Food, Inc.

I love food. I really do. And the more I learn to prepare food and experiment with new and ingredients the more I love food. I was a little concerned about watching this movie. I have enough dietary restrictions, plus some general hang ups about food and ingredients and thought this might just gross me out completely and turn me anorexic. It didn't and I would recommend watching it if you already haven't.

FYI. You can sign up for Netflix (the 1st month is free) and connect it thru your Wii and movies, TV programs, etc.

Partly due to our profession and our educational background, Jim and I are already pretty health conscientious, but I will tightening up on a few areas that we've gotten lazy with (i.e. organic yogurt and grass fed). There are a few gross-ish parts but a lot of that stuff I already knew about. For the most part I just found it more sickening to my soul. A bit disheartening.

This guy was my favorite..

In my future days I want to live his life...

A Story About Doors

Way back in May.

When the sun was shining.

And Jim and I were energetic.

The front doors looked liked this.

Then the hot humid days of summer came.

And several weekends were dedicated.

New screen doors were installed.

And the front doors looked like this.

As the dead of summer set in.

Jim and I lost are minds.

And started this mess.

And for many months.

The front doors look like this.

And as winter started to creep in.

Bringing along a bitter cold draft.

We were left with no choice.

But to endure the weekend War of the Doors.

And and many days following.

Until.

Finally.

Are front doors look like this!!

Holiday Home Update

What a productive weekend!! We finally got our Christmas tree up and loaded up the house with festive, sparkling decorations. Better late than never I suppose. Jim even let me listen to Christmas music ALL day yesterday. I also finished the wreaths for the front doors and made a little swag and pretty bow for under the front porch light.

I forced Jim into a little photo shoot in front of the house using the tripod and my new camera. I had all the best of intentions of using one of the pictures for our Christmas card and including our new address.

It was nice idea that just didn't work out. First of all, I'm not really in love with any of the pictures. There are obvious issues with the glass screen doors, which I expected, plus some additional problems because of where the sun was by the time we were able to get outside. I did pick out a few that were acceptable (see above and below) but the dimensions didn't work with any of the online photo card sites. I got too frustrated and just gave up. At least we have a few nice pics of us as happy new home owners.

Presents also got wrapped and only stocking stuffers and one hostess gift left on my list. The only holiday related task still left is baking some cookies. I had intended to get around to baking yesterday, but it just didn't happen...probably for the best.

With all the holiday parties and snacks at work, I've been getting a little lazy with my gluten free diet. I thought I felt better with limited gluten in my diet. But, last week I totally paid the price after splurging with garlic rolls, eggplant parm, and a huge pile of pasta at the neighborhood get-together last week, so I'm trying to get back on track. I am planning to make some holiday treats this week, but have included some gluten free items in the mix to keep my belly happy.

Ladies night

I went to the 14th annual Penncrest neighborhood ladies Christmas party last night. It was really the sweetest thing. All the ladies in the neighborhood have been getting together for over a decade. It makes me love our house that much more.

There are lots of older ladies and it made me remanisent of gatherings with my mom's family at this time of year. She was the youngest of six and a bit of an accident. I grew up with aunts old enough to be grandmothers, cousins old enough to be aunts, and second cousins as playmates. Every Christmas the sister would have a little gathering at my aunt Mary Ann's house. They were a funny bunch of ladies. Because of the age difference, my mother was the only one left with young kids so we were typically the only kids surrounding my a swarm of giggles and laughter in the kitchen from the women and man chatter about work, gardening, and hobbies in the living room from all the husbands. I suppose at the time I probably resisting going, but I look back on those little afternoon gatherings with fondness. And sitting amongst the sparkling Christmas brooches, embroidered poinsetta sweaters, and fresh pin curled hair dos last night just made me love those days even more.

Monday...

"Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits."

~ Thomas Edison

Wednesday is the new Friday...

...at least for me it is. I'm heading off to Ohio tomorrow for a long weekend and boy do I need it! This has been the longest short week ever. I'm still recovering from the weekend war of the doors that not only had us up in the middle of the night to apply a 2nd & 3rd coat of paint, but rolled right into my Monday night forcing me up way past my bedtime.

No sleep=grumpy Rachelle.
No one likes grumpy Rachelle.
Except for maybe the Folgers.
Because I've consumed about 10 gallons of coffee at work this week.
And you know I'm tired if I'm drinking Folgers anyways.

I even missed my morning workout yesterday. gast! Next thing you know I'm heading down the slipery slope from Thanksgiving right through New Year's and starting 2011 with an extra holiday 15lb gut.

Does it seem like I skipped right over Thanksgiving? Well, that's because Thanksgiving pretty much just skipped right over me. The day started with a little baking & green bean casserole preparation, followed by leaf raking until we basically got snowed out, then we hopped over the bridge to in-laws for dinner, aunts for dessert, then back home to get ready for work on Friday. You heard me, work on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Truly sinful.

Guess I should have just titled this post Wednesday is for whiners.