Valentine's Day Thoughts: Wine, Women and Song

Have you ever blamed being over-served as an excuse to cheat on your lady love? Sorry guys, that excuse doesn't hold water (or wine) anymore. Two wine economists (who knew those existed and what an awesome job!) noticed that societies which embraced multiple wives, polygyny, do not consume alcohol. Two notable examples of this in today's world are parts of the Muslim world and parts of the Mormon church.

Don't be an Ash This Wednesday

As a good Catholic girl, this is the time of year I think about how I can be a better person. I think given the recent news of Pope Benedict abdicating this Lent may be a bit more interesting.  I think New Year's resolutions are foolish, but for some reason I have no problem with Lenten "resolutions".  I was pondering why there was such a difference between the two periods of personal improvement and reflection for me.

Today is National Girl Scout Cookie Day

I saw on the morning news today that we are celebrating Girl Scout Cookie Day today. The CEO of Girl Scouts, Anna Maria Chávez, called it a "girl entrepreneurial" program. She also called it a "parent-supported" program which allowed girls to grow as individuals. Not sure what world Ms Chávez is living in today, but that is not my experience.

Honey Lavender Frozen Greek Yogurt

Happy National Frozen Yogurt Day! I love making homemade frozen ice cream or yogurt. It is a snap to do and the taste is so much better. You will need to invest in an ice cream maker, but you don't need to spend a lot of money on it. I have this Cuisnart model which runs about $50 on Amazon and I've had it for years. KitchenAid also has an attachment that can be used in their stand mixers that has a 2 qt capacity which I am also thinking about getting as the capacity is greater than my Cuisinart. First world problems, but worth it considering given how tasty this recipe is!

Greek Skillet Lasagne Supper for These Cold Days

Who is whining about this brutally cold weather? I know I am not alone in wearing long undies and wool socks in my neck of the woods. This type of weather calls out for comfort foods that remind you of your childhood and warm you up from your toes to nose. My go-to meals in this weather are soups and pasta dishes. On Tuesday at about 5pm, my son asked me to make lasagna for dinner. Given that a proper lasagna takes a good hour to cook and I didn't have the ingredients in the house, I had to improvise.

I Blinked and He Was Gone

Whenever I walk by or glance at my mailbox, I still feel nauseous eight years later. I remember the rock by the mail box post that he used to love to stand on because he loved the feeling of almost falling, of losing his balance. I removed the rock not only because it attracted him to that spot, but because it made me physically ill just looking at it. Last month was the eight year anniversary marking the day my son missed being hit by a lawn maintenance truck by mere inches.

June, It is Time to Hand in Your White Trash Card

Who would have thought that a mother from McIntyre, Georgia would show more common sense and better parenting skills than a more educated and affluent mother from Long Island?