MY AGONY AND ECSTASY

O - H - Oh No!

2011-10-04T10:39:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year again, folks! FOOTBALL TIME, that is! And of course, everyone in our house has been geared up for the games each week since the season began...

BUCKEYE BATTLE CRY

In old Ohio there's a team

That's know throughout the land;

Eleven warriors, brave and bold,

Whose fame will ever stand.

And when the ball goes over,

Our cheers will reach the sky,

Ohio Field will hear again

The Buckeyes Battle Cry.

Drive! Drive on down the field,

Men of the scarlet and gray;

Don't let them through the line,

We have to win this game today,

Come on, Ohio!

Smash through to victory.

We cheer you as you go:

Our honor defend

So we'll fight to the end for

O-hi-o.

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As excited as we always are to see the start of the football season, we are even MORE excited to see the start of the Big 10 portion of the schedule. This Saturday's game against Michigan State kicked everything off for the Buckeyes, so we got our game day fare ready...

7-layer dip

Buckeye Beer

glug glug glug

But, wah wah waaaaaaaah... Sadly, Sloopy couldn't hang on and the Buckeyes lost 10-7 to the Spartans (their first lost to MSU in over a decade). We knew that this season following the scandal would be rough (and getting rougher), but it is still disappointing to start the Big 10 schedule with a loss. We'll still keep cheering though, and hopefully, finish the season much stronger. After all, we need to start replenishing our stock of gold pants!

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If You Like Bean Enchiladas and Getting Caught in the Rain

2011-09-30T16:59:00.000-04:00

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What lovely weather we are having lately! I think I need to invest in a canoe or tugboat or something soon. Sheesh!

But, rainy days aren't always so bad. One thing that always screams out at me on rainy days is comfort food, so I decided to whip up a batch of black bean enchiladas. Mmmmm.

Now this is a staple dish in our house, but I don't have a recipe, necessarily. However, I will do my best to provide approximations on the ingredients...

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped (remove seeds if you want milder enchiladas)
2-3 sprigs of cilantro, finely chopped
*--- (I typically throw all 3 of the above ingredients into a mini chopper and let that do all the work.) ---*
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Corn kernels from 2 ears of cooked corn (or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed)
1 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1-2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 bottle enchilada sauce (I use Trader Joe's brand -- see below)
10-12 corn tortillas

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Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with about 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce.

Mix onion, jalapeño, cilantro, black beans, corn, 1/2 cup cheese, chili powder, cumin, and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in large bowl.

Put a few tablespoons of mixture in a tortilla.

Roll up the tortilla and place it seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the mixture and tortillas.

Top the tortillas with the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15 - 18 minutes until cheese is melted.

Serve up with your favorite toppings, such as fresh salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

A tasty meal certain to spice up an otherwise dreary day! Enjoy!!

Whole Lotta Love

2011-09-29T21:51:00.001-04:00

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Naturally, I'm a pretty big fan of Whole Foods Market. The selection of natural and organic foods is amazing to the point of overwhelming. I could easily spend hours wandering the aisles, oohing and ahhing (and I have). Hell, I could live and die right at their cheese counter!

Yes, they do deserve their nickname, "Whole Paycheck." Do you REALLY need $8 tortilla chips that badly (no matter how insanely delicious they taste)? But, when you see cute little bags like this, how can you stay mad?

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Needless to say, when Living Social offered their half off at Whole Foods deal last week, we pounced and pounced hard! Jon and I each purchased the deal, which meant $40 to spend at WF for only $20. Heck yeah!! (Yes, we may have picked up an extra artisan cheese or two this week. Yum!)

It was hard for me to believe that Whole Foods could get much more awesome, but then I saw this...

That's right, Yuengling is FINALLY coming to Whole Foods/Ohio!!! Sure, we'll still give our love to local brews from Columbus Brewing Company and Great Lakes Brewing Company (brewer of my favorite beer, Dortmunder Gold), but it will be nice to throw another great regional beer in the mix from time to time.

If you need more convincing, check out this ill video. I guarantee you'll be humming this tune for the rest of the day. For real.

Tortilla-Crusted Cod Cakes, Plus a Taste of Fall

2011-09-28T21:23:00.000-04:00

TORTILLA-CRUSTED COD CAKES

(March 2006 Real Simple Recipe)

1 medium red onion

1 bunch fresh cilantro

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded & finely chopped
1 1/4 lb. cod fillet
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips (from 3 cups chips)

Heat oven to 350° F. Finely chop enough onion to measure 3/4 cup and enough cilantro stems to measure 1 Tbsp. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cilantro stems, and jalapeño and cook until softened, 4 minutes.

Pulse the cod, egg, salt, pepper, and the onion mixture in a food processor until combined but not puréed. Form 8 cod cakes. Coat each cake with the chips.

Wipe out skillet. Heat 1 Tbsp of the remaining oil over medium heat. Add 4 cakes and cook until golden brown, 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking sheet. Wipe out skillet and repeat with 1 Tbsp olive oil and the last 4 cakes.

Bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serves 4.

(Pictured with sides of sautéed squash & apples and sautéed green beans & onions.)

BONUS TASTY FALL RECIPE...

ACORN SQUASH & APPLES

1 acorn squash
2 apples, diced
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Gently drop acorn squash into a large pot of boiling water and boil for 15 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath to cool. Slice off the peel on the ridges and dig out the peel in the valleys. Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds and stems. Dice the squash into chunks.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the squash with the apples, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon until tender. Sprinkle with a little extra brown sugar before serving, if desired.

Serves approximately 6.

The Veggie Van Always Rings Twice

2011-09-27T23:02:00.000-04:00

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Every Tuesday is like Christmas around here. Only, Santa drives a van filled with sacks of fresh, seasonal produce from local farmers rather than sacks of cheap, plastic crap from China. You heard me...PRODUCE!

The good people of the Greener Grocer and Local Matters run this amazing produce delivery service called the Veggie Van. And luckily for us, they deliver to our son's preschool! So, for $15 dollars each week, we get a bag of some of the freshest, tastiest fare that central Ohio has to offer, delivered right to us.

What kind of fare, you ask? Check it out (but, watch the drool)...

LAST WEEK'S BAG:

Kale, Tomatoes, Acorn Squash, Onion, Garlic, Green Beans, Potatoes, Jonathan Apples, and 1/2 dozen Eggs

THIS WEEK'S BAG:

Cabbage, Kale, Cantaloupe Melon, Potatoes, Delicata Squash, Carrots, Onion, Garlic, and Jonathan Apples

Just look at that food! So fresh. So delicious. We love gobbling up these goodies each week. Can't wait to see what other delectable bounties the Veggie Van has to offer up in the weeks to come!

When It Rains, We Really Pour It On

2011-09-26T18:32:00.006-04:00

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So, the long and short of it is that it rained cats and dogs today. Aaaaand I was stuck inside with my preschooler who's favorite phrase is, "Now what?" Since I was pretty sure the Cat in the Hat wasn't going to show up to play on this cold, cold wet day, I had to pull out my own bag of tricks.

First, a little fun with the Cars 2 Play-doh set...

Now what???

A game or two of Candy Land...

Now what???

A round of Memory Game, perhaps?...

Now what???

Sure, let's throw in some Thomas the Train UNO...

Now what???

I let Sesame Street take the reins for an hour. Then, it was time for lunch and a nap.

Yep, still raining!

I'm not gonna lie...I really could have used a nap at that point, too. However, I decided to take advantage of the rare moment of silence and enjoy some ME time.

First, some uninterrupted reading time...

THE LEFTOVERS by Tom Perrotta

Now what???

Then, a yummy meal...

Garden Thyme Luna Burger w/ side of Gala apples

Now what???

A couple relaxing hours watching a movie I've been wanting to see for a looooong time...

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(Mia Wasikowska was fabulous as Jane and now I'm crushing on Michael Fassbender more than ever! I MUST own this movie!!)

We managed to pack in a ton of great rainy day activities. The Cat in the Hat would have been so proud. All ~~rainy~~ days should be like this. Hopefully, next time our little Thing 2 will be home from school and can join in on the fun.

Now what???

The sun is out! Yaaaaaaay!!

Free People Read Freely

2011-09-25T13:19:00.005-04:00

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"Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it."
-- Mark Twain

There is freedom in reading. You can escape your own reality by imagining people and places grander than the biggest blockbuster movie, or find similarities with people and places you see every day. You can gain new understanding of a familiar subject, or discover a new passion. You can experience comfort, joy, hope, love, laughter, courage, sadness, remorse, fear, heartache, irritation, anger, disgust, anticipation, thrills, chills, and relief all in one little book. Pretty amazing, no?

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Sadly, there are people in this world who want to threaten your freedom to read...to read whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want. These people challenge and ban books for all kinds of crazy reasons, and this can be a surprisingly easy process. But, censoring one's RIGHT to read is WRONG!

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You can stand up for your RIGHT to read, your RIGHT to knowledge, your RIGHT to information! Help celebrate BANNED BOOKS WEEK this week (September 24th - October 1st) by reading a banned or challenged book, by spreading awareness about Banned Books Week on your blog/Facebook/Twitter, or by simply telling your local librarians and/or school officials that you appreciate their efforts to keep books ON our shelves.

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For more information about Banned Books Week visit: the American Library Association, deletecensorship.org, OR your local library.

I will be spending this week reading anything and everything I can. I will read because I can. I will read until they pry the books from my cold, dead hands (and they probably will). Please say you'll join me!

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"The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame."
-- Oscar Wilde

Falling for Joe

2011-09-24T10:31:00.001-04:00

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It's official! Fall is here! Some of you may or not know that I have quite an affair going on with Autumn. Cooler weather, football games, pumpkins, gorgeous foliage (my favorite colors!), sweaters and boots, apples and cinnamon, spooky movies, rainy days, Halloween and Thanksgiving, slanting light, soups and grilled cheese sandwiches, hayrides, my kids' birthdays -- it is easily my most favorite season. I get downright gaga upon its return every year and this year's official start to fall was no exception.

I decided to kick off this year's affair with a date with myself at a local coffee shop, Cup O' Joe. I sauntered right up to the counter and ordered my first pumpkin spice latte of the season. (*Note: Cup O' Joe uses REAL pumpkin mixed with white chocolate, vanilla, and spices in their pumpkin spice drinks, NOT syrup! LOVE!!) Armed with a delicious caffeine concoction and the latest edition of The Other Paper, I settled down in a comfy chair and began to unwind.

Seems I was a little more wound up than I initially thought because that latte was gone in about 2 seconds flat. So, I had no choice but to grab another...

And then, I started to get a little hungry so, I grabbed a Zuppa wrap at the counter and, of course, another coffee drink to wash it all down...

Roasted red pepper hummus w/ baby spinach, grilled asparagus, caramelized onions, and smoked Roman tomatoes in a spinach tortilla

Americano drink and 1/2 of my wrap

Belly full and a fresh Americano by my side, I grabbed my book out of my bag and blissfully started to read...

Life is good. I'm staying awake for it.

Before I knew it, the sky had grown dark and it was time to pack it up and head home. Perfect timing, since the baristas were threatening to cut me off and only serve me water. Hahaha! (Seriously.)

Goodnight lover...

Since my husband was such a great sport, letting me cheat on him with Joe all night, I decided to pick up a sweet treat to show him he's still my number one guy...

He was very grateful!

Such a lovely start to a lovely season! Happy Fall everyone!

All I Do is Win, Win, Win No Matter What

2011-09-23T10:30:00.000-04:00

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In the past you've seen me blog about winning some excellent books through Goodreads. Well, it turns out that I'm some kind of lightning rod for giveaways because I WON AGAIN! That's right, more free books for moi!

A few weeks ago, I received word that I had won a copy of Emergency in Slow Motion: The Inner Life of Diane Arbus by William Todd Schulz. I was beyond giddy! I was really in the mood for something arty with an edge and this was perfecto! So, when my package from Bloomsbury arrived a few days ago, I ripped it open with gusto!

I love Diane Arbus's work. The pictures are absolutely haunting and stunning. I find myself staring at her subjects for what seems like hours, completely transported to the worlds in the photos.

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I cannot wait to dive into this little gem in the next day or two! I have a feeling it will be one that I can't help but devour in one sitting. And the weather is supposed to be perfectly crappy this weekend, so that will work out nicely.

But wait! That's not all!! Imagine my surprise when I woke up this morning, all set to write up this blog post about winning a book giveaway, only to discover I won ANOTHER book giveaway!!! That's right! Apparently, I've done something to please the book gods.

Yours truly has won a copy of...
Falling for Me: How I Learned French, Travelled to Seville, and Fell in Love by Anna David.

Okay, so it sounds a little Eat, Pray, Love-ish (which is one book that never sounded remotely interesting to me), but I'll give it a shot. After all, FREE BOOK!

BOOKIN' IT: Summer 2011

2011-09-22T17:05:00.001-04:00

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Summer went by in a blur. Our schedule was blissfully filled with baseball games, trips to the pool, visits with friends, and grilling veggie burgers, so I'm surprised that I was able to slip in a few really good (and not so good...okay, HORRIBLE) reads here and there. But when it comes to books, I think we all know, I make the time!!

Here are my sizzlin' summer reads and one that is just outright burn-worthy:

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STAR RATINGS CHART
5 : Effing Awesome, Walking-Into-Lamposts
4 : Pretty Sweet Read, I Dug It
3 : Meh, Just Average, Next...
2 : Ugh, Struggled, Not Really Worth the Time
1 : Suckass, Still Trying to Forget
0 : The Worst Book I've Ever Read! 'Nuff said.
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One Day by David Nicholls
Vintage Contemporaries, 2009
435 pages
Read - June 9, 2011
5 Stars

I found myself completely absorbed in this Hornby-esque tale of boy meets girl. Completely touching, but not obnoxiously sentimental. However, it is possible it might totally flatten the overly sensitive. I was still thinking about this book weeks after I closed its cover. Bonus: it also has a ton of literary references (Book Nerd Alert!). I'm still dying to see the movie, but *sigh* the reviews have not been overly favorable. Eh, I'm sure I've seen worse. Bring on British Hathaway!

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Alfred A. Knopf, 2010
274 pages
Read - June 15, 2011
4 Stars

If there was a special circle of Hell devoted to washed up hipsters, this would be their reading material. Now, that may seem like I didn't like the book. I did...and not just because it won the Pulitzer this year. (After all, that criteria didn't help me with Tinkers.) I really enjoyed the way each story was written in a unique style, yet flowed so nicely from story to story. I was entertained by the famous 'Power Point chapter' and amused by many of the characters (see: Kissing Mother Superior, incompetent, hairball, poppy seeds, on the can.). Also, using the music industry to tie the stories together was wicked cool and made the music industry seem like another character in the story, if not the main character. Ultimately, I walked away with the moral of the story(ies) being 'life sucks and then you die,' which left me feeling a little pummeled. If that sounds like your bag, baby, pick it up.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam, 2009
444 pages
Read - June 20, 2011
5 Stars

I didn't actually expect to like this book. I basically picked it up because the movie was coming out and all my friends had already read it. I thought it would be a bit unbelievable, somewhat infuriating, and totally predictable. And it was. However, it must have hit me at the right moment because I devoured it in only a few sittings. Despite my 5-star rating, I don't think I'll be raving about this book for years to come or anything. But for those looking for an unputdownable summer read, this one definitely fits the bill.

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
Counterpoint, 2003
400 pages
Read - June 27, 2011
4 Stars

Holy eff!!! We Need to Talk About Kevin is like the supreme argument for birth control. No, STERILIZATION! Seriously, I can't imagine anything worse than having Kevin as a child. I was HORRIFIED as I read and, I'm a little ashamed to admit, gave my kids a few wayward stares, as if they were going to spontaneously turn into this monster child. To say that this book completely freaked me out would be putting it mildly. To say that it gave me nightmares AND daymares would be much more accurate. Also, I had that Foster the People song playing on a loop in my head the entire time I read, which didn't help matters. Yikes! (I've seen clips for the movie and it looks terrifyingly good.)

The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Translated from the Russian by Richard Pevear & Larissa Volokhonsky
Vintage Classics, 1868
615 pages
Read - June 30, 2011
5 Stars

Fyodor Dostoevsky is like my big Russian daddy. He can really do no wrong in my eyes and The Idiot did not disappoint. There was an all-star cast of characters, but Prince Myshkin absolutely stole my heart. He was wonderfully pure and simple without ever being boring (I'm looking at you, Fanny Price!).

I initially docked this book half a star because I felt it wasn't quite as captivating as The Brothers Karamazov, but since I still had lingering thoughts about it months later, I decided I had been too hasty and bumped it up to 5-stars. At the very minimum, it's a 5-star soap opera! This one is definitely going onto my reread pile. Did you hear that Prince Myshkin? I'm coming back for youuuuuu!

Regarding the translation: do Pevear/Volokhonsky or don't bother reading it at all.

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima
Translated from the Japanese by John Nathan
Perigee Books, 1963
181 pages
Read - July 7, 2011
3 Stars

Goooooood grief! This was such a disturbing little book. I thought the whole hive mind/gang aspect was fascinating. The kids are definitely NOT alright. Perhaps I read this a little too soon after finishing We Need to Talk About Kevin, because this felt a bit flat. Am I becoming jaded to the horrifying? Well, that's pretty unsettling!!

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Moyer Bell, 1970
97 pages
Read - July 17, 2011
5 Stars

Reading 84, Charing Cross Road has OFFICIALLY made it into my All-Time Greatest Reading Memories. Forget for a second that it is a charming, little epistolary book ABOUT books and book lovers. That is enough to make it awesome in its own right. However, the setting in which I read it made it truly magical.

It was a slightly cool summer day and I had a completely free afternoon (which RARELY happens), so I decided to swing by the public library and wander around the stacks. I picked up a few books that I had heard good things about, including 84, Charing Cross Road. Armed with a stack of good reads that I was anxious to dive into, and not being in any rush to get home, I decided to head over to the coffee shop across the street. For the rest of the day, I sat on the coffee shop patio, sipping Americanos, reading 84, Charing Cross Road cover to cover, and occasionally glancing over at the people walking in and out of the library, their bags bulging with books.

That was one of the most blissfully delicious afternoons I've had in recent memory and I really hope to recreate it one day. I get butterflies just thinking about it! Does it really get any better than that?? *sigh*

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Penguin Classics, 1876
221 pages
Read - July 18, 2011
4 Stars

Let me start by saying that I adore Mark Twain. He is one of the wittiest people of all time and his books define "classics." Now, let me say that I think Tom Sawyer is a little punk and I'd love to knock the smirk off his smug little face. Yes, Tom makes think violent thoughts. This was actually a reread from my dewey-eyed youth. I fawned all over Tom and Huck back in the day, but while my rereading of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a few years ago made me love it all the more, Tom Sawyer ended up falling a notch in my eyes. Those shenanigans don't fly with me now that I'm perpetually in Mommy Mode. Still, I found myself cracking a smile many, many times. That Mark Twain...

Room by Emma Donoghue
Little, Brown and Company, 2010
321 pages
Read - July 19, 2011
3 Stars

The saving grace of this book was the perspective of the narrator, a 5-year-old boy, otherwise, its almost like a Lifetime movie from start to finish. Almost sickeningly poignant, heart-wrenching, and overwrought. That's basically what it boils down to. Yes, it totally pulled at my heartstrings, but I felt a little cheap afterward...kinda like when I find myself watching Lifetime movies.

Colin Preston Rocked and Rolled by Bert Murray
Davanna Books, 2010
251 pages
Read - July 24, 2011
0 Stars

*** Warning: The following review contains references to sex. Not good sex, mind you, but still, sex. ***

Yes, 0 Stars!!!!

While it is never very pleasant to write a bad review, it even less pleasant to read a bad book. And this book is the WORST book I've ever read!

All other books are masterpieces in comparison. Horrible writing. Horrible characters. Horrible dialogue. Horrible plot line. Horrible layout. There really was NOTHING redeemable about this book at all. I would read excerpts to my husband and he would laugh his ass off (when he wasn't groaning from the agony). The only people who could possibly give this book higher than one star have to be the author's family and friends...or people who are being heavily compensated...or people who have guns to their heads. I mean, there is NO WAY that anyone who has read any other book in existence could possibly think this is any good.

Yes, it is THAT bad.

Here are some lowlights:

CHARACTERS

In short, they are all terrible.

* The main character, Colin Preston talks incessantly about the Beatles. He drops every bit of information he knows about them in everyday conversations, corrects other people's misinformation about them, and listens to every album by them (and John Lennon's solo work) constantly. I'm not sure there is a page where there ISN'T a Beatles reference. I loooooooove the Beatles, but this was almost enough to make me not want to listen to them ever again, just so I wouldn't have to have any association to this horrible main character. Plus, he's whiny, naïve, and annoying. I hate him.

* The main character's love interest, Jasmine is a complete contradiction. Not even believable in the slightest. She's supposed to be a super hot, (of course!...and ALL of the girls in the book are super hot with smokin' bodies who want to have sex with these dweebs the second they meet them...believable, no?) hippie chick who is very into all-natural foods, yoga, Jim Morrison (almost as much as Colin is into the Beatles...gah!), and smoking pot. HOWEVER, she smokes cigarettes (what?! so much for her all-natural persona), has extreme mood swings (like a 24-hour roller coaster ride with Sybil at the switch), and can be very violent (throws beer bottles at Colin). None of these behaviors match her purported Zen-like nature. Oh, and she's a slut.

* Colin's best friend, Karl is a complete caricature of a big man on campus. Football star, ~~ladies' man~~
panty-dropper, and all-around prick. He cares about very little other than playing sports and banging hos. He's a class act.

* Chester is the quintessential loner and loser. He hangs out in the dorm basement ALL THE TIME and smokes a ton of weed. He has very obvious mental problems and says a lot of extremely weird things. Other characters refer to him as highly intelligent, but I never heard him say anything remotely smart. He ends up having a mental breakdown (SHOCKING!!) and goes to rehab for cocaine (which was NEVER mentioned in the story previously), mushrooms, and pot (WHAT?!? Rehab for 'shrooms and pot?! C'mon!). He writes a very bizarre letter from rehab that makes you think a psychiatric facility would be a much better fit for him.

* Mrs. Vesquez, one of the professors at the school, gets brought into the story, inexplicably. One day Colin is being nasty to her because he's having a bad day, the next day they are hanging out and he's dishing out all his problems to her. For the rest of the book, she doles out advice and wisdom, talks about the hardships of her life, and listens as Colin whines nonstop about Jasmine. Sure, because that's the shit professors live for!

* Big Ty is basically the token black friend in the book. He doesn't really have much to do with the plot other than inviting the guys to multiple frat parties.

PLOT POINTS

There are soooo many things that don't make any sense that it would take me all day and night to list them. I could easily go page by page of this preposterous story, trying to figure it all out, but I don't really think it deserves that kind of time/effort. However, I will provide a few head-scratchers for you and maybe you can tell me if these things make sense or could ever happen in real life.

* Colin and Jasmine are getting all hot and heavy in Colin's room. She desperately wants to have sex with him. He goes to put on a condom. He puts it on inside out. (How?) He puts on another condom. They start having sex. It feels good and he is ready to come, but he holds back. She starts to come...very loudly! He begins counting Beatles albums to keep from coming. She finishes with a cacophony of screams, moans, and bed squeaking. He pretends that he came, too, and then throws the empty condom in the trash.

-- If the girl is letting you know that she is having an orgasm, why would you hold back and then fake it? I can understand holding back until she gets to that point, but once she's there, why in the world would any guy purposely NOT come...and then lie that he did? I'm sorry, but I cannot think of any plausible reason why that would happen.

* Colin is at a frat party without Jasmine. He is persuaded by cool guy Karl to ask a hot chick to dance. As he and hot girl are dancing, she suddenly stops and looks upset. Apparently, her boyfriend is not happy to see her dancing with another guy. Colin turns to see a "beefy meathead with bulging biceps" approaching in a jealous rage. The beefy meathead boyfriend grabs a beer from a random guy and throws "the contents" in Colin's face.

-- Huh?? Maybe my imagination is not what it used to be, but when would a muscular guy, in a jealous rage, EVER grab a beer and throw "the contents" in someone's face?? Maybe they would throw a beer bottle at someone's face (or break it over their head), but I cannot picture them grabbing a "cup of beer" and throwing it in someone's face like someone out of a soap opera. Picture Ronnie from Jersey Shore doing that.

* Colin is at a frat party. He runs into his friend, Big Ty, who invited him to the frat party. Colin immediately asks Big Ty how his grandmother is doing. Big Ty tells him that she is keeping him busy, but she did find a new doctor she likes. Then, Colin asks about her blood pressure. Big Ty tells him that it is better because she's been taking her medication.

-- I don't care HOW good of friends you are with someone, two guys at a frat party would NEVER be discussing a grandmother's blood pressure. Not possible.

WRITING/LAYOUT

Again, I could go on and on. The writing is the worst I've ever seen in my history as a reader. Each page is worst than the last. Here are a few examples:

* Bizarre chapter layout. Most of the chapters are no more than a couple pages. Frequently, a chapter will end in the middle of a fight, conversation, etc. and then pick right back up at the start of the next chapter. If this was the author's idea of cliff hangers, then I give him a big FAIL.

* Lighted. Used over and over and over again. As in, "he lighted a joint and began smoking" and "Jasmine pulled a cigarette out of her bag and lighted it." Ugh. Nails on a chalkboard!

* A LOT of talk about sex and boobs. I'm by no means a prude, but this felt like it was written by a teenage boy who watches A LOT of bad porn. Judge for yourself...

-- "I love how her breasts jiggle," he said. "I'm really crazy about her."
"They jiggle?" I asked.
"Yes. Like flying saucers. She uses Ivory Soap on her gazungas."
"So, Susan soaping her breasts is your sex fantasy?"
"Yes, and once I watched her shave her legs. What a thrill I got."

-- The next girl didn't have a good body, but her breasts were fantastic. She made a show of unhooking her bra and maneuvering it so that she was able to get it out of her sleeves. The spray of the water revealed breasts that were shaped like watermelons and nipples that were extremely large.
"Man, look at those things," said Big Ty. "Are they not ripe or what?"
    The cute Asian girl on the bar didn't have much to show off. She was extremely flat-chested, but the cold water had stiffened her nipples. It was erotic and I couldn't stop myself from staring.
"Damn, those things could cut glass," said Big Ty.

-- "You make my ramrod stand at attention," Chester blurted.
"Sometimes I like to watch porn," Susan said to Chester.
"Do you like whips and chains?" asked Chester.
Susan twirled some of her long black hair around her fingers. "No. The only time I'm violent is when I'm playing Dungeons and Dragons. Do you play?"
Chester wrapped his hands around her black lace gloves. "I'd play with you. I want to kiss you."
"We just met."
"Then when? Please don't give me blue balls."
Susan smiled. "Postponement heightens gratification."

-- Karl was in front of the window. Before I could say hello, I realized he was having sex. His jeans and boxers were wrapped around his ankles. He grunted as he rocked back and forth and did the girl from behind.
    The girl was bent over his desk with her jean skirt hiked up over her ass. She had great legs. She was still wearing brown knee-high boots, but her white polo shirt, bra and panties lay nearby on the floor. Karl knew how to make good use of an afternoon.
    I stared, my mouth open. The angle at which the desk was positioned allowed me to watch Karl as his hands wrapped around the girl's large, firm breasts; his thumbs were on top of her nipples. His back muscles tightened every time he thrust forward. She moaned with pleasure. I began to back out of the room quietly.
    "Oh God, fuck me. Yes! Yes! Don't stop. Fuck me harder," the girl demanded loudly.

-- She sat up and pulled a pink heart-shaped box off the shelf above her bed and tore open a green foil package that had a mint-flavored condom inside.
    She gently placed the condom on me and held it there before using her mouth to roll it down. Damn, did I get hard. She really knew what she was doing. My expectations had been way too low.
"I'm almost afraid to ask," I said. "Where did you learn how to do that?"
    She giggled. "I read an article in Cosmo on 10 ways to spice things up in the bedroom. That was No. 2."
"I'd love to see what No. 1 was," I said teasingly.

-- I lost myself in the moment. I fumbled with my belt while she pulled down her panties and lifted her skirt. I entered her. She said she had two orgasms. I felt like a total stud.

I could go on forever, but I think you get the idea. It seems like the author spent a week viewing teen movies and porn and then decided to write a book. This is decidedly the WORST book I've ever read! Good grief, I think I'm scarred for life. I'm going to have to go on a strict diet of Shakespeare and Steinbeck to try and undo the damage caused by this book. *shudder*

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Random House, 2005
253 pages
Read - August 16, 2011
2 Stars

19th-century China, foot binding, secret languages (nu shu), sworn sisters (laotong), arranged marriages, death, betrayal...all compelling subjects. Sadly, the way Lisa See handled these subjects in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was not that great. My biggest grievance is that the story is told from the perspective of 80-something-year-old Lily looking back on her life with Snow Flower (her laotong) and SHE FREAKING SPOILS EVERY BIT OF THE STORY FOR YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY! She'll be telling you a story about someone when they were young, pause to tell you that they die in some tragic way in a few years, then continues on with the original story about that person. It is not 'foreshadowing,' it is flat out SPOILING. There was no mystery of how the story would unfold because freakin' Lily kept telling me who would get married, who would die, who would be betrayed...yada yada yada. Jerk.

I'm actually kind of surprised that I finished this book, considering how little I cared about any of the characters. Honestly, I only picked up this book because the movie was coming out and I'm, of course, the kind of person who typically likes to read the book first. Really wish I had just watched the movie and skipped the book though. I don't know if the movie is any better, but I have a hard time believing it could be as blah as the book.

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
Owl Books/Henry Holt, 1996
208 pages
Read - August 29, 2011
3 Stars

The first rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club. The second rule of fight club is you DO NOT talk about fight club. So, my hands are tied. There can really be no review of Fight Club. And you've all seen the movie anyway. The book doesn't have a shirtless Brad Pitt and is, therefore, not as great. I am Joe's Major Disappointment.

As Better Book Titles would say, "IT'S ALL FUN AND GAMES UNTIL SOMEONE STARTS A SECRET ARMY TO DESTROY CIVILIZATION" (or "I Like Beating the Crap Out of People Better Than Shopping For a Duvet").

Some people just ruin the fun for everyone.

***********************************************

SUMMER 2011 TOTAL:
12 books

3,700 pages

***********************************************

I'm already curled up with some great fall reads and feeling fine...

Weekend Sampler

2011-07-11T16:30:00.000-04:00

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Another great weekend has come and gone. Good times were had by all. Here are a few highlights...

Birthday party

Family Movie Night

Alone time

Good eats

California veggie burgers, pasta salad, veggies w/ homemade hummus, and watermelon

Quality programming

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Hope you had a delightful weekend, too!

Rendezvous With You Know Who

2011-07-11T14:28:00.006-04:00

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Jon and I don't get the opportunity to date each other much these days, so when an opportunity does arise, we jump right on it. Friday was one such occasion.

Jon's parents took the boys to the Clippers game for 'Jersey Night' (no, not that kind of Jersey) and Jon and I went out for a nice dinner at Vino Vino.

The weather was so nice (not too hot with an occasional breeze) that we opted to dine al fresco on the sidewalk. Oooh la la...

We enjoyed a nice bottle of organic wine...

and a few starters...

FOR ME: Romaine Salad with avocado in a peppercorn dressing

FOR JON: Brie Bruschetta with Granny Smith apples and apricot jam

And for our main courses...

FOR ME: Pan-seared Tilapia in a lettuce wrap with mango salsa

FOR JON: Mushroom and Risotto Tower with asparagus, roasted red peppers, lentils, and chèvre

The whole meal was simply divine and we pledged that we would try to make it happen more often. However, we always manage to have a great time with each other whether we are going out or staying in, so I'm not too worried about it. I think the important thing is that we make time for each other, and thankfully, that happens waaaaaay more frequently than 'date night.'

Looking forward to our next relaxing evening together...hopefully, tonight!

Ex Libris

2011-07-08T09:42:00.001-04:00

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Somehow, my books manage to duplicate when no one is looking each month. Not exactly sure how that happens, but I have a feeling that it has something to do with killer deals at used bookshops and library sales.

What's a crazed bibliophile with a fist full of cash supposed to do?

All those glorious works of lit, sitting there looking sad, wanting someone to adopt them. (Gawd! Keep me away from pounds and orphanages!!) Well, of course, I HAVE to give them a good home, right? You know it!

Here are a few new babies that I've picked up recently...(Come to Mama!)

Used Book Sale at Better World Books

Last Night in Twisted River - John Irving

Juliet, Naked - Nick Hornby

Better World Books Total - 2 Books for $7.65

Bexley Library Sale

The Finkler Question - Howard Jacobson
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Muriel Barbery
Out Stealing Horses - Per Petterson
The Gathering - Anne Enright
Await Your Reply - Dan Chaon
Herzog - Saul Bellow
Shirley - Charlotte Brontë
Villette - Charlotte Brontë
Adam Bede - George Eliot

Plus, assorted children's books including:

The Knight at Dawn (Magic Tree House, No 2) - Mary Pope Osborne
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass - Lewis Carroll
Freckle Juice - Judy Blume
and many more...

Bexley Library Total - 31 Books for $13.50

I really need to be careful or I'm going to end up becoming the little old lady who lived in her books. Can you just imagine? It would be like a Book Lover's Edition of Hoarders. Yikes!

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However, I'm sure that I can delay that for a few extra years by building my book lover's dream house. I shall call it Chateau Anthenaeum and I will live in bliss for the rest of my days. Ahhhh....

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The only problem is that I would probably fill those shelves in about a month, so I would definitely need room to expand. I wonder if it wouldn't just be easier to move into the public library...

BOOKIN' IT: Spring 2011

2011-07-06T15:37:00.001-04:00

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Once again, the time has come for me to share my thoughts on what I've been reading. Er, actually it is past time. Waaaay past time. In fact, summer is almost halfway over and I'm just now posting my spring reads?! Well, I guess that's about par for the course, right? Just one of the little quirks that you're all starting to love about me. Not.

Anyway, my spring reading started quite slow. (surprise, surprise) A million little engagements and my surgery really caused my reading to fall by the wayside, but thankfully, I've managed to get back on track. Hooray!

Here are the good, the great, and the meh that I curled up with in March, April, and May...

***********************************************
STAR RATINGS CHART
5 : Effing Awesome, Unputdownable
4 : Pretty Sweet Read, Good Stuff
3 : Meh, Just Average, Did Nothing for Me
2 : Ugh, Struggled, Just Happy to Finish
1 : Suckass, Chucked
***********************************************

The Shining by Stephen King
Pocket Books, 1977
683 pages
Read - March 5, 2011
3 Stars

Okay...I'll just say it...this book wasn't that scary. *ducks from flying debris lobbed at my head* I reeeeeeaaaallly wanted a creepy, edge-of-my-seat, up-all-night, fright-fest of a book (hell, I even made sure I had plenty of room in my freezer...heh heh), and this one is touted by Constant Readers everywhere as one that should deliver. Alas, I was underwhelmed. Of course, I looooooove the Stanley Kubrick adaptation (which I understand Stephen King took major umbrage with for a long time) because the movie is scaaaary (I mean, hide-under-the-covers, sleep-with-the-light-on SCARY), but the book was...ho hum. Maybe I was too big of a fan of the movie going into the book? Maybe I'm just too jaded to appreciate the nuances? Maybe I'm too old (and wise) to be scared by a book? And maybe I will be chased down the street by crazed King fans wanting to beat some sense into me.?! Eek!

Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner
Washington Square Press, 2001
400 pages
Read - April 29, 2011
3 Stars

So, this was an unintentional reread...meaning, I forgot that I'd already read it. Perhaps if I had checked my Goodreads shelves before I plucked it from the library shelf, I could have saved myself the trouble. Plus, not only did I end up rereading a book that I wasn't planning to reread, but it even went down a rating for me. I just wasn't much in the mood for the level of whining that went on in this book (and how I ever was is beyond me). Boo. With any luck, I'll be able to forget it again soon.

Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner
Atria Books, 2008
384 pages
Read - May 3, 2011
2 Stars

Considering how 'meh' the first book was, I shouldn't have even bothered with the follow-up. Unfortunately, it was even worse than its predecessor. The whole thing was an exercise in frustration, from the stale characters to the lame dialogue to the overly dramatic plot. Quite frankly, it reeked of a Lifetime movie of the week. I'm actually amazed that I made it to the end of this suckfest, and I kinda wish I'd at least gotten a t-shirt out of it so I could say I walked away with something. *sigh*

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Barnes & Noble Classics, 1847
524 pages
Read - May 10, 2011
5 Stars

Jane Eyre may just be a perfect novel! It really has everything, except aliens (but, give the masterminds time and I'm sure they'll work them in). This book always manages to sweep me off my feet and transport me to Victorian England's countryside. Perfect escapism. I just curl up with a glass of wine and swoon. How can you not root for Jane and Mr. Rochester? If you haven't read it yet, get thee to a bookshop and prepare to be enchanted!

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
St. Martin's Press, 2004
322 pages
Read - May 14, 2011
3 Stars

I admit, pretty much the only reason I picked up this book is because I was interested in seeing the movie. But, I wish I had just gone to see the movie and skipped the book because now I'm not that interested in seeing the movie. I really disliked every character in the book, save for Ethan Ainsley (who was only a minor character anyway). The book was quintessential chick lit: cheesy scenes, drama, sex, fashion, and bullshit. Brain candy and nothing more.

Brave New Worlds: Dystopian Stories (various authors) edited by John Joseph Adams
Night Shade Books, 2011
470 pages
Read - May 17, 2011
4 Stars

Wowzers! I really adored this collection, which read like the 'Who's Who of Dystopian Literature.' I tried my best to savor the stories by reading a few here and there, but I could very easily have sat down and read the whole thing in a weekend. Believe me, it wasn't always easy to set it aside. Most of the stories are absolute classics of the genre and you just can't get enough! One of the best aspects of the book is the introduction to the authors and stories that editor John Joseph Adams lays out at the beginning of each story in the collection. That totally pumped me up to read the stories and to seek out more by the authors. Whether you're looking to sample dystopian lit for the first time or you're looking for a compilation of some of the biggest names in bleak-future writing, this short story collection will amaze and astound you! I will definitely be picking up the other anthologies by John Joseph Adams and Night Shade Books.

P.S. Thanks for the signed copy!

(I won a copy of this book through the First Reads program on Goodreads.)

All the Time in the World: New & Selected Stories by E.L. Doctorow
Random House, 2011
277 pages
Read - May 24, 2011
3 Stars

I was very excited to read this one since so many of my Goodreads friends have gushed over Doctorow's work. In fact, I have several of his novels waiting in the wings, but I thought his short stories would give me a nice glimpse of what I could expect from his style. Overall, I thought the book was just okay. As with most short story collections, some stories really stand out more than others. However, I will say that a lot of Doctorow's stories had a dark edge to them that I found intriguing, so I'm looking forward to picking up his other works that are ~~collecting dust~~ biding their time in my library. Perhaps those same Goodreads friends could point me in the direction of which E.L. Doctorow book I should wrap my mind around next? *hint hint*

{Stacie, say the word and I'll send this out to you!}

(I won a copy of this book through the First Reads program on Goodreads.)

The Silent Land by Graham Joyce
Doubleday, 2011
262 pages
Read - May 25, 2011
5 Stars

Confession: until very recently, I had never heard of Graham Joyce. Either he isn't very big in the U.S. yet or he has managed to fly under my radar for all these years (which is no easy feat). No matter. I'm just glad that I was afforded the opportunity to learn of him with The Silent Land, a fabulous piece of speculative fiction. I devoured this bad boy in less than 24 hours and was kind of peeved any time something dragged me away from reading it. Granted, it certainly wasn't a great literary masterpiece, but it was an all-absorbing page-turner (with the occasional shag scene) that kept me rapt from beginning to end. Does that sound like something you wouldn't mind curling up with on a lazy weekend?

Oh yeah...and I love, love, LOVE the cover art!

(I won a copy of this book through the First Reads program on Goodreads.)

Something Blue by Emily Giffin
St. Martin's Press, 2005
338 pages
Read - May 30, 2011
3 Stars

I have NO idea why I read this book since I really hated Darcy in the first book. And to be honest, the first half of this book didn't make me want to write her love songs either. However, somehow Emily Giffin managed to humanize Darcy more as the book went on, so I was able to warm up my cold heart to her by the end of the book. Plus, Ethan Ainsley had a much bigger role in this book, which was a definite bonus! I may have to change my mind about seeing the movie adaptation of the first book now.

Fair Play by Tove Jansson
Translated from the Swedish by Thomas Teal
New York Review Books, 1982
100 pages
Read - May 31, 2011
2 Stars

I really don't think I was in the mood for this book when I picked it up. Not exactly sure what kind of mood you have to be in for lesbians and art, but I certainly wasn't feeling it. Sorry, Tove.

***********************************************
SPRING 2011 TOTAL:
10 books
3,760 pages
***********************************************

Now to get back to my summer reading, already in progress...

When Life Hands You Stale Bread, Make Croutons

2011-05-27T15:48:00.003-04:00

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Gearing up for a nice, relaxing, holiday weekend by doing very little today. I mean, why not start celebrating early, right?

Basically, my morning was about kicking back with a cup of coffee and a fluff read. (Yes, I'm trying not to hurt myself.) However, this afternoon, I managed to get off my duff (slightly) to perform the task of making lunch. Unfortunately, nothing was jumping out at me except some bread that was on the verge of becoming stale and some random veg, so I decided salad was the way to go.

I preheated the oven to 400°F and cut up a slice of whole wheat sourdough into cubes (I prefer to use French bread for croutons since it gets much crispier, but whaddayagonnado?). I tossed the cubes in a little olive oil and seasoned them with some garlic and onion powder. Then, I popped them in the oven and waited for them to crisp up (turning them once).

Looking crispy and delicious!

After the croutons cooled down a bit, I added them to my Greekish salad of romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cukes, black olives, and Feta cheese, which I tossed in a light champagne vinaigrette. (Fancy!) And trust me, the salad tasted every bit as yummy as it looked...

Isn't that so pretty?

While I was gobbling up my lunch, I jammed out to some tunes by the Kooks. I just LOVE them; they always put me in a great mood. Check out this incredibly awesome and gorgeous video (one of my absolute FAVES!!) for their song, "Ooh La"...

So, that's my not-very-exciting-but-extremely-relaxing-and-enjoyable day so far. If I'm lucky, I'll get to do more of the same for the rest of the weekend. Buuuut, I'll probably have to do stuff. *sigh*

Back to being a bum, but not before I add a string of weird, pointless photos to the end of my blog post (hmm, this is becoming such a pattern)...enjoy!

Have a happy, lazy Friday!! ☺

There's No TREAT in Treatment

2011-05-18T09:22:00.000-04:00

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Treatment days are never very fun, but yesterday was especially long and exhausting. I suppose it didn't really help that I woke up to this outside...

pitter patter

If that doesn't make you want to crawl back under the covers, I don't know what would. Unfortunately, sleeping in wasn't an option, so I got up and let my long day begin.

First, I headed out for chemo (joy, joy)...

Bring on the IV drip...can you make it coffee?

Since I had my port removed when I got the new boobs, they had to give me the old-fashioned stick in the arm...or three. Yep, I received THREE needle pokes before everything was up and running because my veins kept puffing up right away. Guess being a junky isn't really in my future, huh?

I tried to relax with a bit of music, reading, and texting friends, but all that poking, prodding, and flowing of IV meds makes a girl hungry, so I had a little snack...

nom nom nom

Eventually, my time was served and I went to a café for a cup o' joe and a little reading before my next doctor's appointment. Oh yes, today I was booked solid. This is just a day in the life. *sigh*

So, I headed over to my breast surgeon's office (not to be confused with my plastic surgeon who gave me the new ta-tas) and waited and waited and waited. Thankfully, the visit was worth the wait because he pronounced everything in working (and theoretically, cancer-free) order and sent me on my way. Woo-ha!

All those hours logged in medical facilities really knackered me out, so I collapsed on the couch the minute I walked through the door. After curling up with my book, listening to some chill music, and receiving a phone call from my BFF, I was FINALLY mellow...

Ugh. I can't wait until I'm done with treatments! Will it ever end??

Bundle of Joy

2011-05-17T08:08:00.002-04:00

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Guess what arrived yesterday?? A little package of lovelies for me to adopt! That's right, my order from Better World Books is finally here!! Yaaaaaaay!

Is there anything more thrilling than a box of books arriving in the mail? Well, I'm sure there must be, but this is pretty damn exciting.

My precious!

The War of the End of the World - Mario Vargas Llosa
Death with Interruptions - José Saramago
East Lynne - Ellen Wood
The Easter Parade - Richard Yates
The End of the World News - Anthony Burgess

Looks like a nice bunch for my summer reading. Can't wait to curl up with these guys!

Saving the Ta-Tas

2011-05-16T16:19:00.000-04:00

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Saturday was the Columbus Komen Race for the Cure, which, apparently, is the third largest in the world! Gooooo Columbus!!

Jon and I woke up early and headed downtown to get in on the activities and excitement before the races were set to start. The atmosphere was just incredible. The buzz was electrifying!

We checked out all the survivors tents where I signed the survivor banner and grabbed up some free swag. Then, I made a nice little sign to wear on my back for the race...

Subtle, I know.

You would not believe the number of people who would sneak up behind me to take a pic of that sign. Haha! Guess they share my sentiments.

Just as we were heading over to the car to drop off our bags to get ready for the run, we ran into our old friends, Brian and Jen. With 50,000+ people running around that day, what were the odds?

Me and Jen

Brian and Jon

Of course, once we ran into our friends, our plans quickly changed. We were so excited to see them and couldn't stop talking (which I'm sure no one is shocked to learn), so we decided to abandon the 5K run in favor of the 5K walk. No real biggie, but probably a bit surprising considering how long/hard I've been working on getting ready for the race.

Oh well! We went with the flow and had an AMAZING time! No regrets.

After the race, we sprawled out on the courthouse lawn, snacking, gossiping, and enjoying the festivities. We couldn't have asked for a better day. I'm already looking forward to next year!

1-Year Survivor

Click here to find out how you can participate in Race for the Cure and stick it to breast cancer!

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Heart the Arts

2011-05-16T13:32:00.000-04:00

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Last week we attended the ARTS EXTRAVAGANZA at Aidan's school. We feel very fortunate to live in a great school district that celebrates the arts and provides arts education that extends beyond finger painting. We expected a lot from the extravaganza, but even then, we were blown away by the experience.

The school was filled with the students' artwork, which gave it a very gallery-like feel. Of course, we wasted no time scoping out Aidan's work. Here are a few pieces...

Aidan's "Very Hungry Caterpillar"

Aidan's "Self-Portrait"

See any resemblance?

Aidan's "Dark Bird"

Posing with his creation

In addition to the visual art, there was plenty of performing art. Aidan and company put on quite a show of singing, playing instruments, dancing, and even putting on a little skit. I could not wipe the smile from my face! I was sooooo proud!!

I really wish I could have gotten a better, closer view of the kids when they were singing and using instruments (alas, I just couldn't get any good pics). Also, I'm absolutely kicking myself for not taking video...particularly during the dancing segments, which were absolutely hilarious and adorable. However, it was an incredible evening and we all had the best time.

I just can't believe Aidan's kindergarten career is about to come to an end! Even though there won't be any big time difference in his school day next year (since his school only provides all-day kindergarten), it is still hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that he'll be in 1st Grade! Not the little guys of the school for much longer. But, he can't wait!

Putting My Breast Foot Forward

2011-05-11T15:31:00.000-04:00

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As some of you may or may not know, I had boob surgery last month to replace the knockers that I lost to the big C. (I'm no Boobs McGee, but I think they look pretty good.) Unfortunately, with surgery comes recovery time...which seemed to last FOREVER. During that time, I was restricted from most physical activity save walking, so I've been getting a wee bit twitchy to get up and moving again.

Well, I'm happy to report that my restrictions have officially been lifted and I have been sweating myself silly all week in celebration! Hurrah!

I was a little worried about how I'd do with my running since it had been a few weeks since my last jog, but it was just like riding a bike (only waaaaay suckier). This is great news since the Columbus Race for the Cure is this weekend and Jon and I are slotted to run in the coed 5K.

(I think I can, I think I can, I think I can)

Of course, with the return of running comes the return of running songs...

5 SONGS I'M ~~DYING TO~~ RUNNING TO THIS WEEK:
Bullet and a Target - Citizen Cope
Time Running - Tegan & Sara
More - Usher
Naïve - The Kooks
Long Train Running - The Doobie Brothers

COOL DOWN & BE COOL SONG OF THE WEEK:
Orange Sky - Alexi Murdoch

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Right now, I am super happy to be back in the fitness groove. (We'll see how long that lasts.) Just being able to do a little strength training and jogging has made me feel very accomplished. I'm hoping to add more activities back into my routine very soon.

I'll keep you posted.

Love,

Chesty La Rue
(or do you prefer Hootie McBoob?)

EleFUNt

2011-05-11T09:03:00.001-04:00

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Well, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus is in town again, so last night we made our annual family trek down to watch the handlers walk the elephants up to the arena. Always good times...

Here they come!

Our front row seats.

There they go.

Dylan was enraptured.

Aidan thought they smelled.

Don't know if we'll actually go to the circus since we have such a busy weekend coming up, but we may end up coming back down to watch the elephants walk back to the train on Sunday. Gotta wait and see if time and weather are on our side.

Pastafied

2011-05-10T19:07:00.000-04:00

PASTA with SWISS CHARD, ONIONS, and GOAT CHEESE

(plus Sun-dried Tomatoes)

-- modified from a May 2011 Real Simple recipe --

12 ounces pappardelle or fettuccine

(* we used spinach & chive linguine, actually)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

2 bunches Swiss chard, stems discarded and leaves cut into 1-inch strips

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, not packed in oil

(* tomatoes not in original recipe)

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chard, tomatoes, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes more.

3. Add the chard mixture, 3 ounces of the goat cheese, 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pasta and toss until the goat cheese melts and coats the pasta (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Serve sprinkled with the remaining ounce of goat cheese.

Serves 4.

This was mmm mmm good! Very easy and delish!

Mama Mia!

2011-05-09T16:14:00.000-04:00

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Nothing gives me more joy (or migraines) than being a mother, and motherhood gets better each and every year. Being surrounded by men, I'm frequently treated like a queen around these parts and Mother's Day was no exception.

In addition to the kisses, hugs, smiles, and homemade cards and drawings, Jon and the boys got me...

* A new subscription to Real Simple magazine

* A fish spatula from Crate & Barrel

* A book order from Better World Books (will blog about when they arrive)

* My favorite ice cream (Gravel Road) from Jeni's

* A pretty dress to wear on Mother's Day...

A random assortment, to be sure, but all things I love!

We went out for brunch with Jon's family at our favorite family-owned Italian restaurant. We all had a really nice time and the food was, of course, outstanding.

Good times!

Aidan with his great uncle

Dylan wants spaghetti!

After our meal, we decided to work off the calories with a trip to the mall. We didn't find a whole lot that we couldn't live without until we stumbled into the shoe department at Nordstrom's. Grammy bought a pair of gray Toms for me and a black pair for herself. So lovely! I love being shoe sisters with Grammy. She's got great style!

Hurray for gray!

Also, my mother-in-law surprised me with a beautiful pair of earrings for Mother's Day. Isn't that so sweet?

Silver and Gold...so versatile!

As you can see, I got completely spoiled rotten for Mommy Day. I have no idea what I did to deserve it, but I certainly won't complain.

Just simply a wonderful day! Hope yours was special, too!

Spring Shopping on a Shoestring

2011-05-09T11:03:00.001-04:00

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Spring brings rain, flowers, and...yard sales! This Saturday I went on a bit of a yard sale bender. Even though there seemed to be a bit fewer yard sales going on this weekend than usual (possibly due to pop-up rain showers), I still managed to walk away with some goods...

Black Tank - New York & Company; White Tank - Banana Republic

Black Skirt - Banana Republic; Khaki Skirt - American Eagle

Denim Skirt - Gap; Black Skirt - United Colors of Benetton

Khaki Skirt - Merona

Khaki Pants - J.Crew; Jeans - J.Crew

(Darker) Khaki Capris - American Eagle; Gray Capris - Old Navy; (Lighter) Khaki Capris - J.Crew; Olive Capris - Old Navy

FOR DYLAN: T-shirt - Children's Place; Shorts - Greendog; Jacket - Children's Place

FOR AIDAN: T-shirts - both Greendog (both new with tags)

Grand shopping total?? $14.25

Not too shabby for a day in the yard sale trenches!

Looney for Luna Burger

2011-05-07T09:47:00.000-04:00

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It's official...we are in looooooove with Luna Burger! Every single flavor we try is incredible. We just can't seem to get enough. Holy ~~cow~~ veggie, they are delicious!!

Last night we tried out the BBQ burgers for the first time.

I ♥ Luna

Of course, incredible ingredients!

We put our grilled Luna Burgers on toasted whole wheat sourdough bread and loaded them with extra, extra sharp Cheddar cheese, grilled Vidalia onions, tomatoes, baby spinach, and a dollop of spicy brown mustard. We served the burgers with a side of roasted Brussels sprouts to complete the veggie madness.

A plate of awesomeness!

I think we found our new favorite Luna Burger flavor; the BBQ was just sooo outstanding!

A-Mmmm-AZING!

I imagine this will be a staple in our house this summer. We just can't get enough! (Plus, I know they serve them at several cafés around town. Score!)

The 5th of May...¡Olé!

2011-05-06T10:37:00.000-04:00

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Cinco de Mayo has officially come and gone. Always good times, but our old college selves would be disappointed in our rather lame attempt to celebrate last night.

Some quesadillas for dinner...

Black Bean Quesadillas

And a little snack later...

Mexican Layer Dip w/ Blue & White Tortilla Chips and Skinny Margaritas

All in all, not too shabby. I suppose it could have been lamer. We could have thrown on a festive flick...

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¡Three Amigos!

Actually, I kind of want to watch that movie now. How sad am I?

Alas, I'm off to pay for my sins on the treadmill today. Hope you all had fun shaking your maracas yesterday!

Holy Smokes!

2011-05-05T11:58:00.004-04:00

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Once again, tooling around on the internet has left me rather disturbed. Seems there is an abundance of arty pictures featuring kids smoking (or pretending to smoke). Even more disturbing than that is that I find many of the images to be brilliant! Then again, I'm a sicko, so judge for yourself...

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This might sound like an odd question, given the bizarreness of all the photos, but what's with the chicken? Is it there to balance out the photo? Did they just need a prop (any prop will do)? Did it cross the road to get to the kid with the cigs? When they arranged for the photo, which came first, the chicken or the creepy smoking kid? Imagine finding that in your great-great-grandparents' attic. *shudder*

So disturbed.

May the Fourth Be With You

2011-05-04T15:48:00.006-04:00

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HAPPY STAR WARS DAY!!!

While I'm not a huge Star Wars fan, all the guys in my life are, so I guess I'm a ~~nerd~~ fan by proxy. Therefore, I shall show some Star Wars love today with...

A few sweet pics...

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Some fun videos...

And my cute kiddos in costume...

Have a great one!☺

Back to Life

2011-05-04T10:26:00.001-04:00

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Somehow, I managed to stay away a little longer than I intended. Sorry 'bout that. Life just keeps creeping up.

But now, with my coffee sitting beside me on the desk and a great song playing through the speakers, I am ready to write...

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So, I was hanging around Goodreads the other day, checking out what my friends have been reading and adding a few books to my shelves, when I stumbled upon a quote on a friend's page...

"I'M NOT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, I AM WHAT I CHOOSE TO BECOME." - CARL GUSTAV JUNG

I promptly stole this quote for my own collection.

Too often I let my disease define me. Even though it has only been a year since I was diagnosed, I have a very hard time remembering what I was like B.C. (Before Cancer)

Did I laugh more? Did I have more interesting things to say? Did I dream bigger? Probably.

Did I feel invincible? Did I let trivial things rule the day? Did I think there would always be time for everything? Definitely.

I guess none of that really matters any more. That was the life of another person...someone I don't even recognize anymore despite sharing the same DNA. I have to live this life now.

I have to keep moving forward, day by day, and just take time out from all the struggle to enjoy smaller pleasures. Eventually, I might be able to laugh more, have more interesting things to say, dream a little bigger than I thought possible. And if I try hard enough, I might even become a better version of myself.

Here's hoping...

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Relaxation Redux

2011-03-25T19:38:00.001-04:00

Sunday, March 20, 2011

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Yesterday was so incredibly enjoyable and calming that we decided to do some of it again. This involved starting off with a yummy breakfast.

First, some multigrain pancakes...

Plus some Ghirardelli chocolate chips!

Then, some breakfast veggie patties...

Luna Burger: Kick Start Herbed Breakfast Veggie Patties

And again, an impressive list of ingredients

Then, we got cooking...

*sizzle sizzle*

Wheel. Of. Pancakes.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes w/ Ohio Maple Syrup and Breakfast Veggie Patties

Jon and I weren't feeling the pancakes today, however, so I whipped up a few spinach omelets for us.

Both of our spinach omelets were stuffed with fresh salsa and freshly shredded pepper Jack cheese, but I also crumbled up one of my breakfast patties to put in mine. This was a very SPICY breakfast! The patties really have quite a kick to them...Kick Start, indeed! We both agreed these would be great on a breakfast sandwich. (Just thinking ahead...)

Once again, we headed over to the park...

I decided to sneak away from the mayhem for a little bit to relax and read...

So nice to be out in nature, reading, drinking some coffee, and enjoying the day. From my seat, I can still check out the playground goings-on...

But, that also means I can be spotted, too...

We headed home and I made up a small snack for Jon and the boys.

For Jon:

Chopped green and red bell pepper, red onion, chives, and minced garlic plus 4 oz cream cheese

Veggie cream cheese spread

Whole wheat English muffin with a schmear

Tasty treat and good coffee!

For the boys:

(DYLAN) Whole wheat pretzel sticks and Sliced banana

(AIDAN) Sliced red pear and French vanilla & almond granola

Sunday also repeated Saturday's lounging around agenda with some more errands thrown in for good measure. Even dinner was a repeat...a delicious array of leftovers. But there was no complaining; everything was just as delicious as it was the first time around!

We did mix it up by making a nice Sunday night dessert...homemade peanut butter cookies. These cookies are rich and delicious and have only 3 ingredients!

1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy), 1 cup sugar (I prefer brown sugar), and 1 egg

Mix all ingredients together

until nice and smooth

Place dough in 1 Tbsp balls on parchment-lined baking sheets; press dough with fork in criss-cross pattern

Bake at 350ºF for 10 min (or until edges get a little crispy)

Excellent dunked in milk!

This dessert is one of our favorite fallback treats to make when we want something sweet, but don't want to go to a lot of effort. We always have the ingredients on hand, so that makes it easier. Our kids are peanut butter cookie junkies!

Do you have any activities or recipes that you can do over and over without getting bored?

Sat-ur-day in the Park...

2011-03-25T11:31:00.001-04:00

Saturday, March 19, 2011

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Woke up to another gorgeous day on Saturday and we really wanted to make the most of it.

First, we whipped up a quick breakfast using the apple cinnamon muffin mix we bought the other day.

Mixing up the batter

Muffins made with love...haha

Apple Cinnamon Muffins...ooh la la

After filling our bellies, we headed over to one of our favorite parks and immediately went to the playground. The kids were absolutely smitten! It has been a long winter...

Then, it was time for a family walk through the woods. The weather was just perfect and there were little signs of spring everywhere. We are definitely looking forward to more days like this!

All that running around made us famished, so we headed home for some lunch. Jon wasn't sure what he was in the mood for, so I raided the fridge and came up with a nice dish that really hit the spot.

Leftover whole wheat rotini plus chopped veggies (cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, carrots, radishes) and crumbled Feta

Tbsp Horseradish Mustard plus Tbsp Red Wine & Olive Oil Vinaigrette

All shook up and ready to eat!

We spent the rest of the day doing some light cleaning, home projects, and running errands, but it was still nice and relaxing. Quite a fun Saturday!

Before long, it was time to make some dinner and feed the troops. We were all anxious to use the kale for some chips and to try out the veggie burgers from the co-op.

Luna Burger: Made in Columbus w/ Ohio Ingredients = Awesome!

I normally stay away from pre-made veggie burgers because the list of ingredients is frightening, but these ingredients are outstanding!!

Torn kale leaves after a spin in the salad spinner...ready to be baked into chips

Dinner is served! Farmhouse Chili Veggie Burger on Whole Wheat English Muffin w/ Kale Chips

Veggie Burger w/ all the fixins...baby spinach, tomato, pepper Jack, and horseradish mustard

Soooo good! Jon said we definitely need to keep some of these bad boys in our freezer for an easy weeknight dinner and great summer grillin' fare. Delicious! We are excited to try some of the other flavors.

Do you have any food discoveries turned staples in your house?

BeautiFULL Day

2011-03-22T18:06:00.006-04:00

Friday, March 18, 2011

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Spring is almost here!! Can you believe it?? Today was absolutely BREATHTAKINGLY beautiful! We had all the windows open and the air just felt marvelous. I'm so glad because I was like, "enough with the snow already!!"

Not long after Aidan left for school and Jon left for work, Dylan and I had a nice mid-morning snack...

Kashi Heart to Heart cereal (Honey Toasted Oat), 1/2 of a grapefruit, and hot Darjeeling tea for me

Kashi Heart to Heart cereal (Honey Toasted Oat) and a Granny Smith apple for Dylan

The mail arrived and guess what showed up...the book I won last month! Huzzah!! (Many thanks to the peeps at Random House for sending this my way.) Can't wait to get started!

ARC copy of All the Time in the World by E.L. Doctorow

I had just finished doing cartwheels over my new book that came in the mail when I checked my email and discovered I won another book through Goodreads!! YOWZA! I'm on fiyah!

Win number 20 (and counting??) is the book The Silent Land by Graham Joyce.

I know little to nothing about the author, but the book description is extremely intriguing. So excited for it to arrive!!

This windfall of books is reminding me how backed up I'm getting on my reading. Eep! I have to get cracking this week or ~~Jon~~ someone is going to put the kibosh on bringing new books into the house. Can't have that, can we?

Jon decided he was going to come home a little early so we could all watch the Ohio State bball game. I decided to be a nice wifey and make up one of Jon's favorite snacks...pita chips.

Pita Bread...of course

I sliced the pitas in half since Jon likes the chips to be thin and crispy

Then, I lightly brushed the pita with olive oil and sprinkled with a pinch of sea salt

I cut the pitas into small pieces and placed them in a single layer onto two baking sheets lined with aluminum foil sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Then, I seasoned each batch.

One batch had garlic powder. The other batch was supposed to have paprika and cumin, but I noticed the cumin had not been added to the batch until AFTER it had already come out of the oven. *facepalm* Yeah, that batch was a little bland.

I baked them at 375°F for about 7-12 minutes, keeping an eye on them the whole time for fear they would be on the burnt side of crispy. However, despite a little seasoning issue with batch 2, they came out great!

Sea salt and garlic powder pita chips

Sea salt and paprika ~~and cumin~~ pita chips

Pita chips ready for Jon to devour!

After that, I knew I had better make up some lunch for myself or I'd be diving into those pita chips and there would be nothing left for Jon but crumbs in plastic baggies.

I whipped up a little salad of red leaf lettuce, baby spinach, onion, cucumber, grated carrot, some everyday seasoning, and a leftover salmon patty, all mixed with a red wine & olive oil vinaigrette.

The salad was super yummy, but I really wish I had soaked the onions in some water before I put them in the salad. They had way too much bite and overpowered the whole salad, so I ended up having to scrape several to the side.

Once Aidan came home from school and Jon came home from work, we decided to take a pre-game family walk around the neighborhood. It was sooooo beautiful today! We just had to get out there and take advantage of the warm temp.

SOMEHOW we ended up stopping at the co-op again for a few more goodies. (Funny how that happens...)

Lacinato Kale, Acorn Squash (that I eyed yesterday and had to go back for), Natural Peanut Butter (a huge jar marked down to $4!), more Bananas, D'Anjou Pears, Red Pear, 2 pkg. Luna Burger Veggie Burgers (Farmhouse Chili flavor), 1 pkg. Luna Burger Kick Start Veggie Breakfast Patties, Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips, and French Vanilla & Almond Granola. MOUTHWATERING!!

We fixed the boys a snack and settled in to watch some OSU bball...

Dylan channeling his inner Ralph Macchio??

During halftime, I went into the kitchen to get dinner prepped. On the menu...Veggie Pizza!

Rolled out some whole wheat pizza dough

Lightly brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with garlic powder and oregano, and pre-baked the dough at 375°F for 8 minutes

Topped with some pesto that I whipped up yesterday

Plus red and green bell peppers and red onion

And fresh shredded Pepper Jack and crumbled Feta

Assembled and ready to bake...how pretty!

Fresh from the oven 8 minutes later...*drool*

We opted to pair the veggie pizza with some butternut squash soup from TJ's. All four of us agreed this was NOT a great flavor combination. The soup left a lot to be desired. We normally love butternut squash soup, but I guess you just can't beat homemade. The pizza, however, received rave reviews. As if I expected less??

For dessert, I took 4 bananas that I had frozen yesterday (now you know why I bought more bananas), broke them into chunks, and added them to my food processor.

Then, I blended them up until they were smooth and creamy.

Then, I split the mixture between 4 bowls, topped with some blueberries, and served!

This was AWESOME! It tasted like banana gelato, no joke. Our one criticism was that it was a little one note. We ended up having to also add some granola to the top to give it some texture.

That being said, we thought up an amazing idea for this summer: blended frozen bananas topped with fresh strawberries, melted chocolate chips, chopped nuts, fresh whipped cream, and a cherry. An alternative banana split! Sounds good, right? I'm so excited to try this!!

The kids curled up on the couch to eat the organic suckers they scored at the co-op and watch a little more basketball with Jon before bedtime.

We got the kids off to bed, then it was time to break out our the other purchase we made when we were out and about...my favorite beer!

Great Lakes Brewing Co. - Dortmunder Gold

Such a full, rich day, don't ya think?

Feelin' Lucky, Punk?

2011-03-22T14:39:00.001-04:00

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St. Paddy's Day showed up once again, which means we got drunk. Haha. No, not really. Really, it was a pretty low-key, but very green, day. Natch.

First up, some green with breakfast...


BREAKFAST!


Pecan Praline Granola plus 2 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed...just need to add skim milk

Kiwi...mmm mmm, green

Did you know that kiwi has more vitamin C than an orange and as much potassium as a banana? True story.

Then, a mid-morning snack...

Green tea, green apples, and...cheese. The cheese stands alone.

Are you loving all this green???

Then, I worked out for a little while, but not before I changed into my super-sweet workout wear...

SMOOCH!

Of course, after my sweat-fest, I had to cook up some lunch...

Mixing up a Spinach Omelet

(1 egg yolk, 2 egg whites, 1 cup baby spinach, 1 1/2 Tbsp Parmesan, dash of nutmeg, smidge of freshly ground pepper)

I raided the fridge for some tasty fillings and decided on leftover grilled zucchini and some fresh salsa to complete my omelette de résistance. (That's French for badass omelet.)

DELISH!!

(Did you notice the nice green lime on the water glass?? Excellent touch on St. Green Day, no?)

Looks like it's smiling at me. It knows it looks good!☺

Since my creative foodiness was in overdrive today, I thought I should take advantage by saving some poor package of fresh basil in the fridge that was looking like it might not stay fresh much longer. (Throwing out herbs and veggies in this house is sacrilege, especially since most of them are so versatile, so I try use them up quickly if they start to look a little sad.) I decided a nice pesto on the fly would do the trick.

I threw the sad lil basil bunch in the food processor, along with Parmesan cheese, almonds (since I was out of pine nuts), and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

While the processor was on, I poured some EVOO through the top and continued to process until the mixture got nice and smooth.

Presto...PESTO!!

It was GORGEOUS this afternoon, so we walked over to the co-op to pick up a few necessities...

Bananas, Sour Cream, Red Leaf Lettuce, Green Bell Pepper, Red Bell Pepper, Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix, Blueberries, Broccoli, Tomatoes, and Yellow Popcorn. A BEAUTIFUL BOUNTY!

Also, the co-op gave me a few free mags...score!

The kids sprawled out after dinner in their festive tees paired with some Star Wars pj pants. Nice!

Awww!!

But it didn't take long for the silliness to take over...

Too cute!!

A very good day for all of us...even without the big drinkfest (which I suppose will save us from having green complexions the next morning, huh?).

Oh, one more thing...while searching the net for just the right St. Paddy's pic to use on the blog, I came across many pictures of dogs dressed as leprechauns. Have I been living under a shamrock? When did this become such a popular St. P tradition?

This picture was particularly frightening...

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Oh, the humiliation!!

However, we couldn't decide if the poor pup looked more like a leprechaun or Buddy the Elf. Thoughts?

Blogged Down

2011-03-22T11:46:00.000-04:00

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Brace yourselves because I'm catching up on my blogging today!! HOORAY! And if I have to have blog overload, then so do you.

I'm starting to believe that blogging is not for the living...because it's killing me. Hmmmm...

Must catch up. Must catch up. Must catch up.

FOOD!!!...with a Side of Blog

2011-03-16T19:26:00.005-04:00

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Since I'm the world's worst blogger (sorry, Nick Hornby; I win), I have not been posting pics of my scrumptious food on a regular basis. Actually, I've not been posting anything on a regular basis, but let's just put that in the category of growing pains and move on, shall we?

Unfortunately, this is not a scratch-and-sniff blog, so the pics will have to be enough. Without further ado (and/or claptrap), here's what we've been stuffing our faces with for about 2 weeks or so...

Spice-Rubbed Mahi Mahi w/ Brown Rice Medley (long-grain brown rice, black barley, daikon radish seeds) and Broccoli

Baked Whole Wheat Penne w/ Sautéed Mushrooms and Spinach

Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup w/ Grilled Cheese (Monterey Jack and White Cheddar on Whole Wheat Bread)

Whole Wheat Spaghetti & Tomato Sauce w/ Mixed Green Salad and Garlic Bread

Baked Panko-Crusted Tilapia w/ Brown Rice Medley (see above) and California Mixed Veggies

Kitchen Sink Enchiladas (Whole Wheat Tortillas w/ Black Beans, Corn, Brown Rice, Green Chiles, Monterey Jack, Sour Cream, and Herbs & Spices)

Horseradish & Potato-Crusted Red Snapper w/ Green Beans

Vegetarian Strata (Eggs, Goat Cheese, Zucchini, Mushrooms, Red Bell Pepper, Red Onion, Garlic, Parmesan Cheese, and French Baguette)

Whole Wheat Potato Gnocchi w/ Cannellini Beans, Spinach, and Tomatoes

Refried Black Bean & Monterery Jack Whole Wheat Quesadillas w/ Homemade Guacamole, Fresh Salsa, and Sour Cream

Fish & Chips (Crispy Baked Cod and Homemade, Hand-cut Fries) w/ Grilled Zucchini & Onions

Whole Wheat Rotini Puttanesca w/ Parmesan Broccoli and Garlic Bread

Salmon Cakes w/ Whole Wheat Couscous, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and Mixed Green Salad w/ Radish

If this post doesn't make you hungry, then you've probably already eaten dinner!

Anyone looking for a recipe for a dish featured here, need only ask.

Bon appetit!

Salebration

2011-03-16T13:58:00.004-04:00

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"If you have enough book space, I don't want to talk to you."
-- Terry Pratchett

Well, there are people who drink and there are people who do drugs. I buy books. And if you even think about staging an intervention, I'll totally kick your ass. ☺

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BIBLIOMANIA is an obsessive–compulsive disorder involving the collecting or hoarding of books to the point where social relations or health are damaged. One of several psychological disorders associated with books, bibliomania is characterized by the collecting of books which have no use to the collector nor any great intrinsic value to a genuine book collector. The purchase of multiple copies of the same book and edition and the accumulation of books beyond possible capacity of use or enjoyment are frequent symptoms of bibliomania.

Hmmm...perhaps I do have a problem. *gulp*

"Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them."

-- Arnold Lobel

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So, there was a (surprise, surprise) book sale this weekend at the Grandview Heights Public Library, and I was totally there (surprise, surprise).

My days of bringing home 100+ books from the library sales seem to have passed (probably because there are so few left that I don't already own), but I still managed to walk away with a pretty decent haul. Check out my newest lovelies:

Baudolino - Umberto Eco
The Plot Against America - Philip Roth
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed - Jared Diamond
Delta of Venus - Anaïs Nin
The Partly Cloudy Patriot - Sarah Vowell
The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman - Jon Krakauer
Making It Easy - Food Network Kitchens

Also, I'm turning my kids into little addicts. Here's what they brought home:

AIDAN'S PICKS
The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
The Mouse and the Motorcycle - Beverly Cleary
The BFG - Roald Dahl
White Fang - Jack London

DYLAN'S PICKS
A Bug's Life - Justine Korman/Disney
Just Keep Swimming - Melissa Lagonegro/Disney
Race to the Tower of Power - Dave Aikins/Nickelodeon

Total $$ spent...15!!

Now I just have to figure out where the hell I'm going to store these guys. My poor bookshelves are seriously straining from the weight! Gah!

I'm totally a bibliophile in denial... (*sheepish grin*)

I Am Brontë, Hear Me Roar

2011-03-11T10:49:00.002-05:00

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Today, the new adaptation of Jane Eyre comes out and I am superdy-duperdy pumped! I don't know if I have a chance in hell of dragging the hubs to see it opening weekend, but I'm pumped, nevertheless.

Jane Eyre is such an icon of feminist lit (aka cliterature...oh yes, I went there), so I thought it was pretty bitchin' that the adaptation was coming out during Women's History Month. Hmmm. Maybe I should show my kickass feminist side and MAKE Jon go see this movie this weekend. Actually, a real feminist wouldn't need to drag a man to the movie; she'd go by herself. Food for thought.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out the trailer...

Looks pretty good, no?

Frankly, I want to run right over to my bookshelf and curl up with Miss Jane this weekend. In honor of the movie, I just might.

The Brontë sisters are just so freakin' awesome! How can you not love them?

Happy Bday, My Love

2011-03-11T09:34:00.005-05:00

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Yesterday was Jon's birthday! Hurrah!! Now he is, OFFICIALLY, as old as I am (which is old). ☺

The Birthday Boy!!

We didn't get up to much since it was a Thursday night and (hello?) we are OLD with two small children.

All right, we aren't actually that old, but I feel like that's what you're supposed to say when you have a birthday. Don't people generally make a big fuss about becoming ancient and try to avoid the fanfare at all costs? Or is that just us?

Don't worry, we are planning to get up to something more exciting over the weekend (well, exciting to us). I'm a bad wifey, anyway, because I didn't pick up a gift for Jon yet. Eek!

Who has time?? And the weather has been so nasty... Okay, yes, there is this newfangled thing called the internet that allows you to *gasp* shop in your pajamas, but but But...

I don't really have a good excuse...just good intentions. So, we'll have to add that to the list of "Things to Get Up To This Weekend." *sigh*

He knows I love him. ♥♥♥

Well, just in case...

I LOVE YOU, JON! AND THERE IS NO ONE I'D RATHER GROW OLD WITH!! ☺

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ALL MY LOVE -- Chris Peters

Rain, Rain, Movie Day

2011-03-09T13:15:00.009-05:00

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Unfortunately, it is a particularly dreary day here in Columbus. I had to walk Aidan to school in the pouring rain...he jumped in as many puddles as possible and I came home smelling like a wet dog. Blah.

However, a rainy day can be quite refreshing and relaxing and can provide nice ambiance for one of my favorite activities...watching movies!

Dylan curled up with a Thomas the Train movie before naptime...

And while he's sleeping, I plan on grabbing a cup o' joe and I curling up with Babs and Bob in The Way We Were...

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Not a bad way to spend a rainy day, me thinks.

A few other movies we watched recently (but not necessarily on rainy days)...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I - We surprised Aidan by taking him to the dollar theater to see this a couple weeks ago. He claimed that he 'totally knew where we were going'...yeah, right. Jon and I thought the cinematography in this was just fantastic! We all had a great time and Aidan has been talking about little else ever since. Shocking, I know.

Nursery University - A pretty disturbing doc about the competitiveness of NYC nursery schools. Egads! I'm all for doing everything you can for you child's educational future, but some of these parents are just a little psychotic.

Inherit the Wind - Jon had never seen this (although, he obviously knows about the Scopes Monkey Trial that the play is loosely based on), so we recorded it from TCM and had a little weekday date night. Spencer Tracy and Gene Kelly are just amazing in this. I've never seen any of the remakes, but I've heard they are subpar.

I Hate Valentine's Day - I watched this one alone, and I'm sure Jon is very grateful because frankly, it was a suckfest. I usually love me some John Corbett, but this movie was nothing but sentimental pap and bad acting. *gag*

The Social Network - I do not have a Facebook account and have limited knowledge of Facebook in general. That being said, I really enjoyed this movie. I thought Jesse Eisenberg did an outstanding job! Everyone talked about how Mark Zuckerberg was portrayed as such a schmuck in the film, but quite honestly, it made me respect him a lot. Besides, how do people expect a 20-something running a Fortune 50 company to act? However, Jon and I both agreed we could have done without the last scene; it invoked a lot of eye rolling.

We have many more (potentially) good flicks on the horizon this week that I hope to post about...but, I'm hoping to do without the rain, relaxing as it may be.