Life's Little Blessings

Not feeling well...

2012-02-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

At all!

My night tonight is going to be pretty easy...and I am looking forward to it. I want to do a quick 1 mile run. With the 5k in less then a month, I gotta start running consistently and I personally think a little movement or exercise is good when I am sick (although I have read some reports that it is not as it inflames your sinuses and stuff-I have never been good at listening). Then, it will be inside to have dinner, shower, then lay on the couch all night watching tv and/or movies. And when I say lay on the couch, I mean like bring my pillow and comforter to the couch, have a huge glass of water, and just not move.

I hope to put up some pictures from V-day, and maybe work on a bit of homework, but that is all...I know that sounds like a lot but for me, it really isn't! I generally pack my plate pretty full so this will be relaxing for sure!

I am a little put off that this is the second time in the last two months that I have been sick with a cold but what can you do. Aside from medicine, zicam, Kleenex, water, a humidifier, and hand soap, I really don't know what else I can do.

Lovely love...

2012-02-14T21:36:00.000-08:00

Tonight my husband planned our Valentine's Day celebration. It was simple, and sweet, and I had a grin on my face the entire night. I am in love with the most amazing man. I feel lucky everyday to have him as the man who stands beside me in all that I do. And I will stand by him, through the good and the bad, the ups and the downs. We are in this together and I honestly could not ask for a better person to share my life with. Our life has been full of adventure, full of laughs and joy, and most importantly, LOVE!

I will fill you in on our date tomorrow, but tonight I leave you with a picture of Faith enjoying one of Chaz's gifts! He got a year subscription to Backpacker magazine and she couldn't wait to enjoy it!

Happy V-Day!

2012-02-13T21:08:00.000-08:00

Line a pan with pretzels and top each one with a hershey's kiss.

Bake at 175 or 200 for 4-5 minutes (just watch and when they start to sink, or you can press into one and it falls, they are done).

Press a festive M&M into each on of them.
Cool completely...I like to put in the freezer or in the natural freezer (ie. the tundra that is generally the MN).
Bring back in once they are completely cool and remove from pan. If they are sticking, use a spatula and slowly remove. You can also use wax paper...that's really slick!
Enjoy!

This little baby is on the docket for tomorrow!

The awkward space between...

2012-02-08T13:50:00.000-08:00

This past year was pretty interesting as far as trying to get healthy.

I made a commitment last December to get healthy. I jumped on the bandwagon and joined Weight Watchers online.

Around the time of my 25th birthday, I had dropped almost 25 pounds.

Then, I just kind of settled. I would focus, and then not focus. I was motivated, and then not motivated. Well, that's just life. But I would rather go through those lulls at an all around lower weight and a healthier lifestyle. Through the back and forth lulls I have managed to put back on 10 pounds. Ah, sucks putting that out there...but really, I settled.

I know weight and health is at the fore front of many people's minds. We are constantly trying to fit a mold, or reach a certain goal, or look a certain way. I am lucky enough that I am generally happy with myself and my features. Sometimes I feel I look pudgy and bloated, but other times I think I look damn good. Interestingly enough, it is not my body that I pay as much attention to when I am working out and eating right, it is the mental state that I focus on. I get a wonderful high from working out, it just seems a pain to get to that point. Why is that?

I have been getting in a few runs, and workouts at the Y. I am running a 5k again for my birthday. Definitely something I am going to try and anniversary. And fancy that, Pintrest has given me a few gems. I just started adding this to my routine today...I loved it and right now, I am feeling the burn.

I know this isn't easy, and I know this won't happen over night, but I don't want to continue in the wrong direction. Time to switch it up!

Fresh start...

2012-02-07T14:10:00.001-08:00

Last night my mom and I went to go get our herrrrs done by my mom's lovely friend.
There is nothing like a night of laughter, relaxing, and a new look!

Good morning Monday...

2012-02-06T07:34:00.000-08:00

I love sleeping in on the weekends.

My favorite are those mornings when I have no where to be, and really nothing pressing to do. I lay in bed, going in and out of sleep, curled up in my big, soft comforter.

And sleeping in on the weekends means extra cuddle time with the hubby (if he is not working), and my little kitty girl! Faith loves jumping up on the bed (Kea can't get on the bed so I just have her bed next to ours-easy access for pets!), curling up on my head, and getting a good rub down. She is so soft and cuddly in the morning...she practically melts into the comforter with me.

I make sure to always enjoy these moments, these lazy mornings, cuddled up with my loves. Remembering those moments of peace and comfort are what get me through some of the craziest days.

Happy Monday!

Happy February...

2012-02-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

Welcome February! I don't know about you but so far we have had a mild winter and even if we get dumped on from here on out, January rocked, and usually it doesn't, so I am good! We are one month closer to summer and that is what keeps my chugging along!

And since it is February, we are only 14 days away from Valentine's day! While this holiday has had every reputation under the sun: some like, some hate it, some are depressed by it, some don't care about it, some wish it was every day. I say, why not take the opportunity to celebrate each and every holiday you can! They are few and far between so let's have a good time!

You don't need a significant other to celebrate...you can celebrate with anyone you love! Parents, siblings, friends, whoever you want! Scratching your brain for what to do?

Homemade dinner and dessert at home
Dinner and a movie
Heart shaped pizza from a local pizza joint
Watch a scary movie
Watch a romantic movie
Have a group of girlfriends over and give each other manicures
Wine and appetizer party
An evening of watching your favorite tv show on Netflix or on Demand.
Making homemade shakes and malts and buying crazy straws to drink them with
Take a fun workout class...Yoga anyone?!
An indoor, or if you are lucky, and outdoor, picnic
A random week night shopping trip

Stuck on what to get those special people in your lives?

Those cute little Valentine's from grade school, they can still bring a smile to an adults face
Mani/pedi at a local salon
Homemade cookies
A gerber daisy in a simple vase with some greenery
homemade chocolates....check this fun recipe out!
homemade coupons...think "One Homemade Dinner" for a friend or family member or "One night of babysitting" for a couple that could use a night out!
Bottle of wine or a case of beer with a fun glass to drink it in

And if you really want to have a good time, break out a good old paper lunch sack and get your household in the spirit! Set them out the week prior and during the week, family and friends can place little trinkets in the bag and everyone gets to go through them on Valentine's day!

Eeek!

2012-01-31T12:06:00.000-08:00

The Durgins are headed to Alaska May 25th! CAN NOT WAIT!

We are blessed and lucky enough to be making the trip to Alaska with Chaz's parents to visit his sister...I might start packing tonight!

This may be a cheesy post...

2012-01-27T07:21:00.001-08:00

Last night I hauled ass and tried my hardest to get everything put away in the apartment. I have to say, I am pretty darn proud of myself! Chaz is going to hang pictures, and then I can put the hutch items away and then.....we are done! All moved in! It feels really nice and the more I put stuff away and get acclimated, the more I am really enjoying it! I will post some updated pictures Sunday after we get everything hung!

Tonight I plan on relaxing in my nice, clean apartment with one of my girlfriends, making cookies, enjoying a delicious homemade dinner, and watching a movie. Sounds delightful and I can't wait for work to be over!

Mikey is also home so tomorrow I will venture out to B-town and enjoy his company! And aside from homework, I have nothing else planned...I think it will be a great weekend!

Next weekend we are having a big girl's weekend to celebrate my friend Emma's birthday so it will be nice to get some relaxing in this weekend!

And next weekend is the big game. Even though the Pack didn't make it to the Super Bowl this year, I still like to watch commercials...so that is my plan! I also found this great WW recipe that I may have to make for the game!

Queso Dip!

Happy Friday!

So here it is...

2012-01-24T20:59:00.000-08:00

Our apartment is still a mess, and pictures still need to be hung, but I thought I would give you a sneak peak!

I am really seeing the potential, and having fun putting things away. The silver shelf above will be getting a makeover with matching crates, and once the walls are adorned, I think the dining room will be a great segway into the living room.

The living room is ridiculously huge. There's still a walking path and hutch off to the right that didn't make it into the picture!
The messy room, but you can tell we are all starting to feel a bit more at home! (see cat laying on bed).

So while this is a work in progress, it has already come together so well and I can't wait to see the finished project! And of course have you all over for dinner!

And on the subject of food, I will leave you with my fat kid moment of the night...(and I was a fat kid so I can say that!) I was able to use my newly put away kitchen to whip up a late night craving! Luckily, they are only 4p+ a piece! (I swear this doesn't happen often but sometimes you just have to indulge!)
mmmmmmmmmm!

and there goes the day...

2012-01-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

I have become a bit more of a homebody this fall. I think it might be the homework, or the crazy work schedule, but I have spent more nights at home, more nights making dinner, more nights relaxing and watching tv. But when I get the call, I most certainly still enjoy a good party! I mean, how could you say no to these faces! I enjoyed a wonderful day on Saturday, having lunch with some of my besties, and following it up with a few drinks that evening! I must have really been sleep deprived from my cold because the alcohol went down a bit too smoothly, and while I didn't drink a lot, it seemed to soak in a bit better then usual. Hence, I don't remember much of the car ride home, I left my phone in my friends car, had to leave my car at my grandma's, and woke up at 4pm the next day because I had no phone or husband to wake me up (he was at work). WHAT?!?! You slept till 4pm? Yes...yes I did. And after a few moments of freaking out, and feeling like a loser for wasting the day, I slowly came to the realization that I needed the sleep, I didn't have much to do anyways, and I had one of the best nights in a while with some of the best people in the world.

So in some aspects of my life, I am turning into a bit of an old lady. But in other areas, I am the young whipper snapper I was my senior year of college!

Cheers!

P.S. And seriously, a break down of my alcohol intake so you can see that I really did not drink THAT much, and please keep in mind, this was over the course of 4 hours:

1 22 oz crispin (yum:)
1 ltr hard cider
1 lemon drop shot

P.P.S.
I have no shame!

One hell of a weekend...

2012-01-17T07:16:00.000-08:00

This weekend was ridiculously busy, on top of which, I was ridiculously sick.

Last week I started to get back into the post holiday health kick. I took my new Garmin watch out for a run last Sunday and logged over 2 miles. I also did Body Pump last Wednesday at the Y...that class rocked! And I ate decent, up until this weekend. I didn't really get off track, but I also didn't track which I have learned can add to sneaky little points adding up real fast. I spent yesterday with my head on a pillow since it hurt to hold upright, but even a headache did not stop me from munching...ah the downfalls of a perpetual muncher. Such is life.

We got almost everything moved into our new apartment this weekend. Again, I was little help as I was dying from the inside out, but I did my best and with the help of some strong young men, we got so much done! There is literally maybe one car load left at D. Lo's...it feels wonderful to not have to do anymore heavy lifting mixed with stairs...although I am sure it is a great workout! Now all we have to do is turn on the tv and pound out unpacking boxes...this part is less stressful for me then the moving although I will get to the point where I just want everything unpacked! And since I was sick yesterday, I got ahead on some homework so now I can just go home, have dinner, and work on unpacking...slowly! I am even going to try to hit up body pump tomorrow after work! Can't lose site of my health!

And this brings me to my last thought for the day...I have my membership till the end of the month...since I am a student, I am able to do a three month discounted membership. I am mixed on signing up for another 3 months. It is costly, no matter the discount, and I am trying to get more running in (when I start running, I maybe see the gym once or twice a week-not worth the money). But on the other hand, I know I will not want to be running on freezing cold days. For sure this summer I will be great with my dvd's and the pavement...I am just up in the air about the next three months...feel free to let me know your thoughts!

P.S. I am going to make the 100% Irish for a Day 5k for my birthday a tradition and do it again this year...let me know if you are interested!!! I have some new running shoes that are ready for me to beat them up!

Christmas in Minnesota...

2012-01-15T18:19:00.000-08:00

We were lucky to be able to celebrate Christmas with both our families this year.

We were in Reno over Christmas but were able to celebrate with my family on New Years Day.

We had a relaxing day, with cooking, eating, and gift opening.

My parents, along with my mother-in-law, are shareholders in the Green Bay Packers. I am positive that they are still proud owners, even after tonight's game.

I made as many scarves as I could and gifted them to as many people as I could! Notice the scarves in the above and below picture!
And this is the lovely tree my parents put up!
Everyone, both human and animal, had a wonderfully blessed day filled with laughter and love.

Life is too short to eat bland food...

2012-01-10T09:06:00.000-08:00

While eating healthy can be hard, and sometimes bland, there are plenty of resources out there to find delicious, healthy options, that can easily satisfy as much as the unhealthy versions.

Life is truly too short to waste time not enjoying what you eat. Sure we eat for fuel. Sure we eat for energy. But there is nothing wrong with eating for enjoyment. Like I said, Life is too short!

I found this great recipe for rice krispies. I make rice krispies often, generally forgoing any butter (crisco spray on my hand was about all I needed) but a little butter adds some flavor, I will admit! These are the perfect little treat and with such low point plus value, you can afford to splurge on 2!

Now here is one hell of a recipe that I found on pintrest! I made the recipe with 1 pound of rigatoni, 2 chicken breasts, boiled and then shredded and 2 cups of cheese and it came out to 12 pp per serving once I divided a 9X13 into 8 pieces. I kept the liquid in the tomatoes and spinach, and would consider adding another can of tomatoes. You can bring the pp level down to 11 by only doing 1.5 cups of cheese which is plenty...I just needed a cheese fix!

To make it even lighter, forgo the olive oil for cooking spray and use light cream cheese and real chives. This will bring the recipe down to 10 pp per serving but I have to preface though that oil is good for you, especially olive oil, so take the extra points and lube up that body!

Here is my version of the recipe from http://www.savingmoneylivinglife.com/

Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake

1 pound rigatoni
1 T olive oil
1 cup onion
1 (10oz) pack frozen spinach thawed
2 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
1 can Italian diced tomatoes (I would almost double this next time)
1 8oz container chive and onion cream cheese
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 and 1/2 cup reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Prepare pasta according to package. Add oil to the bottom of baking dish and add chopped onion in a single layer. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until tender.

Mix together spinach, tomatoes, and cream cheese. Add chicken, then add the entire mixture to the pasta. Once the onions are cooked, mix them in as well.

Place everything in the 9X13 baking dish. Cover the top with the cheese, cover with foil or a baking pan for 30 minutes at 375, then an additional 15 minutes uncovered. Yum!

First comes frosting, then comes cake

2012-01-08T10:18:00.001-08:00

This is long overdue but the perfect companion to join the frosting recipe I gave you Friday!

For my aunts wedding, I made the cake and cupcakes. We put together a candy buffet for the guests, and had the cupcakes sporadically placed amongst the jars of goodies. The below pictures are courtesy of my wonderful husband!

The recipes for the cakes came from the Star Tribune. There was an article in the paper the week of the wedding. Talk about perfect!
The main wedding cake was a red velvet cake, and that recipe was not in the paper, but I used the paper recipes for the cupcakes and they were a hit. I thought I would share the recipes because they were wonderful and there is nothing like a homemade cake and frosting. The recipes were a bit time consuming, but not by much and the results were just delicious. I will have a hard time buying box mixes or jars of frosting from here on out.

Yellow Cake

Serves 12 or 24 cupcakes

1c. unsalted butter at room temperature

2 and 1/2 cups flour

1 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 and 1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 c. whole milk (you can use 2% or even 1%)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the pans, and dust with flour. For cupcakes, just use liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter and sugar on medium-high until fluffy (2-3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla, then the eggs one at a time, scrapping down the sides of the bowl when necessary.

Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three additions and the milk in two additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until combined but do not over mix!

Transfer the batter to the pans. Bake until toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pan for15 minutes, and then transfer out to a wire rack to cool completely.

Baking times:

For two 8 inch rounds: 25-30 minutes. For two 9 inch pans: 22 to 25 minutes. For one 9x13 rectangle: 25-30 minutes. For 24 cupcakes: 15 to 20 minutes.

Chocolate Cake

Serves 12 or makes 24 cupcakes

1 and 3/4 cups flour

2 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk, shaken

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter pans you plan to use and dust with flour. If doing cupcakes, just use liners.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powered, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; mix on low speed until combined.

In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scrapping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. (Note, the batter is very runny but don't worry, it works out!)

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cakes tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Happy baking and enjoy!

(correction-top two photos are by my creative mom)

Homemade Buttercream Frosting (Warning to all trying to eat healthy, you may not want to read this!)

2012-01-06T20:36:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had a going away party for Kory. On Sunday, she will be heading to grad school! I decided to plan a family dinner yesterday, which meant I didn't have much time to put it together.

I stopped last night to grab groceries, and decided to make cupcakes in her school colors for dessert. With lack of time, I grabbed a box cake mix and a jar of frosting. Not my favorite thing to do but it works in a pinch. I baked the cupcakes last night, and they turned out great! I separated the cake into three bowls, added food coloring to both, then layered them on top of one another inside a cupcake liner...the colors did not blend! Very cute! Today I kept thinking of the frosting and couldn't get myself to love the idea of using a jar of frosting. I just don't think it tastes good.

I decided to find a recipe I had seen on a blog I read a few weeks ago. Needless to say, I think this is some of the best homemade buttercream frosting! So good! And actually really easy! I used half vanilla, half almond extract, and I did not need to add any additional powdered sugar like the author did. Try it out! You will not be disappointed, and you will not have settled for a jar of meh frosting.

On the 12th Day of Christmas....

2012-01-05T14:16:00.000-08:00

On the 12th day of Christmas, I thought I would give you a list of healthy snacks! Cool, eh? Just what you wanted!

Apple slices with peanut butter between them to create a sweet sandwich

0% Vanilla Greek yogurt and honey...add some cookies for texture (graham crackers or a tasty little treat I like to call a biscoff cookie!)

Special K Pop Chips...2p+ per serving!

Pop Chips 3p+ per serving

Frozen banana, sliced, and blended with some chocolate sauce (1p+ and tastes just like ice cream!)

Raspberries with honey drizzled on top...trust me, delish! (1p+ for honey)

Diet root beer with a scoop of light vanilla ice cream (3p+)

3 cups light popcorn...sprinkle with fun seasonings! (3p+)

Frozen grapes

String cheese and fruit...add some nuts to bulk it up!

Crackers and light cream cheese

Chips and chunky salsa

Hope these healthy snacks help to motivate you and maybe get back on track after the holidays...I know they have helped me!

And as tonight is the 12th day of Christmas, it is time to take the tree down. I took down other decorations earlier this week, but waited until the last day of Christmas to bid farewell to the tree. It is always sad taking something down that provides so much comfort and joy, but the fact that it is up for only a short time each year keeps it a special, meaningful tradition. So with this natural deadline, the 12th day of Christmas, I will force myself to bid ado, until next December.

Merry Christmas...it has been a special and fun celebration!

Adventure...

2012-01-05T07:03:00.001-08:00

Last night was a fun night. It was pretty normal, aside from the fact that we signed a lease for an apartment! We are moving into an apartment about 8 blocks from D. Lo's for the next 6 months, until we find something a little cozier, homier, what have you. We have the knack for turning any space into a home, but I think we want to find a nice brownstone in Minneapolis. For now though, we are just gaining some independence!

The whole experience was fun, aside from a few additional fees that were not mentioned when we walked the place. Pet Rent! Give me a break! I thought I asked all the right questions but I guess I will add a few more to my list for future rental properties but whatev's...not enough to wreck my excitement!

What up 2012!

2012-01-01T21:24:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful time with my family today. Since we were with Chaz's family for Christmas, we decided to celebrate Christmas with my family on New Year's Day. A nice way to let the season last a little longer, something I totally needed-I was just not ready to let go of the holiday season but I think I am getting there. After two wonderful Christmas celebrations, I am feeling satisfied and fulfilled. I am guessing I just needed to celebrate with my family to really take it all in! Just being with family cements the reason for the season and I love that! We had a great dinner, opened presents, and watched My Idiot Brother...a different movie, but I really liked it!

And now, 2012 begins! Wow, it is just crazy how time flies! This year went by particularly fast and I have a sneaky suspicion that this is a fore taste of years to come....boo! But I guess it does me know good to dwell on how quickly time flies but rather on the amazing things I do to fill that time.

Last year I wrote a list of things I wanted to fulfill for that year. I did pretty good with that list, even exceeded in some areas, but it is nice to look back and see what I wanted then, and what I want now. It is also a great reminder of little things that I find important and want to place more emphasis on. I love that fact that last year I put pack less when I travel but just last week I was schlepping pounds of luggage around the airport...some things may just never happen! So, in sticking with tradition, here is my list for 2012.

Ringing in 2012 (List)!

Focus on my amazing marriage and count my blessings. I am married to my absolute best friend and I thank God daily for bringing us together and giving us (going on) 10 years together. I am looking so forward to what the future has in store for us!
Continue to prioritize family and make sure that I stay in touch with family both near and far away!
Continue running and working out
Make eating healthy a priority again
Read more books
Enjoy the last two courses of my Master's education
TRAVEL
Attend more sporting events
Take more walks...it doesn't always have to be a run.
Continue to find good, healthy, tasty recipes!
Work hard at work, and play hard outside of work.
Don't sell myself short
Let me friends know just how much they mean to me
Try new restaurants
Eat organic, cage free, grass fed as much as possible
Tell funny stories
Learn a rock star joke
Go camping
Play cards with my grandma
Live everyday to the fullest...don't live with regrets
Be more organized
Keep a clean house
Pamper my cats even more!
Knit a blanket
Take it all in

Happy 2012 to my family and friends! I love you all and you made 2011 just wonderful! Here's to another great year!

And a Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T15:04:00.001-08:00

I realized in my last post that I didn't include any Christmas morning pictures. I only have a few but here they are...I know my grandma in CO will enjoy seeing them!

Tonight we ring in the New Year. We are doing so in our household by having steak, chicken wings, fries, and salad, followed by popcorn at the movie theatre! Then we will celebrate at midnight with sparkling grape juice, Hawaiian bread and spinach dip! I am looking forward to a fun night! Check back to tomorrow and I will let you all in on my New Years Resolutions!

It's a wonderful life...

2011-12-29T20:49:00.000-08:00

This year for Christmas, it was time to celebrate with the Durgin side of the family. Chaz and I boarded a plane Wednesday morning, and were in Reno by 1pm! It's so nice getting two extra hours!

We arrived to excited family members, and Chaz was like a kid in a candy store! He loves family time, which is why I love him!

Wednesday was a bit of eating, shopping, relaxing and playing games. And in Durgin tradition, everyone takes a go at cleaning up after dinner...Chaz and Laine tag teamed it the first night. What cute siblings! The mood was greatly heightened by this lovely little number being lit up each evening.
Thursday has us decorating a ginger bread house and putting together a puzzle. It was a great morning of relaxing and doing little projects together. Chaz had way too much fun decorating the ginger bread house. He showed his mad skills by adding icicles and other fancy adornments.
The rest of us just watched! I did however make that great looking wreath! Thank you to the lady at Michael's craft store who I watched while D. Lo shopped one day...your presentation paid off!
Friday Laine, Terri, Chaz, Ginny, Chaz's grandma, and I drove up into the mountains. We stopped in Incline Village, where Chaz's grandparents used to live, and then continued on to the Ritz to get pedicures. Of course Chaz passed on a pedicure so he headed back to Incline to do some shopping and take some great pics!
The Ritz was lovely, and after our amazing pedicures, Chaz joined us again and we had lunch in their main lobby. Great food, great drinks, and lovely views.

That night Laine took Chaz and I downtown Reno. We went to a basketball game and then hit up some bars and Casino's downtown. Way different then going out in Mpls. A different vibe with the Casino's and the night owl atmosphere but we had a good time just walking around, taking pictures, and eating way to much food! (Maybe the eating too much food was just me but boy was I full!)

Christmas Eve day we woke up and I made caramel rolls that my family has made for years on Christmas eve. We finished wrapping and shopping, and Chaz's aunt joined us from LA early afternoon.

That evening we enjoyed the traditional Durgin fondue. It was a lovely meal complete with a chocolate creme brule dessert (so fricken good!)

We also get Santa presents on Christmas Eve, which are usually pajamas to wear that evening and the next morning for present opening. Chaz's family opens gifts Christmas day but I was a good girl this year and didn't tempt them all to open more then the one gift like I did my first Christmas with them.

Fu even got in on the action!
Christmas day we opened presents. It was quite the event. We started with stockings. Each person goes around and opens their stocking in which almost every item is wrapped. It takes a bit of time so after that, we broke for a delicious breakfast of rolls and egg bake. The egg bake was out of this world! It was full of meat, bread, and eff, but the best part was all the vegetables.

After breakfast we opened the rest of the gifts. There was a lot of laughing, smiling faces, and excitement. The perfect Christmas morning.

We lounged around after that, played some games, and then had Christmas Day dinner of ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans, and lobster salad. Yummy!

Monday morning we headed up in to the mountains again, this time to visit a crystal mine. The views were breathtaking. Chaz took some lovely pictures as he usually does.

For the remainder of the day, we packed, lounged around, and played some games. That evening we went ice skating at a rink downtown, and the we out for some late night pizza and beer. A wonderful end to our amazing vacation.

Tuesday afternoon we boarded the plane headed home. It is always sad leaving family, especially after such a great time, but it was also nice to think about coming home to our own bed. That and we get to look forward to Christmas with my family this weekend.

I will leave you with this beautiful picture that Chaz took while we were in the air coming home!

Fun! I love these signs!

2011-12-29T11:45:00.000-08:00

on www.laurenconrad.com/post/friday-favorites-33

Does this make you think?

2011-12-28T19:35:00.000-08:00

Chaz's aunt gave us all cards for Christmas. I loved the quote they had on them as it really filled me with contentment and comfort.

You will find the road to Christmas

where your hopes and dreams come true,

And your heart will know the magic

that the Season brings to you.

~Garnett A. Schultz

Love it! Just simple, lovely, and true!

Merry Christmas! And a Happy New Year!

2011-12-27T18:19:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! I hope it was wonderful and blessed for all. I had the most amazing time in Reno with Chaz's family. It is just crazy how family time can end up meaning more then a trip to an exotic island or a foreign adventure. It really only takes amazing people to provide you with a wonderful vacation and adventure.

I of course missed my family on Christmas but look forward to celebrating with them over the New Year weekend. I love having the 12 days of Christmas to really get some good celebrating in. And as is popular with my family, my decorations will remain remain up until the 12th day of Christmas! It really is a great setup to be able to celebrate christmas with both families! It does't happen every year but when it does, it just feels extra special!

I will update more on the trip later. For now, I just wanted to get on and say Merry Christmas! I hope God has enriched your lives this year and that even through hardship, pain or sorrow, you were able to see the blessings. And if your were lucky enough to experience nothing but joy, be sure to really count your blessings.

Loads of love to everyone this holiday season!

Merry Merry Merry!

2011-12-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday.

It has been a while, but I needed the break. I placed my focus on schoolwork, and made sure to get in a lot of family time during this holiday season. That is truly the most important thing in my life. Whether it's a dinner out with my husband, or driving around looking at Christmas light; an abrupt hotel stay with my parents and siblings which turned into a great occasion to bond; and visits and dinner with friends who I consider part of my family. It has been a wonderful year, and this month has been doubly as wonderful. Last year I was not in the Christmas spirit and I can report that this year, it is the complete opposite.

Yesterday would have been my great grandma's 90th birthday. I was lucky enough to have had her in my life for almost 20 years, and really cement a relationship the last year of her life. Even if I didn't know her as well prior to that, her personality, compassion, and love were infectious and though we only saw her once or twice a year for most of my life, she was still an amazing example of how to live, laugh and most importantly, love.

I celebrated the momentous milestone by cooking kielbasa, perogies, red cabbage and to top it all off, a berry cobbler. If you have 5 minutes and an hour of oven time to whip up a dessert that will warm your heart and soul, and that of those who join you in eating it, you have got to try this recipe.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/08/the_great_cobbl/

This recipe is simple and wonderful!

The Pioneer Women's Blackberry Cobbler

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups berries

Mix the flour and sugar, and whisk in the buttermilk. Add the melted butter. Pour into a well buttered casserole add two cups of berry's. (I used 2 cups frozen mixed berries that I thawed and drained). Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar on top (I only needed about half of that).

Bake at 350 degrees for around an hour.

This recipe was top notch and a great night cap with a scoop of ice cream.

My mother-in-law also celebrated her birthday this weekend so it was a special weekend all around. She is also a wonderful person who I have had the privilege of knowing for over 11 years and I am lucky to get to call her my mother-in-law.

Other then that, my weekend was amazing. I spent time with friends, had a wonderful evening with my parents and sister at the Wild game, and spent Sunday doing some last minute shopping and relaxing.

I am looking so forward to leaving for Reno on Wednesday morning! I am just so excited to see family and take a break from it all!

A filling night!

2011-12-08T14:58:00.000-08:00

Today I weighed in down 1 pound. It always feels good to move in that direction! I really pushed it at the gym yesterday but then gorged on Tacos when I got home because I was famished! Then of course while eating, Faith was by the table begging and we realized that it had been a few days since the cats had had wet food as we had been out. Of course we had to go out right after dinner and get our little kitties some wet food (because who doesn't love an overly spoiled cat) and Petsmart just so happens to be right next to Dairy Queen. Well, you certainly can't go by a Dairy Queen without getting an ice cream cone right? So good weigh in, but it probably could have been better! I did however enjoy my tacos and ice cream, and Faith and Kea inhaled their wet food in 2.2 seconds. It was a filling night for all!

KetchUP!

2011-12-05T07:44:00.000-08:00

I sat down to write a post about 4 times last week. I was just so busy at work and so busy with school that I could not get one finished. Needless to say, I just deleted all the saved drafts I had. Not need to try and back track. Let's just move forward!

Last week I weight in up 1.2. Not bad for Thanksgiving week and I am owning it! This weekend I made Christmas cookies with my dear friend Tonya and made sure to pop in a few semi-healthy recipes. I made these delicious white chocolate chip 2pp cookies and added dried cranberry for some festivity. I would imagine the cranberry brought the cookies up to 3pp (I added one half cup), however, I got more then 24 (I think 26), so maybe they are still 2pp....no matter the point value, they are still slightly healthy and REALLY wonderful! I also did not put the oats int he food processor this time and I really like the heartiness it added...I just used quick oats and it worked out great!

To also help me stay on track, I joined a challenge at the Y to not gain over the holidays. If I can maintain my weight, I will walk away January 1st with a cool long sleeve t-shirt. Since I love anything free, I think this may be some great motivation!

Last week was so intensely busy that I am so relieved it is over and a cookie baking weekend away was just what I needed. I got home last night and Chaz and I whipped up this wonderful stuffed shells recipe. I omitted the chicken (just for time sake) and it was so tasty, easy, and healthy. I would imagine without the chicken, the serving drops down to 6pp per serving but I am not for sure. I do know that I have two lunches out of the left overs which makes me a very happy girl!

And I know during the past part of November, I slacked on my What am I thankful for today? posts. To make up for that, I would like to say that I am thankful for my husband, my family and my friends. I am thankful for those who read this blog, and those who are a part of my life. When I was young, I was a shy individual. Now I love being a people person. I can fully attest to the fact that I love having people around me. I value relationships above all else. The relationships I have with my family, my friends, and most importantly, my God! Just makes life so wonderful!

Here's to a good and productive day! Two weeks from Wednesday I will be on my way to Reno and Two weeks from Saturday is Christmas Eve! Love it!

I wish every weekend was a holiday weekend...

2011-11-27T15:55:00.000-08:00

But then I guess they wouldn't be considered special!

I had a great Thanksgiving. So much to be thankful for and we were surrounded by friends and family all day.

I started my day off with a weigh in and was only up .2 after dinner the night before at Benihana's. We went out for Dave's birthday (Laura's Dave) and we ate a lot. I knew I wasn't going to worry about what the scale said but I was happy to see only a .2 gain.

The fan arrived around 11:30 to watch the Packer game and Mike and I put together this cool wreath.

You take a styrofoam wreath, hot glue tinsel on by wrapping it around and then finish with an extra pop of decoration.
I love my little wreath!

Then it was an afternoon of friends, family, and games. We had a heated marbles game going on in the kitchen right before dinner. Let's just say there were a few aggravated cooks who weren't too happy we chose the kitchen as our location to play.
Too bad!

Dinner was a smorgasbord of ham, turkey, swedish meatballs and so many sides we had two tables full of just food!

An of course Chaz was dressed to help clean it all up!
It was a great Thanksgiving!

Now we can officially start celebrating Christmas. I respected the bird but once Friday rolled around, it was all about Christmas! Saturday evening Chaz and I made homemade pizza, grabbed some Caribou hot chocolate, and decorated for Christmas.

The tree is up...I will post pics later, every nook and cranny is filled with tinsel (Chaz has an obsession with tinsel!), and the cats are getting in the mood!

It was great continuing the tradition of putting the tree up and decorating as a couple. This will be our third holiday season married and our 10th together. We are so lucky and blessed to have a love that feels new and bright each day. I am so thankful that I have that in my life!

We finished out our day helping D. Lo put some lights outside and otherwise, we have been inside enjoying the warmth of our Christmas lights!

an update...

2011-11-22T11:26:00.001-08:00

I forgot to let you know last week that I forgot to weigh in on Thursday so I weighed in Friday morning and had maintained through the week. Nothing lost, but nothing gained! I was super happy with that. With the bachelorette party this past weekend however, I went a little crazy with the alocoholic drinks and sweets. I am not as hopeful for this Thursdays weigh in but I had fun this weekend, and I will have fun on Thanksgiving. Friday I will wake up, and continue on my road to maintenance through the holidays. Hopefully this mindset helps me be successful!

Duh...

2011-11-22T08:23:00.001-08:00

It's Thanksgiving on Thursday...make THIS if you want to be considered cool! I know I will!

Clogged...

2011-11-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

I am so good at getting behind! I thought the daily "What am I thankful for" would get me on here more but, alas, it really hasn't. So now I get to play catch up!

Friday night I made some bomb enchiladas! It was a recipe I found on Pintrest. Check them out...pinned here. So good...and EASY! It was the perfect meal before going out with my mom and sister. We went to see our friend Amy perform at a drag show and it was awesome! Amy is one of the best performers, by far, but there are a lot of talented performers so it made for an entertaining evening.

Saturday I slept, cleaned, then slept so more. Then off to a bachelorette party with Laura. We for sure drank a bit too much but it was such a fun night and it felt great to let loose! Oh, and my first limo ride!

Sunday I went to Twilight with my Alyssa and I have to say, I really liked the movie. It was a bit more grown up and the acting is stronger then in the other movies. To me, the first movie is pretty week and the cinematography is not that sharp. The movies have definitely evolved since then.

Now I am immersed in a busy work week. The next two weeks I am going to be running around crazy. Luckily I get Thursday as a break and can enjoy some amazing food. I love Thanksgiving! And tonight I will head to fitness yoga to hopefully relax, stretch, and de-stress a bit. Maybe that will have to be my go to workout for the next two weeks.

What am I thankful for today?

I am thankful for those friends who are always there and I can completely let loose around. I love feeling comfortable around people.

I am thankful for quiet mornings when I can wake up slowly and lounge around in bed for a while.

I am thankful for last minute plans that turn out to be the best evening you have had in a while.

I am thankful for warm clothes and a big scarf to wrap around my neck!

Cheers to the fricken weekend...

2011-11-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! My team at work is full and content after the breakfast I brought in this morning. Homemade cranberry pear sauce, strawberries, banana chocolate chip muffins and crock pot egg bake! It was all a hit!

I made my usual brown sugar banana muffins which are 4pp and I added some mini chocolate chips. Since the recipe seems to grow every time I make it, I got 16 muffins this time (the recipe is usually 14), so i think it is safe to say that with the addition of the chocolate chips, the muffin is still only 5pp. I am going to figure it out later and let you know because they were delicious and felt naughty! (check out my food tab for the recipe).

the crock pot egg bake was pretty easy too and I like the results. I think the eggs were a bit grainy but not enough to stop me from making this again. There are a variety of recipes online but here is what I did.

Crock pot Egg Bake al a Adara
14 eggs (most recipes said 12 but I added a few extra for a larger group)
1-1.5 cups milk (depending on eggs used)
30 oz bag of frozen hash browns
1 cup cubed ham
green onions
1.5-2 cups cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Most recipes had a layering effect to how they put the mixture in the crock pot. I wanted my ingredients dispersed well so I mixed the eggs, milk, and seasonings, followed that by adding the ham, onion, half the cheese, and hash browns. I dumped it all in the crock pot, which was sprayed with cooking spray, and set it on low overnight (most recipes said 8-10 hours...I would even check after 6). 30 minutes before serving, top with remaining cheese.

It actually cuts similar to an egg bake. Just slice down the middle and then create slices in the opposite direction! Yum!

What am I thankful for today?

I owe you three of these as I have not been on her since Wednesday and even then I didn't put what I was thankful for!

I am thankful for the holiday season. It really is merry and bright, as long as you make it that way. Last year during this time I was in a funk because we were moving. It was so stressful and we didn't even get to put up most our decorations. Hopefully I will never have to move over the holidays again but I am thankful that for this year, I am grounded, staying put, and happy as a clam!

I am thankful for parents who will call and wake me up in the morning when my husband is out of town. I really suck at getting myself up in the morning and would probably sleep the day away with out them! (ugh, I am a night owl but it is getting more balanced!)

I am thankful to have a host of plans this weekend including a friends show tonight, a bachelorette party tomorrow, and taking in the new Twilight movie on Sunday. Looking forward to it all!

Lovin me some misto...

2011-11-16T11:15:00.000-08:00

I wrote on here a while back that to curb the cost of a coffee drink, I sometimes like to get a misto...half coffee, half steamed milk. And with the holiday season here, you can get egg nog in your misto. Since this is a bit of an unhealthy habit, I just ask for 1/4 of the drink to be egg nog instead of half.

This little number is super tasty and costs about half the price of a latte...around 50 cents more then a cup of coffee.

This got me to thinking though...wouldn't it be great to make this at home but with Holly Nog (light egg nog). Sure I can heat milk on the stove and then add it to my coffee, but there is something wonderful about steamed milk.

Cue wish list!

There are two options at Target.

One is this handy frother that doesn't use steam so it can mix hot and cold drinks.
http://www.target.com/p/Aerolatte-Milk-Frother-Stainless-Steel-with-Stand/-/A-10141928?reco=Rec_pdp_10141928_ClickCP_Adjacency

I love the steam aspect though and don't need to dirty the whole kitchen so maybe something like this would be better. Steam and froth at the same time!
http://www.target.com/p/AROMA-MILK-FROTHER-2-CUP/-/A-13759561?reco=Rec_pdp_13759561_ClickCP_Adjacency

Yeah, Aroma Milk Frother it is! Maybe I'll have to buy this little number soon! Better yet, maybe by Thanksgiving and I could play barista for everyone. Mmmm...pumpkin spice dunkin doughnuts coffee with Holly Nog...I can taste the holiday season already!

Maintain, not gain...

2011-11-15T19:29:00.001-08:00

I saw this really great motto at the Y. Maintain this season, not gain. I really needed to hear that, and I really took it to heart after gorging on Friendship bread last night! Kory had a party for the Packer/Viking party and there was delicious goodies in excess. I had a hard time saying no. That, and I arrived right from a workout, so I was pretty famished. I will probably see it on the scale Thursday, but I didn't let it get me off track any more then it already did. I woke up this morning, got in an intense am workout, and ate well all day. That is what I want for this holiday season. I want to enjoy it, but I also want to lose, and maintain!

Tonight we had Trader Joe's mandarin orange chicken and rice. It was very delicious! And I made a pot of soup for lunches the rest of the week and I whipped up this yummy little treat!

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/11/cranberry-pear-sauce.html

It was super easy to make and tasty. I had it with some greek yogurt and granola, and I am looking forward to throwing it in some oatmeal! It is amazing all by itself but it is fun to think of little ways to add it to some of my normal treats!

What am I thankful for today?

I am thankful for warm lighting and good shows on tv this dark cold evening. It may be bitter outside, but the warmth inside the house makes it bearable. And because I am feeling extra thankful this evening, I am going to post one more thing I am thankful for. I am thankful for my two wonderful cats. Both Faith and Kea provide so much love and warmth, on top of entertainment! I couldn't imagine life without them!

Respect the Bird

2011-11-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

Just a pre-warning to the bird. I am doing some crafts for the holiday season, so I may continue to squeeze them in in order to have enough time to complete them, but I promise, no decorations until after I have fully relished in the meaning and festivity of Thanksgiving!

Your browser does not support iframes.

Up Nordt...

2011-11-14T09:31:00.000-08:00

I had a great weekend up north visiting my friend Tonya and the bro! It is nice having them in the same area so we can all visit. Mike ends up spending most of the weekend with us so it is pretty nice.

I can't give too many details as we were busy making Christmas gifts but let's just say the weekend included a bit of the following:

hanging out in the garage until 2 am letting Mike play DJ, switching between Christmas and Rap music while Tonya and I labor away.

shopping and heading out for a break to see the new movie Jack and Jill (it was good, but worth waiting till redbox to watch at home)

caramel puff corn

wine

multiple outfit changes

eating French toast both mornings, Saturday with bananas, Sunday stuffed with peanut butter

And as you can tell, with my busy weekend, I didn't take time to really hop on the computer so I will first let you know that I lost 3.2 pounds last week so I took off that weight gain from the previous week and am down a total of 3.9 since I recommitted to WW three weeks ago. And I really believe, it is not about the number, it is about the way I feel, and with my added workouts, I have been feeling healthy and strong. The number just helps keep me on track. If I don't focus on that number, I may slowly increase my food intake and totally negate the workouts and I just want it to all be a good, healthy mix.

And last, I owe a few thankful updates! I missed a total of 4 with today being 5 but I still thought daily about what I am thankful for.

I am thankful for work out dvd's that make it easy to sneak in a workout when life is busy and I don't have time to leave the house.

I am thankful for Faith and Kea who provide loads of cuddles and really brighten the house. On mornings when we get to sleep in, Faith loves hopping on the bed for some mega cuddle time and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I am thankful to have a job that I enjoy and one that provides for my family.

I am thankful for good friends, combined with good laughs and good wine.

I am thankful for the Holiday season and while I am getting excited for Christmas, I will thoroughly enjoy Thanksgiving and not put up any Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving. I want to relish in each holiday and take in all the family time. Sometimes, it has to last you most the year so I really try and cherish it!

This ain't no cheesy post...

2011-11-09T21:49:00.000-08:00

I was going to post a cheesy potato recipe last night, but then I realized I saved my pictures in a weird spot and now the husband has to come to the rescue...so that may be a few days.

I am however excited for tomorrow's weigh in! I have made the gym my biatch this week and I am hoping for some results, no matter how little! Slow and steady wins the race...that about sums up my whole road to being healthy adventure.

Just to recap, two weeks ago I weighed in down 2.3. Last week, I forgot to weigh in on Thursday, but I hopped on the scale Saturday and was up 1.8. No excuses here. I know what happened. I jetted off to Colorado, didn't eat the best I could, and didn't really get back into my grove once I returned. That's life though, and I will have weeks like that. I don't let the number define me, but I let it guide me. I want it to be my compass towards the best/healthiest decisions as often as it can. And sometimes I will get off track, but at least I know I can find my way back. So here's wishing me luck tomorrow and no matter the number, I know I feel great and I know my body is happy!

What am I thankful for today?

I am thankful to have wonderful parents who love, support, and have guided me in the past. Even as an adult, I look to them for advice. I know that no matter where life takes me, I will always have my family. They have engrained that in me and I am thankful to have the stability that that provides.

A quote on the white board...

2011-11-08T06:29:00.000-08:00

I was beat last night. All I wanted to do was relax. And relax I did, after a wonderful fitness yoga class I took after work. Maybe that is what put me in the mood to relax the rest of the night. The last 5 minutes of class, when the lights were off and we were all in our meditative poses, relaxing, I got this big ass grin on my face and felt insanely giddy inside. I was so happy to be in that moment, relaxing after a great workout, and not have anywhere else to be or to be doing. It was bliss!

And while at the gym yesterday, they had a great quote on the bored. "Those who seek rest, find boredom. Those who seek work, find rest." I believe they said Dylan Thompsom said this but I could not find it on line. But, hello! This is exactly what I wrote about yesterday! The YMCA dry erase board read my mind!

After my workout, Chaz and I went out for Mexican and talked about our plans for the holidays. It was a nice little Monday night date! I am looking forward to the week! Should be a good one.

And since I was so tired last night, I did not write a thankful post so today you get two!

What am I thankful for today?

1. I am thankful that last weekend I was able to surprise my Colorado family with an impromptu trip out there. Those memories and the excitement will last me for a while!

2. I am thankful to have a body that allows me to run, jump, walk, skip, stretch, and do most physical activities. I feel empowered and strengthened when I can be active and really put it to good use.

rekindled motivation...

2011-11-06T20:04:00.001-08:00

I truly think that working out is making me more motivated in other areas of my life. I used to skip a workout, and not end up in bed till midnight, feeling stressed and like I didn't accomplish much. Now I am working out, eating healthy, getting my homework done, and hoping into bed fairly early. I have no clue how all of a sudden things seem to be fitting into place but I am going to chalk it up to increased motivation.

Today was a nice relaxing Sunday complete with errands, homework, and a lovely ham dinner. I made some yummy cheesy potatoes that I will share later. For now, I am off to bed, but first...

What am I thankful for today?

Today I am thankful for an extra hour which allowed me to wake up at 11am, and then realize it was only 10 am so I didn't have to feel like such a slough. Waking up feeling positive about yourself is much nicer then the opposite.

before the day slips away...

2011-11-05T22:11:00.000-07:00

It is after midnight, but with daylight savings, I still have an hour to let you know what I am thankful for today!

I am thankful for a wonderful brother who I have an amazing relationship with. We can do just about anything together and have a great time. I know that for the rest of my life, I have this cool dude that I get to call my brother and that no matter what, we will always be there for one another. Thanks for being the best brother Mike. I love you!

Put a ring on it...

2011-11-04T10:01:00.000-07:00

It is a crisp, chilly fall day here in the MN. The sun is shinning bright and I can't wait for 5 o'clock. I am ready to start my weekend and relax a bit!

Tonight I am going to throw together a nice little dinner for my man and I. Today marks three years since he asked me to marry him and I love any reason to celebrate so bring on some festivity!

I couldn't ask to be married to a more amazing man. Aside from the fact that he does my laundry and keeps our belongings anally organized, he is the most tender, caring, and loving man I have ever met. He is such a sincere soul and puts me first in every sense of the word. Sure he can be stubborn, and of course he has a few annoying habits (don't we all), but those are so easily over looked when he wraps me in one of his warm embraces. I can easily say he is perfect, perfect for me that is!
Happy Anniversary love!

What am I thankful for today?

I am thankful to have family that I can travel and see the world with. When I was little, my family was always on the go, whether it be swim meets, hockey tournaments, trips to visit family. Some of our best family time was spent in a hotel room, just the 5 of us. And I continue to travel with my in-laws. 3 years ago when my husband purposed, we were on a cruise with most of his family, celebrating his grandparents 50th wedding anniversary. I am so blessed to have these opportunities that allow family to really spend quality time together!

movin on up...

2011-11-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I joined the Y downtown, which is only a few city blocks from my work! I am making an effort to go either before or after work.

I love being back at the Y. I love the nice big locker rooms, the variety of workout equipment, and the pool! The smell of that place reminds me of being on the swim team when I was little. And I have successfully worked out the last two days after work! Gotta keep it up.

I have backed off the running train a bit because of some pain in my feet and knees. I am focusing more on a variety of exercise, along with strength training. Today I did the elliptical machine, making sure to have my arms moving most the time. To make it a good workout, I focus on intervals, remaining intense no matter the level. I keep my intensity up by finding music with a good beat that keeps me consistent. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga is a good one!

What am I thankful for today?

I am thankful to have a friend who motivates me to achieve my goals. Laura, one of my best friends, has lost almost 4 pounds in two weeks but more important then that, she has made working out a priority and that is making her a strong, healthy individual. I love looking up to strong women!

Seeing red...

2011-11-02T07:12:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! Starbucks has put out their holiday cups! I live the saying this year. Let's Merry! So cute. This certainly does nothing for curbing my expensive habits. The little red cups just draw me in all the much more.

And being yesterday was the first of November, meaning the start of the Thanksgiving holiday. I am going to follow the tradition of some other bloggers and share something I am thankful for everyday. Since I did not get on here yesterday, today you will get two!

1. I am thankful for my faith.

2. I am thankful I get to fall asleep next to my husband, who provides me so much comfort and strength.

Happy November!

A weekend of surprise...

2011-10-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

This weekend I jetted off to Colorado for a pretty impromptu visit. Two weeks ago my sister helped me book tickets to visit my grandma and aunt, and it was even easier to surprise them since she was out there and could pick me up from the airport. The few friends and family I told kept it a secret, which can be hard now a days with facebook and what not.

We surprised my aunt and grandma on their Friday afternoon coffee run. After they came in and started ordering their drinks, I popped around the corner and surprised them. It was a very happy, uplifting moment!

We spent the weekend relaxing, partaking in some Halloween festivities, and having some great meals as a family!

These are the moments that make life exciting and I am so glad I took the time to book a flight, and head out of town, even if it was just for the weekend!

A weigh in...

2011-10-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be beneficial to start tracking my weigh-ins on here! Over the summer and the first part of fall, I have slowly added about 10 pounds back on my frame. It has always been easy for me to fluctuate between a 5-10 pound range all my life...my weight is never consistent, especially if I am not paying attention. That said, I am tracking again, almost 100%. I went over my points this week, but I tracked almost everything. AND, I am down 2.3 pounds this week...just goes to show you that my body did not want the added weight. This weight loss even came after enjoying some triple chocolate crazy good cake at Chaz's Halloween party.

Now I just need to get my workouts back. With a sore knee and a crap load of stuff going on, I have not been consistent...I need to be consistent! I know weight loss is a journey, and we go through hills and valleys. I don't need to loss weight every week, and if I need a day to just indulge, I will, but I will also come back and keep pushing. Moderation is key and if I indulge, then I just need to cut back somewhere else.

Here's to a good week of good eats!

fall+food=comfort

2011-10-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

Dinner tonight...please don't be jealous!

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/10/mashed-sweet-potatoes-brulee.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+weightwatcherspointsrecipes+%28Gina%27s+Skinny+Recipes%29

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/praise-the-braise-chicken-with-feta-and-tomato

This time of year...

2011-10-26T09:42:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year! I do love summer, and I loathe the winter, but there is just something about the perfectness of fall. Crisp weather, pretty foliage. Many comforting and warm memories are associated with fall.

I also love Halloween! It is just one of those chill, fun Holidays that allows us to dress up all crazy, eat tons of sugar, and watch scary movies! It's kind of a nice initiation into long winter nights....sppppoooooooookkkkkkkyyyyyyyyy!

Last night Chaz's work hosted a Halloween party. The restaurant closed early, and they held the event in their storage building next door. It was decorated to the nine's with lights, cobwebs, and the occasional hanging corpse...I wish I would have snapped a photo but all I had was my phone...doesn't do to well in the dark light! In fact, most my pictures are on my phone and I need to change that...I know!

To take part in the festivities, we were asked to dress up. The man decided to pull a blast from the past and dress up as a Boy Scout. Insert*guy I fell in love with*here! I'm not gonna lie, there may have been a few trips to the Boy Scout's of America store by our house to pick up pants, a new hat, and a few patches he never purchased...he assures me that some day he wants to get back into Scout's as an adult leader so hopefully all this business gets put to good use...if not, this was a slightly expensive Halloween costume but damn he looks fine!
And then there's me. I spent the night in a fog mingling with the wall flowers! JUST KIDDING! I decided to go as world peace...or maybe just a peace sign. A bit of a fancy peace sign as I paired it with a pencil skirt, fishnets, and purple stiletto's...flare jeans may have been more fitting but you get what you get when I'm coming from work!
We danced the night away, talking with Chaz's coworkers, and listening to them sing karaoke. Dinner was catered by Brasa, a local restaurant, and treats from Chaz's company. There were also White castle Sliders...I may have had one or two of those little puppies! I also had the most amazing chocolate cake...it was like chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, chocolate chips, chocolate sauce...I don't really know what was in it but a whole lotta chocolate was involved!

Now off to see if I can pencil in some exercise time today to work of those sliders and chocolate cake!

When stress devours you..

2011-10-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

Today was a day where I just let it all get to me. My day was shitty, and I was distracted with stressful situations around me. To top it off, work was crazy stressful today and I was running around with out even a chance to pee!

Luckily my day flew by, and I am now relaxing on my couch, doing some homework. I am going to go to bed early so I can wake up tomorrow and start fresh. Sounds like a good plan!

Crap...a new obsession

2011-10-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

Today I had almond butter....and I have converted! This business is amazing. So amazing that I had a bagel thin with my other obsession, pumpkin spice cream cheese on one half, and almond butter on the other and when I finished the half with almond butter, I covered the cream cheese side with almond butter too! So good!

I bought a little pack of almond butter at Target so I could try it, but not be out a lot of money if I didn't like it. Any butter other then peanut butter tends to be a bit pricey. I decided to try it since every health food blogger has been blowing up about it but now I need to do a little research and actually figure out how good it is for me or what the benefits are. All I know right now is that it was so good and pretty filling! The little pack I bought was Justine's Maple Flavored almond butter and for the packet, which looked to be about 2 tbsp, it comes out to 5pp. The same about as 2 tbsp's of natural peanut butter! And since I only use 1tbsp, I generally just take 3pp and it is so worth it to get that hearty, full feeling from eating something good for you!

Brrrrrr...

2011-10-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

It's getting chilly in Minnesota. Not just wake up in the morning and throw your hands in your pockets to get warm chilly, but all day, cold to the bone chilly. That can only mean one thing. Winter is well on it's way.

On this cold October evening, I did what any Minnesotan would do. I took an ice bath to settle my sore muscles. And yes I know, this is not what any Minnesotan would do, but it sure felt great!

Since running the 1/2 marathon this summer, I have dealt with some sore heels, and my right knee kind of hates life. I have read on many blogs about ice baths so I decided to give it a try. I put a few inches of cold water in the tub and added a bowl of ice. I started by only putting my feet in and letting them numb up, and then I decided I would need to sit in the water if I really wanted it to be beneficial for my knee.

I kept my sweater on for warmth and slowly lowered myself into the water. After a few seconds, my body got used to the water, and I was able to sit for a good 10 or so minutes. My muscles felt great! Of course my upper body was a bit tense, bracing against the cold, but I followed my ice bath up with a nice warm bath, complete with eucalyptus Epsom salt.

I know I feel great right now, but hopefully the feeling will last through tomorrow! I guess I will just have to wait and see but I see this becoming a more common occurrence if I actually feel some relief! Here's hoping I can get back on the running train sooner rather than later!

MIA

2011-10-17T11:58:00.001-07:00

I went to go write a new post like 6 times last week.

I have so much I want to write about, but life gets busy, and my blog easily falls to the waist side (what the hell does that even mean?!).

But I love my blog. I love to write, research, and fill my friends and family in on life and this is the most beneficial outlet for me to do all of those things. It just also seems the easiest to push lower of the to do list. Well, in all honestly, lots of things get pushed lower...life is like one constant to do list!

Here's to hopping I can get some writing in this week!

A life lesson?

2011-10-09T21:40:00.001-07:00

Yesterday my aunt got married...what a great time! It was a small country wedding, complete with fresh air, bugs, and a boat load of fun. I will write more on that later...I have some bomb cake recipes and some great tips! But I thought I might talk about my wonderful husband tonight.

While my husband is romantic, he is not a huge fan of dancing so I went into the event this weekend with the notion that I was not going to push it. That ended up being a great move on my part!

The dance floor was hopping with upbeat songs and I was enjoying some ridiculous dancing with my friends and family. The DJ decided to slow it down so I took a chair on the sidelines, ready to converse. I looked up shortly after taking a seat and saw my handsome man strolling towards me. My brain started fluttering with questions. Is he coming to talk? Did he need something? Does he actually want to dance? He reaches me, grabs my hand, and asks me to dance with a playful smile on his face....my heart started to flutter. And this didn't happen just once, but twice and when my aunt played our wedding song for us, we got in a third dance! It made for a lovely evening and some great memories.

It amazes me what a big impact little actions can have on a person. My husband made me feel amazing, like a princess, just by strolling me around the dance floor a few times.

Welcome to the Durgin family...

2011-10-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

This lovely came in to my life around 3:30 p.m today, October the 9th. We are acclimating nicely and getting to know one another! I have a feeling this will be the beginning of a beautiful relationship!

How did they know?

2011-10-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

How in the world did the Mpls. Star Trib know that my evening would entail making my very first wedding cake? Right, right, I know they didn't, but let's talk about crazy coincidence.

Today's Variety featured a wonderful article on the writer making a cake for her friends wedding. Coincidentally, I am making the cake and cupcakes for my aunts wedding. There were some great tips that I am hopping to put into play tonight...I will let you know how the cake baking turns out!

My brother is a freshman in college...

2011-10-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

I was the first Bonnell kid to step foot on the campus of Concordia College as a college student. By sophomore year, there were two of us as my sister was starting her first year of college.

With two of the three Bonnell kids enrolled at Concordia, that meant lots of family trips up to visit.

About a month back, my friend Alyssa and I were reflecting on college life during a dinner out as both our siblings are freshman this year. We laughed about how much fun it was, and the silly things we did. I told Alyssa about the one family visit in particular where Kory and I snuck our brother into the dorms for a sleepover. Since Concordia is a strict school, no boys are allowed in the girls dorms after midnight, and vice versa. My sister and I had to get creative in order to pull it off!

We decided to load our bite size brother up into my roommates big suitcase and wheel him in....of course, to not look suspicious, we rolled the suitcase out earlier in the day. We just thought we had it all figured out! And of course, to make it more interesting, and to be super cautious, we loaded Mikey up in the suitcase in the parking lot, and rolled him the whole block back to the dorm.

When Alyssa and I talked about this a month ago, I wrote it down as a topic to blog about. I have been putting it off, trying to think of the best way to tell the story, but when my sophomore year roommate posted this picture on facebook today, I knew a visual would do it justice!

Reality Check...

2011-10-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

Just when I think I can pull out the stretchy pants and eat processed desserts, another blog shows up with amazing recipes, all WW friendly...I am still in shock over the goodness that is on this blog...so many desserts, so many rich meals. I just may be able to get through this holiday season and still fit in my pants!

www.skinnytaste.com

I have Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili for tonight so I will let you know how that goes!

Heart Happy...

2011-10-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

Life can be tough. There are moments of pain, sadness, stress. We load our plates too full; we take on too much. We essentially make life a pain in the ass. So many people complain, hate, and grouch around with every excuse possible and it does not have to be that way. Of course, easier said then done, and yet, I wonder if that is an excuse in itself!

My approach...take life moment by moment. Don't regret. Try something new. Make your life meaningful. I easily fall into the stressed out category, and occasionally grouchy, but when I get this way, I try and step back and really remember what is important. I have found that this leads me to be a pretty happy individual.

Not everyone is built the same way...it has a lot to do with our upbringing and environment. I personally love being busy all the time. My favorite past time is baking and cooking. Sometimes I bite off more then I can chew (pun intended!), and I try to squeeze in baking amidst cleaning and homework and anything else imaginable, but I love the feeling of when I complete a creation. I can share it with others, or watch my family eat it, and I feel accomplished. That feeling can take me pretty far.

I love to dream, and think of the next fun adventure, whether it be traveling, planning a fun event with my loved ones, or just chiseling out a day to pamper myself and relax. Focusing on these things, and not on the negative aspects in life, keeps me charged up and excited about life. It helps me focus on what is really important and not what is superficial. I find my heart just bursting with joy over life's little blessings, like a dinner out with my husband, a walk with a friend, playing cards with my grandma, reading an uplifting blog or story, or a good run. These are small things, but they make me happy, and that rocks!

I challenger everyone to focus on what makes you happy. Don't worry about others. We spend too much time doing that and end up neglecting ourselves. Take the time to make yourself a better you, and it will undoubtedly pay it forward.

Oh, and FYI...you are hella awesome and deserve only good and happiness in your life. Don't forget that!

Can't wait...

2011-09-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

So last night was a fantastic night! I can't even put in to words how wonderful it was to be surrounded by friends and family, great food, and simply put, lots of love! Chaz took numerous calls to wish him a happy birthday from family and friends who were out of state. He was happy as a clam, and that was wonderful to see! This year has held a few rough patches but things are looking up and last night helped put into perspective just what really matters!

And after all the hustle and bustle of the past few days, weeks months, I am taking night off! I am going to make dinner, and then fill my night with decorating for Halloween (something I am just excited to do!), taking a bath, reading, and heading to bed early! The end of the work day can't come soon enough! I am not going to allow myself to make last minute plans...I am going to take the night and just do what I want!

Jeepers! Who knew a night off could get you so excited! Is it 5 o'clock yet?!

Mushy Post Day 3

2011-09-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

It's here! The day has arrived!

Happy 27th Birthday to my Love! And Happy Anniversary to boot!

We had a wonderful night with friends and family, and had a crap load of stroganoff and cake! It was deliciously wonderful to be surrounded by love, from both near and far, and the good food only enhanced it.

Everyday, the love for my husband grows, and after 9 and a 1/2 years, it's some pretty intense love, and I know it will only continue to grow. We don't even know the half of it.

I look forward to growing old with my husband. I look forward to the future. I look forward to starting a family...so many amazing things have happened, and so many amazing things to come!

This may result in me getting a DVR...

2011-09-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

So Thursday night, as often considered growing up, is tv watching night. I am going to try and get back into the Office. I haven't paid much attention to it the last two years but it's time to give it some love!

I also really enjoyed the season premiere of Whitney, which was on after the Office, and following those babies up with a little Jersey Shore for now equals a pretty bomb night!

Thursday nights I am generally free, although I never put off my social life for tv! However, Up all night is on Wednesday night...the same night as flag football! Up All Night is surprisingly good too! Granted it is just the beginning but I see great potential!

So, the dilemma is...do I invest in DVR so that I can keep up with my shows? I am trying to weigh the decision because I know that if I get DVR, I will be pulled to watch tv, and I am pretty sure I would stress myself out thinking of all the shows I have piling up...I can't help it...I have a few anal characteristics left! I guess being a grown up really is hard...lol!

Mushy Post Day 2

2011-09-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, Chaz and I went to a Twins game to celebrate our anniversary. Our anniversary is not until Monday but since we are having a birthday party for Chaz that day, we decided to celebrate a bit early!

Chaz and I have a knack for reflecting on the past. Maybe it is just me and I make him reflect with me, but either way, it is fun to talk about the past and special memories we have. After 9 and 1/2 years, there are quite a few memories!

One memory that I love was not shared with Chaz, however, but rather with all my bridesmaids. After taking pictures and stopping for a bathroom break at my mother-in-law's friends house, we loaded in to two cars to head to the church. I remember shouting as we walked out the doors, "Let's go get Chaz some insurance!" (As he was in school and did not have worked provided insurance...or possibly any for that matter; I can't remember!).

As we were driving to the church, the Black Eyed Pea's song "Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night" came on the radio. We rolled down the windows, both cars had hands hanging out the windows jamming, and we all laughed at the irony that that night WAS going to be a good night! It certainly started the whole event off on the right foot. I will never forget sharing that moment with some of the most important women in my life!

Mushy Post Day 1

2011-09-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

That title implies that there may be multiple Mushy posts and if you guessed that, well, then you are one smart cookie!

Next Monday we celebrate 2 years of marriage and I thought I would use this here blog to record some memories! That and Chaz shares his day of birth with our anniversary day so for the sake of not overshadowing that, I thought I could get some of my anniversary mushy overload taken care of right here and spare him most of the mush (and there is plenty to go around so never fear, he will be showered, I just think it's best I take it down a few notches so I am being proactive)!

So let's kick it off and what better way to kick off the merriment then sharing some pics of my ring!

This is the day Chaz decided to put a ring on it! November 4th, 2008! As I have mentioned before, this is a hard date to forget as it was election night, and not just any election night, but it was the night America elected their first black president...pretty cool, eh?!?

Prior to this night, I had no clue what the ring looked like. I also had no clue when it would happen. I may have had a small inkling that it was going to take place in the near future however.

About 6 months earlier, Chaz's parents were visiting, and they had all treked to Minneapolis for a lunch date. Chaz may have let it slip that they were looking at rings (how cool that his parents were involved-although that may be the reason it finally took place as my wonderful husband doesn't mind taking his sweet time on occasion!) so there fore I knew that in only a matter of months, I would get to start planning my wedding to the love of my life!

When Chaz let it slip that they were looking at rings, he also told me who was making it. I went home that evening, told my mom in a rather excited fashion that things were rolling, and we spent the evening studying the designs on the jewelers website. Everything is so unique and special that I couldn't even imagine what it would look like. And for that I am glad.

While I go the wild hair to searhc the website, I have always been the girl who did not want to know what her ring would look like, or when it would be coming. I wanted complete and utter surprise, and for the most part, that is what I got!

So on the night of November 4th, 2008, on a cruise ship with Chaz's family, Chaz purposed to me on the balcony, under the bright moon. It was a magical moment!

Good thing my mom had me get my nails done (wink wink)!

And boy am I glad that I had no say in what my ring would look like. I could have never dreamt up something so beautiful!

The ring is comprised of family jewelry, melted down, and reformed into this design...
To say I absolutely love it is an understatment. To me, it represents our history, our families history, on top of being unique, interesting, and just simply beautiful.

I would never say the ring makes the engagement, but in my case, it added so much to that special day. It was so intercate that I spent hours looking at it, and asking Chaz to tell me all the details that went into it.

I will need to ask him or his parents for the whole run down so we can keep it for future generations, but I do know that the diamond was Chaz's grandma's, the two small diamonds were his sisters, and his dad's first wedding band went into it (since it no longer fit him).

Talk about making a girl feel lucky!

I did it!

2011-09-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I ran a 5k, one that kicked off my path to getting healthy!

Last September, I wrote a post about wanting get healthy so I could run the Liz Logelin Foundation 5k.

http://proudlybrewed.blogspot.com/2010/09/for-love-of-liz.html

And yesterday, I ran it, 20 pounds lighter, and with 2 5k's and a half marathon under my belt! It felt great...and I was running for a great cause!

On the right side of my blog, there is a link to the Liz Logelin Foundation...check it out...And think about donating if you are able!

Looking forward...

2011-09-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

I am excited for this fall...not just the pumpkins, the apples, the cool air and the comfort foods. Although these things could certainly make it memorable all in themselves.

On top of all the pre-noted wonderfulness, I get to celebrate my husbands birthday, our 2nd wedding anniversary, my aunt's wedding, Concordia's Homecoming with my brother being a freshman, time with the Core Four (my Auggie ladies), two 5K's, and a fun craft weekend in Moorhead. Throw in Halloween and Thanksgiving and we're talking party!

My statistics class ends on Friday...Thursday night will be dedicated to homework. Then I get four wonderful weeks off. I am looking forward to that! I plan to organize my life, get in a bunch of fall running, and hang out with my friends who get neglected as my homework increases...boo, I know, but what can you do! Hopefully my next class is not as killer...luckily no classes over Christmas (gotta look for the positives)!

Plan of attack for tonight is flag football, some dinner, and then getting a good start on my final assignment for class! Wish me luck!

P.S. It is COLD today in the Mpls....like high of 58 degrees...not to mention freezing tonight. Like I said, welcome fall! But winter, you best not be closely following!

A family weekend...

2011-09-12T08:49:00.001-07:00

I had a great weekend. My little bro came home from college and I really needed to see him! I had missed him since he left 3 weeks ago. Like teared up twice looking at pictures of him as a young pup type of missed him.

I spent the entire weekend out in B*town. Friday night we enjoyed the family's favorite Mexican restaurant and I never get out there so I indulged! For this reason, I knew Saturday was all about tracking my points and getting some sort of work out in! We headed to the golf course at 3 and I decided to wear my work out clothes, even though I would not be playing golf...nope, I was driving the cart and going to sneak in some exercises! For the first 5 or 6 holes, at each stop, I either did cardio, strength, or stretching...what I did? Push ups, sit ups, running back and forth between the two carts, running to the green to be the flag biatch, then running back down! I honestly got in a great work out! And all weekend I tracked my points, I just totally ate my weeklies within two nights! lol...I am so funny!

And my husband took my out on a date night last night so that really did not help the whole point situation BUT, I am tracking everything and at least staying with the game from a mental aspect! And, he is just so darn cute, you can't pass up being asked out to dinner by him! I am tracking what I eat though and that is the hardest part for me...it is hard for me to log on to the site, and write down everything I eat, because it just seems tedious, but I am doing it!

So today is Monday, and I am ready for the week...I have homework to do tonight, but I am also going to punch out a good, sweaty workout, and maybe bake some treats for work!

Things I have cemented into my brain:

A small frilly drink at Starbucks is plenty...keeps the point count down while still enjoying a treat!

You can find time to work out, no matter where you are or what you are doing!

my brother grew up too fast!

I will never understand statistics!

No doubt...

2011-09-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

No doubt you remember where you were...who you were with...what you were doing. If you were old enough to recollect, then I know you remember.

I was 15, and a sophomore in high school. Nothing mattered more then the upcoming homecoming dance, and who I would sit with at lunch.

After first period, there was chatter in the hallway. I couldn't grasp what was going on. It sounded like rumors, or stories from something happening far far away.

During second period, the teacher had CNN on...this is when I grasped it. This is when I realized where this was all taking place. On my home field, in my own country, to my own people.

I watched, still not believing. Then, right there on the tv, in second period, I watched as the second plane hit. I felt hopeless, lost, scarred. I felt violated and cold. What was happening? What was going on? Was this the end? I no longer felt secure in my small town. In that moment, I felt a lack of trust.

My dad worked in a government building in the cities. I called to see if I could reach him. He answered, and I found a bit of hope. He said he was fine...I don't remember all the details of the call...I am not sure if they evacuated for security reasons, or if they all just hunkered down and waited it out. All I know is that hearing his voice brought back some reality.

I can't recall if I talked to my mom...those were not the days where everyone had a cell phone. Those were the days of landlines, so there was no texting or calling during the day unless you used a teachers phone. I do know she recollected later that her and my brother saw the second plane hit while still at home...his school started later so they were still together.

That night we cried. We sat as a family and watched the news. We heard rumblings that gas would run out. We considered taking our cars to the gas station in town that drastically hiked their price up by almost 400% that evening. Luckily my parents are not rash thinkers. They waited it out. We waited it out.

I remember feeling like nothing would ever be normal. I remember selfishly asking if homecoming would be cancelled...I thought a boy was going to ask me out, and I couldn't fathom anything ruining that....I feel foolish even putting that on here...but I was 15, and that was my reality.

But now I am 25. I have seen the toll that that day took on a lot of people. Ten years later, we are still seeing it. We are still feeling it. We are still fighting it.

For ten years, we have fought a war that ultimately started that day. That makes my stomach turn. Someday, hopefully we can rebuild, and stop risking the lives of our people. Hopefully we can live a life of peace, solitude, and trust.

Today I will reflect, pray, and ask for peace. Today I will remember all the lives lost, and ensure that they are not forgotten. Today, I will go out of my way to brighten someone else's day, because, no doubt, on a day like today, we could all use a little bit of comfort.

Dear Lord,

I pray that you watch over all of us...

The men and women fighting...

Their families back home....

The American people...

All mankind for that matter...

Help us to trust...

Help us to live...

And please help us to always remember...

Amen

Falling into fall....

2011-09-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

Even though we have a beautiful 80 degree weekend approaching, I have accepted and am ready for fall. With the emergence of warm colors, pumpkin spice lattes, and trees with leaves beginning to color, my mind has slowly converted from summer to fall, and I am actually looking forward to it.

I have started a little fall cleaning project, and maybe this weekend I will throw out some of my fall decorations! Most importantly, I will probably dig through D. Lo's large quantities of decorations and spruce her living areas up too! We tend to spend more time in the upstairs area as of late so I really don't have to focus on the downstairs area too much...although, this may sound crazy, but I am going to kind of reclaim the downstairs and start spending more time doing my homework and watching tv. It is just comfortable because it is my stuff and I can watch what I want and just de-stress. I love being around people, and I think that is why I slowly started spending most my evening upstairs, even doing homework at the dinning room table, but I think I will focus more if I maybe spend some time in solitude. Ah, the ramblings of someone about to go into hibernation...fall truly is approaching!

Even still, I am off to enjoy my 80 degree weekend and take in just a bit more summer...maybe I can stock pile the sunshine and warmth and it will tide me over through winter which I am certainly not going to accept as willingly as I accepted fall!

It's that time of year again...

2011-09-06T14:14:00.000-07:00

PSL time that is!

P.S. PSL stands for Pumkin Spice Latte...or as I like it skinny PSL! But really, who cares...just go buy one now! You will never look back!

Bridal Shower Part 2: Games!

2011-08-31T14:48:00.000-07:00

Last week I filled you all in on the food part of the bridal shower I hosted for my aunt...

http://proudlybrewed.blogspot.com/2011/08/shower-part-1-food.html

I really feel the food is the key ingredient to a rockstar shower, of any kind, but ALMOST as is important are the decorations and the games.

I like games played at shower's. I don't love them, but it can be a great way to pass some time and get everyone engaged. Plus, if you pick games where there are prizes involved, everyone really goes hog wild!

I decided on the ever so common and popular toilet paper bride. If you have never played or watched toilet paper bride....well...I don't think we can be friends anymore. Just kidding! Toilet paper bride is one of those games that starts out with everyone cringing and morphs into everyone laughing hysterically by the end of it. Simply put, break your party up into teams, separate them throughout the house, and give them 5 minutes to create a designer wedding gown out of toilet paper! Bring everyone back together, let the teams explain their design to the bride and then the bride can chose a winner. I like to provide the winning team with a small gift and what better than toiletries! The dollar travel section is a great place to get body wash, lotion, body spray, what have you.

This is my grandma's sister and her double cousin posing as brides (my mom snapped this photo!)

Next we played Bridal Bingo and the dice game. Bridal bingo is simple. You can either use templates printed off from online, or, you can print blank sheets, along with a list of words, and have everyone fill in their card prior to playing.

The simplest form of entertainment and time-wasting is the dice game. Sit your guests in a circle, pass around two trays with dice in them. When someone rolls a pair, they can grab a gift, but not unwrap it. After all the gifts have been spoken for, everyone unwraps their prizes. However, they don't get to keep them. The next round is 5 minutes long and when someone gets doubles, they can steal a prize from anyone. This part of the game can get a little wild!

I suggest having plenty of prizes on hand. Pick up item from the dollar section of the baking aisles. I grabbed cookie mixes, cake mix and frosting, lotion, notepads, recipe cards, pot holders, salad spoons, just a bunch of random items that women swoon over!

I prepped the prizes the night before, wrapping them in colorful bags which is super easy and fast. I suggest eliciting help! Here's a quick shot of my little helper!

Yep! That's Kea (aka. White One!). Did you see her amongst the gifts?!

Next week, or maybe later this week once I get caught up on homework, I will fill you in on the decorations and talk themes!

Tonya and Twins...

2011-08-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend one of my best friends Tonya came down to accompany me to a Twins game. Needless to say, we had some large buckets of Malibu Punch and got a little tipsy...probably the most fun I have had at a game yet! Isn't it great to have friends you can have a good time with?!?

Yesterday I ran a mile and it felt great. I had some time before I mowed so I just hoped to it and punched out a quick run! I have been doing videos and not so much distance runs but I am ready to hit the pavement again! Tonight I will make Thomas go out with me...gotta start preparing for Thursday's MN State Fair Adventure!!!!

Thankful Thursday...

2011-08-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

I am thankful that I have a roof over my head and a nice bed to crawl into a night.
I am thankful I can play sports and be active.
I am thankful for some friend time this weekend.
I am thankful I get to fall asleep next to my wonderful husband.
I am thankful for the wonderful tomato soup I had for lunch (funny thing, I used to hate tomato soup!).
I am thankful that I have magazines to read at the gym.
I am thankful that my husband and I are going to the state fair next week.
I am thankful that today was a weigh in and a new week.
I am thankful I have the internet so I can keep in touch with all of you.
I am thankful I wore flats today.
I am thankful that in 9-10 hours, I get to crawl back into bed...this morning was an early one!

Shower Part 1: The Food!

2011-08-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I hosted a shower for my aunt who is getting married in October. Arguably, the most important part of a party, especially in the MN, is the food! I took that as a challenge!

To start, I created a spread that I was proud of.

Don't you see the contentment on my face?!

And to top off our beautiful spread, what better than to give food as a favor also! We decided to make mini loaves of friendship bread. My grandma helped me prepare for the shower and while she was able to bake during the day, that doesn't make such a favor off limits for those of us who work during the day. My philosophy while prepping for this shower, and ones I have hosted int he past, was to think of the effect that it would have on individuals, not just the bride. Everyone loved getting to go home with a baked treat! (And like I said, we are from the MN...everyone loves sweets and better yet, free food!)

We added a cute note of appreciation too! Our theme was a mixture of three words: summer, simple, country. I would say we pulled that off pretty well, but I will leave the details for another post!

Aside from the usual attendees at summer parties (fruit, crackers, cheese and meat) I decided to whip up two salads, one being a chicken salad to make sandwiches, and the other being a pasta salad to accompany it.

I wanted to share the recipes as the chicken salad was delicious! And the pasta salad was created by yours truly!

Chicken Salad (Adapted from online research)

2.5 cups cooked chicken diced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup grapes, halved
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 bunch green onion chopped
1/2 cup mayo
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients and chill overnight.

We doubled the recipe to make more, so instead of having to bake another small chicken, I picked up a rotisserie chicken for the second batch. Just a tip: This tasted wonderful and was easy! I will be going the rotisserie chicken route the next time I do this!

The second salad was a combination of Internet research, and personal preference!

Summer Pesto Caprese Salad

1 lb pasta (any shape!)
4 oz. pesto
3 tbsp garlic Olive oil (or add garlic to your saute pan if you use olive oil)
3 cups cherry tomatoes
salt
pepper
Italian seasoning mix
8 ounces fresh mozzarella balls
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan

Cook pasta. While this is cooking, saute tomatoes in olive oil. Once they have cooked, mash them up into a sauce. Once pasta has cooked, rinse with cold water to chill. To pasta, add tomato sauce, 4 oz. pesto, fresh mozzarella, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste! Let it chill over night to flavors can develop.
All plated up!

Finish the party with some sweet treats! We had pistachio dessert (sorry, no photo), store bought cupcakes that were delicious, and cookies I had made from refrigerated dough and those packs of dry mix you can get in the baking aisle (hey, what can I say? It was crunch time towards the end!)

My best and most sound advice when preparing for a party...prepare everything ahead of time! Get everything cut up, placed on trays, and what have you the night before. We even prepared the trays with olives and pickles and just wrapped them in saran wrap! And notice my cookie tins? Such a time saver! I had those babies lined up all pretty Thursday night! And good thing, cause we had not a minute to spare prior to the party!

Hope you enjoy the recipes and advice! I think hosting a party can be a really enjoyable experience! I just hate the cleanup!

I love magazines!

2011-08-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

Not a shower update, but a food update!

2011-08-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

yup, I promised you wedded bliss but I just have to sneak in a little food update!

First, I want to get something out there. I am on Weight Watchers. I follow it as a guideline, but sometimes I have a hard time sticking to it perfectly. But no matter what, Thursday hits, I weigh myself, reflect, and continue on my journey. It may be a slow journey, but I am doing it. I vow to not jump on here and say that I am jumping back on the wagon, or I am restarting up after a break, because in truth, that is not true. WW is always in the back of my mind, even if I am enjoying some birthday cake. And sometimes I splurge at night, and over do it, but my mind snaps me back into reality, and I get back to focusing on what I eat. In general, my 9-5 is pretty regimented...and most of my weeknights, it's just the weekends that bring on the trouble but slowly, over time, I might just get over that! lol...but in the meantime, I am trying to really stay focused in order to drop some lbs. prior to my aunt Kristie's wedding, so here are some of the wonders I have found and wanted to share with you!

Fiber One Brownie - 2pp...a great treat to curb a sweet tooth! Also pairs nice with light ice cream! Try this: 2pp brownie, 1/2 cup light vanilla ice cream, 1/2 cup-1 cup blackberries (or any berries for that matter!) 5pp of wonderfulness! Top with light chocolate syrup for a 6pp treat! It will fill you up along with filling every sweet desire and craving within you!

Country Hearth Light English Muff - 2pp!!!!!...wonderful with light butter for 3pp, and a dash of cinnamon sugar! Or maybe some Jam for another 3pp treat! Or how about a good old pb & j on English muffin for a filling 5pp sandwich! Want something hearty? Top with one prepared egg and a slice of light cheese for another 5pp sandwich! Ahhh, the possibilities!

An assortment of berries drizzled with 1pp worth of light chocolate syrup

Light string cheese (1pp) paired with an apple (0pp)! Yummy!

4 Water Crackers (2pp) paired with a slice of light cheese or cheese stick (1pp)

Enjoy! And happy snacking!

Wedding Shower and Graduation...oh my!

2011-08-22T07:00:00.001-07:00

I will have a lot to recap, and I won't get it all in right now, but this past weekend was a blast!

On Saturday I hosted a bridal shower for Krisite! It went so well and everyone had a great time. When hosting a party, that is really what you want so I would say it was all around successful! I will provide more details later and fill you in on what I did!

Then yesterday we celebrate Mikey's graduation/leaving for college with a low key, family and friends party. It was relaxing and fun with some great summer time food!

This week will be busy with flag football starting and the continuation of school work...oh, and Mikey leaving on Wednesday for school :(

Speaking of school work, did I let you all know that my computer got a virus and crashed? And that I have no way to download the special software I bought for this really wonderfully fantastic statistics class I have to take...yeah, that's been a peach!

More to come later tonight!

No longer at a loss for words...

2011-08-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

Loss is hard to stomach.

It is hard, painful, and just seems to stick around.

There is something that stings a bit more, especially when the individual is young. Especially when they had so much life to live.

I have known LeeAnn since 9th grade. She is my best friend, pretty much my twin. She is the girl who made her self at home the first time I brought her home. The girl who spent 4 nights a week at my house during high school, who would drive to school with me, share clothes with me, eat batches of puppy chow with me, buy groceries and pack cold lunches with me. The girl who is there, whenever, no matter the hour. The girl who shared her family with me, and I shared mine with her. The girl whose family is and always will be her everything.

LeeAnn lost her sister at the beginning of June. I lost a little girl who I had watched grow up. We lost a young, beautiful, insanely energetic Maddie.

Life has been different since her passing. I can be driving in the car, and my mind will wander for 20, 30 minutes. I will ponder what she was like, how lively and upbeat she was. I think about who she would have been, and where her life would have taken her. I hear certain songs on the radio, and they make my stomach turn. I find myself looking at facebook pictures and realize that 45 minutes has passed. I just get lost in the situation. I get caught up in her life.

I wish like nothing that we could rewind, that I could say something, that we could all have made her change her mind. I wish like everything inside of me that she wouldn't have taken her life. I wish I wouldn't have to watch my best friend and her family mourn. I wish I didn't have to watch her mom break down. I wish there were no memorial pictures on facebook, no picture montages online. I wish she was at home, with her family, right now, enjoying a warm August evening.

I wish the little girl who caught the bouquet at my wedding, was alive and well and thriving.
But since she is not, all I can do is pray with everything inside me that someday, her family won't hurt this bad. And I know it will come, but it sure is a rough journey.

The summer is hott...

2011-08-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

For birthdays that is!

Seriously, when July hits, I make sure I buy a host of cards and put away a little extra money for treats and gifts!

NOT that treats and gifts are expected, but it is something I personally enjoy doing! So in true Adara fashion, I am late in recognizing, but no less appreciative of these people in my life and the special day they have celebrated in the last two months!

So a big happy birthday to...

My dad Chris
My father-in-law Denis
My brother Michael
My best friend Tonya
My best friend LeeAnn
My cousin Ryan
My sister-in-law Laine
My dog-in-law Fu
My mom Joni
My soon to be cousin Dawson
My best friend Laura (who celebrates her birthday today)

and I will round out my birthday wishes by getting a head start on wishing my Grandma Lainy an early Happy Birthday...she will be celebrating her day of birth on September 3rd!

If I missed anyone, I apologize...please let me know and also understand that keeping track of this many birthdays is fricken crazy! But also a blessing!

Happy Birthday Everyone!

Cats...

2011-08-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

Growing up, we always had a cat in the house...in fact, at one point we had three! Jigs was the first, then I think came Whitey, followed by Patches. Whitey was my cat. I was around 3 when my mom picked him up, battered and neglected at the local gas station, set to die the next morning at the owner's hands. My parents have always had a place in their heart for neglected animals, so there was no way Whitey was being left behind.

For the next 17 years, Whitey followed me everywhere, slept on my head, and licked my hair (I know, weird, but also comforting). I loved them all, but they also had their issues. All three were males and had the great quality of marking their territory. That, coupled with the mass amounts of hair that covered the house and the wonderful smell of the litter box, made me swear that I would not own a cat when I grew up. Even though I loved them, and the personalities they have, I was determined to own dogs!

However, I am here today to let you all know, that I am, and always will be, a cat lady! I thought I could switch my preference, but I can't! And the funny thing is, I never considered myself a cat person. Even though I was dressing Whitey up in doll clothes (and yes, he was a boy, but his complexion made him look great in pink ruffles!), carrying him around the house in baskets, and sharing my cereal and chex mix with him. Oh no, I was simply being nice. I would tell everyone and their mother that I was not a cat person, I just happened to have a best friend who was a cat. And Whitey was my best friend.

A funny memory of Whitey was when my sister and I shared a room. Whitey would always hop onto my bed and if Kory was being a brat, I would start telling Whitey secrets to make Kory mad. He was my partner in crime!

And when he passed, I lost someone very special to me. Someone who had grown up with me, someone who had helped me through some rough times. I spent a few years pondering where to bury Whitey, but I just hated the thought of putting him in the ground. One summer I came home from college and knew that it was time to find him a permanent home. We had planted a few trees for other pets and placed their ashes in the soil and I knew Whitey would want to be outside. So we went a picked out a tree, and Whitey was finally at peace.

And he got a cute little sign that needs to be fixed but it says, "Cats leave pawprints on our hearts."And even though I denied the fact that I was in love with cats, I guess God had a different plan. Shortly after getting married, Chaz and I knew we wanted to add to our Durgin clan. We looked at small dogs, and big dogs, and fish, and mice, and ferrats (that one is all mine!). Chaz came across some cats online and after discussing it to the extreme, we decided to get a cat as that is what our apartment allowed. Little did we know that we would be blessed with this lovely lady!

But Faith was going to be it! No more animals until we could get a dog! But I guess my parents need to help animals passed on to me cause when I heard this old girl (she's around 11) needed a home or she would be put down, I just knew she was coming home with me!

And both our girls have made our home even more enjoyable then it was before. We love cuddling them and fawning over them, giving them treats and playing with toys.
And even up till now, it has been hard to admit I am a cat lady. But with these two beauties around, I can't help but realize that I really am a cat lady...probably for life!

How could I not be when I get to come home to this cute mug!

So happy...

2011-08-09T15:21:00.001-07:00

I share a lot on my blog. While of course there are many days I don’t write, and sometimes a certain event is not relevant anymore, I am not one to keep too much bottled up. I have shared that Chaz has been looking for a job for a long time. Months, in fact, I imagine we are nearing a year. And it has been a hard, long road. But luckily, thankfully, blessedly, Chaz has landed a job! We are all excited for the opportunity, albeit a bit nervous for this new adventure. Wish us, but mostly Chaz, luck and well wishes on this next chapter in our lives!

August goals....

2011-08-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

August is here, and while I wish we weren’t nearing the end of summer, I have decided that instead of loathing it, I am going to rock it! I have some great plans along with some fun goals for the future month! ·

Workout at least 5 days a week (doing good thus far!)·

Make a bunch of healthy recipes·

Watch some movies I have been meaning to watch·

Finish the book I started in June (if I was not in school, books would get completed much faster…kind of looking forward to graduating next May!)·

Host a bridal shower·

Continue to be successful with Weight Watchers·

Start flag football and really make an effort to understand what the fudge nugget is going on ·

Help Mike prepare to leave for college·

Plan a few trips to visit Mike and Tonya· Stay on top of my homework·

Go out to breakfast with Chaz a few weekend mornings·

Actually bring the pile of clothes that don’t fit to a donation drop off·

Plan our next trip·

Give my cats a bath (they will hate me, but I will love how they will be so fresh and so clean clean!)

WW Peach Crisp

2011-08-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

Oh hello…yep, still here…just been a bit busy. And, well…I have actually just taken some time to relax. And for me, blogging can be relaxing, but it can also be another thing on my already too crammed plate. I need to learn to not take on so much, but I almost can’t help it. I think I have an addiction to “doing”. Hello, my name is Adara, and I can’t sit still. Seriously, come hang out for an hour. You’ll see what I mean!

School is going better. After donating almost all of last Sunday to reading and listening to online lectures, I have a slightly better understanding. Instead of knowing absolutely nothing at all, I at least know a few terms now…like one or two. Do you know we all use the word statistic wrong? Yep, pretty confusing! I can’t even explain it to you it is that confusing. Maybe the next time I have my book open and if I run across it I will fill you in!

I have had a few weekends at home which has just been wonderful (maybe I am learning not to cram my plate full!). I have spent some time with friends, mowed my parents lawn, worked on homework, taken in some movies, and worked out. I took a hiatus from WW the past few months but that is now back in full swing and so is my running! I suffered a bum knee after my half marathon but now I am feeling pretty good out on the pavement! And my new running buddy Thomas keeps me trucking. He runs the same pace as me…SLOW…which I appreciate!

So, thus far on the Weight Watcher trek…I was down 25. I gained back 7? And now I am back down one with my weigh in taking place tomorrow! Wish me luck! I had some gummy worms attack me this afternoon and we went out to dinner for my mom’s birthday but hopefully all the eating right and working out led to something! And if not, while then I just keep trucking! It is easy to live a fulfilling life with nummy foods and that is what I have to keep in mind! So with that, I leave you with a delicious recipe on found on one of my favorite blogs!

Disclaimer: Here’s a really good 4p+ peach crisp and you could easily make with apples in the fall for an apple crisp! I think 6-8 peaches is better…10 was too many and took forever to cook down and even then, they were not as soft…I made with less and it turned out better! OR, if you have a bigger pie plate or pan, use that!

Peach Crisp

Ingredients:

Serves 6

1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter
10 medium peaches
2 tbsp white sugar

Directions: Cut the peaches into slices and place in a pie plate. Sprinkle 2 tbs of white sugar over peaches. Mix oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut 2 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and use two forks or a pastry cutter to mix butter into oat mixture. Cover the peaches with the oat mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Nutritional informationCalories 142 , Total Fat 4.3g, Sodium 31mg, Total Carbohydrates 25.0g, Dietary Fiber 1.0g, Protein 1.5g4 points + per serving

http://shannonskitchencreations.com/2011/07/18/picking-fresh-fruit-and-amazing-peach-crisp/

I hate numbers....

2011-07-25T21:46:00.000-07:00

ugh....I am crying my eye balls right out of my head at this very moment because school has started and it is hard and time consuming and a huge pain in my perfectly proportioned arse. And I am not physically crying as much as I am crying on the inside. I can honestly say that I probs hate this class the most. Generally I love school and I seek out the opportunity to learn something interesting and take it all in. But not this one...I hate it...I just want to survive it. Why do I hate it so? You might ask. Cause its statistics and I do. That's all. Anyone taken statistics? Anyone liked it? You're fricken crazy.

HOWEVER, I will not let this little biatch of a class bring me down. I am going to devote time to it each night. I am going to stay on top of it. I am going to call into the optional phone in sessions. I am going to listen, read, and hope for the next 7 weeks to move at a slightly faster pace then usual...oh f that, that means wishing away summer. Can't a girl catch a break.

Looking forward to figuring out graduation details in the near future though! I graduate in May and have the option to do either a graduation ceremony in San Antonio Texas in February or the MN in August....DUH! Texas it is! VACAY!

(It's the little things!)

iced coffee lovin and mac computers...

2011-07-19T18:15:00.001-07:00

SO the last two days have been nothing but Weight Watchers and nothing but love for Weight Watchers. After getting off track for like two weeks, three weeks, ok, maybe two months or so, I have just been craving to dive in head first. It's just those late night snack attacks that catch me off guard. Well, I am here to vocalize that I want nothing more then to reduce those late night snack attacks. I don't mind small late night snack attacks but the attack where I eat something sweet, then switch to salty, and then need to switch back to sweet...that craps gotta stop.

Both today and yesterday I have been so busy at work that I have come home with over half my points still in tact, yet I just get hit with the munchies. Last night I used 10 weekly points...and tonight, at 8:15, I am into my weekly points by one...and for tonight, that is all it will be. I had dinner, my light ice cream with strawberries and chocolate syrup, and now I am done! Let's hope putting it out in the open will help it come true...I mean, I am fricken full so I can't even justify a snack attack!

And i have to share with you my morning coffee wonderfulness...that is what I am naming it! I have iced coffee that I keep in the fridge. I brew a very Strong pot of coffee (for 10 cups of coffee I use 3/4 cup of grounds). I put it in the fridge for the week, then in the morning, put it in a water bottle with ice cubes, 1 tbsp. International Delight Natural Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer and 1 tbsp Chocolate syrup for an amazing 2p+ coffee! And I fill my Camelbak so it is a big, perfectly sweet cup of wonderfulness! So GOOD, and SOOOO much cheaper then a daily coffee run! Having it in a water bottle also allows me to refrigerate some for later in the afternoon!

Other then that, life right now is homework, and surviving some ridic heat here in the MN! Chaz is a proud owner of a MAC computer however so that is something to celebrate! That and we celebrate 9 years and 3 months of being together today...so even though life is simple, it is so full of blessings!

Monday Monday...getting on track!

2011-07-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

Ah Monday. Like always, I wish the weekend would last longer. I wish I could have one extra day to check stuff off my wish list and of course, find more time to relax. But it’s Monday, and the week is started, so I just have to jump right in!

Today I was overly prepared for my day by packing breakfast, lunch, a snack, and making iced coffee. I really want to continue to track my food intake, something I have so been lacking on! In addition, I am gonna rock some great workouts as often as I can this week!

I have started my statistics course however and it is a bit nerve racking. I had to download some special software and I can’t even get it to work so that is a good sign right? Lol…wish me luck!

I have a week filled with friends, working out, and doing some prep work for Kristie’s wedding! Last week I got my dress and this week I am going to focus on shower invites! And tomorrow is also a fun day in the Durgin household. Chaz and I will celebrate 9 years and 3 months together! We're getting up there!

Wedding tip of the day: When registering, register for more than you would think. People want variety and the ability to pick out a special gift, and in addition, you don’t want it to be the week before and have nothing left for people to chose from. Believe me, not everyone will go the gift card route. You may end up with a homemade toaster cover (do people use those anymore!?) lol!

A much needed Sunday...

2011-07-17T21:38:00.000-07:00

I love Sunday's. Definitely not because they are the end of the weekend and Monday is looming just around the corner, but they are truly a day to relax and slow down. Today I failed to truly relax. Well, I guess I did sleep till around noon, but it was a busy day!

Like I said, I slept till noon. Sort of. I woke up at 10, came upstairs, and decided to crawl back into D. lo's bed for an extra hour or so. I slept on and off until Chaz and I decided to head out to Buffalo. I had planned to help my parents with some chores, and in addition, I just needed some family time. We had a great, really late brunch when we arrived, then I headed to the basement to clean the insanely gross laundry room. It was quite a task and took me till dinner time but I definitely felt accomplished once it was completed.

Then we did what everyone should do on Sunday. We had a wonderful family dinner prepared by my mom. Everyone was happy and chatty and life was just good. And I love those kind of days. I NEEDED one of those days.

So now it is off to another week. I am looking forward to it. I have eaten my way through the weekend and now need to really focus on working out and eating right. Two things I love but have a hard time doing on a daily basis.

So goodnight, and here's to a great week. My healthy lunch is packed, my bag is ready to go, and I am all cleaned up after a day of hard work. Wish me luck on eating right tomorrow! On that note, I will leave you with a wonderful, filling, healthy snack! Light String cheese 1p+, 100 calorie pack almonds 3p+! Nummy!

I am...

2011-07-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

I am 25...I love running, and working out, but I have to motivate myself like crazy. I love to cook. I love to bake even more. I love being crafty but have a hard time finishing a project. In some areas of my life I am insanely organized, yet in other areas (ie. my room), I love being messy. I love watching chick flicks but secretly enjoy the occasional action film. I love kids but prefer when they are clean and if the are a baby, have a fresh diaper on. I can't wait to have kids but have no problem waiting till I feel more secure. I love massages...yet I have only had one in my life (very memorable experience!). I wish I could go shopping everyday. I never wanted to be a cat lady, but I totally am. I love sun, and heat...not insane heat, but I do enjoy a good 80-90 degree day. I eat ice cream almost every night before bed. My favorite dessert is apple pie, cold, with vanilla ice cream. I love being with my family, my in-laws, and my best friends...with these people, I feel completely comfortable. I hate when bugs are inside the house. Outside, fine. Inside, I will work my best to get you outside but if you flip a shiznit, your dead! I swear more then I should. I have started to like eating seafood more. I buy organic as much as possible. I like eating healthy, natural foods. I always have painted toes. I have a sick obsession with weddings, even if I don't know the person. I say prayers each night before bed and list off my entire family. I love grocery shopping but I really dislike putting grocery's away. I have a hard time relaxing...I always have to be doing something.

a little under the weather...

2011-07-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

I have not been feeling to hot. In fact, I have been feeling pretty crummy. So crummy, in fact, that it is beautiful outside and I couldn't help but dress like this.

And I added these for a little extra comfort...
Yep, those are thick winter slippers.
Good thing the air is on or I imagine my outfit would have to look a bit different and I may not be as comfortable. So while I may be wheezing and hacking and creating a sculpture with all my used Kleenexes, I am at the very least comfortable.

I would imagine it has something to do with my crazy week last week, or maybe my body just thinks it's cool to freak out and get a sore throat/head cold combo in the summer time. I will never know. What I do know? It better knock it off!

Christmas in July...hell no

2011-07-10T21:05:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is Monday...I have no clue where the weekend went, or last week, or the first part of summer. It all just flies by and melds into one cluster of crazy business and while I am super excited and loving every moment of my crazy busy summer, I can't help but feel a little melancholy about the fact that we are quickly approaching the middle of July which somehow leads us to Halloween and pretty soon we are singing jingle bells (this could also be due to the fact that Christmas music now starts in early November).

This week alone has been so full of excitement, adventure, and nerves that I have no clue where it went! On Monday I ran a 1/2 Marathon...more on that later. And Tuesday I started a new position! I got promoted to a Sr. Plannogram Specialist...I will be working with the placement of products in the store. I am very excited for this new chapter, even though I really miss my old team and handbags! It is nice to be rewarded for hard work however and the compliments and praise I got through this whole process will keep me chugging along for quite some time.

Wednesday I also got to check another thing off of my bucket list. I saw Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears in concert! While I love them both, growing up with Britney Spears made me extra excited to see her perform. When she hopped on the crazy lady train a few years back, I wasn't sure I would ever get the chance to see her live, but alas, I did, and while she was a bit robotic and tense, she looked great and the show was entertaining! Plus I was with some amazing ladies! Then Chaz and I spent the weekend in Wisconsin with our friends Laura and Dave and we couldn't have asked for a better weekend! I came home with a summer cold but I am sure that is just my body telling me to take it slow after all the excitement. I made sure to party it up however, taking in the rope swing, a few margaritas, and a few competitive games. And nothing is better then hanging out with good friends and just enjoying life!

And yes, then there is that run...that 1/2 Marathon. While I can't say I ran an entire 1/2 Marathon, I can say I probably ran about 2/3 of it. Had I not been attacked by a strong case of nerves, and a sudden panic attack, I may have done better, but I am still so proud of accomplishing this goal. I finished, and I wasn't the last one to cross the finish line, so I am happy! And I ran it with my wonderful mother who so could have rocked the race at a much faster pace, but stayed with me so we could complete it together. I am proud of the fact that I completed it. I am proud that I ran the first 6 to 7 miles almost completely with only one bathroom stop and one water break. And I am proud that I did not have my husband or dad come pick me up at mile 7 when I just broke down from STRESS/EXCITEMENT/PRESSURE/IHAVENOCLUE!

This week thus far is looking a little more chill. My knees have been killing me since the race but I did a small run tonight and I am looking forward to some more running this week. Plus classes have started and I am taking a very scary statistics class so I am going to but some time and effort into getting that started on the right foot this week.

On a side note: Thanks to everyone for the support during my 1/2 Marathon Training...I could not have done it without you! I am pretty lucky!

what up icy hot!

2011-07-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

I RAN A 1/2 MARATHON!!! (ok, I probs only ran like 2/3 of it but it was a great accomplishment!)

And I am still so beat, I can't even update you on all the excitement...my bed is calling my weary body to sleep...so I say good night, and I promise to update soon! Me and my icy hot coated knees are hittin the sheets!

weekend update with Adara...

2011-06-26T18:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend was nothing short of splendid!

On Friday I put in a 9+ mile run with my mom. It was ridiculously hard, and at mile 8 I wanted to keel over from lack of fuel, but I finished and it was a great accomplishment! Then my night took me out with my Auggie ladies for another great night on the town! We always have such a good time and I look forward to every weekend we hang out!

Saturday I went to the Pride Festival in Loring park to watch my friend Amy perform. I have always been accepting of anyone from the GLBT community but this weekend just cemented even further how these individuals have been deprived too much. My goal in life is to be happy and respected and I want that for all other individuals. I see no reason that we deprive these people the right to marry their partner. I don't give a shit who you are, anyone who is in a loving, committed, wonderful relationship should be allowed to bond them self to another individual. I want others to have what I have. I feel so blessed everyday for my husband. He is truly the most caring, enduring, loving man and the comfort I feel with him is amazing. We made a commitment to one another, to love, cherish, and care for one another until we part in death. That right should be given to everyone. We deny these individuals from marrying, yet we allow abusive men to take wives, manipulative women to take husbands, and older individuals to marry underage individuals. As long as a relationship is positive and loving and both individuals are respected, I don't give a crap who is marrying who...and that is where I stand.

Now stepping off my soap box, Saturday night concluded with a wonderful dinner with my husband. When we lived in our apartment, one of us would declare it a night out for dinner and take to the Internet to find an interesting place to eat. A place we have never been to. Since moving in the with the D. Lo, we really have not done this so Saturday night we decided it was time to get back into the swing of things!

We ended up at Psycho Suzi's! SO MUCH FUN! The atmosphere is that of a tropical resort! We both commented on how it felt like when we went to dinner at the Hilton Resort in Hawaii during out honeymoon. And to add to the authenticity, I was wearing a dress I bought on our honeymoon!

We ended up being there for over two hours. It was hella packed but that added to the atmosphere. the food is general American fare. Burgers and Pizza and we started with an appetizer of cheese curds and pickle roll ups! How cool! While it sounds pretty normal, the food was far from your everyday burger and apps! It was so flavorful and delicious...everything we ate was top notch!

We then ended our evening with a drive around Minneapolis, looking at the river and the beautiful condos around it. This too is a favorite past time of ours. And we are dreamers so what better way to dream then looking at ridiculously beautiful and VERY expensive river front condos! We are glutton's for punishment!

The weekend ended with my mom and I going back down to pride to see Amy, then headed to Calhoun to do a nice easy 5k. It is crazy, but the more I run, the more I look forward to a nice relaxing 5k...I never thought I would say that! I just really enjoy hitting the pavement!

Now I am off to enjoy a nice dinner of chicken drummies and pasta salad with the husband! Thanks for Laura and Dave making us chicken drummies one night for dinner, we are now obsessed and love eating them often!

taking a break...

2011-06-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

So today was a great day of tracking my food intake with WW! I really love when I have a successful day and remember to track everything! I enjoyed a movie and dinner out with Alyssa tonight! Just an fyi, Sunmaid Raisinettes are 4p+ for 30...a very nice movie treat and I do not feel deprived! Of course I am also not opposed to sneaking in my own bag of light popcorn but with dinner at CPK before hand, that was not necessary this time!

Last night I did the 30 day shred and it was a nice break from running. And I had planned to do it again today, however, my mom and I are going to meet for our big run tomorrow so I decided that I would take the day off and really give my foot some rest. I just don't get what is up with it. One minute it will feel fine and the next, it feels like a muscle is pulled or something. I am icing, rolling my foot on a tennis ball, and of course resting it so let's hope it pays off! And good thing I am getting a big run in tomorrow cause I am going out with my Auggie ladies tomorrow night and may have a few drinks! Not too many though as Saturday morning I will be up bright and early for a 5k in Sauk Rapids!

Oh yeah, and did I forget to mention that I got promoted at work? I am moving to a new department on the 5th of July! I will be working with store presentation and am super excited for this new adventure!

In addition, Chaz could use some prayers, thoughts, and good vibes. He has been working tirelessly to find a job and nothing is seeming to budge. It is getting just a bit ridiculous over here! So thoughts and prayers would be much appreciated!

peaches...

2011-06-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

Last night I had an amazing run and was really proud of myself for not letting the weather get in the way. I am finding as I log more mile outdoors, I am not a huge fan of running on the treadmill. Needless to say, when I arrived home, there was a break in the rain and the sky cleared up a bit, so I decided to head out. I told the husband my running plan so he could come out in case of bad weather and off I went.

Last week I bought new running shoes, ones with more cushion: Asics Gels. They are much heavier then my Nike Free Runs so I almost feel like I am re-training but honestly, the Nike Free Runs got me where I am and for that I am grateful. I just can’t risk using that little of support on my long runs. Anyhoo, with this whole retraining thing, my first few miles are a bit hard. Whereas I used to punch out 3-4 miles with no stops, I am now having to stop and do some leg stretching. Last night was as usual, the first two miles were little biatches, but then I found my flow! It was an amazing feeling to really empower myself to keep going and in addition, for my body to just get comfortable and happy. Honestly, when running, that happens! You get to a point where your body just gets comfortable and is ready to keep going! I did my run and thought when I mapped it out that it was around 6 miles but I must have missed part of it or calculated incorrectly cause the run ended up being 4.27 miles…that part sucked a bit cause I could have kept going but I am looking forward to my next run and in a few more days, I will try and log a longer run! With my half marathon less than two weeks away, this girl has got to get her shiznit together!

Wednesday 6/22 - 30 Day Shred (letting foot rest, outter edge acting up)
Thursday 6/23 – 30 Day Shred (still more rest! gotta be safe!)
Friday 6/24 – Rest
Saturday 6/25 – 5k in St. Cloud
Sunday 6/26 – 8-10 mile run (let’s hope I don’t die)
Monday 6/27 – Cross training at gym…30 day shred video
Tuesday 6/28 – 5-6 mile run
Wednesday 6/29 – 4 mile run
Thursday 6/30 – 2 mile run
Friday 7/1 – 1.5 mile run
Saturday 7/2 – Rest and Yoga
Sunday 7/3 – Rest
Monday 7/4 – Half Marathon (Happy 4th of July!)

And just one more thing, peaches are really in season! So much in season, I am pretty sure my mouth is sore from the acid as I have been eating so many!

Happy Belated Father's Day to some cool dudes!

2011-06-20T21:02:00.000-07:00

I am lucky to have some true gentlemen in my life.

Ones who no matter what they are feeling, take time to care, appreciate, send cards on your birthday, and sign everything with love.

Ones who make you laugh. Ones who aren't afraid to cry. Ones that nourish and provide.

Ones that no matter what, their main priority is their family.

There are some dumb men out there, but I am damn lucky to be surrounded by ones who are sincere and honest, ones who you can really look up to, ones who have changed the mold!

Happy Father's Day!

blessings...

2011-06-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a magical night...just a boat load of family fun and togetherness. We met my cousins and aunt to pick out a wedding dress for her (Yes! She is engaged!). And I am over the moon stoked to have a new wedding to provide advice for (or help plan!). I really must consider this as a future profession!

We went to a shop in St. Paul but due to the fact that we need the dress in 4 months, they really could not work within the time constraints. That, and the lady helping us was a Royal Biatch! We found a dress my aunt liked, but she didn't feel amazing in it so we headed over to a shop in St. Louis Park quickly before they closed. The whole experience was completely opposite!

They had racks of dresses that were ready for trying on. Tons of options, not to mention a group of overly helpful staff members doting on Kristie as she was the only bride there. Her first dress was the one, and we all knew it, but she tried on a few more just to be sure. Needless to say, she bought the one!

After that we celebrated with a large family dinner at Pizza Luce. My Aunt, cousins, grandma, mom, Thomas and husband. It was a joyous event. We were all happy and smiling. And it really made me realize how lucky and blessed we are!

this shit is amazing...

2011-06-14T19:59:00.000-07:00

My friends, head to the itunes store of you computer's Itunes. Type in yoga download, and download the free podcasts. There are a crap load, and I mean one large pile of podcasts, and under each podcast is a visual of the different poses. This is amazingness. Never mind the fact that I am always looking for a variety of yoga options cause I get bored. This will be great motivation to work out when I travel or go on vacation...Itunes has made it so easy, and it is free!

counting my blessings...

2011-06-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

I know that no matter what I go through, no matter how hard life can be, I am one lucky individual. I have the love of an amazing husband, the support of a great family, and the enjoyment brought from my circle of friends. There are ups and downs, and the sun is not always shining, but I get to wake every morning, go to a job I love, one that provides me with security. I get to come home to my husband, my grandma, and our cats. I get to spend my weekends with my family and friends, and I am blessed to be active and workout, and pursue opportunities, like training for a half marathon.

I think I can...

2011-06-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

I think I can 100% say that I have not followed WW for over a month…while a few mornings a week I pop on and fill out the online tracker, I generally forget to go back later and complete my day, and therefore consume much more than I used to. When I don’t track, I forget about those little snack choices made throughout the day and I just can’t seem to get myself back in the motion of writing everything down so those little choices don’t end up being added pounds. I don’t want or need to be insanely strict, but I feel like every night I tell myself I will track the next day, and every day, I fail to track all day. I just need to get back in the groove…I need to get back to paying attention.

Luckily my working out has not faltered too much. I did go through a few weeks where I was only working out once or twice a week but now I am back to working out every day, except once or twice a week. I am training for a half marathon, and that has helped me get motivated, but I just need to really find my niche again. In reality, WW is pretty easy. There are so many foods that I can walk up to right now and know the points off hand. So why is it so hard? Still trying to figure this out but I was reading a blog today that said, you will fail if you have an all or nothing attitude….I refuse to have that attitude. So it has been a hard month. So I have eaten more points and not lost weight. I just have to keep trucking along, my head clear and focused, and jump right back on…maybe that is the key. Maybe in order to make this a lifestyle change, you have moments, weeks, months that you maybe lose focus, but at some point, before it is too late, before all your work is lost, you jump back and smack yourself back into place.

Uh, all a pain in my tush! I did get a new pair of running shoes though! Oh, so pretty! Not gonna lie, with big feet like mine, they never really offer you the cute shoes because the cute shoes never come in Giant size…but this may be proof that they now do! My mom always taught me, it is about the best shoe, not looks, therefore I just go in and ask for the best running shoe in my size. Yesterday I got the best shoe, and they are pretty cute! Win win for Adara!

just there...

2011-06-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

So yeah, the roller coaster of life sure can take some dips. I have been absent this past week from blogging as I was helping my best friend LeeAnn deal with the death of her sister. It was really hard to see LeeAnn go through this pain, and it was really hard to see a bright, fiery, 15-year old girl who will not get to flourish and succeed as she was supposed to. To all my friends and family, please know that you are never alone. There is always someone who cares, always someone to listen.

It is nice to be back to a routine today. I was excited to get back to work and tonight I will go for a nice run. It is super hot and muggy here in the MN so I will have to log this run on the treadmill, which kind of sucks as I am hoping to log my longest run yet. Last Wednesday, my mom and I signed up for a half marathon taking place on July 4th…I have a shit load of work to get up to that point!

I am also back to taking WW more seriously…I have not been very strict with myself the last month and if I were to be honest, I have not really been strict the last two months! But I am ready to jump back in and luckily, I have only put on about 3 pounds. When I eat crap, I just feel heavy and bloated, so for myself, my body, and my sanity, it is just time to hop back on!

We did get to take a break over this sad weekend and head up north to Ely with Laura, Dave, Tonya and Hija…it was an amazing trip and I will put some pics up later this week…a much needed break and something to take my mind off of the tragedy effecting LeeAnn…my mind never wandered far from her though…it is hard to be on vacation while your best friend is hurting…thank Gosh for cell service in Ely so I could at least keep up with her.

life...

2011-05-31T18:58:00.000-07:00

I generally keep an upbeat and positive attitude, even in the face of downers and negativity. I think that also comes across in my blog. It is more upbeat, and bright, but that does not mean that I live a life with no hardships. In fact, I deal with a crap load of crap, but I have learned over the course of my quarter century here on earth that you just have to push through and create your own destiny. Easier said than done, I realize, but I do think it is worth fighting for.

When the man and I moved in and got married, we had both been recently laid off. Despite this fact, we totally enjoyed the process of moving in together and really relished the time we had. Of course I needed a few weeks to get used to living with a boy, but it didn’t take long to fall into a routine.

I soon after received a job offer, and we decided that Chaz would go back to school. And from then on out, it just all seemed too perfect. We would go for walks in the evening, try out different restaurants in the area, putz around our 500 square foot apartment. It was even exciting that Chaz found something to study that he truly enjoyed!

Now life is not meant to remain at a constant perfect. There are too many variables and you just have to jump on and go with the flow. We are kind of in a rut right now. Chaz is about to graduate and has been looking for a job since last October with little movement. He did get a part time gig delivering newspapers but hardly enough of a challenge or way of support. It is really difficult, on both of us, but honestly, it really has been a downer for Chaz. He is not himself with all the worrying and stress, and rightfully so. I hope and pray that something moves in a positive direction. I continue to remain upbeat and positive but it can be hard to do that all the time, and let’s be real, that can sometimes get annoying for the other individual!

So keep us in your thoughts. We are so lucky to have each other and our supportive family and friends...we really could not ask for more...well, maybe a job for Chaz!

Blueberry Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread Muffins!...

2011-05-30T19:32:00.001-07:00

Yum!

END Post...Just kidding!

There is this great Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread recipe posted on http://www.danicasdaily.com/ that I absolutely love! And I love it even more in muffin form. A few days ago I decided to add some blueberries to give it some more umph and see if I could rock some extra fruit in the muffin. Verdict: I love them even more! Here is the recipe Danica has posted. I added 5 or 6 blueberries to half the batch...I could see adding even more!

Danica's Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Golden Brown Sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large egg
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
4 medium banana, mashed
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp table salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp roasted & roughly chopped walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×5 pan with nonstick spray.
2. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla and banana.
3. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt until combined. Fold in walnuts until combined.
4. Pour in pan, top with additional 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts and bake 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Want to make Banana Nut Muffins? Follow the instructions above including sprinkle the muffin tops with chopped walnuts. Spray 14 muffin tin cups with nonstick spray and bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

ENJOY!

Makes 14 nice size slices, 5 points+ each

Nutritional information per slice (using caloriecount.com):
233 Calories, 11 g Fat, 4.6 g Sat Fat, 0 g Transfat, 48 mg Cholesterol, 142 mg Sodium, 31.1 g Carbohydrates, 3 g Fiber, 15 g sugar, 5 g Protein

Your pan will be very full with batter before you bake it.