29 in 09

I've been on blogging hiatus with the crazy holidays and a possible dying computer that I have only used for a few minutes a day because I am scared it is on its leg. So today I am actually blogging from my cell phone (so please excuse any typos or crappy format) so I can finally post my 29 in 09. I decided to do this instead of 101 in 1001.

*Italics means completed.

1. Make/start at least 4 cheeses besides mozzerella.

2. Plant a veggie garden.

3. Host at least one gathering a month can be big or small just must involve good friends.

4. Develop an accurate budget tracking system.

5. Workout at least 3 days a week at the gym or doing some kind of physical activity.

6. Start taking classes either towards my Masters or to learn something new.

7. Install a fence.

8. Get another dog.

9. Teach a friend how to cook.

10. Reorganize and deep clean the kitchen.

11. Write at least 3 blogs a week.

12. Organize all closets.

13. Buy a digital camera.

14. Cancel our cable.

15. Visit family more.

16. Use more natural cleaning methods.

17. Make homemade produce bags.

18. Do a blog makeover.

19. Get more then just a basic knowledge of Excel.

20. Start composting.

21. Finish the Twilight series.

22. Find a good church and actually go.

23. Try at least one new wine a month.

24. Organize recipes into binder.

25. Go camping at least 4 times this year.

26. Take a long weekend trip with Nathan besides camping.

27. Comment more on blogs

28. Keep my home office more organized.

29. Make a successful sourdough bread and stop buying sandwich bread from the store.

A Christmas tag

Jen from Eggs over Medium passed on a Christmas traditions tag.

Ok, I don't have very many, but I am bored so I will play along....

Lets see...Teresa's Christmas traditions. Well, growing up I don't recall very many besides the usual. Mass, convincing my parents to let me open presents on Christmas eve, and putting up the tree with my parents (and sometimes sisters) always making sure my favorites were put up.

In the past few years of being married, Nathan and I have started a few of our own. We usually stay the night at his parent's house after going to a family gather and Mass. We wake up on Christmas day and celebrate with his parents and sister by opening presents and eat this crazy cinnamon bread concoction that his Dad makes every year. We then head South to see my family.

While that doesn't seem too exciting, we are both blessed to have wonderful families. I would say this is especially true for my mom's side of the family. Growing up she was very close with her sisters and brothers, so we are really tight knit, and very drama free.

Merry Christmas everyone!

The little things

Today I was truly touched by a Christmas gift I received. It was a bright yellow, small flashlight. No, seriously. I got it this morning, from someone I know that isn't rolling in the dough by any means.

As I was opening the gift, I was explaining to this person that it was truly unnecessary that they got me a gift. But they explained they just wanted to do something for me, and they knew it wasn't much, but they just wanted to get me something.

It was truly the thought that counted, and I seriously believe that this may be one of the best Christmas gifts that I receive because the person giving it didn't give me a gift out of obligation. It was just something this person wanted to do, for me.

I am sure there are some eye rollers out there, but I honestly don't care. One quality I truly like about myself is that I take the time to appreciate the small things that others do for me. When someone sends a nice email or asks me how my day is, I appreciate it. When Nathan does the dishes or cleans off my car without me asking, it makes my day.

That's all...thanks for reading!

Sickness = cute Roxie keeping me company

Since everybody loves cute Roxie pics.......

Roxie has been keeping me company in the living room by curling up next to the space heater. She has barely moved from the spot in three days. It's nice to have a napping buddy right next to the couch.

If I hear one more time.....

Whoever: "Teresa, how you feeling?"

Me: "Still pretty crappy."

Whoever: "Yeah, you look like it."

It has already happened four times today and it's not even 7 am.

Thanks, now not only do I still feel like a$$, I can be self conscious that I look like a$$ too!

Ok, ok, so I read Twilight

I had actually been wanting to read Twilight for awhile and I was finally able to get my hands on a borrowed copy. (Thank you Jenn!)

Let me first say, that I wasn't a skeptic of the books. I heard the storyline, and I loved it. A teen novel with elements of vampires and romance was all I read growing up. Um, RL Stine anyone? Yeah, I almost always had a Fear Street book in my backpack. Never the Goosebumps series, those were for losers.

But lets get back to Twilight, I started reading last night, and just finished. It wasn't so much that I couldn't put it down, I actually did, but I am a speed reader and I was able to pick it up between sickness induced naps.

The verdict: I liked it. I wish I could say that I loved it, but I would be lying. The last 100 (or so)pages after the baseball game were awesome, but up until that point I found a lot of Edward and Bella's conversations repetitive. I get that he was revealing new and scary stuff to her all the time, but I hated that he asked her every other page if she was scared.

I won't continue on with my review, because those of you that read it already have your opinion that will surely not be changed by mine, and those of you that haven't read it are sick about hearing about it. I know, I know.

However, I will continue reading as soon as I can borrow the next book. (Kristal, are you done yet???) I have a feeling that maybe I will get more involved in the story and change my like to love.

Not such a great day...

I think my winter sickness has hit. Yesterday should have been the first clue that I was getting sick, because I was able to successful take a nap in the middle of a loud TV, phone, and Roxie. Today I feel crappy and want to do nothing but go home and sleep. Work is slow, and everyone (but one person) made it in despite the terrible roads (that's sarcasm there, because as long as you aren't going 80 mph it wasn't that bad early this morning).

I finally have Twilight in my hands so maybe I will go home and read for a bit.

Have a safe drive home everyone, watch out for those crazy drivers!

Yummy stuff I don't know what to name

Last night I had the pleasure of cooking for Claire and her husband Doug. They brought some awesome wines, and we engaged in stimulating conversation while Roxie jumped all over them.

I made bread and cheese (of course) and I also made for them a very cool dish that I have been using a lot when people come over. It is a mixture of bacon, apples, Gorgonzola, and just a little onions and sugar. If I had a restaurant, it would be an appetizer on the menu. It is sooooo amazing on warm bread, it's not even funny.


So here it is, the nameless recipe:


4-6 slices thick bacon, diced (I use a pepper bacon and it goes fabulous)
1 green apple, diced
1/4 c. diced onion
a couple tsps of sugar
salt to tasted (pepper too if you don't' use pepper bacon)
A couple handfuls of Gorgonzola

Fry bacon until crisp, drain reserving just a little of the grease to saute the onions in. Saute onions, then add diced apples, saute for a couple of minutes (apples should still be a little firm). Add sugar, then salt, and let apples get soft.

Put in serving dish, stir in some Gorgonzola and voila!!!

Thanks for a great evening Claire and Doug!!! I appreciate the food compliments and you were wonderful guests!!!

Oh, Christmas tree....

We finally finished decorating our first Christmas tree last night. I say first because the past couple of years, Nathan and I have sported the ultra cool Charlie Brown tree on top of the TV. This year we were finally able to upgrade, and utilize our guest book ornaments.

I really love the ornament guest book we came up with. Here's a little back story.....when Nathan and I got engaged, we originally planned a December 18,2004 wedding. That of course, had Christmas theme written all over it. After quickly picking my colors of red and silver, I started thinking of other tasteful ways to incorporate Christmas stuff. One of my first ones was instead of having a guestbook, getting paint pens and having guests sign glass ball ornaments.

A few months later, the wedding was pushed back to Thanksgiving weekend of 05, and even though some may view that a tad early for Christmas stuff at a wedding, we still kept the ornament idea, and I am so glad we did. Last night when we were hanging them up, we read the names and messages. So many thoughtful and funny things we didn't remember.

It was too cool.

I guess a pic of the tree would have been nice here, and I actually did take one, but it is a little too crappy to post. Boo.

What Nathan said last night.

We were arriving at the gym and I jokingly said, "Look honey, it looks like Yoga just started, you should go try it!"

He replied, "No, yoga isn't really a workout."

OMG.

He kept trying to explain that it is more just to make you flexible, and I finally just had to tell him to stop talking. God forbid someone that actually does yoga would hear him.

Yikes.

Random Thursday

I had one, "Do it!" and no opposition, so here is the Random Thursday post:

1. I am sooo close to cutting our cable. Our rate went up, and honestly I am sick of paying for a service that I know cost 1/8 (if not lower) for what we pay for it. But since I am a TV addict, I still need something to keep up on my favorite shows. So my smart husband is buying a couple different cables to hook our computer up to our tv, so we can watch our addictive shows online for free. Plus, I have a feeling we will then be hitting up the gym more, since each machine has it's own TV with cable. And while that last statement is pretty pathetic, it is totally true.

2. I just found out I won't be getting the glorious 2 weeks paid time off that most of the managers in my district receive. I am going to have to work a few days before Christmas and mostly likely a few days prior to New Years. It sucks, but I am still thankful for the other days I will have off.

3. On my blog agenda is a post called 29 in 09. I love the idea of doing the 101 things in 1001 days, but I am having hard enough time with coming up with over 20! Plus, I like having a shorter time frame for some reason. So far the list is dominated by food and sustainability goals.

4. Pamela taught me how to make butter last night. It was yummy I took a video of some of the process on my cell phone, but I have yet to see if it is good enough quality to post.

5. I am so over winter already.

Anyone opposed to a Random Thursday post?

Anyone? Anyone?

I totally forgot....

Brea awarded me the Hot Blogger award!

Thanks Brea, I do appreciate the award!!! And I had totally intended on passing it on to 5, but it seems that almost all the blogs I read have gotten an award recently, and I don't want to do overkill.

I found a new blog

30 bucks a week

Two vegetarians from Brooklyn living off $30 a week for groceries by shopping at their local co-op.

Of course, this blog got me thinking about shopping at a co-op, which lead to me researching local co-ops. In case anyone is interested, St. Louis is home to City Food Co-op.

I'm not 100% sure I will become a member, because of the distance from home and the limited hours, but I am still going to throw the idea around.