Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Patrick's mad at me...

...because I just told him not to use the last box of Kleenexes (Kleenexi?  Kleenex?) in the house.  



Why can't my poor, little, sick Patrick use those Kleenex (I think it's like deer and fish, so we're going with Kleenex) you ask?  Well, I bought them because they match the bathroom...and I'm afraid they won't have that design anymore if he uses them all - which is a definite possibility.  And then I'd be sad that the Kleneex box in the bathroom doesn't match for our guests.  Plus, that's why we buy the soft TP...


I'm pretty sure he's not speaking to me at the moment...


Side note:   If you come to our house, please don't be afraid to use the Kleenex!

Monday, March 15, 2010

The following conversation just occurred:

I'm just calmly sitting on my end of the couch, getting a little work in, and then...

P:  Are you kidding me?!?!?!?
A:  what's wrong!?!?
P:  This is RIDICULOUS!  <gesturing wildly at the onscreen cable guide>  DAREDEVIL gets 3 STARS?!?!?!?  Who is in charge of this?  Are you trying to tell me DAREDEVIL WITH BEN AFFLECK IS BETTER THAT O' BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?!?!?!?
A: <remembers the horror expressed last week after he noticed the info only showed O' Brother as two stars >
P:  <scrolls through the guide mumbling absurdities>  ARE THEY SERIOUS?!?!?  THEY'RE SERIOUSLY TRYING TO SAY THAT DR. DOLITTLE 2 IS ON THE SAME LEVEL AS O' BROTHER WHERE ART THOU AND THE SANDLOT?!?!?
A:  <not looking up from work> ooooh!  The Sandlot's on???
P:  no!  Dr. Dolittle 2 is.
A:  Then how do you know Sandlot only has two stars...?
P:  I've been noting these things lately.  <scrolls back to daredevil in disbelief>  THIS IS JUST RIDICULOUS!  WHO does their ratings??  I'm calling Comcast.

...so much hostility for a rating system...

Things that Annoy Me...

Does anyone else watch Food Network?  Of course you do!!!  It's (mostly) awesome.

I watch listen to a lot of Food Network.  I'm a light noise person - no thinking happens for me when things are too quiet - well actually, lots of thinking happens, but it's more of the wandering kind of thinking, and not whatever I need to be focusing on at that moment, so when I work from home, which is like 90% of the time, I have to have background noise.  And since I don't really want to pay attention to the background noise, it's usually one of four things - Pandora, Law and Order/CSI/insert-any-random-cop-show-here, Dave Ramsey, or Food Network - all of which require no focus from me.

And, I love listening to Food Network.  I never hear a whole recipe, usually I'll just hear some particular food or technique mentioned, and that's what gets stuck in my head, and then I decide that's what I have to have for dinner, and then a grocery run ensues because I never have everything that I absolutely need, and then Patrick gets upset because I didn't stick to the pre-planned menu we crafted and shopped for and I spent more money.  But then he eats whatever deliciousness I made and loves me again.  It's a vicious cycle, people.

All this said - if I hear "And now we need to get the <insert-type-of-nut-here>s from the freezer because I keep nuts in the freezer so they'll a longer shelf-life blah blah blah!!!!!!!!!!  ♪♫ Because nuts have oil, and oil can spoil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ♫♪ " (insert RR peppiness here) one more time, I think I'll put my TV in the freezer.  And you may be thinking "Just change the channel when she comes on, Amanda."  But the point of background noise is that I don't even register what's on until I hear this ridiculousness, again - and by then, it's too late.

Seriously Rachael - we get it.  All nuts should always be kept in the freezer.  If there is anyone left in the world who would ever watch your show that doesn't know this by now or can't catch on from one of your many many many re-runs, then well, their nuts deserve to spoil!!!!!!!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Family, projects, and fajitas.

As you may have noticed, my mom and dad and seester came to visit last weekend!!  We had a fantastic time - or at least I did - but it went by way too fast!!!

Thursday night, we got our butts kicked at Brewhouse 100 trivia.  I'm too embarrassed to even discuss it.

Then to appease dad and Beth's ever-present quest to find old stuff, Friday, we went to see the Stones River Battlefield.  Now, I'm not usually quite as into the old stuff hunt as they are, but this was pretty interesting - and I think the fantastic weather helped a bit too.  It's unbelievable to think that over 23,000 men died right in the area where we were hiking around in a matter of just three days.  I can't even imagine what that would look like - nor do I want to. It was a gorgeous area, and we probably hiked a few miles through the woods reading historical markers and trying to find a little Private for Beth to meet- she's convinced she should have seen the ghost of one by now.

[Events occurring Friday night have been removed for the protection of those involved.]

On Saturday, we had project day - have I mentioned how much I love my dad(!!) - and did lots of little projects around the house that we needed some help with!  We He installed a water heater timer, moved our pretty light out of the entry way alcove to a place you can actually see it now, and built us a peg board for the garage.  Then we installed lights under the kitchen cabinets so I don't have to make my coffee in the dark anymore!!  And most exciting-ly, he fixed our toilet paper holder!! Oh, and we went to Home Depot three times.  In one day.  It's a little embarrassing when the guy at the Depot sees you walk in and says 'Welcome back!  Nice to see you again.".

 








< Kitchen before  Kitchen after>

And then Saturday night, we had a faj-eye-ta party with our new grill!  Thanks to Travis (and a little of dad) for making the grill - we love it!!  Sangria was involved too...

...and now we just need a patio to put it on!


And now for my favorite part - sneaky sneaky fellas ;-)











By the way, does anyone in central or south Texas want to send me some HEB Chicken and Steak Fajita seasonings?!?!?  I'll send you a check!  We're almost out of the chicken one; the steak one is long gone, and I don't know how I'll live without it...it is truly grilled faj-eye-ta heaven in a bottle.  Period.  And believe me, that does not exist in any grocery sto' 'round these parts.


I love our life here in Nashville, but weekends like this one make me wish we lived a little closer to my family.  The distance does make me appreciate the time we spend together even more though.  And I was sad to see them go...

And from now on, I'll be taking more pictures - I started to write this and realized I had no pictures of them here to post.  Sad.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Sangria for Beth

Beth wanted to learn how I make Sangria while she was here this weekend so she could show her boss that it is definitely not just red wine and club soda with a slice of orange - or something equally ridiculous.  Bleck!  I can't even imagine how that could taste too good. 

But I forgot to write it down for her, so Beth, here is our adapted version of red wine sangria from The New York Bartender's Guide:
  • 2 750mL bottles of dry-ish red wine - stuff you would normally drink, not the too cheap-y stuff.
  • 1 cup simple syrup (dissolve 1 cup sugar in 1 cup water over low heat and allow to cool)
  • 8 shots of Triple Sec
  • 6 shots of congac
  • 6 shots of orange juice
  • 1 can Sprite
  • 1 orange
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 lime
  • 1 green apple
Pour all liquid ingredients together in a big pitcher except the sprite.  Slice half of the orange, half of the lemon, and half of the lime into thin slices and juice the other halves into the mixture.  Slice the apple into thin slices - I forgot this part this weekend.  Add all of the fruit slices to the pitcher.  Stir to combine ingredients and sink the fruit.  Chill the mixture for at least an hour, but it'll be even better after at least four hours.  Before serving, add the Sprite to make it a little bubbly.  Serve chilled over ice!

Enjoy my beautiful seeeeester!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Hello, weekend!

First things first - 
We unpacked our very last box last weekend!  We finally put together our Lowe's clearance bookshelves, and our collection of DVDs now have a nice cozy home it the Patrick Room.
(*Updated picture.  Apparently Patrick is a little sensitive about me showing the world up his shorts.  Sheesh.)



And now on to more important information -
Mom and Dad and seeeester are coming to see me us today!!!!!
Guest rooms: check!








And just so they know what to look for:


See that blue sky?!?!?  I am so happy this weekend is going to be BEEEEA-utiful for la familia!  More to come later - after I've had time to put dad to work