Friday Five

1. So, there was an election this week. And, enough about that!

2. We had a hurricane a few weeks ago, and boy, were we lucky. Our area didn't end up getting hit very hard by it, and we only lost power for two hours.

3. Moving on to something fun... Gus! I meant to have a special post when Gus had been with us for one year...but was caught up in my overly busy life and didn't get around to it. Work was so busy for a few months that I barely managed to do anything at home except for the bare essentials. Since I'm sure your curious minds want to know, August 5th marked one full year of our amazing kitty, Gus, joining our little family. He really is a great cat. I'm so thankful that my dog-loving husband actually loves our cat. A lot. Woot!

4. I can't believe its November already. How did that happen? It seems like last week was only July. I guess time flies when you are super busy. At least that means the holidays are around the corner. Love Thanksgiving. Love Christmas. Sure, it can be stressful, but I love time with family, friends, and food.

5. Speaking of things that are just around the corner...our 10th wedding anniversary is less than two months away. Wow. It somehow feels longer than that and not that long all at the same time. Ten years. Amazing stuff!

Flower Wall Art

Ah, Pinterest. You can be wonderful but also, well, let's just say that there are entire blogs based on your epic fails. You know it's true.

Anyway, I recently saw a pin that I wanted to attempt, but I wanted my wall art for my bathroom so I decided that I didn't want it to be on canvas - hairspray, steam, and dryer lint probably wouldn't be good for that.

Instead of canvas, I found a 12x12 frame at craft store and a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper for the background. I found six sheets of scrapbook paper that fit the color palette I wanted. Sunday afternoon I set up my crafting station.

• Clean table - check
• Cutting tools - check
• Double sided sticky tape (from Creative Memories) - check
• Background paper - check
• Colored papers - check
• Bathroom towels for color comparison - check
• Pinterest inspiration loaded - check
• 12x12 frame - check
• Music - check
• Iced tea - check
• Fudge - check

What? Fudge is essential to the project, no? Oh. Um. Moving on then (after licking chocolate off my fingers).

1. Cut a 2 inch wide strip off the bottom of each of your scrap book papers. Don't measure these cuts, just eyeball them (this was hard for me - I like things to be exact (I may be anal that way)). Then cut that strip into 2-3 inch rectangles.

2. Starting at one corner of the square make a curved cut to the opposite corner and back again to create a petal. Repeat this process, making some smaller and some larger.

3. Begin to lay the petals out, starting with a center circle. You may want to trim some petals smaller or cut larger ones. Rearrange to your heart's content.

4. Carefully pick up the center circle, add some scrapbooking tape, and put it back. Work your way out doing the same things on the leaves. I ended up taking a bunch of the petals from their original placement and permanently placing them on one by one. Do whatever works for you!

5. When you get to the sides, let them hang over until you are completely done placing petals and then trim edges off.

6. Put into frame. Viola! Flower Wall Art! Goes well with my towels, right?

Dear 14 Year Old Me

I'm linking up to Chatting at the Sky today (because of my friend Thelma - she made me) to write a letter to my teenage self. This should be fun?

14 years old - Freshman

Dear 14 year old me,

There are several things I would like to share with you. Take this stuff to heart. I know a lot of this will be hard for you to accept, but please try.

First I want to talk about your confidence, or lack thereof. You've already spent far too many years wondering if your friends like you as much as you like them. They do. Stop being so afraid of what everyone thinks of you. Most people genuinely like you, not just your good friends. When you see that group of kids that you want to join, don't be afraid to go over to them. They are not secretly wishing that you would go away. There will be some people that won’t like you, most of which will be outside your control. Don’t lose sleep over it. No one can actually be liked by everyone they ever meet. Not only do most people like you, you will eventually be one of the more popular kids in school. You won’t know it, but you will be.

Stop overanalyzing what everyone says to you by trying to figure out what they really meant. Stop overanalyzing everything you do and say. It will be ok. People will like you for who you are, but that means you have to actually learn to let go and be yourself. Stop holding on so tightly to your every thought and action that you can’t be who God made you to be.

Freshman again - that's me on the far left with the BIG hair

You are sweet and nice. And no, that doesn’t make you boring and it doesn’t mean you have no personality.

You are smart, even though you have never thought so. Tests make your brain cramp up and you don’t have a photographic memory, but you are still a smart chick.

You are funny. Let yourself go a little, and more people will notice.

Stand up for yourself – for what you believe and what you want. You are worth it. Don't let your insecurities paralyze you.

And, believe it or not, you are beautiful. You might not be as skinny as many girls around you, but you are not fat at all. Your butt is not huge. And your face does not look like a boy’s, no matter how that short boy haircut made you feel as a preteen. (By the way, super short hair will always make you feel less pretty, and the volume in your hair will never work with the super short styles you try. Don’t go there again.)

Sophomore

You will have a great time in high school, but improving your self-image will make it even better and will serve you well for years to come. Enjoy every moment. Take advantage of living overseas in your beloved Taiwan. You won't go back nearly as much as you hope.

Start taking better care of your teeth (floss, for crying out loud). Try running (even though you truly don’t think you can). Step away from the perms (why did you ever think that was so awesome). And for goodness sakes, clean your dorm room!

Junior

Once you have taken the Myers-Briggs personality test multiple times as an adult and scored precisely dead center on the extrovert and introvert line every time, you will finally realize that you are not one over the other - you are both. Lots of things will fall into place in your brain at that point, like how you can be shy and quiet when first meeting people yet have them wondering why they ever thought you quiet after getting to know you. You are both energized and drained by being with people and being by yourself. That does not make you weird, it’s just who you are.

Senior

Boys. You will not seriously date any boys in high school. Take a deep breath. It will be ok. You will also not seriously date anyone in college. Trust me, it will be ok! In 1999 you will meet a great man that will challenge what you thought you wanted in a guy - in good ways. He won’t be ready to date you for a couple years, but trust me, he’s worth the wait. In 2002 you will start dating that great guy, and will marry him in a year’s time. He will make you laugh like no one else ever has and will love you fiercely. He will be incredibly good for you, giving you deep roots you didn't know you needed. The two of you will have a number of bumps in the road, but you will get through them together.

College. This is a toughie. College is going to throw you for a number of big loops. You will think you are prepared, and in many ways you are, but being independent isn’t enough. You're going to start feeling lonely and misunderstood. The reverse culture shock back to the States will last longer than you expect. You will think you are ready, so it will take you by surprise. Stay involved in things on campus, even when you feel like withdrawing. It will be hard to find a church where you feel you belong. Keep trying. Ask for help when you need it and accept help when offered. Stay true to who you are - sweet, funny, and kind.

Spend a little more time figuring out what you want to do with your life, in case you don’t find that job traveling the world. Ask more questions – about careers, resumes, and interviewing. Take more computer classes. Don’t let your one terrible experience with that professor that couldn’t teach discourage you.

Unfortunately, I can't steer you away from every challenge; you will need many of those trials to become who God wants you to be. There will be many difficult days ahead of you, but God will be there to walk you through each one.

Love and no-more-perms,
Your 37 year old self

Friday Five

I am going to Wegmans grocery store today, which is very exciting for me. Why do I love Wegmans? Let me count the ways...

1. There are multiple restaurants inside the grocery store - buffet, soup, salad, sandwiches, Asian, pizza, pasta, Mexican, seafood...options galore!

2. Speaking of options - there is a huge variety on meats, produce, desserts, cheese, specialty items, and everything else. There are so many things to look at it leaves me in quite a happy tizzy. Options, options, options!

3. The employees of Wegmans are super friendly and helpful. I've never felt any urge at all to work in a grocery store, but I do with Wegmans. Maybe when I retire?

4. As a general rule, I don't buy store brands. I'm really quite picky about my food. At Wegmans, however, I have found that I actually like the store brand. Very cool.

5. Basically, it's my favorite grocery store ever. I am exceedingly sad that the closest store is over an hour away. If Wegmans ever opened up a store within 30 minutes of me, I would probably weep with joy. I'm not kidding. As far as I'm concerned, Wegmans is the mecca of grocery stores. I heart it. A lot.

BONUS!

An open letter to Wegmans.

{ahem}

Dear Wegmans,

I'm very happy that you are opening up more and more stores in Maryland. If you could move south just a bit more, say to Waldorf, I would be eternally grateful. I would visit your gleaming and pristine store nearly every week. That's a promise!

Love and grocery wishes,
Rachel

The Adjusted Life {onions}

The bad stuff:
Onions (especially raw), onion powder

The good stuff:
Leeks, scallions, and shallots

I can't tell you how sad I was about this one, but have been surprised at how successful I've been. I use a lot of shallots now. I find that being able to use shallots really does satisfy my love of onion flavor. What a relief!

I do eat onions every now and then when ordering food at a restaurant. I don't worry about that part too much, and it doesn't generally bother me.

Plum Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons plum sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon scallions, diced
1 teaspoon soy sauce

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to use. Refrigerate leftovers for up to four day.


I use this dip with my Skinny Asian Lettuce Wraps.

I Should Have Said...

I drove up to the medical supply store one hot Saturday afternoon. I was in search of a wrist brace for my mild to moderate carpal tunnel. I had called about a week earlier to ask if they carried them, and the woman on the phone said yes.

I walked into the store while sipping on my Chick-fil-A diet lemonade. The woman behind the counter (Lady #1) asked if she could help me.

"I'm looking for a wrist brace," I replied.

Lady #1 looked at me and asked with annoyance, "Do we have it?"

I was so taken aback, I didn't know what to say. Why would she ask me if they have it? How would I know, right? I mentioned that I had called earlier and the lady I spoke with had said they had it.

"Well, you didn't talk to me this morning," Lady #1 retorted. Turning to her coworker (Lady #2) she asked, "Did she talk to you?"

"She didn't talk to me this morning either," Lady #2 responded with attitude.

I couldn't beleive they were speaking like this to me, their customer. I corrected them and said that I hadn't called that day. I hadn't said that I called that morning. Honestly, I'm not sure why that mattered anyway!

Lady #1 walked around the counter and led me to a wall of products and said, "This is what we have." On the wall were various wrist splints and braces. Um, what?! Did this lady really just lead me right to the wrist braces after asking me if they had any?

Really?

I was so very confused. Was this the twilight zone? What was going on here?!

I found the braces and looked at the different sizes with Lady #1 hovering over me. Did she think I was going to steal it by putting it in my purse that was just big enough for my iPhone? I didn't know if she-who-hovered would let me try the brace on, as I wasn't sure what size to purchase. I asked her if I could open it and try it on.

"It looks like it's already open," Lady #1 snapped.

While mentally rolling my eyes, I took that to mean I could try it on. I chose the medium size, paid for it, and left. As I walked to my car, I thought of all the things I could have said...most of which I never would have said, but some of which I maybe should have said.

You see, I'm the nice girl. I'm sweet and polite. My quick sarcasm only really comes out with good friends that know me well. With strangers, my focus is on being gracious, kind, and long-suffering. I value my verbal filter. I'm thankful for who I am and don't want to change it. But dude, there are times when I wish I could think of the right thing to say to people that are so rude. I wouldn't want to respond to them with rudeness, but maybe I could show them how ridiculous they are being. However, I rarely think of the perfect thing to say until after the encounter.

What I should have said was, "Why would I know if you have wrist braces?"

Or maybe I could have shown my complete and utter confusion when Lady #1 led me to the wall of wrist sprints and braces and said, "Wait, are you telling me that you knew the whole time that you carry wrist braces? Even when you asked me if you had any? Are you kidding me?" No, I wouldn't have said that. I'm way too nice and I generally give people the benefit of the doubt. They could be having a terrible day. Of course, that doesn't mean they should treat me poorly...

What I wouldn't have said but did think was, "I'm confused. You do understand that you're the one that works here and I'm the customer, right? Just checking."

What about you? Are you like me? Do you always think of the perfect thing to say...about 5 minutes too late?

Birthday Boy

3 month old cutie pie

Someone is one year old today!

Doing one of his favorite things - napping

I can't believe my kitty is already one and that we've had him for 10 months! What a blessing he has been to us. He gives us endless amounts of laughter, entertainment, and as much love as a non-lapcat can.

Love that soft belly!

I never thought I would be one of those people. You know, the ones that spoil their pet to pieces and treat them like a kid? Yeah. That. I am actually finding that I don't care at all if people think of me that way, because Gus has been so good for me - more so than I imagined.

Be still my heart

What birthday would be complete with presents? None! I found a birdie on a string toy that Gus is sure to love. I also found a bag like thing, that is soft to the tough but crinkles when moved. And it also makes a bird noise! Gus loves bags, crinkly things, and all things birdie. I can't wait to try this out! Since I can't give him cake... We've never given him a wet cat food. Well, I bought a small can of Blue Buffalo salmon! I can't wait to see if he loves it.

Blue eyes

Happy birthday, my sweet furry one! I love you!

Happy birthday, my sweet kitty boy

Friday Five

1. The night before we left on vacation, there was a huge storm. Rusty was asleep and I was beginning to doze off when I began to hear the sounds of a storm. At first I dismissed it as a normal thunderstorm, but the howling wind kept getting louder and louder. I sat up in bed, unease giving way to worry. Rusty stirred and I asked him, "Do you hear that?" I got out of bed and grabbed my iPhone to look up local weather warnings as the wind continued to roar.

"Is that a tornado," Rusty wondered out loud? That's all I needed to hear. I speed walked to that bathroom, still fumbling with my iPhone in search of information. The wind raged as I sat shaking in the still damp tub with Rusty crouched beside me. I prayed for safety as branches and twigs hit the roof for what felt like an eternity. The power went out at some point. As the terrible wind finally died down, I had the presence of mind to find our local news station's website on my iPhone and touch Listen Live.

I used the light of my iPhone to find the camping light we had recently purchased on a whim (or what it?) which Rusty then used to find our big flashlight. He walked around our house, checking for damage and then shone the powerful flashlight out the front and rear doors. We had lost the top half of one of our 100' tall trees. Thank you, Lord, that the tree fell in the yard and not on our house. We shut the house up tight and let Gus out of his room, since we were now wide awake.

According to the news, there were no tornadoes, just a crazy storm with 80 mph straight winds. We got power back on late the next day (Saturday) before we had to leave on vacation (thank you, God). And the tree? It would have to wait until we got home from vacation in...

2. ...Virginia Beach! Ah, yes. I love getting away for a few days where the biggest decision is whether to start our day by floating in the pool or enjoying the beach. We all need that kind of relaxation every now and then, don't we?

3. The other important decisions while on vacation revolve around food. What should we do for lunch? PB&J in our room or eat out? Where should we go for dinner? Most of the places we went were successes. In fact, the only bomb was the Chinese place, where nearly everything was so overcooked it was nearly inedible. I still don't know what was in those deep-fried dumplings (they are supposed to be pan-fried, people, PAN-fried)! :shudder: (And no, I don't mean what kind of animal meat...they were meatless.)

All the other food we ate was fabulous - gyros and stuffed grape leaves at Ammos; topped crab flounder with a white wine lemon sauce at Il Giardino; steamed king crab legs at Captain George's, and table-side guacamole and fish tacos at the Side Street Cantina. Drool.

4. We came home on Thursday to a lonely 11-month old kitten, piles of laundry, and the tree in our front yard. On Saturday, Rusty and our brother-in-law, Barry, fired up chain saws while my father-in-law and I carried logs, limbs, and sticks. With their help, we got it completely cleaned up even though it was so hot I thought I was back in tropical Taiwan.

5. The only bad part about our vacation (beside the cost of it) is that Rusty ended up with swimmer's ear. Ouch! His right ear began hurting enough on Sunday to cause him to ask me to make him a doctor's appointment on Monday. That is saying something about the amount pain and irritation that Rusty felt, folks!

Friday Five

Today's Friday Five is in honor of a precious friend of mine, Thelma. She has had a super rough week, and by that I mean one of the worst weeks of her life. She heard that her mom's cancer is back. As if that wasn't challenging enough, she then found out that her precious, sweet, and beautiful kitty-boy is dying of Feline Infectious Peritonitis. Thelma and her husband have had Archie for less than a year (he only turned one in May). They will most likely be saying goodbye to him tomorrow morning. She is understandably heartbroken.

Archie has known such fierce love during his short life, and has given fierce love in return. He has never been one to shy away from an out-stretched hand or a free lap. He may not be the most playful kitty (due mostly to his illness, no doubt), but he more than makes up for it with his charm.

In honor of Thelma's sweet Archie, please join me and enjoy five of my favorite photos of this amazing cat (side bar: picking only five photos of this great looking boy was exceedingly hard).

1. I ♥ his coloring. Seriously, look at those stripes!

2. Passed out kitten adorableness.

3. Hilariously possessive about his stocking AND handsome. What a combination. ♥

4. Honestly with the cuteness! What's not to love?

5. He's such a beautiful boy!

Sunday

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Linking up to Diedra's Sunday Community:

Friday Five

1. We've decided to change up Gus' room. Yes, our cat has a room. What? Doesn't every cat? We are going to be getting rid of the single bed in that room. It's not usuable with Gus in there anyway, so it's just taking up space and being generally useless. We are getting a new piece of kitty furniture - a nice tall cat tree. I bought some new plastic tubs to better organize the stuff in there. Gus loves jumping up on them, so it will be fine if they sit out in the room. Gus isn't spoiled. Nope!

2. We received a package in the mail from my mom this week containing some Heralife products. I'm looking forward to mixing up a bunch of different yummy shakes.

3. I helped organize a cornhole tournament at work this week. We had 32 teams sign up! Good times.

4. I had a horrible migraine this week. It was bad on Tuesday and terrible on Wednesday. It was mostly gone on Thursday (finally). I haven't had a migraine that bad in quite a while.

5. We are going on vacation soon. I'm really looking forward to it. And by that I mean, I'm counting the days. Ah yes, the pool, beach, and relaxation. Fun dinners out with Rusty. It cannot come soon enough. We need some time off in a bad way.

Hoisin Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon chili paste
1 tablespoon warm water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon scallions, diced
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to use. Refrigerate leftovers for up to four day.


I use this dip with my Skinny Asian Lettuce Wraps.

Sunday

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Linking up to Diedra's Sunday Community.:

Friday Five

1. I think we finally had a birdie visit our new bird feeder on Wednesday. We heard Gus go a little nuts and then Rusty saw the feeder swinging back and forth. Yesterday afternoon Rusty saw a cardinal munching away. Finally some success!

2. It has been very cool this week with lows in the 50s and highs in the 70s. Wonderful! Glorious! Beautiful! It certainly doesn't feel like June in Maryland.

3. We decided to stop taking Gus outside until the weather cools off and the bugs die down (even though that is actually his favorite part). We were getting eaten alive out there! Also, we found three ticks in the span of 2 weeks, when neither Rusty nor I have ever had a problem with ticks around our house (even though we are surrounded by woods). We decided that it was the best thing for us and for Gus (even though Gus wouldn't agree). I was afraid that Gus would be inconsolable, but he's taking it like a champ. I suppose it helps that he's a cat and he therefore doesn't really know how long it's been since he's been out? It's not like he can tell time, right?

4. This week has been painfully slow. When the annoyingly loud alarm (which, by the way, has to be loud to wake me) jarred me awake Wednesday morning, I groaned inwardly thinking that it surely must be Thursday and not only Wednesday. (I'm not at all melodramatic in the wee hours of the morning.) Thursday wasn't any better - it felt like Friday. I imagine today will be, um, interesting?

5. We are going to a Thai restaurant for dinner tomorrow. Yum. Oh yum! One of my bosses was warming up a frozen dinner of the Thai variety earlier this week. I have been craving Thai ever since.

Noise and Clamor

It often feels like my head is so crammed full with words and thoughts that I don't have clarity on anything. Nothing rises above the clamor. Some nights I lay in bed, my mind churning and chewing, wishing I could flip a switch and just turn my brain off!

This lack of clarity can make accomplishing much of anything difficult. I can't focus or concentrate. I can't keep my mind from flitting from one thought to the next like a hyperactive butterfly fluttering from flower to flower. (Can butterflies be hyperactive?)

I much prefer the days when my little brain is firing on all cylinders - plowing efficiently through work and multitasking with ease. I like checking things off lists - a sense of accomplishment with each check.

As I type this my mind keeps trying to recall the lyrics to the Steven Curtis Chapman song Be Still and Know. I look the lyrics up and these words speak to me now:

Be still oh restless soul of mine
Bow before the Prince of Peace
Let the noise and clamor cease

Restless.
Noise.
Clamor.

That has been me of late, restless with a mind full of noise and clamor. I suppose that has been me over the last year, which is why I haven't blogged as much. Too many words, thoughts, things, tasks, worries, lists, activities... Too. Much.

I long for peace. I long to be still. I long for clarity. Please Lord, quiet my soul.

I'm putting this out there, hoping to find I'm not alone. Do you have days (or weeks, or years) like this?

Chicken Tortilla Soup

* I like to buy a small rotisserie chicken and shred the meat from that to add to soups. It’s flavorful, fast, and tender.
* I usually use 1 or 2 chipotle pepper from a can at a time. I’ve taken to putting the whole can of peppers in my mini prep food processor and then freezing tablespoons of the leftovers.
* Sometimes I cube Mexican Velveeta and stir the cubes into the soup. Other times I forgo the Velveeta and opt to add shredded Monterey jack cheese as a topping to each bowl. It depends on my mood.

Ingredients:
1 small rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon cumin
2-4 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
2 (15 oz) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
4 cups chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 roasted red pepper, diced
1 cup frozen corn
½ pound Mexican Velveeta, cubed (optional)

Optional toppings:
Sour cream
Avocado
Onions
Tortilla chips
Monterey jack cheese

Directions:
1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and zucchini and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, and chipotle peppers and sauté for 1 minute.

2. Add stewed tomatoes, stirring quickly to deglaze Dutch oven with juice from tomatoes. Begin breaking up stewed tomatoes with spoon. Add tomato sauce, broth, black beans, roasted red pepper, and chicken. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and continue to break up tomatoes.

3. Add frozen corn and stir. Add Velveeta and stir until melted.

Sunday

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Linking up with Deidra's Sunday community:

Friday Five

1. I attempted making a Fresh Strawberry Pie by Weight Watchers last week. While the flavor was great, it didn't thicken up like it was supposed to. I went back and read a bunch of reviews and got a few ideas. I bought more strawberries this last weekend and tried it again. This time it turned out great!

2. We started back to the gym last week after an unintentional month long break. It's frustrating to feel like you are almost starting over again, but alas, it is what it is. All we can do is get back at it.

3. I sat outside while eating lunch one day last week and it was gorgeous! The sun was warm and the breeze was cool. The perfect day. The next day it got hot.

4. I went to a friend's house for crabs and shrimp Memorial Day weekend. We were afraid it was going to be really hot. While the day itself was very hot and humid, the evening ended up being beautiful. The food was good and the company was a lot of fun.

5. I hung up a new bird feeder on Monday, but have yet to see a single birdie eat from it. I guess it will be a while before they learn that they have a new restaurant in town. Epic fail?

Memorial Day

Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored.

~ Daniel Webster