Just the Facts #20

 “A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.” (Pam Brown)

Hello, my lovely friends!

      

    It's another Friday Funday, and you know what that means—time for some more fun! Last week, I chatted all about my sister, and when she read it, she hilariously reminded me of even more antics we got up to that I'd completely forgotten! So, get ready for Part Two of the sister chronicles!

 

1.  When my sister rolled in from college for the summer, our late-night adventures truly began! A few times a week, as the clock struck midnight, we'd embark on our glorious quest for Taco Bell. We'd haul our haul back to the living room, ready to dive into marathon gab sessions that covered absolutely everything under the sun. It was pure bliss. And who was the unsung hero of these nocturnal feasts? My dad, of course! He practically cheered for our leftover tacos, knowing he had a delicious breakfast waiting for him in the morning.

 

2.  My sister and I were absolutely obsessed with Grease! Seriously, we practically had a fan club of two. Our dad's friend at work was our unwitting benefactor, lending us his VHS copy "here and there." "Here and there" quickly turned into "all the time," and bless his heart, for Christmas, he finally just gifted us the tape. From then on, our living room transformed into Rydell High. We didn't just watch Grease, we performed Grease, knowing every single line, every single shimmy, every single "Tell me about it, Stud!" To this day, I'm pretty sure I could nail a solo performance of the entire movie, word for word. It's ingrained in my soul!

 

3.  My sister, bless her entrepreneurial heart, decided our quiet little neighborhood needed a jolt of excitement. Her solution? A block-wide talent show! Before I knew it, she'd strong-armed every kid on the street into participating. And me? Oh, I was about eight, and somehow, she convinced me that the world was clamoring for my soulful rendition of 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.' Meanwhile, she belted out her own number, undoubtedly stealing the show. The best part? She charged a quarter admission! Seriously, the entire block showed up, clutching their coins, ready to witness our glorious (and slightly chaotic) spectacle.

 

4.  Oh man, my sister was truly a saint! She had to haul me and my BFF to all our wrestling events and concerts. Picture this: she's stuck at a New Kids on the Block concert, absolutely drowning in a sea of screaming teens, and then, as if that wasn't enough, I even managed to drag her to a Mötley Crüe show way back when. What a trooper!

 

5.  When my sister was in college, she had this majestic feline named Tattinger. We all wondered how he'd handle the arrival of a tiny human, specifically my nephew Cuinn. The answer? Not well. Tat viewed Cuinn as an intruder, a tiny, squawking nuisance worthy of hisses and the occasional, well-aimed paw-swat. Clearly, my sister's house wasn't big enough for the both of them, so Tat (who already tolerated my own cat) graciously decided to adopt me instead.

 

6.  My sister always got a serious case of Olympic fever! Every time the Games rolled around, she'd transform into a pint-sized, self-proclaimed athlete. One minute she was Nadia Comăneci, attempting gravity-defying (and often gravity-losing) gymnastics moves, and the next she was channeling her inner Dorothy Hamill, complete with the iconic wedge haircut. I'll never forget the time we were roller skating in the basement. Inspired by Dorothy, she attempted some majestic ice-skating jump, only to come crashing down in a heap. Her athletic dreams (and her leg) were bruised, but her spirit remained undeterred... at least until the next Olympics!

 

 So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

A Fresh Start

 

Just the Facts #19

 Sisters are different flowers from the same garden. (Author unknown)

Hello, my lovely friends!

 

 My sister's birthday was last week, which got me thinking about all the fun, crazy, and sometimes a little weird things that make us, well, us as sisters!

 

1. There's a four-year age gap between my sister and me, which meant we gloriously avoided ever being in school at the same time. While she was bidding farewell, I was just saying hello the following year. It was a blessing in disguise, especially since she's an absolute extrovert and I'm very much an introvert. We definitely would have driven each other up the wall!

 

2.  Our bond has always been deeply rooted in late-night talks and shared dreams, quite literally! She'd sneak into my crib as a baby, and that tradition of sleeping together followed us through childhood. As teens, it became our sacred space for endless conversations. Even now, whenever we're together, you'll find us in my bedroom, diving deep into discussions long after everyone else is asleep. It's just our thing.

 

3.  Maid of Honor duty? Check! But when my sister, living in Florida, had family in Boston and ours in Colorado, coordinating anything, especially bridesmaid dresses, became an Olympic sport. We had a grand total of one month to make it all happen. She had her dream dresses picked out, naturally, but getting them on time was a pipe dream. So, it fell to me to channel my inner fashion guru and track down those elusive pink and burgundy beauties she envisioned. Mission accomplished!

 

4.  There's a reason my sister is strictly relegated to ordering takeout these days. The evidence? A traumatic childhood dinner experience. Our parents, in a moment of questionable judgment, left her to supervise the vital task of hamburger-flipping during a date night. The result was culinary chaos: burgers that looked like they'd gone ten rounds with a flamethrower on the outside, and were practically still grazing in the pasture on the inside. My digestive system paid the ultimate price that evening.

 

5.  Oh man, our younger days were full of questionable experiments! I still crack up thinking about the time we saw a movie where the characters were all cool and edgy, piercing beer cans with pens and drinking them. Naturally, we, in our infinite wisdom, decided to replicate this feat with root beer. I was the brave pioneer. What followed was less 'cool and edgy' and more 'root beer up the nose and splattered all over the bathroom wall.' The cleanup was a sticky, hilarious disaster, but totally worth the laugh.

 

6.  Ah, the good old days! Right before my 'red badge of courage' made its debut, my sister, who always seemed to know exactly what I needed, handed me Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. I basically inhaled that book, then immediately grilled her with all my burning questions. She was truly the best big sis, always looking out for me.

 

 So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

All Over the Place

"I need to live like that crooked tree --- that knelt down in the hardest winds but could not be blasted away." (Edward Hirsch)

 

Hello, my lovely friends!

 

    Looks like our power decided to take a vacation! I'm currently rocking the lantern life because the entire neighborhood's been dark for a couple of hours now, and it seems like we've got a few more to go. No idea what happened, but it's a total blackout.

 

    The silver lining? The sun's finally down, and it's way cooler than the 92 degrees we had earlier. I've got the windows open, and there's a fantastic breeze blowing through. I even hopped in the shower to cool off!

 

    So, with a full laptop battery, what's the best thing to do? Chat with you ladies, of course!

 

     This week's been a real rollercoaster of emotions, and my mom is definitely feeling it. It's tough watching her try to adjust to her "new normal" – not being able to do all the things she used to. Can you imagine getting to a point in your life where your body just won't let you do what you want? It must be incredibly frustrating.    This week's been a real rollercoaster of emotions, and my mom is definitely feeling it. It's tough watching her try to adjust to her "new normal" – not being able to do all the things she used to. Can you imagine getting to a point in your life where your body just won't let you do what you want? It must be incredibly frustrating.

 

    Mom's always been fiercely independent, so asking for help doesn't come easy, but she's actually getting better at it! I've been trying to find little tasks for her that she can do while sitting, like folding laundry or packing up meat for the freezer. It helps her feel useful, and honestly, it helps me too.

 

     You know how it is with chronic pain – my mom was back at it on Monday, getting those knee treatments. I'm really hoping this helps ease some of her discomfort! She's got arthritis everywhere now, so she knows it's not going away completely, but even a little less pain would be amazing. Seriously, all I wish for is some peace for her. Then, tomorrow, she's headed back to Kaiser for more treatments, this time for her back. Let's send all the good vibes and hope it brings her some relief. 

 

     Wow, the heat is seriously cranking up here! We might even hit triple digits this weekend, which, ugh, you know how I feel about that.

 

My big project this year has definitely been the yard. I've been tackling it all by myself, but honestly, I think it's time to call in the cavalry (aka the lawn service!). I've done my part though: everything's cleaned up, the water's on, and now I'm just wrangling all the containers.

 

    Of course, I'm late to the party with my garden again this year, but I'm counting on those lettuces to pop up super fast. I might even have to grab a big tomato plant if I want any actual tomatoes this season! At least I know I'll have plenty of fresh lettuce and herbs, which is a win in my book.

 

    Anyone else out there getting their hands dirty with a garden this year?

 

 So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

It's All About You

 

Happy Father's Day In Heaven

 

Just the Facts #18

 "If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." (Roald Dahl)

 

Hello, my lovely friends!  

 

     Here we are another Friday Funday! Alright, folks, it's summer, and the heat is on – literally! So for today's blog, I figured, why not share some of my scorching-hot (and some decidedly lukewarm) opinions on all things summertime? Consider this your rapid-fire guide to what makes my heart sing, and what makes me want to hibernate until October.

 

1. I love lemonade and try to make different flavors of it.
2. I love all citrus fruits and put them in my water most of the time.
3. I only paint my nails pinks, red, or corals during the summer. 
4. As a kid I loved going to the drive-in and playing on the playground before the movie started. We saw many movies like Jaws 1 and 2 there. 
5. I can only watch summer movies during the summer like Jaws, Gidget and other beach movies. 
6. My mom would make cold fried chicken and potato salad in the summer and we still only have it in the summer. 
7. I always air dry my curly hair and once it’s dry I put it up in a curly top on my head in a scrunchy and it stays in the same hairdo all summer long because of the heat.
8. I love popsicles more than ice cream. 
9. I use lemons all year long, but especially in the summer. 
10. I loved running through the water in the backyard as a kid. We would get all the things like the Slip-n-Slide fun times. 
11. I don’t like fish, but like shellfish. I’ll eat tilapia and that’s about it. 
12. I don’t like being out in the heat.
13. I love using the charcoal grill over the gas one. It taste so much better.
14. I don’t like sleeping under the covers in the summer. I normally sleep just on top of my quilt with no blankets.
15. I don’t like being out in nature because I hate bugs. You won’t find me fishing or hiking somewhere. I know I live in Colorado, but it’s not my thing.
16. I’ve been in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
17. I’ve been on a small inflatable boat on the ocean and hated every moment of it because I don’t like not seeing the bottom of the water. 
18. I have and this is the honest truth never had a smores. Really never and maybe it has to do with I’m not a fan of chocolate. 
19. I have never went to a summer camp or went to summer school. 
20. I don’t like the heat, duh!

 

So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

 

Tequila Lime Chicken

 "Just because I laugh a lot, doesn't mean my life is easy. Just because I have a smile on my face every day, doesn't mean that something is not bothering me. I just choose to move on, and not dwell on all the negatives in my life. Every new moment gives me the chance to renew anew. I choose to be that." (Author Unknown)

 

Hello, my lovely friends!  

 

    When my dad passed away I got all his liquor collection. He had some Tequila in there, about a half a bottle left.  I'm not one of a hard liquor drinker so I had to find something to do with it. I found this recipe. 

 

Tequila Lime Chicken
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs deboned chicken thighs, skin-on (click to learn how) 
3 cloves garlic, minced 
lime wedges, for garnishing 
chopped cilantro, for garnishing 

Marinade:
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1/4 cup tequila 
2 tablespoons lime juice 
3 dashes cayenne pepper 
1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste 

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F. Rub the garlic onto the chicken meat. Give it a good rub all over the meat and the skin.

Whisk all the Marinade ingredients together in a big bowl, mix well. Add the chicken into the Marinade, stir to coat well. Marinate for 15 minutes but best for 2 hours.

Heat up a skillet and pan-fry the chicken with the skin-side down until slightly browned. Turn over and pan-fry the other side of the chicken until slightly browned.

Transfer the skillet into oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the the skin nicely browned. Broil the chicken for 1 minute or until the skin is nicely charred. Transfer the chicken and the juice that seeps out after baking to a serving platter, squirt some fresh lime juice and garnish with cilantro, serve immediately.

So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

Being Positive