tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13756084531845148512024-03-13T05:30:21.519-07:00What was I saying?AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-4738097505322124502010-10-19T15:32:00.001-07:002010-10-19T15:48:28.539-07:00Freezer Eating<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It only took me 3years of being a working-parent to realize that it would be easier to cook twice as much for dinner and freeze the extra for enjoyment another week. This would make weeknight dinners faster and also reduce the number of last-minute restaurant visits because it's 'too late to fix anything'. Well this week (following a lovely weekend away with my hubby) we are Freezer Eating. I wandered the grocery store late Sunday Evening and was at a loss for ideas of what to eat for the week. Then it hit me, pull from the leftovers! I have only been freezing for the last month or so and have been very protective about the idea of dipping in too soon. I wanted to have some solid stock! Well now I've got Chili, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Enchilada</span> Casserole, Tomato Sauce and Curry Chicken. So what are we eating this week? Chili, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Enchilada</span> Casserole and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">because</span> I love me some breakfast, we'll be having breakfast for dinner one night as well (easy-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">peasy</span>!). Now if I could only find a way to simplify the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">dish washing</span> process. One idea my hubby had was to invent a dishwasher that new it was full, supplied its own soap and viola! Someday.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-56179961776341243772010-05-27T19:45:00.001-07:002010-05-28T14:54:33.853-07:00Practically Creative<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So I ventured into my next sewing project! But first, a tiny bit of back-story. When we first moved into our home I was struck at how well my fuzzy socks cleaned the floor as I shuffled around the house each evening. And when I came across this </span><a href="http://sewmuchado.blogspot.com/2010/03/tutorial-reusable-swiffer-sweeper.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">tutorial</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> I thought, brilliant! <span style="font-size:78%;">{I've started the <a href="http://sewmuchado.blogspot.com/2010/04/tutorial-felt-flash-cards-memory-game.html">felt flash cards</a> too - eek!}</span> My practical side and my creative side converged, and this is what was born.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKprmNxPc7ml_Perevwn-TylWOCu3rvUZ80a0HDkolHabZ9hrOPurIzYYc7Bgfoqt-oX9o3mc8BG1uPGR9Iv3CYOzMJzJETu3FmU4p3zM8fYGusiNyYwPeP1HfLaOxq-ez7uc4Zd5lGk/s1600/Sewing.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476158349088878882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKprmNxPc7ml_Perevwn-TylWOCu3rvUZ80a0HDkolHabZ9hrOPurIzYYc7Bgfoqt-oX9o3mc8BG1uPGR9Iv3CYOzMJzJETu3FmU4p3zM8fYGusiNyYwPeP1HfLaOxq-ez7uc4Zd5lGk/s320/Sewing.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Yes, it's a reusable dust-bunny cloth! Certainly mine was not as attractive or as finished, but hey it's only my 2nd sewing project <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">ever</span> (minus the pillow I made in third grade). This project also appealed to my need-to-be-greener side and my get-over-on-the-man side (ha ha - proctor & gamble won't be getting a dime from me for refills).</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-20090639913590173442010-05-02T20:45:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:06:42.001-07:00Learning to Sew<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Step 1: Buy a machine, but not just any machine, a computerized one!</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Step 2: Go to fabric store and buy some cheap-o fabric</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Step 3: Figure out how to thread a needle. If you can't figure this out (and I almost gave up) then take the machine back and find another hobby.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Step 3: Sew a few stitches on some cheap-o fabric</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Step 4: When you're bored of sewing stitches on cheap-o fabric, make something. I chose to make an </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://tinydecorblog.com/blog/2009/02/26/tutorial-easy-envelope-pillow-covers/">envelope pillow cover</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. I still used cheap-o fabric as I was not necessarily intending on actually using this pillow cover, but figured it would give me focused practice time. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">***I really like some of the cheap-o fabric and thought this could just be the new pillow we've been needing for our family room!***</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Step 5: Cut off the sides and start again because the envelope overlap is too short and it flops open. Not to mention, the pillow is a tad too long (awkwardly so). </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Step 6: Re-sew the sides of the pillow using a Serging Stitch (on my first day? Indeed, I went for it!)</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Step 7: Realize that the second time making the pillow cover {did I mention it was a 15-20 minute pillow cover that has now taken me close to 2 hours} that I forgot to turn it inside-out? As I stand up from my new machine still proud of my first project regardless of its flaws (and there were many), I hear my husband begin to yell...</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Step 8: Clean up dog piss that is rapidly endangering computer CPU with my new inside-out pillow cover.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Step 9: Order pizza and call it a night.</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-12874728815141422212010-04-29T21:46:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:03:46.131-07:00Memeno<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >A friend suggested I blog this, so before I forget here we go</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Around 6-8 months ago our little music man started singing, "</span><span class="misspell" suggestions="Meme no,Meme-no,Mermen,Memento,Meme" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Memeno</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">". That was the only word and he would sing it to a tune that was completely unrecognizable. Each week I would try to remind myself to ask his </span><span class="misspell" suggestions="Prue,pare,pore,prey,pure" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">pre</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">school teachers because surely it was a song they sang in class. Each week would go by and I would forget to ask. Soon he started to vary the lyrics singing, "</span><span class="misspell" suggestions="Meme no,Meme-no,Mermen,Memento,Meme" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Memeno</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Cars". Cars, huh? Of course this was about the time that everything in his world began revolving around transportation - cars, trucks, trains, planes - you name it! It was also about the time we started letting him watch the Disney movie Cars as well. So who knew, really.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As the holidays approached I finally remembered to ask his </span><span class="misspell" suggestions="Prue,pare,pore,prey,pure" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">pre</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">-school teachers. We walked in like we did every day, dropped off his lunch box, hung up his coat, and then it happened. There I stood in front of all the teachers singing, "</span><span class="misspell" suggestions="Meme no,Meme-no,Mermen,Memento,Meme" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Memeno</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Cars" and they stared at me blankly and then began to laugh. They had absolutely no idea what I was singing. Embarrassed? A little, but really I was just more perplexed then anything. What was </span><span class="misspell" suggestions="Meme no,Meme-no,Mermen,Memento,Meme" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Memeno</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">?!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We began to clue in that it had something to do with the Cars movie. But we've had the fortunate of listening to the soundtrack </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >over and over </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">again and there is not one song that sounds anything like "</span><span class="misspell" suggestions="Meme no,Meme-no,Mermen,Memento,Meme" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Memeno</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">". And <span style="font-style: italic;">then</span> he began asking for the Cars movie by saying, "I want to watch </span><span class="misspell" suggestions="Meme no,Meme-no,Mermen,Memento,Meme" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Memeno</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Cars". Watch?! He went from strolling around the house singing to now wanting to watch? Confused.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Christmas Day our friends Dave and Karolina joined us for a joyous holiday meal and not only did they get to hear the story of </span><span class="misspell" suggestions="Meme no,Meme-no,Mermen,Memento,Meme" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Memeno</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, but if memory serves me right they got to hear E sing it live and in-person. What I thought would be just a happy memory for our dear friends became a healthy obsession. Dave went home and spent hours (possibly slightly exaggerated) combing over the Cars Soundtrack finally settling on this one by </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9EfAZaSEVQ">Hank Williams</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. Nope, not it. I put Elliot on my lap and played song after song via You Tube from the soundtrack and each one he would agree with me when I would say, "Is this Memeno?". Drat!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But alas, as days and weeks went by he would begin asking for Memeno race (which we quickly figured out was the first race in the movie) and then we'd be in the car and he would ask to listen to Memeno Real Gone which happens to be the song that is played during Memeno race. And sadly today he mostly just asks for Real Gone. Memeno has almost left his little vocabulary. He's moved on to bigger words and other songs from the soundtrack, as seen here in his facebook debut of </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#%21/video/video.php?v=414561196003&ref=mf">"Life is a Highway"</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">.</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-73568563162583225192010-02-17T21:04:00.001-08:002010-05-18T21:01:27.254-07:00Make mine a salad...<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Losing and/or maintaining weight for those of us that are metabolically challenged is hard enough going solo, but trying to meet the nutritional needs of the rest of your family makes it even harder. But recently I discovered salad! Or shall I say </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">rediscovered</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> salad. I have always been one to enjoy the wild mixes of ingredients that restaurants call salad, but at home I was always a simpleton: Lettuce (not iceberg, at least), red onion, tomato, beets, maybe some chicken and tad bit of dressing tossed on. But my son needs to be eating everything and my husband wants it all but without saturated fat, so I decided to give them just that and put theirs over rice and mine on a salad. Last night, Curry Chicken with Peas. For Elliot, mixed with rice. For Dale, over rice with a side of Naan and yogurt sauce. For Me, over some greens with just a splash of creamy cilantro dressing and a couple of high-fiber tortillas to grab some tasty bites with. Brilliant! What will I think of next?</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-74204100871100812772010-02-03T20:42:00.001-08:002010-05-27T21:18:14.920-07:00Lessons from Grandma: Black Pants<div style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">When times are tough we all look for ways to cut back. But as generations go by, it gets harder and harder to not 'purchase' our problems away. I can't just pick up a sewing machine and make myself a dress, for instance (but oh how I wish I could!). But as I discovered recently, I can dye my pants!<br /><br />Recently my Auntie and I were in my Grandma's garage when she held up a big mason jar full of what looked like black water. In response to my concerned facial expression she said, "It's clothes dye". Of course! Of course! The same woman who <a href="http://amykaiser.blogspot.com/2008/09/canned-peaches.html">canned peaches</a> for the winter knows exactly how to keep her favorite pair of black pants looking sharp! I think she would cringe if she knew I just go out and by a new pair when mine were too faded to be acceptable any longer. No more!<br /><br />Times are tough and even though my husband I are are fortunate to be bearing this financial storm pretty well, there is now excuse for throwing a away a perfectly good pair of black pants! After all, I was able to manage tie-dyeing a shirt as a teen, I am sure I can manage sprucing up a good pair of pants.Stay tuned!<br /></div>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-69814895728556935422010-01-28T21:03:00.001-08:002010-05-16T16:24:17.412-07:00I get tired of...<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I get tired of waking up at 6am,</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yet I never tire of watching my little man as we walk back to mommy's bed after getting his milk</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I get tired of 'picking up'</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yet I never tire of finding the little treasures Elliot leaves behind, like a car at the bottom of his laundry basket or a truck in the tupperware drawer</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I get tired of the long trek back and forth to school & work</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yet I never tire of listening to my bear talk about all the trains, planes and garbage trucks he wants to see along the way</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I get tired of rushing to get dinner on the table</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yet I never tire of sitting, eating, talking with my dear husband and watching Elliot chew so deliberately</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I get tired, but it's the good kind of tired...</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-15544736778513005372010-01-22T21:01:00.000-08:002010-05-16T16:20:49.921-07:00How to Americanize Any Ethnic Food<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">There are two sure fire ways to Anglo-Americanize any ethnic food...a casserole or a salad! Seriously. I really can't think of any food more American then a casserole. Sure hamburger, hot dogs, apple pie, but that's what we want people to think. The truth is Americans love their casseroles and what better way to sample the fare of our neighbors then by way of a safe and comforting casserole. And in recent years salads have followed suit. Taco Casserole and Chinese Chicken Salad, enough said.</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-43559353914940397752010-01-11T17:20:00.001-08:002010-05-16T16:24:17.413-07:00What was I saying anyway?<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Seriously. What was I saying? It feels like a lifetime ago that I sat and wrote anything. 2009 was a wild year. And I am pretty confident 2010 will be too! Like feels pretty great right now. We are settling into our new home, our new routines, our new community. It feels pretty darn good. I've missed writing the occasional post, sharing my thoughts and opinions...just not sure how to do it within the 2 waking hours that I am not at work or spending time with Elliot. I don't know how the rest of the blogging world does it...but, now that we are not packing, moving, living in a hotel, unpacking, surviving the holiday madness, I think I will find some more time. I am hoping that just writing this post with get me into the groove again. </span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com195tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-72210620849564363722009-08-02T12:55:00.001-07:002010-05-16T16:24:17.413-07:00My Model Home<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Recently we decided to take the plunge (second time around) and buy a house. We have a townhouse now, and it has served us well, but it's time to move on (maybe). We do need a wee bit more space on </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >one level</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. We found a house but we lost it - oh well. There were a few needling things about it, so it was not meant to be. Of course, we still talk about it fondly. I digress. We decided to sell our home and now we live in a model home. Our Realtor came in and re-arranged our furniture, had us pack up our clutter, brought in some of their own accents, and now we live in a model home. In the morning we make sure our pajamas are neatly tucked away, our bed gets made (this used to never happen unless guests were coming over), close the lid to our toilets, put all dishes in the dishwasher, close every door to every closet, tuck all the toys away (poor Elliot has trouble finding anything), pull up the blinds, open the widows, etc., etc., etc. Essentially, pretend like you don't live here. I am starting to wish we didn't, yet it does look so good that sometimes we think about buying it. </span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-7384570124772935822009-06-01T21:45:00.001-07:002010-05-16T16:24:17.414-07:00Hummingbird Feeders<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Did you have one as a child? I did. Maybe you have one now. I would get so excited when I would see the rapid-winged little guys outside fluttering away while sucking down some sugar H20. As I was browsing on Flickr, I came across this great photo of a </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/labels/3587065049/">hummingbird and a feeder</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. It brought back such fond memories (I think ours was just like this one!), so I decided I must have a feeder for myself to enjoy (Dale & Elliot can enjoy it too, of course!). So I '</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >did a Yahoo</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">' (my attempt at supporting the company that helps to support my family) and could not believe how many hummingbird feeders there are out there for sale! Who knew there was such a market for these things?! Needless to say, I got overwhelmed by the choices and decided I would look into it another time. </span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-88725229175074602232009-05-11T20:15:00.001-07:002010-05-16T16:20:49.929-07:00Saucy Shredded Chicken<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Years ago when we were living in San Mateo I threw a surprise party for my husband's birthday (then boyfriend). I had been pretty last minute about the food and had planned to make a taco-spread - tortillas, guac, sour cream, beans, and chicken...luckily some friends were there to help me out! One friend quickly realized that I had no idea what to do with the chicken so she jumped in started throwing stuff in a pot and at the end was this delicious shredded chicken in a tomato sauce. I have never forgotten this chicken, it was amazing! It was reminiscent of this chicken they used to have at our college taqueria. I was never really able to replicate it, so I stopped trying and it has just lived in my fond-food memory bank ever since. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMUDjTF5qQ26rPCEHC1v1feLBhGGwDWearPYGZvHZcV8sysFj7OxJdAqUGOMRZbBvEVT2F-f5K6dbooZ5XGO8zmgj6Nr_Iq0fTv7IYx4RzM16WAW-HLGSwyko13lN-Okt_gihxwri7io/s1600-h/Food+Home3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMUDjTF5qQ26rPCEHC1v1feLBhGGwDWearPYGZvHZcV8sysFj7OxJdAqUGOMRZbBvEVT2F-f5K6dbooZ5XGO8zmgj6Nr_Iq0fTv7IYx4RzM16WAW-HLGSwyko13lN-Okt_gihxwri7io/s320/Food+Home3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333925969563871458" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Recently when I was getting my hair cut (when I do all of my magazine reading) I stumbled upon this recipe in Cooking Light, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1879977">Chicken Thighs with O</a><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1879977">lives and To</a><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1879977">mato Sauce</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. Now this particular recipe does not dish up a fiesta, it's </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">more of a Mediterranean dish, but it is saucy-shredded-goodness nonetheless. I used 1 1/2 lbs of chicken thighs and 1 1/2 lbs of breasts to reduce the fat (& 4 lbs seemed a bit much). I used some chicken broth instead of wine as I didn't have any white on hand. And go easy on the red pepper flakes if you have a little one around. We served it over rice and I even threw some in a high-fiber tortilla along with some spinach for a tasty lunch. This will be in our family recipe book for years to come, in fact we made it again yesterday!</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-8090261481577705522009-05-09T11:51:00.001-07:002010-05-18T21:01:27.255-07:00Those People: Work Walkers<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">For years I would watch people at my office go for walks on their breaks and it always sort of bothered me. Who are these people that have time to take a break and then show-off by taking a leisurely walk around the office complex. I hardly have time to go pee! So my first realization is that I am just jealous and resentful a) that they have a job that is so 'easy' they have time to take a break OR b) they have mastered work-life balance ... either way, I don't like these people! Until, that is, I realized I needed to become one of them.<br /><br />As I was out roller blading in the glorious sunshine this morning I was thinking a lot about how else to burn some calories and take in extra oxygen each week. 1-2 days is not satisfactory to me. Since I am the drop-off and pick-up for Elliot each day, I cannot take an extended 'lunch' to go to the gym, etc. and still get in my 8-9 hours a day. I am not a morning person, so waking up early is not working out for me. I love to have dinner with my husband in the evenings, which leaves the 9 o'clock hour and that is not working for me either as I would rather be showering and getting ready for bed! <br /><br />And so, during my skating session, I realized I should become one of 'those people'. I'll bring my 'gym shoes' to work and each day if I can escape for 15 minutes, I will. A friend at work already started trying to do this, so I will follow suit. And although it won't challenge my body much, it will still provide me that extra oxygen and stress relief that I also so badly need. </span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-20931446295581151772009-05-05T21:34:00.001-07:002010-05-18T21:01:27.256-07:004 Weeks, 4 Tuesdays: -6 lbs<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I'd like to think I stayed the same and possibly even lost some more, but the fact is I forgot to weigh-in today. I was meeting-hopping today for hour long intervals and when I had a free 1/2 hour I ran to Safeway to buy me some Garden Burgers, High-Fiber Tortillas & Mother's Day cards. When I jumped into my next meeting I thought to myself, 'Today is Tuesday, I didn't weigh-in!' I then proceeded to go to 4 more meetings, rush back to my office to grab my things and race over to pick-up Elliot. Here's to a healthy (and hopefully less hectic) week!</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-37944650633660092292009-04-29T19:06:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:01:27.257-07:005 Weeks, 5 Tuesdays: -6 lbsMovin' down - yay! I lost 1 lb this week! There is no way I will lose 14 more in 5 weeks, but I will finish this period out and make a new goal. My success was definitely due to exercise. I went roller-blading twice this weekend and it always proves to be quite the calorie burner. I know that if I can just get a few days of exercise in each week this weight-loss thing would be much easier. I will try for two days again this week and see how it goes. Have a healthy week!AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-3429682879245217902009-04-26T20:46:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:07:25.030-07:00Hobbies and Recipes<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A long while ago I made a commitment to myself to have more (or some) hobbies. I even made a </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://amykaiser.blogspot.com/2007/12/hobbies.html">declaration on my blog</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. How am I doing? I don't often take these moments to assess, but lately it has become more crucial to acknowledge the little successes in my life. Though I haven't gone on any photography excursions like I would have liked, I have snapped a few that I have been proud of and even got around to hanging one on our wall. I have yet to find the perfect coffee photo for our </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFX9RPx4IrM85g3TceIgw-Yus_x-SJFiutMfdGDzmaPuY-0qa6lfpTWFrjkXDrlt0rat_qaY0F_WPGUUwjJMlTE8EzxIPUiOt2HlQhFEg3bnkF1Fwi_I9T8vYG9PAxnRj85kuEiEyrowo/s1600-h/DSC_4467-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFX9RPx4IrM85g3TceIgw-Yus_x-SJFiutMfdGDzmaPuY-0qa6lfpTWFrjkXDrlt0rat_qaY0F_WPGUUwjJMlTE8EzxIPUiOt2HlQhFEg3bnkF1Fwi_I9T8vYG9PAxnRj85kuEiEyrowo/s320/DSC_4467-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328723846310686290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">kitchen wall, but I continue to snap away and am confident I will be satisfied with one of them someday.</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />My cookbook collection has suffered. I managed to jump-start with some favorites I found on a great site, but the joy in collecting is discovering them at a garage sale, estate sale or used bookstore...and there has not been time in my life for those excursions...somehow I feel like my dream of becoming a master at garage sales will have to wait for retirement.</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Another declaration I made long ago was to make <a href="http://amykaiser.blogspot.com/2007/12/one-new-recipe-each-week.html">one new recipe a week</a>. Some weeks cooking at all is a luxury, but other weeks I have managed <span style="font-style: italic;">two</span> great recipes (both on Sundays - a workin' Mom strategy that I will go into another time).<br /><br />We have been having a lot of fun in the kitchen these days and here are some of my favorites that are full of flavor and pretty fast too!:</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/spicy-beef-couscous-434?click=main_sr">Spicy Curry Beef</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> not really that spicy & Ell</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">iot likes it! I don't seem to have a picture of it anywhere, but it really is a favorite in our house.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXcV0Cax-PIpcqMANaAAMIElHecNR7d1bww0ua8NGAY9hcKZ8qceiHUiAay9vddJ0CSt9UvrL0OHTSfLgeEkbb3QrxSMuDtHOO_7zDRswI0jiM_3UK92s4zSU0TI1705kevipFqLk65U/s1600-h/Food+Home2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXcV0Cax-PIpcqMANaAAMIElHecNR7d1bww0ua8NGAY9hcKZ8qceiHUiAay9vddJ0CSt9UvrL0OHTSfLgeEkbb3QrxSMuDtHOO_7zDRswI0jiM_3UK92s4zSU0TI1705kevipFqLk65U/s200/Food+Home2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328856473403000498" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1693584">Asian Concoction</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> - even Brussel haters will enjoy this! Using low sodium ingredients is crucial otherwise it's</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> too salty</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, tastes great</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> over jasmine rice.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Good Excuse for a Margarita Meal: </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://weeknightgourmet.com/2009/03/18/holy-mole-ancho-cocoa-carne-asada/">Holy Mole Flank Steak (we threw it o</a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOgwvEHmsWQ7lDWRbgvhzT5dsfRIo5rTDpG1NdRupEl0jfz43jlwlA0Z0zHNRBkRMLVUiIBGVJ1HEjiBXj8syamQQEZFLSAEsY-8m2cd_5TSyfKQL_x_MrE8O9lm8EADB6uVPMXefjdg/s1600-h/Food+Home1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOgwvEHmsWQ7lDWRbgvhzT5dsfRIo5rTDpG1NdRupEl0jfz43jlwlA0Z0zHNRBkRMLVUiIBGVJ1HEjiBXj8syamQQEZFLSAEsY-8m2cd_5TSyfKQL_x_MrE8O9lm8EADB6uVPMXefjdg/s200/Food+Home1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328854446087865762" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://weeknightgourmet.com/2009/03/18/holy-mole-ancho-cocoa-carne-asada/">n the BBQ)</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/spicy-red-rice-00000000012497/index.html">Spicy Red Rice</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, & </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/garlicky-pinto-beans-00000000012496/index.html">Garlicky Pinto Beans.</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a>Not Your </a></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a>Mama's Italian Sandwich: make a quick tomato sauce (we recently tried the Quick Tomato Sauce from Cooks Illustrated and it was awesome!), marinate & grill some</a></span><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16ePgqnmH6tgEsP0wW8rDm-7AnJSQSyQTET9gbwCjTQqlbFYc360lxUE0XHHovjcH-XNhItHT5POOeEfq14BiyszjUM4sQzCt0JQZlMG8kXkh-joGW2YF4pTBaMuuteQvHmbCUzESHc8/s200/Food2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328855773294336242" border="0" /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a> chicken (just used some lemon juice, olive oil & rosemary), </a></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a>toast</a></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a> your favorite roll with a slice of provolone, top with arugula and</a></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a> chow!</a></span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-33821519589818737572009-04-24T19:57:00.000-07:002009-04-25T10:17:36.249-07:00My Lemon Magnolia Cupcakes<span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Our friends recently let us pluck some lemons from their tree so I have been making lemony goodness ever since. I started with a great <a href="http://www.everydaycook.com/recipebox/fish/lemongarlicchicken.htm">lemon chicken marinade</a>, moved on to <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemon-Pie-Bars/Detail.aspx">Lemon Bars </a>(yes, a little on the nose I know) and rounded things off with Lemon Cupcakes. So far I have had the best luck with the<a href="http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/2005/0743246616_2.html"> Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcake recipe</a>, so I decided to modify* their recipe instead of taking my chances on an unproven lemon recipe. The results were lemony goodness that I had to share:</span><br /><b class="cbl" style="color: black;"><br />For the Cupcakes:</b></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFu1eGDb9ZRWmeI7bsLIUCVB_OW65Y3ZYRV-EOIgv_33jirS77Q2KRA_2KlsQgoH9iPdV9dIiMYf-AbemaLebJjQq6Rc3rLOFNx991a_oYr-_F-R9FrTvbVckCrDcbceJM5RllICmPDM/s1600-h/Food+Home.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFu1eGDb9ZRWmeI7bsLIUCVB_OW65Y3ZYRV-EOIgv_33jirS77Q2KRA_2KlsQgoH9iPdV9dIiMYf-AbemaLebJjQq6Rc3rLOFNx991a_oYr-_F-R9FrTvbVckCrDcbceJM5RllICmPDM/s320/Food+Home.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328675635458010930" border="0" /></a> <ul style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1 1/2 cups self-rising flour</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">2 cups sugar<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">4 large eggs, at room temperature <span style="font-style: italic;">{quick tip: if you are in a hurry, just put your cold eggs in a bowl of warm/hot tap water and by the time you are ready to use them they'll be room temp}</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">3/4 cup milk*</span></li><li style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice*</span></li><li style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">1 tbl lemon zest (use even more if you like it really lemony)*</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract </span></li></ul> <span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" > </span><ol class="x-small" style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><li> <p class="x-small" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 3px; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees. </span></p> </li><li> <p class="x-small" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 3px; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. </span></p> </li><li> <p class="x-small" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 3px; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside. </span></p> </li><li> <p class="x-small" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 3px; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. </span></p> </li><li> <p class="x-small" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 3px; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.</span></p></li></ol><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">I also wanted the frosting to be something very lemony, so I borrowed this <a href="http://realmomkitchen.blogspot.com/2009/04/perfect-lemon-cupcakes-with-lemon.html">lovely lemony butter cream recipe</a>. I used closer to a tablespoon of lemon zest, but if you don't want to pack quite so much of a punch try a bit less. Also, because the lemon juice is so acidic it took quite a bit more sugar to get the texture I wanted...next time I will do 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup milk so I don't have to use quite so much sugar.</span> </span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-72583189889249582442009-04-15T19:56:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:03:46.133-07:00A Favorite Holiday!<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I think Easter has just surpassed Thanksgiving as my favorite holiday (with my ultimate fav now being 4th of July, of course!). I have always loved Thanksgiving because it truly captured what is important in life - food & family (emphasis on the stuffing & pumpkin pie)! Easter was also a close second for the same reason, but now it has taken the lead by a stiff margin (I think that is sports slang</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">). I love</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> not feeling pressure to pick the perfect presents (pressure that is self inflicted). I love a reason to bake something special {this year </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://benbobenopolis.blogspot.com/2007/12/for-mindy-and-you-too.html">Aunt Augusta's Sugar Cookies</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">}. I love making baskets full of goodies that pu</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">t giant smiles on kiddie's faces. I love spending time with family and friends (without the distraction of mounds of wrapping paper). I love spring - the air, the flower</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">s, the green rolling hills. This year we celebrated Easter 4-times! Typically this wou</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ld stress and tire me out - but not this year - I loved it! We had </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">the best time and that is why I am going to torture you w</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ith the following photos:</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HutnGofepwqW2v_zEoCwbr85QqI-cmjWktrr6R1E9XzloE6-POCheJzKx-hCzZ3DtW08THI3S7ysfabPUH12_JszCUhg8eD9nog_PjKni8bsY9EpxZcD7jHcMSi1_O1UJ7HOAPyYzCg/s1600-h/At+The+Laaker%27s.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HutnGofepwqW2v_zEoCwbr85QqI-cmjWktrr6R1E9XzloE6-POCheJzKx-hCzZ3DtW08THI3S7ysfabPUH12_JszCUhg8eD9nog_PjKni8bsY9EpxZcD7jHcMSi1_O1UJ7HOAPyYzCg/s320/At+The+Laaker%27s.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325126578010851746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">with friends!</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7bIvMDhOF0DPZQEEIxBtVLRYicFaYKklm8CrNoesNAcyu0eQfF8nSw-93bXhyK9qPiZ-IecxOY6BUvIT5N7zjRRizEWrzRrg2MxwWMMrEMf9VBjA6pUR2J1eIUhma5UNbupkP28KS-g/s1600-h/Easter+2009-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7bIvMDhOF0DPZQEEIxBtVLRYicFaYKklm8CrNoesNAcyu0eQfF8nSw-93bXhyK9qPiZ-IecxOY6BUvIT5N7zjRRizEWrzRrg2MxwWMMrEMf9VBjA6pUR2J1eIUhma5UNbupkP28KS-g/s320/Easter+2009-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325127500668576994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">at home!</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fgP8DbDgYBt4zqpChOnidV-iFxB7kXnpxNYB4O7mLvPBVw6QA4MiDH3QScGamNR0JF3ENPFkdnvcw9PmOAWChwgs0T-9hkgj1NbYdHifVExnJ3Ss_J59YiOCDwRNQwZCbJkNJvg68J4/s1600-h/Easter+20091.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fgP8DbDgYBt4zqpChOnidV-iFxB7kXnpxNYB4O7mLvPBVw6QA4MiDH3QScGamNR0JF3ENPFkdnvcw9PmOAWChwgs0T-9hkgj1NbYdHifVExnJ3Ss_J59YiOCDwRNQwZCbJkNJvg68J4/s320/Easter+20091.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325127912325744786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">...with Dale's side of the family!</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tlQb0OvIXQkp6SWNAN7696So-fU6NuXdQ9srsZf4dknFtet2ZSQQ2vmbRIvLXe3RlMY-4ddYogha4Ppgc4r2Y7PK47N8ELsVPV-EPL8-D6W83H1C0GwuCoEuf3AtN6j81q8xu_-1wpM/s1600-h/Easter+20092.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tlQb0OvIXQkp6SWNAN7696So-fU6NuXdQ9srsZf4dknFtet2ZSQQ2vmbRIvLXe3RlMY-4ddYogha4Ppgc4r2Y7PK47N8ELsVPV-EPL8-D6W83H1C0GwuCoEuf3AtN6j81q8xu_-1wpM/s320/Easter+20092.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325128289609587970" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">...with my side of the family</span>!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I hope you found some special way to enjoy this holiday. I must pass along something funny that was said at one of my celebrations full of Catholics I might add - "Thank you Jesus for turning my water into a Margarita!" </span><br /></div>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-67583162862292925102009-04-15T19:53:00.000-07:002009-04-15T19:56:29.496-07:007 Weeks, 7 Tuesdays: -5 lbs<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Holding Steady, that's become my reality. There have been many 'reasons to celebrate' these days and I have not made the time to exercise. For that reason, I feel lucky to be holding steady. I think I may have to re-try early morning trips to the gym - ugh. With the beautiful weather, plenty of social engagements and weekend chores to contend with my weekend workouts have disappeared. Hmm, maybe I'll start tomorrow. We'll see. Have a healthy week!</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-40649813893477333132009-04-05T09:12:00.001-07:002010-05-18T21:03:46.134-07:00Happy 36th Birthday Dale!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0QdJkDTb7RBnYPaLtf1Dj80KS1XXBzWiztJk4eG5c9PKZvhXfd3lQmOhbtMfdNvoTbanXTJBiKwZASqTIvUZvsUbr4f9CrBVfWIdmiZNAdwq0jl5xzVouAxm5oLIF6-8gHMzIQSKBEQ/s1600-h/Dales's+36th+b-day.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0QdJkDTb7RBnYPaLtf1Dj80KS1XXBzWiztJk4eG5c9PKZvhXfd3lQmOhbtMfdNvoTbanXTJBiKwZASqTIvUZvsUbr4f9CrBVfWIdmiZNAdwq0jl5xzVouAxm5oLIF6-8gHMzIQSKBEQ/s320/Dales's+36th+b-day.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321241104506443666" border="0" /></a>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-15435145180020380362009-03-31T21:11:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:01:27.258-07:009 Weeks, 9 Tuesdays: -5 lbs<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No loss is a huge gain this week! I had so many social engagements this week...<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Dinner with a dear friend who came to town, exquisite Peruvian food in The City</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> A Wedding, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries - oh my!</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> A Surprise Party to celebrate a the accomplishments of another dear friend - Baked Potato Soup with all the fixin's and Ice Cream Sundaes (with Hot Fudge AND Marshmallow Cream!)</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">These were all real moments worth celebrating! </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I accomplished my goal of not gaining- yay! I am not going to micro-focus on the fact that I have 9 weeks to go - yikes! I just need to step-up my game! Have a healthy week!</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-30210564692440575982009-03-24T19:11:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:01:27.259-07:0010 Weeks, 10 Tuesdays: -5 lbsI did an unofficial weigh-in yesterday as I was tied up today and not able to make it "official" today, but it looks like I lost that pesky pound I gained last week. Today I am accepting the reality that with 10 weeks left to go, 15lbs is not looking likely. Of course, I am going to keep going regardless. I didn't make it to the gym this past weekend, but if the weather holds out I am inspired to do some roller blading this weekend and that should burn some major calories! Have a healthy week~AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-24247961806627127012009-03-17T20:23:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:02:50.549-07:00Community<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I was in a meeting at work recently where we discussed 'Community Engagement'. The dialogue was already well passed the definition of and had moved to the importance of, the value in, and the risk in not 'doing'. I have been in these discussions often, so my mind wandered. I wandered back to the <span style="font-style: italic;">definition</span> of community. All my life I have interpreted the word to mean a group defined by a common interest or belief in something...a church community, neighborhood, etc. But in this discussion they were talking about people who lived within pre-defined boundaries. I started to wonder how many people in the room were like me. I live in one community and work in another (and I am not a distance commuter). I sleep in one and spend much of my awake time in <span style="font-style: italic;">the other</span>. I send my son to school in <span style="font-style: italic;">the other </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(really it is daycare, but it makes me feel better to call it school)</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. I shop in both<span style="font-style: italic;">, </span><span>actually I shop in </span><span style="font-style: italic;">multiple others</span>. I find myself engrossed in local politics in both places, but more in <span style="font-style: italic;">the other </span><span>(</span>naturally because I work for <span style="font-style: italic;">the other</span>). I only vote where I sleep, those are the rules. The 'engagement' discussion that I zoned out of excluded me and my family, we were not who they were trying to reach. I realized that outside of a professional capacity I wouldn't be invited to any of their meetings and I must admit that hurt a little.</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-49700573349894602872009-03-17T19:48:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:01:27.260-07:0011 Weeks, 11 Tuesdays: -4 lbs<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">OK, I must admit I am starting to get discouraged. I gained a whole pound this week! I did not expect to lose, but I hoped to not gain either. Yes, we took a mini-vacation. Yes, I ate more than a typical week. But I really managed my portions and kept my 'splurging' to just 1 1/3 days (4 meals). I packed my high-fiber cereal and oatmeal to ensure we had a healthy to start to each day! </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I really expected to be much closer to 10 pounds as I approached my half-way mark. </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I am going to limit my dwelling to today and tonight and tomorrow will be a new day! I will get some exercise in this weekend and see you here again next week, hopefully reporting a loss! Here's to a healthy week!</span>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1375608453184514851.post-21291272991532432222009-03-10T19:23:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:01:27.261-07:0012 Weeks, 12 Tuesdays: -5 lbs<div style="text-align: left; font-family: trebuchet ms;">I was quite sick for '13-weeks' but I am back and am moving in the downward direction, yay! I weighed in 1.4 pounds lighter today. I must admit I expected a greater loss then this since two-weeks have passed (and I couldn't eat for 2 whole days!) but I also haven't exercised in two-weeks either, so I'll take it! We are off for a mini-vacation this weekend so I'll have to find balance, hopefully some exercise will creep in to offset any extra calories consumed. Have a healthy week!<br /></div>AmyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00421038404120743361noreply@blogger.com0