Change

Change is terrifying. At least to me it is. 

source

Dave and I are currently faced with a few life changing decisions. It's changes that we chose to possibly pursue. But it was one of those things where I didn't realize the enormous task we were undertaking when we started until it got serious. And no I'm not pregnant, so don't even go there, haha.

I needed to find a way to focus on the positive aspects of change, or the prospect of it. 

Sometimes I need to write these things out to find my footing. Sometimes I need to find inspirational quotes and try to understand them. This is my way of clearing my head of uncertainty so I can move forward with a little more confidence. 

source

source

Okay, I think I feel a bit better!

Pepperoni Dip

This recipe is a fan favorite amongst my coworkers. I discovered it 8 years ago when an old coworker made it for a potluck lunch we had at work. I asked for the recipe and then became the unofficial designated pepperoni dip maker when she left.

I'm not going to lie, this recipe is probably terrible for you, but it is so good. 

Here is what you need:

-2 (8oz) blocks of cream cheese

- 1 can of cream of mushroom soup

- 1 bag of pepperonis (you don't have to use minis like I did, but if you choose to use regular sized pepperonis you will need to cut them into smaller pieces)

-1 bag of mini bagels, ripped up into smaller pieces (see picture below)

Here is what you do:

1. Mix cream cheese, soup and pepperonis into a crockpot

2. Cook on high for about an hour, stirring occasionally. It may be done before an hour is up, you'll know it's done when you start to see grease forming. 

3. Use bagels to eat dip with

Here is the best way to break the bagels up:

Break the bagel in half, then break each half in half again. You should have four pieces at this point. Break apart the pieces where the bagel is already precut to make eight pieces.

End of the Week Roundup

Hello again! Another Friday is upon us. Here is the roundup for the week:

1. My bestie Joe sent me this picture on Monday morning with the subject line "Blog Photo looked like someone famous" and it was a hilarious start to the week:

Ironically enough, when Dave took this picture originally he said "you look like Mona Lisa". I guess great minds think alike.

2. Saturday I had a hair appointment and decided to go with a subtle ombre and I'm so in love with it. It made such a difference to my look without forcing a drastic change on my part:

3. Tuesday I went to lunch with my friend Lauren. Lola (as I affectionately call her) and I were best friends in high school. After we graduated and went our separate ways, we lost touch. As fate would have it, we now both work at the same company so we are playing catch up. It was so much fun spending time with her again. 

4. As a result of our lunch date, I decided to go through some old pictures and see if I could find any of Lola and I. I had such a great time walking down memory lane, I even found some of my grandmother, which brought me comfort. 

I uncovered this particular picture and decided to do a side by side. It's amazing how much of a difference 10 years can make. 

Funny story about our outfits in the picture on the left. That particular day Lola and I decided to switch outfits and be "each other" for the day. I even went without my glasses the whole day, and for someone who is practically blind, it was tough. But it was fun being someone else for a day. I love trips down memory lane.

5. Sunday I was finally able to make Dave his birthday dinner. Every year I always make him a meal of his choice. His birthday was two weeks ago but we've been so busy that I didn't get around to it until this past weekend. I sent him to go work on his fixer upper car with his uncle for the day while I stayed home catching up on homework and cleaning (or watching TV, maybe...). I ran out and picked him up an ice cream cake:

Which we shared with our neighbors after dinner. My neighbor went with me to pick up the cake and we were trying to think of something witty to put on the cake, which never happens when you are put on the spot. So I said "I don't know, holy crap that's it! Just put I don't know on there!" and that is what you see. Dave got a kick out of it, and that's good enough for me. 

That's all I got for now. How was your week? Enjoy your weekend!

Linking up with Lauren.

Seven Pounds

Ok, so I know this movie came out five years ago,  and I’m a bit behind in seeing it. But wow, was it a great movie. It was such a moving story with a  powerful, yet simple, message: Be a good person.

Within the first five minutes of the movie, I was hooked. Will Smith’s character, Ben Thomas, is talking to Woody Harrelson’s character, Ezra, over the phone. Ezra is blind and is a customer service rep. When Ben hears a voice guiding Ezra through the screens, he rips into Ezra in a terrible, heart wrenching tirade about all the beautiful things in the world he doesn't get to experience because he can’t see. I was near tears, even Dave looked horrified at the scene. Ezra remains kind and even though you can see his heart breaking, he remains calm and ends the call. As soon as he hangs up, Thomas recoils at himself, and you can tell he doesn't mean anything he said. He then begins to name seven people, and thus the story begins. You can check it out here, fair warning, there is some cursing and adult content: 

Seven Pounds is a man’s attempt at atonement for a horrible accident he caused. He does this by finding people worthy of his charity and gives them each something they need, like his bone marrow, etc. I don’t want to give away too much, because it’s worth watching the story unfold. The important thing I took away from this movie was to be a good person. Not because you may be tested and someone might give you something. No, be a good person because the world needs good people.

I highly recommend checking out this movie, if you haven’t. And then come back and tell me what you think.

Have you ever had a movie that resonated with you?

Favorite Apps

There are a few apps that I'm currently obsessed with and wanted to share with you. I skipped over the obvious apps like Facebook and Instagram because they are what I call "givens"...meaning it's pretty much a given that I use them on a daily basis. Here are my top four must have apps:

1. Facetune- Currently only available on Itunes

I don't normally pay for apps, but Facetune was definitely worth the $2.99 I spent. Since I just started out blogging I don't have a decent camera or the money to buy one. I take 99% of my pictures for the blog using my Iphone. Facetune is like photoshop for your phone, but its a million times easier to use. Here is a quick example of how Facetune can make a good picture, great:

Big difference, right? That's not even half of what you can do, this was just a quick brush over.

2. Buzzfeed- Available on Android and Itunes

I love random facts. I love throwbacks. I love cats. I love lists. Buzzfeed has all that and more. I started reading their website after a friend posted a link on Facebook. Now I go on Buzzfeed every chance I get. I really can't describe the awesome-ness that Buzzfeed is, you just have to go check it out yourself.

3. Postalpix- Available on both Iphone and Android

How many instagram pictures have you taken and wished that you can frame? I have a ton, especially of Nibbler and Squishee. It was nice to be able to take this picture:

and turn it into a printed picture that I can put on my desk:

The prints are fairly cheap too, $0.99 for the first three and then $0.29 for each one thereafter (for the 4x4, other sizes will vary in price). And you can use Paypal too, which makes the app even easier to use. 

4. Bloglovin'- Available on Itunes and Android

I love having all my favorite blogs in the palm of my hand, no matter where I am I can catch up on my favorite bloggers. I came into the blogging world a little late, like I didn't start reading most of the blogs I read now until February of this year...right around the time Google announced they were shutting down Reader. So I figured I wouldn't get use to having Reader only to lose it by finding the alternative from the get go. Enter in Bloglovin'. If you read blogs on a regular basis and you don't have the Bloglovin' app yet, its a must download, right now!

Shameless plug by the way, follow me on Bloglovin' here!

What are some of your favorite apps? 

End of the Week Roundup- Gratitude

This week has been a rough one for me. My Grandma Maxine passed away last weekend and I've been walking around in a bit of a haze since. 

Quite frankly, there isn't anything I've done this week that would stand out enough to think about over my current thoughts so I decided to do a round up of the things that helped me survive this week. Things that I'm grateful for, because without them, this week would have been even more unbearable.

1. Memories.

During the really tough moments, I had memories to turn to. Like the time I stayed at her house for a week while my parents went on vacation and Grandma Maxine heard I loved strawberries, so she made it a point to have a bowl of fresh, sliced strawberries at breakfast every morning. Or the time she gave me a beautiful necklace for my birthday, made of a diamond from her own mother who had recently passed at the time. The sound of her voice, her facial expressions, all these brought me comfort and solace during my darkest moments. 

2. Nibbler and Squishee

I'm sure these guys sensed my sadness. Monday morning, which was the roughest for me, they refused to leave my side. I laid in bed, miserable, wishing there was a place I could just disappear into, here they were with their soft purrs and deep cuddles. I spent a good twenty minutes burrowed into Nibbler's fur, comforted by his loud purrs which cut through the silence of the house, relaxed by his soft fur, followed by Squishee's weight on my stomach, pressing down, as if to say "you're here, your grounded on Earth, I'm here, we are okay". 

3. New books

One of the things that always boosts me during a rough time is getting lost in a library or bookstore. Dave took me to Barnes and Noble one night and just let me wander. He stood back and let me explore. I ended up bringing home Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I haven't really delved into the book yet, but it came highly recommended by my friend Sherrie. There is a quiet comfort being surrounded by bookshelves that tower over your head, walking down a section where its just you, taking in the new book smell. 

4. Dave

Dave is not an overly outward emotional person. Normally, his comforting consists of a pat on the back followed by "there, there". It's not that  he doesn't care he's just not good at that stuff. But this week? Dave was on point. He knew when to provide easy silence, when to crack a silly joke, when to hold me, when to leave me alone. I felt defeated at so many points this week, and Dave was right there to pick me back up and put me in fighting form again. I'm always grateful for the incredible man I married and the amazing marriage we have, it's something I feel lucky for everyday, but this week it put my appreciate for my husband and our marriage on a completely different level.

5. Family

Crying it out with my mom. Cracking jokes with my aunt and uncle at dinner. Catching up with family that I haven't seen in too long. Meeting a little boy who managed to say in two words, what should have been said five years ago. Hearing "Pickle!" being yelled out (my childhood nickname), a name I haven't been called consistently for quite some time, bringing me back to a time when my biggest worry was when I could get away from everyone to stick my head in a new book. 

Families are complex. Thank God for that.  

That's it for this week. I'd apologize for the somber-ness of this post, but honestly, it was therapeutic. I'll be back on my game next week, I promise.  

Linking up with Lauren.

Color Run

 On Sunday Dave and I participated in the color run in Philadelphia. It was our first time participating in the color run, and a 5k. It was such a good time, and is something I plan to do again in the future! 

The Starting Line!

Before getting smashed with color!

 Funny story here. Dave was trying to warn me about a guy who was throwing yellow directly at people. It totally backfired in his face, literally, because when he turned to tell me another girl got  him right in the mouth with yellow color. He was spitting yellow for a good mile. 

After yellow and pink, right before blue (notice the blue cloud in the back) and orange!

Right before we rounded to the finish line!

Before the race, you  had to pick up a packet. In the packet was a race tee, sweatband (we didn't wear ours) and extra color packets. We got purple and pink. Once the race was over we blasted each other with our packs to round out the colorfulness. It was such a neat race, if you get a chance to sign up for one, it's definitely worth it! You don't have to run, in fact many people had their children with them or were in wheelchairs, so don't worry about being in shape!

Have you participated in a 5k before or the color run? 

Mix Tape

Emily over at The Freckled Fox has the excellent idea to make a monthly mixtape of the music she is listening to that current month. I really enjoyed letting her playlist stream through my headphones while I worked so I decided to do a list of my own, if only for my own benefit. Here is my list, I hope you enjoy it and maybe even discover a new song or two!


What songs would be on your July mix tape?

End of the Week Roundup

Why hello! Another Friday has come upon us, hopefully your week has been as good as mine. Linking up with Lauren! Here is the roundup for this week:

1. Spending time with Dave in Jim Thorpe and Glen Onoko Falls. It was so relaxing, I could just feel my soul getting lighter. 

2.  We celebrated July 4th the "traditional" way when we came back to town on Friday. My town held their fireworks show and our good friends, Becca and Bob came by to join in the festivities. After the fireworks we lit some sparklers and set off a few of our own (legal) fireworks. We ended the night by picking out constellations, which was absolutely fascinating. 

3. Sunday I joined my friend that I recently had dinner with for a float down Conestoga River  along with several of her coworkers. It was very fun, but after four hours on the river I was ready to be on land. Plus I really had to go number one and just couldn't with all these random people floating next to me. Needless to say, I was in pain by the end from needing to go so bad and abandoned ship near the end of the float and peed in peace. 

Then, I proceeded to lose my water sandals that I've had since 7th grade...I graduated 10 years ago guys, I've  had these shoes forever....by getting stuck in mud that apparently had an identity crisis and thought it was quick sand. You see, in my haste to get away from the group, I was scouting good places to stop and then climb out of the river on my own. The spot that I chose to get out of happened to be the worst possible place to try and climb out of a river. Mud bath anyone? 

By the time I got home, I saw the damage. You see I'm pale, very very very pale. I never tan, I burn. I sprayed, I swear I sprayed copious amounts of sunblock on me, and often. But apparently I missed a few spots. A random splotch on my thigh, the outer parts of my arms, and my feet. My poor, poor feet. They hurt the worst.

Not sure if you can tell but they are red, and swollen, and burnt. It hurts. But either way, I had a blast and I'm so happy I got a chance to hang out with my new friend again.

4. Tuesday I stopped by Ulta and got my brows waxed at the Benefit Brow Bar. I really enjoyed the experience, the girl started by measuring my eyebrows and "filling" in where they should start and end. I was already impressed, by this, but then when she was done waxing and cleaning up my brows she applied makeup to cover up the redness. 

Ok, side confession, before I knew she was going to do this, I was totally planning on walking over to the high end makeup line and "testing" the brand that I normally use so I didn't go back to work looking like a clown. I'm so glad I didn't have to do that. 

Apparently, this is the norm for the brow bar. I'm happy that someone finally realized that sending out ladies looking like we have pink eye isn't the most attractive thing in the world.  My conclusion? If you are looking for a nice place to get your brows done, check out Ulta and Benefit's Brow Bar. 

5. Teen Book Club met this week and discussed Nation by Terry Pratchett. Everyone really loved and enjoyed the book. I knew it was good because my two quiet girls actually talked about it. The book follows Mau as he tries to rebuild after a giant storm takes out everyone and everything on his island. He is joined by Daphne a "trouser-girl" and eventually refugees that begin to trickle in. This was a great read, I really recommend you check it out if you are looking for a quick read. 

That's it for this week, enjoy your weekend! 

My 50th, His 29th

I don't normally post on Thursdays, but this one is a special one. Not only is it my 50th post--whoohoo!-- but it's Dave's 29th birthday. I don't think he'll ever see this, he's not much of the blogging kind but I still had to offer up my ode to Dave. 

I was originally planning a gushing, disgustingly sweet, "gag me now post" for Dave. But quite frankly, that's not him. I think this sums it up quite simply: 

Happy birthday my love

Jim Thorpe, PA

If you read Monday's post, you know that I spent a few days over the 4th of July on a mini-vacation with Dave. We arrived at the Inn at Jim Thorpe on Wednesday night, and they greeted us with a mystery welcome bag:

When I opened the bag, it was two chocolate chip cookies. Delicious, fresh baked, crispy on the outer parts, chewy on the inside, heaven on Earth chocolate chip cookies. They were so good. 

After settling in, and getting dressed Dave and I decided to walk around town and try to find a place to eat. Jim Thorpe is a very tiny town, like two streets wide, maybe five blocks long? Along our walk, we discovered that every store, and I mean every store was closed on Wednesdays with the exception of the restaurant that is connected to the inn. When I say small town, I meant it. Here are a few pictures of our walk before dinner:

Pretty kitty just chilling in a window of someone's house. Made me miss my babies so much!

Of course I had to take a picture of the local library

Dave and I joked that this was the "Up" house

So after a relaxing dinner, we headed upstairs and prepped ourselves for the big hike up the waterfalls for the next day. You can read about it here.  Prior to the hike, we had breakfast, toured the hotel and took obligatory touristy vacation photo. The Inn had a gorgeous balcony with rocking chairs and a great view: 

When we got back from the falls, we walked the town and everything was opened this time.  Dave got some beef jerky and I found a used book store that not only had cheap books in great condition, it also had a house cat, Zoe. Of course, I totally gave Zoe some love, and then I hunted for books and depleted the shop of all of their Christopher Moore books (he had most of the ones I still needed!). I walked out of the shop with five books, then found another one on the way out and went back and bought that one too. All in all, I got six books for less than $25. I'd say that's a good haul. 

Then it was dinner, and after that we went back to the restaurant we had our Wednesday night meal at and ordered dessert. Dave really liked the red velvet cake I had ordered the night before so he got that and I ordered the chocolate torte. Then I heard they had strawberry shortcake as a special dessert. I tried to change my order but they were bringing out our desserts by that point. So what did I do? I ordered a third dessert and Dave and I chowed down on all three together.  It was a total guilty pleasure. It felt so devilish but we were on vacation and decided to spoil ourselves and it tasted so good, and felt so liberating. 

Friday was our day to head home. It was a great time, but I was definitely happy to be heading back home to Nibbler and Squishee, I totally missed my cuddle bugs. 

And with that, I've begun to check items off my summer list. Did you make a list? How far along are you?

Glen Onoko Falls

A few days around July 4th Dave and I decided to take a mini vacation up to Jim Thorpe, PA. It's about a two hour drive from our house and it was the most relaxing, beautiful, fun, amazing trip. On the 4th we decided to hike the Glen Onoko Falls, which is in the Lehigh Valley Gorge. 

Dave and I found out about the falls two years ago when we went on a scavenger hunt that took us all over Eastern Pennsylvania. By the time we got to the falls, I was too sore, exhausted and beaten to get out of the car so Dave took to the trails without me to find the next clue. Along the way he took pictures of the falls and sent them back to me. Ever since then I've been bugging him to take me back, which we finally did. 

To start, let me just say I am in no way shape or form fit or even in the proper condition to be hiking. Not to mention, there are no marked trails or nice little paths for you to walk on. No, you are climbing over rocks, crossing over the falls by wet stone, and grabbing on to tree trunks, praying you don't start sliding down. But when I got to the first falls and looked up and saw that it led to even higher, more beautiful falls, I had to keep going. The amazing sights just kept pushing me to go. A few things that I loved, and will never forget?

- How incredibly cool it was standing next to the waterfalls. I'm not talking about "oh my gosh that's so cool", which it was, but I mean like better than air conditioner cool. 
- The feeling of the mist of the falls hitting my body. I didn't want to leave the mist, by the time I did step off the rocks, I was soaked. It felt like a mini, cold massage. 
- The feeling of being on top of the world when we hit the top of the falls. 

Ok enough talking, here are the amazing pictures!

If you can't read the fine print, I'm going to just emphasize one particular part:  "Hikers have been seriously injured and killed as a result of accidental falls from the trail and gorge overlooks"....ummmmm, I can barely walk on flat surface, I'm screwed.

The first mini waterfall you see when you hike a bit into the trail. This is only the tip of the iceberg.

This was up at the top, but not the highest point. At this point we had been hiking up the trail for about two hours. This is where I enjoyed mist heaven.

Dave right before he ran into the falls

"Top of the World". This is the spot directly above our heads in the previous pictures. So at this point we are waaaaay up there. Dave and I took a seat on a rock in the middle of this flat part and took in the scenery and enjoyed the sounds of the rushing waters.

The hardest part of the whole thing? Having to hike it all back down. Remember when I said there are no trails and you kinda have to rock climb your way up? Yeah, it's harder coming down. 

But it was totally worth it. I took a video of one of the mini waterfall on my Instagram, follow me to check it out! 

End of the Week Roundup

Another Friday has come upon us! Linking up with Lauren!

1. Meet Herman. 

Herman is a wild rabbit who chills in my backyard. What makes him so special is that he isn't afraid of people. He won't let me get close enough to pet him or anything but he has no issues munching on some weeds next to me. I normally see him once a day, and he is so relaxed, you can't help but relax too. 

Why did I name him Herman? Why not? It's the first name that popped into my head, so it stuck. 

2. Friday night Dave and I had dinner with a couple that we recently met. After a good meal we sat around and chatted. And chatted. Then chatted some more. Suddenly we look up and its 3 am! Needless to say Dave and I were exhausted the next day, but it was such a great evening spent with two really fun people, I can't wait to do it again!

3. I saw this recipe while watching an episode of the Pioneer Woman and decided to try it out on Sunday morning. It was soooooo good. 

Added bonus? The feeling of accomplishment that I cooked something that looked and tasted good and got it right the first time. High five for not breaking the egg either!

4. I started following the Brimfield Police Department on Facebook after reading an article about them online. You can check out their page here. Chief Oliver is insightful, funny and his posts are always well thought out. He has a way of articulating himself that can really help round out a difficult debate amongst people. I highly recommend liking their Facebook page (like mine too, while you are at it, if you haven't already!)

5. Vacations are always bittersweet for me. I am always excited for the time spent with Dave, but I hate leaving my cats. Like, hate it so much you'll be talking me off the ledge for at least two days prior. Dave and I are currently on a mini vacation a few hours away from home. We left Wednesday afternoon and we'll be home this afternoon. It's only two days but on  Wednesday I was seriously sad to leave my babies behind. Although, I'm sure they are enjoying the mommy-free and kissy-free time they are currently having. 

I joke about being a crazy cat lady. I'm only half kidding when I say it. That's not to say I won't enjoy myself, because I do. I just miss my cuddlebugs while I'm gone. 

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend! 

Skinny Cosmo

I ordered a skinny cosmo a few years ago at Carrabba's. It was so good, I got the recipe from the server. I'm not much of a drinker, but this is a favorite go to drink for me. It's a delicious, fruity drink that does not have a strong alcoholic taste to it, and it's low in calories! 

Here is what you need:

Recipe Courtesy of Carrabba's

Ingredients: 

- 2 oz. Triple Sec

- 2 oz. Ty-Ku vodka (this is the secret to keeping the calories down!)

- 1 oz. Pomegranate liquor

-5 oz. Diet Cranberry juice

Directions:

1. Mix everything in a shaker with some ice. 

2. Shake it good.

3. Pour liquid (minus ice) into glass.

Just throwing in a disclaimer here, please drink responsibly. This recipe is intended for responsible adults of legal drinking age. 

Great Reads for Little Ones

I love to read, if that wasn't apparent. One of the best gifts you can give a child or a new parent is the gift of a book. Here are some suggestions for great books to gift or even read to your own little ones. 

First up is my newest favorite: Press Here by Herve Tullet

Press Here is a very simple, interactive book. It begins with a yellow dot that you have to press on and as each page turns something new happens because of what you did on the previous page. I read this to my nephews when they were up for the weekend and they loved it. They made me read it three times the first night and the only reason there wasn't a fourth was because I said no. My oldest nephew, who is four, insisted on sleeping with the book and carried it around the house the next day, even asking my neighbor to read it to him. If you don't believe me when I say this book is awesome, check out the looks on my nephew's faces when we read this book:

Next up is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. 

Does this book even really need an explanation? This is a tender story. Shel Silverstein has created a moving story that offers an sweet interpretation of the gift of giving and acceptance of another's capacity to love in return. I tear up every time I read it, it is such a sweet, loving story that is cherished by many. 

Third on the list is Stinky Cheeseman and other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Sciezka.

I love spoofs, and this book is a perfect spoof of some well known fairy tales, such as "The Gingerbread Man", "Jack and the Beanstalk", and "Little Red Riding Hood". If your child is already aware of fairy tales, they should get the humor behind these stories and you'll both get a little laugh out of them. I used to love reading this book as a child, I'd go to my school library and read it all the time, over and over again. 

Sciezka has a few other spoof books that I enjoyed as well: The Frog Prince, continued and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.

Another favorite from my childhood? The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch.

In this story, its the girl who is the hero of the story, and what little girl doesn't love that? Princess Elizabeth must go save her fiancee, Prince Ronald, and outsmarts the dragon who took the Prince and destroyed everything. The book sends a great message to little girls and it provides a smart, fun story to read.

Love You Forever is another by Robert Munsch that made the list. 

This is a sweet, sweet story of a mother who sings to her son every night:

"I'll love you forever
I'll like you for always

As long as I'm living

My baby you'll be."

She does this all throughout his life, when the day comes that she cannot because she is old and frail, her son sings it back to her and then to his own daughter. I love the concept of this story, I even got the phrase sewn onto a handkerchief for my mother for my wedding. It's such a resounding tale, just fair warning, keep the Kleenex nearby because you're probably gonna cry.

The last suggestion I'm offering up today is Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman. 

The story follows a baby bird who is looking for his mother and asks different things like a dog and a plane if they are his mother. It's such a cute little story, I've loved it since I was able to pick up a book. This is the kind of story that will make your child want to continue to read and foster a love for books. 

That is all I have for suggestions for children's books today. If you've already shared these great stories with your children, let me know your thoughts. If you need more ideas for stories to share with your child check out your local library. Many parents come into the library I volunteer for and let their kids walk around a pick up a few on their own, plus your librarian should be able to offer up more suggestions. 

Happy reading!