2010 was a year of enormous blessings for me, and for me and hubby as a couple. Last semesters of college (lots of wonderful times with my favorite girlfriends for me), college graduations, a fantastically wonderful wedding, time off for our honeymoon, a smooth move down south, a cozy apartment to call our own, lazy weekends together, so many new friends and experiences, our first Thanksgiving with two friends in attendance, and a lovely trip home up north to see so many friends and family for the holidays. And those are just the highlights!
For me this is not one of those years that I am overwhelmingly anxious to move onto the next year, because this year was just so fantastic - a "blockbuster" year as hubby says. However, I know that a healthy attitude on life involves a positive outlook, ready to move forward. I am trying not to focus on the negative of 2011 just because hubby is about to leave as soon as it starts - instead I'm focusing on our move to the next adventure/location, my starting law school (which at this point feels like it's been in the works for so long!), and marking one year of marriage. There is also the possibility for hubby to deploy later in the year (hard to tell, certainly possible), but we'll take things as they come, definitely a requirement of this lifestyle. We certainly have been spoiled for the first part of our marriage - we live together and never spent more than 5 days apart in the second half of 2010. I know that not all military couples get to start their marriages out that way, so I certainly am grateful.
I'll stop rambling on, and just wish everyone a Happy New Year! I'll be focused on consciously thinking positive thoughts as we ring in the new year, even if we won't be staying up until midnight this year, so that hubby can stay well-rested. I'm thinking of having a couple mimosas tomorrow morning, and I am perfectly happy to be low-key, because I'm just thankful that hubby is still here for a couple of days. Wishing everyone so many blessings for 2011!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
An addition to yesterday's post (and meals if you're curious)
I realized today that I forgot a goal for hubby's training: I'm hoping to get iTunes going on both our computers (yes, we've been living without it for this long). Hubby would also love if I could somehow sync up our accounts into one library, so we'll see how that goes.
I let hubby pick all the meals this week, since he's going away and I will get to make whatever I want while he's gone. Here's what we ended up with:
Monday: Dinner out after traveling
Tuesday: Tuna, Avocado, and Romaine Salad (MS)
Wednesday: Panang Curry with rice
Thursday: Tortellini Salad with Broccoli
Friday: Eggplant Parmesan
Saturday: Thanksgiving food (Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli)
So, we'll get to finally use up that second turkey, and hubby will get to eat his favorite meal the night before he leaves.
I got to baby-sit this morning, nice to see the kids again, but this afternoon I have to go get some minor dental work done. Not a big deal, I'm just trying not to be a baby or anything. I'm still in semi-vacation mode this week, trying to get a few things done around the house and enjoy my time with hubby before he leaves. Tomorrow will be one of my more low-key New Year's celebrations in recent memory, but at least we'll be together!
I let hubby pick all the meals this week, since he's going away and I will get to make whatever I want while he's gone. Here's what we ended up with:
Monday: Dinner out after traveling
Tuesday: Tuna, Avocado, and Romaine Salad (MS)
Wednesday: Panang Curry with rice
Thursday: Tortellini Salad with Broccoli
Friday: Eggplant Parmesan
Saturday: Thanksgiving food (Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli)
So, we'll get to finally use up that second turkey, and hubby will get to eat his favorite meal the night before he leaves.
I got to baby-sit this morning, nice to see the kids again, but this afternoon I have to go get some minor dental work done. Not a big deal, I'm just trying not to be a baby or anything. I'm still in semi-vacation mode this week, trying to get a few things done around the house and enjoy my time with hubby before he leaves. Tomorrow will be one of my more low-key New Year's celebrations in recent memory, but at least we'll be together!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
January just won't be as fun as December...
Well, as of a couple of days ago, hubby and I are back from our lovely vacation to the homeland up north. We had a wonderful time, and it was busy in a good way. We visited with high school friends, family on both sides, celebrated my dad's birthday, saw the latest Harry Potter movie with a group of 9 family members, went back and forth a few times on Christmas day (opening presents 3 separate times), and indulged in hubby's favorite Christmas Eve traditions (stromboli, The Grinch, Polar Express, and much to my delight we added Love Actually). We drove a few hours the day after Christmas for a family party, and that drive ended up helping us dodge a bullet - when many this past week had delayed and cancelled flights, we had a very smooth time getting back here. We felt really lucky on that one!
Santa was very good to us, in the form of generosity mostly from our families. Earlier in the month, I got luggage from hubby's grandma, and his mom gave us a couple of kitchen items remaining on our registry. I got the watch I was wanting from his parents as well, and I found out on Christmas Day about a shipment my parents sent me that arrived today: a yoga DVD, a recipe book of braises and stews, and my coveted purple Le Creuset dutch oven! It's beautiful, currently sitting on the stove, and I am dreaming about the culinary delights I can whip up in it. Hubby's and my uncles also got me THREE Barefoot Contessa cookbooks - which is amusing because I chose one to give them without knowing their gift to me. Hubby knew both ends of this coincidence, but did a great job keeping quiet. Hubby also got me a clothing store gift certificate, and gave me free license to spend a little extra money on a spa day these next couple months. The reason for this allowance is the event we are transitioning toward this week...
Basically, the time has come for hubby to go off to do some training that's very difficult, very prestigious, and demandsa lot all of his time for two or more months. I'll only be able to write him letters, and for social fun I will most definitely be relying on the girlfriends I've met here - many of whom will have husbands gone at the exact same time, so at least that works out. Neither of us is particularly looking forward to it, but we know it has to happen, and I know that physically it will be a much more pleasant time for me since hubby will be cold, hungry, wet, tired, or a combination of those, basically the whole time. I know that this is part of the life of a military wife, but we have most certainly been spoiled since we got married - we haven't spent more than 5 days apart for the duration of our marriage. I'm trying not to feel too sorry for myself or feel too negative, but I did start to have a feeling during our vacation of knowing how much I'd miss hubby. I am just trying to focus on silver linings though, such as the things I'll be able to focus on and the goals I can hopefully complete while hubby is gone. I know from my friends who have been through deployments that focusing on thriving is a helpful thing to do, and for this (not actual) mini-deployment, I will try to emulate them. With that said, here are a few of my goals while hubby is gone:
1. Get a new passport in my married name
2. Tidy up the apartment in general, particularly our second bedroom/office
3. Start to think about the move coming up at some point this year, mainly start doing a little inventory and getting rid of unnecessary items that we might have
4. Read at least three books per month
5. Make at least some effort to find a more steady job (again)
6. Find, cook, and enjoy recipes that might not be to hubby's liking, whether by myself or with friends
7. Get back on a regular fitness class routine
And, related to this last goal, an oh-so-stereotypical, yet entirely appropriate, goal for me in what is coincidentally the start of a new year:
8. Lose weight!
Go figure, as it turns out I am not immune to the phenomenon of holiday eating and weight loss! I weighed myself for the first time in a while this morning, and while I am trying not to beat myself up, some action is definitely required. That being said, I'm going to make a serious go of tracking everything I eat and eating a relatively controlled diet. I've found a new website for tracking that looks pretty easy, and I can even try out their eating plans. (I suspect I might prefer to come up with my own menus though.) There is really no time better to make this a serious thing, since I will be largely eating on my own and not subjecting hubby to my carefully measured foods. I said on this blog this summer that I'd track what I was eating, but as you can probably guess that kind of fell by the wayside. I am hoping and thinking that this time will be different, and I hope I can use the extra mental space normally occupied by spending time with hubby to focus on my goal. We'll see how it goes!
Anyway, that's a long-needed update from me. I rambled quite a bit, but that's what has been going on!
Santa was very good to us, in the form of generosity mostly from our families. Earlier in the month, I got luggage from hubby's grandma, and his mom gave us a couple of kitchen items remaining on our registry. I got the watch I was wanting from his parents as well, and I found out on Christmas Day about a shipment my parents sent me that arrived today: a yoga DVD, a recipe book of braises and stews, and my coveted purple Le Creuset dutch oven! It's beautiful, currently sitting on the stove, and I am dreaming about the culinary delights I can whip up in it. Hubby's and my uncles also got me THREE Barefoot Contessa cookbooks - which is amusing because I chose one to give them without knowing their gift to me. Hubby knew both ends of this coincidence, but did a great job keeping quiet. Hubby also got me a clothing store gift certificate, and gave me free license to spend a little extra money on a spa day these next couple months. The reason for this allowance is the event we are transitioning toward this week...
Basically, the time has come for hubby to go off to do some training that's very difficult, very prestigious, and demands
1. Get a new passport in my married name
2. Tidy up the apartment in general, particularly our second bedroom/office
3. Start to think about the move coming up at some point this year, mainly start doing a little inventory and getting rid of unnecessary items that we might have
4. Read at least three books per month
5. Make at least some effort to find a more steady job (again)
6. Find, cook, and enjoy recipes that might not be to hubby's liking, whether by myself or with friends
7. Get back on a regular fitness class routine
And, related to this last goal, an oh-so-stereotypical, yet entirely appropriate, goal for me in what is coincidentally the start of a new year:
8. Lose weight!
Go figure, as it turns out I am not immune to the phenomenon of holiday eating and weight loss! I weighed myself for the first time in a while this morning, and while I am trying not to beat myself up, some action is definitely required. That being said, I'm going to make a serious go of tracking everything I eat and eating a relatively controlled diet. I've found a new website for tracking that looks pretty easy, and I can even try out their eating plans. (I suspect I might prefer to come up with my own menus though.) There is really no time better to make this a serious thing, since I will be largely eating on my own and not subjecting hubby to my carefully measured foods. I said on this blog this summer that I'd track what I was eating, but as you can probably guess that kind of fell by the wayside. I am hoping and thinking that this time will be different, and I hope I can use the extra mental space normally occupied by spending time with hubby to focus on my goal. We'll see how it goes!
Anyway, that's a long-needed update from me. I rambled quite a bit, but that's what has been going on!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The Joys of Air Travel
Let me preface this post by just saying that we've been loving our time home, and things are wonderful. However, when we had some hiccups with our flights this past Saturday, I was writing a blog post in my head, which I will now share with whoever happens to be reading.
Hubby and I got up very very early on Saturday to make the drive to the airport. On our end, we were fine, except for the fact that I wasted $25 paying for a checked bag when it's apparently free for military (oops). But we were there in plenty of time and got through security with no problems. Then we boarded our first plane, it seemed like we were set to go... and then they had to fix some maintenance thing on the plane. We ended up sitting there for almost an hour, which made me nervous about catching our connection, but due to the way they schedule the flights, we were only 15 minutes late when we got to our connecting city. We even had some time to grab sandwiches before heading to our other gate and boarding the plane for home. We got on that plane... and found out that due to the flurries that had just been happening, there was a long line for the de-icing truck. We were at a southern airport that apparently is not incredibly well set up for cold weather conditions, so I guess it just caught them by surprise. All told, we sat at the gate and on the tarmac for about 2 hours combined, before taking off. We arrived back at home about 1.5 hours late, but the fact is we made it safely and the troubles could have been much worse. The second delay also stressed me out much less because there was no longer a connection to make.
Also, here's a PSA concerning a lesson I thought I had already learned, but apparently hadn't. It wasn't so amusing at the time, and I'm not proud, but it's funny, and it's worth sharing.
So, the lesson is: Any opportunity you have to use the facilities while traveling, DO IT. I was so busy thinking about when we would board that I neglected to use the restroom, even though I'd consumed part of a soda and a decent amount of water earlier in the morning. I told myself I could go on the plane and I'd be fine... silly silly me.
As I already stated, we were sitting on the plane waiting for a while. You'd think I could go then, but by the time I thought of it, the guy sitting on the aisle was fast asleep, and hubby's efforts to wake him were to no avail. So there I was as we took off, realizing my situation was worsening. I remained hopeful that the seatbelt sign would go off during the short flight - no luck there either. We then started our descent, and I realized I had to wait til we landed, even as I increasingly thought I'd just have to ignore the seatbelt sign and just go. At the end of the day, I made it, but had to go when we landed, before getting off the plane, because I was just in dire straits. Not pleasant. And hubby was laughing at me - I don't blame him. The crazy thing is, this has happened to me before, and apparently that wasn't enough to teach me. So there you have it - use any opportunity you can, especially when traveling!
Despite these slight issues, we made it just fine, and we've been enjoying our time here since we arrived. We have spent some time with both families, picked out and trimmed a tree with my parents, celebrated my father's birthday yesterday, saw my brother-in-law's apartment, finished up some shopping, and other fun things. Today we're seeing some of our hometown friends and having lunch at a favorite hometown pizza place. This trip back has really had me reflecting on the power of nostalgia - trimming the tree at my parents' house while listening to the Nutcracker, drinking eggnog, it all got me feeling very much in the holiday spirit. And as a bonus, hubby and I get to stay together the entire time, when not so long ago we ultimately had to privilege our other nuclear families because we weren't married yet.
Not sure when I'll get to update next, but I hope everyone is having a wonderful break! Christmas is almost here!
Hubby and I got up very very early on Saturday to make the drive to the airport. On our end, we were fine, except for the fact that I wasted $25 paying for a checked bag when it's apparently free for military (oops). But we were there in plenty of time and got through security with no problems. Then we boarded our first plane, it seemed like we were set to go... and then they had to fix some maintenance thing on the plane. We ended up sitting there for almost an hour, which made me nervous about catching our connection, but due to the way they schedule the flights, we were only 15 minutes late when we got to our connecting city. We even had some time to grab sandwiches before heading to our other gate and boarding the plane for home. We got on that plane... and found out that due to the flurries that had just been happening, there was a long line for the de-icing truck. We were at a southern airport that apparently is not incredibly well set up for cold weather conditions, so I guess it just caught them by surprise. All told, we sat at the gate and on the tarmac for about 2 hours combined, before taking off. We arrived back at home about 1.5 hours late, but the fact is we made it safely and the troubles could have been much worse. The second delay also stressed me out much less because there was no longer a connection to make.
Also, here's a PSA concerning a lesson I thought I had already learned, but apparently hadn't. It wasn't so amusing at the time, and I'm not proud, but it's funny, and it's worth sharing.
So, the lesson is: Any opportunity you have to use the facilities while traveling, DO IT. I was so busy thinking about when we would board that I neglected to use the restroom, even though I'd consumed part of a soda and a decent amount of water earlier in the morning. I told myself I could go on the plane and I'd be fine... silly silly me.
As I already stated, we were sitting on the plane waiting for a while. You'd think I could go then, but by the time I thought of it, the guy sitting on the aisle was fast asleep, and hubby's efforts to wake him were to no avail. So there I was as we took off, realizing my situation was worsening. I remained hopeful that the seatbelt sign would go off during the short flight - no luck there either. We then started our descent, and I realized I had to wait til we landed, even as I increasingly thought I'd just have to ignore the seatbelt sign and just go. At the end of the day, I made it, but had to go when we landed, before getting off the plane, because I was just in dire straits. Not pleasant. And hubby was laughing at me - I don't blame him. The crazy thing is, this has happened to me before, and apparently that wasn't enough to teach me. So there you have it - use any opportunity you can, especially when traveling!
Despite these slight issues, we made it just fine, and we've been enjoying our time here since we arrived. We have spent some time with both families, picked out and trimmed a tree with my parents, celebrated my father's birthday yesterday, saw my brother-in-law's apartment, finished up some shopping, and other fun things. Today we're seeing some of our hometown friends and having lunch at a favorite hometown pizza place. This trip back has really had me reflecting on the power of nostalgia - trimming the tree at my parents' house while listening to the Nutcracker, drinking eggnog, it all got me feeling very much in the holiday spirit. And as a bonus, hubby and I get to stay together the entire time, when not so long ago we ultimately had to privilege our other nuclear families because we weren't married yet.
Not sure when I'll get to update next, but I hope everyone is having a wonderful break! Christmas is almost here!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Almost there
Today is the last full day we're here before our trip back to the home state to see our families. We leave bright and early (actually dark and early) tomorrow morning to make sure we have enough time to get to the airport and all that good stuff. Our refrigerator actually looks like we're going away, and I'm hoping to use the opportunity to clean it out even more. I've got to make my list or just start packing early, do some more laundry, and hopefully tidy up so that we don't come back to a messy apartment.
Fun fact: This is also the first time that hubby and I have taken an airplane trip together - in the past we always flew to visit each other, but were always separating or reuniting at the airport. I'm weirdly excited to share a trip with him! We'll see if it's smooth sailing or if we get on each other's nerves at all. ;-)
I also finished my Christmas cards and I think I am pretty much done with Christmas shopping as well! Still need to wrap some things and possibly acquire a couple things back at home though. Hope everyone is excited for the holidays!
Fun fact: This is also the first time that hubby and I have taken an airplane trip together - in the past we always flew to visit each other, but were always separating or reuniting at the airport. I'm weirdly excited to share a trip with him! We'll see if it's smooth sailing or if we get on each other's nerves at all. ;-)
I also finished my Christmas cards and I think I am pretty much done with Christmas shopping as well! Still need to wrap some things and possibly acquire a couple things back at home though. Hope everyone is excited for the holidays!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
We'll Be Home for Christmas
This week, even though it's so close to Christmas, I find myself not really feeling it - but I think I will feel it so much more when we get back to our home state and see our families this weekend. While there's been some shopping, a little decorating, and sending Christmas cards, I think for me there's still another level of Christmas spirit that I haven't attained yet - but I really think I will when I'm back in the state (and with the people) where I've been spending Christmases ever since I can remember. I've only been back once (and very briefly) since we moved, and hubby hasn't been back at all, so it really promises to be a wonderful time. I think we'll be overwhelmed by all the people to see and spend time with, but I think we can manage not to let it stress us out. Let's just say I'm really excited, and glad to be spending this first married Christmas both with hubby and with our families!
And no, I haven't started packing yet. Why would I do something silly like pack early?
And no, I haven't started packing yet. Why would I do something silly like pack early?
Monday, December 13, 2010
Slight Change of Plans
Sadly, our friend is not actually available to have us feed him Thanksgiving tomorrow, so I opened up my Martha Stewart cookbook to try to find a recipe for us to have tomorrow night, and I settled on Pork Chops with Apples and Shallots. I don't cook pork very often at all - not sure why, but I'm going to work on putting it in with my normal rotation of chicken, ground turkey and beef, steak, chicken, etc etc. It also meant my trip to the store was even faster than anticipated, with expenditure under $30 and a trip to the self checkout line! Woohoo! I also put the ziti casserole together this morning before I left for fitness class and errands, so hubby can put it into the oven shortly before I return from baby-sitting this afternoon. (I'm feeling accomplished today... can you tell?)
This Week in Dinners
This is our last week before we head back to our home state for the holiday break, so it's all about using up as much perishable food as we can. I also have one meal leftover from last week (Ziti Casserole) because we had extra food last week and I didn't have to use all of those meals. Here's hoping for a short grocery shopping trip this morning!
Monday: Baked Ziti Casserole
Tuesday: Thanksgiving, Part II for our friend who missed the first Thanksgiving
Wednesday: Pasta with Fresh Herbs, Lemon and Peas (NY Times)
Thursday: Kimchi Fried Rice with pork
Friday: Hubby has told me he's making dinner for us - all is mysterious other than I don't have to worry about it!
Monday: Baked Ziti Casserole
Tuesday: Thanksgiving, Part II for our friend who missed the first Thanksgiving
Wednesday: Pasta with Fresh Herbs, Lemon and Peas (NY Times)
Thursday: Kimchi Fried Rice with pork
Friday: Hubby has told me he's making dinner for us - all is mysterious other than I don't have to worry about it!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
A Lovely Weekend
This weekend was fun and social! Friday night was our night just to ourselves, I made panang curry (YUM) and hubby and I watched a movie. (The Informant, if you're wondering. It was okay, but I wasn't super impressed.) Saturday we watched a football game, which I used as an opportunity to make snacks for gametime: wings and stuffed mushrooms, both by Pioneer Woman. That night we went over to another couple's house and had a delicious dinner and a lot of great conversation. Then, today we drove to the big city and had a (long) lunch with two of my girlfriends from college. One of them is about to move back to DC, so it was nice to see her while she was still in this area. The restaurant itself was really enjoyable as well, which is a plus! It also flurried on and off while we were there - just enough to lend a festive air to the atmosphere, but not so much that we had trouble getting home. It was a great day that capped off a lovely weekend! I'll share a couple of photos and call it a night. (Meal planning is happening tomorrow morning, and there's not even that much to plan.)
Pub fries - they came with delicious sauces!
Me and the girls - hubby took the photo! (This is probably also a decent shot of my new haircut!)
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Loving Right Now
Oddly I feel a bit stuck, but I want to do a blog post, and I think this whole "things I'm loving right now" prompt is a good way to organize some thoughts - so here they are.
Today/tonight/this week, I am loving:
1) The thought of going back to our home state in just over a week - real wintry weather, the holidays, nostalgia, and lots of time with friends and family. So ready to enjoy our first married Christmas!
2) The new season of Top Chef - All-Stars!
3) Feeling like the boys I baby-sit for have really warmed up to me (though that's not brand new today or anything). It's the sweetest thing when they both clamber into my lap as they watch something on TV, for example.
4) The amount of time I've had with hubby since he finished his most recent training course, and continuing to enjoy the small joys in life together.
5) Our Christmas "tree" - which is not an evergreen but a plant we are temporarily in custody of, that belongs to a friend away for training. We've chosen to display Christmas lights on it on our back porch, and it's quite festive. We won't be getting a traditional tree this year - we'll vicariously have trees through our parents back home.
6) A little bit of variety at volunteering this week - getting to sit in on a proceeding on the criminal law side of things.
7) Anticipation of shopping for boots on Friday, with HB, who has become not only a great friend but a super fun shopping partner!
8) My new fun haircut (this reminds me that I need to post photos!) which makes me want to wear my hair down again, and gives me a few different options for how to style it.
9) Making progress with the realization that I should give myself a break on meal planning to the extreme - it's not horrible to make the same thing more than once (I don't know why I have this obsession with variety, but hubby constantly reminds me that I can revisit recipes), and extending this week's meal plan due to the sheer amount of leftovers and extra ingredients we have.
10) A weekend shaping up to be lots of fun - football on Saturday and dinner with friends, and a visit in the big city with two college girlfriends on Sunday! (Hubby may or may not come along, depending what he feels like doing.)
Wow, I had no idea I had so many things I am loving right now! I should do this more often. :-)
Today/tonight/this week, I am loving:
1) The thought of going back to our home state in just over a week - real wintry weather, the holidays, nostalgia, and lots of time with friends and family. So ready to enjoy our first married Christmas!
2) The new season of Top Chef - All-Stars!
3) Feeling like the boys I baby-sit for have really warmed up to me (though that's not brand new today or anything). It's the sweetest thing when they both clamber into my lap as they watch something on TV, for example.
4) The amount of time I've had with hubby since he finished his most recent training course, and continuing to enjoy the small joys in life together.
5) Our Christmas "tree" - which is not an evergreen but a plant we are temporarily in custody of, that belongs to a friend away for training. We've chosen to display Christmas lights on it on our back porch, and it's quite festive. We won't be getting a traditional tree this year - we'll vicariously have trees through our parents back home.
6) A little bit of variety at volunteering this week - getting to sit in on a proceeding on the criminal law side of things.
7) Anticipation of shopping for boots on Friday, with HB, who has become not only a great friend but a super fun shopping partner!
8) My new fun haircut (this reminds me that I need to post photos!) which makes me want to wear my hair down again, and gives me a few different options for how to style it.
9) Making progress with the realization that I should give myself a break on meal planning to the extreme - it's not horrible to make the same thing more than once (I don't know why I have this obsession with variety, but hubby constantly reminds me that I can revisit recipes), and extending this week's meal plan due to the sheer amount of leftovers and extra ingredients we have.
10) A weekend shaping up to be lots of fun - football on Saturday and dinner with friends, and a visit in the big city with two college girlfriends on Sunday! (Hubby may or may not come along, depending what he feels like doing.)
Wow, I had no idea I had so many things I am loving right now! I should do this more often. :-)
Monday, December 6, 2010
Long Time No Blog!
Sorry for my silence as of late - I didn't mean to stay away all week, and I definitely missed blogging!
Last week hubby and I celebrated his graduation from a training course that was 16 weeks long. We got to spend some time socializing with his/our friends, which was very nice. We also had friends over for dinner twice this weekend, so we've been very social lately - which I always like. Things with baby-sitting and volunteering are essentially the same, though this week I get to do something a bit different with the legal side of things in volunteering so that should be interesting and new.
Hubby has less work for the next couple weeks, but he is working on getting ready up for more serious training that he'll start after the holidays. In just about two weeks, we are headed back to our (chilly) home state to spend time with family and friends there, so we're excited about that. I also just booked my trip to Chicago to see some girlfriends early next year - and a reunion with them is long overdue!
Hubby requested some good healthy meals for the next couple weeks, and I agree that I could use them too. We generally eat pretty well, no overly processed foods and all that, but I have been loving Pioneer Woman lately, and I've been going through a lot of butter! I decided to go ahead and take the week off from PW recipes, but I know I'll be going back soon enough. I made her Chicken Scallopine Saturday and it was delicious!
As usual for the beginning of the week, here are my planned meals:
Monday: Chicken Enchilada Casserole (Cooking Light)
Tuesday: Beef and Bean Chili Verde (Eating Well)
Wednesday: Ham and Gruyere Stuffed Potatoes (CL) with roasted broccoli
Thursday: Panang Curry with rice
Friday: Baked Ziti Casserole (CL)
Saturday: Tandoori Tofu (EW)
I'm getting more into casseroles lately - I made a turkey tetrazzini casserole after Thanksgiving which made hubby reaffirm his love for them. I like the idea too of assembling them and then baking them whenever needed. We'll see how they turn out this week!
Last week hubby and I celebrated his graduation from a training course that was 16 weeks long. We got to spend some time socializing with his/our friends, which was very nice. We also had friends over for dinner twice this weekend, so we've been very social lately - which I always like. Things with baby-sitting and volunteering are essentially the same, though this week I get to do something a bit different with the legal side of things in volunteering so that should be interesting and new.
Hubby has less work for the next couple weeks, but he is working on getting ready up for more serious training that he'll start after the holidays. In just about two weeks, we are headed back to our (chilly) home state to spend time with family and friends there, so we're excited about that. I also just booked my trip to Chicago to see some girlfriends early next year - and a reunion with them is long overdue!
Hubby requested some good healthy meals for the next couple weeks, and I agree that I could use them too. We generally eat pretty well, no overly processed foods and all that, but I have been loving Pioneer Woman lately, and I've been going through a lot of butter! I decided to go ahead and take the week off from PW recipes, but I know I'll be going back soon enough. I made her Chicken Scallopine Saturday and it was delicious!
As usual for the beginning of the week, here are my planned meals:
Monday: Chicken Enchilada Casserole (Cooking Light)
Tuesday: Beef and Bean Chili Verde (Eating Well)
Wednesday: Ham and Gruyere Stuffed Potatoes (CL) with roasted broccoli
Thursday: Panang Curry with rice
Friday: Baked Ziti Casserole (CL)
Saturday: Tandoori Tofu (EW)
I'm getting more into casseroles lately - I made a turkey tetrazzini casserole after Thanksgiving which made hubby reaffirm his love for them. I like the idea too of assembling them and then baking them whenever needed. We'll see how they turn out this week!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Fine Tuning the Meals (or, I Heart Pioneer Woman)
Well, I've settled down on a couple of the things that were uncertain in last night's meal post:
1. I will be making Chicken Scallopine (PW) and salad for company this Saturday I think
2. I am switching up my Turkey Pot Pie recipe because I found one by PW! Link here.
I realize my PW obsession hardly makes me unique, but I sure am thankful for her!
1. I will be making Chicken Scallopine (PW) and salad for company this Saturday I think
2. I am switching up my Turkey Pot Pie recipe because I found one by PW! Link here.
I realize my PW obsession hardly makes me unique, but I sure am thankful for her!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Meals
This will be a light meal planning week for various reasons, but I do need to still do it, and since I always do it here, here we go!
Monday: Baked Macaroni and Cheese and Ham
Tuesday: Turkey Pot Pie
Wednesday: Husband's work function
Thursday: Probably going out with friends
Friday: Pizza
Saturday: Undecided - might have company over, so I'll decide later
I waited til the end of the weekend, but at least there's not really that much to plan!
Monday: Baked Macaroni and Cheese and Ham
Tuesday: Turkey Pot Pie
Wednesday: Husband's work function
Thursday: Probably going out with friends
Friday: Pizza
Saturday: Undecided - might have company over, so I'll decide later
I waited til the end of the weekend, but at least there's not really that much to plan!
Holiday Wishlist
Because I am so greedy generous with ideas, I definitely have a few to give anyone who might ask what I want for Christmas! Without further ado -
- A yoga DVD. Any one, really. I love doing yoga at the gym in class, and it's occurred to me that I could just as easily do it at home on my own time, but it's harder to just come up with a full sequence myself, so why not use a DVD!
- The Pioneer Woman cookbook. Enough said. You know that particularly if you read this blog on any sort of regular basis!
- Gift cards to J. Crew, New York & Company, and/or DSW
- A spa gift certificate, specifically to one in this area. I love to get massages but never pay for them myself, and I would love to try out a facial or something too! It's just the type of thing I have a hard time justifying to myself usually.
- New luggage. My parents gave me a wonderful suitcase toward the beginning of college that has been all over the place with me (Italy, Turkey, New Zealand, Samoa, to name a few!) but it's really starting to show its age and use. I'd love a new suitcase to use when visiting family and friends!
- A new wristwatch. My last one, which I loved, broke somewhere in the time frame of our move down here. I would love another watch similar to that one.
- A yoga DVD. Any one, really. I love doing yoga at the gym in class, and it's occurred to me that I could just as easily do it at home on my own time, but it's harder to just come up with a full sequence myself, so why not use a DVD!
- The Pioneer Woman cookbook. Enough said. You know that particularly if you read this blog on any sort of regular basis!
- Gift cards to J. Crew, New York & Company, and/or DSW
- A spa gift certificate, specifically to one in this area. I love to get massages but never pay for them myself, and I would love to try out a facial or something too! It's just the type of thing I have a hard time justifying to myself usually.
- New luggage. My parents gave me a wonderful suitcase toward the beginning of college that has been all over the place with me (Italy, Turkey, New Zealand, Samoa, to name a few!) but it's really starting to show its age and use. I'd love a new suitcase to use when visiting family and friends!
This suitcase can be found here
- A new wristwatch. My last one, which I loved, broke somewhere in the time frame of our move down here. I would love another watch similar to that one.
This watch is on Amazon here
And probably the star of this list is something that fits right in the the emphasis on cooking that I have on my blog - a Dutch oven of the Le Creuset style... I think my favorite colors are Cassis:
Source here
And cherry red:Source here
(It's also not lost on me that the dutch oven colors essentially match my wedding colors!)
In the meantime, I am doing alright with my own Christmas purchases and all of that. Our parents are taken care of already, and I just ordered some more gifts online today. I've definitely got a few more to get together, and I need to keep on working on our Christmas cards, but I have it all underway!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Hubby's Birthday and Thanksgiving (aka, a bunch of food pictures)
As I wrote, hubby's birthday was Wednesday, and of course Thanksgiving was Thursday. I'm going to do a quick recap of both mainly through the food photos I took!
Hubby's birthday pecan pie that I made him - continuing the tradition his grandma started, of pecan pie instead of cake.
Chicken parm, his birthday dinner
Pumpkin pie that I made Thanksgiving morning!
Stuffing ready to go into the bird
Raw bird ready for the oven
Some of our side dishes on the table
Hubby carving the turkey - you can also see our two guests for the day
My plate - though it was missing the corn spoon bread I made, because I ate it before I remembered to take the photo!
The meal was definitely a success. The main snafus were the bird taking longer to cook than planned (but everything else was adjustable enough that it wasn't an issue), some chunks of cornstarch in the gravy (my fault), and a slightly singed oven mitt, the result of me accidentally touching the mitt to the heating coil in the oven when I was basting the turkey. Other than that though, things went smoothly and the reviews of the food were very good! Both of our guests (guys who are training with hubby and stayed in town for the holiday) put down a LOT of food, which is really the ultimate compliment when it comes to Thanksgiving! We were also really glad to have some guests which made the occasion seem even more special. We were also happy to pull out our china and silver for a meal!
So now I can say I have successfully planned and executed a Thanksgiving meal - with the help of hubby for sure. It was a lovely celebration, and I'm happy to say that we've also managed to clean up our mess! We're working on some leftovers bit by bit.
I hope everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thankful, the final chapter (on the blog at least)
With Thanksgiving weekend wrapping up, I figured I should finish out my thankful posts. My other three posts focused on the people in my life, and when I stop to feel thankful they are the ones who truly come to the top of my list as making such a big difference. However I thought I'd add some more things here, both silly and not so silly, to finish out my little series. :-)
I am thankful for my health and the health of many family and friends. I am thankful that some family members have their conditions under control, and that one friend has a serious condition diagnosed and is now in treatment. You know who you are, and you know I am thinking of you constantly!
I am thankful for the physical security my husband and I have - that we have an apartment, and can buy our groceries and pay our bills, and that we have medical insurance. Despite many of the negatives of his profession, I am thankful that he has one with pretty extreme job security and that we can live off his compensation while I take my "gap year" and go to school again starting next year. I know that so many in the world, and many in the United States, don't count this among their blessings, and I know I need to remember that every day.
I am thankful for both of our educations and for the way our parents supported those educations, and I am grateful for the opportunity to go to a very good law school near our next duty station.
I am thankful for the lovely wedding we had in June, where we were surrounded by so many friends and family and so much love.
I am thankful for the weekends I've had to make food, travel a little, watch movies, and relax with my husband.
I am thankful for the volunteering opportunity, baby-sitting work, and fitness classes I've found to keep my schedule full and somewhat productive.
I am thankful for all the culinary adventures I've had time for since we moved here - it's truly fun and yummy!
I am thankful for my morning coffee, for my laptop and the internet.
I am thankful for social outings with friends here in town.
I am thankful for the TV shows I like to watch - trashy and non-trashy alike!
I am thankful for the trip we have planned to our home state for the holidays, and the fact that there is a prayer for a white Christmas up there (because I am pretty sure the chance is teeny tiny for a white Christmas here!).
I am thankful for all the time I have had to read for pleasure, and for the local library that has a good system and wide selection of books!
I am thankful that I know myself well enough to not go shopping on Black Friday, because that type of thing is just not my thing at all!
That sounds good! I will post again, as soon as later today, to quickly recap our Thanksgiving and my first time heading up the meal preparation!
I am thankful for my health and the health of many family and friends. I am thankful that some family members have their conditions under control, and that one friend has a serious condition diagnosed and is now in treatment. You know who you are, and you know I am thinking of you constantly!
I am thankful for the physical security my husband and I have - that we have an apartment, and can buy our groceries and pay our bills, and that we have medical insurance. Despite many of the negatives of his profession, I am thankful that he has one with pretty extreme job security and that we can live off his compensation while I take my "gap year" and go to school again starting next year. I know that so many in the world, and many in the United States, don't count this among their blessings, and I know I need to remember that every day.
I am thankful for both of our educations and for the way our parents supported those educations, and I am grateful for the opportunity to go to a very good law school near our next duty station.
I am thankful for the lovely wedding we had in June, where we were surrounded by so many friends and family and so much love.
I am thankful for the weekends I've had to make food, travel a little, watch movies, and relax with my husband.
I am thankful for the volunteering opportunity, baby-sitting work, and fitness classes I've found to keep my schedule full and somewhat productive.
I am thankful for all the culinary adventures I've had time for since we moved here - it's truly fun and yummy!
I am thankful for my morning coffee, for my laptop and the internet.
I am thankful for social outings with friends here in town.
I am thankful for the TV shows I like to watch - trashy and non-trashy alike!
I am thankful for the trip we have planned to our home state for the holidays, and the fact that there is a prayer for a white Christmas up there (because I am pretty sure the chance is teeny tiny for a white Christmas here!).
I am thankful for all the time I have had to read for pleasure, and for the local library that has a good system and wide selection of books!
I am thankful that I know myself well enough to not go shopping on Black Friday, because that type of thing is just not my thing at all!
That sounds good! I will post again, as soon as later today, to quickly recap our Thanksgiving and my first time heading up the meal preparation!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thankful, Part III
As is probably not surprising, I most definitely need to devote one of these posts to my wonderful husband - and today is the perfect day to write about how thankful I am for him, because it's his birthday! This fact has possibly been just as exciting for me, if not more, as it is for him.
Anyway, it's hard to put into words how thankful I am for my husband, our relationship, and our marriage. We've known each other at least since we were 7 years old, we've been dating since we were 16, engaged since December 24, 2008, and now married for about 5.5 months, and I am thankful for him every single day. He does so much to make me happy, he is incredibly selfless in our marriage, and admittedly puts up with a lot from me when I have mycrazy unreasonable moments. He makes me laugh so much, he has so many strengths that are my weaknesses, and he is the first one I want to tell everything to - the one I bounce my problems off. He has given me so much, and he is one of the best parts of my life.
After two years of our high school relationship and four years of long distance during college, we are married and living a new adventure, in the real military, in this new state, in our very first apartment as "real" adults. I have really been loving it - from the exciting occasions (and purchases and improvements) to the little moments listening to silly Youtube songs, watching movies and TV, cuddling, eating meals, and living our daily lives together. It is in the most ordinary and wonderful moments that I am the most grateful for this man and his role in my life.
In addition to all those things, I know that not every military couple gets to live out their first married months in the same apartment, or state, or even country. I was also lucky enough to get my law school admission deferred for a year so I could take this "gap year" to be with him here. I try to remind myself how grateful I should be for those things - for spending his birthday, our first married Thanksgiving, and our first married Christmas together. I am soaking it all up this year because in his profession, the spending the holidays together is never a guarantee.
So, happy birthday darling, and please know how grateful I am for you, and for the fact that you wanted to marry me too. I hope to keep on being thankful for you for many years to come!
Now hubby, I will post this, tell you about it, and you'll read it right away I am sure - because that's how you roll. :-)
Anyway, it's hard to put into words how thankful I am for my husband, our relationship, and our marriage. We've known each other at least since we were 7 years old, we've been dating since we were 16, engaged since December 24, 2008, and now married for about 5.5 months, and I am thankful for him every single day. He does so much to make me happy, he is incredibly selfless in our marriage, and admittedly puts up with a lot from me when I have my
After two years of our high school relationship and four years of long distance during college, we are married and living a new adventure, in the real military, in this new state, in our very first apartment as "real" adults. I have really been loving it - from the exciting occasions (and purchases and improvements) to the little moments listening to silly Youtube songs, watching movies and TV, cuddling, eating meals, and living our daily lives together. It is in the most ordinary and wonderful moments that I am the most grateful for this man and his role in my life.
In addition to all those things, I know that not every military couple gets to live out their first married months in the same apartment, or state, or even country. I was also lucky enough to get my law school admission deferred for a year so I could take this "gap year" to be with him here. I try to remind myself how grateful I should be for those things - for spending his birthday, our first married Thanksgiving, and our first married Christmas together. I am soaking it all up this year because in his profession, the spending the holidays together is never a guarantee.
So, happy birthday darling, and please know how grateful I am for you, and for the fact that you wanted to marry me too. I hope to keep on being thankful for you for many years to come!
Hubby and me at our high school graduation
Now hubby, I will post this, tell you about it, and you'll read it right away I am sure - because that's how you roll. :-)
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thankful, Part Deux
Family! Most people have it, some people love it, some people hate it, a lot are in between. I feel particularly blessed for the fact that I have a wonderful nuclear family I grew up with (aka my parents, as I'm an only child - fun fact alert!), a wonderful extended family on both my mom's and dad's sides, though many of them live far away, a wonderful nuclear family-in-law (hubby's parents and brother), AND an extended family-in-law - one in which I've known most of the members since I was 16-17 years old or so, since many of them live in our home state or visited back then. I know I used the word "wonderful" way too many times just now, but I really want to emphasize how grateful I feel. (I suppose it was also a run-on sentence. Oh well.)
Hubby's parents have been wonderful to me since I became his girlfriend when we were in high school, and I have a great relationship with his brother too. The fact that there was so little family drama related to the wedding also was such a blessing - and now that we have had to figure out how to split up our Christmas vacation back home between the two families, we appreciate their understanding there too. We might even have a Christmas dinner that includes everyone - my parents, his parents and bro, and his extended family who will be around. I know that not every married couple is blessed with such family harmony, so I definitely try to be mindful of my good fortune.
In addition to the general love, acceptance, and understanding of our families, we have so many wonderful examples of marriage - my paternal grandparents (married I believe for around 40 years before my grandfather's death in 1991), my maternal grandparents (married for 48 years this year), hubby's grandparents (married 51 years this year), my parents (married 26 years this year) and his parents (married 25 years this year). Many a time I have been heartened knowing how many examples we have close to us - I really hope it's contagious, and I know that some studies have shown it often is. Feeling the support of all those couples in this, the year of our wedding, has been wonderful too.
I'm really looking forward to going to home (our old home at least) next month to spend time with everyone in our family. I treasure that time that we get, and I am grateful for all their love toward us in the past and especially as we have begun our marriage.
Hubby's parents have been wonderful to me since I became his girlfriend when we were in high school, and I have a great relationship with his brother too. The fact that there was so little family drama related to the wedding also was such a blessing - and now that we have had to figure out how to split up our Christmas vacation back home between the two families, we appreciate their understanding there too. We might even have a Christmas dinner that includes everyone - my parents, his parents and bro, and his extended family who will be around. I know that not every married couple is blessed with such family harmony, so I definitely try to be mindful of my good fortune.
In addition to the general love, acceptance, and understanding of our families, we have so many wonderful examples of marriage - my paternal grandparents (married I believe for around 40 years before my grandfather's death in 1991), my maternal grandparents (married for 48 years this year), hubby's grandparents (married 51 years this year), my parents (married 26 years this year) and his parents (married 25 years this year). Many a time I have been heartened knowing how many examples we have close to us - I really hope it's contagious, and I know that some studies have shown it often is. Feeling the support of all those couples in this, the year of our wedding, has been wonderful too.
I'm really looking forward to going to home (our old home at least) next month to spend time with everyone in our family. I treasure that time that we get, and I am grateful for all their love toward us in the past and especially as we have begun our marriage.
One of my favorite photos of hubby with his mom, dad, and brother.
And me with my parents!
Monday, November 22, 2010
A Tale of Two Turkeys
In addition to the "Thankful" series I am working on this week, I wanted to also share this random little story to give you a glimpse into the adventure of our first married Thanksgiving. That, and I came up with this title and HAD to use it on a post!
So, being someone who plans ahead and had never procured a Thanksgiving turkey before, I felt the need to get my hands on a turkey during my last trip to the store (a week ago today). I got a frozen one that was between 8 and 9 pounds. Hubby had invited some other friends over to our place but I doubted that very many of them would be able to make it, if any. I wanted to be conservative and not go overboard. I congratulated myself for being prepared and all of that good stuff.
Well, last night hubby revealed that a) he was afraid we wouldn't have enough turkey, or just barely enough for the 5 people we anticipate at our Thanksgiving (including ourselves) and b) he had run the situation by his mom (whose opinion I will always trust on food and entertaining) and indeed, she felt like at 9 pounds, we might have enough but not enough for leftovers, or possibly not enough if someone wanted to binge on turkey. Being the food-lovers we are, hubby and I could not stand the thought of no leftover turkey, or (heaven forbid) not enough turkey for everyone to pig out to their heart's content. So, with a bit of persuasion (not that much) from hubby, I went ahead and purchased another turkey today - this second bird weighing in at 13 pounds. Which is how we have arrived at the current situation - the original turkey still in the freezer, and the newer one beginning its thawing process in the refrigerator. Hubby had a good idea though - what if, when one of our buddies who will be training straight through Thanksgiving gets his break during December, we use the smaller turkey to recreate a Thanksgiving feast for him? This idea has a lot of potential, especially because Thanksgiving is basically hubby's favorite meal ever, and I don't hate it either. ;-)
So there you have it, the story of how we ended up with two turkeys in our apartment at the current moment. If this ends up as our worst Thanksgiving snafu, I will not complain at all!
So, being someone who plans ahead and had never procured a Thanksgiving turkey before, I felt the need to get my hands on a turkey during my last trip to the store (a week ago today). I got a frozen one that was between 8 and 9 pounds. Hubby had invited some other friends over to our place but I doubted that very many of them would be able to make it, if any. I wanted to be conservative and not go overboard. I congratulated myself for being prepared and all of that good stuff.
Well, last night hubby revealed that a) he was afraid we wouldn't have enough turkey, or just barely enough for the 5 people we anticipate at our Thanksgiving (including ourselves) and b) he had run the situation by his mom (whose opinion I will always trust on food and entertaining) and indeed, she felt like at 9 pounds, we might have enough but not enough for leftovers, or possibly not enough if someone wanted to binge on turkey. Being the food-lovers we are, hubby and I could not stand the thought of no leftover turkey, or (heaven forbid) not enough turkey for everyone to pig out to their heart's content. So, with a bit of persuasion (not that much) from hubby, I went ahead and purchased another turkey today - this second bird weighing in at 13 pounds. Which is how we have arrived at the current situation - the original turkey still in the freezer, and the newer one beginning its thawing process in the refrigerator. Hubby had a good idea though - what if, when one of our buddies who will be training straight through Thanksgiving gets his break during December, we use the smaller turkey to recreate a Thanksgiving feast for him? This idea has a lot of potential, especially because Thanksgiving is basically hubby's favorite meal ever, and I don't hate it either. ;-)
So there you have it, the story of how we ended up with two turkeys in our apartment at the current moment. If this ends up as our worst Thanksgiving snafu, I will not complain at all!
Thankful
I'm hoping to make this a series/focus for this week, the idea being focusing on different areas of my life I'm thankful for. It won't be an exhaustive list, but I want to take the time out to be mindful of all the blessings in my life. I am feeling inspired by Thanksgiving, but a goal of mine is to remember to be thankful each and every day.
Without further ado, my focus today is going to be on friends - those I have gathered in past parts of my life, and the wonderful social network I have found in the months since I moved here with hubby.
Hubby and I are from the same small town, and we're still in touch with many of our high school friends. A good number of them also graced us with their presence at our wedding, and we're set to see at least a few of them over Christmas break when we head back to our home state. I love that those bonds are still strong, 4+ years after high school graduation.
I was also beyond blessed to find the girls I did in college - some as early as new student orientation (AH, I'm thinking of you!) and others who I met a bit later on but still can't imagine my college experience without them (Kristen!). Words can't even express the love and good memories I've shared with them. Though I wish I was in touch with them all more often, I am glad to be in touch with them all, thanks to technology, and I've got plans in the works to see a few of them in Chicago early next year (I'm pumped for that by the way!). Since anymore words I write about being grateful for these ladies are likely to just sound cornier and cornier, I'll go ahead and share some photos -
Without further ado, my focus today is going to be on friends - those I have gathered in past parts of my life, and the wonderful social network I have found in the months since I moved here with hubby.
Hubby and I are from the same small town, and we're still in touch with many of our high school friends. A good number of them also graced us with their presence at our wedding, and we're set to see at least a few of them over Christmas break when we head back to our home state. I love that those bonds are still strong, 4+ years after high school graduation.
I was also beyond blessed to find the girls I did in college - some as early as new student orientation (AH, I'm thinking of you!) and others who I met a bit later on but still can't imagine my college experience without them (Kristen!). Words can't even express the love and good memories I've shared with them. Though I wish I was in touch with them all more often, I am glad to be in touch with them all, thanks to technology, and I've got plans in the works to see a few of them in Chicago early next year (I'm pumped for that by the way!). Since anymore words I write about being grateful for these ladies are likely to just sound cornier and cornier, I'll go ahead and share some photos -
AN, AG, Kristen, KT, and myself
Making sure not to leave Molly out - she was singing a cappella when we took the above photo!
This is an oldie but a goodie - with ES and AH, freshman year!
And me with the lovely MS in Zurich - she was studying in Milano, I was in Firenze, and we got to take a trip north one weekend!
I left college knowing I could never really replicate bonds like the ones I had in college, but hoping to find other military wives (and girlfriends and fiancees) who I could rely on and have fun with as I embarked on this new adventure. It took a few months (and is still continuing) but through a couple different channels I've met some really wonderful ladies here. I feel blessed that as a group, these women are so open to meeting new people, and have so much to share and offer from their experiences. A silver lining to the nature of our spouses' work is also that we often have a chance for total girl time - something that many married people probably have to forgo a bit more often. Hubby and I have also developed relationships on a married couple basis - hubby knows the husband and I know the wife, and we're all friends, and that's always fun too since being married is an adventure all on its own. I know when Kristen and Molly visited in July, they could tell I had a lack of female social bonds in my life here, but that definitely changed. I am grateful for things like having someone to shop and go get pampered with, which is something that HB and I have already done (shopping!) and are planning to do (get haircuts) together. I know that my military relationships will continue to shift and change with each move, and as others move, but between the online network and knowing how to find people and get involved, I have high hopes that I can continue to make the most of all the social opportunities.
I am full of gratitude for the people I have met in each phase of my life. I know that part of that is being open to new relationships, but I am grateful that so many of the individuals in question have been so open to me as well.
I know a lot of the people I mentioned here read this blog - so I want to thank each of you for being a wonderful positive influence in my life! I feel like there are more, and better words, to describe what all of these relationships mean to me, but at the risk of rambling on and on, I'll end here. I'm hoping I'll continue this week to post about the things I am grateful for (or at least a small representative sampling).
Hope everyone is enjoying the Thanksgiving preparations this week!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Meal Planning for a Special Week
This week is certainly an unusual food week, but one I am very excited for! I'll be cooking special items both for hubby's birthday on Wednesday, and for Thanksgiving. In addition to the Wednesday dinner, I'll be making a pecan pie since it is one of his favorite desserts. Our weekend has been pretty relaxing, I'm looking forward to another short week and a weekend full of food and celebration.
Monday: Family Favorite Salad with Ranch Dressing by Guy Fieri
Tuesday: Burrito Bowls with rice, beans, cheese, salsa, avocado, and other fixings
Wednesday (Hubby's birthday!): Chicken Parm (PW version) with linguine and steamed broccoli
Thursday: THANKSGIVING, specifically: Turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes (done by hubby), my godmother's corn spoon bread, Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Almonds, and pumpkin pie
Friday: Sausage and Broccoli Pizza
Saturday and the rest of forever: Any Thanksgiving leftovers that need eating :-)
I also managed to finish Julie and Julia, which means my next book to start is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which I've had on hold for a while and finally got to pick up at the library. Of course in the meantime, another book I had on hold has become available, so I'll stay motivated to read quickly. :-)
I'll try to update a couple times this week, and of course I will also attempt to document our first married Thanksgiving as well!
Monday: Family Favorite Salad with Ranch Dressing by Guy Fieri
Tuesday: Burrito Bowls with rice, beans, cheese, salsa, avocado, and other fixings
Wednesday (Hubby's birthday!): Chicken Parm (PW version) with linguine and steamed broccoli
Thursday: THANKSGIVING, specifically: Turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes (done by hubby), my godmother's corn spoon bread, Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Almonds, and pumpkin pie
Friday: Sausage and Broccoli Pizza
Saturday and the rest of forever: Any Thanksgiving leftovers that need eating :-)
I also managed to finish Julie and Julia, which means my next book to start is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which I've had on hold for a while and finally got to pick up at the library. Of course in the meantime, another book I had on hold has become available, so I'll stay motivated to read quickly. :-)
I'll try to update a couple times this week, and of course I will also attempt to document our first married Thanksgiving as well!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Frugality (or attempts at it anyhow)
I felt good about myself and our household energy use today - we haven't had our climate control on in a while, we've just been leaving windows open from time to time now that it's pretty mild here. When it gets cold, I just put more clothes on! (Today, that means hubby's flannel shirt and some nice warm socks.) I just gave me/us a mental pat on the back today, because we are (hopefully) saving at least a little money by waiting to turn the heat on, and making sure not to ever have the AC on these days, while we can.
Without going into too much detail (because it's boring but can also be a touchy subject), marriage has been great for me in taking better ownership of money management than I ever have before, now that I am in a partnership and we have long term plans. I read Smart Couples Finish Rich* this past month (rather quickly actually) and while it wasn't totally life changing or anything, it reinforced some of the good habits we have and got me more serious about fixing some of the less ideal habits. I also totally organized all our financial records at the book's suggestion, which kind of made hubby think I was crazy, but he already knew this. :-) I've also recommitted to our grocery budget this month (even though it's Thanksgiving) and I'm trying even more than usual to make meal planning work to save us money, find coupons where I can, make smart choices and use our resources wisely.
Besides - flannel and comfy socks are just so darn cozy!
*The title is a bit misleading I think - it's more about managing money to live according to personal values, communicate and work together as a couple, and save enough to live comfortably through retirement - rather than amassing large amounts of wealth just for the heck of it.
And in other news, I made Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Salad for dinner tonight, and it sure was spicy, but tasty! I had the last bit on a piece of pita which was extra good and helped out with the spice. At the last minute I thought some Greek yogurt would have been wonderful too, but it was all gone... definitely a successful recipe though! Thanks for bearing with my random foodie musings, if you got this far!
Without going into too much detail (because it's boring but can also be a touchy subject), marriage has been great for me in taking better ownership of money management than I ever have before, now that I am in a partnership and we have long term plans. I read Smart Couples Finish Rich* this past month (rather quickly actually) and while it wasn't totally life changing or anything, it reinforced some of the good habits we have and got me more serious about fixing some of the less ideal habits. I also totally organized all our financial records at the book's suggestion, which kind of made hubby think I was crazy, but he already knew this. :-) I've also recommitted to our grocery budget this month (even though it's Thanksgiving) and I'm trying even more than usual to make meal planning work to save us money, find coupons where I can, make smart choices and use our resources wisely.
Besides - flannel and comfy socks are just so darn cozy!
*The title is a bit misleading I think - it's more about managing money to live according to personal values, communicate and work together as a couple, and save enough to live comfortably through retirement - rather than amassing large amounts of wealth just for the heck of it.
And in other news, I made Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Salad for dinner tonight, and it sure was spicy, but tasty! I had the last bit on a piece of pita which was extra good and helped out with the spice. At the last minute I thought some Greek yogurt would have been wonderful too, but it was all gone... definitely a successful recipe though! Thanks for bearing with my random foodie musings, if you got this far!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
I Might Have a Problem
But it's not the worst problem or compulsion a person could have. You see, my possible problem is with borrowing books from the library. The good news is, I have embraced the idea of reading for pleasure this year to the point that I feel I must have a book out from the library at all times that I'm reading. Never mind that I am also reading a book I own, The Red Tent. Part of the issue is that the library changed up its system recently, so that it wasn't doing holds at all in October, and now it seems like filling the requests online is taking longer than it used to. For the past couple weeks, I was first in line for three items that didn't seem to be moving at all. "I might have to take matters into my own hands, and just find books that are available to ensure a constant stream of reading material," I thought to myself.
Over the weekend, one of the three materials said "shipped" - so I went to the library to return something yesterday and double checked that it wasn't there - it wasn't. In such a situation, I couldn't resist the temptation to get another book on my to-read list - Julie and Julia in this case. Lo and behold, I got an e-mail this morning saying the shipped book was ready and available for me to pick up. So here I am, having started Julie and Julia, still working on The Red Tent, and now I'm going to pick up this other book. Oh and did I mention I am borrowing a book for military wives from a friend? Madness, I tell you.
Anyway, it's not all bad because it pushes me to read the books fast, which I like. I feel so accomplished when I finish another book and I'm really enjoying my project this year - a concerted effort to read more for pleasure and truly take advantage of the free time I have. Also, thank goodness for renewals. They're a lifesaver in this situation.
All I can say is, so many books, so little time until I start law school. (Okay, so I have like 9 months. But still!)
Anyone have any book recommendations I can add to my to-read list?
Over the weekend, one of the three materials said "shipped" - so I went to the library to return something yesterday and double checked that it wasn't there - it wasn't. In such a situation, I couldn't resist the temptation to get another book on my to-read list - Julie and Julia in this case. Lo and behold, I got an e-mail this morning saying the shipped book was ready and available for me to pick up. So here I am, having started Julie and Julia, still working on The Red Tent, and now I'm going to pick up this other book. Oh and did I mention I am borrowing a book for military wives from a friend? Madness, I tell you.
Anyway, it's not all bad because it pushes me to read the books fast, which I like. I feel so accomplished when I finish another book and I'm really enjoying my project this year - a concerted effort to read more for pleasure and truly take advantage of the free time I have. Also, thank goodness for renewals. They're a lifesaver in this situation.
All I can say is, so many books, so little time until I start law school. (Okay, so I have like 9 months. But still!)
Anyone have any book recommendations I can add to my to-read list?
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Another week of meal planning and culinary adventures
This week's planning was all about using the things we had leftover after last week, for whatever reason - broccoli, goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, red bell pepper, among other things. I was/am determined not to let all that good stuff go to waste! Here's what I came up with, including the dinner we ate tonight:
Sunday: Kimchi Fried Rice with chicken (based off a couple of websites)
Monday: Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage
Tuesday: Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Salad (CL)
Wednesday: Goat Cheese Pizzas
Thursday: Leftovers from one of the other days, or spontaneous creativity (this is just because I so often have leftovers of other dinners, or end up being invited to someone's home)
Friday: The Marlboro Man Sandwich by PW
Saturday: Curry Turkey Burgers (RR)
I also think I've got our Thanksgiving menu planned out, and will start officially picking up supplies tomorrow. I'm pretty excited and I've definitely started planning how to get everything done. Thanks to your feedback, and hubby's I'll be making some green beans to go along with the meal, using a Tyler Florence recipe from the Food Network website.
I'm pretty excited for the upcoming holidays and all the associated food and time with loved ones - I bet the part about being excited for the food isn't coming across at all. ;-) Have a great start to the week everybody!
Sunday: Kimchi Fried Rice with chicken (based off a couple of websites)
Monday: Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage
Tuesday: Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Salad (CL)
Wednesday: Goat Cheese Pizzas
Thursday: Leftovers from one of the other days, or spontaneous creativity (this is just because I so often have leftovers of other dinners, or end up being invited to someone's home)
Friday: The Marlboro Man Sandwich by PW
Saturday: Curry Turkey Burgers (RR)
I also think I've got our Thanksgiving menu planned out, and will start officially picking up supplies tomorrow. I'm pretty excited and I've definitely started planning how to get everything done. Thanks to your feedback, and hubby's I'll be making some green beans to go along with the meal, using a Tyler Florence recipe from the Food Network website.
I'm pretty excited for the upcoming holidays and all the associated food and time with loved ones - I bet the part about being excited for the food isn't coming across at all. ;-) Have a great start to the week everybody!
A Trip to a Foodie Haven
Hubby had a long weekend due to a holiday, so we took the opportunity to take a day to make a day trip to the big city closest to us. We visited a few museums, ate at a couple of neat restaurants, and did one other thing which I'd heard about and hubby was skeptical of, but turned out to be really really fun.
Basically, he'd had an idea a little while ago that we should try to make kimchi, as in the Korean fermented spicy cabbage. I laughed as I do at many of his ideas, but still took it seriously. I ended up talking to my "boss" at volunteering about Asian food and all that, and she told me about a place near the city that is full of ethnic food and all sorts of produce and things like that - including a large selection of kimchi. Being the foodie that I am, I was like hmm, it sounds like I have to go there.
So we did. We showed up in the late afternoon, started in the produce section and went from there. As we progressed through the store, hubby began to definitely agree with me that the place was awesome. The food offerings ranged in everything from Korean, Japanese, Chinese, to Hispanic, to Eastern European, Indian, Thai, and all of that. Aside from the kimchi, we ended up buying a strange assortment of foods which included: sugar cane, coconut, dried kiwis and figs, udon noodles, glass noodles, panang curry paste, chiles in adobo sauce... and I think that's about it. All I know is, next time I am gearing up to go to the big city, I will be making a list of the strange and/or interesting ethnic foods I want to buy! It was a foodie's dream, is all I can say. I think tonight I'll be making up some kimchi fried rice, so I'll have to let you all know how we like it.
Hope everyone has been having a wonderful weekend!
Basically, he'd had an idea a little while ago that we should try to make kimchi, as in the Korean fermented spicy cabbage. I laughed as I do at many of his ideas, but still took it seriously. I ended up talking to my "boss" at volunteering about Asian food and all that, and she told me about a place near the city that is full of ethnic food and all sorts of produce and things like that - including a large selection of kimchi. Being the foodie that I am, I was like hmm, it sounds like I have to go there.
So we did. We showed up in the late afternoon, started in the produce section and went from there. As we progressed through the store, hubby began to definitely agree with me that the place was awesome. The food offerings ranged in everything from Korean, Japanese, Chinese, to Hispanic, to Eastern European, Indian, Thai, and all of that. Aside from the kimchi, we ended up buying a strange assortment of foods which included: sugar cane, coconut, dried kiwis and figs, udon noodles, glass noodles, panang curry paste, chiles in adobo sauce... and I think that's about it. All I know is, next time I am gearing up to go to the big city, I will be making a list of the strange and/or interesting ethnic foods I want to buy! It was a foodie's dream, is all I can say. I think tonight I'll be making up some kimchi fried rice, so I'll have to let you all know how we like it.
Hope everyone has been having a wonderful weekend!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Another Holiday Poll
Well, as of now there is no clear favorite out of the comments for my Shutterfly post. I got one vote for each haha! It's all good though, because as I play with our photo options and look at it more, I think a personal favorite is emerging, though I have to run it by hubby. I'll wait to reveal the final choice so it's a surprise for any of you that may be receiving a card from us!
Now, there is an even more pressing matter at hand that I'd like to ask for input on. Thanksgiving is coming up SOON, and we are doing it right here at our apartment, since our home state is a loooong journey and we'll be there over Christmas. So I really need to get planning, but so far my problem is I don't have a good veggie dish. A lot of other things are no-brainers, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and I think this really moist cornbread recipe I got from my godmother. The big missing piece? VEGETABLES! So, I am appealing to you dear readers, to share any of your favorite Thanksgiving veggie recipes. I'd love some inspiration! Thanks in advance. :-)
I had a great day here, though I am slightly unnerved by the 70+ sunny weather. In November! I know it's silly to complain about that type of weather, it's just an adjustment for me! Anyway, I went back to spin class (yay), socialized over coffee and fro yo, and got some good volunteering in. I'm happy and grateful for things right now and I'm trying not to take it for granted.
And on one very last little sidenote, I just finished watching this week's Glee and loved it! So over the top cheesy, but the messages and musical performances are irresistible for me.
Alright, let's have it. Any Thanksgiving veggie dishes you all want to share?
Now, there is an even more pressing matter at hand that I'd like to ask for input on. Thanksgiving is coming up SOON, and we are doing it right here at our apartment, since our home state is a loooong journey and we'll be there over Christmas. So I really need to get planning, but so far my problem is I don't have a good veggie dish. A lot of other things are no-brainers, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and I think this really moist cornbread recipe I got from my godmother. The big missing piece? VEGETABLES! So, I am appealing to you dear readers, to share any of your favorite Thanksgiving veggie recipes. I'd love some inspiration! Thanks in advance. :-)
I had a great day here, though I am slightly unnerved by the 70+ sunny weather. In November! I know it's silly to complain about that type of weather, it's just an adjustment for me! Anyway, I went back to spin class (yay), socialized over coffee and fro yo, and got some good volunteering in. I'm happy and grateful for things right now and I'm trying not to take it for granted.
And on one very last little sidenote, I just finished watching this week's Glee and loved it! So over the top cheesy, but the messages and musical performances are irresistible for me.
Alright, let's have it. Any Thanksgiving veggie dishes you all want to share?
Monday, November 8, 2010
Shutterfly and a Christmas Card Promo!
I am definitely in full out Christmas planning mode, though I haven't actually purchased that many gifts yet. I figure this is the best year to get away with slapping a wedding photo of us onto a Christmas card, but I want to do it and send it to a decently-sized group of loved ones without breaking the bank. That's where this post comes in - I am writing because Shutterfly currently has a promo offer for bloggers (even inconsequential ones with 23 followers like me!) offering 50 free cards in exchange for a blog post. I've never made a practice of "sponsored posts" or anything like that, but I was already going to get Shutterfly cards when I found out about the promo and I figured why not! If you want to participate, you can head here: http://bit.ly/sfly2010
Now the only thing to decide is which design to use - I'm going to find a few favorites and then ask you all to comment and let me know which is your favorite. I want to keep it simple with one photo (especially since it's a photo of us, so I don't want to have overkill), and I want it to be elegant, simple, attractive. Something with "Happy Holidays" would be great, but most people I know do celebrate Christmas so I can handle that as well.
Upon a little bit of browsing, here are three finalists (I'm just trying to go with gut feeling here!).
1. This first one is very understated and elegant:
(P.S. I may be planning for Christmas, but I am not happy that two of my six preset radio stations are playing Christmas music! I'd like to actually enjoy Thanksgiving before the music of Christmas is everywhere... trying my best to avoid those stations til later this month!)
Now the only thing to decide is which design to use - I'm going to find a few favorites and then ask you all to comment and let me know which is your favorite. I want to keep it simple with one photo (especially since it's a photo of us, so I don't want to have overkill), and I want it to be elegant, simple, attractive. Something with "Happy Holidays" would be great, but most people I know do celebrate Christmas so I can handle that as well.
Upon a little bit of browsing, here are three finalists (I'm just trying to go with gut feeling here!).
1. This first one is very understated and elegant:
See/order the card here
2. I love the graphics of the next one, and the cute little girl. Sadly, we'd have to replace her with our own faces...
Link to the card here
3. I love the fun font and graphics of this last one:
Link here
They all have their pros and cons for me! Please please comment, and tell me which one you like the best! Thanks for your help, and for bearing with me. :-)
(P.S. I may be planning for Christmas, but I am not happy that two of my six preset radio stations are playing Christmas music! I'd like to actually enjoy Thanksgiving before the music of Christmas is everywhere... trying my best to avoid those stations til later this month!)
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Blogging Potpourri
[So titled because I'm mixing quite a few things into this one post! Maybe a list is in order.]
1. Hubby had a short weekend - he had to work today in the afternoon because of the long weekend coming up. I guess that kind of cancels it out a little bit, but there you go. We made it count though, by going out to dinner Friday night (fun, tasty food, definitely a success) and doing absolutely nothing that required us to put on real clothes and leave the apartment yesterday. Hooray for PJ days!
2. This morning I made Barefoot Contessa's Maple-Oatmeal Scones for hubby because he'd mentioned scones as a request a while back. I could only make a 1/4 recipe, because I only had one stick of butter and the recipe called for a pound, and I substituted some milk with lemon juice for buttermilk, but in the end I was able to make it without making a special trip to the store. They came out really well and I'll definitely make them again! Hubby especially loved the glaze. :-)
I took a photo, of course:
3. One of my major tasks this weekend was getting our finances in order. I was spurred on because I'm currently reading Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach. Hubby thinks it's the same as any other financial book, and he may well be right, but at the very least I used it as inspiration to get a box of files together the way the author recommends. I love organization (even though I do tend toward clutter...), so it's really satisfying to know I'll have our statements, tax returns, and other documents within easy reach.
4. I did some meal planning and even got a few things at one store tonight, so I had a meal planned for tonight too:
Sunday: Chipotle Bean Burritos (Cooking Light)
Monday: Cavatappi with Prosciutto and Parmesan (CL)
Tuesday: Seared Tuna with Japanese Salsa
Wednesday: Beef with Snow Peas (PW) and jasmine rice
Thursday: Philly Cheese Steak with Carrots and Broccoli
Friday: Eat out on our daytrip to the big city during the long weekend
Saturday: Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes (CL), with Orzo and Roasted Broccoli
Tomorrow I'm back in fitness class, grocery shopping, and baby-sitting. Crazy to think the hubby's weekend will start Wednesday night!
1. Hubby had a short weekend - he had to work today in the afternoon because of the long weekend coming up. I guess that kind of cancels it out a little bit, but there you go. We made it count though, by going out to dinner Friday night (fun, tasty food, definitely a success) and doing absolutely nothing that required us to put on real clothes and leave the apartment yesterday. Hooray for PJ days!
2. This morning I made Barefoot Contessa's Maple-Oatmeal Scones for hubby because he'd mentioned scones as a request a while back. I could only make a 1/4 recipe, because I only had one stick of butter and the recipe called for a pound, and I substituted some milk with lemon juice for buttermilk, but in the end I was able to make it without making a special trip to the store. They came out really well and I'll definitely make them again! Hubby especially loved the glaze. :-)
I took a photo, of course:
Got 4 scones out of the 1/4 recipe!
3. One of my major tasks this weekend was getting our finances in order. I was spurred on because I'm currently reading Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach. Hubby thinks it's the same as any other financial book, and he may well be right, but at the very least I used it as inspiration to get a box of files together the way the author recommends. I love organization (even though I do tend toward clutter...), so it's really satisfying to know I'll have our statements, tax returns, and other documents within easy reach.
4. I did some meal planning and even got a few things at one store tonight, so I had a meal planned for tonight too:
Sunday: Chipotle Bean Burritos (Cooking Light)
Monday: Cavatappi with Prosciutto and Parmesan (CL)
Tuesday: Seared Tuna with Japanese Salsa
Wednesday: Beef with Snow Peas (PW) and jasmine rice
Thursday: Philly Cheese Steak with Carrots and Broccoli
Friday: Eat out on our daytrip to the big city during the long weekend
Saturday: Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes (CL), with Orzo and Roasted Broccoli
Tomorrow I'm back in fitness class, grocery shopping, and baby-sitting. Crazy to think the hubby's weekend will start Wednesday night!
Friday, November 5, 2010
My Ever-Evolving Sleep Schedule
It's been a slow posting week for me - I just feel like I've been doing a lot of different things! (Baby-sitting, military spouse group event, lunch with some friends, volunteering, time with hubby, and oh yeah, attempting to keep the apartment somewhat clean...) Anyway, I was reflecting on last night and how it is a good example of how I view proper sleeping times so differently now, partly as an influence from my husband and partly because of my schedule.
In college (where I still was 6 months ago!) on school nights, on average I would go to bed between 11:30 and 12:30, and wake up around 7:30. Not "early" on either end for a normal person, but definitely compared to many of my peers (my senior year roomie excepted, who always got up to go to the gym... love you Kristen!). On weekends those hours often shifted later, as there was plenty of socializing to be done and no pressing need to be up much earlier than 9 or 10. I got along with this schedule pretty darn well, if I do say so myself!
Fast forward to now... I resisted the change at first, often staying up later than hubby because I simply wasn't tired when he went to bed at 9 or so. Then, fitness classes entered the picture... and volunteering... and now baby-sitting. I've also found that prior to my usual half hour commute, I like to sit around in the morning and take my sweet time to drink coffee, eat cereal, and resist getting ready til the last possible moment. (That is exactly what I'm doing right now in fact.) These facts combine to have me awake usually no later than 6:30 most weekdays (which is still usually after hubby leaves the apartment). With everything I'm doing, I'm now tired much earlier, and yesterday was no exception. I kind of felt out of it all day, and I was tired even though I'd slept a lot more than my husband, who got up at 2:30 to work on some homework. So, after dinner, we both decided it was time to head toward bed. What time was it? 7:30 pm.... He actually had more to do, so I read in bed while he finished things up and I think we were asleep around 9. The best part? I still notice the change but feel no shame. I delight in being able to get in bed so early, because I know that I won't always be able to do that even when I want to, because I know what's in my future (namely, law school and eventually kids).
And you know what? I got up at 5:45 this morning and so far I feel great! I'm excited to get some volunteering in, take off in the early afternoon and come home to get our apartment back in order and ready for the weekend.
I hope this wasn't too much rambling - it's just amusing to me to observe the change in my sleep habits over a short period of time, but it does make sense with all the different factors and scheduling involved! Sleep makes such a huge difference (particularly since I get a little extra crabby when tired - just ask my hubby.) I think I'm doing us both a favor by making a big priority. :-)
In college (where I still was 6 months ago!) on school nights, on average I would go to bed between 11:30 and 12:30, and wake up around 7:30. Not "early" on either end for a normal person, but definitely compared to many of my peers (my senior year roomie excepted, who always got up to go to the gym... love you Kristen!). On weekends those hours often shifted later, as there was plenty of socializing to be done and no pressing need to be up much earlier than 9 or 10. I got along with this schedule pretty darn well, if I do say so myself!
Fast forward to now... I resisted the change at first, often staying up later than hubby because I simply wasn't tired when he went to bed at 9 or so. Then, fitness classes entered the picture... and volunteering... and now baby-sitting. I've also found that prior to my usual half hour commute, I like to sit around in the morning and take my sweet time to drink coffee, eat cereal, and resist getting ready til the last possible moment. (That is exactly what I'm doing right now in fact.) These facts combine to have me awake usually no later than 6:30 most weekdays (which is still usually after hubby leaves the apartment). With everything I'm doing, I'm now tired much earlier, and yesterday was no exception. I kind of felt out of it all day, and I was tired even though I'd slept a lot more than my husband, who got up at 2:30 to work on some homework. So, after dinner, we both decided it was time to head toward bed. What time was it? 7:30 pm.... He actually had more to do, so I read in bed while he finished things up and I think we were asleep around 9. The best part? I still notice the change but feel no shame. I delight in being able to get in bed so early, because I know that I won't always be able to do that even when I want to, because I know what's in my future (namely, law school and eventually kids).
And you know what? I got up at 5:45 this morning and so far I feel great! I'm excited to get some volunteering in, take off in the early afternoon and come home to get our apartment back in order and ready for the weekend.
I hope this wasn't too much rambling - it's just amusing to me to observe the change in my sleep habits over a short period of time, but it does make sense with all the different factors and scheduling involved! Sleep makes such a huge difference (particularly since I get a little extra crabby when tired - just ask my hubby.) I think I'm doing us both a favor by making a big priority. :-)
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Almost November?
Partly due to the ever-warm weather here, I have a hard time believing tomorrow is November! I'm looking forward to things that include hubby's birthday and Thanksgiving though!
We're not sure if we'll get any trick-or-treaters here at our apartment, but we'll put out our pumpkin and have some candy ready just in case. Last night we went to a Halloween party put on by another couple in hubs' training class. Costumes were mandatory, but luckily hubby came up with a good idea a couple weeks before - we went dressed as each other! Yes, my husband had on a dress, a wig, heels, and makeup. I won't be posting any photos here, but if you know me in real life or on Facebook, you'll be able to see some. Everyone complimented him on his costume and it was good for a lot of laughs! Oddly for us, the "switch" really did give us a taste of life in the others shoes. He realized it can be a pain to have hair in your face (and wear heels!) and I got to spend the night nice and comfy in his boots. We also made fun of each other and pretended to be the other person before we left - strangely insightful in addition to being funny! I was mostly appreciative of hubby's willingness not to take himself too seriously and go out on a limb for Halloween fun!
Today is ending up to be a very lazy day, but also food-centered! I'll be making a couple batches of cookies for an event taking place on Tuesday, and I've just been working on meal planning.
Here's what I'm thinking:
Monday: Steak with Burgundy Mushroom Sauce (PW)
Tuesday: Hubby fends for himself while I'm away
Wednesday: Veggie Quesadillas
Thursday: Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (PW)
Friday: Buffalo Chicken Pot Pie (RR)
Hope everyone had a great weekend. :-)
We're not sure if we'll get any trick-or-treaters here at our apartment, but we'll put out our pumpkin and have some candy ready just in case. Last night we went to a Halloween party put on by another couple in hubs' training class. Costumes were mandatory, but luckily hubby came up with a good idea a couple weeks before - we went dressed as each other! Yes, my husband had on a dress, a wig, heels, and makeup. I won't be posting any photos here, but if you know me in real life or on Facebook, you'll be able to see some. Everyone complimented him on his costume and it was good for a lot of laughs! Oddly for us, the "switch" really did give us a taste of life in the others shoes. He realized it can be a pain to have hair in your face (and wear heels!) and I got to spend the night nice and comfy in his boots. We also made fun of each other and pretended to be the other person before we left - strangely insightful in addition to being funny! I was mostly appreciative of hubby's willingness not to take himself too seriously and go out on a limb for Halloween fun!
Today is ending up to be a very lazy day, but also food-centered! I'll be making a couple batches of cookies for an event taking place on Tuesday, and I've just been working on meal planning.
Here's what I'm thinking:
Monday: Steak with Burgundy Mushroom Sauce (PW)
Tuesday: Hubby fends for himself while I'm away
Wednesday: Veggie Quesadillas
Thursday: Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (PW)
Friday: Buffalo Chicken Pot Pie (RR)
Hope everyone had a great weekend. :-)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Television
I'm definitely a little too into television, but luckily my schedule of late has made it so I don't watch it so mindlessly most of the time. I do have my shows a few nights a week that I always stay up to date with though - whether online after they air, or the night they're on if I can watch.
The return of Glee has been very exciting for me... though I do miss watching with my roomies like I did during my senior year of college! It's so cheesy but so fun. :-) There's also a season of America's Next Top Model on right now. I know, it is definitely on the trashier side, but I can't resist it! And tonight I'm pumped for the season finale of Project Runway! I just find it fun to keep up with a few of my favorite shows, and especially on my nights alone, to settle into the couch for 60-90 minutes of viewing pleasure!
(Other TV pleasures guilty and otherwise include Teen Mom, which just ended a season, and Top Chef, which ended one and will be back with the All-Star season in December! You're probably not too surprised about Top Chef, considering the heavily food-oriented nature of my blog!)
The return of Glee has been very exciting for me... though I do miss watching with my roomies like I did during my senior year of college! It's so cheesy but so fun. :-) There's also a season of America's Next Top Model on right now. I know, it is definitely on the trashier side, but I can't resist it! And tonight I'm pumped for the season finale of Project Runway! I just find it fun to keep up with a few of my favorite shows, and especially on my nights alone, to settle into the couch for 60-90 minutes of viewing pleasure!
(Other TV pleasures guilty and otherwise include Teen Mom, which just ended a season, and Top Chef, which ended one and will be back with the All-Star season in December! You're probably not too surprised about Top Chef, considering the heavily food-oriented nature of my blog!)
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Pumpkin Cupcakes (L + S Cupcake Club!)
I *should* be going to bed so I won't be tired tomorrow... which of course means it's a perfect time to post about the pumpkin cupcakes I made this past weekend, following Lola's announcement on her blog about the L + S Cupcake Club - two choices this month! The pumpkin kind sounded fantastic the moment I read about it, so it wasn't a very hard decision! I blatantly copied her and made brown sugar cream cheese frosting as well. Unlike the slightly special marble cupcakes I made last month, I am happy to say the pumpkin cupcakes were a solid winner for me!
Soooo let's get to the good stuff, the pictures!
Soooo let's get to the good stuff, the pictures!
The ingredient round-up. Oh how I love channeling Pioneer Woman!
[Incidentally, Lola posted about clarifying the butter and heating it on the stove... my online version of the recipe said no such thing as I recall, so I just microwaved the butter. As far as I can tell it all turned out ok!]
Dry ingredients. Love those colorful spices! (Nutmeg, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice.)
I think this is (melted) butter and sugar...
Mixing dry ingredients with wet. And yes I was watching TV. My husband went to bed at 7:30 (work tires him out) so I had a little Friday night baking session!
Yes.... the pumpkin enters the picture.
Irresistable.
Pre-baking. The instructions said to fill each cup halfway, and also it said it made 18. I could have made more than 18, but my tins hold 18, and 18 it was. Some were just big...
The frosting was so easy! Brown sugar, butter, cream cheese. Mix, the end:
YUM!
Fresh out of the oven!
Frosted. And yes, I may have eaten one at that point. Next time I will do better at hiding the evidence. ;-)
Sorry if my captions/writing seems a bit odd tonight - I think it's definitely my bedtime!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday means meal planning!
Actually, Sunday means meal planning and Monday means food shopping, but it's all good. Here's what I came up with yesterday (hubby won't be eating dinner here Tues, Wed, and Thurs).
Monday: Steak and Onion Sandwiches (MS) + Salad (Recipe is out of the Everyday Food cookbook)
Tuesday: Pasta with Roasted Garlic, White Cheddar and Wine Sauce + Salad
Wednesday: Portobello, Broccoli, and Red Pepper Melts
Thursday: More of Wed's dinner
Friday: Italian Supreme Calzones
I'm not planning weekend meals because we've got some parties (at least one anyhow) to get to and if nothing else we can throw something together. Or maybe we'll just eat candy all weekend. ;-)
Three of the recipes (tonight's dinner excepted) are from a blog that's new to me called Annie's Eats. A friend of mine had me over last week and made shrimp enchiladas from a recipe she found there, so I had to check it out! Shockingly I am not making anything by Pioneer Woman this week, despite my recent obsession with her. Today though, she posted a recipe for Beef with Snow Peas and I think that's going to have to make an appearance in our kitchen very soon!
I'm off to fitness class and then errands in a little while, but the fact that it's thundering and pouring rain outside is making me want to curl up and stay in. Also, my post about the Pumpkin Cupcakes I made for the L + S Cupcake Club will be up soon, I just don't quite have enough time yet. The results were really good this time, that much I can say!
Monday: Steak and Onion Sandwiches (MS) + Salad (Recipe is out of the Everyday Food cookbook)
Tuesday: Pasta with Roasted Garlic, White Cheddar and Wine Sauce + Salad
Wednesday: Portobello, Broccoli, and Red Pepper Melts
Thursday: More of Wed's dinner
Friday: Italian Supreme Calzones
I'm not planning weekend meals because we've got some parties (at least one anyhow) to get to and if nothing else we can throw something together. Or maybe we'll just eat candy all weekend. ;-)
Three of the recipes (tonight's dinner excepted) are from a blog that's new to me called Annie's Eats. A friend of mine had me over last week and made shrimp enchiladas from a recipe she found there, so I had to check it out! Shockingly I am not making anything by Pioneer Woman this week, despite my recent obsession with her. Today though, she posted a recipe for Beef with Snow Peas and I think that's going to have to make an appearance in our kitchen very soon!
I'm off to fitness class and then errands in a little while, but the fact that it's thundering and pouring rain outside is making me want to curl up and stay in. Also, my post about the Pumpkin Cupcakes I made for the L + S Cupcake Club will be up soon, I just don't quite have enough time yet. The results were really good this time, that much I can say!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Keeping Busy, plus thinking about Christmas???
This has been an overall good week - lots of social time, plus volunteering, plus more baby-sitting, means very little time at home, which at times I regret but since hubby isn't home this week, it's nice to be busy!
Yesterday with M and J was good once again, and I'm headed over there this afternoon too. Their mom is still really happy with how they've warmed up to me, and I feel the same way. Plus it gets me back in touch with being a kid - nothing like letting the toddlers bury my feet in sand at the sandbox to remind me of life's simple pleasures.
I've also realized that for the first time this year, I might be one of those people thinking about Christmas in October, eep. Really it does appeal to my planning nature though. I'm concocting gift ideas that won't break the bank, making lists of things that we would like or need, and pondering our trip back to our home state and the logistics of everything. More than anything I am grateful that we get to spend our first married Christmas (and Thanksgiving!) together, since I know that will not always be the case. Hoping to book our flight soon, once hubby has a better idea of the work side of things!
Yesterday with M and J was good once again, and I'm headed over there this afternoon too. Their mom is still really happy with how they've warmed up to me, and I feel the same way. Plus it gets me back in touch with being a kid - nothing like letting the toddlers bury my feet in sand at the sandbox to remind me of life's simple pleasures.
I've also realized that for the first time this year, I might be one of those people thinking about Christmas in October, eep. Really it does appeal to my planning nature though. I'm concocting gift ideas that won't break the bank, making lists of things that we would like or need, and pondering our trip back to our home state and the logistics of everything. More than anything I am grateful that we get to spend our first married Christmas (and Thanksgiving!) together, since I know that will not always be the case. Hoping to book our flight soon, once hubby has a better idea of the work side of things!
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