Seasoned With Words

Hello World.

2010-12-19T17:29:00.000-05:00

I might resurrect this blog in the new year. I'm headed to Colorado for Christmas! 2010 has been a great year for us and hopefully 2011 will be even better.

PeliCAN

2010-06-29T06:25:00.000-04:00

We went out on the boat one last time before the oil gets here.

So sad.

We saw beautiful pelicans and seagulls and I wondered if they would survive all of this.

These are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Gorgeous white sand and emerald water.

Now it is going to be ruined and it infuriates me.

What is so hard is that we are helpless. There's nothing that can be done to stop it from coming here.

One above and one below.

2010-06-28T06:20:00.000-04:00

This is the week that I finally get to see my idol.

I've been obsessed with Hole since I was about 13.

I'm driving to Atlanta on Wednesday.

I will be leaving that morning (5 hr drive) and then coming back after the show (another 5 hour drive),

to go back to work the next day.

Craziness.

It will be worth it though.

I'm so incredibly excited.

Anyone catch the Behind the Music episode last week?

Here's a clip of it.

I was in tears watching it.

Here's the fabulous Miss World video.

Only two days to go!

Sunbaby.

2010-06-24T17:18:00.000-04:00

A word of advice.

Remember to reapply!

Oh, and also don't let your husband put the sunblock on you.

I have the weirdest sunburn.

Drippy, lol.

Ahoy!

2010-06-23T05:24:00.001-04:00

I have always had a love of all things nautical.

I found an online shop that shares the same sentiment.

I have found nautical heaven at Daytrip Society.

These are a few of my favorite things:

Bars on the window, lol.

2010-06-22T06:13:00.000-04:00

Tuesday = Feet Love!

Photo taken at work.

Of course this is not my office.

I did get to borrow it for a day.

Instead my office is a cave with no windows. :(

Gold and silver

2010-06-21T06:22:00.000-04:00

How about something poppy and funny today?

Sounds good to me.

This song will now be stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

Always happens to me. :)

Systematic Bullying?!?!

2010-06-17T05:50:00.000-04:00

Please tell me there are others out there that have been watching the RHONY reunion!

It really was a roller coaster of emotions.

The most heart breaking is seeing the relationship between Bethenny & Jill deteriorate.

It was like watching my own life.

I've been in a situation similar to it and I was almost crying watching it.

Just to see Jill keep saying that she missed Bethenny and apologizing,

and Bethenny just standing her ground.

I've been Bethenny.

I thought Jill had been so nasty this season, but she kind of redeems herself on the reunion.

She apologized for everything and admitted every mistake.

We all know how hard it is to admit when we are wrong.

Can you imagine doing it on television?

This season I loved the tight knit group of Bethenny, Alex, Sonja, and Ramona.

Their bonding trip together was so great to watch especially after Krazy Kelly left.

Kelly Bensimon is a total nutjob!

Systematic bullying?! Give me a break.

The Real Housewives of New York City - Videos - Kelly Walks Off | Bravo TV Official Site

She seriously needs some help.

I'm hoping next season we see a lot more of Sonja.

That woman is fierce!

Finally, a woman who is secure with her sexuality and lets everyone know.

Also, how refreshing was it to see Alex finally stand up for herself.

She has really grown on me this season.

Be sure to watch the last part of the reunion tonight!

I'm sure it will be just as entertaining as the others! :)

Just found out that The Real House Wives of DC starts in August!

Absolutely can not wait for this show to start!

Check out my other posts on RHONY: here, here, and here

Atlanta Bound Ikea.

2010-06-16T05:30:00.000-04:00

I have been wanting a Billy Bookcase from Ikea for a long time now.

I have boxes and boxes of books that I can't display because I have no bookcase.

I will hopefully be picking up this beauty in a few weeks!

With some doors possibly. :)

I'm thinking about getting this for my office at work.

I can see myself sleeping on this during my lunch breaks, lol.

Flowers a bloomin'

2010-06-15T05:43:00.000-04:00

It's Tuesday=Feet Love!

I took this photo a few weeks ago at my coworkers wedding.

"You mean 'til death do us part? I mean like cyanide, strangulation or an axe to your head."

2010-06-14T06:49:00.000-04:00

There are some days that Sugarbutt & I just feel like this.

This weekend was one of them. :(

All is good now.

Just one more!

2010-06-11T05:59:00.000-04:00

Here's one last post on our Austin trip.

One of the days we went to Ginny's Little Longhorn for Chicken Shit Bingo!

You read that correctly.

They actually have a thing called Chicken Shit Bingo.

Here's a video of how it works.

We sadly did not win. :(

We still had a fun time though.

I took Sugarbutt to Barton Springs one morning for a swim,
but it was closed due to a sewage spill. :(
He was really disappointed.
I still took pictures of it though.

So, instead of swimming I took him to Birds Barbershop for a haircut.

Later, we did some shopping on Lamar Street.

My cousin and I were on the search for some cowboy boats,

but those suckers are expensive.

I still had to try on a pair.

After shopping we went bowling at The Highball.

It was a pretty swanky bowling alley.

They had the best watermelon mojitos. So good!

One of the nights we went to The Mean-Eyed Cat bar.
It was completely covered with Johnny Cash memorabilia.
We had some cider and listened to a band.

My one suggestion if you ever visit Austin is to go to Esther's Follies.
I haven't laughed so hard in a while.

They put on a great show with audience participation

and random people you see outside on the street.

It is hilarious!

'cause I'm a skydiver!

2010-06-10T06:33:00.000-04:00

On May 29th my Sugarbutt finally got to go skydiving!

It was exactly a month after his birthday.

I have not seen him this happy in such a long time.

He had the biggest smile on his face.

This is Sugarbutt and his friend walking to the plane.

See, doesn't he look happy?

Here he is floating down.

Safely on the ground and about to drag the instructor.

Battle wound.
His googles cut into his nose on the way down, but it didn't phase him one bit.

He was smiling for the rest of the weekend.

This is a really blurry photo, but I had to share it.
It's of our friend when he landed.
How cute is that?
Trying to hug the instructor!

Sleepyhead.

2010-06-09T05:21:00.001-04:00

Two things that I want:

more sleep!!!

and

a new mattress so I don't feel like an old lady every morning!

Hopefully in a few weeks we will be getting a new mattress,

which means I might get a good night sleep.

Fingers crossed. :)

Oh, and I was walking around Bed, Bath, and Beyond

when I came across the Amy Butler collection!

You ladies know how much I love Amy Butler fabric.

So, maybe when I'm rich I can buy this bedding:

...american fox....

2010-06-08T05:47:00.001-04:00

I know I missed Monday, but I'm doing this anyways.

My cousin introduced me to this band called The Correspondents.

They are considered swing-hop or something along those lines.

Enjoy!

Here's a little bio from their facebook page:

"MC Mr Bruce and DJ/Producer Mr Chuckles collaborate to make Hip Hop for the 1930s, Big Band music for the 00s. Splicing swing samples with squelchy synths over dusty drum loops they’ve depicted a modern day journey into time of rogue’s, lust, affordable clowns and foot-tapping toe curling "get your brogues on" dance floor swing beat.

The Correspondents started out in November 2007, when old friends, Mr Bruce and Mr Chuckles, returned to London after a firm schooling at their respective Universities. In Leeds Mr Chuckles had been tinkering with the sounds of Hip Hop, Jazz and Dance music for several years, meanwhile further North in Edinburgh Mr Bruce exerted his vocal dexterity over Drum 'n' Bass, Breaks & Funk. The unlikely pair cut their teeth at a few parties and decided to cement the live performance relationship in their makeshift recording studio. Since then tracks have been recorded, stages have been stomped and knees have hit nipples. "

Holy Roses.

2010-06-08T05:32:00.000-04:00

It's Tuesday Feet=Love, my dears.

I bought these cute delicate socks in Austin.

I love them.

They make me feel like a lady, lol.

"Tell me ho ho, ho holy roller, can you feel my flame?"

2010-06-04T09:15:00.040-04:00

One day on our trip to Austin we were Me So Hungry, lol.

So we headed to Driftwood, TX to the Salt Lick.

Everyone said they had the best bbq.

We had to wait for an hour to be seated.

We saw many cowboys and listened to an awful band while waiting.

At least they had fresh lemonade and homemade potato chips for you.

We had a family style meal.

I loved the brisket the most.

Alison loved the sausage.

Sugarbutt loved the ribs.

We chowed down.

We also got a lesson on waiters in England.

I think it was good for Sugarbutt to know because

when we go to visit I don't want him punching out a waiter, lol.

Now he knows that they are just rude to everyone.

After dinner we headed to the Roller Derby match between

The Holy Rollers v. The Hellcats.

The Holy Rollers won! It was such an intense match at the end.

Smarty Pants was the best player of the night!

Afterwards we headed to 6th Street to party.

We hit up Coyote Ugly.

I will tell you, those women do some nasty things with limes, lol.

This was probably Sugarbutt's favorite part of the trip!

We had many cherry bomb shots and cranberry vodkas that night to loosen us up.

I resisted getting up on the bar. Our favorite bartender really tried to get me up there, but I refused.

This is her:

We later headed to The Jackalope to meet up with the Roller Derby girls.

We should have went there first because all of the drinks were so much cheaper!

We talked awhile with the roller derby girl, Grey Ghost, and her boyfriend.

I remembered later that her boyfriend was the one that was kinda passed out
from drinking so much and I went by him and made this really loud noise (hard to
explain, but Sugarbutt does it all of the time) to scare him. It was hilarious.

To the bat cave.

2010-06-03T11:01:00.000-04:00

Our first night in Austin we went to the original Whole Foods.

I picked up some stuff to make kabobs and a salad for dinner.

It was a great idea to rent an apartment while we were there.

Here's Alison in the living room.

This is the view of the street.

I quickly realized that Austin had to be one of the healthiest cities in the U.S.

Everyone was riding bikes and eating organic everything, lol.

Downtown Austin.

This is the bridge that the bats fly out of at sunset.

Of course we never saw that.

We went two nights in a row and they never came out because it was overcast!

Sucked. But we met some interesting people.

I loved meeting this cute little couple from the Netherlands.

The bat sign:

Alison and Sugarbutt waiting on the bats.

Alison and I still waiting.

Me and my man. He's looking tipsy, but I don't remember drinking.

Look at everyone just waiting.

We were all disappointed.

I'll tell you one thing, though, I would not want to be

standing on that bridge when thousands of bats flew out!

. . . . to be continued.

2010-06-02T08:30:00.000-04:00

These are some things I saw in Austin that I bought.

I went to Texas and bought a glass of Florida, lol.

I'm not right in the head, am I?

Best bbq sauce! Sugarbutt just had to buy a bottle.

So, for some reason I went on this tea towel kick.

I bought 3 tea towels.

I didn't even own a tea towel before this.

I found this Weimaraner print at Tesoros Trading Company.

So true.

I bought much more, but you get the drift from these few items.

Cute as a bow.

2010-06-01T07:30:00.000-04:00

It's Tuesday = Foot Love.

I bought these shoes in Austin.

This was taken waiting outside before the roller derby match.

Sad story, these are mary jane shoes and the strap broke the next day. :(

I need to learn how to sew so that I can fix them.

"Seal my fate with a photograph that our kids will look back on and laugh, and they won't believe that we ever were young"

2010-05-31T10:48:00.000-04:00

Here are just a few photos from the show at Encore's

Here is Alison enjoying the song "check, check, 1, 2, 1, 2, check, check"

That was the running joke all night.

It was like, just play the music already!

So annoying.

Alison and Sugarbutt on the back deck.

Just a cool photo of Quiet Company.

I love this app.

I love Alison's expression here.

This was when she realized there were no paper towels in the bathroom, lol.

"There's no one in this life quite like the two of us." These could not be truer words.

2010-05-31T10:26:00.000-04:00

Hallelujah! She's back from the dead.

My computer is fixed!

I can't believe I haven't been able to post anything from our trip to Austin.

So, here we go.

Since it is Music Monday it is only fitting that I present a band that we saw in Austin.

We ended up at this club called Encore.

I loved the layout of it. Bars, stage inside, and nice outdoor area with a stage.

My favorite band of the night was Quiet Company.

Loved them so much that I actually bought 2 of their cds.

And I'm a girl who doesn't buy cds anymore.

Just their presence alone makes them a great band.

The energy in that place was amazing.

Everyone was singing a long and dancing.

People ran up on to the stage and sang a long next to them.

It was a great show.

This video was taken at the show we were at. We make a cameo appearance in it, lol.
Around the 2:25 minute mark we are standing near a doorway. Sugarbutt is wearing a v-neck shirt.
There's a better shot at the 3:13 mark.

Here is a video compilation of all the bands that night.
I am pretty sure that I'm the one at the end of the video taking a pic with my iPhone.
Check out the 6:20 mark!

One more thing, I am aware that if you are at my blog reading the posts that the videos are cut off.

If you read my blog in google reader then you'll be able to see the video better. :)

2010-05-24T10:23:00.000-04:00

Sorry I haven't been posting. My iMac crashed! I'm actually using my iPhone to post this, lol. Hopefully I'll have my Mac working later this week. Thanks for understanding, my dear hearts. :)

Blog friend?

2010-05-20T06:59:00.000-04:00

Quick question.

When you are talking to someone (in person) about something you read on someone else's blog,

how do you word where you read it from?

I'm constantly telling Sugarbutt what I saw on someone else's blog.

I feel stupid because I just say, "My blog friend said this or that" and he looks at me weird.

How else would you say it?

Feet Love: Week 10

2010-05-18T06:29:00.000-04:00

It's Tuesday Foot Love!

Original started by My Teacups in Peony. :)

This past weekend I took the guys to go get pedicures.

Their wives were on a girls weekend, so I helped the guys have a girly guy weekend!

It was hilarious because none of them have ever had one, except for my hubby.

They absolutely loved it.

How can a guy resist a beer and a woman rubbing their feet?

Flying high.

2010-05-17T07:22:00.000-04:00

I am trying to get back into the swing of things.

Coming back from vacation is hard.

Posts might be a bit slack this week.

I'm apologizing in advance.

Thank you to all of the ladies that were guest bloggers while I was gone!

I really appreciate it.

Gardening - Bugs & Economics

2010-05-13T22:56:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone! My name is Donna. I am a little late in posting for the day, was at City Hall. Always exciting when you visit City Hall!

Anyone start a vegetable garden this year?

Some potential problems.

Cabbage Loopers - a white butterfly looking insect

Brassicas Genus: the root (swedes, turnips), stems (kohlrabi), leaves (cabbage, brussels sprouts), flowers (cauliflower, broccoli), and seeds (many, including mustard seed, oilseed rape).

Army worms and Slugs also target Cabbage, not to mention the dreaded Cabbage Maggot and Club Root.

Here's a disgusting Army Worm that made it inside one of my Cabbages last year. Yes, I use Chopsticks and occasionally flame to patrol my food patch.

There are also leaf holes and that messy, mushy substance? That is worm poop. Yes. Worm poop. So gross.

Cucumber Beetles (Striped, Spotted - Southern Corn Worm), these guys are fast!

Cucurbitaceae Family: melons, gourds or cucurbits and includes crops like cucumbers, squashes (including pumpkins), luffas, melons and watermelons.

Nightshade (Solanum) Genus: Tomatoes, Peppers, Potatoes, Eggplants. These suffer mostly from disease. Eggplants get Flea Beetles and Potatoes the Colorado Potato Beetle. There is also lack of fertilizer and soil heat conditions that can cause problems with growth and encourage disease.

Flea Beetle damage, I believe this is on an Arugula/Rocket/Roquette leaf.

Economics - Can a Vegetable Garden Save You Money?

There's Burpee's Money Garden, a good experiment to see if you think there is economic value in gardening and a really nice seed package to garden with kids.

Nightshades:

Potatoes - not really

Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplants - yes

Brassicas - not really other than ... Purple Brussels Sprouts, the Roots (Rutabagas & Turnips), and Cauliflower.

Cucurbits - depends ... that aren't all that easy. Zucchini sure, everyone could use a Zucchini plant in their garden (1 or 2). There is an amazing variety here; Orange Watermelons, Gourds overall, and lots of different winter squashes.

Onions - I am leaning towards yes.

Corn - depends on your space, color choices, and how you deal with corn pest.

Herbs - definitely. What's a Rosemary plant cost vs a grocery fresh Rosemary purchase?

One thing of note, please be patient and space things properly. Just about everything can be grown in containers. Where I am from, Iowa (and I don't think it is just Iowans), plants are put out way too early. Yes, you are a gardener. Your space maybe small but you are also a Farmer. Watch your weather. You can get time to plant calendars all day long, including Lunar Planting Dates, but ultimately you are the ones that will have to care for your babies. If they get a bug or disease, you are the Nurse or Doctor. Some patients do not recover or recover fully. Hold back. No matter what the charts say. No matter what everyone else is doing. And no matter how much you LOVE nightshade plants and want your planting to be over with. Be patient. Not to be too Hippie but you are dealing with Mother Earth, and even if you are female, she is far more moody than you. :)

I occasionally post on a blog titled: domestica. These are all my own ideas/opinions that I have learned either through reading or experience. I am not a professional grower.

chelseaed with words.

2010-05-12T02:24:00.004-04:00

heyhihello!

its chelsea from triumphs and blunders of a kooky gal.

can you believe i was trusted to do a guest post while the lovely Season is off having fun in texas!? i mean what shall i do first? i could drastically change the layout or post a billion crazy posts... haha, but i would never. instead i'll share some of my favorite tunes!

{and because i have a one track mind and summer officially started for me yesterday}.. i present my twentyten SUMMER playlist. summer is all about the dancing jams that you can bust a move to. i think of driving in the car with the windows down and summer nights spent at the park! so without further ado the soundtrack to me summer!

now all i want to do is grab a big gulp filled with lemonade, strap a boom box to my bike, fly a kite, and ride around at the beach!

HAPPY SUMMER!

Well Hello There..

2010-05-10T18:34:00.000-04:00

Well hello there readers! My girl Season is hanging out in Texas, so you're ~~stuck~~ hanging out with me on this fine Monday.

Allow me to introduce myself, as this is our first date. My name is Lori and I hang out over at Kids, Canines, and Chaos. I'm a first/second grade teacher for students who are emotionally disturbed in a self-contained classroom. As is usually the case with teachers, I'm constantly trying to learn something on a daily basis. In order to do this I ask a trillion questions. And that leads me in to the topic of today's post... some of life's greatest questions, or things I often ponder when I have trouble sleeping.

Why are hot dogs called hot dogs? I mean, they are hot-- I get that part. But they aren't made from dogs or any part of a dog, so why the name?
Why are rainbows called rainbows? Again, I get they come after the rain but they aren't in the shape of a bow. At least none that I've seen.
Where do the socks go when they are lost in the dryer? I've done some deep searching in the depths of my dryer and I have yet to find those missing socks. No chance the dryer eats them, right?
Do all rivers really lead to the sea? The teacher in me says no because the water could evaporate somewhere along the way and there are probably molecules of water out there that never make it to the sea. So perhaps the river leads to the sea, but the water in it may never make it there. Hmm.

There are plenty more questions I often ponder, but I've had to answer questions about tarantulas eating their babies, the number of rings around Jupiter, and why outer space is dark if the sun is always shining... so my brain is a teeny bit fried.

What questions do you have?

You're good with the funny, you old nutbag.

2010-05-07T16:00:00.000-04:00

Hey hey hey Everybody!

I'm Siovhan ... and I normally blog over at The Siovhan Show.

(Dude and it's totally kismet that it's my day on Season's blog because she's featured today on MINE!)

So here's a little about me (all bloggy first-date style):

I grew up moving across the country but spent most of my growin up years in Boston (holla!), I went to school in Utah and after that decided to see what the West Coast is all about and moved to Oregon.

I'm a TV news producer and work at my local ABC station.

I'm a great big goof ... I subscribe to the idea that life is not even worth it if you can't laugh.

And I snort when I laugh ... so if I'm willing to suffer embarrassment for it -- you know it's gotta be worth it.

So because it's nearly the weekend (can I get a "what! what!") I'm gonna share some funny.

This person COMMITTED to this gag ... that's gonna take some time to do that.

Someone saved this as "How to sleep at work" ... I've never wished I was bald til right now.

Double whammy because I love Mean Girls and mocking Twilight.

Hahahahaha. This made me cackle laugh at work.

I hope I've made you all at least chuckle some.

Come on over and visit me at The Siovhan Show.

And don't forget to wish Season a HAPPY VACATION!

The Life of a Picky Eater

2010-05-06T06:29:00.000-04:00

Hello all! My name is Krysten and usually I blog over at After 'I Do'. Usually I just blabber on about my life, my husband and my cute little pets. But since I'm guest blogging I figured I'd talk about something different.

I'm going to let you all in on a little secret.

I am the world's pickiest eater.

When I am at a restaurant, especially a restaurant I haven't been before, I panic. I try to find one of the few things I like. Usually that means some kind of chicken (with no weird sauce), steak (with no weird sauce) or a burger. The only soup I like is minestrone or chicken noodle. I don't like eggs, peppers or anything weird in my salad. And most appetizers I do not do. Oh, and pasta? The only sauce I like is marinara. Kind of limiting.

This drives my husband nuts. Because restaurants are one thing. But a wife who is a picky eater is a wife who isn't the world's most adventurous cook. My husband will eat pretty much anything except seafood but because I am so picky our choices are as follows:

Pizza
Tacos
Spaghetti
Steak
Chicken
Burgers
Hot dogs (grilled)

And... that's about it. Sometimes we will even eat separate meals just so he can branch out and quit eating, as I call it, "kid food." Because lets face it, my palate seems to have stopped right around the palate of a 12 year old.

Oh how I wish I liked things Cajun jambalaya pasta, omelettes with everything or even just Chinese food (yep, I hate Chinese food). Oh how I wish I could cook something more exciting than spaghetti.

Or maybe I should just eat dessert for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Now there is a thought.

Farewell my dear hearts.

2010-05-05T10:45:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow we are getting on a plane and heading to Austin, TX to see this girl:

We were freaking adorable, lol.

I look pissed off and she looks like an adorable dork.

I can't wait to spend a week with her.

We barely get to see each other since I live in the US and she's in the UK,

Sugarbutt is excited to see her just because of her english accent, lol.

While I'm away I have lined up some lovely ladies to guest blog for me. :)

Thursday: Krysten from After 'I Do'

Friday: Siovhan from The Siovhan Show (who is also my pen pal!)

Monday: Lori from Kids, Canines, and Chaos

Tuesday: Julianne from With Love

Wednesday: Chelsea from TRIUMPHS and blunders of a KOOKY gal

I'm still waiting to hear back from some other ladies, not sure if it will happen though

That's what I got right now.

Sounds like we are in for a treat.

I can't wait to read their blog posts when I get back next week!

You can follow me on twitter to see what I'm up to while I'm gone. :)

Here's one more picture of us.

Written on the back of this picture it said,

Season and Alison were fighting and making up.

Awwww, so cute.

Plus sized? No way!

2010-05-05T09:22:00.000-04:00

I meant to post about this last week but I forgot.

I'm sure all of you have seen this commercial by now.

My lovely pen pal & blog friend wrote a great post about it.

Read it at The Siovhan Show.

Eclectic Mix

2010-05-05T08:07:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite stores to browse online is Rockett St George.

I have not had the pleasure of buying anything from them yet.

Here is what I have my eyes on.

These are keyboard stickers meant to look like a vintage typewriter.

I've been wanting a Moroccan Pouf for about a year now.

This silver one would look great in my living room. :)

A stylish way to recycle? Yes, please!

I have been searching for an antique map of the UK, but this will do for now.

And just for fun, I want these.

I love love love Russian Nesting Dolls.

Plus, these are on sale right now!

What would you buy from Rockett St George,

if you could buy anything?

Feet Love: Week 10

2010-05-04T06:26:00.000-04:00

Today is Tuesday Feet Love week 10,

started by My Teacups in Peony.

Last week Sugarbutt and I went to a Nail Bar.

A nail bar is a place to get your nails done while having drinks!

Perfect combination. :)

We had herbal pedicures.

Mine was a combination of Rose & Chamomile.

I enjoyed a Blue Hawaiian.

I love anything that involves cherries!

Here's my manly man getting his herb concoction put on his legs.

I was supposed to have sparkly gold on my toes,

but my guy broke the bottle. :(

Instead I have sparkly purple.

It works.

Orzo.

2010-05-03T16:38:00.000-04:00

With this amazing weather I'm sure most of you are having bbq's.

I want to eat outside all of the time and I've been making a salad almost every night.

Well, my friend, Heather, gave me the recipe for her summer pasta salad.

It is so delicious.

I don't have exact measurements.

That is all up to you.

Throw together: lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, balsamic vinegar,

salt/pepper, artichokes, italian seasoning, olives, tomatoes, feta,

roasted red peppers, and cooked orzo.

Plus, any other veggies you might want to add!

So simple and fresh.

I made this one night with those lamb meatball gyro things and it was delicious!

The old ball 'n chain.

2010-05-03T10:08:00.000-04:00

Six years ago (yesterday) I walked down the aisle to this song (the instrumental version):

and married my Sugarbutt:

I'm a lucky girl.

Advice to engaged couples: Just elope! It's about the two of you not everyone else.

That has been one of our biggest regrets.

We both hated our wedding and wish we had just eloped.

Just a thought. :)

We don't even celebrate our wedding anniversary.

We celebrate the day we met. 11 years and counting!

It means so much more to us.

Be my guest.

2010-04-30T06:41:00.000-04:00

I'm just going to throw this out there.

Not really expecting for anyone to jump on this,

but it would be awesome if you did!

We are going to Austin from May 5th - 11th.

I'm looking for guest bloggers for those days.

I take weekends off, so I will only need 5 bloggers.

Please let me know if you are interested.

How can you resist this face?

Lazy days in the sun.

2010-04-30T06:40:00.000-04:00

The weather has been absolutely perfect here lately.

I love this warmer (not too warm!) weather & sunshine.

So do the boys.

We go outside and lay in the grass and read.

How adorable is Olive?

He just passed out in the sun.

He's a total sun baby.

Catching up on Alice I Have Been for the

Slow Readers Book Club.

When Jane was cool.

2010-04-29T07:18:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, Style Rookie wrote an in depth post on the magazine Sassy.

This kid knows her shit.

She gives me hope for her generation.

Sassy honestly shaped me into the person I am today.

It opened up my eyes to so much that I was missing.

It's really sad that there is not a mag out there that was like Sassy for young girls today.

You can read the Kurt/Courtney interview: here.

Hey there frenchy.

2010-04-28T10:54:00.000-04:00

I found Harmonie-intérieure last year some time.

I feel in love with their wall stickers.

They are so dreamy and gorgeous.

I can just imagine using some of them in a kids room.

Adorable.

When you are on their site be sure to check out their house.

Holy hell, it's so beautiful.

What I wouldn't do to have a house in the French country.

Here are a few old ones:

Feet Love: Week 9

2010-04-27T06:29:00.000-04:00

It's Tuesday Feet Love, the wedding edition.

Saturday we went to a coworkers wedding.

She's the one who actually got me my current job.

We clean up pretty nicely.

Isn't her gown just gorgeous?

Cute wedding favors!

I love weddings. I'm such a sap. I got teary eyed a few times through the night.

Curry, Wine, and BB Guns.

2010-04-26T09:36:00.000-04:00

Hope all of you lovlies had a wonderful weekend!

We sure did.

Friday night we went to a friends house for dinner.

Dr. W made us Trinidadian curry again!

Curry, Wine, and Great Friends = A Perfect Night.

M. kept the wine flowing all night.

Baby Sebastian and Bella!
Too cute.
Sebastian had on the cutest skull & crossbone shoes.

Sugarbutt and Dr. S in deep conversation.
I would say about The Hills or The City, but that's only when she talks to me, lol.

I love all of Dr. S expressions.

She is hilarious.

Saturday our friends gave Sugarbutt an early birthday present.

A BB gun!

Here's H. trying to pump air into that sucker.

It's actually hard to do.

All of the guys had their own.

This photo just cracks me up.

Is my Sugarbutt turning into a redneck?! Never!

I'm Pretty on the Inside

2010-04-26T08:25:00.000-04:00

Bare with me. I'm about to totally geek out on you. I understand that Courtney Love is a very controversial people. You either love her or hate her. The moment that Live Through This came out, I was obsessed. I listened to that album every single day for over a year. No exaggeration. It's like it woke something up in me. My life was all about Courtney Love and Hole. I'm sure many people were annoyed by me. This lasted for many many years. I bought absolutely everything that had to do with Hole. I have every single album and some singles also. When I heard that she was releasing a new album I was bracing myself for the worst. See, Courtney released this album a few years ago called America's Sweetheart, and it pains me to say this, but it was the worst. I hated it. I have never hated anything by her, except for that album. Nobody's Daughter is being released this week, but I downloaded it last week. I have been listening to it constantly. I love it! I really really love it. It makes me so happy. She has finally found herself again. Courtney is looking and sounding better than ever. The only problem I have is that she is back performing under the name Hole, but none of the original band is with her. I feel that's kinda shitty. She should have come up with a new band name. Now I'm waiting for more tour dates to be released, because I am going to see her first row and center. When she released Celebrity Skin, Sugarbutt bought us tickets to go see her, but by the time the show came close she cancelled it. I was absolutely devastated. This will not happen again. I actually want to go see her by myself. I know that I'm going to be crying and looking crazy and I would rather no one I know she me at like a fool.

Hole performing at SXSW this year. This is Letter to God. In the beginning of the video she is ranting on about Brett Michael. Courtney is actually a really hilarious person. In most cases she goes on tangents about obscure things and people have no idea what she is talking about (except for me, lol) and just think she is crazy. There is always a purpose for what she is saying. It's kind of like Sugarbutt. They start talking about one thing and leads into many other things. They don't stay on one topic, but there is so much info going on in their head and they are trying to get it all out. Most people don't understand Sugarbutt half of the time either, so I'm normally his interpreter, lol. So anyways, here is Hole.

This is Hole again performing during SXSW this year. This one is an oldie! Miss World. I actually started to get teary eyed. I get sappy a hell of a lot. I'm an emotional pisces for sure. This video just makes me all sorts of happy.

One more thing, check out the cover of the album. Gorgeous. All of the covers for the singles are beautiful. I find it funny that most people don't even know who the people are on the covers. Seriously? Learn some history, people.

Are you kidding me?

2010-04-24T09:05:00.000-04:00

Last week I went to the doctor.

See, for about a month I have been exhausted. All of the time!

For no reason at all.

I could sleep the entire day every day.

I assumed it was my thyroid levels.

I have Graves Disease and hypothyroidism, so it was save to assume that's what it was.

They took two viles of blood and ran all sorts of tests.

My thyroid levels came back normal.

So, can you guess what I have?

MONO!!!!

What the hell?

The kissing disease!

I was absolutely shocked.

I now have to take it easy. Um, I can do that.

You mean I have a reason to be lazy?! Fine with me.

It can last from 10 days to 6 months.

I can't believe I'm 29 and have mono.

And who gave it to me?

Of course we found this out right after I was making out with Sugarbutt.

He seems to be immune to everything though.

I was told that it looked like I had it when I was younger, but didn't know.

Isn't that strange?

Have any of you ever had mono?

Fresh

2010-04-23T06:57:00.000-04:00

Last week we planted our first ever garden!

I'm so excited about this.

I hope it doesn't all die. :)

These are the plants we bought and Sugarbutt starting on the garden.

Our friend help to till it.

Here is our garden in all of its glory.

We planted: Chocolate Mint, Cilantro, Parsley, Cucumber, Watermelon

Pumpkin, Strawberries, Cubanelle Pepper, Red Chili, Green Bell Pepper,

Sugar Snap Peas, Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans, Corn, Grape Tomato,

Roma Tomato, Red Cherry Tomato, Sweet Potato, and Eggplant.

Here are the herbs that I've been growing inside:

They are basil, oregano, parsley, and mint.

I have found that I use a lot of parsley. It's pretty bare right now. :)

I just found out last night I have a type of disease.

And you can get it from something you do every day.

More details coming.

I will actually write a post about it tomorrow.

So look for that, because I don't normally post on the weekends.

Furbabies.

2010-04-22T05:14:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I had the pleasure of cat sitting these two precious babies.

This is Mercury. She was on the hunt for squirrels.

This is Maverick. She refused to go outside. She's so cuddly.

This is Mercury posing.

She is the sweetest thing ever.

She just purred like crazy and wouldn't let me stop petting her.

I wish I could have a cat.

Sugarbutt is allergic though. :(

Miss Dollar

2010-04-21T11:08:00.000-04:00

I first fell in love with this print when it was featured in a post on Poppytalk.

I have to have this print.

It would look amazing over my fire place.

In Bloom.

2010-04-21T09:51:00.000-04:00

I love the fact that everything is blooming right now.

Our yard is full of color and beautiful scents.

I took a photo of my roses budding.

Here they are this morning in full bloom.

There's nothing better then long stem (thornless) roses.

This little beauty smells like heaven.

Sugarbutt loves to remind me that they are the same

as the ones in the movie Bed of Roses.

Holla!

2010-04-20T06:07:00.001-04:00

I'm a follower.

Yes, I am.

I went ahead and got my own domain.

After 'I Do' inspired me to do it.

I just feels good to own a place on the internet.

Makes me happy. :)

I'm officially at

www.seasonedwithwords.com

Feet Love: Week 8

2010-04-20T06:00:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure if My Teacups in Peony is still doing the feet love project,

but I still am! :)

I am in love with this App on my Iphone.

It's called Hipstamatic.

You must get this App.

It's so cool.

They even have contests!

Update: It looks like My Teacups in Peony is taking a break from blogging,
but I'm going to continue to do this feet love project.

Pigg out.

2010-04-19T06:19:00.000-04:00

This is my first Music Monday!

Lately I have been obsessed with Landon Pigg's song High Times.

You might have heard it in the movie, Whip It.

Love it.

I could play it on repeat.

Here is a video of him performing it live.

The person who recorded must have been jumping around.

How could you not?

So the video is jumpy, but you can just listen to it instead of watching it.

If he sounds familiar but you just can't figure out why

then check out this song:

Watch out for flying balls!

2010-04-16T06:52:00.000-04:00

Last week my baby bro broke his nose!

From a softball!

Poor thing.

I can't even imagine.

This photo was taken right after.

Here he is feeling much better after surgery earlier this week.

Can't wait to see his new nose, lol.

Hope you ladies have a great weekend

and watch out for flying balls!

My man is turning 30!

2010-04-15T05:16:00.000-04:00

Sugarbutt's 30th birthday is coming up!

I wanted to have this huge party with his old friends,

with his old friends band playing,

and a drag queen! lol.

I was told by him that he wants absolutely nothing.

He wants to lay on the couch and watch movies and eat all day.

Not much fun, but I have to respect his decision.

I do have one surprise up my sleeve though.

He has always wanted to go skydiving before he turned 30.

So the weekend before his birthday him and some friends are going skydiving!

I know he will absolutely love this.

This will soon be him! :)

The Presidential

2010-04-14T11:28:00.000-04:00

I have been trying to think of what to get Sugarbutt for his 30th birthday.

He is hard to shop for!

Aren't all men?

I have always bought him awesome gifts, but I'm stumped this year.

I have two ideas for what he has been wanting.

First, is a hammock from Pawleys Island.

This is the only place to get a hammock!

My parents used to take me there when we lived in Myrtle Beach, but we never got one.

I narrowed it down to the Presidential Hammock.

Doesn't that look comfy?!

The second gift is surf racks for our car.

He really needs them.

He used to surf every single day when we lived in Pensacola.

Now we are land locked and he has to drive to go surf.

He never wants to take his truck because of gas mileage, so

surf racks for the car is a great idea.

Whatever I get him I know he'll love it.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

What have you gotten for your significant other?

Feet Love: Week 7

2010-04-13T07:13:00.000-04:00

It's week 7 of My Teacups in Peony's feet love photos!

Look at Martini's little chunky butt!

Moheto

2010-04-12T11:30:00.000-04:00

We had a fabulous Saturday.

Our friends took us out on their boat.

It was incredibly relaxing.

Heather getting the boat ready.

Gulf of Mexico!

Me & Sugarbutt

Sugarbutt diving in.

A little video of everyone. :)

Heather at the wheel and Morgan putting down the anchor.

Sugarbutt knows how to relax.

Heather made kabobs. So delicious.

I kinda felt weird drinking wine out of a sippy cup & Morgan putting ice in my cup to keep it chilled.

Who adds ice to wine, lol?!

Sugarbutt thought he was "king of the world."

I could get use to doing this every weekend. :)

Afterwards we bought 6 lbs of shrimp for the bonfire that night.

And we were late for our own party, lol.

It was such a great day.

I completely agree!

2010-04-09T06:34:00.001-04:00

"I’d rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck."

-Emma Goldman

Seconds, please.

2010-04-08T06:51:00.000-04:00

Holy hell!

I made Chicken Korma last night and it was awesome.

Even Sugarbutt loved it and he's not a huge curry fan.

The only thing that I wish is that the curry would have been a bit more thicker.

I'll work on it next time.

Jamie Oliver's Chicken Korma

1 3/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 medium onions
optional: 1 fresh green chile
thumb-sized piece of ginger root
small bunch of fresh cilantro
1 15oz. can of garbanzo beans
peanut or vegetable oil
pat of butter
1/2 c. korma paste (patak's or homemade)
1 14oz. can of coconut milk
small handful of sliced almonds (i didn't have these)
2 heaped T. of unsweetened shredded coconut
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
natural yogurt
lemon

To prepare:
cut chicken into approx. 1 inch pieces. peel, halve, and finely slice your onions. halve, seed, and finely slice the chile if you're using it. peel and finely chop the ginger. pick the cilantro leaves and finely chop the stalks. drain the garbanzo beans.

To make your curry:
put a large casserole-type pan on a high heat and add a couple of lugs of oil. add the onions, chile, ginger, and cilantro stalks with the butter. keep stirring it enough so it doesn't catch and burn but turns evenly golden. cook for around 10 minutes. add the curry paste, coconut milk, half your sliced almonds, the drained garbanzo beans, unsweetened shredded coconut, and sliced chicken breasts. half fill the empty can with water, pour it into the pan, and stir again. bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on. check the curry regularly to make sure it's not drying out, and add extra water if necessary. when the chicken is tender and cooked, taste and season with salt and pepper.

To serve your curry:
serve with rice. add a few spoonfuls of natural yogurt dolloped on top, and sprinkle over the rest of the sliced almonds. finish by scattering over the cilantro leaves, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

I also made Jamie Oliver's Lemon, Ginger, & Turmeric Rice!

1 lemon
1-inch piece of fresh root ginger
olive oil
a pat of butter
1 heaped teaspoon turmeric
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook your rice - Zest your lemon, then cut it in half - Peel and grate the ginger - Put a large frying pan on a low heat and add a lug of olive oil and the butter - When it starts to bubble gently, add the lemon zest, ginger, and turmeric and squeeze over the lemon juice - Season with salt and pepper - Stir until you have a golden paste - Spoon your cooked rice into the frying pan - Stir thoroughly and serve!

Austin is calling my name.

2010-04-07T13:24:00.000-04:00

In less than a month I will be headed here:

to see my fabulous cousin from London:

Alison, of course, is the one on the left.

She is going to be in Austin for a business trip and is staying another week to hang out with me.

I'm so excited.

I just need ideas now!

What should we do while we are there?

I've heard about the bats and the springs, but what else is there?

Has anyone else been there?

Addicted to Junk Food.

2010-04-07T10:34:00.000-04:00

I'm sure all of you have seen Junk Food Clothing before.

Well, here are a few of their t-shirts I'm loving at the moment.

I'm a huge Batman fan.

Yes, I'm a geek.

My favorite place in the world.

Who doesn't love 80s Madonna?

My mom had a sweatshirt just like this one.

Love Pink Floyd.

Especially Pigs on the Wing.

Don't you love this Alice in Wonderland shirt?

I could wear black everyday.

Yes, I am one of those people.

Feet Love: Week 6

2010-04-06T06:46:00.000-04:00

It's week 6 of My Teacups in Peony's feet love project!

The maryjanes have made another appearance this week.

This was outside of Bonefish this past Saturday.

Sitting with friends, enjoying espresso martinis, and having great conversations.

A perfect Sunday night if you ask me.

Sod off.

2010-04-05T08:01:00.000-04:00

How was your weekend, ladies?

Mine was beautiful.

The weather was in the 80s here in Florida.

We spent all day Sunday out in our yard.

I planted these gorgeous flowers in pretty little pots.

Sorry, I forgot the name of them.

We also laid down the nicest sod I've seen in a long time. :)

Our yard is coming along slowly, but looking amazing!

Finally Easter!

2010-04-02T06:41:00.000-04:00

Look at what my parents sent us!

I love them. :)

We can't get these pecan eggs in Florida, so my mom gets them for us every year.

I'm so excited for Easter to get here.

I'll finally be able to drink coffee again!

Betty Page Bangs

2010-04-01T06:52:00.000-04:00

I really love this look on Beyonce.

I'm not really a fan, but I saw that Lady Gaga/Beyonce video on tv this morning.

She can really pull off the Betty Page bangs.

*

Years ago I tried pulling it off myself.

I also have thoughts on Lady Gaga in this video but
that will have to wait for later because I need to rush off to work now!

Bread sprinkled by fairies.

2010-03-31T12:09:00.000-04:00

I demand to know why I was never told about Fairy Bread!

I'm just now finding out.

My Teacups in Peony mentioned it on her blog today.

Looks yummy!

I'll take a plate of anything that has sprinkles. :)

wisteria lane?

2010-03-31T09:03:00.000-04:00

I love browsing the store Wisteria.

I dream that I have unlimited funds and these are the things I would buy.

Metal carrying basket

Aren't these cute and whimsical?

Iron crown.

I could definitely use this herb holder!

Very steam punkish.

Love.

This jardin table and chairs reminds me of Alice in Wonderland.

I adore this delightful doormat.

Feet Love: Week 5 Pt 2

2010-03-30T06:59:00.000-04:00

Today is Tuesday = Feet Love!

Imagined by My Teacups in Peony.

Which I like to participate in. :)

I said last week was week 5, but she was out of town.

So today is week 5, take 2.

These boots were made for walking.

I like to put on my husband's boots so my feet feel tiny. :)

when I look at you, you look so bored. my baby, my darling....

2010-03-29T10:19:00.000-04:00

I have been listening to the new She & Him album on repeat.

I swear. I listen to it constantly.

It's so dreamy and lovey. Yes, lovey not lovely. Even though it is lovely also.

I just love Zooey's voice so much.

Check out the new album, Vol. 2.

Oh, deer!

2010-03-29T09:19:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone had a gorgeous weekend.

Mine was until gloomy Sunday.

Saturday morning I was driving into a neighborhood when this little guy jumped out in front of me. :)

Saturday evening I went to a baby shower.

I'm so proud of myself because I went by myself & knew no one.

I met many interesting people.

Everyone's life seemed so much more interesting than mine.

This little girl was so adorable.

I just love babies that wear glasses.

Too cute!

Saturday night I was supposed to go see Vincent D'Onofrio at FSU with fishrockette.

I couldn't make it because the baby shower ran late.

Fishrockette got to meet him & I was incredibly jealous, lol.

Sunday I woke up and made Sugarbutt pecan & raisin pancakes. Yum.

We went and did a little bit of shopping.

I finally bought those towels I've been wanting.

They were on major clearance.

I just might go buy more. :)

I wrote about them earlier.

Olive approves of them!

Apart of the Food Revolution.

2010-03-29T08:58:00.000-04:00

Did you ladies watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on Friday?

I'm so excited about this show.

Oh, Jamie Oliver, how I love thee.

I truly do.

He has never led me astray with recipes.

I found this recipe in my new Food Revolution book by Jamie Oliver.

My chicken didn't turn out as pretty as Jamie's, but it was still delicious.

I also made asparagus for the first time!

Go me!

Turned out amazing.

Crunchy Garlic Chicken

serves 2

1 clove of garlic
1 lemon
6 crackers
2 tablespoons butter
4 sprigs of fresh parsley
sea salt & freshly ground pepper
2 heaped tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large egg
2 skinless chicken breast fillets
olive oil

To prepare your chicken:
Peel the garlic and zest the lemon * Put your crackers into a food processor with the butter, garlic, parsley sprigs, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt and pepper * Whiz until the mixture is very fine, then pour these crumbs on to a plate * Sprinkle the flour on to a second plate * Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork * Lightly scour the underside of the chicken breasts * Put a square of plastic wrap over each one and bash a few times with the bottom of a pan until the breasts flatten out a bit * Dip the chicken into the flour until both sides are completely coated, then dip into the egg and finally into the flavored crumbs * Push the crumbs on to the chicken breasts so they stick - you want the meat to be totally coated

To cook your chicken:
You can either bake or fry the chicken (I baked mine) * If baking, preheat your oven to its highest temperature (475 degrees), place your chicken on a sheet pan, and cook for 15 minutes * If frying, put a frying pan on a medium heat, add a few good lugs of olive oil, and cook the chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through, golden, and crisp.

To serve your chicken:
Either serve the chicken breasts whole, or cut them into strips and pile them on a plate * Beautiful and simple served with a lemon wedge for squeezing over; and a tiny sprinkling of salt * Great with a lovely fresh salad or simply dressed veggies

Which leads me to the Aspargus recipe.

Dressed Asparagus
serves 4-6

Put a saucepan of water on to boil * Get 1 pound of asparagus and bend the base of each stalk to click the woody ends off, leaving you with the tender tips * Add a teaspoon of salt to the saucepan, and all the asparagus * Place a lid on, bring back to a boil, and cook for 1 to 2 1/2 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus spears are * Put 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, and a pinch of chopped parsley into a bowl and whisk together with a pinch of salt and pepper * Drain the asparagus, place on a serving dish, and drizzle over the vinaigrette, making sure that all the spears are coated.

Mad World.

2010-03-26T06:59:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago we went to see Brandi Carlile & the Indigo Girls in concert.

We were there to see Brandi Carlile. :)

She was absolutely amazing.

Her voice is breath taking.

I just love a person who has talent and can sing live.

A person who sings live and sounds like they do on their albums!

Thanks to my shitty iphone I couldn't get a good picture.

Plus, my videos weren't that great because they don't focus in.

Please, listen to them though because they are gorgeous.

This video was when they first came on stage.

Singing the song Dying Day. Plus, we had a little sing-a-long.

My favorite song: The Story

Once the drums kick in the noise quality gets bad, but it's so worth it to hear this song.

She did a cover of Mad World!

I heard a person in the audience say, "What is this song?"

And someone answered, "It's from American Idol."

Are you kidding me, people?!?!

Idiots.

Going Moroccan.

2010-03-26T06:58:00.000-04:00

These pictures do not do this dish justice.

Here I am using lemons again.

It was a week full of lemons! :)

I was actually out of couscous, so I ended up using the leftover Lemon Baked Pasta instead.

It was still delicious.

The chicken was so tender.

Yum!

Moroccan Chicken with Olives

1/4

cup chopped fresh cilantro

tablespoon paprika

teaspoons ground cumin

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/2

teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2

teaspoon ground ginger

garlic cloves, finely chopped

cut-up whole chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds)

1/3

cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2

cup water

1/4

cup lemon juice

teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

1/2

cup Kalamata or Greek olives

medium lemon, sliced

Hot cooked couscous or rice, if desired

1.	Heat oven to 350°F.
2.	Stir together cilantro, paprika, cumin, salt, turmeric, ginger and garlic. Rub mixture on all sides of chicken.
3.	Coat chicken with flour. Place chicken in ungreased rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches. Stir together water, lemon juice and bouillon granules; pour over chicken. Add olives and lemon slices.
4.	Bake uncovered about 1 hour, spooning liquid over chicken occasionally, until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Serve with couscous.

The beginning of something beautiful.

2010-03-25T06:46:00.000-04:00

Remember how I said my grandma taught me how to make a yo-yo blanket?

Well, this is just the beginning.

I bought this fabric at Jo-Ann Fabrics.

The rest of my fabric is going to be Amy Butler fabric.

I was thinking about making a tutorial on how to make a yo-yo blanket.

Maybe.

Going Greek.

2010-03-24T15:15:00.000-04:00

This is the perfect light dinner.

Everything is so nice and fresh.

Very summery.

I came across this simple recipe on Pioneer Woman's blog.

Instead of using sour cream in this recipe I used Greek yogurt.

I've been using Greek yogurt in everything lately!

Baked Lemon Pasta

Ingredients

1 pound Thin Spaghetti
4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested
2 cups Sour Cream
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
Extra Lemon Juice

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)

When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

I found the Greek Salad recipe via Betty Crocker.

I adore Greek Salad.

It's my absolute favorite, but I have never tried making it myself.

Now that I can make it I think I'll be doing it all of the time.

I'm addicted.

Greek Salad

Lemon Dressing:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Salad:
7 oz spinach, torn into bite-size pieces (5 cups)
1 head Boston lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (4 cups)
1 package (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese (1 cup)
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
24 pitted ripe olives
3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 medium cucumber, sliced

1. In tightly covered container, shake all dressing ingredients.
2. In large bowl, toss salad ingredients and dressing. Serve immediately.

Austin Picks.

2010-03-24T05:05:00.000-04:00

I've been looking for some cute dresses for my trip to Austin in May.

Here are two that I've had my eye on at Target.

Super cheap & super cute!

I actually bought these yesterday. :)

Now I'm in search for a cute pair of oxfords to accompany these dresses!

Any suggestions?

If not oxfords, any other shoe ideas?

Feet Love: Week 5

2010-03-23T12:21:00.002-04:00

Today marks week 5 of feet love that My Teacups in Peony started.

What a beautiful day for a stroll in the neighborhood.

I love these shoes.

Such beauties.

I found them hidden in the back of my closet.

I'm resurrecting them!

The bat cave.

2010-03-23T10:31:00.000-04:00

This is a view of my cave of an office at work.

It's so dark!

Good news received this past Friday.

Thursday I started trying out my writing for the publication.

I was extremely nervous because I was told that people with law degrees couldn't even write what they needed.

I found out on Friday that they loved my writing.

I will now be writing for a law publication!

Craziness.

Plus, I'm getting even more hours and more down the road.

I will receive health insurance!

That's always a plus in my book.

Things are looking up.

Sluttery.

2010-03-23T10:30:00.000-04:00

Holy hell these are delicious.

I came across this recipe on Domestic Sluttery.

Sugarbutt devoured his.

I highly recommend making these.

LAMB "KEBABS" WITH MINT YOGHURT SAUCE (Serves two hungry people)

You Will Need:

Half a pack of Lamb Mince
1 level tablespoon ground cumin
2 heaped tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder (if you don't have any chilli powder, paprika works just as well)
1 teaspoon of garlic paste
A large handful of mixed salad leaves, torn into pieces
A handful of fresh mint leaves
1/2 red onion, peeled and very finely sliced
1 lemon, zest finely grated
Small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
4 large flatbreads or tortilla wraps
4 heaped tablespoons natural yogurt

Make It!

Combine the mince with the lemon zest most of the thyme, chilli powder, cumin and a hefty pinch of salt and pepper. Then, roll tablespoon sized portions of the mixture into small balls (around the size of a bon bon should do the trick). You should be able to get around 12 balls out of the mixture.
In a large bowl, combine the red onion with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss the greens, mint leaves, and parsley leaves on top, but don't toss them altogether. The red onion will mellow and slightly pickle in the lemon juice in the meantime.
Cook the meatballs on a cast iron grill pan or (if you don't have one) on a grill until they're slightly charred looking on the outside and cooked through. Near the end of cooking, warm the pitta breads with the meat for 30 seconds or so.
While the meat is resting momentarily, drizzle your salad and herbs with olive oil. Toss with the red onions in the bottom of the bowl and divide among the warmed pitta breads.
To make the dip, add some chopped mint, lemon juice and garlic paste to the yoghurt. If you're feeling fancy, sprinkle some chilli powder or paprika on top of it to give it a bit more zing.
Stuff the meatballs into the warmed pitta breads along with the salad mix and a large tablespoon of the yoghurt dip. I suggest digging into your delicious meaty bounty whilst making snuffly contented little noises.

Pizza with a twist.

2010-03-22T15:43:00.000-04:00

This week I'll be posting a recipe a day.

I actually making these again tonight!

You can't get simpler than this recipe.

I made these and a Greek salad for dinner one night.

It was a major hit. :)

I found these via Betty Crocker, again.

These would also be perfect for lunch.

Middle Eastern Pita Pizzas

pita breads (6 inches in diameter)

1/2

cup roasted garlic-flavored or regular hummus

cup crumbled feta cheese (4 ounces)

small onion, sliced

cups shredded spinach

large tomato, seeded and chopped (1 cup)

1/4

cup sliced ripe or Kalamata olives

1.	Heat oven to 400°F. Place pita breads in ungreased jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x1 inch.
2.	Spread hummus on each pita bread. Sprinkle with cheese.
3.	Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top each pizza with onion, spinach, tomato and olives.

Partying like I'm 21.

2010-03-22T15:41:00.000-04:00

Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend.

I realized yesterday that I forgot to post on Friday.

Whoops.

Won't happen again.

Friday we went out with a few friends.

We had an awesome dinner at Po'Boys.

I love cajun food.

We enjoyed some gator bites.

Taste just like chicken.

I have to quote what my friend wrote on facebook:

"Does it make u a booze bag when the bouncer tells u they don't have a liquor license but if u go across the street and get a bottle and put it in your purse I won't notice and u take him up on it?"

That's exactly what we did, lol.

Later that night we went to a little club where we saw plenty of body parts we shouldn't have seen!

Girls can be such hoochies sometimes.

We ended the night with a piggy back ride.

Saturday I did a little shopping at World Market.

I love that store.

I can seriously spend over an hour in there.

I finally bought a table cloth!

Nice and springy!

Plus it matches our chairs.

We ended the weekend by going to lunch with friends yesterday.

And we got to hang out with the cutest baby ever!

I love this kid so much.

He is going to grow up to be a heartbreaker.

He is already gorgeous, but that is to be expected when you see his parents.

What did you ladies do this weekend?

Alice.

2010-03-18T05:55:00.000-04:00

Remember how I said that I am apart of the Slow Readers Book Club.

Our next book was just chosen.

We are going to start reading Alice I Have Been.

If you haven't joined, you really should.

I get a lot of enjoyment out of reading a book with other women.

Just to be able to discuss my thoughts and opinions.

I feel like I'm back in college again, except I get to vote on what I get to read.

Here is a description of the book taken from the author's website:

Few works of literature are as universally beloved as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Now, in this spellbinding historical novel, we meet the young girl whose bright spirit sent her on an unforgettable trip down the rabbit hole-and the grown woman whose story is no less enthralling.

But oh my dear, I am tired of being Alice in Wonderland. Does it sound ungrateful?

Alice Liddell Hargreaves's life has been a richly woven tapestry: As a young woman, wife, mother, and widow, she's experienced intense passion, great privilege, and greater tragedy. But as she nears her eighty-first birthday, she knows that, to the world around her, she is and will always be only "Alice."

That story, a wild tale of rabbits, queens, and a precocious young child, becomes a sensation the world over. Its author, a shy, stuttering Oxford professor, does more than immortalize Alice—he changes her life forever. But even he cannot stop time, as much as he might like to. And as Alice's childhood slips away, a peacetime of glittering balls and royal romances gives way to the urgent tide of war.

For Alice, the stakes could not be higher, for she is the mother of three grown sons, soldiers all. Yet even as she stands to lose everything she treasures, one part of her will always be the determined, undaunted Alice of the story, who discovered that life beyond the rabbit hole was an astonishing journey.

A love story and a literary mystery, Alice I Have Been brilliantly blends fact and fiction to capture the passionate spirit of a woman who was truly worthy of her fictional alter ego, in a world as captivating as the Wonderland only she could inspire.

Sounds good, right?

Now is the time to join the Slow Readers Book Club.

Nest of stars.

2010-03-17T13:22:00.000-04:00

After a year of waiting patiently, I finally bought some items from Black Apple that I have been wanting.

She had a buy one, get one free in her etsy store last week.

These little beauties will soon be hanging in our bedroom.

Now all I need is this print.

Except I want to get it in the large format so I can hang it above the fire place.

So beautiful.

If you have been following me for awhile you will know that I adore The Black Apple's work.

She is an extremely talented girl and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!