Cabin 77

What I did today . . .

2010-01-08T02:10:01Z

21:47 @ActuallyNPH Congrats!!! #
21:49 Wearing my UT jammies, about to fold laundry and watch some back-logged Big Bang Theory. Life is good. HOOK 'EM!!! #
09:05 @rainnwilson What?!?! That's just wrong. Pick a side! Preferably the one with an animal that could gore you to death should you annoy it. #
09:10 I feel like a newborn - I have my days and nights mixed up. Why can I not SLEEP when the sun is down?!?! In other news: HOOK 'EM!!! #
10:38 Just had a cup of coffee! (With chocolate flavored Coffee-Mate added, of course.) Am I getting addicted?!?!? Oh, and HOOK 'EM!!!! #
11:31 Pop quiz: Who am I in this scene: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NnkhMGXrp8&feature=related Hint: I usually drink decaf. #
19:18 Does Lou Holtz remind anyone else of Jerry Van Dyke? #
19:26 @RachelFineMusic Why aren't you watching the Horns play?!?!? Oh . . . yeah. Forgot that there were other things out there. Sorry. ;-) #
19:32 Good omen: All day today the BEP's song "Gotta Feeling" has been ringing in my mind. Cause tonight's gonna be a good, good night! #
19:33 @jeanneklaver OH yeah!!! Texas Fight! #
19:53 HORRORS!! Snafu with remote control. We lost the first two minutes of the game. Colt down? NOOOOOOO! #

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What I did today . . .

2010-01-07T02:10:02Z

08:01 Happy Birthday @justgina! Much love coming your way!!! #
08:13 I'm off to take a nap. Gotta catch up on the sleep I've lost due to my eyes just popping open in the middle of the night! Must. Stop. That. #
08:14 @justgina Woo hoo!!! #
11:17 Ahh. Feeling human again. It's amazing what sleep can do! I should try it more often, only at NIGHT! #
11:48 If you don't watch The Big Bang Theory, do.Now. Trust me. Best line: "All I need now is a healthy ovum and I can grow my own Leonard Nimoy!" #

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Happy Birthday!

2010-01-06T14:00:21Z

Happy Birthday to trollbabyfeet ! I'm so glad that we're such a part of each other's lives again. I love you and your family so much!!! Have a great day and I can't wait to celebrate with you this weekend!

What I did today . . .

2010-01-06T02:10:01Z

15:33 @NightmareFactor That happened to me one time and it turned out that Trooni had cut her paw. Check the animals! #
15:34 Back at work today. Very productive! Feels good! And I'm LOVING the cold weather. Snuggie weather! #

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Tpying Softwre Fail?

2010-01-05T21:30:53Z

Last semester Princess took a writing elective. One of the things that they were required to do was to "publish" their story. That means that they presented it in a "professional" manner. Or, as professional as you can be in 4th grade. Princess chose to type hers on the computer and then print it out. She's becoming fairly good at typing, but I want to make sure that she's learning correctly. We found a couple of free on-line typing tutorials, but I wasn't 100% satisfied with them. They were functional, but kind of boring for a nine year old.

Today at Staples I saw that they had "Typing Instructor Platinum" on sale for $9.99 (after rebates). I was in the store on a work-related errand so when I got back to the office I looked up that particular software program to read some reviews. All were glowing and most talked about how much fun the games were. I figure, for ten bucks, I can risk it. Then I came to this review on Amazon.com:

"I recently was hired at a new job, but they wanted me to increase my typing speed by at least 10 WPM. I looked at all of the typing programs and bought this one - not hte cheapest, not the most expensive. I defintly got a bargain though! This program is excellant for the money! I took the typing test at the start - determined what level I should be and then conitnued with the reccomend typing program. by the time i got to the end of the program (it took me about a week - practicing an hour or two a night) my typing speed was up by almost 20 WPM!

It really felt good to print off the results of my WPM and hand them to my boss. I am so happy with this program. and now my wife is starting to use it.

The games are entertaining, and the typing drills, skills and tests are efficient. They can be tedious, but you feel yourself getting better throughout the drill. Don't even bother with other programs, this is the one to get!"

I don't know whether to laugh or cry or to just tell the guy "ENABLE SPELL CHECK"!!!!!

I'm still hopeful that the program will help Princess! Or maybe I should work with it. I'm embarrassed to say how many typos I had to correct as I was typing this entry!!!

Photo Blog - Let's Try This Again!

2010-01-05T04:06:51Z

About a year or so ago I started yet another blog (because I have SO much free time) at Tumblr. I started it as a kind of experiment in photo blogging. I got out of the habit of posting there and let it slide a bit.

One of the things that I'm resolved to do in 2010 is to experiment more with my photography. I loved creating the photos for Rachel's CD release SO much and I think that they were very well received so I want to continue with that. I want to play with images in Photoshop. I want to play with macro and micro. I want to point and shoot and I want to set up and construct. I want to challenge myself.

I started on January 1 posting at least one image a day. I decided not to limit myself to posting a photo from THAT day. I don't take photos every day and I don't want to force it if it's not there. I do have a backlog of photos that are just hanging out on my external hard drive waiting to see the light of day. So today I went through quite a few of them, pulled out some of the best, and filed them on my laptop. For now, I'm just posting what I have - little to no edits. But soon I want to make an appointment with my brother's computer and Mega-Photoshop toys and have an art day.

I invite you now to go to http://cabin77.tumblr.com. Please feel free to leave comments and suggestions. I can't get better if I don't have feedback! And I promise not to cry. Too hard. ;-)

What I did today . . .

2010-01-05T02:10:01Z

21:32 Tonight during our Monopoly game we had to continually remind Buddy that Monopoly is NOT a contact sport. #
08:39 The kids are playing Monopoly. I have the first aid kit ready. #
11:29 @LisaWhelchel Out of the mouths of babes . . . (Don't you hate it when they're right?!? ;-) ) #
18:07 Got a lot of decorations put away today. Now I'm left with a scattering of glitter on the carpet. Not really wanting to see it go! #

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Noooooooo!

2010-01-04T20:18:47Z

I got this notice today:

New Weight Requirement for Whole Blood Donors
"The Blood Center of Central Texas is joining several other blood centers in using a new blood bag for whole blood collection. These new collection bags are slightly larger than what is currently used and will require a small increase (approximately three tablespoons) in the amount of blood collected from whole blood donors. Due to this small increase, The Blood Center will require all whole blood donors to weigh a minimum of 123 lbs beginning January 12, 2010."

That's a thirteen pound increase over their previous minimum. When you're 5'2", thirteen pounds is a lot! So much, in fact, that as of January 12 I will no longer be allowed to give blood. I have BABY BLOOD! (That means that I'm O- and CMV- so the Center can use my blood for infants under 6 months old and for anyone with a compromised immune system.) I always get a call within days of being due to give. I . . . I . . . WANT to give blood! I want to help! The last time I gave blood, it hit me how much it helps. I looked at the posters on the walls of the people who had received life-saving transfusions and I thought, "My blood could have been used for them." I got chills and I almost cried. That I could do something that takes very little pain and very little time, and possibly help save another human being's life finally got me. To the core.

And now I can't do it any more. My ideal weight - the weight at which I feel good, I look good, and is easy to maintain - is well below 123. It was no problem when the minimum was 110. Even before kids when I could get below 110, I would have a heavy meal the night before I gave and be able to tip the scales in my favor. Not any more.

I'll give for the last time the day before my birthday. I'm so disappointed. I WILL be asking if they will have any concessions - any chance of going back to the old bags. But I'm not hopeful. Crud! I'll also be asking about other ways to donate and if they have weight minimums for those, too. But it still gets me that I have the kind of blood that they need so desperately and now they can't take it. Crud again!

And I did so like the Amy's Pint for a Pint!

What I did today . . .

2010-01-04T02:10:01Z

23:01 @dailycoyote Wow. That is scary. We're blessed to have a family doctor who doesn't believe in throwing Rx at everything! #
23:01 @RachelFineMusic Hot, hot, hot! You look great!!! #
23:03 Buddy told me that my hair reminds him of "that girl from X-Men". My kid knows who Rogue is!!! I'm so happy! #
09:12 @dannygokey Wow! That is really beautiful! It's a very sweet tribute. #

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What I did today . . .

2010-01-03T02:10:01Z

20:15 I guess I should start to maybe think about some resolutions. Nah. #
21:36 Interpreting canine body language across the yard, I called, "Buddy, is the dog growling at you?" He answered, smiling "No! He's purring!" #
10:51 I just read a Best Films of Decade list. Must find time to catch up! Must find ways to be more informed. Must NOT lose my <3 of film! #

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Allowances

2010-01-02T17:37:16Z

I must admit that I have been very lazy when it comes to giving the kids' their allowance. I haven't made it a priority which means that every couple of weeks they have to remind me that I owe them, catching me with no cash so they just ask for this or that at the grocery store and we call it even. Parenting experts shudder.

So, this year I'm making it a priority for them. They are old enough now to have some financial responsibility and I'm old enough (!!) to get my tush in gear and make sure I pay them on time every week.

I decided to do some research online as to age appropriate amounts and whether or not chores are tied to allowances. Wow, are there a lot of opinions out there! One website said that the amount of the allowance per week should equal the age of the child. That's $6 per week for BUDDY!!!! I think not! Some sites assigned cash amounts to chores and at the end of the week, you added it all up and that's what they got. Sorry, but that's too much work for me. (Read the first paragraph again. Baby steps.)

I'm reading a book now called Love and Logic and that book recommends that chores NOT be tied to allowance. The reasoning is that the child is a part of the family and, therefore, needs to contribute. The allowance is a tool to help the child learn responsibility with money and is separate from the contribution of the child to the family. They can USE their allowance to pay other siblings to do their chores if they choose. They can also choose to use their allowance to pay a parent to do their chores. But then, they've used their money and don't have any at the end of the week. I kind of like that approach.

I'd like opinions on this subject. If you are a parent, what do you do? What are your amounts? What are your conditions? If you are not a parent, what would you do? What were the terms when you were a kid?

We're thinking that we're going to go with Princess getting $2 per week and Buddy getting $1. We'll see how those amounts fare and then reevaluate in a few months. (I was thinking $2.50 and $1.50, but I'm fine with the rounded number.) We're also not going to tie chores to allowance. I like the idea that they need to contribute freely to the family. I also like the fact that this approach will eliminate Princess calculating how many chores she can do to get what she wants from Target! Oh, I know my daughter! ;-)

Just FYI, though, I am thinking of fining them a nickel for every whine and a dime for every instance of raised voice. Just thinking . . .

What I did today . . .

2010-01-02T02:10:01Z

22:11 Happy New Year to all and to all a good night! #
09:40 @dailycoyote We danced - sparklers in hand, many giggles and squeals from dear friends mixing with the smoke and the sparks. #
09:42 @dailycoyote We love you, too! Thank you for sharing Charlie, Chloe, Eli, Daisy, Baby and Frisco with us. (Did I forget anyone?!?) #
11:18 @justgina Flashback!!!! (I was actually hoping that you had found my Bono boots!) #
16:56 Buddy was on the winning kickball team in a neighborhood tournament today! Great way to ring in the new year! #

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Happy 2010 - Looking Back and Looking Forward

2010-01-01T16:14:00Z

Twenty years ago, I was starting my first year of residence in Austin.

Fifteen years ago, I had just had my first date with the man who would become my husband.

Ten years ago, I rang in the new year/decade/millennium drinking sparkling cider because I was pregnant with my first child.

Five years ago, I started the new year knowing that I was facing major surgery.

Last night we rang in the new year/decade with wonderful friends and family at two different parties. We laughed, snacked, drank, lit sparklers, laughed, talked, ate chocolate and laughed some more. This morning both of our kids came and cuddled in bed with us before breakfast. Today we're going to spend more time with family and friends eating, laughing, playing games and enjoying each other.

I don't know what 2010 will bring. The past year has been rough - with Hubby traveling so much and with our finances a bit shaky (like the rest of the country) - but we've been blessed in so many wonderful and unexpected ways! I wouldn't change . . . much about 2009. God is faithful. And He continues to be faithful. He will be faithful in 2010.

What I did today . . .

2010-01-01T02:10:01Z

23:38 We're home safely. Princess loves her room. I'm still beaming over reconnecting with my old friend. Great end to a great day! #
08:55 Busy last day of the year-Princess getting her ears pierced (she's nervous), two parties to go to, champagne to drink. Busy! Fun! #
13:23 Mixed emotions about today and tomorrow - the reflecting and the looking forward. #

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What I did today . . .

2009-12-31T02:10:01Z

22:20 Princess comes home tomorrow. I can't wait to see her face when she sees her room! ;-) #
08:14 Whoever invented remote control cars is on my "naughty" list. #
15:19 In San Angelo-ran into a dear friend with whom I'd lost touch. She was passing thru, too! Love it! #

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What I did today . . .

2009-12-30T02:10:01Z

21:27 @RachelFineMusic Seriously great stuff! You are amazing!!!!! #
21:28 Painting done. Mounted cork tiles on about 1/2 of the room before running out of mounting tape. Finish tomorrow! Yay! Pics coming. #
08:43 Finishing Princess' room today!!! Can't wait to see the result. And the "reveal" - I feel like we're on "While You Were Out"! #
09:16 twitpic.com/vqe36 - New curtains, cork border and new bulletin board. Almost done! #
18:27 Having some neighbors over for dinner. But, you know, not in the Hannibal Lector way. #

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What I did today . . .

2009-12-29T02:10:02Z

21:55 Watching "The Hangover". Haven't laughed this hard at a movie in a long time. #
07:51 About to go to the gym. I hear that's a place where you can do something called exercise which is supposed to make you feel good. I'll see. #
11:50 My new favorite vendor from the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar: www.animatedcloset.com. I got the Snow White long sleeved shirt. <3 it!!! #
14:06 SO cute to see Buddy helping his dad with repairs and stuff around the house. My guys rock! #
18:00 @RachelFineMusic Two of my great aunts were hairdressers-both wore wigs! But that was in the days of beehives and comb outs. Wigs=height! #
19:15 @justgina Congrats to you guys! #
19:15 Almost done with the painting! Yay! #

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Cork Plan Working!

2009-12-28T19:16:13Z

Just on a whim I checked Target for cork bulletin boards. They sell 12" x 12" cork tiles for about $6 per pack of four. We only need 6" height so we are cutting them in half for a 6" x 12" rectangles.

Now I need to measure and see how many feet of cork we'll need. And try to decide if we're going to cover 100% of the walls with the cork border.

More later. We're in the process of taking off the wallpaper border. Fun stuff, that!

What I did today . . .

2009-12-28T02:10:01Z

21:17 twitpic.com/veeiq - Let the destruction begin! #
16:39 Buddy:Feel my sleeves. Me:They're wet! Buddy:That's in case I get thirsty playing rugby with Dad. Then I can take a drink from my sleeves! #
19:59 @LisaWhelchel That's disappointing to hear. I was looking forward to it. #

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Parmesan Sage Turkey Cutlets

2009-12-28T01:58:22Z

This afternoon I stumbled upon a printout of this recipe (Parmesan Sage Pork Cutlets) posted by rkimedes back in October. I had commented that I was going to try the recipe that very week. However, it didn't happen and the recipe got buried under much junk in the junk drawer to be found today while I was cleaning and organizing. Since we aren't doing pork chops or cutlets any more (the last two times we had them, Buddy threw up during the night - don't want to see if that was coincidence or some sort of tummy reaction), I changed the pork to turkey and went on from there.

Parmesan Sage Turkey Cutlets

I heated a 9x13 pan in the oven with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter in the bottom.

I dumped the following into a bowl:
1 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 tsp of onion powder
a couple of cranks of the grinder of black pepper

I mixed all of this together with a fork.

Into another bowl, I dumped 1 egg and maybe 1/4 cup of milk, which I beat together.

My package of turkey cutlets contained 3 cutlets about 1/3 inch thick each. I dredged each in the egg/milk and then coated each with the parmesan mixture from bowl #1. Then I got the pan out of the oven and carefully laid each cutlet in the heated pan.

I also took one medium potato and sliced it very thinly with a mandolin. I put the slices all around the sides, in between the cutlets and a few laying over the ends of the cutlets. I drizzled a little bit of olive oil on the potatoes and then sprinkled some finely cut fresh sage on top of the potatoes - maybe about 1/2 teaspoon.

On top of each cutlet, I placed a sage leaf. I let them sit for about 5 min. Then I put them in the oven for 30 min. At 30 minutes I took them out and sprinkled a little more parmesan on top, then I put it back in for about 12 minutes or so - until the cheese was just starting to get golden.

It worked very well! But here are some notes on what I would do differently:

Thicker slices of potatoes, if I were to do potatoes again at all. I bought a bag of potatoes today so I thought I'd try it. They were tasty, but they made the breading more moist than I would have liked. At least, I think it was the potatoes.

I almost bought turkey milanese because the cuts were thinner. If I do that next time, I think I'll check them after about 20 minutes.

I will definitely fix this again! It was very yummy. Buddy even conceded that it "wasn't too bad". And he hates everything but fish sticks these days!!!

Photos of the Redux

2009-12-27T04:16:24Z

Here are pictures, as promised.

New look for the guest room.

New color for Princess' room.

Purple curtains!

More to come as it happens! Keep the suggestions for the border coming! I'm loving the creativity!!!

What I did today . . .

2009-12-27T02:10:01Z

23:39 Just got creamed in a game of Monopoly by my hubby. I should have played Monopoly with him before marriage. He's ruthless! #
12:27 @justgina That's priceless! Although I must speak to X about those boots. #
12:29 Christmas with a 6 year old boy = LOTS of Legos. Lots. Tons. I mean . . . that's a lotta Legos. #
16:08 @fourwall BOTH! I'm a Texas girl! ;-) #
16:08 @dailycoyote Oh my. Sounds wonderful! #
16:09 Used some Christmas money to shop today. Gettin' excited about upcoming projects! #
18:26 The best part about gingerbread houses? According to Buddy, it's smashing them with a meat tenderizer mallet. #

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Post-Christmas Re-Vamp

2009-12-27T00:27:14Z

We're using the money my parents gave us for Christmas to do some much needed things around the house. Today we got new bedding for the guest room. I think that was warranted, seeing as how the bedspread on the bed is older than our marriage.

We also got paint and new curtains for Princess' room. Last summer we changed her bedding, but didn't make it to the walls and window treatments. So she has had to live with a mish-mash of ladybugs (old) and cute stripes and polka dots (new). The new color scheme is cornflower, lime, teal and purple. No more pink allowed. ;-) I think I'm the most excited about the curtains. They are black out curtains that also reduce outside noise and insulate the room against drafts. PERFECT for Princess' room. Her window doesn't fit as well as it should, so it's pretty drafty and rattles when the wind picks up. Hopefully these curtains will help with the noise and the chill/heat coming in until we can invest in that major repair. And they are a beautiful purple color that matches the stripe in her comforter! Score!

My idea for Princess' room is to put up cork at chair rail height. That way she can display her art work, school work, notices, etc. without poking holes in the walls. Right now she has a wallpaper border at that height - green paint above and pink paint below. We're going to keep the green (it's in the color scheme) and paint the pink over with a cornflower. The problem I'm having with my Cork Plan is that cork is kind of expensive. We will probably be able to put cork intermittently around the walls, but not continuously. So now my dilemma is what to do with the transition from blue to green. Anyone have any ideas?!?!? I thought about putting a couple of stripes to mimic the bedding, but that would be a LOT of masking tape and a LOT of work. It's not that Princess isn't worth it, but she's only gone until Wednesday (she went home for a visit with my parents) so I'm kind of in a time crunch. So . . . again, ideas are welcome!

I'll be posting pictures of our before and afters. Stay tuned!!!

What I did today . . .

2009-12-26T02:10:02Z

22:21 @RachelFineMusic Haven't done that! Our holiday staple is hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps. #
22:23 FINALLY! We found White Christmas on TV. That was the only thing missing this season. Now I can declare that it's Christmas! #
22:29 One of the best numbers in movie-dom: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YhTKiFEMAg #
08:55 Merry Christmas everyone! Happy birthday to Jesus! Thank you, Lord, for sending us the Greatest Gift of ALL!!!!! #
19:50 Watching "Home Alone" and Buddy is really digging it. Go figure! ;-) #

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What I did today . . .

2009-12-25T02:10:00Z

21:11 Just got back from 37th St. Big letdown this year. Is the tradition dying? Anyone know what's up? #
21:13 @justgina Decorator icing - 1 1/2 cups Crisco, 2 lbs powdered sugar and enough milk for the consistency you want. #
08:52 @rainnwilson Watching the Ghost Hunters marathon. #
08:52 @justgina Pictures!!! #
09:51 Christmas Eve gift!!!!! #
15:35 @djnst Woah. Great list! I'm trying to get my folks here to watch District 9 with me. Kind of a tough sell! But I loved it!!! #
15:36 Watching "Elf" and enjoying a fire in the fireplace. Conserving energy for the madness that will come!!! ;-) #

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