B is for Boring

Wontons...

2011-10-25T22:38:00.000-07:00

I love wantons, crispy on the outside, savory on the inside... I bought some wrappers and filled these with cream cheese and a couple slivers of onion, then threw them into the deep fryer... OMG they were so good...

I made up some noodles to compliment them, but they totally stole the show...

Paula Let Me down...

2011-10-12T13:54:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it... I love Paula Deen so much... her recipes are amazing... I have always had success when I use her methods... Well, not this time... She made Pulled Pork Egg Rolls on her show the other day and I was totally intrigued!

Cole slaw, and pulled pork mixed together with bbq sauce and sweet relish...

I rolled the mixture up tightly into egg roll wrappers and deep fried them nice and crisp.

They were horrible, absolutely disgusting... greasy and overly sweet... I will never, ever, make these again... ever...

Breakfast Delights...

2011-10-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

I am really into breakfast lately... I have been eating toast with egg and sausage sandwiches for breakfast most days during the week... to cut back on the fat I use 1 whole egg plus one egg white, whole wheat Sarah lee 45 bread, nonfat butter spread and veggie sausage... still a savory treat in the morning...

I had a craving a few Sundays ago for egg in the hole which I fried up crisp in the skillet before church...

Also recently I saw the idea on Rachel Ray to use thick sliced ham as the base for a breakfast cupcake... these looked cool but were just a little strange for me...

Payton Robert...

2011-10-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

Urgh I love this kid! A couple weeks ago we had Payton's first birthday party at Shell and Paul's house... it was a great time! I cannot believe how much kids grow in just one year... his personality is amazing... what an awesome little man, I can't wait to watch him grow up!

San Antonio...

2011-07-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

I went to San Antonio, Texas for work over the summer... it was hot...

Beef Sandwich...

2011-03-28T14:12:00.001-07:00

I saw an amazing beef sandwich on The Pioneer Woman's blog the other day and decided to make one of my own...

I started with some cheap, thin beef...

and some sliced mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion which I doused in Worcestershire sauce...

While the veggies marinated I sliced the beef into thin strips and soaked them in the same sauce...I violently threw the meat and veggies onto the grill before preparing my bread...

Mmmm the telera rolls I found at the market were absolutely gorgeous; crisp on the outside and soft in the center....

I split them open and buttered the inside before placing them on the flat top...

The completed sandwich was simply divine... I threw a couple pieces of white cheese over the hot meat before I placed the lid on top... truly a hearty little sandwich...

Fajitas...

2011-01-29T00:11:00.000-08:00

I decided I wanted Fajitas the other day so I went to the store and bought some peppers, onion, chicken breast and seasoning...

I sliced everything into nice strips and threw it violently onto the grill with some oil...

The smell was DIVINE! so savory...

Carmen had tacos, Dad a pile of meat and veggies... I decided on an overexposed burrito with guacamole and crema Mexicana... so so good!

Pastoral Search Commitee?!

2011-01-15T21:55:00.000-08:00

The head elder of the church called me this afternoon and wants me to be on the selection committee for our new associate pastor... What what!

A true honor... Praise be to God...Lord mold me into the man I need to be for this role...

The Set is Complete...

2011-01-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

The roommate left and took his fridge with him... This one is more my style... and it completes my stainless steel appliance set...

Lunches...

2011-01-02T11:20:00.000-08:00

I have been eating like a pig lately... with recently losing my roommate I need to cut back on crap food and the price tag that goes with it... I made these lunches the other night... A little fish, a little chicken, soup, veggies...

Christmas...

2010-12-25T10:40:00.000-08:00

Uggh the drive back from Phoenix on Christmas Eve totally sucked... Lisa and I were both exhausted from the weeks events... We made it into town by 8pm and I crashed on the couch... I woke up just in time to make Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at church... it was so beautiful to celebrate our Savior's birth...

Christmas Day was the same as it always is... I do love traditions... Doug and I were in the kitchen making Latkes...

Dad was on biscuit duty...

The food came out great... and everyone really enjoyed the meal and company...

It was a little surreal being around so much family over the past few weeks... surreal but good... My sister and I are getting along better than we have in years... and my Pop and Ron are healthy... I couldn't ask for more right now... life it pretty much all good...

After the festivities I got to go hang out with Shelly and Payton... he is such an awesome little man... Who would have thought that Shelly would be such a great mom...

Mothers...

2010-12-24T10:29:00.000-08:00

Ohh my Mom... we have had such a sorted relationship over the years... She basically abandoned my sister and I when we were infants... She disappeared for 4 years, came back, kidnapped my sister, then left for a few more years after the police returned Lisa. She really settled down about 20 years ago when she married my step dad, he seems to keep her in check...

So she had a heart attack the week before Christmas, then a quintuple bypass on Christmas Eve... It was pretty rough on my sister and I... You mildly care for someone for years until you almost lose them... the thought of her dying actually brought me to tears... surprising to me...

Lisa and I drove out to see her in and out of surgery, then back the following week to make sure she was OK...

I have spoken to her on the phone since and she sounds ok... Just ok... Not sure what to feel... I feel weird... a little scared and emotional... Anyway she is alive and recovering at home now... I guess I have to leave the situation in God's Hands...

I guess a bonus to being in the Phoenix area twice in a month is we got to spend a lot of time with my cousins and their beautiful kids...

Chicken and Fries... with a Little Sandwich...

2010-12-11T20:04:00.000-08:00

I love fried chicken fingers with fries... greasy delicious crispness...

The other day I made these and decided I wanted a little sandwich as well... it was crunchy and juicy...

Tacos...

2010-12-10T19:52:00.000-08:00

So as Carmen and I discussed what we should eat this week tacos came up yet again... I thought good old fashioned ground beef sounded good...

I fried mine up crunchy...
She wanted hers on soft corn tortillas...

Both were delicious!

Busted...

2010-12-08T10:01:00.000-08:00

Big time bummer: Someone busted into my truck and took my briefcase... I lost a lot of stuff...

Office Christmas Party...

2010-12-07T22:09:00.000-08:00

This year we went to a posh restaurant down in Laguna for our office Christmas Party... it was SO BORING... mindless conversation, boring people, gross food... I left early to hang out with my friends... At least I had Mimi and Mrs. Sanders to pass the time with...

Noodles...

2010-11-27T13:22:00.000-08:00

I am not a pasta fan... I don't know why... just too heavy and starchy...

I do however love chow mien... greasy, salty, full of vegetables... oh my mouth is watering just thinking about it... I made this batch with bok choy, sprouts, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, serrano peppers and lots of soy sauce...

I chopped up the vegetables and threw them violently onto the grill with a pound of chicken and shrimp and a couple scrambled eggs...

After drowning the entire pile in a bottle of soy sauce and tons of oil I got the shine and taste I was craving... I tossed it all together with some noodle and rounded out the plate with little frozen egg rolls... A true Asian delight...

Reflections of Thankfulness...

2010-11-25T20:24:00.000-08:00

My family loves me... and I sure love them... this year for Thanksgiving Mom and Jim came out and I had a lovely time with them... We went all over town shopping, cooking, eating out, watching movies, visiting Grandma and Grandpa Bowman's grave site... it was truly a meaningful time as they both age into their golden years... Thanksgiving was amazing... Lisa was really nice to me, the food came out perfect (except the slightly dry fried turkey)... I have so much to be thankful for... when I am sad, overwhelmed at work, or just plain mad at the word I should reflect on the beautiful family the Lord has blessed me with... I really should...

Dinner was topped off with Paulie proposing to Shel, baby in arms... it was a perfect day...

Gosh I love my Pop and sister... they mean the world to me... I would be lost without these two...

Quesadilla...

2010-11-25T13:13:00.000-08:00

I was dreaming of a nice chicken quesadilla so I made this one packed with good stuff...

I chopped up a ton of bell peppers, tomatoes and onions, nice and chunky. I grilled them on the flat top in a ton of butter until they were sweet and tender...

Meanwhile I had two nice chicken breasts frying up to a golden brown... Those I shredded into small pieces...

When all the ingredients were done I threw them together on the grill for a nice melting...

Talk about savory! The sweet peppers with the juicy chicken and spicy salsa... ohh so good...

Fried Chicken...

2010-10-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

Why are the things that taste so good, so bad for us? I lightly floured this pile of chicken the other day, then tossed it into the deep fryer...

Laying on a bed of hot crispy french fries it was a juicy, crunchy delight!

5K for the Hungry...

2010-10-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

As a member of the Board of Missions and Social Action at church I am constantly getting pulled into local events - something I am really beginning to enjoy! This last Sunday the church participated in the Annual Inland Valley Hope Partners "Walk for the Hungry. IVHP serves some 7 food banks in the IE which feeds close to 75,000 families! This is one of their biggest fundraisers of the year and were expecting 1000 participants. We showed support with 15 people from our church... it was a real challenge in the heat but such a worthy cause...

I put a post up on face book and asked just about everyone from work and was able to raise $160 for the cause... It's awesome to think if everyone was able to do the same a huge impact for the hungry was made in our back yard.

Knott's Scary Farm...

2010-10-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

I just love going to Knott's Scary Farm... It really gets me in the mood for the Halloween season... Mimi and I bought tickets a few weeks ago and met up for a night of frights and chills...

We made lots of new friends...

Especially this little guy who chased Mimi screaming through the London Fog maze...

I always have a great time with my Mimi... what would I do without my friends...

Oven...

2010-10-07T13:38:00.002-07:00

My Oven died... I cried... then I got this one... She is pretty...

Nashville...

2010-10-07T11:03:00.000-07:00

So while I was in town for Sheri's wedding I got to piss around the city of Nashville for a couple days and see what trouble I could find... I stayed downtown at the Millennium Towers Hotel... it was just OK, but a great location...

I spent one night cruising around the bars and met some nice people over a drink or two... when I had a second day in town, I wanted to take in all the delicious food that is The Music City...

According to Guy Fieri there are two BBQ stops in town that are not to be missed... The first was downtown; Jacks Bar-B-Que... I was dripping sweat from the 90 degree weather as I walked down the street to the restaurant...

The AC in the dining room was a relief and the aroma of delicious BBQ inviting...

I ordered the Tennessee style BBQ sandwich with green beans & potato salad... it was OK, just a little bland...

Then I moved on to the second legendary place that was suggested; Hog Heaven... it was an old beat up shack tucked behind a McDonald's and there was quite a crowd lined up and eating outside...
I ordered another pork BBQ sandwich and this one was truly amazing! The meat was tender and juicy, the sauce was spicy and the bun, soft and delicious! THIS is what I was looking for!

On my way back from Hog Heaven I happened by a White Castle burger and had to stop... as I pulled in I noticed that they not only served White Castle Burgers, but Churches Chicken; IN THE SAME BUILDING!

Needless to say I gobbled down a hot a crispy chicken wing as well as my yummy little White Castle Burgers...

I drove around the city and saw a few more boring sites and sweltered in the disgusting humidity... As I pulled up to get gas for my rental car I noticed a Krystal Burger and had to stop and get one of those as well... almost as good as the White Castle, almost...

Nashville was overall a pretty boring city, lots of traffic on the freeways, hot, humid, and probably not a place I would ever visit again...

Sheri's Wedding...

2010-10-07T10:31:00.001-07:00

So Sheri got married last month... I have been so busy traveling I have not had a chance to blog about it...

I flew to Nashville and drove up to the cute little town of Clarksville where the wedding was going to be held... They had the ceremony at the cutest bed and breakfast...

The ceremony was beautiful... set in the outdoors with the warmth of the summer sun, under a canopy of beautiful trees. The kids were involved all the way and that did my heart good...

Sheri made a beautiful bride, this wedding was exactly what she wanted... I am happy she is happy...

I guess life is an ever-changing continuum... nothing good and nothing bad ever lasts forever... sometimes I just wish we could hold on to the amazing things for longer... Sheri is one of my best friends... I love her and the kids so much... it makes me sad that they will be across the country now and I will probably never see them again... I guess that's what Facebook and the telephone are for... right? Oh well it was nice to spend my last moments with the 'J' family in a fun setting...

Goodbye my friends...

School Supplies...

2010-09-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

Vista del Valle School is one of the more needy schools in the pretty affluent district the church sits in. Each year we do a school supply drive to collect for kids that don't have the means to purchase what they need.

The board of missions and social action spearheads the drive and I was chosen to co-chair the collection with Ann whom I am on the board with. I made up a nice display and decorated a box to place out in the narthex (lobby) of the church.

I made an announcment the first week, then the teenagers got together to make an annoucment the second week... by the end the box was so overflowing that we had to stack the additional supplies in the back room... It really did my heart good to see the congregation band together and help a good cause... Many kids will benefit from this collection... Praise God for moving in this way!

Egg Rolls...

2010-09-04T11:26:00.000-07:00

I just love egg rolls... who am I kidding, I love anything deep fried... The other day I got the stuff together: cabbage, bean sprouts, mushrooms, carrots, ground chicken, and lots of soy sauce...

I diced everything fine and violently threw it onto the grill:

Once it was cooked, I laid out the wanton wrappers with a nice pile of filling, and egg wash around the open corner:

If there is one thing I can't stand is a skimpy egg roll, so I rolled mine nice and fat:

They were so hot, crunchy, and delicious! I threw the left over filling back on the grill with some noodles to make chow mien, it was a perfect bed for the amazing egg rolls..

Happy Birthday Amanda!

2010-09-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

Amanda's Birthday was this week so I made a little dinner for her and Shel... Nothing fancy, BBQ chicken, twice baked potatoes and some veggies...

I did get a special little cake with her name on it...

Fun times!

Masquerade!

2010-09-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

Candace wanted to do something different for her 30th birthday so she decided to make us all dress up in masquerade masks and outfits.... A super fun idea...

The party was at a big house up on the hill and there was no shortage of fun, booze, and food...

Some masks were small...

Some were big...
Mine was Lady Gaga inspired; pa pa pa poker face...

Everyone had a really nice time... Happy Birthday Candace!

Texas Fried Steak...

2010-07-31T15:54:00.000-07:00

My Grandma Bowman was a dear woman... crude, rude, hilarious! She came to visit often when I was a kid and we would sit around playing poker while listening to stories about Chicago in the 1930s - needless to say her stories were very colorful... Just as rich as her stories was her Texas Fried Steak... crunchy and tender, coated with gravy... I have fond memories of her standing over a sizzling frying pan...

I decided to whip up the steak for Carmen on Saturday... I started with flour, salt & pepper...

Then I sliced thin strips of cubed steak and tossed them in...

The next important step was to make the gravy... I made the rue out of chopped up hamburger patties and a whole lotta grease!

A little salt, pepper, water and some more flour and the gravy was just perfect...

I threw some instant mashed potatoes together (another childhood favorite)

and lunch was served! Crunchy Texas Fried Steak, mashed potatoes and home made beef gravy... it was so good!

Concert in the Park...

2010-07-28T11:39:00.001-07:00

Ahh you know summer is here when its time for concerts in the park... Monday was country music and the J family met us at the park for some pizza and fun! The kids wanted to go to the big playground so we went across the street...

Even Sheri and I got some swinging in...

The country music was good; we danced for quite a while... As the sun went all the way down the temperature dropped and everyone was a little chilly...

We still all had a good time!

Disney with Sheri and the kids...

2010-07-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

Sunday after church Sheri picked me up and we all went to Disneyland... the J family has been out of town most of the summer so I was great to see my dear friends... Today was a big day for Bryce, he was finally tall enough to ride Indiana Jones!!! The gal at the front congratulated him and even gave us a pass so we could bypass the line and walk right onto the ride! It was totally awesome... He liked the ride by clutched me pretty tight in the dark parts... good job little buddy!

When we traded Paige off so Catherine and Sheri could go on Indy, we explored the tree house... I don't remember it being so high... hmmmm

We rode some more rides, had a nice little dinner and really enjoyed hanging out...

The last ride of the night was Autotopia... Paige and Bryce drove me...

Catherine drove her Mom...

Lets just say the kids need some more driving practice... it was a wild ride!

Good weather, great friends.... awesome time! Gosh I am gonna miss these guys...

Carnitas...

2010-07-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

I recently came into a huge can of diced green chiles from work. I decided to pour the entire thing over a large chunk of cheap pork in the crock pot... 10 hours later I had the most tender carnitas... cant wait to gobble these up...

Happy Birthday Justin & Morgan...

2010-07-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

So Saturday the guys had a joint birthday party around the pool... it was an awesome mellow time...
everyone relaxed in the shade talking and drinking...

As the afternoon wore on everyone ended up in the pool to cool off... it was a great time... Justin pulled out the bounce house which apparently was not made to hold two full sized adults...

In the Heights!

2010-07-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

This week we had tickets to see In the Heights at the Pantages downtown... it was probably one of the best shows I have ever seen! So good!

Mimi and I stopped at Philipe on the way into LA... we got our usual beef and pork dips, potato salad and of course coconut cream pie with coffee...

We were in a rush so we had to gobble down and run!

A lovely night!

Tacos...Again...

2010-07-17T20:59:00.000-07:00

I just love tacos... it probably has a lot to do with growing up in an area of heavy Mexican influence... I could eat them crunchy or soft, beef or chicken, I even love the cheap 2 for $1 tacos from Jack in the Box...

Anyway I decided to whip some up for Carmen on Saturday... The usual suspects were present...

Mrs. Sander's favorite chips:

Salsa, Crema, y Guacamole:

Ohh I love my guacamole... why can't restaurants make it like I do?

The meat of choice today was some savory carne asada... they came out just wonderful...

Fried Mozzarella Sticks...

2010-07-11T20:51:00.000-07:00

Does The Pioneer Woman tell you things? Does she make you do things that are out of your control? Am I crazy? Hmmm... well the other day Carmen was telling me how much she loves fried mozzarella sticks... then a day or so later The Pioneer Woman tells me to make them... coincidence? I think not!

So I bought a bunch of string cheese...

Cut them up into little sticks...

And set out my dredging assembly... flour, egg, and seasoned bread crumbs...

I rolled up tray after tray of these little beauties and fried them in small batches... they were AMAZING... I typically don't order fried cheese in restaurants, but these I would totally make again... so good!

Green Chile Burger...

2010-07-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

I just love green chiles... a touch of spice with a lovely texture...

the other night after work I was starving for something greasy and satisfying, so I threw a couple patties on the grill next to a soft, fresh bun...

Once the bun got warm and crispy I slathered it with some cool creamy mayonnaise...

I hit each patty with a slice of American cheese and a grilled green chile... it was a true delight...

Vegas Getaway...

2010-07-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

Early on Monday Mimi and I hit the road for a couple days in Vegas... we have both been totally bogged down at work and needed some time off... We got a nice room at the Luxor and made no plans, except to drink, relax, and eat...

I whipped up a quick breakfast of hash browns and toast before we left... apparently the eggs had expired... opps!

When we got into town we were famished so we stopped off at the cafe in the Luxor for a delightful chocolate mousse and a turkey sandwich...

The weather was beautiful... clear and hot, about 104 degrees! After our lunch we hit the pool and laid in the sun for the rest of the day... the water was so cool and refreshing so we got into a cycle of sunbathing and dipping in the pool...

After we were nice and crispy we got showered and changed. We headed down to the casino for a little gambling and a nice dinner...

The next day we hit the pool early, but this time decided to go for a cabana instead... they were much nicer padded chairs with umbrellas to block the harsh sun... it was a much more enjoyable experience...

We got our drink on and really had a nice time watching the people go by, reading our books, and chatting...

of course we had to take breaks to dip in the pool... it was cooler at 100 degrees this day...

we rounded out the day with multiple trips to the all you can eat, all day long buffet and some relaxing in the room...

The next morning it was time to pack up and get ready to go, so we decided to check out the new Aria resort before leaving town... it was huge and very modern...

They had an upscale dessert bar just off the casino and we couldn't resist stopping for a treat...

we indulged in the "Opera" which was complete with gold leafing on the top... it was truly an amazing dessert...

We hit the road for home with a nice tan and a totally relaxed spirit... it was a great little getaway...

4th of July!

2010-07-04T19:15:00.000-07:00

Ugg I am so behind in my blogging... I have been super busy lately and just never seem to get a chance to sit down and get an entry in...

Anyway the 4th of July was a super extravaganza! After church Mimi came up and we headed over to the the boys' house for swimming, bbq, and good old fashioned fireworks in the back yard...

I got a nice tan and had a really nice time hanging out with the gang...

Mimi and I left early to get a good nights sleep in before our trip to Vegas the next day...

All Church Picnic!

2010-06-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

So this Sunday we had our all church picnic... The theme was "Welcome to the rain forest" to help tie into VBS...

One of the guys at church is a very talented decorator so he laid out really nice plans for the picnic. The mission action board was asked to help with setup along with the women's league... it was a fun team!

We got to church at 7am and the city had blocked off the street so that we could set up the picnic tables and stuff... Each table had awesome place mats, napkins, bright table clothes, and centerpieces featuring fun facts about the rain forest. We even added real palm fronds for an earthy feel...

There were bounce houses, face painting and games for the kids...

And a live jazz band...

All under the umbrellas formed by the trees it was a really awesome setting...

I got busy grilling and hanging out when the party got started after church and didn't get any more pictures... but a fun time was had by all...

Seviche!

2010-06-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

I hadn't made seviche in a long time and we wanted something light and cool on Saturday so I whipped some up...

Fresh red onion:
Crab, shrimp, tomato, cilantro and lots of lime!

So delish... served with Mrs. Sanders favorite chips...

Summer Sunshine...

2010-06-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

It was such a lovely day out today! Mimi and Barb convinced me to sneak out to the mall after lunch for a quick Pinkberry snack...

The boss man was out of the office so we literally sat there, lifeless, in the warm sun for an hour... just watching the people go by... it was so nice...

Double Grilled Cheeseburger...

2010-06-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

So Albert called the other day and wanted to hang out this week... I haven't seen my bud in at least a month so I told him to meet me at my place for a big fat dinner... I saw on the news recently that a restaurant on the east coast had developed a cheeseburger that utilized two grilled cheese sandwiches in lieu of a bun... I thought it a perfect meal for a night like tonight!

I got all the fixings ready for the burgers...

I also made some hand cut fries to go with the burgers...

I dressed mine with mayo, lettuce, tomato and pickle...

Albert did the same to his thick grilled cheese...

When the burgers came off the grill I piled my sandwich high...

Albert didn't quite know where to start...

Honestly we didn't even need the fries... but the were so good and crunchy!

The cheese oozing out of the sandwiches, and in conjunction with the mayonnaise and crunchy lettuce, it was AMAZING...

I have to say this was probably one of the most decadent things I have ever eaten... It's now a couple hours after we finished eating and I feel horrible... so full! I feel like grease is seeping from every pore in my body... ohh what a wild ride!

Baby Kits for Haiti...

2010-06-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

Although the earthquake was some time ago the need in Haiti is still so great... The Mission and Social Action board I am a part of took on the task of making baby kits to send to Haiti, which was no small task...

Each kit contains two cloth diapers, a little unisex outfit, booties, a hat, and a bib, all wrapped in a receiving blanket fastened with safety pins for the diapers...

Donations came in slow and the helpers were few at the beginning, then all of a sudden someone in church wrote a $1000 check to get the project jump started... God is so amazing how he works in peoples hearts... The women of "Threads of Love" got busy with all the new material and finished a lot of the sewing...

We had a get together this Sunday between and after services to assemble the kits and were able to complete 50!

They will go to the regional UCC conference where hundreds of additional kits will be added and shipped to Haiti in the name of our Lord... It blesses my heart so much to do these types of things... we are so spoiled here, we have so much...

Saturday Fry Fest...

2010-06-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

So I was in the mood for a delicious fry fest today... I had some nice chicken breasts on hand so I cut them into little strips...

as I whipped up a savory beer batter my mind wandered to what else I could coat and fry in the sudsy goodness... then it hit me = potatoes! I cut some nice thick wedges and tossed them in with the chicken...

I also cut some nice thick onion rings to use up the rest of the batter.... With little cups of ketchup and ranch we all ate till we were full!

Feeding the Hungry...

2010-06-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

So Sunday afternoon I had my first event with the board of missions and social action... One of my fellow board members has a ministry where they feed the hungry in Pomona on Sundays... He nudged me after the meeting a week ago and asked if I would be willing to help...

I was overjoyed by the thought... I made a huge pan of vegetables and headed down to the school where the meal was going to be held... The spread was pretty sweet; chicken, veggies, salad, rice, and desserts... it was nice to work along side other people from church...

It was slow in the beginning, then the line really formed... we ended up feeding 57 families and giving all the food we had away... It was awesome to meet and love on the people... some were really down and out and very appreciative...

I thought of Leviticus 23:22 as I drove home with a full heart... I like what this board stands for, and I like that we are focused on helping those in need; near and far...

Coconut Shrimp...

2010-06-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

So I made Paula Deen's coconut shrimp for the Memorial Day BBQ and they turned out just great. I wanted to make them again for Carmen the next Saturday so I gathered all the ingredients and set up my workstation...

I took a shrimp, then into flour, then egg wash, then a thick coat of coconut...

Per her suggestion I laid them out on a tray and let them solidify in the freezer for a little bit...

I also made a lovely sweet and savory dip using Mexican sour cream and a can of crushed pineapple...

I served them with the dip, cocktail sauce and lovely deep fried buttered biscuits...

Not sure what the difference was but the coconut got really dark this time around, they were still delicious!

New Church...

2010-05-31T15:56:00.000-07:00

So I guess it's no secret that I don't go to CBC anymore... What a horrible story... I would never want to relive an experience like that again... Church people hurt their brothers and sisters and that is not what Christ intended... Oh well it's in the past and I am only looking forward... not back... soon CBC will be an ugly memory in my past...

For the past 8 months I have been going to The United Church of Christ... I fit in so well there and it really feels like home now. I began to get involved by attending spiritual growth classes on Sunday morning before church and attending a monthly social action forum pot luck... the church is very justice-minded and heavily involved with the community in many ways...

I was encouraged by the pastoral staff to enroll in new member classes a couple months back so I finally gave in... They were very interesting... My father was brought up in the Congregational Church which over the years has become The United Church of Christ, so I enjoyed hearing about the history and tradition...

A couple weeks ago I completed my classes along with 9 others and was accepted into the church as a new member

Pastor Rob asked us various faith questions and with our affirmation we were in!

Although different from the churches of my past, I really love the focus on worship my new church has, sometimes there is a choir, sometimes a band, this Sunday a symphony... I feel a deep connection to the spirit through worship here...

About two months ago I was asked to join The Board of Missions and Social Action, a true honor! I have my first event coming up in a couple weeks and I am super excited... God blesses us with change - and even though it might be hard on us, he always knows what is best. Leading me to a new church where I can worship in spirit and truth is exactly what I needed... thanks be to God...

Memorial Day BBQ

2010-05-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

Ahhh summer is finally here - the weather is hot enough to run the AC and the clouds are almost non existent... James and Justin had a big Memorial Day BBQ bash to kick off the season...

James is a master gardener and really has made the back yard look nice...

James did most of the cooking... Including the coconut shrimp I saw Paula Deen making the other day... so good

Nichole and kids were there as well as Candace and Maddy... it was fun to have the kids all running around enjoying the summer sun...

There was also some amazing tri-tip that Kyle was in charge of grilling...

Everyone had a great time just relaxing in the shade... it was a pretty hot day...

By the afternoon we all ended up in the pool...

Ahh I love my friends... These guys mean the world to me...

It actually got chilly at night and we needed a sweater... Fun times...

Grillin'

2010-05-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

So I was cleaning out the freezer the other day and found a huge pork loin and some yummy chicken wings... I decided to grill them up for lunches this week...

The pork loin I coated with light olive oil, salt and pepper...

The chicken wings I soaked in soy sauce with a squirt of wasabi paste...

I put the grill on nice and low to slow cook and char the meat... including the weird piece coming off the side of the pork loin...

The smell of smoke from the olive oil was divine... I just love a smokey bbq...

The wings charred up pretty nicely as well...

I was pretty pleased with the results... needless to say Glenn and I stood over the sink chomping on meat like savage animals when it was all done...

Bakersfield...

2010-05-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

So I went to Bakersfield for work this week... totally boring... I stayed at the very tired looking Hampton Inn...

There was a fluffy recliner in the room to relax in, but it kinda smelled musty...

The whirlpool bathtub was not much to write home about either, the motor was so loud when you turned it on that there was no way I could relax...

I did eat the new KFC Double Down Sandwich... which was like heaven in a paper wrapper..

Mrs. Sanders Favorite Chips...

2010-05-12T10:37:00.000-07:00

So I made tacos this weekend... this time stuffed with delicious carne asada...

There is always a ton of tortillas left over when we are done eating so I like to cut them into little triangles for chips... I always, always, use Guerrero tortillas, they are very fresh and consistent, actually much better than the ones from the tortillaria close by...

From the cutting board they go into the fryer for a nice crisping, then a heavy coat of salt...

They come out just perfect every time... and they keep Mrs. Sanders happy...

Lodi, California...yawn...

2010-05-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

So my glamorous work travels took me to the beautiful city of Sacramento this week. I arrived Sunday afternoon and it was actually a really nice day out... the air was fresh n' warm and the sky was blue...

I passed Downtown Sacramento as I made the trek down to Lodi... Upon arriving I checked into the Hampton Suites... cute little place, nice clean room, very comfortable...

I didn't eat anything special or see anything exciting... pretty boring trip... a total yawn...

Explosion!

2010-05-09T17:50:00.001-07:00

Wow my bougainvillea and roses are flourishing!

My 31st Birthday...

2010-05-01T21:54:00.000-07:00

Ugg 31... whats good about turning 31... your too old to party with the kids, and too young to be part of a supper club or a knitting circle... I feel so middle aged...

Anyway.... not wanting a big hullabaloo I slipped off to Vegas for a few days...

I stayed at the MGM and the room was comfortable and luxurious!

The view from my window was beautiful...

The bathroom gave me inspiration to remodel my own... hmmm maybe a new project?

I just chilled out and relaxed for 2 days... Back at work the gang set up a spread of good eats and took me to Farrell's ice cream parlor to celebrate...

I had the peanut butter and hot fudge sundae...OH so good!

Mimi shared mine and Bob's black and white...

Irene had the brownie..

And Alicia had a simple scoop with caramel on top...

I did end up ordering a second sundae with a hot fudge brownie as well, but hey it was my birthday!

I ended up the week with a trip to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles and Chicago at the Pantages...

And a delicious steak at Steer n' Stein with my Shelly... she is pregnant and so cute...

What a perfect birthday... dozens of texts, cards, and calls... along with food and friends; I was one happy guy... Thanks be to God for the people he places in our lives to love us...

Chicken...

2010-04-26T23:28:00.000-07:00

So I had some chicken breasts left over from some secret shops this week - so I decided to strip it from the bone and chop it up...

I threw it into the skillet with some olive oil...

Then tossed some hot sauce over the top...

I stirred and cooked it for a bit until I had some delicious chicken taco meat:

Glenn was home so I decided to make us some chicken burritos with cheese and sour cream

needless to say they were savory and amazing...

Chopped Chicken Soup...

2010-04-25T10:59:00.000-07:00

So after the fried rice debacle I had do do something with the chopped carrot, celery, and onion I had left over. I threw them into a pan with some salt, pepper, and olive oil to give them a little flavor.

In the meantime I dumped a can of chicken stock and a pound or so of shredded chicken I had in the freezer into the crock pot.

I poured the sauteed veggies on top and gave it all a stir. After about 4 hours the house smelled wonderful and I had some delicious soup for this week's lunches.

Chicken Two Ways without Fried Rice...

2010-04-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

So I had it in my mind to make sweet crunchy Asian style chicken with savory fried rice this week. I chopped a huge pile of carrots, celery and onion and put the rice on to boil. I chopped up a ton of chicken into nice little bite sized pieces... White meat:

And for Dad and Carmen; dark meat:

I mixed up a super beer batter:

Then I fried the pieces up and tossed them in some savory teriyaki glaze, they came out crispy and sweet and wonderful:

Meanwhile the rice cooked into a pile of mushy waste... I was so disappointed that I violently tossed it in the trash, swearing never to make rice again, ever...

I did however have plenty of chicken and batter left over so I made this delicious pile of crunchy nuggets:

And these amazing battered fries with ranch:

I was still mad about the rice but at least the other fried delights came out nice...

Chicken Tacos...

2010-04-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

Carmen swears I am a Mexican... I could very well have been switched at birth... I speak the language and make tacos better than many Latin people I know... So on Saturday I decided to buy a pile of fresh and yummy ingredients....

Including this weird onion... what the heck is that... oh well, it tasted fine...

I whipped up some pico de gallo, guacamole and bought some crema Mexicana...

Fried up some delightfully crunchy taco shells using my amazing device...

And deep fried two whole chicken breasts... so crunchy and good...

After they cooled a bit I shredded all the meat off the bone... so tender and flavorful... I really prefer the taste of chicken torn from the bone as opposed to boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets...

When the ingredients were finished, it was a build your own taco fest... I had mine with chicken, pico and tons of guacamole and crema... just delightful - we wont talk about how many I ate...

Growth...

2010-04-15T15:17:00.000-07:00

Oh my bougainvillea is doing so well... except for the saggy left side...

What a difference a year makes...

Crazy for Peri Peri...

2010-04-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

Or is it Piri Piri... however you spell it; I Love it! It's made from the African Birds Eye Pepper and is just amazing over chicken... I ordered a couple bottles online and they arrived today! Nando's is a chicken chain from Australia and South Africa and their sauce is my favorite. We only have one location here in the US but it's in DC so no chance I will be eating there anytime soon... I am fine with making it myself...

It just so happened that Mimi had mentioned she saw a little restaurant that serves the stuff as well, so we went over to Boneheads today. It wasn't too far from the office and it was nice to get out between rain clouds...

Mimi had a lovely piece of salmon and I got the Piri Piri wings... ohh they were so crunchy and spicy... just a delight to eat...

Hollywood!

2010-04-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

So Justin, James, Shane and Candace got a room downtown at the Roosevelt Hotel and had plans to party in Hollywood on Saturday night. Morgan and I left in the afternoon to meet up with them and hang out. We started at 25 degrees an awesome burger bar adjacent to the hotel... Although expensive, the burgers were AMAZING... so juicy and wonderful!

We walked down Hollywood Blvd for a bit and picked up a few things for later in the night...

After we got back to the hotel we decided to hang out by the pool and relax... there were awesome couch like seating areas and lots of rich good looking people all around... it was fun to just chill in the nice spring air and watch the craziness that is Hollywood happen around us...

Once it began to get dark we headed up to the room to start getting ready and have a cocktail to start the night off right...

Morgan was doing every ones hair of course...

A couple of us slipped out to get new shirts at H & M... I decided on a western plaid, Justin let me borrow his cool red shoes to go with it...

After hours of primping, ironing, hair and cologne we were ready to hit the clubs!

We took a cab across town to Sunset Blvd and hopped along the strip...

The bars began to get packed as the night went on...

Everyone had a really great time... Made it back to the hotel safe with some good memories...

Breakfast...

2010-04-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

I was starving this morning and luckily there were some leftover bagels in the break room... so I toasted and heavily buttered this delight...

Oh how I love bread... and coffee...

Easter...

2010-04-04T19:54:00.000-07:00

I woke up feeling great and zipped off to church... the place was packed and the service just lovely. Afterwards I rushed over to Dads with some chairs, an extra table and of course my heavenly pies... Luckily Sheri told the Easter bunny that the kids were coming over to Dads as well, so he hid eggs all over the grassy areas... We started off the festivities with a huge egg hunt! It was super fun to help the kids find their eggs...

After the hunt the kids' baskets were totally full and smiles abound...

We went back inside and the kids got to check out their loot... it was a fun time before lunch...

Uncle Ron was there...

along with Doug's parents...

Dad put on a wonderful spread... shrimp appetizer...

Fresh made cole slaw with pineapple, rye bread...

Tons of ham - (good thing cuz Paige ate about a pound herself)

Wonderful home made scalloped potatoes...

Doug's parents brought some cauliflower with cheese and peas... I wasn't even brave enough to go there... so weird...

It was great to see my Pop put on an event... everything came together perfectly and everyone had a great time... Not only do we have our risen savior to be thankful for, but the family and great friends that God blesses us with...

Thank you Lord for the people in my life... Oh, and my pies... totally awesome!

Easter Pies...

2010-04-04T18:38:00.000-07:00

So Easter is tomorrow and Dad assigned me dessert. I decided that key lime and lemon meringue pies were a nice spring choice. I decided I wanted to make everything from scratch so the first step was to make a nice graham cracker crust...

I violently beat a a box of crackers into a nice powder...

I mixed it with half pound of melted butter and laid it out in the pie shells... After a short bake they were ready to go...

I moved on to mix up the filling...

After consulting a few recipes online I was surprised to find that the only difference between lemon and lime pie is the juice and a couple drops of green food coloring...

mmm tangy and sweet...

the meringue was next... I beat it till the peaks were nice and firm...

I layered the deliciousness and popped them into the oven for a quick bake...

They looked gorgeous when I took them out... simply gorgeous...

Dirty BBQ...

2010-04-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

I grilled up a nice piece of carne asada last week and had to hang my head in shame as I pulled the cover off my bbq...

filthy dirty, covered in rust and in total disrepair... I shudder to think if one of the neighbors would have seen... I quickly covered it back up before anyone saw...

A few days later I had some time to really scrub it up properly... some lime away and a lot of elbow grease did the trick... my baby was restored to her glory... ready for a spring and summer full of grilling...

Happy Birthday Shane!

2010-03-28T20:53:00.001-07:00

So my good buddy Shane turned 30 this weekend and the boys put on a big bash! It was a semi-surprise... He knew that we were all getting together but had no idea that his parents and sisters were going to be in town to help celebrate... He looked shocked when he walked in the door to 30+ people yelling surprise!

There was tons of delicious food and lots of booze and everyone was having a great time... Shane took a moment to say thanks to everyone and then "Shane Stories" ensued... everyone got a good laugh out of that...

Mimi came up for the party as my date and she was a total hit with the boys!

Shane truly looked happy to be surrounded by family and friends... gotta love a house full of people who love you...

All the friends were there and everyone had a blast...

Cake and singing and much more drinking ensued as the night went on...

After they got really tossed Mimi and Shane jumped in the pool for a sobering dip...

We all partied hardy and I still made it to church in the morning! ;-)

Happy birthday man!

Egg Rolls and Chow Mien...

2010-03-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

I woke up feeling a little Asian on Saturday and decided to make Egg Rolls for lunch... Carmen was delighted ;-)

I made the filling with cabbage, sprouts, celery, carrot, and some yummy pork sausage grilled in a kung pao seasoning. Wrapped them up in the egg roll wrappers and deep dried them to golden perfection... so good

I used to the same ingredients added to some cooked spaghetti with fresh n easy stir fry sauce to make a savory chow mien... a lovely and very filling lunch...

Happy Birthday Sheri!

2010-03-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

So in keeping with our Disney birthday tradition we went to the park for Sheri's birthday a couple weeks ago and had a super fun time. I always have so much fun with my girls and the kids!

Apparently I had been living under a rock because I had never been on Tower of Terrors at California Adventure so Maria, Catherine and Bryce drug me on board... I had no idea what the ride was about so Bryce explained to me that it was like and elevator... Boy was I surprised; you get thrown up and down the tower and even get to see the outside at night... it was crazy!

I love how we all squished into this picture... we almost lost the birthday girl!

As part of her birthday extravaganza week, Keith came out to visit Sheri and I got to meet him over dinner one of the nights he was in town... seems like a very nice man and it really blesses me that he makes Sheri so happy...

Color Change...

2010-03-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

So I got a little bored with my lemon water and red straw. Today I decided on a switch to lime and green... the change has quelled my boredom...

Chicken Wings...

2010-03-23T23:56:00.000-07:00

I so love chicken wings, second to a succulent breast, they are my favorite part of the chicken... I made these deep fried wings coated in home made buffalo sauce the other day... oh so scrumptious...

Go Sharks! er Ducks!

2010-03-23T23:43:00.000-07:00

So last Sunday Sheri's friend Stacy and her husband Jeremy were in town and we all had tickets to go see the Ducks and the Sharks play... I am not a hockey fan by any stretch of the imagination but was totally down to get out of the house and be among good friends... We got to the Honda Center and they has just resurfaced the ice...

Our seats were really close and we could see all the action!

Although Stacy and Jeremy were total Sharks fans, the Ducks did prevail in this match up...

We ended up eating a ton and having a great time before having to bid them goodbye... fun times...

Friends Mean The World...

2010-03-23T23:21:00.000-07:00

Something I have learned in the last 30+ years of my humble existence is that your friends should mean the world to you.... and mine most definitely do... So many people have turned their backs on me in the last 6 months that I am full of pain inside... I thank the Lord Jesus for his providence everyday... and recently I have been thanking Him for the people in my life that rally around me and hold me up when times are tough...

The other night I was having a really hard day after some family exclusion and my friends scooped me up, took me out and showed me a great time... We went out for karaoke and despite my foul mood my buddies pushed me to sing and relax and have a blast... Thank God for people who really care...

Even when they do a Mexican hat dance in front of you singing La Bamba...

Vegas Fun Time!

2010-03-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

So Mimi and I have been telling each other that we were going to go to Vegas for her birthday since December... Last month we finally made it!

Mimi drove us all out there... besides the two of us her sister Sony, boyfriend Elliot, Charles, Jenn and Spencer tagged along...

We got into town and relaxed for a while while enjoying cocktails from my "bar in a bag" I brought Bacardi and Kettle with all the fixings in a nice little suitcase...

Once everyone was ready to go we ended up at the Rock House bar on the strip... we all danced the night away...

Mimi even got into the cage at the bar and shook it for all the onlookers...

Everyone had a great time dancing and drinking and hooping it up...

After we had danced till dawn we were all pretty hungry so we went to a cool little restaurant where the portions were HUGE! Sony had the BAP... (Big *** Pancake) she tried, but couldn't finish...

Elliot and I each had this amazing fried chicken sandwich... a whole fried breast on Texas toast with everything you could imagine stuffed inside...

We were full and tired by the end of the night...

The next morning was recovery day and we mostly laid around...

We did venture out to the worlds largest gift shop to pick up some choice souvenirs...

I think Elliot looks good as a blond...

A great and exhausting time was had by all! I barely made it home in time for church on Sunday...

Chicken Picatta & Bruno with SJ

2010-02-27T17:29:00.003-08:00

So SJ came over last night for a movie and hanging out... I made us chicken picatta which is lightly floured chicken breasts pan grilled in olive oil...

I made a delightful lemon butter/caper sauce to spread over the top...

I thought a few carbs wouldn't be bad so I grilled up some crustinis to go on the plate...

I served it with a couple sprigs of asparagus... it was a savory and citrusy meal... not too heavy and just enough...

We settled in to watch Bruno; probably one of the worst movies I have ever seen... at least the company was good... :-)

Comfort Food...

2010-02-27T17:21:00.000-08:00

It was dark and rainy today so I decided to make some good old fashioned comfort food... Fried chicken breasts, fried chicken livers, and mashed potatoes with gravy... it was a greasy heavy delight... ohh so good going down... I'm sure I will pay for this later...

Weekend Food...

2010-02-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I made guacamole, chips, salsa and carne asada tacos for Carmen...

Sunday before church I made Glenn and I crunchy ciabatta and egg sandwiches... ohh so good...

I have to go all the time...

2010-02-26T12:59:00.001-08:00

I have taken up drinking large amounts of water recently... My skin feels more supple already... I like it out of a real glass with a red straw and a slice of lemon on the rim (just for show)...

Glenn Arrives!

2010-02-21T21:36:00.001-08:00

Finally my new roommate moved in... only took him 5 months... And he brought his beautiful refrigerator with him...

Skiing in Colorado...

2010-02-21T20:13:00.000-08:00

So after a week of working hard in Wyoming I hit the little plane back to Denver. I booked 2 nights at Keystone Resort up by Vail so I was ready for a couple days of skiing and rest... I got my rental car and headed up I-70 as snow began to lightly fall... The further up the highway I got the snow began to come down harder and harder... then I got to the Eisenhower tunnel and the road was completely iced over... I was scared to death...

I finally made it safe up to the resort and settled into my slope side condo. The decor was was pretty outdated but the location (steps from the lifts) was amazing...

I woke up in the morning ready for a great day! As I rode up the first lift I could see the cute little village down below...

The snow was amazing... so fluffy, smooth, and well groomed; not one patch of ice... such a contrast to the so cal resorts...

The morning sky was blue, the air was fresh and piny...

As the afternoon wore on the clouds rolled in and a light snow began to fall... it was just amazing to ski on the fresh snow...

I ended up getting close to 20 runs in and chilling my sore legs in the jacuzzi afterwards... it was a great day...

Wyoming for Work...

2010-02-17T15:31:00.000-08:00

So yet again my jet set life whisked me away to a foreign land... and what a place it was. Lovely Casper, Wyoming where the temperature during the day was a fresh 21 degrees! They don't even fly jets into their airport so I rode on a 20 seat prop "jet" It was pretty bumpy and uncomfortable...

The city of Casper is pretty and scenic, but has no shopping, nightlife, or restaurants.

They do however have a Kum & Go;

and a Loaf 'N Jug

I stayed at the Hampton Inn; pretty new, very nice... I am actually thinking about switching brands from Marriott - the Hampton Inns seems to be better taken care of... This room was very spacious and appointed with a granite wet bar...

Ohh and the nicest amenity was the indoor jacuzzi - so hot and so nice to see the snow piled up out the window while bubbling away my day...

I sure hope I never have to come back to this place again... it takes forever to get to and there is nothing to do... I did plan a ski trip in the Rockies on my way home so at least I get that out of the trip...

Skiing Mt. High...

2010-02-17T15:21:00.000-08:00

Oh I used to love Mt. High... I guess I got burnt out last year, the snow was only good for couple weeks, the rest of the season it was crowded and icy...

I planned to go skiing in the Rockies while on a business trip coming up so I had to at least get one day of practice in. The coverage was pretty OK, very few icy spots and it was not very crowded at all...

I have always loved the view from the top of east...

Cooking...

2010-02-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

So I have been so busy that I have completely neglected my poor blog... But I have been cooking up a storm lately...

These little beauties: some thin broiled steak on crusty rolls with mayo, lettuce and tomato...

Some wonderful dried fruit to snack on at my desk (so much better than cookies & candy)

A fantastic guacamole (served with overly salty crunchy chips of course)

Then while thumbing through my Paula Deen cook book I found "Bottle Caps" which are sliced jalapenos fried in a delicious beer batter... I asked my dad what beer batter was composed of and he said "um beer and flower" and gave me a look like I really should have known that already... so I mixed them up into a flavorful batter...

I sliced the jalapenos into round slices and battered them just before I threw them into the hot oil...

I was amazed! The frying took all of the heat out of them, they were crunchy and smokey but not overly spicy... Dad even had a few... they were great dipped in ranch dressing...

As Carmen and I discussed what we would eat for lunch we agreed that fried jalapenos was not substantial enough so I used the same batter to fry up some chicken... OMGoodness it was amazing... simply amazing! So crunchy on the outside, so moist and tender on the inside... just wonderful!

Fantastic Carnitas...

2010-01-16T21:07:00.000-08:00

After being sick for more than a week I woke up the other day feeling like a million bucks! I walked for a mile and on my way home I stopped by the market to pick up a few ingredients for carnitas... I started out with some cheap pork;

Onion, Lime, Serrano Chiles, & Tomatillos...

Tomatillos are the strangest vegetables to me, they have an ugly paper skin, yet when you peel it off and wash them, you get the most beautiful citusy little green tomato thing underneath...

I boiled them till they were nice and soft...

Then tossed them in the blender for a sour puree...

To cut down on the heat I split and seeded the serrano chiles...

Once the puree was cooled I added diced onion, the chiles, and some fresh lime juice...

I dumped it all in the crock pot over the pork and 8 hours later I had a pot full of heaven...

somehow in my mad gobbling I missed the finished shot, you will have to trust me that the pork was amazingly fantastic...

New Years!

2010-01-16T20:46:00.000-08:00

So Shane had a big get together at his place for New Years Eve... Much food, booze and fun was had by all... I made Asian Little Smokies with stir fry sauce and fresh pineapple chunks... needless to say they were awesome! It was great being around so many good friends for the turn of the new year!

because we were all drinking Shane had most of us spend the night... due to lack of space; James and I ended up to be the people under the stairs... I was comfy and slept like a log...

Happy 2010 my friends... here's to this year being better than last!

2009

2010-01-16T20:36:00.000-08:00

I am so behind in my blogging but work has been hectic and I have been sick ;-(

Nicole inspired me to create a year in review video - such a cool idea! When you look back on it this year has been truly amazing and really a lot of fun... here are some highlights...

Christmas...

2009-12-29T20:59:00.000-08:00

I have to say that I had a GREAT Christmas this year... Christmas eve I went to Doug's parents and had a lovely dinner with the family, then I stopped by Shane's to see the boys before candlelight service at church... a very complete day celebrating our Saviour's birth...

Christmas morning I went over to Lisa's to find her and Doug in their jammies 25 min before everyone arrived for breakfast...

I jumped right in and started to help cooking...

I have to say when my sister and I man a kitchen, things happen!

Everyone arrived and they looked mean and hungry... hahaha

I fried up the latkes nice a crispy...

Lisa tested one and approved!

We sat down to a feast of latkes with apple sauce, sour cream, biscuits and gravy, orange juice, coffee and tea...

After everyone was full we started opening presents... Lisa got Dad & Doug's parents a huge wedding picture - it was beautiful... and all were happy with them...

Laurie and Rich are such a great addition to our family... I really love them around...

Doug and Lisa went overboard with gifts for each other, as they should I guess, after all it it their first Christmas married to each other...

I made my Pop a book of pictures from snapfish.com and he was overjoyed... hahaha he also liked his snuggie - I got a red one to match mine...

Dad got us kids our own season tickets to the Pantages Theater... OMGoodness it must have cost him a small fortune but we were so greatful! Finally no fighting over who gets to go to the shows downtown... now we can all go together - ugg I love the theater!

It was such a great day... everyone was happy and loving... my little sister actually gave me a hug and said she loves me... she never does and that, ever, and it was so nice :...-(

Merry Christmas everyone!

Shuffle...

2009-12-22T15:52:00.001-08:00

Sunday after church I went to play cards with James and Caitlin... I don't know how to shuffle... I just don't... please don't judge me by my shortcomings... ;-)

Christmas Party...

2009-12-22T15:46:00.001-08:00

So James and Justin had a super fun Christmas Party over the weekend... I was so glad to be back in town and hanging with my friends... we all got pretty buzzed and had a really great time.

Towards the end of the night Justin started playing DJ on his AppleTV and horrible singing and dancing ensued...

Some people cuddled up with their angel and took a nap...

fun times...

Amarillo by Morning...

2009-12-22T15:03:00.000-08:00

So I spent last week in lovely Amarillo, Texas. Being winter time the high each day was about 40 degrees - so cold! I stayed in my favorite hotel there - The Courtyard... it's centrally located in town and close to lots of good restaurants... and boy did I eat when I was there... among many rib plates and biscuit and gravy breakfasts I had an amazing steak dinner at the Country Barn, appropriately garnished with fried okra and hand battered onion rings and a buttery yeast roll...

I made more than one stop to my favorite Whataburger for a bacon cheese Whataburger with mayo both sides and jalapenos.... just wonderful...

I even stopped at Long John Silvers (haven't been in probably 5 years) - got the anniversary platter with a side of fried lobster bites...

needless to say between Amarillo and Houston I have put on 7 chunky pounds... not good... I need to get back into the gym routine and eating like a normal person...

Karaoke at The Boulevard...

2009-12-22T14:59:00.000-08:00

On a cold winter night before I left for a trip to Texas, James convinced me to go out to the club... Against my better judgment, and after a few drinks I actually got up and sang karaoke... not a good idea... Justin and James' pal Caitlin was in town for the holidays so she was fun to have along too...

Pregos...

2009-12-22T14:58:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Nicole and Micah! They have a bun in the oven!

The Grinch...

2009-12-22T14:51:00.000-08:00

So a last week The whole gang went down to the Pantages to see the Grinch Stole Christmas - it was a fun play (probably geared more towards children) but still cool.

This time we went to Philippe's for dinner... Mimi and I had a feast! 1 pork dip sandwich, 1 beef dip sandwich, potato salad, macaroni salad, and of course coconut cream pie...

ohh so good...

Orange, Texas...

2009-12-13T14:50:00.000-08:00

Probably one of the most God-awful places I have had to work... EVER... talk about small towns, this place had a Chili's to eat and that was about it...

I stayed in the Hampton Inn which was pretty nice (brand new)... I did my work at the store and watched TV at night... pretty much sucked... no good food, no night life, just work and cows and fields...

Fun in Houston...

2009-12-13T14:41:00.000-08:00

So my always glamorous work travels took me to southeast Texas this week... I made a pit stop in Houston for a night and had a blast... after flying all day long I checked into the Courtyard Downtown Houston for a night to explore and have a good time... Thank God I had enough Marriott Rewards to cover the stay.. the room was pretty upscale, with an amazing view...

I walked down the street to a happening bar and found these fun girls to dance with... had a blast and stumbled back to my hotel to get a few hours sleep before having to drive 3 hours to Orange, Texas... hmmm...

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2009-12-04T13:10:00.000-08:00

So last week I had my buddies over to decorate the house for Christmas... we had drink and some awesome turkey soup while we put up the tree... it was a lot of fun...

Thanksgiving...

2009-12-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was fun this year. Missed not having my Mom and Jim around but the house was still full of people I love... Sheri and the kids came this year so it was great having little ones running around...

This year I did my first fried turkey.... Basically you get a pot of boiling oil and slowly lower the bird in...

Not only have I heard that they are delicious but, they cook fast as well... this 18 pound turkey took just under 1 hour to cook in the bubbling peanut oil. The temperature has to be monitored the whole time so I will have to remember that I need someone out there watching next year...

When it's done you simply lift it out and let it drain... I used the thermometer to test all the thick areas and it was piping hot all the way through... and so crispy!

Bryce was bouncing around in the kitchen waiting for me to slice the bird up...

The skin was crunchy - just like fried chicken - and the meat (including the white) was very moist and tender... 12 people ate about 15 pounds of turkey... pretty impressive

I really scaled back this year, but we still had all the favorites; mashed potatoes...

Rich turkey gravy (I had to make it by baking the neck and giblets)

Cranberries

Sweet potato casserole... yuk... I'm glad the others liked this - not my favorite...

Stuffing from the crock pot - super moist and bouncy...

and of course we could never go without the green bean casserole...

It was quite a spread...

The table was quiet for a while as everyone gobbled...

After all the eating we played with the kids and just relaxed...

We have so much to be thankful for in this country...

Thanksgiving Prep...

2009-12-01T23:05:00.000-08:00

Ugg no mom to help me this year...(familiar? hmmm) got all my prep work done by myself for a party of 12 the next day...

What a spotless floor... I should go with less furniture... looks nice...

Vegas Vacation...

2009-12-01T22:22:00.000-08:00

So much has happened recently that I just needed to get away from it all so I booked a flight to Vegas... I stayed at the Luxor and was honestly a little disappointed with the room.. it was moderately clean and semi-nicely appointed but still showing it's age...

I got together with a buddy and played some craps, but mostly relaxed and read a book.... it was nice to get away for a few days without worrying about the CRAP going on at home...