Since Amy was giving me shit.

Check out my comments section in the this post. It reminded me I wanted to do an update about this post. So here it is, my quest for more non-fiction in the year 2009...

So far this year, I've been doing a lot of non-fiction reading. OK, "a lot" is a relative term. I've been doing "a lot" for someone who isn't in school and required to do a lot of reading. Anywho, here is the list so far. Not bad I think for two months of reading!

The Year of Living Biblically. This was a really good book and a quick read. It was meant to be a humor book, but I really didn't get that. The author, AJ Jacobs learned a lot from his year of following the Bible as literally as possible. And yes, I suppose the concept of following the Bible literally is a bit humorous in this day and age, but it was eye opening witnessing the transformation in the author from Day 1 until the end of the book. Read it.

Outliers. In all fairness, I was warned of the fuzzy research methods that Malcolm Gladwell uses in some of his books. I really wanted to love Outliers and the concept was really intriguing. I didn't hate the book, but I didn't love it either. I found some of his information intriguing and thought provoking, but others bordered on stereo-typing. I wasn't impressed although I am glad I read it.

I Love Everybody (And Other Atrocious Lies). I absolutely love Laurie Notaro. She is fucking HILARIOUS. This wasn't her best book, but it was still laugh out loud funny. She has such a knack for taking the mundane and turning it into something that makes you cringe, laugh, and almost pee your pants all at the same time. This book was also interesting for me because it covered the story of how her first book came about and how she felt as a writer during that time. I think all of her books are a must read, you will be glad you discovered her work. And OK, this was humor, but it is still non-fiction.

How To Win Friends & Influence People. I'm halfway through this book. Love it. It's something I am going to read slowly and savor. I may even read a book or two in between finishing this. I will say, at first it took some getting used to reading a book that was written essentially for business eons ago, before the Internet, before women were really taken seriously, back at a time when it was the good ole boys network.... and yet, it really is a timeless classic. I can see the relevancy to today's world and why it's consistently something that business students are required to read.

Naptime Is the New Happy Hour. I'm halfway through this one too. It's really funny and a light read. I read quite a few mommy blogs and this is kind of all of them rolled into one funny book. I'd recommend it for mom's of toddlers. The style is conducive to reading a bit, putting it down, and picking it up again later.

Next up on my list: The 5 Lessons A Millionaire Taught Me for Women. I absolutely love personal finance stuff. It's even better if it's an interesting read rather than something dry and textual. I should have this one done while we're on vacation.

The END of the Internet.

I feel like I've reached the end of the internet. Have you ever felt that way? I want some new stuff to peruse.

Post a comment and tell me what you recommend.

Myles turns ONE.

Happy 1st Birthday Myles!!

All the fun happened after the schiZAAAM.

Hostess with the Mostess,

The house is freaking amazing.

We all want to move in, or at least come back in the summer for a visit.

Mostly it's because of the hot pool boy.

And personal chef.

And bus boy.

And dishwasher.

Who incidentally are all wrapped up in the same fabulous husband.

Don't forget, you owe him a BJ from us. Shhh... don't tell our husbands.

Thanks for letting us invade your space for 24 hours.

Love,

The Girls

Now for the pics:

This my friend is the Amy burrito. And we didn't even freeze AM's undies for falling asleep first.

In the orange foyer, which incidentally is as cool in real life as on Jen's blog pics. We all look a little hung over from the Degrassi-thon and Two Buck Chuck.

The t-shirt switchers. Don't worry AM, it's stretchy.

Thank God the pool boy doesn't mind getting paid in party bread.

Things heard around my house...

One, Two. One, Two, Four, Five. Five.

We're getting there.

Please take just a moment.

To say a prayer for Annabelle. This little girl and her parents mean the world to us. Her laugh is infectious and hilarious. For those who don't know, she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma two weeks ago. She could really use your prayers and positive thoughts, she was re-admited to the hospital and needs all of your strength and well wishes more than ever. Please pray for her ability to fight this terrible disease, for her parents to have the strength to guide her through this, and for her doctors to get her cured quickly and painlessly as possible.

If anyone would like Jon & Nikki's address to send a card, please let me know. There is also a Facebook Group called Annabelle's FAITH that you can join if you so choose to follow her story.

Swimmingly.

The boys finished their swim lessons for this session. They're spoiled with the warm therapy pool at the Perrysburg YMCA.

There would have been a video, but there might have been an unfortunate porn incident that prohibited use of the video camera. Kidding.

Sort of.

Don't ask.

Heartburn & Focaccia.

Dave, you better not have knocked me up. I haven't had heartburn this bad since I was pregnant.

No whammies. No whammies. No whammies!

Anywho, the reason for my heartburn is likely the pasta and focaccia. I'm old and I can't take a red sauce like I used to.

Here is my foray into focaccia...

Be jealous bitches. It might not look pretty, but it was good.

Here is the recipe:

1 1/3 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

3 3/4 cups flour

2 1/4 teaspoon yeast

Dump it all into the bread machine. (I also threw in garlic salt, thyme, onion powder, basil, parsley, and oregano.) Select the dough setting. Remove and let rest under a covered bowl for 15 minutes. Divide dough in half, stretch each into a rectangle, let rise covered for 30 minutes. Top with whatever you like. (I used minced garlic, olive oil, and parmesean cheese.) Bake on lowest rack 20-30 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven.

I was going to apologize but I'm over it.

I've been busy doing fun shit. And there is more fun goodness upcoming. Just you wait and see.

I know it's bad when my husband tells me that I reeeeeally need to update.

Look for a lot of catching up in the next day or two and some fun stuff next week.

Dear Frank... (not) Sorry I Crashed Your Party.

Dear Frank,

Your wife rocks. And I wish that I had remorse for crashing your birthday party, but the fact is, I don't. It was the best party I've ever been to. (This may have something to do with the copious amounts of wine we drank.) And I've been to some parties Frank. There was the time that Janet and Lyndsey arrived home from Myrtle Beach to find me, Jay, Andrea Miles, and a host of other Godknowswho people passed out in the living room and a kitchen floor filled with beer. There were several basket room adventures at Natalie's parties that come to mind not to mention a party in which I tackled Jackie in her yard. I know parties Frank, and your Gale is a fucking awesome party planner.




First, you had the element of surprise. Yeah, I know you were wigging out in the limo thinking we were going to an amateur comedy club in Findlay. But the ANTICIPATION Frank! Oh the anticipation! I have been waiting a year and a half... it was worth the wait. Wait, right... this is about you Frank. All about you.




Second, and this is a doozy... the food and drink were to die for. To. Die. For. Lovely. Yummy. Delish. Decadent. When can we go back?



Third, the music was killer... well except Dave fucking with the radio (and the heat) in the DISCO limo. But My Bloody Valentine as dinner music. Dude.



Fourth, Rico was drunk and highly entertaining.



So in summary Frank, your party rocked. I don't even feel the slightest remorse that I made my mom call your wife the day before and try to weasel us in. I'm not even a little bit sorry Frank. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.


Happy 54th!
Cheers,
The Party Crasher

PS. Can I get on the list for next year?

PPS. For more information on Revolver click here.

Happy Valentine's Day.

I sent these mini brownies to work with Dave along with lots of candy. He neglected to mention that they were having a bake sale to benefit the American Heart Association. And I sent in free treats. Nothing says love like robbing the AHA of bake sale profits.

Grab someone you love and HUG IT OUT, BITCH.

Random shit my friends.

So on Facebook about 8 million peeps tagged me with the 25 Random Things note. I thought for the benefit of the non-Facebookers, I'd post it here along with a few extras thrown in. It was actually quite an amusing thing to do.







1. I used to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day. I quit cold turkey February 13, 2006... it was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Before that day, I had tried to quit about 10 other times in my life. I still love the idea of smoking even though the real thing makes me sick, I hate the smell. It's disgusting.


2. I am currently addicted to drinking vanilla lime iced tea.

3. Dave and I took our honeymoon travelling in Ireland and visiting Paris.


4. Dave is the most intelligent,thoughtful, hilarious, loyal, amazing man I have ever met in my entire life. I thought he was such a good man that I tried to hook him up with my sister, but thought he just wasn't my type. They still joke to this day that he could have ended up with the "good" sister, but he ended up with me. I am so thankful that I came to my senses and married him.


5. Finnegan didn't have a name for the first four days of his life. The birth certificate lady finally said that we couldn't leave the hospital until he had a name. Dave chose his middle name James, after his good friend.


6. Dave and I grew up about a mile apart and we didn't meet until we were both working together. We went to the same places, knew the same people, and had probably seen each other a thousand times. The right person shows up in your life exactly when they're supposed to.


7. I believe firmly that everything happens for a reason. If you don't learn your lesson the first time, the same shit keeps happening until you do.


8. My mom called me Monkey growing up. To this day, she still gets me something with a monkey on it for Christmas.


9. Having Finnegan was the most fullfilling, important thing I have ever done in my life.


10. Dave and I used to watch Jeopardy every night and keep actual scores on a spreadsheet. We are fully aware that this makes us total freaks.


11. I listen to NPR every morning for the news instead of turning on the tv.


12. My family is quite possibly the best, most irreverant, funniest group of people in the world. If a spouse can't fit in with this crazy bunch, they're screwed.


13. My cat is named after Dexter on Dexter's Laboratory. My dog Monty is named after Mr. Burns on the Simpsons.


14. I speak French.


15. I've never been to New England and it is the place in the US I'd most like to visit. Greece is the next international trip I'd like to take.


16. I take a nap most every day.


17. I haven't had cable for years and years, but I don't miss it at all.


18. The first concert I ever attended was the Beach Boys when I was really little, it was before the original drummer died in a boating accident. The only thing I really remember was having good seats and the beach balls flying around during the concert. I have been to probably a hundred concerts since then, mostly because my dad loved to share all kinds of music with us when we were younger.


19. I hate bridges.


20. I love to entertain & have people over for dinner.


21. I smuggled a cuban cigar into the country for my husband because I knew he would love it. Don't tell the feds.


22. I love obnoxious British comedy like Are You Being Served, Fawlty Towers, Keeping Up Appearances, Ab Fab, & The Vicar of Dibley.


23. My friends are an amazing group of women. They're an eclectic bunch and all are fabulous for different reasons.


24. I was a commitment-phobe before I met Dave. I also made really assinine choices in men. They were all fun, but most were idiots.


25. If I had to pick one city in the US to move to, it would be San Francisco. In the world, it would be Paris.

26. I hated tomato soup my entire life until I was pregnant. Now I love it.



27. I had never tried coleslaw until we went to Ireland for our honeymoon. I loved it and make it all the time now. Dave couldn't believe it so now he tries to find all kinds of other things that I haven't tried.


28. I hate cleaning. Hate it. But even more than I hate cleaning, I hate when people come over to my house when it's a mess. I always go on a cleaning spree. You know you're in the Michelle inner sanctum when I let you see my house a disaster.

29. I would MUCH prefer to drink out of glass than plastic. Anytime I drink a coke or iced tea it has to be in a glass.

30. This is the soap in our bathroom right now. Dave picked it out at the store and I chuckle to myself every single time I see it.

I hope you enjoyed my random facts. Post one or five of your own in the comments!

Nagoya

I've been a horrendous blogger lately. Horrible. Terrible. Awful. Just plain old sucky. I apologize, it's just that I have a slight addiction to Facebook and playing Scrabble on Facebook and talking to peeps non-stop on Facebook. It's a problem you know. And I've been attempting to get back in the swing of things here after my incredible vacation and well... blogging about Sesame Street might be cool, right?

Not that we haven't done some fun stuff. We went to Soup & Game Night at Bridget and Joe's last night. I'm going to do a whole other post on her soup here soon because it was to. die. for. Hands down the best potato (or potatoe if you're Dan Quayle) soup I've ever had in my whole life. It was wholeheartedly devoured by all.

And Saturday, we went to Nagoya.

Yum.

Wow was it good. Even the little bug loved it. He ate his weight in food.

And we celebrated Amy's birthday.

If you go there, I highly recommend the flirtini. I haven't a clue what was in it, but damn was it good. Amy felt highly satisfied with her strawberry mojito too. It made Dave's impersonation much funnier.

And if you're celebrating a birthday, cough up the $10 for the birthday special. The hilarity of watching your friend laughing as they sing Happy Birthday with a banging gong is worth every penny. This is my favorite picture of the night when gong man shows up and asks Amy what her name is.

I was laughing so hard I couldn't even sing. Finn was captivated.

Dave and I would go back in a heartbeat. It was a lot of fun, hibachi always is, but the food was amazing. We tried the sushi too and it was fantastic. I would highly recommend it, especially for a fun group of people.