Another check off the list #20

Notice a little change in the picture above?  I didn't go dark brown but I made the switch.  I'm liking it.  Now the decision if I'll stick to the brown or add highlights come summer.  Time will tell!

Thanksgiving 2010

I love spending holiday's with family but who doesn't?  We packed up our bags this year, full of long underwear and sweatshirts and headed to South Dakota.  Brrrrrrr.  Thankfully the snow stayed away until the day we headed home.  The cold weather, on the other hand, was there to stay.

Mom and Maury live out in the middle of no where.  This is my kind of vacation.  Sleeping in, playing games, chatting the day away and LOTS of home cooked meals by Mom.  This trip was a little different when it comes to food though.  We had goose stew, pheasant tacos, deer steak and more.  The only thing I did not care for was the deer liver and heart.  Thankfully that was not the entree of the night.

James found a new hobby....hunting.  I cannot even describe how much he enjoyed this testosterone-filled activity.  Even more exciting is that he shot a deer and a couple of pheasant.  Not too shabby for his first week giving the sport a go.  Oh and I had the pleasure of helping clean this stuff.

The down side of the trip is there was a stomach bug circulating.  Just about everyone in the house got a touch of it or the full on thing.  Somehow Mom, Sheridan and I seemed to stay clear.  Shew!

Here's a few pictures.  Unfortunately I did a terrible job keeping my camera out, and the pictures I did take weren't too great.  Oh well.  Something is better than nothing.

Uncle James 

BB from a pheasant 

Getting ready to clean the pheasant 

James pheasant's --- he's recovering from the stomach bug so he doesn't look so hot.  Mick, Maury's hunting dog wouldn't smile for the picture.  He deserves lots of credit for the phesant hunting!

James first deer :)

Sigh of Relief

Today the court approved the final accounting and distribution of my dad's estate.

And a new chapter begins.  When we are children, we think the world is going to crumble if our parents don’t let us have ice cream after dinner. The obstacles continue as we get older – and then become progressively more difficult. Moving to Ohio as a teenager and struggling to pay bills – therefore finding comfort in a piece of plastic and then climbing our way out of debt. Learning to function as a military spouse – the lonliness of deployments and pressures from a boss that will have his way no matter your justification for what is more logical. I could keep going. But the past two years have been, by far, the most difficult. My Father died. I could be selfish and say that I wish he had fallen ill so I had the chance to say goodbye and so he would have had the opportunity to get his assets in order. Though I got to say goodbye. Just not in a sad or mourning way. Instead I got to walk a few miles with him every morning, cook dinner while constantly avoiding chicken – it wasn’t his favorite – so we ate steak at least twice a week, operate his business together – hand in hand, him teaching me to be a better wife – taking my hubby cheese, crackers and a beer before dinner, sharing stories about his experiences as an engineer and my favorite, baking all sorts of yummy things – pies, cookies, banana pudding.  My Dad made me feel like a saint when it comes to making dessert. (Someday I’ll attempt his famous cheesecake.)  Quickly after my Dad passed away all hell broke loose. I could moan and groan about the last 23 months. I could explain the chain of events. I could explain the spite of an individual who is biologically a relation to me.  Instead I have decided to thank my AMAZING husband, sister-in-law, mother, brother and each and every friend. You have been the ears to listen. You have been the backbone when I wanted to waver. You have been the shoulder or the ear on the other end of the phone line when I am crumbling. Thank you. Thank you for your strength. I promise to be there when you need me. Because I’ve used more than my share of emotional and physical support over the past year. Thank you. Mike and Kristi are strangers to me. As I am a stranger to them. Based on the past 23 months, we’ll never know one another. My only explanation to their actions, Mike in particular, is his desire to punish our Father by expressing hatred towards me. I’ve approached everything as fairly, morally and ethically strong as I possibly could. I hope that Mike and Kristi have found the peace in their hearts to put their relationship with our Father behind them. I am incredibly lucky to be able to place my relationship with my Dad in front of me and know that I have made him proud and I will continue to make him proud.  It’s time for my energy to be on the future. Today marks the end of the Estate. A new chapter begins.

One year ago today

I started blogging.  Jeebers how time flies.  Now I just need to blog more!

Susie Homemaker

I ventured into the land of canning!  Ha ha ha.  For a longggg time, I have had great intentions of making homemade jam.  But I was intimidated.  When it was strawberry season, I kept up with my intentions of starting on this project but I didn't quite reach the "point" where I was ready to take on this project.  Recently, my mom has been doing lots of canning - mainly vegetables.  This inspired me to get going, along with some other motivation, so I picked up some blueberries and got to work.  Now, this is not the time of year to look for canning jars.  It seemed as though all the stores were out of cans.  My third stop, I was successful.

Some sugar, pectin, a little lemon juice and LOTS of blueberries later, I have jam!  I'm sorry to report that I don't have pictures.  A jar of dark "stuff" just doesn't look pretty.  Though I was satisfied with the end result.  I still have some adjustments to make but this was a great start.

A few more days and I'll be headed to South Dakota to see what the critics think!

Our Jack-o-Lantern

Not quite your traditional carved pumpkin but we did it!!!  I picked up a $4 pack of tools at Target and ventured home with a pumpkin.  Neither James nor I had carved a pumpkin since our childhood so we were pretty clueless.  I had great intentions of roasting the seeds but ran out of time.  Needless to say, I was thrilled with the end result!  We weren't planning to carve a pumpkin this year BUT there was a pumpkin decorating contest at work that motivated me.  Our pumpkin wasn't daylight friendly so I didn't take it to work.  Instead we've kept it lit at home.  Enjoy!

Roxy -

I'm very sad to say that Roxy went to doggie heaven this morning.  She's been sick for about 8 weeks now.  Our vet has been amazing; looking to find what was wrong.  A little less than 2 weeks ago we "thought" we had found the problem - allergies.  She was allergic to practically everything underneath the sun.  Between a new food and some medication, things were really looking up.  We knew we hadn't resolved the problem completely as changes in her medication caused the problem to start to come back over the last day or two.  This morning Roxy suffered what we are pretty sure was a heart attack.  She was my little lover.  I cannot even describe how much we'll miss her.

Happy Birthday Brother!

Today, on 10-10-10 my big brother turns the big 4-0  I cannot even describe how much I love this guy.  He was my hero when I was a little girl.  I mean whose brother is Chuck E. at Chuck E. Cheese's?  Then he was always the highlight of my birthday parties.  My girlfriends and I would always wait for him to get to my party.  As I entered my teenage years, he encouraged our parents to put me in situations where I would learn the land of "reality" - public schools, etc.  A little later in the teen years, he and Laura would take me out for late night movies and bowling.  So many memories that I cherish.

For Joe's birthday, I thought and thought about what to get him.  There are lots of memory books that you can buy that reminisce about the year you were born.  Wasn't quite what I was looking for.  So instead I filled a box FULL of candy that you just don't see these days.  Jawbreakers, wax juice containers, candy cigarettes, abba zabbas, lemon heads, pop rocks, bit-o-honey's, boston baked beans, candy necklaces and the list goes on.  (I think Sheridan and Garrett were pretty excited about this gift as well.)  Then I made a CD of music that reminds me of my big brother.  From Led Zeppelin, Guns-n-Roses, MC Hammer, Queen and a few others.  At the end of the CD is a very special song.  A song that makes me think of him.

I love you brother.  You mean so much to me.  Words just cannot describe how much I admire, appreciate and strive to be the person you are.  You are the perfect father to my niece and nephews, the most unselfish person on the planet, a kick ass husband, the king of cooking ribs and other yummy things, and you remain so calm, cool and collected during times when most would blow a fuse.  Thank you for being my friend, my protector and my brother.  I love you very, very much!

There are places I remember

All my life though some have changed

Some forever not for better

Some have gone and some remain

All these places had their moments

With lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers

There is no compares with you

And these memories lose their meaning

With I think of love as something new

Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life I love you more

William Robert Burnett

I've been dying to snuggle up with this handsome little guy.  After cancelling a trip the previous weekend due to a cold, there would be no stopping me today!  He's soooo tiny.  We enjoyed lots of snuggle time.  Liz and I chatted about her speedy labor and delivery.  Then Eric filled me in on groupon.  Oh and who can forget the trip to Claim Jumper for bread pudding and a chocolate chip calzone.  Mmmmmm.  Only another week and I get to cuddle with Billy again.  I absolutely cannot wait!

Step Out for Trouble

Many, many months ago I did a little internet surfing and ended up on the webpage for the American Diabetes Association.  I was very excited to find that there was a fundraising event scheduled for October at Knott's Berry Farm.  Pretty neat location, in my opinion.

Watching Amanda being diagnosed with diabetes then managing it on a daily basis has been a real wake up call for me.  Not sure how to explain my emotions about this.  I just knew that this was an organization I could passionately raise funds for.  Soon I went to work on recruiting friends and family to join our team for the walk and start our fundraising.

Pretty sure that there were 17 of us who walked and our team raised approximately $1400.  Outstanding!  Let's do it again next year!

My inspiration!

Love this man

Jessica and Haley are ready to go!

Official Duck's Fans!!!

I'm super excited to say that we are official season ticket holders to the Ducks!  We have a friend who has had Duck's tickets for several seasons.  After chatting with him, we decided to share tickets so that we could buy four tickets to every game.  This gives us a chance to take friends or family along with us.  Plus I have no doubt that 21 hockey games is more than enough to get us started.  I have never enjoyed a professional sport as much as I am enjoying hockey!!!

(Sorry Jackson's --- I didn't take any pictures of the first game --- check out Haley's blog for those pictures)

Another Goodbye

A bit of a sad day.  Another goodbye.  It seems like friends are moving away so often.  Tracy and I met at church.  We taught Sunday school to 2 year-old's.  Quite an adventure this was.  We started a room together.  What does this mean you ask?  Well normally a new volunteer/leader is added to a room.  Welllll we started a brand new room.  Pure chaos for the first few weeks.  From dirty diapers, kiddos that were potty training, children upset that their parents had left them with pure strangers, toys all over the place - we were a mess.  Though because we started "fresh" we were able to figure out our own routine and develop some awesome relationships with our kids.  We watched so many turn 3 and move on to another class.

It became obvious, that Tracy and her then boyfriend, Zach, were very serious and were planning to spend their lives together.  An engagement followed with a November 27th wedding in the works.  Tracy and Zach both work for Disneyland but they are both from the east coast.  I knew this meant she'd be leaving us one day.  I just didn't realize the day would come so soon.  Tracy and Zach were blessed to both be offered positions at Disney World, not only a wonderful career opportunity but also the ability to be closer to family.

Tracy's small group held a bridal shower for her today.  It was her final day with our kiddos then we celebrated her upcoming nuptials.  Best of luck to you Tracy (and Zach).  I am going to miss you immensely!

Oh how I miss you!

A slap on the hand for being absent from blogging for so long.  Too many excuses but none that quite make the cut.

Summer time has come and gone.  I don't think I have ever been to so many birthday parties - for the young and old.  Pretty sure that I could handle party-hopping every weekend.  Though I also enjoy my pool time.

This past weekend my much thought about girl's trip to Palm Springs took shape.  We piled in the truck (with more foods and clothes imaginable) and headed out Friday night.  Once we made it to Grandma's house, we turned on Fame.  Not a good movie.  Ha ha ha.  Saturday Amanda treated us to her Daddy's biscuits and gravy.  Truly amazing.  Off to the pool where we met a fantastic woman named Bernice.  Despite hearing the same stories over and over, she was a jovial woman.  After naps, it was time for dinner at Las Consuelas.  Margaritas for all!  Then time for Scattegories.  Sunday we cleaned up and headed home.  Much too short of a trip but I love girlfriend time, no matter how much or how little.  I get a bad grade for taking pictures - my camera stayed in my purse the whole trip.  Oh well.  It's the memories that count.

There are so many items on my 101 list that are in the works - no doubt I should always have something to blog about in the coming weeks and months.  I'm a little silly about sharing too early though, so no detailed progress updates.  Yet ...

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop?

Ha ha ha ha.  Well, I have no clue.  But I do know it's possible to eat a tootsie pop without biting it.  Though you don't end up with much of a tootsie roll left at the end.  I think I'll stick to "biting" them.  But I do have another thing to cross off my list :)

But I don't want it to end!!!

Not sure that words can do my 30th birthday party justice.  I had such an amazing time, and I'm pretty sure everyone else did as well.  So I will let the pictures speak for themself!

Beautiful and delicious cake!

Captain of the yacht

I searched high and low for this bartender - outstanding job Anthony!

Haley (aka assistant party planner)

Cousins ~ Mom and Peggy

Tracy (my partner in crime taking care of our kiddos at church) and Zack

The Tischler's - love them SO much!!!

James and Amanda

Jennifer, Connie, Mellissa & Kyla

(note Connie is ready to give birth)

Back row ~ Haley, Amanda and Sara

Front row ~ work friends, Maria and Loretta

Friends from Church

John, Ed and Will

My BFF who is sporting a gorgeous ring on her left hand!!!!

Nichole and Glenn

Mrs. Davies

Church friends ~ Ronda and Nicki

Getting ready to taste the cake frosting

So glad that my mom was helping me celebrate the big 3-0!

I will love him forever and ever ~ such an amazing husband!

Tater Tot Casserole

This one is for you, Ann!

I knew when I read this recipe, that my husband would be in heaven. I made a few changes to take out the veggies that James wouldn't like. If I were making this just for myself I might add some sliced mushrooms or other yummy stuff.

1 pkg. frozen tater tots (36oz)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook ground beef, drain grease and add onion. Salt and pepper meat mixture. Grease 9x13 pan. Place tater tots in the pan. Layer meat and onion mixture on top. Combine soups and sour cream then pour oven meat. Lightly toss all ingredients together. Cook uncovered for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Add cheese and bake another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. I added some more salt and pepper before adding the cheese.

Very simple, hearty and tasty.

Father's Day

My dad's death has brought a whirlwind of emotions. I'm not quite sure I can describe those emotions. I miss him, to the absolute bottom of my soul. A few years ago, rather than buy a card at the store, I colored a card and made a list of "25 reasons I love you - for the 25 years you have been my dad". Dad kept all of his birthday and father's day cards in shoeboxes. But there was one that hung on his bedroom door :) So today I'd like to say Happy Father's Day Dad --- 30 reasons that I miss you.

1. Our skips through parking lots
2. Your making me feel like a baking goddess
3. Watching Wheel of Fortune together
4. Stopping at Olvera Street for taquitos
5. Walks around the back bay
6. Your cheesy jokes
7. Our trips to Rusty Pelican
8. Teaching me Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
9. Sharing a pint of Ben and Jerry's
10. Buying me a very special doll for Christmas
11. Walking me down the aisle
12. Dancing with me like I'm a princess
13. Making me a photo album
14. Sharing in my love of drag racing
15. Telling me the secrets of being a wife
16. Your laughter when Roxy chases the dot
17. Surprise treats from the chicken pie shop
18. Hearing your fishing stories
19. Sharing our first home with you
20. Hearing you talk about my cherry pie costume
21. Our hand squeeze
22. Kayaking in Catalina
23. Taking me to dance class
24. Making Thanksgiving dinner for two
25. Expanding on my love for sushi
26. Our cruise with Water, Inc.
27. Seeing you bust with pride when I was MCJD
28. Sharing with me your passion for water
29. Making endless cheesecakes for my HQ Installation
30. Loving me unconditionally

I miss you.

My style of cooking

I've fallen in love with a website, after falling in love with a cookbook. This woman knows how to cook! Her food reminds me of my grandma. Lots of butter and other delicious, not-so-good for you things. But it's delicious. My favorite thing, so far, is the blackberry cobbler. Amazing. Enjoy!

www.thepioneerwoman.com

I Do

Happy Anniversary Husband. You challenge me, cuddle with me, dream with me, support me, kiss me and most importantly, you love me. I will love you forever, forever and always.

MIA

I’ve been lacking when it comes to blogging. Just haven’t been in the mood I suppose. Things have been crazy busy. This kid is not made to work 3 jobs, which is what I encountered for about 2 weeks. My husband was a trooper – lots of cheese and crackers for dinner. Life seems to be calming down though. Time to work on my summer tan and spend time in the jacuzzi, with the husband.

So I’m changing up my 101 list a little bit. Six months ago I was delving into the process of owning my dad’s business. This meant preparing a business plan, lots and lots of reading, consulting with family and friends on business practices and talking to people in the water purification industry. Well, this just wasn’t God’s plan. Maybe it was my plan but it wasn’t His. No big deal, right? Time to look for a career in the most challenging job market that I have ever experienced.

Step one turns into my #90 on my 101 list. What’s equal to a business plan? A kick butt resume. James landed an awesome job, and in my opinion, this had a great deal to do with his resume. He had several headhunters go through and make modifications. So I stole the overall layout and went to work. I was tickled pink with the result :)

Step two turns into my #4 on my 101 list. Start my own business – how about land a job? I went on several interviews. Either the position was not a right fit for me or I didn’t meet their needs. Patience is a virtue. I’m ecstatic about the company I am working for. Nothing can beat when the far majority of the employees have been with the company for well over 10 years. I love, love, love going to work every day.

So what’s next? James and I have been on the house hunt for the past few weeks. We should be ready to get serious in another month or so. Oh and in a month, I’m turning the big 3-0. We’re planning one heck of a birthday bash. I’ve decided we are going to celebrate big since I am going to be 30 forever. Wishful thinking? My dad’s estate is wrapping up. Lots of paperwork to complete. Haley, Eddie and Grace came to church with us on April 16th. Now I need to get them to come back! Kim made a 101 list. Who’s next? Glenn’s moving to Rome which means I get to put together a care package. Lots of things to cross off my list. Time to get busy!

Sea World

With Kevin and Kim in town, we were in tourist mode. Saturday we decided to spend the day at Sea World. It was a beautiful day and nothing beats time with good friends.

The boys soaked after their adventure on Atlantis (with a little help from us girls)!

Bonfire Time!!!

Checking another 101 off my list! We have friends in town from Jersey so we wanted to give them the "whole" SoCal experience. What better than a bonfire? I was very excited to find tons of pits open on a Friday night. We loaded up the hot dogs, smore makings and firewood. It was a perfect night. Oh and who can forget our little excursion on the way home?

Matt & Nicole

Haley & Me :)
The hubby and me again :)
The friends from Jersey --- Kim & Kevin

Viva Las Vegas!

I don't believe there is a better place to spend one's 21st birthday than Vegas!!! Happy Birthday Jessica!!! I hope you had as much fun as I did :)

The car ride - still smiling!

Hofbrauhaus - with a shot, you get a spanking :(
Kim & Kevin, made the trip from Jersey
Brothers loving on their baby sister
The birthday girl and me!
Jessica and Amanda
Buddies for the night
Fish Face!!!!
Andrew and Shannon
Christeen & Andrew

Sara & Devin

Thrilled to be dancing ;)