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Weekly Favorites: February 27, 2011

blogging, Links, Photography, Recipes 5 Responses »

Feb 272011

The sun is shining and it will hit 55 degrees today. I feel like I should be wearing flip flops. Not really. But really. Instead, I might just wear my rainboots and hit the gym after soccer. Not because I am hardcore. I just really want to eat the first recipe below for dinner. I’m pretty sure it requires a pre-and-post workout.

Recipes That Made My Mouth Water:

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole by Ree Drummond at The Pioneer Woman. Yes, we’re having this for dinner tonight. And yes, my mouth watered while sharing this recipe with you.

Easy Homemade Pierogies by Sarah at Sarah’s Cucina Bella. I initially balked at that title: Easy homemade pierogies? NO SUCH THING. I love this idea though and may give them a try. As an aside, Sarah rocked my socks with recipes this week. Also check out her grilled cheese with bacon sandwich and tomato bisque for 12. Mmm.

The McDonald’s Shamrock Shake Copycat Recipe by Kelsey at The Naptime Chef. I squealed when I saw this one. Burgh Baby probably won’t agree with my utter enthusiasm.

Fire/EMS Blog Posts That I Particularly Enjoyed or Think You Should Read:

What Gives by Sarah at Scriberson 365. Just in case you wondered what it looks like when a fire spouse endures a 48 alone. My house definitely looked like this yesterday evening before I whipped it into shape before bed. Glad someone else in the fire family could be honest about it!

Black Helmet Giveaway by Hydrantgirl. Black Helmet Apparel is the only company FireDad really likes for fire service t-shirts. Because they’re not corny. I swear I entered, even though it seems as though comments haven’t been approved yet. You should go enter. For me? Sure! Thanks!

Several Videos of FDNY in Action This Past Week by Rhett at The Fire Critic. A post about the Newsworking channel on YouTube which features coverage of FDNY in action. I subscribed to the channel. You should too!

Photo Blog Posts that Inspired Me:

Camp Shuttersisters at Shutter Sisters. Man. The amazing women behind Shutter Sisters, one of my favorite sites, are sponsoring a photography camp/getaway/awesome event. It’s being held in October in California. Registration opens soon, but I’m pretty sure I can’t swing two trips to California in one year. I’m sad, but I had to share it with my readers. Someone needs to go for me!

Tamron Contest at MCP Actions. A Tamron lens giveaway. ‘Nuff said.

Wild Free by Michelle Black at Light Traces. Another inspirational post with a beautiful photo. I didn’t include it just because she used a picture she took in our favorite vacation spot — Emerald Isle, NC — but that didn’t hurt.

My Absolute Favorites This Week:

On the Women Who Don’t Survive Postpartum Depression by Katherine Stone at Postpartum Progress. Simply a must-read about PPD. I adore Katherine for all the work she does regarding the topic and fight, and this is one that needed to be written — and read.

Letters to Miss Britt: How Do You Find the Time to Write on Multiple Blogs by Britt Reints at Mom Blog Magazine. I love how Britt puts multi-blogging in context. Sure, you may have just gotten some Amazing Gig, but if you ignore your own blog — your original platform — you’re missing out. Good perspective for myself and my other blogger/writer friends.

Finding a Smile Underneath by Morningside Mom. I love her perspective in this post. There are lots of little things that are or go wrong during a day or week or any given period of time. But I like her point that things are basically good as well. Plus, Ani!

Words Are Power by Texasebeth at My life, such as it is. Mmm. I’m on the flip side of this, but I have been learning — so much. Words have power, and even kids know it.

Blast from the Past by Jamie at Grumbles and Grunts. I just found her blog and subscribed immediately. I swear it wasn’t just because on her “about” page she has a photo of herself with her nose pierced (like me). It was because of this post, about a Shel Silverstein book, her photography, she’s going to BlogHer ’11 and generally seems kinda awesome. Start here and explore her archives.

A Few of My Favorite Photos This Week:

Bed Head

LittleBrother needs a haircut. He wakes up with Green Day hair.

I still don’t know how this happens.

Monster Cupcakes

My friend’s son turned four. The Monster Cupcakes were a hit with my boys.

I also enjoyed both of the self-portraits (1, 2) that I took for Picture Inspiration this week. They’re both at my photoblog.

Hopefully this week is a good one. Last week was busy — and snowy — and I’m looking forward to warmer temperatures even if it does mean rain, rain and more rain. I’m telling you, spring isn’t far off. I mean, really, it’s about 22 days away. But sooner would be better. Right? Quite honestly, I’m ready to say goodbye to February. Funny how the shortest month of the year is quite honestly the worst.

Weekly Favorites: February 20, 2011

blogging, Links, Photography 5 Responses »

Feb 202011

February 20th?! Apparently 2011 is going to be another one of those years that simply flies by. I’m behind on reading again. This was a heavy deadline week. But really? February 20? Wow!

Recipes That Made My Mouth Water:

Italian Sausage and Cabbage Stew by Elise at Simply Recipes. My family loves sausage. My family loves cabbage. Really seems like a win for our dinner table!

Fire/EMS Blog Posts That I Particularly Enjoyed or Think You Should Read:

I Got a Job by Hydrantgirl. Go give her some congratulations for landing a full time paramedic position. Also, give her high fives for saying “holy snotsticks.” HIGH FIVE!

The Visit We Hope We Never Receive by Trina at Too Hot to Handle. A post about the LODD of Firefighter Glenn L. Allen and how news of such things sends a chill down the spine of fire wives all over the world.

I Am Recruiting by Just Me at Just My Blog. In short, the youngest child of The Happy Medic is in the ICU. If you’d like to get send something to the family, see the post referenced for ideas and how to’s. See also This post at Pink Warm and Dry for a definition of family if you don’t quite understand why we’re rallying around this family.

Photo Blog Posts That Inspired Me:

46/365 by Cynthia at Freezing memories, one day at a time. Not only are the photos of her son so darn cute, but the story… well, it made me all weepy. Read it.

List #15: 7 Things To Do When You Need to Add Good To Your Day by Karen Walrond at Chookooloonks. I think, with snow in the forecast again this week despite the fact that I have lily sprouts through the ground, I’m going to take Karen’s advice. Great post.

My Absolute Favorites of the Week:

Bird Count and Self Promotion (Plus Pretty Pictures!) by Kim at Arizona Writer. As a photographer who devotes a large amount of time to stalking birds, I have always admired Kim’s work. This post? I love. Lots. The Yellow-Headed Blackbirds photo? I want. Badly.

Photographic Darkness by Casey at Moosh in Indy. Just read it. There are also very few pictures of me during any time that I struggled with depression, postpartum, pregnancy or otherwise. Really, this post is a must read.

Making It Work: Traveling While Lactating by Jory Des Jardins at From Here to Autonomy. Any mother who has traveled and pumped (or pumped ever) will appreciate the humorous honesty in this post. Keep it up, Jory.

Ann Landers by Loralee Choate at Loarelee’s Looneytunes. I don’t know why we continue to submit ourself to the stupid that is Ann Landers’ column, but I love Loralee’s rant. In addition to that, the truth remains that I really wouldn’t be in the place where I am today if it wasn’t for my blog(s). I have been challenged, been helped and been encouraged by others willing to comment, share, push and love me through my darkest of times. Good rant. Lesson: Ignore Ann Landers.

Behaving Badly by Christina at A Mommy Story. Her post is a beautiful finger-pointing at some things that have been driving me crazy as of late as well. I like this paragraph:

Our society is teetering towards a loss of all civility. It’s like people are rebelling from the politically correct atmosphere of the last decade and swinging to the polar opposite. Maybe all of the power of anonymity on the internet is spilling over into our day-to-day behavior? (Note to offenders: when you act like an internet troll to the people in your community, we actually know who you are. And then don’t like you.)

A Few of My Favorite Photos This Week:

I took a lot of photos this week and it was a hard decision for me.

We took the boys bowling. Loved it!

Yes, those are lily sprouts. In February. Not a crazy great picture, but a crazy awesome thing.

I love the texture nature gave to this photo. I can almost feel it.

I am so excited for what this week holds. I’m dealing with some stuff as well, but I just have this level of Kool-Aid Man “OH YEAH!” for this week. I hope you can find some of that in your upcoming week as well.