They Say it's Your Birthday

Another week has gone by, and another dismal failure in the life of the Fall of Crock.  I very disappointingly report that little to no crocking has happened since my last visit but it is mainly due to the fact that it was my birthday last week! 

The celebrating began Wednesday evening when I spent the night with my dream woman:  Madonna.

Here's the review from the local paper and  a photo from one of my favorite segments of the show.  Erik and I recently discovered that the same giddy excitement I get from Madonna is the equivalent to what he feels for the Seahawks.  The difference is, the Seahawks come around every year and for months.  Madonna only comes around every so often and you never know when it will be the last time.  I wanted him to experience The Queen at least once in his life, and it meant a lot to me to share the experience with him.  I couldn't believe my good fortune that she was in my very own hometown and on the eve of my birthday.  I've said it before and I'll say it again:  I'm the luckiest girl in the whole world.  So lucky that she was on stage after midnight which meant that Madonna serenaded me on my birthday.  And I'm such a big baby that when she sand Like A Prayer on my birthday, I almost cried. 

The following evening, was my birthday and I am a traditional girl who likes to spend my birthday with family, so the famdamily met at my parent's house apartment for cake, presents, and dinner.  My parents collected pizza from the Farmer's Market (the same pizza Erik and I had at our wedding), and my sister and my beautiful niece made birthday cake for us.  This ain't no ordinary birthday cake, it is legendary.  I don't remember/know a lot about my dad's mom.  But, I have one good memory (my only other memory is that she used to send me her used Lee Press-On nails in the mail...and I would wear them) of her and it is this cake.  The frosting is basically Crisco, sugar, and butter so it is really only brought out for a special occasion maybe once a year but when it comes around again it is totally worth the wait.  I ate it for breakfast the next two mornings.

Friday night was the Miller Family birthday dinner.  I had tried to get reservations at the Spaghetti Factory, say what you will, but it is one of my favorite places to eat.  Inexpensive AND you get ice cream????  but it must have been  Burt Reynolds Homecoming or something, because the only times I could get were 4:30 or 8PM on Friday or Saturday.  So, I decided to cook.  Now, I know what you're going to say, if you cooked, why didn't you make a crock pot dinner?  And the answer is simply I don't know with a little bit of Erik really wanted me to broil steak to show off my talent.  (In case you don't know I'm a world-class steak broiler).  So, I made flank steaks, grilled onions, baked potatoes, and Erik made asparaguys.  (Yes, I call them asparaguys).  I figure, since I'm going to be calling in some major Miller family favors over the next few months when we move, the least I could do was make them a nice meal.  It is here, after dinner, where I put on my Halloween sock monkey pajamas and they didn't leave my body until Monday morning.

Again, Saturday is just pure laziness.  Erik was at a memorial service until early afternoon, I was in a pajama and cake for breakfast coma on the couch.  We had lots of leftover grilled onions, so I suggested an at home version of a little gem my sister and I found at John Howie's in Bellevue:  the grilled cheese sandwich with grilled onions.  So, we ate those for dinner (the only thing I consumed that day besides my birthday cake breakfast) and hunkered down into more of our Sons of Anarchy marathon on Netflix.

Sunday Chili Sunday.  Hot off my delicious from the pantry chili from two weeks ago, I wanted to try and recreate it but with the chunks of beef Erik requested.  I had purchased some stew meat and tossed it in the freezer ready for the occasion.  My recipe was simple again:  beef meats, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, kidney beans, chili beans with sauce, and my same combo of spices.  On the spice end, I'd say this batch fell slightly under par with the last batch.  I don't LOVE giant hunks of beef, so I tried to scoop around them.  It was still yummy in my tummy, though I would rate it lower than last time.

Big Meat Monday turned into more birthday partying.  I went to my nieces swim lesson and then got pedicures and a late lunch with my sister in law so no dinner was prepared whatsoever.  But, I do have beautiful toenails and even still a belly happy fully of Thai food.