52 Blessings: Health Insurance

While the battle rages on in Washington, DC, over health care reform, I am thanking God and all of my lucky stars that my family has decent health care coverage. By extension, of course, I am thankful that my hubby has a kick-ass job that offers this insurance for him and his dependents!

I've been to two doctors this week, wrapping up my 'Health Care February' that began at the beginning of the month. I've had a double surgery, which should be pretty much covered, minus my deductible. My very nice gynecologist told me that this week's appointment was 'no charge.' My meds (thank God for the meds!) were even reasonably priced thanks to insurance-negotiated rates.

In addition, my Mom and I took Carys to the after-hours minor emergency clinic on Monday night, after three days of earache complaints. No ear infection (hooray!) but the doctor thought it might possibly be strep (boo). An exam and strep test later, Carys was clear and just needed some OTC meds. Her doctor visit, although not to her regular pediatrician, was covered by our insurance as well.

I shudder to think of what my life would be like without health insurance, knowing full well that so many people in this country are not as lucky as I am. This week's blessing is truly one that cannot be taken for granted. If we were to lose our coverage through loss of employment for example, could we afford the outrageous COBRA premiums? I can't think about it! So I will just be extra thankful for what I have at this moment.

A Woman's History Turned Upside Down

Pic from Amazon.com

Finally! A new book on my nightstand and I'm actually reading it. I finished up two books in the past week that I'd started weeks ago. Now I'm reading a very interesting, sort-of feminist take on about 500 years of historical research on a very elusive person: Shakespeare's wife.

The book, aptly named Shakespeare's Wife, is Germaine Greer's attempt to turn history on its head as it pertains to Will Shakespeare's better half. Publisher's Weekly notes that "generations of critics" have purported that Ann Shakespeare "being eight years older than Shakespeare, was an unattractive woman who seduced and trapped him in an unwanted marriage, from which he escaped as soon as possible. His abandonment of his wife and three children supposedly without support is generally regarded as their just desserts, as is his will, leaving her with nothing but his second-best bed."

I'm only into the first part of the book, but already we see that Shakespeare's family, his father in particular, were kind of losers, and Ann Hathaway's family had land and money and much more going for them. Hmmm. What crazy female would want to seduce that?

I'm very interested in how this will unfold, how Greer will address all the different points of the supposed myth built up over centuries around this mysterious wife. Her research seems to be very thorough; her sources are logical and, not to be sexist, but the ones that a woman would think of. Like, for example, a list of Ann's possessions to ascertain how she was doing at a certain point in her life. But then again, I've been away from academic life for almost 14 years, so what do I know?

I do know that I'm enjoying this book, which is a departure from the stuff I've been reading of late.

Retail Love: Birthday Wishes

Thalia and Carys talk constantly about their birthday parties, no matter how many months away their actual birthdays are. No doubt this is a byproduct of having a Mom who is always creating birthday cakes or printing party invitations! Likewise, they keep a running 'Birthday Wish List' of things they really want for their birthdays, again with no thought to how far away their big day may be. They want odd, random things: Playmobil wedding set. Chinese food. Bath toys. A dog. Whatever catches their fancy.

Well, I'm a bit like my kids too. (Or rather, are they a bit like me?) I keep a running Wish List in my head of odd, random things that catch my fancy as well. Some items on my List have been there for years, things I have a deep affection for. Sometimes, I'll forget that I thought something was really cool until something jogs my memory.

A benefit of reading other people's blogs is finding out about more cool things to add to my Wish List. For example, I just added these to my mental list today after reading about them on someone else's blog:

Clearly she has good taste! Charbonnel et Walker Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles from the UK

Hmm, what's not to like? Pink chocolates made with champagne?! I love chocolate and I love champagne. And I love the UK. Good thing my birthday's in 2 weeks! I may have to buy myself a gift from my Wish List.

Photo from SaksFifthAvenue.com

FoodieLicious: Spicy Chicken Dip

Key ingredient: Spicy Chicken Dip

One of my foodie delights is to eat an entire meal made up of snacks and appetizer foods, all of which are totally bad for me. Chowing down on spicy, cheesy, creamy snacks--what could be more decadent? Televised sporting events give us good opportunities to do this. I missed the Superbowl, but I celebrated UT being in the National Championship Game with an impressive (given that it was just for me, my hubby and kids) menu of yummy junky food:

Shrimp Cocktail Dip
Guacamole
Kid-friendly Queso
Mini Fish Tacos
Hot Wings
Honey Wings
Salmon Mousse
Tortilla Chips
Potato Chips
Crackers
Crudites (gotta throw in something healthy)
Beer
Hot Chocolate
And . . . Spicy Chicken Dip!

Spicy Chicken Dip is this awesome dip I had at our Troop's Holiday Party in 2008, made by my friend Pam. I could eat it all day if it weren't so spicy! But it's still soooo good.

So if you're inclined to have a sybaritic meal of snacks soon, try this one:

Pam's Spicy Chicken Dip

8oz cream cheese
2 cups cheddar cheese
6oz hot sauce
8oz ranch dressing
2 chicken breasts cooked and diced up

Melt together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, hot sauce and ranch dressing. Stir in the diced chicken.
Serve with tortilla chips.

My Notes: Pam serves this with homemade fried tortilla chips. Whatever. I have also added a small package of blue cheese, thus making it a Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip!

Creative Writing 101: Five Things

Me and my Pink Giraffe, a gift from my godmother, in 1971.

You can only keep five things you have. What will they be?

Well, if I'm taking this prompt literally, then aside from my husband and kids, the "things" I would keep are:

• My wedding ring
• Thalia's baby book
• Carys's yellow ducky blanket (any one of the four she owns)
• My oversized pink giraffe stuffed animal from 1971
  
• The external hard drive attached to my computer (Is that cheating? It technically holds more than 5 files.)
  

Each is meaningful in its own way. If my house ever caught on fire, I hope I could at least save one of these '5 things.' However, in the end, the most important things in life aren't "things"; the most important things in my life are my family.

Prompt from Imagination Prompt Generator

52 Blessings: Mom

My Mom and my girls, wearing gifts from Mom!

This week I am really, really thankful for the woman who made my entire existence even possible, my Mom! She rode in days before my double surgery like a Lady in shining armor and took charge of hearth and home. In the past two weeks, she has cooked, ironed, laundered, shopped, chauffeured and run errands for us all, with love of course. We would be quite literally lost without her!

Along with my Dad, my Mom is the most self-less person I know. I try to be like them, but fall far short of their example. They give and give and give of themselves, often with little thought about receiving for themselves.

So while I've been hanging out on my couch this week, I've been blessed with having my Mom here to literally lend me a hand up. And that part of my week has been a blast.

Retail Love: Lilly

From my perch on the living room couch, which I have to admit I am really getting tired of, I have been shopping online since I got home from the hospital last week! I'd been saving up catalogs and coupons for the past month for just this moment-- when I'd be forced to "take it easy."

But shopping, in whatever form, is always good for the soul, I say. I'd decided a few weeks ago, with positive input from Thalia and Carys, to finally redecorate our second bathroom. We've had two full baths in each house we've lived in, a total of three in 13 years. In each house, the second bath decor has never changed: leopard, leopard, leopard. In fact, it's not just the same theme, but the same stuff that's moved from house to house to house! Same towels, rug, shower curtain, decorative accents. Even after the addition of two kids, the bathroom has stayed the same! So now I'm finally sick of the leopard bath. Hooray!

I suggested the idea of a Lilly Pulitzer bathroom after receiving a mailer from Garnet Hill announcing their new Lilly bed and bath collection. The girls were soooo happy we were retiring the leopard kitsch. (Honestly, you'd think I'd been torturing them their entire short lives.) And they looooove Lilly.

So this week I am tackling the bathroom project by ordering new everything from the Garnet Hill Lilly collection, using my Garnet Hill coupon code, and from other online sources. The Lilly towels are so cheery in the midst of winter, I can't wait until they arrive! And the monogramming was free!

Lilly Pulitzer Home Collection

I always think white eyelet goes perfectly with anything Lilly, so I found a lovely white eyelet shower curtain that will really pop after we (Dylan) repaint the walls a Lilly-ish green color.

Eyelet shower curtain--sweet.

I'm also sick of the bath accessories after 13 years, so I also have my eye on this bamboo wastebasket, which is even lined with natural cotton. Eco-friendly and wallet-friendly on sale.

Friendly bamboo.

I'm sure more ideas will present themselves as I further browse online. We're going to need some Lilly-ish artwork for the walls, maybe some floral-fruity knobs for the cabinets, etc. Shopping in my PJs from home rocks.

Pics from Garnet Hill.com and Sears.com

FoodieLicious: Fat Tuesday Treats

I'm a little sad about being laid up this week because there are so many February holidays and special days to celebrate with friends and food! In previous years, I have hosted celebrations for the Super Bowl, Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras and Girl Scout Thinking Day. Not to mention San Antonio Rodeo-themed possibilities. Oh well, at least I can think about all the yummy treats I would have cooked up!

I missed the Super Bowl completely due to icky pre-op prep required by my doctors. I kind of forgot about Chinese New Year, it being eclipsed by Valentine's Day. I did as much as I could, given my current limitations, for Valentine's Day, but even failed to take a single photo of our family! The heart-shaped homemade pizza was pretty much not going to happen either, although delivery from Domino's did.

The next holiday up is Fat Tuesday--this Tuesday--and I will especially miss serving up some Cajun favorites to everyone. However, in honor of Mardi Gras, I am sharing one of my recipes that I like to make on Fat Tuesday. This one is from Emeril Legasse of the famed New Orleans restaurants, so it's pretty authentic.

Classic Remoulade Dressing
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, Food Network

Yield: 6 servings

For the Dressing:
1 egg
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
3 tablespoons Creole or whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt
Cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil

For the Salad:
Lettuce leaves
Onion slices
Cooked shrimp
Fresh parsley

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a food processor with a metal blade and process until smooth. Season with salt, cayenne, and pepper. While the machine is running, slowly add the oil, a little at a time, until thick. Reseason if needed.

To assemble, toss the lettuce with half of the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Mound the greens in the center of each serving plate. Lay the onions slices over the greens. Place 3 piles of the shrimp around each mound of greens. Garnish with parsley.

My Notes: I omit the raw egg from the recipe. I sometimes leave out the cayenne pepper. I use less oil than called for in the recipe. I have also served this with chicken instead of shrimp.

A Valentine Just for You

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all! Trying to be more eco-friendly and going digital with my greetings whenever I can, despite the fact that I sell paper!

Had an low-key, uneventful Valentine's Day with my kids and hubby. It feels kind of strange on a Sunday! Dylan built new shelves for our kitchen pantry today--the best Valentine's gift ever! I requested them just a week ago! Excellent storage for my ever-growing stash of cake decorating supplies.

Another gift from our friends Genevieve and Robert--the girls are gone tonight through tomorrow afternoon at a sleepover at their house! They wanted to give me time to rest and relax. So thoughtful!

I hope everyone had a bit of peace and relaxation today and lots of love!

LAYOUT CREDITS:Scraplift of 'A Day to Remember' by Lea L. on Two Peas in a Bucket; All papers: Creative Memories ''Sending Love' and 'Delight Fashion Diva' kits; Embellishments (some recolored): Creative Memories 'Freebies', DSP 'Angel Whispers 2' page kit by Nicole Young, C Smith, Scrap Girls 'With Love' by Brandy Murry, Scrap Girls 'Calendar Year Brush Set 2010' by Brandie Valenzuela; Fonts: 1942 Report by Johan Holmdahl, 2 Peas Billboard by Melissa Baxter for Two Peas in a Bucket

Creative Writing 101: Fridays

Fridays make me . . .

take a silent sigh of relief! The week is over, mostly, and I can finally catch my breath. Sit down for a second. Relax. Although in reality, our weekends are often as packed as our weekdays. But mentally, Friday is the portal to precious stretches of hours that can be spent doing whatever we want to do. T.G.I.F.

It's funny how kids learn early on that Friday is the most special of all weekdays; they can usually stay up later than usual, parties happen, family movie nights are instituted, weekend trips begin as soon as school or work is over. Friday, how do we love thee?

Prompt from Imagination Prompt Generator

52 Blessings: Life, or Avoiding the Complications

This week I'm back to counting my blessings. As many of you know already, I'm in "recovery" from my double surgery earlier this week. Before the surgery, I signed page after page after page of legal documents informing me of nearly everything and anything that might go wrong during my fairly low-risk procedures. In fact, I had to sign extra papers just minutes before surgery to remind me of what I had already read and signed a few days earlier!

One can either choose to read carefully all of the possible complications or simply skim through them. I went for somewhere in between, and can I just say that the few heart-stopping phrases I did read were enough to scare the you-know-what out of me?! So today, I am really thankful that I am alive and have, as far as I can tell, avoided the really bad possible complications that could have happened earlier this week. Because, as the physicians always preface any conversation about surgery, there are always those "risks." I thank God for being here and whole for yet another day.

Valentine {Retail} Love

And just like that, another week or so goes by without any blogging! But I really have a good excuse this time--hospital stay and recovery time! I had my surgery (appendectomy and hysteroscopy) on Monday, was released on Tuesday and now slowly getting back to my regular self. Prior to the surgery, I had a few days of annoying, required pre-op tests and "prep." Thus, these procedures have consumed my life for several weeks already!

So now I am confined to bed/couch this week with no heavy lifting or driving allowed per doctor's orders. Ha! Just moving from room to room is a monumental effort, forget doing anything else. Here's the thing about recovering from abdominal-area surgery: bending, walking and sitting, which usually require no thought whatsoever, must be done very, very carefully. Even breathing is a bit more labored, post-surgery. I also have a fancy breathing tube to practice deep breathing again. In any case, it's nice to be back in my own home again and surrounded by my favorite people and things.



Today is my book review day, but not having finished any good books since last week (although I did bring them to the hospital), I will just pick up blogging with some retail love in honor of upcoming Valentine's Day. Have you seen the Paperchase line of paper and gifts at Borders? Paperchase is a UK company, but you can find their stuff stateside at Borders book store, sometimes on sale. On Saturday, Dylan treated me to an early Valentine's Day date night, and after dinner we browsed Borders. They had a whole display of Paperchase Valentine products for 40% off! Although my favorite find was a set of pink and red heart-shaped plastic chopsticks (no pic available), here are some other too-cute things they had:

Vintage LOVE design tealight holder

Heart key caps

Vintage LOVE design mug

If you're lucky enough to be over the pond, you can buy their stuff from Amazon.uk too. Otherwise, a stroll through Borders can turn up some of their adorable designs. I also scored some whimsical plastic heart-shaped champagne flutes (sorry no pics yet) for my kids; they'll be charmed, I'm sure!

Chalice of Roses: The Holy Grail Across Time

I am just about finished with a brand new anthology of linked novellas about the Holy Grail. As in Jesus and the Last Supper, Arthurian legend, Celtic tradition, etc. I love Grail stories, and can only remember reading one other romance that uses the Grail legend as a backdrop, so I really looked forward to reading this anthology. I also like these particular authors, whose novels and short stories I've read before.

What is most notable about Chalice of Roses is that the four stories have the same premise, the same Holy Grail story as a starting point. Since there are many versions of the legend to draw on, these four authors chose one version and therefore their stories are linked across time and history. It's been interesting to see how each author incorporates the basic Grail "facts" they've agreed upon into their storyline. For example, one story is set in the Middle Ages, another in the present day, yet both are connected despite the vast differences in setting and time periods.

One of the novellas, set in WWII, is by my absolute favorite romance writer Mary Jo Putney. Ms. Putney's One Perfect Rose was the book that got me hooked on the romance genre in the first place, 11 years ago! So anything by MJP is always an extra special read for me.

Image from Word Wenches blog

Fashion With a Conscience

Blogging came to a complete standstill almost a week ago! I had several major projects and issues going on and then went out of town Friday through Sunday. My blogs were very neglected, I'm sad to say. But now I'm back.

Today's Retail Love is more about a retail fashion trend than a particular product. It's an idea that I've never fully thought about until I happened upon a Vogue UK blog written by Livia Firth, wife of my Secret Boyfriend Colin Firth. (Secret only because my obsession is one-sided of course; Colin is oblivious to my intense admiration.) I should hate Mrs. Firth, but really, I think I like her as much as I like her husband! As some of you may know, Colin Firth has been nominated for a slew of acting awards for his turn in A Single Man. Livia Firth's blog, The Green Carpet Challenge, is about her desire to dress with a conscience, to only wear environmentally sustainable, repurposed, recycled, vintage or organic materials for the many red carpet events she'll attend between January and March. This includes the accessories, such as the shoes and jewelry. So basically, she will do the complete anti-thesis of every other Hollywood female during awards season, which is to have multiple gowns designed just for them with accessories to match. And the biggest part of her challenge? To still look as completely stylish and elegant as the rest of the ladies on the red carpet, not a small feat in Hollywood! 
Beautiful Livia Firth went to the Golden Globes in a repurposed wedding dress (not her own)! Who would have thought?!

Livia Firth's commitment to eco-friendly fashion is genuine: she is the co-owner, with her husband, of Eco-Age in London, which in their words "offers inspiration, ideas and specific domestic solutions for all those who want to lead a greener and more energy efficient life." On fashion, Eco-Age's founders "feel passionately about clever design that keeps both environmental and social justice in mind while proving that fashion can have a destiny other than landfill (which is our enemy). But, in common with many fashion lovers we are all disenchanted with fast, cheap fashion and consider its impact to be not just off-putting but downright unacceptable." Ha! Take that, Walmart.

So her blog has made me think twice about the half-dozen $4 t-shirts I just bought for Thalia, no doubt made from cheap fabrics destined for the landfill once they start falling apart. And the not-so-cheap jeans I bought her that were certainly sewn together in an overseas factory by someone nearly Thalia's age and paid the tiniest fraction of its retail price. *sigh.* Can I afford to develop a fashion conscience?!

What would it be like to live in a world where you bought clothes designed and made by people who were like you and lived, not in another country far away, but possibly in your own region or state? Alabama Chanin, a company featured on Livia's blog, is an interesting example of how much it might cost to dress in environmentally responsible clothing made in your own country. The company employs stay-at-home Moms who sew the clothing in their own homes and are paid decently for their work. The fabrics used are made from Alabama cotton. The designs are limited edition or one-of-a-kind. Not mass produced for your local discount store, but made just for you (almost)! A t-shirt, hand-made, is $75.   Description of $75 t-shirt: "100% Organic Cotton with 100% Recycled Cotton backing. All of our products are Fair Trade and Made in the USA." 
Does knowing that a Mom, perhaps someone with kids my age, created that t-shirt make the price seem more reasonable? I don't know, maybe.

Food for thought, the next time I go shopping. While my closet will never be full of awards-night gowns, perhaps it's time I started paying more attention to the where/what/who of my wardrobe?