I was tempted to eat left-over spaghetti for breakfast today.  Don’t judge.  Especially since I ate a left over hamburger for breakfast approximately a week and a half ago.  Please don’t think this is a normal thing for me!  I just need to go to the grocery store… really bad… and I’ve been putting it off for weeks apparently!

I also ate left over chicken fingers for breakfast once last year.  And let me tell you what I’ve learned from that (and the hamburger) and why I chose not to eat the left-over spaghetti for breakfast today:  there is no where to go from from a breakfast like that!  When I have a heavy, salty, slightly greasy breakfast – I don’t really know how to approach my lunch!  Have you ever had this problem?

I like a somewhat sweet breakfast filled with whole grains, fruits and possible greens.  Ideally a healthy amount of protein with your breakfast is good too however I never really seem to fit that in there.  So, for me breakfast is usually light and sweet and energizing.  Not that lunch shouldn’t be wholesome and energizing, but it’s usually a salty contrast from my starter meal.

I don’t know why I’m talking about breakfast and hamburgers and spaghetti…  It’s not like I have a point to this post or an over-archer theme and life lesson.  I’m just simply curious: Have you ever eaten spaghetti for breakfast?  (or a hamburger…)  (or chicken fingers…)  (ooh! or cold pizza?!…)

– mmm

yum

interesting…

salty!

(Thanks for putting up with me and my spaghetti brain!)

Love,
Makie

I had the pleasure of meeting Ree Drummond twice over the past few weeks here in NYC. Let me tell you, she’s the real deal – a true sweetheart with humor to boot. Her blog posts are entertaining and full of beautiful ranch photography, and her recipes are the kind that (in her own words) “are guaranteed to make your kids, sweetheart, dinner guests, in-laws, friends, cousins, or resident cowboys smile, sigh, and beg for seconds. (And hug you and kiss you and be devoted to you for life.).”

In addition to her cook books, I purhcased CHARLIE THE RANCH DOG for my neices & nephews. I had a hard time giving the gift though, because as you know, I have a thing for children’s books – and this one is cute and hilarious! Some day I’ll share a story I started about my dog, Radar. (You know me, I’ve always got a handful of projects in the works!)  Ever since I was a kid I’ve fallen hard and fast for my dogs.  I even wanted to marry my dog, Bandit, but that’s another story for another day!

So, in the spirit of The Pioneer Woman: What’s your favorite home-cooked, comfort food?!

Is there a dish that warms your belly and warms your soul at the same time?  I want to know!  If you share yours… I’ll share mine!  hehe…

xo
Makie

*image courtesy of Hallmark

I got this card to send to a friend, and then I thought, you’re all my friends… why not send it to all of you!

Here’s what it says to me: Do you ever feel like you are clenching every tooth, nail and muscle to keep things together? Do you ever feel like these big monstrous things in your life would fall to pieces if you neglected to hold them up? Do you ever feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? …Or at least the weight of YOUR world?

I do.

And then I saw this picture and laughed. (Okay, maybe I cried.)

It made me realize that those big enormous things – those *important* things, daunting tasks, even hopes and dreams – they aren’t going anywhere. They won’t fall down if you take a breather.  In fact they don’t require you to work so hard.

Are they big? Yes, because they matter to you. Yet are they already stable? Yes, so don’t worry!

I’m going to say that again: don’t worry.

(You do realize I’m giving therapy to myself, right?)

So I’m in my little room, inside my crazy little head, holding up these BIG rocks, yet while I write you I realize my ginormous rocks are totally fine on their own while I’m otherwise involved in a pleasurable activity.  Turns out, I feel better too!

Thanks for following my silly analogies.  I love you for it – and I love your comments!

Have an awesome evening!

Makie

I’m sitting here on a Sunday evening, chocolate chips in hand (they were on my laptop but then started to melt and are now consequently melting anyway – in my hand! Don’t judge…) and I’m remembering this book I read in 6th grade called “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” by Judy Blume.  The book was first published in 1970 and has been paged through by many young hands (chocolate covered or not) and seen many book covers through the years as a seemingly timeless coming of age story.

My husband and I escorted recipients of the NJ Hall of Fame awards in 2010 where Judy Blume was honored along side Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon, Danny DeVito, Frankie Valli and other fun, recognizable talents.  Guess who I was assigned to escort?  A dead guy.  Yep.  Some past supreme court judge and I escorted the guy’s grandson who arrived to accept the award.  I should also mention the grandson is an accomplished scientist.  That’s a wonderful thing, I know – but really, I was better suited to escort an artist (in my opinion).  While escorting this man from the red carpet to the green room before the awards ceremony began I got lost in the hollow bones of the NJ Performing Arts Center.  I felt sooo dumb.

Now had I gotten lost with Susan Sarandon I’d have had plenty of things to say: “So, Susan, I LOVE ‘Thelma and Louise” how exactly did you prepare for that role?,” “Susan, you’re an inspiration to me.  Do you have any words of advice?”  We would have become best friends right then and there – bonded over the experience, laughed, camped out and shared a stick of gum, I’m sure.  But that wasn’t my story.  I had a super smart scientist at my heels and I had no idea where I was going.      W h a t     a     b o m b…

Anyway, the evening was fun and the comedian, Judy Gold, presented to our beloved author, Judy Blume and DeVito rocked out with Bruce Springsteen while Jack and Susan tapped their toes offstage.

But that’s not what this post is about.  It’s about the “Are you there God?” question.  And I believe the answer to be “Yes.”  I had the privilege to hear some really inspiring stories today that *zinged me to my core.  {*Zinged: to strike suddenly.}  And while I was sitting there enamoured with these women and their strength of character (their moxie) and their faith, I felt a real assurance that I am not alone.  God really does listen and care and answer us in our times of need and in our times of celebration and every thing in between.  So if you need some warmth, some love, a little bit of guidance, direction, peace, understanding, hope, health, strength, stability, growth… just pray!  – however you do it (it doesn’t matter how) ––> in your mind, your heart, by your bedside, deep in the woods, at the beach, on horseback, in the shower, on your head…  Just pray.

And listen.

You are not alone.

xxo

Makie

I recently heard that some people call sprinkles by another name (jimmies).

So I looked it up…  {and found this fun article}

It’s a very technical term and a very serious issue…

I found that some people call any type of sprinkle a jimmy.

And others only say ‘jimmies’ when referring to chocolate sprinkles.

Hmm… Me thinks they are all the same!

What do you think?

“We go to the movies to enter a new, fascinating world, to inhabit vicariously another human being who at first seems so unlike us and yet at heart is like us, to live in a fictional reality that illuminates our daily reality.  We do not wish to escape life but to find life,…”

I don’t know about you, but I love ‘the movies’.  I love entering a whole new world and learning something about myself through someone else’s story.  I love the music and the lighting, the actors, the writing…

I also love the Oscars.  The red carpet “who are you wearing” fluff is annoying, but it’s those gems when you hear from the nominees’ moms or see Melissa McCarthy get all choked up because she’s worked so hard at something she loved for so damn long (excuse my language!) and finally got a piece of it.

Obviously I love the movies and this night in particular because I identify with a lot of these folks.  The ones who say, “I saw [such and such film] when I was six and knew I wanted to do that,” …“and I thank my parents for never telling me to get a real job,”…”I stayed in that world for weeks after seeing that film and reenacted the scenes in my backyard,”…

I’ll never get sick of taking a journey through art – whatever the medium – whether it be song, dance, film, theatre, a provocative painting or a daunting poem.  No, not ever.

And I’ll never stop trying share my life story in this way.  Through many mediums I’ll continue attempting to express the things I feel and will never understand…

I know to some it’s just ‘the movies’, but to me it’s art and that happens to be the most comprehensible  language I know.

…“We do not wish to escape life but to find life,…”  - Robert McKee, STORY

Remember this chair I posted in “Go Thrifting for a Creative Buzz“?  I bought it with my mom & sister last summer, took this shot out the back of our farm and got real excited for a transformation.  We chose a turquoise paint color, some wild orange fabric and an additional print for a back pillow.  I wanted to learn the step-by-step process of recovering a cushion to make this a funky conversation piece.  My mom, a.k.a. The Prairie Chick, just posted the process (nearly half a year later – better late than never, right?!).  Take the jump over to her blog and check out the final product… I hope you get inspired to try your own mini makeover soon!

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life… He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil—he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego. The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.” They thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win, Grandfather?” The Elder simply replied, “The one you feed.”

My friend, Dana, shared this on her blog many months ago (listen to me… I’m in the spirit of the story… “many moons ago… I heard a story…  and it moved me…”).  Yes, I found it deeply profound and moving.  I don’t know who originated the text but it’s quite a simple life lesson – your greatest triumph can come from feeding the good in your life.  Focus your energy, time and thoughts on those things, and your life experience will drastically improve.

Think on that for today.

I hear a hungry wolf howling… question is: which one is it?!

If you’re reading this post via email CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO! It says it all. We had an amazing day recording 14 select students from Shawn Small’s Fifth Avenue Falcons choral group. (4th and 5th graders from South Lebanon Elementary, PA.) These wonderful kiddos gave up their Saturday to spend long hours recording multiple takes on two new songs for my upcoming album. They were an absolute pleasure to work with and we had a great time! I hope you enjoy watching this video – it’s a little glimpse of the time we spent together. I’ll be seeing them again in May for a special number in their spring concert – what fun!