My first 2011 challenge (or is it a goal, or resolution?)

This was suppose to post last Monday...oops!  It can be equally enjoyed today though...

2010 is coming to an end.  Can you believe it?  This year was amazing, and I can only imagine what 2011 will bring.  In 2010 I started focusing on things that made me happy and setting goals that benefited myself and not necessarily the people around me.  I still fight to keep those around me happy, but 2011 is going to be a milestone year for me, I can feel it!  Some changes are starting now and some I am holding off for that blissful, goal-filled January morning.

I don't think that I have set New Years resolutions for myself in years.  I do set goals for myself throughout the year, but setting "resolutions" on January 1 seems a little cliche.  (Especially considering I'm sure most people forget about them after a few weeks, right?)  Resolution usually means fixing something.  If we are starting a new year, I'd rather leave anything that needs to be "fixed" in the past and look to the future by setting new goals for myself.  Goals are just steps that you take to actually revolutionize your life.  The whole point is to make our lives better. 

I'm in the process of organizing my goals and sorting out the next year.  There (hopefully) are going to be some big changes and I can't wait to tell you all about them.  I'm ready to make some big changes to enhance the quality of my life.  Luckily, I do not have a lot to complain about and am very blessed, but I do want to continue to move forward and be the best person I can be.

One of the biggest changes that I am going to make is going to be going "meat-free".  There are a number of reasons I'm going to flirt with the vegetarian lifestyle:

• I have felt a lot better since only eating red meat once a week.  It's actually resulted in eating less meat in general.
• It's a fact I will feel better.  I don't feel bad all of the time, but enough where I think I need to start cleaning my diet out.  I think eliminating meat and focusing on raw proteins it will make a drastic difference in my energy level and overall well-being.
• It will save us a little money.  We only buy organic, all natural and/or grass-fed meat and poultry and it can get pretty expensive. 
• I am excited to experiment.  I know there are thousands of meat recipes out there, but honestly, I'm a little bored.  I'm excited to create my dishes around something different every single night (not just a piece of chicken or steak). 
• I do love animals, but this love is not why I'm becoming a vegetarian.  I am not against eating meat.  I love a good hamburger and I like trying exotic meats that you don't eat every day (like moose meat).  I feel like lately my fondness for the taste of meat has declined.  I don't get really excited to eat a big burger or chicken breast.  Why eat it if I am not craving it?  What I am craving is fresh, crunchy vegetables.  It may sound crazy to some of you, but why fight that urge?
  
  

I have started doing little things to help weed into this lifestyle (like only eating red meat once a week).  I am going to do my best to make this change, but I can't promise to myself or all of you that I will go cold turkey (no pun attended) all at once.  In a perfect world, I would like to eliminate all animal products from my diet.  I'm going to start with little steps, and the first one will be going "meat-free".

Vegetarians...speak up!  I would love any words of advice.  I hope all of you support me and share all of your favorite recipes with me.   I also hope everyone doesn't judge me if I slip, after all, tuna melts are one of my favorite sandwiches.  It will be a challenge, but I am really excited. 

...call me weak, unfocused or whatever else comes to mind, but I am starting this January 1, 2011.  I am all about guilt-free eating during the holidays.  Who knows, I may not grab a piece of meat from now until January 1, but I won't start kicking my butt until then.

Veg out!

A great year just got a lot better!

It's been about a week since my last post.  I feel like I've been a little lazy and slacking off, but all for good reasons.  As you have read in my previous posts, not only do I love Christmas, but I love spending time with my family and friends while being in the Adirondacks.  I really don't feel all that bad because these past few days have been incredible! 

It's been a great ten days and we still have a few more left before heading back to Maryland.  I'm very sad to leave, but I am more excited to start planning a wedding!

...yep, I said wedding.  2010 had one last surprise for me, an engagement!  Like I said, Christmas is my favorite holiday and my boyfriend (er...fiance!) made it the best Christmas ever.  It has been a magical week and I'm very sad to see the holiday end. 

Sharing this kind of excitement with the blogger community is very very new to me.  I have to admit, I was a little nervous.  But I'm anxious to hear your advice and tips while we start planning.  And if you have really been reading my blog, I have been talking for a few weeks now about how exciting 2011 is going to be, and how I was about to make some big changes...and now things are taking a completely different (but amazing!) turn.  My life is about to change and I could not be happier.  I have been waiting for this portion of our life together to begin for a long time and I can't wait for the journey to begin! 

And because I'm still a little shy, here is a little visual run down of how the day of our engagement happened...

Christmas Eve begins with lots of wrapping and putting presents under the tree...

And then I headed over to my boyfriend's house for some R&R with the puppy before our annual tradition of going to my Gramma's house for dinner and presents

It has been freezing (below freezing actually, around 10 degrees) and Reddick is not a huge fan.  He finds comfort by any fireplace he can.  We left him by the fire while we headed over to my Gramma's house...

...and then after a little detour to my house and a big, smiling, gitty YES! we arrived at my Gramma's, newly engaged, with our cute little champagne glasses my Dad had etched for us (we own a business that allows us to do things like this on a holiday).  The celebrating (and teary phone calls to the family out of town) begins!

And yes, we all squeeze into my Gramma's kitchen (all 23 of us) for dinner.  It's the best tradition involving the best meal.

It has really been the best week.  We were able to celebrate with both of our families and most of our friends almost immediately.  I'm still in shock and probably will be for awhile.  I cannot wait for what is about to come.  I want to start planning right now!!  But I also wanted to fill you all in, too on why I have been so distant.  I have tons of other pictures and stories to share about our trip home and will start posting them soon. 

I hope that you all have a fun and safe New Years Eve.  We will be in the Vermont Mountains at a cozy ski house sharing and relaxing with more of our family.  But I will be back at it soon, so stay tuned for one crazy-happy bride-to-be... :)

Merry Christmas!

Being at home in the Adirondacks usually means that I become a little out of touch with the virtual world.  I apologize for not posting, but I do cherish my time up here!  With that said,  I am going to get back to spending time with my family, wrapping presents, baking and enjoying the snow, so here is a little bit of what's been going on the past few days.

We had Christmas #1 and it included family portraits (for a good cause, we sent them all down to my grandparents in Florida)

I made an awesome dinner for my girlfriends, Butternut Squash Soup was on the menu and here it is about three hours in.  I'll post the recipe soon.

I also made a really awesome salad that was well-needed during this week of feasting and sweets

Here they are, my best friends from high school.  It was so great to spend time with them and catch up on our lives. 

It snowed (a little/lot depending who you are) last night.  We were able to do a little photo shoot in the middle of Main Street before the next plow came through

There is snow everywhere!

I was out today and took some pictures of Mirror Lake completely covered in snow

I did a little last minute Christmas shopping on Main Street

And this is our annual cookie fest with the cousins

I wish I could write more, but honestly, my time is short up here and I want to spend as much of it with my family and friends as I can.   I will be back soon with lots of Christmas recipes, stories and sharing what's in store for 2011!

Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS...and I can't wait to share with 2011 with all of you.

Smile,

Amanda

2010: Favorite Number, Pretty Awesome Year

This year has been pretty crazy.  Let's take a look back...

New Years Day (just a few minutes after the ball dropped)

The boyfriend and I are officially old and headed home.  Another New Years Eve gone bust (I am not a huge fan).  Between spilling a bottle of Cold Duck and the boyfriend getting lost walking to my aunts house, we were ready for bed.  Oh well, maybe this year will be better?

January

I go to Vegas for the first time.  I went with my co-workers for an awards show and we had a blast.  We saw The Beatles show Love, did not win our award (boo to that), drank yard-long margaritas and learned that waking up to your co-workers voice really isn't that pleasant (but did anyone think it was to begin with?)

February - Snow.  Lots of it.  DC went nuts.  I went nuts.  I spent two days shoveling out my car.  I made a sign that said "please don't park in the spot I spent two days shoveling out".  The spot was taken, of course.  You really learn a lot about a city when it gets a few feet of snow...

It begins...

Saturday morning, trying to find my car underneath that mess

One car down, one to go

When your snowed in, that means others outside of the city can't get to their seats for Caps games.  Thanks to those people for letting us take those seats.

March - I went down to my parent's new condo in Florida for girls week.  It was much needed after our snow craziness.

We celebrated my Mom's 21st birthday :)

The girls, out to dinner (before the rest of the girls arrived)

My mini birthday cake for my Mom

April - We bought our house!

May,June, July - We unpack, paint, clean and do everything else excited new home owners do.

August - We welcome Reddick to our family!  A very fun month filled with best friends, puppy love and birthdays.  Also, my aunt got married and I sang "When You Say Nothing At All" at the wedding.  Yes, I sing, kind of.  Other people think I can sing so they ask me to sing at their weddings.  (When I say other people, I mean my aunts.  They are slightly biased.) 

Me, my aunt and my sister and I, loving our shoes

The puppy pics will never (ever) get old

My best friends from home

September - The blog really gets going.  Eats, Love and Happiness is gaining ground  (I think, right?).  I had been debating back and forth as to what I wanted to do, what I wanted my goals to be and what I wanted to write about.  I'm still pretty unclear, but I decided to write and just keep on writing until I figure it out.  One of these days I'll get it sorted out.  In the meantime, keep reading and please share any comments or suggestions that will make the blog better. 

October until now - A lot has been going through my head the past few months.  Big changes are (hopefully) in the works, and I can't wait to share them with all of you.  There is still a lot of "sorting" to do, but things are about to look up.  I think I've finally figured out what I want to do with my future and am excited to take big steps towards my goals. 

Oh, and 10/10/2010 happened - my favorite number, therefore my favorite day, right?  Nothing too exciting happened.   I spent the day doing a surprise 24 hour makeover on my bathroom.  Tip: Really know what you're getting into when you decide to stencil a border by yourself.  It's not as easy as it looks. 

Who knows what 2011 will bring.  I'm so excited to be writing my blog and sharing my stories, ideas, advice and most importantly, recipes with all of you.  One of my goals for the next year is to get more creative in the kitchen so that I can spice up my blog a little bit more. 

The 2011 goals/changes are in the works...so stay tuned.  Thank you to all of you who have been so supportive over the past year!

What did you like best about 2010?

Last minute gift idea?

It's official.  I am awful at timing.  I have been wanting to post this project for such a long time, but I thought that it wouldn't really be appropiate until I was done telling our home buying story.  Now the story is over and it's on to what we decided to do with those blank white walls.

Our living room walls are still bare, but I have managed to get some "artwork" onto the awesome shelves that my boyfriend found.  We didn't want to clutter the shelves and wanted something simple and elegent to put on display. 

Right now, they are a little taken over by our holiday decorations

Here is what my homemade "artwork" consists of:

Plain black frames from Michaels, 4 small and 2 large

4 pieces of scrapbook paper

scraps of fabric

(plus your usual crafting materials: scissors, glue, etc.)

The top two have a little special touch.  The background is the scrapbook paper, but the design itself are little flowers made up from scraps from our homemade curtains.  I thought this was a something really cool and special.  This could hang somewhere fifty years from now, and we'll always have a little pieceof our first home project.

The smaller frames are simply two peices of scrapbook paper with a design cut up.  I did a tree and a leaf.  I was very careful not to be messy while cutting the sheets because I used the leftover paper on the opposite frames.

I think pictures are much better than my awful descriptions:

This project took me less than an hour and cost me about $15 (the frames were on sale).  I think that they turned out pretty cool looking and I like knowing that no one else out there has the same "artwork". 

If you're looking for a last minute handmade gift, this could be perfect.  The project could go a ton of different ways; experiment with photos, scrapbook accessories, etc. 

Let me know if you give this idea a shot.  I'd love to see how they turn out!

An Adirondack Christmas: ten things I'll do (or eat) in the mountains

We were a little slow getting up here on Saturday (yep, three days ago...I've been a little slow to posting since getting up here in the mountains).  We are lucky enough to be able to come home for two weeks every year.  I work remotely, so it's not really a vacation, but working from a big comfy couch next to a fireplace is pretty darn sweet. 

We are here for two weeks because we always have a lot to squeeze in, including:

1. Christmas #1.  This was on Sunday.  This Christmas is with the slightly smaller side of the family; 14 of us.  It was filled with delicious treats, a very sad Giants game and playful puppies.

See those delicious little squares in the top right, that is was the Scotchy Squares are suppose to look like

Reddick and his cousin(?) Mya playing

2. Cookie night with my cousins.  Every year for the past three or four years, the night before Christmas Eve my cousins and I go on a baking rampage.  This is my night to try rediculous recipes (like Paula Deen's Velvetta Fudge...never going back there).  I'm slacking this year and have not even thought about what I'm making.  Any ideas?

3. Vegetarian Feast on Wednesday.  I'm making dinner for my girlfriends and have decided to make a vegetarian meal.  Girls, if you protest, speak up...although I'm sure they haven't found my blog yet. 

4. Christmas #2.  Every Christmas Eve of my life has been spent at my Gramma's house.  It's an incredible night.  This night involves about 20 of us (family and close friends that might as well be family), a large Thanksgiving-like feast and the craziness "present opening" session you will ever see.  Also, she makes the most amazing dinner rolls named Horns, but I only know them as Gramma's rolls.  Can you imagine eating a doughy, chocolate cherry nut-filled, warm cinnamony roll during your dinner?  Yep, we do it.  We also take it one step further and serve cinnamon rolls with dinner.  Are you jealous yet?

5. Two-fer Tuesday.  This is something I have a love/hate relationship with.  Every Tuesday our favorite local pub has two for one beers.  During the holidays pretty much everyone that graduated from my high school is at this bar.  It's amazing, overwelming, awesome but so very frustrating all at the same time.  I love catching up with my old classmates but it's usually shoulder to shoulder and impossible to have a conversation without screaming.  I do love going to the pub when they aren't offering fun drink specials.  They might have my favorite spinach and artichoke dip in all of Lake Placid (I've tested them all...).

6. Corn chowder on Christmas Day (#3).  My dad makes a killer (I'm beginning to think literaly) corn chowder.  It's the one creamy, savory soup that I let myself have numerous bowls over.  It's so delicious for all of the wrong reasons.  It's almost the best part of Christmas Day.  Both sides of my family come together (and even the boyfriend's family sometimes) at my house for a day full of appetizers, games and sharing our presents.  I've never gone to church or sat down for a dinner at my house on Christmas Day.  Ever.  Some may think that's a little weird...

My mom does an awesome job with our Christmas tree

7. Christmas #4.  I do sit down for dinner at the boyfriend's house for Christmas dinner.  Up until seven years ago, I lived off of cookies and chowder on Christmas Day.  Christmas #4 provides a little break from the mayhem of the past few days.  It's usually a lot smaller in numbers, but not lighter in quality.  I have learned to appreciate holidays shared in a different way than what I'm used to. 

8. A graham cracker bagel and one of 46 sandwiches.  I love the little shops and delis in my town.  Although this amazing graham cracker bagel has gone from one bagel shop to to next, it's still delicious.   Again, it's another indulgence I only let myself have a few times a year, but it's totally worth it.  I've yet to see or taste another bagel better than the graham cracker bagel.  We also have a deli that serves 46 sandwiches in honor of the 46 Adirondack Mountains.  I always have a hard time settling on one.  I think the sandwich I had last time involved smoked salmon and apples.

9.  A delcious meal on Mirror Lake.  I have been sitting here for about ten minutes trying to pick the best resturant to write about, and I can't.  I'll fill you in when I do finally pick, but now you can imagine how awful it is for anyone who is with me and trying to pick a place to go.

10. Sledding with the dog.  That's a must, right?  Reddick still hasn't quite figured out what this white stuff is.  He does find it pretty tasty though. 

I hope you all love my talk about the holidays and the Adirondacks.  If not, you might want to zone out for a few weeks.  The Happy Holidays continue! 



My decorations have been up for 6.........weeks.

I. Love. Christmas. 

This is the best time of the year.  Now that it's only ten days away, everyone seems to be in the spirit, right?  I mean who doesn't love the Christmas tunes on the radio (and Pandora, and XM, and the television), the baking, traveling, snow flurries and dressing up to go to holiday parties?  So because of the fact that I love Christmas so much, I need to squeeze as much jolly time I can in before December 25.  So my holiday season starts right after Halloween.  Please, understand, and also keep in mind we go home a good solid week before December 25, so we lose a whole week of snuggling by our Christmas tree.

Our stockings, handmade by my amazing Gramma

My baby Christmas tree, maybe next year when Reddick is older we will get a big tree!

A handmade wreath made out of Adirondack pines by my boyfriend's mom

 And because no Christmas post is complete without a yummy recipe, I'll share with you a really simple treat that my family makes every year: Fudgey Scotchy Squares (I am not sure where the recipe came from, but I'm almost positive it came from a 1970's Redbook  magazine or something.  I take no credit for the recipe.)

I also don't claim that this recipe is healthy...

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C of crushed graham crackers

6 oz. chocolate chips

6 oz. butterscotch chips

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper and spread a lot of crisco on the paper.  This makes the squares really easy to remove.  Using non-stick spray is NOT promised to work.

3. Combine crackers, chips and milk.  Spread into ban.

4. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

5. Let cool before cutting into bite-size squares. 

Enjoy!  I made these for the DC Cookie Swap this past Sunday.  They weren't that pretty (because of my battle with non-stick spray) but they tasted awesome.



Part 4 of our home-buying experience: The Big Purchase

This is the final post about our home buying experience.  I hope to keep it pretty short (but I can't make any promises) and I also hope that if I left anything out, and you have any questions, this provides a solid platform for you to reach out to me.  I'm very happy to give advice or touch on parts of the story that have been left out. 

As you know by now, we opted to purchase a one bedroom condo in Montgomery County, MD.  I don't know how easy this decision would have been had we found this property when we were first looking, but I imagine it would have been pretty similar.  The decision to purchase this unit was made in less than three days, but eight months in the making.  By April we had visited over 20 properties and  had a good idea as to not only what we were looking for, but what was reasonable for "right now".  I honestly believe that we were meant to buy this house.  Everything really seemed to had fallen into place.  I am a big cheese ball when it comes to fate, and everything happens for a reason-type things, and this is the perfect example.  You know by now how treacherous our home-buying journey was and now we are extremely happy homeowners! 

After a lot of paperwork (that wasn't too stressful, we didn't have to submit an offer because we were buying directly from the contractor), transferring some money out of our savings account, writing a pretty hefty check and a day full of butterflies, we became homeowners on April 9!  We were moved in by the 10th, and have been working towards creating a beautiful home ever since.

The house is almost done.  If you remember from my previous post, we moved into a brand new unit.  We had brand new hardwood floors installed and granite counter tops.  We also got new appliances.  The walls were white and there were no scratches or holes to fix.  It was pretty *perfect*. 

I'll be posting as we get more done and show you some of the spaces that we do have complete.  Owning a home at our age is such a huge accomplishment.  I would have never thought that I would be paying a mortgage before the age of 30.  But like I keep saying, it really is possible for almost anyone in situations similar to ours.  If you need suggestions for Realtors, mortgage brokers, settlement attorneys, etc. around the DC Metro area, please e-mail me.  If you have any questions that you might be too nervous to ask one of those people about, please e-mail me.  I had a lot of questions and got a lot of advice from people in and out of the industry.  Don't be afraid to ask, it's the first step!

For now, here are some pictures from last spring, before all of our work was done.

The BF, in our new kitchen, just minutes after closing on the condo

Our living room/dining area (view from the kitchen)

I LOVE my island

Did you miss Part 1, Part 2 or Part 3? 

The ten things I always have in my pantry

At any moment, I can rush to the kitchen and break out in a cooking or baking storm. When I have the urge I must get to work. Immediately. Even though I live right next to a grocery store, most days I don’t really care to delay my new cooking adventure to pick up the missing ingredients. So to prevent things like this happening, here are the ten items I almost always have on hand:

(…Aside from your standard salt, pepper, baking soda, etc.)

1. Vanilla extract – There really aren’t any substitutions for this one (aside from beans, which most people don’t keep on hand regularly).

2. Flax seed – What can’t you put flax seed in to beef up the fiber content?  I love it in my cereal and yogurt. 

3. Oats – I love baking and cooking with oatmeal. It’s another way to add that extra dose of fiber into your baked goods.

4. Muri Glen Organic Canned Tomatoes – All of their tomatoes are great: diced, stewed, sauce, salsa, etc. I try to keep a stock of everything.

5. Beans – Can you tell we have lot of fiber in our diet? Black beans are great additions to soups and also can be baked with. I also keep chick peas on hand for last minute hummus creations.

6. Cumin – One of my favorite spices.

7. Onions – I store big bags of onions in my dark and cool pantry. Nine out of ten of our meals start with onions.

8. Dried parsley – I try to use fresh herbs whenever I can, but let’s be honest, they come in huge bunches and there is no way you can use it all. Parsley seems to be the herb called for the most.

9. Fresh Nutmeg – My mom bought me a little jar of fresh nutmeg a few years ago. I will never in my life run of out nutmeg. I use it every weekend in whatever I am making for breakfast (french toast, pancakes, muffins, etc.).

10. Olive oil – Always gotta have EVOO. Good fat(ty) olive oil is the foundation to almost every dinner I make.

No complaining (after today)

A few years ago I learned about a movement called A Complaint Free World. I saw them on television and decided to pick up the book at the library. Basically, the movement involved each participant wearing a LiveStrong-like bracelet and each time that person complained (about anything) they had to put the bracelet on their other wrist. I tried it, and failed. I failed miserably. I read all of the success stories, how people went from changing wrists up to a hundred times a day to only once every few months. But I just couldn’t do it. I quit, put the bracelets in a box somewhere, and haven’t seen it in years. But I do think about this movement frequently. I think about the effort mostly when I’m about to complain about something ridiculous. Is it really worth the energy?

This past week (I feel) has been complaint-worthy. I really hate complaining on Twitter, Facebook and especially my blog. I pride myself in being a happy, smiling person (most of the time). I don’t think that social media is the right place to seek empathy for life’s little “happenings”.

Today I am making a huge exception. Please stop reading if you aren’t really for me to complain. I completely understand if you do. After all, it’s the holidays; there is no room for sadness and stress, right?

Last week sucked. It really, really sucked. Here is the breakdown:

(I promise there is a happy ending, at least.)

Sunday-Monday: I wake up with a piercing headache.  I could barely get out of bed let alone go to work. But I sucked it up, got dressed, put on my glasses and went to the office. Slowly, it started to fade away, but it was one of those headaches that could have put me right out of commission.

Tuesday Morning: Reddick and I wake up and we go downstairs so he can do his business and play a little fetch. He was going back to work with me after spending a week working from home with my boyfriend. I was excited to have my little officemate back. Reddick meets up with a few of his friends and they run around like they always do, until I hear a little shriek. I just assumed Reddick’s paw got stepped on or something simple. No such luck. Reddick got nicked in the face and three hours later I’m sitting at my desk, alone, extremely depressed and stressed out, because Reddick is at the vet getting stitches all day. I won’t even go into the detail about how much money this cost us because that’s just a way of life. But you can imagine that it’s slightly stressful to spend hundreds of dollars before 9am.

Tuesday Evening: I go home to my sad little puppy. He is all drugged up, looks ridiculously miserable and I feel like a failure of a puppy mom. How could I let this happen to my baby? After a few hours the numbness died down and Reddick discovered his stitches. The night ended with us putting socks on his feet and Reddick spending all night trying to get them off. No one got any sleep that night.

Drugs work wonders on this hyper little pup

Wednesday: (I forgot to mention earlier that Friday night I was planning a cookie decorating party to prepare for the DC Cookie Swap. At this point my Facebook invite list was looking pretty solid. By Wednesday a few had to bail, but I didn’t worry. I had baked about six dozen cut out cookies and put them in the freezer.) Anyways, Wednesday was ok. Reddick came with me to work and slept most of the day. Things seemed to be alright. The headache was gone and Reddick was in recovery mode. Just before leaving the office to go home, my mom instant messages me and tells me that something happened to my teenage cousin. She plays hockey, and played a stellar game the night before (I read all about it online). But the paper never mentioned anything about her being injured. My phone had died and I couldn’t get anyone’s phone numbers. I rushed home to charge it up and call to see what was going on.

Wednesday Evening: I learn that my poor little cousin had to have her gall bladder removed. To respect her privacy I won’t go into details, but you can guess that this type of emergency is NOT normal among teenage girls and we were all extremely worried.

Thursday-Friday: Reddick managed to rip out two stitches. He bled all over. My cousin was not going home from the hospital as soon as expected. I also got a speeding ticket in the mail and a cop pulled me over to tell me my tire pressure was low (really nice actually and not so awful). And did I mention it is freezing in Montgomery County? 

Friday Evening: I feel like crap. I woke up with mild cramps but by the end of the day, my stomach is burning. This rarely happens, but when it does, its excruciating. It was too late to call of my cookie party, so I went home, put on a big pot of Tortilla Soup and prepped for everyone to come over. By the end of the night, most had bailed because Montgomery County had been infested with the flu and others had some unpredictable family dramas going on. (So it was a bad week for everyone.) I ended up having three guests. Three amazing guests I might say though. We had lots of fun! But we had dozens of cookies to decorate. Needless to say, after everyone left, I was still decorating and decorating well into Saturday afternoon. I go to bed, but end up on the couch because I’m tossing and turning in so much pain. At least America’s Funniest Home Videos is on at 5am…

Saturday Morning: I’m still on the couch. I really don’t plan on moving all day, even though I have tons of cleaning, decorating and oh yeah, Christmas shopping to do. I got a text from my aunt saying my cousin is still in the hospital. I make an attempt to contact my family to see what’s going on, and no one is responding. Finally, I get a hold of my Dad who is acting super sketchy. Great, I’m thinking, something really is wrong with my cousin. Within the next few minutes I find out that my cousin is still in the hospital and so is my Dad. What?! Are you kidding me? Again, to keep things private, my Dad is now ok and home, but there was a little scare and we’re still trying to figure out exactly what put him in the hospital.

I had to get out of the house. Luckily, a friend called me out for lunch and I gathered enough energy to go out to do my shopping and finish decorating the cookies. The news of two family members in the hospital strangely provided me with some kind of endorphin-like energy boost and I just had to keep going. At this point I didn’t even think I would make it to the cookie swap just because I was so stressed out and didn’t really feel like mingling. I went home on Saturday night and just snuggled on the couch with Reddick until I fell asleep.

Sunday: (I promise, the story is almost over, and the good part IS coming.) I wake up and it’s cold, dark and rainy. What a great day to sit on the couch and watch football, right? Instead, I suck it up, bake some more cookies (to liven up my little cutout bunch), and prepare myself to head to Lisa’s for the cookie swap.

I am so glad that I went. The afternoon was incredible. It was really nice to meet new people in the DC area, especially knowing that we all already have a few common interests. The afternoon was filled with lots of conversation and of course, swapping cookies. I walked out the door extremely happy knowing that I put some faces to names I follow Twitter and hopefully started some great new friendships. I think I could go on for awhile about how much fun I had, but you’ve read enough, right?

I was thrilled that things were looking up. But the week wasn’t over quite yet. One of the girls I met at the swap decided to follow me back to the beltway. My phone takes me in a completely different direction, and, yes, we got extremely lost. I do not know my way around Virginia at all. Not only did we get lost, but at some point, we even got in a little fender-bender. Yep, I bumped into someone who could potentially be a great friend, and caused just a little more stress than the amount we were already under. Who does that? I’m so embarrassed; I can’t even believe I am typing this. But thankfully, no one was hurt, no cars were damaged and we went back on our lost way. Finally we found the beltway, and were on our way back to Maryland. I won’t go into detail how we managed to lose the remote when we got home and I found out a I left a huge tub of Smart Balance on the grocery counter a few days earlier.

So, there it is, my week in review. I promise you that this will the first, only and last time I rant on like this. I really hate doing it, but I think that it opens the door to a lot of great things (believe it or not):

Throughout all the crappiness, I sucked it up and went to the cookie swap. A few years ago, I don’t think I would have had the guts to even go. Since moving to DC it hasn’t been very easy to make new friends and I have been slightly intimidated to put myself out there. I finally did, and I think it’s going to turn into something great. I think there really is light at the end of the tunnel. Even though you think things might be awful and the world will never work in your way again, it will eventually, I promise. My cousin is home and recovering, as well as my Dad. Reddick get his stitches out tomorrow.  Today, I felt a lot better phsyically and went for a nice long run on the treadmill.  Now it’s time to get back into the Christmas spirit!

Back at it, and ready for a brand new week!

So, who else had a bad week? 

Cold weather is not an excuse...99% of the time.

I think everyone will agree with me (even those of you in Florida) when I say, it’s getting really cold out there. Some of us have a higher tolerance for the cold weather than others. Being from the Adirondacks, you would think that I would have a high tolerance and would be out there in the 32 degree weather in shorts and a t-shirt. Not so much. I blame my sensitively to cold on living in Florida for one year. (Pathetic, I know.) It’s been bitter here in DC. My opinion is, if it’s going to be this cold (again, it’s only in the 30s) it should be snowing. The bottom line is, it’s too cold to workout outside, right?

Aside from walking/jogging with the dog, I’m being a baby and taking my workouts indoors until it’s above bearable temperatures again.  Not only am I taking my workouts indoors, but I’m taking them to a new level. But how am I going to do that?

Yet again, I got in one of my slumps where I was just going to the gym to “go to the gym”. I got lazy on the cardio machines and was in and out in about an hour. I wasn’t feeling it. I enjoy sleeping in on the cold mornings and its dark at 5pm. It's not very motivating.  I’m at a phase where I want to keep my workouts short and sweet, but they still have to be useful.

 

Here are a few things I am adding to my routines to get more out of my workouts in less time:

• Treadmill Intervals: I used to run intervals on an indoor track at college and had amazing results. I plan to be on the treadmill 20-30 minutes go 2.5 minutes walking/jogging to 2.5 minutes running/sprinting (at least 8mph). I also increase the incline 1-2 notches every five minutes for an extra challenge. There are a ton of variations you can play with. The key is high intensity intervals and not completely resting during your “slow minutes”.
• Pilates (or something else you haven’t done in awhile): I hadn’t done Pilates in years. I actually started to prefer yoga for a long time, but a few weeks ago I got back into Pilates. It makes a huge difference when you make a point to mix up your workout. Try something you haven’t done in awhile. You’ll probably be sore in the morning!
• The Warrior Workout (or others like it): This is the perfect workout for someone you wants to sweat, be done in less than 30 minutes and guaranteed to feel it in every muscle in your body.

I am willing to bet I venture out a few times in the cold.  I remember last winter I actually enjoyed getting all bundled up and going for a jog.  Sometimes (if the temperature is just right) that little jog gives you everything you need to complete your day.  But no one is going to judge you if your simply just too cold to workout somedays.  We all deserve a cozy, hot cocoa couch day every once in awhile!

 What do you do in the winter to mix things up? How do you stay motivated all season long?

 

 

 



Tuesday's Post, on Friday: The top ten things I am looking forward to this holiday season

It's pretty simple.  I love the holidays!  I could name a hundred reasons why, probably (everything from Buddy the Elf to candle lights in windows) but I'll spare you and list just ten that I am really excited about this year.  Here is my top ten Tuesday's list, brought to you on Friday...why not mix it up every now and then?

1. Four Christmases. Not the movie, I really have four Christmases. It’s getting harder and harder as we get older, but this year remains successful. The madness starts December 19th!

2. Cookie Parties. This Friday I am having some girlfriends over to decorate cookies and on Sunday I am going to Lisa’s house for a blogger cookie swap. I can’t wait!  I'm excited to hang out with my friends and  continue to meet new ones. 



Just a *few* of the cutout cookies  I have made for the weekend



3. Reddick’s first Christmas. I am a crazy puppy mom. I cannot wait to take him home to Upstate New York and see him play in the snow for the first time.

4. Snow. I can’t believe I am even saying this. I grew up in a town where it started snowing in October and I did everything I could to get away from the bitter cold. Now that I live in DC, going home to a winter wonderland for two weeks a year is so beautiful. (This does NOT mean that I wish DC gets another monstrous snow storm…I think.)

5. Stretching my budget. This sounds a little crazy, doesn’t it? Some recent events have put a little damper on our Christmas spending. Usually I (carelessly) spend whatever I want and buy way too many gifts for people. This year I am focusing on items that people will really appreciate and/or really want, while getting creative and not spending a ton.

6. December 23rd. Growing up I had a group of nine girls that I shared my life with. We all do go home for most holidays, but it’s been extremely hard for all of us to get together. On the Wednesday before Christmas those of us that are in town are gathering around my parent’s new (huge) dining room table for dinner and drinks. I cannot wait to catch up with all of them, especially a particular chica who just got engaged!

7. Watching my annual round of DVDs. I can’t even tell you what they are. You might stop reading my blog. But I watch these DVDs every year, for no particular reason, I just love them.

8. Decorating our new condo. This is already done (more pictures to come soon).  I won’t lie; it’s been done for about a month. I love my little tree, handmade stockings and festive candles.

Our little Christmas tree

9. Giving my grandparents their gifts. I will tell you all about it once Christmas is over. (I’m almost positive they don’t read my blog, but you never know.)

10. Laying on my couch at home, by the fireplace and having a few days off. Seriously, what is better than that?

What are you looking forward to this year?

Reddick's wish list and a "week in December" gone bad

Well this week has been a little less than joyful and jolly.  Weekend headaches, doggy stitches and a computer that doesn't really want to function has left me wishing for Friday to come as soon as possible.  (And I really hate wishing December away due to my holiday obsession.)  I have lots of posts waiting for you on my laptop at home that won't cooperate with the Internet.   I was able to get this post done and promise to post more (including new winter workouts, our decorated condo and some of my favorite holiday recipes).  

So in light of the puppy-drama this week, Reddick had a little downtime to browse online and find what he wanted to ask Santa for.  Here are some of the favorite items on his wish list and he bets that your dog would love them, too.  Let's hope Santa treats Reddick well on his first Christmas!

He looks a little loopy, huh?  Yes, that is a sock on his foot to keep him from scratching the stitches on his face.  He made it to work with me yesterday and spent most of the day in the chair sleeping.  

Here are the gifts Reddick is asking Santa for:

Pet Umbrella - Everyone (even pups) hate to get wet when they have to go out in the rain, especially in these colder months. 

The Chatterbowl - I personally think that Reddick might attack this bowl if it started talking to him.  You can record up to 10 seconds of anything you want, and whenever the dog goes to eat or drink out of the bowl the recording is played.

A new bed  - What puppy doesn't want a new bed?   We had hardwood floors, and although Reddick's pretty spoiled and gets to go on the couch and our bed he would like a comfy and warm space to call his own.  

The Roamer Leash - All three of us have had this on our wish list since day one.  We love taking Reddick for a jog and this leash would be perfect so he's not pulling on us and we don't have to worry about holding on to his leash.  Sadly, he is  still a little young and not quite perfect on the leash yet.  Maybe next Christmas, Reddick!

Holiday Attire - Reddick wanted to make it very clear he does NOT want this for Christmas.  He also wanted to protect all his friends and make sure their parents know not to buy this either.  He loves his holiday collar, but that is about as far as he wants to go.  There are lots of holiday items to choose from at PetSmart, and he would really prefer a rawhide candy cane over a Santa suit.  (Even though they are kind of cute, right?!)

Doggy Neck Tie - Reddick does however understand that some occasions require him to dress up a little bit.  He likes watching his Dad dress up in a suit and tie every day and wants to be just like him.  This is a lot more bearable than a Santa Tutu. 

Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook - What a great idea!  I'm so glad Reddick found this online.  Not only will this save everyone money from buying dog treats, but now you know exactly what is going into your dog's mouth.  Very cool.

Disclaimer: All pictures were taken from the links where the items are sold.  I am not affiliated with any of the vendors selling these items. 

All the online shopping wore my pup out.  Let's all hope he heals fast!