Black and White Pictures

This is a kind of old picture of my sitting area. See those frames above the couch? They have black and white photos of the family. I took them down during Christmas to put a nativity up and decided I was going to swap the pictures out for new ones from last year before I put them back up. So here it is Feburary, the nativity is still there, and I finally ordered the pictures today. I ordered more than I need because I like to see what looks best in the frames, plus I have another frame that holds several pictures that I want to fill. I tried to choose pictures that were pretty and fun but also reflective of the year we had. I edited them in Picasa to try and give them all similar tone and lighting. One of my goals for 2009 is to learn more about photography, so I hope when I do this again next year I will have some more impressive pictures.

The Bacon Explosion Experience

Weave raw bacon together, add italian sausage and cooked bacon on top

Roll sausage up, roll bacon mat around it with the seam on the bottom. Isn't it pretty?

Cook at 250 for two or so hours until the internal temperature reads 165, top with barbeque sauce and put it under the broiler for a bit to crunch up the bacon....

It was pretty tasty. We served it sliced up and on a bun, and the Elders each had two sandwiches. It was about what I expected. It basically tasted like bacon and sausage. Everyone says you really do need to try it in a smoker to get the full effect, and I believe them because I think it would render the fat in the bacon more and meld it all together, but despite living in the Carolinas for four years I still don't own a smoker! Shocker, I know!

Once again, here is information central for the Bacon Explosion and here is a link to the oven recipe, which I didn't really follow.

I'm pretty sure our house is going to smell like bacon for a week or so.

Keepin' It Real Wednesday

I made myself some brownies last night. I told myself that it was my one last naughty treat to end the three-day-lack-of-sleep-induced-binge that I had been on.

Then this morning I was holding Oliver about half an hour after he awoke and he suddenly threw his snotty nose on my shoulder and started his sick whimper back up. I thought to myself, "Oh, one more day of this, huh?"

And this is what I had for breakfast:

A little bit of this:

Washed down with a lot of this:

Followed up by this:

And the scraps of Gabe's bagel (with cream cheese. Shhh, don't tell Ollie).

Maybe tomorrow.

Pay It Forward AND Get something free from me

Pay it Forward
The Rules
1. Be one of the first Three (3) bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me.
2. Winners, you must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift for the first 3 bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!
3. The gift that you send to your three Friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!
4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love!

I won on Kari's blog - no link because it is private.

(Those of you who know me well are probably wondering what in the heck I will send the winners. So am I my friends, so am I. Should be entertaining.)

Hold me

Do you find, as I do, that your patience with a sick baby is never ending?

At 1 am I found myself breathing in the hot, cherry-Tylenol breath of the little guy sleeping on my chest, kissing the top of his fuzzy head, and shushing nonstop into his ear. Oliver was full of mucus and unable to sleep on his back for longer than a half hour or so at a time. My eyes and arms were tired, but neither drooped until I heard his ragged breathing slowing. It is the most natural thing in the world to soothe the baby that you love when you know they are so miserable.

Isn't it nice to find that some virtues come so easily?

Commercials That I Hate Part I

The "He went to Jared" commercials. They make me mad every time I see them. Do any of you know women like the women in those commercials? I'm really not a jewelry person so I might not know what I am talking about, but those commercials actually make me think of Jared Jewelry as a really un-hip place to buy jewelry because they are so bad.

Chinese New Year

Last Friday we went to Colin's school to celebrate Chinese New Year. When we first got there, we were waiting for more parents to show up so the teacher had the kids play some games in Chinese. I always love to see that - little kids running around, laughing and shouting in a language that isn't their primary one. So fun! I just sit there thinking, "We are so lucky to be able to be a part of this!" Then we had a huge lunch with fried rice, dumplings, sesame chicken and fresh fruit. Gabe got to sit with Colin at his desk to eat and he seemed very proud.

After the lunch is was time for the entertainment. Each class had a dance, song or skit to perform. Having worked in dance classes for kids this age, I have to say that what they did was quite impressive. I could tell the teachers and kids worked long and hard on it.


At the end of their dance. The kids were so sweet, standing there accepting their applause.

Colin snuck a little wave in. Cutie.

Colin with some of his pals.

Colin's cheering section.

And, the video of his dance. I understand that most of you will not want to watch a three minute dance, but I know granny does, so here you go! The quality is horrible (stupid Blogger), and I didn't realize that when I zoomed in and out it got so fuzzy, so bear with me. Colin is absolutely adorable, by the way. He took his role as the line leader very seriously. Yep, that is him leading the way. He IS his mommy's child ;)

After show we went back to the class for dessert and the day was pretty much over. Ollie did not make it through all of the classes. About fifteen minutes before it ended I left the auditorium with him and Gabe to go feed him. Colin, who was sitting in front of us with his class, noticed me leave and thought I had left. When I met him back at his class he was crying. (sigh). He is very sensitive lately with things like that. Last week I told him I was going to go to his school for lunch. I was about five minutes late and when I got there he was in tears, thinking that I wasn't coming. I know that even though he is doing marvelous in school, it still stresses him out at times. It has been a very big adjustment for him.

The Bacon Explosion

Have you heard of *this? Bacon wrapped in sausage, wrapped in a mat made of bacon. I think I am going to make it the next time we have the Elders over for dinner. Dare me?

*New link, old one was asking me to register.

Happy Groundhog Day

Spring came on April 26 in 2001

Eight years ago today at Newport Beach, moments after Chad and I got engaged.

Things that have cheered me up today

1. A phone call from my sister Christie with delightful news.

2. The SUN!

3. Itty-bitty seedlings

4. A crocus in my corner garden.

5. And as always, these smiling eyes.

Keepin' It Real Wednesday

I really really hate this time of the year. Can I just take a nap and wake up around Valentine's Day or so? And Chad, before you wake me up, drag me to a sunny beach. Okay, it doesn't have to even be a beach, as long as it is sunny, warm, and at least two hours away from either of our houses.

It's not even snowy here, just rainy, but I think Blythe blood still runs through me.

Chinese New Year

Colin's school isn't doing their big Chinese New Year celebration until Friday, but he got to try his costume on today.

Panda's Den

When we used to live on the other side of Charlotte, our favorite place to eat was Panda's Den. You can tell that it is a local favorite because it is always full when you walk in. BUT you never have to wait for a seat, and you never have to wait long for your food. The waiters speed walk through each of their tasks. Honestly. Also, when you order a soda, when you need a refill, they bring out a two liter bottle and fill your cup up. Have you ever seen that at a restaurant before? I haven't. I don't know why, but it kind of tickles me. Makes it our special, quirky local diner. Or made it. Before we moved across the city :o(

The kids and I were on our old stomping grounds last Friday so we treated ourselves to lunch there. I wouldn't normally take the three kids out to a sit-down restaurant by myself, but I knew it would be fast enough and the owners are very nice. We got two orders of their sesame chicken lunch special, (at $4.95 each) and had enough delicious food left over to take home to Chad. Oh, and I timed how long it took from when we ordered until when we got our food, and it was three minutes! I am sure they just continually make the sesame chicken because if you look around, that is what everyone there is eating! I really miss this place!

If I ever have a girl....

I imagine she'll look exactly like this

Oliver's cousins got a big kick out of this!

A Chilly Morning at The Colemans