Things I've Learned Since Turing 40

 Big thanks to Yotam.Hadarr

It's been almost 2 weeks since I turned 40. What kind of wisdom have I learned within this time? Well, come closer my young whippersnappers.....

One of the most important things that I have learned is to be yourself and be happy with that person. That is, unless you are a jerk. Which if that is the case, stop reading this blog and go get some help to stop being a jerk and go yell at your parents for raising such a jerky kid. If you are not a jerk, then remember to love yourself and know that you are the best in this world. There is nothing wrong with thinking that you are the coolest kid in school. Just don't get a big head - then you become a jerk (see comments above).

Which leads me to the second thing I've learned. Stop saying WHEN. Oh you know what I am talking about. I'll be happy WHEN I lose 10 pounds - no you won't. You will find something else wrong and start worrying about that body part. Or how about-I'll be happy WHEN I have a boyfriend/girlfriend. Really? How about loving yourself right now and being happy that you can eat chocolate chip cookie dough in bed, fart and not blame it on the dog and not have to explain your Pez candy dispenser obsession to someone. STOP SAYING WHEN and live RIGHT NOW!

Another thing, being grateful for what you do have. This one is certainly a hard one to remember. Just think to yourself, am I in a Turkish prison? Am I dead? No? Then you should be grateful for the day ahead of you. I know that there will be rough days and trust me, I am not always happy and positive but I know that I am truly blessed for what I do have and for the people in my life. I definitely need to thank those people more & you should too.

Stay positive! Positive thoughts yield positive results. No one likes to be around a negative person. You just aren't fun if you are constantly complaining and being a downer. Besides that, your positive thoughts are contagious.

Last, it's okay to fail. It's okay to fall down but it's not okay to stay down. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try again. I have fallen many times. Some of those times were caused due to the bad decisions I made (okay, most were due to bad decisions) but I didn't give up. I tried a different way - went another way around and cruised on. Learn from your mistakes and try again. Just don't give up. If you give up on yourself, everyone else will too.


Those are just a few things I've learned. I've also learned that dogs love strawberry champagne cake but they really shouldn't eat it, blaming your burps on OMP in the middle of a store will get you dirty looks and cotton candy for breakfast is an excellent idea. Take these and do what you will with them - they are just a little life lesson from your Aunt Pam.

Tie One On Tuesday Wieners!

Drum roll please.........

The winner of the Tie One on Tuesday syrup giveaway is.....

BECKY! Go Becky! Gonna have a good cocktail! Getting funky!


Please email me at v1313@hotmail.com with  your address so you can start making yummy cocktails. Thanks to everyone who entered. There will be more giveaways in the future. So stick around for some fun times and great cocktail history.

Doggone Great Movies!

I am such a sucker when it comes to movies about animals, especially ones about pups. I will even watch those horrible talking animal films. As long as it has a cute little animal in it-I will watch it and cry at the right times-just like the director wanted. Yep, I am a SUCK-ER for sappy animal movies.

The most recent movie that had me in tears and wanting to adopt every dog on the planet is Hotel For Dogs. I know what you are thinking-Seriously Pam? Really? Let me explain why I was in tears. We had just lost Kato and I made the dumb decision to rent a dog movie cause the lead pup looks like Lola. Well, that alone made me think of Lola and Kato playing together and thus the waterworks started. The movie is a kid friendly movie about two orphans and their little Jack Russell Terrier. One dog leads to another and eventually an abandoned building turns into a hotel for strays. Waterworks will follow in this sweet "No Dog Left Behind" movie.

I remember seeing Benji as a little kid and crying my eyes out because he didn't have a home. Then he got one and then he became a stray again. As a 4 year old, I knew I was the only person who understood Benji and wanted to take care of him. Benji is a stray dog who helps two kidnapped kids escape from their captors. Of course this movie started a whirlwind of Benji movies and TV shows, then then the lunchboxes followed. I never got my Benji lunchbox, instead my mom thought a Donnie and Marie lunchbox would be better. Thanks for the therapy mom!

My friend grew up in a family that participated in dog shows and swears that Best In Show is a true and accurate portrayal of the business. As everyone was laughing it up, she was shaking her head and screaming, "If you only knew!" The story is a mockumentary about several people heading to the biggest dog show in the United States. This is a classic Christopher Guest movie with the wonderful cast of characters that we have come to know from his films. There have been many times that I will walk up to OMP and say, "Pine nuts, Macadamia nuts." He loves me.

There are SO many more dog movies out there. Some great tear jerkers are-of course Old Yeller, My Dog Skip (I can not watch this movie at ALL). Some classics that have been updated-101 and 102 Dalmations (I have seen them so many times, they are banned in the Casa de Pedersen) and then the great buddy movie with Turner and Hooch, Homeward Bound and Eight Below.  No matter what your style is, grab your best furry friend, snuggle in on the couch and enjoy a doggone great movie. See what I did there? Doggone? Hello? Hello? Is this thing on? Lola thought it was funny. 

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

I am a huge fan of rescues. What better way to give an animal a second chance. You may just find your best friend. Take Rosie for example-this sweet little Jack Russell is looking for a forever home.

This is a little tidbit from my friend who helps with the Jack Russell Rescue.

This is Rosie.  Formerly Hurricane Rosie, now affectionately known as Rosie Roo... we call her Rosie Roo because she is one big bouncy ball of fun!  Rosie is a little over a year old and is a Jack Russell Terrier.  She is 17" tall, and looks a little like a petite Springer, or Brittany Spaniel size wise.  She came from Hurricane, Utah, where she was spending her days tied up in a trailer park.  Her new foster mom is exhausted and just cannot exercise her enough.  What this little ball of love needs ideally is this... someone who is a runner.  A real runner, not just training for a one time marathon.  When properly exercised, this dog is the smartest most obedient dog on the planet.  She knows "sit", "stay", "get on your bed" and sadly, "no".  She doesn't get into things when she is given proper toys to keep her busy, and when she has been properly exercised it is a total non-issue.  She can smell a tennis ball a mile away.  Sometimes, she can find them when they have been put away and forgotten by her human.  She can play ball FOREVER, but it is not good if it is her sole source of amusement and exercise.  She loves to be with her people.  So a work from home person would be ideal.  She loves other dogs and engages in play with them easily.

Please help us find Rosie a forever home. If you are interested in Rosie, please contact me and I will get you in touch with the rescue. Everyone needs a best friend in their lives. Rosie just might be yours.

Sweet Saturday

The funny thing about living in the Pacific Northwest is one day it could be 40 degrees and you need to turn your heat on in the middle of June and the next it's 80 degrees and you are sweating your eyeliner off.Can you guess what kind of day it was today? Let's just say I'm looking like a raccoon that got ditched at the prom.  That being said, I needed to make something sweet to appease my sugar tooth and cool off at the same time.

I've always wanted to make granita but it seemed like a lot of work and very intimidating. Nothing could be further than the truth. It is so easy and so tasty that OMP may be lucky to get any when he gets home tonight. You can use all sorts of fruits but since my raspberries were ripe for the picking, I decided to use them.

Raspberry Granita
Ingredients
3 cups fresh raspberry
1 cup water
3/4 cups and 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine water and sugar in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to  slight boil. Remove from heat. Chill syrup until cold. (I chilled it in the fridge cause I hate waiting)

Mash 3 cups raspberries in medium bowl. Stir in lemon juice. 

Mix sugar syrup and raspberry mixture.

Pour mixture through strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. 

Pour mixture into shallow baking dish.

Freeze until almost firm,stirring every 15 minutes for 2 hours. This may seem like a lot of work but it is really easy. I cleaned the house and pulled weeds then went back and took a break and stirred the granita. This is a must! It will really make the difference.

After 2 hours, continue freezing granita until firm (do not stir), at least 3 hours or overnight. 

Scrape out the granita with an ice cream scooper. The consistency should be like a sorbet-this is why the stirring is so important.

Granita can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen.

Granita is the perfect after dinner treat or after pulling weeds treat or just sitting in the sun doing your best Jane Mansfield impersonation treat. Your family and friends will think that you are a gourmet chef with this little number. Only you will know it took nothing at all to create this masterpiece.

Feel Good Friday!

Ooohhhhh my full belly. I'm a little late with Feel Good Friday-sorry about that but OMP grilled out some yummy food and I needed to help him eat it. Now my tummy is full and I'm ready for bed or at least a cocktail. While I'm looking for the Tums, let's see what I have for you.

 Aimee Ray rocks my socks. I remember seeing her for the first time on Craftster and then when her book came out, I HAD to buy it. Now she has new patterns and a flickr group. Check her out!

I'm sure I have mentioned Plays With Needles before but I just love this entry on her blog. It makes me happy. I read Susan's profile-swimming, triathlons, taking care of a son AND stitching. I got tired just reading about her. Holy macaroni lady-you need a medal and a cocktail.

For my birthday my friend Lori sent me the most beautiful spoon bracelet. The pattern was retired in 1910. I love it and wear it all the time now. I was looking for more spoon jewelry and found this wonderful company.  Silver Spoon Vintage Jewelry has the most beautiful bracelets, rings and necklaces.

Apparently I not the only one with a full belly and ready for bed. Have a great Friday-I'm gonna sit under the stars and have sweet dreams. You should too.

Tie One On Tuesday Giveaway!

 I love a good cocktail. I also love Trader Tiki's syrups and because I love them so much, I am willing to pass on my love to you. Just what am I giving away? 3, count them, 3 different syrups!

 The first on the list is my all time favorite-Passion fruit syrup. This stuff is AMAZING! Not only is it great in a cocktail but I also put it in my tea in the morning. I'm betting you could add some seltzer and make some great soda

2nd in command is Cinnamon syrup-a great one for the warm toasty cocktails out there. Soooo yummy!

Last but not least is Hibiscus grenadine. This stuff has real pomegranate juice in it,  with a nice light taste of Hibiscus to follow.

All of the syrups are handcrafted in small batches in Portland Oregon,  with  no high fructose corn syrup and no preservatives.


Now it's time to stop your drooling  and enter the contest. All you need to do is leave a comment and tell me what your favorite beverage is.  It could be a cocktail, a tea, coffee-anything that wets your whistle. A winner will be announced next Tuesday, June 29th. Don't forget to visit Trader Tiki and check out his other fab syrups, bitters and bar swag. Good Luck!

La Vie En Rose

I'll admit, I'm on the fence with lots of foreign movies. Some just make no sense at all and sometimes I just want to stitch and hear the movie instead of reading subtitles. That being said, there are a few that I can watch time and time again. Because I know you want me to, I'm gonna share a few of my favorites.

I remember hearing a cranky girl tell me how much she hated Amelie. She told me that she had a problem with someone butting into other people's lives. Even though she gave it a bad review I decided to see it and I was so happy I did. It is such a wonderful feel good movie. It's so sweet. This gem from France tells of a sweet girl who decides that she is going to take on the mission of making others happy. In her adventures she brings smiles to strangers' faces and possibly love for herself. If you are ever having a bad day or just feeling sad about the world around you, this movie will lift your spirits and renew your faith in your fellow man.

It's no secret that I absolutely LOVE Edith Piaf. Her voice is rich with sadness, tragedy, but also offers a small glimmer of hope. Her life was a mirror of her voice. La Vie En Rose is a beautiful biography of her life from a small child to her untimely death. Piaf rose from a street urchin to an international icon. Despite her colorful life, she will always be the little sparrow to her people and the world that surrounded her.

I know I have mentioned this movie before but it bears repeating that you need to see it. La Belle Et Bete (Beauty and the Beast) is stunning. The special effects were cutting edge for the time and scenery is so rich and textured you could almost taste it. The movie centers around Beauty and her servitude to the Beast. Servitude turns to love and loyalty, followed by the happy ending.


So, I just realized that I gave you all my favorite French films...hmmmm...wonder what that says about me? That I love wonderful scenery, the French language, incredible music? Or does it say that pretty things make me happy? A little bit from column A, a little bit from column B. In any case, head out to that little corner market, pick up some yummy bread, brie and a great bottle of wine, sit back and enjoy the best in what France has to offer. Adieu mes animaux de compagnie

Scrappy Dog Sunday! The Father's Day Edition.

In honor of Father's day, Jujube has decided to take over and share her thoughts on her dad.

Dad, you were always there, by my side, to protect me. 

Even though you were grouchy, we still had fun~ 

You may think that you were in mom's shadow

But you always stand alone in my heart.

Although you're gone, you are still right next to me. I have inherited your appetite, your barking and your love of digging. No need to worry about me Dad, I'm in good hands. 

Happy Father's Day! 

Love, Your little girl,

Jujube

Feel Good Friday!

Is it Friday already? Yahoo! I've been in a little bit of a fog this week-it was my birthday on Wednesday and although I had every intention of posting something-the champagne just wouldn't let me. Here are a few things for you to get all bubbly about.

Did you see the winner of the Feeling Stitchy Rainbow of Stitches contest? Not only is the cuteness off the charts but the stitching is AMAZING! I swear, if she says that it's something she just whipped up, I may have to hurt her.  Congrats to Joey's Dream Garden!

Oh how I wish I was a better seamstress! I could make all my clothes like the lovely Mena over at The Sew Weekly. She has inspired me so much that I think I will get out my sewing machine again and give that A-line skirt a whirl.

My birthday was on Wednesday and OMP got me the coolest cutest pink bike EVER! Of course I need to accessorize the bike. Here are a few of my choices.

1. Bicycle helmet-don't want to knock my knoggin'! 2. Vintage bike radio from Sears. 3. Hello Kitty bell with rhinestones! 4. Bike basket.

Aren't they just the most ridiculous things ever! I love the helmet! 

Okay! I have to get ready for my birthday party. I hope everyone has a champagne, cupcake filled weekend. I know I will! 

 

Tie One On Tuesday!

Yahoo! It's ONE day before my 40th birthday! To get this party started I thought I would share with you my favorite all time drinks. Now, I know what you are thinking-aren't all the cocktails on Tie One On Tuesday your favorites. Well, most of them are. I have tried lots and lots of drinky drinks-some fab and some...ummmm...are not. So, get out your pen and paper and make sure you have this list ready when you see me next time and you can buy me a drink.


If I am out at a bar and just want a simple drink, I will have a gin and tonic with extra lime. I love the taste of Juniper mixed with the fizz of the tonic. Here's where you need to take notes. The Gin I like is Martin Miller. Their tag line is, "Born of Love, Obsession and Madness." Just like me! Check out the website-you will see a man in a ruffled shirt with Chuck Taylors and a poodle. Now you see why I like this gin. Oh yeah, the taste is smooth to the point of being brilliant.

Let's say that I am at the beach or lounging by the pool-cause that can really happen here in the Pacific Northwest-who cares if I am wearing a parka and rain gear at the time, I can still lounge. When I don't want something heavy or too sweet, the drink I look for is a Singapore Sling. If you are ever inclined to make me one-here's what you need:
Singapore Sling
1 1/2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce cherry liqueur
1/4 ounce Cointreau liqueur
1/4 ounce benedictine
4 ounces pineapple juice
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1/3 ounce grenadine
1 dash bitters
Throw all these wonderful flavors into a shaker with ice. Fill a Collins glass with ice and strain. Garnish with pineapple and a cherry.

Well, here we are, winding down the night and you want to mix me up a nightcap. Get your shaker out and mix up this yummy treat.
The Nightcap
1 oz Kahlua
1 Dash Nutmeg
6 oz Milk
1 tsp Powdered Sugar
Heat milk and add the sugar and the Kahlua. Sprinkle Nutmeg on top. Tuck me into bed and say goodnight.

Yummm...my head is buzzing and I haven't even had a drink yet! I'm off to lala land to rest up for my big birthday celebration tomorrow. Turning 40 requires lots of cocktails ,cupcakes and kisses!

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

We have all sorts of visitors this time of year. Some come by for a quick snack. 

The girls are master hunters and one quick yell of SQUIRREL and they are out the door. This time though, they were a little taken back.

Other times, Lola is ready to attack any mouse, ball or bush that gets in her way.

Peter.....not so much.

And where is Jujube during all this? Dreaming of doggy treats, of course!

Feel Good Friday!

What is that big bright orb in the sky? Could it be that sunshine has finally made it's way to Portland? Here are a few things you can enjoy while I spend a few minutes working on my tan.

I can only wish that I looked this cute riding a bike. I love her little basket. Comfortstitching not only has mad embroidery skills but the quilts are just as adorable.

I am in LOVE with Hello Adorable! If it's adorable-it's here! From crafty, critters, to edible-this blog has it. The cool part, besides the Hello Kitty Chip Maker (which would make a great birthday present!), is that you can log in and suggest items for the world to see.

For the past few months I have been on a baking craze. Fancy Flours is THE place for beautiful baking accessories. I am totally fascinated by printed wafer paper. They have them for different holidays and make wafers for chocolate. So beautiful!

Ahhhh....I can feel the sun warming my buns as we speak! Enjoy your weekend-go out a get a little Vitamin D, get your hands dirty in your garden or just lay in the pool and enjoy a beverage. It's the weekend, kick back and relax.

Little Men

Searching through patterns I grabbed these out of an old envelope. I opened them up and realized 1-they had never been used and 2-they were all boys. I have never seen these little men before and think they are just too cute. I like to think that the chicken is his pet and not his dinner. ;). Happy Stitching!

What's Love Got To Do With It?

Before I get into a rant about love. I would like to let Marzidoats that she needs to email me so I can mail out her prize. Also, stay tuned next week - there will be a birthday surprise. Okay, on to my ramblings.....

It's Wednesday and time for another leap of faith. Actually, today is just me ranting so you have my permission to leave, grab a beverage and a snack, peruse Facebook-do whatever you want. I'm just warning you that you will miss my views on leaps of faith regarding love. If you can live with yourself, then I forgive you. If you are curious, sit back and listen.

A few years ago, I was down. Not just your normal down but just about as low as you can get, heading towards the gutter down. I was in a toxic relationship with just about every person in my life. I hated myself and everyone around me. I KNEW that there was no one for me out there and then I met my future husband, OMP. You see, if I didn't take a leap of faith and give him a chance, I would have never met the man of my life and pretty much have the most perfect life in the world. Here's the deal. There is NO REASON that you deserve to be in any toxic relationship-this includes friendships. If you are not feeling 100% awesome when you are with a person than it's not good for you.

See, here's the thing that gets to me. I get so frustrated when hearing that relationships are complicated. That they are hard work. The people that preach this are full of it. If you have a healthy loving relationship, it's a breeze. It is definitely not work. Compromises are a part of every day life but they should in no way curb who you really are, unless of course you are an ass, in which-you need to quit reading this and get some therapy. Not one day that I have been married have I ever thought my relationship was work.

Also, give people a chance. If I had not taken a chance on OMP, I would have missed out on the best person ever. Sure he has quirks-so do I. I would never think of changing him. So what if that person isn't your exact idea of perfection, I'm betting if you gave them a chance-they might prove you wrong and if they aren't the person of your dreams, move on to the next. Don't drag it out please-that's just ugly and boring and not fair to anyone involved.

Now if you are still reading, here's what I want you to take with you concerning love and leaps of faith. 1-You always deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. 2-Take a chance on someone. Who knows, they might be your very own OMP.  Love is always a leap of faith-never give up.

Animation, It's Not Just for Kids Anymore.

I'll admit it, I am a big kid at heart. 9 times out of 10 if you ask me what I'm thinking about, my answer will be candy. Another "childish" thing that I love is animation. I truly believe that at any given time SpongeBob Square Pants will be on and I have probably seen the episode. Now some animation is not quite for kids but is beautifully done and will definitely raise a chuckle.

Les triplettes de Belleville (Triplets of Belleville) has to be one of my favorite animated movies. Although it doesn't have a lot of dialogue, it  really doesn't needs it. The soundtrack is as quirky as the three sisters in the movie. The story takes place in France and involves a kidnapping, a grandma, the fattest dog ever and frogs, lots and lots of frogs. This film will make you giggle, dance and cheer for more.

Remember when I told you I loved SpongeBob(of course you do, it was only two paragraphs ago, duh), well a few years ago, he made a movie and it was good! Not just okay, but seriously funny good. SpongeBob and Patrick must prove that they are men and not kids by going to Shell City to recover Neptune's crown before all of Bikini Bottom is doomed. Did I mention that it has a cameo of The Hoff (David Hasselhoff to the laymen)? Sometimes if I really want to annoy OMP I will walk around the house yelling, "I'M  A GOOFY GOOBER!"

Now the last film on our little animated jaunt has a little bit more of an edge to it. Rock & Rule came out when I was teenager and I was so excited, not really because of the plot but because most of the music was done by Debbie Harry and Cheap Trick. Rock & Rule was the kid brother of Heavy Metal in a kind of round about way. It did have more of a plot and  a bad guy that looks like Mick Jagger's older brother strung out on caffeine. The bad "Karl: Jagger decides to rule the world by stealing a punk rock angel's voice (that just sounds so wrong together). Her friends think otherwise and a rock n' roll jag ensues.

There are so many great animated movies out there that are just waiting to be discovered. Some are for all ages while others are a bit more "blue". Whatever your preference is, there is something out there for you. If you want, I can come over and watch it with you, I'll even bring the candy.

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

The rain just keeps coming. It's okay,we have lots of fun inside, romping around the house.

And chasing our toys

And causing all tkinds of mayhem.

Yeah, we are a bunch of rebel rousers in the house.