Thursday, April 29, 2010

none of your beeswax.

i thought i'd share about the things i don't share.

when it comes to blogging, i recognize that there needs to be a separation for reality's sake and for safety. for my own reasons, these are some categories which i don't write much about. occasionally i touch on the subjects, but i don't delve too much into them. i'd much rather sit down face-to-face over a cup of joe and discuss the following.

- marriage
- my faith
- my political views
- complaints
- personal struggles
- work
- my cat, yarsey

p.s. remember that song "none of your business" by salt-n-pepa? title got me thinkin about it.

p.p.s. the coffee reference above made me think of this funny joke. i'm sure you've heard others that are similar: i like my men like i like my coffee: ground up and in the freezer.

p.p.p.s. coffee is best stored in an air-tight sealed container kept at room temperature, not in the freezer.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

what's the perfect ratio?

how do you like your chocolate chip cookies? more dough than chocolate? more chocolate than dough? half and half? what about cookie texture? do you prefer crispy or chewy? what kind of chocolate? semi-sweet, dark, milk, combination?

i'm heading to the fridge for a glass of milk.

Monday, April 26, 2010

doing another 10k.

this running thing is addicting. and expensive.

p.s. i've never owned or worn a burnt orange shirt since living in austin. i guess my time has come.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

i especially love these.

Friday, April 23, 2010

got lost tonight on my run.

but i found my way back.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

will pay with food.

on a good day, i can do two errands max. with a baby, my life revolves around nap times. i never wanted to be a mom where i had to be home for those, but it definitely makes for a happier baby which makes my life happier, too. i have what seems like a never-ending to-do list that would be perfect for a personal assistant! a few items include:

- take bag of books to half price books and (hopefully) return with cash
- take pictures and list several items on craig's list
- find a new vet
- organize clothing exchange
- buy gifts, wrap, send
- return unneeded items to restaurant supply store
- paint back door
- deposit checks at bank
- purchase annuals to plant in various pots around exterior of house

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

kinda love these.




made from the end of silverware. right up my alley. may have to buy myself one off etsy. $9.99 isn't bad.

spring pictures.

click here.

all in a day's work.

2 hour work-out at the gym + mowing the yard + leaf blowing the yard + trimming bushes + 1 mile walk in the morning + 2 mile afternoon walk pushing a stroller and tugging a dog = good exercise

Monday, April 19, 2010

an enthusiastic eater.

this is what happens when daddy feeds bug.
i like how she has spoons in both hands.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

skerd.

i signed up!
chris did, too.
hollie, will you be my running buddy?

Saturday, April 17, 2010

"bacon, pork and ham all come from the same magical animal"

...in the words of homer simpson. but this post is about more meatless thoughts.

salads!
- one of my staples that i get at the grocery every week is some kind of salad green whether it is spinach, red leaf, romaine, or maiche. it's my go-to for a quick, healthy lunch. i actually prep some fix-ins for it at the beginning of each week and put them in containers so when i'm feeling ravenous, i'm less likely to eat spoonfuls of peanut butter, but instead can add a few cucumbers or berries or nuts for a satisfying lunch.
- we love to eat salads for dinner, too. and despite their reputation, they can be hearty and satisfying. adding roasted potatoes, blanched green beans, or crumbly cheeses, avocado, or hard boiled eggs...i'd say that's substantial enough to stand up against any piece of chicken.

fish!
- where to begin? if i don't eat at least one piece of seafood a week, i feel like my body is lacking those essential, rich omega-3 fatty acids. what the heck does that mean, you ask? it's the same feeling i get when i drink my glass of red wine for the day. it just feels healthy. moderation. no over-indulgence. it feels like balance. like when you drink enough water throughout the day, you just feel better. so if that's not a convincing enough argument to peer-pressure you into eating more fish, then find new recipes to make fish exciting. and when i think of eating fish, it is NOT the "fish" you see on those long john silver's commercials. lord, help me. now, i am a fan of all things fried, let's be honest. but when you batter and deep fry anything, it doesn't taste much at all like the food covered up in all that crispy, crunchy breading. real, unadulterated fish tastes so good when it's fresh and cooked even very simply.

legumes!
- peas, lentils, beans, oh my. really, i can't get enough. have no guilt in eating these little suckers. they are delish and can be prepared in multiple ways. served alongside grains, they are a complete protein. examples include dal (lentils) with rice, beans with corn tortillas, tofu with rice, or (possibly the easiest) peanut butter with wheat bread. talk about a mainstay in every culture.

nut butters!
- let this be your charge to branch out from the norm. there are so many options out there and they each taste so distinctively different from each other; almond, cashew, hazelnut, peanut, pecan, pistachio, walnut. although not all are nuts in a botanical sense, all are considered "nuts" in the culinary sense. crushing their seeds makes a spreadable consistency which we call nut butters. this is a great reason to own my favorite kitchen appliance. or, just go to your local market, sometimes in specialty sections, to find them already prepared. (here's a great blog post with pictures on how to make your own--so easy!)

pasta!
- again, this is your pep talk to discover new horizons. or let's get crazy--try making your own! it is easy, inexpensive, and will be completely rewarding, i promise. but let's just begin with buying it. in the grocery aisle these days, there are so many choices. you've got all these fun shapes with italian names i can't pronounce and lots of flavor selections, too; whole wheat, spinach, saffron, sun dried tomato, mushroom, squid ink, egg, garlic, and lemon pepper. and that's just the noodle. shy away from the red sauces and get creative. toss them with veggies and cream. make it cheesy and bake it. be simple with just browned butter. add wilted greens . or shrimp. or artichokes. but always garlic.

okay, specific meatless meal ideas to come. tomorrow.

my husband is never doing laundry again.

so long, fluffy white bathroom rug and lovely light blue bathroom rug. your colors will be missed. (p.s. how does a 30 year old man not know that red things dye other fabrics? help me.)

Friday, April 16, 2010

some things i've learned.

to my most favorite laura and any others out there that might be interested in this nonsense i write.

a few things i've learned about loving a vegetarian diet:

- beans are your friends. filling, healthy, and they make you regular.
- embrace these: eggplant, mushrooms, edamame, and tofu!
- pasta can look quite versatile
- it's okay to eat several "sides" for a meal (example, cornbread, green beans, salad)

i'll post tomorrow about some of my favorite vegetarian meals. stay tuned!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

menu planning.

in planning a menu for the upcoming week, this is how i roll.

step 1: take an inventory of what i already have on hand. i usually make a list of everything i can find that needs to be eaten. i make it a priority to use up refrigerated items and fresh produce first since they are typically best consumed within 7 days. then i check the pantry and freezer. this saves a lot of money because i'm not buying products that i already have.

step 2: build a menu from that list and fill in where items are needed; sides and extra ingredients to make a meal.

step 3: from the menus for the week, i make my shopping list. when i do this, i typically buy just the amount needed. this is up for debate as some people prefer to buy in bulk, which makes sense for larger families. but for us and our freezer that is packed out with breast milk, i buy just enough for the week. for example, if i need bay leaves, i buy just 3 leaves or whatever i need. it would cost me about 10 cents instead of spending almost $3.00 on an entire jar.

the places i am willing to spend money are on fresh herbs, organic dairy products, free-range eggs, and organic thin-skinned produce (pesticides seep through thin skins easier than thick ones; apples, peppers, celery, strawberries, lettuces, etc.)

the areas i care less about spending money would be in what wines i select to cook with, pasta brands (making sure they are whole wheat still), oils, and pretty much all non-food items. :) generic is my friend, but i'm just not willing to compromise quality/nutritiousness of some food.

in general, we eat meat 1-2x/week and usually off of whatever is in our freezer. we eat some kind of fish at least once a week and meatless meals the rest of the week. if i had it my way, i'd eat meat once a month, but i've got to cater to my audience and he is most definitely a carnivore.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

i would.

after all, he is my favorite.


Sunday, April 11, 2010

results.

10K TIMED F 25-29
Gun Time: 01:13:35
Chip Time: 01:10:22
Class Position: 516


Overall
Place
Age
Zip
Gen
Place
Total
Pace
Tot
Div
Tot
Gend
Tot
AG

5833
25
78745
2549
11:20/M
7596
3804
709



well, for my first race, i had a lot of fun. considering i forgot to eat dinner last night, had a bowl of ice cream instead, and didn't get too much sleep, i'm pretty pleased that i actually finished the run, not to mention i actually RAN the whole thing! thanks to all my friends who came out to support me, even if i didn't see you. :) this distance was fun, but for now, i'm not so sure how fun a half marathon would be. we will see.

Friday, April 09, 2010

our little bug is sick.

doctor says she might have an ear infection. :(

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

unnecessary pressure.

the last couple of nights i have not slept well at all. part of it is due to nervousness about my race on sunday. my first one and i am pumped, however i am also jittery already. i know this is dumb, but i feel like i'm already disappointed in myself because i don't think i'll be able to run the whole thing. i'd love to say i ran the entire thing without walking, but the last couple of runs have been pretty exhausting, so i'm not feeling too optimistic. i'm taking it very easy this week and tapering down my distance, but i still have this fear of running outside. i'm a treadmill girl and i think it's way easier than running on pavement. the treadmill has a bounce to it, so it's easier on your knees and with a fan behind me and music to listen to, i can't say it's been too difficult yet.

all this analyzing is stupid, i know. i'm the one who signed up for the race and i'm doing it because i want to. this isn't the military. i don't have anyone screaming at me this time. if i want to stop, i can and it won't mean i'm any less of a runner or a quitter. if i didn't want to show up on sunday morning, i wouldn't have to. i'm my own boss this time. the downside though is that i just have high expectations of myself and i am hard on myself if i don't meet them.

spruced up.

we have friends who recently bought a house in our neighborhood, which we are so excited about! throughout their process of looking for a home, i got to look at a lot of pictures of floor plans, backyards, paint jobs gone bad, and areas that would need a little TLC. they finally found a perfect home for them and it's one mile from our street. in the process of looking at pictures with them, i got a little antsy and wanted to change up the guest room a bit. it's nothing major, but with just the purchase of a bookcase, it looks a lot different and fulfilled my desire to rearrange and organize. :)

here's the before
and the after
this is an area i need help with. what do i do with this wall space? i took down wall ledges and will remove the drywall anchors to clean it up. any ideas? i think i will also paint the dresser. this is my childhood dresser that was in my room, growing up. isn't he handsome??

Monday, April 05, 2010

well, let's see...

a lot has happened in the last couple of weeks. here's a quick re-cap.

- we hosted a friend for a week who came into town for sxsw.
- we dog-sat our favoritest golden-lab for a week.
- vera and i were quite the social butterflies attending 3 birthday parties on one day.
- i had a 'mommy's time out,' hanging out with a friend for happy hour.
- dinner parties in our newly screened outdoor patio
- met up with my sweet friend, emily, who was in houston and is now living the dream on lake tahoe.
- we had a concert in our backyard, featuring local artist, austin collins. 80% were neighbors from our street, which was awesome.
- vera and i flew to indiana for a quick trip to visit family.
- we hosted and cooked dinner, celebrating passover with some close friends.
- vera started baby food.
- vera got her first big bruise (forehead. glass table. flailing child. sad momma.)
- marlow is now wearing short sleeves...er, got a haircut.it's not often that vera has an occasion to wear a dress, so we had plenty to choose from for easter. (you can see the bruise on her forehead here.)
about to eat some bananas.
getting a music lesson from grandpa.grandma loves vera.uncle aaron does, too.
vera is listening to her much older cousin as she reads her a story.

good eats.

we wanted to make it to 6 months before we introduced baby food to vera, but we made it just shy of 2 weeks out. she was definitely ready, constantly grabbing at our food and drinks, wanting some for herself. and she started not sleeping through the night again, so that told me that milk was not substantial enough and it was time to get a taste of the good stuff.

bananas was the first. avocado the second.

her absolute favorites so far have been: butternut squash, macintosh apples, blackberries & mint, and asparagus with thyme.

she's not such a fan of: bananas, avocado, mango

introducing foods to her has been one of my favorite things so far in motherhood. very fitting, i guess.

Friday, April 02, 2010

just a piece of glass.

i am embarking upon an experiment in my own home. beginning tomorrow, april 3rd, i am covering up all mirrors in my house (a total of 6) for 3 months--until july 3rd. why? because, honestly, i look at it way too frequently, waste too much time studying my reflection, and have realized how much i value physical appearance. i don't like that. it's just a piece of glass. but for some crazy reason, myself and most of you out there, allow it to alter our moods one way or the other in how we feel about ourselves. the point isn't to not see my face for 3 months but to let it be a daily reminder of how i should find my confidence and identity in christ alone. it will probably drive the point home even moreso when i am at a friend's house or in the car looking the rear view mirror because i won't be used to seeing myself. i'm kind of excited about this. if i see you on a weekly basis, be a friend and let this sister know if she's got something in her teeth, mascara on the top of her eyelids, or spit-up in an obvious place (not that this is too uncommon for me these days, but nonetheless!). if anyone else is up for joining me in this challenge, let me know. i'd love to dialogue thoughts with you throughout the next 90 days.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

single ladies devastation.