Now All I Need Is A Pretty, Pretty Pony

I love to cook. I love to eat what I cook more. Food tends to be a key point of happiness in my life. It isn't just the comfort of eating it, but the process of making something to feed myself and my family that is made by my hand, and knock your socks off good. I would love to open a restaurant, but I would refuse to make the same thing two days in a row. No set menus, ever. I would call it "Beebs Sorpresa!" and every day would be something different. The menu would be written on a paper napkin, because I have class like that. Also, no two batches of something will be alike, because like my mom, and my grandmother I use the dash, pinch, a little, and alot measurements. 

I hate fractions, so I buy these.

But really, if I didn't make the same thing the next day, would you honestly remember exactly what something tasted like the last time I made it? As long as the ingredients remain about the same, I'll bet money you can't tell me if my noodle caboodle has 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder or a pinch (1/2 teaspoon). Professional tasters don't dine in my home. Although I do fancy myself a chocolate expert. (If you should ever need a chocolate taster, don't hesitate to give me a call! )

This is oddly appropriate and rather gross. For the love of chocolate!

Talking about food, and thinking about food reminds me that I am about to take a 6 week journey to cut out the added salt, fat, sugar, and other processed foods. I am starting off slow and easy, especially since my customers (my husband and his brother) are not out to get healthy with me. I mean really who wants to purposely eat ground turkey breast with a half a handful of brown rice and a load of veggies with no salt or fat to help ease your pain? Also, no sugar means no chocolate, and that is criminal. But things must be done, and I will get over it. In two months I will be 31, and I mean to be down a couple dress sizes by then. What a better way to celebrate my birthday than to go shopping!?

I have already submitted my birthday request to my husband. I truly want for nothing personal. I have my stupendously huge kindle, a rotten puppy dog, pots pans, and the like. If he gets me another crockpot or bottle of perfume, he is doomed. So this year, I have asked to have the nasty disgusting carpet ripped from our room. He jokingly said he would replace it with white linoleum. I would actually prefer it to what we have. I had the worst idea ever when I decided to put carpet in our bedroom. Our animals have not been kind to it. Not to mention my lofty ideas of having my room look like a beach and buying "sand" colored carpet. Oh woe is the naive first time home owner.I promise I will nevah evah ask for wall to wall carpet in another room as long as I shall live.

In other household news, we are finally reaching the end of our backyard makeover. The Sahara is no more! I have one planting bed to fill, and a few final accessories that I need to pick up. Steve finished his cooking patio, and we also received an early Christmas gift from my parents.

Isn't it fancy? Our new gazebo boasts privacy panels, and mosquito netting. It keeps our patio up to 20 degrees cooler!(ha!) It really is lovely. Mom and dad surprised us with the gift this past weekend, and even threw in some rope lights for mood lighting. We are overjoyed to have a nice place to hide under in South Texas' overbearing heat. Our neighborhood effectively blocks out the majority of the coastal breezes, so we have a small fan to help with the lack of breeze production. All in all, I am happy with our final backyard creation. I can't say it went as expected, or even turned out as expected. Someone needs to be in charge of kicking my butt if I EVER suggest to take on a project like that in the middle of summer. But the end result is a backyard we are proud of, and I finally have my private garden that I don't have to share with anyone except my husband. Although, most of the fun is in sharing.

One last thing: