Thursday, February 26, 2009

White Russian Blackberry Cheesecake

I'm trying to decide on a cake for the wedding, but I'm not a cake person. I love cheesecake... like more than anything in the world of desserts, but I come from a family of lacotse intolerant people, so having cheesecake as my wedding cake would be just cruel. Besides, it's in August so I scrapped that thought. Then I stumbled upon a list of "Specialty Cakes" on one bakery's website... HEAVEN!
Kahlua Mudslide: Chocolate cake soaked with vodka, baileys and Kahlua, filled with a french vanilla cream.
Peaches and Cream: Moist white cake baked with fresh peaches soaked with peach schnapps filled with white chocolate cream.
*Have a favorite drink let us know we can create just about any flavor*
Black Forest Cake: chocolate cake with french vanilla cream, chocolate ganache and cherries
and of course: White russian blackberry cheesecake


I MUST SAMPLE HERE!!!

Then I went to my cycling class, and kicked my own butt... seriously, just reading White Russian Blackberry Cheesecake (my mouth is watering again...) I felt I needed to burn off the calories I fully intend to consume when I taste this cake.

~~~~~

I tend to space off.

Seriously! My brain just shuts down and I become just mildly conscious of the fact that there are things going on around me. I think people refer to it as daydreaming, but I don't dream about anything... kind of like when I sleep... THAT'S IT! I'm daysleeping.

When I get caught in this state, it can take me a few seconds to "wake up". Some people don't notice so much, others think it's weird. I did it at a cafe the other day and Cowboy (my love) made fun of me. He said I went cross eyed. I think he was full of it, but then again things do get a little fuzzy...
I think sometimes my brain just needs to rest and sort out it's intake so it kind of just goes in sleep mode for 15-30 seconds to reset.

This doesn't really bother me. It's something that has always happened. It happens more when I'm stressed or overtired. It's actually kind of relaxing.

anywhoo...

~~~~~

We got pre-approval for a mortgage! YES!!! Cowboy is still diligently scouring John L Scott's website, every-stinkin-day. The same houses are there. The very same ones we've been looking at for 6 months... Now he's not ready to actually talk to the realtor and go LOOK at the houses. We're right there... it's at our fingertips...

~cheers~

Monday, February 23, 2009

Dancing Crazy Superbug Love

I'm getting the superbug. I can feel it in my muscles. I'm achy and tired and feeling all around craptacular.

But I made it to work today. Half asleep at the wheel. Seriously! Driving half asleep is worse than driving after perhaps consuming one or three too many.

(Not that I have ever done that.)

Moving on.

I had a blast Saturday night! We went out for a friend's birthday; and it seemed that everyone we knew, related to that friend and not, was at the bar, in good spirits (or full of them) and having a fabulous time. We danced most of the night, got to catch up with some friends we haven't seen in a while, and really enjoyed ourselves... OH! and we only spent forty bucks!

(seriously, two alchys in a bar for 4 hours only spending $40... that's just awesome, wouldn't you say?)

I will take a moment to say that I do not miss my old friends. I do not miss the drama, I do not miss the fighting, I certainly do not miss their apparent need to create drama and fights in the event that something is not already brewing.

Yes. Saturday night, Life was GRAND!

However.

I was crazy pregnant woman yesterday.
Except I'm not pregnant, so I guess I was just...
crap!

It was one of those days that should have been spent in bed, with a book and earplugs. Instead it was spent on one emotionally distraught misadventure after another; while my love did actually feed most of my roller coaster, he also caught the receiving end of the majority of my frustration, agitation, raw emotion, and subsequent burnt pizza.

The alarms should have sounded when I felt like crying, yes crying at the discovery that there were not enough eggs to make french toast, like I wanted. So My Love decided to make pancakes instead.

Saturday morning, I took the girls adventuring. He made himself an extraordinary to do list, which upon it's completion would have left Sunday for us to spend at our leisure. Only, unbeknown to me, he got to his parent's house, parked his rear in front of the computer and didn't come home until 8:00 pm, when we were supposed to be across town at a friend's birthday party.

At the discovery that, once again, our Sunday was going to be spent chasing everything he neglected to do on Saturday, I was... less then happy. THEN He sat on his rear, in front of the computer AGAIN, looking at houses for 2 hours, THEN he had to read the paper, THEN...

Ok, it was just NOT a good day.

Today, aside from being achy and tired and almost killing multiple people in my half asleep drive to the office, has been pretty ok.

I'm sheepishly trying to make ammends with My Love, who is surprisingly not ready to kill me.

(He did tell me not to ever have a bad day again.)

I discovered Google Reader. (sigh.) I'm in love. The office shall never be the same.

I also had my first Diet Rockstar in more than a month.

Oh -- it's raining. And truth be known, I'm glad.

~cheers

Friday, February 20, 2009

The Return to Random

I offer my apologies for the... crappyness of my blog.

I started off as random as my brain is, then it seems I sank into somewhere yucky.
I'm trying to resurrect the spunky side of me; winter can be such a bitch sometimes.

Bear with me... I'm trying :o)

~~

Hi there Mr. Sun!



You are my friend. I love to walk with you in the afternoon. To feel your warmth on my face, even when you are not strong enough to warm the air around me.
I cant wait for the flowers to bloom and the cold to stop... please keep up the good work and come out more often, I've missed you!
xoxo

~~

Dear Mister Jerk-O, (I forgot the other name I called you in this blog. It may or may not have been nicer, but I assure you it had the same loathing sentiment behind it.)
Learn how to write a packing slip. If the client ordered 200 sets, we are billing for 200 sets, and sending 200 sets, write 200 sets not 600 pieces.
I know it makes sense in your brain, but not all of us think like you. That doesn't mean either one of us is wrong, per se. It just means that if I cant bill it so the client understands it, well... you did it wrong!
Enjoy your 3 day weekend. I'm scheming to clean out your desk while you are away.

The Naggy Bitch in the office

~~

Today is Friday.
It's Friday, it's Friday... doin' the happy dance!

~~

Oh! So, I got new boots for Valentines Day!




Because My Love loves me. He keeps saying I'm spoiled. But I reassure him that I'm just loved!

Thank you My Love! I hope you enjoyed your massage... oh and I bought you that cologne you love because I also LOVE it. So open it and wear it... every day... please!

~~

I also got this new phone, at "wizen-wizer's" as monkey says. It's pretty SWEET!

It's got a touch screen, a QWERTY keyboard, a decent camera, two incredible screens, and an actual web browser; which I completely admit I love but have yet to actually master.

I still amused just playing with the scrolling part of the touch screen. It's just fun to watch my contact list and inbox spin uuuuppppppp and dooooownnnn, with the touch of my finger.
Yes. I know that I'm as easily amused as a small child. That's part of the greatness of being ME!

(I know the US is in a depression and everyone is freaking out and scrimping and saving and here I am planning a wedding, applying for a mortgage and buying new boots and a new phone... but there are a handful of us that are still working and doing our best to single handedly revive the economy. BESIDES, my other phone snapped in half one day when I flipped it open... seriously! One of the hinges broke and the top part spun around backwards when I opened it.)

~~

Coffee... need I say more?
oooooh frozen berries for my oatmeal!

~~

... Cheers!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Catching Wild Pigs

I did not write this. I dont know who did. My father forwarded it to me, and it struck me profoundly enough to pass it on for all of you who may happen across this blog. I've always been a roll with the punches kind of person. I dont watch the news, it's depressing. I got so incredibly disgusted with the election that I just basically quit paying attention to anything on a national level. I have a job, I can buy food and take care of my family; everything else seems so forign to me anymore... it's all reality TV. But I read this and some things started clicking, I know something needs to be done. But What? How do we stop the seemingly inevitable?

Catching Wild Pigs.....
Reply to: pers-1041587524@craigslist.org
Date: 2009-02-19, 11:08AM
Catching Wild Pigs... There was a Chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in the class. One day, while the class was in the lab, the Prof. noticed one of the exchange students who kept rubbing his back and stretching as if his back hurt. The professor asked the young man what the matter was. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a communist government. In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, 'Do you know how to catch wild pigs?' The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence.They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, which are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, then you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. 'Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.' The young man then told the professor that was exactly what he seeing happening in America 'The government keeps pushing the people toward socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine , drugs, etc, etc, etc. while the people continue to lose their freedom - just a little at a time. One should always remember: There is no such thing as a free Lunch! Also, a politician will never provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself.' So, if you see that all of this wonderful government 'help' is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America , you might want to send this on to your friends. If you think the free ride is essential to your way of life then you will probably delete this email, but God help you when the gates slam shut! Listen closely to what the politicians are promising you - just maybe you will be able to tell who is about to slam the gate on America "A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have." Thomas Jefferson


Location: Clackamas County
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

Original URL:http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/rnr/1041587524.html

Friday, February 13, 2009

Love Is

I started to leave this comment on Brandy's page, but thought I'd use it as a post instead.

Finish this sentence: Love is ________________________________.

Love is... plucking his uni-brow into two, distinct, well manicured, eyebrows; without teasing him about it, because he was man enough to ask you to do it.
Love is... giving up the last bite of a perfect steak, just because you know how badly the other person wants to taste it
Love is... saving him hot water on Sunday morning
Love is... laughing when he raises his voice toward you, because you guys dont fight
Love is... reading Green Eggs and Ham, every single night
Love is... our special bedtime song
Love is... waking up in his arms
Love is... Over cooked steak (because he cant get it right yet), perfect potatoes, and Coors in a bottle
Love is... not wondering or worrying, because you know they're yours!

HAPPY VALENTINES* DAY!

*If you loathe Valentine's Day like I do and try to show the people you love how much you love them every single day of the year: HAPPY SATURDAY, tomorrow!

~cheers!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Pirate Princess Monkey

My Daughter is the light of my world
She is my reason for breathing, for growing up, for going to work everyday, for not settling.

My Daughter once broke my nose with her forehead
I tried to pick her up while she was protesting

My Daughter is a princess
and acts accordingly, on all levels

My Daughter's life saved my life
Plain and simple

My Daughter was born with huge feet
I had to buy her 3 month socks as a newborn

My Daughter is misunderstood
Frequently

My Daughter is difficult
Just like her mother

My Daughter used to throw these intense fits
I was afraid to take her anywhere for an entire year

My Daughter is strong willed
May that never be broken

My Daughter is beautiful
And she's missing 4 teeth

My Daughter loves all things girly
I dont know where this came from

My Daughter gives the worlds best hugs
And kisses

My Daughter loves Green Eggs and Ham
Thank you, Thank you, Sam-I-Am

My Daughter is afraid of large groups of people
and the hair dryer, vaccume, bathroom fan, and coffee grinder

My Daughter can speak!
Even when she's not makign sense... they are words... and you can understand them

My Daughter has the heart of an angel
She's hurt easily, but forgives quickly

My Daughter cries if I cry
Because it makes her sad
Then she wraps her arms around me, pats my back and says "Dont be sad mommy, it's ok."

My Daughter is not violent, "spoiled", vindictive, or a brat
She is not retarded. She is not misdiagnosed.

My Daughter is Autistic.

~~~~~

I did not make Monkey autistic. I could not prevent it. Vaccines may not have caused it. No one knows what did. I dont blame anyone. I'm not angry. I dont want "justice" at the price of however millions of dollars some attorney seeks for other parents of autistic kids.

I love my daughter... with all that I am. She is healthy. She is active. She loves school and her friends. She needs patience and love, just like every single other child on this planet.

Last weekend I was out shopping with my best friend. We walked past a young mom struggling with a little girl, about 3 or 4 years old. The girl was tired, didnt want to hold her mom's hand to cross the parking lot, and eventually parked her rear on the sidewalk. The mom was trying the "good mom" things to get the child to get up and come with her, in her calm voice holding on to the girls hand... wanting to drag her along side but not willing to go to such extremes in public. The child was screaming and making a scene. The mom maintained composure. I smiled at the mom... I wanted to go over and hug her. I wanted to tell her it was going ok, that I could relate to what she was experiencing. I wanted to tell her not be embarassed, and just keep breathing, that she was doing a great job!

I love Monkey! I love her more than anything.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Monkey For Sale (attitude included)

Monkey and My Love had a rough night. Seems she's missing Her Dad, and that means she can not possible reciprocate any kindness to My Love. It amazes me the way she acts sometimes. I can see it in everything she does. It's as though she thinks she's betraying her dad by letting my love fill that role. Sometimes she allows it, but its like she'll realise what's happening and she'll stop and recoil.

She's 5. Her dad and I split when she was 2. She has seen him exactly twice in a year. I don't get it


Monkey had a hard morning. This means mommy had a hard morning.

It started out typically enough. I turned on her light, as I went to get in the shower, and said "Time to wake up Princess!"

As I was getting ready My Love commented that Monkey is a grump this morning. I reminded him that she is always a grump first thing. We ladies, are not what you call morning people.

I made her lunch, as always, and got mine together while she got her self dressed followed by her customary, "Look at me!" pose in the kitchen.

I told her she was beautiful and to go brush her hair and her teeth....
You would think I told her to go scoop barn mud.

She wrinkled her brow and proceeded to with, "Nooooooo! I already. It's not bedtime. I don't haf to brush my teeeeeeeth!"

*DING DING DING*

ROUND I (in the kitchen)

"Monkey, don't argue. You don't want icky breath all day. Go brush your hair and your teeth."

"No. I NOT! I already brush my hair!", hands on her hips, one foot in front of the other stance.

"We are going to be late. Go BRUSH YOUR TEETH, and brush your hair again."

"NO I NOT!"

*DING DING DING*

ROUND II (in the bathroom)

"Monkey, put your hands down and let me brush your hair."

"I ALREADY! NO! You use your brush, not my Tinker Bell bruuuusssshhhhh!"

"Monkey, stop wining and yelling and let me brush your hair!"

"NO! I ALLLLREAAAADYYY!", hands on top of her dread locked, hand in a light socket, resembling hair. "JUST STOOOPPP!"

Mommy wants to throttle Monkey. Brush lands on floor. Mommy exits bathroom wishing to sell monkey to band of gypsies.

"MOMMY! YOU GET BACK HERE!"

silence

*DING DING DING*

Round III - mommy's bedroom

"Mommy," crying the I'm not getting my way cry "Mommy, Monkey is talking to you! Mommy Look at Monkey's eyes! MOMMY!!!" stomps feet

Mommy continues getting things together, alarm on phone rings signaling time to leave.

"When you stop yelling at me I will listen to you Monkey. You need to stop, NOW, or I'm going to have to spank you."

Mommy exits room heading for kitchen... and coffee!

"MOMMMMYYYYY!"

"I'm leaving Monkey. Are you coming with me or are you going to stay home with the horses today?"

(please keep in mind Monkey is 5... and I would never ever ever ever ever actually leave her at home)

"MOMMY YOU BRUSH MY HAIR!"

Mommy exits kitchen, heads down porch to start truck.

Monkey gets jacket and backpack and runs to the truck, "YOU CANT LEAVE ME! MOMMY I'M SORRY! Mommy... Monkey Loves You!"

yee-gads! Someone, tell me... how did I get myself at 15 in a 5 year old?

Monday, February 2, 2009

A Breath of Fresh Air

Happy Monday!

I'm in good spirits today.

I'm sure you all know that the Steelers won the Superbowl... I'm not a huge football fan. I "watch" when I must. But when James Harris ran 100 for a touchdown in the 2nd Qtr, I was hooked. It was probably the best game I've seen in a LONG time!



I actually had a great time at the Superbowl shindig yesterday. I really need to learn not to let my own insecurities get the best of me. (that was hard to type) I got to talk to my love on our way home about how I was feeling about going, and he basically came to the same conclusion. I came from a group of friends who got together all the time (seriously... every weekend) and when I met my love we hung out with his friends pretty regularly. But families happen and life happens, and unlike my old friends who still party like their 22, we're all settling down and growing up (in that sense) so just because we don't hang out with them all the time doesn't mean they aren't our friends.



I'm But also because we picked a place and set the date for the wedding!
YES!!! So now I can leave my love alone about it and start the fun stuff. Like colors and flowers and bridesmaids dresses and decorations and stuff... yep yep I'm gettin' 'xcited!

I also got to talk to the former other office goddess this morning. Once again, I took her actions personally when in fact they were not directed toward me at all. Someday I will stop doing that... maybe... I hope

Monkey is getting one of those coughs that makes me sad for her. Her lungs sound awful, and the roommates are due home this week. I'm praying praying praying for her sake that they catch another load or two and can stay on the road for at least another week.



I'm reading this book called "The Shack" by Wm. Paul Young. The other office goddess recommended it about a month ago when I was talking to her about my inherit struggle with church, keeping a faithful heart, and reflecting a "Christian" attitude in a world full of hypocrites and negativity. In the incredible way that God works, I happened upon it at Costco for $9.88 (I LOVE COSTCO BOOKS!) so I picked it up. It's such an incredible testimony. I don't know if it's part because it's local or because I'm a mother, or just because the Lord puts things in our lives to talk to us and sometimes we don't always see them for what they are, but I want to drive out to Wildcat and see if I can find the author's house just so I can give him a hug and thank him for sharing his story. I highly recommend it! If like to read, and you have time for such things, you'll blast right through it.

~cheers!

Quotes

 

It's Good To Be Me | Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial License | Dandy Dandilion Designed by Simply Fabulous Blogger Templates