Frozen apples and more

Frozen apples are like popsicles for the clever-minded

I never make popsicles in the summer. My mother used to make them when I was a child and my brother and I were growing up in Phoenix. I went back to Phoenix in 2007 with Robert to visit my Granddad. I am never going back there to live. It's too hot. Have I digressed? Good.

Mom would buy plastic popsicle molds and fill them with, well, I don't know what. Lemonade? Strawberries? I have no idea. It doesn't matter because I am not making them. But here's what my new favorite frozen treat is: frozen apples. Yes, friends. I take miniature red apples and stick them in the freezer for four hours or so. They are so good, just like a popsicle, sort of, in that they are both frozen and sweet. Apples are amazing because they are filled with fiber, low-ish on the glycemic index, and they help get rid of nausea.  (I have always dealt with car-related nausea.) Anyway, the cold really enhances the taste and smell. Cold apple is my new favorite scent. I mean, really, it's so fresh. So, go, freeze some apples and be delighted with the results. Other fruits that are good cold: peaches, grapes, and bananas. 

New foods I have tried this summer:

Homemade flan, basil gelato, chocolate wine, cinnamon honey, pecan bread, stuffed clams, beets, blueberry crumble ice cream, and strawberry kiwi wedding cake.

New recipes I would like to try:

 These ideas are from food blogs, which are sometimes way better than food magazines.

 Peach slices, raspberries, blueberries, and chocolate chips
Pumpkin granola

Mushroom chili

Baked sweet potatoes and cranberries

Grilled chicken with feta and pears

Chocolate altoid brownies

Falafel

Frozen banana "ice cream" with honey, almond butter, and shaved dark chocolate

Romaine salad with orange and avocado

Tuna pasta salad ( Judge me.)

There are many more. I would love for my mom and me to spend an entire weekend just cooking amazing, extravagant dishes for ourselves. 

Two small changes I have made over time that have given me success:

I drink way more water per day than I used to.

I always eat breakfast at the table.

My recent reads:

"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. Two things: Harper Lee could write, and for that matter all the good writers could. They knew what they were doing. I read this in freshman English when I was fourteen, and the whole story flew right over my head back then. Ten years later, I am able to absorb the meaning and characters. I love Boo Radley. I would love to name a dog Boo Radley. Anyone else love Boo Radley? Anyone? Anyone? Bueler?

"A Stolen Life" by Jaycee Lee Dugard. This is Dugard's memoir about being abducted and held in captivity for eighteen years. This book sold out at my local bookstore the day it came in. The publisher has slowly been sending the stores more copies. I could wait for several months to check it out at the library, but I don't want to wait. When a new, juicy, remarkable story comes out, especially if it's a true and weird, I HAVE to read it. I HAVE to read it right then. So, I become Mrs. Shady and read the book while I sit in the bookstore cafe. I usually can't afford new books, so I sit there the whole day to read it. This book took me a few different days. Ethically messed up? Most likely. But now it's out of my system.

"Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyer. This author is a christian and she discusses how the enemy uses our thought life to "get" us. Think there's no battle happening in the mind? Think again.



"The 5 Love Languages" by Gary Chapman. My therapist suggested this one. I think it's so useful for anyone to read to understand either their spouse or anyone else in their life. Go find it. (My love language is touch.)

I want to read The Ragamuffin Gospels pretty bad.

My recent music:

Susan Boyle: I Dreamed a Dream C.D. I don't care if she's for the 45-and-older crowd, her voice is beautiful and peaceful.

My recent cosmetic buys:

Benefit's "boi-ing" industrial strength concealer.

Bare minerals original foundation in "fair."

Napoleon DeVine lipstick in "Aphrodite" red.

Clinique chubby stick moisturizing lipgloss in "chunky cherry."

I also recently got an eye brow wax and a temple massage at Ulta. The temple massage was amazing. Have you ever realized how good, not bad, it actually feels to get a massage there? The very gay man who did it called himself the brow tender, and he told me that my right eyebrow has a higher arch than my left. He said everyone's eyebrows are uneven that way. Again, something I never realized. I get to go back for a second and FREE wax next month, and I am so looking forward to it.

Things I would like to buy:

A pastel purple scarf

Real running shoes

A black, v-cut bathing suit

TOMS shoes

...so much more...

The dog I want: A small, white Westie. Female. One day I will have her.

My new favorite baby names:

So, we want kids, but we don't know when. If we have a boy, we're going to name him after Robert! At first, I thought the nickname "Bo" would be cute for Robert, but then I realized that it's short and would not give him much confidence when he's fourteen and introduces himself to a girl. I call Robert "Rob", and I am convinced that the Robs, Dans, Steves, and Mikes of the world can often be good guys. I just don't know if I want our child's name to also be Rob. Where's the diversity?. Robert, of course, shares his Father's name: Robert Stanley Rahm. We call his Dad Stan. I don't want to go this route and name call him Stanley. No, thanks. I guess the options I am left with are: Bob, Bobby, Robbie, or perhaps Robin. I think it is strange to name a one-day-old "Bob." That name is for old men. I don't think Bobby is cute, and Robin is somewhat feminine. So, Robbie might win over!

I have no idea how many kids we will have, but another boy name I love is John. I don't care if everyone has this name. It's a good name. Robert likes John Lamar, but I sort of like John Benjamin, after my brother.

I am convinced that I will have a boy first and  girl second, like both sets of our parents did, although I know that there's no way to know for sure. All I know is that I don't want the girl's name to be too perfect and crafted to the point where the girl grows up thinking I'm a crazy perfectionist who cares more about her name than her. I do like being a perfectionist, but I would rather name a child something common and make sure I notice her, than name her "ZuLily" and have her worry about how her parents view her. I know I did not word that well, nope, not at all. But it makes sense to me.

When I think about my name: I think that my parent's probably chose something popular, because when I was born Cara was popular. And Beth? Hmm, kind of vanilla if you ask me, but cute.

In the way of names, I currently like "Teni" (that rhymes with penny.) Ben actually gave me that idea. People name children weird things in California where he heard that. But I love Teni. I think I would use the spelling "Tenni" however, just to make it phonetic. I like "Tenni Valentina" because I love any name with a val- beginning, I don't know why. But maybe that's too perfect. We might go with Tenni Rose. I like that Rose gives you a mental picture of something, a flower. And I live in the South, and Rose is a southern sounding name. It may be common, but hey, at least I chose something! We might go down the "Tenni Beth" route, but I'm not sure yet. Don't have to be.

Other girl names I like: Lyla, Ruby, and Elly.

What I have been up to lately:

Work.

Last week I went to "The NOT Wedding." This was a mock-wedding bridal show. So amazing. I got some good ideas for Christina's bridal shower in October.

Going to Stone Mountain. It's a five mile trek around the mountain. It is such a good walk.

Applying for a different apartment! Robert and I move into our new place Friday, October 14, 2011. You can't understand how glad this makes me.

Swimming. In my parents' pool.

Going to trivia nights with Robert's work friends and various pizza places.

Our two year anniversary is coming up on Monday! I have been married for two years, people. Last month at Robert's work party, I actually asked a newlywed couple how married life was. I am that married. hehe. We are spending two days at Stone Mountain Park to celebrate, and we are staying at The Stone Mountain Inn.

Robert is about to start his last year of college. After that, he plans on applying for different Ph.d. programs around here. I sure can't believe that either.

Last things:

If you have a problem with someone, do your best to think of all of that person's positive traits. It can change your attitude towards them.

I love this verse from Proverbs 16:24: "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." I want this phrase painted as a wall hanging that I can keep.

Blessings,
Cara