And....I'm back!

Craving: My computer screen and flickr pictures to update my blog!

Had a little blogging hiatus.
Last weekend Charlie had a bachelor party weekend with guys from out of town, and then he left for Alabama on Friday, so last week was spent:
a) cleaning after the bachelor party
b) getting loose ends ready for the AL trip.

Then, this weekend, my mom and I drove to LA to go to my very good friend and "big sister" Emily's baby shower. I posted about Em's creative belly pics the other day, and hope it inspired some creativity!

I will catch up in short(er) posts than one long one, but for now, this is what's been going on.

Last Thursday: I surprised Charlie after having worked SO hard and having no time to spend together with a date to Ferraros, the amazing Italian restaurant where we had our first date. I even put my extensions in for the night! We asked our waiter to snap our picture and this is what we got:


Funny flash and Charlie looks like hes about to get out of his seat. Oh well.

Friday - guys arrived. Bachelor party, aka, not enough hours to clean the house since I am ocd and there were like 6 guys here.
The good news? I had to keep myself occupied so I finished my wreath! Are you excited to see the pictures of it all hung up and pretty on my door? Here's a preview of the finished product:

Saturday and Sunday were bunco and Jaren's baby shower which I told you all about.

Later on Sunday my mom and I went to the park for a celebration of "Shavuot" which is a Jewish holiday I like to refer to as "the cheesecake holiday".

We were late because of the shower but here is a lot of mostly eaten dairy food - blintzes and bourekas and cheeses and just lots of cheesy goodness. I will post about Shavuot and the holiday's meaning soon.

Charlie's friend Paul stayed an extra day and gave Odge, my grey dog, a lovely mohawk. Look forward to a post coming soon titled "Paul Calhoun: Future test pilot? No, future dog stylist.

What did I do during the week, besides last minute stuff for the trip to Al?

Well, I decided to go deposit all this foreign money Charlie had laying around. I figured most of it would be expired because of the Euro, but you know what was accepted? Croatian money! That's right! It was worth about $6, score!


Also had some loved ones' birthdays:
May 31: My sister who is 25 (weird how my little sister is now older than I am since I am still 24.....)
May 31: Emily, my "big sister"
June 2: Katy, one of my best friends and bridesmaids
June 2: Sarah, Charlie's sister, who I can't wait to see in Alabama!

Below is me and Katy at the yard house (with some round of guy that paid for the round of drinks we ordered, so we allowed him to be in our picture).


Saturday, my mom and I drove out to Ventura County. We went to a restaurant and met about a dozen of Emily's friends for her birthday celebration and then today we went to her amazing baby shower. I will post about it all later but will leave you with this picture. Her sister in law did all the decor from scratch, including cake pop "trees" - she even baked the cake pops!!!


Okay actually I lied, I will leave you with this picture: me and Shayna!

I'm showing her a picture of the last time I saw her, over a year ago.

See you soon with all my updates :-)

Wreath-spiration

Here is my neighbor's wreath as promised. I replicated this and will post pictures when they are both done (I have one complete and two clay pots of flowers ready). Mine are red/white/blue for the summer holidays!

If you like this let me know and I can make you similar ones with whatever colors you like!




This is a picture of all of it - I took it on my iPhone so the wreaths aren't clear but I wanted you to have the full effect.

Happy Wreathing!

Rest of the weekend part 2: Smoothies, Winco, and Cooking!

Cravings: Healthy smoothies, homemade wreaths, bulk foods, and cooking!
Fact: Did you know that you can toss in spinach or kale to most smoothies and not even taste it? You can also add in herbs like parsley or mint that give it a great flavor. Adding a touch of citrus like lime, or even grating up some ginger into it gives it that touch of oomph it may be missing!

On Saturday morning Katy came over for a walk. I decided to make a spinach smoothie drink. I used two big handfulls of fresh spinach, one can of pineapple chunks with the juice, half of a yellow pepper, half of an avocado (I was out of bananas and wanted some creaminess), about 1/4 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and a dash of agave nectar, and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Yes I realize my shirt is brighter than my smoothie. But I love it!

Katy and I went for a walk in my neighborhood, and I decided to stop at the last house I pass almost every day, and ask how she made her wreaths. They are absolutely beautiful. Katy was mortified, but the Israeli in me decided to just knock and ask! So glad I did because she showed us her collection and how easy it was to make them. When I make them, I'll post the tutorial.

Later that day, I went with my mom to Winco. I highly recommend people check this out! A few things to note.
1. They do not accept credit cards, only debit cards.
2. It is HUGE. I mean Costco size massive.
3. The butchery and deli will really do anything for you. Find a block of cheese you like? Take it over there for slicing. Find the perfect meat you want but it's not cubed just right? Take it over and they'll do it. No extra charge.
4. They have the most incredible bulk selection. I was in Heaven.


They had rows and rows of this. Flours, nuts, seeds, rices, pastas, candies, etc!

I had two great finds.
1. Short grain brown rice. Why is this so great you ask? Well, risotto is made from short grain rice. I have been searching for short grain brown rice ever since I watched an Alton Brown Good Eat's episode that featured it. I didn't need it so desperately as to search online, so I never used it. Later I will feature my brown rice risotto recipe.
2. Whole wheat bread flour. I did not know this existed!! Bread flour is what makes the "oh my g-d" cookies so amazing! Whole wheat bread flour? Trying this as soon as there is room in our tummies.


I didn't need any spices but know where to go next time I do!

They even had some bulk goodies for your furry best friend:


Over the next two days I cooked the beet gnocchi I had previously prepared with some vodka sauce and shredded turkey (foster farms turkey breast in the slow cooker with one bottle of beer). I alo made

Brown rice risotto:


Chili (with the green chilis the Mountains left for us)


Avocado based pudding:


And a few other random things that I forgot to snap pictures of. I made mom a yummy grilled cheese combining fresh mozzarella from Costco and the sliced one I got at Winco. Also, I found a new cereal and we already finished the box - chocolate chex!

One of Charlie's best friends Mark came to visit because he has a convention here that he comes for each year (wow I cannot believe it's been a year since the last time he was here!). We enjoyed a dinner and I enjoyed a glass of red wine that I really enjoyed. I photographed it so I'd remember when I want to buy it again. Knowing me, this bottle will stay on the counter with one glass gone for about 2 weeks before I realize it's gone bad! I must remember to enjoy a glass of wine soon!


Last picture to share: on a walk on Sunday we ran into this lady. I got so excited since Eden's favorite dogs have always been shnauzers. I hope it was a sign that I'll see her again soon!



I finally worked out again after a short hiatus (2 mile run, in intervals, again not much but better than nothing), and am off to go see a chic flick with my fellow 18th RS spouse friend Alison. I love me some Jason Segel!

Bachelorette tonight! Prediction is still Arie!

Pizza success (and laughing so hard you may tinkle)

Pizza was a success! I made two different kinds, both Vegan. The crust was REALLY good, although next time I would like to add one more tsp of salt and one tablespoon of honey. I'll post the recipe after this in a separate post.

I rolled it out into two smaller pies, and baked it for about 20 minutes at 425 degrees.


Pie number 1: Onions caramelized in balsamic and zaatar, topped withs sliced tomatoes. I added the avocado the last 2 minutes.



Pie number 2. Not as visually appealing. Caramelized onions with sliced pear and "vegan" mozzarella cheese. I usually would use fresh mozzarella but I made this at my parents house.


Oh! Their neighbor brought sushi and I ate about 4-5 pieces. It was SO GOOD! I asked her if I could come over and have her teach me and she said she'd be glad to.


Here is some of the food from last night:


Adina made a salad, and then a platter with different salad toppings - it had jicama and just awesome things. It was such a cute idea and I am definitely replicating it. I really want to do the same thing but almost like a "seder plate" style, where the different salad mix-ins are in small little dishes.

Here is Maya, the Sal's youngest, with Maya, our youngest:


I went over to Jaren's after dinner with Jessi and she was hanging up her American flag wreath since her husband comes back from deployment this Wednesday:


Clara's new favorite thing is playing with credit cards from your wallet, so I cleaned mine out and brought her a bunch of cards. I also brought her my license that expired forever ago - Clara has a fake id! She was SO happy to get her presents and every few minutes would turn to me and smile and hold one up and say "presents"!




We then made signs, aka Jaren made a sign for Clara (yes there was a joke about why wasn't Clara doing this, 2 year olds these days), Jessi made a work of art for Joe (who comes back in 3 weeks) and I sat on the couch and drank a coke zero and a bag of bugles. I actually did help out by getting different things so Jaren didn't have to get up. Poor thing couldn't lay on her belly to work on the poster. I have quite a hilarious picture of her attempting to but I will not post.

Last night was definitely reminiscent of making signs for big/little week during my sorority days. It really felt like I was with old friends and we could not stop laughing. When a pregnant woman thinks she may pee herself laughing its not that big a deal, but when I almost do, it means you're having a good time!

Jaren will probably kill me but I had to snap a pic of her at one point because her face was bright red from laughing. I don't think you can tell in this pic, but trust me it was.


Hope you all had a weekend that made you laugh so hard you thought you'd pee yourself!

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning has been going on. And by that I mean I spent many hours attempting a wreath and about one cleaning. Charlie did drain the pool:


Apparently you're supposed to do this every like, 8 years, and the prior owners hadn't done it once. So we rented a pool pump/drain (no idea what it's called) and did it.

Doggies, don't fall in!

They don't seem too interested. (whoa, I almost typed to instead of too).

Last night while eating a batch of fresh kale chips (literally off of the pan I made them on) I had the idea to keep the pool empty since we will be in Alabama for June and July, so we could save a huge water bill! My mom and Katy were over but since my mom was sharing the kale chips with me and Katy hadn't dug in yet, I made Katy e-mail Charlie from my mom's computer. The e-mail said something like: Hey sweety, I have an idea, why don't we keep the pool empty until we're back and save a huge water bill? By the way, what the HECK is all the stuff in the gym room?"

Well let me show you what I found in the gym room, interspersed througout granola bar wrappers, silverware, and paperwork:

It was NOT in the laundry basket, just all over there. I guess I did do spring cleaning beyond the hour of organization. When my mom saw it she asked if I was sure I wanted to marry him. What a ridiculous question. I just need to make sure to go in there more often to clean it. If I don't go into the office for two days it looks like a frat house.

I forgot to take a picture of the kale chips but it was super easy and delicious. I literally just took precut kale, put it on a sheet pan with about a tbs of olive oil, then took a lemon wedge and sprinkled it, a tiny salt, and fresh parmesan cheese. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes (although I think next time I"ll do 15 minutes). I don't usually do parmesan but the Moutnains left me some when they left.

I also roasted brocolli and brussel sprouts in some balsamic and olive oil. Katy and I ate almost the whole batch for dinner. I was STUFFED off of vegetables.



This was already dug into. You don't use etiquette at the Maddox household, just dig on in!

The living room (and kitchen area) is a wreck because I am organizing everything. Mom came over to help but first we ran to hobby lobby to get the finishing items for my wreath (almost done!!!!). Mom had an MRI done and she did not have a tear which is good and bad. Good because it's not a tear, bad because there's no surgical solution. Just needs to endure the calcium until it dissipates.

We sat her down on the couch with a heating pad and Katy and I started working on the bookshelves in the living room. Katy and I both have one of our degrees in psychology (my other is math and her other is premed I think), and we were laughing because we were like mice that go and do something inefficiently several times before realizing what the quickest route is. We kept going around behind a couch side table before realizing we could go the other way (duh!), before realizing we could just move the original side table! We have lots more to do and she's coming over soon to finish the job.

Charlie came home from work early and he kissed me hello and proclaimed "you smell like kale" and I proclaimed "you smell like alcohol". Thank GOODNESS he went out and had a little fun (I know he only had one drink but still!). He has been working nonstop and so he and Rob went and had a drink after work. He seriously comes home most nights and this is what happens:

This is from a couple nights ago. Odge loves his daddy and his favorite spot is to crawl on top of your legs right in the crack between them.

So if you're wondering why on earth the wreath is taking so long, ask yourself: would you be able to work on it when this little bubba crawls right in?

Mom can I sit there?

I looked over to Charlie to help me but Maya was taking all his attention:

(notice the ladder in the background? For our bookshelves)


The dogs nicknames have changed to Lazy, Stubborn, and Annoying. Can you guess who is who?

Lee - help me out here, get up!


No mommy I'm comfortable. Go watch Big Bang Theory.

I guess I'll finish the wreath another day.

Yarn balls and crows feet

Two nights ago I decided to make a rosemary focacia pizza crust. I had a tomato pesto and then I had random cheeses left over, which is why this pizza looks so.....creative?

The mozzarella (white closest to camera) was my favorite.

Katy came over bc I hadn't seen her since she started her new job with the RRA's. She had an interview for a cocktail waitress position to earn extra cash until all her licencing came through. So I am wearing short blue shorts, a baggy white tank top, and Katy comes over wearing....Katy clothes. She wouldn't just let me snap a pic so she took one posing with Lee-kles.



We then proceeded to eat dinner on the couch while watching jeapordy and making yarn balls. In our awesome outfits.

Yes, rolling yarn balls.


Katy do you know the jeapordy answer?

We watched teen week and actually knew most of the answers. And I even knew final jeapordy. I never know final jeapordy. So happy. We always know the math and food questions. Of course.


My finished product. Yes, I mean the yarn ball. I know the finished product should be the wreath. I am special.

I did finish all the felt flowers!


When Katy left I started rolling the yarn onto the wreath but my thumb hurt from the swing incident so I stopped and cuddled the bubbas instead. Odge has been scared of the dog door (what a freaking weird dog). He'll stand there barking. I have learned that if I send Maya out the door, she'll sniff him and walk back to the door and he follows her in. I was about to go send Maya out, when Lee just jumped out and went to get him! So freaking cute.


Don't worry Mommy, I went and saved Odge.


Aww Lee-kles, thank you, I love you!

Also, I am beginning to see smile lines aka crows feet! Don't believe me?


Scrunch!

(sad)

Random things I've been upto

Random things I've been up to in no particular order (seriously, some of these are from January).


Hugging one of my favorite Shaynas! (end of April 2012)


Helping some doggies find forever homes with Rose. (mid April 2012)


Making my own Indian dishes. Loosely based off of My little sis Caroline's recipe. Let me say, quitting my job has made me quite the housewife (as if I wasn't before). Charlie's not complaining. (mid april 2012)


Hanging out w/some lovely ladies making crafts. (wreath pictures to come, although it's not complete yet!) (end of april 2012)


Making kale chips. And Juice. I loved it. Charlie said it tasted like grass. I guess I didnt' put enough fruit in for his taste. (March 2012)





Spending time w/my savta (who is 90) and Charlie in Israel.



Updating pictures on instagram from me and Charlie's first date. Yes he took me on a hellicopter ride.  No he did not fly it.


Opening (and LOVING) presents from our engagement party.




Playing at Duty free. Guess which one came home with me and which one came home with mom? (end of march 2012)


Donating blood and loving the fact taht the tape matched our outfits perfectly! (March 2012)


Hanging out w/my two Vegas bridesmaids.