1950's housewife? only on Fridays.

I know, I know - two posts in one day?! YES. Lucky you.

Today I was the good wife and cleaned. Yes, cleaned. Ya'll know how much I hate cleaning. I loath it, but I also loath filth. It's a tough life. So today I have cleaned, scrubbed, dusted, rearranged, washed, & baked. Does that make me a 1950's housewife? Only on Friday's, when I have the time to do all of those things & bathe. Classy... I know. I have to give a major shout out to all the SAHM's & working mom's out there... I don't know how you take care of a house & everything that adult/married life entails, plus take care of children.

And then the most gorgeous flowers arrive on my doorstep... and I remember why I do the things I do.

it's Friday!

It's finally Friday. After 2 mornings of false-Fridays, I am left wondering why I was apparently yearning so much for Friday. I'm not really sure, other than Friday = The Weekend, and The Weekend = lazy days with my man.

April is wrapping up... where has the month year gone? Wasn't I just in Cancun getting married?? I could swear it was yesterday. Things looking forward to in May: Mother's Day brunch (I love brunch... & my mom, of course), Havasu, aaaaand.... that's about it. For now. I'm almost positive there is something else going on in May, but for the life of me I can't remember.

And I'm boring.

it's not Friday

On Tuesday morning & this morning I woke up thinking "It's Friday! Yeah! Woohoo!" only to be cruelly let down by the fact that it is not Friday. Seriously, this has to be the meanest joke that my own brain keeps playing on me.

Yesterday I was thinking about how I should cut my hair a little, just a few inches. Right now my hair is the longest it's ever been, it goes just below my bra strap on my back. I've always had shorter hair, and I finally know why. I just don't have beautiful, thick, glossy hair that looks like goddess hair when it's really long. I inherited my dad's hair gene. My hair is thin & fine, so it kind of looks straggly when too long. On the other hand - my dad just turned 60 and barely has any gray hair. So I hope I get that part of the deal as well! So on to my point... last night I had the WORST nightmare that this girl who I was friends with in high school was cutting my hair and she chopped it boy-short! It was terrible. In my dream I realized what she was doing and made her stop, so then I was left with super short hair on one half of my head, and long hair on the other. Then I woke up thinking it was Friday. That's how my day began. Needless to say (but I will) all the caffeine in the world isn't helping me today. What I need is a good nights sleep complete with no false-Friday starts.

A few days ago I received an email from Carnival telling me that our cruise had been canceled. They canceled the entire line. I don't know why... I'm thinking it may have something to do with the fact that the cruise stopped in Acapulco, and after all those people were killed there recently, Carnival may be pulling out of that port altogether. That was the one port I was super psyched to see, also! Bummer. Now we are booked on this cruise. A little bit better because this is a 9 day cruise, and we were booked on an 8 day before. I'm really excited. I'm soooo excited to go on a nice, relaxing vacation with Ted. Just enjoying each other & a break from reality for a while. I can almost taste the Mai Tai's!

favorite thing I've read all week

Ok, so it's only 3 days into The Week, but here's my favorite thing I've read:

"Charlie was not a brown mustard kind of guy. Brown mustard was the condiment equivalent of skydiving-- it was okay for race-car drivers and serial killers, but for Charlie, a fine line of French's yellow was all the spice that life required."

This is a small excerpt from the book I'm reading. I am really enjoying it so far. I'm only about 27 pages in, but I really like it. & I'm loving my nook. It's so perfect for reading while I'm on the treadmill/elliptical at the gym. I always wanted to read while I was doing my cardio, but holding a book & doing cardio just doesn't work for me. The books just don't stay open unless you hold them. Printers need to make spiral bound books! Or get some sort of e-reader. I just set my nook on the magazine holder thingy, and viola! I can read - easily! :)

So if you want to know the context of the above excerpt, then I encourage you to check the book out. It's really very good & entertaining reading so far.

weekend fun

I have to be better at posting reviews of the books I read when I finish them. I got lazy and wasn't posting my reviews right away, which made me forget some things & make it seem like I read nonstop. That's not really the case. So I finished 7th Heaven on Sunday (4/25). I seem to finish books on Sundays. It's because Sunday is usually a lazy morning for us. We hang out in bed with the dogs for a couple hours & just enjoy the calm. That gives me a lot of uninterrupted reading time, which I have really come to enjoy. Ok, so onto my review of 7th Heaven... I really enjoyed this book! Probably as much as I loved the 4th book in the series - 4th of July. The stories in this one just kept me going. I was a little slow to start, but I think that's because I'm getting burned out on the Women's Murder Club series in general. I've been reading them back-to-back & I think it's time for me to read something else because I delve into the 8th book in the series. Back to 7th Heaven - The stories kept me interested. There were twists & turns I didn't see coming. Times where I was wondering how the stories would ever play out or come to a close. I am really, really wanting to start the next book... but I'm holding off for now! :)

On Saturday we returned some duplicate wedding gifts we received. We decided with that money we were going to treat ourselves to something fun - an Xbox or a Wii. We didn't get either. We I got a nook. See... I couldn't find any games I would want to play on Xbox, and Ted couldn't find any games he would want to play a lot on Wii... so here we are in Best Buy, with money to burn, and Ted suggests taking a gander at the nook's. He said he was planning on getting me one for my birthday anyways, so why not get it now? So we got one, and now I have to read as many books as I can on it, before the 30 day return window closes, in case I don't really like it. So far I really like it, it's pretty easy to use - and B&N gives you a few free books when you register it, which is always awesome - especially when 2 of the 3 free books are on my reading list :) Score! So now I am going to be reading A Dirty Job: A Novel by Christopher Moore. I've been somewhat torn on the issue of e-readers because I really like books... but I'm giving this new technology a try! I'm a giver.

And finally to wrap up this uncharacteristically long blog post... on Sunday evening I went with my mom & my friend Simone (my brother's gf) to see The Eagles in concert at the Honda Center in Anaheim. It was SO FUN! Seriously, they were so good. I mean, what the hell do I know? They sounded great to me. I had fun. My mama had fun, my friend had fun. What else is there?? I pretty much knew all of their songs with the exception of songs off their new album (which I totally want to buy now!). Those guys are some seriously old, talented dudes. And I mean that totally respectfully. I'm guessing there was some pretty hard partying on their behalves in the 70's, and they earned those wrinkles, amongst other things. They played "Hotel California" just 3 songs in... so of course the crowd went wild. I also thought it was really cool that they played it so early into the set, they really gave the people what they wanted early on & that helped set the mood for the rest of the show. As it turns out we are all old fuddy duddies (technical term) and didn't stay to the very end. I'm sort of kicking myself for that because I didn't get to hear my favorite Eagles song, "Take It Easy". Ah well... it was really fun, and I got to spend some time with my mom & Simone. It was a GREAT weekend. Oh, and did I mention I got to because my brother backed out at the last minute? Yep. And on our way out we saw David Spade - seriously. Ya know, maybe not the coolest celeb sighting, but cool nonetheless. We did not say Hi. Simone swears that while she was in the beer line she saw the oldest son from Home Improvement - Zachery Ty Bryan (yes I did have to look that up). Fun all around!

finished

I finished The 6th Target on Sunday... I think? The days have run together and I can't remember if I finished it this week or last week. Out of five stars I would give this book three stars. Two & a half? I don't know. I kind of pushed myself through this one, I sort of like part of it and really didn't like part of it. And I don't have much to say about it so...

I just started 7th Heaven. I guess I do have to say that while I didn't love The 6th Target, it did leave me needing to start the next one - again. James Patterson sure is good at that! Honestly I'm having a hard time even getting into this one. I may be burned out on the series & need to start something else.

Ooh... the trials & tribulations of reading for pleasure. :)

haber-what??

On Sunday I got to spend some time with my nephews. This story isn't about them, but OMG they are the cutest little people ever. Take my word for it :)

So back to Sunday - Ted's dad is talking about how he once bought a cowboy hat. He picked out a hat that was comfortable & fit loosely on his head. The salesman told him if he were to actually wear that hat while riding a horse, it would fly off his head. Cowboy hats are meant to fit snugly. So even though I don't think my father in law actually had intentions of riding a horse, he bought the cowboy hat as it was intended to fit - rather tightly. And he never wore it again because it was so uncomfortable.

The point of my story? Ted told his dad he should go to a haberdasher because they could stretch it out for him. Yes, he said haberdasher. And I love my husband sooo much because I know that being able to use that word in a conversation absolutely made his day. It's all about the simple pleasures in life!

not a good way to start a conversation

I think by now most people who are close to me know that if I start a conversation with "So..." it is not going to be a thrilling & happy converstation. For some reason that is always the word I choose to use when launching in to a less than appealing conversation, statement, bit of information, etc. Needless to say whenever I start a conversation with "So..." my husband gets very nervous, he gets a panicked/stressed look on his face, stops doing whatever he was doing & gives me his full attention, but not before he lets out an "Oh jeez, ok - what is it?"... because he never knows what I'm about to launch into. :) I like to keep him on his toes! He has a similar reaction if I start a conversation with his name. For instance, if I say "Ted, can we go to Home Depot?" That question holds as much worry & fear, just by starting with "Ted" as if I were to say "Ted, I blew all of our savings on [insert something stupid]." Now I make an effort to think about how I start a conversation because that helps a lot with how the whole thing will go. It's all about setting the right tone.

official reader

I'm official:

I can now afford to read my entire 2010-11 reading list & not go broke. :)

Speaking of my reading list, it keeps growing. It was originally a 2010 reading list, but there are way too many books on the list to read in a little over 8 months now. Now it's flowed into 2011, and I'm sure it will continue to grow & then become a 2012 list. I should retitle it "Lifetime Reading List" or something like that. I was telling a friend of mine about the list (when it was still a 2010 goal) and that I have Moby-Dick on the list, she said "good luck with that!" ha.

just one of those days

Sometimes a girl just needs to get her hair done.

So I did. And it's fabulous. :D

yum-o

Baked Risotto with Grilled Asparagus

My take: This recipe was super yummy. Really creamy & so flavorful. This recipe is definitely enough for at least 4-6 people, more if it will be served as a side. If you are making this for 2 then you may want to consider halving the recipe... unless you really like leftovers.

Also, not sure if my stove was too hot or what, but I actually had to use 1 cup of white wine because the first half cup I poured in evaporated immediately. Like, there-not-there in the blink of an eye fast, so I stirred in another half cup which was a good thing because I think otherwise the risotto may have turned out a little on the dry side. The recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups of chicken broth, but I didn't want to open another box of broth just for 1/4 cup, so I just added a 1/4 cup of water to make the correct amount.

Happy eating! :)

on to the next!

Last night I finished The 5th Horseman by James Patterson. I'm going to be starting The 6th Target any second now (but more on that one when I'm done).

So now that I've finished The 5th Horseman and slept on it I feel ready to review! I can't lie, the beginning of this one was slow going for me, but I had a similar experience with the second book in the series and then that one really came together for me at the end. With The 5th Horseman things started coming together for more about halfway through the book. I was having a hard time tying all of the story lines together. The Women's Murder Club books always have some person story going on throughout the book, on one or more of the women. This one didn't really have that. It sort of did with Yuki, but I won't get into it in case you want to read the book yourself. Something in this book really connected with me and once I got to the middle of the book it was difficult for me to put the book down at all. I really enjoyed the book, I enjoyed the stories, but I did feel slightly cheated by the ending. I feel like the very end got tied up a little too quickly for me. But, hey - I'm not a world renowned writer, so what the heck do I know? Maybe if there was more story it would have made the entire thing just too much? I don't know. At any rate, this one - again - left me needing to read the next one asap.

Last night we also went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner with my father in law. I'm not sure what the craze is with this place. I hear so many good things about it, but to me it was really just "meh". Yes the wings I chose were good (mild & honey bbq - mild owns honey bbq, for future reference). I was really, extremely turned off by the fact that ranch & bleu cheese dippers were .50¢ each. That just so cheapens the whole experience - it gives a very McDonalds-esque feel to the whole dinner. I agree with my father in law - I would go back if someone else really wanted to go, but I wouldn't suggest it. I thought the prices were high for wings. I mean, we are talking wings here, right? Also for reference - Ted got the spicy garlic & mango habanero. He said the spicy garlic were just too much (garlic & spice), but the mango habanero were delicious. My father in law got the asian zing & parmesan garlic, he liked them both. We also had an order of onion rings & those were quite good, especially the sauce they came with. Yeah... such a healthy meal, eh? I know, I know.





p.s.: Have I mentioned lately that I have an amazing husband? Yep, I do. He loves that I love reading, he encourages me, and doesn't complain when I leave my books strewn about wherever I go.

over an open fire

This past weekend my family went to Glamis for the weekend. Ted & I met them out there Friday afternoon/early evening and the fun (?) began. I use fun cautiously because of a couple things...

First - The reason the trip even came about was because one of my brothers friends & his family were going out there for a birthday. Well, the guy who was celebrating his birthday out there ended up fracturing his wrist & ankle on the first day aka his birthday. How much does that suck? He was being cautious and careful, it was just one of those freak things that can happen when you're out in the dunes.

Second - When I was much younger my family used to go off-roading all the time and at various locations, but we always made it to Glamis every year. Then we stopped going when my brother & I got older. The large group of people who would go kind of broke apart, and it just stopped. My family just got back into it a few years ago, in the first year I was all into it. I loved it all. I haven't been out there in a little over a year (or 2 seasons) and I just... didn't like it. I don't know what changed, it was the same... I changed. Maybe it's the fact that I'm older, wiser (ha!), or have responsibilities? I was telling everyone that it seems like the time away has made me scared. A sissy, if you will. Who knows? What I do know is that I like going to the river/lake much more. Regardless, it was still fun to spend that time with my family.

One thing that I thought was so awesome was that the family who we were camping with, they cooked over an open flame. They had a large "grill" that they just propped up over the campfire. Awesome, huh? I thought so also. I wish I had gotten a picture of it! The first night they cooked their dinner (carne asada) on it. Yum! Then the next morning they brought out a regular old pan and cooked their bacon on that grill. They cooked their lunch on it that afternoon. They had an old fashion dutch oven & they made chili in it for dinner that night. It cooked almost all day, right on the fire! I loved it. My family uses a small camping bbq, but I'm thinking we may have to make ourselves one of those grills that can go right over the fire. That's the way to do it.

Goal for the next Glamis season? Don't be a sissy. & cook over an open fire.

books

I am currently reading The 5th Horseman by James Patterson. So far I have read the four previous books in the Women's Murder Club series, and so far I have liked 4th of July the best. See how he incorporates the number of the book in the series into the titles? I love that. Makes things easy to keep track of.

dinner

Melinda's Spaghetti Squash with Avocado and Parmesan

This is a recipe that Ted & I usually make a few times a month. It's so darn yummy just how it is. If you haven't tried spaghetti squash before then you must try it now! It's really delish. Even if you think you don't like squash - you will like this! It's not stringy or mushy like other squashes can be. Spaghetti squash literally looks like something between normal spaghetti noodles and angel hair. It has a wonderful sweetness to it, and doesn't take long to prepare. I know the spaghetti squash in my grocery store has a little sticker on it that tells you how to cook it in the microwave. Personally, I don't like microwaving food at all. But that does come in handy for people who are short on time and want to put together a quick, yummy, & healthy meal. The avocado with this gets a little bit warm and soft when it's mixed into the dish, and it just compliments everything so well. 

Variations:

Here are some variations on the dish which we enjoy-

- We grill a chicken breast, slice or dice up, and serve atop the squash. This just makes the whole meal a little more substantial for us.

- I wanted to make this and realized I had no lemon in the house, so we drizzled a little balsamic vinegar on the avocado. Obviously this doesn't serve the purpose of the lemon (keeping the avocado from browning), but it does serve the purpose of the wonderful tartness of the lemon working with the sweetness of the squash.

I will also add that in my experience the lemon only keeps the avocado from browning for a short time. If you plan to take leftovers for lunch then you may want to make sure you eat all of the avocado at dinner unless the brown avocado doesn't bother you.

working for the weekend

I know it's only Monday but I'm already dreaming of the weekend. I would say I long for the weekends to be here most on Mondays and Wednesdays. Wednesday, I have no idea why I wish for the weekend so much on those days? I guess because it's the middle of the week, and Friday still seems so far off. Two more mornings I have to wake up at 6:30?! Booo! :( Hahaha. Lets be honest, I'll be up 7am at the latest on Saturday & Sunday anyways since our dog, Nova, is wide awake by then and whining to be let out. (insert love-hate relationship here)

We don't have any weekend plans yet... we have been sly and both avoiding talking about how we really, seriously, I-really-mean-it, need to start our bathroom renovation... like WEEKS ago. We had plans to start it a couple of weekends ago, then realized that weekend was Easter and we would be spending all of Sunday shuffling between both families. There is really nothing standing in our way anymore, other than fear.

We have to do the work ourselves because (1) hiring professionals is expensive, (2) my husband happens to be very knowledgeable & handy in many areas, and (3) we know he can do it himself (and probably with some help from his dad).

Maybe this will be the weekend we start demo. One other thing holding us up (well this falls under the FEAR category) is that this is our only full bathroom. Luckily we do have another bathroom, but it's a half bath. So basically we have to make sure we do this renovation in such a way where we can both use the shower. We aren't replacing the shower & tub, so this shouldn't be that big of an issue. I just hope I don't step on a rusty nail.

eating healthier

As you know from this post I am trying to eat healthier. Incorporate more fruits & yogurt into my daily diet. I am not cutting anything out just yet. If I feel like eating it, I (1) wait and see if I still want it after 10 minutes (2) eat a considerably smaller amount than I would have say, a month ago (usually also less than the serving size).

Here is something I noticed, & wanted to make note of, on Monday: I was hungry almost all day. Serious. I was sitting at my desk, eating carrots & hummus (Thanks Fresh & Easy!) and thinking "Why am I hungry?! I'm shoveling these things in my mouth, and I am getting more hungry by the minute!" It was frustrating and strange.

Today? Not so much. I am not so hungry, I am having to remind myself to eat actually. This morning I was definitely hungry, but since then I have been ok. I know my body well enough to know when I get hungry so I am trying to eat something healthy & small right before that time, as a way to combat the hunger pains. Because... let me tell you... I reach a certain level of hunger where nothing will satisfy me unless is covered in cheese, fried, or smothered in icing. Today I had an apple pear (I have no idea what this is, it's the consistency of a pear, but the juices taste like apple juice.) at 10am, a yogurt at 11:30, and finally lunch at 1:00. I feel good.

I know it's an ongoing process with highs & lows, today I am on a high. I feel better than I have in a while, I'm happy, and I'm not seeking out chocolate or donuts like a mad woman.  

I'll take a tom collins, please.

You know you aren't suppose to be on the road when the following happen on your way to work:

 - you pull onto the street and a big truck is blocking the road in both directions because it's too long to make the turn
- you almost run over an adorable chihuahua (by almost run over I mean slam on your brakes and thank the Lord no one was behind you & the people in the next lane stopped also)
- the guy driving in front of you is going 10 mph below the speed limit, then SLAMS on his brakes and swerves into the left turn lane. you are thisclose to becoming friends with his insurance (assuming he has any)
- you finally think you're in the free & clear... you're almost to work... and a Coroner van pulls up behind you. Creepy.

And this all happens in a 90 minute span from the time you leave your driveway, to the time you pull into work.

I need a drink.

because I really am worth it

Today is the beginning of a new beginning, of sorts. I have been having some minor issues with my health, and I just decided I am tired of feeling like crap. So a few weeks ago I made a big step by cutting out my beloved iced tall caramel macchiato at Starbucks, and you know what? It wasn't that hard. I barely noticed. I guess letting go was a little easier because Ted & I were gifted with this kick ass coffee maker, so now I just make my coffee at home & go. I realized that I am not the "diet" kind of person. I can't go from eating & living one way, to a complete 180 and change everything all at once. That's not how my mind works. If I immediately take away everything I love, my brain instantly kicks into "kicking & screaming" mode, and I self sabotage within days, if not hours. Sad, but true.

So a few weeks ago I cut out something I thought I loved, and I lived. ::gasp!:: And since then I have been trying to make healthier eating choices. That means that even if I don't eat something healthy, I try to practice portion control. Portion Control. Man... that's a tough one! There is something about the fact that just because my husband can eat 4 slices of pizza, that doesn't mean I can or should (even if I could. & I could if I put my mind to it). So I'm wondering, if I can put my mind to making bad decisions, why can't I put my mind to making good, or at least better, decisions?

I am now trying to make simple & easy goals on a weekly/biweekly basis. The goal for this week is to start eating fruit throughout the day, as a healthy snack. I'm also going to try to incorporate yogurt in with my lunches. We always have veggies with dinner, so I'm not super concerned about working more vegetables in yet. We eat almost no fruit, so I knew I needed to get on top of that issue.

I think that I finally realized that I'm an adult, and I have to treat my body better. No one else can do it for me. I can make as many excuses as I want, but in the end I am an adult. I'm a married woman. This is my life, my only life, and I want to make the most of it & live it as long as I'm allowed.
 

watch your step, please

Right now this blog is Under Construction. I don't know where I'm heading with it, but we'll end up someplace good (I hope). I also added some pages up at the top, things I'm interested in & deserve their own perma-homes.

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In 2008 I rediscovered my love of reading... because of Twilight... I know, of all things. All you avid readers out there can smack your heads, roll your eyes, and sigh disbelief now... Go on! Get it out of your system. Are you done now? Ok good. Moving on...

So in '08 I discovered the Twilight series. Loved it! After I consumed the last one, I was left thinking "now what am I going to do?" So I picked up another book, and another, and I kept reading. Some books I liked, some I forced myself to finish, and a couple are still sitting on the bookshelf with the bookmark somewhere in the middle. You know those books where you keep waiting for them to capture you? You just know it's coming, but then it doesn't? Yeah, I've had a couple of those. I won't name names unless you have to know. A friend of mine mentioned the Womens Murder Club books by James Patterson. That is typically not my style, but I really love these books! I enjoy the personal story lines told through each book.  Maybe series are my style now? Hmm...

I'm always looking for more suggestions, so definitely throw any my way! I am not tied to only reading fiction, I'll read anything.