Why Can't I Still Get Snow Days?

While the threat of heavy snow sends panicked Ozarks residents to clear out supermarket shelves, I tend to think back on memories of big snow storms when I was growing up in Pennsylvania.

My dad was a teacher in our school district, so if there was a snow day, my dad, brother and I would all have the day off together. And since my grandparents lived a little way out in the country, Dad would have us get all bundled up and take us over to sled down the big hills and Gram & Pap's house.

Now, Gram & Pap may have had amazing hills at their place, but they also had giant evergreen trees. On one particular snow day, my brother and I were having the time of our lives. I'd sled down and as I was climbing back up the hill, Danny would sled down and so on.

This went on for quite a while, but as I approached the top of the hill for my next turn on the sled, I turned to watch Danny as he went flying down the hill. He picked up speed as he neared the bottom of the course, but at the last second the sled favored one side and took him over a bluff - straight into the heart of an evergreen tree.

As I watched my brother disappear into the branches of the enormous tree, my first reaction - like any good sister - was to break down into hysterical laughter. You'd think I'd be concerned for my little brother's safety, right? Well, once he finally emerged from the depths of the tree, I knew everything was going to be alright. Unfortunately Danny's flight of the evergreen put a damper on the day and signaled the end of our sledding adventure. Oh well...plenty more snow days where that came from!

Why I Love My Hometown

Over the holidays I had the chance to get reacquainted with my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I hadn't been home for an extended stay in close to a year and a half, so I was prepared to make every one of my nine days count. Along the way, though, I was reminded of so many reasons why I love my hometown. Please note that seeing my family and friends is always a major reason I love going home, but this list is intended to highlight the best of the 'Burgh.

8. Nothing says 'home' like emerging from the Fort Pitt tunnels to see this.
7. Primanti Bros. Sandwiches served on Italian bread with the cole slaw and french fries piled right on top of the meat.
6. Sidney 'Sid the Kid' Crosby. Just because he's nice to look at.
5. The hills. Oh how I miss the hills! Yes, they're a pain when slippy, but the landscape is just gorgeous, especially with a fresh blanket of snow.
4. Italian hoagies!
3. Pittsburghese. A language unique to the city, it's distinct words, phrases and inflections are one thing I absolutely love about going home. I guess you could say it's comforting to hear a lot of yinz, n'at, dahntahn, and 30 mile an arr thrown into conversation.
2. Sports. Pittsburgh has been home to some of the greatest names in professional sports, including Roberto Clemente, Mario Lemieux, and Bill Mazeroski. To date, Pittsburgh is proud of it's six-time Super Bowl Champions, three-time Stanley Cup Champions, and five-time World Series Champions.
1. You can talk about how the Stillers are doing and everyone knows exactly who you're talking about.

Why I'm Extra Thankful This Holiday Season

It seems like only yesterday, but two years ago my husband and I were preparing to begin a new phase of our lives. Nick was getting ready to go back to school to become a nurse. We had revisited the discussion about going to school countless times, but he had finally decided to change careers.

I won't lie - we were as scared about this journey as we were excited. Would we be able to afford our monthly expenses on reduced income? How would we find time to spend together with his class and study group schedules?

But we soon realized something that we knew all along - God was going to take care of us. The month before Nick started classes, I got a new job with a raise. Soon after classes started, Nick was awarded a scholarship that covered all of his tuition. In addition to that, Nick's employer agreed to let him continue to work, but with reduced hours. Family and friends stepped up in ways we can't even begin to properly thank them or repay them for. Nick even developed friendships with classmates that we can't even imagine not having in our lives now.

While it wasn't always a walk in the park, I wouldn't trade these past two years for anything. And in a couple of weeks I can't wait to watch as he graduates from nursing school. I'm so proud of him and can't wait to see where this next phase in our lives together will lead us.

Guilt Trip at the Gym

Earlier this year Nick and I signed up for a gym membership and I have to say I really enjoy going. Even on my most sluggish days, I still feel a great sense of accomplishment just for going.

But one thing I've noticed lately is the guilt trip I get when I'm working out. Is it from trainers or other gym members? Not even close. It's from the elliptical machine I'm using! You see, when you press the button to increase the intensity of your workout, it makes a quiet, dainty little beeping sound. But when you decrease the intensity - BEEP!!!! A noise loud enough to let people two miles away know that you've decided to tone done your workout.

I'm being shamed into more intense exercising by a machine. What's worse? Um...it definitely works. Don't judge me.

Prepare thyself...

One of the great things about spring and summer is that outdoor festivals and activities go into full swing. And Waxahachie, Texas, is no exception. In town on a recent business trip, my friend Eliza and I discovered two things: 1) cell phones only work in the center of the conference center parking lot and, 2) the amazingly popular Scarborough Renaissance Fair. Now, I normally wouldn't give a renaissance fair a second look. They're not my cup of tea. But with a sign like this it just couldn't be ignored:
That's right, my friends - Prepare Thyself For Merriment!

Super Bowl Recap

Word on the street is that there are some people anxiously awaiting a recap of our very exciting Super Bowl party. Well, this post is for you.
Some would say I got a little bit carried away with the menu. We had enough food to feed about 20 people...but there were only eight of us. I didn't care - when the Steelers are in the Super Bowl, of course it's time to go all out!
Our menu included Italian sausage sandwiches, sweet & spicy meatballs, queso dip, veggies & dip, pepperoni loaf, and the all-important Oreos.
After we filled our plates, it was time to get down to business. Here we are as James Harrison made a 100-yard return just before halftime. Pardon my scary red demonic eyes.
My friend Mary doesn't really care about football, but that night we definitely converted her into a Steeler fan.
With only a few minutes left in the game, when the Cardinals scored and things definitely weren't looking good for us, Nick donned his rally cap.
Finally, with 35 seconds remaining, Santonio Holmes made a miraculous catch that pushed the Steelers ahead. Everyone in our living room erupted with cheers.
The rally cap worked! Here's Danny showing his appreciation for the hat.
By the end of the night, Oliver had had enough. Becoming six-time Super Bowl Champions really takes it out of a dog.

We are the champions!

The Steelers did it! They won their sixth Super Bowl title, making NFL history as the first team to do so. It was a stressful night in our living room - lots of weeping and gnashing of teeth, followed by cheers and shouting.
We're still celebrating at our house, so I'll post pictures of the food & fun tomorrow night.
Until then... here we go Steelers, here we go!!!!

Super Bowl Fever

I am beyond excited right now because the Steelers have made it into the Super Bowl! As the final minutes of the game against the Baltimore Ravens ticked away, I sat preparing the menu for my Super Bowl party. More on that in a future post.
But one of the biggest things that got me into the Super Bowl spirit was a little care package from my mom. What was in it? None other than Eat 'n Park's famous smiley face cookies done in black and gold in honor of the Steelers. Ahh, there's nothing like a little taste of home.
So now we're just gathering our party supplies and getting ready for the big game. Check back on Super Bowl Sunday to get a look at our Pittsburgh-inspired menu.

Resolutions...a few days late

I realize that everyone else on the planet made their resolutions several days ago. But instead of jumping on the typical resolution bandwagon (you know - exercise every day, no junk food, and publishing one's memoirs) I've decided to go for the realistic goals. So, I present to you my very doable resolutions for 2009:

1. I will not hit snooze more than three times each morning.
2. I will not consider clothes laying on the floor of my closet as 'put away'.
3. I won't drink coffee after 7pm (totally screws up my bedtime routine).
4. I will not be ashamed of eating cold leftovers for breakfast (hey, at least I'm eating something).
5. In an effort to break out of a rut, I'll listen to a new music artist every month. Who knows what new tunes I'll find out that I like?
6. Find one new publication to submit my writing to.
7. To preserve my marriage I will not go on snowy hikes, like the Jenny Lake Hike we went on following this photo op:
8. I'll stay better connected to my friends.
9. Watch more Food Network, HGTV, and E!
10. Have a major celebration when Nick graduates in December!

Some highlights...

Yes, I am fully aware that it's been over two months since I've posted anything. So, i thought I'd show you some highlights of what's been going on at our house.
First of all, Oliver had his third birthday. We celebrated by getting him a little cookie from the pet store. He was so excited about it.

Around mid-October I got adventurous with fall flavors and decided to make pumpkin cheesecake. Thanks to Nick and a few of his classmates, the entire cheesecake was polished off within just a few days of me making it.



Next came Thanksgiving weekend complete with - you guessed it - the Flaming Turkey. No, not that kind of flaming...there's real fire around this bird!

On Black Friday my brother & I ventured out around noon to see if he could snag an HDTV. Thankfully Sam's Club had exactly what he was looking for and he spent the rest of the day admiring his TV. Possibly admiring it a bit too closely...

And in early December I began making my holiday cookies. I was lucky enough to have my friend, Mary, join me for an afternoon filled with baking and fun. Here's Mary showing off her caramel-melting skills while chatting on the phone with her friend. Is there no limit to this woman's talent???


I know what you're thinking, 'did only good things happen to you for the past two months?' Well, there was one low light. Nick, along with one of his classmates, decided to adopt the Fu Manchu for 24 hours. It was horrifying. Luckily he shaved it off the next afternoon.

That about sums it up. Have a good night.

One of these things is not like the other...

This week magician David Blaine set out to do another one of his stunts - this time hanging upside down from trussing for 60 hours in the middle of New York City's central park. I've stayed quiet during his previous, ahem, death-defying stunts - hibernating inside of a giant block of ice, sitting inside of a clear box above a river, and who could forget camping out underwater in a giant bubble for a week - but this time I have to speak up.
While each of these stunts were, uh, classics, there is one thing that keeps sending up a big red flag in my mind: none of these are magic!!!!
I've seen him do magic tricks and, in fact, I was impressed. He ripped up a dollar bill, chewed up half of it, then spit it back out only to have it reattach itself to the rest of the bill. Totally blew my mind! But hanging upside down for 60 hours straight? Yawn. He didn't even stay upside down the whole time! This was partly due to the fact that doctors pretty much told him that his brain could explode and his eyes would burst out of his head if he stayed that way for 60 consecutive hours. So, once every hour he turned himself right side up, let the blood flow back into his extremities, and went back to hanging like a bat in central park.
Then, when he went to make his dramatic 'dive of death' as they called it, it turned out to be a total flop. Yet gobs of fans, who had missed school or work to see him hang upside down, still cheered him on.
What am I not getting here??? Anyone?

A Sunday night well spent

This past weekend was perfect in so many ways. I got to spend time with my fabulous husband, the fall weather was amazing, and I got to enjoy a Steelers game complete with proper football food - pierogies and Italian hot sausage sandwiches. I was especially thankful for the pierogies because we almost didn't get them. Nick and I went on a tri-store search before Dillons finally came through for us. One worker even asked if they were some type of organic food...uh, hardly. Here's a little glimpse of what proper football game food looks like:

But I digress. The game against the Cleveland Browns was great - especially because we came out with a win. The funniest thing, though, was that it was so windy in Cleveland that night that food wrappers and other garbage were flying around the field during every play. It was nasty.
Anyway, the important thing is that we came out with the W (despite some lame plays and half-hearted attempts on our part). The good news is that we've got a whole season to keep improving and working our way toward Superbowl ring #6.

Merman!

Alright this is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time and I just had to share. I've been watching the Olympics and especially got caught up in the excitement of Michael Phelps and his eight gold medals. Well, I found out today that he agreed to do a photo shoot with the famous photog Annie Leibovitz (famous for, shall we say, interesting shots). I'm all about creativity and thinking outside the box, but at no point in time would I think that it's a good idea to dress up like this:


It just screams Zoolander: "Merman! MerMAN!"

Obsession

Obsession might seem like a strong word, but as my Ozarkian husband would say "we sure do love us some coffee". Now we're taking it to the next level. Thanks to our friends Nate & Jessica we've been introduced to the world of at-home coffee roasting. We bought our coffee roaster and green coffee beans almost two months ago, and now, seven weeks and four pounds of freshly-roasted coffee later, we're hooked. Currently our latest shipment of green coffee beans is sitting in our kitchen just begging to be roasted to perfection by Nick, our roast master.
Some may say that roasting your own beans is unnecessary, but for a true coffee lover there's nothing like drinking a mug full of fresh java and knowing that it hasn't been sitting in a bin at a chain coffee shop for weeks and weeks. Plus, when those beans are roasting, my whole house smells like coffee! It's better than any air freshener that Bath & Body Works could ever offer.

Thelma's Beans

I've been lucky to have a lot of wonderful people in my life. The bonus is when they also happen to be wonderful cooks. This is the case with my Aunt Thelma. Affectionately known as 'Grandma #3', Aunt Thelma is my mom's best friend's mom. Have I lost you yet?
Growing up I have a lot of great memories of time spent with Aunt Thelma. My brother and I would go to her house and she'd paint my nails, let us do endless arts & crafts, and, of course, feed us amazing food. From pasta fagioli to caramelitas, Aunt Thelma served up a variety of tasty treats, but one thing was always consistent - everything tasted amazing.
We spent this past Christmas in Pittsburgh and I was reintroduced to a Thelma classic: bean casserole. It was so yummy that I had to get the recipe and share it with you:

- 2 cans of baked beans
- 2 cans of green beans (drained)
- 1 can of kidney beans
- 1 can of lima beans (drained)
- 6 oz. can of tomato paste (plus one can of water)
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 8 slices of bacon
- 1 diced onion

1. Brown the bacon and onion together.
2. Mix tomato paste, water and sugar together before mixing with the beans.
3. Combine all ingredients in a 9x13 baking dish and bake for one hour @ 350 degrees.

This recipe makes a ton, so it's a perfect dish for a picnic or potluck. Enjoy!

Up next - a recap of our amazing road trip.

Hermione the Wonder Dog's Amazing Kill

This is Hermione. She belongs to our friends Nate & Jessica. Yes, she's cute and cuddly-looking, but would you believe that she's a ferocious predator? Well, believe it. Allow me to reconstruct the scene.
On an average fall day, Nate and Jessica came home from work and settled into their evening routine - feeding their daughter and putting her to bed, making dinner for themselves, and relaxing. During the aforementioned activities, Nate let their little dog Hermione out in the back yard. Just as a little background, Nate and Jessica live out in the country and they've got quite a bit of wide open space behind their house.
A little later they went to let Hermione back inside and this is what they discovered:

It would appear that Hermione had gone head to head with local wildlife - and won. According to Jessica, Hermione started out just bringing tiny mice onto the porch, but it quickly progressed to larger mice, moles, bones of other animals, and finally a deer leg!
It's now time for you, fair readers, to decide - cute and cuddly or ferocious predator?

Medical Adventures...

First, let me bring everyone else up to speed. One week ago my right eye started bothering me. Nick noticed that it was red, but I just chalked it up to dry eyes/allergies. If only I was that lucky.
Since then, my eyeball has become bright red, my eyelid has practically swollen shut, and a stye was discovered over near my tear duct. Basically, my eye was starting to look like Sloth's from The Goonies...only one eye wasn't halfway down my face.

Anyway...despite the fact that a stye might not seem that funny, there have been a few things that have happened that I can't help but laugh at.
1. I gave in and went to the doctor on Tuesday. While I sat in the waiting room, a unique-looking man walked up to the counter. When the girl asked what they would be seeing him for he replied "They told me to come back when I wasn't on something." Uhhh...yeah.
2. When my mother-in-law found out about my problem, the first thing she said was, "I would LOVE to see that!" Seriously??
3. The fluorescent lights in my office are irritating for my eye, so I kept them off today. A man walked into my office and asked what was wrong and I told him about my eye. He proceeds to tell me that he's had styes so severe that the doctor has had to CUT THEM OUT OF HIS EYELID!!! "Yeah, it's no big deal. They just roll up your eyelid and cut 'em on out." No big deal?!?!??! That was the least comforting news I've heard all week.

Here's hoping that my new eye drops will make me good as new by the end of the weekend! I'm tired of looking like a freak at work.

Stuck in an airport

Today we started out on a journey to Norfolk, Virginia, to attend my cousin's wedding. Little did we know that NOTHING would end up going according to plan. For a recap of our ill-fated travels, check out Nick's adventure blog by clicking here. 

As for me, I'm going to continue to sit here at the airport in our nation's capital, waiting and hoping to see if our flight will actually take off for Norfolk on time while listening to an older gentleman screaming Russian phrases into his cell phone. 

Mmmm....bread

This weekend has been pretty busy in my kitchen with two family dinners in one day. For Sunday's lunch our menu featured Italian food. I was asked to bring the bread, so I decided on some herb focaccia bread. It's pretty easy and super tasty, so I thought I'd share the recipe.
Here's what you'll need:
4 to 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. rosemary
coarse salt

- You'll need to start this the night before you need it. Combine 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 cup warm water, and the yeast. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let this stand overnight at room temperature to ferment.
- Stir in 1 cup warm water, 2 tsp salt, rosemary, and just enough of the remaining flour so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enoguh of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. lace dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (approx. 1 hour).
- Turn dough out onto a well-floured baking sheet. Place an extra large bowl upside down over the dought to cover it; let rest 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven and a bread stone to 475 degrees. Shape dough on the baking sheet into a circle about 11 inches in diameter by puling and pressing with your fingertips.
- Make 1/2 inch deep indentations in the dough. Brush it with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Carefully slide focaccia onto the preheated bread stone.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden, checking after 8 minutes and popping any large air bubbles with a sharp knife. Remove focaccia from bread stone with large spatulas. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm.
This bread makes your whole house smell amazing while it's baking. You'll love it.
More on the second meal later!

Good viewing

Clearly trying to fill the gap caused by the writer's strike, NBC has come up with yet another winner. My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad is like American Gladiators starring the average dad...with a few exceptions. To start the show, the dads came out in unitards for an event called 'Alphabet Soup'. The goal of the game is for them to crawl into a bowl of green sludge to search for letters to spell out a key word. Falling repeatedly on the slippery surface, their perseverance was put to the test - especially when their bratty child is screaming "Come on, daddy! Hurry up!"
If you thought that there wouldn't be trash talking because little kids are involved...you would be wrong. In fact, most of it was done by the kids. To the parent of a competitor, one snotty kid yelled "You're gonna lose!" I was really hoping that the other kids would gang up on her and take her out, but they just watched respectively.
Now for those of you thinking that it's not fair to go by athletic ability alone, never fear. There was a quizzing lightning round that asked the tough questions like 'what temperature does water freeze at?' and 'who is Spongebob Squarepants' girlfriend?' Remarkably, the dads knew the answer to the Spongebob question and not the one about freezing water.
The best part of the show was when they brought out a van with 'The Scorpion Kings' painted on the side. It was highly entertaining watching the tough Navy Seal dad squeal like a little girl when he had to carry scorpions from a conveyor belt over to an aquarium.
All in all it was a fairly entertaining show, but I have to say that I am so thankful that the writer's strike is over and great programs are going to return to television soon.