Monday Foto Funday: Holidaze Uh-Dish

I don’t know about you guys, but I was ready for 2015 to be done-zo. I delight in the potential of a fresh year and am positively atwitter at the thought of what 2016 holds. Since I’m still mulling on my resolutions (taking it seriously, y’all), I thought the best way to kick off a fresh year of blogging would be to bring out the fun fotos. As the post title suggests, today’s batch is a nice smattering of holiday photos. But since its been a hot minute since my last Monday Foto Funday post, my holidays start back in October… So, blame El Nino, ’cause it’s about to start raining pictures. Here we go.

 

Leigh’s Halloween Checklist:

-Candy

-Costumes

-Free Burrito at Chipotle

-Decorations

-Libations

-Moleskine journals

That’s everything, right? Although journaling can sometimes be scary, I thought this product endcap was (un)fortunately placed at my local CVS.

 

Speaking of unfortunately placed things (her hands, apparently), I’m not sure what “poor-man’s Ryan Seacrest and Hayden Panettiere” are trying to sell me, but it sure doesn’t make me want to smoke cigarettes. And, frankly, he’s taking a little too much pleasure(!) in what is going on. He is going elbows DEEP in that pumpkin, y’all! Also, like this ad, smoking is stupid. Don’t do it.

 

 

I have been reading the ‘Complete Collection of H.P. Lovecraft’ since July. SINCE JULY. Even after six months, I am still only 58% of the way through. I’m a pretty fast reader, and have had to intersperse some other novels just for my sanity, but that’s the problem you have when you have a prolific writer who was paid by the word. I’ve previously mentioned my penchant for The Simpson’s Tapped Out app as one of my favorite time wasters, so when their Halloween update was Lovecraft-themed, I was particularly tickled. Especially now since I say, “C’thulhu-dooodle-doooo!” on a regularly basis.

 

My friend Julie’s mom was in town slightly before Thanksgiving and we all met for lunch at a local restaurant (Simple Things) known for their lunch and pie. As we stood in front of the glass display case discussing the options, I jokingly said, “one of each, obviously.” We opted to decide after lunch.  Later, while we were eating our sandwiches, Julie’s mom excused herself and came back to the table with a plate filled with (indeed) nine mini-pies– one of each flavor. We gloriously worked our way through the menu till we could eat no more.  The girls sweetly sent the leftover morsels home with me for Josh. When we opened the take-out box later that night, we found the above printed on the inside lid. And although eating lots of pie often probably isn’t a good decision– having that experience certainly was. If you ever get the chance to do an expansive pie-flight, I thoroughly recommend it. And, for the record, Josh and I picked out the pie we served for Thanksgiving from that flight.

If you read this blog (even occasionally), you will know that we l-u-r-v love a good lifehack. If you read our previous post, you’ll know how much we detest bad lifehacks. The picture on the right came through my Facebook feed in the creepy way that “Sponsored Posts”  do, as Ralphs is a nearby grocery store chain. I’m getting upset just looking at this picture. There are so many ways why this is wrong and not helpful in anyway, shape, or form. Can you imagine trying to clean your vintage, heirloom pearls after flouring them and pressing them into dough. Also, if you are going to tought them making “the perfect pie crust” then I would make dern sure that my strand was spot on straight around pie dish. #idon’tthinkyouknowhowlifehacksworkralphs F-

 

Do you know what I find funny? The line outside The Honey Baked Ham store/restaurant on Thanksgiving/Christmas eve. We live near a Honey Baked Ham restaurant and whenever we walk by it it is remarkably empty. Literally, we remark on it. And it isn’t just THIS store. It is ALL Honey Baked Ham stores/restaurants. But, say what you will about their business model, that’s some good ham. Which is why they’re lining up around the block for it. And yes, we wear shorts during Thanksgiving in California.

The above two photos might explain why I kind of spent this past holiday season in kind of a funk. It was at this point of watching/listening to the ‘Sounds of the Season’ channel from our cable package that I turned it to ‘Soulful Christmas’. ‘Soulful Christmas’ forever.  Also, I actually kind of love this wreath of pills from the window of the pharmacy next door to my favorite empanada joint. In context, this wreath is awesome. Out of context, it’s even awesome-r.

While Christmas shopping this year, I came across this delight:

Who’s Left? …WHO’S LEFT?! I don’t know… Guess Who? That’s who’s left.

If I were John Hasbro, I’d be calling my lawyers. Though it must be nice to have the stable of Nickelodeon characters…

 

Finally, as previously mentioned, I’m a pretty staunch traditionalist when it comes to traditional foods to eat at New Years. As such, we got a ham, some cornbread, and grumbled when we couldn’t find black eyed peas. When I was opening the can of collard greens (cause mama ain’t got time to reduce collards this year) later in my kitchen, I was taken aback by the suggested recipe on the back.

No shit those aren’t “JUST Chocolate Cupcakes”. And you’re right, that would indeed be a flavor I wouldn’t believe came from a can. Later though, the more I thought about it, the more I started to think that maybe it MIGHT work. We have a recipe, first hand anecdotal evidence ON THIS BLOG about making delicious brownies from beans. However, when I parse out exactly what you are substitute seasoned mixed greens for, I’m confused. Are you replacing the oil? Cause there are 5 Tbs. of butter in that recipe– see also the 8 oz. of cream cheese. I just… I can’t… What??

You can see why I’m excited for 2016? Hope you all had a great holiday season, but I’m glad the gauntlet is over. NEXT!