34/365: Rum Cake

Arrggghh Matey's! Time to make some Rum Cake, because we are having a Super Bowl Shin-Dig tomorrow and what better to serve than a sweet, buttery, tipsy cake? I even bought a Bundt Cake pan today for one of the cakes.



You see that Captain Morgan's Spiced rum bottle? Well, after making two of these things, the bottle is empty (and no, I didn't make myself a nice mixed drink while I was baking. In reality, just licking the batter off the mixer beater was enough to give me a little buzz).

The other cake:


And I can't post stuff like this without providing a link to the recipe:
Bacardi Rum Cake Recipe - you know you want to make one now!

Read more...

33/365: Scrapping Night

I spent some time this evening with pictures from October 2007 and created my Calendar page for that month. I haven't scrapped in a couple of weeks, and I got to use some Felt Lace for the first time!




Maybe I'll get some more time tomorrow evening to finish up the journaling and start on a new layout.

Read more...

32/365: Rite of Passage

Following the genes of her parents, Erica has been "blessed" with too many teeth. Both Scott and I endured braces as adolescents, so it didn't surprise us that she, too, would go through the same Rite of Passage.

The process started Monday, with X-rays and teeth molds. Remember those molds? Guncky, gritty, sticky, clay-like substance they put in a tray and then into you mouth. The top mold always set off that gag reflex. I remember it all too well. Nowadays, the materials set in one minute and they have flavors.

Today, Erica had her Brackets glued on. Again, I had to suffer through banded braces. The orthodontist had the brackets set on the top row of her teeth to start.


Next step: 4 teeth need to be extracted and then the wires go on. They estimate she'll be in the braces for two years. That's the amount of time I had them in, and they were worth the pain and hassle. That's what I continue to tell Erica.

Read more...

31/365: Snowy Commute

I have been making a concerted effort to take my camera "wherever I go", which includes taking it to work. Today, with 5" of fresh snow, it was slow going on the highway, except for the semi trailers who were passing and kicking up snow.

When the sun came out, I had to take a picture - but I was very safe - I didn't even look in the viewfinder - I just put the camera lens to the side of my face and snapped away. I didn't even adjust the settings. Thank goodness for autofocus! Here are the two pictures I took.

Read more...

30/365: Violin Practice

I have violin lessons on Tuesdays, and I hate to go into them "cold", so I made sure I practiced this afternoon. I haven't been as consistent with my playing since December, due to holidays and an erratic lesson schedule. Now that I've settled into a regular lesson schedule, I'll find time to play every day.



I started playing in 3rd grade and took a 22 year "sabbatical" starting in college. I did retain my basic skills, but I'm sure my fingers were much faster in 1986. But not a big deal - I still enjoy the process of creating music through my violin again.

Read more...

29/365: Late Amaryllis

I bought the Amaryllis bulb with the impression it would bloom, you know, for Christmas. For a while, I thought I had wasted $10 on something that resembled an onion. But look at it now.



I don't have a macro lens, nor do I claim to have any skills with close up photography. I think these are just OK when compared to other pictures I have seen, but I am happy with them, and I did enjoy taking the pictures. And I am enjoying the flowers during this cold winter season (yeah, we are due for more snow tonight. great.)



Thanks for looking!

Read more...

28/365: New Year's Dumplings

Tomorrow, we ring in the Chinese New Year. As with many holidays, we celebrate with special foods, and for New Year, this means dumplings and noodles. Normally, I buy frozen dumplings, but with help from Erica and Brian, we enjoyed homemade ones.



More pictures are on my personal blog.

Thanks for all of your kind comments, and Happy Chinese New Year!

Read more...