Don't tell my Dad...

So I know that I "know a guy" who can get me some serious jewelry - but I'm pretty impressed with The Carrot Box. Check out these bewitching rings...

OH! I'm her...

Did you ever watch movies and see a beautiful outfit and yell at the screen - "Oh! I'm her!!"? Yeah, me too. Now you can scroll through a whole wardrobe of vintage gowns and formal wear. Take some time and visit this online
wardrobe...

A pretty serious night light

This light was created by Russian designers - and while intense - is also a little soothing...would be so cool for a backyard party...

In the mean time...

With so few new stories coming out of the television - and far TOO many reality shows coming out of the television - it's hard to find good things to put on the TiVo. But if you are looking for some good television - you should check out the documentary on PBS, The Pioneers of Television. It's a really great multi-part documentary - with special segments on late night television and variety shows. It's quite delightful and educational. You should watch it!

Sweatband? Check.

I'm new to the Glumpers - but they sure are cute. And for some reason this clip spoke to me. Enjoy!

And if you're like me, and I know I am, you'll want to check out the rest of their videos at their awesome website.

I wish everyone would learn to ..... Then everyone would.....

I wish everyone would learn to pay attention to what's going on around them then everyone would have a better understanding of the people around them. I am often perplexed at how people can walk down the street or a hallway or an aisle and have no awareness of people around them - even walking right into other people. Even better than that are people who walk down a hallway - looking in the opposite direction of the way they are walking.

It just seems to me that if we're all paying attention to where we're going - we'll see the people around us - and what they need. We may also be kinder if we see the people that are all around us, needing our smiles.

Remember the card catalog?

These are cute journals! Small with sturdy spirals - perfect for in the car brainstorms (why do all the good ideas come when writing them down is impossible!?) or in your bag. Or a snug drawer. Or some other smallish space. I don't think it comes with a short stubby pencil without an eraser.

If you could participate in an Olympic event, which one would you choose and why?

I would compete in the Women's K1, Single Kayak Slalom. If you're not familiar, here's the facts from Olympic.org:

About:
A whalebone and driftwood frame, with a sea-lion skin stretched tautly over it and waterproofed with whale fat, hardly suggests a budding Olympic sport. Yet the kayaks that meant life to the Inuits in the Arctic for centuries have become the racing kayaks of the modern world - even if the building materials have changed.

The link was 19th century British barrister John MacGregor. He studied the ancient kayaks, designed a similar boat and disappeared into the rivers and lakes of Europe's wilderness to become a noted travel writer of his time. When others copied his boat, he founded the Royal Canoe Club, and canoe regattas began a year later in 1866.

While Canoe-Kayak reached the Olympic Games in 1936 with Flatwater Racing, it took almost half a century for Slalom Racing to be included in the Olympic Programme, when Munich in 1972, hosted the dramatic whitewater version, and heralded Slalom as a fully fledged Olympic Discipline.

Competition:
The Slalom Racing events, involving men's K1 (single kayak), C1 (single canoe) and C2 (double canoe) and women's K1 require the paddlers to negotiate 20 to 25 gates in turbulent water over a 300-metre course. Competitors aim to complete the course in the shortest time, factoring in penalties for gates touched or missed.

I currently am not in any kind of shape - but I would love to do the slalom. There is a flat water version - but this would be so much more fun. Plenty of adrenalin and lots of fun in the water.

Wii? Yes, please.

So - I do not own a Wii...and probably don't have the skills to play a Wii successfully - but if I did - I would have to own this game, Rayman's Raving Rabbids. Go check it out. If nothing else, the graphics are amazing - and the characters are funny and the premise is pretty great: the rabbids are crazy and will throw plungers at you. That's what I've gathered thus far.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.

--Dr. Suess

Head over to ReForm School!

ReForm School is a pretty cool online shop - some of my favorite things in their shop are:

A squirrel playing drums tee shirt

A recreation of an English WWII propaganda poster

True, dat!

Be still my heart...

Dear Steve Jobs-
I love you.

That's all.

Love -
Miss Five

PS - thank you for the MacBook Air...I lurve it.

Um...this new amazing notebook fits in a manila envelope! It's only 3 pounds! HOLD ME!! The only thing is that the super drive is external. But I think I could live with that.

What is your favorite day of the week?

For as long as I could recognize that I had a favorite day - it's been Tuesday. I love Tuesdays. Which isn't to say that I don't like the other days, or that you're not allowed to love a day that isn't Tuesday...I'm just saying that for me - if I could pick the day that I enjoy most - it's Tuesday.

Tuesdays are great because you're over the shock of Mondays. Monday is all about getting back into your work or school or regular day routine. It's about tying up loose ends from the previous week and getting organized and reassessing for the week ahead. This is often a slower process because you had the weekend to get relaxed and way off your normal schedule.

Tuesdays are also great for going out to lunch with friends. It can often be more difficult to schedule lunch dates as the week wears on - but a Tuesday lunch date will often see you through the week until you reach the weekend.

You will often find that restaurants and bars have specials on Tuesdays - great deals on food - or even free tacos...because both Tuesday and tacos start with "T" - and that makes for snappy adverts!

So, in conclusion - vote for Tuesday...and free tacos!

Really quickly...

The newest addition to my Google Reader (which you should all set up and use!) is a beautiful blog called Desire to Inspire and it lives up to it's name. Below is a picture that made me gasp right out loud...one day, baby!

What is your favorite song and why?

Who can pick just one? And since it's my "journal" - I'll write about however many songs I want...but the first has to be the first movement of "Gloria" (Vivaldi). This is a sacred choral work and I think it is a much more jubilant and accessible anthem for Christmas - much more than Handel's "Messiah." There. I said it. I sang this piece during my time in the concert choir in high school (prior to being kicked out of choir, which needs the attention of it's own post). It is such a fun song to sing...and listening to it is so much easier than the Hallelujah Chorus...none of those high shrill notes that make your neck hurt from straining to make sure they hit the notes.

Next is the song that has the most plays in my iTunes - "Here (In Your Arms)" (Hellogoodbye). This song is clean and happy and good for getting things done around the house or getting down the road. Having the musical taste of a 60 year old woman does often limit my exposure to new music and artists. But thanks to a guest blogger over at DesignMom I was introduced and instantly fell in love. I will also say this - I only bought the one song - so if you go and buy the whole album and it's offensive - well - I have no way of knowing that it is or isn't. You're on your own.


"Il Postino Theme" (Luis Bacalov) is one of the sweetest, most transporting themes from a film. The emotion is powerful and the musicality is simple and intricate and can be listened to again and again. I was exposed to this music from a CD of Classics According to Petie, and people - she is not wrong. This Academy Award winning music will change your life.

"Under Pressure" (Queen)...This one is much harder to explain as far as why I love it. But if you don't already love Queen - then adding David Bowie to the mix may be the tipping point. Take another listen and add it to a mix

I was first introduced to "Over the Rainbow" (Eva Cassidy) during a ward campout. The song is such a light and powerful rendition. I still feel like I'm at the coast in the Boersma's fifth-wheel every time I hear it. It's great on a sleepytime mix or a puttering CD. I have always loved Somwhere's Over De Rainbow - a wishing song grounded in lovely music. I just think Eva Cassidy's voice is moving and easy to listen to. And clearly that is a theme in all the music I love - there is simple musicality and it is easy to listen to. Some may say that it's even "easy listening..."which would be right in line with my grandma tastes!

A writing week...

As a sub, I'm most often working with students who need help with reading and writing. So I've decided that this week I'm going to spend the week with posts using some of the journaling prompts that float around for the kids to use in their own journaling. Get ready to live!

So - I just finished posts that should hopefully make up for the almost week without posts. Life has been pretty quiet - subbing during the days - enjoying TV and movies and books and planning a political coup. Obviously the last one may seem a little odd - but it's true. If you want details you must understand that once I tell you - you might be an accomplice. But I'm working on the master plan - including a puppet figure-head. I'm very excited. Once I've got certain elements in place - I will reveal my coup plans...until then Viva La Hemlines!!

This is great!!

From the DC Traveler website I learned about this event...stunt...thing. Folks ride public transport without pants! Delightful. Go read about it!

Did anyone see this, live and in person?

Now you CAN Hassle the Hoff...

So - I'm not sure how much time this took someone (or even a team) but it does make me laugh. And it's free - so it meets the rule of not spending money on jokes. Please go and download your own Posable David Hasselhoff.

Bare walls?

This is such a cool bookshelf! The metal of course allows for use of magnets, but each shelf is plenty of sturdy for books and heavy knick-knacks. It also seems that the installation would be fairly smooth. It is a German made item - but at 129 euro (or 191.00 USD) it's a pretty great deal for bookshelves that provide a lot of flexibility and are a little arty!

I wrote it on the TOAST!

So - this special new invention seems just a little...uh...special. The concept is so weird. You write your message out on the pad - and then the message is printed into the toasted bread. See:
Why would I need my message or quick reminder printed on my toast? Or, perhaps it's good for spies...who are sick of messages self destructing or having to eat the paper. Either way - this may not be making too many wish lists this year. Unless of course I'm getting a cute little toaster for my desk - that wouldn't be too shabby. Hmm...

The sport of kings...

Actually - the sport of kings is actually horse racing - but I am SO excited for the summer to arrive - so that I can practice my newest sport love: CHEESE RACING. I also love Bocce ball and Jarts. Basically I love lawn games.

And how did I ever live without CHEESE RACING? Are you new to CHEESE RACING, too? Well - basically the rules are thus: (from the official Cheese Racing website)

What do you think happens when you throw a slice of processed cheese (without removing the plastic wrapping) onto a lit barbeque?

The plastic melts giving off highly toxic fumes and you are left with a pretty grim cheese/plastic mess welded on to your BBQ, right?

WRONG!

Unbelievably what actually happens, as discovered by the pioneers and inventors of the sport way back in 1997 (read their account of that historic night on a campsite in Osmington here), is that the plastic pouch does not melt - even when the cheese inside eventually boils! Even more incredibly, as the cheese melts and the strange chemicals found in processed cheese turn to gas - the plastic pouch inflates until eventually all four corners lift off the BBQ and the pouch is fully inflated! Now under this pressure you might think that the pouch would eventually burst - but no - most of the time the seal remains intact!

Quite why processed cheese manufacturers choose to use such industrial strength, heat proof plastic to encase their products is something of a mystery - as is why NASA don't use this material instead of those expensive heat proof tiles on the space shuttle? Such important questions no doubt occurred to the first observers of this phenomenon on that night in Osmington, but that didn't stop them from coming up with a brilliantly simple sport based on it.

So there you have it - and honestly I don't know how I ever passed a summer without having a great, old fashioned cheese race.

You are all invited to my first cheese race event - which is not officially sanctioned by CRASS (Cheese Racing Association) but I hope by the end of the 2008 Tournament we'll be good to go. So - mark your calendars for Monday, June 9. More details will come - but I will provide the cheese and the heat - you just bring a team name and yell (required) and we'll have a grand old time.

Sitting in the storm...

As I'm sitting here in the stormy weather (...don't know why) I'm forced to think how great it will be to be in the Spring-time again. Not that I'm trying to hurry Winter up here...but don't you think my folks need these for the back yard?
I just think they are so pretty - and easier to manage than tiki torches. They will be so great for the back-yard movie nights...yee-haw. Not that February isn't going to be awesome, too. I'm just sayin'.

Happy Birthday, King...

So - apparently today is Elvis' birthday. If he was still alive today - he'd be 72. This is according to the German guy in the crowd at the Today Show (today). And that's good enough for me.

I'm feeling a little peckish...

39%

American Gladiators!

Quick check - is it summer in 1988? Because watching the new American Gladiators makes this January day feel like Summer vacation when I was in elementary school! This new incarnation is more intense - especially with gladiators named Crush, Stealth, Justice and of course, my favorite (who scares me a whole lot) WOLF!! My folks told me the big, bad wolf was real - and now I know my fears have not been in vain.

Wolf - you scare me in the best possible way!

For Mrs. Doctor...

I have cleaning helpers, too! Aren't they cute!? Not as cute as yours, but still...they do pretty good work...


I bet you don't pay your helpers in Diet Pepsi, though? Sorry - but it's part of their contract...

Christmas break...

I guess I took an extended Christmas break - but today I'm back to blogging since I didn't get called to sub today. Long time, no update - so buckle up, and here we go:

Christmas: was very different this year. Being a family of four, this was the first year that we were only three around the tree in 20 years. And I'm sure if you've read over at Trixie's Circus - we are a family of traditions. Change can be hard. But it meant that we had new things - like talking to our Elder - to do and enjoy. But we made cookies and ate the treats from all the stop-bys and watched our holiday movies and ate nachos and opened gifts. And then at 6:30 a.m. on December 25 our phone rang...and we spent the day talking to Elder Taylor. He's fantastic and we had such a great time visiting. And we talked longer than we did on Mother's Day...if you're keeping track.

Being on the phone all day meant that cooking Christmas dinner sort of went out the window - other than putting the turkey in the oven. So yes, this year - we just ate turkey. From the carcass. The best part of just eating turkey is that none of us cared. We were all so relieved as we looked around and realized that no one wanted to make the other dishes and that was one of the best moments of Christmas 2007.

There were lots of lovely gifts - sweaters and pajamas and towels and books...and I'm way behind in my thank-you notes. So, if you're reading this and haven't gotten your thank-you note - don't give up hope.

Post-Christmas: the days after Christmas were filled with cleaning and making all the dishes that we'd failed to make on Christmas day - so plenty of food and cleaning up. We also waited to hear if Elder Taylor had been transferred out of Reno - and he has...he's now living in Gardnerville, Nevada.

New Year: it was pretty different this year. I normally ring in the New Year with the Malleys in Layton...but this year, it didn't work out. So, I found myself with some camp friends that I haven't seen in forever - and then visiting a couple of parties. Lots of talking and laughing and eating "pigs in a blanket." I had a nice time on New Year's Eve - but in my true grandma form, was home and in bed by 1 a.m.

So...yeah. Clearly nothing too exciting has happened in the last two weeks - but I'll do my best to post about some of the great stuff I've seen around the Interwebs....

Happy 2008, friends!

This could kill you...

I found this recipe here and realized that you'd probably only want to eat this in the hospital waiting room - just to save money on an ambulance ride. Please do enjoy:

Chocolate Ferrero Rocher Cake with Nutella Ganache

The Ingredients

Cake
3½ cups cake flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa (not Dutch process)
1½ teaspoons salt
2 cups softened butter
2¼ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla
1¼ cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking soda
2½ teaspoons white vinegar

Milk chocolate and Ferrero Rocher filling
15 Ferrero Rochers, crushed
200g Lindt milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
2/3 cup heavy cream

Nutella Ganache
1 cup Nutella
1 cup heavy cream

The Method

(Tip: One easy way to crush Ferrero Rochers is to do them while they’re still in their gold foil wrappers. Peel off the brown liner, lightly smash the chocolate while it's still in the foil, roll it around a hard surface, then open it up and dump the crushed bits into your mixture!)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two round layer cake pans with a baking sheet or aluminium foil.

2. Whisk cake flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl.

3. Place oil and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until well-blended. Beat in eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.

4. Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. Beat for 10 seconds.

5. Divide batter among pans, place in oven and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pans 20 minutes. Then remove from pans, flip layers over and peel off parchment, and cool.

6. Meanwhile, start on the milk chocolate and Ferrero Rocher filling. Place the Lindt chocolate in a medium bowl with the sifted cocoa powder. In a small saucepan bring the cream to a boil. Once it starts bubbling, pour the hot cream over the chocolate and gently whisk until smooth. Allow the mixture to cool, and add the crushed Ferrero Rochers.

7. Next, start on the Nutella ganache. Melt the Nutella and cream over low heat, stirring constantly, until smoothly blended. Let it cool.

8. Spread the milk chocolate and Ferrero Rocher filling over one layer, then put other layer on top. Frost the top and sides with the Nutella ganache, then stand back, and marvel at your heavenly chocolate and hazelnut creation.

I don't even know what to say about this...

With these gold pills

The Christmas "Stop-by"

It seems that the Christmas "Stop-by's" have begun a little early this year. We are more used to them being on Christmas Eve - but we are not one's to pretend we're not home just because we're not wearing any pants. Just like a designated driver, we have one person assigned to be able to receive guests at the door while the rest of the crew...uh...completes their ensemble.

But more to the point - tonight we had three "stop-by's." One with delicious chocolate covered popcorn, another with the worlds greatest caramels, and the last - and really the most spectacular was a cake. In our ward, the Laurels get together each Sunday evening to bake and decorate cakes for folks in the ward. I'm not sure how it started or the reasoning - but I'm not one to turn down a cake. So, here it is:

Trixie with the cake

A cake! For us! With blue frosting!

We loved the details - the nose is an M&M on its edge - in relief!!

We are so amazed at the generosity of our friends and family!

An entree for the New Year...

This year - I will be making this sangwich on New Year's Day. I'm pretty excited about it...doesn't this sound good?!

3-4 slices of bacon
2 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
2 slices of toasted rustic country loaf (pain de campagne)
1 tbsp of mayo
4 tomato slices
2 leaves of butter lettuce
1 teaspoon butter
1 egg

1. Cook the bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels
2. Place slices of cheese on one side of toasted bread. Place in toaster oven or under broiler to melt.
3. Spread mayo on other slice of bread top with bacon, sliced tomato, and lettuce
4. On non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Fry egg, turning over briefly when the bottom is set (keep yolk runny)
5. Slide finished egg on top of lettuce, top with other slice of bread (cheese-side down genius)
6. Place sandwich on plate and slice in half, letting yolk run down sandwich

I will make one of these sangwiches for the first person who can tell me where this sangwich was featured.

***UPDATE: the sangwich contest has been won, by my dear friend Tinkles.***

Thanks for the concern...

I understand that folks have been worried about my lack of posting. I am sorry for the absence - but I've been busy - below you can read what I've been up to!

Reveling...

This has been a really wonderful Christmas season. I have been to many parties - including one where my very own father got to be one of Santa's "helpers." Such a fun time. And a little mind blowing.

I've also been shopping and was in our Enrichment program - as the reader (and good news, I was perfect - because I know how to read!). It's been such a nice season to spend time with friends and not feel guilty that I should be doing something else...sitting and visiting is part of my Spirit of Christmas...and I don't care who knows it.

Mostly we've been getting ready to talk to our Elder on Christmas Day. We've sent him packages and gifts and things and cookies - but the best will be talking to him on Tuesday. Time has played tricks this year - it's been SO long since we talked to him in May, but it's so hard to believe that TEN months have passed since we said good-bye at the MTC. Weird. If you have any questions for the Elder - either interesting questions or stuff you actually want to know, please send them to me!

So - I hope that you're enjoying what you're doing and smiling and saying "thank you" and being awesome. That's my Christmas wish...

Working!

I've been working for the last week as a classified substitute for a local school district. And I LOVE IT. It's so many good things and I will list them.

First: it's an adrenalin rush each day. I never know where I'll be working, what I'll be doing - and it's a new challenge each day! The calls come in the 5:00 a.m. hour, which IS early - but then I get cracking and on my way. Now I know what Don Berg's days are like..sort of. Really, just the part of being up before heaven's angels. Any who - I get a lot done and get to enjoy hours of the day I didn't really know existed...

Second: as a "classified" sub, I'm working in inclusion programs, resource rooms, regular classrooms, and best of all - on the playground. I am not tied to one classroom - so even if I don't like the style of a teacher or classroom - I'm not there long enough for it to become a problem. This really helps in my "no complaining" project.
Third - so far I've had several childhood dreams come true - and I've only subbed for five days!! These [nerdy] dreams have included: going to the bus barn and helping kids with disabilities get on/ride the bus; being a CROSSING GUARD; being the "duty" teacher during a whole day's worth of recess. As the crossing guard, I got to say good morning and greet the kids and stop the "you know what" right out of traffic. I did it - and with a big, dopey grin on my face. As the "duty" teacher - I got to give bathroom passes, use a whistle, and make kids "sit on the wall" if they couldn't make good choices. I've also been able to work with reading groups and even [gasp] helped a girl with her math homework...and the math help was while I was working at the middle school! Eat your heart out, BYU!
So basically - I love the life of a sub. Each day is exciting and rewarding and usually over by 3:00 p.m. This has been such a good fit for so many of my talents and strengths. The most utilized strength, so far, has been my ability to make and enforce arbitrary rules...especially on the playground. It's awesome and I love it.