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I Have a Secret
It’s Wednesday, in case you woke up thinking it was any other day like I often do. Today’s post is very random and is actually something I’ve debated about writing on for a while. It’s not because I’m embarrassed by this or ashamed it’s just an awkward fact that not many people know. I suppose I didn’t want to write about this because I don’t want people who know me to think I’m critiquing them every time they eat around me. I don’t do that, I swear. You’re probably wondering what the heck I’m talking about at this point soooooo…..
Do you know what Misophonia is? Well those with Misophonia, “Typically have strong negative emotional reactions, ranging from annoyance to extreme rage, to a variety of sounds–frequently associated with mouth and nasal sounds such as chewing, slurping or breathing.” -Misophonia Online
tumbler.com
THIS IS ME!
You can ask Aaron or my sister, I have the hardest time listening to the sounds associated with people eating. The louder the eating the worse I handle it. If I’m in a group of people or in a restaurant I don’t even notice the noises. Things like this normally affect me most in quiet settings, like a library. Love Library at SDSU was by far the worst. I’d climb into the depths of that place to find a quiet, eating free zone to study. I’d say I’m on the milder side of this leaning towards annoyance, but I have been known to allow such noises to annoy me to tears that I cover by uncontrollable laughter. I even have special headphones I wear when I’m trying to focus and people are eating loudly around me.
Just the other morning Aaron was eating Cheerios near me while we were watching the news and I was getting ready for work. I got up and walked into the bathroom to finish getting ready. Shortly after that Aaron came into the bathroom and said, “you couldn’t handle listening to me eat my cereal could you?” What was funny was the fact that for once, it was just a coincidence that I walked away when he was eating, it had nothing to do with the noise.
So there you have it, a totally weird fact about me. And now that it’s out in the open I feel totally exposed, basically naked.
In more funny news, I needed Aaron’s signature on a document and when I brought it home for him to sign the following conversation took place:
A: “You didn’t forge it?”
Me: “NO! I don’t even know how to forge your signature”
A: “Why not? It’s part of marriage!” (Jokingly of course)
Ummm no. Forging your spouse’s signature is not a part of marriage. Glad we got that out of the way early! Happy Wednesday all!
Meal Plan Monday!
Welcome back from the weekend! Most of my weekend was spent trying to kick this cold/flu while watching the snow fall outside and the Grammys on TV. I’m certainly not 100% yet but I have to say this is the fastest I have recovered from an illness in a long time. I will happily attribute this to my flu shot, vitamins and recent long term asthma treatment. I completely understand that medications and vaccinations aren’t for everyone, but the combination of those things have significantly improved my quality of life in the last six months so they are for me.
Snow just starting to fall
Marley’s first real snow
In other completely unrelated news, MY CARE PACKAGE CAME! I was paired up with Emilia from The Happiest Heart Blog. If you’d like to read about our commonalities you can find them here.
Sadly the mug that was in my package did not survive the USPS 
The rest of these goodies made it quite alright though!
Homemade Salad Dressing Canister with recipes!
A new book! The puppy looks just like our girls!
So many delicious foods to try!
I love it all! I can’t wait to cook some wonderful things from the magazine, read the book and make some awesome salad dressings. Thank you so so so much Emilia!!!!!
Now for what we are eating this week:
Sunday: Ginger Ale Pot Roast with Corn Bread
Monday: Tacos with leftovers from the Roast
Tuesday: Loaded Salads
Wednesday: Chicken and Dumplings
Thursday: Honey/Soy Salmon and Greens
Friday: Breakfast for Dinner
And lastly, for all my fellow Downton Abbey lovers, Sesame Street’s take on the show discovered by Aaron on a “very busy day”. Upside Downton Abbey:
High Five For Friday!
Happy Friday! As I write this post I am breaking one of the biggest rules in the Things Not to do Before Going to Bed book. I’m typing while in bed and watching Grey’s Anatomy. In case you did not know, apparently you are not suppose to use technology one hour before bed and especially not while you are in your bed. Yeah I’m a rebel. Okay not really, I was actually feeling under the weather today (I’m trying to convince myself it’s allergies, and failing) so I thought the sooner I was in bed resting, the better.
Here are my top 5 this week:
1) I had this for lunch one day and it was all soooo good! I really love the Better’n Peanut Butter. It is “too soupy” for Aaron but just right for me, lunchbox score!
2) This chocolate bar practically threw itself into my shopping cart and begged me to bring it home. I am so happy I did, it is delicious!
3) The Love Crunch granola was on sale at Henry’s. If you ever have a time where you feel the need to give me a gift this would make me very very very happy. The granola comes in several flavors all of which are wonderful. The bags have big clusters in them (perfect for snacking) and then bits and pieces too (perfect for yogurt). I really love this stuff. .:sigh:.
4) When I came home yesterday Aaron had just finished vacuuming the entire house. That was a most excellent, and much appreciated surprise. I live for a freshly vacuumed home. Weird, I know.
5) Last, but certainly not least, this beautiful little girl turns 1 tomorrow! I cannot believe it has been a whole year since my niece was born. I remember the night my sister-in-law told me she was pregnant, the call I got from my mom when this little girl was on her way and the first photo I saw of her shortly after she was born, all like it was yesterday. She has blessed our family in so many ways and has brought such happiness and love into our lives. She is full of smiles and giggles and has the ability to give my other brother baby fever with a simple bat of her eyelashes. It’s true, ask anyone! Happy Birthday Ashlyn!
2013 Valentine Blogging Party!!!!
Remember when I wrote about how excited I was for the Valentine Blogging Party? You know the one where I get paired up with another blogger at random, we learn about one another, exchange care packages and then write about our person and what they got us? Well today is the day!………only I haven’t exactly received a care package.
I was paired with another blogger, we did exchange a few e-mails and I sent a care package her way. I’m not going to say what’s in it just incase she reads this and has not opened it yet. I’d hate to ruin the surprise and since the delivery confirmation has not updated since it said “out for delivery” last Saturday, I can’t be 100% positive it’s been received.
Anywho, for being paired up with a random blogger we sure had a lot in common. She loves coffee, has an adorable puppy who is like her child, and is recently engaged! I really enjoyed getting to know someone new in the blogging world and had a fun time putting together a care package for her too!
All that being said, Aaron was worried I would not have a care package to write about today. So, in the ten minutes it took for me to make it home from the grocery store he put together one of his own.
Check out the packaging!
A cleaned coffee can and some newspaper
What’s inside:
1) A beer from Alpine Beer Company, a local favorite brewery. Fun fact, he received this beer yesterday as a thank you from one of our friends for some work he helped them complete on their new house. Total re-gifter!
Try it!!!!!!!
2) Some mints inside of a flip-flop shaped tin. I’m pretty sure Aaron’s Mom and Dad brought these home for us from their trip to Hawaii two years ago. I also got some gift cards to Shutterfly. These happen to be the exact same gift cards I received from the bridal shop as an apology for when I went to pick up my wedding dress and they totally forgot about me in the dressing room. (notice a theme here)?
Mints and Shutterfly
3). And finally, a post-it that reads, “North friend, south friend, east friend, westest friend. You’re the world’s greatest friend, the absolute bestest!” With his personal addition of, ” It’s true and I knew it was you!” and, ” I hope this will work for your blog, instead of under a log”. I think we have a real poet on our hands!
Dr. Seuss Post It
In all seriousness though, this make shift, full of used items, care package from my best half is awesome. I love this guy!
Throwback Thursday
If the other care package arrives I’ll give a full re-cap of what was inside and disclose what blogger I was paired up with too! See you tomorrow for High Five For Friday!
The Bachelor and Easy, Amazing, Pizza Crust Dough
First things first, seriously Sean Lowe, what kind of tool (sorry for the use of that word but it just had to be said) do you want America to think you are?!
For those of you who don’t know, this is the guy on the Bachelor this season.
I want to like the guy but when he insists on doing these moronic things time and time again like: making girls drink goats milk, bringing a loosing team from a group date back for the evening date even though they lost and then making more of the girls jump into a glacial fed lake, it is very difficult. This is not a tough guy competition with your frat brothers! Top it all off with his need to keep that wench Tierra around and you’ve lost me folks. And there it is, my rant on the Bachelor. Now onto something better, pizza.
I’m pretty sure I should have been born in Chicago or New York because I really love pizza. It’s an, eat pizza everyday if I could, kind of love. Lucky for me I stumbled upon this recipe for pizza dough from Kate over at The Small Things Blog and it’s pretty amazing, partially because it is easy and partially because it tastes wonderful.
All you need is warm water, rapid rise yeast, sugar, flour, kosher salt and olive oil. To get all the details on how to make this awesome dough simply click here, then get in your kitchen and make some pizza…..now……please.
And because this post doesn’t have any photos (author fail) I’d like to share my current desktop background on my computer at work. I like to mix it up each month and February’s theme comes from Cheryl over at Tidy Mom:
Would you like this for your desktop background, or maybe on your iPad or iPhone? Well just click here and you can get any or all of those for free from Tidy Mom! She’s even kind enough to provide you with instructions on how to make the image your desktop background or place it on your iPad or iPhone. You’re welcome. Keep your eyes out for a post tomorrow too, I’m breaking out of the MWF routine. GASP!
Meal Plan Monday!
Hello there, welcome back from the weekend! I don’t know about you, but this last weekend seemed to pass rather quickly for me. On Saturday I submitted my final paper for one of my classes (yes!) and then Aaron and I went out to dinner and grocery shopped. Yes I know, we are such crazy kids <——Sarcasm. I also worked on the design for our RSVP stationary and on Sunday we watched the Super Bowl with some friends. I made soft pretzel bites, which seemed to be a hit since there were none left for me to bring back home. I’ll be sharing the recipe here eventually! It’s getting late on Sunday as I write this so please forgive the rambling.
On a side note related to absolutely nothing, have you heard that Dolce and Gabbana will be selling a perfume for babies?! Ah yes, please let me know how explaining that allergic reaction to your pediatrician goes (see, rambling). Seriously, with all of my allergies if my parent’s would have tried that stuff on me I would have ended up in the ER looking like Veruca Salt (she is the one who blew up like a giant blueberry right?) Okay, enough with my rant on babies and perfume, here is what we’re eating this week:
Monday: Tuna Melts and Salad
Tuesday: White Pizza
Wednesday: Chicken Bakes with Baked Broccoli
Thursday: Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos
Friday: To Be Determined
As you can see I slacked a bit this week in the meal planning department leaving out Friday. Ooops! If any of you have a favorite recipe, or suggestions as to what we should have for dinner that night, please share below I’d love to make something new!
I hope this week finds you all well! Last week was a challenge between a few busy days at work, traffic and school. This song came on my Dave Barnes Pandora during one of my drives home, I really enjoyed it and thought I’d share. Sorry it’s not a live version but you’ll get the idea:
High Five For Friday
Friiiiidddayyyyyy! Oh how I have missed you so! Okay, I’ve missed 6:00 on Friday evenings when I’m finally home from work for the weekend. Details.
What made my top 5 this week?
1) Remember the Valentine Blogging party I talked about in a post a few weeks ago? Well I’ve gotten to know my swap partner via e-mail and this week I mailed her a package for the exchange! Keep an eye out for my Valentine Blogging Party post on February 7th for all the details! I had so much fun putting this box together and I can’t wait for her to get it.
Snail Mail!
2) On Tuesday Aaron had bowling and I was home working on, what else, homework. The upside was that I got to have one of my most favorite salads for dinner. It includes: lettuce, carrots, snow peas, radishes, an avocado, two cooked eggs and a heaping spoonful of artichoke hummus. Delicious.
Nom Nom Nom
3) We added this to our shared calendar on Tuesday. Eeeeeek!
To say we are excited is an understatement
4) I had my first Thin Mint of the year. Why are these so good?! I am yet to buy a box but I’m sure those sneaky little Girl Scouts will be outside of the grocery store this weekend and I just can’t tell their cute faces no.
I could easily eat an entire box. No self control
5) Sweet Maya’s face is healing pretty well from her encounter with our neighbors dog last weekend. She doesn’t really seem to be bothered by the gash and the neighbor’s dog can’t jump the new, higher fence, so I think we’ll all be just fine.
Slightly less sad puppy face
I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend and eat lots of super bowl food even if you don’t watch the game. Let’s be honest, we’re all only watching with hopes that the David Beckham commercial for H&M will be shown again. You know it’s true. Go 49ers! (Sorry Ravens fans).
Join Lauren’s Link Party Here!
Soup Weather
Welcome to Wednesday!
First things first, this tea……is amazing! If it did not make me sleepy, as the name implies, I think I would drink it all day long. After tossing and turning until 3:30 AM on Monday morning I was paranoid that I would never sleep again. So, enter sleepy time tea. I went with the wellness version since my throat had been a little scratchy too. Wouldn’t you know that after I drank a cup of this tea on Monday evening I slept like a champ and my scratchy throat was gone in the morning. Yeah, the tea is awesome.
Now onto yet another delicious soup from Chelsey over at Clean Eating Chelsey. I actually meant to make this in the crock pot but in my sleeplessness I forgot to turn the thing on before leaving for work. Ooops. That meant I moved everything into a pot and cooked it on the stove for about an hour.
You Will Need:
I Quart Vegetable Broth ( I actually used 1 Quart of Vegetable Broth and 1 Cup of Chicken Broth)
2 Cans Stewed Tomatoes
2 Carrots Chopped
1 Onion, Diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 red pepper, Diced (I used a yellow pepper. It may have made the soup a little sweet so you could always use a green pepper to tone that down a bit)
2 Cups frozen Italian green beans
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and basil to taste.
I poured the olive oil in the bottom of the soup pot and then sautéed the garlic and onions over low heat until the onions were transparent. I then added the remaining ingredients to the pot and brought the soup to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for one hour.
I’m sure this is crock pot-able (i think I just made up a word). Simply sauté the onions and garlic then place all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low 4-6 hours. Had I remembered to turn mine on I could have told you how well it works, maybe next time!
I hope you all have a wonderful day. I’ll be back on Friday for the High Five For Friday link party, hope to see you then!
Meal Plan Monday!
Hi there, I hope your weekend was most wonderful!
Ours was spent enjoying a rainy Saturday at home followed by some early deep Spring cleaning on Sunday and these AMAZING scones! It is hard to put into words how good these are. I only caution that you allow them to cool long enough to avoid scorching your mouth on the hot blueberries inside.
The recipe comes from Jenn over at Peas and Crayons. It is super easy and you can find in on her blog by clicking here. Do it, you will not regret it I promise!
I also spent sometime contemplating moving my blog from WordPress to Blogger. If it happens I’ll be sure to let you know, I’ll bore you with the details on this one later.
So what’s for dinner this week?!
Sunday
Rosemary Apple Pork Chops with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Salad
Monday
Loaded Cabbage Soup
Tuesday
Single Lady Supper (Also known as fend for myself night)
Wednesday
Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Coleslaw
Thursday
Chicken Enchiladas and Spanish Rice
Friday
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup (this poor meal will get eaten! It got bumped from last week, again!)
I hope you all have a great start to the week. See you Wednesday!
