Black Friday in the city.
Hmm, how do I explain that to my fellow villagers who just don't understand the obsession with getting EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR presents in ONE DAY (ahem..night)!? I will say that this was my very FIRST Black Friday in Anchorage, "the city." First and last that is.
Let's just say that to whoever pushed me at Toys-R-Us while I was holding my niece, I am very sorry that I made you cry, but don't push me while I'm holding a baby, because, remember that disclaimer on the bottom... go ahead, read it. OK, so, the disclaimer says I'm Eskimo. Don't MESS WITH ME. I can handle a gun, a knife, and my mouth very very well. Oh yeah...and, its JUST A TOY. Your spoiled kid will forget about it in three minutes anyway. I am sorry that I told you I'd knock your teeth out though, cause I wouldn't hit you THAT hard, just hard enough to knock some sense into you...and I'd get away with it too. OK, that's all.
So, black Friday. DAMN PEOPLE! Seriously? OK, if I was really REALLY REALLY aching for present ideas, I would have thought it was a great idea to stand in two lines for three hours for some measily stocking stuffers, or if I was really going to get that 55" Flat Screen for the living room, I might not mind, but OMG, do you people realize that 99% of the crap you put into your carts that night you could have just gotten last week, or this week, or tomorrow during your lunch hour at Wal-Mart? Seriously. Do you REALLY need twelve $1.96 DVD's of movies you never really liked, but want to buy anyway cause they're ONLY $1.96!!?
The ONE thing I wanted for Christmas, my Birthday, Mother's Day, etc was a new front load, high efficiency Washer and Dryer, ON pedestals. And thanks to Black Friday I got them. Huge drums ready to wash my clothes, dry my clothes and pretty much fold them too! With free pedestals too! The DEAL OF THE Decade for me! I am excited, so whatever I get for Christmas is just icing on my new washer and dryer cake.
Saturday just feels like a hangover after rushing around with all those people, dashing in and out of stores for THE PERFECT DEAL! I have to say that I like Black Friday in Cyberspace MUCH better. I mean, sure, I'm not going to get all my aggression out when some crazy person pushes me and I go off on them, but then again, I could always just go shovel the deck for that.
Thank God for Sunday. A day of rest. Resting of my tummy, my feet and my mind. I still can't believe that woman pushed me. WITH A BABY. OK I'll get over it. Anyway, today we get to spend time with my dad's family. Yum, I can't wait for some Chickaloon Cranberry Sauce!
Happy Weekend. I'll be in the city, so be prepared for some Sushi shots, some long lines and other silly city-esque things like that!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Presents for your Hunters...
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Today, I am sitting at home at 7:00 a.m. wondering exactly what I am doing AWAKE. Oh, I woke up and have nothing to do because my kids are already gone to Anchorage without me. They left yesterday morning, and I leave today. I can't wait to eat sushi!
Carbon Steel Blade, Finnish Curly Birch, Stabilized Alder and Leather Sheath
In my entire life, I think I have spent MAYBE four Thanksgivings away from Kotzebue. Maybe. Probably more like two, but I don't know exactly and better err on the side of caution so no one calls me out!
Carbon Steel LPT Blade, Stabilized Alder, Fossilized Whale Bone and Leather Sheath
Anyway, my husband, baby sister, niece, children and mom are spending Thanksgiving (and BLACK FRIDAY) in Palmer and Chickaloon with Dean's mom and my dad. (As in, Dean's mom lives in Palmer at her house, and My dad lives in Chickaloon at his cabin!) My other sister doesn't want to chance missing flights so she's going to stay with my Aana and cook her Tundra Turkey.
So, with Thanksgiving tomorrow and only ONE month (31 days) until Christmas, do you know what you're getting your loved ones for Christmas?
The two top knives (without sheaths) are available as well. I failed to get a photo of them. Contact Dean for more information. (He does have sheaths for them, but they weren't in the photo)
I know what I'm getting mine. Well, I shouldn't say "getting" because I'm making most of them, but I can't tell/show you because plenty of them read this blog. But I promise you, they're spectacular! And very Eskimo. And I just realized I only have 31 days to start...AND finish them. Ugh.
Carbon Steel "Arctic Blade," Arctic Birch, Brass End caps and Leather Sheath
But, if YOU want something grand and wonderful for YOUR hunter (or farmer, or wanna-be-hunter) I have the PERFECT gift:
A Custom Handmade Knife.
Carbon Steel Polaris Blade, Finnish Curly Birch, Fossilized Whale Bone, Birch Bark Spacers and Leather Sheath
There are several available immedately with handmade, handstitched (seriously, I hear him yell when he misses the rivet and hammers his thumb!) Leather Sheath with a Belt-Loop. The colors in the photos are the Raw Leather but since then they've been dunked in oil so they are a nice dark brown now.
Damascus Steel Blade, Stabilized Alder, Birch Bark Spacers, and Leather Sheath
Here's his contact information. Feel free to check them out on Facebook under "Siksu's Knives" or online at his website.
Even if I wasn't his wife, I'd own several because; 1. They're perfect for Hunters, they have a Carbon Steel blade that really does NOT get dull. I mean, I used mine to cut up several Seals and Caribou, as well as duct tape and boxes and other things you use knives for and it's STILL sharp after a year of having it, and 2. They're super cool, very beautiful even if you don't really want to use it. Completely handmade, many (like those in the photos) use Moose and Caribou Antler, Birch, Fossilized Ivory, Whale Bone, and more.
Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Black Friday, Happy 31-more-days-till-Christmas, and Thanks again!
Carbon Steel Blade, Finnish Curly Birch, Stabilized Alder and Leather Sheath
In my entire life, I think I have spent MAYBE four Thanksgivings away from Kotzebue. Maybe. Probably more like two, but I don't know exactly and better err on the side of caution so no one calls me out!
Carbon Steel LPT Blade, Stabilized Alder, Fossilized Whale Bone and Leather Sheath
Anyway, my husband, baby sister, niece, children and mom are spending Thanksgiving (and BLACK FRIDAY) in Palmer and Chickaloon with Dean's mom and my dad. (As in, Dean's mom lives in Palmer at her house, and My dad lives in Chickaloon at his cabin!) My other sister doesn't want to chance missing flights so she's going to stay with my Aana and cook her Tundra Turkey.
So, with Thanksgiving tomorrow and only ONE month (31 days) until Christmas, do you know what you're getting your loved ones for Christmas?
The two top knives (without sheaths) are available as well. I failed to get a photo of them. Contact Dean for more information. (He does have sheaths for them, but they weren't in the photo)
I know what I'm getting mine. Well, I shouldn't say "getting" because I'm making most of them, but I can't tell/show you because plenty of them read this blog. But I promise you, they're spectacular! And very Eskimo. And I just realized I only have 31 days to start...AND finish them. Ugh.
Carbon Steel "Arctic Blade," Arctic Birch, Brass End caps and Leather Sheath
But, if YOU want something grand and wonderful for YOUR hunter (or farmer, or wanna-be-hunter) I have the PERFECT gift:
A Custom Handmade Knife.
Carbon Steel Polaris Blade, Finnish Curly Birch, Fossilized Whale Bone, Birch Bark Spacers and Leather Sheath
There are several available immedately with handmade, handstitched (seriously, I hear him yell when he misses the rivet and hammers his thumb!) Leather Sheath with a Belt-Loop. The colors in the photos are the Raw Leather but since then they've been dunked in oil so they are a nice dark brown now.
Damascus Steel Blade, Stabilized Alder, Birch Bark Spacers, and Leather Sheath
Here's his contact information. Feel free to check them out on Facebook under "Siksu's Knives" or online at his website.
Even if I wasn't his wife, I'd own several because; 1. They're perfect for Hunters, they have a Carbon Steel blade that really does NOT get dull. I mean, I used mine to cut up several Seals and Caribou, as well as duct tape and boxes and other things you use knives for and it's STILL sharp after a year of having it, and 2. They're super cool, very beautiful even if you don't really want to use it. Completely handmade, many (like those in the photos) use Moose and Caribou Antler, Birch, Fossilized Ivory, Whale Bone, and more.
Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Black Friday, Happy 31-more-days-till-Christmas, and Thanks again!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thankful...
I'm sure everyone and their mother/brother/sister/friend is posting about being Thankful right now, so why not me?
Obviously I have plenty to be thankful for. I mean, I found a dude that would marry me even though I'm sort of passive-aggressive, very sarcastic and go a million miles a minute. I have wonderful, sweet, very intelligent children who really don't make my life hard. Seriously, I've said this before, if I could have 12 kids like my 14 year old I'd be ON IT. But, with my luck I'd have another Mini-Maija and butt heads with her.
I have a house over my head (that leaks in the winter and shifts in the spring). I have a bed to sleep in (and a husband who snores, but my children are always eager to have him snore because they'll find me climb into bed with THEM on particularly loud nights!). I have food in my cupboard and freezer (and probably too much food, I better start using it up!). I have a vehicle to bring me to work (even though the doors don't work and everyone complains about the permanent Child-Lock!). I have family who loves me (they're as crazy as I am). And I have a job at a corporation that doesn't look like its going under anytime in the near millennium (nana.com, check it out).
How do I show thanks? This was brought up at church on Sunday. How DO I show thanks? Thanks for the leaky house and the old food and the crazy family? Do I yell out to them, "THANK YOU!" What?
I think, or I'd LIKE to think that when an elder (or you, my coffee deprived friend) wants a latte, I'd just give them one for free. And if you had a newborn son and tried to pay for a warm hat with a strap, I'd just give you one for free, becuase really, that hat took me 10 minutes to make with scrap fleece...and besides, your son is so cute in it. And maybe someone really would like to make their OWN hat, so I'd take the time to actually show them how to do it, instead of doing it for them.
People ask me all the time, where I have the TIME to do all this "stuff." I don't know. Some days I am as drained as the rest of us, but I put on a happy smile when you come knocking at my door, and put aside my ever-present cleaning so I can help you do/make/get something. Some days I just want to sit at home next to my husband and watch a movie, but I come when you call because I feel like I should.
A long time ago, I got into an accident. I was flipped over the side of the vehicle and unconscious for a while. I don't want to admit, but it was probably self-inflicted. Emotional distress being the cause of the recklessness. (or so is my excuse now!) Anyway, I lived.
And every day since that day I have said a prayer for the two men who happened to be on the trail back to Kotzebue that day. Every day since that day, I have thought about what I could be doing to help others. When I go to bed, I actually wonder what I did that day to help someone else out.
Because I am THAT Thankful for my life. I am THAT Thankful that I am still alive. I am THAT Thankful that I was allowed to continue to make mistakes and cry and laugh and get married and have another child and sew and bake and be as busy as I possibly can. I am THAT Thankful.
And even if this didn't happen to me, I would still have plenty to be thankful for. So, I'll just give you a list and some web-shout-outs!
Dean: Thank you for caring about me. Thank you for sharing your life with me. Thank you for putting up with my (sometimes) horrible ways. And most importantly, Thank you for peeling through my very tough exterior and pulling out the fun I always knew was in there!
Mom and Dad: Thank you for sticking together and raising me like you did. It wasn't perfect. But I'm not perfect! Mom, thanks for doing my laundry for the past month while my Washer/Dryer was "on order!"
Koy and Kaisa: Thank you for making me a better person by allowing me to be your mom. Thank you for understanding my temper and patience level and Thank you for calling me out on it when I'm being ridiculous. (Oh yes, a 7 year old can call you out on your behavior, even when you're a mom!)
Emily: Thank you for allowing me to marry your son. Thank you so much for everything you do for us. It is you who I want to be like, forever helping others, putting our needs in front of your own. Someday I will figure out a way to repay you for everything. Someday I only hope to be as great a person as you are.
Sisters: Thank you for fighting with me and making me human. Thank you for being messy, so I don't have to be the only one. Thank you for letting me be the boss all the time, even when you don't want me to be the boss! Thank you for having kids so I could spoil them the way I wanted to spoil you when you were growing up.
Grandmothers: (Aana and Grandma) Thank you for inspiring me. Thank you for showing me how important it is to be creative and crafty and make your own clothes! I am one of few who can whip up a Christmas Dress for my child, and then make a pair of Sealskin mukluks to match it. Without patterns. Thank you two for being such perfect Grandmothers. Even though I used to get in trouble all the time for talking too much.
Friends: Thank you for listening to me rant and rave and cry and complain and gossip and moan and groan and lie and exaggerate and laugh and smile and sleep and drink good wine with you. Thanks for not telling me what to do and letting me learn my life lessons on my own. And thanks for listening when they didn't go the way I wanted them to!
And lastly...Thank you to my readers who come day after day to read my silly, sometimes, hard to understand posts about life above the Arctic Circle. I appreciate all the blog love!
Obviously I have plenty to be thankful for. I mean, I found a dude that would marry me even though I'm sort of passive-aggressive, very sarcastic and go a million miles a minute. I have wonderful, sweet, very intelligent children who really don't make my life hard. Seriously, I've said this before, if I could have 12 kids like my 14 year old I'd be ON IT. But, with my luck I'd have another Mini-Maija and butt heads with her.
I have a house over my head (that leaks in the winter and shifts in the spring). I have a bed to sleep in (and a husband who snores, but my children are always eager to have him snore because they'll find me climb into bed with THEM on particularly loud nights!). I have food in my cupboard and freezer (and probably too much food, I better start using it up!). I have a vehicle to bring me to work (even though the doors don't work and everyone complains about the permanent Child-Lock!). I have family who loves me (they're as crazy as I am). And I have a job at a corporation that doesn't look like its going under anytime in the near millennium (nana.com, check it out).
How do I show thanks? This was brought up at church on Sunday. How DO I show thanks? Thanks for the leaky house and the old food and the crazy family? Do I yell out to them, "THANK YOU!" What?
I think, or I'd LIKE to think that when an elder (or you, my coffee deprived friend) wants a latte, I'd just give them one for free. And if you had a newborn son and tried to pay for a warm hat with a strap, I'd just give you one for free, becuase really, that hat took me 10 minutes to make with scrap fleece...and besides, your son is so cute in it. And maybe someone really would like to make their OWN hat, so I'd take the time to actually show them how to do it, instead of doing it for them.
People ask me all the time, where I have the TIME to do all this "stuff." I don't know. Some days I am as drained as the rest of us, but I put on a happy smile when you come knocking at my door, and put aside my ever-present cleaning so I can help you do/make/get something. Some days I just want to sit at home next to my husband and watch a movie, but I come when you call because I feel like I should.
A long time ago, I got into an accident. I was flipped over the side of the vehicle and unconscious for a while. I don't want to admit, but it was probably self-inflicted. Emotional distress being the cause of the recklessness. (or so is my excuse now!) Anyway, I lived.
And every day since that day I have said a prayer for the two men who happened to be on the trail back to Kotzebue that day. Every day since that day, I have thought about what I could be doing to help others. When I go to bed, I actually wonder what I did that day to help someone else out.
Because I am THAT Thankful for my life. I am THAT Thankful that I am still alive. I am THAT Thankful that I was allowed to continue to make mistakes and cry and laugh and get married and have another child and sew and bake and be as busy as I possibly can. I am THAT Thankful.
And even if this didn't happen to me, I would still have plenty to be thankful for. So, I'll just give you a list and some web-shout-outs!
Dean: Thank you for caring about me. Thank you for sharing your life with me. Thank you for putting up with my (sometimes) horrible ways. And most importantly, Thank you for peeling through my very tough exterior and pulling out the fun I always knew was in there!
Mom and Dad: Thank you for sticking together and raising me like you did. It wasn't perfect. But I'm not perfect! Mom, thanks for doing my laundry for the past month while my Washer/Dryer was "on order!"
Koy and Kaisa: Thank you for making me a better person by allowing me to be your mom. Thank you for understanding my temper and patience level and Thank you for calling me out on it when I'm being ridiculous. (Oh yes, a 7 year old can call you out on your behavior, even when you're a mom!)
Emily: Thank you for allowing me to marry your son. Thank you so much for everything you do for us. It is you who I want to be like, forever helping others, putting our needs in front of your own. Someday I will figure out a way to repay you for everything. Someday I only hope to be as great a person as you are.
Sisters: Thank you for fighting with me and making me human. Thank you for being messy, so I don't have to be the only one. Thank you for letting me be the boss all the time, even when you don't want me to be the boss! Thank you for having kids so I could spoil them the way I wanted to spoil you when you were growing up.
Grandmothers: (Aana and Grandma) Thank you for inspiring me. Thank you for showing me how important it is to be creative and crafty and make your own clothes! I am one of few who can whip up a Christmas Dress for my child, and then make a pair of Sealskin mukluks to match it. Without patterns. Thank you two for being such perfect Grandmothers. Even though I used to get in trouble all the time for talking too much.
Friends: Thank you for listening to me rant and rave and cry and complain and gossip and moan and groan and lie and exaggerate and laugh and smile and sleep and drink good wine with you. Thanks for not telling me what to do and letting me learn my life lessons on my own. And thanks for listening when they didn't go the way I wanted them to!
And lastly...Thank you to my readers who come day after day to read my silly, sometimes, hard to understand posts about life above the Arctic Circle. I appreciate all the blog love!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Aloha `oe, aloha `oe
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo.
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au
Until we meet again...
Ha`aheo ka ua i nâ pali,
Ke nihi a`ela i ka nahele
E hahai (uhai) ana paha i ka liko,
Pua `âhihi lehua o uka...
Aloha `oe, aloha `oe,
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo,
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au,
Until we meet again.
`O ka hali`a aloha i hiki mai,
Ke hone a`e nei i,
Ku`u manawa,
`O `oe nô ka`u ipo aloha,
A loko e hana nei.
Aloha `oe, aloha `oe,
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo,
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au,
Until we meet again.
Maopopo ku`u `ike i ka nani,
Nâ pua rose o Maunawili,
I laila hia`ia nâ manu,
Miki`ala i ka nani o ka lipo.
Aloha `oe, aloha `oe,
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo,
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au,
Until we meet again...
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au
Until we meet again...
Ha`aheo ka ua i nâ pali,
Ke nihi a`ela i ka nahele
E hahai (uhai) ana paha i ka liko,
Pua `âhihi lehua o uka...
Aloha `oe, aloha `oe,
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo,
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au,
Until we meet again.
`O ka hali`a aloha i hiki mai,
Ke hone a`e nei i,
Ku`u manawa,
`O `oe nô ka`u ipo aloha,
A loko e hana nei.
Aloha `oe, aloha `oe,
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo,
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au,
Until we meet again.
Maopopo ku`u `ike i ka nani,
Nâ pua rose o Maunawili,
I laila hia`ia nâ manu,
Miki`ala i ka nani o ka lipo.
Aloha `oe, aloha `oe,
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo,
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au,
Until we meet again...
- Farewell to you, farewell to you,
- The charming one who dwells in the shaded bowers.
- One fond embrace, 'Ere I depart
- Until we meet again....
- Written by Queen Lili`uokalani
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Fritz!
Guess who got an early Christmas present?
She did.
P.S. we're back from our Hawaiian Vacation. And check out our awful weather that I came home to. Sigh...
She did.
P.S. we're back from our Hawaiian Vacation. And check out our awful weather that I came home to. Sigh...
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Unduh da Sea
Darling it's bettah, down where its wettah, take it from me!
Ahh, aside form the fact that Koy, Kaisa and I got sick bobbing in the ocean, we ended up having lots of fun in the water anyway.
Renting an underwater camera is definitely the way to go. Max had it for most of the time out on the boat, but once we were stationary, I was able to get some great pool shots this morning.
This morning, as in, at 7:00 a.m., the kids get up, and go swim in the pool. Then they eat breakfast, and then go swim in the ocean. Then we eat lunch, do homework and they go swim some more in the ocean. Then we eat dinner and they go swim in the Pool again. Life is good in the water.
And best of all, my baby FINALLY learned how to swim. I'm still a little terrified when she jumps in and stays underwater for so long, but she's pretty good.
And if I could figure out how to get these videos off the darn CD things would be grand. But for now, enjoy some Ocean/Pool shots.
Aloha for today!
Ahh, aside form the fact that Koy, Kaisa and I got sick bobbing in the ocean, we ended up having lots of fun in the water anyway.
Renting an underwater camera is definitely the way to go. Max had it for most of the time out on the boat, but once we were stationary, I was able to get some great pool shots this morning.
This morning, as in, at 7:00 a.m., the kids get up, and go swim in the pool. Then they eat breakfast, and then go swim in the ocean. Then we eat lunch, do homework and they go swim some more in the ocean. Then we eat dinner and they go swim in the Pool again. Life is good in the water.
And best of all, my baby FINALLY learned how to swim. I'm still a little terrified when she jumps in and stays underwater for so long, but she's pretty good.
And if I could figure out how to get these videos off the darn CD things would be grand. But for now, enjoy some Ocean/Pool shots.
Aloha for today!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
When in Hawaii...
Do as the Hawaiian's do. Which is basically just chill. Or not, chill cause its 85 degrees out, but relax. RE-LAX!
Maui is the perfect place for that! It is so relaxing. The beach is completely open and there is really no one around except your "Lukin Party of Eleven..." and all these kids we toted here. I'd suggest Maui to ANYONE who has a family. And the Kaanapali Villas is AWESOME too. Again, PERFECT to relax.
Except when you get motion sick. Cause that's how Koy and I are. We feel the motion in the ocean. And it SUCKS.
So, Wednesday we decided, against my better judgment (cause I KNEW I would get sick, but I really REALLY wanted to go snorkeling), to take an hour long cruise to get to Molokini and the Coral Gardens reef. I mean, I even rented an underwater camera.
And we got on the boat and I forgot to take any photos. Cause I was so busy feeding the fish. Giving the Ocean back its Tuna. Chumming for Chum. Visiting Ralph and Beulah. It was so much worse than a Tequila Hangover. ugh. And the worst part of it all was there were two others who were just as sick, and their names were Koy and Kaisa. And being a mother to motion sick children puking over the side of the boat, I wanted to KILL THE CAPTAIN who took his sweet merry old time in the stupid bobbing boat.
Yeah, there will be no more boat excursions for this momma and her kids anytime soon.
So, no photos of Snorkeling for you.
Instead. Enjoy the photos of our fun day at the beach yesterday. And Dean's bright idea about how to open Koy's coconut.
That's gonna leave a mark.
Maui is the perfect place for that! It is so relaxing. The beach is completely open and there is really no one around except your "Lukin Party of Eleven..." and all these kids we toted here. I'd suggest Maui to ANYONE who has a family. And the Kaanapali Villas is AWESOME too. Again, PERFECT to relax.
Except when you get motion sick. Cause that's how Koy and I are. We feel the motion in the ocean. And it SUCKS.
So, Wednesday we decided, against my better judgment (cause I KNEW I would get sick, but I really REALLY wanted to go snorkeling), to take an hour long cruise to get to Molokini and the Coral Gardens reef. I mean, I even rented an underwater camera.
And we got on the boat and I forgot to take any photos. Cause I was so busy feeding the fish. Giving the Ocean back its Tuna. Chumming for Chum. Visiting Ralph and Beulah. It was so much worse than a Tequila Hangover. ugh. And the worst part of it all was there were two others who were just as sick, and their names were Koy and Kaisa. And being a mother to motion sick children puking over the side of the boat, I wanted to KILL THE CAPTAIN who took his sweet merry old time in the stupid bobbing boat.
Yeah, there will be no more boat excursions for this momma and her kids anytime soon.
So, no photos of Snorkeling for you.
Instead. Enjoy the photos of our fun day at the beach yesterday. And Dean's bright idea about how to open Koy's coconut.
That's gonna leave a mark.
Waikiki
So, we spent a couple of days in Waikiki when we arrived in Paradise. Right now, we are on Maui staying in a two bedroom apartment! It is wonderful to eat breakfast on the lanai and feel the breeze on our faces.
Today, where I live it is minus two degrees. Ick. I never want to go back. I might even have Dean convinced to move here eventually!
The kids and Dean would be completely content swimming in the ocean all day, every day. Waikiki was crowded and expensive. Now that we're on Maui, it is BEAUTIFUL, laid back and just plain perfect.
Running on the beach every morning has allowed us to eat all the blackened Ahi and Mai Tai's we want!
Aloha.
Today, where I live it is minus two degrees. Ick. I never want to go back. I might even have Dean convinced to move here eventually!
The kids and Dean would be completely content swimming in the ocean all day, every day. Waikiki was crowded and expensive. Now that we're on Maui, it is BEAUTIFUL, laid back and just plain perfect.
Running on the beach every morning has allowed us to eat all the blackened Ahi and Mai Tai's we want!
Aloha.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Aloha...
Aloha means goodbye.
"GOODBYE COLD WINTER SNOW!"
Aloha also means hello.
"HELLO WARM BEAUTIFUL HAWAII!"
Ohana means family.
I will be with my husbands ENTIRE family for the next nine days in... you guessed it, Hawaii.
So, no more tundra, caribou, killing animals, snow for me. Just warm, blissful waves and sand.
Ahhh...... ALOHA!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Keesh.
Or, if you're into grammar and all that, Quiche.
Or Food Porn as a commenter said yesterday. Not too much this past few weeks cause I'm DIEting.
Yes folks, I am on a diet. (Operative word being DIE, j/k) and I hate mentioning that on my blog, but it IS my blog so I can do whatever I want right!? So, yeah Dean and I are on a diet. Two weeks in he's lost over 20 lbs. And I've lost 16. The sucky thing is that you can tell on HIM Much more than you can on me. What IS that about??! Oh well. Sixteen pounds is gone, so I should be happy right?
Anyway, I'm gonna share another SUPER-BEST-EVER recipe for Quiche.
It's my take on any Quiche recipe. I've decided that with a pie crust, 5 eggs, a cup of milk and some spices, you can make ANY QUICHE you want.
Here's mine: BEST-EVER QUICHE
Gather your ingredients:
*One pie crust. Again, if you're mom-who-makes-everything-from-scratch isn't going to eat it, just buy one from the store.
*Some sausage. Feel free to use Moose Breakfast Sausage, or whatever you have on hand. This is what we had on hand! (Bacon/Ham, etc.)
*Chopped Onion
*Chopped Spinach
*Feta Cheese
*Cheddar Cheese
* 5 eggs
*1 cup milk (These two are really the only thing you have to pay attention to in terms of measuring!)
If you have a sister who has chickens, you can bum some real chicken eggs off her, or just buy regular ones. I like Bummed Eggs though, they taste Good!
Cook your onion and sausage until done. Add some squeezed thawed chopped spinach to the pan to warm. (Pretend like I showed you a photo of cooking sausage.)
While your sausage is cooking, place one pie crust on the bottom of a glass pan. (I use glass because the metal ones 1. don't look as good, and 2. bake too hot for me.)
If you're transporting your Quiche to work to cook, like me, crack 5 eggs into a ziplock. Add 1 cup of milk, some garlic powder, salt and pepper to the bag/bowl and mix well. If not, crack them into a bowl and skip the next section.
Another thing about Quiche! Totally portable when you have an oven at work! I just put the egg mix and sausage/spinach mix into ziplocks and bagged the rest of the stuff! Now would be a good time to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Place your sausage/spinach mix into a bowl.
Add a couple handfuls of Feta. If you don't like feta, then don't. Add more cheddar.
Add a handful of Cheddar. Or more for your liking. Mix well.
Now pour the sausage/spinach/cheese mixture into your pie pan.
Carefully pour the egg/milk mixture over the sausage mix. Make sure there is egg all around the top.
BAKE for about an hour, or until the middle is pretty set. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes to cool.
Enjoy with your co-workers. :)
Happy Fall. (Which is actually winter up here!)
Or Food Porn as a commenter said yesterday. Not too much this past few weeks cause I'm DIEting.
Yes folks, I am on a diet. (Operative word being DIE, j/k) and I hate mentioning that on my blog, but it IS my blog so I can do whatever I want right!? So, yeah Dean and I are on a diet. Two weeks in he's lost over 20 lbs. And I've lost 16. The sucky thing is that you can tell on HIM Much more than you can on me. What IS that about??! Oh well. Sixteen pounds is gone, so I should be happy right?
Anyway, I'm gonna share another SUPER-BEST-EVER recipe for Quiche.
It's my take on any Quiche recipe. I've decided that with a pie crust, 5 eggs, a cup of milk and some spices, you can make ANY QUICHE you want.
Here's mine: BEST-EVER QUICHE
Gather your ingredients:
*One pie crust. Again, if you're mom-who-makes-everything-from-scratch isn't going to eat it, just buy one from the store.
*Some sausage. Feel free to use Moose Breakfast Sausage, or whatever you have on hand. This is what we had on hand! (Bacon/Ham, etc.)
*Chopped Onion
*Chopped Spinach
*Feta Cheese
*Cheddar Cheese
* 5 eggs
*1 cup milk (These two are really the only thing you have to pay attention to in terms of measuring!)
If you have a sister who has chickens, you can bum some real chicken eggs off her, or just buy regular ones. I like Bummed Eggs though, they taste Good!
Cook your onion and sausage until done. Add some squeezed thawed chopped spinach to the pan to warm. (Pretend like I showed you a photo of cooking sausage.)
While your sausage is cooking, place one pie crust on the bottom of a glass pan. (I use glass because the metal ones 1. don't look as good, and 2. bake too hot for me.)
If you're transporting your Quiche to work to cook, like me, crack 5 eggs into a ziplock. Add 1 cup of milk, some garlic powder, salt and pepper to the bag/bowl and mix well. If not, crack them into a bowl and skip the next section.
Another thing about Quiche! Totally portable when you have an oven at work! I just put the egg mix and sausage/spinach mix into ziplocks and bagged the rest of the stuff! Now would be a good time to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Place your sausage/spinach mix into a bowl.
Add a couple handfuls of Feta. If you don't like feta, then don't. Add more cheddar.
Add a handful of Cheddar. Or more for your liking. Mix well.
Now pour the sausage/spinach/cheese mixture into your pie pan.
Carefully pour the egg/milk mixture over the sausage mix. Make sure there is egg all around the top.
BAKE for about an hour, or until the middle is pretty set. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes to cool.
Enjoy with your co-workers. :)
Happy Fall. (Which is actually winter up here!)
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
My finger doesn't like to work right...
Or so says my daughter who has been taking piano lessons for all of three weeks. (once per week)
When I told her she was going to take Piano, she screamed. Like literally let out a gut curdling SCREAM of JOY! "YES, YES, YES! Mom you're the BEST MOM! I am FINALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO PLAY THE PIANO AND SING AT THE SAME TIME!"
Seriously, she has a complex. She thinks she's Miley Cyrus. I think she's cooler though. (I still can't believe I cut all her hair off though. I might have a complex!)
Enjoy her first foray at the Piano with her awesomely talented teacher Mrs. Marcus.
When I told her she was going to take Piano, she screamed. Like literally let out a gut curdling SCREAM of JOY! "YES, YES, YES! Mom you're the BEST MOM! I am FINALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO PLAY THE PIANO AND SING AT THE SAME TIME!"
Seriously, she has a complex. She thinks she's Miley Cyrus. I think she's cooler though. (I still can't believe I cut all her hair off though. I might have a complex!)
Enjoy her first foray at the Piano with her awesomely talented teacher Mrs. Marcus.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Naligaaniktuna!
Hopefully this means that we won't have to listen to all the commercial bashing that goes on during this time. Vote for ME! I'm the best candidate! VOTE for me!!! No, I'm the best.
It sort of reminds me of kids playing together. Arguing over a toy car. Or Barbie. Only they're arguing over our lives.
Why can't we have a candidate who just tells us what he/she wants to do for our state/region/country and leaves it at that?
Anyway, if you don't vote, don't complain! I get my fair share of complaining now! I'm entitled.
Eh, whatever the case may be, I'm very happy today is Tuesday. Because:
1. NO MORE POLITICAL commercials.
2. GLEE (YES!) and Raising Hope are on!
3. That means only 4 and a half more days until HAWAII.
4. Only a few more days of this diet. (Which by the way, I wish I could show you before and after photos of my husband. He's lost 25 lbs in the last two weeks. He went from a 38 waist to his 34's!! And me, only 16 lbs down. Stupid men's metabolism!)
5. I can start planning my Christmas Cookie Exchange slash Ugly Christmas Sweater Party!
6. I can focus on making more of these for the Bazaars...
Made this, this MORNING before work!
Oh, and you really should all VOTE FOR ME!
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