Gold Bluetooth Headset
I finally got a new Bluetooth headset – a gold Plantronics Discovery 925. It’s so sweet! I’ve had a really old one that I bought with my first camera phone back in ’05, but i never liked the way it hooked on to my ear and decided to just get a new one. I love the gold color of this one, since it blends in with the face more. It also comes with a nifty carrying case that doubles as an on-the-go charger. Beautiful!
Gifts are Wrapped!
Just about finished wrapping all my Christmas presents for this year. The red and silver snowflake wrapping paper i bought at Target’s Dollar Spot! I love that it wrapped so much of my presents and the paper was foil like the expensive kind – yet it was only $1! All the other wrapping papers and tags are from Target, too. The bows are mostly leftover from my wedding. I purposely picked out paper that would match with our wedding colors so i could use up my surplus of pink, green and cream ribbons.
Butters Impresses the Pet Sitter
This afternoon Jeff and Butters met with the pet sitter we are using while we are away to Florida and the Bahamas for Christmas. Jeff says Butters graciously split a cup of water from the table while she was here to show the sitter how well behaved he is. Butters gives her a paw up.
Slow-Cooked Chili
I usually get all my recipes from allrecipes.com. I pick ones that have a lot of good reviews. This time around i wanted to try a new chili recipe. Instead of following just one of them, i decided to combine two different recipes and make my own. The result was so yummy!
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SLOW COOKER CHILI
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. italian sausage
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans
1 can chili beans
1 cup beef broth
1/2 bottle of beer
1 large onion
1 red pepper
2 anahiem chile peppers
1 serrano pepper
4 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 t ground coriander
1 t ground pepper
1 t salt
Brown meat in skillet. Cook chile peppers in toaster oven and remove skin and seeds. Dice up. Combine all the ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Makes about 8 servings. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and serve with oyster crackers.
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Jeff and I ate this for dinner on Saturday night. Then I ate it for lunch on Sunday, Monday, and today (Tuesday). Then I also had it for dinner with Jeff tonight. Though the chili is really good, I think i’m done eating it — at least for a while.
I Laugh at Cyber Monday
At work we set up a couple of mini light-up Christmas trees on our desks. They’re so bright and happy. They provide shiny distractions, but definitely not enough to lure me away from Cyber Monday! No – just kidding. I didn’t shop online all day at work. Why would I need to? I actually have about 80% of all my Christmas shopping done AND wrapped! Pictures to prove, coming soon!
The McGirr Family Stockings
Jeff and I decorated our own stockings during our first Christmas together in 2006. This Christmas will mark a year since we have had Butters so we decided he needed his own stocking. Jeff wrote his name in the glitter glue, and I did the drawing on the bottom which is Butters sitting on a knocked over present with an elf/santa hat.
Jamba Juice
Yesterday while pilfering through my car for money, I found two Jamba Juice gift cards from my cousin Dawn’s wedding from July 2006. I stopped by to pick one up after my Saturday morning kickboxing class. I’m enjoying an Aloha Pineapple smoothie, which has a lot of strawberries in it that makes it look pink. I was really thirsty, but it didn’t really quench my thirst. It was a good snack though, especially with the vitamin boost!
Bonnie’skizzorz Hair Cut
After almost a year, I finally broke down and got myself a haircut. I’m trying to grow out my hair, so it was more of a trim. I tried a new hair stylist – Bonnie. She put a lot of layers back in my hair, which I wasn’t sure if i was going to like, but it does actually compliment my waves very well – just like she said! I don’t really like how my hair looks in this photo, but when it’s pieced out it looks better. Now, when will my next trim be? Hopefully sooner than a year from now… I think i’ve finally found a hair dresser I like in Salinas, HOORAY!
Thankgiving 2008
This year we were invited to go to the Worthington household for Thanksgiving dinner. This will be the third year in a row we’ve celebrated with them and we hope we can continue to do so for the years to come, but things are looking a little unsure as they might move, or hell, even we might move, or both! Anyway, as usual Taylor put on a great feast for all of her family and friends. Just take a look at this perfectly browned turkey she is basting in the oven!
Look at this cute kid place setting, complete with turkey bib and mini bamboo utensils. The food spread was pretty awesome: turkey, potatoes, cranberry orzo salad, green bean casserole, salad, mashed sweet potatoes and apples, asparagus, and two kinds of cranberry sauce (chunky and smooth).
Jeff and I had the prime seats at the dinner table – right in the middle, where we could access foods on both sides of the table! How cute is this photo of the family. Sofia just loves the camera. She knows when to ham it up!
Taylor made pumpkin pie “from scratch” (i.e. not from a can!) and her mom’s espresso cheesecake. Both were fabulous! I actually brought a Chocolate Trifle dessert made of chocolate cake and pudding, cool whip, strawberries, heath bits and some kahlua, but I don’t think people liked it so much. I forgot to take a picture but it doesn’t really matter since it didn’t look very appetizing. We ended up throwing the leftovers out because we accidentally left it out on the kitchen counter all night when we got back home. Whoops…
This year I am thankful for my wonderful husband, and of course my cuddly kitty Butters. I am very very appreciative of my family, especially my parents and grandma for helping us with the wedding this year, without which we would not have had such a fabulous event. I’m also glad to have my friends around me and I realize I need to make more effort to socialize with them more. I am grateful for my health and have much to look forward to for next year!
Gallon of Gas, $2
Since when was gas BELOW $2?!?!?! I can barely remember, but it has to be years ago. What’s weird is that when I filled up, i accidentally got the “Plus” gas, but didn’t realize it until i got home and posted the pictures. My regular Shell station has the button for Regular gas in the middle, but I guess this station had it on the left. All the pump designs are different even if they are all Shell stations!? Also I noticed that on my pump station it said the Plus gas was $1.94 — not $1.99. Why was it not the same price as on the ad board? Hmm… At least it was a bit cheaper, even though I feel a little duped. Oh well, can’t really complain since it’s under $2!