Flashback Friday: Fall fun with the pups

Well this concludes Fall week. What did we learn? Nothing. But we had fun right? Right? I thought I would leave you with some lovely photos of Issy and Charlie, not long after we first Big Is.

Guys, look at the camera

"Oops, I closed my eyes...take one more"

"I thought I pressed the self timer, let me just che...oh shoot"

"self timer is working"

Okay, we got a good one. Thanks guys.

Have a good weekend and a Happy Halloween!

Glazed Apple Bars

I was in the baking mood last night and decided to make these apple bars by Meg Duerksen from Whatever. Well, I was in a hurry trying to get them done before So You Think You Can Dance and GLEE came on and I screwed up a bit. So I decided to steal photos from Meg's blog because hers are much prettier than mine. But I will not fail at this. I'll make them again and I will succeed. And just my luck...my shows weren't even on.

combine

4 C. flour
1/2 t. salt
2 C. sugar

cut in

3 sticks of butter

Make sure it's well combined and crumbly. Then press half the mixture into a jelly roll pan. Peel and slice 5 granny smith apples and cover the mixture.

combine

1/3 C. sugar
1 t. cinnamon

Sprinkle it over the apples, then sprinkle the other half of the flour, butter, sugar mixture over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. When cool, make a glaze with 1 C. powdered sugar, 1 t. vanilla, 1 T. water. Drizzle over top. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Update: I just had one and they are AMAZING. No joke, you need to make these...forget apple pie. There I said it.

Cozy wool blankets

Every year I drool over these thick wool blankets, but I'm too cheap to make them mine. Thank god for knock offs for people like me. Due to my hairy house mates I wash my couch throws once a week. These just might fit the bill!

Tangent: The other night I was attempting to keep my dogs out of the bed. When I crawled in I sent my feet to Bryan's side of the bed searching for warmth. I stopped when I felt something warm and fuzzy and said, "is Charlie in the bed already?" And he said, "no, that would be my leg." See what I'm dealing with hair? I mean here.

Anyway, blankets...we were talking about blankets.

Swiss Army Blanket from the Sundance Catalog, $298

Swiss Wool Blanket (well 70% wool) from Cheaper Than Dirt, $19.97

Woolrich Hudson Bay Point Blanket from Cabela's, $299

Swiss-Link Italian Wool Blanket from the Sierra Trading Post, $23.76

I'll take one of cheap...I mean each!

Cranberry Harvest

I've always wanted to visit a cranberry bog. But due to a shortage of visits to the East Coast (as in none, outside of layovers), I've never had the opportunity. Someday I will make it, someday. Until then I will live vicariously through the visit of La Tartine Gourmande.

Nothing says Fall like a man in thigh high rubber boots. For the entire experience visit La Tartine Gourmande and check out her yummy cranberry recipes.

As for my cranberry recipes? I don't have any. But my Mom used to make a delicious orange cranberry bread that I thought you might like. You know, if you have some extra cranberries lying around.

CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
Grated peel of 1 orange
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons hot water
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)


DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat egg. Add orange juice, peel, butter and hot water. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Gently fold in cranberries and walnuts. Spoon into greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

It's Fall Week!

It was a busy weekend, full of Fall festivities. Say that 10 times fast. Hope you had a good weekend too!


Angela and I hiked Rattlesnake Ridge with the pups.
























And my wonderful sister let me dress up her offspring as Charlie Brown, for my own amusement....















Family photo op!








Stay tuned this week for more Fall related things that I've been saving up and I thought, what the hell...let's make a week of it!

Whoo hoo, I win!

My fellow bloggess friend Sheree nominated me for this lovely award of which I am undeserving. I am not creative, although I guess I am a little kreativ... The truth is, I'm more of an idea stealer. I am a research whore and I rarely come up with anything on my own. But if it works for you, it works for me! Thanks Sheree!

I'm still confused on if I am actually a recepient of an award...or a nominee. I'm not very good at reading directions and I checked my voters pamphlet, but I couldn't find myself in there. Either way, I play by the rules so here it goes.

1. Thank the person that nominated you:

Merci mon Sheree! See what I did there? Non? You don't speak French?

2. Copy the logo above and gingerly place it on your blog

3. Name 7 things folks may not know about you

4. Nominate 5 Kreativ Bloggers

5. Don't forget to post links to those you're nominating

6. Leave comments on their blog to let them know someone is reading their shiz..I mean, let them know they're nominated, a winner...still confused.

7 Things you may not know about me

Past tense...because it's Flashback Friday! And I live in the past...

1. I used to think when people did the nasty, they had a baby immediately after

2. I wanted to be a psychologist, but realized I was too crazy to help anyone else

3. I used to eat hot cocoa and buttered toast every morning for breakfast

4. I used to get stress twitches that included rapidly blinking my eyes, and a strange throat click that was obnoxious to those around me. Like I said...too crazy

5. My Sister used to bug me my pinching me until she had me cornered, where I would freak out on her with my throat click and crazy eyes

6. I wanted a Great Gatsby style wedding, but my Husband didn't want to wear a tux

7. I desperately wanted to play Dorthy in the Wizard of POZ (our 4th grade positive action program), but lost out to my best friend Shannon when she said her Grandma could make her dress

There ya go. Too much? Are you a little scared now?

And now for the nominees/winners? in no particular order:

mylittlebecky- because I'm dying to know more and her creative writing is Kreativ (no that's not an insult!)

Crystal from Plush Palate- because she brings me inspiring interior design porn to drool over

Gordon Gossip- because she gives me good ideas to steal and call my own (kidding, I give credit)

Little Green Notebook- because she brought pelmet boxes into my world, and it's never been the same since.

Three Men and a Lady- because she does things with thrifted furniture that will make you blush

Thanks for inspiring me ladies- join in if you'd like, or don't. Isn't freedom grand?

And now...since it really is Flashback Friday...

That would be Sheree, back in the day, as a party guest in The Little Princess. We used to dance together (I'm not in this picture, stop looking for me). photo via facebook.

Enjoy your coffee dear ;)

Tit for tat

RIP

Carport

1966ish-2009

Bryan and I have a habit of keeping score. We know it's not healthy, or fair really...actually I take that back, doesn't keeping score make things fair? No, I guess it only causes resentment, but we can't seem to help it. We're working on it, don't worry about us.

Last week when I was a little under the weather I asked my loving Husband to make dinner. I made it really simple, no expectations. I told him the meals I had left to make for the week and he could pick one of those if he wanted, or cereal, or whatever. I was just hungry, and too tired to cook. He decided to make BLT's. While he was plugging away in the kitchen he threw out a comment that if I was near enough, and had any energy I would've slapped him for. He said, "now YOU have to build the new carport." Not wanting to argue I said, "okay." I totally get it, making dinner ONE night=having your wife build a carport. Makes sense. And then I moved on with my night.

The following day I was still a little peeved about his comment. Having an equal marriage is important to me and I feel like its a constant struggle to get him to share the daily stuff (cooking, walking dogs, although he is damn good at dishes I should mention). So I decided to do the right thing...I was going to sit down and talk to him about how I felt. It would be the adult thing to do.

Instead, I enlisted my co-worker Vic to help me. I gave him my Husband's phone number and asked him to call and pretend to be a local lumber company. The scenario was that he had an order for a lumber package around $900 and the person was trying to use his company business account and they needed his approval. Well Bryan was very confused and thought that maybe my credit card was stolen, until Vic gave him the delivery address, and told him the lumber was on the truck ready to be delivered and all they needed was approval. Maybe he should call his wife and then give him a call back. He he...

It went better than planned. He called me exasperated, and although he thanked me for taking the initiative, he thought the guy who supposedly helped me put the lumber package together was probably selling me unnecessary items, and we still needed to plan it out...yada yada yada. I blew it when I asked him to call and cancel the order. I was going to answer my co-worker's phone, but I couldn't figure out how to pick up the call and it went to voicemail, revealing our company name...which is not a lumber company. But it felt good anyway, and I'm hoping it taught him a little lesson.

And then the next day, he called me angry because he had received a $125 ticket in the mail for a right turn on red. Only he doesn't drive that car, I do. I was hoping he was joking, trying to get me back, but he wasn't. I guess he's more of an adult than I am. Karma's a bitch.

GLEE

Are you watching GLEE? No excuses. It's on tonight on FOX, this is your chance! Jane Lynch is the number one reason to watch. Number two is the performance void it fills in my life. *sigh* Time for karaoke.



Need convincing?








Want more Jane Lynch?








My favorite clip of her EVER. Sadly, I couldn't find the complete version. This was from the U.S. version of Thank God You're Here. It was short lived here.

Click HERE...scroll down, sit through the ad and then laugh.

You're welcome. Unless of course I'm the only one that thinks she's funny.

Twilight hate mail

I will never come between Kristen and Robert...

I got my first mean comment! I knew there were some crazy Twi-hards out there, but I never expected my little Twilight jokes would bring in any, but it did. Apparently someone in Duluth, Georgia thinks Robert Pattinson would never make a baby with me. Oh good, my husband will be happy to hear that.

Anonymous said...

He would never ever couple with you his eyes are set on Kristen Stewart. Don't worry its bound that some guy will go out with you.

October 18, 2009 2:50 PM


From the post "I'm having a baby with Robert Pattinson"

Check out other crazy Twilight mail at Lainey Gossip, she feels the hate all the time. I was thinking my Anonymous was Dana from Texas...but Georgia it is. Thanks for stopping by Georgia!

I can eat a lot of sushi...a lot

Saturday I went out for sushi at Nijo Sushi with some

friends from highschool.

The friends...

The sushi...

A quick stop at the Lusty Lady...okay maybe we just walked by

The End.

How was your weekend?

Flashback Friday: Turtlenecks...hot or not?

The cold weather has finally arrived, which means...I'm even colder than usual. And to top it off I have a cold. Life would be better if I could still rock the turtleneck. Oh yes it would.

That's right folks. Nothing's better than matching turtlenecks and Mickey Mouse socks. Well except for acid wash jeans and a perm (which should never be combined with Mickey Mouse).

Have a cozy weekend!

Too ill to be clever today

Until tomorrow...

Please don't name your baby Edward...

My friend Jaime is still on her honeymoon, so I have to get as many Twilight posts in as I can. You know... so she doesn't think I'm still obsessed with Ryan Pattinson...or whatever his name is.

I was thinking the other day (I know...strange) after the tabloids announced Kristen Stewart was pregnant with Robert Pattinson's baby, what would they really name it? With the Twi-Mom frenzy there may be an abundance of Rosalie, Bella's and Edward's starting kindergarten in 5 years. Lame. (shhh...I'd do it too)

Then I came across the perfect "name your baby after Twilight" name.

image via Design Mom, invitation via birddog im{press}ions

Viola! Changed from Cullen to Cullin, and the world may never know. Well my husband would...but yours might not. I really like it!

Makeshift dress

How do you feel about this? I like it, but don't think I'm bold enough to pull it off. Are you?

image via faux as f ck on weardrobe.com

Jen & Erik's Wedding

Saturday was my friend Jen's wedding in Seattle.

View from the Seattle Harbor Club

Me, Dani and Bethany

Beautiful bridesmaids, each wore a different black gown. Love that.

Cute little flower girl

First look at the beautiful bride

Lovely train. I love a good train.

The vows

Bethany and Moi

My yummy chicken

Dani's fish

Bryan's OCD. He can't stand chaos on a plate.

Dani and her cake she made for the newlyweds

Delicious dark chocolate marble cake with cream cheese frosting. Seriousy good.

First dance

Daddy daughter waltz, turns into....

Something I will be looking out for on youtube

Hilarious, her Dad cracked me up!

I found my dress twin Fiona

"Hey look, we both have ruffles"

Photobooth fun

Signing the guestbook

Mikaela, the wedding coordinator, thinking of something thoughtful to say

The work girls, back together again

Who are those pretty girls at the bar?

about the time I should've stepped away from the bar

Erik channels his inner Coug

You can tell I've had one too many when the seductive camera face and pointer finger come out. Sorry Dani...

Mikaela helping me keep my dress up






Jen proving she's a Coug Alumn

Jen and I used to be figure skating partners

Bryan almost smiling

Dani and Jen

Bethany, Mikaela and Dani

Girlies

The two B's

Actresses from The Beautiful Life

Bridal shoes

Beautiful flower arrangements

Congratulations Jen and Erik! Have fun in Mexico!