Val! and Ness - Christmas

After being somewhat productive this morning (I started washing the dishes, Justin finished), we decided to go for a drive.  Wow!  A drive!  It is nice to have a car here!  We drove to Brooklyn and used our newfangled GPS (thanks Mom and Dad!) to find a nearby restaurant.  The joint was called “Buffalo Cantina.”  It reminded me of something you might find in Austin, so I liked it.  I had a torta, Justin had a burrito, we ordered chips and salsa and chicken strips in hot wing sauce – two of which were in the “suicidal” sauce – the hottest you can order.  The cashier attempted to dissuade us from selecting aforementioned sauce, but we wouldn’t hear of it. 

Justin and IKEA furniture

After lunch we drove to IKEA where we purchased a TV storage unit/organizational system.  Score for functionality!  After arriving home, we spent approximately 2.5 hours putting it together.  Now we just have to rearrange the rest of the living room.  I guess we know what we’ll be doing Sunday… :)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Russa - by tvoyasarochka

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles knew what Pizza Power was all about. They just didn’t know it came in a 12-volt variety.

Let’s be realistic here… There have been many a nights I’ve wandered upstate with the goal in mind to camp, considered BBQing, but secretly just wanted to devour a freshly baked pizza. Now, some rugged people out there might actually bake a pizza over a roaring campfire. I’ve never done this. I don’t know if it is possible.

…A quick web search proves that indeed it is possible! There is an illustrious ehow article written giving detailed instructions and supplies…

But for those of us that are not quite so daring, not quite so adventurous, and, honestly, not quite so motivated to prepare pizza crusts, stoke up a roaring fire, and haul along frying pans, there is a solution. This solution was brought to my attention by Alex of “It’s What’s Between,” the Sandwich Review blog.

Portable Pizza Oven

Moments like this make me want to close my tear-filled eyes, clasp my hands and whisper a heartfelt “God Bless America.” Someone has invented a portable pizza oven that plugs right into your car’s cigarette lighter. Imagine the implications. We will never have to go without pizza again!

The usefulness of this product doesn’t just begin and end with camping trips. Oh no! This audacious contraption can go anywhere you can go with four wheels! Tubing on the Guadalupe? Heat up a pizza before or after your dip in the icy waters! Going Muddin’ with some friends? How about a hot, cheesy mouthful of pepperoni pizza while you’re kickin’ up some muck. I know you’ve worked up an appetite with all that hootin’ and hollerin’! And as Sheila, blog keeper of “Little Bohemia,” mentioned – this little oven is the perfect go-to for picky eaters at a tailgate. UT fans will never go hungry again!

For those of you that are curious, you can check out this precious little product and others like it here. I am thinking the portable slow cooker would be a perfect gift for my Dad. ;)

True, I’ve never really liked you. I’ve snickered at you behind your back, and the one time I wandered into your store, I thumbed my nose at your shoddy furniture. But, honestly, I was just being a snob. I had no real reason to dislike you. You were just kind of like that dorky kid in class that got made fun of for no good reason except you didn’t fit in.

But this time, Big Lots, you’ve really gone and done it. You’ve given me a reason to shun you forever. You’re selling, quite possibly, the most idiotic contraption ever invented. God only knows how many poor suckers have bought the item in question from you.

I truly only have one question repeating over and over in my head.

Why, Big Lots, for God’s Sake, WHY!? Is this really necessary?

No – don’t speak… I know the answer… The sad truth is, somewhere out there, someone requested this hideously stupid invention. I worry for our children and our children’s children.