Man and Wife Living Life

Rockin' the EVOO! (Menu Plan Monday)

2012-02-13T08:19:00.002-05:00

Oh, Rachel Ray with your "sammies" and your "EVOO". People love to hate your foodie slang, but I still think you're "delish," girl.

This week's Menu Plan Monday features plenty of Ms. Ray's favorite food words because I decided to whip out the Rachel Ray 365: No Repeats cookbook we received at my bridal shower some six years ago. We had a lot of Rachel Ray cookbooks, but after some major book cleanses, 365 is the one that remains. Anywho, pair the rediscovery of this book with the fact that it's a very interesting, busy Valentines Day week and voila! Interesting, busy meal plan.

Monday
"Fend For Yourself": Monday is sort of "fend for yourself" day in that I have women's group every other Monday night, which typically involves food. So it's frozen burritos for Nate, but they're homemade... by him!

Tuesday
"Valentine's Sushi Night": We love each other. We love sushi. So why not spend Valentine's Day getting sushi together at our favorite sushi place? This is destined to be a two-sushi week.

Wednesday
"Citrus-Marinated Chicken and Orange Salad": This little gem seemed easy to make and also utilizes things we have around the house, for the most part. An onion and perhaps some fresh oregano will need to come from the store, but otherwise we're set.

Thursday
"Concert In Ann Arbor Night": Well, we bought tickets some weeks ago to go and see singer/songwriter Jill Sobule in concert at The Ark in Ann Arbor. I've been wanting to see her for round-about fifteen years and finally get the chance! So this Thursday we'll be dining at Gizzly Peak, one of our favorite "A2" hangouts.

Friday
"Boo's Butternut Squash Mac 'N Cheese": Ms. Ray seems to have picked a winner with this one. The flavors are all dancing in my head, so I'm assuming Friday night they'll be dancing around on our plates, too.

Saturday
"Sushi 2.0": We like our weekend sushi trips. I'll probably have yasai-itame, which is actually a sauteed veggie dish perhaps with miso soup. I know Nate will have his chili tuna roll, per usual. It's tasty!

Sunday
"Subway and Pasta": Okay, that sounds gross! But we have a mini-ritual after going to church and to the gym of going to the Subway across the parking lot for a quick and inexpensive lunch. Nate likes to do it, so I like to oblige. For supper though, we'll probably have pasta and tomato sauce later in the evening. I like this because it makes good leftovers for Monday lunches.

Photo © Olga Rumiantseva | PhotoXpress.com

Exhaustion Pattern

2012-02-10T17:25:00.002-05:00

"Have you had trouble sleeping lately?"
"I fall asleep at the drop of a hat and sleep for at least eight hours."
"How would you rate your quality of sleep?"

Oh, um... Exhaustion. The conversation above is one that I had with my chiropractor, Dr. Vanloon. She says I exhibit an "exhaustion pattern" and I would agree. For as much sleep as I get, I am exhausted. I go to sleep quickly and can stay asleep for a long time, but it is never enough. Yes, I probably have mineral and nutrition imbalances, acidic pH, etc. I have a needy puppy who needs to go out in the early morning. I'm sure there are some emotional whats-its that I'm holding on to. But why am I just pooped when I get up every morning? This has been going on for nearly a full quarter.

Sometimes when driving or doing work, I get the overpowering urge to shut my eyes. Relief comes with the occasional 20- to 40-minute mid-day nap, when I can sneak it in. My eyes are heavy and I rely on stimulants like caffeine to boost me during the day if I have to keep working.

This cycle is not good. I can't operate at 100% and I'm not used to not feeling rested.

So yes, I am still trying to get to the bottom of my concerns. My KST adjustments with Dr. Vanloon have helped. I feel like I can breathe and rest after an adjustment, which doesn't use the traditional "crack and pop" of what we think of in chiropractic. If only I could get an adjustment every day!

Despite my body's sleepy tendencies though, life seems to be very blessed. I find that despite the gray ran clouds hanging overhead (or over my pillow), it is important to say "Thank You" to God for the amazing things that happen each day. Compared to many of the world's problems, my lack of quality sleep is negligible.

So I'll leave with some gratitudes and perhaps you might leave me with your thoughts and suggestions on getting a night of quality, restful sleep. I would be most grateful.

"Paying your gratidues" is all about publicizing what you're grateful for. If more people did that instead of complaining about what they hate... life would be happier."

Gratidues #234-245

234. Warm, warm blankets (and lots of them)
235. "Rock Your Marriage" date night
236. New challenges to think through
237. Health insurance with chiropractic coverage
238. Booked tickets to Germany & Denmark
239. The promise of growing some veggies this spring
240. Friends' healthy new babies
241. Leading by example
242. Choosing the Next Right Thing
243. Sleep-in Saturday
244. New tires on the PT Cruiser
245. Grace, Mercy, Patience, Love, Kindness

Photo © Jaimie Duplass | Photoxpress.com

Menu Plan Monday?

2012-02-06T13:57:00.000-05:00

I thought I would try my hand at this Menu Plan Monday thing. Maybe pre-planning can help some of our dinner woes, especially with a widely varying schedule? Do you plan weekly, daily, or do you just do what we usually do... Fly by the seat of your pants!?

Monday
Frozen burritos (Nate makes the best burritos! He makes a batch and freezes them individually. Much healthier than frozen burritos from the grocery store.)

Tuesday
Baked chicken breasts with veggie side (Putting some aside for Nate because he's going to trivia)

Wednesday
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto & Pasta (from cookbook La Dolce Vegan! )
See it @ Amazon: La Dolce Vegan!: Vegan Livin' Made Easy

Thursday
"Fend For Yourself" night. We usually keep it simple on Thursdays because I teach. Sometimes I precook food and sometimes we just make a sandwich or heat up leftovers.

Friday
Sushi night! We love Edamame Sushi in Madison Heights!

Saturday
We'll probably have dinner out because we're heading to a hockey game. BUT... Lunch sounds scrumptious in the form of soup & sandwich combos.

Sunday
Sunday lunch comes just after we go to church and then to the gym. I think I'll pre-prep some pirogi to have with veggies when we come back!

Photo © Monika Olszewska | PhotoXpress.com

Gossip Lessons

2012-02-01T15:24:00.003-05:00

Late last week I learned that someone in my life said some disparaging things about me to several other people. Specifically she said something about my business skills and the fact that I was "moody"*. I was angry, as this person holds a certain place of authority. Even this morning I felt a pang of anger and resentment.

Then I stopped to think about her words and her actions and found out several things about myself and about all interpersonal relationships as well.

1.) I do wear my heart on my sleeve. If I'm under stress and I don't want to be doing what I'm doing, or if I'm taking direction from someone I wholeheartedly disagree with... I am moody and I let it be shown. Stoicism is not my strong suit. While I have become more mature about the way I handle it, I think this is an area where I will never "solve" the problem if there is indeed a problem needing solving. Although I disagree with her conclusion regarding my line of work, in her point of view I was rightly moody and she wasn't wrong, though the way she disseminated the information was wrong.

Lesson learned: If you are taken aback by what someone says to others, ask yourself if what they're saying has merit. Don't worry, I'm not "blaming the victim," but I do like to use "negatives" as learning experiences. It's okay to be angry that someone is gossiping about you or if they were lying about you, but ask yourself if you're more angry that they were gossiping or because what they said had a pang of truth that you don't want to hear. Even in lies there is usually a grain of truth, so keen self-examination is always necessary so that you might improve yourself.

2.) I learned how to set boundaries with this person. I know now that choosing to be too friendly up front was a disservice in hindsight. Especially in business, being friendly, not familiar, is what will serve you well. Politely speaking up when the person in question oversteps her bounds is a good idea in my case.

Lesson learned: There is power in what you don't say. Getting too familiar can be a hindrance to relationships, especially professional ones. Gradually letting someone in is much better than laying it all out there and then having to attempt to "take it back" later.

3.) Know the culture and have a game plan in order to react to it. There is a culture in this circumstance to talk and share ideas, which is unfortunately a natural progression to gossiping about other people. I know this full-well now and plan to do what I feel is my Biblical duty (or "Golden Rule" duty if you're not Biblically inclined) to do unto others as I wish others to do unto me. If I go in with the game-plan of being above reproach, I can more easily extricate myself from situations where negative gossip pops up. '

Lesson learned: The right choice is usually the hardest one -or- "Honor the absentee." If someone isn't in the room to stick up for themselves, they probably shouldn't be spoken about, unless you're celebrating them. If you mess up, be willing to admit when you're wrong and ask for forgiveness. If someone starts the gossip train, politely remove yourself from the situation. Stay above reproach and live your values if "do unto others" is one of your values. Saying, "I'm so glad Aunt Sally won that award!" is celebration, but "Aunt Sally's being so snide about her award, don't you think?" is gossip, if you needed an explanation! To quote a childhood friend, "Don't hate... Celebrate!"

Miffed though I was to hear that this person was gossiping about me, and for as many "zingers" as I had running through my head most of the weekend, this really served as a wake-up call to me to listen much, speak little, and mind my values. I will never pretend to be perfect. If I do, feel free to slap me around! But I will certainly proclaim to be enlightened on the subject this week! Trials bring revelations and pain brings with it life lessons. Hopefully this turns a light bulb on for you as well.

*I chose my words carefully to avoid being gossipy myself. Self-restraint is hard, believe me! As an illustration to the point at hand, I feel I chose them fairly well. You may certainly disagree politely in the comments if you feel otherwise.

Photo © Sven Hoffmann / PhotoXpress

All Critters, Big and Small

2012-01-28T08:08:00.004-05:00

Critters! I love critters that look at you soulfully and contentedly. I love critters that look at you playfully with the overt desire to cause mischief. I even love the ornery critters that don't want much to do with me. To quote little Agnes in the movie Despicable Me, "It's so fluffy, I'm gonna DIE!" That's the best summation of how I feel about most animals.

Why is this important today? Frankly, I don't have a big reason. I just really appreciate my cat perching on my arm, and my puppy trying to hone in on all of Nate's and my attention, and our older dog looking stoic as he asks for belly rubs. Perhaps it was this video at Godvine of therapy dogs helping wounded soldiers. The power of an animal to heal, should we let them, is immeasurable. I simply appreciate that today.

"Paying your gratidues" is all about publicizing what you're grateful for. If more people did that instead of complaining about what they hate... life would be happier."

Gratidues #218-233

218. The healing powers of an animal with fur and slobber
219. A Saturday with no work to be done
220. My turn on the receiving end of a massage trade
221. A friendly jewelry party with girlfriends
222. Workouts with my husband despite feeling gross
223. An "old" chiropractor in a new space
224. Louis, a man I met and talked to at Staples (Pray for him as he starts seminary)
225. My apprentices in class at work
226. Evolving friendships, even when the outcome doesn't always suit my preferences
227. Parallel paths
228. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's preventative initiatives and health coaches
229. Fancy push pins with "animal skins"
230. A husband that brings you a stack of fresh clothes, neatly folded "just because"
231. Dill and Honey Poached Salmon from the Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook
232. Stories of life and birth and bucking the status quo, reputation-be-damned
233. Morning tea, perfectly brewed, one cup at a time

The photo is by me. It is circa February 2011 of a cat I used to cat-sit, "Whitey". I miss him and his brothers.

Would you willingly put stickers over your paint job?

2012-01-27T08:05:00.000-05:00

I am a fan of bright colors. I'm also a fan of decorating rooms. I'm not a fan of painting or the thought of painting a mural that will one day be covered by another layer of paint, or worse... feeling guilty and not covering it even though trends have moved on!

Nate and I took a brief shopping trip to Five Below, a "finer" dollar store with real, usable items often found in other stores, but at prices of $1-$5. They had calendars on sale for $3 as it was already mid-January. One of the calendars was a "wall art calendar" of birds and a vintage cage. I figured for three dollars we could spruce up a well-scuffed paint job in our massage storage room-slash-reading room between the hall and the office.

I went with a "birds bursting out of the cage" theme and allowed the giant, removable stickers to flow across the wall, anchoring the design with the birdcage, which looks like it is perched neatly on top of a side organizer unit where we keep our Scentsy air freshener lamp. I debated actually putting up the paper calendar pages, but it went so nicely with the birdcage, I figured, "Why not?" After twelve months, it will still look nice.

Overall we enjoy the effect. It's very bright and splashy, and we thought it was a very nice addition to an otherwise boring and overlooked room. I might actually sit and read here now!

Have you used wall art? Painted murals? Removable pressure-based vinyl art? Wall stickers? I'd be interested to hear your experiences.

Busy Pocket

2012-01-20T17:31:00.000-05:00

Some weeks the strife is large. This week is like that. In fact, in the middle of that sentence I got a call from work about a project that made me want to pull my hair out. But in the midst of the craziness, I'm finding some insight, oddly enough.

I'm finding that instead of holding onto healthy habits and behaviors, stress at home and on the job makes me either revert back to unhealthy behaviors, especially where my weight loss and exercise regimen are concerned. But instead of dwelling on the bad or the mistakes, I plan to plan! This means I will chart out my week and find time to squeeze in healthy habits, set realistic goals for work that can get done in certain time frames, and practice saying "no" to adding additional responsibilities.

What do you do when you're stressed? How do you handle it? Are you a planner?

"Paying your gratidues" is all about publicizing what you're grateful for. If more people did that instead of complaining about what they hate... life would be happier."

Gratidues #211-217

211. Delicious coffee with the perfect milk-to-coffee ratio

212. My women's group and the dynamic women who come together to study and socialize

213. Not being afraid to speak up and let people know something's wrong

214. Massage trades

215. Friends' shop-at-home parties

216. Quick thinking on the job

217. The opportunity to grow my massage clients

Image by Lua Ahmed via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

SOPA & PIPA: An Open Letter to Michigan Senators and Representatives

2012-01-18T07:45:00.004-05:00

DATE: January 18, 2012
TO: Congressman Levin, Senator Levin, and Senator Stabenow*
RE: SOPA & PIPA

I am writing as one of your long-time supporters to respectfully request that you do your part to require the SOPA/PIPA to be rewritten so as to avoid costing Americans thousands of dollars by promoting the un-American concept of "guilty without due process".

Piracy isn't right. However, there are a lot of people out there who do things the right way and should not be punished. All should be treated within the tenets of the basic right to due process and the concept of "innocent until proven guilty," rather than simply shutting content providers down who generate massive revenue and provide income streams to hard-working, honest Americans. More government restraints are not the answer. "Big Brother" is not the answer. Good, balanced legislation is the answer.

Passing the legislation as-is will be the epitome of "throwing the baby out with the bathwater". As someone who has supported you through several elections and as someone who provides legal, original Internet content, I urge you to please stand up what is the best interests for ALL, including copyright holders, and the upright Internet content users, by demanding the legislation be changed before it passes.

Very Respectfully,

Carrie Burgan

Oak Park, Michigan

*Edited versions of this letter was sent via e-mail today, January 18, 2012.

Learn more about SOPA and PIPA and why modifying their content is essential by visiting www.americancensorship.org

UPDATE 20 January 2012: https://fightfortheftr.wordpress.com/press-releases/

Image by MVit via PhotoXpress.com. Used with permission.

Auto Show Shenanigans: Massaging the Michelin Man

2012-01-10T16:04:00.005-05:00

It's no secret that I take groups of massage students out and about to work on the public. Each year we take a group to the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan to massage the media during Media Preview Week. The Auto Show clinical event is always booked to the gills just hours after we post it, as students also get the chance to look around on the floor.

This year I subbed for another supervisor and headed down amongst the media and car enthusiasts to work the event (versus simply organizing it). The highlight of my few hours there was being the Michelin Man's personal massage therapist. I was able to be in several promo photos for Michelin tires, as the media lounge was sponsored by Michelin and the Michelin Man was making promo appearances. It was campy, but a total treat.

Visit the Michelin Man via the Michelin 2012 NAIAS Website. See Michelin's official "massage photo" here on Michelin's Flickr page (sans Carrie and sans Irene's... boo!).

Simple Pleasures: Instant Tea

2012-01-04T21:05:00.001-05:00

A lot of things in our house are Jerry-rigged. We didn't really do most of those "repairs". Instead, the two previous owners (our home has only had three real owners including us) enjoyed the DIY spirit. Although we find a lot of strife hidden in the DIY projects (especially in things like, oh, wiring) we do like the Insinkerator 190°F faucet they installed. I'm happy to report they installed this one correctly! We were able to ditch the tea kettle and instead just use water directly from the tap. Also handy for cleaning and sterilizing things on the go. Instant Hot Water: Simple Pleasures.

Nate & Carrie Happy Moments #4: Little Debbie Birthday Inferno

2011-12-30T17:55:00.003-05:00

Nate's 30th Birthday "Cake"

May 17, 2006

We celebrated Nate's birthday at home. We weren't going to get a cake, but at the last minute I ran out and got snack cakes to make a towering Little Debbie inferno. I also decorated the townhouse in a kids' soccer theme.

Click for more Burgan Happy Moments

Post-Christmas Gratitude!

2011-12-27T19:49:00.000-05:00

Owen, Nephew- 9 months

Christmas has come and has gone. We expected a super-quiet weekend with little to do and ended up with a full schedule, but it was so great to see family and after everything is said and done I really, really, really appreciate the great times we had with everyone from sisters to cousins to moms and friends! Sometimes it's amazing how great the unplanned can be!

The dogs, Bruce and Winston, have gotten used to each other and are officially as thick as thieves! They snuggle every chance they get... when they're not playing! We're happy to have our "new addition" in Winston and while we talk about him like a brand new [human] baby (obnoxious, yes) but we're just eating up the puppy cuteness. We promise we'll practice a little more restraint on dog stories!

"No mom, I won't be moving, thanks."

Winston, December 25, 2011

"Paying your gratidues" is all about publicizing what you're grateful for. If more people did that instead of complaining about what they hate... life would be happier."

Gratidues #196-210

196. Fuzzy puppies sleeping in little beds

197. Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition on Hulu

198. Finishing my 2012 goal book

199. Surprise presents from a wonderful husband!

200. A great visit with a great friend

201. Cousins who are like sisters and brothers

202. Babies laughing hysterically out of pure joy

203. A long break from work

204. Reprioritizing

205. Making a goal and checking it off The List!

206. Morning workouts, especially when "I don't want to" and I do anyway

207. Flowers from my mother-in-law

208. Richard Simmons VHS tapes on eBay... cheap

209. Hot tea and German cookies (Lebkuchen)

210. Minty tea and open sinuses

Merry Christmas From the Burgan Family!

2011-12-25T07:05:00.001-05:00

Mary, a virgin, was living in Galilee of Nazareth and was engaged to be married to Joseph, a Jewish carpenter. An angel visited her and explained to her that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit. She would carry and give birth to this child and she would name him Jesus.

Merry Christmas from the Burgan Family!

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

Winston & Bruce, Christmas Eve 2011

What you could call a beautiful reminder at Christmas as sung by Orthodox Jewish reggae/rapper Matisyahu:

Happy Christmas and Happy Hanukkah <3

God is Great

The Shape Of Things To Come? Losing Weight & Ditching Baggage

2011-12-20T17:56:00.001-05:00

Right about the time that these goofy "edutainment health toys" came out, I developed... issues.

Oh, I had the bangle bops, the ribbon, the sweat bands, and the weights. Mom and Dad wouldn't get me the leotard, though. "Rotten parents." Mmmkay...

Anyway, I won't go into the Freud of it all, but basically I ended up with a crazy-distorted vision of how I was supposed to be. I wasn't that way. I liked to stay at home, reading and playing alone, and cookies that were carefully grabbed by a sneaky girl tasted way sweeter than ones I ate with permission. So yeah, I had body issues.

I still have body issues. I've got a lot of emotional baggage when it comes to fitness, exercise, and moreover, food. I've dealt with it in a number of ways. I've prayed and I've acted and I've waited and I've... fill in the blanks. I'm pleased to say that for ten solid weeks I've been able to leap some major mental hurdles and apply the education and work background that I have in health and wellness. Who would've thought that eating right and exercising would help? (Snicker.)

Seriously, though, it's amazing the feeling of freedom that comes with setting goals and pushing past them. I'm not a crazy personal trainer wanna-be convert or anything, but working out is working out. I've never stuck to anything for two solid weeks, much less ten straight weeks. Daily tracking (via Weight Watchers Online website and iPhone apps) of food and Activity Points (i.e.: exercise) has been working and that right well.

Nate and I joined Planet Fitness in Southfield. He got the value $10 access-only membership and I said that a trip to the complimentary massage chairs would be worth working out, so the $19 Black Card membership is what I got. I had to agree to go at least once a week and I can say I've gone at least 1-5 times per week since we joined in late October. I've picked up running, elliptical, circuit training, weight lifting, and more since joining up. (And yes, I usually visit the massage chairs for 5-10 minutes after each session.)

Thus far I've lost over 2" each on my waist and hips, .5" in the chest, 1" on the arms, and I'm down a dress size. I've lost over 16 pounds and counting and I have increased my running stamina from 25-30 second intervals to about three minute intervals, which I count as a plus since I have NEVER been known to run... ever.

I still have a long, long way to go. I figure that I've got approximately 80 pounds to go until I reach my "lifetime" goal. I have about 10 pounds to go until I've lost 10% of my initial body weight. At every 5% interval I set rewards with Nate's permission for awesome things like spa treatments and overnight trips I normally wouldn't get to take. Nate benefits by having a) a hotter wife and b) overnight trips and date days for most of the rewards, so he's all in.

So there's my Week 9 check-in. I'm not going to be blogging about it too much on here, but I figure I'll keep myself honest and check in at regular intervals. The path to health is spiritual, mental and physical and without working on all three of those things, a person won't get anywhere. I thank God that he flipped a switch somehow that allowed me to push past the crazy mental clutter that has held me up these past umpteen years. It's a great feeling.

Winston: Adaptation Mode

2011-12-19T09:26:00.002-05:00

Winston and Bruce are getting quite used to each other and are playing very well these days. They take turns being dominant and submissive. We haven't had any non-play bites, except a nip from Bruce when he thought Winston was going to take his food treat. (Bruce was punished for food aggression toward animals... his only real flaw, as he's not aggressive toward people touching his food.)

Winston's schedule is now just about:

Out at 1 a.m., 5 a.m., 7 a.m.
Eats at 7-7:30 with Bruce (separate kennels)
Out again at 8 a.m.
Morning naps and play time with Bruce and Mom
Out at 10 or 11, unless in kennel
Out after I come home or around noon
Afternoon naps, training and playtime while mom does chores and work
Out at 2-3
Out again at 5ish
Dinner at 7-7:30 with Bruce (separate kennels)
Outside at 8 p.m.
Play with Bruce and Dad in the evening
10 p.m. - Out before bedtime, then in the bedroom kennel with Bruce and mom
Lather, rinse, repeat!

So yeah, he's basically on a baby's schedule! He weaned himself off of eating three times a day, so he's getting older and more mature in that way. Each day he decides whether he wants to test us or be mellow. Sometimes it's a little of both. Yesterday luckily everyone, mom and dad included, were on major chill pills, which was refreshing!

Anyway, if you throw in "cleaning up pee," "Leave your sister alone!" (the cat) and "Stop eating crud off the floor!" a few times a day or so, that's life around the Burgan house. Right now I have to sleepy dogs in beds next to me in the office.

Happiness is indeed a warm puppy.

Nate & Carrie Happy Moments #3: Carrie's 24th Birthday Packages

2011-12-17T17:52:00.001-05:00

I met my then-boyfriend Nate in August 2004. We traveled on weekends between Columbus and Detroit to visit each other. It so happened that a month into our relationship, Nate went to Germany to visit friends in Regensburg. Because he couldn't be there for my birthday and because he knew I was sad he had to go, he worked with his sister to send one package for every day that I was supposed to open. Some packages had a game or poem and others had a small gift. It was the sweetest thing anyone had done for me to that point and I was hooked! Here is the "thank you" picture I took to send to him.

But if you want to know what I did on my birthday, well... I went to Bento Go-Go's in Columbus for noodles and sushi with my friend Christina! It was wonderful and I miss Bento Go-Go Asian Yum-Yums.

Awww... I was 24.

Christina, a.k.a. Cee Pee

Banana Bread & Ironing? (Five Question Friday)

2011-12-16T17:40:00.001-05:00

Man & Wife Living Life participates in Five Question Friday for a little pre-weekend fun. Thanks to Five Crooked Halos for the idea and blog hop.

1. What's the best Christmas present you've ever received?
The best Christmas present I ever received was my engagement ring, my grandmother's ring, in my stocking. Technically it wasn't a Christmas present since I got it on New Year's Eve, but Nate billed it as "one last Christmas present". Funnier yet, we had just watched The Family Stone at the theater that same night and Nate was sweating bullets.
2. Worst/Funniest White Elephant gift ever received?
I've been lucky in that most white elephant gifts have been pretty good. The worst white elephant gift I ever received was some sort of tin can snowman sculpture. I think the "artist" was good-natured and actually proud of her work, but let's say that one went into the recycle bin and not proudly on my front porch. I wish I had kept a photo! It was, after all, a white elephant gift, so it wasn't supposed to be a "real" present.
3. Is your Christmas tree plain and simple (white lights and matching ornaments) or is it wild and crazy (colored lights with lots of ornaments collected over the years)?
I think I've posted plenty about our Christmas tree! Country Christmas. Click here to see our Christmas tree.
4. "How" do you iron your clothes? The old fashioned iron/ironing board way, the shower, back in the dryer, etc.
"How" now brown "cow"? Despite a questionable use of quotations, the real question is "How does your husband iron your clothes?" The answer? Infrequently and on an ironing board! I don't iron much, honestly. My husband really enjoys it, so on the very infrequent occasion that I need something ironed, he's all about it. Love that man!
5. How much baking do you do for Christmas and what are your "must make" items? (I'm looking for recipes here, peeps...)
This year? Not much. But if you want something easy to class up with chocolate chips, moist and chewy, check out my vegan banana bread tutorial on Youtube.

Simple Pleasures: Light

2011-12-14T20:52:00.002-05:00

One of the quirkiest thing about our home, aside from the crazy wiring and DIY house repairs the former owners did, was this chandelier light. Who puts a diamond-look light fixture in a 1946 midwestern bungalow? Apparently the last owners! The chandlier is missing one gem, but I think it adds a magical sparkle to our hallway. Our realtor said, "Well, you can always change it. It's not my style." But I think it fits in our eclectic, little home just fine. Light: Simple Pleasure.

More Holiday Delights (Five Question Friday)

2011-12-09T21:07:00.001-05:00

Man & Wife Living Life participates in Five Question Friday for a little pre-weekend fun. Thanks to Five Crooked Halos for the idea and blog hop.

1. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
Our friends the Bartons make Girl Scout Thin Mint knock-offs using chocolate, peppermint and Ritz crackers. We get them at the holidays and they're usually gone quickly. But nothing beats a freshly iced sugar cookie!

2. What's your favorite holiday movie & why?
A Christmas Story, the story of Ralphie and his BB gun. One Christmas I watched 17 out of 24 hours of "A Christmas Story". I multitasked, but let's just say I learned the words very well. It's like a believable family and everyone can relate to the joy of getting The Thing You Want on Christmas morning.

3. Is there a gift that you bought for your kids that you wish you hadn't after they opened it?
Well, I don't have any kids. But there were several toys we've purchased for our dogs that were wastes of money! Five bucks and they're torn apart in seconds... Sigh. Plus, squeakers. That's all I have to say about that!

4. What is the messiest room in your house right at this moment?
All of our rooms are a little messy, since we brought our puppy Winston home this week. However, Nate and I agree that due to piles of "stuff" like laundry, gaming things, video game acoutrement, etc., the "Man Cave" (a.k.a the basement rec room) is probably the worst off. Second is the "Woman Cave" (a.k.a. "Man Cave II", a.k.a. our bungalow upstairs) for the same reasons. Yes, we have two "caves"!

5. What is the furthest you have driven for the holidays?
Together as a married couple, the longest is either down to my sister's place in Columbus for Thanksgiving or, if we're talking local, driving from Ferndale to Flushing (my folks' place) back out to Richmond (my sister-in-law's). That was a very long Christmas in Michigan snow! I'm glad we haven't had to repeat it!

Photo by Kavita under license via Photoxpress.com

Meet Winston

2011-12-07T19:43:00.001-05:00

We accidentally adopted a puppy.

We were enamored with a younger dog named Sprinkles. She was a minpin mix and cute as a button. Unfortunately she didn't socialize with other dogs well. We were approved to adopt, but the caveat was her interactions with Bruce. Bruce was a champ, but Sprinkles didn't exactly love him. (Try a lot of grrrrrrrrrrs and bites.) The representative at Michigan Animal Rescue League nixed the adoption and although we really liked her, we knew it was the best thing.

Since we were already pre-approved to adopt, the MARL representative suggested we look around the shelter. We saw a lot of great dogs. We were more inclined to adopt an older dog... and then we saw Acorn.

Acorn was, according to MARL, a "Shepherd-Chihuahua mix". Well, we saw pit bull and beagle and a few other things, but mostly what we saw is that he could've been Bruce's son!

Well, they got along swimmingly at the shelter. Acorn was licking Bruce and trying to get him to play. Bruce was playing it cool, behaving like a true champ! But he licked Acorn a few times and even played for a few seconds. We knew this would be a good thing, so we said we would get back to them when they reopened Tuesday to let them know when we'd be coming.

I didn't have any massages on the schedule Wednesday, so I cleared my schedule. After I fit in a cardio "Punch!" kickboxing workout DVD, I showered and made sure to pack all the necessary acoutrement into the car. Fluffer-Nutter's carrier worked well for Winston. (Acorn was a little too frou-frou for our tastes, so his name is now Winston Acorn Burgan. "Winston" comes from the movie Ghostbusters, which I love!) He will outgrow the crate in a week or two, but for now it's great--small and cozy and safe.

No barks or whimpers came from Winston on the way home. Round-about the Arby's at 13 and Woodward I heard the "I'm going to throw up in the next five seconds" stomach noise. Winston proceeded to toss his kibble, but luckily after a swing into the Arby's parking lot, that was taken care of. A few minutes later and we were home.

Helpful suggestion: Keep a "dog box" in each vehicle you own! It's a small plastic shoebox-type storage box with a collapsible bowl, treat, leash, plastic bags, cleaning wipes, and hand sanitizer. This has saved our rear ends with our own dogs and with strays we find occasionally!

Potty training starts immediately in the Burgan household. We expect he'll be mostly trained by Christmas if we stick to the routine. He was born on August 28, 2011, so he's about 13 weeks or so. By 16 weeks they have more fully-developed bladders and muscle control, so around Christmas he will probably be doing very well. He doesn't know stairs yet and we've had one accident and one "I'm marking this, Bruce, don't touch it" tinkles, but overall he's doing a great job. After a few days he'll settle in and get used to Burgan livin'.

Bruce is doing very well. He looks at me like, "Mom, he's not going to quit licking me, is he?" At that point in time, I put on a short, light leash and separate them with a baby gate. Good behavior is rewarded with praise and off-leash time. Right now we're doing post-dinner napping, which suits both Bruce and Winston just fine. Winston has taken over Bruce's office bed and, because Bruce is a register hog, he is sitting behind my chair enjoying the heat.

Two snoring puppies are amazing, lack of sleep be darned!

Welcome home, Winston!

Christmas and Deodorant? (Five Question Friday)

2011-12-02T08:11:00.001-05:00

Man & Wife Living Life participates in Five Question Friday for a little pre-weekend fun. Thanks to Five Crooked Halos for the idea and blog hop.

1. What is your favorite Christmas decoration in your house?

I love our little tree. We started Christmas 2004 and have used it ever since. Check out our 2012 Christmas Tree post to see it.

2. Do you finish your Christmas shopping early or are you a last minute type?

It's done. We really didn't do too much except get cash for the kids and think about how we wanted to celebrate ourselves. I also made some homemade treats for families to share.

3. When do you turn on your heat?

More like when DID we turn on our heat? We gave in mid-October. Our gas bills are slowly going up. They started at $19 through the summer, went to $30 and now $80 and climbing, though we've resolved to keep the heat in the 60's and very low 70's this winter. Sometimes we use an electric space heater during the day for a little extra warmth on super-chilly days or use a lot of blankets.

4. Do you ever wish your blog was private?

I have a private blog called... a JOURNAL that I write my thoughts in on pen and paper. I don't post anything online that I don't want your boss' grandma's sister to read.

5. Do you put your deodorant on before of after you put on your shirt?

Ha. Random, no? It's a crap-shoot. It's a crystal-based mineral spray, so I can do it before or after. Plus, no chemicals related to breast cancer in mine... and you can use it on funky feet, too! Check it out below.

Organize, Schmorganize

2011-12-01T09:15:00.001-05:00

"Organize, Schmorganize"

Some days, that's the thought that goes through my head. But other days the clutter just gets to be too much. It was "too much" yesterday and I was so frazzled by clutter that I forgot to take "before" photos. Let's just say that imagine in the following photos, each basket was heaped and each shelf was maxed.

Now my closet is downsized, things like light bulbs and chemicals are in their new homes, and I have managed to get rid of many a duplicate and trashy bit by using the garbage and my local Freecycle. Plus, I realized I have at least three of every type of bulb and two packs of each type of batteries... and three new scissors! What? Yes, three! What a waste! (We also had enough rogue dog and cat fur in the closet to create a new pet, but I guess that's another story...)

So how can you do the same to your cluttered spaces? Try breaking it down. Here is what I did.

Create piles, "Keep, Toss, Donate/Freecycle": If you haven't used it in the last year, you probably don't need it. If it's grubby, broken, you don't know what it does, etc., toss it. If you find you've bought several of something, like the oodles of stretchy headbands I found that I won't wear, donate them or post them on your local Freecycle. People can pick things up off your porch and you don't have to deal with having a stranger in your home.
Budget your time in 15-minute increments: If you get busy, sidetracked, you have kids, or a lot of other things going on, taking on the closet in 15-minute chunks (or just one shelf at a time) can really be a helper. Set your timer or your cell phone to ring when 15 minutes goes by. I did several 15-minute chunks, interspersed with other chores and a few hour break in between to attend a meeting at work. My total time was about two hours for the closet and "junk drawer" combined.
Use what you already have for storage: Don't invest in a bunch of storage solutions. If you're like me, you'll have too much "storage solution" and not enough space to store them! Shopping for "storage" takes away from the task at hand. I have had the green basket in the top picture since 2002. It's grubby, but I wash it. The white, sliding-style organizer was formerly under our sink in our old house. I also used an old photo box heading for the recycling to store my headbands and hair accessories. In our "junk drawer," we use old shoe box tops to keep the drawer tidy. Use what you've got and get the job done!

Photos all by Carrie

Mini Review: Godiva Truffle Bars, Gingerbread & Milk Chocolate

2011-11-30T09:48:00.001-05:00

MINI REVIEW

Subject: Godiva Truffle Bars, Gingerbread & Milk Chocolate
Type: Food
Rating*: 2
Value: 2
Comments: Who doesn't love seasonal treats? Pumpkin pie lattes at Thanksgiving, minty shakes in March, and the list goes on. The husband and I went to CVS Pharmacy to get our candy fix and I opted for a $3.29 bar of Godiva Truffle with Gingerbread filling. What I got was an overpriced, lackluster candy bar that had a waft of ginger and no zing. I would've rather eaten a Hershey Bar, honestly. Godiva, you have fallen short of perfection

* Rating 1-5, 1 = worst, 5 = best

Deck The Halls: Country Christmas

2011-11-27T16:38:00.001-05:00

Today the Burgans decked the halls country style! Since our tree is only 3' tall, it's pretty easy to change out the theme every year. One small strand of lights, one small strand of garland, one tiny package of bulbs... You get the picture!

This year I saw some great muted-color bells at Target, along with woodland pine cones. The Dollar Tree also had a lot of woodland-type picks and decorations. Pair that with some wooden decor we had from years past, this was a really nice idea. Hopefully you agree!

Wooden faux cranberries, pine cones, muted bells, and... dust bunnies? Yes!

An ornament featuring our wedding day.
(No, the candle is NOT real! It's LCD!)

Santa Claus hides under the tree and behind a glittery woodland pear sprig.
(Once again... Battery-powered candle!)

Our golden star topper with what was originally going to be our bird topper.
We like them together!

Our cute, country three-foot tree.
Ho Ho Ho... Merry Christmas!

And don't forget the original Christmas Story...

Bonds (January 1999)

2011-11-26T13:04:00.001-05:00

stretching the bond

that holds us together

strengthens the bond

that holds you together