A Little Tea and a Lot of Thanks

After doing a some shopping this past weekend, I started to feel a little Christmas cheer. I enjoyed seeing the Christmas displays and the red and green decorating the stores. All the merriment had me thinking of packing up my autumn decorations to make way for Christmas trees and twinkle lights.

The next day, my anticipation of the Christmas season slowed down. My mom took me and my brother's girlfriend to tea at Sweet Shalom Tea Room in Sylvania, OH. Surrounded by delicate floral china with matching tea cups and real silver, we were served delicious food - the pumpkin scones were unbelievable! And of course, we drank wonderful tea. At our place settings were little cards with our names and a gentle reminder to "keep an attitude of gratitude". In the middle of our afternoon tea, a woman, who I assume is the owner, talked about gratitude and the physical benefits of living a thankful life.

As I sat listening to her and sipping my tea, I thought about what I am thankful for. We were even given little sheets of paper to list things. My family is the first thing that came to my mind, especially as my dad is, yet again, in the ICU. And frankly, last weekend was stressful and scary with some tears shed, but I still have a lot to be thankful for. My dad is in an excellent hospital getting the best care possible.

The atmosphere was so relaxing in this tea room that the short break from the craziness of the weekend was something to be thankful for. And even though we had to abruptly leave to go back to the hospital before the tea was over, our gracious server boxed up our desserts and split our fresh pot of tea into three to-go cups.

While I have bad days and frustrations about many things, I forget to slow down so the craziness of everything doesn't consume me. I can't control everything and that isn't going to change.

While I am still eager to break out my Christmas decorations, I will hold off for just a little bit longer to enjoy Thanksgiving. Who knew that a few cups of tea could bring so much perspective?

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Men and Their Periods!

It must really be nice to be a man…to do, say and behave any way they want.  They even get their periods.  Granted, it’s not all fun and games as us ladies know but come on…can’t we just have one thing that’s all ours?!  Not to mention the fact that although we can get moody during "Aunt Flow’s" visit, we pick ourselves up by our boot straps and keep trucking along!

So the last few days have been a bit trying with my hubby.  Don’t get me wrong, I love him dearly but when he gets in bad mood, he really gets in a bad mood. ..Italian style!   It started last week when he got upset with me because I didn’t want to stay down at the bar and have a few drinks with him before I went home.  Now, let me put my day in to perspective for all you readers.  I worked eight hours at my “big girl” job, came home, changed and then had to be down at the bar to work another four hours.  He napped all day.  He showed up at the bar around 9ish and just disappeared in the basement to get some paperwork done.  I finished work around 10 p.m. and by then, I was beat.  I went down to say hi and bye and then…he just went crazy!  He started saying that I don’t like spending time with him and I don’t care about his feelings…blah, blah, blah!  Really dude?  I swear his behavior mirrored that of a teenage girl on her period!  I mean, who just worked 12 hours and who just napped and played video games all day?

Saturday, I thought things were looking up.  He was in a great mood, making jokes, smiling and then… it all went to crap again.  By the end of a very busy night at our bar, the staff (who we love) royally messed up the register and credit card machine.  Granted, it was a really stupid mistake but it was stupid busy and in the rush, they hit a few wrong buttons.  My husband has very little patience for this sort of stuff (even though he’s guilty of having done it himself) and it took every bit of energy that I had left to keep him calm and to figure out the problem myself.  Keep in mind, I had the night off and I was more than a little tipsy!  But surprise, surprise, us ladies have to do it all right?

By Sunday, he was just angry at the world and I was just getting more and more frustrated!  There’s only so much I can take before my fuse runs out.  We went to his parent’s house for dinner and to watch the football game (btw...I can’t believe we lost to the Ravens again) and by Monday, I just decided I had enough.  So I left the house and actually started, and put a nice dent in, my Christmas shopping.  By the time I got home, his “period” finally ended.  He sat me down and apologized for being such a douche over the last few days.  He even cleaned the house and ordered dinner for us.   

Thank god it’s all over.  All I can say is that it must have been a very “heavy” month for him and hopefully it won’t rear its ugly head for another six months! 

My Words of Wisdom:  Most of the time, men act like children.  It's just their nature.  We as ladies have to be the strong ones and no when to pick our battles.  It wasn't worth me getting all pissed off at him.  I tried to cheer him up and when I realized I was at my breaking point...I just went out for a little retail therapy.  I knew his foul mood would eventually pass and it wasn't worth it to me to put any more heat on the fire when I knew...he was just on his period!

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F&%*ing Crabby

I have to admit, usually I'm all rainbows and sunshine. Well, at least I try to be. Can see the bright side. Look at the big picture, etc. Not today. I am miserable. No real reason. Not a full moon. Not PMS. Just a bad mood. And every little thing is irritating the sh*t out of me. The nail in my tire that cannot be repaired, but has to be replaced at $208--making the appointment, spending the money. The cold that I have been fighting for two weeks now--four medications later, I still feel ugh! My lack of ability to get motivated about much of anything, especially work. My husband leaving for China tomorrow. I'm trying so hard to not argue with him over every little thing that is pissing me off because I won't see him for two weeks I may just bite clear through my tongue!

My head, when not pounding from a sinus headache, is telling me to get my crap together and get over it. Nothing is really wrong, why be so miserable? The rest of me is telling my head to shut the hell up and let this girl have a few days of "whoa is me." The problem is, I hate the "whoa is me" type. I'm the first to say get it together. Suck it up. It could be worse. But I just can't shake it.

I power through. It's Monday (yuck), time change has me all sorts of shaken (I HATE when it is dark at 5 p.m.). This too shall pass. It will soon be roses and moonbeams again. 

Until then, f*&# this sh*t.

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The View From My Window

When my husband and I bought our house, we knew there was a lot that needed to be done to make it our own. The house was built in the 1950's and we were only the second owners. It was just a little old woman (and no my house is not a shoe) that lived in my home before us, so of course, our tastes are very different.

We moved into our house in September and that winter we had a HUGE snowstorm. So the view from my kitchen window was just amazing (and yes, that is the real picture from my kitchen window). Needless to say, I love the view I have, but I don't love my 60+ year old windows.

There really was nothing wrong with our house or the windows, but the whole house really just needed update. It needed a new kitchen, new bathroom, some TLC for the floors and new windows that did not leak any air. Which leads me to my past two months.

Getting bids for new windows is not fun. There are so many companies out there who tell you their windows are the best and they can do it better than the next guy. What bothers me the most is when they slam their competitors and try to trash talk them to my face. I get it, you want the sale, but don't be the sleezy sales person who is rude about other companies. You all have your positives and negatives, just some more than others.

I met with four different window companies: one high-end company to see exactly why they were the more expensive window and to figure out why they charged so much, two middle-priced companies, and then the lowballer. I called another number given to me by a fellow WWB blogger, but never got a return call from them. Odd, you would think they would jump on it when I want windows!

The first thing I learned is that windows are much more expensive than I thought. I needed nine new windows for my house, and they are not the normal size window either. However, the return on investment for new windows will hopefully pay off in the end, so I had to pay the price.

After meeting with the four companies, by myself (my husband really had no part in what I liked to call the window interview process), I finally chose a company - TWO MONTHS LATER!

I asked myself, why did it take me so long to make this decision? I know that I want, and need, to buy new windows, but why did I go back and forth with which company I wanted to go with?
The answer is because I kept thinking there would be a better deal out there. Some company would magically have the same low-e, double paned, yata yata yata windows that I want, but at a price that was AMAZING! Wrong. So I really just had to make a choice.

I am not loyal to any of these companies or brands, so they all came in with a fair "interview". In the end, it came down to the company that had the most honest sales guy (and yes, all males...I would've like to maybe find a female, but whatever). The company was not the lowest priced (because I felt like the lowballer was going to screw me over ten times). This company ended up being a family run, local business, which was a bonus to my husband, a local business owner himself. So in a sense, I have found myself being true to the local business, yet again, and always think I will be that way.

I have not had my windows installed yet, but when they are put in, I will let you know if I am still happy with my choice. Until then, I will still be looking out my 60 year old windows, but hopefully not with snow like the first year.

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Caramel Apples with Gourmet Flair

If you're anything like me, when the temperatures start to cool and fall is in the air one thing comes to mind: delicious caramel apples! I loved caramel apples as a kid, and now as an adult, why not add gourmet flair. I’m sure you’ve seen them at the grocery store, market, candy shop or fair with the makers charging anywhere from $5 to sometimes $20. With prices that high you'd think they are close to impossible to make at home yourself, but they're not! It's easy to make fancy looking gourmet apples. Although my attempts were nowhere as pretty as the picture, they tasted good (the girls here at work can attest) and my niece and I had a great time making them.

Here are instructions for making 10-12 gourmet candy apples:

Step 1: Assemble the ingredients.
-Caramel bits (i.e. Kraft’s Caramel Bits) or wrapped caramel candies (i.e. Brach’s Milk Maid creamy caramels). The caramel bits are the easiest because you don't have to unwrap them like the candies. But, the candies are easy too. Unwrap each piece, and you're ready to go.
- 1-2 bags of white baker’s chocolate
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- 2 packages of cinnamon graham crackers

Prepare cookie sheets with wax paper. Spray the wax paper with cooking spray so the apples don’t stick.

Step 2: Prepare the apples.
You need firm, crisp apples. If possible, buy apples that aren't waxed. If yours are waxed, wash them with baking soda or give them a quick dunk in boiling water to melt the wax off. Dry them thoroughly and remove the stems. Insert a stick into the stem end - about 3/4 of an inch so that they are in there firmly. Put the apples in your freezer. This will make the chocolate stick better.

Step 3: Prepare the coating:
Crush the graham crackers. In a bowl, mix cinnamon, brown sugar and crushed graham crackers. I did not include measurements because I sort of winged this. I would say that this is all dependent upon taste. Set this mixture aside for later use.

On a side note, the ones I made did not have enough of a cinnamon taste so when I make these again, I will definitely add a bit more cinnamon- maybe even some into the white chocolate.

Step 4: Melt the chocolate.
Put the chocolate in a glass or heat-safe bowl that fits on top of a sauce pan. Fill the saucepan halfway with water; make sure the bottom of the insert isn't touching the water. Simmer the water and stir frequently until the chips melt.

Step 5: Dip the apples in chocolate.
Once the chocolate is melted, dip your apples and place them onto the cookie sheet. The chocolate should harden rather quickly.

Step 6: Make the caramel.
Add water to the caramel bits (or candies if you're using them), 2 tablespoons of water per bag of caramel bits or candies. Zap it in the microwave for approx. 3 minutes. Stir after each minute, and stop heating it as soon as it's all melted.

Step 7: Dip the apples in caramel.
You can spoon some of the caramel on, too. Lift the apple out of the caramel and let the excess drip off.

Step 8: Play dress up!
Before the caramel gets too hard, dip the apples in the graham cracker, brown sugar, cinnamon mixture. Place them back on the cookie sheet. I put mine in the refrigerator so that they could harden.

After a half hour, I couldn’t wait any longer and had to cut one up, they are delicious! Now that I think I’ve worked out the kinks and shared the recipe with all of you, I’ll probably try again soon! These are great gifts for relatives during the holidays or a delicious after (or before) dinner treat.

There are many different candies to coat the apple and an endless variety of goodies to add to the outside. Add your own variations such as milk chocolate, mini M&M’s, shredded coconut, nuts, chopped Snickers, sprinkles, toffee bits, mini marshmallows or crushed Oreos.

I hope you enjoy making these as much as I did. If you use a delicious variation of your own, let us know so we can try it too!

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...I'll get to this later

Procrastination - putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention. Yes. I am very good at procrastinating. I always have been. I wrote the best papers in college the night before they were due. Something about that last minute pressure brings out the creative perfectionist in me. Even now, in my “big girl job,” I will be the first to admit, I’m a procrastinator. It is certainly not a personality trait I am proud of, I have to say, it has never really come back to bite me in the ass… yet.

On Monday, I had a “holy crap” moment. I realized that in only 10 months I would be getting married! 10 months! So much to do, in suddenly what feels like very little time. Between trying to move into our house, being busy at work and getting ready for the holiday season (Yes, it’s freakin November), I’m feeling very overwhelmed, and for the moment, wedding planning has taken a back seat to the rest of my life.

I don’t want to be a procrastinator when it comes to my wedding (although I did wait months to actually choose a date). I want to have the most fun, most beautiful, most memorable wedding there ever was – and that surely takes some planning and preparation. There is no pumping out a wedding the night before, that’s for sure.

But I think part of my problem is that wedding planning takes a lot of time and research, which means a lot of time Googling on my computer, which is the last thing I want to do when I get home from work after spending an entire 8 hours in front of a computer.

Also, I am not that little girl who has envisioned her wedding since the day she was five. Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of ideas and I am REALLY excited to marry my best friend, I just need to get some motivation (or pressure) to get the ball rolling on making appointments and such.
I do have a few of the big items crossed off my list…

ü Venue (Succop Conservancy)

ü Caterer (Medures Catering)

ü Dress (purchased from Bridal Beginning)

ü Photographer (my cousin and amazing photographer, Elizabeth Cayton)

ü Save the Dates have been sent

But, clearly for anyone who has been married... I have so much more to do.

I came across three secrets to overcoming procrastination:

1.Do it, delegate it or dump it! Don't wait till you feel like doing it; the feeling will come when you start doing it.
2.List all the things you have to do and then prioritize the list. Start with the things that are necessary; then those that are possible; and suddenly you'll find you are doing the impossible!)
3.Create a vision of the result and be motivated by the vision of the outcome, not the thought of the process.

Now, to stop procrastinating and follow these rules.

Any brides out there struggling with this? Motivation is kindly appreciated!

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As Long As We Both Shall Live...Or Not

If you have been living under a rock, you may not have heard that Kim Kardashian filed for divorce after 72 days of marriage. This is such big news that it was the first story in the 7:30 half hour of Good Morning America complete with secondary interviews to give a better picture of the situation. (I completely judge the importance of a news event on when it is aired on GMA.) I am ashamed to say that I have been reading and watching the stories of this high-profile divorce, and will probably continue to do so. It will most likely be the cover story on my issue of People magazine, as well, retelling the same story that has been told over and over all week.

I have had the unfortunate experience was seeing my brother go through a divorce. It was painful...for him, for her, for me, for both sets of parents, and the list goes on. And to be honest, it was probably the worst year of my life dealing with it and it wasn't even my marriage. Tears were shed. Feelings were hurt. Relationships were lost.

Several years ago, I was listening to the radio on the way to work and the morning show hosts were asking people to call in who knew that their marriages were not going to last. One woman called in who knew that in the next 5 years, she would most likely be divorced. She was fine being married for the moment, but she didn't see the marriage lasting for the long haul. It was almost a joke to her. I couldn't believe I was hearing this woman talk about her marriage like it was something to be thrown away once she decided it was no good anymore.

So, while the romantic in me waits for her Prince Charming, I will keep reading about another Hollywood split.

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