Just Precious

Can you guess who these two darling children are??

The One Where Miss USA Trips and Falls... AGAIN.

I usually don't watch the Miss USA/Universe stuff.

But last night there was nothing else on, so I watched a bit of it.

I have two comments.

1. Obviously... I almost died when that poor girl fell. At first I thought she did it on purpose (like maybe a "here's to you, old Miss USA"). But then I saw the horror in her eyes, and I knew it was an accident. And since I know how she felt (from falling down the stairs during the recessional at my wedding), I am still feeling sorry for her today. How awful to practice and prepare and then fall down!!!

2. And now I am going to take a jab at her... Did anyone see her little bio film? Where she said that she never felt pressured to be thin and how she embraces her healthy body? ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? That girl is so dag gum skinny. I was giving her props, then I saw her whole body and just got mad. She may not be starving herself like some of the other girls, but she is certainly not indulging in brownies and ice cream. I'm just sayin...

And now I am done venting about something that really doesn't concern me in the least...

For Meg, who really does care: I went for my post-op visit last Wednesday. Dr. N said I was healing nicely! The surgery was successful in his opinion. I had had so much past infection in my maxillary (cheek) sinuses that little holes had eroded on both sides into my nose... CRAZY! And the lining in my ethmoid (nose) sinuses had grown down into the folds of my nose. That sounds gross. He fixed it. I can breathe, and I am feeling pretty good. I should be completely healed up in the next six to eight weeks. (Then I can begin a rotation diet.) I had NO pain whatsoever with the surgery, and I am so very thankful for that. I still have to squirt salt water up in there several times a day, but I hope to be through with that in the next 10 days or so. It doesn't hurt; it is just a little gross and completely inconvenient. I go back again next Monday.

Love to you all on this very rainy Monday. I would like to go to sleep, but am pretty sure that is not okay in the working world.

I'm Alive!!

I know you all have been worried sick about my condition.

I have been taking it easy/being lazy.

Here is what I looked like after the surgery:Pitiful, huh?

Please, lets all comment on:
1. The state of my eyebrows
2. The glasses circa 2000
3. The big fat lip (not poking it out...they pinched me during intubation! I have lots o' ulcers)
4. The general ugliness that is represented here

Obviously I am feeling better or I would not offer up such a photo.

Hope you are having a great week.

More tomorrow.

Under the Knife

Tomorrow is the big day!

I check in at the hospital at 7:30 a.m. I am #4 on Dr. Norris's surgery schedule (he has three little babies before me). He says that the surgery should take about an hour and a half, then I'll go to recovery until I am ready to go home. I figure that I'll be safe and sound at the house sometime after lunch.

That is when the flowers should be delivered...

So...the bad news is that my openings are abnormally small... he plans to open them up and clean out my ethmoid and maxillary sinuses.

I likened it to Roto-Rooter, and he agreed.

The good news is that my septum is just fine. He has promised that I will not come out with a new nose a la Ashley Tisdale.

I've asked him to remember anything crazy I do or say under the influence of anesthesia. I'm pretty sure he thinks that I am not taking this seriously because my questions to him centered around the state of my nose and what kind of narcotics he will be prescribing...

Please pray:
a. that Dr. Norris will be well-rested and ready for the surgery
b. that his surgeries before mine will go smoothly
c. that I will not throw up
d. that the pain will be manageable
e. that the surgery will be a complete success and I will heal perfectly and be able to eat a brownie before I die

Here is what I will be doing for the next few days:

Sleepy Isabelle when she was just a pup!

Don't forget the prayers.

And the flowers.

Tata!

Another Post About Food

Imagine that.

Me talking about food.

I just can't help myself. I love the stuff.

It was our turn to host our supper club this past weekend.

I usually tend to get a little carried away with themes, decorations, invitations, food... I drive Justin nuts when I get like this. I can think of/talk about nothing else. I probably should see someone about this...

This month was no exception, and I found myself tying little raffia ropes on the handles of my pitchers, just because it was cute (and theme-appropriate).

We had a luau. I made Margarita Beef with Orange Salsa and Chicken and Fruit Kabobs. We also had pineapple casserole, a broccoli salad and a pineapple-orange cake for dessert.

Everything was beyond delicious, and quite beautiful, if I do say so myself.

Justin built some yard games...Corn Hole and Hillbilly Golf, but I forgot to take pictures of them until it was dark! So sorry.

We also dressed up. I wore a coconut bra. No pictures of that either.

Well, I have a picture of that, but I am choosing not to share it.

It was definitely worth all the days of chopping up fruit and all the little cuts in my fingers, but I was so exhausted when it was over that I told Justin that the next time we have supper club I am making lasagna.

My little umbrella glass decorations!

Justin with his glass of punch (with Malibu pineapple rum)!Isn't my punch so beautiful! It tasted really good, too.
The Margarita Beef and Orange Salsa. Yum yum!
Kabobs with Honey-Ginger Chicken, Pineapple, Peach, Orange and Sweet Onion

Pink or Blue?

Our fabulous friends Krista and Michael had us over last week for a big announcement.

They had been to the doctor to find out the sex of their new baby!

They had the nurse write it down in an envelope that they could open at the party. How fun!!

We all chose either a pink or blue cupcake, according to what we thought.

Michael and Krista were divided...

And Krista was right! It's a boy!!
Congrats friends! We are so excited about your new addition!

Puh-sketti, Please!

Ever heard of a spaghetti squash?

I hadn't.

I can't believe I worked for Southern Living for several years (with food!) and never ran across it...

A friend recommended it to me as a substitute for the pasta in traditional spaghetti (or puh-sketti, if you are four, and apparently today I am).

We decided to try it last night...Pretty good!

I can't believe the way it actually does look like spaghetti on the inside. It separates into little uniform strands very easily.

I was expecting the taste to mimic that of pasta, but it doesn't. It's a little crunchy and mild, so I'd suggest more sauce than squash, but that is just me.

Try it!

Poke some holes in your squash with a fork (otherwise it will explode...not fun). Bake it for an hour in a 375-degree oven. Wait until it is cool enough for you to hold it (or get some oven mitts). Cut in half, toss out the seeds (like a pumpkin) and scoop out the pulp with a fork.

Super easy, tasty and VERY good for you....a four-ounce serving only has 37 calories! Enjoy!