herb update - two weeks and going strong

Okay, so about two weeks ago, I posted my thoughts on keeping herbs fresh {see earlier post http://theurbanhome.blogspot.com/2011/01/keeping-herbs-fresh.html}.  I thought I would be doing well if I could get my herbs to stay fresh in the refrigerator for two weeks.  So here are the results with the vase/ziploc bag system.

Parsley: (this is actually after three weeks because I had the parsley for a week before the experiment)

Cilantro:

So, I guess it worked.  Lets see how long we can go.

Happy Birthday Mom!! - i will always cherish . . .

Being a couple thousand miles away, makes it hard to celebrate birthdays, but I hope this post adds to your celebration today.

I made you a card yesterday, but it won't reach you in time for your birthday so I thought I would post it instead.

Envelope:

Front of Card:

Inside of Card:

Mom,

i will always cherish . . .

when years ago, I must have been 9 or 10 and very sick with the flu, you asked me if I wanted tea, and after I said "yes,"  you and my brother ( we'll just call him "I"), snuck up into my room while I was asleep and left a pot of tea and a teacup (basically a full tea setting - cream, sugar, teaspoon) beside my bed.  Now most people may have brought their daughter tea in bed, but you always went the extra mile to make things special (even when I was in state where I could not fully appreciate it).

i will always cherish . . .

our shopping trips in high school, after a bad day.  One bad day I remember was after my first break-up with the man who is now my husband.  I remember you said - "we'll make him know what he is missing out on . . ."  And we went to Omaha and went shopping all day for an outfit I could wear to school after the break-up so that I would look great the next time I saw him . . .

i will always cherish . . .

when you and my sister (we'll just call her "D") came to visit me when I was studying abroad in the UK.  You were such a trooper - looked beautiful every day and dragged your suitcase everywhere in London - through the underground and up mountains of stairs. 

i will always cherish . . .

that no matter where I live you are always the person that comes to visit me the most.  And you are always ready for any adventure - especially more shopping.

Washington D.C.

New York (I never lived here - but we did visit it together)

Los Angeles

i will always cherish . . .

that you are so predictable.  I know exactly what you are going to say - before you say it - and exactly how you will say it.


Love you always,
Your daughter

Valentine's Day Celebration

This year for Valentine's Day I hosted a card making party.  I served two of my favorite dishes which I have previously blogged about: Amish Cinnamon rolls and egg casserole (I have to say I did add a twist to the egg casserole.  I sauteed spinach {fresh not frozen} with onions and cherry tomatoes.)

For drinks we had peach mimosas (peach sparkling wine and orange juice), coffee, tea, and mineral water with Meyer lemon wedges.

The night before the party I went out and bought some supplies.  I chose the night before the party because I guessed that most of the Valentine's items would be on sale since it was getting really close to the big day. I guessed right!!

Here are some things I got from the craft store or had on hand for the party:  material glue, two glue sticks, 5 scissors, 50 blank cards and envelopes, seasonal tissue paper, 5 different kinds of ribbon,  coloring pencils, needles, embroidering thread in white,pink, and dark pink, a big bag of buttons, and Valentine's Day bags for guests to take their creations home in. 

 Before                                                                        





After

Here are a few examples of our creations:

A Small TV Room

My mom has always been a great home decorator.  About 2 years ago, my parents moved into a 1920s farmhouse, which needed a lot of work.  I don't think the home had been updated since probably the 60s, so my mom had some work cut out for her.  One of her latest projects was an upstairs TV room, which is connected to the nursery where she watches her grandchildren when they come over to play. 

I wish I had some before and after pictures for this room.  She truly transformed it from a not so lovely bedroom, to a very comfortable TV room, and I finally talked her into sending me some pictures so I could share them with all of you.  I particularly like the color choices - beige and a deep blue.

Decals

When you rent - you can't paint and you can't wallpaper.  Luckily my landlord had some sense and painted our walls a lovely beige with white trim.  I really like it.  However, if your landlord wasn't so sensible, and you have white wall fever, here is an idea for adding some texture to your home without (1) breaking your budget and (2) damaging your apartment. 

http://dalidecals.com/Retro-Swirling-Branch-Corner-Piece-Wall-Decal-Sticker-Graphic.html

http://www.dezignwithaz.com/modern-wall-decals-abstract/brazilian-swirls-wall-stickers-p-1413.html

Okay some of them are lame, but others are really neat - at least I think so.  But if don't like the pre-made kind, you can also customize your own decal (which is what I plan to do). 

So my problem isn't that I have white wall fever. I love my beige walls, but my fireplace is on an outside wall, and that makes it really tricky to hang a picture over the mantel.  Plus, I can't really put anything on the mantel because it isn't wide enough.

Enter decal?  So I was thinking I would use a decal frame (I like the oval shape below, right), to frame a silhouette my mother-in-law had of M and I done when we were on vacation (I will also have to have the silhouette made into a decal as well).

                              

You may be thinking that my fireplace looks just fine without anything above it, but I have the TV hanging on the adjacent wall, and I don't like that the TV is now the focal point of the room. I want the fireplace to be the focal point.  Well, it might be awhile until I get to this, but it is on my home improvement list.

the real superbowl is at the grocery store

Okay.  I know I already posted today, but I went to the grocery store after my latest post.  Two things:

• I have NEVER seen so many people at the grocery store! Every line was open, and every line was down the food isles.  This isn't a very good picture, but it does tell you how busy it was today.  The kids in the cart behind me had eaten all of their mother's groceries before we got to the counter.  She was literally buying groceries that were already eaten.  It was hard for the counter guy to weigh her produce.  The kids ate all of the apples.  I didn't stay to see if the check out guy, weighed the kids.  He was so nervous his hand was trembling when he took my coupons, so who knows what happened with re to the eaten apples.

• Great deals today.  Macadamia nuts and almonds were on sale for a 1/3 of their normal price; beer ($12.49 for 12 pack of imported), avocados (1/2 of their normal price), and of course chips ($1.88 for Ruffles), and specialty ice cream about (1/3 of the price).  So stock up if you are brave enough.  Better yet, if you don't like football go do the grocery shopping during the game.

treat the "little" people well

For all of you that don't know yet my husband is directing a short film he wrote this year.  We are so excited that this next project is underway, and it really feels that a weight has been lifted off of our shoulders.  Now it is time for the fun.  I'll keep you posted on this "new" adventure, and our progress. 

Today, was M's first casting call for the film, and I got the privilege of helping out for the day.  The morning started at 8:00 a.m., M and I got up and started getting things together for the auditions which was scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m.  At 8:05 a.m., I ran to the grocery store for all the ingredients I would need to make my friend Lizz's Taco Soup for the crew (this recipe, which was a huge hit, can be found here - http://keepingupwiththecoders.blogspot.com/2011/01/taco-soup.html).

At about 9:45 a.m. I arrived at the production company where the auditions were being held.  M's producer was there, an actor friend of M's who was reading opposite the auditioning actors, and of course M and I. 

My job today was to make the food and be the receptionist, "spy."  Basically, I got the chance to observe the actors when they thought no one was judging them.  It was so funny, I forgot how awful people treat others when they think they aren't important.  It brought back so many experiences I had working in city government.  Do people think the receptionist doesn't tell, in this case, the director and the producer how the people in the waiting room treat them? Hey that guy was a jerk to me , is hitting on me, or this actor just complained about such and such while she waited in the waiting room? 

Obviously, if you are coming for an audition (or even a job interview ) - you are being judged from the second you walk in the door. 

That aside, all in all, today went really well. I personally enjoyed getting to see so many different people from L.A., what they wore, what they thought was important to talk about etc.  The auditions were 5 minutes each, so for almost every five minutes we had a new actor scheduled from 10:00 until 4:00, so I saw a lot of people.

I am always so impressed with how many talented people there are in the world.  There were so many talented actors that showed up today.  Its such a shame that so few movies get made per year.  I feel like Hollywood has not scratched the surface of what is out there, as far as talent goes.  Well, luckily, M has some tough decisions to make re who to cast.