Oh, Sadie!

A little update on Miss Sadie....

Sadie has been inside a lot this winter. Let me clarify - inside on a bed on the tile floor next to the door. I am NOT excited about having her inside, but she was constantly crying net to the door and it became quite annoying. So, I gave in.

She is really good about staying in her bed while we do things around the house. As SOON AS SPRING COMES, she is out!! HAHA!

Here's some pics from her first days in the house!
She started out doing really well! Only her paws off the bed here! (Yes, I'm that anal)
Then she got bored....
....really bored.
....then in trouble (notice she won't look me in the eye)
.....and she got a little sneaky.




....and finally a little crazy! She's trying to hide her bone (from me, apparently) under her blankie.

We're going to EUROPE!!!

......again!

Yes, we've decided to take another vacation before we have any kiddos.

As of right now, we're planning a 10-12 day vacation and we're thinking it will be the end of July or early August. Until we get vacation time worked out with both our jobs, a specific date won't be set.

Our itinerary includes:
Dublin, Ireland
London, UK
Paris, France
Interlaken, Switzerland
Berlin, Germany
and.....possibly Amsterdam.

I am still in the planning stages. Yes, it sounds like a lot of countries in few days, but we're up for the challenge! We're planning two days in Dublin, London, Paris and Berlin and possibly one day in Interlaken and Amsterdam.

I found a great deal on 15 day Eurail train pass so we can travel AS MUCH as we want in these countries! It makes the cost of the trip much more affordable.

SUPER EXCITING!!
If anyone has any advice or tips on traveling in these countries (or in general), let me know!!

Just call me Giada!!

Well, today I decided that I would actually get off the couch and DO SOMETHING! For the past several weekends, I will admit that cable had taken over and I had been forced to watch great re-runs of old tv sitcoms, cooking shows and.....dare I say it.....reality tv. Yes, some days I didn't even venture from my pajamas. Yikes. :(

This weekend, however, I decided to be a productive person. This morning, I went grocery shopping after planning all of my meals for the next two weeks, making my grocery list and double-checking that I needed everything on my list. So....off to Dillons I went.
No, it's not my grocery shopping that made me "productive" today, it was what I did after putting away my groceries that might surprise you!

I MADE RAVIOLI FROM SCRATCH!!!
AND I'M GOING TO SHARE MY ADVENTURE WITH YOU!

Now, remember (or for those who don't know me, I'll tell you) that I am NOT the greatest cook. I can bake up a storm, but actually cooking food-food is not my strength. I am the girl that burns chili, undercooks the vegetables and overcooks the noodles. Thanks goodness the Hubs has gotten pretty acquainted with my cooking.

So....let the adventure begin!
First - the recipe!! I found the recipe I used through www.Wikihow.com

Ingredients for the dough: 3 cups of flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup oil, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup water and some extra flour for dusting your ravioli and the counter so it doesn't stick! Also, you can add seasonings to your dough for a little extra flavor.Ingredients for the filling: 700 grams ricotta cheese, 2 eggs, and a little salt/pepper (to your liking). You could also add spinach, mushrooms or anything else you might like in your ravioli!

Other things you might need: rolling pin, circle cookie cutter or a round glass, clean counter top, 2 mixing bowls with spooons, and a fork.

Now for the good part.....

1. Make your filling first and set it aside in the refrigerator (covered) while you make your dough.2. To make the dough, first beat your two eggs with a fork. Mix in your water, oil & salt.3. Add your flour a little at a time and stir with a fork.
4. Knead your dough and then sprinkle a little flour on your counter so the dough won't stick and roll out your dough pretty thin. The recipe says 1/8 inch.

5. After the dough is rolled out, you can use a glass or cookie cutter to cut our your circles.

6. Grab your filling from the refrigerator.
7. Wet the edges of your circles - this will help make sure there is a good seal when folding!
8. Dollop some of the filling into the middle of one of your circles and fold the sides together. The first couple of times you do it, you'll learn how much to put in. You don't want your filling coming out all of the sides - so go easy on it!9. Press the sides firmly together and set aside.
10. After you've made quite a few, go back and dust your ravioli with flour and use your fork to seal the edges.
I halved the recipe and ended up with 32 total. I also had LOTS of filling let over. (I actually used the rest of the ricotta filling in lasagna for dinner!)
I am put my ravioli in the freezer for a rainy day, but you can put it straight into boiling water for 5-6 minutes (or until they float). Then all you need is to add your marinara sauce!!


Viola!! Just call me Giada!!

Hmm.....

saw this on Rachel's blog at Girl Learning along the Way and want to do it too!!!


Here's the rule: Bold the things you've done & post on your blog!

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyworld

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma. Haha....right! Needles + Me = hives, then passing out

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book - had work in a published book, though!

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year's Eve

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Christmas Balls

Yes, that's right. I said Christmas balls.
I would like to start this little story by saying that I am REALLY not a perverted person! Just typing the world "balls" without the word "bouncy" in front of it makes me a little red-faced. These perverted things just seem to happen around me - I promise!!

So, the little hygienist told me this story last week. Now, I shall share it with you!

The following story does not depict an actual person or event

The little hygienist would like to introduce you to a new "temporary" dentist who is helping out the LH's practice. His name is Dr. Spruce. Dr. Spruce looks......a lot like ......Burt Reynolds. Seriously. They are like twins. It's scary.The LH would also like you to know that Dr. Spruce is stuck in the 70's - literally. He wears loafters instead of more conventional shoes. His attire consists of a bright orange zip-up scrub top (by the way - this is the FIRST scrub top I have seen that zips in the front). He also wears pleated scrub pants in various colors. These scrubs are literally from the 70's.

Dr. S also has another part of his attire. A sweater. A sweater made of his own hair.
Yes, Dr. S is hairy. A hairy dentist....that sounds like a scary monster in a horrible dream. Yikes!

So, now that you have a mental picture that includes Burt Reynolds in 70's scrubs, you may now add hair sticking out of the scrub top - that is unzipped about a half of an inch.

Go ahead and snicker all you like. I do it too.....

So the LH had a patient that was ready for a check by Dr. S. The patient was a small child in the kindergarten age and was very nervous about her first dental visit - but did great! The LH was so proud and excited that it went so well! Then, there was Dr. S.

Dr. S walked into the room to check little Suzy's teeth:

Dr. S: "Well, hello there!"

(Seeing the denist-from-the-past, little Suzy became quite frightened.)

Little Suzy: "Mom?!" (in her squeeky voice)
Dr. S: "Well, look at your shirt! What's on your shirt?"

(Little suzy had a purple shirt with white circles on it)

Little Suzy: "Um...I don't know."
Dr. S.: Well, those look like Christmas balls to me!

Little Suzy's mother's eyebrow quickly shifted up and she turned her head to the side. The LH put her mask up over her smiling and red face.

Dr. S: "Well, those are some pretty Christmas balls on your shirt."
Little Suzy: "Mom!?"
Dr. S: "Aren't those Christmas balls?"
Little Suzy: "No, they're not. They're NOT Christmas balls!"
Dr. S: "Well, sure they are. They look like Christmas balls to me."
Little Suzy: "They're NOT! Mom?! Tell him they're not Christmas balls!"

This back-and-forth debate about whether her shirt contained Christmas balls or not continued for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally, the LH said "Well, Little Suzy just turned 5 years old last month. Can you tell Dr. Spruce when your birthday was (Little Hygienist and Suzy had just talked about her birthday)

Dr. S: Yes, when is your birthday, Little Suzy?"
Little Suzy, in complete fright and frustration (because she did NOT have Christmas balls on her shirt) was so frazzled that she could not even remember her date of birth!

The poor child! She was so upset that as soon as the LH sat her seat in the upright position, she leapt out of the chair and stood behind her mother.

Poor thing. I guess she's not a fan of Boogie Nights.

Can I get a few extra napkins??

These words will never mean the same thing.

A few weekends ago, I was feeling pretty crafty and remembered that my MIL had wanted some new Christmas napkins. She had jokingly hinted to me one day that since I had a sewing machine, I could make her some as her Christmas gift.

So, being a good little daughter-in-law, I decided I would take her up on that offer to put the Martha Stewart in me to work! I looked up how "easy" it is to make napkins and dialed up my MIL to see what size she wanted.
After getting the specifics on the pattern, type of fabric and size, I remembered that I hadn't asked exactly how many napkins she needed.

Sarah/Martha Stewart: Well, there are two parents, four children and eventually four spouses. So, maybe 12. Yah, that's a good number. 12.

MIL: Well, let's see. Yah, twelve....plus grandma and grandpa, then aunt Jo and uncle Ben, Sam and Abby and their four kids. Then there's aunt Denise and uncle George. Then there's........

(The more names she added to the pile, the quicker I realized this wasn't going to be the "easy" task I once thought)

MIL: So.....26. Yah, that should do it.

Gulp.

So, it's a little more than a week away from Christmas and......I've made ten.
Yep, 1/3 done.
Yikes.

It's Been a Little While.....

Wow, so I guess that was an understatement!
It has been a while, not because I am incredibly busy..... more like incredibly lazy.
So, let's catch you up on the King Duo.

I am still working my normal 4 days a week doing secret operative work for the United States government. :) My cover job, however is still cleaning teeth.

Seth has changed jobs in the last three weeks and it has really impacted our normal routine. Seth was working as an under-appreciated Youth Minister. Never heard of such a thing? I'm sure you've met one before cause they're everywhere! Well, my little man is also working on his master's degree at MSU in Springfield. I am so proud of him. I would have to wait a lot longer in between bachelor's degree and going back for a master's degree.

His job as a youth minister was really taking a toll on his confidence, amount of energy, and his spirit in general. So, after lots of talking and praying, Seth decided to resign as youth minister and work a job that might work a little better with his college schedule. So, now he's working as an I.T for a company that works with HP/Microsoft. He helps people with their computer problems and he truly loves his job. He's always had a love for electronics, so this is great.

The not-so-great-thing is that his job requires him to go through a month of training from 3-11 five days a week. Yuck. That means Sarah doesn't see Seth (except for when she's begging him to turn the bright light out or kissing him on the cheek before she leaves for work) until the weekend. It really stinks. We are used to watching our favorite Monday night line-up on NBC and having more "us time."

Needless to say, I have much more time to myself these days and I am LONELY!! :( Sad, I know but very, very true. We try to talk on this breaks and we have a little notebook that we right in each day so we can communicate in fun ways, but there's nothing like snuggling on the couch watching "My Own Worst Enemy."

Okay, getting a little teary........