Well we didn't just rob Best Buy, but it felt like it. Let me back up and tell the story properly.
Troy and I dated way back, broke up and got back together. Well when we married he brought the same bed that he had when we started dating WAY back when. GROSS. It was a 1980's waterbed frame with some kind of weird sized king size mattress (oh how I wish I could attach a picture, but Blogger is down). It wasn't really a king but was bigger than a queen. It was ugly and slept crappy. But I sucked it up and slept on it for a little over two years. I am such a good wife!
We have been talking for a while about getting a new bedroom set (keeping that old nasty mattress), but could not agree on anything. Along comes Memorial Day weekend. Did you know that over 70% of all mattress are sold during this weekend? Yep, its true! So I talked Troy into getting a new mattress, boxspring and frame and we would worry about the bedroom suit later.
I did research, we knew we wanted a king size motion separation (whatever that was, but the Wyndham hotel had that and we loved it) and it had to be firm yet soft. I did some pricing around and planned out our game plan. We were going to jump on beds at three different stores and then go from there. We were NOT buying last Monday night.
We went into the first store, Mattress Giant. We walked in and I wasn't going to have any part of that salesman stuff. The manager helped us, we jumped on a few beds. THEN we found IT. THE bed that we were going to buy. There was no doubt in our minds, heck we were planning to sleep there in the store until they could deliver. We didn't make it to the other stores.
So back to the story of how we robbed Best Buy. I told the store manager at Mattress Giant I wanted free delivery, free haul off, I wasn't going to pay over $X amount for the bed we wanted AND I wanted the free TV that they were advertising. He said OK. WHAT? He agreed with me? Shocked. That's when he told us 5 days after delivery of the bed, we could call Best Buy and schedule to pick up our TV. Our FREE 32" Toshiba flat screen LCD HD TV.
Troy and I just got home with that TV. All we did was call ahead of time to schedule the pick up, drive to the store, sign for the TV and walk out. That was way too easy. Now we don't want to get out of the bed and we are arguing over whether to put the TV in the bedroom (we both hate this) or the office (waste a big TV for a room we are never in?).
Must sign off to help install the TV... wooo hooo
Thank you Best Buy and Mattress Giant.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Ella
Just found some cute pictures of our baby, Ella, and thought I would share her story and some photos.
My friend Holly found this cute stray one day. She tried to catch this pup for a week: a week that rained 23 or the 24 hours in a day and for about 10 days straight. Holly finally caught this cutie on a Thursday before Memorial Day, and then told me I would have to take the stray or she would have to take her to the shelter and this pup would never make it. GUILT TRIP.
So I took this puppy home, and she HATED me. Well not just me, but she hated everything and everyone, she was so scared. She was about three months and had already been beaten and mistreated by people, scared for life. She has never really grown out of her fear of people.
It took me a week to come up with a good name for this baby. I wanted something special, she deserved something special after all the trauma she had already in her life. Well, nothing creative nor spectacular came to mind. So she was named after the street that Holly found her on, Ella.
We bonded after several months. She has a great sense of people, she knew who should and shouldn't be around. She disliked many of the gentlemen that I dated. Then cam along Troy. When Troy was around, her memory of her hero, mother, savior, was out the window. Still is for the most part. And most of all Troy sometimes seems to forget about me too when Ella is around. HA!
She is the one and only baby in this family and will be for a long time to come!
My friend Holly found this cute stray one day. She tried to catch this pup for a week: a week that rained 23 or the 24 hours in a day and for about 10 days straight. Holly finally caught this cutie on a Thursday before Memorial Day, and then told me I would have to take the stray or she would have to take her to the shelter and this pup would never make it. GUILT TRIP.
So I took this puppy home, and she HATED me. Well not just me, but she hated everything and everyone, she was so scared. She was about three months and had already been beaten and mistreated by people, scared for life. She has never really grown out of her fear of people.
It took me a week to come up with a good name for this baby. I wanted something special, she deserved something special after all the trauma she had already in her life. Well, nothing creative nor spectacular came to mind. So she was named after the street that Holly found her on, Ella.
We bonded after several months. She has a great sense of people, she knew who should and shouldn't be around. She disliked many of the gentlemen that I dated. Then cam along Troy. When Troy was around, her memory of her hero, mother, savior, was out the window. Still is for the most part. And most of all Troy sometimes seems to forget about me too when Ella is around. HA!
She is the one and only baby in this family and will be for a long time to come!
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| The night Holly caught her How could I resist? |
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| Learning the rules of the leash |
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| Spoiled rotten |
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| What? Did you say dinner? Walk? Let's GO? |
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| On guard No kitties getting our yard |
Friday, June 3, 2011
Best Brisket in Town
I thought I would share a huge family secret.
When I was a kid, we are on a tight budget. I remember my Mom getting what seemed like HUGE briskets, and thinking "Who is going to eat this? It's only two of us". But what my Mom did was pick up a triple serving sized brisket when they were on sale during Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day weekends. I think this was the only time we used the electric knife; she would cut the brisket (plastic and all) into thirds, wrap in foil and freeze. That budget shopping stuck with me and I now look forward to the big holiday weekend sales on brisket.
I did just that last week, I bought a 18lb brisket. It's just Troy and I, who will eat all that? Well we will! I cut this into thirds, wrapped up two pieces and put in the freezer. The other piece? Well I slaved over it all day to make it flavorful, juicy and just right.
So here is the second big secret... how to cook it?!
DO NOT TRIM THE FAT!
Cover the entire brisket with a brisket rub (out of the bottle or your own recipe- we use the bottle kind). Be generous with this seasoning as this is ALL that will go on the brisket. Don't make my mistake and use a seasoning salt, you wont be able to eat the brisket unless you like salt licks.
Wrap the brisket in heavy duty foil. I like to wrap mine twice (seams going opposite directions).
Place the brisket covered in rub, wrapped in foil, fatty side up, in the crock pot and cook on low for about 8 hours or high for about 5 hours.
You will have juice down in the bottom of the pot, use that how you would like.
Warning: there will be no need for a knife to cut this meat. (I say that like its a bad thing, haha)
Now for some pictures..
Well, I hope I have left your mouth watering. Only hard thing about this recipe is walking into the house when it is ready and digging in as fast as you can.
Enjoy!
When I was a kid, we are on a tight budget. I remember my Mom getting what seemed like HUGE briskets, and thinking "Who is going to eat this? It's only two of us". But what my Mom did was pick up a triple serving sized brisket when they were on sale during Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day weekends. I think this was the only time we used the electric knife; she would cut the brisket (plastic and all) into thirds, wrap in foil and freeze. That budget shopping stuck with me and I now look forward to the big holiday weekend sales on brisket.
I did just that last week, I bought a 18lb brisket. It's just Troy and I, who will eat all that? Well we will! I cut this into thirds, wrapped up two pieces and put in the freezer. The other piece? Well I slaved over it all day to make it flavorful, juicy and just right.
So here is the second big secret... how to cook it?!
DO NOT TRIM THE FAT!
Cover the entire brisket with a brisket rub (out of the bottle or your own recipe- we use the bottle kind). Be generous with this seasoning as this is ALL that will go on the brisket. Don't make my mistake and use a seasoning salt, you wont be able to eat the brisket unless you like salt licks.
Wrap the brisket in heavy duty foil. I like to wrap mine twice (seams going opposite directions).
Place the brisket covered in rub, wrapped in foil, fatty side up, in the crock pot and cook on low for about 8 hours or high for about 5 hours.
You will have juice down in the bottom of the pot, use that how you would like.
Warning: there will be no need for a knife to cut this meat. (I say that like its a bad thing, haha)
Now for some pictures..
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| Big slab of meat on sale |
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| Coating with brisket rub |
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| Don't trim the fat! This will keep the flavor and juices. |
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| This is the HARD part- Drop the wrapped brisket in the pot for the day |
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| Finished product |
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| Brisket and all those juices |
Enjoy!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Happy Memorial Day
The last Monday in May 1868, America began observing Memorial Day. This day began as an honor to the fallen soldiers, both Union and Confederate, after the American Civil Union. After World War I, this began as an annual holiday.
On this Sunday night, I sit and reflect what this holiday means to me and the traditions that come with the holiday. I realize it has had many meanings throughout my life. As a kid, this weekend meant school was near an end and that summer had begun. The neighborhood pool opened and my days in the sun, barefoot and playing late into the night with my friends had finally arrived.
As I entered young adulthood, this weekend meant which body of water (beach, lake or river) were my friends and I going to hit, and who was in charge of the grill.
Since 2003, I have become more aware of what it means to be an American. I think this comes with age, knowledge of what makes our country tick, and our country and family histories. March 19, 2003, America entered our current War with Iraq and has since expanded into Afghanistan. I do not want to go into the political reasons behind this war, but this is that war in history that has brought the American Solider to my daily thoughts and prayers. These men and women are leaving their families in droves to protect my freedoms and the freedoms of those across the world. They are fighting to keep me safe.
In 2006 I began working with some local home builders who had just begun a new charity to build new homes for a local veteran coming home from the Iraqi war. These are homes that are built from the dirt up with 100% donated land, materials and labor. Given to one chosen military person and their family 100% free- no mortgage and no insurance or taxes to pay for two years. BABA Support our Troops (BABASOTI) began raising money by having a bbq and bake sale in the local park. They have grown to a nation-wide organization that has not become corporate and has not forgotten about the families. They have had an annual all day concert/festival with performers donating their time and money to the cause. Look up this charity and support them!
Getting to know these heroes that the homes were built for has really opened my eyes to all that our American soldiers have given from the beginning back in 1868 (and before) through the present. They have given their lives and their families selflessly for ME.
For ME?! How am I so deserving? So tonight, tomorrow (Monday, Memorial Day) and every day after that, I will pause and reflect on this service and offer a silent pray of thanks. I ask that you take a moment from your days and do the same.
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