Home Sweet Home

I'm back home to Eagleville and (mostly) unpacked and settled in after a lovely week with my sister and nieces and busy weekend in NJ. I am plum tired and ready to crash before starting back to work.

Updates and photos to come tomorrow and I'll be catching up on my reading, too!

Until then, good night all :)

~Brittany

EDIT (3/15): So, updating may not happen until tomorrow (Tuesday). Dan and I decided to have a date night and went out to see Alice in Wonderland after dinner. Also, I'm pooped from missing an hour of sleep last night (thanks, day light savings time). I'm gunning for an early bed time tonight :)

Shopping and a Show

There must be something in the water at the Eagleville Genaurdi's.

I went shopping there the other night and, really, I should have known that I was in for it as I thought "why did I decide to come to the crappy Genaurdi's tonight?"*

Generally, I'm the type of person who likes to be left alone while shopping. I like to peruse the aisles, take my time, compare prices, read labels... really, I'm in my own little world. And, I do not like when people come into my grocery shopping world unless I invite them.

However, for some reason, nearly every time I go this particular Genaurdi's, something weird happens and somebody invades my grocery shopping bubble.

There was the time a lady assumed I worked there and started asking me all these questions about wax paper v. parchment paper and where to find them (note: I was bundled up in my winter gear and pushing a half-filled cart at the time).

Another time, some kid, who couldn't have been more than 12, was following me around with his "posse" and singing Hannah Montana songs. He would promptly "hide" every time I turned around.

Oh, but Friday night may have trumped them all. This time, the employees were getting into the action. However, I will admit, that I was definitely amused this time around. Albeit, a little frightened.

It all started in the produce section. As I was wandering around trying to decide what types of fruit I wanted for a fruit salad, one of the employees asked me how I was doing. "I'm fine," I replied, assuming this would be the end of our exchange.

Instead of going back to stocking the pears, he then asked me if I liked apples.

"Um, yes, I like apples..."

"No," he said. "I need you say: Michael, I LOVE apples!!"

I shrugged and decided to play along: "I LOVE apples!"

While I was still recovering from the shock of yelling this in the middle of the produce section (introverts don't generally like to draw attention to themselves), Michael the Produce Guy started to point out to me all the specials they were having on apples, including the lovely fuji's, which were reduced from $2.99 to $.99 a pound and which I already had my cart.

Michael congratulated me on what a good shopper I was and we both went about our business.

Weird.... yet, not the end of it.

Not long after, as I was comparing the prices on chicken, another gentleman asked me how I was doing. "Good," I replied. This time, I really thought this would be end of our exchange. Surely, I will not have another strange encounter of the Genaurdi's variety, right?

Wrong again.

"Trying to decide what you're going to have for dinner?" he asked.

I replied, "Yeah, kind of."

At that he gave me a wink, and told me he would let me know what I was in the mood for. He asked me to hold out my hand and gingerly held it between his thumb and pointer finger.

He closed his eyes, and after a moment of consideration, opened them and exclaimed: "You want salmon!"

I considered the suggestion and then followed Mr. Dinner Psychic over the the fish section where I soon found myself with a pound of salmon wrapped in brown paper and a delicious recipe scribbled on the back of my grocery list.

Yes, I was duped. And I can't help but think that with two such encounters I must have had a sign flashing over my head that read "Easy Target".

However, I am not ashamed.

Thanks to the two gentlemen at Genaurdi's, I had a grin on my face and a bounce in my step for the remainder of my shopping trip. I decided that the entertainment I received while shopping was well worth the price of the salmon (which was actually not too pricey; and, after I dressed it in a lovely herb butter, it turned it out deliciously!).

Plus, even with the salmon (which is definitely a splurge for Daniel and I), I still kept to my budget (yay me!).

So, for the price of an average Genaurdi's shopping trip, I also received dinner and a show. All in all, not a bad deal.

*Note: Ok, so this Genaurdi's really isn't "crappy"... but, we have two Genaurdi's almost equidistance from the apartment. The other one in Audubon is larger and generally has more variety. Plus. it has a much better cafe area - complete with pizza shop and $5 pizzas!!

Peace Out, Debbie Downer

I've been feeling rather out of sorts this week. It's been a stressful one, for sure. Good 'ole Aunt Dot stopped by for her monthly visit. Hubby and I have been getting on each others nerves. Work has been... well, worky. I've had issues getting my taxes filed (never, ever, again will I do them myself... ever), and as such my hope of finally acquiring a car has been pushed back once again as a result.

So, after spending much of the week pouting and being in a horrid mood, I've decided to stop being a Debbie Downer. Life happens, ya know? Time to move on. Besides, The next few days are guaranteed to be fab.

For starters, tomorrow is Friday, and I love me some Fridays!

Saturday I'll be hosting a Pride & Prejudice and Chinese food party at the apartment with some good friends from college.

It will be pretty low key, as far as food is concerned since the Chinese take out is a must. My friend Amy will be bringing goodies from Panera Bread. I'll be providing some homemade biscuits and lemon curd, and since I have a dip set that I've been dying to use, there will be some kind of dip and an instrument for dipping. Haven't quite decided on that yet.

And tea. There will be lots of tea. You can't watch P&P without tea!

Next week, I will be working for just 2 days, and then it's off to the Buckeye State until Saturday to hang out with these adorable little gals (aka my nieces):

Aren't they cute??

And this slightly older, yet still adorable gal ;) (aka my sister):

I am super excited to see them :)

Another thing to be super excited about? {Not Quite} Susie has awarded me with the Kreativ Blogger award! Thanks a bunch, {Not Quite} Susie!

I'm going to do things a lil differently and pass this award on to a few blogs that I've really been enjoying lately and tell you why I love them:

First of all? Kara @ Lil Miss Wisecracker! Not only is she a good friend, but she just re-did her entire blog and it is simply gorgeous. She is a great writer with a hilarious point of view and an absolutely fabulous photographer.

Next - Apple Wrangler @ Miss Wrangler and the Koala because I adore her fun, vintage-y style and her love of the thrift store. Plus, her son is just completely precious!

And thirdly - Cassandra @ Cassagram. I loved her blog as soon as I saw that she described herself as a "fairy godmother" and a "hippie". Her blog is super fun, and she has a great sense of humor.

So there you go. Go check them out when you have a chance. They're all swell :)

Have a good night, and happy *almost* Friday!!

Post It Note Tuesday: Signs of Spring

Click on Supah Mommy's Icon to join in on Post-It Note Tuesday!

Oh, Beans!

Holy cow - we had more snow last week. But, it's kind of starting to feel like old hat, you know? Admittedly, I could get use to all these snow days ;)

Anyway, this time around, I decided to make some warm, yummy comfort food while I weathered our latest storm. The Pioneer Woman and her absolutely fabulous cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks, provided the perfect recipe: beans and cornbread.

As much as I love beans, I've only ever eaten them from the can. But, after cooking them from raw, I may never go back. It's certainly more economical (I halved her recipe, which called for 4 cups of beans, and still have plenty to freeze), and it's super simple. In a nutshell, you boil the water and beans, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and forget about them for 3 hours. Season to taste, and done. Fabulous!

Wait, let me back up. Did I forget to mention that the recipe calls for bacon? Yes ma'am! One of my favorite things about The Pioneer Woman Cooks, is her unashamed love of bacon. All you need to do is cut up the raw bacon and add it to the beans before boiling. Of course, I had to fry up the rest. You know, just to make sure it would taste ok.

And here is my glorious pot full of beans. Just scoop those suckers into a bowl, add some shredded cheese and sour cream, serve with cornbread, and you have the perfect, simple, comfort meal. Yum!

Do You No 'Poo?

I do!

Don't worry, the reference to "no 'poo" has absolutely nothing to do with bowel movements (if that were the case, I would probably need to see a doctor, stat!).

No 'poo, or the 'poo free method, refers to no shampoo. As in, not using shampoo to wash your hair.

I have been 'poo free for almost two years now after learning about the method from my sister-in-law Leah at The Suburban Gal and I decided to do a no 'poo post after being inspired by a hair themed post written my good friend Kara at Lil Miss Wisecracker.

In a nutshell, the 'poo free method involves washing your hair with baking soda and rinsing with either apple cider vinegar or lemon juice depending on your hair color (no 'poo is also known as the BS/ACV or BS/LJ method). As a blonde, I use lemon juice since the apple cider vinegar has the potential to turn blonde hair brassy. But, generally, most no 'poo folks use ACV (don't worry, the vinegar smell fades quickly as your hair dries and you'll get used to it in the shower pretty quickly).

The Basics of The 'Poo Free Method:

What you need: Baking Soda, ACV or LJ, and a cup

What to do:

Make a paste in your hand with approx. 1-2 teaspoons of baking soda and a few drops of water.

Scrub the paste into your hair, just near the scalp - you do not need to scrub the ends of your hair with the paste - that's what the ACV or LJ is for.

Focus on areas that tend to be greasiest for you (i.e. bangs, around your temples, etc.).

Rinse well with water.

Make a rinse in a large cup with approx. 1 part ACV or LJ and 9 parts water.

If your hair is long enough, gather it together and soak the ends in the rinse for 30 seconds or so, then pour the rinse over your hair.

Rinse well with water.

It's that simple!

From here, you can decide whether or not to use conditioner. I personally use it only once in a blue moon because my hair is still soft and manageable without it. So, why bother with the extra step?

Why No 'Poo?

Foregoing shampoo leads to happier, healthier hair.

Why? Because shampoo strips your hair of its natural oils. This is why folks who wash their hair everyday still complain of having greasy locks - their scalp is essentially working overtime to produce all the oils that have been scrubbed away.

Generally, just a quick rinse with water will remove any dirt that has built up in your hair. Using BS will go the extra mile to remove any build up from hair products. It also has natural deodorizing properties and you will not do damage to your hair or scalp unless you use a lot of it.

Going no 'poo means that you will not need to wash your hair as often.

Some folks are able to do one wash a week. Some will wash every other day, with a quick rinse on the "off" days.

There really are not hard and fast rules - depending on your hair type, you may need to experiment with the amounts of BS or ACV / LJ that you use, or experiment with washing more or less often. Just follow the basic elements of the method and find what works best for you.

I generally wash every two to three days, sometimes with a rinse in-between, and sometimes not.

The 'poo free method is also economical.

It'll only cost about $7 to buy a decently sized box of baking soda and large bottle or ACV or LJ and they will last you for months. It costs about the same amount to buy a good shampoo that will only last about a month, at best.

Some Practical 'Poo Free Advice:

I'll be honest, as you are transitioning to no 'poo, your hair will probably be pretty gross for the first two weeks or so as your scalp adjusts. Be tough! Don't fall into the temptation to wash your hair everyday during these two weeks. Just remember, after a few days, your hair will adjust and look fabulous. Just make hats and pony tails your friend for a little while.

If your hair gets a bit on the greasy side between washings, you can use a bit of cornstarch to absorb some of the oils. Use a cheap make-up brush to apply the cornstarch to your hair and then comb it through. Make sure do this before you get dressed for the day, especially if you're wearing black! (yes, I've made this mistake before).

When going to get your hair cut, I've found that it works best to wash it right before heading to the salon so that it will be nice and clean and they won't insist on washing it with shampoo before you get snipped. However, if you love getting your hair washed (as I do), you can simply just have them use conditioner. This way, you will not have start over with the transition phase, and you still get a nice scalp massage. It's also fun to see the stylists' reactions when you tell them that you are 'poo free. They are usually pleasantly surprised.

Invest in a shower cap. Yes, you will look totally dorky when you wear (let me tell you about how much Dan loves my shower cap...), but it will make for easier showers on your "off" days.

Wrap Up

So that's what the 'poo free method is all about. Yes, it's a lot of information. I wanted to try and hit all the questions I had when I was first starting the 'poo free method. But, trust me on this one, once you get started, it really is very simple.

If you have any more questions, this website is a great resource. It offers a lot of troubleshooting advice (i.e. what to do it your hair is too greasy, too dry, too brittle, etc.) and will answer any questions you may have about the ingredients in 'poo free and why they work for your hair.

So, what do you think? Do you use the BS/ACV or the BS/LJ method? If not, do you think you will you give it a try? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to ask some questions, too - I'll answer them in the comments.

Wordless Wednesday: Making Music