My Kind of Surprise

It was a long, mentally exhausting day at work today. On the way home I contemplated what I was going to cook, but dreaded it just because what I really wanted to do was anything but cook.

Often times when this is the case I make something really simple like quesadilla or grilled cheese. However, tonight I was going to do it up to a more meal-like option. You know, a main dish, side of veggies, maybe even a healthy startch or Carb…a well rounded healthy meal. Even though I didn’t want to…I had it all planned out in my head.

Instead, when I walked in I saw Tue best surprise ever. The Husband had picked up a $5 box from taco bell. Way less than healthy compared to my plan, but oh so worth it as a sit full, no dishes, and a plan to do nothing the rest of the night…

He is such a sweetheart!!!  Is it any wonder I love him as much as I do?

Bonus that I won’t have to come up with a plan for dinner tomorrow…I’ll just use what I was going to make tonight!

What’s your favorite kind of surprise?

Breakfast

Why yes we did have eggs and hashbrowns for breakfast…emu egg that is!

We have a local farm we get our eggs from. They have emus and when The Husband stopped by there the last time they had a fresh emu egg. Let me tell you, while it’s not as large as an ostrich egg there was still some major leftovers from it!   And I served us each more than we typically would have eaten anyway.

So, have you ever had emu egg?

It’s that time again…

Lots of events, lots of activities, lots of things going on…mostly at work, but that leads to a very busy time.

Events stacked on top of one another, a big move as our new building is coming to completion, and, as a result, LOTS of tours and donors coming through.  I’m not complaining, donors mean that our programs can continue to run and run at the high quality we can get them to which means more success for our clients.

This last week has been crazy mostly because I have been fighting off a cold from day one of the week.  I never actually got much more than a sore throat.  In the mornings I would be a bit stuffy, but it was quickly cleared for the day and, once I had breakfast, pretty much was okay.

Then again, if I talked too much then I ended up with a sore throat again; but I was able to manage.  It did, however, mean that I went to bed early every night (which is probably why I managed to keep it at bay).

I’d like to say that I’m ready to jump feet first into the holiday season, but I would be lying.  I am SO not ready! I am, however, looking forward to 3 and a half days off…I one day I have to (get to?) go in and help volunteers put together all our new furniture for the new classrooms.  While it will be work, it’s going to be loads of fun!

Do you have fun Holiday plans?

Are you ready for the Holiday season?

How have you been?

My Speech

Last year, I published this the day after my Grandma’s memorial service.  When I started this blog over I knew I wanted to report it on the anniversary of her passing.  Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her and I thought it appropriate that I publish this again one year later.

(She was one hot looking lady in her youth…and awfully cute as she aged!  Today was harder than I thought it would be in many ways; but I made it through.  For those of you who where there in person and in thought, thank you for your support to me and my family.  Many who were there requested a copy of my speech; while the original handwritten version is now with my mom, here it is typed out).

Hi, I’m Jennifer, one of her granddaughter.  I like to think I’m the favorite, but I’m pretty sure all us grandkids think that.  For the past two years I have been fortunate enough to spend every Tuesday night with my Grandma…and more!

Oh, I have so many memories of her throughout my life, much more than these last two years; however, the moments that I will always cherish the most are these last two years. I was blessed enough that the message was made clear to me that I needed to cherish every single one of those moments because, let’s face it, it wasn’t going to last forever. I knew that and took full advantage of it. So much so that on our Tuesday night meals, there were things that became clear to me she would like to either do for the first time ever in her 80 plus years or “just one more time” because it had been too long since her last experience.

On our many adventures, and throughout the years, I would get facebook messages, phone calls, emails, or even face-to-face messages of gratitude from various cousins, aunts, relatives, and even my mom. However, if anyone really knows me (and my Grandma did more than anyone else) you know that I never do anything I don’t want to do and I certainly didn’t do it for the gratitude. As a matter a fact, a part of me hated the gratitude because it implicated, to me, that I was doing it for a reason other than wanting to spend time with a fabulous lady.

I spent all these hours, all these days, going to all these place with her for one reason: We enjoyed each other’s company!

I enjoyed every single second and looked forward to the next time we would get to spend together. We laughed, teased, talked, and remembered the past.

I’ll never forget the last Tuesday night I spent with her. It was October 5^th. I had been at my new job for just about a month at that point and our regular weekly dinners had come to a sad end for a bit. I had been up in the area and made sure to stop by her place for dinner. We seemed to talk more than usual and share more than usual. She was so excited about my new job and expressed again (as she had several times when I talked to her recently) how much she missed having our Tuesday night dinners.

As I was getting ready to head out the door, she gave me a hug and did something that she never did during out times together. I’ll be honest, it worried me and, in some way, hindsight being what it is, gave me insight to what was too soon to come. She hugged me and she began to tear up in front of me. She hugged me tighter than usual and when I asked her why she was crying, she laughed and said, “I don’t know! I guess cause I’m an old lady!”

I think then that I knew that it was going to be our last special dinner…I just didn’t want to believe it. However, I know that October 5^th was, in all the time we spent together, one of the best nights we had spent with each other and I cherish more than any of the others.

I have always been thankful for having her in my life and for the lessons she has taught me, mostly unintended lessons by her.

I have worked with people, much younger than her, who struggle with making the change to this new confounded technology of the computer. My grandma spent hours watching owls on the internet, looked up information she needed or wanted to know, and had her own facebook page. When I told her how I used her as an example to those people I work with she told me, “Well, you tell them that I’m 80 years old and learned how to use the computer, so they should do it, too!” Lesson learned: you are NEVER too old to learn something new, age is never an excuse!

For Christmas one year when I was 9 or 10, I got a bedspread lovingly made by Grandma. I remember eagerly putting it on my bed that night and snuggling up under it. A few hours later, in a sleepy stupor, I awoke to my mom sitting on my bed and my dad hovering over her. They were whispering back and forth to the affect of, “I’ve almost got it”. I remember just closing my eyes and going back to sleep, I don’t even think they realize that I woke up for that short second. I had no clue what they were doing, but I learned the next morning…They were taking a straight pin out of the bedspread as I was wrapped up in it. As usual, she had left a pin in something she made for us. It was her signature. You rarely got a dress, blanket, shirt, any outfit that didn’t have a pin left in it somewhere. You would think that we would all eventually learn to look for those pins first, but we never learned. She hated that she did that, but we all loved it…it was her! It was her signature! Lessons learned: the best signatures are those unintentional ones. I know I’ll never look at a straight pin the same way.

Anyone who has talked to her in the past few years have gotten an earful of who should win, who should get kicked off next, and all the background drama of Dancing with the Stars. As with ice skating, it was a passion of hers. However, about two hospital stays ago, she was coming out of her sleepy state and very much NOT with it. So much so, the nurse who was caring for her felt so bad for her SHE was sneaking her ice chips that Grandma was not supposed to have…but she was just like an adorable child who, with her cute looks, could pretty much get whatever she wanted! At one point the TV was on and there was a commercial for Dancing with the Stars on and she turned to me and said, “I don’t care who wins.” During out dinner together in October, I teased her about that story as she was telling me about who she next wanted to be voted off. She emphatically told me that she most certainly DOES care! Lessons learned: No matter what anyone says, it apparently does matter who wins Dancing with the Stars.

I could go on about the many lessons she has taught me, like how stitching together things with love seems to make them last forever, because that blanket she left the pin in? Well, I still use it every night.

Or that a smile and wave from the window from your Grandma as you drive up, with a greeting at the door in anticipation of good news, is something that is worth more than anything and, I would give about anything to see that just one more time.

Or that having 4 first names in your life is just the right number.

Or perhaps that you should use your talents to bring good to the world as she made innumerable Teddy Bears for those who lost loved ones, just to bring a small smile to those who need it.

However, even in the last week, she has taught me one more, very important, lesson. I don’t think a person here doesn’t know my Grandma makes THE BEST Chocolate Chip cookies! She always had a supply in the cookie jar and if not there, you should check the freezer…and if not there you probably should check with my dad for their whereabouts. When I got married, I asked people to write down recipes for me and she, of course, gave me THE chocolate chip cookie recipe. I made an attempt at making them last weekend; I’m not sure why I never made them before, probably because I didn’t need to. She always had them and was not stingy about sharing them either!

So, there I was last week, making Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies. I followed her recipe to the LETTER! I mixed the shortening, sugars, vanilla, and chocolate chips right in and spooned them onto the baking sheets and placed them in the warm oven. When the timer went off I excitedly opened the oven door and pulled them out only to find that they were NOT like Grandmas! I mean…NOT…AT…ALL! I went back to the recipe and checked made sure I did EVERYTHING that it said…I did! Then I turned to the same recipe my mom had written for me…suspiciously her recipe had flour and baking soda in it. Yes, two ingredients that I should have known should be in there, but I was following the recipe! So, even now, she continues to teach me lessons…like apparently FLOUR is a secret ingredient; or maybe it’s just that NO ONE can make chocolate chip cookies like Grandma.

The most important lesson I’ve learned through it all, however, is that even though she’s not here with me anymore, apparently I’ll never be done learning from her.

I thank God that I had two years of dinner with her every week. I thank God that, after being laid off, I had an entire month to spend as much time as I could with her. I have no regrets.

But mostly, I thank God that I had her as my Grandmother.

Again, thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and support of me and my family during this time.  I miss her already!

Some have it wrong

Today is November 11, 2011…or as some people are recognizing it: 11-11-11…

However, I look at it for what it truly is: Veteran’s Day.

Did we forget?  I have heard more today about the silly number game (which isn’t even valid because has everyone forgotten about the two and zero stuck in the middle of those numbers?) than about those veterans who truly deserve our attention.

Every day I think about our veterans (past, present, and future) and I pray for them and thank God for them and, when I have an opportunity, I thank them in person.

When I see a person in uniform at the store, I approach them, shake their hand, and say “Thank you for your service”.

When I go to Sea World, when the Shamu show starts, they always ask all those in the military to stand.  I cheer loudly, look around for the closest person, and at the end of the show, I find the closest one, stop them, shake their hand, and say “Excuse me, I’m sorry to interrupt your day with your family, but I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your service.”

Once, at a show, I discovered the poor woman in front of me juggling a toddler and preschool child all on her own was by herself because she was a military wife…her husband was deployed.  Before the show began and she wanted to go get popcorn, I watched her children for her…at the end of the show, before she could get things together, I leaned over and said, “Please, pass on my thanks to your husband for his service; and also thank you because you give just as much as his wife.”

I’ve also been known to pay for a meal at a restaurant or an order at the grocery store with a simple, “It’s the least I can do for everything you do for me.”

Each time I approach someone, I am always greeted with a bit of hesitation and, once they hear my statement, there is a look of relief, a smile and a look of humbleness and they thank me for the comment.  I have never been turned away.

My point?  We don’t do near enough for those who protect us, keep us safe, and stand up and fight for our rights.  Funny enough, they fight for the rights of all of us…even those who have the right to stand up and disrespect them through the awful words or actions that demean our military (those very rights that allow a person to do those awful things).  I suspect that the look of relief is because, unfortunately, they may now know until they hear my words, that I mean to respect them, not admonish them.

No, one day a year is not near enough to honor these heroes; but for those people who spent the day marveling at the numbers, I hope that you took some time to marvel at the fabulous men and women who willingly stand in front of you and fight for your rights and would gladly take a bullet for you, even though they probably don’t even know you exist.

Thank you, to all of the heroes in all branches of the military, past, present, and future.  You are constantly in my prayers and thoughts.

The Best Two Years

Tomorrow is the anniversary of my grandma passing.  Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her.  When I restarted this blog, there were two posts that I didn’t want to lose: this one, and the one of the eulogy I gave for her at the memorial.  Today I am reposting this one; tomorrow I will report the eulogy.

Those knitted squares are for a baby blanket.  A baby blanket lovingly knitted by my Grandma.  They are sitting right now waiting for her to learn how to crochet so she can sew them together.  They are for a baby who hasn’t yet been created.  A baby that is a dream in my mind for now.  A baby that will never meet the person who so lovingly knitted these squares.

These knitted squares will be lovingly sewn together by someone else now.

  This fabulous woman and I have had two years together that I thank God for.  For the past two years, I have spent nearly every Tuesday night with having dinner, talking, laughing, and just being together.  Until August when I got laid off.

I thank God for August because, had I not been laid off, I would never have been able to have full days of adventures with her.

My Grandma passed away Friday night.  It was completely unexpected.

She had been in and out of the hospital so many times in the last year for so many more serious things.  I fed her ice chips as she slowly regained consciousness from a very long and extended coma.

I wasn’t sure then if she would be leaving us then…she didn’t.

She stuck around for so much longer…this time, she was admitted for just a routine treatment…I stopped by with my mom Thursday night to see her and she was supposed to come home today…she looked great and, she should have, there really wasn’t anything to be concerned about.

I was shocked when I got a call Friday night, just 24 hours after I had last seen her…joked with her…telling me that she was gone.

What?  How can she be gone?  I’m not ready this time.  I was ready the last time…not this time.

But I am so thankful for the last two years.  I know she was, too.  Her and I?  We had so much fun together.  We went to the fair and had her first every funnel cake!  Her first!  EVER!  She loved it!

I loved being the one to be there with her and she it with her.  I loved spending the day walking the fair with her.  We had a blast!

She was always a hands-on grandma…she was a great grandma…and a great-grandma who was great!  Always ready for a good time and a good playing around.

She got me…she really and truly got me and appreciated me and laughed at all my jokes…even the ones that no one else got.

I could tease her and she took it; never got mad or upset, she just smiled and laughed.  Oh, and she would tease back.

We had our routines on Tuesday nights.  I’d knock on the door and she’d tell me I don’t have to knock…I know, I just do!  She’d had dinner ready and waiting.  I’d get out the TV trays and set them up, she’d get the dinner served.

We’d sit, eat, talk, and just be together.

Then we’d do dishes together…she’d wash, I’d dry.

I’d fix something on her computer, she’d show me the newest bear she was sewing for someone who had lost a family member through hospice, she’d show me the latest doll clothes she was making for the great-grandchildren, we’d talk, look at pictures, and laugh.

Then, at 7, she’d turn on Judge Judy.  Oh we had so much fun laughing at the fools on that show.  I’ll never watch the show the same ever again.  Sometime during that time, my aunt would call…she’d always forget it was Tuesday until Grandma answered then, remembering, she’d quickly get off the phone and we’d continue laughing.

At 7:56, Judge Judy would be over and I’d leave…usually with something that I didn’t come with (oranges,leftovers from dinner, the occasional kitchen gadget that she had replaced with something new for herself).

We called her Mama…well, most of us…that’s who she was.  I don’t know when, but sometime in High School I started calling her grandma…I wanted to be different.  I wanted her to know it was me no matter what.

A while back, when The Husband and I were there for dinner, as we were leaving he called her Grandma…she stopped him and told him she was Mama…I had/have to smile because she never corrected me and commented on it as well.  She let me be different…she got it!

I thank God that I got laid off.  I got to take her to Coronado for the day.

She hadn’t been there since she was pregnant with her youngest daughter.

I got to go with her to Barona, go to the movies, have lunch at her favorite restaurant, and go to the fair (although that was before I got laid off, but it was in that same time frame.

I am so glad for all the memories I have with her.  She was there with me when I went to my first Homecoming.  She made all but one of my dresses for all my high school dances.

She was a sewer, a knitter, a crafter, and just so talented.  She came to my dance recitals, loved to watch ice skating, and loved to watch Dancing with the Stars.  I have great memories of her to take me through the rest of my life…

It’s not those memories that make me sad that she’s not here…it’s the ones that she won’t be here for.  I’m sad because she won’t be there to see my babies wrapped in the blanket that she lovingly knitted for them.  I’m going to miss that…

She was a GREAT Grandma…and I am blessed that I got to make so many memories with her.

Time Flies

I know I’ve said it before, but I love my job.  It’s said that time flies when you’re having fun and it’s never more true than this past year (plus some).

I am always busy, but a good busy.  There are the stressful times where reports are due and there are a million things going on; however, there are usually a million FUN things going on and once in a while a stressful report or task to take care of is sprinkled in…but even then the stressful stuff is usually a bit fun mostly because they are a good challenge.

I love puzzles and real life puzzles that need my solving…well, that’s just a bit of my heaven!

So, while this past year has had some downs, it’s been mostly ups and when not ups, there was something fun to look forward to having to do.

What makes time fly for you?

I Blinked…

…and then it was 6 days into November and all sorts of things have happened that I never got around to writing about and NaBloPoMo started and I didn’t even feel the slightest bit of guilt that I was not participating this year.

I don’t even thing for a second that I would be successful in it.  Things are just busy, crazy, and all in a good way.

Yesterday a friend and I went to a taping of AFV; it’ll air December 11th if you want to watch…I’ll probably remind you.  It was so much fun!

I have been to tapings before for sitcoms, but this was a totally different experience.  Plus, it was great to spend time with a friend who we have not been able to spend as much time as we used to.  It was great!

This is a tough month in one way in that it was this month a year ago that my Grandma passed away.  I do miss her, but I have found that little things I do keep her memory alive for me and all in a good way.

Having one of her dolls sitting on the tv stand just below the tv is a constant reminder.

Baking cookies with her baking sheets and other kitchen utensils is just another reminder.  It’s small things, but I smile and think of her each time.

On occasion, I find myself thinking “Grandma would have so wanted to go see that movie” or “If Grandma were still here I would love to take her to this, she would have a blast.”

So, with that sad, while I may not have a post every day, I will be using pictures I have of her or a few of the dolls she made.

Now, on to more upbeat things cause she would kill me if I was still talking about this a year later…

Have you ever been to a television show taping?

 

 

Settling Their Bet

Around here, we have been seeing many commercials for the breakfast platters at the big-name fast food restaurants.  I commented to The Husband the other day that I think that the CEO’s at these companies actually really get along quite well and every once in a while they come up with a bet between themselves.

Picture it, the CEO’s of McDonald’s, Burger King, and Jack-in-the-Box are out playing a round of golf, chatting away, making fun of the CEO’s of Wendy’s and Sonic because they aren’t part of the “in crowd”.  Anyway, then one of them jokingly turns to the other two and says, “Oh, we have the BEST breakfast platter idea.  It’s going to really change the industry.  We are going to rule the breakfasts!”

Of course, the other two can’t stand for this and then…a bet is formed.  “I bet that we can sell more breakfast platters in a three-month period than you can!”  And of course, being the competitive guys that they are, they each shake hands, agree on terms, and thus, the public is inundated with breakfast platter commercials, cheap pricing of said platters, and we are none the wiser that we are but pawns in the bets of billionaire corporate people!

The Husband, being the fun guy that he is, after hearing my theory as to why we are inundated with these commercials, then cooks up a breakfast that is his wifes dream!  Unbeknownst to her (that’s me) he went out and bought 2 platters from each place (one for each of us) so that we (mostly me) can do a comparison and, well, at least settle the bet as to whose is the best.

And you, blog readers, reap the benefits of not having to do your own comparison.  You are very welcome…I am very stuffed…and had enough left over to feed myself another 4 meals.

So, here are the results:

In last place is Jack-in-the-Box.  Why?  Well, while their “mini pancakes” are fun, they add up to actually LESS pancake overall.  You get 8, but it takes 3 to measure up to the other restaurants’ and you get 3 big pancakes each at those places.  You get 8, but do the math: 3 mini’s equal 1 large therefore 8 is less than 3 large.

Also, those pancakes are not fluffy, and are somewhat tough.  Their syrup is also WAY TOO sweet!  In addition, you get less amounts of hash browns than the other two.

Although, you do get your choice of sausage OR bacon, and that is a plus in our house because I prefer sausage and he prefers bacon.  The one mini plus is the eggs.  They have the best texture; although they are bland.

They are also the least expensive at $2.99 in our area; but at some point you just have to say, “You get what you pay for.”

In second place is Burger King.  While their eggs have the best flavoring (seasoning through out), the texture just isn’t right.  You do get the most, and best tasting, hash browns compared to the three restaurants, and their butter choice is the favored around here. (to be fair, Jack-in-the-Box had run out of butter and so we couldn’t really compare that one, but I do think that the lack of supplies should also be considered).

Now, BK also includes a bread option (which JitB does not).  BK includes a croissant.  Had they toasted the croissant, it might have pushed them up a bit in the running.  Their sausage was better than JitB, but still a bit bland.  Without the syrup, their pancakes were equal to the winner; but once you added syrup, they just didn’t match up.

At $4.29, they might have actually won it if they had dropped the prise even 50 cents.

It was a tight race between 2nd and 1st place.  The winner, though, would have to be McDonald’s.

At $3.99 you definitely get the most for your money.  They have the largest of the pancakes option, you get BOTH sausage AND bacon (although, the bacon is really half pieces), eggs (which were definitely blander than BK, and not the textural favorite), and english muffin.

As a bonus, they give you a package with the meal that includes not just a fork and knife (they all included these options) but also salt, pepper, and even jam.

Their sausage easily won for flavor and texture.  While their pancakes were pretty close in taste to BK, when adding the syrup, it took them over the top.  They have definitely found a syrup that best matches their pancakes.

Even without the chance to win (Monopoly game on their hash browns), this was by far the best for your money in both quality and taste.

So, there you have it.  If their bet is who can sell the most, then I don’t know who will win; however, if their bet is whose is the best, McDonald’s wins hand down.

So, have you tried all the fast food breakfast platters?

Which is your favorite?

Below is picture evidence that I in no way at ALL of the meals, it was way too much food and, well, lunch for the next two days and a snack later were definitely appreciative of the left overs.

This post is in no way solicited from anyone.  It was simply a “fun activity” thought up by The Husband…all opinions are our own, but if anyone wants to give us a free meal for it we would not say no

Green

My favorite color is green.

However, if you were to go into my kitchen, you would think that my favorite color is red.

It’s not.

My favorite color is green.

However, my favorite color for my kitchen is red.

Everything that makes its home in my kitchen is red.

Well, maybe not everything.  But everything I can get in red for my kitchen is pretty much red.

The other color I allow is black.

Why?  Because my dream kitchen will have complete Coca Cola decor.  Currently we have pretty much everything we can get in Coke product for the kitchen.  Dishes, cups, utensils, etc…

However, in the meantime, I just love the red in the kitchen.  So much so that I even made sure that when we bought my notebook computer years ago that I got the red.  Why?  Because I often will pull up recipes on the computer while I’m cooking…or pull up tv shows and watch them while I cook.  Either way, the computer spends much time in the kitchen.

Whenever anyone buys me anything for my kitchen, they know to get red…or black…or Coke products…

But, my favorite color is green…don’t let the kitchen fool you!

What’s your favorite color?

What’s your kitchen decor like?