Book Review

I flew to LA last week, yes it was a last minute trip to visit the hubs while he is away for work.

I had just gotten my order from Amazon in that had been delayed by the blizzard & I thought the flights to LA & back would be a perfect time to knock out Pioneer Woman's new book, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, before I went to her book signing in a couple of weeks.

1. I had not read any of this story on her blog. I just prefer to read stories in book form :) So I was doubley excited to start it.

2. I ALWAYS sleep on flights. Even Tulsa to Dallas. Transportation=sleep to me if its over 20 minutes, whether planes, trains or automobiles.

My opinion of the book is.....it was fantastic!! Let me just say I read the entire book from start to finish between Tulsa & LA. I have never finished a book that quick. I forgot I was even on an airplane and was living her life for appx 5-6 hrs that day. It didn't even occur to me to stop and take a nap. And I laughed out loud several times.

I enjoyed it so much because:

A. I can relate to her view on things, she is just better at putting things in to words than I am.

B. I love cowboys, country sunsets, dirt roads, & open pastures so reading about them makes me happpy.

and

C. I also love sushi, black heels, lipstick & living half a mile from Pei Wei.

D. I can also relate to MM's personality and his lifestyle since I lived on a ranch for 12 years. With cattle. And branding. And birthing. And other gross things.

E. I am even more impressed with MM after reading this than when I met him in person last year :)

Its a book I can read multiple times I think just for sheer entertainment. And its a feel good story with lots of great one-liners on her part :)

Obviously, her decision to skip out on Chicago was a good one :)

And I had nothing to read on my flight back home, so I slept!

Snow.....klahoma

Snow-klahoma, where the wind and snow come sweeping down the plains.....ugh! The snow was fun for a week and now I'm over it :) Below is tonight & tomorrow's forecast. Not excited.

It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to take vacation time to miss work because I prefer not to risk my life driving. So annoying.

Some random reasons why this is getting old:

• We have 3 full trash cans of grossness that have yet to be picked up.
• We haven't gotten mail since last Tuesday.
• We haven't used our front door since last Monday, there is STILL a huge drift.
• To look at our street, you would never know any streets were clear & melted around town.
• We almost had a pipe freeze, but we discovered it in time & got it thawed with the hair dryer.
• I keep baking & cooking. I will probably gain 10 lbs. by the time it warms up & I can get to the gym. It has been delicious though! :)
• We got stuck, going downhill, in the 4wd, going super slow we did a 180 & ended up turned the opposite direction facing uphill. Lovely. But thanks to neighbors we didn't even know, we got out!

On the positive side (and more importantly!):

• We have POWER.
• We have heat, cozy blankets, and a roof over our heads.
• We are healthy.
• We have had a fun time at home watching movies, playing the Wii and just hanging out.
• We have food, milk, etc.
• We didn't wreck the car or get stranded, I'm really grateful we have 4wd :)
• My sister is finally over the flu!
• I do love the snow on the trees, seeing the cardinals & other sweet birds at our bird feeders, watching Capone leap around & cover his little face with snow, looking out my kitchen window to a bright, white front yard, cooking for Eric, wearing my warm pajamas & socks & robe, and naps :)
• Also, we are very thankful for the city workers, for hospital & emergency workers, for the shelters around town, & for kind strangers helping each other around town.

Sooo ready for spring & summer! And looking forward to seeing all my tulip bulbs bloom (hopefully!) once the ground thaws :)

I did get my Amazon shipment finally, so I have something to entertain myself if we have another snow day.

Snowpocolypse - February 2, 2011

Happy Groundhog Day & Happy Snow Day #2 to us!

Here is what our day consisted of once I got up at noon :)

Finishing DVDs 3 & 4 of this, so good!

Then, outside to play!

Snowpocolypse - February 1, 2011

The February 2011 Blizzard officially hit. Tulsa got something around 14" of snow or some nonsense. It was wonderful, as in wonderful since I stayed in ALL day :)

Things accomplished on this first snow day of the year:

-Eric was scheduled to leave today but all his flights got cancelled, OH DARN
-I made the Hershey's recipe for Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
-Slept in-major YAY
-Woke up to snowiness everywhere
-Made Pioneer Woman's pancakes
-Eric hung the new curtain's in the living room---made a HUGE difference, much cozier now!
-Eric painted on the 2nd coat of paint in the game/media room...making progress (pics to come later).
-I watched 2 of 4 DVDs of the Anne of Green Gables miniseries. It makes me cry every time. Insane. I love it so much. Gilbert kills me!
-I made Pioneer Woman's Chicken & Dumplings. PERFECTION.

-Eric drank a lot of Diet A&W Root Beer and Chocolate Milk today.
-We had a lovely night hanging out at our neighbor's playing Apples to Apples & talking
-Looking forward to sleeping in AGAIN tomorrow & watching the rest of Anne of Green Gables & then onto Price & Predjudice :)

As of 10:30am, 2.1.11

Weather Happenings

So this past Saturday here it was 74 degrees & perfection outside.

Tonight thru Wednesday morning we are under a blizzard watch. Along with like 3/4 of the United States. CRAZY!

See below, yes that says Tulsa may get 12 - 20 inches of snow! What in the world.

Eric, Capone & I will be enjoying a snow day or two this week. We just hope the power stays on! Eric was supposed to travel tomorrow, but oh darn...all his flights have been cancelled. YAY!

Our plans are to make cookies tonight, Eric painting the media room, me watching the Bachelor, sleeping in tomorrow, we will be making Pioneer Woman Sour Cream Pancakes for breakfast, watching some daytime tv, do some laundry, make Chicken & Dumplings, watch Pride & Prejudice (w/Colin Firth) and Anne of Green Gables...perfect snow day flicks!!! Snowman building & Eric attempting to get me to sled down our driveway may be involved as well.

I am actually really excited to do all of this. Yay to snow days & the power staying on :)

Be safe everyone!

Jesus Calling

If you are needing a good devotional, this is it! My mom bought this for Eric sometime ago & some others I know really like it also. I had to wait a couple weeks for Mardel's to get any in because they were out for awhile.

It is written by Sarah Young. "After many years of writing in her prayer journal, missionary Sarah Young decided to "listen" to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever she believed He was saying to her. It was awkward at first, but gradually her journaling changed from monologue to dialogue. She knew her writings were not inspired as Scripture is, but they were helping her grow closer to God. Others were blessed as she shared her writings, until people all over the world were using her messages. They are written from Jesus’ point of view, thus the title Jesus Calling. It is Sarah’s fervent prayer that our Savior may bless you with His presence and His peace in ever deeper measure."

The book is worded as if Jesus is saying the words to you. Every day the devotion is so fitting for me, especially on topics of trust & faith. There are 2-4 verse references at the end that relate to that day's devotion. Its short & sweet & to the point. There is also a journal that goes with it if you wanted to go more in depth.

I highly recommend this to have at work, travel with, or have it at home to reference daily.

Menu Monday

Here are our dinner recipes chosen for this week :) Its so much easier when I plan ahead!

Monday

Nanny Hazel's Meatloaf

Green Beans

Tuesday
Spicy Tuscan Soup

Wednesday (church tonight so its crock pot day!)

Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

Thursday

Baked Potato Soup

Bacon Cheddar Drop Biscuits