Remnants of Me

Frosty the Cheeseball

2011-12-17T09:24:00.001-06:00

This is Frosty the Cheeseball. She was a hit, though some thought too cute.
I got this idea from Pinterest and brought it to life for my Holiday Party this year.

The cheeseball consists of:

For each package of cream cheese

a cup of diced deli ham
a tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp worchestershire sauce
2 cups of shredded cheese (I use colby)
a couple of squeezes of lemon juice

Now the way my family works, no recipe is quite exact and everything is done to taste. It is just how things are passed down around her.

And for the decorations:

Green beans for the arms
red cabbage for the scarf
rosemary for the crown
craisins for the crown's berries
raisins for the eyes
and orange sweet pepper for the mouth, you could obviously use a carrot instead

I will say that as cute as she started, people were hesitant to eat her, even with my insistence. Also, she did end up with some extra body parts by the end of the night. :) Fun stuff!

The presents are wrapped...

2011-12-15T19:06:00.002-06:00

in kraft paper and looking so cute! I have been a busy gal. This year I decided to use my Silhouette cutter and kraft paper to get the job done. Needed for the big job:

And this is what I came up with so far:

I am in love! I definitely think this will be my go to way of wrapping for a long time to come. So stinking cute! Also, just an fyi, Silhouette has a free Christmas download each day until Christmas! Fabulous!

Jazzing up Candles

2011-07-24T19:53:00.000-05:00

Not too long ago, I came across an idea to use vinyl on candles. In our bedroom, we have two candle sticks next to our TV just to add a little something to take away from said TV. They looked like this:

Pretty boring. Not much to them. I had them up there, but they never really did anything for me. Then I got the Silhouette. This machine is fantastic and I have turned into a little vinyl cutting machine. I found a flourish that I liked and cut two out. And this is what happened:

Not a bad addition. Still not a great look with the monster tv next to them, but at least it adds something ;)

Test, Test Is this thing on?

2011-07-24T19:45:00.000-05:00

I could be self-important and think that people are just dying for my next blog post, or I could just carry on like I haven't been missing in action since March :) So here we go....

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T18:39:00.000-05:00

Here is my happy little decor for a very green kind of day :)


The console table

Candle Before

And after Silhouette Vinyl

Close-up of Subway Print from Today's Fabulous Finds

Wreath with rolled fabric flowers

Our Front Door

Hope this post finds you well! I am off to enjoy some corned beef and veggies!

February Decor .... just a bit late :)

2011-03-03T20:38:00.001-06:00

This year I have been spending more time looking at home decor blogs and found myself inspired to decorate a bit more for the post-Christmas Holidays. This is what I came up with.

Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole

2011-01-25T12:45:00.003-06:00

This is what's for dinner tonight:

Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole | StarKist

Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce on the Food Network

2011-01-16T20:10:00.000-06:00

For Dinner tonight and I wanted to lick the bowl:

Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce on the Food Network

These boots are made for walking...

2010-11-14T17:35:00.000-06:00

Last weekend my Family came up to visit from Tennessee and brought me an early birthday present! Boots! Totally in love with these little bits of love. Sassy and fun. :) Thanks, Mom and Dad!

1 spice cake mix + 1 can of pumpkin = devine!

2010-10-12T19:38:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Sunday I made pumpkin spice cupcakes from a recipe I found online. They were a breeze to make. Take one spice cake box mix and add a can of pumpkin and mix in a bowl. Add about 3/4 cup water and bake as the cake box instructs. Ta-da! Add some cream cheese frosting and you have heaven. They were a hit at school today. Yum!

Lasagna...mmm!

2010-10-10T18:29:00.002-05:00

Last week I set out to make my semi-famous Lasagna dish for a co-worker who lost her sister to cancer. I wanted to deliver her some comfort food to makes things just a bit easier. Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:

3 cans Hunts tomato sauce
1 box lasagna
1 tub of ricotta cheese
2 cups of mozzarella cheese
2 cloves garlic
1 lb italian sausage
1 lb hamburger
salt and pepper

For a 13x9 pan:

-Boil a box a lasagna until it is "just about" all the way cooked. You want it to still be a bit hard, but not too much.

-In the pot on the stove, simmer 3 cans of Hunts tomato sauce with 2 cloves of minced garlic.

-Brown 1 lb of italian sausage and 1 lb of hamburger. Drain and then combine with tomato sauce.

-In the pan, cover bottom with the sauce mixture. Layer with 3-4 rows of lasagna noodles. Cover noodles with ricotta cheese. Put sauce on top of the cheese and then top with mozzarella cheese.

-Continue to layer up until you reach the last inch of pan. Cover finals noodles with sauce and then pile on the mozzarella! The more cheese, the better :) I also sprinkle salt and pepper over the top.

-Cook lasagna at 350 for about 45-60 minutes. Cheese will start to brown on top. Because everything is already cooked, the cook time is just about heating the lasagna all the way through. Enjoy!

Spiced Squash with Brown Butter Glaze Recipe - Every Day with Rachael Ray

2010-10-04T17:52:00.000-05:00

Tonight's side dish being made right now:
Spiced Squash with Brown Butter Glaze Recipe - Every Day with Rachael Ray

Curry Chicken Fingers

2010-10-01T20:31:00.000-05:00

Tonight we tried out the Curry Chicken Tenders from Trader Joe's. For $6, we have enough for two meals. I thawed the chicken in the sink in cold water and then fried it on the stove in some oil. It turned a nice brown and the flavor wasn't too overwhelming.

I also made some garlic naan and butter noodles to go with. Have to love good frozen food. :)

Bertolli Chicken Florentine & Farfalle

2010-09-27T18:57:00.000-05:00

Tonight we had a frozen dinner for two. In many cases, these are just NOT good. You have to add spices or cheese... some extra kind of flavor. The Bertolli dinners seem to be above the grade. This particular flavor had a great taste and browned up very nice. Add some garlic toast and you have a quick meal with lots of flavor!

Mahi Burgers

2010-09-26T19:23:00.000-05:00

Tonight we had Mahi Mahi Burgers from Trader Joe's. They were fantastic! We toasted the buns and served with warmed-up mango peach salsa from the grocery store. Light, fresh and yummy!

Black Dog Smoke & Ale House

2010-09-21T19:57:00.000-05:00

For some reason, Tyler really does not want to have the Mahi Burgers. Every time they come up on the menu, we end up going out :) Tonight we went to one of our very favorite local joints, Black Dog Smoke & Ale House. This place has unreal BBQ. We have never been disappointed.

Tonight, the special was the pastrami sandwich. Tyler had to try it and wasn't disappointed. I went with my favorite, the pulled pork sandwich with georgia peach sauce. We both went with the twice-baked potato casserole for our side (it is a must!) The place is small, so get there early and try to have the burnt tips at least once. They are heaven on a dish! Love me some Black Dog!!

Overall Grade: A+

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

2010-09-20T18:55:00.001-05:00

From the Pioneer Woman Blog

Tonight I cooked a dish from one of my favorite sources, The Pioneer Woman. She has such fantastic recipes and I just adore her zest for life. The pasta turned out to be a sweet-ish, but very yummy red dish and fit perfect for a Meatless Monday. Yum!

Link to the Recipe: Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

Spinach Ricotta Ravioli

2010-09-18T21:08:00.000-05:00

After being sick back and forth all week, I finally came down with what the big guy had. Friday, I came home from work and felt like absolute death. Food was not on my agenda in any way, shape, or form. My head felt like it would burst. After trying to help me out, making me some tea, Tyler decided to go with the Spinach Ricotta Ravioli from Trader Joe's. He added a nice marinara sauce and it turned out to be quite delicious. Thank heavens for good freezer food!

Chinese Chicken Wings

2010-09-12T12:52:00.001-05:00

Tonight we are going to do some Chinese Chicken Wings on the grill. I am excited to see how these turn out. Right now, they are marinating in the fridge. Here is the recipe for the marinade:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

18 chicken wings
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients together except wings. Place wings and marinade in a resealable bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat grill. Place on grill (a grill basket works great for this) and cook until done. Brush with remaining marinade about half way through the cooking process.

Yikes!

2010-09-12T12:47:00.000-05:00

Sorry!! I have been a bad, bad blogger. My life gets flipped upside down when schools starts and needless to say, I have been a busy Gal! Trying to get back on the wagon here. Menu is done for the next few days. Looks like some good eats coming our way.

Crabby Joe's Deck and Grill Review

2010-08-27T23:14:00.001-05:00

Location: Daytona Beach, FL
Website: http://www.sunglowpier.com/index.htm

A long time ago, back in 2005, Tyler and I went to Ponce Inlet, just south of Daytona Beach, for the first time. We stayed for a week and during the week we stumbled upon a place to eat on a pier. Sounded good enough. We went the one time and ended up back about 3 more times in that week. Crabby Joe's became our happy place in a way quite like no other. Their crab sandwich is fantastic along with the cuban sandwich, shrimp po-boy and so much more. Now every time we go to FL, we have to go to Crabby Joe's at least twice, if not 3-4 times :) It is an extremely casual atmosphere with beer pitchers chilled with bags of ice and open windows complete with sea air going right on through. Last year, I tried the Crabby Joe sampler and was delighted with crab legs, steamed shrimp and muscles. I had never had muscles before, but I am a big fan now.

This place does it right with good staff, fast food service and low prices. You never leave hungry and your wallet is only slightly smaller. If you ever get a chance to go to Crabby Joe's, I highly recommend it!

Overall Grade: A+

South Beach Grill Review

2010-08-27T23:01:00.001-05:00

Location: Crescent Beach, FL
Website: http://www.southbeachgrill.net/index.html

After staying in Jacksonville, FL overnight, we decided to drive down A1A to get to Ponce Inlet and our condo. We hit St. Augustine and started to get hungry. Moe's seemed to be a good destination, but on our way, I saw a sign for a beachside place and we pulled in. South Beach Grill seemed to be a good spot. The view was great, but the service seemed to lack. We were seated promptly, but it took awhile for someone to come for our drinks. We ordered and I had the Tuna Wrap and Tyler had the Blacked Fish Wrap. Both were pretty good with nice portion sizes. Not too little but not too big. We sat outside, which meant that we seemed to be forgotten a bit and we also didn't get a refill during the service until the check came. Go figure :) All in all, the food was good, but the service could be better. Not a bad spot for lunch on the beach.

Overall Grade: B

Taking the Work out of Pasta Sauce

2010-08-11T15:19:00.000-05:00

One of Tyler's favorite places on the Intertubes is a site called Smile Politely. Today he sent me a link to homemade pasta sauce done easy. I haven't tried it yet, but it will be done this Fall. From what I can tell, this would be very close to a Bertoli Marinara, which we love to use in our savory dishes. Here is the link:

Homemade Pasta Sauce

Been Gone

2010-08-11T15:07:00.000-05:00

I want to apologize for the lack of posting. It has been a bit hectic lately as we have been out of town quite a bit. We are also gearing up to head to the East Coast for the next couple of weeks. I will try to post on the road of the different places we like to eat. Thanks for Reading!

Tortilla Crusted Tilapia with Chipotle-Lime

2010-08-10T15:09:00.000-05:00

I am a fan of my local Grocer's Deli/Meat Case. There you can find all kinds of "prepared" dishes that can be quite tasty when done right at home. A while ago, I picked up a couple of tilapia fillets and threw them in the freezer. Last night I did them up in the oven at 375 for about 20 minutes on a lightly oiled cooking sheet. After that was done, the fillets were looking good, but needed to get crispy, so I put the broiler on while I made up a fettuccine alfredo side and seasoned peas for some added color. All-n-all, it made for a good meal.

Spicy Italian Pork Cutlets

2010-08-05T16:29:00.026-05:00

Last weekend, I went through the freezer and jotted down all of the food I had stored in anticipation of having a mass freezer clean-out. So far... so good....at least when we are home. We have been out and about quite a bit with different out of town needs, but we do cook when we are home for the most part. Today's recipe is taken from AllRecipes.com. I basically looked up pork cutlets and looked for the highest rated recipe in order to use our cutlet supply. Here it is:

Spicy Italian Pork Cutlets - 4 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 boneless pork chops, pounded to 1/4 inch thick
salt and pepper to taste
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, diced
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, and quickly sear on both sides. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, and saute the garlic about 30 seconds. Mix in the tomato, chicken broth, wine, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes.
Return the pork chops to the skillet, and continue cooking 5 to 10 minutes, to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Serve pork with the tomato and broth mixture from the skillet.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 261 | Total Fat: 18.9g | Cholesterol: 38mg

Cheesecake Factory Review

2010-08-02T13:44:00.005-05:00

We have a tradition that when we have to go to Indianapolis for different events, we have to eat at the Cheescake Factory. Many people tend to think that this wonderful eatery is only for dessert, but they are sooooo terribly wrong. The menu is gigantic. There is everything from Asian-Fusion to Salisbury Steak. The portions are beyond big, and the taste is ridiculous. We absolutely love it! This time we had the:

Classic French Bread and Pumpernickel Bread
*This bread is to die for. It is so yummy. I have always been a white bread kind of girl until the pumpernickel really changed me. The subtle sweetness totally makes the bread!

Spicy Ahi Tempura Roll

Fresh Raw Ahi Tuna with Green Onion, Spicy Soy Sauce, Ginger and Garlic.
Wrapped in Nori and Flash Fried Tempura Style.
*I had to have a sushi fix and this did just the right thing.
The sauce was amazing and even the garnish was devoured. :)

Shrimp Scampi and Chicken Madeira
Shrimp is sautéed with garlic, white wine, fresh basil & tomato. Served with mashed potatoes; sautéed chicken breast topped with fresh asparagus & melted mozzarella cheese - covered with fresh mushroom Madeira Sauce.
*Fantastic combo deal with 2 wonderful dishes!

Buffalo Blasts®

Chicken Breast, Cheese and Our Spicy Buffalo Sauce all Stuffed in a Spiced Wrapper and Fried until Crisp. Served with Celery Sticks and Blue Cheese Dressing.

*Huge servings...big on taste!

Overall Grade: A

Make it at home (click the link):
Shrimp Scampi
Chicken Madeira
Buffalo Fingers

Raspberry Chipotle Chicken

2010-08-01T08:44:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of marinades. We love to grill and marinades are a great way of switching things up. Last night we did up about 7 chicken breasts marinaded in Allegro Raspberry Chipotle sauce. This stuff has a great smell and has a great kick from the chipotle peppers. The flavor is excellent and you can't beat it on grilled chicken. Add some grilled asparagus, zucchini, sweet pepper and eggplant and it makes for a great meal.

Kamakura Dining Review

2010-08-01T08:15:00.002-05:00

Saturday night with my sister and brother-in-law in town from Virginia, and my sister-in-law from southern Illinois, we found ourselves around the table of the teppan grill at Kamakura Japanese Restaurant. We were first put into the "waiting room" for almost 25 minutes past our reservation. That was a bit unnerving, as we had a newborn with us. After we were seated, things went well for the most part. Holly and I spilled some soup on us trying to cut mushrooms, but it was all good.

The grilling started and things were heating up. A grilled volcano was the show stopper. Our chef was pretty funny. I had the sirloin with fried rice. It was so good. Carrots, zucchini, onions, soy sauce = yum! I had never been to Kamakura before this, even though we have lived in town for more than 7 years :) I think we will definitely go back!

Overall Grade: B

Pierogies

2010-07-28T08:07:00.000-05:00

One day while shopping, we discovered a box of something called Pierogies. They looked interesting. It said they were stuffed with cheese and potatoes.....2 positives already! Into the cart they went. Well after a few weeks, they hit their time on the menu and it was some good eats.

Tyler cut up some red potatoes, shallots and green pepper and fried all of the above with the pierogies, almost like a stir-fry. Lightly seasoned, it was really good! We weren't sure what to expect. I think we might just have to have them again!

Chinese Pepper Steak

2010-07-27T22:43:00.000-05:00

I am always one who loves a good night with the Chinese takeout. Tyler is not. Little did I know that if I recreated one of these fabulous dishes, he would be completely down with it :)

I have found a new love: Allrecipes.com. I only changed it a bit by not including the mushrooms, adding a couple tablespoons of soy sauce to the sauce, and using the marinated steak (in soy sauce) from the kabobs. Here is the great Pepper Steak recipe I used tonight:

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups julienned green bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup apple juice
1/4 cup cold water
Hot cooked rice

Directions

In a wok or skillet, stir-fry green peppers and onion in 1 tablespoon oil for 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms; stir-fry 1 minute longer. Remove and keep warm.
Season the beef with salt and pepper. In the same skillet, stir-fry the beef and garlic in remaining oil for 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink; drain.
Combine the cornstarch, apple juice and water until smooth; stir into the beef mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minutes or until thickened. Return the vegetables to the pan; heat through. Serve over the rice.

Kabobs

2010-07-25T22:31:00.009-05:00

Tonight was a great night for food. It was kabob night! Steak...check. Onion...check. Green Pepper...check. All on a stick?! Check! Throw on some soy sauce and a nice hot grill and you have good eats. Very easy! We also did some zuccini with sweet baby peppers in the grill bowl, topped with EVO, kosher salt and pepper. Yay!!

Strawberry Chicken Spinach Salad

2010-07-22T22:45:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

2 bunches spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
4 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

*I also added oven roasted chicken, red onion and a fresh pear to the salad for a little kick.

Pork Burgers on the Grill

2010-07-21T19:33:00.002-05:00

We are in the Midwest and when it comes to different types of Burgers, pork ones are hard to beat. When we first moved to the area, we found some fantastic pork burgers in the local store. They were great, grilled nicely and took to BBQ sauce like a champ. Then the store got rid of them. Tears were shed. Others were tried and nothing was as good as the old. Well today was finally the day of a suitable replacement and we only had to look to our local butcher for the cure. Tonight we had Pork Burgers, Salad, and Crash Hot Potatoes. I will have to talk about those another day. Good stuff!

Grilled Salmon

2010-07-20T19:36:00.000-05:00

After a stop at our local Schnuck's, a nice marinated Salmon was just begging to be grilled up and served with a veggie-pasta side. Can't get much simpler than this. All you have to do is slap it on the grill and make up the pasta. Nice and easy!

California Pizza Kitchen - BBQ Chicken

2010-07-19T17:26:00.000-05:00

Tonight is another work night on the China Cabinet. We are so close to being done. With a disasterous try at Trader Joe's, Salmon has been put off and we will be having a good 'ol fashioned frozen pizza in its place.

Gourmet Pizza

2010-07-15T11:10:00.000-05:00

Well it was an interesting task getting this pizza to be. We decided to take the grilled approach and use a pizza stone on the grill... one of the ways recommended on the Trader Joe's wheat dough we were using. As soon as we got the dough rolled out, the gas went out on the grill. No bueno. So we moved the stone into the oven. We put the pizza together by coating the dough with EVO, putting on sauce, onions, garlic, fresh mozeralla, pepperoni, and topping it with EVO, salt and pepper and fresh basil from the garden. It looked fantastic! And then came time to move it.....that didn't go so well. Our lovely looking pizza went into the oven looking like something out of the twilight zone.... but in the end it was delish! Next time I do want to push to grill the actual dough and then top it and heat it again. I think it should turn out great. We can hope at least!

Crab Cakes

2010-07-14T07:08:00.010-05:00

Grilled Sandwiches and Mac and Cheese

2010-07-13T21:56:00.000-05:00

Tonight we cheated a bit. Kabobs were on the menu, but we wanted to spend a good chunk of time tonight working on a home project. So instead of Kabobs, we did panini-like sandwiches and good ol' mac and cheese. Comfort food :)

For our hot sandwiches, we take 2 slices of white bread and butter one side on each slice. Slap a cold cut of your choice, or not, on the griddle and warm. Put the butter side of one slice down on the griddle. Top that with your meat and choice of cheese and top it off with the other slice of bread, butter side up. Let cook for about 90-120 secs for each side and you should be good to go. Always a great, easy meal and sometimes we need those!

To Die for Burgers

2010-07-11T21:15:00.001-05:00

Tonight we had burgers and fries. Tyler had some "flu-like symptoms" today and it was slow going, but turned out great. Nothing a little hair of the dog couldn't fix, if he dared. :) Here are the recipes:

Grilled Sausages

2010-07-10T12:28:00.002-05:00

Tonight we went to a co-worker of Tyler's and helped to celebrate her Husband's birthday. The theme of the party was Sausages. Unfortunately, the other boys got a little too wasted a little too quickly and Tyler was put on the grill. He loves to do that, but it was kind of awkward. :) The hostess kept apologizing, which was cute. We had never met any of these people, except for the hosts. Anyways.....the sausage came from a lovely hidden gem in the C-U area: The Illini Meat Room. This is a small retail place that sells the meat butchered by the Ag students at U of I who are training to be butchers. The meat is as fresh as you can get and is wonderfully cheap! Lots of good food. A little too much drink. And all is well.

Tacos

2010-07-09T12:21:00.006-05:00

Tonight I made fresh home-made tacos for my family in town. Nothing gets my boys running like home-made taco shells. Throw in a bowl: eggs, tobasco sauce, oil, salt, corn starch, corn meal and some milk and you will end up with a fabulous corn tortilla, nice and warm. Add with that some seasoned beef, lettuce, onion, cheese and salsa, and you have a fantastic taco. I think this might be Tyler's favorite meal I make.

Grilled Ahi Tuna and Asparagus

2010-07-08T22:19:00.000-05:00

Tonight we had the Ahi Tuna I picked up from Trader Joe's. It comes vaccum-packed and is already marinated for your convenience. We also had asparagus, as well. The veggie was already in a ziplock bag, so Tyler threw in some olive oil, salt and pepper and got it all nice and coated. Then he threw the tuna and asparagus on the grill and 10 minutes later, we had a great meal. This made me fall in love with TJ's that much more.

Chicken Caesar Salad

2010-07-07T20:24:00.004-05:00

Tonight we had a great salad. I have come to the decision that for our family of 2, a packaged salad is the way to go to cut down on waste. So after a long afternoon at the pool, I stopped by the store to pick up a salad, chicken breast strips, french baguette and some dessert.

At home, I took the salad package and put it right in the fridge. On the stove, I scrambled 2 eggs with a little milk and then mixed in the chicken breast. When heated through, I put the lettuce in a bowl, topped with chicken and scrambled eggs, added some romano caesar dressing, topped with parmesan flakes, crutons and salt and pepper.

I served this with a side of warmed french bread and butter and it was Delish! Nothing like a good salad in the Summer and so easy!

For Dessert, I picked up some angel food cake and fresh strawberries. I decored the strawberries, put a half cup of sugar on them and let them marinate for a few hours to get nice and juicy. Cut a couple of slices of the cake, put them on a dish and set up with a heaping of strawberries. Yum!

Spaghetti Carbonara

2010-07-05T21:37:00.002-05:00

This recipe turned out to be great. I made a few adjustments due to what was on hand. Instead of buying bacon, I used Pancetta, which is an Italian Bacon. I also substituted Asparagus for the Peas. Yum!

Trying Something New

2010-07-05T21:33:00.000-05:00

I am trying my hand at planning out meals instead of flying by the seat of our pants each night. My blog came to mind as a place to post what we were having and a place to post the recipes. We will see how it works out :)

Week 27: Replace Foyer Light

2009-10-18T17:49:00.001-05:00

Week 27: Replace Foyer Light

This was a good week. In accordance with our getting rid of the brass in the house, we went with replacing the foyer light. I think it is great looking and definitely goes right with the new living room fan. Same kind of style and very complimentary.

Week 26: New Garage Door Opener

2009-10-11T17:45:00.000-05:00

Week 26: New Garage Door Opener

This week our garage door opener met its fate. It stopped working when a cog snapped in half. Not pretty! So off to Sears we went to find a new Craftsman model. We found a nice opened with some new features such as a keyless entry for outside. Tyler did a great job putting it up and it works like a charm.

Week 25: New Doorbell

2009-10-04T17:41:00.000-05:00

Week 25: New Doorbell

This week we replaced the door bell ringer. We went with a brushed nickel so when we replace the door hardware, it will look nice together. Not a big job, but it does the trick.

Week 24: New Dishwasher

2009-09-27T12:56:00.005-05:00

Week 24: New Dishwasher

Wooohoooo!!!!! I have been waiting for this for a LOOOONG time! This week we got a new dishwasher. We picked it out on Labor day and it finally go to us this past week. I can't even describe to you how much I love this piece of equipment. It brings tears to me eyes. Our old dishwasher sounded like a Jet was being power-washed by 50 hoses at all time. This dishwasher is running and doing its thing and I can't hear it above Tyler playing Forza on X360. It is CRAZY! To actually be able to have a conversation or hear the TV in the Living Room was once unfathomable!

We went with the Kenmore Elite from Sears. It was rated #5 in the latest Consumer Reports. The sale we hit got us free delivery, free un-install, free install and free take away. Plus we got 20% for it being Energy Star and 5% for being on a Sears Card and no sales tax. I would say we did pretty good :)

Week 23: Replace Back Patio Lighting

2009-09-20T10:00:00.001-05:00

Week 23: Replace Back Patio Lighting

It has been the month of lighting lately. We have kind of put off the more expensive projects and now they are catching up with us. This week we replaced the god awful, ugly as sin lighting for the back patio. Our old lights were all tarnished and worn away brass that just looked awful. Now we have nice white, directional lights that can light up most of the yard and offer great options for when we are entertaining.

**Just tested them out at night....Awesome!! :) (Yes, I am a dork. Deal with it.)

Week 22: Security Lighting

2009-09-13T18:00:00.003-05:00

Week 22: Security LightingThis week Tyler set out to secure our home a bit more than it is. On the side of the house is a dark area that happens to have a door to the garage. It is most likely the most vulnerable place on our house. We went out to Home Depot and found a security motion-sensor light that comes on as soon as someone steps around the house. It's really nice because the lights can be pointed in different ways and we won't disturb our neighbors with any movement at our house.

My 100th Post!

2009-09-13T17:08:00.002-05:00

It has only taken 3 1/2 years..... but we have reached the 100th post. This blog has been an everchanging part of my life and I do enjoy it. It is nice to put things out there for others to see and get responses back. More than anything, it has been a source of motivation to get things done and I think we all need that sometimes.

Week 21: New Living Room fan

2009-09-07T16:25:00.000-05:00

Week 21: New Living Room fanThis is our new Living Room fan. We had a very modern, blah looking white fan with brass from the previous owners and it was so not fitting of our room. The fan above really warms up the room now. It brings everything together and we have a great Tuscan feel to the Great Area. Tyler installed the fan last night and we were enjoying it by nights end. He is so good :) I think the only real thing left for the Living Room is a valance now. Getting closer.....

Week 20: New Garbage Disposal

2009-08-30T19:30:00.000-05:00

Week 20: New Garbage Disposal

With a not so sad heart, we made our way to Home Depot this week for a new garbage disposal. This past week, I hit the switch on the old one and it started, stopped and then nothing. No noise. Not a good sign. Apparently the fuse was blown and it was just never the same afterwards. We made our way to the store and picked out a 2-grinder system that is seriously the quietest disposal you could imagine. I can't even tell when it is grinding food. Fantastic!

Week 19: Paint Trim Around Garage

2009-08-23T19:11:00.000-05:00

Week 19: Paint Trim Around Garage

This week we re-painted the trim around the garage to match the new shutter color. The paint was old and cracking, flaking and just in miserable shape. The new look is fantastic! Our house is looking so good :)

(I am just a bit partial :) )

Week 18: New House Numbers

2009-08-16T16:40:00.000-05:00

Week 18: New House Numbers

Our house numbers sign was awful. It was the same color as the shutters and the brass numbers were all tarnished and they were impossible to make out. I repainted the sign with the new red color and got some great nickel numbers from Home Depot to dress it up. Now everyone should be able to see what house this is and found ours with a little less difficulty.

Week 17: Trimming the Bushes

2009-08-09T16:29:00.000-05:00

Week 17: Trimming the Bushes

Tyler has always been proud of his yard and landscaping and this year has been no exception. Our yard looks fabulous! Nice and green. This week Tyler spent time in the great outdoors and trimmed up the bushes. The look great! We even have a group of "bonsai" bushes in the back yeard that were started by my parents and have been nursed well afterwards. Curb appeal is a good thing!

Week 16: New Towel Ring

2009-08-02T16:22:00.000-05:00

Week 16: New Towel Ring

It was time to finish off the guest bath with a new towel ring for the hand towels. We went with a beach/spa theme for the bathroom and finished off with stainless steel/brushed nickel and white accents. Feels good to have the bathroom complete.

Pics to come soon. (Been busy :) )

Week 15: Clean the Carpets

2009-07-26T18:03:00.000-05:00

Week 15: Clean the Carpets

This week I borrowed my in-law's Deep Clean Carpet Cleaner and got to business in the hallway. The hallway is where we get most of the traffic on the carpet and it can get pretty bad since we have a tendency to wear our shoes at any given time. I try to do this once a year and it always helps.

Week 14: Replace Outdoor Lighting

2009-07-19T18:22:00.001-05:00

Week 14: Replace Outdoor Lighting

This week we decided to replace the outdoor lighting on the house. I went from store to store to find just the right lights and settled on a set from Home Depot. We got the lights home and found that one lamp had been put on the shelf with missing parts and it was completely broken. So after a 2 hour trek to a different Home Depot, I found the right light and everything was grand. I love the results!

Old:

New:

Week 13: Replace Dryer

2009-07-12T09:34:00.002-05:00

Week 13: Replace Dryer

This week we replaced our old dryer with a *new* to us dryer. My in-laws were replacing their dryer and offered us their not so old dryer and we took them up on the offer. Now our laundry appliances some what match and we have a much bigger drum for better quality drying. Not a big thing, but big enough to make me smile :)

Week 12: Replace Closet Door Knobs

2009-07-05T18:25:00.000-05:00

Week 12: Replace Closet Door Knobs

I have mentioned before that our house is from the classic 90s motif: Brass. All contractor brass. I mean these guys had to get the mother of all bulk deals with all the brass we have in this house. Slowly we are replacing it with what we find more neutral and this week it was the closet door handles. Each handle was about $4. They are nice and beefy and look great. Yay for less brass!

Before:

After:

Week 11: Replace Register Covers

2009-06-28T18:17:00.001-05:00

Week 11: Replace Register Covers

This week's project was to get rid of the nasty register covers the family before us left behind. The one in the Dining Room was completely rusted out. They had a huge plant stand right above it and you could tell it just wasn't taken care of. We decided to stick with neutral covers in the main living area and then we did decorative covers in the Office and Guest Rooms. The plain covers were under $4 each and the decorative were under $11 each. Not too bad to get a good result :)

Old:
New:

Week 10: New Landscaping Lights

2009-06-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

Week 10: New Landscaping Lights

This week we decided to spruce up the outside of the house some more. While in Nashville visiting my parents, we went to Costco (love that store!!) and found great landscaping lights at a steal. Regularly $120, we got the set of 6 lights and 2 flood lights for only $59! The are brushed nickel, low voltage and do a great job illuminating our home. The work was crazy tiring, but we got it done in about half a day. Not too bad :)

Week 9: Clean the Chair Railing

2009-06-14T10:00:00.002-05:00

Week 9: Clean the Chair Railing

This week is a pretty easy challenge, but the results are well worth it. When you are at home a lot, things just seem to hide from you. Not long ago, I happened to be walking through my hallway and the chair railing stood out as if a spotlight were put right on it. It was horrible. I was so embarressed and no one was even around. Dust, fur and anything else bordering on microscopic had made a home all along the top edge of the railing. To the glancing eye, it looked like nothing. To me, I about died. I am a little anal about these things. This week I took my Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and went to work. I dampened the eraser and washed the railing and took a dry rag and dried it right after. The result was something that made me smile. Something so simple it gets forgotten about, and something that in 10 minutes it made the house look that much better. I absolutely love my magic erasers!

Week 8: Power Wash the House

2009-06-07T10:00:00.005-05:00

Week 8: Power Wash the House

Our house is coming up on 10 years old. There are many things we are finding that hit a 10 year expiration date. Let's just say that washing your house is not one of them. It has about a 2 year time period. I don't believe the exterior of the house had been scrubbed for 10 years. It is (was) that gross. Mold was growing on the North side. Watermarks and mildew were found a plenty and this week we took care of that. Tyler got a powerwasher for Christmas this year. They are in one word: fun. You never knew things were so dirty until you take a powerwasher to it. Siding, driveways, sidewalks, you name it and it will look 1000 times better after a good powerwash. I think this picture says it all. So glad we decided to do this challenge!

Week 7: Replace Faulty Outlet

2009-05-31T14:31:00.003-05:00

Week 7: Replace faulty outlet

When we first moved in, we knew something wasn't quite right with the wiring on the house. Everytime I plugged in my hair straightener or my blow-dryer and turned it on, the lights would shut off in the bathroom and walk-in closet and the device I was holding would still be doing its thing. For those of you new to GFCI outlets, this is exactly the opposite of what is supposed to happen. The device is supposed to shut off immediately and not effect the lights.

For all we know, the house was wired incorrectly. My Hubby, superman that he is, took it upon himself to buy new outlets from Wallyworld ($12.96) and got down to replacing the outlets himself. He is not an electrician, but he is a determined man, and we all know that can mean that the man can do anything. :) He did a great job. He found that the wiring was incorrect, made the fix, and now we have a safe bathroom. So if I ever am clumsy enough to toss the hair dryer in the running sink when I am using it, I will not be killed. Good news for all! And as much as I would like to say that this would never happen.... you should see the cut I got today from making powdered lemonade... yes, I am a clutz :)

Week 6: Repaint the Shutters

2009-05-31T10:49:00.003-05:00

Week 6: Repaint the Shutters

Shutters only have so long of a lifespan... like anything else. We figure these had been "red" for about 5-7 years. It was a burnt red, a rusty red and the color was fading fast. I had this bright idea that they needed refreshing. The color choice was long and tedious. Why Red, you ask? We knew it had to be red. Red is what gave our house attitude and it is what drew us in the first time we came around. I had Tyler hold samples up to the house and then my Mom came and I had her check it out as well. We settled on "Flag" from Valspar at Lowe's. It seemed like a nice muted color but it had just a tinge of brightness to make the house pop. Here is the outcome, old on the left, new on the right:

The new shutter color is very bright. It is more like a Rasberry color. We decided that it was just a bit too bright and went back to Lowe's. The guy looked at me like I was nuts. I told him I just wanted to darken the paint just a bit. He told me he woud ruin the paint trying, but if that is what I wanted, so be it. Well, we think it went ok. We will be putting the new color on soon and hope it will be just the perfect color for the shutters. They do look nice. Just a little too bright :) Hey, at least they aren't pink :)

Week 5: New Flower Bed

2009-05-19T16:57:00.006-05:00

Week 5: New Flower Bed

Not long ago, we made a new flower bed as we pulled a ton of bushes in the rain and made the neighbor's raise an eyebrow or two. Afterwards, I tried to plant several different types of flowers in my new flower bed and nothing really did well. The area flooded out all the time with the huge rains we have gotten and then got brutally dry with it facing the west and the harsh afternoon sun. I knew something had to give.

This past week we did our best to solve the problem by raising up the flower bed and it seems to have done the trick. I planted wave petunias in the bed and they are looking fantastic. The job wasn't too bad. We took out all the brick runners and raised them up higher, redid the landscaping sand and filled the bed with fresh topsoil and then topped it with red mulch. Voila!

Week 4: Install New Overhead Lighting

2009-05-12T17:42:00.002-05:00

Week 4: Install New Overhead Lighting

This past week we got further along in our de-brassification project. Our house was built in the late 90s and with it came contractor brass hardware... everywhere. This week we took down the white and gold lights in the closet and laundry room and replaced it with new lighting from Lowe's. Here is how it used to look:

And here is how both rooms look now:
Much better! I couldn't get a good view of how it truly looks, but lets just say it is much better in both rooms.

Until next time~

Week 3: Install Magnetic Door Stop

2009-05-03T10:00:00.004-05:00

Week 3: Install Magnetic Door Stop

Week 3 was supposed to be about installing new ceiling lighting to our laundry room and closet. We set out to do this only to find a broken dome in the package. I ran off to Lowe's to exchange the lighting and we pushed this project back to next week. While I was gone, Tyler installed our new magnetic door stop in the Master Bathroom.

I am pretty much a big time clutz. I bump into things, bruise and generally hurt myself a few times a week. One of my daily bumps was coming from the bathroom door in the mornings. We have a single sink in our BR and this means sharing the sink with my large shouldered hubby. I move myself over as far as I can to the side to let him do his thing but it never fails, that darn door gets me. To solve this, I found a magnetic door stop to keep the door from coming open when our robes get in the way. Here is the before:

As you can see, it was not a functional space. So we needed to make it better. I had seen these in a mail-order catalog and then happened upon them at Home Depot later on. I think I paid about $6.50 for it, saving at least $3 from what the catalog was charging. I think it turned out great and no more bumps have taken place.... yet :)

Here is the after:

and the zoom out:

Week 3 Goal: Attempt lighting again

Week 2: Prime the Ugly Room

2009-04-26T17:08:00.007-05:00

Week 2: Prime the Ugly Room

This week brings up one of the eye sores, no scratch that, THE eye sore of our home. We affectionately refer to it as The Ugly Room. Never have you seen a room with this much Ug to it. There is just so much wrong with this room. From the Minnesota Gophers striped colors to the horribly done crown moulding.... there just isn't a lot going on for our 3rd bedroom. The day we closed on the House, we ripped down the oak crown moulding. The angles were all wrong and it just butted up piece to piece instead of being mightered. In one word: UGLY.

This room to Tyler and I has always been the Nursery, and the Ugly Room is what we explained to Family. Friday the Ugly Room got dismantled. My Mom was up with my family for a wedding and she made it her mission to make the Ug go away. I think she did a good job. Take a look for yourself:

The color is not all the way gone, but the satisfaction of the fading colors is written all over our faces. Thank you, Mom! We think it is a great start to a new future for the Ugly Room :)

Week 2 Goal: Replace overhead lighting in Laundry Room and Master Bedroom Closet

Week 1: New Mailbox

2009-04-19T21:05:00.004-05:00

Week 1: New Mailbox

This week we decided that the leaning mailbox had to go. Week 1's project was wet n' wild, full of rain, holes filling in with water and mud, mud, mud, but we got it done and it looks great. I don't have a before picture, but lets just say that any improvement was going to be 100% better than what we had :) I will run down and take a pic when it stops raining.

Week 1 also brought us the annual planting of flowers. Each year I buy a little more and this year was no exception. I love having lots of color on the back patio and in the front. It just makes everything a little more cheery.

What did you do this weekend?

Week 2 Goal: Paint the Ugly Room (more on that later)

**Updated with Picture of finished mailbox.**

A Re-Introduction

2009-04-19T20:27:00.003-05:00

We live in a small town. It is a great community. We moved here to start a family and honestly, it just might not be in the cards for us. While we haven't given up hope, we have really started to enjoy making our house a home; our home. This blog started out with Scrapbooking and rambling with no real purpose.

Today, Tyler asked what if we did one Home Improvement project/thing a week. I thought it was a great idea and all but ran to my Mac. So today, we start our 52 week challenge.

We have already done so much to this house to get it up to snuff, but there is so much more to do. Check back in weekly to see the Week's work and the results!

Spring Cleaning

2009-03-15T20:43:00.002-05:00

It has been a busy, trying time in the Ru household. We have had a series of misfortunate happenings lately that have led to some serious work time. Let's run down the list from the last 2 weeks:

-Problem: Roof lost shingles
Fix: Tyler replace missing shingles Yay!

-Problem: Heater started to make noises
Fix: Had serviceman come out and Heater would not make said noise.... Result: $35 down the drain

-Problem: Fridge leaking water
Fix: Took everything out of Fridge and Freezer and dethawed frozen piping

So the good thing is that we have been able to fix or forget everything that has happened with little cost... but it has not been fun. It also brought on an onslaught of Spring Cleaning which is getting our House into great shape.

Hope Spring is finding you as well. Lots of motorcycle rides and the first peep of Tulips has given me the Spring Fever in a major way. Lots of love!

Spring Fever

2009-03-01T21:35:00.002-06:00

As it turns cold again, I am so wishing and dreaming of Spring. For the first time ever, we are taking a proper Spring Break and I couldn't be more thrilled. I had surgery this past week that has had me off my feet for the past 5 days and I am getting through it by dreaming of sticking my toes in the sand.

Everything seems to be going well. School is truckin on.... ISATs are next week and then we will be primed and ready for Spring Break. Hope this finds you well!

Yay for February!

2009-02-15T12:29:00.002-06:00

It has been quite an exciting week in the Ru Household :)

In town, our Radio station was having a "Words of Love" contest. You can win a HUGE spa package if you can identify the 5 songs in the 5-second clip montage (1 sec of each song). Well Monday night I was messing around on the Internets and I remembered the contest. I knew I was sure of 3 songs and I went on their site and figured out the other 2 clips. I wrote it all down and was ready to call in.

Tuesday morning came and sure enough, I was the first caller. Here were the songs:

Song 1 - Bon Jovi, "You Give LOVE A Bad Name"
Song 2 - The Cure, "Friday I'm In LOVE"
Song 3 - The Cardigans, "LOVEfool"
Song 4 - Soft Cell, "Tainted LOVE"
Song 5 - Leona Lewis, "Bleeding LOVE"

I had a slip up when I said Song 1 was "Shot Through the Heart" but they let me fix it and I was the big winner for the day. SO exciting. I didn't realize everything I had won, but knew it was BIG! Here is the prize package:

Valentine's Spa Day Package from Rod Sickler Salon & Spa that includes:

* A Myoxy Caviar Facial
* Eye Treatment
* Lip Treatment
* A 90-minute Radiant Rock and Swedish Massage combination
* A Spa Manicure & Pedicure
* Make-up Application & Lesson with LaBella Donna Cosmetics
* And a shampoo, blow-dry & style

I figured it out and it is close to $700 worth of spa treatments! I am so excited!!!

My Happy Place :)

2009-01-29T19:27:00.000-06:00

A New Year

2009-01-01T17:37:00.002-06:00

2008 is gone and I have to say that I am so happy to kick it to the curb. I have blogged more this year than ever and though it might not seem like it from this blog, I have been actively writing. My writing has been mostly about a condition I have been fighting for more than 22 months now... Infertility.

This year I have undergone dozens of procedures, hundreds of shots and pills, 2 surgeries and countless failures. We are still not expecting. We have shared this with our closest family and friends and as we bring in the new year, I felt the need to write about it here.

To say this year has sucked would be a huge understatement., but as hard as this journey has been, I have found who my closest friends and family are. They are wonderful and supportive and everything I have needed. Thank you.

This year we lost my maternal Grandpa. He had been sick for awhile now, but his death hit us all hard. This was in the middle of my last IVF cycle, which made things very hard to get through, but we did it. We made it through all of these setbacks together and stronger together.

Today in the first day of 2009, Tyler and I find ourselves married for 4 1/2 years and together for 13. We are closer than ever and finding ourselves turning to each other often through the hard times. We are looking forward to celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary with a sunny 2 week vacation and celebrating the good in our life. Though 2008 has brought us much sadness, I am happy for all that I have.

2009 is a new year and I have such hope for it and what will find us this year. I hope this finds you well and I wish you a Happy New year.

It's a Kindle!!!

2008-11-20T18:06:00.006-06:00

Yesterday I turned 27 and my hubby was just the best. He got me what I had been lusting over for awhile now and I just love it! I was so happy when I opened the package. It is all set up and has been put into good use. He also got me a killer CK red pea coat. Love that boy!!

Proud for my kiddos

2008-11-07T21:54:00.002-06:00

This week has meant a lot to my students. I teach in a district that is about 60% african american and they were so excited for this election. Before Obama, they didn't even know what an election really meant, but now they know and they are so proud.

I am so happy that Obama won the election. I see this as being such a great step forward for our nation. My kiddos now have a man to look up to. Something to aspire to. I am so very happy for them. Too many times my students don't see their potential and I see Obama as their potential.

Thank you President-Elect. Please keep being the role model you are. My students are relying on you to lead the way.

Election Day...Get Out and Vote

2008-11-04T09:23:00.001-06:00

Homecoming

2008-10-10T09:22:00.000-05:00

This weekend is Homecoming for U of I and my FIL and Hubby will be going. I hear Minnesota plays dirty, so it should be interesting. With this event brings visitors. My 2 little monsters, I mean nieces will be up and going with us to the pumpkin patch. I love this place and we always have a great time. The colors are changing; the temperature is falling and things are moving along.

Not much happening...

2008-10-06T18:59:00.000-05:00

Don't have too much to say. Fall is here. Colors of fall are popping up all over. The house is decorated to my delight and I am relaxed. Life is ok.

Somebody has a new toy

2008-09-18T22:16:00.000-05:00

Taaadaaaa! Tyler is the proud owner of a new Yamaha V Star motorcycle and he is way psyched! And so am I.... I get to accessorize of course :)

He made the leap this summer when he took his training course and got his license. We have been looking into this for awhile and he took the plunge today. Yay Ty!

This week has been pretty busy. We had a rain out Monday, so we went to 7 Saints for dinner with friends and then we had the men's game Tuesday to keep us busy.

Yesterday we went to the U of I for a lecture series on the Hubble Space Telescope. It was amazing to see such wonderful pictures. It is very nice to have such a wonderful resource for all of our geeky endeavors. So a late night was had, but it was so good to be out and about and with each other.

After Hours tutoring started this week, so I am up to my eyeballs in it. My Mom and Court are on there way here as I type for a court date (Miss Courtney) with the traffic court for lil miss speedy. Quiet weekend is on the books for this coming weekend. Ready for a nice rest.....

The Hurricane is Here!

2008-09-14T14:13:00.000-05:00

Sure, you might not hear this everyday in Illinois, but Ike has made its way in and is sticking around for the day. We have had a ton of rain today and the temp has finally fallen to lovely chilly temps. I have started to deocrate for fall and am just loving it!

This weekend has been entertaining to say the least. Friday we had Josh and Audra over for tacos and we watched "There will Be Blood." I got what the movie wanted us to get, but it just wasn't great. Daniel Day Lewis was fabulous, but it just didn't do it for us. Saturday we woke up to no rain. This was a relief as we have season tickets to Illini Football and there was supposed to be an 80% chance of rain. We went to the game and saw the Illini just barely sneak away with a win. The neat part was we sat in the New side of the stadium with the sky boxes and it looks great. The entertaining part was two vinyl pannels from the stadium's roof flew off at us and blew water onto the fans. It was a bit disconcerning and showed the stadium still needs some work.

After the game we went to the local motorcycle shop. We are going to be the proud new owner's of a new motorcycle. Tyler got his license yesterday morning and is amped about his new bike. I have to work on calling it a motorcycle as to not confuse Tyler (I just got a new bicycle a few weeks ago) so we have been quite busy. The new hog should be picked out sometime this week I would imagine and in his hands sometime soon. My one requirement was for it to have a backrest so I didn't fly off the back end. He agreed :)

Last night we chilled with Josh and Audra and had Cajun Bayou Chicken Pasta which featured habanero peppers. Apparently Josh forgot to wash his hands after cutting the hot hot pepper and when we used the restroom a certain part of his anatomy became quite agitated. It caused quite the laughs. :) Sorry, Josh! We dressed Lily the Yorkie up in zebra-print ribbons and pink scarf and just had a nice, relaxing night.

This week we have my Mom and Sister coming up for a traffic court date and they are going to stay a night or two, which will be nice. Looking forward to cooler weather, great softball and relaxation.

The Dairy Queen is coming!!!

2008-09-07T20:56:00.000-05:00

I had an absolute ball this weekend with my little nieces. They are an absolute riot. I was met with running hugs and yelling monsters when I reached my in-laws this weekend. My little goddaughter was keeping everyone busy with her rapid fire wit and complete hilarity.

A favorite quote from the weekend: From the mouth of a 4 year old.... "The Dairy Queen is coming when I lose my tooth!"

I asked her who she had to pay off to arrange for that? She said "What!?" I get presents!" :)

I asked her if she meant the tooth fairy, and she agreed, "Yah, the Dairy Queen!" Gotta love her!

Mmmmmm.... Beer and Corn :)

2008-08-23T16:41:00.001-05:00

Last night we met up with Josh, Virgil and Kristy at the Urbana Sweet Corn Festival. Where else can you get fresh sweet corn, beer and all the usual festival fixings in one place? It was great! We always have a wonderful time, but this year was twice as fun as we met up with people and had a great time chatting and goofing around.

School has started and things are getting to be in full swing. Monday will be my first day with all my kiddos and I can't wait to get to know them better. My little 6th graders are such weirdos, but I just love them to bits. It can't get much better than what I have it. I have been working on getting technology into the classroom more and it seems to be doing a great job. The kids love playing with all of the cool stuff I get to bring into the classroom.

On the homefront, my surgery went well, but the result was not what we wanted. I am being vague here because of the extreme personalness of the topic, but know that I am healthy and doing ok, just dealing with the hardest thing I have ever been through and wouldn't wish on anyone. Hope this reaches everyone well. Have a wonderful weekend!

-L

It's Go Time

2008-08-09T10:58:00.000-05:00

Olympic Medal winners at NBC Olympics.com!

Got the Packet

2008-07-19T17:51:00.000-05:00

Today I got the prerequisite district packet for the 2008-2009 school year. Still in 6th grade.. still in the Science department :) Love it! It made me start thinking about the upcoming school year, and I am excited. I will most likely have a student teacher and many observers. Penny deals are happening at the office stores. I am now tenure. Get a nice raise. Tyler got a humungo raise not two weeks ago. Everything is looking up.

After commenting on another blog today, I could only think about what a klutz I am in the month or so before school. Sometimes it is something major, sometimes it is just pure holy cowness. It always seems that there is something big that happens in the first days and weeks of school to keep me on my feet.

My first year of teaching, I awoke on my birthday to find a cyst of some sort. I had to have surgery to deal with it and it turned out to be ok. I just have a nice battle scar.

My second year of teaching, I was working in my room the week before school and I was standing on a chair putting up border on a bulletin board. The next thing I know, I am on the floor in great pain. I had a huge indentation on my left side with bad bruising right away. I had landed on an overhead cart that was to my right..... yes, I had done a 180 in the air and landed on the cart on the opposite side. I have no idea who it happened, but a bruised kidney was the result.

My third year was the summer of the knee. I found out that I have significant wear and tear of the kneecap and need knee replacements. They won't do this for another 20 or so years, but I am living it up until then.

My fourth year was uneventful. In fact, I was waiting for something to happen at any moment and it didn't.

So I am hoping I am on the up trend this year. Some of you know what I am going through personally and I am hoping for a huge success to keep with this trend.

Hope you are all doing well. Have a wonderful rest of the weekend. I am off to cook up some buffalo burgers and homemade french fries for the fam.

A long Month...

2008-06-29T09:22:00.000-05:00

No Updates for June? Well it has been a busy month. Summer School, our 4th Anniversary, Courtney and Ben moving up for the Summer, Co-Rec Softball... lots of good stuff.

Summer School was a hit. We went for 3 weeks and I had a blast with all of the ankle biters. I am normally with all the hormonal 6th graders during the year, so having every age group in the summer is ultra refreshing.

This year for our field trip, we went to the Children's Museum in Indy. It was a 3 1/2 hour bus trip, but the kids had a blast. There was lots to do and no lack of experiments to be conducted. So overall, a very good trip, minus the psycho bus driver we had, but when don't we have those? :)

This year for our Anniversary, we kept it low key. We went out to Jim Gould's, which is a fantastic place to eat and had a wonderful meal. Then we were off to our softball game. Our anny fell on the same day as our weekly game, so we changed and headed out to the field. the 4th Anniversary is flowers/fruit/silk and linen. I got Tyler a flowering tree for our front yard and he got me flowers and new pajamas with some Jelly Belly's on the side :) Nothing too fancy, but traditional.

I wanted to blog in particular about this past week. Tyler and I have witnessed 3 separate instances of just plain ignorance this week.

#1. At Monday's Mens League game, we were waiting for the guys to play when they heard a commotion and called us girls to attention. A girl was being jumped by 4 others in the parking lot. Car took off, police came, lots of senseless drama.

#2. Tyler and I went on a picnic Wednesday and we go to the pond at the Japanese Gardens. We were done eating, so we were heading back to the car when we saw a girl snap a cell phone in half, a guy running after her and then said girl get into a car and proceed to rev up the engine and almost take out guy trying to block her path. Police show up, end drama.

#3. Old man in electric whellchair dares to move old lady's cart at supermarket only to be told that lady won't move her damn cart if he is going to act like that. You better watch yourself. - I about died.

Other than that, not too much is going down. Last night I was the only sober one in my home with 4 grown adults drunk and playing Rock Band with a freaked out dog, a pissed off cat and fireworks blaring out my windows. Picture this now :)

Today I am dealing with some effects of meds I am on and waiting for surgery coming up this month. Nothing life threatening, just changing. Hope you had a good 4th!

School's Out for Summer :)

2008-05-31T08:57:00.001-05:00

Let the Games Begin. School Bus Races Commence. Game on! Yesterday was the last day of school for my district. Report Cards went out, hugs were given, tears were streaming. This year was especially hard. When I began teaching, there were 7 new teachers coming in with me to our building. One in particular stuck out and we became quick friends.

Over the years, she has become my closest friend and I love her dearly. This year was her last with me. She has decided to find a position closer to home so that she can start a family and be both a wonderful teacher and a wonderful mother and I am so happy for her. But... I will miss her like crazy. We were always paired together by our students as the funniest or the best... and then there was one. Don't get me wrong, I wish the best for her, but I had every intention of duct-taping her to her chair so she couldn't leave yesterday. Didn't happen, but we are all good.

In other news, Ty took off the afternoon to be with me yesterday and it was so nice just having him around when I was hurting. He has been a rock lately for me. I am so lucky to have him. This weekend my older baby sister moves into town with her boy toy. I think we are in over our heads with her :) Don't worry, Mom, I will take good care of her. Not much else is going on. I am going to go in to work to do some consultant work Tuesday and then we start Summer School the 9th. Yay for extra money.

I really do love teaching all the different grades in Summer School. It is something completely different from my regular job and I adore the little ankle biters :)

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

2008-05-25T16:07:00.000-05:00

Hope you are having a nice weekend. We are down home with the in-laws and having a nice time. School is wrapping up nicely and we had a nice visit at the Planetarium that went well. No major blunders. We watched a film on Space Shuttle Launches. Neat stuff.

This weekend we went to see Indiana Jones and I thought it was great. I have seen all of the previous movies, but never more than once or twice, so this one was pretty good for me. I loved the story and all the cinematography. Call me a Geek... it fits.

Not too much else is going on. Feeling tired and worn out. Ready for a break before we head into Summer School. One month of Summer School and then a month of potentially life-changing events. Things are looking up in my little world. Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed that all turns out well.

Lots of love!

6 1/2 more student days :)

2008-05-17T14:26:00.000-05:00

Smile! The School year is coming to a close. Summer School is on its way and July will be here before I know it.... and then it is BREAK TIME! This week we are heading to the Planetarium for our field trip. I am so excited. Yay for end of the school year!!!

Relaxation

2008-05-07T18:56:00.000-05:00

Monday Tyler and I took a day for ourselves. We went to the Cards/Cubs series over the weekend, got back late Sunday and made Monday our own. It was so nice. We both took personal days and just enjoyed the day. It was in the mid 70s. Ty mowed and installed his new, beloved garage lights. I went on a shopping bonanza at the local nurseries and planted my lil heart out. I ended up filling over a dozen pots with flowers of all kinds. They make me so happy :)

Spring is Here

2008-04-22T20:04:00.000-05:00

To start off, I wanted to share sme photos of our volcano build last month. The kids had a blast and it was the perfect chaos to have right before Spring Break. We have now moved on to Astronomy and I look forward to some awesome planet model projects towards the middle of May. This is the best time to be a jr. high teacher :)

And finally, we have our first baby eggs of the Spring. These are over at the point where two walls of our fence meet. I took these pictures Sunday and today I found only 2 eggs. It looks like something got into them overnight. We also have our white tulips in full bloom and the red tulips coming up more each day. This is our first year with tulips, so it is neat to see there cycle. I just love Spring. This weekend is our first St. Louis Cardinals game. Should be a good one.

Happy Earth Day!

They Call Me TaterSalad!

2008-04-13T10:54:00.000-05:00

This weekend we were lucky enough to see Ron White, from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, on stage. In one word, he was absolutely HILARIOUS! Now granted, you have to have his sense of humor and just run with it, and apparently I am right there with him. If you ever have a chance to see him, it is a very good show.

I have been reading quite a bit lately. When I get stresses, this is the one of two things that takes it away almost instantly. I won't mention the other. So I thought I would take the monsterous load of books I have read and review them for your pleasure :)

I guess most of the books I have read lately are by Sophie Kinsella, who's real name is Madeline Wickham. Each penname has many books written under it and most are worth checking out.

Remember me? by Sophie Kinsella

This book is by far Sophie's best work. An absolutely hilarious story of a fun chick losing her memory and realizing things aren't always how they seem. Very funny!

The Tennis Party by Madeline Wickham

Unfortunately, I was not able to read more than the first chapter in this book. It just didn't grab me at all.

Big Boned by Meg Cabot.

This is in a series of books about Heather Wells, a retired Princess of Pop. I highly recommend any of the books in this series. They are a very good, quick read.

This is literally just a tiny sample of what I have read lately. I read books so quickly and just move on. I am definitely a series fan, because I like to know more of the story. Now I am on to Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich.

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Somebody just got older

2008-04-06T11:20:00.000-05:00

This week my hubby turned 28! So to celebrate, I made him chocolate- peanut butter cupcakes with peanut butter icing. I think they are the best yet :) This week has been a very full week. I started the Astronomy unit at school with my kiddos and even played catch to practice for our co-ed rec league.

Today we have practice with our whole team. It will be interesting to see how a bunch of girls who haven't played in about 14 years will do, but I am ready for the season to start. This week we are heading down home to see Ron White on stage. His show should be an entertaining one. For those of you who don't know him, he is one of the guys from the Blue Collar Comedy Show with Jeff Foxworthy and the like. This guy is nuts, but I love his humor.

Hope you have a good start of the week!

A nice Spring Day

2008-03-29T18:47:00.000-05:00

Today we went to Prairie Gardens, a local garden shop and found all kinds of goodies. The house has really been turning into something to be proud of. My first bulb has flowered outside and my tulips are coming up like crazy. I am so excited. I actually have some kind of green thumb. Today we got some greenery for the house and a tree to go by the fireplace. The ficus is a very nice shape and adds a lot of life to the room. Thanks for looking!

Picture Wall in the Hallway to the Bedrooms

New greenery around the fireplace and mantle

Refinished console table with new decorations

Remnants of Me

Frosty the Cheeseball

The presents are wrapped...

Jazzing up Candles

*Test, Test* Is this thing on?

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

February Decor .... just a bit late :)

Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole

Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce on the Food Network

These boots are made for walking...

1 spice cake mix + 1 can of pumpkin = devine!

Lasagna...mmm!

Spiced Squash with Brown Butter Glaze Recipe - Every Day with Rachael Ray

Curry Chicken Fingers

Bertolli Chicken Florentine & Farfalle

Mahi Burgers

Black Dog Smoke & Ale House

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

Spinach Ricotta Ravioli

Chinese Chicken Wings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Yikes!

Crabby Joe's Deck and Grill Review

South Beach Grill Review

Taking the Work out of Pasta Sauce

Been Gone

Tortilla Crusted Tilapia with Chipotle-Lime

Spicy Italian Pork Cutlets

Spicy Italian Pork Cutlets - 4 servings

Ingredients

Directions

Nutritional Information

Cheesecake Factory Review

Raspberry Chipotle Chicken

Kamakura Dining Review

Pierogies

Chinese Pepper Steak

Ingredients

Directions

Kabobs

Strawberry Chicken Spinach Salad

Ingredients

Directions

*I also added oven roasted chicken, red onion and a fresh pear to the salad for a little kick.

Pork Burgers on the Grill

Grilled Salmon

California Pizza Kitchen - BBQ Chicken

Gourmet Pizza

Crab Cakes

Grilled Sandwiches and Mac and Cheese

To Die for Burgers

Grilled Sausages

Tacos

Grilled Ahi Tuna and Asparagus

Chicken Caesar Salad

Spaghetti Carbonara

Trying Something New

Week 27: Replace Foyer Light

Week 26: New Garage Door Opener

Week 25: New Doorbell

Week 24: New Dishwasher

Week 23: Replace Back Patio Lighting

Week 22: Security Lighting

My 100th Post!

Week 21: New Living Room fan

Week 20: New Garbage Disposal

Week 19: Paint Trim Around Garage

Week 18: New House Numbers

Week 17: Trimming the Bushes

Week 16: New Towel Ring

Week 15: Clean the Carpets

Week 14: Replace Outdoor Lighting

Week 13: Replace Dryer

Week 12: Replace Closet Door Knobs

Week 11: Replace Register Covers

Week 10: New Landscaping Lights

Test, Test Is this thing on?