HappyCozyLife

Mama Needs New Gym Bag

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:36:00 +0000

One that fits tall boots, has useful compartments, is easy to carry and cute. In the running...

What I've Been Reading

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Over the holidays I switched from Shelfari to Goodreads. Loving it. You can find my profile here. What I've read as of late.

I think this was my favorite book of 2012. The author is coming to Des Moines next month for a free reading at the library, can't wait.

Currently reading and very much enjoying when I have a chance to sit down and read it.

Kind of two books in one. Good food for thought.

Vacation trash! These are the kind of books I can read in an afternoon. Nothing better.

Okay, obviously not something I'm super interested in, but I'd heard this book was good. Uh...not so much. Its like Groundhog Day with porn stars.

While a thorough account of Scientology history and practices, I thought Janet Reitman's book was more interesting. I may just be crazy, made up religion-ed out.

Using Coconut Oil for Beauty Treatments

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 22:18:00 +0000

This winter has been brutal on my skin. Dry, dry, dry. In my constant quest for homeopathic remedies and a real desire not to spend $50 on some expensive serum, I recently turned to the interwebs for a suggestion for my dry cheeks. My poor Scandinavian skin hasn't been able to keep up.

Two suggestions that came up repeatedly were coconut oil and sweet almond oil. I went straight for the coconut oil (which is a solid at room temperature) and haven't looked back. I put it on my cheeks and hands each morning, then put my regular cheap-o Ponds dry skin face lotion everywhere else.

SUCCESS!

It smells great, traps moisture in and feels good. Several articles suggest using it on your hair, but I've found mine is too fine for that. It does work wonders as a body lotion.

Life, Lately

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 22:09:00 +0000

I think its really boring when people say they've been busy. Though this winter has been very busy, its more apropos for me to say I've been living in the moment and moving in constant forward motion. That said, I can't believe its March.

We started the new year in Florida, which I highly suggest. After a few days with family in Ft. Myers, we rented a car and drove down to Key West (we took a catamaran back to Ft. Myers.) I wasn't sure that I understood what the Key West fuss was all about, but a few 80 degree days walking around Duval Street and being out on the water got me up to speed.

View inside the lighthouse.

We got a great deal on a room at the Southernmost Hotel via Booking.com. Other highlights: Cuban food, Hemingway House tour and the actual drive down through the Keys + the Everglades in a convertible.

I had a crazy start to my February, or at least crazy for someone who likes (NEEDS) down time. I flew to Sacramento for work, then turned right around and went to NYC with my mom. The personal trip was planned, the work one was more last minute. I have so much respect for people who travel for a living. Coast to coast about did me in.

We were in NYC for Nemo (of course.) The only issue it presented were the rolling delays that prevented me from getting home. What's another bed when you haven't slept in your own for a week?

Our NYC trip was very food oriented, with stops at Chelsea Market and Eataly, as well as a Greenwich Village food and culture tour. The food tour was the highlight of the trip for me; 8 stops for authentic New York treats and a history of the neighborhood to boot. We also had success at Uniqlo and wandered through ABC Home and Fish's Eddy. I love NYC. You could have a different trip every time you go, can't wait to go back.

Now I'm happy to be back in Des Moines and looking forward to getting started on some home projects.

J Crew cambridge cable turtleneck sweater

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 12:44:00 +0000

This past January I picked up this sweater in black. Its held its shape so well and is the perfect "I want to be cozy and cute" sweater.

Pretty Fall Nights

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 12:36:00 +0000

Make for pretty skies.

Flyover country!

Holidays Rule Mix

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 12:34:00 +0000

I'm a sucker for a good holiday mix and have been trying my darnedest to get into the spirit (despite the 60 degree days in December) with this new one Anthony picked up.

Flavorful Crockpot Recipes and What I'm Reading

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:27:00 +0000

Whew. This fall is flying by.

The leaves are mostly off the trees, save our persistent backyard oak, and my thoughts are turning to Thanksgiving eats and Christmas treats. Feels like we bowled right over sunny afternoons watching my niece and nephews play soccer and went straight for wool sweaters and cools puffs of air on my way to work in the morning.

We've been here, there and everywhere since late August and this week is no exception. One of the things that has gotten us through is really diligent meal planning and a cache of decent crockpot recipes. I've been disappointed so many times over the years by lack of flavor, but these two are aces.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops
Whole Chicken Crockpot Recipe

While the recipe names aren't overly descriptive, both will land you crazy flavorful, fall off the bone meat. I think I served both with rice of some type (This baked brown rice recipe is my hands down favorite.)

Amidst all of the travel, new car buying, running races and generally doing a bunch of different social activities (not complaining), I haven't read much at all. But, I am reading this right now and enjoying it immensely.

Here's the Goodreads description, which I am planning on switching my Shelfari profile to when I have a spare minute or two.

Blue Skies and Yellow Streaming

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 12:53:00 +0000

Blending in with Fallen Leaves

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 21:48:00 +0000

Recently Read

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:57:00 +0000

Such a disappointing run of books as of late.

In late August I burned through three books during the course of a week and a half of jury duty. Looking back, I hope the fact that I was carrying around Lost in Shang-Ri La the day of jury selection isn't the reason I got picked.

I rather enjoyed The Wrong Mother, which was a thriller set in England. Not my normal type of book, but good. I just wish it hadn't ended so abruptly. And without a lot of explanation of some things.

The Danish Girl was odd/interesting. Sad, blue and somewhat true. I really enjoyed the 19th Wife by the same author. This one was sort of queer, pun intended. And, I read a movie is being planned with Nicole Kidman.

Maine popped up on a quite a few 2011 summer reading lists, so I eagerly waited for it from the library and ultimately skipped reading my September book club pick in favor of it. So boring and not interesting. I adore Maine and family politics stories are always intriguing. It was a waste of a concept.

Blood, Bones & Butter was another book with tons of potential. Too bad the author is utterly unlikeable. Some descriptions of food/parties/the feelings of food were great, but she spends huge chunks of time being bitter and unpleasant without a lot of depth. And, poorly edited. Yeesh. Just read the bad reviews on Amazon, which echo my feelings about this book. Sidenote, Gwyneth Paltrow is attached to star in an adaptation.

Apple Cider Vinegar + Pro-X Cleansing System

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:34:00 +0000

My two favorite beauty products are a homemade, hippie toner and a battery operated brush. A dichotomy that is currently working for this face of mine.

I'm very lucky in that I've not had a lot of problems with acne. What I do struggle with is oily and dry zones, and fair skin that doesn't feel good when caked with a lot of makeup. I've been really pleased with how the combination of these two things have kept my face feeling fresh and clear.

The Oil of Olay Pro-X Cleansing System is the cheaper sibling of the expensive Clairsonic system. Works great at gently removing dead skin and keeping a nice glow. I probably use it three times a week, and though I did use the grittier exfoliate that comes in the package originally, I prefer a mild face wash when using the brush.

I love a good facial as much as the next person, but I've found using this makes it so that I can stretch out those treatments and still enjoy the fresh, soft skin feeling they provide.

My other new love is using an apple cider vinegar solution as a toner. There are lots and lots and lots of claims about the health benefits of organic apple cider vinegar with the mother (the active enzymes and proteins from the unfiltered brewing process.)

All I know is that once I started using it as a toner, my skin tone evened out and I started having fewer oily flareups (blackheads, whiteheads, etc.) My skin feels great. Basically, the idea behind using it for your skin is that it regulates the pH. For a person with both oily and dry areas, it works great to restore order to the chaos the elements and environment wreak on my face.

I do 1 part Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar to 3 parts water. The bottle I'm almost done with is from April. After I shower (and exfoliate or wash my face), I put the toner on with cotton pad and let it sit for 2 to 5 minutes. Then I wash it off (found out the hard way that it stinks when you sweat) and go about my normal beauty routine.

Spectacular Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:38:00 +0000

We said goodbye to summer with a boat ride on the Des Moines River with Laura & Barry. Lots of great foliage and a warm breeze. The dogs approved.

Food, Lately

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 23:02:00 +0000

We've had some good meals as of late.

One thing that's helped tremendously is buying and freezing meat from Wallace Farms. I pick out a good selection of different meats when its time to order (once a month) and then work my way through the freezer with my meal planning. I know what types of things we eat a lot of, but also add some new things each month. Its an exciting grab bag to choose from.

Photo from Cup of Jo.

A few yummy meals we've had lately:

Roasted chicken with creamy white bean vegetable mash. I've not personally had a lot of success with roasting chickens (I know, its so easy). This recipe called for lots of fresh herbs, which I had in spades and cooking for a shorter amount of time in a cast iron pan. So good.
Italian Wedding Soup. The baked meatballs make this dish perfect. And, I got all homestead-y and used broth from the aforementioned chicken.
Fettuccine with kale and sausage. This recipe is stunner for how simple it is and how few ingredients it calls for. I used large elbows instead of fettuccine. I also added garlic and red pepper as some reviewers recommend.

What's good in your kitchen these days?

Thankful for Simple Things

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 22:44:00 +0000

It has been the same old song-n-dance at our house with computers over the last few years. Finally, we just got a new one, so hopefully no more dumb computer problems for a good long time.

Meanwhile, I've been trying to soak up the sun and live in the now. I say it every year, but this summer took the cake when it came to speed. Holy crow, where did it go?

Cheers to enjoying simple things:

Dogs walks in cooling air
Putting the garden to bed, bit by bit
Fall sun on my face at the end of the day
Thinking of heavy duty turtleneck sweaters, while wearing cropped jeans and sandals
Pumpkin spiced things
Running over crunchy yellow leaves
Seeing the neighborhood kids practice soccer and basketball, remembering cool nights in shin guards and fragrant grass
Watching Micky soak up the sun on the deck or sit, watching the backyard ever so patiently

Carroll Family Photos

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 13:16:00 +0000

Niece Ellen's first communion.

Uncle + nephews.

Merciless Clothing Culling and New Clothes

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:13:00 +0000

Last Saturday I took 15 bags of (mostly) clothes to the Salvation Army. I was simultaneously thrilled and grossed out.

Thrilled to have consolidated two closets into one and gotten rid of clothes that weren't 100% and exactly what I wanted. Grossed out that I'm so wasteful and had so many clothes to give away.

My relationship with clothes is so many things: bargain shopping and cute random finds, a pick me up when I'm feeling blue, a bad habit I fall into when I need the feeling of something new. Its so cliched American, I want to scream. I'm okay with admitting I'm both a bit of a retail therapy junkie and an ardent, true and real fan of fashion. I LOVE shoes, dresses, jewelry, and pretty, pretty colors.

My 2012 clothing goals have been:

Out with the cheap (Forever 21, Target, Old Navy)
Come up with a minimum of three things you can wear it with before buying
MUST TRY ON EVERYTHING
If I feel the urge to shop, I just put it in an online shopping cart and leave it there
If it fits great, get it now. Don't wait for it to go on sale.
Spend more on less
Ignore sale emails unless there is something you've had your eye on
All purchases must be recorded
Make repeat purchases in styles you know flatter you and you constantly reach for
Get rid of anything you don't want to pack on a trip or wear on a constant basis (I just sent my 21-year old niece three great dresses I simply don't reach for any more. I think they'll look fantastic on her.)

The lesson I'm trying to teach myself is the pain of paying for things that don't work or I don't love. I don't know why this is my curse, but I'm passionately trying to break it.

This is my second Gap Pure purchase of the year, I also got a long, black maxi skirt that I've been living in. This dress has been a nice addition.

I can not have enough striped boatneck tops.

Finally found a great, lightweight crewneck sweater. I got it in kelly green.

Spring Photos

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 13:39:00 +0000

Our winter was so warm, all of the flowers bloomed early!

At the farm.

I drove into this storm in Clear Lake. It was crazy. I'd been be-bopping along, listening to music in the car, headed north on 35. When I turned west towards the lake, I realized there was a tornado warning. It ended up passing up to Minnesota, but those were some OMINOUS clouds!

Sunday night bike ride.

Micky Pics

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:34:00 +0000

Spring and Summer Travel

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:32:00 +0000

I've gotten a good bit of travel in so far this year. Weekends and trips here and there.

In March I went to Salt Lake City. What a beautiful town. Though we wanted to do some winter sport activities, the weather ended up being in the 80s for most of the trip.

Here's Jennifer in Park City.

Highlights included a really delicious dinner at the Copper Onion, a Thursday evening walk through Temple Square and a stop to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearse, a massage and oforu bath at the Kura Door Spa, witnessing a proposal at Brewvies (we went to see Wanderlust and the movie preview was this guy talking about his fiance, then interviewing her parents, asking for their permission and then he arrived at the theater to ask him to marry her) and a trip to the Natural History Museum of Utah.

Whomever is in charge of the displays is a genius. These huge walls of artifacts and showcases were pieces of art themselves.

In May I surprised my grandma for Mother's Day during a quick weekend to Ft. Myers. It was a great time.

In June, I hit up Hilton Head with my dear, dear high school friends (minus Moe). It was heaven.

Each day there were cocktails, books, swimming, sun and laughing. Lots of laughing. When are we going back is my only question.

What We've Been Eating Lately

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 19:47:00 +0000

Ha! Not much. I mean, we've been eating but not a lot of cooking has been happening.

This smoothie has been making my life lately. We are trying to cut down the amount of sugar we eat and while this has more sugar than I'd like, its really delicious.

Really, its all about balance:)

What I've Been Reading Lately

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 19:10:00 +0000

Bah! Major computer problems + summer time = no blogging. Here's what I've been reading.

Yesterday I finished Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion. Oooh, boy. It was a goody. It was written by a journalist, which I thought helped present as unbiased of a story as possible.

Like most Americans I was familiar with the TomKat/crazy couch jumping/psychiatry is evil side of the story and last year I read a fantastic article about Paul Haggis's more recent fight against the church. What I didn't know was how Scientology started, how it changed to what it is today and the true depravity it stands in now.

Gone Girl was a vacation read I devoured. I'm not one to read thriller-type books, but I was inundated with magazines, NPR and other people talking about it, so I splurged and bought it on my Kindle (which is the cost-equivalent to buying a new release at paperback price.) Highly recommend.

These are next.

Avocado Pesto, Art of Fielding, Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 12:48:00 +0000

Got to love small towns -- the florist who did my brother-in-law's wedding this weekend had a nice sign out congratulating the bride and groom. Love it.

Last night I made my first really good, I will remake this recipe found via Pinterest. This Avocado Pesto recipe had so much more flavor than a traditional pesto. Yum. (photo from Chef Chloe). I made a half batch with no leftovers, so not sure how well gorgeous green color would fare in the fridge.

Picked this up from the library. So excited.

Currently Reading

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 12:46:00 +0000

This month's book club pick is a totally departure for me/our club. A crime-based memoir. I haven't started The Devil in Pew Number Seven, but I'm looking forward to it.

When I was searching for the book, I came across this series on CNN about what happened in the book. I didn't read for fear of finding out too much, but it looked interesting.

At the end of this month I'm started a week plus vacation (YAY, YAY, YAY) by meeting up with my high school pals in Hilton Head. A day after I get back, we head up to spend the 4th with Anthony's family. So, I knew I wanted some good summer reading for all this travel + leisure.

After scouring the 2010 and 2011 summer book lists online, I suggested The Year We Left Home and made it our July book club pick.

I'm also planning on loading up my Kindle with These Girls and The Paris Wife.

I finally broke down and ordered The Happiness Project. I couldn't wait the eleventy billion months it was going to take to get the electronic version from the library.

Vacation is always a deeply reflective time for me, so that should a good read when I'm removed from the everyday-ness of my life.

The Wind Beneath My Wings

noreply@blogger.com (MsAmanda) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 12:17:00 +0000