Gwyneth Paltrow's Book List

Click HERE to see Gwyneth Paltrow's summer reading list from her site GOOP. If you go to the main page she has lots of yummy recipes, travel trips and all sorts of information on other topics too.

What are YOU reading this summer?

I am currently working on City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare....it's about vampires and "shadowhunters" and other mythical creatures that I NEVER thought I would ever enjoy reading about! It's book #2 in the Mortal Instruments series....check it out if you loved the Twilight series and need a little more vampire adventure and romance in your life :)

Life Through Johnny's Eyes

A South Carolina flag waving proudly during one of the many dust storms.

Yup, that's a scorpion! Johnny said even the locals were scared of it!

Johnny and Charlie Daniels after a concert by the Charlie Daniels Band.

(Sorry for the wacko coloring here.) Here is the little desert lizard that Johnny chased around his room one night. As you can see, the tail-less lizard lost!

READ IT! That's an order!

I just finished reading this book. And all I can say, is RUN, don't walk, to your nearest book store and get it! It is probably one of the best books I've ever read. I typically like reading mystery and suspense, but this true story was so touching and eye-opening that I didn't want it to end. I cried through the last 100 pages, but then again, that's nothing new! My mom suggested the book because she had read it for her book club and absolutely loved it. As I started flipping the pages I was enjoying it and intrigued by the different lives the two authors wrote of, but it wasn't until Chapter 22, one sentence in particular, that made me close the book and gasp as I said, "I LOVE THIS BOOK!" And then I couldn't put it down.

This book is the story of a poverty-stricken slave from Louisiana, a very successful art dealer and a woman who had the heart of an angel who brought them all together. Such an unlikely trio, yet such a profound story.

Land of the Free Because of the Brave

Happy 4th of July!

This time last year Johnny and I were in Columbus, GA while he caught up on some much needed sleep, filled his belly with as much food as he could manage, and soaked his poison ivy ridden legs in some sort of smelly medicine before he had to report back to Ft. Benning for Ranger School. I can't believe that was a year ago!

I have always loved America and felt blessed to live in a country where we have so many rights and such freedom. I remember a moment a few years ago when I was so overcome with pride for my country that I got goosebumps and tears in my eyes. I was flying home from Australia where I had lived for six glorious months and as we were rounding out the 18 hour flight and soaring above the big blue ocean, the pilot came over head and said, "Welcome to the United States of America." I have never been so happy to hear those words and I didn't even realize they would mean that much to me.

Since then, I've become an Army wife and our rights and freedoms that we are so blessed to have here in America have taken on a whole new meaning to me. I know I can speak for Johnny as well when I say IT'S OUR HONOR TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY. Thank you to the rest of the soldiers who the serve and the families who support them.

Happy Birthday America!

Summer Ingredients

I love avocados. They are so, so creamy and fresh tasting. Next time you make a BLT (bacon lettuce and tomato) sandwich, mix up fresh avocado with the mayo until it is completely smooth and spread that on your sandwich. It will make plain mayo seem so boring! I made this for dinner the other night and it is so delicious and takes a simple sandwich to a whole new level!

Watermelons....ahhhh...my favorite! It's only slightly embarrassing how much watermelon I can consume in one sitting :) So I bought a HUGE watermelon yesterday and now I have watermelon running out of my ears.

What are your favorite ways to use watermelon? Do you have a drink recipe or dessert or ANYTHING you can share with me?! I made a watermelon and feta salad last night, but y'all, I'm not kidding when I say I have more watermelon than I know what do with! So help a girl out would you please?

Breaks My Heart

How many of you watched it last night? I realize news of it is everywhere this morning and it's what everyone is talking about, but I can't help but share my thoughts and feelings on it all as well. Especially considering I've kept my mouth shut this long!

I kind of figured it was coming but I think I was still hoping that they might surprise us and say they are going to counseling and will do whatever it takes to make their marriage work.

Literally, it breaks my heart. Johnny would say to me, "Amanda, it's just a TV show." And while I did fall in love with the Gosselin family because of their TV show, they are also real people and this is their life. It always has and it always will hurt my heart to see other people hurting whether I know them personally or not.

I don't know what truth there is to all the rumors and magazine articles, but it seems to me that if the allegations were wrong about Jon and this 23 year old school teacher, that he would've stopped seeing her to prove that there really is nothing going on rather than further the assumptions that there was an affair happening. I'm not taking sides because I don't know who's right and who's wrong and it doesn't really matter. What killed me with last night's episode was how Kate seemed so heartbroken and against the idea of separation, yet forced into it because it was "necessary", while Jon acted flippant and excited about being released into single hood again. It's like he's going through a mid-life crisis or something....earrings, the lady friends, the attitude, the motorcycle (nothing against motorcycles, we have one and I love it), the drinking....it's just so not the picture they painted in seasons past.

Not only am I sad for them, it makes me think about how fragile marriage is. After watching the show all I wanted to do was give Johnny a huge hug and kiss and tell him how much I love him. Because he is halfway across the world, I settled for an email! Jon and Kate at one time were madly in love too and I'm sure they didn't see this coming when they renewed their vows last season. It just reminds me to not take it for granted and that the commitment and vows Johnny and I made can't be taken lightly. Jon and Kate's divorce makes me want to work harder at my marriage so that I never have to go through what they are living right now.

I just read that this season has been postponed in light of their recent divorce filing. Good. At least someone finally figured out that it would probably be a good idea to shut off the cameras for a while. It's silly, but I'm praying for them. I can't imagine what these next few months are going to be like for them and those cute little kiddos.

Prediction: I betcha within the next 2 months, Jon and that girl come out publicly that they are dating and/or pregnant.

Supper Club

This is one of my most favorite things EVER!!

It's something that is near and dear to my heart and something that I look forward to every month. Supper Club started last November as an excuse to get together with my girlfriends, cook up a delicious dinner and enjoy my home with those I love. I had been wanting to start a Supper Club for quite some time....the problem was, was that I didn't have enough friends to actually call it a dinner party!

Last November, Johnny had just recently deployed the month before and I was on the hunt for new friends. Sweet, Christian girls who I could spend my time with. And then I finally got placed in a BSF group (much more on Bible Study Fellowship later!) and met Kristy and Sara and what an answer to prayer they were! So, Chelsea (remember her? The one who hooked me up with Paula Deen??!) and I decided to just pick a date and do it! She invited a few people, I invited a few people and wa-la....we have Supper Club!

So this is how it works. We now have a closed group of the 5 of us (me, chelsea, kristy, sara and shelley - my neighbor) because we didn't want it to get too big. Partly because it gets extremely costly preparing a dinner for a group and we wanted to develop close friendships with each other, not just network like I do on a weekly basis for work. We meet once a month and we rotate from house to house. That person is responsible for picking a theme/menu and preparing and serving the meal. IT IS SO MUCH FUN!!!

My turn is coming up again on Monday night and the theme is "Swanky Summer Feast." I know, totally random, but all the good themes have already been taken! Here is the invitation I designed and sent to everyone along with the menu.

And guess what else? I'm going to use my fine china for the first time ever and I can't wait! Now believe me, Supper Club is not usually this fancy...but it's my turn to host and I can do whatever I want :)

Here are some pictures from Supper Club's in the past.

Mexican Night!

Showing off the aprons Kristy made for us....yes, she never sleeps and I usually call her a "machine."

Pizza and Pajamas! No, I am not 4 months pregnant, thank you for asking.


This was Fondue Night at Shelley's!


Oh, it is just so much fun! Now go and start a Supper Club with your friends!! You'll be glad you did!