Sam is 21 Today

HaPpY 21st BiRtHdAy SaM!

Sam arrived at the last minute on January 29th 21 years ago today. As in the very last minute, 11:59 p.m. Sam came into this world screaming and large, weighing in at 10 lbs. 4 oz.

Sam was such a fun little boy, he collected everything. His rock collection is still upstairs, and his legos, and his playmobil, and his G.I. Joe collection.

He started reading at age two and hasn't stopped.

He loves video games, chex party mix, camping, swimming and the beach, skiing, his friends,

his family and most of all, his mama!

My guys have all brought me heart shaped rocks but Sam brought me my first and the most. He has one for me from Iraq and I'll probably get one from Afghanistan too.

That Sam I Am knows what he wants & who he stands for,there is no stopping him. Sam serves his Savior and his country. So thankful and proud of my Sam today. Happy Birthday!

Don't get too stupid on your 21st -luv, mum

{hearts} {maps} {oh my!}

Read this post at your own financial risk:

Uhmmm, honey, how soon before you can do a temporary duty in the UK?

Because I have a new love and the shipping is gonna be a killer.

I love maps. I love hearts. I love the UK. My virtual shopping basket is full. To. The. Brim.

Hubby needs the cuff links for his tux. Actually, I need him to have the cuff links with his tux. He is gorgeous in his tux. Can you imagine adding the map cuff links to Hubby and his tux?

Be still my heart.

Here's the site... enter at your own risk.

I warned you.

Oh, and jewelry is a whole other world, by itself. dang.

I Asked For It

I brought this upon myself. I can only blame myself. It's my own fault. I am taking ownership for how I feel this morning.

This is what happened... On Friday Hubby and I were both off work and had many errands in town. Our microwave started smoking on Thursday morning so we needed to get a microwave and we needed a Trader Joe's, Target and Costco run. We set off around ten in the morning and didn't get home until after four in the afternoon. Heavy duty errands for us.

While at Lowes I wanted to check out the full length mirrors. Our new bedroom has plenty of room and here's the kicker... I have not had a full length mirror since I moved out of my parent's home many moons ago.

So, I thought I wanted one.

I spotted this black framed full length mirror and wanted it bad. Hubby didn't think it would fit in the Element with the microwave and all of the groceries. He goes out to the car and measures, tells me it will be tight but I still want to try. I WANTED THAT FULL LENGTH MIRROR. We got it home. It's propped in the bedroom.
What was I thinking? My gosh, I was a fool to bring that thing home. Silly me.

I. Am. Freaked.

And I'm on a serious Eat Less, Move More.

Texting Pro

Are you a texting Mom? I text. To keep in touch with my guys I have to text. When I first started I was a little rocky and I did not have a full key pad and that can be tricky.

One night I got a message from Sam, "mjsye adfjdjdiee&&& s88 wkfhs"

I texted back, "huh?"

That Sam I Am let me know that was what they felt like when they got my texts. Apparently I wasn't very clear and didn't make sense.

Eventually I got better and received this message back from Sam, "texting pro mom" Oh, the pride I felt!

Sam told me about his buddy in the army who got a text from his Mom one morning. Poor Sean. His Mom thought LOL meant lots of love instead of laughing out loud...

She wrote, "Sean, your dog died this morning LOL"

Ouch!

I don't like getting texts that say, "I'm deploying to Iraq next week" while I am having a girls' day in Seattle like I did last summer. Some news can wait.

Sometimes I text pictures of clothes from the mall to the classroom. You like? What size? It's handy ;)

The text I send the most, "U?", it means, where are you? I sent it several times to Max tonight. He told me he was at Levi's and then I saw on facebook that Levi was at Costco. Who could blame me for asking again. The social networks are good for one thing... tracking your kids!

Of course, any minor living at my house knows if they are caught not telling the truth, the gps tracking system that AT & T offers for $9.95/ month with be added to their phone STAT... no joke.

This and That

Not much happening here at the Stone House lately. Max has exams and I don't feel he is studying enough, Hubby and I are working and Hawley has become a house dog. I'm not sure how that happened but since the snow Hawley has moved into the house.

Since my fall I haven't been walking or going to boot camp. It is weird how cranky that makes me! I thought a break from boot camp would be great but it's NOT. I'm twitchy to run. I am using my free weights and trying to be patient in the meantime. I did see MY doctor on Friday and had X-rays, nothing is broken but my bone is bruised and I am watching for blood clots. Cuz all I need is to have a stroke, for the love of pete. Anyway, so I'm at the doctor and she commented that my leg muscles are incredible! I was thrilled, thanks Robb! But my leg still hurts...

I've done some decorating for Valentine's Day, at home and at the museum. I'm starting to think about LOVE WEEK. I will be making Cherry Bing Bars and trying out a new cheesecake recipe.

I baked these bars over the weekend. There are no photos of the finished bars, they are gone. I served them with coffee ice cream for dessert. Sort of an amped up brownie sundae.

Be careful not to overbake...I did, overbake. So, they had to eaten quickly. If you don't like coffee, don't even try this recipe. *I used Starbuck's Via for the espresso powder.

The best part of making this new recipe was that I got to use my new cutting board for the almonds. Hubby gave me two of these for Christmas and I love them! Chop, and then roll and pour the almonds into the mixer, the onions into the hamburger, the tomato into the salad. I haven't taken out my other cutting boards since I got these for Christmas.

Almond Mocha Cookie Bars

Cookie Base:
1 cup slivered almonds
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup Crisco all-vegetable shortening (or 2/3
Crisco Stick)
2 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso coffee powder*
1 tablespoon cold coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (6-ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon cold coffee
1 tablespoon coffee-flavored liqueur (or cold coffee) -- optional

Heat oven to 350'. Grease 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Place cooling rack on countertop. For cookie base, spread almonds on baking sheet; bake at 350' for 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring several times. Cool completely. Chop coarsely. Place brown sugar, shortening, coffee powder, coffee, vanilla and almond extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs; beat well. Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add to shortening mixture; beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in small chocolate chips and reserved almonds. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake at 350' for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Do not overbake. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into 2-in. x 1-1/2-in. bars. For glaze, combine confectioners sugar, coffee and coffee liqueur, if desired, in a small bowl. Stir until well blended. Add additional coffee, a little at a time, if icing is too thick, or add additional confectioners sugar if icing is too thin. Drizzle glaze over bars.

Source: "Crisco Cookies for a Year of Celebrations"
Yield: "3 dozen bars"

Okay, that's all I got...

It's Puzzling

January is puzzle month. At least at our house. All I've done is find the corner piece of the puzzle. Hubby and Max have done the rest.

There is a lot of trash talkin' going on around the table. I had no idea that putting a puzzle together was a competitive sport. It is. Yes, it is, very competitive at our house.

Snow Day+Yeast Bread

I'm not sure why but when I get a snow day I have to try a new yeast recipe. There is just something about a warm cozy house with the smell of yeast, while it's cold and snowy outside that I love.

Macaroni Grill Copycat Rosemary Bread

• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons rosemary
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Prep Time: 2 1/4 hrs

Total Time: 2 1/2 hrs

1. Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl or food processor and allow mixture to become bubbly.
2. Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour.
3. Add one tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary.
4. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5. Add more flour if necessary.
6. Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel.
7. Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.
8. Punch down dough and divide in half.
9. Let dough rest about 5 minutes.
10. Spray baking pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray.
11. Shape the dough into 2 small rounded oval loaves.
12. Sprinkle remaining 1 Tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface.
13. Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.
14. Preheat oven to 375°F.
15. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
16. Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter (and salt if desired).
17. Hubby and Max gave it a thumbs up with butter or with olive oil. I thought it was good but not great...

More Than Flurries, Pleeeeze

I was really hoping for snow. Some straight down, 8-10 inches of white stuff would be just right.

No school kind of snow. Everything is closed, the world stops kind of snow.

The weatherman was making all kinds of promises for snow. Now not so much, "some snow turning to rain for today and tomorrow, folks". Not the forecast I was hoping for, but I'm sure all you snow haters, party poopers are happy. Blah!

BD Love

Ballard Designs, I love you. I love your fabrics, your sofa designs, your colors, your artwork, your personalized party ware, your push pins to your furniture, I {heart} you, Ballard Designs.

Please relocate across the nation. Thank you.

Wow! She's Cranky!

If you can't think of anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. -Thumper's Mom

I took a fall. My knee is sprained, swollen and really hurts. I am so crabbbby I can't stand myself. It hurts, I don't like to slow down so my attitude is poor. Falling when you are in your fifties is different than when you fall in your twenties. Every time I get up I feel sick and bitchy.

So, in the meantime, I have watched the two part Christmas episode of the The Office, watched Guarding Tess, watched Doc Martin Season 4, episode 8 and now I've begun the British version of Men Behaving Badly.

I'm reading Rescue by Anita Shreve.

Jodi brought me a stack of magazines.

I researching my guys.

Danny is working at Bistro Bella Vita in Grand Rapids, MI. I think if I ate dinner there I would have a hard time deciding between the filet mignon and the Harvest Ravioli.

Sam has been chosen to work on his Expert Medical Field Badge. I don't think I could do the 12 miles in full gear right now and I don't think I could ever treat the open abdominal wound. Go Sam!

I am shopping for summery resort wear but nothing is out yet. I have my purse by my bed though, just in case. I wish we had a Dillard's Department Store here. I need a cute cover up, some new shorts and a flirty skirt for evenings.

I did some Waikiki research, I think we'll be able to find plenty to keep us busy and fed. Max says all he wants to do is go to our spot and sit. No research necessary for that activity.

I have tons of things I want to do, clean the museum gift shop, take inventory, rearrange the shop. At home, take the love seat and chair apart for painting and upholstery, finish painting the trim, clean the garage, wrap my mom's birthday gift, laundry, blah blah blah.

Oh, and I'm snacking on carbs, because I'm nauseated and don't feel like a diet.

For someone who shouldn't have said anything at all, I think I've said enough.

Grilled Chicken Pesto Sammies

Before one our holiday parties I came up with a new recipe for Grilled Chicken Pesto sandwiches. We called them sammies as I used baguette sliced thin for the bread and made mini sandwiches.

I use the Cash and Carry chicken breasts which is already cooked and cubed. Take 2 cups of cubed chicken and chop small. I add about 1 cup shredded mozzarella and toss. In a separate bowl mix about 1/3 cup pesto (you can make your own pesto recipe or buy it ready to go). Add about 1/4 cup mayo to the pesto and mix. Mix everything together and grill, just like you would a grilled cheese sandwich.

You have to kind of guess as I kind of guessed for this recipe... sorry. No pictures of the grilled sandwiches as they got eaten fast, sorry...

The baguette slices make nice appetizer size sammies. Tonight I used sour dough bread for the guys' sandwiches and one of those Safeway slender sandwiches for mine. Next time I think we'll try them with fresh tomato slices.

During bowl season I need dinners that can be eaten in front of the TV. It's the Sugar Bowl tonight, one of the real bowls. I only consider the Rose Bowl, the Sugar Bowl and the Cotton Bowl the real ones... there are just too many bowls for them to actually be taken seriously.

Anyway, enjoy the sammies!

Happy New Year!

Our sweet Hawley isn't doing so well. He has hip problems and arthritis. On Saturday something must have happened and he is moving slow. Hubby and Max lift him into the house. Hawley is such a happy dog though, he is still wagging his tail and happy to see us. We are hoping he just slept wrong and will recover soon. Could be the cold too. It was 21 degrees when I went to boot camp this morning. Brrrrr...Today is Take Down Christmas Day. Not a favorite of mine. Some years I take everything down before New Year's Eve, this year I was still enjoying everything last night. Now this morning it can not be taken down fast enough. I am going for the clean and bare look in the Stone House.

Happy New Year everyone! Any resolutions, goals, for 2011? I have the same old, same old goals. Maybe I'll actually meet them this year! You?