Jack Frost Nipping At Your Nose

It has been so cold the past couple of days. The frost just keeps building! I took some pictures when we were at mom and dad's.

Birthday Blunder

For my birthday on Tuesday, I wanted to have dinner at the Black Bull in Hobson with Tim and my parents. We headed to Stanford early because mom wanted us to install a skylight in the bathroom and we were also going to help dad sheetrock the ceiling in his shop. I had eaten pretty light that day because I was planning on having some appetizers and some cheesecake for dessert, so I made sure to save some room! As we were nearing Hobson, we were planning on what appetizers to get because we all were getting pretty darn hungry. We drove up, and the dining room was closed!!! So disappointing. So, we decided to keep on driving to Lewistown and have dinner at The Mint. I did have to snack on a mint on the way since my tummy was quite angry with me. We checked in with the hostess and she told us it would be a half hour wait. In Lewistown! On a Tuesday! So, we decided to wait and have a drink before dinner. When we finally got seated, and finally got service, we did not hesitate with the ordering! We had some deliscious artichoke/spinach dip and some deep fried shrimp. Dinner was fantastical. We had no room for dessert, but we got some to go! Even though dinner was a bit later than we had planned, it was worth the wait!

Just wanted to show a picture of the beautiful bench that dad made for me. So talented!

Buffalo?

Since it was so nice out yesterday, we decided to take a little Sunday drive. We took the backroad from Garneill to Buffalo to start. We drove past a herd of range sheep and then we noticed one of those huge, scary sheep dogs chasing after us. Not the cute fluffy English Sheepdogs, but those big white ones that'll take you down if you are within 3 miles of the herd? Benjie got a little excited about that, and we had to tell him that that one was not a friend dog, and that he would think you would be a pretty tasty appetizer.

After that, we were coming upon a herd of Buffalo, and I asked Tim how long the Buffalo had been there. He looked at me kind of funny and said "Oh about 100 years." I just shook my head and told him I meant the buffalo animals we were driving past and not the town!

We had to make a quick stop at Eddie's Corner to get some gas and snacks because both fuel levels were a little low! After fighting with all the gas pumps because they were all down and a huge line inside because the credit card machine crashed, we were merrily on our way again. We drove through Moccasin, neither of us actually having been in Moccasin-- not much to see. Then we turned off at Windham and took the back way through Utica to Hobson. I love that drive. It's so pretty through there. Then from Hobson, we took the back road to Straw. So I guess that was our adventuring through Central Montana!

It's been a pretty quiet week. We have been putting in a pantry closet for Marvin and Cindy. It's a pretty simple project, but when you are working with drywall, it always takes awhile between each step of the mudding. It'll be a nice storage space when we are done. Thursday night we went to the tournaments in Lewistown to watch the girls play. They will be playing in the championship tonight against Winifred. Should be a good game. Yesterday morning Tim and I had eye appointments. The doctor told Tim that he had one cracked contact and the other had something on it that looked like rust. So Tim will be wearing glasses until his new contacts come in!
In other news-- Kitty won't stop barfing everywhere. Benjie has peed on the carpet twice cuz it's too cold to go out. And I made a lovely batch of whole wheat bread.

Bread of Life

We just bought a new breadmaker and are very excited about it! There is nothing like the smell and taste of homemade bread. We are starting to become conscious of what we eat and are trying to eliminate a lot of processed foods. We feel so much better when we eat fresh food. Last night was our trial run with a loaf of basic white bread. In the future we will be making mainly whole wheat bread. But this batch came out wonderfully! It was so hard to smell that bread baking and we couldn't wait! Benjie quelled his anxiety by chewing up one of my socks he found! After barely letting it cool, we dove right in to sample! I believe it was a success, as there is just a few slices left today! There are a lot of other recipes I would like to try including a Cottage Cheese and Chive Bread and an Italian Herb. Sandwiches just got that much more exciting!

Food is Love

Tim and I aren't very big Valentine's Day fanatics. We both think it's sort of a stupid day, and don't much buy into the commercialism of it all, but we always do make a gourmet meal every year. Hey, any occasion to celebrate that involves a good meal-- I'm all for it! We share the same passions for food and it's great that we aren't picky and like to try new things all the time. We'll try anything once! I love experimenting in the kitchen and trying new recipes. I really do enjoy cooking and take pride that we have so many healthful, homecooked meals. I'm sure my mom is surprised at this since she always said that growing up, she could never get me in the kitchen!
For this year's meal, Tim made his famous prime rib! It's a pretty secret recipe that he used when he owned the cafe' here, and many people can attest to it's greatness! I was in charge of baked lobster tails. We also had a spinach salad with a homemade vinaigrette, fabulous herbed, twice-baked potatoes and potato and rosemary bread-- all washed down with a delectable Chardonnay! It was such a great meal and we stuffed ourselves! It didn't even compare to the finest restaurants. It's so much fun cooking together and we like fancy pants meals once in awhile. Bon' Appetit!

Same Old...

Nothing too exciting this week. Monday, we finished a bathroom remodel we had been working on. We put in a new tub and shower stall, retiled the floor, painted, and installed a new vanity, storage cupboard, mirror and plant stand that were all made by my dad. It turned out really well. It's my favorite bathroom that we have done so far.

The rest of the week we have been working on our house in Lewistown. We had an electrical inspection today. Everything looks good! We have been texturing the bedroom walls and preparing them for painting. It's a slow process prepping everything, but we are getting to the fun part when you paint and put the finishing touches on and it really starts coming together. We are progressing well and are scheduling some time to really hit it hard in the next month. If we didn't have to pay for things, this would all go faster!! But since we do, guess we gotta keep fittin' in the job that pay so that we can play!

A Wonderful Weekend, A Wonderful Cause

This weekend Tim and I went to Missoula to attend a benefit for one of my very good friends, Tiffani Turner. Tiffani and I worked together at Finn & Porter in Missoula, and it didn't take us long to become fast friends. We worked together for about 2 years but maintained our friendship after moving on to other things. This summer, she was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma. It started as a tumor in her knee and it didn't take long for the cancer to spread to her lungs. They started intense chemotherapy right away. She had been going back and forth to Spokane for treatments, but eventually was able to have her treatments in Missoula. She is such an amazing person, and an inspiration to everyone she meets. She has had a long, tough road to recovery but has kept up an amazing attitude through it all. She has only one more treatment left, starting tomorrow. Then probably knee surgery sometime this summer.



I just can't say enough about what an amazing person she is and how much she has gone through at the young age of 29, so we were honored to be a part of her benefit. It was entitled "The Power of Love. A heartfelt fundraiser to benefit Tiffani Turner." We met up with Jimmy and Sarah at the DoubleTree Hotel where the benefit was held. It was such and amazing turnout. And Tiffani could not have looked more radiant! They had soo many wonderful donated items for a silent and live auction. And the honorable Mayor John Engen was the emcee. There were several local caterers who had come to set up appetizers. And there was also wine and various drinks as well. We were the lucky winners of a beautiful Gold Finch photograph and we also won a coffee basket for my parents who had sent along a donation. One of the live auction items was a 62" High Def TV. Jimmy wanted us to go in with them to buy it, and whenever we come to Missoula we can watch it! Unfortunately that plan didn't work out.
While Tim and Jimmy worked out other "deals", Sarah and I talked to a lot of people we had both worked with at Finn & Porter. It was so great to catch up with old friends. I believe the benefit was a huge success. If anyone would like to know a little bit more about Tiffani, she has a website set up. You can visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/tiffaniturner She has a journal she has been keeping through her treatments. It is very inspiring and uplifting. Many blessings and prayers to you Miss Tiffani.

Spam- It's not just for dinner!

I tell ya, I get the funniest emails sometimes. I really do not know how people fall for these things. And there are people who do! It's so scary! For instance, today I received a very important email from a Mr. Chi-lin Ling, executive director of the Bank of Taipei. Apparently one of his clients, a Mr. Thabit Alwan, who is an Iraqi merchant, has made a deposit of $17.3 million. Mr. Ling has just learned that Mr. Alwan and his family were killed in the Iraq war. Such a tragic story. And I'm supposed to contact Mr. Ling ASAP as I stand to inherit this sizeable fortune! Hot dog!
Last week I got an email from FedEx-Nigeria! Apparently I have a package there worth 80 thousand Great British Pounds Sterling! I have won an email lottery! All I have to do is contact Mr. Fred Koko at the head dispatch office and give him all my personal information, pay 60 Great British Pounds Sterling and my fortune will be here in 24 hours!
I am so going to stop buying lottery tickets! I have already inherited millions, and have won an email lottery that I didn't even sign up for and look at all the dough I'm rolling in!! I do hope that you are blessed with such fortunes as well. I know times are getting tough! :)