Straining Toward What is Ahead

Hi Everyone!  I had lots of intentions to blog over the past couple of weeks, but never got around to it.  I think it was because I knew this was the post I should write, and I was putting it off.  Blogging about it make it feel so much more... final.

I quit my job!  Actually I gave my notice in October, but the 20th was my last day.  It was a very, very, very hard decision to make, but I know that it was the right thing.  People who I didn't work with that tried to comfort and help me through the process would try to tell me "It's just a job."  But it wasn't just a job.  First of all, the organization I worked for was a ministry... helping and supporting individuals and families.  I didn't minister directly to those individuals and families, but it was my job to support the people that do.  When you know that what you are doing is helping people, it is hard to stop doing that.  But God has other plans for me.

10 tips for being a great car nurse

We've had our fair share of car trouble over the years.  If I didn't know any better, I might say that Tim actually likes fixing the car.  Sometimes.

We've had a pretty major issue lately-- the clutch slave cylinder went out.  For those of you who maybe aren't familiar with car-speak, this is a transmission issue.  You know that's bad, right?

The process of trying to fix it has been grueling.  In fact, Tim says this is the worst car work he's ever done... at least that he hasn't totally erased from memory.  And this is a guy who put a new engine in his '86 mustang, and replaced the timing belt on two different cars.

This particular fix involved maneuvering a part in very close quarters, while not being able to see what you are doing.

Enter, the Car Nurse.

Coconut Caramels

Six years ago, I was newly married, in a new town--new state!-- and unemployed.  I knew all of 6 people in town, and there wasn't much sunlight.  It was cold and snowy.  I was isolated and (if we're honest) a little depressed.

One of those 6 people I knew was my cousin, Jenn.  (The other 5, if you're wondering, were 1) Tim 2) Mike (Jenn's husband) 3) Bella (Jenn's daughter) 4) Luke (Jenn's son) and 5) Seth (Jenn's son)).  Jenn and Mike are the reason we moved out here-- Mike got Tim a job.

The weather was bad, so the kids had a snow day, and Jenn invited me over to bake Christmas cookies with them.  For those of you who do not know her, Jenn is a very, VERY talented baker.  For those of you who may not know this, the key to being a pretty good cook (or baker) is to know good cooks.  With good recipes.  Jenn is one of those people.  This is one of her recipes.

Jenn, thank you so much for the hospitality you showed us in those early days, and continue to show us.  It is such a blessing to share a town with you and count you among my close friends!  You are a blessing to so many people.  Thanks for being you!

Thank you also for this recipe.  It was a game-changer for me.  I usually don't like coconut, but I really can't get enough of these!  I know this is a bold statement, but I think Tim and I agree that these are our favorite cookies at Christmas time.

Coconut Caramels

• 1 c butter at room temperature
• 3 cups packed brown sugar (1 c + 2 c)
• 2 1/4 c flour (2 c +1/4 c)
• 2 c shredded coconut
• 2 t baking powder
• 4 large eggs
• 2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat together butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 2 cups flour,  Press evenly into an 11 x 17 inch baking sheet.  Bake until just golden, about 15 minutes.  Remove, cool slightly

For topping mix coconut, 2 c brown sugar and 1/4 c flour, baking powder, vanilla, and eggs.  Spread over cooled crust.

Bake, rotating sheet halfway through until filling is set, about 20 minutes.  Cool on wire rack completely.  Cut and store in airtight container.

Lacey Cookies

Part of making a marriage work is learning how to blend the cultures of your families of origin.  Around the holidays, this becomes especially apparent.  While it can be difficult, there are many positive aspects as well.

Like the acquisition of new recipes!

While the holiday treats repertoire in my family of origin was expansive and diverse, somehow we missed out on these cookies!  Good thing I married Tim!  This is one of his family's favorite Christmas cookies.

My friends, it is with much pleasure that introduce you to... Lacey Cookies.

Freezing!

I have a lot to say today.  Bullet points seem are probably the only way to get this done.  In no particular order, here you go:

• A few of my friends and family who are faithful readers of this blog have mentioned the difficulty in leaving comments on the blog.  I have changed some settings, so I think it should be easier.  So leave a comment and let me know!
• It.  Is.  Freezing outside.  FREEZING!  The bank I pass on the way to work told me it was "-0" degrees outside.  The interwebz is telling me that it is -6 out (update!  it is now -5.1 degrees outside), with a windchill of -22.  I would like to build a fire in the fireplace, but the idea of opening the door to get fire wood seems counter-productive to the warming effect of the fire.
• Before Thanksgiving, I went to visit Sapphire for her birthday, and we went to watch Living History Farms Race.  We had decided not to run it this year, and it turns out it was a great year to skip.  With temps in the teens, running 7 miles through  the river and through the woods would not have been fun.  

The best part of Thanksgiving

 Hi everybody!  I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I sure did.  I would love to list all of the blessings that I am thankful for, but there I no way to do that.

This year I'm spending Thanksgiving with my in-laws.  I am one of the lucky people in this world that have amazing in-laws.  I am loving every minute of our visit with them!  Thanksgiving was filled with food, laughter, and love.  My favorite part of the whole day was this:



Monday Night at Baker's

Well kids... it happened.

I did not spontaneously combust.  I did not self-destruct.  I didn't even embarrass myself too badly.

Yes, this picture is real.  Yes, she was as sweet and kind as I had ever imagined.

On Monday morning, my friend Amy and I drove 3 hours to Omaha (well, technically Bellevue) to wait in line to get our cookbooks signed and to meet this woman.  We waited in line for 3 hours.  It was a 3 hour drive home.  And it was worth it all.

Also, we kinda had a lot of books for her to sign (6 between the two of us).

The signing was scheduled to start at 5.  We had no idea when a line would start forming, so we wanted to get there plenty early.  We even kicked around the idea of leaving Sunday night and staying in a hotel so we could get in line first thing in the morning.  I think we made the right choice, because that would have been overkill.

We knew we were headed for Baker's, but being out of state we had no idea what Baker's was.  I just assumed it was a book store.  Turns out it's a grocery store.  We got there at 11:30 am, and went inside to check things out.  We talked to a staff member who was still setting up to see what we should expect.  He said that his "security people" were going to start setting up ropes for the que between 1 and 2, and yes, he did expect a line to form early because we weren't the first ones to inquire.  We decided to go to Famous Dave's for lunch, then spent a few hours at Target (which was in the same strip as Bakers).  We finished up at Target at 3, and then noticed a line was forming inside Baker's, so we figured we should skedadle on in.  We got in line and the waiting officially began.

Although we stood in line for 3 hours, we had a good time.  The people around us were so nice.

These are our new friends Nancy and Paulette.  They were pretty awesome.  In front of them were two sweet little girls who were (very well-behaved and) excited to meet Pioneer Woman.  They brought along their mom, aunt, and baby (as in, 8 weeks old!) brother for the ride as well.  And they live only 30-45 minutes away from us!  The lady behind us in line was from our area, too.

And Pioneer Woman was not alone!  She brought her boys.  Including this one.

Marlboro Man!  He actually got more cheers when he walked in (they drove, so he dropped her off) than Ree did.  But he was working the crowd a little more. We did get a picture with him, but sadly we don't have it.  The stranger that we met who took it for us never texted it to us :(

Once the signing started, it was about an hour before we got up to her, and I would say we were really toward the front of the line (we got to wait inside, after all!).  The line stretched all the way down to the Target entrance--which was at the opposite end of the store, so we're talking the length of an entire Target store-- the wrapped back and went past the Baker's entrance in the other direction.  The one of the Baker's staff said she usually has 2000 people at her signings.  And she stays until the last cookbook is signed.  Also, there was no limit on how many she would sign.  I think that's really awesome of her... I don't think I could do it.

Like I said, totally worth it.  Meeting PW was great but honestly, I just enjoyed spending all day with Amy.  Roadtrips with friends are the best.

Real Life with the Taylors: Tim Bakes Cookies

Tonight we came home from church around 6:45, I started putting away the chili we had for lunch.  Tim came in and I explained that I wanted popcorn (I needed the chili pan to make the popcorn).

"How about chocolate chip cookies?" he asked.  (I had a box of cookie mix that I won as a white elephant gift at Bunco on Tuesday).

"We can do both."  I said.

So we did.  He pre-heated the oven while I washed the pan for the popcorn.  The instructions on the box said to add a tablespoon of water, which I think he did.  I said I would have added a tablespoon of vanilla.  So he did that, too.  Then he tasted the cookie dough, closed his eyes, and said "Mmmm.  I think we've made a mistake."

"What?" 

"We preheated the oven."

Operation Odor Elimination Part 2: The Battle Continues

As I mentioned Monday, we've been having trouble with the dogburts, specifically one.  To make a long story short, our house-- particularly the living room carpet-- stinks.

Monday night we tried using a steam cleaner and a 50/50 combination of water and vinegar.

Here's the thing I'm noticing about vinegar: People seem to think it's the miracle-eco-friendly-works-amazing-solution-to-every-life-problem.

Here's my question:  Vinegar has been around a long time and if it was really all that why would people have bothered making new products?

What I'm trying to say is this: it didn't work.  BUT, in vinegar's defense, we didn't use much mixture, because we only had so much vinegar, so maybe we didn't soak the carpet enough.

Regardless, we're changing our tactic.  Tonight I went to HyVee and came home with this:

4 boxes of baking soda (two for sprinkling, two for setting out ), Febreeze Pet Odor Eliminator carpet freshening powder, Rug Doctor Pet Formula carpet shampoo, and Sensodyne Pro-Namel toothpaste.  I ran out a couple weeks ago(I've been using Tim's normal toothpaste in the meantime) and my teeth have been taking a toll, which is really inhibiting my ability to enjoy leftover Halloween candy.

Real Life with the Taylors: Pet Odors

As you all know by now, we have three dogs.  While we love them, they do come with certain...challenges. 

Recently one of them in particular has been causing trouble.  I think its because (s)he doesn't want to spend the time outside to do what (s)he needs to do out there.  After all,  it's cold outside!  So (s)he thinks it's ok to do it in the living room.  

We beg to differ.

Since (s)he's done it before, and (s)he smells it, (s)he thinks that's his/ her spot and (s)he can always to that.

We're fighting back.  We borrowed a steam cleaner, and we read on The Google that using a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar eliminates odors.

Tim's doing the heavy lifting tonight.

Real Life with the Taylors: Progresslessness

It's time for another episode of Real Life with the Taylors.  For those of you who may be new around here, Real Life with the Taylors is where I take some time to air my dirty laundry, and show you all the messes and imperfections of this life of ours.  I just don't wan't you thinking its all fun and games.  But there are a lot of fun and games, too.

A couple of weeks ago, Ellie came over to help me with a project.  We made a lot of progress, too!  Cupboard doors were removed, several cupboards were emptied, and the cabinet bases were painted.  The door (with all of the hardware still attached) have been sitting on the front porch ever since...completely untouched.  Virtually no progress has been made on this project for the last 3 weeks.

6 years, 6 lessons

Today Tim and I are celebrating 6 years of marriage.  I can hardly believe it!  But on the other hand, I totally can.

Real Life with the Taylors: Purses

Yesterday was a really great day.  I wasn't so sure it would be, because it started out with a cereal sneeze (not serial sneeze... cereal sneeze).  You know, that awful thing that happens when you are halfway through chewing a mouthful of cereal and you suddenly, with no warning whatsoever, sneeze?  And stuff goes everywhere?  Or you catch it on your sleeve or in your hand?  The hand is the best-case scenario here, because it's easiest to clean up.

I caught it with my hand.  That was probably a sign that it was going to be a good day.

But we're not here to talk about cereal sneezes or my good day.  It's (way past) time for another episode of Real Life With the Taylors.

First up, we have this scenario.

No, I'm not talking about the filthy storm door that I don't even bother to clean because what's the point?  I'm talking about that black plastic tubing right outside the door.  I think we've talked about this before, so I won't elaborate too much.  But this downspout extension is supposed to be attached to the other side of the house.  And it's not.  Actually, it's pretty rare to find it where it should be.

This girl likes to drag them all over the place.  I think she tears them off of the house because sometimes critters get in there, but as for the relocation... there's not explanation.


Secondly, we are going to talk about my purse situation.  Which is this.

A dirty, stained, white canvas bag.  Obviously I need to wash this thing.

Also, I've heard rumors that it's past Labor Day and I shouldn't be carrying such a light color.

I refuse to accept this.  It is NOT after Labor Day.  Because that would mean that August has come and gone.  And it is not possible that that has happened.  

But then why is it so cold outside?  Maybe it is after Labor Day, and I definitely do need to change my purse.

Gail... I know what you're thinking, but I need to stop you right now.  It is NOT time for a purse intervention.  I do not need a new purse.  Because here is the current state of my purse collection:

I know that this pales in comparison to many women's purse collections, but for me it is more than enough.  I am not of the school of thought that "you can never have too many purses."

So, I guess I will switch my purse to something less dirty and more appropriate for late October (late October!  When did this happen!?).

And that's it for Real Life with the Taylors. 

PS- Please tell me I'm not the only one that does cereal sneezes.  The worst is a cookie sneeze, when you're like "Man, that was was a really tasty cookie and I just spit it all over my shirt!"  Gross, I know, but this is Real Life with the Taylors.

Faces

Guys... I was doing so well at keeping up with Embrace the Camera.  And then  we got lazy on Friday.  And then Ellie and I started painting cabinets yesterday, but she won't let me take a picture of her, much less share it on my blog, so you won't know who she is or how awesome she is.

But enough excuses!    Here is our final camera hug.

embrace the camera: creative

Today's Embrace the Camera prompt was "creative."  Tonight we (and by "we" I mean Tim) were creative enough to get all 5 of us in the shot.

And here you have it... a camera toss.

Tim's in the black shirt, I'm in the blue.  Toby is the white blur, Tico is the dark spot between me and Toby, and Jynx is the brownish blur just up the stairs and on the Tim side of Toby.  You can see her if you really squint.

Tim didn't get home until about 8:30, so we couldn't do it outside, hence the blurred photo.

Maybe we will try it outside someday just for fun. 

Everyday Moments

Today's embrace the camera prompt is Everyday Moment.  And here you have it:

Brushing our teeth and watching the nightly video.

What is the nightly video you ask?  Well, its pretty simple.  At bedtime, we watch a video.  Usually its a funny one which gives us endless giggles and keeps us up for another half hour laughing at every funny and random thing we ever came across.  Sometimes it's just something cool, sometimes its just something we want the other to see.  Last night I made Tim watch Elizabeth and Val's tango from Dancing with the Stars this week.

If you have any suggestions for our nightly videos, we would love to hear them.  Please share your youtube favs!

For the first two Embrace the Camera prompts, as well as a little more info on what its about, check out here and here.

Embrace the Camera: Making a Memory

For those of you who missed it yesterday, we're playing along with the Embrace the Camera Challenge I heard about on Ashley Ann's blog.

Today's theme was making a memory.  Since memory-making isn't something we really do on weeknights (NO, this is not some kind of double-entendre) we had to get a little creative.  Lucky for me, Tim's good at thinking outside the box.  

Remember his faceless self-portrait from the last photo challenge I did?

Here you have it.  Making a memory Taylor-style.  On a weeknight, nonetheless!

Get it?  Making a memory?

Real Life with the Taylors: Trimming the Fluff-buckets

Tico may not have many redeeming qualities, but there are a few things I appreciate about him.

1) He is small.
2) He is easy to bathe
3) He doesn't need haircuts

Jynx and Toby, on the other hand, need regular grooming.  And they need it much more regularly than we provide it.  Especially The Jynxer.

Her very curly, very thick fur is easily matted, a problem that is only exacerbated by her rugged adventures in our yard.

Yesterday, we decided it was time to do something about it.

An hour and a half later the three of us emerged from the bathroom with this mess to clean up.  Since this is Real Life with the Taylors, I need to mention that 1.5 hours is definitely record time for grooming Jynx.  I think it beat our prior PR by a good half-hour.  When we first started cutting thier hair ourselves, it would take multiple sessions with her.  

I should probably confess that in order to achieve this PR, there may have been some "juicing."  She was itching so much, we thought she might benefit from some Benadryl. (PLEASE NOTE: I have no idea if this is actually safe to do.  I have a vague recollection of a vet recommending it at one time, but you should ALWAYS consult a veterinary professional before giving your pets medication.  Sapphire, please feel free to chime in on this).

Last night we were at our friends', and their 4 year old is going to be Turtle Man for Halloween.  He had a 4 ft stuffed alligator that he was "wrestling" as Turtle Man.  I said it reminded me of our escapades with Jynx that afternoon.  The under-carriage is definitely the hardest part to get, and always the most matted.  But we got ALL the matting.  And there was no blood.

Also, no dogs were harmed in this process.  Jynx is feeling so much better now that all of the yucky matting is gone, and she is doing considerably less scratching.

Isn't she cute?

Also, Ashley Ann brought to my attention an Embrace the Camera challenge for this week. So I figured we could play along.  Obviously I don't have kids to take pictures with, but it feels like Tim and I hardly ever have pictures together, so this week I will feature our faces.

Today's theme: Smiles



That's all for today, folks.  I will leave you with one more picture of cuteness:

Sven: A Facial Hair Update

Last night I re-posted a picture of my lil' brudder the day before my sister's wedding.  I have been wondering what the current state of his face is, so I asked him for a selfie.  We'll get to that in a moment, but first... let's take a brief look at Sven Through the Ages.

Here is Sven (and Tim) in September 2011.  His hair is a little wet, which adds to the length, but check out those curly side burns!

Real Life with the Taylors: Overwhelmed

I have had people tell me that I am a calm, laid-back person.  I laugh.

If I ever seem to have it all together, please know that this is not the case...ever.  I can just present well.  When everyone else is losing their minds and things are getting chaotic, I can usually keep it together and be some kind of a calming influence.  But you have no idea what is going on inside my head.

If you think I am relaxed and laid-back... rub my shoulders sometime.  No, seriously... I would love that.  I may not always display tension, but I internalize it in a major kind of way.  I have knots in my shoulders like rocks.  I clench my jaw and have to sleep with a mouth guard, and chew gum during the day.  I take acid-reducers.  I'm 28, and I'm on acid reducers.

What I'm getting at is this:  Every single day I am overwhelmed.  Completely and totally overwhelmed. Usually I can still function, but sometimes I just shut down.  

I get overwhelmed by housework, very very easily (as you have seen from the pictures of my house!).  But I know that this is just because I have the blessing of a house and lots of things that enrich my life.

Planning and cooking meals gets overwhelming.  But it is a blessing to do it, and I enjoy it.

Dogburts... totally overwhelming.  Their training and behavior is more than I can take on.  But it's also overwhelming how much they love me.

Work...overwhelming.  Coworkers...definitely overwhelming.  Why do people think I can always solve their problem and expect me to do so?  More importantly, why do I have an overwhelming sense of duty to oblige, thus perpetuating the cycle?  But my coworkers have been an incredible blessing to me as well.

It is overwhelming to have family spread all over the country, and to want so badly to be close to them and spend time with them an support them, but know that you can't be in 5 places at once.  But it is overwhelming to realize how much I am loved and supported, even though they are far away.  I know that my family is one of God's love-letters to me.  Thank you, Lord!

And then there are friends.  I am overwhelmed with friends.  This might sound snobby to say but... I have more friends than I know what to do with!  I am so thankful for each and every one of them, and I just wish that I had time to spend with them individually, as well as have time for myself and for Tim.  And my family.  And my dogs.  There are just not enough hours in a day.  But really what overwhelms me about my friends is that they give me so much, and enrich my life in so many ways, and support me so much... I can never come close to repaying them.  I am so overwhelmed by how they have blessed me... I can't come anywhere close to returning that blessing.

So I guess what I'm saying is, I am totally overwhelmed every day by the blessings that God has given my.  My prayer each night is that He will help me take care of them and cherish them to the fullest extent possible.

Today in Sunday school we were sharing our favorite Bible verses.  One of my 7th graders shared this:

"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
    or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
    or weighed the mountains on the scales
    and the hills in a balance?"

Isaiah 40:12

If God can mark off the heavens with the breadth of his hand, I think He can help me manage my blessings.  Just as He shows me His love by showering me with blessings, I trust that He will also help me to enjoy them all.

If there is one thing I should be overwhelmed with, it is His love for me.

Real Life with the Taylors: Mud and The Crud

We're keeping tonight's episode of Real Life with the Taylors short and sweet, because we're working hard to get ready for a marriage conference at church this weekend.  Also, I've got The Crud and I'm not feeling terribly inspired.

First up, this is our side entryway.  This picture does not do justice to the mud and dirt that is constantly (CONSTANTLY) on the steps, landing, and mat. A week ago I had this swept and mopped and looking good.  I don't know why I even bother.  The stairs that go off to the left down to the basement have multiple spider webs that I can't seem to bother with vacuuming.

Real Life with the Taylors: Home Remedies

A few weeks after Tim and I "officially" started dating, I went home with him to meet his family who (if I haven't already said this a million times) are WONDERFUL.  They were at a very unique stage in life...Tim's dad was recovering from a bone-marrow transplant.  Praise the Lord, it has now been 10 years since he was diagnosed with leukemia and he is cancer free!

Real Life with the Taylors: Kitchen Mess & Brownies

First Real Life Moment:  I was going to write this last night, but life got in the way so I didn't.

On today's episode, we will talk about the never-ending train-wreck that is my kitchen.

Real Life with the Taylors: Making Breakfast Burritos (for dinner)

We're back with another episode of Real Life with the Taylors-- where I help you feel better about yourself and your kitchen skillz.  

Today we're cooking (breakfast for) dinner.  If we had some kind of regular meal rotation around here, these would definitely be a part of it.  

Here's how you make them.

Step 1: Cook some bacon. Baking it in the oven allows you to move on to other steps while its cooking, cleanup is easier, and every square inch of your house won't smell like bacon. 

Real Life with the Taylors: Scenes from Our Living Room

It's time for another episode of Real Life with the Taylors, where I encourage you with my imperfections and let you know that you're not alone!  Or maybe show you that you're a lot more pulled together than you realize.  And I remind myself that just because I'm a mess doesn't mean I'm a failure.

For dinner tonight we had leftover grape salad from this weekend, and cheesy brats from Aldi.  Cheesy brats from Aldi are becoming an alarmingly frequent meal at this house.

The good news is, I just ran 2 miles!

PSA: Cheesy jalapeno brats and running are NOT a good combination.

But we're not talking about nutrition and exercise tonight.  We're going to talk about the living room.

Real Life with the Taylors: Vegetables and the Garage

Earlier this summer I was visiting family, and a few of them mentioned they enjoyed reading my blog.  Alyssa said "I really admire people that find the time to do things like that."  I assured her that the reason I do have time is because I don't clean my house or walk my dogs.  I shared this conversation with Cheri later, and was explaining to her that people only see the things that get done... not the 1,000,001 things that I don't do.  I don't have a clean house (like, ever), and I don't workout very often either.  Well we don't know that!  Just let us keep believing it! Was her simple, reassuring reply.  I could just show you all of the productive things that I do, and let you guys think I do ALL the things .  But I don't want you to think that!!!  Because I don't do it all, and I'm not pulled together at all.  I'm a mess, People!

summer salads and songs

You may or may not know this about me but... I'm kind of a health nut.  So while I sit here and drink my milkshake after a dinner of pasta and cheesy bread sticks and wonder why I gained 2 pounds this week,  I'll share with you some awesome salads I've found, tried, and loved.  You will probably notice that they are all from two of my favorite ladies in the world of the wide webz.

Back to Normal...?

I hesitate to say this (and I knock on wood as I do so), but its sort of starting to feel like life is getting back to normal.  Kind of.  Sort of.  For the most part.

Its a nice feeling after 6 11 months of crazy.  About a year ago it seemed like all crap hit the fan, we were booked every weekend, we were planning an anniversary party, family retreat, and a trip to Honduras.  Once we got through the holidays and Honduras, we hit the ground running with the church project.  Then it was Mandy's wedding, then the sprint to get things done before vacation.

And now vacation is over.  And life is sort of normal.  We're still way busier than I want to be, but its sort of a routine busy.  Like the same kind of busy on a regular basis... NOT leaving town every-other-weekend busy.

I've decided to enjoy it.  And soak up summer.  Here's one of the awesome things about being childless (and not a teacher): we don't live on a school schedule.  Summer for us really runs from mid-June (when it really gets warm) well into September.  As long as the weather's warm, it's summer!

Here's a little bit of what's been going on around here.

Wyoming: the overnight hike

I was going to wait a few days to post this, to space things out a bit.  However, this part of the trip felt very long, and also we took a ton of pictures.  To more accurately portray the experience, this post is long, with lots of pictures.  I am posting it in the middle of the weekend so you might have a better chance of finding time to read it if you want to.  Or you can just scroll through and look at the pictures.

Wyoming: The Early Days

We packed A LOT into the first two days we were in Jackson Hole.  Sunday all 21 of us went for a hike.  Tim and Nate had spotted the trail on a map in our condo, and the adults in charge of making the decision chose the trail completely independently of knowing Tim and Nate had been interested.  It was rated somewhere as an "easy to moderate" hike, it was a couple of miles before you got an awesome view of the Grand Teton, and then a few more miles around a lake.

Wyoming Adventures

We've been on a bit of an adventure lately.

Photo Credit: Emily Taylor

Mindy's Chicken and Noodles

If you're trying to "eat clean"...just walk on by.

If you're wanting to cook from scratch, this is not the recipe you're looking for.

If you have high blood pressure, kidney problems, or are limited your sodium intake for any other reason, read no further, and come back another day when I am back to gardening.

If you're looking for a super-yummy, comforting, easy, short-cut meal...WELCOME!

My roommate office mate, Mindy, made my day a few weeks ago by bringing me a bit of her leftover chicken and noodles.  Total.  Bliss.  To make matters worse better, she told me how to make them.  So I did.  And now I am spreading the joy to your home.

Xbox One and PS4

For something entirely different, I'd like to post a "few" thoughts that I have concerning the upcoming release of the next generation of gaming consoles - the Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4 (I think we can all agree to disregard the Nintendo Wii U, which kinda seems like the kid eating glue in the corner - yes, the image was originally done for the browser war of Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer).

No idea where this came from originally, found it on a few Google+ feeds

28 things I've learned from my Dad

Since he's been my dad for 28 years, I thought I would share 28 things my dad has taught me.

1. When sweeping the floor, use short swipes... the longer the swipe, the more dirt you leave behind.  Also, make your "pile" in the middle of the room, so that all of the dirt has the shortest distance to travel, and less "travel time" to be left behind.  (My sister, Mandy, has been complemented on her sweeping skills in a professional capacity).


2. When putting things in a refrigerator, assemble all items on the counter next to the fridge before opening the door.  This way things can be loaded as quickly as possible and the refrigerator door will be open for the least amount of time possible, wasting the least amount of energy.


3. This is how you fold a shirt.




















4. Take the time to do a job well.  Really, really well.
5. This is how you make fried rice.
6. The secret ingredient in a good omelette is cream cheese.
7. You really should try to take a programming course in college.  It could be a useful life skill. #whydidn'tIlistentomydad
8. It is worth it to live without something until you can save up for something nice.  Example: When my dad was in grad school, his furniture consisted of an overturned milk crate to sit on and garage shelves that contained a really nice stereo.  Priorities.
9. "I'm a girl!  I'm not good at math!" is never an acceptable reason for not doing your homework, and your tears will get you no sympathy.
10. Balancing a checkbook is possible and important.
11. You should always wash your windshield when you buy gas. (I don't do this, but my husband does.  Thank goodness for husbands.)







12. If you're smart, don't show off.  Save it for just the right moment to put that person that won't shut up in their place. (please note... my dad is way more professional and gracious than this sounds, this is just how I imagine it would go if I ever had the ability...)
13. You should dress nice when you travel.  And (on a related note)...
14. It is not acceptable to wear pajamas in public.  If you wore it to bed last night, you don't  wear it in public the next day.
15. Sunday afternoons are for naps.
16. "Mix" radio stations are always worth listening to.  This is one step in becoming a well-rounded, culturally educated person.
17. If you don't know what you want to do when you graduate from college, there's always grad school.
18. If you don't talk all the time, then when you do talk, people will listen.
19. Glasses are fine, you don't need contacts.
20. Basic manners are important.
21. Shyness can quickly become snobby.  Don't let that happen.  You don't want your dad to call you a snob.
22. Always work hard.
23. A smile can say "I'm proud of you."






24. You need at least two vegetables at dinner time.
25. Think before you speak.
26. Watching a movie with Dad after work is one of the best ways to spend a Saturday night.
27. It takes a lot of persistence to train your children.
28. "You're just like your dad!" is one of the best compliments I could receive.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!  You really are the best dad in the world, and I'm so grateful for all you've taught me.