On Saturday, we got together with a big group of my in-laws to celebrate Thanksgiving. It was yet another huge day of eating (I'm lucky I can still fit into my pants), and it was great to have an excuse to see everyone. My sister-in-law was home from college last week (first for the funeral, then for the break), so that was awesome, too.
Some pics:
I had originally planned on making these pumpkin whoopie pies back when my dad was in town, but I ran out of time and had to make something that required less work.
As much as I love pumpkin, I have to admit that I've never had pumpkin ice cream.
So when I came across a recipe in my Google Reader earlier this week, I knew I wanted to give it a try... and with Thanksgiving approaching, it seemed like the perfect time.
We have much to be thankful for.
People are traveling, friends and family are gathering, and tomorrow, the entire country will eat ourselves sick. But tonight? Tonight is the "biggest drinking night of the year."
Or so I've been told.
The bar scene is not my thing. Don't get me wrong; it used to be. But I was pretty much over it the moment I graduated from college. I guess I felt like I had spent the better part of four years living in bars, so I had worked it out of my system. That, and my new full-time job certainly put a damper on things.
These days, I don't enjoy bars. I like to get together with friends at our homes. You have to admit, there are a lot of advantages.
There is ample parking, and it's FREE. Drinks are cheaper, and easier to come by. There's food. You can actually hear each other when you're talking. You can wear comfortable clothes (even pajamas, if you wish). And, if you're the "lucky" host (or crashing for the night), you can drink as much as you want and don't have to worry about driving home.
Ahhh. Adulthood. I love it.
Plenty of adults still do the "Thanksgiving Eve" partying, and that's cool. As it turns out, a lot of our friends still do the "Thanksgiving Eve" partying. Still, I choose to stay away from the over-crowded, rowdy bars.
Tonight, we'll have dinner at home (yay pumpkin ravioli), go to a movie (The Blind Side), take a quick trip to Target before it closes, then come home and relax. I'll probably have a glass of wine, and we'll go to bed pretty early.
Ahhh. Adulthood. I love it.
But it makes me feel old.
We're coming up on the one-year anniversary of my participation with Operation Baking Gals!
Last Christmastime, I joined a Baking Gals team and sent a package to a soldier who was spending the holidays away from home. This season, I'll be hosting a team, as I have done numerous times throughout the past year.
For Round 15, Jen from Beantown Baker and I are teaming up to bake for a husband and wife pair who are deployed, but unfortunately not together! They are both in Iraq, but with different units. Team Beantown Baker will be baking for Rebecca, while Team Heather Drive will bake for Brian. The two were married last Valentine's Day. For more about them, please see the team pages on www.bakinggals.com.
Team registration is now open. Baking Gals has changed their system, so you'll have to re-register with the site, even if you've been registered in the past. Once you're signed up, you can go in and join a team to bake with. There are new rules--only 20 people per team, so it's possible Team Heather Drive will fill up pretty quickly. So don't procrastinate if you want to participate! If we do fill up, sign up for Team Beantown Baker instead. And if they fill up, please consider baking for any team--obviously all of these men and women are very deserving of your time.
Don't know what Operation Baking Gals is? Check out my past posts about the project. You can also find more information on the Baking Gals website.
The shipping dates for Round 15 are December 1-16, so the packages will arrive in time for the holidays.
So! Enough talk. If you'd like to join us:
1) Go to http://www.bakinggals.com/ and Log In or Create a New Account
2) Go to Join a Round 15 Team
3) Join Team Heather Drive (or Team Beantown Baker, or any other team!)
4) Wait for an email with the shipping address (I will send it out after Thanksgiving weekend)
If you have any questions, check out the Operation Baking Gals FAQ page.
For shipping, please note: You can get a special flat rate box from the post office. The boxes are FREE and you can ship the box with anything in it for a reduced flat rate of $11.95. If you can't find the ones designated for APO/FPO addresses (they say "America Supports You!" on them), you can use the regular large flat rate box. Either one works!
Questions? Feel free to leave them in the comments. Or you can e-mail me at roadtotheaisle@gmail.com. Participating? Tell us! And thank you!
Michael's grandfather passed away on Friday night. He was 87.
The thing about chocolate and peanut butter is that you don't have to say much else. The combination simply speaks for itself.
I'm going to go out a limb here. I do not mean to offend. I only seek to understand.
I do not get the Twilight obsession. At ALL.
I feel like I am the only person who hasn't read these books. (And I'll tell you right now, I will never read them.) But even if I had, I think I can safely say I would not be lining up outside of a theater at midnight tonight. I'm confident in saying this, simply because I've never been that into something in my entire life.
Well, actually... I loved New Kids on the Block. I collected their albums, posters, t-shirts, earrings, magazines. I even had NKOTB bed sheets. Among friends, I claimed Joey McIntyre as my husband for games of "school" and "house." My mom and aunt took my cousins and me to a concert and I screamed my head off for two hours. I was obsessed.
But I was also eight.
On the Today Show this morning, I watched as women fell all over themselves, screaming, jumping, drooling, panting, and nearly passing out at the sight of a Twilight actor (I couldn't even tell you which one) outside at Rockefeller Plaza. I'd love to tell you that these were tween girls, and some of them were. But there were grown women, too. Adults.
And I'm sorry, but I just don't get it.
What is the big deal? Why are people so crazy and obsessed with these books, these movies, these characters? People talk about them like they are real. From an outsider's perspective, I have to admit that it's a little disturbing.
I see t-shirts, I see online "badges," I see quizzes. Are you Team Edward? Or Team Jacob?
Personally, I'm Team WHO THE HELL CARES.
For those who got sucked into the books and enjoyed them, great. I would never fault anybody for that. Lord knows I've read (and liked!) some crappy books in my lifetime.
It's just the other stuff... the extras, the insanity that I just can't comprehend.
So here I am, going against the grain. At midnight tonight, I'll be sleeping soundly in my bed. This weekend, I won't be anywhere near a movie theater.
And I'm totally OK with that.
With its 555 pages, this book set me behind a few weeks in my "read at least one book a month" goal. But you know what?
It was worth it.
When I picked up American Wife at the library, it had been recommended to me, but I knew nothing about it except for the summary that I read on the inside flap and back cover.
555 pages later, I can honestly say I'm not even sure I was ready for it to end. I thought it was well written, and the story kept me hooked throughout the whole book.
American Wife is about the life of Alice Lindgren Blackwell, who is raised as an only child in smalltown Wisconsin in the 1950s and 60s. Her family is working class, and it's safe to say that Alice lives somewhat of a sheltered childhood. She's quiet, an avid reader, and holds traditional values. Suddenly, on a late summer evening in high school, Alice's seemingly perfect little life is derailed. The tragedy defines the rest of Alice's life. It influences the way she acts, the way she thinks, and the way she feels about herself.
Years later, all grown up, Alice has become a school librarian and loves her job so much that she devotes almost all of her time to it. She spends her summer vacation creating giant book characters out of papier-mache to display in the library at the start of the next school year. Alice is single, lives alone, but doesn't seem to mind it. Her focus on her work, and her time spent with friends and family keep her fulfilled.
And then she meets Charlie Blackwell.
Charlie is a politician's son, an Ivy League party boy, and has a cushy "job" within his family's company. Born and raised with money, Charlie is selfish, crude, and definitely has feelings of entitlement. I could see how there are readers who can't stand Charlie or his family. Somehow, I still found him to be likeable. Perhaps only because of how he loved "Lindy" (his nickname for Alice).
You know what they say... opposites attract. Shortly after they meet and fall in love, Alice and Charlie are married, and in the following pages, we are witness to their 30 years of marriage through Alice's eyes. As with all marriages, they certainly have their ups and downs. I found it enjoyable to read because it was real.
Eventually, Charlie breaks into politics, first becoming the (republican) Governor of Wisconsin, and is then elected as the (republican) President of the United States. Alice, although supportive of her husband, has always held democratic ideals. I found the personal sacrifices she made for the health of her marriage to be interesting. Some would probably dislike Alice for not standing up and voicing her opinions, but I found the complexity of her life to be quite fascinating.
Now, here's where I tell you that Alice's character is (loosely) based on Laura Welch Bush. And Charlie is (loosely) based on George W. Bush. (And yes, I said I found myself liking Charlie! Who knew?)
Honestly, stepping back and looking at it like this, I never would have expected to like these characters. Charlie is sexist, racist, arrogant, and obnoxious. I hated all of those things about him. But the thing is, American Wife is not his story--it's hers. Alice is strong on the inside while somewhat weak on the outside. Still, I identified with her. She was never a victim. She is smart, she thinks things through, and she is deliberate. All of the choices she made in her life were just that--her choices. And she knows it.
I highly recommend this book. If you've read it, I encourage you to leave your own thoughts in the comments!
I haven't talked about the Buffalo Bills much this season. Truth is, there hasn't been all that much to talk about. Nothing positive, anyway.
Until today.
We received word this afternoon that our head coach, Dick Jauron, has been fired.
This brings me great joy. In fact, excuse me while I go and do a happy dance.
.....
*AHEM* Sorry. I'm back now.
You see, this is great news. I don't pretend that this will fix the season. But the Bills need a fresh start, and it's about damn time they get rid of Jauron. Most Bills fans were calling for this to happen WEEKS ago.
And now I don't ever have to see him and his "stone face" ever again..jpg)
This is what he looks like. ALL. THE. TIME. Seriously. This is his only facial expression.
Trent Edwards throws an interception that is returned for a touchdown?
STONE FACE.
The Bills score a touchdown to win the game?
STONE FACE. Except in this situation, he might mix it up by throwing in a slow clap instead of the crossed arms.
I hate it. I want to see emotion. I want to see passion. I want to see excitement. I want to see ANGER.
When the offense earns nine false start penalties in a single game? I want to see someone throwing shit on the sidelines. I want to see a headset being ripped off and thrown on the ground. I want to read lips that might say something along the lines of, "WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Because at home, these are the things even the fans are all doing.
When a player repeatedly makes mistakes that significantly contribute to the team losing games? I want a coach who will grab that player's face mask and scream in his face. There needs to be fear.
Or something.
So we'll see what happens. I wish our owner would fork over the money to bring in someone good, but it's looking like our defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell, is likely to get promoted to the position. And if that's the case, well, let's see what he can do. The defense is probably the best element of our team. Sure, they often allow big plays in the fourth quarter that end up losing us games. But that's because they're exhausted from being on the field so damn much. (Since our offense blows.)
The Bills have a long way to go until they'll ever be good again.
But this feels like a step in the right direction. Finally.
Are you counting? This is new recipe #3 of the weekend. Like I told you, I've been feeling adventurous. :)
After a Saturday night of pizza, beer, wine, and pumpkin pie snickerdoodle bars, we knew we were going to be in the mood for something a bit healthier. Considering I spend most of Sundays in my sweats, there is something to be said about making comfort food on Sundays, too.
As someone who is a bit tired of the same old chicken noodle soup, I was happy to come across this recipe during my planning earlier this week. Take all of my favorite chicken noodle soup ingredients, and then add Asian flavors? I'm sold. As a bonus, this is incredibly easy and fast to cook up. Perfect for a weeknight lazy Sunday.
The end result was a wonderfully flavorful version of chicken noodle soup. It also had a little kick to it (thanks to the red pepper flakes), which I loved.
I'm going to have to ask you to focus.
FOCUS.
Alrighty. Now, listen carefully: You're not hallucinating. Pumpkin pie snickerdoodle bars? They're a reality. They exist.
I know.
If you've never seen perfection on a plate, well...
Here's a recipe that I've had starred for a really.long.time.
OK, nevermind. I just checked, and I've actually only had it starred since June. But it seems like it's been longer.
No matter.
When I saw it, I thought, Hmmm... I love pasta, I like red peppers. This recipe? Intriguing. And certainly worth a try.
While doing the menu planning for this week, I was feeling adventurous. I dug through the starred items in my Google Reader, and decided that roasting red peppers would make a perfect Friday night activity.
When all is said and done, I'm not going to lie. This wasn't one of my favorites. The frustrating part is that I can't really put my finger on the reason. The thing is, I've never actually roasted red peppers before. I've had peppers every which way except for roasted. So is the roasting to blame? Not sure. Also, I've never toasted pine nuts. I've always eaten them "raw" in salads, or tossed into my basil pesto. I've never bothered to roast them before. Plus, we definitely over-toasted them a bit. So is the toasting to blame? Or the over-toasting, maybe? Not sure.
Months ago, I mocked the hysteria surrounding the swine flu.
I still mock it.
But now, the virus has traveled from afar and made its way into my world. First, there were cases at work (though thankfully, no one in my department has fallen victim... yet). Then, my aerobics classes were cancelled for an entire week, and upon return, my instructor told us she had been taken down by the swine. Last week, we were told that our 2-year-old nephew possibly had it (it turned out that he didn't). This morning, we learned that a friend of ours is down for the count.
So, even though I don't understand the oh-my-god-we're-all-gonna-die mentality that some people are choosing to adopt, I have to admit that even I, a non-germaphobe, have started to take more precautions than usual.
It's not that I'm usually a dirty person, but I'm not one to carry hand sanitizer, or think twice about partnering up with a stranger in aerobics class, or avoid touching public door handles and knobs. But now? Now I am one of those people.
It's not that I'm afraid of something serious happening. I just don't want to be sick. It doesn't sound fun. Not at all.
My aerobics instructor said H1N1 made her the sickest she's ever been. She was laid up in bed for an entire week, and said she could do nothing but sleep and watch TV. She said, "I should have bed sores!"
So um, no thanks.
Our friend, Mike, says the way he feels now is the worst he has ever felt. EVER. Mike's situation is exceptionally crappy because his wife is due to give birth in less than a week. He has essentially been confined to his basement (thankfully it is a "man room" so it's not all that bad) so that he lowers the risk of infecting his very pregnant wife, which would be decidedly dangerous. What's worse is that if she were to go into labor in the next couple of days, it's very likely they won't allow him into the hospital to watch his baby be born. This blows my mind. Needless to say, we are praying for the late arrival of their baby girl.
Again, I say... no thanks.
The media continues to make a huge deal about all of this, which is extremely irritating to me. Every day, the local news talks about swine flu, swine flu vaccine, swine flu deaths, swine flu statistics. Who's high risk, who's low risk, who should go so far to hijack an ambulance to get a vaccine, and who shouldn't even bother fighting the mob. (OK, so I exaggerate. But still.)
As for me, I'll stick to my hand washing. My hand sanitizing. My extra Vitamin C.
I see you, Swine. You don't want to mess with me.
Let's talk capital punishment.
John Allen Muhammad (perhaps better known as the "D.C. Sniper" or "Beltway Sniper") is set to be executed in Virginia tonight. Although I was still in college and was living approximately 400 miles from Washington, D.C., I was gripped by the story of these random shootings, and remember following the coverage closely. I vividly recall seeing "breaking news" reports of shootings outside a Home Depot, a shopping center, a Ponderosa, a school, and gas stations. In those weeks, people were actually scared to get out of their cars to pump gas. Unbelievable.
By the time Muhammad and his accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, were arrested, they had killed 10 people, and injured three others.
And tonight, Muhammad will pay the price for his crimes--like his victims, he too will die.
So here I sit, debating the issue of capital punishment in my mind. It's an issue for which I don't have strong feelings either way. Or I guess it's more accurate to say that I identify with both sides.
I understand the need for justice. In this case, Muhammad took 10 lives, so isn't it fair that his life also be taken from him? Perhaps.
I'd like to think that life in prison is a much harsher punishment, but I suppose it depends on the circumstances. I don't know much about prison life for people convicted of murder, but I know that I've heard things about how prison "isn't that bad," and "some prisoners have it better than we do." Yada yada yada. I honestly don't know how much of that is true.
The other thing is that I'm not sure life in prison is the punishment I hope it would be for people who are incapable of feeling remorse. Let's take Scott Peterson for example. I would love to think that sitting in his jail cell for the rest of his life--in a prison that overlooks the very bay into which he dumped his pregnant wife's body--would be the ultimate torture. I would like to believe that he thinks of the beautiful wife and baby boy that he killed, and that having to live with that is punishment enough. But he still denies the crime. He doesn't seem sad. He, too, will be put to death for his crimes.
In a situation where the murderer is a sociopath, or has other mental issues that prevent him/her from feeling remorse or regret, compassion or sympathy... is the death penalty a better answer then? Is taking away "freedom" a harsh enough punishment? What about those who are sentenced to life in prison, but then get paroled?
For those who believe in Heaven and Hell, the ultimate punishment comes after death. Can I argue with those who want that fate to come more quickly for the murderer? Not really.
Frankly, I sort of wish that these decisions were left up to the victims' families. Not the convictions, obviously... but the choice between life in prison and death. The families are the ones who will continue to suffer for the rest of their lives because of what was taken from them. So doesn't it make sense for them to decide the fate of the person who robbed them of a future with their loved ones? It won't bring their loved ones back, but I think that if one of these options will help them to sleep better at night, they should get to choose.
I'm sure that many of these family members would feel much like I do--that death is the "easy" way out, and that letting the murderer rot in prison for the rest of his/her life is preferable. But given that for me, this is a (thankfully) hypothetical scenario, it's hard to say how I would feel if I were actually in those shoes. Trying to imagine it, I can also see the other side. I could see how I would be so filled with rage that I would want that person to pay, to "suffer" in the same way that my loved one suffered. An eye for an eye.
I see both sides.
And I don't know if there is a right or wrong answer.
Today we got out and enjoyed the weather a bit (70 degrees in November--LOVE.IT.), then went over to my brother's place to hang out and have dinner. My dad leaves bright and early tomorrow morning, so we needed to have one last weekend hoorah.
We all relaxed, talked, and watched football (even though there wasn't a Bills game--bye week), and Kara made us all a baked ziti meal.
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