Pillowcases, Washclothes, Unpacking

Madi went to a birthday party the other day. We made a pillowcase to give with a copy of the newest Dork Diaries...the little girl loved her gift. :-)









I had a friend in Korea who was Korean. Whenever I needed help finding something in Korea or needed anything she was there for me. And she showed me all kinds of yummy Korean foods to buy. She has a little girl named Olivia that is who this is for. I made the pillowcase and Ben and Madi found the Olivia bood to go with it...it's Halloween so I need to get this in the mail right away.




Festive homemade washclothes are my must have in my kitchen...my new ones for fall.





I have ben unpacking, unpacking, unpacking, unpacking.....and finally I unpacked something really fun. I bought these push and pull signs in Korea. This "pull" one is on my pantry door in the kitchen.

Where's the bathroom? Yep a "toilet" one too.

My kids have gotten out of school at noon everyday this week and today no school. I told them we could go out to lunch and go bowling or something, but they wanted to stay home and play in the hood. What the heck are they doing out there?

Yummy Mummies

Yeah, I have some Halloween treats done before it's even October. Madi actually squealed over how much she loved these wrapped up Hershey Bars with wiggly eyes. It was over at skiptomylou.org that I first saw these cute treats.

Our household goods finally arrived yesterday. I am up to my eyeballs in boxes.

Gold Rush Country

We went for a nice drive this afternoon up in the mountains and stopped in a small gold rush town.










We found the high school in Grass Valley. They have one of Northern California's good football teams. What a beautiful campus in the mountains they have.



We cracked up when we saw these.










Look at the food stand at the football field...we are are in gold rush country....they are the Nevada Union Miners.

We saw a stagecoach?!? Gold rush country.

A Good Day...

This is where we live...our neighborhood. We totally love all the palm trees. Steve wants to plant one, two or three in our yard. California has lots of pretty trees, bushes and flowers. Landscaping around here is so pretty and neat. We are learning the terrain around here. It is very hot here. Today it was 101 AGAIN and tomorrow but Friday 99 and Sat. in the 80's but then it goes back up. It's a dry heat at least. Things are very dry (in the neighborhoods we have sprinkler systems in all the yards that's how they stay green) and we have seen a couple of fires out here. There is one closer to downtown Sacramento tonight. Still no rain; it's been sunny and hot every single day we have lived here. There were a few lighting strikes the other night which sent out warnings for fires but nothing.




Not only do we have palm tress but we have mountains...welcome to California. I just love it I'm telling ya. I took this picture out the window this morning. Those are the Sierra Nevada out there.






My world! They had school pictures today.

Even though it's 101 degrees summer is almost over. My perfume this summer was Nina Ricci. Love the clean scent. But now that it's almost fall I want this by Dior. Last month when I was in Georgia; Steve's mom and I were at Sephora smelling some scents and I got a sample of this and now it's calling my name.

I will get some pictures to share soon but let me tell you I really love my new kitchen. I have been cooking everyday. Tonight I tried a new recipe. No leftovers...we ate it ALL.

Chicken Parmesan

Take thinly sliced chicken breasts, dip in egg and then dredge in Panko-Japanese breadcrumbs. Fry in oil on stove.

In a crock pot, pour 1 jar tomoato-basil pasta sauce. Arrange chicken on top of sauce. Cook on high 3 1/2 hours. Sprinkle 8oz mozzarella cheese and 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and cook 10 more minutes. Serve over noodles. It's so yummy....taste like fine Italian food and it was so easy.

Brussels Sprouts And Apple Cider

These were out of this world good! I got the recipe out of a magazine. I LOVE brussles sprouts. My grandpa use to grow them in his garden and when my mom was pregnant with me she would eat tons of them....this is where we think my love of brussles sprouts came from.

Garlic-Roasted Brussles Sprouts with Mustard Sauce.

Wash and cut fresh brussles srouts. Toss in olive oil and minced garlic. Bake on cookie sheet at 450 for 15 min stirring occasionally.

In small sauce pan boil 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3 TBSP dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Boil for 1 minute then drizzle over roasted brussles sprouts.

The looked so pretty served in my blue and white Japanese bowels.










September = Apples to me. Apple cider too. I made some seasonal gifts with an apple cider theme.




The tag has a bottle of cider on it. I really enjoy this time of year.

Pink Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month...Pink Month. I know too many people that have lost loved ones to Breast Cancer. Last week while I was walking around the craft store they had a display of sorts of pink crafty things geared towards this disease. Well I love making things so I thought I could crochet washclothes for my friends and family that have lost wonderful women to this disease. Check out that paper with all the bra's on it...too cute. You know I just finished these last night and today I talked to one of my most favorite friends to learn her sister was just diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. My friends sister is in her 30's and has the sweetest little boys ages 1 and 3. Doesn't this just make you sick. I am just praying for peace and strength for my friend and her family.

My friend Susy, the one who got me to agree to run in that half marathon in hilly ol' Nashville two years ago, is running tomorrow in the Air Force Marathon. She has been stationed at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio for 3 years and runs this marathon every year...that crazy girl. She said the Air Force marathon, half marathon and and 10k have been sold out since June...who are all these running fools? Good luck tomorrow!!!!

Chuseok...Korean Thanksgiving 2011

We may have left Korea but our love of Korean food will last forever! This past Monday was Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving. It was so fun last year to celebrate it while living in Korea. Last year Chuseok fell on 22 Sep. this year 12 Sep. it all depends on the phases of the moon as to when it will be. So does the New Year...Lunar New Year. Anyways, my family, even though we live in California now still wanted to celebrate Chuseok. We did so with a delicious dinner of Chop Ch'ae. I am proud of my ability to make some yummy Korean foods...my family loves it.

Chop Chae is pretty easy. It's made of glass noodles. You can buy these noodles from many stores and the commissary, they are noodles made from potato startch...that's what you need to know when buying the noodles.

Chop Ch'ae

Soak noodles for 1-2 hours in water until soft. Cut them into 3 inch pieces.

Marinate 4 oz diced chicken in in 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp. sugar, garlic, 2 tsp. sesame seeds.

In large frying pan heat 1 tbsp. oil and add chicken. Cook until not pink, maybe 3-4 min. Set aside in a bowl. Wash out pan. Add another tbsp. oil and stir-fry 1 chopped onion, 1 large carrot. Add chicken and noodles, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 5 tsp. sesame oil, 1 tbsp sesame seeds and stir-fry. You can also add mushrooms and chopped spinich if you like. Serve warm with your favorite rolls...egg rolls, lumpia, gyoza, yaki mandoo.

I fell in love with the taste of citrus tea years ago when I was stationed in Japan. It is a Korean tea though. This is my favorite...honey citrus. It looks like a large jar of jam. You just add a few spoonfulls to hot water. Steve and I enjoyed a warm cup the other night on Cheseok and I am drinking a cup right now.

Home Is Where The Air Force Sends Us

For years I have been looking for a way to display all the many places the Air Force has sent us. Here is my new mantel...I am in LOVE. I had a subway art made with a list of all the Air Force bases and Army posts we have been sent to. sweetwater is who made this treasure.

Home Is Where The Air Force Sends Us:

1. Lackland AFB...we were both stationed here for almost 3 years.

2. Sheppard AFB, TX

3. Incirlik AB, Turkey

4. Yokota AB, Japan

5. Osan AB, Korea

6. McConnell AFB, KS

7. Keesler AFB, MS

8. Hill AFB, UT

9. Fairchild AFB, WA

10. Keesler AFB, MS...we were here twice

11.Scott AFB, IL

12.Rhein Main AB, Germany

13. Wiesbaden AAF, Germany

14.Ft. McPherson, GA

15.USAG Yongsan, Korea

16. Beale AFB, CA

Steve's deployments to Afghanistan and his three tours in Iraq were added to this too.

I think now that we are in California this may be our last base, but you never know. And to think all these homes are all in our adult lives....we both moved at least this many places in our childhood too.

The Lawn Mower

Steve went to the store to buy a much needed new lawn mower. He got home and was all smiley...I was like what's going on. He brought home a new hoop instead of a mower...crazy guy. My yard doesn't look to hot but I have some happy kids and a happy husband.

Check out that beautiful California sky. We have been here just shy of 1 month and it has looked like this everyday. Today it's 101 degrees, thank goodness it cools down 40-50 degrees overnight. I am loving this California weather!!!

Utah, Nevada, and California!

After leaving Denver we drove over the Rocky Mountains on I70 heading west still. Our last stop in Colorado was in Grand Junction...it had been a long time since I had been there but I remembered it...I like it there. Right after we left Grand Junction we drove over the border into southern Utah. Wow...southern Utah is something I had not forgotten either. You can drive for hours without hitting a town. But then I love when you climb and get that first glimpse of the Wasatch front. When I lived in Utah I never took the beauty for granit. We took the kids by Temple Square.

We gave Ben the choice of either going to see the BYU campus or the Utes of the University of Utah and he likes the Utes so to the University of Utah it was.

After leaving Salt Lake City we drove straight west on I 80...now there is really NOTHING west of Salt Lake City. We drove right through the Salt Flats...this is where they made the Will Smith movie Independence Day.

Finally we got to Nevada. I was worried this was going to be a bad drive but you know Nevada was really pretty.

Awwww this is California. Heading up towards the Truckee pass.

Check out the sign. We were all so excited to know we were almost home...our new home. It was one long drive. Especially after just flying from Seoul, Korea and all that goes with that.

We still are sleeping on the floor. None of our things from Korea have gotten here yet. Our fast shipment of 500 lbs. will be delivered Friday. At least I will be getting some of my pots and pans, rice cooker, silverware, and my sewing machine. Oh yeah tomorrow we are going to the Bay to pick up our car that just got here from Korea. Slowly but surely we will get settled.

Good Shopping

I am loving the Sacramento Valley! We are surrounded by mountains. Not like Salt Lake City, the Sierra Nevada are about 30 minutes away but we can see them. The valley is miles of farms and here at my house there are orchards all around us. California has the most and best locally grown food of anywhere I have lived. I think I stop some where every other day to buy something...corn, cherries, watermelon...



Our favorite fresh California snacks.

A tip: on a nice quiet night brown hamburger and divide up into freezer bags. This makes cooking dinner on those hectic nights a little easier.

Maybe I am wierd but I LOVE stocking up. I hit the caselot sale the other day. These Wisk are normally $12-$13...this day they were $9.99 with $6.00 off coupons so they came to $3.99. I bought over a years supply of laundy soap.

The best thing about living overseas is that when you move back to the United States it's so fun to go shopping for the normal stuff. I had a blast at Bath and Body Works picking out some new fall soaps.