Little things

Our home is the epitome of half-assed projects. A likes to start things and then promptly forget about them. For instance, I'm currently in the upstairs sitting area, where I should be finishing a very important paper that is due in less than 24 hours. Instead I am staring at this sad fireplace: 

looks a bit forlorn, doesn't it?

Oh how I long to have a mantle and curl up next to a warm fire. Sadly, that won't happen at this home since we are close to moving. I don't handle moving very well, I always wind up forgetting to pack until last minute and then it's just a hodgepodge of crap all over the place. It'll take me 6 months to find where everything went. Every single time I move I make the same vow to myself: This time, things will be different. I will pack in advance. I will label. I will have a graceful transition. *snickers* I'm not even going to promise myself that this time because I know it's going to be a mess. 

But in our next home, I hope to have a fireplace. I just love 'em. Seriously. Give me a mug of cocoa, a good book and my favorite fleecy blanket and I'm set. Trade that cocoa for a glass of wine and my night is amazing. And come the holiday season, I want to do this:

Gorgeous, isn't it? Check out the lovely blog and all her fab ideas!

And those white things? Marshmallows!!! Love! 

If we don't have a fireplace in the next house, I'm going to put that picture aside for when we do. I just think it'll look amazing. And hopefully A can leave the marshmallow snow flakes alone! 

I'm ridiculously excited about starting little traditions with A and knowing that they will be things we do for many years to come. I just wish we could have a real pine tree in the house without both of us immediately having a sneezing attack. 

It's the little things that matter the most. Starting our own holiday traditions mean the absolute world to me. *happy smile* 

The loss of a skill

A button recently fell off of my favorite shirt and I realized something quite horrifying: I have forgotten how to sew. As a child, I used to sew and quilt all the time. My Grandma has evidence of my talents at her house or else I would never believe it was true! Yet somewhere from the age of 12 to 28, I have completely forgotten how; it's like a foreign language to me. I know you thread the um, thread? through the needle and poke it through the fabric...I get that. It's just the other things that I don't understand. People who knit fascinate me, I've been caught staring countless times at their fabulous creations. In fact, a woman knits in my club at school, and I have to resist the urge to sit near her just so I can get a better look. [SHE DOES IT WITHOUT LOOKING! I'd definitely loose a finger or two if I did that.]


My ancestors could whip up a shirt, petticoat and pants in the time that I could re-sew a button onto a shirt. It's slightly embarrassing and it makes me wonder what other household skills I lack. And that is a topic that I'd just rather avoid altogether. 


I've decided that before I have children, I should at least learn how to sew basic things. I can't keep taking clothes to the dry cleaners and shamefully ask them to sew a button or fix a tear. Today, after class I'm going to go buy the materials needed to re-sew that button. And then I'm going to set a timer. I'm hoping to be finished within 35 minutes and with limited blood loss. 


*crosses fingers*


Oh, and I came across this fabulous idea on www.justataste.com, she plated her chili in a coffee mug! So genius, yet I would have *never* thought to do this. Perhaps this is just another reason as to why I'm not a food blogger. Well, that and I'm a picky eater, I have my quirks about food, and A only wants to eat chicken. That just wouldn't make an entertaining food blog...365 days of chicken! Ha. 


Just look at this plating. Makes me want to dive into that chili and enjoy every morsel. Yummm. 

Check it out!

Stress and pumpkin cake

Let me just start this off by saying that I am completely and utterly overwhelmed with schoolwork. The end of the semester is near and I've been writing so many papers and cramming for exams that I feel my head might explode. I should go get a massage and a facial to calm down, but that money could go towards other things. 
Ya know, like food or bills. Important stuff. 


So, I'm relaxing the best way I know how: cooking. [I figured having a glass of wine before noon on a Sunday would be frowned upon. *sighs*]  Pumpkin cake it is then. 


After consulting the recipe, braving the grocery store, [where I nearly ran over a lady who conveniently parked her cart in the middle of the aisle. I HATE that, with a passion.] Anyways, once home I decided to bake this darn thing and see how it turns out. 
*Oh, if you plan on making it, don't bother cleaning your kitchen beforehand. It'll look like a pumpkin exploded all over your counter-tops and every single bowl you own will be used. 


I should have taken pictures of the before and after, but I couldn't find my camera. And I doubted anyone would want to see pictures of dirty dishes all over our obscenely small kitchen. 

Pumpkin Cake:

Bottom(first) layer:

1 pkg yellow cake mix-hold out 1 Cup

Add 1/2 cup soft butter

1 egg

Mix and press into the bottom of a sprayed 9x13 pan

 Middle layer:

1lb 14oz can of pumpkin pie mix(it's the large Libby's can)

2 eggs

2/3 cup evaporated milk

Mix and pour evenly over the crust

 

Top layer: [it should be crumbly]

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup cold butter-make sure it is cold, as you don't want it to be very soft

1 cup reserved cake mix

Mix with a fork and pinch a small amount on top until completely covered

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. 

Thankful.

A and I had a near-death experience the other week and since then we have realized just how blessed we are to still be alive today. Facing my own mortality wasn't how I had planned to spend that weekend, but I'm grateful for the opportunity. It really put everything into perspective.

It didn't matter that the laundry wasn't done or that the dogs were shedding like maniacs. It didn't matter that sequins from a dress mishap a few months ago are still showing up like pesky unwanted house-guests. None of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was we were alive and safe and able to walk away from the accident hand in hand. 

I thank God that A was sleeping when it happened or he may have tried to reach his hands forward to shield himself. When I saw the car ahead of me on the highway run over a piece of sheet metal and flip it up in the air; I knew it was going to hit us. I just hoped it would hit the roof and I prayed I would be able to keep the car in control. [To this day I'm not sure how I did. My guardian angel must have been working overtime that day to keep me safe]

Instead it hit the hood of my car, punctured the windshield and thankfully flew up and over the car when it landed on my dashboard. Glass was EVERYWHERE. For days both of us were picking it out of our skin, our hair, our clothes and shoes.

But we are alive and safe. 

Thank GOD! 

xo