Monday, October 31, 2011

MONDAY

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Today I got frustrated. I was short-tempered. I didn't want to do the things that were required of me.

I guess that's what you call a Monday.

I don't like it when I get like this. I listen to others around me be so patient and have so much love in their voice. I want to be like that, and I get disappointed when I'm not. But I will try to remember to love myself anyway.

"I must learn to love the fool in me--the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of human aliveness, humility, and dignity but for my fool." -- Theodore I. Rubin, MD

(via A CUP OF JO)

Friday, October 28, 2011

COSTUME TIME!

Even though I am now way to old to be trick-or-treating without a child in tow, I love to get dressed up. It's a lot of fun to meet up with friends, enjoy a few brews (punny!), and laugh at all of the girls who bought the costume with the least amount of fabric who are now freezing.

Over the last few years (with the help of my mom), I have loved my costumes! I have been...

Alice in Wonderland

 Beer Wench


A Lion Tamer/Ringmaster (my personal favorite)


Andrew and I as Salt and Pepper 
(not to be confused with Salt-n-Pepa, that would be silly)


And my favorite one that Andrew has done... Nascar fan! And what a handsome fan he was!


This year, I have to dress up for the little kids who will come from preschool to trick-or-treat at my door. That means that this costume must be PG. Andrew had originally said that he wanted to do a couples costume. But he didn't seem too interested after he couldn't find the perfect hat. I'm just putting the finishing touches on my costume, and it should be ready to go for the party this weekend and the kiddos next week.

Any guesses as to what I will be?!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

ROOM MAKEOVER

I wish I could say that we have done a lot to spruce the place us since we have been married, but that isn't really the case. We do little things here and there, but it's hard to make it feel like it's yours when it's isn't really "yours."


The one nice thing that we have have done is gotten a new bed comforter. I wish I had taken a before of our bedroom! The one we had before was Andrew from when he was growing up. You read that right... from when he was growing up! Gross.

The boxes are vases from the wedding. Interested in buying some milk glass?

Here is my short list of things that I would like to see happen to make over our bedroom:
- baskets for under the nightstands
- knobs for the dresser
- headboard
- artwork
- bedskirt
- mounted flat screen (not going to happen!)


Look at those sad empty walls... but I'm working on it! I'm having a lot of fun looking for artwork to go with the new bedding. I have found a website that I love Society6. They have a ton of reasonably price, cool, prints.

1 - 2 - 3

I don't know. What do you guys think? Like any of these? See anything else? Help me! I guess I'm terrible at making decorating decisions.

I'll try to post update as they happen. Until then...To be continued...

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

WEEKEND RECAP: OCT. 21-23

This weekend marked the 3rd annual Flater-Reed Halloween Extravaganza!


There was pumpkin carving, lots of laughing, strategizing, cooking, and drinking. It was the perfect kind of weekend. Let me walk you through it.


Friday: Dinner with local friends at Buffalo Wings and Rings. (This should happen more often! Lots o' fun!) Then Nick and Emily arrived! We went back to our place for some brews and games and lots of iPhone talk. Did I mention we played Hero Quest? Score!


Saturday: Run with Emily, cook, nap, play games, carve pumpkins, drink some more, and hit the hay.



Sunday: We finished up the our latest round of Hero Quest and then Nick and Emily had to go...


but then it was time for some football. And puzzles! Or should I say, and puzzles... This dang thing took forever! 8 hours later and it still wasn't finished. Why? Because the pieces have multiple potential spots. Ugh. We gave up and started forcing the pieces to fit. Why? Because we can. I love Sunday!

That about sums up our weekend. Oh! But before I go, I just wanted to share with you a video that had us laughing to the point of crying all weekend.


Who is this girl? Someone get her on Tosh.0!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

Last night I made a salad that my mom has has been making since I was little. It has been at almost every Thanksgiving and Christmas that I can think of. I can remember one year, my cousin's son, Jalen, lost a tooth while eating it. I hope that doesn't happen tonight when I take this salad to the youth group pot luck!

Unfortunately, I didn't have the time or patience to look for my Mom's recipe (love you, Mom!), so I used this one instead. I used it after doing a search on pinterest which is now my go to for pretty much anything. But without further ado...


Jello Pretzel Salad
by Lisa Poulsen
2 1/2 c. pretzels (crushed fine)
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3/4 c. butter
1 (6 oz) pkg instant strawberry jello
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen strawberries or small container (16 oz) sliced fresh strawberries 
1 ( 8 oz ) pkg cream cheese
1 c. sugar
8 oz. cool whip


1. Combine pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter and press into a greased 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. - I started by using my handy dandy new food processor to crush up the pretzels. That thing worked like a charm!


2. Make jello according to directions and add the strawberries. Refrigerate until partially set. *If it is not set enough it will leak through your cream cheese layer and make your pretzels soggy.


3. Facetime with you friends who just got a new iPhone. - Although this step is not required, it was a lot of fun!


4. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Blend in cool whip. Spread over cooled crust make sure you spread completely to the edges to create a seal so your jello doesn't leak through. - Almost done!

Not blood, jello stains.

5. Clean up. - But be careful while cleaning a food processor, those things are dangerous! There is nothing I wouldn't do in the name of a good salad. Sacrifice. 


6. Pour jello over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate. - It should say wait, and wait, and wait for your jello to set and then get too tired to wait any longer and at 11 pm put it on the top anyway. Or just don't make this at 9 pm if you want to go to bed at 10 pm. Oops. 

Don't worry. (I know it was going to just ruin your day if I didn't tell you everything was fine.) The jello set nicely and all was right in the world. I just hope it tastes good. Kids are the most honest judges you will ever find. Maybe if I bribe them with candy they will go easy on me?

Monday, October 17, 2011

WEEKEND RECAP: OCTOBER 14-16

This was the first weekend in a loooong time that I had some free time. And it felt so good! No wedding planning, no traveling, no nothing. It was much needed.



Friday: We went bowling with the Czech Club. We had a few beers, some great pulled pork, and a few terrible games of bowling. But "Becky" (my tried and true bowling ball) did me good. At one point, I was even winning. The winning didn't last long, but it was a small victory. 



Saturday: Farmer's Market! It was the last one of the year :( But it was beautiful weather and I had great company. We even stopped at the candy shop (my new favorite spot), before heading to lunch/brunch. And just like a kid, I ate my dessert BEFORE we had our meal. A cookie baked inside of a brownie... yes!

I then treated Andrew to lunch at Tommy Colina's. It's a new restaurant in town and there food was drool-worthy. I had the Omaha Omlet and Andrew got a very-typical-of-him breakfast burrito. I wouldn't mind going back to this place to give their lunch/dinner a try.

The rest of the day was spent grocery shopping, napping, taste testing some fall ales, and getting caught up on The Walking Dead. YES! We didn't catch the newest episode (and season premiere) last night, but we will watch it tonight. It's everything I ever wanted in a zombie show.

Friday night, we met up with some softball friends to celebrate Jill's birthday. It was nice to hang out with some new people and meet others! But our usual grandma/grandpa selves we were in bed by midnight.

Sunday: Run, made Andrew some pancakes, football, softball, and more football. Andrew then went to my brothers to make some beer for their upcoming hunting trip. I hope they save some for me!

Such a great weekend! Looking forward to hosting Nick and Emily next weekend and hear all about their honeymoon.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

WEEKEND RECAP: OCTOBER 6-9, 2011

This weekend, we played hooky from work on Friday to head to Illinois for the wedding of our two good friends Nick and Emily.

Chris and Jenny Gales, Nick and Emily at the rehearsal dinner, Alex & Kelly getting ready to go on the trolley

Highlights:
- Card games with good friends on a week night (We are such rebels!)
- Morning walks/workouts
- Chick-fil-a
- Mani/pedi
- Standing up with Emily and Nick on such an important day
- Cowboy boots stomping (aka dancing)
- Too much good food
- Drinks and merriment
- Beautiful fall foliage
- The cutest little town of Galena, IL
- Drunkly deciding to become a band of gypsy with a few of my favorite girls without the orange tans


Lowlights:
- Hangovers
- Long drives
- Stinky water
- Realizing that I won't be able to talk to Nick and Emily while they are on their honeymoon :(

I'm so thankful that this will be the last weekend we have to spend away for a wedding, but this also means we will be seeing less of our friends. We had so much fun with everyone this weekend. I love and miss them so much! Until next time... so bittersweet.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

HORROR MOVIE MONTH

October, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Scary movies. Pumpkins. Soup. Candles that smell like pumpkins. Fall ales. Changing leaves. Apples. Sweaters. Bonfires. Cider.

And really, I could keep going. But I'm here to talk about something I have been planning for a month now. My horror movie month schedule. Yes, a schedule.

Our goal? Two horror movies a week. That's quite the feat for us! And here is what we have choosen for this year.


Requim - Ju-On - The Innocents - The Legend of Hell House - Rosemary's Baby - The Exorcist - The Changeling - Tale of Two Sisters

We tried to mix some classics in with some newer ones, but it looks like we are going back in the day for most of them. I'm really excited about Rosemary's Baby! I'm not excited for Tale of Two Sisters...

Have you seen any of these movies?Any other recommendations?








Monday, October 3, 2011

CELEB SIGHTING

Did any of you see Reddit this weekend? Andrew made the front page! And with that, we read a lot of interesting/funny comments. 

In those comments, it was brought to my attention that Andrew apparently looks like a few celebs. This is something that i have never really thought of before. My husband looking like a celebrity? No one has ever really mentioned it, and I hadn't thought of it on my own. But I guess Andrew has a doppelganger. Whatever that means...

Let's see if you agree.

First up, Rob McElhenney. Let me start by saying that I hate It's Always Sunny. Maybe it's because it had been really talked up. Or maybe it's because it's not funny at all. But I wish they would all stop yelling all of the time.


Next, Wil Wheaton. This is a name I hadn't hear before. And I can't say that I know who he is even after seeing his picture. I really don't see this one, but I will let you be the judge of that.



So, what's the verdict? Rob? Wil? Neither? Both?