Sunday at Home.

I often find myself not wanting to be in one place very long and that includes home.  It might be different if we owned the house we live in, but even so laying low or catching up on chores isn't my favorite day to spend a Sunday.Yesterday was the exception.  I wasn't sick and there wasn't a Glee marathon that I had to catch, nope it was just a nice day to clean, read, cook and play games. 

It started out with a quick trip to the grocery store for the essentials, while Chad got ready to cook french toast for breakfast.

Grocery List:
- Coffee
- French Vanilla Creamer
- Toothpaste
- Dog Food

I plugged the iPod in and selected "Broadway Favs" on my playlist and away I drove.  One of my favorite times is in the car with the music blaring and singing as loud as I want.  I think it is therapeutic and often leaves me in a good mood.

Grocery shopping was a success and the list grew to include syrup and the ride home consisted of more singing.

Breakfast was great and then the cleaning commenced. Two loads of dishes were done and counters scrubbed, all while planning my next step, get dinner in the crock pot and bake some snacks.  One of my major weaknesses is my grandmothers ChexMix.  Since I was a little kid I remember sitting at my grandparents kitchen counter and eating this Delicious snack whenever she made it.  It wasn't until recently that I decided I could make it...and make it I do.  It is made with Krispix instead of Chex and then you add other goodies of your choice.  I prefer Gold Fish, Pretzels and sometime peanuts.  Here is the receipt if you wanna try it yourself...watch out it is addictive.

Krispix Mix (ChexMix):
6 Cups Krispix
4 TBSP Oilio (Margarine or Butter)
2 tsp Lemon Juice
4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp All Purpose Seasoning Salt
Garlic Salt Optional (I say use it).

Preheat your oven to 250 f.  Mix the melted Olio, Lemon Juice, Worcestershire Sauce, Season Salt and Garlic Salt in a bowl.  In a large cake pan add your Krispix, and desired munchies (pretzels, gold fish, peanuts or any other nuts you would like) and pour the olio mixture over the top of it.  Stir it so you coat the mix with the sauce and pop it in the oven.  You will cook it for 45 mins. but every 15 mins. you need to take it out and stir it up. Let cool and you are ready to snack away.

Once I was finished with that it was time to read and knit.  Yes, I did say knit.  I find it very relaxing and soothing.  Right now I am working on a scarf for Chad.   The yarn is different shades of green and brown and the pattern is like a ribbed stitch...but without all the pearling. I would share it with you but it seems like the link is down, if you would like it let me know and I can try to explain it.

We have Chad's cousin Anthony staying with us for a couple weeks before he goes back to Washington state so we called up our new friend Jeremy to come over for Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Pinochle.  By now you may be thinking that I am starting to sound like an old man (or in the knitting case an old grandma) but I assure you that these are fun activities. 

I am a newbie when it comes to Pinochle but I am catching on quick.  There are so many rules and little quirks that you have to learn for this game.  I learned last night that if you have any part that makes up a Pinochle you should bid 17 to let your partner know that what you have.  Jeremy and I were teamed up against Anthony and Chad.  They kicked our butts quite handily, thanks to a 720 trick play.

After Jeremy left Anthony's girlfriend Wendy joined us.  Wendy and I decided to be team Frostbite (because we are both usually cold) while Chad and Anthony were team Inferno.  Well what can I say Team Frostbite put a chill on them they couldn't shake,  Frostbite won by a landslide.

By this time it was time to say goodnight and read a few more chapters in the my book, then crash for the night.  With "Into the Woods" playing in the background, I dozed off to sleep.

Today's lesson:  We spend a lot of time focusing our energy on work and what we don't have that we forget to be thankful and celebrate what we do have.  As cliche as it might sound, we should "Take time to stop and smell the roses".