Making myself accountable

So there I am, sitting on the floor with a pair of very groovy jeans with the realization if I ever want to fit into them again I need to really start paying attention to what I eat. It isn't like I chocolate all day and never get off the couch, it's quite the opposite in fact but when your nursing and running around a toddler, you forget to eat. So here I am, back to tracking my food intake to make sure I do eat reasonably again and even track my exercise. Something that I'm happy to say I'm finally getting beck out there. Last week I walked 14 miles and did Bikram yoga! Now, let's plan for this week, shall we?!

Sunday: dinner with the birth families
Monday: balsamic chicken and sautéed squash
Tuesday: BBQed pizza (mushroom) and salad (reminder to go walk to get salad)
Wednesday: taco salad
Thursday: tamales
Friday: food truck night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday: pork roast with veggies (YUM!!!!)

Now to plan my exercise routine:

Sunday: running 3 miles
Monday: walk 4 miles and Bikram yoga
Tuedaay: walk 5 miles and weight lift
Wednesday: walk 3 miles and Bikram
Thursday: rest (actually moving stuff)
Friday: walk 4 miles and weight lift
Saturday: rest (big event and then SPA day with my momma)

Phew, I'm going to be beat! But all in all, I think this is pretty easy to accomplish, if I can remember it (hence me writing it all down).

I'm excited for the week, lots to look forward to like movie with my birth mommas, new paint and carpet in our guest room, great cloth diaper change event I'm co-hosting, and lots of spa treatments! I can't wait to tell you hoe real or unreal these weekly goals will be. I'm crazy busy with business appts on top of it all but I know by the weekend I'll be done with the majority of it all.

Just another manic monday...

So another post done via iPad. Kinda weird to post from here but hey, when I finally sit at the computer these days I'm working and don't get to take time to blog. Blogging comes at the wee hours of the day.

This past week had some great ups and downs. I went on walks with the my little girls (high) which resulted in some pain (down). We got to see my mom who is doing a million times better (yay for road to recovery) and my grandma and aunt. They got to hold kupcake 2.0 which made my month! We finally stocked up on groceries so now I really have to start cooking again. I'm relishing the last few days on the month before I start working out (thankful it's lap yea, one extra day to prolong it).

Now onto things I'm excited about this week:

- cool weather (it's been spring/summer here, somehow I missed the memo that there wasn't going to be a winter)
- making it a priority to take the girls on 4 walks this week. Going to make them easier walks since I don't want to hurt myself more.
- dinners for the week:
- spaghetti, pot stickers, BBQ chicken, meatless meat tacos, fish
- playdateS with our birth group. Excited to see the little boys and their parents
- gymnastics class and gymboree for kupcake 1.0. She loves it!
- dinner with old room mate and his family. Excited to meet his daughter!
- finally working out again!

I'm sure there's more but I can't remember. Is it just me or did this month go by uber fast?

Miss me?

Well, I'm back and ready to start blogging again. Lots of happened since I last checked in and now ready to start writing more. The biggest thing is the birth of our second daughter, cupcake 2.0. She was born a few weeks ago and perfect, just like her sister. Her birth was absolutely perfect and finally got my med free natural birth I wanted. So proud to say I did it! She's laying in front of me, being a patient little girl.

Now I find myself,cgi ally feeling like I can workout again, something that I couldn't do since I had some complications with the pregnancy. I'm excited to get myself back in fighting shape. I'm excited to start cooking healthy again. I'm excited to start running and gardening and just be me. I'm just excited for this year.

Time to make my yearly list of things to do before 2013:
1. Run 3+ half marathons
2. Do one triathlon
3. Travel somewhere new
4. Get garden up and going
5. Finish wall in garden
6. Finish converting side patio into play area (clean up random stuff)
7. Make a big dent in car loan
8. Lose baby weight plus a little extra.
9. Fit into cruise shorts
10. Go two weeks without sugary desserts
11. Blog at least 1x a week till summer
12. Sign up for 5 races
13. Finish one race with a 11 minute mile (I'm a turtle, not the hare)
14. read hunger games finally before the movie
15. Run/walk 100 miles in one month
16. Get bike going
17. Do MS ride in my area
18. Make one new meal a week
19. eBay old handbags I will never use again
20. Read peaceful warrior again
21. Enjoy life (currently doing)

Yup, that's about it. It's basically centered around gardening and getting back in shape and get healthy. I know there are a lot of things I need to change so here I am admitting I need to change things. I'll post weekly updates on how the fitness things go.

One could say these are resolutions but I don't believe in that. I think you can change your life whenever you want to. What are you doing to better your life?

miss me?

I know it's been forever since I blogged but I had a good reason... on top of work, family, garden, life, I've also been growing a little human inside me!  This week I'll be 24 weeks or 6 months along.  Time has flown by and well, my blog has fallen to the wayside.  Not to fret anymore, I'll be starting up blogging once again.

On to more important things... like what's for dinner?

• Sunday: Butternut Squash Soup with chicken in Peanut Sauce
• Monday: Turkey Meatloaf with summer squash and roasted potato
• Taco Tuesday: Shredded Chicken Tacos
• Wednesday: Mac Casserole with Procuitto
• Thursday: Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini ala Pioneer Woman
• Friday:  BBQ Baby Back Ribs Slow Cooker
• Saturday: Out to eat

So much to share so I'll be blogging quite a bit in the upcoming weeks.  Things to come are the annual  Halloween Party,  Fall decor, menus, new recipes, and much much more!

Hooray for Thursday!

Seriously, I've never been more happy as I was last night to know that the dreadful day I was having was about to end.  The day got worse, I broke the shopping cart on our store, Sandbox Lane, added more stuff to the back-end that took FOREVER, cut ANOTHER finger (I now have 3 cuts on my right hand) and burned something in the kitchen.  Worst day ever!

  Today all I can think about is how great the weekend will be.  There's an Ikea trip, pilates, swim class, family, and even a massage for me!  I want to do a little more gardening too.  (I know, I'm addicted).  I HAVE to sheet mulch an area where we had a crazy amount of crab grass on and decide what I really want to plant there.  This area is a wide open spot.  Hopefully this weekend I can take some photos of it and even of the pretty trellis we put up.  Sadly, I have to go Home Depot or a garden center to get more thingies for my water drip system (like my use of technical words? thingies: noun: means it's a little do-dad that connects to the hose to release water).  I sadly because I cannot bear to go into one of those stores without carrying out plants or trees. 

  Are you addicted to any hobby?  

It isn't funny anymore...

Today I really just want to go back to bed an hide since it's that bad. Let's review, shall we?

• Wake up late 
• Body sore from workout yesterday and the Kupcake is wiggling around in my arms.  OUCH
• Get her breakfast ready (waffles and blueberry yogurt).  Waffles went down fine, it was the yogurt that made a major mess...uggh
• Sink full of dishes so guess i'm the lucky one who gets to clean those 
• Did I mention I forgot to make her lunch? Yup, rice is cooking on the stove now.  (just before i left i realized it was done... just burned a few little pieces... oh well)
• Hubby is ready to go for the day so it's my turn, look at that, i have 10 minutes to get ready.  Wait, i was suppose to leave 10 minutes AGO!.
• Brush my teeth and face at same time. get dressed and attempt to put make up (takes less than a minute now) and rush into kitchen, make my coffee mug up and toss breakfast in my handbag (breakfast is greek yogurt with banana and blueberries - no it wasn't my daughter's I made a small batch for me to take with).  
• Kiss hubby and Kupcake goodbye and open the door to find the sprinklers on, great!  I really wanted to get wet before I get in my car. 
• Get in car to realize I'm out of gas.  When I say out I mean OUT!  I coasted straight to the gas station and think if it wasn't downhill I would have been screwed.  Well, coasted is a strong word since our bridge exit is being worked on so TRAFFIC where there shouldn't be traffic.  yea.  
• Proceed to get gas, went to a 76 gas station and paid $76!  ~~insert tear~~ oh, you know that coffee mug I made up? well, it's on the countertop at home so i buy some coffee while my car is sucking my savings account away.
• Drive was okay except for the bus I got stuck behind and the car that swerved THIS CLOSE to my car. Oh, and my transponder to get into our parking garage? It's somewhere in the back seat, the Kupcake was fussy so I tossed it at her yesterday. (tossed = handed it to her) Had to pull over to find it and managed to almost get hit by another car.  
• Moving on... out of the car and walking into work, realizing how FREAKING chilly it is.  walk fast, almost trip and manage not only spill a little bit of coffee on me.  go me.
• Work? well, my computer crashed last Friday.  It reverted a report back a few days, I sent it out this morning with old data and didn't realize it.  Got reamed for mistake.  

I think that sums up the fantastic morning I'm NOT having.   I know I probably didn't get it all but you get the point.  Can the rest of the day get any better?

P.S. Just heard my boss make a major mistake...  is it wrong that it actually made me feel better?  HAHA

Happy for the new week...

What a wonderful weekend!  It was just perfect (aside from the Groupon/Dominos issue Saturday night that got fixed Sunday morning via Groupon). It was filled with lots of swim class, family time, shopping, gardening, some inventory, a little cooking, and a whole lotta laughter.  We finally added a trellis for our grapes this year and super excited to watch it grow.  Must take some photos this week of it.  We also planted more strawberries and got a few more plants (cucumbers, snap peas, and more cucumbers).  I have NO CLUE where I'm going to put them but I will find a place.  I always do.  I harvested about 5 lbs of lettuce and bot choy.  It was just screaming for me to snap up and can't wait to start harvesting the celery too!  All in all, it was a great weekend.

Let's plan dinner shall we?

• Sunday: Homemade Meat Lovers Pizza (italian sausage, pepperoni, prosciutto, oh my!)
• Monday: Chicken Satay (Trader Joe's) with wild rice and asparagus
• Tuesday: Marinated Chicken (in a balsamic glaze) over salad
• Wednesday: Veggie Frittata*
• Thursday: Sloppy Turkey Joe's and kale chips (hubby's new favorite)
• Friday:Homemade Beans in the slow cooker*
• Saturday: Out to eat

* denotes meals in the slow cooker/ new recipe list

Let's see, whats on the weekly to-do list?

• Fix irrigation on the hill
• Sheet mulch the crab grass. 
• Add cover to the blueberries and strawberries (evil birds!)
• workout 5 times (run 10 miles)
• Ikea trip (YAY YAY YAY!!!)
• Work on Easter stuff
• Relax

This week is shaping up to a great week.  The weather is looking up and I'm finally back in the routine of working out.  I even went to spin class today!  :)

Any fun plans for the week?

Feeling content

That is the best way to describe the weekend!  Last week's weather was uber hot but the weekend was just pleasant as can be!  Warm but not hot, just right.  Our little Kupcake had her first swim lesson and she did so good!  It was so cute to see all the little kids in the water and what was even better was to see all the dads in the water too with their children!  I played paparazzi and took a ton of photos.  In the afternoon we did an Earth Day Festival promoting green living for babies.  It was wonderful talking to a lot of parents and grand parents about it and teaching them alternatives.  Sunday, we went on a walk and had a play date with some of our friends and it was so much fun to watch the kids play with each other.  I think the Kupcake taught the other momma what needs to be child proofed in their home!  HAHA!  It was a quiet evening with the hubby out of town so dinner consisted of frozen burritos.  YUM! Let's see what we'll eat for the rest of the week:

• Sunday:   frozen burritos
• Monday:  cereal
• Tuesday:  fried rice with veggies
• Wednesday: Ribs* (will post recipe this week!  ☺) and kale chips*
• Thursday:  chicken tacos
• Friday:  terriyaki salmon salad
• Saturday:  ???

**denotes slow cooker and new recipe

What's on the agenda for this week?

• Photos of the garden.  Going to do this this week, i promise!  I've been bad but now that everything is blooming and I figured out how to upload photos via bluetooth from my camera, I will make this a priority this week.
• Work out 5 times. (one down already!  YEA)
• Put away laundry.  I have a few loads sicking in baskets.  
• Clean my room.  I don't know how it gets messy but it does.
• Finish weeding
• Work on online store and put some sales up
• Spray garden with homemade pest control (organic)
• Turn in paperwork for Earth Day Festivals coming up
• Plant blueberry bushes the hubby bought for the Kupcake. She LOVES blueberries like no tomorrow!
• Do the 30day shred DVD at least twice this week.  (I need a kick start)

Seems like a lot of stuff but it isn't.  In fact, I'm looking forward to everything on this list!

What are you excited this week will bring?

Booked...

Finally... I convinced the hubby that we need to get away before the Kupcake's first birthday and figured out this was the perfect opportunity to head up north to Portland and Seattle (YEA!!!!! I LOVE THIS TOWN).  We are flying to Portland, spending a few days there, taking the train to Seattle (been there, loved that) and spend another few days before flying back home.  So excited! 

Goal now is start pricelining rooms and checking LivingSocial and Groupon on find any cool deals daily.

We've been to Seattle a bunch of times and I've been to Portland for two days and really only saw the Japanese Garden there.  Any suggestions on things to do in Portland?  Thanks!

I'm alive!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had/have the worst cold/flu/bronchitis/yuckiness in decades last week and am finally feeling more like myself (still a bit sick though).  Away from the drug induced haze I was living in, I tossed all blogging, working, socializing, living, out the window for sleep and a tissue.  By the weekend I was actually talking like a normal human without hacking up a lung or two and dragged the family out to Santa Barbara for some zoo action and bonding time.  It was oodles of fun but when we got home, I crashed once again.  On Sunday, I woke feeling like I needed something filling (since I was barely eating, throat hurt to much to even think about swallowing).  I made Banana Flax seed Waffles, Strawberry Blueberry syrup and a few sausage links.  Oh boy was it yummy.  It poured cats and dogs and we proceeded to be holed up all day chasing the precocious little girl around and trying to eat the house by baking and cooking.  I made a few different types of cookies (Kitchen Sink and Double Chocolate Cranberry), a batch of Ham and Corn Chowder, and even some veggies for the rugrat.  It was good.  By the end of the night we finished cleaning the house (something that didn't get done all week), did laundry, and even dinner planned.  Let's see what we'll be chowing down on:

• Monday:  Mushroom and Asparagus Quiche
• Tuesday:  Sausage Pizza with salad
• Wednesday:  Chicken Satay with swiss chard quinoa
• Thursday: Ham and Swiss Paninis
• Friday:  Fish
• Saturday:  Burritos
• Sunday:  Soup --undecided what kind

  Nice and easy dinners, nothing fancy over here.  This week I'll be recovering as fast as I can so I can do the race this weekend.  At the moment, running isn't an option since I'm on two different types of inhalers.  I just hope I can finish.

As for what do I have to do this week?

• Photos of the garden (seriously... i'm sure you sick of me talking about this and not showing you)
• redesign blog  (yup, it's finally time for this)
• rest

Yup, I'm busy!  I'll be back to blogging on schedule.  I hate getting sick and I think what was worse than before is being sick with my daughter.  Poor girl was one big snot ball.  This morning I'm happy to report she was able to breathe without me suctioning her nose ever 15 minutes!

  Have you gotten hit by this year's cold? 

Fun filled weekend in the backyard

I had the most perfect weekend any dirt loving girl could have.  On Saturday morning, thanks to forgetting what Pilates class I signed up for I was early and got a chance to go buy plants.  I spend the afternoon repotting and seeding, and planting lots of different things like: cabbage, purple king beans, broccoli, corn, squash, zucchini, strawberries, cantaloupe, and watermelon.  I cleaned and tilled and got dirt all over myself and it was just pure bliss.  on Sunday, we took advantage of OSH's no tax sale and bought more dirt, solar lights, irrigation kit, grass seed, and other fun goodies.  It was PARADISE!  Nothing is better than the smell of fresh dirt!  After lunch, my friend and I spend the afternoon putting in the irrigation system, planting lots of sunflowers, garlic, and cauliflower.  Everything is sprouting and blossoming I really need to take some photos to share.  It is just so nice that we have that extra hour now of light.  Now if only I can get the Kupcake's schedule back to normal!  :)

  Now onto this week's dinner menu:

• Sunday: Take out-didn't feeling like cooking
• Monday:  Chicken Pot Pie (with crockpot chicken*) -- Happy ╥ Day!
• Tuesday:  Leftover chicken & garlic lemon pasta
• Wedensday:  Cuban Sandwiches & spring salad
• Thursday: Shepard's Pie* -- Happy St. Patty's day!!
• Friday:  Grilled Salmon & veggies
• Saturday:  eat out...

    *falls into my new meal and slow cooker meal of the week

Looking forward to this week's meals.  What is on the weekly to do list?

• Run!  RUN LOTS!  12 days away till my next 5k race. 
• Start working on Kupcake's first birthday decorations... will talk more about it later.
• Clean up the website
• Finish cleaning our room (seriously, you'd think that I'd want to keep my own private space nice and clean.)
• Get everything ready for a garage sale this weekend
• Finish irrigation system
• lay rock border for shade garden

Yup, that's about it.  This week should be a good one.  I still have to get used to the new time change.  The alarm went off just a little too early for me today!  Need to acclimate myself!

How is your week shaping up?  Doing anything fun?

Taking a moment...

Living in Southern California, I grew up with the notion that an earthquake could hit anytime.  We were taught about getting under our desks and even had a homemade earthquake bag I made in my sock drawer (I don't even know if my mom knew it was there).  Still, when they hit, it's traumatic and throws you for a loop, even if it's just for 10 minutes after.  My hubby lived through the Northridge earthquake in '94 and his house had extensive damage.  His school was condemned and they moved locations and went to doing half days the rest of the year to accommodate. I lived in a town that at one point was the earthquake capital of the world and Sony even made a commercial about it.  Still, when you live with them and hear about them hitting somewhere else and the devastation it causes, you have to take a moment and say a prayer for all those people and hope the damage isn't that bad. 

  To my friends in Japan, know that we are thinking and praying for you and your families.  We hope you are all okay and the damage to your homes are unsubstantial. 

Celebrating Mardi Gras: Slow Cooker Jambalaya and Bread Pudding Recipe

In our house, today is the day where we let loose and savor things we might give up for lent.  This year, I decided to make some Jambalaya for dinner and Bread Pudding for dessert to really get in the mood!  Now I don't have all day slaving over the stove so I tossed dinner in the slow cooker and the dessert into a pan for the oven when I get home! 

Slow Cooker Jambalaya
serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breast
• 2 sausages (I used sweet pork italian sausage)
• 1 cup of celery
• 1/2 cup onion
• 1.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1.5 cups water
• Cajun seasoning (to taste)
• Cayenne pepper (to taste)
• Seasoning salt (to taste) 
• Oregano (to taste)
• Thyme (to taste)
• Parsley (to taste)
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 cup of tomatoes diced
• 1 cup wild rice

Directions:

• Cut up chicken and sausage.  Toss chicken into pot and pan sear sausage, then add into pot.
• Cut up tomatoes, celery and onion and garlic and toss into pot
• Add 1 cup of broth and 1.5 cups of waters save the 1/2 cup broth for rice
• Add seasonings
• Turn on 8-10 hours on low
• In the afternoon, make the rice with water and add the 1/2 cup of broth for flavoring.  When finished, add into pot.

It was sooo good!  Usually Jambalaya has shrimp but the hubby isn't a fan so I cooked some on the side for me. Definitely going to make this again!  

Bread Pudding

serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 french rolls
• 1 tbsp I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 Vanilla fat free coffee creamer
• 1/8 cup Splenda
• 1 tbsp Raisins

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• Chop up rolls into 1 inch squares
• In a separate bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients
• Spray dish with Cooking spray and toss in rolls and pour the mix on top
• Cook for 45 minutes (until golden)

Serve Warm... Oh soo good!

The good and the bad...

That is the best way to explain the weekend.  Saturday was amazing while Sunday... not so much.  First thing in the morning the hubby threw out his back and became immobile for the rest of the day.  Taking care of the kupcake is one thing, taking care of a person how is at least 8 inches taller than me is another.  Then to top it off I had to take today off so I could be his servant help him.  He's feeling much better and fingers crossed that by Wednesday he'll be able to wait on me.  ☺

Now since I'm so tired from cooking, cleaning, laundry, gardening (of course I'd toss some of that in), I'm just going to get down to this week's menu:

• Sunday:  Easy Quesadillas
• Monday:  Turkey Burgers
• Tuesday:  Slow Cooker Jambalaya*  (Happy Mardi Gras Y'all!!)
• Wednesday:  Fish and Chips
• Thursday:  Turkey and Artichoke Paninis
• Friday:  Mahi Mahi
• Saturday:  Eat out?!

 *falls into my new meal and slow cooker meal of the week

  Now, what's on the agenda for this week?

• Gym Gym GYM!!! Go at least 3 times.  
• Pilates classes (2 -get certified to go up a level)
• Put away clothes
• Clean room
• Finish getting the shade garden ready
• Plan a side dish for get-together on Saturday afternoon
• Set up the teddy bear's physical
• Go to bed before 11pm

Yup, that's me in a nut shell.  Now, I'm utterly beat.  Until tomorrow, peace!

Hello March!!!

  So did anyone notice that we are in the third month of 2011?  Where did the time go?!    I think this month I'll tackle another goal on my list, blog for two months straight.  I have a feeling it's going to be rough at times and there will be posts coming from my phone at 11:59pm but what can you do?!

  It's weird to think that Summer is around the corner and Spring is knocking on the door.  I'm happy that it's here and we can start enjoying more time outside.  This means more gardening, more outdoor dinners, more walks, more outside.  It isn't like we don't have weather the rest of the nation is basically jealous of, it's the fact we'll have more sun in the day.  I'm looking forward to it all. 

  What are you looking forward to this month?

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?

Good bye January, HELLO FEBRUARY!!!

Happy Monday everyone!  Where did the month go?  Seriously, I could have sworn it was just New Year's.  I have to say I'm in a rather chipper mood today.  I don't know if it's because it's chilly-willy outside or that my backyard is one step closer to being everything we want it to be.  The addition to the garden isn't quite there yet but holy moly is the the new BBQ area pretty groovy!  I can't wait to show you all our hard work but until then, you'll just have to take our word for it.  I think we have about 3 more hours of shovel duty until I can show the "fruits" of our labor!  :)

  I have to admit something, I didn't do the best job planning dinner this week.  I feel as if it's a bit redundant for some reason.  Oh well, let's see what we are eating:

• Mon:  Slow Cooked Chicken*
• Tues:  Burger Pizza*
• Wed: Spaghetti*
• Thur: Chicken Stir Fry
• Fri:    Pulled pork sandwiches
• Sat:   Eating out
• Sun:  Taco Salad and the SUPERBOWL

* works for the things to do list (slow cooker and new recipe)
 
Yup... that's it.  Nothing fancy.  For food prep, I didn't do any.  I just made dinner (Turkey Meatloaf and my goodness was it DA BOMB! BEST EVER!!!!)  I just wasn't enthused.  I did my usual shopping at Trader Joe's and wasn't... inspired.  Usually browsing through the produce section gets me excited but not this time.  I think the only thing different I bought was sweet potato slices for the kupcake to eat this week.  I think next weekend I'll need to run by one of the farmer's markets in our area and hope to find something different. I need variety!  Come on spring veggies, start growing!!!


Onto this week's to do list:

• EBay a few things
• Start making a pile for garage sale. 
• Clean media room
• Finish moving dirt for the garden
• Repot front pot 
• Relax
• RUN... i need to RUN RUN RUN!

  In other news, I'm become obsessed with my new skillet.  I'm in absolute love with it.  I even want to toss all my frying pans away and just run off with this one. I'm currently toying with cleaning out the pans (they are good but do I need them all?) we have and just owning a few key pieces.  Still undecided.  Is that wrong?  Do I really need frying pans when I have such an amazing skillet? What do you think?

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