The reason i watch the Olympics...

I have a small Olympic crush on Apolo Anton Ohno.

HE REPRESENTS AMERICA WELL!!!

All I have to say is "yum-ohno"

YACK!

I finally watched it. And all I can say is YACK! I think I'll never eat again unless I grow it and tame it myself. Okay, maybe not... but I probably will be a lot more picky at the market!

Ammonia flavored food filler??? Are you kidding me?

Anyone want to help me grow a garden this year?

Did I tell you my neighbor has chickens in his back yard? Three of them... they're beautiful speckled hens. I'll ask if I can take a photo and share it...

Did you miss me?

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