too tired to blog

Jumping head first into a new job with very long and very early hours has taken it out of me. I'm beat, from head to toe, exhausted. I have seen Joseph for only a matter of minutes since Christmas night when I went to bed. I won't see him for any considerable amount of time until tomorrow night, when I get home from work. That's going to be the biggest adjustment for us, making our lives mesh together when we're on completely opposite work schedules. We'll figure it out and make it work, I guess. He has told me how proud he is several times and has assured me that he'll help me keep it all together, so we'll see how it goes.

I'm really happy with my new job and looking forward to getting comfortable and familiar with the club and my position. I feel really well suited for the job and confident that, once I have a better understanding of how the place runs, I will be very successful there.

I'm slightly overwhelmed in knowing that I will have only 7 days off in January, as I have had the past 67 days off. My priorities are suddenly very different and my free time almost completely non-existent. I can deal with the early mornings, I almost prefer it once my body adjusts, but a sunrise on the way to work and a sunset on the way home seems really emotionally draining to me. It's going to be a change for Joseph too, he is used to having his laundry done, a homemade meal every night and a not-stressed-out me waiting for him at home. Now he's facing an empty house all day and a sleeping me at night when he gets home. He will also have to pick up the slack for a lot of what I simply won't have the time to do anymore. I am anticipating some growing pains for us, as a couple and a household in the next few weeks. We've always been on the same schedule, and actually worked together for quite a while, so this is definitely a brand new challenge. The job is worth it, a step in the right direction for us, so we'll manage somehow.

That's all for now. I have to go do yoga. I couldn't even try to wrap my mind around running when I got home, even though Cooper is begging, in dog-speak, for some much needed exercise (chasing his tail in circles, something he has not done in 6 years, which I know is his way of coping with an abundance of energy). Although I'm totally tired, my body feels too blubbery to not do anything and I know I'll feel better tomorrow if I do even just 25 minutes. So, off I go to my pink yoga mat. Sorry Cooper, you're going to have to wait until Tuesday for a run.

Christmas Day in Photos

I made this blog and then decided it was too stupid to post. I have since changed my mind, because I will never have the time to do a proper Christmas blog. I may as well post it, since I made it, so here it is.

"Santa Came!"
Just the two of us, year after year, and we've gotten creative with the gift labeling




Ponys and Pumas!

Mimosas with Veuve and Eggnog Coffee Cake for Breakfast

Don't forget to check your stocking for Abba Zabbas and Big Hunks
Merry Christmas from Cooper and Marshall

Two Smoked Chickens! 2004 Taylor Lane Belle Glos, thanks Amaliya & Mike, it was Delicious!

Christmas Eve Wishes from JHig

Seems to be a thing with him. I gave him fair warning that this blog was going up today when I teased him about always falling asleep early on the couch on Christmas Eve. He blamed it on all the food and wine. I suppose he's right, although I'm still awake...

Christmas Eve 2007

Christmas Eve 2008Somewhere on this computer are photographs of Joseph on Christmas Eve 2006 in an even better couch-sleeping pose. I need to find it.

All the food and wine responsible for Joseph's half consious state:

New wine opener Joseph broke out today, it has a needle instead of a corkscrew and it uses air pressure instead of force to remove the cork.
Merryvale 2001 Sauvignon Blanc
Cheese Board
More of those fat-dream cloverleaf rolls
Romaine salad with almonds, grapes, tomatoes, green onion, bleu cheese, mushrooms & artichoke with honey dijon cream dressing
Simi 2006 Sauvignon Blanc
Scalloped russet and sweet potatoes
Parmesan Crusted Corn Souffle
I have been accused dozens of times of serving way too big portions. This is why, this is a normal Joseph-sized plate.

Pumpkin Cookies & Eggnog Coffee Cake

I made some cookies last night that were really delicious, definitely worth sharing! They are light and airy, a cakelike texture. So here's the recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Whisk together:
3 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon

Cream together:
1/4 c butter
3/4 c vegetable oil
1 c sugar

Separately, mix together, then add to creamed mixture:
1 egg
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 t vanilla

Slowly add dry ingredients, scraping the bowl often.
Stir in:
1 c milk chocolate chips

Drop by round 1/3 c scoopful onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, careful not to overbake. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove cookies to wire rack.

Here's the recipe for my new Holiday Favorite, Eggnog Coffee Cake. I took one to our neighbors last night and they came by today with some wine and very RAVE reviews for the cake. I'm making one for us tonight, to eat tomorrow morning with Mimosas!

Night Before Eggnog Coffee Cake
Prepare ahead, mix with fork til crumbly set aside. Streusel topping:
1/3 c sugar
1 T flour
1 T soft butter
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t cinnamon

Whisk together, set aside:
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

Cream together:
First:
1 c sugar
1/2 c soft butter
Then add:
1 c eggnog
1 c sour cream
1 t rum extract
2 eggs

Add in dry ingredients, mix til just smooth. Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan, sprinkle streusel over top, cover, refridgerate overnight. Bake, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes at 350.

Drizzle over cooled cake, Eggnog Glaze:
1/2 c powdered sugar
2 T eggnog

Merry Christmas!

Day Trip to San Antonio

We took a day trip to San Antonio on Sunday. The trip was pretty unremarkable, just your typical shopping, waiting in Christmas shopper-traffic and eating filled our day. We stopped at a gas station in the lovely, thriving community of Blanco, Texas. We were so tempted by the attention grabbing message board to go enjoy some Chicken... That's Fried, especially considering the napkins for free, but we did not. We got a hearty laugh though and the opportunity to post these photos on our blog.

On the way home we stopped to look at some really awesome lights set up in Johnson City. Every year the power company puts up this crazy lights display. Although it was REALLY FREAKING COLD, we got out a took some good pictures.



We had had some debate about whether or not to have photo cards made this year. We ended up not, mostly because Joseph runs screaming from any request to pose for photos. When Joseph saw this picture he said, "What a great picture. Next year we should use it for our Christmas card!" Okay, that's progress. Unfortunately, despite being really darling of the two of us I do not think this photo will work for our Christmas card. I am unwillling to send this picture, as it includes a horses ass coming out of my head!
Merry Christmas!

More Sweet Goodness

I'm still baking like a crazy lady. After cooking for two days straight before getting our families packages off, I took one night off in the kitchen. Today, I got back to it and made some GOOD stuff... Key Lime Cookies, Ginger-Molasses Cookies and Eggnog Coffee Cake. We're going to visit someone very special tomorrow in San Antonio. He happens to LOOOOOVE sweets, so I've packages it all up to bring to him. Except the coffee cake, its in the fridge overnight and I'm going to bake it tomorrow morning before we go.
Key Lime CookiesGinger-Molasses CookiesMocha Fudge

We finally have something on top of our tree! We don't have ornaments on our tree, never have. Always just a plain tree with lots of lights. I don't know why, but we like it that way. We did agree that it was a little too Charlie-Brownish without anything on the top, so this is what we came up with

Now I'm settling in on the couch with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a blanket to watch my MOST FAVORITE Christmas movie of all time. I found it on Showtime, and even though I have the dvd somewhere in the house, it's an exciting treat to have it on tv. I watched this movie almost constantly during a really rough Christmas season a few years back, and for whatever reason it was uplifting and comforting. Joseph has watched it dozens of times with me, something he would deny if confronted. After not watching it since last December, I'm giddy to see my old on screen friends again. Hugh Grant, Awesome music, a sweet story, good laughs... a standout movie in my humble opinion.

*** Love Actually IS all around us *** All you need is Love ***

Merry Christmas, from the Marshigleys

Scroll down to the bottom and turn the volume on the music down so you can hear the music in the video. Very silly, kinda cute. Happy Holidays!!!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Happy Birthday, Jack!

My favorite boy is TWO whole years old today!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JACK!

This is the birthday boy, first this this morning

HELL YYYYEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

I got the job! THE job that I wanted SO MUCH.

Starting Friday the 26th, I am the new Assistant Food & Beverage Manager at The Austin Golf Club. It's a great position for me and I am very, very excited. Austin Golf Club is an exclusive club with only 300 members owned by Ben Crenshaw. My previous experience at two other golf clubs, as well as FOH management and fine dining kitchen experience make me almost perfect for the position. It feels like, for the first time in my career, all of the different jobs I've had will provide valuable insight and finally be worth something.

I breathed the biggest sigh of relief after I hung up the phone. And then said, Hell Yes! You Rock, Amy! Here I am being happy right after I found out. Yes, look at the sunshine, it was 81 degrees today.

BEST PART:
WE DO NOT HAVE TO MOVE!
AGC is located in Spicewood, only 20 minutes from our house!

WE DO NOT HAVE TO MOVE!
AND I GOT A BADASS JOB!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO US!
And a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

lucky dogs

Cooper and Marshall have been spoiled lately. It's been kind of cold, and we have been feeling awfully holiday-ish, so we have been letting the dogs come inside much more than usual. Last winter we put them in the garage when it got cold, so the carpet and heat is a vast improvement. They first started coming inside when I was in Florida and wasn't around to counter Joseph's soft-heartedness. I like having them in here, so I didn't put up much of a stuggle and they have been coming inside for part of the day ever since. They are pretty low-energy these days, so it's really just a matter of having to step over them and kicking them out of the kitchen every now and then.
Here they are relaxing in front of the Christmas tree
These are some of the best picture of Marshall ever taken, I think. He doesn't ever let me get a good shot of his face
I will be glad when it starts getting warm again because out they'll go and stay until next winter. Cleaning up after two people is one thing, cleaning up after two people and two hairy dogs is another thing. A thing I had grown very used to not doing any more. My floors are all suddenly completely nasty, filthy and practically furry. Gross! At least I've got the time to clean them.

dare I say... b-o-r-i-n-g?

I have come to the conclusion that Joseph and I are too young for retirement.

We have been enjoying these lazy winter days of my joblessness and all the free time and quality time together that it provides. Joseph has organized his work week at Lorraine's so that he works four nights a week and one morning. His nights don't start until 6pm and that one morning is done by noon. This means that we are at home together with nothing to do and no place to be... A LOT!

Of course, when I say nothing to do, I mean nothing pressing to do. There is PLENTY to be done, but as far as having anything scheduled, yeah, nothing. I'm thrilled to be home, my kitchen is where I am happiest, and Joseph has no complaints about the baked goods and homemade dinners. I should have used this time to reorganize my closet, which has now exploded its contents into my "closet room", but I haven't. Instead I stay in bed with cozy, cuddly, warm Joseph until noon and then spend the remaining five hours of daylight trying to find something to entertain ourselves.

Last night we watched three movies (all Joseph's picks: Deception, There Will Be Blood & Before the Devil Knows You're Dead) and wrapped over 100 pieces of caramel.


We usually occupy our afternoons with disc golf, running, swimming and picnics, but since it's been so cold we've been holed up in our house hanging out with the dogs. Today Joseph and I wrote Christmas cards (he signed his name 23 times) and then he helped me in the kitchen with some candy making. While I was busy stirring something constantly he did the dishes and even emptied the dishwasher without me having to ask!

Joseph grating 4 ounces of hard chocolate, after he complained that I made him do the "bus boy jobs"
Filling peanutbutter cups
Testing a peanutbutter cup

Joseph just got back from playing basketball and I'm getting my clothes ready for an interview tomorrow. I better get one of these jobs because it's about time for me to have something to do.

For now, it was, as they like to say around here,
Another beautiful day in Horseshoe Bay

goodness

Yesterday was a lovely 78 degrees, sunny and bright all day.

Today is another story altogether. A wicked cold front blew in last night and ruined our disc golf/swimming/picnic plans for this afternoon. Instead, we decided to treat today like a "Texas Snow Day". I threw a pot of chicken & dumplings together on the stove while Joseph went to rent some movies. Now I've got some sourdough rising, caramels cooling and some other sweet goodness happening in the kitchen. That's all we've got planned for today... some couch snuggling, movie watching, candy wrapping and soup eating. Good day. Good day.

Here is my chicken & dumplings photo play by play. Elizabeth "taught" me how to make dumplings like this. Actually, I misunderstood her instructions completely and ended up with these veggie dumplings by mistake. But they turned out to be so good that I've never made them any other way, and in our house they are called "Elizabeth's Dumplings".

Carrot, celery, onion, garlic in creamy chicken broth
This is the part I misunderstood. Elizabeth said to add some veggies, meaning carrots & celery into the broth. I thought she meant into the dumplings, so that's what I did... removed a few of the cooked veggies from the broth and chopped them up with parsley and thyme and added them to the dumpling batter.

Before adding the dumplings, I added 3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast. Then drop spoonfuls of batter into simmering liquid, cover to steam 10 minutes.

And there you go