The Pioneer Woman

If I haven't mentioned it before I'm doing it now...I love me some PW! The Pioneer Woman, that is. Her name is Ree Drummond, but to her blogging family she is known as the Pioneer Woman, or PDub, or PW, or...well, you get the picture. She is a woman of many talents, she home schools her 4 punks (children), takes wonderful photos of her daily ranch life, has "like" the best blog ever, and she cooks. As a matter of fact she cooks up a hail storm! I believe she is one of the biggest influences I've had as far as becoming my own home master chef (still in progress)! I have developed a love for cooking, and a part of that has to do with Ree! She provides step by step instructions on her website along with...get this...wait for it...it's truly shocking...step by step PICTURES!! Yes that's right, in addition to putting things into lam eons terms for all of us she has pictures of everything she uses, how she does it, and most importantly the end result! It's really helped me in knowing what things should look like and if I'm on the right track. What exactly does a micro plane look like? What the heck is Welsh Rarebit? And how should roasted red peppers look in the oven? She has opened me up to a whole new world of food, and even better, how to make it MYSELF!

I've always loved food and trying new things, but sometimes I would be afraid of how I could possibly recreate some of my favorite "fancy" cuisine dishes at home. Cooking fish used to freak me out, along with any other type of meat for that matter. And sometimes not knowing what something should look like is a little unnerving. Now in addition to Ree's website, we now are going to have access to a wonderful cookbook of all the Pioneer Woman's favorite recipes! The Pioneer Woman Cooks: recipes from an accidental country girl; It's available for pre-order now! And this isn't your everyday cookbook with a few colored pictures here and there...no sir...her recipes are in full color and with her traditional step by step photos! Take a look at the layout:

And if things couldn't get any better she's going on a book tour!! You can believe that I'm going to be loading up on these and getting them signed for personalized Christmas gifts!! I can't wait to meet PW herself and all her red headed glory!

If you haven't visited Ree's site, please do. You won't regret it, well your waistline might, but it's so worth it! And as PW says...I love you more 'n my luggage!

Just a blonde's take

Face Lift

So for what ever reason, today I felt compelled to give my blog a little face lift. I'm not sure if all the black was getting me down or what, but I feel like I needed something to bring me out of my depressing sad cloud. It's strange but for some reason every fall...or in the words of my friend babalou, Autumn I feel the need to cleanse, make changes, start anew. Maybe it's because fall is my favorite time of year, or maybe it's because for so long fall marked the beginning of a new school year, and even though I haven't been in school for quite some time, the feelings still remain with me to get things going with something new and fresh. Please enjoy the new look and I will have a Halloween post up soon!

Just a Blonde's Take

THIS IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH AMERICA

I'm sorry folks, but I'm going to have to get on my soap box for a minute. I was just on PETA's blog and came across a story about a new sandwich that KFC is testing in a few states. It's called the Double Down. It consists of 2 pieces of fried chicken filet's (which serve as the "bread"), 2 different kinds of cheese (pepper jack and Swiss, I think), bacon, and some new creation called Colonel's sauce. Can you say NASTY? I've never really been a fan of the Colonel, especially after I found out how they treat their chickens, but when they came out with their mashed potato bowls filled with cheese, corn, chicken and all kinds of other nasty stuff, I totally wrote them off. Now KFC has sunk to an all new low, with this "please let me be obese" sandwich. KFC hasn't released the nutrition information on this sandwich yet, but it's estimated that there are over 1200 calories and 80grams of fat in this poor excuse of a sandwich.

And to make matters worse, as I was going through different articles people were actually saying they were disappointed that this sandwich wasn't in their city!!! SERIOUSLY?? Some even went on to comment that if you didn't try this sandwich that you were most definitely a G.D. terrorist! REALLY? I'm a terrorist now because I care about what goes in my body and I want to be healthy? This is what is wrong with America!! People are welcoming obesity into their lives with open arms. One lady even said her 5 year old loves sandwiches and he would love to try this!! What? Parents are so worried about their kids being exposed to Harry Potter books(because they supposedly encourage witchcraft and devil worshipping) and yet they are excited about feeding their children this crap? Way to teach some awesome life lessons! Don't read, just feed!! Ahhhh, I just cannot believe the kind of stupidity it takes to want to eat something like this and to encourage your children to eat it. And to be ignorant enough to say, well if you workout a lot then you can eat this and it won't matter. Hello?? Just because you work off the calories you intake doesn't mean that what you're eating isn't affecting your body in other ways! Not to mention there is practically no nutritional value in this besides protein, excuse me genetically-altered-growth-hormone-injected protein (that's really not good for you either, but that's a whole other story).

If you haven't seen or read Fast Food Nation, go pick it up and you'll have a new outlook on fast food chains in general. I'll leave you with these quotes from the movie...

"There's shit in the meat." "It is a sad fact of life, Don, but the truth is we all have to eat a little shit from time to time." -Not this blonde!

Just a Blonde's Take

FOOD INC.

My good friend babalou recently told me about a film that's going to be showing at our local museum theatre called Food Inc. Well, I'm always up for a good indie/documentary film so I went to their website and checked it out...only to find myself completely consumed by this film that I've yet to see (it doesn't start showing here until next week!). I've already bought the book that goes along with the film. I've only read the preface because it seems that they encourage you to see the film first and use the book as an added supplement, so I'm just dying to see the movie so I can race home and really start the book. The whole premise of the film is about our country's food industry. Where our food really comes from, how it's treated, how far it travels, how it's genetically altered, and basically how it's making us sicker, fatter, and poorer and what we can do about it. Here's the description from the film's website:


In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.
Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield's Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joel Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising—and often shocking truths—about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here.

Now I've always been a person who wants to eat healthy and be healthy, but until this film was brought to my attention I never was really good about actually following through with it. Of course I would do things here and there, but until now I've never really adopted it as a lifestyle. I'm happy to report that I can barely remember the last time I ate fast food...which in and of itself is a huge accomplishment for this mademoiselle. I used my busy life as an excuse to eat fast food for lunch and sometimes dinner and I blinded myself to the truth (I didn't want to know) that fast food is really bad for you not only in calories, fat, and sodium; but the quality of the food is so poor. I have found a new joy/love for cooking. I can't wait to find new exciting recipes to make. Even the drummer is on board for the new lifestyle! I go to the farmer's market for my produce and buy local fruits and vegetables; you would not believe the difference in quality. I had some tomatoes from the farmers market and one leftover tomato from the grocery store, when I cut into each of them you would not believe the difference in color, smell, and taste. Local is the way to go if not from your own garden! And if I ever need something in between I always try to buy organic.

I have a friend who just this week found out she has colitis. She's only 27!! My age! My dad has the same issue and he's 56! There is no better time than the present to start taking care of our bodies! You're only issued one in life. Please check out the Food Inc. website and see if it's coming to a theatre near you. Here's the official trailer for the movie. Check it out!


What are you're thoughts after watching this? Is anyone else eating local and organic? Or do you grow your own veggies, fruits, and herbs?

Just a Blonde's Take

CHANGES EXPLAINED

Well, folks I'm back! Things haven't changed quite as much as I had originally anticipated. The drummer and I were going through some rough things. Moving out, breaking up, crying, being mad, crying some more were all apart of it. For now however we've managed to work things out. So hopefully no more melodramatic posts from me...unless of course it's about a new antique chair or something fabulous I've added to the house decor!
Some fun posts to follow.

Just a Blonde's Take

CHANGES

My life is about to be torn upside down. It's exciting, it's scary, it sucks, it's a good thing. There are so many emotions flowing through me right now, I'm not sure if I'm OK or if I'll bust into tears at any moment. My stomach is upset. I feel unsure and relieved. There are changes coming, and they are good and they are sad. I'm not ready to share what's going on yet, but I will soon. I'm still trying to wrap my own head around it all and waiting to see how it all plays out. Just keep me in your thoughts and send some good vibes my way. I need them...

Just a Blonde's Take

A MESS

I'm a swollen puffy mess today. Boo to allergies, boo to over sunexposure, and boo to sodium. I'm going to go drink some water now and blow my nose. Love you all...some fun posts comming soon...

Just a Blonde's Take

Sample of Some Favorite Spaces

Here are a couple of my favorite spaces...I pull inspiration from them (and sometimes I completely rip them off by getting the exact rug or duvet or picture frame) I'm trying to open myself up to more color. Can you tell?

I love this room and all the mixed matched colors...the rug is to die for!

Even though this kitchen is a little all over the place, I love the different plates hanging together

Perfectly Zen

Well hello there little fella...and beautiful white chairs!

I'm so retro/traditional/modern/old world/classic/bohemian

Ahhhh...damask. And bright blue walls...I die!

I love the Navy walls and farmhouse feel of this bedroom

Yet it has subtle modern undertones

The best Yellow ever!

That headboard rocks my socks!

Bright Blue walls...I'm trying to find a place for them in my house!

I'm not even sure what that art piece is, but somehow I loves it!!

I love when folks group framed art and photos together on a wall, yet something else I'm working on incorporating!



***All Photos taken from Apartment Therapy

Just a Blonde's take

Cafe 7

This is one of my new favorite lunch spots! Cafe 7 Delicatessen and Pastaria is a wonderful place to score a quick and easy lunch (in no way am I sponsored by, endorsed, or given any type of compensation from Cafe 7 for saying any of this...I am just a mere peon to them, to them I don't even exist).

Here's the concept. They have seven items in each category (sandwiches, salads, pasta, and pizza), that come out in seven minutes or less, seven days a week, and everything is $7 dollars or under (and that's out the door, tax included!). They even have a create your own section in every category so you can special order your meal! That's what I did...

I got Rigatoni noodles, the creamy tomato sauce, black olives, red peppers, spinach, and artichokes! Yum! And they serve it with a piece of toasted bread. What a deal, for $7 bucks! The way you order is they have 4 different cards. One for each of the 4 different categories. One for sandwiches, one for pasta, and so on. You pick which one you'd like. You then can select any of the specialty sandwiches or you can create your own. You write your name on the card, and designate if you would like it to-go or dine-in and mark any sides you'd like (note the sides are extra, but only a dollar more for each). You take it to the cashier and they verify your order and ring you up! So easy, and so fast! And with all the quirky marketing schemes, one would think that the food wouldn't be quality. But not here. The food is great for the money and I find myself wanting to go back for "Bridget's specialty meatless pasta" dish!

Here are the menus you order from:

Hopefully there's one near you so you can try it out! If you've already been let me know what you thought!

Just a Blonde's Take

I'm Going To Be An Aunt!!!!!

My brother and his girlfriend are having a baby! Tony called me last night! They were planning on getting married after his military duty was up, but with the baby coming they are going to go ahead and wed it up this Friday at the courthouse. A sister-in-law and a baby niece or nephew all in one week, the family is really excited! I could hardly go to sleep last night! I don’t feel old enough to be an aunt…but I guess I am.

Just a Blonde's Take

THE AXEL YEAR: A SHORT LIFE IN REVIEW

Well, after posting about my lovely golden girl Riley, I had to dedicate a post to my man Axel. Bubby, as I like to call him, came into our lives last year in early June. I can't believe we've almost had him for a year! We adopted him from our local animal shelter, The Central Oklahoma Humane Society. They have a wonderful group of volunteers and I must say our experience adopting through them was wonderful.


Last year the drummer and I had been looking at adopting a Great Dane. The drummer really wanted a huge dog (bigger than our now 94lb. Golden) so we started looking at different adoption websites and even put in an application for one. Well, as you can tell that didn't pan out, and we ended up with Axel Bubby! He's a Great Pyrenees-Daschund-Rhodesian Ridgeback-Rottweiler-Airedale Terrier-German Shepard!! Wow, we were surprised when we got those DNA results in let me tell ya! Although, the German Shepard and Ridgeback are definitely noticeable...not too many other breeds sport permanent eye liner and beauty marks!




From day one Axel has been a joy (now don't get me wrong, there have been plenty of times that I wanted to kill him. Let's not forget the guest room, or Pottery Barn duvet dramas). When we first brought him home he was very timid and shy. He would cower and tinkle anytime someone new came over. He had definitely been abused and neglected. However that all soon changed. He came out of his shell with the help of his sister Riley and some tender loving care and attention. He's still continuing to learn his manners, but overall he's doing great for a 1 year old!






Some of my favorite things about Axel are:







1. Pouncing-this 85lb. dog pounces like he's a freaking garden cat! He has his favorite black ball (that came out of a toy he destroyed) that he plays with and there's almost always some pouncing going on when he does. He's so cute! I don't think a picture could do it justice, something you've got to see for yourself. It always makes me smile and laugh when he does it!

2. Pretending like he doesn't have the use of his legs-he's so clumsy. I think he's still growing...dear God, looks like we have a 100lb. plus dog in our future...and his legs are just so long and mess him up sometimes.

3. His ability to get me with his nose on my face no matter what I do to hide from him-I will be laying in bed and he'll come put his paws on the side of the bed and just start nosing me in the face. I try to hide with the use of the covers, but he always manages to get his little nose in there and get me.

4. His crotch/bare butt obsession-I actually find this pretty annoying, but I can't help but laugh sometimes. Every time I'm wearing a skirt or dress or robe, that dog is able to get his whole wet nose up underneath it and either get me in the crotch or hinney or BOTH! He's so fast and just flicks the material up enough so he can get in there. He doesn't lick or anything he just wants to goose ya!

5. The way he lays down-he lays down with both legs spread eagle on the floor. It's so funny looking to me.

Even though our history together is short and just starting, I don't know what the drummer and I would do if we lost him. He's such apart of our family now I can't image our household without him. He definitely spices our lives up! And as the drummer would say "He's a boy-ee".

**Please note that this green pillow no longer exists due to a certain boy-ee. RIP antique green pillow.**

Just a Blonde's Take

JURY DUTY HELL

****UPDATE! I've been Excused!!!!! Yay, now I can stop searching eBay for a DIY clone kit or teleportation machine!*****

I'm in jury duty hell right now! Now don't get me wrong, I'll all about doing my civic duty. My dad raised us to serve our country and take pride in it, but my little "civic duty/responsibility" is getting out of hand.

Several weeks ago I received a summons for Jury duty for the Federal District court. That was just fine and dandy! I was kind of excited...I'd never served jury duty before. And maybe I'd get on some awesome Erin Brockovich, O.J. Simpson, take 'em down kind of case. So Monday I reported to the courthouse, did the orientation, got sworn in and sat in on the beginnings of a case. Except this case was not as glamorous as I had originally thought. Something about an employer not paying overtime. Anyways, I didn't get picked. So they excused us to go home. Then the next day I was to come in and try to get called on for another case. We walk into the courtroom and there's tons of lawyers and boxes of "evidence". I think...Oh boy, this is the big one! We're gonna take these suckas' down!! Not so much! Again something uber boring about Anti trust laws, someone prohibiting competition or something about metal stuff. Anyways, again didn't get picked for that one either (which I was glad because it was supposed to last 2-3 weeks, and I don't know how much "evidence" I could take about sheet metal and aluminum).

So our little jury duty lady tells us that we'll need to call on Friday after 5 to see if we need to come in on Monday. Which I'm sure I will since I haven't been assigned to anything yet. Well, now I've got a little problem...I'm supposed to report for jury duty to the County courthouse on Monday! So I get the number from our Federal jury duty lady and call the county to inform them that I'm already serving jury duty for the Fed's and will they please reschedule me (mind you I'm super busy at work right now and this really isn't the time for all this jury duty stuff). He tells me that I have to come up there on Friday at 2 to fill out an excuse form and go before the judge to explain why I can't report for duty on Monday! REALLY?? Can't I just fax in my summons and letter stating I'll be tied up at Federal court until June 5th!! REALLY?? Just reschedule me...I don't care, I don't mind but I'll be a monkey's uncle if I can be in 2 places at once! Why the freak do I have to come up there and explain all that to the judge?? Can't you just mark me off the list and move me to a later time? Ahhhhhh! So frustrating...

So now I'm going to have to leave work early on Friday, probably report on Monday, possibly report on Tuesday (which will cause me to have to cancel my womanly yearly exam, which I won't be able to get another appointment for at least 2 months b/c my doctor is awesome and every "freakin A" person goes to her, which will cause me to have to call up there at least once to get a BC script called in to the pharmacy, b/c I'm gonna run out before my rescheduled appointment...grrrrrrr).

Calm...find your center...hommmmmm...namaste.

Ok, I'm OK.

So no Erin Brockovich coolness for me...more like Melba toast duty. I'll keep you posted, in the meantime make me feel better by telling me your jury duty horror stories...Anyone?

Just a Blonde's Take

Lake Season

Almost nothing can beat sipping on drinks enjoying a relaxing dinner on a patio just off the shore of an Oklahoma lake at sunset (Ok, so it's no bahama beach with white sand and waving palm trees, but we cherish what we get)!  Lake season is upon us and I can't wait to enjoy more scenes like this one. 

Just a Blonde's Take

Lettuce Wraps

Sorry everyone I've been so late at getting this recipe to you all. It actually turned out rather well. It was kind of a pain to cut the chicken up so small...I'm looking into finding another way to mince it; and I forgot to make the rice sticks. Overall it's awesome and we'll definitely be making it again! I combined 2 different recipes on sparkrecipes to make this one (don't forget this is a low cal, low fat meal; which makes it even more yummy). Enjoy!

Asian Lettuce Wraps


Ingredients:
8 ounces of minced chicken mix (see below)

Chicken Mix:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of water chestnuts
2/3 cup shitake mushrooms


3 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon wok oil
2 ounces of minced chicken sauce (see below)
1 cup of rice sticks (prepared)
1 teaspoon of sesame oil


Minced chicken sauce:
1/4 cup of mushroom soy sauce
1/4 cup of oyster sauce
1/2 tsp of white pepper
1/4 cup of cooking rice wine
T of sugar

Heat mixture on medium high heat at low boil for about 6 to 8 minutes.
(can cool and refrigerate additional sauce)

Preparation:

Cooking Procedure

Heat wok until white whisk of smoke appears
add 1 tbs of wok oil
add garlic 5-10 seconds
add minced chicken mix and sear
add 1/4 ounces of minced chicken sauce, stir and incorporate
add 2 tbs of diced green scallions
add 1tps of sesame oil and plate

This recipe serves 2.
Multiply accordingly for additional guests.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 119.9
Total Fat: 0.4 g
Cholesterol: 27.5 mg
Sodium: 122.2 mg
Total Carbs: 17.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g
Protein: 13.1 g

Just a Blonde's Take

New Favorite Blog!

I have a new favorite blog folks! K.Reid over at Reid All About It is funny, witty, and thrifty! She IS the COUPON QUEEN (in my humble opinion)! She buys loads of stuff for pennies! I'm not even joking. She is truly inspiring with her DIY tips and homemade meals that look absolutely delicious (I'm making her Salmon turnovers soon, the drummer will die)! Go check her out and show her some love! I know her site will be a regular stop for me!

MY FIRST BLOG AWARD!!!

I can't tell you how honored and excited I am to receive this award from my good friend Babalou! She is the whole reason I started blogging in the first place. I am now honored to be able to bestow this prestigious award (because they're the only kind I receive) on other deserving lady bloggers!

Here are the rules:
1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate up to 10 blogs which show great attitude and/or gratitude!

3. Be sure to link your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Remember to link the person from whom you received your award.

Drum roll please...

The suspense is killing me...

And the Awards go to...

Anna at: Absolutely Beautiful Things

FC over at: { Freckles Chick }

Lincee at: I Hate Green Beans

You all get me through my work week! You constantly provide me with inspiration, laughter, and blog envy! Thanks!

Just a Blonde's Take

The Golden Years: A life in Review

I recently read a post by FC, a favorite blog of mine, and it really hit home. Her friends lost their precious Golden Retriever to cancer and it came quite suddenly. It seems as though the ugly disease will take us all. The post reminded me of how little time we really have with our pets. Riley's graying muzzle constantly reminds me of how much she has grown up. She's five now and when I look back at my life 5 years ago, I am amazed at how much my life has changed. I am so different (I guess grown up) and Riley had so much to do with that. She's my buddy and I hate to imagine life without her. She has weathered the storm with me, helped heal my heart after breakups and boyfriends. She has been my snuggle partner during sad movies, scary nights, and lazy weekends. She's lived in seven different homes with me (if only I could get her trained to help me pack). Like her mom, she's had several roommates: Lucy, Desi, Gracie, Nixie, Ruby, Atticus, Millie, Sketch, Rossta, Bruce, Chief and now her brother Axel). She's been the pain in my side, many times (we won't discuss the wall chewing days)! She been my loyal friend.

*Riley being bossy with her former roomie, Ruby (the Bagel)

I remember when I got her...I had just sold all my college school books for the semester. Instead of saving the money for next terms books, which would have been the responsible thing to do, I bought myself the love of my life...Riley Belle. Whoever said money can't buy love was utterly wrong in this instance. That little ball of fur was love at first sight. I can still see her sitting at the foot of my bed at 3 in the morning staring and barking at me with that cute little puppy bark for me pay attention to her, feed her, let her out...I'm not really sure. I felt like a new mom with her baby, not really sure what the thing wanted, but that it was disturbing my sleep and it wouldn't stop "crying" no matter what I did.

Riley was fond of car rides from day one. It was about a 30-40 minute drive to take her home when I first picked her up. She just laid down in the passenger seat and fell asleep. Now she's a pro. She hops up in her spot and awaits our destination. She also, loves going out on our boat and enjoying the lake. However, she does not enjoy her life jacket. I got her one last summer, because I'm always afraid something will happen and she'll go over board while we're cruising around. She's allowed to take it off once we are docked. She loves swimming and getting lots of attention from the other lake rats.

Riley is also, in love with...socks, mail, any form of treat (unfortunately she's really smart and knows the word treat, so if we are ever talking about them we have to spell it out or she starts barking bossy even more to try and get one..."Honey, she wants a T-R-E-A-T", I just hope she doesn't figure out how to spell), peanut butter, stripping sticks of their bark, barking at everything outside, getting wet and dirty, being pet, getting attention, getting the ball away from her brother Axel, going on walks, and most of all me.

Here's a cute email I received a while back, I'm not sure who the author is, about pets. One of those random emails that you're not sure who started them:

To be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door - nose height.

Dear Dogs and Cats,

The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years…canine or feline attendance is not required.The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough! To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door:

To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Pets:

1. They live here. You don't.

2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That's why they call it "fur"niture.)

3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.
Remember: Dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

1. Eat less

2. Don't ask for money all the time

3. Are easier to train

4. Normally come when called

5. Never ask to drive the car

6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends

7. Don't smoke or drink

8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions

9. Don't want to wear your clothes

10. Don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and...

11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children.

Give your pets a big hug and a T-R-E-A-T!

Just a Blonde's Take

New Branch, No Time

Sorry folks, I've been busy at work and at home and have had no time to post anything. At work I've been busy trying to open a new branch for our bank. We just opened our doors officially yesterday. Before that there was tons of planning and preparing, manual labor and shopping!

I enjoyed my friend Marlene visiting from Paris. Her trips are always fun and seem too short. While she was here we were able to celebrate my birthday! We had a fabulous party at the house. Tons of friends and family and food! It was great, just what I wanted for turning 27! And the weather cooperated for once. Every year it seems that it monsoons on my birthday. This year it was clear, crisp and just right for a patio party!

Speaking of patio, you can find me this evening enjoying food and drinks on my lovely patio. The weather is nice and just right to be relaxing outside. I can't wait. I also can't wait to try a new recipe. I'm going to attempt to make Asian chicken lettuce wraps tonight. I always order them when we hit up our local Pei Wei and they're just sooo good, I'm going to try and recreate the deliciousness in my kitchen! We'll see, we might be enjoying grilled cheese sandwiches on the patio instead! I'll let you know how they turn out! Hope you all are having a wonderful week so far!

Just a Blonde's Take

Double the Fun!

I'm feeling frisky today, so you all get a Double Post!! Wooohooo! (who am I kidding? I'm the only one excited about a double post, more proud of myself I guess) Anyway, I thought I would share a photo of my little bro that was taken while he was in India for training.

He's the marine (bad ass M.F.) on the right. Scary (but fun) stuff! Right now he's in his favorite (least fave) place 29 Palms, California (they call it 29 Palms, because that's how many total trees they have there...and that's all)! More and more training it seems, and sometime this summer or perhaps fall, he will be off to either Afghanistan or Iraq. I'm so excited for him and all the things he gets to see and do, but I also fear for him (for obvious reasons). That's why I thought it would be a wonderful idea for me to watch this movie, Taking Chance. Not, I cried during the whole damn thing (I'm an emotional cutter with movies)!

Anyone else have any family or friends in the military? I'd love to add them to my prayer list!

Just a Blonde's Take

MY PRECIOUS...

I can't lie any longer. I've been keeping a secret from everyone. I haven't been sharing something, because I've wanted to keep it all to myself (like Gollum in Lord of the Rings...sorry, I'm a blonde SiFi geek, I blame my dad). It's my little precious and I'm finally ready to share it with the world. I will now unleash the truth! I...LOVE...ETSY!!!! It's the most wonderful online store EVER! It's everything handmade by regular folks like ourselves! And this isn't your average DIY site! These are quality made items by professionals and passionate hobbyists (is that even a word, yeah, I'm sure it is...like lobbyists; right?); you can find almost anything on there...they have art, clothes, vintage, holiday, toys, home decor galore! And now I am sharing all this wonderfulness with you (my 2 readers)! There is a wide range of products and prices, for any style and budget. Go check it out, you won't be sorry you did (well you might, you'll be instantly hooked and spend all your hard earned dollars on there and you'll have no one to blame but me...I don't have tons o moola myself so I have to enable others in order to fulfill my shopping need)! Here's some info about Etsy taken directly from their site:

What is Etsy?
Etsy is an online marketplace for buying & selling all things handmade.Our mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers.
Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice: Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.

Where is Etsy?
Since our launch in June, 2005, over 100,000 sellers from around the world have opened up Etsy shops.

Happy Monday and happy shopping!

Just a Blonde's Take

WAL-MART FIT

You all will have to excuse my immature behaviour. Yesterday, I threw a Wal-Mart fit. You know the kind where you're shopping and you see a poor parent trying to control their screaming red faced kid. (Because apparently, they are the only ones that don't have the latest Hannah Montana Bratz doll) Yes, that was me, tossing things, yelling, wanting to hit whatever I came into contact with. All because of a culmination of bad fortunes and major stress. "Times are rough", and although I know they can be way worse, I had to let it all out yesterday in the most childish way. My poor friend Cycy...I'm so lucky that she's still my friend after witnessing the embarrassing display I made. Have any of you ever been witness to a "Wal-Mart fit"?


*Note that this "Wal-Mart fit did not take place in public, but in the confines of my home. At least I've learned one thing since being 5.

Just a Blonde's Take

AHHHHH...HE STRIKES AGAIN!!!

OK, I'm completely and utterly convinced that Pottery Barn puts some kind of magical substance in all of their bedding! My "Angel" Axel has made a meal out of another Pottery Barn Clearance buy. This time his appetite drove him to indulge himself in our master bedroom black and white crewel duvet. He helped his little self to one of the corners. Now don't get me wrong, we can probably live with the corner he chewed, but dang...I know that it's there and for this perfectionist that's utter torture! So I hopped on good old eBay again and searched for another duvet...ARE YOU KIDDING ME! They're like $200 bucks! Again I got mine on clearance and with a GC, so it was like $70 bucks or something ridiculous like that! So I guess I'm going to have to bear and grin it and live with this nasty chewed corner. I think I'll write the folks at Pottery Barn and ask them to please stop putting this tempting ingredient in all their fabrics. For my sanity and the sanity of all who have animals that can't refuse their deliciousness.

Just a Blonde's Take

PERHAPS A NEW VENTURE!

Spring is most definitely near. My closet is calling out to me for spring cleaning and there definitely seems to be a smell of Change in the air. Spring always seems to mark the start of a new season of change for me. I always get the "out with the old and under used" feeling around this time of year and this year has proven to not disappoint.

The drummer last week received news that he would be losing his job due to the economic times. He's in the oil and gas business and it's always been an unstable market. Week to week, day to day, he never knows if oil prices will tank and he'll be out of a job. Well, his small firm finally had to let everyone go. So instead of stressing and worrying about the loss of his income, we have been celebrating the fact that this situation has created an opportunity for him to embark on new ventures! I'm so glad he's now able to start playing more (the drums). He's already joined up with some new bands and is looking forward to rehearsals and gigs with them as well as with his regular band.


I've also encouraged him to really think about starting his DJ business with his brother like he has mentioned doing in the past! What better time than the present? I truly believe in karma and the vibes you put out into the world come back to you 10 fold. To me there is no reason why we can't look at this incident in the best possible way. What does dwelling on the bad and most depressing parts of life help anything? I have found my life so much more enjoyable over the last few years, by just having a pleasant attitude, seeing the good in everything, and looking forward to the challenges that life has ahead. I'm so excited for the drummer and all the possibilities that this opportunity brings. I know he'll make the most of it, and great things are ahead for him. Plus, I'm looking forward to getting to spead some more time with him. So with the changing of the season, we also find ourselves changing jobs, changing attitudes, spending habits, and closet spaces. What change/changes are you looking forward to? Happy Changing Everyone!!

Just a Blonde's Take

I'M REALLY A BLONDE SOMETIMES

So you all know that I previously talked about ordering some new shams to replace the one my "Angel" Axel chewed up. Well I've been patiently waiting for them to arrive and I started to wonder where they were the other day. So I jumped on my email and found the message about, clicking on the link to track your order. Well, I did and to my surprise it said that it had already been delivered. As a matter of fact it had been delivered 4 days ago (2 were the weekend). So I'm just absolutely puzzled, until I notice that the city of delivery was different than the city I live in??? Hummm...ok, why is that? I mean I work in this other city and used to live there, but...OH CRAP! I scroll down in the email and find that I had the shams shipped to a house I haven't lived in in probably about 3 years. Great! Now how am I going to get them? So I coax one of my male co-workers to go over to the house that the shams mistakenly got delivered to, so I can see if the current residents are home and hope that they still have my package and are willing to hand it over. No such luck, go figure they're the only people who still have a job in this economic crisis. So I leave what can only be the most confusing note about how I used to live there, I had a package delivered there by mistake, I'm really sorry, please call me if you have it...yada yada yada. So then I waited, hoping to hear from them; in the meantime I send an email to the seller informing him of my blondness and how if it gets returned to him that I'm really sorry and have the correct address. Alas, a bit of luck. The residents call and say they have my package and they'll leave it outside for me to pick up. I can put your worries to rest. I have the shams safely stowed in my car and am waiting to take them to their new home. Mini crisis avoided!

Just a Blonde's Take

HAPPY FRIDAY INSPIRATION

I love finding new inspiration, and today I stumbled upon what I can only guess will be a new favorite place to visit...Absolutely Beautiful Things. It' s quite lovely and my muse for this post. What better way to be sent off to your weekend than with a little inspiration.

I absolutely love peonies. I think Meg Ryan was wrong...daisies aren't the most happy flower peonies are! With spring seeming to be upon us I'm hoping to plant some peony bushes at the old homestead. They're so full, soft, and feminine. What's your favorite flower that just gives you that warm happy feeling? Happy Friday everyone, I hope you find yourself inspired this weekend!!

Just a Blonde's Take

HERE A SHAM, THERE A SHAM, EVERYWHERE A SHAM SHAM

I believe I have previously mentioned that one of my best friends is coming to stay with us from Paris, France at the end of the month; and that I've been busy (in between plumbing issues) getting her room ready (our guestroom). Well, back in December the Drummer and I purchased some bedding from good old Pottery Barn. Well, this bedding that we'll call Ogee (that's the style name given by the folks at PB) was on clearance when we bought it. Now it resides on our guest bed. Well, as can be expected with most clearance items that there is a limited supply and they were already sold out online; with no future plans of bringing this Ogee pattern back. Well, this weekend when the Drummer and I were in the shower, our little "Angel" Axel chewed a corner off of one! REALLY?? Are you JFKing me? Apparently there's something that tastes so good in Pottery Barn's organic cotton bedding that it just makes my otherwise "Angel" Axel, become the devil reincarnate and eat a corner off!! So instead of murdering him (too many witnesses) I hopped on ever faithful eBay to see if anyone was selling just the sham. Thank God someone was. So now, I have a standard and Euro sham on it's way to the house (sold as a set I guess, now we have to buy another Euro pillow), and of course since it's sold out everywhere else I had to shell out $54 bucks for a sham I already purchased for $10! I love our dogs, but sometimes I wish they would get jobs and start paying for their own way.

Just a Blonde's Take

Bridget

BREAKING OUT, FALLING APART, AND SWELLING UP

Due to recent stressors, my face (and body) have taken a toll. I'm breaking out, my left eye won't stop twitching, and I have a lovely fat cold sore on my lower lip. I look like Rhianna after a Chris Brown beating. And to not help the situation, I haven't been getting enough sleep (can't seem to catch any Zzzz's before midnight). So to take matters into my own hands, yesterday I washed my face, got some medicine for the cold sore, and got some sleeping pills for the insomnia. And today, I still have acne like a 17 year old McDonald's worker, an even more swollen lip, and my eye is still twitching like crazy. So any suggestions on how I can get myself de-stressed? I've been trying not to worry too much, but I guess I can't even fool myself this go around. Maybe I need to blog some more? Exercise? I'm desperate at this point, so any real life suggestions would be awesome. I'm holding on by a thread.

P.S. I went ahead and got the shower curtain and rug, and they go perfect in our bathroom! Finally some color other than tan, white and black!

Just a Blonde's Take
Bridget

A FEW THINGS I'VE BEEN EYEING

I love this pillow. I feel as though it is the very essence of me...naa not really I'm just trying to justify wanting a $100 pillow. *from Design Public

Love the pop of red on this one. I'm not sure where I'd put it, but I still think it's uber special. *Again from Design Public

This chair just makes me Happy...maybe someday I'll get the willingness to actually purchase it. For now I just log onto Urban Outfitters and gawk at it.

I just think this is so pretty. Plus I really need something to hang my necklaces on...they're getting all tangled in my jewelry box. *from Urban Outfitters

Here is the fore mentioned Bath rug and Shower curtain. I got a 20% off coupon so I think I'm gonna splurge and get them...before I'm unable to afford any other pretties because of you know leaking what. *both from Bed Bath and Beyond

I've been wanting one of these for a while to put in our bedroom. This one is from West Elm...although I did see one at Target the other day.

I think these would look fabulous in our bathroom or anywhere in the house for that matter...I just loves them! *from West Elm.



Just a Blonde's Take

Bridget

Water Woes Update!

Well, there is good and bad news. The good news first? Water is no longer leaking into our garage when we use the dishwasher and sink. Bad news...in order to make it a permanent fix, we are going to have to hire the camera guys and more than likely jack hammer some concrete. It seems as if there is a crack or break in the pipe that is located in our slab in the garage. Hopefully (keep your fingers crossed) That they will be able to access this problem pipe from in the garage and not our bedroom or kitchen...which that would mean tearing up the hardwood floors or cabinets, respectively. But the Sewer guys bought us a little bit of time yesterday by unclogging the pipe which was making the water back up out of the crack and into our garage. And so now I'm trying to de-stink my house for a party on Saturday (my cousin is getting married and his fiance and all our friends are coming over to put together their invites). All that unclogging and water in the garage has made the house stink like dirty sink/sewer. I may go ahead and spring for that new shower curtain...it's looking like it might be the last fun thing I purchase for a while.

Water Woes

Instead of spending my hard earned dollars on buying fantastic throw pillows, or that new shower curtain I've been eyeing at BBB I'm being forced to have to pay for plumbing issues! Yay! I love when my dishwasher water leaks into my garage! Ha, NOT! Oh, yes anything I pour down our sink or that comes from the dishwasher is leaking into our garage! And the problem just keeps getting worse and worse. First my dad tried to come to the rescue and tried to figure it out, but alas it's still leaking. Now he's over at the house with a plumber who can't figure it out either, so now I have a hole in my bedroom wall (no other way to get to the suspect pipe) and the problem still remains. We think there's a clog in the suspect pipe, but it would seem like that's not the only problem. So what's a girl on a budget to do? Well, call the sewer guy and have him unclog the pipe first (cross our fingers and pray that's it) and then call the pipe camera guys and pay $250 bucks to have them JUST fish their camera in there and locate the problem, only to have to have someone else come out and fix whatever is wrong (which is probably under our slab foundation somewhere). Super swell! Needless to say this is not what this Blondie wanted to deal with in these harsh economic times. Anyone else have any homeowner horror stories?

Loves it!

The Black Bean and Sausage soup was a hit! I was so delicious and so comforting. Here's the recipe in case you all are interested:

Black Bean and Sausage Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large carrot, peeled or scrubbed, chopped

1 stalk of celery, sliced

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 medium potato, peeled, diced

2 cups beef or chicken broth/stalk

1 28oz tin, diced tomatoes

4-6 oz lean kielbasa sausage, cubed
1 19oz tin black beans, or your favorite canned beans

Nutritional Info

Fat 5.0g

Carbohydrates 41.0g

Calories 273.9

Protein 18.8g

1. Heat large pot with low fat cooking spray. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook and stir over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften.

2. Stir in garlic, oregano, potato, broth and tomatoes; heat to boiling. Stir in Kielbasa. Cover and simmer gently for at least 1/2 hour to blend flavours.

3. Drain and rinse beans. Add to soup. Heat until hot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread. (Even better the next day)

From the original recipe:

** We love this soup. You can prepare it ahead for a gathering and instead of simmering for 1/2 hour, put it in your crockpot on low and add the beans. By the time you are ready to eat (try to make it at least a half an hour) it will be ready to go. Great for potluck as it only gets better the longer it sits.

Number of servings: 6

****Recipe and Picture taken from Spark Recipe's website

Homesick

Is there a way to be homesick, without being away from home? I'm finding myself homesick these past few days, except...I'm not away from home. I guess the better term would be drummersick? I'm missing the drummer a lot and when he's gone there are times that our home doesn't really feel like home. I'm there the dogs are there, but he's not. He's such apart of our lives and whether he's driving me crazy or making me fall in love even more, he's missed. Sometimes I feel like a "single mom" with just me and our doggie children. I spent most of my Saturday this weekend in bed. It just felt comforting to be in. Then to make my drummersickness worse, I rented Nights in Rodanthe. I love Diane Lane and my girl again didn't disappoint. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday. I'm trying to get rid of a headache, but looking forward to our weekly girl's night! It's Black Bean and Sausage soup and salad tonight! I can't wait, it's a new recipe and in addition to sounding delicious, it's healthy too! I'll let you all know how it fairs.

Just a Blonde's Take
Bridget

OK, I KNOW...I SUCK!

Ok, I really suck at this whole blogging thing. I have been absent for so long and I have only my lazy and unimaginative mind to blame. Sometimes I find it almost impossible to think of ideas and topics to blog about...I really think I'm too hard on myself to come up with some brilliant post that will dazzle all when in reality I just need to write about what I know and what's going on. So as a new resolution...I vow to post more, even if it seems like it's nothing. I feel writing is good for the soul and it helps my already bad grammar and spelling issues. And I find it funny that I get so upset when others don't have a new post. I'm a total hypocrite in this regard. I want all my favorite bloggers to post everyday and yet I go months without a word. Oh the shame (don't worry, I have Catholic Guilt I feel bad enough for everyone)! So here we go another post of randomness to catch you all up on what's been going on and I vow to post more frequently:

Ok, so the trip to NYC was great and not so great! We got to see about two things on my list and we had such a terrible time trying to get around that we spent most of the time frustrated about which way was north and why aren't there any hot dog stands around when we need one. I don't think you really can prepare yourself for NYC, I went to Paris last year and thought that that big city experience would have helped in the Big Apple yet it didn't. It really is the city that never sleeps. The whole reason for going was to see Butch Walker perform in Hoboken and that definitely was AMAZING! FYI Butch was on the Ellen DeGeneres show in early February with Pink and it was awesome!

Our garden, or should I say roped off dirt space...our dogs have totally ruined our garden. Half of what we planted was either eaten or trampled to death. We're gonna have to start again in the spring. We love our dogs, but man do they tear up a yard.

Speaking of which we FINALLY found out what our precious Axel is...datdadadaaaa:
Great Pyrenees
Daschund
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Rottweiler
Airedale Terrier
German Shepard
and I think there was one more but I can't remember...Can you say MUTT! Some were really unexpected, but it's fun knowing our doggy child's heritage.

Also, I was promoted this year. I am now an AVP (Assistant Vice President) of the bank! It sounds cooler than it really is...I mean I'm super pumped and it's a great honor, but I'm not making millions. And I will be the manager at our newest branch that is in it's final stages of construction. Yay, can't wait for new building smell (Side Note: I love new building smell, I think it has to do with the paint lacquer or wood stain fumes...gets me excited, however I feel the complete opposite about new car smell...ahhh gross makes me gag just mentioning it)

The drummer and I (check out that grammatical correctness!) are still going strong. I have gotten word that a proposal may be within this decade. Here's hoping. He's working out of town even more than usual. Now he's gone for two weeks at a time...I only get to see him every other weekend and then he's off again. Boo!! But I'm happy and thankful he has a job in this lovely economy, I know others have not been so fortunate.

Oh and more news on one of my favorite Photags...her home is being featured on Apartment Therapy as one of the 2009 home tours! It makes me want to slit my couch arms at how wonderful it is. Go check it out!

My most favorite French person is coming to visit at the end of March!! She's one of my best friends and lives in Paris as a musician (it's hard being her). Anyway, this will be the first time she's seen our house so of course I'm trying to get it all ready and have her room looking fantastic for when she stays.

And I've been trying to GO GREEN this year. Yet another resolution, however this one I've been better at sticking to so far. I use all my own bags when I shop...it's kind of become a new addiction (there are too many cute ones out there), I don't buy paper towels anymore. I bought a bunch of towels and flour sacks to clean up messes. I try to eat organic as much as possible and I'm looking into starting a compost bin! I'm trying to add one new thing a month so that by the end of the year I'll have 12 new things that I'm doing to help SAVE the Earth. I think new month is starting the recycle bin thru our trash service.

That's about all that I've been up to lately house, work, drummer, friends...life can't get any better. I'll catch you all next week, the drummer took the laptop with him so no posts this weekend...I'll let you know when I get my new couch pillow in!! I DIE!

Just a Blonde's Take
Bridget