Furry Love X 4

I'm a day behind, but yesterday was "Show Us Your Life--Pets" at Kelly's Korner. We do not have children

yet, and our four fur-kids are the highlight of our lives. I could probably write a book since they each have such varied personalities, but I'll just share a few tidbits.

Introducing . . .

-

Archie Andrew (a.k.a. Bubba, Bobo, Little Man, Big Boy, Monkey Man)

This big boy came into my life 11 years ago. I was never a big fan of orange cats, let alone male cats. But, this little guy won me over within a matter of seconds. In 2003, he was diagnosed with diabetes so he's been my "special needs" cat ever since. He puts up with two shots of insulin twice a day. And, sometimes I have to check his blood sugar so he has to endure having his years pricked. He is such a good sport and I love him so much.

 Introducing . . .

Sophie Noel (a.k.a. Sissy, Missy, SoSo)

My friend'' cat had kittens in 2000, and Sophie is one of those precious little bundles of joy. Sophie is pretty much in her own world. She fits the definition of "cat" to a T! In other words, she wants love and attention when she wants it and only when she wants it. She does not like to have her feet touched but loves it when you find her "itchy spot!" Like her parents, she is overweight and it is time for a diet. She's not going to like us in 2010, but we love her and want to see her healthy.
 

Introducing . . .

Brandie Leigh (a.k.a. 5 lb Rottweiler, Miracle, the 8th smartest dog)

In 2006, James and I decided it was time to adopt a puppy and he found Brandie on Craigslist. There is quite the story to tell on how we came to adopt this little one. From the moment I saw the picture of this little papillon-silky terrier mix I was in love. We saw her on a Wednesday and were planning to come back for her on Sunday. On Friday night I got a call that Brandie was nowhere to be found. We were devastated. The next day (Saturday), we decided to visit an animal shelter and found Autumn. We were upset about Brandie but were very excited to welcome Autumn into our world. That night I asked James, "what happens if they find Brandie?" His reply was, "well, then I guess we'll have two dogs." On Sunday we got the call that Brandie had been found and if we still wanted her we could come get her. Brandie came home with us and has been happy little puppy ever since. My husband truly is a man of his word!

Introducing . . .

Autumn Skye (a.k.a. Big Red, Ah-dumb, the 100th smartest dog)

If you read how Brandie came to live with us then you'll already know how we got Autumn. This little corgi-shiba inu mix is too smart for her own good. James refers to her as "Ah-dumb" only because she appears to be dumb when she doesn't listen to what you tell her to. But, we now know that shiba inu's are just aloof by nature. She knows exactly what we're saying...she just doesn't want to do it. I guess you could say that she gets made fun of more than the rest of the animals, but we really do love this big ball of fur. Oh yeah, she's hard-headed...just like her dad (ok, and her mom).

We really hope to have chidren some day, but for now we're happy with our house full of furry love. We're currently on our Thanksgiving road trip. The cats are staying in Nebraska (where we're at tonight) with my parents, and the dogs will come with us down to Texas. It's very rare that we travel, and when we do we have to bring the animals with us (we don't have anyone close by that can watch them).  Anyway, here's a sneak peak at one of the scenes from Thanksgiving Road Trip 2009. . .

Packing . . .  it's a "Family" Affair!

Stay tuned for more . . .

Cuz I ain't gonna take No Mo'

So, today was not a good day in the life of Bri! In all honesty, I wish this day had never really happened. All I can say is that the worst seems to be over and things are looking up. I think that's just because bedtime is drawing near. Yeah!

The highlight of my day was coming home to dinner cooked by my hubby. So what it if was tuna out of a pouch. LOL! We are trying to clean our our pantry so that's what he grabbed. The homemade mashed potatoes were super yummy though. Gotta love a man who cooks!

The downside of my day was finding out that my writing is not always grammatically correct. If you've read my blog then you've probably already noticed this. If you've been around since the evolution of the .com boom and texting craze (my guess is that would be all of you) then I would venture a guess that you've seen the new "shorthand" (for lack of a better word) style of writing. Unless the content is business-related, I often use an informal "web" style when blogging; writing; or sending e-mails to friends, family, and co-workers. So what if I use a lot of ellipsis and exclamation points (blame it on the chat rooms)!? Well, apparently it counts if you work in an office full of writers and editors.

I don't do a lot of editing in my job because I've got other things on my plate. I handle the more technical side of things. At least this has always been my excuse for the lack of editing. Today I mentioned that I'd like to do more editing. It was then pointed out to me (in as polite a tone as possible) that I am lacking when it comes to the proper use of grammar. The statement didn't really bother me at first. I will be the first to admit that I had blanked out some of those grammar lessons in school. I also know that I don't always put commas, periods, and quotation marks in the right place but rather go with what looks right.

I was back at my desk when the comment hit me hard. It took me a lot longer to answer e-mail this afternoon (a huge part of my job). All I could think of was whether or not I was using proper punctuation or if i had words in the wrong place. I'm sure that if someone had told me I spelled my name wrong I would have believed them. It was bad and I was in tears.

Ever since I was a little girl, I had dreamed of becoming a writer. I received high grades and lots of praise in my English composition classes, both in high school and college. I was told I had a natural talent for writing. Perhaps all of those people were just baffling me with BS! Surely I didn't just fake my understanding of English and Grammar.

Writing is so personal. Depending on the intent of the content, it seems homicidal to rip someone's personal thoughts apart just because a quotation mark or comma is in the wrong place. My belief is that you fix what's wrong without changing the meaning. I guess that's probably why I'm editing (though I'm not afraid of the red pen). I'm sure I'm guilty of using misplaced modifiers and dangling participles. Huh? Um Yeah...my thoughts exactly! The majority of us in the real world haven't a clue what these are. We just want what we're reading to make sense.

So, where am I going with this rambling post? Why, no where of course! Did you forget that I'm grammatically inept? In fact, if you majored in English and are reading this I am sure you are horrified. Please accept my apologies.

Anyway, in the midst of feeling sorry for myself I received an e-mail from my mom who knew nothing about the situation that had just transpired. She was e-mailing with regard to my blog post on my hometown Gazette's blog. She said, "you have such a wonderful gift of communicating through any of your writings."  I really REALLY needed to read that. This isn't the first time I'd been told by someone that they liked my writing. A lot of people have told me they could tell I wrote from the heart. I responded to my mom by telling her what had happened and that I really needed to hear her words. I also said, "I am glad that I never pursued an English degree because it would have only taken away from the originality of my writing." And, being the typical smarta$$ I added. "I’m ready to quit the professional world…cuz I ain’t gonna take it no mo’! How’s that for grammar!?" 

So, I feel better after venting. My "hometown" blog can be found at http://www.mccookgazette.com/blogs/1473/. Looking past all of the grammatical flaws, can you tell me if I really am that bad of a writer? Sigh!

Show Us Your Life- Thanksgiving Recipes and Traditions

http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/2009/11/show-us-your-life-thanksgiving-recipes.html

Today over at Kelly's Korner is  "Show us your life--Thanksgiving Recipes and Traditions." I thought I'd share a couple of recipes that I enjoy every year. And, as much as I love green bean casserole, I'm not going to write that one down since it's on the back of the green bean can. :-) The following salad is one that James introduced me to 6 years ago when we first celebrated Thanksgiving together:


Cherry Fluff
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 container of Cool Whip (we use the larger one)
1 small can of Eagle Brand milk
1 package of mini marshmallows
1 small can of crushed pineapple
Chopped nuts optional (pecans, walnuts, almonds are good choices)

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, stir all together and chill for several hours or overnight.

Note: My husband likes to add the entire bag of marshmallows. I usually use about half. This really is just a dump and stir type of salad. And, it's oh so good!!!

Ok, one more recipe. This is one that I haven't made, but I think I'm going to try it this year. My mom has made it for us, and let me just say that it's more like desserert. It's absolutely delicious! :-)

Butternut Squash Bake
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups mashed cooked butternut squash

Topping:
1/2 cup crisp rice cereal (eg, Rice Krispies)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions: In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir in squash (mixture will be thin). Pour into a greased 11-in x 7-in x 2-in baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until almost set. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over casserole. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 6-8 servings.

This year we are heading to Texas to see my hubby's family. We're leaving the cats in Nebraska with my parents but will be taking the dogs with us. I've only met James' mom once...on our wedding day...so I'm looking forward to spending some more time getting to know her. His parents are divorced so we will be spending time with his dad/stepmom first and then with his mom/stepdad. And, hopefully we'll also get to see his sister's family (four nieces/nephews) and brother. It should be a good trip/vacation. We will be gone for two weeks. The last time I took two weeks off was for our wedding last year. I will be taking work with me, however, so hopefully I won't come back to mass chaos in the office. But, who cares anyway? It's a holiday!

I can't say that we really have any specific family traditions. When I was younger we used to have big Thanksgiving dinners even though I come from a pretty small family. I always dreamed of having a big family of my own so that we could begin to create our own traditions, and I'm still praying that someday James and I will have lots of children so we can have those big family dinners once again. But, that's in God's hands!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING...early!

Show Us Your Halloween Costumes

http://www.kellyskornershowusyourlife.blogspot.com/

This week over at Kelly's Korner, we are sharing our Halloween costumes. I don't have children yet, but I have four fur-kids. For the last three years, they have reluctantly "allowed" me to dress them up. I think this year I may just give them a break. Or, maybe we'll dig out one of their past constumes. Ha!

Here they are in 2006. This is the girls' (dogs) first Halloween with us.

Autumn was a Good Witch.

Brandie was a little hot dog.

Brandie didn't like Autumn biting her "hot dog" costume so she decided to bite back.

Archie wasn't too thrilled when I put the witch hat on him.

 

Sophie was even less thrilled.

Here they are in 2007.

The girls were "busy little bees."  They didn't really care for the antennae on their heads, but they sure were cute. They also didn't mind the rewards (aka treats) they got for sitting still!

Archie and Sophie weren't too excited to see the witch hat and collar again.

And...here they are last year (2008).

Autumn had a cowboy on her back (she was horse).

Brandie carried around a caveman (she was a dinosaur).

We took them "trick-or-treating"...ha ha...no, not really. We went for a walk and here we are back at our house. Who's that "cat" with them?

 Why yes! I can get in the Halloween spirit too.

I made the big guy dress up too. His costume consists of whatever silly stuff I could pull out of the closet last minute. He wasn't thrilled, but he was a good "participant."

 

Archie played it cool as spider-man.

 And, Sophie tolerated her role as bat-girl.

 This is how the girls felt by the time we got back home . . .

espeically this little one who was less than thrilled about the caveman on her back.

I'm not sure what the fur-kids will be doing this year, but I'm sure they'd be very happy if their crazy human parents just forgot. So, we'll see!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God's words on my heart

This morning I woke up with words that I believe God placed on my heart. This month's cycle is drawing to a close, and I'm pretty sure it's again not our month to see a positive sign on a pregnancy test. I don't claim to be a poet and there's no true form so please ignore the punctuation, etc. You can argue with my Father in Heaven if you don't like it since I believe these are not really my words.

Prayer for My Child
I pray for you, my child yet to be.
I pray for you, the one I've yet to see.

I cannot wait, to see your sweet face.
I cannot wait, for my empty arms to embrace.

My child in heaven, seated by God,
what's it like when angels applaud?

I tend to imagine you standing in line,
waiting for the day when God says, "it's time."

That day will come when you're placed in my arms.
Your mommy and daddy willl protect you from harm.

To look in your eyes and kiss your small hands,
the pride in our heart's as your new life begins.

We'll be here to love you whenever you come,
for you are a blessing from God's holy kingdom.

Like children on Christmas, we can't wait to see,
the gift God has chosen for your father and me.

I try to be patient and wait on God's time,
because one glorious day I'll proclaim you as mine.

~ Brianna 10/27/09

Praying for a Positive

Why is it when you try not to think about something you think about it even more? Since May, we have been trying to get pregnant. I did a lot of reading and made the decision to try "charting." I highly recommend the books Taking Charge of Your Fertility and What to Expect Before You're Expecting. Well, now that I've read both books, consulting each of them several times a month, I'm ready for the next step...that big fat positive pregnancy test. But, it doesn't seem to be coming! :(

Last week, I visited the Nurse Practitioner I go to on an annual basis. I arrived with my charts in hand, convinced that something is wrong and we need to start testing STAT! To provide some of the back story prior to that appointment...I'd already decided to lay off on charting this month, and I haven't taken my temperature in a couple of weeks. It's actually been nice not to be awakened by the early alarm. I also saved money and didn't by any OPK's (Ovulation Predictor Kits). I have been paying attention to all of the other signs so that we could maximize our efforts, but I don't think my husband would accuse me of treating him like a "Robot" this month. LOL!

So...back to the charts and the NP. I'm sure she's seen it many times before, but I couldn't help but wish I was inside of her head. I'm sure the thoughts went something like, "here's another crazy chick trying to control the baby making process. . . yada yada yada." Basically, she told me to the lay off the charting, and I was proud to tell her that I already had. From what she could tell from the charts, I am having normal cycles. Her advice was to get through the holidays and make an appointment for January with one of the doctors. She said that at that point I could explore options with the doctor, etc. Of course, she also said, "schedule the appointment, relax your way through the holidays, and you'll probably get pregnant and have to call and cancel the appointment." LOL! If only that could be true! She did clariy that she could offer no guarantees on that statement...LOL! I'm just glad she approached it with a sense of humor.

As of now, I have an appointment for mid-February. So much for January...that's how busy the doctor is. I'm at peace with that ...for now. I'm sure I will have a "freak out" moment  in the next few months and call back to see if I can get in before the first of the year. I hope that doesn't happen. I hope and pray that we will have a positive result before that appointment but know that I need to be realistic. I'm doing what I can to be as "chill" as possible for the next few months. Lord, we're doing what we can and are doing our best to leave it in Your hands!

RunZa Casserole

I thought I'd make an attempt at adding a recipe to my blog. Being from Nebraska, one of my favorite things to eat is Runza. If you've never heard of Runza than I would say that you are missing out. The local bakery in my hometown used to make something similar except they called them Ranzens and now Bierocks. I've also heard of these little delicacies as krautburgers. Anyway, Runza patented the name and according to their website it is Homemade dough made from scratch everyday — stuffed full of Choice ground beef, onions, cabbage, and secret spices—and then baked fresh and served hot. That pretty much sums it up for whatever you want to call it. MMMmmmmmm yes...pure heaven!

When I was growing up, my grandma would occasionally make runzas (even though the name's patented we still referred to them that way). I think my mom may have made them a time or two as well. I personally have never made them. I guess I thought they would take more work then I really wanted to put into them. But, someday I do plan to make them. For now, however, I make what I refer to as RunZa Casserole.

Ingredients: Ground beef, shredded cabbage, mozzarella cheese, two tubes of crescent roll mix, salt, pepper, minced onion, minced garlic, garlic salt, and onion

This time I decided to add some cheddar cheese and mushrooms.

Start by browning the hamburger and onions. I used about 1/4 cup of fresh onion (chopped). Since you're using minced onion you really don't need the fresh onion. We LOVE onion so the more the better!

 The next step is to season the meat/onion mixture. I used lean meat so I really didn't have any grease to drain, but be sure to drain if you have too.

Add lots of minced onion, minced garlic, garlic salt, pepper and salt. The key to flavor is really in the spices.

Add the cabbage to the meat mixture. I used about 4 cups. This particular mixture had carrots.

Cook the mixture until the cabbage shrinks down. I used more spices, especially salt. At this point you may want to have a lttle taste test.

In a 9x13 pan, place one can of crescent roll mix. It doesn't have to be pretty, but knock yourself out if you want it to be perfect.

 Add the meat/cabbage mixture on top of the dough.

 Optional: Add one can of mushrooms

Here comes the love! Sprinkle one package (2 cups) of mozzarella cheeze on top of the mixture.

 

Optional: More love (aka cheddar cheese). I used about 1/4 cup.

Place the second can of crescent mix on top. You may want to make it look prettier than I did. But, if you don't care and you just want to eat it then you will end up with a top crust that resembles Frankenstein!

Fresh out of the oven.

Yummy...ready to eat! (unfortunately this is a bad picture). We like to eat this with ketchup and mustard, but it's good by itself too.

My husband had a big smile on his face when I served this to him for dinner. Of course, I told him that I thought it looked ugly (ie, Frankenstein), but he said, "who cares...it tastes good!"

Enjoy!!!

 

One year down, several more to go!

Even though it was two days ago, October 4th, James and I celebrated our first anniversary. This first year has gone by so fast. He and I have been together since 2003, but this first year of marriage has by far surpassed the speed of any other year. Life has had its ups and downs, but I know we love and support each other in everything...perhaps more now than ever. Here's a look back (in pictures) at October 4, 2008.

                                         

   

                 

I know this is a TON of pictures and, believe it or not, there were so many more from our day. We loved our photographers from A&J Photography. Check out more of our pictures at http://www.photoreflect.com/PR3/thumbpage.aspx?e=4247570.

Soon I'll share pictures fromour first anniversary. Let me just say one thing...year-old wedding cake is not that bad! We saved some and had along with our anniversary cake. The wedding cake actually tasted better!!!