Annual conundrum solved

My new favorite store of the week is Penzeys Spices. Yes, quite the change from my usual clothing or shoe retailer. You see, I received a gift card for their establishment and decided to pop in to a local store this past weekend to see what I could score. Low and behold, I fell in love. With everything. The spices, the helpful workers, the feel of the store – I want it all. Who ever knew so many variations of freaking Cinnamon existed?!? I think the gal that helped me pick out my spices went home that night to tell her husband about the country bumpkin she helped at work that had the audacity to ask, “Which one is most like the kind I’d usually get at Pick N Save?” I might as well have asked a wine connoisseur where to find a good box of wine.

Ah yes, it is I, shameless Anne.

After sniffing a little of this and a little of that, I finally selected the spices I wanted to purchase. And let me just say that I’m not even sure what one of them is really used for, but I sure as hell needed it and I’ll be finding something to use it for.

So why does this solve my annual conundrum? Well, here’s the dilemma. Every year I’m paralyzed by an all-important decision. Do I go pumpkin or pecan pie for Thanksgiving dessert? These are life or death decisions, people. Usually I’ll go the route of one of each…washed down with hefty side of self-loathing.

Well, 2011 is looking up. My new love addiction of Penzey’s had me eyeing up their website for other items I might get my sticky little fingers on when I stumbled upon their recipes. It’s really cool, you guys. You use their search page, type in the spice you have (or want to purchase), and a list will display of all the matching items available for purchase AS WELL AS a list of recipes that contain that spice. It is here where I found the love of all loves. Pecan Pumpkin Pie. Problem solved. Anne = 1, Thanksgiving = 0.

If anyone’s interested, check it out here! I my hips can’t wait to give it a test run very soon.

~as

Cannon ball!!!

This past weekend Eric, S, and I went up to “the Yoop” (aka the U.P…aka the Upper Peninsula of Michigan). We finally had our very last Christmas 2010 celebration with my Mom’s side of the family up there. And yes, I realize it’s the 3rd week of January and we’re STILL finishing up our holiday gatherings. Trust me, I know. It’s been an exhausting few months of holiday events since Thanksgiving hit.  My polished off bottle of gin will attest to that.

Okay, back to our trip…

While we were traversing the inches upon inches of falling snow (which, I swear NEVER stopped falling during any point while we were there), we thought it might be fun to head indoors to go swimming. Sebastian loves his bath time so it seemed like a natural fit.

And never one to disappoint….Mikey likes it! Mikey likes it! Sebastian definitely takes after his momma in the pool. They didn’t call me “Anne the fish” for nothin’. And by ‘they’ I mean my Dad and some random carnie that drew my caricature portrait at a county fair when I was 8 years old. Hey - ’they’ only technically needs to be two people. Just saying.

At first I think S was probably thinking, “What the hell…this is the largest freakin’ bath tub I’ve ever seen in my WHOLE LIFE!!” (All 5 and a half months of it.) But once we started playing around with him and splashing, he warmed right up to it. Move over Michael Pelphs…Sebastian Stefl is hot on your trail. Minus the pot smoking allegations and revocation of sponsorships.

Here’s a pic of my two favorite guys drying off and having fun in the process:

Happy Hump Day, internet!

~as