Thursday, April 28, 2011

ten days of nothin'

it's been awhile
almost ten days!
since i've last blogged
and 
frankly tonight
as i sit and stare at my computer
i still don't know what to blog about
in the last ten days
i've accepted a position
that frankly i am not thrilled about
but it's an in
i've worked out 
alot
they say initiation to italy is a "pasta five" 
and i've proudly been initiated to italy
and i've slept
not alot but some
*
so this positon
is an education aid
for the base school
and my first two days 
i left in tears
i have a degree
two in fact
i am a professional 
and 
i do not respect people who don't treat me as one
but i was hired
for a "paraprofessional"
position
which means
"treat me like crap please"
but 
it's a gs position
an "in" to the system
so i grin and bear it for 35 more school days
and realize it's not about me
but about this special student
who needs me
*
working out 
alot
has shed three of the pasta five
but
i can not lie
i enjoy the food to much to worry about the other two
in fact
i might be tempted to put on the other three
the food here is really good
like really really good
*
my sleep pattern
is changing
kenneth's schedule is changing
mission first
and
benadryl second
benadryl=my friend
my way of sleeping
while he tries to be nocturnal
*
so that is my last ten days
nothing exciting
i told a dear friend of mine 
the honeymoon has ended
we realized 
yes it's italy 
but our american chores
followed us
and 
so we have to be 
responsible adults
darn it

happy wednesday ya'll
now back to my boring italian life
 did i mention i was going to croatia in two weeks
:D

Monday, April 18, 2011

how to build a bunny

and 
i accepted the challenge
so today was the day
can i make a cake look like a bunny
honestly
kenneth was so excited 
he put most of the cake together
i just took pictures
first
a bunny needs a stage
a platform
something to sit on
take a box
and foil it
like so
next cut the round cake you made
in half
then you ice it
and smash it together

then stand it up
cut a "v" out for a tail






also a holder for the ears
and then ice
like crazy

do you see the bunny?

a bunny has to have eyes and a nose
use the jellybeans or chocolate eggs 
and now your bunny can see and smell
coat in coconut


a bunny also has to have ears
use construction paper 
i sketched two ears
then cut away
place your ears
 a bunny loves to sit in the grass
it's a favorite past time of his
so take a bag of coconut
and green icing
combine in a bag
and shake
add the grass
and the eggs
jellybeans or chocolate eggs your choice
we did both
scatter the eggs
and alas 
you have a bunny
and i have a very happy husband
happy easter everyone!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

oh no he didn't!

it's coming up easter
and
the kennels are having an easter celebration
in which we are to bring food
so kenneth thought it would be a great time 
for me to attempt
this
why?
because his mother always did
i pondered it
and 
thought sure why not
so when i came home with this

and was super excited to attempt 
to recreate
kenneth's childhood dessert
i was met with
"my mom always made it from scratch"
excuse me?
i responded with
"yea, i bet... she probably made the box and then just told you it was scratch"
he promptly said
"no, i grated the carrots"
well ain't that grand......
at this point my blood was starting to boil
how can i recreate this childhood dessert
and not make it from scratch
it was like
kenneth was challenging me....
so 
i accepted
foolishly and with much pride
never had made a carrot cake
from a box
or from scratch
i found my recipe 
here
with a title like that how can i not win?
so let the challenge begin!
first you mix 
the flour
the salt
and the cinnamon
in a separate bowl
mix the eggs
sugar
vegetable oil
buttermilk 
and vanilla
then mix the two
now 
for the fun part
grating the carrots
remember this was kenneth's 
"job"
as a kid
i decided to conquer the carrots
by myself 
after ten minutes
and all i had was this
and a battle wound
which i quickly bandaged
kenneth discovered my secret
and decided to help
i was trying to keep it a surprise
but kenneth found me
wounded
and desperate
he took right to the carrots
and it multiplied like rabbits
he did it so much better than i could
so you have your two cups of carrots
then add the carrots
the pecans
and
the coconut
to the mixture
this recipe calls for pineapples
kenneth was firm
no pineapples
pour the mixture into your pie pan
this recipe makes two carrot cakes!
and stick it in the oven
at 350 degrees fahrenheit
for 20-30 minutes
while its baking
start your icing
i didn't use this recipe's icing
i used 
which consists
sugar
cream cheese 
and 
vanilla
mix it 
then beat till smooth
 
and yes 
i make a mess with powdered sugar
yum....
by now 
your cake should be done
pull it out of the oven
and inhale the scrumptious smell!
and 
then you let it cool
remember how i said 
this recipe makes 
two recipes
well we tested one carrot cake
and
kenneth's response
"good job babe, this is really good"
and that my friends is sorta of a victory
tomorrow 
i will assemble the bunny....
this will be the true test
can i recreate his childhood memory?







Friday, April 15, 2011

ray of sunshine

someone once described me as 
"a ray of effin' sunshine"
and i responded
"well thank you"
obviously i do not think this person 
was being sincere
but 
it opened my eyes
do people think i'm this peachy person
that nothing bad happens to them
then 
i have fooled everyone
here's the honest truth:
i cry
 i get angry
i drop expletives here and there
i pout
especially when things don't go my way
i do try to see the good in every situation
but sometimes
i throw pity parties
so 
please do not mistaken me for the white picket fence person
it's not that easy
and 
yes sometimes i fake it
till i make it
just keep swimming...
but 
i am very content in my life
in who i am
and how i got to be who i am
i have no regrets
i believe everything happens for a reason
and it isn't my job to understand that reason
a good friend once told me 
"speak it and it will be true"
it's a simple saying 
but it's helped me in 
turning my view to a positive view
speak positive
life will be positive
speak negative
and you will be miserable
and there is no fun in that
so today
be a ray of sunshine
just try it
fake it
no one will know the difference


Thursday, April 14, 2011

foods of aviano...part quattro

it has been awhile
since i've posted 
about the 
but 
trust me
i'm still eating
and 
enjoying the wonderful food here!
because i know the breakfast of champions
is tiramisu
or cupcakes 
i decided to start your day off right 
with a pictorial menu
of your breakfast choices
should you decide to come and visit
without fail
tiramisu
but for those who desire
more omega-3's
fish
did you notice the fish eating the rubber fish
italians do have a sense of humor!
of course 
any american would love
pizza 
for breakfast
the tomatoes make it a healthy choice!
how about
a pisatacchio cookie?
and for your last choice
and my favorite!
cupcakes!!!
these were made by me!
and they are delicious!!
you too can make them 
just follow this 

they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day
and
i've given you plenty of options
so
eat
drink 
coffee preferably in the morning
but the italians have wine at nine am so why can't you?
be merry
and have a beautiful day!!


Tuesday, April 12, 2011

leaving a piece of us in italy

my husband is a sentimental guy
or he just knows what to say to get what he wants
and
while at the 
he wanted a tree
or a bush
or a plant
just something
i hesitated for many reasons
one
i have a black thumb
i pretend to have a green thumb
but honestly
it's black
two
i had no clue about the soil here
i didn't want to plant something
and two days later
it's dead
refer to reason number one
and lastly
we are only here four years
why put money into something we can't take with us
let me say this
we landscaped our home back in oklahoma less than a year ago
and now we can't enjoy it
yes, i'm bitter
so 
for all the reasons listed
i was set on 
"No"
nothing goes in the ground,
potted plants ok, 
they are cheaper 
and easier to keep alive.
but then
he says,
"babe, but what if i want to leave a little bit of us in italy"
oh geeze! the corny lines that make me say
"ok dear, whatever you want"
and now we have this lovely bush
and because when we got home
i realized what i got sucker into
i told him
"i'm not planting it today"
he's still considered "post-op status"
and really shouldn't be digging a hole
he kindly responded,
"no, hurry. 
besides
i don't think we have a shovel."
some things you choose not to move
and a shovel was one of the things
we choose not to move
but alas
he had his mind set on 
planting that darn bush
and 
by george
we did have a shovel
so he went to work
he chose this location because
the dogs tend to run
and wear down the grass
his hopes
is the bush will stop them
and he dug some more
admiral even helped him a little
digging dirt in italy
is hard work
look at the dedication
while digging this hole
we found rocks
lots and lots of rocks
which makes 
digging 
a little more difficult
but
in the end
the bush got planted

please ignore the fact the yard isn't mowed
i'm secretly waiting for kenneth to be no longer post op status 
so he can mow it! 
and 
we will leave a little part of us 
in italia.