Fon-Do’s: How To Make Your Fondue Party A Success! November 6, 2007

1) Screw the skewers! Civilized utensils are the way to go. And with an electric grill (see tip #2), use a spatula!

2) Using an electric grill, as opposed to sterno flamed grill, is a much better option when feeding ravished masses.

3) Don’t come hungry to a fondue party; the tiny morsels won’t fill you up! Eat a steak before you leave your house! Think of fondue as appetizers or nibbles to go along with your wine!

4) Make sure your sterno is the right size for your fondue pan. An oversized sterno will burn your molten mixture of cheese, chocolate or whatever…Nothing like the smell of scolded cheese permeating your home! MMMMmmm.

Okay, I do jest. Slightly. Fondue is fun. I much rather prefer fondue at home as opposed to going out and spending over $100 on a meal I could have easily (and cheaply!) prepared in no time at all. What’s it take? Broccoli and cheese? Torn up pieces of angel food cake and chocolate? Lots of wine! The point is to get creative and to enjoy your company.

We celebrated Wendi’s and Anne’s birthdays with a fondue party. These tips come from experience. With seating for everyone spread between two tables, it became a race to see who could finish first. At table one, they cheated with an electric grill and Anne actually got up to get a spatula! We at table two had to wait for a very, very, very long time fot the sterno-powered grill to cook our scallops and steak.

A good time was had, though, by all as evidenced by the photos. 

                  

Birthday and Halloween Pictures November 5, 2007

          

Amelie celebrated her 3rd birthday last week and I wanted to share the pics. She and Griffin decorated her cake.

Also, there’s Becca and Barry on Halloween and Hannah and Mimi jumping for joy. I’ll have more photos to share later, as soon as I figure out how to download them from Barry’s camera. Oooo he got some good ones, too.

Enjoy!

It’s The Little Things That Make Life A Big Deal October 20, 2007

Gosh, I hope my last post hasn’t come off as all depressing and sad. I am really happy. Really. And today has been a real interesting day in terms of gratitude. I think the more you are thankful for what you have, the more you are blessed …and continue to be blessed.

What has happened so far today is proof that there is a God and that He does love unconditionally! And those events are nothing huge, mind you…little things like waking up in a comfortable home that is heated while outside, the skies are dark and gray and it’s beating down rain. Having coffe klatch with my neighbors before going off and starting our days. Little things like having only $75 to spend on groceries and getting everything I needed for $74.86. Like having Stephanie, the gal I rent from, stop by just to say hello and I happened to have had a money order for her for next month’s rent. (Whew, six more weeks of not worrying about house payments! YES!)

I have been so giddy all day long, I am like the school child kicking her feet under the sheets the night before Christmas just to release some nervous energy.

And tonight, I am spending the evening with my girlfriends watching chick flicks and gabbing it up.

Life is good!

P.S. And just as I finished this post, I looked out the window at my car. There on the windsheild was a CostPlus bag, something from World Market. I went out to see what it was, and inside was a jumbo-sized package of Flake (Irish chocolate bars.) Hmmm…..God is Great!

Halloween Fashion Show (And You Are Invited!) October 7, 2007

It’s that time of year again! I am so excited…the other night we pulled out the “Big-Old-Box-of-Costumes-Past,” which was met with a mixture of Ughs and Yeas.

Amelie, like me, is thrilled. Hannah and Griffin, on the other hand, are not so much.  I guess they are tired of recycling them and would prefer a shiny, new, store-bought costume. Wendi’s kids have expressed the same sentiment. Her oldest daughter said she was tired of “homemade” costumes and would hate it if this year was the same. 

Now, I know that between the two families, we have over two dozen or so costume kits that our children will still fit into. I also have an idea of what it’d cost to outfit all of our children (my three and her three) with new costumes. So I propose a costume fashion show. I think we should pool our costumes together and let the kids rummage through them and come up with something “new to them.” I think between the two families, we can make it fun for everyone.  In fact, let’s not stop there…neighbors and friends, if you would like to join, you are welcome! Bring along your old get-ups, your favorite trick-or-treat snack and we’ll let the kids have a blast exploring their alter egos. 

Now, as for myself, I am taking suggestions. What should I be for Halloween this year?   

The Scientific Terms Evade Me… September 26, 2007

Just got the official word from my doctor…the lump is a very deep in-grown hair.

Gross.

 But yea!