The Day After Christmas

Merry-the-day-after-Christmas!  Our holiday ended up not being as bad as we feared.  We never got into the Christmas spirit, so we really just wanted it over already.  However, regardless of what is going on, we always look forward to our traditional Christmas dinner--prime rib!  But I'm getting ahead of myself, now aren't I?  Here's a pic of the kids, all tuckered out from opening gifts:

Keystone & Abbytail (top to bottom)

They had a great day and got presents and treats of all kinds.  So did Todd and I.  I have to say the best present I got was the news that our Aunt Judy (aka Angel Judy) had great test results and is winning the battle for good health.

Here is Todd after he opened up his new GPS, the higher model than what he expected (THANKS mom & dad!!!):

Todd (happier than I've seen him in a long time)

I just can't help but add a few more pics of the kids:

Abbytail with her new squeaky hamburger

Keystone with his new snowman from Grandma & Grandpa

Now, what I really wanted to blog about.  THE Prime Rib.  Oh. My. God.  SERIOUSLY, this is the BEST piece of meat I think I've ever eaten.  Todd outdid himself with this one.  The process started by dry aging the meat in the fridge for over a week (trust me, you wont even think about it if you ever have the privilege of eating this meal).  Then he ground up all the spices for the "bark" by hand.  He made a helluva mix of amazing spices.  We slathered all the tasty spices with olive oil all over the meat.  The bacon on top?  Farmland Cider House Bacon (Applewood Smoked Apple Cider Cured)--the best bacon you can buy in my opinion, and we haul coolers of this stuff back with us whenever we visit the Midwest.  It's seriously that good.

Have I mentioned Todd's buns?  Amazingly soft and fluffy.  He has mastered the dough recipe, which is no small challenge given that we are at high altitude.  He makes the dough in the machine, and then I make/bake the buns from his dough.  Again, OMG.

I made the mashed potatoes with the closest thing I could find to Boursin cheese, so they were rich and creamy.  Very good with which to cleanse the palette between bites of amazing beef.  Here is a picture of the amazing meal:

I dare you not to drool all over your keyboard.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!  I can't wait for next year, when I get to have this meal all over again.

Home Sweet Home

Boundaries are very important when training a puppy. When our kids were little, they were not allowed to go downstairs to the basement (door was left open, so it was always a temptation). And they were NEVER allowed on the couch by themselves (they had to be sitting on our lap). They were only allowed on the bed for up to 15 minutes to say goodnight each evening. That was when they were young and they needed to understand the rules of the house. Discipline really made them into the best friends we've ever had. They are like small furry adult family members now. They behave better than most humans.... Anyway, I'm giving you this history in order to explain how things have changed.

After their mom, Amber, died, we decided the kids were grown ups. Or maybe I made that decision. I remember telling Keystone to get on the couch, cause dammit, he deserves something special. It's his couch now. We also tried, even when we had Amber, to get them all to stay on the bed all night when we bought a king size bed. Amber stayed on the bed all night long a couple of times. I had to be extra still, otherwise she'd get annoyed and get down. Guess who's been sleeping on the bed all night since it turned cold this year and I don't have to be still? That's right, it's Abbytail! It's very comforting having her there. That is what home means to me.

Keystone on his couch.

Amber (front left), Keystone (curled up in the back), and Abbytail (front right)

January 2008

Stop to Smell the Flowers

So I finally committed to the pictures going on our Xmas card this year.  They are all canine.  Not ONE decent picture of me or my hubby, either in the same picture or separately.  Sigh.

This picture is on our card this year.  It's Keystone, and he is reminding me "Hey mom, don't forget to stop and sniff the flowers, you move to fast".  I remember taking that picture.  It is quintessential Keystone.  How can you not love him?!?

Don’t Say Cheese

As I look through all the pictures we’ve taken throughout the year, I am amazed at how few pictures we took. All. Year. Long.  What does that say about this year?  It’s pretty representative for how horrible this year has been, that’s what it says.  Why would we want to document our crappy year with pictures?  The first 1/3 of the year was spent with me working non-stop and my hubby not seeing me.  (Sometimes, your project CAN be too successful, but I’ll save that for another blog.)  Then the next 1/3 of the year was spent possessively searching for a job and all the worry that comes with that.  The last couple of months will just be… lackluster; and still full of worry about what the future will hold. 

So I look through all our pictures for that one that sums up the year for our Christmas card, and I find nothing.  That is probably because this whole year feels like a pause.  In our DVD of life, the pause button has been pressed for the majority of this year.  It is now playing, but it is in super-slow-motion.  I don’t like to move slowly.

I find not one decent picture of myself, and very few of my hubby.  Then I started thinking about how symbolic that is of this year.  This year pretty much sucked algae covered river rocks.  Maybe our card this year will be of just the furry kids.

Heavy Breathing

Today is Black Friday. I don't really care. I have some items on my list I need to check off so I can get them wrapped & shipped to other parts of the country. Time is growing short. So I head off to Kohl's since their sales are at decent hours and I am not an early riser, for ANY kind of sale.

I fill my bag from all areas of the store, then I get in the increasingly growing line. You know how the stores are all set up the same with checkout lines at both sides of the entrances. Both of the lines curved around the corner, and went ALL the WAY back to almost the FAR corners of the store. I figure, what the hey, I *had* to come out, so I'll be patient. Maybe I'll branch out of my shell and make small talk with someone. That is NOT me, btw. The late middle-aged couple in front of me seemed normal, even nice, and they were having a conversation that I couldn't help but over hear, I mean, I was RIGHT there. So I chime in and we talk a little.

Then I feel this presence. I realize this tall mammoth behind me was oblivious as to how close he was standing to me. This guy was a heavy breather. I thought by the sound and feel that he would be really big, but when I looked back he was just a tall and very healthy guy. He could never hide from the boogey man because you can hear him exhale from a mile away. So I did the cough thing. And the back stretch thing. And the roll my shoulders/elbow thing. He never got the hint. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck, and it's still grossing me out. I mean, I don't know the man. Why can't people be aware of personal space? Really. If I inhale your exhale cause you're standing THAT close to me, get the hell out of my personal space!

Happy Internet shopping!

It's A Brave New World

Welcome to my blog! I'm finally here, I know, I know, better late than never. I thought today, my very favorite holiday of all, would be the best time to adventure into my new world.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone! When I think of Thanksgiving, I remember car rides to NE to visit my closest cousin, playing in the snow, eating my aunt's apple pie (to die for), and being with family. Those memories along with my current traditions are why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of all.


Our top holiday tradition is that on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We DO NOT Travel. At. All. We decided early in our lives to stay home and enjoy the time instead of trying to decide which side of the family tree to make happy and which to neglect. So we make ourselves happy, and enjoy much less stress. Now my stress is, how big is my Monkey Bread going to grow?

2008 was the year I perfected Monkey Bread (prior to baking):

2009 was even BETTER (after baking):

And 2010 has been

THE BEST EVER MONKEY BREAD OF ALL TIME:

My secret this year: +walnuts. AND what made it PERFECT was that I used homemade frozen dough balls. Damn, my hubby makes the best bun dough.

For your amusement, 2007 won the Most Deformed Monkey Bread title:

Happy Turkey Day!