Yesterday we had Christmas with my mom's side of the family. After my grandparents left, the rest of us were bored. So we did a puzzle. We are really good puzzle do-ers. Awesome puzzle do-ers. We finished this 500 piece puzzle in about an hour. I take credit for the orange truck-sled thingie and most of the sky. Phillip says that this doesn't count as doing a jigsaw puzzle, as I had assistance, but I think it counts, right?
Okay, this was a long time ago, but I just got the picture. My hair was even long when I completed this task.
I'll admit it. I have never taken vitamins. Ever. Until tonight. My doctor has been trying to get me to take a multivitamin since I started dental school. It's taken me three years to listen to him. I've heard that they can make your stomach upset, especially with the amount of iron my multivitamin has in it. I took it with a cupcake, so I hope that counts as enough food! I now am getting the following vitamins and minerals daily (we'll make Phillip be my vitamin policeman and make sure I keep it up):
We just sent out our Christmas cards a few days ago. It still seems weird to see us as "The Morgans." This was the only picture that we got with LuLu at the wedding, so we had to use it!
LOOK WHAT I GOT! I"M SO EXCITED THAT I CAN'T STOP TYPING IN ALL CAPS! Since I've been blogging, I've been pining away for a new camera. Phillip & I made a trip to Robert's Camera downtown on saturday for their after Thanksgiving sale and got this beauty for a steal. It is a Nikon D40, and I don't really know how to use it yet. It came with a free class in January, so maybe after that I'll be a little better. Here are some pictures that I took today at Phillip's family Thanksgiving.
Eating all of my Grandma's fabulous cooking on Thanksgiving inspired me to get all of my favorite recipes from both of my grandmothers. I was so excited that I was able to make copies of their original recipe cards in their handwriting, it means a lot to me to know that when I make these recipes, I'll be reading what they wrote. I am so excited to make all my favorite dishes: Apple Dumplings, Rice Pilaf, Cranberry Salad, Yeast Rolls, Enchiladas, and Eggless-Milkless-Butterless Cake from my grandma Evie, and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Butterscotch Pie, Ice Cream and Chocolate Fudge from my grandma Bonnie.
During our day of projects, Lynn & I also made homemade ravioli. We made cheese, lobster, and butternut squash fillings. The picture is butternut squash ravioli with a brown butter sage sauce. We made a ton of them and they are waiting in the freezer to be boiled up for a quick dinner.
Lynn came over today and we baked bread! It was her recipe for "Blue Ribbon Herb Bread" (actually I don't know what it's called, but that sounds good). It is so yummy, I could eat it every day, and it wasn't that hard!
I got my hair cut tonight! Don't you think Hannah did a good job?! It's a little redder than it looks in the picture, I really like it.
When I put this task on my list, I planned on making a piece of clothing for myself. After starting the winter with LuLu, however, I realized that she needed a coat. Finding clothing to fit a bulldog is not an easy task, so I decided to make one for her for Christmas. It is definitly not perfect, but I think she looks pretty good in it!
Today I taught LuLu how to stand on her back legs. She can actually stand there for quite a while!
I have been working on these all fall, aren't they cute!? Next up, a matching tree skirt!
** I have two more posts coming as soon as I get the photos to prove them!**
I made LuLu's christmas ornament today. I was going to buy her one, but the only one that I liked online was made out of polymer clay, which I had worked with before and I thought that I could make myself. So while Phillip was at his night class, I went to the store and got my supplies. It had been a few years since I had worked with polymer clay, and I had only used regular Sculpey brand clay, which when baked was pretty heavy. So when I saw Sculpey Ultra Light at the store I was pumped. It only came in white, but I was going to paint it anyway.
Here's the real LuLu with the fake one:
This is minced garlic. You'll need about two cloves.
This is a small canning jar. Go Ball State!
These are small pickling cucmbers cut in half, about a dozen.
This is yummy, yummy fresh dill.
This is pickling brine. It is just 3 cups of water, 6 tbsp white vinegar, and 2 tbsp kosher salt.
Step Two: Cram as many of those cucumbers in the jar.
Step Three: Fill with brine.
Step Four: Top with garlic.
Step Five: Put the lid on.
Step Six: This is the hardest step.
Here's a recipe for my new favorite drink, the Midori Sour:
