New Year's Resolutions

Today is the day that many people think about the new year and think about what has happened over the past year and then what they would LIKE to happen in the new year. I am a huge fan of resolutions...but, my husband is not. He thinks that if you make a resolution and it doesn't come to pass, you have failed...and so why make it in the first place. I think that resolutions help you form goals or aspirations that help you make decisions. Will you always achieve these? Not necessarily, but I think it helps guide you. And...I think that if you don't do it that next year you may think about it over the following year or decide it wasn't that important anyway. So, I think that posting these may help me in trying to work harder at attaining these goals. And...a reminder to myself to keep on track. In no particular order, here are my resolutions...

• Send more personalized birthday wishes
• take violin lessons
  
• exercise at least 30 minutes a day 5 days of the week
• plan a trip to Alaska
• reach my goal weight of 175 by March 31, 2009
• further my education
• work on organizing my junk (recycle, scrapbook, throw or give away)
• work on writing more
• pay off debt
• empty the storage unit on the South Hill
• be more patient with people
• try to keep my opinions and concerns to myself more
• Treat Tim better

So, we will see how it goes. I am really concentrating on many of these things because I turn 40 in 2010 and many of my goals are things I had hoped to achieve by then...I am sure I will add on and think of more...but let's see how I do in 2009.

After the rush...

So, everyone is pretty much gone. Tim's brother Mark is still here and we had a great day with him. We went to see SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (VERY GOOD!!) and ate at Twigs http://www.twigsbistro.com/ and walked around downtown Spokane a little. Saw the falls and the snow is melting...I guess just in time for another snowfall tomorrow. Last night we didn't cook, we went ahead and ordered pizza and watched movies. We helped my father in law, mother in law and Oma get off yesterday morning. It was snowing and they needed some help getting through a very snowy lot and drive. Once they were off, I went to work. By the time I got off work, I was ready to just sit and chill, so I spent most of Saturday in my pjs! It was very relaxing. We watched the latest MUMMY movie and PERSEPOLIS (VERY VERY GOOD). Today when we got back, I was ready to get things ready for our trip to Seattle...however we can't get into our garage. I need to get things out of the garage to go with us AND I wanted to pack up the Christmas Tree ornaments and get them away before we left. So...They are all over the dining room table. I am going to box up the breakable ones and leave the others until we get back. Now we are just thinking about a relaxing evening...and so far that includes, cleaning, laundry, etc...do I sense a pattern??

Christmas Day

So, I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. I know I did. It was great to spend time with family and visit. We had a very relaxing day...I didn't shower and dress until 2:30pm. We had a very yummy breakfast as Tim made Crepes...choices included a banana and Cabernet chocolate sauce, pear and chocolate sauce, creme freche and huckleberry syrup or jam or any other such combination. They were VERY good. We waited to open gifts after breakfast. Can you imagine the anticipation? Regardless everyone made out well. My contribution this Christmas was giving everyone a copy of IVANHOE by Sir Walter Scott. I sent it everywhere AND everyone got a copy in their stocking. I thought it was sooooo funny. Oddly only my father in law thinks he ever had to read it. I think everyone enjoyed their presents and the opening of presents. The other big news was that my sister-in-law and Tim's brother opened an envelope revealing the sex of their baby on Christmas morning for all to hear. We had all decided they were having a boy...and they ARE!! We are all excited and are starting to think of great names of boys. Oma suggested Hershell Twilliger...and of course I can't lie, the thought of more T names, specifically Tennessee and Texas came up. My brother in law said his father would disown him if he named his child Texas (my father in law's most hated state). We watched THE CHRISTMAS STORY, as Mark had never seen it and read all afternoon. Tim spent most of the day cooking. He made Cassoulet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassoulet for our Christmas dinner. It took a little longer than he anticipated but it was WELL worth the wait! He had hoped to make it before Christmas to test it out, but couldn't...and everyone thought it was good! He also took a duck breast, seared it and then coated it with honey and herbs and baked it...it was also really good. We topped off the meal with two bottles of red, Cloudline Pinot Noir and Sagelands blend of Cab, Merlot and Malbec...both good! For dessert, a gingerbread, pumpkin chiffon trifle with some left over creme freche. Also very tasty! We spent the evening watching some Northern Exposure and people were tired by 9pm...Tim and I stayed up and watched an episode of X-Files. It was a great day!

Christmas Eve

Well, it is still early here...but I have already got up, had breakfast, went to work for 5 hours and then came home...my in-laws got in just fine on Tuesday, but now we are waiting for two more to come on the plane...they don't get in until 8pm. I can only hope they get here okay at this point. The snow is still coming down, yesterday it almost looked like fake snow. You could see the individual flakes and it was really cool. I should have taken a picture of it, but didn't. Today it is tiny little flakes...too tiny to see, but they accumulate enough that if you are indoors about an hour, you have to wipe off the car again to see. Tonight we are supposed to get an additional 6-10 inches. Two of my co-workers have already asked that I come and get them on Friday for work. I LOVE driving in the snow so I am happy to do it. I just had one little hitch today, brand new windshield wipers that weren't working. Hopefully I can get that straightened out. So...I have started decorating the table for tonight. I think we will have Christmas Eve dinner at 9pm tonight...it is light...french onion soup and a candle salad. I will have cheese and crackers, veggies, etc in case people are interested. There will be 6 of us. I ordered a centerpiece from the local florist...it looks LOVELY!! If you live in Liberty Lake and need an arrangement...http://www.gardengateatthelake.com/ My tablecloth and napkins are also pictured here. I picked up the napkin rings at the Davenport Hotel...just the perfect simplicity I was going for...I hope to add the full table scape and then of course post my Christmas one sometime in the next couple days as well. My husband and I were in France and Spain this September so we decided to have a very French Christmas. Tonight, the french onion soup...tomorrow crepes for breakfast, cassoulet for the main course and madelines for breakfast on Friday morning. Should be fun!! I just had some hot chocolate, the tree is lit, sounds of the washer and dryer going, quoi? Anyway...hope everyone has a happy holiday! Don't go too nuts!

Baking and Laundry

So, today my in-laws were supposed to arrive...I am really worried about them. The state is covered in SNOW...so in the meantime I prepare for their visit. I am making beef Burgundy in the crock pot...it takes 6-8 hours on low and it sure smells good! It has beef chunks, red wine, cream of mushroom soup, onion, onion soup mix, mushrooms...pretty simple. I am going to serve it over whole wheat noodles. I can't wait. On a cold day like today it is going to hit the spot. And...I have been baking. I made more craisin, white chocolate, oatmeal cookies...my hubby LOVES them. I made chocolate chip cookies with special dark M&Ms in them...I couldn't find the holiday ones. And, then I am going to make more sugar cookies and some molasses cookies. I am still tempted to make FUDGE, but I don't know if I can control myself around it. My husband LOVES toffee...the candy. I am thinking of surprising him with it!! I have to wait to finish the sugar and molasses, they have to chill. I have the dining room left to clean and one load of laundry in the dryer that needs done. I need to drag out the china and get it ready...so I still have plenty to keep me busy! The dog has been pretty good about not being under foot. She goes to get a bath and nails trimmed today...she will smell so much better than she does now. She and I went out walking when I got back from my meeting today and she and I decided to cut through the apartment complex. I walked through drifts up to my thighs, and also fell into deeper snow in places. When we got back we were COVERED in snow! But, it was fun. It seems like just yesterday I was complaining about the LACK of snow. Well, that certainly is not the case now. I am trying to think of the things we still need from the grocery...it is hard to think of everything. Tomorrow I have two errands to run and the snow should be over by tonight...and then Wednesday, we get more!

Cleaning, My FAVORITE thing to do...

Yep, today I spent the day cleaning...first Tim and I got up and headed out into the windy, snowing outdoors to get some groceries, bread and return some movies. By the way, I watched THE WOMEN on Friday and HANCOCK on Saturday and Loved them both!! So, thumbs up from me on these two movies. We have about 20 inches of snow and it is blowing...so we have some INCREDIBLE drifts. I will post a picture or two of what it looked like on Thursday. Anyway, to Safeway to get groceries and then home again to clean. We have company coming this week and I wanted to make sure things were as clean as I could get them. I spent most of the day trying to convert the cat room into a room where you couldn't tell cats had ever been there. I think I rose to the challenge! Also spent a lot of time on the Living room. The dog hated it because she HATES the vacuum...there must be an untold rule about dogs and vacuums...because she runs at it, barks at it and chases it. The cat just gets out of its way...or sits high enough that she doesn't have to worry about it. Now all I have left is the dining room and just a once over with the vacuum on Monday afternoon. Everything smells all nice and clean...and I am the luckiest woman on the planet because my husband claims the bathroom and kitchen the places he is responsible for cleaning....I really LOVE him. You single ladies, note this! Anyway, we stopped at Great Harvest Bakery today...to get their asiago pesto loaf, soooo yummy and a couple of their breakfast bites (roll with egg, cheese and bacon)...and of course some of their awesome dog cookies...Elphaba LOVES them! Had the bread with tomato soup today for lunch. It was so good and hot soup on a day like today is the best thing ever! Well, I have more baking to do tomorrow...maybe I will show you some more of that! Happy Holidays and safe travels!

Sugar Coma

Today was the day, the day that I wanted to bake cookies all day. Of course, I still haven't figured out how to not eat cookie dough or sample the cookies I make. You would think after 1-1/2 years in Weight Watchers, I would know how to do it. Well, they would say NOT to do it...or maybe have something to eat instead. Well, I dutifully washed some green grapes and had them out while I baked. I ate the grapes...which were yummy. I drank water, and I still ate cookie dough and cookies...hmmmm. So, I started at noon. sectioned out the margarine for each of the cookies I was going to make. I had decided on sugar cookies, toffee bars, peanut butter kiss cookies, oatmeal with white chocolate chips and craisins, and buckeyes. This is of course different than what I will be making to enjoy at Christmas. These are to be sent off to friends and family. Several years ago, I was poor, and couldn't afford to purchase Christmas gifts, PLUS, I had not really celebrated Christmas. So, I started sending cookies to friends. Now, I can't stop. Last year I went on Weight Watchers and thought it was the perfect excuse to stop baking them....WRONG, I had more than one friend call and say that they would break up with me...don't get me wrong, I LOVE BAKING...I love it a lot! But, when I am dieting and trying to lose weight, I really can't diet AND Bake...I haven't learned that skill yet. But, I figure this is the one time in the year that I can bake my favorites and indulge!

So...several batches of cookies and a messy kitchen later...I sit...waiting for cookies to cool so I can pack them. My husband is preparing a gift for family as well...so we can get things packaged at the same time and get them in the mail. I still haven't dipped the buckeyes...but it is nearly 8pm and I am ready to quit. I can remember when I would spend from 10am to 10pm baking three times as many cookies...I guess I must be getting older! I also passed the time listening to Julie & Julia on audio. I have already read it...I have really enjoyed reliving this book. And, it seems appropriate since I am BAKING.

The Holiday Season Has Officially Begun...

So, today Tim and I set out in the 7 degree, -2 weather for that most special of holiday traditions...the cutting of the perfect Christmas tree. Yes, it was REALLY that cold. We piled on the clothes and got into the truck and headed to Green Bluff. http://www.greenbluffgrowers.com/ Where, you can go and find the perfect tree and cut it down, strap it to your vehicle, and take it home. Yes, there is a tree lot less than 3 minutes from our apartment, but we wanted the experience. The snow crunched under our feet and we lost the feeling in our fingers 2 seconds after we got out of the car, but it was great! Tons of trees and not one other person there. I immediately went for the tall skinny tree, Tim wanted to keep looking...we weaved in and out of rows, we even found the perfect Charlie Brown Christmas tree, but then, as if a signal had rung, Tim and I saw it....the absolutely PERFECT Christmas tree. Tim cut it down while I went back to get the cart...and ran into the only other foolish people to be out on such a cold day, a family of 5. The tree was shook (no squirrels or chippies) and put into the back of the truck, we paid and got our hot chocolate and off we went.

Our second destination was to the Davenport Hotel in downtown Spokane http://www.thedavenporthotel.com/ , once we dropped off the tree and changed, we headed downtown. The Davenport hosts a Gingerbread house contest, usually themed in some way, people can come and watch them be built, kids can build their own, and then the houses are judged and set out where people can see them up close and personal. Tim took me last year...and I LOVED IT, so this year we headed downtown again.

Christ Kitchen Gingerbread Build-off and Display
Date:
December 14, 200810:00am to 11:59pm
Description:
House Build Off 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Kids Event 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Iron-Chef-style event features renowned local chefs and architects creating enormous, impressively stunning, Gingerbread structures entirely decorated in just 3 hours with the public watching! Kids "of all ages" can also come decorate their own mini-gingerbread houses! Cost is $7 per house.
Dec 14-25: Gingerbread Houses Displayed on hotel mezzanine.
Contact:
Contact: Patty Seebeck, Event Coordinator, 509-954-0554 or visit the website at http://www.christkitchen.org/

A couple of our favorites this year included the Holiday Ball castle complete with Cinderella and Prince Charming inside the ballroom, you could see them through the windows. And, a grouping including How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Eloise, Charlie Brown Christmas and the Christmas Mouse...the detailing of the Grinch's dog was incredible! After we looked around, we headed to the atrium to order a late lunch. The food at the Davenport is incredible and there is nothing more festive than sitting in the atrium, watching people on the balcony and in the hotel lobby, looking at the lights, listening to Christmas Music and sipping an adult hot chocolate...Tim and I sat and talked about our company for Christmas, what cookies to make and then enjoyed some french onion soup, a couple salad and their crab salad on an English muffin with a tomato and slice of Gruyere. And, we also had to have their fries...Davenport is one of the only restaurants in Spokane that makes shoestring fries...and they are INCREDIBLE!

Once we left the Davenport we headed to Fred Meyer for some things to help us with decorating the tree...egg nog and some last minute things. Now, we have watched Christmas Vacation for the second time (the first was last weekend while decorating and cleaning the apartment. Had some nog, and decorated the tree. It has been a great day! Happy Holidays!

Greetings

Since I have been living in the West for about 2 years now, I figured the Midwest Moves West could be laid to rest and I could start something completely different. I do plan to account trips, food, dieting, and day to day things...I hope my friends and family will enjoy reading about our adventures. Where does Haystock come from? Well my maiden name is Hays, my husband's last name is Rebstock. When we got married 6 years ago it was astonishing that I, a thoroughly modern female would take his last name...but I didn't like the hyphen either...so we invented a last name that would be the combination of both of our names. Needless to say I took his name...however we have discussed the possibility of merging our names on say our 25th wedding anniversary or something...who knows! Anyway...my New Year's Resolution, well one of them is to practice my writing skills...I apparently have none. So...this may force me to become a little more interesting! My goal is one entry per week...we will see how it goes! Anyway, enjoy, and hopefully it gets better!