Homecoming (these are for Courtney)

Stefanie with Adelynn

Classic "Dad" pose

Daddy holding Adelynn while Mama looks on

A very thrilled Mama who is finally happy to be at home with her little girl!

Adelynn is here! Some pictures...

Me holding a sleeping baby Adelynn while Mama Stefanie looks on



Dennis holding baby Adelynn while Shivani is looking to drink up some water!



Mama holding baby Adelynn

1st Baby of the year (from our friends)

OOOhhhh our friends Stefanie and Randy are having their baby! Mama is in labor right now, please send happy labor (and epidural vibes)!!! It's so exciting! I can't wait to meet their little girl! I bet they can't either!!!

3:00pm (Alice time) : Mama's had the epidural,and is feeling better, their 2 puppies are staying at our house, and Lil S is excited to have 3 puppies to play with right now.


Will update when Baby Dickens arrives!

EDIT : Baby Adelynn Faith has arrived at 8:50pm Alice Springs time today! Happy Birthday little one! Congrats to Stefanie and Randy! New Mama and Daddy!

Happy New Year 2009 edition!

Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year... we're watching Strawberry Shortcake with the kid, and then after she goes to bed...we will play Mario Galaxy (so much fun!!!)... since they don't show the ball drop here... so it's going to be pretty low-key since I can't drink this New Years! (Should've drank up last year!!!)

Maybe I'll celebrate tomorrow (when USA does)!

Happy 2009!

Here it is!!!!

Ok so the big news is that we're expecting baby #2, estimated due date is July 23, 2009!

We're pretty excited, and looking forward to the day!

Lil S is excited to become a big sister and help with her (she adamantly says it's a girl!)

So that's the big news!

Merry Christmas from Down Under, best wishes for the New Year!

Guess?

Ok so I'm going to post something big on Christmas... well at least big for me (and no not my weight! ha)... Post a comment if you can guess... hehe... but if you already know then don't post a comment, just wish me a happy new year or something...

Happy Holidaze!

Love,
All of us down under! (It's going to be 104 Fahrenheit on Christmas Day here!!!)

A Room at the Heartbreak Hotel

1. Put your music on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag 10 friends who might enjoy doing the note as well as the person you got the note from. (Whoever wants to do it, though I'd like to see Stella and E's, as well as Booyah and RMR's)....

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
London Calling (The Clash)

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
One of US (Abba)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
So Tell me Why (Poison)

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Frozen (Madonna)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Life Goes on (Poison)

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Panama (Van Halen)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
No More Lies (Alice DeeJay)

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Pinhead (The Ramones)

WHAT IS 2+2?
Hairspray (James Marsdsen - the Movie Soundtrack)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Close My Eyes (Matisyahu)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Got my Mind Set on You (George Harrison)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
I'm going to Love You (Barry White)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Most Beautiful Girl (Prince)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Vietnow (Rage Against the Machine)

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
White, Proud, and Stupid (Propagandhi)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Inside Out (Eve 6)

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Signs (Tesla)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Read My Mind (The Killers)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Rudie Can't Fail (The Clash)

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Love is Blindness (U2)

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Miami (U2)

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
You got another thing comin' (Judas Priest)

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Breakfast at Tiffany's (Deep Blue Something)

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Satisfaction (Rolling Stones)

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Lovestoned (Justin Timberlake)

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Brand New Man (Brooks and Dunn)

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Heaven (Live)

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
When Smokey Sings (ABC)

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
One of These Days (Pink Floyd)

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
A Room at the Heartbreak Hotel (U2)

It's not very cerebral Stella

This is my response to this article in Slate...

I don't know what to think really. It's (terrorism) stupid.
Stupid people who think that it's okay to kill people they know nothing about except that they don't want them around. They don't care except to disrupt lives. Bombay's financial market was shut down for the day and maybe day after. Was that their goal? I think they (terrorists) don't have anything to live for, so they decide that going to a city and giving out their vision of justice is okay.

I'm pissed. I've been to Bombay as a kid. It was still called Bombay then. My impressions from back then was that it was super crowded, and I remember that we really didn't leave from the place we staying to roam around. It was never safe in my mind.

I agree that in India, this kind of attack isn't new. Just the fact that they are now OPENLY saying they are targeting Westerners.

There are many Indians in India that are Westerners if you think about it.

Bombay is a multicultural haven, and India has been for many centuries. Jews, Christians, Hindus, and Muslims have lived in India forever... I'm sure back then they fought as well.

In the end, once people realize there is no point killing in the name of a GOD or GODs... there is nothing to gain, just sorrow.

This has happened for centuries, we're just aghast now because we're supposed to be more enlightened than our medieval counterparts.

Sick, so sick!

I just saw the news... and I can't believe the violence. Can't we just stop fighting? What good comes out of killing? Why can't the bloodshed stop? I feel so sick.

Thanksgiving

I am thankful for : (these are in no particular order)

1 My husband
2 My daughter
3 Family - Parents, sis/bro-in-law, the rest you know who you are ;)
4 Friends - you know who you are (my bloggie friends too!)
5 an exciting year, traveling, seeing the world
6 an an even more blessed 2009
7 having a most wonderful and very blessed life.

What are you thankful for?

I'm not an alcoholic, but I like stories

Not that I drink a lot, but I really like crazy stories, and sometimes the truth is pretty interesting...Enjoy!

This was too thought-provoking to pass up!

From the Huffington Post blog, this article was really excellent. I love the idea of compromise in life as well as in politics. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all just get along and make the world a better place?

Enjoy!

8 things tag

8 things!
My sister tagged me!

The 8 Things Tag

8 TV shows I love to watch

well here I don't watch TV at all (and if i do it's either Discovery Channel or History), most of the time I read... so 8 books really for me.. and 5 of them will be the Harry Potter Series since I am the only one on earth who hasn't read the books or seen the movies. And the rest are in my wish list (see link on sidebar)


8 Favorite Restaurants (Didi, I hate that you have to rub it IN MY FACE that you live in HEAVEN there... so I guess local places here in Alice is all I will list...

1. The Glen Helen Gorge Resort Restaurant
(about 1.5 hours from us, but TOTALLY worth the drive)
2. Hanuman - and Indian and Thai fusion restaurant located I think at the Crowne Plaza
3. La Casalinga - good pizza
4. Jade Ebony Cafe - in Alice Plaza, and they have good sandwiches
5. Dennis's house restaurant (open 4 days a week when he's home) - the best food ever!
even good Tex-Mex!!!
6. Flavors of India - but lately their Naan has been over buttered (and didi it's
called Clay Pit, not Pot)
7. Yummy Noodle Box - a really good noodle place
8. My friends' houses - cause they are gourmet cooks unlike me!

8 Things that Happened Today
1. Internet was down (somewhere in Coober Pedy fiberoptic cables were cut shutting
down Internet from there up to Tennant Creek).. cue depression
2. Internet came back up... cue rejoicing!
3. Made breakfast
4. made lunch
5. about to make dinner
6. talked with Dennis about getting a few groceries since he's got his truck today.
7. Thinking about folding all my laundry, and then not doing it!
8. Procrastinating about EVERYTHING!!

8 Things I Look Forward To
1. Thanksgiving- spending time with family!
2. Christmas- love this whole time of year.
3. Shopping for Christmas and decorating!
4. 2009 and hearing prayers answered!
5. Traveling
6. Spending time with the hubby
7. Seeing my family- wish they lived closer.
8. Hanging out with friends and family!

8 Things on my Wish List
1. A sibling for Lil S one day
2. For us to move closer to family one day!
3. world peace
4. getting rid of poverty
5. getting rid of cancer and AIDS
6. i don't know what else...
7.
8.

8 People I Tag

8. any one else that wants to do this!

Remembrance Day

Thank you to all the veterans. Past, present, and future...

It's called Remembrance Day here rather than Veterans' Day as it is in the USA...and I thought that it was a good name. To remember why we have what we have and live in such a wonderful country (countries)...

I usually HATE cooking! But this... well it was fun!

Ok so at the urging of my friend who told me this was an easy recipe. I tried it.. here are my results.. ALL pictures are what I took of the process and the final result. It was pretty tasty, and it was really easy!

Baked Ziti

For variety, add one half cup chopped fresh basil, or eight ounces Italian sausage meat, cooked and crumbled, to the ricotta layer. ( Or Vegetables, eggplant or zucchini cook well with this)

Prep: 40 minutes (Cooking ziti plus throwing together all ingredients into baking dish)
Bake: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Marinara Sauce (approximately 3.5 cups)
16 oz. ziti (approx 450g)
15 oz. part skim ricotta cheese (approx. 425g)
1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt (If you like it saltier, double this to 1/2 tsp.)
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (approx. 225g)

*If you want to go all out, shred your own cheese, but if not, the bag kind tastes just as good and is fast ;)

Aussies : A good substitute for marinara here in Oz is the Latina Fresh Tomato & garlic sauce (in the refrigerator section)

1. Cook the pasta as label directs, drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350F or 175C. In large bowl, combine pasta and marinara sauce, stirring to coat. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, and salt (and meat/or veggies). Spoon half of pasta into 13''x9'' baking dish. Spread evenly with ricotta mixture,





and top with remaining pasta.



3. Cover ziti with foil and bake 20 minutes.

Remove foil and sprinkle with mozzarella.





Bake until cheese has melted, about 10 minutes longer. Makes 8 main-dish servings.




Thanks, Jen, for the recipe!!!

Comic Relief

I thought this was a cute video, but then again I could never even beat Mario 1. There are many fun ones on this site, and like the title of the website... well it's called College Humor.

Enjoy :)

Beauty

I think this is a beautiful idea and I think Lil S and I and Dennis will have to do this. I want to think up something great so we can pick it out whenever we go and visit.

I think the more people that do this, the better. It's so we never forget!

Thanks nkleyva from Xanga for the link to the site!

Yes!

Thank goodness it's over!

I thought McCain's concession speech was excellent, and he was really admirable and gracious. He is a good man (I never thought otherwise), and I think he is really sweet in wishing the President-elect well.

I am SO glad that the new president is Barack Obama! I understand that the weight of the world will be on his shoulders on Jan 20th, and beyond, and I truly hope that he will deliver.

We shall see!

Vote

If you are able and ready to vote, please go do it.

:)


VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

Sounds too good to be true!

My friend, Adrienne, told me about this: If we ever have another cat, I am TOTALLY going to try this!!!