Books, Books and Books

I have been reading a lot lately, both with my friend at work and on my own.  I attempted to read The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and I have to say, I was not up for the challenge.  I wanted to appreciate the interesting writing style and realize how important the book was, but I just didn't.

So...I moved on.  Since, I am all into running and finding peace in it, I took the suggestion of the lovely Elise Blaha and read Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes and the Greatest Race the World has Ever Seen by Christopher McDougall.  It was amazing and inspiring and made me feel small and like an uber small time runner (I still struggle with whether or not to call myself a runner).  I loved learning more about running and what I could be capable of.

From there, my pal and I moved on to Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.  It was petty darn good.  I liked following Ender through Battle School.  Parts were hard for me to read though.  The brutality of it all (yes, this is the same girl that loved the Hunger Games).  I guess I didn't like children that young fighting for a cause they didn't understand.

Now we have moved on to Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card.  So far I like it.  It is more involved than Ender's story, but follows a different young boy and his journey to save the world and find out more about himself.  Sometimes the stres of the book makes me not want to read it.  I think it is a summer thing.  I love reading random love stories and calm "beach novels" once summer hits.

As a result, I am slowly plugging my way through Ender's Shadow while also re-reading The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.  It is possibly one of my all time favorite books.  It does a great job of mixing romance with the impossibility of time travel.  It can be crude sometimes, but the story captures my heart.

So, what have you been reading?  Where do you get ideas on what to read next?  I have been checking out this site and making a list of other books I would like to read this summer.

February

I mentioned that I was working on a calendar.  Well, I finished it a while ago.  Nick hung it up in our kitchen.  I LOVE it!

Carrot Cake

I made my first carrot cake this week.  Let me just say it was amazing!  Here are the pictures.

Carrot Cake- Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home


Unsalted butter for pans
2 C. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground allspice
4 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 C. canola oil
3/4 C. sugar
1 C. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 C. buttermilk
3 C. lightly packed shredded carrots


Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and tap out the excess flour.


In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and allspice. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, granulated and brown sugars, and buttermilk until well blended.  Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until combined.  Fold in the carrots.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops of the batter with a rubber spatula.


Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 40 min. Let cool in the pans on wire racks for 15 min. Invert onto the racks, turn right sides up, and let cool completely.


Place 1 cake layer, top side down, on a plate.  Spread 1 1/4 cups of the frosting over the top.  Place the second cake layer, top side down, on top.  Spread the remaining frosting decoratively over the top and sides of the cake.  Serve right away, or cover with a cake dome and refrigerate for up to 2 days.  Bring to room temp. before serving.


Cream Cheese Frosting- Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home


1 lb cream cheese, at room temperature
6 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 C. confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract


In a large bowl, using  an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth.  On low speed, add the sugar and beat until smooth.  Beat in vanilla.


Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week, then bring to room temp. before using.






I followed both of the recipes and it made an amazing cake.  However, I would recommend putting parchment paper on the cake pans because my cake stuck a LOT!

The Boot

So, I have been hunting for a good boot for this year.  I have a boot from last year, but it is kind of small and let's face it my jeans don't fit well inside it.  Here are some great options Piperlime is offering.

I really like the buckle on this one by Chinese Laundry.

I like the tiny heel on this boot and the slouch by Steve Madden.

I like the clean lines of this boot along with the heel by Very Volatile.

On Our Nightstands: #6

So clearly, we are big readers in this household.  


In the past, it has been very difficult to keep track of what books I have read.  The blog has helped me to remember and asses how I feel about the books I read.  I tend to be one that looks for entertainment and not necessarily beneath the surface of that.  Writing about the books I read on here, helps me to look further into the things I read.  




I think this find on Etsy would be so helpful to me.

source

The book by CricketSnappers has pages for books with the date you read them and your feelings on the book.  It also has pages for favorite quotes, authors and characters.  I'm sure there are other versions of this other places, but I think this one is so cool!

Something to add to my birthday wish list...I think so!

Watches

I have always loved watches.  For one, I like knowing what time it is, but I also think they are a great accessory to any gal's favorite outfit.  It looks professional, but can be casual as well.  Despite my love for watches, we have a sorted past.  For the longest time, I would either break or lose my watches.  I, however, have grown up and am able to keep the same watch for a lot longer now.  


Fossil is my favorite watch brand.  I currently have a classic of theirs (I cannot seem to find it on their website).  It is small and silver.  I love it!


BUT I work at a restaurant and it gets wet a lot, then it turns my arm green/black.  Not attractive.  So here are a few of Fossils silicone options that I am looking at as a possible birthday present!

Riley Mini Silicone Watch White: $85

Riley Mini Silicone Watch White: $85

same name as the one above, but check out the bling!

Boyfriend Multifunction White Dial Watch: $95

Each of these watches make my fav. list because of the silicone band.  It is water resistant and would not cause the discoloration my current watch does.  I also like that each of these watches has the date on them.  I work different days each week and tend to lose track of the date, watches with the date on them are a huge time saver for me (no pun intended).

Most of the watches come in other colors as well.  I think white is my current favorite because it goes with anything, but I do like navy as well!

Living Room

As of now, the living room is the only room in the house that is filled with slightly unwanted hand-me-down furniture.  Not that I do not love my hand-me-downs, but they don't match our style any longer.  


Even though we aren't currently in the position to redo the living room, I would like to start making some decisions so we can at least head in the right direction.  We took the same approach with our bedroom, and now it is my favorite room in the house (pictures to come, when I have a day to clean it top to bottom first, lol).  


The first step in my "process" is to find lovely pictures of living rooms.  Oh and because I'm not the best blogger in the whole world, I only have a source for about half of these inspiration photos (eek!).

All of the above photos are from the all-inspiring House Beautiful living room slide show!  I find these all to be nice and neutral with pops of color here and there.  I think the very first is my current favorite because of the different textures and colors that blend well.

The above photos are the ones that I had in a file of inspiration, and have no clue of the source.  Of these, I think the last one is my favorite.  It has the same charm that the other favorite has.  I also really like the picture with the couple at their desks in the living room.  Nick and I are constantly sitting in the living room, me on my laptop on the couch and Nick behind me on his computer.  We enjoy being in the same room but doing separate things.  This would be a perfect way for us to be together and chat, but still be able to do different things.


Do you have favorite styles of the moment or a "process" for design?  

Dreams

So I've had this dream, to own an Inn.  It all started with my obsession with Gilmore Girls.  I love this show.  It is witty, smart and the mother daughter relationship between Lorelai and Rory is very similar to my relationship with my mother.


In the show, Sookie and Lorelai open an Inn together.  It is beautiful and amazing, and I want to own one...someday.  

source

The idea of feeding people and giving them a place to rest is very appealing to me.  I want my inn to be on the smaller side.  Maybe 20 rooms or so.  It will have a big library/sitting room and dining room.  The furniture will be comfy and welcoming.  The whole idea just makes me happy and warm inside.  


Nick is on board with the idea too.  Every once in a while, when we make an amazing breakfast, he will say "this will be perfect for our inn."  


In my dream, Nick and I live nearby.  Near enough to solve problems, but far enough away that we have a life separate from the inn.  We can't decide if we should wait to own the inn until we are older or if it is something we want to do when we still have kids in the house.


Either way, there is a lot that we need to do before we can own an inn.  For one, we need to save.  I also need more experience.  Have I mentioned before that I graduated with a degree in Hospitality and Food Management.  I've got a lot of food knowledge, but I need to learn more on the hotel/hospitality side before we jump into this endeavor.  


What dreams do you have?

Valentine's Day Wish List

Everyone has different ideas about the perfect gift for Valentine's Day.  My opinions on the matter have changed now that we are married.  Once upon a time, I wanted anything romantic or jewelry-esque.  Some of those items are still on my list, but now that it is OUR money and not HIS money, I feel like I am more aware of the impact of what I want or at least the necessity of what I want.

1.  Fruit art print from Jone's Design Company.  I love this print.  Our entire kitchen is in lime green, so it would match perfectly.  Plus it has the fruits of the spirit on it, which is a great way to have scripture in your home.

2.  Okay, so I really want some new stud earrings.  I thought these from HandyJan on Etsy would be a perfect way to symbolize the jewelry I want for Valentine's Day.  

3.  I LOVE Gap's intimate collection.  I didn't want to flaunt exactly what I wanted, but this is their logo for their Valentine's Day collection.

4.  Lately, I have been looking to redesign everything, mostly because of the lovely interior design blogs I've been admiring.  This duvet set from West Elm would go perfectly with how we would like to redo our bedroom.  The plan is to use this duvet with royal purple sheets!

5.  I mentioned in my Kitchen Wish List post that I have been jones-ing for a food processor...I just needed a holiday to ask for it. 

6.  Isn't this jewelry tree from Target fun and cute.  I love the idea of keeping my necklaces and bracelets out on display and untangled. 

What is on your Valentine's Day wish list?  Do you know what you are getting your Valentine? 

Kitchen Wish List

I love my kitchen, and all of the gadgets in it.  However, there are a few gadgets that I wish I had...

1. A food processor.  I know that most of the things that are done with a food processor can be done with other gadgets or by hand, but gosh darn it, I want it to be easier. 
2. I fell in love with KitchenAid Mixers at college.  Each kitchen had their own mixer, heaven.  I want it in Green Apple (an explanation to come later).
3. A knife is pointless if it isn't sharp (ha, that's a pun).  This one is from Crate and Barrel.
4. I find that there is never enough room for cupcakes on my cake stand.  A cupcake  carrier from Crate and Barrel would keep them so much fresher.
5. We had a wok, but when we brought it out to make the disastrous stir-fry it had rusted (it was really old).  This new one from Crate and Barrel would do the trick.


Is there any kitchen gadget you can't live without or wish you had?  Let us know.