Monday, October 25, 2010

Things I forgot, never knew, or wish someone had just told me.

I forgot how good Thriller is. Have you been to see it at the U? Awesome. Thank you to my friend Jenny for hooking us up with tickets. And guess who was there with a stellar performance as a Ghostbuster? Gev from So You Think You Can Dance. And I think he can. After much pushing and pulling on my part, Dave finally consented to go and he loved it. He even wants to go next year.

I forgot how good looking Marlon Brando is. Does anyone remember who he is? He's an oldy but goody actor (think A Street Car Named Desire, On the Waterfront, and Guys and Dolls). What a babe. And On the Waterfront is a good classic btw. Dave also liked that, probably not as much as me however ;)

I forgot how high Oliver's voice is in Oliver! But I also forgot that I love that movie. Love the music. The whole thing makes me want to cry though, I especially hate the battered woman storyline... but the rest of the story is beautiful.

I never knew and wished someone had told me just how easy/delicious/and wonderful tin foil dinners are! I never knew you could make them on a grill either. Dave and I have been on a tin foil dinner kick and loving it. Sooo easy. I had a random craving for it the other night and have been making them the last four nights, yes, FOUR nights. They're perfectly pipping hot for these chilly fall nights. Here's what we found worked great:

Tin Foil Dinners with the Smith's

ground beef or sausage, seasoned with steak seasoning I got from Costco
baby carrots
scalloped potatoes
green peppers, diced
white onions, diced
and here's the best part, a dollop of cream of chicken soup on each serving

Wrap them all up like a burrito in two layers of tin foil, leaving it a little loose so that it can steam. Cook on a preheated grill at about 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Then turn over and cook for another 20 minutes. Easy peasy! You can shred some sharp cheddar on top and it's delicious. Enjoy.

Oh I wish someone had told me this years ago. Did you know you can preserve cheap rings so that they don't turn your finger green or turn a copper color? I went to return a ring that started turning my finger green right away and the girl asked me if I'd ever tried putting clear nail polish on it. Say what??? Why has no one told me this before?? I rarely buy expensive jewelry but I do love the costume stuff. I'm always sad when it turns coppery and I can't wear it anymore. Now you all know, I wear the cheap stuff, but now I'll get to wear it longer. And now you all can too.

I never knew how interesting Interview With the Vampire is. Thought I would read it just in time for the Halloween holiday. It wasn't amazing but it was very entertaining and an easy read. My friend has the movie edited so I think I might watch that before Saturday.

Speaking of Halloween... I never knew how much renting a costume could be! My word. We always go to our friend's, the Wahlstrom's, Halloween party and you HAVE to have a costume. They go all out and it's awesome. This year we decided to try renting costumes vs. creating a dumb costume at the last minute. And I think our costumes are going to be fantastic. At least I hope... we shall see come Saturday. Did you know that buying costumes costs about the same as renting? Yes, they do. So we think we'll just buy them on sale after Halloween is over and then we'll have a slew to choose from later, and maybe save a few bucks along the way.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Monday, October 18, 2010

A picture is worth a thousand words...so they say. So here they are :]

It's somewhat 'too little too late' but... meh.

The State Fair.
Ahhhh nachos. They were gooood.

Cows eyes. And udders. You don't see those everyday. Nor would I want too...
Pigs in a blanket. Soooo cute. And little.
Cotton candy. The fair is not complete without it.
And now fall. Summer has ended :(

Bre's birthday dinner. At the Blue Plate Diner. If you haven't been there before you are so missin out. Love it everytime. Breakfast all day - try the banana pancakes. Delectable.
Dad is great, he gives us chocolate cake! {Whoever can name what I'm quoting, you will get a gold star, and personally be invited to eat one of my specialty chocolate cakes, when/if in fact I ever create a specialty chocolate cake.}
Happy birthday bird! Now you can legally {not} drink.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Some updates.

My back. I had a follow up appointment for my back. Apparently I need to start physical therapy again to loosen the muscles and strengthen (not quite sure how that works) around my spine. I'm also in the 'recovery time period' so I'm not supposed to twist and turn too much or lift more than 15 lbs. I can do that I guess.

"Dave can you get this for me? I can't bend over. Dave can you lift this for me? It's too heavy for me." I think I could get used to that. Do I already do that a little? Perhaps.

Our house. We have spiders, in spades. It's creeping me out! Two nights ago I woke up thinking a spider was crawling on my face and I slapped my face. Twice. It might have been funny except for the fact that I thought a spider was crawling. on my face. whilst I slept.... but it's a little funny now. We're going to get the house sprayed. We think that since we're the only house built in the area but there are homes being built around us, disrupting the soil, they are all congregating at our house where the heat is. Partay at the Smith's! We find at least one a night. Ugh spiders are so gross! I make Dave, or my cat, kill them all. I don't know if I've mentioned that our cat rocks at killing, and eating, bugs. Mosquitos, spiders, you name it. If Dave's not around I'll grab the cat and hold her head toward the bug until she sees it and then game on! That cat is on the prowl and I don't even have to touch the bug. That's really why I own a cat. That, and she's fat and fun to cuddle with.

My belly. We're going to The Cheesecake Factory tonight! Wahoo! Pumpkin cheesecake if you please, let my taste buds rejoice! And it's even better when you have a gift certificate and don't have to pay a dime.

Our car. Our beautiful Mazda has said siyanora to us. We had a good run. But all leases have to come to a, crazily expensive, end. Don't ever lease. It's all fun and games until they hit you with the fees at the end. A $400 return fee? What the heck? So in order for me to give the car back I have to pay you?? Forget it. I'll always remember how wonderful it felt to drive a brand new car, but I'll probably never experience it again... sigh.

Our T.V. We finally have our shows back. Community was hilarious last night, I loved the whole ode to Apollo 13, very clever. Dave baffles me. He told me he really liked not having t.v. for that week and half. Really? So I've decided to try and whittle down our t.v. watching time (and by that I mean I'm going to fast forward between commercials even faster so we can get through our shows quicker. I hope Dave notices a difference.)

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Lately I've noticed that I've been doing a lot of 'firsts' for me.

1 - I bought a bathrobe. Never had one before and I found an adorable one on sale for $10. I'm liking it! But I feel really old at the same time, like I should be holding my cup of hot chocolate and going out to get the mail and newspaper in the morning while wearing my hair in rollers. Still, a first.

2 - First time going to Tai Pan. I know, I may have told some of you I have been there before but I was really lying. I mean, who hasn't been there right?? Just trying to fit in. I went during 'Girl's Night Out,' BIG mistake. It was crazy crowded and I was totally overwhelmed with so much stuff there! And there aren't aisles or anything, I had to go around in circles wondering if I'd passed that cutesy, antique looking something or other before. A first.

3 - Another overwhelming first, a visit to Hobby Lobby. Wow. I mean, wow. I loved it. It was like Michael's on steroids. Luckily I had a short 15 minute time limit and Dave at my side so I didn't get lost in there, or buy everything in sight. I bought some adorable stuff for our new casa at 50% off. Loved it.

4 - My first hazelnut steamed milk of the season from Starbucks. Ooooh heaven. I think I might get another today....

5 - My first taste of pumpkin pie for the season, courtesy of my lovely mother who made them for 'lil sis's b-day. Happy 21 Bre!

6 - First {and very last} time seeing Bonnie and Clyde. I knew how the story ended, I knew it was depressing but yowzah (yes, I just said that ;) another first, actually). My advice: don't watch it. I know it's a classic and all but it made me feel so sad and depressed afterward.

7 - And finally, I mixed paint at Home Depot for the first time. Forgive my ignorance but I had no idea that's what you had to do. I went to home depot looking for a paint can in the color paint I wanted and I couldn't find it. Luckily I ran into a friend who, after laughing at me (not with me mind you), informed me that you pick out a color and a base and then they mix it for you. Where have I been? I went back to the store with the colors in mind and ordered them at the desk like I knew what I was doing, I felt so grown up and had a slight smirk on my face knowing that I fooled them into thinking that I was a pro. I've got several projects I'm working on that, fingers crossed, will turn out. I'll show 'before and after' pics if they look somewhat decent...

Thursday, October 7, 2010

so much to do, so little time

I don't know what it is but I feel empowered during the fall season. There are so many fun and exciting things to do. I typically want to cook lots more, go to events, wear cute fall clothes, redecorate me house, have parties, feel nostalgic, etc. etc. etc. So here's my 'to-do' list:

1) Watch The Village
I have a soft spot in my heart for this show, Dave and I watched it at the 'Y' theatre right after we were married, the one and only time we went there. And I think the love story in it is presh ;)

2) Watch Hocus Pocus
yup. a childhood favorite. although I'm not a S.J.P. fan she is hilarious in this show

3) Make sugared apple-cider donuts
oh I'm drooling right now

4) Have a fall party of some sort

5) Endeavour to make my first pumpkin cheesecake

6) Endeavour to make my first all-berry pie

Are you noticing a food pattern here? Typical.

7) Decorate my new home......

which is a whole list in and of itself


I'm sure I'll think of some more... Love this time of year.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Cortisone shots into your spine suck.

Just thought you'd want to know.

I got it done yesterday around 4pm. I walk into the x-ray room and there is a sweet lady there ready to do it. In follows my sweet, old nurse. The x-ray lady, let's call her Tawanda, tells me I need to lay on my stomach and lift up my shirt quite aways. Then she says she'll have to shimmy down my pants a little. Next thing I know half of my bum is exposed. Already slightly embarrassed at it's whiteness we proceed to wait for five minutes until the doctor shows up. Apparently when I'm nervous/embarrassed I turn into a chatter box. I turn to Tawanda, with my backside still exposed, and ask her how long she's been working here, if she likes it yada yada. Then the sweet old woman nurse, let's call her Sweet Sue, who is directly behind my bum, starts talking and I have to turn my head to see her forcing me to see a great white blur out of the corner of my eye.

Meanwhile my doctor strolls in.

"Hello Kirsten!" "Hi Doc...." I push my head down in the hole made for breathing on the bed which I swear was actually made for embarrassed patients to hid their shame in. Suddenly my chatter box-iness starts up again and I'm forced to ask the doctor question after question {word vomit} trying to joke while trying to pretend that I'm not exposed and that he's seen more... how should I say this, flabby?, bums than mine. But still hoping that he's keeping his eyes nicely averted.

So other than that red-faced little experience my back and legs are super sore today, a side effect for a few days, and I have a slight fever and flushed face.

On more fun news, I'm LOVING my new house. I'm have a ball decorating it. In our other places we've lived at we tended to not really decorate too much because we knew we wouldn't be staying long and we were just renting etc. etc. But now that we know this is OUR house, I've been going crazy. And I'm addicted to trying to find fun things to re-paint or re-vamp on KSL. I think I could get used to this. Ikea has been our friend for the last little while {their return system is a joke fyi - you have to wait like 30 minutes in line when you're only behind 1 0r 2 people!}.

I'm loving it but the problem is I seriously wake up and go to sleep thinking about designs and colors and where to put things and I can't stop myself. I'm loosing sleep over it! But I'm close to being done. I just have to try my hand at painting and refurnishing furniture. "I think I'm gonna like it here."

Over and out.

~from the white-bummed, shamed-faced girl