A Part-Time Happy Homemaker

Reflection

2011-06-05T10:00:00.002-04:00

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.

- Lao Tzu

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

One piece wonder

2011-06-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

I'm a sucker for all things vintage, specifically from the 50s and 60s. I think it stems from my love of Mad Men, baseball and antique kitchen appliances. I've been noticing a lot of cute one pieces in recent months - many with a pin up-esque feel to them. They're cute and flirty and don't leave you showing your midriff. How very ladylike...or come hither, whichever you prefer! Check out some of my favs from around the web.

Clockwise from top left: Striped skirted suit from Macys at $79 (on sale), Maillot suit from Anthropologie at $158,Navy polka dots from Boden at $68 (!!), Oahu suit for Lands End at $36 (on sale woo!), One strap suit from Gap at $59, Twist front suit from JCrew at $88.

Summer Book Club - 2011

2011-06-02T10:00:00.000-04:00

Summer is always the time of year when I read the most. Between traveling, the beach and warm evenings in the hammock, I usually gobble up books. I'm also in stockpile mode adding some intriguing literature to my Kindle. I'm sharing a few of my recent reads for your beach bag; if you want to comment and add others, please do so - I'm always up for a great book recommendation!

If you liked, James Harriot's All Creatures Great and Small, or John Grogan's Marley and Me, you'll love....Huck by Janet Elder. This is a charming story of a family's poodle who becomes lost while they're away on vacation. $12.49 on Amazon.

If you liked Jon Krakauer's Into The Wild, you'll love....David Miller's AWOL on the Appalachian Trail. It's a 40-something year old man's story of hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine after he quit his job as a software engineer. It's not too touchy feely and a page turner. It's straightforward and I think most people can relate to the I-can't-deal-with-my-job-I'm-going-to-quit-tomorrow sentiment. From $5.99 on Amazon.

If you like chic lot, Sophia Kinsella and Jennifer Weiner, you'll love ......Jen Lancaster's Such a Pretty Fat. Another laugh out loud funny novel that's a quick read. I love her self-deprecating sense of humor. Plus, it's an easy read and you can easily put it down if you need to scope out a hottie with a body on the beach. From $9.57 on Amazon.

Confession Tuesday

2011-05-31T10:00:00.001-04:00

I think I'm too independent for my own good sometimes, but yet I sometimes feel VERY self-conscious when I don't have plans on a Friday or Saturday night.

Monday Meals - Summer Salad

2011-05-30T19:52:00.000-04:00

I brought this salad to a Memorial Day BBQ today and it was a big hit...mostly with the girls, but I'm always happy to bring the "healthy" dish to the party! :) You can include pretty much any combo of summer veggies. I imagine this being a yummy staple for all of my farmer's market finds as the summer progresses. It's flavorful and fresh - perfect for a hot summer evening!

Summer Corn Salad (serves 6-8)

3 ears of yellow corn
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1 orange bell pepper, cored and roughly chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
2-3 scallions, chopped
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp cilantro, chopped
coarse salt and pepper

Cook corn and cut kernels off the cob.
Add all veggies in a large bowl and mix together. Add lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper and mix well.

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

2011-05-27T10:40:00.000-04:00

Best wishes for a happy and safe weekend! Here are a few things on my mind as we kick off another summer.

Photo sources clockwise from top left: Hot dog, Charcoal grill, Lilly Pulitzer dress, Polka dot bikini, Bathing beauties, Cold one.

Plastic Bag Storage

2011-05-18T10:00:00.001-04:00

I've previously written about what you can do with those pesky plastic, grocery bags here, but now I've got a simple and easy tip (thanks to my Aunt) for storing them. You can use one of those mountable plastic bag holders that cost some coin (I do!), or you can go the "free" route. Enter your empty tissue box. Instead of tossing it in the recycling bin, fill it with your cast off plastic grocery sacs and store in a pantry, garage or cabinet. You'll be very organized when you need to line your bathroom trash bag or pack your sneakers in your suitcase.

Thanks Auntie Chris!!

*Photo courtesy of Kleenex.

Confession Tuesday - Burgers

2011-05-17T10:00:00.002-04:00

I love Big Macs. They're one of my fav fast food choices. This love affair started young, when I was seven years old. The special sauce, lettuce, onion, two patties...makes me salivate. Before you gag, I'm sure you all have a weird, low brow food you love as well.

If you feel like joining in today's confession, do tell - what low brow food do you love?! :)

*Photo from McDonalds.

Confession Tuesday

2011-05-10T14:00:00.001-04:00

In an effort to expand my horizons of the information I share on this blog, I thought of a new "column" for Tuesdays. And no, I'm not Catholic, but it will take the form of a mini-confessional, which will offer a glimpse into the real PTHH, when I'm not PTHH'ing.

So for the inaugural post, here's my first confessional. I sing to my dog. A lot. Like almost every day. It's not like I sing existing songs. I make up my own. And you'll never, ever hear them unless you've bugged my house. It's my little special time with my baby, aka pupster. And what exactly do I sing to an animal that can't understand my songs you ask. Usually things like how cute and shaggy she is, sometimes how it's time for bed, time for breakfast/dinner, how she's stinky, getting on my nerves, etc. You name it, I've engineered a silly song to sing to her about it. Ok, enough confession. Until next week, I bid you adieu from the confines of my virtual confessional...

Monday Meals - Steak Marinade

2011-05-09T10:00:00.001-04:00

I love steak. It's definitely one of my favorite meals, but the price is a ready deterrent to frequent filet dinners. There are some less pricey cuts, but sometimes they're not as easy on the taste buds. Take lond broil aka flank steak. It can be a little tough, but with a nice long marinade and a great sear, it can be delicious.

Flank Steak Marinade

1-2 lb flank steak
3 Tbsp olive oil
juice from 1 lime
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp salt

Mix the ingredients well and top the steak in a shallow pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Then grill the steak over med-high heat for about 6-8 minutes per side.

Moms are great

2011-05-08T10:51:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day!!

I was lucky enough to spend a great, girlie weekend with my mama last weekend and will see her again next weekend! So we're doing bookend-style Mother's day celebrations!

As I get older, I find myself more and more grateful for my Mom. Must be that whole maturity thing! But all joking aside, I don't know what I would do without her some days. Between coaxing me through the last 4 miles of our half marathon, sending me a Lilly Pulitzer Easter basket, sharing good advice over the phone, and teaching me how to bake the best chocolate chip cookies ever, she's a huge part of my life. I hope you take some time today to reflect and thank your Mom for everything she does for you, too!

Cheap and Cheerful Sandals

2011-04-29T10:00:00.002-04:00

I love when the temperature finally warms up enough to kick off your winter shoes and let your tootsies hang loose in some cute sandals. I scoured the internet for some cute, hot-now looks at a good price. All of these beauties are under $20, so maybe you can score a few cute new pairs for this season.

Clockwise from top left: Braided Leather Sandals from Forever21 at $7.50; Merona Emeline Braided Flat Sandals from Target at $15; Striped Sandal from Target at $12.99; Perl Flat from Target at $12.99; Woven Sandals from Old Navy at $19.95; Ruffle Sandals from Walmart at $15.

It's AC season

2011-04-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to change your AC filter so you don't end up needing one of these!

*Photo from gtVintage on etsy.

Wednesday night musing - DVD organization

2011-04-27T21:37:00.000-04:00

I was sort of daydreaming while finishing up a little work on my laptop tonight...and by sort of, I mean most definitely. I found myself staring off into space...in the direction of my TV stand. And for some unknown reason, I started wondering how people organize their DVDs. I alphabetize mine...yup, I'm that nerdy/anal retentive. Well, let's be clear. I alphabetize movies. Then I have my Wii games together. Finally, I group TV series or box sets together, by series, in order of season or by type. Example: TV series are together and movie box sets are together.

All of this thought of media organization brought me to my next thought...how I organize my books. I organize my bookshelves by color or size of book. I realize that DVD cases are all the same size so this really isn't an issue. It's interesting isn't it, the varying ways we catalog our media? I thought it was...at least for that fleeting moment when I was avoiding updating a Power Point brief... So how do you organize your media - books, CDs, DVDs, records, etc.?

*Photo from Apartment Therapy.

Wine aisle confusion

2011-04-26T21:47:00.000-04:00

Remember how I promised that I was going to document my favorite wines so I wasn't so confused on the wine aisle? Guess what, it was gloriously simple? As simple as 2 or 3 clicks on my cell phone. When I have a bottle I like, I take a picture of the label and save it on your phone. Heck, make a picasa album, but as long as you have it stored in an easily accessible place, i.e. you can "see" it while you're at the grocery store, you're golden. Easy peasy...and you won't find yourself with that icky chardonnay that you've already tried and hated once again!

Hoppy Easter

2011-04-22T17:05:00.000-04:00

Clockwise from top left: Chloe Dress by Lilly Pulitzer, my sweet Flurrie bunny, Chick Towels from Crate and Barrel, Pink hydrangeas, Mud Pie Platter from Amazon, Easter Tree from Martha Stewart

What's in a name?

2011-04-20T20:46:00.000-04:00

Names are a big deal. I can guarantee with near 100% certainty that all parents spend a lot of time thinking about their child's moniker. I love nicknames. I've had many over my lifetime - peanut, Chris Jr (I'm named after my Aunt), little Chris, Chris, Chrissy, etc. In college, there were a few Christines in my sorority so I was called by my last name, which was a-okay with me. Most of the time nicknames are given by family or close friends, so it can be awkward and borderline inappropriate when others give them to you.

One of my most gigantic pet peeves is when random acquaintances, practically strangers, give you a nickname. I've recently been noticing a preponderance of random nicknames around the office. I've been called "Chris" quite a few times by some newfound colleagues. And mind you, these aren't the colleagues that hit happy hour with me, so we're not exactly buddy buddy. It's a little weird and I feel like I should correct the issue, but don't want to create trouble and am not sure it's really that big a deal. The funny thing is that I always sign emails with my full first name or my initials at the office, so I would hope that's correction enough. A few of my coworkers call me by my initials, but this is a close bunch and it's something that I've put out there. But for those who have shortened my name to a single syllable, it's a little odd and somewhat inappropriate.

So to my friends in the ether, do me this favor and stop giving random coworkers nicknames. It's weird and uncomfortable. If you want to shorten someone's name, it may not be a big deal, but get their blessing before you accidentally create an awkward situation.

Monday Meals - fail

2011-04-18T20:35:00.001-04:00

I promised myself that I would return to blogging today. Yesterday I was excited and today I'm majorly unmotivated. I have some ideas for posts this week, just not interested in writing. So I'll leave you with a quick story that will prove to you that I have my I Love Lucy and anti-homemaker moments.

The scene: Friday night, in the kitchen, cooking dinner

The meal: pork tenderloin (one of my favs), sweet potatoes, green beans

The scenario: I went to turn down the oven after the first 30 minutes of cooking the pork. The bottom of the pan (where there was white wine and a touch of olive oil), was burnt crispy and smoking. I turned the oven down and then added the remaining wine in my measuring cup. And before I knew what hit me, there was a crack and glass was flying ALL over the kitchen. Yup, the glass pan basically blew up when I added the liquid...that was not the same temp as the pan. It wasn't pyrex so it was a legit break. The pic below is a glimpse into the rest of my Friday night - cleaning up. Thank goodness for baby gates (to keep the dog out of the kitchen), vacuums and flip flops (which kept my feet mostly unscathed).

Quite the return, eh?

The happiest place on earth

2011-03-17T10:23:00.000-04:00

My beautiful alma mater, Bucknell University...

The men's basketball team plays UConn today in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Go Bison!! Let's repeat 2005!

*Photo from Bucknell.

Monday Musings

2011-03-14T21:10:00.000-04:00

Today was my first time back in the gym since the race. I have been sick since I got back and also enjoying my new found sedentary lifestyle, hence the 2 week hiatus. But in true fashion, I knew it wouldn't be lasting as I'm a gym rat and enjoy the opportunity to blow off steam at the end of the day. As I grabbed my towel, water bottle and shuffle, I realized that I had no idea what song played as I crossed the finish line. This was a nice little carrot that made me eager to find an elliptical machine at the gym and click "play."

As soon as I hit the play button, I relived this "amazing journey" (okay, I'm watching the Bachelor as I type this...) and it brought me back in time. This song also happened to play as I was running down Main Street in Magic Kingdom (mile 5.5-ish). I remember feeling like I was running on a cloud and grinned from ear to ear as hundreds of people cheered for us as we rapidly approached the gorgeous castle. Awesome and very vivid memory!

I also remember at around mile 8 or 9, desperately needing a pick me up as I struggled with what I then thought was a mental block, but really proved to be completely physical (see also: one hour in medical tent post-race). I clicked through what seemed like a gazillion songs on my shuffle until I found it again. And then, I likely listened to it on repeat for the rest of the race. To be honest, I don't really remember and details for the last hour or so are quite fuzzy. This still bums me out because even though I felt awful, I wish I had better (dare I say happier) memories. But I know that a good beat helped me cross that line as Mom and I "sprinted" past a LOT of people for the last mile or so...a quick burst of musical-enduced energy was all I needed. And it felt good to tick off competitors that close to the line.

As I happily bopped around on the elliptical tonight and reveled in my low-impact workout, I contemplated another half marathon and what it would take for me to cross the line again...and I thought about one with clearer memories and a more healthy end to the race. Who knows, maybe I won't swear off running after all.

Race recap

2011-03-08T10:00:00.002-05:00

When I desperately pleaded for my Mom and Aunt to join me in the Disney Princess Half Marathon, I didn't think there was a chance that one, let alone both of them would bite. Lucky for me, they did and we had an awesome time at the race! My Mom and I finished in under 2:30 which was my initial goal. And best of all, my sweet Auntie won her age category!! Pretty amazing, eh? She finished in 1:55 and was in the first corral of elite runners. We are so proud of her!

Clockwise from top left: Getting my race bib at the Expo; the course map, our insane wake-up time; Mom and I clocked our chip times on our watches (she finished one second before me!); Getting ready to line up in our corral; the 3 finishers (I have a new top...I'll explain later); and Mom in line at the Expo

After the race, we stayed for a few days of fun in the parks. And for the first two days, we wore our post-race duds. For the first day, I made us t-shirts that said "We love Disney so much we ran through it" and on the 2nd day, we wore our "I did it" race shirts. It was awesome getting so many compliments from the park employees. We even picked up a few freebies when they found out we had a winner in our group!

Clockwise from top left: Auntie and I enjoying Expedition Everest; meeting Pooh bear; meeting Mickey and Minnie...the perfect end to our day in Magic Kingdom; Mom and I in Epcot with the beautiful topiaries;me with Piglet and Eeyore topiary...Mom pointed this out as we ran by but unfortunately I as too tired to enjoy it; the group in Animal Kingdom; the group in front of the castle.

The lows:
* The Expo - we waited nearly 2 hours to get our bibs
* Hanging out in the medical tent for an hour post race with a fever, low blood pressure and other scary vitals. Luckily the medical team was amazing and got me back to normal quickly. But I did get a free shirt (note the red shirt in our medal photo).

The highs:
* Auntie's awesome win!
* Finishing the race within my goal time
* Running down Main Street in Magic Kingdom with a million people cheering for you
* Sharing an awesome experience with my Mom and godmother
* The medical staff
* Enjoying the Florida sun
* Seeing characters and all sorts of cool Disney stuff as we ran the course

Overall, it was a pretty amazing experience and I am so proud that we finished the race! After all the medical drama, I likely won't be running another half anytime soon, but I am so glad to have checked that box off my list!

Me again

2011-03-07T10:00:00.003-05:00

Yes, I know February was a dead zone for me. I was lacking inspiration and busy with a major milestone...more on that in another post.

Like I've mentioned previously, I'm part of a small contingent of gals who still wears a suit to work every day. And unfortunately, the Ann Taylor at our local (more high-end) mall recently closed, so I've been left with fewer brick and mortar options for suit shopping. But alas, I perservered (suit shopping is a challenge, my friends) and found a hidden gem last fall - Ross. You know the discount store, like Marshall's and TJ Maxx? It's a gold mine for suits, typically late in the summer or early in the fall. They carry Calvin Klein, Nine West, Elie Tahari and Ann Klein. I bought 3 - two Calvin Klein and one Ann Klein...for under $200. Pretty awesome, eh? The only hitch is that they weren't petite sizes so alas, they were a big lengthy on my 5'3'' frame. As you know, one of my mantras is a good tailor is worth its weight in gold. I took my new purchases to the tailor and for $30 each, I had both the sleeves and pants/skirts hemmed. Now they look like they were custom fit for me...at a grand total of $90 each!

When I'm looking at "cheap" suits that will require alterations, I usually look for simple detailing and an overall decent fit. For example, sleeves with buttons will be more costly to hem because the buttons may need to be moved and even a new button hole created. I also look to find pants and skirts that fit in the waist and hips. Typically, alterations to the body of an outfit are more expensive, so I look for a reasonable fit. And another general rule, anything with a lining will be more expensive for alterations, because there are two fabrics/layers to adjust. Happy shopping!

*Photo courtesy of Overstock.

Who knew...role reversal

2011-03-07T06:57:00.000-05:00

Hi Bloggers,
Is there a good app for the iphone for blogger? I just upgraded from my flip phone to an iphone and I'm looking to add blogging to my repertoire of neat things I can do from my phone. Help a girl out!

Thanks,
PTHH

The final countdown

2011-02-23T20:30:00.000-05:00

...Until we run our half marathon in Disney World!

I'm nervous and excited and jittery...and let's be honest here friends, I will be relieved when it's over. While training for a half isn't a huge time commitment, it's something. I've been diligent about my training runs and have dedicated a few hours every weekend to pounding the pavement. I'm excited to share this "milestone" with my Mom and Aunt. I've got my sneaks, fav running duds and my ipod shuffle all ready and then Mickey, you better get ready cause I'm coming for a smooch!

give me a break

2011-02-08T10:00:00.004-05:00

As I've been training for my half marathon, I've been really needing some ~~excuses~~ opportunities to cross train and get a break from the intensity and weight-bearing nature of running. So if you've ever wondered what runners do on their "off" workouts, here's my answer...

Michael Jackson Experience for Wii...my blinds are always tightly drawn when I'm trying to perfect the thriller dance.

P.S. I'm awesome; I dare you to challenge me to a dance off. Bring it!

Ahh the elliptical machine, you make me happy, at least whenever there aren't 30 of my newest friends at the gym all trying to vie for your love in this new year's resolution gym season.

My shaggy dog always can use an extra walk during the week. It's nice bonding time for us and it's a relaxing, quick way to get some exercise after a day at the office.

What did you do to maintain your sanity and exercise on your off days when training for some sort of race, be it a marathon or a tri?