almond-crusted chicken

I made this delicious, fast, cheap and healthy recipe last night! It is soooo tasty! I just made regular brown rise instead of the scallion rice (but that would be good too). I highly recommend it!

Oh and while reading my daily blogs I came across this amazing looking recipe, I think I'm going to try it this weekend!

(photo cred: cookinglight.com)

your daily quote

Be who you are

and say what you feel
because those who mind don't matter
and those who matter don't mind.

Dr. Seuss

life as we know it

It is movie time around here, at least for me. I've been wanting to check out this movie since I saw the previews months ago so I finally rented it (yay Redbox!). It was really cute! The plot line goes a little something like this: girl and guy go on a date (kind of) and realize they are not into each other; their friends are married and have a baby; said friends pass away and designated the guy and girl to be the legal guardians of their baby. They move into their friends' house and raise the baby. And the story continues with many predictable twists and turns. Really cute kind of movie. If you're looking for a nice little romcom, it's a good idea :)

the social network

So I finally got around to watching this last night and I really enjoyed it. I thought the movie was done (sorry I don't know all of the technical movie terms) very well. I guess what I mean by that is that it didn't just tell the story from Mark Zuckerberg's perspective. It tells the stories of the people involved in the creation of Facebook, even the ones who sued him. It was really cool to watch the story of something that was created that kind of defines my generation. I totally remember when I registered with Facebook and how weird and complex I thought it was. Ohhh how the times have changed. Good movie, highly recommend.

your daily quote

Too many folks go through life running from something that isn't after them.

Anonymous

owning it part deux

As I reread my post from yesterday (yes, sometimes I do that so that I can remember what I was thinking at the time) I came up with another sorry I'm not sorry.

I am a (professional?) nanny. I went to a wonderful university for four years and graduated and I'm a nanny. I love my job. And the thought of working in a stuffy office (no offense to those that do) makes me a little anxious. I've been there and I've done that. I didn't really enjoy it...like at all. And probably I'll stay at home to take care of our kids (gasp!), whenever those little tikes come around. I like being at home and I like being with kids and loving on them. I like teaching them things and preparing meals for them. I'm telling you I should've been born in a different era. But you know what, sorry I'm not sorry ya'll.

own it

I already professed my admiration for Rachel Wilkerson here. And when I read this post I was reminded of how much I like her. Basically in the post listed above she encourages her readers and women everywhere to own it. By "own it" she means when you make a decision, own it. You don't have to explain yourself. Just say it is what it is. Like if you want to take that crazy off the wall job that you totally didn't go to college for. Own it. You don't have to answer a million questions regarding the decision. Her tag line is "sorry I'm not sorry". I really like that. She also encouraged her readers to post/comment what they're "sorry they're not sorry for". So here goes (and yes I'm being vulnerable here):

1. I feel very deeply and that makes me very sensitive. Sorry I'm not sorry, it's something I can't really change. I think that contributes to compassion and my ability to be aware of those around me and their feelings. I like having that.

2. I make decisions (sometimes major, life changing) on my gut feeling. Some think it's illogical to make such huge decisions on a "feeling" but that's just how I role. Sorry I'm not sorry.

3. We've been watching How I Met Your Mother and more times than not I laugh hysterically throughout the episodes to the point of tears. John thinks I'm ridiculous and probably wondering why the heck he married such a crazy lady. Sorry I'm not sorry baby, you knew what you were getting into before you made the commitment (I often tell him that).

So yes, I encourage you to embrace owning it and think or heck, say "sorry I'm not sorry".

your daily (spring) quote

Where man sees but withered leaves, God sees sweet flowers growing.

Albert Laighton

water for elephants

I just finished reading Water for Elephants. I began reading it a year or so ago and became bored with the storyline. Since the movie is coming out soon I decided to pick it up again. And I liked it, it was good. Not my favorite book but it was a good book. Sara Gruen paid close attention to detail and it's very evident that she did a lot of research for this book. That alone was really cool. I liked taking a trip back in time (1930s) and reading about an old timey circus. Definitely a unique setting. The plot is a lot like The Notebook (which I was earlier told) but in a circus. I think I got my hopes up because so many people liked it. I also would couple this with my looove of The Notebook, because that was one of my first leisurely reads way back when. So I think I had high expectations for this book. It was good, don't get me wrong. I would suggest it for an easy, entertaining read. Also, I can't wait for the movie to come out because Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson are starring in it, holla!

donald miller article

I adore Donald Miller. I believe I've made that little fact known before. He has an awesome blog and you should definitely check it out. Here was a good post from yesterday:

Jesus Comforts Our Fear of Death

My fave quote:

"So the question to us is pretty clear. Do we trust Jesus with our deaths? Do we trust Him with our lives? Some will, some won’t. I do. I find Him trustworthy. Perhaps because he weeps with us when we are devastated. Whatever He’s got going on on the other side of the door is where I want to be. As long as He’s there."

hilarious

I stumbled across this tonight and have been laughing (sometimes to the point of tears) for the better part of an hour. You're welcome, in advance.

Things 90s Kids Realize

i looove beach music

For those of you who did not have the honor of being born and raised in eastern North Carolina, this is what beach music is:


(ignore the silly video, just focus on the song)

Man, that song brings back lots of memories. Now onto the original purpose of the post, Beach Music by Pat Conroy...



What a wonderful book. Like truly wonderful. Maybe it's because I haven't been in NC during the summer in awhile, maybe it's because I really miss Southern culture, maybe it's because I'm super emotional when people describe the eastern parts of the Carolinas in great detail and really, maybe it's just because it is such a well written book. Pat Conroy knows how to write a book. Now I want to read all of his other books! This book is the story of a small, low country town in SC. It spans three generations and two continents. It's truly an incredible book! There were parts where I teared up and some parts I just had to lay the book down because it was starting to be too much for me (as in I was becoming way too emotional). Don't be scared off because I'm a cry baby, I don't think the average reader would be so emotional. But it is absolutely awesome! Also, don't be turned off because it's nearly 800 pages. It's worth every page and truly is a page turner. I highly recommend it and I thank my sweet friend Pallas for giving it to me! I have a feeling it's one of those books that sticks with you for the rest of your life.

your daily (spring) quote

Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world.

Virgil A. Kraft

things that are awesome

1. Root beer floats. Yummity yum yum yum! I had my first root beer float (ever!) a few weeks ago. And let's just say I've had quite a few since then :)

2. Turbo Snake. You can find all sorts of nastiness in your drains using one of these puppies! Warning: make sure to cover your nose with something because the stuff you pull up is stanky.

(btw, my water was not the color that it is in this picture. that really is nasty.)

3. Salmon-spinach-feta burgers. Last year I discovered that our local grocery store carries these lovely gems in the meat department. I bought the deliciousness a few times but those things aren't cheap. $9.99/lb. adds up people. So I figured, why not try my hand at it? Tonight I made some and they were delicious! I somewhat followed this recipe for a baseline. And instead of frying I baked them at 325 for 10 minutes on each side.

4. Sunny days...two this weekend! They just lift my spirit :)

your daily (spring) quote

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!".

Robin Williams

Happy first day of Spring!
(And for all you Pittsburghers...Rita's is celebrating with free Italian ice from 12-9 today! Holla!)

your daily quote

A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.

Martin Luther King Jr.

spring photo shoot

As you can probably tell by the frequent posting, I'm not working today. So I figured pretty weather + not working + new hair color + dog = photo shoot in the yard. Yippee!


it's awkward taking pictures of yourself


still awkward. but hey, there's the new color


Presh pretending to be obedient. Really she's just posing so I'll stop annoying her.


Crocuses! First sign of Spring!!


Ha ha, I got you! Secret snapshot!


Backyard, green means that life still exists!


sunny warm weather = TOMS shoes and pale feet (wah wah)


Gotcha again! Although I think she is placated by the toy in her mouth.


Look closely, there is a little green bud on my lilac bush. Yeah it's fuzzy because I stink at taking pictures and it was zoomed in or something.

a few things

1. I dyed my hair this week. The blonde wasn't looking too authentic so I dyed it a shade (or two) darker. I like it and it looks natural. I'll post pics sometime :)

2. Last night it was confirmed that I'm shameless when it comes to anything that is discounted or can be bought in bulk. I went to Costco with a friend and I think I said "oh my gosh, oh my gosh, look at this...I sooo want/need that...John would kill me if I bought all of that...I need a Costco membership...John wouldn't allow me to come by myself because I would buy so much stuff...it really is wise to buy in bulk...I loooove buying in bulk" about mmm 73 times. We were there for 30 minutes. I am a hot mess whenever I come in close contact with bulk and/or discount items. There you go, the first step is admitting, right? Yeah, except I don't think I'm going to change any of that because it really is wise to buy in bulk (hee hee). On the to do list today: convince John that we need a Costco membership, stat!

3. Changing my blog to springy settings worked! Well, I doubt that had anything to do with it but it is getting springy around here! Wahoo! Dixie and I celebrated by going on a nice long walk yesterday. Unfortunately it was at the time that school was let out and multiple children wanted to pet her. Now, when Dixie is on a walk, she's on a walk. She doesn't have time to stop for silly reasons such as children petting her. She's got places to go and people to see. And she was particularly unnerved by a small Asian boy who was shouting "down, down!" and "sit, sit!" as well as "shake, shake!" at her. She looked up at me like "who the heck is this person, why is he yelling at me and why are we not walking towards our house right now?!". After a few minutes of me wrangling her to be still so he could pet her mixed with his shouting we decided that it was best to continue our walk.

4. I am blazing through Beach Music and loving every page, I definitely recommend this book!

5. Another confirmation this week: I have the attention span of a 3 year old. Since John has been busy, I've been assigned the role of researching vacation spots. I find it very difficult to read about a spot longer than say mmmm 1.5 minutes. Ugh. I wish I was a more diligent researcher! Oh well, we may just end up in some roach motel because of my lack of research. Maybe John should take over :)

your daily (irish) quote

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

Old Irish Blessing

happy st. patrick's day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! I hope you all wore green today so you didn't get pinched. (btw, where did that tradition come from? I'm sure I could just google it, whatever it's stupid and kinda painful)

Here is what I've done so far to celebrate the Saint that is Patrick:

1. Attempted to tell E (the boy I nanny) the story of St. Patrick while we made St. Patrick's Day cards (aka he put Christmas stickers on a yellow piece of paper). He wasn't too impressed with the story/was too consumed with the Christmas stickers (I can't blame him) but maybe a wee bit of wisdom was passed on to him :)
2. Made bangers and mash as well as some cooked cabbage for dinner last night
3. Wore green today (duh)
4. Encouraged husband as I assured him that a green plaid shirt does look OK with khakis (these boys...)
5. May or may not be going out to celebrate with friends tonight. Seeing as John has been overwhelmed with work this week and apparently holds a grudge against the bar/restaurant our friends are planning on going to, we may just be eating leftover bangers and mash.

spring time

You know you want it. I cannot wait for spring to get here! Not only do I just want it for the regular reasons (sunshine, warm weather, flowers, etc.) but now that I care for small children for a living that means that the opportunities are endless! Walks, parks, play dates, heck just sitting outside is a lot better than being cooped up in a house or library! Not that I don't like houses and libraries but man, four walls start to creep in on you after awhile. Anyway, so I figured that I would change my blog background and add a picture from our honeymoon (in St.Lucia) to summon the spring time forces (and because I may/may not have adult ADD). That works, right? Yeah, I thought so. Well at least I can look at my blog and pretend it's spring time.


another honeymoon shot


pic John took while in CA last summer

help

I need somebody. Help.

Okay, John and I are thinking about going on a little getaway in the May time frame. However, we're not quite sure where we want to go. I will let you know some of the criteria and ya'll can give suggestions.

1. We would like to fly since we have flight vouchers
2. Remain in the continental US, preferably east of the Mississippi due to flight costs being lower
3. Somewhere that has adventure (for John)
4. Somewhere that has options other than adventure (for me)
5. We're thinking somewhere beachy but we're open to other ideas
6. One of us is thinking camping wouldn't be a bad idea while the other is thinking "over my dead body" so I guess a happy medium will be attempted...if that's even possible
   
7. Trying to keep it within a budget
   
8. John has requested that we not visit "any big cities unless they have a beach or something"

Please help. I'm begging you. Give suggestions of places that you've loved or that you did NOT love. Let me know. Even if you've never commented on here, I'm begging for your help. Thanks.

goodreads

So did ya'll know that GoodReads exists? Because I sure didn't, until today. What a great idea! You can list all of the books you've read (and your ratings) as well as the ones that you are currently reading and want to read. Also you can link with your friends and see what they have read, are reading and what's on their list to read. Fabulous! Since I have the memory of a 93 year old woman I have kept a running list of my "to read" books on my Amazon wish list. Now I can properly keep them all in order and continually add. If you are my friend (and I'm guessing you are) and you are a bookworm plllllease start an account on GoodReads (it's free!) so we can link up (wow I sound so technologically advanced) and share books. I'm a nerd. I know it and I'm proud of it and now I want to share in my nerdiness with those that I love. Whoop whoop!

your daily quote

A man who won't die for something is not fit to live.

Martin Luther King Jr.

heaven is for real

Yo. I just read this book and every time I thought of the title, I thought it would be great if it was really this: "Heaven is for Real, Yo" But now we're going to get serious. I feel like you guys have a general understanding of my faith. We all know I'm a Christian and try to follow Christ's teachings as closely as possible. You should also know that it is really hard for me to get up on Sunday mornings and sometimes I don't make it to church. I don't think it makes me any less of a Christian. There is some Christian fiction that I enjoy (i.e. Francine Rivers) but for the most part I think it's cheesy, well...because it is. Same for worship music. I really enjoy some worship music but a lot of the times it isn't my preferred musical choice. I just think some of it is cheesy. That's just me. You should also know that I am cynical. Especially of authority (i.e. the government, the Man, leaders, etc.). Especially, especially of leaders and institutions within the Christian world. And apparently God thought I wasn't quite cynical enough because He paired me up with the most cynical man in the world. I am quick to question people's motives and the validity of their passions and stories. With that said I love the Lord with all my heart and will follow Him all the days of my life because to me there really are no other options. Soooo now that you know the inner workings of my mind I shall begin my book report:

This book is absolutely wonderful. And when I say that I mean it. I read it while I was sitting in a stuffy waiting room in the courthouse (waiting to be selected/not selected for jury duty but that's a whole other story) and either had goosebumps on my legs and arms or tears in my eyes almost the entire time. Heaven is For Real is truly a goosebumps giving/eyes watering/mouth dropping kind of book. The story goes like this: 4 year old boy has an emergency appendectomy and while on the operating table visits Heaven and returns. But the funny thing is he doesn't even bring it up until months later. And he mentions it as casually as if he were saying "yeah, I'm just going to the store with Dad". He goes on to tell his parents about what Heaven is like. He explicitly explains things like where God sits (on a throne) and what Jesus looks like. He also encounters family members that he was able to identify (and had never met in his short lifetime). I won't give away the good parts by telling you some of the things that came out of his mouth. But let's just say that these are things that no 4 year old would ever know unless he truly experienced it. And yes, I know some of you are thinking "ummm right, that sounds absolutely ridiculous" and to that I will say: all the more reason that you need to read this book. Seriously, amazing. Like I knew Heaven existed before this book but now I really know and I'm really excited about the day that I get to go (not trying to be morbid here)! Also, a quick read so for those who are hesitant to read it, I swear it will only take up like a day or two of reading time. Totally worth it, you should totally read it. Like totally, yo. :)

your daily quote

Before I met my husband, I'd never fallen in love. I'd stepped in it a few times.

Rita Rudner

congratulations ginny and riley!

Monday morning my best friend got engaged! Riley popped the question as the sunrise was coming up in Beaufort, NC! I am so happy for the two of you and may God bless you with many, many years of happiness! Love ya'll!

(totally took this picture from Ginny's facebook profile pic, thanks!)

red

We watched this movie the other night and I have to say that I was a little disappointed. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was good, like OK good but I was expecting a little more. The previews alone made it look pretty BA. And it had Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren in it. So I expected it to be good if not based on the previews then definitely by the casting choices that were made. But it was OK. So if you're looking for an action/somewhat comedy flick you've got it. John seemed to enjoy it a little more than me. And I don't think it was because it was an action movie. I enjoy a good action movie...I don't have much choice being married to a guy who doesn't deem it a good movie unless some shooting or fighting has commenced.

the perks of being a wallflower

I really enjoyed this book. It's not your cutesy, feel good kind of book. It's a collection of letters from a boy experiencing his freshman year of high school. And I'm sure that you can gather from the title that he was not the most popular kid at school. There were times when I laughed to myself and moments when I was in tears because it seemed a little too real for me. If you've gone through high school then you can definitely identify with at least one of the characters. The main character, Charlie, is so insightful and I just love his flow of consciousness. Wow, that sounded very English-majorish. I feel like I've honored my past English professors by saying that. Ha. But seriously, great book. Very realistic. Also it was set in Pittsburgh so I knew some of the places that they were talking about. Highly recommend.

And the quote for today is from the book. This is one of my favorite lines in the book. It really stuck with me.

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

your daily quote

Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?

Bob Marley

things that are awesome

Here are a few things from this week that are awesome:

1. Good substitute for a salad

2. Delicious and easy dinner. John even stated that it was one of his favorite things I've ever made.

3. Thursday night I went to see My Brightest Diamond live and I can honestly say she is the most talented artist I've seen live! In the (less than one hour) set she played 6 different instruments! 6! Her music is a mix of opera/folk/jazz/blues. She is just wonderful and has an incredible sense of style. Such a captivating performer that I had a hard time taking my eyes off of her--beautiful voice, great performer, fabulous person. Did I say I really enjoyed the show? Ok good :)



and just a few pics of My Brightest Diamond/Shara Worden:






(photo cred to google search/their respective photographers. i take no credit for the photos above)

your daily quote

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.

C.S. Lewis

idle hands are...

the devil's playground? No that can't be right. My idle hands magically turn into baking extraordinaires or fabulous book holders. Here's a look into this week:

day off + a (literal) ton of oatmeal = oatmeal cherry white chocolate cookies


(photo cred to: joy the baker)

And yes, I know you're saying "white chocolate? white chocolate from a gal that loooves dark chocolate?" Yes, I was hoping that white chocolate would dissuade me from eating them and encourage hubs to eat all of them. Not so much. On the dissuading me part. Because I lost count (on the day I made them) of how many I ate. These things are dang good.

a day off + the same (literal ton of) oatmeal = oatmeal chocolate chip cookie muffins (again)


(photo cred to: how sweet it is)

These make tasty little breakfast treats. And let's be honest, I need a tasty treat to start off each and every one of my days (yes, that's how much I loathe getting out of bed).

This week I also finished A Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers

Now let's talk about a good book. Well, first let's talk about how this great book ended up in my hands. My friend Teresa and I were discussing how awesome the Mark of the Lion series is and lo and behold a week or so later I arrive home one day and this book is waiting in my mailbox for me. Teresa, you are so sweet and a wonderful friend, thank you. And oh my goodness this book. This book! In this book there are 5 novellas (I'm thankful they were all merged into one big fat book) about the 5 women listed in the lineage of Christ. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. Of course the stories are based on the little bit that is said about them in the Bible but Rivers expands on that and elaborates on their stories as she perceives them. Man, they are incredible. These were some truly incredible women of God and it honestly makes me want to be a better woman. This book pushes me to want to be more trusting in my faith, more generous and compassionate and more courageous. Each of these women did their own courageous acts due to their strong faith in God and His plan. I highly recommend the book, it is just wonderful. Also, I'm always a sucker for historical books, I love getting a glimpse into what lives were like back then.

your daily (dr. seuss) quote

In honor of his birthday (yesterday):

We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.

Dr. Seuss

What a great guy, so thankful for his books :)


most definitely my favorite Dr. Seuss book

your daily quote

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

Bob Dylan