Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #11

I made this card for Karen Giron's sketch challenge. Thanks, Emily, for introducing me! Since this is my very first sketch challenge, I decided to really stick to the sketch! I did have to use a flower because I didn't own anything with butterflies on it. The whole card started with the cute flower buttons and just developed into a baby girl card. You'll find the sketch at http://kgiron.blogspot.com/

Birthday Whimsy

This is the card I made yesterday to fill the time while I was waiting for Ben to get home from work.

5 Spice Pork Chop

This recipe was a new one -- 5 Spice Pork Chop with Strawberry Salsa. I served it with broccoli and whole wheat couscous. This sounded good to me mainly because of the strawberries! I learned that 5 Spice Powder is found in the Asian aisle, not the spice aisle. When I pulled the spice jar out yesterday to make this recipe, I read the back to see what was actually in five spice powder. Anise jumped out at me. I hate anise! I drastically reduced the amount that I used so that the anise flavor wouldn't be prominent. The recipe says to pan fry the boneless pork chop, but I just browned it in the pan and baked it in the oven, hoping that it would be more tender. In the past, I've had problems with tough pork chops. Despite my efforts, it was still tough this time around. All in all, a fun recipe, but I've got to figure out how to master the pork chop.

New Knives

I also love to cook so this is my official announcement that this blog will also chronicle some of my cooking adventures. Today I bought some new knives. I'm super excited! Many cooks say that one of the foundations of a good kitchen is having good knives. I accidentally registered for serrated knives for our wedding. The kind that are supposed to never need sharpening. Yeah, right. Well, I've suffered with them for four years now and finally got fed up last night while trying to mince cilantro. I'm replacing the four knives I use the most and decided to go middle of the price road with Calphalon. I'm still not willing to shell out the big bucks for the Minolo Blahniks of knives. I chopped strawberries tonight and fully expected my new knife to slide through them like butter. I was slightly disappointed. Don't get me wrong. They're way better than my old ones. Anyone know if you're supposed to sharpen brand new knives before you use them?

Birthday Cards

Here are two cards that I made this week. They are actually the first cards that I've made since we moved. Sad to say. I desperately need to build my stash of birthday cards back up.

Blog Make-Over

I first started this blog when living in Michigan. The theme doesn't apply anymore so I re-vamped the whole thing. It's a blog make-over! I'm posting this picture of our new house in Texas to mark the change of direction this has taken. I'll probably be doing the same thing next year.... Such is military life.

Older and Wiser

Growing up is hard. Even though I've technically been "grown up" for awhile now, I've lately been facing more adult-like issues, and it is not fun. I just started a book called Bad Girls of the Bible. The first woman discussed is Eve, the original bad girl, the first to sin. She was an innocent who didn't even know what evil was. Genesis 3:7 says that her eyes, along with Adam's, were opened. They were opened after disobeying God and giving in to the temptation of the serpent. Thus far, the couple had lived in a perfect paradise. Then their eyes were opened to shame, to pain, to grief, to death. As I get older, I think I can relate more to Eve, what she was, and then what she felt when her eyes were opened. My eyes have been opened these last few months to grief, ranging from a lost pregnancy to facing the decline of a beloved and cherished grandparent. I think back to childhood days when life was not so weighty. I imagine that some of Eve's pain involved remembering what perfection was and then having to face the reality of their new world. I, by no means, claim that I've seen it all. I know for certain that if I had this conversation with an elderly person, they would tell me that I had a long way to go on life's road. I do, but growing up is hard.

A True Procrastinator

After a year of "thinking" about it, I have finally set up a blog. As I go to bed each night with all of my thoughts knocking around in my head and no one to tell them to since my husband is deployed a lot, I often wonder why I didn't do this sooner. I must say, it's been fun to decide what I'm going to write about tomorrow.

Smug Pregos

Any of you who are familiar with Bridget Jone's Diary are familiar with Smug Marrieds. They act confidently superior toward any single, unattached person and are probably trying to match-make among all their single friends in order to perpetuate their supposed bliss. Well, I've discovered that, along with Smug Marrieds, there are Smug Pregos in the world. Smug Pregos are friends who are pregnant and never let you forget it. They have taken their happiness and excitement a little too far. You hear about all aspects and ailments of pregnancy in any and all topics of conversation. Trying to steer conversation to anything other than imminent motherhood utterly fails until you just give up and let them ramble and repeat, asking a few pertinent questions while inserting nods in all the right places.
Sara: Did you hear the wind howling last night? I just couldn't fall asleep.
SP: I couldn't sleep either. I kept tossing and turning. I just can't get comfortable anymore
with my growing belly.
Sara: I just finished this great novel. It's widely acclaimed and has such a unique viewpoint.
SP: Oh, I don't read anything but baby books. Only six more months until Junior arrives,
and I must be up on the latest parenting trends.
Sara: I started a new diet for the New Year so that I can fit in the dress for the wedding I'm
in this summer.
SP: I know what you mean. I'm just fat, fat, fat. Yesterday I made a cake and ate the whole
thing. I'm hungry all the time. I think I'll run by McDonald's on the way home and then
order pizza for dinner. Do you want to come over for ice cream later? I have four flavors
in the freezer. I just love this eating for two thing!

Sara: *sigh* So, how was your last doctor's visit?
SP: Wonderful! I just happen to have my ultrasound picture in my purse....

If and when I get pregnant, I will be excited but as un-smug as possible.

The Post-it

I gave my blog its title because I often feel my life is mapped out on Post-its. It could be anything from to-do lists, grocery lists, phone numbers, messages, directions to someone's house, a tag on a favorite idea or recipe from a magazine, or a love note to my husband. But, really, does one person/household really need this many Post-its? I could probably find more, too, if I dug through my boxes of teaching stuff stored in the basement. Maybe having an over abundance of Post-its just comes along with a teaching degree. I would venture to say that I didn't even purchase most of these. They just seem to accumulate whether they were stocking stuffers or freebies from the bank or ones that I picked up from a hotel that I stayed at. Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. I love Post-its. I would have forgotten some very important things had the Post-it not been invented.