Song of the Week

Jack Johnson

"All At Once"
Sleep Through the Static - 2008
_______________________________

Lately I've been listening to this song, and it just makes me smile. With the inauguration this past week, it seems like a lot of people have had hope restored in their lives. Everybody needs a little hope to make it through the long days, to make you feel like everything you're working so hard for is going to bring health and happiness to you and the ones you love. I do have hope for America... I liked what President Obama kept saying about people looking to others around them, their neighbors and family and friends, and treating them a little kinder, watching out for each other's well being. I put a little photo of Papago Park, the park down the street from where we live, because it is so pretty. I am falling in love with the neighborhood - it seems like people are always stopping to talk or just wave hello. It's a friendly place and makes me smile everytime I go outside into the beautiful weather!

All at once
The world can overwhelm me
There’s almost nothing that you could tell me
That could ease my mind

Which way will you run?
When it’s always all around you
And the feeling lost and found you again
A feeling that we have no control

Around the sun
Some say it’s going to be the new hell
Some say it’s still too early to tell
Some say it really ain’t no myth at all

We keep asking ourselves
Are we really strong enough?
There’re so many things
That we got too proud of

I want to take the preconceived
Out from underneath your feet
We could shake it off
And instead we’ll plant some seeds
We’ll watch them as they grow
And with each new beat
From your heart the roots grow deeper
The branches, well they reach for what?

Nobody really knows
But underneath it all
There’s this heart all alone
What about when it’s gone?
It really won’t be so long
Sometimes it feels like a heart
Is no place to be singing from at all

There’s a world we’ve never seen
There’s still hope between the dreams
The weight of it all could blow away with a breeze
But if you’re waiting on the wind
Don’t forget to breathe
Because as the darkness gets deeper
We’re sinking so we reach for love

At least something we can hold
But I’ll reach to you
From where time just can’t go
What about when it’s gone?
It really won’t be so long
Sometimes it feels like a heart
Is no place to be singing from at all

Homemade Pizza Night

So, if you've been in touch with me lately, you'll know that I am on a baking binge. For Christmas mom gave me a little baking kit - with all the things I need to make fresh bread and other goodies, including her hand-me-down, been in the family for probably 20 years kitchen aid mixer, with which I am falling deeply in love. Let's just say I've gone a little overboard... it seems I've been making something new everyday. I've been making homemade bread, cinnamon rolls, pizza, breadsticks, etc. It's the best Christmas gift I've ever been given because it's taught me a new skill and allows me to feed my griz bear delicious treats and meals :)

White pizza with grilled chicken & sundried tomatoes, peppers & onions!

Oatmeal cookies!

Friday night was a fun night with just the two of us trying out the homemade pizza. The maiden flight was a rockin' one, the pizza was absolutely GOURMET!!! I suggest you talk my mom into getting you a baking kit too if you're at all jealous! And I know you are! As it turns out, Dan was himself a gourmet pizza maker at another period in his life. He worked at the hometown pizzeria in Stamford New York with his brothers in high school, and he showed off the flipping skills in the kitchen. I was definitely impressed. So there you have it. If you live in Arizona vicinity, come on over and we'll toss ya up a delicious meal in less than an hour!

Here is a little pic of the homemade wheat bread I've been trying to perfect. So far I've only done half white, half whole wheat, and it has been turning out really well. I've been using honey, applesauce and a little ginger as dough enhancers, and so this weekend I'll be trying out a full whole wheat recipe, hopefully it rises and is nice and moist!

In keeping with the theme of excitement, there are 3 things in this picture I am totally stoked about. First being the beautiful roses Dan surprised his new roomie with :) The second being the amazing salt/pepper shakers Peach (Dan's cousin Stacey) got for us as a housewarming gift when she came to visit from New York last week, I seriously am so excited about them! And third, being our first subscription to Bon Apetit from Dan's older brother Rich, a very thoughtful Christmas gift he ordered.

Okay, the next thing I'm excited about unforunately didn't lump into that picture like the last three items, but another gift from the holidays I am thrilled with is my new cat slippers from Dan's mom! I'm a dork, but I love not having cold feet anymore. Dan thought they were for him when we opened up the present, but we got a voicemail confirming that the slippers were most definitely not Dan's, and he isn't allowed to even borrow them :)

Okay, next thing I'm excited about is the new dining room light fixture I got Danibell for Christmas. It matches the dish set mom got Dan for Christmas too - I love it! I am totally running with the leaf theme and decking out the condo with accessories and other lighting fixtures to match!

Okay, that's probably enough excitement for now. It's just been so long since I've blogged and I have so many things to share! I'll try to break it up a little bit, though, for your sake :) This weekend will be on the non-exciting end, as Dan is getting his 4 wisdom teeth out this Friday and I will be taking care of the poor thing with smoothies, soup, and a few rounds of Monopoly: National Parks Edition - which we just got in the mail today! Another thing I'm excited about! Okay, okay, I'll stop. Hope everyone is well and having some excitement of their own!

Recipe of the Week

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. chicken breast
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 bunch red grapes, sliced in halves
2 green onions, sliced
Sliced almonds
1/4 c. red onion
½ c. low-fat mayo, (can substitute 1/4 c. of plain yogurt too)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 eggs boiled and chopped
½ tsp. ground mustard
½ tsp. cumin (optional)

Directions:

Cut chicken with kitchen scissors into cubes, drizzle in olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and a little rosemary. Grill until cooked through completely.

To the mayo, add eggs, garlic, fresh cracked pepper, a little salt, mustard, and cumin (if you like a curry flavor). Add cooked chicken to the celery and grapes, combine all remaining ingredients together and chill for an hour before serving.

We ate the chicken salad on pita bread, but it is also good on toasted wheat bread. Delicious meal, and makes great leftovers for the next day.

Song of the Week

Ray LaMontagne
"Shelter"
Trouble - 2004
___________________________

I guess you don't need it
I guess you don't want me to repeat it.
But everything I have to give I'll give to you.
It's not like we planned it,
You tried to stay, but you could not stand it.
To see me shut down slow
As though it was an easy thing to do.

Listen when
All of this around us'll fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do,
You will shelter me my love.
And I will shelter you.
I will shelter you.

I left you heartbroken,
But not until those very words were spoken,
Has anybody ever made such a fool out of you.
It's hard to believe it
Even as my eyes do see it,
The very things that make you live are killing you.

Listen when
All of this around us'll fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do,
You will shelter me my love.
I will shelter you.

Listen when
All of this around us'll fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do,
Hey you will shelter me my love.

I will shelter you
If you shelter me too
I will shelter you
I will shelter you.

If you haven't heard Ray LaMontagne you should really check out some of his music. I know I say that about a lot of my music, but this artist is really worth taking the time to listen to. Trouble is my favorite album of his, (and album artwork) and it is pretty accessible right from the first listen. He's a really earthy, soft spoken folk artist who sings about the usual - life, love, and the occasional experience of ending up in a metaphorical gutter wondering what led you there.

Jolene is my favorite song of his, but I decided to post "Shelter" because it seems to apply really well to my life at this particular point in time. I'm in the process of moving the last of my things into Dan's condo and am really excited about our new life step together. I think over the christmas break we got to the point where everyday spent together was instantly a good day, and any days apart started to get stranger and less welcome.

Providing shelter, physically and emotionally, to someone is an expression of true love to me. I am looking forward to everyday I get to share this "shelter" with Dan that we've been working on and building together. It already feels like a safe place, and a place that I love.