LambAround

Not "Baaad" Indeed

2012-01-28T23:52:00.002-07:00

In just a few more hours, it will be time to link up your favorite blog posts with LambAround! But first, as promised on my SITS day, I have a spiffy bunch of Best in Show Award nominees.

And, BTW, it killed me to choose just 10 posts out of the 122 that were linked.

Cue the fancy *Duh Nuh Na Nuh* music!

The Sasse Life has adorable photos to demonstrate their adorable bibs.

(Also, this cutie does nothing to help my Baby Madness!)

Newlyweds & The Old House shared a beautiful kitchen transformation.

Walnut Acre has a terrific post teaching how to make your own bean bag chairs, which are stuffed with plastic bags.

The Llama Momma Blog cooked up some scrumptious Sweet Potato & Peanut Soup. I haven't tried it yet, but I was won over by this colorful drawing that accompanied the recipe.

All About (my) Boys taught me all about lembas, which I had never heard of before. It turns out that they are the perfect treat for your next Amtgard gathring! Who knew?

CraftWhack had some great fun at her dogs' expense. I'm convinced this pup will sleep through anything.

The REAL Housewives of Riverton have an easy to follow tutorial for creating light switch covers that match any decor.

Little Green Bow made a couch. Yes, you read that right. A couch! I can't even make a throw pillow for my (store bough, obviously) couch.

Creative Chaos (which has the best blog header ever. Really, go check it out for yourself!) made this unique and stylish belt.

Project Possessed has a handy guide to making your own glass paperweights.

Awesome job, nominees! Wondering what happens now? Oh, only the most fun part of all! It's time for that battle to the death that I was telling you about. If you take a peek at my right sidebar, you'll see a nifty little poll. Voting will take place through the end of the week (give or take a day - gotta keep you on your toes!) and the blog with the highest number of votes will be awarded the highly coveted and customized Best in Show Award, along with a feature post here on LambAround.

To help you on your quest for votes, I have created some snazzy buttons for you to choose from:

Decisions, decisions. Once you start designing blog buttons, it can be hard to stop!

Good luck, everyone!

Braces: The Horror of Rubber Bands

2012-01-25T06:02:00.002-07:00

Ow.

My first braces adjustment was bound to be bad, especially when you factor in that my teeth were still sore from my initial appointment. To really make things fun though, my orthodontist had a new rule for me. I need to squeeze my teeth together as tightly as possible for as much of the day as I can. He has assured me that my teeth will not simply explode from the pressure, but I'm unconvinced.

He's still beating that dead horse that is jaw surgery. Dr. Google seems to side with my orthodontist on this, as my supposedly super-rare open bite can usually only be corrected surgically. But I didn't have an open bite before I got braces!

Oh, and it would really be beneficial if I stopped drinking coffee and green tea. I came home from my appointment with a C on my oral hygiene report. I managed to make the Dean's List at UNM, but apparently cannot handle proper brushing.

The assistant who rewired my braces said that my cheek was too taught and that I needed to loosen it up, all while she was coming at my mouth with giant clippers and pokey things. You loosen up under those conditions.

My orthodontist wanted to know if I hate him yet. I said no, that I understand it's all for the best, that I am not taking any of this personally, and that I will always think he's a nice guy.

Then I woke up this morning with part of my upper lip wrapped around a band.

They're a sick breed, these orthodontists.

Blog Hop! Link Up with LambAround

2012-01-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

Good *yaaawn* morning, everyone! How is your weekend going? It's 100% lazy over here, just the way I like.

And an extra hello to my sorta new SIL, Joanna, who just moved here from Poland late last night. Sorta new because I haven't seen her since before last years' wedding, and even then I think we only met twice. I doubt that she reads my blog, but a hello seems in order, just in case.

Okie doke. Back to bed!

Costa Concordia or Beyonce

2012-01-17T17:01:00.004-07:00

*This post is a continuation of yesterday's post, Costa Concordia: Our Experience

The number of missing people has doubled since the first reports of the Costa Concordia accident. Does this mean that Costa originally reported these people as alive and safe to their families in error? How can you take something like that back?

Can someone please explain to me how Yahoo's "Trending Now" list works? I have always thought that it was showing the most searched for keywords, but today the list starts with Beyonce and includes things like "Dwarf tossing" and "Napoleon Dynamite". The Costa Concordia isn't on the list. How can this be?

I just read about a survivor whose husband gave her their only life jacket. He jumped into the freezing water right before her. She never saw him again.

It's all just too terrible for words.

Costa Concordia: Our Experience

2012-01-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

The Costa Concordia sinking is just too terrible for words. There are still people trapped on the ship, including a 5 year old girl, and the search is too dangerous to continue. There are reports that this accident occurred because the captain was showing off. I cannot imagine having to jump off of a cruise ship into the water, even to save my life. When I saw the photos of the Costa Concordia on its side, I just stared and cried.

It's no secret that Sexy Nerd and I love to cruise. Of the 4 cruises we have taken, twice on Norwegian, once on Holland America and Costa, the Costa ship was undoubtedly the most beautiful. The Costa Concordia, built at a cost of almost half a billion dollars, was just over 5 years old. It's difficult to imagine all of that - the amazing glass chandeliers, the artwork, the theaters - all sinking to the bottom of the sea.

Based on our Costa cruise experience, I was not at all surprised to read about the chaos onboard. We cruised on the Costa Atlantica in 2010 and did not enjoy our trip. There were many problems caused by poor management, none of which we have ever witnessed on other cruise lines.

The majority of the passengers on the Costa Atlantica, ourselves included, became sick with Norovirus. The CDC requires cruise lines to notify them of outbreaks on their ship. Costa crew members insisted to me that we were the only people onboard who were sick and that we must have had food poisoning from something we ate when we were not on the ship. The dining rooms were almost deserted because everyone was ill. The crew was constantly cleaning vomit from the hallways and staircases. Costa did not report this to the CDC.

They also refused to quarantine or care for sick passengers, preferring to ignore the problem. They would not send someone to check on us. They would not even bring us food. I do understand that Norovirus is a common cruise ship problem and that perhaps it is not something I should hold Costa responsible for. However, the way Costa chose to handle the outbreak was inexcusable. Everyone we spoke to on the ship was miserable and no one was receiving any compassion from Costa.

It was no wonder that Costa had a Norovirus outbreak. In the buffet, the same utensils were designated for multiple food items - cross contamination. This is Food Safety 101. There was also a small refrigerator that had a sign warning it was out of order, not keeping food at a safe temperature, and should not be used, yet the crew continued to use it. We believe the problem was that the sign was in English, which many of the crew members could not speak.

Our ship spent over an hour attempting to dock in New York. When we returned home, I read posts on the Cruise Critic message boards from people who had been watching our ship from their homes and offices. They wrote that they couldn't figure out what was wrong with the Costa Atlantica and that they had never seen anything like it. Many times, it looked like our ship was going to crash.

On our final day, no one was permitted to disembark the ship while Costa worked out a billing problem with one passenger. This took over an hour. The doors were locked and everyone was forced to wait in line until we were allowed to leave. Because of this, we missed our ferry to New Jersey. I am sure there are guests who missed their flights home.

BLOG HOP! Super Strange Edition, Part 2

2012-01-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah. This blog hop is rolling right into the weekend. Hooray for the Saturday Lazies!

Super Strange SITS Wednesday Edition...continued!

Not "Baaad" Sundays Blog Hop RULES and Other Fun Info

Because, really, what could be more fun than rules?

1. Smile at the name of the blog hop. LambAround. Not "Baaad". Get it? Yes, smiling is a requirement if you'd like to play (and I know you do.)

2. This Linky is open to all posts that you are proud of. Did you recently post about a great decorating project, craft, or recipe? How about a story or a cute photo? Share the fun!

3. Do you ever find yourself trying not to duplicate posts on blog hops but aren't quite sure what you posted the previous weeks? Problem solved! The Linky from today will be back on a future Sunday, making it easy to see what you've already posted and giving you another chance to visit any great posts you may have missed.

4. You don't want to be the grump at the party, so be sure to mingle with your fellow blog hoppers and tell them what a nifty job they have done with their post. You're bound to be the most popular girl at the link up with an attitude like that!

5. Please link directly to your post, not just your general blog, and include a post-related photo.

6. You're not just linking up with your fellow bloggers - you're competing against them in a battle to the death! Well, okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration. It sounds exciting, right? Participating in the Not "Baaad" Blog Hop is the only way to snag a coveted Best in Show award nomination. I'll send you a message if you make the cut. Good luck!

He's Not The Nurturing Type

2012-01-13T20:09:00.000-07:00

Sexy Nerd and I have been together for more than 6 years, during which we have learned that each of us has our own wacky traits that irk the other (though I must insist through this post that mine are nothing compared to his!) One of my pet peeves is that Sexy Nerd is the kind of person who will go into the kitchen at lunch time, make himself a sandwich, and eat it in front of you, without the thought of asking if your would also like a sandwich ever crossing his mind. I've nicely (and maybe occasionally ever so slightly less than nicely) tried to ~~train~~ remind Sexy Nerd that this behavior borders on ~~selfish~~ ~~cruel~~ ~~lazy~~ ~~being a huge,smelly jerk~~ not very nice and he has slowly made improvements. At least, I thought he had been improving.

Sexy Nerd announced today that he would be smoking a chicken for dinner. He brined it and put it inside the smoker (which I bought him, but that's a different story). The house was filled with the tasty smell of hickory for several hours. When it would be done smoking was a complete mystery (and source of a future "Sexy Nerd Quote Of The Day"). I made us a pitcher of iced tea and imagined us enjoying our chicken out on the patio, listening to the birds and soaking up the spring sunshine. Around 5:30pm, I was reading a magazine in my office and had just torn out an article on beer brewing to give to you know who, (as I am the nurturing type) when Sexy Nerd walked in. I told him that the chicken smells great and was wondering if it's almost done, to which he replied:

"Oh...it's been done."

In response to the puzzled look I must have had, he elaborated:

"It was good. If you want to go get some, I put the rest in the fridge."

Sexy Nerd cooking up a storm (with vodka?!) in an old rental house photo. It really doesn't matter what he was making, because no one else was going to get any.

Pica HATES the train!

2012-01-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

She really, truly does.

Pica hates the train. Me? I just hate the blue carpet.

Welcome SITS Gals!

2012-01-11T03:31:00.002-07:00

*Hee, hee, hee*

Sorry. In the face of social pressure, I become a nervous mess. And who can blame me? All you fabulous SITS ladies peeking and prying into every corner of my little blog. I tidied up for you, but there's always more to be done. I wonder if there's something like Merry Maids for blogs.

Okay, deep breath.

Are you buying my calm and collected act?

Sexy Nerd told me to tackle my SITS day the same as when someone comes to visit our home, which is to kick back and leave everything as is, insisting that no one cares or is going to judge us in any way just because of some unvacuumed carpet or smudges on the light switches. He gets in trouble before every guest and insists he has no idea why, all while eating in front of the TV and spilling crumbs on the couch!

But perhaps Sexy Nerd is right this time. Feel encouraged to snoop through old blog posts and stir up a little (I hope just a little) dust. And share a post (or 2! or 3!) of your own below, in a weekly LambAround tradition I like to call...

Super Strange SITS Wednesday Edition!

Not "Baaad" Sundays Blog Hop RULES and Other Fun Info

Because, really, what could be more fun than rules?

1. Smile at the name of the blog hop. LambAround. Not "Baaad". Get it? Yes, smiling is a requirement if you'd like to play (and I know you do.)

2. This Linky is open to all posts that you are proud of. Did you recently post about a great decorating project, craft, or recipe? How about a story or a cute photo? Share the fun!

Lowe's Cashier Quote of the Day

2012-01-10T23:39:00.000-07:00

Sexy Nerd, who is quite the handyman extraordinaire, purchased a tube of Liquid Nails for one of his many projects (he's currently building a folding boat, of all things!)

The hefty woman scanning his purchase eyed him with suspicion, then said gruffly:

"You'd bettah not be huffin' them nails."

High as a kite?

(Hmmm...perhaps that's why he didn't notice that his shirt was covered in Pica hair.)

Just imagine if he'd tried to buy spraypaint.

More Quotes of the Day:

Sexy Nerd Quote of the Day - King of the Grill

Sexy Nerd Quote of the Day - What's the Word?

Sexy Nerd Quote of the Day - He's a Bully before his Morning Coffee

Sexy Nerd Quote of the Day...Err, Night

Sexy Nerd Quote of the Day - Big Pimpin'

Lamb Quote of the Day - Another Year Wiser

Boss Quote of the Day - Waiting to Exhale

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake. Really!

2012-01-10T22:45:00.000-07:00

Sometimes blogging can get to be a bit much. Really, is anyone out there even reading this? When a mood like this strikes, there's simply only one thing you can do.

Bake a ridiculously indulgent cake.

Would you care for a slice (or two!) of my Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake?

The frosting is chocolate chip cookie dough. It. Is. AMAZING. Why isn't this stuff used more often?

Oh, and if you answered 'no' to my cake offer, I really don't think LambAround is the right blog for you.

As mentioned before (homemade Chicken Mayonnaise, anyone?), Sexy Nerd and I aren't squeamish about eating raw eggs. Well, I guess Sexy Nerd might be, but I do the majority of the cooking around here so, yeah. For those of you who are Salmonella-phobes, I have something exciting to tell you. Everything you see in the photos above, from the moist chocolate cake to the ooey gooey cookie dough, is 100% egg-free! You can thank the lousy Albuquerque grocery stores and their exorbitant egg prices for that. $1.25 a dozen? Keep dreaming, Smith's and Albertsons!

The secret to yummy eggless baking is an ingredient that everyone should have in their kitchen - ground flax seed meal. This stuff is perfect mixed into oatmeal or blended into a smoothie. Best of all, if you combine 1 Tbsp of flax seed meal with 3 Tbsp of water, you'll find yourself with a nifty 1 egg substitute in just 2 minutes.

Aren't I so smart? I read that handy egg substitute tidbit right off the Bob's Red Mill package.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake

(The raw cookie dough recipe is from Miss Lori Lange, aka Recipe Girl, who knocked my socks off at Camp Blogaway.)

Favorite Chocolate Boxed Cake Mix (I'm a Devil's Food and German Chocolate fan, myself.)
Whatever Ingredients Fancy Cake Mix Requires (Can you tell that I'm feeling very professional with my recipe writing at the moment?)
Cookie Dough Ingredients from Recipe Girl (I used regular chocolate chips instead of mini. You can cram more chocolate into every bite this way.)
Love (You know, because I'm so super serious right now. Methinks I've had too much sugar. Thank you, Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake!)

1. Divide your cake batter into two round, 10 inch pans and bake according to the package directions. I only own one of these pans, so it took forever to make this cake. It was worth it.

2. Instead of pacing the kitchen while waiting for your yummy chocolate cakes to bake, use this time to mix up your cookie dough. Wondering if you'll have any extra after you've frosted your cakes? You will have just enough extra to cram several enormous, guilt-free spoonfuls of raw chocolate chip cookie dough into your salivating mouth. Isn't this recipe just the greatest?

3. Do not chill the cookie dough yet. It will be easiest to work with if it's soft.

4. Let your two cakes cool 100% before attempting to remove them from the pans. I was impatient and ended up with a giant cake doughnut the first time. Friends, you cannot spread cookie dough onto the center of a doughnut, no matter how hyper you are. You will just end up with a sticky countertop.

5. Take one of your cooled cakes and, approximately 1/2 an inch from the edge, press gently all the way around the cake to create a raised border. This will result in a well for your cookie dough. We want to keep it safe and sound.

Why not just spread the cookie dough all the way to the edge? This is a 'Double' Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough cake. You only see cake on the sides before it's cut, so the lucky cake recipient is surprised to discover that there is more scrumptious cookie dough inside!

6. After filling your cake groove with cookie dough, plop (such a yummy word, right?) your second cooled cake directly on top.

7. Frost the top of the second cake with your remaining cookie dough.

Can you tell there's more cookie dough inside?

Surprise!

8. This is the hardest step. Stick your entire decorated cake into the fridge to cool before you serve it. Technically, you can eat it right this instant, but this cake tastes sooo much better when the cookie dough is chilled. Really, it's a night and day difference.

Hate to wait? Let's pass the time by drooling over my remaining cake photo shoot shots:

When it comes to a cake as decadent as this, who am I to reject any of the photos?

Sexy Nerd loves this cake. He says it tastes like a giant, melty cookie.

Wowza!

Cake on the patio. Even our fancy stain makeover can't compete with the beauty that is Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake.

*drool*

This cake was my second time making Recipe Girl's cookie dough recipe. The first batch never made it onto a cake. Sexy Nerd was away on a business trip and I was the only person home. I have absolutely no idea where all that cookie dough went.

This cake lasted about a day. An entire day! Can you believe it?

We grow roses. We pig out on cake.

Suzanne at work said "Out of 100, this cake is 150". Suzanne is a tough nut to crack. That compliment is HUGE!

Kinda running out of smart-alecy things to say. In these photos, the crumbs drove me crazy!

Mmmm...cake.

Our 4 and 8 Anniversary

2012-01-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

It's crazy to think that Sexy Nerd and I had our first date 8 years ago. Things were so different back then.

(Click the image to enlarge)

And has it already been 4 years since we got married? Really?

I wonder if I'll look back another 8 years from now and be amazed at how much things have changed. By then we will hopefully have our home in the mountains and Baby Nuke. I'm hoping Pica and Biscuit will still be here (though I'm realistic that our punk Pica will probably run down the street one day, never to be seen again). If all goes according to plan, we will each have a new vehicle by then (a Prius C for me and "something sporty" for him) and will have traveled to Australia and cruised so many times. Sexy Nerd will have his Ph.D. I suppose I'll call him Dr. Sexy Nerd.

Life can change so much from year to year. Based on the past 8, I think we're in for some pretty wonderful times.

Dogs Wearing Earmuffs!

2012-01-09T06:02:00.000-07:00

Oh, the cuteness! Sorry, Pica and Biscuit. We couldn't resist!

Pica was a pretty good sport about this.

We're ~~cheap~~ frugal and keep our house at a toasty 50F. She probably wishes she could wear earmuffs all the time!

Biscuit only put up with this for a few seconds, just long enough to capture her annoyed photo.

Some dogs just can't pull off the earmuff look.

Monster Jam in Albuquerque, NM

2012-01-08T06:02:00.000-07:00

I managed to avoid this for almost 27 years. Finally, someone has been sly enough to drag me to a monster truck show. Darn you, Sexy Nerd!

Warning, ladies. Monster Jam tours the country. They were just here in Albuquerque a few months ago and will be back again soon. Monster Jam may very well be coming to your town next. Don't get suckered into going like a certain blogger you know. If you hear a commercial that starts with "Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!" you need to spring into action and change the channel, pronto.

Meh.

What's more exciting than a bunch of elephant-dwarfing, room-shakingly loud trucks racing each other? Oh, just a little thing called the Tingley Colosseum concessions stands.

Albuquerque-style

(Warning: don't look at the prices. *Gasp!*)

Real, live New Mexicans!

Okay, I couldn't resist. Now back to the monster trucks:

Vroooom!

Monster Jam: The Destroyer

Although the trucks weren't exactly my thing, I did love that Sexy Nerd had such a fun time.

Monster Jam: Blue Thunder

Monster Jam: Monster Mutt

Really, even if you hate monster trucks, it's hard to resist one with floppy ears and a tongue that actually moves.

Don't let the smile fool you. Be assured this was strictly an act for Sexy Nerd.

Monster Jam: Grave Digger

(The apparent favorite of the Albuquerque fans)

Monster Jam: McGruff

(Now this is more my kind of monster truck. Let's take a bite out of crime!)

This guy was sitting in front of me and cracked me up! Monster Jam is a lot like professional wrestling. All of the comments and race results were scripted and fake. I mean really, really fake, complete with anti-New Mexico smack talk and everything! But this poor fellow thought everything was real. When it looked like the California driver was going to win the final quad race, I thought he was going to lose it.

To his credit, he'd had 4 beers by the time I decided to blog about him.

Monster Jam: El Toro Loco

Wooooo! Go McGruff!

Alright, maybe I did get a little into Monster Jam. I loved spending time with Sexy Nerd. It's great to get some good photos of just the two of us.

Well, practically just us.

Just ignore Weird Floating Head Guy.

The fan favorite, Grave Digger, remained on the floor after the show, instead of driving out of the colosseum like all the other trucks.

Grave Digger couldn't drive away.

Grave Digger was broken.

(Oops!)

But, really, who am I to laugh at their misfortune? We returned to the parking lot to go home.

Karma?

Thank goodness Sexy Nerd knows about cars. I was mapping out a safe walking route home in my mind.

Overall, I'd say Monster Jam was a fun thing to do once but I have no intention of attending another any time soon. Sexy Nerd went a few months ago and said the script was more or less exactly the same as before. The kids in the crowd all seemed to enjoy it. And, wow, can the cost get out of control quickly if you bring a kid! These Monster Jam guys know how to market their souvenirs!

I did have one big complaint though:

Seriously, isn't the whole point of a monster truck show the car smashing? Has The Simpsons lied to me?

And where was Truckasaurus??

Jumping On The Year-End Review Bandwagon

2011-12-31T03:42:00.001-07:00

Happy New Year! Sexy Nerd and I will be celebrating at the zoo. Yeah, we're fun and dorky like that.

Sitting here trying to eat my toast (yeowch!) it seems like an ideal time to look back on 2011. Let's see...

I stepped outside (waaay outside) my comfort zone and attended Camp Blogaway. It's not something I would do again, but I'm impressed with my shy self for going.
We bought 13 acres in the mountains for our future dream home!
Sexy Nerd and I became an uncle and aunt...fear of babies be darned.
We traveled to Santa Fe (does this still count when you live in Albuquerque?) and San Francisco.

Hmmm...what else?

Pica resolved to act smarter in 2011. It didn't stick.

I showed you my pale, hairy leg. Here at LambAround, being classy is #1.

As for 2012, I'm hoping we'll finally make it to Australia to sight see and visit my family. Sexy Nerd and I have been together 8 years and he still hasn't met my Papa! Craziness.

Will we have a baby in 2012? Don't be silly. Would you want to sit next to us and our newborn on the 30 hour flight to Perth?

I'm also optimistic that when I go back to the orthodontist next month, he'll say something along the lines of "WOW! Your teeth are moving so quickly! Another week and you'll be done!" It certainly feels like they've moved enough. I'd settle for having my braces off by the end of the year, in time for our Australia trip. I guess my teeth just don't like New Years. Remember how I started 2011? That's right - recovering from wisdom teeth surgery.

I'm a party animal.

Braces - 3 Weeks In (50+ To Go!)

2011-12-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

My teeth are loose - a very unnerving quality as an adult.

You always wanted an up close and personal view of my funky teeth, right?

Despite having the nicest orthodontist in Albuquerque, there's no denying that braces suck! Oh, my poor teeth are killing me. Teenage Me, who swore she would never get braces, is very upset with Grown Up Me! She was right all along.

Seriously, everyone told me that my teeth would hurt for the first few days but then be fine. It has been 3 loooong weeks and my teeth are just as sore as when my braces were put on. Sexy Nerd says I'm a wimp. My boss, the pediatric dentist, says I really shouldn't expect to or try to eat anything solid, like a sandwich (!) until the braces come off and that a liquid diet would be best.

I would probably lose a ton of weight over the next year...but chocolate cake, ice cream, and pudding are all so wonderfully soft!

My Half Asleep Post...

2011-12-24T08:16:00.001-07:00

...because I stayed up too late eating Christmas cookies.

Those Lousy Republicans

2011-12-24T06:01:00.000-07:00

Sexy Nerd, frustrated by the many smoke detector false alarms in our home, has been suggesting that I buy a deep fryer. I was reading reviews on Amazon.com to find just the right one, when I came across the Presto 06006 Kitchen Kettle Electric Multi-Cooker and Fryer. It can be used as a fryer and a steamer. Score! As a surprise bonus, someone had written the following...err...helpful review:

"very handy as it does a lot of different things well and doesn't take lots of precious kitchen space not like republicans in washington"

I was on the fence before, but now they're hogging all the space in my kitchen?! Geez.

Avocado and Egg Salad

2011-12-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

LambAround's Avocado and Egg Salad

Ingredients
(serves 4)

1 diced avocado (2 if you want to be fancy and serve this inside the shell)
1 can of diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning
1/3 cup feta cheese
Diced red onion (just a sprinkling, unless you really love the taste of raw onion!)
2 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use low fat with olive oil)
1/4 cup sour cream (I use nonfat)
Generous sprinkling each of Dill, Paprika, Garlic Powder, and Oregano
20 crumbled crackers (Add right before serving)

How to Make Avocado and Egg Salad
This recipe is so easy peasy, let's learn it through pictures. You're really just throwing everything together in a big bowl.

We aren't the only ones around here who looove avocado.

This photo shows "sliced", not "diced". Tsk, tsk!

You'll want to squeeze out most of the juice. Don't be a dope like me and realize, halfway through, that you should pour the flavorful tomato juice into a jar of tomato sauce, not down the drain!

Some feta-y goodness.

Red onion! The first time I made this recipe, I went way overboard and threw in an entire half a red onion, which was overpowering. My Avocado and Egg Salad was still tasty, but expect people to take a step back from you if you choose to go the onion-packed route.

Next up, it's time for the eggs, mayonnaise, sour cream, and spices. I don't have photos of those last ingredients (perfect for a recipe "through photos") but, hey, aren't my eggs pretty?

You're almost done! Once everything is mixed up in the bowl, and right before serving, stir in 20 crumbled crackers. I've made this using Saltines and Ritz crackers and both ways are delicious.

Wasn't that so simple? If you're feeling fancy, you can use the avocado shells as bowls for your Avocado and Egg Salad. So much more impressive than a paper plate!

Easiest Sugar Cookies

2011-12-20T06:31:00.002-07:00

(Click the Image to Enlarge)

The key to these yummy, soft sugar cookies is not to over mix the batter. I slice them up into 24 cookies straight out of the oven with a pizza cutter. They're always gone by the end of the day!

These are the cookies I'm bringing to our cookie exchange at work. I had the image above printed at CVS as 4x6 photos. Feel free to "borrow" my recipe card for yourself! I also included the recipe with each of my Christmas cards this year. You know, the 3 cards I got into the mail. How can Christmas possibly be here already?!

Real Estate Listings: What NOT To Do

2011-12-05T08:26:00.003-07:00

Sexy Nerd and I have been finding inspiration online for the home we are building. Occasionally, we'll come across a terrible listing (ummm, maybe try not taking all the listing photos for your million dollar home with your cell phone?)

I had never seen a home bad enough to blog about. Friends, that changed today when I found the Best. House.Ever., located in Holladay, Utah. It's very...uhh...retro.

Just try to keep a straight face while browsing through their listing photos. And remember, the photos you are about to see are all from the same house. The last one will blow your mind!

Orange, shaggy stairs!

Carpeted shelves. Was this a 70s thing?

So much hippie madness in one bathroom! Out of everything, the counter is what really *calls* my attention. Why, oh why, would this be in the bathroom?

If orange shag (and orange wallpaper) is not your thing...

...there's plenty of shaggy green goodness to go around!

Wood paneling could come back into style, I suppose. What is that on the balcony though?

Living room tiki hut. Enough said.

For goodness sakes, close the closet door when trying to sell your home.

(Not that it actually matters at this point.)

This photo makes me giggle. Does that built-in TV have a knob?

Someone in this house really has a flair for style.

Clowns all around me

I wasn't alive during the 70s. Can someone please tell me what that contraption is above the stove? My first guess was microwave, but I see one of those on the counter. And is it actually attached to the stove?

Crazy stairs!

I can't figure out what's going on with that pink lamp in the corner, among other things.

OMG! Sadly, I don't think this room can be blamed on the 70s.

The best part? The asking price for this gem of a home is a mere $1,200,000.

Funny Excerpt From Our New Community Newsletter

2011-11-29T07:01:00.002-07:00

Straight from our Paako liason:

WILDLIFE SPOTTED LAST WEEK Wednesday, five deer were seen crossing Paako Drive by Golf Course and earlier in the day, a mountain lion was seen chasing five deer across the 18th Green. Thanksgiving Day a golfer encountered the mountain lion between the 13th Green and 14th Tee Box. It was about 20 yards away and the golfer chose to wisely let the cat play through.

I think we're going to like our new home.

Sharing is Caring: A Story in Photos

2011-11-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

Lookin' good, Sexy Nerd!

(when I tell you to smile for the camera and instead you take a big bite of your sandwich, photos like this are going to happen.)

I can't decide whether Pica and Biscuit are exceptionally well-behaved dogs or really stupid for ignoring my sandwich on the table.

Santa Bear (aka Best Xmas Special Ever!)

2011-11-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

The other day, I posted the following comment on The Spohrs Are Multipling:

My all-time favorite holiday special was Santa Bear, which is so sad because I can't find it ANYWHERE! I had it recorded onto a VHS tape when I was younger but the tape no longer plays. Seriously, does anyone else remember this Christmas special? Santa Bear and Bully Bear switched places (naked, they looked identical) but Santa and Santa Bear's airplane-flying female pal saved the day!

Every Christmas, I search online for Santa Bear and every year I'm out of luck.

Until now! Enjoy :)

What's the best part of all? This has the same 80s commercials as my old VHS recording! Ahh, simple times.

Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream

2011-11-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Sexy Nerd and I are going to his family's house for Thanksgiving this year. We're a bit low on the Thanksgiving totem pole, which always makes it tricky to figure out what to bring. What will we be making this year? Oh, just a little homemade pumpkin ice cream! Yes, it is as delicious as it sounds. Here are a few photos from the last time I made this ice cream:

Technically, this ice cream is perfectly yummy without adding any chocolate syrup or almonds.

But where's the fun in that?

If I weren't so determined to get a good photo of this for my blog, I would probably have chowed down on this ice cream right from the mixer.

I had never made ice cream the "real" way before (with egg yolks) and was surprised at how easy it is. Here's the recipe, courtesy of Saveur.com. If you've never visited their site, you're missing out on some wonderful recipes!

Saveur's Pumpkin Ice Cream
Makes 2 Quarts
This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #30

4 cups heavy cream (Diet conscious but want some ice cream anyway? I used 1/2 cream and 1/2 nonfat milk and it turned out fine!)
12 egg yolks
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/3 cup puréed cooked pumpkin
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Heat 2 2/3 cups of the cream in the top of a double boiler above gently boiling water over medium-high heat.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, corn syrup, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a metal mixing bowl. Gradually pour 1/2 cup of the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then whisk egg mixture into remaining cream in top of double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 15 minutes.

3. Pour custard through a sieve set over a clean bowl. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and remaining 1 1/3 cup of cream, and whisk until blended. Refrigerate custard until cold, about 4 hours.

4. Transfer custard to an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions.

Mmmmmm, this ice cream is so good!

Kitchen Pig likes to enjoy his pumpkin ice cream sundae out on the patio.

*Gasp!*

Try not to judge him too harshly. His parents were pigs.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!