spring forward...

I'd like to apologize for my lack of updates.. I have lacked the patience to deal with our dial up speed internet connection. Apparently Qwest thinks it's 1997.. but I digress...

Although I led many of you to believe that Dave and I would be escaping the desert soon, I must confess.. it's not looking promising. Now we have changed our immediate plans to staying here for another 2-5 years.. which, given our history, might be an eternity. Pray for us. I am no longer enchanted by this desert land.

The good news, however, is we will be moving closer to civilization in the next couple of months. I am fairly certain that we have broken some sort of record involving moving frequency. If only there were some sort of prize we could claim. I should look in to that, eh?

This week has been a pretty exciting one. Filled with adventure and wallet emptying fun. On Tuesday, we went to get our oil changed and also took out a mortgage to fix our brakes. I might be exaggerating, or maybe not? We also wandered around Barnes and Noble with Scott and Junior (hahhahahahahahahahahhahahahah). Then David and I drove around looking for a new place to call home.. to no avail, unfortunately. But later that evening we rewarded ourselves with a date (with a third wheel, mind you) to see Rango. It was surprisingly good, but definitely not appropriate for children, in my humble opinion.

Wednesday was spent gardening and topped off with bible study, a forbidden trip to Denny's and a quick 2 hour visit at Rachel and Daniel's house. We kept the poor little teacher up way past her bed time.. oops.

There was even more gardening on Thursday, as well as endless hours of boredom and work for David.

On Friday (or yesterday, if you will), we tried to go grocery shopping, but alas, Walmart was out of everything necessary to sustain our lifestyle so I was forced to drive an hour away just to purchase fruits, vegetables and soy free earth balance... but luckily, Scott and Dave came to my rescue and made my boring trip fun. Well, if you think eating delicious food and looking at the blinding moon with hilarious strangers fun. I obviously do. I also got to stop in and see DoriAnne before driving back to pick Dave up from work.

Today, however, definitely takes the cake. I went and looked at rocks with Rachel for 3 hours. And also ate funnel cake with chocolate and walnuts and caramel.. And bought a pewter owl. And helped Rachel pick out 9 pewter dinosaurs. It was a true adventure.  If you're lucky, I'll continue these updates next week.

Keep your fingers crossed.

words unspoken are the only words I know are true

 

Today was a rather uneventful day.

We cleaned the kitchen.

We went grocery shopping.

Dave polished his boots.

I cooked lunch..

The only redeeming part of the day was how delicious our lunch turned out. I made a black bean chili with cilantro-almond pesto and some jalapeño cornbread. I used 5 cloves of garlic, so my breath is incredible.

the world requires no audience

In honor of the release of Disney's classic animated feature and tear-jerker Bambi, here are a few "candid snapshots" of Bambi's distant cousins. They joined us for a hike yesternoon.

 Where's Waldo, Bambi Edition

So Majestic....

A Two For One, if you will...

(the following should be read in the voice of an NPR radio-host for your ultimate reading pleasure)

Ah Tuesdays... by far the most superior day of the week, if you ask me.  This Tuesday was an especially fine example of __________.  We started the day off with a nice hour long car ride. Swiftly followed by some hot bagels. And some eavesdropping. I won't lie. I was definitely dropping some eaves. They were asking for an audience, mind you. I'd tell you more, but I'm no gossip.

After a breakfast of champions, we headed over to Kinko's to have my new Harry Potter piano book snipped and coiled by a talented young gal. Then I was whisked away to Walgreen's, where my dearly beloved showered me in love covered sunscreen.. sick.. but he really did purchase me some sunscreen. And he sprayed it all over my pale white skin. Lucky guy. I mean, he's a really lucky guy..

After our mini shopping spree, we headed up the mountain for a little hike. We intended to sit by the waterfall and relax, but instead we sat by a water trickle and were harassed by flies. Not as tranquil as I had imagined. 

Then, my lover and I attempted to ascend the canyon walls to reach the summit of the raging water trickle. It seemed like a simple little climb.. In a matter of minutes we learned that looks can truly be deceiving. Not ones to give up easily, we put our heads down and powered through. Upon attaining the pinnacle of our journey, we were decidedly underwhelmed by the spectacle that greeted us. I didn't even desire to document the site through my photographic lens..

Our midday nourishment consisted of a delightful green salad wrapped in a locally sourced whole wheat tortilla. The oven roasted garbanzo beans really complemented the garlic infused dressing. Simply divine.

The climb down was treacherous, to say the least. There were a few moments where I contemplated sending out smoke signals. After shedding tears, sweat and even some blood, our feet once again danced upon the flat ground of the canyon floor. What a joy to behold.  Blahdidy-Blah-Blah-Blah....

Ohh... you're still interested?

Well, you are in for a real treat. Our adventure continues.

We still had 2 miles to hike back to the safety of our white crossover. We lollygagged our way down the trail with time to spare! Once we reached the car, Dave made friends with some grandmas while I changed into a skirt.

We really switched things up after the hike. We went to the ever-so-classy mall and did some serious people watching. My favorite sport. After some laughing and cajoling and a little canoodling we headed to a nearly private screening of Gnomeo and Juliet. Ah to be young again.. We topped off the evening with a romantic dinner at our favorite little Italian bistro. How divine.

we'll need something to remind us of all the sweetness that has passed through us

David and I have spent the past 10 days being painfully ill.. but we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Nothing of consequence has really happened, which might explain my lack of updates..  The other day, we were supposed to have a little dinner party with one of Dave's co-workers and his family. I planned a delectable menu and cleaned the house, like the grade a house wife I truly am.. but alas, their daughter was ill and they cancelled at the last minute... so Dave and I had a romantic candlelit dinner instead. I made a spinach  salad and portobello mushrooms stuffed with chipotle mashed potatoes and fried leeks.

I also made a cake. A ginger-macadamia nut-carrot cake. With coconut icing.

It was a pretty exciting night, if I do say so myself.  Unfortunately, nothing exciting has happened since. You should probably come out and visit us so I can have something entertaining to write about. It's your duty, as my so-called friend, or even more so as a member of my family!

I'll let you cuddle with this guy...

hahahhaha

The Elephant Prince

Christine was walking through a zealous meadow, laughing at the butterflies flitting around her head when she spied a nonchalant little elephant lying under a tree.

Christine skipped over to see the dear thing and was tormented to find that he was hurt! A tree had pierced his devoted little elbow and he whimpered inquisitively with the pain.

"My conspicuous little friend," Christine said. "Let me help you!" She took out her Leatherman Multi-Purpose tool and pulled out the tree, as defiantly as she could. The elephant cried out and Christine's heart ached, like time slides a gentle ocean, waves upon waves, washing the shore, loving the shore.. "You'll be all right," Christine whispered. "I'll take care of you. I'll call you David and you can live with me forever!"

Scooping David up in her arms, Christine carried him home and made a bed for him beside her own. For seven days and seven nights, Christine nursed David, cleaning his elbow and feeding him Candle-brand elephant chow.

On the eighth night, David climbed into bed with Christine. He burrowed under the covers and anxiously sealed Christine's eye. It made Christine giggle and she cuddled close to David, stroking his heart and singing awkwardly to him.

They continued that way for a long time. Every day, Christine hurried home so she could curl up with David. It gave her an ancient feeling whenever David sealed her eye.

Then one night, David looked up at Christine and said, "If you kiss me, I will become a tentacled prince."

Christine screamed cautiously, she was so surprised. How could an elephant talk? She must have dropped off and dreamed it.

"You're not dreaming," David said. "Kiss me."

"Don't tell anyone I screamed like that," Christine said and kissed David on his heart. The air swirled and suddenly, there stood a tentacled prince! With a crown and everything!

"I'm Prince David," he said. "I was cursed. It's a long story."

"Is it really you?" Christine said.

"See?" David said and showed Christine the scar from the tree on his elbow. Then he kissed Christine and they tumbled in a cactus and did a lot of very pensive things, some of them involving an aggressive car.

"I love you," David said when they were done. Christine clasped him close and they lived together happily ever after on all the prince treasure David had stashed away.

And if David didn't know about Christine's visits to the elephant sanctuary, well, it wouldn't hurt him.












thank you http://prillalar.com/drabbles/

how dare you think that you could be as good as me

you can't break that which isn't yours

David and I celebrated our 6 month anniversary on Valentine's Day 2006 and that was the last time we participated in the holiday.  I'm not really a huge fan of romance in general. This year, being my first year as a domestic engineer, if you will, I decided to make the most of it and made delicious blueberry pancakes for breakfast. In the spirit of St. Valentine, I added some pinkish red "cream cheese" frosting on top.

While Dave was at work I made him some peanut butter cupcakes with chocolate frosting, because I'm pretty much the best wife out there.

David proved his love to me in the form of a dozen gerber daisies. He was definitely an excellent choice.

If you're interested in recreating my cupcakes, here's the recipe. Please to enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
3/4 c. vanilla rice milk
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/3 c. canola oil
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. molasses
2 tsp. ground chia seeds
1 1/8 c. oat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat the over to 350F. Mix milk with vinegar in a small bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter, oil, sugar, molasses, vanilla and chia seeds until well combined. Then mix in the milk mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a separate bowl and mix.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix it until just combined. Do not over mix! Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 19 to 22 minutes.

Chocolate Frosting

1 c. earth balance @ room temperature
4 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 tbsp. vanilla rice milk
1/2 c. cocoa powder
dash of salt

Mix the ingredients together until smooth and fluffy. Although it looks like a disaster in the beginning, don't get discouraged. Just keep on mixing. It takes about 5 minutes.