weird likes and dislikes

Have you ever seen Amelie? It's a French movie, and I suppose it's about a girl finding love, but the movie is spent peeking into neighbors' lives.

Every time a new character is introduced you find out all of their intimate likes and dislikes. The narrator tells us Amelie's father likes peeling large strips of wallpaper, lining up and shining his shoes, and emptying out his tool box, cleaning it out, and putting everything back. Her mother hates "pruney" fingers and pillow marks on her face in the morning. Amelie says, "I hate the way drivers never look at the road in old American movies." Some of her favorite things include plunging her hand deep into a bag of grain, cracking the top of creme brulee, and skipping stones on the Canal St-Martin.

There are certain tiny things in this life that give me a disproportionate amount of happiness. One of them is warm copies. I love picking up a stack of paper from the printer or, even better, an industrial photocopier and just feeling the heat soak into my hands. Sometimes after making copies in college I would put the whole stack inside my coat before running out into the West Michigan snow.

I have to have the first sip out of a soda can. And when I say soda, I mean only Diet Coke. I have an amazing husband who even lets me have the first sip out of his can cause he know how much I like it. ; )

It's weird, but I love taking my hair down after a long day. You know, that tingly feeling when all the hair follicles bend back to their correct location? Most people hate it. Not me.

Here are some things I don't like: clanging pots and pans (instant. rage.), being disturbed in the shower, and when foods come in odd amounts. And I mean odd as in not even.

This one may take some explaining. To the casual observer I probably appear to be a sane eater, but if you only knew the strategizing that goes on in my crazy little head. "Bites" have to come in equal amounts, one for each side of my mouth. When I'm eating pasta, if one side gets two pieces of penne, a piece of asparagus, and sausage, then the other side has to get the exact same thing. Pancakes and French toast have to be cut into even amounts to facilitate the equal bite dilemma. Chex mix requires intense concentration. So when I get a plate at a restaurant that only has five shrimp it really bugs me.

Rounding out my dislikes are diaper cakes (you have to be a frequent baby shower attendee to know about these monstrosities) and voicemails, both leaving them and listening to them. Just text me if I'm not answering. Don't waste 10 minutes of my life.

What are some of your weird likes/dislikes?

pinspiration - food edition

Here are some recipes I've "pinned" recently.

 Penne with Roasted Asparagus & Balsamic Butter

Just made this last night, and it was marvelous. We actually had dinner at 10pm last night. Zach didn't have to be at work until one in the morning, so I was a sweet wife and waited to have dinner with him. Awww.

 

Samoa Bundt Cake by Betsy Life

(This lady's the queen of bundts, you've gotta check them out.)

Doesn't this look extreme?! Samoas are my favorite Girl Scout cookie, so this got my attention right away. I'm notorious for promising to bake cakes and never getting around to them, so someone needs to keep me accountable. If I haven't made this within a month, then, then... teach me a lesson and make it for me! ; )

 

Artichoke Crusted Chicken by Sugarlaws

Made this just last week. Sooooo good. A few changes for next time: I'll double the recipe (it only called for two chicken breasts!). I'll change the mayo to Greek yoghurt; much healthier and, I think, tastier. Other than that, very easy yet fancy dinner.
 

Chickpea, Feta, and Parsley Salad by Simple Provisions

We had this alongside the Artichoke Chicken. Refreshing and fulfilling and the same time. The recipe makes quite a lot, so I made half one night then added quinoa and some edamame to it the next night. That made it a meal all by itself. Here's ours the first night:

I really like that the onions and garlic are sauteed first. I hate enjoying a salad then having onion breath forever afterward. You feel fresh while you're eating then immediately feel like you've gargled pure sweat. (Sorry, gross.) Anyway, the point is, this dish DOESN'T do that. Everything melds.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries by Sugar Derby

I've had these pinned forever. This needs to happen once strawberries are in season. The picture is pretty self explanatory. 1. Hollow out a strawberry. 2. Fill said strawberry with cheesecake filling. 3. Roll in graham cracker crumbs. 4. Put them on a pretty dish (with chocolate drizzle garnish, of course), sit down with a stack of magazines, and enjoy the high class life.

I mean, who has time to get a fork, a plate, cut a piece of cheesecake, cut up some strawb - I mean COME ON! I have a life. ; ) But seriously, they'd make a great party food. I will try it! I shall! (Can you tell how not into making desserts I am?)

There's a lot more dinner time inspiration on my "yummers" pinboard. Feel free to click the button on the right to follow me on Pinterest and see what's catching my eye these days.

Do you have any fun new recipes you've tried or are dying to try?

jaina's thought for the day

this happened

The pre-church prep was going so well this morning. I woke up before Jaina, fed her, and got her back in bed for a catnap. Then I had an hour to get myself ready. Zach even came back (after setting up chairs at church) to pick us up, so he fed Jaina her big girl breakfast. I tried something new with my hair, it turned out awesome, and we left on time!

Then we got out of the car at church, and I saw that this happened.

Red pants, pink shoes. Awesome.

If washing poop out of clothes and being spit up on didn't do it, this definitely makes me a real mom. ; )

fauxby love

We had some fun over the holidays with my friend, Holly, from My Life as Mommy & Wife. We were over baking cookies, and her 4-year-old daughter was very into watching "Baby Jaina". Look what happened when we let her "wear" her around (and by around i mean stand-there-still-while-we-hold-you-up-cause-this-baby-is-half-your-body-weight).

YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE CUTENESS!!! I think we found our future babysitter. Check out Holly's pics here.

I love how little girls are naturally so nurturing. Whenever we have another baby, I'll have to make Jaina her own Mini Fauxby to carry her dolls around.

ikea trip

Hello blogosphere! I hope everyone had as restful of a holiday as we did! I loved having my little family together for Christmas, and we even had some snow!

We took Jaina on her first Ikea run the other day. She seemed to enjoy it.

 She looks like she's getting ready to go skydiving.

She's just starting to sit up, so I got her cart cover out for the first time since it has extra straps to help keep her steady.

The trip was for my Christmas present; the Stenstorp.

 Stenstorp from Ikea

I've been looking at this baby for a long time. It's been a childhood dream of mine to have a kitchen island (seriously. i had very practical dreams.), and now I've got this cute little island/cart.

Ikea is probably the most family-friendly store there is. Did you know that if you're buying an adult meal in the restaurant they have jars of baby food for free?!? They have stools for kiddos in the bathrooms and even "emergency diaper kits" in case you forget. It's one of the few stores my hubby actually enjoys going to, so I see many family trips to Ikea in our future.

Here's the Stenstorp at home in our kitchen!

Isn't she sweet? I love the stainless shelves. There's already waaay too much wood in this kitchen, and all in shades I never would have picked myself (except for the antique pie safe. that was my great-grandma's, and i love, love, love it!). The butcher block top is great, and we can always stain it darker if we want.

Relatively baby-proof items on the shelves 

since we're anticipating her independence pretty soon. 

(I love having my Le Creuset on there. 

Hopefully it'll be too heavy for her to move.)

Adorable pitcher and glasses from my grandma's collection.

I've already put my island to good use. We used it to roll out samosas with the aunties the other night. And since then I've dished out no-bake cookies on it and used it to make meringues in honor of Downton Abbey's return. I'm finding it so much nicer to use it for kitchen tasks like chopping and such; rather than facing a wall at the counter. It gets way better light, and I can face Jaina while she's in her bouncy chair.

Speaking of which, I'll leave you with a video of this crazy chick.