A month or so ago, I volunteered to lead the book club for the Officer’s Spouse Club (OSC) at our base. I thought, “Hey, I’m an English minor, I can do this!” Only two bases into my husband’s Air Force career and I’m volunteering for something I had no idea would be so painful. Brilliant!

So here I am, leader of the book club, perplexed: How do you organize a book club? How do I get people interested in the book club? How do you chose the book? Etc. Etc.

Literally days after I got the list of the first people initially interested, Brooke Reynolds of the fabulous blog inchmark posted this great guide: Books and Pie. So I drafted an email borrowing some of Brooke’s guidelines and asking the women for feedback and book choices:

1. One book each month. You have to have read or know someone who has read the book before you recommend it. Also, try to pick a book that is easy to find (via Amazon, library, local bookstore, etc.). I suggested that the host chose the book.
2. Meet the same day each month. Our location will probably be each other’s houses, however, this is all TBD and is based on how many spouses are interested, where people live, etc.
3. Discuss the book. The book club leader will come prepared with a few questions on cards. Everyone will take one or two and when they think it is appropriate interject with their question.
4. Keep refreshments low-key. Dessert and beverages.

And I haven’t heard back from a single person. Granted, one of the interested parties is one of my closest girlfriends here, but the other five women haven’t made a peep! I’ve decided I’m going to chose a book, time, location, etc. and send out an Evite with the details. However, now I have to decide on a book. I want something that isn’t a difficult read, but is still interesting and thought-provoking. I personally love novels and/or about family sagas, friendships, and women on the verge.

Here are some of my favorites and possible options (for full descriptions from Books•A•Millions’ website click on the book title). The first four I have read; the last four are ones I’d like to read. I’m hopeful some of the spouses are interested in one of these titles. If all goes well, I want to post a review of the book read every month after the we meet.

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Last week, my close friend from college and recently-moved-in neighbor K, threw a pumpkin painting party*. She invited spouses from her husband’s squadron and extended an invitation to some of the wives from my husband’s group. I was thrilled at the prospect of crafting with a group of women and possibly making some new friends.

But I hadn’t painted or carved a pumpkin in years. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I did either. Which is terrible because I pride myself on being the Martha Stewart of Air Force Spouses. (Haha, just kidding! I will never reach such great heights!)

After some sleuthing, I found some great ideas for decorating pumpkins without carving. 1. Plaid and striped painted pumpkins. 2. Graphic, almost folksy free-handed designs. 3. Patchwork white-on-white. 4. Doily as stencil. My favorite is the white-on-white patchwork. It looks like a Denyse Schmidt quilt, but in pumpkin form! All of these came from the Better Homes and Gardens’ Quick and Easy Painted Pumpkins for Halloween photo gallery.

Photos from Better Homes and Gardens.

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Originally I had planned to take a shopping hiatus (at least on clothing) until the holidays. However, getting dressed for church on Sunday, I realized I don’t have a lot for a Nevada winter or fashionable, yet comfortable clothes for working from home. I’m thrilled to go shopping! I really want some versatile, colorful and layerable clothes. My mom, my favorite shopping partner, is visiting this week and I thought I’d make a short shopping list to make sure I stay somewhat on track.

1: Colorful cords. I’m digging these straight leg cords from the Gap. They will tuck into boots for winter back in the Midwest, but be lightweight enough for winter here.

Images from Gap.

2: White jeans and boyfriend jeans. White jeans are somewhat out of season, but I’m hoping to squeeze a few wears out of them and have them for next year on the cheap. These from J.Crew are no longer available, but this is a similar option. The other jean, the boyfriend jean is ubiquitous, I know. They are everywhere for a reason – they are comfy! I’m really liking this pair from Gap. These will be perfect for working at home, but still looking fashionable.

Images from J.Crew and Gap.

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Like many newlywed couples, Nick and I are looking to expand our family. No, no, we are not expecting nor trying to conceive. We’re trying to decide on a dog–and whoa boy–is it a hard decision.

I have wanted a dog since we moved to Mississippi two years ago. Most of our friends had pets (some of them multiple) and we really enjoyed our role as dogsitters/Aunt Allison and Uncle Nick to their pets. At the time, I freelanced from home, and I desperately wanted a dog to hang out with during the day and to motivate me to get out and walk. I couldn’t sit and veg on the sofa knowing I had a sweet pet relying on me for exercise. However, we decided financially and logistically we couldn’t get a dog until we settled in our next location. So here we are… I’m working from home full-time and available for a pet, we’re settled (somewhat) in Las Vegas with our own home and no issues in our way, but one – we cannot decide what kind of dog to get.

We have some guidelines: smaller than 45 lbs*, low-maintenance coat, somewhat easy to train, medium energy, and other pet and child friendly. (*Because we know in a few years we’ll be moving around quite a bit, it is best that we get a dog that’s size is acceptable at many hotels so we can avoid kenneling our pup.) At some point we agreed on a Beagle because of experiences with a friend’s dog and a neighbor dog in Mississippi. I’ve heard a bit about Beagles and their howling can be annoying and sometimes they are difficult to train, so I’m not so sure. I thought I would see a shelter dog here and absolutely fall in love, but most of the ones we’ve seen here are too big or too small. We’re like the Goldilocks of future dog owners, looking for a dog that is “just right.”

In an effort to narrow our decision down, I’ve taken every what-dog-breed-is-perfect-for-your-family quiz (try this one at Animal Planet) and these breeds keep appearing (to learn more from Animal Planet, click on the breed name beneath the photo):

Beagle

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As I mentioned in my first post, my husband and I purchased a new home in Las Vegas. Shortly before our move, Nick and I decided we would look into buying a home. I wasn’t originally on board because of the housing market crash and insisted that we look at rentals as well. However, the housing market in Las Vegas at the beginning of the year was insane and homes were foreclosing at record rates causing tenants to be shutout of their rental homes with no warning. The thought of being kicked out of our home with a few days to find another was not appealing. We did the math and discovered we could afford a mortgage because it was much less than the current rental rates. (Even including home owner’s insurance, which was just a bit more than we had paid for renter’s insurance in Mississippi.) I never dreamed Nick and I would have the opportunity to own a home together this early in our marriage, but with the market right now and the slashed prices we were able to do it a lot sooner.

After a month and a half of searching, we found a great house in a smaller subdivision. The house isn’t perfect, but it is in a great neighborhood and a good start for us. Some day I will get my dream home – a mid-century ranch house or a more traditional house with a wrap-around porch and lots of architectural details – but for now I’m delighted to have this newer home to call my own.

Below are photos from the realty website. Clockwise, from left. The front of the house: The biggest thing that drew us to the neighborhood was the many different floor plans and house fronts available. So many subdivisions were flooded with cookie cutter house after cookie cutter house. I’m not thrilled with the tile and the carpet needed to be cleaned, but the entry has so much potential! Entry from formal living/dining room. Family room: Niche that is perfect for the flat screen Nick is dying to purchase. Formal living/dining from entry: There is so much natural light in this room because of the patio doors. We are looking into replacing those eventually, they are so nondescript. We’d like a more secure door with a bit of character.

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Thanks for the suggestions on last week’s post about easy weeknight dinners. So many options – I don’t know where to begin! I’ve looked around at Pioneer Woman’s Tasty Kitchen and I follow Annie’s Eats. I’ve bookmarked a few of Annie’s recipes, and I’m finally going to make one this week. Oddly enough, a good friend of ours from college recently moved here and has a ton of back issues of Cooking Light. She loaned me an issue this weekend from last summer featuring tons of tomato recipes (tomatoes are my absolute favorite). She and I are looking forward to swapping magazines back and forth. I’m excited to put these new-to-me sources to use.

I thought I would share my weekly meal plans occasionally, starting with this week. I’m hoping this will help me follow through with cooking a meal every night and not copping out and making a frozen pizza!

MONDAY
Garlic-Marinated Chicken Cutlets with Grilled Potatoes and Asparagus from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast, page 116

TUESDAY
Weekly Dinner with K+J
Ever since our close friends from college moved in around the block, we have dinner together every Tuesday or Wednesday, swapping houses every week.

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I will fully admit that I love to eat out. With the plethora of fantastic restaurants in Las Vegas, I could eat out every night. We don’t of course because of the expense, and Nick prefers eating at home. I do enjoy cooking and learning new recipes and techniques, but most days I don’t have the energy for it after a long day of work, so I take the easy way out. In attempt to change my ways, I’ve decided to start planning out our meals weekly again.

Last year before wedding and moving madness took over our lives, I freelanced exclusively and enjoyed planning a weekly meal plan. Nick and I would grocery shopping for the majority of our meals on Sunday before or after mass and I’d pick up perishable (or forgotten) items every other day or so. I used the What to Eat notepad from KnockKnockthat I purchased from Anthropologie for a while, and I’ll be breaking it out again.

Image from KnockKnock

To keep myself interested in cooking, I like trying a new recipe or two each week. Weeknight dinners have to be quick, easy, and somewhat healthy. My current sources for recipes that meet these requirements are:

• Everyday Food and the Everyday Food editors’ blog, Dinner Tonight
• The Pioneer Woman Cooks (Okay, I’ll admit not always healthy, but almost always easy – I love Ree’s photos that show every detail, leaving no room for error!)
• Back issues of Every Day with Rachael Ray (I am somewhat over these. I have my go-to recipes, but after a while all of the recipes seem to be the same. I’ve stopped buying this magazine because of that.)
• Better Homes and Gardens (The quick, easy meals section is great.)

On the weekends, I enjoy busting out my Martha Stewart cookbooks and creating a feast or making more complicated recipes from Smitten Kitchen and other food blogs. While I like the blogs and/or magazines I currently use for weekly meal planning, I’m always searching for more sources so I have more recipes in my repertoire.

So now I want to know – what are you favorite resources for easy, delicious weeknight recipes?

Greetings from fabulous Las Vegas!

I’m Allison, known around the wedding blogosphere as Hasel from my blog HaselBride. Until recently I was “a reluctant winter bride planning a fabulous winter wedding,” now I’m a reluctant west coaster living the newlywed military life. Just two months after our wedding, my pilot husband and I relocated from Mississippi to Las Vegas, Nevada for his newest Air Force assignment. I say reluctant west coaster because I big puffy pink heart the East, Midwest and South, and was surprised to learn our next assignment would be across the country so far away from our friends and family. However, I quickly realized how great it would be experience the perks of a big city again (shopping, restaurants, shows, etc.) and was thrilled with the change in plans. Plus, we’ve had twice as many visitors in the five short months we’ve been here as we did in Mississippi in over a year!

I was born and raised in Smalltown, Indiana and loved everything about growing up in the Midwest. I met my Missouri-born husband our junior year of college through a mutual friend  just days after I had declared I was done looking for love. He and I prove daily that opposites do attract; he is definitely the yin to my yang. It is our similarities that keep us together: we are both deeply devoted to our friends and family, love to travel and exploring new places, and enjoy going to the movies. We just purchased our first home together in Las Vegas and are excited to insert our style into our new abode.

I work from home as a graphic designer for a non-profit located in Indiana. In my spare time, I love shopping, reading (anything from Jane Austin to Martha Stewart Living to Entertainment Weekly to the occasional trashy gossip mag), taking photographs, spending time with friends and family, entertaining, baking and basically attempting to be Martha Stewart without losing my mind.

I’m so excited to join the lovely ladies of EAD Living to blog about my newlywed life and hear about yours, too!

Photo © Turtle Pond Photography