Girl Talk: High Heel Shoe Museum

“I don’t know who invented high heels, but all women owe him alot.” - Marilyn Monroe

We’re going on a field trip this week to The High Heel Shoe Museum. I came across this website last week. A cyber-shrine to woman’s favorite accessory, and the foremost lofty footwear authority on the web, it’s more a clearing house for shoe retailers all over the world than a museum. You’ll find hundreds of beautiful shoes, and links to the on line stores that sell them.

Many of the shoes are more like works of art than they are made for walking. For example, this red ballet style with a 7 1/2 inch spiked heel by Pierre Silber.

This steep baby blue shoe with a six inch heel from European retailer Elite Heels is sure to be the cure for flat arches.

There are slightly more practical shoes that you could actually walk in, like this elegant Brazilian shoe.

But it’s not just all about shopping. You’ll find the History of the High Heel Shoe and the controversy behind its true inventor. Did you know primitive high heels date back to earlier than 200 B.C.?

If you decide to purchase one of these pairs of outrageously high heels, you might find this page, How to Walk in High Heels useful. There you will learn important facts such as shoes with heels over five inches really aren’t intended for walking. It also says that the bigger your shoe size, the higher the heel you can manage with out falling on your face. It describes the proper carriage and posture for pulling off such a fierce pair of shoes as well.

There is a plethora of other information. A list of shoe making schools, a link to Shoe Fondue, a place to trade and sell used designer shoes,  and even a section about that second most important accessory, purses. Also check out the Free Shoes Contest for a chance to win your own pair of sexy clodhoppers.  

The High Heel Shoe Museum  website is a little confusing to navigate. For easiest browsing use the Site Map.

Want to join in on some Girl Talk? Post about anything girlie on your blog, let’s keep it PG-13 at least, and link back to this post. Don’t forget to sign the Mr. Linky form below and enter your post permalink. Feel free to grab the Girl Talk button and use it on your blog. I post this once a week on Thursdays, usually in the afternoon when my son is sleeping. You can link up any time between now and next Wednesday.

Wednesdays for Wives: A Letter to my Husband

Happy 31st birthday Dear! Ahead of the times, I married a younger man before Ashton and Demi made it fashionable. Two years and nine days isn’t that much younger though, so don’t rub it in too much.

I am so happy to celebrate another birthday with you. I hope we are both still around to celebrate your 91st birthday together. By then we’ll probably be toasting Ensure shakes, reclining on our twin Craftmatic adjustable beds in the old folks’ home, instead of feting with brownies. I still can not understand after all these years why you don’t like cake, but if you want brownies instead, brownies you shall have. You always do go against the mainstream. One of the things I love about you. You are not a joiner. You follow your own convictions down a path that is uniquely yours.

I’ve been privileged to be along for the ride down that path. Sometimes I balk and want to turn back or take a different route. But you lead steadfastly on, taking us through this great adventure of life, and getting us safely and securely to our destination each time.

Three years ago another traveler joined the journey when our son was born. You are such a wonderful father. So gentle, so loving, so patient. You have patience that seem to go on forever when it comes to caring for our son. Long after I’ve reached the end of my rope, you are still calm and collected. And how I love to watch the two of you play together. The laughter, the joy, the smiles are priceless. Those moments are stored in my heart forever.

Come to think of it, the same qualities that make you a good father make you a good husband too. I know that sometimes I require a great deal of patience, because I have very little myself. Often I fire before I aim, but somehow you manage to doge the bullets and help me hit the target in the end.

Actually, you balance me out very well. You are also far more optimistic than I. When my glass is empty with a leak in the bottom, your glass is half full with a pitcher of refreshing ice water sitting next to it.  

And you make me laugh. The jokes, the teasing, the humor that we share. It makes life so fun. No matter how difficult times have been, I can not remember a day that we didn’t share a laugh over something together. Laughter is a healing balm for even the most difficult trials of this world.

Finally, I am so thankful to have a husband who knows Jesus and seeks to follow God’s will.

It is a cliche, said many times before, but you are my best friend. There is no one else I’d rather share all the times of my life with, good and bad, than you.

I don’t say these things to you nearly often enough. You are appreciated for all things you do for me and our family.

Happy Birthday.

I love you!

Babe

Have you told your husband how much he means to you recently? Let him know.

 

Cookie of the Week: Chocolate Brownies

The Cookie of the Week is actually Brownies today. My husband’s birthday is tomorrow, and he doesn’t like cake. Strange, but true. So I always make him brownies, which he loves. I’ve posted this recipe before, but not under Cookie of the Week. It’s a recipe from my mom.

Brownie Recipe

1 1/4 Cup margarine

2 Cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

In a small sauce pan over low heat melt together margarine and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl stir together remaining ingredients.  Add in cocoa mixture. Pour into a greased and floured 9×13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. While still hot, frost with chocolate frosting. (Recipe follows.)

Chocolate Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

2 tablespoons Crisco

2 tablespoons margarine

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Add a tablespoon of milk at a time until frosting comes together.

I didn’t frost my brownies this time, because my husband likes them plain, but the frosting is yummy. Make sure you do it when the brownies are still hot. It makes all the difference.

Now if you like gooey, fuggy brownies back off the baking time. I only baked them for 20 minutes. Baking in a light colored aluminum pan will give the best results I’ve learned over the years. Dark coated pans or glass makes the brownies burn around the edges. Also, if you use an electric mixer be careful not to over beat the batter. If you incorporate too much air they come out like a cake.

I did change up the recipe a little this time. I used real butter instead of margarine. And I did not melt the butter and mix it with the cocoa. I creamed the butter with the sugar, then mixed in everything else. I think it actually made the brownies even fudgier and certainly richer.

Starbucks here I Come

I just want thank Donna over at forty b4 forty. I won a Starbucks gift card from her 1 Month Anniversary Giveaway.

I love Starbucks. We sort of live between two Walmarts. One has a Starbucks next to it, and one doesn’t. The one with the Starbucks is farther away, but sometimes I drive the extra miles to the farther Walmart just so I can go to Starbucks. That’s probably a little extravagant considering the cost of gas these days, but I really like the Skinny Mocha Lattes. I think the price of a gallon of gas has now surpassed the price of a tall Skinny. 

Stop by Donna’s blog and say hi if you get a chance.

David didn’t Hear a Who

I was outside planting flowers last Friday, and my son was playing nearby. I heard him yelling, “Hello! Hello in there! Hello?!” I looked up to see him shouting at the remains of a dandelion gone to seed. He brought the flower up to his eyes, peered at it as closely as he could and shook it. Then, with a dissapointed look on his face, he threw it down. Shrugging his shoulders he said, “Aw, It’s not like the movie. There’s no Whos in there Mommie. I didn’t hear any Whos!”

It’s time for Mommyfest!

It’s blog party time over at Mommyfest this week! Head on over to find the Mr. Linky that will take you party hoping all over the blog-o-sphere to meet other moms. There are also lots of contests and fabulous prizes to win. Anyone is welcome to join in the party. Just write a party post on your blog and sign the Mr. Linky.

Welcome to those of you who haven’t been here before. I am Colleen, a wife and SAHM. I have a three-year-old boy, David, who is full of energy and never stops going from the moment his feet hit the ground in the morning to the moment his head finally hits the pillow at night. I spend half my time laughing at David’s antics, and the other half trying to keep him out mischief. When I do get a few moments to myself, I like to cook, read, garden and of course blog.

Have a look around while you’re here. You’ll find lots of recipes under the What’s for Dinner category and every Tuesday I post a different cookie recipe. On Wednesday I blog about the subject of marriage and Thursdays are all about Girl Talk. You’ll find lots of other stuff sprinkled in between about being a mom and about my faith. Have fun at the party and comeback any time!

Girl Talk: Perk Me Up

I can’t start my day with out at least 2 cups of coffee. I like to sip it in my pajamas, and watch the morning news. If I skip that part of my A.M. routine, the rest of my day just doesn’t feel right.  Sometimes I have a cup for a pick-me-up in the afternoon. And there’s nothing better than some girl talk with friends over a good cup of coffee. I love the smell, I love the taste and I love the caffeine. Here’s some “girlie” things to make your coffee break even more enjoyable.

Perk your coffee in this pretty pink coffee maker from Cuisinart.

Like to grind your own fresh coffee from beans? I love this pink retro coffee mill from Kitchen Aide.

You’ll feel glamorous even if you are still in your PJs when you drink your coffee from a high heel shoe mug. Choose from several styles at the High Heel Shoe Museum on-line store. (I know, I know! High Heel Shoe Museum? I’ll save that for next week’s post.)

Savor a yummy cup of Chocolate Raspberry Coffee from Ghirardelli.

 

Happy percolating!

Want to join in on some Girl Talk? Post about anything girlie on your blog, let’s keep it PG-13 at least, and link back to this post. Don’t forget to sign the Mr. Linky form below and enter your post permalink. Feel free to grab the Girl Talk button and use it on your blog. I post this once a week on Thursdays, usually in the afternoon when my son is sleeping. You can link up any time between now and next Wednesday.

Wednesdays for Wives: The Grass is Always Greener until You have to Mow it

“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Proverbs 14:30

“Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.” Psalm 17:1

There’s one in every neighborhood. The perfectly manicured lawn. Neat diagonal stripes run the length of the grass. There are no dandelions in site. No evidence of moles. Lush and green, every time you drive by you long to run across it barefoot. And you wish enviously that your own weedy, brown lawn looked like that.

But if you are like me you’re not willing to pay the price to get a front yard like that. The only way to achieve such lovely grass is either through hours of back-breaking work or a hefty investment in a lawn service. I’d rather just keep my shriveled-up crab grass, and spend my summers lounging in the pool and my money on more important things, like filling up my gas tank.

Other people’s lives can be like that neighbors’ impeccable greenery. At a glance it looks wonderful. Take a longer look and you might find that you wouldn’t want to pay the price to have their life.

How many times have I envied another woman only to find out her life wasn’t as great at it appeared to be on the surface? There was the friend whose husband had a great job that provided a big house and expensive car, but it turned out he wasn’t such a great guy. There was the single friend whose life seemed free and exciting, but she felt lonely every night when she went home to an empty house.

Envy is something women are particularly prone to. Especially envying the lifestyle of another woman who we perceive as having it better than us. If we’re not careful our jealousies can lead to discontent and even bitterness. Always wanting what someone else has instead of being content with the life God gave you will make you miserable.

The lesson I’ve learned over the years is that often I waste time being envious of someone who in the end isn’t any better off than I am. We all have struggles, no matter how good things may appear to be.

The next time you feel that Green Monster rear its ugly head inside of you, stop and think. Dig a little deeper. Find out what that other woman went through to get to where she is, what she might be dealing with now. Then consider your own life. Do you really want to trade places? 

What if you moved into that house with the nice green grass and had to spend all your time mowing, spreading Weed and Feed and watering? I’d probably be longing for my clumpy, weedy front yard that stops growing in July when it gets hot and dry.  I know eventually that lush grass would be just as dead at the grass in my old yard.

Remember, the grass is always greener until you have to mow it!

Cookie of the Week: Butterscotch Chip Cookies

I just thought I’d try something besides chocolate for a change. I love butterscotch candies and pudding, so why not Butterscotch Chip Cookies?

Butterscotch Chip Cookie Recipe 

2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. Butter Flavored Crisco
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 c. butterscotch chips
1 c. nuts, optional

Cream Crisco, add sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add the rest of the ingredients, chips last. Drop by teaspoons to cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen delicious cookies.

These came out great! No alterations to the recipe necessary. It’s nice when that happens.

Conversations with a Three-Year-Old: A Stupid Observation

We have to watch everything we say around our son now. He picks up on new words and phrases very easily, and adds them to his vocabulary.

I have a bad habit of calling things stupid when I’m frustrated, “Stupid computer, stupid oven, stupid washing machine.” One day my son was mad at me and called me, “Stupid, Mommie!” First I was shocked. Shock quickly turned into amusement as I realized he’d learned the word from me. I stifled a grin and admonished him,” It’s not nice to call people stupid. You shouldn’t say that.”

He sat silently for a moment with a pensive look on his face, then replied with an answer containing wisdom well beyond his three years, “It’s not nice to call people stupid, but sometimes people are stupid.”

You can’t argue with that!