a new favorite cooking website..

I admit it - I watch PBS. I do...mainly because I don't have cable and when awful things like the Presidential debates come on, I have to find something else to watch. So I usually end up on PBS. I have gotten hooked on the America's Test Kitchen show when it is on.

The greatest thing about this show is they discuss WHY you do something. Which is why I like it even more!! They were making a chocolate cake not to long ago and the way they made the icing was so different from everything I had ever seen before (and they explained why it was better and exactly how to make it and took the time to show you all the steps and what it looked like), I knew I had to go online and get the recipe. Basically, the icing was chocolate, butter and some other things heated, and then you whipped in cold cream and viola - icing! No powered sugar or lumps ever again!

While searching for the recipe (which I now have obtained, but I registered on PBS, then for this other website which was a bit annoying, but I digress) I came across the Cooks Illustrated website (http://www.cooksillustrated.com/). It isn't free (although there is a 14 day trial and it is like $35 / year) but it is awesome.

Here is one reason I like it -- they actually test out multiple recipes to find the best one. For instance -- chocolate chip cookies. How many times have you made chocolate chip cookies and wanted these thick, chewy cookies and got these flat crispy things?!? Well, they figured out the problem and came up with a solution...here is an excerpt:

'One key element in achieving this cookie was melting the butter. According to food scientist Shirley Corriher, when butter is melted, free water and fat separate. When this melted butter is combined with flour, the proteins in the flour grab the water and each other to immediately form elastic sheets of gluten. This creates a product with a chewy texture. At the same time, the sugars and fats are working to inhibit gluten formation, which prevents the cookies from getting too tough. After numerous tests, varying the type of flour, the proportion of flour to butter, and sifting and not sifting, we decided that the best cookie resulted from unsifted, bleached, all-purpose flour, which has a lower protein content than unbleached. Also, the problem of the cookie hardening after several hours was eliminated by the addition of a single egg yolk; the added fat acts as a tenderizer.'

Really, it is way more than I EVER needed to know, but I am glad to have a great recipe where you melt the butter, add an egg yolk and have FABULOUS cookies!! (which I am about to get up to make, yes, with the new Grand Mixer and my staff at work tomorrow will be oh, so happy!)

(and of course, now that I have a years membership - if you need any really great recipes, let me know! for the chocolate chip cookie recipe, they tried 40 recipes to find this one! LOVE IT that they tried that many and came up with the best!)

And here's the recipe...just becuase I want everyone to make perfect chocolate chip cookies too!

Makes 1 1/2 dozen 3-inch cookies
2 1/8 cups bleached all-purpose flour (about 10 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark), 7 ounces
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 - 2 cups chocolate chips or chunks (semi or bittersweet)

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips.

3. Place formed dough onto one of two parchment paper-lined 20-by-14-inch lipless cookie sheets, about nine dough balls per sheet. Smaller cookie sheets can be used, but fewer cookies can be baked at one time and baking time may need to be adjusted. (Dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month—shaped or not.)

4. Bake, reversing cookie sheets’ positions halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes (start checking at 13 minutes). (Frozen dough requires an extra 1 to 2 minutes baking time.) Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store in airtight container.

Update - the cookies just came out of the oven and they are perfect. They are "puffy" not flat, and have the perfect texture. I will get my staff to give their opinion tomorrow!

the new Grand - Mixer....

I think my parents are ready for some grand kids....too bad none of us are ready for kids! So when my dad is at breakfast and all of his friends are talking about their grand kids and all the funny little stories about them, my dad really has no input. When Kristen decided to go get a cat (I know, I know, my response when she said she wanted an animal was how will it stay alive - she is never home! But little Lady is absolutely fabulous and Kristen loves her more than you can ever imagine! Plus, Lady is a great cat and LOVES her aunt K. She even talks to me over the phone and loves to play - so of course every time i see her i have to buy her play toys!!)

Anyway, my dad started calling it the Grand-Cat (in lieu of grand kids). Then I came home from Europe with an expensive purse and he started calling it the Grand-Purse. He even told the breakfast group about our new "children" as he calls them. (which, I heard from someone in the breakfast group that everyone died laughing when my father started talking about how the Grand-Cat and the Grand-Purse came home for July 4th to meet the Grandparents for the first time!)

Well, there was another addition today...I called my Dad to tell him that he now has a "Grand Mixer". I have been wanting a big professional kitchen-aid mixer for some time and kept telling myself I didn't need it. Well, the other mixer I had just had its 8th birthday and I decided it was time for retirement. So, I used my diners club points to get some gift cards to bed bath and beyond (and i thought the lady at the store and the people in line behind me were going to kill me when I pulled out the 16 gift cards - for some reason the increment on the gift card they gave me was really low!!! So they sent me the sent me 16 cards!) Anyway, I brought home the Grand Mixer and am SO excited to use it!! I think that the people who will be most excited are my friends at work who reap the benefits of my baking!!

And the even more exciting thing is that there is a free gift with purchase (well, by mail) that happens to be the ice cream attachment!! So, not only can I make really yummy cakes / cookies / brownies but now I can make homemade ice cream too!!! YAHOO!!!

And don't worry, as a good joke for Christmas, Dad will get a three sided picture frame with a picture of the Grand - Cat, the Grand - Purse and the Grand Mixer! ha!

the Astros...

I know that the Astros are doing horribly (welcome to most of Houston's sporting events this year, with the exception of the soccer team!) but that doesn't mean that I can't love going to the games. I admit, that I don't go very often -- but when I do get the chance I love to get to go.

I also love getting to go to visit other baseball parks - I have gotten lucky and through my travels with work (and some personal trips!), I have gotten to go to a lot of them -- Yankee Stadium in NYC, US Cellular Field (Chicago White Sox), Rangers Ball Park, Shea Stadium (Mets), Turner Field (Atlanta Braves), Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs), Coors Field (Colorado Rockies) and of course, Minute Maid Park (the Astros!). All of them have their own feel, fans and history. I really liked Yankee Stadium - we sat up top and it felt like if you leaned to far forward, you would fall straight to the field! And Wrigley Field was just awesome - and the fans were so fanatic! I liked Shea Stadium, but the fans were out of control. One of them threatened to punch my mother in the face becuase she called him rude (and I would say he was, and he was drunk to boot - but who says they will punch an older woman in a subway?!?!)

Last night, one of our partners had 4 tickets and invited LM and I to go...here are the top 5 reasons I love going to the game:

* the kids with their gloves...you might be sitting in a section where there is no way in hell that anyone could potentially hit a ball to that section, but those little kids still have their gloves ready and are perched waiting! They are just too cute. Last night we were sitting on the 3rd deck, right behind home plate...we told NB's husband that he was responsible for saving us if a ball came our way...even if it meant him spilling his beer! I told him I would buy him another if it kept me from getting a black eye!

* Hot dogs...I love them. I know, I know, they are made up of crap, but I don't care. A little mustard and some relish on some days, and I could eat 10 of them. (do you see a problem here -- first crave cupcakes and now hot dogs. *sigh* ) Plus, hot dogs at the ball park are ALWAYS better than anything you can make at home!

* A nice cold beer - there is something about having a hot dog in one hand and a beer in another and getting to watch the game...

* the Kiss CAM - I know it is cheesy, but I love it. I really love it when they try to get the two players to kiss...especially when they play along and act like they are going to kiss. Last night, they did it with two people in the press box and they were funny...of course, it was two men. the other favorite was this old couple who were so suprised and they were having trouble trying to twist in their seats to be able to kiss...but they were so cute!

* the players...especially the cute ones. Need I say more?!?

teaching training is a riot...

one of my favorite things about my job is I get to teach...I often wonder why i do what i do -- i really should go and teach accounting. But that is another discussion all together.



so every summer I spend at least a week teaching training...the best part is that the training is located all over the US so I can get to go to some really cool places! (in one year I went to Flordia, Colorado, and Arizona - this year Flordia, Dallas (only good becuase I get to see some of my favorite college friends and family!) and San Francisco!). I love getting to share my knowledge and experiences with my class rooms -- I mean, i have some great stories over the last 7 years, especially from inventory observations -- and who wouldn't want to have me talking to them for 8 hours a day...ha, ha!



this past year I taught two classes -- one was really technical and one was basically team building and playing games...it was fabulous. I loved every minute of it - especially my awesome co-instructors who really made it even more fun! The classes seemed to go pretty well, but you never know what people will say when they write your reviews...I have gotten pretty much every comment you can imagine from y'ou are absolutely wonderful' to something like' i could have had a monkey sit in my chair and do this for me.' (seriously...ask me one day, i can tell you about it - it was over a page long...and hilarious) This year I got the best comment ever...basically it said something nice, gave me a tip for the future and then then they added this: Plus, she's smokin' hot and nice to look at.



REALLY? I mean, really?!? they must not have had the right instructor -- they must have meant to put this on someone else's evaluation... then I start thinking - wait, what did I wear to class? was something unbottoned? did I flash people? why would they think that - and remember to write it in some review they did a week later?



Never mind the fact that these are reviews that can be read by EVERYONE in the training group, the training partner in charge and any of my performance partners. Nice.



I sent it to my "training friends" and we got the best laugh out of it...everyone at work who has come by has read it and laughed so hard and then I told my dad who I literally thought might die because he was laughing so hard. Everytime I think about it I just laugh some more...



Don't worry - I already inquired of my Houston staff who were in my class that I would have expected to do it and they deny it...I still think they did it becuase they love to mess with me!

the goiter....

So, when I was in the hospital this summer they said I had a goiter....great... The first thing that came to mind was the Seinfeld episode where Elaine signs up to volunteer to hang out with senior citizens...here is the recap of the episode - just think - a lady with a baseball sticking out of her neck:

Mrs. Oliver: It's my goiter, isn't it?
Elaine: Did you say goiter? What goiter?
Mrs. Oliver: This football-shaped lump jutting out the side of my neck.
Elaine: Oh, *that* goiter. Hey... Heh heh heh... Whaddya know...
Mrs. Oliver: Does it bother you?
Elaine: Bother me? Oh, phhbt... Why would a little goiter like that bother me? No, not a bit. It's nothing. It's nothin', it's um, in fact, it's um, it's very distinctive, ya know? Um, I mean you want to know something? I, I wish I had one....Really.
* * * * * *
(later, at Jerry's apartment)
Jerry: C'mon Elaine, it's just a goiter...
Elaine: I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't look the woman in the face. I mean I keep thinkin' that that goiter's gonna start talkin' to me... You'd think they'd mention that before they send you over there: "Oh, by the way, this woman almost has a second head". But no, no, I didn't get any goiter information.
Jerry: They really should mention that in the breakdown: height, weight, goiter.

Well, I went back to the doctor today and he said the goiter is still pretty big. Now, unlike the Seinfeld episode, mine isn't noticeable if you look at me....but it is there. So, instead of getting to cut back on my meds for my thyroid (that i already have trouble remembering to take -- and the "tips" don't work - it doesn't matter if its by my toothbrush, in my purse, next to the coffee - I can't remember it) I now have to continue on the current regimen.

*sigh*

I hate taking drugs...but i do like to say i took my "meth" (short for methimazole) today.

I LOVE this place...

Today my friend KC invited me to go to A&M today to watch them "play"...I don't know if what we say could be considered playing, but I digress. But it reminded me why I love this place. It's awesome walking around and seeing all these familiar faces -- its like being back in college and being surrounded by friends. You see so many people that you haven't seen in forever, and around every turn you have something that brings back a great memory -- those fountains around campus that you and your friends decided to swim in one night walking back from northgate (all 5 of them), that restaurant you used to frequent for breakfast tacos -- with friends after those late nights, that place where you sat forever with your friends, laughing forever until the tears came rolling down your face...This place has so many great memories - I only wish i could rewind back time and be there again with all of my favorite people!

And the football games - I forget how much I LOVED those games (and how much I love now that I am old and can sit through the game! HA!) It amazes me how all the people you sit around at the game become your friends as you cheer and sigh together (and have to listen to other's commentary and try not to laugh at how excited they get about the little things!)

I also got to see my friend TE, if only for a second, and give him a great big hug...which also bought back so many memories of all the great friendships I made at A&M.

My other favorite part fo the trip was half time -- now I love the Aggie Band - they are AWESOME...they are always a treat. But today they invited the Prairie View A&M Band to play at halftime since Miami didn't send their band. OH MY GOSH. I don't even know where to start. Their "drum leaders" were out of control. They start out with marching in, and then the "dancing" starts...then the "humping the air" ensued...and the best part was when they hit the ground and continued with their "dancing". Then the "Black Foxes Dance Troup" came out. Now, they had these capes on...and then those puppies came off...and they were wearing these bright yellow outfits (there was less than a yard of material on each girl) and strutted onto the field to shake their bootie...and that they did. So with all of the bootie shaking and humping going on, it was probably the best half time show EVER and had the stands clapping and whooping. I swear the Ag's that were older than class of '80 were scratching their head wondering what the hell was going on. I only wish I was quick enough to get it on video.

Update: they posted it on you tube....here is a link...it is AWESOME!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fT_rm2S6ds

this is what made the hurricane bareable....

This cute little face...i mean, how could you not enjoy no air conditioning, the electricity being off and five people crammed in a house when you have this sweet face looking at you...loving on you....and just being so DANG cute!! Ironically, he is right at 8 weeks in this picture..yes, i said 8 weeks, not 8 months! He is so stinking big!! I think around 15 pounds in this picture. And he loves his Aunt K...well, he loves her "pillows"...every time he was sleepy, let me let you guess where he slept! and if he wasn't sleeping, his little hand was there making sure they were still there... I laughed with his momma, saying, man, he is starting early - trying to feel up the girls!!!

The hurricane was an adventure. That is the only way that i think to describe it. I was holed up at my friend's house, S&R, and we went to bed thinking we would wake up and it was all over...well, we woke up all right at 3 am and all congregated in the living room -- laughing till we were almost crying because we were delirious. The wind was howling and swirling around the house, but it was so dark, you couldn't see what was going on. And of course, sweet little baby W slept through the whole dang thing!!! We survived, and with a generator, we had "power" so we had some lights, the TV and a fridge working so we weren't in such a bad place...but with no a/c, we were thankful that God gave us a cold front to make it bearable. All in all, it wasn't too bad (because I had people with generators and electricity!) - but it was hard not having electricity at my house for a week and having to "squat" at different friend's houses! But everyone was so gracious letting me stay with them (and for all their offers!) and for that I am so thankful!

The one thing cool thing that came out of the hurricane was everyone helping everyone out -- you saw neighbors come out of their house and talk to everyone, all the kids out playing together becuase it was just too hot to be cooped up inside (and with no power everyone went to bed so much earlier and their parents wanted them pooped!), and when a tree fell on a house or over a road, or in a yard, all the neighbors came out to help. At S&R's house, a neighbor who was out of town had a pine tree fall on his house. S and R's dad were over there with the other neighbors, climbing on the roof, putting down tarps and making sure everything was okay. At work, everyone was telling stories of the same -- helping each other out, bar-b-que's in people's backyards to use the food that was about to go bad...it was amazing. It sucks that it takes a natural disaster to come out and hang out together, and to bring the communities together...but we'll take what we can get!

the calm before the storm...

This picture was taken right before the hurricane made its way through Houston. I was staying with a friend and we went outside to see the sunset before it went dark...and for some of us, really dark! The sky was so amazing...I took lots of pictures and none of these really do it justice - the colors were beautiful and so perfectly blended together....it was like God giving us a beautiful picture to remind us we were going to be okay before the hurricane slammed into us. What you don't see is my friends neighbors having a party in the middle of the street just to the left of this picture.

crave.....

So, some of you have already heard me rant....so you may have to endure it again. I LOVE this place. And when I say love, if I could eat cupcakes for every meal and not gain 250 pounds, i would eat these cupcakes for every meal.

A friend at work, LH, told me that this great place opened up in Uptown Park and I had to try them. I got them for work one day and we were both hooked. We got some different kinds and loved them all -- especially the vanilla ones. Then I got some to take to my friend AD's house as a treat for her kiddos, and they were really good again. I got hooked on the strawberry onesthat time..then we got some for MD's bachelorette party and I fell in love all over again - this time with the banana ones. I really like the "fruit" ones the best so far-- the strawberry and the banana are so freaking good. The carrot has some awesome flavors, and the vanilla is still REALLY good. (My friend LM says the vanilla cake tastes almost like sugar cookies -- which of course I love those too!)

There are still about 10 other kinds I haven't tried yet - but at this rate, i will have taken care of it in no time! Seriously, I am addicted. But I need to break the addiction becuase they are a bit pricey (oh, around $3.25 / cupcake or $36 / dozen). But they will definitely worth it for a splurge!

TRY them...they even have breakfast cupcakes that are awesome and they do french press coffee that is really good too!

Massages....

So, I had never had a massage until I started work (one of the great things my job has introduced to me besides really good, really expensive restaurants and travelling all over the US)...now massages have become a neccesity. I love them...I love going into the spa, hearing the relaxing music, and all of the stress leaving my body. I even love the soreness afterwards where the massuese literally worked all the stress out with their elbows, throwing their weight into it...and it is a reminder the whole next day of how wonderful it was.

Well, I haven't had one in a while - and we ended up at a new spa that i have never been to for MD's bachelorette party. There was a group of us that were all in the "locker room" changing into our soft robes and we got on the disucssion of "underwear or no underwear". It is always the discussion if there is a group, especially with first-timers-- do you leave it on or do you take it off. Well, I think the answer is it depends...most of the time it doesn't matter (they don't do anything that would let them see anything anyway-- but if you are ever in Thailand and want a massage, keep all the clothes on -- just ask my friend LM and my sister KL! but I digress....) Well, today, both my friend KC and i decided it was a "leave 'em off" day. So I did. And of course, with my favorite masseuses at Nordies, that wouldn't be a problem....but of course I was at a new spa.

So, Olga comes to take me back to the room (yes, i did say Olga), and I get under the sheets...all's going well - the stress is going out of my shoulders and back. Then after a while she is starting to work on my legs (the normal procession is back, neck, shoulders, arms, then legs -- then you flip over and it is legs, arms and shoulders). And she decides to do some "stretches"....now when i say stretches, i mean, she picks up my leg and starts pushing and pulling it in one way or the other. I almost started laughing. I mean, the one day I decide that the underwear was coming off. Let's just say that that lady saw more of me than may parents did when they were bathing me when I was a baby. That, and earlier the sheet that is supposed to cover your arse was around my knees for a portion of the "back" massage...I mean, you carry stress in your arse (yes, I am not lying about that) but usually they are covering it when they try to get it out (yes, with the elbows!!!And it hurts! New meaning to pain in the arse).

Only me, I swear, only me would this ever happen to.

All in all, we all had a good laugh when it was all over and I was telling them my story (even better - in the "relaxation" room - where we were supposed to be quiet - but there was none of that!)...the two "newbies" were PETROFIED for me...I just laughed...I mean, my thought, she wouldn't have done it if she didn't want to see my white rear (well, and everything else)!! ha!

Let's just say, if i ever went to Olga again, I would "keep 'em on".

That story is almost as good as another spa experience where one girl comes out of the room (mortified) and says "if he asks if you want him to massage your chest - just say no. " (seems she said yes and didn't understand what that meant -- then she learned really fast!) The best part - he was my massuese, he had a perm, and wore a red bandand...straight out of the 80's. Don't worry, I said no. I can paint a better picture in person - it is definintely a FABULOUS story!

reminders....

I always like reminders. I have reminders in my calendar for birthdays, which triggers notices on my cell phone. I have them in Yahoo in case I miss the ones on my calendar, and I subscribed to birthday alarm a while back to make sure it sent me an email just in case I missed all the others. (yes, I am an anal retentive accountant). And yes, there are times I still forget your birthdays. I will blame it on the fact that it is during busy season and i can barely remember my name, much less your birthday during that time :) (and if it is during quarterly reviews, I will feign the same excuse! if not quarterly reviews, I know I can come up with another excuse!)

Well, today I got a reminder for a birthday...and it made me a bit sad. Tomorrow would be my grandfathers birthday (see picture above at their 65th anniversary party 4 years ago), but he passed away earlier this year....So it wasn't a happy reminder at first --- we should be celebrating his birthday, yet instead it just reminded me of sadness and that I miss him. It isn't even that I got to see him very often but i think it is that you CAN'T see him...do you know what I mean? I absolutely know that he is in a better place...especially since he and my grandmother were living in a nursing home...any place would be better than there (not that they are bad or treated them badly, but losing your independence and being confined to some smaller place and losing your ability to do what you want!), but I know he is in Heaven looking down on us telling me to wipe the tears away and deal. he will be having a much cooler birthday party up there than we could ever throw down here!

It's one of those days...that lasts a week

You know when you have one of those days...and then it is like groundhog day and it just keeps on happening over and over again? That has been this week...something that was supposed to happen Tuesday got pushed to Wednesday, then to Thursday and everyday is frantic trying to get ready, and then postponed...once again. Then it is like the same questions come over and over again and it seems like it never gets resolved!

And I try to blame this on the holidays...which makes me dislike them (in a weird way)-- mainly because the next week at work seems to be miserable. (now, don't get me wrong - I am not going to complain about a day off to hang out with friends or to lay by the pool - or do anything other than be at work -- this is soley from a work perspective that the next week is miserable!!) Somehow people forget how to do their job, everyone just wishes they were back on vacation and it seems like nothing ever gets done!!!

*SIGH*

But at least it has been a good week and I have had the opportunity to make some progress - although this progress has made my brain hurt because it has been used too much this week!!! But I am looking forward to the weekend and getting to see friends that I haven't seen in a while.

things that I love...

I love weddings. I love what they represent, I love how happy everyone is, I love the flowers, and I love seeing so many people you probably haven't seen for ages. I loved how my friends S and JM served fried chicken and cupcakes, which fit her and her hubby's personality perfectly. I loved P and JR's wedding when the bartender called last call and the dance floor cleared, then we all ran back out to savor every last minute on the dancefloor! (especially that all the old and all the young were out there, shaking it like no one's business! I don't necessairly love the pictures that were taken that night!! They weren't pretty!) I loved my sister's wedding - mainly becuase it was so beautiful, it was in New York, and we got to meet my new brother-in-law's family and friends - with whom we all bonded with over the weekend. We had a blast - from the beautiful setting on top of a building overlooking the Hudson river (which got even more beautiful when the sun set!), to the mini ice cream cones that were served while we shook our booties on the dance floor to cool us off.

The most favorite part was after the rehersal dinner when everyone was starting to leave, and John's mom ran up to J and L and said( in broken english) Hi! I'm going with them! - pointing to my Aunts and Uncles on the Lippe side. They all went to Times Square to see the lights together. Even though they didn't all speak the same language - they did in a weird way - and they were now family.

It goes to show that everyone bonded, it was great -- even though not everyone spoke the same language, It was a perfect wedding, to celebrate the perfect couple...which just had their first anniversary! Congrats! I love my sisters...we have been through so much together - most of which were heart wretching at the time, but have made us better friends than ever. I love that LL lives in NYC and we get to take trips to see her - my favorite - her wedding and our Thanksgiving in NYC. I love that she is in a time zone ahead, so those mornings when I am frustrated and it is only 7 am, she will be able to listen to me vent! I love my twinkie - although we are so very different, we know each other inside and out. I know when she is hurting, and when she is happy, even if she has only said hello to me on the phone. I feel her joy and her sadness - yes, the weird twin vibes are there. I love family gatherings - Easter becuase of the easter egg hunt and the competition between all of us to get the most eggs, I love Christmas and sitting around the breakfast table after we have opened presents, where we talk for hours before we all go take naps, I love Thanksgiving and being around everyone - telling stories and stuffing our faces till, once again, we have to go take naps.

I love my friends...(and sorry, I couldn't put all of you out here!!! there are just too many of you that I love so much!) I love that they are always there for me - even at my worst (which for those of you who have seen it - it is bad...and sometimes down right scary!) I love that you guys were willing to skip work to hang out with me in the hospital (and for those of you that were there (LM, SM and PR) - for seeing some of the things that you saw and are still willing to be my friends!!), I love that you are willing to go try any restaurant with me, and I love that you love the same things I do -- tubing down the river, chilling in the backyard drinking a cold beer (especially after the river in Seguin!), I love that we can just sit around for hours, sometimes talking about nothing.

I love these pictures (above and below) a lot - these are some of my favorite people. I have met so many friends doing so many things - and I have been so blessed -people from work - either those I work with, recruit with, or train with - and then those from HS and College...and those from those random things that I have done that I still keep up with! Above, SM and KJ from college. I absolutely love these girls - they keep me sane and make all of my trips to Dallas more fun than you can imagine. Plus, they know me inside and out and are always wiling to talk me off a cliff! Below, JL and LM -- two friends from work - JL always gets me on the fun work trips where we play at disney, ride trains to the top of pikes peak, or lay out in the sun by the pool in arizona in the 104 degree weather -- and I love her a ton! LM and I really got to know each other on a recruiting trip to College Station - three weeks stuck in hotel rooms, gaining 20 pounds from breakfast, morning snacks, lunch, afternoon snacks, dinner and late night coffee with recruits. We had such a fabulous time and our friendship has not faded! We go to Kenneallys on Friday nights for beer and pizza every chance we get, went to Rome and Greece together and have had so many fun memories together!

I LOVE DISNEY WORLD. I only wish that I had gotten the chance to go before I was in my late 20's! I also love the princess lunch we had - my friend AD brought her daughter LD and a bunch of girls from the training I was teaching went to disney for the day. We had an AWESOME time, first having lunch with all the princesses, then riding all the rides at Disney. My favorite part of the day was when we sat down for lunch and the hostess asked "Are we celebrating something today ?" (as we were a bunch of women, all in crowns, and obviously tourists!) and we all looked at her like she was crazy and were like "NO!" we're just here for fun. I think she thought we were all off our rockers. But whatever, we had a great day...even better - just to see little LD's face when the princesses walked up...I have some of the best pictures EVER from that day (although we look like crap, LD was a princess all day!) Even more than anything I really appreciate R, who took us around disney like a pro since she has been like every year since she was a child! She taught me the in's and out's of riding as many rides as possible at disney!
I love sunsets and churches...this was on the island of Santorini...we had walked forever to find this one church so I could take a picture - and although we never found it (and hiked uphill for ever!) I did get some other great pictures of some other churches and the sunsets. I love the architecture of the churches, the way they use to be "set up" and the amazing stained glass, statues and paintings in the churches. Then the sunsets, which we saw some of the most amazing ones in the greek isles. If I could watch the sun set every night, I would be one happy camper (even more with a glass of wine in hand!) One of the reasons I love working late at one of my clients - on the 12th floor, with windows facing the sunset. It is just gorgeous.
I love travelling...this May I went on a trip to Greece and Rome with two friends. We had such an amazing time. It was awesome to see things that were built in 400 BC and are still standing - such a different way than the US where something is old if it was built in the 1800's. I had such a great time and now want to see so much more!!! This is outside the colisseum in Rome, where it rained every day we were there -- but that didn't stop us from roaming around the city the entire time! I can't wait to see where else I can go!!! The list of where I want to go is so long!

I love getting to spend time with my friends and their sweet children. This is of KJ and her daughter LJ. I loved this moment because LJ had just had a bath and was all warm and cozy in her frog towel - and was just so sweet. She has such a big smile and makes me smile every time I am around her! I love how she pronounces things - like aunt "bal" instead of val...she is just so stinking cute! Just yesterday I went to hang out with AD and her kids...they were cracking me up because they love to run around and play, and I love it when they climb up in my lap and just want to hang, or when they are being hung upside down and just scream (while laughing so hard) "aunt taren, I am upside-down!" then "do it again!!!!"

I love that I grew up in a small town. Most of the people that we were in high school with are people who we knew from when we were 3 years old. There is a group of us that try to get together once a year and catch up -- even though we may not see each other that often or chat all the time - it is like nothing has really happened since we last saw each other. Above - my twin sister, KL, with GG and AN at dinner in Dallas. Below, CS and I. I have memories of these girls in pre-school (and pictures from our pre-school programs), camping trips with our familes, and elementry school school programs singing "I've been working on a railroad" which I think there is video of, which I will kill if it ever leaks out...I love these girls.

disappointment

You know how somethings are just hype...you hear about them, you want them, then you have them...and then when you do, you are disappointed. That is how i felt about in-n-out burger. My friend LL and I were roaming around San Fran (actually, she was my tour guide for the day since she has been there so many times!) and we came across an in-n-out burger....I told her we had to try it. So we waited in the longest line ever, then we got a burger and fries to eat. I don't know whether i just ordered the wrong thing ( I mean, there are three burgers on the menu - single, double, triple burger - so I'm not really sure how i could have ordered the wrong thing!) but it just wasn't that good. I think Wataburger or Sonic are much better! (I know, I know, some of you are probably sucking in air, distraught I would say something horrible about in-n-out burger). So, not telling you not to try it, but maybe get a double or a triple....and skip the fries...they weren't that good either!

So, now I am craving a good burger...maybe at Papa's burger or Southwells!!! yum!