This is Thirty Something

Hold my beer, I got this.

ohgraciepie blog posts

Before This is Thirty Something, came Ohgraciepie. Here you can find all my past content and search for posts that you just can't stop thinking about.

There isn’t as much room under the highchair as there used to be

Photos of 
Then and Now
My sister and I decided to make a gift from the heart this year for my parents.
It took a little planning and some contortion moves like a bad game of Twister but we got it done.
Here are the results of our efforts.
The fruits of our labors, if you will…..
Recreating childhood photos
1988
Clark wanted to help
1985

Here it is in the frame with some jazzing up
Some other kids with time on their hands:

Dinner on parade

Celebrating 2 Birthdays before the Holidays is tough. 
I think I am liking our new tradition of the Traveling Dinner though.
You may remember last year’s soiree’ 
This year we started at my sister’s house for appetizers.
Then headed to my parent’s for the main course
and finished at my house for dessert.

 I made a spice cake with molasses cream cheese frosting
Recipe can be found
In a December issue of Relish 

And Caramelita Bars
Recipe Here 
Which were rich and delicious but a lot more caramel like than a bar cookie, which is what I was expecting.

Clark’s first photo bomb

That night Clark and I came down with the stomach flu and threw it all up.
It wasn’t as good the second time around.
True story.
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Ghosts from Christmas’ past

Thought it would be fun to take a little walk down old memory lane.
I dug out the Santa photos that my darling mother displays every year on the buffet in her house.
I wanted to share their awkwardness ………… with the rest of the world.
Because nothing says Happy Birthday Jesus like a young girl sitting on some stranger’s knee every year.

There are a few missing, I don’t know why I couldn’t find them.
This was a pretty well enforced December tradition.


Let us begin

1984
1985

1986

1987

1989

1993

1996

1997

1998
Don’t judge me

1999
I am wearing my aunt’s vintage sweater from when she was in Elementary school.
 I still wear it too!

2000
Thought we would spice things up this year. 
I dressed as my sister and she dressed as me.
( A slightly exaggerated version, I wasn’t  that preppy)
2001
Boyfriend Santa photos!
Awww young love
I am also sensing a pattern here with the skirts and boots

2002
We chose to get our “Santa” photo at the Nutcracker Ballet with the Rat King instead.
 We thought he was much creepier looking.

2002
 I ended up with a Santa photo anyway with my Best Friends

2003
We thought Mom would enjoy this one.
Not sure if she actually did.
Aren’t you surprised we haven’t taken any with our cats in them?!


2005
This was my first year in California, no photos were taken with Santa this year, but for the sake of continuing the walk down memory lane I found my best representation of a holiday photo for the following corresponding years.

2006
Spoke too soon about the cat. There she is! On the beach no less. 
This photo was taken in December btw.
We used them on our Christmas cards this year.
2008
Back home in Seattle
( Only 2.5 weeks away from meeting my husband on a blind date!)

2009
Cutting down our tree


2010
Newly weds

2011
Just found out we are expecting Clark

2012
You might be thinking
 Is that the same black dress from 2008? 
Yes, it is.
Obviously a great purchase

And the more things change, the more they stay the same
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I just can’t stop buying my own gifts

Gift shopping for the holidays is a tricky business. 
You send me out into a mall that is bursting at the seams with sales and gift sets and I am suppose to stick to a list and buy things …..for OTHER people. 
This is a true test of will.
How am I suppose to pass up all the amazing deals and one time today only for the next 30 minutes door buster sales!!!?
In years past, I have been pretty good at taking photos of amazing finds I “need” and then passing on the request to Santa.
 I have even gone as far as placing things on hold and calling Santa to let him know.
This year, I have a weakness… I am not sure if it’s my age, or the fact that I am now a stay at home mom who doesn’t get to shop like she used to,but I have been buying myself gifts all season long. 
Maybe it’s a subconscious worry that since Clark is here now he will get all the good gifts.
 I will get a saggy stocking and a Christmas mug filled with taffy. 
Wow, that just sounded really greedy. 
But let’s be real here,
 I have always been a bit spoiled on Christmas. 
Not my fault. Blame my family.
 So, now it’s time to pass the torch to my well deserving son. 
Don’t get me wrong, I want him to have everything he wants.
 It’s incredibly hard to walk out of Target these days without a new toy for him. 
I mean, you should see his face when he stops and plays with the Tickle me Elmo!
 It melts your soul. 
With that said though, it’s a little rough making the transition from daughter to mother. 
So I guess to ensure that I have a fulfilling holiday engagement, I have been stockpiling…. gifts…..for myself. Is that so wrong?! 
 Now, I have done my best to thoughtfully forget what it was that I have bought, so that I will be surprised when I opened them. 
Because that’s part of the whole experience. 
It’s not just the gifts… its the surprise! 
The excitement of Christmas morning and the anticipation of
 “Will I get that new pony I want or will it be another calendar?” 
I can’t be sure till I open it!
Judge me, I know you are. 
But please tell me I am not the only one who is guilty of this crime!
 Misery loves company. 
(And Joanie loves Chachi )
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Sacrilege you say

I know this video has been out for a while.
 I saw it months ago and then forgot about it, until it popped into my head this morning.
 I had to look it up and watch it again. 
The first time was the best though.
 It’s creepy and disturbing but also kinda awesome. 
Enjoy!
Sacrilege by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
What are your thoughts?
Leave a comment!
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I’m kind of a big deal

I don’t know if you have looked at the Seattle Met magazine this month yet….. but if you haven’t, let me save you some time and cut right to the chase.
Yep, that’s yours truly.
Right there on the top corner.

It’s not a national commercial or anything….but Hey, us housewives, nay Domestic Goddesses, gotta get our kicks somewhere!

You’re welcome.

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Cranberry Fiesta

Last minute I decided to take cranberries to Thanksgiving at the In laws. 
Last year there weren’t any, apparently no one is a huge cranberry fan on that side of the fam. 
So this year I took matters into my own hands.
 I found this delicious looking recipe on another blog that I follow. 
It was easy to make and it yields about 1.5 mason jars. 
Plenty to feed my berry cravings. 
I showed up with my creation and no one was quite as excited for them as me.
And by quite as excited, I mean no one cared.
Of course since I decided to bring some cranberries this year, it was no surprise someone else also showed up with them. 
More left overs for me! 
I put them on my day after thanksgiving waffles.
My leftover turkey sandwich.
My pumpkin pie….
My fork.
They are so good.
Make some and shame the shit out of other side dishes.

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Taking home the tree

This year our tree was free again! 
Yay for old property that used to be a tree farm.
The day after Thanksgiving we went out in the woods and found us a keeper!

Bonus: 
Gift with purchase ( or….not)
A mini table top tree for even more decorating!
Which  upon returning home Steve gave away to my friend Angela without asking me.
I guess she needed it more than me though.
I didn’t really need two trees…..
You better use that tree Angela!!!

Clearly Clark enjoyed himself

Isn’t it obvious?

He’s a real stone cold fox

As the Family tree was hoisted up into place in the Lodge, Clark sat in his easy chair and read farming magazines.

I made him put down his pipe for the photo.
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Many givings of thanks and the horse said Neigh

First of all, you may have noticed I have new forehead curtains.
I am still not sure how I feel about them.

Welcome to my Fall Photo shoot!

It almost looks legit huh?!
Clark wore his cute little vest and tie that he only wore once before. 
Which was to a funeral and he barfed all over it. 
So I was glad to get another wear out of it. 
Bonus- He didn’t puke this time!
Let’s eat!

I made a pumpkin and wild blueberry pie!

Unusually nice weather for November in Seattle

Burp.
Hope everyone had wonderful eats!!
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