1. Girls Group Getaway.

The five lovely ladies pictured above joined me in a season of growth and freedom-seeking through Beth Moore’s Breaking Free study, and wrapped it all up with an overnight stay at the Hotel Palomar San Diego. We got to stay in a RIDICULOUS room — the Penthouse Suite. Two stories, three bedrooms, four bathrooms, full kitchen, gorgeous views through huge windows, steam showers in every bathroom… you get the idea. It was super fun and a great way to wrap up our Bible Study. Special thanks to my sister Corrie for making our stay at the Palomar extra special!

2. NEW Girls Group Started.

The same ladies mentioned above, plus two newbies {hooray! we welcome you with open arms!} started a more low-key group for the next few months. We are reading Daring Greatly by Brene Brown and taking turns facilitating discussion each week. Our goal is to bring in Scripture and some of our learned freedom practices (we really love freedom! especially when it’s founded in Christ!) and combine it all to continue growing as individuals and in community.

Doesn’t that description kind of make you want to join our group? Yea… we’re pretty cool.

3. I made Easter Baskets.

Well, I didn’t MAKE the baskets, I bought them at Goodwill for $1.50 a piece and then added the cute ribbon to make them look Pottery-Barn-esque. The baskets were filled with only our favorite things : Glenn got salt-and-pepper chips, body wash, and Reese’s Eggs. Oh, and the Encinitas Recreation Guide. I got Tapatio Doritos, Sour Patch Kids, Neutrogena face lotion, and a calendar I had been eyeing from Paper Source.

The Easter Bunny also brought  a special treat for both of us: two limited-edition Sprinkles cupcakes. Yum.

4. Grandma Murdock’s Graveside Service.

All of the local cousins, and a couple of non-local relatives, came together for an afternoon of celebrating the life of Grandma Murdock. Although we married-in’s make fun of the Murdock ways, I really could not have chosen a better family to join. Everyone loves Jesus, loves each other, and actually likes hanging out. I will be eternally grateful to Grandma Murdock for drastically changing the course of her and all future Murdock lives by choosing God and raising her kids well.

5. Working at USD.

I have been working full time at the University of San Diego for the past two weeks. It was a little overwhelming at first, since I haven’t been used to being at a 9-5 job for quite some time, but I am really enjoying it now. I am only here for a few more days, but it was fun to connect with my old colleagues and to be on campus again.

Thanks for reading along, and I wish each of you a lovely weekend!

~Kristin

I have a rather detailed written version of the story saved so we never forget exactly what it felt like RIGHT THEN, but for you lovely bloggie friends I thought I would share an abbreviated timeline version : containing only the *most* important details.

Saturday, April 1st 2006 {yes, April Fool’s Day}

6:30am Wake up and drive to SDSU to take the GRE.

10:30am See immediate GRE scores and laugh. This is what we call *bombing* a test. It was an absolutely disaster.  And I mean, ABSOLUTE disaster. Call Glenn to tell him I finished and it was awful, he tells me we should meet for lunch to debrief {even though we already had plans to go to dinner later that night, which he had arranged for earlier in the week so that I would have something to look forward to after the GRE}, call college roomie, BFF, and academic genius Julie and leave her a message about how ridiculously bad the GRE was and how I am pretty sure I won’t be able to make it to grad school after all.

11:00am Meet up with Glenn and head downtown for lunch and a designer-sunglass pickup of the super fancy Prada’s I had ordered a few weeks prior.  Got to pick the sunnies up from my sister {#3), who was working at Nordstrom at the time. Excitedly wear Prada sunglasses everywhere from this point on… up to and including today.

1:00pm Head home and take a serious nap. Exhaustion has hit.

2:30pm Wake up to a call from Glenn wondering how my nap was, and asking if I could be ready to leave for dinner at 3:30pm. {Are we eighty? Why in the world are we eating dinner at 4pm?!}

2:45-3:15pm Shower, “do” my hair, and dress myself up in a new black dress I had been waiting to wear.

3:30pm Glenn picks me up, and we’re off! Favorite jazz CD {I think it was Wynton Marsalis but I’m not sure} was playing in the car. I am SUPER excited to not have to think about the GRE anymore, and SUPER excited to spend a fun evening with Glenn.

5:00pm  I have figured out that we are going somewhere outside of San Diego for dinner. We’ve been on the 5 for over an hour, so my best guess is LA. Glenn asks if I want to know where we are going. I say “YES!” He tell me it’s The Napa Rose. I die a million deaths from sheer excitement. I had been reading article after article about the chef, sommalier, and ambiance at the newest Disney restaurant, and was so excited to try it.

5:30pm Walk through the lobby at The Grand Californian {to this day one of my favorite hotel lobbies}, and check-in with a woman named, no joke, Mickey. *interesting side note: our waiter last Monday night was a lovely Japanese man named Mickey. F’real.*

5:35pm We sit in the fireside/bar area of the restaurant and I order a lemon drop. I feel super cool.

6:00pm After waiting quite a while, Mickey and some other hostesses came over, with sincerest apologies for our wait, and lead us to what I deem the best table in the restaurant.  It was in a corner, so we didn’t have anyone right next to us, and it was quite close to the center of the open kitchen, where you can see all the cooking action. So much fun. Our waiter introduced himself to us and was ABSOLUTE PERFECTION: Kind, funny, full of genuine compliments, and very knowledgeable about everything on the menu.

6:00pm-9:00pm I was wined and dined, and it was Heaven.

9:00pm We rush out of the restaurant and run to the car to get our change of clothes, hoping to make it into Disneyland in time for the fireworks. We realize we are cutting it extremely close and have no time to find a bathroom, change, and come back to the car. Glenn changes IN the car. I decide to be brave and pop open the trunk, hiding behind it so Glenn can’t see me as I strip down in the Buzz Lightyear parking lot and throw on my jeans and sweatshirt. Keeping it classy, Kristin, keeping it classy.

9:25pm We get into the park right as the first firework bursts in the sky. I grab Glenn’s hand and we sprint down Main Street, stopping here and there to watch the Firework Spectacular. We zip over to my favorite ride, Space Mountain, and rush through the starry galaxies.

11pm We have ridden a couple of rides and are completely exhausted. We walk through Sleeping Beauty’s castle and as we come out the other side I remark on just how many people were still walking around the park. It seemed like there were swarms of people all over! Glenn suggests we stop and “take it all in” for a minute. We sit in a stoop along the castle wall and talk about how much we love Disneyland and how beautiful the castle is. This transitions into Glenn telling me how beautiful I am and how much he loves ME. I feel quite awkward and question ordering that bottle of wine.

11:15pm Glenn continues in his spoken love sonnets, all extremely kind, but to me {having no idea that this is supposed to end in an engagement}, all quite shocking and inappropriate. *more side note: I had recently read an incredible article by Elisabeth Elliott that had helped guide my decision to stop saying “I Love You” until someone officially asked me to marry them. I could go on and on about this one decision and why it was helpful to my soul and how it eliminated the unhealthy expectations I had previously set on Glenn, but for the sake of the timeline, let’s just keep the facts the facts: we weren’t saying I Love You and we certainly weren’t talking about a future together like it was a done deal.*

Glenn says something to the extent of “Kristin, someday I want my kids to look like you.” – to which I respond with “This is inappropriate!” and a good shove.

All of a sudden he grabs my hand and says “Which hand is it? I can’t remember which hand it goes on.” and I reply “Don’t ask me this! You don’t have a ring!”

Keeping it classy, Kristin, keeping it classy.

“Yes I do!” he replies. I go into INSTANT shock. I am shaking. I am sweating. I am slurring my words. I am rambling. I am making no sense. I pause in the middle of this madness and look him directly in the eyes and say “Yes.” before going back into koo-koo land.

11:45pm My bowels completely empty.

My “first response” to stress, anxiety, and excitement is {always} diarrhea. My favorite person in life asks me to be his bride and what do I do? Explode.

And again I say: keeping it classy, Kristin, keeping it classy.

Happiest of Wednesdays! May your day be filled with fun and laughter.

~Kristin

I don’t mind all of these lists, really. The problem is getting said things written on my to-do lists crossed off.

return Lisa’s call and set up dinner

make dentist appointment (actually checked that one off the list last week – after MONTHS of it being on there)

clean off desk

fill banana bread orders (donesies! last night!)

make workout schedule for the week

do laundry

find out when yoga pass expires

look into train tickets from DC to Connecticut

The list (literally) goes on.

As spring leaps forward and the year is no longer new, my hope is to add {mostly} beneficial things to my to-do lists, and check them off one by one.

Getting things done. It’s the hip, happening thing to do.

~Kristin

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim FREEDOM for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance for our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion -
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of His splendor.”

Make me a proclaimer of true freedom and good news. Remind me of the good gifts You like to give. May my life be a reflection of Your splendor and grace, above all else.
Amen.

Have a lovely weekend, blogland!

~Kristin

I used to not really like homemade pizza. I am a crunchy-crust gal, and when you make pizza in the oven, the crust just never gets thin enough or crispy enough for me. One thing I don’t like my pizza to be is soggy. Soggy pizza sticks to the roof of your mouth. Yuck. Crispy crust, all the way.

So anyhow, I used to think I couldn’t make a decent pizza at home, so we would eat at “artisan pizza shop” after artisan pizza shop. And then I realized two things. First off, HELLO… these people are making a killing off me. It’s dough, Italian stewed tomatoes, and some fresh mozzarella. Why am I paying fifteen dollars for this? Second, my friend Matt, husband of Jessica, told me about grilling your pizza dough.

That’s right. GRILLING. On a Weber. Charcoal or gas. Works great. So far I’ve done it twice myself, and it has turned out perfectly both times. Including a couple of those “artisan” trademark charred bubbles on the crust. Here’s how you do it.

1. Make your favorite pizza dough. OR, if you are really opposed to making dough (even though it’s super cheap, super easy, and super delish when you make it yourself), buy yourself some dough.

2. Roll out the dough into the size you want. I like to make mine as thin as possible without feeling like it’s a tortilla. I, personally, also prefer making a few smaller pizzas instead of one large one, because then I can eat the whole thing. Yum.

Insider tip: the last time I made these, I actually rolled the dough ON the pizza wheel, which made for very simple transport of the dough from kitchen to grill!

3. Heat the grill to HOT. Scalding hot. I’m talking burn-your-face-off. The highest my grill will go is 500, so that’s what I set it to.

4. When the grill is flaming, throw the pizza dough on there. Watch it as it cooks, it should only take 1.5 to 2 minutes per side, maybe even less depending on how thin you rolled the dough. You want it to be almost all the way cooked, but not FULLY cooked, because it will go back on the grill when you add the toppings.

Grill both sides, and repeat with remaining dough.

5. Turn DOWN the grill to approximately 300 degrees.

6. Bring the cooked pizza crust(s) inside and top with whatever you want. My personal favorite these days is to do San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, a couple slices of fancy prosciutto or salame, and super thinly sliced lemons. So good.

7. Place the pizza(s) back on the grill (now at 300 degrees) and cover. Allow the cheese to melt and the crust to get nice and crisp. This should take no more than 5 minutes.

8. Remove the pizza from the grill and marvel at your creation! Then eat it up because, wow, is it ever good.

Happy Wednesday, friends. Hope you enjoy pizza night!

~Kristin

One: I might change Kristin Eats to just simply Kristin Murdock (dot com). I ramble about every aspect of my life to you lovely people, and was thinking why not make it official and get rid of the “food blog” box. I don’t live in that box anyway, I don’t think.  What do you think? Any insight?

Two: I am running a half marathon in one month. Yes. ONE month. Remember when I documented like every run? And was actually training for races like this? Yeaaaa — my training plan has been virtually nonexistent this time around, until last week when I realized 13.1 miles was only one month away. I found a one month training program done by a professional women’s running coach and have been following that for the past week. Hopefully I continue to follow it and therefore actually finish the race without wanting to cut my legs off.

Three: We are praying for Revival. For our hearts, for our friends, for our churches, for our nation.

Four: I am making and selling banana bread. It is DELICIOUS. Very moist! I have sold six loaves already, and only two of those were to family! If you would like to buy a loaf, it is ten dollars {plus shipping if you live far away… if you live in SD County, I will deliver!}. E-mail me at kristineats (at) gmail (dot) com and I will get working on your order right away.

Happy Good Friday to you — may you find JOY in the fact that He IS RISEN and you are free indeed.

Love,

Kristin

The carrot cake at Nordstrom Cafe is incredible. Have you tried it? If not, you should. It is truly, TRULY, T.R.U.L.Y delicious.

That is all.

~Kristin

Cold brewed iced coffee was smoother and less acidic, but it was also a little harder to come by.  Little Miss Live It Up only treated herself to it once or twice a week. At $2.15 a glass, she felt good about living in moderation while still enjoying a hint of the luxe life.

Enter the fiscal cliff. Nope, not THAT fiscal cliff. This fiscal cliff was a little more personal, impacting only the fun-loving Little Miss Live It Up and her fun-loving-but-slightly-more-sensible hubby.  Iced coffee had to go. Not forever, but for a little while.

Whatever was Little Miss Live It Up to do? What would the world think of her if she didn’t have a brownish beige beverage to sip out of a straw while running errands in workout clothes?!?! Not to worry, my friends, she figured it out and started cold-brewing her own iced coffee at home.  Phew. That could have ended badly.

Here’s the How-To:

Start with 1 1/2 Cups of coarsely ground coffee. I bought whole beans and ran them through the grinder at my local grocery store. You could also have them ground for you at a coffee shop, just make sure you ask for them to be ground coarsely.

Place it into a French Press to make life easy, or just pour it into a medium-sized bowl.

Add 3 1/2 to 4 cups of cold, filtered water.

Cover with plastic wrap and let sit either in the refrigerator or at room temperature if your house feels like a refrigerator. Allow it to sit for 12-24 hours. It will be very sludgy and kind of look like mud.

If you used a french press, press it on down and pour the liquid into a carafe.  If you used a bowl, use cheesecloth to strain the coffee grains out of the liquid, then pour the liquid into a carafe.

The rich brown liquid you are left with is your iced coffee concentrate.  It is FULL of caffeine.  Don’t be tempted to drink it as-is or you may never sleep again. Trust me.

When you are ready for an iced coffee, I use a 1 to 2 ratio of concentrate to other liquids. You can experiment and see what you like best, but here’s how I make my perfect iced coffee: 1/2 cup coffee concentrate, 1 cup cold filtered water, 2 tablespoons half and half or whole milk, 2 packets sugar in the raw.

Put a lid on it and slurp!

~Kristin

You see, I am an avoider.

I avoid hard things.

Emotions, because they are very tricky and it’s hard work to process through them. Exercise, because I don’t think I can really do it well enough. Cleaning, because the house will just get dirty again. Eating well, because it’s SO HARD TO LOSE WEIGHT I almost don’t want to try anymore. Prayer, because I can’t lie to God about how I really feel. Writing, because I am not exactly sure what it is I’m trying to do here, or if anyone will want to read it.

this photo is a bike in japan. i edited it in photoshop which is, yes, something else i am avoiding.

I have been reading more blogs lately, and have been particularly impressed with Jami Nato and her willingness to share whatever is going on in her life — fun and ugly, silly and deep. While I was thumbing through some of her older posts, I came across this one, on Blog Encouragement. It both convicted and encouraged me.  I have a tendency to fall into the comparison/shame game. I do it in almost every area of my life: “My house isn’t decorated as nicely as so-and-so’s… I must not be good at vision or design. I’m not losing weight as quickly as so-and-so… I must not be trying hard enough. Our finances aren’t where we want them to be… God must not want to bless us in that way.”

LIES. They’re all lies.

I believe lies about myself and about God EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

I recently went through Beth Moore’s Breaking Free Bible study with a group of awesome ladies. If you haven’t done this study, you should. It’s absolutely incredible how much TRUTH Beth Moore shares, and how much God’s grace oozes from her writing and words. Actually, if you haven’t done the study and are interested {and live in the San Diego area}, e-mail me. I want to do it again.  Anyway, a big part of the study is on the lies we believe, and tearing down those lies so that we can replace them with God’s Truth.

Be your {true} self. Love your {true} self. Share your {true} self. This is freedom.

I need to be the me that God created me to be.  He makes me kinder, gentler, stronger, and more fun than I could ever be on my own. I need to love who I am, because God loves me so greatly, just as I am.  I need to share and give of myself  – the vision, joy, laughter, and freedom I have will make the world a better place the more I share them with others.

So there you have it. A little bit of why I have a hard time writing and blogging sometimes. A glimmer of the lies I believe. And hope that the Truth that is replacing those lies will bring freedom to everyone it touches.

~Kristin

I gathered together several chicken carcasses I had been saving in the freezer and made the stock.  I seared a whole, cut-up chicken to give the bottom of my pot a lot of flavor.   I diced an onion, a few celery stalks, and a couple of carrots into unison shape.  I put it all in the pot and watched it simmer away.  I mixed flour, milk, and baking powder to form fluffy dumplings Glenn’s Mom would be proud of. And somewhere in the middle of all of this dicing and boiling and cutting up and searing I was reminded of something I love : cooking.

This year, the year that starts with a twenty and ends with a thirteen, I am grateful. Grateful for a restaurant of our very own. Grateful for a husband who works tirelessly to make all of my dreams come true, never once complaining. Grateful for my new home. Grateful for two couches. Grateful for healthy families and nieces that run around like lunatics. Grateful for the internet. Grateful for whole chickens that go on sale the day I happened to need them. Grateful for cooking.

Want to come over for dinner?

~Kristin