FINISHED

Relieved! Yet also a little anguished. What am I supposed to read now? My cooking magazines like I used to? Blah! At least now I don't constantly have butterflies in my stomach. I haven't let go, though. Why, when now I can just go back and relive he best moments... with corresponding music? It's almost MORE exciting now recapping when he saved her life, took her to the meadow, confessed! Sorry, spoilers not intended. The great thing about this is... my friends followed me here... to Vampire land. Or rather, I followed them. Either way, we're all lost in our world of imaginary friends together. So I told them it was utterly useless... we had to have a party. This Thursday, day after Halloween. Perfect! I can't wait to spoil all my friends with a 'Twilight' night. I feel like Alice ( ; We're going to be extreme. Doing everything that an obsessed fan would... recapping, analyzing, confessing. We'll also vote on our favorite actors who'd play the characters, explore all facets of the story... the real town of Forks (repressing our desire to plan a actual trip). It will be tantalizing. Perhaps then we'll get it out of our system and go back to our cooking magazines. (doubt it). I admit, I'll be first in line for 'Breaking Dawn' and 'Midnight Sun'.

Woops

I had 'Creep' by Radiohead in the Twilight playlist and noticed that it had a very bad word in it. Sorry if anyone played it and had to endure the cringe. I couldn't find the radio edited version of it to put in. Too bad... it's perfect for the book.

ECLYPSE

Ok, I am WAYYYYYYYY gone. I apologize to anyone who hasn't read the books or who actually tried and couldn't get into them (all 2 of you out there) because I just don't think you'll be able to fathom what's going on right now. For those who have read the books, I think you know exactly what's going on. I just finished reading 'New Moon' this morning at, oh, I don't know... 3am? I simply could not rest until 'certain things' were resolved and 'certain someones' returned. It was a bit unnerving (actually WAY unnerving). I have never been more affected by a book before in my life. I've been to Stephanie Meyers website, ate up her outtakes, spewed over her pics of Edward, Bella, Carlisle..., I even downloaded the playlist she suggests for each book (which happens to be my new autostart playlist when you go to my blog... for now). Knowing the story... the songs are heartwrenching - HEARTWRENCHING. It's exhilirating to live in this alter world that I feel like I own for a minute. I wish you could fathom how excited I am to 'get involved' with 'Eclypse' (the third book). I can't wait to get lost in that little world yet I have this strange apprehension to finish... and be left waiting, yearning for the next book (JK, I'm being melodramatic). I may be obsessed, but I do that on purpose... it's so much more fun that way.

Twilight

I started reading "Twilight" tonight. It's 10pm now... I predict tired excitement tomorrow.

"Of course he wasn't interested in me, I thought angrily, my eyes stinging - a delayed reaction to the onions. I wasn't interesting. And he was. Interesting... and brilliant... and mysterious... and perfect... and beautiful... and possibly able to list full-sized vans with one hand." (pg. 79)

I'm sorry, but I'm rapidly becoming infatuated with this story. I must get back to Edward Cullen...

Addicted

It's official. I'm addicted to cooking. I love it. I'm infatuated with it. Buying a new kitchen utensil is thrilling. I bought a meat tenderizer the other day and used it for the first time tonight. It was exciting. I tried to pound a 2 lb flank steak into 1/2-inch thick. That was hard. Can you buy it already pounded? The reason why I had to pound my heart out is because I discovered a fantastic recipe in the Racheal Ray magazine. I can't pronounce it, but it was delicious.
Mulfetta-Style Braciola.

It was seriously absolutely fantastic. A little pricey and a bit involved, but completely worth it. Try it. You'll love it.

Recipe for Natalie

My cuz, Natalie, decided that instead of doing the email recipe exchanges (because she deletes them... as do I) that she would just post a recipe exchange on her blog.

So here's my recipe...

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE from Paula Dean's Holiday Baking magazine (that I couldn't resist buying in the checkout line). Here's the professional picture from the magazine...

And here's my version...

Not too bad, huh? It was DELICIOUS! It would look even better if I knew how to take a good picture.

I end up with Mr. Darcy

Take the Quiz here!

You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of silliness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed.

Our 3 Grandmas

My wonderful mother-in-law, Jill, wanted to come out and visit us and so when I found out that Regi was going to Utah for 2 weeks while Bryan was going to be gone on his Chipley rotation I told her, "that would be a good time to come". That time was the last 8 days. It's been about 8 hours since they drove off to fly back home and we've been utterly bored and sad since. I worked out my saddness by taking Bowen to get a 'dia' (quesadilla) at Taco Bell and then I ate half of it. Bowen was still hungry so I fixed him some wonderfully healthy Ramen noodles (I'm trying at all costs not to fix a real dinner for some reason). Bowen worked out his boredom and sadness by throwing all his noodles on the floor, making sure to cover everything within a 10 foot radius. We've been spoiled with 3 grandmas for the last 8 days, how do you expect us to act?

The three grandmas that I'm referring to are Grandma Jill (Bryan's mom), Grandma Rula (Jill's mom), and Grandma Aunt Bula (Rula's twin sister). I'm not sure I've ever had so much fun cooking for anyone in my life... In case you're wondering (as I would be because I'm a recipe nut) this is what I had on the menu for our special guests...

Baked French Toast Casserole by Paula Dean

Breakfast Casserole by Emeril

Chicken Salad Crossaints (sp?)

Chicken Ceasar Salad Pitas (ceasar salad kit, crush croutons, add chicken, pamesan cheese, and extra dressing, stuff into a pita - deelish)

White Chicken Chile (Grandma Lyman cookbook)

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

Dan T's Raspberry Chipotle Chicken with Island Rice

Tres Leches Cake

Monkey Bread

Half the time I made them eat on my pretty dishes, even for breakfast. I just can't resist wanting to pretend like my house is a real bed and breakfast. It's too much fun to spoil.

When I picked them up at the airport instead of coming back here to Gville, we went to Siesta Key for 2 days. Powdery white sand, perfect weather, temptuous shopping. (I'm not even sure if I can use that word (temptuous) but I thought I'd try). The only thing we struggled with was that Bryson wanted to nap even before we got done with breakfast. And then of course Bowen was the same way except his was after lunch. Naps are so wonderful and convenient at home but just happen to be so inconvenient on vacation.

We drove home from Siesta Key on Thursday and anxiously awaited Bryan's return on Friday. We couldn't resist taking our special guests to see the Alligators at Paynes Prairie. We didn't get too far before they decided they'd seen enough. (we were able to spot about 25 of them)

Then Bryan took Rula and Bula out and gave them a tour of the town and the U of Fl campus.

At night we usually hung out outside and visited, watched 'Dancing with the Stars', or played 'Phase 10'.

Yesterday Rula, Bula, and Keri and I went to see a movie... 'The Game Plan' starring The Rock. Um, it was cute but I'm not sure I'd spend the money to even rent it.

Bryan thought it was pretty dang funny that that's the movie we picked to see. It was either that or 'Why Did I Get Married'.

All in all, I'm pretty dang SAD that they're gone. I guess now it's time to check out of the 'Bed and Breakfast' and get back to real life. Back to 'Dias' and fruit snacks and enjoying my beautiful children by myself. Thankfully Bryan is coming home tomorrow. Hallelujah!!! I love him.

Cafe Rio Fiesta

Today I tried out the Cafe Rio Pork Salad recipe that I found online. It was FANTASTIC. You all must have your own little Cafe Rio party of your own. There is almost nothing more satisfying than succesfully replicating a restaraunt favorite.

We also had 'Tres Leches' cake to make our fiesta complete.

On a side note, I think that Cafe Rio has one of the coolest websites around.

Surprises to Myself

I love to order books and magazine partly because I love to read them and partly because I love getting them as little surprises to myself in the mail.

Just subscribed to...Received my first magazine today... It's fun. It has a lot of neat ideas.

Want to subscribe to...Bought the Oct/Sept issue last night and am loving it.


Just received from Jill as an early B-day present...

Great ideas about hiding vegetable purees in mac n cheese and other toddler friendly meals.

Just received in the mail...
Can't wait to read it.

Just ordered on Amazon.com...Absolutely CANNOT wait to get it.

I'm a living specimen...

Our own Private Lake

After the big rain yesterday we let the boys (Bo and his friend, Reese) go outside and play. They had the time of their lives as you can see by these videos.

Pop Goes My Heart

This song is dedicated to Bryan who is in Chipley right now for his Primary Care Rotation. Bryan, you are gold and silveherher.

A Numa Numa Revisit

Remember this? Good times!