hey neighbor

We used to have some really cute neighbors next door. They had a 4-year-old girl named Riley who had glasses, curly blonde hair, and a habit of walking into the house without knocking. We were given Valentines and invitations to her birthday party. My best memory of her was when she sat on a kid-sized recliner in a princess crown and sang, "Happy Birthday to Me" between bites of cake.

But they moved. And I think they stopped making payments on the house. The neighbors on the other side only live there part time so we don't see them much.

And those are the only neighbors we know.

We have never spoken to the people who live directly across the street. Or the drug dealer two doors down. I half expected them to come make introductions, but they seem pretty reclusive. And I guess we're just as bad; we haven't made any effort to talk to a family that moved in to a house kitty corner to us.

Is it a standoff? Is everyone expecting the other to flinch first? Or is there no reason to know your neighbors anymore? I'd like to think there is a benefit...seems like there is some sort of safety reason buried in there. We held a garage sale recently and I think some people lived nearby but they didn't mention it.

Maybe Christmas is the time? Make a plate of cookies and brave the cold call? Anyone have some neighborly advice?

Gingerbread!

Gonna make gingerbread this year. Don't usually enjoy it. Hoping that it tastes better when it's warm and freshly iced.

Eggnog Frosting

I'm in an eggnog mood.

Ingredients for the Eggnog Buttercream Frosting

8 Tbsp. (or one stick) of butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 to 4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
3 to 4 tablespoons eggnog
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, for garnish (optional)


Directions for the Frosting

1. Place the butter and 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to incorporate. Stop the machine and add the remaining confectioners' sugar, eggnog and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute. Add more confectioners' sugar if the frosting is too runny to spread. Add a touch more eggnog if it is too stiff.

Well wishes

I finally got the gumption to put all the wedding stuff away. Not sure when I would open this box again. Maybe when someone else gets married and wants a bride and groom teddy bear pair.

As a part of this effort, I opened and read through all the cards again, which made me really sentimental. The messages were so kind and loving. And I remember sitting with T in our house going through each of these cards and the long list of gifts we received and feeling so BLESSED. Hundreds of people came and brought us gifts to send us on our way into matrimony. Hundreds were so very generous.

I felt remorse when I saw the generosity, and I felt it again the other night as I looked through the cards. Not because I didn't thank everyone - I'm pretty sure I did. But because I had honestly thought many of them wouldn't care. Or I assumed they wouldn't approve. Or that they would merely felt obligated to send us something. But they came. Or they sent cards. And they didn't have to.

I could not have guessed that so many people loved us and felt genuine joy for our happiness. Even this inscription from our guest book surprised me. It's from my brother's friend: "You love each other. Nothing else will ever matter more than that."

Favorite Spaces

Tony bought our house just over a year ago, and since then we have made a lot of changes. This post includes some "before" pics and also some pics of little spaces and things that make me happy at our house.

Gratitude

Usually, Thanksgiving makes me grateful for a couple days off work. And then it makes me regretful for how much I eat.

But this year is a little different. We're facing a few unexpected challenges this fall, and they do have the potential to REALLY bring our spirits down. Luckily, I am married to T, who is especially skilled at calming me and easing my anxieties. He's also willing to make difficult choices and sacrifice for our little family.

So this year I'm especially grateful for him. Maybe I should bake him a pie or something.

Overwhelmed

Cannot relax today. Too many balls in the air. Topics include a new shower, Twitter and a dance competition.

Sleeper hit

T and I signed up for "Shaolin Power Hour" at our kung fu studio. It is a two-week fitness boot camp that lasts for an hour every morning.

It starts at 6:15 a.m., which means we have to drag our sorry butts out of bed at 5:30 (though it's been slipping to 5:40, 5:45). This does not bode well for me. I am historically a mean sleeper.

I have panic attacks about waking up early. And I attack others who wake me up or who prevent me from getting to sleep. I can be extremely grumpy in the morning, and incredibly irrational late at night. I think that means I am neither a night owl or an early bird. I'm a totally different breed of fowl. (A surly bird?)

HOWEVER. After four days of Shaolin Power Hour, I am finding that I have a lot more energy during the day. I still get sleepy around 10 p.m., but I'm not the kung fu zombie I thought I was going to be.

Holidaisical!

Starting to receive travel plans from my three out of state sisters...and getting so so excited for the holidays!

Makes me want to organize the guest room so some little nieces and nephews can sleep over and play rock band with crazy cool Aunt Lindsay and Uncle Tony.

Finally figured it out

For years I've been trying to determine how exactly I fit in among my friends and family.

I have labels for everyone -- the smart one, the emotional one, the easygoing one -- but for a long time I could not figure out which "one" I was.

Today it dawned on me, thanks to the help of a co-worker. It also explains why I have labels for everyone.

I'm the judgmental one.

Spooktacular

Now that we have our own house, we are finally going to fulfill one of my long-term dreams: hosting a giant Halloween party.

I love Halloween. It's pure fun, without the spending and politics of Christmas. (I still love Christmas don't worry!) We put a lot of thought into our Halloween costumes every year. This year the pressure's really on to have a great costume, since we will be the hosts extraordinaire.

The biggest challenge will be to decorate the house in the bestest, most bitchin' Boo-fest ever. I'm already researching ideas for decor, both cute and creepy.

Anyone have any easy or cool ideas? Anyone want to have a craft/decor day on Oct. 24? :)

New shelves!

Sometimes the stars align and T and I have the time and energy to put up new shelves. The result is usually wonderful and I am so very pleased.

Stick of butter...mmmm

This recipe for frosting is SO DELICIOUS. I got it from Sarah B, who got it from Sprinkles Cupcakes. Try not to let the obscene amounts of butter put you off. Totally worth it. I added frozen raspberries to this batch.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 cup softened butter
3.5 cups confectioners sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla


Beat butter, sugar, salt until smooth.
Add milk, vanilla and beat 3-5 minutes until creamy.

addiction

I think Diet Coke might be keeping me alive

The Audacious Cook

I don't usually have the patience to cook. I hate things with a million ingredients and hours of chopping. Our dinners usually consist of tortilla + filling + microwave. Anything that takes longer better include the crock pot.

But I kinda have the desire to bake. I like the idea of perfecting some wonderful dish, then making it for special occasions to the delight of all my sophisticated friends. Problem is, I don't have natural talent, and I am going to have to work for it. A recent attempt at cherry turnovers didn't end so great. It tasted OK, but looked pretty wimpy and a little soggy.

I'm tempted to buy the Julia Child book, since all of the NPR interviews with director Nora Ephron have said that taught her how to cook. And I do love things made with butter and cream. I'm not suggesting I try my own version of "Julie and Julia," where I blog my way through it, but I like the idea that maybe I could try some of the recipes and make something delicious.

One thing I have learned was that homemade whipped cream can cover up a lot of worries. And I know how to make that. So that's a start.

Blog on blogging

I know. Bad title.

Just read one of my favorite bloggers, Girl in a Party Hat, and was inspired to write. She wears her heart on her screen, and doesn't seem to fear revealing too much, as I often do.

I don't blog about work - that's a gimme. But I could probably share a little more. I guess I'm torn about publishing that kind of information -- what if no one reads it? Or worse, what if they do?

I'm usually prompted to write when something bad has happened. For instance, this morning I managed to dump a whole pan full of muffin batter onto the hot oven door. I spent 20 minutes mopping up the goop instead of watching them brown into apple cinnamon delights. And was left with no reward; just a cat hoping for a little taste off the floor.

Or like now, when T and I have been stressed out - both for good and bad reasons. But I can't share that. It has more implications than a pan of muffins.

If I was a better cook, I'd share recipes. If I was crafty, I'd share photos of my latest homemade tote bag. If I had kids, I'd share photos. You get the picture.

I guess until I do acquire all of those things, you (and I) are stuck with muffin stories and gripes about free movie screenings. :)

Acceptance

Today I made a huge leap toward full acceptance into the Latino community. Or at least half.

A Hispanic co-worker at the hospital asked me today if my husband is Mexican. I said yes, well, he's half. Then she asked me if I wanted to buy some tamales. I have worked there a year and never been offered the inside track on tamales.

Wonder what sweet Mexican hookup is next...

Movie Magic

I recently took a flight to Los Angeles from Phoenix. These flights really should be easy. They last about an hour and they leave something like every 15 minutes. Yet every time I fly, thanks to heightened regulation, security and the removal of one's shoes, I can't help but repeat to myself this phrase, "Ah, the indignity of flight."

Well, that's nothing compared to the indignity of seeing a free movie.

My friends scored free tickets to see "Julie and Julia," the latest Meryl Streep flisk, dedicated to Julia Child. Thinking it would only appeal to a certain audience, I was unprepared for the huge crowd lined up at Arizona Mills, our sorta ghetto outlet mall. But I guess people will pretty much see anything for free.

The Harkins folks did their best to control the crowd, which was way bigger than the capacity of the theater. We three managed to slip into the last wave of people, high-fiving all the way down the hall. Until we got to the second line.

This line featured three security guards and a man yelling at people to "limit your ins and outs." In other words, don't plan to save your seat and then go to the bathroom. This line was dedicated to searching purses for cell phones or recording devices. Now, that is perfectly fair. It was a sneak preview. But they waited until people had been waiting for an hour before telling them they could not bring a cell phone.

And if they didn't happen to find your cell phone in your very messy purse (which, luckily happened for me), the security guards then used a wand to screen your body for hidden devices.

I totally understand the desire to keep out the riff raff. But the demeanor of these guards and the great lengths they achieved to anger their viewers made the experience a little less than magical.

It was supposed to be fun! Sneak preview of a cutesy movie about cooking and blogging! But instead of eagerly talking and reviewing the movie, all we could talk about was feeling like we had just visited a prison. My friend Catharyn was kicked out of line at one point because they discovered her old cell phone -- which did not have video capability, mind you -- and told her to put it in her car. Instead, she put her phone back in her wallet and got back in line. Made it seem like the security was all for show.

Bottom line, I don't think I'll be returning to Arizona Mills any time soon. And I am extremely disappointed in the Harkins brand, a local treasure here. Bon Appetit!

Lindsay, Unplugged

T and I went up to the woods last weekend. It wasn't easy. And it wasn't pretty. But it was incredible.

Lately our schedules have been so packed that we can't find time to think. So even though we had to miss three (count 'em) different parties to hit the road, it was a critical move.

Lately I have become way too connected -- Facebook, Twitter, my Blackberry -- and I check them constantly. It's almost become a tic. It had to stop.

So Saturday morning we set out to the Blue Ridge Reservoir, which has a very nice camping area overlooking a canyon/reservoir.

I optimistically did not bring any kind of mattress, so we got horrible sleep. But we got some great rest. We sat in the shade and read books, enjoying the quiet and the 70-degree weather.

I'm hoping as the summer wears on, and 115 degree heat sets in, that we will get even better at dropping everything and leaving town.

Facebook will still be there when we get back.

Summer Doldrums

I think I have officially hit my first summer doldrums. This starts when the AC in the car can no longer compete with the outside heat, and you will do anything in your power to avoid driving somewhere.

Usually my remedy for this problem is to escape the Valley of the Sun and head north. Definitely itching to go this weekend. Not sure we can.

The break would also be nice just to clear my head. I feel like I've been running on all engines since we got back from the honeymoon. Never got a chance to recover from the wedding/honeymoon chaos!

Still haven't sent out any thank you notes. Still haven't put away the gifts stacked in our living room. Maybe I could kill two birds and write some thank you notes in the mountains? Hmmmm.