NEVER

It is finished. The last of my "I'll never (insert action here)"s was completed this weekend. I will never say never again!! I used to pride myself in my firmness of sticking to my resolutions. But now that I am in the middle of half marathon training, moving to another country, and not using my degree. I think it is about time to accept reality. Because, you guessed it, all of those things I said I would not do.

The last promise I made to myself was never to shop at Hobby Lobby again. I know you craft fans out there may not understand my reasoning, because as far as selection, they honestly have the best stuff. So let me explain how I got to this point...

I used to be a frequent Hobby Lobby shopper. I went there all throughout college because it was the closest store to my house and they had all the things I would need for my projects. So I bought most of my art supplies at their store. The problem was that I seemed to always run into trouble. First dilemma was that they have a very generic checkout system that doesn't describe the item on the receipt but just lists the price. This isn't a problem until you want to return a discounted item. Well, I had a lot of returns. And they got away countless times with only giving me half of what I spent. And I could not prove the price due to their sub-par receipt information. Talk about frustrating. Not to mention that the lines in their stores seem to move at a sloth-like pace. This is not ideal for the speedy shopper that I am. To watch the lady in front of me unload her hundreds of tiny bead packages still makes me cringe. Where is the express line at a place like that? So to top all this off, I also got to experience the most annoying and even outwardly rude employees I have ever met in my life. So when I am insulted, ripped off, and slowed down. There is NO way I would EVER set foot in that store again! EVER!

Except this weekend...

I spent the weekend with my best friend in Jackson. We ended up going to Hobby Lobby to look for some Christmas decorations for her new house. To actually go in the store, was not a big deal to me considering I didn't suggest it. The fact that I bought things...that was not as easy to swallow. However, the items I got (for Christmas presents) were so cute I couldn't, even in my determined hate of the store, pass them up. So here I am...giving in to the last thing I vowed I would never do.

In response to all these events, here's my revised "I will never" list (hopefully my trend continues):
I never will to go to Italy
I never will win money
I never will accept a free trip to the beach

Oh, and cooking adventures and pictures from my weekend to come!

SIMPLICITY

I have always considered myself a pretty simple person. My favorite magazine is Real Simple. And my excessive purging habits have helped me achieve this. Yet, I am in the process of cleaning my room. Putting away clothes that have been sitting there clean for over a week. Carving once again a path from my door to my bed. One that has been overridden with stuff. Lots of stuff. As few possessions as I feel I have, the fact that I am going to have to pack up my life in two suitcases has made me reevaluate simplicity. Just take my shoes for instance. I can't take the 30 I own. I thought settling in on just 10 would be a reasonable compromise. But reality is, I only need a few. Not 10. Not 30. And when I narrow down my selection to my top favorites. I am happy with what I have...until I uncover the huge basket of shoes that didn't make the cut. It is just interesting to me that I can live simply until I have to option of having more. My life would really not be that sad if I just had 5 shoes to choose from. Honestly, I have worn the same pair for the last 4 days. I really think I would be fine. But it is hard to give all that up. All that you have worked for and endlessly scoured store after store to find. (For those that like to make fun of my pickiness, go ahead and insert your impression of "Oh my gosh...I love it so much! It is so meee!") Yet how hypocritical if I can give up my life and dreams, and yet can't give up a few pairs of shoes. Will someone just come to my house and take all my stuff??

I GIVE IN

A little hypocritical, but I just can't help it. I blame it on Starbucks, where I spend every morning. The one that magically turned into all things Christmas a few days ago. If they play that blissfully, cheery Christmas music, I can't help it if I find myself counting down the days. And not even necessarily to Christmas, but just until the time when I can guiltlessly sing along.

However, I will confess that I have started planning a Christmas party. And in my defense you need lots of time prior to the holiday season to prepare. The inspiration came when I won a cookbook called Christmas Entertaining. Once the proud recipient of this Williams & Sonoma book, I knew that this was fate. I must throw a party!

But I could not imagine doing it alone...so my friend Katie and I will be coming up with invites, decorations, food, the whole nine yards. We decided to go with inviting our 10 closest friends to join us on December 10th. (10 is both our favorite number for a myriad of reasons) The rest is still to be planned, but I am confident our party will be a success. This confident comes, not from my party planning skills, but the fact that I have the master party planner to come to my aid. Stay tuned for ideas, details, and photos.

BACON AND BISCOTTI

I feel as though I have reached a new level in cooking. Maybe all this hard work is paying off. Maybe, just maybe, I am becoming a good cook. It is too early to tell at this point, especially with my roasted red pepper spice incident last week. I mean, how was I supposed to know that that's extremely spicy?? Yet this weekend was the first time that my creations were snatched just as they came out of the oven. I have never experienced such a desperately hungry audience, snatching at the crumbs while I cut. Yet, I consider this a good sign. A sign that, hopefully, I have hope as a domestic diva.

Yet I have a feeling that just as I get good and comfortable in my kitchen, I will be shipping off to another country and using appliances that are far from accurate. Those should produce some amusing stories. One of the specialties in Cambodia is dog. Although, I will probably not be cooking dog, I am sure I will have the opportunity to eat it. I love my pet dog here at home so much (probably too much). So I'm not quite sure how I feel about that at this point. Although, considering eating chicken intestines in the Philippines was no big deal, I imagine I will try it. Dog and fried tarantulas. Man, that doesn't make me sound very ladylike. But my hope while I am there is to learn how to cook like they do. I don't want to just hire someone to do it for me, but I want them to teach me how to do it. I want to be able to walk into the meat market with ease. I don't know if you recall my post about the meat section in Kroger, but I have a little ways to go before I get to the point of handling meat markets. Thankfully, I have been to a meat market before, so I know a little bit of what to expect.

But seriously, this biscotti has been disappearing right before my eyes. The only difference with mine was that I substituted lemon for orange. It was so simple to make, and now a necessary accompaniment to my countless cups of tea. Probably my biggest hit so far...

THUMPER

Kind of a humorous analogy for myself, but as I sit here at my desk, leg fidgeting away...it just happens to be what comes to mind. I don't know what has made this week seem so long, but I have been so antsy every day at work. Those of you that know me, and my love for sitting at a desk...this week as been worse than normal (imagine that). Yet, I am grateful for my job, no complaints for getting a paycheck! I just wish the time went by a little faster...ya know? The time cannot go fast enough no matter if I have work, don't have any, get fire drill breaks, or whatever the case may be. However, thankfully my weekend begins in approximately 1 hour. I can't wait!! I am starting to get in the holiday spirit. (probably part of my problem) And when I say holiday, I am referring to Thanksgiving not Christmas. I give each holiday its proper respect...not like the retail world or radio stations. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas. I especially love Christmas movies. So much so, that I only let myself watch them once throughout the year not during the holiday season...otherwise they would be regular suggestions for every movie night I have. I think my friends probably appreciate this rule more than I do...

MAYBE I AM BORN WITH IT...MAYBE ITS...

I can't decide what to write today. So I am going to opt out of some long and boring post about the broccoli soup I made or rave on and on about my new cookbook I won. Instead, I am going to fess up. This is what keeps happening to me...I keep forgetting to put on mascara. Seems like it wouldn't be a huge deal. And thankfully today I was wearing a dress so I didn't feel as much like a man. But if I could only use one type of makeup..mascara would be it. So to have full makeup up on sans mascara. It is a very odd look. This has become such a problem as of late that I now have my "unused" bottle of mascara in the bottom of my makeup bag at home, and the one I actually use (around 10 am every morning when I happen to look in a mirror and gasp!) stowed away in my purse. I cannot believe I have become so absent minded...and how many people I have already come across today that have noticed my naked eyes. Granted, there are worse things in life...but I just like to look like a girl. And without mascara...it is debatable. I don't use those crazy brushes or the newest technology...but Maybelline's tried and true. And it works for me...that is when I remember to put it on.

MY UNOFFICIAL NEPHEW

I was SO anxious to have a niece or nephew that with both of my good friends that have had children, I have become the unofficial auntie of both- Ella and Josiah. Above is the latest picture I have with Josiah. This was taken this past Sunday at his first birthday party. Turning one is a big deal!

So I also know I have mentioned that I am running a half marathon. The one that I am running is the St. Jude half. You can go here to learn about what they do. And you can also go here to donate money on Josiah's behalf. I am running the half marathon on a team sponsoring him. It is called "gojgo". You can also go here to read more about his family's journey through finding out he had a brain tumor to now.

The crazy thing is...the race is now just a month away. Four measly weeks. I have so many miles to put in before then. Hopefully, I am going to make it!

51 DAYS

My latest domestic venture is happening tonight. A friend has instituted a craft night on Wednesday nights, and this week will be my first week to join them. I am excited as I will a) get to be crafty, b) won't have to sit at home in my room and knit all night, and c) hopefully I will get some Christmas presents done and out of the way.

Yes, you heard right, if you are close family and friends, expect some handmade gifts coming your way this year. I seem to always get myself in trouble by doing things like this, because making gifts takes me significantly longer than just popping into Target. And when I start thinking I can make everything instead of buying it, yep, that is when I end up underneath a pile of yarn, paper, and art supplies. It happens every so often. I take on more than I can actually do. Hopefully I will learn moderation one of these days. It is just easy to get carried away, especially when you know you can make such and such item yourself.

However, with these new domestic projects underway tonight, don't expect pictures anytime soon. I want my presents to be a surprise. Just gotta wait 51 days...

WEEKEND UPDATE

This weekend was a much needed break from the predictability of my life in Memphis. I need those sort of trips every now and then. And what better place than Franklin, TN. I would highly recommend a visit there for any holiday. They have festivals for every season. It ends up being something akin to what you would see on Gilmore Girls - so fun! This weekend, I made it to Pumpkin Fest. I also came home with a few items from my trip...several were very domestic.

1. I got a Cambodia travel book..very helpful in learning about the country I am headed to!

2. I got some tea. Well technically it isn't tea, it's an herbal infusion drink, but it is amazing. It is one of those that, gasp, I don't add milk and sugar to. It has its own distinct and delicate flavor with this really cool after-taste that needs nothing added to it. I love it! It is called Cool Mint Tisane.

3. My favorite purchase by far was a splurge purchase...mainly because I try not to buy anything considering I am just part-time right now. But I couldn't resist...I got THE cutest apron from Anthropologie. That happens to be my favorite store, but unfortunately I am not the demographic they target. I need a few more digits in my income for shopping sprees there. Nevertheless, I pretended I had tons of money to spend and bought this..



So not only did I come away with some great items. I also bought one more today...another cookbook. This one was recommended to me by my friend Allyn, who I stayed with this weekend. She is one of the best cooks I have ever met. And hopefully this cookbook will be the last one I purchase...



So let me just tell you what I got to eat this weekend...
For dinner, a Polish recipe with sausage, onion, and tomato roasted with balsamic vinegar and other aromatics. For breakfast, chocolate croissants...and the most AMAZING bacon I have ever tasted. Seriously unparalleled.

I can't leave off Halloween. I did finish my outfit. The theme for the party I went to was "creepy enchanted forest". I was a creepy tree and here is a photo. You can't tell very well from this photo, but I also made my hair a nest and have a black bird in it too...