It's all about the Guac...

One of my favorite blogs, Boo Mama, is having a link up for dips!  Being a girl who has a fondness for dips...I thought I'd play along.  I have yet to meet a dip I didn't like.


Today, bloggy people, you are in for a treat.
My famous guacamole recipe.

Famous because it is requested by friends and family.
Famous because it has been a staple at work potlucks.
Famous because my husband didn't know good guacamole until he met me.


Now.  I can't take all the credit for this recipe.  It has been adapted from the Alton Brown recipe.  When I mentioned to my friend RJ that I make a damn good guacamole, he wanted to see my recipe as he was a guacamole snob.


Talk about pressure.  Good news is...he liked it.
But we tweaked it slightly.
And this, my friends....is THE guacamole recipe.
RJ and Big Guy approved.


Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime, juiced
1/2 t kosher salt (if you're using reglar ol' salt, cut back on this a bit.)
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t cayenne (oh yes!  Cayenne!)


1/2 a medium white onion, diced (this is critical.  yellow?  red?  nope.  White!)
2 roma tomatoes, seeded & diced
Up to 1 T chopped cilantro (this can be strong, so start with a little and add more if you want)
1 clove of garlic minced


In a large bowl, toss the avocado in the lime juice.  Coat well and drain off any excess in a small bowl (you'll use it in a minute!).  Using a potato masher, add the salt, cumin and cayenne and mash up the avocado.  Fold in onions, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice.


Let this sit at room temp for 1 hour before serving.
(if you're a food freak like me....it's OK.  It won't spoil.  Promise.)


Now, be sure to check out Boo Mama's blog and find a dip or two!
I'll be over here, warming up my Little Dipper Crockpot....

Doggie Photoshoot in my New Hat....

OK, Maggie.  We're going to take a photo of you wearing my new, handknit, stocking cap that Grandpa brought back from Norway.  The nice bloggy folks want to see how your growing and I want to show off the hat.

Hold still, will ya?  OK.  OK.  You need treats to do anything remotely cute.  Fine.  Have some treats.

OK, seriously, Maggie, hold still.  You want to lay down?  You can't be THAT tired.  You just woke up from your 6th nap of the day.  Here, have another treat.

OK, I'm serious.  You need to hold still.
Yes.  Yes.  This is a camera.  
Yes.  I'm taking your photo.  
No.  You don't need to go outside.  We just went 2 minutes ago.

Oh, for crying out loud.
Forget it.
Thank goodness I already talked to Grandpa last week to thank him for the hat.


(thanks again, Grandpa!)
(Jeg elsker du!)
(and I still think the calendar in your kitchen is written in Swedish, not Norwegian)

2011 3-day Wrap Up....Dr. Seuss Style

"Congratulations!  Today is your day!  You're off to great places!  You're off and away!"

(opening ceremonies)

 "You have a brain in your head.  You have feet in your shoes.  You can steer yourself any direction your choose.  You're on your own.  You know what you know.  And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go."

(I was the crew co-captain for sweep--so I literally decided where people would go!)

"You'll look up and down streets, look 'em over with care.  About some you'll say, 'I don't choose to go there.'"

(Top photo:  our team with Dynessa, route safety...who had to look up and down streets!  Bottom photo:  on Jody's couch.  Read about it here)

 

"Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you!"

"You'll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing.  With banner flip-flapping, once more you'll ride high!  Ready for anything under the sky.  Ready because you're that kind of guy!"

"I'm afraid that sometimes you'll play lonely games too.  Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you.  And when you're alone there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.  But you will go through the weather be foul.  On you will go though your enemies prowl."

(click here for her story)

"And will you succeed?  Yes!  You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)  Kid, you'll move mountains!  So be your name Amy, Dynessa, Kelley, Debbie, Angie, Annette, Rachel or Lyndsey, you're off to great places!  Today is your day!  Your mountain is waiting.  So.....GET ON YOUR WAY!"

(We missed you Amy!  But are so amazed at what has come your way!!)

3-day Hangover...

I currently have a  Breast Cancer 3-day hangover.

Maybe I can use the 4-year old expired motrin that is in this lovely headband....

Update and photos coming later this week.

I'd do it now, but I have a dog to watch, a house to clean, laundry to wash, groceries to buy and a detox to plan for all the sugar and carbs I've eaten all weekend. 

Apparently She Doesn't Want me to Go....

I was doing laundry to pack for the 3-day this weekend.

I turned around and this happened.

Sorry, puppers.  The sad puppy eyes won't work.

You're stuck at home with the Big Guy.

My Daddy....

Last night I talked to my dad.

He's currently laying in a hospital bed, by himself, waiting to have open heart surgery tomorrow.  You know that phone call....the one you make before something BIG happens.  Trying not to talk about the "what if's" because you don't want to jinx it.  Sort of, "If I don't talk about it, it can't be real and it won't happen."

Well.  It's very real.

And yes.  I DID offer to fly to Ohio to be with him before and after surgery.  I DID offer to come out after he got home to help take care of him.  I did this SEVERAL times.

But my daddy is stubborn.

He's proud.

He's not one to be fussed over.

And told me to "stay home".

So, I am.

If you're the praying type.....

If you're the "keep you in my thoughts" type....

If you're the "thinking of you" type....

If you're the "sending good ju-ju" type....

Whatever type you are....

Could you be thinking of my daddy today?

Because I really don't want to have to use that Power of Attorney just yet.

I'd prefer to save that for when he's 95 and refuses to move to Minnesota because it's too cold.


**EDITED TO ADD:  All went well!  He's now in recovery, the breathing tube has been removed and he's on some wonderful, super-duty pain meds.  My Aunt Kathy said, "You may want to wait until tomorrow to call....apparently he's not making sense."  ha!  

ACK! I need a Photo!

In my new role at the small community college, I work very closely with the upper administration--the college president, the VP's (one of which is my supervisor), deans....you name it.

Next week, before classes begin is the annual in-service for the entire college.  I've been asked to work on a presentation that normally I would present.  But because of a a little thing called the Breast Cancer 3-day, I will be gone.

I joked with my supervisor about inserting a photo into the presentation saying, "This is Kelley", because she keeps saying how she wishes I could be there (sorry, the guilt trip isn't going to work...I'm going to the 3-day). 

Well.

Yesterday she says to me, "I think you should put a photo into the powerpoint presentation!  That would be fun!"  I laughed and said, "OK" and then panic hit me. 

Serious photo?
Funny (but appropriate) photo?

What do you think?

Who knew that this would be the "big decision" to make today!

Week 3 with Maggie....

Slobbery squeeker skunk
The $3 bone got taken away by Charlie
An owner who feels bad and buys her a new one
Chewing on sticks
Getting into the crate is a little easier
Still rough housing with Charlie
Chewing on ice
Lethargic after getting her shots
A quiet restful afternoon after getting her shots
Ringing the bell successfully to go outside (YES!)
Having fewer potty accidents 
Not a fan of a clicker
Nipping at ankles 
Cuddling on the couch
Pig ears
Chasing grasshoppers and digging up a red-ant nest
Owners with sinus infections and bad summer colds (ugh)
Napping on the couch

Pinterest Project: House Rules.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  I LOVE PINTEREST.


One of the blogs I read, Young House Love, is having a pinterest challenge today to show off projects that you've made or have been inspired to create based on something you've seen from pinterest.


Here is what I've decided to create:

(I'd give credit as to where I found this, but the link no longer works--it was for someone's Etsy shop.  If this is yours--let me know!  I want to give you credit and link to your store!!)

I knew that the letters were stenciled on, but I didn't want a plaque that big.  When I saw this old camping chair....

I knew that was exactly what I needed.  
The Big Guy helped me out by cutting off the rivets.

And soon, we went from this....

to this...

I then, took off the hinges, painted the chair with a bit of white paint left over from our various wall painting adventures this winter.  

I went to JoAnn's and found smaller stencils and penciled out what would be our house rules.  Some stayed the same.  Some were different.  But they are "us", and the Big Guy even said, "hey!  I like that!"

I then painted in each letter...
And wala.....
The finished product.

What I learned...

• This is actually the 2nd set of rules.  The first set (photo evidence below) didn't turn out.  One of the reasons I didn't like it was because the paint was too thick.  It didn't dawn on me until 1/2 way through the project to thin out the paint a little with some water.  The result was easier painting, but the first half of the project looked gloopy and messy.

• I wanted to outline the letters to make them pop.  Originally I decided to use a thin marker, 

but....


I thought I'd get done faster with a thicker marker.  Well...it just made it look really, really, messy.  That and it made it look like a 5th grade art project.
I haven't been in 5th grade in, like, forever.  So....  

I may take a belt sander to it and start over.

Or toss it in the burn barrel.