Pure Yummyness!

This past weekend I decided I needed to have cheesy scalloped potatoes and NOT that crap that comes from a box. So I did the old Google search and found this AMAZING recipe! Basically, I can't get enough of these things in my mouth. Amazing.

I wish I'd taken a photo but I forgot...and I'm not about to show you the one serving left in the pan. Just a few notes....This is really a super easy dish to make. I added 2 cups of cheese to my milk and onion mixture and I'm glad I did......here you go. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

1/2 onion, chopped

4 tablespoons margarine

4 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups milk

1/2 cup half-and-half

6 cups potatoes, peeled and sliced

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

 

 

Directions:

1. Use a big pot

 

2 .Saute chopped onions in margarine til soft but not browned.

 

3. In small bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper.

 

4. Stir flour mixture into onion mixture then add milk and half and half and stir and cook over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken (about 3 minutes)

 

5. Turn off heat.

 

6. Add 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar to the sauce and stir til melted and smooth.

 

7. Add sliced potatoes and stir well to combine.

 

8. Pour mixture into a 9 by 13 casserole dish that you have sprayed with Pam

 

9. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

 

10. Sprinkle cheese on top - 1/2 cup  

 

11. Return to oven to bake another 30 minutes or so or until potatoes are soft, cheese is melted and edges begin to lightly brown.

 

12. Let stand a few minutes before serving to allow sauce to thicken.

I love CA!

(taken on the beach at Half Moon Bay during our bike ride)

 

This past March, Megan and I packed our bags to visit Napa, San Fran and Half Moon Bay, CA and these three wonderful people, my Aunt D and Uncle R (who live in Half Moon Bay) and Laura, one of my very best friends from back home (shes not pictured). Let me start off by saying, my parents should have sent me to CA every year when I was growing up. I LOVE IT!

 

We were in CA for 8 days but before we left we headed up to 7 Springs for a couples weekend creating a nice long 10 day vacation! Score. This was the best photo I could get of Doug and I - He was very thirsty and ready to throw more beers back with the boys. (He will kill me if he ever see's this photo)

 

 

This was one of the very first photos we snapped and can I just tell you - Napa, CA is amazing. We drank wine for 2 days and enjoyed every drop and bite of food. What a dream it must be to live there. While in Napa, we were able to say a quick hello to Laura.

 

After spending two amazing days in Napa, we packed up the car (with boxes of wine), cried a lot and drove to San Fran to spend the night and check out a pretty cool play. San Fran is overwhelming for someone like me - so many people, cars and newness. Once we figured things out we had a blast.

The rest of our trip was spent in Half Moon Bay and driving in to explore San Fran (only about a 30 min drive depending on who's driving)! We loved it. My Aunt D and Uncle R put us up in a beautiful hotel (one that my Uncle designed and built) that overlooked the bay. This was my very first real vacation as an adult and it was worth every penny. I'll be heading back out to Napa/San Fran for a long weekend in Jan. and I basically can't wait.

Half Moon Bay

Cheese plate in Napa - Yummy!



Molly.....

This is Molly at 6 months.....

I was single, living in a 1 bedroom apartment (with cats) and living a life full of no responsibility. I got a call that a 6 month old Mastiff puppy needed a home. Molly was found with her owner, who had passed away. They were together for three days before anyone found them. I was the very first person she had contact with outside of her circle of trust. I didn't want a dog. At all. They need to be walked, played with, trained.....They aren't cats. I love cats. Cats don't wake you up at 6:30am

When Molly arrive at the shelter, she was handed off to me. I tried to hand her off to the medical/kennel staff and she tried to bite them. Not cool. Not cool at all. So, Suaz, my wonderful co-worker, helped me transport this dog and all of her stuff to my apartment - just so she could calm down, relax and go back to the shelter. Molly may look small in the 1st photo but she's a 60lb "puppy" with one heck of a snap. Molly was aggressive towards Suaz and this scared me.....I didn't want to be attacked by a dog, along in my apartment....when would I be found?!?! but after a talk and vote of confidence from Suaz and one of the amazing medical staff members, I felt I was good to be left alone with this beast.

Our first night was hard. I lived in fear of this dog - almost half my weigh. I wasn't looking for a dog bite. I wasn't looking for a dog. She had not had anything in 3 days. She had not used the bathroom in 3 days - she was not in a good place.

Molly is a monster. She's headstrong, overly smart and full of so much love!!

This cute little face changed my life. We walked 6 times a day (about 3 miles each walk). We had two feedings a day and she ate all my remote controls, phones, shoes and anything else she could get her teeth on. However, I love her. I was told that she may be best off if "put down" - no way! Over the last few years (almost two) we have done 100% positive reinforcement with Molly. Everyone she's meeting is a positive experience. Once she meets you - she loves you. It's those first few moments that may cause you to mess your pants.

 1st Christmas

 

1st Easter

I truly love this dog. She pushed me to buy my first house. She pushed me to realize that there are many more things important than drinking or spending all night out. She made me realize that love truly is unconditional. I didnt care how many hours we spent learning lessons as long as we were learning something (not trying to bite people....)

She's been a bad girl. She still has a very long way to go till she could be the perfect dog.....but you know what, she's my perect dog. She acts how I can't. 9 out of 10 times.....she trys to bite people I wish I could bite.

Right now Molly lives with my parents. It seems like she does best with other dogs. They give her a lot of confidence. I miss Molly - I miss her face. Right now, she is where she belongs. I travel for work and she was kicked out of doggie daycare for trying to bite the staff (embarasing!). My parents do an amazing job with her. They are able to expose her to people (with her dog friends to help support), my Mom is home all day to keep her busy and they just love her. I'm still her person and it breaks my heart and hers when I leave but right now, she needs my parnets.

 

First week as "my dog"

 

In the new house - about a year old

 

One of the very first times out of the crate all day

 

Molly and her best friend, LeAnne



My "Life" vs. My "Real" Life

I'm a planner. No seriously, I'm a planner. I plan each and every day out to the second. It's a character flaw....I bother people...heck I bother myself. 12 years ago, I had a pretty great plan for Carrie. I would graduate Avon Grove High School, attend ACU, meet a doctor/lawyer, get married right after college, move back to Landenberg, live in my $600,000+ house, drive a new Benz, have 3.5 kids by 28 and spend all day living a joyful life with my kids and husband, all while volunteering at an animal shelter. Jealous? So am I. That would have been a cool life!

So, I did graduate from AG. I did attend ACU but then 9/11 happened and I realized that family was number 1. I left ACU after my first year and transferred to PITT (the first word I could spell was PIT by the way) and my dreams took a turn. I've dated lots of future lawyers, doctors and successful businessman but they were turds.....ask my friends. They weren't my match. I graduated college and realized that I enjoyed working (not every day but most), I worked really hard and bought my first home (not $600,000 +) but one great house, I drive a nice car....but it's no Benz (2013!), I have kids....but they have 4 legs and lots of fur. I also spend all day living a joyful life with my amazing boyfriend (who is amazing! Smart and talented) and guess what, I found that job in animal rescue....and realized it breaks your heart and turns your world upside down when you realize that people are so awful!

I'm less than a year from reaching 30 - I use to thing 30 was sooooo OLD. I don't feel old. I feel young and as if my whole life is waiting for me. I know I'll have my "dreams" but my dreams may just be tailored to a more mature and reasonable Carrie.

Plans are great but when you realize that plans need to change (and often time for the better) things seem to fall in place. My blood pressure.....that's another story.

Home improvements......

Did you know that home improvements aren't as quick as an hour show?! Me either.

I was fairly lucky. This house was remodeled from head to toe (for the most part) they didn't touch the bathroom which is just one solid room of tile and blueness.....ugh but it's grown on me. Mainly due to the fact that I refuse to tackle that project.

The first area of updating (Hucker style) took place in the kitchen - don't get me wrong, I had a lovely kitchen but it just needed one little thing.....a dishwasher. Who can live in 2012 without a dishwasher? Not this girl. After almost 4 months of slaving away daily washing dishes, my wonderful parents came out and saved the day!

Before

 

 

A "new" dishwasher, new counters, pot hanging rack and here you go......I love it

 

 

 

 

My parents are wonderful! My Dad did all the work with a little help from me and my Mom. I love when they come to visit!

 

 

Up next......A long time later....I put a little stain on the stairs. They were ugly and basement like. Now they look much better and I almost don't mind walking down them to do laundry.....Almost.

 





 

Up next.....finish the basement. I would like to do something with the floors. They are UGLY! but the floor isn't level, leaving me with a huge project of leveling the floors and then putting down a new floor. Will it get done? I'm not sure. For now, it will do. 

Over a year Later....

 

Where has the time gone? It's already been 15 months since I moved into my home. Owning a home is wonderful and painful all at the same time. I LOVE that this is MY home and that I can do what I please, when I please. What I miss about apartment living is the lack of responsibility. I miss those lazy weekends, not full of pulling weeds, cutting the grass, planting flowers and trying to make your yard look as if an actual adult lives inside. Once you make your way through summer you enter the wonderful world of LEAVES. To be honest, I'm not sure which is better...leaves or grass? You slowly make yourself believe its the grass. Then just as you think you can't stand to pull out that mower one more time, you move into winter and snow. Enough said. I think spring may be the only time you're blessed with a little "down" time...however, jury is still out. (Photos of updates to come)

Inside I haven't made many changes....I started with painting the basement....It's still not finished. Then my parents came for a visit and ta da! I have a dishwasher and new counters. I then finished the stairs to the basement. I really do feel that once I have the house 100%.....It will be time to move on to a new house.

In other news.....Since it's been almost two years since my last post. I started a "new" job with Special Olympics PA. I LOVE my job. Yes, I still have days where I wish I didn't have to work. I could sit on the couch all day, watch trashy TV and shop with an unlimited spending account. However, I haven't married into a really well off family (or at all for that matter), my parents won't keep me as a "kept child" and I don't support living off the Government.....So, I wake up and go to my wonderful job. Thankfully, I have a great boss who understands that mornings aren't my friend.

For real this time.....I will update the blog. I don't promise that you will want to read but I will update.