I was supposed to tackle a long, 7 mile run this morning. Not happening. Not only was the heat and humidity ridiculously oppressing at 7 this morning, my sweet, adorable youngest was up for 3 hours last night which resulted in next to no sleep for Matt and me. Ugh. The only silver lining there are early naps for both boys...and I should really try to take a snoozer myself. But sleep during the day almost always totally eludes me. I am just not a napper. Just a professional rester. :)
Matt has taken a few vacation days this week so the extra long Labor Day weekend promises to be chock full of family fun! And a perfect official end to summer as...drumroll please...Logan starts pre-school next week!!! T-minus 9 days till my baby boy is off to school. I don't know where 4 years have gone but parenthood has been pretty spectacular so far so I'm really excited to see what the future has to offer! I just hope the next 4 years pass in slow motion. Who am I kidding? This week kicks things off with a parent orientation on Tuesday and new student orientation on Thursday. Maybe by then it will sink in that I have a pre-schooler!
On the healthy eating/lifestyle front...sigh. I'm having some difficulty there. Staying at an ideal weight, or what I think is an ideal weight for me, is a constant struggle. My love of running is not enough- especially when all I do is run- and then my body gets stuck in a rut. Also because I love to eat. Part of the reason why I'm on the go so much is that it helps me lay off the snacking. If I am home, the refrigerator and cabinets beckon to me and it's so hard to turn off that voice. So in an effort to kick start my efforts, I've started a 2 week diet plan that I hope will start turning the scale around soon. Here's hoping and praying!
8.30.2010
8.24.2010
eating, praying, loving...and oh, eating!
I saw the movie Eat, Pray, Love this past weekend with my mom, sister and grandma for my grandma's 85th birthday. 85 my grandma is. I just can't believe it. It was a great movie...perfect chick flick and I had a great time with 3 of the most important women in my life. :) I didn't read the book and I think I'm quite possibly the only person who hasn't, but I did enjoy the movie and amazingly, don't have any desire to read the book! The movie said it all for me...eating in Italy, praying in India and finding true love in Bali. If I ever need to find myself, I know where to go. ;) I never had a real desire to go to Italy. But after seeing this movie, I think that's changed. Knowing me, I'd probably gain 10 pounds by day 2.
This week I also indulged in a sushi lunch with my sister. I hadn't had sushi in way too long and it is one of my most favorite foods ever. Though it wasn't always. I remember being in Palo Alto, CA with my aunt back in 1995 and we walked past a restaurant that had a line out the door. I asked what the line was for, and my aunt, who has loved sushi forever, told me it was a sushi place and did I want to try it? Up until then, I wasn't very experimental when it came to food. I wasn't a big fan of seafood and the thought of it raw freaked me out for some reason. I told her no, but still looked longingly at the line. Finally, I got up the nerve to give sushi a shot in 1999 or so. My first experience was not exactly stellar. I think I left most of the food on my plate, which is unusual for me. My second, third, fourth tries were busts as well...I can't put my finger on the reason I wasn't crazy about sushi at first. I think it was a combination of the size of the pieces and the texture. I remember asking the waitress my first time if the sushi chef could cut the pieces smaller. She looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. Guess that's a no. But there was also something about sushi that enticed me. I'm sure that was the flavors. I kept coming back for more until I was finally hooked. My favorite roll ever? It's called the Chicago Fire Roll and it's at the Sushi House locations in LaGrange and Westmont. It's raw tuna wrapped in seaweed and lightly batter fried then drizzled with this unbelieveable chili oil that I couldn't replicate if I tried. Just thinking about it makes me drool. Another favorite is a roll I had recently- the perfect rainbow roll. Spicy salmon with cucumber and avocado wrapped with assorted fish. Yum.
For all you sushi-doubters out there...try it!! It might take a few tries or it might take one (I'm still in awe of my friend Allison who conquered the spicy tuna roll and salmon sashimi her first time out!), but you will love it, I promise.
So anyway, Logan LOVES sushi- he tried it before he turned 2 and has loved it since. He loves picking up the roll, dipping it and stuffing everything in his mouth. He will also steal the raw fish from my rainbow roll. I swear, I have an easier time getting him to eat raw fish than I do chicken nuggets. Go figure. He also does a pretty good job manuevering his chopsticks, for a 3 year old. Meyer hasn't taken the sushi plunge yet, but I ordered him shrimp dumplings and he was able to spear little pieces with his chopsticks. Trust me, Auntie Laura is so proud. :)
All of this crazy eating has made me realize I've been eating way too much. And it's starting to show, at least to me. Thus starts round 1,390 of watching what I eat. Just goes to show running to eat doesn't always work. ;) So I registered for another race. I originally was going to run another half marathon, but I don't think I'm up for it. My longest runs lately have been only 7 miles and I just don't feel prepared. Fortunately, the half marathon has a 10K associated with it, so I'll be running that with a couple friends. And of course, we're already planning where to enjoy a yummy breakfast afterwards.
This week I also indulged in a sushi lunch with my sister. I hadn't had sushi in way too long and it is one of my most favorite foods ever. Though it wasn't always. I remember being in Palo Alto, CA with my aunt back in 1995 and we walked past a restaurant that had a line out the door. I asked what the line was for, and my aunt, who has loved sushi forever, told me it was a sushi place and did I want to try it? Up until then, I wasn't very experimental when it came to food. I wasn't a big fan of seafood and the thought of it raw freaked me out for some reason. I told her no, but still looked longingly at the line. Finally, I got up the nerve to give sushi a shot in 1999 or so. My first experience was not exactly stellar. I think I left most of the food on my plate, which is unusual for me. My second, third, fourth tries were busts as well...I can't put my finger on the reason I wasn't crazy about sushi at first. I think it was a combination of the size of the pieces and the texture. I remember asking the waitress my first time if the sushi chef could cut the pieces smaller. She looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. Guess that's a no. But there was also something about sushi that enticed me. I'm sure that was the flavors. I kept coming back for more until I was finally hooked. My favorite roll ever? It's called the Chicago Fire Roll and it's at the Sushi House locations in LaGrange and Westmont. It's raw tuna wrapped in seaweed and lightly batter fried then drizzled with this unbelieveable chili oil that I couldn't replicate if I tried. Just thinking about it makes me drool. Another favorite is a roll I had recently- the perfect rainbow roll. Spicy salmon with cucumber and avocado wrapped with assorted fish. Yum.
For all you sushi-doubters out there...try it!! It might take a few tries or it might take one (I'm still in awe of my friend Allison who conquered the spicy tuna roll and salmon sashimi her first time out!), but you will love it, I promise.
So anyway, Logan LOVES sushi- he tried it before he turned 2 and has loved it since. He loves picking up the roll, dipping it and stuffing everything in his mouth. He will also steal the raw fish from my rainbow roll. I swear, I have an easier time getting him to eat raw fish than I do chicken nuggets. Go figure. He also does a pretty good job manuevering his chopsticks, for a 3 year old. Meyer hasn't taken the sushi plunge yet, but I ordered him shrimp dumplings and he was able to spear little pieces with his chopsticks. Trust me, Auntie Laura is so proud. :)
All of this crazy eating has made me realize I've been eating way too much. And it's starting to show, at least to me. Thus starts round 1,390 of watching what I eat. Just goes to show running to eat doesn't always work. ;) So I registered for another race. I originally was going to run another half marathon, but I don't think I'm up for it. My longest runs lately have been only 7 miles and I just don't feel prepared. Fortunately, the half marathon has a 10K associated with it, so I'll be running that with a couple friends. And of course, we're already planning where to enjoy a yummy breakfast afterwards.
8.19.2010
hail, caesar!
Long ago, I spent a winter break from college helping my aunt and uncle out with their 2 kids, who were 5 & 3 at the time. They lived in a cute town about an hour south of San Francisco. They really enjoyed cooking and entertaining and still do so I think a lot of what I've learned over the years about delicious, simple food I learned from them! So AJ and UT, thank you for that! A few recipes in heavy rotation were the following:
Black Beans and Rice
Jerk Pork
Garlic Roasted Orzo Pilaf
Cabbage Salad
Caesar Salad
I still use all of these recipes to this day and they have become favorites of my family as well. A few days ago my husband grilled a couple of chicken breasts so last night's dinner was Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken. The dressing recipe is homemade and it's from one of the Silver Palate Cookbooks that I don't have. I never wrote the recipe down, so sometimes I confuse the amounts of the ingredients. I use too much lemon juice or not enough garlic, or vice versa. But last night the result was perfection and I savored every last bite. I even made my own croutons and they came out great too. So if you love Caesar Salad, request this recipe next time you come over. :)
recipe: caesar salad
source: silver palate cookbook
4 anchovy fillets, minced
1 raw egg
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
Combine all the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake. The dressing will emulsify nicely. Set in the refrigerator for at least an hour to let the flavors blend.
Meanwhile, wash and dry a head of romaine lettuce. Tear into bite size pieces and put in a big bowl. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese over lettuce to taste, add a few grinds of fresh black pepper and sprinkle croutons over salad. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Arrange sliced chicken in the bowl and toss again. Serve. Enjoy.
I have been a running fool lately. The hot, humid weather is finally starting to break so this past week has been full of pleasant, comfortable runs. A few days ago, my husband and I took the kids with us on a run around the neighborhood. When I take the kids, I run in a grid for 3 miles in streets behind my house. There isn't a lot of traffic and I can run on the street. It is the most boring run ever, but hey, at least it's safe.
8.14.2010
summer reading.
I posted at the beginning of the summer that I would be tackling Anna Karenina sometime this summer. Well, I didn't exactly get around to it. Not because I haven't been reading, but because a few other books have come up on my radar that I'd rather read! So I think Anna Karenina will be a fall/winter project...maybe I should just vow to read it before the end of 2010!
A few weeks back, my sister lent me The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. This book has become somewhat of a phenom, as everyone is reading it and it's being made into a movie. I read the prologue, and then a friend of mine made another book recommendation- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This one is in the young adult lit genre and I wasn't sure I would enjoy it, but I put it on hold at the library anyway along with Catching Fire- the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. I read the first page and couldn't put it down. I flew through both books at lightning speed and am now anxiously awaiting the final book of the trilogy- Mockingjay, which comes out at the end of the month. I've also recommended the book...and now my sister is hooked too.
So after I finished that, I started up The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo again, which started out slowly for me, but once I got about halfway through it, I was obsessed. Between reading and catching up with my DVR, I have lots of ways to keep me busy in my spare time. ;)
A few weeks back, my sister lent me The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. This book has become somewhat of a phenom, as everyone is reading it and it's being made into a movie. I read the prologue, and then a friend of mine made another book recommendation- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This one is in the young adult lit genre and I wasn't sure I would enjoy it, but I put it on hold at the library anyway along with Catching Fire- the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. I read the first page and couldn't put it down. I flew through both books at lightning speed and am now anxiously awaiting the final book of the trilogy- Mockingjay, which comes out at the end of the month. I've also recommended the book...and now my sister is hooked too.
So after I finished that, I started up The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo again, which started out slowly for me, but once I got about halfway through it, I was obsessed. Between reading and catching up with my DVR, I have lots of ways to keep me busy in my spare time. ;)
8.12.2010
birthday lists. :)
Birthdays are so much fun in our house. What makes them so special is that all of our birthdays are clustered together at opposite ends of the year. Matt and Meyer are both Aries and their birthdays are 3 weeks apart (in March/April) and Logan and I are both Libras and our birthdays are 6 days apart (in September/October). We didn't plan it that way- honest. It just happened! So every 6 months, we get ready for birthdays and parties and fun!
So now I'm starting to plan Logan's parties. Yes, parties. I always told myself that my kids would only have one party for family and friends each year, but the circle of family and friends keeps growing and growing and we can't fit everyone! So we have 2 parties. It seems to work out well.
Now, birthday lists? That's a whole other topic. Birthday lists and Christmas lists are a parent's secret weapon- at least for the first 7 years. :) Logan sees something in a store and wants it? It goes on the birthday list. I've tried to clarify that just because it's on the list doesn't mean it's a done deal, but I'm sure that Logan will be performing a mental checklist on his birthday to make sure we didn't miss anything on the list. That's just the kind of kid he is. He doesn't like to lose track of anything, especially things like presents and toys.
My birthday list?? Totally different story. I really never have a list but this year is an exception.
#1- stamped charms with my kids' names and birthdates, kind of like this. Super sweet.
#2- this tiny bow necklace. I adore simple jewelry and this is right up my alley.
So now I'm starting to plan Logan's parties. Yes, parties. I always told myself that my kids would only have one party for family and friends each year, but the circle of family and friends keeps growing and growing and we can't fit everyone! So we have 2 parties. It seems to work out well.
Now, birthday lists? That's a whole other topic. Birthday lists and Christmas lists are a parent's secret weapon- at least for the first 7 years. :) Logan sees something in a store and wants it? It goes on the birthday list. I've tried to clarify that just because it's on the list doesn't mean it's a done deal, but I'm sure that Logan will be performing a mental checklist on his birthday to make sure we didn't miss anything on the list. That's just the kind of kid he is. He doesn't like to lose track of anything, especially things like presents and toys.
My birthday list?? Totally different story. I really never have a list but this year is an exception.
#1- stamped charms with my kids' names and birthdates, kind of like this. Super sweet.
#2- this tiny bow necklace. I adore simple jewelry and this is right up my alley. 
#3- an iTouch. I'm not really a gizmo kind of girl, but my iPod mini is almost 5 years old and that's absolutely ancient in terms of technology. So I would love a new home for all my digital music! Plus, I need a better way to keep track of everything going on in my life now that Logan is starting preschool in the fall so a portable and user-friendly calendar is a necessity.
8.10.2010
cooking class 101
Now that I've finally (hopefully) solved the mystery of Meyer's refusal to sleep through the night, I've started to come out of my funk. Which I probably shouldn't even have been in a funk to begin with, if I look around me and see how fortunate I am. My husband, kids and I are healthy and fulfilled and we really couldn't ask for anything more.
Logan has been participating in a cooking class all summer. There isn't a kids cooking class offered in our area, so a few girlfriends and I took on the challenge of creating our own schedule this summer. So for 8 Mondays, we alternated hosting fun cooking classes for all our kids. It couldn't have worked out better and gave us something for the moms and kids to look forward to each Monday! Our turn was yesterday and after racking my brain trying to figure out something fun to do that hadn't been done yet, I finally settled on a menu. Of course, I had the mom's menu planned out before the kids, totally typical of me.
The kids had a blast making their own turkey meatballs...at least the ones who really dug in and got their hands dirty! They dipped the finished product into white and red sauce and ate up some tortellini to go with it. For dessert, they made grilled cream cheese, nutella and banana sandwiches. Of course the most fun the kids had was making a supreme mess of the basement and Logan's bedroom.
I got the inspiration for my moms menu last week. I ran some kid-free errands and decided to partake in a kid-free lunch at a restaurant I was dying to try- Labriola Bakery & Cafe. I had a hard time deciding on my meal, but couldn't pass up this delicious sounding sandwich:
Logan has been participating in a cooking class all summer. There isn't a kids cooking class offered in our area, so a few girlfriends and I took on the challenge of creating our own schedule this summer. So for 8 Mondays, we alternated hosting fun cooking classes for all our kids. It couldn't have worked out better and gave us something for the moms and kids to look forward to each Monday! Our turn was yesterday and after racking my brain trying to figure out something fun to do that hadn't been done yet, I finally settled on a menu. Of course, I had the mom's menu planned out before the kids, totally typical of me.
The kids had a blast making their own turkey meatballs...at least the ones who really dug in and got their hands dirty! They dipped the finished product into white and red sauce and ate up some tortellini to go with it. For dessert, they made grilled cream cheese, nutella and banana sandwiches. Of course the most fun the kids had was making a supreme mess of the basement and Logan's bedroom.
I got the inspiration for my moms menu last week. I ran some kid-free errands and decided to partake in a kid-free lunch at a restaurant I was dying to try- Labriola Bakery & Cafe. I had a hard time deciding on my meal, but couldn't pass up this delicious sounding sandwich:
Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken on Olive Oil & Sea Salt Ciabatta
Oven Roasted Tomatoes, Spinach, Aged Provolone Cheese & Pesto Mayonnaise
Sounds amazing, right? Believe you me, it tasted even better. I wouldn't have been surprised if I received a couple of strange looks from fellow diners...I enjoyed every last bite. The best sandwich of my life.
So the decision for my moms menu was sealed... (trying to) recreate that sandwich. No recipe here, so here's what I did.
So the decision for my moms menu was sealed... (trying to) recreate that sandwich. No recipe here, so here's what I did.
I brushed some olive oil on 2 slices of tuscan bread.
I made my own pesto and mixed it with some mayo and spread that on the other side. I put a slice of provolone cheese over that and layered fresh spinach leaves on top of that. Then the chicken. I pounded out a few chicken breasts and sliced them cutlet size. I drizzled olive oil all over and then generously sprinkled them with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. I wrapped each cutlet in a slice of prosciutto and roasted them, along with sliced tomato, in the oven for about 25 minutes @ 350. I topped the spinach with a cutlet and some tomatoes and topped the whole thing with the other slice of bread. I then pressed the sandwiches on the griddle and served them piping hot to my friends.
I did not know that a sandwich could taste that delicious, especially one that I made. Unbelieveable. I think my friends enjoyed them too, at least I hope so!
8.06.2010
funkified.
Maybe it's the relentless heat and humidity lately, the fact that summer is swiftly coming to a close, the non-sleeping of my youngest and his subsequent crankiness...or a combination of all three that has me in a definite funk lately. Every time I try dragging myself out of it, something else happens that pulls me right back in.
I'm sure a big reason has a lot to do with a friend losing her full-term baby earlier this week. I'm not a close friend by any means, but regardless, her loss has hit me hard. Why it takes a tragedy to help you see your life a bit more clearly will always be a mystery to me. All I know is that I'm hugging and kissing both my boys a little bit more these days and sending all the love and serenity I've got out to Sue and Nate who will undoubtedly be needing loads of support in the coming months as they cope with their unimaginable loss.
I'm sure a big reason has a lot to do with a friend losing her full-term baby earlier this week. I'm not a close friend by any means, but regardless, her loss has hit me hard. Why it takes a tragedy to help you see your life a bit more clearly will always be a mystery to me. All I know is that I'm hugging and kissing both my boys a little bit more these days and sending all the love and serenity I've got out to Sue and Nate who will undoubtedly be needing loads of support in the coming months as they cope with their unimaginable loss.
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