i had a spot on my bedroom

wall that needed something.  One day last week it hit me.  Duh... I have photographs.  I am very pleased with the results.  Here are the prints I have hanging now.

 

 

The first one is New York and the second is Boston.

it's a dirty job but

someone's got to do it.  I promised Cosme I'd bake this cake.

 

This isn't one of those cakes that was at every family function as a kid but it's been around.  I called Mom last year and told her I needed this recipe.  Little did I know it was in one of the cookbooks I "inherited" from my grandmother.  (Okay, I didn't actually inherit the cookbook.  I took the thing.  Walked into the kitchen, picked it up and took it.  I didn't do anything wrong.  It's not like she was using it.)  Anyway, back to my post.  It was one of my grandmother's cookbooks, is dated 1968 and is in great condition.  Mom has one and I always liked it.  I didn't know what was in it but I liked the cover as a kid and I know Mom has always used it.  (I think most girls can relate, right?)  So last year or so I took Dodo's copy because I've always wanted it.  I've used it a couple of times.  Most recently, I used it yesterday and today to make this chocolate cake.  When I finished with it today I noticed that the once near-perfect pages with the chocolate cake recipe are now curled at the edges.

 

The once white pages are now speckled with chocolate and powdered sugar.

 

How is it my grandmother kept this cookbook nice and neat for 40 years but when I make one recipe a few times it's scarred?  It doesn't bother me.  I actually think a cookbook is supposed to be stained and worn... but I've had the thing about a year and have done more damage than she did in 40.  Oh well, maybe I need to actually try recipes on other pages.

NOTE: I know it probably sounds inconsiderate of me to go in and take the cookbook but look... I'm the oldest granddaughter and there are only two other granddaughters.  Since our mothers each have the same book, they will eventually get their own copy.  They're younger so they can wait.  Totally makes sense to me.

i never pay much attention

to the Olympics but there sure seems to be a lot of drama and tragedy surrounding it this time around.  Is it just me?  Every time I get online the headlines talk about some controversy, an accident or death.  Hmm.  Maybe I should start watching that instead of The Real Housewives.  Or... maybe not. 

I still don't have much to post.  Remember yesterday?  The cake?  The pictures?  Dinner?  Yeah, well, same goes for today.  I dropped the cake off yesterday then Cosme came in here wanting a piece.  So next up on the agenda: chocolate sheet cake.  We rescheduled the pictures from yesterday for today so that will happen shortly.  As far as dinner goes, tonight will be arroz con pollo.  On the plus side, the headache is not near as bad.  I could take some of my non-drowsy sinus/allergy headache medicine but even half a dose knocks me out.

Okay, enough chit chat.  I'm getting back to work.

man, i'm really

slacking as far as blog posts go.  I have a lot going on but it's nothing exciting.  I've just been pretty busy.  For example, I need to get a cake baked within the next couple of hours before I run and take pictures before I can hurry back to get the cake delivered before I come home and make dinner.  To top it all off, I have a headache.  I just read that and it's making my head hurt a little more.  Sheesh.  I better get busy... again.

happy birthday to

Cindy!  Here are a few pictures I want to share.

Here she is with Lloyd in what is now Jake's front yard.

 

Smiling for the camera... while Dad is probably pleading for something other than a lederhosen to wear.

 

It looks like Dodo always had Cindy and Dad dressed up and ready for a camera.  I'm surprised they never rebelled.

 

Oh wait... maybe I was wrong.  Nice overalls!

 

(In my best overdone Southern accent) Well I do declare, Miss Cindy looks down right charming.  I'm sure she was the belle of the ball.

 

Here are Cindy and Lisa in 1980 partying it up with Bum Phillips.

 

I think she might already have a couple of these on Facebook but don't worry.  There are plenty more for next year!

i was really starting to

feel bad because it's been three days since my last post.  Then I looked down at my friends and family list of blogs... 1 week since a post isn't too bad.  I understand people get busy.  But Lauren, seriously.  Two months?

yesterday i told

Lauren about a salad I was making for dinner.  She thought it sounded good so I wanted to post a picture and show her how it looked.  This was after we ate so a lot of the peppers are gone.

 

I don't like cucumbers or tomatoes but I really liked everything else about it.  It had a good flavor.  Kroger didn't have ficelle so I bought a baguette.  The peppers, onions and bread were all grilled but tossed with the other ingredients.  

Oh, I realized yesterday afternoon that while I was outside grilling in my sunny, high temp of 69 degrees, Lauren was out shopping with snow piled everywhere with a temp of (according to my iPod) 39 degrees.  That's crazy considering we're just a few hours away from each other.  I might grill again today...just because I can.

happy birthday to

Jake!  Look what all I've found.

Aww, happy little baby with two front teeth.  Too cute.

 

I like this one.  Poppie is opening a birthday present and Lauren is totally fascinated with what he has.  She's not paying any attention to Jake who is fascinated with what she has...and is stealing it.  It's probably the camouflage that threw her off.  She never saw him coming.

 

Attack of the playful puppy.

 

 Fourth of July, maybe?  Cindy will have to answer that one.  I'm just going by the lawn chair and the fact that they're sitting out in the dark.  I could be wrong.

  

 Cheesing it up - big time.

 

I love doing this.  Next week I get to do Cindy's post.  Get ready.

yesterday was

Mom and Dad's anniversary.  I didn't post anything because I forgot about this picture.  Going through all the old pictures, I don't find many of Mom and Dad alone.  Most have me in them and the rest are of Mom or Dad... with me or Lauren.  I forgot about this one in Grandma's album though.  Maybe a prom picture?

I'm sure I don't need to ask where they went for dinner last night because Mom sent me a picture earlier in the day of their snow covered yard and street.  I'd think going out for dinner would surely be postponed.  Who wants to get out in snow?  Yuck.  Oh well, I guess they'll just have to make up for it by taking another cruise or going somewhere tropical.

during his down time

Eric and I watched a movie.

He knew I saw it and liked it when I was a kid so he dvr'd it.  I think he deleted it as soon as it was over.  He wasn't impressed.  Cosme walked in about halfway through and spent the rest of the movie trying to figure out why we were watching it.  I'll admit it's cheesy but I sure loved it when I was six.

this post should actually

come after the following post but Blogger does it like this.  So here's my post that should be read after the next one.

TA-DAH!

I conquered the yeast.  Above are two of the "cakes" fresh out of the oven.  They might look small but they're about a foot long and four to five inches wide.  The next picture is one we've already eaten half of.

Since we are trying to eat healthier, I'm only keeping one for the house and it is one I made a little smaller for that reason.  I'll probably take the other three up to the KC Hall tonight to see if they can be sold with the cakes at Bingo.  If not, well, I just don't know.  Oh, and in case you're wondering whether or not it made Eric feel any better... no.  He doesn't really care for them.  More for Cosme and me.  Score.

i know what she's thinking

"Melanie has been waiting at least a week for a clear day to head to the beach. Staring out this door, I can't, for the life of me, figure out why she hasn't left yet."

Okay, maybe she isn't thinking anywhere along those lines but I surely did. I checked my iPod this morning and we're supposed to have partial sun today. Let me just say there are bigger things brewing on the home front. I've had dough sitting in the refrigerator overnight. I'm making a cream cheese coffee cake this morning. Well, actually I'm making four because that's how many the recipe makes and also, I don't really consider it a cake. Imagine a giant cream cheese kolache but rolled up jellyroll fashion, almost like cream cheese in a blanket... with icing drizzled on top. That's what's going down this morning - assuming my rare attempt at working with yeast isn't a total fail. Besides, I can take the car out anytime I feel like it. Eric stayed home again today. He's still not feeling well. He's got a "cough due to cold". (I'm quoting Forrest Gump, not the doctor.) I'm taking Chris Rock's advice and giving him Robitussin. If you aren't sure what I'm referring to, watch it.  (It's on YouTube) His fever broke yesterday evening but last night got a little weird. He had bumps all over his arm. It was only his left arm and it looked like mosquito bites. I grabbed the alcohol and some ointment we had to get after he had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic last year.  This morning the bites/bumps are gone but he still isn't feeling well.  Maybe my cream cheese coffee cake will help him feel a little better.  Only one way to find out.  I'm off to mix my filling.

once again i planned

on showing up at the beach ready to catch the morning sun.  I tuned into the news at 6:00 to make sure it wasn't going to be a gloomy day.  It was.  I decided not to go out and got started on laundry.  Guess what.  The sun was up.  Well, now it's going away but still... I would have had plenty of time.  Whatever.  It's frustrating.

We actually watched the Superbowl yesterday.  A few weeks ago I wanted the Saints to win so that Brett Favre wouldn't go to the Superbowl.  (Can we have a quick reflection?  When he pulled that last minute crap on the Cowboys it was defended as "taking care of business" but when it backfired on him against the Saints it cost him the Superbowl.  Karma at its finest.)  Anyway... Yesterday I wanted the Saints to win because a) they were playing against a team with a Manning and b) I figured since they eliminated Favre, I owed them that much.  I'm glad the Saints won, but it should have been the Cowboys.

 

  

i don't make a lot

of casseroles.  I'm okay with them some of them but Cosme pretty much hates them.  Then along came the casserole I mentioned yesterday.  I had my doubts and was figuring out a backup plan but guess what... we liked it.  Let me rephrase that.  Cosme and I liked it.  Eric didn't.

I told Eric if he were hunting and they served this he'd eat it.  He agreed and reminded me that he wasn't hunting.  Here's where the magic happens.  Cosme told Eric to eat it if he didn't want me driving him to school every day.  Presto.  One serving of casserole and approximately 2 TBS of ketchup later, the plate was empty.  I love how that works.  I can't wait to start using it ALL the time.

wouldn't you know

I stayed inside yesterday because of the rain so I made plans to head to the beach first thing this morning to catch the morning sun.  (For my camera, not a tan.)  Didn't happen.  The clouds decided to stick around.  Oh well...

On another note, I'm going through an "eat healthier" phase again.  Eric hates it.  I found a website I've been trying low calorie recipes from.  The night before last I made their Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Vegetables.  Today I'm making King Ranch Casserole.  I had my doubts because instead of using all the cans of soup, you create a mixture.  One of the ingredients is yogurt.  I'm not a fan of yogurt, but when it's mixed with tomatoes, chili powder, oregano and cumin? (blgh)  I had to try it before I assembled the casserole and it's actually pretty good.  We'll see how the final product turns out.

it rained today so i stayed

inside.  While inside, I was trying things out and experimenting on my only willing subjects.