Green thumb?

Meet my new obsession. Succulents. I just really think they are so awesome and very unique. One of C's friends gave me a sproutlette from her own garden as a housewarming gift and I was hooked. I have since then acquired two more little plants and want to build it into a large lush beautiful succulent garden.

They are very easy to take care of. Leave them in the sunlight (my little pot sits on the window sill over the sink in the kitchen) and water sporadically - every 3-4 days. There are tons of different varieties, so just head on over to Lowes (or where ever) and spend some time in the garden section. The smaller ones - like mine - are super cheap.

Aeonium-----Kiwi Aeonium-----Jade Plant

Date Night Movie Review #3 - 500 days of Summer

It is a rare treat that C and I actually get to go see a movie in theaters, which was something we did almost every weekend before becoming parents. So after much debate between Inglorious Bastards and 500 Days...I won!

Synopsis: Does true love exist? For Tom it does, in the form of Summer Finn. During the course of 500 days - give or take - Tom discovers that he wants to spend the rest of his life with Summer, that she is every thing he could ever want from her smile to her laugh to the heart-shaped birth mark on her shoulder. She is perfect for him, except that Summer doesn't believe in love, or relationships for that matter.

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I adore 500 days! It is a sweet, terribly funny, and very touching. Even C liked it - well, the film lover liked it a lot, but the man hated it. It is a romantic comedy, but unlike most, it is the guy that falls...hard and eventually winds up heart broken and alone. Watch it, love it, cry a little even. I did.

Young Picasso

I am an art dork. As long as I can remember, I have drawn, painted, sewn, crafted, anything I could get my hands on. I owe it all to my mom; she always encouraged me to be artsy and creative. We used to make paper dolls together and watched Bob Ross paint his "happy little trees" and I have some very fond memories, and (I think at least) a little bit of skill because of it. Now that I am a mom, I wanted to do the same for my daughter. Whatever she does, I want to encourage her. But since I am an art lover; I have been eagerly awaiting the day that M was old enough to grasp a crayon and make her first little scribbles...

I found these great little markers called Crayola Beginners and are made for toddlers and are shaped to fit in their hands. They are really great and super cute!

Washable (a must), non-toxic, and apparently tasty...

I love fabric shopping

Really, it's a very fun way to spend C's money. If I was wealthy, I would have bolts just stockpiled around the house. There are a couple of places online that I am a regular customer. One in particular is Fabric Supplies on Etsy. (fabricsupplies.etsy.com) They have one of the biggest selections of designer and Japanese import fabrics, I have ever found. And they are super speedy shippers, which is very cool for antsy people like me. I found some really awesome prints that will be turned into bags for my etsy shop (happybuddha.etsy.com - shameless plug), and a really cute Japanese print that i am gonna make into a dress for M.

Not sure what i am gonna make yet, but it is sure to be cute! I will prolly put a pattern how-to and pics along the way.

yoga, pilates, and aerobics make for a sore and sweaty momma

So I have jumped on the health craze band wagon, I guess. C and I have gotten a little out of shape since our daughter was born. He works all the time and barely has time for us let alone keeping in shape; and I stay at home and let me tell ya, it is awfully tempting to just veg out on the couch when M is napping. We have been talking about gym memberships for a while now, but we are a single income family with bills and a mortgage, a gym is really out of the question. I love love love yoga - did it while I was preggers (oh lord does it ever help! can we say 2 hr labor?) and really got into it. So I did some research and found this great dvd for $10!

I have never watched the show, but the workout is intense! C is doing it with me and scoffed at the notion of a yoga-based workout. After the first time, I was very pleased to see that it whooped his butt as bad as mine! It's intense and hard and will make you sweat, but I feel awesome afterwards!

Date Night Movie Review #2 - Watchmen

This week's movie is the super awesome, super hero movie, Watchmen.

Starring Billy Cruddup

Synopsis: Based on the popular graphic novel, Watchmen is set in an alternate 1985 where Nixon is still president and the cold war with Russia is at a breaking point. A group of outlawed superheroes try to uncover a plot to kill all former "masks" while trying to save humanity from nuclear holocaust.

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If you like superheros and awesome special effect and have a LOT of patients, then you will really enjoy Watchmen. It is very, very, very long - almost 3 hours long. Lord of the Rings long. It's a good thing we watched the dvd - had to pause for potty breaks! But none-the-less, it is relatively good. The characters are well developed (part of the reason it's so long) and the storyline is engrossing. If you can get past a blue muscley man with a wagging penis, then you should be alright.

Super Awesome Turkey Burgers

One of my favorite things to cook for the fam is turkey burgers. They are healthy, tasy and kid-friendly. It has taken many attempts, but i have perfect the recipes and they are awesome.

No, they are super awesome.

Recipe:

1 lb. extra lean ground turkey meat
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
dash of salt and pepper
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onion stalks, sliced
1 avocado
1 tablespoon mayo
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
lime juice (optional)
spinach
monterey jack cheese
red onion
bun

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Directions:

-Combine turkey, soy sauce, liquid smoke, s-n-p, garlic and green onion in large bowl. Mix thoroughly and divide into four equal balls.
-Form balls into large patties and either cook on a grill (heated to 350) or large skillet (with a bit of olive oil so they don't stick).
-Cook patties, flipping once after 6-8 minutes.
-Place on bun and top with avocado spread, cheese, spinach and red onions.

(Avocado spread - mash avo in a bowl and add mayo and mustard. splash a bit of lime juice for extra flavor)

C loves 'em

Date Night Movie Review #1 - Blindness

My husband and I are big time movie buffs. It's something we enjoy to do together, and it is a way for us to connect as a couple again after spending all day being parents. Sunday is family day, but Friday night is movie night (at the very least - we watch a LOT of movies). With out it, we usually get caught up with our own stuff and tend to neglect each other. Every couple needs that little get-a-way, and I highly recommend movie night.

So, sit back, grab your honey and the pop corn and check out this week's movie...

Starring Julianne Moore & Mark Ruffalo

Synopsis: A city is ravaged by an epidemic of instant "white blindness". Those first afflicted are quarantined by the authorities in an abandoned mental hospital where the newly created "society of the blind" quickly breaks down. Criminals and the physically powerful prey upon the weak, hording the meager food rations and committing horrific acts. There is however one eyewitness to the nightmare. A woman whose sight is unaffected by the plague follows her afflicted husband to quarantine. There, keeping her sight a secret, she guides seven strangers who have become, in essence, a family. She leads them out of quarantine and onto the ravaged streets of the city, which has seen all vestiges of civilization crumble.

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This movie is a hard pill to swallow. It is dark, depressing and very disturbing. But that's how I like my movies! I am all for the atypical flick. Don't get me wrong, there were several parts that made my stomach turn and left me a little shaken; but to me, that's sign of a really good movie. It's a very unusual story that has a small beginning and a small ending. There aren't really any major plot points, or big revelations - which is why C didn't like it. He wanted to know why, but they never say. But the story in itself was solid, and not something that one sees every day. Again, if you are of the faint-hearted variety, I wouldn't recommend watching it. But for those cinophiles with an adventurous spirit - watch it, discuss it (my favorite part of the movie experience), and relish in the thought of it.