Tulip Cardigan

Desert Rose is currently 95% finished. The neckline needs a K2P1 border like the sleeves and waist already have, and the finished waist needs to be let out a bit... and I need to think for a while on how I can actually do that. Then comes the blocking, and voila! Desert Rose will be ready for the streets. I wore the sweater for about an hour last night and she was quite comfortable, I must say. I don't want to post any pictures yet, at least not until the neckline is finished and blocking begins.

Today after work I began shopping around for a new project, and found one that's perfect for me!

Tulip Cardigan, thanks to The Smith Island Pattern Factory:

She's my new muse. For some reason, I think this one should be named Toula the Tulip Cardigan. It reminds me of the sweet cardigans that Toula would wear in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, after she gave herself the make-over. It looks slightly second-hand store, slightly Urban Outfitters, totally handmade.

To keep this sweater more wearable around more of the seasons, I'm going to knit only 3/4 length sleeves instead of full-length, and I'm using a cotton yarn in lieu of wool. Lion Brand's Cotton Ease feels really nice and has an easy elasticity to it, which will be nice in the spring, or well, whenever, really. The main color will be the lime/kiwi green, around the shoulders will be cream, vines/hearts will be light/dark indigos, and the terracotta color will be the tulips. I'm glad that the colors are a little more muted and softer than the original pattern calls for - I don't think I've been in the mood for bright colors lately. Anyway, here's to a new sweet sweater!

Crazy Weather!

Last night, I fell asleep to the sound of rain falling outside. This morning, I woke up to the sound of rain splattering on the ground outside. Yeah, they don't even bother to put gutters on the houses out here.

This afternoon around 12:15 a coworker Maci called to see if I could work her shift for her (she's the one who always sports the super-dee-duper southern accent in my honor). She had been sick all morning and was scheduled to close the store at 6:00, meaning she would actually get out of the store around 7:00 or a little after. I didn't mind filling in for her, and got dressed and ready to head out to Deer Valley, about 20 minutes away, where I work. On the way to work, I drove in amazement, and had to whip out my camera phone and take a couple pictures. There were huge, fluffy clouds - some were white and bright and some were doom-and-gloom dark gray, and there was bright blue sun-shiney sky popping through everywhere. And boy, oh boy, was it windy!

Propped the camera phone on top of the steering wheel and snapped this shot

of the crazy clouds:

Sat the camera phone on my window sill and snapped this shot as I drove down the highway. Check out the blue sky and sunshine popping through!

Shortly after I got to work and relieved Maci of her duties, I got a voicemail from Carlton telling me that it was actually HAILING at the house! He snapped a few shots with the real camera (because, of course, he knew exactly where it was, hyuk-hyuk).

Carlton got this shot and used his hand to show scale of the tiny hail... but hey, hail is hail when the sun in shining!

Now, at 10:45, it's raining yet again! What weather this is, and how welcome I hope it feels! I know I'm enjoying it.

It's 80 degrees outside...

Today was yet another warm, warm day. It feels like April/May in Georgia right now... crazy, I know! Because of the nagging warm weather, and because of a blog post that Katie made a couple days ago, I was inspired to grill out for dinner tonight.

On Superbowl Sunday, Carlton was invited to a Superbowl party at a coworker's house, and I was invited to come along with him. We showed up just in time for Geoff (party host) to start throwing tons of meat on the grill - beef ribs in marinade, beef ribs in bbq sauce, pork ribs in bbq sauce, bone-in chicken breasts in bbq sauce, and some kabobs... your choice of steak or chicken with bell peppers, onion, and zucchini mixed in. On top of all the meats, there was a gigantic self-serve salad, a 7-layer bean/guac/sour cream/salsa/cheese/etc dip, and another fruit salsa with plenty of chips for scooping. Annnnnnnd, margaritas, of course! Drinker's choice of original flavor or frozen strawberry. Of course, the frozen strawberry margaritas were a hit with me, as with the 5-ish geeky computer programmers and QA analysts.

Geoff and his wife are originally from California, lived in Boston for a few years, and are now currently in Arizona, about 45 minutes from us. Their roots, however, are in the Polynesian Islands. And I must say, Geoff's marinated ribs and kabobs were definitely a hit! No matter how much any of his guests raved about his marinade, he wouldn't give up the recipe... smart man! I finally got a few ingredients out of him, and he admitted to pineapple juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and a few other "choice ingredients." Needless to say, I just had to try and recreate this marinade tonight for the kabobs I grilled! Oh, those Polynesians!

So. Our grocery store didn't have just a plain pineapple juice. Can you believe that? I know, huh! I did find a pineapple + coconut juice and figured that would work well enough. And instead of buying soy sauce, ginger, and other "choice ingredients," I just went for good ole, reliable Dale's. Dale's already has all those ingredients anyway. I know, I'm smart like that.

Here's what you'll need:

bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 15-20 minutes

1/8 cup pineapple + coconut juice

1/8 cup Dale's marinade

1/4 cup water (my pineapple + coconut juice was pretty syrup-y so this was necessary)

2 cloves chopped garlic

3 bell peppers - 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green

1 sweet onion

fresh whole mushrooms

2 zucchini

2 small ribeye steaks, or your choice cut of steak (our grocer had ribeyes on sale and I got 2 small steaks weighing 1.25 pounds total for 7.25!)

I whisked the juice, Dale's, water, and chopped garlic together in a glass pie dish - I like to marinade in these dishes. Cut steaks into cubes about 2" square-ish, and the onion and bell peppers the same. Dump meat and veggies into the dish with marinade, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in fridge for as long as you can wait. (Ours only got to marinade for about 30 minutes before the grill got started because somebody got hungry.... I would recommend marinading longer than that if you can help yourself!) I didn't put any mushrooms in the marinade until I started putting other things on the skewers because they tend to soak up anything and everything around them very quickly. So right before you start sticking things on the skewers, dump your mushrooms into the marinade. I also prefer my zucchini cut into quarters and cooked lightly over the hot flame, so I kept them cut large and just sat them directly onto the grill instead of skewering them.

Get the skewer out of the sink/soaking dish and stab on a few of each chopped ingredient - steak, peppers, onion, mushrooms, repeat until the skewer is full, with about 2-3" on each end. Grill them all until you've got the beef as cooked as you prefer! We like medium-cooked steaks, so they stayed on the grill for about 8 minutes, I turned them once, and they cooked again for about 4 minutes.

My marinade was still not close to Geoff's, but it was closer than I was expecting! I guess nobody can cook like a Polynesian except a Polynesian.

I also chopped up a few red potatoes, tossed them in plenty of e.v. olive oil, a salt/pepper/herb mixture, and topped them very generously with about a hole brick of freshly-grated parmasan cheese. Wrapped them up in tin foil, popped them in a 425 degree oven for about 45 minutes, and they're done. Since I severely underestimated how long they would take to cook compared to the already-grilling skewers, I popped them in the microwave for 6 minutes after they had baked for about 15 minutes and they were perfect, except that they didn't get to crispen up at all... :(

Along with some totally-not-healthy-at-all cheesy breadsticks we had in the freezer, this made for a huge, delicious, very satisfying meal... with leftovers.

Okay, now back to Little Miss Desert Rose!

Casting on #4...

Thanks for all the suggestions on re-naming this pattern for my own emotion's satisfaction. Anything was going to be better than that never-to-be-mentioned-again name! So, she is now named Desert Rose. Woohoo! This is such a great name for this particular color and pattern because a) obviously, the pattern on the front will remind you of a climbing vine of pretty flowers, and b) the color I'm knitting this in is definitely characteristic of any rose that would dare bloom in the desert - it's a dusty pink color with flecks of gray and peach very discreetly heathered in.

Now there are three full skeins invested in the sweater. Starting with skein #4 tonight!

Canis Tid-bittius Velocitus

Rare action shot of the Tiny Fast Pup

Knitter, knitter, knit!

So, since I couldn't really get the baby blanket finished before Cynthia's baby shower, I have allowed myself to put it off for about a week... give myself a break from all that pastel purple (I never imagined I would speak such blasphemy)! I was really missing my sweet little puff-sleeve sweater and decided to give myself a week to work on it. Then it's back to the baby blanket until it's finished. But I just had to get in a few days of quality time with my pretty pink sweater! Been missin' her like whoa.

When I finished with the first skein, I decided that I would take a picture of my progress to help me measure how much finished material each skein gives me. Other than long, straight scarves, this is really my first project (not counting our Christmas stockings that weren't from an actual pattern), so I really have no idea how far one skein will get me. I've been knitting so much lately that Carlton's been calling out to me: "Knitter, knitter, knit!" It's become a "Just checkin' on you" call from computer desk to sofa, haha! Since I had today off work (woohoo!), all I wanted to do all day was knit. Little Miss Pink got plenty of attention, and grew quite a bit! This afternoon, it was time to start on skein #3. Here's my progress so far!

Here she is when I was just starting the second skein:

And how here she is as I cast on skein number 3:

I love how you can see the sleeves, and the repetitive leaf lace pattern totally makes sense now... and you can tell what the whole blob of knitted pink (well, it's more like a deep mauve) wool is! The pattern calls for ribbed trim around the collar and the ends of the sleeves after the entire sweater has been finished, so that will come later.

One last note: I've been really struggling with the real name of this sweater. The pattern's creators have named it "Rusted Root" but that's such an abrasive name for such a sweet top! I've been calling it "her" or "pink" or whatever I can to avoid the words "Rusted Root." I'm calling out for your help! What should I name the pattern, for my own emotion's sake? A lady's name? A plant? A few words put together that are more suitable than "Rusted Root?" I'd love your suggestions, cause I've got nothing!

Attempting the impossible...

Tonight's dinner was a spontaneous effort at attempting the impossible. That is, recreating the Pepperoni Roll made famous by none other than one of Athens's most beloved treasures, Gumby's.

The Pepperoni Roll, in all it's glory, is a rather simple creature, believe it or not. Just their simple pizza crust, thrown out thin. Cut into strips. A few thinly-sliced pepperoni and a dash of mozzarella thrown in. Roll it all up, toss a little parmesan on top, slap it in the oven, and it's a done deal. Or, at least, that's what they make it look like.

I used the word "spontaneous" in the first paragraph because, as I was searching the fridge for something to cook for dinner, I discovered a pre-made focaccia bread dough that I had purchased at the (fabulous Fresh & Easy) grocery store a few days ago. First thought was pizza! Nah, not quite in the mood for pizza. But something like that would be nice tonight. The dough, with rosemary and select other herbs mixed in, would be perfect for something like a pizza. Then, the light bulb flashed on.

Gumby's!!! Pepperoni Rolls!!! Oh, how exciting and satisfying this will be!!!

They've turned out pretty good for an amateur, immature version of the masterpiece, so if you're interested, please, by all means, make these your very own:

I pat out the dough onto a large flat cookie sheet, until it's just about as thin as it'll go. I cut it into squares about 4" x 6" (this gave me 6 rolls in the end) and put 5 pepperoni slices in the center of each rectangle. Then I got out the mozzarella. If you're lucky enough to find it, I highly-highly-highly recommend buffalo mozzarella, made from the milk of buffalo. If not, cow's milk mozzarella still does the job--that's all I could get my hands on. Tear off your desired amount of mozzarella (mine was a strip about the size of my pointer finger) and put that on top of the pepperoni. Then, roll up the dough carefully and pinch the ends closed, so that everything is cuddled up nicely. I sprinkled on some freshly-grated parmesan cheese from a block I had in the fridge, a dash of salt and pepper, and drizzled on some extra virgin olive oil to help crispen up the crust a bit. I popped them in a 400 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes and they came out soooooo tasty. If I were to change anything, I'd trade the herb recipe focaccia for a plain recipe instead. And if you've got a pizza stone, I'd recommend that route.

Gumby's offers their Pepperoni Rolls with your choice of ranch dressing or their tomato pizza sauce, or both. I personally love to dip mine in ranch. Blue cheese would probably also be pretty tasty, if that's your thing.

Making the rolls:

Oven-ready, topped with EVOO, parmesan, salt, and pepper:

Baked and ready to eat!

25 Things About Me

Katie posted a note on her Facebook page, linking me to create this same post on mine, but I'm opting to create a blog post here instead. I don't much care for messing with the post thingy in Facebook. Plus, I know I enjoy reading multiple posts from the bloggers I follow, so I'm feeling the urge to contribute. So. Here goes.

1. I am deathly afraid of spiders. Everything about them. Their legs. Their bodies. Their eyes. Their fangs. I don't care if they intend to bite me or not... but I know they all do! Find a dead one in the corner all curled up and dusty? He's just been waiting for the element of surprise, and is playing opossum! I don't remember where this phobia came from, but my first memory of hating/being afraid of a spider was made into an epic picture book that my sister created when she was very, very young. It's amazing. See, there was this spider in the bathroom we shared. And I was too afraid of it to actually stomp on it (and that ridiculous rule still stands to this day), but somehow I could get close enough to it to put a drinking glass over it. And I did. And I forbid Kristen from moving that glass until the spider had officially suffocated. I mean, what sister wouldn't turn this incident into an epic tale of triumph over evil?

2. I love doing laundry. I love to separate clothes into piles according to color. I love to fold t-shirts so that they're all exactly the same size, and fit three-across in the dresser drawer. It's a formula that took quite some time to perfect, and I'm proud of it!

3. I love, love, love used, broken, and messy art supplies. Yeah, new colored pencils and markers and stencils and drawing pads are nice. But they don't have a history yet. Old art supplies have a special smell to them. I used to have a special red round tin box of crayons in the entertainment center at Mama & Papa's house when I was little. Right next to the Chinese Checkers board game I insisted on playing with Mama every time we were over. That crayon box had a smell that I can still smell to this day. Old, broken crayons with the papers ripped back. It's a heavenly image, a heavenly smell. Broken, messy art supplies tell a sweet story. They have been used and have been loved. And they've worked hard to make me happy. Thanks, guys.

4. I still want to sleep with Kristen on Christmas Eve. There was something magical in our house every Christmas morning. It was brighter, more cheerful, more alive, more special than any other morning. The lights on the tree were left on all night that night. And suddenly, on Christmas morning, there were two, maybe three times the number of gifts under the tree as were there the night before. Our mom's once-a-year coffee cake is served, with extra icing on top. Sleeping with Kristen usually didn't happen the whole night of Christmas Eve, but we would always end up together in a bed before the morning came. And I miss that, now that I have this... boy. Not hatin', just sayin'.

5. My favorite color is purple. If you didn't know this about me yet, where have you been? I rarely wear the color, but it's in just about everything I create. Our great room and kitchen are a beautiful shade of purple, and I never want to give it up. Purple is a warmish-cool color. Not too intense from either side. It's comfortable and soothing to me.

6. I hate it when I don't have polish on my toenails. For some reason, I just have to have my toenails painted all the time. Red, pink, maroon, blush, whatever. I think my feet lack something without that color at the very tips.

7. I'm obsessive about my teeth. They're perfectly straight. They're always brushed clean. But I still get this tee-ni-ny bit of tartar in between my two front teeth on the bottom, on the back side, and I mess with it constantly with the tip of my tongue. Going to have my teeth cleaned is great, and it's always such a relief to finally have that tiny bit of tartar scraped off! Thanks, Mom!

8. Even though I keep my mouth clean, I have nasty-bad breath. One night, I woke myself up in the middle of the night from a dream. I was dreaming that I was taking out the trash, and it smelled just... like the dump. There were flies all around and everything. The stink in my dream was so disgusting, it woke me up. And I still smelled it! It only took me a second to realize what my dream really was: I was breathing into my pillow, and my stinky breath woke me up! Needless to say, this was a bad, bad incident, and mouthwash was immediately administered. But, yeah. Bad breath.

9. I can turn the tops of my ears inside out. Actually, it's not as gross as it sounds. The cartilage on the top of my ear (the part that loops over, the part that you tuck your hair behind) is pretty thin. It's been a lifelong habit of mine to flip that part of my ear back and forth, back and forth. If I'm bored or sitting still anywhere, you'll probably catch me doing this--while I'm talking on the phone, driving, typing a blog post, or even at the dinner table.

10. I have really, really, really dry skin. When I was a young teenager, I had totally bad acne. The kind that hurts. Yeah, I had pimples that tried to scar my skin. But the worst of it was the acne that wouldn't even come up to the surface. It was like a sore lump underneath. After several prescription topical creams and cleansers, my dermatologist prescribed Accutane, a harsh, radical treatment what basically turns off your body's ability to make oil. The medication worked, and I was left with only one spot on the side of my cheekbone that I have a little bit of scarring. But ever since the treatment, my skin has been soooooooo dry! I keep cocoa butter and shea butter readily available all over the house. I can't even use a regular bar of soap anymore--only moisturizing body washes for me! My nails and hair need moisturizing too. But no matter how dried out the rest of me is, I'll forever swear by Accutane--it saved my skin and my teenage years!

11. Like Katie, I love getting real mail. Letters, cards, anything hand-written and addressed to me. Chelsea and I did this all through college, to keep in touch and keep each other up-to-date with what we were each up to at our respective colleges. There's just something extra special, knowing that someone took the time to sit down, find a card or a pretty paper to write on, think about what to tell me, and write it all out for my enjoyment later on. I keep everything that's hand-written to me!

12. Taco Bell is by far my favorite fast food place! I don't care what you think, how you crunch your nose up at this comment, or how fast you shake your head. I love it!

13. No matter how much I fought it in the beginning, or how embarrassed I am to admit it, I love playing Carlton's online computer games with him. Enough said here.

14. I love butterflies. Not necessarily the physical insect--no, I don't think I ever had a pet butterfly as a kid. I love their vivid colors and patterns, their symmetry, and that cool curly thing they use to suck up nectar.

15. Since about a month before Christmas 2008, I have become super obsessed with knitting! I currently have two projects on needles that I have never attempted before, and when I can't work on them, I think about working on them. And while I'm working on one, I want to work on the other... and vise versa. I have so many patterns and ideas up my sleeve, and I just have to wait until I have the knitting needles emptied and ready to work on a new project.

16. I love so many different styles, patterns, colors, and inspirations that I don't know what my real taste for home decor is. In design school I studied anything and everything related to interior design, structure design, decorating, color theory, scale, texture, pattern, textiles, everything. And I loved every single bit of it... to my own demise!

17. I used to want to hate Martha Stewart. Can you believe that about me? Meeeee???? I find it hard to believe sometimes! She was so perfect and witty and competent, and somewhat snooty that it was just almost too much for me. I wanted to not like her, I really did. Then I watched an episode. Just one episode. And it turned my hateful world right around. Martha has three thumbs up on the TiVo now!

18. I am very, very proud of my Prismacolor collection! I have the biggest set you can buy and I love it! Can you guess how many different shades of gray there are in a full set? It's pretty much insane. I look down my nose at anyone who envies this majestic collection of markers!

19. I believe that hummingbirds are a little wave and a wink from heaven. I have my reasons. I have hummingbird feeders out to attract them. In the summer, I'll sit outside early in the morning and listen to them beep and chirp and zoom past my face, and just smile. There's still one hummingbird that regularly visits in the mornings, and sometimes in the middle of the afternoon. She's quite noisy and boisterous, so I pretty much always know when she's around!

20. I. Hate. Ants. With all the fiber of my being, I hate ants. They're sneaky, insistent, useless little creatures that show up for no reason and refuse to go away. Drippy faucet? They find it. Crumb under the kitchen table? They're all over it. Walking through the back yard barefoot? They're on your feet, biting you, and they don't even care that it hurts!

21. Whenever I stay in a hotel, I like to sleep with the AC on high blast, all the way cold. I love sleeping in a cold hotel room. I think it might be because I never had a choice in that matter when I was growing up! Our hotel rooms were the coldest, and by the time we left, that AC unit was just a-rattlin' and a-shakin', water puddling just outside our hotel window.

22. I forgive, but it's hard for me to forget. When someone close to me has betrayed me, that's how I see them from then on--a traitor. I have let a couple of very close, very best friends loose because they betrayed me, and I never have felt regret for it. There's nothing I've yet found that totally heals a true betrayal.

23. I get the true "Ahhhhhh" reaction from my first sip of a Coke. The Real Thing. I swear, this stuff has to still have cocaine as an ingredient!

24. I often have dreams that I'm smoking a cigarette. I have absolutely no idea where this comes from, or what it might mean, but I'm a smoker in many, many dreams! And there's always a relaxation, relief, and a sense of comfort that is very vivid from the first puff, and I can feel my edge come off. Scary, huh?

25. I only wear stud earrings. Dangle ones? Nope. I'm super paranoid about them getting hung up in my hair, or grabbed or yanked by me or someone around me. I don't care how big or small the studs are, they just can't dangle from my ears.



Okay, I'm done! Now it's your turn, fellow bloggers. Get on the 25 train!

She's coming soon....

Tonight I went into work after the store closed to celebrate with fellow employees the upcoming birth of Lilly Valle (pronounced "Vayeh"). I work with Cynthia, the mommy-to-be. Actually, I started right when she did, and so I have been able to watch that tummy grow... and boy oh boy, has it grown! She's the super skinny, tall type, who looks totally normal walking away from you... but as soon as she turns around, your eyes pretty much pop outta your head... WHOA! It's like she's got a basketball up her shirt!

We started off with a few games including "Guess How Many Squares" where we each had to guess how many toilet paper squares it would take to wrap around her tummy. She was so embarrassed! A couple other games followed, and then came gifts and cake. Only three AYW employees showed up other than Cynthia, which was a bummer. I was saddened that there wasn't more rallying around and celebration for Cynthia and the baby! There were lots of family and friends who came, though, and in all there were about 20 people at the shower.

Yesterday I found out that Cynthia had actually purchased all the decorations, plates, cups, and silverware for the shower, and on top of all that, she was making the cake for it, too! I was absolutely appalled and refused to let her make a cake to bring to her own baby shower. She finally gave in and requested a funfetti cake with purple icing, and that's what she got!





The baby blanket I have developed "knitter's pinky" over didn't get finished in time (imagine that, I didn't get a project finished in time for something important!), but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise that I wrapped some onesies, a dress, newborn hair accessories, and sunglasses (gotta have those in the AZ!) from Target. Patty, our store manager, crocheted a blanket, some booties, and a sweater. Sabrina, the other AYW employee who came, gave a fleece blanket. And one or two other blankets were given... I couldn't tell if the of them was a towel or a blanket. So one more blanket could have pushed her over the edge of blanket-opening! Plus, the baby kicked Cynthia when she took the sunglasses out of the box, so she must've liked them.

Bountiful booty:

The little dress with matching leggings I got her:

Fresh & Easy

While we find ourselves missing Georgia more and more, there are still some great things about Arizona. There is a different menu to chose from out here, no matter where you go. Lighter foods, lots of veggies, and lots of strange, strange things. One of my favorite places to eat out here is The California Pizza Kitchen. We took a few choice relatives here when we first arrived in AZ, and again in July. If you Georgia residents are lucky, you just might find some of these pizzas pre-made in your local grocer's freezer section! $5.99 can be quite a splurge for a frozen pizza at Kroger, but I promise you this: you won't regret it. Just be sure to cook it on open oven racks, not on a pizza stone or cookie sheet... it'll be well worth the burnt-on cheese spots later on.

Another of our favorites out here has been Stax. Even though we have only here been a few times, they've always been fun, adventurous, and successful trips to Ye Olde Towne Scottsdale. The whole menu lets you pick and chose excactly how you want your very own 3-ounce slider: ostrich meat, buffalo, beef, veggie burger. Toppings galore. Sides come in little baskets that mimick those of a deep fryer. Tater tots, onion rings, fries, and sweet potato fries. Num Yummy! Convenient for me, it's also just across the street from my favorite dessert place Sprinkles, the cupcake boutique where my birthday treats came from... sooooooo sinfully delicious!

Carlton at Stax in Scottsdale:

Cupcakes we splurged on for my birthday:

One recent find that I have been pretty crazy about is a small, semi-local chain of grocery stores called "Fresh & Easy." It's a back-to-basics market with select cut flowers, ready-to-cook meals, and knowledgeable employees. The best two things about this place? Everything is organic, cage-free, and totally fresh; and all the prices rival even the best deals at Kroger. I say "back-to-basics" because that's all they have. None of the frozen garlic bread loafs, none of the chip aisles (although there is a small section of delicious choices), none of the candies or sodas or "organic or not" sections for fruits or veggies. They have candies and sodas, just a small, select choice. At most, there are 4 employees in the place any time I've been in... check-out is self-service, like any self check-out you've been to. But those 4 employees are so friendly, so helpful, so quick to answer or grab or help out with anything. Other than Whole Foods, which tends to be more pricey, or Sprouts, a farmers' market chain of stores, I haven't really cared for any grocery places around here. But Fresh & Easy, well, it's pretty much taking over our kitchen... and I'm kinda proud of it! Why? I don't know. Tonight I made little sliders burgers for dinner, and I could just tell by touching the ground beef that it's such better quality than we're used to. Kinda made Carlton wonder enough to ask me, "Then what have you been feeding me, woman?"

My grocery bags from Sprouts, which are surprisingly strong and can carry more
than you'd think:

The fridge these days... find the Fresh & Easy!

Graduation Day!

Well, we got the thumbs-up... Vespa earned her graduation cap and diploma! We have worked hard to teach her many commands, and she can perform redily and with enthusiasm! She has advanced with flying colors when approaching dogs--although, we are still working on this point on a very daily basis. Here's a picture of us at the end of her last training course:

Uh-oh, another blink from the camera's flash. Can't have that as the official graduate photo!:

Proud Momma and Puppa!

Make da fire, make da breakfast, wash da dishes, do da moppin...

...and the sweepin', and the swappin'! They always keep her hoppin'.

She goes around in circles 'til she's very, very dizzy!

She's so busy, Cinderelly.

Behind on housecleaning. Again. Gotta get it done for real this time, I invited a friend from work over--she's very interested in learning to knit!

Little Miss Sunshine

I don't know if any of you actually watched that movie, Little Miss Sunshine, but it was pretty hilarious. I mean, if you appreciate subtle humor in a sarcastic, suicidal Steve Carell sort of way.

Well, the movie actually takes place partly in California, and partly in Arizona... the family is from Arizona and goes on a road trip to a girls' beauty pageant in California in a yellow VW bus with no clutch and a dysfunctional horn that's obnoxious enough to kill anyone's grandpa....

I've been giggling to myself since we watched it a few days ago, and have been comparing Vespa's spunky, sassy little attitude to those little girl beauty contestants. This morning, I even got a few sassy little laissez-faire photo opportunities:

Catching the morning sun:

Oops, I got caught! Must've been the sound of the zoom on the camera.

"Vespa, sit!"

She's cuttin' those eyes at meeeeeeeee!

One last pose that convinced me I couldn't get a better shot today:

Over My Head?

So, I've been working dilligently on one of my New Year's Resolutions more than the others... knitting more challenging projects. I'm actually working on two separate and totally different projects right now, and I'm getting a little bit overwhelmed with my Project #2!

Project #1 is a lavender colored baby blanket for a girl I work with. She's due February 18th and she's definitely about ready to pop! The baby girl's name has already been chosen for quite a long time: Lillianna, or Lilly for short. And Cynthia, the mommy-to-be, wants everything in lavender, green, and ivory... pretty appealing to my own taste! The pattern isn't as detailed as the webpage shows the finished blanket to be, but it did teach me a huge component of my other knitting adventure....

Project #2 is what has been so overwhelming! I have pretty much gone from "Scarf Queen" straight to knitting a lace pattern onto a sweater. What was I thinking?!? Why didn't I just start with a simple sweater and work on a detailed piece once I've mastered the first? I'm teaching myself increases, decreasese, yarn over for knit and purl stitches, knitting in-the-round on three separate areas (the sweater itself and each sleeve), I also learned a lot about the need and reasons for blocking... and the list goes on. I chose the sweater because I figured that, by the time I finish it, the weather will be warming back up here... the fibers making up the yarn are wool with a tiny bit of rayon, I think, so it's still going to be a warm sweater... but the short sleeves will make it more wearable. If it's cool outside, layer it over a long-sleeved t-shirt, or just wear a cami underneath otherwise. Plus, the puff sleeves are just cute, and a little unexpected. The lace detail, well, that's the biggest challenge. My eyes cross, my hands get clammy, I even hold my breath! Seriously! I even snap at Carlton: "Not now! On the lace section!" Poor, poor Hubs.

Lace detail:

What it should look like when just about finished:

Where I actually am in my endeavor:

I'm nervous about it the whole time I'm working on it, but once I stop, all I want to do is work on it some more. Hopefully it will turn out looking at least something like it's supposed to!

His and Hers

What is your TiVo recording?


-Oprah
-Futureweapons
-Cash Cab
-Martha Stewart
-Family Guy
-Dog Whisperer
-Whale Wars
-Scrubs
-The City
-House
-24 (what, WHAAAAAT!!!)
-Robot Chicken
-South Park
-Venture Brothers
-Jericho
-The Hills
-The Soup



Random question, but I was curious to see if we were getting our money's worth, and am now curious to see if you are! Do you think we are? Guess who records what!

Enchilada Follow-Up

Dinner tonight was pretty tasty, I must say!

The dish came out a bit saucy... I would probably either a) add twice as much chicken, or b) not add in any sauce to the inside of the tortillas.

Or, maybe it was my order of business that caused the sauciness? Because I made the Crock Pot chicken, I didn't exactly follow her directions. I didn't mix in the "mushroom" soup, cream cheese, etc. into the crock pot because the rest of my chicken was still in there. Instead, I took one drumstick and one breast from the chicken and moved it to a mixing bowl that was prepared with the mixture specified.

As far as alterations, I did make a couple. Instead of Cream of Mushroom soup, I opted for Cheddar Cheese Soup... Carlton is not a fan of anything that's got mushrooms in it, so I kept them far away. I had the Cheddar Cheese Soup in the pantry, left over from a neglected recipe at Thanksgiving, so that's the direction I went. And, hey, why not make things more cheesy when you've got the chance? I also only used 2 of the 4 ounces of green chiles. Carlton is also not a fan of anything that has a kick or spicy hotness, so the chiles were out for him... and just went on top of mine in the casserole dish! I also added in one finely diced carrot to the chicken that went on the inside of the enchiladas. Why not? A little more color, and it made me find a tiny bit of redeeming value to all. that. cheese.

Carlton and I both opted to top our enchiladas with lots and lots of shredded iceberg lettuce and a dallop-o-daisy sour cream. I continued with the juice from about half a lime, lots of cilantro, and a sliced roma tomato. Both of us scooped up each bite with a tostito corn chip. So, in the end, the sauciness of the enchiladas was evened out by the impending gigantic salad on top, and chips. Great taste. Too much sauce. Next time, cut back on that and the final product should be golden.

The rest of the small chicken has been bagged and saved for dinner tomorrow night. Either toasted subs with cheese and chicken, or caesar salads with juicy chicken on top.

More Lists

A to-do list for the day, a to-do list for the week, and a grocery list.

Today marks the first day that I'm starting off motivated about my resolutions. Up first: gym workout. Next, grocery store. Then home to finish cleaning the rest of the living room.

Yesterday I ended up not going to the gym like I said I would. In a breathy, excuse-making voice: Carlton got home, we played with the pup for a while, and I just started picking up the living room until Carlton suddenly turned on me. He got hungry really quick last night and I didn't have anything prepared, or even thawed. A quick trip to Chik-fil-a in an uncomfortably silent car with a hungry man driving (careful to not breathe the wrong way or make any eye contact!) soon made everything better. And as I opened the mayonnaise packet to squirt onto my sandwich, I remembered that I had wanted to make it to the gym. Eh, shrug shoulders, go about business with mayo. And fries in the new Chik-fil-a Sauce. Mmmm. And, ahhhhhhhhhh, what a refreshing Coke to wash it all down. I'm really gonna need this workout today!

I'm really going to get back into the grove of buying things that are good for us at the grocery store. No more croissants as dinner sides, no more cookies, and absolutely no more kettle cooked chips, Carlton!!!

I've been getting together a list of grocery store items to pick up before I head to the gym... straight from there to the grocery store, and then home to unpack before a light lunch at Paradise Bakery with The Hubster. I follow a few knitting blogs, a few sewing blogs, and a few cooking blogs in addition to some very interesting friends and family... and I found one blog that perks my interest just about every post she makes. The Sisters Dish is a great place to look to when you might be stumped or in a tight spot about dinner... maybe I should have looked there last night! She makes a lot of meals straight from the crock pot, which is nice, since I've only used mine once or twice since we got married. And the recipes are rich and full of ingredients that add flavor and color to any mundane meal. Since my figure proves to me and the rest of the world that I love rich-tasting foods, I'm ready to try a recipe or two. A lot of things can be turned into a healthier version, too. I think today I'll try this out, and use some of that chicken to make this recipe. Then the rest of the chicken can be used for other meals throughout the week... on a yummy caesar salad, on a crusty roll with some cheese, you know... something like that.

I'll write a review after Mr. Picky eats tonight and let you know how it was, and re-write her recipe with my own subsitutions, aversions, and additions.

My #1 and #2 Resolutions

If you didn't watch Oprah's Day 1 of her "Best Life Week" today with Bob Greene, you should definitely watch it now. Seeing Oprah so disappointed and angry and upset with herself because of her daily habits, including eating and exercising issues, really hit home for me. I must admit, hearing Oprah admit without a blink, hesitation, or cringe that she was over 200 pounds really helped. There's a zest in her attitude about working out. Weight resistance and cardio training are a 6-days-a-week part of her life, as they really should be for all of us. Oprah worked out in front of the camera, telling a detailed list of her daily workout schedule. She was sweating and out of breath and really working! And I was actually watching her, thinking to myself, "I do more cardio and weights than she's doing. In better form than that!" Why am I not proud of myself for being better than Oprah at something that I don't even consider myself good at??? I really should get back into the gym. ASAP. As in, tonight. And be proud of myself for being there. The Wii Fit is on its way via Amazon.com, but it shouldn't be my entire work-out plan. The yoga will be a beautiful way of finishing up my gym workout though! Come home all sweaty from weights to stretch, balance, and breathe my way into a healthy 2009.

It was truly a motivational show, and if you're having image issues with yourself, if you've made a resolution to move towards being healthier and more active person in 2009, this is an episode that will help you get started.

Resolutions for the New Year

Since everyone else in the world has recently been putting a lot of thought into their goals, aspirations, and wishes for the coming year, I figured, what the heck???

Actually, I have been making small resolutions since I was in middle school, and they have most commonly been somthing like lose weight, be more active, save more money, etc, etc, etc.

I've been putting a lot of thought into my resolutions for 2009, and I'm pretty happy with my plans, and for the reasons behind them. So now, here's to keeping them... right?

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Eat healthier and lose this extra weight!

Carlton and I were doing so very well before we moved from Buford. We were members of Weight Watchers and attended meetings every Sunday morning before I went into work at Ethan Allen. I was so proud of myself each week when I could show up to work after the Sunday morning weigh-in and boast about my successful week. Since we moved, we cancelled our memberships because we joined a gym. I started out strong, and lost about 14 pounds of "stress weight," but haven't kept up with the work. I was working out 5-6 days a week! And on the days I didn't make it in, I actually wanted to go anyway. Gotta get myself motivated again!

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Think healthier thoughts about myself.

Because I haven't been motivated to get myself into the gym, I've just avoided looking at myself altogether. "I'm not buying a new pair of jeans until I lose two sizes." Then, there's the thought, "I'm down to one pair of jeans, and they're kind of uncomfortable. I should at least have two pairs of pants to wear." Then there's this: "Ugh. A size up from last time?" And then suddenly the first pair of jeans don't fit anymore. And so the nasty cycle continues.

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Keep a close eye on my OCD tendencies, and stop myself when things seem over-the-top or out of line.

I've been getting out of control in my OCD tendencies. To the point where I can't even get laundry done, or the living room picked up, or even the bathroom cleaned. And because I've gotten into my own ways of getting things done, Carlton just can't do anything right, so it's all just stacked up on my shoulders. I've got to push through some things just to get regular tasks finished around the house!

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Work and succeed with Vespa on her walks, behavior, and her overall "rehabilitation." Be a better Pack Leader for her.

Vespa needs the help and leadership. We have been working pretty dilligently to curb her desperate need to bark, totally freak out, and lunge out at other dogs. We're taking her on walks daily, at least 30 minutes long, and practicing her "sit, down, stay, shake" commands. I've just got to stick with this and make sure we're handling things the way they should be handled when she does try to freak out.

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Save money.

Carlton's bringing it in for the two of us. I'm bring in enough... to make my car payment. Any leftovers we have, which we should have plenty for just the two of us, are always spent on... who knows what! We have both made it a resolution to stop spending so much on... whatever it's being spent on, and save that money instead.

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Challenge myself more in my knitting and sewing.

I must admit, I'm the queen of all queens when it comes to knitting a scarf. I mean, it's a straight line made by a long series of straight lines! How hard can that really be? I want to learn to make laces, shapes, designs, colors, everything!!! I've just started a new project that's already pushing the limits of my comprehension, concentration, and ability to be nice to Carlton while on a certain section. I'm hoping it'll be worth it!