Archive | October, 2009

Parenting Lessons

31 Oct

My sister and I watched my niece, Sophia on Saturday.  Our first stop was for pedicures.  Sophia did a great job sitting on my sister’s lap eating a granola bar.  I tried to maintain my composure as I watched bits of granola fall down into the foot bath.  Granola is good for the skin, right?   Sophia’s turn for polish soon arrived.  The nail lady carried Sophia to a chair where she painted her toes pink.  This color was similar to the shade my face turned when Sophia sneezed on the nail lady, twice.

Parenting lesson #1:  Feed children snacks before entering the public.

Parenting lesson #2:  Leave children with sniffles and sneezes at home.

My stomach started to grumble because my half of the granola bar was now working its way down the nail salon drain.  I had the brilliant idea of going to a new Mexican restaurant, El Amigo.  My sister obliged, put Sophia in her car seat that was soaked from an entire bottle of water Sophia had spilled earlier that day.  Water and Sophia don’t mix, I later learned.
We made it to El Amigo.  Only they are now referring to us as Los Diablos.  Our server brought us all our drinks, including a child size water with a lid and straw for Sophia.  Two sips in and the drink was on the ground, upside down, leaking a good size puddle.  After using all of the napkins at our table, the bus boy brought out a mop.  The chips were so delicious, I couldn’t stop eating them and Sophia couldn’t stop lying them flat on the table and smashing them with her tiny fist.

Boredom set in and Sophia was ready to check out the rest of the restaurant.  As she tried to wiggle by me, I gently grabbed her arm and asked her to go back to her set.  Out of her mouth came shrieks, “OW, OW, OW, my arm!  You’re hurting me!”.  I could feel my face once again turning bright red, feeling the dirty looks from the other patrons.  Auntie Brooke swooped up injured Sophia.  I gave Sophia the dirty eye and called her a faker.  In her loudest, angriest voice she yelled, “I’m nooot a faker”.

Parenting lesson #3:  Don’t take children to restaurants especially if they have not had a nap.

Parenting lesson #4:  Children will throw you under the bus at any moment.

Do you own any out of control children that like to embarrass you in public?

Rizzle

October 22, 2009

22 Oct

I usually loathe today.  But now I’m learning to embrace today.  For today is my birthday.

Here’s some nice things that helped me to have a Happy Birthday.

choccupcakes My sweet, sweet co-worker Julie made me an entire plate of the most ooey, gooey, chocolate, cream cheese cupcakes.  I ate 2 and have crumbs all over my keyboard to prove it.

cupcake2Pure heaven, I tell you!

My other sweet, thoughtful coworker, Kimberly, brought me a sweet card.  Then she so graciously took me to lunch where I enjoyed a salad (to try and makeup for my naughty, but delicious cupcake breakfast).

roses

Just before lunch, the nice man from facilities brought me a box.  And in this box were these roses.  Thank you, Kat Daddy.  I love you too!

Happy Birthday to me!

Rizzle

Minor setback…still losing hair

19 Oct

drive thruWho’d have thought my reception dinner plan would be the most popular venue!?  Just when I thought I was booking my wedding dinner way too far in advance, I was slapped in the face with a, “we’re sorry, we are booked for that evening”.  So discouraging!

Get this though…I joined the community of brides on The Knot, a website dedicated to wedding planning and beyond.  I posted my dilemma on a forum and BAM!  I received so much feedback on other great reception dinner options in Vegas.  I’m excited to check some of these out, but on the other hand I’m not holding my breath.  Las Vegas is a popular place to get married.  We may be going through the drive-thru at McDonald’s.

Lake Tahoe and Super Heros

19 Oct

Lake Tahoe is an amazing place.  Cute cabins freckle the ginormous mountains.

cabinThe breathtaking views are well, breathtaking.  And how do they keep that water so blue?…

tahoe viewObviously, from riding bikes instead of driving polluting cars.  I wonder if the action figures give this bike strength to climb the steep mountain roads?

3924851995_14e6ddbaaaIsn’t that little character stuck to the bike with electrical tape, cute?

bike action figures

This Christmas I’m asking Santa for a bike, action figures, and some electrical tape so I can be cool like the Tahoeian peoples.

XOXO

Rizzle

My Wedding Dress

17 Oct

Today I bought my wedding dress.

- It is pretty.

- I love that it is unique.

- I hope my wedding guests think it’s memorable.

- I like that there isn’t tons of fabric pooling around my body.

- I hope my wedding heels don’t poke a hole in the bottom of my dress.

-Finding undergarments for my dress may be difficult.

-I’m so proud of myself for making a decision.

-I’m no longer allowing myself to look at any other wedding dresses so I don’t change my mind.

-Only  11 months and 1 day until I get to wear my dress down the aisle.

-I hope my hair stops falling out from the stress wedding planning has caused.

Looking forward to becoming a Mrs.

XOXO,

Rizzle

Halloween Garland

17 Oct

I made a decoration for my fireplace.  Although, now it’s wadded up so it wouldn’t catch fire when we burnt a fire the other night.

Anyway, you can make your very own Halloween garland to say anything you like.  Such as “Boo” or “Happy Halloween”.  Since I like candy, I chose the famous Halloween saying, “Trick or Treat”.

Here’s how I did it.

First I spelled out TRICK OR TREAT using a font I thought was spooky and made it 20o so the letters would be nice and big.  I was going to print them out on colored card stock, but instead I was too lazy to run upstairs to fetch my paper.  So I printed them out on plain, old, white printer paper.

Then I used my handy-dandy Martha Stewart Circle Cutter.  I use my cutter all the time and highly recommend all crafters get one.  You can buy one here or here.  You could also use a round object, like a cup or bowl to trace and then cut out your letters.

Next I took an orange glittery gel pen and shadowed each letter with a little punch of color.  Try to ignore the lingering dermatitis on my left thumb and my right hand which could use some lotion.  It’s hard on the hands making crafts.  Ha!

coloring ATheennnn I cut out circles of orange and black paper slightly larger than my letter cut outs.  Once I was done with that, I used a glue stick to glue my letters to the colored paper.  On a side note, I was cleaning up my craft room the other night to find that I had murdered my glue stick. I inadvertently left the cap off.  Funeral services will be held today at 1 PM.  The good news is the glue stick came in a two pack.  Phew!

Letters madeLastly, I used a hole puncher to punch two holes about 1/4 of an inch away from each other at the top.  Then I strung yellow ribbon through the holes on each letter, stringing them to read TRICK OR TREAT, duh.  Not sure I had to mention that I strung them in any particular order.  But then again, I think this is a good reminder since you could end up with something like EATT RICK RROT.  I wonder what other phrases can come out of TRICK OR TREAT?

Here’s the finished product!  Send me a picture if you make one too!!

Fireplace side

XOXO

Rizzle

New Pajamas and Shoes

12 Oct

In an effort to replace the usual ratty t-shirt I wear to bed and the scary sweats,  I bought myself a new pajama shirt!  My old sexy pajama shirts are from various company picnics over the years.   Bleach stains adorn them in various areas and the collars are stretched out from endless use.  My most comfortable pair of terry cloth sweats from ummmmm, say 8 years ago, will be retired soon too.  That will be a sad day.  However, considering I often get the mail, take out the garbage cans and pick up the newspaper out of the driveway in my pajamas, I think some new duds for sleeping will be a kind gesture for all including the neighbors.

Oh, hey!  My shoes are new too!  I bought them at a sweet price after using $40 worth of coupons at DSW shoe store store.

IMG_2625

XOXO,

Rizzle

Caramel Apple Cider

11 Oct

IMG_2597

Caramel apple cider reminds me of when Kat Daddy and I were younger.  We would drive to the town next to us to rent movies because they had a better movie rental store than our town at the time.  After we’d get our movie, we’d go to the Starbucks next door.  We’d  order a hot chocolate and a caramel apple cider and I’d usually order a cookie or brownie (oink, oink).   Nowadays, we make our favorite beverages at home.  Why?  Because at nearly $3 a pop at Starbucks, I’d rather spend my money on shoes and purses.  Plus it’s  fun to make on my own and refills are easy to get too!

How to make your very own creamy caramel apple cider at home:

(1 Serving)

1 cup apple juice

1 tbs caramel syrup such as caramel flavored ice cream topping in a jar.

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Whipped cream

Mix all ingredients in a mug and place in the microwave for 1 minute.   Stir.  If not hot enough, microwave for an additional 20 seconds.

Top with whipped cream and drizzle more caramel on top.

*Helpful hint: if using a jar of caramel sauce, heat it in the microwave to make the sauce easier to drizzle on top of the whipped cream.

Viola!  Enjoy!!

XOXO

Rizzle

Wedding Bells

9 Oct

Desktop

Did I ever mention on my sweet little blog that I’m getting married in Las Vegas next September?  Did I also forget to mention that I’m no  longer overwhelmed and disliking wedding planning?  Now this could change, but for now I’m having fun trying on dresses, trying to find a place for a post wedding ceremony dinner and trying not to spend the life savings on a photographer.  Fun stuff!

Hot Chocolate

8 Oct

One of our household favorite drinks is scotch Hot Chocolate. We’ve even abbreviated the name to “HC”. Here it is used in a sentence. “Would you like HC with your toast?”

Anyway, make this beverage your fall/winter staple and you will gain 15 pounds have everyone in the house asking for a piping hot mug of HC or a styrofoam cup if none of your mugs are washed like at my house.

HC

1 c. milk (the fattier the milk, the tastier your drink will be)
2 tbs. cocoa powder
2 tbs. sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
Marshmallows or whipped cream (optional, but highly recommended)

Heat milk in a small sauce pan.  Add cocoa powder and stir with a whisk until well combined.  Stir in cinnamon.  Serve hot with marshmallows, whipped cream or both.

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