Nakedness (or is it Nudity?)

My mom is the best. She reminds me so much of Raymond's mom (from the beloved TV sitcom). She'll see something on a sensationalist TV news broadcast and then calls me in a panic. Typically these calls have to do with Ellie. Like the time she insisted I stopped using baby wipes because of a report she saw. Or like the time she called someone a prick, because she saw it on a show. Things like that. Her most recent panic call went something like this (oh, and this all happens in Spanish):
"Hello"
"Are you spending so much time on your blog that your are neglecting Ellie?"
"...no... if I were spending time on my blog you'd know about it."
"How?"
"Because it would be updated all the time."
"Oh, that's right. Don't neglect Ellie."
Hang up.

I wish I got to spend time on my blog. If anything for my own amusement. So here is a story to make it up to my faithful bleaders (the ones in my imagination, I mean).

Brandon often makes fun of me. Not news. But he often makes fun of me for listening to A Prairie Home Companion. I don't know why, it's a great radio show with comedy, awesome music and cool old-timey ads. What's not to love? But Brandon says that it's dorky that I get the podcast.

On Prairie Home (as us fans call it) there is a section of the show where Garrison Keiller (or GK as us fans call him), the host, talks about his imaginary home town named Lake Wobegon, MI. He usually weaves a really funny story about the town's residents (who are all of Swedish decent and Lutheran) and there is usually a moral at the end such as, "don't mess with other people's rhubarb."

Anyhoo, there is one such story that I made Brandon listen to because I always crack up when I listen to it. It's about a lady that felt that Lake Wobegon was too stifling so she went out to Northern California to find herself, except that she was in charge of an event at the church. This event is approaching and no one knows what is going on so they call her and she answers the phone while she's naked (she had joined a nudist colony). According to GK she gets really nervous because people can always tell when you're talking on the phone naked. There is a mixture of giddiness and nervousness to your voice.

This is where Brandon comes in. A few weeks ago Brandon had called someone inquiring about an internship. This person was busy so they asked if they could call Brandon back in 15 minutes. For some reason Brandon thought that those 15 minutes would be the perfect time to take a shower. So he undresses and right as we he about to hop in the phone rings.

"BRANDON!!! YOUR PHONE IS RINGING!!! IT'S THAT GUY!!!"
Brandon comes running out of the bathroom.
"You answer!"
"You answer, it's your internship!"
And for reasons known only to himself he starts hopping up and down.
"But he'll know I'm naked!"

And so the make-funner has become the make-funee.

The Haps

Insane is not a strong enough word to describe the last month. It's all over though and though I love everyone that came to visit, I'm so glad to wear anything I please around the house.

Sad, however, that I lost my camera for part of it so the following is a very small sampling of the hilarity that ensued. Included is Ellie's 1st birthday, Brandon's family visit, some cool hikes, the waterfalls after a day of rain and... at day at the park. Hilarity.

AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Food, finally!

So I don't want to brag (yes I do) but I made killer buffalo wings last night. Like, delicious. Fine, I had a little help from the Anchor Bar Restaurant. The Anchor Bar in Buffalo is where wings and their sauce were created. Nowadays the Anchor Bar sells their sauce in supermarkets which is what went on the wings. Still, I was proud of the crispy skin and tender meat and the fact that they were never fried.

Alton Brown taught me how to make these.
1. Rinse and separate wings, cut off tip (use for stock or something).
2. Steam wings (in a pot with boiling water) for about 10 min.
3. Pat wings dry and put in fridge for about an hour.
4. Preheat oven to 425. Put wings on a roasting rack with a pan on bottom to catch drippings and put in oven for 10 min. Then turn wings over and roast for another 10 min.
5. Put wings in bowl, toss with your fave buffalo sauce, enjoy!

Way better for you than frying.

Also, I served them with sauteed kale with garlic and with quinoa salad and it was such a great meal. I am a wing lover to the death but getting them at restaurants is the worst because they're fried and always served with french fries or cole slaw or something super heavy that makes my tummy hurt. No more. Just make your healthier wings, serve them with something light and nutritious and you're set. Whoo-hoo!

Please Help

Hi everyone,

I'm pasting an email a friend from California sent me. Being LDS is awesome for many reasons but one of the best is the network. An opportunity for service has arisen and through our great network we can help this the Sannar Family. Please do all you can, if nothing else please keep the Sannar family in your prayers. I cannot even fathom what Sister Sannar is going through but I know I can help ease that burden a little bit.
Below is the email I received from my friend as well as a link to a news page about the story. The story is legit and the pledge site seems to be legit as well. Please send the pledge link to anyone and everyone. Please help.

Today a man walked into a Mormon church in Visalia, California, and asked to see the bishop. Reports then indicate that he shot him in the face and chest - possibly in front of young children - and then fled the building. No one recognized him. He drove a ways, called the police to say he was the shooter, they arrived, he shot at them, and they shot back. Last word is that the shooter was taken to the hospital.

The bishop (congregational lay leader) was Clay Sannar, 42, a father of six children, the youngest just a few months old. He was a volunteer who happened to be serving when this disturbed man killed him. I do not know the bishop. I do know that he was a husband and a father and that he was serving God. That's pretty much all I need to know.

I now know that this family needs help. I cannot imagine what his wife is feeling right now as she looks at her six young ones who are now fatherless. I do know that I can help.

I figure that they are going to need LOTS of help from everyone. They will, of course, need our prayers. But I want to do more than that. I called my son, Connor, who answered, unsurprisingly, "I'm on it, Mom."

So - Connor has set up a paypal fundraiser. You can contribute if you would like. I figure if we all chip in $20, we can make a difference for this family. We can send them an immediate message that they are loved. That much we can do.

You can use either paypal or credit card. Here's the link:

http://pledgie.com/campaigns/12975

ALL of the money will be sent directly to the family. They can decide how to use it best.

Sometimes, we can DO something. Today is that day.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO MAY WANT TO HELP.

Thanks. And don't forget to include the Sannar family in your prayers today. And hold your family close. Life is precious.

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=7636951

Lazy Montreal

I've been so lazy about blogging recently because I'm having a hard time with original thoughts. I think it's all the 3o Rock. I probably should cut down. Also, I've been wanting to go back to my blogging roots and blog more about food. I certainly cook enough, I'm just too lazy to upload pictures. Luckily for all of us we just got back from Montreal and that is going to have to take up space in the blogosphere. Before the pictures here's a survey of Montreal:

Sucky things Quebec got from the French:
1. Snootiness: There were some people at a table next to us that saw that we were American and were being snooty to our faces, not knowing the whole time that Brandon speaks french. I wouldn't have minded so much if we weren't being snootied during a really terrible meal, I was already in a bad mood.
2. Smoking: It felt like Vegas. I hate smoking with my whole soul. It's disgusting and horrible for you and others and is just the worst. Ugh.
3.Striking: I usually support people's right to strike but it just sucked that it interfered with our tourism plans and thus we couldn't go to the Biodome or the Insectorium. No Insectorium!

Cool Things Quebec got from the French:
1. French Food: Our last night there we got killer French food. Again, drool...
2.Delicious Pastries: I could eat Pain au Chocolate all day long.
3.Marches: Great cheese, flour, meats, produce - could you ask for more?

I put lipstick on Ellie on the drive up. It was really funny, she looks like a baby dinosaur.

Blame Canada!

Eating a delicious lunch of bagel sandwiches and jus d'orange at the Canadian Center of Architecture. Sorry New York, but Montreal bagels win.

I think because I see Brandon every day I forget how tall he is, but he really is.

A chapel at the Notre Dame

Killer stained-glass window

Celine Dion got married at this Notre Dame so get excited. It's actually amazing in here, every square in is decorated, just insane.

Ellie and Brandon at Olive et Gourmand's. Best trout sandwich ever. Drool....

Trying to hustle to the metro.

Canada's past at the Archeology Museum, these are the foundations from three different time periods.

At the top of the Tour.

Ellie getting ready in the morning.

Ellie not so sure about the poutine. I liked it.

Our driving snack on our way home - fresh from Marche Atwater.
A rare occurrence that bought us a few extra hours outside.
A blurry view of the Thousand Island area. Holy crap, that place is amazing. That's our next vacation spot.

I sheared Maggie just because it was time and now when she's super quiet she startles me because she looks like a giant rat.

All in all Montreal was really fun. We had to be in the hotel room twice a day for Ellie's nap but it was kind of nice, we were all rested and relaxed and were really able to enjoy our time outside. Brandon was excited because he got to practice his French and someone even thought he was Canadian. I even got to throw in my two French cents.

Frailty thy Name is Balance

I hate doing the dishes. I hate sweeping. I hate mopping. I hate having to clean the table 5 times a day just to do it all over again tomorrow. I hate getting beet stains off the wall. I hate cleaning the mirrors. I hate vacuuming. I hate that the house can't stay clean for more than 5 minutes. I hate that Ellie can't stay clean for more than 5 minutes. I hate that I have taken on every single responsibility of the household. I hate that I'm not in the pottery studio more. I hate that Brandon barely has time for us. I hate that I feel this way.

I hate that I have no answers.

Usually I would write a blog post once I have figured out my little crisis and had come around a new woman, better for having gone through a little crisis. But not today. I'm sure there are answers out there somewhere. My conscience is telling me that if I were less selfish I would probably stop hating all these things and could go on with my life full of love and charity for my family. My memory is telling me that it's not all bad and I actually enjoy the little victories in life that include getting rid of every type of stain known to man. My gut is telling me that when I get down, I should eat something.

And so I shall. We just bought some raw-milk cheddar and fig spread I think I'm going to break into. Also, I think there are raspberries in the fridge.

My father-in-law one day said that there is no real balance in life. Sometimes you have to do stuff you hate all the time and sometimes you get to do a lot of the stuff you love, but rarely is life 50-50. And so it is. Sometimes the mere fact that there is an end in sight, a light at the end of the tunnel has to suffice to get us through the times when we have to do a mountain of dishes for the third time that day. And let's be honest, my tunnels aren't that long.

So. I love my husband and how he makes me laugh. I love the way Ellie claps and waves to herself. I love when Brandon helps Ellie brush her teeth. I love that I'm healthy enough to take care of my family. I love when we sit down for a meal together. I love when we all read together. I love to cook. I love when Ellie goes to bed and Brandon and I can talk or watch a movie in peace. I love having a clean house. I love that Brandon is so grateful for the stuff I do. I love when we all go on hikes or swims. I love spending time in the pottery studio. I love singing in the car with Brandon and Ellie. I love to write. I love my family.