Coffey Haus

Geoff Goes to the Barber

2009-11-25T22:19:00.000-08:00

Geoff has "found his barber". This is a good story.

Have I Ever Told You About My Wedding?

2009-11-25T09:45:00.000-08:00

No? Well, it is a pretty funny story. It involves the bride being left behind, incomplete brides maid dresses and a late officiator- which actually turned out to be a good thing, ironically enough. That is just the beginning! Fortunately, the way your wedding goes doesn't necessarily indicate how your marriage will go. It was all very entertaining, hilarious, somewhat chaotic & in the end... fun & ridiculous! Wait. Maybe your wedding does foreshadow your marriage a bit... ;)

I am a better person because of the man I married. No one else could have done for me what he has- I don't think there is anyone who would have stuck with me long enough. Sad, but true! Not to brag, but I am an extraordinarily lucky girl. I have two clever, talented and beautiful daughters. Geoff is an amazing father and husband. I could write volumes on this topic alone. But, I won't gush. Right now.

I was lucky to have 6 of my amazing friends at my wedding. This was no small feat on their part. We were all college students. I lived, and was getting married in, Arizona. All my friends were from Indiana. They were at college in various places around the country. Long distance travel + college student budget + long (but still short) weekend = huge endeavor on their part.

Sadly, the photographs from my wedding are... well, they suck. I am grateful I have a picture with 4 of the 6 friends. But, two of them- who are a very large part of my life now, and extremely important to me- are not pictured. "How can this be" you ask? Well, that is a good story, too.

November 25, 1994 was the Friday after Thanksgiving. Fifteen years ago today I was married and haven't regretted one moment of it. It just gets better every day.

I have a great deal for which to give thanks.

Christmas Dresses

2009-11-21T00:44:00.000-08:00

I am in the process of making the girls Christmas dresses. I am using a gorgeous two-toned shantung silk. I figured the dresses would take a bit longer, as the silk takes a little more care to work with. Plus, I am very careful and going a little slowly because the fabric is so blasted expensive! I can't get anymore if I make a mistake. The store no longer has it. But, even considering my considerations that it would take a bit longer... the dresses are taking a little longer than even I expected.

Today I was hoping to finish the bodice of Isabel's and put the sleeves in Sophia's and do a mock- up of the skirt. Oh, yeah- I am changing the pattern a bit, too. It needed to be improved to really show the nuance of the fabric.

So, today I worked four or five hours on the dress. I did get the mock-up pieces for Sophia's skirt cut out and ready to gather. But, the bulk of my time was taken on the sleeves of the bodice of her dress. Yes, 4 hours on sleeves. Two sleeves...

Two hours to go from these sleeve parts:

To this sleeve:

From the two pics, you can see the two tones of the silk, depending upon the light. It is olive green and dark fuchsia. I had to make the teeny ruffle that goes around the sleeve- and the front neckline for that matter.

So- It is still a work in progress (WIP), but- it is coming! It is stinkin' cute (beautiful, really)- IF I do say so myself!

Vegetable Pot Pie

2009-11-16T10:39:00.000-08:00

Tonight for dinner, we are going to have Veggie Pot Pie- homemade. I never make the crust recipe that is with this recipe, but it is the one Geoff's mom gave me with it- so I keep them together. I am sure it is fine, but I never buy Bisquick. And, I prefer to make a whole wheat drop biscuit dough instead of white flour. Here's the recipe. It's a good one. (And, easy!)

Vegetable Pot Pie

Type:Main Dish

Filling: 1/2 c chopped celery

1/2 c chopped onion

1/2 c chopped carrot

1 1/2 c diced potato

2 c diced cooked chicken

3/4 c frozen peas

1 1/2 c chicken broth

1/2 c milk

5 tbl flour

1/2 tsp tarragon

pepper to taste

1/2 tsp salt

Combine veggies (except peas)& broth; simmer till veggies are tender. Add flour, salt, and pepper to taste stirring constantly. Simmer till sauce thickens. Add peas, chicken, & milk & simmer a few minutes more. Pour mixture into a baking dish. you can use the following crust, or a drop biscuit dough Crust: 2 c biscuit mix (homemade, or bisquick type)

3/4 c milk, or 3/4 c water & 1 tbl powder milk

1 egg yolk

1 tbl water

1/4-1/2 c butter

Mix all ingredients and knead together till well combined but not smooth. Roll out 1/4 inch thick and lay over filling in dish. Trim edges. Make six slits in crust and brush w/mixture of egg yolk & water. Bake @ 375° for 20-30 min

U2 360° Tour: Live from Rose Bowl in LA

2009-10-26T11:59:00.000-07:00

Last night, U2 did a live broadcast of their LA concert. It was carried world-wide over YouTube. They have the rebroadcast up to watch. I highly recommend viewing it. Not as good as the live thing, but certainly better than nothing!

U2- Live from Rose Bowl

more info here

Isabel's Key Lime Pie

2009-10-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

This recipe has multiple parts. You make the Graham cracker crust. Then, you make the SCM to use in the Key Lime filling. Then, you make the Key Lime Pie filling. Then, just before you serve it- you make the Meringue. It is so yum.

Key Lime Pie
Type:Dessert

Use with Meringue recipe & Graham Cracker Crust recipe . Make the Graham Cracker Crust first. While it cools, make the Lime filling. Use the egg whites left from making filling to make the Meringue.

Graham Cracker Crust

Crust ingredients:
11 full graham crackers (1 1/4 c) processed to fine crumbs
3 tbl sugar
5 tbl unsalted butter, melted

Crust directions: adjust oven rack to center position, and heat to 325°. Mix crumbs & sugar in medium bowl, add melted butter. Stir w/ fork until blended. Pour into a 9" pie pan and press to form an even crust. Bake until lightly browned & fragrant, appx 15". Transfer pan to wire rack to cool 20" to room temperature.

Sweetened Condensed Milk (SCM)

3/4 c non-instant powdered milk (or 1 1/3 c instant)
3/4 c sugar
2 T melted butter
1/2 c very hot water

Place milk powder & sugar in blender. Mix on low until combined. Mix hot water & melted butter & dump in all at once. Blend on high, stopping if necessary to scrape sides of blender. Process until completely combined. Feel texture, if there are lumps, strain the mixture. Let stand 15 minutes to reduce air that has been whipped into the mixture. A can of sweetened condensed milk holds 1 1/3 c. This recipe will make at least that much if not a bit more. It tastes better and looks more appetizing; it is white- not the yellowish color of canned SCM.

Key Lime Pie Filling:
4 tsp grated lime zest
1/2 c strained juice from 3-4 limes
4 large egg yolks
1 batch Sweetened Condensed Milk (or 1- 14 oz can) (see SCM recipe)

Filling Directions: whisk zest & yolks in medium bowl until tinted light green, about 2 min. Beat in SCM, then juice. Set aside at room temperature to thicken.

When graham cracker crust is cool, Pour lime filling into crust, bake until center is set, yet wiggly when jiggled. 15 to 17 min. return pie to wire rack. Cool to room temp. Refrigerate until well chilled; at least 3 hrs. When pie is thoroughly chilled (like over nite is best), then you make the meringue and put it on z'pie. FYI: I always have a hard time with meringue, so follow directions PRECISELY. Also, depending on your mixer, you may have to work quickly- like if it's high speed is quite high, you need to get the sugar in before the eggs are over beaten.

Meringue for Pie

4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 c sugar

Bring egg whites to room temperature- but not TOO WARM, or it won't work. In a mixing bowl combine egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tarter. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or till soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add sugar, 1 TABLESPOON at a time, beating on high speed about 4 minutes more or till mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks and sugar dissolves. Immediately spread meringue over pie, carefully sealing to edge of crust to prevent shrinkage, and try to make pretty little peaks. Bake at 450° for 2- 5 minutes, with constant watch care, until SLIGHT browning appears on peak tops.

What's for dinner tonight?

2009-10-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

I got these recipes from my SIL, Mary. However, I usually use the second Peanut Sauce recipe, because it is simple.

Mary’s Spring Rolls
Type:Appetizers

Rice wrappers, or egg-roll wrappers
1 lime, peeled, sliced & chopped
Somen noodles (1-2 sticks)
1 ginger root, finely chopped
Fresh Cilantro, slightly chopped
1 bag dehydrated prawns (optional)
1 Fresh Jalepeño, finely chopped
Fresh Basil (or mint)
Fresh Bean sprouts
Red Pepper or Carrots (for color)

Soak the wrappers in luke warm water, or according to package. Cook noodles according to package directions. On a dry, flat surface, lay out 1 wrapper, place a small pile of noodles in lower-center of circle. Then put a dab each of the other ingredients.

Use the bean sprouts & cilantro for bulk, the rest for flavor. Start rolling from bottom- up. After 1 roll, fold in the sides and finish rolling. (As they dry, the roll will stick) Serve with Fool Proof Peanut Sauce.

Fool Proof Peanut Sauce
Type:Marinades/Sauces

1/2 c Coconut Milk
1/2 tsp salt
2 T red curry paste
1 T fish sauce
1/2 c chicken stock
2 T tamarind liquid
3 T palm ( or brown) sugar
1/2 c chunky style peanut butter (natural is best)

Warm coconut milk in sauce pan. Heat until gentle boil, until oil separates, milk becomes fragrant- about 5 minutes. Add paste adn dissolve 3 minutes. Add peanut butter, chicken stock adn sugar, cook 5 min. Remove from heat & season with tamarind liquid, fish sauce and salt. Thickens as it cools.

Here is the peanut sauce I usually use. It is simple- mix and use. It comes from my Thai-style cole slaw recipe

Peanut Dressing
6 T rice vinegar
6 T vegetable oil
5 T creamy peanut butter
3 T soy sauce
3 T (packed) golden brown sugar
2 T minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 T minced garlic

Whisk these 7 ingredients together in small bowl to blend. Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover & chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before using

U2 360° Tour: Phoenix Rises

2009-10-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

I am interrupting my regularly scheduled programing (that being the Road Trip 2009 summary) for an exciting news update. Geoff and I went to the U2 concert on October 20, 2009.

It was at the Cardinals Stadium, which is an enormous place. Obviously, they had a serious sound system blasting out the music. Incredible. Unfortunately, it is still a football stadium- so, the acoustics weren't... great. But- you don't really go to a concert for the best acoustics possible, right? The stage set was astonishing. Of course. Bono said something like, "This space ship is here to take you somewhere tonight; it is our attempt at intimacy- on a GRAND scale." Um, okay :) Geoff and I stood up in our chairs with our back to the stage. I held out my iphone to attempt to take a pic of the two of us with the stage behind us before the lights went out for the concert. It wasn't working very well, and it must have been obvious. Some kind soul behind us offered to take the pic of Geoff and I! I feel badly asking others to take a photograph for me, but- since she offered... *shrug*- I went with it!

The 360° tour started June 30, 2009 in Barcelona, Spain. Phoenix was concert no. 40 out of 43 scheduled for 2009. The tour will continue in 2010, with 17 concerts slated so far. Anyway- 40 concerts in less than 4 months, that has got to take a toll on a person. Especially the voice of the lead singer. Consequently, you could tell Bono was a little hoarse. Still sang amazing, but it was there.

Here is the play list pretty much in order (I think):

Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
No Line on the Horizon
Elevation
In A Little While
Unknown Caller
Until The End of the World
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On- Dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) Get your ASSK mask here.
One
-Desmond Tutu's speech
A Capella verse of Amazing Grace
Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

There were some alterations on several of the songs. Some for interest and unique performance and others I have to believe was from "voice fatigue". I think Bono just could not hit some of the notes or belt out like he usually does. The alterations were mostly in melody- dropping to lower notes and such. One change I remember was when he was singing "Beautiful Day", Bono mixed "Blackbird" into the melody at the end. That was cool. One thing for sure: it all sounded awesome and made it the "Phoenix Show"- you know, with its own unique versions etc. Despite voice fatigue, Bono sang a great show. He really belted it out several times- when I am sure it HAD to be painful!

Between the performance of "One" and "Where The Streets Have No Name", part of Desmond Tutu's speech on the ONE campaign was shown. Tutu talks about what can be accomplished when we unify to aid peoples of the world. When we work as "ONE", millions of lives are saved. Millions will grow up to become amazing people, who otherwise would have perished. Playing the speech between these two songs had quite an impact. Tutu addresses [us] to be united to help mankind; "…These are the same beautiful people I see when I look around this place tonight 360°." It gave meaning to the tour's theme. Beautiful. Bono then did an A Capella verse of "Amazing Grace" before he transitioned into "Streets Have No Name".

The screen that showed the clip of Desmond Tutu was amazing. For part of the show, it stretched out vertically. The lighting on the stage set changed throughout the show. Other images were displayed on the screen. Sometimes close-ups of the band, other times images associated with the song they were playing. Here are a few pics of the screen and stage lighting.

Bono had three young women (probably college aged) come up on stage and danced with each of them for a about 30 seconds each. I am sure it was magic for them! Later, he also brought up a young girl, probably about 9, and ran across the stage with her. There was an arc of the stage that went out into the standing audience. So, there was the stage, a mob of people, then a walkway that you could access on bridges from the main stage. Then, more mob of people. Anyway- Bone ran, hand in hand, with this little girl around that walkway. He sang to her for a few moments, put his glasses on her and then sent her back down. Sweet. Unfortunately, I forget which song it was on... Maybe Geoff remembers. His brain is amazing like that.

I don't know Bono, obviously. But, I am impressed by what he appears to be. He has strong, respectable convictions. He puts his money where his mouth is, literally. He is amazingly talented- in writing lyrics and singing- and shares that with the world. He often writes/sings about social, political and social themes. All of which are thought provoking and compelling. He is good looking-whihc isn't important so much, but he is a loyal family man. He and his wife have "been together" since he was about 15, and married since he was 22. You don't hear of that much any more, especially in the "rich and famous" circles. They have 4 children, and seem to be able to maintain some semblance of privacy in their lives. LIke I said, I could be way off- but, this is what it seems to be.

The roof was open on the Cardinal's stadium. It was a beautiful night. you could kinda see a few stars above. Bono was as inspiring as ever. It was unforgettable.

Road Trip 2009 Bloomington, IN

2009-10-20T11:57:00.000-07:00

We went from Nashville, TN to Bloomington IN. Since we were coming from the south, Nashville IN is right on the way to Btown. My friend, Sean, happens to live in the Yellowwood State Forest in Nashville, IN. The forest is gorgeous. Sean has a pretty swanky set up there. I want to take the girls camping there sometime. Whilst there, I even got go say "Hello!" to Sean, and meet his adorable and wonderful wife, Julie. Unfortunately, the pic is a little blurry. I guess I didn't give Isabel enough instruction :(
The girls also played on the play equipment on the campgrounds at Yellowwood. Awesome. So fun to see Sean.

In Bloomington, we spent the day with Andy. We went to "The Farm" restaurant to eat. We went to Wonderlab, a children's museum kind of place. Andy showed us around Bloomington and some of the projects he has done. He does handyman & remodel work. We drove out to the limestone quarry. This girls thought it was great to see "an actual stone quarry" since we have read "The Princess Academy" (great book, btw).

At Wonderlab, Isabel is "magically" making the rope arch. Sophia was making the most complicated water spout you could possible imagine. The bigger the mess, the happier the Sophia!

We had a great visit with Andy. He showed us his garden and where he lives. The girls loved seeing Uncle Horton.

We are headed to Northern Indiana next. Geoff's Mother's family lives in Kendallville, IN. Stay tuned!

Road Trip 2009 Tennessee

2009-10-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

June 23 we drove from Dallas to Nashville. We stopped in Memphis, TN for lunch. Geoff's good friend from high school lives there. Ryan Eaton ("The Dude") and Geoff were also at Purdue University for one year together. Ryan manages a restaurant named O'Charleys in Memphis. We ate at his very restaurant. Unfortunately, he had left the previous day for vacation in Florida. :( Next time, perhaps.

We continued on to just outside Nashville to visit my BFF from the Flagstaff days, Josie Larson. Josie and I met in while we were attending NAU. Have I told you this story? Ok, well- it is a good one. But, I will just say she bought me my first pregnancy outfit EVER when she found out I was pregnant with Isabel. I am pretty sure she was more excited than I was about being pregnant. Of course, my health wasn't really conducive to excitement…. Josie is an amazing friend. So- we went to visit her and her family. On the morning of June 24, we went to a berry farm nearby and picked blueberries and blackberries. That evening, Josie and I made "Blueberry Jammin'". That is, we made blueberry jam whilst listening to Bob Marley, including (but not limited to) "Jammin". Yeah, we might be dorks. But- ever so fun :) We made precious few jars of jammin', so I had to be selective with what I did with them. I gave a couple away, but Sophia ensured she would get one jar to take home to AZ!

Josie's parents also live outside of Nashville in Springfield. They live on an historic farm. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is called Woodard Hall. It was established at the end of the 1700s/early 1800s. It has been in her mother's family since it was built. Really. Crazy- but true. Her parents bought it and began the process of restoration to get it on the historic registers some time ago... I don't know exactly when. But, needless to say- it is amazing.

Sophia got to feed the horses a "treat".

The four kids went down to play in the creek on the property. Eli is a little more than a year older than Sophia. Emma is about 6 months younger than Isabel. They saw "crawdads". The girls thought they were ugly and weren't sure they wanted to be near them in the water! They ARE ugly, but they don't hurt you- I told them. Didn't convince them.

We also went to see the cattle. The farm is about 400 acres, so we drove around it a bit and they saw the enormous farm equipment- which, truth be told- we don't see here in downtown Phoenix!

We also went to the soda fountain at Thomas Drug for lunch. Thomas Drug has been there & in operation since late 1920s-1930s. Sophia is a lovable little thing. She is also very loving. She LOVES Josie. Can't say I blame her, but... I tend to give Josie a little more space than does she. Eeeyyy. ;)

I *heart* Josie

From Tennesse, we went to Btown to visit Geoff's brother, Andy. That is where we will be next time.

Dinner Tonight

2009-10-15T17:08:00.000-07:00

My very dear friend, Lindsay, sent me this recipe. It looked so amazing I went out to get the ingredients right away. I am making it tonight. Here is said recipe:

Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese

Serves 4
With its beautiful colors and pleasing balance of textures and flavors, this dish is bound to become one of your most requested recipes. Serve it either as a first course or a side dish to a fall or winter meal.

Ingredients
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
4 cups cubed and roasted butternut squash, warmed

Method
Use a fork to mash together blue cheese and lemon juice in a large bowl to make a thick smooth dressing. Season with salt and pepper; set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook, tossing often, until slightly wilted and warm, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer contents of skillet to bowl with dressing, add squash, salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Nutrition
Per serving (about 10oz/297g-wt.): 220 calories (70 from fat), 7g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 740mg sodium, 33g total carbohydrate (5g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 5g protein

Originally, it came from here.

Road Trip 2009 Texas

2009-10-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

As you are probably aware, all my photographs from my 6 1/2 week, 7k mile road trip were lost when my hard drive failed. I won't rehash that. I had posted a few photos on my FB page photo album. Unfortunately, all the photos I put up there are reduced images for faster downloading. Therefore, they aren't really print quality. But, I can tell the story here.

The 2 girls and I left June 17, 2009 from our home in Phoenix, AZ. Since we left before Father's Day, we celebrated with Geoff before we left. We drove straight to Albuquerque, NM to spend the night with Geoff's parents. In the morning, we headed to Dallas TX where Meagan (my oldest sister) lives. She has 2 daughters, as well. They are younger than mine, but- all the cousins are! Our girls always have a good time together, tho.

Whilst in Texas, we went to the rodeo. Isabel, Sophia nor I had ever been. We had fun. There was music blasting over the speakers while the cowboys tried to stay on the bronco, or rope the steer or... all the other things they do. The girls were really getting into it and dancing in the stands.

Then, they have what is called the "Calf Scramble". All children between the ages of 6 and 11 can go down in the arena. The object is to chase a calf and pull the orange ribbon that is tied to its tail. Whichever child gets the ribbon wins $20. Sophia COULD NOT WAIT to participate. Every time there was a pause in the line-up, she would ask "Do I go down there now to chase the cow?" Or, "Is it my turn now?" Patience, young Jedi. Patience. Patience is definitely NOT her strong suit at this point in life!

She did quite well, especially for her first time and having NEVER even seen a "Calf Scramble" before. They released 2 calves and off the children went! Some boys had "false started", but I guess that is just how it goes in a cowboy rodeo! Sophia was right up there in front, really close to the calf. She was reaching out- trying to catch on to that ribbon when some big kid comes and elbows her down! She rolled backwards and he got the ribbon. PUNK! And, this kid was HUGE. There is NO WAY he was eleven, unless his 12th birthday was the next day, and he was extremely large for an "eleven year old". No matter. She had fun and she is always a good sport with a positive attitude. She just enjoyed running around at a "real rodeo".

I love that all the kids here have the whole Texas Rodeo garb- cowboy shirts, boots, wrangler jeans or, at least they are wearing tennis shoes and suitable "rodeo clothes". Sophia screams "rodeo novice" with her "preppy plaid" shorts, knit shirt and sandals!

While in Texas, we also went swimming, shopping and just generally hung out with the Skidmore Girls. We went downtown one evening to meet Micah for dinner. Whilst waiting, Isabel and I found a cute little vintage shop. They had an adorable skirt that fit Isabel perfectly and she loved it. So, I bought it for a birthday present for her. After dinner, Micah took a picture of the whole gaggle of girls. Poor Micah. So outnumbered. Especially when I come to town with my girl-ios!

We arrived in Texas on June 18 and headed out to Nashville, TN on June 23. Nashville, here we come!

2009-09-24T18:16:00.001-07:00

I'm gonna try mobile blogging. Here is my test case!

Sharing My Sole

2009-08-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

There is a fabulous store called Anthropologie. I first learned of it about 10 years ago when my SIL sent me a birthday gift from there. Well, there just so happens to be an Anthropologie near the Apple store. Since I had to take my compy in yesterday, I thought I would do a quick look-see. After all, they did send me a 15% discount coupon for my birthday for use at anytime during the month of August.

Well, I found two pairs of shoes. Both adorable. And, in my estimation, both essential. However, IF I have to just pick one [I will ask G when he gets home ;) ], which would YOU choose? Let your voice be heard (or your comment read, as it were)!

Exhibit A: Warm brown, almost terra cotta color- kinda?, ankle strap rides lower, buckle, cut out at toe. Peep toe. Soft, almost sueded leather.

Exhibit B: Dark brown, stiff leather, slight shine. Peep toe, ankle strap with buckle

I Am Ready to Update!

2009-08-27T23:11:00.000-07:00

I have so much to write about; a five week summer road trip, my SIL wedding, my sister's new baby and my trip to Portland, the girls' new school year, my messy house, new shoes, things I have made.... I am so ready to update! Problem is, my compy is NOT. Another hard drive failure! I got this laptop in Oct 2008. I had a hard drive failure in December 2008- right at the end of the semester when my final project- which was on said hard drive- was due. I had to salvage and scrape together what I could of my work to turn it. Ay yi yi.

So, lost that hard drive and the data- fortunately, I had only had the compy for 2 months and most of my stuff was still on my old laptop. Got a new hard drive put in- good to go. Well- not so. My laptop is at the apple store getting a new drive, and hopefullly they are able to back everything up off my old drive. "There is a risk of lost, corrupted or breached data" according to the repair contract I signed.

All my summer photos are on there- road trip, wedding, random goofy things the girls do....

Just so you know, I am amped and ready to tell you "what i did last summer", just as soon as I get my compy back.

Cute Vintage Memory Board

2009-08-19T08:34:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post to show you something cool. I love hanging photos and inspiring things on my wall. Here is a cute vintage memory board for such a purpose.

You could win it! First, go to Lisa Day's website. This is because Lisa Day is doing a giveaway to win a kids furniture antique memory board.

Portraits by Sarah Goodman Photography

2009-06-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

Geoff and I had portraits taken. Check out the slideshow, then thumb through the pics (by pushing the "grid" button on the far right of the bottom bar) and tell me your faves :)

Thanks!
photography done by sarah goodman photography

Spring Flowers in AZ

2009-06-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

I want to accentuate another positive. This happiness came in the form of flowers this spring. These flowers were actually in _my_ front yard! Not only is our grass growing, but flowers, too! Now, I am no green thumb. I would like to get better at gardening. But, today I will celebrate the happiness of these flowers I get to enjoy.

This is lantana. It will last through the hot, hot Arizona summer.

This purple flowers has new blooms every morning. They bloom in the morning, last all day, then fall off in the evening. They aren't morning glories- unless they are some "breed" I am with which I am not familiar. What they are, I am not sure.... But, it is very fun to have a new batch of flowers every morning!
*Note: it has already gotten too hot for these little white flowers in AZ, so they are not blooming anymore. Just so we know that I did not kill them ;) They are super fragrant. Anyone know what they are?

Happy Kiwi

2009-06-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

I like kiwi. It don't usually buy it because they are small & fiddly. By the time you get that "hairy peel" cut off, it just doesn't seem like there is much fruit flesh left to eat! Plus, they are usually a little hard and - "meh"- in the flavor department.

This week the girls saw a box of kiwi at Costco and begged to buy it. Being the push over I have been lately, I acquiesced. All the while I was thinking to myself, "We are never going to eat all of this kiwi. This is a 4 pound container of kiwi! Kiwi starts out too hard and flavorless then, *Poof!* All of a sudden-it is too mushy and grainy *sigh*. Plus- the Costco quantity... always way too much."

I was wrong about this batch. These are the best kiwi I have ever had in my life. They are big, plump kiwi (you know... big for a kiwi). They are so flavorful and juicy. Very delicious. These kiwi ended up providing a "happiness bonus". It made me happy to eat such yummy fruit. And, the bonus: I am so happy that half (or more) of it didn't go to waste- as is so often the case when buying produce from Costco!

Happy Kiwi. {triple hapiness: saying "kiwi". Pretty fun. Try it ;) }

Happiness, Continued from Tuesday

2009-06-11T09:40:00.001-07:00

Remember my silly husband who tweets on my twitter, blurbs on my blog and posts feedback on my facebook? He puts in his 2¢ (which is usually "me" explaining the wonders of my husband!) wherever and whenever he can sneak it in- like on my Wednesday June 10th post. Anyway, I wanted to follow up that little happiness with this one.

He usually keeps his head shaved. Which is neither here nor there, but background info for this picture story. He does it himself. He has me look it over when he is done to make sure there aren't any missed hairs sticking up anywhere. This particular "shearing day", Geoff went outside to cut his hair, and came back in hobbling. You know, like with a cane. All hunched over... The girls and I were in the studio when he made his appearance in the doorway- and he asked, in a somewhat shaky voice, if his hair had turned out ok. We turned around to check out this bedraggled-sounding, hobbling scene. And we saw-

"Old Man Geoff"

My husband makes me laugh. Always a good thing. Look at this handsome guy. Love him. LOVE him!
photo by sarah goodman photography

Happiness, Even at 5:30 am

2009-06-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

I am the "Activity Day Girls" Leader at church. This means I have an activity 2 times a month for all the girls aged 8 to 11. The activities focus on personal & spritual development- talents, goal-setting, planning... you name it, it is a topic of discovery. So, last time we met, I had them plan a "Summer Party". They planned the "dinner", took on assignments, brought the "activities"... They decided on playing in the water on the trampoline, watching a movie and doing make-overs. And, food, of course. I provided the house, TV, trampoline, water, hose... (and, filled in on the food...)

Among themselves they brought an oscillating sprinkler, "Night At The Museum" for the movie, make-up, nail polish, their own swim suit/towel, dry clothes, and "dinner". Dinner is in quotes because what ACTUALLY made it here was: Cheetos, brownies, limón potato chips, zucchini bread, chocolate covered pretzels, popcorn, fríjoles refritos (homemade refried beans- this girl pulled through!) corn chips (she brought her assignment, too!) and soda pop. Fortunately, I had planned for said eventuality and had taquitos, guacamole & salsa to supplement. Not the healthiest dinner, but it was a party, after all ;)

It all started with playing in the water.

Then, they ate. After food was (mostly) consumed, it was movie time. Which basically meant there was a movie on in the background to add to the noise and confusion whilst the girls did "make-overs". So- out came the nail polish.

It isn't long after nail polish that the make-up enters the scene. Remember, 8 to 11 year olds here. They were pretty silly with the make-up- including, but not limited to, eye shadow on cheeks, lip gloss put on "clown style"-

And, my personal favorite- dark grey eyeshadow as "armpit hair". Yes, they put it on their underarms!

Sophia wasn't the only one, mind you. She is just the only one who of whom I got a photo!

I think the highlight of their evening was doing a make-over on me. They were SO excited to do so, who was I to deny them such pleasure? I do have 3 showers in my home, after all. Between them, I was certain to be able to wash all that...crud... off! So, I got the full deal from these make-up artists. Nails, make-up and a new hairdo. Check it out:

I am not sure exactly how much gel it took to achieve that faux-hoc (fake mohac? mohawk? how do you spell it?!).. but it was stiff. Solid!

Then, of course, the evening wrapped up with the girls leaving- with much moans and groans- and the carnage left behind…

This is but a small sampling of the disorder, chaos & mess! And, of course, a few items belonging to children were left behind. No child get-together is complete without some number of items being left behind.

Now, at this point you are probably in complete puzzlement as to how this is a "happiness". It is because they had so much fun. They thought they were really "pulling one over on me" by telling me how beautiful they were making me. They did the big "reveal" to all the other girls (before I was shown to a mirror) and said, "Doesn't she look beautiful?!" And, the forthcoming laughter was simply fabulous! They were in hysterics laughing at "my look". Ah. Hope they hold on to that happy moment and remember it as they venture into the upcoming whirlwind that is puberty, middle school and teenage-dom.

Love those girls!

Happiness Today

2009-06-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

There is a website that makes word clouds. No, not "brain clouds", like Joe had in Joe Versus the Volcano (a very good movie. I wrote a paper on it in college. Another post for another day ;) ) Anyway, Word Clouds… I made a word cloud from about 100 (or so?) recipes of mine. This is the result.

It is double happiness because I love my recipe collection, I love the "word cloud" concept (why? I don't know.), and (so, it is triple happiness, I guess) I love how this random cloud came out. It kind of looks like a vase. I like vases, too!

Another happiness today is the valentine's banner I made for my very dearest friend, Janet. This is a pic of the whole banner. I took pics of each banner flag, but won't bore ya'll. If you wanna see 'em- LMK. It maybe might can be arranged ;)

my husband is cooler than yours (geoff typed this whilst hugging me on his way out the door. I left it b/c, well- it is true, it makes me happy, and it makes me laugh that he inserts his 2¢ on my pages... you will see his tweets on my twitter, his "feedback" on my Facebook, his blurbs on my blog (such as this)... I love my man. He is ALWAYS a happiness.)

Happiness Comes in Many Forms

2009-06-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

I've had a bit of a difficult week. Then, last night at 8 pm, I was "served" a photo radar speeding ticket at my front door. Which, is NOT one of the forms of happiness.

There is a song from a bygone era that sings:

"Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mr. in between"

Unfortunately, there are some negatives you cannot eliminate. Not entirely. But, I decided I CAN accentuate the positive, even if the negative isn't eliminated. The song does not say they are mutually exclusive.

So, each day I have been taking note of something that makes me happy. I will catch you up on the past couple days, then post them moving forward. I will do this until I decide not to. So- we'll see how many make it up here!

One:

E.D. Smith's Black Cherry Raspberry Blood Orange fruit spread
So delish. So not on my diet, even at 1/2 the calories... but, so delish.

Two:

I made paper beads, then accented with glass, polished stone, metal, abalone & other beads to make this necklace. I really like it. I know I am not a beading expert, but it makes me happy.

Three:

Watermelon
If you know me, you know I ❤ watermelon. Love it. Could live solely on watermelon in the summer in AZ. Ok, not really. But, I have eaten so much of it that I have gotten sores in my mouth- you know, like one usually gets with pineapple or something that is a little acidic?! Who knew watermelon had it in her?!

Khalsa School Garden

2009-06-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

My girls attend a montessori charter school called Khalsa Montessori Elementary School. I was skeptical at first, but I am a believer. For them. Every child is different... Any way- they have a gardening program. Which I love. I used to do gardening with Isabel's school class at her old school. (No comments about my "black thumb, please :) ) All of this to show you a picture of the artichokes one of the classes grew this year. They are blooming. I think they are beautiful. The purple flower, their size... Lovely.

Cat in the...

2009-06-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

The girls think it is so funny & cute when our cat climbs into unusual places. Here are a few of the pictures they captured- whilst laughing hysterically, of course ;)