Food post

It has been a while since I have blogged about food so I thought today was the day. Also because someone made fun of me recently for blogging about food means I just had to amp it up some more. Well maybe, made fun of is not the right choice of words, but thought it was hilarious that I would take pictures of fish. You know who you are K and M.

So I while making sushi for the kids lunch, I thought, heck, I need to take some pictures to document the process here. No gives me two seconds thought as I whip out the camera and take pictures while making tomorrow's lunch.

Anyhow- here is how it all begins.

Cook up some Japenense rice and try not to burn it like I did. If you do burn it, scoop out all the rice that is still white and with a bowl of water squish it out onto a bamboo mat that is covered in plastic wrap. Try to get the rice in a fairly thin sheet so it will not be bulky at the end.


Then lay the Nori (seaweed that is made in a thin sheet) down on it. You can buy it Walmart or in the ethnic section of your grocery store.

Julliene some veggies like cucumber and carrots- I didn't have any carrots today.

So I used spinach instead-- really anything works as long as it is small and/or will squish up well.

I decided to get crazy and add some cream cheese into this mix

Then you start to roll the whole thing in the bamboo mat. Roll in this mat until you get the roll the size you want it and it is going to stay together.

Here is what it looks like when its done

then you cut it up and pack it up for lunches. I also put a small container of soy sauce to season. Wish I had the carrots because it had a lot of color! My kids love this and making it at home is fast and much cheaper then buying at the grocery store.


And since I am on a roll- this is another lunch I made for them the day before. Applesauce that I package myself so I get a huge jar for a dollar and not pay for extra packaging. Green bean casserole that I made just enough for a couple of servings. And a turkey breast wrap that has a pickly spear in the middle. I am always thinking about how to be somewhat original in making lunches for the kids so they will eat it all- especially the fruits and veggies.

Bought a new mirror for my house-- I swear, now that I think about it, I have mirrors in every room. I am crazy about mirrors because this is now the second one that is in the bedroom.

You will remember that I have the round mirror above the dresser that I blogged about this last summer. And I am about to hang the second mirror in the living room. I don't know why I love them so much-- just do. Not necessarily to just look in them either!!!

New Projects

I have worked super hard at being busy lately. There are several new things in the works that I want to do for myself but am lacking the time because I am doing for everyone else. Know the feeling?? And I want to do for everyone else because I need to make tuition payments. I am not yet making the full payment myself but have a goal that within the next 6 months I will be.



Ideas seem to come at me 100 mph and I get so excited about them. The problem is finding the time to implement them all. And I can get easily sidetracked with wanting to do a bit of everything when really I should concentrate and just do a couple of things. Oh, it is so hard-- I want to do everything!!!!



Here are some things I accomplished this week.





I made these little 2x6 magnets that I think so are so cute to put the kids stuff up. It might help some people with the fridge clutter also because if it doesn't fit under this magnet, it is time to get rid of something.



I also finished this shadowbox frame for a client. I truely wish I could take a better picture without the glare- but I really think it is the camera-- I need a tripod so I can get rid of using the flash perhaps.



I love the color on this one- so dramatic. I took this picture next to a lightswitch so people get the sense of how big it really is. I drug off to UPS to mail it and the price to do so it not that bad.

Hoping to move a lot more of these out the door. The next one I am doing is going to be black and pink for a certain 16 year old.





Made this frame for someone today who loves this definition of faith-- made it and mailed it! yaa me!! I don't know if people appreciate how long it takes to package something and get it out the door. I am kinda astonished sometimes on how long it really takes me.



And in case you just can't get enough of Keith and I, here is another Brittlyn picture. She staged this one.

Inspiration

I got some more of it from the Pottery Barn and decided to make my own rendition of something I saw in there-- And I used the song Amazing Grace because I love it and everything it stands for. I love the story behind it and I love all the many ways people sing it. I have a couple different editions of it on my ipod-- So this was the perfect opportunity to try and capture it in something big-- real big
2 feet by 4 feet-

here is how it started its lowly life

I wasn't too sure at first--- painted all black and then 'highlighted' with white, red and a few colors inbetween. The speckle of paint is about all I can do at this point or at least all I dare to do because I got a lot of practice doing it in the 80's----


It took a ton of time to print and pick the whole piece which this is a pic before I tape it over

And now the final piece




Now what to do with it-------------------

So behind

Yep- once again I am way behind on several projects I am working on. I don't know how it happens but it seems too about once a quarter. One reason would have to be my allergies-- I thought everything in the winter was supposed to die therefore no allergy worries. But I guess not in Texas because they have never been worse. It took me out one whole day-- one whole day I was so miserable I couldn't do a thing!

I finally got this stuff I saw on Oprah-- the nose bidet-- you pour saline up one nostril and it fills your sinuses and comes out the other nostril. It takes about 15-20 seconds for this to happen and it feels pretty funky and the kids love it! Yes, I said the kids love it! They love to watch me do it. Is that not the dumbest thing ever? They crack up and think it is hilarious. It must be the age group, but really, it has helped me so much I think I am the newest nose bidet fan.

And another thing that has slowed me down


I got caught up in this book and then one night I could not put it down. I wept and was snottin' and carrying on for a good hour after finishing it. It was so bad that my eyes were still swollen the next day. So good, so sad-- a must read! It makes you so grateful to be born in the greatest country in the world and really feel for those who must suffer because of their birthplace.

And I have another great new find that I think everyone should have

These are my new loves!! I am not a fruit eater by any sense of the word. I really don't like much fruit- because it is too sweet. But these-- korean pears are awesome. I eat at least a 1/2 one everyday since I have discovered them. They are like an apple on steroids but they taste different and have a different texture. They come individually wrapped in these styrofoam nets and are pretty expensive to buy individually. So I go to the local Asian grocery store and just buy the case-- a case only has 9 of them but that is about a week or so supply. Good stuff.

Look at this--- ick!!

Jadyn found this huge snail in a cage that Bridger keeps in his room. We were sneaking around his room while he was in the shower to ensure that the hermit crabs are being properly cared for and it was picked up, etc. Then she pulls this huge snail out that I guess he has been keeping for a pet and I had no idea. Some things are just better not knowing!

My Improvements

So with the new year-- I had to make certain promises to myself of what I was going to do this year-- you know, kinda like New Year Resolutions except I didn't want mine to be called that. Nobody keeps resolutions and they become a source of anguish or something else to beat yourself up when you don't accomplish them or give up on them.

I decided to make my improvements fairly simple- really doable and when I can take as long as a year to perfect them they will make my bigger goals more attainable-

My first one----hold on- this is BIG------

Make Breakfast as many days as possible for myself and family---
Yep, that is it!! Get up and make breakfast!!
But it accomplishes many things. First the kids have a full belly and can concentrate at school and if they are anything like me- will eat less for the rest of the day as a results. For a couple of years now, they have been filling on on cold cereal and I have come to the decision that cereal should only be used in case of emergency- like I don't wake up until 10 minutes before the bus leaves--- so far- so good. I have just planned my grocery shopping appropriately for many breakfast meals. But with this little step, I see big things happening.

Next--- run--- thats it-- just run whenever I can. There are no weightloss goals- in fact, I am banned from using the scale-- just run and try to love it. I do have a teensy goal with it and that is to run 3 miles in one session by the end of Jan. My Ipod and Nike's keep track of what I do and it is attached to this blog on the right side. One thing I have noticed is that everytime I leave this house- I improve by a few seconds- that is good because I need to improve by a few minutes total--- that means there is hope for me. To me it is much more managable to be able to say I will make breakfast and run run run- because that is something I have complete control over. Saying I will lose 20 pounds- well, not so much.

anyhow, here are some pics of the kids on their first day of school at their bus stop




Also, you will notice that I am trying to take a picture everyday and download them to my flickr site--- well that is proving harder then I thought because everyday I think- what in the heck am I going to take a picture of today-- and I am only 10 days into this. I need some creative juice as far as photography goes because it is not supposed to be difficult!

101st post

can't keep coming up with titles!
Look at the snow where I am from!!!
This is standing in the driveway looking at the mailbox and street.
Don't look like the mailman is going to make it here anytime soon.
Nor does it look like mom and dad are leaving the house anytime soon either.

My 100th post

Thought I should share this with everyone. Please watch

http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/fullmovie.php

appropriate for a milestone like 100 posts

Can't wait

Kids go back to school tomorrow and they are both excited. Bridger said that he missed it!! (and going to school before with him was like baptizing a cat- he just didn't want to do it! It is just so amazing!!) You know what, SO HAVE I!! I can't get back on my routines again. You don't know how much you love your routines until they have disappeared for a while. I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting up and drinking a HOT HOT cuppa joe. While no kids or husband have stopped me from that- there is something to be said doing it by yourself every once in a while. I totally appreciate alone time. And then I love to do my bible study-- and that you really need to do by yourself or at least with other women. And cleaning house...will love that when I don't have someone right behind me to mess it up. Then I am off to do what I want until the kids get home at 5 and Keith whenever. I am totally looking forward to Monday!

Tomorrow I get to take back the chinchilla's to the school-- that will be the highlight of my day!

Christmas Pics

These are a little late but I just downloaded them today- really I forgot they were even on the camera so I thought I would share them here. I also decided that I am going to participate in this deal called Project 365. It is where you take at least one picture a day and upload them at least once a week. The subject matter can be anything but after a year, it is supposed to give you great insight into your life. I can go weeks w/o even thinking about my camera so I thought it would be interesting to try. I might be taking a picture in the middle of the night because I forgot about it during the day but I will try and keep the camera handy so that doesn't happen often. Anyhow-- the account of it will be located in the flickr box on the side of this blog. You can watch it all happen there.

I got this because the kids start piano lessons next week at their school. I also got a book that teaches ME how to play. Just did the first lesson yesterday and it is coming back to me with some ease.


Our pretty tree that rotates slowly so you can't hide all the bad ornaments in the back! ha


Some games the kids got












Unfortunately that tree is still up- so today it will be coming down. I am running to the store to go buy all red containers to store Christmas stuff in so there will be no more future hunts for the goods.

Look what I did today

Today I actually worked. So why the rest of you nursed hangovers I was movin' and groovin'

Not really, but I would like to believe that. Today I actually helped Erika Jackson decorate her office where she is setting up shop as a wedding planner. Yaa for her for setting up shop so quickly and putting up with having to start over everytime she moves-- the life of a military spouse!

So, I met her today at the shop and was so happy to show her what what I did. Well....that was short-lived because I spelled her name Butterfly Parties as Butterbly Parties!!!!!!! I about died...really I did. I am going to beat myself up for that for a while. I fixed it but it took a long time (2 trips home). Then she asked me if I wanted to go for some COBBEE at Starbucks...TOUCHE!



And here is the cute Erika