Category: Everything Else

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Everything Else Reading

BlogHer Book Club: Theodora

BlogHer Book Club TheodoraI was about to type “I hadn’t read historical fiction much recently”, but I have. Although nothing this far back in history {probably since I read The Red Tent years ago}. The name Theodora was familiar to me ~ most likely from a flash back of a quick blip from a high school history book. I loved reading her story {albeit an amp’d up fictionalized version} in Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore by Stella Duffy {doesn’t that title just make you wanna hear more?!}.

As a dancer {although not a great one}, I remember taking classes & being pushed to try to get into the right positions & stay there. I never {thank God} experienced teachers or mentors or the harsh conditions, pain, & discipline like Theodora but that beginning performing part of her life drew me in.

I’ve traveled some, but nothing like the ways she did & what she experienced in those strange lands. The language Stella Duffy used brought those locations to life. I enjoyed the Christian theology discussed & hearing Theodora’s faith journey. The early law & how laws created or done away with during those times effected our laws is kind of mind blowing.

I finished this book Sunday night & was almost sad it was over. I liked it so much I wanted to read more. Hear more about Theodora’s wild life, to know what happened next. Instead, I’m excited to read & comment about this novel with others on the Theodora BlogHer Book Club discussion page.

This was a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

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Everything Else

Halloween Partyin’

I’ve seen everyone’s cute Halloween posts this week. Since it rained on Monday & we didn’t have a single trick-or-treater, I don’t have a post of that night. But Saturday night I dressed up, made my buffalo chicken {crack!} dip, & drove around the corner to my friends’ Halloween party.

I’d found the perfect costume online for me {Ketchup ~ by far my favorite condiment} as well as the paired Mustard tunic for the Husband. {Next year we’ll wear them again~maybe with future baby{s} as salt or salt & pepper?!!} Sadly, Jason worked late & I couldn’t convince him to join me at the party. With my new sober partier status, I was tired & didn’t stay as long as I’d have liked but long enough to take these fun photos of my work friends & their friends.

Halloween Party Costumes
Such creative costumes

Jenny aka the hostess with the mostess aka Jenny the Price is Right contestant aka Jenny one of two coworkers who knew my secret was having a great time. Her husband Matt {also my coworker} kicked ass as a seventies basketball player. Their house was decked out for the party. It was perfect.

My boss Roseanne & her boyfriend Trent went as the couple from Madame Butterfly. The other couples above were Jenny & Matt’s neighbors & friends. I loved the Flintstones & the Ohio State coach/cheerleader ideas.

Halloween Party Fun

My coworker Scott changed his mind last minute & showed up as a eighties work out dude {his costume had a battery powered fan in the back to keep it blown up!} while his girlfriend was a cute witch. My coworker Tammy {so creative! & crafty!} rocked as Rainbow Brite while her hubby Scott was a cowboy {maybe?}!

Cheers to Halloween!

There was a keg, jello shots & some honey whiskey brought out. I carried around a half empty solo of undrank beer then gave up trying & just had a cup of water. I think everyone in this crowd was having too much fun to notice. 😛

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Everything Else

Label Love {giveaway}

As you know, I’ve been traveling a lot recently. You’ve picked up too that I can be a bit messy since I must unpack my bags as soon as I arrive. This means at the end of a weekend, or as was the case for my work trips, a week, I have stuff everywhere! What’s helped me figure out what’s mine & where it ended up recently are Lovable Labels.

Back in September, I was contacted by Lovable Labels & received one of their back-to-school packs. While some things, like the “this shoe belongs to” stickers, I didn’t think would apply to me, I’ve found more & more uses for the labels. As I kicked shoes off all over my parents house & under the table at the wedding last weekend, I actually wished I’d stuck a label on those too.

They survive the dishwasher & have been a great way to make sure tailgating platters return to me as well as the water bottles & cups I take with me to work. I’ve used them to label all my cords~ perfect for travel so they don’t get mixed up with my parents’ cell chargers.

While I skipped one of their 45 options of icons & went with just my name on their polka dot design, you could choose a star, fish, cat, skull & cross bones or a football. These would be great though to label your family’s or your children’s toys, clothes, luggage & shoes.

I’m behind on this post so I thought the “back-to-school pack” wouldn’t work as well now, but the people over at Lovable Labels are accommodating enough to supply a “Holly Jolly Pack” early {it’s not even available online yet!} for one lucky winner!  This red foil holiday themed package includes 15 multi-purpose stickers, 40 slimline labels, 12 shoe labels, 24 press n’ stick clothing dots {6 large, 6 medium & 12 small}, and 2 mini-metal tags. Everything you need to cover the basics plus more. Thanks, Lovable Labels!

To Enter:  Go to the Lovable Labels website and leave a comment telling me which one of their amazing products is your favorite! Once you’ve entered by leaving a comment, you can gain additional entries:

Follow @mylovablelabels and @suzstreats on twitter and tweet “Win a Holly Jolly Pack  from @mylovablelabels & @suzstreats  http://suzstreats.com/label-love-giveaway” leave us the link for extra daily entries.

‘Like’ Lovable Labels on Facebook for one extra entry and write below that you are a new fan.

Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us the link for one extra entry.

This giveaway ends just in time for you &/or your child to get prepared for the holidays at 11p EST next Thursday November 3rd.  The winner will be selected by random.org & have 48 hours to respond to my notification email before another winner is selected. This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

The products in this review were provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed are my own & not influenced by monetary compensation.

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Everything Else Reading

Secret Daughter & How to Be an American Housewife

I finished Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda back in September. I realized last week that I had yet to share my thoughts here. This book was my book club’s October pick. I think as a whole we liked it.

None of us have ever traveled to India, so the parts that described India, it’s culture, especially involving the lives of women were very interesting. The big city life & such wide range of poverty & richness were fascinating.

Of course the struggle to be a mother & then the discussion of what defines a mother captured my heart. It seems I’m finding infertility&  pregnancy every where these days. My book club friends & I wondered if we could do what the mothers in this novel did ~ they’re strength is remarkable in such different ways.

We spoke in book club how such different pictures of marriage were depicted in this novel & we debated who’s was better or stronger.

I enjoyed Secret Daughter a lot. I liked the back & forth narrative between the characters & because of that, by the end I felt I really connected with each of the main female characters. I’d definitely recommend this to women’s book clubs or it read on your own.

Just to put it out there, this is not a paid review; I wasn’t chosen to be part of BlogHer’s How to Be an American Housewife Book Club {sad face}. But I’d heard it was good from a bunch of other places too & it was a short list at the library, so I was looking forward to reading the book.

I finished How To Be An American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway while I was in Edenton two weeks ago. I zoomed through it in just four nights {I might’ve stayed up until past midnight that Thursday because I had to know what happened}. Margaret did a great job {at least I thought so} making me feel what it would be like to be thrown into the life on an American housewife in post-WWII. I’d never really pondered the thought of the American way of cleaning, housekeeping, child-raising, cooking & what a wild experience that must look to someone from another country.

My favorite part~ that we followed Shocko’s story right up to the climax, then Margaret switched things on us as the readers. I loved following along with the story from all the perspectives.

Again this novel is Asian based. I was telling friends last weekend that I’ve read more books this year either with Asian characters &/or set in Japan or China. I’ve learned so much about these cultures & their history that I haven’t been bored. In fact, up next is another Asian book, the sequel to Shanghai Girls, Dreams of Joy which is my book club’s December pick.

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Everything Else

Pumpkin Surprise Cupcakes

After oooh’ing & aaahhh’ing over these cupcakes on Nicci & Suzanne‘s blogs, I knew I had to make them & soon. My parents’ visit & our big tailgate proved to be the perfect excuse.

Y’all know I love anything sweet & the fact that they’re just three or four ingredients makes them all the better.

Pumpkin Surprise Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 can Libby’s pumpkin
1 box white cake mix
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Mini candy of your choice~ I used Snickers, 3 Musketeers & Milky Way {the surprise}

Mix the pumpkin, cake mix & spice until combined. Line cupcake/muffin pans with liners or grease well. I made 18 smaller cupcakes, but you could easily make 12 bigger ones.

Easy, yummy & kinda healthy.

Pour the batter about half way in the cups. Top with your choice of mini candy bar. Or don’t & fill all the way {husband wasn’t sure about the “surprise” part, so I left six plain}. Fill the ones with chocolate goodness the rest of the way full. Be sure that the candy is completely covered. I had a few that weren’t & those weren’t much of a surprise.

Bake on 350 for 25 minutes or just until they begin to brown on top. Let cool then enjoy! We had them for dessert, breakfast & snacks, & they were so yummy for all three.

Pumpkin cupcake for breakfast, yes please!