Goodbye March

My despise for March is still as strong as ever.  I'm quite happy today is the last day of March and we won't see it for another year!

Yesterday Wilma and I were out on a walk and we spotted these beauties.  Spring is on the way (I will keep telling myself this even though there is snow in the weather report for tomorrow and the cool temperatures won't go away)!

Anybody have something planned for April Fool's Day tomorrow?  Make sure to be on your game so you don't get tricked!

Blogger Book Club - Black Heels to Tractor Wheels Part Two

We've wrapped up Part Two of Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.  I can't wait to start Part Three...the end of Part Two gave a glimpse into what's about to happen and it sounds GOOD!


Here are this week's questions:


From Samantha: What did you think of Marlboro Man's proposal? How would you feel if you were proposed to like that?  It was sweet in the way that it was so simple and easy, but it wasn't for me.  I would have been annoyed with the Mike situation and having someone ask me to marry them would have been the furthest thing from my mind.  I would have preferred to have it thought out a bit more and have it be a special time for just the two of us.

She wrote a lot about never riding in a pickup truck before and how she used to judge girls who rode in the middle. After being with Marlboro Man she felt differently and actually wanted to ride in the middle. How do you feel about that? Have you ever judged somebody and then after learning more, regret that you had judged them?  I will admit, I've totally judged someone and then wanted to take it back.  I could actually see myself doing the same exactly thing Ree did: judging the girls who rode in the middle and then wanting to always ride in the middle after experiencing it.    

From mcbracey: After their first fight, did it make you question if Marlboro man was the one to give up everything for, or was Ree willing to do it because it was easy when everything else seemed hard?  I think the fight was a good reminder of how fast everything seemed to be moving.  Did they really know each other that well?  However, if everything that I read was true, Marlboro Man was/is totally someone to give up everything for.  He seems absolutely sweet and like a great catch!

Do you wonder what Ree is doing all day? How is she financially making it? Is she really just waiting around all day to meet up with Marlboro man at night?  YES!!!  This has been bothering me!  She doesn't talk about her life minus Marlboro Man too much.  Does she not have to work (given her background- her dad being a doctor, living on a golf course, etc)?  Even if she doesn't have to work, wouldn't she get bored?  How does Marlboro Man feel about this?  

Would you let your now husband duck out of your reception to watch a football game? This is a tough one.  I find it hard to believe that Marlboro Man truly never said a word about the football game being on the day of their wedding.  As long as I felt like he was paying enough attention to me and our guests and he didn't miss any big moments or dances, then I'd probably be ok with it.  I guess you could compare it to the guys going outside to smoke a cigar or get a drink from the bar?

From Erin: So many embarrassing things have happened to Ree in front of Marlboro Man. What is the most embarrassing story that comes to mind when you think of embarrassing things that have happened to you in front of a significant other? Oh man...I think passing gas for the first time in front of a significant other is probably the most embarrassing thing for me.  Probably TMI, sorry! 

How would you have reacted to being around for the prairie fire? I would have been scared out of my mind!  Being that close to fire and having the one I love fighting the fire, would have freaked me out.  

From Rachel: There have been so many funny little stories along the way in the book. What has been your favorite? Any favorite lines? Ree driving her car off the road with her future mother-in-law in it is my favorite.  I couldn't imagine that happening to me!

Under The Weather

Ugh, I have a cold.  I felt fine until Saturday night.  Then the scratchy throat settled in and it was all downhill from there.  I've been popping Cold Eeze lozenges in hopes of it helping.  I've also been quite fashionable in my sweats and slippers!  Let's hope this gets out of my system soon...for now I'll just keep sipping tea!

On another note, we had a nice weekend back in Michigan.  Friday evening we had an adoption fundraiser  for Abbey and her husband, Mac.  It was a beautiful event with great music, food, a silent auction, and a photo booth (Jon and I had fun taking pictures).  The rest of the weekend we hung out with my family and relaxed.

Any suggestions on how to try and get rid of my cold as fast as I can?  What remedies do you guys swear by?

What To Have With Soup?

The other night I made tortellini soup for dinner and was at a loss for what to serve with it.  We had a baguette to use up, but we wanted something more than just bread.  I found this recipe and it was great!  It's a good combination of savory and sweet.

Lemon-Thyme Bruschetta
Adapted from thekitchn

1 baguette; thinly sliced

8 oz ricotta cheese
1 lemon; zested
Salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Honey
8 sprigs fresh thyme (I only had dried so I used that)
Black Hawaiian sea salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Mix together ricotta and lemon zest.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.  Toast baguette slices in oven for 5-7 minutes until slightly brown and warmed.  Spread liberally with seasoned ricotta.  Drizzle with honey, sprinkle with thyme.  Serve warm.

You can leave out the black Hawaiian sea salt if you don't have any, but I happened to have some Black Lava Salt and I thought it added to the flavor.

Thanks for all of your sweet comments yesterday.  I really appreciate them!  Have a great weekend!

I'm Not Telling You It Is Going To Be Easy

Remember this post?  Well, it hasn't gone away.  It might leave me for a day or two or a week, but then it usually comes back.  And, it's back in full force right now.  I'm continuing to pray about it and hope I get to the point where I have a sense of relief about it all.  I've learned decisions can haunt us.  I keep reminding myself that life is a learning experience.

For now this is what I'm focusing on.

via Pinterest

Blogger Book Club - Black Heels to Tractor Wheels Part One

We just finished Part One of Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman).  I've been intrigued so far and I'm happy to report this is the first book club book I have not read ahead on.  I found I was getting confused when I would answer the book club questions (i.e. I couldn't remember what happened when and if I was spoiling something) so this time I'm sticking to the schedule!  I'm just reading another book on the side so I have enough to read!  :)

The blogger book club is doing something different and fun for this book...fellow readers are submitting questions for all of us to answer.  So, here are this week's questions!

From Rachel: Has this book brought you back to the beginning of a romantic relationship in your life? Yes, it did, but not a specific one.  It just made me think about how relationships start and the butterflies and learning about someone new.

From Erin: What surprised you about Ree?  If this was your first time reading about her background, did anything surprised you about her "beginnings"?  I didn't know that she had intended on moving to Chicago to go to law school.

From Nina: While reading Part I of Black Heels, did you find yourself comparing your own love life/story to Ree's? Yes, I did, but I feel like her love story is so much more glamorous than mine.  

Would you have handled ex-boyfriend (J) the same way or differently than Ree did? I don't know...it's hard to know exactly without being in the situation.  I am proud of her for not going to see him at the airport though...I would have done that same exact thing.  

Have you ever made a life-changing decision based on a guy in your life? And how did it work out for you? Yes, I have and it worked out well!

From ME: 

How do you think Ree's family felt that she was just going to give up going to Chicago for a guy she had just met? I felt like her parents were either oblivious to what's going on or there is more to the story and we just aren't privy to that.  I think her brother was bummed big time.  

From Rocky Mountain Wife: 

If you were Ree and started to question your life plan (leaving Cali, moving to Chicago, being independent for a while)...how would you feel when this sudden romance came into your life at the 'wrong' time? Quite possibly, yes.  It sure seems like she has her life figured out and what she wants to do.  But, doesn't it seem like the things that end up being the best in our life come in at the wrong time?  Doesn't that end up making it that much more special and that becomes the beauty of it?  

From Meghan: 

How do you think the situation with Ree's parents affected her relationship with Marlboro Man? (Or do think it did not affect her?) Ree might now realize it, but I think it's going to make her relationship with Marlboro Man stronger; it might not be on purpose either.  When you are going through tough times it's always comforting to have someone you can confide in.