Booker and all she has learned at my house

This is Booker. We got her about 2 months ago when on Friday at work I stumbled across an ad in Craigslist that said “African Gray with a fowl mouth (Actually quite funny)” and I was in love. The next day I started working on the husband see after the surprise of Annie I had to promise no more animals (little did he know I had my fingers crossed behind my back) it took me about an hour and I was on the phone with the breeder. When the breeder arrived at our house to deliver my baby he explained booker was a bird he had already sold to a lady that had teen age sons and they taught her lots of interesting thing to say. Mostly she dropped the f bomb. Since she has come to our house she has picked up every bad habit my husband and son have. Now keep in mind my son is 16 and my husband works in construction so she has learned a lot of bad habits. Her newest one is to make loogie and fart sounds. She also burps but I must admit I think she got that one from me. Well we have had her for 2 months so I guess we will see what she learns in the next 2 months I can’t wait.

View from the top of Phoenix

I work on the 19,20, and 21 floor of a building in downtown Phoenix AZ. Here is the view I get every work day. I will share it with you from time to time. It can really be beautiful at times and I feel lucky to be able to enjoy it.

Coming tomorrow Booker the great cursing bird.

Booker is the newest addition to our home and by far the most vocal and you will not believe some of the thing she says. Hear all about Booker and her dirty mouth tomorrow.

200 Pounds of Love (Pig Newton)

What can I say about my big bundle of love Pig Newton? Well Newton came to our home when he was about 6 weeks old and he weighed about 2 pounds. He was so scared the first day he jumped out of the car and tried to run away my husband and I had to chase him for at least 20 min he was so fast. Once we caught him I did not want to let him go so I held him that entire day. Now Mr. Newton is close to 200 pounds I’m sure (I haven’t been able to weigh him in some time) and he is still the love of my life. When we get home and after he is fed (that is first order of business for Newtie) he follows me around and lies on his side for me to rub his tummy. The hubby takes him outside for exercise he smacks him on the bum and runs after him the two of them chase one another till they both fall down tired then they lay on the grass hubby’s head on Newton’s belly it is the cutest thing. My husband and I are not able to have children so we have our pets and it is nice to be able to fill our home with all the love, noise and chaos that family brings. As a child I never expected to have a pig as a pet and now as an adult I can’t imagine not having one. Newton is so smart and all he wants is the same thing we all want, it to be loved and I feel honored to be able to give him that love.

Don't miss out tomorrow it's Pig Newton's turn at bat

And also a new recipe. Please leave your comments on your fav food and I will give you recipes that you might like.

Low carb cooking

Banana cake with coconut cream frosting

1cup: whole wheat pastry flour
1cup: all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp: baking powder
1 1/2 tsp: baking soda
2 tsp: ground cinnamon
½ tsp: ground nutmeg
½ tsp: salt
2tbsp: butter
1 large egg white
1 large egg separated
¼ tsp: cream of tartar
1 ½ cups: granulated sugar (separated)
1 ½ cups: mashed very ripe bananas
3 tbsp: canola oil
1 tsp: vanilla extract
½ cup: buttermilk
1/3 cup: unsweetened coconut chips of flaked
12 ounces: reduced fat cream cheese
½ cup: confectioner’s sugar
½ tsp: coconut extract

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. coat two 9” round cake pans with cooking spray. Dust lightly with flour, shaking out the excess flour.

2) Whisk whole flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.

3) Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, swirling, until it turns a nutty brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

4) Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, increase speed to medium high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add ½ cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry (this can take up to 5 minutes).

5) Combine the melted butter, egg yolk, remaining 1 cup sugar, bananas, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl, with mixer in low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk; beat until just blended. Beat in a heaping spoonful of the whites, using a whisk, fold in the remaining whites. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

6) Bake the cake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto the racks and let cool completely.

Prepare the frosting and assemble cake

1)      Toast coconut in a pie pan at 350 F until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.

2)      Combine cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar and coconut extract in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.

3)      Frost the cake, using a little less than half the frosting between layers and the rest on the top. Garnish with the toasted coconut. Enjoy.

Annie’s grand entrance

What can I say Annie is the youngest, newest, and smallest of all the fur babies but she rules the roost that’s for sure? And sometimes it is with an iron fist. She came to our home at 6 weeks old and all of about 1 ½ pounds. She has more energy than I ever thought possible and loves to rough house with her older brothers and sister. Annie has three brothers and one sister (I’ll tell you all about them later). The day I got Annie I was in the market for a lap dog so I did what any good American woman would do and told my husband I was going to the mall to get a watch battery. When I got to the house my wonderful husband Adam was waiting at the door for me I held Annie up to is face and said “Hello daddy” he was so shocked he was frozen for a few seconds. After he recovered he told me it was a bad idea to get a new dog. The next day I was about to get off of work and I get a text from Adam it was a pic of him holding Annie up in the mirror I know he was in love from that very moment and yes she is daddy’s little girl. He lets her get away with murder sometimes. I am very happy to be able to share my house with so much life, love, laughter, and just plain noise. I would never advocate for any family to have a cat, pig, African gray, and 3 dogs but it works for me and thank god I found a man that it works for too.