Pitatayo, Patricia, Trish...

My Blog is Moving...

2006-02-19T19:10:00.000-05:00

...to Patricia's Place! Woo hoo!!! Please continue to visit me there. If you normally follow my blog by RSS, here is the new feed.

Also, let me know what you think about the new look. Obviously, I like green.

Buh bye old blog!

Olympic Uniforms

2006-02-18T23:03:00.000-05:00

I'm watching the mens 1000m speed skating event and I just have to comment that I really like the uniforms for USA. Other countries have some funky uniforms that make them look like superhero's. Maybe it's apropriate since they are the worlds best's athelete's. Or at least Earth's best atheletes.

Dove Campaign for Real Beauty

2006-02-15T00:30:00.000-05:00

Dove's Super Bowl commercial was awesome and it struck at my heart. They are running a Campaign for Real Beauty. It's about helping girls overcome low self esteem. I understood those girls who wanted to be different and who didn't feel like they fit it. I understood what they were going through, because I had low self esteem when I was younger. My hips were too big and I was way taller than everyone in elementary school. And I was too shy (not so much anymore). I never did quite fit in.

This is a cause I want to get behind and support. I don't want young girls growing up with low self esteem because it can lead to a lot of pain later on in life. Every young girl is beautiful, and no one should tell her otherwise. Check out the website. I love this campaign.

STOMP

2006-02-06T20:44:00.000-05:00

Rob and I saw STOMP on Sunday and it was GREAT! It was better than CATS. I wasn't crazy about Cats and never did understand what the big deal with it was. Maybe it's because I don't like cats for real.

Anyway, I highly recommend seeing STOMP.

Good Day

2006-02-02T22:46:00.000-05:00

Today was a good day for several reasons so I'll say today was a 4 on the Suck-O-Meter scale.

Two friends came over for pizza, dessert and a movie. Pizza and dessert were great. The movie - not so great. But I still had a great time.

I think tomorrow will be a 5 - Rob's coming home!

The Suck-O-Meter

2006-02-01T21:23:00.000-05:00

Okay, so yesterday was a 1 on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the worst sucky day ever and 5 being a totally not sucky day.

Today was a 2.

Life Sucks

2006-01-31T23:01:00.000-05:00

Maybe tomorrow I'll feel differently.

Rob in London

2006-01-30T13:08:00.000-05:00

Rob's out of town for the week. He's in London for ministry meetings with Western European leaders. They'll be discussing internet ministry plans to reach that area of the world. Sounds exciting! He had some trouble with his passport yesterday at the Orlando airport.

I just got a text message from Keith, his traveling buddy, that they just spent the day walking around London. So I guess they got there okay.

I slept in until 12 noon today. I really needed the sleep. Sometimes I like it when Rob goes out of town because then I can do whatever I want! Like not cook or clean, or eat what I want. But this time I miss him. However, I have already booked my social calendar for the week! Tonight I'm going out for pizza with a friend!

Movie Mess Up

2006-01-29T21:31:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to see Memoirs of Geisha. This was before the grocery store encounter. Anyway, as I was watching the previews I thought I might be in the wronge theater. The previews were all of action and murder mystery type movies. I almost asked the couple in front of me if I was in the right place. But I decided to wait for the movie to start and it was some Quentin Tarantino movie!

As it turns out, half the people in the theater got up and walked out, along with me, to complain because it was the wrong movie! The theater was playing the wrong movie!

I got a free movie ticket out of it.

Random Produce Man

2006-01-29T15:11:00.000-05:00

plantain-1
Originally uploaded by nikaboyce.

While at the grocery store yesterday I decided to buy plantians. I love plantains and they're super cheap right now.

Anyway, while I was picking some out, this guy starts telling me that the green "plantins" are the best and he starts telling me how to cook them and all this stuff. So I'm like, "oh, okay, uh-hu, thanks". And then I walked away. I didn't feel like going into the fact that I already know how to cook plantains a hundred different ways. Oh, and by the way, it's not pronounced "plantin"!

So then I went to check out the pears, which are several rows away from the plantains. And they guy came over to the pear section to tell me that sweet potatos are also good cooked the same way as "plantins". Again, I was like "oh, okay, I'll try that, thanks."

Weird. Just too weird. I think I'll start posting more of my weird guy encounters.

Days

2006-01-26T17:17:00.000-05:00

Today is Thursday. Yesterday was Wednesday. Tomorrow is Friday.

Yay for tomorrow! Not much else to say.

Jury Summons

2006-01-25T12:38:00.000-05:00

I just finished emailing someone about how I was glad I'd never been called for jury duty.

Then I got the mail. There was my jury summons for February.

Must...Have...Coffee

2006-01-23T11:36:00.000-05:00

See Ya Latte
Originally uploaded by ArtByChrysti.

I'm trying to break free of the coffee habit, mainly because it's not good for adrenal fatigue, which is what I have. So I've been having half decaf and half regular coffee for the last week or so. Today I decided I would see how I did without the coffee.

No good. Didn't work. I made myself a cup of half decaf coffee. It really does give me a little more energy, for now. I still need to wean myself off so I can get to the point of living with my own energy, or lack of it.

But for now, I'm enjoying my cup of coffee.

Butternet Squash-Apple Soup

2006-01-22T14:48:00.000-05:00

This is the soup recipe that I absolutely love and have blogged about several times. It's a Williams-Sonoma recipe but they don't have it online. The recipe was on a bottle of Butternut Squash Puree that I bought at the Williams-Sonoma store. It's not available anymore but it's easy to make squash puree yourself. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can make it dairy free. If you have allergies to dairy, you can use non-dairy Earth Balance buttery spread instead of butter and it still comes out great!

Butternut Squash Puree
Cut the butternet squash in half lengthwise and place face down on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of the squash. The squash is ready when you can insert a knife into the squash easily. For this recipe you'll need a big squash.

To puree the squash, spoon the inside out and put into a blender or food processor and puree. Add water depending on how thick you want it.

Butternut Squash-Apple Soup
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
2/3 cup (80g) finely diced peeled apple, sush as granny smith
1/2 cup (90g) minced shallot
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine
4 cups Butternet squash puree
2 to 3 cups (500 to 750ml) chicken stock, warmed
1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh sage
Salt and freshley ground pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the apple and shallot and saute until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the ginger and cinnamon and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the butternt squash puree, 2 cups (500ml) of the stock and the sage, and seaon with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes.

Using a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a clean large saucepan. Add more stock if needed to reach the desired consistency. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve immediately. Serves 6.

To enhance the flavor and texture of this soup, top each serving with one of the following garnishes: diced bacon sauteed with minced sage; diced apples sauteed with cinnamon and ginger; or crushed hazelnuts folded into lightly whipped cream.

Clean House

2006-01-20T12:11:00.000-05:00

My house is clean, my house is clean!!! Woo hoo hoo!!! Yippeeee!!!

I'm so happy today. I had a maid service come and clean my house this morning and it's so wonderful! I love it! I wish I could afford it for the rest of my life!

I haven't been able to keep up with cleaning because I'm always so out of energy. So I decided to splurge and have this done. What a relief too! Now I can focus on other things that really need to get done. YAY for a clean house!!!

God or Chocolate Chip Cookies

2006-01-18T12:25:00.000-05:00

I'm going through a hard time spiritually and emotionally. There are somethings in my life that God is working on. Of course yesterday morning while I was praying I told God I realized there were a few things about me that weren't always godly, so I asked him to help me change. By yesteday afternoon He was already working on it. God decided to work fast this time. So yesterday was a hard day all the way around. I'm already fatigued for health reasons and now there's an extra amount of being drained because God is working on making me more like Him. It's a painful process. I hate it now, but I now in the end it will be worth it, I hope.

When I have a hard/stressful day I end up making chocolate chip cookies. That's my stress relief coping mechanism. Partly because baking is fun for me, and eating raw cookie dough and baked cookies is also fun. Last night I had a chocoloate chip cookie (raw and cooked) binge. And like always, I felt gross afterwards. But I think I turn to cookies in times when I really should be turning to God. Cookies won't help me solve me issues.

I need to choose God over cookies. The struggle is that it's often easier to make the cookies than to pray and trust God. But, I'd rather trust God than trust cookies.

Yesterday's Food

2006-01-16T18:24:00.000-05:00

Not much excitement today. YESTERDAY, however, was different. I made the really good, really yummy Butternut - Apple Squash soup and it was still really good. The fact that I LOVE this soup is a big deal for me because I don't like any soup. Except French Onion, and that's it.

So, part of making the soup involved putting it in the blender to puree it and then put it back in the pot. While I was pouring the hot soup into the blender, some of it got on the buttons. And I've been in this freaky cleaning/organizing mood lately, so I went to clean the buttons. The stupid part of all this is that while I was cleaning the buttons it got pressed, the blender turned on, the top was not on, and yellow soup went everywhere! What was I thinking?

I didn't take a picture. And it wasn't that bad, it just went everywhere in my little area of the kitchen. Nothing like the coffee explosion of last year.

I really love to cook and especially bake. But I'm also accident prone in the kitchen. We keep the bandaids in the kitchen because of that. Tonight I'm making Turkey Chili. Nothing exciting. I think I'm going to try Pad Thai sometime this week. Oh, and this past weekend I made Rob a really good chocolate cake. I'm hungry. Too much food on my mind. Gotta go eat.

New Years Resolution Update

2006-01-14T11:59:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm waiting to see if my organizer if coming over today to help me out with the office. She gave me a maybe, because she's waiting to see if there are "more fun" opportunities for today. Saturday's are the "sacred social day" for her. I understand. I'm the same way. I like to have all the options before me and choose the most social and most fun.

Will she come? I'll keep you posted.

UPDATE: She didn't make it over. But I was able to organize my paperwork all by myself. I'm so proud of me! Now I'm in the organizing mood.

Morning Miracle

2006-01-14T11:50:00.000-05:00

I got up early this morning, at 7:30 am, on a Saturday! Yes, I really really did. That's the miracle. You see, I usually sleep until 10 am on Saturday's. But this morning we had friends over for breakfast. They are in town to check out Orlando because they'll be moving here at the end of summer. I made Baked French Toast, and it was really good, and really easy to make. I added an extra egg and nutmeg to the recipe, and baked it a little longer than normal. Yuuuuuuumm!

The other miracle of the morning is that I realized it's actually nice to wake up early because I have more hours to get stuff done! Who knew?! Maybe I'll make this a habit. HA HA HA!!!! Who am I kidding. I think this was a once in a lifetime kind of thing.

Foggy Day

2006-01-11T17:17:00.000-05:00

It's been one of those days today where I feel like I'm walking around in a fog all day long. I'm just really out of it. One of my many doctors noticed it this afternoon. Even a cup of coffee in the afternoon didn't help get me out. I feel like one big "DUH".

My Reading

2006-01-10T12:03:00.000-05:00

I love to read and I'll read just about anything. But I really love when I find a book that I just can't put down. I've loved to read for as long as I can remember. I especially love a good fiction book. I get so involved in the characters and the story that if I put the book down I feel like I'm missing out on the story. Kind of like walking out of a movie theatre to go the bathroom in the middle of the movie. I might miss something.

Sometimes I can't put the book down, even if it is 2 am! I remember times when I've been so glued to a book that I finally put it down at 4 am because I realized sleep really is important. When I was younger and I was supposed to be in bed asleep, I would grab a flash light and read under the covers, hoping my parents wouldn't notice.

The saddest part of reading a book is getting to the end. I don't want the story to end, so I read the last few chapters slowly. Then the last chapter of the book I like to read without interruption, so I can finish it well, and appreciate the story.

I just finished: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
I just finished reading it this morning. What a great book! I highly recommend it. I've always heard Francine Rivers books were great and now I can say they really are. It's a retelling of the story of Hosea and Gomer set in the 1850's.

I'm Currently Reading: Just like I do with my home projects, I've started a few books that I havent' finished yet.

Next Book To Read: Memoirs of a Geisha
I really want to see the movie and I like to read the books before the movie. But I think it'll end up being the other way around this time.

New Years Resolution

2006-01-08T19:03:00.000-05:00

Messy-Office
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

I don't usually make them because they're too easy to break. And do they really mean that much to people anyway?

This year my resolution is to finally clean out the bedroom we use as an office. Right now a better name for the room would be the junk room. We can barely get into the room. I've enlisted the help of a professional organizer to help me with this. And I will pay her in meals.

This just may take all year to do.

Not So Blue Today

2006-01-06T10:27:00.000-05:00

So, I think I'm doing better today. I think I really do have post holiday blues. I'm really like Christmas, even though it can be stressful. I miss my family. I like hanging out with them. I've noticed that the last couple of years I've been missing them more and more. I like hanging out with my sisters. When we first moved away it was great. But after 6 years I miss them.

I also miss hanging out with girlfriends. I made plans with a friend today to get together for lunch and a movie. And last night I finally got to talk to my best friend! I need to call and catch up with a bunch of other friends too.

So, not so down today.

The Blues

2006-01-05T18:37:00.000-05:00

Ugh, I'm not motivated to do anything. I think I have post holiday blues! Going into the office was hard today. Doing stuff at home was hard. I just want to chill and watch movies.

What's wrong with me? I'm hoping I'm just hormonal.

Chair of No Return

2006-01-03T19:46:00.000-05:00

Chair of No Return
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

This is what Rob dubbed "The Chair of No Return" this morning.

So what's up with the chair of no return? It's piled with clothes that need to be fixed, whether it's a button or a hemline that needs to be lowered. Since I know how to sew I honestly thought I would get around to actually fixing the many articles of clothing on the chair in our bedroom. Some pieces have been on there for, oh, about 7 months.

I was offended when Rob named the chair this morning because last night I fixed two of my blouses. They were taken out of the chair and hung up in the closet.

I think a more fitting name is "The Chair of Takes A Very Long Time to Return".

Winter...where?

2006-01-02T20:42:00.000-05:00

Today the high was 80 degrees. Rob and I have been hanging out in shorts and a tee shirt all day. While I was walking to the grocery store I noticed the maple tree leaves have finally changed colors.

This is why I love living in Florida and why I don't like living in Florida.

Happy New Year!

2006-01-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Christmas Meals

2005-12-30T19:07:00.000-05:00

Since I'm in the blogging groove right now, let me just tell you how well we ate on Christmas day! Unfortunately we forgot to take pictures of all our wonderful food. Susie was the mastermind behind our meals. For lunch we had Bacalao con viandas (chayote, green bananas, plantains, yuca, yautia, and a few others ones I can't remember). I never liked bacalao (codfish) growing up because it was really fishy tasting. But now that I like fish it wasn't so bad. Rob loved it!

For dinner, Susie bought a 5 lb chunk of New Zealand lamb, and she marinated it for 2 days. I can't remember how exactly she marinated it, but it was so so so yummy! I love lamb, but only New Zealand or Australian lamb because it doesn't have the gamey after taste.

Thanks for planning the meals Susie!

Christmas Pooch - Kayla

2005-12-30T19:05:00.000-05:00

Kayla's Bow
Originally uploaded by orangejack.

This is my other sister's dog. Kayla will let Anita put anything on her. She's kinda cute with her bow on.

Christmas Pooch - Lucy

2005-12-30T19:03:00.000-05:00

Lucy got a new shirt
Originally uploaded by orangejack.

My sister, Susie, got Lucy and hoodie for Christmas! She looks really cute in it! We all had a good laugh. Poor Lucy. That's my brother in law, Kurt, in the background.

Home Sweet Home

2005-12-30T18:37:00.000-05:00

Rob and I are back home in Orlando after our whirlwind Christmas tour. I barely have time to shower, let alone blog, when I visit my family in Virginia. I enjoy hanging out with my family so much that I want to spend all my time with them.

We flew up to DC Dec 23 and were supposed to come home the 28th. But because of bad weather in Atlanta, our connection, our flights were cancelled and we came home on the 29th. We drove up to Pittsburgh Dec 23 - 26 to spend Christmas day with my dad. Both my sisters were there too. It was the first time in a long time that we all spent Christmas with Papa. The normal 4 hour drive up to Pittsburgh took us 5 hours to drive up there and 6 1/2 to get home.

Today I slept in late and have been playing with my Christmas toys:

Su Doku
Reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Playing The Sims 2

I also got a nice watch from Rob. Thanks honey! That was my favorite gift. I got a bunch of other great stuff too. But most of all I enjoyed being with my family, when they weren't stressing me out.

Aargh!

2005-12-23T00:12:00.000-05:00

Aargh!
Originally uploaded by orangejack.

This is Hank, my mom's husband. As a joke gift, Rob and I got him this pirate stuff because he always has his pet cockatiel on his shoulder. He got a kick out of it!

My Family Christmas

2005-12-23T00:08:00.000-05:00

Ready for Dinner
Originally uploaded by orangejack.

Rob and I are in Virginia and we just had Christmas with my mom and her husband and my two sisters and their other halves. Tomorrow we're driving up to Pittsburgh to spend Christmas day with my dad. Both my sisters will also go up there. It'll be the first time in 4 years that my dad will have all of us together for Christmas.

Now that my mom's Christmas dinner is over I was thinking about how my family Christmas is like a hurricane. We know the big event is coming and we all gear up for it for days. The day finally comes and it's crazy. We're all talking at the same time, and loudly too. There's a lot of chaos with getting the meal ready, eating, opening gifts all at once. Then, after awhile, it's all over. The calm settles in but there's still a mess of wrapping paper everywhere.

Rob's family Christmas is so different. It's like a slow and steady wind. It's predictable. They do the same thing year after year. The meal is always the same. They talk softly and orderly. Presents are opened up one at a time. It's more calm.

There are pros and cons to both. Let's see how Christmas with my dad turns out.

My Blog FAQ's

2005-12-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

I've asked myself a lot of questions so here are a few for all to read:

Q: Why is my blogging sporadic?
A: I'd like to blog more but sometimes I get really busy and other things take priority. I know many faithful bloggers like Rob, and Jerry, who make time to blog everyday. I commend them on that. But I seems to run out of time in the day. If I haven't blogged in a few days or a week, it's most likely because I'm super duper super busy.

Q: Why don't I write about super deep stuff in my life?
A: This blog is more about random stuff in my life and usually it's superficial. If you want to read about more serious and spiritual stuff you can visit this blog. If you'd like to know the deepest part of me, I recommend you getting to know me personally. Even then, there's a good chance you're never know my deepest darkest secrets. Only Rob knows them and he's not at liberty to tell.

Q: I blog about food often. Why is that?
A: I LOVE food. In fact, maybe I'll start blogging about what I eat or cook everyday. I love trying new food, and cooking, and of course there's the eating of the food! I love trying food from other cultures. That's the best! I really don't eat as much as I blog about food.

Q: Does anyone really read this stuff?
A: I'd like to think that I have hundreds of faithful blog readers from around the world! So I'm just going to live in ignorance and keep believing that.

It's Cold!

2005-12-19T23:09:00.000-05:00

It was really cold today. I think it got down to 66 degrees. I even had to wear my coat to work this morning!

Ha ha ha!!! Okay, so I know that it's not that cold compared to the 27 degree weather in Pittsburgh where I'll be for Christmas. But hey, 66 is cold for us Floridians! We're not used to this. I really did wear a wool sweater today.

Narnia - Loved It!

2005-12-17T22:43:00.000-05:00

The Chronicles of Narnia are my all time favorite books! I've read them at least 6 or 7 times each. Tonight Rob and I saw the movie and I loved it. Narnia on screen is just like I imagined it! I loved it! The theater was sold out and it was full of kids. I loved hearing their reactions to the movie.

Go read Rob's post on what we thought of the movie. He gave out some awards.

Little Yappy Dog

2005-12-08T20:59:00.000-05:00

There's a litle yappy dog that lives across the street. It's some kind of Chihuahua mix and she, Princess, lives outside of the house across the street. So basically she lives on our street. And she yaps, constantly, at everyone and everything that moves.

The little yappy dog annoys me to death because:

she's a little yappy dog
she's always running around street with no leash
she doesn't let anyone pet her

Last night when I came home Princess was outside, and of course she started barking at me. Then she stopped, so I turned around to see why. There was a big black cat about 15 feet away staring at her! And the cat was bigger. I wanted to see what was going to happen.

Aaahhh...sweet revenge! The cat chased Princess around the house! Okay, so nothing happened to the dog, but it was fun to see a cat chase the annoying little dog across the street.

What Happened to my Sock?

2005-12-07T11:32:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning with only one sock on! The weird thing is that I kinda remember taking it off some time in the middle of the night.

Sometimes I take them off in the middle of the night because I'm hot. But I wasn't hot last night. I tossed and turned all night long. And I remember my left foot being cold because it was missing a sock.

Weird.

All I Want for Christmas

2005-12-04T13:17:00.000-05:00

In case anyone out there wants to get me a Christmas present, here's the link to my Amazon Christmas wish list.

There's a bunch of other stuff we could use as well:

Home Depot gift cards - we have a lot of repairs to do to our house
Ann Taylor Loft gift cards - I like their clothes
Restaurant gift cards - so Rob and I can enjoy a night out together
Pottery Barn gift cards - there are some curtains (50x84 in Cardinal Red) I want from there

So go for it! Spend as much as you want on me!

A Good Day

2005-12-01T22:09:00.000-05:00

Today was a good day. I had a good day at the office, got a lot done. I had some good social time which meets my high extrovert needs. And Rob's been helping me out with stuff. Tonight I'm relaxing by watching TV. Tomorrow morning I'm having breakfast with a friend.

It's been a good day.

Gluten Free Casein Free Thanksgiving

2005-11-24T21:54:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Spread
Originally uploaded by orangejack.

I made the best Thanksgiving meal this year! Okay, I'm bragging, but let me just tell you - it was really good! I had to make sure Rob could eat it because of his food allergies to gluten (wheat, oats, barley, rye, malt) eggs, dairy and a few other things. So there's no way he'd be able to eat our traditonal southern Thanksgiving meal. So I made some alterations to great recipes and everything was really good. I even made the cranberry sauce myself, which I've never done before.

Our Thanksgiving Menu:

2 Cornish Game Hens (marinated overnight with a blend of garlic, oregano, kosher salt)
Apple, Sausage, and Parsnip Stuffing with Fresh Sage (I used millet bread instead of sourdough bread, and I forgot the parsnip)
Sweet-and-Tart Cranberry Sauce (so easy to make)
Portobello Mushrooms and Green Beans sauteed in olive oil
Good Spanish red wine

Instead of real butter I used Earth Balance and it worked really well.

I was going to make a few other things too but didn't get around to it. So I'm going to do it tomorrow and have it with leftovers.

Crush

2005-11-15T23:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, it's 11:30 pm, and even though I should be in bed asleep (I'm going right after I blog), I'm watching an Ellen repeat with John Cusack as a guest. John Cusack is probably the longest actor "crush" I've had. And he's not the greatest looking guy but I think he's funny. I love his acting. I've had a crush on him since he was in Say Anything. His sister Joan cracks me up too. Both of them are funny.

And with that written, I'm going to bed. Good night.

Pickle Appreciation Day

2005-11-14T13:58:00.000-05:00

Apparently today is Pickle Appreciation Day according to a few co-workers. They bought a bunch of individually bagged pickles to hand out to everyone in our office. They crack me up!

Pet Peeve of the Week

2005-11-11T13:42:00.000-05:00

When people throw away good stuff!

Just this week I've seen, in the trash pile:

a perfectly good dining room table with chairs, a little old but still in good shape
3 plastic lawn chairs

Why does this bug me? Because there are tons of less fortunate people who would love this stuff. Take it to Goodwill or something, it's not that far away! But don't throw away good stuff. If I was able to I'd stop and pick up all the good things people throw away just to take it to Goodwill.

Been On A Break

2005-11-11T10:43:00.000-05:00

Rob and I took vacation time a week ago and we've been traveling lots - the reason for not posting. I'll tell you more about our great vacation! But for now, here are a few random thoughts.

I made a great dinner last night that included a Butternut Squash-Apple Soup.
I've been able to keep the A/C off most of the day! I love this type of weather.
Freakin' out a a little because Christmas is so soon! AAARRRGGGHHH!!!
We're finally having our long awaited yard sale this Saturday.

That's it for now.

Little Clemson Fan

2005-10-25T23:16:00.000-04:00

Niece Cheer
Originally uploaded by orangejack.

We're in South Carolina for a couple of weeks, and coincidentally also for a couple of Clemson football games. We went last week with Rob's family. It was the first football game for our neices, Lera Martha (5) and Amelia (3). They loved it! But Amelia did fall asleep half way through and her dad took her back to the car to nap.

Lera Martha, who the photo is of, watched the entire game and even learned the Clemson cheer! At the end of the game she asked me, "who won?". I told her Clemson and she cheered again!

See more pictures from the game.

My Day

2005-10-20T20:50:00.000-04:00

Waking Up
My alarm went off at 7 am. I got out of bed at 8:30 am (and only because Rob pushed me out, literally). I knew it was going to be one of those days.

Exhausted
I walked into the office and immediately the two women at the front desk commented on how tired I looked. At noon as I was walking to a meeting room another friend commented on how tired and drugged up I looked. MAN!! I usually try so hard not to look how I feel. Not today.

Last Minute Project
I had to finish a project today since Rob and I are going out of town tomorrow. I didn't find out about the project until last week so I ended up at work until 6:30 pm. It's almost done. I'll have to finish the rest in the car or over the weekend.

Prayer
Just before lunch I asked a few people to pray for me because I was feeling overwhelmed and really tired. By the time lunch was over I was doing great! God really is good.

Learned Something New

2005-10-19T11:31:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm a graphic designer and I love what I do. But half of what I've learned I'v learned on my own. I was working on a degree but had to stop when I got really sick a year and a half ago. I learn the best in a classroom setting. But the help funtion in the design programs work well too. I just don't like to read directions, I'd rather see things done.

Anyway, I just learned something new in Adobe InDesign today! I love it when I learn something new with the Adobe products. So exciting! I know Illustrator really well and InDesign well enough, but Photoshop is my weakest program.

I think this is the hi-light of my day!

No AC, Finally!

2005-10-17T23:45:00.000-04:00

Tonight we turned off the AC and opened the windows! We've finally hit cooler weather. It's been a nice evening.

Sci-fi Birthday Weekend

2005-10-16T15:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday! Happy birthday to me! Rob's been out of town since Thursday morning and he's coming home tonight. So I did whatever I wanted this weekend. Guess what I did?

I watched lots of science fiction and baked! I love sci-fi but Rob doesn't so I don't get to watch it much. And since we got cable a month ago I've been so excited to get the sci-fi channel. I know, I'm a geek, but who cares!

Friday, after baking myself a cheesecake and chocolate chip cookies, I watched the Sci-fi Channel: Firefly, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis. I'd already seen the Battlestar Galactica episode so I went to bed then.

Saturday morning my family waited until 10 am to call and wish me a happy birthday. That's what we do in my family - we all call eachother so it's a bunch of fun phone calls all day long. I was still in bed at 10 am, of course! I love laying in bed when I can. After a bunch of phone calls I went to see Serenity. It was really good. I went by myself because I don't know any other females who like sci-fi, except my sisters who live in Virginia. Then a couple of good friends came over for dinner and cheesecake to help me celebrate my birthday. It was fun and relaxing.

Today I watched Sahara. Not sci-fi but still good. And Rob will be home soon.

Gluten Free Buckeyes

2005-10-08T21:30:00.000-04:00

I figured out how to make Buckeyes for Rob without the foods he's allergic too. He's been craving sweets but can't really have anything. The regular recipe includes butter and all-purpose flour, which Rob can't have. So I just left out the butter and added extra peanut butter. Then instead of using the all-purpose flour, I used 1 part arrowroot powder and 4 parts brown rice flour.

Woo hoo!!! It came our really well. Next time I make them I'll post the recipe. I was playing around today, so I'll document it next time.

Lazy Rainy Day

2005-10-07T13:44:00.000-04:00

Well well well...it's a great lazy rainy day. Today is my day off and I'm really enjoying it. I got up early to go to the chiropractor. Then Rob and I went to Starbuck's for a coffee and talked about stuff that needed to be talked about. Now I'm chilling at home, on the computer obviously.

We have to out again in an hour, but nothing stressful. I think tomorrow it's supposed to be sunny. We have mushrooms in our front yard cuz it's been raining so much.

OH!!!...and we saw an otter running around on the side of the road!

The sky is blue: The sea is green

2005-10-04T22:24:00.000-04:00

IMG_0228
Originally uploaded by Juston Western.

Yay for the teams going to Washington DC and Virginia, where I grew up. I love that the Amazing Race is doing a few rounds in the U.S.A.!!! I've never been to, or heard of, Welbourne Manor, but then again I've only been to Middleburg a few times. The spy detour was so fun! How weird would that be to go up to a stranger and say, "The Sky is Blue". Everyone is DC has a briefcase and a dark suit on!

I've also never been to a Civil War re-enactment, or as my in-laws from South Carolina would say, the War Between the States. (My husband yelled, "go grey" during this scene I should probably do that sometime when I fly back up to Virginia to visit family.

Okay, so now about the teams.

Paolo family - it's painful to watch them. Can they last long? I don't think so, and I don't want them too because they are so annoying. I can't believe how mean the older son is to his mom! Ugh. Then again she started nagging way to much.
Gaghan family - you walked around the reflecting pool looking for something that obviously wasn't there and you NEVER asked for directions????? The kids are still super cute.
Weaver family - Rob and I are pulling for them because they are from Daytona, close to us. Plus I like this family; they work well together.

Anita's 30th bday

2005-10-04T20:41:00.000-04:00

Anita's 30th bday
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

I went to Northern Virginia this past weekend for my sister's 30th birthday party. It was fun and I got to see my family as well as my aunt, uncles, and cousins that I haven't seen in awhile. It was a good weekend.

This is a picture of Anita after her roast.

Amazing Race - Family Version

2005-09-27T22:30:00.000-04:00

So I wasn't so sure I would like the new family version of the Amazing Race. But after watching it I really do like it. It's fun to see how the family teams interact, especially the dad and son-in-laws, the dad and daughters, and the 3 brothers and sister.

The little blonde girl is so stinkin' cute! Could she be any cuter? The Italian family is annoying, although it's cool that the dad came from Italy to pursue the American dream. I like the widow and kids and I couldn't belive the mom got run over! Tragic, since that's how their dad died. I don't know if I can deal with 4 chatty high pitced female voices for the whole show. Although they are amusing.

The show doesn't usually stay in the U.S. so long to begin with, so it was cool to see different parts of the northeast. Can't wait until next episode.

TV

2005-09-27T20:50:00.000-04:00

The TV season started last week and it's been awesome. So many new shows and returning ones as well. Tonight is the premier of Amazing Race! Woo Hoo!

Okay, other shows I've been watching (with the help of a DVR):

Lost - the new episode was GREAT!!!
Desperate Housewives - I don't think I'll be into it this year
Survivor - loving it
The Apprentice - on the DVR still, waiting to be seen
How I Met Your Mother - very cute
Battlestar Galactica - I love my sci-fi, season just ended
America's Next Top Model - yes, I'm actually into this show.

Mama's Birthday

2005-09-17T14:01:00.000-04:00

Mama 2005
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

Today is my mom's birthday. She's -- years old and still as beautiful as ever! In fact, when we got out together people think we're sisters. She's in Puerto Rico helping take care of my grandmother and aunt because my aunt's back went out last week. She'll be working hard so it won't be a super relaxing birthday for her. But she's with family.

Happy Birthday Mama! Try and enjoy the pool for a couple of hours.

Sunburned

2005-09-16T21:53:00.000-04:00

I made it out to the Cocoa Beach this afternoon for a couple of hours. Sad to say, it was only my second time at the beach this year. Ugh!

The beach was perfect. As I wrote in a previous blog I think now is the perfect time for the beach. The humidity is low, the temperature has dropped a little, and the water was nice and warm. It doesn't get any better that that!

It was just what I needed. I spent time with God praying and reading a book about theology. What I didn't do was put sunscreen on. I know, I know, stupid thing to do. But I was anxious to get some sun and shed the pasty white girl look and I don't usually burn.

Today I burned in areas that haven't gotten sun all year - my face and stomach. I've been putting SPF 45 sunscreen on my face all summer, and I haven't worn a bikini all year. I was at a Crusade conference this summer so, ya know how that goes.

I'm sure it'll feel better tomorrow.

New Glasses

2005-09-12T22:28:00.000-04:00

Check out my new glasses! I really like them. I've been wearing the other style for 6 years and needed a change. I can't believe how much better I can see now with my new prescription! Ever since I started wearning glasses in high school I've always tried to have fun styles. I had an orange pair and a light blue pair. Those were fun and matched with most anything. These days I can only afford one pair - my parent's don't pay for them anymore.

Okay, so here's a picture with my old glasses so you can compare, since most people reading this (all 8 of you) don't see me much.

Bad Blogger

2005-09-09T23:16:00.000-04:00

I know I've been a bad blogger. There's not much interesting going on in my life right now, so there's not much to post about. I've been feeling worse than normal the last 2 weeks so I haven't gotten around to being on the computer much. Maybe I should write about random stuff.

What should I blog about?

#10

2005-09-05T21:52:00.000-04:00

I came up with #10 of things I love about fall in Florida:

Fresh local oranges

What I Love About Fall

2005-09-04T22:54:00.000-04:00

Leah wrote about things she loves about fall and wants me to do the same. Growing up in Virginia my favorite season was the fall. I love the changing colors of the leaves, the cooler weather, and wearing sweaters. Unfortunately, fall in Florida is much different.

So here are my favorite things I like about fall in Florida.

The temperature drops from 95 (35 C) to 90 (32 C).
Hanging out in my hammock on the patio.
Being outdoors again without sweating to death.
Going to the beach.
Seeing my neighbors outside during the day after the summer indoor hybernation.
Tourist's go home.
Kids go back to school.
Summer clothes on sale that I can use year round!
Palm fronds changing col....oh wait...never mind.
That's about it.

Eyes

2005-08-26T11:27:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited! I'm trying out some new contacts and they seem to be working! I've had a really hard time getting fitted for contacts. Hopefully these will work.

Green Bean

2005-08-24T11:54:00.000-04:00

Check out how long this green bean is! My sister's friend gave it to her from his garden.

ME: Oh my gosh, look how long that is! How'd he grow that?
Anita: He's Thai.
Will(Anita's Phillipino boyfriend): You've never seen a green bean that long? That's how my family grows them. They're all that long.
ME: Not the ones in the grocery store.

Apparently green beans grow long in parts of Asia. I learn something new everyday.

Peaceful Virginia

2005-08-22T13:05:00.000-04:00

Mama's backyard
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

I'm at my mom and step-father's house sitting on the deck in the backyard. The thermometer says it's 90 degrees in the sun but it's much cooler where I'm sitting in the shade. It's peaceful back here. There are woods in the backyard and a huge crepe- myrtel tree with tons of pink blossoms right in front of me.

I really like northern Virginia. I've been up here for the weekend visiting family and my friend asked me last night how my visit has been. I can honestly answer that it's been good. I can't always say that. But I got to hang out with both sisters, mom, best friend and even my dad was in town too. He lives in Pittsburgh.

What stresses me out about being up here isn't my family. It's the traffic, the business of life, the amount of time it takes me to go from one place to another. My family lives all over the northern Virginia area and it can take 45 minutes to go from my mom's house to my sister's place. And that's without traffic.

When I have the chance to relax up here like I am now, I love it. Virginia is a beautiful state. It's so green and colorful with tons of pretty trees. Some would say the weather is hot today, but compared to Orlando it's nice and cool! Sometimes when I come up here I can't wait to go home but today I miss living up here. And I'll miss seeing my family.

Air and Space Museum

2005-08-19T19:04:00.000-04:00

I flew into Washington DC on Thursday to visit my family for the weekend and my dad picked me up at Dulles airport. After lunch we went to the new part of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum near Dulles, the The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. It was fun. It's like a big airplane hangar with a bunch of airplanes, helicopters, and a space shuttle inside for people to view. If you're in the area I recommend going.

Anyway, the Enola Gay is there too. My dad and I took a break in the McCafe there and watched the airplanes land, which was also fun. I really love airplanes. I'll write more later.

Shopping With Teenagers

2005-08-13T10:51:00.000-04:00

Our Canadian friends our in town and Claudia, her daugther Carly and her niece Nica have stayed with us for a couple of days. Carly and Nica will be 16 in a couple of months. We went to the mall yesterday and let me just tell you it was really fun shopping with them. It was fun to watch them get excited about certain stores we have here that they don't have in Vancouver. And I was getting some good style tips from them. So, I felt a little old but that's okay. Now I'm a little more in the know about what to wear and how to wear it!

Inbox

2005-08-11T13:14:00.000-04:00

Last month I had over 200 messages in my inbox. I just didn't have time to get to them all. So I've been working on deleting, organizing, and answering my emails. I'm proud to say that I now have 25 messages in my inbox!

Of course I now have a bunch in other folders, but I'm getting there.

Bye Bye Derby

2005-08-07T20:14:00.000-04:00

Derby
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

Our pet cockatiel, Derby, died 2 weeks ago. Our neighbors were watching him while we were gone in Colorado. When we called them last week to see if they could watch him an extra week they told us he had just died. They don't know what happened...just found him dead on the floor.

Rob and I are both sad. It's habit for us to say "hi Derby" when we walk in the house. Or to whistle to him during the day. We got his cage back yesterday and it's sitting in the garage as a reminder when we take the trash out. It's funny how attached we were to our little bird. He was our pet.

We're not going to get another bird right now. It had become harder and harder to find people to watch Derby while we were gone. We had Derby for 5 years and we think he was 9. Cockatiels normally live about 15 - 20 years. We'll miss his pretty whistling.

Bye bye Derby.

Almost Home

2005-08-03T22:56:00.000-04:00

We're in Simpsonville visiting Rob's family. Tomorrow we're driving home. It's been a good drive from Colorado. It'll be nice to be home.

Prairie Dog Field

2005-07-29T00:20:00.000-04:00

Prairie Dogs
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

There are 3 praire dogs in this picture. Can you find them?

There is a big field in Ft. Collins that's full of prarie dogs and you can hear them making noises to each other! They were running around from mound to mound. Very fun.

GTO Ministry Booth

2005-07-21T16:32:00.000-04:00

GTO Ministry Booth
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

We set up our ministry booth this morning. We have a Ministry Fair during our conference so other staff members can learn about what different ministries are doing to help fulfill the Great Commission.

I designed our booth and other materials that will be handed out to people this week. It's fun to see the final product of my work!

Horsetooth Resevoir

2005-07-20T16:03:00.000-04:00

Horsetooth Resevoir
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

On Sunday Rob and I went to Horsetooth Resevoir and it was beautiful! I saw a big boulder and decided to figure out how to climb to the top. Never mind that I just had sandals on! I did it anyway and it was nice to sit up there a take in the view for a little while.

Can you see me in the picture? I'm the little white and peach speck on the rock in the bottom of the picture.

Drive In Movies

2005-07-17T00:11:00.000-04:00

Drive In
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

I'm addicted. It started last weekend when I went to a drive in movie for the first time ever. We went last night again. I love it! It combines my love for watching movies with my love for being outdoors in beautiful weather.

Not only did we get to watch two movies last night, but we also watched God's show of shooting stars and a beautiful view of the moon as it went behind the mountains.

We got their early last night and I took this picture while we were hanging out waiting for the movie to start.

PT Cruiser Community

2005-07-11T23:19:00.000-04:00

PT Cruiser
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

Rob and I have become part of the PT Cruiser community. Other PT Cruiser drivers wave at us when they drive past! We feel so special.

This is our rental car for the month while in Colorado. It's fun to drive.

Ridiculous

2005-07-10T11:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday at yard sales I bought a 12 cup coffee maker that works great for $1 and a humidifier for $1!

Ridiculous.

I've been working hard this past and know we're playing hard on the weekend. Rob and I are driving the scenic route to Laramie, WY. See ya later.

The Poudre River

2005-07-08T00:07:00.000-04:00

River in Colorado
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

Rob and I went driving up the Poudre Canyon and stopped by the Poudre River several times to enjoy the scenery.

In Ft. Collins

2005-07-05T11:58:00.000-04:00

We've been here since last Friday and it's beautiful! The weather is just great! We spent the weekend getting settled into our apartment and know it's back to work.

I found out this weekend that I'll be working more than I anticipated. Rob and I are here for Campus Crusade for Christ's national conference that happens every 2 years. And the conference team has 3 graphic designers working on stuff. One of them broke his arm this weekend. Another one has his arm in a sling because he broke his clavical. The third guy is healthy.

Luckily, I'm here. So I'll be helping them out some.

Toro

2005-06-29T10:37:00.000-04:00

Toro
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

This is what stares at me while I work at my desk everyday.

Bird Nest

2005-06-22T08:56:00.000-04:00

Bird Nest
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

This bird built her nest right in front of the main entrance at Crusade headquarters. And the weird thing is that she's right next to the sidewalk where people and cars go by all the time. She had been laying on her eggs for a few days. Yesterday Rob told me that her and the eggs were gone. So sad. We think another animal got them.

My Younger Twin

2005-06-20T20:47:00.000-04:00

Me and Karin
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

Today was Karin's first day in the office after taking three weeks off. And can you believe we were dressed the same!? This isn't the first time it's happened either.

Rob's Annual Shopping Trip

2005-06-18T22:51:00.000-04:00

Rob and I spent a good portion of the day at the mall. He really dislikes shopping, especially if it's for him. So it typically takes me about a year to convince him that he needs some new clothes. And it's not a fun process. But today's trip to the mall was really good. I think it's because I warned him ahead of time that we would be there awhile...and I told him to bring a book to read while I was getting what I needed. Let me just tell you that we got some major deals for his clothes because a store was having a buy one get one free sale on shorts and shirts. Then he found a really good pair of shoes that were a little pricey, but when we went to buy them they ended up being half off! Woo hoo!

Recovering The Chair

2005-06-15T19:40:00.000-04:00

My mom was in town this weekend and she helped me recover our La-Z-Boy recliner. I didn't realize how gross it was until we started recovering it! We've had it for about 8 years. Anyway, it turned out much better that I ever imagined! If my mom hadn't helped me I never would have gotten it done. Thanks Mama!

How The Book Got Here

2005-06-10T22:20:00.000-04:00

I got a cookbook this week from a sweet lady, Jo, who lives in Pittsburgh, PA, and is a member of my dad's church.

On Sunday night Jo gave my dad the book to give to me. But I had just left Papa's house on Sunday afternoon and he wasn't going to see me until Christmas.
On Sunday night he drove to the DC area for my cousin's graduation and gave the book to my younger sister whom he stayed with.
On Tuesday afternoon my younger sister gave the book to my mom - at the airport. They were both flying out from Dulles at the same time so Anita found my mom in the terminal.
On Tuesday night I saw my mom and she handed me the book.

My family will do anything to not have to spend money on mailing stuff. I love it! My mom is going to Puerto Rico in July to visit her mom, sister and brother. She's going to take the birthday present I got for my aunt when she goes so I don't have to mail it to her!

Dinner Guests

2005-06-09T22:20:00.000-04:00

Alissa and Graham, her boyfriend, came over for dinner tonight. Alissa is the daughter of the family we stayed with in Canada. She's involved with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) here. It was fun!

Google's Logo Today

2005-06-08T21:06:00.000-04:00

Check out Rob's blog about today's Google logo. You know how they change the logo for special days? Well, we've been to the "E".

It's Over

2005-06-08T21:03:00.000-04:00

Okay, so my procrastination didn't last very long - just about 5 minutes. I actually got a lot of stuff done today. Then I went home and mowed the lawn, planted a few flowers, and made dinner. Not a bad day.

Procrastinating

2005-06-08T12:33:00.000-04:00

That's what I'm doing right now. I'm not motivated to work today. Don't know why but don't worry, it won't last long. Because I know if I don't get stuff done today then I'll be super stressed tomorrow. I think I need a week at the beach. A week at the beach in Puerto Rico sounds really good right now. Actually, a week at any beach would be nice!

I think I'll go have lunch now and get back to work.

Visiting Papa

2005-06-06T11:26:00.000-04:00

This is my dad. We call him Papa, which is Spanish for dad. We had a good time in Pittsburgh visiting him. I realized I'm more like him than I thought. That's a good thing.

Flying Home

2005-06-05T21:58:00.000-04:00

Flying into Orlando International Airport is never dull.

Highlights of today's flight into Orlando:

a 2 year old boy being carried by his dad sobbing and yelling at the top of his lungs: "NO AIRPLANE! GET ME OUT! NO AIRPLANE"
as the screaming boy passed, a father in the row in front of us tried to cheer him up with, "You're on the right plane, Mickey Mouse is in the back of the plane."
it didn't help

Falling Water

2005-06-04T13:34:00.000-04:00

Falling Water House
Originally uploaded by Patricia102696.

Rob and I are in Pittsburgh this weekend visiting my father. Yesterday we went to Falling Water, a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was really neat but we noticed the house was built for short people. The ceilings were really low.

No Keys

2005-06-01T21:03:00.000-04:00

Well, I locked myself out of the house. Again. But I must say that it's been at least a year since I've done that.

I hung out in the car while Rob conveniently decided (after I called him) to come home early from the office. It's been one of those spacey kind of days for me.

Monday Night Movie

2005-06-01T14:00:00.000-04:00

I watched The Prince and Me last night.

Farsighted

2005-05-31T14:45:00.000-04:00

I went to the optometrist last week and apparently I'm farsighted on top of having an astigmatism! So it's hard for me to see things close up. This is especially annoying during the 8 hours a day I stare at my computer screen. I'm having a hard time focusing on the little type on my screen. Rob laughs at me because I have to make the text really big (like I'm a 90 year old woman) all the time! I can't wait to get my new prescription.

I decided to try out contacts again. I used contacts about 7 years ago but my eyes were really dry. Once I started working in an office I wasn't able to use them all the time so I just gave up. I think it might work better now. My eyes are not as dry as before.

Movie Weekend

2005-05-29T16:00:00.000-04:00

So far it's been the best weekend in a long time. Why? Because Rob and I are just hanging out watching movies, which started Friday night with Me, Myself and Irene. Saturday we finally went to see Star Wars and it was AWESOME!!! Today we've watched Star Wars: Episode 4 and we're about to watch The Empire Strikes Back! It's really cool watching the last three movies now that I've seen Revenge of the Sith.

Now What?

2005-05-27T18:24:00.000-04:00

The TV season is over and I'm not sure what to do with myself now. All of my shows finished this past week. I guess I'll be able to catch up on movies now. Me, Myself & Irene is on TV tonight.

These are the shows I like to watch:

Lost
The Amazing Race
Desparate Housewives
Enterprise (which is now over)
Survivor (depends on the season)
The Apprentice (also depends on the season)

No Time

2005-05-25T13:03:00.000-04:00

Too busy to blog.

Check out Rob's blog.

Dirty Napkin

2005-05-23T22:05:00.000-04:00

When Panera gives me my tray of food why do they put the sandwich on top of the napkin? The napkin is no good to me if it's already dirty. It ends of being a waste because I have to get another one anyway. I don't get it.

Emotional

2005-05-20T23:32:00.000-04:00

It's been an odd emotional day. This morning Rob and I attended a funeral for the 18 year old daughter of a co-worker. We didn't know her. But I when her best friends and boyfriend went up front to say a few words I couldn't help but cry.

Right after the funeral I rushed home to spend time with our friend from Vancouver who is here for the weekend. I had a great afternoon catching up with her and sightseeing in Winter Park.

Tonight Rob and I were back in a church. This time to see Karin receive her master's degree from seminary. I was very happy for her!

Shopped Out

2005-05-19T11:30:00.000-04:00

I'm officially declaring that today is the last day of my month long shopping spree.