ha!

Quite possible the greatest thing I have ever seen? Ellen's Halloween costume....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Today....

I don't want to get up and get ready. It's cold. It's rainy. It's all around a grey day....and I'm feeling underwhelmed.

I need to get up, have a cheese quesadilla and shake this funk away.

(yeah, I said cheese quesadilla....breakfast of champions around these parts!)

Weekend Awesomeness

*Remember when I posted about finding an old metal table top (I think I used the word formica and that is incorrect) for $25 that I am going to slap some legs on and make into a table????

Well, I have one up-ed myself. I found an old metal topped table for $20 at Goodwill on Monday!!!!!!! (remember, I don't work Mondays therefore I must spend my time wisely...like shopping for bargains)

Please excuse the blurry pictures. I may or may not have dropped our new camera and successfully broke the lens. (sshhhh!!!)

I'm not sure what I am going to use this little gem for, but I do know I'm going to slap some paint (possible red) on those legs!!!!


* Saturday night whilst hanging out with Katie Jean and Babs (who by the way just bought a house 2 blocks from us....EEEEKKK!!! so excited!) something absolutely awesome happened. All of us...Katie Jean, Babs, Stone and I...sang, from our hearts, the ENTIRE Golden Girls theme song.

If by chance you are unfamiliar with this tune....have a listen



Now picture in your head four adults (OK, semi-adults), 2 of which are men, belting this song as loud as possible.

It.Was.Awesome.

I don't know what prompted the singing, but the memory of our quartet will warm my heart for years to come.

Success....finally

In the 2.5 years that we have lived in our home, I have been unable to make a batch of cupcakes in our oven....without burning them.

I know what you are thinking, USER ERROR. But honestly it's not me, it's the oven. Even mi Madre, best cook I know, burned cornbread muffins in my oven.

Let's just say what needs to be said....our oven is the devil.

Well, the tides turned on Saturday.

Voila!!!!

I successfully made a batch of (unburned) carrot cake cupcakes! (in Scooby-Doo wrappers...I think they give them a little something extra special)

PS: I had planned on making red velvet cupcakes (my favorite) but was unable to find the mix anywhere. Has anyone else noticed red velvet cake mix has gone missing?!?!?!?!

PPS: Heck yeah I use boxed cake mix! Who do you think I am, Betty Crocker!?!?!?

PPPS: I'm sorry for getting saucy just then. It would be lovely if you thought I was Betty Crocker. Completely insane, but still....lovely.

From my Great Granny to you....

Saturday brought friends, laughter, conversation and fun to my humble home. I debated all week about what to make for linner (lunch + dinner = linner). After much conversation and with the help of many, I decided on my Great Gran Estelle's vegetable soup.


I grew up on this soup/stew. It warms my soul thinking about coming home from school and smelling a pot of this goodness cooking on the stove.

Estelle's Vegetable Soup

1 head of cabbage shredded

1 small onion finely chopped

3 potatoes peeled and chopped (bite size)

4 carrots peeled and chopped (bite size)

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen lima beans

1 cup frozen green beans

1 large can tomato juice

1/2 stick margarine

Nature Seasoning to taste (click the link if you are unsure as to what Nature Seasoning is...basically a blend of salt, pepper, garlic, onion etc...)

HOW TO:
Put cabbage and onion into the pot along with the tomato juice, margarine and seasoning. Let cook down for a while. (note: the pot ((make sure to use a BIG pot)) will look really full with just the cabbage and onion, but it cooks down to nothing so don't you worry a bit!) Add the remaining vegetables to the pot and let cook until all the veggies are tender....or covered and on med-low to low for a few hours.

Note 1: If it looks like there needs to be more liquid in the pot, add water or more tomato juice (at any point in the cooking process)

Note 2: If you want to be a good little cook and use all fresh veggies, GO FOR IT, we just use the regular old frozen for corn, lima beans and green beans because well it's a heck of a lot easier.

Note 3: I used a rather large pot on my stove for this (the kind with two handles on either side)....if you choose to do that too, you can go ahead and purchase the bags of frozen corn, lima beans and green beans and just throw the whole bag into the pot.

Note 4: If you would like to make this Vegetable Beef Stew....just add shredded beef to the pot while it is all cooking together. I grew up on that variation as well.

This is seriously easy cooking. Add a side of corn bread and a big spoon and you are set!!!!

PS: Saskia, I will be making your mushroom risotto recipe sometime this week....I'll let you know how it goes. Thank you for sending it over!!!

drawing a blank....

Tonight I asked Stone what I should blog about and he said, "blog about being awesome" and then he tricked me into giving up the computer so he could 'get some work stuff done' but really I peeked over his shoulder to find him reading about the Colts and checking his email.

Men...you can't live with them.....but without them, who would go down to the scary basement and wash the leggings I need for work tomorrow????

I decided to take Stone's advice and show you a photo that captured a wee bit of me being awesome.

If you look closely you will see that I am wearing what appears to be a teeny tiny housecoat which I have accessorized with a candy necklace.

If that's not awesome, I don't know what is.

Here's how I see it....

I'm technically bettering my chances of winning $50,000 each time I eat at McDonalds....

....so I shouldn't be embarrassed that I have this many Monopoly pieces right?

RIGHT?????

Why I kind of love not working on Mondays

I've got time to browse for vintage/retro goodies all morning with my sister and Katie Jean.

What I found:

a set of 3 1/2 tea cups & saucers (and the saucers are actually little plates) for $10.00

note: there are 4 saucers and only 3 cups

a broach for $5

a retro fan blade for $10...to be added to a little project on our upstairs hallway wall

note: will post photos when complete

AND

an old white formica table top for $25.00....which will be turned into either a new dining table or a new outside patio table. I haven't decided yet.

Oh I almost forgot!...then we went to a little boutique in town and Katie Jean found me a sweet dress for $10.00...complete with ruffles and stripes!

Girly Mondays are the best.

People are weird

How lazy can a dog possible be that it needs to be carried in a pouch?

This afternoon I saw a woman, live and in living color, 'walking' her dog in one of these things.

I.WAS.SPEECHLESS.

Glad to see that pup is getting all the exercise it needs!

I guess it could have been worse....

....she could have been wearing the pup in a fanny pack.

3 Things You Didn't Know About Yours Truly

1. I like the water in the shower to be hot.....like so hot it kind of burns my skin a little bit.

2. For the past 2 months I've had the soundtrack from the latest Harry Potter movie on 'REPEAT' in my car. Track #20 is my favorite





3. I can't snap with my right hand.


PS: I bought a butternut squash at the grocery tonight...and I have absolutely not idea how to cook it. Any suggestions?

'X'

One of the reasons why I love Stone is his ability to make me laugh.

(whether that be with him or at him...I enjoy both.)

One of the reasons Stone (sometimes) makes me want to pull my hair out is how forgetful he can be.

The other morning I walked downstairs to find Stone wearing this:

Court: Hey Buddy....ummmmm....what's with the hand drawn X on your t-shirt?

Stone: This t-shirt is old and needs to be thrown out, so I put an X on it as a reminder to throw it away after I wear it today.

Turns out even his forgetfulness makes me laugh.

maybe you will have better luck....

Don't let the top of this pie fool you. Yes, it looks delicious with it's carmel and walnut covered cool whip goodness. But underneath it is a hot mess. Well, not really a hot mess...it is after all a 'no bake' pie.

I made two of these pies.......both of them flawed from the start because I went to the 'dirty Kroger' down the street from my J.O.B....which didn't have the needed ingredients.

(It's 'the dirty Kroger' for many reasons. First and foremost it kind of smells like urine and secondly because it never has what you need. Or it will pretend to have what you need...like an avocado for example, but then when you go to pick up said avocado your thumb goes right through it because it is so past it's prime)

NOTE: You cannot substitute canned pumpkin with canned pumpkin pie filling. I learned this the hard way (ie: two ruined pies). Thank you 'dirty Kroger'.

The recipe can be found here. It honestly looks like a little slice of heaven...when made correctly.

PS: whoever said getting the first slice of a pie out of the pie, without mangling the rest of the pie, was easy....needs to come to my house and give me a lesson on how to cut a pie.

recent converstations between husband and wife

Convo #1

Stone: I feel kind of bad for the mouse that is going to die tonight, but really this is getting kind of absurd.

Court: (stink face)

Stone: Do you think mice in the house during the winter happens to all of these old houses around us too?

Court: (stink face)

Stone: I'm gonna have to see the dead mouse when I get the laundry from the basement in the morning...it's upsetting.

Court: (stink face)


Convo #2

(the scene: watching a commercial set in the 1950's)

Stone: You know, I miss the good old days.

Court: (looks at husband confused)

Stone: Well you know, even though I didn't really live in them.

Court: Didn't really?....or didn't at all? (he was born in 1980)

Stone: (stink face)....the 50's were a great time...the 60's too.

Court: (looks at husband confused)

Hey Stone...

Do I need these?

can be found here

I think yes.

PS: Stone just peeked over my shoulder at this post...and promptly gave me the stink eye.

Reason #742 Why Girlfriends Are The Best

#742: They go to Anthropologie with you...and enjoy it.

Stone has informed me he can feel every ounce of joy and hope being drained from his body the second he steps foot inside Anthro. He usually sits on a bench outside of the store....

....and sends me Anthro 'hate texts'.

PS: I purchased a shirt from Anthro the other day that was $98.00, but I got it for $19.95. SAY WHHHHAAATTT!?!?! You heard me.....$19.95.

Nearing the End

I have paint under my fingernails. I have a medium to mild headache from the fumes. My house is in shambles. (don't even get me started on the guest bedroom...aka: the 'hold everything room' at the moment) But....

BUT.....

The family room is almost complete. I'm rounding third base and heading home. This morning I need to slap the third and final coat of paint on the walls, and watch it dry. Or not watch it dry. Because that sounds about as fun as the Glaucoma test at the eye doctor. That damn puff of air never fails to make me jump out of me seat!

A preview for you.....here are the new pillows going on our couch. My dear sister (who at this moment is cruising through the Mediterranean...yes, I am a teensy bit jealous...who wouldn't be?) picked them up for me. She has an eye for lovely and I'm the lucky duck who she shares her finds with!

On a completely non related note.....I had poor decision making skills on Saturday. We had a block party on our street. The festivities were outside and since it is officially winter here, it was about 7 degrees. I thought it a great idea to warm myself up with a bit (or a bunch) of hot apple cider....spiked with whiskey. This equals I hated my life on Sunday morning. But...

BUT.....

(there's always a 'but')

Not only was it delicious, it did keep me toasty warm!!!!