Reason 556

Reason 556 that I love OMP.

The past couple of nights I have been having horrible nightmares. The other night was the absolute worse! I made OMP get up with me and walk around the house to make sure it was safe. He got up, no questions asked and made sure everything was safe and there were no monsters lurking in the shadows.

That's just half of the reason I love this man...last night, right before bed, OMP made sure I was having happy thoughts. We watched a funny movie and then started to doze into slumberland. I was just about asleep and started to have another bad dream. I put my hand on OMP and asked him to talk to me. We decided to think of happy things and the conversation went a little like this:

OMP: Think of happy thoughts, what makes you happy?
Me: Well, I want to dye Easter eggs this year.
OMP: There ya go. Pink Easter Eggs
Me: Can we put googly eyes on them?
OMP: The eggs? Only if you add angry eyebrows. By the way, why did you think crackers would stop ghosts?
 Me: What?
OMP:: In your text yesterday-you said you could stop ghosts with crackers.
 Me: I said I was going to use crackers for the meatloaf  since we didn't have bread  crumbs and my dream was about ghosts attacking me. You can't stop ghosts with crackers.
OMP:Punctuation is not your strong point is it? It's a good think you're cute.

Suddenly I burst into laughter, thinking of throwing saltines and wheat thins at ghosts to make them stop attacking  me.

Me: I love you.
OMP: I love you too, now go get the box of wheat thins from the cabinet, I'm hungry and you need your ghost fighting supplies.

This is my 556 reason to love OMP. He is one that I definitely would not kick out of bed for eating crackers.


PS-My dreams last night were about  mad googly eyed Easter eggs, but that's a whole other story.

And The Winner Is...

Did you watch the Oscars last night? What did you think of the winners? The fashion? I love the red carpet. Everyone looked so glamorous!

I am so happy that The Artist won  many of the awards it was nominated for. I love the lead actor, Uggie. What? Uggie was the best! Oh sure, he has four legs and needs a shave but he really did steal the show.

The only thing better than Uggie's performance is the background story of his life. This scrappy pup was rescued from the pound by his trainer/ owner and in his short life he has already had an illustrious career. He was given up by his original crappy owners for being too active. Really? Did you think a JRT would lay on the couch all day-those stupid jerks need a smackin'...but I digress.

Besides being known for his excellent award winning performance in The Artist, he stole the hearts of audiences in Water For Elephants.


His role in The Artist has been touted as better than some of the actors he stood beside and he even won the Palm Dog Award in Cannes.

Uggie has played his cards well and decided to retire while on top of his game. He will spend the rest of his days hanging out by the pool with his owner-chasing squirrels, signing autographs and sending love emails to his favorite girl, Lola (it could totally happen!)

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

A little over a week ago Lola Mae had surgery. She went from this....

To this....




Look at my pretty girl...



I'm so glad that she is back to her old self, pure class....


We have our little pupper back and all is right with the world.


PS-OMP would like to apologize for the state of our backyard but hey, it's winter and our yard is strictly a tropical paradise, so just wait till summer.

Feel Good Friday!

Via decorista

It's Friday. the sun is shining, I'm shaking my booty. Whoop! Whoop! Are you ready for a fab weekend? You better get to shaking your money maker!

I'm pretty sure I just died and went to heaven! Cassie Stephens embroidered these sassy sweethearts of the rodeo on an old target dress. Can I just faint right now? I know I need this dress and these patterns for my next rodeo adventure.

I'm not sure how this blog got past me but I found it and you should check it out too. LOVE LOVE LOVE Cozy Home Chronicles!  I'm pretty sure we are kindred spirits and if she likes animals, we might even turn out to be best friends.

I love charm bracelets! OMP got me one for Christmas and I have several others, including my mother's. James Avery creates amazing charms. I am partial to the cowboy boots and the hangover elephant. They even have man bands for your sweetie (you know, man bands, a dude bracelet)

Unicorns are great, but unicorn puppies are better. If this is your dog, please message me. I want to have a cocktail with you. We should be friends.

Well babes! The sunshine is calling my name and if you are familiar with the Pacific Northwest then you know that the sun will last five minutes and I won't see it again until July. Sooooooo.....I'm outta here! Have an amazing weekend full of adventures and unicorn puppies.

A good time to laugh is any time you can.  

~Linda Ellerbee

Tie One On Tuesday

It's Mardi Gras and time to celebrate Fat Tuesday with a beverage or two, or ten! You can repent tomorrow.

The one and only New Orleans drink is the Hurricane. It's a classic and everyone who goes to New Orleans goes to Pat O'Brien's and consumes large amounts of this fruity drink. Since we all can't have our feet on Bourbon street, let's make these yummy cocktails at home.


The Hurricane
2 ounces light rum
2 ounces dark rum
2 ounces passion fruit juice
2 ounces orange juice
1 tablespoon simple syrup
dash of cherry juice
juice from half a lime
Mix in shaker with ice and strain into a hurricane glass. If you want something extra refreshing, crush with ice in a blender and serve up.

I just love the name of this next cocktail. It sounds so fancy. It's perfect for the sophisticated bunch, you know, the ones that don't flash for beads.

Vieux Carre
3/4 ounce rye whiskey
3/4 ounce Cognac
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
1/2 tablespoon Bénédictine
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice cubes
Combine all in a shaker with ice and stir well. Strain into an ice filled glass and drink up.

I don't know who this Brandy is but she packs a mean punch.

Brandy Punch
2 ounces brandy
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
3 ice cubes
cracked ice
freshly grated nutmeg
In a cocktail shaker, combine the brandy, milk, and sugar with 3 ice cubes and shake until frothy, about one minutes. Strain into a double-old fashioned glass with cracked ice. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve.

There ya go! Drinky drinks to get you ready to shake your money maker and let the good times roll! 

Don't Watch These Movies

The following are movies you should not watch while your dog is sick or recovering from surgery unless you want to end up a bawling mass, curled up in a fetal position with your other pets looking at you like they are vying for your position in the pack:

Old Yeller. Even if you don't have a dog, this movie will have you in tears. Holy macaroni! This movie kills me. How could Disney do this to me? Their movies are suppose to be sweet and uplifting, not about your best friend dying. Who does that to a kid? I saw this movie as a young adult and refused to ever watch it again.

Hachi: A Dog's Tale. The worst thing about this movie-it's a true story. A dog in Japan waited for his owner who never returned. Commence crying....NOW. I have never seen this movie but know the story and I will never see the movie because I know the story.

Marley and Me. It's not sad just because it has Jennifer Aniston in it-that would make it just plain bad. It's sad because the puppy teaches us about ourselves and guess what happens. Yup, you guessed right.

My story has a happy ending. I didn't end up under the couch in a fetal position. I ended up snuggled next to my best furry friend, sharing a nibble of steak and laughing at funny dog videos. The best way to spend any night. 

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. 

OMP Loves Me

OMP and I went to the store over the weekend. In the car, one of my favorite songs played on the radio.

Me: Turn it up! I love this song! PAMELA! PAMELAAAAAAAA
OMP: The song is Panama, not Pamela, sweetheart.
Me: Really? I think I know my own name, the song is called Pamela
OMP: Seriously? It's Van Halen's Panama!
Me: You're just jealous that they didn't write a song about you.
OMP: Yeah, that's it and they didn't write a song about your name either! It's PANAMA!
Me: Whateves, I'm sticking to my version. PAMELA!
OMP: Stop singing.

And just when you think I couldn't get to OMP anymore, we walked into the store and see a rug that would be perfect for our living room and it's a great price!

Me: Look honey! It's perfect for our living room.
OMP: I wonder how big it is.
Me: Well, it's that big (as I proceed to pull the rug out from the rack and show him)
Blank stare from the OMP
OMP: Really? I meant WHAT ARE THE DIMENSIONS!
Me: You don't have to yell dear, I'm right here. If you wanted the dimensions, you should have said so, you asked how big it was. Hey! Where are you going? Are we getting the rug or not?



(for the record, I know the song is Panama, I just love getting to OMP...I'm evil that way)

An Open Letter to the Hallmark Channel-Part Two

Dear Hallmark Channel,

Since you refused to respond to my previous letter,  you gave me no choice but to write you again. This time I need to address your Valentine movies or should I say LACK of Valentine movies. Don't you realize that you are a CARD COMPANY? It's your job to cram Valentine's Day down our throats. I mean c'mon, recycled love stories from 4 years ago. Shame on you Hallmark, for shame....


Now I will give you a thumbs up for making another western with Luke Perry. The first Luke Perry western was your highest rated made for TV movie ever! I find that hard to believe since you made a movie with Sam Elliott and the ladies love Sam, but whatever, skew your numbers to your whim.

Another thing, where are the Valentine cartoons? There has to be some ridiculous 80's cartoon in that Hallmark vault of yours, or better yet, how about another cartoon about a sad puppy no one wants. That story worked wonders for you at Christmas.

In these hard times, Hallmark, we need sappy love stories. We need over the top, mushy, if I hear "I love you" one more time I will puke movies. Show us the stuff that would melt a convict's heart. We NEED it!

So, in conclusion. We need love. We need sappy. We need you, Hallmark, to step up your game and give us sugary sweetness.

Signed,

A loyal fan.


PS-Cancelling The Martha Stewart Show?-not a very swift move at all Hallmark, not good at all! But hey, since you are cancelling her, you got any of those extra iPads she keeps giving away hanging around? Just thought I'd ask.

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

We have been tailgating all day long, waiting for the Puppy Bowl to get started. We waited.....

And waited...

And waited...

Finally! Time of kickoff!

We are having a hard time trying to vote for our MVP (most valuable puppy). It's a tie between Eureka, Fumble, Leroy Brown and Oscar. Help me Rhonda, who am I kidding, I want to them all.

Salivating Saturday

Need an easy treat for Valentine's Day or maybe a sweet and savory treat for game day tomorrow? Well, look no further than the recipe I am about to give you. It is a combo of sweet, savory and chocolate.....oh yeah, you heard me right. I recently made it for a few friends and it because it was so good, I made an extra batch for myself.

Valentine Popcorn Mix
2 bags of buttered microwave popcorn
1 bag of melt and pour candy chocolates (Wilton's)-confetti sprinkle was the one I chose
1 bag of Valentine M&M's
Wax paper
Baking sheet
Valentine sprinkles, this is a must!

Now, if you don't want to use buttered popcorn, that's fine. It was what I had in my pantry and if you aren't a fan of the melt and pour chocolate, a bag of chocolate chips in your favorite flavor will do. Last, after thinking about this a little more, I bet peanut M&M's would make this so yummy!

Pop your popcorn according to the microwave instructions.
In a double boiler (or a microwave), melt the candy chocolates
In a LARGE bowl, combine the popcorn and the melted candy chocolates.Stir until popcorn is coated
Pour in 1/2 a bag of the M&M's and shake a few sprinkles into the mix. Continue to stir until everything is coated.
Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet covered in wax paper
Let cool and then break apart.
After it has cooled and you have broken it apart, add the remaining bag of M&M's to the mixture. You will have coated and uncoated M&M's
Serve it up!

I filled up Valentine bags and gave it  to a few friends. I put the rest in a sealed container for future eatings and by future I mean, five minutes after I made it.

This popcorn is great because you can make it for any theme you want or any holiday coming up. I think it would be great for a party or a shower. Have fun and mix with different colors and flavors! Beware! It is very addicting and won't last long, especially if you live at my house.







 

Feel Good Friday!

via french by design 

It's Friday! Raise your hands in the air! Whoot! Whoot! Time to get my party on and by party, I mean relaxing on the couch and snuggling with OMP and the pups. Oh yeah! I know how to get down and get funky.

 So September created the cutest superhero patterns. I'm in love! You can get your free pattern at her website. 

 via handmad ryan gosling
I hear that a few of you still aren't doing pinterest yet. Let me tell you-it's absolutely addicting, a complete waste of time and I love it! Be careful, you will be sucked in. The plus side is that I have made many of the recipes I've found there and a lot of them are keepers. I've also made a bunch of crafts that I've pinned and met some new friends.

Do you have a valentine picked our for your sweetie or maybe for yourself cause you know you gotta give some mad love and props to cute little you. I've been trying to find the perfect thing for OMP. Right now this is all I got, but let's face it, he is da bomb! (I know right now he is telling me to never say that again) You can make your own bomb over at Skip To My Lou. Check out their other valentine ideas-so stinking cute!

Speaking of stinking cute, while most of the United States is gearing up for the Super Bowl, over at Casa de Pedersen, we are getting ready for the Puppy Bowl. EEEPPPP!!!!!!


Puppies, OMP bombs, stitching and pinterest...sounds like the perfect weekend to me! The sun is shining and I need to get out there an enjoy it before mother nature realizes she screwed up the seasons. Have a great Friday!

When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.

~Author Unknown

Stitchy Goodness

I've been on a cross stitch craze lately. I did this gnome alphabet sampler for AlwaysInspired. The original pattern had two "d's" in it. I took one out. Someone suggested that maybe the gnome had a stuttering problem.





This pattern wasn't custom made but it should have been. It's a little Pam with a little Lola. I just love the pixel people cross stitch out there. A couple of good places to check out are weelittlestitches and andwabisabi
.


Of course, I could never abandon embroidery or my love for vintage patterns. I made this for my sweet friend Peggy. She has the cutest scotty named Snickers. I just imagine this behavior from that little scamp.


What have you been working on? Any big projects?


PS-Teri! I need you address, lady! I have your book. You can email me and let me know. Thanks!

Get Your Butt Over There!

Guess what? I have a facebook page now! Stop trying to contain your excitement. If you haven't liked me over at Facebook yet, do it now! RIGHT NOW!

Guess what else, once I reach milestone numbers on Facebook. I will be treating you to some exciting giveaways. The first milestone is 100. So tell your friends and families (unless they are jerky, in which, don't tell them anything, jerks!) to like my facebook page and you can win prizes.



Click the link, like it and make me a happy person.