While watching the Matt Damon movie The Adjustment Bureau, it makes me think and wonder "do we have free will or is there a stronger force in our lives that have already chosen our paths?" I know....pretty deep for a casual Sunday but it does make you wonder! I think the thought is interesting. Hubby knows we have free will because "the Bible clearly says we do". That's just the beginning of differences in how we were raised! HA!
Hubby is off to pick up the Boy, who - in one month - sounds like a very large man on the phone! He's so ready to be home and we're ready too! I've made my Strawberry Upside-down Cardamom cake (recipe compliments of Joy the Baker), sweet tea, potato salad and I'll be cooking some steaks shortly.
I've realized because food makes me happy, I want to make and give good food to others to make them happy. Weird....I know.
My cake looks like crap as the upside-down stuff stuck to my dish when I flipped it so had to neatly scrape and reassemble on the cake. Makes me quite irritated.
My Sunday insomnia crept into last night (Saturday) so I will surely be taking a Lunesta tonight! I can't take another Sunday like I've been having.
Things I wonder about.....
Why good people die before bad people?
Why we eat white potato skins but not sweet potato skins?
Are ghosts are all around us, unbeknown to us?
Why do people want to put olives in or on top of all foods (btw - I detest olives)?
If there was a tornado barreling toward my house, what items would I try to grab and take with me to shelter?
Why do I like broccoli but not cauliflower, when they look identical other than color?
What makes you think? What do you wonder about?
Try to answer, honestly, one of your questions this week!
Be true to you,
Heather
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Do you remember.....
A time from your past that is so vivid, it's as if it happened yesterday?
With strawberries being at their peak at this time of year, it makes me remember playing hookie from work (back in my 20's) to go to a strawberry picking farm with my Mom she had found. We were so excited about the whole thing - we were making a whole day of it! We get there and pay our $3 for our bucket and off we go, only to realize picking strawberries only takes about 5-10 minutes!! HA! What did we do? Paid another $3 each and filled another bucket, only to wonder later what the heck we were going to do with all our strawberries!!
It's funny the simple things you remember at the most peculiar times, isn't it?
I'm seeing some family friends this coming Sunday - Father's Day - to help them with some things around their house (they're older).....I know, I know...you're wondering "but what about your Dad on Father's Day??" Me and my dad are going to the David Gray concert in 2 weeks (yippee!!) and I think that would be a PERFECT day to celebrate him (and I have the BEST gift ever for him - and he's not easy to buy for!)!!
Anywho....I found this recipe on a blog I love and thought I'd share it....I think I'll make this for our Sunday visit with friends:
Strawberry Upside-Down Cake with Cardamom
by Joy The Baker
www.joythebaker.com
With strawberries being at their peak at this time of year, it makes me remember playing hookie from work (back in my 20's) to go to a strawberry picking farm with my Mom she had found. We were so excited about the whole thing - we were making a whole day of it! We get there and pay our $3 for our bucket and off we go, only to realize picking strawberries only takes about 5-10 minutes!! HA! What did we do? Paid another $3 each and filled another bucket, only to wonder later what the heck we were going to do with all our strawberries!!
It's funny the simple things you remember at the most peculiar times, isn't it?
I'm seeing some family friends this coming Sunday - Father's Day - to help them with some things around their house (they're older).....I know, I know...you're wondering "but what about your Dad on Father's Day??" Me and my dad are going to the David Gray concert in 2 weeks (yippee!!) and I think that would be a PERFECT day to celebrate him (and I have the BEST gift ever for him - and he's not easy to buy for!)!!
Anywho....I found this recipe on a blog I love and thought I'd share it....I think I'll make this for our Sunday visit with friends:
Strawberry Upside-Down Cake with Cardamom
by Joy The Baker
www.joythebaker.com
makes: one 8-inch cake
For the Topping:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup sliced strawberries
For the Cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2/3 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
I used an 8-inch round with 3-inch tall sides. You can also use a 9-inch round with 2-inch sides.
Place butter in the cake pan and place in the oven. When butter is melted, remove pan from the oven. Using two pot holders, tilt the pan around and around, coating the sides of the pan with butter. Once sides are coated, set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed. Cream until slightly pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop mixer, scrape down the bowl with a spatula, and add egg and vanilla extract. Beat for 1 minute.
Turn the mixer off, scrape the bowl, and add the dry ingredients. Beat on low speed while adding the sour cream. Beat until the batter just comes together. Batter will be pretty thick. Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish incorporating ingredients with a spatula.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar into the melted butter in the cake pan. Sprinkle strawberry slices over the butter and sugar in a single layer. Spoon batter over the strawberries and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cake rest for 10 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the cake and inverting the cake onto a cake plate. Serve warm with sweetened sour or whipped cream.
YUM-O!!! I'll keep you posted on how delish it is!!
Make some of your own memories this week with those you love!
Be true to you,
Heather
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Who Controls Your Life?
I've been wondering what to write all weekend. I've got to get better at this blogging thing. I truly enjoy it and I am becoming a blog addict....it's my own version of reading the "news".
So many things are going on in our life right now - all good, thank goodness! 2010 was the hardest year of my life, since the death of my mother in 2007. I questioned so many things in my life: who my true friends are, God, the strength of my will, the strength of my marriage. It's because of my marriage that I got through the hard times and sadness of the last two years. Last year was the hardest year of grieving for my Mother. Last year was the year I was really angry about everything that had to do with her death so I abused myself. With food.
I know....food isn't bad like alcohol, drugs, cigarettes (kicked that bad habit!). But it really is as bad, if not worse. Why? Because it's readily available. It's at every store, every corner. We use food for nourishment, celebration, solace. I used it to drowned my sadness and anger. I would cook the most elaborate meals you've ever seen - for a family of 2 or 3 - and I would eat more than anyone and then go back for more! I topped out at 253 lbs. and realized it was time to fix some things. It was time to fix me.
I've now lost 30 lbs. (I gained some back but I'm working on it), I've quit smoking, I've become an "outdoorsy" kinda girl and I have found the best relationship with God, my husband and myself that I think I've ever had. I've come to terms with my Mother's death, 4 years later, and I no longer feel angry about it. I feel sadness at times that she's not with me to laugh with, enjoy a libation with, and act silly with. I feel sad that she's not here with my Dad, as I always took for granted she would be. I'm sad that she was never a Grandmother. I feel sadness that she never met my husband.
With all this sadness, good things have come as well. I have learned to go out on a limb and trust myself and my decisions, without my Mother's opinion. I've branched out and made new friends and reached out to old ones. I dated online and met my husband through the web. I've gained a new relationship with my Father, which is still growing and changing. I've rid my life of my Mother's toxic family and only surround myself with happy, loving people.
You ask, what is the point of all of this? I don't know. It's just things I've been thinking about (as I avoid studying for Accounting!). This is also how I ended up loving HCG and starting my blog. Don't let life define who you are. Define your purpose in life. Don't let food hold you down and control your life. Free yourself of all negativity and take control of your life!
As Always, Be True to YOU!
Hugs,
Heather
Our new addition, Penny:
So many things are going on in our life right now - all good, thank goodness! 2010 was the hardest year of my life, since the death of my mother in 2007. I questioned so many things in my life: who my true friends are, God, the strength of my will, the strength of my marriage. It's because of my marriage that I got through the hard times and sadness of the last two years. Last year was the hardest year of grieving for my Mother. Last year was the year I was really angry about everything that had to do with her death so I abused myself. With food.
I know....food isn't bad like alcohol, drugs, cigarettes (kicked that bad habit!). But it really is as bad, if not worse. Why? Because it's readily available. It's at every store, every corner. We use food for nourishment, celebration, solace. I used it to drowned my sadness and anger. I would cook the most elaborate meals you've ever seen - for a family of 2 or 3 - and I would eat more than anyone and then go back for more! I topped out at 253 lbs. and realized it was time to fix some things. It was time to fix me.
I've now lost 30 lbs. (I gained some back but I'm working on it), I've quit smoking, I've become an "outdoorsy" kinda girl and I have found the best relationship with God, my husband and myself that I think I've ever had. I've come to terms with my Mother's death, 4 years later, and I no longer feel angry about it. I feel sadness at times that she's not with me to laugh with, enjoy a libation with, and act silly with. I feel sad that she's not here with my Dad, as I always took for granted she would be. I'm sad that she was never a Grandmother. I feel sadness that she never met my husband.
With all this sadness, good things have come as well. I have learned to go out on a limb and trust myself and my decisions, without my Mother's opinion. I've branched out and made new friends and reached out to old ones. I dated online and met my husband through the web. I've gained a new relationship with my Father, which is still growing and changing. I've rid my life of my Mother's toxic family and only surround myself with happy, loving people.
You ask, what is the point of all of this? I don't know. It's just things I've been thinking about (as I avoid studying for Accounting!). This is also how I ended up loving HCG and starting my blog. Don't let life define who you are. Define your purpose in life. Don't let food hold you down and control your life. Free yourself of all negativity and take control of your life!
As Always, Be True to YOU!
Hugs,
Heather
Our new addition, Penny:
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