fun with the in-laws.

chris's parents came for the weekend and we loved hanging out with them. i love it that they are layed back and easily pleased. we played board games (one of our favorite things to do together), drank coffee (okay, another favorite thing), ate pie (and another), and laughed a lot. we went to mount bonnell yesterday since it was such a beautiful day. this was vera's second time on the peak of austin.

pumped!

i just signed up for my first race--Cap 10k--and i'm so pumped. i'm feeling really good about it already since it's only a 6.2 mile run and considering 5 miles has been pretty easy for me lately, i'm thinking with the adrenaline and everything, it would be a great first race. it's in 6 weeks, so i'm starting to get organized with a training schedule. my next goal will be the Rock 'n Roll (holy crap!) in november with Hollie!

more thoughts on running.

so i guess i'm a runner now? i'm really loving it. ran 5 miles again today. and this time under an hour. i've decided that my goal is not speed but distance. it feels so great to finish a long run and not be winded or have my heart rate sky-rocket. i'd like to get another pair of spandex shorts and eventually a new pair of good shoes. but for now, my $30 adidas are getting some miles. :) i'm trying to figure out a training schedule so that i don't overdue it or get injured. i know the consistency is going to be hard to keep, especially when i go out of town or am on vacation, but i need to figure out how to push through it and keep it up. i've never been an athlete, let alone a runner, so this is all new to me--but i love it!

addicted.

i experienced the runner's high for the first time ever today. it felt amazing. i'm a slower runner (10 minute miles), but longer distances are getting easier. i ran almost 5 miles today and it was after the first couple of miles that it kicked in. i didn't have to think about breathing. my heartrate was not high at all. i wasn't huffing and puffing for air. it was seriously so easy. i've never felt that before but it was awesome and now i'm addicted, i think. i tried to go into my run today with the mentality of asking myself if i could do a half marathon in the future. instead of watching the clock, i just set my ipod on shuffle and let the music be my focus (and 'the view' and 'ellen'). i can't believe i'm going to say this, but i love to run. i'm making sure to stretch out really well today. come march, i think i could up my run to at least 4 miles and make my long run of the week 5 or 6. we'll see!

had me a chuckle.

as i was walking out to my car this evening after catering an event at The Mothers Milk Bank at Austin, i found it rather humorous that i served a tres leches cake for dessert.

#2

we are still in the process of pursuing a non-biological child for the next addition to our family. we were in the middle of the paperwork to become foster parents when we found out we were expecting, so we put it on hold until after her arrival. originally we said that when vera was 3 months old we would start the process over again. well, she's just passed the 4 month mark and we are still sitting. but the reason for the delay is that we are praying about whether to pursue domestic or international adoption or foster-to-adopt. honestly, i really don't care all that much. there are kids anywhere that need a family and i would be happy with an international adoption or a home-grown one, but most recently, chris has felt that we should check out all our options. so that's where we are. i'm researching agencies and looking into independent international adoption. we are also getting certified to provide short-term child care for our friends who are foster parents. i think this will be a great opportunity to "get our feet wet" before we are actually ready to become mom and dad to child #2. i'm super excited about all this.

love her.

my nemisis.

i am a self-proclaimed hater of running but have been doing so for about a month and a half now. it doesn't make any sense, i know. but i joined a gym at the beginning of january and they offer a free hour of childcare for vera up until 6 months of age, then 2 hours for 6 months and older. that's a nice incentive because otherwise, a work-out wouldn't even be possible. we walk a lot in our neighborhood and hike the greenbelt with marlow, but those don't make me sweat. and i have to say now that i've been doing it consistently for awhile now, it feels good to sweat and feel the aches and pains of exercise.

all of january i ran one mile each day. (gotta start somewhere, right?) february came and i decided to step it up to two and a half miles. i'm scared that it's almost march. i'm not educated about how to train, so i'm just making up my own thing and feeling it out. i suppose i'll increase it by at least a half mile. i think 3 miles a day will be my max for awhile though. but i'm also learning that it is much more of a mental battle for me than anything else. i have to run with my ipod because the sound of my breathing (or lack of) discourages me. i bring a towel or sweatshirt to drape over the treadmill so that i can't look at the numbers, progress, and time..otherwise i'm obsessed with it and looking every 2 seconds which makes 2 1/2 miles seems like an eternity. if i can just listen to my music, get in the rhythm with my breathing (in the nose, out the mouth), then i'm mostly able to tune out active thinking and just run. :) it is a nice repreive from being mommy 24/7 and i feel like it makes me mentally healthier, too, to have that short break.

i would like to sign up for a 5k or something this year. i remember doing the race for the cure our first year of marriage here in austin. and i still wear the shirt. but let me tell you what a poser i am. i definitely remember walking more than i ran and if i sign up for another race someday, i'd like to say i actually ran the whole thing. if i ever do a half-marathon (gasp!), i think i would be okay with walking some of it for the first time though. this is all new for me, so we will see where it goes.

i am also really enjoying the dance class i'm in at my gym. i do it 3x/week and they just introduced a new routine, which means i am completely lost again. it's a good thing though. i had the old one down and was getting bored with it. this new one has a lot more jazz/ballet stuff. last time it was more latin and hip hop. it will taken me a few weeks to figure out the moves, but i have so much fun.

calling all bakers...

help! i need some advice. i have several silpats that i use very frequently; sometimes 3-4 times per week. have you found a good way to store them that also keeps them easily accessible? for awhile i folded them up and fit them inside large ziplock bags. i liked feeling like they were clean from dust and attracting dirt. but then i learned that they are supposed to be rolled or flat when stored. they get too grimy inside my cabinets, so i'm looking for a new method. i've heard some people roll them and put them inside of an empty paper towel roll. that's the best i've heard so far but wanted to know if there was a better way out there that i didn't know about. any advice?

no more grandmas.

reading the recent posts of PW about her "Ga-Ga" has made me think. actually, i've been thinking for awhile now. it's been on my mind. and believe it or not, not all of what is in my mind actually makes it onto this blog. there are times that my filter does indeed work. there are also times that my thoughts don't need to be on this blog. but there are also times when this blog helps me process.

anyhoo. i've been thinking about my grandmas lately.

grandma #1: agnes irene

i suppose she's grandma #1 because she was the elder of the two. she lived to be 100 years old and passed away a little over a year ago. my memories of her range from her mad pie making skills to her joyful chuckle to me playing with her underarm flab. she was a lovely lady. it will make me sad one day when her house is sold because it holds so many memories. like the bird wallpaper in the bathroom. or the cherry wallpaper in the kitchen. and both cuckoo clocks...i had a love-hate relationship with them. i used to like to clean up from dinner with her. (perhaps a foreshadowing of when my enjoyment of domestic duties began?) she'd wash and i'd dry with those white dish drying cloths. we never used them at home so i think that's why i thought it was fun to dry and put away dishes. there were antique dolls in her attic, too. and tons of old national geographic magazines. my grandpa collected those. some of that fake green turf on the patio outback. she used to put money in books in their house. i remember finding a hundred dollar bill once. and i used to love looking through her jewelry. especially her earrings. i always wanted my ears to be pierced and when they finally were at age 12, i'd try on her earrings then put them back in their designated spot in her drawer. i remember holding my grandma's hands. they were big like mine. big knuckles. big palms. she had pretty rings and pretty fingernails. i used to pluck her chin hairs for her. oh the bonding!

grandma #2: mary elizabeth

she passed away six weeks ago on january 7th. she would have turned 83 years old this april. her body was tired and it was her time to go. and though it was a good thing in many ways, i'm finding myself missing her tonight. no proper good-bye. i saw her at thanksgiving but that day was so rushed (especially having a new baby) and busy seeing so many people. i could kick myself for not slowing down enough to really talk to her. to hug her. i loved her smile. she was a great listener and made you feel good about yourself. her skin was gorgeous. i complimented her one time on it and she seemed to be proud as she responded, "soap and water." i liked her laugh. it was quiet but joyful. i liked her skirts. i don't think i ever saw her wear pants. and i wish you could see the way she did her hair. she'd braid it into pigtails, then bobby pin them on top of her head. i spent the night at her house once when i was little and remember seeing her do her hair. i think that memory stands out in my mind so much because that was the one and only time i saw her with long hair. i kind of didn't realize she had long hair. i also remember seeing her kill baby mice with the heel of her foot. i was traumatized. in the back of her house, she found mice and although "cute" (as much as rodents can be) as babies, she killed them knowing that they'd grow up to be not so cute. she also used to go to my volleyball games. and she helped move me to college.

i missed both of their funerals. but mostly, i missed getting to know them both better. i missed out on many conversations that could have taken place if i would have made the initiative. they were both lovely, Godly women who stood by their husbands through thick and thin. and great mothers. they loved fiercely and have left a lasting memory in my heart.

recently.

james 1:17

"every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father..."

it has been quite the challenge starting back to work while also taking care of the bug (a.k.a. my daughter), but i have to admit, it has also been very fun. i really love my work and it feels like quite an accomplishment to have built a business at the age of 22 (no credit due to me..read on) and that it is still succeeding, making a profit, and adding on new clientele each year. this last weekend was crazy-hectic, but worth it. and i've got a couple of catering events this week that will be rewarding. i absolutely love being in peoples' homes. whether it is celebrating a new arrival (baby shower), new commitment (engagement/wedding), or another one of life's festivities, i consider it an honor that people actually pay me to make food for them on their special day. i really love my work. and i know that it is absolutely by God's provision that i am even able to cook, let alone run a business...cuz Lord knows i am not gifted in that area at all. luckily He gave me a wonderful, organized, attentive, business-minded guy to marry that helps me out in the aspects in which i fall short. together we have figured a few things out and are enjoying seeing the growth of taste and see. i know that none of this is by my talents at all. all glory and credit goes to God. but i am very thankful that He's blessed me with a job that i enjoy so much and can do part-time as a mom.

work.

i've started back to work again part-time and i love it. i didn't think i would want to work, but i've really missed it and i'm excited for the events i've booked for the next couple of months. this week and next will be very busy with valentine's day coming up and then a couple of catered parties. i'm thankful that i am able to have a flexible schedule and that chris can watch vera while i work.

i always thought having a job was something to tide me over until i became a mom, but i am grateful that God has given me a love for my work and business for an income. taste and see fine dining will turn 4 years old this year. it has taken me that long to build rapport and clientele in austin, and that's another reason i wouldn't want to quit working now.

i have some goals for my business this year that include some continual education, updated state license for food safety, an investment in marketing, a website update, and the purchase of some additional equipment. i am also at the point where i am compiling a list of hire-able contract workers; servers, bartenders, delivery service. it's stressful at times, but overall very rewarding.

the blues.

though the colts didn't bring it home tonight, we enjoyed a superbowl party with friends nonetheless. thanks to the indiana grandparents, vera even sported her colts attire.

apparently...

...i am a great salsa dancer. who knew? my latina friends compliment my hip movement.

...whiplash occurs from playing tug of war with marlow.

...if i open a bag of reese's pieces when home alone on a friday night, i'm likely to eat a few too many.

...while up in the middle of the night, i walked into a wall and busted my lip.

...doing both jobs as chef and mom are hard when working from home.

...something is in the water because SO MANY of my friends are pregnant right now!

...i am at a standstill with reading. i was a whiz when pregnant and now can't seem to find the energy during my rare, free time.

on becoming a momma: part deux

man, i love it. thank goodness post postpartum depression didn't stay too long with me. i feel like i'm in my element. i can't believe vera is almost 4 months old already. i called chris at work today just to thank him for how hard he works to provide for us. i feel so very blessed that i get to stay home and raise our daughter. she is so stinkin sweet and i look forward to getting her from her crib every morning. when she's sleeping at night and i think of her, i just want to go wake her up and hold her--but i don't. :) we are in a good season. and she is my little tagalong now. i love running errands with her and having her attached to my hip. she's getting a lot more personality and is SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT, so we are really enjoying this stage.

bangs.

man, what a blogful day this has been for me. you blog stalkers of mine out there, you're hitting the jackpot today!

a friend of mine posted this on facebook and it was too funny not to post. i have totally been there! and i might be going back soon.

moo.

FIFO. have you heard of it? do you do it? i love it.

first in. first out. it's a term i learned in culinary school and it applies to proper food storage. say you have so many jars of peanut butter in your pantry that you can't keep track of which you bought first. you organize them putting the "first one" you purchased in the front so that it can be used and be the "first out." i FIFO mostly everything in my house when i restock. even toilet paper. again, rare breed.

i was organizing the stored breast milk that i have in my freezer and most definitely putting them in correct FIFO order since they are only good for 12 months. i was curious as to how much i've been stocking so i decided to count the bags and calculate the amount of ounces in each bag. that brings it to a grand total of about 5 gallons of breast milk. hence we are in the market for a deep freeze.

vera eats 5 times a day now, usually about 5 oz. at a time. let's do some math.

128oz. = 1 gal.

she needs 25oz. of food for a 24-hr. period.

128/25= roughly 5 days of food for her.

i could almost take a week vacation.

thinking back to my shared thoughts of selling my bodily fluid as liquid gold, let's do some more math.

i've read that you can make $1-$3 per ounce.

128 oz. * $1= $128.00
128 oz. * $3= $384.00

i currently could cash in for $128-$384. not very impressive.

let's say my goal is to devote 15oz. a day to sell (that's on top of breast feeding vera) and i do it for 6 months.

$15/day * 180 days = $2,700
$45/day * 180 days = $8,100

if i keep it up for 6 months, i could cash in for $2,700-$8,100.
impressive.

if i keep it up for 1 year, that's $5,400-$16,200.
now that's a lot of mulah. or should i say moo-lah.

the chronicles of carey: january 31st

1995 (I was in 5th grade.)
I like to play with my doll house. I actually think it's too babyish, but I still think it's fun.

2000 (Classic boy troubles.)
I called him and told him my feelings. He seemed confused. He said he has feelings for me but that he doesn't know what that means. He said he doesn't want a long term relationship and that he's hesitant with the whole commitment thing. We decided that being friends for now is best.

2002
I am officially in the United States Army National Guard. I swore in today.

2003
Help me to understand how much You really love me. I know that You went to the greatest length possible to win me into Your kingdom. I feel like I see You as a God who only wants to get justice and unleash Your wrath to those who have sinned against You. But the cross shows that there is an abundance of grace and mercy extended to us, too. Forgive me for doubting it. I don't mean to discount what You did for me. I just want to understand.

2005
I've been hanging out every Monday night with a friend and we watch 'The Bachelorette' together. I can't think of a more useless show to watch, but it's a good excuse to spend time getting to know her better.

2006
I don't think I believe that God has given us only one perfect mate. I don't like considering it though, that there are others out there with whom Chris or I could have married and been just as happy. I always tell Chris that if I die someday, he should remarry because he is incredible and any woman would be lucky to have him. God really blessed me with a great man.

breakfast for dinner.

i know i've said it before, but i'll say it again. i get so much satisfaction out of using up everything in my fridge. granted, there will be plenty of condiments in the door, but not much else will be hanging out in there by the end of the week.

most weeks i plan out creative, colorful meals for my solid food eating family of 2. some weeks, however, i am in the mood to clean out. this was one of them. i bought a handful of ingredients at the market to complete menus for what i wanted to use up in the fridge, pantry, and freezer.

i have to give a shout out to my husband here. he loves to eat anything and everything and i love that about him. he also loves to snack. (who doesn't?) i appreciate him sticking it out on these weeks when there ain't much else to snack on besides our costco sized bag of dried cranberries and the ever-present, always-stocked jar of peanut butter, as well as some nuts in the freezer. most of the time he's about to conjur up something to satisfy his craving.

by the end of the week, i usually run out of ideas for dinner, so my go-to meal is usually breakfast for dinner; pancakes and eggs. i LOVE me some pancakes! i've got some sour cream to get rid of, so sour cream pancakes it is. whisk some eggs, throw in the leftover cheddar, scramble it up and dinner is served. (you'll notice the absence of vegetables and fruits, but it's all about getting by at this point and not spending money.)

what's your go-to meal when your refrigerator is nearly bare?