If you will...

Official Drink Menu of Choice

Summer vacation is winding down. Work is just around the corner. It is time to share The Official Drink Menu of Choice, while I still have a free moment. Some serious time was spent perfecting these recipes--researching, experimenting, and probably the most grueling (and time consuming) component, taste-testing. I know what you’re thinking—“What a sacrifice”, “What a commitment”. But don’t worry about me. I did this so you don’t have to.
Guarantee: The following recipes (in no particular order) are 100 percent approved (by me) to taste great, and are recommended for anyone (over the age of 21). 
 Lazy Days Lemonade © (Original masterpiece right here)
Ingredients

         - A “juiceman” or some such juicer           - ½ lemon per every two apples is the basic recipe
[Punch bowl amount to serve many people, many times over]          - 3-4 lemons
         - 12-18 apples depending on size          - one fifthof vodka          - one bottle of champagne      …

 {Courtesy of Chelsea Handler}
If you enjoy extremely off-color humor, like me, then chances are you will love reading any of the following books by Chelsea Handler. Quick and easy reads, you will find each one to be the perfect companion for the pool, the beach, etc...just make sure you don't care who is around to hear you laughing to yourself or be prepared to explain why, and trust that the content isn't always for everyone's ears. Overall Chelsea Handler seems like the type of celebrity you might actually want to party with--only to find out you've made a horrible mistake.


Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea was my first Chelsea Handler read. I instantly fell in love with her stories of vodka dieting and pill popping lifestyle that landed her in situation after ridiculous situation. Handler describes growing up with parents who were basically "done" with raising children by the time she came along, and how she used their non-committal parenting t…

Since moving to Arizona Tyler and I have kept ourselves occupied pretty well getting to know the area, and mostly just enjoying the ability to be outside. However, the summertime heat has limited us a bit. I'm not complaining, I'm just saying the warmer weather + not knowing a lot of people = the two of us amusing ourselves however we can...and we can only have so many dance parties.

You might remember the Desert Decathlon that took place earlier this year. Well, we had so much fun, I decided to create its sister event, the 4th of July Desert Pentathlon- The Extreme Heat Edition. It was actually a cool 100 degrees outside, perfect for the five water events that were planned.

Event 1: Underwater swimming--how many lengths underwater without any breaths. Spectators! We knew there would be no way to keep the dogs from participating. Tyler and I agreed from the start that the pups would be additional obstacles that had to be dealt with. This is Leah swimming directly over top of me…

[2004]
Imagine the fate of the United States had we elected a Nazi sympathizer as our president during Hitler's rise to power. Imagine if that person was already an American hero. Think what that could mean for our America. Imagining this course of events is exactly what Philip Roth did. The Plot Against America is a "what if" fiction that morphs factual events, people, and places from Roth's own childhood with a fictitious series of events. 
Charles Lindbergh, renowned for his contribution to the world of aviation is deemed a hero by many after he made the first transatlantic flight in 1927, departing out of New York and landing in Paris. In 1932, his first born infant son was abducted and later found dead. Lindbergh and his wife left the U.S. for Europe at this time. It is popular theory that while in Europe, Lindbergh made the acquaintance of some influential Nazi officers and was himself an anti-semite along with Henry Ford. 
It is at this point in history that Rot…

[2008]
Goofy title for an absolutely adorable read. All of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is told through the correspondence of about fifteen people in the late 1940's with character, Juliet Ashton, and the very tiny island of Guernsey, as the main characters. I've mentioned before how I love when a book can so effortlessly transport me to another time and place. That's why we read, right? Well, this book made me want to visit the island of Guernsey, found between England and France in the English Channel about sixty years ago, but I'd settle for today.
During World War II, the Germans, in an attempt to further their occupation of European territory,  used the small island of Guernsey believing it to be the next step to conquering London. The small island, full of farmers and fishermen, had no real means of protection from the Germans. Cohabitation with the Germans was not bad in the beginning, but as the months lingered on and as food and resources d…

[2011] I had not previously read any Ann Patchett before State of Wonder, but I definitely plan to at least check out her bestseller, Bel Canto, now that I am familiar with the kind of smooth, strong writing she is capable of. In State of Wonder, Patchett provides easy to imagine depictions of atypical scenarios that are so vastly different from anything I have yet to experience, and she seems to do so effortlessly.
Patchett introduces us to Dr. Marina Singh,  a pharmaceutical employee who is living a rather mundane and otherwise forgettable existence. This is a female whose insecurities, overall lack of confidence, and general apathy bothered me quite a bit in the beginning. Marina is specifically selected to follow the path of another researcher also employed by the company.  The other doctor, Dr. Swenson, is researching a plant deep in an Amazonian village that has the potential to increase women's birthing possibilities. However, Swenson does not keep the company updated on her …