Cows fly by

I am honestly trying to work today, and all people can talk about is the weather. Loudly. Eve 6 and No Doubt are NOT drowning out the talk of tornadoes, and honestly – it’s a bunch of rain and wind, people. The tornadoes three counties away have not affected anyone in this building. Can we get back to work now?

I wouldn’t care, but I have decided to take next week off from work for no good reason, and the last-minute decision coupled with tomorrow’s half day (Opening Day for baseball, woohoo! … Oh my god, who are you and what have you done with me?) means that I need to get a ton of work done today. Work that is not getting done because I can’t concentrate, and for once it’s not my fault that I can’t concentrate.

PLUS! I slept last night! I fell asleep at 9:45, and slept straight through until 5:30 when the Child The Elder woke me up to tell me he had to pee. And then afterward I forced him back to bed and went back to sleep for 45 more minutes. Sweet, sweet sleep.

Okay, so the weather is pretty bad. The power went out completely at work until the generator kicked in, and there was a reported tornado coming down our road toward us. No cows, though, just a semi trailer blown over and some uprooted trees. Tornado watch until 8pm. Oops!

First quarter books

January

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - JK Rowling

My Horizontal Life - Chelsea Handler

Strange Bedpersons - Jennifer Cruisie

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - JK Rowling

Deathly Sanctuary - Sylvia Nobel

Last Sacrifice - Richelle Mead

The Demon Girl - Penelope Fletcher

February

Alone - Lisa Gardner

Truly, Madly - Heather Webber

One Day - David Niccolls

Baltimore Blues - Laura Lippman

Holiday Chick - Amber Carter

Will Grayson Will Grayson - John Green

Arm Candy - Jill Kargman

Married with Zombies - Jesse Peterson

Listen - Rene Gutteridge

March

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot

Matched - Allie Condie

Spying in High Heels - Gemma Halliday

Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr

Seven Year Switch - Claire Cook

The Recipe Club - Andrea Israel (abandoned)

The Pact - Jodi Piccoult

Love Overboard - Janet Evanovich

How to Marry a Vampire Millionaire - Kerrelyn Sparks

Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger

Millie's Fling - Jill Mansell

The Vampire's Image - BV Larson

Camille - Tess Oliver

Kiss Me, Kill Me - HP Mallory, et al

Metro Girl - Janet Evanovich

Baby Led Weaning - Gil Rapley & Tracey Murkett

Rewards

I'm going to try to write this blog while punishing myself on the stationary bike, so if it makes no sense you know why.

I was signing up for my Panera rewards card when I pulled all of these out of my change purse. Seriously, do all these stupid things really help me save money? Probably not. In fact, it's more likely that they help me spend money so when I get all the little discounts on things. But here I go, signing up for another one.

I am exhausted. I think that's another reason why I'm unlikely to make much sense today also. Every time I open my mouth today it's been a variation on how tired I am. I just can't sleep! I thought that getting healthier and working out was supposed to help that but it's just getting worse.

I should be reading our book for book club, but instead I got sucked in to starting on Grey's Anatomy from the beginning (I've never seen an episode). I've watched 14 episodes in two days. Also not helping the insomnia.

I think that's all I've got for today. Over and out - I need to finish my workout and sleep it off at my desk.

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TOT - Food, Take 2

What is a food that you never though you would try but then tried and liked?

I can’t really think of anything – I’m up for trying anything and I really try not to have any preconceived notions. Except that I have a texture aversion so there are some things that I will never eat because, just yuck. Like corned beef hash – I made if for my husband, but gross! Also, I always think I hate peas but I really don’t. I just assume that I hate them so I won’t actually eat them.


Do you subscribe to any foodie publications? If so, which ones?

A girl at work used to bring me her Gourmet magazine, and then when that folded she gave me her Bon Appétit. I have a subscription to the Rachael Ray magazine which my husband likes because he likes her food but hates her voice. This way he doesn’t have to listen to her.


What ingredient do you find yourself reaching for the most when you cook?

Pam, these days. God, that stuff is a godsend.


Are there any foods that you hated as a child but then learned to like as an adult?

Avocados. First, nothing avocado would pass my lips. Then, guacamole. Then avocado was fine, but only on sandwiches. Now I crave them. I currently have 4 avocados from different shopping trips in my fridge, because I feel compelled to pick one or two up every time I pass a display.


What do you like that others might consider weird?

I love all the foods that children refuse to eat. Brussel sprouts are my best friends. Lima beans, spinach … we’re tight.


What is the weirdest ingredient you’ve ever cooked with?

I can’t think of anything offhand, but I did make a macaroni salad once that called for jicama, and I had no idea what it was so I kept calling it Jick-a-ma until finally someone corrected me.


Do you have any major food allergies?

Nope, but the proteins on raw shrimp makes my eczema flare up (and burn) so I have to wear gloves when I handle the little yummy suckers.


Is there an ingredient that you would like to cook with but are intimidated to try?

I’m not really intimidated by much, cooking wise. Give me a kitchen with no children under my feet and I can find something decent to make.


Do you bake?

Not often. I have a hard time taking chances with ingredients so unless I’m following a recipe to the letter, it doesn’t often get done. I’m a big fan of no-bake cookies though, and I make a mean oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. And the one thing for which I made a recipe completely on my own was strawberry loaf bread, and it was amazing. Ooh, I need to make that again while strawberries are still in season.


If you could go on any “foodie” show to compete, which one would it be and why?

I don’t have any interest in competing in a foodie show AT ALL. I would, however, kill someone to be a judge on Iron Chef. That is all.

For more, see Chelsea.

New and news (and of course, food)

This was dinner tonight:


And this was Henry enjoying his dinner (the pea puree under the scallops mixed with rotini pasta and apples:

I saw this recipe in my feed today and couldn't resist it. I needed to do my grocery shopping after work today anyhow, and I had all the ingredients at home except the scallops so I picked them up when I was doing my shopping. I subbed 2 slices of thick cut bacon for the pancetta and it was amazing. Make it, seriously. I put mine on top of a little whole wheat linguine because it needed a little filler but I cannot rave enough ... you won't be disappointed, and it's very very easy.

I've added a couple things around here. To the left <---- I put up my resolutions because I was having a hard time remembering them. To the right ---->; I added a daily mile icon, although I might have to delete it because there's no easy way to add my miles. It's unlikely that I will to convert my miles from the program I use (cardiotrainer) to Dailymile, and they don't have an app of their own. I'll think about it, but I might just drop it. Also, I took Jennie's lead and started a Tumblr blog which I will probably add things mostly training and healthy food-related.

Unfortunately, the only thing up there right now is a picture of the monsoon happening outside from my floor at work. It's looking like there will be 4 days of this nonsense, so FUN! Looks like I'm running on the treadmill for a bit!

Drawing a blank

I've been sitting here for about 50 minutes thinking vaguely about what I could be blogging about. Otherwise, I've been running to the bathroom every five minutes, searching running socks through Google and researching Dante's fifth circle of hell and trying to figure out our wretched governor's current approval rating.

In retrospect, all those things appear related.

I ran 3 miles tonight, and I only stopped to walk twice: at 1.9 miles I walked approx 100 yards, and at 2.1 I walked about .1 mile. The rest I jogged. I have never felt so good about myself exercise-wise. When I started this whole running thing about 12 weeks ago, I could go .2 miles before walking. I ran 3.1 miles in nearly 46 minutes. Tonight I ran 3.0 in 35 minutes.

Unfortunately, I also overdid it a little. Hubby and I went out for a matinee dinner and a movie and I had wine (mmm, wine), and then my run tonight was a little impromptu and I didn't actually drink water before I set out so my stomach is revolting against me.

WE had a great weekend. No sickness, hallelujah! Took the kids to Touch a Truck, had Winghouse for the first time in three months (if you want to dissuade yourself from eating something you know is bad for you, look up the calorie count. Then when you breakdown three months later it will taste that much better). UF lost so I'm not compelled to watch any more basketball, can I get another Hallelujah. I mean, not happy they lost but oh well! Sunday brought me a haircut (there might be a photo of it one of these days) and a date at Cinebistro with the Hubby to see Lincoln Lawyer.

To bed! To bed I said! I said to bed! Sorry, slipped into Dr. Suess-mode.

Hodge to the Podge

a) I wish I could properly explain a night in our house. Just know that it involves copious amounts of laughter, occasional hiccups called "Hiscs-cups", seeing a doctor for "escar-rays", trying to scare the Hiscs-cups out of eachother, a toddler running in circles singing a song that ended in "give the computer back to momma!!!! Tada! Thank you Thank you!", more running in circles with his stethoscope around his waist, taking falls (like this)

b) the only things I really want to complain about in the "things that drive me batty" catagory are 1) people who bathe in their perfume right before getting into the elevator or before coming over to my desk and 2) companies who back time their emails so I can't find them in my inbox. What is wrong with these people?

c) We are rocking the Baby-Led Weaning at this house. I feel like I'm being lazy, but Henry's so much happier feeding himself. Last night we had butternut squash ravioli and he could not get enough. I can't vouch for how much he actually ate, but he squished every bit of the squash out of the pasta and I think a lot of that ended up in his mouth, and he munched on the pasta until couldn't suck any more flavor out of it. I'm reading up on it, and I'm much more comfortable with BLW than I was when I first started. He's had squash, peas, bananas, sweet potato, and all kinds of baby snacks, happily.

d) Now I just need to get my daycare lady on board.

e) I hate basketball, but for some reason I can always sit through a UF game. Go Gators!

Waffles and sunshine

Another thing I am happy about and I can't believe I didn't mention it yesterday is this weather! I so addicted to being outside. I've been campaigning again for my deck, and last night while we were eating an early dinner at a local restaurant that I had a Groupon for (this place ... if you live in the area, GO THERE IMMEDIATELY. It's fantastic. And healthy. And uses local produce. And you get a free frozen yogurt with every meal. I digress.) and we sketched out how I want the deck (yes, how I want it) so Hubby can start on it soon. It's so beautiful out there!! I've been spending every minute I can outside before the heat index reaches 120 degrees and I start spending $800 a month in air conditioning.

Also, these waffles make me very happy.


I promised myself I wouldn't be one of those mothers who fights with their kids over what they eat. There are plenty of things to fight about without force feeding your child too (which is my own opinion and might be wrong, so please don't think I'm judging you for forcing your kid to eat his spinach). I do often request that he eat one bite, but even then he will concede that it tastes fine but that he's not interested (unless it's green and not edemame, because then it will be a cold day in hell before it passes his lips). So this week I took the leftover roasted butternut squash and incorporated it into a self-made recipe for waffles and success! So here you go:


Butternut Squash and Oatmeal Waffles

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup packed squash or pumpkin puree
1/2 cup (skim) milk
1 egg
2 tbs (Greek) yogurt
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda

mix all ingredients except oatmeal well, then mix in oatmeal. makes 5 waffles, which in this house feeds one hungry toddler. For extra healthy breakfast, top with peanut butter and honey, with a side of fruit. Freeze leftovers and pop them into toaster oven as needed!

(this is the first bite being removed from the plate in record time, even before the fruit)

Now does someone want to suggest something to me to sneak greens into that doesn't involve chocolate?

Things I'm Happy About

This post was going to be “things that drive me batty”, but I decided to be positive for my mom’s first day of chemo on Tuesday. I figure if I can’t let go of those other obnoxious things, I’ll just have to do another post. Ha!

Inspired by Suzie:

1) Monday night I had agreed to watch Disney until Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy came on, and on was Fresh Beat Band. At the end where they sing the It’s a Good Day nah nah nah nah nah … I was talking with Hubby about how I saw that there were little versions of all the kids except the black kid … and then I realized that the “twin” for him was the little kid at the beginning who was break dancing. In the meantime, Spencer had realized what I was talking about and had decided to show me what the kid was doing, so he started trying to break dance in the living room. In his underwear. Why, oh why, did I not take pictures of this? He was even trying to stand on his head. Priceless.

2) Tuesday morning Spencer asked for “100 waffles”. He got a butternut squash and oatmeal waffle slathered in peanut butter and honey. I hope that’s what he meant.

3) I’ve taken down my screen shot of the Paypal balance for BBL from my cube at work, but I’ve replaced it with a couch-to-10k training plan. Now I need a 10k to run in mid-June, hopefully starting before dawn so I don’t die of heat exhaustion. I’ve decided to skip to couch-to-5k plans because I can make it through 3-4 miles, just with too much walking, so I think I’d be more solid on trying to run 6 straight miles. Me thinks she’s smart.

4) If I am able to run a 10k in June, this will be a full 5 (nearly 6) months before I had previously planned to run one. This puts me better on track to run a HALF-MARATHON in January 2011. ::Cough:: Seriously? I had never even RUN before this January, and now I’m considering running the Disney 1/2 on January 7 with a friend or two from Jacksonville.

5) I’ve been having this horrible tight pain in my neck/shoulder area, and I was quite certain that it was stress and muscle related, but I couldn’t seem to massage it out on my own. I was complaining to my supervisor about it and she suggested I contact HR about getting a keyboard tray installed under my desk, and I did and it’s AWESOME. Can I say how AWESOME it is? Seriously.

6) BTW, I use seriously way way too much. When Spencer gets mad about me not taking him seriously, he says “I’m seriously, mom. Seriously.” Ha!

TOT - Food! My favorite!

1. What condiments are always, always in your fridge? My husband likes mayonnaise (gag me) so there's always some of that, and I think we still have mustard and catsup (ketchup?) from Spencer birthday party Feb '10 (what? you say it goes bad? don't tell me). We always have Italian dressing because I use it to marinate pretty much everything. I don't actually LIKE condiments, so we have tons that I don't use except as ingredients in cooking - hoison sauce, fish sauce, peanut sauce (mmm, peanut sauce) and my husband went searching for tartar sauce when we had fish a few days ago and found some ... with the expiration date in 2009. I guess next step would be cleaning out my condiments.

2. How do you like your steak cooked? Your burgers? Steak: Medium dead ... I mean medium rare. I prefer to err on the side of mooing though. Burgers - solid medium.

3. What’s your favorite use for fresh tomatoes? guacamole or salad, or in an egg scramble or at the end of cooking a pasta dish. I don't put salad on my burgers.

4. What’s your go-to dinner when you haven’t planned anything in advance and you don’t feel like going out? I never don't feel like going out, so that would be when I've convinced myself (rightly) that it would be in my financial best interest to not go out. something - anything - with chicken. I go through phases. Chicken enchiladas, grilled chicken and whatever veggie we might happen to have, chicken tacos, honey butter thyme chicken strips, chicken spinach and Gorgonzola mushroom caps ...

5. What’s your favorite snack food lately? chocolate cherry granola. I have a little sake cup/shot glass that I'll fill in the evening and eat it with a small glass of milk and it's helping my sweet tooth. Although I think I might have an addiction, because I have 1/4 box left and I'm worried greatly about running out.

6. What’s your favorite weekend breakfast to make at home? Fried egg on cheese toast. Or an egg scramble with whatever is in my fridge. Poached eggs on toast ... Sensing a theme here? Oh, and biscuits and sausage gravy, but I really only make that once a year on Christmas.

7. What’s your favorite thing to grill? How do you do it? The most common thing I grill is chicken - marinated in Italian dressing for an hour or so, and then cooked until still juicy but good black grill marks on the outside. My favorite thing to eat grilled (but I hate preparing) is shrimp skewers wrapped in bacon with brown sugar. God, I'm hungry already.

8. What’s your favorite wine for under $10? If you’re not a wine person, what brand of beer is your favorite? Rex Goliath cab is pretty dern good for the price point (about $5.99). Also Target cab/shiraz is fabulous, and if you like white, their pinot grigio is great too (I'm not a white fan). The Kitchen Sink red table wine is pretty yummy, and so is Cupcake. Okay, so it's a little early to want a glass of wine, too.

9. Give us your most delicious cocktail recipe. Sherbert punch with cheap champaigne, down and repeat.

10. How do you like your eggs? EGGS! I love eggs. See Number 6 ... I love to make scrambles (I was home Monday morning so the scramble was eggs, poblano peppers, shallots, garlic, mushrooms, spinach, cilantro and pepper jack cheese), and lately I adore one or two eggs fried in Pam and laid over a piece of toast with a smattering of cheese (note: Spencer requested this for lunch on Sunday and ate the whole thing - yay for healthy fried eggs!) Poached on toast with light butter and salt is yummy, good omelets (heartland omelet = terrible for you and so delicious!) or just next to bacon is happy times for me too.

Go visit Chelsea for more Ten on Tuesday goodness!

Singledom

This weekend I got a taste of what it would be like to be a single mother with two small children and a surly teenager. The Hubby is sick, and since he gets sick even less often than I do, he's an even bigger baby than I am about it. He has a right to be; this morning he finally went in to the walk-in, and he has strep with a swollen uvula, so onto antibiotics he goes.

I will be taking Monday morning off to take Spencer to the dentist (he gets his fake tooth tomorrow) and to start washing things so the kids don't get sick (and so I don't get sick again).

In the meantime, I took the kids around on my own on all weekend - Saturday we went to the library, and to Kid's Day Out (Spencer refused the pony rides and the bounce houses, but rather enjoyed marching around "dancing" to the marching band and playing on the playground). We split lunch at Chickfila, came home for sprinklers and popcicles, played outside a lot, made chicken noodle soup for Hubby and overall played quite a bit. Henry tried to feed himself carrots for the first time. By 6pm, I was ready to go to bed myself ... I was counting down the time until the kids went to bed.

Today was more of the same. I got up with the kids and dragged them with me to the grocery store, and then later to the Model Train Expo for several hours, made three meals for us and oatmeal and minestrone soup for Hubby. Henry tried his hand at toast fingers (a BIG fan) and banana (already a fan).

It's not quite 8pm. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go collapse now.

Friday Hodgepodge

1) I’m listening to an audiobook that I borrowed from Cracker Barrel for a long drive on Tuesday. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger. I like listening to audiobooks on long drives, but I hate listening on short drives – and when do I have to listen to them otherwise? I got through 5 disks on the drive and now I’m struggling to finish listening to the rest of the story. I’m kind of torn on audiobooks anyhow. They read so much slower than I read regularly, and there’s all this dramatic, breathy speech … I get it, twins, a ghost. Can you just read it to me? I put the hard copy on hold at my local library, so if it comes in today or tomorrow I’ll just read the rest of the book.

2) I did the same thing with The Tender Bar. I own the book, but I listened to the first half on audio before switching back to the book. I have never been more annoyed by the phrase “The Men” in all my life than I was while listening to that book.

3) Henry has decided to start walking this week. WALKING! Before he even turned 7 months old! He holds onto the couch and goes back and forth. I think there’s more playpen time in his future. Must. Contain.

4) Henry turned seven months today. Happy Birthday, baby doll!

5) DST kicked my butt this year. I’ve been so tired all week, I’ve been later than normal to work nearly every day. I can’t wait to sleep in (relatively, until 7am or so, when the boys wake up). I’m salivating at the thought.

6) After two and a half months of running, I can go for longer times but I still can't seem to run for longer periods. Thus, I have decided to start a couch-to-10k program beginning on Monday. Goal is to run for longer periods of time without stopping. Not how fast I can run a specific distance, just how long I can run.

Where does the time go?

Did you know that I have subscriptions to SEVENTY-THREE blogs? Yikes! And a few months ago I weeded things down to under 60, but I'm up again. I realized this when I was adding a new subscription (Hello Kimmy - Hello!) Granted, they don't all post all the time, but then there's some feeds (like Style Lush, Food Lush, True Couponing and Pioneer Woman, who combined post approximately 1,871 times a day and what am I thinking? (Disclosure: I don't read all of PW's posts anymore, but I skim for what I think is interesting, especially the recipes. And True Couponing I skip if it's not something I'm interested in. All the others I do actually read).

Plus, I am currently in the middle of 11 games of scrabble between Wordfeud and Words with Friends ... and I'm clamoring for more! Do you play? Do you wish to play? Let me know!

AND I have a full time job, at which I work more than 40 hours a week, usually.

AND I have two small kids, both of which are mobile and wonderfully, delightfully, beautifully drive me nuts constantly.

AND I cook, clean, read, run, watch too much tv, think up ways to store my jewelry and sleep a tiny bit.

I need to refer myself back to this post when I'm wondering where on Earth my time goes.

PS: I made these the other day for dinner, using up some mushroom caps I had bought on a whim at the store:




Chicken, spinach and Gorgonzola -stuffed mushroom caps. My husband said "Oh, we're eating hors d'oeuvres for dinner". Damn straight, and they were FABULOUS. (another disclaimer: I don't think he meant to be dismissive, he's just a meat+2 sides+bread type of dinner person generally. This was different, but still concurred as delicious).

Books and Books

So I'm reading this book, and while it might be the worst NAMED book I've ever read in my life, oddly it's not a terrible book. I keep waiting for it to get bad but it hasn't so far, and as soon as I finish this blog post I'm going back to reading it. So there. I'm actually on my ninth book of the month, so if I keep this up I'll actually be closer to getting to my 125 book-resolution for year.

I did, however, in a fit of jealousy of all my friends and their book clubs, started one of my own. Our first book (picked by poll) is:

Now that it's started and a first meeting and book has been announced, I have no idea what to do at a book club meeting - do you just talk about the book? Should I come up with questions? At a place with wine, or not? Please help! I have no idea what I've gotten myself into!