Forty Book Challenge: The Book Thief Edition

For the longest time, I refused to read The Book Thief.  I was supposed to read it this summer for my book club, but couldn't get a hold of it at the library, and wasn't quite sure if I wanted to purchase it at the time, so I decided to listen to it on CD.  Bad idea.  I wasn't in my car enough to stay with the story, and quite honestly, "Death" as the narrator really creeped me out.  So I stopped listening.  Then, my friends started reading it, and raving about it...and I still managed to refuse...for awhile.  At one point, I even purchased the novel, but was still daunted by it's length and narrator...so it remained on my shelf.  Once Wendy read it and started to question my aversion towards it, I had to cave in - there's really no argument when dealing with the Ninja.  I decided to at least put it off until Spring Break, so I would have enough time to really get into the story, instead of constantly putting it down and coming back to it.

I am happy to report that I completed my endeavor.  I enjoyed it way more than I thought I was going to.  I even liked "Death" as the narrator...he gave a very interesting perspective to the whole story.  I liked the "mini-stories" within the novel best and the ending least.  My favorite line in the whole story was the last line of HER story.  I would elaborate on this more, but don't want to be a spoiler for anyone who hasn't read it...

Then, as luck would have it, the movie came out on DVD this week as well, so since all my girls finished the novel, we decided it would be the perfect girls' afternoon.  The company was fantastic....and that's about the only nice thing I have to say....  If you HAVEN'T read the book, you might enjoy the movie...I don't think it was truly as bad as I thought it was...  If you HAVE read the book, be prepared for a "sweetened" plot and omission of some of the better details.  Oh, and an absolutely unnecessary and RIDICULOUS moment at the end.  Seriously, Hollywood?!?

So, as it always* does, the book far surpasses the movie.

*Ok, maybe not always...there are a few exceptions, like The Wizard of Oz...but pretty darn close!

Farm to Table

So, i know that farm to table dining isn't really a new idea...but it is new to me...and I LOVE it!
As many of you know, I am an avid Food Network watcher.  One night, "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" came to Austin to a restaurant called Foreign and Domestic.  The gruyere popovers made my mouth water just watching them.  When my friends discovered that I have never had a popover, that was reason enough for a mandatory trip into Austin.

The only downfall to farm to table restaurants is limited availability.  I am sad to report, that I STILL have not had a popover...but that was the only thing disappointing about my experience.  The food was UNBELIEVABLE!!!

My meal for the night: fried chicken and biscuits.  I am SO thankful that, although on their limited availability menu, that I was able to try it!  It is just as amazing as it appeared on Triple D!  And, as an added bonus, you can find the recipe here if you want to try and make it yourself... :-)

Both of my friends decided on the pork rib chop.  Apart from the jalapenos, this dish was also divine...especially the gouda fritters!  My favorite part about dining with friends is tasting a little bit of everyone's meal...thank goodness none of us have an aversion to sharing!

And of course, dessert was a MUST!  We decided to order both items on the menu: buttermilk panna cotta and chocolate cake.  Because of this decision, we learned that dill syrup makes an intriguing addition to desserts, sea salt should ALWAYS be on top of chocolate cake, and we need to figure out how to recreate that coffee cream immediately if not sooner!


As if dinner at F&D wasn't enough...the next morning we imparted on an adventure downtown which began with brunch at 24 Diner.  (Also featured on Food Network...go figure...in an episode of "Crave")  Again, what an amazing food experience!

Brunch meal 1: Corned Beef Hash

I LOVE corned beef hash when it's done right...and this was ABSOLUTELY done right!  The corned beef was extremely fresh and in huge meaty chunks.  Wow.  This might just be the best hash I've had.

Brunch meal 2: 24 Hash

The perfect blend of eggs, bacon, sausage, cheddar cheese, and potatoes.  I was also informed that adding Siracha gave it one helluva kick...but my weenie mouth couldn't handle that...oh well!

Brunch meal 3: Waffle Sandwich

Usually, I am not a huge waffle fan (unless they're Belgian and are topped with loads of whipped cream...) but when you put bacon, a fried egg, sausage, and cheddar in between the halves...that's a COMPLETELY different story!  O.M.G.  The perfect blend of salty and sweet and waffle and meat.


So, I'm thankful that my Spring Break ended with fabulous friends, food, and fun!  Being the foodies that we are, I know that this is only the first of many delicious adventures to restaurants throughout Austin (and beyond?)!

And I want to go back to both restaurants.  Right now.  ;-)

Finding Time

So, I have inspired several of my friends to start their own blogging adventures.  As I read their entries, two things come to mind:
a) Their writing is WAY better than mine!
b) How do they find the time to write?

Time.  One of the few things we wish would speed up, but also wish we had more of.  Crazy, huh?  I find it to be one of the biggest struggles in my everyday life.  By the time I've gotten my "need to do" bin almost empty, I'm overwhelmed by the overflowing "should do" and "want to do bins"...  And instead of doing one of the items in those bins, I usually end up doing nothing.

Nothing.  Let me digress for a minute and explain my nothingness.  I don't mean doing literally nothing, which is what I get to do while actively monitoring students during state testing.  No, that type of nothing would send me to the looney bin...and quickly!  The nothing that I end up resorting to is really just mindless something...napping, tv, messing with my phone, etc.

Balance.  Something I am NOT good at...whether we are speaking of bodily equilibrium, mental stability, or equal distribution.  I am becoming better about balancing work and play, and spending quality time with my friends...but I know at times I falter, and I let people down.  Lately, I have been doing a lot of self-reflection and re-prioritizing that I hope will help me with finding balance in my life.

I will end this with a powerful quote from H. Jackson Brown: You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.

For Lent?

So, although I'm not a Catholic, I have always tried to give up something for Lent.  The year I didn't realize that caffeine was not only in soda, but in chocolate and tea as well was a particularly miserable year.  One year I gave up Facebook, which was a great idea in theory, but disconnected with me from friends all over the country.  This year I have noticed several articles floating around the social media world with some really good messages about Lent.

The first: Make your sacrifice meaningful not miserable.  Is what you are giving up helping to better you as a person or just a random thing you're challenging yourself to live without?

The second: Find a way to peel off any old dead layers of yourself and replace those layers with a fresh new and rejuvenated perspective.

The third: Twenty Things to Give Up For Lent - (taken from the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd...off Facebook)
Guilt
Fear
The Need to Please Everyone
Envy
Impatience
Sense of Entitlement
Bitterness and Resentment
Blame
Gossip and Negativity
Comparison
Fear of Failure
A Spirit of Poverty
Feelings of Unworthiness
Doubt
Self-Pity
Retirement
Excuses
Lack of Counsel
Pride
Worry

So what am I giving up this year?  Well...nothing, really....just making several changes in my daily routine to grow in my spiritual journey and become a healthier, happier person.

Our church is doing a Lenten study of The Daniel Plan.  Although I cannot participate in the study, I purchased the book and have decided to make that plan a part of my life for at least the next forty days. It states there are five essentials to wellness: faith, food, fitness, focus, and friends, and I will reflect upon my practices in those areas, making improvements where necessary.  I am also keeping a journal which contains a daily food tracker, so that I can keep track of my progress.

Some other cool suggestions I'm taking from the 'net:

-Give up technology for one hour each day.  It was suggested to use that time to strengthen bonds with family face to face...however I plan to use that hour to incorporate devotional quiet time as well as guarantee some quality reading time each day.

-Sacrifice by giving.  Pay it forward, random acts of kindness, etc.

40 days of giving back, doing good, and living generously

Ash Wednesday is a day that reminds us that we're not here forever and challenges us to live the best everyday.  It is a time to reflect and share our thanks, for this is the time we remember the greatest sacrifice.