New Season, New Outfit

This summer I'm wishing for a cute new outfit. Something a little like this:

Aeropostale Boyfriend Shirt

Downeast Outfitters Rock Star Shorts

Kohls Apt 9 Lafayette Pleated Satchel

Payless Braided Knot Sandals

Payless Minny Bow Flip Flop

What do you want to be wearing this summer?

My New Addiction VERONICA MARS

So my sister has been telling me I would love Veronica Mars for a while now, I should have known she was right. She's so wise. I started it a few weeks ago (on Netflix, instant streaming) and I'm addicted. The really funny thing is, Tad likes it too. That's probably because it's seriously funny!

Veronica Mars
The first two words that come to mind when I try to describe Veronica Mars are bad a$$. While I try to steer clear of phrases like this, it just fits so perfectly. Although she wasn't always categorized like this. She used to be the typical pretty and perky '0-9-er', otherwise known as the wealthy and popular kids at Neptune High School. She was the sheriff's daughter, dating the rich and popular Duncan Kane, and best friends with his rebellious sister Lily. All of that changed after Lily was murdered. Duncan dumped her for no apparent reason, and Veronica's father, Sheriff Keith Mars, was fired for doggedly pursuing Lily's father as the main suspect in her murder.
Refusing to admit defeat, her father opened up a private detective agency, and hired his lovely daughter as his secretary/side kick. Veronica excels at life as a PI, and quickly has her classmates begging for her help. Which is strange since most of them hate her. She usually takes pity (along with a large sum of money) on the poor schmucks and solves their mysteries with wit, sarcasm, and just a hint of revenge ;)
Keith Mars
Keith has a great relationship with his daughter. Sadly, that's about the only great relationship he has. His wife leaves unexpectedly a few episodes into the series, and pretty much the entire town of Neptune despises him.
Lily Kane
Lily is Veronica's fun loving, free spirit best friend who has a rebellious streak larger than the Mississippi River. She tended to jump into trouble head first, which is probably what lead to her murder. Solving her murder is the storyline that takes you through the first season.
Duncan Kane
Duncan is Lily's brother and Veronica's ex boyfriend. They were very much in love, until the day he decided to stop speaking to her. Although he never really seems to get over either Lily's death, or his breakup with Veronica.
Logan Echolls
Logan is Lily's on-again/off-again boyfriend, and Duncan's BFF. He's among the ruling party of '909-ers' at Neptune High because of his movie star father. After Lily's murder he came to one decision. He's pissed at Veronica.
As the show goes on we find ourselves waiting out another nail biting love triangle! I'd tell you whose team I'm on, but I don't want to influence your vote.
Wallace Fennel
On his first day of school Wallace gets duct taped naked to the flagpole by the neighborhood biker gang. As fate would have it, Veronica Mars is the only one with enough balls to cut him down. This was the beginning to a beautiful friendship. Especially when Wallace found himself working in the school office, coincidentally gaining access to student records. In addition to being a loyal BFF to Veronica, he's a star basketball player!
Eli 'Weevil' Navarro
Weevil is the head of the local biker gang (yes, the same one that taped poor Wallace to the flag pole). He and Veronica have a love/hate relationship with each other. While they're constantly butting heads, they often find themselves helping each other out. There's something I really like about the way they get along (or the lack of getting along).

Do you want to see if Veronica Mars is for you? Check out this clip.

Banana Roll

I feel like I've had a constant supply of banana bread for the past few weeks, and frankly I'm very tired of it. However I also have a constant supply of brown bananas. So I searched the for something different and I found a post from Pinch My Salt titled, 'Tired of Banana Bread? Try This!' TADA! I ask and I shall receive. I've never actually made a Banana Roll, or jelly role, or pumpkin roll before, but I worked up my courage and dove in. I've got to say it was a pretty big hit this morning with the crew. Even though I don't have a jelly roll pan (and before yesterday I had no idea that such a thing existed), I improvised with a small cookie sheet and I think it went pretty well. Although I do think it would be better made with the right pan so it's a little thinner.

Banana Roll

Cake:
Powdered sugar
3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3 eggs
1 C sugar
2/3 C. mashed banana (2 medium bananas)

Filling:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 C. powdered sugar, sifted
6 T. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 C. powdered sugar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 15×10 inch jelly-roll pan (also known as half sheet pan); line with parchment or waxed paper. Grease and flour paper; set aside. Spread out a clean, thin dish towel on the counter (make sure the towel is larger than your jelly roll pan); sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar (this can be done using a mesh strainer).

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda.

3. In a large bowl combine eggs and sugar; beat until thickened. Add banana; beat until well mixed.

4. Stir in flour mixture into egg mixture. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, easing it carefully to the corners with a spatula.

5. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 13 to 15 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched.

6. Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan; invert cake onto the prepared towel. Remove pan; carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake in towel while hot, starting with 10-inch side. Cool completely on wire rack (will take at least an hour).

7. When cake is almost completely cooled, make the filling: beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth.

8. When cake has cooled completely, unroll and spread with filling (or your favorite cream cheese frosting) then re-roll cake. Wrap rolled cake in plastic wrap then refrigerate at least one hour (overnight is best).

9. When ready to serve, unwrap cake and place on a platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired (sift the sugar through a small mesh strainer for a nice presentation). Cut into slices.

I recommend this recipe to anyone who is ready for a change from the standard banana flavored bread. :)

Signs You Have Small Kids

I found this great post on Diary of a Modern Matriarch. What's hilarious is that I think I would say about every one of them can be applied to me :)

Signs You're A Mother To Young Children

1) Anytime you hear a thump, you instinctively wait for crying or say aloud, "You're fine. Shake it off." This is especially amusing at the office.

2) You've announced at a staff meeting that you need to go potty.

3) You've found fruit snacks in your bra.

4) Anytime anyone around you asks "Hey, you wouldn't happen to have...?, there's a 99% chance that you do.

5) Your purse would never make it through customs.

6) You can produce a band-aid in 0.3 seconds. However, it may take upwards of 2 seconds to locate a Barbie band-aid.

7) You've gotten dressed, out of the house, and all the way to your destination before you spot that crusted booger on your pant leg.

8) You've discovered baby wipes are some bionic super weapon and can get stains out of almost anything. And boogers.

9) You have at least 4 diapers in your car. Chances are two of them are used and rolled in that tight little ball only parents know how to make so well.

10) There's a sippy cup in the same car that once had apple juice and now contains alcohol.

11) You now know how to make yogurt: Step 1) Give baby bottle. Step 2) Baby throws bottle behind couch. Step 3) Wait three weeks. Step 4) Locate Smell. Step 5) YOGURT!