Obsessed

Aye, You may not remember, but in 2009 I posted a video of Emmy Rossum for her song "Slow Me Down". I actually woke up in January singing that song, and I thought "Hmm... I wonder if she is still releasing music." So, I sign-in to iTunes, and three albums in on the "New Release" list is Emmy Rossum- Obviously, I HAVE to get it...and now, Katelyn and I can't stop listening to it. Here is a new song, enjoy!
 

Chicken Parmesan

Yummy Stuff.

 

Chicken Parmesan.

 

Another simple, yet delicious meal.

 

 

All you need to do for this dish is make an egg mixture, dip the chicken in the mixture and then coat it with Bread Crumbs. (You can make your own, but I just use them from a can.)

 

Lay the Chicken in your dish, and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Cover in Marinara sauce and Mozzarella cheese and bake for another 15 minutes. 

Sensory Bottle Craft

I'm a little behind on our weekly craft postings, so I'll start again where we left off. This is a sensory bottle craft that I found at My Frugal Adventures.

 

 

What we had:

Bottle

Buttons

Glitter

Glue

 

What we did:

Fill your bottle half full with hot water.

Pour a container of glue into the bottle and shake.

Drop in your buttons and glitter,

Tighten lid (maybe even glue it on), shake.

 

We learned that the more glue you use the slower your buttons will drop. We used a whole bottle of clear school glue. And we learned to be careful not to add too much glitter, it didn't take much for it to become very hard to see the buttons at all.



Book: Remember Me?

Synopsis:

Lexi wakes up in a hospital bed after a car accident, thinking it’s 2004 and she’s a twenty-five-year old with crooked teeth and a disastrous love life. But, to her disbelief, she learns it’s actually 2007 – she’s twenty-eight, her teeth are straight, she’s the boss of her department – and she’s married! To a good-looking millionaire! How on earth did she land the dream life??!

She can’t believe her luck – especially when she sees her stunning new home. She’s sure she’ll have a fantastic marriage once she gets to know her husband again. He’s drawn up a ‘manual of our marriage’, which should help.

But as she learns more about her new self, chinks start to appear in the perfect life. All her old colleagues hate her. A rival is after her job. Then a disheveled, sexy guy turns up… and lands [drops] a new bombshell.

What the **** happened to her? Will she ever remember? And what will happen if she does?

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***~~~~***CLICK HERE to read an excerpt from the book on the author's website!***~~~***

PROLOGUE

Of all the crap, crap, crappy nights I’ve ever had in the whole of my crap life.

On a scale of one to ten we’re talking . . . a minus six. And it’s not like I even have very high standards.

Rain spatters down my collar as I shift from one blistered foot to another. I’m holding my denim jacket over my head as a makeshift umbrella, but it’s not exactly waterproof. I just want to find a taxi, get home, kick off these stupid boots and run a nice hot bath. But we’ve been waiting here for ten minutes and there’s no sign of a cab.

My toes are agony. I’m never buying shoes from Cut-Price Fashion again. I bought these boots last week in the sale (flat black patent, I only ever wear flats). They were half a size too small but the girl said they would stretch, and that they made my legs look really long. And I believed her. Honestly, I’m the world’s biggest sucker.

We’re all standing together on the corner of some street in south-west London I’ve never been to before, with music pounding faintly from the club below our feet. Carolyn’s sister is a promoter and got us discounted entry, so that’s why we schlepped all the way here. Only now we have to get home, and I’m the only one even looking for a cab.

Fi has commandeered the only nearby doorway and has her tongue down the throat of the guy she chatted up earlier on at the bar. He’s cute, despite the weird little moustache. Also, he’s shorter than Fi – but then a lot of guys are, given she’s nearly six feet tall. She has long dark hair and a wide mouth, and an oversized laugh to match. When Fi is really tickled by something, she brings the whole office to a standstill.

A few feet away Carolyn and Debs are sheltering underneath a newspaper, arm-in-arm, caterwauling ‘It’s Raining Men’ as if they’re still on the karaoke stage.

‘Lexi!’ yells Debs, extending an arm for me to join in. ‘It’s raining men!’ Her long blonde hair is all ratty in the rain, but she’s still bright-faced. Debs’s two favourite hobbies are karaoke and jewellery-making, in fact I’m wearing a pair of earrings she made me for my birthday: teeny silver Ls with dangling seed pearls.

‘It isn’t bloody raining men!’ I call back morosely. ‘It’s just raining!’

I normally love karaoke, too. But I’m not in a singing mood tonight. I feel all sore inside, like I want to curl up away from everyone else. If only Loser Dave had turned up like he promised. After all those luv u Lexi texts; after vowing faithfully to be here at ten. I sat waiting all that time, watching the door, even when the other girls told me to give up on him. Now I feel like a sappy moron.

Loser Dave works in car telesales and has been my boyfriend since we got together at Carolyn’s friend’s barbecue last summer. I don’t call him Loser Dave to insult him – it’s just his nickname. No one remembers how he got it and he won’t tell, in fact he’s always trying to make people call him something else. He started referring to himself as ‘Butch’ a while ago, because he reckons he looks like Bruce Willis in Pulp Fiction. He has a buzz cut, I suppose – but the resemblance ends there.

Anyway, it didn’t catch on. To his workmates he just is Loser Dave, the way I’m Snaggletooth. I’ve been called that since I was eleven. And sometimes Snagglehair. To be fair, my hair is pretty frizzy. And my teeth are kind of crooked. But I always say they give my face character.

(Actually, that’s a lie. It’s Fi who says they give my face character. Personally, I’m planning to fix them, as soon as I’ve got the cash and can psych myself up to having braces in my mouth, i.e. probably never.)

A taxi comes into sight and I immediately stick out my hand – but some people ahead flag it down first. Great. I shove my hands in my pockets miserably and scan the rainy road for another yellow light.

It’s not just being stood up by Loser Dave, it’s the bonuses. Today was the end of the financial year at work. Everyone was given paper slips saying how much they’d got and started jumping about with excitement, because it turns out the company’s 2003–2004 sales were better than anyone expected. It was like Christmas had come ten months early. Everyone was gabbing all afternoon about how they were going to spend the money. Carolyn started planning a holiday to New York with her boyfriend Matt. Debs booked highlights at Nicky Clarke – she’s always wanted to go there. Fi called Harvey Nichols and reserved herself a new cool bag called a ‘Paddington’ or something.

And then there was me. With nada. Not because I haven’t worked hard, not because I didn’t meet my targets, but because to get a bonus you have to have worked for the company for a year, and I missed qualifying by a week. One week. It’s so unfair. It’s so penny-pinching. I’m telling you, if they asked me what I thought about it . . .

Anyway. Like Simon Johnson would ever ask the opinion of an Associate Junior Sales Manager (Flooring). That’s the other thing: I have the worst job title ever. It’s embarrassing. It hardly even fits on my business card. The longer the title, I’ve decided, the crappier the job. They think they’ll blind you with words and you won’t notice you’ve been stuck in the corner of the office with the lousy accounts no one else wants to work on.

A car splashes through a puddle near the pavement and I jump back, but not before a shower of water has hit me in the face. From the doorway I can hear Fi hotting things up, murmuring into the ear of the cute guy. I catch a few familiar words and, despite my mood, have to clamp my lips together so I don’t laugh. Months ago, we had a girls’ night in, and ended up confessing all our dirty-talk secrets. Fi said she uses the same line each time and it works a treat: ‘I think my underwear’s melting off.’

I mean. Would any guy fall for that?

Well. I guess, by Fi’s record, that they do.

Debs confessed that the only word she can use during sex without cracking up is ‘hot’. So all she ever says is ‘I’m hot’, ‘You’re so hot’, ‘This is really hot’. Mind you, when you’re as stunning as Debs, I wouldn’t have thought you’d need much of a repertoire.

Carolyn has been with Matt for a million years and declared she never talks in bed at all except to say ‘Ow’ or ‘Higher’ or once, as he was about to come, ‘Oh crap, I left my hair straighteners on.’ I don’t know if she really meant it; she’s got a pretty quirky sense of humour, just like Matt. They’re both super-bright – almost geeky – but cool with it. When we’re all out together the two of them throw so many insults at each other, it’s hard to know if they’re ever serious. I’m not sure even they know.

Then it was my turn, and I told the truth, which is that I compliment the guy. Like, with Loser Dave, I always say ‘You have beautiful shoulders’ and ‘You have such beautiful eyes.’

I didn’t admit that I say these things because I’m always secretly hoping to hear back from a guy that I’m beautiful, too.

Nor did I admit that it’s never yet happened.

Anyway. Whatever.

‘Hey, Lexi.’ I look up to see that Fi has unsuckered herself from the cute guy. She comes over, pulls my denim jacket over her head and gets out a lipstick.

‘Hi,’ I say, blinking rainwater off my lashes. ‘Where’s lover boy gone?’

‘To tell the girl he came with that he’s leaving.’

‘Fi!’

‘What?’ Fi looks unrepentant. ‘They’re not an item. Or much of one.’ She carefully redoes her mouth in pillar-box red. ‘I’m getting a whole new load of make-up,’ she says, frowning at the blunt end. ‘Christian Dior, the whole lot. I can afford it now!’

‘You should!’ I nod, trying to sound enthusiastic. A moment later, Fi looks up in realization.

‘Oh bollocks. Sorry, Lexi.’ She puts an arm round my shoulder and squeezes. ‘You should have got a bonus. It’s not fair.’

‘It’s fine.’ I try to smile. ‘Next year.’

‘You OK?’ Fi eyes me narrowly. ‘You want to go for a drink or anything?’

‘No, I need to get to bed. I’ve got an early start in the morning.

’ Fi’s face clears in sudden memory and she bites her lip. ‘Jesus. I forgot all about that, too. What with the bonuses and everything . . . Lexi, I’m sorry. This is a really shit time for you.’

‘It’s fine!’ I say at once. ‘It’s . . . I’m trying not to make it a huge deal.’

No one likes a whinger. So somehow I make myself smile brightly, just to show I’m fine with being the snaggly-toothed, stood-up, no-bonus girl whose dad just died.

Fi is silent for a moment, her green eyes glittering in the passing headlights.

‘Things’ll turn around for you,’ she says.

‘You think?’

‘Uh-huh.’ She nods, with more energy. ‘You just have to believe it. Come on.’ She squeezes me. ‘What are you, woman or walrus?’ Fi’s been using that expression since we were both fifteen, and every time, it makes me smile. ‘And you know what?’ she adds. ‘I think your dad would have wanted you to turn up to his funeral hungover.’

She met my dad a couple of times. She’s probably right.

‘Hey, Lexi.’ Fi’s voice is suddenly softer, and I brace myself. I’m in a pretty edgy mood as it is, and if she says something nice about my dad, I might cry. I mean, I didn’t know him that well or anything, but you only get one dad . . . ‘Do you have a spare condom?’ Her voice pierces my thoughts.

Right. So I probably didn’t need to worry about the sympathy overload.

‘Just in case,’ she adds with a wicked grin. ‘I mean, we’ll probably just chat about world politics or whatever.’

‘Yeah. I’m so sure.’ I root inside my birthday-present green Accessorize bag for the matching coin purse and produce a Durex which I discreetly hand to her.

‘Thanks, babe.’ She kisses me on the cheek. ‘Listen, d’you want to come to mine tomorrow night? After it’s all over? I’ll make spaghetti carbonara.’

‘Yeah.’ I smile gratefully. ‘That would be great. I’ll call you.’ I’m already looking forward to it. Aplate of delicious pasta, a glass of wine, and telling her all about the funeral. Fi can make the grimmest things seem funny, I know we’ll end up in stitches . . . ‘Hey, there’s a taxi! Tax-ee!’ I hurry to the edge of the pavement as the cab pulls up and beckon to Debs and Carolyn, who are now screeching out ‘Dancing Queen’. Carolyn’s glasses are spattered with raindrops, and she’s about five notes ahead of Debs. ‘Hi there!’ I lean through the window to the taxi driver, my hair dripping down my face. ‘Could you possibly take us first to Balham, and then—’

‘Sorry love, no karaoke.’ The taxi driver cuts me off, with a baleful glance at Debs and Carolyn.

I stare at him, confused. ‘What d’you mean, no karaoke?’

‘I’m not ’aving them girls in ’ere, doin’ me ’ead in with their bloody singing.’

He has to be joking. You can’t ban people for singing.

‘But—’

‘My cab, my rules. No drunks, no drugs, no karaoke.’ Before I can reply, he puts the taxi into gear and roars away down the road.

‘You can’t have a “no karaoke” rule!’ I shout after the cab in outrage. ‘It’s . . . discrimination! It’s against the law! It’s . . .’

I trail off helplessly and look around the pavement. Fi has disappeared back into Mr Cutie’s arms. Debs and Carolyn are doing the worst ‘Dancing Queen’ routine I’ve ever seen, in fact I don’t blame that taxi driver. The traffic is whooshing by, drenching us with spray; rain is drumming through my jacket into my hair; thoughts are circling round my head like socks in a tumble-dryer.

We’ll never find a taxi. We’ll be stuck out here in the rain all night. Those banana cocktails were noxious, I should have stopped after four. I have my dad’s funeral tomorrow. I’ve never been to a funeral before. What if I start sobbing and everyone stares at me? Loser Dave’s probably in bed with some other girl right this second, telling her she’s beautiful while she moans ‘Butch! Butch!’ My feet are blistered and they’re freezing—

‘Taxi!’ I instinctively scream the word, almost before I’ve registered the distant yellow light. It’s coming up the road, signalling left. ‘Don’t turn!’ I wave frantically. ‘Over here! Here!’

I have to get this cab. I have to. Clutching my denim jacket over my head, I run along the pavement, skidding slightly, yelling till I’m hoarse, ‘Taxi! Taxi!’ As I reach the corner, the pavement is crowded with people and I skirt round them and up the steps to some grand municipal building. There’s a balustraded platform with steps going right and left. I’ll hail the taxi from up here, then run down and jump in. ‘TAXI! TAAA-XEE!’

Yes! It’s pulling up. Thank God! At last. I can get home, run a bath, forget all about today.

‘Here!’ I call out. ‘Just coming, wait a sec . . .’

To my consternation I notice a guy in a suit on the pavement below heading towards the taxi. ‘It’s ours!’ I roar, and start pelting down the opposite steps. ‘It’s ours! I hailed that cab! Don’t you even dare – Argh! Aaaaargh!’

Even as my foot skids on the wet step I’m not sure what’s happening. Then, as I start falling, my brain rushes with disbelief. I’ve slipped on my stupid, cheap, shiny-soled boots. I’m tumbling right over, down the steps, like a three-year-old. I scrabble desperately at the stone balustrade, scraping my skin, wrenching my hand, dropping my Accessorize bag, grabbing for anything, but I can’t stop myself—

Oh shit.

The ground’s coming straight towards me, there’s nothing I can do, this is really, really going to hurt . . .

A superb tale about how one girl's memory loss leads to a perfect life. Or does it? - Heat
A gripping romantic read - we loved it! - Cosmopolitan
Another classic. - Company
Highly amusing and clever. - Now magazine
A funny, thoughtful story ...fun fluffy escapism. - She
Pacy, funny and well-written, Kinsella fans will welcome it. - Wendy Holden, Daily Mail
Sophie Kinsella returns with another cracker...A page-turner by arguably the best pop-fiction novelist. - Mail on Sunday
A deliciously intriguing and hilarious novel that will have you hooked til the end. - Woman
Fizzing with sharp dialogue and old-fashioned slapstick, this is a great read. - Eve
Stylish, wry and entertaining...perfect to reach for when you get nicely settled down on the lounger by the pool this summer. - Irish Independent
A brilliant chick-lit page-turner. - Love It!
A jolly romp but with moments of pathos and thoughtful reflection. - East Anglian Daily Times

The author of the Shopaholic series adds a fun twist to a Cinderella story. - Redbook

Remember Me? is good fun, a page-turner that will keep a reader up all night. - AP

Quintessential Kinsella. It's a perfect pick for a spring-break read. - Fort Worth Star-Telegram

A delicious page-turner, filled with both hearty chuckles and heartache.... [Kinsella] finds a way to make losing one's memory seem refreshingly funny. - USA Today

 

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I got so obsessed with this book that I read the whole thing in two days. It's not the typical action-packed mystery books that I've been hording from the library lately, but it's pretty impressive. The story lacks suspense, but it winds and turns enough to keep you plenty interested.

Crazy Fan Fiction

Embarrassingly, I admit it. A few years ago- I started writing a *Twilight/Renesmee* fan fiction story. I've been thinking about sharing a piece of my writing each month, so I logged into my fan fiction account thinking it would have been closed. Not only was it still open, but  I had two (very old) requests in the inbox asking me to continue it.

I do apologize, but I'm 99.9% sure that I won't ever get motivated to continue it. But, for the sake of sharing with you....Here is Chapter One (Which is NOT very good, as I wrote it on a whim just to get something posted, but the writing gets better in later chapters, I promise.)

********
My name is Renesmee Cullen. It's my seventeenth birthday. Until this morning I thought my name was Ashley Smith. I've always felt that I was different than everybody else. I knew that there was no way I could biologically be a Smith. There was something much too classic about the Smith's for them to be my parents.

I never told them that I remember things, things about my life before they became my pretend parents. It would crush them if they knew that is how I think of them. They mean well. I would never call them that to their face…or within an eavesdropping earshot.

I'm not immune to their over-protective nosiness. I know that they are watching me like a hawk. They watch who my friends are in an overly compulsive deranged way. Last year I found a folder of background checks, there was one for every classmate. Apparently the Smith's don't know that I have no friends, because I'm different. Everyone can tell, but they pretend not to notice.

Like I said, I remember things. I remember a beautiful heart-shaped face with fragile porcelain skin but I can't see her face. I remember clenching long brown hair in my tiny baby hands, not Mrs. Smith's short red hair. I remember a man's bright red lips and a crooked smile. I know that whoever he was, he was a good man, and that I liked him a lot.

There are things that I can't remember, but I dream about them over and over again. The dream starts in a little shack like garage, and then I see a womanly figure with no face or definition picking up a bright red car with one hand. Then I run outside and see a man who just crushed a boulder by the creek into dust, and then shake the dirt off like it was no big deal. I'm running towards him, but I don't stop. I leap across the creek as if I'm playing a simple game of hopscotch. Still running, I'm now chasing a giant dog through the forest. I chase him all the way through the woods to a clearing, a meadow of sorts where he just disappears. Then I scream, and I run for my life from people with razor sharp teeth and creature like eyes. Just before they catch me in the mountains I wake in a cold sweat.

I can sense that my parents, my real parents, are out there, and they are waiting for me to return. It's frustrating. It's like trying to think what the world would be like if there was no life anywhere, but you can't even picture space and comets because you wouldn't know that they existed. It's a strain on my heart. I know I don't belong here, but I can't picture a world that exists outside of this one.
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It was weird that I wanted to write with the main character being Renesme, because the whole hybrid baby thing is what really tanked the series for me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

Icky Banana

 

Yeah...Note to self: If you're going to stuff a banana in the diaper bag for a snack...give the child the banana, or throw it away before it turns black and squishy... Even in a ziplock bag- K's poor animal crackers that were also in the bag tasted like a banana!

Argh...

Ok, the 'F' might be a slight exaggeration, but not by much. I hate when I take a test, and the one question where I know I'm right, no if-and-or-buts about it- I KNOW the answer because I studied it, and that's it- so it's the only answer I don't double check-and- it is the ONLY one I miss!

Argh! I really need to train my brain not to be so confident! LOL!

Turkey & Rice Lettuce Cups

Turkey & Rice Lettuce Cups with Japanese Cucumber Salad

 

Yummy! - The Cucumber Salad is crazy good!

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey 

2  heads Boston lettuce, leaves separated

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 large red bell pepper, finely diced

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup instant brown rice

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon Cummin

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

 1/2 teaspoon Cloves

1 large carrot, shredded with Vegetable Peeler

 Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice; reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and ginger; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, bell pepper, water chestnuts, broth, and spices; cook until heated through.
3. To serve, divide lettuce leaves among plates, spoon some of the turkey mixture into each leaf, top with carrot.

Japanese Cucumber Salad
From EatingWell.com

2 medium cucumbers, or 1 large English cucumber

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted 

 

Peel cucumbers to leave alternating green stripes. Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise; scrape the seeds out with a spoon. Using a food processor or sharp knife, cut into very thin slices. Place in a double layer of paper towel and squeeze gently to remove any excess moisture.
Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium bowl, stirring to dissolve. Add the cucumbers and sesame seeds; toss well to combine. Serve immediately.

(I served it on top!)

Mail-A-Hug

Katelyn loves to hug her Grandparents, but they live too far away to hug anytime she wants. So, with National Hug Someone Day, we made these cute little "Mail-A-Hug" presents to send the Grandparents, and now they can get a hug from Katelyn anytime they want one.

 

Here's what you need:

1. Large cereal box (or multiple smaller boxes); cut open.

2. Paint in your choice of color.

3. Paper Towel or Brush or Plate to dip the hand in the paint

4. Scissors

5. Ribbon

6. Tape (I used double sided)

 

 

 

You know me- I'm crazy on the recycle bit, so we searched the recycle bin and found several boxes we could use to put her prints on. I cut up the sides and laid them flat with the plain side up, and then dipped a folded paper towel in the paint and "brushed" it on to her hand.

 

 

Ha, I was only making one attempt at this picture!

 

 

Make the hand prints on the cardboard, and then let them dry. After they are dry, cut them out, and have your child hold one end of the ribbon and stretch their arms, so you can cut the ribbon at the length of their arm span. Tape the ribbon securely to the back of each hand, label with name and age, and mail!

Recent Read: Freezing

Description: "When a bundle of frozen body parts tumbles out the rear door of a van on a Los Angeles freeway, FBI agent Scott Houston knows just where to go for an off-the-record analysis: Agency 32/1, a non-profit missing persons identification resource center run by forensic anthropologists Jayne Hall and Steelie Lander. Jayne and Steelie quickly determine that the remains are human, though from several women. But Scott’s call has unintended consequences for the two women, putting their lives in jeopardy, as their unique skills uncover evidence leading directly to the killer . . ."

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Other than my obsession with the TV series BONES, I'm in no way, shape, or form- intelligent on anything forensic related, but Author Clea Koff made me feel like I was a sexy and brave forensic anthropologist know-it-all in hot pursuit of a killer with the first installment of her Jayne and Steelie Mysteries.

The Know-It-All intelligence comes from the narrator of the story, who lets us in on essential details, but never giving us more information than the characters know. Koff gives the reader a taste of what could be a great love affair to come throughout the story. Oh, the drama of two people who both want each other in the worst  kind of way, but hide their desires behind file folders and voice recorders while working together off-the-record to solve a haunting case from FBI agent Scott Houston's past.

Don't be so foolish, as to let me mislead you though. The love drama has little, if any true part of this tale. The story is in the Agency 32/1 who work hard to put people back in touch with missing loved ones- dead or alive, and the women who make these reunions happen. Enter: Jayne Hall and Steelie Lander. (Maybe I watch too much television, because I totally pictured Rizzoli & Isles playing these parts in my head.)

They've worked together combing through mass graves with the UN, and now with several body parts spilling off the Freeway, and the unofficial resources of the FBI (somewhat) at their disposal, can they help their agent friends find the killer and more body parts across the U.S. before he targets them? 

If you're looking for a good forensic mystery book- this one is worth picking up mi familia! (Bonus- my mum is a main character...well, her name at least. Jayne Hall.)

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Read an Excerpt on the author's website by CLICKING HERE!

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 I wrote this review earlier, but I wanted to add that I emailed the author letting her know how much I enjoyed the book, and while it may be automated (though it came several days later)- here is what she replied with:

Dear Lara,

I just wanted to say thank you very much for reading Freezing and letting me know your thoughts!  I'm taking your interest in the next book as encouragement, having just finished what I hope will be the final revision on that manuscript.  The book will be coming from a new publisher so we may all have a bit of a wait, but you are now on the list to be notified as soon as there's news.  

Many thanks, again.

Clea

 

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Me: "But I don't want to wait- I want it NOW!"

 

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Town Forum

Congressman Pete Visclosky held 21 Town Forums recently, and Victoria was brave kind enough to watch Katelyn while we attended one of the stops. It was interesting and exciting. We got confirmation on some of the topics that interest us, and learned his position on a couple of topics that we weren't aware of. I thought there would be more people in attendance. Chris and I most be crazy fools, because we read the mailer, circled the one we wanted to go to, and hand it hanging on the cork board in the kitchen for weeks. Aw well - We had a fun and educational time. =)

Play Date

 

Saturday Morning We headed off to South Bend for a play date with Evelyn, Grace, and Scarlett. We went to the Kids' Health Works Museum and then walked across street to the South Bend Chocolate Café for lunch.

 

Health Works was a really great place to spend a couple hours. I had just seen a Groupon for a $35 annual membership, and now I wish I would have bought it.

 

http://www.healthworkskids.org/

 

Movie Monday: Big Helper

This is a couple weeks ago. Hopefully Katelyn soaks up all of Daddy's knowledge for fixing things.

Daily Celebrations: 4

January 22 - Blonde Brownie Day! - A day to bake!
Southern Food
Martha Stewart
SuagrPiesFood

January 23 - Measure Your Feet Day!  - We'll be checking out how much Katelyn's feet have grown, and maybe do the foot print for Daddy's V-day gift!

January 24 - Compliment Day! - Lift someone's spirits today, and give them a compliment.

January 25 - Opposite Day!  -- Hmm....I'd hate to confuse Katelyn when we are trying to teach the right way to do things, so maybe we'll just take a spin around the house walking backwards instead of forwards. Suggestions?

January 26 - Spouse's Day!  - Ok, so Valentine's Day is right around the corner, but who doesn't love a little extra spoiling? I know the way to Chris's heart....milk duds. haha!

January 27 - Thomas Crapper Day! - I'm not joking, and I'm not suggesting we kiss our crappers...but while we sit on them today, let's be glad we're not sitting on a bucket.

January 28: Kazoo Day! - These little things are deafening, but a lot of fun. I'll be grabbing one from the store to teach Katelyn to play. She'll have a blast.

January 29: Puzzle Day! Guess we're putting a puzzle together today! Katelyn is really starting to understand where the pieces go on her animal shapes puzzle.


(Ok, I got a little carried away, and went an extra day...Sorry, I'm too lazy to fix it now.)

Easy Meatballs

 

Yum-Eeee-Oooo!

 

These super fabulous and easy meatballs are great! I actually got the recipe from one of those sample carts at the grocery while visiting Chris's family in Tennessee.

 

Ingredients:

1 Can Jellied Cranberry Sauce

1 Bottle Chili Sauce

2 lbs Frozen Meatballs

 

1) In a large saucepan, heat the sauces till smooth.

2) Add the meatballs, and cook covered on Medium heat for 15-20 minutes.

 

Did I say easy...because I meant to say Eeeee-Zzzzz!

 

(The recipe is actually on the back of the Heinz Chili Sauce too.)

 

I served ours over Rice Pilaf and with a Salad.

 

 

No Snow? No Problem!

 

Katelyn got her hands dirty and sticky last week. We decided to do a cheap and not-as-simple-as-I-thought  simple art project. Miss K is still a wee bit young for it, but she did a fantastic job assisting.

 

I asked her to pick one bottle of glue, and she first grabbed one, then two, and finally three.

 

She loves pulling toilet paper to shreds in the bathroom, so I knew she would love tearing the cotton balls into shreds as well. I helped her with the glue stick and once she learned she needed to put the cotton shreds on the glue---- she tried to take a short cut and put the glue stick in the cotton ball pile.

 

After we got all the cotton on, I drew a top hat on the snowman while Katelyn put the extra cotton balls back into the bag.

 I tried to get her to pose with the picture, but she was sticky and decided pulling the cotton off the paper was much more fun.

Wha-Lah! Our final portrait! He's looking a bit wobbly, haha!

What I'm Watching

I love when T.V. is hot and heavy with my favorite shows, and right now they are all kicking back into gear after a short Holiday hiatus.

I'm almost a little embarrassed to admit that I am locked on ABC's REVENGE. I know a lot of my friends like it as well, but it kind of feels like a guilty pleasure. It floats around between a show for adults and a show for teenagers. There is little action, little killing, little intense drama, but every week I turn it on. There really aren't any "sides" or "team" to be on (though I think they working on that this season.) It just is what it is- a girl using people to get revenge for what they did to her father...but it's worth watching if you are not already doing so. Sunday Nights.

Season 1:

Daddy the show-off

Daddy also got to go to Tumbling class with us on Saturday after swimming. A few of the basketballs came to our side of the gym, so Chris showed all the 'littles' what's up.

Swimming with Daddy

It worked better than expected to have swim lessons postponed last week, because the make up day was on Saturday, which gave Chris the opportunity to swim with Katelyn during the lesson.

Motorboat, motorboat go so slow...

Motorboat, motorboat go so fast,

 Motorboat, motorboat step on the gas!

Everything is a parade for Katelyn.

Waving as she goes by me.

I love their big smiles.

Movie Monday

This is at Grandma and Grandpa West's house. Katelyn playing (?) with Jersey girl.

Daily Celebrations Week 3

January 15: National Strawberry Ice Cream Day! - A delightful scoop of a yummy treat to follow dinner!

January 16: Fig Newton Day! - Mmm...I'll have to put these on this week's shopping list.

January 17: Kid Inventor Day! - Did you know Water Ski's were invented by a kid? Let's find other neat things invented by children today.

January 18: Winnie the Pooh Day! I'll be sure to read a Pooh adventure with Katelyn today.

January 19: Popcorn Day! We have the Air Popper handy. We'll munch and watch cartoons.

January 20: Penguin Awareness Day! Katelyn loves this show called Pingu, (See Below) but I think we'll rent a book about Penguins this week too.

January 21: Hugging Day! - This is going to be fun. We already hug give lots of hugs and kisses. Maybe we'll mail a hug to the grandparents this week.

We got paid...

...by a nice fella paying it forward.

Tonight we're at B-Dubs watching the Broncos/Ravens game, and the guy behind us asks if Katelyn can have some ice cream, and he orders her this huge Sundae with chocolate and a cherry. She wasn't being annoying or anything- just her typical smiley self. It was very nice, so now we'll have to take advantage of an opportunity to Pay-It-Forward another time.

Dinner Time!

Yummy! Yummy! Get in my Belly!

 

I made Zuppa Toscana just like Olive Garden this week! I love this soup, and went through a craze where I was obsessed with it, so every weekend we were paying $20+ bucks for soup and salad. I finally decided that was way too expensive, and have been making it at home for almost two years now. This recipe is good. I serve it with....but of course. salad and bread sticks.

 

(I know, the Kale is missing- but I kid-you-not the grocery was OUT of Kale for two days!)

 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 1½ tsp crushed red peppers
• 1 large diced white onion
• 4 Tbsp bacon pieces
• 2 tsp garlic puree
• 10 cups water
• 5 cubes of chicken bouillon
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
• ¼ of a bunch of kale

1.  Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.

 

3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.

4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.

5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.

6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve. Delicious!

 

For pictures and more great recipes, check out: Tuscan Recipes

 

 

Mess-Free Fingerpaint Day!

 

 

Katelyn and I have decided that we are going to do one craft project a week together. This past week I made the homemade finger paints again that I posted about in October from the Easie Peasie blog.


3TBS Sugar
1/2 TSP Salt
1/2 CUP Corn Starch
2 CUPS Water
**Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and worm till thickens. Let Cool. Scoop into containers and add food coloring.**

 I think entire process took about 20 minutes, including the cooling time.

I really wasn't feeling a whole messy day of wiping paint off the floor and walls, which is why I was super glad to have stumbled across a fun "Mess-Free" technique from The Hippie Housewife.  I think I was meant to find it this week, because she says she used Painters Tape which I normally don't keep, but since Chris is still painting the bedroom- I had some, and thought that's be better than regular Scotch tape since I couldn't find the roll of Masking Tape.

 

 

All I did was drop a couple spoonful's of the freshly made finger paint into regular sandwich baggies. Then I added several drops of food coloring. I made the first bag with just red, but it was boring, and had too much paint in it. 

 

The second bag Katelyn enjoyed a lot more. I put less paint mixture in the bag, and added blue to one side, and red on the other. Before sealing I tried to get as much air out as possible, and then just taped them to Katelyn's activity desk.  

 

She loved the squishy feeling, and really loved when I would pick her up and put her foot in it. Older children would probably have more fun with bigger bags, but these little bags were perfect for Katelyn at the moment.

Tumbleweed Time

The Winter swim session was supposed to start this past Tuesday. However, the pool had a mechanical problem, and needed to be drained. It was sort of a good thing, because I learned that tumbling class for the 'very littles' follows right after swim, and we were able to get registered for that as well.

The pool was closed, but tumbling was on. Katelyn was a little intimidated at first, but slowly started to tackle the obstacle course, and other activities. She really enjoyed the hula hoops. She cared one around with her for the last half of the class. We're off this morning for day two!

With her friends Evelyn and Grace.

My Beautiful Sleeping Baby

I woke up on Saturday feeling like a terrible mother. I had already gotten up with Katelyn once that night, and when the sound of her crying trickled through the baby monitor again in the middle of the night- I turned it off like I normally do before tossing my legs over the bed to go sit with her. Except this time I was just far too tired. I dreamt that I was up and in her room when I never actually left my bed. (You know, like those odd times when you totally believe you are getting ready for work when the alarm clock goes off again, and you realize all you did was hit the snooze.)

It was 8:30 when I finally rolled out of bed for real, and Chris was still sound asleep. I jumped from the bed in a panic thinking Katelyn was going to hate me. I peeked in her crib to find her just like this. Curled up with the very cool pillow that Thom, Heidi, Matthew, and Andrew had sent her for Christmas and the Atlanta monkey she got from Greg, Cindy, and Sean . (Never mind the fact that she took her diaper off and tossed it out of the crib at some point.) She woke as happy as she normally does.

What I'm Watching....

All Stars!

Every Thursday night like clockwork. Down to the final four, and I am so excited.  

 

Each new season inspires me to bust out the sewing machine. Thankfully, I've managed to keep it tucked (not so neatly) away in the basement this time around. With the bedroom construction Chris decided to do it just would have been far more stress than I needed. Our goal for this year is to finally get the basement cabinets in and the carpet down, so I can get my craft area set up, and Chris can get his canning area set up.

 

Back to the show... I was super bummed when Wendy Pepper went home. I really like her for some reason, but I wasn't all that sad to see Laura Kathleen go. I think I only really like one of her designs the entire season.

 

Katie Holmes was one of the guests last week, and I love, love, love her. (Bonus!)

 

 In case you were wondering- I'm rooting for Uli to take the cake.

The Daughter and Her Father *Poem*

 

Here is the first thing I was inspired to write this year. I know it's weird the picture is of Chris's brother and his daughter, but this was the moment of inspiration for this poem. I actually wrote it down before I fell asleep shortly after toasting the New Year.

 

The late night is shaken with the early morning dark.

At the stroke of midnight a whole year passes

for the daughter and her father.

 

Wind gently parades through the ripples of her dark locks.

Silent drops of rain from the minutes before

wet the ground around them.

Huddled for warmth

are the daughter and her father.

 

A sparkle in the sky explodes with arms of colors and a bang.

…Two…Three…Four…the display continues.

Cheers from neighbors now echo those

of the daughter and her father.

 

Together they toast the New Year.

Champagne flutes of sparkling cider clink together in the air.

A roar of giggling laughter escapes

from the daughter and her father.

 

Together they prepare to love each other throughout the New Year.

Movie Monday

Adorable Video: Katelyn eating the apple she got in her Stocking....(Yes, Santa always seems to put an apple and an orange in our stockings.) ....but...while she is eating it she even tells us it is an apple!