A couple weeks ago I was itching for a simple, veggie-rich recipe that didn’t involve a lot of effort.

I wanted something tasty and healthy that I knew Andy would like and that I could at least hope Grace would try.

Because it’s summer, a lot of the hearty, warm recipes I’m finding seem too heavy and are getting tucked away for fall.

Although soup is considered to be light, most people tend to associate it with cool weather so I almost ruled this recipe out, but I decided to give it a shot.

Lots of veggies….check!

Easy and quick to throw together…check!

Andy loves soup….check!

Throwing veggies into a pot of broth can tend to look like every other “veggies in a pot of broth” recipe that I have laying around.  In fact, this soup looks a lot like the Winter Minestrone that I’ve already posted and even the Tortellini in Garlic Broth with White Beans & Greens that we eat often but I haven’t posted yet (just added it to my list though!).

Don’t let this photo phenomenon deter you from trying lots of veggie soups!  They really do have their own unique flavors and are worth rotating through your weekly meal plan.  This one is really nice and “herby” because of the Thyme and Sage.  When you pair it with a warm ciabatta roll like we did, it feels like you’re sitting in an Italian Bistro.

Not really, but a girl can dream :)

Another thing I love about veggie soups is that I can really control the sodium levels by getting low-sodium organic stock (thank you Trader Joes!) and by cooking my own dry beans.

I found this recipe on Foodnetwork.com under Ellie Krieger’s recipes.  She’s got a bunch of other good stuff you should check out too!

Tuscan Vegetable Soup
From Ellie Krieger

We had an awesome weekend here at Casa de Gould.

I should actually say awesome long weekend since the fun really started on Thursday afternoon at the county fair with my mom.  More on that later…

Friday night we had really tasty shepherd’s pie for dinner which felt comforting and cozy after a rainy and gloomy day.  I made up the recipe as I went along since the version I used to make calls for canned veggies (salt!) and packaged gravy (more salt and MSG!).

I was worried it might not turn out, but it ended up being really good.  I didn’t take pictures and I want to tweak the recipe a bit, so I’m hoping to try again in the Fall and then I’ll share the details :)

Saturday morning we had a big breakfast all together.  This is honestly one of the best parts of the whole week!

Later, while Andy studied, Grace and I played inside and then took a bike ride to the playground.  During her nap I went to the mall to use a birthday gift card in preparation for my big trip to the Big Apple.  Spending a couple hours alone at the mall was bliss.  I can’t remember the last time I shopped by myself, so I really savored the time and I scored some great deals.

Saturday evening we checked out the Downtown Detroit Days put on by Somerset Mall and, although it was a really small event, it was the perfect thing for us.  Great parking, no crowds, $2 margaritas (for Andy), $1 popsicles for Grace and booths of cute local goods.  We picked up a bag of locally roasted El Salvador coffee & a funny Detroit t-shirt for Andy along with a Boblo Island magnet & package of sinfully delicious cookies for me.  They are called 3 ‘n’ 1 cookies by Soul Seasonings and I can’t even tell you all that’s in them but each of the three cookies she combined for this one confection were already a combo on their own.  So it was really like a 6 ‘n’ 1  We’re talking a mix of dried cherries, coconut, oatmeal, chocolate, pecans, etc, etc, etc.  They are awesome and probably enough motivation for me to haul myself to the Birmingham Farmer’s Market for more!

We finished the night with pizza at Nikki’s and a movie (Sherlock Holmes) for Andy and me after Grace went to bed.

This morning we went to church and enjoyed a lazy day around the house.  My sister came over and we sat in the sun talking about a mile a minute since we haven’t seen each other for what feels like eons.  I’m gonna have to arm wrestle her friends to get any time with her :)

After my shopping trip yesterday, I was feeling inspired to be bold with color.  On a wing and a prayer, I put this outfit together for church and I hoped that I wouldn’t look like a Crayola Crayon.  I liked it which I guess is all that matters, but it was comfy to boot :)

Shirt: New York & Company/Capris: Target/Earrings: South Carolina Boutique/Necklace: Vintage (Grandma’s)/Shoes: Guess (from Marshall’s)

Perhaps I should have started this post with a PG-13 rating, as the flash from our camera made my shirt a little, ahem, transparent.  I’m working to plan ahead better for these pictures and get them outside in natural light to prevent having to use the flash, but I’m still learning.

I could have skipped this post this week, but I’ve really had fun linking up with Mandy and getting to know other people who are as shameless bold as I am to post an outfit each week.

Cut me a break this week, mmkay?

I may have mentioned a time or two around these internet parts that I’m going to NYC for BlogHer12!

I’m super excited and still can’t really believe that it worked out for me to go this year.  Last year was amazing and I really really really wanted to go again this year but just wasn’t sure if our circumstances would allow for it.

Then, the perfect storm of events transpired, and I’m going.

Woo hoo!

One of my favorite parts about the whole thing is that I’ll be rooming with Diana of the blog: Hormonal Imbalances.

I met her online last year before BlogHer and really connected with her.  She’s so authentic, sweet and hilarious that it didn’t take much for me to start following her blog daily.  She’s been through hell and back this year and has handled it with such faith and courage that I’m inspired by her all the time.

It’s going to be so awesome to get some face time with her NEXT WEEK in the Big Apple :)

This year is looking like it may be even more awesome than last year because I kind of know what to expect, don’t have such crazy newbie jitters and know a handful of people going.

One thing last year that stood out to me BIG TIME was how different people look in real life than they do on their blog/facebook/twitter pictures.

I mean we all choose ideal pictures of ourselves for profile pictures, so sometimes the every day, raw, in-person effect is a little different.

It’s not even that we don’t look good in person, it’s more that we’re moving and talking and breathing and it’s just different!

Or, some people are like me and their normal expression is a little, shall we say, cranky looking?  Unapproachable, grouchy or worse could be said of us just going by this expression alone.

You know what I mean.  Especially if you know me and have ever seen me just zoning out.

My “normal” face.

It’s kind of intimidating, but I promise I’m nice!  I love meeting new people and I’m actually very friendly and outgoing.  So if you catch me wearing my nasty face, just give it a minute and I’ll probably snap into a smile.

Happy face.

There will be other faces too…

Squinting to read a sign or figure out who someone is that might be more than 10 feet away.

Surprised at what someone is saying to me.

Closed mouth smile trying to appear friendly. This smile is never as warm & inviting as I imagine it to be.

Obsessively checking my phone for where I’m supposed to be next or texts from people in my posse.

Wearing glasses to look smart. No, that’s not true. Wearing glasses to see anything farther than 10 feet…like faces, bricks, leaves on trees, etc.

So there you have it.

Some of my many different faces, not all gussied up or perfectly posed.  These were all taken at the dining room table after getting caught outside in the rain at a sidewalk sale.

It’s just the real me.

If you’re going to be at BlogHer12 and you recognize me (even wearing the nasty face) please come up and say hi!  I want to meet a bajillion new people this year and that means you.

Also, link up with these lovely ladies (thanks Baby Baby Lemon for coordinating the blog hop and Bebehblog for the great idea!) so that we can see your faces too.

Nine years ago we said our vows looking out over the sparkling lake in front of our family and friends.

I’ll never forget that day and how much love and anticipation was dripping from those two young people.

Twenty-three and twenty-five years old.  Practically kids.  Thinking we knew everything and were the best couple that ever was.

The naivete was no doubt a blessing in the beginning.  We were walking on sunshine and no one was gonna bring us down to reality.

Those early days at the apartment felt like playing house.  Using our new dishes and towels was so much fun.  Cooking, cleaning, entertaining and laying under the trees in the front yard all felt like something out of a storybook.

Looking back on that time in our lives feels like watching an old movie of people I don’t even know anymore.

Some might say that’s sad, but I like the people we’ve become so much better.

You may have less hair and I may have more curves but our souls have grown and blossomed.

We’ve been through the good and we’ve been through the bad.  The highs have been high and the lows have been scary low.

But here we are.

Nine years later.

Three thousand, two hundred and eighty-eight days together.

I know you better and I love you more.

You’ve been so patient, kind and generous with me.  You’ve been gentle with me when I’ve ached from the pain of my wounds.  You’ve stood up to me when I’ve needed to be put in my place.

You’ve loved me so deeply even when I’ve not deserved it at all.

I’m ashamed at how I’ve taken you for granted and I’m determined to love you with every ounce of my being until the day I die.

I take so much comfort in knowing that our marriage will not end when we do.  We have all of eternity together, and it doesn’t seem long enough to be by your side.

I love you, Andy.

You’re my everything and I’m grateful for each day that I’ve had the privilege of being your wife.

Happy Anniversary, love.

July 26, 2003

If you’ve even wondered what Vegans eat and how they have any happiness, this recipe is the answer.

It’s SO GOOD.

And honestly, it’s pretty unique so it’s kind of like a party for your taste buds.

Plus, because it’s pretty stinkin’ healthy, you can have a whopping portion and not feel guilty.

Win/win.

I made this for my sister and I one night and we agreed that it was a total comfort food.  It’s warm, sweet, tangy and creamy.

It may sound a little crazy or “out there” but I think you should try it anyway.

Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas with Lemon (From The Kitchn)

Yesterday was a pretty low-key day.  After having an awesome big breakfast together as a family (can you say eggs, grits, toast and bacon!) Andy studied while Grace and I hung out, then she went down for nap and I headed out for a haircut.  Just about the only thing to motivate me to get dressed for the day was knowing that I was steppin’ into a salon with a bunch of cute girls :)

After my appointment, the three of us ran errands and had an impromptu dinner at Coney Island.  Grace can’t help but call it “Pony” so I was saying “Ca Ca Ca Coney” trying to get her to pronounce it correctly.

Her response?

“Ca Ca Pony!”

LOL.

It was a nice day and I was glad to get a few pics to link up with Mandy over at The Haps.

Tank: Target/Skirt: Marshall’s/Shoes: Guess from Marshall’s/Necklace: Vintage from Grandma Marilyn/Earrings: Stella & Dot

Nail polish: Essie Peach Daiquiri

I want to start seeing your outfits too, so link up with Mandy and let me know so I can head over there to check you out!

You may have started following my ID Card saga from the beginning, so I wanted to make sure to let you know how it all went down in the end.

To recap, I couldn’t get my Navy ID card the day Andy got his because I only brought a copy of our marriage license, not the original.  It was dumb, I regret it, but the woman we dealt with could have been WAY LESS nasty about it and I wouldn’t have broken down in her office.

But, I digress…

It turns out we actually had our original marriage license.  It was in our old plastic file box, not our new file cabinet.  I could have sworn that Andy told me he moved everything over to the new file, but I wasn’t about to blame this mess on him.  This was just a rookie mistake.

The government likes official paperwork.  The end.

Once I had the real certificate in hand (which, for the record, looks almost identical to the photocopy since it’s black and white and doesn’t have any type of colored seals or anything fancy on it) I worked with Andy to find a time for us to all go back out to the ID Card Office.

Again it was a hundred degrees out, Grace’s nap was totally screwed, and we had to deal with Cruella DeVille, BUT we did have a chance to have lunch as a family at Partridge Creek and get our laptop memory beefed up at the Apple Store so it wasn’t all bad :)

Plus, Grace was united with the awesome toys she fell in love with the first time around.  In her mind the ID Card Office is practically Disney World.

Cruella (aka the ID Card lady) was just as rude this time but couldn’t really stop me from getting my card since I had all the right stuff.  She did let me sit in front of the camera wondering when the picture was being taken for what seemed like forever.

I got the distinct impression that the ID cards were a pretty formal thing, so I didn’t think I’d be allowed to smile for my picture.  I sat there stoically waiting for her to give me my cue and then she asked whether I wanted to smile.

Being the over communicator that I am, I said, “Well, I’d like to but I wasn’t sure if it’s ok.”

When does she take the picture?

Mid-sentence.

Therefore, I look like a chipmunk on my official Navy ID card.

Lovely.

Ready to chomp acorns like it’s my job.

Yeah.  It’s a real beauty ain’t it.

Whatever.  It serves its purpose and doesn’t have to be amazing.

You know, like my driver’s license which literally looks like I’m a floating head and neck.

You’ve seen those giant paper mache heads at the parade, right?

Source www.AMERICAJR.com

Ok, so now that you have that visual, check this out…

Total paper mache circus head. Counting down to Thanksgiving Day!

What are the freaking odds that I’d wear a shirt the exact color of the background?  Seriously?!

I’m thinking I have a special knack for taking ridiculous ID pictures.

But, chipmunk or parade head aside, the ordeal is over and I’ve got my card!

Once I had my card in hand, I knew I was in the DEERS system and I could move forward with Tricare enrollment.  But that’s another story for another day :)

Do you have any crazy ID pictures floating around in your wallet?  Any particularly nasty encounters at the DMV or elsewhere?

Just wanted to give a quick heads up that my little blog may be patchy over the next few days.  I’m making some changes around here that I’m pretty excited about so stay tuned :)

In the meantime (while you can still access the site) I’ve got a little Grace action for ya.  This is the time she scaled the HUGE twirly slide alone and then encountered a “yucky butterfly” at the end.

Yucky butterfly = any flying insect

This morning was INSANE.

I was excited to sleep in late this morning since my mom took Grace overnight and sleeping till 10am is pretty much a thing of the past.

I lazily rolled over just before 10:00 and decided to get a start on my day.  I was gone all day yesterday and, as a result, my house was pretty much a leftover pigsty from the day before.

Before eating breakfast I wanted to take care of the dishes, straighten the living room, make my bed and put a bunch of lingering crap away.

It took all of about 25 minutes and I was feeling like Queen of the World when I looked upon my tidy queendom.

Then I decided I’d toast up a few frozen waffles (classy!) and sit down to respond to emails.

THAT’S WHEN IT HAPPENED….

I bit down on the tip of my fork with a vengeance and CHIPPED MY FREAKING TOOTH!

For the record, I chew like a beast.  Like I’m literally needing to chomp through the bones of my freshly captured prey.  LIKE AN ANIMAL.

I can’t really help it, I’ve always been a ferocious chewer.

When I bite my tongue, I always check to see if I have any tongue left.

When I bite my cheek, I generally chomp off a whole chunk.

It’s disgusting.  And painful.

So yeah, when I bit the end of my fork and heard a terrifying crunch I just knew something bad had happened.

Somehow I swallowed the bite of waffle (and tooth!) and ran to the bathroom.

Yep, I WAS MISSING A CHUNK OF MY BOTTOM TOOTH!

Ensue full-on panic.

I was shaking and jittery from adrenaline.  So much so that I could hardly compose myself to text Andy (aka Student Doctor Gould) for a consult.

Somehow I managed to compose a quick message and hit send.

Although I was still freaking out, and may have Googled “I chipped my tooth now what should I do,” I knew I had to keep moving forward.

Just last week I got our Tricare coverage sorted out but hadn’t even started the dental insurance process so of course I was pissed that I waited till an emergency to think about dental insurance enrollment.

It doesn’t pay to be a procrastinator.

To make a long story short, I called a helpful lady at our local recruiting office, then got in touch with Metlife, found out Andy had to call (of course!), and was ultimately told that if he called today we’d be covered as of August 1st.

AUGUST 1ST PEOPLE!

That’s like 2 weeks away and the day before I leave for BlogHer!  Ugh.

More panic ensued.

I don’t currently have a dentist (long story) so I called one nearby that my hairdresser recommended.  They weren’t very nice and are not in my network.  BOO!

Then I checked the Metlife website and started looking for dentists close to me and I came across the name of one my sister has seen before.

On a wing and a prayer, I called the office to tell my crazy story and see what could be done.  The lady I spoke to was AWESOME and although the Dr. and normal receptionist are on vacation (go figure!) she was really helpful and got me an appointment on 08/01.

Then I texted my wise friend Bonnie (Hi Bonnie!) who just happens to have been a dental assistant.  She called and talked me off the ledge and encouraged me to get seen ASAP so the situation doesn’t get worse.

I had to run out the door to meet my mom 45 minutes away to pick up Grace, but the car became my mobile office and I made phone calls like crazy.  I got on the waitlist to see the Dr. next week and during the drive to meet my mom, I got a call back that I was in for 4:15pm on Monday!

Cue awesome relief.

I’m gonna have to pay out of pocket for the appointment, but I’m hoping for one of three things:

1. I can get checked out and repaired for a decent price (I have money in an HSA that I can use)
2. I’ll be told that it’s really minor and can wait till August 1st without danger.
3. That if #2 is true, they won’t charge me an arm and a leg for just getting checked out.

SOO, here I am.  Sitting at my dining room table, obsessively running my tongue across my jagged chipped tooth and praying that I make it to Monday afternoon without going crazy.

You may wonder what I’m fussing so much about, so I’ve included this kind of gross closeup picture of my snaggletooth…

This is a phone pic so you can’t see how the chip extends down the “face” of my tooth.

This picture really creeps me out.  My lips look gigantic and scary.  Ugh.

Have you ever chipped a tooth?  What was the outcome?  Did you get it bonded or need a crown?

Someone give me some good news….

This is another series that I’ve stumbled upon around the blogosphere in the past year or so.

Dusty of All Things G&D and Karen of Karen At Home both have these posts regularly and I’ve gotten awesome recommendations from both of them, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite things lately with you!

Newsify

Source

I’m an avid blog reader and about a year ago I finally caved and set up a Google Reader account.  Before that, I’d just bookmark my favorite blogs and check in on them daily, but using a reader is so much easier because it tells me when they have new content, so I can just click over as needed.  Google Reader is great for use on a laptop, but on the go I needed an app that would link to my reader.  I used some stupid Mobile RSS app for about a year but it crashed all the time and only showed pictures about 40% of the time.  NOT COOL.  When Karen recommended this app in her recent “things loved” post, I checked it out for a whopping $.99 and was SOLD!  It has a clean layout, never crashes and always shows pictures!  If you read blogs on your phone this is a must have!

Sugar Rose Lip Gloss by Fresh

I scored this mini lip duo from Sephora as a little birthday gift.  I was excited for the freebie and then fell in love with the Rose lip gloss!  It goes on smooth, has a subtle sweet scent and gives the perfect hint of color without being fussy like lipstick.  I’ll totally be checking out other colors when this little sample pack runs out :)

The Forsyte Saga

Source

After finishing up the current episodes of Downton Abbey available on Netflix, I was desperate for some more British Drama to spice up my evenings.  I remembered reading something about this series on Clover Lane and when I scrolled past it on Netflix I decided to stop and give it a chance.  I spent the first 15 minutes hoping that I wouldn’t mercilessly compare it to Downton, but then I spent the next 11+ viewing hours (not all at once people!) hoping that it would never end.  It was wonderful.  British accents!  Historical settings!  Love!  Betrayal!  Costumes!  Drama!  Trust me, it’s good.

Schick Quattro Razor

Source

I know it sounds silly to love a razor, but let me tell you this thing has nearly changed my life!  I’ve used disposable Venus razors for the past year.  Like, I’ve used about 3 or 4 of them.  FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR.  Do you know what this means?  I’ve basically been slightly prickly for a year.  And the kicker is that I’ve just been too cheap to shell out the dough for a good razor and refills.  Why are they SO expensive??  I just don’t get it, but I finally caved and I have been so smooth I practically slide off the couch at night.  Seriously I feel like a new woman (literally and figuratively).  Lesson: don’t use crappy razors because you’re cheap.

Thirty-One Bags

I was invited to a party in February and got pretty hooked.  The bags are cute, affordable and MONOGRAMMABLE!  Is that even a word?  Since then, I’ve hosted a party and attended another one.  I’ve got all I need at this point and wanted to give you a peek into a few of my favorite pieces…

Clockwise from the top:

Large Utility Tote – the best beach bag EVER!  The top rim is solid so the bag doesn’t collapse into the sand.  You can fit towels, toys, sunscreen, lunch, and a ton of other stuff in this bag.  It also rocks as a carry on (fits perfectly in the overhead) and it’s a great overnight bag.

Littles Carry All Caddy - this little guy is perfect for carrying essentials around the house or out to the backyard for sunbathing.  It fits books, a water bottle and your phone perfectly.  You can also squeeze a snack inside and you don’t have to worry about your phone getting wet or dirty but you still have access to it and can see alerts through the mesh pocket.  I’m totally in love with this bag!

Thermal Tote - first of all, the birds on this bag slay me.  The colors and pattern are adorbs and I was wishing they had my other bag (bottom left) in this pattern too, but alas they did not.  This thermal tote is the perfect size for a picnic lunch for two plus a couple ice packs.  It fits containers of leftovers without being too bulky.  Win/win!

Zipper Pouch - this is a great solution for bottles of sunscreen floating all around my large utility tote.  I throw them all into this pouch and have room to spare.  The inside is wipeable so you could even throw damp swimsuits inside.

Organizing Utility Tote - this is the perfect smallish bag that holds a TON of stuff.  The pockets around the outside are great for water bottles, sippy cups, bibs, sunglasses, you name it.  The inside is roomy too and can be used as a diaper bag or just small scale beach bag if you’re not going to be gone long.  I was really really hoping to get this one in the bird pattern, but I’ve grown to like the polka dots and green/brown color scheme.

Do you have any “must have” products on your favorites list?  I’d love to hear about your favorite stuff, so leave a comment!

Disclaimer: None of these companies know I exist.  I wasn’t paid or perked to write this post, I just really love this crap and wanted to share it with you :)