wishing money grew on trees

For some light fare on a Friday, I give you the opportunity to buy me some stuff.

Y’know, I’ll be honest with you, JC Penney is not a place I frequent for great decorating ideas, (c’mon, you know that you get that Pottery Barn catalogue in the mail, but you don’t actually buy from it, you just try your best to make your house look like it) or a place I frequent for buying anything really.

My mom gets the catalogues in the mail though, because she is pretty much a JC Penney freak. Well, it’s not that bad, but she really likes that store.

As I was flipping through them this morning, I came across this clock, and these wall hangings. After which I thought, “Hmmm, JC Penney is really stepping their game up”. I mean, just now, when I was searching for the links to those items, I came across some other really cute things that I would totally put in some rooms that I don’t have in the house that I don’t own.

So go check out JC Penney, heck, you might even find a Pottery Barn knock-off or two while you’re there.

monkey brains: you can eat them…and they’re tasty!

Saturday night my sister has a friend over. She’s a favorite of mine among the many my sister has. Maybe because she’s been around pretty long….or maybe because she is actually friends with my sister because she wants to be friends with her….and not date her twin. She gets that a  lot surprisingly.

Anyway, we’re sitting there playing Acquire, an awesome game that my Brother-in-law introduced me to that I finally found without having to order it online, and Kristina says:

“Have you guys ever had monkey brains?”

“Monkey brains, is she serious?” I said this in my head, because I don’t know what the teens are up to these days, and in order to keep my cool-points in tact, I just listen and then speak.

“EWWWWWWWW, monkey brains?” This was my sister. Apparently, this was not some weird teen fad I was not aware of.

“Yeah, um, Kristina, ew.” I finally said something out loud.

“Nooooo you guys, not real monkey brains, do you actually think I’d eat those?” (Again, who really knows with kids these days) “Ok, monkey brains are like little mini cinnamon buns, they’re so easy to make and they’re soo yummy; we should make them!”

“Okay.” My sister and I both agreed, a little shaken if I’m being honest. How were we to know that she wasn’t tricking us, you know?

So we made the monkey brains. Internets, let me just tell you, you’ve never had something so tasty that was made so quickly. And! If you’re dieting, like the rest of America in the throws of New Year’s Resolutions, they’re super-teeny so if you have one, or two, or three, it really isn’t the end of the world! I promise!

Behold! I give you monkey brains:

Now you want to know how to make these tasty little treats, don’t you? Well, I’ll share the secret with you, but only if you promise to tell me how you liked them if you decide to make them. Promise? Ok, here we go.

(This recipe can be doubled, just as we did above, the cooking time is just a little longer. Also, with the exception of the biscuits, the other ingredients are just estimates, you really can make this to your liking)

Ingredients:

One can of Pillsbury Buttermilk Grands! Biscuits
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoons of cinnamon
butter – for greasing the pan and dotting

Directions:

Preheat your oven according to the directions on the biscuits. Grease an 8×8 baking pan with butter – no substitutions! (Notice that when we doubled the recipe above, we used a 9×13) Combine cinnamon and sugar in a zip-lock freezer bag. Cut biscuits into eighths. In batches of about one full biscuit, shake mini-biscuits in cinnamon-sugar until coated with the mixture and then place them into the greased pan. Repeat until all mini-biscuits are coated. Dot the top of the biscuits with butter. Bake according to the time listed on the biscuit can, or until a fork inserted comes out clean.

Enjoy!

better late than never, i suppose

My SIL tagged me days ago to do this meme, and I’m just now getting around to it.

What can you do?

So here are the rules:

1) Post a picture of whatever bag you are carrying as of late. No, you cannot go up to your closet and pull out that cute little purse you used back before you had kids. I want to know what you carried today.
2) I want to know how much it cost :) And this is not to judge. This is for entertainment purposes only. So spill it. And if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, I’d love to hear it.
3) Tag some chicks. And link back to this post so people know why the heck you’re showing everyone your diaper bag/non-diaper bag.”

Here we go!

1.) As she predicted, I am currently carrying around this little number (it’s actually not little, it’s kind of huge, but whatever!) from Vera Bradley’s Highlands collection. It is now retired, much to my dismay, because they are so stinkin’ cute! Just look!

2.) I actually didn’t purchase this one for myself; it was a Christmas present from my parents last year. Although, knowing Vera like I do (because you know, we’re friends and all) it was probably somewhere in the $60-$70 range. Lemons may know also, as she is the person who made me the Vera freak I am today.

3.) I guess I’ll tag Lemons, she’s always carrying around some kind of Vera goodness!

Oh, and here’s the creator of this lovely purse meme. Why not head on over there and tell her if you chose to participate!

pride comes before the fall and other tales

We had quite a weekend around here at the fancythis house.

Saturday night, the husband and I went out on a date and had a tremendous time enjoying one another’s company. It’s amazing to me how, when you classify something as a “date” it sort of re-kindles the romance a little. Not to say that it has really had the chance to dwindle in only 2 years of marriage, but it really brought us back to the dating days. It was really nice.

Sunday was a HUGE day around here. My parents threw a little shindig for the Twins 18th Birthday, and we had a HUGE shindig for the Steelers’ presence in the AFC Championship. Which, in case you’ve been living under a rock and didn’t know, they won!

You may be wondering why I’m not an Eagles fan, what with my living in the “Philadelphia area” and all. (Or, you may not, but I’m going to tell you why anyway) Really, the first reason why, is that my dad was born, and spent the first few years of his life, in Pittsburgh. So because of that, he’s a Steelers fan,  and that has been “passed down” to the rest of us. So to speak.

The second reason is not only a reason why I’m not a fan, but more the reason that I will root against the Eagles and for any other team, every opportunity that I get.

Any football fan understands the rivalry between inner-divisional teams. The Cowboys and the Eagles are one such rivalry. Now, rivalries always make for the best games. I’m not sure what it is, but the adrenaline flows differently or something. Either way, they’re great games. So years ago, when Michael Irvin was still playing football, he and his Cowboys had a game against the Eagles. I was watching this game. At one point, Michael took a hit to the helmet, which not only knocked him out, but initial reports were questioning his ability to ever walk again. It was pretty scary.

So, they loaded him on the stretcher and were carting him off the field………when the Philadelphia crowd booed him off the field.

And that is why I loathe the Eagles. And rejoice when they lose. Ok, not rejoice, but I’m certainly not sad for them. Especially because, generally, their fans are so fair-weather and fickle that it doesn’t really matter to them in the first place. They “weren’t really fans” to begin with. Right.

Fast forward to last week. Every single Eagle’s fan (and there are a bunch of them around here) was looking past the NFC Championship game. No-one was taking the Arizona Cardinals seriously. At all. Nevermind the fact that the Cardinals were in the Championship game as well, therefore implying that they were just as good as the Eagles for having gotten that far. No, the Eagle’s fans knew best and were looking past the Cardinals to the Superbowl.

Big mistake, obviously.

The Cardinals came out playing serious football and handed it to the Eagles. It was great. I of course, knew that the Cardinals had a fighting chance. Their (head) coaching staff comes from Pittsburgh, and that’s nothing to shake a stick at. We are pretty good, after all.

So the lesson that the Eagles and their fans have (hopefully, for their sake) learned is that you should never underestimate the power of any team to snatch victory from your grasp. Once you’ve learned that, you may end up just as happy and hopeful as we Steelers fans were last night. And let me just tell you, it feels great!

sort of wordless wednesday – colin giggles

My nephew with the cutest little giggle.

And husband and his brother talk about donkeys and mules….or something.

1/13/91

You are 18 today, and although I am only 6 years older than you, I can still remember the day you were born, holding you when you came home from the hospital and so many other wonderful memories that have spanned the years to bring you to this very moment in your life.

I remember fun little “facts” about the 2 of you.

Andrea: I won’t lie, our first years together after you figured out how to talk (ok, scream) were a bit tumultuous. You were pushy, stubborn, and just down-right mean at times. Then again, don’t they say that you usually see in others the ugliness that you possess yourself? Either way, watching you grow into the selfless, sweet and caring young woman that you are today has been an incredible blessing. I am proud to call you my sister and my best friend.

Jacob: You always had the sweetest disposition. You were happy, active and always had the sweetest little smile on your face. Though time has changed those tiny little features into the rugged features of a young man (and ok, some of that sweet disposition has changed into just plain weirdness) you still have that beautiful smile that I look forward to seeing, whenever you decide to flash it to us, and not your bum.

I could say so much more, but I’ve decided to condense (as much as is humanly possible for me) all of it into 18 bullet-points for you. Or 18 for your 18th.

1. Read your Bible daily. God, in all of His infinite power and wisdom, saw fit to not only send his Son for us, but to leave His Word for us to grasp tightly to until he returns again one day.

2. Dad and Mom actually do know what they’re talking about. I know you’re both infinitely wise and without the need of anyone’s advice; however, just save yourself the time and trouble and adhere to this little nugget. I promise that though it may not seem like it initially, it’ll work out for you in the end.

3. Go to college, even if you have no idea what you want to do with your life. Apparently, you don’t actually figure out what you’re good for until you’re 40 anyway, so you may as well make some money in the process of figuring that out.

4. Money isn’t everything. Sure, it buys you food and puts a roof over your head, but it isn’t worth the sacrifices that some people make to get it.

5. Andrea: Treat yourself every now and then to a manicure. I know this seems silly, but trust me on this one; sometimes, it’s the only thing that’ll take your mind off of everything. Jacob: Wet a line every now and then. There’s nothing like sitting in the quiet of God’s creation and thinking about absolutely nothing.

6. Watch out for “red flags”. People tend to reveal them relatively quickly. Pay attention, and if possible, GET OUT while you can!

7. Stop to smell the roses. This one is actually pretty self-explanatory.

8. Always remember that today is your only true chance to live because tomorrow is never guaranteed. Don’t worry about yesterday, it’ll stop you from living your full today.

9. You will never look this good again. I know you can try (and you should) but your skin is great, (elasticity is NOT overrated) your “bods” are great, and let’s face it, you both have great hair. Enjoy it now. Please.

10. Wear sunscreen. It will help with the whole looking good thing. Leather skin is NOT attractive.

11. Always remember where you came from. We were not born with silver spoons in our mouths and we are much better for it. We understand sacrifice, work ethic, and living below the comfort level of most. Don’t hide from this, embrace it and let it affect how you live and treat others.

12. The opinions of others are not as important as you think they are. God made you an individual and it pleases him. If he wanted us all to be the same, he’d have made everyone look like me. (Ha!)

13. Andrea: Let men pursue you. If he’s that into you, he should have the guts enough to say so. If he can’t step out in something so simple, he won’t step up on the important things. Jacob: You should be the pursuer. Watch out for women who are overly domineering, they will make your life (and marriage) miserable.

14. Consider the opinions of your family when choosing a mate. We may not be right all the time, but we’re so close, it’s scary. Plus, we only have your best interest at heart.

15. DO NOT open a credit card! The government does a good enough job of stealing your hard-earned cash; don’t you blow the rest of it.

16. Visit another country. You will never fully appreciate this great land until you do.

17. Make sure if you get a tattoo, you really, really, REALLY like it. They hurt, they’re (semi) permanent, and I hear it’s quite a bear to get them removed. Also, avoid getting one spur of the moment, they’re the worst. Oh! And never tattoo the name of your girl/boy friend. Cause that’s just stupid.

18. Don’t worry. Until God’s finished with you, you’re invincible. Once he is finished with you, you don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell anyway. So go skydiving if you wish.

I love you and can’t wait to continue watching you become the people you’re supposed to be.

Happy 18th Birthday!
Love,
Sissy

new england: filled with “enlightened” intellects who suck at driving

Husband and I just got back from a weekend in Boston visiting his mother and extended family. We had a blast once we actually got to where we needed to be, but getting there was quite a chore.

It seems as though the whole of New England have a problem with the following:

1. Blinkers. They just don’t use them. At all. After getting cut off by about 3 different drivers, both husband and I were petrified of changing lanes for fear that we would crash his brand new car. (I guess I didn’t blog about that, did I? Oh well, now you know!)

2. Road signs. This criticism is actually restricted just to the Somerville/Boston area, as we didn’t travel in any of the other New England States. Anyway, I dare you to try to find a road sign when you actually need it. This is not restricted only to street signs, but also to one way signs, do not enter signs and so forth. Needless to say, I’m sure we broke a lot of traffic laws in our few days there.

3. A structured city. The rumor is that they paved the cow paths in Boston. I believe it. There’s no structured “grid” layout to the Somerville/Boston area like you would find in Philadelphia. It’s all helter-skelter-like. One way streets meeting face to face, curved roads leading to nowhere, no lines on the streets. It’s a mess!

4. Obeying traffic laws. They don’t do it. Going the wrong way down a one way street, turning when they shouldn’t, pulling out right in front of you despite the fact that you’re going 40 mph. It’s ridiculous!

Husband and I decided that the cause of this poor driving is a result of the world-view that New England has adopted: Whatever makes YOU happy. You know the mantra: don’t push your beliefs off onto others, My life and happiness comes first, yada, yada, yada.

So because of this, they suck at driving.

The entire time we were driving we would chuckle whenever there was an obvious lack of signage: “Well, the city of Boston didn’t put a one way sign there, because they didn’t want to push their beliefs onto the drivers.” we would say. Or when we came up to a 3-way intersection where the red-lights were not really pointed at one specific lane, but could have been mistaken for any of the 3 lanes, we would say, “Here, they’re merely suggesting that the other 2 lanes should stop so as not to cause an accident. However, if it makes the cars in those other lanes happy to go, then they should do as they please.”

Laughing prevented us from going insane. It’s the best medicine, after all.

sqeezing what’s left of the holiday from the tube

Ok internets, I know that when I put videos up, your relationship with my blog is practically non-existent, but I’m here to tell you, that you need to check these out.

If you have or come from a large family (I’m thinking, at least 5-ish kids) you will SO appreciate the first video. In fact, as the oldest of five children, I often heard people asking my mom the very questions that this video addresses. Be prepared to chuckle:

Now, aren’t you glad you watched that? Wasn’t it just the funniest thing?

The second video is actually more super-cool than it is funny. In fact, it’s not funny at all. But again, it’s worth the watch because of its super-coolness.

So, you’ve heard of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, right? They’re this group of guys who take Christmas songs and really rock them out. I think they’re incredible.

One of my most favorite songs of theirs is Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24; otherwise known as the Carol of the Bells. That link will take you directly to their version on YouTube. That’s not what I want you to watch though.

On Christmas Eve, our worship team did Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s version, and I must say, came so close to the original, I’m pretty sure they should go on tour themselves. Check it out:

Now, I’m not promising anything, but I think that may be the last mention of Christmas until November/December this year. We’ll see though.

there are some things in life money can’t buy – for everything else, there’s mastercard

Cute purple sweater-dress from Wal-Mart: $19

Black leggings from Express: $20

Black boots from Bakers: $10

Realizing that your dress is tucked into the back of your leggings before you walk out into the office full of men: priceless

maryland: larger than it looks

Since Husband is currently applying for a job with the *Maryland *State *Police *Department, I took it upon myself to take a look at the different areas in Maryland in which we could end up residing, should they decide to hire him.

Firstly, I should mention that in the Electoral College, Maryland takes up a whopping 10 votes. One would look at that and assume that there wouldn’t be much research to do in terms of where to live.

One would be wrong.

When I pulled up the list of Troops online, the list consisted of some 30 troops. That means that there are 30 different possible locations in which the Husband and I could be stationed.

No problem, you say, they’ll tell you, won’t they?

The short answer to that question is yes. The long answer, is that they don’t actually tell you where you’ll be stationed until you complete the academy, at which point they give you 30 days to obtain a Maryland address. Now, logic says that they would keep you in an area in which you are familiar. That way, you won’t have to learn streets and environment in addition to having to learn the job itself. Rumor has it, however, that the *Maryland *State *Police are notorious for stationing you in an area in which you are unfamiliar.

Perfect.

So if anyone out there wants to help me research houses, jobs, schools, and the general cost of living of 30 different locations in Maryland, it would be greatly appreciated. We wouldn’t want me to end up in the ghetto or something. It wouldn’t end well for anyone involved.