29 April 2006

do-MESS-ticated

I recall the first time I made hubby a frosted cake. I still giggle about it.

I thank my mother in law for teaching me how to cook. It's really the best way. I can't quite get down her green chili burritos but they are in a heavenly class all by themselves. I find it common that most guys like the way their mother cooks, including my hubby. I just thank the Lord Mr. Coffee noticed more than my cooking skills when we were dating. I was tall, athletic and knew nothing of the evil phenomena called, "gravity" but at 20 years of age, it was completely feasible for me to burn dinner on a weekly basis. Unlike now, even my mother in law asks me for recipes. hehe.

My step-mom taught me a number of skills growing up. Mostly how to set a table fit for Queen Elizabeth. I'd knew which fork to use, folding napkins, using chargers, goblets, etc.. I was hoping that maybe Queen Elizabeth liked char-broiled?

Well, in a rare glimpse of domestication and Martha-like inspiration, I made Mr. Coffee a cake. A labor of love, filled with lovey filling. The problem was I couldn't frost the dumb thing. You know how you start to frost and the cake part starts to break off? I was so frustrated! Mr. Coffee had just gotten home from work and walked into the kitchen from the side entrance.

"HMMMMM, that smells GOOD!!"

Proving once again that the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Actually, the quickest way to anyone's heart is with a sharp object plunged into their chest but that is another matter.

"Hun! I can't get this stupid thing frosted!" as I threw down the spatula in frustration.

Mr. Coffee quickly scoops up the spatula, swirls it around and frosts the cake in under 10 seconds. I looked at him in amazement as he relished the last of the frosting with his newly coveted chocolate-covered spatula. He grinned proudly,

"That's what you get for marrying a concrete finisher."

28 April 2006

Factoid Friday


Time for a little fact and a lot of Friday.

I've mentioned before that I'm married to a concrete man. Married almost 13 years and just like the other little things you pick up from being married like snacking at 3am with the fridge door open, I have learned more than my fair share about concrete.

Mr. Coffee has been working in the concrete industry since he was 11 years old. He started by carrying forms working in his father's business and has now worked well over 25 years and across 5 states putting in driveways, patios and walkways. He does the patterned and stamped concrete and as I have mentioned, am awaiting my beautiful floors. You know what they say about cobbler's children having no shoes.....


Concrete 101


Concrete is composed of several basic items:

Lard
Sugar
Flour....oh, you were paying attention!

Concrete is:
  • Water
  • Cement (The glue)
  • Aggregate (Rock/Gravel)
  • Sand

So that would mean it's not a Cement Truck. It's a Concrete Truck.

When you are pouring a job and the mud is a "hot load", it doesn't mean you will be getting a killer facial, it just means that the concrete "mud", is heated and was dispatched at least an hour ago..or more.

Isn't that amazing? Cement goes through a process when it gets mixed and expands & grows. It's rather like ice and how it forms crystals. In the process of expanding concrete actually gets warmer. Heat is typically a tell tale sign that the driver has been either very busy, getting new spinners on his truck, or needing desperately to purchase a Thomas Guide Map Book.

The other thing about concrete that is amazing is that you can break it down with plain old rock salt. There is a good reason to buy Ice Melt, as rock salt will destroy your sidewalks and patios over a short period of time.

Concrete will eventually crack. If someone tells you something different that's just crazy talk. CRAZY TALK, I say!! It's not earth shattering news that the ground is moving beneath our feet.

(HAHA!! I'm so funny today, get it? Earth shattering? You get it?...I don't get it.)

That's why they score or joint concrete like driveways and patios. It just controls the cracks to the scoring making it more appealing....that and so you don't land on your face when you catch your toe on a crack. I know it wouldn't happen if I didn't have that second freak toe that stuck out longer than the rest. And NO! I am not posting pictures. Neener. Neener.

18 April 2006

Date Night


I'm going to shamelessly brag my head off. Just give me a minute to pop it back on if I'm not making sense.

My hubby is amazing. Even after years of marriage he never fails to surprise me.

On Saturday, he came home early from work, immediately got showered, dressed for a night out, smelling clean and fabulous and went to get us dinner. He wanted me to put the kiddies to bed early at 7:30 pm, if I could.  

Okay, I guess?

I thought maybe he wanted peace and quiet and watch "Walk the Line" which we had rented. I didn't know until he came back home at 7:45pm that he had plans.

He planned a date night and wanted to surprise me.

Isn't that the sweetest thing ever? My 9 year-old Jaina, waited on our table (visiting every 10 minutes or so) and much to her glee, he also left her a three dollar tip and dessert.

So, I want to share with you the recipe for a date with your honey, on a night you can't get a sitter:
  • Dress nice. Make an effort: perfume, cologne, and shave.
  • Flowers in a colorful bouquet (he brought me the one above...awww)
  • Your favorite takeout with dessert
  • One of my favorite wines, Maryhill Gewurztraminer which coincidently tastes fabulous with Thai Food, Chicken or Turkey.
  • Guitar music (One Quiet Night) by Pat Metheny. aka. stop, drop and roll music
  • 2 lovey-dovey cards proclaiming how wonderful your spouse is.
  • Candles for ambiance and remember the nice china and wine glasses. If you are not a drinker, try your favorite beverage. Even sparkling grape juice taste better in fancy drinking glasses.

17 April 2006

once, twice......

Once, twice, six times a weirdo.

6 Weird Things About Me ~ by popular request! (Thank you Kristi and Domesticator!)


1) I have a ritual every evening. Brush teeth, wash face, moisturizer and brush hair. In that order. I will not and cannot deviate. A girl must keep her skin and teeth healthy, you know.


2) Whenever I buy a book or DVD I put it in our DVD database or online at our lifetime subscription at LibraryThing. To date we have 637 DVDs and over 1500 volumes of books (no nakey butt or horror flicks)


3) I have to rearrange eggs symetrically in the carton before I put them back in the fridge. Coincidently it makes me crazy when I use only one egg. I am left lopsided. I joke about it at times but I do have mild OCD.


4) I get the giggles if I have to be somewhere serious with hubby and we catch each others eye. It usually happens at funerals, weddings, graduations, birthing classes. Even though divorce is out of the question, this fact eliminates even the notion of separation. Hubby and I would end up laughing hysterically in front of the mediator or judge.

5) I always have a hard time with Mother's Day** and Father's Day because of my childhood. My prayer is to see it first for hubby and I as parents. These are GOOD days now.


6) I have gotten marriage proposals over my Chocolate Rum Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. It takes 2lbs of cream cheese and I share it here. If you are doing Weight Watchers points you might consider getting a calculator for this one. (if you make it, I must have feedback!!)

**This is from Globegirl's blog. She's the youngest of four.

11 April 2006

peep talk

First, don't forget to do the annonymous poll in the sidebar!! Results on Friday!

*****************

The Just Born Factory breeds the most disturbing candy to date. I'm finally talking Peeps.

It's the time for bunnies, chicks, eggs and rabbits. It's the time where everything Easter (**see note) is somehow to be related to my belief of Jesus rising from the grave after being crucified on the cross for our sins 2000 years ago. I speak only for my family and without judgement toward others, even those who share my same faith. It just that our family celebrates solely His death and resurrection and simply do without the commercialism involved. Not everyone shares my faith but most everyone I know of could do without the big push in commerce for every single holiday. I even think even our neighborhood craft store is putting up Christmas decor this weekend. Early bird special, I guess. We all know the early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Speaking of commerce, I was curious about how many of these fluorescent-colored, sugar-filled, coma-inducing marshmallow chicks were produced every year. Like WHO eats these things anyway? I scanned the internet and ran across their website.

The Just Born Factory proudly boast " Due to demand, Just Born now produces over 1.2 billion Marshmallow Peeps a year for all the holiday seasons". That's more than 4 million Peeps a day. The NPR even suggests ways to consume them: Fried, microwaved, frozen, microwaved then frozen and even as a pizza topping. The thought of Peep Pizza makes me ill.

I joke about them frequently as the Peepophobe I am and decided to dig around and get the dish on the Peep phenomenon craze. In fact, Peeps have a cult following all on of their own.

  • There are Biker Peeps teaching us about motorcycle safety.

These must be CSI Peeps.

That's all you ever wanted to know about peeps. Aside from the fact that is what my kids call going to the bathroom. "I GOTTA GO PEEPS!!"





**If you would like to know more of what the Bible says on this it is outlined here. I do not necessarily agree with all the views on the link, it does give some interesting points to ponder. Easter being a word derivitive of "Ashtaroth" or "Ashtoreth" the mythical goddess of fertility. I have also heard other variations but hope to the reason behind the holiday back into mainstream light.

10 April 2006

vote for Pedro

I usually chat with Dapoppins on the phone about 5 times a week. We share stories, I whine, she listens and puts up with me. She asks me about random topics and we laugh ehm, commiserate, about hairbrushes in the toilet and PBJ murals in the hallway. This keeps us from insanity and road-raging zoloft moments.

I was reading over at Dapoppins blog about those things no one tells you. I have a ton of little things that I store away until an awkward social moment where I whip them out in a Doogie Howser fashion and wow the masses.

Me:"Did you know a bumble bee flies 15 miles per hour at it's fastest speed?"

Others around me: "WOW, I didn't know that! You are so smart"

Me: "Aren't I though? My only problem now is that spell check is ruining my life and they keep making those disgusting Easter Peeps every year!"

In the same spirit of lighthouse efficiency, I started thinking of other little nuggets of joy I could share.

Im officially launching a tidbit day but I need a name.


Yea!! Now before the DJ gets here and the table dancing commences, I need some votes. Place your vote in the sidebar to the right. I will give you the results on Friday (but you can also see them yourself when you vote)

07 April 2006

hurling since 2006

FIRST: I'd like to thank all those who wished us well this week. Mr. Bradshaw has also provided me with a bit of humor that aided in my mental health these last couple of days. So to all, I THANK YOU!!

Now for something completely different!

Our family had the run of things this week, pun intended.

We had the Flu instead of spring break. It's not fair. When I am this sick, I can manage dragging myself to the stove to prepare breakfast and then drive the kids to school. It's a feat in itself, but completely do-able. This week afforded me no such luxury. I had all four kids, all day, two of which were sick and I was sick, too.

I had plans. GOOD plans. Plans that would give any parent the Official Fun Parent Award. I had my friend and her kids coming, road trips to the fish ladders & dam, Grandma's visiting, zoo treks, and library stints. There were park outtings and dollars stores to be explored, darn it.

I did manage to salvage my week and am fully prepared to author any one of these lovely books:

  • Alienating Your Friends and Blog Through Unplanned Viral Outbreaks
  • The Biological Stain Guide and Treatment
  • 101 Reasons You Should Never Own a One Bathroom Home
  • Lose With The B.R.A.T. Diet: Banana's, Apples, Rice and Toast
  • How to Blow Through 40 Diaper Changes in a Day Including a Tube of Desitin
  • Poop Your Way to The New You: Emma in the Pacific NW raves, "I've Lost 10lbs in one week!!"
  • Pepto-Bismal: It's Not Just for Breakfast Anymore
  • The Beauty Of Stain-Free, Waterproof Vinyl in Your Home
  • How to Survive on 3 Hours of Sleep A Night
  • TV and Video Games: Entertaining Your Children While You Sleep
  • Extracting Your Colon The Easy Way
  • Handwashing Your Way To Cracked, Dry Skin
  • Go VOMIT!: How To Easily Rid Yourself Of Telemarketers.