As you can see, I may have gotten a little carried away at the library.

I am currently loving getting as many FREE books as I like, and using Goodreads.com to choose the next !

I have read 53 books this year so far (thankful to Goodreads for helping me keep track) and the books below were some of my favorites!

1. Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
I loved this book. So much so, that I rushed to read the other two books in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series. There is adventure, love and mystery in the plot… what more could you ask for!? This is a lovely story about a book store Siempre and Sons and the adventures the family who owns the shop experience. Great for anyone who loves books!

2. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
This book is a THRILLER. I have not read a book with such unlikable characters and frankly a negative subject (a rocky marriage) that succeeded in surprising me not just once but twice during the book. I literally exclaimed aloud, WHAT!? twice while reading the book.

3. The Dirty Life: On Farming Food and Love by Kristen Kimball
What an eye-opening candid memoir about life on a farm. As someone who lives in one of the agricultural centers of America, I have a new-found respect, an let’s be honest, a feeling of absolute AWE at all of the hard work they accomplish everyday. Very interesting and entertaining read!

4. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
This is a Non fiction story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells revolutionized scientific discovery in cell replication and contributed to the discovery of several vaccines. This compelling story covers her life and the lives of her family in the wake of discovering how Henrietta’s cells, used without permission, changed the world. I would definitely recommend this book! It is amazing to learn about how much one persons cells have the potential to save so many lives and also scary to learn the liberties doctors have over the use of your cells!

5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
This is a heartbreaking-ly wonderful book. The creative method in which it is written captures the emotional and beautiful moments in the life of a little girl stealing books during reign of Hitler. This book made me laugh and cry and in my opinion, it is a must read

What have you read that you loved this year!?

I got to get dressed up with my husband and go to a dinner last night

Or maybe because I woke up to kisses from the dog (he was apparently ready for his breakfast- who can resist this face!? Also, pretend there is NOT a mess in the background…)

or that I have friends and family that I love dearly?

For these reasons and many more, today is a day I have pledged to just be thankful for all the blessings in my life. (my cheer may have something to do with watching this sweet video a million few times)

Have a VERY happy Wednesday!

This weekend is not about grilling, or parties or a free day off of work. This weekend is about acknowledging and thanking the brave men and women who served and have served our country. We need to thank them for the ultimate gift they give us, often the gift of their lives, to ensure we live in the land of the free.  There are not enough words of gratitude to acknowledge our nations heroes.

Thank you to all the men and women who so bravely serve in our military. Thank you to their families who make sacrifices so that we may continue to live freely in the most wonderful country. God Bless the Men and Women in Uniform and God Bless America.

Pinterest came to the rescue once again and I couldn’t wait to try this recipe for squash chips. There were two issues I was worried about:

1. I love chips. So, I admit I was skeptical about enjoying these as much as I would a potato chip, but I did! They remind me of sweet potato chips. But they are healthy and practically free since the squash came from my garden! Win.

2. For me to have the oven on for 3 hours on in this lovely 90 degree weather, it has to be worth it. This was!

SQUASH CHIPS

Ingredients
1 Yellow Squash (This would work with zucchini too!)
Salt*
Cooking Spray

*I covered one batch in dill and Parmesan cheese (from the can, classy) and that was the BEST flavor combination (no salt needed since the Parmesan is salty). I sprinkled the other batch with Tony’s Creole seasoning, also good but not as tasty as the dill!

Find the original recipe HERE from Dig Into Books

Step 1: Preheat oven to 200. Thinly slice your squash. I used a mandolin on the second thinnest setting. You can certainly use a knife, just be careful. (don’t the slices look like little flowers!?)

Step 2: Liberally spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, and line up squash pieces close together but NOT touching. Cover those babies with seasoning of your choice. I think lime salt and chili powder would be good, or Italian seasoning, or RANCH. yum
Step 3: Place them in the oven and find something to distract you for two-three hours. I kept opening the oven and peeking and trying them. You can do this two, but wait until at least 2 hours have passed! Mine took the full 3 hours to become crispy.
Step 4: eat them all and feel ZERO guilt about it

Friday night was a cocktail hour, dinner and awards ceremony to present bloggers with a “MilBloggie“. I was THRILLED to meet some other military spouse bloggers* and encourage you to check them out too!

Goodnight Moon http://www.goodnight-moon.org/
Riding The Roller Coaster http://www.ridingtherollercoaster.com/
USMC Life http://usmclife.com
Diamonds Dog Tags and Diapers http://www.diamondsdogtagsdiapers.com
Our Military Home http://www.ourmilitaryhome.com/
Angela from Home Front United http://homefrontunited.com
Cameron from Military Town Advisor http://militarytownadvisor.com/ (Fellow Aggie! Whoop!)
Chris from Macho Spouse (a site for Male Military Spouses!) http://1102productions.com/Macho%20Spouse.html

And of course I was there with the fabulous other spouses who work for USAA’s Military Spouse Community:
Tara Crooks from Army Wife Network and author of 1001 Things to Love About Military Life
Wendy Polling founder of My Military Life
Chazz Pratt author of Fort Living room Transition Course

* I wish I had more time (and more of a voice) to talk to each of you more!

All dressed up and ready for the awards ceremony

Friday nights award ceremony was fun, but the highlight for me was meeting Colonel Charles McGee. COL McGee spoke of his experiences as being one of the first African-American fighter pilots and an original Tuskegee Airmen. He is now at a ripe  young age  of 93, and I can only hope to be so eloquent and look so good when I am in my 90s! His story of perseverance in a time of such ugly prejudice and inequality gave me goosebumps. It as an honor and privilege to be in the presence of such a hero, with 409 combat missions under his belt. AMAZING.

Tara, Wendy and I ended the night with some cookies and milk martinis (who knew there was such a thing -delicious!).

Saturday began early with breakfast and a Q&A session with Virginia Congressman Randy Forbes.

Chazz Pratt, Wendy Poling, Randy Forbes, Tara Crooks and Me!

The remainder of the day was filled with panels including a DoD blogger roundtable where each branch discussed their plans for social media, then a more dramatic panel with some reporters answering some tough questions about military in the media but my FAVORITE Q&A session was with Scott Waugh, co-founder of Bandito Brothers Films and Producer/Director of the film Act of Valor. I admittedly had not seen the Act of Valor film (in which the actors are not actors they are real US Navy Seals!). While his use of colorful language made me giggle, his respect and admiration for the Navy Seals and their families blew me away. I am thankful there are people like him in Hollywood who appreciate our men in uniform and wish to portray them just as they are,  as heroes. I watched the movie after returning home, and enjoyed it as much as a military spouse can enjoy a movie about the dangers and harsh realities our loved ones in uniform go through. I boo-hooed the entire movie, while my husband appreciated the use of real Seals, real “bad a$$” equipment and weapons. I encourage you to check the movie out (probably a better idea to watch it while your spouse is NOT deployed).

The rest of the conference was enjoyable and informative, but I have to admit my favorite part is networking. Meeting other bloggers and matching a face to a blog you read is so fun! If you were at the MilBlog Conference and I missed you, or we did not get a chance to talk, feel free to contact me! I would love to connect or possible write something together!!

I obviously think gardening is more fun than Bailey does

Big thanks to my husband who helped me build this raised garden bed that has become my hobby!! We used this plan and soil combination (from pinterest, what did we do before that?) to plant*:

Basil
Red and Yellow Bell Peppers
Jalapenos
Eggplant
Yellow crookneck Squash
Mr. Stripey Heirloom Tomatoes
German Johnson Heirloom Tomatoes

*I bought all of my plants from Lowes (with a 10% military discount) and saved the receipt because they will replace your plant if it dies!

Here it was the day I planted everything April 9th  and today May 15th!

In just a moth everything has doubled! Love this baby bell pepper!

Squash!

What are you growing in your garden!?

Back to business. It is now Wednesday and I feel like I am finally coming out of my zombie like snotty state. I feel like a new woman, and it is in part to this FABULOUS and EASY soup (easy is essential when you are a crazy congestion induced overly emotional cough machine).

I patted myself on the back for saving a chicken carcass (I hate the word carcass too, reminds me of vultures- ew!) and ends of lots of onions, carrots and celery. Threw all of that in a large pot, covered it with water, added unpeeled smashed garlic cloves, some herbs, black pepper and salt and magically three hours of simmering later, I had homemade chicken stock to make the perfect chicken soup.

This recipe, for lemon chicken noodle soup, is from a friend of mine over at The GD Kitchen. It is perfect for when you are feeling under the weather, or craving a comforting meal. I had a bunch of vegetables pre-chopped in the freezer because sometimes I buy too much produce or my husband works late and I don’t make dinner because I am lazy and do not want veggies to go to waste. Seriously, you can chop up anything and freeze it – start doing this, you will be glad you did if you end up in a cold coma like I was! I used zucchini, carrots and onions that had been frozen.

Yep, these veggies were frozen!

Check out her site and this recipe you will be so glad you did!

Side note 1:  That is my sweet little beer spiller in the background

Side note 2: I plan on making the GD Kitchen’s strawberry basil ice cream to go with these strawberry basil martinis

Side note 3: I think I like adding side notes too much!

Reading (this book was fantastic) and drinking a strawberry basil martini, or two or three… This is a fabulously refreshing cocktail that really, is perfect for any day, especially moody Mondays which I will now refer to as Martini Mondays. How can you hate Mondays with a martini this good?

Strawberry Basil Martini
Serves 1

3 strawberries, plus 1 thin slice
3 basil leaves
1/2 ounce Agave Nectar
Ice
2 ounces vodka*
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce Water

*this is also VERY delicious virgin, sub club soda for the vodka!

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the strawberries with the basil leaves and Agave nectar. Add ice and the remaining ingredients and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the strawberry slice.
Adapted from Food and Wine

Go forth, make this martini and turn your Monday into this-

*That is my husband in the background doing yard work. In my defense, I offered to make him a martini and he declined…

These are so surprisingly good. Nothing like a Mexican enchilada that can be heavy and laden with cheese (although my husband thought they could use guacamole, he is CRAZY). They are light and slightly spicy/sweet and PERFECT to whip up when you are having guests over with a side of edamame (Served restaurant style lightly salted in their pods)!

This recipe is from one of my favorite food blogs, How Sweet It Is, she is always coming up with great new recipe ideas! You MUST try this!

Image from http://www.howsweeteats.com/

Don’t be surprised that you will want to eat your leftovers for breakfast the next day.

Get the recipe here!

Serves 2

Salad

4 cups fresh baby spinach

1 cup sliced strawberries

1/2 cup candied pecans

4 ounces of goat cheese

(Optional for the meat lover in your life- 1 large grilled chicken breast)

Dressing

2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1 tsp honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 ½  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine balsamic vinegar, honey and Dijon then gradually whisk in the olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste. Combine spinach, strawberries and pecans and toss with dressing. Finally top with crumbled goats cheese, split into two bowls and enjoy!