What Happens When One Visits Their Local Animal Shelter

Meet Olive or Birdie or Mamie Eisenhower. We've yet to decide but she looks like a Mamie.

Antique Finds

I went to a local antique shop today and found a few things. First off, I got some amazing old books. I have always loved old hardback books. They are so beautiful and each one is unique. They're great for decorations. I usually stack several and use them as a stand, like this:

It gives more height and adds a lot to the look.

Here are the books I got today for just a couple of dollars:

This one is fabulous because it was a interior design textbook from the University of Arkansas (according to the stamp inside the cover.) The girl who used it made a lot of class notes in the book and wrote the dates of her tests in it too. These tests, by the way, were in 1954.

State and Local Government of Texas. I really like the color. I also have a state and local government of Lousiana book as well. Not that I'm going for all 50 states or anything.

Cover. Love. (I use the word "love" alot here, don't I?)

The spine.

A book on better English. It's very me.


In addition to the books I got these bird prints for $4. I've fallen victim to the bird decor craze.

I think I'll frame and hang these above our bed.

The production date on the prints is 1957. They were made in a series of eight different prints but the shop only had these three. I wish I had at least a few more but three is better than none.

Rainy Day Blogg'n

It is a rainy evening and I am one happy camper because rain makes me happy! Really, all forms of water do; ponds, oceans, lakes, streams, pools, rivers and puddles. I was on the interstate today right before the weather hit and this is what I saw:

I think this is the point when Weatherman Ned Perme would tell you to get in a ditch. Really it was nothing but I thought it was sketchy at the time.

Anyways, rainy days call for comfort food so today I give you a recipe for french onion soup.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 thick slices French or Italian bread
8 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese slices, room temperature
1/2 cup shredded Asiago or mozzarella cheese, room temperature
4 pinches paprika

Directions
1.Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in salt, red onions and sweet onions. Cook 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.
2.Mix chicken broth, beef broth, red wine and Worcestershire sauce into pot. Bundle the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with twine and place in pot. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the herbs. Reduce the heat to low, mix in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep over low heat to stay hot while you prepare the bread.
3.Preheat oven broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and broil 3 minutes, turning once, until well toasted on both sides. Remove from heat; do not turn off broiler.
4.Arrange 4 large oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with 1 slice toasted bread, 2 slice Gruyere cheese and 1/4 of the Asiago or mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika over the top of each one.
5.Broil 5 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will cascade over the sides of the crock and form a beautifully melted crusty seal. Serve immediately!

Conquering the Beast

Or frequently referred to as "The Closet". Don't hate me but I have an amazing closet. I love our house but I LOVE the closet. I really think it was the main reason I wanted the house. It's just that good. One of its best qualities is the insane amount of built-in shelving. There are three floor to ceiling shelving units and I am the owner of two of those units. Beau has the one only because he beat me in an arm wrestling match :).

I have needed to reorganize for weeks but did not have the 24 hours need to devote to the space. Finally this weekend I went for it and have one particular shelf that I'm proud of as it is dedicated to accessories.

TA-DAH!

An no this area does not hold my 367 necklaces and bracelets. Those remain in my jewelry stand (now housed in the closet.)

I got this precious box from Tuesday Morning. Since I don't have a lot of rings but earrings instead, I put some studs here. It works perfectly. If I were OCD I would pair pearls and stones but I like the mismatched look (Laura W. did you just cringe?)

I got this organizer tray at Tuesday Morning too. I love these things because they are perfect for a number of uses and pretty so you use them in plain site.

I found the jewelry box I had when I was little (like six years old.) I loved Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit books and adored this box.

The top. So cute.

Can you say sentimental sap?


Because I know you are sitting there going, "Did this girl seriously devote a blog post to a shelf in her closet?! How dull can her life be?" I offer you a recipe.

After cleaning out the closet (and donating two huge bags of clothes, shoes and purses) I needed a treat and nothing says "treat" like chocolate and peanut butter. YAY for no bake cookies!! I did not know the joy of these things until I became friends with Laura W. in college and her mom would make them. This is Dianne's recipe:

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal
Waxed paper

Directions

In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, until cooled and hardened.


You will not be disappointed!

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

I attended the Saline County Historical Society's meeting the other night for work and while I was there the president made the announcement that they were in great need of an editor for their bi-annual publication called "The Saline". The book is a collection of records, stories and pictures from Saline County throughout its history and the editor puts the whole thing together. The previous editor of something like 15 years stepped down rather suddenly and they were having no luck replacing him. Since I've been looking for a volunteer opportunity in the community and love history I decided to enquire about the "position". I explained to the president that part of what I do at work involves designing publications and that I might be interested in helping. Before I could second guess myself (or agree to the position for that matter) he yelled, "Hey guys! Come meet our new editor!" I went from band nerd status to homecoming queen for those people in under a second.

Honestly I am very excited and looking forward to helping out but do find this whole thing laughable as I am the only one in the group not receiving a senior discount at Luby's. I think this next edition is slated to come out in the fall so I'm sure it will keep me busy. That is, unless they fire me.

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

I am always looking for a new product to love. Makeup, food, toothpaste, detergent; You name it and I'm probably on the quest to find, in my opinion, the best product. And once I find that perfect product I'm faithful. Because I have established a few faves I would like to share.

I'm pretty uncreative when it comes to side dishes for supper. I need something that is fast and healthy so that is why I love the Birds Eye Steamfresh veggies. You can buy them in a regular size which is perfect for two to three people or the family size. I really try to avoid canned veggies because there is so much sodium. Fresh vegetables go bad quickly so that is why frozen is the way to go. The regular size bags go on sale sometimes for $1 so I rack up then.

No I'm not a bottled water snob who refuses to drink from the tap. I'm so not a snob so much that I've been drinking out of the same water bottle for like two weeks, seriously. Apparently this Smart Water has electrolytes and is made in clouds like rainwater (or something like that). I don't care about all of that. I just like to fill the bottle up whenever I need more water. It holds a liter so I try to drink three a day. While it's not the product that I love and rather the bottle, I wanted to share.

Now to Cleaning

I just bought a Swiffer Wet Jet a month ago and I am just sad that I didn't get one sooner. Way, way, way better than a mop and bucket (apparently I was living in 1954.)

Another favorite is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. It's perfect for everything but I use it for our white cabinets and baseboards. I discovered them after my sister and mother of two boys called and said, "I just tried a Magic Eraser and would be thrilled if I got nothing but a basket full of these for Christmas!"

I just bought a box of the Magic Erasers for the bathroom over the weekend to use on our shower door. I haven't gotten a chance to use it yet but I know already that I will be a happy consumer.

Beauty

Burt's Bees makes some great products and one that I use religiously is the dusting powder. It has a lot of different uses but I like to put it in my hair to soak up oil. Having blonde, fine hair means I get the greasy look easily so this is my all time favorite beauty tip. I always dust a little in my hair every morning to prevent oil and also to give it volume. This trick works with any type of body powder including baby but Burt's is my favorite.

I'm pretty cheap but will pay good money for two things; haircuts and foundation. I have been on a hunt for the perfect foundation for years and have finally found something that I love! Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation is amazing. It is truly light but does a great job on coverage. It costs about $40 but lasts forever. All I use is a small dab (half the size of a finger nail.) I got it from Glo Limited in Little Rock.

Luckily you do not have to pay a whole lot for this: Maybelline's Dream Mousse Concealer ($10 at Target). It offers great coverage for pimples, dark circles, discoloration and fine lines but is very, very lightweight. Like the foundation, a little goes a long way.

Borderline Obsession

If you have known me for more than two minutes you probably know that Mad Men is my favorite show. When I say favorite I mean I would sell a kidney on the black market if need be to watch it. The show is about an advertising agency in the sixties, one of the most interesting historical decades, in my opinion. There are a number of reasons why I like Mad Men so much. For one the writing is brilliant and full of symbolism. It really forces you think. Another thing that is great is how history in incorporated. There were a lot of changes and important events during that decade and you get to see the characters experience it. The other reason I love the show is the fashion. The clothes, hair and makeup were so sophisticated then. Not a hair out of place and so

clean - no grunge look like today.

Season 4 begins in two weeks and I cannot wait. Being the equivalent to a meth addict looking for Sudafed I have been going to AMC's website daily to look for any new season promotions.

Finally....

This is the main character, Don Draper played by Jon Hamm - easy on the eyes, huh?

While I was on the website I saw something called "Mad Men Yourself". Basically you get to play digital dress up. And did I cheesily partake? As Sarah Palin would say, "You Bethca!"

Oh but I did not stop at one. I had too much fun.
Aaaaaaaand again...
I would like to state that I do not smoke but you cannot 60's yourself without cigarette in hand.

I also did this one for Beau. I doubt he will appreciate it but I thought a fourth one of myself was a little too self-absorbed.

Want to try or just bored to tears? Check it out!
http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/madmenyourself/

Have a great weekend!!

Fourth of July

Don't go feeling sorry for me thinking that I was so busy with a baby shower over the weekend that I didn't get to enjoy some lake time. I always make room for fun (or at least what I consider to be fun; my version highly differs from most.) I went with my best friends, Irish and Courtney (and spouses). Beau was worn out from a busy week at work so he was not up for leaving home. I missed him but managed without :)


The three of us go way back. Funny note: when Court (left) and I were in elementary school, our moms wanted us to become friends. We wanted no part of that. Court didn't like me because I was a little too proper and wore big bows in my hair and I didn't like her because I thought she was over dramatic. Somehow along the way we managed to become friends and have been attached at the hip ever since. I met Irish (right) through G.T. in 5th grade. Nerds stick together, I guess.

Here I am with Courtney's little girl Anna Kate. She is a doll (and a handful, just like her mother!) I adore her!

Love the milk face!

The kid is always styling


We stayed on the boat to watch the fireworks on the lake. They were great but the best part was watching Anna Kate. Following every firework we would hear the sweetest voice say, "OOOOOOO ! Wow!"

The next day we went to Irish's in-laws pool. As if sunning ourselves (as much as three applications of SPF 50 would allow) wasn't tough enough, her in-laws grilled lunch. Just as I thought I couldn't be more content Irish's mother-in-law announced that she made brownies from scratch. I was all, "I didn't even know that was possible."

It was a great weekend and I'm so thankful for what the holiday meant, celebrating our country's independence and honoring those who have served in the military that have kept us free!

Baby Shower

I had a baby shower at my house this weekend for Beau's cousin's wife, Laura. She and Steven are expecting a little boy, Luke, in September. Is is just me or does it seem like the whole world is pregnant?

The lovely spread. I made a spinach dip which is to die for (in my opinion). Here's the super easy recipe:

Melt 10 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese with 8 ounces of cream cheese over stove. Add 1 can of rotel, a thinly sliced purple onion, 1 teaspoon of chopped jalapeno (optional), 1 10 ounce frozen package of chopped spinach (thawed and squeeze dried) and a handful of shredded Parmesan. You can either finish on stove or throw in the oven until golden brown on top. Good either way.

Homemade cupcakes

That blue and gold plate is part of my wedding china and words cannot express how much I love it

Mom-to-be Laura

Laura with her mother-in-law
The hostesses with Laura

I almost got the baby itch until I overheard a conversation about delivery room experiences. Talk about a quick trip back to reality.

Mollie the dog (see a few earlier posts) also made an appearance at the shower. She was in the driveway (probably wanting a peanut butter sandwich) and made a break for the house when someone was leaving the shower. She succeeded and made her rounds visiting our guests until she was carried back outside. Apparently she is a good escape artist from home.