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Monday, April 30, 2012

Weekend, recap


This last weekend of April was filled with family, classic movies, engagement pictures, and a nine year-old's birthday party (who, yes, got an air b.b. gun from Mimi and Pop). Even the adults had fun shooting until we realized that we had to pick up all of the pellets ha! I also finally got a manicure and pedicure that was promptly ruined by my new shoes. Bummer. Happy Birthday, M!



Friday, April 27, 2012

TGIF


We are getting our engagement pictures taken this weekend which I am so excited about! We also have a wedding, a nine year-old's birthday party, and perhaps a meal or two thrown in the mix. It's gonna be rockin'.

P.S. Happy 21st Birthday, Le! Don't do anything we wouldn't do.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Home

{one of our flower girls}

Every few months I have the insatiable desire to get out of town and just go home. There is something so therapeutic about my old bed in my old room surrounded by pictures of long lost friends and memorabilia from days gone by. Even though we have family in town, there's just something about Wichita Falls (and a home cooked meal) that nothing else can fill. Huynh's bachelor party is coming up so I think I am going to take advantage of the alone time and head north. Family time just has that way of rejuvenating your soul.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Strawberry-Peach Popsicles


I was craving summer the other day so I whipped up some popsicles that were surprisingly quick to make (minus the whole "waiting for it to freeze"). All it took were some frozen strawberries, frozen peaches, lime juice, ice, and Splenda and I had a low fat, incredibly refreshing, and light dessert that proved to be the perfect accompaniment to my Brothers and Sisters marathon. Now all I need are some more fun molds.




Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Reading lately*


*Or next on my "to read" list. Also, to be fair, I read a couple of chapters of Steve Jobs' book only to put it down and pick up another. It's a lot to take in one sitting (much like Benjamin Franklin and Einstein). Mindy Kaling's book is as hilarious as one expects; Fifty Shades of Grey really is mommy porn. Great. Now I'm blushing.




Monday, April 23, 2012

Weekend, recap


This weekend was bad for all the right reasons. Friday, while it was pouring rain in Houston, we loaded up the car after work and drove to Lake Charles for a night of gambling festivities to celebrate Duc's dirty thirty. We grossly lost, of course. We broke a New Year's resolution and drove through Checker's on our way home Saturday afternoon. It never fails; on road trips, Huynh and I will stop here and grab a burger. So. Good. We were equally as worthless on Sunday while watching Brothers & Sisters and eating crawfish. 

Sometimes you just need one of those weekends.


Friday, April 20, 2012

Running


We are exercising more and more lately. It's been a rather refreshing change of pace (no pun intended) that I hope keeps up with us. Part driven by the wedding, part driven by just trying to get healthier, we are slowly fulfilling our New Year's resolutions (and it does count for training for the half marathon!).

You would run too if this was your view. It's all the motivation I need. Have a good weekend.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Linguine With Shrimp, Artichokes, and Crispy Bread Crumbs


I'm on a pasta kick this week. I followed this recipe exactly and it turned out absolutely delicious - even down to the bread crumb topping. I'm not sure Huynh was sold on the idea of having pasta with such minimal toppings but after he added an ample amount of Sriracha, he was set. Nothing a little spice couldn't fix.


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Spaghetti Sauce


This spaghetti sauce is home to me. Shamelessly stolen from my mom and adapted, the smell of this on the stove transports me back in time when we would come home from church on Sundays and sit at my parent's kitchen table (I always got the head seat) ready to eat together as a family. My mom spoiled me to having spaghetti any other way than meaty and full of flavor not derived from excess tomato sauce. Great for leftovers, we can munch on this all week.

Spaghetti Sauce
adapted from my mom

Ingredients
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce
4-oz can mushrooms, in liquid
1 can marinated artichokes, in liquid
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup water

Preparation
1. Brown onion, beef, and turkey with garlic.
2. Add other ingredients.
3. Simmer uncovered for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf and serve over spaghetti.


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Color Personality


Better Homes and Garden (take the quiz here) put out an excellent time spender that I snuck in at work last week. Rather surprising was my color personality. I actually love yellow but have a tough time decorating with it and more often than not, stick to classic blues when I need to inject color in my grey house.

Not surprising, however, was my answer to question four.


Monday, April 16, 2012

Weekend, recap



















I was trigger happy with the camera this weekend and it shows! We crammed so much into three short days (not pictured? I went to the grocery store twice; Huynh golfed twice). Let's do this.

Huynh made us a photobooth word bubble prop this weekend! We had the wood on hand, so after a run to buy chalkboard spray paint, we were set. It motivated me to run to Hobby Lobby to make the rest of the props only to be bombarded with Fourth of July decor. In April. I read a lot about the Paleo Diet but not quite sure I can give up on dairy. Our I <3 U freak flag is still flying strong, two+ months later. Best purchase ever.

Friday night, we went out in Montrose for a tour of apps and beer at some random joints. I paid for it on Saturday but it was so much fun! Meagan came out and gave me (us) the best engagement gift - a dish to hold my ring in! I love it - and it's in our wedding colors!!

I found this cookbook that I seriously considered buying - not only do I have a weakness for books in general, but I have a major weakness for cookbooks - but decided to put it back on the shelf for now. It will make it into my home eventually. We took advantage of a break in the rainstorms and fired up the grill for some ribs, chicken, and asparagus - all under the pretense of leftovers (which there are plenty). I tried new marinades for both (ribs, chicken) and each was a success! The asparagus was simply coated with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and grilled for 5-7 minutes. Even Gatsby approved.

While I was out, I also picked up A Streetcar Named Desire and Labyrinth. Couldn't resist. We watched Labyrinth while I made cookies - I had all the ingredients on hand! - which added it along with The Iron Lady to my thirty list. xoxo.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Nothing


Zilch. Zero. Nada. We don't have anything this weekend and I could not be more excited. We've been two weekends away from cuddling our puppy - who begs exactly like that - so I look forward to nuzzling him and relishing in his stinky dog breath. I am, however, on a mission to get the master bedroom back under control which includes touch up paint and unpacking our bags from Easter weekend but even then, relaxation is the name of the game. Enjoy.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Camera lust


I bought my current digital point-and-shoot camera eight years ago with a credit card that I secretly got when I was in college, jobless, and had no means to pay it off (Why yes, Suze, I have learned my lesson). I did no research, I just loved that it was red - okay, it was maroon - and a Canon so I was easily swayed and sold. I'm pretty sure before then I was still using my Canon Rebel SLR (notice the lack of the preceding "D"; didn't realize you could still buy it!) and getting prints made at my local Wolf Camera Store - it had to have the white frame around each print, obviously. 

My little eight-year-old digital point-and-shoot camera was a good camera until lately when it just decided it was time to cease working faulted in part to it being an antique and part to being just plan worn out (10,000+ pictures, thankyouverymuch). Not only was the megapixel less than one, it was becoming more and more noticeably delayed when attempting to capture the moment. 

I had begun to exclusively use my Canon Rebel Ti which while amazing at taking pictures, was not amazing at fitting inside the purse. Top that with a little question Huynh posed the other day, "Are we going to risk taking the DSLR camera to Ireland?", got me to thinking about the necessity of a new point-and-shoot and the joys associated with actually taking the time to research a camera and choose one not based solely on color. Ladies and gents, I believe I have found said camera. Let the penny saving begin.

P.S. Yes, we are going to take the DSLR to Ireland along with a point-and-shoot. It would be a sacrilege to go to the Cliffs of Moher and not have an amazing camera to attempt to capture such beauty though our point-and-shoot will be the main one we use and the only one we ask strangers to take our picture with (when we aren't using this).

P.S.S. This is totally happening right now.