Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Moving Along
GFCF Mama now has a new name and a new home. Visit me over at flamencomom.wordpress.com. I still haven't finished unpacking, so please be patient while I tidy up the joint. Thanks!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Pumpkin Carving
Bob's GF Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Here are my two main gripes about how this bread turned out. First of all, it is just not sweet enough. I don't like when bread like this is overly sweet, but this was in serious need of some sweetness. This bread was crying out for some jelly, if for no other reason than to add some much needed sugar. Also, the bread has a pretty noticeable saltiness to it. I'm not sure what is causing it. My guess is it have something to do with the yeast, but I could be wrong about that. I will give credit where it's due: the texture is quite good, and I was glad the bread didn't have an overwhelming garbanzo bean taste like some other bread mixes I've tried. I have a hard time with breads that use liberal amounts of garbanzo or fava bean flours. To me they give baked goods an odd aftertaste. Fortunately, the folks at Bob's left that out, opting for a different flour mix.
So would I buy this again? Maybe. The kids liked it, though even they asked me to pass the jelly.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Back In Town
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
With These Kids, I'll Never Run Out of Blog-able Material
Anyway, I digress...
Since Ayden is new to the school thing, naturally he is also new to the school fundraiser thing. He hops into the car and announces that the school is having a cookie-dough fundraiser. The class that sells the most gets an ice cream party. He TOTALLY wants the free ice cream. And he tells me that he's going to miss out the ice cream party because he can't sell cookie dough, 'cause he doesn't even know how to MAKE cookie dough!
Had I been drinking a beverage at the time, it would have shot clear out my nose.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Looking Forward to a Vacation
This weekend we're renting a cabin in Ellijay, Georgia, which is about an hour away from Atlanta. As luck would have it, the Georgia Apple Festival is this weekend, so we'll be there at just the right time. Our cabin has internet access (how rustic!); I'm planning to post at least once while away. Our itinerary includes visits to attractions like Amicalola Falls State Park, the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, the Tennessee Aquarium, and the Appalachian Trail (we hope), so I'm looking forward to some picturesque views and many photo opportunities.
The familia is in some serious need to time out of town. Flamenco Dad and I have been working hard, and the kiddies--especially Miss Zoe--have been putting in lots of time on school work. Ayden is loving kindergarten, and he already has a group of buddies to call his own. We are also bringing my mother-in-law along. She doesn't get to travel much, so we thought it would be nice to take her with us.
We're all really excited about the upcoming trip. I'll try to post here at least once before we hit the road.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Saturday 9: Would You Take Them Back?
2. What was the first car you drove? What happened to it? It belonged to an old boyfriend I had in high school. He thought he'd teach me how to drive. Two driving lessons later, I dumped him...he was the meanest driving instructer EVER!
3. What’s the longest amount of time you have driven a car non-stop? Five hours, from Miami to Tampa on a road trip.
4. Have you ever been stood up on a date? If yes, when? Not that I can recall.
5. What TV network do you watch the most? Bravo, by a mile. I'm hooked on Project Runway, Top Chef, and Shear Genius.
6. Pick out a song you like that has special meaning to you. Share with us what song is it, and what’s the meaning to you. "Kiss from a Rose" from Seal. It's not that I particularly love the song, but it was the hot song the summer I met my husband so it brings back memories.
7. Who was your first celebrity crush on? Johnny Depp. Is it weird that I still have a crush on him?
8. What is your favorite romantic comedy movie? Moonstruck. Some of the best movie lines ever.
9. It has been said, "First Loves Are Never Over." Is this true for you? No.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Where's The Platform?
In the interest of keeping my sanity, I have declared a moratorium on watching all this nonsense going on in the news (television, radio, and internet) with respect to the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates and their respective running mates. I keep looking for information on platforms; I want to know what these people believe in, what these candidates suggest is best for our country...and all I'm getting is "Vote for me, because the other guy is...(insert nasty comment here)." I don't want to vote against someone. I want to vote for someone, because I feel they can best represent me. So far, I'm not hearing issues, I'm hearing insults. I don't believe either party is doing an effective job in relaying its vision for our country; and this has left me disappointed, angry and offended.
To make matters worse, the news and entertainment media have now gotten in on the action. Competing news and entertainment markets (I'm grouping them together because the line seems to be blurring between what is news and what is "entertainment") have gotten to the point where it has become something akin to mud wrestling matches or wet t-shirt contests. It's almost a race to see who can be the most outrageous and garner the most attention by printing or broadcasting the most sensational stories. Sorry, I don't mean to offend mud-wrestlers or wet t-shirt contest participants.
But come on: is this what news is supposed to be about? I want my newspeople to just. read. the. news. You remember the news, right? Where stories are researched, confirmed, and fact-checked, and then broadcast to the public without the anchors interjecting their own personal slant?
And when did the entertainment media decide that they should get in on this? Internets, if I'm watching an entertainment program or reading a magazine, I just want to know who wore what, what the hot trends are in fashion, which movies suck and which movies deserve my eight bucks (plus the price of a Cherry Coke).
So I'm going to conduct some research of my own. No more of this baloney I keep watching on television or reading online. I want to know what these candidates believe, and how they plan to lead the country. Wish me luck. I have a feeling this is going to be an uphill battle.