Birthday Cake

     I'm ok with making my own birthday cake. Wubs is wonderful but he's not gonna bake me a cake. This girl NEEDS cake. I just found this recipe in my blog feed.

Cheesecake filled ginger-bread bundt cake.

UMMMM...YES PLZ!!

Doesn't that just scream everything good and Fall-ish.

     I'm in the mood for some fall baking...I should have all the ingredients by this Friday...which I took off work...so I could do what I wanted...like baking and eating bundt cakes.

MMMMM. HMMMMM.

Full Heart / Full Garage

     So I got to cross a few more things off my goal list this week. One of them was moving the TV into the family room. This was Mr. Man’s day yesterday and it was completely voluntary. I was surprised when the TV mount arrived in the mail a couple of weeks ago. It was one of those “to do someday” things but it was in the back of my mind as a heart’s desire. 

          Wubs made it a reality all on his own. 

     It was no small task. It took him about three hours and was done with his usual accuracy and precision. The wall had several tiny pencil marks scratched in it that all made sense to him, their end result being a perfectly centered TV mount. He commented to the air half way through, “Their level is off.” He had been using his fancy leveler and decided to test the one that came in the box with the mount. Apparently it failed. Another comment muttered to the air with great frustration, “Ah man that’s gonna annoy the crap out of me.” I pipe up from the next room over, “What?” 

     “Oh sorry, I thought you were outside.”

     “Well I’m not. LOL. What’s wrong?”

     “I thought the light was centered directly over the fireplace but it’s not. It’s off center by about an inch or two. It’s gonna bug me.”

     I think I told him next that he can be such a girl sometimes because those are the things that bug women. To be honest it will bug me. Especially since it has now been pointed out to me. 

     

          *notice the two piles of grass on the kitty scratcher at his feet…giggle. Nip. It’s the best stuff ever for fur brains. Those piles may not look it but they have been sufficiently reduced by kitty licks.

     And if that wasn’t enough. He then trucked me over to Ikea and picked up a couch for me. One I have been drooling over for a while now. I feel spoiled! I told him this whole month has felt like one big birthday party for me. After that we drove over to Vancouver to pick up my corner hutch. Our garage is full now. 

This couch is in those boxes.

     I am spoiled I tell you! SPOILED. What bag of wonderfulness did this man of mine come from? Seriously it's not about the stuff for me. In fact I've expressed a few times how I thought he might be being a little extravagant and won't the couch just get ruined with children and yada yada to which I just get a stare over the tops of his glasses...the stare means be quite woman and just let me do this for you. 
     Side note: the people we bought the corner hutch from said they had the exact same couch in white as well and oh yeah...they had 6 children under 10...he said the couch is awesome...you just pull the covers off and wash...that made me feel a little better about the investment.
      Our sweet brother and sister in law let us borrow the F350 super duty to haul everything around these past couple of days. On the way over to Vancouver over the rumble of the diesel engine Wubs had the radio on and serenaded me. This man can sing. This song came on:

     *Is there some music video rule about inappropriateness? 'Nuph said on that point...needless to say, I just don't get it.
     Wubs started singing along in a massively impressive falsetto. 
     I'm gonna swing from the chandelier...from the chandelier...
     It was frighteningly good. I COULD NOT STOP laughing!!
      Then this song came on:

Wubs said: This was my song before I met Kimberly.
Awwwwwww!!!
Seriously. Heart is full. Heart is happy.

New Old Dish Hutch

     Well, the hutch has arrived in my garage after much planning and a loss of a Friday night on Wubs’s part. He did NOT want to go pick it up tonight. I felt guilty sending him. He had the worn out look from head to toe but was determined and came home with my spoils. 

He’s gonna get the corner hutch tomorrow. 

     This hutch is so cute!! I didn’t realize it was one SOLID piece. The top does not come off the bottom. It made it a trial to move. HEAVY is the word.

     Now I have a dilemma. To paint or not to paint. Wubs kept going on and on about what a great piece of furniture it was. The lady told us it had a veneer but when Wubs picked it up he realized right away it was solid wood… no veneer. He said more than a few times, “I don’t know why you want to paint it”. Then I started to question if I really wanted to…now that I see it. I'm pretty sure it will reduce any value it might have. But I'm not sure the wood is the look I'm going for in my family room. 

     I spent the night putting together two adirondack chairs whilst watching one of my favorite shows that just added new episodes on Netflix. If you love BBC then you have to watch "Call The Midwife". It's the sweetest show ever. I had to watch it through a fur ball.

     He decided to plant himself squarely in front of me for some reason. I think he thought my popcorn bowl might be something for him. Earl grey and popcorn. 

     A definite Friday night combination.

     I got the two Adirondack chairs for free and they came with much assembly required. I started one last night and got confused with the directions. It required an engineers touch.

    He figured it out.

Boo observed. He's a good observer.

Bye Bye Lemon Pie

      I finally finished painting my kitchen and family room. Well, almost finished. I still have to touch up the ceiling in places. Then I’ll be done. 

     Man was I tired when I finished yesterday. I woke up this morning and decided not to go to work. I had one more vacation day I needed to use before the fiscal year change October 1st. If ever there was a day I needed rest. I got a full body work-out yesterday….all day.

     I’ve been hunting on Craig’slist for furniture and managed to find two pieces that I have wanted for a long time. They’re on the “goals” list on the fridge.

     The magnet covers the word "goals". I scratched this out one day on a whim but I'm realizing that simply chicken scratching out your goals and dreams and posting them up where you'll walk by them every day makes them that much closer to happening. It motivates me in a small way to accomplish things. Reading it every morning brings goals in the back of my brain to the front. If brains have backs and/or fronts. You know what I mean. Don't you?

Don't laugh...I'm in my thirties and still have all my wisdom teeth. 

Anyway...     Here's the in-between lemon pie be gone transformation:

     And the finished:

     

     Anyway, back to the furniture hunting. I found this and Wubby is gonna pick it up for me this week:

    Sometimes I cannot believe the things you can find for dirt cheap on Craig’slist. Seriously so happy about this find. It will fit perfectly in this space:

     Then I found this:

     I've had my other dish hutch cat-y wompus in the corner and it just doesn't fit...but this corner hutch will. This is where I will put it if it's still available.

     And those two pieces...under $200...yup. Awesome sauce. I plan to transform them so they match.

     Something like this. Now I just have to learn how to do it :)

Blue Tape

     I spent yesterday morning taping my family room and kitchen. 

     I'm so ready for the yellow to be gone. I'm almost there. I still have to tape all the windows once Wubs removes the blinds. Then tape around the kitchen counter and I'll be ready to go. I got my paint Friday and my stir sticks. Got my rollers and my paint brushes. This is gonna be a paint-full day. 

But I'm sure to have company:

          This cat likes to stuff his body where it doesn’t really fit. When I pulled the dish hutch away from the wall he took it as an invitation to make himself fit there. Do you see his left front paw on the table keeping his fat body on the shelf? 

Skillz.

He remained there for and hour, foot on table, head dangling. 

Furry company always keep me entertained.

Belly Bumps (No, Not Those Kind)

I got the following text from Wubs today:

“Guess what? Couple hundred welds! Not one leak! 95% of the welds are mine! Good day! Love you!”

Can you feel the happiness?

     Last night he came home and told more “belly bump” stories. I call them belly bump stories because of a mental image Wubs created for me about what goes on in man’s world. The never ending competition for man-ly-ness. Who’s man-ly-er than who? Have you ever seen two bucks lock horns and fight? Belly bumping is a lot like that only with bellies instead of antlers.

Belly bump:  “I weld faster than you.”

Belly bump: “I’ve been here longer than you.”

Belly bump: “You shouldn’t have a van. You’re just an apprentice.”

Wubs’s belly bump: “You may weld faster than me, but my one weld is faster than your two.” (He may be guilty of a belly bump or two…he is a man after all).

     His point was validated today when they tested the system he did most of the work on.  Today’s lack of leakage was a direct result of his over-attentiveness. He can move very slow mind you but when he is done with something it is usually dang near perfect and it’s hard to argue with the time he spent doing it. 

     When I came home I told Wubs I was writing a post about belly bumping. He got “in character” and let me record this:

     Then he reminded me of the old Disney cartoon Robbin Hood and Friar Tuck’s “Get out of my church” scene. I couldn't find the short clip in English but it's even funnier when you can't understand what Friar's saying:

Yet another Wubby-ism downloaded to his subconscious via a childhood cartoon...LOL!!!

A Clump Of Sad

     Whatever you may think this post is about after glancing at the title…you’ll probably guess wrong. That was an all up front, I’m being straight with you disclaimer. It’s actually not sad at all. It’s kind of funny. Unless, of course, you’re Wubs. Then it’s very sad. He said so himself…

     It all began when we were romping around Costco preparing for our August Timothy Lake trip. We were in the belt loosening glow of vacation expectation. As a result, a few (well maybe more than a few) items that would normally never make it to the cart, had their lucky day and made the trip home with us. One of those items was much desired by Wubs. 

     Can I just say macadamia nuts must have gold nuggets in their centers. A least I feel that way when I have to pay for them…I actually think they are more expensive than their weight in gold. 

By now you may have guessed one of the mystery items.

Kirkland Signature Salted Carmel and Milk Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nut Clusters

To Wubs, THEY ARE gold.

     We were so careful the entire week of camp. We made sure they were in a cool place to ensure that they would remain in cluster form. We only ate a few as there is always WAY TOO MUCH food at camp. When it was time to go, we packed the truck carefully and Wubs made sure to put the clusters in the center console of his truck where they would remain cool and clustery. We drove all the way home and unloaded some of the car. We were bushed and only took out the essentials. The next day Wubs walked in the door with his salted carmel, milk chocolate and macadamia nut moosh. We totally forgot about them. The nice cool place in the center console became an oven and reformed our little clusters in to a milk chocolate pond.

     The container cooled and Wubs has hacked at it bit by bit with a spoon scraping off a few chocolate shavings and the occasional nut. Last week he lifted the container from the counter, made eye contact with me and said in a forlorn voice, “This just makes me so sad...” to which we both busted up laughing.

     Oh but today, man oh man…I REALLY needed some chocolate. Yup it was one of those days. A Monday day.  I hacked and I cut and I pride that clump of sad FREE. I chopped it up into more manageable bites. 

When Wubs comes home he’ll be so happy.

Da clusters R back!!

Silent Warring

          This has been a week of silently warring in my heart and mind. I don’t want to plug my ears and ignore the darkness in this world but sometimes I need to distract myself or it will overwhelm me. I looked out the window at work yesterday and saw all the flags that line our drive at half-mast. It took me a minute to realize the date and remember.

     I get daily emails that update me on the horrors taking place across the ocean. No family should have to endure what some of these people are facing. Some of these emails I don’t read because I just can’t take the sadness. I just pray, "Oh God, help them and comfort them". The last one I read shook me to my core. This is what it said:

     The situation in Iraq is so evil and dark that many have said that "it seems the world is ending soon." Hundreds of Yazidi children were brutally killed last week by the jihadists, and no one seems to take notice. Kalil and his wife were rescued by our teams, but he lost all four of his children. Kalil was so broken and emotional, while he shared his story with our workers at the "Community of Hope" refugee camps, that I want to ask you to please forward his story to your team members. Kalil said:

     "We migrated because Islamic fighters were coming for all of our villages. We lived more than 50 miles from the nearest facilities, but were forced to walk and hide in the mountains of Sinjar. I knew that death was destroying other families, but I had no idea what would happen to our family. I gave them everything we had and begged them to release us. They beat us and tied our hands together so we could do nothing as they took our children away. Days later, I found our four children's bodies on the rocks of a nearby mountain. My nine-year-old daughter was raped and then badly killed.”

     After reading that through again it is so horrible I feel I must apologize for the shock if you were not ready for it but what is happening needs to be discussed. It needs to be stopped and the victims need our help. The depths of depravity people can sink to is nothing new to this broken planet. They do it in the name of their cause and justify their actions by it. Nothing will stop us from reaching such and such a goal, it doesn’t matter who stands in our way. If they are not with us they are rubbish and will be treated as such. Convert or die. I wish I had some way to promote real help for the people who are caught in the midst of this insanity. All I can do is to write about those who are helping in the thick of it in the hopes of garnering support. 

     RUN ministries has started camps and are daily rescuing and giving aid to refugees forced from their homes and running in terror from those who want to harm them. There is obviously a desperate need for monetary aid. They are supplying food and shelter and are in great need of medical supplies. These are good people doing good things and some times at the cost of their own lives. Several of run ministries team members have already lost their lives in the intense effort to find and rescue refugees. 
     I know this is heavy. It’s just weighing on my heart and mind and this is me doing what I can…

      I have had my “peace” music on all week. I created a “Haley Westenra” radio station on Pandora and have had it playing in my ears all week at work. Haley has one of the most beautiful soprano voices. Her music and music like it takes my mind off of things. I tend to dwell. I discovered this song this week too by composer Karl Jenkins.

     My first question when I was done listening to that absolutely gorgeous choral piece was what are they saying? I researched a little and discovered they weren't saying anything at all. Karl writes this music specifically for voice strictly as an instrument. It's just interesting...and might I add...gorgeous.
     Another distraction I have been at this week is the hunt for a paint color. Remember the lemon pie kitchen. Yeah...I still hate it. I have been buying and trying paint samples this week.

     I didn't quite like any of these. Then I found this one today:

     It's a keeper. I wanted to get started painting today but next friday they are having a 40% off sale on paint...I think I'll wait for that... they wanted $50 a gallon...ummm wha? No. I'll wait for the sale thanks. I was kind of thankful for the wait though. I was bushed from cleaning the whole house and grocery shopping and making dinner in the hopes Wubs would be home to eat it. He wasn't...he's been working all day again today.

     OUCH!! I'm sitting here typing with my toe hanging out of the end of the blanket when all of a sudden I felt a little chomp in it. I pulled it under the covers fast and looked over my computer to see a guilty little Brewster face. Sorry momma. I didn't mean it...LOL...they never bite. The shame on his face...LOL...just LOL. You could tell he didn't know it was attached to me. Sooo cute...

See...he's a lover not a biter. He gives hand hugs.

Anyway...I need to post more and not write mile long posts...if you've endured to the end well, thank you. I know this post is kind of bipolar. It seems a little vain to post about my life's little happenings when so many lives are in unimaginable turmoil. All I can say is that I am so incredibly thankful for freedom. God bless and comfort those who live daily without it.

Oriental Chicken Salad Yum

     The best thing about today was my lunch. The day was pretty boring. Another blah blah Monday. I mention my lunch because I plan on sharing the yum. Oriental Chicken Salad on the cheep and easy. All of the recipes I found for it called for making your own dressing. I was in one of those make it easy moods again and bought the dressing. Any Asian Sesame dressing of your choice will do. Here’s what you’ll need:

Cabbage

Green Onions

Bean Sprouts (Optional but I like them ‘cause the add extra crunch)

1 to 2 cups cooked chicken (I used a whole roasted chicken from Costco…my husband is a finicky chicken eater so only Costco roasted chicken for him but really any cooked and chopped chicken will do.)

1 Package Ramen Noodles

A couple of handfuls of Slivered Almonds

1 1/2 Tablespoons Oil

Asian Sesame Dressing of your choice

     I kind of eye ball how much of each of these ingredients to put in the salad. Chop desired amount of cabbage up (I also chopped a little Romaine Lettuce up that I needed to use up and mixed it in…more cabbage than lettuce though…it’s sweeter…I like sweet). Chop desired amount of green onions. Combine desired amount of cabbage, green onions, bean sprouts, and cooked chicken. Heat oil up in a small pan. Break up Ramen Noodles, discard the spice packet, pour them in the pan with the oil and fry them till light brown. They will cook quickly (about a minute or two). Then add the slivered almonds (don’t add them at first with the noodles because they will burn). Fry noodles and almonds until the almonds are lightly toasted. Let them cool and add them to the cabbage and chicken mix. Pour over the mix your desired amount of Asian Sesame Dressing. 

Best. Salad. Ever.

Early Birthday Present

     I’m on a big learning curve right now. I just had to google if a Mac has a version of Microsoft Office. I usually type up my blog post in Microsoft Word before copying and pasting them into blogger. Wubs bought me and early birthday present. He leaned over to me Tuesday night and asked me if I wanted a Mac for my birthday. I said yes and that I’d also like to get Pro-tools, I midi capable keyboard and a mic so I could start recording. I was dreaming. When I rolled over and made the morning sleepy awkward eye contact across the pillow to him, he contorted his face into a crooked smile and said, “Your birthday present should be available Wednesday”.

Me: “UMMM. What??”

Wubs: “I bought you your computer last night. You said you wanted it.”

     Then there was that awkward processing of being slightly angry at the money spent and extremely happy that I was that much closer to finally getting the ability to record within reach. Do I be mad? Or glad? I mentally processed.

Wubs: “We talked about it last night and you said you wanted it.” (Apparently my face communicated my mental angst).

Me: “Of course I want it, who wouldn’t want it? Just because I was excited about it doesn’t mean I was ready to spend the money on it. Oye.”

Wubs: “Just be happy and say thank you. (Said with a big smile and a knowing laugh)”.

Me: “Thank you. You spoil me.”

     He plans on getting me my keyboard and mic soon as well as Protools. I learned the basics of Protools in college but that was about ten versions ago. It will be another learning curve when I get that and I will most likely end up paying for the education of its use. 

  

     I’ve questioned several times if this is the right thing to do or not but it has been on my heart forever. I am trusting God with provision. I have found that when we take risks He has always met us. Last month I was leading worship for one of our church’s Friday night prayer meetings and for some reason it turned into a time of person after person releasing promise over me and confirming what was in my heart about music and writing songs. You are going to do a cd. You need to release these songs. It got to the point where I felt a little bit uncomfortable with the attention. I walked out of that night saying, “Ok God, if this is what You want me to do, You know what it will take to do it.” The funny thing is, my husband wasn’t even there and I have barely talked to him about what it will take to record. Tuesday when he rolled over and asked me about getting this computer my answer was one of the first times I mentioned to him what was truly in my heart. He is more of a “leaper” than I am when it comes to financial decisions and I’m glad that he is. I don’t think we would be in a home if he didn’t push on doors I was afraid to even approach. I think God knew what He was doing when He put this man in my life.

     So that’s what’s new with me. Dreaming a little dream.

     I had help learning my new computer:

So the help wasn’t very knowledgeable but he was kinda handsome:

    In other news I made 72 cupcakes yesterday. Children’s ministry was ending their Vacation Bible School with a BBQ. I provided some of the desserts:

     I went the easy route and used a box this time. Three boxes. Chocolate, vanilla & strawberry. I even used fake icing. I just didn’t have enough time yesterday. Sometimes you just need to make it easy on yourself ya know?
     I also made Wubs a nice dinner since we hadn’t had one in a while. Enchiladas, Mexican Rice, Zucchini & Summer Squash:

This is a free-bee ‘cause I just think some things are stinkin’ funny: