A pretty interesting post

Averie always has great posts but I really thought this one was a great read, what so you think?

http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2010/12/natures-pharmacy-fun-food-facts-diet.html

Folding friendships

Today I was blessed! I was able to play driedle with a friend (she taught me - I'd never played before) and then she was kind enough to uncondisendingly show me how to make origami cranes.

The reason this was so impressive is that a few years ago I folded well over 1,000 cranes for my mom as a mothers day gift - 3 months later she was diagnosed with her evil cancer. As she succumbed to her illness I did to mine too. After mom's passing I slipped into some deep depression and ED and apparently that stole the ability to fold cranes from me. I relearned and took step by step photos... And she coached and cheered, just what I needed today! A day I knew I had a rough therapy session ahead of me and a no doubt stressful doc appointment tomorrow.
For a couple (of all too quick hours) I headed out a lot happier than I have been in a bit!
And while I am singing her kudos (not saying her name in case she prefers I not) this is my same friend who gave me 24/7 access to call her when I was in a bad place!

This is what Martha would call a good thing!

A week...

How are you?
This week has been a rollercoaster for me. Pupster and I are currently cuddling in bed but I spent most of yesterday and the day before thinking I didn't want a dog anymore. So let's get on with some of the highs and lows of this week. I made homemade (bread machine) bread for a bake swap - I hope oprahby2011.com liked it! And then I made melissa's whipper snappers (for the recipe go here). http://rainforestgurl.blogspot.com/2010/12/blogger-cookie-exchange.html
First I made red velvet and sister, hubster, and friends could not eat them fast enough - side note what is red velvet?

Then I made strawberry. The only difference I do is I don't roll them in powdered sugar I plop them on the parchment and sprinkle it over because I hate touching food. And again they were loved - definitely a new go to recipe! I also sent some (with the oatmeal cookies) to the winner of tina's (carrotsncake.com) auction - hope they are well received!

So that is all the good stuff the bad is that I *think* my therapist has discharged me (he wants to see me Monday but that is the distinct feeling I get) so I am going to have to figure that one out... And to boot this week's labs came back bad so I am fearing that there is a hospital visit in my near future (I am quite hoping it will be after Christmas) ugh it always happens all at once doesn't it?

But the good news is that the house is decorated and the caroles are playing and honestly life is good!

So tell me about your week?
And I can't wait to tell you about Sturbridge

Created a keeper + a recipe

Pupster is my sidekick, my constant companion and so the other day when his breeder sent me pictures of a new litter my heart melted. I want one was my first thought! Followed closely by poor pupster would have to share my love and attention (hubster notwithstanding of course) I could never do that to him! I am still debating, our old dog is fading quickly and I doubt she will make the winter (fear not she's not in pain) and I worry if he would be miserable alone. I debate if he needs a puppy of his own or if I could adopt an older dog for him (he is only 1 1/2) these were the thoughts that ran through my head as we walked yesterday (old lady says no thanks to the walks and uses the dog door and the fenced in run). All in all the only thing I could come up with was that pupster is a keeper!

Speaking of keepers

Brown sugar oatmeal cookies with red hots are keepers too (5 stars from the hubster)

1 bar earth balance butter flavor
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 generous cup organic quick cooking oats (whole foods bulk bin)
6 tablespoons flour (I used half white all purpose half while wheat)
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons red hots candy

Combine until "fluffy" earth balance, egg, brown sugar and vanilla.
In a separate mixing bowl combine oats, flour, and cinnamon.
Mix the dry into the wet - just mix until combined, do not over mix.
Add in red hots (and chocolate chips if desired) scoop teaspoons full onto a parchment lined sheet and bake at 325* for 11-13 minutes until just browning.
I recommend cooking on the parchment (the red hits melt) and keeping an eye in them. They go from not done to burned very quickly

Just random

I have so many thoughts running through my head lately. Partly about this blog, I really don't know where I want it to go... I am honestly struggling in my recovery and think that this blog is something I need as a part of it. But what kind of blog is it?
A healthy living blog? No, not now but hopefully someday!
A craft blog? Again no, crafting is a part if me but I will occasionally go easily a month without doing a single one
A pet blog? Doubt it, I do love pupster and the horse but I'm not sure that that's what I need...
I think it's going to be a joy blog a little of me on the web.
I asked for a writing class for Christmas I would like to write well make sense and have opinions and stories and yes giveaways!

For today;
I am thankful for the ability to keep fighting

And as for the cake above? Hubster's birthday is thanksgiving but I had a party for him on Saturday - I made a cake (I was so proud of me) the theme was star wars - so yoda it was... My 4 year old nephew stopped by and informed me "that's not yoda! It's shrek silly aunty"

Photo for etsy

I am excited to be getting a profile of my friends dig for her and this is the picture I have for the artist (if it isn't good enough let me know and I will take another)

Missing the point?

I am a true believer in alternative medicines. Today I woke up physically mentally and spiritually just off. When 1:00 hit and other than a run on the treadmill I had done nothing I knew I needed to do something (ha! That sentence makes mo sense yet says it all) so I called to see if acupuncture clinic could fit me in - and they could! And so here I lay not being restful but instead reading my google reader and blogging...
Do you think I am missing the point here?

What about you? What R some things you could do to better help yourself?

Well I am off to relax

Day 11

Today was all about smiles - see it is a picture frame quilt so it says "smiles are
Perfect"

Day 10

I left this one at the bank. Banking stresses me so I wanted to give someone a highlight while they are there. And leaving it certainly lifted my day

Day 9

I figure that everyone needs to remember they are great!

Day 8

I am loving the operation beautiful note a day project - though a couple days I have missed and had to do two the next day! Today I put it on every bloggers love:
Pumpkin by Libby

Day 7

Believe in yourself! At the grocery store

Day 6

Today's amuses me :-) get it - the tag says you rock and it is a rock water fountain!

My macaroon Monday

Well it certainly isn't a macaroon but it is something I have wanted to create for a while but didn't know how. Julie, Evan, and Heather's fun macaroon Monday http://www.hangrypants.com/2010/10/macaroon-monday/ gave me the impetus I needed to create a warm fruit soup...

In the summer I am all about the homemade Popsicle but come cooler weather I only want soups. Even fruit is not appealing so I have long thought a warmed fruit soup would be delish but all the recipes I saw just weren't for me.

Yesterday I made my own!
To recreate you need:
32 ounces of apple juice (I used light)
1 1/2 cup sliced peaches (I used half a bag of frozen)
1/4 cup sweetener (I used splenda)
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 cup coconut milk (I used trader joes light)

Place all ingredients in a small crockpot for 8-10 hours and then immersion blend. For the hubster I portioned out a cup and added in 1/4 cup old fashioned oats (uncooked) and let set for 5 minutes so there was a little bite to it. For me I drank it plain. It was SO GOOD! trust me you want this in your rotation!

Day 5

Today's was a "calm" tea left on a restaurant table that I wrote keep calm + enjoy life operationbeautiful.com

Day 4

I love that this pit looks as though he's smiling and the note says smiles are beautiful

Day 3

This one also says you are amazing (I need creative ideas) but that seemed appropriate for a display of the museum of science

Do I make you proud?

Do you know that song? Taylor hicks sings it. Hubster loves it! And he lives it! The other day we went to screemfest at canobie lake park and I am such a chicken and they were selling glow necklaces for $5 so the "monsters" wouldn't get you. Well hubster practically skipped me over to the vendor. He really didn't care that if they weren't going to scare me and he was with me he was going to lose out on that experience too. When I pointed that out he said I vowed to keep you safe from everyone I can and these characters are some of them! I snuggled him and he whispered that that was way better than anything a theme park could offer him! Yup he made me proud!

I wanted to give him a little something and I KNEW just what to offer! I went on the above roller coaster with him! We sat in the front seat and I only offered one blood curdling scream he told me how proud he was :-D

The rest of the night we all just hung out having a great time until I suggested the 2 boys do the haunted house without us so they could get the full effect (we all had gone through one - hubster was a rockstar who held my hand pointed out my necklace accepted my tightly closed eyes and told me a story of princesses as I squirmed through praying to die rather than go through this). They went but I got frequent texts making sure I was okay (I need to add here that if I wasn't truly afraid of every part of this - with reason - he wouldn't have been so cautious he does NOT BABY me and I wouldn't want him to)

And over all he continued to make me proud!

So how about you... What are your fears? If you are in a relationship does your SO accept them?

Day 2

Today I wrote in the back of a receipt at a cool boutique and left it at the register - I realized though that I forgot to put operationbeautiful.com on the bottom!

Where are some of your favorite places you have left ob notes?

Day 1

My goal for November is to put out an operation beautiful note and then blog it!

This one says smiles are awesome