I am alive...

I realized it's been a couple of weeks since I posted. And, although there are no pictures yet, I want you to know I'm alive. It's been a crazy month for me consisting of packing, moving, sending my Accord to Honda Heaven (yes, I was in a Labor Day car accident), healing, more moving, unpacking, and car shopping. And I'm no where near finished.

BUT!!! My new place is beautiful! My bruises and friction burns are healing quickly! And I stole a quick test-drive over my lunch hour today. All in all, the month will work itself out.

The Lord works ALL THINGS together for good for those that LOVE HIM!

I'll post a couple photos when the dust has settled and when I have my computer and my cameras together in one place.

Love until then...

Estee Renee

Need to hire...

I'm moving... to a fabulous flat in a 124 yr-old Victorian home. Gorgeous wood floors. Super high ceilings. And a large kitchen. Not to mention... no midget shower anymore!!!

To celebrate, I picked out these two lovely things to add to my happiness. I will have this butcher block on casters, counter height, and large enough to work on. Someday... Wanna come roll out pie crusts and bake cookies with me?

And this shiny gem will hold all my lovely pans. I can't wait to settle. To nest. To live.

...and to invite everyone over for coffee! I'll show more as the day approaches...

Today's program brought to you by the number...

and the best of all... serving the finest breakfast in Omaha...

and by the way. 11. eleven. ten plus one. two ones beside each other. not quite twelve. eleven. 11. the number of pounds lost so far somewhere in the abyss of weight watchers. eleven.

Bon Appétit

Sur la Table is my haven. My inspiration. My wonderland. My candystore. My lunchtime ritual. They know me by name and they possibly have my bank account memorized. Not that I give it out regularly. Just yesterday. And a couple days ago. Nothing more than a dough scraper and a Silpat, I promise!!!

Now they've married themselves with the likes of the Julia-crazed and are passing new favorites under my nose for consideration. How can I ever pass up such timeless tools of the trade? How? How?? How???

I'll take one of these. And one of these...

And most definitely one of these...

That'll be all for now. My balance just slipped and I think I might have had a fainting spell... Nothing that a little Boeuf à la Bourguignonne wouldn't fix. I'll get on that.

Bon appétit. Au revoir. Merci.

SMILE... you're on Candid Camera!

When I got home from a long day of two jobs I had this surprise in my email...

Dear Renee,
When I think of you it makes me smile!!
XOXO
Tobin Edward

and this precious picture...

How much more perfect can a long day get? You make me smile, too, DreamBoy...

Love until forever,

Estee Renee

No repentance needed...

This is my new...

Gooey, drippy...

Sunday morning favorite...

Did you see that syrup drip? Hold on to that long, strong, string of sugary goodness, sweetheart!

Kashi GoLEAN Blueberry waffles toasted to a golden crispness, peanut butter, smashed banana, SF syrup (I gotta, it's 0 points... although I'd much prefer the real stuff)

Now that I've introduced you to my SIN (6 points of weekend Weight Watchers yum!)... it's time for me to go to church. See y'all later!

Love until forever,

Estee Renee

The quicker picker upper

I want to introduce you to the Napkin Dad. He's part of the e-ring circus in my friend Jana's world. I'm hooked on his napkins and try to ABSORB (hahaha...) as much as I can from his bits o' wisdom.Go to this site and read the Napkin Dad's story. Maybe it'll get your own creative juices flowing (you'll need a napkin to wipe those up =p). Maybe you'll find your own way to inspire your children to greatness as you scoot them off to school...

Keep sending us your BOUNTY, Napkin Dad! I love it!

Love until forever,
Estee Renee

Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Puffs

Young lady... did you eat all of my cereal? Cuz someone did... And I'm gonna be hungry in the morning...

If you did, that's okay. Just tell your mama your coming to visit Aunt Nay and bring a box of Cocoa Puffs. Love you!

See you soon (I really, really, really hope...)

Love until forever,

Aunt Estee Renee

Phhsssshewwwwwwwwwwww...

Last week was chock full of responsibility. I went to my full time job everyday. I started working my second job with Estee Lauder. I "watched" TWELVE KIDDOS for my cousins Friday evening... someone had to make sure the boys didn't break the new furniture or send a golf ball sailing through the bedroom window. And...

I...

kept (very safe I might add) two hermit crabs and a beta fish named "Ocean". My friend Tesa and her fam took a much deserved vacation to the upper regions of Michigan. Her boys needed me to care for their animal family. Hermie, Feisty, and Ocean became my week-long roomies.

My roomies have now moved out. They like their original home MUCH BETTER! And to bestow their gratitude, the boys fashioned a fine piece of art for me. Very fine... don't you think?

Boys, it was an honor to care for your pets! I hope they live a long and healthy life!

Love until forever,
(the never "CRABBY") Estee Renee

Am I insane???...

When I woke up this morning, there was a thick fog blanketing Omaha... And behind that fog I secretly hoped I would find this...

Then I took my bath and had my breakfast and realized what a nincumpoop I am. I don't really want snow. I promise. It's the heat getting to my head. Yeah. That's what it is. The heat. Making me insane and a little loopy.

Okay, maybe not the heat... maybe genetics. Anyway...

Love until forever,

Estee Renee

Skip the book, see the show...

I've never been so bored as the three months I tried desparately to read this...

The concept of the book, the suggested storyline, the jacket advertisement... they all indicated that I would enjoy this tome of literary comraderie. I like to cook. I like to read. I appreciate all things nostalgic. Therefore I would like it.

But I didn't. Sorry Julie Powell. I'm sure I would have LOVED your blog. It's my style. But to move that storyline to this book just didn't work. Not for me.

BUT!!! When I saw the trailer for the motion picture, I was excited.

It seemed like a much more interesting way to experience the story. So I spent my last free Saturday of summer sitting in the theatre. Me and about 150 senior citizens. It was the 10:15... A.M... show.

I was confident I would like this... a Nora Ephron film. I ALWAYS like Nora Ephron. And I did. I felt connected. Involved. I'm not a fan of French food (except the wine and cheese) but I may just give it a try after watching it's life unfold before my eyes.

This just goes to show that the book is NOT always better than the movie...

Love until forever,
Estee Renee

If it was good for Aristotle...

We've all read the accounts of this wonderful new product on American supermarket shelves, right? This amazing, rich, creamy, smooth, tangy, lucious goodness called GREEK YOGURT, right? Well, I've tried a couple... and I'm in love!!! With this one...

FAGE (pronouced fah-YEH) completely FAT FREE yogurt. I've enjoyed some every morning with fresh blueberries. I've added it to my favorite muffin recipe. I've slapped a dolop of it on top of my burrito. I've had it in the evening with a bit of honey and pecans. YUM!

This one product has taken the place of so many other items in my fridge. I'm hooked. And it's the ONLY thing I travel to Whole Foods for.

I highly recommend you find a bucket of it and give it a go. But, please, please, please leave a container on the shelf for me. I'm just about out again and I'm asking nicely...

I ♥ you forever...

Estee Renee

Get in my belly...

I have a secret to life that I'm just now learning... If you want to do something, try something, be successful at something, overcome something, you must tell someone the ABSOLUTE-HONEST-NO-HOLDS-BARRED-THERE-AIN'T-NO-MISTAKEN-THIS-IS-HOW-IT-IS-TRUTH about what's going on.

I've joined Weight Watchers. Again. I joined six years ago when I lived in the 'Ville and had time to lug myself down the Pathfinder twice a day for exercise and had an entire cafeteria crammed full of every healthy (even though there were NOT healthy) food choice I could want. I was successful. I lost 70 lbs back then.

Then life happened. I changed jobs. I changed cities. Twice. I became lazy. I became complacent. And I found my 70 lbs I'd lost. SHUCKS! DOUBLE SHUCKS!

So to make myself feel better I took my favorite picture of myself... a la top of this page... to my stylist and said, "Fix my hair to look like this again." So she did. And she did a good job. But it didn't look right. My face was FAT again. Ughhhhhhhhhhhh...

So what did I do? I faced reality. I went back to Weight Watchers. I'm telling the GOD'S-HONEST-TRUTH. I've gotta do it this time. Keep me accountable folks. Hold me to my truth. Make me face the music. I've gotta dance this time.

Love until forever,
Estee Renee

Why do you do this to me?

Seriously, Lenox... I'm in love with beautiful place settings so much that I can't decide which is my favorite. And if I could decide, then maybe I'd commit and have an entire collection. But no, you have to go and produce something this beautiful. All it does is confuse me more...

I shouldn't tell you the Pioneer Woman is having a giveaway today of SIX of these glorious sets. I shouldn't tell you because then the odds of me winning would be greater. I shouldn't... but I just did. If you win, please have me over for lunch and let me sip tea from the mug and eat salad off the plate... PLEASE?????

Sweet "Chirp" if you're lucky I'll...

Love until forever,
Estee Renee

It's your "Special" Day...

Happy Birthday, Pops... You gave me your best so I thought I'd give you my best (photo of you...) I hope your 59th birthday is a good one! Uh-huh...

Love until forever...
Your favorite oldest daughter

Is it really July?

Who wants to spend their time inside working, cleaning, or BLOGGING when the weather is this unseasonably beautiful? NOT ME! I can't believe our July luck. I'm going to spend the entire day enjoying it.

I realize that August is still coming. But these wonderful days have made me yearn for autumn. You will come soon, won't you friend???

I love you 75 degrees... FOREVER!

Estee Renee

Inspirators vs Conspirators...

I knew it wouldn't be fair to post a true photo of the Pioneer Woman on my blog without her permission. So, instead, I borrowed one of her other "true likenesses" to give you an idea of what she's about...

Many of you are already familiar with this woman and her website(s). You remember me gushing over her last year when I stumbled on this rare gem of internet splendiferousness. And if you aren't familiar with her, get yourself to her site and read and read and read. You'll laugh, cry, hiccup, sigh... it's beautiful and her family is beautiful and so are her dogs (even Charlie).

Ree (we're on a first name basis - or at least I am... and isn't it funny that our names are different by only two letters??? I call that kinship. HA!) has done so much for me without ever knowing it! She has inspired me to begin writing and blogging (whether anyone reads it or not). She has made me want to get my hands dirty in the kitchen and in the soil. She's made me want to have a dog and a couple dozen kids (these two goals will have to wait a few years I'm afraid...) And she's made this city girl long for the country.

And most of all, she's made me miss OKLAHOMA. I lived in her neck of the woods for 15 years and when I left I thought I'd said my final goodbyes. My sayonara. But now I want to spend some time there again. Visit my okie friends. Take a walk on the Pathfinder. Eat at DINKS (for goodness sake!)

This week, the Pioneer Woman launced ANOTHER grand site for us to whittle our days away with. Which leads me to my final thought... Pioneer Woman has made me want to be and do so much more. But she's also taken a lot of my time. So is she a INSPIRATOR or a CONSPIRATOR???

Ms Pioneer Woman and all others in SMOKELAHOMA...

Love until forever,
Estee Renee

Daddy-o!

To my daddy, my pops, my dad, my father, my guide, my friend... Happy Father's Day! I love you!

"They will be called Oaks of Righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of HIS splendor." Isaiah 61:3b

Love until forever...

Help please...

I've been experimenting with my header and need some guidance. I'd like to have a frilly happy header with sweet pictures and curly fonts. However, I don't have the expertise to create one of those yet. I will get there, I assure you.

In the meantime. I've created these three and want to know if any of them are worthy of header-dom on this here blog space. Should I treasure or discard?

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Thank you for the help! Oh, and if you know anything about Photoshop Elements 7 and want to shoot the understanding my way, I'd be much obliged. I don't seem to have the patience tonight.

Love until forever,

Estee Renee

Zzzzzzzzzzz... Mmmmmm...

If I had a house. In the South. Or even in the East. Or the West. I'd have this. A sleeping porch. To lounge. To rest. To dream. To read. To nap. I'd use it in the morning. The afternoon. The evening. All the time. I'd have huge trees. Draping over the roof. Rustling in the breeze.

But I don't own a house. And I live in Nebraska. And we have winters. But if I had a house. I'd still have one of these.

Love until forever (and I'll have one someday),
Estee Renee

A Namesake...

A few years ago I met my friend Jana. I was standing at a cosmetic counter, wishing for someone to show my wares to. And in walked a woman with the most magnificent red hair, milky skin, and GIGANTIC purse. We began to talk of potions and cremes and Beautiful soap... Then I discovered that she was THE Jana spoken of often in the house that I lived. You see, my roommate taught Jana's "children." They were always in the school productions and my roomie was the Drama teacher. And there were always stories of this family. So when I met Jana, we became fast friends.

So what does this have to do with a namesake, you ask? Well, let me tell you... Jana sends her stories often through email and has a big group of fans/friends/countrymen and so she must categorize these folks in her own special nickname way. Jana dubbed me "Estee Renee." And I was honored.

It's a name I've kept because I love the story of Mrs. Estee Lauder... I worked for her company, carried on her traditions (did you know she would stop a woman in an elevator and put lipstick on her just to freshen her up), became a part of her family. I left the company for other adventures but yesterday I put in an application to come home to the Lauderettes again. I hope to rejoin the family!

Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Jana! I hope Mrs. Lauder would be proud of me...

Love until forever,

Estee Renee

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

"Be pretty if you can, be witty if you must, but be gracious if it kills you." ... elsie de wolfe

She must have been a smart woman. She and my mother have the same first name and I think my mother is brilliant!

I'll try until forever...

estee renee (prettily, wittily, AND graciously)

Cloudy Sundays...

I drove down the 10th Street Bridge to meet a friend at a fabulous little deli/wine shop for Sunday brunch. As I parked the Honda, I noticed a wonderful cloud stuck to the top of the First National Bank building. What a glorious way to view this Sunday. I'm so glad I packed the Canon. The rain and the clouds have kept the day cool. And it made for a perfect day of dining, drinking, and exploring in the Old Market.

We enjoyed open-faced ham & swiss sandwiches on fresh French baguettes - served with spicy Dijon, shriveled salty olives, and tart yet sweet cornichons. Add to that a couple glasses of wine and LaBuvette was a shared favorite with a new friend.

After lunch we wound through the Old Market, browsing for treasures at Second Chance, flipping through books and art at Soul Desires Books, enjoying the views of the other strolling folks, and hoping for a perfect furniture find in Niche. I think it was a perfectly prosperous day!

I love you clouds. I love you Sundays. I'm glad when you come visit together!

Love until forever,
Estee Renee

Oh so yummy...

I made a treat to celebrate a successful audit at work... Okay, truthfully... I made these lovely French Breakfast Puffs because I was craving them SOOOOOOOOOOOO bad. And because I had all of the ingredients. And because the auditor was gone so we could have our table and coffee maker back at work. And because I had friends to share them with. And because I got a FABULOUS china platter from my boss for Christmas and it needed to make its debut. And just because I wanted to. Isn't that good enough?

You should definitely try these. They are, unfortunately, not diet food... But make a dozen, eat one (or two) and take the rest to your neighbors. They'll invite you over more often.

I can't take credit for these. I found them here but have heard the tale that they are originally a Better Homes & Gardens recipe from many moons ago...

Call me after you've indulged and we'll take a walk together. We've gotta work these dandies off somehow!

Love until forever,
Estee Renee

I really love this one...

WHOA! Two posts in one day! Goin' crazy here...

I just wanted to show you a pic of a cute li'l girl that I love SOOOOOOOOOO much! She calls me Aunt Nay. And the other day she got on the phone and said, "We're going shop-ping for flip-flops." It's kinda sad when they started putting words together in full sentences... means they're growing up way too fast.

This li'l love of my life that I like to call "chick'n" is sweet, sweet Jace. Isn't she beautiful? She talks A LOT and her mama is getting a dose of her own medicine... Makes me laugh a little on the inside.

But she's wonderful. And she's precious. And she's welcome to visit me anytime she wants... here in Omaha... the city that Oma owns. (No, I did NOT teach her that... I tried to, though.)

Love until forever, chick'n...

Aunt Nay

What I love about May mornings...

The sun at 6:30 in the morning makes the yard look stunning. There's nothing like it! It makes me wish I could stay home and frolick all day...

And playing with the geraniums makes my fingers smell lovely and green... a wonderful scent to go with the orange juice I'm treating myself to.

I love you early morning sun... thank you for shining!

Estee Renee

My favorite part of spring...

Last year I bought this fabulous hibiscus. Hibiscus is my favorite flower. They're big. They're showy. Yet they're delicate. And they can handle the heat. This is my hibiscus in all her glory...

Then the storm hit. It blew and hailed and poured on the pour gal. She was beaten and whipped. She was stripped of her beautiful clothing and left naked, shivering in the corner...

Notice the lone bud left as a calling card... a note to say, "See what I can do to you. Don't show off too much. I could have left you dead but let's see what you've got, woman."

The good news - the little lady's still alive. I brought her in for the winter and loved and cared for her. She gave me a few leaves and lots of flowers to say thank you. But the kind flower lady at Mulhall's told me I could have no flowers this summer. If I really loved this one, I would have to be tough on her. Cut her nearly to the stem. Make her grow a coat. Put some leaves on. So I mustered the courage and did just that. I took a picture but I won't embarass her by placing it here... Just know that her photo shoot is coming. She will return to glory. She's a fighter. A winner. An example to us all.

Show some flowers after you've been beaten. Don't let them think they've made you die. Remind them you're beautiful. But let 'em cut you back and force you to become stronger, not just prettier.

Live long and strong, beautiful hibiscus... Love until forever,

Estee Renee

To my mother...

Look what I found... Happy Mother's Day, Mom...

I love you!

Wanna know why this guy's smilin'?

Cuz I ain't gonna eat no meat...

I'm declaring next week NO MEAT WEEK! I'm gonna give it a try... go for the green. It'll be veggies 'n fruits 'n beans for me (okay, I'll probably consume eggs and fish, too... I'm not a FANATIC!!!)

But no cow, no pig, no chicken... and I never eat deer or buffalo or elk, so they're safe.

So if anyone has any grand ideas for meals PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let me know. Or I'm gonna get tired of salads real quick...

I'm off to grow a tomato...

It's been a LONG day...

I went for a wonderfully long walk with Heidi tonight. We walked down the long hill, across the bridge, and through the Old Market. Then... we turned around and walked back through the Old Market, up the bridge and back over the long hill. It's a tough journey when you don't do that everyday!

Anyway, when I got home it was obvious that I needed to spend a little time in the shower. I rinsed off, opened the lid of my FAVORITE EVER shampoo and scrubbed it into my scalp. Apparently my hair was extra filthy because my shampoo hardly made any suds. So I rinsed and tried again. And again. And again. After four tries I realized I had been trying to wash my hair with my conditioner... I'm stupid!!!

But the walk was good and I'm glad to be in my PJs, curled up on the couch watching the Michael J. Fox special, and crocheting. I should say good night, though.

Love until forever,

Estee Renee

That's just who I am...

I am part of a split generation. One part tradition, one part apathy, one part cynacism, and one part hope. Each day I have a choice to make. Which part of my generation will I be?

Some days I am strictly grounded in the tradition of my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, pastors, and others. I love the history of who we are, where we've been, what we dream, what we want to be.

Some days I am embarrassingly apathetic. Not because I don't care, but because I can't face the responsibility our generation holds. Our parents and grandparents are part of the largest ever group of aging adults. Guess who gets to care for them... That's a lot of responsiblity. We have personal and federal debt that is growing by leaps and bounds and threatens the financial well-being of not only our nation but of the world. Guess who gets to start the process of paying for it... That's a lot of responsibility. Our world is growing and changing and developing at unbelievable speeds. There are so many moral ramifications tied to that development. Guess who needs to be concerned... That's a lot of responsiblity. Some days I just want to go back to bed.

Some days I am so cynical you should just shoot me. Like that's ever gonna happen... We talk about change, we talk about hope, we talk about "Ameri-CAN", blah, blah, blah. All we ever do is talk but do we ever do??? Like that's ever gonna happen...

In spite of all of that... I am part of my generation who has hope. Hope that things will be as good as they've ever been. Hope that we can come together as a nation and as a world with similar ideas, similar goals. Hope that we can embrace race, culture, religion... not as things that separate us but as differences that join us - each person being part of a puzzle. Hope that good will triumph over evil (okay, I KNOW that one's gonna happen. Read the Bible...) And I have hope that we will work together to empower our churches, our communities, and our government to play active roles in that outcome. It is my responsiblity to support and empower those around me as they do the same for me.

Ameri-CAN. Christ CAN. You CAN. I CAN... (apparently Dr. Seuss CAN, too... oh, and toucan)

And by the way... I think Barack Obama CAN. I voted for him...

"Optimism isn't about hoping for the end result. I'm content to enjoy the hope, without needing to be assured of the outcome." - Michael J. Fox

I'm waiting patiently but slightly impatiently for this book to arrive from Amazon.com. Okay, I can't wait for it to come and I'll probably set all other reading aside. I was one of the privileged few of Omaha who heard the author speak at the Durham Museum last week. And they had a severe shortage of books there.

I have an insatiable need to read biographies and watch documentaries. I read the biography of Amelia Earhart an easy 37 times during my 3rd grade year. And did I mention that I'm a nerd who watched Histories Mysteries and NOVA specials on Netflix???

Less about me, though...

Here are some other AMAZING books about people with BIG LIVES that I think everyone should read...

No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green by Melody Green
Mission Possible by Marilyn Laszlo
The Chosen by Chaim Potok (fiction)
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God by David McCasland
The Diary of Anne Frank
Susannah Wesley: Servant of God

And oh, the list could go on. Read, and read, and read. Read the biographies of as many as you can (be sure to read several different authors, too). And when you're tired of reading, write your own history...

Love until forever... (and ever and ever and ever)
Estee Renee

Dead men say the sweetest things...

Sonnet 128

How oft, when thou, my music, music play'st,
Upon that blessed wood whose motion sounds
With they sweet fingers, when thou gently sway'st
The wiry concord that mine ear confounds,
Do I envy those jacks that nimble leap
To kiss the tender inward of thy hand,
Whilst my poor lips, which should that harvest reap,
At the wood's boldness by thee blushing stand!
To be so tickled, they would change their state
And situation with those dancing chips,
O'er whom they fingers walk with gentle gait,
Making dead wood more blest than living lips.
Since saucy jacks so happy are in this,
Give them thy fingers, me thy lips to kiss.

Too hard to decide...

Hello, love-of-mine... How are you today? I've missed you terribly and can't wait to touch you, hold you, smell you, taste you... (oops, this is supposed to be PG so I'll stop there).


I want something yummy today to finish my fabulous lunch from Jimi-D's. HELP! I can't decide. Which should it be...

or

I'll be seeing you soon, oh-goodness-in-my-life...

Love until forever,

Estee Renee