What's for Dinner?

A few weekends ago, I went to the Junior League Holiday Mart with a good buddy!  We walked, talked, laughed, and spent money---and it's turning out to be money well spent.

I bought a My Family Meal Planner thinking I would actually take the time to cook Hubs and I dinner during the week.  We are constantly waiting until 8pm an then ordering pizza because we have no other plan. So, this planner provides 4 recipes a week complete with a shopping list.  We started on Sunday and we're on day 3.  Each day makes 4-8 servings so we have leftovers; which means we really don't need more than 4 recipes a week.  And so far, they have all been delicious!

My favorite part   The meals are already planned (with healthy, close to the earth ingredients) so all I have to do is go to the store with the preprinted grocery list and make dinner..absolutely no thinking involved!  Monday, was Beef Stroganoff with tons of mushrooms (Hubs and I don't even like mushrooms) so I chopped them up super fine and we both loved it.  So, we (aka I) have resigned ourselves to trying everything in the planned order and then making decisions about what to remake the next time around.

This meal plan is changing our lives.  I love having something homemade to eat that only takes a few minutes to prepare.  It also makes me feel like I'm doing something nice for my Husband.  Hubs used to take the lead on all things cooked.  I'm hoping he likes the real food as much as I do; although I'm pretty sure he would say he loved it even if he didn't...I got lucky in the Husband department :)

Nook Schmook! I Like Books...

Last Friday Hubs and I headed over to Barnes and Noble to pick up the next installment of Chelsea Handler's books.  I started with the last one (Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang) since it was getting so much hype and fell in love.  I've never laughed out loud so many times during one book in my entire life--I finished it in two days.  I highly recommend this book for an entertaining read. 

          Anyway, while we were at BN I found a couple books I wanted including, "Are You There Vodka?  It's Me, Chelsea" and "The Reliable Wife.”   Hubs found the "Nook" display.  (The Nook is B/N's version of the Kindle.  Hubs has been dying to get me a Kindle since we started dating and I've always managed to successfully fight him on it.  There's just something about having the actual book in your hand; the satisfaction of adding each book to my collection and looking back at all the books I've read that makes me feel proud.  The "Nook" offers no such feeling. 
          So, Hubs starts talking to the sales guy about it.  He asks how much the books I've picked up cost vs. how much the electronic version would cost.  And basically used the sales guy to successfully beat down any rebuttal I generated. All I wanted to do was pay for the books in my hand and leave:

Hubs:  I think we should get you a Nook.   

Me:  Yeah, I know but I just don't want one.

Hubs:  Why?  THEY ARE AWESOME!

Me:  I don’t  know. 

Hubs:  Ok, let’s get it.

Me:  No, I like collecting books. 

Hubs:  They'll be saved right here on your Nook forever.  Like your iPod. 

Me:  These books are only $30 as opposed to spending all that money for a Nook that I don't even want....

Sales Guy:  Oh, yeah, well I think you get a $50 gift card just for buying the Nook...AND you can use it for the purchase of the Nook if you want.

Me:  Seriously?  I just don't think we NEED it.

Hubs:  It just makes sense. Think of all the money we are going to save on books. 

Sales Guy:  You can shop online and never have to come to the book store again.

Me:  But I like coming to the book store.

Sales guy:  Well, when you come into any B/N store you can read ALL the eBooks for free every day.  So, you could technically never buy another a book if you didn’t want too…they’re all free.  

Me:  Yeah, but it's just another thing for me to charge.  What if I'm traveling?  It would totally suck if it died on a plane. 

Hubs:  (googling) The battery lasts 10 days!

Me:  Really, I don’t think we need it.

Hubs:  Come’on I think you are gonna love it.  

Me:  Fine.  But I'm getting the super cute pink case for it too.

Hubs:  This one?  Let me carry that to register for you!

 

        So, after we got home with the Nook, in true geeky husband fashion, Hubs had to play with it first.  He sat it up and downloaded the books I had picked up earlier.  While he did all that I wallered the couch like a 5 year old annoyed that if I had just bought the actual books I would have already been halfway done with one of them.  I bet I asked him 20 times if I was ready to read books yet and he simply replied, “almost.”  Until I was ready for bed.

          I've had the Nook for less than a week and (please don’t tell Hubs) I actually LOVE it.  All the books are right there and when you turn it on it actually picks up right where you left off.  I’ve yet to charge it and the battery is still over half way full.  I cannot believe I've survived this long without it.  So, I’m sorry for all that fighting and whining and complaining.  Hubs was right.  Reading is more fun with technology!

Thanks Hubs!

Out with the Old - In with the New

This weekend has been the first of many things that are changing in our lives.  First, we traded in Hubs’ Highlander for a new Rav 4—lower payments coupled with less history sounds like a winner to me.  And it looks like we have an offer on Hubs’ house by extremely anxious buyers wanting to move by the middle of May! 

It feels good to see some financial relief in our future.  I’m very much looking forward to finally enjoying the spoils of a two income household---something we’ve definitely been missing out on.  He had his house.  I had mine.  And our money was spent accordingly.  However, the longer we’re married the less tolerant I’m becoming of the past.  I know it’s important to remember everyone has a history but when we pay this bill for that reason and we have to pay this because of that….it drives me bananas.  I love the idea of stepping forward into our own lives--out with the old and in with the new.

For those of you that enjoy reading ridiculous conversation between Hubs and I…this one is a classic:  

Hubs:  Maybe we should just get the base model, you know, and save as much money as possible.

Me:  Seriously?  It barely has any buttons?

Hubs:  I know, but I’ll drive it and we can totally get by with a base model.  

Me:  Are you prepared to roll down the windows by cranking? 

Hubs:  It doesn’t have crank windows….does it?

Me: In a moment like this, there’s only one question that needs to be answered...

Hubs:  Yeah?

Me:  Are we KEY people?  Or KEY FOB people?

Hubs:  Key Fob. 

Me:  That’s what I thought. 

I need a job

Today was crappy.  And fun.  I parted ways with my employer.  Crappy.  To celebrate ?  I went shopping with my mom and sister.  Fun.  What is it about spending money that makes a girl feel better?  (It turns out shopping is a much better workout than stress eating!)  We wondered around for several hours looking, laughing, and having a great time.  I didn't realized how much I missed them!  Oh, and my feet are broken from walking around in the worlds ouchiest 4 inch heels for 3 hours.  They (as in my feet) might have been ok had I not insisted we walk across the center to see if Uggs were on sale.....and of course they weren't.  What were we (my sister and I, mom called it right away) thinking?  I guess it never hurts to check.  Next time, I will wear more appropriate footwear.......maybe.

Anyway, I need a job.  And soon.