Carrying on…

Ok, so where did I leave off?

So last night, I spent the majority of the night experimenting with peppermint bark. I made a double chocolate batch, and cinnamon bark, which came out… just not really as I had planned. We could not find cinnamon candy canes anywhere, so Jason suggested I try cinnamon imperials and break them up by blending them. That worked great until the blending part, which turned them into cinnamon powder, and I went ahead with it anyway. It was an “interesting” batch to say the least, and I don’t think I will be sending any of it out. I think next time I will keep them whole, they are about the size that the candy canes should be when you put them in, but then again, the candy canes, which are easy to break when you don’t want to, I had to end up wrapping in a double Ziploc bag, and then a towel, and smashing them with a hammer. The cooking life is not easy, let me tell you.

This brings me to my next item on the agenda, the cooking site. I’ve already posted a few recipes that I had from way back when, and some of the new things I’ve tried. It’s been very active as of late, but once the holidays are over, it will probably slow down a ton. But you should check some of them out. I think they are pretty tasty. :) (And they all come with a picture that isn’t all fancy-schmancy-cookbook-beautified!)  There is also a list of the most recent posted recipes off to the right.

Tonight, Jason and I went to Souper Salad, because they are cheap, give unlimited food, and provided us with a nice non-distracting environment to do Jason’s midterm (that he finally got the access code to.) We were there for about an hour, and I helped him with notes and picking out the parts he had to include in his project. It brought back bad memories, because I only took that horrible midterm two months ago. Good riddance!

We were also slightly celebrating. Because my boss is so awesome, and we are getting short-handed soon, and super busy (like really busy, like I actually want people to stop dying, we’re getting in 3-6 cases in a DAY, and have 20+ concurrent, which means super busy workload) and he said that he would hire Jason for odd jobs, but basically wanted him in the system so that he is ready to go when we need him. Jason just has to take the drug test tomorrow, and I think he’s set. He will be doing a lot of work for me, because I am currently doing two and a half jobs because no one else has time to do them (and I’m not sure why they think I do) so my paperwork has been so behind. I probably have about 50 files sitting on my desk, and the pile grows larger daily, of files that need to be finalized and filed away. We also had a HUGE project a few weeks ago which included pulling files from a specific insurance policies and a specific casket company to get rebates on caskets, which was a huge profit (well maybe not in their eyes, but it was over twenty-thousand dollars worth, so I’ve heard) so all those files (probably 100+) need to be filed away in various storage locations as well. And then there’s running. I will lose my runner, Fred, at the end of December because he is taking two weeks off, and while the job has already been asked upon someone else, she is probably going to be put on services (as we are losing a Funeral Director for surgery) and then Jason could be my runner. I don’t really know how it’s all going to work out, but at least it will be something for him to do, he’s already going stir crazy at home. Plus, haha I just can’t stop, my boss wants him to be on the payroll for future computer issues that may arise. So hopefully he will be kept busy, and I will have a load off.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="189" caption="Preeeettttty (LG Lotus)"][/caption]

The other day, I met my dream phone on TV. Tonight, before dinner, we went in to the Sprint Store, and looked at it. It is so beautiful, I could cry. It is a purple PDA flip. Since I’ve had my MotoQ for almost a year, I can’t imagine going back to a normal phone. The one thing I don’t like about my phone (well the main thing) is that I have to lock it every time I put it down, or I end up calling Guatemala! Pain in the ass, but that’s where the flippy awesomeness comes in. Santa, if you want to drop one of those beauties in my stocking, I won’t mind. ;) Did I mention it’s purple? Yeah, its purple, metallic purple, even the keys illuminate purple. I love it!

I don’t know why, because our Christmas shopping is pretty much complete, but I have been looking at home-made gifts a lot, and I’ve found a few that I thought we’re just too good to keep to myself. The first one, is more kid oriented, and is a Pocket Advent Calendar. It’s simple, it’s cheap, and it’s so adorable. I wish I had someone to make it for… although it’s a little late now. Another thing I came across was Homemade Gifts in a Jar, things like brownie or muffin mixes prepared in a jar so all you have to do is mix and bake. I’ve always thought these were cute, and very simple ideas, but again, it’s kind of late for me to do it for Christmas, especially this year, but some of them could be year-round type gifts. I am definitely bookmarking these for next year.

And lastly, something I haven’t posted about in a while: The Wedding! This Friday (well, hopefully) we are starting to look at locations. The one I am trying to set up an appointment for is the Waterfront. I found a list of wedding vendors online. The list had everything from reception sites to wedding cakes, and this one was ranked as $ versus the rest of Phoenix which was $$-$$$$ and Jason and I both really liked it. There were a few other places, but I wasn’t so big on their pictures, so we are checking this place out first. Also, I’m kind of bum on the whole wedding deal not only because of the financial situation but because of my “wedding court”. My Maid of Honor, whom I still haven’t asked, has been kind of giving me the brush off and unless I plan on asking her through MySpace, I don’t know when I’d get the “chance” to ask her in real-life time. One of the other people that I was going to ask has decided that she hates me, and until I have my Maid of Honor set, I don’t want to go any further in the asking process anyway. Ugh, I just hate this. This is supposed to be one of the most exciting times in my life, and so far, it’s been nothing but trouble. Even according to The Knot, I am behind. This is their to-do list:

• Begin envisioning your wedding --- formal hotel or friend's loft? Backyard barbecue or exotic beach? (Eh, sort of)


• Decide on a budget and hash out who's contributing.


• Knot Hint: For a quick and easy way to determine a budget, use The Knot Budgeter.


• Make sure to insure your engagement ring.


• Pick your preferences for a wedding date and time, and finalize after okaying with important guests, location, or officiant.


• Begin interviewing wedding consultants (if you'll have one) AND / OR start asking family AND friends for local wedding vendor recommendations.


• Brides: It's never too early to begin thinking about your gown. Start by figuring out what style will look best on you.


• Start interviewing caterers.


• Scout out reception sites. (Starting)


• Start looking for an officiant who suits your style and spirit.


• Book your reception site as soon as you see something you love that’s available on your date.


• If you're having an engagement party, set a date, draft a guest list, and purchase your invitations.


• Get organized! Start a notebook/file folder to house all your wedding-planning paperwork in one place.


• Begin working on a preliminary wedding guest list and decide on your wedding's approximate size. Request lists from both sets of parents and create your own wish list.


• Choose your bridesmaids/groomsmen and ask them to be in the wedding party. (Hahahaha right now...)


• Find a ceremony site if one hasn't been determined by your choice of officiant or reception site.


• Hire a consultant (if you're having one) and sign a contract.


• Contact newspapers to announce your engagement (you may need to have an engagement photo taken as well).


• Choose a color scheme, if you so desire, taking into account the decor of the rooms/areas you have reserved for your ceremony and reception.


• Decide on a caterer. Hash out a rough price per head and begin working on a menu.


• Brides: Begin looking at pictures of wedding dresses online and in magazines.  (Being doing that since I was old enough to know what a wedding was :P)


• Brides: When you've found some gowns you like, head out to the stores to try them on.


• Start investigating any ethnic customs or cultural traditions you might want to incorporate into your ceremony or reception.


• Finalize the guest list.  (Knot hint: When you’re done, make your life easy by entering everything into the Guest List Manager.)


• Sign your caterer contract and send in a deposit.


• Start auditioning reception bands or DJs.


• If you've chosen an outdoor ceremony or reception site, look into tent and lighting rentals.


• Set up appointments with various florists to discuss options.


• Decide on and meet with your officiant to discuss ceremony structure and any religious requirements (such as counseling).


• Interview and get price lists from several wedding photographers and videographers.


• Book reception band or DJ, sign the contract, and send a deposit.


• Brides: Narrow down your gown choices and make a final decision.


• If you plan to use frequent flyer miles to travel to your honeymoon destination, book your flight now.  (Honeymoon?  Yeah, I don't think so... not even close ;/  )

The crossed out, is N/A and the bold is what we have done. Pretty sad. : ( Also, should I actually have bridesmaids, although the outlook is currently grim, this is the dress I liked for them.

Anyway, I think this is quite long enough for now, its bed time.