In the time Before Paul, when it was just the cat and me, Jubjub would sleep on what is now Paul's side of the bed. There were many mornings when I would look over on that side of the bed to see Jub under the covers with his head on the pillow. Since we've been married, the cat has been relegated to the end of the bed. But when Paul is out of town, or just late getting to bed, I can still look over and see my furry little guy snuggled up with his head on the pillow. It's just one of those little things that reminds me that no matter what else is happening in the world, in my little nook of it, everything is OK.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Just makes my heart mushy
I know that goal #9 was to take more pictures of things other than the cat but how could I resist this shot? Look at how cute the Jubinator is here. Napping on the couch. Using a pillow like he's people.
In the time Before Paul, when it was just the cat and me, Jubjub would sleep on what is now Paul's side of the bed. There were many mornings when I would look over on that side of the bed to see Jub under the covers with his head on the pillow. Since we've been married, the cat has been relegated to the end of the bed. But when Paul is out of town, or just late getting to bed, I can still look over and see my furry little guy snuggled up with his head on the pillow. It's just one of those little things that reminds me that no matter what else is happening in the world, in my little nook of it, everything is OK.
In the time Before Paul, when it was just the cat and me, Jubjub would sleep on what is now Paul's side of the bed. There were many mornings when I would look over on that side of the bed to see Jub under the covers with his head on the pillow. Since we've been married, the cat has been relegated to the end of the bed. But when Paul is out of town, or just late getting to bed, I can still look over and see my furry little guy snuggled up with his head on the pillow. It's just one of those little things that reminds me that no matter what else is happening in the world, in my little nook of it, everything is OK.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
He made me do this
Lucky for both of us, he heals quickly.
Paul's toe after a recent run-in with his computer bag (the hard plastic wheel part not the soft bag part). We had to look at frequently (like every hour over a looooooong MLK weekend) to check the healing process. It's fine now. I'm sure you were terribly concerned.
Update: Paul said he'll be more than happy the post an "after" picture of his toe if anyone is interested. But if you aren't, I *totally* understand (and would really like to keep from posting any more pictures of my husband's feet on my blog).
If only it was that easy...
Seen on a plaque in a catalog I was recently perusing...
"When life gives you lemons, smile politely and throw them away when life isn't looking."
"When life gives you lemons, smile politely and throw them away when life isn't looking."
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Paul's Favorite Green Beans
Here you go, family--you've been asking for this recipe so we'll just see if you read the blog. And if they aren't reading it, perhaps the two people that do read this will appreciate the recipe and I'll get the recipe to the fam at another time in another way.
Paul's mom got this recipe from a friend and has been making it for years. It's in my cookbook as "Donna E's Secret Recipe Green Beans." We usually call them them "Paul's Favorite" because it's both shorter and more accurate. Paul requested these for the luncheon at our wedding reception. The caterer liked them so much that he used the recipe at another dinner my parents attended shortly after our wedding. I've made these for several potlucks and they always get rave reviews. One of my coworkers called me a few years ago on Thanksgiving morning to get the recipe. I'd given it to her after a school potluck but she couldn't find it and was jonesing for them for the holidays. I'll be the first to admit that these are some good eating.
We've discovered that we like the green beans a little saucier so I normally use only three cans of green beans. If I do use the four cans the recipe calls for, I'll add more chili sauce. We've also been known to go a bit crazy with the bacon. I think we can all admit that this isn't really a bad thing because bacon is good./1/ I've also been known to go totally wacky and add some garlic powder or dried onion. Whatever--it's all good.
Paul's Favorite Green Beans
4 15-oz cans green beans, drained
2 slices bacon
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt (I reduce or omit this if we add an extra slice or two of bacon)
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 cup chili sauce (such as Heinz)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook bacon and drain grease. Crumble.
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Eat and enjoy copious amounts. Hide leftovers from spouse because he will eat them all and not share any.
/1/At our gym, our trainer had us fill out a food survey so that we could have a "complete fitness plan" with an exercise and a meal plan. One of the questions was "I like to eat bacon." That has now become a motto around our house because for all my talk about not eating much meat, I had to answer a big fat YES (my carnivore husband didn't even hesitate with his answer). One of the little pleasures in my life is a good BLT made with hot crispy bacon. Yum-o. One of Paul's former coworkers became a vegetarian several years ago. She said that bacon was one of the hardest things to give up--she'll still have an occasional dream about bacon. So adding in an extra slice or two isn't a bad thing if it's going to add a smile to your face and a yummy to your tummy.
Paul's mom got this recipe from a friend and has been making it for years. It's in my cookbook as "Donna E's Secret Recipe Green Beans." We usually call them them "Paul's Favorite" because it's both shorter and more accurate. Paul requested these for the luncheon at our wedding reception. The caterer liked them so much that he used the recipe at another dinner my parents attended shortly after our wedding. I've made these for several potlucks and they always get rave reviews. One of my coworkers called me a few years ago on Thanksgiving morning to get the recipe. I'd given it to her after a school potluck but she couldn't find it and was jonesing for them for the holidays. I'll be the first to admit that these are some good eating.
We've discovered that we like the green beans a little saucier so I normally use only three cans of green beans. If I do use the four cans the recipe calls for, I'll add more chili sauce. We've also been known to go a bit crazy with the bacon. I think we can all admit that this isn't really a bad thing because bacon is good./1/ I've also been known to go totally wacky and add some garlic powder or dried onion. Whatever--it's all good.
Paul's Favorite Green Beans
4 15-oz cans green beans, drained
2 slices bacon
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt (I reduce or omit this if we add an extra slice or two of bacon)
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 cup chili sauce (such as Heinz)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook bacon and drain grease. Crumble.
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Eat and enjoy copious amounts. Hide leftovers from spouse because he will eat them all and not share any.
/1/At our gym, our trainer had us fill out a food survey so that we could have a "complete fitness plan" with an exercise and a meal plan. One of the questions was "I like to eat bacon." That has now become a motto around our house because for all my talk about not eating much meat, I had to answer a big fat YES (my carnivore husband didn't even hesitate with his answer). One of the little pleasures in my life is a good BLT made with hot crispy bacon. Yum-o. One of Paul's former coworkers became a vegetarian several years ago. She said that bacon was one of the hardest things to give up--she'll still have an occasional dream about bacon. So adding in an extra slice or two isn't a bad thing if it's going to add a smile to your face and a yummy to your tummy.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Adding a few more
I thought of a few more things I should add to my list of things I'd like to accomplish in 2006. I think I'll stop with lucky number 13 though--anything more and I might overwhelm myself. :)
11. Learn to knit. I've got a beginner's kit and have read up on it. How geeky am I that I'll learn to knit by reading. Could ask any assortment of people but I'd rather read and figure it out on my own.
12. Organize the past 6 years worth of photographs that are in a variety of boxes around the house. I'm not even striving to get them in the an album at this point. I'm now thinking I'll invest in some of those cute photo boxes and go from there.
13. Clean out our closets that closely resemble Fibber McGee's. Some of the treasures in our closets include college papers, Paul's trombone that he played for a year in middle school, leftover carpet scraps from when the house was built, boxes neither of us have looked in in five years, etc., etc.
11. Learn to knit. I've got a beginner's kit and have read up on it. How geeky am I that I'll learn to knit by reading. Could ask any assortment of people but I'd rather read and figure it out on my own.
12. Organize the past 6 years worth of photographs that are in a variety of boxes around the house. I'm not even striving to get them in the an album at this point. I'm now thinking I'll invest in some of those cute photo boxes and go from there.
13. Clean out our closets that closely resemble Fibber McGee's. Some of the treasures in our closets include college papers, Paul's trombone that he played for a year in middle school, leftover carpet scraps from when the house was built, boxes neither of us have looked in in five years, etc., etc.
Monday, January 9, 2006
But don't call them resolutions
Just things I'd like to accomplish in 2006...
1. Learn to make a really good marinara. I have a recipe for one that *I* like but Paul isn't fond of it. I'd like to find one that both of us like.
2. And while I'm in the kitchen, I'd like to master one or two more recipes. I've got three or four "standards" I make when we have dinner guests but I'd like to expand that. Otherwise, people can only eat dinner at our house three times and all three times they'll have the same dessert. Really, though, does anyone mind eating chocolate?
3. Sign up for dance classes--either ballroom classes for Paul and me or just tap dance classes for me.
4. Find a swimsuit that I like. It's a never-ending quest. I know I'll never be 100% happy with the way I look in a swimsuit but there surely has to be one suit out there that isn't horrible. I know I've had one in my life--1993, I wore it out because we went to the lake so much but that was a great swimsuit. Didn't crawl, shoulder straps fit, enough hiney coverage. Of course, the fact that I was 18 and 115 lbs. with no body fat probably helped matters.
5. Have a book or two in the queue so I'm never without something to read. I was lazy with my reading in 2005 and I need to step it back up. I also need to expand into more non-fiction reading.
6. Finally figure out the International Date Line. I consider myself a fairly intelligent, well-read person and yet this is something that has stumped me for ages. It's not something I dwell on but I would like to finally understand how it works.
7. Get a passport. I'm 31. I should have a passport. Some day we might get a wild hair and decide to jaunt off to some exotic location at the last minute. Not that we ever will but it would be nice to be able to do so if we ever did get that adventurous.
8. Mop more often. Or hire someone to come do it for us.
9. Take more pictures. I should say "Take more pictures of things other than the cat."
10. Be better about keeping in touch with friends I've got and be better about putting myself out there in making new ones. I think it's equal parts laziness and shyness/my introverted nature that keep me from doing both of those things. I'm really not that busy that I couldn't do both of those things--just have to get out of my comfort zone (and off the comfortable couch).
OK--those are out there. Now I just have to work on getting them done.
1. Learn to make a really good marinara. I have a recipe for one that *I* like but Paul isn't fond of it. I'd like to find one that both of us like.
2. And while I'm in the kitchen, I'd like to master one or two more recipes. I've got three or four "standards" I make when we have dinner guests but I'd like to expand that. Otherwise, people can only eat dinner at our house three times and all three times they'll have the same dessert. Really, though, does anyone mind eating chocolate?
3. Sign up for dance classes--either ballroom classes for Paul and me or just tap dance classes for me.
4. Find a swimsuit that I like. It's a never-ending quest. I know I'll never be 100% happy with the way I look in a swimsuit but there surely has to be one suit out there that isn't horrible. I know I've had one in my life--1993, I wore it out because we went to the lake so much but that was a great swimsuit. Didn't crawl, shoulder straps fit, enough hiney coverage. Of course, the fact that I was 18 and 115 lbs. with no body fat probably helped matters.
5. Have a book or two in the queue so I'm never without something to read. I was lazy with my reading in 2005 and I need to step it back up. I also need to expand into more non-fiction reading.
6. Finally figure out the International Date Line. I consider myself a fairly intelligent, well-read person and yet this is something that has stumped me for ages. It's not something I dwell on but I would like to finally understand how it works.
7. Get a passport. I'm 31. I should have a passport. Some day we might get a wild hair and decide to jaunt off to some exotic location at the last minute. Not that we ever will but it would be nice to be able to do so if we ever did get that adventurous.
8. Mop more often. Or hire someone to come do it for us.
9. Take more pictures. I should say "Take more pictures of things other than the cat."
10. Be better about keeping in touch with friends I've got and be better about putting myself out there in making new ones. I think it's equal parts laziness and shyness/my introverted nature that keep me from doing both of those things. I'm really not that busy that I couldn't do both of those things--just have to get out of my comfort zone (and off the comfortable couch).
OK--those are out there. Now I just have to work on getting them done.
Tuesday, January 3, 2006
More Christmas pictures
Benjamin before all the festivities on Christmas Eve
The cat hiding from the family. At least he was brave enough to come out from under the bed after a day or so.
Paul hiding from the family. He might have gone under the bed if he would fit.
This picture was really just for show. Amy and I were doing the work. :)
Abigail tears in on Christmas morning
Mom plays with Abigail's new Christmas dolly
Donna and Benjamin--and my floor lamp (sorry, Donna--you were more centered in my world :) )
Sunday, January 1, 2006
Happy New Year!
It's now 2006 and it's already started better than 2005, which I rang in with a *lovely* case of food poisoning.
Paul and I went to dinner last night and spent some time reminising about our 10 NYE spent together (or at least in coupledom since we were apart on a couple of them). We missed our first NYE because I was sick with the flu. I was supposed to be waiting tables that night but ended up telling the manager I'd rather quit than try coming in to work. He called me the next morning about 8:00 to let me know I still had a job. I told him I still quit. Another NYE I remember was when I was visiting Sandy and Mark in Houston in 1998. That was the year I got kissed by the random stranger at the NYE celebration in Downtown Houston. I was really thinking "Oh, friendly hug with the only other single person here." and he made his move. It didn't help that he was about 17 (and I was a ripe old 24). It was all very random and bizarre.
Most of the years have been very low-key, spent in CO or on our couch. That's just fine with me. Too many crazies in the world to go out. We've gone out bowling a couple of times but were always safely home before the drunks were out in full force.
Today, we're just lazing about, enjoying the end of a very relaxing Winter Break. I don't think I'm going to make any resolutions this year. Most of them are random goals (continue exercising, don't gain weight--I don't even bother with the "losing weight" thing, remodel the house). I'm not sure those could be classified as resolutions. But at least I'm able to reach them each year. I'm not sure how "get new carpet" really improves me as a person. Perhaps because it is softer under my feet, thus making me softer around the edges and just generally a nicer person. Sounds good to me.
Paul and I went to dinner last night and spent some time reminising about our 10 NYE spent together (or at least in coupledom since we were apart on a couple of them). We missed our first NYE because I was sick with the flu. I was supposed to be waiting tables that night but ended up telling the manager I'd rather quit than try coming in to work. He called me the next morning about 8:00 to let me know I still had a job. I told him I still quit. Another NYE I remember was when I was visiting Sandy and Mark in Houston in 1998. That was the year I got kissed by the random stranger at the NYE celebration in Downtown Houston. I was really thinking "Oh, friendly hug with the only other single person here." and he made his move. It didn't help that he was about 17 (and I was a ripe old 24). It was all very random and bizarre.
Most of the years have been very low-key, spent in CO or on our couch. That's just fine with me. Too many crazies in the world to go out. We've gone out bowling a couple of times but were always safely home before the drunks were out in full force.
Today, we're just lazing about, enjoying the end of a very relaxing Winter Break. I don't think I'm going to make any resolutions this year. Most of them are random goals (continue exercising, don't gain weight--I don't even bother with the "losing weight" thing, remodel the house). I'm not sure those could be classified as resolutions. But at least I'm able to reach them each year. I'm not sure how "get new carpet" really improves me as a person. Perhaps because it is softer under my feet, thus making me softer around the edges and just generally a nicer person. Sounds good to me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
