I love watching funny romantic comedies, don’t you? My favorite down time activity is a date night with myself. I like to grab a pint of Häagen-Dazs coffee ice cream, one spoon, a comfy fleece blanket, and a large Diet Coke on ice before plopping down on the couch for the evening to watch a romantic comedy chick flick. For two hours I get to laugh and scream into my pillow as cheesy love scenes play out right before my eyes. It’s how I prefer to unwind and enjoy a nice reprieve from my own life. I only wish I watched movies more often than twice a year which seems to be all I have time for.
I also love reading books. There is something about the feel of the printed word in my hands. Flipping pages, sometimes highlighting passages I hope recall later, and folding dog ears to bookmark where I finish reading for the night and where I hope to pick up the next day. The anticipation of reading a page here or a chapter there when I find tiny pockets of free time gives me something to look forward to especially if I’m vested in the book I’m reading.
Many years ago my sister introduced me to chick-lit books after the birth of my second daughter, Mimi. She assured me it would make the long stretches of nursing a newborn baby go so much faster. She was so right. Reading the Ashley Tinsdale series by Kristin Billerbeck had me in stitches, laughing out loud, and almost peeing my pants.
After ordering six books in the last six months and having them neatly organized (cough.. thrown on top of one another) on my nightstand, I came to the sad realization I would not be able to enjoy any of these books anytime soon. With my dad’s passing, mom moving in, kids crazy schedules, blogging, and writing for PBS, the concept of “free time” is not something to be had in this season of my life. One of these books I purchased was The Pioneer Woman – Black Heels to Tractor Wheels love story by Ree Drummond. [click to continue…]
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Today is the final day of the United Way of King County Hunger Action Week Challenge. When I agreed to participate this year I wanted to approach the challenge differently. Last year when I participated I made and baked a variety of meals and dishes stretching each dollar to prepare lots of healthy and delicious food. I wanted to inspire others and send a message on how low budget cooking and baking is not only doable, a family can eat a wide variety of wonderful food. Fast forward to this year’s challenge and the focus is entirely different. In fact, they way I approached and prepared meals for this challenge are like night and day. 
Today I finally made it the grocery store to re-supply on milk, bread, and a few other items to get us through tomorrow. While grocery shopping I was pleasantly surprised to discover marinaded teriyaki chicken thighs in the butcher case were MUCH cheaper than plain thighs in the case next to it.
