My dream car....

Have you seen the Fall Tommy Hilfiger Campaign? Holy Moly.....The Jeep Wagoneer with the wood sides is my all time favorite car! I love the whole entire premise. Tailgating.....picnics.....skiing....plaid....the whole thing... Sooo I thought I would put together some Goodwill Finds to help you re-create you own little Hilfiger reality!






Do you love it?

Not Again!!

I came home from Cali (I hate it when people call it that) with a nasty cold. It came packaged with a sore throat, but after my son's ordeal I will never say that I have the worst sore throat ever because I saw what that looked like up close and personal. I just have a tiny sore throat.

Sooooo last night...

I was dreaming that I was chatting it up with Rachel Ray at her restaurant in NYC and I was telling her all about my Goodwill skills and what not. But every time I tried to take a deep breath this crazy noise would come out of my mouth...then I woke up realizing that the crazy noise was me snoring.

loud.

Which is weird because I am such a dainty little thing........

I will volunteer!!

A quick shout out to DragoArt.com that will teach you

how to draw this trucker lady.

For all 'yall getting all worked up over the TSA seeing nakey-nakey images of you...I say strike a pose! Seriously, I haven't been posing in the mirror since I was three for nothing. Do you honestly think that those fine ladies and gentlemen enjoy the job of looking at truly mediocre (I mean that in the nicest way) bodies all day long? No they don't. Have you been to an airport lately? Look around.....I stand a pretty good chance of winning the top 35 percent least offensive, over 40, nekkid body of my flight at least. Bring it.

The pat down? As long as you don't mention that muffin top that I've been working on at Zumba 6 days a week pat away. Now on the way home from Thanksgiving I might be a little smuudgier....that's all right....It will give them something to talk about in the TSA break room. "Hey, it looks like Dee overdid that San Francisco Sourdough bread." Oh yes she did.

Yes you have civil liberties......and so do I.....please stop complaining and jump on in there and work it sister! And if you plan to make a fuss please do it in another line..I am travelling with two grouchy teenagers and I am trying to make this as pleasant as possible. You know even in pain and hunger the older one will flex it a little. (we're related)
The End.

Happy Thanksgiving

We are headed to Sunny California for Thanksgiving Week. As much as I dislike 80 degrees on Thanksgiving day ....that is where the family lives. My family tradition is watching Elf while the dishes are finished and then Planes, Trains and Automobiles at night. I'm not sure my parents are ready to share the same traditions but I'm going to try to sell them on it!
Have a great week! Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!

PS Thanks for the well wishes for my son... he is doing much better. Don't even ask about how many times he has tried to convince me to let him try to eat Tri Tip, my dad's specialty! (not going to happen this time)

No time to post...

Lots of this.....

this...

and this...

Thank you for all of your well wishes! He is getting better every day.

WIWW-The hospital edition

Well the week started out good...

This is my "Goodwill Outfit". I blog for Thrifting Denver which is the local Goodwill blog. I like to dress in my best Goodwill finds to show that I mean business!

Jacket Nanette Lepore (you read that right) Goodwill $4.99

White Shirt -GDub

Tweed Cropped Pants Jason brand? Goodwill

Boots-Steve Madden (mine)

NY&Co Shirt and Sweater

Target jeans and boots

Sweater (no tags) Goodwill
Black riding pants Ann Taylor

Plaid Lined Boots Target

*This is when we thought it was strep....before all hell broke lose.

Ok so this is the outfit that I wore for the rest of the week in the hospital with my older son. He was mis-diagnosed with strep, had an allergic reaction to the medication that made his throat swell closed. He was on IV fluids, for two days and now he can't eat solid foods for 2 weeks. (yes that includes Thanksgiving!) Seeing the pictures of the inside of his esophagus made me cry in the hospital, I feel so sorry for him! Yikes it has ben a loooooongggg week.

He is home now and slowly eating clear broth and melted ice cream.... the boy lives for food.... not good.

Nurse Ratched

I would like to tell you that my housekeeper didn't come one day with a similar piece of fabric tied around his head in the above fashion, but I would be lying. True story....


My older son has a naaaasty case of strep. And since he is 16 this is how the process went.
Day One
Son: My Adam's Apple hurts.
Me: Your Adam's Apple?
S: Yeah
M: Should we go to the doctor?
S: No!
M: Okaaay.


Day Two (Saturday)
S: There is a rock in my throat.
M: A rock? What does it feel like?
S: You know like when I swallow it has to go around a rock.
M: We can go to the doctor, but we have to leave right now!! (Thank goodness for Saturday hours!!)

MAJOR INFECTION! Tonsils...some mention of lancing.....iccccccckkkkk.......horse pills.......can't keep anything down........
ER visit.......many trips to the pharmacy for liquid meds.........

Did I mention that he thinks he's well enough to pick up his girlfriend for school? I may have mentioned that said girlfriend can catch the bus. That is why I'm Nurse Ratched.

Thank you to our Military Men

Army

My cousin Randy Active Duty

(he brought my infant son for show and tell when he was in first grade)

Navy

His brother Adam (Active Duty)

Navy

My Grandpa "Dee" (I was named after him)

WWII Veteran

Air Force

My dad Edd served prior to Viet Nam

Marines

My Uncle Jimmy

Viet Nam Veteran

Thank you to those who are serving today, and to those who served in the past.
Please keep our boys in your prayers to return safely home to their families.

Veteran’s Day Prayer

Dear Lord,

Today we honor our veterans,worthy men and womenwho gave their best when they were called upon to serve and protect their country.We pray that you will bless them, Lord, for their unselfish service in the continual struggle to preserve our freedoms, our safety, and our country’s heritage, for all of us. Bless them abundantly for the hardships they faced, for the sacrifices they made for their many different contributions to America’s victories over tyranny and oppression. We respect them, we thank them, we honor them, we are proud of them, and we pray that you will watch over these special people and bless them with peace and happiness.

By Joanna Fuchs

The Recipes

The Giving Gals Lunch was great yesterday, so I thought I would post the recipes. Just so you know when you get a new camera and you switch the memory card sometimes the pictures disappear. That is why there aren't any photos of it. Sorry ladies you might have to come back and re-create it!

Dang It!!

Here are the pics that survived:

Pumpkin Ravioli

Saute onion in butter and a little olive oil...

Add in pureed pumpkin along with the thyme and sage.

Drizzle in the cream last, and stir in...

FILLING:
1 8 oz. can pureed pumpkin or one Small pie pumpkin (about 2-1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small yellow onion chopped
1/3 cup butter, cubed
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 small bay leaf
1 egg, lightly beaten

SAUCE:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage

Directions
In a large skillet, saute pumpkin and shallot in butter until tender. Add the sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Transfer to a food processor; cover and process until blended. Return to the pan; stir in cream and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until thickened. Discard bay leaf.

I used wonton wrappers for the ravioli. Spoon 1 or 2 tsps. of the pumpkin mixture into the center, fold the wrapper over, use water to seal and then crimp with a fork.





Bring a soup kettle of salted water to a boil. Add ravioli. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer; cook for 1-2 minutes or until ravioli float to the top and are tender. Drain and keep warm.

**I used a large shallow pan of boiling water to cook the raviolis a few at a time. I think if you put them in all together they would stick...(just my opinion)

In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil; cook, uncovered, until reduced by half. Stir in butter and sage. Spoon over ravioli. Yield: 6 servings.

You can find the recipe here:http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Savory-Pumpkin-Ravioli

Roasted Butternut Squash

I just cut a butternut squash into 1 inch cubes with the skin ON. (Because Nigella told me to.) Toss with some olive oil, salt, pepper and some thyme sprigs. Roast at 425 for about 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Mixed Greens Salad with blue cheese, cranberries and candied walnuts.

Cranberry Vinagrette

(Find it here:http://www.dashrecipes.com/recipes/dr/salad-pears-cranberry-vinaigrette.html

NO PHOTO DANG IT!!

ingredients:
½ cup frozen cranberries

¼ cup honey

2 Tbsp white-wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ cup vegetable oil (I used Olive Oil)

Salt & pepper

Directions:
1. In a small saucepan over low heat, bring cranberries, honey, and vinegar to simmer; cook until cranberry skins break, 2–3 minutes; remove from heat and set aside to cool. Combine the cranberry mixture and Dijon mustard in a blender and blend until smooth.

2. With the blender motor running, drizzle in oil, then ½ cup water. (Once incorporated, the mixture should look thick and glossy.) Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate vinaigrette until ready to serve

Sneaky Peaky

I'm hosting a luncheon at my house today for the "Giving Gals". We are a group of neighborhood women that get together once a month, have lunch, and donate to a charity of a member's choice. It rotates homes every month.

I'm doing the lunch and another member is choosing the charity.

So I decided to do the pumpkin ravioli ahead last night and since I couldn't sleep I made mini apple pies at 4:30 this morning. I'm so jacked up on coffee right now I could a run a marathon!!

Oh and I have an adorable G-Dub outfit all picked out for my meeting with my "boss" at the G-Dub this morning, hey maybe I'll just jog there!! Did you know I blog for Goodwill? Well I do! Come over and take a peak: www.ThriftingDenver.org

I'll post the recipes and photos tomorrow!

Simple Math

We had our neighbor watch our sheepdog for a few days while we were on vacation. When we returned home I thought it would be lovely to bring over some Hawiian chocolates and some home made dog cookies from my oven. Wouldn't it be a fine gesture to bring my lovable dog with me to say Thank You? Yes it would. Now The Mighty Casey requires a special leash so she can't pull your arm off. But surely she can behave on a regular leash for one whole block right? Wrong.
I put on my cutest clogs to bring my thank you treats and off we went. Casey started to pull a little but I just made her sit and wait every time she tried. Because I'm a good dog owner that's why.....sooooo Casey sat nicely on the front step as I rang the bell.
As the nice gentleman opened the door Casey sprinted into their house flying me and my cute clogs behind her. I heard this very strange noise and I realized it was me screaming and clogging the hardwood floors running a hundred miles an hour behind her. Next time I will consider letting go of the leash. So there I was all sweaty and red faced and discombobulated right in the middle of their nice and quiet home. I'm pretty sure we are going to have to find new dog sitters.
The End

Fall Updates

I put some Fall touches to my Living Room and Dining Room this weekend. Now if Denver would just cool off a little bit I could enjoy it!!

All Clogged Up

I've somehow started a clog collection. I can even walk in them!

What is your new favorite shoe for Fall.

(It is 60 degrees in Denver. Is this some sort of sick joke?)

Tricks and Treats

HA! I tricked you!!

We were on vacation last week! Our extended family met up in Maui for a relaxing Fall Break.

I love this picture of me and my boys.
Oh and it was my birthday too!

My husband deleted my favorite picture of all times!
I captured a picture of my husband and two boys looking MISERABLE having to wait to have their picture taken on the most beautiful beach on earth. I find that comical, my husband does not.
Yes, the older boy got a nice case of sun poisoning and spent the week inside texting his girlie friend, he was in heaven! (World Series anyone?) Note to those with teenagers: Take one picture of them in paradise so they can update their Facebook profile and they will be satisfied.