Monday, December 31, 2007

planning ahead.

made last night while watching big love on dvd.


there's something to be said about planning ahead.


i think i am going to punch two holes on the side
and thread a lolli through.
because everyone needs a sweet on valentine's day!!

& because it's monday again:

curry and white rice
pork loin with mashed potatoes
crockpot turkey pot pie, only it'll be chicken 
sun-dried tomato chicken breasts with roasted potatoes
bbq brats and brotchen with steamed veggies 
soup and sandwiches

enjoy your monday...
and happy new year's eve!!
we are having family over for a night of 
board games, appetizers and desserts.

wish
me
luck.

Sunday, December 30, 2007

progress.



i'm thinking my hair will be long enough
to highlight by valentine's day.
which makes me verrry happy.
thats all.
:)

yest comments:
thanks for the compliments on my home, gals.
i am looking forward to getting enough pics 
for a home tour by the end of the week...


Saturday, December 29, 2007

don't ration your passion.


just thought i'd throw up a few pics
of the casa for reference.
i think we've decided to re-paint an old
dresser of ours and put it here...
that way maybe it'll look a bit more tidy.
here's where i scrap...
i stand mostly, put my table up on bed risers.
chriselda don't look, there's an alien on my scrap table!!
here's where i surf the 'net
pay bills
write grocery lists
and drink caffeinated beverages.
my favorite part of my corner
the cork board.

i found that quote
"don't ration your passion"
in W magazine this month.
love it.

okay, i'm off to hang curtains.
and hopefully get some pics of a clean bedroom!!


Friday, December 28, 2007

christmas on the concho.

we took a roadtrip yesterday.

it was good to get the heck outta dodge
for a day.
i wanted to go see the lights on the concho


and it was the father-in-law's 55th b-day.
we took him to zentner's daughter...
it was a nice visit, the lights were so pretty, 
and we had a lot of fun laughing at auggie 
the doggie

as he sat his fat butt down to eat.
this is the funniest thing to me
i had never seen a dog sit down to eat!!

tomorrow will be spent taking down the tree, 
i brought home a wonderful family heirloom
and i need to make room for it!!

i will take pics just as soon as everything is 
in it's rightful place...
hmm.
better not hold your breath...
until then,
be well friends!!

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

an xmas post on boxing day.

yes he is


yes she does


hope your day was merry.
ours sure was.


Monday, December 24, 2007

a giggle, the small stuff and menu plan monday.

lots to post today!!

the giggle:



he wanted to make it look like he was there.
such a sense of humor.

still feeling sick.
it's turning into a cough.
dangit.

anyone else excited about ashley's 
new project?
can't wait.
because as you can tell, i am all about 
the little things.
honey crisp anyone??
i created a LO last night that
documented my appreciation for 
boxed graham cracker crumbs.


sure the LO is really about my girl one's first experience
in the kitchen learning how to make our fave holiday treat
but i was sure to throw in the tid-bit about how i am glad
there was no mess from graham cracker crumb-making.
:)
also, i should mention these pages are the same color irl.
they just didn't photograph that way and i was too lazy to hook
up the scanner.

& last but certainly not least:

my menu-

bbq burgers, pinto beans and creamed corn
christmas dinner
grilled cheese and tomato soup
baked peri-peri chicken and potato wedges
chicken, rice and broccoli bake

now to decide when it'd be best to fight the crowds.
i'd better get going.

merry christmas eve, y'all!!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

crafty christmas eve eve eve.



i had the nephew and niece yest.
for 6 hours.
my hat's off to you mothers of pre-schoolers
and toddlers.
and twice to those who have one of each!!
i had completely forgotten how little you can 
get done while they are awake!!

planned a few activities, since idle hands 
are the devil's playground... :)
but that backfired.
sugar+preschooler=HYPER preschooler!!

anyhow.
that was yesterday.
today i am not feeling well.
early present from the half-pints maybe?
throat is itchy and nose is runny.
so i'm off to try and sleep it off
so that my christmas is not spent drunk on nyquil.

be well, friends.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

finished.



i joined my first ATC swap the other day on sistv
and by today i was finished.
23 cards 
lots of paint/ink
valentine theme
i am so proud of how they turned out...
that was the most i have put into a project 
in a looong time. 
i am usually a 
one-or-two-steps-and-call-it-done
kinda gal.

sidenote:
i've been in the process of trying to purge my supplies
but everytime i think i won't need something
it ends up being my saving grace for the next LO
(or in this case project!!).
what to do??
i really hate how messy this area looks
especially because we have an open floor plan
and it's just about the first thing you see when 
you open the front door.
blech.
i'd love a nice cabinet to put it all in...
or perhaps a dresser i can paint/fix up?
i repeat: blech.
any thoughts? ideas?

Friday, December 21, 2007

minimalist.


crappy scan.
but i wanted to share my 
approach to scrapping everyday life.
at least my most recent approach.
i want to get things done.
i want to scrap, but don't have lots of time.
so i'm bringing minimalist back.
:P
see, the way i see it, 
one day my grandkids will ask about me
and wonder what gammas likes and dislikes were.
perhaps they will look back and laugh that gamma 
thought it necessary to scrap about an apple!!
however, if this is the case, they really 
should try the honeycrisp.
they are my new fave for a reason.
mmm mmm
sorry pink lady, i've got a new love now...



Thursday, December 20, 2007

hometown tourist.



have you ever just wanted to be a tourist in your own
hometown?
with nothing to do yesterday and nothing but time on 
our hands we headed to down town san antonio.
you know
remember the alamo

and all that jazz.

it didn't take much for the girlone to convince us
to take a ride on the riverwalk boat...
it was a good ride with lots of interesting facts like:



this tree continues to grow out of this wall because 
no one bothered to remove the roots after san antonio's 
worst flood (1921) deposited them there.
it's actually growing in the restaurant as well...trying to
reach the door!!

 
also because of the flood 
this tree is host to another tree 
(complete with roots!!)
how cool is that?!


and did you know carol burnet was born here?
in this very hospital?
i had no clue she was even texan!!




okay, it's time to begin my day.
have a good one y'all!!

yest comments:
thanks gals. sometimes it feels as though i have 5 kids
and not just 2...
but at the end of the day 
everyone knows they are cared for!!

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

busy night.


last night i had two events to attend.
first up was bekahboo's choir concert.
she did phenomenal!!

so proud.
then, as we were leaving,
we decided to head over to the field house 
to catch part of crabigayil's basketball game.
i love watching those varsity girls play.
they are fierce.
we ended up catching the whole game- 
they started late!! 



love it when things work out like that.
it's very important to me that i do these 
things for my siblings, 
it'll be six months 
this sunday, since their daddy died.
he was the one who attended all of their games, 
all of the open houses, all of the concerts.
it breaks my heart to think that if i don't go, there 
would be no one in the bleachers for them.
it's been a rough holiday so far.
i'm hoping it'll get easier.

anyhow.
here's to siblings sticking together!!

*sidenote: eDUBB won the game HOLLA*



Tuesday, December 18, 2007

challenged.


holy moly it's a christmas miracle!!
i scrapped last night
while the hubster watched the spurs game
we won't mention the outcome of that game...
anyhow.
i've been following a few challenges...
emily's mini art journal on her blog
and the project runway challenges on 
i really want to start the challenges on
hmitm 
and i am already planning on starting the 
2007 DW calendar prompts again.
i started that last year, but somehow got to jan 29 
and abandoned it.
i swear, sometimes i have the attention span of a flea.

speaking of which.
i was going somewhere with that train of thought...
i am caught up.
on em's challenges
and on the project runway challenges.
woo hoo!!
i tried to set the scanner up so i could
share them online, but apparently
the old gal didn't want to play with the big mac.
so instead here's a yucky pic 
of a page i am pretty happy with.


:P

yest comments:
spazz-i agree, i do breakfast so much better when it's in the afternoon/evening!!
sandra-thank you. happy holidays to you too!!
colleen-googled the story, how cool that it began with a tai chi dude!!
natalie- you sure can!! we always share food. (my sisters & brothers are always here!!)
br@ndy- welcome back hon!! i've missed ya!!

Monday, December 17, 2007

it's monday again.



and i am menu-planning
while i enjoy my first cup of joe.

this week looks like this:

quiche with simple green salad
curry and jasmine rice
chicken strips and mashed potatoes
breakfast for dinner (eggs, pancakes)
bean chalupas with mexi rice


yest comments:
jen: but i'm the good kind of evil. because you will appreciate this recipe when your lil man comes up to you at eleven p.m. the night before a school function and tells you he needs to bring something to the school party tomorrow. (it happens!!) lol
colleen: now that sounds delish!! i hadn't heard of the bucks pay it forward...that would have been so cool to see/be a part of!! where was it??
katrina: oh, i can't let the girls go free for long. i am the one who was always more comfortable sleeping in her bra!! (that is until it all went south and i had to start buying underwire bras!!) lmao

Sunday, December 16, 2007

okay i'm back.

took yesterday off...too much to do.
plus i had a mini break down in the a.m.
which told me i needed some down time.

it starts today.
i am doing nada.
nothing.
well, mostly nothing.
basically i am doing only the things
i want to do. ha!!

i'm happy to report the cake was yum.
a little dry in my opinion, but it got a lot
of compliments.

i have another recipe share today...
i know i should pace myself, but i am so
happy these suckers are so easy and so YUM.
they are so easy, in fact, that if you
were to, i don't know...
drop the whole first batch INTO the
oven when you already cleaned up a huge coffee
maker disaster which set you back about fifteen
precious minutes- & they are precious because you barely had
time to throw these together in the first place...
you would still have time to break down, slobber
and cry on your hubby's shoulder, 
clean up the mess and start all over again.
you'd also still have time to shower (!!)
and get out the door with plenty of time to spare.
comprende? :P


easy peasy peanut butter cups
ingredients:
1 stick of butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 C flour
method:
cream together first 5 ingredients
in a separate bowl, mix together last 3 ingredients
now combine the flour mixture into the butter mixture
little by little until blended.
roll into 1" balls, place in pam-sprayed mini muffin tin
bake at 350 F for 8-10 mins
as soon as they come out of the oven, place a 
reese's mini cup or hershey's kiss in each, let cool.
remove carefully and enjoy!!

Friday, December 14, 2007

i have...


about ten minutes before the 
red velvet cakes 
will be ready to come out
of the oven.
i am not so confident about
these cakes, peeps.
the recipe called for buttermilk 
and cider vinegar
(among other things)
which were not so appealing to me.
i usually fight with the kiddos
over the beaters.
but the way that stuff smelled
didn't appeal to any of us.

okay.
so i've wasted about two mins
babbling.

here's the recipe:

really-really good spinach artichoke dip.

ingredients:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 C mayo (NOT miracle whip) i think miracle whip is yuck anyways...
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
1/4 C grated romano cheese
1 clove finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp basil (dry)
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts- drained & chopped
1/2 C frozen spinach- defrosted, drained WELL, chopped
1/4 C grated mozzarella cheese

method:
cream together first seven ingredients.
add the artichoke hearts and spinach. mix well.
just before baking top with the mozzarella cheese.
bake at 350 F for 25 mins or until top is browned.
this freezes well...just don't top with mozzarella until
you are ready to bake.

also, you can use 1/2 C grated parmesan if you 
don't have any grated romano on hand.
serve with sliced french bread 
or with plain tostitos.
YUM!!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

let's begin.



christmas party tomorrow
at my mom's.
today will be filled with cleaning,
baking
and decorating.

basically i'll be martha freaking stewart.
only mexican.
:P

i am preparing my gal pal's 
famous artichoke dip today,
so there'll be one less thing to 
do tomorrow.

want the recipe?


Wednesday, December 12, 2007

'tis better to give.


sorry y'all
there was a post to go with this title!!
it just got trapped in my head...
yesterday got busy.

but i did pay for the car behind 
me at the bucks.
they only ordered one drink!!
ONE.
but i am sure they were 
willing to give a smile to strangers
because of the unexpected kidness they 
received.

second thing to get me in the mood for 
christmas?
baking.
pumpkin bread.
gingerbread.
and peanut butter cookies.
mmm.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

now that's holiday spirit.



what a cute idea!! 
rudolph the red nosed chevy!!

as you know, it hasn't felt like
christmas to me...
maybe it's because the weather 
hasn't been what i think it should be.
or maybe it's the fact that i never get 
to listen to christmas music.
it could also be the fact that i have
NO clue what to get my hubby...
what do you get someone who 
already has every gaming thing he wants
and really doesn't have any other hobbies??
hmm.

anyhow.
i made a list of a few things i can do 
to bring on the spirit of christmas.

first on my list:

the next time i am in the drive thru
at the bucks (let's face it, it'll be later today)
i plan on paying for the order
of the car right behind me
as well as my own.
that should be a start.

bring on that christmas spirit!!

Monday, December 10, 2007

menu plan monday.

first, because every post deserves a picture:



then:

thanks to the wonderful jen
i have adopted the monday menu plan.
you can read about it
at the organizing junkie's blogaroo.
it's a great idea
to make life around here easier,
and lately i am all about easy!!

so.

here is this week's menu:
(it's better for our family if i don't assign a day)

lemon rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes, brown gravy and rolls
shredded chicken tacos, mexi rice and refried beans
spaghetti, green salad and garlic toast
BBQ (turkey sausage/boca burgers), baked beans and corn
parmesan chicken with white rice and peas/corn

hope this helps some 
stuck-in-a-rut momma.
i know they exist because i am
often times
stuck in a dinner rut!!

:P

Sunday, December 9, 2007

non-fat carmel latte.


i've found a suitable replacement 
for when i can't get to a starbucks.

stopped by borders yesterday
i could have gotten a non-fat CDL
from the bucks
but that meant i would 
have to walk to the other side of the 
shopping center to do that.
call me lazy.
or call me quick on my feet.

either way i enjoyed this yummy treat!!
(and i got to browse michael's, to boot!!)

Saturday, December 8, 2007

you can quote me.

i love quotes.
words.
one liners, zingers.
witty or silly
happy or thought provoking.
love them


i made this little book in australia.
when i noticed my little spiral notebook
was quickly becoming a quote book rather than
a grocery list/errands notebook like i'd planned.

just thought i'd share!!

have a happy saturday y'alls.
i am off to my little brother's 
first basketball game!!




Friday, December 7, 2007

oh yum indeed.




yesterday's crockpot recipe 
was yummy!!
i think i used too much water in the first step
1/2" really is enough it would seem!!
so the sauce was a wee bit runny
but it was still goood.

i am not the type of gal to 
talk up a recipe 
and then not share it...
so here's the dish:

chicken marinara over noodles

ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, sliced into thick chunks 
(try to get most of the fatty stuff off)
1 tb butter, melted
1 pkg dry italian dressing (mix packet)
1 jar marinara sauce (i used cheap heb brand)
1/2 c whipping cream
(i also added a little jar of ragu pizza sauce)

method:
pour 1/2" water into crockpot.
place chicken chunks into crockpot.
drizzle melted butter over chicken.
sprinkle italian dressing mix over chicken.
cook for 2-3 hrs on hi.
pour in marinara. 
(this is also when i added the pizza sauce)
let cook for 1-2 hrs on low.
one half hour before eating
add whipping cream, stir.
serve over noodles, wide egg or spiral.
i chose egg noodles. 
i also topped it with a little mozzerella
and a few whole black olives.
i love back olives!! 

Thursday, December 6, 2007

global warming.

how can one not miss a sky like this?

i'm on the hubby's mac daddy.
(he's updating the big mac to leopard.)
found some left over pics from australia.
le sigh.
i'm missing it today.

not to say that today hasn't been good.
i have yummy smells 
coming from the crockpot
and 
i got to finish season one of big love
but the moment i sat down and saw all of these
pics treasures
i started to miss it.

chalk it up to the weather.
it's like in the 80's here
and i kind of expected that our
warm christmases had ended the 
moment we left oZ!!





Wednesday, December 5, 2007

hmm.


yest someone flashed a 9 mm at us on the road.
i was not impressed.
thought a lot about my feelings on gun control
and other political stances, which exhausted me.
overslept this morning.
still got the kids to school on time. ha!
finally shaved my legs. :)
have most of my christmas cards addressed.
and most of the shopping done.
and wrapped.
started a  new book. 
tomorrow i scrap.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

happy list.

i rec'd my first christmas card
of the season yest!!
thanks joce!!

found this on my camera
photo by the boyone.

bought this yest.
for the girlone. 
i hope she loves it 
as much as i loved mine
when i was her age!!

found took the time
to clip coupons.


chriselda: note the bff necklace
on my desk.
i promise i'll get someone to
snap a pic today!!