How we spent Christmas

We spent Christmas in Santa Fe, the first day we got there it snowed and I was all excited. Then the next day we took a walking tour, and came to this old church. It is where I decided we would go to mid-night mass, they said they sang Christmas music the hour before, and I love church Christmas songs, so I was very excited to go.

Then we found out that there was a pre-event at 10:30 so to get a seat for mid-night mass you needed to arrive about 10:15- this seemed ok to me, but Michael wasn't quite sure. So we decided to get up early and go to the 8:00 am mass instead. The 8:00 am mass was in Spanish-but my mother once told me she liked going to the Spanish mass- so I thought I would too.

So off I went to the Spanish mass, good thing I know mass by heart or I would of been clueless.

(No I do not know those people who wandered into my picture, for some reason I could not photo shop them out)

After mass we went skiing and had a really good time. It snowed a few drops, which made me happy, since I haven't had snow on Christmas for a long time :)

---

also I would like to give a shout out to my mother-in-law who is celebrating her birthday today.

Here is a picture of her in all her glory babysitting her grandchildren (this was on day 2 and 1/2 of watching the two little ones). Ok she might not have the look of being in glory, but I have always liked this picture, of her rocking both her grandchildren-such talent!

Happy Birthday Sheila!

Photo Hunter: Messy

Once when I was skydiving (1988), I did not make it back to the airport. My friend Kevin (in picture next to me) felt bad, since he is the one who directed the airplane of where to let us out-so when he got back to the airport he jumped into his car to come get me.

It happened to be very muddy, and his car got stuck in some mud. So about 5 of us helped push his car, I was in the middle. Well the wheels spun, mud came flying off the tire, into the air, over top the first two people pushing and landed right smack on me. And that is why I have mud on my face- and a tad MESSY.

It's my Dad's Birthday

Well as you can tell by my title, it is my dad's birthday. The other day Nancy did a wonderful post for her son's 23rd birthday by posting 23 pictures of him, however my dad is 77 today, so 77 pictures might take me all day, so I am just posting one- the one that reminds me most of my dad. He is always busy making or fixing something. Here he is about 9 years ago remodeling our bathroom.

So in honor of his birthday, I am going to do a birthday memory. Back to his 50th birthday. That's when my mom decided to throw him a surprise birthday party-

First we needed a decoy party, so my sister home from college asked if she could throw a party for some of her friends. My parents said yes.

Every one was helping out for the party, which should of been the first clue -even my dad helped out by vacuuming, and giving my sister money for the party (since she said it was a bit more expensive than she thought it would be).

My sister and her friends were of legal drinking age, so she went out and was buying lots of booze. My father was a bit concerned, and asked my mother if she thought it was ok-2nd clue: my mom, who is somewhat anti drinking, said it should be fine.

3rd and final clue, my mom had my dad take her and her mom out for dinner that night-my family never really went out for dinner (except for pizza). When they returned my dad was a bit amazed to see how many cars there were for the party and got a bit nervous.

When he entered the house the first person he saw was one of my sister's friends, who helped us set up. He went down to the basement to check on the party- and SURPRISE! He had a great time! I have always liked this story since he cleaned and paid for his own surprise party :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD

I'M BACK

Hi All,

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. Sorry I haven't been visiting lately. Guess Where I have been? Here is a clue.

Michael and I have been in New Mexico since Friday. New Mexico, you say??? Why, New Mexico?? That's what most people have asked us. Well if you read my 2nd blog ever, Places I Have Been, which made me realize there are17 states I have yet to visit-make that 16.

Picture taken by Michael in Bandelier State Park (about 30 minutes from Sante Fe)

Merry Christmas Eve

Have fun celebrating the joy of Christmas everyone!

Picture taken from a travel website

Photo Hunt: Light

The morning sun rising (giving LIGHT) over some mountains in Death Valley Dec '07

Friday's Fill In's

Friday-Fill Ins is hosted by Janet

1 . Snow _____.

Skiing. ( a picture of Michael, my niece, me & my nephew in Breckenridge 2003)

2. I'm looking forward to _____.

Having two weeks off!

3. _____ is the best _____ ever!

Susan, friend- a picture of us in 2004 sailing in the Bahamas

4. One of my favorite old tv shows is _____.

The old friday (or was that Saturday?) line up of:

The Brady Bunch, Partridge Family, Room 222, & Love American Style

5. I'm done with _____.

school for this year!

6. The most enjoyable thing around the holidays is _____.

Decorating the Christmas tree while listening to Christmas music. (Or at least trying to decorate the tree if those darn balls wouldn't keep falling-Michael and his nephew decorating the tree this year)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!

tonight: decorating the tree

tomorrow: starting my vacation

Sunday: sleep in

Target/Tree Thursday

You might suspect by the title that I am not doing well with all the holiday parties, cookies, and candy around. 'Cause when I am doing well I am all about Target Thursday! But Today if my blogger editor would of let me, I would of done a strike through the "Target" part and went straight to the Tree part. But alas it didn't therefore the weekly progress: up a pound - Hopefully I will find my will power soon, maybe Santa will bring it!

Now to the tree story. When I was in six grade, a forest ranger came in and celebrated Arbor Day with us. He gave us a sapling about 6 inches high. I took mine home, and my dad gave me a special place at the edge of his garden to plant my tree.

The first couple of years, it was touch and go for the tree, due to bugs and harsh winters, but it was a survivor. It soon blossomed into a beautiful young pine tree with gorgeous light green long needles.

Fast forward 10 years later to my senior year in college when I was living in an apartment with three of my friends and we needed a Christmas tree. I told them that my dad always had about 6-7 pine trees in various stages in our back yard that he groomed to be Christmas trees.

When I went home to pick one out, and my dad mentioned- my tree for my very own first Christmas tree. I said that sounds good, we cut it down and took it to my apartment. My roommates and I decorated it, and it looked lovely.
...However that could not be the end of the story now could it? Of course not! You see, since we cut it and put it up the same day some of the little critters who lived in it did not get a chance to escape.

The spiders started to climb up the tree and hang out with the angle. Well my friend Sue hates spiders, and proceeds to spray the tree with Raid, the tree was all brown by the next day- it was very sad. (We then showed Sue the warning label on the Raid can- not to be used around plant life)

I went back to the back yard for another tree- this time we shook it out well, and let it sit in the garage for a couple of hours before bringing it to our apartment. So the picture is of my "2nd" Christmas tree on my own. Lucky for Sue there is no evidence of the first tree, or I probably send it to her each year in her Christmas card. (since my dad spent 10 years raising it and she turned it brown in about 12 hours!)

Semi Wordless Wednesday

Another Fraidy Cat Moment

I am one of those yellow cap people beginning the swim part of a triathlon. When the horn went to start my heat, the three biggest waves of the day came in. Now these are WEST coast waves, that have a fierce undertow, nothing on the east coast compares.

They pummeled me! (Keep in my I swam a person to safety out of a rip tide) This was the first time I was ever scared in water. Three people needed to be rescued from my heat.

Time Travel Tuesday: Fraidy Cat

Today Annie has us traveling back to the last time we were really scared. The first thing I thought of was when Michael has to travel, and I hear every noise imaginable when I try to fall asleep. But I wouldn't say I was really scared (actually writing this I just thought of a time that I was really scared when Michael was away and he actually came home a day early from his trip)

...ok digressing from my original idea- Michael was away, and I watched this story on TV about an elderly couple being murdered by their handyman. It turned out, that the day before we just gave the handyman that we just hired to paint our bathroom the key to our house- I of course was convinced he was going to come in and get me.

Now back to my original idea: About 4 years ago, when Michael and I went on our first sail alone. We rented a sailboat that was a bit old (first mistake) and went out for a sail in Long Beach.

It was a Saturday and there were a lot of boats out cruising, having the other boats around was a bit unnerving. When we thought it was clear enough we practice our man over board drill, so we tossed a cushion overboard. Well all of a sudden there were all these boats around, and it was hard to do the drill, and the cushion did not make it- perhaps a warning?

Then it was getting to be the end of the day and we were ready to bring the sails in. Well this being an old sail boat, it did not have a casing for the line to coil up in when we took out the sails-and the line came out of the holder and knotted itself up. So I crawled up in front underneath the sail, trying to unknot the line so we can take the sail in. Michael is trying to keep the boat as still as possible so the sail wouldn't hit me. About 30 minutes later I had it unknotted and we brought the front sail in. (Yeah- I am ready to call it a day!- But wait not so fast....)

Now it was time to bring the main sail in, but before you bring the main sail in- you need to start the engine-Yep the engine did not start. So we called the company we rented from and they said to call Vessel Assist (like triple A for boats). Well they said that the company had let their membership expire- and could not help us. A few calls later, Michael cell phone is almost dead, and still not sure what we are going to do.

Now keep in mind, we are under sail, no engine, so we are at the mercy of the winds, there are other boats around, it is getting darker, and since Michael had to be below making all the calls, that left yours truly sailing the boat. (I don't even like driving my car in traffic so this was the scary part for me, because I thought I was going to crash into another boat).

Well long story short, the Lifeguard boat came out to tow us in. A tad embarrassing, but at least the mechanic could not start the engine when we got in, turned out a wire came loose.

Of course it is like falling off a horse, you have to get right back on, our next sailing trip was much smoother, we learned don't rent the cheapest boat in the fleet- there is a reason it is so cheap to rent! Us on happier sailing day:

)

Memory (instead of Menu) Monday

Even though I had a good menu plan last week, this week due to the holiday season it just doesn't lend itself to cooking. Tonight we ordered Pizza & Wings. Hopefully I'll be healthier the rest of the week.

Michelle is doing Christmas memories all this month which I have been enjoying reading. So I decided to do a memory too, instead of a menu.

So do you remember believing in Santa? Here I am with Santa at 2 yrs ll months. I don't know if I even knew who's lap I was sitting on. But I do remember where that picture was taken. It was taken in the basement of Holy Angels (not Angles like it said on my wedding invitations-I do love math and I am such a bad speller!)

...Anyway, the church basement was where the Christmas Bazaar was held every year, it was always so much fun to go to. My mother was in charge of getting Santa for the bazaar one year. She managed to get a police officer to play the part. (He loved it so much, he was Santa for other functions too.)

Well since my mother was in charge of getting Santa, she was also in charge of the "Suit". So since the suit was at our house, my dad dressed up as Santa and knocked at one of our back windows.

The only thing I remember is Santa running in the back yard, however the story goes, as Santa/dad peeked into the window, my sister said, "He has blue eyes just like daddy!"

What Happens in Vegas...Stays in Vegas

I was over at Jeni's blog yesterday and she wrote that she saw the Platters, Drifters & Coasters in concert, and that reminded me of the time Michael & I saw them about 4 years ago.

Michael and I decided to take a last minute road trip to Vegas on a Friday, so I did not tell anyone I was going. When we got there I of course wanted to see a show, but calling around most of the shows I tried were sold out already. But I managed to get tickets for the Platters, Drifters & Coasters.

Due to the lateness of getting the tickets, we were seated at a side corner table (with other people), that was pretty dark. After being seated I went to go use the rest room leaving Michael to talk to the girl seated next to him. This is when my co-worker Glenda (who teaches next door to me and I know very well) sees Michael.

Now Glenda is the type who had here tickets month in advance, and is seated front middle table. So Glenda see's Michael, she stands up and proceeds to wave both her hands and scream "Michael". Her husband Bill surveying the situation told her to sit down since "That isn't Terri he is sitting next too!" (I always tease Bill to this day for the lack of getting my back)

Being a bit lazy today, I am not going to scan a picture of this trip, however here is a picture of the tile of the floor of the Belagio last time I was in Vegas- always amazes me about how extravagant every thing is there.

Photo Hunt: Small

For the theme of Small, I am chosing to use the SMALL town I live in. This year it was voted one of the top ten small towns in America. We are so small we only have 1/2 a stop light in the whole town. (it is on our boarder, so we share it witht he town next to us)

Here is a banner of our Award winning town during our annual 4th of July parade.

Here is a small car in our fourth of July parade.

I have blogged about our town before so if you want to hear a bit more click here.

Wordless Wednesday

Giving new meaning to the phrase:

"Just a SHADOW of my former self"

picture of Michael & I, Dec 2006, taken by Michael

Time Travel Tuesday

Annie is stuck in an ice storm, no power for a week! Yikes. So I am traveling back to a snow storm-although not as bad as the one Annie is in.

As a kid, you lived for these days, listening to the radio, waiting for them to cancel school. Well it was no different when I became a teacher.

I was about 30 and we had this huge storm, school was cancelled, so Michael, his best friend Jeff, and I took off to go sledding. It was great conditions for it.

One of the nearby churches had a huge hill, and people were already gathering. Although we each had a sled or a glider, we discovered if we all 3 laid down on the sled on top of each other we really had some amazing rides. This was all going well until it was my turn on the bottom.

Being on the bottom meant you had to steer. Well we were gaining speed, and then all of a sudden this little girl was in my way, so I swerved the sled missing the little girl. Unfortunately I swerved into a little ditch, the snow being so icy stopped the sled dead in its tracks. Sending both Michael and Jeff flying.

I however went face first into the icy snow along with the sled. When I came up I noticed blood-a guy who stopped by, trying to be helpful, said did you lose a tooth? That sent me into a panic, so I checked all my teeth , whew, still there- it was just a bloody nose--so I thought. I had scrapes all over my face and within the hour I had a huge black puffy eye. I looked like I had been in a fight and lost badly.

Luckily school was canceled for the next 3 days- so my face was presentable enough to go to school, however it still had many scrapes on it. The first person I saw that day was a kid, and it was like looking into a mirror, because he had scrapes all over his face too- we both pointed and laughed at each other as we exclaimed "Sledding Accident!"

Menu Monday

Ok, I feel good, I planned, I shopped, now I just got to follow the plan!

Today, Monday is my new recipe of Chicken Piccata, which was very tastey. (see below for a very easy recipe). I actually make two variations, the one that the recipe calls for, which is Michael's, and mine, which had no flour, no butter, no wine, now that one wasn't as tastey but hopefully it will be good for the scale.

The rest of the week:

Tuesday: Meat Balls with wheat pasta.

Wed: Applesauce Pork-Chops (Michael's favorite new recipe since I begun Menu Monday)

Thursday: Left Overs

Fri: Soup & Salad

Recipe for Chiken Piccata

Ingredients:4 skinless chicken breasts, pounded flat (An easy way: place chicken between two wax paper sheets)Flour to coat1 T olive oil1/4 cup drinking sherry or dry white wine 1 small onion, mincedJuice of 1 lemon, no seeds!1/2 cup chicken broth2 tablespoons butter1/4 cup Italian parsley3 T capersSalt and Pepper

PreparationCoat the chicken in flour and shake off excess.
Heat the olive oil in sauté pan over medium high heat.
Sauté the chicken about two minutes on each side, just until it is browned on the outside.
Add the wine or sherry to deglaze the pan, and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan and it will be an integral part of the chicken picatta.
Add garlic and onions. Sauté for approximately three minutes.
Add the lemon juice, pepper, butter, chicken broth and capers, and sauté for approximately two minutes.
Add the chicken back in and sauté until the chicken is done, about five minutes.
Makes about 4 servings
Could anything be any easier than this chicken picatta recipe? I tell you, this only takes about 20 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice pilaf. And, it is really terrific!

An "OH MY GOSH" moment

My first week of blogging I was just writing stuff and both Michael and Linda suggested I use pictures on my blog. So ever since I try to incorporate a picture with my theme of the day. This has caused me to take a look at old photo's lately, and this one when I looked carefully I was amazed.

Now I know I have features of both my parents, however never to the point that I thought that's me. I was amazed how much my mom looks like the current me in this picture and she still has 5 years on me at this time (she was 50 when this picture was taken). Funny how it seemed to me she looked so much older back then to me, and now she looks kind of young to me!

Photo Hunter: Long

A LONG WAY DOWN

Look carefully in the last one and you see a "long" bungee cord too. Pictures taken of Michael 2004 at the "Bridge to Nowhere" . In the 30's during the war the were building escape routes through the mountains, however they never finished, and much of the road was washed away. So the only way to the bridge is hiking or horseback.

Target Thursday

Ok I missed the past two thursdays, probably not a good thing because in my absence I gained three pounds-however to my defense there was Turkey day in there, and girls weekend, which has to include chocolate fondue!

The month between Thanksgiving and Christmas is the hardest time for me to stay strong, too many festivities that I just have to partake in- however at least Michael and I are getting back to our walking regime tonight-the short days kill my inspiration (I am just full of excuses today-aren't I?)

Anyway I have new resolve, walking, and back to menu planning on Sunday, so hopefully I will have better news to report next week.

I leave you of a Christmas past memory of my sister and I decorating the tree in matching PJ's that my mom made us (remember I am the one with the bad hair)

Wordless Wednesday

ROAD TRIP ANYONE?

Picture taken dec 2006 by Michael

Time Travel Tuesday

I had to laugh at what Annie is having us travel back to today- A bad hair day- I giggled because I really have had a bad hair life.
Born with a cowl-lick in the back of my part, and one in the front of my part have wreaked havoc on my other wise very straight and thin hair. (Or maybe I was just born before my time, as the first punk-rocker)

When I was young my dad cut our hair, so their were many bad hair days then. Keep in mind he was a wood shop teacher.

When I was young I seem to always be wearing dresses, maybe that was my mom's way to stop the comments, "What a cute boy you have". Now don't confuse me with the abundant wavy hair girl standing next to me- that would be my sister who stole all the hair genes from my dad.

Then when we were old enough to use scissors, I thought I give it a shot (not recommended-leaves zig zag effects to the bangs)

But the worse was when I was in college. I wore my hair short due to swimming. So I warned the hair dresser about the above mentioned problem areas-but she did not seemed concerned. That was until she blew dried my hair, next thing she was rewetting my hair giving it another go, I was cringing at this point, so the next time she rewetted my hair she turned me around, away from the mirror. Well when that try didn't work, she handed me the blow dryer and asked me to try.

I have a habit of throwing away, or deleting any really bad pictures of me, so you will just have to trust me when I say I have had a bad hair life.

Christmas Meme

Hi, Saw this cool meme over at Nancy's and like it, so I am borrowing it.

Wrapping Paper or Bags








Favorite Navity Scene

I have two, A simple all in one piece that my dad made, and a barn like looking one, with lots of animals around the stable (my dad also made the stable, the camels, and the wooden donkey)




















Do you like eggnog?


Yup, Cheers!







Favorite Christmas Movie










Mail or Email Christmas Cards?









Easiest Person to Buy for?
My Friend Kerry, we have the same taste in almost everything.



Real tree or artificial?
Real- on year we were going away so I bought a small live tree, and then repotted it, Michael bet me $10 that I couldn't keep it alive in the California weather to use the following year- I did it, but never saw the $10




Have you ever recyled a Christmas gift?
Yup, my sister and I used to wrap up our worst CD and give it to each other for a "stocking" gift


Favorite Christmas Song?
Now if you know me, I just couldn't pick one song- I absolutely love Christmas songs, so I picked two of my favorite Christmas albums

Do you stay home or travel for Christmas?
Mostly travel

White lights or colored on the tree?

Colored Lights

Ok I know you can't tell by this picture, it is just a shameless picture of my cute cat under the tree.


Can you name all of Sant'a reindeer?
Yup

Favorite Thing to Eat at Christmas

Peggy's (A neighbor in Delaware) Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies. She used to bake a tin every Christmas and they were yummy. I have started my own tradition of baking choclate chip cookies for the neighbors and friends at Christmas because of her.



When do you put up your tree?
1st or 2nd week of December

When do you take down your tree?
January 1st

Favorite place to go at Christmas?

I like a cold and snowy Christmas- so I like to head for the coldness. Here we are at Rockafeller Center infron ot the tree- the white dots are snow.

I also love to see the the Christmas show at the Rockafeller Center, I think I have seen it about 5 times.


Open your presents Christmas eve, or Christmas Day?
Christmas Eve

Photo Meme

Hi, this was a fun little meme I saw over at Annies today.

What to do: think of your answers to the following questions, then go to Google Image, and from the first page of images pick one to represent your answers. I had fun looking at the images Goggle came up with.

Age at next birthday

Place I like to visit

Favorite Place

Favorite Object

Favorite Food

Favorite Color

Nickname

Place you were born