guest blogger: the monster of florence

Recommending books to others is a risky business, at least for me. What I enjoy reading gives something away about me and I’m not always sure I’m ready to share. On the flip side of that, I selfishly love to ask others for their favorite read as it gives me a peak into something a bit more personal about them. However, I have a nagging feeling to spread the word about this nonfiction book. The Monster of Florence is a retelling of the on-going investigation of the serial killer that has haunted Florence since 1968. The authors, Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi, join forces in an attempt to find the horrific killer(s). This book is the suspenseful retelling of their search, loaded with Italian roadblocks and conflicting evidence. So, why do I recommend it and why now? Amanda Knox. It is not about her, but it gives you an insider’s view into Italian law and order well as the impact of media on the general public. I do not know if Amanda Knox is innocent or guilty and this is not an attempt to sway anyone’s opinion. I am just always amazed how the general public takes the news and media for the actual truth.

guest blogger: Kindra from her mom’s perspective

If you are a regular reader and/or Kindra’s friend, I thought you might be curious about Kindra’s young years. Here are a few anecdotes from her childhood.

I will never forget the time I overheard her and her little sister playing “house”. You can learn quite a bit about children if you listen to their play talk. Of course, since they mimic their parents, the lessons are really more about you as a parent. But, I digress. Kindra, always the little executive, and pretending she was the mother, announced to her make-believe family, “I’m going to the office and I have a meeting tonight.” I guess she was born with it.

Kindra loved to hang out with the adults as a child. Most of the time she would do it without us really noticing. When I did notice and told her to go play with the kids, she would eventually sneak back to eavesdrop on the conversation. She didn’t want to miss a beat.

When Kindra was in her later elementary years, she offered to help me with my busy schedule. Her suggestion was that I hire her as my assistant. You know, someone to keep track all of my appointments and responsibilities so I wouldn’t forget anything. It was in that same conversation she reminded me that my driver’s license was about to expire and needed to be renewed. I pondered how much I might pay her.

Kindra took her education very seriously – starting in kindergarten (I should know, as I was her kindergarten teacher). You can imagine her search for the perfect college. I believe she was a sophomore in high school when she announced to me that she had done research on colleges, figured out her requirements, and after an elimination process, had narrowed it down to 97 colleges. I just nodded and told her to keep narrowing.

If you’re a regular reader, you know camping is a big part of her life during the summer. I wasn’t surprised when she offered to email me her checklist for preparing for a camping trip. She didn’t miss a step. After she became engaged, she emailed me the link to the excel spreadsheet for the wedding planning.

Being Kindra’s mom is a privilege and a joy beyond what I ever imagined parenting would or could be.

Kindra writes the best thank-you notes – and the most.
She is an achiever – something I admire.
She plays hard, works hard and loves hard.
She inspires me.
She is easy to make laugh.
She loves sushi!
She is passionate.
She makes me feel like she is my biggest fan.

I am a better person because of my daughters. I think all along, from the moment they were born, they began raising me – I just pretended I was raising them.

give it up…

for our guest blogger – my mom. Take it away Mom!

sad.

Last night I watched two really disturbing shows on A&E. The first one was Intervention. I’ve seen this show before, but this episode was particularly horrible. The show followed an alcoholic mom with three children. Ok, I know I just described a million Americans, but the disturbing thing about this mom was that she drank a bottle of mouthwash a day. Apparently mouthwash has a lot of alcohol in it – I’ve never heard of people drinking mouthwash before. GROSS. Think about what that does to your body!! I seriously almost puked watching the show, it made me ill. The second show I watched was called Hoarders. This show followed a mother and her nine year-old son – both hoarders. This child was so emotionally attached to his stuff, that he had a complete emotional breakdown when they tried to throw away his “favorite cotton ball”. This seems like such a strange affliction for a child!

Seriously, what has the world come to? I think I should lay off the A&E for awhile.

yes please!

 

gadgets.

Normally I’m not obsessed with new gadgets and electronics – and especially cell phones. I don’t really care if I have the best, it just doesn’t matter to me. However, last week Derek brought home a new cell phone…and I want it. He got the new Motorola – Droid phone (google operating system).  It’s so intuitive and it does EVERYTHING. I’m so jealous.

setback.

Well, it was bound to happen. All the wedding planning has been going so smoothly, we were bound to have some kind of setback. Friday night, our band cancelled on us. MAN!! I was really happy to have that decision checked off the list. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

what’s cookin’?

I really enjoy cooking. Not baking – cooking. There is nothing more satisfying than trying a new recipe and proclaiming it a success! Now don’t get me confused with a foodie – because I definitely do not qualify. I doubt my pallet is very refined and I certainly don’t make complex or complicated meals. I shy away from pretentious ingredients and have been accused of under-salting my food. Nonetheless, I do enjoy it and I think I’m getting better at it! I thought I’d share a few of my favorite cookbooks, food blogs and magazine subscriptions. Do you have any favorites you want to share?

 

Cookbooks

Everyday Cooking: Great Food Fast (Martha Stewart) – I love this cookbook because I’ve never been disappointed. The photos are great (a photo for every recipe), the directions are simple and the food is delicious. It’s also nice because the recipes require little time – perfect for weeknight dinners. My favorite thing about the book is that it’s organized by season – which is brilliant for those of us who like to use in-season produce.

 

Barefoot Contessa  (Ina Garten) – I have three of her cookbooks (The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Back to Basics and At Home)and I love perusing them and selecting my next triumph. The photos are gorgeous. The only issue with these cookbooks is that the Contessa’s recipes are really fatty and rich. Cooking too much out of these cookbooks will make you gain weight – fast.

 

The Food You Crave (Ellie Krieger) – This cookbook is the opposite of the Barefoot Contessa books. This book has very few photos and focuses on healthy eating. Living up to the name, Ellie showcases recipes that you love – but she focuses on maximum flavor with limited calories/fat. I’ve been impressed with these recipes, although I wish there were more pics!

 

Magazines

Fine Cooking – http://www.finecooking.com/

Cuisine at Home – http://www.cuisineathome.com/ (Thanks Kristina!)

 

Food Blogs

Smitten Kitchen – http://smittenkitchen.com/

101 Cookbooks  - http://www.101cookbooks.com/

 

Here are pics from dinner the other night – lamb shanks – nummers!

ring

I’ve had a few requests to post pics of my ring…so here it is! Didn’t it turn out beautiful?

Pumpkins, dresses and costumes…oh my!

It sure was a busy weekend – and overall a really great weekend! It started off on a good note, because I didn’t have to work on Friday – yay! Having Friday off allowed me to get a ton of errands done: returned a bunch of clothes, tried on a wedding dress and made my decision (hooray!), went grocery shopping, went to the butcher, and met Ams for dinner! I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to have every other Friday off. It’s nice to get all your chores done so you can enjoy a full two days of pure weekend! Saturday we got up and cleaned the apartment and then went to the pumpkin patch with Stacy and Andre. I love the pumpkin patch. I love searching for the perfect pumpkin. I love all the colors. I love all the kids running around in the mud. SO much fun! After the patch, we carved the ‘kins and ate a yummy dinner. Sunday, I crossed the ferry and spent the day with my mom. And we even picked out my Halloween costume. I’m going to be the board game TWISTER! It’s actually a kid’s costume, and I’d like to give a special shout-out to my mom for sewing on additional fabric to the bottom of the dress (to make the length more appropriate).  Thanks big mama! All in all, a pretty good weekend (although I did have one minor altercation at the end that threatened to leave a bad taste in my mouth, but it all ended up ok).

Here are few pics from the patch.

crazy lazy.

All I want to do these days is sleep, watch Deadwood, admire my new ring, read and eat.  I’m not exaggerating; it’s embarrassing. I can’t take all this darkness – it messes with me too much. It makes me a worse, less productive version of myself.

mood vampire.

The last couple years I have realized something about myself – I am a mood vampire. I feed off other people’s energy. This is especially true for me in a work environment.  If people are excited, energized and collaborative – I am too.  I soak up their positive vibes and thrive on it. This is when I’m most productive and creative; this is when I ROCK.  If I’m hanging out with Debby-Downer , Connie-the-Complainer or The-Grass-is-Always-Greener-Gail, it’s very easy for me to be pulled down. Sucked in. I, too, start complaining and my outlook becomes a little gloomy. Now don’t go confusing this with venting. Everyone needs to be able to vent and to release some steam. I don’t mind venting; in fact I usually welcome it. I’m talking about doom and gloom. Bad attitudes. And laziness.  For better or for worse, I’m a sponge. I absorb all of it – good and bad.

I think this is part of the reason why I thrive in a collaborative, team-environment. A place where teamwork is valued and where “we are all in this together”. I love celebrating together – and rising to the occasion when it’s needed. Solving problems. Reliving our victories and commiserating over our defeats.  The energy is practically addicting. I think I would be unhappy in a job where I was flying solo all the time.

I’m not really sure where I’m going with all of this, except that I guess I need to be careful when the mood turns gloomy – so I don’t soak up too much!

wedding

This is becoming a nasty habit – only posting on Sundays. Oh well; I’m over it. I thought I’d give a quick wedding update of where we are at with the planning.

Here’s what we’ve done so far:

We have reserved a venue.

We have a date set.

We have secured a band for the reception.

We know the basic flow/style of our celebration.

Wedding party is pretty much decided.

We have an officiant – although I think he still needs to get the appropriate paperwork.

We have someone to play our ceremony music .

I have my new ring setting – we picked it up on Friday. I LOVE how it turned out.

I have tried on many wedding dresses and I *think* I’ve found the one. I’m hoping I can find it used, although I’m less hopeful than I once was about that possibility.

Up next on my To Do List:

Start getting quotes from caterers.

Look for hotels in the area for guests who wish to stay.

Purchase a dress.

Tighten up the guest list.

Find a photographer.

recognition.

Last week was a particularly hectic week at work. I won’t get into the nitty-gritys, but it was busy and included me giving a presentation. I’m not deathly afraid of public speaking, but I’m not comfortable with it either. By the end of the week, I was feeling a little tired and worn out. After the presentation, flowers were delivered to my office. They were from my VP with a note telling me I did a great job and telling me she’s happy I’m a part of the team. Now, I’m not a particularly needy person – I don’t require a lot of coddling or reassurance. However after last week, I must have needed a little pick-me-up. I was so touched by her gesture; it was just what I needed to get rejuvenated and excited again.

Everybody wants to feel appreciated and she reminded me how important it is to recognize people and thank them. So, write someone a thank you card. Or send them flowers. Or bring them a cookie. Trust me, a little recognition and appreciation goes a long way.

weekend update.

Friday morning: We went to the jeweler and picked out/designed my ring setting – YAY! The wax mold should be ready for our review sometime next week. It’s really hard to choose something that you are going to wear everyday for the rest of your life.

Friday afternoon: Dress shopping! I went wedding dress shopping with my mom. It was really fun, but now I’m more confused than ever. I thought I had a really good idea of what I wanted, but I basically ended up liking all the dresses. I’m going again next weekend…I’m hoping it will provide a little clarity.

Saturday afternoon: I had a hair appointment. Yes, I still drive a million miles away to get my hair done. And yes, it’s still worth it! All over color, partial highlight, cut and eyebrow wax. Guess how much. GUESS. I double-dog dare you. $97. Before tip.

Saturday evening: Derek’s brother and gf bought a new house. We stopped by to check it out. It’s SO nice; they scored big time. I couldn’t be happier for them.

Saturday night: Sushi in Wallingford

Sunday morning: Went for a hike up Rattlesnake ledge (just past north bend).

Sunday afternoon: Nap, cleaning, grocery store and Seahawks game.

Sunday evening: Made dinner (Lentil soup and a salad), blogging, reading and the season premiere of Brothers & Sisters.   Nighty Night.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

it was SO worth it.

The other day I was in the dentist office waiting to get my teeth cleaned. Waiting, waiting, waiting. I picked up a magazine (called Real Food) and started browsing the recipes.  It had at least 6 soup recipes I wanted to make – but one in particular: the smoky chicken, tomato, brown rice and corn soup. The photo was amazing; it was the perfect fall soup. Hearty, warm, cozy. I wanted the magazine. I NEEDED the magazine. And more importantly I needed the soup. I quickly assessed my options. I could either take the whole magazine or rip the page out, but I had to decide quickly. The rip approach would draw too much attention, so I opted for the entire mag. I very stealthily turned my shoulder and slipped the magazine into my purse. And then I looked up. The receptionist was staring right at me. CAUGHT! She saw the entire thing. And then she turned away and we both pretended like it didn’t happen. Talk about awkward.

During the fall season, Derek and I try to make a soup every week. I made this for our fall soup kick-off and I’m happy to announce that it was worth it. The soup was really good. I thought I’d share the recipe w/ my notes. It’s easy, it’s warm, it’s fall in a bowl.

Smoky chicken, tomato, brown rice and corn soup

Use cooked chicken leftover from a rotisserie chicken for this quick, easy and substantial soup.

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (28oz) peeled plum tomatoes with juices

3-4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

1 cup leftover brown rice, bulgur, quinoa or other grain

2 cup fresh, frozen or canned corn kernels

1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, divided

¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño, or to taste

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

½ cup plain low-fat yogurt

·         Heat the oil in a large, broad soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and cook, stirring, until golden about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the paprika and cumin.

·         Puree the tomatoes in a food processor. Add the chicken and pulse once or twice or until chopped into small pieces. Add to the pot with the sautéed onion and spices. Add 3 cups of the broth and heat to simmering. Stir in the rice, corn, half of the cilantro leaves, olives, and jalapeño. Heat stirring over low heat. Add the remaining cup of broth to the soup if desired.

·         When the soup is hot remove from heat and add lime juice. Ladle the soup into bowls and place a spoonful of yogurt in the center of each bowl. Sprinkle the remaining cilantro over the top, dividing evenly.

Kindra’s Notes: I used barley instead of brown rice – it was great! I added a teaspoon cayenne pepper. I didn’t have canned plum tomatoes, so I just used canned diced tomatoes – it was great and I didn’t puree anything. Next time, I won’t use kalamata olives and I’ll double the recipe so we have more leftovers.

mt. adams

Last weekend, we wrapped-up the 2009 camping season with a bang! We went to Takhlakh Lake. The views of Mt. Adam are so beautiful. I highly recommend checking it out!

good or bad?

Admittedly I am vocal and opinionated. I think it’s one of my best qualities and one of my worst qualities. I would guess that 85% of time it’s an asset; and the rest of the time it’s a disadvantage. On the one hand, I think I’m paid to have an opinion. They don’t pay me to sit around and not say anything. On the other hand, there is something to be said for subtlety. Making people guess. Not showing all your cards. Today, I got a little carried away. Sigh…someday I’ll be perfect.

adversity.

Don’t get me wrong, I like football as much as the next gal. In fact, I’m very excited for the upcoming season. However, I do have one complaint; the overuse of the word “adversity”. I would like the football community to learn a new word.  Yesterday I was watching football and in a 3 hour period I heard the word at least 15 times. “This team has faced a lot of adversity in the past.” “Player X has overcome adversity in this game.”  It’s borderline embarrassing because it seems to be the only “grown-up” word this community knows and they’ve ALL latched onto it. Players, commentators, coaches and analysts alike. Pay attention and it will start to drive you crazy.

Hardship. Difficulty. Misfortune. Pick one.

mark your calendar.

It’s official; we set a date for the big day! Derek and I will be tying the knot exactly 334 days from today. In 11 months, I will be a wife (kinda freaky weird).  Yes, for those of you who are marking your calendar, I realize it’s Friday the 13^th. Good thing we’re not superstitious!

I couldn’t be happier; yippee!