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Wednesday-Bensday! Special Celebration Edition

Yesterday morning, Tim presented and turned in his Master’s Thesis. This means that, barring some fluke poor grade on the paper, which is highly unlikely considering how hard he rocked that thesis, he has successfully completed graduate school.

You guys, I am so unbelievably proud of him. Not only did he finish, but as far as I know he has completed the program only one A- away from having a cumulative 4.0 GPA. He is, in a word, incredible. And amazing. And super smart. And completely wonderful in every way.

Ben and Smalls are awfully proud of Tim, too, as they demonstrated last night when we toasted Tim’s success with a delicious bottle of champagne.

What do Kaya, Rufus, Bailey, Ted, Foxy, and Zapp have to celebrate this week? Be sure to check in with them for your daily dose of doggie cuteness!

July 23, 2008 | Filed Under General Happiness, Mr. Tim's Adventures in Teaching, Photos & Videos, Puppies, Tim, Wednesday-Bensday | 2 Comments 

Audrey vs. The Blender

Last week I decided that what I really wanted was to have a breakfast smoothie every day for the rest of the summer. Nevermind how I came to this decision, or that I had zero experience making fruit smoothies. I would simply improvise. How hard could it be?

Cut to last Tuesday morning. Most of you know that my first breakfast smoothie improvisation experiment went about as well as everything else that morning. Which is to say not well at all. Here’s how it went down:

I loaded the blender with frozen raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries. And a dash of cream, because we had no milk. I was improvising, remember? It was totally going to be fine.

Then I blended. Don’t let the following picture deceive you. There is very little actual blending taking place.

I added ice. I added water, thinking maybe the mix needed more liquid. And still, it took a lot of blending and a lot of attempting to stir with a too-short spoon through that too-small hole in the blender lid before the fruit was broken up into a state remotely resembling “smoothie.” And I was working on a tight schedule. I so did not have time for this nonsense.

I poured the not-so-smootie into a glass, spilling a bunch on the counter in the process, and took a taste.

It was . . . not good. It was chunky. And gritty. And too tart. And the only breakfast option I had, so I drank it anyway.

Cut to Wednesday morning. I had leftover not-so-smoothie in the fridge. I stuck it back on the blender and added a few things to try to salvage it. I hit “blend.” The blade spun, but nothing happened. I tried the other buttons on the blender: Puree, Liquefy, Ice Crush. Still nothing. I decided the concoction needed to be stirred as it was blending if I was going to see any results. I also decided that stirring through the little hole in the top of the lid was just not going to cut it.

Cut to 45 seconds later. I am cursing, grabbing for paper towels to wipe off the cabinet doors, the floor, my face. I am dumping the remaining not-so-smoothie down the sink,, making the executive decision to drive-through Starbucks for breakfast. I am running my shirt downstairs for a session with the stain stick.

Nobody, not even me, is surprised by this turn of events.

Apparently, I am not so good at the breakfast smoothie improvisation.

Cut to yesterday morning. I had picked up some milk and low-fat, plain yogurt at the store. I’d seen the Pioneer Woman’s smoothie recipe and planed to try it out. Surely it would be more successful than my first attempt.

Tim had broken out the smoothie maker over the weekend and successfully made delicious daquiris, so I abandon the crappy, non-blending blender and decided to use the smoothie maker instead. The fact that I hadn’t previously thought to use the smoothie maker to make smoothies is simply a testament to my inability to think clearly first thing in the morning.

I fill the smoothie maker with 1 cup yogurt, 1 cup frozen blueberries and raspberries, a splash of milk, and a squirt of honey. I leave out the ice since the berries are kind of like little fruity ice cubes already.

I blend, stirring with the perfectly-sized smoothie-maker stirring stick. So far, everything is going much better.

I pour the concoction into a glass (the smoothie maker’s pour spout doesn’t seem to be functioning), only spilling  a little bit. I give it a taste.

It’s . . . good! Very good! Just the right combination of yogurt and fruit. Perfectly smooth. Absolutely delicious in every way.

Finally, I have successfully made a breakfast smoothie. It only took 3 attempts, 2 blending devices, and one valuable lesson about why I should never improvise in the kitchen first thing in the morning.

July 22, 2008 | Filed Under Kitchen Adventures, Photos & Videos | 12 Comments 

Plot Holes?

Quick question: Is there any story on which you feel I’ve left you hanging? Any plot holes that need filling? Anything I wrote about previously that you’re waiting for an update on?

Let me know, and I’ll see what I can do about helping you off the edges of your seats. Whether I’ll do this by giving you updates so you can finally sit back and relax or by simply pushing you forward off of your chair and mocking you for sitting on the edge of your seat for such a ridiculous amount of time has yet to be determined. You take your chances here at SangriaLover.com.

July 21, 2008 | Filed Under blog | 5 Comments 

Smalls Sunday: Puppy’s First Hike

Once upon a time there was a puppy named Smalls. Smalls had gone camping, fishing, and swimming, but she had never been on a hike.

One morning Smalls saw her parents put on their walking shoes and get out the leashes. She and her brother Ben were very excited because they knew that shoes and leashes meant they would get to go for a walk. Smalls and Ben liked walks very much.

But Smalls’s parents also got out these back pack things that they poured a bunch of water into. And then, instead of going for a walk, they had Smalls and Ben get in the car and told them they were going for something called a “hike.” Smalls didn’t know what a “hike” was, but that was okay. She figured anything involving walking shoes and leashes was sure to be fun.

They drove for what seemed like a very long time. When they finally got out of the car, Smalls was somewhere she’d never been before. The place looked a lot like the type of place where she had gone camping in the past, but she knew it was different because she didn’t recognize all the smells around her.

Her parents put on those weird water-filled back pack things and then all four of them started walking up a hill. “Oh,” Smalls though, “A ‘hike’ is just a walk that we go on after riding in the car. This seems fun!”

And it was fun. But it was also very hard. It was a hot day, and Smalls and Ben were both wishing they didn’t have to wear their thick fur coats all the time. Luckily, before too long they discovered a small pool of water. Smalls immediately got in the water to cool off and have a refreshing drink.

After that short break, they kept walking up that hill. Pretty soon, the terrain got really challenging. There were lots of big rocks to jump up and over, and some of the jumps were hard for a little puppy like Smalls. But there was a lot of shade on the trail, which helped with the heat, and occasionally Smalls’s parents would get tired and stop for a much-needed water break.

They kept on walking up that hill, and Smalls was getting tired! The next time they stopped for a break, Smalls decided her legs needed a break from standing up.

After that, it wasn’t long before they finally reached the top of that hill. Then they got to walk down into a beautiful valley with lots of tall grasses to romp in. The best part of the valley, in Smalls’s opinion, was that there was a stream for her and Ben to wade in and drink out of. That cold water sure did feel good on such a hot day!

They went up one more small hill at the other side of the valley and then came across a great big lake. It was wonderful! Smalls forgot all about her previous fears of water and sat right down in that lake.

Boy, that water sure did feel good! So good, in fact, that Smalls decided to go ahead and lay all the way down. This hiking thing was fun, but it wore a puppy out!

The hiking group spent a little time at the lake, cooling off and enjoying the view. And then they turned around and walked right back down into that valley and then down that steep, rocky hill again. This time they didn’t stop for as many breaks, but that was okay. The sun had gone behind some dark clouds, so it wasn’t so hot anymore, and there was also some scary thunder behind them. Smalls and Ben were both okay with getting away from the thunder and into the safety of the car as quickly as possible.

When they all got home again, Smalls was happy for the opportunity to take a nice, long nap on the comfort of the couch.

As Smalls napped, she dreamed about all the fun and exciting sights and smells she’d just experienced. That hiking thing sure had been a fun way to spend the day.

Smalls sure hoped she would get to go on another hike someday soon. She didn’t know what adventures the next day would bring, but she was pretty sure of one thing: she and her brother Ben and their parents were going to live happily ever after.

The end.

What adventures are Kaya, Rufus, Bailey, Ted, Gus, Foxy, and Zapp having this week? Be sure to check in with them for your daily dose of doggie cuteness!

July 20, 2008 | Filed Under Photos & Videos, Puppies, Smalls Sunday, Uncategorized, hiking | 4 Comments 

Because I Know You Care Deeply

  • Tim and I don’t like cleaning, but we love having a clean house. We go through cycles where we’ll clean, keep the house clean for a few days, and then the clutter will slowly build up again until we’re both at our breaking point and have to spend the better part of our weekend cleaning again. I know we could, in theory, do a little bit of cleaning every day (and I admire those of you with the dedication to do that!), but that’s just not our style. Luckily, we have about the same threshold of tolerance for how far we’ll let the clutter level go before we can’t take it any longer, so it’s rare that either of us is nagging the other about needing to clean. It’s a pretty good system for us.
  • My “Recent Reads” thingy over there on the sidebar recently decided to show a few random books that I did not in fact read recently. This is irritating to me, and I don’t know how to fix it.
  • I just used “recent” and “recently” way too much in that last bullet.
  • I have a new-to-me (gently used) chair at work, and it is so much better than my last one. It has armrests. And adjustable back support that actually stays in place when you adjust it. What a concept.
  • My favorite flip flops that I bought in Spain are starting to fall apart. I guess after 4 years of nearly constant use, it was bound to happen, but I’m still not ready to accept the fact that this may be the last summer they see.
  • I have 2 discs of pictures burned and waiting to be sent/delivered to people. There’s no good reason they haven’t been sent/delivered already except that I’m lazy. Maybe next time we clean house the CDs will get packaged up to be sent/delivered as part of de-cluttering the office.

July 18, 2008 | Filed Under Random | 4 Comments 

Whip It Up Week 2: Southwestern Mac

When I saw that this week’s recommended theme for Whip It Up was cheese, I immediately thought of two of my favorite meals: Mac and Cheese and Oven-Baked Enchiladas smothered in melted cheese. Since I already have a darn good enchilada recipe that I’ve made several times, I decided to look for a new variation on the always classic, always delicious mac and cheese. The fact that I still had Mexican food on the brain may have contributed to my clicking on a recipe called Southwestern Macaroni and Cheese with Adobo Meatballs. The thought of combining Mexican food and Mac, two of my all-time favorite food groups, definitely contributed to my decision to make this recipe as soon as possible.

Enough back story, though. Let’s get to the food.

(click for annotated version)

Was it easy to make?

Mostly. There were a couple of ingredients I wasn’t familiar with, so I asked Google for possible substitutions in case the grocery store was as clueless as I. I found out that Adobo seasoning is basically a mix of garlic salt, pepper, onion powder, and oregano, in pretty much equal parts (a little less oregano than everything else) and that Cotija cheese is a sharp-tasting white cheese that, in a pinch, can be swapped out for Monterrey Jack or White Cheddar. I doubt you’ll need to know that about the Cotija, though, because I was able to find it at WalMart. And if WalMart, store of the very limited grocery selection, has it, then surely you can find it anywhere.

WalMart did not have Adobo seasoning, so Tim threw together some garlic salt, oregano, and pepper (no onion powder for us!) and we were all set.

I also couldn’t find powdered jalapeño, so I just used canned diced jalapeños and it turned out fine.

The process itself was pretty straightforward, though it did seem to use a lot of dishes. Not a problem for me, since Tim is in charge of doing dishes, but I did feel a little bad for a minute thinking about him trying to fit all those pots and large bowls into the dishwasher. Not sure how this could be avoided, however.

If you make this, I would strongly suggest that you have all your sauce ingredients (cheeses and creams) measured and ready to go before you do much of anything else. I did not do this, and by the time I had meatballs browning and butter melted, I was scrambling a bit to get all the cheeses and creams measured out so they could be added to the pot all at once. A little stressful, but everything turned out okay in the end, and I’ve learned my lesson for next time.

Did it taste good?

Yes. Oh my goodness, yes! The sauce was a bit soupy, which bothered me more than it did Tim. And it wasn’t so much bothersome as it was inconvenient — I served the mac in bowls due to the soupyness, but then didn’t know what utensils to use. Clearly spoons would have helped scoop up that extra sauce, but it’s difficult to eat meatballs without a fork. Next time I’ll have to grab some sporks from Taco Bell before making this. Or just add more macaroni for the sauce to stick to.

The other slight issue was that the meatballs were awfully salty. This is an easy enough fix, though; next time I’ll use fresh garlic instead of garlic salt when putting together the Adobo seasoning.

Other than a little extra sauce and some salty meatballs (heh), this was some darn good mac and cheese. Really cheesy, very flavorful, and a bit on the spicy side. In other words, absolutely delicious.

It even reheats well, always an important consideration when there’s going to be leftovers. If it weren’t for the meatballs, I’d be perfectly content eating the leftovers cold (I love me some cold leftover mac!) but cold beef doesn’t really do much for me, so re-heat it is.

I also want to point out that even though the dish seems artery-clogging with all the creams and cheeses and whatnot, the cottage cheese, sour cream, and beef were all reduced fat, which makes it slightly better, right? I bet you could even use half-and-half rather than heavy cream (I would have done this, but I had leftover cream from last week’s recipe that needed to be used up) and swap out the meatballs for chicken if you wanted and it’d still be just as good.

Will I make it again?

Absolutely I will. This is definitely a recipe that will be making many repeat appearances at my house.

July 17, 2008 | Filed Under Kitchen Adventures, Photos & Videos | 10 Comments 

Wednesday-Bensday! Special Car Comfort 2.0 Edition

For anyone who’s curious, yesterday did eventually turn around and get better for me. After a long day at work, Tim took me shopping with him for classroom supplies, we went out for dinner, and then met up with some friends for a round of mini-golf.  It was a really great way to end a day that didn’t start out so well. And to make matters even better, I was able to spend the better part of an hour helping Tim hang bulletin boards and borders before work this morning. I’ve been looking forward to helping him set up his classroom ever since he decided to become a teacher — for those of you keeping track, that’s 18 months I’ve been looking forward to this — so it was lots of fun to start my morning with Tim, some butcher paper, adorable borders, and a stapler.

And now, to the topic of the day: Ben!

We went to Ft. Collins over the weekend so Tim could help my dad work on replacing their deck, my mom and I could shop for the baby shower we’re throwing for my brother and his wife in a couple of weeks, and Ben and Smalls could play with my parents’ dog, Tasha. On the car ride up, I think Ben was feeling a little lost without the stack of pillows and blankets he prefers to travel on. Not to worry, though; he came up with a pretty good substitute pillow that was almost as comfortable:

How do Kaya, Rufus, Bailey, Ted, Gus, Foxy, and Zapp prefer to travel? Be sure to check in with them for your daily dose of doggie cuteness!

July 16, 2008 | Filed Under Photos & Videos, Puppies, Wednesday-Bensday | 5 Comments 

Send Ice Cream

My morning, 6:30am to 10:00am:

  • Wake up 30 minutes early in order to go see Tim’s classroom and help him do a little setting up before work.
  • Let dogs out, shower, get dressed.
  • Wonder why shirt feels so tight around front of neck.
  • Discover shirt is on backwards.
  • Fix shirt.
  • Let dogs in, wrangle muddy dogs into tub for clean up.
  • Head to kitchen to make breakfast fruit smoothie.
  • Have never made breakfast fruit smoothie before. Improvise. Document process with photos for possible Whip It Up post.
  • Load blender. Hit “Blend.”
  • Watch as blender “blends” with no results.
  • Add more liquid, stir with spoon, shake blender.
  • Still nothing.
  • Continue to fight with blender until finally have something resembling smoothie.
  • Pour into cup.
  • Spill half of blender contents on counter.
  • Out of paper towels. Use 15 napkins to clean up.
  • Sample smoothie. Make unpleasant face in reaction to flavor and texture.
  • Head upstairs to dry hair.
  • Finish drying hair. Grab flat iron to style.
  • Realize flat iron is not turned on.
  • Stand in bathroom and wait for flat iron to warm up.
  • Style hair, reach for hair spray.
  • Hair spray nozzle clogged. No time to fix.
  • Resign self to having bad hair day.
  • Head out the door 10 minutes later than planned.
  • Follow Tim to school.
  • Load arms with stuff to take into classroom.
  • Hear Tim (can’t see him over armfuls of stuff) realize he forgot his keys to the school.
  • Put stuff back in Tim’s car.
  • Go back home, get keys, return to school with significantly less time to help Tim set up classroom.
  • Re-load arms with stuff to take into classroom. Try not to drop any of it on longest walk ever through school hallways.
  • Arrive at classroom. Offer approval of what Tim has done with it so far. Stress about not getting to help set up very much.
  • Hang fabric on two bulletin boards, leave for work later than planned.
  • Try not to despair at the fact that nothing is going as well as it should this morning.
  • Hit every possible red light on the way to work.
  • Arrive at work. Do best to doctor up foul office coffee with hot chocolate mix in attempt to perk up.
  • Sort through email, choke down coffee.
  • Hear something that sounds like plastic hitting floor. Investigate.
  • Discover that button has just come off of pants. Fantastic.
  • Should probably revise ice cream request to read: “Send Gym Membership.”

And the day has only just begun.

July 15, 2008 | Filed Under Feeling Blue, Mr. Tim's Adventures in Teaching, Tim | 14 Comments 

Smalls Sunday: Long-Bodied Dog

Smalls is one long puppy. Since she’s part corgi, she’s disproportionately long, and this makes her simultaneously goofy looking and completely adorable.

Unfortunately, though she has the body of a long dog, I think Smalls was born with the brain of a short dog. Back when we first got her, she was clearly still coming to terms with the fact that her body is so much longer than it should be. Eight times out of ten, when jumping from ottoman to couch, she’d only manage to get her front legs on the couch — she’d hang there for a minute, back legs dangling, front paws attempting some sort of puppy pull up maneuver, and waiting for us to stop laughing long enough to give her hindquarters a boost up onto the couch.

After several months of failed ottoman-to-couch jumps, Smalls has finally figured out how long she is . . . mostly. She’s mastered the horizontal distance needed to jump from place to place, but she’s still working on the vertical. She’s an ambitious vertical jumper, but she doesn’t always manage to get the entire length of her long body up onto places like the bed or, say, the back of the couch:

She is getting very good at that puppy pull up maneuver, though.

Be sure to get your daily dose of doggie cuteness with Kaya, Rufus, Bailey, Ben, Ted, Gus, Foxy, and Zapp!

July 13, 2008 | Filed Under Photos & Videos, Puppies, Smalls Sunday | 5 Comments 

Overheard at the Sangria Lover House

News Anchor: Coming up: A new video game version of Beer Pong — would you let your kids play it? (Anchor’s tone implies that the only acceptable answer to her question is “Absolutely not!”)

Tim: So there’s a problem with Beer Pong, but Grand Theft Auto is okay?

July 11, 2008 | Filed Under Tim, tv and movies | 6 Comments 

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