The Final Lap

I am so happy and excited I just needed to blog about it! One. More. Day of work and then...3 whole days celebrating Christmas,sleeping in and enjoying some much needed time with Vern and the kids!

But first I must dig deep and "sprint" this last "lap of the race"...7  straight hours of back to back haircuts. Let's do the math.

7 hours - 1/2 hour lunch break (if I'm lucky)=6 1/2 hours of work
6 1/2 hours X 2 haircuts per hour=13 haircuts

I can do this! I will do it with joy knowing that when it is all over I can FINALLY focus on holiday fun!

Ready,set,GO!!!

A Christmas Photo Shoot

Chipper,waiting patiently for Maxine to cooperate...

But we all know  that's not going to happen..

So this Mommy chases the kids around for some individual shots.

 And here she is looking so angelic,

it almost looks like she cooperated?

Thank you photo editing software!

"Ok,just a few more before you two completely mess up your hair.."

Ohkay...

that went well..

Chipper,was that a smile?!

Now,let's try another shot together. 

 Well,that's progress but...

I think we can do better.

You'd think that getting them to sit AND stay,

at the same time,

 while you bribe them with a handful of treats

 would be easy?!

So,after many attempts later,

I finally found my favorite.

.

.

.

.

.

.

A twisted back,

2 sore knees,

an hour of photo editing

 and $30 later,

 I have the CUTEST Christmas cards ever!

I Think I Am Dating Clark Griswold...

It still hasn't really "hit" me that Christmas is right around the corner. I think part of me is still numb from Thanksgiving and the other half of me seems confident that I will whip it all into shape at the last minute like I usually do. Did I just admit I am a confident  procrastinator? Sheesh ;/

Our little house is decorated with a record amount of lights this year. Once Vern got started,the spirit kicked right in and he covered the eves,the deck and the fence with every string of lights he could find in the Christmas decorations. He admitted that it is no longer about the lights,it's just funny. I love that silly man of mine <3

Later,we found ourselves  in a tangled mess of mismatched lights for the tree. LED bright white,LED soft white bla bla,missing bulbs,burnt fuses...I finally looked at Vern and said "I could be totally fine with trashing this mess and buying all new." I think he had them in the garbage before I finished the sentence! (although he later admitted to digging them out a short time later and using the bulbs to replace a few bad ones that were already hung) The next day I came home to a  Christmas tree full of brand new, multicolor pine cone lights...puuuurfect! Another thing that I love about that man of mine,he always knows how to make me smile :)

Finally,about a week later, we got around to decorating.In only 4 years our cute little hodge podge collection of ornaments has grown quickly...as each year we add another memory,old or new. This year, I secretly snuck in a whole box of pink ornaments that I had from my old apartment. I'm not sure if Vern noticed or just hasn't said anything..? I assumed he or Del would be teasing me about all the pink by now?!..

I love it,our little Christmas tree,
assembled by plastic numbered branches,
bent to make it fuller and more "realistic.
Take a peek at it's branches
 as you may be surprised what you see.
 Rocking horses,Spiderman,playful kittens and gold bells,
a few Carebears and a frail popcorn chain.
Pink snowflakes and garland with shiny gold stars,
a special little elf always placed by Vern.
On top of it all is a gold medal star,
It's not real shiny,doesn't even light up.
The reason I like it
is because it is a simple reminder of what this season is really about,

*

A star,

the strength of love

 when it is assembled in numbers,

 All bearing unique gifts but intentionally united

with the same purpose and together,,, they created something beautiful.

Just like our tree :)

I Rhyme When I'm Angry....

You

My head is swirling quickly

I don't know what to say.

You've hurt me many times before

but never as bad as today.

So here's my resignation

From my efforts to try and get along.

I'm finally standing up for myself

No more apologies,

You're the one in the wrong.

You are toxic and conniving

Back stabber extraordinaire.

You've also taught your daughter

You two make quite a pair.

I almost let you get into my head

For a second I doubted my heart.

I thought I was a good person?

Or maybe I'm not very smart?

Thankfully I quickly remembered

How people like you work.

You always play the weak helpless victim

and try and make others feel like a jerk.

Not today Sweetheart.

This chic has had enough.

No more little miss nice girl,

time to get a little rough.

You see,

Most times I ask God for forgiveness

and now I ask for restraint.

I kept praying I'd find good in you

but there isn't...

there just ain't.

You have completely taken for granted,

the many nice things I do for you.

Maybe you will take notice now

Cuz I'm done going out of my way to do..

ANYTHING for you.

And as the years go by.

I will go on being me.

And I don't care if you don't like it

I will spare you my company :)

Valium

This is a blog I wrote the other night before my dental appointment and ( for obvious reasons) I fell asleep before finishing or posting it.  I thought I'd be a good sport and share it ha ha!

Have you ever taken Valium? Me either,until now, Have you ever tried blogging on Valium? Me either,until now. I was given a prescription of it to take before my dental appointment tomorrow so I decided to take one this evening to be sure of any possible side effects. So,for the fun of reading this later,I thought I'd blog about it.

Everything feels a bit dreamy and in slow motion and I am super duper relaxed. I still don't love the idea of going to the dentist but my worry and anxiety about it has all but disappeared! Awesome.

Today I challenged my friends on facebook to a  December Challenge-
"Do one good,kind,random,generous,loving,supportive and or selfless thing each day this month. Big or small,it's all contagious! Hold the door for someone,drop off a few cans at your local food bank,hug someone and brighten their day,it doesn't have to cost a thing and takes 2 seconds ;)  I'd love to see my friends join me and share happy stories of giving and the joy it brings!"
Day 1- I prepaid for a coffee for the next random customer at my coffee stand. The best part was the surprised look on the barista's face as she said "Wow that's cool,Merry Christmas!!"

So far a few friends have anxiously joined the challenge and I hope it continues to be contagious!
Honestly,the reason I did this is because so many of my friends seem focused too much on material things or petty selfish issues.

Annnnd....then I fell asleep,a deep,happy sleep. My dental appointment the next day went great (the tooth came right out!) and so far I am healing up nicely! So glad it is all over,I really hope next year is a healthier year for us!
Day 2 and 3-Vern and I put up the tree while listening to Christmas music and then we headed downtown to the parade.It was freezing but lots of fun and I got to snuggle with my mini BFF Maddy! My good deeds for the past few days were- making a few gluten free freezer meals for my MIL, surprising Trevor's Mom with Starbucks and holding up traffic on the highway for a pedestrian. The Christmas Spirit has finally found me!

Tails Of A Doggy Mother

My theory was that raising dogs would be easier and cheaper than having kids...but at times I am not too sure!? So here's a solute to all you doggy Moms...

Potty training-we've been working on it for almost a year and we still have the occasional accident. The area rug in my living room is ruined. Thankfully with our schedules we are able to take them out every 3-5 hours at night. Yes we still wake up with our kids all.night.long yet they are 1 and 5 years old. On weekends we can sleep through the night but if we sleep in...well,you know. On road trips,there are many times we have pulled over to find a potty for our little passengers when it appears the urge has arrived at the most inopportune time.

Illness-Just this evening I found myself practically dropping my laptop as I jumped up...Chipper had puked and my doggy Mommy instinct knew I better clean it up quick...before he ate it! Ew.Last month Maxine got stung by a bee. She had a horrible reaction and almost had to go to the Vet! Note to self-Maxine is allergic to bees.

Discipline-Chipper,a typical oldest child is smart,obedient and responsible. I was much younger when I adopted him and I followed a strict obedience regime. He was not allowed on the bed,or to bark, or run out the door before me or anything else the experts said to do. He was kennel trained and spent his days in there while I worked. And then came along Maxine 5 years later. I have become a more relaxed Mother. Now both of them sleep on the bed,Maxi on my head and Chipper at my feet.She barks as she barrels out the back door if she suspects there is even the smallest "security threat". I read a new puppy manual..but I have yet to apply any of the advice. She thinks her kennel is a toy and only gets locked in it for a "time out" and is allowed to roam free in the house most of the day. I have become such a softy! BUT..I love my kids.

Grooming-My kids need haircuts too. Every 6-8 weeks and it costs almost 4 times more than a child's haircut at the salon. I also have to bathe my kids and use special shampoo I have to order off the Internet. It costs the same as my hair products do. I HAVE TO brush them at least every other day or they matt horribly.

Teething-In the last year Maxine has chewed through 2 cell phone chargers,2 laptop cords and the cord to my blow dryer for a grand total of $140. Just like kids,you can buy them tons of great toys but they'd rather play with things they aren't supposed to or could potentially harm them. Maxine will also eat just about anything that spikes her interest,she especially likes to eat her poop. Lovely.

But don't let all this complaining fool you,I wouldn't trade my furbabies for anything! I love them both so much, they melt my heart on a daily basis. The snuggles,the kisses and the unconditional love is more than I ever expected from a dog...I don't even like calling them "dogs",they are MY KIDS!! ha ha
So here's to you,the Moms with furbabies! It's not always easy but it's always worth it :)

November

I often ask myself what makes me stop blogging for awhile...I know that sometimes it's because my mind is full of frustrations that are best not spewed out in haste on the Internet. Sometimes it's because my brain is tired and I want to amuse myself with mindless activities on Facebook or Pinterest. Sometimes it's because my life has had many changes this year and blogging has taken a back seat to new interests and priorities. But,when it comes right down to it,I love to blog,I always come back for more.
Since my last blog Maxine turned one!  It was the fun little pink birthday party I always wanted to have for my little girl! Both kids are doing great,Chipper was a good sport on Halloween and let me put his Santa outfit on..for about ten minutes.

Trevor is still living with us. It seems that life here isn't so bad after all....? ha ha For the most part he is a huge help but there are times I am reminded he is a 19 year old male and my Mother's words replay in my head "Men grow until they are 25,be patient."
So life goes on,in this little house of ours, 3 men,2 dogs and myself. Oh myself,it hasn't exactly been my best year....

First it was my gallbladder,I have spent 6 of the last 11 months either sick or recovering from the removal of that rotten organ.THEN,I crack a tooth so bad that it has to be removed! I have suffered for 2 weeks and I still  have 5 days to go before they pull  it out. Ugh. On top of all of that, there has also been adjustments to my anxiety medication,which makes me a little off my "game" for a week or two. This becomes the times I also hate my job. I struggle to keep up with the upbeat precision my clients expect while also continuing to get kicked in the proverbial ass by a corporation that only knows me as employee #bla bla bla! Growth..it's all personal growth right?!

This morning,on my way out of the shower (where I do all my deep thinking) I came to the conclusion that I am going through the "finding myself" stage in life. You know,when you start to take a good hard look in the mirror? When you stop pretending that everything isn't always someone elses fault and own up to the things about yourself that you don't like .....and want to change. Trying to see what others love about you.... and why. I wiped my wet face and hair with a giant pink fluffy towel,looked up to the Heavens and said "Fine. Break me. I need you to help me to be the best human being I can be. " I know and trust that on the flip side of all of this,it is all part of a much larger plan,propelled by love. Love, it's what wakes me up in the morning and keeps me warm at night. Beyond me or anything I could create in my wildest dreams,I have been given true love and a partner to share my life with. I say this because no matter how upside down life gets,I always have Vern by my side to keep my feet on solid ground and I couldn't be more thankful.

Now,onto a more light hearted subject before I wrap this up for the night. The holidays. We just survived 10-13 family members in and out of our tiny house,2-3 meals a day for 4 days. Vern and I prepared a Thanksgiving feast like no other before! We had 2 kinds of smoked turkey,all the traditional potato and stuffing fixings ,ham,candied bacon,truffles,pies,dips,chips,cheese,fudge and jello salad just to name a few..it was lots of fun! Everyone had a great time and the only complaints I heard was about the sudden shrinkage of every one's pants ha ha good times...I think it's going to take me a week to catch the Christmas spirit. Vern was a good sport and spent a few hours yesterday hanging Christmas lights...that helps! I will pack up the plastic pumpkins and mini hay bale in exchange for assembling the Christmas tree and hanging the stockings......next week :)

I'm Right Here

I've struggled at times with the many changes that have taken place in my life the last few years.

Adjusting to living in a house full of men as God has used this opportunity to teach me to be a loving servant of him and ALL of his children.

I have gradually become a full time girlfriend,sister in law and step mom over the last 3 1/2 years.

Our situation is far from ordinary...

And then last Saturday I had a small epiphany.

It was a cold,grey,rainy morning.

We had a rough start and I was left grumpy and alone to finish my coffee.

Rather that sit and stew I decided to get busy and start my day.

Del came stumbling downstairs in a sleepy haze to retrieve a cup of coffee.

I was busy in the kitchen washing dishes and making salted caramel butter bars.

We chatted for a bit,

I complained about my morning,

he sympathized,we laughed and then he headed back upstairs.

A few minutes later I heard him turning on the radio..

finding a good song...

and then turning the volume way up.

I don't know what came over me but..

I danced.

Like full out booty shaking white girl, with soapy hands, in the middle of the kitchen with a stupid grin, 

danced.

Suddenly I spun around to see 2 tiny faces staring at me in confusion.

Chipper and Maxine both looking up at me like they were ready to call the crazy farm!

I laughed as I wiped my hands and asked them both to dance.

Yah...no. They were too freaked out!

That's when it happen,

as if the last 3 years suddenly made sense all over again.

"I am right where I need to be."

In this house full of men,washing dishes,baking goodies,snuggling my fur babies and making memories.

Yes it's far from ordinary

but I know that it is all part of His plan.

I feel very blessed to be finding a more positive outlook and appreciating the work He has done with me to bring me to where I am today.

Right where I need to be.

:)



The Other Day....

I was in such a flustered hurry to get ready for work,

 that I accidentally grabbed my eyeshadow instead of my blush.

 One purple stroke of my blush brush later...

Yup,

I need to quit hitting the snooze button.

October

Pinterest. That's where I have been.
 Don't make me explain just Google it and go and get signed up immediately. You will love it,I promise and in advance..you're welcome :) There is so much good stuff it has consumed all of my free time for the last week. While you are there look me up and "follow" me!
But that's not ALL I have been doing..
I attended my first tea party at my friend Sonja's.

 IT WAS AMAZING! Pure girly fun down to every last detail! Every girl should have a tea house in her back yard like this-

I am also almost done with my 2nd batch of apple butter. I scored two huge buckets of apples from my neighbor's tree.

 I found that if I peel,core and then run them through the food processor into pulp first I can fit an entire 5 gallon bucket's worth in my crock pot. One batch,even with my new method, takes about 3 days to finish It's a labor of love that's for sure! I will be canning them and storing them away for Christmas gifts. The other bonus is that my house constantly smells like apples and cinnamon,perfect for fall!

The Briscoe "fuppies" are getting close to adoption day,it will be hard to say goodbye but I know Shannon is screening the new families very carefully. I went to visit for a little photo shoot and brought some hair bows for the girls,they were good sports about it!

>wink<

And last but not least I have been doing a lot more cooking and baking. I am especially proud of these-
Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate chip cookie dough filling and chocolate frosting. YUM!

Apple Butter Update...

A few days ago when I blogged about apple butter...

 I was under the assumption that 14 hours in the crock pot on low would be long enough.

 At that point, I portioned it into canning jars and put them in the fridge but I knew something just wasn't right.

 For 2 days I tried to convince myself that it wasn't applesauce.I don't even like applesauce!

 Finally, I went to the fridge to face my apple mystery..

1 stir of the spoon and there was no denying..

.it was applesauce.

 Refusing to accept defeat I hauled out my crock pot and poured the applesauce back in.

 I set that baby on low and let it cook for..

two.

 more.

days.

 My end result...?

Thick,gooey,delicious apple butter.

 I started with my crock pot packed full of apples and pears and ended up with approx 8 cups of apple butter.

 The amount of reduction was amazing!

 I am so satisfied with my end result and feeling victoriously domestic!

Last night Vern used it as a rub for a pork roast and created a mouth watering apple butter bark on the outside,yum yum yum!

Looks like a new season calls for a new hobby...

I just hope my crock pot survives. 



Day 21

Favorite Picture Of Yourself Of All Time And Why

A friend of mine recently wrote a fantastic blog about this very same issue. With respect to her privacy I will not share a link but I will  share her message :)

I searched my archives of photo files trying to find the best photo of myself.

You know,one where my hair is perfect and my make up just right.

Where I look thin,pretty and happy...

Do I share a photo of just me..or with my favorite people..or maybe at my favorite places?

"Am I making this blog assignment harder than intended...this blog challenge was supposed to be FUN?!"

And then I read my friend's blog and my answer became clear,

"It's not the BEST photo of myself,it's my FAVORITE photo of myself!"

The photo that makes me smile every time I see it and brings back a memory of a precious time,

not the perfect photo where I look my best..

where is the happy memories in that?

Sooooo...

Much to my Mother's dismay...

The photo that makes her shake her head to this day...

This is what happens...

 when you leave my teenage brother alone with me...

and a camera...

in the 70's....

Every.Time. I see this photo I smile and laugh..

My brother is in his 40's now and he is still a mischievous child at heart.

It was such a different time..

A funny memory I wouldn't have without this photo

and that

is why this is my favorite photo.

:)

Apple Butter

Today I comfortably snuggled into the acceptance that fall is among us.

Last night we turned on the furnace for the first time in months after Vern almost lost me in a pile of blankets,sweatshirts and thick socks.

 I watched it rain outside the window,even the dogs refused to go out..it was wet and cold.

 I headed out for a motivational latte and a trip through Grocery Outlet for some chocolate chips. That latte worked..it motivated to buy lots of things besides the one thing I needed! Oh Grocery Outlet,you got me again!

When I came home I realized I could no longer ignore the pile of fruit on the verge of mush on my counter. Whatta waste I thought...I don't make pies..or jam...or anything with apples,pears or bananas! I can't freeze them..but I just can't sit here and watch them spoil! The idea hit me and I was shocked at my stroke of brilliance...APPLE BUTTER...wait even better...APPLE BUTTER IN THE CROCK POT! I think I saw this online somewhere....Oh and those bananas,I remembered I CAN freeze them and did so immediately.

After a few hours of peeling,coring and chopping pounds of tiny apples,big apples and pears I had a large crock pot full! I combined a few recipes I liked and added a few twists of my own-to my surprise there is o actual butter in apple butter...good thing I read the recipe!

Cara's Apple Butter
3-5 pounds of apples,peeled,cored,sliced or grated (or in my case,throw in a few pears)
1 Tbs of vanilla
1 Tbs cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar (more or less on the sugar depending on what you like)
1/2 cup white sugar (some people said it was great with no sugar)
1 packet of dry apple cider drink mix(this was my idea he he)

*Most recipes I saw called for allspice and cloves. I did not add these because I do not like the taste of them  and had none in my cupboards.

Turn large crock pot on low and add apples and then vanilla. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to apples. Stir until apple pieces look coated with sweet goodness. Put the lid on the crock pot and stir every 2-3 hours. After approximately 8 hours,mash the tender apples with a mash potato masher or hand mixer and let cook on low an additional 6-8 hours. Let cool and if needed puree in food processor to consistency you prefer. If you know how to can well...good for you. ha I have no idea how to can but if you do...can it. For those who are not quite that ambitious or domestic you can also freeze it for later use. My house has smelt AMAZING all day and I am hoping the apple butter is as delicious as it smells!

Wow,I feel so domestic! What a great way to kick of the new season of celebrating!

21 Days

21 days is how long it's been since my last post. I figure if I don't start now I may not know where to start...I'm not even sure where to start now..

Our annual Sekiu fishing trip was much better this year. The downside was that the guys didn't catch any fish :( BUT,the food,the mood and the weather was great! This year's guest list included my Parents,my BFF Jessica,Trevor,Vern and I. As Vern patiently paced across the ocean at 2 mph hoping for a bite,us girls indulged in some adventurous beach therapy. It was Jessica's first time out at Sekiu,I always get a kick out of watching a "newbie" on those amazing beaches. It's hard not to want to bring home tons of treasures,especially when it's your fist time and you aren't sure how soon you'll be back! ha ha Over the years I have hauled home my share of rocks,sea glass and driftwood.
Here's a few photos of everyone enjoying the beach...

It always saddens me to leave that magical place...

Thankfully beautiful Mt Ranier is always waiting patiently to welcome us home.

On a side note..Our little Maxine is a bit demanding of my love and attention and I sympathise that the camping thing is still very new to her. She barked,howled and had a fit if I left her in the camper. So one day while I was attempting to make lunch and she was requiring my attention..I came up with a solution that worked out pretty well-

Our Maltese had become a "Bowl" dog! ha ha As long as she could see me she stayed right there all bundled up!

(Notice here that our little Princess was cold so she has on a hooded sweatshirt,a jacket and a blanket...and I wander why she acts so spoiled?! ha ha)

In other puppy news..My friend Shannon's dog Cassidy delivered 9 healthy puppies a few weeks ago! How funny that not ONE is colored like Mama!

 Here is little Trigger (the runt) smiling for the camera!

 These sweet babies are a glorious dose of puppy love and I am soaking it up while I can before they find their forever homes :) If you are interested in adopting one of these sweet babies please let me know,they are labs and will be available mid October for $250-400.

As for our home life,things are good! Trevor is still living with us and we are all getting along great! Chipper and Maxi both got shaved when we got home from Idaho due to a hair crisis (long story). We thought Maxi would look silly with short hair and actually is it super cute! I love the low maintenance of it and I know she appreciates me not having to brush and dematte her all the time. I am not sure if I have shared these photos yet but...this is what happens when the groomer has a few extra minutes to style Maxi's hair..

Here is a before shot of her napping with her favorite toy..

Our little girl turns one in a month,amazing how the time flies! She is still a puppy at heart and at 6 pounds she will stay the size of a puppy too! I am busy looking up recipes for dog cakes and treats and have decided that a small family party will be best. I got her a special pink dress with bows and sparkles for her big day,now let's hope she holds still for a few photos!

As for Vern and I,we are both back to work on some-what normal schedules and we have found a comfortable balance of work,fun and family. Here are the pizzas we made the other night...

They were DEEE-lish! Trevor's pepperoni pizza on the left and my chicken,bacon Alfredo on the right and THEN Vern cooked them on the smoker..best pizza EVER!

Vern and I have also been able to find many opportunities to escape for dinner or a romantic beach walk. We recently became Costco members and I can for see many expensive shopping trips in our future..yikes! Not because the prices aren't good but because there is SO MUCH good stuff there! We walked out shaking our heads and questioning why we hadn't joined a LONG time ago?! I don't think I should be trusted there alone with a large amount of money for a few months..you know,after the newness wears off :p

Other than all the short stories..that pretty much sums it all up. 21 days goes by so quickly when you have good company :)

Goodbye Summer

Ah it's that time of year again. The days are getting shorter and the nights feel a little cooler. This year I feel a little bittersweet frustration while saying goodbye to Summer. I'm pretty sure we had one of the coldest and wettest summers in history and now we are left hoping our veggies will ripen before the first frost.

The last few years I have gotten better and better about embracing this time of year. I have also learned that the holidays come fast and being prepared means starting early...really early. All that crafty holiday stuff that I plan to do each year and never get to,baking all those amazing recipes I have saved for a special occasion and have never tried and the shopping for clever gifts that mean a lot but hopefully cost a little...that kind of stuff needs to start now if I want to be successful. PLUS,I am planting fall bulbs in anticipation of spring flowers. Gardening in the fall?! Wooohoo! :) Surprise flowers in the Spring?! YAY!!! See,Fall isn't that bad!

So far my plans are to make caramel apples for Halloween and a Beef Wellington over the holidays(no I have never made one before). I have some great ideas for pumpkin decorating and if all goes well we will be "making" our Christmas gifts...

OH and how could I forget?!! Maxine turns one on October 25th! Since I never got around to having a baby shower, I am hoping to make her first birthday a super special day! This fur baby of ours is the sweetest and snuggliest little girl ever and she has definitely captured a huge place in our hearts and our family.

So many good things to celebrate! So few months to get it all done! Maybe 2 more weeks of shorts and tank tops and then time to drag out the sweatshirts again...or a good excuse for some shopping?......Shopping?! Oh don't get me started on that again....

Idaho Camping...In Style

Here are a few pictures of our fun time camping and catching up with old classmates in Idaho..

 

My friends got such a kick out of watching me style Maxi's hair! ha ha I think they were all shocked how much she likes it! ha ha What can I say...? She is all girl!

Here is Maxi,anxious to get her hair done when she sees me get the hair accessories..

Before-Bed Head

 Sitting patiently while I do her hair she rests her head on my leg...

Then WA LA! Pretty girl getting lovins from Mom for being such a good girl!