THE Party

A few weeks ago, on a lovely afternoon spent with the in-laws, two very important things were decided. 1) The new village in Daybreak is not nearly as charming as the first two, but that everybody needs to move here (the house across the street from me is for sale- come be my neighbor!). And, 2) There ought to be some sort of large celebration when Tyler's siblings come to town.
Hrmmm. Let me think on that one.. Celebration=party. Party=Andrea's favorite thing
ever. Andrea's favorite thing to do+5 birthdays within a month+a mother-in-law kind enough to turn over control and let me go crazy= Bliss! I think I needed something like this to get me out of my funk and back into my groove. (Beware the groove!)
So, once I got done with my niece Chloe's 5th birthday paper doll party (see Becca's blog, since I forgot my camera), it was full steam ahead on THE Party planning-as opposed to 'the party'. A much needed distinction when you are planning more than one party at a time.
I had a pretty good idea of what I was going for with THE Party, so I was able to start making things early-ish. I made pinwheels and sprouted wheatgrass for centerpieces and decor. I made my first cake balls (inspired by Bakerella's cupcake pops), made paper umbrellas (which I totally forgot to take and can't seem to find anywhere?!?!) with Becca and Steve's help, and did all sorts of other crazy things..
I think my in-laws thought I was totally crazy when we started bringing things inside, but I hope that they still like me enough to not have me committed...

I had to borrow my mom's car to transport everything to the party. Hazel, Chloe and Calvin were pretty impressed...

The party favors, all lined up in a row. The containers were filled with chocolate raisins to anchor the cake balls.

The dining room set up, with favors and wheatgrass and pinwheels, oh my!

One of the birthday cakes- I don't know if this was the lemon or the chocolate, but it doesn't really matter... They both looked pretty cute, I thought. Tyler was a saint and baked and rolled fondant like a champ.

Pinwheels!

The lemonade bar. Lavender, mango, plain, mint and blueberry.

Mango lemonade. Very tasty stuff.

Mint lemonade. Also very tasty stuff.

Uncle David playing the clothespin drop game. By the end of the night Megan, Tyler and I were all tied for the high score- 7 out of 10 clothespins.

Ian attacking the pinata.

Randy wearing the pinata.

I love Bingo. I love it WAY more than I ought to.

And so, THE Party was a success. I had so much fun putting everything together and it seemed like people were enjoying themselves. Thanks, Barbara, for letting me do this one! Happy birthday to all of us!

I'll leave you with just one last picture. This is Scotty, rockin' it mandolin style...

I love the Muppets!!!!!

Beaker does Beethoven


Sousa never sounded better!


The Swedish Chef, Animal and Beaker sing.

The written word...

Tyler and I lived downtown when we first got married and one of my favorite things about that was being so close to the big library. And the farmers market, but this post is about books, not produce... We used to make frequent trips to the library and I was a reading fiend. When we moved to our apartment in South Jordan we were no where near a library and I kind of forgot that I like to read. I still read, but not with the vigor that I had before, and I seemed to only read things from my personal collection. Over and over and over. And the Harry Potter books as they came out. I read those.

An exciting thing happened last week. I went to the library with my sisters and nieces and nephews and got a new card, since mine had long ago disappeared. And I checked out books. And then I read them. (You may think that last part is a given, but I can't be the only person has had the problem of bringing home a book or a movie and then not getting around to it, right?) And I liked it.

I'd like to keep track of what I've read each month, just so that I can look back and remember. So here is the list from the past month or so...

Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse. Again. It's pathetic how many times I've read these, but they are my current favorite feel good and bath tub books. I first picked them up less than a year ago, but I have read them each at least 9 times.

Book of a Thousand Days and Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. Mom checked these out and sent them up my way. They are just sweet, heart warming little books. They're the kind of books that make you happy and optimistic.

My Life in France by Julia Child. A cute neighbor said she thought of me when she read it, so she brought it over for me to read. It was a fun read, talking about learning to cook, throwing dinner parties, writing her cookbooks, her husband and her love of all things French. I hadn't realized before just how tall she was- she was 6'2". I may have an inch on her, but she must have had it pretty rough back then..

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan. A nice read, very much like her other books. I enjoyed it but probably wouldn't read it again.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. I loved this one! It's her story of growing up dirt poor, moving all over the country with her brilliant and drunk father, highly eccentric mother, and her siblings. I highly recommend this one.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I realize that I am about 5 years late on reading this, but oh well.. There is a reason it is such a popular book- it's thoroughly delightful. I enjoyed it.

Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman. Becca checked this out from the library. Before she was halfway through she had ordered multiple copies of it on Amazon- it's that good. It's pretty much the most delightful thing I've ever read. It's a series of essays about books, words and language. She writes about compulsive proof reading, sesquipedalians, reading aloud and marrying libraries together (5 years and one child after getting married, they decide they are ready for this level of intimacy). I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Sell out

I really need to post some of our Bermuda pictures, but they are all on Tyler's computer and he, unlike me, has to leave the house to go to work and he takes his computer with him. The nerve! So, instead of pictures of pink sand beaches and tales of snorkeling and collecting sea glass in island bliss, you get random anecdotes about my 14 sister. Who just happens to be completely darling (when she chooses to) and totally OCD (she can't help that part, I guess).

Mom and I were out running many errands yesterday, one of which was picking Tasha up from school. She got in the car and promptly told Mom that she had to drive very fast because her bladder was going to explode. Apparently she has a fear of public bathrooms and refuses to use them and instead suffers for hours at school. Why? I don't get it. (Maybe it was the time that the two of us walked into the men's room at Wingers. I was in the one stall and she was waiting her turn when a man walked in. She was pretty dang embarrassed. I hid in the stall, waiting until he was gone to make my escape, but another man walked in and I was still stuck in there and I eventually made it out, but not without a very awkward conversation at the sink. Maybe I understand her issue a little bit, although I got right back on the proverbial horse and use the bathroom at Harmon's that very same night!) Anyway, Tasha was yelling at the red lights and was pretty miserable. Unfortunately for her, Mom and I still had to stop at the craft store before we could consider our errands complete. I told her that they had a bathroom that she could use and that there was a 90% chance that she would live to tell about it. As we entered the store, I pointed her in the right direction and wished her the best of luck.

Many minutes later I ran into her near the yarn department, where she was playing with a purple bouncy ball with fringe all over it. I inquired after the condition of her bladder and she told me that she walked into the bathroom and right back out. She just couldn't do it. And that her bladder was really not too pleased with her. I laughed. Eventually we found Mom and were about ready to check out. Tasha really, really, really wanted us to buy the ball- now named Martha- for her and it was then that we spotted an opportunity for growth. (see: bribery) We told her that she could have the ball if she used the bathroom, and that there was no other way that she could get that ball. One fleeting look of terror crossed her face, then she looked at Martha and gave her (it?) a squeeze, and she marched off, determined. Mom had to go with her to guard the door to make sure that she would have total and complete privacy, but she did it. I am so proud!

So, for the bargain price of $7.99 (minus 40% because we had a coupon) Tasha has conquered a corner of her OCD-ness. Forget years of counseling and expensive medications- Tasha can use a public restroom because of a bouncy ball.

Two thousand stinkin' eight.....

I object. Mightily. Once again, I am sick. I didn't feel great on Saturday and then I spent Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and most of today in bed. I skipped Easter dinner! The Resurrection Potatoes! I missed them! I was not there to make the "Sauce o' Gold" for the ham- instead I was in bed with a fever and a migraine. Grrrrr. I mock my husband one little time for having a man cold and the universe mocks me back. I have spent the better part of this year sick- significantly sick- and I am tired of it. I am calling a truce. I invoke the 'I've already filled my sick days quota for the year' rule and declare the rest of 2008 disease free. Any questions?

In other news, ummm, we're going to Bermuda? Soon? As in, we leave tomorrow? Huh? It's rather unfortunate how incongruous this is with the first paragraph of this post, but I really meant it when I called 2008 stinky. It has not been kind! But, lest you be too concerned for me, I am on the mend and fully intend to enjoy myself thoroughly. We are taking a red-eye flight to New York tomorrow night and get to spend all day Friday and Saturday morning playing in the city. Tyler has never been (a 30 minute cab ride from the airport to the pier in October does not count) and it's been several years since I've been, so it should be fun. We plan to spend the day at the Met and will try to get lottery tickets to Wicked that evening.
(Mary- will you send some of your New York luck our way? Thanks so much....) If we don't get those we'll find another show to see. I'm rather excited....

So, our plane leaves in 27 hours. It might be time to start thinking about packing. Ciao!

B-b-b-blow me to Bermuda!

Once upon a time I had an aunt who I liked a lot but did not spend much time with. She left me a message on my phone one night saying that I should call her. So, being the responsible person that I am, I called her. She asked if I wanted to go to Bermuda. I said nothing. I was very confused, you see. She then elaborated and explained that her family was going on a cruise to Bermuda because they know a lady who got them a fantastic deal. Unfortunately her oldest son (who is my age) and his wife are not able to go, so they have an extra cabin and would we like it? She figured that given my lack of a structured job I would be able to take time away from work, and she hoped that Tyler could swing it with his job. I was concerned, thinking that Tyler had only been working at his job for 2 weeks and it would be difficult to suddenly take a week+ off, so I enumerated the potential problems to my aunt and promised to think about it. The aunt then said that there would not be much time to think- they had to have the name changes in immediately (within 24 hours) and that the cruise leaves in exactly one month. No pressure, right?

Well, incredibly enough, the school quarter will have ended and Tyler will be in the middle of his 3 week break, so he would not need to take any time off. We both already have passports and the price is so cheap that we had a hard time saying no. Such a hard time, that we didn't say no. We are going to Bermuda!! We fly to New York on the 27th of March and board the ship- Holland America's Noordam- on the 29th, where we will spend 7 nights in an oceanview room. We will spend 4 full days in port, so we will get to explore the area a fair bit and hopefully have some grand adventures. One of my cousins gets off his mission (in Greece) on the 25th and then goes on a cruise the 29th. Holy culture shock, Batman!

Ordinarily I spend months pining for a vacation, trying to convince Tyler that we need one (it's more like we need the promise of one- a date to look forward to), then many more months shopping around, comparing prices, learning about all the must-see places and the cool tours and things that are available. I get obsessed. Now I only have 24 days to fit 6 months worth of obsession into.

And with that, I'm off to peruse cruisecritic.com

Of plagues, peacocks and parties...

Well, the infamous 'man-cold' is now known as 'The Plague' at our house. (You must say it like that, FYI. It is not the plague. It is The Plague) I spent most of January doing a rather good impression of a grub. I was totally useless and am only now starting to feel better. Beware The Plague! Stay away from The Plague!!!

Right smack dab in the middle of my misery, my little sister Esta (Stephy, if you must get technical on me..) had a birthday. She had been having a rough couple of months, so, being the cutest and tallest sister ever, I decided to throw her a party. These plans were made before The Plague, and if the invites hadn't been sent out already, I probably would have canceled. But, the party must go on! Fortunately I had 2 days of being not quite as dead as I had been, a saintly mother who slaved for a day to help me cook, a birthday girl who didn't mind scrubbing my floor, and a husband whose office declared the day of the party a snow day, so he (in all of his luckiness) got to stay and be my lackey.

Esta and I decided on peacocks and tapas as the party themes, figuring peacock feather would look fabulous in my teal dining room and tapas would be fun because I've never cooked Spanish food and I've only had it once. In Canada. Riiight. So, I made a great big cake, we cooked and cleaned like crazy people, and the party was a great success. The end.






Oh! Did you want to see pictures? Fine. But let me tell you the menu first.

Green salad
Assorted olives and marinated peppers
Machego cheese and quince paste on baguette
Tortilla with chorizo sausage
Roasted potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and aioli
Moorish chicken kebabs
Spanish meatballs
Garlic shrimp
Tomato and mozzarella tart
Sherried mushroom empanadas
Sangria
and Chocolate cake

Yum. It was all so tasty! I was extraordinarily pleased with everything and I think Stephy and her friends really did have a good time.

And now, pictures.
The people. Where are the people?

Please note the peacock in the chandelier. You may roll your eyes only after you admit that it's the coolest thing you've ever seen.

The foods, in all of their glory.


The tortilla (a potato and egg, and in this case sausage omelette), sherried mushroom empanadas, tomato tart and garlic shrimp.

Ahoy! I made aoili! All by myself!

The very large cake. Serious adventures making that, bu I was very pleased with it in the end.

A cool shot of my Tony the Tiger shopping list, with a cake blocking some of it. Sorry 'bout that.
I think people had fun. I really, really hope they did. It was a very fun party to throw, and Esta is the coolest for letting me do it. Happy birthday Esta-olomew!