Nothing but Blue Skies....

We had a big downpour on Friday but on Saturday, the storm that was suppose to dump snow in our backyard decided to head north and instead we got beautiful blue skies. We were completely bummed but what can you do, I guess we'll just have to make a trip up to the mountains to see snow this year.  Aside from that, the weekend was just simply wonderful.  We got more plants (a few more tomato plants and two blueberry bushes).  I am thinking of trying to find a fig or date tree this week too, yummmmmm!  I've started to get better about working out again which is nice.  I'm finally not all talk, I'm also action.  I can still feel my abs from my morning of pilates on Saturday.  Sunday I fixed that nagging feeling and did some reorganization in the kitchen.  I think I will finish up cleaning out the pantry tonight and I can breathe again.  :) 

Now, what's for dinner this week?

• Sunday: Chicken Satay in peanut sauce and Garlic Sesame Broccoli
• Monday: Blood Orange Tofu* (inspired by Iowa Girl Eats) with stir fry Bok Choy & Carrots
• Tuesday: Trader Joe's Pizza and backyard Salad (Hooray we have Lettuce!!!)
• Wednesday: Taco Salad
• Thursday:  Chicken and Rice Casserole (crockpot style)*
• Friday: Mahi Mahi Tacos
• Saturday:  Pulled Pork Nachos

 *is part of the new recipe and crockpot meal item on the yearly to-do list

So excited for this week's meals.  I think we will officially start doing one vegetarian meal a week now this way we won't get tired of the same proteins since there are only 3 types (bird, fish, pork) we eat.  I'm also excited to finally start a little harvesting, granted it's only just lettuce but still. This week is a busy one, filled with gym trips and pilates classes.  Let's see what's in store:

• Go to the gym 3 times
• Go to Pilates twice
• Finish organizing pantry
• plant blueberry plants
• Create a new waffle recipe... will blog more about it this week
• Really post about the garden
• Get side garden set up for cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage.
• Find a fig or date tree and buy it 

  What an exciting week coming up and to top it off, it's March tomorrow!  What are you looking forward to this week?  

My heart is bursting...

...because my heart if full.  Happy Valentine's day everyone!  I'm a sucker for this holiday!  My first valentine's with the hubby (before he got upgraded to hubby status) I  got 30 heart shaped balloons and placed them in his condo and on the end of each one, I wrote a reason I loved him.  This year, I didn't do any grand gesture, just made dinner (it's a casserole, pop in oven and woolah) and going to have a relaxing night in.  I know, we are just WILD aren't we!  I did however help the kupcake make a few valentines for her grandparents and one of her buddies (that I delievered late last night).  This morning I decked her out in a festive top and just gave her the biggest cuddles I could!  I love my little girl! 

Moving on, how was everyone's weekend?  We worked on the garden more and even planted a few more goodies!  Late last night we planned dinner and I even prepped some stuff, been a while since I did that!  So what are we eating?

• Monday: Macaroni Casserole with Garlic bread  (Hubby choose this one) 
• Tuesday: Burger Pizza
• Wednesday: Butternut squash soup with popcorn chicken
• Thursday: Hawaiian Pork* with roasted corn
• Friday - Sunday : Out of town

*is part of the new recipe and crockpot meal item on the yearly to-do list

This week is filled with comfort foods.  I'm so excited.  I think it's just what the doctor ordered too since it's going to be a little chilly in our neck of the woods.  In other news, I'm quite excited for our trip out of town.  We are going to New Mexico to visit my relatives and can't wait, I hope there will be lots of home-cooked meals there too.  :)  DROOL! 

Onto the weekly to-do list:

• Run at LEAST 5 miles before we leave. Is that too much to ask? I think not!
• Do the workout video at least twice.  
• Pack 
• Make kupcake meals and freeze to take with.  Always easier and better than buying baby food
• Update the blog with garden updates with PHOTOS!!!  finally took some, now just need to do this.
• Update inventory on the store
•  Figure out a way to keep the cat out of the garden.  

That's my week.  Fun filled and exciting huh!

  What is your favorite part of Valentine's day? 

Little Miss Klutz

That's what I should rename the blog for today.  If I was in the audience watching my life today, I'd be on the floor laughing my head off (and probably covered in bubble gum and pop corn because you know that's what on the floor when you think of audience, right?).  Life was all well and good when the day started.  The kupcake slept through the entire night in her crib and awake at 630.  She ate her blueberry oatmeal nice and early and we even got a chance to have a good morning.  No rushing at all.  I was ready to be out the door by 8 when I went to pick up my lunch bag and wham, hit my travel mug and my coffee went SPLAT.  16 ounces of sweet goodness otherwise known as Decaf Hazelnut Coffee.  A million F bombs filled my head but none came flying out. I just sighed and started to clean it up all the while the sweet smell permeated the room and the hubby got wind of it.  He moaned and hawed how it stunk (he hates hazelnut, what a weirdo!).  I cleaned it up and with some 7th Generation spray and now the house smelled like herbs.  After the fiasco, I made another cup of delights and ran to work. 

  On the way in, I was caught behind every slow poke out there.  I somehow managed to get to off the freeway without losing my cool and while stuck at the light, I decided to take a sip of my coffee, BURNT my tongue.  EEK!  Moving on, once I got into the office, and got situated, I went off to warm up my oatmeal (I made a big batch Sunday night for the work week).  What did I do this time?  I put it into long and it bubbled over and made a big mess.  Oh, I think somewhere I even dripped almond milk all over the counter tops too.  I'm shocked that I made it to my desk without walking into someone with it. 

  I'm a bit fearful for the rest of the day.  Who knows how I'll survive without making a complete mess.  I'm even afraid for the stairwell, knowing me I'll trip on the last step.   With all this said, I'm still in a good mood.  I think I'm still relishing on the kupcake sleeping through the night all by herself. 

Ever have one of those mornings where you feel like you are just one big hazard sign?

Cold...

...it is not here.  I spent the weekend in a tank top and shorts.  The joys of living in southern California where chilly is 60. (not it was not 60, it was closer to 80 here)  The weekend was a good one.  A little bit of this and a little bit of that.  There was some gardening (YEA, the dirt is ready to start planting in), a swing was hung for the kupcake, and an overnight trip was taken to the happiest place on Earth.  We even watched a football game, got in some pilates, took a long walk with my friend and her munchkin, made taco salad, and folded some clothes.  It was everything we wanted it to be, it was a perfect weekend.  Now because it was so perfect, there is always something that tends to drop off the radar and that was food prep.  I was so relaxed we didn't even plan our dinners until LATE (okay 730).

So what's for dinner?

• Monday:  Sloppy Joes (turkey style)
• Tuesday: Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Rice Casserole *
• Wednesday: Sushi with Friends
• Thursday:  Asain Style Pork Wraps*
• Friday: Spaghetti
• Saturday:  Eat out
• Sunday: Chicken Fingers and Butternut Squash Soup

* works for the things to do list (slow cooker and new recipe)

  I'm looking foward to this week's meals but afraid I don't get lazy and just ask the hubby "can't we just pick something up?!"  I did that last week, I felt guilty afterward but when you are tired, you are tired.

What's on the weekly to do list?

• Workout  (more than just pilates)
• Plant broccoli, bok choy, and garlic
• Get top shelf of garden ready to plant (buy more dirt)
• Ebay some items
• Pick up a few things at the grocery store
• Clean media room and guest room
• toss dead plants (every year we get this lofty idea that big plants would look great in the house, then we buy them and kill them.  I have two dead plant corpses in the media room now.  very sad)

Looking forward to yet another week.  It's funny, I don't dread Monday's like I used to.  Now I just think of them as telescope to the the weekend.  Hope you are all having a great Monday so far!

  How do you find inspiration for your meals? Do you plan them in advance?