Thinking Outside the Box

One of my favorite organizing tricks is not using something for its intended purpose.  This originally stemmed from a lack of funds but soon turned into a creative outlet.  What do I mean?  Well, as you know, I am a huge fan of "a place for everything and everything in its place".  I love the idea of having a specific home for everything.  With that being said, I ran into a problem with my jewelry.

During college I worked in a trendy boutique that mainly sold jewelry.  I had a love of earrings and such beforehand but that job took it to a whole new level.  Over the years I have purged and purchased ... lost and found … broken and fixed many different pieces.  I finally came to the conclusion that there had to be a simpler way of keeping track of everything.

The first thing I did was take care of my necklaces.  I don’t know how much time I spent untangling chains but it was too much.  They sell plenty of fancy little wire sculptures to hang necklaces on but I was never satisfied with them.  They always seemed too flimsy or too small to meet my needs.  I ended up finding the perfect solution in key ring wall hooks.

There are several options out there so I am sure you can find a style you enjoy.  What makes them so perfect is that they are made to hold keys so they are sturdy and capable of holding a large quantity of items.  It works like a charm for keeping chunky beaded necklaces and fine chain necklaces from becoming permanently attached.

The next quest was to find a solution for my dangly earrings.  I went to a salvage store and bought a large picture frame for $1.00.  I then went to World Market and bought (on clearance) a loosely woven place mat that coordinated well with the frame.  I staple-gunned the place mat to the inside of the frame where the glass would have been.  I mounted it on the wall and it worked great!  I am now able to easily hang all of my earrings in pairs and effortlessly see, at a glance, what I have and what I don't.

The final aspect was bracelets and stud earrings.  I have an old wooden box on my dresser where I keep the rest of my jewelry.  Personally, I don't have many bracelets so those weren't really an issue (I just keep them in a stack) but the stud earrings were.  They roll around everywhere and are smaller and easier to lose track of.  The perfect solution for me was a daily pill organizer.  It keeps all the studs separated and easy to keep track of.  It's also great for traveling!

Some times it will be hit or miss.  Just experiment and see what you can come up with.  None of the items I used were for their intended purpose and yet they worked flawlessly.  You never know how creative you can be until you try.

Review: It Had to Be You

It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I have mixed feels about this book but overall I really liked it. This is a typical romance novel in many ways but this also took me by surprise. The back story of the main protagonist is much darker than I had expected and it colored the entire storyline. It was very heavy in certain spots and I would never have expected that from a genre that typically sprouts mindless books about sexathons. On that same note, another unexpected facet of the book was it's focus on football. I mean, sure, I read the synopsis and I knew it had something to do with football but I figured the writer would throw in "quarterback" and "touchdown" a few times and call it a day. Since the main character starts off knowing nothing about the game, the reader ends up getting an education along with her. I was quite impressed with several sections of the book. She actually kept my attention throughout several multi-paged, play-by-play descriptions of what was going on. It probably didn't hurt either that I read this a week before football season starts and it couldn't have been better timing :)



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Review: Hex Hall

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This was a fun read. The main character is pretty hilarious and I got hooked by the end. I plan on reading the second one ASAP. If you like the paranormal genre but are tired of moody vampires .. check this out.



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Review: The Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This is such a wonderful and beautiful story. I don't often describe dystopia-sci-fi as beautiful but it really was. The character development was fantastic and, although it's a very short novel, you have plenty of time to grow attached to the characters. When I finished the book I felt such appreciation for things like choice, emotions and freedom. This is a must read.



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Roasted Carrot and Arugula Salad

This took me by total surprise. I did not expect it to be as amazing as it was!  So inexpensive to make and so good!

1 bag carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ inch discs

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, sliced

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

¼ cup cheese (any kind you like: feta, blue cheese, shredded parmesan or gorgonzola work well here)

1 package of arugula

1.  Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2.  Combine the carrots, mushrooms, onion, almonds and garlic in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread out onto an ungreased baking sheet.

3. Bake the carrot mixture in the preheated oven until soft and the edges turn brown, about 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

4.  Return the carrots to the mixing bowl, and drizzle with honey and vinegar; toss until coated.

5. Right before serving, make a bed of arugula leaves, sprinkle with cheese and top with roasted carrot mixture.

Suggested side dish: Cardamom Rice

Cardamom Rice

I have been discovering new spices in the past few months and I have loved all of them.  I highly recommend going to the store, buying something you don't know how to use (whether it's a fruit, vegetable, spice, etc.) and then take it home and figure it out.  You may surprise yourself!  One of the spices I came across was cardamom.  It is a wonderful Indian spice that is impossible to describe.  It comes either in whole green pods or pre-ground.  The smell is very indicative of what it taste like.

To prepare cardamom rice, first choose your favorite kind of rice (any kind will work) and prepare it accordingly.  I prefer basmati rice for this application.

2 cups prepared rice
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper, to taste
a pinch of ground cardamom

Mix together and serve!  I know this is barely a "recipe" but I wanted to post it anyway.  This is my new "basic" rice.  As far as the spice is concerned, a little goes a long way.  Prepare as much rice as your family wants and then start with a pinch.  Stir and taste and then add more if you like.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Holy Baby Boom, Batman!

The pressure is officially on.

This year seems to be the year of babies!  Amongst the people I know, there have been seven announcements in the past couple months.  That’s not even counting the ones that were already prego!  If I were to count the total number currently expecting, the numbers would be in the double digits!  We, personally, are not looking to join the ranks but I guess it will happen sooner or later.  In the meantime, I better start preparing for lots of baby showers!  Congrats to all my friends and their expanding families and bellies!  Good times are definitely ahead! J

Niçoise French Bread Pizza

2 eggs
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 loaf French bread, cut in half horizontally
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1 cup mozzarella, shredded


1.  Place eggs in a saucepan and add enough water to cover eggs by one inch. Cover and bring to a light boil.  Remove the eggs from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.  Drain and peel.
2.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a sheet pan with foil. Spread tomatoes, bell pepper and onion in single layer on pan.  Brush all sides with half of the dressing.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until onion is crisp-tender.
3.  Reduce oven to 375 degrees.  Remove vegetables and foil from the pan.  Place bread halves, cut side up, on the pan. Brush with the remaining dressing.  Top evenly with the roasted vegetables, sliced hard-boiled egg, olives and cheese.
4.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Meat Alternative:  Tuna is a traditional niçoise ingredient.  In step 3, place drained tuna on top of the vegetables when building the sandwich.  Enjoy!

Creative Cord Solution!

I just received an e-mail forward that had a lot of funny pictures in it.  One of them I thought was brilliant, though!  If you happen to have a cord (iPod, for instance) or two at your desk that isn't always plugged in and tends to fall behind the desk.  Here's your solution:

All you have to do is clip these in an inconspicuous area of the desk and voilà!  I love creative solutions :)

Review: Betty Crocker Easy Everyday Vegetarian: Easy Meatless Main Dishes Your Family Will Love!

Betty Crocker Easy Everyday Vegetarian: Easy Meatless Main Dishes Your Family Will Love! by Betty Crocker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Some of the recipes in this book are 5-star and some are only 3 or 4-star. I am going to give this 4-stars as a fair middle ground. This is a great starter vegetarian cookbook that sometimes uses convenience foods. If you don't mind that then this is great. If you are looking for a total "from scratch" experience then you might want to pass this one by. This book, however, is in my regular weeknight rotation due to the ease.



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Review: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I know I am bias but I LOVED this book! It has only fueled the fire that is my love for Savannah. This was an amazingly bizarre true story with an even more amazingly bizarre cast of characters. The writing drew me in throughout the book. Since I am very familiar with the actual city itself, I knew which road/square they were refering to and could picture it in my head. Like I said, I know I am bias, but this just gave the story so much magic. I felt like I was living it. I will definitely have to buy this and revisit it from time to time. Now who wants to go to on a road trip!?



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Pinch a penny, please!

In this economy, it seems everyone is looking for one more way to pinch a penny.  This would account for the notable rise in “extreme couponing” shows on tv.  Mark and I are no exception but I just can’t get behind taking such extravagant measures to do so.  I just don’t have the energy or the hours in a week to devote to coupon-hunting, driving to several different stores and then bringing the excess home to hoard away.  All of that aside, I do understand there is some serious money to be saved but I am just too lazy.

There are a few convenient grocery stores around our house but we are decidedly Publix-loyal.  I have taken to buying store brands and taking advantage of sales in the weekly ad but I knew I could do more.  Since I was already browsing the weekly ad online when I made my list, I figured I could hit up a few coupon websites as well.  So far I have saved a few extra dollars but nothing too notable.

How I usually make my list is, about 20 minutes before I leave for the store, I stand in the kitchen with the cabinets and fridge open and just see what’s missing.  There’s no grand scheme or anything.  Then, during the week, I open the cabinets again and stare into oblivion until dinner ideas pop into my head.  It wasn’t until recently that I realized how inefficient this was.

A few months ago I changed my eating habits and am now a full-time vegetarian (or really more of a pescetarian.  I eat fish.). The sudden lack of meat has yet to bother me but, all of a sudden, cooking became a lot more difficult.  I consider myself a fairly good cook and have an extensive “mental cookbook” of recipes to choose from.  That’s the main reason that I could just open cabinets and see what’s missing.  My brain just seemed to subconsciously pick out the missing ingredients for recipes in my head.  Once I took away the meat, I realized my mental cookbook was decidedly carnivorous.  I couldn’t think of anything to make!  So I bought a couple new cookbooks and set to work updating my brain.

During this process I have learned the best way for my family to save money .. meal planning!  Each week, utilizing the same 20 minutes, instead of standing in the kitchen drooling on myself, I sit down with my cookbooks and plan 6-7 menus.  I then make my grocery list based off those recipes.  By doing this, we have cut our grocery bill significantly .. like $40-50 each time! 

We never really bought excess before but because there was not a plan, it always seemed like we had “nothing” to eat when we really did.  Now, when I get home from work and am tired, all I have to do is glance at the list of recipes and page numbers on the fridge and get to work!  It’s much more hassle-free and quite enjoyable.

Seeing as most of the things we buy (fresh fruits/vegetables, dairy, etc.) aren’t coupon-type foods, I am not sure if I will ever fully commit to couponing.  Now that I have seen that there is an alternative method to saving tons, I am totally at peace with that now.  If you are like me, I encourage you to try meal-planning.  It could save you a bunch, too!  Happy shopping! :)

Bleh..

I need to get out of this funk ASAP! 

The thing about blogging (at least for me) is that certain topics have a time-expiration date.  For instance, I went out the other night for a friend’s birthday.  Well, I ended up staying out all night.  Literally.  I got home at 5:30am and just stayed up so I wouldn't be jet-lagged.  As I was waiting for the sun to rise, I realized it was a perfect time to write an entry about the situation.  Did I get off the couch, though?  Nope.  I was just too lazy and unmotivated to write down my reflections.  Now, several days later, I can’t recapture the thoughts in that moment because the time has passed.  It’s just not the same if I post them now versus in the early morning.

Another thing that has been dragging lately is my reading.  I usually burn through books pretty rapidly but it seems the last couple books I have read have taken forever to get through.  It’s sad because the books are truly interesting but I just get so bored and want to move on to a new story.  I am not used to being like this and it’s getting frustrating.  I sure hope things pick up soon or this blog will get quite a bit more boring (kind of like this post. ;))

Eggplant Pizza

Below is a healthier, fun way to enjoy pizza!  This recipe is very adaptable so choose whatever veggies you like and whatever is in season. Enjoy!

1 large eggplant

2 eggs

1 tsp pepper

½ tsp salt

1 box of jiffy cornbread mix

½ tbsp Italian seasoning

½ tbsp garlic powder

1 cup marinara sauce

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

½ cup onion, diced

½ cup red bell pepper, diced

1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp parmesan cheese

1. Slice the eggplant into ½ inch slices.  Lay them flat on a paper towel and sprinkle them liberally with salt.  Let them sit for 20-25 minutes to draw out the moisture.
2. Rinse the salt from the eggplant slices and pat dry.  Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
4. In a bowl, beat two eggs with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
5. In separate bowl, combine cornbread mix (dry) with Italian seasoning and garlic power.
6. One by one, dip the eggplant slices in egg, shake off excess, and then coat in cornbread mix.  Place in a single layer on baking sheet.
7. Bake for approximately 15 minutes until golden.  Flip and repeat.
8. Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms, onions and peppers until softened.  You can substitute for any veggies you like. Set aside.
9. Remove eggplant slices from oven and begin to assemble “pizzas”
10. Spoon marinara sauce on each slice, followed by veggies of choice. Top with shredded mozzarella.
11. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Sprinkle with parmesan right before serving.

Setting a Routine

For most people, the problem is not finding a home for all their belongings but remembering to put them there.  Do you spend all Saturday or Sunday making everything perfect and by Wednesday it’s a mess again?  Does that sound familiar?  If that is the case then setting up a routine may help solve some of the problem.

The key to maintenance is doing a little bit along the way.  Not only is it going to cut down on the overall time you spend cleaning but it will also help eliminate the dread of tackling such huge projects all at once.  Even if the designated areas for your things are not ideal, don’t worry about that now.  Just have a place for everything and we will work on improvements later. You can spend an entire weekend tweaking your organizational systems to make them perfect but if you are not in the habit of maintaining them then it’s all a waste.  I strongly encourage you to get in the habit of daily maintenance before you move on to “beautification.”

The first thing to consider is what is piling up around your house?  Does junk mail seem to proliferate around your kitchen?  Do you trip over piles of shoes by the door?  Is your floor littered with clothes? If these examples sound familiar, here’s what you do:

For a paper problem, sort your mail immediately.  Take 10 seconds and pull out all the known junk mail.  It’s usually easy to spot so it truly will only take seconds.  Go ahead and put it in the trash.  You can leave the other mail in a designated spot to deal with later if you want to.  By eliminating the junk mail, your pile should be significantly reduced and easier to sort later.  My suggestion is to fully sort/file/organize your mail at least once a week to keep it fully at bay (every day is best but think baby steps!).

For piles of shoes/bookbags/etc and clothes on your bedroom floor, all of these things should be dealt with daily.  If you are the type of person that walks to your bedroom first thing when you get home then you are one step ahead of me.  I am not.  Personally, when my husband and I get home, we kick our shoes off by the back door ... then head straight for the couch.  So what I do is this:  Instead of fighting my natural habits (this is an important concept I will cover later), I work around them.  I pick them up daily and the pile never gets too big to handle.  Deal with the clothes in the same manner.  If you are only picking up a day’s worth of shoes then it will only be one or two pairs per person (and each person can take their own shoes to their rooms!).  If you couldn’t decide on what to wear to work and threw the clothes on your bed, then it will only be a few tops and bottoms.

Here is an example of how my routine looks:

-     Walk in the house and dump the mail, purse, keys, etc on the table.  Grab all the junk mail and throw it in the trash on the way to the couch. (10 seconds)

-     Empty the dishwasher (or get husband to do it) while preparing dinner. (3-5 minutes)

-     Load the dishwasher after dinner and wipe down the counters (or get husband to do it). (5-10 minutes)

-     When it’s time for bed, I turn off the TV/log off computer/etc, walk around checking doors and turning off lights and pick up dog toys and place them in his toy box (5 seconds).

-     Pick up the shoes and walk to the bedroom.  Put them in the closet. (5 seconds because I was walking to the bedroom anyways)

-     When I change into my pajamas I hang up the clothes on my bed (2-3 minutes).

-     Get into bed with a perfectly straightened house!

The total time spent picking up the pile of shoes, toys, sorting mail, doing the dishes and hanging up clothes was 10-15 minutes.  That’s it!  And that's if I do it all by myself.  I usually enlist the help of my husband so that cuts the time in half.  In your case, it will differ depending on what your particular chores are but the point is that it’s significantly less work than doing it all on the weekend. If the whole week passes, that's seven times as many things to put away which could be up to seven times the amount of time spent cleaning when you could be doing something else!

Once you have mastered the daily maintenance part, you can move on to making things “pretty” and more functional.  If you don’t have perfect shoe storage and just throw them in the bottom of your closet then that’s fine.  Don’t worry!  At least you know where to look in a hurry!  By doing this you also may discover better places to store things based on your natural habits I was referring to earlier.  Just stick with it and you will soon realize (probably during your free time on Saturday) that it was a well-spent 10 minutes of your day.

Review: The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible by A.J. Jacobs

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



God. Faith. Bible. Jesus. Holy. If any of those words offend you, please proceed with caution. This memoir is about a yearlong experiment to get down to the “brass tacks” of the Bible and discover what it really means.

Jacobs was funny and entertaining throughout the entire book. Although completely clinical in nature, I believe he successfully accomplished what he set out to do. There were several aspects of the book I thought he did well and several aspects of the book I thought he should have done differently.

Given his heritage and residence, Jacobs tended towards Hasidic Judaism for his daily living guidelines. When it came to other belief systems, he took “day trips” to study them. One thing I liked was Jacobs’ “fairness” towards all belief systems. He is a self-proclaimed agnostic so for him to approach with even half the objectiveness he had it would have been impressive. This is not say, however, that I agreed with all of his methods.

Most likely because of his favoritism of Judaism, Jacobs decided to spend approximately 70% of his year in the Old Testament and just 30% in the New Testament. How he treated those sections also differed greatly. In the Old Testament, Jacobs seemed to explore several viewpoints. It wasn’t just about the extremist. When he got to the New Testament and Christianity, he seemed to visit a couple radicals and then called it a day. I believe this imbalance hindered his results.

One of the main themes of the Bible, and arguably the most important, is relationship… namely a relationship with Christ. By basically skipping over most of the New Testament, Jacobs missed out on a massive part of what God wants for us. Jacobs was most comfortable with the acts-based faith of the Old and never fully committed to anything different. He admitted he never could acknowledge God but I don’t believe he ever tried either. He even kept with his OT ways of living because he said it was more comfortable for him. Well, it’s much easier to go about your day with your nose pressed to a to-do list versus seeking an open and honest relationship with our Creator. His apathetic approach granted him only half the picture and that saddened me a little bit.

I ended up being a little disappointed in the end, as well. Because Jacobs never sought a relationship and never achieved anything outside of physical deeds, he subsequently was left with “nothing” when the year was over. He mourned the loss of his beard and his “purpose”. That shows where his heart really was. Believing in a sovereign God should be unaffected by the clothes on your back and your possessions. He lives in your heart and not in your stuff.

His return to agnosticism came as no surprise. You can tell from day one that is how it was going to turn out. His approach was too clinical. There were big aspects, like relationship with others around him, missing, too. Sure he had a trusted counsel and sure he observed the Sabbath but what about attending a weekly service? He said he wanted to be as untainted as possible yet he constantly asked others’ opinions. I think it would have helped greatly if he has attended a church, synagogue or something and interacted with those around him frequently.

Overall, even though it may not sound like it, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would, in fact, read it again and that’s a huge compliment. I may have politely disagreed with him frequently but I respected him the entire time. I learned a lot and for that I will always be grateful. No matter what you believe, you should read this book. It’s interesting to see his bird’s eye view. Just take the whole thing with a grain of salt and, if you are intrigued at all, read the real Bible. This was barely the cliff notes version and the real thing is so much better.



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Green Chile Enchiladas

This dish is a great weeknight meal and does great as leftovers the next day.  This is my adaptation on a pre-existing recipe and can be easily changed according to preferences.

Ingredients:

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

½ cup onions, diced
1 pkg. neufchantel or cream cheese
1 can Old El Paso chopped green chilies
1 pkg. tortillas (12 count)
2 cans Old El Paso green chile enchilada sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking dish.
2. In a large skillet, sauté the mushrooms and onions until the onions are translucent. Add the black beans, cream cheese and chopped green chilies, and cook over medium heat until all ingredients are combined well and the cream cheese is melted.
3. Spoon the filling into the tortillas, roll them up, and place them seam side down in the baking dish.
4. Strain both cans of enchilada sauce (to check for stems and seeds) and pour them over the prepared enchiladas.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Meat Alternative:  Add 1-2 cups cooked chicken to the skillet when you add the black beans.  If you have a mixed household, you can assemble half the tortillas, add meat to the remaining mixture, and then finish making the rest of the dish. Enjoy!

Organized Chaos

“Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”   ~ Saint Francis of Assisi

If you know me in real life then it comes as no surprise when I say that I am organized.  I truly believe in everything having a place.  I do believe that the self-discipline of keeping a neat home is a learned habit.  Some personalities (like my own) will take to it naturally but others (like my husband’s) will learn over time. 

I’ve heard friends and family say countless times how they just “can’t” get organized or they’re “too busy” or “it doesn’t bother them.”  I don’t believe it.  I am not saying that everyone can (or wants) to be a Martha Stewart-clone but a little organization goes a long way.  You would be surprised how much time is wasted looking for that one thing that you were sure was around here somewhere.

Since I am often asked how I do it, I will try to post tricks and tips here every so often.  They will be the kinds of things that I have learned and try to apply in my daily life.  As a note, being “organized” and being “clean” are two separate things.  Everything in my home has a place but, don’t worry, I have dust bunnies, too.

So check back often and see if maybe there are any tips or tricks you’ve never heard of.  Once you get a routine (which is Step 1 and I will cover that in my next post) you will spend no more than 5-10 minutes a day in maintaining your perfectly balanced home.  I promise!  In the meantime, pick up your shoes and take them to your closet.  It will be one less thing for us to cover next time ;)

Our four-legged first born...

Hi :)

Meet Merlin.  He is a border collie-rottweiler mix.  He is also spoiled rotten.  Since he is such a huge part of my family, I felt I needed to introduce him.  I may talk about him in the future so you will at least now have a face to go with the name.  I know he is a dog but he is constantly teaching me (through example) lessons in patience, unconditional love and forgiveness.  If you ever have the pleasure of meeting him, he is extremely friendly and if you pet him, he's yours for life.  You've been warned :)

Dear Diary...

There is something about that phrase that just feels ridiculous to me.

As a young girl, I always had a little journal with a flimsy lock hidden in my room somewhere.  If you had sneaked into my room, found my hiding place and cracked open the lock, you would have discovered a startling truth:  It was empty.

What you would also have noticed is that there were several pages missing.  Why were there torn out pages, you might ask?  Maybe that’s where all the juicy gossip was written? Were the torn pages hidden somewhere else? Um, no.

The boring truth is that it never existed at all.  There were no heartfelt confessions, no damnation of my parents and no testimony of backstabbing to be had.  I would sit on my bed, with pen in hand and the best of intentions, and prepare to pour my heart out.  In my finest handwriting I would begin “Dear Diary,” and then I would just stop and stare at the page.  What was I supposed to write next? 

It was that next sentence that was always the hardest.  Seeing as the perfectionism started early, even at that age, I could never land on a sentence that I was satisfied with.  At times I managed to get one or two written before inevitably hating what I wrote.  Since I couldn’t just scratch out the offending words because that would look sloppy, I had to tear out the whole thing and start over.  Hence the missing pages.

Some days I would complete an entire entry, lock the journal away, and then bask in the accomplishment.  That is, until I revisited the letter in my head.  I would always find a better way of wording things or wish I had/hadn’t included something.  So back to the journal I would go and into the trash another piece of paper would reside.

Since the whole process was more hassle than it was worth, I quickly quite trying.  I learned to express myself in other ways.  I would sketch drawings in leftover spiral notebooks, write poetry, and in high school I started writing one-act plays and dialogue.  This ended up being, for me, the therapy that journaling can be for others.  It wasn’t until I was contemplating this blog entry that I realized that was me journaling all along.  It just so happened that my version wasn’t chronological, it wasn’t in one secure location, and it wasn’t always written out in words.

The blog is the 21^st century version of the diary and, now that I am older, I am willing to give it another try.  Sentences come easier now so I think I can handle it.  I fully realize that I tend to be a little verbose but I am working on that, too. It seems I have gone from one extreme to the other.  Hopefully this exercise will help me become more succinct as I learn to choose my words more precisely. I don’t know what will happen.  I think it will be ok, though, as long as I never have to start with “Dear Diary” again.

Review: Misery Loves Cabernet

Misery Loves Cabernet by Kim Gruenenfelder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I gave this book 4 stars simply because halfsies aren’t allowed. If given the option, this book warranted more of a 3.5. In this sequel to [b:A Total Waste of Makeup|342667|A Total Waste of Makeup (Charlize Edwards, #1)|Kim Gruenenfelder|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312006431s/342667.jpg|333021], we continue on our journey as we follow Charlie through the world of life and love in LA. All together this book felt a lot like TWoM. With that being said, if you enjoyed the first one then you most likely will enjoy this one, too. If you haven’t read TWoM, don’t worry, I believe this story can stand alone easily. We get enough of a background that you can figure out who’s who and what’s going on. If you can, I would suggest you try to read this second but if you decide to skip ahead then that’s ok. You will probably just end up rating this one a little higher because of it. But I digress…

One of the main aspects I liked most about this series is that Charlie, the main protagonist, doesn’t always get the guy. That’s usually how it happens in chicklit and, although that’s satisfying, it can be somewhat boring too. It seemed Charlie had found her perfect man at the end of the first book but it quickly falls apart at the beginning of the second. Even though that is a pro for the book, oddly enough, it is also a con. Since she can’t doesn’t find the guy, we end up having to experience her neurosis all over again. It’s entertaining at first but by the end of the second book it starts to wear a bit… but only a little. I do have to say I was pleased with how it all ended. Charlie was finally no longer feeling desperate and became at ease with her life.

This isn't so much a spoiler as it is a prediction. Overall I thought this was a great story and I am glad I read it. If I have it my way, though, there will be a third book and Charlie will finally end up with Drew. I mean, let’s be honest, haven’t they fit together perfectly since day one? I expected them to end up together since the first book when they had the conversation about how they both just want to find someone to love them for who they are, flaws and all. Um, hello!? I realize that would mean Charlie would finally find her perfect guy and that sort of goes against the "anti-formulaic" writing of the first two books but, let’s be honest, who cares? Formulas have their place and it's in chicklit. The girl is supposed to meet Prince Charming, and quite frankly, I don’t think anyone will mind .. especially Charlie.



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Portobello Cheese “Steak” Wraps

For the most part, aside from the occasional seafood dish, I am a vegetarian. My husband, on the other hand, is 100% meat-eater. Since my reasons for vegetarianism have nothing to do with animal rights (sorry!) I don’t mind cooking meat for him when he wants it. It’s much easier, however, to only cook one meal so that's what I do as often as I can.

If you are looking for great ways to get more vegetables in your diet, looking for ways to eat for less (meat is expensive), or just want to switch up the regular dinner rotation, then check out my recipe collection. The dishes I post here are delicious and have been approved by yours truly and her carnivorous better-half. Bon Appétit!



Total Time: 30 minutes   Servings: 4

4 portobello mushrooms, stems discarded
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, halved and sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 pieces of flatbread (or pita)



1.  Remove the stems from your mushrooms and brush each side with olive oil.  You can either grill them at this point or brown them in a nonstick skillet on both sides.  This will take approx. 10 minutes.  Remove them to a paper towel covered cutting board or plate.
2.  In the same skillet, add the onion, bell pepper,  salt and pepper.  Sauté until they are slightly caramelized.
3.  Slice the mushrooms into 1/2 inch slices and add to the sauté mixture.  Stir in the water and balsamic vinegar.  Remove from heat and set aside.
4.  Meanwhile, place the 4 flatbread pieces on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with cheese.  Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted.
5.  Spoon the mushroom mixture onto each flatbread, fold and serve.

What’s in a name?

So you might be asking yourself, “What does ‘House without Elephants’ mean?”.  Well let me explain…

As I am sure you know, there is a saying referring to “the elephant in the room” and how people tend to ignore it.  I subscribe to a different philosophy which is:  Never ignore the elephant.  I have a sign in my kitchen that says so. It reads “House without Elephants” and I made it after a discussion my husband and I had.  We were talking about the downfalls of some marriages and the fact that a lot of them spawn from the tiniest of issues that have snowballed.

It’s that little annoying habit or remark that started off so innocently and turned into a war.  I know women especially will keep quiet for several reasons that include things like: they don’t want to be a nag, they’ve said something about it and nothing changed, the other person didn’t take them seriously or “it’s just easier to do it myself.”

It IS important though.  You need to pick an appropriate* time and talk about it.  It may feel weird or forced but it needs to be resolved.  If you are in a healthy loving relationship then the other person is going to want to know if it really bothers you that much.  It doesn’t mean that the other person bends completely to your ways; most of the time you both will have to move to meet in the middle.  Welcome to marriage.

(*As a side note - An appropriate time can be defined as: not in front of other people, not when you are emotional, not right when you get into bed and you are both ready to sleep, not when the other person’s favorite show is on (and asking them to pause is not ok either.)  An appropriate time is when there is nothing else going on.  It will be different for every relationship but for me and my husband, we tend to discuss things in the car, over dinner or while we are both channel-surfing and relaxing.)

So what?  Why do I have to talk about it?  No one wants to have “a talk” and it’s awkward.

It’s not weird and you need to do it.  And the reason is because if you don’t it could morph into so much more.  Not picking up your own wet towel can lead to the other person having to do it .. which leads to possibly feeling used .. which possibly leads to feeling underappreciated .. which possibly leads to one person putting more into a marriage than another.  You see how skewed that got?  A wet towel turns into a one-sided marriage.  You can laugh but it happens .. a lot.

Needless to say … our house has become elephant-less.  We don’t sit around sharing our feelings all the time.  It’s not like that.  It’s just the security of knowing that if something does come up, we both have the right to share our opinions freely without scrutiny and the other person will take them seriously.  You should try it.  It’s awesome.