Such a "Cindy Day"!

When I was little, my mother loved to tell me made-up stories about Cindy - a little girl who had a sweet mommy, a cool daddy, a mischievous brother named Bobby, and a fluffy white kitty named Puff. Cindy had many interesting adventures, but one thing could always be counted on - a happy day with her mommy. Since I've become an adult, my mother and I affectionately call glorious days "Cindy Days" - days that seem so elegantly put together that the spontaneity leads one minute into the next hour with such noticeable gaety and fun. Today was a such a day! The heavens snowed large cotton candy puffs all day, leaving us with a perfect amount of fluff for a handsome snowman. Whenever it snows, I always feel like baking, so I whipped up a batch of sugar cookies and spread them with melted chocolate, and baked four loaves of golden bread. I prepared a beef stew to serve over biscuits because we just needed something warm amidst all of the cold whiteness outside. Everything felt so festive! Snow storms have always evoked feelings of excitement in me, though. When I'm cooking and baking, I always love having Summer in the kitchen with me and you've been presented with our photographic evidence.




















After dinner, while Summer took her bath, she and I became overwrought with unrestrained, spasmodic laughter! As soon as one would start giggling, the other would chime in, until I darn near thought we'd rise to the ceiling like that scene in "Mary Poppins" - you all know what I'm typing about! Anyway, at Summer's bedtime, as I cuddled her, sang her favorite lullabies and kissed her rose water-scented cheeks, I thought how blessed each of us is in life to have snow days with giggly, fun affairs to remember. Perfect "Cindy Days". I wish all of my readers your own perfect day, and I wish you all a great many! :)

Chicken Charming

My testimony burns brightly of this baked chicken recipe, so I knew it must be declared and shared! The only thing lacking is the recipe's title - "Flavorful Chicken". Boring! Feel free to rename it something more spine-tingling, such as "Hair-raising, Electrifying Chicken" or "Trembling Chicken Hallelujah!" Let your imagination of spiritually moving titles run wild and free as you prepare this one-of-a-kind creation of poultry glory.

Flavorful Chicken

2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

~In a shallow bowl, combine butter and soy sauce; dip chicken on both sides. Place in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic salt, paprika, and Parmesan cheese (you may use more than 1/4 tsp of seasonings if needed). Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or 400 degrees for 20 minutes or however long it takes your individual oven. Pound or slice width-wise through the raw meat first, because no one likes a honking, 3-inch thick chicken breast. And for heaven's sake, before baking, please cut off all fat, veins, cartilage, foreign objects, and miscellaneous matter from the chicken to avoid horror upon chewing, which makes the meal seem curiously wrong and ill-fated.
*This is one of Jerald's, Summer's and my favorite chicken dishes, so I hope it moves you too. Serve it with any glorious side dish and I have faith it will send you to another celestial sphere.

Birthday Bonanza!

I must begin this post with a hearty thank you to my man for the previous post of prose. What a list of love notes! How warm and fuzzy of you to write such a list for such as me. That was, by far, the sweetest birthday present I could ever have received. I'm so touched you would think and say those things about me. Really, darling, you MUST stop lying to yourself! Haha...Kisses sent your way. :)

What a beautiful birthday it was! I woke up with that magical feeling I always get on this special day. Jerald leaned over to murmur his happy birthday morning greeting before retrieving Summer out of her crib. After being informed it was my birthday, she asked if it was her birthday too. She started to cry when Jerald told her it was only mine, so I excitedly said it could be her birthday as well because I sure didn't want to celebrate it all by my lonesome self. That comforted my pretty princess and the festivities began! Jerald whipped up some amazing German pancakes for breakfast, which we devoured with passion and vigor. We drove Summer over to her Uncle Nate and Aunt Cindy's house where she would joyously spend the day playing and dancing with her cousin, Annika. Thanks, Nate and Cindy! Then, Jerald and I sped up to Park City, where we dined at Ruby Tuesday, strolled Main Street (I use the term stroll loosely, as Jerald and I both tripped and darn near fell twice), wandered through art galleries, salivated in a gorgeous antique shop, and enjoyed pretending we were rich and famous while perusing pink diamonds and black onyx cuff links in the O.C. Tanner jewelry shop. We HAD to visit the Mountain Body Spa while we were there, so I could buy a cranberry facial mask! It contained crushed cranberries, fresh cranberry juice, organic honey, yogurt, Southern Utah clay, and fullers earth. It raised our eye brows an inch or two due to its high cost, but hey, I know the ingredients now, so I can just whip it up at home! I'll post it as a beauty tip in the near and bright future. Then, we drove over to the Park City Outlets, where Jerald bought a hot man sweater and I made a wise purchase of some Estee Lauder Gold and Platinum shimmer powder. We held hands all the time and just loved being together. After we picked up Summer, we went home, watched movies, ate a strawberry birthday cake Jerald had baked for me, and finished off with a shower of birthday presents for me. What a lovely day! I must duly note, however, that the Park City photo shown in this post is courtesy of the internet (it wasn't snowing that day, nor did we anywhere witness a streetcar). I horrifyingly forgot our camera! The shot does paint a prime birthday picture, though, right?

29 Things I Love About My Hot Wife - Zanny (by Jerald)

On my birthday, Zanny wrote a blog in which she showered her sentiments of love upon me. I wouldn't have needed an umbrella because I love soaking up her compliments. Now it is my turn to bring down the rain of romance. Zanny's birthday is on January 29th. She will be 29 on the 29th of 2009 (that doesn't happen very often). I am writing this blog and have titled it "29 Things I Love About My Hot Wife - Zanny".

1. First and foremost - SHE IS HOT. That must be repeated, realized, and re-emphasized. The statement has been put in bold to add an extra "punch" because she is a "knock-out". Her looks are captivating. Every now and then I glance over at her and am transfixed. My heart almost skips a beat when she catches me watching her and looks my way. The realization that she is mine and that she will always be mine is humbling and empowering. She looks adorable and I adore her looks. I always have, and I always will.

2. Not only are her looks astonishing and sensational, but her eyes are magical. She always laughs when I describe her eyes, but if you look closely enough, you will see a beautiful sun-flower in each iris. When she smiles her eyes light up and the sun-flowers beam.

3. Zanny is one of the most spiritual individuals I know. She is an angel.

4. She is so positive, upbeat, and full of energy. Each morning when she wakes up, the world comes alive. She brings out the best in everyone around her.

5. She is so complimentary. It makes her feel so good to say something nice about someone else which instantly makes everyone feel good about themselves.

6. She is the best mother to Summer. Those two are the best of friends.

7. Zanny is a wonderful cook. She reads cookbooks as if they were novels. She pours over the recipes and enjoys trying new menu items. Her cooking is gourmet. She could have her own cooking show if she wanted. It would be sizzling and sensational.

8. She loves learning and reading. She reads books by the dozen.

9. She is so theatrical and astounding as an actress. She belongs on stage and in movies.

10. Zanny is so humble. She is so talented and has such an amazing ability to do anything and yet few people know just how much she can do and how much she knows because of her humility.

11. She has an unbelievable memory. It is mind-boggling. Out of the blue, on any given day, she will tell me how it is the birthday of someone with whom she went to elementary school. She remembers each of her locker combinations from junior high, high school, and other passwords and codes. She is my phone book. I will ask her to memorize phone numbers for me and regurgitate the information later, which she does perfectly. She has an amazing mind.

12. She has perfect pitch. That may not seem like it means much to most people, but to a musician, it is paramount. When she was about seven years old, her sister, Steph, discovered
this gift while testing Zanny on interval recognition. She then began playing individual notes and asking Zanny what they were. Zanny was on the other side of the room and perfectly responded which note was which. Her sister began to cry realizing the gift Zanny had. It's funny because Zanny and I will be driving down the road and she will hear a cow moo and say, "That's a C!". She can often tell what key a song is in, which notes are being played, and can tell instantly when someone sings or plays their instrument off-key.

13. Zanny is one of the most talented musicians I know. She plays the violin and the piano beautifully. Because of her perfect pitch she can hear a song and play it by ear on either the violin or the piano.

14. She is so kind to everyone she meets. She has the gift and ability of making everyone feel comfortable and at ease.

15. Zanny is a wonderful dancer. On our first date we went ballroom dancing. She swept me off my feet and we've been dancing ever since. I'm excited to dance our way through life together.

16. She loves to travel. It is wonderful to think of the fun trips we have taken together and the many more trips we have in our future. I can't wait to travel all around the world with her.

17. Zanny loves people. She is so excited to learn as much as she can about others. She loves learning about their interests, their likes, and their dislikes. She is fascinated with people and loves to connect with them.

18. She is one of the best writers I have ever known. Anyone who has read this blog will agree most readily with me, and knows of her perfect prose, her poignant punctuality, her awe-inspiring adjectives, and her wonderful wit. She is an avid writer and should write books (and she will - mark my words).

19. Zanny speaks very well. Her speech is so refined. I enjoy listening to her voice too, because she has such a beautiful sounding voice.

20. She has childlike faith. She can accomplish anything and become anything because her faith is so powerful. To be in her presence is truly divine.

21. She loves chocolate. That may not sound like an attribute or talent worth speaking about, but she has a prestigious palette and appreciates the finer confections of life.

22. Zanny is entertaining. To be in her presence is like being in a Broadway show or at a movie. She is funny, witty, captivating, and has a sparkle that begins in her eyes, lights up her face, and exudes from her. After spending a few moments in her presence you don't want to leave.

23. She is so sweet. There is such a sweetness about her. A wholesome purity that makes you want to be a better person when you're around her.

24. She is a fun person and is so spontaneous. Everyday is a party. She is the life of the party and every moment we are together, we have as much fun as we can. Whether that means staying up late to watch movies together, reading books with each other and stopping every few minutes to update each other on what is happening in our books, dancing in the kitchen to music, or loading up the car and taking a fun road trip.

25. Zanny is not afraid to try new things. I love how excited she is to do something she has never done before.

26. She looks great in everything she wears.

27. Zanny can impersonate people. She watches people so closely and notices all of their little nuances, habits, routines, mannerisms, etc., and picks up on them. Her acting pays off because she knows how to mimic others so well.

28. Zanny is very organized, prepared, and on the ball. She is a very clean and tidy person and loves to clean. Some people clean grudgingly, but Zanny loves to sing and dance while she works.

29. I am amazed at the woman she is and what she knows, has accomplished, can accomplish and will accomplish. She is beautiful, sweet, amazing, and everything I could ever want.

I want everyone to know how wonderful Zanny is and what she means to me. She not only is my better half, she is the best part of me. She finishes my sentences, completes my thoughts, and tells me everything with a smile. She makes things happen because she happens to be one of the greatest individuals I have ever known or ever will know. I love you, Zanny. Happy birthday!

...'Cause Waking Up is Hard To Do!

Our alarm clock is a cute little voice that calls out, "Mommy! Daddy! Please get me up!" Without fail, Jerald and I look at each other through half closed lids and groan at our poor choice of bedtime the night before and proclaim firmly and rationally that we will under no circumstances be in bed later than 10:30 pm that evening! We stagger into Summer's boudoir and collect the pretty, bright-eyed baby, who is always completely rested after sleeping twelve or thirteen hours, and tuck her into our bed to cuddle while we, the bleary-eyed parents, hope to catch a few more winks before permanently opening our eyes for the day ahead. You would think our guaranteed morning fatigue would be our wake up call to get to bed earlier, but the problem is...we have way too much fun! Every evening is a date and a party for Jerald and me! We strategically meet at some point during the day and get in "serious party planning mode." We plan dinner, snacks, games, movies, books, blogging ideas, etc., and become exuberantly excited for the evening ahead. We both have such yellow personalities (if you are familiar with the color code test, this means fun-loving), so we never want the merriment to end! We have the best of intentions to get to bed at a reasonable hour, but there is always an excuse for the gaiety to continue. "So and so" is a guest on Jay Leno, so we can't miss that! Oh, and then there was the whole "Grey's Anatomy" fiasco when we borrowed all of the seasons on DVD and watched them far past midnight because we just had to find out if Meredith and Doctor McDreamy finally get together! Then there are the books we can't put down, the movies we're dying to snuggle up together and watch, the fascinating blogs all of you cute people write that won't let us log off to nod off, and always, the amazing late night conversations Jerald and I enjoy, during which we'd rather laugh at funny anecdotes and our share our deepest dreams, than enter dreamland. I guess what it all comes down to is, we love life way too much to miss a single second of it sleeping. However, seeing as how it would be worthy and wise to be alert through our parties of life, maybe we should rest our heads and party through our dreams. Well...we'll sleep on it.

Hotter Than Hot Chocolate

The holidays are now part of Christmas past, but 'Tis still the season for cuddling and hot chocolate. Nothing warms the chilliest of innards like the hot, creamy, rich drink. The first people known to have made chocolate itself were the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America, who used ground cacao seeds to make a frothy drink. No doubt, we still love it and crave it today. Most hot cocoa mixes from the supermarket are crammed full of trans fats and icky additives. This pure and natural homemade recipe of mine is a slight variation of the one on the back of the Hershey's baking cocoa box, and it's so exquisite-tasting!

Hot Chocolate

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon Hershey's cocoa powder

Dash of salt

1 cup milk (I prefer organic)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Mix sugar, cocoa, and salt in a large mug. Heat milk in the microwave for 1-1/2 minutes or until hot. Gradually add hot milk to cocoa mixture. Stir well. Stir in vanilla. I like to use a wire whisk to help the cocoa dissolve more quickly and to add some pretty bubbles and foam.

*Before serving, try some add-ins like a candy cane (if you have any left over from Christmas), whipped cream, a cinnamon stick, marshmallows, or a chunk of chocolate that can slowly melt and turn the whole cup into a thick lake of melted chocolate. Go and prepare it now, and while you're at it, grab your loved one to cuddle while you sip. That's the cream on top!

Beauty Tip - A New Year, A New You! Or At Least A New Layer of Skin...

It's a new beginning! We have 365 brand new days worth of 2009 to live to the fullest. Out with the old and in with the new. That means we must end our long and unhealthy relationship with dull, dry skin and dead and gone skin cells. Breaking up is hard to do, but look that epidermis in the pore and say, "I'm sorry, but I'm just not that into you. It's not me, it's you." Then just move on - to the kitchen! Open your fridge, pull out a container of plain yogurt and apply it to your skin and life.

The lactic acid and enzymes in yogurt soothe, soften, brighten, and tighten the skin while refining the pores. Its nutrient content and natural antibacterial and antifungal properties help to get rid of germs and other bacteria from the skin. It is mildly acidic, which is perfect for dissolving dead skin cells, removing surface impurities, and restoring the skin's own protective acid mantle. Who knew we had a mantle? And furthermore, who ever would have thought its acid needed protecting? Oh, how very moving.

Spread a thick layer of plain yogurt over your entire body and face. You may want to let the yogurt sit until it reaches room temperature first, unless you want to gasp and shriek with the shock of the cold substance hitting your skin. Put on a robe you can throw in the wash afterwards, and then relax, starry-eyed, for fifteen minutes while thinking deep thoughts about your wise break-up with your dull old dry skin, and the sweet association you'll have with your new layer of hydrated skin. Then, take a handful of cornmeal and massage it in circular motions over the the yogurt, rinse with warm water, and then complete the transformation with a thick moisturizer. Now that's moving on.