Bem-Vindos!

That's Portugese for "Welcome Home" just in case you don't sprecken the language of Brazil...

Brent finally made it back to Brigham City, albeit 24 hours later than originally planned...

Hmm...after uploading pictures from camera to computer, I totally thought I took more pix at the airport. Alas...I must not've. So here's what I got on the blessed day of Brent's return, 28 Jan 2009:

Jackson, waiting for Brent's flight to come in...

Brent and Mom;
(I thought this was sweet...)

All the kids:
Aaron, Vance, Gina, Ryan, Brent

And just for fun...
30 Jan 2007 when we dropped B off at the airport.

Anyhoo, it's way good to have Brent home! He's very much the same personality-wise, but a little bit different too. Which is what I expected, considering my other brothers. (Yep, all 4 of my bros served honorable, full-time missions! Kinda cool!)

disappointed...

I'm in Brigham City right now, awaiting the arrival of the youngest O. son. I pulled into town right around 7pm yesterday, and I was so happy and excited!

However...as you can tell by the title of this post (and the large frowny face to your left), something went awry...

Brent called last night around midnight (our time) to tell my folks that his flight left Belem late enough that he missed his connecting flight in Manaus. So he's stuck in Brazil until tonight; the airline (whose fault it is) got Brent another flight out, but it doesn't leave until 24 hours after his original flight.

So that means he won't be in Utah until 1:10pm TOMORROW. We're all bummed.

Especially Brent, I'm sure. He's all alone (techincally). There were 3 other Americans on the flight, but Brent is the only missionary. The airline got hotel accomodations for them, but only 2 rooms between the 4 people; Brent opted to stay at the airport. I'm sad for him.

Oh well. I guess the reunion tomorrow will be that much sweeter, right?

Weird Food Night...

Oh gee. I talked to my mom yesterday and she brought to my attention something that I just realized on Saturday afternoon: my blog has been a lot about food lately. I fear it may make me seem rather piggish and whatnot. People, my life does not revolve around food. True, I really enjoy it, and I don't skip meals unless it's accidental, or it's Fast Sunday. But I have other, like, hobbies and stuff.

So I was thinking, "I just won't post any more about food."

However, 2009 being the year to try new foods...well, not blogging about it just isn't an option. There you have it. There will be, I'm quite certain, lots of other "foody" posts.

PS I will be trying haggis this coming Friday. That post will be quite interesting, I daresay...

Moving on: My cute friend Brooke hosted a party called "Weird Food Night" on Saturday. It was pretty awesome. The dealio was that we were supposed to bring strange food combinations that might sound yucky, but in all reality it's pretty good. (The main rule was "Don't bring it if you won't eat it.") Sounds like fun, right?

Right!

So...I'm not clever. Or really all that brave. Basically, if it sounds like a yucky combo, I'm not going to write down the recipe. So instead, I made this little number:

I give you: "fishy jello!"
Clever, right? It was totally Lisa B's idea...

Kade brought this cottage cheese/salsa dip.
Yummo! This was a fave snack whilst I was in college...

Jonathan brought "Mango Loco" suckers.
It's a mango sucker covered in chili powder.
This reaction is 100% authentic. (Not to mention embarrassing)

Lisa B brought Ground Nut Stew with Rice.
(A tomato-based stew with peanut butter, a Ghanaian dish)
Rather tasty, actually...

Lisa B also brought this little number.
I so didn't even go there...
(Yep, that's bananas with Nutella)

Callie sampling Megan's Meusli (a tasty German dish)...

Brooke made something she calls
"Creme de la Peachy Tuna."
I couldn't make myself try it...
I think she said it's a Belgian delicacy...

Lisa John brought Artichoke dip.
(Artichoke was actually on my original list of foods to try)
It's some tasty stuff!

Oh yeah, Jonathan also brought Sangria Senorial,
some strange Mexican soda.
He really likes it...

I got really brave last night and tried a Bananas Foster Dove candy.
Once I finally tasted the banana flavor, it was less than pleasing...

de.lish...

Oh.

My.

Heck.

Lately (within the past couple of months or so), I occasionally get the hankering for red meat. In the form of a burger. Except done medium-well, just so y'all don't get too grossed out. Anyhoo, I've been craving burgers. And not some wussy, fast-food version. I'm talking the real deal. A couple of times, Dixie Diner has been the place to go for such a craving. I appreciate you, Dixie.

But now we have a Red Robin in IF. Umm...Red Robin is the best. I heart it there. Oh. So. Much.

And today, Brooke took me there! Yes, indeed. She took me as a "thank you for shoveling the heavy snow all by your lonesome yesterday." Now, I didn't shovel the mess yesterday for recognition or for a free meal; but when she dropped the words "Red" and "Robin" I couldn't say no!

A1 Peppercorn & his friend the Bonzai...

The Peppercorn was mine, and it was AMAZING. I'm sure Brooke's Bonzai burger was nothing shy of spectacular either. And the bottomless steak fries?! Dynamite! Our waiter pretty much guaranteed himself an awesome tip when he came by with a basket of the fries when he dropped off our beverages.

Thank you, Red Robin, for existing in Idaho Falls!

And thanks, Brooke, for the lunch date!

grits...

Technically, grits wasn't on my list of foods to try this year. Not that I've been "anti" or anything...I've just never really had the opportunity to try it. And, quite frankly, it's never crossed my mind. It's not like I'm from Down South (or even visited Down South).

Anyway, I went to dinner with some of my family yesterday. We went to the Cracker Barrel in Layton, and the opportunity to try grits presented itself. So I plunged a spoon into the colorless, soupy-type mixture and took a bite.

About to partake...

Overall, it's not a bad food. I mean, I had more than one spoonful. There's just not a lot of flavor, and the gritty stuff got stuck on the back of my tongue a couple of times. After a few bites, Aaron told me to try it with the tasty baked apples he got with his meal, and this actually helped. A lot.

I'm not saying it's a nasty food, though. I think I could enjoy it more with, like, LOTS of brown sugar.

Alas...I think I'll stick with Cream of Wheat.

tick, tock, tick, tock...

I haven't had much to write about lately. My life, although precious, is a bit of a bore. What can I say? Not much happens in this dreadful month we call January.

However...

Two weeks from today, Elder Brent O. returns from serving his mission in Brazil! The very thought excites me to the core! I'm thrilled at the thought of more family time, and from now on with the entire family! Bring it on, baby!

I can hardly wait!!!

Wasden and Orgill

Ode to pineapple...

Apple of Pine...

by Gina O.
Pineapple, fresh pineapple; I crave you night and day.
A dinner party feels complete when you're there on a tray.
Initially I never thought that one day I'd LOVE you;
When you are canned, it makes me ill; of what I speak is true.
But when consumed completely fresh, your flavor makes me glad.
I salivate when you are grilled--(the best way to be had!)
Your exterior, rough and thick, is such a travesty!
Cutting you open is a pain...but nothing good comes free.
And so I do what must be done in order to consume
Your luscious golden fruit inside; so tasty when in bloom!
I think about you constantly; this hankering seems eternal...
I wish you grew in my back yard to feed this hunger diurnal!

It's become an obsession with me--pineapple, I mean. I never thought I'd like it fresh because the canned stuff is so darn nasty. And pineapple juice is gross in its own potent way. This is my opinion. -Alas, I got brave and tried the fresh stuff, and now I am completely smitten. It might just be my favorite fruit.

Sadly, I don't get to eat it that often. (Maybe this is why I'm so fixated on it?) Sure you can buy it at the grocery store...but I'm not great at picking them out. And the "produce guys" aren't always as knowledgeable as I think they ought to be. Lisa's oma and grandpa do a splendid job with it. And I think Callie does too. Perhaps I need to go to the grocer with Cal and watch her pick one out. ("Watch and learn," see?)

Anyway...over Christmas break, my folks were given a pineapple (straight from Hawaii!) from the Rackhams. (A quick shout-out to Lisa Thatcher! I don't know if you didn't want your folks to give away one of your most precious pineapples, but they did, and it did NOT go unappreciated! Thank you, thank you, thank you!) -I had never cut open a pineapple before...I'd always just been the happy benefactor of someone else's hard work. Here's the story in pictures:

The fresh pineapple in all its glory...

First I cut off the little head thingie...

Then I worked my way through the hard outer shell...
(this took a while).

Then I cut the core out.
(I really never thought about a pineapple core before...)

Then I cut it into bite-size pieces.

And then...I consumed!
YUMMO!

Oh...and if you haven't read my last post, would you mind looking at it and then giving me your feedback? I'm really trying to be brave!

bravery...

Happy 2009, everyone! I hope y'all had a joyous time ringing in the new year; I did. -But I didn't take any pictures, so I'll move on.

I've set some New Years Resolutions that I intend to keep. One of my resolutions is to try new foods. I really enjoy the foods I know and love...and sometimes get scared to try new things. (Not that I'm a complete chicken or anything. I've tried authentic food from East Africa, Cambodia, the Philippines, Japan, etc. Sometimes it was tasty, sometimes...not.)

Anyway...I have been called a "picky eater" in my life. I don't think this is entirely true; I like a lot of different foods. But the list of foods I don't like isn't exactly...short.

Ergo...I'm going to be brave and try some new foods this year. My list so far includes (but is not limited to):

mango-i had a bad one once.
i need to give it another go.

crab-to be honest, i'm kind of
nervous about trying crab. also,
this picture makes me think
of sebastian.

pomegranate-i've actually

eaten it before, but had a
pretty bad experience. i'm
brave to consider it again.

indian food-i lived with
an indian girl for a semester,
and the potent stench of
curry frightened me.

Anyway, I've got some other "foods to try" written down; I've made a list. But I need at least one more idea. So I'm asking y'all for your input. What shall I try in 2009? I have the power of veto, but I'd like some ideas. Please?