Things That Make Me Happy : Starbucks

Confession : I'm not that good at being a wife.  It took me about a year to figure out that being married wasn't just a state of being, like being alive or breathing.  But being married is a skill.  It's something you have to learn how to do.  Like sharing or algebra.  And I'm learning.  Sometimes I think maybe I'm learning too slowly.  I get tired of compromise and collaboration.  And considering Nick and I were dating long distance for 8 years, it's no surprise that some days I miss my independence.

Yesterday I threw a temper tantrum.  To be honest I was just tired of having another person infiltrate all of my being.  I just wanted to not have to ask questions like...

"What do YOU want for dinner?"

"Can WE go to bed now?"

"When are you going to do that DIY project that

I've been nagging you about for a week so we can stop living in chaos? 

Or answer questions like...

"Have you done the laundry?"

"Have you ironed my shirts?"

"Where is my ____ ?"

And then there is the always looming even bigger question -

When can I peace out of this country?  

Because God knows if it wasn't for this (big shiny) ring on my finger I would have done so SO long ago.
In fact, are long distance marriages possible?  And do people judge you for that?  Because I met someone on Thursday whose wife lived in DC and he worked at the University and I couldn't help but wonder if that is the best or the worst relationship ever...

Long story short: I went to bed in a horrible mood, and then I couldn't sleep because I was in a horrible mood, so I was in an even worse mood in the morning.  All of these things being my fault.  Plus I was REALLY tired.

Then I passed Starbucks, which is the point of this post, I'm trying to identify 100 things that make me happy for Day Zero.  And I would like to say  - Starbucks, you make me happy.

This freestyle is for you.

Starbucks, you warm my cold fingers.
I like the way that peppermint mocha lingers...
On the tip of my tongue, that caffeine's got me sprung.
Elizabeth and James, we think the same.
A delicious mocha, twins come on ova.
Mary Kate is great, but I think Ashley is more like me...

Gee.. I really feel cooler when holding this recycled tree.
Just sippin on a latte, walking through the fray.
Whatever country I'm in - in each Starbucks that I have been,
Everything is the same,
and while some hipsters think that is LAME
I totally disagree, you see
Because even in England,
you look the same as my main S-bucks location,
in my homeland, a great nation.
It is a good thing I must say
to have a place where I can go on any given day,
That doesn't feel so foreign.

I hope you enjoyed my rhymes.  Anyways after my Starbucks I felt much better and called Nick and apologized for my temper tantrum.  This is the truth.  I'm lucky he holds no grudge.  Someday I'll be a good wife.  I just wonder how many soy peppermint mocha latte's later?

ps.  If my obscure pop culture references were lost on you MK and A like Starbucks.  And I like MK and A.  Hope you are having a good Friday! 

Dani's First Half Marathon

Hi Friends,

I just wanted to tell you about my pretty sister, Dani. The tall tan one.

I mean, my mom and Lizzie are pretty too, but I wanted to tell you about Dani.

Dani was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis this year.  It's a disease in which your immune system attacks your colon, resulting in painful ulcers in your intestines.  It's not a very nice thing.  She has to go to the doctor a lot now and the steroids she is on to treat it don't work very well, plus they make her gain weight - every girls worst nightmare right?

Well anyways she is running a half marathon in Las Vegas in December, for Team Challenge - an organization that fund raises for crohns and colitis.  I really wish I could run with her, to support her ( read : party in vegas with her...) and because it's on my bucket list!  But unfortunately I can't be there.  

She is so close to reaching her fundraising goal, but she needs about $200 more.  So I told her I would enlist the help of the lovely people of the blogosphere.  If you feel inclined to donate a lil something something to help my sister and to help find a cure for her disease, you can do so on her fundraising page.

I know she'd appreciate any tips from you hardcore runners out there as well!  This is her first half marathon!  Thanks guys!

Breakfast at Tiffany's Tuesdays : Orange Juice in My Oatmeal

Yes that's right, Breakfast at Tiffany's Tuesdays is back and better than ever!  And I have a fantastic recipe for you today... I was inspired to make this while watching River Cottage, and I am hooked.  I don't think orange juice oatmeal is the technical term for it, but that's what I'm calling it.  It's pretty forgiving and you can tailor it to your own liking, but here is my favorite way to eat it.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup orange juice - give or take
• 1 apple, grated
• 2 dried dates
• 2 dried figs
• 1 spoonful of toasted almonds
• 1 Total with Honey

Mix grated apple with oatmeal and orange juice, so the consistency looks something like this...

At this point it's best if you leave it to sit for awhile, so I usually go take a shower and get ready while the oatmeal is soaking up the OJ.  You can even make it overnight and leave it in the fridge for the morning, but Lord knows I'm never that well prepared....

Next take it out of the fridge and sprinkle with nuts and dried fruit.  Then top with yogurt and drizzle with honey. 

 I liked how convenient the Total Greek Yogurt with Honey was for making this -the prepackaged portions mean I can't get too heavy handed with the honey, which my chubby little self has the tendency to do.

The best part about this breakfast is it's not only delicious, but the combination of oatmeal, fruit, nuts, and yogurt gives you the protein and fiber combination you need to feel full until lunch time.  And for those of you that are vegan, it tastes equally good without the yogurt and honey, but in my experience it doesn't keep me feeling as satisfied for as long.  I know this recipe may sound a little funny, but I think you'll love it!  Go on - give it a try!

ps.  Thanks to the nice people at Total for supplying me with this delicious creamy Greek yogurt!  I have so much of it I'm sure it will turn up in recipes later on in the week..

Wedding Fashion

Yesterday while running errands I mentioned I purchased this dress for a wedding...

From Mint Velvet.

I think it's pretty cute, but I'm struggling with styling it. 

So I was just wondering, my fashion savy blogging pals, 

how would you style it for a late November wedding? 

The only definite I have so far is I need to buy a belt,

and I will probably wear a chunky gold flower necklace with it.

Also, it is likely to be rainy and cold.  

So I am thinking tights?

Totally not sure about shoes or coat.

Help!

French Onion Soup - A Delightful Kitchen Fail

Friends I am back in the kitchen!  On Saturday I spent the day slaving away over a delicious French Onion Soup, which I saw on Closet Cooking earlier in the week.

It looked so delectable, and we had a plethora of onions from our Riverford Organic vegetable box left over from the week since I don't really cook with onions too frequently.  Let me tell you, this soup was a labor of love - blood, sweat and tears all went into the making of this French classic.

I got to work on Saturday morning cutting up 4 pounds of the things. This is where the blood and tears came into to play - I cut myself and duh onions make you cry.

I didn't want to start the soup making process just then, so I popped them in the fridge for a bit.  When I went back a few hours later, the smell had permeated our entire kitchen.  Nice little foreshadowing of things to come.

The onions take about 2-3 hours to caramelize, and need to be stirred every 15 minutes.  Like I said labor of love right?  By that point our whole house smelled of onions.  I followed Kevin's recipe exactly, (except I replaced beef stock with vegetable stock) and soon I ended up with this....

The crusty french bread, the melted emmental, oh boy, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  It was simply perfect for a crisp fall lazy weekend dinner.  So perfect in fact, I went back for seconds.  Nick on the other hand, was not feeling well, and only ate a tiny bit.

Now you may think the review of this soup should end there, and maybe some of you more sensitive types should stop reading now, but if I were to recommend for you to make this soup I feel like I would be doing you a huge disservice.  Yes I know I said it was good and I went back for seconds and yes that gooey cheese may be calling your name, but don't do it.

You see by 6am the following morning I woke myself up with a thundering case of the French Onion Soup Dutch oven.  When my darling husband awoke to the putrid lingering smell of my onion puffs, he had to immediately remove himself from the same room as me.  I'm not sure even my dog wanted to be around me.

I had many errands to run on Sunday, but my French Onion shame nearly left me housebound.  In the end I decided that the show must go on and I didn't have time to be embarrassed, so I did go out.  One of my tasks was to get a dress to wear to a wedding, and let this be a public apology to the fitting room assistant.  Darling, that je ne sais quoi you smelled, that was me.

What came first, the soup that made the French man smell, or the smelly Frenchmen that the soup was named after?  I may never know.  But I do know that the leftovers of this labor of love were thrown out by my husband who said, "If you love me, you will never make this soup again."

Trust me, je t'aime, baby.