Black Betty!

Woooah Black Betty, Bam-a-Lam. Wooah Black Betty Bam-a-Lam.

This song is probably one of my favorites. I have no real deep meaning for it, don't even really know of Ram Jam (the artists), I just like to jam out to it. It all started in High School I heard it at a party and fell in love.

Back then I drove a two-tone brown 1986 full size Ford Bronco, a real winner! Her name was Brown Betty... obviously she wasn't black. My next vehicle I acquired in 2002, a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500. She didn't really have a name, good truck, liked the gasoline though. Decided to head to K-State, so I needed something a little more reliable & economic. I went the only place I know for a good VW, BOULDER, to check out a diesel Jetta. Bummer was payments were too high, but I was on a car buying high, so I settled for a 2005 Jetta. Don't get me wrong she was a good little car... when she wanted to be. I had quite a few warranty issues with her, Ole Jetta, was her name. One time Ole Jetta locked me out, completely shut down & someone from Topeka VW had to come tow her. In 2010, approximately 135,000 miles in, I had to put a new motor in her. Now, I am not really a low-to-the-ground car person. I am a get muddy, high up, 4x4 gal! Always have been, always will be.

While I was in the hospital Ole Jetta went down another road, so on August 26th I came across a 1995 Jeep Wrangler that I fell in love with... & was a good price. She's a little rusty, a little oxidized, a little squeaky, & a little rattly, but hey that's why I'm dating a mechanic ;). One would think being born & raised by a grease monkey I would have picked up some skills of some kind... nope. I was usually being called into the shop for, "hey! hand me that wrench!" or "hold the light....still!" Dad has attempted to show me things I just don't retain part identification or what that sound really means knowledge. I have over the years learned how to change a tire (a necessity in the jetta-she had a TON of flats!), and change the oil. Who knows maybe Paul is the teacher I really need with this Jeep.

I LOVE the fact that I am off the ground again, even if I currently have to hold my driver's side door shut... I'm waiting on a part that's busted. I also LOVE the fact that she is black... her name:

BLACK BETTY!

Birthday Dinner!

Yesterday, Monday, September 12th, was Paul's 31st birthday. I bugged him for a week what he wanted to do... bars, BWW, movies, etc. He never replied & didn't seem to enthuzed, me, I LOVE birthdays!
So, I decided to make him a fabulous dinner.

The menu:

 - Fresh tossed salad

 - Martha Stewart's Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

 - KC Strips with sauteed mushrooms

 - Apple pie with ice cream

 - Disaster cake with cream cheese frosting

*note: we didn't make it to the desserts, we were stuffed!

 I don't know about the rest of you but making dinner & some delishious desserts work up quite the thirst... plus I need to work on getting this out of the fridge ;)

First, the salad I just cut up some fresh leafy lettuce & added some carrots, red peppers (they're Paul's favorite), & tomatoes & called it good.

Martha Stewart's Creamy Macaroni & Cheese on the otherhand took a little more work. I found the recipe on Pinterest, my new web love. However I have posted the recipe on my new 'De-Lish Dishes' page (follow the recipe title link). I recommend it, especially if you absolutly LOVE cheese. I made the version with the Guyere instead of the Romano. When I first tried the Guyere out of the package I thought it was going to be too salty & too smokey, but after it was finished it didn't have any of those issues. The recipe was lacking a little bacon so I sprinkle some on top with the bread :). I would also like to note Paul & I will be eating Mac-N-Cheese for the rest of the week - it makes A LOT!

The KC Strips were amazing! So much so I didn't even get a final picture. Just imagine grilled, juicy, medium rare, yummyness topped with some shrooms! YUM! I heart Beef!

Paul LOVEs my Apple Pie so of coarse I had to make it for him. This recipe is one that my mom & my grandma both use, only I am specific with the types of apples. I like to do half red delicious & half granny smith. Once we finally serve it, it will be accompied by some vanilla ice cream.

Paul also LOVEs chocolate cake. So, I decided to make him my Disaster Cake. I had him pick out the frosting from the store because I was too tired to make any last night. He chose only the best stuff, CREAM CHEESE icing! Disaster cake is something I stumbled on at a friends house, it is delicious & has lots of ingredients (like sour cream & Guiness). This cake is also very moist & you have to make sure to follow the directions, unlike me yesterday who ended up wasting like 4cups of sugar, some cocoa, baking soda.... oops. A hit in the end though. I had Paul take some of the cupcakes to work so they weren't laying around here for me to devoure.



Remembering...

Today, September 11th, is a day which you can't help but remember as a day of terror 10 years ago. This morning I picked up the Topeka Capital Journal, headlines of KU beating N. Illinois, a new burger stand, & the U.S. food supply, were just side notes in comparison to the 9/11 Anniversary article. As I'm holding the paper in my hand, before even reading one word I flashback to that day in 2001. I was waiting to leave for school. Junior year. Agriculture class. My mom always had The Today Show on in the living room and I always sit there, get distracted and wait until the last possible minute before leaving. As I was sitting with my backpack listening to Al give the weather & Matt talk about Micheal Jordan making a comeback they flash outside to a burning building and announce something on the note that the North World Trade center is on fire or a plane has hit it. I am mesmerized in disbelief and yell to my mom in the office to come check this out. As a little time goes by (this point I had no clue what time it was), the cameras watching this building smoking & burning then all of the sudden capture another plane smashing into the South Tower. I couldn't believe it with my own eyes! I finally peeled off the T.V. and made it to Marv's ag. class which that is all we could talk about. About an hour later I am headed into Niwot (my home high school) and they announce on the radio that a plane has crashed into the pentagon and another into a field in Pennsylvania. History class, that was where I was supposed to be... made it remembering thinking, 'oh my how many planes are out there? will there be more attacks? who did this? all those people...' Once in history, we discussed what was happening and the teacher went on to teach his normal lesson thinking that was the best thing. I remember just being in a daze all through my classes and the rest of the day being glued to T.Vs all over, feeling for the families, wanting to help but being so far away...
I finally snap back into things this morning, ask Paul where he was that day, then read aloud the story in the paper of Brian Clark, a Survivor from the 84th floor of the South tower. Clark actually felt the plane hitting the tower! As he was his floors fire marshal he led them all into the stairwell to start the decline. As they were doing so a lady was coming up saying they had to go up. Clark & a co-worker, Ron DiFrancesco went to help another voice (Stanley Praimnath) as he did he looked back and quote, "I have this very clear vision of all my co-workers turning around and starting up the stairs... And they all died." They saved Praimnath.
The other articles of 9/11 included disaster trauma, a fighter pilot told to go after flight 93, and miscellaneous first hand accounts.
Now that I have made it to my computer I 'Google'd' World Trade Center Memorial... (last I had heard they hadn't decided on final design - I don't watch too much t.v.). On the National World Trade Center Memorial website it shows their design that they unveiled today, and I am pleased with what I can see from the pictures and someday I would like to make the trip to NY and visit the Museum.

Thank you to all those who helped in that hard time and my thoughts go out to those who lost the one's so dearly to them.

                                                                                               ..... Where were you?

Photo Contest!

Who doesn't love photography?!?! Through the blogging grape vine I have discovered two things today... an awesome contest and a new website that I plan on using.
The contest is being put on by Crystal.Cattle and The Farmer's Trophy Wife. All you have to do is visit one of their blogs and follow the instructions (which are super easy!). Once you have done so you are entered to win one of Crystal's photos on canvas. Here's where I learned about a new web page, Canvas Stock, a page where you are able to get your photos printed on canvas. This page also let's you preview your art on canvas (my favorite feature) before ordering. I hope you check it out, the contest deadline is approaching!

Project 365



PHOTO #80/365 Tuesday May 31st
"Watch out! Look in that hole!" ... Paul's welcome home message today

PHOTO #81/365 Wednesday, June 1st
Here's my barn! ...... I wish anyway

PHOTO #82/365
I wouldn't mind cruisin around in one of these :)

PHOTO #83/365 Friday, June 3rd
Hey, sometimes it just needs to be said.

PHOTO #84/365 Saturday, June 4th
a picture with a couple great friends... and the new Mrs. Schultz on her wedding night!

PHOTO #85/365 Sunday, June 5th
Dogs on wood floors was the theme of the day on FB, everyone seemed to be posting them. It was a hot one & Bruiser needed a cool down

PHOTO# 86/365 Monday, June 6th
The Kansas River
Not only is it up, which happens every year, but this is the 5th(or so) day of it looking like this