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Officially a Permanent Resident! July 12, 2009
After seeing The Proposal on Friday afternoon (Kellene and I played hooky in the middle of the work day to catch it — how cool is that!) I have to admit I had a moment of panic. After watching Sandra Bullock play a Canadian woman who is about to be deported, I thought about my current pending immigration status and got a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.
What if they rejected my application to be a permanent resident?? What if they made me leave my husband and go back to Canada solo???
Needless to say, I started to worry. Considering after being summoned twice for my biometrics (a fancy, scary word for fingerprints) they both were rejected by the FBI. And what’s more, the evidence we had presented to them was not adequate to prove our situation. So we were asked to send in nothing less than the following:
- Notarized witness affidavits from people who have known Tim and I since before we were married, describing our state of marital bliss
- All the records possible (bank, car, credit cards, life insurance, health insurance, car insurance, phone records)
- A written statement in my own words about how we met, courted, etc. Who was at our wedding. Photos. Wedding invitations. (You’ll be happy to know I sent them a lovely little scrapbook with photos from our courtship and wedding. Be careful what you ask for, Department of Homeland Security…)
The picture from our wedding announcement, taken by Stephanie
Then Friday evening I got the letter from the Department of Homeland Security.
You are deemed to be a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
At long last! No strings attached! Conditions removed! No deportation! It’s been a long haul, baby. Phew!
Are you living in the country you were born in? Did you marry someone from another country? Have you jumped through the fiery hoops of immigration? Did you walk away unscathed? Do tell!
I Cut My Hair! July 5, 2009
Oh yeah, I cut my hair! I blogged about it on my modest fashion blog, Cable Car Couture, but in case you missed it, here’s a recap.
I’ve been talking about cutting my hair and going for something fun and edgy. I’d even called the salon several times to try and book an appointment THAT DAY while I was in the mood. Well, I finally bit the bullet and scheduled a cut for my birthday at Metropolitan Salon in Provo, Utah. They are the BOMB. Here is the owner, Mike (also the brilliance behind the cut!), and me with the final result:
I have to say, I totally love it! It’s so versatile and fun and spunky.
Unbeknownst to me, my sister Stephanie also cut her hair in a similar fashion that week! Great minds think alike, what can I say!
So now, the girls seem to have less hair than the boys do in my family. Strange, strange world.
BUT, Joe managed to style his hair to make it look a lot like mine when we were in Canada. Twinsies!
How is your hair cut right now?
Sunday Dinner at Grandma’s and Grandpa’s July 5, 2009
When we were kids, every Sunday we would go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house in North Vancouver for Sunday dinner. Without fail, we would have meat spaghetti with Parmesan cheese, homestyle shake and bake chicken with Miracle Whip on it (trust me, it’s divine) and chocolate milk. Then we’d watch Star Trek. Every single Sunday, it was tradition.
With Grandma’s recent passing, Grandma’s children and grandkids gathered together at her home to remember her. We thought it only fitting that the last meal we ate together in her home be that same Sunday dinner that she used to make for us, chocolate milk and all. Even us lactose intolerant few had a couple sips 
I think I may have decided what to have for dinner…
Do you have any nostalgic meals that your parents or grandparents made that have carried on through your kitchen?
Happy Canada Day! June 30, 2009
Canada is my country. This is my flag. I bleed red, baby!
Photo Credit: Brian Bahr/Getty Images
Happy Canada Day! Hug a Canadian July 1st!
And while we’re on the topic, just to clear up any confusion…
Update June 24, 2009
Sorry to be a stranger as of late. Life threw a curve ball this week.
My dear Grandmother passed away on Sunday morning and we have been out of the country attending her funeral. She was a woman with a hearty, glorious laugh, a strong, independent heart, and a hopeless weakness for big watches and jewelry. She was loved by all and will be dearly missed.
Thank you for your patience and support during this difficult time.
How do you cope with the loss of a loved one?
Iron Chef Third Place Recipe June 7, 2009
This week, Sunrise Meadows had an Iron Chef Competition. It was an absolute blast! All the women split up into small groups and brought ingredients together in order to prepare a dish or two which incorporated the secret ingredient that we found out on the spot. We hosted a team at our place which consisted of Gretchen, Laurie, Tammy and I. We had such a blast!
Here is our final presentation.
Isn’t it lovely? And guess what! We took third place! For the record, even though Tim was a judge, he says we won the third place award fair and square.
Here is the shrimp coconut curry recipe, based off the Better Homes and Garden recipe for basil chicken in coconut curry. The recipe below has our adjustments. Click here for the original.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons curry powder | or one square of Glico medium curry
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 bag of shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 of a large red onion, cut into thin wedges (1 cup)
- a couple slices of jarred jalapenos
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 13.5- or 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tbsp of dried basil
- 2 chunks of ginger (this adds the beautiful ginger taste without being overwhelming and allows you to remove it easily after cooking)
- 1/4 C of milk
- 2 tablespoons of dried coconut
- 3 cups hot cooked rice w/ coconut added to the rice cooker
Directions
1. Pour oil into a wok or large nonstick skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Add onion, ginger, and garlic to wok; cook and stir about 8 minutes or until crisp-tender.
2. Stir together coconut milk, cornstarch, one tablespoon of dried coconut and pepper until smooth. Carefully add to wok. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Add the curry powder and shrimp. Mix in the milk and stir till smooth.
3. Stir in basil. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve over hot rice and sprinkle dried coconut overtop. Makes 4 servings.
Enjoy!
Official “New Moon” Trailer May 31, 2009
Tonight at the MTV Movie Awards, the official trailer for the upcoming “New Moon” trailer was released. Watch it here:
What do you think?
Keane Concert with Mat Kearney May 30, 2009
For Tim’s birthday, I treated him with tickets to the Keane concert! I bought the tickets the moment they went on sale and we got terrific seats. It was an AMAZING show! Mat Kearney, whose new song Closer to Love is on the radio right now, opened for them and was really good — just good, chill music that’s easy to listen to. On Mat Kearney’s tour blog, they said of the show, “The show tonight was the best one yet. Mat and the band sounded amazing.” Here’s some pictures and video we took of the show in case you missed it.
Mat Kearney opening:
I wanted to crop this man’s head… but I don’t have a cropping machine.
I was amazed at how theatrical Keane was in their performance style. The singer, Tom, used his arms a lot — exhibit A! And have you ever seen a keyboardist headbang? Well theirs did! And didn’t miss a note, amazingly! They were absolutely amazing. Kept us on our feet the entire time.
Here’s a video clip of Try Again:
If you aren’t familiar with either Mat Kearney or Keane, do yourself a favor and get acquainted! It’s excellent happy music. You’ll be happy you did.
All photos by Sarah.
The Difference Between Cats and Dogs May 20, 2009
Happened upon this hysterical difference between cats and dogs today. If you have ever had a cat or a dog in the past, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!
DOG DIARY
Photo c/o internetphotos.net
8:00 am – Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am – A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am – A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am – Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 PM – Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 PM – Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 PM – Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 PM – Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 PM – Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 PM – Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 PM – Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!CAT DIARY
Day 983 of my captivity.
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.
They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.
Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a ‘good little hunter’ I am. Bastards!
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of ‘allergies.’ I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow — but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches.
The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released – and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.
And that’s the difference between cats and dogs.
Harmonautica, Tim’s band May 16, 2009
Harmonautica
It’s finally summer again and that means that Tim is getting wrapped up with school for the semester. It also means that he’s getting back into playing and has started back up with his band Harmonautica. They have been playing off and on for the past couple of years, but this summer have already scheduled a bunch of up and coming shows. The band consists of:
Eric Blood – Bass / Lead Vocals
Josh Francis – Keyboard / Trumpet
Jimmy Hendricks (his real name) – Guitar
Tim Funk – Drums / Cajon
Tim started playing drums when he was nine years old and has since played in music ranging from jazz to rock, with a band named PDEX which took him on multiple tours throughout the west coast. Harmonautica came to be when Tim met Josh while working at Musician’s Friend in 2007. Josh introduced Tim to Eric when looking for a good jam band trio. Recently they adopted a guitarist named Jimmy Hendricks to add more versatility and depth to their soulful music.
They have played a few shows between then and now, but this summer are going to have a busy schedule with multiple shows lined up. The first big show of the summer will be at the Tahitian Noni Center in the Riverwoods in Provo (5151 N. 300 W. ) on June 12 at 7:00 pm. To hear their live album they have it posted on facebook and you can check that out by going to Harmonautica’s Facebook page. Their goal this summer is to have a full length album recorded and up for grabs. Hope everyone enjoys, and let the band know what you think of their music.
(Bravo to Tim on his first blog post on Sarah + Tim!!!)
