crafty success

I love everything about the way this hat turned out.
It looked even cuter on my friend's head.

A totally satisfying pattern (actually two different patterns, one for the beanie and one for the flower). However, as soon as I can figure out how to post more than one picture I will be posting a sad crafty failure.

lucky girl

these....for no other reason than I was feeling grumpy.
Not for any reason.
I just was.
So he just did.

Friends and Soup (butternut squash, sausage and wild rice)

Unfortunately, it is not easy to take pretty or inspiring photographs of soup. But, it was tasty.






In early December two lovely friends came to visit. These ladies have been my friends since elementary school and we have been close since high school. Since then we've managed to keep in touch and remain friends. We like to sit around and marvel at how great we are. They have both surpassed me however and in addition to all the great things we might have in common they are both mothers.

They brought their babies and a Prius packed with more things than I could ever imagine using in two and a half days. They didn't over pack and I was left to realize that I have no idea what it takes to have a baby (or more precisely, a 19 month old and a 21 month old, I'm pretty sure neither of those are technically babies, but you get the idea).

Nikki also brought a butternut squash. Her husband was out of town for more than a week and she knew she wasn't going to use it. I believe her comment was something along the lines of "Stupid boy brought home a squash. What am I going to do with a squash? I don't cook. He's not here to use it. I brought it so it wouldn't go bad."

I didn't bother to point out to her that the beauty of squash is that they last, literally, for months. I took the squash and tonight made soup. This recipe more or less, from food network. I used turkey sausage, non-fat half and half (which my handsome friend finds ridiculous) and threw in some carrots. (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-live/smoked-sausage-butternut-squash-and-wild-rice-soup-recipe/index.html ) It made a ton, more than enough for me to freeze some for a pregnant friend who is currently stocking her freezer.

Resolutions 2012

In no particular order:

1. Read more nonfiction. First book to tackle? "The Female Brain". On it's way from Amazon as we speak (I'd also like to read "The Botany of Desire", "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" and possibly "The Chalice and the Blade".)

2. Re-Do front yard. I really want to rip out the grass and put some planter boxes or maybe plant flowers, maybe just a bunch of hostas, which look to me like they should be part of a fairy land.

3. Blog more often. (Goal: 52 times)

4. Volunteer once a month.

5. Take a fun class.

6. Complete more crafty projects. Especially, but not limited to baby quilts (I have fabric for two already purchased, one of the kiddos is 6 months old the other is due mid-February).

7. Set up a retirement account and figure out how my state run teacher account works.

8. Try a new fancy recipe once a month (Mole!).

9. Go to the Braun Brothers Reunion, Alaska, or British Columbia.

10. Work hard at asking for what I need when I need it. This goes for my personal and professional relationships.

2011 Resolution Re-Cap

So, as I'm pondering a list of resolutions for 2012, I wondered what mine for last year was. I decided to review my list and see how I did.

1. Learn to knit, actually do it...knit socks.
Epic fail. Not only did I not learn to knit. I actually learned that I am not a knitter. It's not completely outside the world of possibilities, but I am certain I would have to take a class. That did not happen in 2011.

2. Go to the Braun Brother's Family Reunion (Ragweed in Idaho, be still my heart)
I wish. I did see a great show with Reckless Kelly and Micky and the Motor Cars. This one is going on my 2012 list.

3. Visit the Newport Aquarium
Yep, did this one. Family trip in July.

4. Go camping
Check, twice even, including the amazing California Redwoods trip.

5. Blog more consistently
Nope. Grand total of 2011 blogs was 41. Total in 2010 was 43. Goal for 2012 is 52.

6. Take a fun art-type class
Currently taking a sewing class. Completed 3 of 4 classes in beginning session. I still have a 2nd session.

7. Learn to make mole
No, but I'd still like to.

8. Go to a professional soccer game
Didn't happen. But, I got to go to the most amazing Blazers playoff game (in addition to a bunch of other fun games). The Rose Garden was almost pulsing with energy.

9. Organize a few poker parties
Didn't make this happen either. But plans are in the works for an infused alcohol competition party.

10. Learn to play Settlers of Catan
Didn't do this one either.

11. Go hiking in 5 new places
I probably did this one but honestly have no idea. It seems likely?

Looking at this list I didn't do particularly well. A meager three or possibly four out of ten. Strangely, I feel like 2011 was a rousing success.

Day Drinking and Dino-Attack!

Today I indulged in another of my favorite holiday traditions. Day drinking with my Portland-Based BFF. We started this tradition years ago, sometimes the drinking is at my house, sometimes hers, one time we got hustled off the stage (where we were playing darts) at the Kenton Club by a transvestite gospel singer, who wanted to start his show. Today, I got to play host, there were dogs, booze, a silly movie, nachos and cake.

There was also an incident with Cruncher. The awesome impulse buy Christmas gift I got for my handsome friend. I literally saw a commercial for it on Amazon and decided that he and Ruby needed it for Christmas. Handsome friend loves it. Ruby not so much. Sam considers the whole thing beneath him.

It's not nice, but it's funny.

A Christmas tree post with no pictures of Christmas trees

Like I said, no particular order.

One of my favorite holiday traditions involves torturing my little brother. Every year, I bribe him to go get a Christmas tree with me. The bribe is usually for dinner of his choice and somehow, without fail, the predetermined day falls on one with truly horrible weather. One time it was 15 degrees outside; we went to the closest lot we could find argued for about 5 minutes and quickly left with a tree. Last year it was pouring and since neither of us is sweet enough to melt in the rain, we participated in the yearly Christmas tree negotiations.

Stupid brother likes short fat Christmas trees. I like 6 foot-ish nicely filled out trees in generic Christmas tree shape. He says I'm boring. We argue about it every year, brother always insisting that I like dumb trees. The simple fact that I do not have space for a tree with the sort of girth he is suggesting is not a valid argument. On the upside, we don't argue about what type. We always get a noble; we are allergic to all other varieties.

This year when I informed him it was time for our annual Christmas tree excursion he looked at me incredulously.

"I don't have to do that anymore! That's his job." He pointed at my handsome friend.

What a silly boy. Of course he doesn't get off that easily. It just means that now I get to drag both of them with me. Handsome friend is willing, stupid brother is not.

This year however I get a BRILLIANT idea. We will go to a Christmas tree farm and cut our own tree. I proposed this adventure and got, unsurprisingly, mixed reactions. Handsome friend is up for anything, stupid brother bitches. And continues to bitch until we started out there. The farm was 7 miles out a twisty road that skirts the Washougal river, an interesting drive that none of us had ever taken before. The farm was easy to find and when we got there we realized, it had a petting zoo.

You'd think these boys had never seen a horse before. Stupid brother quickly made friends with a miniature donkey (fitting yes?) and handsome friend chatted up a pair of mini horses. There were tiny goats, a golden retriever and a very nice man running the operation. He outfitted us with a tree cart and saw. We headed out at the same time a family of two teenage girls and their mother. Picking a tree wasn't too hard, lots of options and someone with a valid opinion (not my brother). In fact, I'm convinced this is the prettiest Christmas tree I've ever had.

As I was waiting for the nice Christmas tree man to run our tree through the shaker machine the family of girls came back pulling their tree. The older girl, beautiful in the way of all 17 year old girls, looked at me and said, "Well, that took us a whole lot longer than it took you." She then paused and took stock of my two guys making goo-goo eyes at the pack animals and said, "Oh, I see. It's because you had two big boys with you."

"Hey, I cut most of mine down all by myself."

"Well, I cut the whole thing down and I hauled it back. I saw you. You didn't have to do it at all."

I didn't have the hear to tell her that as far as this whole thing went, I've paid my dues to the goddesses of feminine empowerment. I wandered off into the barn, where there were rabbits, a ducks that took a flying leap at stupid brother, and some squirmy oinkers. And as a beautiful detail, someone had hung shiny Christmas ornaments all over the barn. In the dim evening light they reflected the lights and made everything seem warm and old-time picture perfect. It sorta was.