Thursday, January 21, 2010

Suggestions?

I need your help. I have no clue who "you" are and I fear asking for "your" help because "you" may not even exist. I am not one to beg for comments. I am too prideful for that and I like to believe there are readers out there that don't think I am wasting my free time by writing about the ups and downs of motherhood and the weather, whether or not I ever see a comment. Wow, I wouldn't read either now that I recap it like that....But I do need some help here.

Last night I finished The Help that I read the last week and a half. Brad literally started dancing around the living room when I closed the book with a nostalgic sigh. He hasn't been able to even lay a finger on me since I opened the book. Unfortunately, when I find a good book I jump in head first with no life saver and I just immerse myself in the story. Therefore, any physical contact with reality (being a husband) hinders me from sinking to the bottom of the novel as I so love to do. So as you can imagine Brad was counting down the 455 pages one by one until he could be near me again. Well, atleast for today, honey, I am all yours!

That's where "you" come in to the picture. You and I both have 15+ novels scattered throughout our respective houses waiting to be devoured. I bought one that I overheard while on a flight somewhere. You took your sisters copy of the book she read in a week. Either way - I have boocoodles of books I could read but I don't want just any book right now. I want another story that pulls me in so hard that I literally dream as if I were in the setting of the book all night long. And I want to feel a little empowered when I am done....that's all. Please send me your latest suggestion. I'm not scared of weird titles or forbidden subjects or super thick books. I just want another good one to keep me on the cloud I've been riding the last few weeks. Thank you dear readers.

Also, when I am not reading these days and tending to a little person I am either eating or thinking about eating. I need "your" help again. I am tired of my 4 stand by meals at night for dinner. More so, one night a week I usually do some kind of big salad which is really just a conglomeration of everything left in the fridge. Somehow though the ingredients I use tend to make my salads the price of a 3 course meal at Chops. Brad doesn't understand this but I am sure you know what I mean....you gotta have fancy cheese for your salads and the perfect mixture of crunchiness and depth. Well, we are about tired of these over-dressed salads along with the 3 other meals I whip together. So, please, again, dear readers, send me the first "go-to" meal that comes to your head. There are no prizes here - just alot of gratitude and admiration from afar.

I'll pay your kindness in both of these areas forward.

Yours,
Desperate homemaker in Savannah

9 comments:

  1. Just sent you a thousand emails with recipes and books. Love your blog and Love you!

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  2. okay. I don't cook. I eat out at taco bell 4x a week (insert pity for my husband and unborn child here). So I got nothin' on the meal front. But on the book front! Top 5 most recent reads

    the Red Tent- AWESOME historical/biblical story of the tribes of Israel. Reads like a sultry soap opera instead of old Testament book though!

    water for elephants- a little sad and a random theme for me (the circus, turn of the century) but the story will suck you in like crazy)

    Friday Night Knitting club and sequel Knit two. I am not into knitting (though there's a precious new store in VA Highlands called KNITCH that makes me want to learn :) Just a good story about women friendships. One of my favorite story lines/topics.

    The Last Song- the newest Nicholas Sparks. His books are sometimes too similar for me, same story, different characters, but I love them anyway. I haven't read this one yet since I'm grounded from all non-people.com reading until my licensure exam in Feb :)

    A thousand Splendid Suns- this one is old. you've probably read it, but it's by the author of Kite Runner. One of my top 5 ever books.

    Feel free to do a post on your favorite books too!

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  3. Hey! (sorry I haven't written you back from your text -- the answer is not that I know of!)

    I'm so glad you loved The Help. Oh my gosh -- it was so good! I feel like you after I finish a book I want more, more, more!!!

    These are my favorite books:

    Same Kind of Different As Me
    The Mark of the Lion series (3 books-changed my life!)
    The Scarlett Thread
    The Atonement Child
    The Swan House
    Gone With the Wind

    My sister just gave me the recipe for her homemade pizza and it is delish but too long -- I'll call you on that one. Tonight we had chicken & vegetable "stir fry"...
    Just saute cut up chicken and frozen vegetables with some stir fry sauce, cook spaghetti noodles (I use wheat) and mix all together adding as much more sauce as you want (but not too much). Yum!

    I need to cook more! And then I will share more recipes : )

    Love ya!

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  4. Hey girl! I'll try to send you some recipes this weekend. I would sent book suggestions but I don't do much reading:) Although I'm reading Baby Whisperer right now! Thanks for the sound machine advice, I found a fan in our house that is loud we've been using for now. Did y'all have Brooks in your room or did he sleep in his room. We've been trying his crib and it seems to be working so as sad as it is I may need to do that. It just helps Sam sleep better too!

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  5. I often ask myself both these questions..We need to have an ongoing forum!

    Books:

    -American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield
    -Time Traveler's Wife
    -Revolutionary Road (the book)
    -The Lovely Bones (i heard the movie wasn't that great)

    *Some of them are older books so you might have read but those are the only ones (on my shelves stacked high!) that I really really liked...I loved the Thornbirds (which you suggested from your blog!) so I am with you on those epic, take my away from this world novels!! Keep us posted if you find more. I need to go get the "HELP" ASAP. My day today requires a major "take me away" moment!! Ahh. xoxo.

    Oh and can we have like every Tuesday or Thursday we blog new recipe ideas? Anyone else want to join?!

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  6. I have to say I agree with Emilie on the Mark of the Lion series. Those books seriously made an impression on me. I have a picture of me and Ryan in Canada when we were dating and I'm sitting with one of the books in my lap. I couldn't put them down. It's a story that sucks you in (suspense, romance, conflict etc...)but ultimately leaves you wanting the faith of the girl in the story so badly. Amazing!

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  7. I love to read, but haven't had much time lately. And, I read chick flicks. Nothing but easy beach reads. It is all my brain can handle right now. As for recipes, we have been eating alot of chilli around here. I know chili recipes are a dime a dozen so I will spare you mine. But, chili is easy so keep that in mind. I also LOVE the crock pot!!
    But, I love to give out this easy recipe for porkchops b/c it has ingredients that most people have in their house.

    Take 4-6 pork chops and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Mix about 3/4 cup ketchup with about 1/2 can of coke (diet coke also works) and pour over chops. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Cook at 350 for 20-45 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops. I usually serve this with this super easy brown rice: 1 cup uncooked regular white rice, 1 can beef consome, 1 can french onion, and 1 stick of butter ( I usually only use a few tablespoons). All go in a well-greased casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes at 350. If you can't tell, I prefer EASY recipes in my house! Good luck!

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  8. Also, have you read:

    Something Borrowed
    Something Blue
    Baby Proof
    and
    Love the One You're With

    These are all by Emily Griffin and are fun, girly books. And, have you read the Twilight series?? I didn't think I would or if I did I thought I wouldn't like but I LOVED them!!! Read them all last summer : ) I have all these that I mentioned so I could just send you a package if you want.

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  9. Okay, I'm reading this one late, but....

    A) I LOVED The Help! I finished reading it right before AG was born, and literally kept hoping she'd wait until I was done with the book! And, as we all know, she waited...and waited....

    B) I second everyone who said The Mark of Lion Series, anything by Francine Rivers, all of the Emily Giffin books listed above, and AMEN to the Twilight series! In fact, start with that one, b/c I guarantee you will not speak to Brad until you are done with the 4th book. (Sorry, Brad!)

    C) I can't really help you with recipes, since my most sophisticated meal of late is Ramen noodles and ground beef. But, ask Caroline for her chicken artichoke casserole...it's YUMMY!

    Love you, girl!

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