The Happy List

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July went by slowlyyyy, but August is moving right along!  Here are a few items that helped me happily ring it in this week:

• Above, Monday was my 3 year Blogiversary!  =)  Like the many bloggers out there, this forum has definitely been a catalyst in reigniting my love for writing.  And I appreciate the fact that I get to share it with you!  It all started right here.

•  The New Girl!  Zooey Deschanel and the rest o' her gang on the cast is amazing in this modern take on Three's Company (except it's Four's Company =)  I'm very addicted!

• I did make that Eggplant Panini with Pesto!  Both the fam and bf loved it!  Score!

• Stuck to my workout routine.  Sore.  As.  Heck. But. Feelin'.  Good!

• Found my beloved Jason Mraz Tee.

• Cucumbers + Apples + Pears + Juicer = Deliciousness! 

• Finally, singing along to this (very loudly)  while driving with the windows wayyy down...

 'Hope this weekend's a grand one!

xoxo andrea

Bring It On, Sleep!

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Your mind is racing, you're tossing and turning - you know you're in for another sleepless night.  Insomnia has reared its ugly head and you don't know what you can do to finally get some well-deserved zzz's.  

I'll be the first to admit that I am a true insomniac (just take a look-see at the published times for this and some of my other blog posts!)  But there are a few things that I can certainly avoid in order to get a good night's rest...especially some of these senseless rituals that I tend to perform right before I'm supposed to be sound asleep:

1.  Above, drinking any sort of caffeinated beverage.  Coffee, soda, Red Bull, 5-Hour Energy - you get the point.  I mean, duh.  (Drinking lots of water right before bed isn't too smart, either.)

2.  Watching any part of a series on television.  For some reason, the best of the worst is on television after midnight - in bulk.  You name it, if I start watching one episode and there's 10 more, I feel like I must stay tuned to see what happens next.  (Enter all guilty pleasure shows here...)

3.  Doing my nails - nail art if I feel extra energetic.  Looks great(!) until I finally do decide to sleep - and the position of choice is as though I'm in some sort of casket.  This is so I avoid smudged nails in the morning (which happens anyway....)

4.  Playing any video/online/app game.  Bejeweled, Words With Friends, Draw Something, Mario Kart, Scrabble...not a good idea when you're trying to sleep.  Especially if your opponent gets a notification at 4AM.  Whoops.

5.  Listening to any sort of music you can sing along to.  Wilson Phillips, Beyonce, Journey...I need to take these off of my "I NEED TO SLEEP" playlist.

6.  Turning the A/C to an almost freezing temperature.  Unless you're armed with a down comforter, hat, gloves or scarf, you will be forced to turn this off in the middle of the night.  If you are in the 21st century and have a remote, congratulations!  For the rest of us, hellooo stubbed toe.

7.  Logging onto Facebook.  'Nuff said.

8.  Piggybacking on #7, surfing the Internet, period.  I can't begin to tell you how many hours I've wracked up researching random topics such as hairstyles, current events, shoes, celebrities, etc.  (You've probably noticed that I use the term "researching" quite loosely here...)

9.  Laundry.  I always forget to factor in drying time.  Double duh.

10.  Blogging.  =)

Here's to a good night's sleep!

xoxo andrea

Yep, I Made It: Ch-Ch-Chicken Meatballs!

Hello!

I always find myself wracking my brain when trying to come up with a versatile meal idea, where I have the option of freezing so it can be just as good if used within a week.  Then...meatballs came to mind!

Meatballs are super easy to make - just mix, shape and cook.  They're also pretty simple to adjust just so they are a wee bit healthier. 

In the recipe below, I've replaced beef with chicken, italian bread crumbs with whole wheat, and opted to bake instead of fry:

What You'll Need

• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, minced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese* (optional)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (increase to 1 cup if eliminating parm cheese)
• 2 tsp. fresh** oregano (You can go with dried, but fresh herbs make a huge difference in this recipe!)
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme
• 2 tsp. fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

What You'll Do

1. Pre-heat oven to 400ºF.
2. Place chicken, egg, yellow onion and garlic in a medium bowl.  Knead until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, mix parm cheese, bread crumbs, thyme, parsley, sea salt and black pepper.  Add to meat mixture.  Knead until combined.
4. Add Worcestershire sauce and olive oil.  Guess what?  Knead until combined. =)
5. Line a 9 x 12 cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease. 
6. Form meatballs to desired size and place on cookie sheet.  Keep them about 1/2 inch apart so that they can cook evenly.
7. Place in oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes. And....

Voila!  Meatballs that you can use in spaghetti sauce tonight, then freeze and use next week in meatball parm heroes!  (Make sure they're cooled before placing them in a freezer-safe zip-lock bag or container...)

Meatballs in spaghetti sauce with thin spaghetti and a just a little mozzarella cheese =)

(all photos by a. singh)

Enjoy!

xoxo andrea

If You Don't Know...

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"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

- Michael Jordan

My whirlwind weekend has left me very, very exhausted!  But not without this week's crop of fave Internet finds!  

Enjoy!

•  Above, in honor of the 2012 Summer Olympics, a some fantastic inspirational quotes from past Olympic champs

•  So fun!  Advice about love via The Golden Girls (the original Sex and the City!)

• I'm on a cooking kick!  This week I think I'll try this Eggplant Panini with Pesto

• Three daily habits that help you to stay optimistic

•  Learn the art of breaking your sedentary lifestyle

• Finally, I never thought that this humor piece about embarrassing moments would take me through such a rollercoaster of emotions!  (a worthwhile read for sure!) 

Have a great week!

xoxo andrea

The Happy List

Wow!  I can't believe it's Friday already!  It's a busy weekend ahead for yours truly!

To kick it off:  a look-see at a few items that made me smile this week!  =)

• Above, watching Elvis with my mom.  Man, was he dreamy!  (and talented!)  (Click on the link here if you can't catch the  embedded YouTube vid....)

• Comic-inspired home accessories!  (The pillow cases are my fave!)

• Having a great, great time at my future sister-in-law's bridal shower!  (WOAH. A sister-in-law?!? =)

• A fellow blogger's beautiful tribute to a teacher who changed her life - by giving her a "D"

•  Laughing at Office Space with the bf (never realized how many celebs in this flick!)

•  Lastly, choosing home-cooked over take-out.  Somebody's growin' up!  =)

Happy Weekend!!!

xoxo andrea

Note To Self...

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“...I think happiness is what makes you pretty. Happy people are beautiful..."

- Drew Barrymore

The Do's and Don'ts of Getting Over a Grudge

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Oh, I know it's not easy.  Someone has made you really angry by saying/doing something offensive, and/or worse, violated your trust.  Depending on how severe the circumstances, a grudge can last for days, months, years, and in some cases, you feel like you can never forgive the other person or people involved.

In my experience, getting over a grudge can be a painful process, especially when you care about the relationship, but feel like you shouldn't bury the hatchet.  I mean, why?  He cheated, she is the "friend" that never calls, they are the ones that didn't care to invite you.  You may not realize it during the angry stage, but the energy that you are wasting worrying or avoiding these people in your life can be plain ol' draining - both physically and mentally.  Here are a few Do's and Don'ts of getting over a grudge that I've learned (and I'm still learning!) the hard way:

• DO know that it's okay to distance yourself from the person/people involved:  I am known to want closure in every disagreement, but I've realized that sometimes it's best to avoid contact for a day or two - longer for serious conflicts.  Depending on the situation, you may want to briefly tell all involved that you are upset and the reason why.  Let them know that you'll contact them when you're ready to talk. If they're not ready when you are, work on accepting that and move on - real relationships heal.

• DON'T vent to mutual people in your life: You may think that since a mutual person knows the both of you (and probably the situation), they can help.  In some cases, this is very far from the truth!  Telling someone that you both know can put them in an awkward situation, and you risk a re-hashing of a misinterpreted version of your side.  Try talking to a trusted someone that can truly listen objectively.

•  DO get some clarity:  Ask yourself about the real reason behind your frustrations.  Is it the situation at hand or is it a build-up of other issues that you let slide in the past?  Either way, you need to clarify that reason for both yourself and the person involved.  I happen to find clarity when journaling, walking, cooking/baking or listening to music.  If you haven't already, try to find a hobby that helps you relax.

• DON'T put anything on social media:  When you're angry, avoid social media outlets at all costs.  Do not take this as an opportunity to send a hurtful e-mail/text, or post a passive message on Facebook, Twitter, etc.  Remember: the Internet is a public forum that tends to make messy situations even messier. Not only are you are inviting the world (and their opinions) to invest in your problems, but it will come back to haunt you when it's resolved sooner or later.

• DO have a one-on-one talk - when you're ready: Relationships that matter deserve a sit-down, face-to-face conversation.  Talking about how you feel via e-mail, instant message or text leaves the door open for delayed/unreceived messages, inconvenient contact times, etc., which can lead to misinterpretation and additional frustration.  When you are both ready, schedule some real time on a day when you have no prior commitments, in a public area where you can speak honestly - in a mature, rational manner. 

• DON'T be quick to point the finger:  Conflict usually occurs when one person doesn't understand the other person's behavior.  Be open to the possibility that you may also be at fault here.  Find out how you could have approached the situation differently and prepare to apologize.

• DO listen - I repeat:  LISTEN.  It's pretty easy to dismiss what the other person is saying when you feel like you've been slighted in some way or if it's problem that seems to be on repeat.  Avoid sarcasm, derisive laughter, cursing, eye rolls, etc. - it doesn't help the situation.  Really listen as if you were the one trying to explain your side of things.

• DON'T interrupt:  Before you get into the conversation, make a pact that you will both speak without interruption (this means taking off and putting away your cell phone...)  It's only fair to hear each other out.

• DO know when it's time to throw in the towel:  Some situations are fixable, some are not.  Realize that people are different, and issues that are important to you may not be as important to someone else.  Also, forgiveness and/or seeing one's point of view can be a lifelong journey and you may never see eye-to-eye.  Understand when this is the case and try to let go in your own way.

When conflict arises, you may be a person who is constantly in your own head (like I am) or find it very easy to either hold onto or get over a grudge.  Whatever the case may be, one important realization in this process is knowing when to move on.  It isn't a simple task, but dwelling in negative situations only reaps negative energy.  To me, it's very necessary to release your demons, surround yourself with positivity and spend your energy with people that add value to your life...

xoxo andrea