Rainy Saturday Afternoon

Let's see if I can get this post written!  I've been meaning to write but sometimes I find it difficult to find the words to even describe the most simplest action!

Today is a rainy Saturday.  It has been raining here, what feels like, forever!  Ok, so really it is only like a week but I am missing the sun!  The sun has only been peeking out occasionally.  I am truly missing my pool time this weekend!

It has been a busy time!  I think my last post was just prior to 4th of July? I spent the 3rd with a friend from work.  She had some of her friends over and I went even though I don't do well around strangers.  I actually had a pleasant time.  No, I'm not surprised.  Many times when I force myself to do something I don't want to do I have a great time!  We spent the day, eating good food, playing with the kids and watching the Casey Anthony trial.  I know, we are such nerds!  The 4th I had lunch with the parents.  My Dad wanted to make for me these hot dogs that he had at the College World Series.  This combination of food sounds a little disgusting but it was delicious!  A hot dog that is topped with hot wing sauce then coleslaw that is made with a blue cheese dressing.  It was sooo good.  I highly suggest that you try it!

Let's see what else has been going on?  Time passes by so quickly!  I guess that is because I am having fun! :)  There was the mini road trip to Biloxi for a concert!  My friend Jill and I made the trek to Biloxi to see Motley Crue and Poison! Yippee!  I've always wanted to see Motley Crue.  I saw Poison once before back in high school.  We started off with dinner at the Blowfly Diner.  This place was featured on the show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on Food Network.  It was so worth it!  We ate so much!  And the view is pretty awesome too!

The concert was so much fun!  It was definitely an odd collection of people.  All ages.  All types.  Great time people watching!  Tommy Lee is a phenomenal musician!  The piano, the drums.  He did his drum solo while making loops in a "roller coaster" type contraption!  It was nice to get away for an evening and take a little trip back to when we were kids! 

One evening this past week I was able to visit with a dear friend from high school.  No, we actually go back to middle school.  She is a true friend that no matter how long it has been since we talked or seen each other, we pick right back up where we left off.  We were able to enjoy a dinner together.  She picked greek.  I had to laugh because I had asked her if there was any place here that she doesn't get back in Tulsa and she picked greek.  I figured she would have picked a seafood place!  Anyway, we had a pleasant dinner and then we went back to her Mom's house to see three of her four kids and to visit with her mom.  I spent many times at that house!  All good ones!  We spent hours just talking. Catching up on each other's lives and reminiscing about the past.  I truly need to plan a trip to Tulsa to see her!

Friday afternoon was of course spent at the movie theatre watching Harry Potter.  I will only say that I truly enjoyed the movie and thought it did a great job!!  I don't want to spoil it for anyone who may not have seen it yet!  Feel free to email me if you'd like to have a discussion about the movie!!

I have been working on HAED's Mad Tea Party.  I am so very close to having the second page finished.  I hope to do that very soon!

I recently purchased a kit that my sister has asked me to do.  I typically don't like to do kits but I am caving because, well, I pretty much indulge my baby sister in anything she wants.  It is The Disney Dreams Collection by Thomas Kinkade, Tinker Bell and Peter Pan Fly to Neverland.  It is pretty large.  Finished product is 16" x 12".  Not sure when I will get to this.  I am hoping to at least start it soon.

Today has been such a lazy rainy day.  Although not very lazy.  I did get the bathroom clean.  Laundry started.  Kitchen cleaned.  A run to the produce market.  Not a complete waste.  Shopping this morning with my mom.  I also watched some of the movie, The Searchers.  The best John Wayne movie ever!  And I have spent the afternoon listening to one of my Garth Brooks CD box sets.  I haven't done that in forever!  I'm thinking tonight will be a movie night!  Tomorrow is brunch with my friend Jenny and her mother at a German restaurant about an hour from where we live.  It is well worth the drive! 

I hope everyone's summer is going well.  Mine is beginning to slow down.  At least I have no other big planned events except for a planned beach vacation in August with my mom.  I see lots of sun, sand, and water mixed with shopping!  Cannot wait.  I know it will be here before I know it!  I just need to get through this upcoming work week, I have two board meetings to prepare for and my team mate is currently on vacation.  I certainly hope there are no surprises!  Keeping my fingers crossed.  

Cranky Monday!

Yep, I was cranky today!  Did not want to get out of bed and go to work.  Why?  Cause my summer weekends have been absolutely fantabulous!!!  I'm enjoying my summer and well, work is just getting in the way!

This past weekend I had breakfast with my friend Jenny, her 2 boys and her mother.  We went to a local bakery who serves a phenomenal breakfast!  So much food you can't possibly finish it!!  Jenny had me cracking up!  She told her oldest boy, Phil, who is 2 years old, to show me what he gets for breakfast.  So he took me over to the case where all the pastries and muffins are and he tells me, while pointing at the muffins, "I get the chocolate one!".  Now  you would think nothing of this but this kid is pointing to a bran muffin!!!  Yep, Jenny has taught her child that a bran muffin with raisins is a chocolate chip muffin.  LMAO!!!!  When he gets that muffin, he digs into it, looking for the raisins like they are treasure!  Boy, when he finds out what a chocolate chip muffin really is, he is going to be upset!!!

 Can you tell the difference?  I know I can!!!

After breakfast, they agreed to go with me to a panaderia.  A panaderia is a mexican bakery.  There are two that have now opened up and I've been dying to go in but too chicken because my spanish isn't that good.  But we went and I was able to get my favorite baked good!  It is called a concha.  To me it is like a big cookie but it isn't very sweet.  I didn't know it but Jenny got one too and she thought it tasted like a sweet bread. The best part was that the workers spoke just enough Engligh!  Woo hoo!  I see more visits in my future! (No fussing Jessica!  My spanish sucks!  Even after all those years of lessons!)

The weekend also included some pool time and a much needed pedicure!!!  It was just an easy going relaxing weekend!  I also finished a book (pool time is great for that!).  I finished Water for Elephants.  I do recommend this book.  Easy, quick read.  Pretty good story! I have not seen the movie but hope to.

Next I will be pulling out the 7th Harry Potter to re-read in anticipation of the opening on July 15th.  Before that though is 4th of July weekend and then the Motley Crue/Poison concert!  I've been listening to my Motley Crue tunes and I need to download my Poison songs onto my iPhone.  Gotta get ready for the concert! 

I definitley don't want to jinx myself but this has been a good start to the summer!

Thanksgiving Madness

Ok, I shouldn't say madness!  It was quite a relaxing and quiet 4 day weekend!  I enjoyed it so much!  I really need to win the lottery so I can have more of quiet, relaxing days!

Thanksgiving
This year I was lucky that my parents decided to stay in town and we had Thanksgiving dinner together.  My sister couldn't join us as she had to work on Black Friday (the joys of a retail career!) but she will be coming home for Christmas!

I have many things to be thankful this year even though I've had some major losses.  I am thankful that I've been given an opportunity to use the degrees I earned and the brain I have at my new job.  I am thankful that my family is safe and healthy.  I am thankful for the friends that have stuck by my side this past year and for the new ones I have had come into my life. 

My Dad does most of the cooking for dinner.  He makes the cranberry sauce (fresh not from the can!), the stuffing, and he fries the turkey (the best part!).  My Mom and I make the mashed potatos, sweet potatos, green bean casserole and the crescent rolls while Dad is outside frying the turkey.  This year, I made the desserts.  Well, one of them anyway. 

For the first time, I made a cranberry apple pie.  As I was putting it together, I had very little confidence in it.  Soooo, before putting it in the oven, I ran to Whole Foods and purchased a sweet potato pie for back up!  LOL!  I wasn't the only one doing that!  Came home and put the cran apple pie in the oven and crossed my fingers.  My Dad loved it!  Ok, he may have just been saying that because I'm his daughter but I tried it to and thought it was quite yummy!  It is the recipe from the Betty Crocker recipe book.  I suggest it to anyone who likes cranberries and apples!

Movies
This has been a week for movies.  On Monday I went with my movie buddies, Kati and Doug, and saw Harry Potter.  Yes, I loved it!  Yes, I've read the book and ultimately know how it ends but I enjoy seeing the interpretation on the big screen!  It did not feel like a 2 1/2 hour movie!  In fact, at the end of the movie I actually said out loud "NO!  I want more!"  Doug laughed at me and said he agreed! 

I also watched a few movies from my cable's On Demand.  I saw "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant".  If you like campy, cheesy vampire movies, this is one for you.  I enjoyed it thoroughly.  I think it is based off a comic book or maybe some type of anime story but I'm not sure.  The next movie I saw was "It's Complicated" with Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.  Cute.  Good story for the older crowd.  It passed the time for me as I stitched! I also watched "Leap Year", a cute romantic comedy. 

Shopping
Luckily most of my shopping was already done.  I had a few last things I needed but nothing that could get me to go out on Black Friday.  In addition to it being Black Friday, the temperature had dropped 40 degrees (it was 80 degrees on Thanksgiving day) and was raining.  I stayed in, watched football and stitched.  My idea of a good day!  Saturday was a nicer day.  Still on the cool side but the sun was out.  I ventured out before the important football game of the day (LSU of course!) and picked up a few deals.  Nothing for myself.  Gifts for friends and family!  We have a rule in our family: You can not buy yourself anything new starting from November 1 til Christmas.  You want it, put it on your wish list!

Christmas Decorating
I used to put my tree up on the day after Thanksgiving.  I would put it up and decorate it while I watched the LSU Arkansas game.  But starting last year, they have moved the LSU Arkansas game to Saturday so the tree didn't come out until then!  I did start off on Friday with putting my Nutcrackers out.  I love Nutcrackers.  Just one more thing for me to collect.  Luckily though I only have 4 so not too many to store or put out!

Football
Well, the Saints won on Thanksgiving day!  That was a nice way to spend the late afternoon.  But then the Tigers lost on Saturday.  It was a horrible way for us to end our season.  We did end up 10 - 2.  That's a great record, if you think about it. I guess we are so jaded these days that anything less than the national championship is a failure.  So I should be happy that we had a winning season and look forward to whatever bowl game we end up.

Stitching
Of course with 4 days of relaxation I would have a stitching update!  I have a finish!  Yay! I made this for my Grandmother for Christmas this year as I pulled her name. It is a celtic cross. I love the colors in this piece!  The pattern is from Scotland, a gift from a friend who visited there.

I also finished one whole page of HAED's Mad Tea Party!  Woo hoo!  I am doing this one 2 over 1 and it is very slow going.  It has a tapestry feel to it.  I'm liking the way it is looking but not that it is taking so long to stitch on!