Destined for TV Fame?

Last night Super Hubs and I were watching "Worst Cooks in America" on Food Network. Now, I don't cook in my house because I am not good at it. Ben is good at it and enjoys it, so I gladly let him cook for us. We were discussing how neither of us are such terrible cooks that we need to be on that show. Ben is actually a good cook, and I can do the basics - cook a piece of chicken, brown ground beef, make rice, heat up a can of vegetables - so if I ever have to I can feed myself.
But I do pride myself on being able to bake - Ben's the cook, I'm the baker. Even with our lopsided oven I enjoy baking cakes and brownies and people always seem to enjoy them.
But apparently I have issues with cookies. In the middle of our show, Ben wanted some cookies. We always have the stuff around for homemade cookies, and they're easy to make. So I whip up a batch, stick em in the oven, and pull em out a few minutes later...and the crisp smell of burnt cookies wafts out to fill our house.
Perhaps I should've been on that show...

I can feel my fingers, so it's time to blog

Today is supposed to be the beginning of our terrible winter storm. Last year the storm actually brought a few feet of snow, but so far today it's not living up to the hype. Just some sleet. Still keeping my fingers crossed that it'll get bad enough to close my office tomorrow...

So a lazy Sunday afternoon with every heater in the house on and Ben and I snuggled up in blankets. Oh the joys of an old house...Right now I'm sitting with my feet propped up in front of the furnace for them to thaw out.

I would be sewing right now if my machine was cooperating, but alas...she's on the fritz. When she broke on my yesterday I almost broke something else. But this is a good excuse to catch up on the blog. Kendra, I was in the middle of finishing your last chair cushion, so when the machine decides to work again it'll be the first thing I do.

The holidays were busy busy as usual. But besides that I haven't done anything else because of my Christmas present from Super Hubby.
Best. Present. Ever.

The break was nice; I even took some time off work. Christmas was all of the Jackson families squeezed in when we could: my dad's family before Christmas, and the rest of my family on Christmas Eve for the annual IHOP dinner after church. This trip was a special one because it was my nephew's Layne first pancake experience. You could tell this was a big deal because of all the pictures that his mother took to document the occasion. And that little kid racked up on presents; I'm pretty sure he had more than the rest of the family combined. Well at least he's at the age that he doesn't know what's going on and can't say, "I don't like that."

Christmas morning we spent with Ben's mom and family. We had a wonderful non-traditional Christmas meal of beef strew. I actually didn't have to eat turkey or ham once over the holidays. We'll mark that as a victory for the taste buds. I'm just glad we got to see them for Christmas since the week prior they all had the flu and then Ben's brother got walking pneumonia. But they managed it.

New Years we spent down in Orlando with Ben's dad and family. We usually only get to see them once or twice a year, so we go down for as long as we can when we go. Our little nephew down there has started talking since we last saw him and loves balls, bubbles, bowling and balloons. Somehow I was christened Aunt Bubbles and Ben's not going to let that one go. I think I'm stuck with it.

And now that the holidays are over it's back to the normal swing of things. Hopefully we won't have any pipes freezing and bursting this year that cause a mess of things.

It's still not snowing...yet...

Ok I think I will go try the machine again. I might have to kick Ben off the Xbox and play some Mario Kart...

Gift List

Dear Husband:

I have been working really hard on my Christmas list. I know how much you love working from a list. I hope this helps make shopping easier.

I would not like twelve drummers drumming. Our upstairs neighbors make enough noise for the whole neighborhood.
I would not like eleven pipers piping. If they're related to the Pied Piper, we'll be overrun with rats, and we're still battling the ladybugs.
I would not like ten lords a-leaping. I'm afraid we don't have much to leap over, so they would get bored.
I would not like nine ladies dancing. We'd have to move all of our furniture out of the way, and then there'd be no where to watch tv!
I would not like eight maids a-milking. Messy. 'Nough said.
I would not like seven swans a-swimming. Our bathtub just isn't that big.
I would not like six geese a-laying. Our bed just isn't that big.
I would not like five golden rings. I prefer silver.
I would not like four calling birds. We don't have a house phone, much less four.
I would not like three French hens. You know what they say about the French...
I would not like two turtledoves. They're just a little too cheesy for me.
And I would not like a partridge...but I do think a pear tree would be nice.

With love
Your wife.

The Imminent Invasion

Last year was my first year to live in an old house. I really like old houses, they have such character and charm, and last year I learned a lot about the quirks that go along with old houses. I also learned a little bit about zoology. Apparently, lady bugs do not like cold weather. I really don't like cold weather either, so I can't blame them. But instead of building their own home, they decided to invade mine. Hoards and legions and swarms of them. Every nook and cranny I would find them huddled up to keep warm. Killing them doesn't work well, because they stink when they die. I finally just started vacuuming them up.

This winter we live in an old house again too. And as the weather turns cooler, here they are again.

Christmas Preparations

So this will be Super-Hubby and I's second Christmas married, and we have decided to attempt Christmas cards. It's always fun to take a nice pretty picture, and mail it out to all our friends and family. But alas! They are so expensive! Thankfully Shutterfly has a great deal going - blog about them, and get 50 free holiday cards (If you're interested, check it out here: http://bit.ly/sfly2010). I've done other promotions for Shutterfly, and they're great! We got a nice picture collage for FREE when we got engaged. So I thought I'd try this out. And to see any of their holiday cards check it out here:

holiday cards

Christmas photo cards  

I really like this one, but now we just have to agree on one. Woohoo, won't that be fun. I can't wait to send them out. 

And now, we just have to get a Christmas tree, decorations...oh and gifts. Yay for shopping season!

Escapades

It's been a while, and I've been super busy!

Halloween was a blast. I finished our costumes on time, and we were decked out for the Belhaven RUF Halloween party.

Ben really wanted my mug and whatever nefarious substance was within

It was a grand ol' pirate party!

Even little Colby got a matching outfit

I was pretty burnt out on sewing after the Halloween rush, but now I'm ready to dive back in. So last night I took this old dress in my closet and turned it into a pencil skirt. Too bad I didn't take a before picture, but here's an after. 

It's a lovely wrap-around skirt with two rows of buttons down the front. I am so proud of this! It's the first thing I've made that I will actually wear out in public. Ok, I didn't actually make it completely since I just cut up a dress, but I managed not to ruin it so that's good. Can you see where I forgot to sew on a button? Realized that as I was wearing the skirt at work today. Oops!

Besides that right now it's that time of year...holidays, food, presents, and MY BIRTHDAY! Twenty-four years old. Wow, I don't feel like I have the knowledge or wisdom a twenty-four-year-old should have...I guess I'll probably always feel younger than I am though. But I can't wait to celebrate with Super-Hubby and friends!

And the dress that I claimed was almost finished a while ago is still almost finished...maybe it will get finished one day...

But for now I'm off to cuddle in my cozy sweater in front of the heater.

I'm A Fan

I have a friend that will be famous one day. She writes, and if she writes about nothing else she can write about the amazing life she has and the amazing people she's met along the way. She started in a tiny little Mississippi town no one's ever even heard of and is still living prior to desegregation, which spawns enough raw material to fill a lifetime of writing. Now in grad school, she's surrounded by the creme de la creme of the artistic world. Who'd have thought that was in Iowa, of all places? When I get her letters it's like falling into a good book or an enthralling movie, getting swept away in the zany things of her everyday life, not to mention the countless men that fall in love with her all the time. She'll say it's not romantic or appealing at all, that they're old and weird and unattractive, but that doesn't discount the fact that they keep popping up wherever she goes. If she ever wanted to be a gold-digger, there were a couple of men that wanted to sweep her away to some corner of Europe and give her everything she could desire, including the time to travel and write to her heart's content. But for now she just takes classes with people from every country of the world, and is learning every language of the world. Before long she'll be a few bestsellers, maybe a pulitzer, and kings and sheiks and emperors as friends...
Ok so maybe I exaggerate a bit. But I have no doubt that she'll succeed. And once she hits it big, boy am I going to cash in.

Halloween Hubbub

So I am making Halloween costumes for Ben and I for this year. So far it has been a horrible project.
I ordered the pirate patterns online, and once they finally came in, they were the kids version. Then I went to Walmart to buy the right pattern. Got home, it didn't have all the pieces in it. Went back to Walmart, got the right pattern with all the pieces, finally got home and started cutting and sewing. I got enough done of Ben's pants to try them on him, but when I tried to finish them my machine just wigged out. I couldn't believe! Of course, just another thing to go wrong with this stupid project. I went through the manual, cleaned it, changed threads -- no go, it wouldn't work. I threw a tantrum, and was just about ready to throw that machine out the window. Thankfully Ben took the time to talk me down and make me go on a walk with our puppy, Colby. Afterwards, I sat back down at my machine and started at it again. And then I realized I had changed the needle and put it in backwards. Not upside down mind you, I'm not that retarded. But backwards. And then it worked.
Yes, I am still a child.
Yep, and that's about it.
On to the pirate pants now.

Advances on the Home Front

Basically all I think about lately is sewing. It is my new obsession. Pretty much if I'm not working on a project, I'm looking at patterns online, searching sewing blogs, and looking for free and easy do-it-youselfers. And on the sewing front there's been a lot of exciting things recently.
First off, my wonderful hubby bought me an early birthday present.

That's an antique sewing box, with pin cushions on top and a long drawer on bottom. Absolutely love it :-D

And secondly, I got new patterns!

McCall's was having a $2 online sale, so I couldn't resist. I hate buying online cause you still have to pay shipping. But patterns can be so expensive! And one reason of making my own clothes was to save money, so I couldn't pass this up. Turns out though, the Hobby Lobby in town had the same patterns on sale for $0.99. I could've saved a bundle more, but it was a good deal nonetheless. And I can't wait to make these. The next will be Ben and I's Halloween costumes. We'll be pirates this year. Argh.

And lastly, the most exciting thing of all: I think I have actually made a dress that a) doesn't look like crap and b) I will actually wear. It just needs hemming, but then hopefully, I'll have pictures. Zoe has been helping me out, and we're almost finished.

I Have No Interest In Being a Creature-Bitten Superhero

As is our usual ritual, Ben and I were watching a show the other night in the den, when out of the corner of my eye I see something flutter and fall through the air. Immediately our cat, Zoe, charges for whatever it is. And then I hear the squeaking…

I scream out “It’s a bat!” and in a flash we’re both as far away from the cat and the bat as we can be, while still keeping an eye on it.

Now I was so good at spotting what this was because this is not the first time we’ve had a bat in our house. No no. One morning I walked into our dining room and almost picked up the half-dead creature before I realized what it was. And then I had to go to work so Ben and a friend got to deal with it.

But this time, it was just the two of us. Oh and the cat. Thank goodness for cats! If you are not a cat person, it’s experiences like these where you come to love them. We watched Zoe mess with it for a while until it came out into our view. Yep, definitely a bat. Thankfully it wouldn’t or couldn’t fly, so it just tried to crawl away while the cat batted it around. So we left Zoe to keep it occupied while we grabbed towels and brooms to get it out of the house. When we were ready we actually had to get the cat out of the way in order to throw a towel over the squeaky little flying rodent and then Ben swept it out the front door into the yard.

Then we were on the hunt for where these things are getting in. Turns out we had a window that was broken. So, note: old houses aren’t really that bad, just make sure your windows and doors are closed completely. We certainly have been getting closer to nature better since living in this house. Between bats, ants, spiders, ladybugs, and a snake (only in the yard, not the house thankfully) it’s a veritable wilderness. It's a good thing we have a cat that's braver than the rest of us.