thankful week 30

This week was my one and only little brother's birthday!!  Happy birthday, Georgio.  Love you and hope you had a great day.  I'm thankful you're my brother :)

I'm also thankful for...

...a phone date with this lovely lady.  Check out her blog for some amazing photos and art.  Can't wait to see you soon, Sallie!

...time after work with another great girlfriend.  It's always a joy to catch up on life with people you care about but don't see often.  Thanks for making the time to see me, Erin! 

...my husband and his patience.  I get a little frustrated sometimes with this new golf hobby, and he is the best teacher.  Have you ever tried to learn something from a spouse?  It seems to make my inner brat rear his ugly head at times continually. 

...energy for a cleaning spree!  Sometimes I just get that cleaning itch.  Shower curtains are washed, base boards are scrubbed, random things are spray painted, new candles are set out...I love the fresh feeling of a thoroughly cleaned house!

...a nice walk on the treadmill instead of a morning run.  When sore muscles are present, I like to indulge in taking a day off from the pounding of running or intensity of spinning.  A little incline means the heart still gets pumping, but having the discipline to say "slow down" and "take it easy" is a great thing.

...all of you amazing blog friends for showing me so much love and support on the new twitter and facebook.  Love y'all!  Here's to more ways to get connected!

...an incredibly meaningful Sunday at church.  Our church is such an interesting place with amazing music, inspiring art, and honest speakers.  The super talented guy who normally paints during the service each week was preaching on Sunday, and his words definitely spoke to me.  His reminder that the Gospel can be boiled down to Jesus' words "Come to me" has been ringing in my head all week.  Thanks, Scott, for bringing it!

Weekly workouts:

• Friday 7/22 - REST
• Saturday 7/23 - taught 60 minute cycle class + golf
• Sunday 7/24 - 1 hour body pump + taught 55 minute cycle class
• Monday 7/25 - 6 mile run (easy)
• Tuesday 7/26 - taught 75 minute cycle class + 45 minute body pump
• Wednesday 7/27 - 50 minute walk at 8.0 incline + 50 push ups and planks + golf
• Thursday 7/28 - taught 75 minute cycle class + 45 minute body pump

Want more Sam before the weekend?!  Check out my guest post over on Corey's blog today.  My favorite no-equipment-needed workout to do at home!

health and fitness link love part 2



via

 Guess what?! My little blog decided to finally join the twitter and facebook parties. 

And now, a few links for your reading pleasure:

6 reasons exercise benefits you

Repetitive foods may lead to weight loss

Have you tried Pure Barre yet?

Tips for exercising in the heat

300lb student exercised in secret

Scientific method to weight loss using a metabolic chamber to test weight loss theories

A few exercises to do while sitting at a desk

ATTENTION SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BLOGGERS: please check out this event to help the Berry Family.  Attend if you can, get the word out and pray for the family.

"Over the July 4th weekend, the Berry Family of Houston, TX was driving back from a family vacation in Colorado when their car was struck in a head-on collision.  Parents Joshua and Robin were tragically killed, leaving behind their children Peter age 9, Aaron age 8, and Willa age 6.  The two boys are now paralyzed from the waist down and all three children will need financial support for current rehabilitation and future growth."
More info here.

ice cream crepe

Bennett is the genius behind this glorious summer treat.  Using leftover crepes from our vegetable lunch crepes, he stuffed them with ice cream, drizzled on some magic shell, froze them for a couple of minutes, and gobbled them up!  Easy as pie (only, A LOT easier than actually making pie)...

Ice Cream Crepe

2 scoops of your favorite ice cream (B went with mint chocolate chip)

Chocolate magic shell

Crepe (recipe here)

Stick your plate in the freezer for a few minutes before starting. Scoop ice cream into the crepe, wrap up and place seam side down on the plate.  Drizzle with magic shell and return to the freezer for a few more minutes.  Enjoy!!

blogger confessions part 4



a sassy picture is only appropriate for a confessions post

 I can fall asleep anywhere at any time.  The number of times my poor husband has had to re-watch movies with me because I fell asleep just as they were getting started is absolutely shameful.

As a kid, I would try to fail the eyesight test every year.  I wanted glasses SO much.  I finally bought some fake ones as a 16 year old.  Now, just as I realize my face is actually much more attractive without glasses, I'm realizing I can't really see when driving at night...

After discovering what a Magic Eraser could do to our previously stained bathtub, I just sat and stared at the sparkling tub for much longer than I'd like to admit.  I have no idea what those things are made of, but I'm starting to think they named it very appropriately.

Bennett and I have been on a kick of watching seasons of TV shows at a time.  After 12 episodes in a row, we start to feel like we're actually friends with the characters.  It only becomes weird when we start wondering what Marshall and Lily might be up to or mention that Liz Lemon would really love whatever it is that we're eating...

I have major radio channel ADD and flip and flip until I find either a Katy Perry or Kei$ha song.  I would be ashamed, except I catch my very musical husband doing the same thing.  The songs are just way too catchy to not love!!

part 1
part 2
part 3

thai steak salad

I almost didn't post this recipe because the dressing that went with it was such a fail, but Bennett did such a great job cooking the steak to go on top, that I couldn't leave it out!  We ended up using a ginger dressing I had in the fridge instead of the fish sauce and lime dressing I had planned to make.  Can someone tell me if fish sauce is supposed to smell that repulsive?!

Thai Steak Salad

12oz beef sirloin, 1" thick, trimmed

salt and pepper

1 medium melon or 1 large mango, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

6 cups lettuce, torn

1/2 cup slivered red onion

1/2 cup thin cucumber slices, halved

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn

Preheat pan (or grill) to medium.  Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper.  Cook steak about 6-7 minutes per side for medium.  Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing crosswise.  Combine remaining ingredients, toss with dressing, and top with steak.

thankful week 29

my favorite pin of the week via

Yay for Friday!!  I feel like this week has flown by.  Today I'm thankful for...

...Pad Thai date nights with my husband.  We're loving getting it to-go from Pei Wei combined with a cozy night on the couch. And by cozy I mean fan on full blast and not touching so as to keep our body heat to ourselves.

...my very own set of golf clubs!!  We found some used ladies ones for cheap, so now I am all set for our trips to the driving range.  Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to test them out and report back to you all.  Surely cute clubs with little butterflies on them will make me a pro, right?!

...a house warming party for some fun friends.  They completely redid an old house and it looks unbelievable.  I wanted to take pictures of every room to add to my Pinterest decorating boards.  Oh, and they had summer beer - have you tried this?  Lemonade, beer and vodka.  Who knew that was such a tasty combination?  Something else to do with my vodka, perhaps! 

...a chance to help with the toddlers at church.  I love to play with all those precious babies.  Somehow I managed to leave without one or two stashed away in my purse.

...my sweet blog friend, Sarah.  She's one of my favorites (if that's allowed), and she so kindly gave me a blog award this week.  Thank you, friend!

...high school friend, college roomie, and bridesmaid Courtney.  Her birthday was this week and it just made me think about how thankful I am for good girlfriends.  I feel so blessed to have true "heart" friends - the kind you can call after any number of months and get great life advice or just a listening ear.  Happy (late) birthday, Court!

...some extra cycle classes to teach.  I've subbed a few extra classes this week and love it so much.  Something about looking out into a crowd of grimacing and sweaty faces just does it for me - I must be nuts!

As a new little Friday thing, I thought I would keep track of my weekly workouts at the bottom of my thankful posts:

• Friday 7/15 - REST
• Saturday 7/16 - 7 mile run
• Sunday 7/17 - 1 hour body pump + taught 45 minute cycle class
• Monday 7/18 - 6 mile run
• Tuesday 7/19 - taught 75 minute cycle class + 45 minute body pump
• Wednesday 7/20 - 6 mile run
• Thursday 7/21 - taught 75 minute cycle class + 45 minute body pump

Have a lovely weekend!!

health and fitness link love part 1

via

Here are some health and fitness (and one fashion) links from around the web I've been loving this week:

75 year old woman runs 10 miles daily and competes in bodybuilder competitions!

A few ways to fit exercise requirements in easily every day.

Exercise tips and guidelines for moms-to-be.

A 15 year old girl drops 100lbs!

New voluntary nutrition criteria for products advertised to children.

What is Kim Kardashian doing to get in shape for her wedding?

My new favorite fashion website: affordable looks I love with pieces I seem to already have!

Happy browsing :)

10 tips to staying fit

Today I'm guest posting over at the gorgeous Simply Southern.  Emily has the cutest blog and the best style around. 

Head over there now to check out my top 10 tips to getting in shape, even with the busiest schedule!

summer vegetable crepe

During college, I was able to spend a summer in France getting a couple of foreign language credits, but mostly enjoying the delicious food and wine.  One of my favorite things to do after class was to wander around the city, stop in H&M and grab a yummy crepe!  Since I'm not allowed to keep nutella in the house for fear of demolishing the entire jar in one sitting, we came up with a slightly healthier way to enjoy a few crepes for a lazy Saturday afternoon lunch.

Summer Vegetable Crepes

adapted from EatingWell

1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/2 cup chopped green onions

3 T low-fat milk

2 tsp lemon juice

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1 T olive oil

1-2 zucchinis, chopped

1 1/4 cups green beans, chopped

1 can corn

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1/4 tsp pepper

4-5 9" crepes (recipe below or purchase ready made)

Stir sour cream, 1/4 cup green onions, milk, lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl (this will be your sauce).  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add zucchini, green beans and corn and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, stir in ricotta, mozzarella, remaining green onions, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.  Stir and cook until cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Spoon about 3/4 cup of mixture into the middle of the crepe and roll up.  Place seam-side down on a plate and top with sauce. 

Easy Crepes

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp salt

2 T butter, melted

In a mixing bowl, whisk flour and eggs.  Gradually add milk and water and stir. Add salt and butter and beat until smooth.  Heat a large frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat.  Pour about 1/4 cup of mixture for each crepe.  Tilt pan in a circular motion so the batter coats the surface evenly.  Cook for about 2 minutes on each side.

pasta with vodka sauce

I've had 3/4 of a bottle of vodka in the freezer that has moved with me at least 3 times.  I'm really only a wine drinker (with the occasional beer), so what's one to do with some neglected vodka?  Make some pasta covered in a creamy, tomato sauce with a little vodka kick to finish it off! 

Pasta with Vodka Sauce

adapted from EatingWell

12 ounces whole wheat pasta

2 ounces pancetta, diced

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup vodka

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup cream

2 tsp worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Cook pasta according to directions.  Meanwhile, cook pancetta in a large saucepan over medium heat until crip (about 4 minutes) and drain on a paper towel.  Add onion and garlic to saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until onion is translucent.  Increase heat to high, add vodka and bring to a boil.  Boil about 2 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, cream, worcestershire sauce and crushed red pepper.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened (about 10 minutes).  Drain pasta, serve topped with sauce and sprinkled with pancetta and basil.

thankful week 28

Happy Friday!!  You guys have been so sweet this week with your encouraging comments on my various posts.  I'm glad you all didn't pull an unfollow-and-run after I shared my slightly OCD tendencies when it comes to meal planning and grocery shopping :)

Today I'm thankful for...

...our friend Dustin who put together our wedding video!  We just saw it and I loved reliving that special day.  Listening to the toasts, watching us dance and hearing the vows was so special.  I know I'll be watching it many times in the future!

source
If I get good at golf, I can buy cute, pink golfing outfits, right?!

...my incredibly patient husband who took me to hit golf balls twice this week!  I've attempted to play a couple of times in the past, but I'm still very much a beginner.  Bennett had some great tips for me, and I got a few up in the air!  Since I can't carry a tune to save my life, gag at the thought of blood, and can only handle a few minutes of ESPN each week, it was about time I attempted golf!  It's fun to try your spouse's hobbies, and we all know I've put Bennett through way too many spinning classes over the last year.

...iced coffee. Seriously. I've been trying to be good and wake up at 4:30 or 5 each day this week for a run or cycle, and I don't think I would make it to lunch without a nice, icy jolt of caffeine.  I go through seasons of swearing off coffee, apparently summer is not one of those seasons.

iPhone photo of the rug and mirrors!

...a new (to us) rug and set of mirrors for our dining room.  My boss was trying to get rid of them, so we snatched them up and gave our little dining room a new look.  Oh yes, and thanks to the manly husband for hanging those mirrors! 

...my sweetest in-laws who sent me a birthday giftcard to lululemon this week.  Cannot wait to pick out a snazzy new workout outfit!  I could spend all day in that store.

...serving our church communion with our small group on Saturday.  We take communion each week at our church and once a month our group gets to help - it's such a treat to watch each person come up and feel connected as part of the body.  Of course, after serving we hung out with some margs and a little 90s music jam session.  If that's not a spiritual experience, I don't know what is!

...speaking of small group, I'm just really thankful for that community.  About once a month, we take a break from our study and someone shares their "story."  It's a really cool way to hear how someone grew up, what shaped them, any big life moments, etc.  I shared my story last night for the first time and just felt really loved and encouraged by the group.  Thanks guys!

I hope you all have lovely weekends.  We've got a few fun things on the agenda that I'm looking forward to.  If you need something to do, check out some of the new tabs (About Me, Top Posts, Featured On) I added at the top of my page.  See you Monday!

4 questions

Many of you may have already discovered the adorable blog, Today's Letters.  If you've never been there before, make sure you have several hours to read through all the archives; seriously, the site is addicting!!  One of the things that Emily and Tim (authors of the blog) do is to ask each other 4 questions once a week.  Bennett and I have done this 3 or 4 times now, and I love it!  If you're married, perhaps this would be a good way to intentionally connect with your spouse each week, and if you're not married, store it away for the future :)

1. How did you feel loved this past week?
2. What does your upcoming week look like?
3. How would you feel most loved and encouraged in the coming week?
4. How would you best feel pursued in sex/intimacy this week?

Bennett and I LOVED our pre-marital counseling and have enjoyed a couple of sessions over the last 11 months with our counselor.  Asking these questions each week and really thinking about the honest answers kind of feels like a little mini counseling session (in a really good way!) between the two of us. 

I love getting to know the heart of my husband, and it's a joy to know how I can serve and love him best. 

Let me know if you give them a try and how it goes!

lime and coconut chicken

If you've ever decided you're completely bored with chicken, please make this recipe.  Tonight! 

Lime and Coconut Chicken

adapted from Fine Cooking, Winter 2006

2lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed and butterflied

3 T oil

Zest from 1 lime

1 tsp ground cumin

2 T soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 T sugar

2 tsp curry powder

1/2 cup coconut milk

Pinch cayenne

1 Serrano pepper, seeds removed and minced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Limes, cut into wedges

Mix all ingredients except for chicken, cilantro, and lime wedges for the marinade.  Add chicken to marinade and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.  Remove chicken from marinade and pour marinade into a small saucepan.  Bring to a rolling boil and boil continuously for at least 2 minutes, stirring often.  In a heavy skillet, heat a little oil over high heat and cook chicken for several minutes before flipping.  Flip and cook until no longer pink.  Sprinkle with fresh lime juice and cilantro with the sauce on the side.

meal planning, grocery shopping, and couponing

Planning delicious and healthy meals while still trying to save money has been one of my favorite things about being a wife.  I love sitting down on the weekend and planning out what meals we'll have throughout the week.  Recently I've been trying to make sure any expensive or unusual ingredients are used several times to avoid waste.  I'm not a huge couponer, but if I don't have to go to too much effort, I'll use a few each week.  Here is my approach to stocking our fridge and pantry each week:

Meal Planning
I'm constantly saving healthy and easy recipes that I find on the web.  I usually keep an ongoing draft of an email where I'll save the links with a brief description or title.  About every 4 weeks I'll go through and print out the recipes that I think I'll actually make.  I then organize the recipes by vegetarian, pasta, salad, and meat-focused and make sure that I have a good variety for each week.  Next I look for trends in ingredients (so I'll make sure if I have to buy fresh basil or mint that several recipes use them each week).

I usually make 3-4 meals a week and the other nights we have leftovers, meet up with friends, grab some sushi, or just throw in a frozen pizza.  It takes a while to organize the recipes for 4 weeks (usually 12-15 recipes total), but then I'm set for the month! I paper clip and label each week's worth of recipes that I plan to make and keep them on our desk for easy reference (I definitely don't always stick to the plan for the month, but it's nice to start somewhere). 

Grocery Shopping
To start my grocery list I write out the things we buy every week (fruit, salad stuff for my lunches, seasonal veggies for sides throughout the week, onions, garlic, frozen berries, bread, eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, cheese/turkey for Bennett's lunches, cereal, granola bars, crackers, hummus, and any other things we may have run out of - oatmeal, tea, coffee, honey, couscous, rice, pasta, flour, sugar, condiments, salad dressings, spices, canned beans/tomatoes/tuna, chicken stock, nuts, nut-butters, etc.).

Depending on which grocery store I'm going to, I'll write out my list (leaving space to add in ingredients for my 3-4 recipes) based on the layout of the store.  I then insert the different meats/seafood, beans, or veggies that I'll need for the meals I've planned to make.

Before going to the store I try to do a quick fridge clean-out of expired items.  This leaves me with a fresh and ready fridge to bring all my goodies home to!  We have a fabulous vegetable storage tub from Bed, Bath & Beyond that I use for my lettuces and spinach.  I'll wash and tear them up at the beginning of the week to make sure that salad prep will be easy for lunches.  I've just started washing all the fruit and putting in tupperware on the weekend to allow for quick and easy snacking during the week.

Couponing
My couponing is very basic, and you may have a much better system than me.  This is what I've found to work for us without getting super stressed about keeping up with it all.  The bulk of our grocery bill comes from fresh produce and meat, and I haven't found too many regular coupons for those items.  I tear out Kroger coupons that are mailed to me and also use coupons.com and shortcuts.com for printable and electronic coupons.

I have a receipt organizer from the Container Store with 12 different dividers which I've labeled with the most logical categories to me (dairy, spices/condiments, produce, meat, breakfast, household items, etc.).  I know some people organize their receipts by expiration date which may work for you.  Within each divider, I order them by expiration date. About once a month I go through and throw out any expired coupons.

Once my grocery list is compiled and organized by the store layout and all my coupons have been put in their proper divider, I pull out the coupons for items I know I will buy at the store.  These I keep in my hand as I'm shopping to make sure the brand is actually going to be the cheapest with the coupon.  Sometimes the store brand is still the best deal.


I'd love to hear some of your tips for effective meal planning, grocery shopping, and couponing.  It's become like a game for me now, but I know getting started can be quite daunting!  It can be hard to save money each week, especially when you are trying to energize your body with the healthiest food, but a little planning can go a long way!

lemon chicken

I have a slight thing for lemon. I like it on fish, in cakes, in kitchen soap, etc. This recipe is just so easy and it tastes like a vacation for your belly.  Refreshing, exciting, fulfilling, healthy for the soul.  Note that I made this before the oven ban of 2011.

Lemon Chicken

2 T olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 T white wine

Zest from 1 lemon

1 T fresh lemon juice

1.5 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper

2 chicken breasts, butterflied

1/2 lemon cut into slices

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat, add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and add white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and salt and pour into a baking dish.  Place the chicken into the dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and tuck lemon slices around chicken.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until done.

thankful week 27

There are times in life when everything just seems to be working and clicking; your heart feels peaceful, content, satisfied, and hopeful.  I'm not always in this state of mind, but today I don't mind celebrating that my life feels fully saturated with joy.  I love lists, and it seemed appropriate for my grateful post this week to reflect on the beautiful events between birthdays 24 and 25.  So here we go...

• Finished planning a wedding (will do a wedding day summary soon per several requests!)
• Got married to a man who makes me immensely happy
• Honeymooned for a glorious week on the beach
• Moved into the cutest house
• Started teaching group fitness
• Learned to cook
• Got a new job as a personal assistant
• Began going to friends' weddings as a wife
• Started a blog
• Found out Bennett's residency meant staying in Houston
• Got to keep the new job
• Bought an SUV and sold my beloved Mini Cooper
• Did a house swap for a few months to help a sweet couple
• Took a trip skiing in Utah
• Enjoyed visits from friends and family to our cozy home
• Explored Houston - Greek festival, Renaissance festival, Rodeo, St. Arnold's brewery, a musical and an opera, many new restaurants
• Bought new stuff for our house - AC unit, couch, bedroom set, treadmill, dishwasher
• Took several trips to the family in Jackson
• Best friend had a baby
• A million other friends started having babies
• Started thinking babies are possibly the most wonderful little things in the world
• Watched Bennett become a doctor and graduate from medical school
• Took an amazing trip to Australia
• Turned 25

I'm pretty pumped about this next year and love looking back to see how much I've grown in the last 12 months.  Learning more and more about God's love and grace and discovering how to become a better wife, daughter, sister, and friend are goals that are never fully achieved and checked off but provide for inspiration to truly live well. 

More than anything, this year I am so grateful to have my husband.  Life is much, much sweeter with him.  I am more blessed than I deserve!

zucchini cakes

Another kind of strange experiment.  But this one I enjoyed!  Perfect as a side or little snack.

Zucchini Cakes

 

2 grated zucchinis, liquid squeezed out

1/2 small onion, grated

1 T spicy mustard

1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1 egg white

salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and form 4 patties.  Fry on the stove top until browned over medium-high heat.

light baked potato soup

With 100 degree temps here in Houston, you're going to be seeing a lot of salad and quick stove-top recipes on the blog.  Our oven heats up our little, old house more than either of us can handle! This quick and easy baked potato soup is surprisingly healthy.  I think you'll love it!

Light Baked Potato Soup

adapted from Gina's Skinny Recipes

2 russet potatoes, washed

1 head of cauliflower, stem removed, cut into florets

1.5 cups chicken broth

1.5 cups milk

salt and pepper

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

6 tbsp chopped chives

3 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled

Pierce potatoes with a fork and microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Turn over and microwave another 3 minutes, until tender.  Cool and peel.  Microwave cauliflower in a covered casserole dish with 1/4 cup of water for 8 minutes or until tender.  Drain and combine in a pot with potatoes, chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth.  Add sour cream, half the chives, salt and pepper and cook on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and serve with cheese, chives and bacon.

25

Good morning! I hope you had a lovely weekend and fun fourth celebration if you're an American :)

Our weekend was so much fun, and I turned 25! I've been looking forward to this birthday, and I felt very loved and special.

Friday I got to leave work a little early (whoop!!) and enjoyed some pasta and way too many HIMYM's with Bennett.

Saturday morning I saw my dear cousin Anna-Marie from Germany and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast with her.  Bennett hit some golf balls and then took me shopping for supplies to make my own light box (get excited for much better blog pics of food soon!).  Saturday night we went out for a nice dinner at Benjy's restaurant and indulged on some fancy cocktails followed by a big slice of chocolate cake from the Chocolate Bar. 

Sunday involved Bennett playing piano and singing at church, teaching a little cycle class, and possibly a few more HIMYM's.  We can't get enough, seriously.


picture from the light box - not too bad for my 5 year old point and shoot

Monday we cooked a big breakfast, put together the light box using this tutorial, shopped for some new running shoes, got in a quick run, and then joined some friends for a fourth of July BBQ.  Although born in England, I just love everything about the fourth of July.  Even when the heat is brutal, eating a hot dog and watermelon while playing and chatting outside is just good for the soul. 

Happy short week, friends!

thankful weeks 24, 25, 26

So much to be thankful for since my last gratitude post before the trip!!

...an incredible vacation.  I'm thankful my boss allowed me to take the time off, that my parents entertained/fed us so well in Perth and that Sydney gave us the most beautiful weather to explore. 

...Lindt dark chocolate with sea salt.  For you chocolate lovers out there, get your hands on some of this stuff.  It's gold.

...How I Met Your Mother.  It's just so funny.  We're gradually making our way through the seasons and loving each episode. 


Mister doctor (for Bennett) and Sam (with a "ur blog rox" fan in the corner)

 ...Bennett. He is the best travel buddy.  Actually, just the best life buddy!  I love that he sits next to me while I run on the treadmill when he can't sleep (jet lag - boo!), brings home free hot dogs from work (guilty pleasure), leaves me notes in my lunch, and makes up ridiculous and random songs all the time.  What a joy to be together forever!

...my Dad.  I missed giving him a post on father's day because we were out of the country.  He is one of my favorite people in the world.  He is intelligent, athletic, and giving and constantly inspires me to be better.  I realize that I'm beyond blessed to have grown up in such a loving, safe, and healthy family.  I'm so lucky to be your daughter, Dad!


Katherine's pic - us looking warm on the dance floor!

...time with family in Jackson.  We made a quick trip right before going to Australia for Bennett's cousin's wedding (which was BEAUTIFUL), and it was so refreshing.  We slept in, ate great food, and enjoyed good conversation with lovely people.  I love Bennett's parents, siblings, and grandparents and treasure time with them.

Happy weekend to you all!!  Make sure you check out my guest post over on Love, Julie.  I'm talking about my favorite Greek recipes - yum!

tofu parmigiana

I've really only been consistently cooking for about a year and a half.  At first, I was terrified of anything that required more than a microwave and especially hated anyone watching me cook as I was certain I would just make a fool of myself.  Recently, I've been enjoying experimenting in the kitchen which can lead to some wins and some fails.  This dish had the potential to be a big win, but just didn't really hit the spot for us.  For you tofu experts out there, perhaps you can tell me where I went wrong?

Also, you should make sure to include the basil.  I, sadly, did not because my basil plant looked a little like this:


I'm so sorry, Mr. Basil.



Tofu Parmigiana

adapted from EatingWell

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 14 oz package of firm water-packed tofu, rinsed

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 T olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

8 oz white mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

3/4 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 T chopped fresh basil

Combine breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, and salt in a shallow dish.  Cut tofu lengthwise into 4 steaks and pat dry (should I have pressed it here?!).  Dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.  Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until beginning to brown, stirring often.  Add mushrooms and cook an additional 4 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl.  Add remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan.  Add the tofu steaks and cook until browned on one side, about 4 minutes.  Turn over and cook until browned on the other side.  Spoon mushroom mixture over the tofu, pour marinara sauce over the mushrooms and scatter mozzarella on top.  Cover and cook until the sauce is hot, about 4 minutes.  Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Sydney, Australia

Our time in Sydney was shortened to just under 2 days because of the ash cloud, but we still had a fabulous time wandering around and doing touristy things (like taking 200 pics of the opera house).  I've been to Sydney before, and I was reminded again what a beautiful and fun city it is!  Australian winters are SO nice.


Just outside our hotel in Hyde Park and a view from a cute restaurant.



Beautiful cathedral by the park.

 

Lunch at the top of some government building with stunning views of the city and harbor.

 

Tons of beautiful plants in the botanical gardens.

 

More pics in the botanical gardens.

 

Harbor bridge and opera house from the botanical gardens.

 

Bennett on the steps by the opera house and a windy ferry ride.



Oh yes, we took pictures from all sides :)

 

Flying foxes in the trees and weekend market in the Rocks.

 

Amazing Turkish sandwich and dumplings from the Rocks market.

 

Bennett's favorite way to pose :)

 

Bored of it yet?!

 

Thank you, Mum and Dad, for the cool camera tripod to allow way too many pics of the two of us!

 

Pictures from the bridge.

 

Traveling with a buddy is fun...

 

Replacement icecream after we were fooled into buying a "milkshake." Apparently in Oz that means milk + syrup, no icecream involved! Yuck.

 

Lovely walk around the water.

 

Dinner at a fun Japanese restaurant with sushi on a rotating belt!

 

Night time pics in Darling Harbor.

 

Such a beautiful evening to explore Sydney!



Chocolate lava cake from the Lindt shop. DIVINE!

 I hope you enjoyed seeing a few shots of our trip.  We seriously had such a good time.  I now have 1.5 vacation days remaining for the rest of the year, so we should be sticking around town for a while!