So I just wanted to show everyone that I stayed true to my word and made my gingerbread house. I originally wanted to make a Groundhog Day one, but there isn’t a lot of ground hog day candy out there…except to make the ground hog out of. So I went with Valentine’s theme. And even though I am not a big fan of Valentine’s Day (it’s so not fair to men), I do love Valentine Day décor. I think it’s all the pink. I love me some pink. I must say that it was just as fun, if not more fun to decorate the gingerbread house this time of year. No pressure to get it done. I just sat there watching cheesy romantic 80’s movies and making myself sick on conversation hearts. BTW, when did “email me” become a romantic saying?
The theme of my Love Shack was Love Yourself. No, not in the “no mom, don’t come in my bedroom” 14 year old boy love yourself kind of moment. But in the Whitney Houston greatest love of all loving yourself kind of way.
I don’t actually remember the day or the year it happened, but I remember the moment. Which is odd, but consider the source…me. I was watching Oprah (before I started to dislike her) and she had on Mariel Hemingway. I wasn’t really interested in what she was saying but she got on the subject of body image and how much she used to hate herself. Here sat this very pretty woman, with a very famous father talking about how much she used to hate her body. And what she said next stayed with me till this day. I remind myself of it any time negative self-image talk creeps into head. She said, “Would you say to your best friend what you say to yourself?” You wouldn’t go around calling your best friend a cow and mooing at her while you held her stomach in your hand. You wouldn’t call her thunder thighs. You wouldn’t tell her that she was ugly. You wouldn’t tell her she was fat. And yet, I suspect that most of the people reading this blog have said that to themselves at some point in their life…maybe even this morning. We need to learn to be our own best friends.
Why is it that self-loathing is more than acceptable, but self-acceptance is either denial or being stuck up? Telling people you are awesome or pretty is considered a no-no. But telling people you feel fat or your face looks like a pizza is totally acceptable. How did we allow this to happen? How did this become the standard?
Now don’t get me wrong, I am not about over inflating ones ego or telling people they are good at something when they are not. I mean clearly American Idol has taught us that there are some people who think they are awesome at singing and they are not. I am not. I can literally get my dog to cover her ears when I sing. I don’t believe in the everyone gets a ribbon in sports crap to make kids feel good about themselves. Feeling good comes from accomplishing things. Just showing up and breathing while there, really doesn’t deserve a ribbon. A little adversity makes you a better person. Promise. But no harm comes from thinking you are attractive. No harm comes from celebrating all that your body can do; instead of focusing that you have cellulite on your thighs (buy Photoshop, and just like the celebrities that use it, you won’t have it either).
Each one of us has something to offer. Maybe you haven’t figured that out yet. Maybe you have. Stop hating. Start loving…Yourself.
In my frenzy of buying Valentine candy, I bought a bunch of heart shaped marshmallows. Which I used one. So that basically left me with two bags of strawberry, heart shaped marshmallows. So bust out the Rice Krispies. If you like the flavor of Nestle Strawberry Quick, then these is the marshmallows for you. Since they are on the sweet side, I decided to add freeze dried strawberries to give a balance of sweet and tart in these. They went over really well with the referees that they were given to. I bought mine at Trader Joe’s. But my guess is that your more healthy grocery stores most likely carry them as well. They are a fun and festive Valentine treat.
Love Yourself Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
16 ounces Strawberry flavored marshmallows
6 TBSP unsalted butter
9 cups Rice Krispie cereal (or knock off)
1 cup freeze dried strawberries
Butter a 9-x-13-x-2-inch pan. Or be lazy like me and use baking spray.
Over low heat melt 6 TBSP butter in a large pot (I like to use my stock pot because I am a messy person).
Once butter has melted, add marshmallows. Continue to cook over low heat while they melt. It may take a little time. Don’t turn up the heat to try and make it go quicker, you could end up with burned marshmallows or your treats could end up too hard once they firm up
When most of the marshmallows have melted and they resemble marshmallow crème with a few lumps, remove from heat and add the cereal and sprinkle in freeze dried strawberries (try not to dump those all in one place).
Using a wooden spoon, stir, stir, stir some more, until all the cereal is fully coated and other parts of the pot are not hogging all the marshmallows (so evenly coated).
Pour into prepared baking pan. Take a rubber spatula and either spray it with non-stick spray or simply get some water on it (I just put mine under the faucet real quick). Using the spatula, press the cereal/marshmallow mixture down into the pan, attempting to create a flat, even surface.
Cover with foil and let sit for a few hours to firm up.
Take foil off. Place wax paper down that is a little bit longer than the baking pan. Flip the pan over onto the wax paper. Cut into squares. Some would say 2-inch. But whatever size you would like works. You can also use cookie cutters to make them fun shaped.
Susan says
That is an awesome love shack and thanks for the reminder. I was just calling myself a cow last night. We all need to be kinder to ourselves.
Kristina @ spabettie says
Mmm, I made some treats just like these last summer! I couldn’t get over how delicious the dried strawberries were … SO yum!
I love the idea of a Valentines House… but I do love everything about the holiday 🙂
Erin says
Adorable house!
Chelsea @ OmTown Girl says
I love this post. I teach yoga in the greater Tulsa area (and love sweets!), and I have said it at least once in each of my classes this week that your body is your best friend. It’s something my mom taught me, and it’s something I think we all need to be reminded of. Thanks for the post!
Rosa says
So cute! I love your Valentines house.
Cheers,
Rosa
Erin says
Awesome post Peabody! I have been trying to stop the negative pep talks I give myself, it’s a hard habit to break though.
Jenn says
Awesome post Peabody. Totally with you for wondering why in the heck putting ourselves down has become so automatic. Thanks for the post – and the gingerbread house is totally cute! Love it!!
Jenn says
I love your blog, and I LOVED this post. Thanks. Super cute house
Laura says
Fabulous house and inspiring (and no nonsense) words…you never cease to amaze me. 🙂 You rock!
Claire says
This looks like a yummy treat…never thought of doing it with strawberry marshmallows. yum!
Melissa says
Great reminder, thanks! 🙂
burkie says
i think “love yourself day” should be a national holiday. i could make a strong argument for “rice krispie treat day,” too 🙂
Becca says
Awesome post! I love the theme of your Valentine’s Day Gingerbread House, not to mention it’s so gosh darn adorable!
And those rice krispy treats look so yummy I’m considering making them WITH the strawberries (not a big fruit/veggie gal).
Joanne says
Ahhh how do you manage to get inside my head and hear all the things I say to myself?!?!? Thanks babe. I needed this.
wendyywy says
My jaw dropped when I saw your gingerbread house, it was truly beautiful, truly truly true.
And what you said about those in American Idol is true true true too.
BTW, may I ask where did you get Maltesers? I saw you used them once on this blog long ago. I asked my sister in law to get me some, but she told me she can’t find it in Walmart.
Peabody says
World Cost Market is where I believe I got them.
Jackie says
I hate Valentines day…..but I love candy, and working on loving my body. My husband likes it so why shouldn’t I??? Cute gingerbread house. Maltesers are sold here in Canada – they are the same as Whoppers.
Felice says
Love the love shack! You actually reminded me that I still have one of those gingerbread house kits from Costco. I might tell the kids to make a “like shack” – I don’t want to give them any ideas since they are teenagers;)
Christine says
Peabody, you are a wise woman. You are also creative, funny and inventive – which is some of the reasons I love your blog.
Thanks for saying out loud & clear what most of us really need to hear once in a while! 🙂
kristina says
Awesome post. I have taken to jokingly quote Barney on “How I Met Your Mother”, who regularly tells everyone why he’s awesome. It’s fun! I recommend it.
Caroline says
Right on with your post. I can’t stand that people think it’s wrong to compliment someone because, heaven-forbid, they get an ego, but it’s ok to cut them down every chance they get. It couldn’t hurt me to take this to heart and appreciate myself and love myself more right now. Love your Love Shack! So cute!
Kelsey says
I love this post, Peabody. Not only are the treats adorable, but your point (and Mariel Heminway’s) is wonderful. Women would NOT say such horrible things to their best friends…let’s not say it to ourselves, either!
Erika says
What a cute “Love Shack”!
Seems like your posts have been more frequent lately; I’m enjoying them.
I do a pretty good job of loving me for who I am, but this post was a good reminder.
Peabody says
More posts because I’ve decided to post just the everyday stuff I make as well. Before I was really only posting stuff just for the blog. Now, it’s pretty much anything that comes out of that apartment oven. 🙂
Kristina @ spabettie says
I love the more frequent posts also… because I love it here… 😀
wendyywy says
Thanks for the reply.
I hope my SIL can get me some.
There aren’t any maltesers here.
Elizabeth says
LOVE THE LOVE SHACK!!!
And as I said on facebook, gotta love pink candy.
Funny thing about that song, my family has coined that B52’s song as our family song. At every wedding and big event, we all get down with those tunes. My cousin Bob’s wedding last summer had it played twice, and for my cousin Marthas wedding this summer we are planning on playing it three times!!
JennyBakes says
You are the only person I know who could combine a gingerbread house and a healthy body-image pondering into one post and still make it work. The house is beautiful, but not as beautiful as you are. Thanks for keeping all of us grounded.
Nicole says
This is brilliant! I have an unmade gingerbread kit at home sitting on the counter. Maybe I’ll do it up for St. Paddy’s Day or Easter!
Lynn says
Wonderful post! Snaps to you on getting the house made in your own time. I think I like it even better as a Valentine’s Day house.