Coffee in the Rain

2012-02-05T19:33:00.001-08:00

One more thing this evening, when asked could you say what makes you happy?
This is a tough question.

Relax.

2012-02-05T19:00:00.001-08:00

My dr. is encouraging a low sugar, high protein and add in a little fat diet. And I am to really focus on lowering my stress levels. While my blood work was pretty good, she is thinking that my emotional state and difficulty losing weight is mainly due to stress. Ugh.

So this weekend I have: gone to yoga, sat in the sun (hours on the patio reading my book - in February!), cleaned my house, worked in some salad, did (and paid - yuck!) my taxes, bought two new pairs of running shoes, biked 20 miles, stick fighting with D, baked bread, ate frozen yogurt while taking a bubble bath, read a book on Peru, and watched a Felicity marathon. What a weekend!

This week may be pretty stressful, but I have a date with some girlfriends on Saturday, am going to work in some running days, make my half marathon training plan, and one day this week I am going to check out the flower and garden show (dorky, I know, but I LOVE it and go every year). I can do this!

January 2012

2012-01-29T20:04:00.001-08:00

I'm tired. There, I said it. :)
I feel like the last 6 months have aged me, both mentally and physically. I'm trying to fight it, but I think big life change just stresses me. I have taken up running, added a little yoga, am trying to save save save (or at least not spend so much on groceries! lol....), but I can feel the tension in my life. Do you know what I mean? Where you just stop calling friends and family (all I want to do is whine a bit, and who wants to listen to that for six months in a row?). And when they start calling to check in, you just try to focus on them (because they usually have non-whining things to discuss which are significantly more uplifting), but then after a while they notice! (Pesky of them, isn't it?) That you have nothing to say (my mother taught me to keep the snarky stuff to myself), and you've been saying 'fine' for an awfully long time. But when pushed there isn't MORE to say or do, sometimes maybe there isn't an around, perhaps just a through, as in we will work through this. Hopefully you will find us stronger soon.

Short and sweet, highlights of 2011

2011-12-30T23:46:00.001-08:00

We moved (a sweet two bedroom, well one bedroom and one guitar room lol...).

We ate, and celebrated birthdays this year with fancy restaurants. :)

I visited Mom in Oregon, this was the trip I didn't want to leave, it was like becoming friends with my Mom.

We picked berries and learned to make jam of all kinds. Next year I know we need a case of raspberry!

We impulsively took a weekend drive to look at a cafe in Oregon, we pretty much hated it on sight, but had an amazing little vacation. :)

I ran my first 5k, my first race, on my birthday. I loved looking forward to it, being nervous, and RUNNING the entire thing - no walk breaks!!! It was easily the best birthday gift I have ever given myself. Well that and the garmin! lol.....

Speaking of that garmin! After celebrating my birthday with a race I decided (or maybe discovered?) that I love running, and over the next couple months I worked up to weekend runs averaging just over 5 miles. I signed up for my first 15k an my first half marathon (both in 2012), so I'm excited to see what my highest garmin pic is for 2012!

Last but not least, I visited Mom in Hawaii for a week just before Christmas, ran on the beach and absorbed some beautiful sunshine!2011 had some stressful spots, but also some treasured highlights! :)

2012 goals

2011-12-30T23:21:00.001-08:00

(I am shocked that I can't find my 2011 list! lol... so unlike me! I will put together a list of my favorite 2011 moments soon)

Here is my little list for 2012, what is on yours? :)

Be more open to trying new projects or ideas.
Be healthy, take care of my body, love and be proud of myself.
Be budget conscious and work on saving.
Find some running buddies.
Kick butt at the races! 15K in 1:30, half marathon in 2:30!
Try making my own : Greek yogurt, Cheese, Sausage

My phrase for 2012: I can do anything!

Tomorrow : Hawaii!

2011-12-14T20:48:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow I am working an early shift and then meeting my Mom at the airport - we are off for a much needed Hawaiian vacation! I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to seeing my Mom, running on the beach, eating all of the tropical fruits (yes I intend to eat them all!), and just taking a break. :)
Aloha!

5 miles!

2011-11-25T19:04:00.001-08:00

What a thanksgiving! Maybe the best yet, yesterday the food was perfect, we had a blast in the kitchen together, and I just felt HAPPY, filled to the brim with gratitude for the four days off from work, time to sleep in, time to spend with David, time to relax.

This morning I was kind of falling back into my normal weekend patterns (cleaning, chores and a couple pilates videos), but the sun was shinning! I told David I needed an hour and headed out the door - I can't tell you how happy I am with that decision! I totally busted out five miles! The weather was BEAUTIFUL, the first two miles tough, but the last three were amazing! I think I could have gone further, but I got to the point were I was really thirsty and really needed to pee lol...
I am going to have to work on that when training for the 15k in May. No more coffee before long runs and I told David I need a fuel belt for Christmas. :)

Anyway! Happy Thanksgiving!

Love care packages!

2011-11-16T19:36:00.001-08:00

Doesn't everyone? :)
My Grandma sent apples, quince, pears and some jam. I opened and promptly chopped up all of the apples and quince for jelly! I am going to try this one more time, hopefully I don't mess it up!

Also, I started a tumblr account for my diet/work out tracking! A couple days in and I am already addicted, I found so many inspiring running blogs to follow! Here is the link:
http://christyrunning.tumblr.com/

In other news... I'm thinking about registering for the Seattle Rock and Roll Half Marathon in June! David is not sold on this plan, and we'll see what is happening with the course (changing this year), but it is to benefit the American Cancer Society, and I think I can do it! I will post for sure if I register! :)

How do you confront your mortality?

2011-11-14T10:01:00.001-08:00

We will all die, that is not the question. The questions lie in how you live your life, and how long you have to enjoy it once you figure it out.
My Mom is a breast cancer survivor, 10 years cancer free. Her life now, after, is so similar to her life before... still married to my dad, they still (or maybe even more) hold hands and love. They have love, so deep. And yes, they fuss, nag, hug, make tea for each other.
This morning David woke up to give me a kiss and some pretty important words before I left this morning. There is a lot of power in 'I love you.'

Not the run I was hoping for

2011-11-13T11:34:00.001-08:00

Full of problems and excuses, but I got my goal miles in for the week, that makes my happy. :)

Goals for week of 11/14:
Mamagram on Monday, do not freak out.
Run 6 miles for the week
Look into taking a cooking class.
Hang out with girlfriends on Saturday
Start working on thanksgiving cards and a pic to go in them.

Yes. I. Can.

2011-11-10T20:36:00.001-08:00

I'm not a sports girl. I'm an outdoors girl, former tomboy, love to walk, yoga, can easily handle hours at the gym.... but never have really been into sports. Closest I've ever come would be watching crossfit or olympic lifting on tv, and the ironman races - am riveted by the extreme stuff, but that would never be me. Really, I like looking like a girl. :)
Today I ran 4 miles. I took my time, went slow. I did it, and it felt like conquering doubt, both mine and my partner's (he was not a fan of me running in the dark!), and that was just an amazing feeling.
I am learning that the first mile and a half or so are hard for me, but after that? I just don't want to stop! Truthful, my legs felt GOOD, if it hadn't been pitch black out I would have kept going, and too just feels amazing.
Tomorrow my goal is to sign up for a 15k. 9.3 miles and I am sure that I can do it in less than an hour and a half. Maybe I will sign up for another 5k too, I can beat my last time! :)

Time to refocus!

2011-11-09T20:32:00.001-08:00

Saturday I bruised my neck while doing squats and lunges with a loaded bar (resting behind my neck). Not fun and I feel dumb for hurting myself - such a simple exercise that I do pretty frequently!
Anyway, I have gotten my training sessions in, but little else while nursing an intense migraine.
So! Tomorrow I am going to come home after work and go for a run - garmin pic to prove it, and hold myself to it! :)

November

2011-11-06T18:17:00.001-08:00

Every November I kind of freak out a bit.... grouchy, bratty, I expect those close to me to just know what's up with me and not only deal, but be better, more social, more romantic, more supportive even while I have a bad attitude. I by no means think this is a positive trait, I really don't think about my snarkiness until after - after the mammogram. Ugh. Wish I could skip the whole experience, or at least that it didn't freak me out so much, but no such luck.
This year though.... I 'm trying to be more conscious, more thankful. It is November. :)
I can't say that I have been totally successful, but i'm trying to channel my worries into running - 2.5 miles yesterday, 1.5 today.

Goals for the week of 11/07:
Three trainer sessions
Run 5 miles broken up however
Clean eating all week
Be mindful of work and personal stress, work in more workouts if needed.

5K recap and thoughts on winter running

2011-11-02T15:50:00.001-07:00

I LOVED running the Run Scared 5K on Sunday!
I had a little bowl of granola before we headed over to Seward Park where the race was being held, it seemed to take forever to get there and I was nervous! David dropped me off, parked and made it back just in time to catch the start. It was a cold morning and with the nerves I was shivering pretty hard, but in no time we were off! I started with the 12 minute mile group and held my own pretty well, but had totally forgotten about the garmin. :( I kind of fumbled around with it while the first mile surprised me with two pretty steep hills. Truthfully when everyone around me (and the girls I had decided to pace myself with) started walking I almost did it just out of habit! I frequently take walking brakes of just a block when running outside, but my goal for this race was to RUN the whole thing. I was just doing it for myself, I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it, and you know what? I totally did!
I loved the costumes, cute dogs and snepits of conversations as I passed people (!!!) and beautiful scenery. All of these delightful distractions allowed me to totally forget that I was working hard and running faster than I ever have - I sped up as I approached the finish line and my legs felt great! I really felt like I could have gone another couple of miles, and now I want to!
So here comes the debate, I don't know how to run in cold weather, and baby it's cold outside! :) do I stick to treadmill work (and intense sessions with my trainer) or try winter running? I don't want to get sick, and I fell pretty badly (twice) during a run in August when I was trying to push myself. Let me tell ya, road rash is NOT FUN!
....but I loved the race and being surrounded by runners! I need some running buddies! :) What do you think? Any winter running tips for this newbie? :)

Race results!

2011-11-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

Run Scared 5K

Race tme: 34:41:7 with an Average Pace of 11:11

I was 40th in my age division out of 76!

I am so proud of these results and had such an AMAZING time, it truely was the best way to celebrate my birthday!

Tomorrow is race day!

2011-10-29T21:18:00.001-07:00

I am feeling incredibly dorky, but am so excited for tomorrow! My goal is just to run the whole race and have fun! I bought a garmin and promise pics, this is going to be great! And I'm so happy to be doing this healthy and exciting thing on my birthday - what a fantastic way to celebrate!

Count down to race day!

2011-10-26T20:38:00.001-07:00

A beautiful start to the day, but it has been cold here and it seems like EVERYONE is sick! I am trying hard to stay healthy, I can't be sick for race day! (aka my birthday!)
So lots of sleeping, hot green tea, water, vitamins and little cuties for some extra vitamin C!
I can do this!

This weekend

2011-10-20T20:09:00.001-07:00

You want to know what my list looks like for the weekend?
I am making:
Apple jelly
Granola
Turkey and spaghetti squash

And am going to:
Carve pumpkins (we have three - I'm thinking our initials, some leaves, and an owl on the third)
Run three miles - The 5K is not this weekend but next, I need to prove to myself that I can do it, even if I'm slow. :)

I've done my two trainer sessions, and one trip to the gym this week (even did some HIIT training!)- I am also headed there after work tomorrow, so two out of three gym days I'm counting as done and tomorrow is only friday! Yay for attainable goals!

Oh, and guess what! I found a dress for birthday dinner! I may also wear it to my company Christmas party, but it was fun to have a little birthday splurge!

Tuesday already!

2011-10-18T09:20:00.001-07:00

Wishing the weekend were longer, and already it is Tuesday! We had a blast at the pumpkin farm, and were a little crazy with the camera (me) lol...
This weekend I made New England Apple Butter (with maple sugar, bay and cloves) and am loving it paired with Trader Joe's fat free greek yogurt - yum! I also made concord grape jam (labor intensive and super messy!) Not sure if I will ever make that again, but I bet it will make good pb&j for hiking! Lol....

Exciting news: measurements yesterday with my trainer - I have lost 2% body fat in the last three weeks! Maybe not a huge difference, but I am excited to see any kind of results!

Goals for the week of 10/17:
Two training sessions
Three gym sessions and try out some HIIT cardio
Try to sneak in a sauna (need some relaxation time!)
And pumpkin carving this weekend! :)

What a week!

2011-10-15T00:18:00.001-07:00

Do you ever get caught up on what your life should look like rather than living (and enjoying) what it is?
I think that about sums up the past few weeks for me. My partner and I have recently found ourselves in a learning phase of our relationship, he is excitedly choosing a new career path, and I might be ruining it with my worries of where we will be in five years. Lame, I know.
So, I am reminding myself to do things that make me happy. I bought a ticket to Peru (!!!!), a ticket to Hawaii to visit my parents during their vacation, and for my birthday I am celebrating with a 5K. A happy Christy makes a happy girlfriend right? :)
I have gotten quite a few runs/workouts in this week:
Monday - 2.5 mile run
Tuesday - 2 mile run
Wednesday - trainer session
Thursday - off
Friday - trainer session and 20 mins elliptical, 20 mins abs, 20 mins rowing
Stuck to the eating plan and counted my calories - lots of oats and salads this week!

Saturday is slated as an off day, but I may try to make a yoga class because Sunday we are headed to a pumpkin farm!!!
Have a great weekend!

Three exciting things from the day

2011-10-11T20:50:00.001-07:00

Today started on a pretty awesome note, the boyfriend and I ran two miles straight this morning - no walk breaks, in pouring down rain, at 5am!!! I am so proud of that, and love that we are doing this together!
...but running makes me HUNGRY! Why is that?
Anyway, a busy day, but I did find time to sign up for my first 5K! I have given up clarifying that this will be the second, but my first to run, because in my mind the one walked just doesn't count! Lol....
I know I can do the distance easily, my fastest time has been 37 minutes, so I would be happy with anything less - but my real goal here is to run the whole race, no walking! I will be so excited if I can pull that off, and on my birthday? It's going to be awesome!
Oh, and the third great thing? My dahlia is blooming for the first time! :) yep, today has had some pretty great highlights!

A race?

2011-10-10T19:01:00.001-07:00

My morning started with push-ups, a four egg white omelet and two pieces of turkey bacon (from Trader Joes - great flavor, but a little too salty).
Sadly I have to report that the goal of three training sessions wont happen this week, but after meeting with the gym management today I am feeling pretty hopeful for Wednesday. I stuck to the rest of my goals today though, and worked in a 2.5 mile run with what was left of my lunch hour.

Back at my desk I was CRAVING chocolate, I had to force myself to eat my lunch and not run out for sweets! Lunch, snack, and a 'fun' handful of hot tamales - how did that candy sneak in!???!!! I literally haven't eaten any candy in maybe two months? That is an accomplishment in my workplace, so the guilt/disappointment out weighted the candy delight. :(
Anyway! I think I am going to sign up for a 5k to do on my birthday! This one actually:
http://www.runscared5k.com/
I have done one other 5k, but I was walking it with friends - this time it is just me, on my birthday! I think I am going to register tomorrow!!! :)
My goal for the race? No walking!

Frustrated

2011-10-09T21:28:00.001-07:00

After such a great weekend (dinner party - now a huge fan of cranium, what a fun game!) I am still feeling like I have a ton on my mind.
I have been working out with a trainer for a month and a half. Running at 5 am not every day, but several times a week. I have cut my diet, increased protein and weight lifting, been pretty good about calorie tracking, and I haven't lost a pound. Sure, I've gained some muscle tone, but I'm not seeing any great results.
I have let myself quit this 'battle' so many times over the last three years. It is hard to keep trying because while I remember losing the first 80, I am having a really hard time doing it again.
Maybe it is fear of the unknown, fear of not being loved even after all of that work. I have been told that I should want to do this for my health, to take care of myself, and even that seems hard. Maybe what is holding me back is all in my head, but I am still here trying.

Goals for the week of 10/10:
Workout with a new trainer three times this week
Three additional gym /cardio sessions
Take a yoga class
Pumpkin farm with friends this weekend, remember to take pictures!

TGIF and weekend workouts

2011-10-07T19:24:00.001-07:00

Checking in! I did pretty good this week, but have some workouts to get in this weekend!

Goals from this week (10/03):
Two sessions with my trainer - I actually did three! Unfortunately next week I have to start with a new trainer. Here's hoping this one will be as tough as the last!

Four morning runs - I did one... ugh, need to work on this, I want to be up to running with my Dad in December!

Five POP palates videos - zero, will have to work these in this weekend

Track my food every day, and stick to my 1500 calorie goal - I have been a rockstar tracker this week! Need to keep it up over the weekend.

Flu shot on Monday, take extra vitamin C this week - check! I think it made me a little run down, and I ended up getting a little burned out on the diet/exercise plan. Feeling better though and looking forward to some great workouts this weekend :)

Buy ticket to Peru!!!! - Done and done! Expensive, but the rest of the trip is going to be pretty cheap so I am just going to go with it. :)

This weekend I am hoping for two good gym sessions, a trip to the farmers market, and some good reading time - I have a huge stack of library books to work through! Lol... I know, nerdy! Lol...

Goals for the week

2011-10-02T20:29:00.001-07:00

I have been missing blogging and want to come back to this as a place to post goals, recipes, workouts and travel pics. I don't know that anyone still is reading, and maybe that is really for the best! :D I'm blogging from my phone, this is not going to be perfect (gotta love auto correct!), but I really love having stuff to look back on.
Anyway! This weekend there was massive cleaning, hanging out with friends (yummy food and aquavit at Ballard's Coppergate - I swear I am now part Norwegian!). A morning jog, back to sleep, a trip to the farmers market, and then home to make caramelized pear butter (so good!) with David.

Goals this week:
Two sessions with my trainer
Four morning runs
Five POP palates videos
Track my food every day, and stick to my 1500 calorie goal
Flu shot on Monday, take extra vitamin C this week
Buy ticket to Peru!!!!

Miss me?

2011-04-24T00:06:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile. :)
Life has carried us to a new apartment in my favorite Seattle neighborhood - Ballard! - while we are still trying to get settled, we are loving the location, the people, and the stress free atmosphere. I had no idea what a difference in my life this move would make!
Today we got our chores and shopping done, found a new (to us) fruit stand, wandered the locks, and soaked up as much sunshine as possible, I loved every minute! :)
My goals for tomorrow include: trying out a new yoga class at the gym, laundry, and an afternoon nap if I can manage it. :)
We are grilling a whole chicken for Easter, I have made breakfast burritos for the week, and will make some salad for lunches. I would like to try to do some menu planning for the week tomorrow, and several people have mentioned recently that they try to learn one new thing each year. I like that idea, and though it is April, I want to think about what I might like to try this year.
What are your plans for the rest of the weekend? :)

Accomplishing some 2010 goals!

2010-08-31T08:14:00.000-07:00

I've been running! And hiking! I actually think the hiking has really helped the running, but I am excited to report on both fronts. :)
I have always wanted to be this cool:

Heather and I have completed three hikes toward my goal of five this year, and I have been running for 30 minutes on the treadmill several days a week (lunchtime gym runs!). I am feeling pretty fit and accomplished!

Snow Lake

Snow Lake made for a beautiful hike, even with the fog, but it was a very rocky trail making the way home seem never-ending - Heather and I were both wishing for hiking boots! The grade was easy, and I would do it again for a better glimpse of the lake.

Next weekend we are off to Kendall Katwalk, and the following week we are going to do Blanca Lake - these are going to be a challenge, but I can't wait!

Twin Falls Trail

2010-08-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

A day off work to take a hike? Yes please! :)

Twin Falls Trail
Beautiful waterfalls, tons of trees, a great afternoon. :)

I've taken up hiking...

2010-08-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

Every weekend? Sure why not. It is way more fun than going to the gym, and the view! That makes all the hard work getting up the mountain worth it. :)

Rattlesnake Ledge

Seattle's Kubota Garden

2010-08-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

Kuboto Garden
(A great location for a free date in Seattle!) :)

Summer has finally arrived in Seattle

2010-07-26T21:10:00.001-07:00

I know some may find it shocking, but it is quite often beautifully sunny here in Seattle. It is especially nice (and noticeable) when you get to skip the stuffy gym in favor of a couple laps around Green Lake with a good friend and some sunscreen. :)

Happy Monday! :)

How do you feel about a 'diet'?

2010-07-21T21:06:00.001-07:00

I don't cover my diet or weight loss journey here too much, but my life (and diet) have been changing! I mention this now, because what I do post here (recopies and the like) are bound to experience a makeover as a result. :)
Under my doctors supervision and direction I have been following an anti-inflammatory diet for the last three or four weeks. This means no wheat, animal dairy of any kind, no potatoes, corn, peanuts, tomatoes, oranges or grapefruit, and really trying to eliminate all processes foods from my diet.
I can eat all veggies, fruits, chicken, turkey, eggs, wild game, fish, now shellfish (added back today -woo hoo!), olive oil, nuts, coconut products, quinoa, rice, rye, spelt (also added today) and other non-wheat grains.
What I am finding amazing is just how common corn and potatoes are - they are in everything!!!
But, here we go with the healthy stuff! I am finding that I really like this doctor, and while I'm still getting over my cold, I'm feeling pretty good! Really, growing up in semi-rural Alaska, this is the diet I grew up on, it will be an interesting journey discovering how my body likes the diet as an adult. :)

Quinoa with Shrimp, Carrots and Zucchini
Serves two, or dinner for one with lunch leftovers. :)

2 cups cooked quinoa
10 large pre-cooked shrimp
1/4 medium white onion
10 baby carrots
5 shitaki mushrooms
2 small cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil

I have a rice maker, but still don't like to wait for my grains to cook - I make a big batch, and then freeze rice or other grains in two person servings, so I can have dinner done quickly. :)

Heat/cook you quinoa, set aside.
Warn a medium pan, add olive oil, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and carrots and let them sweat at a low to medium temperature releasing the sweetness of onions and carrots, and flavoring the mushrooms and oil.
Once your carrots are cooked to your desired doneness (I like mine still a bit crunchy) add your shrimp and zucchini. Cook for another minute or two just until you shrimp are warmed up - over cooked shrimp are rubbery and over cooked zucchini is mushy, so watch this step closely.
Top your quinoa with shrimp and veggies and enjoy! :)

Out sick

2010-07-17T09:58:00.001-07:00

I love the food blogs out there with multiple daily posts, I love the healthy ideas and insight, encouragement for weight loss, fitness, and healthy living. 'Food porn' with a healthy twist? Lol... I'm a fan! (I always laugh at the phrase 'food porn'!)
But yesterday I got a sickness... Well, I guess that isn't entirely true, I've had it since Sunday, but yesterday it became official and I got antibiotics! So this proposed week of food business maybe a bit delayed - I'm sorry!
I hope to be healthy soon!
In the meantime, how are you spending the weekend? (let me live vicariously!) :)

Before and After bathroom tile

2010-07-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

Did you know you are supposed to seal you tiles and grout?
Hmm.... I didn't. That was a hard lesson to learn.
Here is my lesson: White grout gets dirty. Octagon tiles are charming until you have to clean the tiny grout around them individually. If you seal your tile apperiantly it is supposed to stay clean!
We spent DAYS scratching away the top layer of grout, bleaching, cleaning, sealing. If you are attacking a similar tile I would highly recommend spending $100 on a dremel to remove the grout. It is worth your time and money.

It is nice having a brand new clean white floor! :) We applied two layers of sealant, and from what I hear (oh how I love Young House Love!) sealant should be reapplied every 6 months.
Have you ever learned a home related lesson the hard way? (If so, could you clue me in? I'm not such a fan of learning the hard way! lol...)

The Ladybug Farm Series by Donna Ball

2010-07-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

I've read two and am on the hunt for more! Though it sounds like I have to wait until October for the third Ladybug Farm book, I have loved the first two - tales of three women (life long friends) who buy an old farm/vineyard/mansion, and attempt to restore both it and themselves while dealing with what life throws in the way. I found myself identifying with all three women, wanting to pack up and move to Virginia, drag some friends along, make a dairy into an art studio and fulfill that long held dream of living off of something I can make.
I could do this... or at least I was so enchanted by this book that I certainly want to give it a try. Are you with me? :)

Port Townsend

2010-07-03T00:05:00.000-07:00

We've been back a week, and I cannot yet figure out a way to explain how much I love this place.

So instead of trying to describe it with words (a bench that is ours, the first fire of the year, and rose buds on a bike ride), I may just show you the things I now miss the most.

Port Townsend is a place I would love to move to, my ideal kind of town all squished together in walking/biking distance, on a bluff with beaches to wander, and ocean scented breezes.

We spend camping trips walking beaches, snuggled together on cool nights, pretending we are roughing it, but really .... well, lets just say we camp in a tent, but there is an air mattress involved. :)

Saturday we wandered the town on our bikes, seeing things we hadn't before, found a house I would love to own, visited a farmers' market, ate some Japanese, and visited our favorite ice cream shop. The sun even came out for some afternoon napping and more beach exploring.

Even looking at these pictures I want to go back. :) It was one of the best (and most relaxing) trips we have taken together, I've already booked for next year. :)

Where are your favorite places?

A year in pictures

2010-07-02T23:36:00.000-07:00

I have completed my Project 365!
365 pictures, a year of my life.
Here are a few of my favorites days:

What should I take pictures of next?

Elliot Bay Book Company and the EBC

2010-06-23T21:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, one more post before bed. :)
If you live in Seattle, I'm sure you know. Elliot Bay Book Company (aka my most favoritest book store ever) has relocated (closer to my house!).
Within the last week I have visited (ahem) several times. One time I even brought my own book so I could just hang out. The thing is, it's Seattle. It rains here, a lot. Or at least it has been this year. We all know what that means right? Coffee, rain, and the bookstore? They go hand in hand!

The thing is, this bookstore is just sooooo good! They always have authors coming in to speak (many of which are free events), they have amazing book recommendations from the employees (I have found many of my most favorite books due to that recommendation wall), and though this is a new location, it still smells like the old one, only this one has the addition of amazing skylights. Needless to say, it is love. (I think I need to join one of their book clubs!)

Oh, and the new EBC (Elliot Bay Cafe), they still have my favorite salad: Arugula, pear, goat cheese, and roasted pine nuts. I'm listing this as restaurant #4 for the year, because well, I told my boyfriend that if I am ever missing and he can't find me, I am probably here. :)
'Night all! :)

Smoothie mix-ins

2010-06-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

I'm wondering what you think of Amazing Meal or Amazing Grass?
I keep seeing people in blogland adding this to smoothies; you know toss in a few handfuls of spinach, 1/2 a banana, some fruit, ice, soy milk and Amazing Grass - tada! they are drinking a VERY green smoothie that everyone seems to love! What is the scoop?
The ingredients seem okay, nothing too crazy in there, so I wandered over to their website and ordered some samples. Samples! What a great idea right?
Boy am I glad I tried before I went hog wild and bought a tub! lol... I started the experiment with wheat grass, which prior to this I had never tried before, so maybe it was just the shock of something new?
Let me tell you, wheat grass is not good. I mean really bad! lol.....
But that is the only bad thing I have to say. :)
I have learned that I don't like wheat grass on it's own, but the rest of my sample pack was mighty tasty! I, like Jamie over at Embracing Balance liked the Original better than any of the flavor varieties (the rest seemed too sweet for me), and I am not quite up to adding in spinach, but the addition did make for a tasty and nutritious smoothie! :)
What are some of your favorite smoothie additions?

The Bloedel Reserve

2010-06-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to post pictures, but you know, busybusy. :)
The Bloedel Reserve is amazing, have you ever been? We had tried to visit before, but were unsuccessful, so I've been lusting after it's beauty for some time.

With David's parents in town we had the perfect excuse for a ferry trip and trek about the reserve.

Here's the thing that makes this place so amazing: It used to be someone's retirement home. People lived here, loved this place, the grounds, the space, the view of the ocean, the zen garden and Christmas pond, bridges and orchids, all of this beauty belonged to someone. And now you can wander through.

It was the perfect afternoon, a long stroll through a beautiful space, a perfect place to take family or out of town guests.

....and there is a wishing bench. :)
What would you wish for?

Blueberry welcome muffins

2010-06-11T07:42:00.000-07:00

David's parents arrived last night for their annual visit, so I had baked some blueberry muffins, added some fruit and magazines, a few 'hello and welcome!' treats. :)
I feel like it is always nice to have a basket of homemade/healthy snacks when you are staying in a hotel on vacation. How do you wlecome family?

Blueberry Muffins
I' m not sure where I found this recipe, but I use it often. The muffins come out so large and fluffy you would think they are store bought, but the secret is in the yogurt!

3 cups flour (I have mixed this, half white and half wheat with good results)
1 TBSP baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

10 TBSP unsalted butter (1 1.4 sticks) softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt - I just use whatever I have, plain, vanilla, lemon, blueberry, greek, I have even had to supplement my yogurt with a little lite sour cream - it all works. :)
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 1.2 cups blueberries (don't add extra here, your muffins will fall apart! lol....)
1 TBSP flour if you are using defrosted frozen berries

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Wisk together dry ingredients in a small bowl.

Beat butter sugar and eggs together, one egg at a time.
Add 1/2 of your dry ingredients to your wet, mix.
Add 1/2 of the yogurt, mix.
Mix in the remaining dry mixture, and then then last half of the yogurt.
Gently fold in your blueberries and lemon zest if using.

Fill a standard 12 muffin tin - it will look full, but trust me, they bake up beautifully! You can sprinkle a bit of sugar on the tops of the muffins if you are going for that coffee shop experience. :)
Bake muffins until golden 25-30 minutes. Let muffins cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before turning them out to cool completely.

TJ's Fake Fried Rice

2010-06-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

After reading TJ's Test Kitchen last night I knew dinner had to be 'fake fried rice'! I didn't have all of her ingrediants, so I made a few adjustments, but you've got to try this - so easy and SO TASTY! :)

TJ's Fake Fried Rice
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup egg beaters (I used one egg)
green onion-diced
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed veggies-defrosted
splash (or two) of soy sauce
1 clove of garlic-pressed
2 teaspoons olive oil
splash (or two) rice vinegar

I didn't have any green onion or frozen veggies, but did have regular onion, baby carrots, some broccoli, and about 10 shittaki mushrooms. I diced everything very small, sauteed the onions, carrots, and mushrooms until tender, and then proceeded to her directions:

"In a large skillet or wok add oil, garlic-toss in rice and stir to mix & coat rice with oil/garlic. Add veggies (this is where I added the broccoli) and cook until heated through. Make a hole in middle of pan; add egg beaters and scramble until cooked. Stir entire pan, mixing egg into rice. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and green onion."

I also added about 10 or so roughly chopped shrimp at the end - we buy the cleaned and pre-cooked frozen variety from Trader Joe's so they are super easy to thaw quickly in a bowl of water, and then toss in your dish of choice.

Yum! This was an awesome treat, I am excited for lunch leftovers! :)

I've been away!

2010-06-09T19:05:00.000-07:00

After a sunny week in Las Vegas, I am so thankful for my Seattle clouds, but I had a great time visiting my friend Carrie and her family! We walked the Strip, had dinner in Paris (lol... the casino!), relaxed at a (FABULOUS) spa, shopped 'til I dropped, admired the roses, ducked fire at a Japanese restaurant, and enjoyed a girly craft day. Whew! It was a whirl wind trip (and by the end I really missed my honey!), but we had so much fun!
Do you have any fancy vacations planned? I would love to hear about them! :)

Pan Africa Market with Amanda

2010-06-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

Let me just tell you up front, prior to visiting this restaurant I wasn't too sure about African food, I guess I was just worried that it would be too spicy, or mostly curries which I am not too fond of, but after hearing my friend Amanda go on about how she loves the Pan Africa Market, I agreed to meet up for a sampling. :)

I am so glad I did! I ordered the Mango Pineapple Chicken, which was broiled in a mango pineapple curry sauce and served with rice, half an avocado, black beans and a fruity salad. I loved it and ate every bite! lol... Give it a try if you find yourself down by the pike place market, it was delicious! :)

BusyBusyBusy...

2010-05-28T08:09:00.000-07:00

As my brother would say, all smashed together like that, no time for spaces! lol.... Today is the last day of my busy May work season, I am off to work after completing my 100 morning push-ups, grabbing an iced coffee, and packing my gym clothes.
David has said that he will give me $200 to complete 100 push-ups each morning before I am off on vacation to visit my friend Carrie in Vegas. Pretty good deal right? lol.... lets just say I asked for some specifics and then agreed promptly. Yes, I will be buff, and he will pay for my spa time while in Vegas!
I also am trying a new workout from the most recent issue of Oxygen Magazine. Basically that cardio I have been killing myself at? It is taking a back seat to some timed (light) weight lifting. I will post more on this after I have tried it a few more times, but so far I am loving that my workout is done in half the time and I am twice as sweaty! I am going to be doing Oxygen workouts 5 days a week during my lunch hour, and then on Saturdays David and I are going to get into some more CrossFit training. I have been struggling with loosing fat lately, so I am trying my attack from different angles! :)

Also, I had a comment requesting information on Jodi Picoult books, I didn't forget you, I promise! :)
I, like most of the other women in my office have become addicted to these books, I trade them back and forth with my Mom, and love that they offer something that we both can get into. My favorite of her books has been Plain Truth, a story about a young Amish girl who became pregnant, had the baby in the barn, and then woke up to find the baby no longer there. The book tells of Amish life, belief, system of justice, and a mother's love. It also included quite a bit of German/Pennsylvania Dutch, so it was fun asking David how to pronounce words properly. :)
All of the Jodi Picoult books tell a sometimes tragic, sometime just traumatic story. They have a legal twist involving jail time/a court case, and end leaving you wanting more, maybe hating the ending, questioning what really happened, or what you would do in that situation. It took me two books to really be hooked, but now I have pretty much read them all. lol.... If you liked John Grisham books, you would like these, they teach you something without you even realizing it. :)

And one last thing! I only have a month more in my Project 365!

Hummus

2010-05-19T07:55:00.000-07:00

'Yummy food in my tummy!' Hummus
(Hummus recipe from my boss, crazy title, but you may seriously want to lick the bowl clean. Just warning you.) :)
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup tahini (sesame butter, ask your grocer if you can't find it, sometimes with hummus section, sometimes with peanut butters)
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
pinch of ground black pepper

Put all ingredients besides garbanzo beans in your blender or food processor (I used a magic bullet and just mixed in batches). Blend for 5 seconds.

Add garbanzo beans gradually, blend to desired consistency.

Dream of all of the delicious add ins, olives, red peppers, herbs......
I may never buy hummus again.
:) Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday

2010-05-12T07:45:00.000-07:00

1. Yesterday I accidentally left my phone at home. It's absence left me somewhat uneasy all day.

2. I am semi-obsessed with my fingernails at the moment, I wish they always looked so nice.

3. My Mom and I have been reading a lot of Jodi Piccult books lately. It is her fault, she got me hooked.

4. How are your 2010 goals shaping up? I have had to really work to lose weight (I am a calorie tracking Queen! ...or at least my iPhone is), but I have been dropping inches like crazy!
January and May:

5. Tuesday also marked the 1st sandal day of the year. :)

Happy Wednesday!

Ballard Bike Ride

2010-05-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

How was your weekend? Perhaps the best weekend yet this year?
Our Sunday started with a bike ride,

included a picnic,

a walk on the beach,

and ended with a nap! lol... I feel refreshed! :)

Full bloom

2010-05-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to have been absent, I haven't been feeling well... I'll give you a few hints as to why:

Seattle is in full bloom, and I am ready for summer. :)

In Search of Stairs

2010-04-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend we worked ourselves into a sweat at the new gym, and then wandered the town. We were looking for a stairway from a movie we had watched the night before, and while the stairs remain elusive, we had a great time on the hunt.

Polenta in a crock pot

2010-04-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

I may have a minor obsession with recipes. (This is just a glimpse of the ones I have tried and kept!)

My most recent favorite is (oh so easy) polenta! :)
Yum!
For David's last birthday, some friends joined us for dinner at Ponti. We were in great company, sitting outside right on the canal, I had a melt in your mouth apple wood smoked fish dish, and David ordered the lamb. He still talks about that lamb almost a year later.
Now I like lamb, their lamb was fantastic, but what I liked even more than the lamb was the polenta under the lamb. :)

We recently bought a crock pot, and I ran into several recipes which suggested adding polenta into your crock pot while the meat is cooking. I haven't tried that because I don't really want my polenta to taste like meat, I wanted to duplicate the delicious Ponti experience! :)

And somehow google always knows exactly what I am looking for. :)

Polenta in a Crock Pot
Makes 12+ servings

3 cups polenta (I used Red Mill Organic Polenta Corn Grits)
1 tablespoon salt
12 cups water

I have a 3.5 quart crock pot, so I added my water first to see how much would fit (it all fit!), added my polenta, salt, and stirred.
Heat on high for 1 - 1.5 hours stirring with a whisk every 15 minutes until polenta becomes thick. (you will know when it is ready, for the first hour the polenta settles back down at the bottom, but after an hour (or so) the polenta will become thick and stay dispersed in the water)
Switch crock pot to low and cook for 4-5 hours.
Keep on warm for up to 10 hours.

I portioned all of my polenta out into 2-3 serving containers and tossed them in the freezer. When heating up your polenta from the freezer you may need to add a bit more water, and when ready to eat you may want a bit of butter, milk, cheese, salt - whatever you would like (I like mine plain, it is that good!).

Enjoy!

Bedtime notes

2010-04-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

It is my bedtime, but I had a couple quick things I wanted to share. :)
1. A bird pooped on me today. I think that is supposed to bring good luck, but really it was just kind of yucky. Thankfully nothing gross got in my hair, and it was poring rain, so I wasn't stinky at work.
2. My fancy earrings were delivered today!

3. I found another career possibility, two people have hired me to paint on their walls, one I am doing as a gift (baby) and the other is going to pay me!
4. Do you know how to poach an egg? It was pretty easy, and tasty! I had mine over salad.

5. Remind me to tell you about making polenta in the crock pot, it is DELICIOUS! :)

Night all, happy Wednesday!

Weekend expeditions :)

2010-04-18T20:50:00.000-07:00

I have found a new love. Did you know there is a Flower World? I have been, it was lovely. :)

Tasty friday night fishes

2010-04-09T22:43:00.000-07:00

What are your feelings on salmon?
After recently spending a small fortune on local fishes, David and I made a plea for my parents to send us a care package. :)

It is nice to have an inside connection, let me tell you!
Mom, if you are reading, we've.... well, we've almost eaten all of our fishes! They are so tasty!

I like my salmon baked with a spicy rub. If you time it just right it is juicy, flaky, and delicious!
...but when I say spicy, I do mean spicy!
Combine any spices you may have, but for three fillets, I typically use:
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp blackened seasoning
1 tsp chili seasonings (a mix my Mom made, who knows what's in it!) :)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt

Rub all over your fishes and bake at 425 for 15 - 20 minutes until no longer translucent, but still juicy! :)
This is a really simple and easy recipe, but oh so good! I always flake up any leftovers and make salmon spread (treat just like tuna!) for lunches over the next few days.

Recipe for a delicious Spring

2010-04-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

Delicious FUN! :)

(Interpret as you will, the goal here is to find some child like joy!) :)

Pssst! You're wondering about this weekend's baking? It was lovely, I cut the sugar down and added a handful of flax seeds. I didn't have any maple syrup and may have tossed in the last of my morning espresso in to compensate, but that is between me and my delicious breakfast bread.

I drool over almost everything from Joy the Baker, do you love her too?

Next weekend may contain Zucchini Sweet Potato Bread. With nuts and cranberries? Oh yes!

Baking in bad weather

2010-04-02T23:09:00.000-07:00

Hello! Happy Friday evening!
The weather has taken a nasty turn and we are hunkered in, I baked some oatmeal (with rhubarb!), we have done the grocery shopping, and I have great plans for artwork/cards this weekend. Oh! I also have some more baking plans for the weekend, I'll give you a hint:

How will you be spending the weekend?

Guilty Girl TV Night

2010-03-31T21:39:00.000-07:00

David meets up with friends to play guitar on Wednesdays, so by default (i.e. absence of male influence) Wednesdays become guilty girl TV night. Okay, I don't sit around eating bon bons or anything (actually I don't think I really even know what a bon bon is, maybe they are delicious?), I have been known to add in a bit of laundry, do the dishes, make lunches, clean the house, give myself a pedicure, read a book, and perhaps even a magazine? I catch up on facebook, blog, and chat with my Mon, but aside from all of that, I always make an effort to sneak in a chick flick or two.

How do you indulge your inner chick? :)
Happy Wednesday!

(almost) Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-31T07:41:00.000-07:00

Kangaroo Farms are cool!

The Outback Kangaroo Farm
10030 SR 530 NE
Arlington, WA 98223

Putting a plan into action.

2010-03-25T07:55:00.000-07:00

When you know you have something to work on, how do you make it a reality?

My personal goal has been to reconnect with what makes me happy, what I enjoy doing, what is fun for me, and what I find rewarding. Spring fever seems to be hitting hard this year, David and I have a lot of plans up in the air, I would like to plan a trip, and am still working on all of my life list/goals for 2010. It has become clear: I need a plan!

Something you maybe didn't know about me? I love a good list. :)

So on Monday I planned my free time out, lunch hour and after work, getting in my workouts, and time for cards, research time and play time... but then I bought an iPhone. Yikes! That thing is seriously hard to put down!

Okay, it was on my list of things to do, see on Tuesday? I was actually checking something that I have been wanting to do off! Oh, another thing I love? Gadgets! lol.... Yep, lists and gadgets, this is my inner nerd. :) Anyway, I could ramble for ages about my new found addiction to this phone (it has an app to track my calories, workouts and weight loss! - well, there are apps for EVERYTHING!) lol.... but suffice it to say, that purchase threw off the plan a bit. I missed my Tuesday evening workout, and yesterday I worked out during lunch but took the evening off for a marathon of Project Runway. Today will be rearranged a bit for a DATE NIGHT! lol... Which everyone knows, is way more important than that planned workout (it is getting bumped to lunch time)!

I guess the moral of my Thursday AM story is that I am making some lists, focusing on what I want, and trying to cut myself some slack (because sometimes things come up that are more important). How is this week treating you?

Happy Spring

2010-03-23T07:37:00.000-07:00

After injuring my behind, my doctor recommended walking to aid the healing process, and I was so happy to comply last weekend! The weather and trees are beautiful here, so I thought I would share some of our early spring.

Recently, I have been spending a lot of time fixated on what makes me happy. When have I been happiest? Where?
How do you answer those questions?

Some of my favorite memories in Seattle involve living across the street from the Ballard Locks, I would run up to Golden Gardens, hike around Discovery Park, wander streets of Ballard, I really enjoyed the city there, felt safe, healthy, and happy.

I love exploring parks, farmers markets, small streets lined with shops, I love holding my boyfriend's hand, giving him funny looks, planning vacations, drawing, traveling, spending time with my parents, exploring new places with my friends Carrie and Heather, I love organizing, clean spaces, buying smaller clothes, coffee, dates, and Seattle rain. I hope all of those things can be incorporated into this year. :)

Spring and a sprained behind

2010-03-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of Spring! Did you notice a warm breeze in your area?
I had deep thoughts planned to share with you today, this week has been thought filled, contemplating what I want to do, do I want to plan independent trips, move to other states, be forever grouchy with my boyfriend? lol... I'm sure he loves the prospect of the last one. :)
...but those musings will have to wait for another day, it seems I may have sprained my butt! lol... Yes, it is pretty funny, you can go ahead and laugh, I wont mind. :)
I was doing kettle bell swings with a weight that was a bit too much for me, hopefully it gets better, if not I may have to be 'belted'.... my doctors' term, not mine!
So I am off to relax my behind, I hope this spring day finds you in good cheer, go take a walk this weekend and enjoy the season!

The Sweetest thing

2010-03-12T07:38:00.000-08:00

In keeping with my goals for 2010, I have sent out little packages and handmade cards to 10 friends and family members for both January and February and plan to work on March this weekend!
Though we are only two/three months into the year, I really have loved this experience. The goal to 'give a little more love' and send out cards each month has pushed me a little to make time for artwork, and I have reconnected with two friends that I may have otherwise lost touch with. Even better - my friend Jen has decided to send me a package containing an exotic food item once a month in response! Everyone loves getting mail and especially presents in the mail, but this was such a nice surprise!
Does anyone know of a good recipe for something containing guava paste? :)
Hope you guys have had an equally exciting week! :)

My first two new restaurants of the year

2010-03-07T21:39:00.000-08:00

Okay, I have two Seattle area restaurants to add toward my goal of visiting 5 -

A Caribbean sandwich shop in Fremont; Paseo features a crazy long line, they only takes cash, and they are closed on Sundays and Mondays, but I have to tell you, it was love at first bite! I grabbed this pic off of flickr because I was too busy eating to even think of my camera, Paseo is really that good. :) Our friends scored a table inside (I think there are only 4 or 5, so be prepaired to take your food to go), and we chowed down on four of the *Most Popular* Cuban roast sandwiches. They are messy, napkins need to be at the ready, but the food is so good you may just be tempted to lick your fingers instead of politely wiping. :) (Don't say I didn't warn you!) lol....

Today I met some girlfriends at the Portage Bay Cafe in Ballard. They feature local and organic food - all of which was DIVINE!
Might I just make one suggestions?
Order the French Toast.
They have a toppings bar featuring fresh fruit and organic maple syrup, all kinds of lovely eggs and juices, the staff was amazing, the restaurant light and airy, we loved it! The line for Sunday afternoon brunch was long, and they don't take reservations, but call ahead and have your name added to the list, it cut our wait time down to 10 minutes.

12 hours of painting....

2010-03-07T09:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday (after achieving fancy hair status - how I love the Aveda Institute!) I spent 12 hours painting.
Yes, 12.
Though, I have to say, the end results were worth the effort; my bathroom now looks like it belongs in a hotel! Originally scheduled to be 'clover brook' a dark blue green, this talk of selling prompted a change. Now a warm coco color and matching the freshly painted entryway and accent walls in the bedroom and living room, the condo's color scheme seems to tie together nicely. :)

Sorry for the dark pics, I was trying to capture my work at midnight! :) Anyway, I am on to the kitchen next, no more painting needed, but this room needs some reorganizing!
I know we have tons of stuff, everyone does, but I do love dropping stuff off at Value Village (for a tax write off!), so it always surprises me when I have to put this much work into cleaning and organizing. What do you guys think? Do you long for gifts of cleaning services, or just close the closet and walk away? :)

Shiny and New!

2010-03-06T09:30:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry I missed my self imposed Friday deadline, life (as always it seems) has been busy. I spent Friday evening cleaning, organizing, and asking the question: Would you buy my house?
I am meeting with my real estate agent on Monday to discuss the possibility of selling a space that has become far too small for us, in a neighborhood that has become a bit too dangerous for us. It is nice to be able to walk to work every day, but I think if we are able to sell we will then rent for awhile in Ballard, my favorite part of the city.
We'll see what she has to say, but in the mean time, my house is getting quite the spring cleaning! :)

Painting projects

2010-02-26T21:21:00.000-08:00

Today I teased a co-worker about working overtime on weekends - I am pretty opposed to it myself. However when later telling tales of my weekend plans, the same co-worker reminded that 'I don't work on weekends'. I guess it is a question of what do you consider 'work'?

I painted our bedroom last weekend, from 'cool dip' a light an airy blue to 'jungle brush' a far more yellow than I anticipated green. As soon as it hit the walls I knew I wasn't a fan of 'jungle brush', but thought I might warm up to it.
Tomorrow I am off to Home Depot to find another color, something lighter, sunnier, but still green.
I will probably paint the entryway the same new color, the bathroom will likely become a dark blue/green. Dark brown trees added to an accent bedroom wall to form a headboard, and white birch trees featured in the soon to be dramatic bath. Maybe black outlines around the painted art, and new white trim. White doors too?
I am excited for the most challenging of my projects: to flatten a textured wall in my kitchen and make a chalkboard wall.
I feel like spring is in the almost March air, it is time for a fresh coat of paint.

Details

2010-02-19T23:04:00.000-08:00

When I was a Junior in high school I took a trip to Washington DC. Alaska to DC was quite the experience when I was young, this was a school sponsored event to learn the inner workings of our government. We meet politicians, set off museum alarms (that was me actually, though I assure you I wasn't trying to steal my favorite painting), saw monuments, drove through nearby states and experienced our first musical (Hello Dolly....).

One of my roommates had a camera you would envy even now, her Dad had lent it to her for the trip, and at each destination she would take pictures of the tops of monuments. I remember thinking that she was taking pictures of things that I could never see.
Now, these are some of my favorite things to take pictures of, the tops, the details, macros, the little things that I can zoom in on later. I wish all of those details were at street level, maybe more people would appreciate them.
...and just for fun? This was then:

Busy feet

2010-02-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

I have been neglecting this space, and I regret it. I just have been finding myself busy as of late, busy at work, busy at the gym, busy at home... busy in life.
My boyfriend compares me to a toddler in footie pajamas, you chase the toddler around the house in desperate attempt to put them to bed, but those feet are busy!
I am going to try to post every Friday.
Friday is a good day. :)

2010 Socializing and the Flower and Garden Show

2010-02-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

Hello! This is an incredibly busy (read STRESSFUL) time of year at work, and in my free time I have been compensating with social activity! Last weekend some girlfriends and I got together for brunch at Citizen Cafe, a French/Vietnamese coffee house in lower Queen Anne.

Despite being tiny and semi-chaotic, the food at Citizen Cafe was tasty (I had the turkey crepe and a bite of the biscuits and gravy - both of which were delicious!), and they offer $5 pitchers of Mimosas! We hung out for hours and caught up on the year and a half since our last brunch get together. I love girl bonding time! :)

This weekend I meet some of my co-workers at Feierabend, a fantastic little German place in East Lake Union. The have tasty food, and if you go with a group of people you have to drink a boot! 3 Liters of beer is slightly intimidating to this non-beer lover, but I sipped in the name of workplace bonding! I was very careful not to let the boot touch the table though, I did NOT want to have to drink the whole thing! lol....
...But wait, there is more! lol... My friend Beth came into town today to join me at the Flower and Garden Show! I guess I am not too into local conventions, but I make a point to visit the Flower and Garden Show every year. I love the large displays, and each year am amazed by the full grown plants they hall in for exhibits. This year was especially interesting with several winning exhibits featuring eco-gardening, practical applications, a goat, and chickens!

I think you are all caught up, I hope you enjoyed all of the pics!

Life list (a much longer list of goals)

2010-01-26T20:57:00.000-08:00

I still plan on maintaining that little list of goals for the current year off to the right, but lets call this the ever popular life list; a long term list that will surely promote many revisions. :)

1. Focus on weight loss and being healthy! Reach my goal weight of 160 in 2010, and then maintain!
2. Continue running. I would like to be able to run 3 miles in 30 minutes, and be able to do so on a regular basis.
3. Build savings. (would love a 6 month cushion!)
4. Save for our retirement future.
5. Travel: Italy, the Florida Keys, New York, Boston, Maine, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Catalina, Caribbean, Olympic National Forest, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Spain, Orcas Island, Montana, Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Camano Island.
6. Visit a hot spring.
7. Take a cooking class in three different countries.
8. Learn to make my own sushi.
9. Take up swimming during my lunch hour.
10. Learn to sail.
11. Find someone to take a crazy class with me. (A living 'out of the box' kind of experience)
12. Soak in a hot tub in the snow.
13. Explore small towns in Alaska; learn more about the state I was raised in and my heritage.
14. Read the Last New Land and A Dena'ina Legacy.
15. Take a Kenaitze class.
16. Work in at least 5 long bike rides a year.
17. Sleep in a beach hut above the ocean.
18. Be able to say I can do an unassisted pull up!
19. Take up hiking and possibly rock climbing.
20. Camp.
21. Sell the condo and buy a house.
21. Get a dog (at least one). :)
22. Take a screen printing class.
23. Take a furniture building or woodworking class.
24. Have an organic garden.
25. Convince my Dad build me a greenhouse. :)
26. Compost (with pet worms!)
27. Learn to make cheese.
28. Learn how to can fruits/jams/veggies.
29. Fly somewhere with David (this is in our lifetime honey, don't freak out!) :)
30. Quit my job in favor of my own business.
31. Illustrate a book.
32. Build and fly my own kite.
33. Ride in a hot air balloon.
34. Go zip lining.
35. Swim with dolphins.
36. Learn to dance (a real dance) :)
37. Pick up the yoga practice again.
38. Try hot yoga.
39. Go on a yoga/spa retreat.
40. Learn to speak conversational Spanish.
50. Learn some German (and use it with David).
51. Stay in an ice hotel.
52. Relearn how to ski (I swear I once knew how!)
53. Spend a month as a vegetarian.
54. Learn to do the splits.
55. Have an art studio.
56. Donate my hair to locks of love.
57. Take a vacation with my Mom.
58. Get married on a beach.
59. Have an art gallery showing.
60. Take a pottery class.
61. Own a wheel and kiln.
62. Take a watercolor class.
63. Buy (and use!) a sewing machine.
64. Make quilts and skirts.
65. Wear skirts more often (skirts + tights = cute!)
66. Make some new friends
67. Host at least one dinner party per year.

... to be continued. :)
What does your list contain?

This weekend...

2010-01-24T19:55:00.000-08:00

Had a day of beauty, haircut and free facial, bought some fancy things to take care of my skin and some ginger scented lotion (love).

Set up the fancy new printer/scanner while enjoying some of the tastiest coffee ever.

Walked the beach in the rain, had a romantic lunch date with the man I love.

Made soup and bread for an army (aka: to fill our freezer).

Laughed, snuggled, and was happy. Relaxed.

How about you?

A good day...

2010-01-20T22:08:00.000-08:00

Today was one of those good days, nothing extraordinary, nothing out of the ordinary, just a day to be happy in your skin, to be thankful.
Something like this:

I hope the same for you. :)

Ballard Market Shopping!

2010-01-17T21:06:00.000-08:00

David and I have developed a new market habit, and have also tackled another one of my goals for the year - shopping at the Ballard Farmer's Market!
We have visited the last two weekends, and as the weather turns warmer I'm sure this market will become a favorite destination. Hosting a little bit of everything (and many more food options than some of the other Seattle area markets), I am finding that I actually want to buy things at the Ballard Farmer's Market. :) It is pretty inexpensive, local, and there is a fantastic tea shop!

Miro tea is awesome, so tasty, and they easily offered recommendations. Now that we have an espresso maker, it is hard to justify going out for coffee, but the fruity tea latte I had at Miro will bring me back for sure! :)

Sorry for the lack of posts!

2010-01-17T20:22:00.000-08:00

I'm still here, only smaller. :)
Yesterday I was officially 75 pounds smaller actually. I don't really want to post some of the worst pics, but here are a few that I don't (or didn't at the time) hate:

The first was taken at my heaviest, my best friend's wedding in 2004. The second was taken with my friend Beth in Belize, 2007 (about a week before I met David). My weight has fluctuated a lot since college, but I look at these pictures and feel like that girl was drowning in fat.
Don't get me wrong, I didn't feel that way at the time. The second picture is of a page in my photo album, I climbed to the top of those ruins. I was running and walking with friends several nights a week, I was fairly fit for my size, but just didn't realize what I looked like.
It is weird looking back.
I still have 40 pounds to go to reach my goal, and I weigh about 15 pounds more than I did in high school, but I can run a mile faster than I did in high school, I can run longer, and I wear a smaller size. It is weird to think of yourself as smaller than you were in high school.
It is also weird to find myself not looking for a reward, not feeling like I need to eat something because I have done such a good job, not feeling like I need to buy anything, or do anything special. It is weird not craving the stuff you know is bad for you. I am happy with the changes I have made in my life, but I guess I am just not used to them yet. :) I wonder how long that takes?

Exciting news!

2010-01-08T07:41:00.000-08:00

I sold my first cards on Etsy Wednesday night, I was (and still am) pretty excited by the news. I took the cards to the printer yesterday, they should be done today, and off in the mail on Monday - one order from a complete stranger, and the second from my Mom.
It is nice to have your family to support you! :)
Yesterday I spent researching business licenses and taxes, today I am going to try to fill out said applications - keep your fingers crossed for me! :)

10,000 cups of tea

2010-01-04T21:38:00.000-08:00

I have started the year with quite the cold (though it is my own fault, I kissed the boyfriend for New Year's, even saying that if I got sick it would be worth it!) lol....

As a result, this has become the year of tea, Mighty Leaf Tropical Green tea to be exact....

Saturday we celebrated our second anniversary in Roslyn Washington, home of one of my favorite TV shows, Norther Exposure:
... And while I have spent most of the weekend in bed and blowing my nose, I did work on a few cards today! Check out my etsy shop!

2010, what are your hopes for the coming year?

2010-01-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

Are you a person who makes resolutions? One who believes in them? Tries to stick to them?
I try instead to call them goals, I really try to make them stick.

What will be important to you in 2010?

After reading 3191 miles apart, I am adopting the 'give more love' resolution. I hope to create a card a month, send said cards to a set few along with a tidbit of love, things that might bring others a smile, a bit of joy.
I aim to seek out childlike joy this year, why should you ever stop?
I will meet my weight goals this year, I want to be able to say I can run three miles in 30 minutes. I want to be strong!

I also hope to remember to give myself a break every once and awhile. To take a day off a month, to take a day off from the gym, to sleep in on Saturdays.

I hope to go on vacation with Heather and Carrie, camping and road tripping with David, I would love to take a cooking or art class, and of course accomplish all of those goals on the right. :)
I'm going to be a busy girl this year! :)

I hope you have had a wonderful start to the year, Happy January! :)

Mostly Sweet

2009-12-21T12:36:00.001-08:00

This has been a crazy year for me. I was feeling like I hadn't accomplished much, but then had my review at work and my boss set me straight. Truthfully, it is her awesomeness (and increased vesting on my profit sharing plan) that keeps me with this company. :)

To recap 2009:
Wisdom teeth were removed, we wandered Bainbridge in Bloom, took a road trip to Oregon to visit my parents, and on the way back met some of David's friends. David's parents came to visit, as did my Grandmother. We went camping on San Juan Island, camping in Fort Warden/Port Townsend, apple picking, and I vacationed in LA with two of my best friends. David and I went pumpkin picking, I bought a new camera, became a little gym crazed, lost a ton of weight, ate healthier, became healthier, started running again, hurt my foot, and switched from heels to fancy (expensive) flats. We have had many tasty meals with friends and family this year, we vacationed again in Port Townsend for their city tree lighting, chopped down our own tree, I became obsessed with oatmeal for breakfast, learned to bake bread, David bought me a fancy mixer for my birthday, and I chopped all of my hair off!
Whew! What were your 2009 highlights?
I am leaving you with some pics from our Sunday outing to the Bellevue Garden Lights - it was so beautiful!

Before and After (Hair)

2009-12-19T22:26:00.000-08:00

I chopped all of my hair off today! It was chopped a bit more than I hoped for, but the lack of a pony tail option will just force me to be a bit more creative! I am a little scared, but I think I love it! :)

More Christmas Cards!

2009-12-13T10:06:00.001-08:00

My Christmas cards are done for the year! (I feel like I should be able to insert some leaping into the air here!)
I am also very excited to report that I am (or attempting to) sell the remaining cards on etsy!
I'm not sure how all of this is going to work out, but check out the cards, they turned out really well! :)

Building a Snowman - Holiday Cards

Some tasty wheat bread

2009-12-13T09:52:00.000-08:00

I feel like a successful bread baker! lol... Yesterday I was hankering for a grilled cheese sandwich (which I never did make), but the only bread we have is rye (which I made for David, but I am not really a fan of rye), so I decided to try my hand at wheat. This is just a basic bread recipe, I have now tried the rye and wheat alterations and can wholeheartedly recommend both!

WHITE BREAD: (Basic Recipe)
Recipe from the Baking911.com website
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 packages instant active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp salt

1 cup water
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

1. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off.
2. Combine flour, yeast sugar and salt in a large mixer bowl; blend.
3. In a saucepan, heat the water, milk and oil together until very warm (120 to 130 degrees F).
4. Add eggs and heated mixture to flour mixture.

MIXING
1. Blend at low speed until moistened.
2. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
3. With a wooden spoon, stir in an additional 3 to 3-1/2 cups of flour to form a sticky dough.
4. In bowl or on a floured board, gradually work in 1/2 to 1-1/2 cups more flour, kneading or working in with hands until dough is smooth, pliable and no longer sticky (about 5 minutes).

RISING
1. Place dough in a greased bowl; cover with a cloth or loose fit lid.
2. Let rise in a warm place until light and double in size, about 45 minutes.

SHAPING AND BAKING
1. Punch down dough to remove air bubbles; divide dough into two parts.
2. From dough into desired shapes; place in greased pans according to Shaping and Baking directions (follows).
3. Cover, let rise in a warm place until light and doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F according to shape until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped. If loaf becomes too brown, cover with aluminum foil during last 10 minutes of baking.
5. Immediately remove from pans; cool.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD (Basic Recipe)
1. Follow white bread recipe.
2. After beating with mixer, stir in 3 cups of Whole Wheat flour instead of white flour.
3. Knead in 3/4 to 1-1/4 cups white flour.

MEDIUM RYE BREAD (Basic Recipe)
Follow White Bread recipe. After beating with mixer, stir in 3 cups medium rye flour instead of white flour. Knead in 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 cups white flour (rye flour dough usually remains slightly sticky). Rye dough should not completely double in size. Add 1 Tbsp freshly crushed Caraway Seeds with rye flour.

Also, please note, I did follow Alton Brown's recommendations for rising and punching down (or redistributing the yeast cells). The wheat bread was so light and fluffy! I wish I could send you a piece! :)

Christmas cards and a book

2009-12-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

Recent good news: I just received my Christmas cards back from the printer, thus completing goal number #17 - to make my own this year! The printing staff and my co-workers all seemed really impressed with the illustration, it was nice to hear encouraging words from people that don't know/love me and don't have to say such nice things. :)
I am working on getting an etsy account set up so that I can start selling some cards and develop a body of work that can be used in bidding for illustrating jobs - I am feeling like this is the start of something BIG, and it is so exciting! :)

The remainders of my life have been *really* stressful and busy as of late, so I have retreated to fluff fiction. I don't expect this trend to waiver for the next month, so bear with my book reviews. lol... :)
I picked up Angel Lane by Sheila Roberts because of the Christmas theme, but enjoyed its lighthearted nature. This is a book about a small town, three quaint shop owners, their friendship, dating lives, and how they work together to help each other to a happy ending. I would recommend this book for this time of year, it was exactly what I needed to keep me going on the elliptical.
Hope you all are having a great day! :)

Port Townsend tree lighting

2009-12-06T21:01:00.000-08:00

This weekend David and I skipped town in search of some Christmas spirit. We started out with some of the best homemade espresso, a quick hallway photo shoot, and some of the most amazing fog I have ever seen.

We took the Edmonds/Kingston ferry, and made our way to our favorite vacation destination - Port Townsend! :)

We had planned this vacation quite awhile ago, and our dates happened to land on the annual Port Townsend tree lighting celebration! I was very excited for carolers, Santa, and to see the lights.

We also had some amazing food at Hanazono Asian Noodle, if you make it there, I HIGHLY recommend the handmade gyoza and Tom Yum Soup! It was soooooo good, especially after standing outside to see Santa! :)

We saw our first glimpses of snow, and watched the birds fly south for the winter

I know that we have a ton of pictures going on here, but just a couple more! On our way home we stopped for a tree, David chopped and I helped carry, we had a great weekend! :)

How do you guys get in the spirit? :)

The walk to work (Seattle in pictures)

2009-12-04T20:44:00.001-08:00

This morning was foggy, chilly, and we wish it were threatening snow (for a white Christmas!), so I felt semi-inspired to take a few quick pics on my way into work this morning....

A variety of updates, and the introduction of my new boyfriend (Alton Brown!)

2009-12-01T21:03:00.000-08:00

I had a 6am shift at work today, and I have to be honest.... I hate getting up at 5 to be to work by 6am. I am by no means a morning person, and have a tendency to forget everything important that I need to do for the day, in favor of coffee and countless other bad choices.

Today though was planned for in advance.
No coffee was had (sticking with one per week even though David just bought a fancy espresso machine!), and I am happy to report, not too many bad decisions were made. lol...
The only questionable decision was the absence of a work out. I skipped lunchtime yoga trying to hunt down a surprise for David which didn't work out after all! Lame, I know!

Oh well, the hunting got me out of the office and walking around town, which was a nice break in my day.

I'm sorry, I am getting distracted from my point here: my love of oats!
I packed oatmeal to take and make at work this morning: oats, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, a couple almonds, raspberries and I later added some almond butter! They were so tasty, and the addition of flaxseed meal (maybe it was the omega-3s?) kept me spunky all day! There was no am grouch!

In other news, look what Alton Brown taught me today!

I applied this rise, punch down, and shaping technique to the rye bread recipe David had been lusting after (a very similar recipe previously provided 8 loaves of flat, thrown away, rock hard, gummy rye bread, so I was a bit frustrated to say the least!). I have to tell you, I am so impressed with the results!

So in honor of my new found bread baking success, Alton Brown has to be added to my list of boyfriends, joining the likes of Bear Grylls (Man vs. Wild), and John Corbett (Northern Exposure and Sex and the City)! lol.... Don't worry, David is well aware of my side love interests! lol....

Update: we tried actually cooking the flaxseed meal with the oatmeal this morning, and it made quite the nasty mess - I am going to take oatmeal to make at work again this morning, but that just means adding boiling water, and maybe microwaving a for a minute or two. For future home use, we will try stirring some flaxseed meal into the oatmeal once it is already cooked.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T20:40:00.000-08:00

Hello! Happy Thanksgiving!
What are you thankful for in your life? Material things, family, friends, love, or talent?
How often do you sit back and think about how good you have it?
I have this tendency of getting caught up in my frustrations, forgetting to appreciate the good stuff that happens right along with the bad, but I am trying to work on noticing more of the good.

RIGHT NOW I am thankful for: A warm home, happy fish, and my health. My (entertaining, strong, sweet and talented) boyfriend who makes breakfast in bed each morning and the best chai tea, who teases me, pushes me, cheers me on, and is there for me like no other. I am thankful for my family, my relationship with my parents, my friends, and even facebook! lol... In this last year I have reconnected with so many people from my past, and they thankfully have all been really positive reunions. I am thankful that I am learning the strength of my body, losing weight, becoming healthier by the day. I am thankful that I have a job that allows me to have a life outside of work, that I have time to go to the gym, that there are people that 'ooooo' over my painting skills, and that I even have painting skills! lol... I am thankful for time I get to spend in the kitchen, for my new camera, for hand holding, good books, for intangible things like excitement, for friends that travel with me, and for the stamps in my passport!

I am thankful for so much. :)

Our Thanksgiving was spent cleaning (being thankful for our home), and cooking - ham, salad, mashed potatoes and pumpkin souffle!

Easy and Light Pumpkin Souffle
(found on recipezar.com)

3 egg whites
1 (21 ounce) can pumpkin
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 380 degrees

Beat egg whites in a medium bowl until stiff, set aside.
Blend pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, egg yolk and milk in a large bowl.
Gently fold egg whites into pumpkin mixture, 1/3 at a time.
Pour into 5 small ramekins (I used 4 large) leaving 1/2 inch or more at the top as they will rise. Place cups on a baking tray and put into the oven. Bake for 30 -45 minutes until set - Do not open the oven during this time!

I chose this recipe because of it's low fat/calorie attributes (2.1 g/114 cal per serving), but am happy to report that it was SO TASTY (maybe even better than pumpkin pie?)! The only downfall was that they totally collapsed! lol.... Oh well, we really enjoyed them, in their deflated state they were kind of like a light pumpkin custard - Yummy either way! :)

Kate Jacobs - Knit Two

2009-11-26T23:44:00.000-08:00

I had read the Friday Night Knitting Club, and hated it. My friend Heather loved it, but I was devastated!
I loved the characters of the Friday Night Knitting Club, the knitting, mother/daughter relationships, and the developing friendship of an unlikely group of women, but I was fairly sure I wouldn't read anything else by Kate Jacobs. You see, I was quite heart broken when the lead character died tragically just when I was sure there would be a happy ending.
I cried (you can ask David, it wasn't pretty).
I was afraid that any subsequent novels, would sport a similar twist, and was a little gun shy! :)
I am happy to report though that the lure of those characters (and a Borders coupon making the book quite inexpensive) broke my resolve. The verdict? I don't want to spoil it for you, but there was no such heat breaking twist, and I will certainly be reading the next novel in the series! :)

Turkey Burgers

2009-11-26T23:24:00.000-08:00

I am a kitchen mulit-tasker, I love to have several things going at the same time, and Wednesday was no different! Cranberry sauce was bubbling while I threw together the ingredients to make maybe the tastiest turkey burger I have ever had! I found the recipe over at Embracing Balance, and have passed it on to some work friends and my Mom - it is really that good! (Everything is good with cheese right?) :)
Here is the recipe right from the source:

Rachel Ray Turkey Burgers

1 lb extra lean ground turkey (or chicken if that's your thing)
2-3 green onions, chopped
4 oz extra old white cheddar, crumbled (light cheddar does NOT work the same)
eyeballed handful of grill seasoning (like Montreal Steak Spice)
2 tbsp horseradish
4 buns
grainy mustard
optional: mayo, tomato, lettuce, etc.

Note: these have to be grilled on a Foreman or some such appliance (or in a frying pan) because if you cook them on a regular BBQ type grill, the cheese just drips through the grates and is lost.

Preheat grill.
Mix together (with your hands people!) the meat, onions, cheese, seasoning & horseradish. Divide into four even balls and form into patties.
Grill (3-4 minutes per side).
The original recipe recommends cranberry sauce and the grainy mustard. We use light mayo and the grainy mustard, and top ours with tomato slices (and lettuce if we have it).

I will be making this again! :) I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Cranberry Sauce

2009-11-26T23:14:00.001-08:00

Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Simple as can be!

1 bag cranberries
1/2 to 1 cup sugar
peel and juice from one orange
one pinch ground cloves (optional)
1 cup water

Wash cranberries and pick out any brown or shriveled fruits, sticks or leaves.
Bring all ingredients to a gentle boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain cranberry mixture through a metal colander, use a spoon to squish the fruit against the sides of the colander, extracting as much pulp as possible.
Refrigerate for approximately a week (if it lasts that long!), tasty with Thanksgiving ham, turkey, and on sandwiches! :)

Mini Pumpkins

2009-11-22T20:57:00.000-08:00

My friend Beth came this afternoon to whisk me off for some sushi, chat and a delightful pedicure, but I came home in time to bake some mini pumpkins!
Did you know these are edible? I will be honest, I didn't. I buy them for decoration, love their cuteness, and now their tastiness!
I did make some pretty big adjustments to make these pumpkins a bit healthier:

Mini Pumpkin Souffles

2 mini pumpkins
a pinch cinnamon
a pinch nutmeg
2 Tbsp brown sugar (I used 1)
1 cup heavy cream (I used organic 1/2 and 1/2 and could have reduced this to 1/2 cup - my pumpkins were pretty small)
1 egg
2 Tbsp powdered sugar (I didn't use)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp butter (I didn't use)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (I used about 1/4 cup of Anne's organic honey bunnies)

I usually just tell you how I made the recipe, but this time I included the original ingredients because if you wanted more of a crumble on top I think adding the butter would be tasty. :)

Chop the tops off of your pumpkins, leaving as much pumpkin as possible. Clean pumpkins with a spoon and place in a baking dish (I used ramekins).
Rub the pumpkin insides with a pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg and the brown sugar. Mix together the cream, egg, powdered sugar (if using), and cinnamon. Spoon cream mixture into pumpkins.
Bake at 325 for 50 minutes. Remove from oven.
Mix together the butter (if using) pecans and graham crackers and sprinkle on top of the souffle. Return the pumpkins to the oven and bake 10 more minutes.
After removing the pumpkins from the oven a second time, I decided that they were not brown enough (I had used quite a bit less sugar and had skipped the butter) so I spooned some of my leftover cream mixture on the top and tossed them back in the oven at 350 degrees for another 15 minutes. When I removed them the third time they were perfect! :)

Oh.... and an update on our brining tests - our study results indicated that brining, and length of brining made no difference in meat moisture or taste. Today's turkey was tasty, and more juicy because we removed it from the oven at the correct temp, but I am sad to say none of the flavors from the brine left their traces in the meat!

Turkey Anyone?

2009-11-21T22:07:00.000-08:00

We stopped off at Whole Foods on our way home from our Belltown adventures and picked up some groceries (I was out of Almond Butter, which is like $5/$6 at Whole Foods, and $12.95 at QFC). We wandered around, picked up some raspberries, questioned this odd creature (called Buddha's Hand which smelled FANTASTIC, but who knows what to do with it?), some cheddar cheese, a pumpkin spice candle, and some TURKEY LEGS! Yum!
We are making ham for Thanksgiving, but I love turkey too, and after watching a few Thanksgiving specials on the Food Network and PBS we wanted to try brining to see if it made a difference in meat moisture! We are conducting scientific testing here people!

David adapted an Alton Brown brine recipe to the contents of our cupboards and our two turkey legs:

Turkey Brine
1/3 cup salt
1/4 cup brown Sugar
1 veggie bouillon cube
1 cinnamon stick
1 sprig rosemary
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 pinches Italian seasoning
2 cups water
2 trays of ice and cold water to fill your bowl
Bacon (optional!)

Add ingredients to a small sauce pan with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let liquid cool to luke warm.
Add ice, water, turkey legs, brine and more water if needed to fill a large bowl. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate/brine for 3 hours.

We cut one leg in half and wrapped it with BACON! lol.... I figured it needed a little oil, and really, you can't go wrong with bacon! lol...

We roasted our turkey under the broiler for 30 minutes which was a tad bit too long - when I took the turkey out it registered an internal temp of 165 degrees, which is too high according to Alton Brown (yes, I love his nerdiness!).

We added some chipotle to our remaining turkey leg and will let it continue to brine over night. Tomorrow we are going to try roasting the turkey leg in the cast iron pan for 20 minutes, we are aiming for an internal temprature of 151 degrees - letting the turkey rest to reach 165 degrees.

Do you have any special turkey/Thanksgiving recipes?

My Mom gave me some ramekins for my birthday, so I am going to try a pumpkin souffle to go with our Thanksgiving dinner this year - I will keep you posted on our results! :)

Update: I also made some cinnamon bread this evening! Our house smells so tasty! :)

Exploring Belltown

2009-11-21T15:51:00.001-08:00

Today we were aiming for a walk, a hike, some time outside, but trying not to freeze our fingers off, we opted for Belltown over Discovery Park. Belltown isn't my favorite Seattle neighborhood, it's a weird mix of rundown businesses, loft living, dive bars, cute cafes, and homeless assistance programs. The only thing I love about the neighborhood is a pizza joint which played a part in our second date (spumoni ice cream, not pizza, but the date was 10 hours, many meals and many destinations).
Today after counting maybe 15 different pizza places (why are there so many in this neighborhood?) the highlight was coffee at Uptown Espresso - a dark roast and I was supper impressed with their foam!

I am also happy to report we came home to some FANTASTIC news:
How is your weekend going?

Handle with Care

2009-11-21T09:59:00.001-08:00

I am a few books behind, but truthfully most of them were not especially note worthy, so I will just update you on the most recent book I finished - Jodi Picoult's Handle with Care.
The premise of the book is interesting in an uncomfortable sort of way (but I have felt that way about all of Jodi Picoult's books), depicting a family wanting for another child.
The O'Keef's were looking to begin fertility treatments and then with surprise and joy found out that they got pregnant the old fashioned way. Only when they discover their child will be born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) do they question their love for this child, and when they have to struggle for caring for a child with such high needs they question the care the doctor (and mother's best friend) provided.
As with all of Jodi Picoult's books, the charter development in this book is outstanding, you waffle between loving the mother figure and hating her, fearing for the children and wanting to yell at the Father figure, to shake him awake!
I can tell you this was a perfect elliptical book, it is very engaging! :)

The 30 day SHRED!

2009-11-17T20:41:00.001-08:00

In my search for an AM workout video, I chose the 30 day shred because is is only 18 minutes long. I have 18 minutes that I can commit to exercising each morning, it is just a matter of doing the dishes and packing lunch/snacks before I go to bed (and cutting out my am blog reading/zoning out in front of the computer). Everyone has 18 minutes, you just have to prioritize, and right now this is it for me! :)
Anyway, I read quite a few reviews before ordering The Shred from Amazon and after day 1/level 1 this morning, I can tell you they were all correct! I may be overweight, but I am in pretty good shape, running a 10:46 minute mile, working out 5 times a week, and I take an ab class on Mondays that I swear each week may just kill me - but this lady is tough stuff! The Shred is fast paced (but not so fast you can't catch what you are supposed to be doing), and that 18 minutes is HARD!
Just when you want to quit and rest Jillian is telling you how a 400 lb person can do this so you can too! That this is when change happens, right when it burns the most, and reminding you that you get out of it what you put in! That stuff kept me motivated, and I am proud to say there was no quitting this morning! I'm not sure about the claim to loose up to 20 lbs in 30 days, but I can tell you that in 18 minutes I was sweating and I will be giving this DVD a try for the next 30 days!
Have you guys tried the shred? How did you like it?
Or if not, what are some of your favorite (QUICK) workout DVDs?

Fancy new CAMERA!

2009-11-15T16:55:00.000-08:00

Look what I got today! My last birthday present from my Grandmother and David's parents - a Samsung TL220, with dualview (a screen in the front for those pics taken are arms length) and a touch screen in the back! It is charging now, so I haven't gotten to play with it yet, but I am so excited for new toys! :)
Scratch goal #8 off the list!

Updating goals

2009-11-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

As they always do, today's doctor appointments prompted a little review and reorganization of the goals I have listed to the right. I am refocusing the list to goals that I would primarily like to achieve within the next year:

1. Focus on weight loss and being healthy! My goal is to lose 15 lbs by 12/31/09, and to get down to 165 within the next year.
2. Continue running. I would like to be able to run 3 miles in 30 minutes, and be able to do so on a regular basis.
3. Build savings. I am feeling the need to have a cushion, and would like to have three months of living expenses saved by the end of next year.
4. Travel to one of these destinations within the next year: Italy, the Florida Keys, New York, Boston, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Catalina, Caribbean, Olympic National Forest, Costa Rica, Bolivia.
5. Cook, bake and try more recipes (and post them on the blog).
6. Visit a hot spring.
7. Treat myself to a spa day.
8. Buy a new camera.
9. Take up swimming during my lunch hour.
10. Go sailing in the summer.
11. Find someone to take a crazy class with me. (A living 'out of the box' kind of experience)
12. Soak in a hot tub in the snow.
13. Spend at least 5 weekends next summer hiking.
14. Camp.
15. Visit a new winery.
16. Work in at least 5 long bike rides.
17. Make my own Christmas cards.
18. Make a new friend.
19. Shop at the Ballard Farmers Market.
20. Try at least 5 new restaurants within the next year.

I have to tell you, I like this new list!
What are some of your goals for the coming year?

Poking and Proding

2009-11-11T13:57:00.000-08:00

All cancers/disease scare the crap out of me, but breast cancer hits a bit too close to home. My Mom is a breast cancer survivor, and so each year we compare appointment dates and keep our fingers crossed for the outcome.
I am surprised by how many of my friends and their families have dealt with breast cancer, they say 1 in 1,000 will get some kind of breast cancer during their lifetime, and really the only way to fight back is to go to those annual exams.

Early detection increases your rate of survival to 95%!

So, I know is isn't National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I know that the 'girly doctor' is NOT a fun place to visit, but go. Make an appointment, get your annual exam, and if breast cancer runs in your family, don't be afraid to get a mammogram. Survival is always worth a day of poking and proding.
lol... After you do it, send me an email, we can bitch about it together. :)

Weekend Hill/Stair Climb

2009-11-09T07:42:00.000-08:00

Two weekends into age 31, two weekends of canceled plans, but this weekend we took off for some urban hiking - exploring the hills and stairs of Queen Anne!

I'm not sure we found any of the stairs featured in the September 2009 Sunset magazine article, but I had no idea there were so many to be found on Queen Anne! We had a great time exploring, shared a coffee and pumpkin spice gelatto, lusted after brick mansions and at every turn exclaimed over the views!

Could you imagine having a view of the space needle from half of the rooms in you house?
... I just kept thinking that maybe at 31 I will learn to take things as they come. It was a great day!

Goals - Weight loss!

2009-11-06T07:26:00.000-08:00

Since December 2007, I have lost 65 lbs. I have lost 30 since May (some of which were repeat pounds), but wanted to loose 50. Trying to do it on my own and even with the help of my boyfriend is tough, and often times I feel that my weight issues are more emotional issues than they are weight issues.
Here is where I give all of that up: I would like to loose 15 lbs by the end of the year.
This is not the end of the road for me, I will be setting a new goal after reaching this one, but small achievable goals = victory, and motivation!

I have made a list of things to help me along the way:

Cut out excess calories. I eat several tasty snacks a day, and lately have been allowing myself a coffee a day and maybe even a piece of candy (like March madness, there is candy madness in our office with daily voting and everything!). That coffee a day business started while having to work 6am shifts and just hasn't stopped. From here on out I am going to limit myself to one coffee per week, no candy, and pack LOTS of fruits and veggies for snacks - no excuses, no falling back into the rut!
Gym. Go, and often! I have been pretty good in this area, but need to keep it up, especially with the aforementioned nasty weather brewing! I would like to continue pushing myself to go 5 days a week.
Run. I have a goal: Run 3 miles in 30 minutes by the end of the month. I have run for 30 mins, I just need to speed it up and keep it up!
Drink more water. I have a water bottle at work and am going to try to drink two full bottles per day = 64 oz (during work hours). I may also add green tea, or chai tea, but those are extra!
AM workout video. I would like to work this in 2 - 3 times per week, I need a little direction and endorphin boost in the am.
Keep eliminating clothing as it gets too big. I do better when I can't slide back, and though I bought myself some new jeans this month, I should have bought new work pants too!
Post a full body pic and goal updates at least once a month. Like I said, I have been reading quite a few weight loss/healthy eating/running blogs, and they all have said this makes you more accountable, and I can see it - I WANT to see changes - that is motivating!

I also really need to work on my menu planning. Come up with some new ideas for lunch, and really make sure that I have lots of veggie snacks available for workplace stress cravings.
So we'll see how this works posting everything online, I can hardly wait to reach that goal!
(Oh, and if I do? I am going to buy myself a present!)

Goal update - 30 mins = 2.46 miles

2009-11-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

I am just back from the gym, and have to brag a bit! I ran 30:06 minutes this evening, equaling 2.46 miles! I am going to have to speed it up a bit to make my goal of 3 miles in 30 minutes, but I am well on my way, and today convinced me that I can do this!