Yup, Still Here

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Can someone stop the merry-go-round?

I'd like to get off.

The past few weeks (dare I say "month") have been non-stop.

Go, go, go go.

I miss writing and blogging, but I've been so freaking tired, that I just haven't felt like doing it. I'm actually writing this as I cook dinner, so let's hope I'm on my multi-tasking game and don't blow this place sky high.

Speaking of which, apparently my multi-tasking game wasn't on par on Sunday night. Sunday night is laundry night around here. Imagine my dismay when I went down to the basement tonight and happened to notice clothes in the washing machine. Smelly damp clothes. ::sigh:: Yes, they've been there since Sunday night. Space shot. Interplanet Janet.

The craziness all started a few days before we visited my parents in Florida, which you can read about HERE. Two nights prior to our scheduled departure, John was awake in the middle of the night saying he had some pain in his lower abdomen. Immediately I flashed back to the kidney stone he had a few years ago. (He was in so much pain then I thought maybe he was giving birth to an alien baby.) So, I say, "Well, let me know if you need me to take you anywhere." (i.e., the hospital.)

Shortly thereafter, I hear, "I hate to say this, but..."

Oke doke, throw the clothes on and we're off to the E.R.

He had another kidney stone. Luckily the pain wasn't quite as bad this time, or actually the pain was different. He more than likely passed it either at the hospital or shortly thereafter. (Is that TMI?)

So, that happens. We go to Florida. We had to get up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday (like 4:30 a.m.) to get to the airpor to come home. Now, granted, we were in our house by 11:00am at the latest, but our sleep was totally thrown off and all we wanted to do was sleep all day.

That week was OK/fairly normal, although I was scrambling to make arrangements to go to Birmingham, AL for work the following week.

I did that on a Monday and that day was prettty much wasted in flight. (No direct flights from Boston to Bham.) Did have a lovely dinner that night with some colleagues. Was go go go the next two days (with a little diversion trip to Hobby Lobby, my new fave store.)

Got back from Bham very early Thursday a.m. and headed to work. Had a half day Friday so I could help the lovely Miss Grace prepare for her big honor. She was named Citizen of the Year by the program that she attends! Here are some highlights (unfortunately, some are blurry):

I think I did a little too much handshaking and hugging on Friday night because I got a nasty cold.  I got my haircut Saturday night (hopefully I didn't get my hairdresser sick!) and pretty much was out of commission for the rest of the weekend. (Translation: This place looks like a dump.) I did do some laundry on Sunday night (although only apparently half-way.)

I called in sick on Monday. Bleh.

Went back to work on Tuesday to a bazillion emails and just general busyness.

Silver lining? Last night after driving Grace to a social program, I decided to have some "me" time. A Burlington Coat Factory just opened up nearby, so I decided to peruse the merchandise.

I left with this sweater:

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It might not look like much, but with a black knit mockneck underneath, it's pretty snazzy. Out of my clothing comfort zone, too.

 

The best part? A bunch of people at work complimented me on it. Let's face it...we all want to hear that a clothing choice we made that was "out on a limb" was a good one.

 

So yes, I'm tooting my own horn. And I need to...so maybe the merry-go-round will stop.

Upsizing

When my Mom recently told someone that she and my Dad were moving to Florida, the person said, "Oh, you're downsizing?"

My Mom hesitated for a second and said, "No, actually we're upsizing."

My retired parents have moved to Florida and are living in the largest house of their married lives.

John and I went down to visit them last week and helped them to get things in order, do a little visiting, and celebrate my Mom's birthday.

Here are some photos of the "upsized" pad:

Raymander Alexander says, "Come in, but show yourself around. Don't expect me to get up on your account."

Formal living room/front room:

Formal dining room:

Family room/Great room:

Other corner of Family room/Great room (with a peek at the backyard):

Master bedroom:

Master bathroom with lovely tub:

Breakfast bar/Kitchen:

Dining nook:

Guest bedroom:

Office/Man cave:

Raymander Alexander says, "Thanks for coming. Show yourself out."

Happy birthday MOM!

Jalapeño, Sausage, Jack & Egg Breakfast Braid

"Breakfast braid."

Odd phrase, isn't it?

Immediately makes me think of hair (braid) and who really wants hair in their breakfast?

Regardless, this is another Cooking Light recipe that I wanted to try. I wanted to have for a late breakfast, but our weekends are filled with activities for Grace, so we ended up having for lunch today.

Very good -- I'd give it an A-!

Jalapeno, Sausage, Jack & Egg Breakfast Braid

Ingredients:

1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

4 ounces chicken sausage with jalapeño peppers, chopped (a package of four is 12 oz, so I ended up using two sausages)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped seeded jalapeño peppers

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

 

Preparation:

 

1.  Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 15 x 10–inch rectangle.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sausage; cook 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in eggs; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until set. Remove from heat.
4. Sprinkle Monterey Jack lengthwise down center of dough, leaving about a 2 1/2-inch border on each side. Spoon egg mixture evenly over cheese. Sprinkle cheddar over egg mixture; top with jalapeño peppers.
5. Make 2-inch-long diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both sides of dough to within 1/2 inch of filling using a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Arrange strips over filling, alternating strips diagonally over filling. Press ends under to seal. Brush with egg white. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.

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This last step was a bit confusing to figure out. Basically, you cut the dough that is not covered with sausage, egg, cheese in diagonals and then you literally braid it/overlap it.

 

Eh voila!

 

 

FYI: It's a bit spicy and you can cut down on the jalapenos (as they're already in the sausage.)

Crafty McCrafterson-in-Training

I've never enjoyed nor been good at crafts/DIY projects.

Period.

Any type of DIY project that I've attempted since I've been an adult has turned into disaster/ends up looking like a preschooler's project -- at best. Therefore, I just haven't done many crafts projects.

However, with the advent of Pinterest, I must say that my interest in craft projects has been rekindled. I even have a "Crafty/DIY" board. (Of course, I've pinned a million things and will probably never get to half of them.)

Anywho, I was thinking about fall decor recently, Googled it, and found this:

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Someting about the off-white color throughout attacted me to it. (I've never been fond of orange, and since orange is such a big part of fall decor, that may be why I've avoided traditional pumpkin stuff.)

I followed the directions on the website, with a few exceptions. Here's the shopping list:

• an unfinished candestick holder (got mine at Michaels.) The official instructions say to get a candlestick base. I couldn't find one at either Michaels or AC Moore, so I skipped it (and there doesn't seem to be a top-heavy problem.)
• can of spray paint in off-white/cream color. I ended up getting....
• 25 oz hurricane vase (got mine at AC Moore).
• pinecones (if I'd had any in my yard, I would've used those.) I bought a bag of them at Michaels, but could only find cinnamon scented ones. Heavy duty!
• small fake pumpkins (bought a bag of mixed pumpkins, gourds, squash at Michaels)
• fall stems (fake flowers) (I got mine at Michaels)
• Gorilla Glue

First, spray paint the candlestick holder and the pumpkins (I put two in my final product). I put Scotch Tape around the stems of the pumpkins so they'd stay the brownish color they were.

And yes, I'm a little heavy-handed with the spray paint.

My candlestick holder was lined with a small tin insert, which created a small lip on top. I wanted the vase to stay flat on top of it, so I had my loving husband remove the tin insert.

Once that was done, I removed the sticker from the bottom of the vase, cleaned it, and then wiped the bottom with a damp paper towel. I put the Gorilla Glue on the top of the candlestick holder, pressed together, and then put a book on top to seal the deal.

Yes, that's Julia Child's latest biography and yes, I realize that I have two different wall plates inches from each other -- one being completely hideous. Don't hate.

After an hour or so, all was dry and stuck together. I added two or three pinecones and two pumpkins to the vase and then the fall stems. (I cut/bent them to make them "work.)

Here's the finished product.

Not bad, eh? Actually doesn't look like a preschooler's work. I'm pretty happy with it, although now that I look at the picture, the stems are probably too long. I'll work on cutting those tomorrow -- when I make my second one! (One for each side of the mantel.)

So, the moral of the story is this -- it's never too late to start crafting. At age 40 I can barely sew a button on and if I had a glue gun, I'd probably glue my fingers together, but baby steps, people, baby steps!

50 States? 50 Blogs!: Colorado

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I think I could do that!

 

 

Great name, isn't it? Very "glass half full." Ever heard of BlogHer? That's how I came across this one.  BlogHer is basically a gigantic network for women bloggers. I think it does lots of other stuff (hosts an annual conference), but I haven't delved into that as of yet. Anywho, I searched in the BlogHer directory for Colorado and came up with a few that I found interesting, but none as cool, yummy, and funny as this one. "Cool" you say? Yes, the owner's name is Katira (or is it really?) and I must say that's a name I've never heard and it's a pretty cool one. "Yummy" you say? Yes, per the sub-title, this blog contains the "ramblings of a self-proclaimed baker." Lots of cakes, people. Diabetics may want to back away from the blog. "Funny" you say? Yes, the "ramblings" are pretty darn hilarious. Example: Katira is pretty serious about a boy named Harry Potter. Let's just say that if show up at Ollivander's and ask why it "is," you might get the stink-eye from Katira. (DISCLAIMER: I've never met Katira and don't want to purport that she's known to give the stink-eye. This is simply my own assumption based on her writings.)

Things that caught my eye about this blog:

• Katira is not some super-human baker. You know what I mean? Sometimes you read people's blogs and think, "Do they EVER make something that isn't just slightly "picture perfect?" This is not to say that Katira's creations aren't "picture perfect," but she freely admits when part of her creation may have gone wrong. (And living in a high-altitude location is no picnic when baking!)
• This isn't a "one-track mind" blog. (Did you notice I'm using a lot of quotes? What's up with that?) It's not ALL about baking. She shares her travels and on a more serious note, a post about the canyon fires that engulfed her hometown of Colorado Springs.
• How about "caught my stomach?" In addition to some gorgeous cakes, Katira makes a mean chicken salad, which I can't wait to try!

 

Things on this blog that I'd like for my blog:

• The FAQ portion of the blog. Answer the questions that you get asked the most and post them on the blog!
• Even though I have a "labels" section on the right, I like the font/spacing that I think I could do that! has. It doesn't seem as crowded as mine.
• I'd like more pictures of gorgeous cakes that I've baked. I wonder if Katira could teach me? (Let me check the FAQ section...)

 

Check this blog out if you want to drool over some gorgeous baked goods or to have a good laugh!



9th Anniversary Celebration

On September 13th, it was John's & my ninth wedding anniversary! Traditional gifts for the ninth anniversary are pottery or copper. Hmmm...these didn't figure into our celebration at all, but regardless, our celebration was completely wonderful.

We have been talking about going canoeing for years. Literally. I think for a Mother's Day a few years ago, John printed out information from a local canoe rental shop and put it in my card, saying we'd go. Well, life has just been busy (whose isn't?), but we finally decided to take the plunge (figuratively and NOT literally...thankfully) yesterday.

There's a canoe rental joint right on the Ipswich River in nearby Ipswich, MA. (The place John printed out the information for.) We figured this was as good a place as any to go for it. It's called Foote Brothers. Here's a blurry pic of the sign.

We signed in and got our life jackets. The owner says, "You don't have to wear them, they just have to be in the canoe." I say, "Yeah, I think I better wear mine." He says, "Why? Did your husband just take out a new life insurance policy on you?" Obviously the guy was NOT familiar with my lack of balance/clumsiness.

The canoe was put in the water, we stepped in (gingerly), and we were off! I sat in the front and (surprisingly), got the motion of the paddling down rather quickly. (Did I mention I've never canoed?)

Here was our view in the very beginning of the trip. It was so peaceful. Even though the road runs parallel to the river and we could hear cars, it was so amazingly serene. (We also didn't see anyone else until later in our trip.)

Here's another picture a little further along.

After going for about 45 minutes (yes, my arms were killing me by then), we found a little clearing and decided to pull over, park, and have a little picnic. We had to parallel park the canoe. Hilarious. I can barely parallel park a car!

Here's a view of our "ride" looking down from our little picnic spot.

We had an amazing little feast with liliputian-size bottles of wine, bread, cheese, crackers, and fruit. It was perfect.

Here's John gazing out onto the Ipswich River, taking in its splendor. (NOTE: He started the canoe ride with a hat on. About mid-way to our pit stop, it flew off. We had to "back the boat up" and grab it.)

Here's me with my fakey smile.

Shortly after, we were on our way further down the river. We kept seeing these amazing lilypads with gorgeous flowers. The sun was causing some weird reflections, but we did our best to get some photos.

We went as far as our arms would allow and turned around. I must say that there were A LOT of underground trees, which caused some bumps along the way. That actually was the fun part...seeing a potential obstacle and figuring out which way to go.

All in all, it was amazing. Peaceful. Nature in all its glory. We'd definitely do it again!

Afterwards, we came and took some Ibuprofen for the sore arms and a nap!

We then headed to the Blue Mermaid Island Grill in Portsmouth, NH. We've been there before for a few Valentine's Days and it's a great restaurant!

We started out with some drinks (of course!) Sangria Roja for John and a Caribbean Cosmo for moi:

 

 

(One just has to be careful not to swallow the mermaid!)

 

We had Saddle Bags for an appetizer (a chicken wonton). Tasted exactly like fried chicken.

 

John ordered the Parmesan Panko Fried Chicken:

 

 

 

Delish! (It had him at "andouille cream sauce.)

 

I got the scallops with blueberry bourbon glaze. Now, let me tell you, I wasn't so sure about this. I knew I wanted scallops and they recommended this pairing, so I went for it. It.was.amazing.

 

 

 

 

And to end the evening?

 

White chocolate banana bread pudding. Need I say more?

 

 

 

 

We had an amazing full day of each other's company with amazing scenery, good food, and drink added in.

 

Here's to many more! Cheers.

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month: TEAL TAKE OVER

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Each cancer awareness initiative has its own "signature" color (breast cancer being pink) with ovarian cancer's being teal. My friend Crystal at My Ramblings lost someone very near & dear to her at a young age -- her grandmother. While no one in my immediate family nor myself have been affected by ovarian cancer, I can relate to losing my own grandmother at a young age (from breast cancer, another hideous disease.)

I join Crystal in raising ovarian cancer awareness by participating in the TEAL TAKE OVER: Blog Link Up.

Here are some facts about ovarian cancer:

This is a disease that is silent... the symptoms are common with other diseases and disorders, so less than 20% of women are diagnosed in the early stages. Early detection is key.

 

By the Numbers...

• 5th leading cause of cancer deaths in American Women
• 22,000 American Women will be diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 2012.
• 15,500 Women in American will die from Ovarian Cancer in 2012.
• A woman's lifetime risk of developing invasive Ovarian Cancer is 1 in 71.

Symptoms...

• Pain in the pelvic or abdominal area (the area below your stomach and in between your hip bones).
• Back pain.
• Being tired all the time.
• Bloating, which is when the area below your stomach swells or feels full.
• A change in your bathroom habits, such as having to pass urine very badly or very often.
• An upset stomach or heartburn.
• Discharge from your vagina that is not normal for you.
• Pain with intercourse.
• Constipation
• Menstrual Irregularities.
• About 10 to 15 percent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer have a hereditary tendency to develop the disease.

Increased Risk

• Older women (Middle Age or older)
• Personal or Family history of Ovarian, Breast or Colorectal Cancer
• Having never been pregnant or given birth
• Eastern European Jewish background
• Have endometriosis

Other Points of Interest...

• Early detection is key.
• Women need to learn their own bodies, to know if the symptoms are abnormal.
• There is no test for early detection. Pap tests do not detect Ovarian Cancer
• The symptoms are often misdiagnosed. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing symptoms and ask for a transvaginal ultrasound or a CA-125 blood test, especially if you are at an increased risk.

 

PLEASE pass this information along to all of the women that you love!

Sources of Information...
Ovarian Cancer: What All Women Need to Know from the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.

Ovarian Cancer: Inside Knowledge from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.