NO MORE ANIMALS!

This is the pile that is sitting in our front yard this morning. Wednesday is bulky trash day. I hope this qualifies.

This is what is left of part of our desk as of 7:30 last night.

This is what it looked like at 5:30PM yesterday afternoon.

You can't see them but it has been rumored that there are animals living under there. This was confirmed by Hubby who walked out the other day to find Bubba underneath it, up to his shoulders.

After 2 years, it was decided that it had to go. Don't get me wrong, it was great to have the extra space, and it was EXTREMELY well built (which we found out after the second or third board we pulled up) BUT at the end of the day, my sanity was more important.

We are planning on putting in some drainage and adding additional sprinklers and then grass.

The other section will come out next week, I assume. Just in time for bulky trash day.

Happy Demolition!

Are We Crazy?!

So next Monday, Hubby and I start our 14 week training that ends with us completing the White Rock Half Marathon.

Now don't get too excited, we are walking this marathon, not running. I personally HATE/LOATHE/DETEST running, therefore I will be walking, which I enjoy. Maybe someday we will work up to running (which he likes) but for our first marathon attempt, I am going with what I comfortable with.

I currently walk a 12 minute mile, I hope to get it down to 10. Hubby is less than overjoyed at the thought of walking 13.2 miles but I know deep down he is excited. I will be sure to keep everyone updated on our progress and maybe I will shed a few pounds in the process!

I will post our training schedule next Monday. If you are interested, the more the merrier, so feel free to train and then join us on December 13th!

Happy Walking!

Hit & Run, Damn Dogs and Meatballs

Well first and foremost, Happy Friday! I hope you have big and exciting plans for the weekend!

So on my way home last night, I witnessed a Hit and Run! Nothing serious but I just couldn't believe it! I was on the frontage road of the George Bush (because we are trying to save money and let's face it...it costs roughly $345.76 to use the George Bush each day so...you do the math) going straight at a light when a pickup decided to go straight in a turn lane and hit another car! The other car's tire screeched and they over corrected and eventually ended up pulling over on the overpass they were turning on to and the truck just kept going! I wasn't at a safe place where I could stop and I worried that if I tried to go back around, they would be gone, so I quickly wrote down their license plate number and called Hubby (because he always knows what to do). He called the Non-emergency Police and they said they had a call from the driver that was hit, so they added the license plate to the report. I just couldn't believe it. WHO DOES THAT?! Even if you don't insurance, you were in broad daylight, someone (including God) saw you! Idiots.

Then I promptly went home to find that the dogs are either digging to China or...trying to catch the moles that are living on the other side of our fence. Yay! They are trying to kill me. Bubba and Bailey have just been going to town trying to dig up our new bushes and frankly it makes me crazy. Yes, I do care about the yard BUT what I worry about more is that we have a busy street behind us! What if they get in co-hoots and double time a hole and dig under the fence. The thought makes my stomach lurch.

Hubby and I filled the holes with dog poop. And then beat the dogs with shovels. Just kidding...about the dog poop.

For dinner was homemade meatballs in marinara over a nice spaghetti/linguine mix (I ran out of spaghetti). Coming off the devastation that was the Joy of Cooking meatballs (read the recipe and you will understand...when it told me to roll them in corn meal, that should have been my first clue), these things were awesome! I adapted a recipe I found on Big Mama and it was delicious! Here's what I did:

1 package extra lean ground turkey
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4ish of Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt
Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Salt (I am out of Garlic Powder)
Italian Seasoning
2 eggs (cage free of course), beaten

Mix and then roll into balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then flip them. Bake another 5 minutes.

During that last five minutes, I threw some chopped red onion and garlic into a pan and sauteed until the onions were transparent. Then I added a jar of marinara and 1/2 cup chicken broth (which I used to clean out the jar). When my meatballs were done in the oven I added them to my pan and simmered for 15 minutes. Then I flipped them and simmered for another 15 minutes.

Serve over pasta and enjoy!

I will definitely be making these bad boys again...BUT I will probably half the recipe as it made approximately 162 meatballs for the 2 of us. Go make it for dinner and tell me what you think!

Happy Friday!

Hobbies aren't supposed to make you cry

Well I think I have finally calmed down enough to write about "the incident" that occurred last Friday night.

So I was asked by a friend of Jennifer's (you may remember her as my boss's wife and an attendant of my cake class) to make a Stegosaurus cake for her son's 3rd birthday. Coming of the somewhat success of the "dragon" (that actually looked for like a Brontosaurs but it's fine) I agreed and found a really cute picture online that I was going to try and copy.

The cake only needed to be big enough for 5 - 8 people so I made the cakes on Thursday and was ready to begin on Friday evening. Although I thought the cakes might have been a bit small, since it was for so few people, I didn't worry about it.

I made icing, gum paste spikes (or plates as Hubby corrected), and cut the shapes I needed. As I begin to place the cake on the board, it really started to look small. I would even say petite. Microscopic. Freakish. I called Hubby downstairs to inspect and upon his agreement, I broke down into a two-year old tantrum causing me to cry in the bathroom and throw the cake and everything associated, in the trash. Mature and normal...I know.

After I calmed down he came back downstairs to make sure I was okay (because he is amazingly patient) and I told him that I was going to draw the damn thing on a sheet cake, apologize to her tomorrow, and not charge her. He said that I was being ridiculous, got out the pans I needed to try again, and asked what I need from the store as he was determined for me to succeed (again why he is amazing).

I made the cakes and went to bed around 10:30 as they cooled in the fridge, taunting me throughout the night.

I sprung out of bed at around 5:00AM (ON SATURDAY) and got to work. I was in cake mode and ready to work.

After about two hours, Steve was done

and while not perfect, he was actually kind of cute!

Hopefully it tasted good and they couldn't taste the tears.

Happy Baking!?

How did I get so lucky...

So Hubby and I were laying in bed last night talking football. Nothing detailed because don't get me wrong, I can follow a game but usually end up getting so anxious that I can't watch all the way through.

He had made mention that he was going to try and watch more college football this year and that he wouldn't be watching NFL. I asked him why.

He said because of Michael Vick....

How did I get so lucky?

Crossing my Fingers...

So Hubby and I are on a budget. We have decided to quit talking about it and actually stick to it. My meal planning got all out of whack this week because he went to Wichita Falls (he is already home so you can't come rob me...and we have a gun), so I have pieces of my planned meals left over.

I realized yesterday at work that I didn't know what I was going to do for dinner tonight. I am trying to learn how to take what I have and make something with it so that is exactly what I am doing tonight!

Pizza sounded REALLY good but I didn't want to go to the store and buy pizza crust so I thought to myself,

"Self...people back in the day didn't have canned pizza dough...why cant you make it?"

"Well self", I said "because every time you have attempted to make dough it turned to mush, a brick, or inedible...but good luck you cheap-o!".

So...last night in between my GIANT cupcake cake and yoga I made pizza dough! It actually rose like it was supposed to. Was actually stretchy and smooth like it was supposed to be. And it is now sitting in my fridge waiting to be floured, rolled, topped, and baked.

I have a 1/3 of a block of mozzarella, one chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, and some cilantro....oh and red onion (and a zucchini but I will be omitting him). This should be interesting!

Happy Experimenting!

Newest Project

This is my newest project. I have always wanted to do a picture wall but wasn't sure how it would look. Hubby and I were watching the movie Seven Pounds, and Rosario Dawson's character had one in her bedroom. I find them SO neat and captivating.

We used to have a bookshelf on this wall that was full of pictures anyway. I liked it but it kind of crowded the hallway and I'm going to be honest with you, dangerous. I have almost whacked my head on it numerous times upon tripping/falling down the stairs.

I know that none of the frames match. Don't judge me for that. I feel like that is half of the charm. I have included pictures of our wedding, our "family" Christmas photos, pictures from when we were younger, and pictures of our family. I want it to be interesting and different and for people to stop and look.

It could be a tragic idea when one of the dogs bumps into the wall and they all come crashing down...but in the meantime...I think I really like it!

Happy Picture Taking!