National Corduroy Day

A rare day is approaching in history - 11/11/11.  This, of course, means that National Corduroy Day is approaching.  If you think I'm joking, just google it.  There is a big meeting in New York City to celebrate this day but to attend you have to wear at least three different pieces of corduroy clothing.  If I lived four hours away, I would HAVE to attend this.  (Texas, however, is just too long of a drive.)  It isn't that I love corduroy (although I do love a nice fine wale shirt), it just sounds like a really funny, offbeat kindof meeting.  Something that you could throw out at boring, conventional dinner parties.

Other:  "So, do you think the economy will improve if the Jobs Bill passes?"

Me:  "I don't know but I hope the economy recovers soon.  I really need to buy some new pieces of corduroy."

Other:  Look of extreme confusion.

Me:  "I'm a member of the Corduroy Appreciation Club and everyone has already seen all of my corduroy clothing options.  With the national event arriving, I need to wear as many pieces as I can find.  Hey, do you want to come with me?"

Other:  Look of extreme confusion.  Future plans to gossip about this with fifty acquaintances about that odd Sarah and her little "quirks".

It sounds like much fun.  I actually have some friends that would probably attend with me.  If anything, it sounds like an unusual event.

I thought about buying corduroy for everyone in the family but I am too cheap thrifty to do so.  My husband would never wear it again.  I've been mulling over food to serve for this day.  Twizzlers, of course, come to mind but they don't make a very good main course.  I guess I could make a Shepherd's Pie and comb the mashed potatoes on top into thin lines.   Hmmm....

Puss in Boots

We don't watch many movies but we try to occasionally see one that we know our daughter will like.  Puss in Boots sounded like the perfect match - it involved cats and humor.  We all loved this movie.  The music in it is spectacular, it is visually beautiful, it is funny, and the cat dance sequences are really fun to watch.  It was well worth the money and we all highly recommend it.

Unfortunately, I can't really talk too much about the movie or I will give things away.  We're hoping that there is a sequel in the works.

Jillian Michaels: Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism

Running along with theme of TV shows and DVD tie-ins, I thought I would give this DVD a try.

I like Jillian Michaels but there is NO WAY that I would want to work out with her.  She is really good at finding out exactly why people are eating themselves to death.  By pushing them physically, they seem to lose their guards on their pain and their unresolved wounds become exposed.  She is part trainer - part psychiatrist.  I would probably end up screaming "I hate you" at her if she was my trainer, though.

For those people that don't watch much television, she has been a trainer on The Biggest Loser.  People either love it or hate it.  It is a good show to watch while I'm doing the dreaded strength training.

Oktoberfest

Every October, we have our own version of Oktoberfest.  Out holiday is centered around the making of sausage.  I own a Kitchen-Aid Mixer (best wedding gift ever) and have the grinder and sausage stuffer attachments.  We were listening to Frank Yankovic & Friends - Songs of the Polka King at full volume.  (This is a very funny CD and we highly recommend it.  Here is one of their songs so that you can get a sense of their sense of humor.)

We had ground four pounds of various meats and were mixing in all the herbs and spices when we got The Phone Call.  Our house is for sale and we had potential buyers that wanted to look at the house.  Now, this doesn't sound like much of a problem until you realize how messy of a cook I am.  Add a six year old daughter, a kitchen strewn with equipment, all three of our arms up to our elbows in raw meat and the problem becomes more apparent.  The semi-mixed meat got throw in the fridge, the grinder got quickly disassembled, things hurriedly cleaned and put away, and then we were running out of the house just before they arrived.  We stuffed the sausage later and then got to eat it.

It was our first attempt to make Bockwurst and it was great!

(Picture from the Food Network)

Dancing With the Stars - Latin Cardio - Verdict

Since I enjoy dancing, I thought I would try out one of the Dancing With the Stars workout DVDs.

The routines appear to be done on the same set as the show.  There are some background dancers that surround the instructors.  They proved to be helpful especially during Cheryl's sections.  While you can customize the dance workout, here is the Play All routine.

Warm-Up

Merengue

Cha Cha

Samba

Mambo

Toning Work-Out

This really wasn't that fun of a workout.  Even the background dancers didn't appear to be having a good time.  Cheryl gave her instructions leadenly.  Maks was definitely the better of the two.  He gave frequent reminders (both verbal and nonverbal) about holding in your stomach and utilizing it in the steps.  Cheryl taught the Samba and I was totally confused on how to do the basic "bounce" step.  Oddly enough, I was watching Dr. Oz and Maks showed up to teach the audience how to do the samba (for exercise).  There, I learned that I had been doing the technique incorrectly.  I did the routine again after the Dr. Oz segment and still had trouble with Cheryl's instruction.  Luckily, there was a blond dancer with really good hip action that I could follow.

(This is the only clip that I could get on my blog.  It does have some scenes from the video.)

Maks also had the funniest quote on the DVD.  "I can't see you but I think that you're doing fine."  I broke out laughing.

I wouldn't recommend this DVD.  It just felt like so much was lost in translation and I just didn't really enjoy myself.

Hummingbird Farewell Fiesta

Since we live in the country, we have a large amount of hummingbirds that visit our feeder.  As winter approaches, they start to fatten up for their yearly migration to Mexico.  Before they leave, they look like ping pong balls with wings.

(This picture is from another website.  Our birds aren't quite this size but pretty close.)

Our home group leaves but then we have waves of traveling birds.  Suddenly, these really thin birds arrive.  They'll drain the feeders, fatten up and fly off, too.

To mark the beginning of the migration season, we have a Hummingbird Farewell Fiesta.  I have a really good picture of a hummingbird that we place a sombrero on and he becomes our guest of honor.  Meredith and I made a bunch of tissue paper flowers for the centerpiece.

(Instructions on how to make paper flowers)

I made a contemporary spin on traditional Mexican Fiesta food -- Bacon-Flavored Gorditas with Roasted Poblano Guacamole from Rick Bayless' book Mexico One Plate at a Time.  We listened to Cajunto during dinner and talked about the hummingbirds' upcoming adventures in Mexico.  We'll sure miss the noisy fellas.

Alternative Holidays

I don't know if I'm the only person but I feel overwhelmed by the holidays.  There are always such high expectations.  Between the extreme decorating, party hosting, extended family feeding, etc., I get to the point where I don't even enjoy the day.  Christmas is the worst!  Having to add thoughtful presents to the mix and a month's worth of activities wipes me out.  So, I rebelled.  Oh, we still celebrate the major holidays but I've given up competing with Martha Stewart.  I try do the minimum that keeps me in the "good parent club".

(We don't celebrate Festivus but this was too funny to pass up.  I was looking up pictures of alternate holidays and ran into this classic Seinfeld reference.  The picture's website lists their yearly grievances on comics and TV.)

Instead, we celebrate Alternate Holidays.  Nobody has expectations or a predetermined vision of these.  Since I'm a food person, most of them center around food.  My daughter and I normally make some type of decoration but not always.  We keep it "in the immediate family" and drop/add holidays at will.  It's great!