Our domestic life . . .

My husband and I are very domestic.  It is not intentional.  I know many people who try terribly hard to be domestic.  It comes naturally -- especially to my husband.  Among many things my parents taught me, I learned to feed people and clean pretty quickly.  I enjoy cleaning, organizing and decorating.  I've always been a list-maker and constant reorganizer.  When it comes to cooking, I am a pretty good baker.  However, when left to my own devices, the menu will typically consist of a fried egg (with a solid yolk), a piece of whole wheat toast and some steamed broccoli.  Lame, I know.  This is an improvement from law school when I could live on Cap'n Crunch and coffee.

When it comes to truly creative cooking, my husband is a pro.  I think that it serves as a means of stress relief or catharsis for him.  (which is why I don't get in his way/watch Real Housewives of ___________ or the Nightly News while he works his magic).  Regardless of how much time he spends working, he comes home each evening and makes dinner and our lunches for the next day. We try to be financially conservative & health-conscious.  I avoid eating out during the day because it cuts into my productivity.  READ: I want to take a nap by 2:00 p.m. when I eat tater tots.  Often, I find that I end up consuming far more calories when I eat out, as well.  The financial aspect is certainly a deterrent when you consider that you can't get out of most group lunches for less than $20.  $20 spent 2-3 times per week can add up quickly.  All that aside, I like knowing that there are only two people who could have prepared my lunch -- and both of them washed their hands first :)  I also love when I get e-mails containing photos of tomorrow's lunch from my husband, who has the day off of work.  On the menu tomorrow: curry chicken salad. Yay!

Before/After - silver edition

 During our stay in KY, we decided to visit the beautiful little town where I attended college.  This area is known for its great antiques -- and its spectacular prices.  Not only did we find a vintage year book from my husband's alma mater but we also found this great 127 year old silver piece.  Real silver.  Not silver plated.
It was $12.50.  I am still in shock.

We spent the afternoon -- when I say we, I mean my husband -- cleaning it up with silver polish/Tarn-X.  Tarn-X smells heinous.  Actually, what you smell is the chemical reaction between it and the tarnish itself.  All of that aside,  GROSS.  It was well worth it when you look at the end-result.

We started with this 

And finished with this! (actually not completely done)
I'll post a finished photo later. 

Now, we are kind of in love with snagging cheap old silver to polish up and use to decorate our home.  For my husband, I think he's more thrilled with the cleaning up part of it.  I've got to admit, I'm a sucker for before & after. Happy Monday!

Beautiful spring weather . . .

Motivated me to break out the Nike+ and get in a quick run before the storms later this evening.

Today was not supposed to be this beautiful!

Happy April Fool's Day! (an explanation of this day's origins)

The origins of April Fools' Day - courtesy of InfoPlease: 

April Fools' Day: Origin and History

The uncertain origins of a foolish day

by David Johnson and Shmuel Ross

April Fools' Day, sometimes called All Fools' Day, is one of the most light-hearted days of the year. Its origins are uncertain. Some see it as a celebration related to the turn of the seasons, while others believe it stems from the adoption of a new calendar.

New Year's Day Moves

Ancient cultures, including those of the Romans and Hindus, celebrated New Year's Day on or around April 1. It closely follows the vernal equinox (March 20th or March 21st.) In medieval times, much of Europe celebrated March 25, the Feast of Annunciation, as the beginning of the new year.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII ordered a new calendar (the Gregorian Calendar) to replace the old Julian Calendar. The new calendar called for New Year's Day to be celebrated Jan. 1. That year, France adopted the reformed calendar and shifted New Year's day to Jan. 1. According to a popular explanation, many people either refused to accept the new date, or did not learn about it, and continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1. Other people began to make fun of these traditionalists, sending them on "fool's errands" or trying to trick them into believing something false. Eventually, the practice spread throughout Europe.

Problems With This Explanation

There are at least two difficulties with this explanation. The first is that it doesn't fully account for the spread of April Fools' Day to other European countries. The Gregorian calendar was not adopted by England until 1752, for example, but April Fools' Day was already well established there by that point. The second is that we have no direct historical evidence for this explanation, only conjecture, and that conjecture appears to have been made more recently.

Constantine and Kugel

Another explanation of the origins of April Fools' Day was provided by Joseph Boskin, a professor of history at Boston University. He explained that the practice began during the reign of Constantine, when a group of court jesters and fools told the Roman emperor that they could do a better job of running the empire. Constantine, amused, allowed a jester named Kugel to be king for one day. Kugel passed an edict calling for absurdity on that day, and the custom became an annual event.

"In a way," explained Prof. Boskin, "it was a very serious day. In those times fools were really wise men. It was the role of jesters to put things in perspective with humor."

This explanation was brought to the public's attention in an Associated Press article printed by many newspapers in 1983. There was only one catch: Boskin made the whole thing up. It took a couple of weeks for the AP to realize that they'd been victims of an April Fools' joke themselves.

Spring Fever

It is worth noting that many different cultures have had days of foolishness around the start of April, give or take a couple of weeks. The Romans had a festival named Hilaria on March 25, rejoicing in the resurrection of Attis. The Hindu calendar has Holi, and the Jewish calendar has Purim. Perhaps there's something about the time of year, with its turn from winter to spring, that lends itself to lighthearted celebrations.

Observances Around the World

April Fools' Day is observed throughout the Western world. Practices include sending someone on a "fool's errand," looking for things that don't exist; playing pranks; and trying to get people to believe ridiculous things.

The French call April 1 Poisson d'Avril, or "April Fish." French children sometimes tape a picture of a fish on the back of their schoolmates, crying "Poisson d'Avril" when the prank is discovered.

Read more: April Fools' Day: Origin and History — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aprilfools1.html#ixzz1I84Ael51

Vrai Amour - Value Wines and Specialty Craft Beers - Chicago

Vrai Amour Wines

As we finished our gourmet hotdogs on Saturday afternoon, we decided to stop in this wine store a few blocks south of our apartment.  It's a very unique little store with a great selection of Michigan wines.  The owners try very hard to keep their prices low so they avoid higher-priced Napa Valley and French wines.  They had a great selection of craft beers and Michigan wines, as well.  The owners are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable.  The store was very simple and peaceful.  It made me feel as if I were back in Napa/Sonoma.  I tried Brassfield Estate Sauvignon Blanc.  It was very light and crisp, without being too sweet.  (I refuse to launch into full-on wine-snobbery as I am out-matched by many of my well-informed friends.)   It was delicious.  A side-note: it is also a screw top. I don't feel quite as bad drinking wine out of a screw top bottle when it costs more than $10 ($15.00 to be exact :) )  That, my friends, is the extent of my wine snobbery.  

My husband decided to put together his own mix-n-match six pack of beer.  He got to try several unique beers, including an apricot ale.  We will definitely be back.  Yum! 

Old and new

We had an amazing time with our families on vacation last week.  I love going back to all of the places I've loved over the years.  Somehow, we managed to hit them all during our week-long roadtrip to KY, IN, and MO.
We started in Indianapolis with our friends from our med/law school days.  They just purchased a beautiful home and were so excited to entertain houseguests.  My girlfriend and I had a blast at TJ Maxx/Homegoods, as well.  However, she has a serious lamp addiction that should be addressed.  I, on the other hand, picked up

Lilly Pulitzer "Charlotte" sunglasses


and a sleeveless pink and green Lilly tunic top, along with a bright pink open sweater, also courtesy of Lilly.



We met up with some old friends for cocktails and dinner before heading south to Evansville for a few days.

We had a great time eating and spending time with my husband's family.  We got lots of sleep, as well.  I'm also pretty sure that we ate bacon five days in a row . . .

More on our vacation later.  Next stop, KY!

Homemade chicken stock