years. Like most Labs, she was full of energy. She never passed up an opportunity to join her dog buddies for a swim at the dog park, ride in the car with her face out the window against the wind, or for a game of fetch-the-ball, or stick, or duck. She loved her stuffed duck. She liked to hear it "quack," and then rip it to shreds, but I think she derived more pleasure from Randy pretending she was actually a trained hunting dog who would retrieve ducks on command, but she was really just tricking him into getting a game of fetch going. Scarlet was always a very protective, loving dog who was instant friends with anybody who would scratch her ears or rub her belly. Her energy will live on as she frolicks in pet heaven with Molly, who greeted her with a tennis ball, Buddy, who chased around the pearly gates in excitement, and Tuffy, who greeted her with a love-swat across the nose and then curled up beside her. She was a good dog. She had a big smile and an even bigger heart that can never be forgotten.

Secret's Out

Many of you out there have wondered and asked why we have made several camping trips to Idaho this year. Well, they really were camping trips, but only because we were looking for something a little more interesting to camp in. We found this cabin several weeks ago and as of today we own the place. Obviously there is yet some work to be done as we embark on the next step: furnishings. So we came up with an "acquisition list" prioritized in High to Low order. Some of the higher priorities on the list include the obvious:

• Living room furniture


• Dining room furniture


• Beds and bedding


• Kitchenware


• Bathroom supplies

Mr. G has been very good about reminding me what constitutes a "high" priority on the acquisition list in an effort to avert any premature frivolousness. So last weekend our first two purchases were made for the cabin: a BBQ grill and a fire pit ring. As you can see, we have our priorities straight.

I am a Nerd, really.

I just took a Nerd Quiz at nerdquiz.com. My score summary:
79% scored higher (more nerdy), 2% scored the same, and 19% scored lower (less nerdy).
What does this mean? My nerdiness is: not nerdy, but then again maybe not all that cool either.

Lumberjacks and a Perfect Smore

We recently went camping in Idaho. Last time we were camping in Idaho, there were fire restrictions, even in the campgrounds. This was very discouraging for Mr. G because, you know, how can a guy go camping and not use his axe and saw to obtain firewood? And buying a bundle of firewood wrapped in cellophane from the local country store is just not acceptable. Lucky for us this campground allowed campfires. So Mr. G got right to chopping up some firewood. I was the lumberjack helper; I had the privilege of stabilizing the tree while my lumberjack hacked and chopped. I was never concerned about losing an arm to a mis-swing of the axe, but I did, at several points, fear getting my eye poked out by flying wood debris. This guy takes his axe hacking skills very seriously!

Thanks to my own private lumberjack, we had a pile of wood sufficient to warm an entire Who-ville community.

And what would camping be without Smores? Every time I go camping I think of Smores as a must-have dessert. Making Smores seems pretty basic, doesn't it? - roast a marshmallow; sandwich the mallow with a piece of chocolate between two halves of a graham cracker; smashed together, the heat of your marshmallow will melt the chocolate giving you a perfectly gooey and delicious Smore. Well, I think Martha Stewart, who only creates recipes that are impossible for the average person to cook, invented the Smore because they are just that, impossible. Usually one runs into several obstacles when trying to make this treat. Sometimes it is difficult to find a graham cracker that has not been totally crushed. Or, your marshmallow catches fire in the coals or melts right off your roasting stick and actually falls into the fire. And come on, does the chocolate ever really melt? In most cases, you will find yourself in one of these predicaments, but one doesn't usually complain - you just take in stride and think to yourself, "Sheesh, this is sure a lot of work for the mediocre end result." Well guess what, I experienced a Christmas miracle on this camping trip. I actually made the perfect Smore. I will admit, it only took about three tries and various creative cooking methods to get it just right (yes, I still ate the failed attempts), but I was determined and I did it. Smores really are the best camping treat.

She's No Betty Crocker

Chocolate chip cookies - the perfect Sunday night treat. All the ingredients were there. I'm ready to make a batch. My Betty Crocker cookbook showed pictures of three different chocolate chip cookies - the first cookie pictured was "too flat" because the butter was likely melted, not softened; the second cookie pictured was perfect,of course; and the third cookie pictured was cakey likely due to the flour being measured incorrectly. My choco chip cookies always turn out cakey, so I followed Betty's instructions on page 5 on how to measure flour (who doesn't know how to measure flour??) and just to be safe, I read about the proper way to "soften" butter, and began my cookie-making journey. Everything seemed to be going well. I just knew these cookies were going to be great. It wasn't until 7 1/2 minutes into the baking that I noticed my cookies did not look like Betty's "perfect" cookie. What did I do wrong!? I measured the flour just like Betty said. I softened the butter just like Betty said. And still, I somehow managed to really mess these up. Mr. G, being the loving husband he is, still ate a couple of them with a glass of milk, but I didn't get the inaugural "MMMMMMMMMM!" from him when he took his first bite, which is how I know when something I make really tastes good. This is a sure sign that three dozen crappy chocolate chip cookies are going to sit in the Tupperware for the next week, untouched, before I throw them away. Mr. G's only consolation after trying desperately to figure out how I could have possibly messed this up was, "Pookie, you just have to practice." Shortly after my cookie debacle and my short bout with depression, my sister called. Surely she would have the answer to my kitchen woes. After a few minutes of trouble shooting the problem she said, "Sissy, you just have to practice." Ppppsssffff. Forget it. I'm sticking to the pre-packaged, fail-proof dough.

Pull-over Picnics and Idaho

This weekend we were in Idaho searching out vacation property. Whether or not we found our dream vacation home is yet to be determined, but we did find Henry's Lake State Park campground a lovely place to pitch a tent and "enjoy" the great outdoors. I have to admit, I used to think RVs were for the weak, but after spending a few nights sleeping on the ground, I found myself wishing I was in the cushy quarters of an RV. Save the tent for backpacking. Give me an RV for camping. I'll even settle for a pop-up trailer.
Flashback to the early 1980s, family trip to Nowhere, U.S.A. We pull off the road onto a little, if ever used, dirt road and park ourselves under a tree. Mom hauls out the cooler full of wonder bread, peanut butter and honey, a bag of potato chips and Kool-Aide and we have ourselves a picnic. As a kid, for some reason, these pull-over picnics always made me uncomfortable. Why couldn't we just find a picnic table or better yet, a McDonald's? I would think to myself, "Let's just keep on driving to spare ourselves the humiliation of looking like such curmudgeons on the side of the road." I swore when it was my choice I would never subject myself to another lame pull-over picnic.

Well, give a kid 25 years and she'll discover that pull-over picnics aren't so bad. In fact, that turkey sandwich I made under this tree was quite delightful. And I might have said right out loud, "I think when we have kids, we should have pull-over picnics. It'll be good for them."