Crepes-I love them so I tried making them...

 My new obsession-Crepes. Well, it's not really an obsession and it's not really new-can't believe anything I say!

Seriously....since visiting France a couple years ago, I love me a good crepe! The savory one's are ok...but my favorite of course, are the one's with lots of whip cream! Actually...I've been trying to do away with cow's milk and I'm doing pretty well but when it comes to half and half in my coffee and whipped cream...there's no substitute. Anyway...here are some pics of my first attempt at being a crepe maker.
 First...I used the traditional buckwheat flour. Buckwheat is great for gluten intolerant peeps and it's kinda good. Contrary to popular belief...it isn't wheat at all-it's an herb, kin to rhubarb. It's cultivated for it's seeds and then ground into flour. It's earthy tasting...kinda nutty.



I don't know what happened...I think I needed to pour the mixture slower or something because I got a lot of bubbles in the batter. Regardless of it's look-my first wasn't very good, so I just slathered on a lot of my very own pumpkin mixture. Cream cheese, canned pumpkin, Chai tea powder (trader joes), pumpkin spice, sugar and honey. That was good...the crepe was just a vehicle for the fattening stuff!I kept trying and finally I got one crepe that was smooth and looked good...and actually it tasted good.





Maybe practice really does make perfect?

Saturday Morning and talking pre-teen...

Saturday morning is one of my faves...I get to sleep in, work out, hang with the dogs and listen to This American Life with Ira Glass on National Public Radio.

You gotta check out  this program. Ira...the host is amazing and this story is fascinating. I learned today that middle school is where you excel at whatever you really like. According to one of the experts interviewed, at about the age of 12 you are well equipped at retaining information.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/
For example...if you decide you want to play the ukelele, this would be the perfect time to take it up (fine tune your skill). The expert talked about how she could still remember the dance steps to some routine she learned in middle school. Come to think about it...I can too. "Brass Monkey-that funky Monkey", well-I remember how it begins. I bet my BFF back home could do the entire dance.

Another segment close to the end of the show is about a middle school boy who had out bursts of anger when his fellow classmates would make fun of him. He smelled...kinda badly and the kids didn't like it-so they told him, and  they didn't like his reaction. Come to find out he didn't have electric. The roof on his home had caved in the week prior and he was also taking care of his ailing grandmother who would wake up in the middle of the night...walk around and then this little boy would carry her back to bed. Unbelievably sad and yes I cried, but the reason for his odor wasn't because he could help it...he didn't have warm water or the time to take a shower. After the kids found out his story they started talking him through his anger helping him to work through it. How extraordinary! What a teacher! She discussed the problem with him and then coordinated a meeting with other students. She also helped him clean up-something my BFF I mentioned above did for one of her own students. Awesome! I don't want to spoil it for ya so just take a listen...it won't be available until Monday...
http://feeds.thisamericanlife.org/talpodcast

There's snow in Colorado and I'm hanging at the beach

I know...I know...I can't be talking about sunny SoCal so I'm just going to post some pics of my drive today.

Behind me is Malibu...to the south of me is Santa Monica. The road that lines the beach is called the Pacific Coast Highway and I take it everyday to get to work. Today...it was stunningly beautiful. The waves were lapping the beach and there were lots of surfers. I wasn't able to pull over in time to take a pic so for now you get to see me and that one lonely guy in the background! From first glance...Malibu isn't anything special. A lot of super rich and famous peeps live there but if you're driving through it doesn't look like much. Homes line the PCH and on the other side you'll find restaurants, gas stations and such. The real magic is when you step inside one of the houses. It's so peaceful...you'd never know there's a highway behind you because of the sound of the crashing waves. Now all we have to do is make several million dollars and we'll  buy a little beach shack...

Choosing good role models...

Today my boss says to me..."oh Tim Tebow is on the radio-he's such a good man." I reply with..."ah, I don't care much about athletes." Then I watched an interview with this 23 yr. old football star and had to recant my answer. Tebow grew up a missionary kid and spent some of his childhood in the Philippines. Now he supports 6-hundred orphans at the orphanage his parents help build. Uh...ok, he's a role model. But...not many professional athletes can say the same.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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I'm not trying to be a hater but I've always wondered why parent's encourage their kids to look up to athletes or/and celebrities. I know, everyone thinks they're great-but I've been around a lot of athletes and they are kids who can throw a ball. A lot of them aren't good role models and don't really want to be.It's actually unfair to make them something they never signed up to be. Celebrities...well, they're actors or they've made a sex tape or something...what the what?!?!
Anyway...I'm just saying-choose your role models wisely. Sam attends a meeting every other Saturday and the founder of Tom's Shoes was the speaker. This guy started a company that helps needy children all over the world. You buy a pair of shoes-he gives one away. Cool concept...cool guy=role model. And...for you single ladies he's not bad on the eyes.


I drove by Tom's Headquarters today...and I thought, I think this is what I'm giving for Christmas this year. Hope you like them...

Apple sells 6 million new iPhones-can we get a couple downloads?

So...I'm at the Apple store today buying the new iPhone for my boss's daughter and while I'm standing in line to enter the store I wonder...why is there a line? I thought no one was impressed with the new 4S?? Well, that's what I read last week-things change, I guess. Once I finally made it to the front of the line I was able to ask some questions like-"how are things going", "how much are these things anyway?"

Well...the phones are 399 dollars and Apple has sold 6 million of them since releasing it last week. Six million!!?!? Whoa! That got me thinking...

If we could just get 1 million of those peeps to download our app for kids...Bedtime Bunny Tales...that would change my life and the life of a lot of other people! Really...when you look at it that way...it doesn't seem too difficult. Can you believe they sell that many iPhones? Last time I checked Mac had sold more than 15 million iPads...and that was six months ago!!

Now on to another topic. Here in L.A. it doesn't matter when you're out and about...the stores are always packed...or there will be people working out in the middle of the day. I always wonder...do any of these people have jobs? Then I remember...well, a lot of them are actors, some work in the biz on shows that end in the middle of the year, then pick back up a month or two after it wraps and others are super rich. You know...like ladies who lunch. I guess if you don't have anything better to do you go out to eat, shop or work out! hmmmm...

On that note...I better get my beauty rest. Good night.

Everyone gets old...and some wear diapers

Well, today I bought my first adult diaper. Thankfully, it wasn't for myself but regrettably it's for my aging puppy dog, Daisy. In 12 years she never had an accident in the house but about two months ago I noticed she was laying in something wet. I finally realized she wasn't able to control herself and didn't even know anything was wrong. I put her on meds...but this morning she had another accident....so, I bought her a diaper, well a pack of Depends. Who knew diapers were so expensive? Well...I'm sure all of you mom's know...but wow-it was such an eye opener. Gosh, this makes me so sad...I know Daisy isn't going to be around forever, but she's been with me, along with Suzy since I've been married so they are a very special part of our family.

So...on to better, brighter things. Today was a good day. We finally made it back to church and it was so good to hang with everyone. We're in this 20's-30's group and we have a brunch once a month. The guys who cater it are amazing. Fritatta's, amazing potato something or other, salad, cookies and mimosas! I mean really...at church? Well, it is All Saints-Beverly HIlls!
Saturday I met with an alumni group and we went to tea! That was another yummy experience. I wasn't a huge fan of the actual restaurant, but the food was pretty darn good. I'm actually not much of a tea drinker, more of a coffee gal but I really liked all of the varieties. It sounds like I did lots of eating and not much working this weekend but I did try and move some of our things back into the house. The kitchen is almost back to normal, but every time I clean something...magically the dust re-appears. I know now that if we ever...and mind you, I'm not planning anything, remodel anything ever again I will move all furniture,

kitchen ware, even the food in the cabinets because it all gets covered in dust. Even my beloved Dyson vacuum was unable to make it through this dust bowl. Remember, I was bragging about how amazing it was...but finally it just petered out. I washed the filter today and took it apart...I'm hoping that will bring it back from the dead. I love that thing!

Here's to a dust free week! Hope you have a wonderful Monday!

We got the word...and the word is NO!

So...there will be no before and after photos of our renovation! Sorry! I know there are some of you out there waiting to see the transformation but we heard from the producer today and we can't discuss anything about it-including pics! You'll just have to stay tuned to our blog to find out when you can see it on the boob tube!

I left work early today and got a mani-pedi. Los Angeles is THE place to get spa type services...you can get them for almost nothing! 19 dollars for both! I guess the competition just really drives down the prices...I like that. Sunday afternoon we were so sore we went for Thai massages. That's another amazing perk about living in SoCal. 45 dollars for the deepest tissue massage you'll ever receive...she even left a bruise. It's quite the experience...kinda like a yoga class-beat down session...but boy does it feel good!

Tonight we're celebrating my bday with the couple that really helped a lot with our renovation, Roshelle and Tyler. Having my favorite, tiramisu and probably a glass of champagne! I'm 38...I can take it.

Have an amazing evening...and to all of you on Facebook-Thank you soooo much for the Birthday wishes...they mean a whole-whole-lot!

Where has the time gone?

Ok...some of you are waiting to see some "after" pics of our renovation but I haven't gotten the OK from HGTV to post any yet!! So sorry! I did promise to tell you a little about the experience so here goes...

First of all I'm glad it's over! Ha! No, it was a great experience but it was quite stressful, really dirty and truly exhausting! Working on a deadline when it comes to construction is just brutal! Anyway...

The most important thing I gained from this experience is perspective. I like that word...and it is soooo important to everything and everyone. I learned that my perspective is completely different than Sam's perspective. I'm a multi-tasker and he is a linear thinker. He does one thing really well, while I juggle a bunch of things and do them, good enough! Ha! Maybe that's what makes us work?!?!

One thing I know for sure...my environment really makes me feel differently. I've always been a rolling stone...ever since I can remember I had my bags packed,
going from house to house, town to town, state to state
and if I wasn't physically moving I was day dreaming about
traveling. Tonight, I feel so comfortable staying in. I really like
what we did with the place and I think I might stay awhile. The
producers/coordinators for the show brought lots of fresh flowers
and fruit with them to "stage" the place for the final scene and left them as kind of a "housewarming-we can't use these anymore-present" and I'm still enjoying them. All of that adds to the ambiance and I'm soaking it all in.


 So...to my tagline. Where has the time gone? I have no earthly idea! When did we start this project and how did it get done!? Also...I'm going to be another year older in about three hours. What?!?! Where has the time gone?!?! Every year it seems to fly by even faster than before but for now I intend to pack it full of "stuff", no...not the physical stuff you buy at the store but lots of experiences, adventures and people-people-people-the real stuff, no more of this drywall dust, kitchen remodel hooie...just good ol' company!  Hope you fill your house with the good "stuff" too!

Hello...it's been too long!

So...I am too tired to write anything but I wanted to at least say hello! We wrapped HGTV's Professional Grade on Saturday and things went well!! I can't talk about it until I get the O.K. from the producer...but for now, I'll say it was amazing, tiresome and extremely difficult! I've never worked under a deadline like that when it comes to any kind of renovation...so it was just overwhelming! Every night of last week we were up late pounding, tearing and painting but Friday night we didn't go to bed at all. The crew got to our house at 9 am and we had to leave for the day. They called us back, the judges gave us our critique...and then the big moment...drum roll please-and commercial break.Ugh...I so wish I could tell you all about it...show you the pics, etc but not just yet.