Autumn Comes to the Desert

In the last few weeks, the weather has finally cooled off here in the high desert. It is downright chilly in the mornings, especially when the wind starts to kick up and the tumbleweeds start to fly. I love it. There is nothing better than entombing yourself in a warm comforter as you go to sleep, and sporting fleece socks and comfy sweatpants around the house on the weekends (or if you are me, all the time). I think we skipped right to winter from summer, because the obvious signs of fall like the leaves changing are noticeably absent here in the Mojave.

Last week, my parents arrived from Minnesota for their first visit to the AV. On Friday, we went to Red Rock Canyon State Park, about 20 miles northeast of the town of Mojave. The scenic red rocks were beautiful, and a lot of fun to climb around. In retrospect, we're pretty lucky none of us broke a bone. We took a lot of fun pictures, and the park was almost empty so we had the run of the place. It was a great way for my parents to experience the desert landscape, and we're looking forward to going back with T's family when they visit over Thanksgiving.

Saturday we went to cheer on our Minnesota Wild hockey team as they took on the LA Kings at Staples Center. If you've read my blog before, you know that we take our hockey very seriously. Decked out in our Wild gear, we made our way into downtown LA. Outside of the Staples Center, there were flocks of emo tweens camped out in tents, awaiting Monday's premiere of the newest Twilight movie at the neighboring Nokia Theater. The game itself was disappointing, as the Wild had a very poor showing, falling to the Kings 2-5. It was fun to see the inside of the hallowed Staples Center, with a dynasty's worth of Lakers championship banners hanging from the rafters. We luckily didn't get into any drunken brawls with Kings fans, though passionate and loyal to their team, they proved to be less violent than LA baseball fans. They did however, lead the crowd in a "Twilight sucks" chant aimed at the aforementioned tent city as we exited the game. It was great to have the opportunity to see professional hockey at such a historic venue, and I definitely would like to get back for another game this winter.

On Monday, my parents dragged me to a taping of the Dr. Phil show. I was dreading it, and was very envious of T who got stay back and go to work. I made the comment as we waited in line that I better at least get some "decent swag" out of this. To my surprise, I got a whole bucketload of quality swag! In a ladies only taping (sorry Dad), my mom and I each received Sketchers sneakers, a yoga mat, free weights, toning pants, and a Vitamix blender - all together easily more than $500 worth of stuff. Dr. Phil, you are growing on me, my man. It was a fun experience. Even the second giveaway-free taping was interesting, and the staff does a great job of maintaining a fun and festive atmosphere for the audience. After the taping, I bid my parents adieu at LAX and snuck back home right before rush hour traffic took hold.

We are now in Thanksgiving mode. Thanksgiving is my second favorite holiday after Christmas, and I am excited to be hosting my first big family Thanksgiving dinner this year. T's parents and two brothers are flying in for five days, and there is a 20-lb turkey currently residing in the majority of my refrigerator. I did a trial run of homemade apple pie yesterday. I have had a historically tragic relationship with homemade pie crust, resulting in unsightly cracks and fissures in my pies. Usually I just cheat and buy the premade crusts. A friend recently turned me on Joy the Baker's blog, and Joy gave me the courage to try again. I made her With Love, Apple Pie with How To Make Pie Crust… do it.. It was a triumph! I can't say it was aesthetically pleasing, but the crust held together fabulously, and the pie tastes heavenly. It was a very easy recipe to follow, but was quite time consuming. It takes up most of the day, but is well worth it for festive holiday occasions.

The next few days will be a flurry of preparations, cleaning, and baking. I am excited to celebrate Turkey Day with a house full of family, food, and fun. I wish you and yours safe travels and a very blessed Thanksgiving holiday!

3 Wonderful Years - A to Z

Tomorrow is my third wedding anniversary. In honor of this milestone, I present the A to Zs of our marriage: memories of the most exciting, fun, challenging, love-filled, blessed years of my life.

A - Air Force
I had no personal knowledge of the military before I married my husband. Soon after I was thrown into a crazy world of impossibly long acronyms, foreign customs and rules of etiquette, and frequent cross-country moves. Despite the quirks of this life, I am so proud of my husband's service, and to be a part of such a diverse and interesting military community.

B - Basement
Our first home as a married couple was a basement apartment on Dayton Avenue in St. Paul near school (University of St. Thomas). The rent was cheap and the location was ideal, so we tried to ignore the reality of the place. It was more like a cave than an apartment. There was exposed plumbing and wiring draping all around the door frame, making for some classy decor. Our windows were alley level, which meant every time the local "Can-Man" rifled through our recycling at 3 in the morning, I thought a serial killer was coming to kill me. The heating unit gave out in mid-January, which meant it was frequently 55 degrees or less at night. It was a unique urban living experience, for sure - but it will be a good story to tell the kids someday, right?

C - Caribbean cruise
Our honeymoon was a cruise of the Eastern Caribbean. It was the trip of a lifetime. I have never been so relaxed, and tan. My favorite moment was on a catamaran trip around the island of Antigua. The water was so blue, the sands gleaming, and I had my handsome new husband's arms around me. All was right with the world.

D - Dogs
Prior to my marriage, the only pets I had ever had were some pet frogs my college roommates and I made the ill-fated decision to buy. They were no fun, and we must have not cared for them correctly because they eventually resorted to cannibalism. I doubted if I had the patience to commit to a pet. Enter my husband who wanted dogs two seconds after we said "I do." I've posted enough about my dogs on here for you to know what a gift they have been to us. I'm so glad T encouraged me to give pet ownership another try.

E - Easter Sunday
We got engaged April 8, 2007 - Easter Sunday. The ring was in my Easter Basket, in a bunny box that I initially thought contained a chocolate truffle. Turns out it was slightly better than a truffle.

F - Firewall
Our first date was to see the Harrison Ford movie Firewall at the Mall of America. We went to Noodles and Company for dinner beforehand. It was our first date in the technical sense only, as we had already hung out alone a lot and had our first kiss (sorry, Mom). Nevertheless it was a great night, and whenever I hear Harrison Ford snarl "DON'T MESS WITH MY FAMILY," it is always a pleasant memory.

G - Godchildren
We are getting old! In the past few years we have been blessed with two beautiful babies. My brother and his wife had their first, a girl. She is a beautiful niece and goddaughter. In addition, our dear friends from college had a handsome baby son, and T is honored to be his godfather. It's great fun to have little ones around to spoil and play with, and be able to go home and skip the poopy diapers and tantrums.

H - Halloween
We have a mutual dislike for this holiday. Neither of us likes to dress up, pass out candy, or watch scary movies. Sad to say we are sort of hermits on Halloween, and prefer to barricade ourselves in a back bedroom and turn all the lights off.

I - Ice Hockey
This sport is a deep obsession in my family. In Minnesota, a love for hockey is in our blood, a side effect of the long cold winters perhaps. T was born in Wisconsin, our neighbor to the east, so he did not fully appreciate the sport before marrying into our clan. I'm proud to say we converted him, and T probably knows more about hockey now than I do. We're excited to get to see the Minnesota Wild play the LA Kings in LA in a few weeks.

J - John Legend
One of our favorite singers as a couple. We can often be found belting out his smooth R&B songs on long car trips. And it doesn't look ridiculous to passing drivers at all.

K - Kitchen
We have both come along way in the past few years with our culinary skills. There was a lot of Papa John's and grilled cheese in the early days. The other night we made this delicious beef stir fry with organic eggplant, zucchini, carrots, and onion - and it hit me how far we've come. I'm sure our waistlines are thankful.

L - Law and Order SVU
We watched an untold amount of episodes of Law and Order SVU one fateful week in the fall of 2009. Both of us had been struck down with the swine flu at the same time, and were fighting high temperatures, upset stomachs, and excess phlegm. It was an ugly scene, with lots of sweatpants, Jello, and of course Ice-T involved.

M - Migraine
I hesitate to even mention this one, because the last thing I or anyone else wants to do is be defined by an illness. But it is simply fact that my chronic migraines have been a very real part of our lives in the last three years. My husband has been the most amazing support system for me. There have been endless hours in ER waiting rooms, specialist visits, and days upon days where I can't get out of bed. He is always there - to encourage me, give me back massages, and hug me when I just need to cry. I hate that he has to go through all this crap with me sometimes, but I definitely think it has made us stronger as a couple. I am so lucky to have a partner who can weather the hard times with me.

N - North Stars Sweatshirt
A few years ago I had a rough week. I think I was overly stressed at work, and probably was having issues with my migraines. T knew I was struggling, and he came home with a green North Stars sweatshirt (Minnesota hockey, dontcha know)that I had been coveting for some time. He had bought it for me as a gift, just because. That is a thoughtful husband, if I ever saw one. Every time I wear it I smile a little bit, just because.

O - Ohio
Our first military assignment was in Dayton, Ohio. It was a great experience, and we miss going to the air show, shopping at Meijer (so much better than Walmart), and green grass (lacking here in the desert). I can do without all the annoying Ohio State Buckeye fans though.

P - Packers
I have a previous post on my husband's family and their undying love for the Green Bay Packers. Before we even went on a honeymoon, we made the requisite pilgrimage to Lambeau Field in Wisconsin to catch a game. Go Pack!

Q - Quirks
Newlyweds, you will soon discover that your partner has plenty of quirks, and vice versa. I've learned that my husband never puts the TP roll on the right way, yet has a disturbing obsession with making sure our bed sheets are always straight and even. T has learned that I am a serial insomniac who makes a lot of noise tossing and turning (good thing he's a deep sleeper), and that I have a penchant for eating large quantities of Sour Patch Kids when I'm stressed.

R - Recycle
Since moving to the land of fruit and nuts, we have taken recycling to a whole new level by starting our own compost pile. We're not really sure what we're doing, we just sort of throw fruit and veggie scraps into the bin, stir it every once and while, and hope that it will magically produce soil that will encourage something other than cactus to grow in our gardens. If anyone has any composting tips, let me know.

S - Superior, as in Lake Superior
Possibly our favorite place in the state of Minnesota. It is so beautiful there, especially in the winter. We took a family trip up to Lutsen Ski Resort once, and I vividly remember us skiing up to an overlook. We had this amazing view of the lake, and the jagged majestic cliffs that border it. Behind us, we noticed a doe and her two fawns exploring the newly formed snowdrifts from the storm the night before. There was this shared sense of awe at nature's beauty. It was a great moment.

T - Trivial Pursuit
When T and I were first introduced, we were playing Trivial Pursuit in a dorm room with some mutual friends. Both of us were dating other people at the time. We wouldn't date each other for almost another year yet. I remember distinctly thinking that he was the sort of man I always saw myself marrying. I passed it off as a ridiculous notion at the time, but I guess everything happens for a reason. And yes, I did trounce him at Trivial Pursuit.

U - Umbrella
I have to say, in three years I don't think we've ever owned an umbrella. It's amazing we made it this long without one, though we hardly find a use for one out here in Cali. We usually think about it every time we see one in a store, yet never buy one. I guess we're just not umbrella people.

V - Valley, as in the Antelope Valley (AV)
Not to be confused with "The Valley" from the movie Clueless, as my friend E will tell you. This is our current home in the California high desert. Whereas in "The Valley" they may have wild parties and chic boutiques, we in the AV have bobcats that eat house pets, ants that swim out of bath tubs, and snakes that crawl out from under refrigerators. Despite the less than pleasing pests, it is always sunny and warm here, and the natural landscape is post-apocalyptic yet undeniably beautiful. We may not want to call the AV home forever, but California as a whole has really lured us in. There is so much to do, and oceans/mountains/forests/deserts are all only a few hours away.

W - Wild River State Park
A state park in Minnesota where T and I attempted our first backpacking trip. Unfortunately the campsite was located in a prairie grassland area, which in early summer in Minnesota is a hotbed for ticks. Soon after setting up camp we started discovering ticks crawling on each other. What followed was a horrific night of picking what felt like hundreds of ticks off each other and waking up at 4am to the sound of cows mooing in a nearby pasture. Oh, the romance...

X - X2
The X2 is a ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain here in California. I posted about it previously. T will tell you it was the best ride he's ever been on. I will tell you it is the closest to a near-death experience I have had to date. Shudder.

Y - Yoga
Little known fact, T took a yoga class with me when we were living in St. Paul. Our instructor whose name was Paul was about five feet tall, ninety pounds, and drove a car plastered with Dennis Kucinich stickers. He burned incense and chanted poetry at the end of each session. T was such a trooper to go with me, and surprisingly he was much better at it than I was.

Z - Ziti
T's favorite dish that I make is a five cheese baked ziti modeled off of the Olive Garden version. It is everything we love in a dinner - pasta, garlic bread, and several tons of cheese. My mouth is watering as I type this. Time for a snack...perhaps some cheese.

Well that's it - A to Z.

T - you are my best friend and I love you very much. Looking forward to many more great years to come. Happy Anniversary!

An Unexpected Gift

I heard from a friend recently that the county animal shelters in our area of California are severely underfunded and overcrowded. When we moved here, I was shocked at the large population of stray dogs and feral cats roaming the neighborhoods. Pet abandonment is one of the sadder products of our struggling economic climate. We are proud owners of two dogs, one of which we adopted. I'd like to share our experience now, because it has been very fulfilling, and hopefully it will inspire someone somewhere to consider adopting a pet in the future.

We moved to Ohio in June of 2009 with our brand new puppy Tess, purchased from a breeder on a farm in Minnesota. Tess was smart, playful, and loving. It was so fun to see her grow. By August on a whim we started thinking that it might be good for her to have a companion, and determined that there was room in our hearts and lives for another dog. After deciding that another puppy would be too overwhelming, we trekked to the local Humane Society in Dayton to look for an older dog to adopt. T walked through the kennels first while I stayed with Tess in the waiting room. I went back next and immediately noticed a yellow lab out of the corner of my eye. "He's such a sweet boy," one of the workers said, following my gaze to the 2 year old lab. "So calm and gentle." I walked up to his cage and put my hand up to the bars. He lazily sauntered over, and gave me a slow kiss on the hand with his giant tongue. He had the most soulful eyes, and a sky blue bandana tied around his neck. There was a pile of doggy puke in the corner, and he looked just plain tuckered out. "He just had his neuter surgery this morning," the woman continued. "He's still a little groggy." As I walked back out to the waiting room, I couldn't help but feel like the decision had just been made for us, and that in that brief moment he had chosen our family. T went back again to see him, and when he returned, I could see on T's face that he felt the same way.

We came back the next day to take the dog, who had been given the name Buster, home. We thought maybe he knew his name (it turns out he would have answered to anything spoken in a friendly high pitched tone), so Buster he remained. It seemed to suit him. Buster jumped into the backseat of my Saturn the minute I opened the door. He settled in next to Tess, and we were off. That's when everything started to go to #$*!. I had left his adoption papers on the top of the car, so seconds later they were strewn all over Hwy 75. Next Tess got carsick and puked all over the backseat and her new brother Buster. Buster, to his credit, did not seem overly ruffled by this. Once home though he got upset when we tried to make him go upstairs (not sure if he wasn't familiar with more than one level, or wasn't allowed upstairs in his old home), and he nervously peed all over the TV stand in our bedroom. He then proceeded to develop a cough, and green phlegm began to leak out of his nose. At the vet's office the next day we discovered Buster had contracted kennel cough in the shelter, and bonus, he also had cataracts in his eyes and bad teeth that would require corrective dental surgery. I began to panic, and wonder what we had gotten ourselves into.

Once Buster's kennel cough cleared up, his true personality started to emerge. He began to befriend Tess. They became instant playmates, trouncing and wrestling throughout the house, and snuggling up together afterwards for naps. We discovered he did not know how to play with toys, or hold treats and bones to chew on. Buster was very afraid of being scolded and ran from loud noises, leading us to believe that he perhaps had suffered abuse in his past. Despite this, he was very affectionate and trusting. From the very beginning, he loved to cuddle. It was like he had a radar for it, and whenever anyone in the house would assume a relaxed seated position, there Buster would be, ready to join in. Within 30 seconds of snuggling, his eyes would begin to close and the foghorn-esque snores would commence. It was hard to be annoyed by it, because he was so cute and soft and comfy.

As the months and years passed, Buster became fiercely loyal and very protective of our family. He guards our house with a ferocious bark, but greets invited guests with a wagging tail and loving licks. Whenever I get a bad migraine (which has been a lot lately), Buster seems to sense it. He stays by my side, often laying by my feet for hours until I feel better. He keeps an eye on his sister Tess at the dog park, making sure none of the other dogs play too roughly with her. If they do, he intervenes. Buster walks out to the garage to say goodbye to T when he leaves for work in the morning, and waits at the door barking excitedly when T's car enters the garage again in the evenings. He is never in a bad mood, and doesn't hold a grudge when I am a bad momma and don't walk him.

It's been such a delight to see him shed his old anxieties and troubles and become a happy and energetic dog. Watching him consume a Busy Bone, or tow his toy gorilla around the backyard, or zoom up and down the dog beach in Santa Barbara, is worth all the vet visits, poop, and puke. Even when he gets into trouble (like frequently eating entire sandwiches left on the coffee table unattended), I just have to laugh. We don't let the dogs sleep in bed with us generally, but lately Buster has been waiting until we are both fast asleep, and then he sneaks up and crawls in between us. If one of us wakes up, notices, and tries to extricate him, he does not cooperate, and since we don't have the energy to kick him off when we're semi-conscious, he usually gets his way.

It's hard to invision what life will be like without Buster someday, and I don't like to think about it too often. He is almost five, so we hopefully have lots of good years left with him - and I plan to enjoy every moment of it. Buster has been an unexpected gift and blessing to our family, and I truly think God gave us to him, and him to us, for a reason. Hopefully I don't sound like too much of a dog freak, I promise I won't end up on an episode of "Animal Hoarders" or anything like that. If you're thinking about getting a dog, I hope you'll consider adopting one. There are so many Busters out there, just waiting for their future families to come and get them.

Marrying Into "The Pack"

This Thursday night marks the beginning of a new season in our household - Football Season.

In my childhood home of St. Paul, Minnesota, the prevailing attitude towards football was always one of apathy, occasionally interrupted by periods of deep depression. It was a rare year when the University of Minnesota Gophers made a decent bowl game. Our lousy high school football team was very unpopular, and fell into the shadow of the dominant powerhouse ice hockey team. The pro team, the Minnesota Vikings, were the poster children for eternal disappointment. Every time it seemed like they were making a run at the NFL playoffs, they found inventive and cruel ways to spontaneously combust and let us down. I was not a fan of the sport as I entered college in 2003. Little did I know that three years later, I would be able to say differently.

In the fall of 2006, I accompanied my then-boyfriend (and a Wisconsin native) of nine months to his parents' home in the western suburbs one Sunday. It was then I discovered their family's not-so-secret obsession - the NFL, and more specifically, the Green Bay Packers. We were led down into their basement where two TVs were set up side-by-side, so that two games could be viewed at all times. A variety of snacks were laid out lovingly on the coffee table. A pot of chili warmed on the stove, a perfect meal for our northern climate, which was growing frigid rapidly. The whole family was wearing green and yellow, a bold color combination in my opinion. We piled onto comfy couches to watch the first games of the day, and did not move. For the next 8 hours. And this was not a casual, have the game on in the background and engage in idle chatter type of viewing. Their eyes were glued, their muscles were tensed, and screams of horror and triumph echoed through the household every few plays. I, who did not know quarterback from cornerback, felt like I was on Mars.

But over the next few years (and many marathon Sundays), football began to grow on me. Before I knew what was happening to me, I could rattle off the names of all the quarterbacks in the league, found myself uttering profanities about Troy Aikman's lack of play-by-play capabilities, shrieked with delight whenever Clay Matthews was about to make a big sack, and had a startlingly large collection of the afore-mentioned green and yellow clothing. A few weeks after our wedding, we traveled to Green Bay on Thanksgiving Day weekend to see the Packers take on the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field. The stadium there had an aged and mystical quality to it, like if you leaned in close enough you could hear the voices and stories of all the players and championships that had come before. At game time the temperature was somewhere around 25 degrees, and by halftime it began to snow. I wore bulky snowpants with longjohns underneath, a definite fashion milestone for me. Weather like that hardly seems like it would evoke a party atmosphere, but the Green Bay fans were loyal, loud, and jovial (in most cases aided by alcoholic beverages). It was a really fun experience, and they didn't even win the game.

Now every autumn, no matter where the military takes us, DirecTV provides us the NFL package so that we never miss a Green Bay game, or any other game for that matter. Football Sundays are tradition. My husband awakes early in the morning to listen to the Packer Preview (on Minnesota sports radio) which is now on at 6am in our Pacific time zone, making it even more impressive. Usually we start prepping a delicious meal in the crockpot in the late morning, so it will be ready to eat by game time. The puppies don their Pack Attack bandanas, and we pull on our jerseys. The games begin, and we are riveted. Last year was a roller coaster (and Buster spent most of it hiding behind the couch, afraid of all the yelling), ending with an exciting win for the Packers in the Super Bowl. It will be challenging for them to top last year, to say the least. But I will hope for another Lombardi Trophy in 2012, because I am now admittedly, a devoted member of "The Pack."

At The Movies

Top 10 Chick Flicks of All Time

Attention fellow movie lovers - in this post is a list of my favorite chick flicks. This is not a short post, I could go on forever about this stuff, so read it in installments if you must. I am a notorious sucker for the entire chick flick genre, and am ashamed to say I have wasted many a day away on horribly cheesy TV movies with pathetic dialogue by z-list actors on Hallmark Channel or ABC Family. In my opinion, the keys to a good romantic film are, in no particular order: quality laughs, a moving and sentimental script, and really really ridiculously good looking people with great chemistry. Below I list the best of the best. If you see some movies on the list that you haven't seen, come on over and watch them with me someday! I own them all. And bring the following: sweatpants (stretch waistband is a must), Doritos and chocolate (for our nutritional needs), and Kleenex (for tears of sadness or hilarity).

#1 While You Were Sleeping (1995)
This is the reigning rom-com queen Sandra Bullock's first of two appearances on this list. Bullock plays Lucy, a lonely train station worker who pretends to be the fiance of a comatose man named Peter (Peter Gallagher and his prominent eyebrows), after rescuing him when he took a fall on the train tracks. Things get complicated when she tries to keep up the charade while growing close to Peter's family, the Callaghan's, and eventually falling in love with his handsome younger brother Jack (Bill Pullman). The Callaghan's (including patriarch Peter Boyle, the hilarious dad from "Everyone Loves Raymond") steal the show with their incessant bickering, inappropriate behavior in places of religious worship, and enduring love and devotion to one another. Also notable is Lucy's stalker next door, Joe Jr. (Michael Rispoli), whose love for Ice Capades and trying on women's shoes never ceases to make me giggle. A favorite scene of mine is when Jack comes to the hospital to play a rather one-sided game of cards with his still comatose brother, Peter. Reflecting on his developing feelings for Lucy as he deals the cards, Jack tells Peter, "I was never really jealous of anything you had. Until now." It always gives me the chills. The film takes place at Christmastime, so if you love the holidays, and would enjoy a story about the importance of family and finding someone who inspires you to fulfill your dreams, this is a must-see.

#2 The Cutting Edge (1992)
I have loved this movie since childhood. This takes us back to the days of the Babysitters Club, pogs, and Lisa Frank trapper keepers. Before Redbox/Netflix overtook Blockbuster, and before Blockbuster overtook everything, there was the old Polar Video on 7th Street in North St. Paul, where our family rented videotapes on many a cold winter's night. One fateful night, we rented this movie. In "The Cutting Edge," two unlikely athletes are thrown together to form a pairs figure skating duo for the upcoming Olympic Games. Kate (Moira Kelly) is an uptight veteran figure skater haunted by failure, while Doug (D.B. Sweeney) is a cocky professional hockey player sidelined by injury. They clash in a major way, but predictably their initial disdain for each other transforms first into a professional partnership, and finally a romance. The endless witty banter between Kate and Doug makes the movie. Here's an excerpt of the two discussing life after hockey for Doug:
Kate: What where you planning to do when your gladitoring days were over?
Doug: You can bet your tights I never thought I'd be working a freak show like this.
Kate: I'm surprised you don't chuck it all and start your own think tank.
This movie is a lot of fun, and will always hold a sentimental place in my heart. Doug is also revealed to be a fellow Minnesota native, which further endears the film to me. Their run at the gold medal makes me cheer, and the bad early 90s soundtrack is only a minor distraction. This is a lighthearted sports romance that will teach you the importance of the "toepick."

#3 Sabrina (1954)
Hepburn. Bogart. Holden. The holy trinity of famous Hollywood actors of the 1950s. I rest my case. This classic explores the love triangle of a chauffeur's daughter named Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn) caught between two wealthy brothers, David (William Holden) and Linus (Humphrey Bogart). From the very beginning, I found myself rooting for the stern and serious workaholic Linus, whose gruff nature is in stark contrast to Sabrina's sunny and vivacious demeanor. As the story progresses, Sabrina discovers that sometimes your true love is not the perfect man of your daydreams, but the flawed man right in front of you. Paris serves as the setting of several pivotal scenes in the film. The sense of magic and romance it evokes on a black and white screen is enough to make me book plane fare to France while simultaneously stuffing myself with truffles and crepes. There is also a 1995 remake of this film starring Julia Ormond, Harrison Ford, and Greg Kinnear - but I'd skip it. Ormond comes off so whiny and fragile that I could break her in half with my index finger, and Greg Kinnear is eternally smarmy. How Harrison Ford didn't kill himself on that set I will never know. The 1954 version is far superior, and marks my favorite film by the acclaimed director Billy Wilder.

#4 She's The Man (2006)
You may find this to be an out of the box choice, and you would be correct. I don't know why I love this movie. I am ashamed I do and I wish I didn't, but we can't pick who we love - and I will always love "She's The Man." In this modern (and loose) adaptation of Shakespeare's play "Twelfth Night," Viola (Amanda Bynes) joins the boys' soccer team posing as her twin brother Sebastian (James Kirk). She does so in order to pursue her dreams of obtaining a soccer scholarship after her school cuts the girls' soccer team. Things get complicated when she falls for teammate Duke (Channing Tatum and his impressive abs), and Duke's crush Olivia (Laura Ramsey) falls for Sebastian-Viola. Just a few things I love about this movie are: the husky Southern accent Viola uses when posing as Sebastian, the principal (David Cross) who gives Sebastian-Viola a speech about embracing male pattern baldness, and the scene where Sebastian-Viola tries to explain away her tampons to her male soccer teammates by demonstrating their usage in stopping nosebleeds as endorsed by David Beckham, apparently. There is no deep meaning or life-changing material in this film, just good cheesy fun. See it at your own risk, it is ridiculously quotable. "Word, g-money."

#5 Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Note: I am a Jane Austen whore. I love all her books, her movies, if it is anything remotely related to Jane Austen I am probably obsessed with it. My favorite of her works is "Pride & Prejudice." Sometimes when you really love a book, you end up hating the film. That is not the case here. I thought the movie truly brought the book to life. A lot of people rave about the 1995 BBC miniseries version of "Pride and Prejudice" starring Colin Firth. I am not among those people. I found it to be really long-winded and dry. This more recent adaptation injects a much needed vitality and sense of humor into the story that is sorely lacking in the BBC miniseries. "Pride and Prejudice" follows the love lives of a family of five sisters seeking advantageous marriages. Headstrong Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) will only marry for love, and meets her match in the stubborn and tall/dark/handsome Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen). It isn't love at first sight - more like hate, and sparks soon fly. There is a romantically charged scene of Elizabeth and Darcy arguing outside in the rain while simultaneously almost making out that will make you sigh with contentment. Comic relief is provided by Elizabeth's cousin Mr. Collins (Tom Hollander), a monotone minister who fancies himself quite a hit with the ladies. Also I am an admitted daddy's girl, so I loved the heartfelt scenes featuring Elizabeth and her doting father Mr. Bennett (the adorable Donald Sutherland). I have watched this film more times than I can count, and I find something new to love about it every time I watch it.

#6 An American In Paris (1951)
Whenever I watch a Gene Kelly movie, I am painfully reminded of how much I lack any sense of rhythm. He dances so spectacularly, and with such grace. I am always overcome with feelings of jealousy towards his female dance partners. If only I could dance something more advanced than the Macarena, and have been born in the late 1920s. Gene Kelly is a male lead from an era gone by, a time when it was masculine and attractive for a man to waltz and tap and twirl a woman around the room in an exquisite ballet. In this Gershwin musical Kelly plays Jerry, an American World War II veteran living in Paris trying to make his way as a painter. He falls for Lise (Damn you, Leslie Caron you lucky bitch), a French woman who is engaged to a man she does not love. Jerry and Lise realize that they are meant for each other, as they swap serenades and cavort all over Paris. You may recognize such hits as "S Wonderful" and "I Got Rhythm." Put on your dancing shoes and warm up those vocal cords, this musical masterpiece is a must-see.

#7 When Harry Met Sally (1989)
This movie asks the age-old question: Can men and women ever really be just friends? Apparently not, at least in this case. We follow Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) over the course of a decade as they transition from acquaintances to best friends, then to lovers, and after a few bumps in the road, finally becoming husband and wife. I saw a lot of myself in the uptight and anxious Sally. In one scene Harry shares his assessment of Sally, which always makes me laugh.
Harry: There are two kinds of women, high maintenance and low maintenance.
Sally: Which one am I?
Harry: You're the worst kind. You're high maintenance but you think you're low maintenance.
I'd be amiss if I neglected to mention the infamous scene where Sally feigns an orgasm in the middle of a crowded deli, in order to prove to Harry how easy it is for a woman to fake a believable orgasm. Fun fact, the woman who post-orgasm says to the waiter "I'll have what she's having," is director Rob Reiner's mother. The dialogue throughout the film is smart, funny, and sweet. In one of the closing scenes Harry gives a speech to Sally listing all the things that he loves about her, half of which could be considered by some to be flaws. Harry loves Sally for who she is, the good and the bad. What high-maintenance woman among us could resist that?

#8 Roman Holiday (1953)
Audrey Hepburn makes the list again, in this 1953 film about runaway princess Anya (Hepburn) who wants to see the sights of Rome while posing as a commoner. She soon encounters an American reporter named Joe (the dapper Gregory Peck) who discovers her identity and wants to use her to get an exclusive story. As Joe tails her and experiences Rome through Anya's sweet and innocent eyes, he begins to fall in love with her. It becomes clear that despite their mutual feelings for each other, their lives are going in different directions. The film concludes with a bittersweet goodbye. I generally really hate sad endings (This means you, Anne Hathaway in "One Day"). They make me want to throw things. However, I love this film despite the fact that Anya and Joe do not end up together, which is a testament to the blockbuster performances by Hepburn and Peck, and a well-written screenplay full of spirit and heart.

#9 The Family Man (2000)
This holiday gem pulls from such classic tales as "A Christmas Carol," and "It's a Wonderful Life." Selfish Wall Street executive Jack (Nicholas Cage, in his last decent film role) finds himself alone on Christmas Eve. He reflects on how life might have been different if he had married his high school sweetheart Kate. When he wakes up Christmas morning, Jack discovers that he is in an alternate universe where he is married to Kate, working as a tire salesman, and is father to two children. Jack is initially disgusted by what he perceives to be a mediocre existence. As he begins to bond with his children and fall in love all over again with Kate, Jack realizes how empty and void of meaning his real life had become. When Jack is returned to his real life, he is inspired to embrace his second chance at life, and change his ways. I watch this film every Christmas, and cry like a baby. It's a movie that reminds us of what is important in life, and to be thankful for our loved ones and friends. Perfect for a cold winter's night with hot chocolate and a cinnamon scented candle.

#10 The Proposal (2009)
Hello again, Sandra Bullock. I love this movie because for once the female lead is older than the male lead. It's about time we realize that a cinematic world where 40 year old men only marry 20 year old women is not very reflective of reality. Book editor Margaret (Bullock) learns she is about to be deported back to her native Canada due to a immigration glitch. Margart schemes up a fake engagement to her unwilling assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds). They fly to Alaska in order to convince Andrew's family of their romance, and hijinks ensue. The supporting cast shines in this raucous comedy. Ramon (Oscar Nunez from "The Office") is a local who holds every job in town including waiter, minister, and exotic dancer. Whether he is feeding a nauseous Margaret sushi, performing a striptease, or being interrogated by an immigration agent, he provides endless laughs. There is also a great scene where Margaret gets in touch with her spiritual side by rapping "Get Low" with the immortal Betty White. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds had a surprisingly delightful amount of chemistry, and it is easy to root for their unlikely romance to blossom. By the time the credits roll you'll be sad the fun is over.

Well - there you have it. If you read this whole post, I am impressed. Hope you found a movie you might like to watch. I'd love to hear about your favorites, if you share some of mine or have some picks that I might not have seen. Happy viewing! :)

California Girl

This afternoon, while half-watching a show on MSNBC about people who steal bodies for cash (Body Snatchers of New York, for those of you with DVRs), my mind started musing about all the ways that life is different now that I am a "California girl." We've been living in this eternally sunny state for about four months now, but it seems like a lot longer than that. I can barely remember you, silly Dayton, Ohio, with your frequent precipitation and high concentration of obnoxious Ohio State Buckeye fans. Life has a way of changing quickly and drastically, before you even realize it's happening.

So here's the list:

1) I am no longer an albino, and my hair touches my shoulders.
Growing up on the tundras of Minnesota, I long ago came to terms with my pale porcelain complexion. I've always found tanning a little shallow (and unhealthy), and since moving to a place where the UV levels are off the charts, I'm an avid sunscreen wearer. Even so, I looked in the mirror the other day and discovered I'm brown! I'm fairly certain even basement hermits get a tan here. Hopefully my tan is the charming "I'm sporty and outdoorsy" kind, instead of the citrusy "channeling Matthew McConaughey" kind. Also, I have always always always had really short hair. I can't remember the last time I could get it up in a ponytail. Mostly I'm lazy, and like to just wake up in the morning and go. Usually I don't even bother to blow dry. Now I'm letting it grow, but for basically the same reason - I'm lazy. The only hair salon within 20 miles is a Super Cuts, and it's too much work to have to plan a drive into town, and find someone I can trust not to butcher it. So, long hair here I come! Hopefully I'll be able to braid it and use it to climb hills and rappel out of castles (there are so many around here, you know) like Rapunzel.

2) I eat lettuce?!
I've always looked down on people who order salads in restaurants, let's be real about it. You're basically ordering grass, and paying ridiculously inflated amounts of money for it. Get serious, and order yourself some chicken tenders. As you may have guessed, I have never been a fan of the leafy and green. Enter our local CSA program, where we get weekly boxes of local produce from organic farms. Every Saturday I get a new head of beautiful purple and green lettuce, fresh and crisp, and I find myself surprisingly smitten. I can't begin to explain it - but it tastes better than any lettuce I've ever had. The flavor is just amazing! I eat salads almost daily now for lunch. One week when I didn't get a box due to a vacation trip, I got some pre-bagged lettuce from the store to get me through the week. I fixed myself a portion for lunch, and promptly wanted to throw it all up. The grocery store stuff tasted like plastic. Leafy plastic. I don't know what I will do when we move away from here, but it is likely that lettuce and I will become foes once more.

3) I'm embracing my inner "officer's wife"
This is our first assignment where my husband has not been attending school. Now that he's working and is a part of a specific unit, there are built-in social organizations for the womenfolk. I was lucky enough to befriend some great ladies early on, and was encouraged to join the Officer Spouses Club on base. At first I was a little concerned that I was rushing a sorority or becoming a debutante or something, but thankfully there are no "coming out" balls, Greek letters, or hazing involved. They do a lot of good work for the base community, but also just have a good time. I'm serving as a welfare treasurer this year on their board. I'm not really entirely sure what this means yet, except that I am likely going to have to brush up on my Accounting 101 skills. I'm excited because it is going to be a fun opportunity to learn more about the Air Force, and meet new people.

4) I want to be a nurse.
I haven't worked in a few years. I dealt with some health issues, and moved cross-country twice in a short time span. Now I'm actually in a place where I'd enjoy working at least part-time, but the Antelope Valley is not exactly a source of economic prosperity. My undergrad business degree doesn't really get me far in a place with only retail sales opportunities. I've been thinking about going back to school for a while, and have always had a slightly morbid obsession with everything medical (I am a huge fan of such fine television programming as "Dr. G - Medical Examiner"). Also, it seems that nursing is a fairly portable and lucrative career path. Thankfully, California makes public education very accessible and affordable, so I am taking full advantage of it and heading back to the classroom. I'm going to be working on the science prerequisites I need in order to apply to a nursing program. I'm taking biology and chemistry this semester. God help me.

5) I am blessed.
Moving to the high desert has forced us to adapt to a slower paced lifestyle. We go out to eat less, shop less, and spend most of our nights and weekends at home. As a "domestic goddess," I have had to find new and inventive ways to fill my days. It was an adjustment, but also a gift. I am so lucky that I get to spend so much quality time with my husband. We have a beautiful home with a large yard for our energetic puppies to zoom around, and endless desert trails right outside our door to explore. I have had the time to improve my culinary skills, and have discovered I love to cook and bake. When we got married, I didn't even know how to use a can opener. Seriously. We have great friends, and there always seems to be some fun social gathering coming up. Today I'm enjoying a low-key Sunday close to home. We took the dogs for a walk up in the hills this morning. When we reached high ground we paused to enjoy the view of the Antelope Valley down below us. It looked almost picturesque from all the way up there :).The weather was perfect, not too hot yet with a pleasant breeze. It was one of those moments when everything seemed right with the world. Contentment swept over me. Today is a good day. Wishing you and yours that same feeling wherever today finds you.

Puppy Beach Day!

Our golden retriever Tess, is a great lover of all things aquatic. She enjoys lakes, ponds, puddles, sprinklers, kiddie pools, anything. Tess once leaped into the bathtub while I was trying to indulge in a relaxing bubble bath (wet canine harshed my mellow). When we first got her as a puppy, we resided in the Land of 10,000 Lakes - so meeting her needs in this area was never an issue. In the past few years however - bodies of water have been sorely lacking. First we lived in southern Ohio, where there were only a handful of man-made lakes (blasphemy!), and now in the California desert, home of irrigation canals and not much else. We decided she had gone without long enough, and decided to trek to Santa Barbara today to explore the Arroyo Burro Dog Beach.

We arrived to the beach around 11:15 in the morning. The weather was overcast, and it was definitely sweatshirt weather, which meant that there luckily wasn't much of a crowd yet. The minute we started walking down to the shore, Tess was like a missile honed in on her target - and started pulling ridiculously hard to get to the water. When we let her and Buster off-leash, you would have thought it was the end of The Shawshank Redemption - freedom at last!! They chased each other gleefully and played hooky with the waves. Soon other dogs from further down the beach came to socialize, and Buster quickly zoomed off with a German Shepherd. My husband brought out the tennis balls, and for the next two hours, all Tess did was swim out into the ocean to fetch those tennis balls, zooming through wave after wave, and adorably paddling back in each time with her prize. All the other "parents" were impressed, as our Tess was the only dog who actually swam. The rest of the dogs, including Buster were content just to dip their paws in.

Overall, the trip was a riot. The other beachgoers and their dogs were all so friendly, and it is a beautiful beach. We only lost a dog once, when Buster decided to schmooze with a family about a half mile down the shoreline. As my husband chased him back to our area, Buster trounced on several families' blankets, sending wet sand flying through the air at unsuspecting sunbathers, but no one seemed to mind. We decided to call it a day when Buster drank what seemed like a gallon of water, then proceeded to throw it all up on the sand. We loaded our sand encrusted fur balls into the back of the SUV, and headed for home.

We took a different route home, getting off the 101 and onto the 126. This drive is gorgeous, and takes you through the lush vineyards and fruit farms of the San Fernando Valley, thus avoiding the smog/gridlock/human suffering of the 405 (score!). It was a great way to end the day - a therapeutic late afternoon drive in the countryside with my wonderful husband, accompanied by the loud snoring of two sweetly sleeping canines in the backseat.

Viva Las Vegas

My husband and I arrived home this morning at 10am, after endulging in a fabulous four day trip to Las Vegas. We are bleary-eyed, sunburned, bloated, and broke. And yet, I can't wait to go back. That, my friends, is the magic of Vegas.

My husband wanted to attend a technical conference being held in Vegas. He went last year by himself and enjoyed it, but was a little lonely. This year I decided to travel with him, and attend the conference as well. If there is anything I'm lacking, technical knowledge is it. I can't even manage to reload paper into the printer without jamming it at least once. So I figured maybe I'll learn something, God forbid. Anyway, we arrived late on Wednesday night. The plan was to attend conference sessions during the day, and explore the Strip at night.

I have only been to Vegas once before, about four years ago. That time we stayed at the Excalibur and mostly stayed on that end of the strip. This trip we wanted to explore the other side, so we booked a room at the Imperial Palace (link). I had never been there before, and it was a diamond in the rough. Imperial Palace is an older casino, but thankfully lacks the "smoke stink" common among casinos of comparable age (Flamingo, Tropicana, etc). We got a complimentary upgrade to a room with a balcony, it was clean and affordable, but most importantly, the proximity could not be beat. The heart of the Strip was right outside our door.

The conference was very interesting and I was able to absorb more than I thought I would. My eyes only glazed over a few times. Females were an endangered species, so all my single ladies, if you are seeking a tech-saavy man, consider attending next year - the odds are in your favor. The nerd quotient was high, which meant the people-watching options were vast. My favorite sighting was a woman wearing a light-up bunny ear headband who surrounded herself with stuffed rabbits, cuddling them while listening to the speakers. Amazing.

On Thursday night we had dinner at BB King's Blues Club (link) in the Mirage. Their house band played Motown classics by the Temptations, the Supremes, and more. It was all I could do to stay in my chair. I usually hate to dance, which shows how delightful the music was. The food was all Southern inspired. We had fried pickles for an appetizer, and I bravely ordered a catfish po-boy for my entree. It's not something I would order every day, but it was tasty! Another food pick is Pizzeria Francesco's in Treasure Island (link). They have great Sicilian pizza by the slice, perfect for lunch. Quality pizza is lacking here in the Antelope Valley, so Francesco's really hit the spot.

My husband has always wanted to go see Blue Man Group perform, so we decided to splurge and attend a show on Friday night at the Venetian (link). They do offer a military discount, just fyi, which helped a little. I didn't know a lot about Blue Man Group previously, and I wasn't sure it would be "my thing," but I truly recommend their show. It was just pure entertainment. The music was great, the lights and artistry were impressive, and the theatrics were a lot of fun. It's the kind of thing you don't get to experience every day, so if you make it out to Vegas, take advantage of the opportunity.

All day Saturday we acknowledged our inner pigs, and participated in the Buffet of Buffets tour. For $45, you can get 24-hour unlimited access to seven different buffets on the Strip (link). We began with breakfast at Paris. My husband recommends the crepes, and in general they had delicious bread and pastries. Lunch was at Caesar's Palace. Life-changing. There were hand-carved meats, fresh salads, mouth-watering pastas, and the highlight - professionally crafted desserts worthy of the Food Network. They had these chocolate covered Oreos with chocolate mousse that were to die for. Our dinner buffet at the Flamingo was mediocre at best, but we were still so stuffed from earlier in the day that we didn't really care all that much. Anyway, it's a great deal - if you eat at a buffet twice you will make your money back and then some.

This morning we checked out around 5am to beat the traffic. We'd been warned about the Sunday rush of people traveling back to the LA area from Vegas. Doubling our drive time didn't sound too attractive, so we downed large amounts of caffeinated beverages and hit the road. It was a fun and relaxing trip, but it is always comforting to be home. It's a little weird to be without our dogs, who are being boarded til tomorrow morning, but given my current state of semi-consciousness, it's probably for the best. I hope I get back to Vegas soon! There's so much to enjoy and explore. Also, I have a $4.75 voucher from the Rio I forgot to cash in that expires in 6 months, so I kind of have to. :)

Burning Rubber

I came. I saw. I conquered the 405.

Today I had a doctor appointment at UCLA, scheduled over the lunch hour. When I asked a local friend how much time to allow from the Antelope Valley, she told me 3 hours. 3 hours for an 80 mile trip. Queue anxiety attack. Driving has never been at the top of my list for fun things to do. It's not relaxing, or calming, or any other synonym for stress reduction. My neck gets tight, my butt falls asleep, I mindlessly listen to the same Taylor Swift mix CDs over and over, spill pop all over the cupholders, and then of course, there are the crazy Angelenos. They have an unnerving propensity to weave recklessly in and out of lanes. They never signal. If the speed limit is 65 and you're going 10 over, you may as well be Grandma Delores in her ancient Buick, because everyone else will be running you down.

This morning I gathered my courage, and drove through the mountains into Santa Clarita to greet the massive pile of metal and humanity known as the morning rush on the 405. There was a lot of deep breathing (which led to the oh so pleasant inhalation of tractor trailer fumes), white knuckles, and calling out to various angels and saints, but I got to my appointment 45 minutes early, which was actually just perfect for my first visit since I had to check in and get paperwork done. I was glad I followed my friend's 3 hour rule, or I would have cut it too close. I showed only minimal levels of fear, and I triumphed. And yet, today was the first day I truly wished I could keep up with the Kardashians. Because then I would have a chauffeur, and I would never have to drive again.

Lessons learned today about driving in LA metropolitan area traffic:
1) Stay in the middle lanes as much as possible, it lessens the chance you'll have to swing across multiple lanes of traffic suddenly in case of road construction or an accident.
2) Use a GPS AND print out directions that you've read ahead of time. If your GPS is anything like mine, it sometimes has a mind of its own. It helps if you have a general idea of what turns are coming up in the back of your mind if it goes haywire. Otherwise you'll be driving out of your way while "Sabrina the Navigator" recalculates.
3) Prepare the proper amount of mix CDs. Too many is better than not enough, and radio stinks in the mountains, unless you fancy Travis Tritt.
4) Eat a sufficient breakfast, or prepare to be distracted by the loud gurglings of your own stomach
5) Forget "Minnesota Nice." Be aggressive when necessary and prepare intimidating facial expressions to deploy on fellow drivers. I modeled mine after Mr. Freeze (played by Cali's own Arnold Schwarzenegger) from the movie Batman & Robin. When someone tries to cut you off, shout "You're not sending ME to the Cooler!" in your best Arnold voice and glare. It works.

The best part of my day was coming home to my quiet house in a little town where traffic doesn't exist, to my two goofy dogs who are always excited when mommy comes home.

My Pink Cup

I love my pink cup. It has been with me for most of my life. I received it in 1991 (frighteningly specific photographic memory, I know) as a party favor at my friend Meredith's 8th birthday party. The party was held at the Shoreview Community Center in Minnesota, which had recently put in a waterpark that was all the rage among my peers in the early 90s. Since then, my cup has seen me through a lot. You can bet it has some stories to tell.

The day I received my pink cup, a dozen or so little girls and I were playing in the aforementioned waterpark. I, being the brazen person that I am, fearlessly went down the largest waterslide in the park, screaming with delight as I sped around the sharp curves, finally reaching the end of the slide. Seconds later, I found myself underwater, and suddenly everything went black. In a freak turn of events, I had slipped underneath the current of the slide as I splashed into the pool. I quickly became too disoriented to swim out of it and lost consciousness. A lifeguard spotted me in peril, and pulled me out. Thankfully, I was not harmed, and no lasting damage was done. I walked out of that party with my prized pink cup. Along with a piece of paper stating that I could not swim in the Shoreview Community Center pool again for three years, for liability reasons. But at least I had the cup.

On family movie night when I was a kid, I gulped Tahitian Treat from that cup (soooo much sugar). While cramming for my ACTs, I consumed copious amounts of Mountain Dew from that cup in an effort to function on little to no sleep. The day before I had major surgery, I drank my surgery prep medicine mixed with Crystal Light from that cup (good times). The morning after the infamous night I slammed way too many tequila shots my junior year of college, I attempted to sip and keep down water from that cup. The first time I held hands with the love of my life, I came back to my dorm room afterwards giggly and smiling, and had a bedtime drink from that cup. It has traveled with me across the country, from Minnesota to Ohio to California. It has outlived many pricier glass cups, and the endless parade of free plastic Cousin Vinny's Pizza cups we accumulated when we were living in Dayton. Ironically, my pink cup lived to see me marry a former top collegiate swimmer, who could save me from any waterslide-related foes I may ever face in the future. It is always comforting to sit down with my family, watch some TV or just talk, and sip a favorite beverage from my pink cup.

My sister who is currently visiting was shocked to see the pink cup still thriving. She's right to be surprised, it is old and cracked, and probably leeching chemicals that will someday give me cancer. Nevertheless, it is my own twisted version of a binky, and I won't get rid of it until it breaks into pieces. Even then, I'll probably try to super glue it back together. In the military world, home is wherever your loved ones are (and wherever Uncle Sam damn well says it is). In my case, it is also wherever my pink cup resides.

Let's Cross Over

Six months or so ago, my husband began lobbying for an electronic reader, such as a Nook or Kindle. I protested, as I feared it would ruin the experience of reading for me. The sentimental part of me would surely resent the absence of the pleasant smell of newly printed paper, and the presence of creases and marks on my most loved titles. But, my husband countered with the convenience of the electronic reader, a whole library in one that travels easily and has an impressive battery life. He won. We bought a Nook, and in the months we've had it, I have found myself converted. My ADD personality loves that I can decide in one second I want a book, and instantly download it instead of having to run out to the nearest bookstore. And there is something gloriously lazy about just pushing a button to turn the page. I feel slightly traitorous to the world of print media, but I am definitely hooked on this new technology.

My most recent read was Shania Twain's biography "From This Moment On." It may sound on the surface like a book that might be simply a fluff piece lacking in depth or meaning. Delightfully, it is exactly the opposite. Shania Twain went through all sorts of childhood trauma (death, abuse, malnutrition) and adult trauma (betrayal, divorce, psychological blocks). She speaks candidly of these events and her failure in the moment to process them in a healthy manner. The breakup of her marriage resulted in a serious anxiety problem that led to the temporary loss of her singing voice. Shania had to work through the pain of her past, forgive those who had hurt her, and most of all forgive herself - in order to regain her singing voice and her life.

I can draw a lot of parallels between Twain's biography and the screen adaptation of the novel "Eat Pray Love" which is next on my reading list. I have heard from those who have read the book that the movie did not do it justice. I find the movie to be very uplifting and moving, but I am withholding final judgment until I've read the book. In "Eat Pray Love," Elizabeth Gilbert travels around the globe in the quest to find peace. She is only able to obtain that peace by forgiving herself, and instead of dwelling on those she's hurt, simply "love them, miss them, send them love and light every time you think of them, and then drop it." It's a hard lesson to learn, but an important one I think.

I have a very type A personality, and like most people I have endured failure and have regrets. I've hurt people, made mistakes, lost friends, and certainly haven't always been as good of a wife/daughter/sister/friend/human being as I should be. I've had to work through a lot of guilt over health problems I've had to fight, and the effects they've had on my loved ones. I've had to accept my own limitations, which given my stubborn nature has been a very difficult thing to do. I think that both "From This Moment On" and "Eat Pray Love" teach us that life is short, and we spend way too much of it being bogged down by the past, negative emotions, stress, and worry. My new resolution is to treat every day as a gift, have patience with myself for not being perfect while still working to improve my shortcomings, and be ever thankful for all the wonderful people and things that enrich my life. It is in this way that we can "cross over," (or as Elizabeth Gilbert would say, "attraversiamo") into a more enlightened state of being.

Automobiling Adventures

One of the wonderful things about living in the Mojave is that you are within a few hours of all sorts of hot spots (LA, San Fran, Vegas, San Diego, a bazillion national parks and forests, oceans, mountains, etc). One of the not so wonderful things about living in the Mojave is that you HAVE to drive a few hours to get just about anywhere. I remember when I lived in Minnesota, it seemed like the airport was soooo far away, at a half hour's drive. HA! Any airport here is a minimum of 90 miles away, and one must select from a ride through urban traffic (LAX) or a ride through the Mojave countryside, also known as the 5th dimension (Ontario). I had the lucky chance to hit them both in one weekend.

I started with picking up my sister in Ontario yesterday afternoon. The road there winds through such cosmopolitan features as junk yards, cowboy and Native American themed boutiques (I use the word "boutique" very liberally here), a Hungarian meat deli, and a malt shop where their specialty is fig shakes (you know, to keep you regular). After making it out of the kitschy and oddball Eastern Antelope Valley, I entered the San Bernadino Forest. The mountains take your breath away. They are this wild mix of traditional alpine mountains with tall pines and snowy caps, and desert hills sprouting amazing Joshua trees out of the sand. My sister said it was like nothing she'd ever seen, and I have to agree. I found myself not minding the distance (or the incessant popping of my ears), because the scenery is beautiful and so unique to this area of the country.

This morning, we left at 3:45am to take my dear husband to LAX. Tess & Buster stayed home and went back to sleep. Smart dogs. Luckily the time of day eliminated any traffic, and we made it there in no time. Having said our goodbyes, I had a hard time getting us out of the already gridlocked airport. After uttering a few obscenities and saying a few Hail Marys, we escaped in one piece, and made our way to Venice for a quick visit to the beach. It was cloudy and chilly (sweatshirt weather), but we had the beach to ourselves, just us and the beach zamboni man...yes, there is a truck equivalent to an ice zamboni, that smoothes out the sand and picks up the trash - aptly called "The Beach King." It was a little sad for my sister not to be able to swim (California in July, seriously!?), but I enjoyed the detour nonetheless. There is something very soothing about watching giant foaming waves crashing dramatically into the rocks and sand. It makes you feel small, but in a good way.

Living in the Mojave has its ups and downs, but I will say this - it forces you out of your comfort zone, and teaches you to embrace new adventures. I am always blessed when family and friends come to visit, and I will be more than happy to come get anyone at either airport if it means getting to share this great place with a friendly face (rhyming was unintentional).

On a sadder note, I recently became aware of the death of Marine Sgt. Ian McConnell. When I ran girls cross-country in high school, Ian was a doe-eyed middle schooler already on the boys varsity squad. He was so young, but I could already see what a wonderful man he was going to become. Ian was kind and thoughtful. I haven't been in touch with him for many years, but this news hit me hard, and I hope you will keep him and his family in your thoughts. Hug your loved ones and give thanks for your safety and health, because there are soldiers putting theirs on the line every day, in service of our country. Semper Fi, Ian, we will never forget you.

Jammed...

I hate going out to shop the day before a holiday. Hate it. With a passion. Crowded parking lots, traffic, stupid people who don't know how to push a cart, I could go on and on. Add to that 104 degree desert heat and you can be pretty sure you're actually in one of the outer realms of hell. I deliberately planned out my grocery shopping earlier this week so that I would not have to go out this weekend. And yet, things did not go as planned, per usual. I am the proud parent of two beloved but rambunctious dogs, a golden retriever and a lab mix (Tess and Buster). We keep their food in a large storage bin in the garage. We've used the same bin for years, without incident. This morning, I ventured out to the garage to retrieve breakfast for our beloved canines, only to find a most unwelcome sight. There were large amounts of ants in a long trail, leading from the opposite side of the garage all the way across to the food bin. They had made it into the food bin through a few small ventilation holes in the side of the bin. There was half a bag's worth of dog food in the bin, all ruined, by those darned persistent ants!

Well, a genocide followed. I opened up on the ants with my poison spray, turning their path from the outside into a trail of tears, as I annihilated their merry band of miscreants. I felt slightly vindicated as I swept up their dead soulless bodies, but then it hit me. No dog food. No dog food bin. Shoot! And, to town I went, with my dutiful husband in tow. Trips to Costco, Petsmart, and Target followed. We wrestled our way through the crowds, and made it home again - well supplied with dog food free of ants, an airtight storage container, and Spaceballs on Blu-Ray.

Yes, Spaceballs. Last night I was making homemade peach jam, and the whole time I was giggling, reciting quotes aloud from Spaceballs. If you haven't seen this cinematic masterpiece, it is a parody of Star Wars. In one scene Dark Helmet (Darth Vader)'s radar is "jammed," using a giant jar of actual raspberry jam. Anyway, my husband stared at me with this blank "my wife belongs in a loony bin" gaze, and the truth became shockingly apparent - he had never seen Spaceballs! Unacceptable. As of this afternoon, we have remedied the situation and he is now aware of the power of the "Schwartz," so perhaps something good came out of this debacle. Silly ants.

Now we are in the midst of a relaxing evening with nothing pressing to do except some laundry (barring any further insect outbreaks). Doing laundry does make me sleepy though, as the washer and dryer are located in the garage, where the temperature is currently hovering at approximately 110 degrees. My dear husband made a delicious breakfast-for-dinner, giving me the night off from cooking, and there is some cookies and cream ice cream calling my name for dessert.

Hope everyone is enjoying this rare Sunday where no one has to work the next morning. I am excited for fireworks, friends, and delicious food tomorrow. Happy 4th!

Zen and the Curse of Paula Deen

As the long holiday weekend approaches, the overflow of organic produce continues at our house. I'm going to attempt Pioneer Woman's Peach Cobbler with Maple Cream Sauce sometime this weekend. We have more peaches than any two people can handle, both yellow and white. I think the white peaches are sort of watery and tasteless, but I figure they'll be fine all sugared up in a dessert. Tonight I made Chocolate Zucchini Cake. You would never know there was zucchini in it, but I think it helps make the cake delightfully moist (For recipe click here). And yes, as soon as this holiday weekend is over, my husband and I will both be in need of Weight Watchers. I had good intentions with this veggie project, but instead of eating them in their natural healthy form, I keep morphing them into fattening desserts, made with lots of butter. It's like Paula Deen's evil spirit is perched on my shoulder every time I cook.

In other news, I went to my first yoga class in two years on Wednesday. I am not the most coordinated or flexible woman. My physical therapist once asked if I'd ever been in a serious car accident, because my neck and my back are so whacked out. I think this proves how badly I need yoga, but it also means I am embarrassingly awful at all the moves. While everyone else is bending their ankles behind their ears with serene calm looks on their faces, my hips are cracking, and pretty much every muscle is spasming, resulting in full body shakes that make it impossible for me to hold any pose for more than two seconds. Despite this, I enjoy class. The girls I met were very friendly, I think it is so relaxing, and I am determined to improve my skills. I will be a yoga master in no time. Namaste.

Happy 4th of July everyone! My parents and sister in Minnesota are visiting Canada for the holiday weekend (leave it to my family to do everything backwards). Meanwhile, here in the desert we have planned a quiet weekend of movie watching, good food, and much earned rest. We'll be meeting up with some friends on Monday for fireworks and a potluck dinner. I hope you all have a very safe and fun 4th of July weekend.

In closing, I'd like to share a quote/prayer I was forwarded from my dear friend Katie this week. It was exactly what I needed to read at that particular moment. I hope you appreciate it like I did:
"May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us."

My Love, My Dyson...

As I was preparing for my hosting duties for last week's girls night (which was awesome, by the way), I naturally thought to vacuum the house. Our battle scarred Eureka, which had been ailing even before our move from Ohio, finally uttered its last breath. First it made groaning noises, and then it just shut off. It lived only 2 years, unable to survive the onslaught of pet hair and desert sand. We immediately sought a more worthy replacement. My friend Emily (also a multi-dog owner) recommended a Dyson. As much as it hurt the pocket book, after some shopping around to compare, we bit the bullet. The result? I am smitten.

As Emily had warned us, the Dyson lifted "a whole animal" out of our carpet on the first try. The couch and hard floor attachments work fabulously. I will never buy a cheap vacuum again. It actually makes me look forward to vacuuming (I am looking into this, it may be a psychiatric condition). Pet hair, do your worst!

In other news, we attended our first Dodgers game yesterday. The drive was relatively short, but it felt like we had wandered into another dimension. In a little more than an hour we went from 90 degrees/blistering sun/desert sand/sticks to 70 degrees/partly cloudy/everything green and lush/metropolis. The stadium is quite impressive, and coming from a baseball obsessed family that cannot take a vacation without building in a baseball game, I know a thing or two about this subject. The Dodgers did not play well, but we had fun anyway. I ate my first Dodger dog and indulged in some garlic fries (not exactly an item you'd want to consume on a first date, but after almost three years of marriage, hell yes). I hope we will be able to get to a few more games before the season raps up.

Today has been a lazy day. I ordered myself a compost kitchen bin on Amazon, which I have discovered is practically a necessity in order to compost effectively and not have a stinky kitchen. Our fridge is overflowing with organic produce, so I will be making veggie pasta tonight with salad and honeydew melon for sides. Due to a sudden influx of carrots, I will be attempting Paula Deen's carrot cake recipe tomorrow. I've been trying to watch something upbeat on TV all day, but have not had much luck. After watching two consecutive MSNBC documentaries (on the Jonestown massacre and Casey Anthony trial), I am in need of a Will Farrell movie or a stiff drink, perhaps both.

Hope everyone had a great Father's Day weekend! I miss my Dad a lot, and can't wait for him to visit in the fall. I'm looking forward to a productive week of getting registered for school, and hopefully an outlet mall trip. Updates on my baking escapades and shopping sprees to come!

Confronting the Fear

Yesterday we had an awesome day with our friends at Six Flags Magic Mountain. I'd been trying to remember the last time I had been to an amusement park, I think it was about a decade ago at Valleyfair (Shakopee holla!). I enjoy rides a lot, but with them comes automatic anxiety attacks, that's just the way the cookie crumbles. Well, as soon as we came out of the mountains and Santa Clarita came in view, I knew my psyche was in trouble. I've never seen rides as menacing (and architecturally impressive) as those at Six Flags.

The X2 was our first coaster of the day. I'd like to tell you about it, but my eyes were closed the whole time. My companions said it was probably the best one of the day. I'll take their word for it. The lines were long in between rides, but we enjoyed the people watching. Our favorites included a woman with a collarbone piercing (ow?!), and a man with a red star tattoo over his eye (possibly a Kiss aficionado). My mental nemesis for the day was a coaster called Tatsu. I have had recurring nightmares where I am falling since childhood, and this ride brought those dreams to life. The whole ride you are on your stomach, like your back is attached to the coaster's track. So basically when you drop, it is like you are going headfirst into the ground. Sort of makes you feel all warm and cuddly inside. NOT.

The downside of the day was waiting in line for the Superman ride. You wait in this white cave (Krpyton, I was told) with hundreds of other Californians wreaking strongly of sweat and other bodily odors, while 30 degree air is blown out of giant ceiling fans. After a half hour in captivity with no movement, we took a group vote and bailed out of the cave. A little kid asked me as we walked past, "was it that scary?!?" I had to smile. We finished the day out with one of the old wooden coasters, which was great fun with no line. It seemed like a classic finish to a really great summer day.

Going Green!

Today is such a beautiful day. The temperatures have been so moderate since we arrived a few months ago (sadly it won't stay that way). The sun is shining, there's a pleasant breeze, and my neighbor's rose bushes are in full bloom. We started off the day picking up our first basket from Abundant Harvest Organics. There was so much produce, it was overwhelming! It will be a challenge for me to utilize all this great food and make sure it doesn't go to waste. At lunch my husband and I ate fresh salads, he ate his first ever pluot, and I indulged in some Rainier cherries. I swear, even the lettuce tasted better than store bought. And for those of you who haven't had Rainier cherries, they are the upper class of cherry society...you will not be disappointed.

We also got our compost bin all set up. I hope we get the right mix going, so it breaks down correctly. This is a very new concept to us, but it seems like a good thing. Anything that reduces our trash waste has to be a positive change. The dogs got their vaccinations this morning. I was worried they would act a little under the weather as a result, but they are so energetic today! Tess & Buster were riveted by the composting project. They will be even more excited to find out a play date is scheduled for this afternoon with their best friends Moose and Dixie, while we humans enjoy a barbecue with friends.

Tomorrow we're taking our second crack at hiking in the Angeles Forest. I found out the specifics of what's closed and what's open, and found out about a great visitor's center where they can help us decide on a specific trail. So hopefully in my next entry I'll have some great pictures! Hope you're enjoying beautiful summer weather wherever this day finds you.