Eats

You really can't have too many strawberry pancakes.

Party Cups

Stripes and dots. And ice cream. Add some sprinkles and you're good to go!
I love these Meri Meri ice cream cups from Sur la Table!

Image from Sur la Table.

Cute little pineberries.

Have you heard of pineberries? I like my strawberries to taste like strawberries so the idea weirds me out a little. I'm intrigued...
But they sure are cute!

Spotted on Happiness Is....
Image via Geekologie.

My Kind of Organizer

Just found this fantastic little grocery/household list over at inchmark, featured on Design Mom.
I customized mine so that the largest space is for Trader Joe's, our grocer of choice, followed by Vons, Target, and Costco.

I purposely gave Target a small space. And unless I'm buying a 15lb box of cat litter, I always take a small basket when I shop there as opposed to a rolling cart so I'm not tempted to buy something that is not on The List. (Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. I've found my two arms can carry a lot of stuff.)
Head on over to inchmark or Design Mom to download and print your own!

Image via Design Mom.

Weekend Recap: In which I bake (twice!) and iron something.

Remember that recent incident with Costco and the Kitchenaid? Apparently, the hubs did some research and found that, even without the mail-in rebate, the price was a pretty good one. So he went back and bought me the mixer!! We're calling it an early Valentine's present and the color only makes it more appropriate - it's red! To match our kitchen.
I. Love. It.

To break it in, I decided to start with something quick-and-easy and you just can't argue with a double batch of Ghirardelli Triple-Chocolate Brownies. I know that some people wouldn't really consider this "baking" since it involves a mix but jumping into 'sourdough bread from scratch' with the machine right out of the box seemed a bit over the top.

Don't worry - I'm not about to turn into one of those bloggers who cooks and bakes all the time and then documents it for the world one step at a time. Just thinking about taking a picture of each and every ingredient as you add it to the mixing bowl wears me out. Not to mention the editing and the uploading... I have a lot of respect for those bloggers (and enjoy their recipes!) but I just don't have it in me. 
I'm also far too impatient for a blog post like that. Just ask my mom - I want to jump in, get it done, and enjoy the end result as soon as possible. And lick a beater dripping with brownie batter somewhere in the middle.
All that to say, the brownies are fantastic and I had enough faith in my new mixer to whip up some more banana bread to get me through the week. I'm sending the hubs to work with a plate-full so we don't eat them all. Having them for dinner was bad enough.

Oh, and I went to Disneyland with my mom. Again. I know, I'm spoiled.
Mickey on Small World (one of his favorite rides, I think):

I'm seriously considering creating a topiary like this one in my front yard:

No matter how many times I see them, I'm always excited when the bells chime and these little guys prance around the circle to mark the time:

Then I came home and did productive things. Like, "four loads of laundry and weeding in between rainstorms" kind of productive. And I was forced to iron the sleeves of a shirt because the makers didn't think it was important to sew the cuffs down. They flip inside-out every time. I loathe the iron. But Earnest wasn't about to help - he was too busy getting grey furballs all over the clean laundry.

And that's the weekend!
On to February!!



Images by me. Please don't use without asking first. Thanks!

Oh, yeah! Christmas!

It was almost perfect. Quiet, relaxing, full of food and family and cheer.

The cat slept under the tree for days, avoiding the dog and enjoying the sunshine.

We have the best stockings, handmade by my mom. They are my favorite part of Christmas morning.

We traumatized the dog by putting things on his head. This one was the hubs:

This one was all me:

My amazing brother sent was super sneaky and sent this to my mom to give to me. A piggybank from Spain! I should save up for a trip somewhere...

My beautiful younger sister. 

Our festive dinner table! My mom adopted a fun tradition from my great-grandmother called a Present Pie. The centerpiece is full of little gifts with long ribbons looped around. Everyone pulls a string, not knowing what present it's attached to! You can cover it with a Christmas cloth to make a pie if you want but we left ours open - it was too cheerful to cover up.

I officially joined the Purple Coat Club as my dad bought me the coat I wanted (I sent him a link the day after Thanksgiving, as the shop was having a 50% off sale and free shipping! Easy shopping for me and the sister... he got things for both of us!). My mom, sister, and I all have purple coats.

Mom made her traditional Christmas bread, ham, vegetables, and two kinds of potatoes followed by molten lava cakes and loads of cookies. We stuffed ourselves full; played Apples to Apples; read our new books and watched our new movies. We missed my sister in Africa and my brother under the sea - hopefully we'll all be together next Christmas.
Until then, have a wonderful rest of your week and a Happy New Year!

Christmas Cookies: The Year of the Beady Eyes

Wow, this is my 600th post!! What in the world have I been blogging about all this time? Since I love the holidays, it's appropriate today to be blogging about Christmas and cookies.

It's a tradition in my mom's household to make and decorate sugar cookies at pretty much every holiday. My mom has the best recipe. I've eaten a lot of sugar cookies but every sugar cookie I've eaten pales in comparison to hers. The recipe was handed down from her grandmother - and we all know that great-grandmothers have the best recipes.

This Christmas was no exception to the cookie decorating tradition. Several batches were already made and the frosting and sprinkles were laid out on the table when we arrived yesterday morning.

About decorating... My sister makes the most beautiful cookies. Ever. Hands down. To a certain extent, it takes the pressure off the rest of us because we know ours are going to look plain and ordinary in comparison. The hubs, on the other hand, usually decorates in themes. This year was the year of the 'red, beady eyes."

Case in point: The Polar Bear.

We all thought he was making feet for his polar bear but he was quick to point out that the brown stuff is dirt. Um, nice honey. (When I showed him this picture later, his comment was, "That looks like a kid did it." Ha!)

He got quite creative with his snowman but the 'red, beady eyes' he chose actually made the snowman more fun and less creepy than he was hoping.

Then he ventured into the world of multiple frosting colors with this little guy:

In case you were wondering, that's a clown fish. He doesn't have red, beady eyes for some reason but we barely managed to keep him from making a strong of fish poop come out the back (yes, I married an eight-year old). In the same vein as FiFi from last year, the cookie cutter shape wasn't originally a fish-shape - it was something else... and I'll give bonus points to the first person who can figure out what this one was. It's not too hard to guess if you just rotate the fish a bit in one direction...

The hubs would have decorated more cookies (I think this year he did five, which was a great improvement over the three he did last year!) but adding 'red, beady eyes' to a moon or a lighthouse just isn't as exciting as a polar bear. Though he certainly would have tried if we'd let him!

Just to give you an idea what he was up against - these are a few of my sister's cookies. Aren't they fantastic? Works of art, I tell you. It is hard to compete against Mrs. Claus.

I didn't even bother to take pictures of my cookies because they're so plain and boring compared to all the others but you can see a few of them in the bottom left corner of the picture above. As I typed this, my grandfather arrived for the day and my mom put a plate of beautiful cookies on the coffee table as a snark. And we're being called to open presents!!
I hope your holiday is filled with joy! Enjoy your festivities, whatever they may be. I'm off to see what is under the tree...


Pictures by me. Please don't use them without asking first. Because they're just that awesome.

Forced Laziness

I have a 'To Do' list a mile long and was in the middle of getting things done when a certain grey cat decided he wanted to use my lap as a bed. In an effort to practice patience, I let him... and now I'm stuck at the hubs' desk. My feet are freezing but my lap is warm and I just can't bear to disturb this cuteness. What better opportunity to clear out my Google Reader!

Here's a cute little list of some of my favorite recent blog posts from around the web:

Make your own Tiny Birch Bark Canoe

Gorgeous Holiday Gift Wrap Goodies

Win a pretty print from Pamplemousse

Sanitize your toothbrush for just $30

Lovely blog posts to help you get inspired for the holidays

Spotlight: little ellie - win a pouch!

Do-It-Yourself Doily Garland

I seriously love Amy Atlas. Holiday Perfection

A cute little dusty mantel

Great gift idea: Christmas Bundt Cakes

Take-Along-Treat #5 from Leo on the Loose: Peppermint Bark. Yummmm!

I'd love to host a Winter Ice Skating Party!

Music to Create To: A Holiday Sampler

A must-read, great message

More gorgeous printable freebies from a favorite blog

*Drool*


Happy reading!

Pumpkin Parties and Treats

After one of the craziest weeks in recent times and few days of vacation, I'm back! We've been up to our ears in pumpkins around here and I'm honestly ready to trade them in for some acorns and turkeys to finish out the Fall season. 

Friends and family came from far and wide last weekend to celebrate Autumn with pumpkins and treats. Here are a few highlights from the day:  

A friend brought Pumpkin Pie Bars. They were gooey and yummy and perfect!

Mini Pumpkin Breads:

Apple Cider, sparkling and still:

The hubs helped make these cute little cream cheese truffles - I made the inside and he dipped them in chocolate. The chocolate kept falling off while we were dipping them but I think we figured out how to perfect these for next time. They inside has to chill for quite a while so planning ahead is always a good idea...

The hubs also made Bacon-Wrapped Cream Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeno Things. They were a hit! Easy to make and even easier to eat...

I couldn't resist this chocolate dipped caramel apple. It was as delicious as it was beautiful (before I sliced it and all the white chocolate fell off...). If you see one of these at your local Costco, buy it. You won't be sorry.

The Spread! Yes, those are Pumpkin Pie Bites on the corner - if you haven't made these before, you should. Or just come to the Pumpkin Party next year.

Pumpkin Carving! 

Sometimes it's helpful to have a hair tie...

My sister made Jack Skellington.

Our friend Helen is one of Sammi's favorite people. He was so excited to see her because she always plays with him! Even when she's in the middle of pumpkin carving, she'll pause for a game of tug-of-war.

Pumpkins!

The Hubs carved this one. It has something to do with a computer game. I think. He was really excited about it and posted a picture on an online forum almost immediately.

Aren't they all so cheerful and fun?

Our friends from LA brought their darling dog, Bailey. He had so much fun with Sammi that they both just pooped out after their dinners. They also made the awesome double-decker pumpkin man.

I can't wait until next year! The Pumpkin Party will be even bigger and better, I'm sure. 

Can you believe it's almost November? Only a few more weeks until Thanksgiving - enjoy the crisp Autumn weather!

All photos in this post were taken by me. Please don't use them anywhere else unless you ask me first. Thanks!

Intro: The BAT

My sister and I just created a new (to us) sandwich while chatting online.
She confessed to eating a vegetarian sandwich complete with asparagus spears for lunch.
I had just commented on the bacon I'd eaten at breakfast.
Thus, the BAT was born.
Bacon
+
Asparagus
+
Tomato
=
BAT.

She wanted to call it a TAB but that's already taken for a soft drink.
Oooh, it's like a BLT but sub the lettuce for asparagus!

Serve your BAT with some sort of aioli
(that does not look like it's spelled correctly but I googled and it is)
on lightly toasted bread of choice.

Would you try it?

Don't Know No-Bakes?

Those of you who don't know No-Bake Cookies are missing out. And so I will share the quick and easy, no-bake, chocolate oatmeal cookie recipe right here, right now.
I'd share the cookies, too, but I'm a little selfish even though I made a second batch today. Second batch within a week. Ok, I admit. Second batch within three days... I pretty much eat them for breakfast, snacks, and dessert. Yes, they're that addicting.

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

In a large pan, combine:
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp salt

Bring to a boil and let boil together for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in:
3 cups oatmeal (I prefer generic-brand quick oats)
1 1/2 tsps vanilla

Stir together until oatmeal is well coated. Let sit for a few minutes to thicken.
Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper to cool.
Store in layers separated by wax paper in the fridge.
Enjoy!!

Yes, they look like little brown blobs but oh, they're such yummy little brown blobs. I took the container out of the fridge to take this picture and could barely resist eating one, even with dinner in the oven.

Everybody likes cake!

And these simple cakes are so sweet!
First seen at Party Accessories - these are my favorite. I want to make one for someone. Anyone have a birthday coming up?

I die. Yes, please.
Rice Krispie Cake from The Lovely Lady Baker.


So simple and elegant. White cake with bunting and ribbon from KikiLaRu's shop on etsy.


I just want to swipe my finger through that icing...
Chocolate Irish Layer Cake from YumSugar.

Well, whadya know...

The hubs and I live in a relatively agricultural area. It's also pretty suburban, which makes for a nice atmosphere, we think. I've learned more about plants in the last two years just by driving through the fields every day on my way to the freeway or the grocery store.
Just the other day, while my mom was visiting, she and I drove past a local field where they are currently growing some sort of bean. Mom said that harvesting beans seems difficult and we were wondering how they did it since I know that they aren't hand-harvested like the local strawberries.
"They must have some kind of machine...," we said.
And yes, they do! I passed them on Tuesday evening, all lined up, resting at the end of the day.

The farmers rent (or borrow?) them for the few days of harvest when they need them - then the trucks lumber on down the road to the next bean field. They're gone today but I'm sure they'll be back soon - the huge bean field is only half harvested. I'm going to check out the local farmer's market this weekend and see if we have fresh, local beans for sale!

Weekend Wrap-up!

It just ain't summer without the good 'ole county fair!
The Hubs and I decided to go on a mini-adventure this Saturday and shuttled on over to our local Ventura County Fair. It's not a big one by any means but I haven't been in a few years so it was about time.
Typical weather - grey and overcast.

Since the hubs can be a little anti-social and gets tired out with large crowds, we went early in the day. Night-time seems to be when the crazies come out and the rides get busy and we didn't want to fight for seats at the pig racing.
Rootin-tootin' fun:

Our first stop was the animal area and who did we encounter but the Chick-Fil-A cow!
Isn't he a cutie. He graciously posed for a picture - we're probably the only adults he posed with all day.
What can I say, I love me some chikin.
The Hubs is such a good sport.

After posing with the cow, I insisted we head over to check out the real animals.
The first animal I'd like to discuss is a fair classic: The turkey.
We spent quite some time with this particular turkey and let me just say, I never noticed how incredibly fascinatingly ugly turkeys actually are. Fantastic fowl to be sure but also proof that God has a sense of humor.
I've decided that the only beautiful thing about turkeys are their feathers. The feathers are truly amazing - vibrant and varied in color; rich in browns, blacks and whites. Not quite peacock-esque but beautiful in their own right.
Case in point: Fan the feathers.


But the rest of the animal? I just don't get it.
Next case in point: Check out the neck in that picture. Seriously, scroll back up and take another look.
The next time my mother complains that she's "getting old" (she's not) and states that she has "turkey neck" (she doesn't!) I'm going to haul out this picture and make her look at herself in the mirror. No human has a neck like this. And any human who does should invest in an abundance of scarves. Let's get a little closer...
The stuff bad dreams are made of:

Holy carp, that's incredible.
I'll admit, the color variation on this guy's head is amazing but I really think that this little tom could make an appearance as a bad guy on the big screen in the very near future. 'Cause that's just scary looking.
Oh, and in case you didn't know, that pink bit of fleshy stuff that flops over on his beak isn't always that limp. It gets... well... erect when he pecks at this food and basically moves out of the way of his beak. I had no idea. But we saw it happen.
The things you learn at the fair...

Ahem, moving on...
Unlike the whopping two turkeys on display, there was a plethora of sheep in all shapes and sizes! I like them almost as much as I like goats (and I like goats a lot).
The hay is always greener on the other side of the gate:

Snuggle time:

We even got to watch a sheep being shorn (shorned? shaved? shaven?) - basically, he went from this:

To this:

Is it just me or does he look cold? Except for that spot on his head, of course...
Not sure what was going on with these guys - they look like they're in trouble.
The Accused:

Goat judging was in the works when we walked inside the animal arena. We were particularly impressed by the seriousness with which the judges considered the mammories on the female goats. This little gal was my favorite - she kept rubbing her head against the rope to scratch an itchy spot. Don't you just want to pet her little nose?

I also fell in love with this little lady - doesn't she look so docile and sweet?
I think there's a mischievous glint in her eye...

Coming in close behind the animal exhibits, our second favorite part of the fair was, of course, the food. Like all quality fairs, they have their assortment of fried goodies and we only had to walk past this spot once and the hubs knew what he wanted to eat.

Yep, there he is in front of Pink's Chili Dogs: A Hollywood Legend since 1939. Can't beat that!
His review: "Not the best chili dog I've ever had but certainly not the worst. Could've used more chili."
But can't you always use more chili?
My personal favorite (and the real reason I went to the fair in the first place): The mini-donuts. Fried and tossed in cinnamon sugar right before your eyes. Piping hot bites of heaven.

I shared a dozen with the hubs on our way to the best entertainment the fair has to offer: The pig races.
Now, if you've never experienced a pig race, you need to look up the closest fair to you and head on over. It is, hands down, one of the most hilarious things ever. Pure fair entertainment!
But pictures are worth a thousand words so I'll just shut up and post some (and I have to give credit to the sport mode on my camera for these shots because those little piggies were a-flying!):
Coming 'round the bend:

Check out the facial expressions on those guys! Priceless. Seriously, look at it again. These little piggies are running for their lives!
Curly tail!

I'm coming, too!

In case you couldn't guess, there's food at the finish line...
Once you've experienced all that, there's not much more you can do but grab another dozen of those mini-donuts and head on home. Maybe with a lemonade this time...
Mmmm, sweet tart:


And that's the fair!