Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Traveling Fools--World Series Red Sox vs. Cardinals

Three weekends ago was Chicago.  Two weekends ago was Indianapolis.  And last weekend was St. Louis--we're taking advantage of our proximity to awesome places.


Yep, we did it.  We did the crazy and we drove down to St. Louis for the World Series.  We left at noon on Saturday, arrived in the city by 3:30 p.m. Central Time, enjoyed some blissful hours in the city and a fantastic baseball game, and headed home at 11:30 p.m. Central Time, arriving at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time and were sitting in church by 10:00 Sunday morning.

It was a whirlwind, and it was so fun.

Ever since the Jazz broke my heart in 1998, I've hesitated to begin a new relationship with a professional team.  But Preston is lighting the fire for me again with his passion for the Red Sox.  I don't get into sports because I get too into sports.  And the nail-biter of a game last Saturday night that didn't go our way could have been one of those deeply depressing evenings.  But it was just too good of an experience.  We were surrounded by (mostly) awesome fans--Cardinal (mostly) and Sox fans alike.  We were all dizzy with the American spirit and love of the game.  Singing God Bless America with 46,800 people during the 7th inning stretch, lead by a sailor in the Navy, gave me chills.  Despite that angering, fateful error at third base in the bottom of the ninth that stripped us of victory for the second game in a row, we had an amazing time in St. Louis.

And the Sox beat those Cardinals the next two nights.  Boo Ya.  See you at Fenway.

For it's 1...2...3 strikes you're out at the old ball game!
















Let's go Red Sox!

Monday, October 28, 2013

{Recipe Share} "Cheddar Bay" Buiscuits

I had planned on sharing a special recipe with you: my dad's bread recipe.  I had planned on taking pictures of the steps, showing you his secret ingredient, and imagining your excitement to try it yourself.

I did get started in my plan:





^^The secret ingredient


But then I FAILED.

My bread didn't turn out.  (Yeast is as temperamental as a teenager. : / )


Totally flat, ugly bread.  It tastes great, but in no way does bread like that give me the right to share the recipe with you.

So instead I'm sharing something much easier and quicker.  You might have seen the recipe on Pinterest already.  Well, I tried it and we loved the result.

"Cheddar Bay Biscuits"--Red Lobster style.


Recipe found {here}.

So laugh with me at homemade bread gone wrong while we all stuff our faces with cheese-garlic-butter delight.

~K

PS-  I didn't have any garlic powder, only garlic salt or fresh cloves, so I went with the salt, increasing the amount a bit, and the biscuits still turned out great.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Sweet Caroline...in St. Louis?

To drive 10 hours within 24 to go see a World Series Red Sox game in St. Louis, or to not?


These are the life questions my husband and I find ourselves asking each other.


Do we have the energy?  Man, that's a long drive.  But it's the Red Sox.  In the World Series.

And how blessed we are to have such questions, for it won't always be that we're capable of living so spontaneously.

Our sacrifice would be substantial: sleep, energy, and time--all things most rare and valuable to the husband right now.

Not much can compete with our couch and a cup of cider with which to watch the games.

But what an opportunity to watch the Red Sox play live in the World Series.

The other night, Preston and I finished watching Fiddler on the Roof (it took us a bit).  I felt discouraged after the movie, so Preston played some clips from Singing in the Rain to cheer me up. What distinctly different movies.  How different our human experiences.  How vast the scope of culture.  How overwhelming and energizing and wonderful is this world.  I want to tangle my fingers in its threads, to capture its stories, to fiddle in its offerings.

Yet how much can I explore from the comfort of my home, and how much to find through extremities of time and effort?

Stadium lights.  Hot dogs.  Baseball caps, scarves, and mittens.  Napoli and Ortiz knocking the ball out of the park.  Camaraderie, all in the name of the game.

Yeah, yeah, I know, I came into this marriage with my own Yankees jersey.  But I was never a die hard, and Preston's Sox Fever is contagious--that excitement and loyalty towards his team is hard to beat.

And it will always be his team, which makes me think maybe I should let it be mine.

So, do we go?

Monday, October 21, 2013

I [finally] had a birthday


As you probably know, I had a birthday.

I love new beginnings, and a birthday is the most personal new beginning we can each have.

My sister commented that I was very excited about my birthday considering how old I turned.  After strongly letting her know that 24 is not old, I told her that we all have to turn the next number each year, so we might as well look forward to it.  Besides that, I love any reason to celebrate with those I love, especially over good food.


However, my birthday did not start off with good food.  It started out at Cracker Barrel.^^  (Sorry to those of you who are loyal.)  For the longest time Preston and I have joked about stopping at every Cracker Barrel we pass along the freeway.  I had never been to one before, and Preston insisted that part of our mortal initiation, along with things like learning to ride a bike and graduating high school, is eating at Cracker Barrel.

Well, consider me initiated.  In our dizzying optimism, we thanked Cracker Barrel for putting food in our bellies.  And then we checked it off our list and forever (fingers crossed) put it behind us.


Next up was the Indianapolis Museum of Art, which was wonderful.  I love museums.  And to those of you already thinking it, Yes, I'm an utterly annoying museum goer...I take pictures at museums that allow it (gasp!).  I know.  Strangle me if you wish.  But I want to remember what the art inspires in me.


^^Take this lovely lass.  Isn't she stunning?  Don't you get butterflies in your stomach just looking at her and feeling the wind around your legs, breathing in the sea?  And when you read that her father is the painter, and they are at their summer getaway, the experience is that much sweeter.


^^Does not this scene make you relive every childhood fairy tale in one moment? 


^^I can't "pin it," so I obviously had no choice but to snap a shot of my future couch.


^^No one can put magic into the daily grind like Rockwell.

Yep.  I "nerd out" in museums.


Shopping followed the museum, and then a fancy dinner downtown and a stroll through the city streets ended our day.




(I'm going to interrupt myself for a second: Oh my gosh why don't I carry my real camera???!  So disappointed that grainy was the best we could get for the rest of the night. :(  Darn.)






I am no good at taking it easy, yet I'm blessed with ample time to myself to do as I please.  Many a person has told me to enjoy this rare time to just relax.  Instead, I write list upon list of things to accomplish in a day and then ignore it because I want "freedom", causing unnecessary guilt.  So, one of my new goals is to fully partake in whatever I'm doing.  If I'm taking it easy, then I'm going to really do that--without thinking of all the things I could or should be doing besides reading.

I'm looking forward to another year of adventures, tough times, lessons learned, and colorful memories.

Thanks for the many birthday wishes and messages of love.  I'm truly and deeply grateful.
And to any of you with a nearby birthday, have a good one. :)

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

{Book} Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

This book was mesmerizing, infuriating, enlightening, empowering, exhausting, frustrating, powerful, sad, funny, and ironic all in 230 pages.  I knocked it out within 24 hours.  I feel conflicted after reading it; this book gave me a night of insomnia--a night filled with thoughts and concerns about culture, parenthood, ambition, and happiness.

I also wonder if Amy Chua has discovered a way to add a 25th hour to her day, based on what she seems to accomplish.  Geez.

Read this book.  It will change you, in some little way at least.

Monday, October 14, 2013

{Dear Martha Anne} Practically Locals

Dear Martha Anne,

Mod 1 (Semester one packed into the first half of a regular semester) for Preston ended last week.  So we celebrated in Chicago for the weekend.  We love Chicago, and that city just continues to capture my heart.

We began our adventure at the Chicago LDS temple, attending both Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.  It is a beautiful building and we were so glad to have attended.


As you should well know by now, I vacation for the food.  Really.  I get very excited about what we're going to eat.  So, first up about our weekend is our time spent eating.

Since we enjoyed Lou Malnati's so much last time we were in Chicago (post here), we decided to go again.


And again, we got the wings with the Gorgonzola cream sauce.


We tried the house special, and enjoyed it, but our pepperoni from last time definitely made a better impression than this dish.  We ended up taking half of our pizza back to our hotel and giving it to the night worker.  We enjoyed his gratitude more than we would have enjoyed our leftovers.



But this "pizza cookie" made up for the mediocrity of our pizza.  


Obviously.


We breakfasted at Elly's Pancake House, which had a rather low Quotient (our rating system for restaurants; in a nutshell, cost x quality x quantity).  The Original Pancake House definitely has a better Quotient.  This place got a 3.5 out of 10.  But the food was tasty nonetheless.


Our meal at Portillo's Hotdogs was easily our favorite, with well cooked meat, a delicious and addicting poppy seed bun, and wonderful custard at good prices.  I'd have eaten there again immediately after we finished our meal.




Aside from filling our bellies, we had a wonderful time wandering around this city, shopping and enjoying the beautiful architecture.  I can't wait until we go back, where we have plans for Lincoln Park, the Art Institute, and Wrigley Field.









Thanks Chicago, see you again soon.

And as for you, Martha Anne, you have a good week.

Love,

Me

PS--My birthday is this week...Can you tell I'm excited? ;)