For anyone that knows me well, knows that I like good food, but most days, I’m a simple cook.
If I don’t order it, it may come in a box, a cup, a bowl, or something similar. If none of these, then it’s fresh, raw fruit or veggie.
That being said, for me to make an elaborate, multi-step meal with multiple courses isn’t realistic.
I’ve tried and partnered with nearly every meal prep and delivery service out there. And still, meal time is a struggle for me nightly. And if I’m being honest, like I always am, the idea of making meals and dinner stresses me out more than most things in my life. I know that if I had a personal chef that would make the things I need to eat (like fruits and veggies) it wouldn’t be a problem.
If this person would also cook for my husband and children, I know it would take a lot of stress off my life.
The book that teaches you how to cook like your Grandma did
So, when I was offered to test out this new book, “The Anti-Cook Book” by Shelley Onderdonk and Rebecca Bloom, I was intrigued by the title. Easy, Thrifty Recipes for Food-Smart Living it goes on to say…
As I dug deeper and deeper into the book, I realized that any and everyone could use this book successfully. Because we all have little time and we all have to eat. These two moms, wives, and career women teach the readers that no matter your status, age, budget, background, makeup, anything else socioeconomic status wise –
You can do this!
Even for those of us who pretend to know what they are doing with our nutrition and in the kitchen (ME too).
The book is sprinkled with personal stories and easy, simple recipes with minimal instructions needed. And a bit of spunk and quirk along the way keeps you (it did me anyway) interested in the story and reasoning for the choices made in the book. Another sprinkling throughout the book that usually goes with a story:: Real text message conversations from the authors’ lives.
It supports the story and also that they know what they are doing.
Most of the cook books I’ve ever owned or seen have a full page, or very near full page, dedicated to a single recipe. This book combines story, ideas for using the recipe, proof it’s a great one, and then the recipe in short form. All on the same page. Incredible work and less intimidating for those of us (ME too) who don’t even want to open a recipe book because they are already checked out of the process.
Throughout the book are useful tips like planning meals for the whole week, without spending hours on end in the kitchen making them. Or when is appropriate to use Google because I know y’all pull out your phone or ask Siri whether you want to admit it or not!
It’s the perfect time of the year to gift this book to a Grad or a Dad in your life, or heck, an overwhelmed, underblessed Martha Stewart Mamma (also Me) who just wants to make their life a bit easier.
Grab the link here and get yourself and those who need this the most a copy. (It’s the cheapest cookbook I’ve ever seen!)
And leave me a comment letting me know your cooking/Martha Stewart style too. I’d love to know where you stand on this and if this book is on target or way off the mark for you!
With the increasing use of technology and the decreasing age at which children start learning technology, it’s becoming difficult to connect any toy in a past generation and keep interest for very long.
That’s where LEGO’s come in!
No matter what, even in technological games, you have to use your imagination and create something new. And that’s all LEGO’s have ever been about!
Why you should consider the Perfect Toys that have withstood Generations
I remember as a kid having a HUGE blue bucket full of all different shapes, sizes, and colors of LEGO’s that my siblings and I could spend HOURS creating whatever we wanted. I usually built a house that was very elaborate (big surprise that I love architecture and imagining what the house could be now, right?!). While my siblings built cars and such (also very telling to today’s interests.)
Since Leila was little, she’s always loved LEGO’s and has a table with little pockets to store her creations and extra pieces in her room. Now that Finlee’s showing an interest, I thought it would be perfect to partner with LEGO to showcase the new and classic options for World Creativity and Innovation Week.
Why you should consider the Perfect Toys that have withstood Generations
Leila got to build the new, LEGO friends collection as it has specific directions to ensure the shop is sturdy and stays together. Finlee played with the classic collection that’s seen a bit of an update and comes with pieces that have eyes and wheels.
It was super fun to be able to help them and tell stories of my siblings and I spending hours playing with our LEGO’s but also fun to watch their little minds work and put together all the pieces to their creations. And when Grandma came over, she could then tell her stories of playing with LEGO’s herself.
After they built their creations, they played with them for the next couple hours and even continued on with them for the next few days, taking a piece or a part along with them in the car. They still held up and didn’t break! I call that a win for no tears and unhappy kiddos!
If you are needing a new toy to help your kiddos take a break from the technology, but still get their creativity going, I highly encourage you to revisit LEGO’s as they will help in also developing their fine motor skills, which is important for school learning just as much as technology!
What are your favorite LEGO stories from when you were growing up?
M O M…. A three-letter word which I avoided owning for a very long time.
I didn’t think I was good enough to be a Mom and with some tragedies that happened in my life, I honestly didn’t think I wanted the responsibility. I didn’t think I was deserving of being a Mom when I became one. In fact, I wasn’t married, I wasn’t done with school. My life thus far hadn’t accomplished much to be proud of. And I didn’t think I knew enough to be a Mom to a child. I certainly wasn’t set up financially or stable even myself enough to care for the child. And I didn’t have a relationship with myself. Or one which I could rely on and know who I was when things got tough.
I thought that the most important thing was for me to put myself out there for men to like me. And that would mean I would love myself. When I found that didn’t work, I would go shopping to make myself feel better and ‘connect to me,’ which didn’t work either. I started moving my room around. Rearranging furniture in my house, throwing things away that I no longer needed amongst other things.
On the second to last day of camp counseling for the summer, I blacked out while running to a slip and slide in the grass. I remember running to the slip and slide, and then things went black. And I remember hitting the ground, and waking up with a really bad headache.
I was driven to the nearby hospital with the Camp Director. And when the nurse told me I needed to get a CAT scan, I needed to take a urine sample because they needed to make sure I wasn’t pregnant. I, of course, said there’s no way that’s possible but took the test anyways.
The next part was probably the most embarrassed I had been in my life to that point. The nurse came back into the room I was waiting in, with the MALE Camp Director waiting right outside my room with an open door, and told me that I was pregnant.
I think I went dark again. From embarrassment, from shock, from shame, from disappointment, and probably from the concussion I had.
I remember being wheeled into the room with the CAT scan, with the Camp Director following right behind the bed. And the intern doctor further explaining the reason they have to put a lead cover over me so they don’t hurt the baby.
I wanted it to be over and the quicker the better.
I was hoping it was all a bad dream. And that I would wake up and life would go back to normal. I don’t remember how I got home that day. I do remember going straight to bed, and trying to stay in bed for the next 2 days.
It might have been the first time I had depression in my life. I’ve never had it, but this is how I imagine it being. I didn’t leave my room, I didn’t eat, I called off work of my Serving/Bartending job. And I didn’t do anything except get more and more anxious and worried about this new situation.
I was about to enter my senior year in college – 2 semesters and I was done. First person in my family to achieve a Bachelor’s Degree and I thought my world was ending. In my mind, I was a huge disappointment, a failure, that my family would disown me, that I didn’t know how I was going to care for this little thing, how I was going to feed it, how I would keep a roof over its head, I was barely paying my bills for me.
I think at one point, I thought that I could wish and think it away. Which worked until the morning sickness settled in and I had a hard time brushing my teeth without feeling sick. I was so tired. I wasn’t waking up for classes. And I was still in denial and trying to figure out the perfect situation and time to tell everyone…. Which didn’t happen until I was almost 6 months along.
I went to all of my appointments alone.
I got myself government assistance alone. And I decided on a first name alone. I thought this situation was one I needed to face alone, because I created it and didn’t want to burden anyone else with it. I didn’t feel like I deserved to be the M O M word so I wasn’t going to share with anyone that I was soon to be one.
Once I finally let the cat out of the bag, I didn’t have to hide this, and my family didn’t disown me. I did receive support, and I didn’t have to do it alone anymore. It became increasingly difficult as my belly was growing to avoid or convince my mind that this was a dream. It started to become more of a reality and one I’m still not fond of after having a second child.
When Leila was born, I think it started to sink in that I was M O M. I was Mom because I nurse her. Because I carried her in my belly for 9 months to the day, because I bonded with her quickly. I had very little patience in settling her if it was the middle of the night, or if I was stressed out, which made me wonder ‘Am I worthy of being a Mom if I can’t deal with my own child?’ I didn’t feel worthy a lot of times when I couldn’t help her or couldn’t figure out what was going on. When she started talking, I don’t think it still settled in because I still didn’t know who I was at the core. I knew that I was Leila’s mom, and that I went to school for my degree, that I worked for X company.
At the end of the day, I didn’t know who Amy WAS.
I didn’t know anything about her. I didn’t know what she liked to read, what her passions were, what she didn’t like, people she called her friends and why, or even why Leila liked her so much.
Fast forward to when Leila was 2 ½, I made the decision that we were moving half way across the country to take a job because I was bored and desired change. I thought that Arizona was the key to all of my questions. When we arrived, it was only the two of us and plenty of time for me to discover who I was. Leila was pretty self-sufficient, and I felt like I had a new outlook on life. I started discovering things I was good doing. Things I didn’t like to do, and really enjoyed getting to know who Leila was becoming.
I learned to be ok with myself and that I didn’t need someone else there to make me happy. I grew to be happy with my thoughts and what my mind was saying. And I finally knew who Amy was at the core. I then realized that I am worthy of that three-letter word… M O M.
I finally believed with all of my heart and mind that I was a good Mom.
And I finally believed that I was capable of being a Mom. I finally realized that Leila came into my life when she did because I really needed her and not that she needed me. I needed her to show me I am capable, I am responsible, I am patient, I am worthy, I am/was ready, and I am deserving. It may have taken 2 ½ to 3 years for me to realize, and I may have missed out on some early memories with Leila because that depression came in, but I am forever grateful to have taken the time to learn.
Now, I get to teach Leila and sister, Finlee, who’s now 2 ½ all about discovering themselves. I get to empower them on their journey through life and someday, hopefully very far away, that they are fully deserving, capable, and worthy of that 3 letter word…. M O M.
Different statement, right? Why I will always schedule my nail salon appointments.
That’s a luxury item, right? Something that makes you feel good, or put together, or always on, right?
But there are people in this world who’ve NEVER had a manicure let alone the amazingness of a pedicure! Simply crazy to me!
I get it though, people’s priorities are different. Here’s why I always will keep my nail salon appointments over many other things.
Why my Nail Salon Appointments are A Must
If I didn’t ever dye my hair or if I chopped it all off, my husband wouldn’t care. He most likely wouldn’t notice unless I went bald.
I know that if I completely changed my wardrobe, he might give me some funny looks. But probably wouldn’t care too much either because he picked me for other reasons.
I don’t do a lot in the kitchen and we hire out a cleaning person because being domestic isn’t my strong suit. I can take a pretty picture, wear a face of makeup well, and can host people at our house like the drop of a hat. And I can help him change his email password and figure out some pretty techie things for not being a techie. I listen and give sage advice when needed most. I ensure our girls are taken care of and sometimes feel as if I’m raising them myself because he travels so much. Our house runs pretty well because I ensure it’s a well oiled machine.
BUT if my nails are growing out, or get chipped, it’s the first thing he notices! And I then hear about needing to go to the nail salon each and every day until it’s done…
I’m glad he does it.
Here’s why.
It gives me a routine and opportunity to take a little time for me when I wouldn’t otherwise take it. Every 2 weeks I get to take 2 hours out of my day and the hecticness that is our life and enjoy someone doing something for me.
This might sound really weird or that Steve is controlling or requiring too much from me but in all honesty, {while I think he likes it and wants me to have my hands looking nice} I think this is a very simple request compared to what a lot of people in relationships experience.
I mean, I decided on a whim that for the first time in our 5 year relationship that I wanted to go blonde. And didn’t need to ask his permission or if he would like it. I also decided on a whim without even talking about it first that I wanted to get my eyebrows micro-bladed for ease in my daily life. He barely noticed either of these things. <– well, he did notice the drastic difference in hair color, but only after a day or so.
Not to mention, I’m deathly terrified of needles and the thought about reliving that experience to write about it just now makes me a bit sick to my stomach and light headed — but TOTALLY worth it! As long as I’m happy and getting things done, he’s happy. Sometimes though, if I forget to schedule an appointment or if we are traveling, he will gladly remind me that I need to get to the nail salon as soon as we get back because it drives him crazy.
I think this is related to his dislike of chipped paint or scuffed walls in buildings or our home as he does the same thing when he notices that has occurred.
I know, super weird and interesting. But I wouldn’t have him any other way as he has enough going on in his mind already.
So tell me, what weird or unusual ‘requests’ does your’ significant others or spouses ask of you? xoxo, AJ
And if you are looking for some fun nail inspo, feel free to check out my Pinterest board all about nails AJ Wanderluxe Nail Files
As I dug deeper and deeper into the book, I realized that any and everyone could use this book successfully. Because we all have little time and we all have to eat. These two moms, wives, and career women teach the readers that no matter your status, age, budget, background, makeup, anything else socioeconomic status wise –
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