That's what I call a pizza craving!

I don't like watching the news. I do realize that, as a public relations professional, I should be interested in the news. And I am. When it involves my company or our industry.

But the local news? Not my favorite.

However, I didn't turn the TV off fast enough when Castle was over, and I caught the first story on the nightly news.

Apparently, a Pizza Hut delivery man was carjacked and kidnapped Monday night.

What? Have you ever wanted pizza that bad? I mean, wow. I love pizza. And I'm sure I've craved it at times. But those are some pretty extreme measures. (Yes, I realize it's possible that there's more to this story than the delivery of a large one-topping. But just go with it, will you?)

Thanks to this brave delivery man and the fact that his story was the most newsworthy thing going on tonight, I now have a blog topic. That's right. Here are my top ten favorite pizzas.

• Pizza Hut pepperoni stuffed crust (I know. Okay? I know.)
  
• Pizza Hut hamburger hand-tossed crust (Boring? Maybe. Or delicious? Oh, yeahhhh.)
  
• Papa John's supreme when eaten with our friends, Zac and Mandy
• Totino's Combination Party Pizza (This one's a throwback to college...when have I even eaten one of these? I mean, half of one. Nope. One.)
  
• Jack's frozen pepperoni pizza (with extra mozzarella, just to up the health factor)
• Homemade pizza, with hamburger, onion and green pepper
• Minsky's combo pizza without sausage
• Godfather's humble pie, substitute beef for sausage (What can I say, we don't do sausage!)
• Shakespeare's pizza with beef, pepperoni, onion, green pepper and mushroom
• Waldo Pizza - everything I've ever eaten there.

N0w I'd like to know: What's your favorite pizza?

For more Top 10 lists, visit Oh Amanda's Top Ten Tuesday.

Beans, beans, the magical . . .

Mark is an expert at making baked beans. I can't say I'm always thrilled about this - or about, you know, the effects of said beans - but I can't deny that the man has a way with beans.

And since I didn't cook a thing this weekend despite my plans to share a recipe with you (unless you count a can of reduced fat cinnamon rolls that I absolutely did not eat all by myself even though I totally wanted to), I thought I'd give props to my husband today.

Mark's Baked Beans
4 cans pork & beans, drained
4 slices of bacon, cooked
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
ketchup
mustard

Mix it all together and bake for two hours at 350 degrees. Stir every half hour. Enjoy - but by the spoonful, not the bowlful. Not that we speak from experience in our house. Ahem.

(How impressed are you by this slightly blurry, using natural light Pioneer Woman-esque ingredient shot?)

This is a before baking shot, and so is the top photo. Just so you know.

Mmmm...tasty. In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that this photo was taken in May. But those beans were just as tasty as the beans made this weekend and featured in the other photos.

Now, I should tell you that Mark claims he puts a secret ingredient in his baked beans. I'm pretty sure it's bacon grease, but honestly, I just try not to think about that. He says there's another, separate super-duper secret ingredient.

But he's also pouting because I'm giving away his special recipe for his signature dish. So, please, if you follow this recipe and come up with the best baked beans you've ever tasted and then you happen to attend a potluck or BBQ with us, bring potato salad.

Do you have any secret recipes??

This post will be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, and Family Recipe Fridays.

Saturday Review: Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs

I owe Snow White an apology.

See, the last time I watched this movie, all I could think about was how annoying I found that cartoon girl’s high-pitched, mousy voice. So when One2One Network offered me the chance to review the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition (yes, for free), I’m not sure why I signed up.

No, that’s not true. I signed up because I thought, “This sure isn’t my favorite Disney movie, but maybe Annalyn will like it.”

And I’m happy to tell you that she did. After watching the Elmo video we checked out of the library about 10 times in four days, I couldn’t take it anymore. And since we were stuck at home with the croup, both of us feeling a little bit miserable, I had to do something.

So Snow White it was. And while Annalyn didn’t sit and stare at the television for an hour and a half, she did like the movie. Or, in her words (when I paused it), “Movie! Watch it! Movie! Watch it!”

And, okay, I enjoyed it, too. Those dwarfs (dwarves? I’m not sure…) are actually funny, and it’s interesting to look at the 1937 animation, compared to what we see today. And while I hadn’t forgotten “Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It’s Off to Work We Go,” I had forgotten about “Someday My Prince Will Come” and “Whistle While You Work.”

Don’t think I changed my mind about Snow White’s puny voice. But the songs themselves? Well, just maybe I liked them after all.

But my favorite part by far was hearing Annalyn say (without her “r” as usual), “Pincess sad. Sad pincess.” Awww! So cute! (And yes, I do realize I will be sick and tired of pincesses before long. But for now – super cute.)

Now here’s where my review gets tricky. I’m supposed to tell you how awesome the Blu-ray disc is . . . but as you know . . . I’m a little behind in the entertainment technology department. So just in case you, too, are unaware of the benefits of Blu-ray, here they are:

• Blu-ray provides up to six times better quality than DVD (imagine how much better it is than my ol’ VCR!), as well as surround sound.
• Blu-ray discs include games, activities and tons of special features.
• The disc itself is more scratch resistant (read: kid proof!).
• The Blu-ray player plays both Blu-ray and DVD discs.
• Blu-ray discs also play on Sony Playstation 3 players.

In sum, I believe the Blu-ray is better than my 20-year-old VCR.

Seriously, it turns out I was wrong about Snow White. Sorry, Snow. I guess the American Film Institute wasn’t so crazy when they put you on their list of the 100 greatest American films of all time.

Just don’t tell Belle I said so.

If you’d like more information about the Snow White Diamond Edition, visit the official website. You can also watch a special Blu-ray trailer here.

What’s your favorite Disney movie?

Apologies. Or not.

When I was in high school, my mom read an article. It was about women and communication and I don’t know what else. What I know is that she was compelled to share something from that article with Smitty and me.

Or maybe it was just me, and then I told Smitty. I’m not sure. It’s been a while, so I don’t really remember. I just know that Smitty and I have never forgotten this little lesson.

The article – and my mom – said that when expressing sympathy, we should not say, “I’m sorry,” because that implies that we are somehow at fault. And when you’re talking to someone whose grandma died or who lost her job or who just had a bad day, do you really want to take responsibility for that situation?

No, of course not. So the article – and my mom – encourages women (who are the worst offenders of over-using the sorry phrase) to say instead: “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Warning: You must practice this before using it in real life. Because if you just say it offhand, you’re going to sound rude. Uncaring. Flippant. It takes work to use that statement and actually sound sincere.

On the other hand, sometimes apologizing is the right thing to do.

Last week, Annalyn was whining on our ride home from the babysitter. I’m pretty sure nothing was actually wrong. And I say that because I had offered everything from toys to music to silence to kisses to cheerful voices to a threat to pull the car over Right. Now.

Surprisingly, that last one was not what she was looking for.

No matter what was wrong, I couldn’t handle the whining. Not again. Not that night. And so I snapped. I hollered at my baby girl, “Stop! Whining! Now!”

Well, it worked. She did quiet down. And for a split second, I was satisfied, thinking I’d done the right thing by being consistent and all discipline-y. But in the very next second, I felt terrible. I had completely overreacted, and a few moments of silence isn’t worth treating my little girl poorly.

And so I apologized. I said, “Annalyn, I’m sorry. Mommy is sorry for yelling at you. I love you.”

Sometimes apologizing is the right thing to do.

The time I learned, five years later, that I had inadvertently hurt a dear friend? I apologized.

The time I misspelled the name of a prestigious award my company won – in dozens of news releases? I apologized.

Every time I realize that I was impatient with Mark or steered him wrong with (probably unsolicited) advice? I apologize.

Despite the reminder to not apologize for things that are not my fault, I’m not one of those people who refuses to apologize for anything. No. If When I hurt you, when I let you down, when I accidentally hit your car door with mine in the parking lot – I will say that I’m sorry. And I will mean it.

But some things I will not apologize for. I will take responsibility for them, but I will not apologize for them and therefore imply that they are wrong.

Values. Morals. Beliefs. Dreams.

Hmmm . . . one of these things is not like the other, right?

I think most of us have some values, morals and beliefs strong enough that we would not apologize for them, would not back down when challenged. Faith. Patriotism. Work hard. Tell the truth at all cost. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They might take different shapes and colors, but we all have something.

For me, though, having a dream, a desire for more, a drive to be better, do more, get there faster is one of those things. I will not apologize for dreaming.

What are you talking about, Mary?

Well, thanks for asking. Now I don’t feel quite so bad unleashing a little rant on you. (Why did it take me so long to get here? I don’t know. That may be a deeper question. Or not. Maybe I just like to talk a lot.)

I have had seven jobs since I graduated from college. Eight years ago. Yeah, I can do the math, and yeah, that sure is a lot of jobs.

Has my career path been frustrating? Absolutely. Have I cried gallons of tears over my desperation to leave a certain job, to get a certain job, to just learn to love a job, any job? Oh yeah. Do I have to fight a tendency toward bitterness and despair (and possibly a little bit of melodrama) when I look at my resume or consider my uncertain future? Yep.

But you know what? I won’t let it win. I won’t give up. I won’t stop trying. I won’t stop looking for the right fit, the right job, the place for me, the thing I’m called to do. I won’t stop dreaming.

So if you are feeling the urge to tell me, “Just be happy you have a job,” or “There are a lot worse companies out there,” or my personal favorite, “You don’t like this job either? Have you ever thought that maybe the problem is you?” – don’t bother.

I won’t listen anyway.

What do you dream about?

It's like a walk-in closet, but different.

We don't have a lot of storage space in our house. On the other hand, I have a lot of clothes. Mainly I have clothes that don't fit, but getting rid of clothes that don't fit is not the issue at hand.

No. Organizing my closet is.

How do you do it? Do you put away your off-season clothes? Under your bed in boxes? In those vacuumed bags that I see on TV? Or is your closet big enough for all your clothes at once?

Just kidding. Don't tell me if that's the case.

Seriously, what's your seasonal wardrobe strategy?

A great value?

Do you shop at Walmart? I’m not asking to start a discussion about urban sprawl or fighting the man or lousy produce or price-slashing. Nope.

I’m here today to discuss the rebranding of Walmart’s generic brand, Great Value.

Have you seen it? Do you like it?

I’ve been thinking of posting about this for a couple weeks and then on Saturday, Mark reminded me of one of the many reasons I love him. As we were in the kitchen, getting ready for Annalyn’s party, he asked: “So, what do you think of the new Walmart look?”

Well, Mark, I’m glad you asked. (Seriously. I love that he knows that I would have an opinion – and that he cares about what that opinion is.)

I don’t think I like it. I will agree that the rebranding has unified the Great Value look, leaving the consumer little doubt about which products are Great Value.

In other words, you can’t miss it. Those boring, blank white boxes are Great Value.

And that’s my issue with it. The blank, white look, especially in mass, makes me think cheap. And while I want my groceries to cost less, I don’t really want to believe that they’re cheap.

You know?

So, any thoughts? Like it? Hate it? Not sure why anyone would care about a logo?

If you raised your hand to the latter question, I can’t help you. But if you’re all over logos and branding and that sort of fun thing, here’s a bonus for you. Check out the Logo Quiz and the Company Logo Quiz.

Too Many Choices, Not Enough Life?

In 2004, I read an article in Newsweek that rang so true and moved me so much that I tore it out and kept that piece of slick paper in a file folder for five years. Written by a young woman my age, I Can Do Anything, So How Do I Choose? hit home. When the author said, "[W]e are now discovering the difficulty of deciding just what makes us happy in a world of innumerable options," I knew exactly what she meant.

After all, I'm the girl who changed her major four times in four years. And in the less than 10 years since I graduated, I haven't just had several different jobs, I've had several different this-is-it-I've-found-my-true-calling-and-I-will-do-this-forever career paths.

So when Thomas Nelson Publishing offered the chance to read Marcus Buckingham's latest book, called Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently, I jumped on it.

Especially when I found out the book - and Buckingham's philosophy - involved a personality test. I do love answering multiple choice quizzes to find out how weird awesome I am.

Before I tell you what I learned in this book, go take the quiz. Go on. I'll wait. Take the Strong Life Test.

So, what are your roles? I'm an Influencer and a Motivator. I'm still waiting for the definitive answer of what exactly that means, what I should be when I grow up, what will finally make me feel strong, successful, fulfilled.

But even though it didn't give me the exact answer I'm looking for, reading Find Your Strongest Life has given me a few more tools for getting to that answer.

Buckingham worked for Gallup Organization and has years of experience figuring out what makes people tick. And one trend he noticed in that time is that women, as a whole, are not happy and successful. He says that we're paralyzed by too many choices.

Not that he's implying women should have fewer options. Instead, he believes women need to learn how to better go about making our choices, how to deal with all the options we have. He suggests thinking back - over the last week, into your childhood, whatever it takes - to find the moments when you feel your strongest. And those are the moments we should, he says, catch and cradle. And then use in our primary and secondary roles (from the Strong Life Test) to create a full an fulfilling life.

No juggling. No talk of balance. Can you believe that?

It sounds a little crazy, not what we're used to hearing. But you know what? I think he might be on to something. (And, for the record, dozens of women who participated in an Oprah workshop with Buckingham seem to agree.)

I haven't quite sorted through all the things that I read in this book. But it's making me think. A lot.

As for the book itself, I loved that Buckingham used lots of real-life examples of women who have made choices and found their strong lives. I could have done without all the background and build-up in the first half of the book, but I've written enough research papers to understand why he structured it that way.

If you want to live a strong life and aren't quite there yet, check out Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently.

Are you living a strong life? Yes or no, I'd love to hear about it!

Going bananas for cupcakes

For Annalyn's monkey-themed birthday party on Saturday, I decided that ordering a cake would be just too easy. I mean, why have someone else bake a cake when you can bake 48 individual cakes yourself?

Isn't that my motto?

Seriously, after looking at our grocery store's idea of a monkey cake, I decided that making one myself might be better. I know what you're thinking: that must have been one ugly monkey cake!

And you're right.

After consulting Mr. Google, I found - among many complicated looking monkey face cakes - a Betty Crocker recipe for banana chocolate chip cupcakes. Get it? Bananas? Monkeys?

Right.

The only question that remained was how to make them party-cute. You know what I mean . . . plain cupcakes won't cut it for my baby girl's second birthday party!

With that thought in mind, I made the mistake of searching Etsy for ideas. Why do I do that to myself? Why?

Dear People of Etsy,

Please stop making so many cute things that I cannot afford to buy. Thank you.

Love,
Mary

After deciding that I just could not justify spending the money being - rightfully, I am sure - charged for the cutest little cupcake toppers I've ever seen, I looked again at my cupcake recipe. That's when I noticed it: their cupcakes had miniature bananas on top! Sooo cute! And so easy, right?

According to Betty Crocker, it sure is. The recipe says, and I quote, "Special Touch: Garnish cupcakes with banana-shaped candies. Look for them in the candy aisle of the supermarket."

Oh, I did, Betty. And I found nada. Zilch. Nuttin'. Apparently banana-shaped candies are a mythical thing like the unicorn and self-tanner that doesn't streak.

Don't tell me about Runts. I know about Runts. I like Runts - especially the strawberry pieces. But it seems ol' Willy Wonka and the Runts have fallen on hard times, because they aren't selling in these parts. I looked at our grocery store, two Walmarts and a Target for these stupid candies. I even - at the very last minute - called the local candy store in the nearby, almost completely dead mall.

It had closed.

So, it was back to the cupcake toppers. Which I made myself. And turned out pretty cute - without even taking a million hours to make.

But the real masterpiece was the cupcakes themselves. Mark wasn't a fan, but I thought they were delicious! And after frosting four dozen of them, I got pretty good at making the top look all swirly and pretty.

Four dozen is a LOT of cupcakes. Not to bake. Although I did have to actually break out my mixer and measuring cups and everything. But to frost? It's kind of a lot.

I think it was worth it, though. Things didn't exactly go according to plan with Annalyn's party. The weather didn't cooperate, so the park shelter we reserved (and, ahem, paid for) didn't really work out for our get-together. An hour before the party was scheduled to start, we decided it was just too darned cold and moved it to the house.

We moved it to the house, where I decided I did not need the green streamers to look like vines (Get it? Vines? Jungle? Monkey?). And I told myself that by cramming 30 people into our tiny house, the unswept floors would not be visible, much less noticeable.

So the party plans didn't all work out quite right. But we did have a great time. And people seemed to like my cupcakes . . . especially the birthday girl!

Here’s the recipe. Check out Mouthwatering Monday and Tasty Tuesday (tomorrow, obviously) for more recipes. And visit Blissfully Domestic for some domestic bliss (go figure).

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix
2 very ripe medium bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
½ cup water
¼ cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
¾ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 container (1 lb) chocolate frosting

Prep Time: 25 min
Total Time: 1 hour 20 min
Makes: 24 cupcakes

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffins cups.
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, bananas, water, butter and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed two minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Using spoon, stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups.
3. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Frost cupcakes with frosting.

Enjoy!

Random Readings, 10.3.09

Looks like lots of folks are starting fun things in October. You’d think it was the beginning of a new season or something!

• Simple Mom is so smart. I may not be as green or organized or simple (in a good way) as her, but I am definitely going to try to take advantage of her latest plan for simple living. 12 Weeks to a Peaceful Christmas starts with a budget and takes us through the cleaning (ugh.), and overall, looks like something I need in my life.
• Do you know The Nester? She is amazing. And sweet. Her creations and ideas blow me away, even when she says things like, “Tuck red and orange berry picks into your current arrangements and wreaths .” My current arrangements? Seriously. But this month, the Nester is hosting 31 Days to a Better Dressed Nest, and I think even decorating dummies like me can handle it.
• I listen to K-LOVE most mornings on the way to work. And yesterday, I heard the morning team say that they’re doing the same thing I am this month: reading the 31 chapters of Proverbs during the 31 days of October. It’s not too late to join us! (I say, as if they really know me and we're in it together...)
• Have you read any good blog posts or articles lately? My favorite post of this last week was Becca’s post about measuring up.
• By the way, you can see other posts I recommend through Google Shared Items. (They're also featured in a widget in my right sidebar.)
• And don’t forget: get your favorite Halloween stories, ideas, recipes and memories ready for my carnival on October 30: Giving Up on a Perfect Halloween.

Have a great weekend! I suspect we’ll be up to our ears in banana-flavored treats, monkey-themed decorations, pink tissue paper and little girl giggles!

“I learned more from the stains than I did the paper.”

Yesterday I planned to run a few errands over my lunch break. Annalyn’s birthday party is on Saturday, and this was really my last opportunity to pick up a few things without having her along for the ride.

(You might find this surprising, but most errands and chores are easier on the rare occasion I find myself alone.)

I told Mark that I wouldn’t be coming home for lunch, and that was that.

Until lunchtime. When Mark and Annalyn showed up at my office. Reportedly, that little girl had spent the last hour saying, “Mommy? See her? Mommy? See her?”

So being the good dad that he is, Mark brought her to see her mommy.

Okayyyyyy. Off to Target we went. We swept through the baby section, searching for a birthday party outfit and hurried over to the candy section to look for candy bananas to put on the cupcakes. Then as I paid for a shirt, a pair of pants, some small black shoes and a stuffed Elmo that I’d hid behind my back for 10 minutes, Mark got Annalyn buckled into the car. I ran out of the store (okay, I walked briskly, let’s be real here), and we sped off to McDonald’s, where we snarfed value meals and begged Annalyn to eat something other than our fries.

And where I found myself saying, “Stop! Don’t touch me with those hands! Here, use this napkin. Yuck! Baby girl! Those are my work pants!”

I know, I know. Somehow, I let my errands and my work pants become more important than spending time with my daughter. I focused on not getting to the other store and the thought of stinky ketchup on my sleeve. And I almost missed that sweet girl just wanting to be with her mommy.

“Mommy? See her?” How could I think anything else was more important than that?

Reba McEntire sings a song called “Is There Life Out There?” and the video makes me cry every darned time I see it. It’s more of a mini-movie, really, about a mother who goes back to school and earns her college degree.

At the end of the video, her teacher returns a paper with an A but suggests she not submit stained work in the future. Those pages were stained because her daughter accidentally spilled coffee on her typewriter-typed report, an incident that reminded Reba’s character what was really important.

Reba tells her teacher, “I learned more from the stains than I did the paper.”

As I fussed at Annalyn about the ketchup on my sleeve and my pants, I thought about that scene.

I don’t want to be too busy to love on Annalyn. Time goes too fast and she’s already growing too much. I know this stage of Mommy-love and more hugs and one more kiss won’t last.

When we got back to my office – with a few minutes to spare, even – Mark told Annalyn to say goodbye.

“Buh-bye!” she said with a smile.
“How about a hug?” I asked.
“Okay!”
"I love you!" I said as she and Mark walked away.
"Wuv. Ooo."

Turns out I had plenty of time to do my other errand after work. And I’m pretty sure nobody noticed the ketchup stains on my clothes. Although it wouldn’t have mattered if they did. One day not far enough from now, I’ll be the one saying, “Annalyn? See her?”

So I’m taking all the hugs and kisses and unexpected lunch visits I can get.