Buh-Bye 2010!

Emma and I will be doing some leftover Christmas celebrating tonight with the Robi's, and then the decorations come down tomorrow.  She will be whooping it up on NYE with Carl and lighting off the remainder of the 4th of July fireworks (hey, that's how they roll)... and I will be kicking up my heels with Kathy from Jr/Sr high school days and having a good old-fashioned sleepover.  Can't wait to wake up on Saturday - new year, new direction, new goals (and that's how I roll) :)

Happy New Year!!

Aarti Party - you likey?

I love this new Food Network show!  Aarti is showing how to make Indian food easily, and I'm loving it!  This is my new favorite recipe, just made it last night and had it for lunch today... try it!

Broccoli & Dill Raita Slaw
1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1 tablespoon Garlic-Ginger Paste, recipe follows
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium shallot, minced
2 (10-ounce) bags broccoli slaw
1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional, can substitute pomegranate seeds)
1/2 cup skinless sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:  In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except the broccoli slaw, cranberries, and almonds. Taste for seasoning and adjust according to your palate.  Add the slaw, cranberries, and almonds and gently toss. Chill before serving.

Ginger-Garlic Paste:
1/2 cup cloves garlic
1/2 cup (1/2-inch slices) fresh ginger
1/4 cup canola oil

Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.

Save what you don't use in a small glass jar; it should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir-fry sauces, slow-cooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.

More digi class projects

Really enjoyed my self-paced class, I highly recommend classes from Jessica Sprague:

Sleepover in Seattle - *photos*

I'm too lazy to go back and edit a post, so I'm just continuing on with photos from our stay.  To say it was very fun would be too easy, I loved spending time with my girls :)  (Emma, by birth of course, and Kennedy by choice :)

Bad lighting, but beautiful girls next to the tree in the lobby of the Edgewater Hotel.

Isn't this gorgeous? I *loved* the large windows and watching the ferries go by.

Nice room, but the girls did *not* like the faux bear foot stool :(

The hotel is on a pier, and the rooms all above the water as well. I simply opened our window to this gorgeous view - thank goodness no cruise ships were in town to block my photo ;)

Outside fireplace waiting for the shuttle to arrive to take us shopping!

Bubble Tea - a new for Emma and me - we loved it! Em had a kiwi 'frost' with two kinds of jellies; Kennedy had a watermelon Bobochino (milk added I think, like a smoothie) with jellies; and I had a milk tea (traditional with tapioca and some kind of jellies - I told the guy to just make his favorite, and it was delicious!)

Trying on flower headbands inside Nordstrom. We all found a favorite ;)

I know this is out of focus, but I love it - being downtown in December is magical :)

We were in this shop for probably an hour. The girls found tons of knick-knack-bric-a-brac to keep them busy while I bought a few gifts ;)

Emma liked the top hat headband!

We found traditional ribbon candy at a store and it was 50% off - the girls loved it. Brought back a ton of memories for me, we ate a lot of it when I was a kid.

Room service breakfast. Perfect way to end our stay :)

A Christmas surprise.

The Christmas season continues to amaze me and the way it makes me feel inside. During this month-long celebration that much of the world recognizes, people are happier. People are giving. People are joyous. And my heart was filled with joy back in June, but it's overflowing again today:

What a joyous and happy surprise I found on Becky Higgins' Blog today. Thanks Becky, and a special thank you to Jolie Rodriguez.

p.s. we're at 1:51 in the video.

Sleepover in Seattle

Emma, Kennedy and I are at The Edgewater Hotel in Seattle. I've always wanted to stay here, we have a gorgeous view of the Port of Seattle and the waterfront. Every 15 minutes or so we see a ferry go by. It's a gorgeous, clear, perfect night. We went to Westlake Center to shop (the girls loved the 'Fireworks' shop - lots of kitschy stuff), tried bubble tea, ate dinner at the Nordstrom Cafe, watched it "snow" inside Pacific Place, and just set out our room service door hanger for breakfast. I've taken a bajillion pictures, I'll post some tomorrow :)

Uh Oh. BIG Mistake!

I just took a self-paced beginning digital scrapbooking class with Jessica Sprague:

and... *gasp!* ... I LIKE IT!

I think I'm in trouble.

I spend way too much time on the computer as it is.

Now I'm going to be shopping digital stores.

Oops.

I love the Christmas Spirit.

Yesterday, on my way to Emma's school to help with the Christmas party, I was just exiting my garage and pulling out when the mailman was driving in.  He gave me a look and pointed his finger like "Wait - I have one for you" - and I knew what it was :)  I had recently purchased four 1-pound boxes of See's Candy from a friend to help with a fundraiser for her son's school, and I knew they were on the way.  I gladly got out of my car and walked up to his open door and took my package.

We bantered for a minute about what great service he gave, practically door-to-door that day, and he had a cheerful attitude and gave me a holiday knucklebump when we finished.  I thanked him for my candy and he joked with me that had he known the contents, he would've kept it! :)

He turned his mail truck around and was starting to leave the development, when a neighbor girl of about 5 years old came running down her driveway - just to chat with the mailman.  I sat in my car behind them, for probably 2 minutes or so, watching her excitedly tell him a story.  Then I saw his hand reach out and give her a little candy cane, and it melted me.

I looked over at the box beside me and said to myself out loud "isn't this why you bought these?" - so I ripped that baby open and pulled out a wrapped box of candy - and walked up to the two of them and shoved it toward my mailman.  His eyes got so BIG, and the pom pom on his Santa hat wobbled a bit, and he said:

"Are you kidding me?!?"

"No - I want you to have it - enjoy it!"

"Oh my goodness, thank you SO MUCH! - Gimme a HUG!"

And we hugged.  And he was so happy.  And I was SO happy.  And I went on about my day.

Emma and I went to the Nutcracker that evening with friends and got home kind of late.  We stopped for the mail like we always do, and this is what we found:

Makes me teary all over again just to look at it here.  I love the Christmas season.

Oompa Loompas baby!

What?  You didn't know they were part of the story of Christ's birth?  Come on... where have you been?

Emma's school performed "The First Day of Christmas" which was a hillbilly-style rendition of Jesus' birth.  Since Emma is in 6th grade this year, and this is the last year of performances, they get all the speaking parts.  I encouraged her to try for a part but she just didn't want to.  Until about a week after the try-outs.  She announced that she and Ashlyn approached the music director, and asked if they could be Oompa Loompas - and they created a little scene in which they added to the play - is that cool or what? It was awesome tonight :)

A few things since last weekend:

Emma had her last fall league soccer game on Saturday.  Let's not talk about it.  Okay?  We have a break from soccer until January 3rd.  Emma will most likely be chomping at the bit.  Me?  I think I'll like not having a commitment two evenings a week during the holiday season :)

After *the* game Saturday, Coach and his family - along with Carrie and Brianna - joined us at our house for some gingerbread house decorating.

I had an early dinner/late lunch in the crock pot for all of us, and then we headed downtown (okay... 3 blocks away HA!) for the Santa Parade.  I love the SP.  Here are a few highlights (I don't know any of these kids, but they sure were cute!):

Sunday took Emma and I to the real downtown - Seattle :)  We visited my friend Kathy and her daughter Paris up in Shoreline first, and then picked up David in Queen Anne.  He is a very good friend of mine for the last 18 years or so, dispatched with him at King County eons ago.  The three of us attended the Seattle Men's Chorus Glee production, and production it was!!!  Really, wonderfully fantastic!!!  Skits, beautiful singing, dancing, comedy, you name it - Emma's words to me on the way out were: "thank you so much for bringing me, I enjoyed it so much."  That, my friends, was a perfect end to my weekend.

Monday was knitting class with Kristy while Emma was hangin' with Carl, Cooper got his Christmas groom Tuesday morning, and today I visited Uncle Farley (he's really my dentist, Dr. Farley, but when he came in today "Uncle" came out of my mouth :)  I love him and his staff.  We catch up every 6 months about his fly fishing and downhill skiing, and his daughter/dental hygienist and I talk it up throughout the whole cleaning.  For all the dental work I've had done over the years, you'd think such a visit would give me the shivers.  Quite the contrary... I love going there.  Fun little factoid: Emma loves going to the dentist too!

We're weird.

New 'Do

I know it doesn't look like it in this photo, I *love* my  new haircut (I got a better photo):

and it's kind of a funny angle (hard to do that in a mirror!)  It's fun, flippy, sassy, light, fresh - fun :)  I've been contemplating it for a good 6 months, and I was so ready for it - I didn't even flinch when she cut the first chunk off - and I haven't had bangs for probably 10 years.

Love it :)

Charlotte Brown aka Charlie Brown

That's what we'll call her :)  She's a little 4-foot tree that we found at the tree farm yesterday, looking all lonely and forlorn by herself... Em really wanted a larger tree but I stood tall for Charlotte - and tried to convince Em that she'd look so pretty propped up on a wrought iron Longaberger stand - LOL! And she does... and Em agrees now... and we both *love* her :)

I'm aiming for better photos throughout the next week, but this was just a quick shot to capture her regal-ness :)  We are ready now - outside lights are up, tree is here and decorated, shopping has begun.  It's only November 28th. Life is good :)

Happy Happy Joy Joy

This was one of my little purchases from yesterday - I think it will bring lots of joy this season :)

Day after Thanksgiving

Today was a really nice day, it may just be one of my favorite days of the year (NO, I do not do Black Friday shopping - I just love the laziness of the day).  It was clear and warmer today and I have to say I was thankful the snow melted.  I love while it lasts for a few days, but I was ready for it to drift away so that we could get down to the business of Christmas decorating.

My BFF Kristy's son and friend came down to put up our lights :)

Said BFF and I headed to University Village for some Christmas cheer :)  

(we didn't do Black Friday shopping, we didn't even leave town til 3pm)

These were all displays in a pretty little shop that we wandered through.

In the Anthropologie store:  a deer with leg warmers :)

Isn't this a fun idea? You can get these brushes at Home Depot super cheap!

 

Always fun hanging with her :) 

And then another shopper passing by took pity on us trying to take our own photo

and helped us out by letting us pose :)

blurry, but I love these lit red spheres in all the trees!

Oh yes I am :)

Simple dinner...yum

Emma wasn't here for dinner so I broke out the PF Chang's frozen orange chicken - paired with Uncle Ben's 90 second rice, this is quite a scrumptious little bowl of bites!

All is calm, all is bright

Just a personal message to myself, I love having this blog to reflect back on as the months tick by.

It's November 21st

AND WE HAVE SNOW!  Wow, they were right - this is going to be a wicked winter! I say bring it on!!!

A perfect Fall day:

With my favorite girl:

Crisp, clear, cold weather
Soccer game - we won
We bought outdoor Christmas lights for the house
Errand to Costco
Up to the knitting store
Starbuck's holiday drinks - Peppermint Mocha for E, Caramel Brulee latte for me
Holiday Glee blaring on the CD player in the car, singing our hearts out
Walk with Cooper
Snuggled under a new fuzzy blanket


It doesn't get any better than that my friends.

We love holiday Glee :)

Emma and I decided we needed to buy the Holiday Glee album at Target today:

Our favorite song?  'Deck the Rooftops'.  What?  You don't know that traditional Christmas carol?  That's because it's been Glee-d:  it's a blend of 'Deck the Halls' and 'Up on the Rooftop' - very snappy and very cool :)

Speaking of Holiday Glee:

I just bought our tickets to this performance by the Seattle Men's Choir for December 5th - Emma and I are joining my good friend, David, that I used to work with years ago while a dispatcher for King County.  The SMC is the largest community chorus in North America - and performs at Benaroya Hall - also home to the Seattle Symphony and the Pacific Northwest Ballet's performance of 'The Nutcracker'. We are so excited to see this!

Speaking of Glee:  do you watch the TV show? I wasn't interested in it at all last year during it's first season - seriously, who wants to watch a musical each week? Okay. I do. Emma and I decided to give it a try during the summer season that it was on repeat, and we fell in love.  It's set at a public high school glee club, and the social 'misfits' that comprise it, and life's lessons thrown in.  And yes, they have lots of music each episode, very wonderfully choreographed musical routines.  Love it. The fact that they sing a lot of older songs (70's & 80's - gasp!) is even more cool - because I have been able to share my pure love of Journey and Steve Perry with my daughter who had never heard of them before :)

A lot of people think that it's content is too mature for a 12-year old. Maybe it is. But I (we) have always chosen to parent by exposing Emma to real life situations, socially (un)acceptable situations, and controversial situations. I think I (we) have done a pretty good job so far. So I let her watch this with me.

The cast of characters includes:  a gay teenage boy, a jock, a cheerleader who gets pregnant, a disabled student, an overweight black girl, a very promiscuous girl, and a few more labels sprinkled in between. The storyline has tackled pregnancy, coming out, discrimination, the separation of Church and State, just to name a few.

What I absolutely love about this show is the opportunity for discussion that it gives us each week. It is not uncommon for us to pause it halfway through, for 20 minutes or more, and discuss the social message. For example: Emma just couldn't wrap her brain around the fact that they weren't allowed to pray for a classmate's father who was in the hospital - she prays every day at her school. They sing hymns and 'religious' music every day. So when the show focused on the kids trying to work around the politics of Church and State, it was a great learning opportunity for her to really understand how most kids are unable to worship during the day. 

As a parent I welcome these opportunities. Any chance I can get to discuss life with my daughter, I'll take it. And coupled with Glee, I thoroughly enjoy the process.

December Daily Album

Ali Edwards is a regular mom, married and raising two kids - and happens to be a very well-known scrapbooker.  She has an incredible eye for scrapbook design and a passion for documenting life. Everyday life. Including the weeks and days leading up to Christmas, to help remember all of the magic that occurs within one short month.  I was so excited to gather my supplies when I saw her post her 2010 album a few weeks ago.  And I am so proud of myself for completing it already (November 16th!) and welcoming the activities and memories the month will bring for me to capture and remember.  Thanks Ali.

Here's my book, as inspired by Ali's interpretation and plan:

Each transparency is the prelude to the day (you can kind of see day 25 above) that is printed on cardstock with a space for pictures and/or journaling.