Weekend Update - Goodbye, May!

On Friday, I don't remember what happened. I imagine it was dinner, tv and bed. That's a typical Friday. On Saturday, Husband woke up with Little Miss and put her down for a nap before he left to play golf. Little Miss, however, had other plans. She did not want to nap. At that time, Sister called and asked if we wanted to hang out so I got up and got ready. Little Miss and I met Sister and Nephew at the mall. We walked around, bought flatware, and had lunch. At this point, Little Miss was exhausted so we took a long afternoon nap. Then, Husband came home and made dinner. We ate, and then Little Miss wouldn't go to bed. She stayed up until almost midnight just playing. Then, she woke up pretty much at normal time on Sunday.

On Sunday, I met friends for brunch at Front Page. It super yummy. We also celebrated my birthday early. So, yummy brunch AND presents. Good morning. After brunch, Husband, Little Miss and I went to the pool and met up with Sister and Nephew. The kids played in the pool for a couple of hours and then we went back to Sister's house for bath time and dinner. Little Miss fell asleep on the way home and has been sleeping very well ever since. We watched Burn After Reading. I'm not a Coen Brothers fan, but Husband enjoyed it. This week is Husband's birthday so we'll be aiming for the mid-week blogging.

My Kingdom for a Fork!

Somehow, we are down to a couple of forks. I don't know where all our forks went, but they're gone. So, I took advantage of a sale and bought new forks. It's like the dilemma of missing socks. Where do odd household items go? Is there an island south of the Isle of Misfit Toys? Anybody else have odd items go missing?

Sexy Friday

It was only a matter of time before Jason Statham made Sexy Friday. He's my guilty pleasure. I love The Transporter movies. They are so not my type of movie at all, but I love them. I couldn't wait to see Transporter 2 when it came out. It wasn't nearly as good as the first which is why I've yet to see the third one, but I will eventually. I've seen some of his other movies, but I'll always love him for The Transporter.

To pair up with Jason Statham, I chose his co-star in the first movie, Qi Shu. I can't say I know much about her and have not seen any of her other movies, but she is very pretty and evidently pretty enough to sway Frank from his original task in the movie.

Oh, Well...

Little Miss has been talking up a storm. She's been saying words for months now. She's even strung little sentences together though she's not the most articulate yet. She's spent a lot of time with my mother lately and has started to pick up on phrases. You never know how often you say something until it's repeated back to you. So, Little Miss has started to raise and lower her arm and just say "Oh, well!" Many times this past weekend, Nephew and Little Miss would echo this back and forth. It was adorable. So, I thought I'd record it to share with you all.

Weekend Update - Memorial Day

Last Friday, I got out of work early and picked up Little Miss from my parents' house. My parents, grandparents and Sister and Nephew went to Maryland. Little Miss and I went home to eat and then we played and went to bed early. On Saturday, Husband, Little Miss and I woke up and drove out to Maryland to meet the rest of the family.

We arrived a little after noon. We hung out for a little while and then went to a beer tasting. Some of the adults sampled beer. Some of the adults sampled ice cream. The kids got to run around, see dogs of all sizes and ponies, and play in the water. It was a lot of fun. We went home, took naps (or some of us did), got some take out for dinner and then some of us went to bed early.

On Sunday, we all woke up and went to Wal-Mart for groceries (though I managed to buy a lot of non-grocery products). We met the neighbors for a barbecue out back. The kids played in the hot tub (though the heat was turned off so no kids were boiled). Sister and I went to see Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian which was cute. We came home, I finished my book for bookclub and went to bed.

On Monday, it was time to drive back home. I went to bookclub to discuss Beach Music by Pat Conroy while Husband brought Little Miss home. She slept a ton today probably because she was exhausted trying to keep up with Nephew all weekend. She also ate a lot which is good because she mostly nibbled all weekend. It'll take a little bit to get back into the swing of things, but I think the weekend was worth it for everybody. It is hilarious that last weekend we were wearing our coats and freezing, and we couldn't have had warmer weather last weekend. Poor Little Miss gets so overheated as you can tell with her rosy cheeks.

Sexy Friday

Sorry for the late Sexy Friday. I had an emergency nap this afternoon and never got around to it last night. Today's was difficult. I had some ideas, but I couldn't find any good photos. I won't go into the details on how I picked these two, but I think you'll be happy.

Sexy Friday belongs to Josh Duhamel. I enjoyed him in Win a Date with Tad Hamilton and, of course, as Leo in All My Children. He's a little too tall to be my ideal man, but he's still pretty. Then, when I looked up his filmography, I noticed he's in a movie with Kristen Bell who, of course, was Veronica Mars as well as Sarah Marshall. The movie the two of them are in is When in Rome and it comes out later this summer. I don't know much about it, but the two of them are cute and, when occasion calls for it, sexy.

Duck, Duck... Swerve!

This morning, I was driving down I-66. I was perhaps going a little faster than I should have been because Little Miss spilled her Cheerios all down the front of her. So, I see Mama and her ducklings at the last minute, swerve to avoid them and am still waiting for my heart to stop racing. Luckily, the highway wasn't very busy (though maybe if there were more cars, Mama Duck would stay off the road). Worst Mama ever! I felt bad for yelling at Little Miss for spilling her breakfast, but at least I didn't lead her into traffic!

Weekend Update - Birthday Boy

On Friday, we had a quiet evening at home. Husband and I caught up on some television.

On Saturday, Nephew turned 4 years old! We went to Sister's house for the big party. It was a lot of fun. We gave him a Cars/Lightning McQueen bathing suit - shirt and trunks - and a matching towel for the summer. We stayed later so Nephew and Little Miss could eat dinner and have a bath together. Nephew actually asked for me to give him his bath and read his story. He still loves Husband, but it's nice that he includes me more in the love.

My parents gave Nephew a bike for his birthday, and he rode it all around his neighborhood. Little Miss is a little slower on foot than he is on his bike, but she desperately wanted to keep up. She even braved walking on the grass to be with her cousin. So, Nephew got off his bike and led Little Miss by the hand until she caught up to where he was. Little Miss doesn't like to hold hands with anyone else but Nephew.

On Sunday,we went to the Taste of Arlington. I felt we got a lot of food. I ended up bringing a lot of food home actually. It was nice to have a taste from my favorite restaurants as well as try new ones. Highlights were from a new place that had shaved ice. They put a little condensed milk on the top so it was sweet and creamy. It would have been a perfect treat on a hot day except the day wasn't hot at all. I took a nap as soon as we got home as did Little Miss. Then, we played and relaxed the rest of the afternoon.

Good weekend. Next weekend is a much-deserved long weekend in Maryland! Plus, bookclub meets so I'll finally get to change the "Book I'm Reading" over on the right.

You Know How I Know You're Gay?

You like Coldplay. (From The 40-Year-Old Virgin.) And, if you like Coldplay, you'll be pleased to know you can download a live album. You can find more details here as well as a clip of Chris Martin when he was on Extras. Just a sidenote: I actually liked the last season of Extras a lot. As for the music, I just downloaded my copy in the time it took to write this post and had time to burn it as well!

Drool With Me...

I totally love this bag. I do prefer it in the orchid not that I expect any readers of the blog to buy it for me. I saw it in Macy's last week, and I wouldn't even allow myself to walk near it or touch it. I wouldn't even go into the store yesterday. I may have to just peek at it again soon though. Updated: Originally, I posted the tote, but it is rather small. This bag is a nicer size. Plus, this one comes in more colors than the tote. I still like the Orchid, but the Hydrangea is nice, too.

Bonus Sexy Friday for Nichole

Because I forgot I had this photo saved, here is Chris Pine from Star Trek in a picture with the least puffy hair. Enjoy, Nichole!

Sexy Friday

I saw Star Trek last night and, though I know some would like to see a certain Captain Kirk as this week's Sexy Friday, I chose the a different Captain Kirk. Chris Pine does have dreamy eyes, but sometimes his hair is too distracting and fluffy. So, he's yet to do it for me. So, this week, I chose Chris Hemsworth who played Captain George Kirk even though he was captain for what, like 12 minutes? Anyway, I thought he was yummy.

To balance out the co-ed Sexy Friday, I chose his wife in the movie, Winona Kirk, played by Jennifer Morrison. I prefer to think of her as Dr. Cameron from House.

Chopping Broccoli

OK, so that reference is a little old. I can't have or make broccoli without singing it though. This is one of favorite recipes with broccoli. It's super easy. I'd actually add 2 small heads of broccoli, but it could use a little more. They don't make broccoli like they used to. I boil water and put the broccoli in and immediately take it out to make it bright green though you can use uncooked broccoli. Don't be like me, however, and forget the bacon!

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients
1 head broccoli
6 to 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup raisins, optional
8 ounces sharp Cheddar, cut into very small chunks
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Trim off the large leaves from the broccoli stem. Remove the tough stalk at the end and wash broccoli head thoroughly. Cut the head into flowerets and the stem into bite-size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Add the crumbled bacon, onion, raisins if using, and cheese. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, stirring well. Add to broccoli mixture and toss gently.

Weekend Update - Mother's Day

Last weekend was a good weekend. On Friday, I had to leave work early so my parents could go to Maryland. They dropped her off at my work and then we headed home. Friday was a quiet night.

On Saturday, Husband woke up with Little Miss. Then, he went golfing so Little Miss and I had the afternoon together. We went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch and then walked around the mall. The initial thought was to buy a Mother's Day present for my mom and cards, but we may have picked up an item or two for myself as well. Hey, I'm a mother! Saturday night, the In-Laws came over for dinner. We gave Mother-in-Law a bunch of little things - a bracelet with an "L" on it (for Little Miss and Grandma's name), a picture frame with Husband and me and Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law, a little keepsake box with stained glass "Grandma" and a pink glass heart pendant. It was a nice evening.

On Sunday, I woke up with Little Miss, but she mostly ran around for an hour and then, without

breakfast or anything, went back to sleep. So, we got to sleep for 2 hours more. Then, she woke up and got breakfast. We all hung around the house. Then, Little Miss and I napped for another hour before getting ready to go to Sister's house. I made 2 salads and we head out. We had the first cookout of the year (with my side of the family anyway) and it was delicious. We gave my mom a pendant set - a turquoise pendant that says "Mom" in Korean (my sister and I bought matching ones that say "Daughter"). I also bought my mom a picture frame that says "Grandmother", "Mom", "Daughter" and put photos of my mother and Little Miss, Little Miss and me, and Little Miss by herself. Lastly, because my mom has been pitching in and watching Little Miss while Mother-in-Law recovers, I bought her a little joke gift of ibuprofin, gel inserts, a candle, and antibacterial wipes (all good grandma things). Little Miss was exhausted from playing with Nephew all night so she fell asleep on the way home.

I worked most of the evening to help get a leg up on today and then went to bed myself. And it's another week...

However, things to look forward to - Star Trek, Nephew's birthday party, and the Taste of Arlington.

Little Video

Here is a little video to tide you over until I can get to the Weekend Update. Little Miss has been making the silliest faces lately. Plus, she learned to use a fork and spoon. Here is proof:

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers who meander their way to my blog! May you receive all the spoiling that you deserve and all the love and adoration that you give to others. I have posted a photo of my mother and the Little Miss who made me a mother (the day after she was born and the first day she was unveiled to family).

I realized I don't have one of the women of the family, but I'm sure I can remedy that at Mother's Day dinner. More on presents and mothers during the next Weekend Update.

We Still Miss You, Nana!

Today would have been Nana's 103rd birthday. We were lucky to have her for as long as we did, but it's still hard to pass milestones without her. If you missed the post to Nana, you can click on the link or her name and see the original post. She was an extraordinary woman and lived through extraordinary times. The picture above is with a sampling of her great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Sorry it's dark, we didn't have the foresight to move to outside the gazebo.

Sexy Friday

I apologize for my tardniness, but I'm getting stumped at whom should receive this high honor. After being inspired by X-Men Origins: Wolverine last week, obviously, this week belongs to Star Trek. In addition, it was only a matter of time before Eric Bana got his own Sexy Friday. Plus, I just read his filmography and read he was part of Finding Nemo. I see a viewing of that movie soon. I also can't wait to see him in The Time Traveler's Wife. I curious about Funny People if only to hear Eric Bana with his Australian accent.

To continue the co-ed theme of Sexy Friday, I've chosen a Star Trek co-star, Winona Ryder. Husband was a big fan back in the day. I recently watched her in Sex and Death 101 with Simon Baker who was also featured on Sexy Friday. The movie wasn't that great, but I did think the end was cute. Still, back to Winona Ryder... I mean, you have Beetle Juice which stars the awesomely underrated Michael Keaton, the totally awesome movie Heathers, the movie that dominated my college life - Reality Bites, and the girliest movie in my movie collection - Little Women not to mention countless others.

Summer Corn and Tomato Pasta

I served this recipe last week at our party and received some requests. It's a super-easy recipe. I actually like it warm, but it tastes good at room temperature as well.

Summer Corn and Tomato Pasta

Salt
1 pound bow-tie pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the corn, raise the heat slightly and cook until the corn is heated through and golden, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
3. Add the vegetables, butter and basil to the pasta and toss.

Note: I use frozen corn. I just add until the corn and tomato ratio seems about right. I also don't sautee that long. I like my tomatoes on the firmer side so I mostly just heat the tomatoes and corn at the same time until the corn is warm (from the frozen state). I added about a tablespoon of butter. I also added a little salt and pepper because corn and tomatoes taste better salt and peppered.

Weekend Update - Off to the Races!

Last weekend was a little crazy. Mother-in-Law had surgery on Friday, and we were entertaining on Saturday. So, Friday was spent cleaning, but we had stayed up late that week so we were exhausted. Not as much got done as we had hoped.

Saturday, we woke up early and finished cleaning, but we were very behind schedule. We basically didn't prepare to have someone watch Little Miss while we cooked and cleaned. So, I went to the grocery store while Husband finished his chores and watched the baby. I came back from the store the time we asked guests (family including Brother- and Sister-in-Law, my parents, Sister and Nephew and friends) to arrive. Luckily, everyone was late. We had a lot of food (recipe for one will follow). Then, people started showing up for our 2nd Annual Kentucky Derby Party. It was a lot of fun. We had wagers and prizes. People stayed until a nice hour. Then, we had some quiet time and went to bed.

On Sunday, Little Miss slept until 10:30AM! She wasn't feeling quite up to speed, but she was happy. So, she hung out in our bed while we slowly woke up and then ran around crazy. In the afternoon, I went to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine which I enjoyed. Lately, Little Miss has been very loving to me so she cried when I went to the movie, and she's cried every day this week when I dropped her off at Nanny's house. She settles down after I'm gone, but she really cries. It's kind of cute - for me, anyway.

My New Obsession

As a friend will tell you, I'm obsessed with Etsy. I bought almost all of my Mother's Day presents there. I've yet to buy myself anything, but here are a couple of things that caught my eye this week:

1. Bert and Ernie earrings;
2. Chocolate chip cookie earrings and matching ring;
3. A Smurf wristlet which I think are made with a fabric similar, if not identical, to my old bedsheets;
4. A Grey Goose drinking glass;
5. A purple bag which keeps calling out my name;
6. Last, but not least, the one item I may actually buy - a Where the Wild Things Are pendant.

I love all the retro stuff. There's also some Pacman and Ms. Pacman jewelry which is adorable. I love that the stuff is handmade or crafted from existing materials. It also makes me wish I was crafty.

Sexy Friday

This week, Sexy Friday is given to Ryan Reynolds as it is the big opening of Wolverine film and Sexy Friday has already featured Hugh Jackman and Taylor Kitsch. I was running out of hot X-Men though there really seems to be an endless supply. Because I don't actually notice any women in the X-Men movies or know of any in Wolverine, I chose a former co-star of Ryan Reynolds - Isla Fisher. Isla Fisher was in Definitely, Maybe where she played a character named April which is like the best name ever. Sorry today's Sexy Friday was rushed, but it's not too shabby for a quickie. As always, if you have requests, I almost always listen - as my co-worker will tell you.

Books Read in April 2009

1. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
2. Sins of the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon

This month was rather pathetic. I read both books within the first week of the month. I did start a lot of books, but I never finished any of them. I thought the Curtis Sittenfeld book was good. It did give us a lot to discuss at book club. I enjoyed the Sherrilyn Kenyon book much more than I expected and just got my latest batch of Dark Hunters so I can't wait to dig in. I didn't expect to be enjoying the series as much as I am. Plus, they're quick reads.