SO since yesterday at about 8am Oklahoma has been getting hit with freezing rain, sleet and now finally some beautiful snow!! It is suppose to snow most of the day today and almost every school district is closed as well as most large companies! This is what my huge tree in my front yard looks like, every branch and leaf is in a snow globe, I am just thankful it has not split in two like many other trees already have. This is my view as I am on the computer this morning, you can't really see it but the snow is falling and I have to admit it is very peaceful. But behind me the dogs are having a wrestling match, they are little antsy!
Matt decided to go into work today because he said today will be a perfect day to call on resume's and set up interviews with most people being at home today. Setting up interviews and hiring new agents is a huge chunk of what his new position entails.
As for me, I think me and the boys (dogs) are going to get cozy and catch up on our TV shows! I hope everyone is safe, warm and dry!! And oh ya, my event with JH "Girl Talk" got postponed so that is a bit disappointing but understandable!
SO lets chat about family vacations, what brought this up? Well at lunch today I found out that my family is going to visit my brother in San Diego at Spring Break and not only are they not taking me but they did not even invite me. Ok, some of you may say well I am grown and married but I will counter you with saying I could fill up both hands with the number of my married friends with or without children who take family vacations yearly WITH their parents. You know one of the things that makes me saddest about growing up is that we never took a family vacation, all 5 of us. My siblings and I have no "oh do you remember that" "or "wow that was so fun" stories to tell or share. We went on ONE trip with all 5 of us ONCE that does not count, why you ask?? This was to WISCONSIN where my dad took us to visit the wood door mill of his work supplier. That is NO JOKE Folks! So I know my sister is the youngest, hell she is 11 years younger than me so my parents are better off now then then but she has been everywhere with them and done and seen some of the coolest stuff.( you all know I too worship the ground Marissa walks on) Marissa got a trip to Europe with my mom for her 16th Birthday and when I asked if I could come EVEN if I paid my own way my mom replied "no, you got to go on a honeymoon last year" ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Yes, a Honeymoon Matt and I paid for and you went on one and my sister will go on one someday! Gheesh....ya ya ya I am still not over that, whatever. One of the things I am DYING to see is the Smithsonian Museums, I love History and those museums are on "my list" well last summer my family went to DC and then told me how amazing the Smithsonian was after I was not invited! OUCH! So I pose this question to you my friends do you still go on family vacations? Or do you take or plan on taking your children on family vacations? You better or one day they will write a blog post about you! HAHA!
SO last time we heard about a severe weather warning was Christmas Eve and no one believed it was going to happen until it was too late and the state shut down all highways. So this time around people are panicking! I don't know what to believe but to be safe tonight I will be among the masses at the grocery store stocking up in case we are inside for a couple of days! This does stress me out because I have my event Girl Talk on Saturday and it will be a last minute decision made by the school sponsor if we are to go forth. So I am getting everything ready as if the show is on! I don't know what to expect from this storm but only time will tell!
Guess What??????????????????????? So this is my best friend Melissa........ And this is Melissa and my Insanely cute God Child Kendall who is 16 months............
Well Kendall has alot to smile about because she will be a BIG SISTER on September 19!!!!!!!!
So YUP you heard me right...I am gonna be a God Mom/Auntie/Best Friends Baby Mama!!!!!!! I am so thrilled because I know this is something Melissa and John have been hoping for! Congrats guys!!!!
So in this is my 3rd year in Junior Hospitality Club and among other things this year I serve on the Board of Directors as the Community Outreach Chair. I have spoken briefly about this before but a quick over view of my position is that I am in charge of planning our monthly service drives as well as service hours, I am the contact for our grant recipients and I head up our grant application process. January is always a big month for whom ever holds this position because we do a big event called "Girl Talk". This year I am calling it a "Girls Just Want to have Fun Slumber Party" this is always for girls at the alternative high school Emerson. These girls usually come from poor homes and they go to this school because they are pregnant or already have a child. To earn a spot at our event they have to make good grades the first semester and are then asked to attend! We do breakfast, classes, games, fitness and this year my friend Becky is holding a craft class! To see her super fun project click HERE. I also have the members donate items for these amazing "Swag Bags" I have put together so each girl gets something great to take home with them. This year they are even getting vouchers to attend a Yard Dawg Arena Football game!!
I will have more pictures on Monday of this super exciting event, so please keep your fingers crossed the weather holds, I have been planning this since lats summer! ha
Ok, another thing I wanted to share with you all is something I am excited about. While I was sending out this years Grant applications I spoke with the CEO of the City Rescue Mission and they were excited about what JH is doing for the community and thankful for the chance to receive our 2011 grant. Well when they mailed in their application they also included a invitation addressed to me....to attend and the Hearts of Hope Tea and Fundraising Luncheon. They not only asked me to attend but they asked me to be a hostess which means as a representative for JH I will be acknowledged at the event . The Luncheon will be held the National Cowboy Musuem and I get a full table to fill with 7 friends from JH. I am also invited to a Hostess only luncheon next week at the Oklahoma Golf and Country Club where I will share about JH and learn what my role as hostess entails! What an honor! I am so excited to be able to share in something so big and special! I will keep you updated on this event!
Here is a video about Heart of Hope and the Okc City Rescue Mission....
WOW!!! Once again here is the Book Trailer for Book 2 in the Hunger Games Trilogy....
I JUST finished this and it looks like my life will not be complete until August when Book 3 comes out!!! I really can not tell you much unless I know you have read Book 1.....because so much of this book hinges on the first! This book was excellent, very intriguing and griping. This series transforms you to a whole new world and this story is told so well that I could literally picture the whole thing in my mind like a movie! I highly recommend these books, I just love the feeling of not being able to put a book down and dying to know what will happen next!
I know this is my 4th post today so consider it a gift! ha, be sure to read the other................
So I have a confession....I have COMPLETELY failed at going to or should I say Joining Bootcamp! I am so mad at myself and I let down 2 friends....Traci who got me to join and then Tatum who was going to join with me. SO I went the first night and then after that I realize I will have to miss 1 night a week due to Junior Hospitality Club commitments and then I was sick last Monday and here I am with only ONE night under my belt. Why is it soo hard for me to go? Why do I HATE to work out? I realize I am always on the go at one meeting or another and I know I LOVE and value my time at home but a workout should fit in easy? Right? Well not for me. The time I spend beating myself up about this is more than if I would of just gone!!!!ARGH~!
Just wanted to share with you, to vent, to apologize ........ where I go from here? I dunno ask my cellulite!
So on Saturday Matt & I went to eat Mexican and then came home to watch Gamer with Gerald Butler and I want to let you know how AWFUL this movie is. The ONLY good thing was how handsome Gerald Butler was but even he couldn't save this movie.First of all it is rated R for a very good reason but if you want to watch a bunch of naked boobs while people only say the F word then be my guest and watch this. The jest is he is a human in a real video game where people really are killed and in this world people "play" real people while they do awful things. The story was not even good it was like they made up a movie and smashed every reason why a movie would be rated R...sex, drugs, violence, blood and language and then called it Gamer. If anyone actually thought this was good please let me know. And oh oh I almost forgot if you like musicals then you may enjoy the 5minute song and dance number that the prisoners break out in for NO reason! I am not kidding......
ok, since Matt works late every night Sunday is now the only night I cook for him so I want it to be extra special. Before we get started I have a little story.............. First of all, I am a good cook... I am not tooting my own horn, I promise but cooking is something I am good at. With that being said everyone makes mistakes and I am not exempt from this. Last night I made the Pioneer Woman's Best Lasagna Ever and it has to bake for 30-40 minutes AFTER the 1 1/2 hours of prep work. So the timer rings, we are starved and as I take the Lasagna out of the oven I am shocked to realize the OVEN WAS NOT ON!!!!!!!! Not a joke, after a mini-fit in the kitchen I pre-heated the oven and then commensed take 2!! So lets start from the beginning now.. One of Matt's favorite desserts is literally box Yellow Cake with Chocolate frosting............. So I like to stack them, so if you have never done this it is fairly easy. Divide your dough into two 8 or 9inch pans....... Then after they are done cooling place one on the bottom and shave off the top to make an even cake surface. This entire cake will take about 1 1/2 frosting containers. Ice the bottom layer and then top with the second cake. Looks like a Hamburger... And I don't even try to make the frosting smooth I tend to go with a "art deco" look.....
And then YUMM, serve with ice cream!! This cake is always good but it has nothing on that Pioneer Woman Chocolate sheet cake I made last week.
Ok, I have never made homemade Lasagna before so I figured there is no better time than now! Here is the Pioneer Woman's recipe from her website... I used the one in her cookbook which is slightly different.. I used fresh herbs and shredded cheese instead of sliced. The Best Lasagna
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. Simmer for 45minutes Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked). To assemble: Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat mixture over the top. Repeat, ending with meat mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan. Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 30 to 50 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.
So my big pot was not quite big enough, I was fighting the noddles from going over board...
The sauce was so yummy and while it simmers the flavors blend together perfectly.
I liked using the cottage cheese instead of ricotta and I now I will prefer it this way.
And here we have it after the second go around in the oven, this time with it actually being on!
This was worth the wait and Matt and I both took the leftovers with us for lunch today!!!
Ok, So I love bringing home new toys for my boys....the excitement they show means the world to me!! Yesterday I bought them each a new toy and when I bring in the bag I say "What is it?" and they freak!!! They jump, whine and get so excited and then I reveal the new bones.......... Then this is my favorite part when they form a little semi circle , Oscar stands like a circus pup and the other two sit and wait until mommy doles them out!!!!
What happens next is pretty much pandemonium...they all run off with their prize to chew and then slowly one of them steals another ones toy and there is usually a tad bit of growling when Matt and I try to make them play fair! I just love my boys!!! And speaking of animals, Bella my cat got a real treat too....a can of wet food...Tuna in broth I think it was and she was equally excited!!! The true joy I feel from them must be what you all with actual kids feel! HAHA!
Hey my fellow OKC friends..... Extreme Home Makeover is coming to OKC February 1st and they need YOU to volunteer!!! The following is the link to the homepage for this event. The right side of the screen shows a timeline of the events to take place. If you click on the Volunteer tab at the top of the homepage, it will direct you to the page where you can sign up to volunteer. There are also tabs for those that want to donate or sponsor this event too. Note that this is event starts February 2nd, which is only a week and away.
http://www.idealextremehome.com/index.php
So pass this information on to anyone you know who is looking for a Community Service idea!! NOTE!! Matt & I are signed up to work Move In day on Feb 7 from 6am to noon! Spaces are being filled fast so you should do the shift with us!! Comment me if you sign up!!!
Ok before I get started watch this "Book Trailer" below to find out more about this intense book....
Ok, so I do not want to give any plot away other than what the trailer showed you but this book was amazing! I JUST finished it at my desk because I could not put this down, I have been consumed for 3 days dying to know what is going to happen next! Tonight I will start book two and after that start the torturous wait for book 3 to come out in August! This book is intense, suspenseful, sad and everything all rolled into one! I HIGHLY recommend this book, it has been awhile since I devoured a book so quickly and that speaks volumes of my love for it! HUGE Thank you to my friend Natalie for introducing me to this book!!!! If you decide to read this please message or comment me I want to know your thoughts!!
Ok, so last night I made one of the easiest, quickest an simply good meals! This recipe is from my favorite magazine The Food Network Magazine, they show it as a side dish but I made this my main.........Mushroom Noodles! You will need: 1 Ramen Packet, EVOO, 1 tablespoon butter, warm water and mushrooms. Sautee your mushrooms in EVOO and the Ramen seasoning packet until the mushrooms are browned for your liking............ While you do that soak the noodles for 5minutes in warm water...........
After your mushrooms are brown, add the tab of butter and the drained Ramen noodles to the pan. Then sautee this for about 5minutes so the flavors can blend well!! Don't salt.
Then WHAM!!!! Add a side salad and you have a easy and very very yummy meal!!!!!!!! I will most definitely make this again, and I think Matt would like this too.
Most nights Matt is getting home after I have gone to bed to read, so last night I left him a slice of cake out (I am addicted to this cake so you know) and I made a homemade little message that I taped to a toothpick! HAHA, he loved it!
Mondays' roasted veggies (two posts below) became last nights Roasted Soup and let me tell you this was so yummy!!!!!!!!! Start out by pureeing all your roasted veggies in a food processor (about a quart of veggies) and blend until smooth. While blending add about 1/2 cup of chicken broth to help smooth out the soup. Then pour your veggies into a pot, add 1 tablespoon butter and about 2 1/2 - 3 cups chicken broth. Add until it becomes a consistency you like, salt & pepper to taste and then heat on low-med for around 15-20min.
Then WHAM, super yummy soup! Really this was soo good, I was very impressed that I made something that I would of paid money for at say Panera Bread! As you can see I had a small green salad with it and like always only lemon juice and EVOO as my dressing! Funny thing, I am a walking contradiction....healthy dinner then HUGE piece of chocolate cake for dessert! haha, you can't win em all!
This is my view as I am on the computer this morning, you can't really see it but the snow is falling and I have to admit it is very peaceful. But behind me the dogs are having a wrestling match, they are little antsy!
Matt decided to go into work today because he said today will be a perfect day to call on resume's and set up interviews with most people being at home today. Setting up interviews and hiring new agents is a huge chunk of what his new position entails.
As for me, I think me and the boys (dogs) are going to get cozy and catch up on our TV shows! I hope everyone is safe, warm and dry!! And oh ya, my event with JH "Girl Talk" got postponed so that is a bit disappointing but understandable!
