TGIF! And I didn't kill anyone...Yay!

Play Along!

1. I am looking forward to...sleeping in tomorrow. I iz tired.

2. Something kind of embarrassing that I still love anyway is...romance novels. When other people start talking about the books they have read lately, they aren't usually talking about romance novels. That is ALL I read so I sometimes want to join in..but then don't because....well, because I'm reading romance novels.

3. My favorite car is...I haven't bought a car, new or otherwise, since 1998 (Yes, we did purchase a car in 2004..but it was all Jeremy's decision). I have no idea what my favorite might be.

4. If I could pick one type of weather to live with for the rest of my life it would be...mild spring. I'm talking high 70's, low 80's with just enough of a breeze to keep you from sweating.

5. My favorite thing to do after a bad/stressful day is...spew all my frustration to my husband. He might not always understand what I'm talking about (work related stuff) but he is a very good listener..especially if he knows I'm upset.

6. This weekend...couldn't get here fast enough. There will be sleeping and shopping and margaritas and sleeping and brisket and German sausage and sleeping and yogurt.

7. If I were a color, I'd be..green..because,...I also took a few quick online tests to see what my color might be. All said green. This sums it up nicely without being too wordy, 'You're very driven, competitive, and even a bit jealous.
However, you seek out balance in your life - and you usually achieve it!'

Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!

They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken. ~Author Unknown

It has NOT been a good week, people. I've been sad, mad, frustrated. I have ranted and raved, cried and stewed, nearly pulled my hair out. I can't seem to regulate and that pisses me off even more. Oh..and my boobs hurt.

Wee Bit Wednesday

{one} have you ever been stuck in an elevator?
No, but I have been crammed in the back of a very crowded elevator. Oh yes, I did freak out. My sister still laughs at me.

{two} have you ever ridden on an elephant?
Probably, at the circus. If not an elephant than a camel for sure.

{three} have you ever met a well known celebrity?
Like the crazy LA celebrities? No.

{four} do you have any food allergies?
No, thank goodness..I like food way too much for that.

{five} do you know how to sew?
I have a sewing machine. I do not know how to use it.

{six} did you get an allowance when you were young?
I don't think so, not that I remember. I still had things I had to do, dishes and putting away laundry..stuff like that...but no money. I don't feel like I missed out because I didn't have my own 'money'.

{seven} how often do you fill up your gas tank?
I don't know..that's the husbands territory.

{eight} have you ever been stung by a jelly fish?
Nope..but I have a slight (i.e. huge) fear of water so I've never actually been far enough out in the ocean to even run the risk.

{nine} have you ever been robbed?
No, but that's another fear (I'm starting to think I have a problem). When we first moved into this house I was so paranoid that I couldn't sleep. I had to get up out of bed and check..and re-check the doors and windows. It was ridiculous. When we adopted Duke my fear let up.

{ten} what is the worst haircut you’ve ever had?
Haircut? How about hairstyle? I can recall a junior high photo of me with frizzy permed hair...with bangs...which were also frizzy. Oy! Not a good look.

Blog Mo

My husband and his co-workers jokingly refer to each other as "Mo's", short for moron. Like, 'Just ignore Jim, he's being a mo'.

I'm tired of my blog layout but I'm such a Blogger mo that I don't know how to fix it pretty. The more I mess with it the more it just jacks it up.

: /

*edit - ok, so I've played with it a bit more and I think it will do for now*

Friday Outfit

The whole shirt being tucked into the pants thing would have

NEVER happened a couple of years ago.

Dear Lovely Bloggy People

I have been making an effort to be better about clicking out of my google reader. I realized recently that while there are many blogs that I have been faithfully reading for a long time now, I am awful at leaving comments. Considering how much enjoyment I get out of every comment that is left on my blog I understand how selfish I was being.

So, I am trying my best to leave a little more love on your blogs. I'm also trying to be better about answering back to comments. I hate feeling like no one is reading, or listening, or caring so I want y'all to know that I am reading! I am listening! And I do care very much.

Eh, it's clean enough.

You know, I can totally appreciate a spotless house. I can appreciate it in a 'holy crap, how in the world do they keep their house so freakin' clean' type of way. I can appreciate the time and effort it requires to be on constant alert to any dust, dirt, spots, and stains. I know some people vacuum their house every.single.day.

But, secretly, I love when I come across a missed hair on the bathroom vanity or an overlooked bit of dust in a corner. It's almost like I can breath a little easier in a home that is fully lived in. And it makes me feel normal. Because let me tell you, if you come to visit me you are probably going to find a stray hair on my bathroom floor, or a dust bunny roaming across the hardwood, a smudge or two on my walls. Basically, I live in a compact house with one other human and five other furry creatures...and, well, we ALL shed. I'd have to quit my day job to keep up with the cleaning this house would require to always keep it spic-and-span. So, we vacuum..we dust..we wash. But I don't scrub my baseboards....there, I said it! And, please, for the love of everything good, don't look too closely at my ceiling fans.

So, if spotless makes your heart pitter-patter, probably shouldn't come visit us. But, if you don't mind a little animal hair come on by..we give every guest some animal hair to take home with them as a parting gift. No outfit is really complete without it.

Fill in the Blank Friday!!

Play along...

1. Fridays are...for slacking off at work, enjoying a second glass of wine at dinner, for date nights (in or out), for fun window shopping trips (or maybe just shopping trips if its a pay day Friday), for staying up later than usual, for starting that new book.

2. Sleeping in late, spending an entire day reading a really good book front to back, laughing so hard I cry, being married to my best friend, fashion text messages with my sister, weekend trips to visit my girlfriends, holidays with my entire family, babies, my 3 year old niece Dolly, my snorty gremlin dog Lola make me terribly happy.

3. Something that inspires me is...nature inspires my creativity, my Mom inspires the type of life I choose to live, my sister and best friend inspire my sense of style, people who take seemingly nothing and make it into something inspire my hope that there is more for me out there.

4. If I had the day off today I would..stayed in bed and slept late. We only have one vehicle so if I do stay home I don't really get to run around unless I wake up to take Jeremy to work, so most days off are 'stay in my PJs and be lazy' days.

5. If I had to put a label on my home decor style, I would say my style is..."casually eclectic". There is nothing formal or fussy about our home. We have furniture pieces that have both traditional and modern lines mixed in together. We enjoy a lot of color, from the oranges, greens, yellows, and blues on the wall to the framed comic books, painted canvas, and photographs we use as wall decor. Most of our tchotchkes come with a story rather than being bought just for decoration purposes. Our little love cottage is stuffed full of personality that screams US.

6. Concerning politics I would say I'm...Switzerland. Government as a whole has its head up its ass.

7. I'd like to go to...Scotland...so I could...see my fine looking red headed husband out there in that rugged landscape, chase some sheep, feel the energy of the land (which I fully believe is different from the energy of THIS land).

Texas-style Fish Tacos

This was my first time making this recipe. I love to browse for new recipes and get so excited to try something new. They don't always pan out..which is a bummer. But sometimes they DO..like this one.

The cast:
1/2 cup yogurt, plain and non-fat
1/2 cup mayo
2 limes
1 jalapeno
1 1/2 tbsp tequila
2 cups flour
1 lb white fish, cut into small-ish peices
10 8-inch corn tortillas
1 cup shredded white cabbage
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
oregano
cumin
cayenne pepper
salt
pepper
Old Bay seasoning
fresh cilantro, chopped
2 avocados, sliced

In a small bowl, mix together yogurt and mayo. Gradually stir in lime juice (from one whole lime) until the sauce is slightly runny, then add diced jalapeno, oregano, cumin, and cayenne (all to taste). Set aside.

In another bowl, combine lime juice (from the other lime), tequila {What? Doesn't everyone have a bottle of Patron in their fridge?}, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Add the fish bits and toss to coat. Marinate for 10 minutes.

While your fish is getting drunk, combine the flour and Old Bay seasoning in a shallow dish. Coat all the fish in the flour mixture.

Heat just enough oil to coat the bottom of a pan and lightly fry the fish until golden brown (I had to do this in two batches). Place fried fish on a paper towel to drain.

While you are making sure the fish gets golden brown and not burnt to a crisp, enlist a cute boy to chop up the onion and cilantro (and avocados, if you are using them...we just bought guacamole..lazy, I know) that you need to dress your tacos.

Now, I swore I took a picture of a corn tortilla getting an oil bath but I guess I was distracted. Using the same pan you fried the fish in, drizzle some additional olive oil in there and cook the tortillas until limp, not crispy. I set these out on some paper towels too to soak up any leftover oil.

Throw a few fried fish nuggets on a corn tortilla, top with cabbage, some the white sauce you made earlier, avocado, red onion, and fresh cilantro. Pour a glass of whine and dig in.

Wee Bit Wednesday

{one} how often do you do laundry?
Sundays are assigned laundry days. You see, since our closet is so teeny-tiny my wardrobe is limited so at the end of the week most of my 'basic staples' are dirty.

{two} what is your favorite type of cookie?
Does this answer your question?

{three} what would you do with an extra $2000 per month?
Buy a second vehicle, join a gym, save for vacation.

{four} what was/is your favorite subject in school?
All the creative ones..art, photography, journalism, creative writing.

{five} have you ever ridden in a hot air balloon?
No. But I would love to. I had the chance to go up in a helicopter when I was a kid and I chickened out. I'd love to do that too.

{six} what was your high school mascot?
Bobcats!

{seven} if you had the chance to go into space, would you?
Nope. I'm good here on earth..you know, with the air and the gravity.

{eight} how often do you go dancing?
All the time..in the privacy of my own home. I can seriously get down when I start trolling youtube for music videos. Jeremy isn't much of a dancer so we've never been a couple to go out dancing.

{nine} would you rather drive or fly?
This is a tough one. I live in TEXAS..do y'all understand what that means for a road trip? It means a full day of driving just to get out of the state. Driving is more comfortable (and cheaper...for now..lol) but flying is faster. SO, I guess it depends on how much time I have.

{ten} have you ever been caught re-gifting?
Nope, never been caught.

Send some good thoughts out this way, people! I see rain on the horizon and we are literally on fire out here so we need the skies to open up...big time.

Portion Control for the Gadget Generation

Back when I was on Weight Watchers one of the most helpful things I learned was how to eyeball a serving size. WW compared a serving size with another item that was similar in size. For example, a serving of chicken should be about the size of a deck of cards..or the size of your palm (minus the fingers).

Today I came across a neat little article in the newspaper about other items that can be used to "eyeball" a serving size. This may be a great guide for a youngster trying to stay healthy (not skinny).

Smartphone= 3 ounces of chicken, meat or fish.

Small thumb drive= 1 tablespoon of salad dressing, sour cream, mayo.

First generation iPod shuffle= 1 ounce of cheese.

Computer mouse= 1 baked potato.

Pedometer= 1/4 cup of raisins or other dried fruit.

One side of headphones= 1 cup of cereal, soup, vegetables, or cut-up fruit.

iPod Nano= 1 ounce of chocolate.

CD= 1 slice of bread.

AC power adapter= 1/2 cup ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Two earbuds= 1 teaspoon olive oil or peanut butter.

Artichoke Pasta

This recipe is SO yummy! It is on constant rotation on the dinner menu. It is meatless but trust me..you won't even miss the meat. I swear!


What you'll need (as the recipe calls for):
1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 (16oz) can stewed or crushed tomatoes
1 or 2 cloves garlic, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp basil
1/4 cup wine
pasta
Parmesan cheese

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil.

Cut the artichoke hearts into quarters and throw them in the pan (this is two cans of hearts, just so you know). I like to add a little lemon juice. Saute on low heat for about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes (I like to use crushed). Careful not to splatter it all over..or you can wear a black shirt like I did so the stains don't show.

Add the seasoning. Basil, crushed pepper (to taste), sugar (it cuts down on the acid of the tomato), salt and pepper.

Lastly, add the wine. The recipe doesn't specify what kind of wine but I like to use a sweet red.

You want some wine, Lola? Ha ha..just kidding.

You want some wine, Jinny? Why yes, don't mind if I do.

Bring to a simmer for about 35 minutes and let it get all happy in there. I DARE you to let it set for that long. Around here, once the pasta is ready dinner is on like Donkey Kong! Oh..and I threw in some Kalamata olives we happened to have in the fridge. This is the first time I did that..turned out pretty darn good.

Again, the recipe doesn't really name a certain type of pasta..just pasta..so I guess you could use just about anything. We like to stick with whole wheat spaghetti. Toss the cooked pasta in with the artichoke sauce and serve.

Sprinkle some cheese on top, pour a glass of wine, and chow down!

You don't like free stuff?

Me: I lost a follower on my blog.

Jeremy: You aren't getting any closer to 100 followers.

Me: I know!

Jeremy: I guess they didn't want a chance to win a super kick butt giveaway.

Grocery Store Ranting

Jeremy and I do our grocery shopping together. We have it down to a pretty good system. Menu, list, coupons. If we had the store to ourselves it would probably only take us 30 minutes to do all of our shopping.

The problem is that we do NOT have the entire store to ourselves. We have to share it with other people...most of them who don't seem to be aware that THEY don't have the store to themselves.

Pet Peeve #1: People who come shopping with their entire family in tow. I'm not talking about the husband and wife who have the cute little baby in the front seat of the cart. I'm talking about the woman who brings all four of her kids..and is there with her sister who brought all three of her kids. That's two adults, at least, and seven kids...at least. Since the kids out man the adults, they are running up and down the aisle..or maybe even the NEXT aisle..while the adults either ignore them completely or screech at them from the aisle over.

Pet Peeve #2: Teenagers shopping by themselves. *sigh* Not that I have a lot of room to talk..I use to BE one of those teenagers {I wanna' chester cheeta bag...er, ehem..that's another story for another..well, actually I can't remember the whole story so y'all will just have to wonder what the sam hell I'm talking about}. Most of the time they are there will no clear purpose..and thus, just get in my way.

Pet Peeve #3: Driving a grocery cart is just like driving a car. There is a flow in the aisles..one direction, each way. At the end of aisles you should mentally be throwing on a blinker and WAIT for a chance to merge into on-coming traffic. If you are stuck behind a stalled cart and there isn't a break in traffic coming the other direction you don't get to just wheel around Miss Slow Poke and get in everyone elses way..you have to WAIT YOUR TURN. And you can't be driving your cart in the middle of the 'road', or leave it there to take a closer look at something. That would be like you jumping out of your car to peek into a shop window. It's just not done. One of these days, I'm going to drive my cart the proper way and just let people run into me when they make an illegal turn into my 'lane'. When they give me an ugly look I'm just going to tell them that I really had the right of way.