I’ve been looking at jewelry boxes and ways to organize jewelry. My way of having it all over my dresser top doesn’t seem to be working. Since I keep losing pieces or getting things tangled up. Have you ever had that happen?

I saw these and thought they looked like interesting and beautiful ways to organize jewelry. How do you organize your jewelry? These ideas are from Viva Terra, a site that I’ve been getting lost in lately.

Technorati Tags: design, homemaking and design, jewelry, organizing, shopping, window shopping

My man of many colors and I have been dating now for 2 months. I met his parents, albeit not totally on the greatest first impression. I got lost on the way to his house for our second official date & was late. I think his Mom thought I wasn’t coming. But really I just got lost, I am not great with directions, paying close attention to turn-offs, or apparently anything related to getting anywhere on time. Then we ended up talking & hanging out until the early hours of the morning. Yea, that’s how I met his Dad for the first time in the early hours of the morning. Needless to say if I could have pushed redo on that I would have.

And we had the “dating no one else talk.” We were a “couple” & it felt overwhelming.

Here we were 18 & 19 and part of me was terrified that this was “The One”, which is ridiculous because who meets “The One” when they are that young? And so I did what any normal 18 year old does I considered breaking up with him.

Little did I know he was thinking the same thing.

We went out to see a charity event, with his Mom & sister. It was a beautiful day and after we went to dinner. The restaurant had some of the fanciest pizzas I had ever heard of in my entire life. But over dinner he mentioned needing “to talk” and that caused red flags to jump up around me, waving & shouting “THIS IS NOT GOOD!! IT’S CODE! RUN NOW!” But I didn’t run instead we finished dinner & headed to a park to sit outside, enjoy the weather & talk.

Yea, let’s just say the talk went from not great to OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU??? Very quickly.

Mr. Adorable decided to break up with me.

His reason “I am not ready to get married yet. I’m planning on applying to school in Chicago still and moving. Maybe we can keep in contact and who knows what the future will hold.” He also pointed out the fact that I often joked when under pressure instead of letting him in, whatever. (Ok, I admit it, he may have been totally right on that last part being open about my true feelings doesn’t come easy to me).

HUH?? Who said anything about marriage, who said anything about forever and wait aren’t I supposed to be breaking up with him? I was stunned, hurt and really it felt like a sucker punch to the gut. I couldn’t believe that a) he was feeling overwhelmed like I was b) that I felt so awful considering I thought about breaking up with him c) OH MY GOD I LOVE HIM, WAS I CRAZY FOR THINKING ABOUT BREAKING UP.

After finished “talking” which consisted mostly of him talking & me not knowing what to say back, which I’m pretty sure is the first time (and maybe the only time) in my life I’ve been without words. We got back into the car & headed to my house.

That’s when the tears started. I couldn’t control them. It was awful. I mean that type of crying that when it happens you want to look away but you can’t because it’s you. I was hyperventilating and felt like my heart had been ripped out.

A song by Jewel came on the radio. She was singing “You were meant for me & was I was meant for you.” It was all about star-crossed love that was meant to be but failed.

Then he said what has to be stupidest thing a person has ever said on the face of the Earth during a break-up moment.

“You know, for a while, every song on the radio is going to sound like a break up song.”

I felt like punching him at that moment & instead hit the dashboard. As did I began to find my voice & oh did I find it. I let my guard down, the jokes stopped & I let him in. I am not sure he was ready for the tirade that came next. It went something to the effect of:

“What? Are you insane? Every song doesn’t sound like a break up song. THIS IS A BREAK UP SONG! And for the record I am supposed to be breaking up with you tonight. Don’t look so surprised with a “Huh” look on your face. That’s right I break up with you. You don’t break up with me. This is not the way this is supposed to happen. And who said I wanted to get married? Did I say that? No you just assumed that I want to marry you. Well let me tell you I don’t want to marry you or anyone. I am not planning on staying here in Michigan. I am leaving. I am doing something different. So you can go to Chicago & remember that I broke up with you. And did you think that this was going to be a quiet car ride back to drop me off, because really you had your say now you are going to listen to me.”

He looked blindsided, I think he thought I wasn’t going to say anything on the way home, & he was so quiet.

After 15 minutes straight of me basically laying into him, he spoke and then I spoke. We ended up talking for hours. I said if we remained friends, that was fine, but we’d only be friends (nothing else), that I loved him & if being friends was all there was then that was something I was willing to accept. He said that if that’s what I wanted he was OK with that but really he wasn’t sure what he wanted anymore, because being apart wouldn’t make him happier, he loved me & wanted to be with me. Being just friends wasn’t the same as seeing if there was a future together in with me.

In the end we didn’t break up.

Instead we talked about our actual feelings, like adults, which was scary & beautiful at the same time.

And of course, every time that song came on the radio after I couldn’t help but lean over with a little smile and say “You know, for a while, every song on the radio is going to sound like a break up song.”

[this is part of my  “how I met your father” series]

Technorati Tags: how i met your father, husband, love, love at first sight, marriage

These reusable porcelain ice cream cones might be a nice gift for someone who loves ice cream for eating with or decoration. But I’m not sure they’d be kid friendly if dropped from little hands. I love ice cream though. How about you? Do you love ice cream?

via grasshopper510

Technorati Tags: charm, decorations, design, homemaking and design, ice cream, shopping, window shopping

After having Mujadara many times at local Middle Eastern, particularly Lebanese, restaurants my husband set off to learn how to make it himself. It has since become one of our go to dinners. It’s simple, easy and transports you to a far off land in one taste of this dish. I can feel the desert heat, smells the scents of spice markets and hear the sounds of people walking around throughout these lands that filter through with each bite.

What you need

1 Cup Lentils
1 Cup Rice
3 1/2 Cups Water
4 Onions
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

How to put it together

Slice the onions. The onions should be sliced long, so they look like a rainbow versus diced into small pieces.

Heat pot on med-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon of Vegetable Oil and 1/2 an onion. Cook until onion is caramelized.

Add lentils, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, add rice and 1 Teaspoon Cumin. Cover and simmer for additional 20 minutes.

Heat a frying pan over med-high heat. Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of Vegetable Oil and remaining onions. Cook until fully caramelized and blackened.

Also, he used green lentils & yellow onions for this dish.

We usually serve our Mujadara with hummus & pita. Let me tell you it goes fast. And it is a great meal to have when you are looking for something meatless, easy, and delicious.

Are the any Middle Eastern or Lebanese dishes that you enjoy?

Technorati Tags: frugal, lentils, meatless, middle eastern, recipe, simple recipes, vegan, veggie

See, Heather recently started a totally rad ThetaMom Community as a place for bloggers & those who enjoy reading blogs to make new friends. And yep, I described TMC as rad & yes it’s 1985 in my mind. I’m writing this while wearing neon, stone washed jeans & a giant set of bangles. Stop judging me you know you love stone wash.

Anyway, I love the idea & when she announced it was opening I was right on that. Like white on rice or something maybe soy sauce on rice since I also like brown rice but I digress. I swear I think I have a point. Point is (see I had one) the community is open & when she contacted me to be the first featured blogger I fell outta my chair squealing with excitement like a schoolgirl, which technically I just stopped being, so what if I’m old I can still squeal because I’m really thankful for the opportunity to meet new folks. If have never been over to Heathers, take the time to visit Heather’s blog, you’ll enjoy the visit.

And now I’m rolling out the welcome mat to those who are making their way over here. I figure I while doing that I should also introduce myself.

I’m Beth.

I blog about my life, family, parenting, food, and homemaking design.

I have four kids. My children are the rabble-rousing sort. On occasion they do things like chase each other around with poop made of playdoh, laugh as I leak breast-milk on myself even as innocent infants they know pure comic gold when they see it & all around they are the best human beings I’ve ever come into contact with. I am in awe of the fact I get to be their mother.

I’m also married. He is my best friend, I know how sick. Next thing you know I’m going to tell you he’s great or something. Which he is because he is a cute nerd with a wicked sense of humor who is also great in the kitchen. It’s an ongoing story here that is continuing to be updated regularly because I had someone ask how we got together, why didn’t we ever move & who has kids during grad school (meaning ARE YOU CRAZY?!). So I figured I’d explain some of these things with the story of our lives, because hey WHO NEEDS PRIVACY? The How I Met Your Father series attempts to explain the back story of how two college kids fell in love, never moved, and managed to build a life together.

I also finished graduate school last year, I teach part-time saving students from stabbing pencils in their eyes and work on various projects. During my last year I thought why not write a blog? Because you know I didn’t have enough going on!!

Well, turns out the blog has been a HUGE lifesaver. See, I was diagnosed with postpartum depression over the summer. We’ve since broken up, but sometimes PPD tries to get me to take him back but I’m not falling for it. Without the support that comes from the people I’ve meet here & those who I’ve been so greatly blessed with in my everyday life I might have continued to fall down the rabbit hole.

So, um, yeah, if you made it through that you deserve a big drink because I got distracted by line 4 & I wrote it. Feel free to make one even if it’s 6 in the morning because according to many people Bailey’s Irish Creamer isn’t really alcohol it’s just creamer; in fact, many things aren’t.  Pretty much anything that is alcohol apparently might not really be alcohol under the right conditions. Although if you get arrested don’t try to use this as a legal justification because I’m pretty sure it doesn’t count.

And again welcome to casa de confusion & thank you for everyone who comes here on a regular basis to read. I love that I have gotten the opportunity to meet you all & get met new people everyday.  You have no idea how awesome I think you all are & how totally thankful I am to you all.  I mean really, truly, you are all AWESOME SAUCE, which is like the best kind of awesome EVER & I KNOW these things even if I still think it’s 1985.

Technorati Tags: blog, blogger, blogging, featured blogger, features, thetamom

Mamacita’s joining the ranks of Mr. J & Mr. G. I can’t wait to see what she comes up. But I am a little worried. You see the reason why is that I’m taking this picture of her. That means she had the camera pointed toward me. I may have to start wearing make-up around the house & actually combing my hair in the morning.

Technorati Tags: creative juice, family, kids, photo, photography