Food. And Lots of It!!!!

I could probably sum up this past weekend in one word: Food. Lots of food. Here is the culinary recap.....
Thursday: Dinner at the folks. My mom's 5th cousin and spouse were in town for Conference from Norway. Delightful accents, lovely people. Treated our Scandinavian guests to Hawaiian haystacks and they were very well recieved! Coincidentally, that's also what I had for school lunch that day......

Friday Night: Saw Ramona and Beezus (LOVED that movie) and had dinner at Cafe Rio with a pork barbacoa tostada. I love pork barbacoa, the sweetness and softness of it :)

Saturday morning: Conference breakfast at a friends- she made Ableskivers, a danish puff pancake type treat. Reminded me of a cream puff-delicious!!! There was also loads of fruit, sausage and bacon. Can't remember the last time I ate sausage......

Saturday afternoon: Went out with some friends for a birthday to Kneaders- a place that is tasty for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Enjoyed my turkey and avocado salad. Actually, I like avocado in any form...... I picked out the purple onions though......

Saturday evening: Had dinner with girlfriends and my mom joined us as well! We ate at Rumbi Island Grill- devoured my carribean chicken salad, a new meal selection for me.....

Saturday night: Ice cream with my Mom at Leatherby's. Had cherry chip ice cream. Haven't had ice cream with cherries in it in a long time. It was a happy reunion :)

Sunday afternoon: Dinner at my folks and we invited my sister and family, too. Was unsuccessful in trying to convince my niece that I was not too old to go to preschool with her.
Used up excess chicken and sauce from Hawiian haystacks to make chicken enchiladas.

Made SO many good memories assoicated with food and the people I shared it with :)

And I was spiritually fed as well from watching Conference. Especially touched by President Packer's "being not ashamed of the gospel of Christ" and Elder Scott's admonition to "develop character."

Tale of the Too-Big Pants

A few weeks ago, I bought a pair of pants that were too big and that I initially had no intention of buying. Which begs the obvious question- WHY???? I'll explain.

A few weeks ago, I had planned to go to the movies with my niece, Annie, to see Despicable Me. Loved it. Anyway, on the bus on my way out to meet her, it started raining. Hard and Fast. I had my umbrella, but the rain and wind were so intense that it did little good. I hadn't been to Jordan Commons in a long time and had little idea where the movie theatre was but I could see a Walmart! So I ran as fast as I could there and called my sister (Annie's Mom) to please meet me there instead of at the movies because there was no way I was going to make there in this weather. Well, OK, I probably COULD have, but I had no motivation to do so!!!!

They were running late and the thought running through my head was that I did not want to spend 2+ hours in a movie theatre in soaked jeans. Ew. So, dripping, (and I'm sure drawing looks from fellow walmart customers) I set off to buy new pants. I figured I didn't have time to try on anything so I just grabbed the first pair of athletic/exercise pants on a "small" hanger. When my ride pulled up to Walmart, my brother in law said, "You could have bought new pants while you were waiting." To which I replied, "I already did!"

Made it to the movie theatre, changed pants, (AAAHHHHHH, RELIEF) noticed the new pants were a bit big but hey, they were dry. The next morning, I discovered why. They were large,not small.. Oops.

All in all a fun and memorable day. Annie is fun, creative, loving and I love her.

Oh, and it turns out that you really CAN'T get sick from wearing wet clothes from prolonged periods of time. Apparently the times when I vividly remember getting a cold the next day after being in wet clothes were just a coincidence, according to my mom. Well, actually I first heard it from another sister but I didnt' believe her so I asked my Mom. I was hoping to be right.

Did You Know........

I wanted to create a record, for mine and posterity's sake, of things that are unique to me. So......

Did You Know that......???????



-When I was in Kindergarten I sang in front of the whole school in the talent show? I sang, "I Enjoy Being a Girl" from the show "Flower Drum Song." Well, I sang a few stanza's anyway!

-I have a pink teddy bear named "Mailbox" I named him when I was seven.

-I don't like to sleep with my back towards the door, I feel safer knowing what's facing me.....

-Aside from sneakers, I don't like to wear, carry anything with a brand name on it-I even cut off/out labels. I just have this thing where I don't like people knowing where I shop!

-Until I was 12, I did not eat spaghetti with the sauce. Now I prefer it with sauce, but I will still eat plain, cold pasta anyday!

-My first paid job, outside of babysitting, was working at Fuddruckers in Great Falls, MT where I was living with my sister and her family for the summer.



-I prefer cookies with "stuff" inside them. Sorry, but snickerdoodles, not for me!!!! I do make really good peanut butter cookies, just not for myself.....

-when I was little I begged Mom and Dad for a real, white bunny. They gave me a very nice stuffed one, though! White with a pink nose. I named him pinky.

-After Pinky, I had a 2ft+stuffed elephant. My nephew named him "Frankie."

-I don't like washing dishes by hand. Not at all. I'll do it when I need to though......

-I will not eat: radishes, beets, grapefruit. Anything else is fair game!

-I love shopping but only on sales-I usually go to the clearance racks first!

-I used to be a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant, but stopped doing it about 4 years ago

-When I was getting my BS- I had a job of cleaning the dorms. I loved that job because it was so low stress and I made some really good friends.


And more to come........

A Weekend In the Life......

Highlights from this weekend:
FRIDAY:
-Got my hair cut and highlighted. I used to be against highlights (I was proud of the fact that my hair did not have anything done to it). But now I am hooked on highlights!!!! I love how my light my hair feels after I get it cut, I love the smell of the mint flavored shampoo and how it feels to have my head massaged. I even love visiting with my stylist. I would recommend her to anyone!!!!!



-Went to a movie with a dear friend, got 3-D glasses for only the 2nd time ever and it totally feels like the objects are close enough to touch. Went to get yogurt at the BEST fro yo place, Yogurt Stop. It's very entertaining to get yogurt with me, I've been told because my "make your own yogurt" has no rhyme or reason to it. I will try up to 5 diff flavors, and pile on as many toppings as I can, whether or not they go together!



-Peeled, sliced, dried bananas in my food dehydrator. Bananas are my favorite dried food so far but grape tomatoes and pineapple are a very close second........



-Watched dvd episodes of CSI-NY 3rd season. Big fan of that show. Seriously.



-Spent a 1/2 hr plus looking for my cell phone before finding it in place sight on the windowsill. Seriously?! Though in my defense I have never left it there before....



SATURDAY

-Had traditional montly breakfast with my cousin. There is something SO good about meeting with a friend who knows everything about you so there's no need to backtrack or explain. And yet they know everything about you and still love you. We ate Blue Plate Diner, a first for both and the food did not disappoint! After we went to Nordstrom Rack, only my 2nd time there. Loved it! I commented to my cousin, "if there were a shoe and clothes heaven, I think it might look a lot like Nordstrom Rack!"



-Saw 2/3 of one of my favorite movies, "The Last Holiday" with Queen Latifah. The message of the movie is great, live each day to the fullest, make your possibilities realitieds, etc.

-Took a nap on my couch. Ahhhhh........



-Ate one of my all time favorite recipes- Vegetable Lasagna. Sooooo good!!!!



-Found out with about 15 min notice that my sister was singing in a free concert that night with Salt Lake Choral Artists. Threw on some clothes, brushed my hair, etc so I could go with her. Since I was going early, I brought a bag of cheerios- my sister did the same. Funny! Glad I could go support her, loved the concert but in truth, I would do just about anything to get to spend time with her. She's fantastic and one of the best listeners I know. Read a good book while I was waiting for the concert to start- more about my latest reads to come..... Ate mini candy bars on the way home-she had a bag full leftover from that mornings choir rehearsal.



SUNDAY

-Dinner with family!!!! I'm embarking on a new tradition- having my siblings and their families over to my apt for dinner. Most of the time when I see them it's because i'm baby-sitting or the entire family is together. So I thought this would be a fun way to connect with them. Today was the first and I look forward to more!!! Plus- i made a really good dinner. I can say that, right???

Salsa chicken in the crockpot (I love the crockpot smell plus salsa chicken is as easy as it gets), my sister brought rolls, cantelope (sp?) (that got kinda frozen in the fridge so I ran it under hot water) Chocolate pudding (who needs a mixer) and my favorite, a salad with spinach, shrimp, strawberries, cucumber and avocado. Mmmmmmmm....
After dinner we watched home movies on dvd and got lots of laughs. My brother in law downloaded songs he'd recently recorded for me and I'm glad to have them.

Awesome. Weekend. Loved. It. And if you made it/read it- this far. Thank you :) It was kinda long I know.....

A Friendly Reminder

Just a friendly remimder-

Just wanted to remind you about my other blog- braininjurystory.blogspot.com

I haven't updated in awhile but I have now! This blog is designed as inspirational and a guide to life and those who live with or know someone who live with a disabilty. So without the message getting "out there" it's less effective.

Not that this is all about me- just a hope that this a powerful tool to help those in those kind of situations......

Your support is appreciated!

American Reflections

I am GLAD and GRATEFUL to be an American!!!! The years I have spent overseas were fun, rewarding, challenging, amazing, etc. but all those emotions do not equal the joy of returning to American soil and knowing I can call it HOME.

I am grateful for the opportunities that I have here as a woman. I am grateful that I can choose my clothes, grateful that I can choose and apply for jobs. I'm grateful that I can be single and still a fully functioning member of society. I'm especially grateful that I can pursue an education!!!!

My favorite partriotic moment: during the 2002 Olympics in SLC, I had the chance to attend a concert with guest artists and choirs. The concert was held in the Tabernacle, already a place rich in heritage and spirit. I heard the Olympic Hymn started to play and children lined the aisles in international costumes and flags. Then the climax of the Hymn began and two children began to march down the main aisle. One was holding the Olympic flag, the other the American Flag. It may seem like a small moment to some, but for me, it was an unforgettable (and speechless) moment.

I also have great respect for families who have legally entered the United States, those who have left all that they hold familiar and dear to take a leap and make a better life for their families. I encounter many such families in my line of work.
I gained this respect from learning a lesson during my year in Taiwan. I came to Taiwan, financially being able to afford to do, coming from a good home, well-educated. But because I couldn't speak/write/read a word of Mandarin, I may as well been a middle school dropout, living on the streets. I learned that I was in no place to judge those who have come here to make a better life. For all I know, they were highly educated and affluent in their home countries. It was a powerful lesson and I hope I never forget it....... (not trying to stir up political opionions here, just remembering acceptance of others......)

And They Say Being Prepared is a Good Thing......

I have operated for many years under the premise that being prepared is a good thing. Well, the other I found an exception to this idea........

I had a girlfriend over for dinner for dinner of fajitas and fruit salad. I checked ingredients before I left for work that morning, what I didn't have I picked up on my way home from work so that once I did get home...... I could just get started cooking. Cut the chicken, pepper (courtesty of my parents garden-thanks Mom!) onion (without crying-thank you very much) saute, add seasoning and water, stir, simmer.

So while that was going I put out plates, silverware, etc. Washed blueberries, washed and sliced grapes, sliced bananas. Mmmmmmm.......

Usually at this time, just before dinner, I'm running around, sweaty, trying to do 3 things at once, etc. But this time, aside from grating cheese, I was actually ready! On time.

Which explains why when I did remember about the fajitas, (I was so prepared that I'd forgotten about them) they were burned. I'm talking scrape the bottom of the pan, black stuff on the bottom of the food, onions gone from clear to blackened, etc. Out came the knives and we scraped the black of the bottom as best we could. Then we ate.

Ahhhhh...... life. At least the grated cheese, tortillas and esp the fruit salad were unscathed!