DIY Project Nightstand Day One

Today marked a busy interesting day! I started the day off sanding the nightstands. I don't really know what I'm doing. I haven't sanded anything before, so I'm not sure if I sanded enough or what, but I'll never know. These nightstands were free, so if they turn out badly, I'm not really out any money except the paint supplies. But at least the paint supplies will have kept me busy for a few days.

Speaking of paint supplies, I was going to put the primer on this afternoon and then paint tomorrow, but I realized that I don't have a stir stick, and I probably need a few of those. So that part of the project is being put off until tomorrow. At least this way it's being drawn out longer so as to keep me entertained for a few extra days.

I was stalled in between my sanding, too. I was taking a lunch break (it's amazing how long it takes to sand two nightstands) when a thunderstorm rolled in. I realized that when I'm with someone else, thunderstorms don't bother nearly as much as when I'm alone by myself. There wwas a gigantic thunder crack over my house accompanied by a large flash and I just started sobbing. I have no idea why and I had absolutely no control over it. I just got so terrified. Then I started hyperventilating for about 5 minutes and I could not calm down. Some how I did calm down then was paralyzed on the couch for 10 minutes. It's really embarrassing to admit something like this, but I can't really control it, so it is what it is I guess.

Can't wait to start actually painting tomorrow!

Ode to Successful Days

Well today was pretty, well... boring? No, not the right word. I guess unexciting, but rather productive. I did three loads of laundry and cleaned the entire house, so I guess that's something, right? I also paid a bill and went to an hour Zumba class. So I guess not the most exciting of days. There isn't too much to do in this smallish Southern town. I did go get some coffee with Bryan, but we got "kicked" out at 6... because that's when coffee shops close around here. SUPER LAME. Oh, well. He got some good internet useage and I some friend contact, so trip well deserved! Thanks for the coffee, Bryan!

According to Bryan's extremely smart car (but it's not a real Smart Car, he would probably be beaten up if he did), I learned that the temperature reached a cool 107 degrees. 107 degrees. Now according to the internet, it only got up to 96 degrees, but either one is really just way too hot. You know it's hot when in order to be literally dripping with sweat, all you have to do is stand outside for less than 5 minutes. Really, that's all you have to do. Kind of ridiculous. I wish the sun would go the heck away. Just for a day. Go away. And can it once rain really hard without a thunderstorm? I would really like to go outside and run around in it, but I don't want to get struck by lightening. And I'm not kidding, that's a real danger down here. The lightening is big and there is a lot of it.

Tomorrow dawns another productive day. I will begin by checking in with our housing office to see if I have to pay rent, and if so, how much it is, and then will head off to the gym to work out. Gotta get some washboard abs and gigantic biceps to surprise Matt. After that begins my DIY Project Nightstands. It will either be a total and utter disaster (most likely) or they will turn out gorgeous and I can take all the credit. I guess I can take full credit for both of those scenarios, so I better do a REALLY good job either way. No matter the outcome, I will be proud of myself anyways since this is the first time I have ever attempted anything like this. I'm sure I'll enjoy it, too, since I enjoy painting. I don't mean painting as in painting a pretty picture worth hanging, I mean painting walls or furniture.

Tune in tomorrow for a full highlight on the marrow's adventure!

Retail Therapy at It's Finest

Today was an all-around AWESOME day. I can honestly say that. Even though it was hotter than blue blazes, there is a mysterious leak inside my car, and Matt has to call from outside so I can't hear him, it was a great day.

Cari and I decided that since we had nothing else to do, we would drive up to Tupelo (about 60 miles north of Columbus) to get her puppy Spud some new dog food at PetSmart. I will literally go to PetSmart for any reason whatsoever. I also stocked up on some training treats for Jack, a shed rake (a grooming tool), and some desperately needed cricket feed. This was also the perfect time to go over to Home Depot (same parking lot) to get the supplies I need to paint the end tables (that will be Tuesday's project). While we were there, a guy came up to us and asked "Are you guys from Snohomish?" OMG someone knows Snohomish in Mississippi! I can't remember, but either he or one of his kids lives/is from there. He say the license plate holder on the Jeep. The Earth is so small, isn't it?

Since we had taken the time to drive all the way up to Tupelo we decided we would make the trip worthwhile and head over to the Old Navy and the Gap. The Old Navy is a stand alone store and much bigger than the local one in Columbus. I replaced my sports bra, got a new t-shirt, sandals, and work out shirt, and bought Matt some much needed socks. I don't know what it is with guys, but they will literally wear socks until they are falling apart. I can' believe the size of some of the holes in Matt's socks and he just shrugs them off. Boys. So when he comes back from Colorado I am throwing all holey socks out. I will also be doing this with the underwear at a later date.

Anyways, then we drove to the mall. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A MALL! And it's a pretty nice, big mall even by my standards! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were in for a surprise, though. Picture this: it's 11:30 AM on a Sunday morning. You walk into the Barnes & Noble, look around, and then enter the mall. IT'S EMPTY. AND THE STORES ARE CLOSED. EVEN THE LARGE STORES LIKE JC PENNY. Cari and I were a little confused, but she eventually asked a group of passersby that informed us the stores don't open until 12:30. WHAT MALL DOESN'T OPEN UNTIL 12:30. Oh, well. Too bad this led to an executive decision on my part to go order a genuine STARBUCKS MOCHA COCONUT FRAPPUCINO and sit down and enjoy it. More girl talk yay! Once the stores opened, we enjoyed our time in a real mall with real stores. We got crazy in Bath & Body Works (75% off on most items, dude you have to take advantage of that) and got some trendy accessories in New York and Company. OH! And we saw an old guy walking around the store with no pants on. SERIOUSLY. It took awhile to get a picture of it, but Cari finally managed to get one on the phone. Don't worry, we weren't that obvious about it, just stalking him, really, and getting close enough behind to make the picture good enough. It was priceless. It was a pretty awesome day. Retail therapy works wonders for the case of the lonelies.

I finished the night off with a yummy new dinner. Basically you just grill romaine heads (sliced in half the long way) on a grill pan, drizzle it with balsalmic vinaigrette, and top it with bleu cheese, bacon, and sauteed red onions. Delicious. And if you don't over do it on the bleu cheese like I did (I do rather love the stuff), it makes for an excellent light meal when you have filled your tummy previously with a very rich mocha coconut frappucino (good thing I have Zumba tomorrow). It was the perfect dinner to eat while watching The Next Food Network Star.

Yay for life! Even though Matt's gone I'm trying to keep my spirits up and keep busy. Tomorrow I plan on Zumba and housecleaning/laundry, and paying the bills. I'm such a grown up. Commencing on Tuesday is the DIY Nightstand Project. It will be either an utter and complete failure, or it will be full of awesomeness and I can take full credit. Either way, I'm going to be busy the next few days. Hopefully y'all had a great weekend!

Pictures of the Garden

Garden Update

I recently found out from one of Cari's friends- who live sin the same neighborhood as we do- that our housing development recommends not planting vegetables in the ground because the lead content in the soil is extremely high. Obviously, we want to eat the vegetables we planted, so guess what I added to my project list?

This morning I went to WalMart and Lowe's to buy potting soil and some plastic storage bins so I could transplant the veggies above ground into the storage bins. I also bought three large flower pots to plant my tomato plants, since I had so much luck with my tomato plant last year in a pot. It grew taller than me! In a pot! So hopefully these grow just as well. It should, since the sun never ever goes away down here.

Because I uprooted my veggies, I know have more room in my yard, so I bought a few different flowers to plant along the walkway for a pop of color.

It was extremely really hot work, but I'm rewarding myself after by taking Bryan for coffee. He won a bet so I owe win one ;) I'll put some picture up of the updated garden when I get the last tomato plant uprooted, I didn't buy enough potting soil. Hopefully, though, this actually increases their chances of survival, since the potting soil has some plant food in it already. I think this soil will be better than the ground soil, anyway. I just hope the plastic containers allow for good drainage. We're in the south, though, so I shouldn't have to worry too much about the soil being really wet. We'll see!

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Affogato

Looking for a really yummy, fancy-ish dessert to serve for your friends? Look no further than the Italian dessert affogato! Meaning drowned, it's EXTREMELY easy to make, EXTREMELY fast to make, and EXTREMELY easy to cater to people's different tastes. And the best part? Super duper cheap!

Ingredients:

Espresso (or strong coffee if you don't have an espresso machine, it'll have the same effect)

Chocolate ice cream

Whipping cream

Directions:

Spoon ice cream in bowls. Pour desired amount of espresso on top of ice cream and top with whipped cream. Eat and enjoy!

See how easy is that? And it tastes yummy! And it takes no time at all!

Cook's Notes:

If one of your guests doesn't like chocolate, no worries! Just buy vanilla ice cream, and then buy some chocolate syrup and drizzle that over the top. It will taste different, but still really delicious! And you're pleasing everyone!

The best part about this recipe is the fact that you can cater it to everybody's wants. If someone just wants plain ice cream, you can do that, but this gives you the chance to serve something a little fancier for all the other guests that want to try it. And if they don't like whipped cream, just leave that off!

This is definitely a recipe I will use over and over and over again! And I bet you will, too.

Happy eating!

Checklist

So I updated my blog yesterday with a checklist. Apparently I was very productive last night and today because I have already completed some of my list! Completed projects:

-Bought and finished within 24 hours a Thomas Kinkade 1000 piece puzzle. I probably should have bought more than one. Believe it or not, there are strategies to making puzzles. And it's a great excuse to use to stream an entire season of The Office.

-Planted more of my plants today! Got some purple flowers in my purple pot, then planted basil, chives, and rosemary in separate pots. I have two more pots so I might have to get more flowers. It's getting too late in the season for herbs, but I might try to get more basil. If not, I'll get some houseplants.

-Had Cari, Ryan, and little Spud over for dinner! It was fun, we played Castle Crashers afterwards. Yay!

-Bryan is coming over tonight to help finish off the mac and cheese from last night. Yay for friends!

I haven't been this productive in a long time! I think I'm going to wait until the first to tackle the other projects so we can at least keep some money in the bank. To keep decorating the house, I might buy a large black, white, or red piece of artwork for the bedroom, but we'll see if I can find something in that color scheme down here. If not, I guess I'll make my own "artwork" (i.e. marbles on canvas or fun squiggles). It'll be fun, at least.

Time to Write!

Well it looks like my blog is in need of an update. Which is a good thing, I guess, since a lot has happened since the last time I posted.

Firstly, it's raining here! And it's AWESOME! I love the rain here, it's warm so you can actually go outside and play in it. The best part, though? It cools everything down so you can actually be outside. The bad news is, though, that I'm currently hanging out a coffee shop in town so I will have to drive home. And it's thundering. That will be an interesting experience. But I guess it's time for me to grow up and learn how to handle these things, as scary as they may be. I know this sounds absolutely ridiculous, but I am seriously terrified of thunderstorms. I always have been, just ask Rayla. I used to hide in the closet and cry. I don't that anymore, obviously, but I'm still extremely apprehensive during storms. So we'll see how this drive home goes. Now I'll just enjoy my hot breve with an extra shot (and it tastes so much more like coffee!).

On Sunday Matt and I drove down to Jackson so he could catch his flight the next morning to Colorado for IFS (initial flight screening). Since we had to be at the airport at 0400 and Jackson is about 3 hours away from Columbus, we really did not want to leave at 0100 and then have me turn around and drive straight back. So we just stayed the night in Jackson and experienced our first ever Pro Bass Shop. Really cool, it's just like a Cabellas! We enjoyed it. And we refrained from buying a GIGANTIC bass fish that you place over your mailbox. We didn't think that would fall under the base housing regulations as "tasteful."

But more importantly, I FOUND A BARNES AND NOBLE AND A STARBUCKS! Unfortunately, we went there right after eating at Cracker Barrel, so our tummies were bursting with calories, and we couldn't fathom the idea of adding more. So it's disappointing I did not get to enjoy a Starbucks, but when I come down to pick him up from the airport I will go early and do some shopping and buy a Starbucks. The outdoor mall was really awesome and fancy- completely unexpected. It reminded me of the Alderwood Mall, but it was all outside! And there was an Anthropologie and two Ann Taylor stores, a Cache, and a Chicos. And a Banana Republic. So I hope his flight comes in later so I can do some shopping and get more basic summer clothes. Because let's face it, I will need summer clothes down here for about 9 months out of the year.

I have given in to Matt and have allowed him to call the puppy Jack. He has also assigned him a middle name of Danger. I have absolutely no idea why. Apparently it's a bad ass name. Yeah... maybe I'll just call the dog Arrow when Matt's not around. Currently his nickname is Little Jack, which I must admit is kind of cute. Although being a Golden Retriever he won't be little for long.

Since Matt is gone for a month, I need to some projects to do. Here is a list of my current projects:

-Bought potting soil and some flowers today, so I will plant the rest of my herbs and the flowers either today or tomorrow.

-Having Cari and Ryan, and Bryan over for dinner. Cari and Ryan are coming over tonight, but I'm sure Bryan will come over, too. I like cooking for people

-Buy another puzzle from WalMart and finishing it. I have done all my 3 puzzles multiple times, so I think it's time for a new one.

-Teach Cari how to cross-stitch. And knit.

-Sand and paint the nightstand to white. (Thanks Celia for the directions!)

-Decorate the house more. But I'm pretty much done. So I guess this means works on my craft room.

-Knit more Seahawk 12th Man scarves since I have yarn left over. Anyone want one?

... does anyone else have ideas for projects I can do?

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Due to popular demand (ok, Celia's demand, but hey, that's 100% reply rate!), I will post my awesome cookie recipe!

Back in high school, when I had my mother's pantry at my free disposal with no worries on having to replace everything, I went on the search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. I finally found one, in a relatively short amount of time. I like variety, so I still try other cookie recipes out there, but this is my all time favorite recipe that I go back to it time and time again.

This recipe products delicious chewy cookies that are easy to make!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

1 cup butter, softened and at room temperature

1 c brown sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup - the secret weapon to chewy cookies!

2 eggs, at room temperature

2 tsp vanilla

3 c flour

2 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 pkg chocolate chips

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, sans the chocolate chips. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Add more flour if needed (if the dough isn't firm enough, you will get flat cookies). Add in the chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes.

Cook's notes:

-I often times find myself needing to add more flour. Having made this recipe in Seattle, Portland, and Moscow with different ventilation systems, humidity definitely has an effect on the the dough. So will cold vs room temperature butter and eggs. If you are impatient and have to make the cookies now, make sure they either both cold or both room temperature. It does make a difference when baking.

-This recipe is great for adding extra ingredients. I have made this with oatmeal also without having to alter the recipe. It's also a great base for oatmeal-raisin-cinnamon cookies, or any kind of variation you can think of! Next time I'm going to add cinnamon to the recipe and dry dark chocolate chips, to make it Mexican Chocolate cookies.

-You can add extra vanilla to the recipe to add extra flavor without having to alter the recipe.

Happy baking!

The House is Organized!

Alright everybody! The boxes are stacked in the garage and most of our stuff is put away and organized! Matt and I are chillin' in a clean, furnished house! I am missing pictures of only one room: we haven't gotten to putting the furniture together in my craft room, but I'll put pictures up as soon as that room is complete. We have a lot of shopping to do to fill this house up! Here's some pictures of the house:

My laundry room! Right next to the kitchen
My gigantic kitchen. Look at all that counter space!
Entertainment center
Shrine to Harry Potter and Jack Bauer
The wine rack in the kitchen! All hail the Mexican plates!
Livin' in comfort and IKEA style
The decorative bookcase
Lenny keeping track of Matt. That door goes to the back patio
Dining room table! I will use the wine bottles as flower vases
Dining room
The great room
The purple guest bathroom

The bedroom
Matt's office. We'll get a real desk eventually

All Hail the Furniture Gods!

YAY! The moving truck came yesterday and our stuff is back in our possession! HALLELUJAH! (I know you're jumping up and down with excitement for us and if you're not, don't worry, I'm jumping enough for most of you). The best part? They told us they would come between 8 and 12 and they came at 9! I bet Bryan a coffee they wouldn't come until after 12. This is a bet I don't mind losing ;) So congrats Bryan, your first Mississippi coffee is on me!

I will put pictures up once we get everything settled and mostly in place. Matt has given me the task of decorating the house (which I would have done anyone, lol). You know what I heard? "I give you permission to go buy lots of stuff to make the house look good." YES!

I used to like unpacking more than packing. That was before I had to unpack an entire house instead of a dorm room/apartment with roommates. You can have the movers take everything out of the boxes for you, but then instead of everything being in boxes in nice stacks, things would be absolutely everywhere and I couldn't deal with all that mess. So we have done all the unpacking. So far, our bedroom and bathrooms are about 98% done and the living room and dining room are about 80%. The kitchen would be done, but I'm putting most of the cookware through the dishwasher, so everything that still needs to be washed is all over the counter. But this weekend should help a lot with the organizing and getting everything put away.

They only thing we cannot find is the shelf braces for the IKEA bookcase we have. We have absolutely no idea where the movers hid them from us. Unfortunately you can't order extra hardware from IKEA (why the heck not?), but we have found that Lowe's and Home Depot sell shelf braces, just not the same kind. So they won't be hidden like the IKEA brackets, but they'll at least hold the shelves up. That's all that matters.

Break time is over, I must go finish putting the kitchen cookware away. Oh the lives of moving! And just think, I get to do this only about 10 more times! Yay!

Gardening

Well today was a rather productive day, even if it started out badly. I woke up this morning with a migraine. If you suffer chronically from these like me, you probably also thinking waking up with one is worse than getting one later in the day. Worst way to wake up in the morning. I knew I would be getting one, too, since I hadn't had one yet and I get migraines from too much sun and not enough water, which, sadly, I have been not drinking enough of. But after a long morning doze, some IB Profen, and lots of fluids, I got better and was even able to go out with Matt this afternoon to get some vegetables!

It's rather late in the season to be growing plants, but I've always wanted to try it. I have never really planted anything before and I'm not particularly known for my green thumb, but I have a biology degree and I told that to my veggies, so they better do some growing. I don't want to have to explain to them how to do photosynthesis. Or nitrogen fixation. Anyways, here's some pictures of my garden:

Here is one of my 4 squash plants. It already has flowers! The nurseries we went to were really limited on their veggie selection since it's already June. Oh well.

Here are my 3 tomato plants. I think they're all large tomatoes, I can't remember, and only one of them came with a tag. I did have a gigantic tomato plant last year in a pot, so these better get equally gigantic in the ground. In a few days I will have to buy those tomato guard thingies. But if I don't get to the BX in time, I'll just use some sticks and some yarn. I am becoming rather creative with my lack of household goods.

Here are my herbs that I will be planting in my pots when they arrive. From left to right are basil, chives, flat-leaf parsley, and rosemary. Basil and rosemary are my favorite, chives are Matt's favorite.

Yay for lots of empty space that I can't figure out how to get rid of!

Here are just some of the peppers we got. Because it's so late in the season, there were really only peppers, tomatoes, and squashes available at the nurseries. We got a wide variety of peppers, including tabasco, jalapeno, serrano, bell pepper, and habanero. I see lots of salsa in our future...

And here is the full garden (missing some behind and to the right).

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes

Who doesn't like pancakes? If you grew up like me, it was a tradition for Dad to make pancakes on Saturday morning. They are an amazing breakfast food, nothing makes me feel better in the morning than pancakes (and that cup of coffee, obviously). But to my horror, the majority of people I know eat Bisquick pancakes. Ok, people, those are the worst pancakes ever! You will understand why after trying some REAL pancakes. And the best part? They don't take more than 10 minutes to mix up, especially if you have made them as many times as I have. Seriously, you whisk dry ingredients together, then mix wet ingredients together, then you mix them both together! Cook on a griddle and wham! Delicious homemade pancakes! Trust me, you will never go back to Bisquick pancakes again! (I KNOW this is true, this happened to my Dad. Mom showed him what real pancakes were, and he's never gone back since).

Once you get weaned off the Bisquick ;), you should definitely try other pancake recipes. If you want healthier ones, there are recipes out there for oatmeal or whole wheat pancakes. I've tried other recipes, but I always fall back on this one when I want just the basic pancake. You can, however, add chocolate chips or fruit to this one without having to alter the recipe. If you want to add whole wheat or oatmeal, I would definitely try a different recipe, the flour/oat and moisture ratio would most likely be thrown off.

So here is my favorite pancake recipe:

1/4 butter, melted

2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder (tsp = teaspoon)

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the butter, mix, and then add and mix in the buttermilk and milk. Once incorporated, pour about half of the wet ingredients into the dry, mix, and then slowly add the rest of the wet ingredient in until the batter is thick but still pours easily. Voila! Yummy pancake batter!

Notes:

-Sometimes, due to humidity and other unknowns, the batter will need less liquid or more liquid. That's why it's important to slowly mix so you can test the density as you're going. If it's too liquidity, you can always add more flour. Easy fix!

-You can make this recipe without buttermilk. Instead, use a substitute: put 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a 2-cup (or more) liquid measuring cup, then fill until the 2 cup mark. It will not be as thick as buttermilk, though, so you will need to add more flour to the batter.

Enjoy! These were a favorite among us kids growing up and still are!

You Know You Live on an Air Force Base When...

-On your first morning, because it's so new, you wake up startled when "Revielle" is played at 7 am. After that, you sleep through it.

-You start hearing The Giant Voice in your dreams, or when you are wandering around your house very bored.

-Speaking of dreams, even though you aren't all that interested in airplanes, you start dreaming about your husbands favorite airplane. Because that's all you hear about all day long. And that's really all that goes on at this particular base- pilot training.

-You have an actual excuse to stay inside- it's a Black Flag day! Nevermind that you weren't planning on going outside anyways, or that you aren't active duty personnel.

-At first, it startles you that the policemen on base, Security Forces, walk around with M-16s. Then you think it's kind of cool. Then you don't care anymore.

-You actually know several policemen in town. But this is because they all take shifts at the front gates.

-You are saving a lot of money on groceries because the commissary is so awesomely cheap.

-You drive the speed limit. Always. Don't want to give a reason for M-16 dude to pull you over.

-As you drive by, you wave/smile/nod at pretty much anybody on the road.

-You don't notice anymore when airplanes fly over your house. You do, however, notice when they are NOT flying over because it's eerily quiet.

-No matter how many times you've seen them, the sight of an airplane is always cool. Especially if it's a visiting airplane that isn't normally at your base.

-All the houses look exactly the same. Which is actually cool, because if you go to a friends house, you already know where the bathroom is ;)

-And finally, you know you are living among a bunch of young lieutenant pilots when every other car (well, almost every other car) in your neighborhood is a brand new Ford Mustang. When Matt and I finally get our Mustang, we will be the fifth Mustang, the third black one. Air Force guys all think alike, apparently.

-Every guy looks the same from the back. No, it's really true.

Puppy's Corner

Little Boy Puppy isn't very old yet, but he sure has a lot of stuff already! We drove an hour to the nearest PetSmart the day he was born and started stocking up for his arrival. We have basically everything we need except food and treats, which will be interesting since they have no good treats in this area. But as you can see, his favorite color has been predetermined for him: blue. And he is some stuffingless toys that will hopefully last awhile. We'll add more to his toy box later, but I think this is a good start, especially since the puppy will probably chew up everything anyway. Lots of tennis balls for him to fetch, although they might be a bit too big for him and first. We have some cheap-o towels for him, too, since we didn't want to buy expensive blankets that he will most certainly decide tastes yummier than his puppy food. And don't forget the chewy nylabones so he has something to chew on! The blue leash is a 6 foot leash for walks, the yellow nylon is a 50 foot training leash that we can also use at the parks and on base so he can have a little more room to roam while still being leash-legal. And it's great for practicing recall! All these dog supplies are making us very anxious and impatient to get him, but at least we'll be ready! I only wish he knew how loved he already is!

From My Recipe Box to Yours: International "Gourmet" Hot Dogs

Background info: I found these while reading Food Network magazine, and I thought they were a great idea for several reasons. One, with limited cookware, hot dogs are something I can make. I don't normally go for hot dogs, but with these choices, I couldn't resist trying a few. (Nothing like fancying up your hot dogs so you don't feel quite so poor ;) ). Two, these will make great add-ons for BBQs with friends and family. Because there are so few ingredients, and a lot you would have at home, you could offer two or more types and people can vary! It's awesome. And three, I know most (if not all) of you aren't parents, this might come in handy one day. Most children I know have limited palates, so you might find yourself cooking lots and lots of hot dogs. This is a great way to vary it up! Children can get the classic ketchup and relish, you can get whatever nationality you want! And again, might I add that this is cheap?

Health Benefits of Hot Dogs: Well, there certainly aren't many, but if you spend a little bit more money, you can buy all-natural hot dogs. At least go for a brand that has less salt in it. And as always, go with whole-wheat buns! I don't think they cost any extra, and they are so much better you. And you can't really tell the difference. Especially if you toast them first.

Ok, on to the hot dogs: (No set directions, really, just top and eat!)

Greek: tzatziki, cucumber, kalamata olives

Korean: Asian mustard, kimchi, red onion

Swedish: lingonberry jam, caramelized onions, gravy

German (bet you can't guess what goes on this one!): German mustard, sauerkraut, pretzels

Mexican: chipotle mayonnaise, cotija cheese, avacado

Polynesian: hoisin sauce, pineapple, scallions

Spanish: pimiento cheese spread, serrano ham, manchego cheese

Thai: peanut sauce, carrot, cilantro

American: barbecue sauce, pulled pork, coleslaw

Japanese: wasabi mayonnaise, Asian snack mix, pickled ginger

Cook's Note:

-Matt and I have, so far, tried the Mexican and Thai versions. Both delicious!

-If you don't have cotija cheese, use feta. I know feta is Greek, but they are basically the same thing. And if you already have some in your fridge, why spend the extra money?

-So WalMart in Mississippi doesn't have peanut sauce. So I substituted sweet and sour sauce for the peanut sauce and it was delicious! Can't wait to try it with peanut sauce

-So WalMart was out of canned chipotles, so what I did instead was chop up some canned jalapenos and mix it (with some of the juice) with 1/2 c sour cream, 1/2 clove garlic, and seasoned it with salt. Again, really yummy! Next time I will have to make it with the chipotles to compare! Also, try substituting out the chipotle mayo for salsa (preferably pico de gallo), I bet it would taste amazing as well!

-And lastly, invent your own international hot dog! Maybe come up with an Indian, Chinese, Italian, or Polish version! Cooking is fun! And I bet your guests would enjoy these variations the next you BBQ! (My Italian version would be basil, chopped tomatoes, and shredded mozarella, what would yours be???)

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Kale Chips

Background information on this recipe: Lenny the Bearded Magical Dragon needs to eat lots of leafy greens, but salad greens just won't cut it (not much nutrition in them), so one day I bought him a bunch of kale. Still being a wee little ectotherm, he cannot eat the entire bunch, so I went searching for a recipe. This is what I found (copyright goes to Food Network and the Neeleys) and it's delicious! I make it every time I buy kale! I will also add some cook's notes at the end.

Health Benefits of Kale: Kale is a dark leafy green, a relative to cabbage. Unlike most lettuces us Americans like to put in salads, kale is extremely nutritious. It contains, but is not limited to: beta carotene, vitamins C, K, and A, has some calcium, and sulforaphane, which is suspected to have anti-cancer properties. So see, it's good for you!

If you are hesitant to try this, might I add this: Using this recipe, they honestly taste like potato chips! Really, they do! (And because you probably have all the ingredients in your house already, except the kale, it will be a very cheap, healthy snack!)

Here's the recipe: Kale Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch kale, washed and dried well
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Tear the leaves off the center rib of the kale and tear into large pieces. Place leaves in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and toss until completely coated.

Divide kale between 2 baking sheets lined with parchment. Arrange in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until crisp. Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle with brown sugar.

Cooks's Notes:

-Be very, very careful with how much salt and pepper you sprinkle. It is very easy on this recipe to over season them. So I would just do a pinch or so each of salt and pepper. Remember, you can always add more seasoning to them later! But taking away seasoning, well...

-The brown sugar sounds weird, I know, but it's actually quite delicious! Especially if you like sweet-n-salty nut mixes or salted mochas. Oddly enough, salt and sugar go well together.

-I have tried these multiple ways: with brown sugar, without the brown sugar but with the salt and pepper, with Creole seasoning, and just salt. They are all good! The best part about this recipe is that the taste of kale really recedes, so you could flavor these with pretty much anything and I think they would taste good. Next time, try your favorite chips flavor (like salt and vinegar, sour cream and onion, etc) or your favorite herb. The next time I make them, I think I will try it with garlic salt (while leaving the salt out).

-I have noticed that 25 minutes might be a bit too long, especially if you only cook one sheet at a time. What I do is test them every 5 minutes or so and take individual "chips" out as they reach my desired crispiness. That way they don't get burned. Larger pieces will take longer.

-You will notice discoloration of the kale, that's normal. It's from the olive oil.

-Your first batch probably won't turn out perfectly (mine sure didn't). Use your first batch as a trial run, figuring out which crispiness you like best, and note how long it took. If you under cook them, they will be kind of chewy, so you'll know next time to cook it longer.

-Lastly, store in an air-tight container, they will last a few days, but my guess is that they won't last that long!

Sipping Starbucks: An Exploratory Session featuring Rayla and Brittany: Cats

Topic: I asked Rayla to write an Ode to Cats. Here is her interpretation. (Rayla's cat's nam is Tiger Lily, FYI)

"According to Tiger Lily"

Everybody wants to be a cat. Why? Address the following…

Cats can get away with putting their butt in someone’s face on purpose. Dogs can’t.

Cats have a legal drug all of their own that their human willingly hands out. Dogs don’t.

Cats are allowed to sleep on the bed, sit in the window, and jump on furniture. Dogs can’t.

Cat’s humans carry them around when they’re full grown. Most dogs are too big.

Cats can sleep all day. Dogs usually don’t.

Cats don’t need to be walked. Dogs do.

Cats can entertain themselves. Dogs don’t.

Cats watch and guard the fish. Dogs don’t care.

Cat’s meows aren’t very loud. Dog’s barks are loud. (Addition by Sara: And cats usually stop after a reasonable amount of time. Dogs don't.)

Cats purr. Dogs don’t.

Cats chase other animals without being punished. Dogs get punished.

Cats bathe themselves. Dogs don’t.

Cats are smart enough to know when to use selective hearing. Dogs aren’t.

Cats chase lasers for the entertainment of their human. Dogs chase them because they think they can actually catch it.

Cats can lie across their human’s shoulders to keep them warm. Dogs can’t.

Cats don’t hump people’s legs. Dogs do.

Cats don’t need to go outside to pee. Dogs doo doo.

Cats rule. Dogs drool.

Everybody wants to be a cat.

Of Note

Most of you are aware that I enjoy cooking. I don't claim to have any special techniques or brew up my own recipes, but I do love to make food. The majority of the enjoyment comes from sharing my food- preferably with lots of people! So I thought (since I need ways to entertain myself) that I would start sharing some recipes on my blog that I or Matt particularly enjoyed. And hopefully everyone here can learn a few more recipes, or learn how to tweak recipes to their own liking.

I used to be a very stiff cook when I was younger- if I did not have every single ingredient (even herbs), I would not make the dish. Now, with plenty of years behind my belt having to cook dinner for myself, roommates, and Matt, I have learned some tricks and how to alter dishes if I don't have an ingredient, or I think it would taste better with a different combination. I hope to share my alterations with all of you, too, so you can try the dish multiple ways! It's like a piece of art, trying to decide how it will look best.

Isn't cooking FUN?

First Week in Mississippi

Well y'all, I've been here for slightly over one week. It has been both a blessing and a gigantic pain in the ass. But the South so far isn't really all that bad, it's just the things that keep happening to Matt and I that are making this super complicated.

First off, as I think I mentioned in my previous post, the moving company decided to not move our household stuff into our new house until June 16th. So if you're counting, that means we will have been in our house for 17 days with nothing but the stuff we brought with us in the Jeep. So not much at all. All we have are: our important documents, large printed wedding pictures that we didn't want lost, our laptops, blankets and two pillows, Lenny, my knitting bag, a few books, and the clothes and the toiletries we brought with us. Since we have been here, we bought an air mattress so we could sleep on something, and two WalMart camp chairs so we have something to sit on. I have also borrowed a box of cookware from the outdoor rec on base, but there isn't much in there, so I'm limited on what I can cook. This is all we have. Kind of ridiculous, really. Our backs are sore from the air mattress and our butts are sore from the camp chairs. I can't believe a moving company would do this, especially since back in Portland they signed- real paper, real pen!-a contract that said our stuff would be in our house, ready for me to unpack, on the 6th. Stupid liars. At least we got our internet and cable set up yesterday so we can at least get online without having to do it on Matt's phone.

Speaking of internet, this has also been a nightmare. We think the modem they gave us is not the best of quality, since the internet worked just fine on my computer from the start, but not Matt's. His CAT card (his military ID has a chip on it that allows him to access government portals from home) for some reason doesn't work on my computer, but works on his. We discovered this after many, many hours of some intense anger directed at the computer. I wasn't fiddling with the computer, but I was getting really upset because Matt was, and if you have known me since I was young, you'll know that I do not enjoy arguments or anger at all. I don't deal with it well so I was getting really stressed out. So what do we do? Drive to town to go get coffee with Cari. Ultimate stress relief.

There are two (that I know of, anyway) coffee places in Columbus. One is Kudoz, which is a little coffee shop off the side of a gym that serves coffee and smoothies. I can't remember what brand they brew, but they receive it fresh every week from Atlanta, and grind it as the week goes on, so it's fairly fresh. I think it's also organic, but I don't remember. This shop also has smoothies- yummy!- so I can get something uncaffeinated if I want to. Not many tables to sit at, but it's usually uncrowded. The other place, Beans and Cream, serves coffee, but also smoothies and ice cream. They brew Seattle's Best. In my opinion, I like Starbucks coffee better (I kind of like the burnt taste, personally), but I will take Seattle's Best over Folger's or Maxwell (GROSS!). This shop has the look and feel of a Seattle coffee house with a good study vibe to it. I like both of these places and the coffee they brew. The only issue I have is that instead having coffee with a flavoring, they are serving flavorings with not even enough coffee to taste it (at least there is some in there that satisfies my caffeine addiction). To fix that problem, the next time I ordered a breve (espresso with half and half), but it tasted something like mild coffee flavored half and half. I think people in the South just don't like coffee. They would much rather have their sweet tea. Oh well. Soon I will be getting my coffee pot and espresso machine and I can make my own strongly brewed coffee.

I was also just introduced to Zumba. Cari took me to my first class on Monday, and today being Wednesday, my leg muscle are freakin' STIFF! The remedy to that? More Zumba today. At least it's extremely fun, I would recommend it to anyone. Even if you can't dance, like moi. You will look like an idiot the first few times, not having any clue what's going on and always a little bit behind, but I'm sure I will get the technique and my rhythm will improve. And it is an excellent work out.

Lastly, I need to give a shout out to Cari and Bryan. Cari's a friend from Idaho, but she just so happens to be stationed down here with her husband. She lives in town and I live on base, but we have been hanging out since I got here and she has been a life saver. Cari has been someone to talk to other than Matt and has shown around town. Where to eat, where to shop, where to get coffee and ice cream, and where activities are on base. I am so blessed to already know someone down here. She and her husband will be leaving the base before we do, but that's life in the military for you. Bryan is a friend from ROTC. He will be joining us soon, so we will know another person! Even though he's not here yet, just knowing that we will have another friend here is wonderful. Bryan also did some research for me and was the one who discovered we could borrow cookware from the outdoor rec center. This research has helped Matt and I cook- albeit basically- from our home without having to go out to eat or eat frozen dinners warmed in the oven. Thanks Cari and Bryan! You have made our lives just a little bit easier.

So while my life might be a little bit on the boring side right now, at least I can now write these updates from the comfort of my own home, crypt as it might be at the present. We do like the base and the surrounding area, so we're happy to be here and are looking forward to the months to come.

Southern Snippets

Here are some things I have learned about the South:

-Refer to The People of WalMart website. It really is true.

-The locals- so far- are really nice. All three of them. This list includes the women in the housing office on base (civilians) and the barista at the coffee shop.

-The accents differ. You can understand the white people. Not so much the black people. They tend to combine all of the words in their sentence into one long word with no annunciation.

-THE SUN IS OVERRATED. Really. It is SO FREAKING HOT HERE.

-I don't mind bugs. I really don't. But the bumblebees are GIGANTIC. Same with the grasshoppers.

-"Lake" means something totally different here. You can't really swim in them because they are dirty (well, more just murky, I don't want to make it sound like they are polluted). Plus, there are alligators. YAY!

-If you see a sign that says "Ferry," this does not mean a Puget Sound-like ferry boat is awaiting you. It means boat ramp/marina.

-The people here can't drive. I'm not really sure why. They aren't all that bad, per say, just really slow. Say a they are turning left on a solid green light. In order for them to turn, there has to be no cars coming. No cars at all. When they do turn, they turn really slowly. Cari and I saw this multiple times. And they don't really let people into lanes if you have your turn signal on. So I haven't seen anyone do anything all that stupid (yet), they're just slow drivers.

-They move slower than city folk. This isn't rude-let me explain. The lady at the housing office went to go make us copies. While she was doing this, she also stopped to talk to someone, and when she made the copies, didn't move all that fast. This isn't a bad thing, really, it's just the way they do things down here. They aren't in a hurry- and neither are their customers. So it's not that they're "stupid" or anything, it's just their culture. I think we could all learn from this, everyone up north is always in such a rush. Just take a breath and relax and enjoy some extra down time! This is something that I actually LIKE about the south and will not need to get used to.

-They have farmer's markets down here too! So excited to go to the local one, and it's here 3 times a week! Yippee!

Home Sweet Home (...)

Well everybody, we made it. We rolled into Columbus, MS, on Memorial Day and stayed overnight in the base hotel. The town looks A LOT like Moscow, ID. It's really weird. The main road is a few miles longer, but the mall is the same size. Downtown looks a lot like it, too, but a little bit bigger. I can't wait to go down and wander around the stores when they're open (they were all closed on Memorial Day). I spotted a yarn store and a potential scrapbook store, so I'm all set! There isn't a pet store in town, unfortunately, but it looks like a few of the gas stations around here sell crickets for bait, so Lenny should be good to go. Hopefully I can find a pet store in nearby Starkville that sells quality dog food for our future puppy.

We moved into our new home on Tuesday morning. Since we are new residents, we got to choose a move-in present, and we chose a new washer and dryer! I'm SO excited. I haven't had my own laundry machines in over two years. And the machines are in their own room off the kitchen! The best part? We get to take them with us to our next station! Hopefully they come soon before we run out of clean socks and underwear.

The house is GIGANTIC. And by gigantic, I mean 1100 square feet. So actually quite small, but much bigger than our 400 square apartment we just came from. Matt will have his own office and I will have my own scrapbook room/Lenny's room/guest room. (Although if it's my mom or mother-in-law, they will probably have to sleep in the office because of their adverse reactions to Lenny). It's all wood floor, so my vacuum will not see many uses, but at least that means it will last longer, right? The living room/dining room is kind of small, but at least we have two extra bedrooms that we can store extra bookshelves and desks and the like, so it shouldn't look too cluttered.

Currently, our house is completely empty. Our stuff has arrived in Columbus, but breaching their contract (which pisses the both of us off REALLY BAD), the moving company (independent of the Air Force) has decided they can't move our stuff into the house until June 16th. So by the time we get our stuff, we will have been without all of our household goods just shy of a month. How ridiculous. Thankfully, our friend Bryan has let us know of a possible place on base that you can rent cookware from, so we might go and rent some pots and pans and a microwave so I can start cooking again. Eating out is getting SO OLD.

So far, I have enjoyed Columbus, and once I get used to the heat (IT IS SO RIDICULOUSLY HOT HERE IT'S INSANE) I think I will actually enjoy it. I haven't met many of the locals yet, or any of the wives, either, but I have a feeling I can't judge them purely from who goes into the WalMart. My good friend Cari has been showing me around, and I am eternally grateful to her for that. She has introduced me to a coffee shop in town that serves both coffee AND smoothies, so I'm not missing Starbucks too much. After a week surviving off of just hotel coffee, I finally had myself an espresso drink, so I'm not missing it too much now. The town is about seven miles from base, but I'm willing to drive that far :) Plus, it gets me off base.

Also of note, our baby boy puppy was born on May 31st! Now we just have to name him. He and his siblings were a few days early, but they're all doing well! We unfortunately don't get to pick which boy we get (we were the second on the list for a boy and mom Sadie only had two boys), but we don't really care: we're just excited to get the puppy! He won't be ready to come home until July 31st, but that gives us time to get to some bigger towns to go shopping for him.

Yay for puppies!