Theories Shmeries

Ya'll. Can I just tell you that any book entitled "Theories of Development" or Theories - anything - is a SNORE fest. I'm not sure how I am gonna make it through this half of my class! Comprehending this stuff is like watching a hampster in a wheel! Lucky me gets to learn about Freud and Erikson this semester - DON'T be jealous but DO pray for me! ;)

Do not rent....

Baby on Board with with Heather Graham is such a snooze fest! I rented it at blockbuster the other night thinking it would be a no brain chick flick with a happy ending.... but no it was just none sense left and right. It was so bad that I am embarrassed to even say I watched the whole thing!

The Boom

So Dave took my computer's power cord to ATL with him earlier this week and so when my computer finally died, I found this really fun O-fabulous picture on Dave's new computer that I thought I'd share with you all. He's too cute!

Khloe After Dark

I love watching Keeping up with the Kardashians and now Khloe and Kourtney have their own show in Miami which I was loving until Khloe (who has a radio show ON the reality show, Khloe after dark) brought out cocaine that they found in DASH's dressing room! Apparently someone left a little vile of it there. Girl that is Not cool. She's really got some growing up to do!

Crafty Corner

Want a way to make yourself feel oh so crafty?? And better yet, you can even keep this project for yourself??? Take a peek - So stinkin cute!

Take 2!

Shrimp and Orzo Salad

So a month ago I posted this recipe which was a huge summer hit for us! The other night I decided to break out all the ingredients from the fridge as I bought way too much produce at Trader Joe's.... but sometimes, with two people, it's hard to buy small amounts! So tonight I made the orzo and dressing in this recipe and added sliced black olives, halved grape tomatoes, 3 chopped green onions, 1 peeled and chopped cucumber, 1 chopped red bell pepper and 1/2 a green bell pepper. I tossed all of this with the orzo and dressing and chilled it for an hour. To serve I got pre-sliced cooked chicken and cubed it, cut up a slice of precooked bacon and put that over Dave's salad. For mine I added some pine nuts for protein. Then I topped both with a sprinkling of feta and it was a truly yummy meal! Try this with some toasted baguette! Yum! Yum!

1st Day of School

Here are some highlights:

1. I realized quickly that my vera shoulder bag was more like a Mary Poppins bag than a book bag... my shoulders are still aching. Note to self: don't bring your whole life to class.

2. Besides my teacher, there is 1 male in my class.

3. Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a talker. You know, the woman, the mom, who goes back to school and treats it like a Quilting Bee? She says HI to everyone that enters the classroom.

4. I got the wrong book. Not my fault. Now I have to figure out how to return it and buy not one, but two books to replace it by next Monday... I am cheap when it comes to books (HELLO, Amazon USED frequent buyer here!) therefore I didn't run to the bookstore. But don't worry, I'm working out a cheap plan.

5. Small world... A sorority sister of mine is, or was, in my class. There are 50 of us and they weren't expecting such a large number so they have divided the class into 2. Either way, hopefully we will be in the same classes in the future! Always fun to see a familiar face.

6. Teacher asked us to finish this metaphor and share our answer along with personal information. So here is my answer and it totally wasn't duplicated, yay!

"An elementary school is like...a candy jar, you just never know what you are going to get!"

We had a lot of "gardens" and "zoo's".

And lastly,

7. While stopping at the 24 hr, yes, 24 hr, enormo Harris Teeter on my way home, to do one thing... grad a bottle of cheap wine... I saw THIS in their wine section....

(and no, I didn't put out $3 more dollars out of pure joy, I went Yellow Tail, that's right, I'm a student!)

Zzzzz

Any advice for getting out of bed in the morning?? I used to jump out of bed... and of course having a dog helps as they love to lick your face and tell you they need to go out. But until I actually have a dog.... how do I get out of bed? It gets harder all the time. Terrible. I even think, maybe I will work out in the morning... but alas, different morning, same wake up pains lol.

Can we talk about this?

Who knew!? Nordstrom has an AFFORDABLE wedding line much like J.Crews??! So Okay, maybe they have had this for a long time and I am just now catching on but I am pleasantly surprised by the prices/styles!

500 Days of Summer

Artsy, funky... cool. I give it an half smile and a two thumbs up! It was entertaining and I enjoyed the very Juno organization of the movie. Very cool. And the guy from 3rd Rock from the Sun was a good fit for the lead male I think. Deschanel has always had a different styles in her flicks. She was in that show Pushing Daisies and and she sings in a Cotton Commercial. She actually reminds me a lot of my friend Kristen (This Ride Called Life) in her style.... bangs too! Ha!

Youtube of Trailer.

Are you ready for a laugh?

Then click here! Those poor people of Cleveland have a terrible news station.

Modern Family on ABC

Have you all seen this promo?? I may wanna watch this, I mean not as badly as I want to see The Time Traveler's Wife but I mean, it looks decent! And I've been waiting on a new sitcom! I'm fairly certain that the gay couple with the adopted baby takes the cake! If anything, watch it to see the bits about fairies and cream puffs ;)

Red hot numbers!

Noo they aren't mine but... I think I am gonna make these bad boys! They are so teeny and cute! They'd be great for Valentine's!c

For cupcakes fun check out Lil Miss Cupcake!

Labor Day Rule Makes Me Droool

I love white. White cotton, white linen, white jean, white skirt, white capri, I mean...I love it. And I'm not entirely excited about giving it up come September. I went to the mall the other day and the colors are just so depressing. On a cloudy day... what does Emily typically wear? She puts on her BRIGHTEST color top and a pair of white pants, so to say, "TAKE THAT, BAD WEATHER!". With all these drab colors for new fall lines.... what ever will I do?

Sometimes it just doesn't work...

Guiliana from E! had a fabulous wedding a year ago, in Capri Italy and it was beaaautiful. She married Bill Rancic, from the Apprentice. I loved every second of it that they showed on tv. She also does a great job as an anchor because she is very high energy and chatty. However, as a reality tv star, her life is...frankly.... b.o.r.i.n.g. I saw the debut of her show.... she and her hubby move into their new NYC brownstone... finally opening their wedding gifts... from yes, a year ago....wonder how the guests must feel... how classy. Here's the scoop on the show. As a side note, the couple has never lived together before and Giuliana seems much more interested in her gay bff than her hubby. Do we think this marriage will last? Watch the show... you tell me!

*MOVIE WARNING*

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT pay money to go see The Ugly Truth. It was so bad that I should have just stayed home and watched tv! The Kardasians would have entertained me far more than this movie did. It was not funny at all and Katherine Heigl just sorta sucked. The whole movie I was checking out her hair extensions, how they would look on me... then her outfits.. where did she get those....... yep, don't go!

Is there something we aren't getting?

So I'm confused... I thought that Angelina was supposed to be one hot mama but all I can see here is... Grannie Annie! What is the deal? Is THIS the new looks for Moms? Cause... it sure looks alot like something from Grandma Geoghegan's closet! It's interesting how she dresses her kids in cute grunge but doesn't do the same for herself. Gwen Stefani loves the same kids look but still manages to dress her age! None the less, I've never been a big fan of her wardrobe. Can't she be more Jennifer Garner cute?

...And all this aside, aren't Zara and Shiloh the CUTEST?

ZOTS

My friend Debbie told me about these and boy are they a lifesaver sometimes! I use them on my cupcake boxes to secure ribbon when the cupcakes are a gift. And I used them just recently when sending a wedding present to a friend in NJ. I hate how ribbon always rolls around on a package. If you put a ZOT under the knot, the ribbon will stick tight! Give it a zot, I mean, shot! ;)

Make it look hard (but it's really easy) meal!

Salad: everything in the fridge plus some from the freezer! A pack of peppers pre-sliced by Trader Joes. Carrots from the baggie bag! 1/2 a tomato. And some frozen soy beans defrosted and popped from their shells (takes about two minutes!)

Burgers: Morning Star spicy black bean burgers topped with pre-sliced onion from Trader's, tomato slice, ketchup and mustard - all atop a whole grain bun. For Dave's I gave him two patties and added cheese and a slice of pre-cooked bacon.

Fries: from the freezer as well! Sweet potato fries topped with a sprinkle of blue cheese (the ONLY way to eat them!)

Maybe this will give you some incentive when you think there is absolutely NOTHING for dinner! ;)

The Rita's got a new look!

In my search for some gummy limes... I found lime jellybeans instead! lol I think they are cute, what do you think about the Margarita cupcake's new 'do?

A HEALTHY Summer Meal!

So while reading Skinny Bitch I have been avoiding meat like it's the plague! But this is making cooking dinner a huge challenge for me - finding vegetarian recipes where ever I can! I'm very much enjoying this challenge however I am not quite sure Dave is as happy. lol. He is dealing and I stick meat on his plate whenever I can! ;)

Since it's August and I have been waiting for this month to come all summer... I went all out on Tomatoes and Basil at the store this week! So I had to start dinners this week with a SUPER fabulous summer favorite of mine... Tomato Sandwiches! The way I make mine: toast whole wheat bread. for two people mix:3/4 cup light mayo, a little lemon juice and some olive oil with a handful of chopped basil. Slice up two small tomatoes. Spread the mayo mixture over both sides of the bread, top with fresh tomato slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper before topping with other piece of bread and slicing on the diagonal (because it looks prettier!)

I made a Yummy Potato Salad from Martha Stewart's magazine - from the Healthy eating section which turned out to be superb!

Buttermilk Potato Salad -Martha Stewart Living, Aug 09

serves 8

3 pounds small red potatoes

1/4c and 1 T of sour cream

1/3c low-fat buttermilk

2 T prepared horseradish

2 t coarse salt

1/4c dill sprigs (i used 1 teaspoon dried)

1/4c finely chopped chives

Cover potatoes with water by 1.5 inches in a 2qut pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and summer until potatoes can be pierced easily with the tip of a knife - about 20 min. Drain and let cool completely. Cut into quarters. Thn stir potatoes, sour cream, buttermilkl, horseradish, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Gently stir in herbs just before serving.

Zucchini

I also had some zucchini that I put in the pan on high with a dab of butter and let them brown. Then after taking it off the heat I put 1/4c of italian breadcrumbs in and mixed it all together.

And lastly I made a big pot of Ellie Krieger's Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup that was in the magazine Quick and Fresh, Aug 09

Creamy Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh corn kernels or 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen, thawed
• 2 cups nonfat milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium zucchini, (about 1/2 pound) diced
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Directions

Put 2 cups of the corn and the milk into a blender or food processor, until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini and cook, stirring until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of corn and the broth and bring to a boil. Add the pureed corn and tomatoes and cook until warmed through, but not boiling. Add the salt and season with pepper. Serve garnished with the basil ribbons.

serves 6

Zada's J's

I'm sure I've talked about Zada's before but I do LOVE it so! It's around the corner from our house and a huge hit on the weekend for brunch-goers! The food is so unique. It's got a healthy granola-friendly menu but on the other hand it serves breakfast all day and many of the items have a hispanic influence. If you live in Charlotte, hit this place up. Try the Hummus Frummus for lunch which is taboulet, a house salad, and pita wedges served with red pepper hummus. I highly recommend the peppery herb vinaigarette, it is my absolute FAVORITE. Dave and I love their spin on nachos. They use lots of blackbeans with cooked veggies with queso and guac over some black bean chips! They also have a different quesadilla which includes black beans, monteray jack cheese and SWEET POTATOES. Love it. They have killer biscuits and a yummy shrimp and grits. So go there, you won't be disappointed! :)

Where in the world is Eileen now?

Well let me ust tell you where my favorite boutique who last I saw was relocating (in Spring) went.... ARIZONA! Yes girls, Arizona! What in the world? And here I thought they were relocating IN town! Disappointed, had to share.

R.I.P Eileen

SOS

HELP! I have a black tie event coming up this fall and I have one, never been to a black tie event and two, I don't have a black evening gown! I don't even know where to look, if you have any advice on where I could shop for a fabulous dress for a fabulous price, please let me know! I think that typically the dresses worn are floor length but I always see celebrities wearing tea-length dresses. Do you think that's appropriate? If so, I would much rather that as I could get more use out of something shorter for furture events. I am open to anything! HELP!

I'm in love...

....with Fine Cooking Magazine! Beth, Dave's mom had a copy just recently and I had seen it once before but seeing it again, renewed my love! This cooking magazine is full of SIMPLE and EASY.... AND HEALTHY recipes. Three words that I love! The magazine is also categorized by type of food - vegetarian (which is what i am leaning towards lately and those recipes are hard to find), seafood, beef/pork/chicken, sides, etc. Really an all around great magazine! And thank goodness they have a website because maybe I won't have to sign up for another magazine to come to my house (I already have plenty!).

Cybill... remember the days...

Okay Okay so maybe I was one of the few who watched her show BUT I have always had a girl crush on Christine Baranski! Loved her in the Grinch as the Mayor's wife and loved her even more as the hot divorcee in Mamma Mia! If you haven't seen her in either of these shows, you need to! It will make you crave your girlfriends because she is blunt and ridiculously funny. Her characters seems to always be over the top women who have great confidence and maybe even love a little Pinot.. ;)

Wine-A-Rita

So.. first time I've heard of this! My Godmother and I were talking on the phone the other night and she was having some ladies over to play bridge but she said she couldn't find her cards and that bridge really wasn't the focus but it was more about the mexican themed eats and her wine-a-rita mix! Haha! She said she had used it on 3 different occassions already - SO it must be good! :) It looks like their products also include a Cosmorita and a Bellini! Yum! Just some wine-o fun for thought ;)

For the Kiddos!

If you're throwing a party at home or school for the kiddos... this would be a great idea! You don't have to worry about making the perfect cupcake when you can just plop white cupcakes down into a sugar cone and let the kids do the decorating! To see more on this go here.

New Job, one week down!

So I officially LOVE my new job! There's tons to do so I am very busy during my time there, 9-2. But it's awesome because I have my own office again, which I haven't had since two years ago. I even have my own name plate! So official! Everyone is super nice and I won an itouch at our quarterly staff luncheon on my first day there - pretty nice! I love my boss, she is super cool. And the atmosphere there is totally relaxed - we can wear jeans every day if we wanted to and didn't have meetings - nice jeans and top but still...!! I love the fact that I am doing something "good" too. It's so nice to be doing something that is worth all the time in effort because you are making a difference in the fan's lives. So, after two months without a steady job, I am very thankful to have found this perfect fit!

Looking for a reason to...

...MAKE THESE... All I can say is... YUM.

Cutest Teddy Ever!

How about this for some summer inspiration! This is the cutest lil bear on the block! I just adore this idea and I think that you could use the Teddy Graham for so many other cupcake themes. Ooo! Babyshow... writing that one down!