Uh Oh ... I'm In Trouble Now!

Of course I know full well that Easter is about celebrating the resurrection of my Lord and Savior. I know that chicks and bunnies and eggs have little to do with that. And I know that candied Easter eggs don't exactly say "Jesus is Risen".

But ... oh how I do love to eat said candied Easter eggs! More than the candy of Halloween and of Christmas, the confections of this holiday really tickle my fancy. And much to my dismay/delight, I see that Cadbury Mini Eggs now come in dark chocolate ... which means I celebrate every time I plunge my fingers into the candy jar.

For The Love Of Tea

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." - C.S. Lewis

I have written about it before. I have a serious problem ... I am obsessed with tea. And not just any tea, but plain old black tea. English, Irish or Ceylon, I don't care where it's from I just can't stay away from it! It brings me comfort in the morning as I eat my breakfast; it brings me comfort in the afternoon when I settle in for a few minutes of knitting; it is my go-to for a cup of steaming peace.

Black tea is not the healthiest choice, however, for one with chronic pain. Recent weeks have brought me incredible discomfort and fatigue, and I am desperately trying to cut back on my rather embarrassing consumption. I have tried green tea which is very good for increasing energy levels, but simply put it tastes like grass water. Herbal tea is fine and I drink it at night, but it gives me little satisfaction. I have come to the realization that black tea can never be eliminated from my diet fully, despite the advice of Fibromyalgia experts. How can they take away one of the few joys I have while in such pain?

My love affair with this ancient beverage goes back to when I was in college and designed a book for my graphic design class my senior year. Cleverly called "Brimming Over" this book was a journey from the crop to the cup, describing the origins, history and cultivation of both coffee and tea. Through my explorations with finding the perfect images for my project, I discovered that I actually find a used tea bag kind of beautiful. I know, I'm way too crazy about tea! But hey, it's better and healthier than being too crazy about other fermented beverages. So I feel somewhat justified.

And yes, I have already had two glorious cups today, but I'm cutting myself off. Yeah, no more tea for sure. Well, maybe just ONE more cup ...

Mmm ... Oh Yeah!

Peanut butter is probably the most commonly used food in our house. My son begs for a peanut butter sandwich everyday for lunch and my husband likes an after-work snack of a spoonful PB & CC (peanut butter with some chocolate chips). I'm probably the only one who doesn't care for it that much ... except when combined with chocolate! Here is a delicious recipe that will have peanut butter fanatics jumping for joy:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Passion Bars (modified from the Ghirardelli recipe in Home Cooking: The Costco Way)

1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 pouch Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix

peanut butter filling
1 1/4 cups (14 oz. can) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup extra chunky peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13-by-9 inch pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together oil and eggs. Add brownie mix and stir until moistened. Press half of the brownie mixture into the pan, reserving the remainder for topping.

To make the filling, stir sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Spread evenly over the brownie layer in the pan.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of the reserved brownie mixture over the peanut butter layer.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is set. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Makes 24 bars.

Darn tootin' irresistible!

There Were No Clear Winners

I watched the Golden Globes on Sunday night. I don't watch necessarily to see who will win best director and best drama because rarely do I actually see the movies that are nominated, but I LOVE fashion! I am eager to see what lovely things the ladies are wearing on the red carpet (and yes dream about what I would wear in their situation).

I can sadly say that I wouldn't want to wear most of the dresses this year. What a disappointment to say the least. To me it looks like all of the designers thought it would be fun to stick various ruffles, Brillo pads and wings onto the gowns. Perhaps they were confused and thought that massive amounts of frills and glitter were in. I say ick!

Let's start with the beautiful Kate Hudson. I hate everything about this ensemble except for the bracelet: The clunky shoes are hideous; the dress - though a great color for her skin - is too structured, like she is wearing a calla lily and tissue is falling out of her bust; and I don't like the tassel earrings.

Drew Barrymore's hair looks nice and her makeup is stunning ... but the sea urchins sticking out off her hip and shoulder are quite unfortunate. This dress would have been so beautiful without those things. They actually sort of remind me of vintage flocked Christmas tree decorations. So sad.

Poor Tina Fey. She didn't win for her role as Liz Lemon in 30 Rock (although she really should have) and she REALLY didn't win best dressed this year at the Globes! I actually gasped when I saw her shoes with the over-sized bows and the busyness of her dress coupled with the tea party skirt was just so wrong. I know you are a funny woman, Tina, but this look gets no laughs from me.

Noooooo! Oh, Nicole ... this is ... this just ... you know in the movie Cinderella when the mice make a dress out of thrown out sashes and beads? Well, it looks like they made one for Ms. Kidman as well. Let's just stick a bunch of random bows all over the place and call it Haute Couture! Sigh. Well, the color is pretty at least.

There are so many looks I disliked that I can't show them all. And I won't show Mariah Carey because I would have to do some serious editing on the "golden globes" she had hanging out of her dress, if you know what I mean! But there were some looks that were alright.

I'm not really a fan of Penelope Cruz but I am a fan of this dress. She's confident, her hair is lovely and she isn't over-styled.

Of course I adore the red. This dress on Cameron Diaz is simple, shows off her height and is nicely symmetrical (which defies this year's trend). The only thing I that I don't like the dark and chunky shoes which I will forgive her for as she didn't offend me with her ensemble.

Though frilly and asymmetrical, I still found this dress quite inspiring. The ruffles are less pronounced and close fitting while the color is a girly shade of pink. The jewelry is just right and she looks radiant. Her hairstyle isn't as elegant as I would prefer, but since it was raining that night I will cut Emily Blunt some slack.

I realize that these gowns cost thousands of dollars each. Many of them are considered to be high art. I respect the amount of planning and design that went into each dress, and I appreciate the colors for the season (black, red, pearly pink and white). However ... most of them were just too weird for me and I truly hope that the Oscars don't disappoint.

A Dream Come True

You may recall that back in April I expressed my affections for a certain tea kettle. It's not that I didn't appreciate the one that I had, after all it served me well for ten years. But oh how I longed for a colorful and sleek new design.

Much to my pleasure, I have received that Le Creuset tea kettle as a Christmas gift and my goodness it looks spectacular on my stove top. The shiny cobalt gradient makes me smile. Call me crazy, but it even sounds French with its nasal whine that builds to a dramatic whistle. Thank you again, Mom!


And when I was asked what I would like for Christmas, I bet I got some weird looks when I said "Tea! Seriously I love tea!" But sure enough I have some wonderful blends to enjoy with the hot water from my tea kettle. Thank you, Dad!

It is this tea drinkers' dream come true!

Pretty House

My heart is filled with joy every time my two and a half year-old son gasps and yells, "Peeety house!" when we pass by a home decked out with Christmas lights. Oh the simple, untainted enthusiasm of a little boy - what a wonderful gift!

The Village

For years I have admired my in-law's Christmas display in their front window. Having collected the Charles Dickens Village over time, they now have quite a collection. Every year I look forward to seeing the arrangement of street lights, miniature trees and twinkling lights. I have longed to attend a service in the church on the hill and to walk along the cobblestone streets.

This year my daughter had the opportunity to see the village in all its glory. She too was enchanted by the glowing windows and tiny figurines. It is so idyllic, I wish I could live there from now until December 26th.

Stripes of Sweetness

There have been claims that the Candy Cane has religious origins and symbolism. Most of those claims have been found to be false. Religious or not, they are sweet, delicious, and the mint ones are perfect with hot chocolate.

And in my opinion, mint is the only acceptable flavor!

Fall On Your Knees

A favorite annual tradition. Family Christmas Tree Hunt 2009: Horizon Nursery

That Christmas feeling is finally here. It seems every year I wait for that moment where I surrender to the bliss of this wonderful season. It finally came yesterday as we were decorating our tree. Snow was falling outside, candy canes were being enjoyed, the kids were squealing with delight, and Bing Crosby was singing O Holy Night.

There is just something about that song that brings tears to my eyes - I get emotional while singing it at church or hearing it on the radio. I'm not the most charismatic person, but even I want to fall on my knees when I hear it. Especially as it goes:

'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth

My heart sinks in my chest when I hear these words.

It's so easy to forget why we celebrate Christmas. I admit to getting caught up in the fretting about shopping or making sure I get all of the "Christmasy" things checked off my list. Sometimes it takes a song like that to bring me back to the true meaning.

This year I have made plans to not stress. To be more relaxed about things like decorating the tree or finding the "perfect" gift for someone. I choose to focus on family, tradition and making time to fall on my knees.

Edible Jewels

The pomegranate has always been an exotic fruit to me. A bit mysterious and stunningly beautiful, they always pique my interest when I pass by the boxes of them in the grocery store. I can recall the first time I ate one, no one had explained to me that you eat only the seeds -imagine my surprise as I bit into the spongy and bitter flesh!

Having recovered from that first experience, I now have no fear when cutting into one of these alluring fruits. Last night as I was preparing a fruit salad, I had the joy and struggle of dropping each of the seeds into the bowl. Every seed, or aril, looks like an uncut and unpolished ruby. Oh how I would love a necklace with such jewels dropping down off of chains of gold and silver.

Going back centuries, I am fascinated by the role they have played in ancient culture and religion. For example, did you know that they are a symbol of fruitfulness in Judaism? I've even heard it suggested that the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden was actually a pomegranate and not an apple. Well, considering that the Garden of Eden may be modern day Iraq, that makes sense - but can you imagine Eve partaking of a pomegranate? Standing next to the tree as the serpent looks on ... trying to eat of the fruit? As I ever so inelegantly cracked open one of these babies last night, causing it to "bleed" all over my kitchen counter, I'm still trying to wrap my head around that possibility.


Beliefs and theories aside, the pomegranate is just plain delicious. I think it requires a little patience when eating one. But then, to be patient is to be fruitful. And these fruits are certainly rewarding.

Sweet November

This is how our lazy cat spends a dark and rainy November afternoon.

November is definitely here. Just overnight the vibrant colors of October have dulled, the sky has turned gray, and the temperatures have dropped. Threats of snow lingers in the air as does the cravings for hearty meals. I personally enjoy November as it is an easy transition from fall leaves to Christmas trees.

I confess that I have already bought a carton of eggnog. My husband is so firm on not breaking out the Christmas music or movies until Thanksgiving. I try my best to abide by his "rule" but I could not keep myself from enjoying a little festive 'nog. Besides, I have been very good at resisting the urge to pop that famous Bing Crosby record into the old player!

November makes me want to snuggle up with a good book. I have quite a hankerin' to make some apple pie. And it's a great time to plan out my future knitting projects and visit the yarn store. It's a great time especially since I have completed my Tangled Yoke Cardigan! My goal was to get it finished by Thanksgiving, and I met that goal with 2 1/2 weeks to spare. Therefore I call it "November" and it is instantly a favorite staple in my wardrobe. Here is a sneak peak at it as I have yet to get some glamor shots taken of it - I'll have all the details when I post those later.

The grosgrain ribbon and leather buttons add a pop of color and sophistication to this stormy hued sweater.

The "Tangled Yoke" is so pretty - an unexpected detail to such a basic cardigan.

My New Go-To Meal

If I may whine for a moment ... it is really hard to find things to make for dinner that the whole family will enjoy. What my son will eat, my daughter won't and vice versa. I like more exotic foods while my husband is a meat and potatoes kind of a guy.

And realistically, it is unhealthy to eat macaroni & cheese every night.

Recently my mother-in-law e-mailed me this recipe for an easy shredded chicken taco, and boy it really is easy! The essential thing here is a slow cooker.


Lynne's Easy Shredded Chicken Taco

4 large chicken breasts
1 can Mexican tomatoes with green chilis
1 packet taco seasoning

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. To pot add taco seasoning and canned tomatoes, stir together. Add chicken breasts.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Shred chicken and use in tacos, adding your favorite ingredients (i.e. lettuce, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, etc.)


My family loves this and we can all make our tacos to our own specifications. I've already made it twice in two weeks and I know this will be the perfect go-to for future meals.

Makin' A Stink

Now that Halloween has come and gone, I have been going through pictures that we took of our little trick-or-treaters. I have to say that the images of my son are particularly amusing. He was a skunk, and not too thrilled about it either ...

Here he is reluctantly showing off his tail.

This was his expression in most of the photos ... making a big stink about being a skunk.

And here he miraculously perked up when he found out CANDY was involved!

I cannot deny that this store bought costume was more for the entertainment of my husband and myself. Whew ... we couldn't stop laughing! He walked around like he was a run-over skunk rather than a woodland creature.

We had loads of fun this All Hallows Eve as we went on a scavenger hunt at church and of course trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. My daughter received a lot of compliments on her mommy-made costume and flaming red hair, and our son received a lot of chuckles. Another successful Pumpkin Day under our belts, and a TON of candy left to consume!

Happy Little Jack-O-Lanterns

Despite being sick for the greater part of October, we finally did make it out to the pumpkin patch as a family. It is always a joy to watch the kids choose their pumpkins and run around in the corn maze.

Oh, how I love these happy little jack-o-lanterns of mine!

I chose these warty mini-pumpkins for my window boxes. Their bumpy texture makes me smile.

The splash of orange from the pumpkins is in perfect contrast to the dark purple-green of the coral bells. Our dog, Gracie, seems to agree.

Part Of That World

It was the neatest thing ... meeting this spirited mermaid. She had the most beautiful voice. Her day-glo red hair was blinding in the sunlight. And her scaly fins sparkled brilliantly as she swam in the mysterious fathoms below.

She told me all about her life under the sea. About her friend the newt who plays the flute and about a carp who plays the harp ...
...she described her secret underwater grotto where she keeps all of her human treasures ...

... and she sang about her deep longings to be a part of our world ...

But with such lovely fins, it's hard to understand why she would want to become one of us.

Mother/Son/Pumpkin Date

One of the benefits of my daughter going to school is that I get to spend more time with my son. There are times where he is easily overshadowed by his big sister who has a big personality, and I have enjoyed getting to know him better.

Today we went on a mother/son date to the pumpkin patch. Along with a few other moms and kids from church, we had exclusive reign over the farm. And boy did we have fun ...

... picking out the perfect pumpkin ...

... and thinking that this smiley scarecrow couldn't scare anything away...

... and eating our lunch on a bale of hay while the kids rummaged through bins of knobby gourds. We have yet to go out to the patch as a family, but I am grateful for the time I had with just my boy.

Sketching Fins

SuperCat Rangi already knows what she is going to be for Halloween!

Here we are almost a week into October and I am suddenly feeling the crunch to get costumes for the kids! My son could care less what he will be, but my daughter is BIG on dressing up to go door-to-door to show off her latest getup. And since she seems to have the terrible flu that is going around, having her home makes this week the perfect time to get started.

I do this to myself every year ... I have to make or assemble a costume to top all others and this year will be no exception. Last year I was pretty pleased with the job I did on her Tinkerbell costume, but this time we are going extravagant: Ariel the Little Mermaid!

Now if you will excuse me, I have to figure out how to make a mermaid costume - complete with fins - that is modest, warm and that she can walk in. Hmm ... thank heavens for flesh colored polar fleece!

The Orange Month

This is the first day of my favorite month of the year. To me, October is unlike any other month, right down to its smell. And strangely, I always think of it as "The Orange Month". Today I was able to enjoy a chilly October morning by taking a walk with my son through the park. Together we collected acorns, breathed in the cool foggy air, and made footprints in the frosty grass.

The celebration didn't stop there.

We sipped Starbucks - a Pumpkin Spice latte for me and a hot chocolate for him - and wiped whipped cream off our noses. We carefully selected a "Fairytale" pumpkin for our front yard, and plan to decorate the house later today for Autumn. I painted my fingernails a deep purple, and I am feeling cozy in my favorite cashmere sweater. All in all, today has been a lovely dream.

This type of pumpkin is actually called a "Fairytale" pumpkin. It looks like it would have had a happy home in the pumpkin patch in Cinderella. It is a muted orange with gray in the creases and actually looks hand painted. The perfect start to the Autumn season!

Sea Level

"The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."
--Jacques Cousteau

As long as I can remember, I have found comfort at the beach. It is a place I long for and perhaps even more so now that I live in the high desert, a whopping six hour drive from the Oregon Coast. I live where it is dry, the trees are primarily of the pine and juniper varieties, and the mosquitoes are abundant. So as I spent a few days in Gleneden Beach, I was reminded of my special kinship to the Pacific Ocean.

My hair never looks good when I am out on the beach. It's true, some women look glamorous with long mermaid-like locks, blowing gracefully in the breeze. Mine looks haphazard and stringy ... but I don't care as I breath in the cool, salty air. It rains all the time at the Coast, thwarting plans of lounging around on the sand in my swim suit. But I will happily snuggle up in a blanket inside a beach house as it drizzles, over turning on my air conditioning on a hot fall day. And the foliage is glorious at the beach! The lush ground cover, thriving hydrangeas and soft green lawns make the tumble weeds of the high desert less than appealing!

There is something quite extraordinary about enjoying breakfast while watching a seal swim through the breaker waves for fun, or straining hard to see if there is a whale surfacing in the distance. Mmm, my idea of the perfect start to my morning.

Still, I doubt I could live at the beach full time. It is the perfect escape and I never want it to become ordinary.

Chez Kelly

I've never been to Paris, but when I do go (and I will go) I plan to head out for a night at a local bistro. I like hearty dishes and casual dining. So, last night I made my own bistro-style meal and ate it at my own table. It was VERY casual, it always is with children. I didn't bother with the white table linens or candlelight, but I did use my Dansk Bistro dishes and white ramekins to get the experience.

We had homemade French Dip sandwiches and garlicky mashed potatoes. Milk for the kids and Cabernet Sauvignon for the adults. We gathered at the table and talked about our day. Watching my son try to eat the au jus with a fork was interesting; and I could have done without my daughter complaining that she didn't like potatoes; but all in all it was a nice meal together.

To anyone who has a crock pot and is non-vegetarian, here is an amazing French Dip recipe you must try:

French Dip Sandwiches with Au Jus

1 rump roast (about 4 lbs)
1 10.5 oz can beef broth
1 10.5 oz can French Onion soup
1 12 oz bottle of beer
French rolls or stadium rolls
butter
garlic salt
sliced provolone cheese

I like to start cooking my meat the night before. Trim excess fat and place in crock pot with a little bit of water and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Allow to cook overnight. In the morning, remove the water from the crock pot and add in the broth, soup and beer. Cook on low for 7 hours. (WARNING: the smell of this cooking with make your mouth water the whole day!)

To prepare for sandwiches, take out the meat and place on a cutting board. The roast should be falling apart, no need for slicing. Double strain the au jus to remove bits and ladle into ramekins.

When ready to assemble sandwiches, open up the rolls and spread on butter and garlic salt (I use California garlic salt). Place under the broiler on low for a few minutes until bread browns and butter melts. Add shredded meat to the rolls, top with sliced provolone and place back under the broiler, open faced, until cheese melts. Cut sandwiches in half diagonally and serve with au jus. Then sit back and listen to all of the oooohhhhhs and aaaahhhhhs.

My husband tried one bite of his sandwich and asked me to marry him again. That's how good it is!

The Magic Ingredient

It has taken a while, but I have learned to love summer vegetables. I was never a fan of zucchini, and now I greedily add it to my cart at the grocery store. I even like yellow crookneck squash! My children, however, are not convinced of their deliciousness. So, finding a way to get my kids to eat their vegetables without shoveling them down their throats is a challenge. Fortunately, I think I may have found the solution.

The "magic ingredient" is participation ... and cheese ... but mostly participation. My daughter helped me to assemble this meal and took pride in it, therefore she ate her dinner and asked for seconds. Here is a great recipe that we all enjoyed seconds of:


Summer Vegetable Flatbread (modified from foodnetwork.com)

All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 pound pizza dough
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus extra, for drizzling
1 large (8 ounce) zucchini, thinly sliced
1 yellow crookneck squash, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, divided
1 1/2 cups (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella (I used pre-shredded Italian blend)

Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. With a pastry brush, brush 1 tablespoon of the oil over the dough. Using the tines of a fork, prick the dough all over. Arrange the vegetable slices on top of the dough. Drizzle the vegetables with oil. Bake the dough for 18 to 20 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Remove the bread from the oven, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of oregano and the cheeses. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheeses are melted and bubbly.

Sprinkle the flatbread with the remaining oregano, cut into wedges and serve. A light sprinkling of garlic salt is quite nice as well.

Now THAT is a painless way to eat your veggies!

Goodwill Hunting

Right now I am enjoying a nibble of a Dagoba "Seeds" bar and listening to the laundry spin around and round in the dryer. Some of our new purchases are in that dryer ... today we went to Goodwill. Have I ever mentioned that I love Goodwill? It is somewhere that we go every couple of months for these reasons:

1. Our kids outgrow their clothes so much, it doesn't make much sense to buy brand new clothes at retail prices all the time. In fact, our kids wear a lot of things from Goodwill because many of the clothes are in great shape and are so inexpensive that it isn't a big deal if they cease to fit in a couple of months. We have found name brand things like Tommy Hilfiger and Osh Kosh there before and my daughter certainly finds her fill of Disney Princess items.

My husband picked this corduroy shirt for my son to wear in the fall. He'll look adorable!

This cool summer tank top is just one of many princess themed items my daughter chose.

2. For years I have desired an old steamer trunk (think Titanic). I originally had in mind that I would store linens in one, or have it in my bedroom for extra storage. Well, recently we found one at Goodwill. It was a decent price, and we were lucky to snatch it up because while we were looking at it in the store, there was a lot of interest from other people. We now have it in our family room and it stores over-sized toys that otherwise took up too much room.

This trunk is so awesomely worn in, I wouldn't be surprised if it actually was from the Titanic!

3. Books. Books. Books. My daughter gets so excited to go to Goodwill because she is allowed to pick out one book per visit. Of course she goes right for the Disney stories, but at $.99, it's hard to deny her. I also find many hardback books for $3.49 and it's cheaper than paying late fees at the library.

4. Since getting our record player, it has been a kick to play old albums. Goodwill has an interesting collection of old vinyls from Barbra Streisand to Johnny Mathis. Today as I was thumbing through the stacks I could have sworn that my parents donated most of the titles that were there! I saw so many artists of my childhood: Billy Joel, Lionel Richie, Hall & Oats, etc. And when I excitedly flashed to cover of Huey Lewis & the News at my husband, he declared that he already had that one. Sure enough, he did which we listened to during lunch. Ah the sounds of my childhood ... priceless!

5. I feel good about donating our used items to Goodwill. A pack rat at heart, I find it very upsetting to have to throw anything away. I find some comfort that someone else might be able to use that pair of barely worn shoes.

I have noticed, however, that no matter what town you are in the store always smells the same - a curious blend of body odor, fabric softener and popcorn. That is why any clothing we buy goes immediately in the wash before wearing!

It's Just A Little Crush

It's just a little one. No big deal really. I mean, my husband shouldn't be jealous or anything like that.

I have a little crush on James Stewart.

When I say James Stewart, I mean from way back in the 1930s and 1940s. I was watching The Shop Around the Corner just the other day (which was much later re-made into my favorite movie, You've Got Mail) and I discovered how charming he was. He was tall, dashing and looked great in a suit. Plus I like his expressive face. So Cary Grant may have gotten a lot of buzz for being a hunk, but in my opinion James Stewart is where it's at!

Mmmm ... dreamy!

Paris, Je T'aime!

When my husband is away, I see that as my opportunity to see as many chick flicks, old movies, or foreign films as I can. In the recent weeks, he got to go on an all boys camping trip while I got to catch up on my choice of entertainment.

Not one for going out to the nearest video store (we don't have one very close to our house anyway) I checked out what "Instant Play" movies Netflix had to offer. One caught my eye immediately! Perhaps it was the French title. Perhaps it was the word Paris. Perhaps it was the silhouette of the Tour d'Eiffel that made me swoon; in any case, I pressed "play" with great anticipation. And so began the film, "Paris, Je T'aime".

The premise of the film is it is a collection of stories of love, from the City of Love. It is actually 18 short films lasting only about 5 minutes each. Every film takes place in a different part of Paris, focusing on a love relationship of some kind, and each film is directed by a different director. I love this idea! Famous directors like Alexander Payne (Sideways), Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting), and the Coen Brothers (No Country for Old Men) all contributed, and I recognized more than a handful of the actors.

Some of the stories didn't have much of an impact on me, but others made me laugh or cry. Some made my heart break. Some made my eyes roll. Some left me with a feeling of joy. If you like something different and even a little artsy, I highly recommend this movie.

NOTE: there is some swearing, but for some reason the foul language seems less foul when spoken in French!

The one draw back to this movie is that it only made me desire to visit Paris even more! Not every story was happy or beautiful and I saw many unpleasant sides to the "City of Love", but I am firm my belief that the French capital is a special place. One that I am determined to see before I leave this Earth.

You Shouldn't Judge A Book By It's Cover ... But I Often Do!

This probably isn't a good thing, but I am a sucker for packaging. I am much more likely to purchase something because it's pretty than because it is truly a good product. For example, a few years ago I was in Costco moving past the books table and I spotted a book, The Wine Maker's Daughter, and I was so intrigued by the cover that I bought it. The book was okay, but I did have to force myself to finish it to justify the purchase.

This cover is stunning and attention grabbing - I just couldn't pass it by.

Then there are fancy soaps; a REAL problem for me. I can't help myself around handmade soaps that have been wrapped in pink polka dot tissue paper and tied with a ribbon. I have dozens of these sitting, unwrapped in my linen closet. Why would I actually use them? They are so pretty!

To me, this is absolute eye candy!

So, when I ran out of my favorite body lotion, Aveeno Baby (which is about $5 a tube) I scurried to the store to buy more. But I went to the grocery outlet first to see if they had it for a cheaper price. No luck. But, they did have a jar of cocoa butter for $1.29. The price was appealing ... but the packaging was not!

There just isn't anything pretty about this jar. Even the color of yellow is alarming like road construction yellow. But the cocoa butter cream is what I plan to use from now on!

I have to say that trying to get used to the smell of this stuff took a while because I am quite partial to unscented lotions. But as a sufferer of very dry skin, this stuff rocks! I am so glad I ignored my packaging fetish ... uh, but I am thinking a lovely antique jar might be in order to store the cream in ... that yellow just wont do!