The Excellent Adventures of Kim and Kev

One Hundred

2012-01-29T23:48:00.000-05:00

It was my workout of choice for the day.

A workout that my body was in desperate need of.

It has been driving me absolutely crazy that I cannot seem to get back in to a good routine. I start the week with great intentions and then seem to come up with an excuse every day...

Weather, fatigue, working late, fatigue, the gym is too crowded, and the most common.... It's too cold to get out of bed so I should just go back to sleep.

But I rallied myself today. I ALWAYS feel better after a workout and I just kept telling myself that as I set up my make shift gym.

I decided to go with the "One Hundred Workout".

And luckily, we have just about every thing that I need to perform every part of it at home!

I even embraced the 60 degree weather ( My sis had to embrace negative 43 today!!!) and did most of the workout outside.

100 jumping jacks is the PERFECT way to warm a person up!

My "gym" consisted of a mat, an exercise ball ( for crunches), boxing gloves, a jump rope, a punching bag, and our back yard "track".

And, of course, good music!! My Ipod is the most important piece of equipment!

After the jacks I did:

90 crunches ( with multiple rest breaks! OW!)
80 walking lunges across the back yard
70 leg lifts ( to work my lower abs)
60 jacks
50 crunches
40 walking lunges
30 leg lifts
20 jacks
and 10 minutes of boxing the heck out of the bag.

I also ran one random lap around my back yard and ran to and from the garage when necessary.

It was bananas.

What was Kev doing during this crazy display of workout insanity?

He was picking up pine cones and blowing the drive way and cleaning the pool and every other ridiculous chore that takes up the majority of his day off.

At least he had some entertainment.

And other than the fact that it hurts to laugh right now ( holy abs!), it was really a lot of fun and a great way to get re-motivated.

I WILL stick to the program this week! I'm not going to give myself an option. :)

I continued to brave the outdoors for my lunch. I figured that I was already so hot and sweaty that the "cold" wouldn't bother me. ( It kills me that I've become so cold natured!)

But I was wrong. I was literally shivering about half way through my lunch.

So annoying. Especially to my Alaskan sister.

Cleaning and unboxing and organizing and taking the trash filled the rest of my day.

Dinner was stuffed peppers. And the one on the left might possibly be the biggest one I've ever seen.

I filled Kev's with brown rice, ground beef, cheddar cheese, corn, jalapeno, onion, and green onions.

Mine was all of the above MINUS the beef and cheese.

Baked at 375 for 40 minutes.

They were o.k. by themselves but better with hot sauce poured all over them. And I realized that I forgot to put black beans in mine - so, I through in some leftover edamame for protein.

By the way, I'm loving our grocery bill this month! When only one person is eating meat and dairy, $$ stays in the bank.

Here's to another successful week of the cleanse! Today started my third week.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

2012-01-22T21:58:00.000-05:00

It was another great day!

For cleaning and cooking and crock pots!

I feel like we are still celebrating Christmas around here. Every box we open comes with a surprise, a story, a laugh, or a question of why the heck do we have this.

Good times. I tell ya. Good times.

We started off our day with a hot breakfast.

Eggs- in- a- hole for him.

Eggs on Ezekiel bread for me + a grapefruit!

Kev had asked me in advance for that breakfast... and in fear of it diminishing my supply of eggs... I went out and bought two more dozen.

Two more dozen. ( We already had two dozen in the fridge) For a recipe that called for TWO eggs.

He noticed it right away and called me out on it.

He knows me too well.

I just can't stand the thought of running out of eggs!!

Right after breakfast, I started on dinner. It was another crock pot recipe from Real Simple ( Feb 2012). It was the one featured on the cover..

Chicken Pot Pie.

It cooked for eight hours.... while we were being busy bees. And then just when we finished and got cleaned up... dinner was served.

I only had to cut a sheet of puff pastry and bake the squares for 10 minutes.

The finished "pie".

All together now...

I enjoyed another delicious black bean burger with lots of veggies on the side.

Now, Kev has BBQ and chicken pot pie to keep him full over the next couple of days.

And I have no excuse not to get to the gym at night! I have a 5K coming up in three weeks and I haven't run in forever! Not to mention that I'm itching to try out my Garmin that I got for Christmas.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Productive

2012-01-21T22:35:00.000-05:00

It is such a great feeling!

This weekend off has been very successful so far - successful in crossing "to-dos" off my list.

The day started off with a thunderstorm. And the need for me to put my boots on to run out to the postal carrier to retrieve a package....

I have never met her before - and she is probably hoping that she will never have to meet me again.

PJ bottoms, cowboy boots, a giant sweatshirt, ball cap, and smudged mascara.

It's called "working from home" fashion and I'm not ashamed of it.

In fact, I stayed in the outfit - including boots!- until 8PM this evening.

My boots help me to focus.

I begin my chores in the kitchen. It was so nice to have time to focus on preparing meals for the week.

I got an easy and awesome ( according to Kev) recipe out of the latest Real Simple magazine. I tried to find a link to it - but couldn't. You will just have to go out and buy it. I broke down and got a subscription because I love the magazine so much. Organizing, Decorating, Fashion, and most of all... the recipes. They are usually pretty simple and healthy - or can be made healthy.

And so far they have all been winners.

Crock Pot Pork BBQ was on the agenda today.

I chopped the onions, threw in the other ingredients and covered the meat.

Crock pots are pretty awesome!

Then I made some broccoli slaw to go with it. I used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream to make it acceptable for my cleanse.

Next I made the BEST black bean burgers EVER... By Emily at The Daily Garnish.

I've written about them before - they are seriously so good and easy! A food processor is all you need... and voila! you will have six meals worth.

Thank goodness I don't get sick of eating the same thing over and over and over!

I also made a Detox Salad from Oh She Glows. But haven't taken a picture of it yet. It will also be eaten for multiple meals.

After cleaning the kitchen, I did three loads of laundry, cleaned my closet, and FINALLY finished unpacking every last box in the attic!!

The attic is still not complete - but it is SO much better. At least we know what all we have and where it is.

Our upstairs inventory is pretty interesting, random, crazy, and weird. Which I guess pretty much describes the two of us. :)

Then it was finally time to eat! The house smelled so good all day.

Kev's sandwich. BBQ + marinated onions + pickles.

My black bean burger on an Ezekiel bun with broccoli slaw...

+ spinach + romaine + tomatoes + mustard.

It was incredible!! The best meal I've had all week!

Speaking of my meals... I realized that some of you might not know about or remember my cleanse last year. So, I feel it necessary to tell you what I am not eating in addition to taking the supplements.

Which will explain why I am not eating the same meals as Kev.

I have cut out:
-caffeine
-dairy ( with the exception of one cup of plain Green yogurt a day)
-processed foods
-alcohol
-refined sugar
I have also decided to cut out meat this time around. The cleanse definitely suggests cutting out red meat and eating organic chicken - but I'm attempting to go meat free this month.

I've just completed one week and so far so good.... even though I have had some major cravings ( pizza!!) . It usually takes my body a week to adjust and then it becomes a routine.

And now it is time to check some shows off of my DVR list. I feel like it is never ending.

Loving and Not Loving

2012-01-20T21:52:00.000-05:00

Things I am LOVING right now.....

1. Grapefruit!

I had not had grapefruit in sooo long. At least until the day after Christmas. I bought ONE to share with Kev as a side to our breakfast casserole. I wanted to recreate our tradition as best as I could since we were not eating at my parent's for Christmas breakfast.

Growing up, we would eat the grapefruit "old school" style. Meaning in bowl form. My Dad would cut around each little section so we would easily be able to scoop it out. But due to the fact that my Dad was not at our house that morning and my inability to prepare a grapefruit without butchering it, I decided to cut it in to wedges.

Thus began my new obsession. ( I just got home with 10lbs. worth!)

I have since had one to eat every day. It is the perfect accompaniment to salty eggs and toast. And I do not remember grapefruits EVER tasting as good and juicy as they do right now. I used to eat them because it made me feel like a grown up and it was fun.

Now I eat them because they are scrumptious!

2. Cleansing my attic!!!

This was my SECOND truck full ( the inside of the truck is packed, too!) of the day. ALL TRASH!! Can you believe it? ( And yes, I tied down the tarp by myself - Holla!)

And I have another truck full to go to Good Will tomorrow.

My attic is thanking me right now.

My sore, grimy body is not.

3. Coconut Water.

My favorite sparkling water - La Croix - has come out with a coconut version! Every sip makes me think of a beach vacation - especially because it tastes amazing in a Skinny Girl Pina Colada ( in place of the coconut milk).

I had heard rumors on line that it had been seen in stores. I searched and searched and told every one that I knew.

Chelsea actually found me a case and gave it to me for Christmas. I have yet to see it in stores even though I look every single time that I go.

Chelsea must be magic.

Things that I am NOT LOVING right now....

1. My beloved Cinnamon Hill is closing for business. Even though the beautiful home has changed owners multiple times - these owners were my favorite. I am so sad for them. And sad that my Mom and I won't have a special place to eat lunch.

I guess we will just have to see what the future holds...

2. My newly discovered cold natured body!! I have always been hot natured. ALWAYS. Never wearing coats. Sweating in the snow. Sleeping without blankets ( except for one on my head). And now I am just chilled to the bone every second. Does this have something to do with age?? Do you become cold natured to make you more grateful for the hot flashes?

I think of my siblings and their families that are living in the coldest of cold places on Earth... and I know that I could never handle it.

Meat seems to be the only thing that gives me the sweats these days. And meat is one of the things that I am doing without for my cleanse.

Thank goodness Kev doesn't mind me sleeping in a burrito consisting of a winter coat, socks, gloves, and a doubled up down comforter.... with the heat in my mattress on full blast.

3. Hmmm. Well, I can't think of a third one. Except for maybe my lack of working out... but that will all be remedied next week. Because it just has to be! Other than that, I'm loving just about everything right now.

Life is good.

Decluttering

2012-01-19T17:06:00.000-05:00

We are in the midst of "The Great Decluttering of 2012".

And if you are in to that kind of thing... then it is just as fun as it sounds.

I actually love cleaning things out and reorganizing and throwing things away.

Which means our house is in a little bit of disarray right now.

I've never been a good one for focusing on only one task until it is complete. It is the multi-tasker in me. Five projects at once... now, that's more like it.

Our main project is the attic... which I've told you about. It seems that we never finished unpacking when we moved in - and are having a delightful time rediscovering some treasures.

Then there is the kitchen. The guest bedroom. The closet. And me.

Surprisingly, I'm the easiest project. Because of my trusty cleanse.

Welcome home, Cleanse Smart. It is so good to see you again!

I'm sure you remember that I did this same cleanse last year and achieved great results. I truly felt amazing and was able to get back on track with healthy eating/living.

I figured why not do it again. And start the year of right.

It seemed easier than finishing my resolutions.

Which, by the way, I've decided to give myself until January 31st. If February 1st starts the new year of retail... then it is probably best for me to be on the same schedule as well.

I am giving myself 30 days to finish the house projects because that is the length of time for the cleanse. Then I will begin anxiously awaiting the Spring weather and all of the hot sunshine that comes with it!

Remind me that I said that in the middle of summer when all I can think about is scarves and boots and fireplace fires....and cold weather.

And now I'm off to clean out my car. We are trading vehicles tomorrow so I can take a ton of stuff to Good Will and the dump.

Kev + dirty cars do not mix!

We hope you have a great weekend!

Paint and Pour

2012-01-13T10:02:00.001-05:00

A night out with a friend + paint + wine = the perfect way to spend a Tuesday!

Or any night for that matter.

I've been hearing about these fun events for a couple of months now.. so when a Groupon popped up for a "paint and pour" - I was in.

Chelsea got one too and we set a date.

You can actually choose which class you would like to attend based on the picture you would like to paint.

They provide the canvas, the paint, and the instruction.

We provide the snacks, the wine, and the willingness to have a great time!

You can read all about it here: Palmetto Paint and Pour.

This was our "picnic basket"....

4 kinds of cheese, 3 kinds of crackers, 2 bottles of wine, and 1 container of spinach dip.

Yes, it was only for two people. And yes, I brought the majority of it back home. But it is good to be prepared!

We were the first to arrive.....

The instructor, Jana, was awesome! She managed teaching a class of 16 people by giving excellent instruction and advice ... all with a sense of humor.

Me with my completed painting...

(Please don't ask me what is going on with my hair. It is has been very muggy around here and my head has adopted a permanent afro.)

Chelsea with her painting...

It was really so much fun!! I would LOVE to do this again! It was so interesting to see how, even with the same instruction, every one's painting turned out a little bit different.

I'm adding this idea to the entertainment business my cousins, Angela and Carrie, are going to start! I've got it all planned out in my head... I just have to get them on board. :)

The Celebrating Continues...

2012-01-12T11:06:00.000-05:00

I promise that we do more around here than just celebrate.

Like chores. And sleeping.

But it just so happens that celebrating is in my blood. I was raised to celebrate things from losing a tooth to putting your shoes on the right feet.

It doesn't have to be a big party with gifts and balloons and clowns <= in fact, NEVER use a clown for celebrating! Unless it is Halloween and you want to ruin every one's fun.

Food is really all you need.

And comfy clothes.

We continued our anniversary weekend with Fish Tacos on Saturday night. I didn't really have a recipe for them ( even though there are so many online) so we just winged it.

Tilapia and Mahi Mahi were the fishes of choice. Salt and Peppered and grilled.

I roasted some cabbage....

Sliced, drizzled in olive oil, salt and peppered, on 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

It was my first time doing this - but I got the recipe off of Pinterest and it looked amazing.

Now it seems that I see a new recipe for roasted cabbage every day. I guess it has become all the rage.

It was DELISH. But seeing as Kev only used a little on his tacos and is not interested in just eating it by itself - it became a little overwhelming to finish.

Next time, I will roast half of one.
Kev also grilled some corn so we could use our corn holder thingies that we received for Christmas!

The fish tacos were smothered in hot sauce for added fun. And I baked a couple of Alexia onion rings on the side.

If you haven't tried Alexia onion rings ( or ANY of their products) then you are missing out tremendously. They do fried food the healthy way even though they taste anything but healthy.

And then came our final anniversary meal on Sunday...

It knocked my boots off!

Kev had been smoking ribs ALL DAY while I was at work. He had a little station set up outside and everything. The minute I got out of my car in the driveway, I could smell them.

Ahhhhhhh. Meat. ( Think Homer Simpson)

Kev used some Dinosaur BBQ Wango Tango Habernero sauce mixed with some Peach Chipotle sauce.

THE.RIBS.WERE.FANTASTIC!!

And by fantastic, I mean out of this world!

I have my very own personal Bobby Flay!! Score!

He served them with a side of baked sweet potato ( we eat sweet potatoes all the time in all different ways - but it had been a very long time since we had just had one baked with a little butter!) It was so good.

And then I threw some cabbage on my plate for good measure ( and because I had - and still have- a ton of it!)

The ribs were being eaten so fast that we ( KEV) made a pretty big mess...

Sauce ended up on the tea pitcher.

I'd say that's a good sign that the meal was delicious!

At least that is what I tell myself when I spill food on my clothes, floor, counter on a daily basis.

We really had the best weekend long celebration! Thank you so much for all the kind comments and well wishes!

The past 17 years have been AWESOME!

Seventeen and Counting...

2012-01-07T16:09:00.001-05:00

Hmm. That sounds like a good title for a t.v. show....

Anyway, we decided to make our anniversary a weekend celebration.

#1. Because we LOVE to celebrate more than anything as long as it involves food, pajamas, and being in our house.

#2. Because I had to work two of the three days and therefore spreading the celebration out over the weekend required minimal work and just made sense.

And

#3. Did I mention that we love to celebrate more than anything? Because we do.

And I believe that being married seventeen years requires it!

I had Saturday's and Sunday's meals planned out to the last detail... but Friday's plans were up in the air. We wouldn't be getting home until later - ( I had originally planned to go to the gym but *cough* haven't made it all week *cough*) which meant that I wouldn't have enough time to pull together a nice meal.

I was telling someone about our engagement at The Olive Garden and it hit me. I should recreate the meal that we had the night Kev proposed.

Plus I had an Olive Garden gift card in my wallet that was starting to collect dust.

So, I checked the menu. I got directions to the one closest to my place of work. And the plans were set.

*Random Bit O' Info*... we got married on a Friday night!

I also went to Publix to get a slice of white cake with white icing! My absolute favorite cake of all time!! ( Except for I did notice that they have a new flavor - Caramel Pecan Crunch cake - It sounds like it was made just for me. I almost got it for free because I was causing such a scene by yelling for it to "GET IN MY BELLY!")

They just happened to have these precious miniature cakes about the size of the top of a wedding cake so I ended up getting that instead - after I MADE SURE with the lady that it was definitely white cake.

The Olive Garden that I went to was SO nice! In fact, it is the nicest one that I've ever been in. Everything was so organized and spacious and beautiful - a perfect spot for renewing vows.

I will hold that thought for our twentieth.

Even though we all know that if we EVER decided to renew our vows - it would be on our back porch while we were grilling something and jamming out to eighties tunes.

I arrived home with only "some" of the food spilling out in my back seat when I turned a curve too fast.

Just like old times.

And this is what was waiting for me...

A merlot.

Something that usually I cannot stand the taste of - but realized after drinking this that walking the wine aisles to search for the one with the cheapest price is not the best idea when you want to become a wine connoisseur.

It was light and delicious and paired perfectly with our meal!

Kev did good.

The infamous Olive Garden salad... with extra black olives in mine because Kev can't stand them.

The meal was good. Pretty much how we remembered it.

And the conversation was great! In fact, I think the t.v. stayed on mute through the majority of the meal! Holla!

Then it was time for dessert. Our favorite cake... that turned out to be CHOCOLATE!!!!

Ugh. At first I was so disappointed. But we just decided to pretend we were eating our groom's cake and enjoyed it anyway. It definitely wasn't as good as the white - but it was still pretty darn good.

Kev thinks cake is always better served with a tall glass of milk!

We debated on re-enacting the cake "smash in the face" that sometimes happens between a bride and groom - but we opted out due to the fact that I had already washed my face once that day and was unlikely to do it again.

Chocolate cake on a pillowcase is not the easiest thing to get out.

Kev knows from experience.

It was the perfect "first" celebration of the weekend! Low key - just how we like it.

I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have Kev in my life!

And cannot wait to see what the future has in store for us!

Dreams Really Do Come True!

2012-01-06T21:55:00.000-05:00

From this......

( I will never get tired of the hilariousness of these weddings pics!)

To this.......

And still going strong!

Seventeen years.

Seventeen years of awesomeness!

I couldn't ask for a better partner in life!

Happy Anniversary Kev!!

2011

2012-01-02T19:32:00.000-05:00

The Year Of Change.

After days of reflecting, that is the only way I can think of to describe it.

There were two types of change. Good change and necessary change - ( which ended up being good).

My family changed by growing tremendously! Three babies and two marriages.

I changed my first diaper after 10 years.

I ~~changed~~ KILLED my PR for my October half marathon.

I stopped taking my health for granted and changed my attitude on the importance of preventative measures.

My "favorite meal of all time" changed to Dinosaur BBQ - which resulted in a week long meat sweat fest.

I changed the way I shopped to save more money.

I changed the way I felt about cilantro! <= LOVE!

Some days I felt like I was going through the change.

I changed my body by pushing myself and learning new types of fitness.

Oh. And I changed jobs. After eight plus years. It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make.

That change reiterated to me how supportive and awesome my friends and family are.

I couldn't have done it without them!

Ultimately, it was a FANTASTIC year! A year that left my heart SO full and thankful and looking forward to what 2012 has in store for us.

It is going to be a GREAT one!

As far as how we spent our New Year's Eve...

It was calm and quiet and just the two of us.

Just the two of us with enough party food to feed an army....

Because we don't know how to celebrate any other way.

Cheese and crackers....

Dill Havarti and Chipotle Colby. With French baguette toasts and...

Cranberry and hazelnut crackers. They were very good but didn't really pair up with anything I was serving.

I think they would be great with a green salad or chicken salad.

Buffalo Chicken Wontons... YES PLEASE!

I've decided that every day should include a wonton. Because they are just that good - no matter what is inside.

And luckily, Kev has become the wonton cooking champ.

I stuffed them with rotisserie chicken, hot wing sauce, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, and salt and pepper.

We dipped them in spicy Ranch dressing.

They are just as good cold as they are hot.

Mushroom risotto pastries..

Wow. Delish! Obviously, I didn't make them but purchased them from The Fresh Market. If you love mushrooms then these will be your next true love!

And filet on top of horseradish + green onion + cream cheese on top of a toast point.

We had other foods planned... like cheese fondue with all sorts of things to dip in it... but honestly, there is only so much that two people can eat. So, we will save it for another day.

Or maybe another New Year's Eve... because, right now, I am only seeing green in my future.

It has been a pretty delectable holiday season if you know what I mean.

After dinner, we watched Dick Clark's Rocking New Year's Eve... and braced ourselves for the midnight fireworks extravaganza that was about to take place in our neighborhood.

And extravaganza it was! I stood in the front yard and witnessed an entire sky lit up with celebration.

It was glorious! And a fitting farewell to The Year of Change.

Happy 2012!! We wish you all the very best!!!

Aunts and Uncles

2011-12-31T13:00:00.003-05:00

6 2liters of soda.

2 boxes of poptarts.

20 miniature bags of chips

12 chocolate chip cookies

have been consumed in my house in the last 24 hours.

And not by me or Kev.

It could only mean one thing. My sister's kids are over.

For their annual New Year's celebration with their Aunt Kim and Uncle Kev.

We just had to do it a little early this year - due to my schedule at work.

It always amazes how much they can eat. And the list above does not include dinner or lunch!

I promise that it is not my goal in life to feed kids a bunch of junk food. In fact, these days I would LOVE to be able to have them experience something new, something different, something healthy.

But kids will be kids and it is my job as an Aunt to give them what they want.

It is important for me to be the "favorite", after all.

I texted Ashlynn - as I have done for the past couple of years- to find out what food they would want. Her response was "spaghetti or pizza".

Which just happens to be the response that I get every year.

And even with the spaghetti and pizza, we are not talking anything fancy. No green. No fancy cheeses. No interesting variations.

Just noodles + sauce OR cheese pizza with maybe a pepperoni or two.

So, I planned a pizza party.

A "make your own pizza" party.

Because getting to choose your own toppings between a bowl of pepperoni and a bowl of cheese is crazy fun!

And I also made garlic breadsticks ( from the freezer) and "handcrafted" "fried" cheese.

It was handcrafted because I wrapped string cheese in eggroll wrappers.

And it was fried because I rubbed the wrappers in olive oil and then baked them.

Thank goodness for pepper jack string cheese... because otherwise they would have had NO TASTE!

They pretty much exploded in the oven.... probably because I didn't wrap them tight enough.??

Like I said... the ones with regular string cheese were the blandest things that ever touched my lips. But the pepperjack ones were ok.

They didn't ruin the evening... but they probably won't be on my menu again.
And then the creative pizza making began....

They turned out pretty good. And the kids thought it was cool to make their own pizza...so three cheers for the Aunt and Uncle!!

Dessert was ice cream sandwiches made with fresh chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Other than consuming large quantities of junk and drinking obsessive amounts of soda... the crew basically just sat around and played video games...

And posed for pictures...

I'd like to think that they get their 80's band poses from me...

It was one of the subjects that I studied in high school.

For lunch today I made them more pizza and commented multiple times on how they need vegetables in their life.

They were so much fun as always and great entertainment.

I was telling my Mom today about their visit and commented that I don't know why they like to come out because all they do is play video games. But she reminded me of how they will always have great memories of spending time with Kim and Kev no matter what we do to entertain them.

And she is right. Because going to visit my aunts and uncles was one of the greatest experiences ever when I was growing up. They literally could have given me a stick to play with and served sliced cheese and I would have had the BEST time. Even though they did WAY WAY MORE than that. It was just being with them and staying at their house that was so special and awesome.

And now I'm off to review 2011's resolutions and see what I accomplished and what I need to refocus on this year.

Nerd alert times 20!

Today is the LAST day of the year!!!

Christmas Questionnaire

2011-12-30T20:00:00.002-05:00

OK. I get it. Christmas was last week.

It's called savoring. And running behind on recapping the holiday.

And a little bit of New Year's resolutions procrastination. ( I take them very seriously!)

I received this questionnaire WAY back in the middle of December and thought it would not only be fun to answer but I might get some fun ideas as well in reading other people's traditions.

Oh well, I guess we can just treat it as getting a head start on next Christmas.

I'm all about doing things in advance. Yes, that's the ticket.

But before I start, I need for you to know how much in love I am with this animal...

I don't know if it can get any cuter than a hedgehog in winter attire.

However, after tons of research, it has been reiterated to me that hedgehogs are very high maintenance. And there can only be one of us like that in the house.

And now for the questions...

1. Does Santa wrap presents or just place them under the tree?

Santa does NOT wrap our presents. Never has. Our Santa present reveal has always been somewhat of a process, though. When we were little, we would all sleep downstairs and upon waking we would line up on the stairs in order of age and wait to be called in to the living room.

We couldn't all rush in at once - because #1 the gifts were all unwrapped. But also because #2 we needed a picture ( and eventually a video) of the "excited to see our Santa gift face".

There is NO WAY to capture six children's excited faces at the same time.

But due to the fact that I am the mean and nosey and sneaky big sister.. I would usually have already crept up the stairs to get a peek OR would have found the stash in the "secret" closet in the garage.

I've never been a good one for surprises.

Plus - my Mom always knew how to handle my gift discoveries and would tell us that since we had so many kids in our family, Santa had to drop off our stuff off early for my Mom to store. But then he would come back on Christmas Eve to get his cookies and milk.

A VERY believable story if I do say so myself.

To this day, we still line up in order of age. And we still get called in one by one. But instead of being under the tree - it is in the formal living room complete with blanket in the doorway to keep lurkers out.

In case you were wondering... blankets are EASY to bust through.

Not that I would know anything about that. Wink wink.

2. Colored lights on tree/house or white?

Growing up it was ALWAYS colored lights! I loved them. Especially the big, old fashioned ones that probably set a lot of things on fire.

When we moved to South Carolina, though, it was made VERY clear that white lights were the only way to go. My parent's entire neighborhood was fancy white lights and our house stood out like a mullet in the future. And my Dad didn't just do a couple of lights - he went ALL OUT. Like blinking, flashing, crazy all over the place lights.

It was AWESOME!

Still is.

And now it seems that the colored lights are making a comeback. The majority of my parent's neighborhood now has followed their lead. Colored lights are probably considered cool and vintage now.

As for my house, we went with white lights in the yard. Mainly because our house is white and it is kind of our theme. And white lights on the trees inside. I only have one tree with colored lights and that is my Disney tree in the "kid's" bedroom.

Kev did add in a little color when he decorated the back deck area. And I foresee a little more being added in next year because we enjoyed seeing them all over the place this year.

3. What is your favorite holiday dish?

Geez. That's a hard one. I'm a TOTAL carb-a-holic. So, I guess I would say the potatoes, bread, and mac n cheese.

I realize that is not just one dish - but they are all carbs so it's ok.

4. Favorite memory as a child?

Wow! Another super hard one. I have SO MANY amazing childhood Christmas memories! No detail was ever spared. I loved it all. The tradition. The anticipation. The story telling. The treats. EVERY.SINGLE.THING.

But the two standout Christmases for me were:

When I received my HANDMADE dollhouse! ( My Dad asked Santa if he (my Dad) could make my gift that year. And he built my dollhouse from scratch. Shingle by shingle. I still have it and still love it. And plan to (one day) restore it back to it's original shape.

And the year that I received my first Cabbage Patch doll. It was a fight to the finish for my Mom to score four cabbage patch dolls that year. I'm sure she still has the scars to prove it.

I wanted a boy doll so bad. Probably because I was SO sick of having sisters. haha.

5. Real tree or fake tree?

I LOVE real trees. But the thought of going out and finding one, lugging it home, watering it, and then disposing of it..is just too overwhelming for me. Even though I'm surprised that Kev hasn't insisted on it based on how much he loves his plants and how our dining room is now a greenhouse.

Plus, Kev grew up with a real tree.

I did not.

We own FIVE fake trees now. Even though I only decorated one this year.

6. Favorite holiday dessert?

I would have to say wedding donuts!!! I also love cake - like carrot, coconut, or caramel.

7. What is your favorite tradition?

So hard to choose...

The reading of The Night Before Christmas ( which is why my parent's gift this year was the best ever!!)

My Dad handing out our stockings and gifts < = he makes the perfect Santa!

Our big feast.

Spending time with family and PLAYING GAMES!

Look how serious we were while playing Disney Cranium. Family game time is quite intense. Even if it is just a kid's game.

8. What tops your tree?

Our main tree is pretty tall and to top it requires pulling out the BIG ladder. Therefore, we went without this year. Also, because we were afraid that the hot lights were going to catch the angel's dress on fire.

9. What is your favorite Christmas song?

First of all, I must tell you that the Michael Buble cd was/is the greatest thing ever!! Once I warmed up to it, I think I listened to it eleventy billion times.

It is awesome!

As far as a favorite song... I have always loved Carol of the Bells and Silent Night. And Michael's version of Jingle Bells is pretty sweet.

10. What do you leave for Santa?

I don't leave anything anymore... but we used to leave cookies and a note. Santa would always leave us a "thank you" note that my Mom would read to us first thing Christmas morning.

I thought it was so cool. Until I started recognizing my Mom's handwriting. It was the same writing that would be on my notes she would send to school with me that would grant me early release.

Growing up is the pits!

But luckily it hasn't stopped me from acting like a kid. And using my imagination like a kid.

And enjoying Christmas like a kid.

The End.

Christmas!

2011-12-30T09:34:00.000-05:00

As I told you in the last post - this was the first Christmas Eve that we were spending the night in our own house.

We turned off the Christmas tree lights ( important fact for later) and went to bed at a decent time.

It was going to be our first time in forever that pictures would be taken without us having sleepy eyes.

And then at 1:30am we awoke to SUCH A CLATTER!

One loud boom after another. Right outside our window ( at least it sounded like it). Shaking our brains from left to right.

It seems that all of these years we have been missing the GINORMOUS GASTON GALA O' FIREWORKS.

And yes, that is the official name. ( that I made up)

Random firework performances have become quite common out here in the country - but on CHRISTMAS MORNING!! At 1:30! And they were not sparklers. They were like bombs. If I was a parent that was trying to keep my children asleep - I would have been furious.

Let's face it. I'm not a parent and I was furious.

They continued every thirty minutes until about 3:30am.

I decided to get up and sleep on the couch by the Christmas tree.

And the tree lights were ON!

In a sleepy, confused state, I just stood there and stared wondering if Santa really came.

Or if the firework's posse had just blown my front door off and had come inside for some milk and cookies.

I was too tired to investigate.

We eventually got some sleep - and woke up to a beautiful Christmas day.

I had originally planned a big breakfast but decided to save it for another day because we would be eating quite the Christmas feast at noon.

I cooked food for lunch. Kev worked out. It was a peaceful morning.

We arrived at my parent's house right after Bethany and Teddy got there. ( They had been driving since 3:00am!)

Shannon + Randy and the kids arrived soon after. The kids were excited to show what all they had received from Santa.

I did not get a single picture of Bethany with a sweet face....

Princess wearing her Christmas best!

Abigail's first Christmas...

And then she got a wardrobe change. It is so hard when there are so many cute holiday outfits and only one month to wear them in.

We started the festivities with a HUGE feast..... Complete with Christmas china.

The meal...

The desserts...

The food was delicious as usual. And we all ate too much as usual. And then ate on it again and again throughout the day ... as usual.

Then the gift giving began...

We started with the big stuff and continued tradition by entering the "Santa room" one by one to see what was left for us.

Abby's first bike...

I must have left the room at this point... because I did not take these pictures or participate in the following foolishness...

Our turn...

We got gift cards to Bonefish! $5.00 bang bang shrimp on Wednesdays is where it is at!

Mom and Dad..

Reindeer hats were required for the next part...

The hats were really for the kids... but look who wanted to wear them too. No surprise there!

It was really so much fun! Another holiday full of laughter and love and loudness. I can't imagine it any other way.

And for those of you that are game players... my parents got the best game! Disney Cranium. Yes, it is real.... and yes, it is awesomesauce.

I have always LOVED Cranium - but this one has you doing so many stunts and scavenger hunts and tricks along with every thing else.

Like balancing dice on your biceps until the timer runs out.

Bethany even had to crab walk from one room in to the other - which is one of the things on my bucket list.

( I'm pretty sure it is just for kids - but everybody knows that kid's games are better than adult's games!)

I could have stayed and played for hours and hours... but work the next day was calling my name.

I feel like this year Christmas came and went faster than usual... but it was such a great time with family and another awesome weekend of making amazing memories!

I loved EVERY second of it! ( Except for the fireworks! )

Twas The Night Before Christmas....

2011-12-29T21:01:00.000-05:00

and all through the house there was so much food, family, and laughter,

and hopefully no mouse.

I can't believe it is already over. I can't believe that I am already focusing on my New Year's resolutions.

I can't believe that we STILL have so much food to eat.

I need a banana and a salad in the WORST way.

( Not sure exactly what that means - but it sounds extra dramatic)

Despite the whirlwind weekend, our Christmas was fantastic and so much fun!

Which I attribute to good planning, a laid back schedule, plenty of sleep, and coffee.

The Christmas Eve festivities have been held at our house for the past four years. This is when we get together with Kev's family to eat, drink, and be merry.

I was lucky enough to get this day off of work - and spent the day preparing food.

The infamous wedding donuts:

Dill dip with veggies and wheat thins:

Cheddar wafers served with sweet and spicy pecans, pimento cheese, and honey almond chicken salad ( my favorite from Publix!)

Tomato Bites! ( Thanks for the recipe Rebecca!) I made them two ways - in baked wontons and in phyllo cups.

Antipasto Kabobs:

Pizza Bites:

And Kev's "Holiday Punch":

Introducing "Festive Kev". Similar to "Vacation Kev" but with a little more bling.

Big surprise of the night... Glenn surprised Mary with a fancy new camera!

And she got to open it before we officially got started so she could enjoy documenting the entire evening!

Being the only kid on Kev's side definitely has it's advantages! Jayden received so many cool gifts.

With Kev's family, we draw names ahead of time.... And then we do another small gift swap where we draw numbers and fight for the best.

We ended up with several sentimental pieces from Kev's Grandmother, gift cards, cat food (?!?!) and an outdoor heater thingy that will allow us to have cookouts in the winter!

Some more pics...

Aunt Kim with Josh, Krystal and Jayden Young....

Mary, Glenn, and Jenn ( Kev's sister).

And, as usual, there were other family members that weren't documented. Including myself.

We had such a great time as always!

Then every one left. And for the first time in 40 years I was not spending the night at my parent's house.

I had no where to rush off to.

It was time for us to start a new tradition.

It was very bittersweet. And strange. And weird.

Our grown up lives have just gotten so busy and complicated and it has been getting harder and harder to get together - so we planned to meet on Christmas Day at 11am. Which meant we all stayed in our own homes for the night.

Thank goodness for this....

My Mom and Dad recorded the story for me so I could listen to it any time that I wanted.

It was perfect! And so special. I loved it.

After listening to the book, we discussed what we should do. And ultimately exchanging gifts with each other won out.

Kev surprised me with a Garmin. For running!! I cannot wait to use it!

Then we watched Christmas shows until we couldn't stay awake another second.

And fell asleep with visions of sugar plums ( or wedding donuts) dancing in our heads.....

Up next: Christmas Day!

Talent

2011-12-23T15:06:00.001-05:00

Every one is talented at something.

Most people are talented at a lot of things.

Sometimes it takes years and years and years to discover what your talents are.

Sometimes you figure it out when you are very young.

My parents worked hard to find what I could do best. Ballet, tap, choir, sports, piano, and scouts. I was mediocre at everything. Which is putting it nicely.

Until I learned the tripod.

For some reason I excelled at this move even though I showed a lack of grace, balance, or fitness.

It may or may not have been my extremely teased bangs and over sized teeth that kept me balanced in the pose for minutes on end.

But it continued into adulthood. And soon became my "trick" or my "talent" that I showcased at get- togethers and family reunions.

( Sharing talents and performing shows for each other is a pretty big deal in my family. Isn't that normal for every one?)

Fast forward to present day..

I was in my hot yoga class recently and was told that we would be ending the class with handstands.

Even though I am always up for new things, I immediately told the instructor that I would not be able to do that.

Plain and simple.

And she just smiled at me and repeated that we would be doing handstands at the end of class.

I knew that once she saw my flexibility level she would give up on me and let me leave a little early.

But little did I know how patient and determined and encouraging she would be.

Right before we started in to handstands, she asked me if I had ever done any thing remotely close to balancing on my hands.

And I jokingly said, "Well, my talent is the tripod." And then started laughing.

To my complete surprise, she lit up! And informed me that she could do so many things in yoga but was unable to do the tripod.

And then had me demonstrate for the class.

Who knew that all of these years I was performing a yoga pose! I knew I loved yoga for a reason.

Then she used my new found confidence to talk me through getting in to a handstand position.

A handstand.

Something that I NEVER EVER thought I would be able to do.

Even though I was assisted and it was up against the wall. I still did it.

And it felt amazing! Like scream worthy amazing! I'm afraid I was a little obnoxious about it.

I even hugged her after we stood back up.

It is just that I was in shock!

Then there are things that you want to be talented in and you refuse to give up.

Like baking.

No matter how much I try - it is just not my thing.

I enjoy making cupcakes, and cakes and wedding "donuts"... but other than that it usually ends up feeling like a chore and not turning out.

I keep envisioning beautiful Christmas gift baskets full of treats from my kitchen.

And then half way through my baking extravaganza I end up with chocolate in my hair and sugar in my eyes and flour in every nook and cranny of the kitchen.

Of course, it may have something to do with me dancing and singing ( in to the mixer beater) all over the place. That Michael Buble cd sure does get me in the spirit!

Regardless... this is what I ended up with....

Sweet and spicy pecans. Made with melted butter, brown sugar, and spices.

The pecans were actually very very easy and turned out pretty good. I guess I can't really consider that baking, though.

Next came the melting of the chocolate. Tons of it.

I felt like all I did was dip in chocolate for the next 100 hours.

I made peanut butter/chocolate pretzel bites.

They turned out SO sloppy - but still have the overall taste sensation that you would expect.

And cookie dough truffles.

These are really rich but so good!! Again, mine are sloppy. And I totally forgot to buy the mini chocolate chips which definitely make a difference.

But overall they are still fun to eat!

Which I did. A lot of.

I'm hoping that my lack of talent in baking is cancelled out by my cooking.

And now my body is counting down the days until we get back to a normal healthy eating plan.

And begging me to do a tripod pose in front of Kev the next time he is watching something important on tv.

Tis the season for showcasing talents!

Tradition

2011-12-22T09:33:00.000-05:00

One of my FAVORITE places to eat is Cinnamon Hill.

I have written about it before and will hopefully continue to write about it for years to come.

We have been going there for about 18 years. It has changed owners many times. It has changed menus many times. It has changed atmospheres many times.

But ultimately it is the same sweet historic home that holds so many memories for me.

We started going there with my Nana for special occasions. It was always such a treat. To this day I can't drive by or visit the home without picturing us sitting on the front porch swing getting our picture taken.

There was even a short period of time where the house was up for sale and I wanted more than anything to be able to purchase it and move in! I must have researched it forever ( and realized there was no way we could afford it! ).... but it is just that special to me.

This year my Mom took me to celebrate my birthday! We went a couple of weeks late just due to busy schedules - but believe me it was a lunch that I was counting down the days for!

The large beautiful home is mostly a ( precious!) gift shop now, but they have a small area dedicated to teas and luncheons.

Vera's Veranda.

( We were seated in a very sunny spot - hence the shadowing!)

My beautiful Mom!

Their specialty ( one of the many) is the tea. They change it up from day to day and offer it in unsweet or sweet.

The tea of the day was acai berry.

And it tasted as good as it looks!! I probably had four glasses.

Their other specialty is the salad trio plate. They have many, many options on their menu -mainly sandwiches and salads - but the trio offers a choice of three of your favorite salads with pita chips.

We always order the exact same thing. Chicken salad + broccoli salad + the pasta salad of the day.

It is amazing. And light. And requires me to eat like a lady.

Which is good for me every now and then.

We ate. We caught up on each other's lives. And then we shopped - mainly just going from room to room to look at every single trinket and treasure.

It was the perfect day! And another special memory to add to my collection.

The Count Down

2011-12-21T14:51:00.000-05:00

I am in the zone.

The zone of getting things done.

I have a to do list that is broken down by day... for the next four days.... to ensure that Christmas goes off without a hitch.

I'm feeling good about it.

Especially because I am listening to this.....

I splurged last night and bought it. Not that a cd is necessarily a splurge for most people - but when you have a husband that runs a business like mine does... there is no need to pay full price for something like that.

I am making Kev sound so mysterious.

I have been wanting a new Christmas cd for a while... and after seeing Michael on SNL, I knew that I had to have his.

It is more soothing than upbeat - which is normally not my style - but it ~~forces me~~ reminds me to chill out and enjoy the holidays.

Not to mention that he has a beautiful voice.

In other random news...

I realized that I never completed Kev's birthday week O' food. And I can only imagine that you have been waiting on the edge of your seat to find out what his picks were for the rest of the week... especially since we ate on the ginormous Asian meal for several days.

Well, he chose Bang Bang Shrimp from Bonefish...

That now comes complete with directions on how to mix it up.

And wings...

From Carolina's.

He actually was happy with wings from anywhere - but Carolina's just so happens to be on the way home from work.

You can tell by his choices that he was in desperate need for a little bit of unhealthiness in his meals.

I believe that any cravings that we had been having are now taken care of. In fact, I think we ate a big salad for our next meal.

Or maybe I just dreamed that we did because I was in desperate need of nutrients.

And now that I have that taken care of... I am off to bake!

It is time to get some things checked off today's list!

The Best Thing

2011-12-18T22:35:00.000-05:00

To come home to after a loooonnngggg day working in retail at the holidays......

is that your husband decorated the back deck with Christmas lights!

What an awesome surprise!

I have been wanting back yard lights for years.. because..

I cannot see all of the lights in our front yard once I am inside the house.

And

I just love looking at festive lights so much.

And

Because I am high maintenence.

And Kev delivered... because...

He is just that awesome!

And it was truly the best ending to wonky day.

Now I can look at the pretty lights while I am cooking and while we are eating dinner.

And it is FINALLY beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Done!

2011-12-16T09:28:00.000-05:00

The decorating is done... with only a few casualties....

The gift buying/wrapping is done.

The packages have been mailed.

And the menus have been planned ( along with grocery lists) for the next two weeks.

It feels amazing!

Except for now I've got to clean my house. ( cue ominous music!)

I have no idea why this year has been so hard for me to get it together.

And I have no idea why I looked so frazzled and googly-eyed last night when Kev got home from work.

Kind of like a Christmas zombie.

( We have a slight addiction to The Walking Dead)

Regardless, I am ready to celebrate and enjoy and ring in the new year.

That is... after my coffee gets in my system.

And speaking of celebrating and enjoying... I still have Kev's birthday dinner to tell you about!

Remember that? Back on December 7th?

Well, last year we went French. And I did a multi course, fancy, sit down meal.

So, this year we ( I) decided to go a little more casual and we kept it just the two of us - even though I made enough food for 70.

Kev's birthday request was an Asian inspired meal. I researched and researched and came up with a list longer than Santa's of things that I wanted to make.

I then I had a little talk with myself and narrowed it down to this:

Everything turned out delicious! But the wontons ended up being my favorite part. And that was what Kev actually made.

Or at least, that was what he cooked. I made the mix and put them all together. But it just so happens that I have a fear of frying. I can't stand a bowl of hot oil. I can't stand how it makes my skin and clothes smell. I can't stand how the oil gets too hot and burns every thing.

So, Kev bought a thermometer and took charge of the situation.

And they turned out amazing. Shrimp wontons with hot mustard sauce! I didn't get a picture of the final product - so you will just have to trust me on this one.

But we are already planning several wonton inspired creations to make on New Year's Eve!

We are such party animals!

The lettuce wraps....

And then for the main courses..

Bourbon chicken.

This was my first time making or eating Bourbon Chicken. But I knew it would be a winner because it called for crushed red pepper.

Except that I mistakenly unscrewed the lid instead of just popping the top and a quick shake in to the sauce turned in to a downpour.

Our sinuses were cleared for days.

And I even scooped a ton of it out.
I mixed the bourbon chicken with shrimp fried rice that I purchased at Miyo's.

My rice NEVER turns out as good as the restaurants - so I decided to just buy it and make the stuff to go with it.

Mandarin orange chicken plus pineapple cashew rice...

Incredible! I loved the sweetness and the cashews!!

We have never eaten cashews in savory foods ... and I believe that it has become a new favorite of ours.

My plate... ( minus the million wontons that I ate right off of the serving dish!)

(Wow - the food really has no color. It looks like a whole lot of neutral with a side of lettuce!)

And then the birthday boy opened his fortune cookie:

First of all, I have never seen a fortune like this... and I think it is hilarious.

Second of all, I have never seen someone move so fast to get their swimsuit on and start mapping the best route to the beach!

It was such a great birthday meal! And I think Kev had a pretty good birthday.

And we ate this meal for the next five days.

The End.

And The Birthdays Continue....

2011-12-11T22:35:00.000-05:00

Today, the 11th, was our last birthday celebration of the year.

Even though it is not our last family birthday.

It was just our last party for the "locals".

And all I've got to say is "whew!".

There are only so many fancy feasts that a girl and boy can handle.

Not to mention how busy things have been around here.

My Mom and Dad had us over for a party this afternoon. It was in honor of Ashlynn, Austin, Kev, and myself.

It was a lot of fun and full of obnoxious laughter - as usual.

I even managed to contort my mouth just so that I only blew out my candle which was in the middle of the other birthday folk's candles.

I must say that it was a pretty exciting and proud moment in my life... even though I was so focused on my mouth shape that I forgot to make a wish.

Thank goodness for eyelashes and pennies in the parking lot. I will hopefully be able to make up for it soon.

So, yesterday marked the end of Kev's birthday week (finally!). It's not that I was tired of celebrating his birth - I was just tired of eating his favorites.

They weren't really the healthiest of choices. In fact, they weren't healthy at all. And all of that food plus only getting to the gym ONCE has resulted in a uncomfortable and sluggish Kim.

Nothing that a class of hot yoga can't fix. Along with a pretty intense fitness routine this week. I will be back on track in no time.

And speaking of the food... I will break down our "eats" over the next couple of posts. It will be less overwhelming that way.

*****************

Last Sunday we kicked off our celebration with grilled steak sandwiches. They have quickly become our new favorite "hot off the grill" meal.

We especially love them because we can change the ingredients up as we see fit.

Kev grilled a flank steak with onions and peppers. I cooked some mushrooms. And then we put it all on some freshly grilled hoagie buns with pepper jack cheese and spicy ranch sauce.

On the side were some oven baked red potato fries, onion rings, and a cranberry almond coleslaw.

I obviously took this picture after I took my first bite! I couldn't help it. It was perfection!

We invited Kev's parents over for the meal - and in order for them not to think I am weird ( or weirder than they already think), I took my plate in another room for the picture.

Which I'm sure didn't raise any suspicion at all. haha.

I also made Kev's favorite chocolate pound cake - per request - and served it with cookie dough ice cream.

Kev's mom, Mary, brought over his baby book! This was my first time seeing it after knowing Kev for twenty years!

It was awesome!

I love learning knew things about my husband.

***********************

And now back to present day, I still haven't finished decorating. BUT the majority of my gifts are purchased, menus are made, and the decorations are out of the attic!

Progress is good!

Even though Kev just reminded me that I have less than two weeks before the big event!

Which he discovered as he was frantically trying to get caught up on his Lego advent calendar!

Didn't I write something last year about savoring the holidays?? Being more organized?? Not waiting until the last minute??

Oh well, there is always next year.

Healthy Hoarding

2011-12-08T11:03:00.000-05:00

I am so far behind in documenting our birthday extravaganzas.

It has a little to do with this time of year being so busy. And a little to do with the food comas that I have been finding myself in daily.

Indulging in all of our favorites for TWO weeks takes a toll.

Something that I never thought I would say.

Kev's birthday was yesterday... but we still have at least two more "favorites" meals to finish out the week.

By then I will be crying "uncle" and surrendering to all of the healthy food in my pantry.

I am officially desperate for a week of salads and bananas and green monsters.

And all of the things that I stocked up on during my visit to Trader Joe's last week.

Like nut butters...

The butters are the #1 reason that I go to Trader Joe's! They are incredibly delicious and CHEAP! Sunflower seed and almond with sea salt are my faves!

Yes, I bought a million jars times two.

And organic broth....

This time of year I LOVE making soups.... and again... you can't beat the taste and price!

(It's too bad that my soup pot is full of oil that was used to fry shrimp wontons - which were delicious by the way. And it is too bad that we don't have the energy to throw out the oil because we are so lethargic from eating too many of the wontons.)

( Guess it is time to find a new soup pot!)

And spices. Check out these flavors!

We have only used the flower pepper and South African smoke and they have both been delicious!

Perfect for salads and veggies and soups and anything else that my body is desperate for.

My pantry and freezer are literally busting at the seams right now. Which is good because I probably won't be allowed to grocery shop for another five months.

And now for MY last "favorites" meal...... Eggplant Parmesan.

I made this last weekend to finish out my week of delish.

I used Puttenesca sauce ( from Trader Joe's!) and fresh mozzarella to layer in between the eggplant.

Served with FRESH linguine noodles! I've never had freshly made noodles before. Yum!

Also, parmesan bread and a big giant salad.

I'm so glad to see that I did manage to get a big salad in... since I have lost all memory of eating healthy foods.

Thank goodness I take pictures of my food.

And now I am off to unload the dishwasher for the THIRD time in 24 hours and to start planning next week's meals.

I'm thinking almond butter soup.

A Birthday With Cheese

2011-12-04T22:25:00.000-05:00

Over the past couple of days I've managed to...

1. Get a miserable head cold.

2. Not work out. ( See #1)

3. Not decorate for Christmas. ( See #1)

4. Eat an unnecessary amount of cookie dough ice cream with crunchy peanut butter mixed in. ( Hoping to cure #1)

And the worst thing of all...

5. Become addicted to Pinterest.

Why oh why did I ever sign up for it? I thought that if I just signed up and got it over with, I could prove to myself that there was no reason to get addicted to it.

I am weak.

I have no time in my life for Pinterest... and yet I somehow feel that it is going to help me plan my meals better, decorate better, celebrate better, and plan my dream wedding.

(Yes, I realize I'm already married ( almost 17 years!) but I just so happen to love wedding details)

Anyway, this post is not supposed to be about what I didn't do... but what I did do.

And that was eat.

A lot.

It was my birthday week, after all.

On my actual birthday, we celebrated with cheese.

And it wasn't in moderation.

Appetizers: Chipotle Gouda + Trader Joe's whole wheat sesame crackers.

And Crazy Bread!! Just like last year. Kev managing a Little Caesar's Pizza in his early twenties has really come in handy for us. He makes the BEST crazy bread and it is BETTER than the real thing!

Whole Foods pizza dough rolled out and baked. Then brushed with melted butter + garlic + salt. And sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

And the main event..... Potato + Leek + Fresh mozzarella pizza!

The potatoes are very thinly sliced ( in the food processor) and then placed on the dough overlapping each other in place of the sauce.

Add fresh mozz and caramelized leeks and bake.

Then add some flav-a!

Flower Pepper from Trader Joe's! Holla!

This stuff really packs a punch. And it has flower petals in it! <= I don't know why but they sure are pretty!

It was a great end to a great day!

Even if I am going to be on grocery shopping ( and cheese!) restriction for the next six months.

39 And Feeling Fine

2011-11-30T21:57:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that I am saying this... but turning 39 was pretty spectacular! In fact, it was just the kick in the pants that I needed to get my head back on straight.

The past couple of months have been filled with "what ifs" and "should-a, could-a, would-as" and every thing else that comes with reaching mid-life.

It has been kind of like trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up.

And then wishing that I didn't have to.

But after my day of reflection - I am now ready to face my forties head on! And am really looking forward to what the future has in store for me!

( It also helped that I received some VERY inspirational and encouraging messages yesterday!! I'm so thankful for my family and friends!!)

And now.... how I spent my birthday...

I woke up to a phone full of birthday messages.... One of them being from my Mom at 4:45am - the exact time I was born!

Keeping with the "week of special birthday meals", I chose pancakes as my birthday breakfast.

Kodiak Cakes to be exact!

Whole wheat, healthy, delicious, and easy peasy to make. The perfect way to start my day!

I put a little bit of pure maple syrup and peanut butter on them.... to ensure that I was properly fueled for my yoga class... and also because they taste amazing that way!

My hair was especially excited for the day......

It took no less than 77 bobby pins to hold it all down.

Sometimes I wish I had the energy of my hair. But then I would probably have to be put on medication for Kev to be able to sit in the same room with me.

With an ice chest full of ice ( thanks Kev!), a change of clothes, and my yoga mat... I headed down town to my first ever Hot Yoga class.

Yoga Masala.

You all know that I love yoga.... but taking it "hot" is something that Gold's doesn't offer. Which is why I jumped at the chance to purchase a groupon for five classes.... and then decided that I would take the first one on my birthday.

It was pretty much AWESOMESAUCE!

I didn't get any more pictures than that. I didn't want to look like any more of a weirdo than I already did. ( remember my hair!)

It just so happened to be a small class - which was good for me because the instructor was able to give me a lot of one on one attention... and even did some of the poses right next to my mat!

It was VERY challenging - but completely fantastic at the same time. I sweated so much that it felt like 39 years worth of toxins were leaving my body.

And my knee feels a thousand times better!

My only regret was that I didn't bring any extra water or nourishment to eat/drink once the class was complete! An extra bottle of water and a banana would have done the trick.... because I was seriously famished and weak by the time I got to Starbucks!

Speaking of Starbucks... Bethany sent me a gift card for my birthday!

I had already planned to treat myself to a big giant coffee after class... so, the gift card was an extra special surprise! I got an iced coffee and a bottled water and then went to Panera.

At Panera, I got a free muffin for my birthday! I chose carrot and walnut. (Delish!) And I also got a sandwich to eat on the way to Greenville.

The muffin was so good that I almost ate the entire thing before I remembered to take a picture.

Last year, I started a tradition of me actually taking the day off of work for my birthday - and then driving to Greenville to shop for food at my favorite grocery stores.

It sounds lame. But shopping for food in cool stores is my second favorite past time.

(Obviously, my first favorite is eating.)

And now you know why Kev put an ice chest in the car for me....

Let's just say that things got a little out of hand this year.

But I have about three months worth of goodies to get us through our long, hard winter.

Except for at this point, I'm wondering if we are going to even have a winter. ( Hi 80 degrees! I'm sick of you... don't you have some where else you need to be? )

So, between an awesome workout and grocery shopping and talking to family and friends on the phone... my day was pretty fantastic!

And that was just the first half...

Up Next... Birthday meal # eleventy thousand and one...

The Fiesta

2011-11-29T22:35:00.000-05:00

We decided to go a little crazy this year in celebration.

Or as crazy as two people can get that are pretty low key when it comes to their birthdays.

I came up with the (brilliant) idea that we could each have an ENTIRE week of celebratory meals.

Seeing as our birthdays are exactly one week apart - that means two weeks straight of awesome food.

And of course two weeks of food required some coordination due to the fact that we love most of the same things.

Thank goodness we are easy going.

And I have a good menu planner.

My first choice was Mexican food. Cheese enchiladas and rice and beans to be exact.

It is my all time favorite Mexican meal ( and is the BEST when eaten at La Paz in Nashville!)

I decided to make it as authentic as possible. And used this recipe as a guide.

The corn tortillas after being dipped in oil and enchilada sauce...

I filled each one with cheddar, colby, monterey jack and onions....

And then added an enormous and necessary amount of cheese and onions on top.

(They were perhaps a little too cheesy... if that is even possible. But I will definitely cut back if I make them again)

I made my own refried beans from pinto beans and the rice was from a mix I got at The Fresh Market.

And no fiesta is complete without Guacamole <== one of my all time favorite foods!

The whole meal was pretty amazing and definitely what I had in mind for my first (of many) birthday feasts.... even if I did go a little crazy on the portion size! Oops!

Poor Kevin looked as if he was on a episode of Man vs. Food and was barely surviving a food challenge.

Who knew that there was such a thing as the "cheese sweats".

As for my workouts this week... my arms are still recuperating from my ridiculously insane arm workout on Sunday (thanks Kev!) - which means I have been sticking to spin class and body attack.

But tomorrow morning... I've got BIG plans! Big plans to take my first ever HOT YOGA class. I have been dying to try it for forever. ( thank goodness for groupons!) And I know that it is going to hurt so good.

And now I'm off to paint my toe nails... I want to look my best for my yoga mat.

And because I'm hoping pretty toes will draw attention away from any uncoordination.

Arms Of Steel

2011-11-27T18:44:00.000-05:00

The crazy weekend after Thanksgiving is over.

The weekend that I refer to as "The Christmas Kickoff".

Fun Fact: I have worked the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving every year since I was SIXTEEN! Even when I worked for the bank, I still had a part time job in retail.

I do NOT know what I would do with myself if I didn't have to work.

It is just part of celebrating the holidays for me.

This year will be a little different, though. Being on the other side of town and outside of the mall will bring less traffic, less hectic-ness, and less exhaustion at the end of the day.

Which means more time for working out. Especially since I am planning to run a 10K in February. I MUST get my self in top running shape.

Enter my (on again - off again) personal trainer...

Kev refused to be photographed and jumped out of sight.... we had been working in the yard and he wasn't dressed appropriately for a fitness expert. :)

If you look closely, though, you can see his hands waving behind my shoulders.

Kev is very very knowledgeable about everything fitness... but due to our busy schedules, we don't have a lot of time to workout together. Which is why I mainly go to the gym.

I'm trying to schedule him in at least one day per week though. For as long as he can handle it.

Training me is no easy task, my friends. No easy task at all.

But I have determination. And I always try my very best.

And Kev knows how to push me to my limits.

We focused on arms, back, and shoulders.

And it didn't stop there.

Because Kev gave me my birthday gift a little early...

My own personal boxing set up!! So, I can recreate my boxing workouts from the gym.

He has been hiding it in the garage for a week.

And I didn't even spoil the surprise!

I.AM.THRILLED!! Especially since my boxing lessons are over. Now I don't have to wait for another Groupon. I can just train at home.

We have a little bit of rearranging to do. But ultimately it is PERFECT!

My arms are officially jelly.

Not too bad of a way to start my birthday week! I'm looking forward to a week full of fun, food, and fitness.

I am going to do every thing I can this year to give my thirties an amazing send off!