House plants gone wild!

Kyle and I are always looking for "hidden gems" in Anchorage for times when we want to get out and do something that doesn't cost money. Last spring we discovered the city greenhouses that have open areas for the public. You cannot go into the whole greenhouses as they are for growing plants for the city parks and such. They do have one area of tropical plants that you can walk through. The greenhouse is broke into two sections, one a more natural look with the plants directly planted into the ground and this area houses several Koi ponds and a bird enclosure. The other area is a typical greenhouse with tables filled with potted plants, but theses are gigantic house plants that they take care of, I guess that maybe they were donated when people moved? Lately, I have been wanting to get out of the house so we took a walk about at the greenhouse on Friday.
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aaaArriving at the greenhouse
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aaaLighted flowers along the path
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aaaCute little Koi fish
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aaaKyle checking out the birds

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aaaOne of the residents

aaaThe natural greenhouse. Those are all house plants, Kyle is 6'3" and they tower over him!

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aaaThe regular greenhouse, also filled with house plants

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aaaMassive house plant, not sure what it is

aaaAloe Vera runneth over!
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This is a neat place to visit, with the added benches, you could bring a book and hang out for a while.

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Family Friday

Here's my first post for Family Friday. Let me introduce you to my folks.

aaThomas

aaRita

Oh, so sweet, I love these pictures! My parents live in there hometown in beautiful Montana. These photos are of there high school graduation.

This is a fairly recent photo of my parents and I.

I hope you enjoyed my first Family Friday!

Wacky Weather

This last week has been crazy for our weather here in Anchorage! One week ago, just 7 days ago, we were at -19 F for daily high and down to -26 F at night. Now today we are currently sitting at 45 F. That's an approximate 70 degree difference! We have also had wind gusts 40-50 mph, with some parts of Anchorage reporting gusts of 90 mph! I awoke yesterday morning to rain coming down and the temp was 29 F. Today is even warmer and everything is turning to slush, and the wind gusts that started yesterday evening are still going strong. We normally wouldn't see temps in the 40's til April during our spring thaw. The city has cancelled school the last two days and the streets look like ice rinks. Another storm is expected to hit Friday with wind warnings from 6 am to 9 pm, and wind gusts in Anchorage to peak near 100 mph.

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It looks like our frigid temperatures headed south to the lower 48, so stay warm everyone!

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These pictures were taken 5 days ago on my deck.

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This is how my deck looks this afternoon.

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Impending surgery

Thursday will be a bit hectic in my home as 2 of my beloved Pugs will be having surgery.

My sweetie pie Frank will be getting fixed, this will help to avoid cancer and prostate problems. We debated about getting him fixed but it is in his best interest.

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My momma girl Lucy will be having two procedures done. She developed a cyst (see picture) on her hip last fall and it has been growing. Due to infection concerns it will be removed. She also has an abundance of teeth as quite a few of her baby teeth are still intact, she is 4, and we found that she has at least one really infected baby tooth that needs to be removed.

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Thankfully Kyle and I have a long weekend from work so we will have plenty of time to baby them.

Homemade Mexican Hot Chocolate

Growing up, my parents would occasionally take us to a local Mexican restaurant and my favorite thing on the menu was the hot chocolate. Making Mexican hot chocolate at home is very easy and always tastes better than the pre-made cocoa mixes.

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Items needed:

Milk

Mexican Chocolate

Whipped Cream (optional topping)

Cinnamon & Nutmeg (optional garnish)

Molinillo or Whisk

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I use Ibarra brand chocolate for my cocoa. It is made of chocolate, sugar, & cinnamon and super tasty! The chocolate is in little disks that are individually wrapped inside the box, the disks are marked for easy cutting and I typically use half a disk, 4 wedges, for a cup of cocoa.

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A Molinillo is a wooden whisk that is used for warm drinks. A co-worker was gracious enough to bring back two Molinillo's for me last time he went to visit family in Mexico. You can also purchase Molinillo's online, however a standard whisk would work just as well.

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Close up of a Molinillo. They are handmade in Mexico and each one is unique.
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Warm the milk in the microwave or on the stove top until hot, add in the chunks of cocoa. Whisk until smooth and frothy. You may have to heat up again after adding the chocolate to ensure that it dissolves completely.
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My cocoa topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon & nutmeg!

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Beautiful homemade butter

I am surprised that I have never made butter before, it is sooooo easy! I have seen several blog posts regarding making your own butter and when I had a half gallon of heavy cream about to expire, I figured that turning it into butter and buttermilk would be the best way to use it up.

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I used my professional grade Kitchen Aid mixer, I am sure you could use just about any kind of mixer but it may take longer/shorter times to separate the butter from the buttermilk. I used the medium speed on my mixer as I didn't know how long it would take or how strenuous the motor would have to work.

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aaaMixer and Heavy Cream ready to go

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aaaStarted at 2:25
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aaaNot much change at 2:30

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aaaStarts to thicken at 2:35

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aaaCreeping up the bowl at 2:40

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aaaWhipped cream at 2:45

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aaaStarts to separate at 2:50

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aaaLooks like whipped butter at 2:55, but where is the buttermilk?

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aaaButter and buttermilk start to separate at 3:00!
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aaaDraining off buttermilk and a final spin at 3:02

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aaaFinished products

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Approximately 4 cups butter, and 3 cups buttermilk. I did not add any salt to my finished butter, this way I have more control over the salt that is added to recipes. However, without the added salt, the butter is on the sweet side. I wrapped up the butter pats in little wax paper squares and saran wrap, they will keep for a while in the freezer. Now, why didn't I try this sooner?
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Greetings from the New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVERYONE!!!!

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I hope you enjoyed the last of 2008, I know I did as I was able to spend the time with my family. I can't believe 2009 is already here! I have some fun stuff to share with you as to the happenings in my home the last 2 weeks.

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Did you make a New Year's Resolution?

Every year I try to stick to my resolutions, some years are better than others. I’ve thought about what I want to accomplish in 2009 and I’ve decided on two resolutions. My first resolution is to live healthier, maybe I won’t accomplish losing that 30lbs excess weight (would be better for my already shot knees) but try to eat healthier. I’ve come to the conclusion that if it was something my grandmother would have eaten than it is ok for me too (think dairy and fruits and veggies, and no prepared items or tv dinner type products, although I’m not sure where I stand on the cereal issue).
My second resolution would be to be happier. I know it is simple, but I sometimes forget how blessed I am and that I have a great life, a loving husband, three furry dogs that love me with all there little hearts, a warm home, good food to eat, a reliable job, and good health.

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Here's to 2009, lets make the best of it!

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See you in the New Year!

I'll be spending the next 10 days with family and thus will be on a short break from blogging. I'll see you in the new year where there will be more to see and to share. Here is a final 2008 picture from my home.

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The holidays are a time to remember those gifts that matter most, the love of our family and of our friends. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone, and God Bless! See you in the new year :-)

What are we really buying?

Some things to think about during the gift giving time of year.
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DIAMONDSaaaWe've all been there at one time or another; buying beautiful diamond jewelry for our loved one or for ourselves. But what most people don't know is just where that diamond comes from.
Blood diamond facts aaa

• More than half the world's diamonds come from Africa.
• Conflict diamonds account for 4-15% of the world total.
• Conflict areas include Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, & Angola.
• 60-65% of the world's diamonds are purchased in the U.S.

When buying diamonds, ask the jeweler for a certificate of origin to determine where the diamond was mined. Several years back I visited a national jewelry chain, whom I will not name, and I requested to see a certificate of origin on a ring I was interested in. They quietly asked me to leave the store, this was after I was adamant on seeing the certification before making a purchase, and I have not been back. The reason for the uproar was most likely due to the fact that they did not have country of origin certifications for some or all of there diamonds. To read more about blood diamonds click here, here, & here. Conflict diamond videos here, & here.

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FURaaaI've never had a desire to own a fur coat. I thought that they were beautiful and soft, but had no idea how the fur was harvested. Not all fur harvested is done through cruel methods, but why take the chance. China has the worst harvest methods involving cats and dogs, many whom have collars and are obviously a loved pet, are shamelessly sold for there fur. It is not uncommon for animals to be alive during the harvesting process. Fur is often dyed and sold as faux fur when in fact it is real fur. After reading several articles involving fur, and checking my closets thoroughly, I'm happy to report that my household is fur free!

To read more about fur and what you can do click here, & here. Videos on fur trade here, & here.
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CHOCOLATEaaaI must apologize in advance for ruining any one's day. I myself am a chocoholic and after reading recent news, I will be looking at the labels closer before I make my chocolate purchases. The bulk of chocolate is grown & initially processed in Africa in poor conditions with some or all forced labor of children that have been sold to work.

For more info regarding safe chocolate brands read here. Videos regarding slave chocolate is here, & here.
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Holiday Scenes from my home

aaCome on in!
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aaReindeer guarding the fireplace
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aaMy favorite ornament
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aaKyle leaves me a message, what a sweet guy!
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Homemade Christmas Ornaments

I started making faux stained glass ornaments several years ago. I still enjoy making them and giving them out to friends. You can personalize them by using paint colors the recepient likes as well as writing the year on the ribbon attached to the top.
I purchase clear glass ornaments at my local craft store, you can get these in a variety of shapes. I prefer to use the round ornaments as they are easiest to paint. Gallery Glass comes in a wide range of colors, this is the paint that you use to get the stained glass look.
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You apply the paint to the inside of the ornament, swirl it around a bit until it looks good to you, let sit upside down 1-2 days to let excess paint drip out (I use a disposable cup). Once excess paint is gone, then set on an egg crate with the opening, of the ornament, facing a low speed fan. You can let them sit out without a fan, but drying time will take 3-4x longer than using a fan. Once dry, use a piece of ribbon as the hook.

Gallery Glass Paint

Painted ornament

On the Tree

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Last minute personalized gift ideas

See that there? No not there, right here...
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Christmas is fast approaching, are you ready? I prefer to give homemade gifts for the holidays but due to lack of time or will power, I sometimes fail miserably and have to resort to actually having to buy something! Here are some online stores that you can purchase amazing personalized gifts, please be aware of delivery dates as we only have 13 shipping days til Christmas.
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Personalized Prints is an amazing store featuring beautiful artwork that is personalized with names or dates. I purchased a print for Kyle & I last year. I contacted the artist, Scott Kennedy, he was prompt in returning my email and you won't be disappointed in the work that he does. Here is the print that I purchased, but you can find a lot of styles on the website to choose from. I absolutely love the Chickadee print as it has a winter theme.

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aaaaaaaaaPersonal-Prints.com

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Over at Kodak Gallery you can choose from a variety of personalized gifts including mugs, ornaments, photo book, calendar, & cards. I picked up several photo books and some calendars a while back. I was impressed at the quality of the photo book's and how crisp the photos printed out. I am planning on doing a photo book of our furry dogs, I just haven't decided if I should do it now or later. Just a heads up that they will not proof-read your book so make sure names, dates, etc. are exact.

Have you ever seen a Welsh Love Spoon? These hand carved beauties are from Wales and are available in a wide variety of styles. You can personalize them with names and/or dates. I purchased one for our 5th Anniversary and was exactly what I had wanted. Check them out for yourself if you are looking for a truly unique gift.

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Pork & Beans

I've been wanting to make homemade pork & beans for a while but just have neglected to get a recipe for it. The recipe I used was overall pretty tasty, however, when making it in the future I will decrease the molasses by half as it was on the sweet side.

Pork & Beans
2 C Great Northern Beans, uncooked
3 Tbsp. Salt
10 C Water
5 pieces Bacon
1/2 C Onion - chopped
1/3 C Molasses
1/3 C Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Prepared Mustard
2 Tbsp. Ketchup
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste

Bring water and salt to a boil, add in uncooked beans. Cook 1 1/2 hrs. or until done. Pour beans and 2 C of bean liquid into a container and let cool overnight.
Next day, pour beans and liquid into large pot. Cut up bacon, cook in saute pan until golden. Remove bacon and add onion to pan. Cook until done. Add the bacon, onion, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, and Worcestershire to the beans. Cover, cook on low 2 hrs. until sauce is thickened and reduced. *Make sure to occasionally stir beans to prevent them from sticking and scorching the bottom of the pot.* Season with salt & pepper to taste.



We had our pork & beans with homemade Zucchini bread for dessert, yummy!
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Lucy & the Cool-Whip

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Man, that was friggin awesome!!
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I used some cool-whip in a dessert yesterday, and I let Lucy lick the empty container. She managed to cover her entire head in cool-whip!
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