This is NOT a Giveaway, but you WILL win!

I just ordered 100 4x8 Customized Christmas Cards from SeeHere. The best part: I only paid shipping! :) Wahoo!

Here's the dealio - and how YOU can score 100 FREE Customized Christmas Cards, too.

Ok, so my photographer friend, who took our family pictures, sent me this *amazing* link with TWO *amazing* deals, and {free} is what I call a DEAL!

And a little something to get your Holiday Cheer on the right foot! :)

Rand♥m D♥zen: Livin' in the Fast Lane & A Star Wars Character Wannabe

1. If you could master one sport, what would it be?
Well, I've always been intrigued by diving, although I can barely (if at all) do a flip off the diving board! I can pull-off a mean Swan Dive, though! :D

2. When you make a major purchase, do you go with your gut instinct, or do you do research to make an informed decision?
Mostly the gut. That's why I married my husband, though. ;)

3. There is an old kids' game that says you can find out what your movie star name would be by using your middle name as your first name and the name of the street you grew up on as your last. What is your movie star name?
Haha! I've heard this before, only it was your "soap opera" name - same diff. though. Mine would be Elizabeth Elm.

4. Would you rather give up your favorite music or your favorite food?
Music, totally. Okay, maybe not totally. Hmmm, ok, fine. Food. Music can't make me gain weight. :P

5. There are two types of banana preferences. One is pristine yellow, almost to the point of being green; the other is spotty and more ripe. Which is your preference?
Spotty and more ripe...

6. Your favorite tree is?
Hmmm...I have this really cute Weeping Pussy Willow in our front yard...we planted it and have watched it grow for the past year-ish...love it!

7. On a scale of 1-10, how tech savvy are you?
Hmmm, humbly - 6 (but, I probably could go 6.5).

8. Has H1N1 touched your family?
Surprising, no. We're currently living near a college campus (it's been pretty heavy here) and my hubby works on campus, so it's really a surprise we haven't seen it in our home yet. Phew...knock on wood. ;) But, at the same time, it's not really, really surprising, b/c I make Jim wash his hands every milli-second when he comes home for lunch and such.

9. Are you an analytical person, or do you just accept things the way they are without questioning or scrutinizing?
Both. I'm analytically accepting.

10. Is your personality more like that of a dog, cat, or Koala?
Probably more like a dog for their friendliness. I hear Koala's are M-E-A-N!

11. Do you keep in touch with friends you made years ago?
I try and it's always a blessing when I do!

12. You are checking out at a grocery store. In the express lane, there are more people than the regular lanes, but of course, their load is less than those in the regular lanes. Which lane do you choose (assuming you qualify for the express lane) and why?
I have a pet peeve about people using the Express Lane that have a CARTFULL! I'm kind of weird about my lane choice, too. I like to strategize - so, I'll observe for a few seconds before deciding...does that cashier look slow? Is that man writing a CHECK!? Does that motorized wheelchair look low on voltage...ok, ok, just kidding on that last one. Sort of. Sometimes, Jim and I will make a game of it to see who gets out first. Here's my favorite strategy: if there are a bajillion people in line, I hover at the back, because you know that someone will call for "help at the registers" and you'll be "next" in line when the new checker guy shows up! Muahahahaha!

On a completely *random* note: This picture totally makes me think of Star Wars! Ha!

Fall Into Flavor: Egg Rolls & Fried Rice

I grew up on this stuff. This is the recipe my mom uses and I l-o-v-e it. It's nothing like what you get in Chinese Restaurants, lemme tell ya. My husband hates egg rolls, but he LOVES mine and actually asks me to make them. You'll have to forgive me if I don't really make sense while sharing this recipe. I know it by heart, I don't use a written recipe, so this might be a little rough.

Mmm, taste the Egg Rolly goodness already.

Here's whatcha need to make'em.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 1 head of cabbage
• carrots
• or just a bag of slaw mix - it already comes with cabbage and carrots and it's sooo much easier than slicing and dicing. :)
• Oil (veggie or olive)

Instructions:

• Brown ground beef (say THAT 10 times fast)
• drain and mix in with the cabbage and carrots in a large blue bowl (okay, okay...it can be another color, but I prefer my Blue Bowl.

• Place mixture by the spoonful onto egg roll wrappers diagonally. Fold bottom corner up. Side corners in. Dip your finger into an egg white, spread on top corner, roll, secure. I realize this can sound incredibly confusing, so I've provided a series of pictures.

• Place egg roll carefully into hot oil. Flip when bottom side is browned.
• After both sides are browned, place on a paper towel so oil gets soaked in.

You can't have Egg Rolls without Fried Rice, can you??? Don't answer that...I say "NO!" :)

This is SUPER easy...

Ingredients:

• About 2 1/2 cups of prepared rice (I used brown rice because I like the texture)
• A Handy Dandy "Fried Rice Seasoning Packet" (I only use about half of the packet, despite what the directions on the packet say. And I don't put my Soy Sauce in the rice at preparation. I let my guests decide how much they want.
• GREEN ONIONS (I forgot this essential part of the dish this time, and definitely changes the taste. That's why it's in all CAPS.
• Bacon (1 package, fried up and torn in pieces) - Mmmm, Bacon.

  

  P.S. DO NOT let your husbands fry up the bacon...you will not have enough for the dish. He will eat most of it while he's tearing it in pieces. I'm just sayin'.
• 2 eggs (1 of those eggs will come from your egg roll securing substance...for lack of a better term.
• Soy Sauce (optional)

Instructions:

• While the Egg Rolls are a'fryin', fry up the bacon and get the rice going. While this is happening, and you're done assembling Egg Rolls, scramble your eggs in a skillet (or Wok, if you want to be traditional).
• When rice is done, add it to the skillet along with torn bacon, chopped green onions and half packet of fried rice seasoning.

Egg Rolls & Fried Rice must go together...like Peas and Carrots, only not as healthy - but really, REALLY tasty.

Rand♥m D♥zen: Heeere Fishy Fishy

♥ What was the last song you listened to?
My Jesus I Love Thee - the closing Hymn tonight at prayer meeting.

♥ Have you ever had “buyer’s remorse” over anything?
Maybe - but not enough to remember it. I usually enjoy what I buy...even if I feel a leeeetle guitly. ;)

♥ What is something in your life that you are thankful for now that you didn’t think you would be at the time of the event? (Something that seemed ill-timed, inconvenient or hurtful which turned out to be a good thing)
Being disciplined as a child...I'm SURE I needed it and I'm sure it's done some good.

♥ Do you watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade every year? If so, do you have a favorite float or balloon?
I don't watch it every year, but does that mean I can't have a favorite float??? Well, I'm telling you my favorite float anyways. The Big Snoopy!

♥ Share a quote, scripture, poem or lyric which has been an inspiration to you lately.
"Knees out, tuck in, shoulders back, and 1..." - and it's only day 2 of TTapp Bootcamp. :P

♥ This is meant to be a fun question, and this is a G-rated blog, but please share a “guilty pleasure,” something that you enjoy that’s probably not the most edifying, time-worthy or healthy thing you could be indulging in. Did I mention this blog is rated G?
Uh, I dunno...blogging? ;)

♥ What Thanksgiving food are you looking forward to?
The leftover turkey for turkey sandwiches...although, I'm not sure I'm going to LOVE it this year, since last year I had super bad first trimester (and then some) sickness and puked up an entire turkey sandwich...I'm sure Jim won't be so fond of the memory himself, since he cleaned it up for me. *sigh* My hero...

♥ What is your favorite book to read to children, or what was your favorite childhood book?
"The Tale of Three Trees" always chokes me up. I love reading this one and gifting it to others. My favorite children's book growing up was "There's a Monster at the End of This Book." - by Grover.

♥ Do you collect anything? (Feel free to post a photo.)
Pictures...I have to admit...I collect pictures. Shocking, I know.

Here's one that I haven't posted yet...I don't know why I didn't. It's so...huge. The tree...me... :) I didn't realize how much I liked this picture until now, actually. I do like the ginormous tree and that The Hubs and I are Matchy. I also need to clarify that I was only a few weeks away from having Josefine...hence, the preggo hugeness. I love it.



♥ Gift bags or wrapping paper?
Oh, I stink at wrapping gifts. Gift bags all the way!

♥ Share an after-school memory from when you were younger. What was your routine like on an average day?
Walk home (eyeing the neighbor kids house-who I had a huge crush on), have a snack (Little Debbie Star Crunch...Mmmm) and listen to music in my room. Probably pretended I was Whitney Houston or Garth Brooks or something.

♥ True story: Once, in a job interview, I was asked this question and told there would be no clarifying; I simply had to answer the question: “When you’re fishing, do you feel for the fish?” So what about you? Do you feel for the fish??
Definitely FEEL for the fish. I'm all about feelings. Ask my hubby...he's all about the technical...and I can catch a good fish based on feelings, yo.

And for some Feel Good Fishy Pics...

Jim got me a PINK POLE! I think I had to feel less for the fish, since they were so drawn to the HOTT pink of my pole. BTW, I'm not able to stand while fishing here...my feet were s-w-o-l-l-e-n.



Later - we went fishing in the dark...hmmm...sounds like a song??? ;) Why do I have so many preggo fishing pics, you ask? Because we knew as soon as Josefine was born, things like that would be but a blur. And they were...she was born on June 29, and ever since, I have wondered where summer has gone. ;) Not wasted, that's for sure - just dedicated to a tiny little bundle of love, love, love! Ok...bunny trail...here are s'more fishy pics.

*NOTE: I caught them BOTH! Yeeee!

Oooh, CRAZY Red-Eyed Fish Lady!



Fishy #2



Dem waz big fishes...and tasty, too.



We don't need to go fishing anymore anyway. Josefine seems to be our own little fishy!
But, don't worry...we won't eat her.

And more fishy tendancies from Josefine...

Our Family Picture Day

Remember Picture Day? Back in Elementary School...when your mom would dress you in the weirdest possible outfit and tell you to "smile with your teeth?" Actually, I'm sure it was ME who chose the weirdest possible outfit, but my mom did remind me to smile with my teeth. :)

Well, yesterday - oh, blessed yesterday - was OUR family picture day. I kinda felt all nervous, like "Will I look stupid and fat and will my double chin protrude like the dorsel fin on the Great White?" Okay, okay...It was the only thing I could think of...weird. But, still. I was actually NERVOUS about being photographed. I mean, Hello, I do it with people all the time. And, I always say "Don't be nervous. Just have fun!" So, I took my own advice and I had fun. Although, I didn't realize how much weight I've put on in the last few years (because, I've HARDLY taken a picture of myself since...who knows when) and I just assumed I always looked the same as I did in college, except with a different haircut, I do think these photos turned out marvelously (considered said double chin). Erin did a fabulous job just chillin' out and having a good time. That's my style...and I felt comfortable.

Ok, you're probably sick of the commentary already and want to see a few shots. Enjoy.

Fall Into Flavor: Spaetzle mit Kaese

We've enjoyed having people over for some authenic German (mostly Bavarian) food lately, and we always make up a batch of Spaetzle. It's been a HIT. I love it myself, and in asking one of our guests, Teena, which recipe she'd like to see on my blog the soonest, she decided on the Spaetzle. So, here ya go, Teena - and everyone else! Enjoy!

Oh, I guess I should tell you that Spaetzle is a type of mini-dumpling. And "Kaese" is cheese (hence, the ginormous hunk of cheese below).





Ingredients:

♥ 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
♥ 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
♥ 1/3 tsp salt
♥ 1/8 tsp pepper
♥ 3 eggs
♥ 3/8 cup 2% milk - I add a teeny bit more
♥ 3 TBS butter
♥ 1 Onion (sliced) - I actually use 1/2 onion (diced)
♥ 1 1/2 cups shredded Emmentaler cheese - I use Jarlsburg

Instructions:

♥ Sift together flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Beat eggs in a medium bowl. Alternately mix in milk and the flour mixture until smooth. Let stand for 30 minutes.

♥ Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Press batter throug ha spaetzle press (I used a colander - although I'm sure it must be easier to use the real thing...so, I'm looking into buying one) into the water. You may also use a potato ricer, colander, or a cheese grater. When the spaetzle is floating at the top of th water, remove it to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Mix in 1 cup of the cheese.

♥ Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook until golden. Stir in spaetzle and remaining cheese until well-blended. Remove from heat, and serve immediately.

Apparently, I didn't get any pictures taken until AFTER the Spaetzle was nearly gone!


Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

Infomercial Style...hehe.

Kellie at Little Birdie Secrets is giving away a free 16x20 rolled canvas print from UPrinting.com! And if you know how much I love photos (especially printed and displayed in my home) then you have to know that I entered...check it out. If I don't win...maybe YOU will! ;)

Just Because

Just wanted to post a li'l something...just because. :)

And a favorite verse I've been pondering on lately:

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.