Pie!

I'm kind of a nerd, because when i am stressed or anxious, I find that baking\cooking is really relaxing. I had these lovely mixed berries in my fridge just waiting to be made into something delightful. So I made a pie. If you have seen the movie "Waitress" with Kerri Russell, she makes pies and gives them really funny names. I am calling this pie:

"Mixed Feelings About Going Back to Work, Mixed Berry Pie"

Back to work=puke!

This is my last day of freedom. I have to go back to work tomorrow. Someone please say a prayer for me! Help! Well my July was great! Fun, friends, food, fires! Loved it all! Not so happy about going back to work. I think I am destined to make food for a living, I can't escape this intense desire to work in a kitchen. Maybe? Maybe!

Crazy Cousin Cabin weekend

This was the weekend for memories... Kelly, Kyle, Erin and I headed up to Hickory Lake early Saturday morning. Kelly's dad has a cabin there, along with his wife's family. As soon as we got to the lake we quickly unloaded our stuff and headed out to the lake. We all swam for awhile and us girls wore our trucker hats. Kyle referred to us as "trailer trash mermaids". Later, both Kyle and Kelly tried water skiing for the first time! Kyle even made it around the lake a few times! After skiing, the cousins took the boat out for a little tubing excursion. The tubing part was fun, but the best part was trying to get into the tube. We all had our various methods of getting in, which mostly entailed all of us at one point falling off the tube before we even started moving! The second best part was trying to get back into the boat. This was no easy task and we all on various parts of our body got pretty beat up! It was painful but very humorous, kinda like life is in general. Needless to say, we still had a blast! Sunday we got up early for some fishin'... Kelly's dad really cleaned up, and Kyle didn't do so bad either bringing in the slabs, but Kelly, Erin and I didn't fare so well. But it was a beautiful morning to be out on the boat! It's been awhile since I've been fishing for sunfish, and it brought back lots of memories of fishing from the dock as little girls at our grandparent's home on Granite Lake! Later that night we made this awesome fish dinner with our freshly caught sunnies. I threw together some tomatoes, shallots and parsley with some olive oil and baked the fish over lemons. It was soooo good! There was not a bite left!

We also decided to stay another night, and enjoy the peacefulness of the lake. Monday morning we packed up and headed out... What a great family memory weekend! I'm so lucky to have such fun, wonderful and crazy cousins!

Magic Bullet Party '07

The Magic Bullet party was a hit! Jaime, Shannon and Cindy came over, along with Cindy's friends Mike & Brian. We had a great time chillin' outside enjoy the beautiful weather. I found a bunch of old pictures from high school and we had some great laughs because of them. I even dug up a picture of Jaime and I at my 2nd grade birthday party! I looked like Dorthy Hamel on pixie stick crack, Jaime of course, looked as cute as she always does! Eventually we brought the party inside and made some delicious snacks with the Magic Bullet. And although we didn't completely re-inact the MB commercial, we did have a lots of fun making the food! Besides the MB snacks, as promised I made yummy Peanut Butter Brownies and Thai Chicken Pizza that everyone enjoyed! Fun times! We will now have to make this an annual event!

The Personal Versatile Countertop Magician!

"Here's an idea for a Magic Bullet recipe: Blend together some garlic, gin, and stale cigarette ash, and you'll have a good idea of what it's like to French kiss Hazel." http://www.infomercial-hell.com/magic-bullet/

I have been cleaning to get my place in tip top shape for the Magic Bullet party on Friday night. I'm trying to stay in the habit of keeping my place nice and tidy, because in the past I have majorly slacked! My ex boyfriend used to say "You need a maid!" No, I just needed to stop being so lazy! All I have left is the bathroom and taking out the garbage. SOrry this post is totally trivial...
Anyway if that wasn't trivial enough... Besides making all the foods shown in the MB infomerical, I will be making a delicious Thai Pizza and Peanut Butter Brownies! YuM! Saturday I will be leaving bright and early for a little trip up north... more details to come.


Sunday night I will be back in action with a full report of the weekend's fun and frivolity!


Ciao

Preach it!

Rachel is 30!!!

Happy Birthday to my best friend Rachel!! I'm so bummed I couldn't be with her on her birthday, but my love and good wishes go out to her!

Rachel and I met when we were young & naive 20 year olds working in New Hampshire. Rachel was from Massachusetts and I was from Minnesota and we both had broken hearts from dumb boys! We instantly bonded and shared a crazy year of laughter, tears, friends and community.

Over the past 10 years a lot has changed in our lives... Beginning and ending of relationships, many moves, marriage and now Rachel has a beautiful baby boy! Through it all, through distance and life changes, we remained dear friends. We are kindred spirits and I am so thankful for Rachel! Best wishes to you Rach, I love you girl!

Paul turns 60!!!

Today my dad turned 60! Which is hard to beleive, because he doesn't seem that old to me! The family met at Maynard's in Excelsior and had a great celebration. Afterwards Uncle Todd took us out on his boat on Lake Minnetonka. I love being on the lake, it is one of my favorite things to do. Both my parents grew up on Lake Minnetonka, and I have always been a bit envious of that. So I live vicariously through them and the lovely boat rides Todd takes us on...

Happy Birthday Dad! I love you!

Boating and bombs!

So again my plans changed for the weekend and I ended up going to Cindy's cabin along with my brother, Shannon, & Jaime. We had so much fun! Boating and bombs! Yes! Cindy's brother made homemade bombs using only The Works toilet bowl cleaner, aluminum foil and an empty plastic bottle. There is something about the chemical reaction between Toilet bowl cleaner and aluminum foil that causes an explosion! Who knew? OMG we laughed soooo hard! And just think that when we were 16 we were just as stupid! I guess 15 years later things don't change that much!!!

Oh and all you faithful readers please check back this weekend. On Friday night we are going to re-enact the Magic Bullet commercial, with the lady whose cigarette never burns and all!!! I have a Magic Bullet and so does Cindy's friend, so we should be able to put on a pretty good show! So stay tuned! http://www.buythebullet.com/index.php?google_adwords

Ya know, I just realized today that for the first time in a long time I am really living my life, and I really believe that anything is possible for me! I am having fun and doing things that make me happy. Which is funny because when I look at my life it is really chaotic and topsy-turvy... and yet I am doing ok! That is a great place to be!

I'm with stupid ->

Plans changed for me last night. My mom needed me to take care of my brother for the weekend. So instead of going to my home town's festival with my pals from HS. I went out with my cousins to Acapulco for tacos and the Twins game. Buddy especially enjoyed the live mariachi band! Afterwards, we had a great time playing badminton in their backyard. My cousins and I have an obsession with changing lyrics of popular songs and adding our own words. The song for last night was:

"Shuttle Cock to the heart and you're to blame, darling you give Bad Mitten the wrong name!"

Milkshake Remix

Meow=Goodbye?

Today I say goodbye to my little friend Lucky the Cat. I have been cat sitting Lucky for the past 5 months, for someone very special. On January 17, her owner Geri was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. At that time the prognosis looked very grim, and we weren't quite sure what was going to happen. I volunteered to take Lucky and have had her since February. Now 6 months later from Geri's initial diagnosis, she is doing wonderfully. She was quite the trooper through surgery and chemo. God has been good to Geri and I thank and praise him for his kindness and healing.
So it is bittersweet to say goodbye to Lucky. I am so happy that Geri is well enough to take her back, and I always knew that if someday Lucky could go back then Geri was going to be ok.
But at the same time I have grown quite attached to this cat. Lucky has been there with me through a lot of changes in my life. She was always there to greet me at the door, or come sit by my side when I was sad & crying. You don't really realize just how comforting something as simple as a pet can be, but in small ways it makes all the difference. So this is my goodbye to Lucky, may you be a sweet presence in Geri's life as you were to mine...

Beginnings and Endings...

I have a lot on my mind tonight. My purpose in doing this blog was primarily to write about my silly little life. Though not meaningless, my life is important in this world, although I am not famous nor have a done any acts of greatness or saved any ones life. I am just me, plain and simple, silly and all... So I've just been thinking about life in general. People, places, things... to everything there is a beginning and an end. And to everything there is a season. Good things happen in life, great things happen in life, but so do bad things and difficult things. There are immense joys and deep sorrows. People live, people even die, even though no one likes to think about that, let alone really talk about death, it still happens. So what is my purpose here? Is my life just one more life in the multitudes that have gone on before me, or will proceed me? I guess the question to ask myself is: Does my life matter? I really hope in some small way my life does matter, that i am here for a reason and a purpose. I may never do anything super great, and doubtfully will I ever be famous... but if I make a difference in even one person's life, is it worth it? I answer with a resounding, YES!

Emily Dickinson has this little poem that I think says it best:

"If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain: If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again,I shall not live in vain."

Do the little things make a difference, I think so! I just hope I can be the woman who can say at the end of my life, that I did not live in vain, even if it was to make a difference in one person's life.
So I end my deep thoughts with one from Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

"There remains for us only the narrow way, often extremely difficult to find, of living every day as though it were our last, and yet living in faith and responsibility as though there were to be a great future."

Here's to a great future of a life less ordinary in small ways! :)

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Tonight I hung out with my friend Shannon aka Tweaker. I'm so glad that after all these years we have remained friends and have many good good memories between us! And it's awesome that time and distance has not diminished our silliness!

B-3 Organs are amazing!

Last night I went to the Artists' Quarter in Downtown St. Paul. I hadn't been there in years so it was great to get back there. An old boyfriend of mine used to take me there on Tuesday nights for the B-3 Organ Night and we'd sit in the corner and drink martinis. I guess we thought we were pretty chic. Then afterwards we would walk over to Mickey's Diner for fries. Those were some fun and carefree days of my life. Everything was about staying out late and running around town. I'm sure I had things going on in my life that were stressful, but I don't really remember anything... I just remember good times with a cool boy. So anyway, it was nice to get back to the Artists' Quarter and listen to some great music. It's so nice and chill there, and an organ never sounded cooler. Sarah and I then walked over to Mickey's Diner for burgers and fries. I love being out late in the city on a Tuesday night and I really don't want this vacation to end!

Swoosie Kurds & Silly Selma

Kelly, Erin and I went to Cafe Barbette to celebrate Bastille day. I loved watching all the fun people and revelers enjoying such a fun celebration. It's so nice to be with my cousins and laugh and be silly. I also ran into a few people I haven't seen in a long time. Including my friend Kristy from my Northwestern and Trinidad days! She even called me Silly Selma, which is my nickname they gave me when we were in Trinidad. Most likely because we quoted the movie "Dancer in the Dark" every chance we had and I got the moniker of "Silly Selma", and it stuck!

Oh what a beautiful night for a French street celebration!

Toochis ofn tish!!!

Yesterday was a day like any other day. Though it was Bastille Day in France, and I would love to go there sometime for the festivities. I loved being in France so much! And I think about going back quite often. I was there for a bit of time 4 summers ago, I can't believe it has been that long now! I spent time in the French Riviera and then Paris, which was by far my favorite city in France. But when I was there I vowed to go back and experience it with someone I really loved a lot. Maybe someday... ooh la la! Today we will celebrate Bastille day and I will write all about it tomorrow. So back to yesterday. I spent a big chunk of the day with my mom and my brother at Walmart shopping for much needed necessities. We let Buddy pick out some movies and my mom said that I could get whatever I wanted. But I settled on a shirt, underwear, batteries and a magazine... nothing too exciting, but now i think I should've asked for a new Ipod!!! I think it was good to get my mom away from all the house worries. For dinner we were invited to our friends Vanessa & Brett's home. They have a beautiful home in the country. It's so idyllic because it has a river running through it and an apple orchard, something I have always wanted in a home. Vanessa has the 3 most adorable children. Which in a way is kinda funny, because she has only been married 4 years and now there are 3 kids! How fun! and yes I said Fun! I can't wait to have a whole tangle of kids running around. After dinner I met up with my friends Cindy and Jaime down in Belle Plain. Cindy has this group that she works with and they were some crazy guys! Or I guess more obnoxious than anything. So I spent my night there and had some laughs and Herrgie's Pizza. Oh and funny thing about Jaime. Her mom and my mom were good friends in high school and on. So I have known Jaime a long time. But just started more recently hanging out with her. Funny how life comes full circle.

A Dome, A Dog, and an Ex-Patriot

Well it's the end of one long week... Tonight I went to see my Beloved Twins at the not so loved Dome! Speaking of the Dome, what are they going to call Dome Dogs when they move to the new stadium? Hmmmm? So Kelly, Kyle, Erin, Lori and I went to see the Twins play and share some laughs. Afterwards was probably the goofiest part and only because I have insane cousins who are as demented as me and like to say and do crazy things! Kyle, Erin and I went to Byerlys for a treat, that was fun too. Everything is more fun with people who know how to be silly without fear of others judgement. Who really cares what other people think anyway? But then this goes back to my blog posting, "Known vs. Alone"... people want to be known, but they are too afraid to put themselves out there... so they end up alone. Sad.

Oh and i had one of my favorite sandwiches for lunch. For $2.50 you can get a lovely Pork Rind Banh Mi sandwich at Saigon Restaurant on Dale & University. Their Pho isn't bad either! Meow! Yummy French Bread, pork rind, cilantro, jalapenos, carrots, cucumbers and head cheese. And yes I said head cheese!

Speaking of French... tomorrow is Bastille Day! And I will be celebrating on Sunday at Barbette http://barbette.com/events.html.

The Irish have St. Patrick's Day but we French have our Bastille Day!

Je suis beau et français !

Er makht mir a shvartzeh khasseneh

So my Yiddish phrase for the day is the title for this posting which means "He's making a lot of trouble for me", or literally: "He's making me a black wedding"

Now I don't know who "He" is, but yeah there is a lot of trouble for me... So I have come to terms that this isn't going to be the July of my dreams, but at the same time, does that even matter? Life is so short and people are so precious. One minute they can be there, and the next they are gone. I know I take for granted even the smallest of moments. So I am learning to find contentment in the small things, and in the everyday moments and conversations with those that I love. Even in this time, I am blessed with friends who want to make sure I am happy and having fun... I was talking with Sarah tonight and I was really touched by what she said. She said that she would be praying for my family, but even more so that i would be immensely blessed! I do feel blessed as it is, so I don't know what i would do with more blessings... hopefully I would turn around and bless others. In the mean time, I am blessed by family and friends and those simple moments i cherish. There is a sign above my parent's door, and it's funny because it's the one thing that wasn't removed but it says, "Making Memories" and that we are!

My aunts and uncle and cousins came out to my parent's house tonight to hang with us. We had laughs aplenty, and it's awesome to see families come together in time of need.

My cousins Chris & Kelly took turns with the "phantom" horse. And I hope they had fun! :)

Tomorrow my cousins Kelly, Erin, Kyle and my aunt Lori and myself are going to a Twins game! Ah Yeah!

Hollyhocks

Since everything in my life right now is related to what is going on at my parent's house. I thought I would post some pics of my favorite flowers: Hollyhocks. Actually, they are my favorite garden flowers and Dahlias are my favorite cut flowers. Anyway, I saw these Hollyhocks on the way to visit my grandma, and I made my dad pull over so I could take some pictures. It's nice to look at something beautiful for a change.

Farmutshet

I spent all day out at my parent's house. They had a fire this weekend (see previous blog) and I went out to more or less lend them support. The house is a complete wreck! So my parent's have a long road ahead of them. So many people have been very kind and generous to my family. And we are very appreciative.

It's strange because if you were to see the outside of the house you would think nothing was wrong... but when you step inside it looks like a war zone!

I'm very tired so I am off to bed...

Like an Episode of Rescue Me...

This became the never ending weekend. Which was funny because I actually watched the NeverEnding Story with my mom this weekend. But I digress.... It was quite eventful, to say the least. I'm not sure if I should begin with today and go backwards to Friday? Well I think I will, just because today was the craziest day! Hmmmm... Lightening struck my parent's house! We were coming home from my Grandmas house and we received a call from a friend who works for the Fire Dept. So we rushed home to find a bazillion fire trucks all along our driveway!

There are so many "Thankfullys" that it it makes me want to cry! Because God was very good to us.

Thankfully the neighbors who live across the field smelled smoke and decided to see what was going on. Thankfully those same neighbors work for the fire dept. Thankfully they rushed over and called the fire dept. Thankfully our other friend Vanessa, who works for the fire dept, though on maternity leave, rushed over to our house and saved 2 dogs, 1 cat and 2 birds! Thankfully the local fire dept responded so fast and were able to contain the fire to the attic. Thankfully they were able to move all the furniture out of the house before they took down the cieling and thankfully my paren't have a huge barn to put all their stuff. Thankfully we were all together and no one was hurt! We are so grateful to all the fire departments that came out, probably about 5 different ones. They did a great job! I respect what they do sooooo much!

So it was scary, but we are ok, the animals are ok... and that is what matters... everything else can be replaced. Ahhhh... God was good to us! But then again isn't he always?

Well before the fire fiasco I was at my grandma's house. We were celebrating her birthday and my cousin Erin's birthday who just returned from Cambodia. We hardly get to see Erin so it is such a treat to have her back for awhile! My other cousin Chris just moved back from Colorado, so it was great to have my cousins back home! I made red devil cake with cream cheese frosting, and to color the cream cheese I used beet juice! It was very pretty... and it was also very pretty when Chris wore his new wig! :)

On Saturday I spent the day with my two friends from High School, Shannon and Cindy...

We went up to Cindy's cabin on Friday night after waiting for Shannon to get done with her job at the restaurant she works for. In high school the three of us were Trouble! And I can't even begin to tell about all the crazy things we did together! Back then we used to be Beaner, Tweaker & Sindy... And we were insane!

But truly, I had such a great time with Shan & Cindy at the cabin. We went out on the boat and enjoyed the hot day. I also made steaks on the grill! First time for me because usually a man makes them... but little miss independent was able to make them all by herself! And I must admit they weren't too bad! After steaks, we went swimming with our air mattress. We were complete idiots out on the water... but we laughed and it was so nice to be crazy with some great girlfriends! I love you guys!

My bad A$$ Steaks!

Well to begin my weekend... I spent most of the day on Friday with my friend Monika. We decided to get crafty and make things. Monika went for decoupaging a bench, and i did some needle pointing. Which I'm not as good as I thought I would be. But nonetheless, it was great to hang out with Monika and be completely silly!