Dish it out.....

When I was a little girl, my mom and grandma tell stories of how I would 'help' bake cookies and ever so Not slyly steal chocolate chips when I thought no one was looking. I have great memories of baking sugar cookies around the holidays, and no one can forget the blueberry pie making spree I went on in 8th grade after learning how to perfect the best crust in home ec. It really wasn't though, until the past few years that I have begun this love affair with cooking. Yes, I still enjoy baking, but for me it's the unique and gourment ingredients that I really love. Nothing is more fun to me than watching Food Network and Paula Dean or Bobby Flay, or Big Bites with Guy, or barefoot Contessa (even though she is totally snobbish and weird) and THEN trying to remember all the ingredients and making the dish myself....I LOVE IT!

Cooking is like anything else, the more you practice, the better you get. It takes many years to learn 'tricks' and I am NO WHERE near a chef,,,but I hope to get closer to that someday. Tonight is homemade chicken parmesan, pasta, spinach gorgonzola and maybe something lemony for dessert. The other thing that is important to me is healthy cooking. Sure everyone wants cheese on a burger,,,,duh.....but my challenge to myself is preparing tasty, inexpensive (if possible) meals that everyone (including the kids) love. It can get tricky, but it is possible. I was at Target today picking up some needed items and I thought "I will just go over and LOOK at the cooking supplies" I stood there for far too long and one of the employees asked if I was working on a registry...hahahahaha....no but maybe I will register for my 9th anniversary in April! And I also think I am the last person on earth that does NOT have a kitchenaid mixer....hint hint.....!!!

This happened.

The reason I want to post this is that I want to be able to remember all the details of this one day many years from now, because I am quite certain that it wouldn't/couldn't ever happen again. Also, this post isn't exactly 'politically correct' I guess, but it is my blog and I can say whatever I want. It's hard enough for me because I am very funny and I have to turn my filter on a lot so that my humor doesn't come out wrong. But there is nothing quite like what happened a few weeks ago when I was returning back to work after a mid-morning meeting. This is where my politically correctness goes down the drain.

I have always had a fascination with midgets. I KNOW they are people, I am not saying that, but it's just....well, I stare at them. I can't help it. And so you have to know that first off. They also make me nervous, I HAVE no idea why, but it's true. Back to my story.

So there I sit at another very long stop light and I just happen to glance over through my passenger side window and I see the (I am not kidding here)...absolute largest van I think I have ever seen in my life. I thought...WHOA.....what in the world is in that thing? Then it happened. After processing this giant van, I will admit I expected to see a huge big truck driver looking man piloting such a beast on the road.

Nope. I saw the smallest little person I had ever seen. I could see the tops of his wee little shoes sticking up from the seat and then WORST of all, he grabbed a can of coke and then tipped back to drink it. OF COURSE my eyes must have been huge...what can I say? My mind was racing....how could he drive this thing? Is this legal? Safe? Does he wear a seatbelt? How does he look to change lanes!?

I guess I must have stared a bit too long. The light turned green, the guy behind me laid on the horn for me to GO, and the little person in the big van flipped me the tiny bird and sped off.

I have told numerous people this story, I even announced it to some just minutes after I walked back into work completely astonished.

Today I miss my dad

I know that it's been 16 years,,,but today I miss my dad. I want to talk to him. I want to tell him that I need him. That I think about him all the time. I want to ask him questions about life...I don't want to be harshly judged...I just want to talk to him. I so crave and hurt for his opinion and I have had many years to 'heal' but sometimes I just want to be the little girl that still had her dad. This post is NOT about feeling sorry for myself. I know that things happen for reasons that hopefully one day I will know. But I can not say that sometimes I wish to ask my dad about what he thinks. God gives me my dreams with him occasionaly. My heart hurts because I wonder so often what he would think; I want his opinon, I need his advice. This pain never goes away. I trust in God that all things happen for a reason, and I know that my Dad was taken when I was 15, my brother was 13 and my mom was so young...for a reason...but at times I just wish I had him here. Tonight I am sad. My heart hurts. Because I rejoice that my dad is in a good place....but tonight I miss you dad. I wish you were here so that I could share my worries and my happiness with you. I will always have you in my heart.

2010

I know it's clique to say that 'time goes by so fast' but it really really does. It's almost scary sometimes how quickly it seems the year has raced by us. The holidays have again come and gone, and this year had some unique events, but was overall a wonderful time for us.

Quite suddenly, we found out that my sister in law's father passed away in his sleep the day before Christmas Eve....this of course was devasting to their family, and a very hard time of the year to say the least to plan a funeral. I know from losing my dad suddenly how very hard and tragic this is....we did get to have our nephews over to spend the night on Christmas night and all four kids had the best time together! In fact, the dreaded nighttime routine went quite smoothly---of course they were exhausted! My nephew Luke yelled AUNT LINDSAY AUNT LINDSAY at about 2:30 in the morning and when we went in,,all he wanted was a drink! They were very sweet and had a blast.

My step-dad also lost his mother after a long illness, so they were making arrangements for her funeral which was this past Monday. It was a nice service and everyone was pleased.

My Christmas tradition is DECOR IS DOWN ASAP AFTER the 25th! I LOVE Christmas decorations, but I am ready to get it all cleaned up and put away when it's over. This year I finally went through old decor, and tons of other stuff, clothes, toys, sheets, comforters and stock piled 5 massive bags that we took to Goodwill. I am the very opposite of a hoarder, I probably throw too much away (except for the kids art work and stuff).

This weekend we have various parties to attend and I will be doing some more cooking, I truly love cooking now more than just about any other hobby and trying out new recipes hasn't made anyone too upset in our family!

I can't believe it's almost 2011.........

Happy Holidays

It's a fun and hectic time of year for most people. This season, I feel like I have literally shopped and shopped and shopped some more. I think it has to do with (in my case), starting TOO early with shopping. What happened was that I literally started forgetting what I bought. I even forgot what I had purchased for my nephews. Between co-workers, secret santas, nephews, parents, teachers, etc. 'Santa' had to finally drag everything out and take inventory. Good thing I did too, b/c the gifts weren't exactly even....Dalton had more big things, while Tatum had tons more stocking gifts. We are ready now.

Reindeer food---check
Santa cookies (making tomorrow)---check
teacher gifts---check
Santa's massive load of gifts---check!

And this holiday season, as I prepare my grocery list to make yummy treats I AM SOOO EXCITED that my in-laws bought me a FABULOUS new cookware set...top of the line! It just makes baking and cooking that much better! Christmas to me, is really no longer about anything I get. I know growing up I was very blessed to have wonderful Christmases.

These days, I find it more gratifying giving gifts to the people I love and care about more than getting gifts. So that is why my holiday cookware was such a treat!!! ---(Oh and don't get me wrong, I do not go without---Tatum looked at me the other day as we were shopping at Charming Charlie's and said "Mommy, you sure have a LOT of handbags").....I put it down straight away!

The holidays are here and it's time to remember once again how thankful I am to have the blessings in my life that I do. Wishing everyone a fun and happy Christmas and new year!

The innocent child

As the end of the year approaches, I reflect on all of the activities and adventures my family and I have had.....it has been quite a fun year. With that said, I must be a bit sappy...

The moment I saw their faces, heard them breathe, and felt their touch,
I awoke to the most amazing love I had ever known.
Who could have imagined your heart could love, cherish, hurt for and long for another human as much as it now did.
I often say "I love you more than ever today" and they giggle and ask HOW Mommy!!??!!!
The answer is my love grows deeper every day for my innocent children...

Thank you God, for allowing me to have two wonderful children that brighten my life every second of the day.

The poor reindeer

Recently life has been pretty calm en Casa de Rice....sure we've had a few sick times here and there, but overall nothing too remarkable has happened. The weather and having some kids 'under' the weather forced me to make my very own Thanksgiving dinner by myself this year...and I must say, it all turned out quite nicely....except the gravy, must work on the gravy. We also had family pics done, which is so cool, but also very expensive and very hard to choose...I generally hate any and all pictures of myself, so making the process even harder.

In other news, our doggies are practically potty trained! They don't really go to the door yet, when they need to go, so that is next on the training list. Their mommy is so very proud of them!!

Christmas has arrived at our house for sure. I THINK I am about done with buying gifts, but just as I feel about ready, I remember something else and out I go again. I have shopped smart this year, taking advantage of really great deals, and for that I have saved some $$$.....of course when I see FANTASTIC deals when I am out buying for others....sometimes I accidentally come home with something great for me :)

After seeing Santa this weekend, Tatum felt better about the reindeer/eating issue. Let's go back a few weeks. My little veterinarian was quite worried and concerned that the sweet reindeer just simply could not do their job on carrots alone. She was downright upset. So, of course, it being 2010, we 'googled it' as she asked to do. I found a site that basically helped parents out by saying "Oh yes, the reindeer love cookies too." I said, "SEE? They do like cookies, it says so right here."

Her response? "You seriously don't believe everything you read...do you mommy?"

She is smarter than I am.