Prom-update

Here is Nas...almost ready to go!

Remy not quite sure about this whole prom thing......

Prom Appetizer

Nas is going to the CHS Prom tonight. We had a lot to do today to get ready. First I had to pick Nas up from a slumber party. Then we stopped at Laurel's to deliver some dog treats for Peanut & Percy and peek at baby Rowan while she was sleeping. She was so sweet & beautiful. Before we left, Laurel gave Nas two prom dresses. Cool! Thanks Laurel!!! Dresses from Laurel

I called about 25 different salons to see if anyone could fit Nas into have her hair styled into an updo. Everyone was booked. The very last place I called had an appt for Nas. Nas was very skeptical and said to me, "This is the place???!" She is used to posh, sleek salons. This was old fashioned downtown Camas. Well, Nas & the stylist got to talking and Nas knows her grandson. And...she did a great job on Nas' hair. It's just beautiful! Check back tomorrow for more photos!

I have finally settled on the shapes for the dog treats. I've been searching high and low for weeks. According to the surveys I sent out, the sizes people seem to like for their dogs are small & medium. I also baked some 'big boy' sizes too (for big boys & girls). I have new 'testers' and can't wait to hear what they say as well. It's exciting!

I finished a new batch yesterday. I tinkered with the recipe again. Remy was chief taste tester and gave the treats his seal of approval. Sorry I don't have any photos of that (my hands were busy with dough).

This sweet pea will be receiving a 'fun pak' of shapes on Monday (for all his pain & suffering). Look at that face!

Wrist Update

Matty had a follow up appt with the orthopedic surgeon today. The cast tech sawed off the old cast. Here is the saw. The inside was nasty. I will spare you the gross details. Let me just tell you that Matty had to triple wash his arm with extra strength soap. A new xray was taken and it showed lots of 'fluffy' new bone growth. Yay! Healing is happening!

New xray

After the xray, Matty received a new cast.

Camas colors this time: red & black.

Finished cast. Oh! And I was the FIRST to sign it this time. Remy was second. :)

Here is a movie of the cast tech sawing off the cast.

Pilates Kicked My Butt!

I barely survived Pilates today. I forgot how hard it is!! It was great to see my friend Kim (who is also the instructor). She looked super & was all tan from a vacation in the Bahamas. Nice!

I was not the only one who was new to the class. But since Kim knew me...she singled me out and yelled things at me like, "ERIN! Lift your legs higher!" and " Don't use your hands, ERIN!" and "ERIN! No feet on the floor!" Then she said to the class, "I know Erin and can tell her things like this. I don't know any of you other new people - so you are safe from my comments." Did I mention Kim wears a MICROPHONE during class so everyone can hear her?! Love you Kim! I know you only did it because you want me to succeed. I thank you for it. :) This Pilates ring almost killed me. My legs were shaking.

I wanted to pop the ball with a sharp instrument.

How am I feeling? I am sore. I can barely lift my arms or put one foot in front of the other. I know I will feel much better in 6-8 weeks and may even be able to lift my legs higher and quit using my hands for support. At least that's my goal!

Pilates!

So excited! Tomorrow I am starting pilates again. It's been 5 long years. Too long!

*Note: That is NOT me in the photo! Thanks for compliment Matty!

Aye, Aye Skipper!

70* outside today and we were not going to waste it indoors! We headed out on the Columbia. Skipper - preparing the bait.

Skipper & Matty

Skipper & Matty preparing more bait.




Skipper & his blue herring.



Barge - too close for comfort!



Matty



Skipper

Remy - he had to stay home with Nas. The water was too bumpy for Remy today. Remy only enjoys the boat when the water is calm. He freaks when it's windy like today.

I will admit right now that I am Gilligan! I forgot the fish finder (my job!!) today and only realized it when we had already launched the boat. Skipper wasn't happy. I also thought today was a fishing day and looked on the Dept of F & W website (too late & on the boat!!!) to find out that there is NO FISHING on Sundays! ooops! Good thing I really LOVE Skipper and our relationship isn't like the tv show!

Goodnight & sleep tight!

These two photos are from last night. You should have heard the snores coming from Remy. It was like he was sawing logs.

Look at those sweet teeth (& that grey chinny, chin, chin!)!

Sweet dreams!

Remy really does sleep on his back sometimes. It's interesting!

Shredded Beef?

Omid learned something from his coworker Javier today. Javier told Omid that in most Mexican restaurants, 'shredded beef' in tacos, fajitas, flautas, chimichangas, etc. is in fact...TONGUE!!!!! I always order shredded beef! So, when I think that I only eat tongue once or twice a year, I am in fact eating it much more. You may be too. Remember the facts about tongue. It is tasty...it is NOT heart healthy. If you need a refresher, here it is:


Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
1 piece, cooked, excluding refuse (259.0 g) 3 oz (85.0 g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories
736
Calories from Fat
520
% Daily Value*
Total Fat
57.8g
89%
Saturated Fat
21.0g
105%
Trans Fat
2.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1.9g
Monounsaturated Fat
26.2g
Cholesterol
342mg
114%
Sodium
168mg
7%
Total Carbohydrates
0.0g
0%
Protein
50.0g

Netflix This!

Frozen River.

What a great movie. What a depressing movie.

This movie is sad, sad, sad and sad. Though it is sad in a good way. This movie is about poor people & what they have to do to make it. It was so good and yet so sad. You will feel bad and yet good for watching it. Is that confusing? I loved this movie! But...still feel terribly depressed after watching it.

Rent it...it's wwwaaayyy better than Slumdog Millionaire!!!!

Fish On!!

Omid and Matty went fishing in St. Helens today. They each caught a spring Chinook. Matty's was 15# and Omid's was 12#. Omid's salmon has bite & scratch marks from a seal on its side. Yikes!

Tongue Tied! *Updated*

Omid really loves a good cow tongue sandwich. Yesterday, he and a coworker were swapping cow tongue recipes. After work, Omid stopped at Winco and bought TWO cow tongues.

Don't worry...no raw cow tongue touched Omid's face. I was standing by with carbolic acid just to make sure!! (JUST KIDDING!!!).

Taste buds up close.

Tongues ready for their 6 hour simmer (Omid added the 'secret' ingredients after I posted the picture).

Omid started the tongues at 6:00 p.m. He went to bed at 10:45 p.m. as he had to get up early for a fishing date. That left me to take care of the tongues at midnight. I watched a bunch of Cesar Millan episodes (how cute is he?!) and tackled the tongues. I pulled them from their vat of spices and ripped off the taste buds. I was going to take a picture or two, but didn't want to be responsible for vomit on various keyboards/monitors. Let's just say the taste buds resembled dried pig's ears.

The tongue meat was beautiful. Tongue is really tasty if you can get over the fact that you are actually eating tongue. I have to think of something else or I gag. Otherwise, I think it tastes like roast beef.

Let me know if you want a sandwich or two!

*update:

Here's some info I found on beef tongue today (& why we only eat it once a year!).

1 3 oz piece has 736 calories and 57.8 grams of Fat (21 g of that saturated). Not the healthiest part of the cow!

Sculpey

Yesterday I ventured into Craft Warehouse (twice in one week - dangerous!) and purchased some Sculpey Clay. I love Sculpey! I was just looking for something to keep my hands busy (besides housework!) and thought I would make some dog magnets. It's been quite a few years since I have worked with anything besides Play Doh and my fingers were a bit rusty. Here are a few of the first magnets I made. They were supposed to be "thank you's" for my friends who have let their dogs be guinea pigs for all the dog treats I've been baking. Peanut.

First try on Peanut. The ears wouldn't cooperate.

Making a 'flat' Peanut worked out a little better, but still not right. I will keep trying on this one.

Goliath.

Goliath's magnet turned out more Lhasa Apso/Shih Tzu than terrier. Hmmmm.....I will keep trying on this one too.

Molly.

Molly.

I just couldn't resist making a magnet of baby with peppercorn hair. Too cute. Must be all those adoption blogs rubbing off on me.

I am going to make these!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/happy_sleepy/827459378/in/photostream

I love this idea! I found it on http://www.notmartha.org/ last year and was just thinking about it today. I think they would look so adorable on my picket fence gates (front & back).

Rain, Rain Go Away

I remember way back in December I said I wasn't going to complain about the rain anymore. Well, I am going to break that promise. I am so tired of dark, dreary, wet, windy & cold days. The only cure for a day like this is to make Golden Winter Soup. I made it a few times before Christmas and I am making it right now. This kind of weather just begs for a meal like this. The kitchen smells really good too. It almost makes me forget the weather outside. This weather is bad for baking though. I made peanut butter cookies yesterday that didn't quite turn out and I had the same problems with a batch of dog treats. I was going to make homemade rolls, but thought it would be better not to chance it (after my baking results from yesterday). So I bought a big bag of potato rolls instead. Can't wait for dinner!

**Omid doesn't care for 'velvet' soups, so I just puree the butternut squash & leeks and not the potatoes. It give the soup some 'substance.' I also added shredded chicken this time.