Thwarted Plans

This weekend, I was supposed to go with some friends to New Braunfels to stay at an amazing house, spend all day today at Schlitterbahn, all evening in a jacuzzi, and eat homemade ice cream and other delicious foods! However, plans on my end fell through and continue to. I'm not complaining though - no, not at all!

Today, I woke up and had breakfast with my dad. We both talked about how we were SO excited that my mom and brother Tim were coming home from their mission trip to Puebla, Mexico. It was a nice time. Then, I raced to Memorial Park, where my friends changed up the games a bit and instead of playing sand volleyball to old school sand lot style baseball. The fields we were hoping to use were locked up, so we made do with an open field. IT WAS FUN! Trust me - it was fun! Whew, I was drenched though! I took off wet clothes as if I had been in a pool, only it wasn't chlorine water...it was my SWEAT! Gross, yes! Oh but it felt great afterwords.

Most of us went to have lunch afterwards, where we talked about structural engineering (which seriously I don't know the first thing about, but Praise the Lord there are those who DO!), and books we've read/are reading. I got a call from my dad that my mom was home!! So, we finished up and I went home and gave my mom the biggest hug ever! I'VE MISSED HER SOOO incredibly much!

My family hadn't eaten so they were on their way out as I was coming in. I ran to my room changed my clothes redid my pony tail and hopped in the car with them! I had dessert while everyone ate their lunch!! Conversation was fantastic! (And I was still gross! ha ha!, but I wouldn't have missed this lunch with my family for all the world!)

We finally came home, and after getting cleaned up I took a nap! WOW - I need to do this more often! Sleep is good.

And of course, the Saturday dinner that I thought was planned for SATURDAY, was changed to Sunday lunch...and frankly no one is to blame and again I'm not complaining. Because if I were I'd be saying that I didn't enjoy my evening, WHICH I SO DID! My brother, Aser, has been telling me about this movie that he knew would be an instant favorite. So I took him up on it. My brother and I went to the movies and watched my new "You've Got Mail." Seriously, I love it THAT much.

His pick for me was Julie & Julia! GO SEE IT! It's perfect. It's directed by Nora Ephron also directed you've got mail. It's no wonder I love it so much...but seriously, it's perfect.

Someone not too long ago mentioned how all movies show couples when they finally decide to commit to each other and the end they live happily ever after. However, this movie is proof that there are movies of relationships AFTER they've made the commitment of being each others better half. That's the sub story though. The STORY is of Julie and Julia finding themselves in cooking! And it's truely worth your time and money.

And seriously, if you like food, love, and accomplishments then WATCH THIS MOVIE!

I've also got a new favorite song. I've been singing it nonstop since I heard it on Pandora...Enjoy.


And now I'm off to bed.
Good night!

GUESS WHAT TOMORROW IS?

You got it!

It's Pi Day!

Go ahead! Celebrate! Eat a pie!

And Then...

Update on Mexico:
The trip was sad, yet enjoyable. I spent a lot of time with my family - cried some, laughed more than I cried, and ate more than either of those. :o/ (oops...I should have sat on my hands.)

It wasn't the same going to the market, knowing the purpose of the trip wasn't tourism. I went and bought maybe 3 items. I did go to walmart to pick up disposible cameras and other things the family needed...the lines are more ridic than they are here. One thing that I love about Mexico, other than having the BEST tacos on the planet, is that you can buy 2 kilos of strawberries for less than 2 dollars. I mean SURSLY.

I learned a lot about Mexican tradition. One of the things I learned is that on your birthday they will play "Las Mañanitas" on repeat right before the day break until you leave to go to work (I suppose this depends on the family). I'm not sure that I like it. Especially being the neighbor. :o)

This is the first time EVER (which I've been there endless times) that I could imagine myself living there. I wonder if that means something...

5k:
My training prior to Mexico was on the up and up - had momentum going like nobody's business. However, I ate more than I should have in Mexico and therefore GAINED pounds I had lost and it made it difficult to get back into the swing of things. And add to that a wretched cold. I can't wait to get back into it.

Valentine's Day Wedding Project:
Some of Tim's friends are getting married tomorrow and I volunteered myself to do a center piece for the guest sign in table (is there a name for that?). I started it early, but procrastinated. Ergo, I freaked out last week and it's come together faster than I imagined and also prettier...I think so anyway. I call it a quotation tree. I'll have to get a picture to show you. It has LOVE quotations hanging from the branches. My favorite one is:

Do you love be because I'm beautiful or am I beautiful because you love me?
-Cinderella

Okay, So I guess I've promised a picture...I'll have that for you next week.

Thanksgiving!

So here are some of my favorite recipe's!
(of course they are sweets. I leave all the "serious grown up" stuff to others! I'll pick that up when I HAVE to...and I don't HAVE to yet!)

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM!
½ gallon of Blue Bell’s homemade VANILLA icecream
1 30 oz can of pumpkin pie mix
1 big box of ginger snaps
1 stick of butter
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
Whip Cream
25 9oz plastic tumblers

So what you do is let the ice cream soften. In a big bowl mix the icecream and the pumpkin mix. Once you think it's perfectly mixed, pour into serving cups about 1/2 full and then freeze for atleast 4 hours (Or overnight).

While it freezes you can, crumble the ginger snaps. The next morning, melt the butter and brown sugar. Then mix in the ginger snaps. Pour that over already frozen ice cream. And freeze again for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Then you’re ready to serve once you’ve topped it with Whip cream.

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Jello Salad
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 pkg. (4 -serving size each) or 1pkg (8- serving size) Jello Rasberry Flavor
1 can (16 oz.) Whole berry cranberry sauce
1 medium apple (I like to use granny smith's for this one), chopped
2/3 cup chopped walnuts

Drain pineapple, reserving liquid in 1-qt. liquid measuring cup. Remove 1 Tbsp. of the crushed pineapple; set aside for garnish. Add enough cold water to reserved liquid to measure 3 cups; pour into large saucepan. Bring to boil; remove from heat. Add gelatin; stir at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add cranberry sauce; stir. (Gelatin mixture should be thick). Pour into large bowl. Refrigerate 1 1/2 hours or until slightly thickened (consistency of unbeaten egg whites).

Stir in remaining pineapple, apples and walnuts; stir gently. Pour into medium serving bowl.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Top with reserved crushed pineapple just before serving. Store leftover gelatin in refrigerator. Makes 14 servings, 1/2 cup each.

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Yum! Seriously - these are really great recipies. If you don't believe me you should try it yourself. And when you write back to say, "You were right" - I'll respond, "I TOLD YOU SO!"

You know what they say: You are what you eat!
That makes us a bunch of TURKEYS!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week!

P.S. I have to tell you about Prison! I loved it! It takes time to put it into words...I'll have it up by Saturday night...That's plenty of time.

Top Ten Ways of Keeping Warm...

...when your heater is broken & it's cold outside.

10. Bake cookies and "monitor" them.
9. Play chase outside with your puppy, come back inside and realize your house IS warmer. (instant gratification never lasts!)
8. Make & drink hot Hot HOT CHOCOLATE! Don't forget the mellows!
7. Layers! Lots and LOTS of layers. Shirts, pj's, sweats, blankets. You name it, layer it!
6. Light the fireplace & sit close by.
5. Do fixer upper stuff. For example: paint a room, sand a desk, hang up some frames.
4. Balance your checkbook! (ha ha ha ha ha! funny!)
3. Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & tomato basil soup!
2. Drink a glass (or two) of wine.
1. Thank GOD for my HAIR DRYER! Warm up the spot & sleep tight!

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A quick story.

Today is Monday, January 14 and the neighbors down the street have their Christmas lights still up. I wouldn't really think anything of it, except that it's really CREEPY! They have a window display of a life size moving Santa, surrounded by small elves, under a RED spot light!
Seriously. It's creepy! I call it the Christmas House of Horrors!

Traditions

Confession: After Thanksgiving, I was freaking out about our family not following through with tradition. With everyone growing up and going different ways, I felt as though we let that win. A Thanksgiving tradition for our family is to sing the song "Por estos favores," eat like crazy, go around and share one thing that we're thankful for, and play hard. We had every intention of doing it all, but scheduling was not on our side. All we did was sing the song and eat like crazy. I left feeling incomplete.

Then I started thinking, what are our Christmas traditions? Thinking of our "OK" Thanksgiving, I kind of started "freaking out" (for lack of better terms) because I couldn't think of any and how in the world would we keep the traditions alive if we don't even know what they are?

WELL - NOT TO WORRY.

I have figured out that traditions aren't necessarily intentional. You don't sit there and MAKE THEM (I mean, you can, but I find that I get too intense if I do that). THEY just happen. And I was trying to hard to make something so meaningful when it was there all along. I let it GO! :o)

Our traditions:

1. Christmas play at my parents church! There are always super funny stories to go along once it's all said and done.
2. TAMALES! My grandmother and some of her daughters (including my mom) get together and make the best tamales in the entire world! I'm afraid of this one because I've tried helping and I haven't been successful yet.
3. Christmas Light Tours! My family does this EVERY year. And since my grampa's been gone, I make it a point to bring my gramma. We go around to different neighborhoods and check out their decked out houses. Last night I took my fam to the Heights. My dad treated us to dinner at Tim's favorite place - Chicago's.
4. Christmas Talent show!When we're together on the 24th we all take turns showing off our talent. It all gets recorded!! AH! :)
5. Dressing Up! We make it a point to look super fly on Christmas Eve and go crazy with picture taking.

Whatever floats your ice cream!

Last night, I went over to my grandmother's house to drop of some things she let me borrow. She was apologetic about not having dinner for me and to make up for it offered some vanilla ice cream. So I get my scoop of ice cream and a cookie for some flavor. She gets a mug and scoops some ice cream and then....Well, she pulls out the sangria! She made a SANGRIA float!
Wow. I should have tasted it. I've had a rule that you don't knock it till you've tried it but I didn't follow it last night. I can always go back and request it!