It’s Friday! All of my days are blurring together lately, but I’m excited to have Jeff back home with me for 2 days, and we get to celebrate Christmas with my parents on Sunday. And without further ado…
1) Jeff made Brussels Sprouts last night and they were amazing. This was the first time I’ve tried them since I was a kid. When I was around 10, my stepdad and I had a standoff at the dinner table over these very veggies. I’m proud to report I won (stubborn anyone?), and after about 2 hours of sitting defiantly at the table I got sent to bed. Jeff’s sprouts, however? Well, we roasted them with a few seasonings, and bacon was also involved. Bacon is scientifically proven to make anything better, although I’m pretty sure I’d even eat these without it. My palate has been evolving and changing in my 30’s, and things I used to hate are suddenly delicious. I’m really kind of enjoying the pleasant surprise that comes each time I’m brave enough to try something I have horrible memories of.
2) Jeff refers to me as the best gift giver in the world. It’s been substantiated by friends and family-I’m pretty awesome. I attribute it to my wicked memory for most anything. Cooking dinner at your house and we have to make do without a tool or utensil because you don’t have it? Guess what you’re getting for Christmas! Mention your favorite wool socks are getting thin? Here comes a new pair! I just have a knack for noticing stuff, I guess. Which leads to #3…
3) I am a good gift giver, but I’m impatient as hell. This usually results in a “X” days of Christmas giving palooza based on how many gifts I have for someone. I just can’t wait to give someone their gifts! I can be quite patient to receive my own gifts, but I just want to see that smile on someone’s face when they open a gift and demand satisfaction ASAP! I started having Jeff open a gift every night until Christmas starting last night. I gave him his first gift-a pair of argyle smartwool socks. Jeff does a lot of cold weather commuting and needs as many pairs as he can get! The next two gifts kind of go together, so I’m excited to see him open them.
4) I’m faithfully sticking to walking as my sole method of exercise, and slowly increasing the distance each day. This was approved by my doctor for recovery, but is slightly maddening. I wanna MOVE! Walking is nice, and still kind of works to clear my head, but doesn’t really deliver the endorphins I desperately need. I’m an addict. It’s snowing outside today, and that’s not deterring me from going for my rec time-I actually kind of like walking in precipitation. It’s refreshing.
5) Throwing together another pair of pinterest recipes today-crock pot corn chowder and garlic bread in a pot. I’ve made the bread before and hopefully that chowder turns out delicious as well.
Hope everyone has a great weekend and starts celebrating with their loved ones soon! Has your palate changed since you were a kid? Are you a gift giver or do you stick with gift cards? AND, since it’s Christmas, what’s your favorite Christmas movie? I stick with Elf, but Jeff hates it so I don’t subject him to it. I can quote the whole thing, though, so it still counts. 🙂
Food, Farts, and Frustration 
Oh yes, we never really had fruits and veggies growing up, now that’s basically all I eat!
Elf and Home Alone… all day 🙂
We just stumbled across Home Alone the other day…my little brother LOVED that movie as a kid! I didn’t remember Macaulay Culkin basically screaming his way through the flick, but it was still nice and nostalgic!
Home Alone is such a fun movie to watch…oh, the times before every toddler had a cell phone. We’re starting to raise generations who would have no idea how this could happen!
I never really had brussels sprouts as a kid (parents didn’t like them) but I was always a big fruit and veggie person – now as an adult I love them!
I have always been a traditionalist – the 1947 Miracle on 34th Street and Alistair Sim as Scrooge, as well as the cartoons like The Grinch and the stop-animated stuff like Rudolph, Frosty, Year Without a Santa Claus (heat miser!), and so on. But we really love ‘A Christmas Story’, has been a fave for 30 years now.
Oh, my mom and I always used to recite every line of the Grinch…it used to make my little brother so mad when he was a little boy!
I’ve been seeing a lot more recipes for brussels sprouts lately, and a favorite restaurant has them on their menu, so I felt like having my chef take the plunge…very glad I did! Adding them in to our rotation for sure!