The Bird in Boots

New Journey

2011-06-01T12:55:00.000-04:00

I've decided to start a new project documenting my journey that is a little more personal than what I had been doing on this blog. I am actually doing this along with one of my good friends, so I thought I would start over fresh. I may come back and post things on here from time to time, but please feel free to head on over and check out my new project Sweet Pea Chic.

Turkey Black Bean Burgers with Salsa

2011-04-06T07:43:00.002-04:00

I am not a huge fan of burgers, but loved the idea of these turkey burgers with salsa. They were very flavorful, which is hard to come across sometimes with turkey burgers. They were very easy to make, and I actually halved the recipe which gave me 3 smaller sized bugers, which is a perfect size for me.

I also made some of my homemade salsa and just added some grilled corn to it.

You can find the original recipe which is by the Deen Brothers here.

Turkey Black Bean Burgers with Salsa

Burgers:
-- 1/4 cup olive oil
-- 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
-- 1/2 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed, drained, and lightly mashed
-- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
-- 2 teaspoons The Lady and Sons House Seasoning, recipe follows
-- 1 tablespoon chile powder
-- 1 tablespoon ground cumin

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, or prepare your grill (I cooked these out on my grill, and did not use the olive oil).

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, beans, tortilla chips, House Seasoning, chile powder, and cumin. Use your hands to form the mixture into 8 equal sized patties, working in batches if necessary. Cook the patties until no longer pink in the middle, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the patties to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

To serve: Spoon the salsa mixture over the burgers. Top with avocado slices and sour cream or whatever your choice of toppings.

The Lady and Sons House Seasoning:
-- 1 cup salt
-- 1/4 cup pepper
-- 1/4 cup garlic powder
-- 1/4 cup onion powder

Combine all the ingredients. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.

Amy Butler Yoga Bag

2011-04-04T07:35:00.000-04:00

I have been shopping for a yoga bag for over a year now. There are a lot of cute ones out there, but the cute ones were always much more than I was willing to pay. I came across this pattern a few months ago, and just had to try and make it.

This probably took about 4 or 5 hours to make, and I did it over the course of a two day weekend just so I did not get burnt out.

The pattern is by Amy Butler and you can find it on her website for free here. It was a pretty simple pattern and the directions were pretty easy. You just have to make sure to read them throughly and take it one step at a time.

It's hard to tell, but there are 3 pockets on the front of the bag and they are perfect for your keys/phone/etc. So far I am loving it, and really love the fun fabric I was able to find at Sew to Speak. If you are up for the challenge, I totally recommend you try making this.

Pioneer Woman's Meatloaf and Macaroni & Cheese

2011-03-10T08:37:00.000-05:00

Last week I tried Pioneer Woman's Meatloaf and Macaroni & Cheese. I have been obsessed with trying Ree's recipes from her cookbook (especially after having met her a few weeks ago), and I have been wanting to try these two recipes for some time.

They weren't too bad. I used ground turkey for the meatloaf (trying to make it a little more healthy) and it was pretty moist. The Macaroni & Cheese was really good, but I wished I had put some breadcrumbs on top. I did put cheese on top and baked it, but I think having the breadcrumbs would make it really crunchy and tastey.

Meatloaf

Ingredients

Meatloaf:
-- 1 cup Whole Milk
-- 6 slices White Bread
-- 2 pounds Ground Beef
-- 1 cup (heaping) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
-- ¼ teaspoons Seasoned Salt
-- ¾ teaspoons Salt
-- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
-- ⅓ cups Minced Flat-leaf Parsley
-- 4 whole Eggs Beaten
-- 10 slices Thin/regular Bacon

Sauce:
-- 1-½ cup Ketchup
-- ⅓ cups Brown Sugar
-- 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
-- Tabasco To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour milk over the bread slices. Allow it to soak in for several minutes.

Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, seasoned salt, salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in beaten eggs.

With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat to drain. (Line the bottom of the pan with foil to avoid a big mess!)

Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf.

Make the sauce: add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl. Stir together. Pour 1/3 of the mixture over the top of the bacon. Spread with a spoon.

Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes. Slice and serve with remaining sauce.

Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients
-- 4 cups Dried Macaroni
-- 1 whole Egg Beaten
-- ¼ cups (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
-- ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
-- 2-½ cups Whole Milk
-- 2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired
-- 1 pound Cheese, Grated
-- ½ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
-- ½ teaspoons Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
-- ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
-- Optional Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Thyme

Preparation Instructions

Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.

In a small bowl, beat egg.

In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.

Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.

Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.

Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.

Add in cheese and stir to melt.

Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.

Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.

Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

St Patrick's Day Wreath

2011-03-08T08:28:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned last month, my goal is to make a wreath for my front door for every holiday and maybe every month. Last month I made a Valentine's day wreath, and last week I made my St Patrick's Day/March wreath.

I bought 2 bunches of flowers at JoAnn's, and then also purchased a little four-leaf clover ornament and a green plaid bow to top it off. I just removed the flowers and the little pink sock monkey from last month from my grapevine wreath and added in the new flowers and wired in the bow and clover. I believe it took all of 10 mins to make this. I could always move the clover after St Patrick's Day, but I might just leave it up there like I did with my pink sock monkey.

Books Turned into Upcoming Movies

2011-03-07T07:24:00.006-05:00

I totally love it when books I have read turn into movies. I am one of those people that would rather read the book first, and then watch the movie. Once I have seen it as a movie I have no desire to read the book. I think the reasoning is because when I am first reading a book, I imagine what the characters will look like, and what their environments look like, and then the movie just confirms if what I imagined was correct or not.

There are some great books that are being turned into movies and being released this year, and the ones I am very excited to go see are:

Water for Elephants (April 2011) -- Just read this last month, and could not put it down. You can find my review here.

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Something Borrowed (June 2011) -- I am currently reading this book and so far it's pretty good. I just learned that it was being turned into a movie, so I totally had to check it out at the library as soon as I heard!

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The Help (August 2011) -- This was one of my favorite books that I read last year, and possibly one of my favorites of all times (or at least in a close running, I can never just pick one!). You can find my review here.

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Any good movies you are looking to see, or books to read? I am always looking for recommendations.

2011 Recipes To Make

2011-03-06T20:19:00.001-05:00

My Goal this year is to try 50 new recipes. I have been cooking up a storm lately, and enjoying trying new recipes. There are so many recipes that I want to try this year, and probably have way more than 50, but I am having a hard time organizing what I want to try. I am always printing things off the internet, so I have a stack of them hanging on my fridge in a magnetic clip, and then I have a ton of cookbooks that I want to try out.

I decided to make a list here of the recipes I have tried in 2011, and the ones I still want to try. As I try the new ones, I update with the link to my posts. Hopefully this will help me keep track of what I have tried and what I still need to try. I will keep updating this list as I find more recipes and try them out. I'll put a link at the top of the blog so if you want to see how I am doing you can easily access. Maybe you will find something for dinner tonight as well!

Please note: The link connected with the recipe name is my posting of the recipe. I have also included the link to the original recipe if it is available online, as well as the date I completed the recipe.

Recipes Made in 2011:

Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls (Pioneer Woman) – 2/20/11

Bowtie Lasagna (Tasty Kitchen) – 2/13/11

Cider-Glazed Chicken with Browned Butter Pecan Rice (Cooking Light) – 2/5/11

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Chippers (Pickey Palate) – 1/28/11

Loaded Baked Potato Soup – 2/1/11

Butterscotch Apple Crisp (The Neely's) – 1/22/11

Mocha Chip Angel Food Cake (Everyday Food – Jan 2011 issue) – 1/15/11

Grilled Rosemary Chicken with Chunky Tomato Salsa (Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast: Weeknight Meals) – 1/22/11

Spicy Chipotle Turkey Chili (Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast: Weeknight Meals) – 1/16/11

Southwest Chicken Pizza (Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book the pink edition) – 1/2/11

Macaroni & Cheese (Pioneer Woman) – 3/1/11 (Post to come)

Meatloaf (Pioneer Woman) – 3/1/11 (Post to come)

Chicken Enchilada Soup (Tasty Kitchen) – 3/6/11 (Post to come)

Recipes to Make in 2011:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sweet Rolls (Pioneer Woman)

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Brown Eyed Baker)

Bacon and Parmesan Pasta (Tasty Kitchen)

Mascarpone Oreo Snowflake Cookies (Kevin & Amanda)

Asiago, Potato & Bacon Gratin (Cooking Light)

Spathetti & Meatballs (Pioneer Woman)

Sausage and Cheese Calzones (Southern Living)

Hot Chocolate Cake (Real Simple)

Caramelized Onion & Prosciutto Pizza (Pioneer Woman)

Pasta Alla Vodka (Pioneer Woman)

Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Quesadillas (Pioneer Woman)

Tomato-Basil Pizza (Pioneer Woman)

Frozen Cappuccino Cups (Pioneer Woman)
Mascarpone Chocolate Toffee Bars (Giada)

Zucchini and Olive Flatbread (Giada)

Cauliflower and Bacon Gratin (Giada)

Arnold Palmer Cupcakes (Paula Deen)

Cookie Dough Truffles (Paula Deen)

Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Cream Filling (Paula Deen)

Mango Margaritas (Sandra Lee)

No Bean Beef Chili (Sandra Lee)

Show Us Your Life: What Do You Make

2011-02-25T21:03:00.000-05:00

Over at Kelly's Korner, we are sharing what we make. I have tried a lot of hobbies in my day: scrapbooking, cross stitch, jewelry making, card making, but sewing has probably been the only hobby that I have kept with over the last decade.

I first started out making curtains and pillows for my home. These are my dining room curtains, and it was my first sewing project. I just love sage green and toile, so what a great combination for me. I have had these curtains for like 10 years, and I don't know if I'll ever get rid of them.

I then started making table centerpieces for my dining room table. I actually got this pattern from my Grandmother. She told me it was the only pattern for this she had, and to be very careful when I copied it. It was fun to have something passed down from my Grandma.

I am now into making bags, and totally love Amy Butler designs and fabrics.

I have also gotten into making scarfs, and am hoping someday to make a dress. My mom keeps trying to convience me to start with a skirt, she said it was much easier.

My goal this year is to also try and make a quilt, but I am still looking for the perfect pattern to start. I also need a couple of weekends with some downtime to actually get started on it.

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what I make. For more projects, check out my Sewing/Craft Projects tab above.

Bowtie Lasagna

2011-02-24T09:55:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share another fun recipe from The Pioneer Woman's website. If you read earlier in the week, I had the opportunity to meet Ree last weekend, so I am dedicating a couple of posts to her.

I found this Bowtie Lasagna through someone's Menu Monday post about a month ago, and I immediatly printed this recipe. I then found it on The Pioneer Woman's website and she had it categorized as a 16-min meal, which made me want to try it even more. It's actually from the Tastey Kitchen site, but PW featured it on her main site. It is going to become one of my go-to recipes since it was 1) very tastey, 2) so simple and easy, 3) it makes a ton, and 4) did I mention it was quick!

Ingredients:
-- 1 pound Ground Chuck (I used Ground Turkey)
-- 5 cups Bow Tie Noodles
-- 3 cups Spaghetti Sauce (or Pizza Sauce, Whatever You Prefer)
-- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
-- 1 teaspoon Salt
-- ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
-- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (or More, Make It To Your Taste)
-- ½ cups Mozzarella Cheese
-- ½ cups Sour Cream

Directions:
I am a “make it and taste it as I go” cook. I made this in a hurry tonight, and was amazed at the results; my girls could NOT get enough of it. (I love that kind of response, don’t get it as often as I wish.)

Fry ground chuck in small pan. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.

After noodles are cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in your spaghetti sauce. (I can’t guarantee your results on this, because I’m spoiled; I am a “home canner” and have the BEST sauce on my shelf, a home canned marinara sauce that I use for lots of stuff—pizza, spaghetti, and of course, THIS.)

Add your fried hamburger, seasonings, cheese, and sour cream. Fold together and allow it all to combine and melt together, over low heat, for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serve to your family and be prepared to have it disappear before your very eyes.

Book Review: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels

2011-02-23T09:43:00.000-05:00

A week ago Sunday I decided to pick up The Pioneer Woman's new book Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. I had been debating on just getting this book from the library, since I had heard mixed reviews, but when I heard that I had the chance to meet her, I just had to get the book so I could get her to sign it.

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I started reading it on Sunday, and I think I probably read about half of it that afternoon within a couple of hours. It was so good, and very much like her writing style on her blog, which I love. It was like sitting down with one of your good girlfriends with a cup of coffee and gossiping about your love life. I totally couldn't put it down, and even debating skipping work one day to finish it. Really I would never do that, but for about a half a min, I did debate it. Of course I had to finish the book within the week before the book signing that following Saturday. I totally wanted to tell her how much I loved her book, but got nervous, and managed to say "Hi" and "thank you!"

Some of the critics made comments about her writing style, but come on, we never expected it to be a literary masterpiece. It's a memior, and it totally follows her writing style on her blog, which makes it even more personable.

The first part of the book I guess is on her blog. So are many of her recipes in her cookbook, but I still wanted to buy it. I would much rather carry around a book than my laptop, so it didn't bother me that much of the content was the same. I actually never read her story on her blog, so it was all new to me.

If you are looking for a cute love story that is an easy read, I highly recommend picking this up. It just made me all warm and happy to hear her story. It also totally made me want to fall in love with a cowboy. I think I fell in love with Marlboro Man before the book was over. Totally ready it if you get a chance!

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls

2011-02-22T20:41:00.001-05:00

In honor of meeting The Pioneer Woman this last weekend, I just had to try making her famous cinnamon rolls. I was a little nervous about making these, everytime I use yeast I always wonder if it will actually rise, and it suprises me when it does!

It wasn't too hard of a recipe, but it did take about 2 hours to make. So if you are expecting to have cinnamon rolls early in the morning, you better grab the ones in the can! Of course, they won't be as good as these are, and they were totally worth the 2 hours it took to make them. I made these on Sunday, and just added some bacon on the side and called it brunch!

Ree's recipe makes like 4 dozen rolls. I totally did not need that many cinnamon rolls, even in my freezer, so I halved the recipe. I also used skim milk instead of whole milk because that is what I have. They still tasted very good, and I can only imagine how they would taste with the whole milk. Next time I might try splenda just to help the calorie count on these bad boys, but who knows if they will be as tastey.

Below is the recipe from her site, but I would highly recommend going to her site directly as she has step by step pictures, which I found very helpful. I totally recommend you try these! The Maple Frosting is to die for!!

Please note this recipe makes 4 dozen.

Ingredients:

-- 1 quart Whole Milk
-- 1 cup Vegetable Oil
-- 1 cup Sugar
-- 2 packages Active Dry Yeast
-- 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
-- 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
-- 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
-- 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
-- Plenty Of Melted Butter
-- 2 cups Sugar
-- Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

MAPLE FROSTING:
-- 1 bag Powdered Sugar
-- 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
-- ½ cups Milk
-- ¼ cups Melted Butter
-- ¼ cups Brewed Coffee
-- ⅛ teaspoons Salt

Preparation Instructions:

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).

When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.

Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 375 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the frosting.

Book Review: Ape House (Chapters 26 - Epilogue)

2011-02-22T13:25:00.000-05:00

We have finally finished Ape House over at Book Beginnings and Bookends. I don’t want to spoil the book for those who have not read it (although some of my answers below might, so spoiler alert!!), so I’ll just keep to answering the questions this time.

1. How would you describe the relationship between John and Isabel?

Although I was expecting it to get more personal, it seemed very professional to me. I think Isabel really respects John as a journalist, and trusted that he would write her story the respectable way, not like Cat and the some of the other reporters. I think it says a lot when she trusts him even though he is currently working for a tabloid newspaper.

2. What was your reaction to finding out Peter's role in the explosion and capture of the apes?

I honestly had no idea he would be involved with the explosion. I had a feeling he was involved with the sale of the Apes when he was discussing what happened to the Apes back with Isabel in the hospital. He was acting funny that day, so I assumed he was involved with the sale somehow. Who knew he would go so far as potentially harming them for money. How guilty he must have felt seeing his fiancé just traumatized and hurt. I can’t believe he really thought she would go back to him. I am glad she got rid of him so quickly.

3. Both John and Amanda ended up achieving their professional goals. Amanda ended up getting pregnant and John is excited about having a baby. Do you think this is the end to their problems? Can John and Amanda be happy?

I am not sure if it will solve all of their problems. I think there are still some issues deep down that they are going to need to resolve before being completely happy. There seems to be some trust issues on both parts and Amanda is still going to have self esteem issues (especially after having a baby). I hope for both of them, and the new baby, that they are able to resolve things.

4. What did you find to be the most intriguing about the bonobos?

I almost cried when the one bonobo was trying to communicate with Isabel when the other bonobo was in labor. And then when they reunited with her at the end, it was all so sweet. I think the communication aspect was most intriguing to me.

5. Which character did you enjoy reading about the most?

I enjoyed following John the most. Hearing about his successes and struggles in the journalism industry seemed to be the most interesting for me, especially when he was at that hotel dealing with all the crazy guests.

6. Was the ending what you expected? Did things resolve the way you thought they would?

Yes, the ending was what I expected for the most part. I kind of expected more to happen between John and Isabel, but I am glad that it didn’t happen, and he ended up still with Amanda. I thought the ending was cut a little short. When Amanda was accusing John of cheating, it just seemed like that issue was a really big one, and it was resolved rather quickly. I mean she went days thinking he was cheating, and with a quick explanation she had forgiven him and they were making out??? I mean good for them for resolving conflict that quickly, but didn’t seem real to me.

7. And finally, any overall thoughts or feelings that these questions haven't addressed? How would you rate this book for others? Any part that you loved? Anything you hated? SHARE!

I didn’t have high expectations for this book. I think some of the reviews led me to believe it wasn’t going to be as good. Plus, after reading Water for Elephants, I didn’t think she would be able to top that book. Now I don’t think she necessarily topped that book, but this was far better than I expected. When I read the description, I really didn’t get what the main story was about. I felt like they kept going on about her research, and I didn’t expect the whole reality tv to fit in anywhere. It was a very good read though, and I would totally recommend it.

Meeting The Pioneer Woman

2011-02-21T13:06:00.000-05:00

I had the opportunity to attend the Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman) book signing on Sat at my local Barnes and Noble. I'll be honest I was shocked she was coming to Columbus, Ohio, and even more shocked when I found out about it early last week...shocked that I found out about it before it happened...lol. Usually I find out after the fact.

Ree was amazing as usual, and was signing both her cookbook and her memoir, and was graciously taking pictures. I was lucky enough to get at the store at 9 am that morning to get an early ticket (the signing was at 2 pm), so I was in the 2nd group of people, so my wait was only about 45 mins or so.

I'll be honest I was so nervous to go up and talk to her. I wanted to tell her how much I love her cookbook, her blog, her memoir (which I had just finshed the night before), her dog Charlie (love bassets!!), but I think all I manged was "hi" and "thank you". Of course I think there had to have been at least 400 people there that day, so they were keeping us moving, but allowing us to have however many books we wanted signed, and to take as many pictures as possible.

I am so glad that I got to go and meet her! I am going to do a couple of posts this week in honor of her, so if you are a fan (and who wouldn't be), please stop back over the next few days.

Show Us Your Life: My Alma Mater

2011-02-18T14:09:00.000-05:00

This week over at Kelly's Korner, we are sharing our alma maters. I actually attended 2 colleges and have 3 degrees.

The first college I attended was a 2 year technical school in my hometown called Muskingum Area Technical College (MATC), although a few years ago the college changed the name to Zane State. Because I was in the top 20% of my class, I got a scholarship and got my Associate's Degree in Marketing Management for free. I figured it was a good opportunity to get my college paid for, and I wasn't crazy about moving away from my family, so it was a win-win situation for me at the time.

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This is the best pic I could find of the campus. MATC

shared campus with the Ohio University Zanesville branch

After I graduated with my Associate's Degree, I knew the next step was to get my bachelor's degree. At the time I was dating this guy (who I ended up marrying, and then divorcing), who lived in the big city -- Columbus, Ohio. We had been dating about a year, and I was ready to move closer since we had been doing the long-distance thing for about a year. I came across Franklin University and actually found out that this girl who's mother knew my dad was going there, and she was looking for a roommate. She had actually just gotten a job at Franklin as well, and they were paying for her college. I totally applied for a job, and ended up getting a job and accepted to be a student within a few weeks of each other.

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This is a picture of the courtyard and the clocktower at

Franklin University, which was the main icon for the University.

I worked at Franklin University for 6 years in the Marketing Department and started out as the Assistant to the department, then after graduation became a Marketing Coordinator, and then a Print Buyer. Also during this time I got my Bachelor's degree in Marketing and my MBA.

Franklin University is a non-traditional college. The students there are typically adult students who work during the day, and then either take evening classes or online classes. I worked full time, and then went to school about 2 nights a week. I loved that they had accelerated classes (which we half a term) so I was able to take 4 classes a term, but only had to go to class 2 nights a week (all classes were 4 hour classes, 1 night a week).

Me at graduation for my MBA

I am a little bummed I didn't get the traditional college experience of living in dorms and waking up at the crack of dawn for a lecture class, but it was right for me at the time, and I saved a ton of money because bascially I got my undergrad paid for by working there, and then half of my graduate degree paid for. In the long run it was probably for the best, and Franklin is a pretty credible school, especially in Ohio.

Meet & Greet with Amy Butler

2011-02-17T20:33:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend a Meet & Greet with one of my favorite bag/pattern/fabric designers Amy Bulter at one of my favorite fabric stores Sew to Speak. A good friend of mine introduced me to Amy's patterns and fabrics about a year ago, and I just fell in love with her cute bag designs and her beautiful fabrics.

I'll be honest, I have never been to a Meet & Greet or a book signing before, so I really had no idea what to expect. The event started at 6 pm, and I arrived shortly after 6. There was a pretty decent amount of people there, and it was so fun to stand around and talk to everyone. Of course everyone was a huge fan of Amy's and some had even brought projects that they had worked on using her patterns and fabrics. It was kind of like a fun little community of people and we all kind of bonded while waiting in line to meet Amy.

Here I am with Amy. What I thought was so unique about this event was that Amy took about 5 mins and sat down and talked to each and every person that was there. I just assumed I would hand her my book, she would sign it, and we would be on our way. At first I had no idea what to say to her, and I was a little nervous as I really looked up to her in the sewing world. But we had a good chat about where I was from, how I got started sewing and what projects I had worked on. If you notice behind us and on the table are some of her projects using her patterns and fabrics. I want to make them all of course!

I have two of her books -- In Stitches and Style Stitches, and she signed both of them for me. She was also giving away a free pattern to everyone and I got an extra one and had it signed for my good friend who I was planning on going to this event with, but she had to work late at the last minute.

If you are into sewing I would check out her books, patterns and fabrics. I have made a few or her projects, and they look complicated, but her instructions are so thought out and if you take the time and really follow them, they are almost fool-proof!

Favorite Food Network Stars

2011-02-15T10:53:00.000-05:00

I am obsessed with the Food Network. I really got into this channel about 2 years ago. I thought if I watched a bunch of cooking shows, I could learn how to cook, kind of like learning through osmosis. Well, it actually kind of worked. I am getting better, and have been trying lots of fun things.

My boyfriend thinks my obsession with the Food Network is crazy. He says I only need 3 chanels on my cable box (Food Network and Bravo being 2 of them). When I found out about the Cooking Channel he was like "Oh great, another reason for you to never leave the house!"

Well I do love my cooking shows, and I have a few Food Network stars that I watch every week.

Ok, so not only is she beautiful, and has an adorable little girl name Jade, and a cute husband, this girl can cook! She loves pasta and chocolate, my 2 favorites!! Sometimes her things look complicated, but once you really break down her recipes, they are pretty easy.

This is my all time favorite recipe of her's Baked Penne with Roasted Vegtables. I also love this recipe for Pomegranate and Mint Sorbet.

It took me a little while to warm up to The Neeleys, but now I totally love them! I so wish I had a cute husband to cook with me in the kitchen (maybe I was jealous!). I love BBQ, and that is totally their thing, so that is probably why I like them the best. I am trying to convince my boyfriend to go to Nashville with me so we can stop by their restaurant.

I tried making their BBQ sauce a few months ago (sorry never posted about that, but I should), and used it on chicken and pizza. It was awesome and totally worth the time it took to make it (took a few hours on the stove). I also recently made this recipe for Butterscotch Apple Crisp and oh my it was wonderful (I highly suggest you try it!).

Some people love her, some people hate her, but I love Sandra Lee. Probably mostly because her recipes really taught me how to cook. They are pretty easy, especially since they use a lot of ready made ingredients. She uses a lot of dry mixes also, so you don't have to buy a bunch of spices. I also love her color coordinating sets and tablescapes, and of course Cocktail Time! Ok, Cocktail Time is my favorite, but who doesn't love a good cocktail?!?

I have tried too many recipes to mention, but one of my favorite cocktails is her Blueberry Sangria Lemonade. I make this for all my girly parties and it's a huge hit! (Oh and it's really easy to make also!).

And we can't forget Paula. She is my favorite! I love her so much that when we were in Savannah last year, we totally had to stop by her restaurant The Lady and Sons. I keep joking that I would love for her to be my mother-in-law, and she could totally teach me some southern cooking tips!

These are just a few of my favorite Food Network Stars. Who are your favorites?

Valentine's Day Sweets

2011-02-14T10:02:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. Just wanted to share some fun Valentine's Day sweets from the weekend.

I love making cookies, and I purchased this fun heart shaped cookie pan last year and never used it, so I thought I would make a giant cookie for my sweetie. I just used my standard chocolate chip cookie recipe and mixed in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup valentine's day M&M's (pink, white and red colors).

I then used Strawberry frosting (from a can) and more M&M's to decorate it. It was very tastey! I had enough cookie dough to make a dozen more cookies, so I gave those to my sweetie as well, and then we shared the big cookie (hey, it was good and I wanted some of that cookie also!!)

I bought like 3 bags of valentine's day M&M's because I loved all of the pink colors! The M&M's dark also had purple M&M's in the bag, which were my favorite (for the purple color and the fact they were dark chocolate). This is my fun M&M dispenser that my Grandfather made for me about 10 years ago. It is perfect for M&M's and jelly beans. You just pull the little lever out and it dispenses about 8 or 9 M&M's which is perfect for snacking.

And then of course my sweetie brought me roses for Valentine's Day. This was the first year he got me roses. Last year he got me tulips, and then a few weeks ago he got me a mixed boquet since I was sick. He is not a big flower guy (because they die), so this was pretty big for him!

And don't you just love my spring table runner! I got this from Pier 1 about 2 years ago, and I just had to start bringing out my spring items. It goes well with my new Valentine's Day wreath which I posted about last week.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and an even sweeter Valentine's Day!

Book Review: Ape House (Chapters 13 - 25)

2011-02-13T22:26:00.000-05:00

This week at Book Beginnings and Bookends, we are answering questions from chapters 13 – 25 of Ape House.

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This book is getting really good. I had heard mixed reviews about this book, and too many people were comparing it to Gruen’s first book Water for Elephants, so I didn’t have huge expectations for this book, but I have been pleasantly surprised that it is so good!

So during these chapters, we find out the Apes were actually purchased by this guy who is big in the porn industry. He basically is using them for a reality show called “Ape House” which is broadcast over the Internet and via satellite tv. The apes are recorded 24 hours a day, and you see them doing whatever they want to do. They can order food and other items via a computer, and they pretty much have the freedom to do whatever they want to do, they are just confined to this house like structure.

At first you think they have it pretty good, they can get whatever food they want, and they have a pretty big space to hang out in, and at least they are not in cages. But you quickly see that they are not getting the care they need. They aren’t eating nutritious foods because the apes are just ordering whatever they want (and like kids, they want fast food and candy). Their house is also getting really dirty and is not being cleaned, so there are some sanitary concerns.

Isabel has obviously figured out where they are now, and she is doing whatever she can to try and get them out of there. And John, after quitting his job and moving to LA to be with his wife, has landed a job at a tabloid magazine, and is now being sent off to cover the ape story from a reality perspective. Isabel and John haven’t met up yet, but you can see that they are going to end up running into each other, and I am sure they will work together to try and free the apes.

1. Would you watch or be tempted to watch a show like Ape House?

I might watch it at first to see what the buzz is all about, but I am not going to pay a subscription to watch something like this. At first I thought the apes had it pretty good, but I am now seeing that these tv executives do not have their best interest at heart and that these apes, although they think they have it good, aren’t really getting taken care of like they should. It reminds me of putting a bunch of kids in a house without parents and letting them go wild.

2. Do you think John did the right thing by quitting his job and moving to L.A.?

Yes, I think he did the right thing by being with his wife and letting her pursue her dreams for once. He wasn’t getting the respect at his job back in Philly, so it was probably the best thing. I think he did it more out of jealousy though, so maybe the intentions weren’t the best, but I am glad they are together (for a while at least).

3. We haven't seen a whole lot of Isabel in this section, but what do you think of Peter now that we know more about him?

I am thinking Peter had more to do with the apes being sold than we thought (and maybe the explosion also). There is definitely something fishy going on with that guy, but I still can’t figure it all out. I am so glad Isabel is rid of him.

4. Can John turn the ape story for the tabloid into something he is proud of? Is he getting a little bit of redemption by being assigned to his dream story again even if it is for a tabloid?

I am sure he will do more with the story than just write a typical tabloid article. I so want him to get a prize winning story and not that Cat chick. I can’t stand her. I hope he does something great just to get back at her.

5. Have your thoughts on John and Amanda's marriage changed since last week? Where do you see their marriage headed?

Right now I think their marriage has issues, but I think they are holding it more together than I expected. I really hope John helps Amanda get her 2nd book published. I think that would really help their marriage if she can get her career back on track, which will really help her self esteem. I think leaving her in LA with all these people criticizing her is really not going to help matters.

6. What do you think will end up happening to the apes?

I really hope that John and Isabel will help get them out of the Ape House and get them into the care of someone who will have their best interest at heart. I am so surprised that these extreme activists are not trying to bomb the Ape House. I mean they now know where the apes are also. Maybe the porn executive was behind the bombing also, who knows.

Show Us Your Life -- Hair and Beauty Tips

2011-02-11T00:23:00.002-05:00

This week over at Kelly's Korner, we are sharing our hair and beauty tips. I am not a huge beauty guru, but I do have a few tips I can share.

1. Wash your hair every other day:
This is not for everyone, especially if you have an oily scalp, but if you have normal to dry hair, it's best to try and wash it every other day, especially in the winter. It takes a little bit of time for your scalp/hair to get used to washing it every other day, so I started by not washing it one day on the weekend. Then I would try not washing it on a weekend day, and then another day during the week. Now I only wash my hair every other day, and its just normal routine. A couple of times when it is really dry, I can go 2 days, but usually that is on the weekend if I am not going anywhere important.

It's funny because I typically plan my hair washing on the days after I go to the gym. It's funny how I can plan my week around my hair washing schedule. The best thing about this is 1) it keeps your hair from drying out, 2) it helps your color last longer because you are not washing it out and 3) you can save money on shampoo and conditioner, which helps if you buy really expensive shampoo and conditioner.

2. Exfoliate and moisturize everytime you shower:
Do you ever get those little bumps on your arms and/or legs? I used to, and then I started using those loofahs with shower gel everytime I showered, and then immediatly moisturized after getting out of the shower. I love Bath & Body Works lotions, but they are not moisturizing enough, so I mix them with the generic brand version of Vaseline Intensive Care lotion and slather that on after every shower. I have been doing this no lie for about 10 years, and I haven't had those bumps since. I totally swear by it!

3. I would love to say drink lots of water and get lots of sleep, but I totally can't follow my own advice on this one, but it really is the best for you. Oh, and eat lots of fruits and veggies!! Ha!

Some of the products I love are:

I have been using this stuff for a couple of years now, and I totally swear by it. If I do not use this, my t-zone area is like an oil slick. But even on the hotest days, this will keep my face pretty matte. It also helps to keep my breakouts to a minimum because it controls the oil (which is the biggest cause, besides hormones for my breakouts).

Although I do have a pretty oily t-zone, the rest of my face is really dry, especially in the winter. I slather this all over my face day and night (even my t-zone) in the winter, and I typically use the Dramatically Different Moisturing Gel (by Clinique) in the summer months when the humidity gets out of control.

I just started using this about a month ago, and so far I like it. I have a huge problem with my ends getting frizzy and they always seem to have split ends. The last time I got my hair cut/colored, I mentioned this to my stylist, and she suggested I try this stuff. It's about $20, which is a bit much considering the bottle isn't that big, but you only use a pea size amount (if that), so it is going to last me a while. I put this on my ends only after I dry my hair, and then I go over my ends again with a blow dryer and round brush, because the product kind of wets my hair a little. So far I am liking it, but we will see how my ends get in another month or two.

I am seriously obsessed with OPI nail polish. Its the only polish I use. It seems to last longer than many other polishes (especially drug store brands), and I just love the funky colors and the names. I totally need a new nail polish for spring, so if you have any suggestions let me know.

Any amazing products you would like to share? I am always looking for beauty/hair advice. Especially for my nails which always seem to be breaking/splitting.

My 5 Must Haves

2011-02-10T11:25:00.001-05:00

Some things that you will rarely find me without:

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1. A good book (or magazine)
I love to read, and I almost always have a book in my purse, or a magazine in my work backpack or gym bag. You never know when you might have some downtime (at an appointment, or when your computer crashes at work), when you can just take 15 mins or so to get caught up on some reading. I am currently getting ready to read How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal. Doesn't that sound like a great chick book?!?

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2. My blackberry
My obsession with my blackberry has gotten worse since I had my work email set up on my phone. A couple of times my boyfriend has been like "hello...can you focus on what we are doing!" and I am like "let me just check one more emai!" I also love though how I can quickly get online and check the weather, find an address, look up movie times, check blogs or twitter, and not have to boot up my laptop. I probably will never be able to go without a smartphone anymore, which is kind of sad.

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3. North Face Fleece
I am always cold, so I love to have a fleece or something to keep on hand. I love my North Face fleece because it is really soft and warm. I also have a slightly lighter one I wear in the summer.

4. My clipboard
At work I have this clipboard which has my To Do List, calendar, financial report and a copy of our master sales piece clipped to it. I take this with me everywhere I go, and it's like my brain. Whenever I am missing my clipboard, or one of the pieces I keep with it, I start to panic. It's a running joke at work, especially when people borrow one of my items. People are always like, make sure to return it to Jen, or she will freak out!

5. Pen/Agenda
I seem to always carry around a pen at work. I am one of those people who likes to click my pen, or I play with the cap. I think it's either a nervous habit, or something. I am sure that I annoy people, but for some reason I can't help it. This is my current favorite pen, which matches my agenda also, which I also can't live without!!

I am sure there are more things, but these are my top 5 (ok, maybe 6, ha!). What things can't you live without?

Cider-Glazed Chicken with Browned Butter Pecan Rice

2011-02-09T11:02:00.000-05:00

I have seen this recipe on many Menu Monday posts, and I just had to try it out. First of all, the cider glaze was AMAZING! Loved it! I will have to try this again, it was so good.

I was a little nervous about pan frying chicken (I get nervous about it not getting cooked all the way), but I just pounded them down pretty thin, and it worked out great. I wasn't crazy about the Brown Butter Pecan Rice, it was just ok for me. Next time I just might make the brown rice with some chicken stock.

I ended up making 2 chicken breast cutlets, and 1 packet of Uncle Ben's boil-in-bag brown rice, and it was enough for 2 meals.

Cider-Glazed Chicken with Browned Butter Pecan Rice (from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:
-- 1 (3.5-ounce) bag boil-in-bag brown rice (such as Uncle Ben's)
-- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
-- 1 pound chicken breast cutlets (about 4 cutlets)
-- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
-- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-- 1/2 cup refrigerated apple cider
-- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
-- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
-- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:
1. Cook rice according to package directions in a small saucepan, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. While rice cooks, melt 1 teaspoon butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Add cider and mustard to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until syrupy. Add chicken to pan, turning to coat. Remove from heat; set aside.

3. Melt remaining 5 teaspoons butter in saucepan over medium-high heat; cook for 2 minutes or until browned and fragrant. Lower heat to medium; add pecans, and cook for 1 minute or until toasted, stirring frequently. Add rice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to coat. Serve rice with chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.

Valentine's Day Wreath

2011-02-08T22:44:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend my Mom made a Valentine's Day wreath. She sent me a text message with a picture of her wreath, and when I saw it, I had to immediatly make one.

This was so easy, and not very expensive. I got all of the supplies at Walmart, for a little more than $10.

Grapevine wreath -- $3.50
Peony bunch -- $5
Sock-monkey -- $3

I just cut the flowers off the bunch, with about 4" of stem, and stuck them in the grapevine wreath. I then wired on the sock-monkey. I know the sock-monkey is kind of silly, but I love sock-monkeys, so I just had to add it in there. My Mom put this in her's and we were thinking we might just remove the sock-monkey after the holiday, and we can then use the wreath for spring. We will just add a bow or more flowers.

This took me no more than 10 mins to make, and the best thing is, I can remove all the items, and update the grapevine wreath for the next holiday.

My Mom has a wreath for almost every holiday, and I think I might follow in her footsteps. I already have ideas for St Patrick's Day!

Book Club Review: Ape House (Chapters 1 - 12)

2011-02-07T17:28:00.000-05:00

I was so excited for the book club Book Beginnings and Bookends to start back up in February. The book we are reading this month is Ape House by Sara Gruen. I had just finished her previous book Water for Elephants, which was amazing, see my review here, so I was excited to start her new book. So far it has been great, and I can't put it down, but I am trying to stick to the reading schedule so it is easier to post the questions and not spoil anything for the other readers.

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So to give you a little background on the book, the book starts out with this reporter, John, for the Philadelphia Inquirer visiting The Great Ape Language Lab to see what they are currently doing with these bonobos (a great ape). It is amazing because these bonobos can speak in american sign language and have a two-way conversation, and were so much like humans. They liked M&Ms, and toys and to play games. They also built relationships with not only themselves, but their human friends as well.

After John returns home, an explosion goes off at the lab, and one of the lead scientists, Isabel, gets hurt, and the whole lab is just destroyed. The bonobos do escape unharmed, but they are scared and hiding in the trees outside the lab, and won't get down. We soon find that this was done by extreme animal rights activists and that they are threatening not only those working in the lab, but the president and others at the University of Kansas where this lab is located.

Right after the explosion takes place, John is flown back to the lab to research what had happened and get the story for the paper. One of his co-workers, who is very competitive and seems like a b$*ch, goes out there also, and starts getting sneaky, and getting more info than John, so John is quickly sent back home. I am curious to see how he gets back out there to break the case and find out really what happened, but I guess we will have to see what happens.

Questions:

1. What was your initial reaction to the idea of a language lab with bonobos who are capable of having conversations with humans?

I thought this was very interesting and was amazed at what the bonobos could do. I thought it was so cool to hear about them having conversations and building relationships with humans. I was even more excited to hear this part was based on a true story and that the author had actually witnessed it, not just a made up part of the story.

2. Isabel said early in the book that the apes know they’re apes and know that humans are humans, but they don’t see any superiority with either…What do you think the major difference is between the two?

Obviously I think the apes are a little more naïve than humans are. They don’t understand the stresses and the situations of the world that humans go through. They probably do not see superiority because they would not know any better.

3. What are your thoughts on John and his feelings towards Isabel? How do you think their relationship will play out?

I am curious to see what happens with the two of them. I think they both are in slightly rocky relationships, so depending on how close they get to each other throughout the book, this could possibly cause their current relationships to break up, or at the very least struggle.

4. How do you think Isabel will respond to the apes being taken?

Well she certainly flipped out when she found out, which was understandable. I have a feeling she is going to try and find the apes, and figure out how to get them out of wherever they are.

5. Do you think Celia is part of the team that ambushed the learning center?

I sure hope not, but at this point who knows. I feel like Isabel really trusts her, and I don’t want to see her get hurt anymore than she is, so I hope that Celia doesn’t do anything to hurt her.

6. What are your thoughts on John and his relationship with Amanda?

For some reason I really like John and Amanda together, but I am not sure why. So right now I don’t want them to break up, but I have a feeling they are going to have some struggles throughout the story. Amanda has issues with self esteem, and John seems to have trust issues. I just wish John would find a way to help Amanda with her issues. I think he needs to step it up and be more of a man. I was really disappointed when he didn’t go after her that night she broke the news about the job in LA. He just stood there and ate the food she prepared, and didn’t comfort her. I understand he was upset, but she was so proud and he totally burst her bubble about her good news. I was proud of him the way he helped her deal with her parents and how he just took off with her to Kansas while her parents stood there in the driveway completely confused.

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Chippers

2011-02-04T09:25:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe on Picky Palate and it is A-maz-ing! I love peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips, or any kind of chips in them, but this recipe has you melt 1 cup of butterscotch chips and mix with the peanut butter, which give the cookies a really rich/sweet taste. Then adding more butterscotch chips make them even better! I highly recommend you make these, but becareful, you may eat the entire batch! My family went through the entire batch in 2 days!!

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Chippers

-- 1 stick softened butter
-- 1/2 Cup brown sugar
-- 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
-- 1 1/4 Cups smooth peanut butter
-- 1 Cup melted butterscotch chips
-- 1 egg
-- 1 teaspoon vanilla
-- 1 1/4 Cups all purpose flour
-- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
-- 1 Cup butterscotch chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Melt butterscotch chips over a double boiler until melted. Add melted butterscotch chips and peanut butter to beaten butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla.

2. Place flour, baking soda and salt in bowl; mix to combine. Add to wet ingredients until just combined then pour in butterscotch chips. Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough, roll in sugar then place onto baking sheet. Press tops with tines of a fork if desired. I did it both ways and both are great. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are cooked through. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

4 dozen cookies

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2011-02-03T09:10:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe through Rachel's blog, and I think she found it through another blog, but when I went back to try and find it I couldn't. It was pretty good, and uses yogurt instead of cream, so it's not too bad for you.

I'll admit, the soup itself is kind of bland, but the toppings are what really make it good. I also discovered that mixing Kansas City Steak Seasoning with it really makes it pop! I discovered this one time when I made potato skins, and the recipe called for seasoned salt, and I only had steak seasoning on hand. I highly recommend trying it to help punch things up a bit. I also used bacon and cheese, but you could also use salsa, tomatoes, sour cream, or really anything you desire.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
-- 1.5 tbs olive oil
-- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
-- 2 cloves garlic, minced
-- 2.5 lbs potatoes, diced
-- 3 cups chicken stock
-- 1/2 cup plain yogurt

Directions:
Set a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the oil, onion and garlic and cook for 5 mins, or until the onions are just starting to become translucent.

Add the diced potatoes and simmer for another couple of mins, then add the chicken stock. Let the stock come to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 20-30 mins, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt.

The recipe then calls to transfer half of the soup to a blender, but I just used a potato masher to help break up some of the potatoes. I like my potato soup kind of chunky, so I didn't do this too much.

Serve immediatly with your choice toppings.

Office Space

2011-02-02T08:17:00.003-05:00

I have been spending way too much time at work lately. Right now there isn't much that I can do about that, but I thought it would be fun to spruce up my office space a little with some fun things that would at least make it cozy and fun.

A couple of these things I already had, but over the last couple of weeks, I have made a few changes to make things a little more fun.

I apologize for the not so great cell phone photos. First I was trying not to disturb anyone since I did this at work, and we have horrible lighting at work. Without giving too much away about my work (we had to sign a privacy statement basically saying we won't say anything about our work or our clients in any social media forum), I work at an advertising agency, and our designers like it to be somewhat dark. I guess it helps with the color on the screen. It can be a little depressing at times, but all the more reason to bring in bright, colorful fun things to decorate my "pod" as we call them.

This fish light was left over after someone left our company, and I thought it was so cute, so I had to swipe it. I also love pictures, so I have some fun picture frames with a picture of me and my boyfriend on the beach (reminds me of good times when I am working so hard!), and a picture of my pup.

This is my ribbon board, which I made a while back (I posted about it here), and my bamboo plant. I am so proud of my bamboo plant and the fact that it has grown so big, and to be honest that I have kept it alive for a couple of years. I am not sure if you can tell, but on the lower left side there is a little white flower. The plant came with these fake flowers in it, and a few years ago, it was the hight of that flower. It has grown so much!

As I mentioned, I love pictures, and the walls of our pods are these weird plastically and fabric panels. I just took some left over foam board, and taped up some of my favorite pictures. The little sign at the top was left over from when another person left a few years ago. (I feel like there is this trend of me swiping stuff when people leave...ha!)

I just got this cute pen cup a few weeks ago at The Container Store.

This sign I ordered from Lydia and Pugs. I love her stuff, and when I saw these dog pictures, I just had to get one.

I also just ordered this from etsy.com. I loved those "Keep Calm and Carry On" signs, and we totally need that type of inspiration here at work. When I came across the "Eat a Cupcake" sign, I thought, now this one is just totally me!

My Grandma made me this cross stitch picture a while ago, and have had it at 2 jobs so far. I just love it, and it reminds me of her!

Hope you enjoyed looking at my workspace! If anyone happens to have any other fun workplace ideas, please let me know!

It's Like the Ice Age

2011-02-01T21:08:00.000-05:00

This is how I feel everytime I walk outside.

Image Source

While the rest of the country is getting the big blizzard, we are dealing with an ice storm here. Our city is like a popsicle!

It started last night and of course a few hours after it starts I end up falling and busting my bum on the ice. My boyfriend and I were leaving the Chiller (where my boyfriend plays hockey), and these kids tell us, it's icy out there. My boyfriend starts to say "are you kidding me" while I take a step and bam...my feet fly out and land on my bum. Fortunatly I am ok, just a few bruises, including my ego!

Then this morning I practially crawled to my garage. Ok well I didn't crawl, but halfway across the parking lot, I did stop and think about it. I of course had my hands full, so that didn't help, but slowly I made it to my car. I didn't have any problems getting to work, the roads seemed fine, just the parking lots and sidewalks were like a sheet of ice.

Then tonight it started to rain even more, and although most of the roads were fine, they hadn't even touched my complex! When I first pulled up to the entrance to my complex, I noticed there were about 10 cars sitting there waiting to pull in. At first I thought maybe there was an accident, but quickly found out it was because people kept getting stuck trying to drive up the slight icy incline of our road.

I was ok at first, but then I had to stop for someone else who was stuck, and then I got stuck, wheels just a spinning! Let me tell you, this freaked me out more than anything. I felt totally stranded, and called my boyfriend freaking out. He was like, "Jen, you need to find someone to help push you." Of course no one was willing to help, they were stuck also, and just wanted to get their cars going.

This girl behind me was like "honey, you just got to floor it." So I get back in the car, said a prayer to God, and started to floor it. Somehow it worked, and I got moving again. I just kept going and praying and finally made it to my garage. Let me tell you, I am not leaving the house until this ice has melted!! But I am very glad that I made it home safe and sound!

Hope everyone else is staying warm and safe!

Baby Abby

2011-01-31T08:51:00.002-05:00

So last week I introduced Abby and her love/hate of squirrels. This week I wanted to share how Abby became a part of my family.

Abby is currently 8 years old, and will be 9 in May. I believe her birthday is May 6, 2002. I got her when she was only 7 weeks old, and she was the length of my foot. I believe she was only about 7 or 8 pounds at that time, and now she is 35 pounds. I remember I used to drive around with her sleeping in my lap and whenever we would go to the Dairy Queen she would try and stand up on my lap to look out the window. The people working the drive-through thought she was so cute and would give her a pup-cup, which was a small cup of vanilla soft serve.

Here is Abby the day I brought her home. She looks like a little doll. I still have that little red collar and can't believe how small her neck was.

So the story about how Abby became a part of my family actually starts a year before I got her. When my ex and I moved in together he had a basset hound named Woody. About 3 months later we ended up with a chocolate lab named Groundhog. Groundhog was one of my ex's friends's dog, and this friend could no longer take care of him, so he ended up at our house. Woody and Groundhog became the best of friends, and about a year later, something happened to Groundhog and he passed away. We are not sure exactly what happened to him, but we think maybe he ate something that caused his stomach to twist.

Woody got so depressed and really missed his buddy. He even got to the point where he wouldn't eat very much any more, and we really started to worry about him. After about a month, we decided we needed to get him a new friend. I had a beagle growing up, and my Grandfather raised beagles, so I researched them online, and found Abby through an ad in the local paper. I did get her through a breeder, but she is not a registered beagle, and I'll be honest, I think this breeder was actually just trying to sell these pups, so I am not sure if she is 100% beagle or not. Some people tell me she has basset hound in her, and at times I do see that. She has longer ears than a beagle, and her hind-end is somewhat like a basset hound (or so I have been told).

When I went to go pick her up there were 3 female beagles left. They brought all 3 of them out into a small pen in the yard for us to watch them play. They all looked the same, and I had no idea which one I wanted. Abby was the first one to pee, so I said, "look, she peed, so she is good to go!" The breeder was about an hour from our house, so I was a little concerned she would go to the bathroom in the car.

When Abby was little her head and ears were almost black. Within the first year her head and ears turned brown, and besides a little gray around her eyes now, she looks about the same as she did from when she was a year old (well, she did put on a few more pounds also, but we don't tell her that!). I did this scrapbook page a while back to show how much she changed over the first year. It's amazing because she looks almost like a different dog!

Abby has always been the baby in the family, even though most of the dogs in my family are younger than her, but it is funny because she has always been the more dominant dog in any situation. I think she loved my ex more than me, and Woody took to me more than my ex, but when we split up, I ended up taking Abby and my ex ended up taking Woody because it was his dog to begin with.

Here is Abby a few months ago, begging for a treat. She is really good at sitting or standing on her hind-legs if you have a treat or some type of food to give her. She loves food, but that is a whole different post!

Butterscotch Apple Crisp

2011-01-28T14:37:00.000-05:00

I have a few fun dessert recipes to share today, and hopefully it will cause you to want to make something sweet this weekend!

I was watching Down Home with the Neely's a few weeks ago (love this show!), and have been dreaming about trying this dessert ever since. It was nothing short of amazing! If you try it, be sure to use tart apples such as Granny Smith (which are my fav anyway), because the butterscotch chips are pretty sweet.

Butterscotch Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

Filling:
-- 5 Granny Smith apples (about 2 pounds), peeled and roughly chopped
-- 1 (11-ounce) bag butterscotch chips
-- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
-- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (I used nutmeg because that is what I had on hand)
-- 1 lemon, juiced
-- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, plus more for greasing (I didn't use this, I had already used too much butter as it was, and just used Pam to spray the baking dish)

Topping:
-- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
-- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
-- 1/2 cup quick oats
-- Pinch kosher salt
-- 1/2 cup butter
-- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish (or just spray with Pam).

For the filling: Toss the apples, butterscotch chips, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice, and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Add to the buttered baking dish and dot with butter (I didn't do this, but it turned out ok).

For the topping: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, oats, and salt. Blend the butter into the mixture until it forms pea size lumps. Stir in the pecans and sprinkle over the filling.

Bake until the apples are tender and butterscotch is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. This would be wonderful with ice cream on top! Unfortunatly I only had Peppermint and Pumpkin ice cream, and I wasn't sure how that would work out. The Neely's suggest Butter Pecan ice cream. Yum!

Mocha Chip Angel Food Cake

2011-01-28T14:36:00.001-05:00

Another new recipe I tried a few weekends ago was from the January 2011 issue of Everyday Food. This issue was called "The Light Issue" and there were a ton of fun low calorie/low fat foods in this issue that I totally want to try. I especially liked the dessert recipes!!

I immediatly wanted to try this recipe, and it was pretty good. The only thing that shocked me was that it took 12 egg whites. Talk about using up a whole dozen eggs! I didn't have anything to do with the egg yolks, so I felt pretty wasteful. Otherwise this was a very tastey recipe, although it wasn't as low fat as I would have expected Angel Food Cake to be. I assumed it would be fat free, but the recipe had 183 calories and 5 grams of fat per slice (of the Angel Food Cake only, not including the chocolate ganache).

Mocha Chip Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:
-- 2 tbs instant expresso powder
-- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
-- 12 large egg whites (at room temperature)
-- 1 tsp cream of tarter
-- 1 1/4 cups of sugar
-- 1 cup of cake flour (**See note at bottom)
-- 1/2 tsp coarse salt
-- 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
-- 1 recipe for Mocha Ganache (see below)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the espresso powder, vanilla and 1 tbs of water until powder dissolves.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 12 egg whites on med-high until foamy, about 1 min. Add cream of tarter and beat until soft peaks form, about 4 mins. Continue to beat, gradually adding sugar, until stiff glossy peaks form, about 2 mins.

Place cake flour** and salt into a fine-mesh sieve and sift over egg-white mixture in three additions, gently folding with a rubber spatula after each addition. Gently fold in espresso mixture and chocolate chips. Gently spoon batter into an ungreased angel-food cake pan with a removable bottom (mine didn't have a removeable bottom, I used a bunt pan, and I did have some trouble removing it). With a knife, cut through batter to release air bubbles, then smooth top. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed, about 30 - 35 mins (I think I baked this for 30 mins and stopped because it was starting to burn in some areas, don't have it too close to the heating element, that might have been my problem).

Invert pan on a baking sheet and let cake cool in pan, about 1 hour. Run a thin knife around pan and tube, then unmold cake. As I mentioned above, mine didn't come out very clean, I had to work the knife a bit to get it out. Served drizzled with ganache (see recipe below).

Mocha Ganache:
Place 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz), 1/2 cup skim milk and 2 tsp instant espresso powder in a medium heat-proof bowl and set over (not in) a pot of simmering water. Stirl until chocolate metls and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and serve with cake. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Makes 1 cup.

**Cake Four note: If you cannot find cake flour, which I could not, you can take a 1 cup measuring cup, and add 2 tbs of corn startch, and then fill up the remainder of the cup with all purpose flour. Luckily my mom found this quick fix on the internet (while I was at the grocery store searching for cake flour!!). I tend to call her all the time when I can't find something at the store, and she quickly googles substitutions for me. I guess I could do that on my phone, but I am always in a tizzy at that point...ha!

Book Review: Water For Elephants

2011-01-27T08:58:00.000-05:00

So my second book of the year/month was Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants. The book club "Book Beginnings and Bookends" is getting ready to read her next book, Ape House, but I wanted to read this book first since I heard amazing things about it (although her next book is not a sequel, I still wanted to read it).

Source

This book was amazing, and I think I read it in a couple of days because I could not put it down (it helped I traveled all day Fri, so I had plenty of reading time).

The book is a story about a man's (Jacob) time working for a circus. It starts out with the man currently (about 90 years old in a nursing home), and he starts remembering his time working at the circus because the circus is coming to town and is starting to set up across from the nursing home.

You feel so bad for the man because he is still kicking at his old age (or at least trying despite his legs not working in partnership with him), and he gets treated like he is almost dead (or a child a least) at the nursing home. Oh what he would give for a good decent meal with butter and cream and all the things they think are too bad for him. Instead he gets pureed food and jello all day long. There is one nurse who is very kind to him, and sneaks him real fruit!

The book goes back and forth between his time in the present (nursing home), and his time working for the circus. I believe he is probably dreaming during the chapters of his time at the circus. Jacob ends up getting a job at the circus, after jumping board the circus train one night when running away because both of his parents have just died and he has no where to go.

Jacob ends up getting a job as the circus vet (since he had just almost finished college to become a vet -- he ended up missing his final exam because he was too torn up about his parents' death). Because he is a vet, the story really focuses on the animals, which can be amazing but heartbreaking at times when you hear how they are treated.

His time at the circus is amazing, and raw and sometimes brutal at times in how they treat the employees. It's interesting to hear the politics of the circus and how the "performers" vs the "workers" are treated so differently. You totally get swept away when reading this book, and totally feel like you are right there, working for the circus.

I loved this book, and am looking forward to reading Ape House next. I am nervous because the reviews say it is not as good, but I am going to try and keep an open mind. Right now though I am trying to finish Firefly Lane (which I started a few months ago and am halfway through), and will then start Ape House. The book club is picking back up in February, so if you are interested, check out "Book Beginnings and Bookends."

My Story

2011-01-26T09:40:00.000-05:00

I thought it would be fun to share a little about myself every once in a while on here. So I am going to start some “My Story” posts so you can get to know me, and I can document some fun things about my journey in life.

Hometown:

I was born and raised in Zanesville, OH, which is about an hour east from Central Ohio. I practically lived in the same house all my life. My parents built our house and we moved in shortly after my first birthday. I have lived in Ohio all my life, and moved to the Columbus area about 12 years ago for college. I currently live in Westerville, OH, which is a NE suburb of Columbus. I love it here!

My family:

My parents still live in our home in Zanesville, and I have one younger brother, who is married with 3 kids. I totally love my 2 nieces and my 1 nephew. My Grandparents on my Mom’s side live in West Virginia and I get to see them a couple of times a year. I write letters to my Grandma and connect with my Grandpa on Facebook (he is one computer savvy Grandpa!!). I only have my Grandma on my Father’s side, and she lives in Zanesville also, although she spends her winters with my Aunt and Uncle in FL. She calls me on her cell phone every once in a while, and we love to just chat!

Growing up:

Growing up I was totally into dancing. I did it all from clog dancing, to tap, to ballet, to jazz. I was a competitive dancer for clogging and tap for about 5 years, and even made it to the Showstopper National Championships where we placed 2nd overall in our category! My parents totally wanted me to grow up and become a dancer in NYC, or start my own dance studio, but like most kids, I just wanted to move away and go to college. Kids never do what their parents want anyway, but I’ve got a good job, and the majority of my school paid for, so I think they are pretty happy with me.

My college experience:

The first two years of college I lived at home and went to the local tech school. I then transferred and finished up my bachelor’s in Marketing at a school in Columbus. While in undergrad I got a job working at the same college, which helped pay my tuition, and then worked there while I also got my MBA. The college I went to was a non-traditional college, and the average age was like 32. I took evening classes since I worked during the day, so I didn’t get to have that fun living in the dorms, hanging out at the coffee shop, going to crazy frat parties that most people had. I kind of wish I had, but then again, I probably would have a ton of student loans, so it probably worked out for the best. Don’t worry, I did get to have fun and go out with my friends, so it wasn’t a total loss.

What I do to pay the bills:

I have had 4 jobs in my life. In high school I worked as a cashier at Big Bear (a grocery store that eventually went under, luckily after I had left), as a PR Intern at the local tech college I attended (this was for school credit, but I got paid also, so that was a bonus), in the marketing department at a 4-year college in Columbus, and now at an advertising agency, specializing in pharmaceutical marketing. Some days I love my job, and some days I just want to stay in bed, but of course that’s just life. If I could do anything in the world, I think I would either be an interior decorator or maybe a party planner.

Hope you enjoyed learning a little about me.

Movie Review: No Strings Attached

2011-01-25T08:45:00.000-05:00

One of my good friends and I went to see the movie No Strings Attached on Sunday. I'll be honest, I was expecting this movie to be funny, and it totally was worth it!

Source

Basically the story is about a girl and a guy who meet 10 years ago in summer camp. They keep running into each other over the years, and although you can tell the guy is totally into the girl, they just never seem to do more than run into each other.

At one point the guy gets the girl's phone number, but he is dating someone at the time, and he never ends up calling her. One year later, after he finds out his ex-girlfriend is dating/sleeping with his father (who is a washed up movie star), and he ends up sending her a text message (after texting/calling all the girls in his phone, looking for someone to have pity sex with him), and they end up getting together (although they don't have sex at first like you figured they would, but they do shortly after that).

Source -- this was I think one of my favorite parts of the movie,

but I don't want to ruin it for you, so you will just have to go see it!

They decide to become friends with benefits...sex, with no strings attached. Of course we all know this never works, and without ruining the movie, I am sure you can figure out how this is going to end.

Source -- this part, the "period scene," was a little dorky,

but the scene after that was really cute, so it made up for it.

Despite his relationship with Demi Moore, I totally fell in love with Ashton Kutcher in this movie. He looked so young, and was very cute and romantic. Of course I love Natalie Portman (although sometimes I hate her because she is so beautiful!), so it was a great combination. I totally could see the two of them together.

If you get a chance, totally check out this movie. I would love to see it again, and will probably buy it when it comes out on DVD.

Mutt Monday: Abby's Love (or Hate) of Squirrels

2011-01-24T08:11:00.000-05:00

So through another blog I read, I found some postings (a few years back) about Mutt Mondays. I thought it was a cute idea, and have decided to go with it. I have all kinds of stories about my beagle pup Abby, and am always told I should write a book about her. I thought it would be fun to document some crazy/funny things from the past, as well as new things that she does in the present. Hope you enjoy.

Here is my girl, Abby, right before Christmas time.

She is wearing her holiday bandana I made for her.

When I first came across this idea, I knew I had to totally post about Abby's love (or maybe hate) relationship with squirrels, especially since we just had another incident last week.

I have been living in my apartment for a little over 6 years now. I live on a golf course, so there is a ton of great greenery and wildlife, especially squirrels. I have never seen so many squirrels in my life!

When I first moved it, although Abby does like to howl at EVERYTHING (people, dogs, bugs, whatever), she never really took to the squirrels. She never really took to rabbits either (which she should since she is a beagle dog).

Well about 2 years after I moved in, something happened, and Abby was able to catch a squirrel. One of my good friends was visiting, and I hear her say "Jen, come here quick, it's Abby!" At first I thought she was hurt or something, but I look out, and there she is with a squirrel on it's back, in her mouth. I freaked out, yelled at her, and she dropped it and backed away. I then tried to get the squirrel to run away (I think it was shocked at first), because I was afraid it might then try to attack her, or even me. It finally ran off and we went on with our day.

After that, Abby could not stop looking for, and howling at squirrels. She would sit under this tree in the backyard, and just look up at it and watch for the squirrels. We would take walks around the complex, and the min she would see one, she would go crazy (like super crazy to the point where I was having trouble controlling her, and she is only 35 pounds!). It got so bad I had to start taking her to other parks for walks because I could not take her around my complex...too many squirrels.

Only one other time had she caught a squirrel, which I was once again able to get her to drop it, until the other night. She was being very quite, and had been outside for a while. It was very cold out, so I was getting nervous, so I decided to check on her. My boyfriend was over that night, and luckily because she comes running up to the door with something that looks like one of her toys. I was confused because I didn't remember her taking a toy outside, but sometimes she does manage to sneak one out on me.

She comes up to the door, and I quickly realize this is not a toy, but a dead animal. Luckily it appeared to be frozen to death, so I don't believe that Abby had actually killed it, but still it caused me to freak out. I got her to drop it, and then let her in. My boyfriend, who at this time is telling me to calm down and that I am over-reacting, finally scoops up the squirrel in an empty cereal box, and takes it out to the woods to dispose of it. I am sure my neighbors were wondering what the fuss was, but let me tell you, it totally freaked me out.

Although I didn't get a pic of her that night,

here she is begging to come in a the back door (taken today).

So my little rabbit dog, is a squirrel dog, but as the vet says, that is her nature, and nothing I can do about it. I love her anyway!!

Grilled Rosemary Chicken with Chunky Tomato Salsa

2011-01-23T15:10:00.000-05:00

So I tried a couple of new recipes this weekend, so I will have lots to share this week. For the most part, they turned out awesome. One of my favorites was the Grilled Rosemary Chicken with Chunky Tomato Salsa from the Cooking Light Fres Food Fast: Weeknight Meals cookbook. It is actually supposed to be Chunky Tomato-Avacado Salsa, but I left the avacado out of the recipe because I knew I would have leftovers, and although I LOVE avacado, I hate how it browns within a couple of hours (and believe me, I have tried all the tricks, and still no luck!).

The chicken smelled heavenly while is was cooking, and I have decided that rosemary and chicken should always go together. I totally want to now try and grow a rosemary plant just to put on my chicken all the time!

I think the Chunky Tomato Salsa would go great on a salad, especially if you cut this chicken up into pieces, they would both be wonderful on a bed of salad greens. I would definitly recommend this recipe!

Grilled Rosemary Chicken:

Ingredients:
-- 2 tbs olive oil
-- 2 tbs red wine vinegar
-- 1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
-- 1 tbs minced garlic
-- 4 (4 oz) chicken cutlets (I only cooked, 2, but wished I would have cooked 4!)
-- 1/4 tsp salt
-- 1/4 tsp black pepper
-- Cooking spray
-- Chunky Tomato Salsa (see recipe below)

Directions:
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet (or small heavy skillet like I did); sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, and add to the bag; seal and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 mins.

The recipe then called to grill the chicken, but I baked it in a dish at 350 degrees for 25 mins because it was too cold out to grill. Add the Chunky Tomato Salsa before serving.

Chunky Tomato Salsa:

Ingredients:
-- 1 tbs chopped fresh oregano (I didn't have this, so I just used dried italian seasoning, and it was good)
-- 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
-- 2 tbs red wine vinegar
-- 1 garlic clove minced
-- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
-- 1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
-- 1 ripe peeled avacado, chopped (if you prefer)

Directions:
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk; add tomato halves and cheese and avacado (if desired) and toss gently; spoon over chicken. Makes enough for 4 servings.

Spicy Chipotle Turkey Chili

2011-01-20T22:08:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned before, my goal is to try 50 new recipes this year. This is my second new recipe of the year, that worked! Ha! I tried a new receipe last week, but for some reason I cannot make pesto to save my life. It was the second time trying to make it, and I think maybe my food processor just wasn't meant to make pesto, or maybe it's me. Who knows, but we live and move on.

This recipe came from the Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast: Weeknight Meals. It wasn't too bad, but I think I have had much better chili. A couple of things I liked was that it was fast (took like 15 mins to make, although you could probably put it in a crock pot if you preferred), it was pretty healthy, and it didn't take a ton of ingredients.

It was a little bland for me, and not as hot and spicy as I was expecting. This could be due to the fact that I didn't have chipotle chili seasoning (I just used regular), and I only used half of the poblano pepper (I wasn't sure how hot it was going to be), and I used mild salsa. I did end up adding some extra chili seasoning to it, and it was much better. Next time I will probably use the whole poblano pepper, more chili seasoning, or maybe a medium salsa.

I also tried the corn muffins that was suggested on the same page, and I was not impressed. They were kind of dry, and not very flavorful.

Spicy Chipotle Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

-- 1 tbsp olive oil
-- 1 pound ground turkey
-- 1 large poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
-- 2 cups water
-- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
-- 2 (16-ounce) cans of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
-- 1 (16-ounce) jar mild chipotle salsa
-- Chedder cheese, sour cream and other toppings

Directions:
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; add turkey and pobalo pepper; cook for 5-10 minutes or until turkey is brown; stir to crumble.

Stir in water and next three ingredients; cover and bring to a boil; mash the beans lightly with a potato masher until the soup is slightly thickened; 6 servings. Garnish with favorite toppings (I used chedder cheese and fat free sour cream) and serve.

Book Review: Spoken from the Heart by Laura Bush

2011-01-18T14:25:00.000-05:00

I finally finished my first book of the new year! I have been interested in reading Laura Bush’s Spoken from the Heart, and began it shortly after the new year.

This book was amazing. I had heard mixed reviews, but was engaged from start to finish. This book is a memoir of Laura’s life both before and during her time in the White House. The beginning of the book starts when she is very little, and her biggest dream in life was to have a brother or sister. She would wish on the stars in the sky that she could have a sibling. Her mother had many miscarriages, but Laura would always remain an only child.

The book moves through her life growing up in Midland, TX, then through her college days at Southern Methodist University in Dallas Texas, where she earned her bachelor’s in education, and through graduate school at University of Texas at Austin, where she earned her master’s in Library Science. Laura first took a job teaching 2nd grade, but then after getting her master’s, worked in a school library.

Laura married George when she was 33 years old, and had her own struggles getting pregnant, but then was fortunate to have twin girls Jenna and Barbara. The story then goes on through George running and winning the position as governor of TX, her times visiting the White House when George senior was Vice President and then President, to finally her husband’s time running for and winning the presidency.

I think what fascinated me most was hearing through her eyes the story of September 11, 2001. It was amazing to hear about all of the threats and things that were never announced to the general public. It was also interesting to hear about her travels to amazing places, meeting amazing leaders of the world, and hearing about all of the great things that she did while in office. Laura focused a lot of her time on education and reading, and it was interesting because during her second term, she wanted to focus on the youth, especially boys because she felt that girls have gotten so much attention in the last decade, and that the boys were starting to lack in education.

There were lots more interesting things about this book, and I highly recommend that no matter your political position, it’s a great book to read. Laura really doesn’t get into politics, but focuses more on the events that have happened during her life.

Up next I am reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I am only on the 3rd chapter, but so far I am loving it!

Man with The Golden Voice

2011-01-12T07:45:00.000-05:00

So last week our local radio station WNCI interviewed this homeless guy who back in the 90's did radio and voiceover work in the Columbus metro area. In 1996 he really got into drinking, and bacially lost his job, family, integrity, and whatnot.

Finally about 2 years ago, he sobered up, but was still homeless and unable to get his life back on track. One of his good friends, who is a producer, took a video of him and put it on the Columbus Dispatch website, and the WNCI Morning Zoo caught wind of it, and decided to bring him in.

They shared his story and then basically gave him a job for the day helping them DJ. His story spun around the world, and now he is getting gigs. He was even on Entertainment Tonight last night as getting to meet and possibly work with some of the big time voiceovers in the business.

One of the things that I liked the best about his interview is he admitted that when he was at his best, getting gigs, getting to go to premiers and what not, he never thanked God for what God had given him. He said that God finally let the devil take him, but wouldn't let the devil take his life. He has finally realized what he had back then, and is totally ready to turn his life around.

Football, Flowers, the Flu and Lots of Snow!

2011-01-11T19:42:00.000-05:00

Lots of craziness has happened in the last week. It all started a week ago when my boyfriend came over last Tues to watch the Ohio State vs Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl.

What a crazy game it was, although I'll admit I did fall asleep around 11:30 pm when the best part of the game was taking place (opps!!). Anyway, we were very proud of our Bucks!!

Then the next day my boyfriend came down with the flu. He ended up taking off work both Wed and Thurs, and I was so afraid I was going to come down with it also, and tried to do everything I could not to get it, including being in denial about getting sick, although I'll get to that in a min.

On Fri we were supposed to hear back from the FDA on a product we are working on, so Fri and even Sat were going to be big days at work for us. We were already planning on working on Sat and possibly Sun, and we had shifts lined up to work those two days.

So Thurs comes around, and I am feeling this cough come on. I just kept drinking tea, and water, and just tried to not think about it. I ended up working about 12 hours on Thurs trying to get caught up for the big day on Fri. Of course when I wake up on Fri I am burning up, with a sore throat, and yet I still get up take a shower and start getting ready for work. I kept wondering why I was still so hot, until I took my temperature and had a 101 degree temperature!

I don't know about you, but I never get a fever. Every time I am sick I always take my temperature, and it's always steady at around 97.4 degrees. I think I took my temperature about 5 times that morning, totally in denial that I was getting sick.

My boyfriend felt so bad that he got me sick that after work on Fri he dropped off some flowers on my doorstep. Of course I was asleep when he dropped them off, so they sat there outside for about 2 hours, but fortunatly they were wrapped up pretty well and didn't freeze.

Five days later I am still battling this flu, which I think has turned into bronchitis, but I am at least on the mend now. I finally made it back to work, although at one point today I think my fever came back because I got really hot and achy and started to cough really bad.

Luckily for me, but unlucky for our client, we did not get the big FDA approval we are looking for, so the weekend-work got pushed back. Things have been a little more slow at work, which will eventually pick up, but is good for now since everyone seems to be getting sick!

In addition to all the sickness going around, it has gotten much colder and we have had so far 2 snow storms of the new year. It was 61 degrees on NYE, and I believe it got to 0 over night over the weekend. Luckily Columbus is pretty good with clearning the roads, so if you just give them enough time by either going into work a little late, or even staying a little past rush hour, they don't seem to be too bad. You can tell when big snow storm is coming because they put this salt water stuff down on the interstates. You can see these 6 or 7 lines along each lane where they have put this salty mixture down, and I think it really helps. They have only been doing this for the last couple of years, but it does seem to help keep the interstates somewhat clear during these storms.

Hope everyone else is keeping clear of the flu and other sicknesses. I think everyone I know has had something within the last couple of weeks! It's definitly going around.

Southwest Chicken Pizza

2011-01-07T08:51:00.000-05:00

This year, one of my goals is to try out 50 new recipes. I have so many cookbooks, and I am always trying new recipes, so I figure this should be a lot of fun! It will equal out to about 1 per week (and sometimes I might try 2 per week, so that will make up for week's I take off, or make a repeat item).

I actually tried 2 recipes this week, but I am still trying to perfect one of them, so I'll share that one later. This week I wanted to share Southwest Chicken Pizza from Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book (the pink edition). This recipe actually came from Sandra Lee (in the new pink section). I love trying out new pizza recipes, and will probably try out even more this year. I also love Mexican food, so this was a great combination.

A couple of things to note, I used a premade pizza crust. In the recipe it states to use a pizza crust mix and mix in 1/4 cup of mashed black beans. I love the Mama Mary pizza crusts, and I was looking for something easy, so that is what I did, but maybe sometime I will try the mix with the mashed black beans.

Also, I would suggest using canned corn instead of frozen corn like I did. I don't think the corn really cooked long enough, and wasn't very warm. I had to heat it up a little more in the microwave to get it warm enough to eat.

Also, I would drain your corn really well, and your salsa a little. My pizza had a little too much juice, and my toppings kept falling off. It was good, but next time I will drain my ingredients a little more.

Southwest Chicken Pizza (my version):

Ingredients:

-- Premade pizza crust

-- Olive oil

-- 1/2 cup (or more if you like) of salsa (I used my own homade version, see below)

-- 1/3 cup of Mexicorn, drained (suggest using from can)

-- 1/2 cup (or more if desired) fiesta blend shredded cheese

-- 1 cup cooked diced chicken

Directions:

Preheat oven per directions on the pizza crust (mine was at 450 degrees I believe).

Brush olive oil over your premade crust. Then spread on salsa evenly over dough, leaving about a 1" border. Top with the corn, chicken and cheese and other ingredients as desired.

Bake according to the directions on your premade crust (I believe I cooked mine for 12 - 14 mins) until golden brown.

Homemade Salsa:

For my homemade salsa, add to a food precessor, 4-5 small Roma tomates (cut in half), 1/2 of a red onion (also cut up into smaller chunks), 1 tbs lime juice, 1 tsp salt (or more to taste), and a handful of cilantro. Mix together in your food processor and then take a taste to see if it needs more salt or lime juice. I don't like to mix too much or else it gets runny. It's even better after it sits in the fridge for a day or so. Enjoy!

New Year = New Calendars

2011-01-05T08:24:00.002-05:00

I am totally an office/school supply junkie! I swear I probably should have been a teacher, and then I could get new school supplies every year. I sometimes do pick up school/office supplies in the Fall, but one of my favorite things about a new year is new calendars.

This year I have three new calendars. Of course I can't just have one!!

I love Mary Phillip Designs, and have been bummed she hasn't had a new calendar for a while (or at least I haven't been able to find them). When I found out about this calendar a few months ago, I put it on my amazon.com wish list, and my mother got it for me for Christmas. I am keeping this one up at work. It's a fun girly calendar with lots of fun sayings such as:

"I'm not into working out. My philosophy is: No pain, no pain." -- January 2011

"All we need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." -- February 2011

I also got this cute Lilly Pulizter agenda and matching pen to keep in my purse. This is to keep track of important dates such as birthdays, lunches, parties, hair appointments, etc.

I ordered it from the Preppy Princess, and this is how it arrived. I loved the presentation!

I also ordered this calendar from Snapfish and gave one away to both my Mom and my Sister-in-law. It is of fun pictures of my nieces and nephew over the last year. This one I am keeping in the kitchen at home.

Do you have any fun calendars you purchased this year?

Books for 2011

2011-01-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

There are a ton of books on my "To Read" list on Goodreads.com. My goal for 2011 is to read 20 books. Below are just a few that I am looking to read this year:

American Wife -- by Curtis Sittenfeld

Spoken from the Heart -- by Laura Bush (just started this and so far loving it!)

Nanny Returns -- Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus (loved The Nanny Diaries)

Uncharted Territori -- Tori Spelling (have loved all of her books so far!)

Fly Away Home -- Jennifer Weiner (one of my fav writers!)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- Stieg Larsson

Savannah Breeze -- Mary Kay Andrews

Friday Night Knitting Club -- Kate Jacobs

If You Were Here -- Jen Lancaster (looking forward to this coming out in May! Love her books!)

Also, I am joining Life Meg's Mingle Monday today, so check it out!

Goals for 2011

2011-01-02T10:27:00.001-05:00

I have been thinking about goals for the last week and I very eager to get started on my goals for 2011.

The last couple of months has been very stressful for me. Things have been extremly crazy at work, and I feel that I have been letting that stress really get to me and my health. My big overall goal for 2011 is to make sure to have a good work/life balance. This might require some changes on my part, both at work and in my personal life, but I am dedicating myself to making sure that I am able to obtain and then maintain that balance.

Below are some of my personal goals. I will probably go into deeper description in other postes later on this week, but as a quick hit list, here they are:

1. Take better care of myself -- eating right, exercising, taking my vitamins, getting enough sleep.

2. Yoga -- I would like to try and do yoga at least once a week, if not twice a week.

3. Read the bible -- I have a plan to read the bible in 365 days; I have never done this before, and am very excited in trying it. In addition to this, I am going to participate in the 2011 Siesta Scripture Memory Team and learn 24 scriptures over the next year.

4. Try 50 new recipes -- I have a ton of cookbooks, so I would like to try at least one new recipe per week; I will be sure to share my results (both successes and failures).

5. Read 20 books -- I have a ton of books on my Goodreads "To read" list. I would love to be able to make a nice dent in this list. This equates to almost 2 books per month, which is probably doable for myself. It's a big goal, so we will see!

6. Craft/Sewing Projects -- I have a couple of craft/sewing projects that I would like to complete. One of them is a quilt, and the others I will share in another post.

7. Write letters/send cards -- I am going to try and send birthday cards to all of my immediate family members, and send letters to my Grandparents on a monthly basis. Currently looking for some cute stationary if anyone has an ideas/links you would like to share!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T22:26:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone!

I have been really looking forward to ringing in 2011. Although 2010 was a good year for me, I went on a few great trips, got a promotion at work, and had another great year with my manfriend, I have some great plans and goals for 2011 that I have been looking forward to getting a jump start on.

I am still working on my goals for 2011, and am hoping to share with eveyone soon. Until then, I hope everyone has had a great start to the new year, and is enjoying the weekend with their family and friends!

Spinach Manicotti in Creamy Tomato Sauce

2010-12-30T09:52:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite types of pasta is Manicotti. When I came across this recipe in the December 2010 issue of Every Day Food, I just had to make it. I have actually had the ingredients on hand to make it for a few weeks now, I just finally found the time to make it. This is very tastey, and very rich. The recipe makes a ton of spinach/cheesy filling, so you don't have to worry about skinny little shells! Probably not something I will make all the time (or else I will be 500 pounds), but something I might make every few months.

Spinach Manicotti in Creamy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
-- 8 manicotti shells
-- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
-- 1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
-- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan
-- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
-- 1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
-- 2 cups prepared marinara sauce
-- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
-- 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta shells according to package instructions. Drain well and arrange in a single layer on an oiled rimmed baking sheet.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and lemon zest. Stir in spinach and season filling to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer filling to a zip-top plastic bag. Twist and squeeze bag so filling is in one corner. With scissors, snip a 3/4-inch opening in corner.

Pipe filling into both ends of each pasta shell. Arrange stuffed shells in an 8-inch square glass baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk togerther marinara sauce, oregano, and cream. Pour sauce evenly over stuffed shells and top with 1/2 cup Parmesan. Please note I added some shredded mozzarella cheese because I just can't have enough cheese!!

Bake until sauce in center of dish is bubbling and Parmesan is browned in spots, about 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Christmas Recap -- My Favorite Photo

2010-12-29T10:29:00.001-05:00

This is my favorite photo from Christmas this year. This is what happens when your 4-year old nephew finds out that Santa is ringing the doorbell!

Every year, since I can remember, Santa brings PJ's to the kids on Christmas Eve. He rings the doorbell, and when we answer, there are packages with new PJ's in them on the front steps. Since we have grown up, he now brings PJ's to the little kids. Ok, really he still brings PJ's to me also, but that is only because I don't have kids yet, and as my Mom says, I am spoiled!

We have also started a tradition of opening stockings every Christmas Eve. This involves the little kids and the big kids. There are always fun things such as lip glosses, gift cards to Starbucks, a cute snowman spatula, and other fun things like that.

What traditions do you have every year?

Christmas Gift Recap

2010-12-28T10:07:00.004-05:00

Some of my favorite Christmas gifts from this year.

Martha Stewart Encyclopedia of Sewing & Fabric Crafts
Source

Martha Stewarts Baking Handbook
Source

Tiffany Key Charm
Source

Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook (Breast Cancer Edition)
Source

Rachel Ray Moppines
Source

Simply Vera Wang PJ's (the softest PJ's ever!)

Cashmere Sweater (my first and it is sooo soft!)

Snoopy Salt & Pepper Shaker (So funny! I love beagles, so my Mom thought I just had to have this!)

Source

Hope Santa spoiled everyone like he did me! What were some of your favorite gifts?

Holiday Parties 2010

2010-12-27T20:51:00.002-05:00

Hope everyone had a great holiday! The last few months has been crazy busy for me, but I did have a little bit of fun. I ended up having 4 holiday party/dinners for the month of December.

The first party was the first weekend of December, and it was our corporate work holiday party. This was for all of the companies under our parent company, so there was probably about 500 or so people there. The company rented out BOMA (Bar of Modern Art). BOMA is really cool because it used to be a Presbyterian Church (which is a little odd I might add), but is really cool because it has a ton of stained glass windows, and lots of great architecture. The sanctuary is where the DJ and the dance floor is located.

I didn't get any pictures, but there was a free photo booth, so we of course had to get our picture taken.

The next weekend some of my best girl friends all got together for dinner at Marcellas. I hadn't had a chance to catch up with them for a couple of months due to my busy work schedule, so it was great to get to see them.

The third weekend in December, the same group of girlfriends, and their husbands/significant others all got together for an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. I was so bummed that I arrived too late for the sweater contest, but then again I thought my sweater was tacky, but not ugly (I am on the far left). Anyway, we had a great time eating, drinking and goofing off.

The last party, which unfortunatly I don't have pictures of yet, was for my small company. We had a holiday bowling party the Friday before Christmas. We got to leave work around 2:30 pm, and we were able to bowl 2 games. My first game was a bust and I only scored a 68. The second game I somehow managed to score a 165. I totally impressed everyone, and it was crazy because people at the far lanes kept coming down to see if I really had scored that high.

It has been a whirlwind these last couple of months, but it was great to finally take some time to have some fun with my friends!

Christmas Parade of Homes

2010-12-13T22:59:00.001-05:00

Welcome to my home!

Since I live only with my pup Abby, and because we are both girls, I have choosen to have pink holiday decorations. I figure I might as well enjoy the girly decorations while I can, right! I also have a pretty small living room, and although I do have a really nice 6 ft christmas tree, I have opted to keep it in storage and pull out this cute little tree year after year.

A few years ago I came across this cute little tree at Pier 1, and knew it would be just right for my small apartment. They also had a ton of cute pink ornaments and other holiday decorations that matched perfectly. I scooped them all up right on the spot, and have been using them for about 4 or 5 years now. The little santa box was from my Grandma last year, and the other little ornament was from our trip to Hilton Head this year. It is a lighthouse.

More pink decorations from Pier 1. The stocking holders are actually from Target. The christmas picture on the little stove was from my niece and nephew from 2 years ago. I actually keep it out year round because they are so cute! The little Brutus Buckey guy at the bottom right was a gift from my mom a few years ago. She has a friend from church who paints these cute little critters and things on sidewalk pavers.

This little display is in my kitchen. I just love it when there are displays of a bunch of glass containers of candy in the kitchen, so this is my little take on that. I am using candy cane Hershey's kisses (which are amazing...my boyfriend and I can't stop eating them!!). The plate is from Target, and I think it is so cute I might keep it out through the rest of winter. The candle is Spice from Bath and Body Works, and is one of my many holiday candles.

This is a little candle display on my coffee table. At the bottom of the hurricane vase are little glass beads and silver bells that I got from Pier 1. The platter I got from Target a few years ago. I just added a candle, and a little ribbon, and instant centerpiece!

And this is the centerpiece on my dining room table. I just loved this table runner from Pier 1 and totally had to get it! It has little jingle bells on each end. The platter and stand is from Southern Living at Home, and I just added some ribbon. The christmas cactus I picked up at Lowes and just loved the hot pink flowers.

I hope you enjoyed all of my holiday decorations. Thanks for visiting!!

Favorite Holiday Movie of All Times -- Christmas Vacation

2010-12-11T23:02:00.000-05:00

My favorite holiday movie of all times is Christmas Vacation.

I think I have seen this movie about 100 times, and every year I watch it over and over again, because I love it! It's funny because I don't typically remember movie quotes, but I remember so many lines from this movie.

My all time favorite part of the movie is where Clark is going on a rant about his boss after finding out he is not getting his holiday bonus, and starts going on and on about his boss. At the end he says

"Hallelujah! Holy s&*#! Where's the Tylenol?"

I think many people can relate to that part of the quote especially around the holidays.

Another favorite part is when Clark is at work, and all these upper level managers pass by and he starts telling everyone Merry Christmas at first and then goes on to say:

"Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, kiss my a$$, kiss his a$$, kiss your a$$, happy Hanukkah."

Oh and who can forget Eddie, his family, his RV (aka tenament on wheels), and of course snot.

Eddie's was famous for his quote "Merry Christmas. Shitter's full."

And who can forget dear Aunt Bethenny and her poor cat, who used up all it's 9 lives after eating the christmas lights.

Oh how I will need to go and watch this movie again. I believe I have it on both VHS and DVD.

What's your favorite holiday movie?

Linking up to Beverly's Pink Saturday post.

Mrs. Miracle (Book/Movie Review)

2010-12-05T11:16:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite Christmas movies/books is Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle.

Last year the movie debuted on Hallmark Channel. I loved it so much, my brother got me the book for Christmas.

The storyline is about a man (Seth) who has lost his wife and is trying to raise their twin boys. The boys are a handful, and they keep going through housekeepers/nannies. After their last housekeeper/nanny has quit, and Seth thinks things are going to fall apart, an older woman shows up at their door. Her name is Mrs. Merkle and she states she was sent to them as the new housekeeper/nanny.

Mrs. Merkle quickly goes to work and sets the boys and the household straight. The boys love her, and start calling her Mrs. Miracle because she can make miracles happen.

During the story, Seth meet's Reba. Reba owns a travel agency, and she is having problems of her own trying to cope with how her sister ruined her engagement 4 years ago. She ends up helping with the church christmas program, where she meet's Seth and his boys. They quickly fall for each other, and you find out that Mrs. Miracle is behind the whole set up.

The book is a little more indepth than the movie. The book introduces more storylines and characters such as Seth's parents. I loved both the book and the movie, and although I usually like to read the book before watching the movie, it was kind of interesting to watch the movie, and then read the extra storylines in the book. I was afraid they were going to be exactly the same, and since I just watched the movie again last weekend, when I was reading the book this week I was afraid I would be a little bored, but I wasn't.

This year Call Me Mrs. Miracle was debuted on the Hallmark Channel as the follow up to Mrs. Miracle. It is also available as the book as well. I have the movie recorded on my DVR and will probably watch it this weekend and then try and pick up the book later this week.

I highly recommend if you come across the movie to check it out. It's a great family movie and I think what I love best about it is it totally reminds me of Mary Poppins, which is one of my favorite childhood Disney movies.

Sugar Crinkles -- Favorite Holiday Cookie Recipe

2010-12-04T10:54:00.000-05:00

I love making christmas cookies. Every year I always like to try a new recipe, but I also have my favorites I love to make year after year. A few years ago I purchased one of my favorite cookie cookbooks.

Southern Living Incredible Cookies

One of my favorite recipes from this cookbook is the Sugar Crinkles. They are a sugar cookie that is rolled into balls, and then rolled into sugar. They are similar to a molasses sugar cookie because they have that crinkled sugary coating. What I love about them though is they have a slight lemon flavor. Sugar and lemon to me is a great flavor combination. I love to add red and green sprinkles to my sugar to make them even more festive. Below is a picture of the cookies I made last year.

Sugar Crinkles

Yield: about 5 1/2 dozen

Ingredients
-- 1 cup shortening
-- 1 1/2 cups sugar
-- 2 large eggs
-- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
-- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-- 2 teaspoons baking powder
-- 1/2 teaspoon salt
-- 1/4 cup sugar

Directions:
Beat shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed of an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and flavorings, beating until blended.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to shortening mixture, beating well. Cover and chill dough.

Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll balls in 1/4 cup sugar. Place balls on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350° for 8 to 9 minutes or until barely golden. Let cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

I am posting this recipe for Beverly's Pink Saturday

O Christmas Cactus!

2010-12-03T11:51:00.003-05:00

My Grandmother has had a Christmas cactus for a couple of years now. I believe that they are similar to poinsettias and only bloom during the holiday months.

This year I decided to get one as well and am using it as a centerpiece on my dining room table. I just love the funky leaves and the bright pinky/red flowers.

From what I have read online, the key to getting it to bloom during the holiday season is to keep it in a cool room during the Fall months, and to make sure not to overwater it. You then have to keep it in a cool room for another 30 days after it has bloomed to allow it to rest. I haven't had a chance to ask my Grandmother how she gets her's to bloom every year, but it always does!

This is a picture of my Grandmother's Christmas Cactus which bloomed in November. Wish me luck that I can keep mine just as long! If anyone has any tips, please share!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

2010-12-01T23:34:00.000-05:00

Source

I totally cannot believe it's already December! Where did the time go?? I keep putting November dates in my emails, so hopefully I can get into the groove of writing December.

Today we had our first snow fall, so it's starting to look like December! All throughout the day we had some flurries, but now the roads are icing over. They even had to shut down the interstate due to so many accidents. I am getting ready to enjoy some hot cocoa and curl up with a good book and my pup dog.

I came across this fun recipe the other day, so I think I might try it. It looks really good!

Cocktail o'Clock: Rocky Road Hot Chocolate

In a large ovenproof mug combine 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1½ cups hot milk and 1½ ounces amaretto. Top with miniature marshmallows and place under broiler until golden brown and puffed.

From Every Day Food

Pioneer Woman Pecan Pie and Whisky Maple Cream Sauce

2010-11-27T12:27:00.000-05:00

Last weekend the Pioneer Woman was on Throwdown with Bobby Flay. I love Ree (aka Pioneer Woman), and was excited to see her on this show. They did a great job showing her life in Oklahoma with Marlboro Man and her kids on their ranch. It totally made me want to live on a ranch as it was so beautiful out there!

One of the things she made, which I believe helped her win, was Pecan Pie with a Whisky Maple Cream Sauce (which by the way I now can't stop saying P-can pie, thanks to Miss Paula Deen!). It looked sooo good, and I have been wanting to make it all week.

We had two Thanksgiving Dinners this week -- one with my Grandparents and my Mom's family in WVa and one with my brother's family (my brother and sister-in-law had to work on Thanksgiving). I ended up making Pumpkin Whoopie pies for the WVa dinner, and the Pecan Pie for my brother's dinner.

This Pecan Pie was de-lic-ious! My entire family raved about it! And the Whisky Maple Cream Sauce was to die for! I would totally recommend this sauce to be put on anything really. It had just enough of a kick to balance out the sweet pie (it's a little too rich to eat by itself, yes I did try though!).

Pioneer Woman's Pecan Pie:

Ingredients:

-- 1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust (Ree uses "Sylvia's Perfect Pie Crust" recipe, I used a premade one)
-- 1 cup White Sugar
-- 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
-- ½ teaspoons Salt
-- 1 cup Corn Syrup
-- ¾ teaspoons Vanilla
-- ⅓ cups Melted Butter (Ree suggests salted, but I used unsalted and it turned out fine)
-- 3 whole Eggs Beaten
-- 1 cup (heaping) Chopped Pecans

Preparation Instructions:
First, whip up your pie crust using “Sylvia’s Perfect Pie Crust” found on Tasty Kitchen or purchase one like I did (which my Mom said was cheating).

Next, mix sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl.

Pour chopped pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.

Pour syrup mixture over the top. Cover top and crust lightly/gently with foil. Bake pie at 350º for 30 minutes. Remove foil, then continue baking for 20 minutes, being careful not to burn the crust or pecans.

NOTE: PIE SHOULD NOT BE OVERLY JIGGLY WHEN YOU REMOVE IT FROM THE OVEN. If it shakes a lot, cover with foil and bake for an additional 20 minute or until set. Required baking time seems to vary widely with this recipe. Sometimes it takes 50 minutes; sometimes it takes 75!

Allow to cool for several hours or overnight. Serve in thin slivers.

Whisky Maple Cream Sauce:

Ingredients:

-- 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
-- 5 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
-- 3 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
-- 1 Tablespoon Whiskey (can Add More If Desired)

Preparation Instructions:
Combine cream, maple syrup, and corn syrup in a saucepan and stir to combine. Cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring constantly, for 15 minutes or until sauce is reduced and thick (sauce should bubble slightly as it’s cooking.)

When sauce is thick, remove from heat and stir in whiskey. Return to heat for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour into a container and refrigerate until completely chilled. Stir before serving.

Drizzle over pies (or anything)!

Book Review: Foul Play

2010-11-27T00:25:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I read the book Foul Play, by Janet Evanovich. It was one of those really cute romantic comedy type books (aka chick lit), and was a very quick read. I was able to finish it within a couple of hours over the weekend.

Amy, a local celebrity known for playing a clown on a local children's show, is fired and quickly replaced by a dancing chicken. Shortly after her firing she meets Jake, the town’s vet, who is not only handsome, but very respectful among the community. She meets him in the grocery store (after basically trashing the store as she is very clumsy) and when she finds out she has forgotten her wallet and locked her keys in the car, Jake steps in and saves the day by purchasing her groceries and then taking her home.

The two have instant chemistry, and Amy tries to fight it from the very start. She doesn't trust Jake, and isn't ready to fall into a relationship. Because she doesn't have a job, Jake offers her a job as a receptionist (mostly so he can spend more time with her) at his vet office, and she takes it (but only because she needs something in order to survive, not because he is hot or anything).

A week after her firing, the dancing chicken (who stole Amy's job), becomes very sick and is brought into the vet's office. The next day the chicken comes up missing, and Amy is to blame because the chicken had stolen her job. It didn’t help that she showed up the next day to work with homemade chicken soup.

For the remainder of the book, Jake and Amy go on a quest to find out what really happened to the chicken so that they can clear Amy's name. She becomes somewhat of a joke around town as a chicken killer who eats her prey. It gets so bad that Jake actually starts losing patients at his vet’s office because owners are afraid that their pets will come up missing also.

This book is a little silly at times, but it is a cute love story, and I really did get interested in finding out what happened to the chicken. If you are looking for a quick rainy day read, check it out.

Show Us Your Life -- Bathrooms

2010-11-14T10:44:00.001-05:00

I haven't been very good at posting these last couple of weeks due to traveling for work, but since I am back in town for the next couple of weeks, thought I would kick things off again by sharing another "Show Us Your Life."

This week we are sharing our bathrooms. I am lucky to have 2 full baths all to myself! The master bath gets used mostly for getting ready in the morning and for getting ready for bed at night. The guest bathtub rarely gets used, only when I have company.

Master Bath:

Here is the view from the master bedroom. My master bedroom is painted a sage green, and I wanted the bathroom to compliment it, so I painted the bathroom a light yellow, and I have sage green towels and a sage green bathmat which ties nicely with the bedroom.

Here is the view of the vanity/sink area.

Guest Bath:

I love this dark blue color, and think the white towels and shower curtain really pops! The towels and shower curtain are that white waffle pattern, which reminds me of a fancy hotel room.

This room also houses my washer and dryer which is located in a closet opposite the sink (right behind the door).

Right now my guest bath is decorated for fall. I just love the yellows and oranges against the blue walls.

My mom bought me this picture for my first apartment (a very long time ago), and I still love it today. In case you can't read it, it says "There is a 'Hare' in the tub."

Thanks for stopping by my home. Hope you enjoyed!

Book Club: Commencement Part 2

2010-10-19T22:28:00.000-04:00

For the Book Beginnings and Bookends book club, we read the book Commencement. We split up our discussion of the book into 2 parts because the book itself was split into 2 parts. Below are my answers to the discussion questions for the 2nd part.

1. What parts of the book could you most relate to? Least relate to?

In the 2nd half of the book, I think I related to Celia’s life the most. I am single, and am in the process of figuring out my life, so I totally got where she was coming from. The character I related to the least was April. Although I do think because of her character this book really opened my eyes, I just don’t see why anyone would want to put their life at jeopardy like that. There was probably a better way to get their issues across that wasn’t illegal or didn’t put their life in danger.

2. If the author were to write another novel that followed one of the girls onto her next step of life, which one would you want it to be about? Whose story would you want to follow more of?

I really wanted to find out what happened to Bree. Did she go back to Lara? Did she reconcile with her family? I also think a book about Celia would be interesting, especially if it focused on her career and the dating scene in NYC.

3. What surprised you most about this book?

Although I totally saw what April and Ronnie were up to about half way through the 2nd part, I guess I was surprised at the abrupt ending. It left a lot of things up in the air, and unresolved for me. I would have liked the book to have had maybe another chapter where the girls are 6 months down the road or something like that. Did April go to jail? Did Bree go back with Lara? Did Celia become an author? Is Sally enjoying motherhood? Are the girls still close? Lots of questions were running through my mind at the end of the book.

4. Which character did you look forward to reading about the most?

I think I enjoyed reading about Celia and Bree, especially after Bree moved in with Celia in her NYC apartment. I also did want to know what happened to April, especially since she was practically MIA for the majority of the 2nd part.

5. Did the book meet your expectations?

I totally enjoyed this book, and it did meet my expectations. I didn’t realize it would have so much women’s rights involved, but I feel like this did open my eyes to some things that I just never really thought about. Although this was a big part of the book, it was the girls’ relationships that shone the most for me.

I am having a great time with this book club, and can’t wait to see what the next book is going to be.

Show Us Your Life -- Kitchen

2010-10-10T11:47:00.000-04:00

This week on Kelly's Korner's Show Us Your Life we are sharing our Kitchens. Kitchens are one of my favorite parts of a home. Also, one of my favorite things to shop for are kitchen gadgets and stuff. Last night my boyfriend and I went into Crate and Barrel, and spent some time going through all of the fun kitchen gadgets and mixes and stuff. I am really starting to love to cook, so my kitchen gadgets are starting to really get a good use, so I can justify all of my shopping now (ha!).

So here is my kitchen. It is very small, and someday I would love to have a big open kitchen with an island my family can sit around. I do love how bright and cheery it is.

This is the view into my kitchen from the dining room (which I shared last week). The baby gate is not for a baby/child, but to keep my pup out of the kitchen. She likes to get into the fridge, and also the trash (which I keep under the sink). It's not totally fool proof, she does sometimes managed to get in there, but it does help for the most part.

My color scheme as you can tell is bright colors of green, yellow and orange. My wall color is a med brown, and my main living areas (living room, dining room, kitchen, hallway) are painted this color.

I love aprons, and have started collecting them (my big collection of 2!). The pink one is from Williams Sonoma, and the blue/brown is one that I made a few months ago.

Here is the view into the kitchen from the living room. I love having plants all round my home, and these 2 little flower pots (from Crate & Barrel) were just so bright and fun, I had to add them to my breakfast bar. The plant on the far right is my basil plant. I had it outside, but it started to cool off overnight, so I finally brought it inside. The little pumpkin is from Bath & Body Works from a few years ago, and it used to have a little candle in it.

My couch actually backs up to my breakfast bar, so I really don't get to use it much for that purpose. My girlfriends and I have had some fun times standing around the breakfast bar, chatting, eating appetizers and drinking wine while I am preparing dinner.

The platter in the corner is also from Crate & Barrel. I love to show off seasonal platters on that stand in the corner. The baskets on top of the cabinet are Longaberger baskets. The Longaberger plant is not too far from where I live, and actually a lot of people from my hometown actually work there, so it's probably a much bigger deal around here than in other places. Most of these baskets I actually got as gifts. I am not a big collector, but I do like to display the ones I have.

This is a view of the other side of the kitchen. The fruit stand is also from Crate & Barrel (love that store) and the wine rack is something I got from my Grandma. She was going to sell it at our family garage sale, and it didn't sell, so I ended up with it. Some of the wines are from my trip to the Biltmore Estate.

The little cleaning caddy is also a favorite of mine. I got it at Target, and it holds Lavendar scented hand soap, dish soap and counter spray. Makes my kitchen smell sooo good!! The binders in the corner holds all of the recipes I have printed from online. The spice rack was made by my Grandfather for my first apartment, many years ago. I just love it!

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen! Hope you are having a great weekend!

Patchwork Scarf with Amy Butler Fabric

2010-10-07T07:19:00.000-04:00

About a month or so ago, one of my good friends and I visited this awesome fabric shop called Sew to Speak, and I got some really cute things! I have been totally wanting to get out my sewing machine and make something, and I finally got that chance on Sunday. I didn't have a ton of time to dedicate to making the yoga bag that I have been planning on making for about 6 months or so, but I did want to make something so I quickly put together this patchwork scarf using a fabric bundle of Amy Butler's fabrics (which I totally love by the way!). I have seen some of these scarfs on Esty, and have been wanting to make one for some time. It was pretty easy, and didn't take too much time, and I got a ton of compliments when I wore it to work on Monday.

So to start you need to figure out how long and wide you want your scarf to be. I used another scarf as an example, and I believe I made this about 36 inches long and about 8" wide (give or take a little for seams). I then decided since I had 4 different kinds of fabric, that I wanted about 3 blocks per fabric, so I needed to cut out a total of 12 blocks per side (a total of 24 blocks since I then sewed 2 sides together to finish it off). I used different measurements of 3", 5" and 7" and alternated them. As I mentioned before, the width of my blocks was 8". I think this might have been a little wider than I wanted, so next time I might change my width to be about 6", but it is best to take a scarf that you really like, that fits you well, and use those measurements for width and length as a guide.

Once you have all of your blocks cut out, you will need to sew 12 of them together into one long strip. Alternate your fabrics and your sizes. I really planned out what fabrics would go nicely together and what sizes I wanted before I even started cutting. I just used a piece of paper to draw out my design and I think that is probably the best way to ensure you get the best fabrics next to each other, and that you don't have a lot of the same sizes next to each other. It looks best when it is random. Also, make sure to iron your fabric before you cut to get out any wrinkles, and then I ironed again before sewing the strips, and then once again before sewing the two strips together. It just helps to keep your fabric and your seams straight.

Once you have sewed one strip of 12 blocks together, sew the second strip of 12 blocks. I actually made my two strips identical to each other in sizes and fabrics. You then put the 2 sides together, pretty sides facing each other, and sew around (with about 1/4" seams) 3 of the sides. I actually rotated the second strip so that those blocks were going in a different direction to make it interesting.

Once you have sewed around the 3 sides, turn your scarf inside out (and push out your corners), and then pin the 4th side to close it up. I then did a stitch around the perimeter of the scarf (about 1/4" in from the edge, which finished it off, and also closed up the 4th end.

This scarf was really easy to put together and took me all of maybe 1 - 1.5 hours to cut out and sew together. If you have any questions, or want more detailed instructions feel free to leave me a comment.

Book Club (Part One: Commencement)

2010-10-06T07:01:00.003-04:00

The newest book we are reading for the book club Book Beginnings and Bookends is Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan. I do have to say that I was very excited that we were reading this book. At one point it looked like we were going with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and I do want to read that book at some point, but I really wanted to read this book, so I am super excited it got picked.

This book is based on the story of 4 girls (Sally, Celia, Bree and April) who are all very different, but became very good friends while attending college together at Smith College (which is a real college by the way; a private liberal arts college for women located in Northampton, Massachusetts) The book is broken up into 2 sections: Spring 2006 and Spring 2007, and we split up the reading based on the 2 parts.

So the first set of questions will be based around part 1. This part bounces back and forth between what is currently happening in the Spring of 2006, which is 4 years from when they graduated, and the girls experiences while attending Smith College, beginning with the first day they met on campus.

Currently, Sally is getting married in the Quad on campus, and the other 3 girls are traveling to Northampton to attend the wedding. Each chapter is based on one of the girls, and you really get to know their personalities and their story. The book is great because it shows how these 4 completely different personalities really rely on each other and become each other’s families.

I haven’t started to read the 2nd section yet, so I really have no idea how the 2nd part is going to relate to the 1st part, but it looks like it is going to take place 1 year from Sally’s wedding. I totally don’t want to ruin the book for anyone, so I’ll leave my description on the book right there.

Questions to Part 1:

1. Which girl do you identify the most with?

It’s funny because I don’t believe I relate to just one character. I think I am a combination of Bree and Sally based on different times in my life. I totally do not relate to April, but I do respect what she is doing for women. I would say that when I went off to college (a long time ago..ha!) I would have totally related to Bree. She seemed to be very naive when she first went off to college, and completely and totally in love with her high school sweetheart, which she finds out later is not the one for her . I feel like that was kind of me at that point in time, naïve, young and stupidly in love.

Right now, I think I relate more to Sally as she is right now. She’s in a relationship, she’s happy and is looking forward to getting married. Her friends can’t relate because they are not in the same place, and Sally sometimes feels guilty that she is so happy. She also struggles between wanting to be a married woman vs what people think she should be which is a strong woman who is going to make a name for herself, not getting married and settling down. I am not getting married, but I am in a relationship, and have a career that is finally taking off. I do want to get married and have a family, but at the same time I do struggle with the decision of what may then happen to my career. Can I have it all? I also have some friends who over the years we have just grown apart and are totally in different places now. It’s hard because I am ready to settle down, and they are still trying to figure themselves out.

2. If you're a college student or graduate, what similarities or differences do you see between this story to your own college experience?

I went to a non-traditional college and lived in an apartment off campus on my own, so unfortunately I didn’t get the traditional college experience of living in dorms. I think I do see similarities of how naïve I was back then, and how much I grew up in college. I do enjoy reading about their college experience because it gives me a little taste of what I missed back then.

3. Which girl do you think has changed the most since her time in college? In what ways has she changed?

I think they have all changed somewhat. I think that Sally now knows what she wants out of life, which is to be married to the love of her life. I think she is starting to find peace also with what’s happened with her mother. April seems to be going down the same path that she was in college wanting to help less fortunate women, but she seems so much more extreme than she was in college. Celia seems to be a little lost to me. I feel like she needs to figure her life out and what she wants out of her career in NYC, and I would love for her to meet a nice guy. Bree seems to be trying to prove a point with her lesbian relationship and that she is a strong woman, but she doesn’t seem happy. I hope she figures out what will make her happy in her life, and that she mends the relationship with her family.

30 Day Clothes Challenge (Days 18 - 22)

2010-10-05T23:18:00.000-04:00

I totally fell behind with posting my 30 Day Clothes Challenge. Especially since tomorrow is my last day of the challenge (oops!). But I did keep up with the challenge, and was successfully able to come up with 30 different outfits for work. I did have to go shopping for dress pants due to my new responsibilities at work which include traveling to work onsite at the client's office a few days a week where jeans are not allowed =(, but was able to find enough tops to get by without having to purchase anything new. I am planning on posting my results though, and will do so over the next few days.

Days 18 - 22

Day 18: Monday -- Top from The Limited, jeans from Loft

Day 19: Tuesday -- Top, cardigan and pants from Loft (new dress pants!)

Day 20: Wednesday -- Top from The Limited, cardigan from Lands End, and pants and necklace from Loft

Day 20: Thursday -- another all Loft outfit!

Day 22: Friday -- Top and jeans, again from Loft, necklace from Tiffanys

Check back in a few days for Days 23 - 27 and then Days 28 - 30!

Show Us Your Life -- Dining Rooms

2010-10-02T21:11:00.000-04:00

This week's topic for Show Us Your Life over at Kelly's Korner is Dining Rooms. My dining room is pretty small, and I honestly don't use it often for the purpose of "dining." Sometimes when my boyfriend comes over and I cook dinner, we will eat at the table, but this is mostly to keep the dog from bothering my boyfriend. I typically eat on the couch while watching tv. For the most part, I use my dining room table when I use my computer for work (I like to spread my papers all over the table and floor), and for when I use my sewing machine.

This is looking into the dining room from the living room. You can't really see the print I have hanging, but it is a really cute watercolor print that I got from Garden Ridge about 12 years ago or so. I have loved it ever since. Also, that little stool on the left is actually an ironing board/stool that my Grandfather made for me. I have never used it as an ironing board, but when I used to have a home phone on that wall (now only use cell phone), I used to sit on that stool and talk on the phone. I also have a message board/chalkboard on the wall next to the stool that I use to display pictures, and other little messages.

I have had this baker's rack since my first apartment. I actually have had the dining room table and chairs since my first apartment also. The baker's rack holds my cookbook collection, some baskets with odds and ends, and on the lower shelf is the dog's basket with toys and my shredder. The platter is the one I got in Savannah. I like to switch out my platters every so often, but I loved this one so much I have had it on display since my vacation in May!

Here is a closer view of the table. I got this cute fall table runner from Pier 1 last weekend. The iron pumpkins were from Pier 1 and I have had them for about 10 years or so. I made the curtains about 10 years ago or so also. It was one of my first sewing projects, and the fabric is a sage green toile. I just love toile!

Thanks for stopping by to see my home!

Sugarland Concert

2010-09-27T07:04:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday, my Mom and I went to the Sugarland concert at the Nationwide Arena.

Sugarland is one of my very favorite bands. I love all of their songs, and I always joke that almost all of them are theme songs to my life. Some of my favorites are:

-- Baby Girl -- when I moved away from home
-- Something More and It Happens -- when I am having a bad day, especially at work
-- Already Gone -- my first love
-- Settlin' -- my love life, career, really anything

The concert was a-maz-ing! The set was awesome and the two of them are just great performers. They sang for about 2 hours, which I think was a pretty good amount of time. I have heard of other artists only performing for an hour or so. We were in the 2nd to last row, but it was great because they had this big round screen in the middle of their set which allowed us to see them up close. Here are some of my pictures from the concert. They didn't turn out too bad considering we were so far away, and of course because it was pretty dark in there it's sometimes hard to get a good picture.

If you ever get a chance, I highly recommend going to see their show!

Show Us Your Life -- Master Bedrooms

2010-09-24T08:06:00.002-04:00

This week over at Kelly's Korner's Show Us Your Life, we are sharing our Master Bedrooms.

This is the view walking into my bedroom, and this is pretty much where Abby hangs out for most of the day. I typically have a blanket that I put on the bed for her to lay on. It helps to keep the hair off of my bedspread and keeps me from having to wash it all the time. I typically end up replacing my bedspread about once a year, and this one I got at Target. I loved this purple color, and love the color combination of purple and green together. Also, as you can see, the little chest is Abby's little step up into the bed.

Here is another view of the bed, and yes Abby hasn't moved one bit!

This is my dresser and little sitting area. A lot of times I sit in this chair if I am talking on the phone, or sometimes to put my gym shoes on. Abby sometimes likes to sit in this chair and look out the window. I think it's kind of funny to see her sitting there, just hanging out.

This is a view of the door and the view into the little hallway that leads to the master bathroom. The little hallway has closets on either side of it. It kind of reminds me of the hallway closet Carrie had in SATC (although hers was much bigger!). Makes me feel like I am channeling her sometimes.

Stop by later this weekend for an update on my 30 Day Clothes Challenge. I am still going strong, so I'll be post this week's outfits soon!

Tips Tuesday: Paint Toes (or Nails) & Save Lives

2010-09-21T11:29:00.003-04:00

I am dedicating this Tips Tuesday to a very special cause. I have seen this on a couple of blogs last week (Life of Meg and Handbag Obsessed) and thought it was very important and pretty cool. September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and to help raise awareness, paint your toes (or in my case your nails) teal.

I have had a lot of people comment on my nails last week, and every time they do so, I state I am doing this to bring awareness about ovarian cancer.

OPI Ski Teal We Drop

If you aren't sure about painting your nails teal, paint your toenails. My feet are in some serious need of TLC, so they are currently in hiding (or as I have been saying, rehab...ha!!).

But in all seriousness, ovarian cancer has historically been called the "silent killer" because the symptoms were not thought to develop until the chance of being cured was poor. Recent studies have proven this to be untrue, and the following are some symptoms likely to occur in women with ovarian cancer:

-- Bloating
-- Pelvic or abdominal pain
-- Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
-- Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

Women with ovarian cancer report that symptoms are persistent and represent a change from normal for their bodies. The frequency and/or number of such symptoms are key factors in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Several studies show that even early stage ovarian cancer can produce these symptoms.

Women who have these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks should see their doctor, preferably a gynecologist. Prompt medical evaluation may lead to detection at the earliest possible stage of the disease. Early stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis.

Ovarian cancer is the 5th leading cause of death among U.S. women, but if diagnosed early there is a 93% chance of survival rate.

Visit http://www.tealtoes.org/ for more information and to find even more resources about ovarian cancer.

30 Day Clothes Challenge (Days 10 - 17)

2010-09-19T10:21:00.001-04:00

The challenge continues! I got behind posting my results to the challenge, and didn't get around to posting last week, but it was a short week so that's ok.

Also, I broke the no shopping rule, but that is only because I am now taking on an additional role at my job, and am now required to wear "client clothes" (aka: dress clothes), 2 or 3 days a week. I have been wearing jeans to work for almost 6 years now, so I needed some dress pants. I am not sure if I will be able to accomplish this challenge now, but I sure am going to still try and give it a try. So far I think I have enough dress tops to get by, but we will see! Next week I'll debut my new "client clothes."

Last week (short week due to Labor Day Holiday):

Day 10: Wednesday -- Top and vest from The Limited, jeans are Sevens, ring is Lia Sophia

Shoes are Steve Madden

Day 11: Thursday -- T-shirt and cardigan from Loft, necklace is Lia Sophia, jeans from The Limited

Day 12: Friday -- Shirt and sweater from Loft, necklace from Lia Sophia, jeans from The Limited

Day 13: Monday -- T-shirt, cardigan and belt from Loft, jeans are Sevens, necklace is Lia Sophia

Day 14: Tuesday -- Shirt and sweater from Loft, jeans from The Limited, necklace from Lia Sophia,

bracelet from Silpada

Shoes are Steve Madden

Day 15: Wednesday -- Shirt and jeans from The Limited, cardigan from Loft, neclace and earrings are Lia Sophia

Shoes are Naughty Monkey (love the name of this brand!)

Day 16: Thursday -- T-shirt and jeans from The Limited, blazer I got at Kohls, earrings (which you can't see) from Loft

Day 17: Friday -- Its all Loft except the necklace and earrings and they are Lia Sophia

You may notice a trend here: Loft, The Limited and Lia Sophia!!

Show Us Your Life -- Living Rooms

2010-09-18T22:19:00.001-04:00

I am so excited that Kelly's Korner's Show Us Your Life is back. I totally didn't realize this until today, or else I would have participated sooner. This week we are showing our living rooms. I posted pics of my living room a while back, but wanted to share what it looks like as of this very moment (well after a little bit of straightening up...ha!).

I live in an apartment, so it's pretty small compared to a lot of living rooms on here, but it is a pretty decent sized living room for apartments.

This is the love seat, coffee table and entertainment center (which my boyfriend thinks is huge, but I love being able to display the things I love). Wish I had a slightly bigger tv, but I will someday! The lamps I got at Pier 1. I think they add a little modern to my traditional style with their silver curvy bases. Plus I loved the red lamp shades...which is why I bought them.

This is the sofa, and a peak into the kitchen (which I assume will be another week). I got the pillows at Marshalls. They are down-filled pillows, and I got them both for $20 total! You can also see the beginnings of my photo collage on the wall. I just started that project this weekend. I am not sure what other photos I will include, but so far at the top are handprints of my niece and nephew, photos of my 2 nieces and 1 nephew, and then a pic of my boyfriend and I and a pic of my pup Abby.

This is my fireplace wall. I just loving having a fireplace, but I have never used it! I just like decorating a mantal. The little mini-stove is an electric heater. I do use that a lot in the winter, but I am not sure how to build a fire, and my boyfriend and dad don't want me trying, so it just looks pretty!

This is a DVD cabinet that my Grandfather built for me when I had my first home. As you can see, it's pretty filled up! I love having pictures of my family around. The pic on the left is of me and my boyfriend and the one on the right is of my entire family (including Grandparents!). This was taken at my niece's baptism at the church. I am so grateful that we could all get together for a picture.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoyed my home. I haven't had a chance to decorate for Fall yet, so I'll have to post an update once I get around to that (hopefully before Fall is over!)

Road Trip: Hillbilly Hotdogs (From Diners, Drive-ins & Dives)

2010-09-15T10:27:00.000-04:00

Over Labor Day weekend, my parents and I went to visit my Grandparents (my Mom's parents) in W.Va. Every year, since about 1999, we have passed this place called Hillbilly Hotdogs on Rt. 2 in W.Va. We always thought the place was a dump, and every year when we drove by, joked about how we would never eat at that place, and how could this place still be in business!

Abby and I in front of the Hillbilly Hotdogs sign

Well a few weeks ago, Hillbilly Hotdogs was featured on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives on the Food Network. I called my Mom and Dad and told them to make sure to watch, and we were all amazed that this place was so popular! There were people from FL and CA that had stopped by to visit, all because of the show!

Dad ordering us some hot dogs

Well of course my Dad and I decided we just had to stop on the way to visit the Grandparents. I don't think my Mom was all too excited, but she was a good sport. We each had a hot dog, and they were only about $1.59 each (a pretty good bargin for a place so famous!).

Their indoor dining is in the school bus (this cracked me up!)

They are very well known for their Homewrecker which is a huge hotdog that sells for $14.99. If you can eat the whole thing you get it for free.

Here's Guy on the show enjoying the Homewrecker.

Ok, I'll admit the hotdogs were pretty good, and they were a bargin at only $1.59 each! Not sure if we will make this a regular stop, but it was fun to see what that place was all about. And now we can say we have been to a dive featured on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives!

This is my second Food Network restaurant (Paula Deen's The Lady & Son's was my first), and I am hoping to visit even more in the future. My next stop is hopefully Neely's BBQ restaurant in Nashville, TN (now if only I can convience my boyfriend to go on another road trip!)

Tips Tuesday: Good Foods/Bad Foods for Dogs

2010-09-14T10:21:00.002-04:00

About a year and a half ago, my pup Abby got really sick. She became anemic and still to this day they are not sure why. After about 6 months of tests and being on prednisone, she was finally declared ok, but there was no official diagnosis of the cause. She was just deemed a “Medical Mystery.”

During this time, Abby was very hungry and gained about 10 pounds (on a 30 pound dog that is a lot!) and this was all due to the prednisone. I actually sat down with my vet and we went over nutrition and a plan to help her 1. feel less hungry during the treatment, and 2. be able to lose the weight after treatment.

During this time we reviewed “People Food” that was both healthy and not healthy for dogs. Believe it or not, there are actually some foods that are good for dogs, and help fill them up, but are very low in calories. I am not sure if you are aware, but some dog treats can range up to 200 calories per treat. That can add up if you are giving your dog a few treats a day. So sometimes it is best to supplement with other foods that are good for them, and fill them up.

Let’s start with the BAD foods first since those are the most important. Do not let your dog eat any of these. Even a few can cause risks, especially in smaller dogs. Especially call your vet if your dog has eaten these in abundance.

BAD FOODS for Dogs:

• Grapes and Raisins: Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill a dog.

• Onions: Onions destroy red blood cells and can cause anemia.

• Chocolate: Chocolate can cause seizures, coma and death. Baker’s chocolate is the most dangerous. A dog can consume milk chocolate and appear to be fine because it is not as concentrated, but it is still dangerous.

• Coffee, Coffee grounds, tea and tea bags: Drinks/foods containing caffeine cause many of the same symptoms chocolate causes.

• Macadamia Nuts and Walnuts: Macadamia nuts can cause weakness, muscle tremor and paralysis. Limit all other nuts as they are not good for dogs in general, their high phosphorous content is said to possibly lead to bladder stones. Exception to this rule seems to be PEANUT BUTTER. However- always use Salt/Sugar free ORGANIC Peanut butter (sugar encourages cancer growth) free . Use only ORGANIC peanut butter as regular peanut butter has lots of toxins and is full of pesticides!

• Animal fat and fried foods: Excessive fat can cause pancreatitis.

• Bones: Cooked bones can splinter and damage a dog’s internal organs. Raw Bone should always be supervised as a piece can always break off and cause problems. Try frozen oxtails or frozen knuckle bones then take the bone away before the dog can swallow a final small piece whole. It's a good natural way to clean teeth too.

• Tomatoes: Tomatoes can cause tremors and heart arrhythmias. Tomato plants and the most toxic, but tomatoes themselves are also unsafe.

• Avocados: The fruit, pit and plant are all toxic. They can cause difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart.

• Nutmeg: Nutmeg can cause tremors, seizures and death.

• Apples, Cherries, Peaches PITS and similar fruit are great for your dog - HOWEVER, the seeds of these fruits contain cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs as well as humans. Unlike humans, dogs do not know to stop eating at the core/pit and easily ingest them. It can also become lodged in the intestines and kill the dog in 24 hours with no warning.

• Raw eggs: Raw eggs can cause salmonella poisoning in dogs. Dogs have a shorter digestive tract than humans and are not as likely to suffer from food poisoning, but it is still possible. BEST to use ORGANIC EGGS if you do raw. Scrambled lightly is best!

• Salt: Excessive salt intake can cause kidney problems.

• Mushrooms: Can be deadly- never let your pets chew on mushrooms found in your yard. Only safe "food" mushrooms are shitaki, maitake and reishi.

• Xylitol (Sugarless Gum): even a small amount can cause liver failure and death. This can be found in sugarless gums which can be very deadly if a small dog gets a hold of a pack of sugarless gum.

• Sugar and Corn Syrups. EVEN ORGANIC IS BAD! (this does not include Honey or Molasses though they should only be in small amounts and never for cancer dogs)

Like I mentioned above, there are some foods that can be GOOD for your Dog. Obviously check with your vet before changing up your pet’s diet, and make sure they don’t overindulge on any food (pet or human).

GOOD FOODS for Dogs:

• Meats: Meats should be boneless and it’s best if the skin is removed. Some people like a RAW diet. Some people rather cook. If you cook meat do not over cook. Keep it 'rare' so you don't kill the enzymes. ESPECIALLY FOR SICK animals. However all Fish and Pork must be well cooked. Also note - totally Raw and cooked diets should never be mixed at the same meal as they digest differently. Examples include: Skinless, boneless chicken breast, Skinless, boneless turkey breast.

• Fish: do not feed TUNA as high mercury content - be careful of small bones.

• Do not feed 'cold cuts'. They are high in salt and nitrates. Can lead to kidney and digestive problems.

• Vegetables: They are GREAT for your dog and they should have them! Dogs have shorter digestive tracts than humans and cannot digest most vegetables whole or in large chunks. It’s best to put them through a food processor before giving them to your dog- best veggies for your dog are:

• Carrots (for healthy dogs) (not for cancer dogs though as high in sugar)

• Green Beans

• Lettuce

• Yams

• Grains: Grains should not be given in large amounts or make up a large part of a dog’s diet, but these foods are generally safe in small amounts: Rice, Bread (not white breads or anything sugar or that converts to sugar) remember the simple rule feed no WHITE colored foods!

• Dairy products: Use caution with dairy products as they are high in fat and can cause pancreatitis, gas and diarrhea. Usually, nonfat plain yogurt is safe in small amounts as is cottage cheese in small amounts

When Abby was sick I gave her lots of raw carrots and green beans. They have lots of fiber, so they filled her up, and a ½ cup of green beans is only 20 calories. She also loves green peppers (although really Abby would eat anything if I let her.)

I also started putting nonfat plain yogurt in her bones (they are like Kongs), and then put them in the freezer. I always give Abby a bone with frozen yogurt in it before I leave the house. It gives her something to do, helps with her separation anxiety, and she loves them!! I used to put peanut butter in her bones, but that has a lot of extra calories and fat, which I am sure helped with her weight gain, and the vet suggested the nonfat plain yogurt.

To find out more:

Bad Food/Good Food
Dog Treat Calorie Counting

Cupcakes

2010-09-13T07:27:00.001-04:00

There seems to be an obsession around the country with cupcakes, and I think I am totally getting on the bandwagon. I see postings online all the time showing people trying out different cupcake recipes, eating cupcakes on vacation, and just posting cute pictures. And now I am finding that this obsession is moving to tv and books.

I am totally in love with the show Cupcake Girls on WE Tv. It's on Saturday nights at 9 and 9:30 pm. It's about these 2 girls, who have been best friends for 20 years, and live in Canada, who have opened up a successful cupcake franchise. It follows their lives as they open up new stores, deal with how the economy is affecting their business, and so much more! Their business is called Cupcakes and they have a website as well if you want to find out more about their business.

Their stores are so cute and it totally makes me want to open my own cupcake store (or at the very least, eat a bunch of yummy cupcakes!)

A few weeks ago I also came across this book at Target.

Not only is it a cute chick lit story about a girl who opens a cupcake store after her fiancé calls off her wedding, but it also has a cupcake recipe after each chapter. Of course I had to buy it! I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but will be sure to share my review once I have. For now, this is the description from the back of the book:

In Ansley Waller’s world of Southern belles and gentlemen, getting a diamond ring isn’t just important—it’s the ultimate goal. So when her fiancé, Parish, unceremoniously kicks her to the curb and cancels their upcoming wedding, Ansley is so ashamed that she decides to leave Dallas and make a fresh start. In a surprise move, she heads to New York City to live with her recently widowed grandmother, Vivian, whom she’s never met. In turn, Vivian gives Ansley a no-nonsense ultimatum: Rather than wallow in misery, either get a job or go home.

The Waller women have a tradition of baking their way out of sorrow. So Ansley mixes batch after batch of creative cupcakes—Black Bottom Heartache, Moving Blues Banana Caramel, Tres Leches Made Small. Before long, she’s opening up her own cupcake shop and even trying her hand at dating. But the ways of Manhattan’s eligible bachelors are altogether different from their Southern counterparts, and Ansley’s nearly fail-safe tactics fall flat. And worse, someone’s got a half-baked scheme to sabotage Ansley’s new life. It’ll take a cup of courage and a dash of Southern charm, plus a few secret ingredients, if Ansley hopes to pull off her recipe for success."

Book Club: The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes (Chapters 50 - 71)

2010-09-12T22:27:00.002-04:00

So this is the last week for the book The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes over at Book Beginnings and Bookends. I wasn’t sure about this book at first since I had never heard of this author, but I ended up loving the book. I actually finished the book last Monday night right after I posted my responses because I couldn’t wait to see how it ended. I don’t want to completely ruin the book, so I think I’ll just stick to answering the questions this week. Hopefully they won’t ruin the ending.

1. At the end we find out Tim was sending Cory money because he thought she could be his daughter since he was having an affair with Genevieve. Did you see this coming?

I totally didn’t see this coming. I figured he was just feeling guilty. I couldn’t believe he was having an affair with Genevieve, and then had the nerve to kidnap her. I am assuming he knew she was pregnant from the start and she was apparently angry at him after the comment she made to CeeCee about him being a womanizer. He probably broke her heart as well.

2. By the end of the story, what were your feelings about Eve? How had they changed since the beginning?

I did feel bad for her. I kept thinking there is no way this woman is going to survive jail. Yes it is horrible that she took Cory, and Cory’s real family has missed all these years of being with her, but at the same time, Eve totally turned around her life and she did raise Cory the best she could given the circumstances.

3. Were you happy with the way President Russell treated Cory?

No, it wouldn’t have been how I would have preferred he treated her, but I don’t think he really knew better. He is one of those fathers that believe spending money on their children will buy their love, and I am sure he did this to his other daughter as well. It really didn’t surprise me.

4. If you were in Cory's shoes and had just found out all of this about the woman who raised you and who you believed to be your mother, how would you react? Would you forgive?

Oh my, I can’t imagine how I would feel. I am sure I would react the same way. It would be hard to forgive, but at the same time, Eve did give Cory a pretty good life. Cory had completely mixed emotions, and I totally understand why. I am glad the book ended the way it did though. I think Cory did the right thing.

5. In your mind, how does this story end? Do they all live happily ever after? Does Cory go on having relationships with her old family and her new family?

I hope they all live happily ever after. I am not sure if the two families will end up getting along or spending any time together. I am sure that Cory’s birth family has some pretty strong feelings about the family that raised her. I do hope that Cory gets to know her birth family and that her birth father starts to learn that money isn’t going to buy her love.

6. How do you think Cory has changed throughout the story? Have your feelings about her changed?

I totally think Cory has grown up a lot throughout the story. I was especially happy to see how she treated Eve at the end of the story. I think that throughout the whole process, which had to be tough, she did the right thing by forgiving Eve. It took a lot to do that, and really showed how much she has grown through all of this. I was also super happy she dumped Ken. He was a total jackass!

And if you are interested in joining the book club over at Book Beginnings and Bookends, we will be starting a new book soon. Right now there is a poll going on and the choices for the next book are:

-- Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

-- Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

-- The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Earring Frame

2010-09-09T07:54:00.001-04:00

I saw an idea similar to this a few months ago on The Martha Stewart Show and totally wanted to try it out. It's a cute way to display your earrings on just a frame with some wire.

I have seen it done a few different ways on different blogs, but here are step by step directions on how I made my earring frame.

You will first need a frame (I found an inexpensive one at Walmart for $3), some photo hanging wire, thumbtacks, a hammer and some strong black tape (I used Gorilla Tape).

Take the backing and glass off the frame. Measure out where you want your tacks to go. I started 1/2" from the top opening, and then 2.5 inches apart. Press your tacks into the back of the frame, but not all the way in.

Take your wire and cut it to be slightly longer than the width of the frame. I actually doubled up the wire, so I used 2 pieces and then twisted them together.

Take your wire and place it across the frame, and wind it around the tacks. Then hammer the tacks into the frame until they are flush with the back of the frame.

Cut off the excess wire, and then I used heavy black tape to cover up the tacks to make it look more finished, and for added security. I then added a hanger to the back of the frame so I could hang on the wall.

It's a great place to display your fun and funky earrings and they are easy to access!

Tips Tuesday: Scarves Display/Storage

2010-09-07T17:31:00.000-04:00

So I came across this cute tip the other day on a blog that I have recently started following and wanted to share. I thought it was totally appropriate with Fall coming. I have recently started to love wearing scarves. I have purchased a few of them over the last year, and I have been keeping them stuffed into a bottom drawer of my nightstand. Not a great way to see what I have, and I tend to forget about them stuffed in the drawer.

Amanda over at Kevin & Amanda suggested hanging them on a hanger. I think it not only is useful to keep them all from getting tangled up, but it allows you to see what you have at a quick glance. And it's cute!! I can either hang in my closet next to my tops, or I could even hang it up in my bedroom as decor.

Also, check out Amanda's blog as she has a cute tutorial on 5 ways to wear a scarf. I am totally going to try them all out! You may see some scarves coming in the next few weeks of my 30 day clothes challenge!

Book Club: The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes (Chapters 36 - 50)

2010-09-06T22:13:00.000-04:00

This week for the Book Beginnings and Bookends book club, we were assigned chapters 36 – 50. We have only 1 week left, and I can’t wait to finish this book. All kinds of things are starting to happen, and it was hard to put the book down and wait for another week. Some of the highlights from these chapters are:

Cory went away to college, and she actually ended up going to the college back in NC where CeeCee/Eve met Tim, which I think is pretty ironic. At first Eve is freaked out that Cory is going away, but at the same time they have found that the Governor has recently taken the position as the President of the University that Eve and her husband Jack work at in VA, which is even more ironic. Eve feels that although she doesn’t want Cory to go away to college, it is safest for her to be in NC.

While away at college, Cory meets a guy named Ken, and begins spending less time with her family. We find out that Ken starts brainwashing Cory into thinking her mother is bad for her and is too controlling. Of course Cory believes him and her relationship with her mother begins to fall apart.

During this time, Genevieve’s body is found in the woods by the cabin. They start an investigation, and eventually charge Tim with kidnapping and the murder of not only Genevieve, but also her unborn baby, although they cannot find any evidence of the fetus, so as of right now they aren’t even sure if the baby is dead or alive, but they are assuming it is dead.

Eve has been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and the stress of the investigation is really starting to wear on her body. You can tell she is totally freaked out, and is missing work in order to stay home and watch the investigation and the trial which are televised every day. Jack just thinks she is just obsessed like the rest of the town, but I just keep wondering when he is going to start putting things together and figuring out what is really going on.

To make things even crazier, Cory’s boyfriend Ken is the lead news reporter on the murder story, so he is completely involved in the whole investigation and trial. Why no one has started to see a resemblance between Cory and Vivian (the Governor’s other daughter, and Cory’s sister), is beyond me. In addition to all of this craziness, Cory finds out she is pregnant, and Eve has been trying to give her hints that she needs to be careful about hemorrhaging when giving birth since that is how Genevieve, her mother, died.

Things are getting so good, and next week we will find out how the story really ends. If you haven’t already picked up this book, make sure you do so. I’ll try not and ruin it for everyone, so I might just stick to the discussion questions next week in case anyone does decide to read this book. I highly recommend it!

1. Have your feelings about Tim changed throughout this last section of chapters?

My feelings about Tim haven’t changed too much. I feel a little bad he is getting charged with murder, which he didn’t do, but he did get himself and CeeCee/Eve involved in this and let it get this far, so what should he expect. It amazes me he hasn’t thrown CeeCee/Eve under the bus, especially since I believe he knows where she is since he (or someone) kept sending her money.

2. Do you agree with Cory and her behavior as an adult and her life with Ken? Is she justified in cutting her mother and father out of her life?

I think it was good for her to move away and conquer some of her fears on her own, but cutting her mother and father out of her life was not necessary. Especially now that she is pregnant, it is not fair to keep Grandparents from experiencing their first Grandchild as well as a Grandchild from knowing their Grandparents.

3. At what point do you think Cory decided to spend less time with her mother?

I think things began when Cory started asking questions about her father. I am sure that when Eve start dodging these questions, Cory started to lose trust in her mother. I think that she totally lost all trust in her mother when she met Ken. I believe that Ken helped to brainwash her into thinking her mother wasn’t good for her.

4. What do you think is Eve's biggest fear?

I think right now Eve’s biggest fear is losing Cory. If Cory finds out she did this, I am sure their relationship will completely fall apart. I think she is also in fear of going to jail and disappointing Jack and Dru, but I think losing Cory would hurt her the most.

5. When the story about Genevieve's body came out, what would you have done if you were Eve? Just sat back and watched things unfold? Come forward? Would you tell Jack?

I can’t understand why she won’t at least tell Jack. It has to be so hard to keep all of this to herself and not tell anyone. You can tell she is quickly falling apart over this. And why doesn’t Jack start to pick up that something is wrong?

6. Do you think Eve should tell Jack and confess? Why?

She definitely needs to tell Jack. She can’t keep this inside and he could possibly help her come forward and clean up this mess.

30 Day Clothes Challenge (Days 6 - 9)

2010-09-03T11:51:00.000-04:00

So for week 2 of the 30 Day Clothes Challenge I only worked 4 days this week, so I only have 4 days worth of postings. I had planned that the challenge would be for work only, so this week and next week will be short since I took this Friday off, and then will be off next Monday for Labor Day and Tuesday as my last vacation day before my year starts over on my work anniversary.

This week still wasn't too bad. I have a feeling the last couple of weeks will start to get harder, but I am assuming the weather should be starting to cool off a little in the next couple of weeks, so maybe I can start transitioning into Fall clothes.

This week was HOT! We had some 90 degree days, but of course our office is always chilly and probably in the 60's because of the AC. I always have to wear layers to work.

Hope everyone has had a great week, and an even more fabulous holiday weekend. I am headed off to my Grandparents house in WVa, and I am very excited to see them.

Day 6: Monday -- Top and cardigan from Ann Taylor Loft

I also wore my Great Grandmother's peal neckace

Day 7: Tuesday -- Top and cardigan from Ann Taylor Loft

I wore my silver Tiffany's heart necklace I got for Christmas from my boyfriend last year

Day 8: Wednesday -- Top and shorts from The Limited

Necklace is Lia Sophia

I also wore these shoes which are by Kenneth Cole Reaction

I love them and feel they are very SJP from the first SATC movie

Day 9: Thursday -- OSU Buckeye shirt from Buckeye Corner

This was the first OSU game of the year, so of course I had to rock my Buckeye Gear!

The Buckeye shirt is probably the only thing that will not follow the rules. I will probably wear this again on the weekends, but probably not to work for a while. It's my challenge, so I can make up the rules right?!?

Go Bucks!

2010-09-02T08:17:00.000-04:00

Today kick's-off college football season, and Ohio State will be playing The Marshall Thundering Herd tonight. My Grandpa is a huge Marshall fan, so it will be fun to discuss the game with him. I will be watching the game tonight with my boyfriend and we are planning on making some fun appetizers to enjoy while watching the game. Good luck to all other college football teams...and Go Bucks!

Taylor Swift's "Mine" Video

2010-09-01T07:06:00.000-04:00

Last Friday CMT premiered Taylor Swift's new video "Mine" and I totally fell in love with it! I was finally able to find it on YouTube and wanted to share. I have always been a big fan of Taylor's and this video just has a really cute story behind it. My favorite scenes are of Taylor standing in the trees with all of the pictures and Taylor and "her family" playing in the water. Enjoy!

Tips Tuesday -- Food Processors

2010-08-31T17:00:00.001-04:00

I haven’t done a Tip’s Tuesday in a while, so I thought today would be a good day to bring it back.

I have been doing a lot of cooking and baking lately, trying new recipes for my recipe blog (Sweet Pea in the Kitchen), and have come to love my food processer. I actually have 2 of them, a regular sized version and a mini version. I have found this to be very useful in chopping/dicing, and it can help keep the mess to a minimum (within the bowl). So here are some of my favorite things do to with a food processor:

1. Dice onions and other vegetables – I hate dicing onions. They make my hands smell, and sometimes with the red onions if I don’t wash my hands enough, they make my fingers burn (anyone else ever experience this?). I love cutting an onion into a few pieces and then throwing into a food processor to finish the job.

2. Pureeing – the food processor is great for pureeing things like bananas and other fruit. I especially love to puree bananas instead of mashing them for breads and cookies, especially if the banana is not very ripe and a little tough.

3. Making salsa – I LOVE salsa, and have this new obsession with trying different kinds. It’s great to just throw all the ingredients into the bowl, and you don’t have to even chop some of them, and then just pulse it a little to chop and mix everything together.

4. Baking – I am seeing more and more recipes that use a food processor instead of a mixer. I have always heard about making pie crust in a food processor (helps cut in the butter), and the other day I saw Paula Deen make Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins using a food processor. You can check out her recipe here. They look very tasty, and I totally want to try them out.

5. Making flours – I have had a couple of recipes that called for oat flour or almond flour. These are hard to find in the store, so I make my own. Just take the oats or the almonds and put into the food processor and let it go until it grinds it up into a find powder. You have to be careful about the almonds though because if you puree it too much it will turn into almond butter. You might also want to sift it before using in your recipe to get out any of the clumps.

I typically use my big food processor for making things like salsa and of course you would need to use it for the muffins or pie crust. My mini-food processor is great for dicing up small amounts of onions/vegetables, and of course to puree only a few bananas. Plus I think the mini one is easier to pull out, use and then clean.

As you can see, there are many uses, and I am sure I will come up with more. Anyone else love to use their food processor? Any other gadgets out there we should try? Please share.

Also, if anyone has a great tip you would like to share, let me know and I will post it and give you credit. Leave me a comment and I’ll get in touch with you.

New Recipe Blog -- Sweet Pea in the Kitchen

2010-08-30T15:37:00.000-04:00

If you are stopping buy from Mingle Monday...Welcome, welcome!!

I wanted to share with everyone that I have started a new recipe blog Sweet Pea in the Kitchen. I love trying new recipes, and I could totally fill up this blog with them, so I figured I would start a new blog dedicated to recipes.

You can always access the recipe blog through this blog through the link on the right hand side and every once in a while I'll share in this blog what I am up to over there. I am still adding some of my favorite recipes and trying to organize it, but if you get a chance, stop by and check it out. You will find some amazing recipes such as:

Peach Cobbler

Skinnygirl Mojitos

Tomato-Peach Pizza

So check it out and let me know what you think!

Book Club: The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes (Chapters 21 - 35)

2010-08-30T06:16:00.001-04:00

This week for the Book Beginnings and Bookends book club, we were assigned chapters 21 – 35.

Image Source

This section of the book continues with CeeCee, who is now Eve, building her new life. Marian, the woman Eve is living with, somehow produces a high school transcript and SAT scores, allowing Eve to go to college to study Psychology. She also gets a job working at an adolescent halfway house.

Eve meets a guy named Jack, and they begin dating. Jack is so much different than Tim, he is responsible, compassionate and just an all around nice guy. They don't even have sex until they had been dating for around 4 months (unlike almost immediately with Tim). The only thing Eve is concerned about is that Jack likes to joke and have fun, and she is afraid he is not going to ever get serious. It doesn't concern her too much and he eventually proposes to her. This happens after Eve explains to Jack that she had an emotional conversation with Cory about Cory’s father (which Eve tells Cory he died in a motorcycle accident). Jack says he was looking for a romantic and dramatic way to do this, but couldn't wait any longer and was wondering if he could be Cory's father and Eve's husband.

Eve and Jack get married, Jack adopts Cory and they both graduate from college, with Eve continuing to work part time at the halfway house and Jack working as a high school drama teacher. They both eventually go back to graduate school and both land jobs at the college, Jack working in the Drama department and Eve working as a counselor in the Counseling and Psychological department.

A couple really big things happen in this section of the book. First, Cory is starting to have socialization issues at school. I am sure this is due to the fact that Eve is very careful about her, due to their past, which she cannot discuss with anyone. Jack decides it would be best if Cory had a little brother or sister. Eve is worried because everyone thinks that she has been pregnant before, and how is she going to explain this. Somehow she gets around it, and they have a little girl named Dru. This whole section got me so nervous she was going to be figured out, especially during the delivery, but it all just kind of worked out. In a way, it kind of built me up to thinking something dramatic was going to happen and I kept quickly reading to see what would happen, especially at each doctor’s visit. And then when Eve was in labor, the nurse mentioned it was her first pregnancy, and Eve looked at Jack and said “I guess they messed up my chart” and he totally believed it. Kind of a let down in a weird twisted way.

The second thing is that she finds out the real story behind why Tim's sister is in prison for murder. Tim told Eve (when she was CeeCee), that his sister was raped by a photographer who had been invited to their house to photograph their gardens and then killed him. This is how he justified his plan stating she was emotional, not in her right mind, and had been wronged by the photographer. But Eve found out that really she killed a woman photographer and her 13-year older daughter after breaking in and stealing $50,000 worth of jewelry to buy drugs. We also find out that his sister was eventually executed. After finding this out, Eve can finally move on and forget about Tim. Thank goodness!

The third thing is that Eve keeps getting anonymous packages in the mail with money in them and a note saying "For the baby." She is figuring this is probably from Tim, but can’t really be sure. In the beginning the packages contain a couple hundred dollars, and then eventually the amount of money starts getting larger. One day she received a package and Jack was the one to get the mail. He questioned it, and finally Eve had to tell him about it. She told Jack that she wasn’t sure who it was from, and that she had received these packages a couple times a year, ever since Cory was born. She said she figured they might be from Cory’s father’s family, but she couldn’t be sure. He totally believed her, which I figured he would question it even more, but he didn’t. Eve says she has been saving the money for Cory for her future, and they move on and never really discuss it again, which I thought to be a little strange.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think Tim is the one sending the money?

I am assuming Tim is sending the money. The only other people who know about the baby is Naomi and Forrest, but I am not sure why they would feel obligated to send her money. If it is Tim, I am sure it is because he feels guilty for what he has done to not only CeeCee/Eve, but also the baby.

2. So far, there's been a lot of discussion on CeeCee/Eve and her choices. What choice(s) would you make differently from her?

I think she has made good choices in trying to get her life back in order. Getting a job, going to college, raising Cory the best she can. The only choice that I would have made that would have been different was to not get in that situation in the first place.

3. What do you like about Jack? Are there things about him that you don't like?

I really like Jack. I think he respects Eve and treats her right. I think he is a little naive and it shocks me he doesn't ask more questions about some of the strange things that happen, like where did she get all that money? It shocked me he wasn't more curious about that.

4. What are the differences between CeeCee/Eve's relationship with Tim and Eve's relationship with Jack?

I think they are both more responsible, and it's good they were taking it slow. I loved how Jack asked to be Cory's father first, and then Eve's husband. I thought it was so sweet that he put her little girl first. I didn't think he was going to get serious with her until that moment, and then I knew they would be together forever. I just feel sorry that he has no idea the lies that Eve is keeping from him.

5. Do you think Eve is to blame for Cory's fears? What could she do, specifically, to help Cory feel like less of an outsider?

I do think she has caused these fears with Cory. I keep waiting for Cory to remember something about that horrible night, but I am sure that is probably impossible, she was too young. I do think though that Eve is so worried that she will either lose Cory, or be found out, so she is doing everything possible to keep Cory hidden and safe. I think that having a sister did help some, but I think she needs to find ways to help her make friends. Maybe she should have hosted some sleepovers at Cory's house. Get her comfortable with these girls in her own home. I am excited to see how Cory does at Darby. It looks like maybe that is the best thing for her.

6. Do you think Eve appropriately answered Cory's questions about her father? Do you think Cory will question her father more as she grows older?

I think when she put a name to the guy, it opened a whole new can of worms. What if Cory tries to investigate this guy and finds out he is made up. Maybe not now, but when she gets older, she might try and get in touch with his family.

Eat Pray Love Book and Movie Review

2010-08-29T12:00:00.003-04:00

I just finished the book Eat Pray Love, and then also saw the movie yesterday. I love to read books before watching them if they have been converted to a movie. Usually I like the book more, but sometimes I do enjoy the movie more.

For Eat Pray Love, I had mixed feelings about the book, and liked the movie slightly better. The beginning of the book starts with Liz already in Italy, and then goes back and forth explaining how she got there. The beginning of the movie actually starts with her in Bali, on an assignment for work, where she meets with a medicine man about her unhappy marriage. He gives her a little insight on what’s to happen in the next six months to a year, and tells her she will come back to Bali to help him with his English.

This all happens in the book also, but I think what I liked best about the movie was that the story was pretty straight forward, where the book seemed to jump around a little in the beginning. In both, Liz finally has this revelation after praying to God one night on the bathroom floor, asks her husband for a divorce, and decides to take a year long journey with 4 months in Italy, 4 months in India and 4 months in Indonesia.

In the movie, the divorce seems to come a little easier. Yes her husband is fighting it, but in the book it seems to be a much longer process. The one part I was actually looking forward to seeing, which was in the book but didn’t make it in the movie, was where she was in the car with her friend Iva, complaining about this never ending divorce, when she finally said, I wish I could write a petition to God to end this divorce. Iva said to her, why not go ahead and do it. So Liz begins writing a letter to God and when she is finished Iva says to her “I would sign it.” So then Liz starts naming people she knows who would sign it, and Iva says “They just did.” So they both start rattling names of people who would sign it saying “My parents just signed it” and then going into people they don’t even know like “Bill and Hillary Clinton just signed it.” For some reason this part just made me laugh, especially when shortly after this Liz gets a call from her lawyer that her now ex-husband just signed the papers and that Liz is officially divorced. Just shows how great God can be when you believe.

In the movie, I think I enjoyed the Italy section the best. I especially enjoyed the friendship Liz made with a Swedish girl named Sophie. My favorite part of the movie was when they were trying on new jeans because they had both eaten so much pasta in Italy they now both had muffin tops! So they had to get fat girl jeans. It was comical watching them trying to zip up each other’s jeans in the dressing room.

Although I didn’t hate it, the India section was my least favorite section in both the movie and the book. It was not as exciting for me and a little long and boring. I really enjoyed the friendship she built with Richard from Texas in this section. I pictured him a little different in the book than what he turned out to be in the movie. I pictured a guy resembling a cowboy, but he didn’t really seem like he was from Texas to me in the movie, and I didn’t think he had that much of an accent either. He seemed a little harsher in the movie than in the book, and I think I enjoyed him more in the book.

The Indonesia section was my favorite in the book, although I did enjoy it in the movie as well, but I enjoyed the book better. In this section, Liz meets and falls for a guy named Felipe from Brazil. In the book, he was this very wildly romantic guy who totally falls for Liz. Of course she is a little skeptic because of her divorce, and he tells her he doesn’t care if she doesn’t love him back, and even if she leaves him at the end of this journey, he doesn’t care because he will always love her. In the movie, Felipe has some caution to him because he has been divorced as well (he was divorced in the book as well), and he eventually tells her she needs to love him back or the relationship will be over. This kind of disappointed me because I just loved this wildly romantic Felipe from the book.

Also in the Indonesia section, Liz meets a friend named Wayan, a traditional Balinese healer who owns a small medical clinic. Liz stops by to see her when she has a cut that won’t heal and Wayan quickly heals her with her mix of herbs. They quickly become great friends. What I love about Wayan is that she is a great friend to Liz and isn’t afraid to talk about all kinds of things. I loved her talks about healing couples with their sex problems. She is not embarrassed to talk about some of her crazy practices for healing people, especially men and their problems with their “bananas.” They don’t really discuss this in the movie, which I think would have been pretty comical. Also, in both the book and the movie, Wayan is very poor and is about to lose her shop and home because her rent keeps going up and she cannot afford it. Liz ends up raising money to help her buy a home. Wayan is very grateful, but in the book, she is very hesitant to purchase a home and she keeps coming up with excuses on why she can’t buy this property or that one. You begin to think she is going to take advantage of Liz and run away with all of this money that Liz has raised (although thankfully she doesn’t). In the movie, Wayan quickly buys a piece of land and begins to build a home. I figured the movie was already long enough and didn’t need this drawn out story of them trying to convince Wayan to buy something.

Overall, there were some parts of the book that I didn’t care for. I really enjoyed hearing about all the different relationships Liz has built during her journey. There were some parts where she was trying to figure herself out and kept rambling on and on, and I didn’t care much for that. There was one part in Italy where she was having a discussion with this depression character and another where she is writing letters to what you assume is God, and he is writing back to her through herself (if that makes sense), and you figure she has a ton of crazy things going on in her head, but it all gets kind of confusing and a little boring. I kept finding myself quickly skimming over those parts. The nice thing about this book is that each of the 3 sections is divided into 36 chapters, which adds up to 108. This represent the 108 beads of a japa malas which was the inspiration for the rosary for the Europeans. Each of these chapters was pretty short, so it was easy to skim over parts that weren’t that interesting because they were very short.

Overall I was happy to have read the book and watched the movie. I think I might want to see the movie again to see if I have missed anything, but will probably wait until it comes out at Red Box where I can rent it for a dollar. The book took me a little longer to get through, which surprised me, and I have heard mixed reviews about both the movie and the book. I wouldn’t say that either of them were my favorite book/movie of all times, but they weren’t awful. I would say watch the movie at the very least, maybe rent it. Anyone else like or dislike the book/movie?

30 Day Clothes Challenge (Days 1 - 5)

2010-08-27T09:13:00.001-04:00

So like many of you, I have been starting to get the urge to go clothes shopping for the Fall season, but have been trying to hold off for a couple of reasons:

1. The weather has still been pretty warm out (upper 80's), so it's not really the best time to be buying sweaters and boots. They would just sit in my closet for another month or so.

2. I really don't need to be spending money on clothes, especially since I just bought a bunch of stuff on clearance at the Loft a few weeks ago.

3. I recently cleaned out my closet and got rid of about 4 or 5 garbage bags of clothes, and I still had a bunch of clothes that I hadn't worn in forever because I kind of forgot about them.

So I came up with this great challenge for myself that I am calling the 30 Days Clothes Challenge. I am challenging myself to wear everything in my closet before the new season starts. I am going to go 30 (work) days and not wear the same thing twice. Now pants and cardigans will be worn more than once, but tops, only once.

I decided to make this a work day only challenge because I'll be honest, sometimes I just wear sweats or workout clothes on the weekends, and that is not very exciting. So for the next 6 weeks, I'll try to wear something different to work each day. It will be challenging because Labor Day is coming up, and then I have 2 vacation days coming up, so I'll figure out something. I might throw a weekend outfit in there, or I might just extend it out, we will just see how it goes. If I can make it through the next 6 weeks, then I can reward myself with a fall outfit that I can actually wear!

Each week (on Friday), I'll post what I wore that week. It will help keep me honest. I'll post once a week as to not bore everyone with my clothing posts. So far this week wasn't hard because I could pretty much wear anything. I'll be honest though, I started to freak out by Wed because I didn't want to wear all of my favorite clothes at the beginning and then get frustrated at the end of the challenge. I think I need to plan out my outfits on the weekends so that I don't stand there in front of my closet every morning, like I typically do, wondering what to wear. So I hope you enjoy my journey, and wish me luck!

This week's results:
**Please note I apologize in advance, I haven't mastered the art of taking a picture of myself in the mirror, so hopefully over the next 6 weeks, I'll figure out how to take a decent picture of myself. Here's hoping!

Day 1: Monday -- Wore Ann Taylor Loft pink t-shirt and Limited jeans

with Viva Beads necklace (one of my favs!)

Day 1: Monday -- I also wore an Ann Taylor Loft cardigan in case

I got cold at the office, plus it was a little chilly out that morning

Day 2: Tuesday -- American Eagle top, Loft jeans

and Lia Sophia necklace

Day 3: Wednesday -- Ann Taylor Loft shirt

with faux necklace and Loft jeans

Day 4: Thursday -- New York & Co top, Limited jeans, necklace from

Kohls, and earrings and bracelet from Lia Sophia

Day 5: Friday -- Gap dress and Lia Sophia necklace

(BTW: this dress is a pretty plum color,

but it's hard to tell in this pic)

Day 5: Friday -- I also wore a jean jacket from dELiA*s

So that is what I wore all week. As you can see, I wear a lot of jeans to work, but I am hoping to start mixing up with more dress pants. I also love to wear a dress to work about once a week. Usually for a client meeting or on Fridays. We are allowed to wear jeans to work, but if we do have a client meeting, we have to dress up. A very big perk to my job!

Hope you enjoyed, and stop back next Friday to see if I made it through another week!

Book Club: The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes (Chapters 11 - 20)

2010-08-23T12:32:00.000-04:00

This week for the Book Beginnings and Bookends book club, we were assigned chapters 11 – 20. I am trying really hard to stick with only reading what is assigned each week because I am also trying to read another book as well, but I am finding that I am really starting to get into the book, so it’s hard to put it down when I am finished with the assigned chapters. It’s also a really quick read, and I can read the 10 chapters in about 2 nights. I think if I allowed myself, I could finish the whole book in 2 days, but for now we will stick with the assigned chapters.

Source

In this section of the book, the kid-napping takes place. Things seem to go as planned. The boys end up capturing the governor’s wife (Genevieve) and bring her back to the cabin in the woods where CeeCee is hiding out. The only glitch in their plan, and it’s a big one, is that Genevieve is pregnant, and I mean ready to pop pregnant.

The boys take off to begin negotiations, and shortly after, Genevieve starts to feel contractions. At first CeeCee thinks she is just doing this to try and get away, but then the baby starts coming, and she is coming fast. CeeCee begins to think how she can get this woman to a hospital, but isn’t even sure where she is in the woods and how to get out of there, let alone whether or not if there is a hospital nearby. Genevieve tells CeeCee she is going to have to help her deliver the baby, so CeeCee begins making preparations for the baby to come.

The baby is delivered rather quickly and she seems to be in perfect health. Genevieve on the other hand, had complications with her first child with hemorrhaging, and seemed to be having these same complications as well. She warned CeeCee if she started to pass out she will need to massage her belly where her uterus is. CeeCee tries her best, but Genevieve dies shortly after the baby is born.

CeeCee has no idea what to do, and debates just dropping the baby off at the hospital, but then again, has no idea where a hospital is. She goes back to Naomi’s house to get help. Naomi tells her she must get out of here and go into hiding, and she begins making plans for CeeCee to go into hiding, along with the baby. Naomi’s husband Forrest goes back to clean up the cabin and to bury Genevieve, and Naomi starts getting together the paperwork to get CeeCee and the new baby a new identity so they can go “underground.” CeeCee stays with Naomi and Forrest for probably about a day or so. They help teach her how to take care of the baby, and set her up with all the supplies she will need to take the trip from NC to Virginia where her new home will be.

CeeCee leaves for Virginia and has this great plan to drop off the baby at the governor’s house with a note that this is his baby. She attempts to do so, but there are too many police around so she just heads on to Virginia to begin her new life.

CeeCee is now Eve and the baby is now Corrine (Cory). They stay with a woman named Marian who is an older woman who has helped a few women in the past. She is a daycare worker and offers to watch Cory while CeeCee/Eve attempts to get a job. The rest of this section is about Eve and Marian getting along, and Eve beginning her new life. Eve still misses Tim, and wonders what is going on with the case, and if he will ever come find her. Marian tells her she needs to forget about Tim, that there is no way he will ever be able to come find her because it would be too dangerous for him, Eve, the baby and even Marian.

The discussion questions for this week are:

1. Where do you think Tim and Marty are at this point in the story?

I think they are probably in hiding trying to negotiate with the governor, but after they found out that Genevieve had died, who knows what they are up to. I have no idea if they are even in the same state anymore, let alone the same town.

2. What were your thoughts as CeeCee was helping Genevieve deliver her baby?

At first I thought Genevieve was faking the contractions. I figured this was her strategy to get CeeCee to get her out of there. But then when the baby started to come, I thought oh no, what is CeeCee going to do?! I kept reading on very quickly so I could see what happens. I don’t know what I would have done in CeeCee’s shoes. She was in a tough situation because I know she wanted to do what was best for both the baby and Genevieve, but I don’t think she knew what to do. She had no idea how to get them to a hospital, and obviously had no idea how to deliver a baby.

3. After Genevieve died, what would you have done with her baby if you had been in CeeCee's shoes?

This is tough. I would like to think I would find a way to return the baby, even if it meant turning myself in. I don’t think I could live with the guilt, but at the same time you feel bad because CeeCee’s life is just starting, and the consequences of getting involved with Tim may ruin her life if she turns herself in.

4. Why do you think CeeCee/Eve is still holding onto hope that Tim will come for her?

She is only 16, and this is her first love, so of course she is holding on to the hope that Tim will come after her to save her. When we are young, we all dream of our prince charming coming in on their white horse to save us (of course sometimes I still dream that now), until we get our heart broken a few times that is.

5. How do you think Eve will establish her new identity in Virginia?

I think she is going to have to completely start over and it is going to be hard to remember the new life she now has to live. It broke my heart though that she has to lose the letters from her mother.

6. What do you think of CeeCee/Eve now after she has gone through with the kidnapping, the delivery of the baby, the escape, and the relocation?

I feel bad for CeeCee, although she did get herself wrapped up in this whole plan. She is just so young and I kind of believe she didn’t really know better. I guess I was shocked at how easy it was for CeeCee to get a new identity and how quickly she was able to find a place to hide out. It’s like they have this whole underground system. I feel really bad for baby Cory because she will never know who her real parents are. I think that is what makes me sad about the most.

Office Jargon

2010-08-20T17:27:00.002-04:00

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I thought I would end this week with a little Office Jargon. A couple of weeks back, Bethenny Frankle started a discussion on Twitter about Office Jargon, and I started thinking about the things that we say around our office.

Circle back – Let’s “circle back” on this topic, or follow up with me later.

Parking lot this – This happens a lot in status meetings, when we get off on a tangent on something we say, “let’s parking lot this” meaning let’s discuss later.

Out of pocket – out of office, or unavailable (although I never really liked this one, I like to say OOO, or “Out of Office”).

Net-net – what’s the bottom line, or as I like to say, why does this matter to me?

Thank you for your partnership – this can be a smart ass way of saying, thanks for doing nothing.

N of one – our CEO says this and it basically means “in my opinion” or “it’s just the opinion of 1 person.”

Drive By – this is when someone stops by your desk and drops a hot project, or a bomb, on your desk, typically something that is going to cause your day to be crazy, and keep you from getting your work done.

Come to Jesus – this is reserved for times when you have had enough, and you need to get down to the bottom of something; we tend to have “Come to Jesus moments” when projects, or even people, have gotten out of hand.

Regroup – aka: meetings that talk about meetings; meaning they are meetings that happen after meetings where people still don’t know what is going on due to mismanagement or just not paying attention; we have a lot of meetings.

Make it a great one! – this is what our Traffic Coordinator says after our weekly status meetings, which take place first thing Monday morning. Usually it is with sarcasm if we see a potentially stressful week coming up.

What office jargon goes on in your work place?