where oh where should i go?!

i know i haven't been around alot, but i still love you!

i hope you love me.

i'm (ALONE) headed to the oc (orange county california-and the reception is in coto!!!)
and wanted to know if there are any

amazing thrift shops

i can stop by.

oh, and im leaving utah thursday and coming home saturday.

im flying standby, so im unsure of what flight i will actually get.

could i be more pathetic?

and the reason im headed there for the quickest trip ever?

this pretty niece (britney) of mine...

is marrying, um, danny...

and they picked the san diego temple to be married.

and why not-it looks like a castle!

(every princess needs one!)

oh, and then monday im headed to sun valley idaho.

so if you have any suggestions, i could really use them!

good times with meggie poo

with the summer upon us, i wanted to re-post my fruit dip recipe.

2 block of cream cheese

1 bag of SKOR or HEATH candy bits

2 t of vanilla

1 cup of powdered sugar

1.5 cup of brown sugar

mostly so i could post this photo of my niece eating her 2nd hamburger of the night AND licking the paddle of the mixer covered in fruit dip.

i dont think she is embarrassed at all.

 

today, i will remember...

this is angelina and antonio manno.

(1971, their 50th wedding anniversary)

neither fought in a war.

(but they sent their oldest son in wwii off because they loved their nation.)

they were poor and worked hard for everything they had.

(he dug ditches in the depression to keep his family fed)

they relied on family and friends when things got tough.

(and didn't feel entitled to any assistance)

they believed in the american dream.

(and when they left italy, they knew they'd never see their family again)

these are my great grandparents.

without them, and their choices, i wouldn't be here.

i am grateful for them and their sacrifices.

i am what i am today because of my family.

im a steelers fan!

(that is nicole, her dad (the terrible fan) stacey and me!)

Stiller Fight Song (from the 1970s)

Da-Da-Da-Da-Ta-Da - Charge!
We're from the town with that great football team,
We cheer the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Chuck Noll and all his friends are all on the field.
Go out and get them Steelers.

Bradshaw, and Rocky, and Franco and Lynn,
We love you Pittsburgh Steelers.
It's been many years in coming,
just keep that Steelers machinery humming

Defense, Defense, make them scramble, intercept that ball.
Defense, Defense, keeps the Steelers always best of all!
Mean Joe, Mean Joe, do your thing against the other team,
You start from year to year, we're so glad you play here,

Now join with me, and sing the Steelers cheer-er-ER!

We're from the town with that great football team,
We cheer the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Winning's a habit, not only a dream,
Go out and get them Steelers!

Gerela's Gorrilas are here for the show,
and so is Franco's Army,
It's been many years in coming,
just keep that Steelers machinery humming.

Offense, Offense, take that football whole way up the field!
Offense, Offense, let's score and score and never ever yield!
Franco, Franco, can you believe we have a running game?
The Steelers are so great, and so hard to overrate,

Good things, will come, to those who work and wait.
Charge!

my hubby wants me to stop bragging...

even though i am once again strepy (i jinxed myself with my last post), i was the one who had to buy a birthday gift for my sister in law, alison.

after hitting my regular haunts...kohls and target, i couldn't find anything.

wtfreak?!

they are always helpful when i need a gift.

i saw old navy across the parking lot and thought id try there.

and then i saw the sign that said all clearance was an extra 40% off!

forget alison-i was gonna find something for ME!

well, i didn't find anything for me or my boys.

but alison is totally making out on this gift!

first let me say that the total, with tax was $25.27.

we usually stick at the $25 amount for adults in our family. so this was perfect!

this jewelry is so very al.

(ring was $2.69 and the feather necklace was $3.59)

i LOVE the tank top! i wish they had more than just this color!

(tank was $2.39 and the long sleeved t was $5.09)

and this sweater is so very soft. you cant tell in the photo but it is green, but almost black.

(only $9.89!)

i kept pointing out to chris how much things cost and he was getting just a little tired of it.

i wasn't!

happy 2011!

i hope everyone had a great holiday season and are now back into 'real life'.

yup-that means cleaning.

i avoid real life as much as possible.

my little family had fun skiing (i stayed home and shopped), swimming (i fell asleep on a sofa at the rec center reading) and celebrating the new year (i was asleep before 9.30pm mst).

i did join my family...in eating!

because really, that is what the holidays are all about!

i did work on a few projects.

no really, i did!

i made me sweet niece megan a birthday banner.

you might have met megs already, last year one of my first posts was her birthday gifts for her 10th birthday.

it is almost as cool as the one i made here.

needless to say, she likes pink.

we made this new years eve night and had it hanging while she was visiting on new years day.

it IS her birthday month after all.
(here is a photo of my boys and megs from last spring. it is one of my favorites!)

a service family tradition

one of the few things that chris brought to the marriage is peanut brittle.

i have some friends that will love him for that, some that hate him.

the tradition all started with grandma service, who in her kitchen in south salt lake (that was the size of our bathroom) made peanut brittle and butter mints with her sisters at christmas time.

(the photo of grandmas kitchen makes it look bigger than it is! and yes, that was the only window in the kitchen!)

our first christmas together, chris insisted on making peanut brittle at his mom's to hand out for neighbor gifts.

whatever, i was still in the 'kiss up to the in-laws' stage.

(well over that stage now)

it is actually a ton of fun/work. but oh so worth it.

3 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups dark karo syrup

1 1/3 cups water

cook until softball

then add

4 cups raw spanish peanuts

1/4 cup margarine

stir constantly until it reaches 275

remove from heat and then add

1t baking soda mixed with 1/2 t salt and 2 t water

stir stir stir (this is is where the magic happens! at least, that is what we call it)

pour on margarine coated countertop

use wooden spoon to spread it thin

now, here are some tips that we have learned over the years to help with the brittle making process.

wear an apron and comfy shoes. there is alot of standing and stirring.

(chris's sister mindy)

don't stop for a pizza break. you will never get going again.

always have 2 batches going (if you have counter space). when one is cool enough to pack the other is getting poured. it helps the 14 batches you do go alot faster.

pour the super hot mixture is an 'S' or 'U' pattern while still stirring the hot candy.

it is useful to have some men around for the pouring, but we women folk did just fine this year.

(this is my mother in law linda pouring. she didn't want her face shown.)

use a wooden spoon to pull the brittle thin. this is the key!

let the peanut brittle cool before packing into metal or plastic containers. and don't let moisture get to it!

another helpful hint-don't let holly or summer know that you have peanut brittle in the car. you car will be broken into.

poor crazy aunt trish...

my aunt trish is having bunion surgery today.

(this is her and her friend dianna. the 3 of us used to go to bars alot when we were younger.)

it turns out that both of her parents (my nana and pop pop) and my mom had bunions removed.

and after some 'webmd.com-ing', i found that it is genetic.

thankfully, my feet look great and i'm thinking i got my father's feet.

but sad for trish. she is amazing and kind and so very generous to me and my family.

i wanted to send her something, but since i already sent her christmas gift (something really really cute from aunt pegs!), and im running low on funds so close to christmas, i had to get creative.

i asked the family.

chris suggested a bag of funions because they rhyme with bunions

(vetoed)

parker wanted to get a book on paul bunion

(also vetoed)

so it was all up to me and kohls. i had a coupon for 15% off so i ran down the street and found some fluffy soft socks.

and i decorated a cardboard tag.

i know a simple gift. but it is the thought that counts-right?

and parker did make a little card for her that featured paul bunion.

he gets his strangeness from his father's side...

shipping gifts

i send alot of gifts to family out of state.

there are problems with this.

1. i cant put nice pretty bows because they get squished.

2. the paper always ends up ripping.

3. i cant use extra boxes to wrap shirts because it cost more.

this year i solved my biggest christmas problem!(well, except for the 'no unlimited funds' issue)

i made fabric bags.

and anyone with a sewing machine can do this-even if you didn't have mrs lane as your home ec teacher for 3 years!

here i am wrapping an iron man watch for one of my nephews in valley forge. seriously,just make sure you have enough fabric to go all the way around and sew.

i did zig-zag all the raw edges to give it a more finished look.

this is for a shirt for my niece jackie. i cut about 6-8" of fabric (width) then i wrapped it around the shirt liked this...

to see how far the end pieces needed to come up to wrap around.

now isn't this a better looking package to get?

and since they are fabric, you can reuse them year after year!

i love pasta fagioli soup. it is espically with the fall weather, a nice warm soup hits the spot. and with some crusty bread on the side, HEAVEN ON EARTH I'M TELLING YOU!

my mother's family's last name is 'martin' (we think it was originally martini but they changed it to not sound so italian! wtfreak!?). and this is a martin family recipe.

(image is of nana, some of her sisters and friends at the jersey shore. notice, no fist bumping.)

except it is from this martin family...

oh well...he must be family, right?

i got this from a book that dean martin's daughter, deana, wrote a few years ago. i have made it and it is yummy!

Martin family* Pasta Fagioli

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2, 15 oz cans cannelloni beans

6 c water

Dash of salt and pepper

¼ t ground cinnamon

8 oz tubetini pasta

¼ c grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large pan and saute’ the onion for 1 minute. Add beans and water. Season with salt and pepper. Add cinnamon, cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 mins then reduce heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. Check now and ten and add boiling water as necessary. Add the pasta and contine simmering until pasta is done. Remove from heat and service with grated cheese.

*this is actually the Dean Martin family’s receipe for Pasta Fagioli, not that Pat and Mickey Martin family

what are we thankful for? (plus a giveaway!)

every november, we get out this old, laminated tree that i made 7 years ago and stick it to our back door. then leaves are made and we spend one monday night naming what we are thankful for.

here is this years...

(yes that is a tree and NOT a bush!)

there were the usual answers...family, friends, food...

then the not so normal answers...kyle (whittingham. coach of the u of u football team. that was chris's idea.), world peace (that was nate. he might be a mr. usa in training.), america (this is parker. he has a man-crush on stephen colbert.), computers (i will blame the kids for this, but im thankful for them too!)...

im really in the giving thanks mode right now.

 i love fall and all the beauty it brings.

i love that all 3 of my boys were born this month.

i love that we can put on the fireplace when it is cold.

and of course i love all my readers!

so i will be sending this amazing necklace to the person who is thankful for the weirdest thing.

and yes, this is a christmas necklace, but by the time send it, it will be time to wear it!

and yes, i will have a chain by then!
you have until sunday midnight people!

my poor husband!

it was was the very tolerant chris's birthday sunday.

can  you guess how old he turned?

being thrifty like i am, we used some election signs that were still up (i had parker jump out of the car, snatch them and throw them in the trunk. he loved it!) and just stapled paper to them.

and for his birthday he got the new jon stewart book, earth, but mostly because i wanted to read it.

(yup, that is how it works here).

then we gave him this simpsons christmas tie.

(he is NOT going to like me for posting this photo!)

also being thrifty, i got it from d.i. for $2!

it was in perfect condition, and wasn't even all wrinkled where the knot should be!

of course, chris won't wear it until thankgiving is over.

kill joy.

but he is also getting a ski pass, which will not be thrifty. but hey-i love the guy and he puts up with ALOT!

oh, and by the way, i have strep for the FOURTH time since september.

i have been to an ent dr and it turns out i have reflux that comes up pretty high in my throat. the damage from that is allowing (we think. we hope.) the strep to get into my system. we are treating the reflux and will see what happens.

so if i post something weird (i announced on fb that captian kangaroo died), please forgive me and blame the strep. and i plan on using that excuse as long as possible.

the in laws christmas gift

first, i have to say i LOVE my in laws.

i might be in the minority here, but that is ok.

now my husbands in laws...

and yes, i have already got their christmas (mostly) done. this is part of their 'joint' present, and then i will get them both something else small.

but as always, i saved a TON of money using coupons.

first, i got to roberts with a 50% off coupon and got this frame

it was normally $84, but i got it for $42.

then i went to etsy and found my new best friend, jess.

check out her shop here.

(and look how cute it came in the mail!)

even with shipping, it was less expensive to buy these from her than from the craft stores.

she was fast and helpful (and didn't pay me for this-i just appreciate good customer service and like to let others know where to get it!).

and here my bloggy friends is the final result...

i even vacuumed the rug before taking the photo!
(you are welcome!)

we all signed the back so as my in laws get older and more forgetful, they will know who gave this to them!
(just kidding-love you gary and linda!)

i take after nana!

so my nana (below, on the boardwalk in atlantic city) took up painting in her late 50s. no real reason, she just thought it would be fun.

of course, i thought she was the most wonderful artist in the world.

for my high school graduation gift, i received this amazing painting.

on the right hand side, in about the middle of the painting you can see me (in blue) and my cousin cheryl (red) picking up seashells. this was suppose to be of our beach in brigantine.

i always put this painting up in the summer.

this painting nana made my brother patrick for his graduation.

see-she was an awesome artist!

(and an even better person.)

this weekend i was doing my fall/halloween decorating (it was interrupted for a few weeks due to strep) and while sorting thru all the boxes i wanted something new for the bathroom.

and i decided i wanted to paint it.

nana used to oil paint, but since i didn't have any i just used some acrylic paints. some of them were goopy so in some places it has that heavy, oil paint look.

i got these two little canvases from di (originally from target) for 50 cents each.

i primed them with a spray primer then sprayed them with krylon saddle tan.

i didn't really know HOW to paint pumpkins.

my only real experience painting was parkers wall.

so here is my end result! im pretty geeked about it!

on my bathroom wall!

and up close!

im pretty proud of my paint job! i might just have to take a class in oil painting!

nana would be so proud!