..*....Previously on Sleepypie...*......*..

+Thursday, December 30

++I have today off and so far i've spent it cleaning. Well, not really cleaning, more like throwing away junk and putting items in a give away bag. Its truly amazing all the random crap that builds up over time. I think that every cabinet, drawer, and closet in our house needs to be worked over and if that happened, we might actually have a little more room and be able to find something. Its a messy task that has to be done, and its the kind of chore that you can only adequately do if you get fed up. There is no other motivation than a fire under your ass and I knew that when I woke up today with that fire, that I HAD to take action---not knowing when I would see that fire again on a day off.

Its lunch time and time for me to go grab something decent to eat. If you read my post yesterday about lunch and Snail's post about dinnner last night, you'll know that this is an important meal. Today will also include some sweet tea, mall errands and a pedicure. Must bring in the new year with tidy feet.

(Also, Snail is a dirty liar. We split the last peice of apple pie monday night.)

+Wednesday, December 29

++I feel like going out to eat tonight. I want to erase the memory of the bad enchiladas that I ate at lunch today, as soon as possible. But I can't really justify eating out, because now is a good time to save money and calories. Anyway, these enchiladas are delicious to many people, I'm sure. I mean, they were plenty hot and fresh. The thing was that they were made from a combination of spices that I don't care to have in my Mexican food. Cumin and chili powder come to mind. Plus, their green sauce didn't have tomatillo in it. I know how I like my green sauce chicken enchiladas to taste and that wasn't it. A sad waste of calories, time and money.

+++January's redesign will have to include a whole list of food blogs. I'm hooked.

Day After Christmas, Sunday, 26**

+Christmas was here and now it's gone.

Yesterday, Snail made breakfast for me and then we opened a few gifts. Then we showered and opened some more gifts. Next, I started making yeast rolls (forgot to photograph those). Then we went over to Snail's mom's house where we opened more gifts. We also ate cheese, pepperoni and crackers, played Tetris, watched football and ate dinner. After dinner, we came back over to our house and had 3 kinds of pie and finished the gift opening.

Today we continue to be amazed at the amount of trash everywhere. Bags and bags of trash. And piles of stuff that needs to find a home. And dishes because I keep making foods. Yes, that's right, I made an apple pie and its been on the stove all day and its fun to have a bite when you walk by it. (when you're an adult, you can do that kind of thing)

(the pictures above are as follows: the christmas eve mexican lasagna, terrific wedding cookies I made, cute snowman-building kit, and today's apple pie)

Christmas Eve, Friday, 24**

+Last night was our dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. The meal started with bread, spinach salads, then came our steaks (sizzling as promised) with a side of shoestring crispy fries (a little difficult to eat). For dessert, we had the bread pudding which was the best part of the entire meal. I like that everythign that was supposed to be hot, was very hot. That's a big plus.

As we were driving home, I was contemplating the meaning of a "good" meal and all of the different components therein. Certainly we can all agree that atmosphere is important, moreso if you're spending more money. Ruth's Chris is about three steps up from Denny's, in its decor. Big open room with booths along the wall and tables in rows running the length of the dining room. Lots of wood and beige walls with beige-colored round lights. Truly average. Not to say it wasn't adequate, but it was nothing more. And its funny now that I think about it, cause our waitress was aptly suited. She reminded me of being in Reno and she kept calling me "Me Lady" ( only Snail is allowed to call me that )

In the end, the most perfect steak is not a plate of enchiladas nor is it sushi. Oh well.


+ Today is Christmas eve and as usual when I have a day off, I don't quite know what to do wtih myself. I think i'm going to clean up this room and work my way into the kitchen to make some cookies. Tonight we're having dinner here for 6. I'm making a baked brei for an appetizer and we're serving Snail's Mexican Lasagna for dinner (i'm not saying that those two things go together). Tomorrow, i'll bake dinner rolls, apple pie and ham and we'll be going over to his mom's to eat.

When I look at calories (which i don't that often--and usually when I have something sweet), I typically make my judgements in terms of a dr. pepper (150 calories). For instance, i just made some fancy hot chocolate from a Williams Sonoma mix that a friend gave me. After I was half way done drinking it, I looked at the nutitional info and noticed the 350 calories a cup, which is *2* Dr. Peppers that I could have drank instead. The hot chocolate was probably the best I've ever had and it was nice to sip on while making cookies on Christmas Eve. But, i on a normal day, I think I would take the 2 Dr. Peppers.

**tuesday, 21**

+This morning started off with great efficiency and surprise. It all started when i decided to run a few errands on my way to work. It was about 8:30am when i hit store #1 and got the items i needed with tremendous ease. Then, I decided to pop on over to Old Navy for kicks. I'll admit that I was partially looking for colored socks, because I've needed colored socks ever since I got these clogs a couple of months ago and I just can't seems to get them in my hands. There are times when white socks just don't cut it - like if i'm wearing any pants other than jeans such as I was today. So, I'm strolling around O.N. and I find the most perfect pair of socks. They are striped. One of the colors, orange, matches my shirt and the other stripe, greenish/brown, matches my pants. I bought them, put them on and skipped the rest of the way to work.

+After work, we went to a new chinese restaurant for dinner before driving around looking at Christmas lights. I think Snail coined the perfect term for Chinese, "Vitamin Shine". I was saying how I don't really why its always so thick and saucy and glistening.

+Speaking of food, now instead of cookies or in addition to, I am thinking of making some kind of bread this weekend. Its true that I don't each much bread at all still, but for a special occasion, I can make an exception. I don't really have a particular bread in mind. I need to look into it so that I can get to the store already and find what I need.

+Also speaking of food, I've discovered FOOD BLOGS!!!! oh brother. What took me so long to find these?!?!?! What is my problem?!?! I haven't had nearly time to fully research, but here's a nice one (and by nice, I mean photos too): Simply Recipes

**sunday, 19**

+Allergies are bad. Very bad.

+I made a double batch of chocolate cupcakes with white icing to bring to work. I use Duncan Heinz Devils food cake. If you ever make those, cook them for 16 minutes, not 19 (and do that only if you have an oven thermometer, which everyone should own). They will be delicious.

+After smelling sugar all day, as the cakes cooked and as I iced all 4 dozen, I hope I'll still be into sweets later this week. It just seems like there should be cookies around for Christmas and I'm planning to start thursday morning. Snail has this magical favorite cookie that we buy at the grocery store and I think I found the recipe for it. When I made him those black walnut cookies for his birthday, he said they didn't have enough walnuts. So, i'm going to make these chocolate chewy cookies and dump a ton of nuts in or else i'll never hear the end of it. Also, i'm going to make those round pecan balls (wedding cookies?) that are covered with powdered sugar because I love them.

In the pie department, its a tough call between apple and pumpkin. Having both seems a bit over indulgent. Perhaps we stick with pumpkin and do apple for New Years.

**friday, 17**



I like Christmas. I like that our house is full of twinkling lights and new things to look at. I love having a fire and a christmas tree in the same room. I like getting cards in the mail and sending them out. I like making paper snowflakes. I like listening to Christmas music. I like to wrap gifts, using lots of tissue and ribbon. I can't wait to make a Christmas apple pie and some cookies.

This will be my first Christmas in Texas and I can't wait.

**sunday, 12**

+ Snail's mom is bringing over some chicken and dumplings for dinner.

Today, I started some Christmas gift wrapping of some items that need to be shipped. If I can just finish the shopping, then I can tape up a big box and get it in the mail. Then, I will be feeling less stressed.

I'd like to make some cupcakes to take into work this week but I just don't know if there's time. I think its going to be a busy week. I'm thinking of this as the last week to shop, cause I'd rather not be running around during the week leading up to Christmas. Tomorrow night will be hopefully my last trip to the mall and Wednesday night is Girl Movie Night (Seeing Bridget Jones Diary 2.)

Time to make some biscuits to go with the dumplings.

**thursday, 09**

+ Have you seen or heard of this new COCOA THERAPY that ORIGINS is offering?

"Out of step? Out of steam? Out of sync? Out of sorts? What you need is a healthy hint of Chocolate. "

I don't even know where to go with this. It's just too much. This product on your left is for putting on your pulse points. In reality, I suppose its no different than their 'ginger' line or whatever scent. But the medical spin on chocolate gets to me for some reason.

There's chocolate body scrubs and body butters, too. And there's even actual chocolate bars for EATING...specially developed by Jacques Torres.

"Now Origins has harvested every good-for-you part of the Cocoa plant – oil, pod and seed – to create a collection of holistic treats and treatments that provide a full range of sensory and body-bettering benefits."

Next time, I'm at the mall I'll have to check this stuff out. I'm particularly curious how much the super powered candy bars are. And if i'm going to the mall anyway, I better go ahead and get some Waffle Fry Therapy at Chik-fil-a.

**tuesday, 07**

+ Baked 8 dozen cookies sunday for a cookie exchange that I attended on monday evening. It was out in the suburbs with mainly moms. I only knew the 2 ladies that I went with and I didn't make any new friends but I came home with about 25 varieties of cookies - 4 of each kind ( you still with me? ). I was planning to bundle them up for neighbors and allergists and such, but now i'm weirded out by the mass quantities of cookies that i have from the homes of total strangers. I don't want to give them off as my own, when I don't even know if they are any good and I'm not about to eat 25 cookies (one of each kind) to find out. The end of this story is that the cookies will be disposed of at work.

+ I got some major shopping done at the mall today after work. Hit Container Store and our new Crate+Barrel at lunch. I'm feeling decently ok about the whole affair. The highlight of the mall trip was when I wandered into a new store called Libby Lu. It's pink, purple, feathery and glittery. I went in ( with my Princess Neice in mind) and came upon a gaggle of about 7/8 girls having some kind of sparkly potion fest. You can bet that I got outta there in a timely fashion.

**thursday, 02**

+ I had cooking de ja vu tonight. I made a Martha recipe side dish with squash and dill and goat cheese. When I pulled it out of the oven and started cutting it, I thought, "haven't I made this before?" I think I have but I can't really remember.

+I went by the store tonight and returned the dirty sock fish. Of course, I didn't actually bring the fish IN, but I told them my story and they gave me my money back. NOBODY pushes their dirty laundry seafood over on me!

**wednesday, 01**

+I bought fish to make for dinner. Corvina. Never had it, but now that its cooked up, I can say that it smells exactly like stinky feet and its going down god's gift to man, the garbage disposal.

+Snail says the Jessica Simpson Christmas special is on. Gotta go watch the train wreck.