Scotland!

My Dad has decided to send my Mother, Amy, Megan and me to Scotland as a retirement present to my mom.  We are hopefully going to go in June for about 14 days (maybe 16).  So exciting, but kinda sad because husbands aren't going. It is like a girls vacation for us. It is really far and will be a long time to be gone, but it is so exciting and generous for my dad to do that for us. :) I can't wait. My Aunt, Mari has been over there a few times and has helped us plan a route we might go on.  My mom and me have already gotten books and have looked up some of the sights.  I hope I can meet up with my friend Christine. She lives in Germany (right now she lives in India, but that is a whole other story)  and hopefully she will be able to meet up with us in London or something.   I hope this will all work and we don't kill each other. :) You know how siblings can get!  No it will be an awesome experience and great memories. Thanks, Dad! 

Pecan Pies are tough cookies to bake

My first attempt at a pecan pie.  I think I cooked it too long.   It was still good, but I need to try again. :) 

Thanksgiving Day

Our Table Setting, nothing too fancy.  (Oh and BTW, Mom, there were enough placesettings before you messed with my table!) ;)  

Travis drawing before dinner

The Hardman Boys all dressed up! :) 

The "Kiddie" Table

Our version of the Norman Rockwell Painting. 

Our Thanksgiving went well. All the cooking was wonderful. We had a great cheese tray for an appetizer (Thanks Mari)  and there were no major disasters.   I know all the cooking stuff will bore, but I made all homemade dishes this year.  Usually when I do that I end up making two dishes one of the old and one of the new dish (like gravy I usually make some packet gravy and some homemade gravy or with the stuffing I would have done Stovetop and homemade) But this year I decided we needed to be more minimalist, and made the executive decision that we were going to risk it and eat all that we had.  It was so much easier. Stuffing, Sweet Potatoes, Turkey, Potatoes, Gravy and that was it. Delicious.  The only problem tends to be my mom sometimes. She always likes to be busy and it ended up that she started rearranging the table saying there wasn't enough spots.  (Thankfully I took a picture after I had set the table--- proof, to leave my table alone I know how to count!!! )  No, I know she was just trying to be helpful, but I swear she is a such a meddler.  She is a great mom, very good at doing the "mom" thing (you know sometime getting into things that she shouldn't bother with) and sometimes she just causes trouble. Travis likes to call me and my mom Lucy and Ethel (from the I Love Lucy Show)  because we usually plot and plan together. For her Thanksgiving antics,  she was all along causing trouble. That is my mom!  Love her to death! Thanks for letting me use your kitchen.  

Cuckoo

I think everyone at my work thinks I am crazy. I just sit at my little desk all day and people watch and smile at their little intricacies. I love to watch the people as they wait for the elevator. Some get so nervous and pace while others flip their security cards around. The different clients that arrive, the high profile ones show up in sweats and other ones try to impress with their Tiffany necklaces and Coach bags, are all pretty entertaining. It is all about appearances and how they want the world to view them. It is funny because there are times when their insecurities sneak through the facade. It could be a simple insecure glance out of the corner of their eye or the way that they try to fix their coats or jackets. They are all fighting their own little stuggles and I am just watching them go by. And that is all rushing through my head as they walk by and the reason I sit there with my crazy little smile.

My virtual fridge to hang my work on....

Here are a few of the things I have been working on in Class.... I love Photoshop!  I had to fix an old picture so I did one of my Great Grandmother, Fumi, and my Grandma, Dits.  It turned out pretty well,  but took me forever.  I then used some of the filters to "grunge up" a wedding pict. (honestly I am over the wedding pictures but it was the only pictures I had on my thumb drive and I am actually happy I used it because it turned out pretty good)   

The Uprising caused by a Tumor!

So after all this time the thing I have to do to get my family read this blog is to write stories about them. I understand that they would be more excited to read it if it was about them, but I had no idea it would cause the feud between sisters!  (We aren't in a fight, but apparently, I owe one of my sisters a heavy "apology" coffee and something else that is yet to be determined. Freakin' baby!)  My other sister, Wonderwoman, was a little shocked that I put the diva picture of her on here. But she added some insight as to why Hulk is the way that she is.  She said she alway used to squish her (like in the picture of her sitting on the Hulk).  Whatever that means!  My mom just seems to find it funny about all of it and I don't think my Dad has been able to take any time to look at it because he is too busy playing Bejeweled.  :)  

The Hulk seems to think it is funny to call me "tumor" in her comment.   And that is because I was a little bit of a mistake.  My mom called up my aunt, The Nurse, and said that she wasn't feeling well and said she thought she had cancer.  The Nurse laughed and said that the cancer will come out in about 9 months and to go see her doctor. And sure enough in nine months, the best thing that ever happened to my family was born!  lol (I am sure that will get a rise out of em!) And that is the story of how I came to be and why my sister called me the Tumor. (Another name she has had for me include Unihorn, but that one is for another day) 

The Hulk and Wonder Woman!

The Divas

The Hulk and Wonder Woman

I am so scared I am trying to hide from her!

See how the Hulk controls! 

Again with the controlling!

Wonder Woman knows how to control too!

The Hulk and Wonder Woman

So tonight I called one of my sisters who was having a discussion with her oldest child about a sleepover.  My Niece wanted to have a sleep over and my sister (who told me that she will make me pay if I use her name on here. So instead of using her name I will just call her, um.... The Hulk.)  told her no because they had family pictures tomorrow to take.  I know it is the responsible thing to have Kaity miss her sleepover, but also I remember what it was like to be a kid. I played devils advocate and told Kaity that I remember some of  the not responsible things that The Hulk had done. Lets see if I can remembered some of them.  She flooded my parents kitchen cabinets having a water fight with some kids in the neighborhood.  Her friend and her locked me in a dog kennel when I was about 6.  Both the Hulk and Wonderwoman made me ride around in a the back of a Chevette (in like the hatchback) while they went on a trek across Weber and Davis county to find bumper stickers for a radio station.  Wonderwoman tied me to a vacuum one time.  Maybe Kaity should call Grandma and ask about the grease spot on her couch in her living room that is a reminant from a party the Hulk threw.   I know the Hulk is going to freak about this, but I think it is only fair.  :) I love my sisters to death and am happy to have them in my life. For all the "mean things" they did to me, there were a lot of times that they were good to me.   :)  Maybe next time you should cut the kid some slack and let her go to her sleepover! ;) 

Apparently, dogs love yarn too....

So what happens when you leave Kimi alone in a house with two new skeins of yarns?  Yeah she is so proud she is howling at me telling me how awesome it was to play with it and pull out all her toys too!  

Kimi's Dream Day in the Dog Park!

One of my assignments for photoshop. :) 

THIS SONG WILL BE STUCK IN YOUR HEAD THE REST OF THE DAY!!

I have to thank Kerry from radio from hell for intoducing me to this song it is unintentionally funny watch it all the way through!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT9MRj5FBpI

ZAP! lol

Travis

Loves and Happy Thoughts 

Ok so now that I have vented, I feel it is only right to say some things that make me happy or are thankful for. 

•  Saturday mornings when I can wake up, have a cup of coffee and surf the web for hours. 
• When I make a treat or dinner, it is the best when someone acknowledges it, especially if they like what they are eating. 
• When I come home, Kimi runs to to the bedroom and waits for me to come in and change out of my work clothes. She sits there and makes her dog noises with her stuffed toy in her mouth.  
• I love talking to my mom on the way home from work.  She is such a goof.  Her stories about my dad, her hair lady, or nail lady, or coworkers always crack me up.  She is my best friend and mom, how lucky could I be!?! 
• After dinner, I love to snuggle with Travis and watch my girl shows (like Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice) I love it even more when he critiques the dancers on Dancing with the Stars!  It is a riot.
• Sundays when we have family dinners, I love when we all get together and can joke and laugh with each other. 
• When Travis tries to cook, and messes up on something (rice pilaf read the box!) and we laugh about it. 
• When Trav and I laugh about stupid things until we cry, that is the best. 
• When I create something really good in Photoshop that Trav can't even tell what I have done makes me happy. 
• I love right before the alarm goes off when Kimi, Trav and I snuggle until it is time to wake up. 

There are many other things too that I love, but these are the first that popped into my head! 

Hates and annoying things....

As I sit here after cleaning my house, I realize that I have a few things that are bugging me (as a disclaimer, these are not things that are bad enough for me to hate, leave, or never speak to you again... they are just my pet peeves at the moment.) 

• When you hand wash dishes, please, please, please wash the pans last and use really hot soapy water so they come out clean and not with a thin layer of grease on them. 
• When someone says "have a good night" to you, please respond with something more than just "yeah."  I understand you are an attorney and I am a lowly receptionist, but it just makes you seem like a serious douche and is just bad manners.  
• If you have a family, please don't complain about your children or family life.  Some of us are fertility challenged and don't want to hear about how your kids are driving you up a wall when we would be thankful to have a child.
• When I clean the house, this is not a free invitation to pull out all your toys that I have put away.  (This is aimed at Kimi, Travis doesn't pull out his action figures very often!) 
•  If someone invites you to be a friend on facebook, the polite thing to do is accept them.  This is a golden rule for family members which you should always accept.  Oh and if both members of a couple invites you to be friends, you should accept BOTH of them.  (Yeah, I don't even think the person that is intended to will even respond or care) 
• Oh, if you don't accept the invitation to be friends with someone, DON'T expect that person will ever make home made goodies for you.  (No cookies for you!!!!) ;) No, but for reals.
• When someone offers to do the laundry, it includes putting away all the clothes as well as washing them. 
• And lastly, I hate the feeling like I am behind on life because we don't have a house and kids.  I am only 28 and still have plenty of time to get either of those.  

I feel better getting those off my chest. Again they are not meant to hurt anyones feelings, but just simply to make me feel better. :) Thanks for listening

President Obama

I look forward to having President Obama leading us into the next 4 years (at least).  I hope that there will be a more unified America now because it has seemed that there is a huge rift throughout the country.  I think what is best for the country is to stand together and move forward. I don't know about anyone else, but it has seemed like there has been a huge black cloud lingering over everyone lately.  Everyone seems gloomy and glum. They have been depressed about rising costs of everything (gas and groceries to name a few), the downfall of our economy and the future and where they fit into it all.  I hope this will help everyone break out of their slump, regardless of who you voted for.  I know it makes me feel a little better because hopefully we will be led into a positive direction. 

Last post today, I promise.

So I made 2 pies with different crusts.  The one that won was a recipe out of my Everyday Food magazine. It was a basic pie crust and here is the recipe. 

Basic Pie Dough

This recipe makes enough dough for one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
16 tablespoons cold (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
DIRECTIONS

In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.
Sprinkle with 1/4 cup ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed with fingers (if necessary, add up to 1/4 cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time). To help ensure a flaky crust, do not overprocess.
Transfer half of dough (still crumbly) onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form dough into a disk 3/4 inch thick; wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (and up to 3 days). Repeat with remaining dough. (Disks can be frozen, tightly wrapped, up to 3 months. Thaw before using.) Makes 2 disks.


It is super easy and quick. :) Hope you all enjoy. 

What is on my mind....

Pie.  I have two beautiful pumpkin pies with 18 minutes left until their gorgeous finish.  I am trying two recipes for the crusts: one is Trav's Yia Yia's recipe and the other is from my Everyday Food Magazine. (I am excited for both of them) I am doing this in preparation for the big day!  Not Christmas, or some other get together, but the big one, the mother of all cooking days, the day I wait for all year, that I plan in my head for months before---- THANKSGIVING!!!!!!  I sit and can picture the spread of the table- what I will axe from the menu, what I will add.  Scouring all my October and November magazines, I will spend hours planning how I will create the perfect meal that everyone will stop and say, "Wow, that was the best thing I have ever eaten.  I mean ever!"  That is my goal.  That is my hope.  It means a lot when my father, who never really comments on anything, says to my mother that she should take lessons on how to make gravy from me!   I want people to compare their turkeys that they eat for the rest of the year to the beautiful, moist bird I set on the table.  One day when I am rich, I am going to buy the most wonderful set of dishes along with a elegant table just so that I can have the perfect dining room all set and ready to go for my guests. (I am talking like the ones in the Norman Rockwell paintings or the ones in Martha Stewart Magazine, the ones with totally too many plates and glasses, but it looks so gorgeous before anyone sits down) 

Cooking this one dinner is the one thing in this world that I can do and I will say it (even though it makes me sound seriously vain) well.  Being in the kitchen cooking, puts me in a zen like state where I really don't care what is happening.  (unless it is taking place in MY kitchen, then I turn into a mix between the Incredible Hulk and Martha Stewart) 

So, in 5 minutes when my pies come out, it will be the first test of my dishes. Let the Holiday season start.  To me, this month is the most wonderful time of the year!

Blogger's block

I have so much I want to talk about, but am not sure where to start. So if there are any suggestions from the 2 people that read this blog, ;) please feel free to ask me any questions that you would like.