Scrappy Dog Sunday!

Oh my goodness! What a weekend it has been for Ms. Lola! She went in for surgery Friday morning and came home Friday night with less teeth. We are very lucky that there was no infection or damage in her jaw.

Now for the really good news, Lola has turned into a puppy again! She is acting like a dog half her age, even after having major surgery two days ago. This morning she was wanting to play with Jujube and chase squirrels.

Our main concern was her being put under and how stressful it would be. She came through it like a champ!

Casa de Pedersen wants to thank Dr. Holmes and SE Animal Hospital for taking such good care of my little girl and give her a new lease on life.

The Best Brisket You Will Ever Taste...

Normally, below you would see an image of what I cooked, but the brisket was so good there isn't any left for a picture. So...here's a picture of a cow.

I am going to tell you something, this is the best brisket you will ever eat. Now, don't even tell me that yours is just as good or better, cause it's not true. The recipe I am about to give you will be passed down from generation to generation. They will name monuments after you. Yes, it is that good.


Beef Brisket
2 tablespoons oil
1 3-4 pound brisket
1 can beer (the cheaper the better)
2/3 cups brown sugar
1 can tomato paste
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup mustard
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. Brown brisket - yes both sides (about 10 minutes)
Transfer meat to crockpot
Pour beer into skillet and simmer for one minute
Add beer to crockpot

In a medium bowl, add & mix remaining ingredients
Pour over brisket in the pot
Cook on high for two hours and then for 6 hours on low
Cut or mince-pour a little sauce over and serve on a bun or without-your choice.

When you win the Nobel Peace Price for bringing the masses together over this little piece of heaven,  make sure you thank me in your acceptance speech.

Feel Good Friday!

Man! I can't believe I made it to Friday! Is it just me or has this week been long for everyone? I need something to make me feel good!

See all these goodies? Well they're mine so hands off! My wonderful friend Lisa made these for me in a Valentine swap. I LOVE everything! She rules the school.

Guess what? I was in another Valentine swap and look what my friend TroubleT made me. I just need one more for a collection.

I love cooking. I used to absolutely hate it but now I just want to cook and bake all the time. It is so much fun, especially baking. Annie Eats is a great site with a million different recipes and treats. Right now I am totally digging the DIY flavored syrups for your coffee or homemade sodas. 

I am in LOVE with these edible white lace dollies. SweetDejaVu blows me away their beautiful sweet creations.

Well cats and kittens, I am out of here. Time to kick back and relax for the weekend. It is much needed and very deserved. Pam's out, PEACE!

A smile starts on the lips, A grin spreads to the eyes, A chuckle comes from the belly; But a good laugh bursts forth from the soul, Overflows, and bubbles all around.

 – Carolyn Birmingham

It's a Wrap!

So, are you on the wrapped bracelet wagon yet? No? Well, you should be! Check out this Craftster Quickie to see how easy they are to make.

Here is a finished product. I used contrasting thread and bigger beads to show you the steps.




If you're looking for more examples, check out my adorable sweet friend, LimeRiot's blog. She is amazing and I heart her!

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates

Did you have a smoochy day yesterday? Did ya get some lovin'? My sweet OMP treated me right. I love that he remembers silly little stories I tell him. Awhile ago, we were looking at Valentine chocolate heart shaped boxes and I told him the story about when I was a kid, I loved the fancy heart shaped boxes that my dad would get for my mom. To me, those boxes with all the flowers and ribbon meant high society. The more ribbon, the fancier the box.

Each year, after Valentine's Day, my mom would give me that box and throw in a few pieces of old costume jewelry. Well, you would have thought she just handed me the crown jewels. I actually kept a lot of the boxes with me until I moved to the Pacific Northwest.

After telling OMP this, he smiled and we continued shopping. Yesterday, when I came down stairs in the morning, a huge box of chocolates greeted me on the dining room table. I squealed with delight! I had my own fancy box of chocolates! I was in heaven!

Now we come to this morning and I decided to dip into my box of chocolates for a little bit of breakfast. What? Don't judge, you can have chocolate for breakfast if you're an adult. You can even eat cookie dough in bed...not that I have done that this year, but you can.  Anyhoo....When I opened that box, I instantly turned into a little kid again. The smell of the chocolate reminded me of being a little girl, wanting my mother to hurry up and finish the box so I could have it to put my treasures in. I looked at the chocolates sitting there, so pretty and wondering if anyone would notice if I took a nibble out of each piece to see what my favorite would be.

OMP didn't just give me a fancy box of chocolates, he gave me a memory.

I called him this morning to tell him how much I loved him. I don't think he could understand me as the chocolate caramel was stuck to my teeth.

Me: Hey honey, remember when Forrest Gump said life is like a box of chocolates, you never know you're gonna get.

OMP: Yep

Me: Well, I think he was full of it, if you take a little bite of each one, you know what your favorites are and what is icky. You get to taste everything, experience it all  and weed out the crap-just like life. Now that's what Forrest Gump should have said-take a nibble out of each piece and experience it all.

OMP: Are you trying to justify taking a bite out of every piece of chocolate?

Me: Maybe.....

 I love that man, he gets me.

Love is in the Air

Who's getting all smoochy smoochy? You're right! ME! Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I've got my lips puckered for a sweet kiss from my OMP. To get you in the mood, I've picked my favorite romantic movies.

Over the weekend,I got a chance to watch one of my favorite romantic comedies, The Awful Truth. My favorite actor is in the movie- Asta from the Thin Man movies. Gah, I love that little pooch. Cary Grant and Irene Dunn star in this quirky romance as a couple on the verge of divorce. I'm sure you can guess what happens next. Yes, it's predictable and I can forgive it for that because it's so hysterical.

I asked OMP what his favorite romantic comedy was. After getting over the "look" he decided that Grosse Point Blank was his favorite. Let's see...hitman comes back home for high school reunion, tries to win the girl back and not shoot anyone. Yep, lots of romance there. I will give it to OMP, the soundtrack is amazing and the laughs are pretty big.

My last pick for some laughs and love is Tammy and The Bachelor. I'll admit that I am a huge Debbie Reynolds fan. She is so adorable but tough as nails. In this film, she plays a backwoods hillbilly that saves a fine southern gentleman from a plane crash. Long story short, love prevails and the moonshine flows.

Awww yeah....love is in the air and in your DVD player. Throw these videos on, pour a little champagne and let the love flow. Your sweetie will be putty in your hands. Trust me....I know about love and laughing. I'm an expert at both.

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

I'm sitting here at six in the morning, taking care of a sweet old lady and feeling somewhat helpless. If you have ever had a sick pet, you know what I am talking about. My sweet little Lola is sick again. We have her scheduled for surgery on her teeth next Friday but a nasty infection decided to pop up and give her a hard time.

Now, I know some people would think that she is an old dog and maybe I am prolonging the inevitable. Those people don't know Lola or a Jack Russell Terrier for that matter. Lola is full of herself, even when she is under the weather. She can still out hunt, out smart and out cute any dog around. I know this is a stepping stone for her and for us. As soon as she is feeling better, she will terrorizing squirrels and cats within a ten mile radius. 

I know she will never be the little puppy that stole my heart that first night I met OMP. and I'm okay with that. She is now a little old lady who has my heart wrapped around her little paw.

As I'm typing this, I'm watching her snuggle into my side and it is a feeling of love that can not be measured by any man....and now she burps. Classic Lola.