Well! I had a really wonderful Christmas and hope everyone else did as well! This was the first time I have had a lot of vacation days to use for Christmas in quite a while, and I enjoyed being able to take the season at a more relaxed pace.
Christmas Eve we went to Steven's mom's house in Norman for a delicious lasagna dinner and present opening. Then we drove down to Ada and Lesley and Lee came over for our annual Christmas Eve exchange. This tradition started when we were in junior high because Lesley's family opens presents on Christmas Eve and my family waited until that morning. This way I always got a present on Christmas Eve, too. ;) Christmas morning we went to Steven's dad's house for gifts, then out to his girlfriend's house for food and fun games. We finally made it back to my grandma's house at about 4 for present opening, dinner and a family viewing of Despicable Me.
The next day we celebrated my Grandma's birthday a day early and all headed over to Cinema Six to watch the new Narnia movie. It was quite good if not exactly the same as the book. Several of us left with shiny eyes at the end.
Now I'm just preparing for the New Year's Eve party I'm throwing on Friday, which should be a lot of fun! I feel like I might be trying to come down with a cold, so I'm vitamin-ing up and trying to get lots of rest.
Several bloggers I read are posting their Christmas gifts on their blogs and I find it fascinating to see what other people got for Christmas. So here's some of my own, in case you find it interesting (leaving out the boring items like "sweaters" and "chocolate marshmallow Santas):
-A WAND from Ollivander's! My Godparents went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter last month. What a fun souvenir!
-A Dutch oven. I was SO excited to not have to make boef bourignon in my crock pot anymore!
-A really neat old-fashioned glass measuring cup that has measurements for liquids, rice, flour, sugar and all kinds of things etched on the side.
-China! For the past few years, my grandmother has been helping us fill in our wedding china (I also got a place setting for my birthday)She gave us another place setting and a serving bowl. Thanks, Grandma!
-Slippers! I told Steven that of all the things on my Christmas list, I would cry if I didn't get slippers. Mine perished months ago in the great flood at Grandma's house so I've been borrowing an old pair of Steven's that are way too big for me.
-A new digital camera. My wonderful little camera died when we were in Mexico as a result of being dropped. :( I am very excited to have a new one.
And what were the gifts I was most excited to give (because, after all, the giving is the most fun part)?
-An iPhone for Steven. He has been wanting one for a while, so I had it all synched and charged and ready for him to play with when he opened it.
-Cognac and cognac glasses for Steven. He recently has discovered that he likes cognac, so I spent HOURS on Dec. 24th scouring Norman for the appropriate glassware (which can be found and Bed Bath and Beyond, FYI).
-A coffee cup for my mom. We generally bring her back souvenir coffee cups from our travels, but when we were in Pier 1 last week we found this amazingly ugly cup with a monkey on it where the handle is the monkey's arm. It was hilarious.
The most special gift I gave this year was my grandmother's birthday present. I had arranged for Lesley, who is an awesome photographer, to take some photos of myself and my three cousins. I had the best one framed up as an 8x10 and gave it to her for her birthday. She was touched and it was wonderful for me to be able to light up her day that way.
So, Merry Christmas! I suppose sometime soon I'll have to post some kind of Year in Review post, or a "Coming in the Year 2011" post.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Buttermilk
There's a man outside with a leaf blower and he yells at me because apparently I've parked my car the wrong way and even though I am the ONLY ONE there he makes me re-park my car. It's loud and jarring and sets my teeth on edge because these people, of all the people in the world, should speak softly and kindly.
Once inside I am directed where to go and I enter a tiny, sparse room and there she is in her tiny white coffin. Her hair is smoothed and so are the lines of pain on her sweet face, her hands relaxed instead of clenching and struggling. I look into her face and the tears well up so I tilt my head back and all I can think is how funeral homes should not be allowed to have popcorn ceilings. Or floor lamps from the 1980s. Or white walls. It was spartan and cold and unfitting to the gentle lady who lay there in repose, all alone. There's only one small basket of flowers to brighten up the drab room.
This lady who lays there welcomed me into her family with open arms, proclaiming almost immediately that she had decided that I'm another granddaughter, not just an in-law. She was sweet and feisty and loved to have her family around her; would watch them with bright and loving eyes and fuss and worry over them.
We rushed to her bedside when we hears she was sick, and we spoke to her and she knew us. We told her we loved her and she said she loved us too. Later we stood on either side of her in the hospital, each holding one of her hands as she spoke confusedly from behind her oxygen mask. We finally figured out that she was asking for a glass of buttermilk. She thought that would taste really good. When we explained to her that she couldn't have any, she asked if she could have some orange juice instead. With tears in my eyes I begged the nurse for something, anything, to give her. A cup of ice chips magically appeared and we worked together to slip them one at a time beneath her mask. Her face relaxed when she tasted the first piece and I was so, so very grateful to be able to offer her some comfort. I am so, so very grateful to have had the chance to speak words of love with her before she passed.
Go with grace, gentle woman of God. Your loving presence will be greatly missed, and you will be always in our hearts.
In loving memory of Maimee Jean Bryant, Steven's grandmother.
Once inside I am directed where to go and I enter a tiny, sparse room and there she is in her tiny white coffin. Her hair is smoothed and so are the lines of pain on her sweet face, her hands relaxed instead of clenching and struggling. I look into her face and the tears well up so I tilt my head back and all I can think is how funeral homes should not be allowed to have popcorn ceilings. Or floor lamps from the 1980s. Or white walls. It was spartan and cold and unfitting to the gentle lady who lay there in repose, all alone. There's only one small basket of flowers to brighten up the drab room.
This lady who lays there welcomed me into her family with open arms, proclaiming almost immediately that she had decided that I'm another granddaughter, not just an in-law. She was sweet and feisty and loved to have her family around her; would watch them with bright and loving eyes and fuss and worry over them.
We rushed to her bedside when we hears she was sick, and we spoke to her and she knew us. We told her we loved her and she said she loved us too. Later we stood on either side of her in the hospital, each holding one of her hands as she spoke confusedly from behind her oxygen mask. We finally figured out that she was asking for a glass of buttermilk. She thought that would taste really good. When we explained to her that she couldn't have any, she asked if she could have some orange juice instead. With tears in my eyes I begged the nurse for something, anything, to give her. A cup of ice chips magically appeared and we worked together to slip them one at a time beneath her mask. Her face relaxed when she tasted the first piece and I was so, so very grateful to be able to offer her some comfort. I am so, so very grateful to have had the chance to speak words of love with her before she passed.
Go with grace, gentle woman of God. Your loving presence will be greatly missed, and you will be always in our hearts.
In loving memory of Maimee Jean Bryant, Steven's grandmother.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Pumpkin, punkin?
I spent the majority of the day on Sunday up to my elbows in flour, sugar and canned pumpkin as I embarked on my first-ever baking of pumpkin bread. I love baking for the Christmas holiday, so I decided to start early and bake for Thanksgiving!
It took me a while to find a recipe, but I finally settled on one from foodnetwork.com with a few modifications. I can't stand trying an allrecipes.com recipe because all of the comments are full of cooks showing off and listing their many modifications and trying to out-do each other.
Anyway. This is the recipe I finally decided on, and it made a really good, moist pumpkin bread. Double the spices if you're looking for a little more spice flavor.
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (you can substitute 1/2 cup applesauce for 1/2 cup of the oil)
4 eggs, lightly bean
16 ounces canned unsweetened pumpkin
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2/3 cup water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9 by 5 loaf pans. Stir together sugar and oil. Stir in eggs and pumpkin. Sift together dry ingredients in separate bowl. Blend dry ingredients and water into wet mixture, alternating. Divide batter between two loaf pans. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes (mine took 45)or until cake tester comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool.
And here's the photo of the finished products, all wrapped up and tied with pretty fall ribbon I found at Hobby Lobby for $1 a roll.
It took me a while to find a recipe, but I finally settled on one from foodnetwork.com with a few modifications. I can't stand trying an allrecipes.com recipe because all of the comments are full of cooks showing off and listing their many modifications and trying to out-do each other.
Anyway. This is the recipe I finally decided on, and it made a really good, moist pumpkin bread. Double the spices if you're looking for a little more spice flavor.
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (you can substitute 1/2 cup applesauce for 1/2 cup of the oil)
4 eggs, lightly bean
16 ounces canned unsweetened pumpkin
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2/3 cup water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9 by 5 loaf pans. Stir together sugar and oil. Stir in eggs and pumpkin. Sift together dry ingredients in separate bowl. Blend dry ingredients and water into wet mixture, alternating. Divide batter between two loaf pans. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes (mine took 45)or until cake tester comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool.
And here's the photo of the finished products, all wrapped up and tied with pretty fall ribbon I found at Hobby Lobby for $1 a roll.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Menu Plan Monday
And Kerfuffle returns! Sorry for the long absence - I had quite possibly the busiest and most stressful two months of my life, culminating in Haunt the Zoo and a vacation to Mexico! Photos from that trip coming soon!
Anyway, a blogger friend of mine does this "Menu Plan Monday" thing (and a LOT of other bloggers participate as well). I don't know why but it's interesting to read about what other people are eating for dinner. And since I have actually pre-planned and shopped for all of my meals this week, I decided to participate! Steven and I spent a lot of time during the past two months eating microwave miracles, frozen skillet dinners and sandwiches, so I returned from vacation determined to cook healthy, satisfying dinners. Plus, it's getting colder outside, which means all my favorite comfort foods are back in season - soups, chilis, casseroles, etc. If you have any favorite soup, stew or chili recipes, send them my way!
Here's this week's meal plan:
Sunday: Beef pot roast with carrots and potatoes
Monday: Chicken pot pie with salad
Tuesday: Quick beef stew with homemade cornbread
Wednesday: Sandwich night! (I reserve the right to not cook at least one weeknight)
Thursday: Grilled marinated chicken breasts, long grain & wild rice, steamed green beans with almonds
Friday: Pork spaghetti bolognese with green salad and garlic toast
Anyway, a blogger friend of mine does this "Menu Plan Monday" thing (and a LOT of other bloggers participate as well). I don't know why but it's interesting to read about what other people are eating for dinner. And since I have actually pre-planned and shopped for all of my meals this week, I decided to participate! Steven and I spent a lot of time during the past two months eating microwave miracles, frozen skillet dinners and sandwiches, so I returned from vacation determined to cook healthy, satisfying dinners. Plus, it's getting colder outside, which means all my favorite comfort foods are back in season - soups, chilis, casseroles, etc. If you have any favorite soup, stew or chili recipes, send them my way!
Here's this week's meal plan:
Sunday: Beef pot roast with carrots and potatoes
Monday: Chicken pot pie with salad
Tuesday: Quick beef stew with homemade cornbread
Wednesday: Sandwich night! (I reserve the right to not cook at least one weeknight)
Thursday: Grilled marinated chicken breasts, long grain & wild rice, steamed green beans with almonds
Friday: Pork spaghetti bolognese with green salad and garlic toast
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Check this out...
I love searching for other fascinating bloggers, and this blogger makes me wish every single day that I could go explore her house! Also, makes me wish I was much more crafty and creative than I am.
Delicious Weekend Crepes
I decided to make Steven breakfast last weekend as part of his birthday celebration. He loves having a big breakfast on the weekends but most times the last thing I want to do on my day off is spend the morning cooking and making a wreck of my kitchen!
I decided to try to make crepes for the first time, since pancakes tend to be a little heavy for me. I bought a jar of Nutella and some bananas and set about trying to re-create the amazing crepe we shared on our trip to Paris last year:
Steven eats a Nutella and banana crepe on the steps of Sacre Coeur in Paris, October 2009.
After searching through cookbooks and Web sites I wound up combining ingredients from various recipes until I got just the amount of sweetness that I wanted. So here it is!
BANANA NUTELLA CREPES
Ingredients:
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Extra butter, cut into small pieces (about 1/4 tablespoon)
1 jar Nutella spread
2 ripe bananas, thinly sliced
whisk together eggs and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and 1/2 cup milk. Whisk until combined, slowling stirring in the rest of the milk until the batter has a smooth and liquid consistency. Set batter aside for 20 minutes to an hour. After resting, check the batter to make sure it has a consistency like that of heavy cream and is not too thick or lumpy.
Add a piece of butter to a small nonstick skillet (I use one about the size of the crepe I want to make) over medium to medium-high eat. Once the butter melts, use a paper towel to swirl it evenly around the skillet. Pour about 1/4 cup crepe batter into the skillet, swirling it around to make it round and even. Cook the crepe until it is almost cooked through, then flip it over and cook for another 15 seconds or until done. Crepes cook QUICKLY and are not a walk-away type food! Transfer the crepe to a plate and immediately spread with Nutella. Add thinly-sliced bananas and fold the crepe in half. Serve immediately.
The crepes taste best straight out of the pan because they cool off rapidly. I make four crepes for our breakfast, folded them each in half and then right before I served them I tossed them back into the pan for a quick re-heat, which worked out well.
The filling options for crepes are practically unlimited! For sweetness try fruit, chocolate and whipped cream. For a savory version try tomato sauce and tangy cheese.
I decided to try to make crepes for the first time, since pancakes tend to be a little heavy for me. I bought a jar of Nutella and some bananas and set about trying to re-create the amazing crepe we shared on our trip to Paris last year:
Steven eats a Nutella and banana crepe on the steps of Sacre Coeur in Paris, October 2009.
After searching through cookbooks and Web sites I wound up combining ingredients from various recipes until I got just the amount of sweetness that I wanted. So here it is!
BANANA NUTELLA CREPES
Ingredients:
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Extra butter, cut into small pieces (about 1/4 tablespoon)
1 jar Nutella spread
2 ripe bananas, thinly sliced
whisk together eggs and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and 1/2 cup milk. Whisk until combined, slowling stirring in the rest of the milk until the batter has a smooth and liquid consistency. Set batter aside for 20 minutes to an hour. After resting, check the batter to make sure it has a consistency like that of heavy cream and is not too thick or lumpy.
Add a piece of butter to a small nonstick skillet (I use one about the size of the crepe I want to make) over medium to medium-high eat. Once the butter melts, use a paper towel to swirl it evenly around the skillet. Pour about 1/4 cup crepe batter into the skillet, swirling it around to make it round and even. Cook the crepe until it is almost cooked through, then flip it over and cook for another 15 seconds or until done. Crepes cook QUICKLY and are not a walk-away type food! Transfer the crepe to a plate and immediately spread with Nutella. Add thinly-sliced bananas and fold the crepe in half. Serve immediately.
The crepes taste best straight out of the pan because they cool off rapidly. I make four crepes for our breakfast, folded them each in half and then right before I served them I tossed them back into the pan for a quick re-heat, which worked out well.
The filling options for crepes are practically unlimited! For sweetness try fruit, chocolate and whipped cream. For a savory version try tomato sauce and tangy cheese.
A brush with famous-ness!
I was assigned a media escort at the Zoo last Friday for a film crew who was scouting out locations for a drama being filmed in Oklahoma this coming October. When they arrived, I immediately recognized one of them as a FAMOUS(ish) person!
It was Ben Foster! He is working as a director for the movie.
When he was younger, he also starred in a show called Flash Forward on the Disney Channel. Does anyone else remember that show? I had SUCH a big crush on him so it was extremely, extremely surreal to actually shake his hand.
After we scouted the location, he asked me what my favorite animals at the Zoo were. I told him it was probably the great apes since I find them incredibly fascinating. And he says, "Then lets go see the great apes!" So we did!
It was quite an exciting day for me. I didn't ask for a picture with him because I didn't want to be "that girl," but a co-worker managed to snap a photo of me standing with the group. So here's me! With a famous(ish) person! Cool!
It was Ben Foster! He is working as a director for the movie.
When he was younger, he also starred in a show called Flash Forward on the Disney Channel. Does anyone else remember that show? I had SUCH a big crush on him so it was extremely, extremely surreal to actually shake his hand.
After we scouted the location, he asked me what my favorite animals at the Zoo were. I told him it was probably the great apes since I find them incredibly fascinating. And he says, "Then lets go see the great apes!" So we did!
It was quite an exciting day for me. I didn't ask for a picture with him because I didn't want to be "that girl," but a co-worker managed to snap a photo of me standing with the group. So here's me! With a famous(ish) person! Cool!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory of Grandma Jones
Steven's grandmother passed away on Thursday. She was 96 years old and was suffering from a broken hip, pneumonia and other ailments. It wasn't a surprise, but it was still heartbreaking. She was a sweet, loving woman who loved her son and grandsons fiercely and was incredibly proud of them. Steven and Mark spent every afternoon after school at her house and both have so many wonderful memories of her.
She was honored by a beautiful, touching funeral attended by dozens of people whose lives she touched in many ways - through her generosity, charity, kindness and faith. She was honored by the laughing stories told by her three brothers, their wives and countless other family members and dear friends. She was honored by the touching tributes of her two grandsons and the quiet grief of her son.
She was honored by our love.
Steven's grandmother passed away on Thursday. She was 96 years old and was suffering from a broken hip, pneumonia and other ailments. It wasn't a surprise, but it was still heartbreaking. She was a sweet, loving woman who loved her son and grandsons fiercely and was incredibly proud of them. Steven and Mark spent every afternoon after school at her house and both have so many wonderful memories of her.
She was honored by a beautiful, touching funeral attended by dozens of people whose lives she touched in many ways - through her generosity, charity, kindness and faith. She was honored by the laughing stories told by her three brothers, their wives and countless other family members and dear friends. She was honored by the touching tributes of her two grandsons and the quiet grief of her son.
She was honored by our love.
Friday, July 16, 2010
July 15, 2010 - Photo of the Day (Top Secret Craft Project Edition)
If any of you saw me reference to a "massive craft project" on Facebook last week and wondered what it was...
I made my first diaper cake! I made it for my boss, Candice, who is due to have a baby girl at the end of August. I had never made one before and couldn't really find any good instructions (even on the Internet) about how much material I would need, so I just kind of futzed around (and my engineer husband did some quick calculations regarding height and diameter...oh that makes my brain hurt).
I had a LOT of fun making it. Here's how I made it:
1. Wrap each individual diaper with a small rubber band.
2. Build your bottom layer around some form of spherical baby product (I used bubble bath). I used smaller rubber bands to hold the inner layers together and big huge rubber bands for the large outer layers. It's easier to put the rubber bands around a smaller layer and then tuck the diapers in. Make sure to build the layer on top of whatever you're using as a base (I used $2 foam board) so you don't have to try to move the cake on top of it after you're finished (like me).
3. Once your base is complete, build your second layer on top of it. Whatever you use for the center should be tall enough to reach at least halfway up the second layer.
4. Build your third layer seperately. I used a baby bottle for the center of my top layer, then attached a bright pink curly bow to the top of the bottle. It cascaded down the cake and looked very pretty.
5. Add some surprises! I took 3 diapers out from the bottome layer's second row (still visible, i.e. not covered by the second layer) and added three baby bibs in their places. I rolled up the bibs to look like little rosettes. I also tucked some travel-size baby shampoo, powder, lotion and body wash into the second layer (again, still visible and not covered by the top layer).
6. Decorate! I used wide pink ribbon around the bottom two layers and held it in place with some straight pins. I topped that with a coordinating, narrower ribbon. I attached two pink satin bows (purchased pre-made at Wal-Mart) to what I considered the "front" of the cake. On the top layer, I reversed the colors with a wide brown ribbon with a pink on top that said, "It's a Girl!" I also pinned a larger item (this was a rubber duck that indicates when the bath water is too hot. I filled in the gaps bewteen the layers with pink shredded paper, and added a few pacifiers to the layers as well.
7. Wrap! I bought a jumbo-sized basket gift bag at Michael's for $.99. It fit into the bag perfectly (without the base) and was a simple and easy way for her to transport it home.
Here's another picture of the completed cake, a bit blurry because I took it with my iPhone.
And here's me and the mama-to-be with my creation!
I made my first diaper cake! I made it for my boss, Candice, who is due to have a baby girl at the end of August. I had never made one before and couldn't really find any good instructions (even on the Internet) about how much material I would need, so I just kind of futzed around (and my engineer husband did some quick calculations regarding height and diameter...oh that makes my brain hurt).
I had a LOT of fun making it. Here's how I made it:
1. Wrap each individual diaper with a small rubber band.
2. Build your bottom layer around some form of spherical baby product (I used bubble bath). I used smaller rubber bands to hold the inner layers together and big huge rubber bands for the large outer layers. It's easier to put the rubber bands around a smaller layer and then tuck the diapers in. Make sure to build the layer on top of whatever you're using as a base (I used $2 foam board) so you don't have to try to move the cake on top of it after you're finished (like me).
3. Once your base is complete, build your second layer on top of it. Whatever you use for the center should be tall enough to reach at least halfway up the second layer.
4. Build your third layer seperately. I used a baby bottle for the center of my top layer, then attached a bright pink curly bow to the top of the bottle. It cascaded down the cake and looked very pretty.
5. Add some surprises! I took 3 diapers out from the bottome layer's second row (still visible, i.e. not covered by the second layer) and added three baby bibs in their places. I rolled up the bibs to look like little rosettes. I also tucked some travel-size baby shampoo, powder, lotion and body wash into the second layer (again, still visible and not covered by the top layer).
6. Decorate! I used wide pink ribbon around the bottom two layers and held it in place with some straight pins. I topped that with a coordinating, narrower ribbon. I attached two pink satin bows (purchased pre-made at Wal-Mart) to what I considered the "front" of the cake. On the top layer, I reversed the colors with a wide brown ribbon with a pink on top that said, "It's a Girl!" I also pinned a larger item (this was a rubber duck that indicates when the bath water is too hot. I filled in the gaps bewteen the layers with pink shredded paper, and added a few pacifiers to the layers as well.
7. Wrap! I bought a jumbo-sized basket gift bag at Michael's for $.99. It fit into the bag perfectly (without the base) and was a simple and easy way for her to transport it home.
Here's another picture of the completed cake, a bit blurry because I took it with my iPhone.
And here's me and the mama-to-be with my creation!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
July 14, 2010 - Photo of the Day (Kerfuffle Edition)
I have, after not very much consideration at all, decided to change the title of my blog from the oh-so-boring "Dianaisms" to something I feel is a little more reflective of my life. Not sure where this blog is going, but you can continue to expect a lot of photos! I like the peectures!
I discovered the word "kerfuffle" a couple of days ago by following a link to an article from someone's Facebook page. I had never heard the word before and instantly fell in love with it. Then today, I was cleaning out my purse (meaning, dumping it all into a drawer until I feel like dealing with it) when I found THIS:
I guess this little guy has been living in my purse for a while - an escapee from a bunch of toys I brought to work to donate to the kids drawer. I absentmindedly set him on my desk, and when I later looked down and saw him again I burst into laughter. I knew immediately that this guy (name TBD) was going to be the mascot for my renovated blog. The photo's a bit blurry, but for some reason it suits.
Anyway, I hope to be a lot more active on this site now that I've found the perfect title. I love to write and have been an active writer since I was a little girl.
Maybe I'll just keep it simple and name him Kerfuffle. So named.
I discovered the word "kerfuffle" a couple of days ago by following a link to an article from someone's Facebook page. I had never heard the word before and instantly fell in love with it. Then today, I was cleaning out my purse (meaning, dumping it all into a drawer until I feel like dealing with it) when I found THIS:
I guess this little guy has been living in my purse for a while - an escapee from a bunch of toys I brought to work to donate to the kids drawer. I absentmindedly set him on my desk, and when I later looked down and saw him again I burst into laughter. I knew immediately that this guy (name TBD) was going to be the mascot for my renovated blog. The photo's a bit blurry, but for some reason it suits.
Anyway, I hope to be a lot more active on this site now that I've found the perfect title. I love to write and have been an active writer since I was a little girl.
Maybe I'll just keep it simple and name him Kerfuffle. So named.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
June 8, 2010 - Photo(s) of the Day (Yosemite Edition Pt. 2)
Yosemite Day 2 - Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls
On our second day in the park, we tackled the infamous Mist Trail to the top of Vernal and then Nevada Falls. A steep, narrow trail with granite stairs made treacherous by the mist falling from Vernal Falls as you climb up the side. With the extra heavy spring snowmelt, the "mist" was more like a freezing, drenching rain. We took time at the top of Vernal Falls to dry off in the sun, before continuing on up to Nevada Falls at the very tippy top.
Above, Steven on the Mist Trail staircase. My camera was in a plastic bag to prevent it from being soaked.
Below, we get closer to the top of Nevada Falls.
June 7, 2010 - Photo of the Day (Yosemite Edition Pt. 1)
Steven and I took our annual "outdoorsy" vacation to Yosemite National Park in California, quite possibly the most beautiful place I have ever been. This photo was taken on our first day in the park (after being woken up by a BEAR in our camp!) at an overlook of Half Dome. Half Dome is THE most epic hike in the park: 14 miles, 12 hours and ascending almost 5,000 vertical feet. At the very top, steel cables guide the way as you haul yourself up the side of the giant granite dome. Steven and I were hoping to be able to attempt the climb, but the cables weren't up yet because of late snow. Above, I'm demonstrating about as close to the top of Half Dome as I'm going to get.
April 25, 2010 - Photo of the Day (Runner's High Edition)
Today I ran in my first race ever - a 10k in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon Relay. The Zoo brought 3 teams of "Sprinting Sloths" to the relay. It was an amazing, challenging and rewarding experience. I met my goal of running for the entire 6.4(ish) miles without stopping once, and watched in awe as the folks running the full marathon crossed the finish line. As I was running the last leg of the relay, my team members (Donna, Ron and Nick) jumped out and crossed the finish line with me!
May 28, 2010 - Photo of the Day (Muscle Edition)
After four hard weeks of running, jumping and cursing under our breaths, these three dedicated bootcampers graduated! Our sweet-but-steely instructor is on the far right. Check out those guns!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
And THIS...
is why I could NEVER be a Republican, and why conservative agendas make me so angry I can barely form coherent sentences.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/us/28abortion.html
I hate living in such a cruel state.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/us/28abortion.html
I hate living in such a cruel state.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
April 13, 2010 - Photo of the Day (Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love Edition)
Elvis Poultry has entered the building! This is one reason I LOVE my job at the Zoo. Today, we hosted an event called "Read Across Oklahoma." Sponsored by Target, this event promoted literacy in tons of fun ways! More than 1,200 pre-schoolers and lots of other kids attended a storytime session of "Chicken Dance," a book by Edmond author Tammi Sauer. Below is a picture of "Elvis Poultry," one of the characters in the book. My day consisted of feathers, pre-schoolers and even a genuine Elvis impersonator! Never a dull moment at the Zoo...
Monday, April 12, 2010
April 11, 2010 - Photo of the Day (Weekend Warrior Edition)
Today, I spent SEVEN HOURS in my front flower beds. I pruned, trimmed, weeded (I HATE Bermuda grass), lined my beds with bricks and weed-resistant material, potted some new plants, and installed my new bird bath! It was literally back-breaking work, but I managed to turn
This:
And This:
Into THIS!
And here are my pretty new plants, and new planters for the back porch:
It was a good day's work, if I do say so myself!
This:
And This:
Into THIS!
And here are my pretty new plants, and new planters for the back porch:
It was a good day's work, if I do say so myself!
April 10, 2010 - Photo of the Day
The Super Big News about today is that this morning I ran for the farthest I ever have - 5.1 miles! I was SO excited and proud of myself. My 10k race is two weeks from tomorrow, so I'm right on track! After my run I spent the day running around with my grandmother, enjoying some good quality time. After she headed back to Ada I took a nice three-hour nap and then enjoyed a date night with Steven. Later on we met up with Lesley and Lee at The Mont and had a nice night outside with a few select beverages. It was a fun day!
April 09, 2010 - Photo(s) of the Day Pt. Deux
Friday night was the scholarship banquet for the School if Energy & Land Management at OU. My grandparents have a scholarship in their honor, funded by NARO, and we attended to banquet to meet the young man who was awarded the scholarship. His name was Austin and he seemed genuinely grateful for the scholarship. We sat with him and his parents at dinner and immediately fell in love with his family. I know the evening was hard for my grandmother without my grandfather there, but it made us both proud to see the Stafford name carried on with such honor.
Friday, April 9, 2010
April 09, 2010 - Photo of the Day
At first glance, you might not be able to tell what you're looking at. It's a ring made of craft feathers and pipe cleaners. This is how wonderfully random my job is. A morning spent uploading photo contest entries and driving a cameraman from OETA around (including to the construction site of our new elephant exhibit, which is looking INCREDIBLE) was followed by an afternoon of creating "centerpieces" for an event using tulle, plastic eggs, pipe cleaners, feathers, spray adhesive and gold glitter.
Tonight I am headed to a scholarship banquet at OU - my grandparents have a scholarship named after them, and it is going to be an evening full of sentiment and pride for me - my grandfather would have been so pleased. My grandmother and I will be thinking of him often tonight.
April 08, 2010 - Photo of the Day
April 08 was a Thursday, and I had the lovely luxury of a day off in the middle of the week (a day I earned by working our Easter event on Sunday). I was torn between the desire to be either incredibly productive or incredibly lazy. I settled for a mixture of both: I slept in a bit, then headed out to peruse the gardening sections at Wal Mart and Lowe's. I found some neat planters and a bird bath at Lowe's, but was unable to buy them because my trunk was full of mulch from Wal Mart. On my way home I stopped at Hastings and bought the above book to give me a slight edge over my complete lack of gardening experience. Once home, I had a nice leisurely lunch on the couch, then went for an afternoon run. I tossed some chicken in to marinade, did a few dishes and general tidying, and ended the day with a long hot bath. Not too bad for a day off.
April 07, 2010 - Photo of the Day
This was the view outside my windshield as I was driving home on Wednesday night. The clouds were moving so fast across the sky, the light was streaming through and there was a wonderful cool breeze stirring the world. With a full day's work and a hard evening workout behind me, a takeout bag from Panera in the passenger seat, and a relaxing evening at home stretching before me...life was good.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Interesting...
You know what I find funny?
Back in the glory days of George W. Bush, any criticism of our President, the "War on Terror", etc., was immediately trashed as being Un-American. You couldn't criticize the endless war in Iraq without having "support our troops" hurled back into your face. The lives of American soldiers were at stake, so we were all supposed to just swallow our opinions and shut up. Heaven forbid someone called you the worst thing possible: un-patriotic. If I dared to post some-thing anti-Bush/anit-war on my Facebook page, harsh words rained down upon my head as my "friends" (that's what Facebook calls them) unleashed trite phrases of fury.
"Ya'll just shut yer big liberal traps and support our country!"
I was one of few Oklahomans dancing with joy when this new, brilliant, liberal (oh yes, I am a liberal) President was elected. I enjoyed the moaning and groaning of the stick-up-the-ass conservatives in Oklahoma who were finally NOT represented by their President.
So, the curious thing is this new healthcare reform...stuff.
According to Facebook, it's open season to criticize Obama. Most of the status updates I have seen seem to have a "we're all gonna DIE!" theme about them. People are hurling nasty insults at Obama, legislators, and any person who dares post a supportive opinion.
So apparently, when you're a conservative, President-bashing is A-OK. It's not un-American - HE is the un-American one with his crazy liberal ideas. This is OUR MONEY we are talking about! This isn't like the war, when Americans were dying for their country.
The thing is, I fully agree with anyone's right to disagree with any President, to be vocal about that disagreement and express their opinions. I just find the whole hypocritical double-standard thing...amusing.
But you see, folks, Americans are dying for this issue. The un-insured are suffering and scraping and dying because they can't afford to live. Isn't that pretty much the biggest, most important right we humans have? The right to live?
I wish folks would stop bitching about how must this is going to cost them, and start wondering what we can do to fix this terrible problem in our country.
Back in the glory days of George W. Bush, any criticism of our President, the "War on Terror", etc., was immediately trashed as being Un-American. You couldn't criticize the endless war in Iraq without having "support our troops" hurled back into your face. The lives of American soldiers were at stake, so we were all supposed to just swallow our opinions and shut up. Heaven forbid someone called you the worst thing possible: un-patriotic. If I dared to post some-thing anti-Bush/anit-war on my Facebook page, harsh words rained down upon my head as my "friends" (that's what Facebook calls them) unleashed trite phrases of fury.
"Ya'll just shut yer big liberal traps and support our country!"
I was one of few Oklahomans dancing with joy when this new, brilliant, liberal (oh yes, I am a liberal) President was elected. I enjoyed the moaning and groaning of the stick-up-the-ass conservatives in Oklahoma who were finally NOT represented by their President.
So, the curious thing is this new healthcare reform...stuff.
According to Facebook, it's open season to criticize Obama. Most of the status updates I have seen seem to have a "we're all gonna DIE!" theme about them. People are hurling nasty insults at Obama, legislators, and any person who dares post a supportive opinion.
So apparently, when you're a conservative, President-bashing is A-OK. It's not un-American - HE is the un-American one with his crazy liberal ideas. This is OUR MONEY we are talking about! This isn't like the war, when Americans were dying for their country.
The thing is, I fully agree with anyone's right to disagree with any President, to be vocal about that disagreement and express their opinions. I just find the whole hypocritical double-standard thing...amusing.
But you see, folks, Americans are dying for this issue. The un-insured are suffering and scraping and dying because they can't afford to live. Isn't that pretty much the biggest, most important right we humans have? The right to live?
I wish folks would stop bitching about how must this is going to cost them, and start wondering what we can do to fix this terrible problem in our country.
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