The Best Date Night...Ever

I spent my Friday night on a date that most would dream of. We enjoyed an early dinner in a quaint neighborhood seafood restaurant. We managed to score a corner booth where we had plenty of room to spread out but the opportunity to sit close if desired. I ordered a ceasar salad and pecan-crusted trout and he ordered fish and chips. He even drew me a colorful picture while we waited for our food to come. Showing his softer side, once our food arrived he allowed me to feed him a few bites and shared some of his french fries (a man really likes you when he shares his french fries). Our energy must have been infectious because even the waitress commented on how cute of a couple we were. We were having such a good time that we decided to order dessert and enjoy each other's company a bit longer. We ordered the caramel apple cobbler which was so good we were fighting over it (literally...I had to throw a couple of elbows). Feeling satisfied after a good meal, we paid the bill and headed out to the car. But before we left, he gave me the sweetest kiss on the cheek, solidifying that we have something special. I'm looking forward to many more dates like this one. We even snapped a few candid photos.

My Favorite Whitney Houston Songs

I figured I would put together a list of my favorite Whitney Houston songs since I have been watching her videos and listening to her music nonstop for the last 24 hours. There is no intricate criteria to this list-except what is most pleasing to my ears and any nostalgia I have connected to the songs. Thus, it is completely subjective. Make no mistake, I LOVE more of her songs than this list can hold but I wanted to narrow it down. Otherwise, I could just list the songs I don't particularly care for because that list is not that long. You will notice, however, my affinity for ballads over up-tempo songs. Here it goes:

Top 10 Favorites

1.  I Have Nothing, The Bodyguard Soundtrack (1992)

2.  Greatest Love of All, Whitney Houston (1985) 

3.  You Give Good Love, Whitney Houston (1985) 

4.  All The Man That I Need, I’m Your Baby Tonight (1990) 

5.  I Will Always Love You, The Bodyguard Soundtrack (1992)

6.  Saving All My Love For You, Whitney Houston (1985)

7.  One Moment in Time (Recorded for 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea)

8.  How Will I Know, Whitney Houston (1985)

9.  I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me), Whitney (1987)

10. Heartbreak Hotel, My Love Is Your Love (1998)

Honorable Mention

Miracle, I’m Your Baby Tonight (1990) 

I’m Your Baby Tonight, I’m Your Baby Tonight (1990) 

It’s Not Right But It’s Ok, My Love Is Your Love (1998)

I Believe In You and Me, The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack (1996)

What are some of your favorites?

A "Pig" Mistake

My honey surprised me with a mini weekend getaway this past weekend for Valentine's Day since he is away on business today. We planned to drive up to Chicago (a short 2.5 hours away), grab some lunch, do some shopping, see a movie, and have dinner with my cousin and her husband. The trip started off great. We decided to grab lunch at The Purple Pig, where, as the name suggests, virtually everything on the menu has pork in it.

For those of you who know me well, you may be already saying "uh-oh" because you'd know that until last year, I hadn't eaten pork for nearly 20 years. In fact, I also hadn't eaten beef, lamb, or poultry for nearly 16 years. However, after I had Carter I decided my meat fast had lasted long enough and it was time to delve back into carnivorous territory. For the most part, I've eased myself back in, primarily sticking with poultry. But I have had a few steaks, lamb chops, veal, ground beef, and bacon. And my exploits have not come without sickness. I've had a few back reactions to burgers and bratwursts and a very rich braised beef shoulder. Unfortunately, none of those bad reactions can touch the agony that was The Purple Pig.

Don't get me wrong, the food at The Purple Pig was delicious. We had deep fried olives stuffed with chorizo, whipped feta and cucumber smear, mussels with pancetta, and milk braised pork shoulder with mashed potatoes. I washed that down with a glass of sparkling Rose and life was beautiful. We left there to do a little shopping at Nordstrom and then headed to the movies to see Underworld: Awakening 3D (which was awesome by the way). I was still feeling great. After the movie we decided to go grab a drink at a Restaurant/Lounge called Sable. They had a great drink selection and no doubt an in-house mixologist. I ordered a hot cocktail that had tequila, strawberry puree, honey, and bitters. The drink was tasty but within a few sips I felt the familiar rumblings in my stomach that would require a bathroom at some point. I tried to wait it out and hoped it would go away but it didn't. I turned to Jimmy and said "my stomach isn't feeling well and I'm gonna need to use the bathroom." To which he replied, "ok, go use the bathroom." To which I replied "No...I NEED TO USE THE BATHROOM!" To which he replied "you mean at the hotel?" "Yes," I said. We summoned for the check but I couldn't wait. I left Jimmy in the bar and made a mad dash to our hotel which luckily was only 2 blocks away. I made it to our room just in time to release the wrath. 20 minutes later Jimmy got there to check on me and I was still indisposed.

Although I felt temporary relief, little did I know that that would begin a night of throwing up every 30-60 minutes from 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. At one point, I decided to camp out outside the bathroom door to make the journey to the toilet shorter. I was so miserable and annoyed because I was still throwing up even when there was nothing to throw up but the water I was drinking to try to stay hydrated. We got on the road early Sunday morning so I could be at home in the bed. Thankfully, there was no upchuck behavior on the road and I crawled into bed for about 3 hours. I couldn't eat anything until Monday morning and even then my stomach wasn't quite right. As a matter of fact, I went to bed last night feeling nauseous and as I type this I'm still not 100 percent.

The moral of this disgusting story is that I'm officially ditching the swine once again. I don't remember any bouts like this when I didn't eat it so why mess with what has worked for so long. I'm still on the fence about beef and other red meats (I made some lamb chops last week that were finger-licking good) but Jimmy suggested I may want to try to stick to fish and poultry. The food saga continues.

Potty Training Woes

My little boy never ceases to amaze me with his antics. It's so hard for me ever to get angry at him, even when I should be serious, because he just makes me laugh. The new source of comedic relief is this whole "potty training" thing. I went out and bought a mini-potty and have been consistently taking him to the potty during diaper changes. He sits on the potty willingly but like everything else it's a game for him. We count to 20 and after 20 seconds he can get up. Well, he likes to keep getting up during that 20 seconds and then quickly sits down. Up and down, up and down, until we get to 20. Then, when the 20 seconds is up and it's time to wipe, of course, he doesn't want to get up. In fact, he sometimes has to bring reading material or a toy with him.

Hilarious! How can I be serious when he does stuff like this. The worst part of the training so far is that he just takes his diaper off at will. He'll disappear for a couple minutes and then come back with diaper in hand like he just found some hidden treasure. Today, he went into our bedroom closet, closed the doors, and when I came in after him, he had taken off a poopy diaper and some of the pellets fell onto the carpet. Thank goodness they were solid and easily picked up. Again, I could do nothing but hold in my laughter because he looked so proud of himself.

I know potty training will take time and there will be some bumps along the way but I hope those bumps don't involve much more poop on my carpet. In the meantime, I'm buying some pull ups, cloth diapers and some new onesies in his size. I'm going to try everything and see what works.

Comfort Foods

When I think of comfort food I think of casserole...something warm and bubbly and preferably with cheese. Here's an easy recipe you may want to try. The best thing about it is that you can prepare and bake it in under an hour.

Tuna Noodle Casserole


Easy, fast, and inexpensive.

1 can Tuna (I like to use the big can because I love tuna but the small can is sufficient)
1 10 1/2 oz can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 bag Egg Noodles
1 cup Frozen Peas (you can also add frozen carrots if you like)
1 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese + 1/2 cup more if you like to sprinkle it on top
1/2 cup Milk
2 Rolls or Slices of Bread (torn into crumbs)
1 1/2 tablespoons Butter
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat casserole dish with cooking spray. Cook egg noodles as directed on the bag. Once egg noodles are finished, combine noodles, tuna, frozen peas, cheese, and milk in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Pour into casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. In a saute pan, melt the butter on low heat. Once melted, add the bread crumbs and saute for about 2 minutes or until slightly crispy. Sprinkle bread crumbs on tuna mixture. Bake uncovered for about 40 minutes or until bubbly and brown on top. You may also want to turn on the broiler for the last 5 minutes to brown the top.

A Star Is Born

The weather has been unseasonably warm in Indiana this Winter. So much so that I'm not longing to be back in Los Angeles again. Yesterday it reached a high of 54 degrees so Carter and I took the opportunity to get in some play time at the park. When we got there I noticed there was a camera crew filming but thought nothing of it and lifted Carter up into the baby swing. Next thing I know, the camera is filming the kids on the swings. The lawyer in me (and LA in me) questioned what they were filming because I may not authorize the use of my child's image. Turns out it was Indy Channel 13 News and they were doing a story on the warm weather. When the reporter asked if I would mind answering a few questions, I quickly answered "sure, I don't mind." So, there was a great shot of me pushing Carter on the swing saying how much I love this warm on the 5:30 pm news last night. In Indiana only a few months and I'm already starting to break into the spotlight. It felt so natural. :-) Jimmy said it looked like I was trying to steal the show. What can I say...the camera loves me. The video clip is below. The sound may not be great because I recorded it on my phone from the tv. I hope it works.

2012 Resolutions and To Do List

I don't usually do New Year Resolutions but there are definitely some things I'd like to work on in 2012. Here are my top 10 in no particular order:

1. Be less defensive
2. Get better at being thoughtful and doing "the little things" for my husband
3. Apply for Provisional Law License in IN
4. Finish decorating our house
5. Watch less TV/Read more
6. Don't take for granted the fact that I am able to be a stay-at-home mom
7. Find an organization or charity to volunteer with on a regular basis
8. Focus on developing a few good friendships
9. Find a church home
10. Compete in at least 4 athletic events (1/2 marathon, marathon, triathlon)

What's on your to-do list for 2012?