So I have to start with MY cookbook – available for pre-sale now. It comes out in February but I’ll have a fun gifting promo going on in December so pre-order them as gifts and you’ll have something to give!

Pre-Order my Cookbook on Amazon HERE!

Here are some of my other favorites this year:

1. Dessert Boards by Kellie Hemmerly
2. Well Plated by Erin Clarke
3. The Big Book of Jo’s Quick & Easy Meals by Joanna Cismaru
4. Spectacular Spreads by Maegen Brown
5. Once Upon a Chef by Jennifer Segal
6. The Stay at Home Chef Slow Cooker Cookbook by Rachel Farnsworth
7. The Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook by Tiffany Dahle
8. Meat to the Side by Liren Baker
9. Melissa Griffiths has LOTS of books for sale on her website, including Family Dinner Made Easy
10. Big Boards for Families by Sandy Coughlin
11. Meal Prep In An Instant by Becca Ludlum
12. Dinner Hero by Mama Loves Food and Dinner Hero
13. 8 Weeks of Family Dinners by Yellow Bliss Road

What are your favorite cookbooks?

Check out my Favorite Things Gift Guide, Favorite Things – Kitchen Edition, and Disney Lovers Gift Guide!

The post 2021 Favorite Cookbooks Gift Guide appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

If you love Disney home and accessories then you’ll love this list!

This post contains affiliate links.

There are so many things at Shop Disney, but these are some of my favorites. If you don’t love the characters I chose – don’t worry, search around and I’m sure there is a bag or wallet, or some jewelry with your favorite!

Disney Home Gifts

1. HOME Pillow – I have this and it’s so soft. It makes me think of Disney whenever I look at it.
2. Alice in Wonderland Serving Tray – I have some bowls in this same set and they’re so pretty, you don’t even need to like Alice to want to use them.
3. Sugar Canister and Flour Canister – These are on my Christmas list!
4. Door Mat – Currently in my cart.
5. Disney Waffle Iron – make those Plaza Inn waffles at home!
6. Disney Mickey Wreath – couldn’t get it home in my suitcase so ordered it to my house!
7. Holiday Baking Set – fun for a Disney loving baker (like me!)

Disney Favorite Things Accessories

1. Ear Headband Necklace – I own this and love it – I get compliments whenever I wear it.
2. Mickey Earrings – I own these and wear them all the time, they’re understated and work well when I’m decked out in head to toe Disney!
3. Alex and Ani Bracelets – I’m obsessed, the end.
4. Ear Headbands – Required! They change often online so check a lot to see which ones they have in stock.
5. Wallets – While I am obsessed with the Dooney and Burke version, it’s quite pricey. The Loungefly wallets are fun too – and less expensive. They have lots of options.
6. Loungefly Backpack – I just picked one theme – they have several. Like the headbands they change often so check back a lot.
7. Card Wallet – I have several of these! They’re perfect for clutches or in backpacks!

Disney Gifts from Other Sources

Disney is expensive! Here are some other places to find good quality Disney merchandise:

• Box Lunch (clothing and accessories) – they have TONS of loungefly!
• Etsy (everything – but mostly t-shirts!)
• Jane.com (t-shirts)
• Hot Topic (shirts and Loungefly)
• Kohls and Target often have shirts and pajamas

Check out my Favorite Things and my Favorite Things: Kitchen edition and Favorite COOKBOOKS Guide!

The post 2021 Disney Lovers Gift Guide appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

No matter who you’re buying for, some of these gifts are perfect for everyone on your list. Mom, daughter, wife, husband – you name it there is something for everyone.

I started looking through my purchases for the past year and realized that some of them have truly become my favorite products, so I wanted to share. I feel like word-of-mouth is the best when you’re thinking of buying something new, so these are my tried-and-true favorites from 2021!

Favorite Gifts I Love in 2021

1. Casetify Phone Cases – there is something for everyone and they are amazing at keeping your tech safe.
2. Sugarfix by Bauble Bar (for Target) – I am obsessed with EVERYTHING in this line. The statement earrings are so fun!
3. Athleta Salutation Stash Pocket II ⅞ – These are my go-to workout leggings! They are breathable, comfortable, stay up, have pockets and are cheaper (and better IMO) than Lululemon.
4. Rainbow Peep-Toe Pumps from Unique Vintage – I get so many complements on these. PLUS – they have other colors with this style. They are actually REALLY comfortable – I’ve walked a mile in them, no problem.
5. Target Throw Blanket – We have about 5 of these and love them. They’re stylish, not too big, and really comfy.
6. Stitch Fix – I’ve been getting new clothes lately (a perk of weight loss) and am loving getting fixes, and shopping their curated collections.

1. Neck Fan – it’s actually called a sport fan, but let’s be honest, if you’re over 40 it’s a hot flash fan and it’s amazing. Stops the hot flashes before they start.
2. Apple Watch – a splurge but I love mine. I’ve had it for years and started wearing it religiously this year. I love feeling competition with myself to close my rings!
3. Milanese Band for Apple Watch – it’s stylish and comfortable. I wear it working out and all day too.
4. UGG Slippers – I use these as shoes, seriously. They’re my go-to slip on flats all winter. Fun colors too!
5. Desk Fan – see #1 lol – if you’re over 40 you need this. I was gifted it and I use it religiously all year long.

Favorite Products I always Use

This is my go-to list for makeup. I use the under eye, powder and mascara every single day and feel naked without it!

• IT Cosmetics: I use the Bye Bye Under Eye every day
• THRIVE Lash Extensions Mascara – my go-to
• Wander Beauty Powder Foundation – another go-to
• DryBarDry Shampoo (I also love Jumpstart and Hot Toddy)
• Shape Tape – my foundation when I’m filming
• Benefit Cosmetics Brow Liner – my favorite!
• POREfessional Primer – like an IG filter for your face IRL
• MAC Cosmetics Ruby Woo – the BEST red lipstick ever! Get a lip liner too.
• Rinna Beauty Lip Kits – I’m obsessed with Birthday Suit.

Favorite Macro-Friendly Snacks

• Built Bars – I eat one EVERY DAY, taste like candy bars. Favorites are Coconut, Brownie Coconut and Cookie Dough. Don’t love the Mint or PB Brownie ones. Use CRAZYFORCRUST for 10% off.
• Catalina Crunch Snack Mix – I cannot get enough!! Favorite is Spicy!
• Magic Spoon Cereal or Wonderworks Cereal – great for snacking or a quick protein breakfast
• Premiere Protein Shakes – Chocolate is my fav

Favorite Websites for Shopping All Year

The Little Market is a gorgeous online store that sells all sorts of fun things, from house wares to candles to bath and body. I am in love with their wooden platters and candles – they have so many fun scents! Each purchase supports women around the world – different causes for different products.

Bark Box : Abby LOVES her Bark Box and looks forward to it every month. Some of her favorite toys have come out of that box – like the Chinese dumpling container above. I’m actually getting her a new one for Christmas because her old one is destroyed.

CHATBOOKS!! I have a subscription to Chatbooks and get a new one in the mail every time I post 40 photos to Facebook. You connect FB or Instagram to the app and it pulls in your photos. You can omit and add as you wish – this is the best way to get your photos off your computer since no one prints them anymore. I’ve gone back and had it print ALL the photos I’ve put on FB since I first got an account – finally I have baby books for Jordan.

Farm Girl Flowers: Always fresh, always on time and always gorgeous.

SugarWish: This is so fun to give, and you only need an email address. They have candy, popcorn, cookies, coffee, even dog treats!

See my favorite kitchen items – they’re great gifts too! And the Disney Lovers Gift Guide and my Favorite Cookbooks Guide!

The post 2021 Favorite Things Gift Guide appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

I curated these kitchen gifts with things I actually have purchased and used so you know you’re getting the best items! From my favorite cooking appliances to cookie tools, this list has something for everyone.

Whether you want to buy a small kitchen appliance for someone or just need an easy hostess gift, this list has something for everyone on your list!

Small Appliances

These are my most used small kitchen appliances that would make great gifts!

1. AIR FRYER – This is my most used appliance – we use it daily. I upgraded to the Corsori this year. It’s a GAME CHANGER – does a whole chicken that tastes better than rotisserie!
2. NESPRESSO Vertuo – Did you know that the official Nespresso pods are recyclable? I just gather them up and mail them bag in the free bags they send you.
3. Cuisinart GRIDDLER
4. INSTANT POT
5. KitchenAid Stand Mixer
6. Cuisinart Food Processor – I recommend a big one!
7. Hand Mixer – I love my Cuisinart!

Tools and Gadgets

I own every one of these items and use them daily!

1. This is the kitchen scale I use – an OXO 11lb one with pull out front. I’ve tried several and go back to this one every time.
2. Thermapen Instant Read Thermometer – I use this ALL THE TIME. You can’t get them on amazon and I used to recommend the cheap version but no more, not now that I’ve used the original. Plus: no batteries corroding when washing!
3. Cookie Scoops are always on my list and make a great stocking stuffer – they come in all sorts of sizes!
4. I use my Silpats every time I bake – they are fantastic for people who love cookies.
5. I love the Dash Mini Waffle Makers – and they have griddles too. These are great single serve – it was great when I was losing weight – and would be fantastic for a college student in a dorm.

Hostess or Fun Anyone Gifts

These are all fun things to give as a hostess gift or to someone who you’re just not sure what to buy them. Some of these might actually be on MY list…

1. Wilton Navy & Gold Collection: There is always a reason to have more measuring tools and tips, especially when they’re pretty.
2. Fun Bar Tools: I love the gold collection – would pop in any room.
3. Coffee Accessories, like the mug+heater – perfect for the coffee lovers!
4. For the pet lover: these molds would be great if they want to make my blueberry dog treats!
5. Brown Sugar Saver: These come in handy and will keep brown sugar moist.
6. Mud Pie Dip Set: I’m a sucker for anything Mud Pie – this set is cute!

For more great gift ideas, be sure to check out my (non food) Favorite Things list!

The post 2021 Favorite Things: Kitchen Gifts appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

Yesterday we had to do one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Our sweet Ginger had to be put to sleep and we are devastated. She was like our second child and we’ll miss her terribly.

Ginger came to us when she was 5 years old. We’d been thinking about getting a dog for awhile; Jordan was about 3 and we were settled in our home and ready to take on a fur baby. We’d decided to get a pug; they’re small and cute and we were going to name it Squish. Then, a friend of mine started fostering dogs for Homeward Bound, a golden retriever rescue. She got her first foster dog and sent out an email to all her friends asking if anyone wanted a dog.

When I saw that picture of Ginger for the first time, I knew immediately that she was my dog. Even through a photo, the connection was instant. We went to meet her and when I walked in the door she jumped up on me to say hello. The foster mom mentioned that she’d never seen Ginger do that before…until I walked in the door. It’s like she knew she belonged to me too. A pug to a golden retriever is very different, obviously, and luckily Mel was on board. We brought Ginger home on an October afternoon.

I’ll never forget the day we brought her home: she was excited, and used to pull on her leash quite a bit. We  had a narrow entry hallway in our old house and there was a bookshelf along one wall. Ginger came in the house and we took her off the leash…and in that same second Callie, our cat, walked by. Ginger took off after her, banging into the bookshelf and knocking a heavy glass frame to the tile floor, shattering it everywhere, while Mel, Jordan and I just stood there open-mouthed thinking what did we do?

In time, Ginger learned to fear the cat. It took a few weeks and at one point she’d had enough; I swear to God she went after Ginger down the hallway walking on two legs samurai swording her paws and Ginger ran away, tail between her legs. From that day forward, Ginger gave Callie a very wide berth. ?

Ginger’s first home life hadn’t been good. She’s a purebred golden, came with papers, and had even had a litter of puppies (and really bad mastitis, I guess), but her owners worked full time outside the home and left her tied up outdoors all day. Ginger is an outdoor barker; if she’s outside and the wind blows or a dog barks or a bird flies by, she barks at it. So, the owners tied her up outdoors all day and didn’t like the barking complaints, so they put a bark collar on her. When we got her, she didn’t speak for at least a week, because she was so scared to. (She eventually found her voice, and I’m sure my neighbors heard me yelling at her to be quiet! several times.) But we left her in the house 90% of the time, so the barking wasn’t an issue.

When Ginger came to us, she came to her forever home. She was a part of our family that we didn’t know was missing; she was the second child I couldn’t have. She was with us all the time; she’d sleep at my feet during the day while I worked, watch me bake and clean the floor after me on kitchen days, sit outside Mel’s office and hope he’d invite her in, sleep with us in our room. There was never a time she was far away.

Of course, as she got older, she slowed down quite a bit. Looking back now, after 12 she slowed down a lot but it was so gradual it wasn’t glaring until I look back at her life. First she stopped wanting to go for walks, then stopped coming upstairs at night all the time. The worst decline just happened over the past few months. Two weeks ago she couldn’t keep food down and the vet gave us the news she had a large tumor pushing around her internal organs. At 14 1/2 she was a very old dog and we decided to make her comfortable, but we didn’t realize how fast the end would come. With nausea medication, she started eating and drinking again and was a bit more like her old self, but last week she stopped eating and started breathing heavy. On Friday she couldn’t walk and the return check appointment we had shifted from checking her progress to something else entirely.

We had to carry her to the car and into the vet. Mel and I sat with her the whole time, and I’m sure the waiting room could hear my grief. I’ve said goodbye to animals before, but saying goodbye to Ginger was something else entirely. Now we are here, in our quiet house, with signs of her all around. Her food, her bowls, her beds, the hair that coats my pants (and probably my internal organs). We will miss her so completely.

On that last day I wished she could talk and understand my words because I wanted her to know how much we loved her. Life won’t be the same without our Miss GingyPoo following me around wherever I go. I also now have to clean my own food messes, eat all my own breakfast eggs, throw away the empty peanut butter jar, and I can leave Kleenex unattended. Somewhere, Ginger is whole again, running free on a beach with her leash in her mouth, eating unlimited peanut butter and chewing napkins to shreds without a care in the world. And, if she’s found Callie, she’s giving her lots of space.

Goodbye sweet Ginger, we will miss you so. ❤️

The post Our Sweet Ginger appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

(Photo Credit: Amy J Short Photography)

I am thankful for each and every one of you. I hope you have a wonderful holiday full of love, family, and friendship.

xo,

Dorothy

The post Happy Thanksgiving 2016 appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

My family is your typical middle-class family. We live in a suburb, own a home, we each own our own car. My husband and I both have jobs, we can afford to travel, and we can always put food on the table. It’s hard in this constant go-go-go hamster wheel to stop and realize that not everyone has it as good as we do. I’ve been trying to find ways to show Jordan that our life is privileged; that having any food we desire and eating out and getting what we want when we want it is something that not all people have.

Last month a friend of mine sent me a link for a Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) MobilePack event here in our town. You spend two hours out of your day helping to pack meals for kids around the world who live in poverty. I signed myself and Jordan up, and a bunch of our friends all decided to go together. It hadn’t even occurred to me to write a post about it until after our session, when I realized just how much the organization helps children in need all over the world.

FMSC is a non-profit agency that purchases ingredients that are hand-packed into meal bags by volunteers. The meals are specially formulated for malnourished children and are sent to their partners across the world (hospitals, schools, orphanages, etc) to help stop the cycle of starving kids. They have stationary locations in Arizona, Illinois, and Minnesota, but they also host hundreds of MobilePacks around the country so that anyone can help volunteer to pack meals.

Here’s how it works: during your volunteer session you hand-pack MannaPack meals full of vitamins, dried vegetables, soy, and rice into 13 ounce bags. It’s a conveyor belt system, where everyone has a job, from pouring measured ingredients into bags, weighing, sealing, and packing the bags into boxes. Anyone over the age of 5 can help pack, and it’s very easy.

Here’s where it really gets you in the gut:

Each 13 ounce bag of rice has 6 meals in it (prepared). They actually had samples for us to try, and if you’ve ever thought of eating “mush” or “gruel” that is what I’d liken it too. Basically, there are no spices or fluff – it’s all about nourishment. The meals don’t include a side of bread or dessert; just 6 servings of rice and soy.

One of those bags wouldn’t even feed my family of 3 for a day, the way we eat. But to the kids that get those meals, that’s 2 days of food. Sobering, isn’t it?

In our two hour volunteer session (which is only about an hour of actual packing) our table packed enough for 3,456 meals. That’s enough to feed one child for over 3 years.

There were over 200 volunteers at our session; moms and kids and families and business groups. As a group we packed 85,536 meals, which is enough to feed 234 kids for a year. In one hour of packing we made a difference in over 230 lives.

Remember that “feeding” according to these meals is not what we would think of feeding. 234 kids can eat rice three times a day for a year…and that’s it. But it will help them recover from malnourishment; it will help them live and thrive and grow up to be adults.

Our volunteer session was a huge eye opener to me, and to the kids. It makes you really think about how fortunate we are in this country; that we can have a choice of what we want to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner…and that our next meal is a given.

FMSC is a completely non-profit agency. They take monetary donations as well as volunteers; they pay for all the food components that are put in their meals. Companies don’t donate the soy and rice and boxes; they buy them. With the recent hurricanes, they’re more in need of volunteers and donations than ever. It’s great for groups or just for yourself – and the kids had fun too.

You can donate on their website, or sign up to volunteer at one of their permanent locations or find a MobilePack event near you. Every dollar (or hour) can go to save a child. If you’re looking for someplace to donate or volunteer, check them out. I hope we can do this every year!

The post Feed My Starving Children appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

(Why talk about such a serious topic on a food blog? Well, I figure I’ve talked to you about infertility and eating disorders, I may as well go all the way! Plus, if my story can help one person out there, well then, I’ve done my good deed. Also, I’m totally into oversharing, which is part of the reason why you come here in the first place, right?)

Over the past year, I’ve realized I suffer from anxiety. I’m going to go so far as to say I’m pretty sure it’s of the chronic variety. I didn’t really know what it was at the time, but ever since last fall I’ve been reflecting greatly on my life and my mental health, and I realize that I’ve probably been suffering from it for at least 20 years. Sometimes it’s manageable, sometimes it’s not. On those times it’s not, I just shrugged it off and thought it was just me. I’m just an anxious person, I’m a worrier, and I really, really hate germs and bugs, and things I can’t control.

Looking back, my first really full blown anxiety attack happened about 9 years ago. We had an ant infestation and I was in full panic mode. I called my husband (he was in a meeting) and he had to leave and come home because I he couldn’t understand what I was saying, I was so hysterical. I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t focus for weeks. I felt like ants were all over me, all the time. But when that happened, I didn’t think of it in terms of anxiety, I thought about it as “I hate ants”. The ants went away, my anxiety subsided. No problem, right?

Over the following years, I was just me, living with anxiety but not knowing it. Little things would throw me off, like a roof leak, Jordan having to stay home sick, freaking out if I missed the gym or whenever Mel had a last minute business trip. These are things that would upset anyone when they happen, sure, but for me it was different. An outsider looking into my brain and see me reacting to these problems would think I was overreacting greatly. And I was, and I knew it, but I couldn’t help it. I just thought I was an irrational person; I didn’t connect my feelings (and the subsequent depressive ups and downs) with a problem.

The first time I realized there might be something to my anxiety issues was a few years later when we had lice. My husband had to call the nit picker lady back to our house weeks after it was over because I’d been regularly rocking back and forth on the living room floor ripping my hair out and scratching my head convinced they were still there. Eventually, that subsided too, although I still occasionally spray tea tree oil on Jordan’s backpack and slip it in her shampoo, and if you sit 4 feet away from me and have a piece of dandruff in your hair I can see it. Again, it went away, and I went back to my old self, the person who couldn’t handle doing homework with Jordan or going out with friends socially because they might realize how irrational I was behaving.

Last fall my anxiety came back with a vengeance. All of a sudden I could no longer function. It was worse than any other time, the attacks came more frequent and the depressive episodes lasted longer. I couldn’t work, couldn’t exercise, had no will to socialize or do anything but lay on the couch all day. But I still didn’t think my anxiety was that bad. I mean, on movies and TV the person suffering an anxiety attack feels like they’re dying. They feel like the walls are closing in; like they’re having a heart attack. The heart races, they sweat. That’s what an anxiety attack is, right? That wasn’t happening to me. Just like with my eating issues, I couldn’t even do anxiety attacks “right”.

Guess what? That heart-gripping sweating anxiety attack that they show in movies and write about in novels? That’s not the only kind of anxiety attack. Anxiety can manifest itself in many ways, and I’m an example of that.

One of my attacks starts out with a mood, like I wake up on the wrong side of the bed. I go through my day with a dark cloud over my head. I can’t be a part of my family, I can’t function properly. I liken it to when you’ve had too much to drink and you know you’re not right, but it doesn’t matter because you’re drunk and can’t stop being drunk until it’s run it’s course. A few hours later or sometimes the next day, I’m okay.

The other kind of anxiety attack I have is more traditional. Something triggers it – Jordan being sick, a bug bite, anything out of the norm that changes my day – and all of a sudden I have tunnel vision. Everything around the edges goes snowy and gray and I can’t focus on anything but the trigger. I often become manic, checking myself for lice or bug bites or cleaning or whatever the action is to the reaction of my trigger. Then it ends and I literally cannot do anything the rest of the day; all I want to do is sleep.

I thought I was just suffering from anxiety attacks, that one day, over time, it would go away, just like it had in the past. My exercise regimen would eventually put it back in check, or we’d go on a family vacation that would reset my mood. This time, no matter what I did, it wasn’t going away. And then I had a conversation that, quite literally, changed my life.

I was talking with a friend who told me she’d just started taking anxiety medication. She said she didn’t even realize she had anxiety, but had gone to the doctor and described how she had no patience with her family or life and she was unhappy a lot and angry a lot and yelled all the time. After more conversations with her doctor, they told her she was suffering from anxiety and had been for quite awhile.

In that moment it was as if a lightening bolt struck me. That was me.

Yelling all the time, no patience. Unhappy, angry, depressed. Periods of being okay, then periods of NOT being okay. That described my life.

When Jordan was born, I had really bad post-pardum issues. Looking back, I really should have talked to a doctor about it, but I never did. I went on to stay home (when I’m so not a stay at home type person). Yelling became my way of communicating. Jordan didn’t hear me unless I yelled at her. As she got older, we would fight. I would lose it with her more than I like to admit. If she had friends over, I’d lose it. I had zero patience. A lot of time, the same went for my husband.  For almost 11 years, I just figured I was one of those parents who was just a yeller.

I realized I’ve been suffering from anxiety the entire time Jordan’s been alive. And longer, when I look at signs in my life from high school up until her birth. It was shocking, really, to realize this. Even though I didn’t have “traditional” panic attacks, I still suffered from anxiety. Occasionally it was in check, I could handle it. Then it would flare up and affect my well-being. I’d get depressed, sometimes badly. But then something would turn it around. Exercise was what helped me out of my post-pardum, and from there it became my anti-depressent. I’d jokingly say exercise was my “little pill” because without it, my mental health suffered. But as long as exercise worked, most of the time, I could keep my anxiety in check (remember, I didn’t realize what it was), except at home when I tried to help Jordan with her homework or parent in general.

Last fall, the anxiety came and stuck around. My life was being affected: I didn’t want to workout, work, travel, or socialize. I was depressed. But I still didn’t know what to do about it. Talk to a doctor? A therapist? Medication? I didn’t want to do any of those things. I wasn’t ready yet.

Two things happened this past January that finally pushed me to getting help. First, Jordan forgot her violin on band day. Such a simple thing, right? So what, right? Wrong. I remembered in the middle of my half-assed workout (at this point I was barely working out, I had no drive or energy to even do that) and I burst into tears. On the stair master. In front of the entire gym. I was so hysterical because she forgot her violin I had to leave and go home.

Then, a week later, we got a minor roof leak. Remember, control issues are one of my triggers. We had a roof leak several years ago that was a huge ordeal. This one was minor (it was fixed the next day) but it drove me into an attack that lasted an entire day. At one point I remember thinking, what’s the point of living life if this is how it feels?

Now, those thoughts are not new for me. They’re not good thoughts, but I’ve thought that way off and on (passive, as my therapist calls it) since I was 15 years old. But I’m 38 now and I’m totally over feeling that way. I was tired of always feeling the anxiety right there, just below the surface.

The next week I found my counselor. She diagnosed me with anxiety and depression caused by anxiety. She wasn’t too into me taking medication, but when she did my depression survey and I told her about my history, she suggested I talk to my doctor. A week later I started taking anxiety medication.

The first few days on the medication was rough but literally I felt better on day 1. After a week I felt like me again (the side affects went away) but I felt like me…without anxiety. It was a weird feeling.

My counselor described anxiety to me in a way that was really easy to understand, and it helps put it into perspective for those who don’t suffer from it:

People who don’t suffer from regular anxiety live on the ground floor of a building. They go about their lives, grounded. Something happens to cause stress or anxiety, and their mood jumps to the top floor. They deal with the source of the problem, then move back to the lobby.

People who live with anxiety on a regular basis live on the roof of the building. They’re always up there, up high, waiting. When something happens to cause stress or more anxiety (even something small, like their daughter forgetting a violin) there is no where to go but off the roof.

From day one on my medication, I stopped yelling. I have not lost patience or yelled at Jordan (unless she deserved it) once since I started treatment – even when we’re doing homework. I made it through a slumber party and I didn’t snap once. She’s taken to seeing how far she can push me until I yell at her for real (seriously, #thatgirl).

My husband has told me several times now how much happier I seem. His words: they no longer have to walk on eggshells around me. He’s been having to do that for so many years and now he doesn’t. That part makes me sad for putting him through it, and part makes me happy I am finally fixing it. I took a trip without stress. I’ve been socializing with friends more. I signed up for a half marathon and have started having purpose to my workouts.

I’m happy again. I’m ME again, the me who I was in between anxiety episodes, except the anxiety of day to day life is just that: day to day life.

Do I want to stay on medication forever? No. But right now, this is the journey I’m on. We’ll see where it takes me. Right now, it’s given me a new lease on life, a new excitement about my work, and it’s allowing me to experience life like, well, a person on the ground floor.

Thank you for reading today, if you got this far. Know that all of you, being here, reading this blog with me, are some of the reason I’m happy today. And if you’re someone who is suffering from anxiety, I urge you to talk to someone. Find a friend, a relative, doctor, or therapist. Send me an email! You don’t have to live that way anymore, life is better from down here, believe me.

(If you are experiencing a medical emergency, are in danger, or are feeling suicidal, call 911 immediately. Suicide Hotline: 800-784-2433. Immediate Medical Assistance: 911. Crisis Call Center: 800-273-8255 or text ANSWER to 839863.)

The post Let’s talk about anxiety. appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

Don’t Miss These Recipes!

Did you catch my most recent Krusteaz post a few days ago? Don’t forget to go get your coupon so you can celebrate Pancake Night with me!

What I’m Craving:

These Lemon Meringue Pie Bars with a Walkers Shortbread Crust. DROOLING!

I’m Obsessed With:

Do you guys buy Crunch Pak apples? We have them in our fridge every week. I buy the Dippers and Snackers too, for lunches and outings and vacations. Now they have a new product: Blendz. It’s pure fruit puree in a pouch! (AKA: no losing the spoon in the lunchbox.) If you’re looking for fun Valentines to send to class next week, why not send these? You can download the printed tags or blank ones so your kids can create their own, then simply attach them to the Blendz. There are characters for everyone: Frozen, Marvel, and Star Wars!

What’s for Dinner???

Yep, I cook! This week I tried to cook from my favorite blogs and I had some major successes!!

One-Skillet Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables by Averie Cooks

Crispy Cashew Coconut Chicken Fingers by Carlsbad Cravings

Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup by The Love Nerds

Crockpot Beef Broccoli by Life in the Lofthouse

What I’m making for the Super Bowl

Peanut Butter Football Dip (#OBVIOUSLY)

Lattice Top Meatball Casserole by Two-in-the-Kitchen (it looks like heaven, if you ask me)

And I’m serving all drinks in these Football Glasses by Wine & Glue:

The top repinned pin from the last 30 days:

Slow Cooker Brownie Pudding (PIN IT HERE)

Have a wonderful weekend!! See you tomorrow with a new PIE recipe.

 Disclosure: I work with Walkers Shortbread and Krusteaz as a brand ambassador, and I am compensated for my work at eBay. Crunch Pak sent me Blendz to try at no cost, but I was not compensated for this post.

The post Slice of Life 25 appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

Have you ever had a life experience where you just had to pinch yourself the entire time to make sure it was real? Yeah, me too.

In case you missed my blue carpet selfie, last weekend I had the experience of a lifetime: I got to attend the Critics’ Choice Awards with Santa Margherita! Santa Margherita USA was the exclusive wine of the CCA, and they wanted me to be there to experience it with them. (Seriously, pinch me moment, right?)

Have you ever had Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio? I’m absolutely in love with it. Santa Margherita is one of the leading premium wine brands, and they were the first to introduce Pinot Grigio into the U.S. back in 1979. Years ago, on an anniversary trip, my husband and I ordered a bottle with dinner. It’s been my go-to Pinot Grigio ever since. It’s light and crisp, just like a white wine should be. I love unwinding with a glass over dinner or a hot bath at the end of a long day.

And they asked me to go to the Critics’ Choice Awards with them. I know, right? The event was black tie, which immediately sent me to the mall. I mean, I live in suburbia. Getting dressed up means that I brushed my hair that day, so a Hollywood red carpet event dress was not in my closet.

I think I made a good choice, what do you think?

When I got to the CCA, which took place at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, I got to see behind the scenes as they were setting up the wine bar for cocktail hour. That’s an entire bar, stocked with Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and Chianti Classico Riserva.

I gotta say, I’m not usually a wearer of long dresses, but I think I looked pretty darn nice. My husband has already told me he’s going to find someplace here in Sacramento to take me so I can wear it with him.

After I got my pretty picture taken, I got to sit out on the red carpet. Well, it was actually blue, but you guys. I got to stand with all the other press and watch the celebrities arrive and walk the carpet. I even had a little sign by where I was standing that said “Crazy for Crust” like legitimate press. I even got asked if I’d like to interview celebrities!

(You can guess my answer, right? This extreme introvert talking to celebrities? HAHA!!)

I preferred to people watch, and it was so much fun. James Lipton, from Inside the Actors Studio, stopped and gave an interview right next to me, as did Shanice Williams and David Allen Grier from The Wiz Live. And then there was Jean Smart and Jesse Plemmons and so many more. I was starstruck the entire afternoon.

Once the awards started, I was shown to the VIP Press room, right across from where the awards were taking place. You could hear the live laughter from the ceremony, and it was piped in as a live feed (no bleeping!)

Our tables looked the same as the celebrities, and they even fed us the same food. And? You guys. There was a candy bar with tons of chocolate…and endless Santa Margherita, obvi. I almost fainted when Kirsten Dunst snuck into our room to grab something after she won her award. She was, like, 5 inches from me. !!!!

After the awards, we headed over to the after party where there was music and more wine and food. I got to dance with Reggie Watts and Jacob Tremblay, the little boy who won best young actor.

These were my blogger counterparts at the event: Gwen from The LA Girl and Caroline from Love and Loathing LA. They were super sweet (and how stunning is that red jumpsuit on Caroline??)

At the after party, I sipped my Pinot Grigio while watching John Stamos stand in the corner and Jeffrey Tambor chat by the bar. Talk about starstruck!

The evening was one I’ll never forget, that’s for sure. A night of food, fun, celebrities, and amazing wine. Even though I loved Santa Margherita before this event, I love it even more now.

That right there? My happy place!

Thanks for reading and I’ll be back tomorrow with something sweet!

Connect with Santa Margherita: Twitter: @SMWinesUSA /  Facebook / Instagram: @SantaMargheritaUSA

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The post My Critics’ Choice Awards Experience with Santa Margherita appeared first on Crazy for Crust.