Wedding Day

IMG_5099, originally uploaded by mycatgizzy1.

The day had finally arrived. Saturday, August 30, 2008 was finally here. This was the selected date of Eric and Heather's wedding. The day that two would become as one.

Best of luck. With two hearts and one mind I know that you can make it.

Belly Plop - Not Flop

IMG_4687, originally uploaded by mycatgizzy1.

High-flyin on vacation this summer. Who would have thought that she could do such a good belly flop?

Hallie was quite impressed with her newly found water skills. She loved splashing and jumping under the water. She didn't like holding her nose and often ended up water logged but she never let that stop her.

One of Many "Firsts" in Your Life

IMG_5041
Originally uploaded by mycatgizzy1

Today is your "first" day of kindergarten. I can't believe how big you, my daughter, have gotten.

I took this photo on the bridge on the way to school. This is a huge bridge that crosses over Curlew road to my daughter's school. If we make it out the door every day on time I promised we would walk over it. Only rain will deter us from this small delight.

I was so proud of how good you did. I was the one who got a little teary eyed but only once when the crossing guard explained how we would cross the road every day.

I'm glad that I was with you to experience just one of the many "firsts" that you'll get to experience in your life.

Success Ole'!

Any one who truly knows me knows that I hate to cook. Hate it, hate it, hate it. I'm not a big food person so their isn't much of an attraction for me when it comes to the kitchen. This normally wouldn't be an issue but I married into an Italian family. My Mother-In law is a very good cook but to hear my husband tell it she is every famous chef rolled into one. Now I love the women but who can even compete with that. Why would I even try?

You would think that after eight years of marriage I would just give up but for some reason I still keep trying to please him in the kitchen. I'm good everywhere else! OK, well, maybe not with house work but truly good every where else. So after eight years of marriage I'm still attempting to be Betty Crocker. I'm sure that the new kitchen we, I mean he, put in for us, I mean me, has something to do with it.

Last night I tried to make a simple pot of soul warming baked potato soup. The recipe was simple, fast, and dinner was on the table in 30 minutes. Baked potato soup with crumbled bacon, melted sharp cheddar and some warm crusty bread. What else could you even ask for? I thought it even tasted like baked potatoes. My husband's response, "this isn't how my mother makes it" and "where are the chunks of potatoes?" Ugghh! Needless to say he wasn't impressed and didn't even like it.

Well, Thursday rolls around and I thought I'd give it another go and try to make another meal to please my husband. This time I would try my hand a home-made chicken enchiladas. This recipe called for cooking the chicken in a slow cooker for most of the day to cut the cooking time in the oven down to only 30 minutes.

Once I arrived home from work the chicken was done and shredded, my husband was kind enough to do this part so he could say that he helped, and just had to be assembled in the soft tortilla shells to then be baked in the oven for half an hour.

During the last ten minutes in the oven I even called my mother in-law to see if she had ever prepared enchiladas. To my relief she had not. YES! I wouldn't be hearing "this isn't how my mother makes it" out of my significant other tonight.

It was the moment of truth. The enchilada was on his plate, the fork was in his mouth.........and he wasn't complaining. I kept waiting for the smirk, the comment, something but nothing ever came. Well, I asked? Finally he asked me how much work it was for me to make them? Not much I said as the crock pot did most of the work. Well, he said, I like them and I'd like you to make them again. What? What's this I say? Do my ears deceive me? He, my husband who hates everything I make, actually liked dinner and wanted me to make it again.

Needless to say I was quite pleased as he actually enjoyed something I cooked and asked for it again. What more is there to say than OLE'

It's not such a Black and White World

Sometimes something happens that makes you realize that the unexpected can happen at any moment. Things aren't as "black and white" as they may seem. Miracles are right around the corner. They can also be right outside your own front door.

We planted a weeping hibiscus tree in my front yard about two years ago. It's one of my most favorite plants that I own. It's always blooming beautiful white flowers on it's willowy branches. Pure snow white flowers. Ordinary, void of color flowers. Imagine my surprise when I noticed a splash of pink out my front window. Upon closer inspection I discovered that one delicate blossom was not so pure and was half white and half pink. This one blossom mutated into something so beautiful and special that you couldn't help but not notice it.

There's a price for such beauty though. When ever these hybrid blossoms appear they only last for one day. 24 hours to open their petals and offer their pollen to any flying friend who might be blinded by their dazzling beauty. 24 hours is a very short time to make some sort of impact.

This one flower made me realize that life isn't just black or white, issues aren't just right or wrong and there's more to a person than good or bad. If we just stop to open our eyes we might just see find the unexpected and be dazzled by it.