Riot and Frolic

Joy To The World

Merry Christmas, of course.  Happy December 25, otherwise.

Let us rejoice because not only is bacon great, but you can make bacon greater.

It's true.

Do this:

Grab some bacon, a jelly roll pan (a cookie sheet with a lip, yo), and all the seasonings in this recipe.

 

this is where it gets awesome

 

Mix up all the stuff in that recipe (seasoning for pork & chicken here, just in case you missed the first link) and sprinkle in liberally on your bacon, which is obviously laid out on the pan.

Bake for 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees.  (Don't let it get too brown, and don't worry, it won't look done, but it gets crispy as it cools).

 

get ready for amazeballs bacon

 

Enjoy.  [Chocolate buttermilk pancakes optional, but recommended.]

 

AMAZEBALLS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

 

List of Last Week's Labors of Love

- there's a new playground in town and someone knows how to climb up the little stairs and slide down the slide all by herself.  For hours.  

 

non-stop fun. literally

 

- my extra-great great aunt invited us to meet Santa, who was in town for breakfast.  It was an adorable event aimed at the still-wary-of-Santa set packed with face-painting, silly games (a more enthusiastic Hokey Pokey and Limbo, I have not seen), easy prizes, a three piece band that made every carol a polka, and a friendly Santa who would wander around talking to the kids.  

 

my kids were the only ones with "princess" face paint and not, say, a wreath or reindeer on their face

 

- Zoo learns to drink from a coffee mug, in a very dainty and self-pleased sort of way.

 

it's just milk, people

 

- after visiting Target's Christmas section, I CAN NOT WAIT for December 26 to roll around so I can buy all that shit for 75% off.  "Decorate your own Christmas tree" craft set with 20 trees to decorate? Yes.  Four rolls of wrapping paper in red, green, pink, and aqua? Vintage color YES.  PINK TINSEL TREE?  YESSSSSSS!

- I spend 23 minutes in front of our tree snapping pictures, trying to get one out of focus.  Yes, out of focus.  It's bokeh for lame people.  And surprisingly hard on an iPhone.  

- taught the girls how to finger crochet.  They made necklaces and were out of my crochet face for like 10 minutes.  Huzzah!

- coffee with friends with awesome nicknames.  

 

the best kind of hijinks

 

Now I'm preparing the last of the Christmas-y type things and looking forward to a couple days of eating and family-ing.  What are you up to?

The Church of Dance

A dear friend of mine is a very Godly person.  Like, heinous people cannot muster any meanness towards her because she is SO GOOD.  Like, I don't really understand most religiousy stuff unless she's around.  I think she uses osmosis.

Anyhoo, she was talking about a religion class she was taking and how it really spoke to her and hearing her talk about All Things Holy was exactly like all the things I think in my head about ballroom dancing:

• sense of community
• keeps my mind open to learning
• teaches me humility
• gives me confidence
• blah blah blah

Now, yes, it seems a little trivial to compare ballroom dancing to an omnipotent being and the worhsip thereof, but it made me realize we all need more passion in our lives.  

A big draw of the ballroom world is that there are so many people (teachers and students alike) who are passionate about what they're doing.  Being around that excitement and energy is contagious and addicting...  Very unlike most office day jobs, if I remember correctly.  

So what if you're not into ballroom dancing?  If an inspired person/book/song/movie has you on the edge of your seat, what is the first thing you think of?  Your kids?  Your crossword puzzle?  Your car?  Your lifelong ambition of starting a bucket-making company?  

Whatever "it" is, can you spend more time with It (the "It" of your dreams, mind you, not the scary clown from the Stephen King novel) ?  If you're sort of bored with every day life, why not insert some of that awesomeness into it?  

There's always obstacles.  I get that.  Not all families can live on one income, the New York Times crossword puzzle is tricky, the salt from the roads ruins paint jobs, the bucket market is saturated.  But overcoming obstacles and getting more happy is probably neater than being stagnant and less than happy.  

Word.

Resolutions

Every once in a while, I like to write a completely selfish post.  What am I talking about they're all selfish posts.  Mememememememe.  #metime.  

Now listen to me while I tell you my resolutions.

- read before going to bed.  Instead of, you know, checking Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/Pinterest, watching Hulu/Netflix, sitting in front of a screen.

 

i had to sit for this painting for soooo long

 

- not watch Hulu/Netflix/illegal-streaming-sources unless I'm doing something productive.  You know, like those things I hate: folding laundry, washing dishes.  Basically, just those two things.  I read an article about "creating a mindful home" and while I think it's a bunch of new age jibber-jabber, it's a good idea to start liking chores.  I mean, they have to get done, why be resentful about it?  I will gladly wash dishes if that means I can watch Vampire Diaries.

 

it's for vampires, too, yo

 

- GET UP.  Get the hell out of bed and d.o. something.  My bed is so comfy and I love sleeping in or just laying around after waking up, but I also love being active first thing in the morning because I'm so much more productive during the day.  Gah!  Decisions!  Yoga?  Okay.  Running?  Fine.  Anything move-y?  Yes.

 

the jumping might bother The G

 

- find a reasonable schedule for blogging.  I was rocking it for awhile during weekday naptimes, but then our schedules changed and naptimes got inconsistent, as did cleaning and showering.  Then I started binge-writing on Saturdays, like all 5 posts for the week in one night.  But we travel a lot of weekends, so weeks would pass with no bloggy-blog.  :(  Think think think...

- pay off those damn credit cards and weird little floating bills.  The sad part is I don't have that much debt, I'm just paying minimum amounts on them because I'm too lazy to figure something better out. There's a baby delivery and a credit card or two, but nothing serious.  I'd like to cross those piddly monthly payments off my bill calendar and sock that money away for a trip to Bora Bora or something.

What are you all looking forward to improving?  Any big goals for the year?  Hell, any big goals for the week?

Year in Pictures

Let's pretend 2012 is over, which let's face it, since we're all on senior slide this time of the year, it effectively is.  There's too many goodies at the office/home, 12 more parties to attend, shopping to finish, and a general giddiness that make doing anything productive rather unappealing right now.

Tomorrow I'll bore you with my goals for next year, so today I'll entertain you with [insert moviefone voice] "A Year in Pictures" !

February 12 - Dressing up on a Saturday night in Wausau, WI will get you labeled.

that's right

March 17 - We found the best coffee in the ENTIRE world when we walked 3 miles in 80 degree weather.  In March.  In Minnesota.

that's right

March 31 - Damn you, charming baby!

that's right

April 4 - Damn you, non-charming babies!

daydreamer, crabber, dinosaur

April - The garden begins!  Look at how innocent it looks.  Not at all like something that will try to cannilbalize itself, get me sunburned, leave me with a sea of tomatoes, or turn me into a hippie.

innocent like dirt-eating toddlers

April 11 - We make our children walk off their Easter feast in the cold.   [Note the crystal clear photo.  *sob* I miss you, camera!]

it was windy and cold AND too far

April 18 - I took pictures of these fools, who just released their album.  Do you like drinking or Irish music?  Then you'll like their music.  

broken spoke

April 17 - The best cake ever was decorated.

that's right

All year - Surrounded by rhinestones, The G and I hit up the East Coast, West Coast, and No Coast for a year-long ballroom dance blitz.  Sometimes we sucked and sometimes we didn't, but we were always enveloped in shiny things, self-tanner, and fabulous people.

farkles

May 6 - I proved running long-distance is just as ugly as it sounds.

that's right

May 16 - The G and I had Epic Date, which included this place.  

it was ideal

End of May - We saw a big boat.  And then we made it a boatload of Bratts.  Family reunion accomplished.

U.S.S. something or other

 

Still May - The ladies continued their stellar record of taking beautiful portraits together.  

 

so precious

 

June 30 - V debuted her dancing skills.  Watching the audience was almost better than watching her.

 

crossover break, done well

 

June 1 - If you're going to run a 5k on the hottest day of the year, obviously it should be 90% uphill and involve obstacles.

 

or not

 

July 6 - The drive-in is where birthday magic happens. 

 

that's right

 

August 5 - Zoo proves that you can't be cute all the time.  Especially while eating.

 

especially while eating a lemon

 

August 30 - I learn how to make big hair look good.

 

before

 

September 1 - I recovered from forgetting my dresses and geeked out at The Bean.  

 

after

 

September 22 - We didn't die in this slightly-creepy corn maze.  

 

snow white, of course

 

September 25 - Pittsburgh's Monongehela Incline was DA BOMB.

 

vintage cable car view

 

October 11 - I set a personal low bar for running.  I think I rigged it so my next marathon time makes me look like a BEAST.  Way to go, pink pants.

 

i didn't fall down

 

October 13 - The G and I continue OUR stellar record of taking awkward photos together.  Ah, I see, a family trait!

 

that's right

 

October 31 - I complete a sewing project on time AND bribe my children with candy.  

 

flora, tinkerbell, and merryweather

 

November 15 - They prove me wrong!  Secret trick: put them up on something 5 feet up in the air, then they can't stop giggling.  

 

spotter?

 December 8 - Zoo and I have the same reaction to the awesome registration area at the Bellagio.

geeking out is a family trait, too

 December 11 - We return from the 70 degree desert to a foot of snow.  Someone couldn't be happier.  

that's right

What did you do this year?  Any fun trips?  Awkward family photos?  Do tell.

festivus