kelly can do!

Stormy weather...

2011-08-24T22:38:00.001-04:00

Power went out. Power came on. Power went partially out, came back on. Power went fully out again and came back on a minute later. I went and got flashlights. I'm ready....

Roughing It

2011-08-21T10:01:00.001-04:00

It's 3:10 in the morning and I've been woken up by a thunderstorm. This isn't really such a bad thing in and of itself, except for the minor detail that I'm sleeping in a tent. Ah well.

Why I won't go into the basement...

2011-08-17T12:42:00.001-04:00

Or...Valid argument as to why my husband has to take responsibility of they laundry.

I am now paranoid that there are spiders everywhere everytime I feel an itch.

Off to bathe in bleach, now.

I hope the image posts at the bottom....

Traveling (wo)Man.

2011-07-18T15:23:00.000-04:00

Busy day today, in the midst of this God awful heat wave.

Scout and I leave late tomorrow morning for a week at my parents house in Wisconsin. They live right on a bluff that overlooks Lake Michigan, so there will be LOTS of walks on the beach, relaxation, etc.

BUT.... today makes for a busy day.

Packing (for me and for the dog -- you would be amazed at how much planning is involved in packing for the dog)
Cleaning up the house -- I can't stand coming home to a messy house. It doesn't have to be spotless per se, but I HATE when it looks like the house was left in a hurry.
Clean out the car -- This one is MOSTLY done... I just have to finish the trunk and get the dog "sheets" etc, set up in there.
Load the car.
Take out the trash -- tomorrow morning is trash day.
Visit my Grandma
Work out.
Water the lawn
Laundry
Bank -- Need change for the toll booths.

I am rapidly running out of time.

GAH!

Tomorrow morning I plan to go to an early AM yoga class before I leave as I have to leave by about 10am in order to hit Chicago at the exact right time so as to avoid traffic.

Final order of business: As it is an 8-9 hour drive, I need to figure out how in the world I will get to take bathroom breaks while traveling with the dog. She will be no problem. It's me (and my small bladder) that suddenly concern me....

How do you travel with pets? Do you have any suggestions for me?

--happy living

organizing, schmorganizing!

2011-06-30T11:58:00.001-04:00

I have a confession to make... I am a pack-rat. It's true. I keep things and then I do not get rid of them as quickly as I could. Or... they end up in my basement with the lofty goal of having a garage sale -- which hasn't happened yet.

So now that I am unemployed, I have to clean up and clean OUT all of this crap, get organized and have a garage sale. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN!!! I don't like our basement; there are spiders down there. This means that I will leave my husband to bring up all of those boxes -- which I will then, gingerly go through, thinking of spiders the whole time.

Plan of Action: Clearing clutter in "pre-garage sale glory":

Starting in my bedroom, with my clothes.

I have a lot of clothes. A LOT!

Tackle the guest bedrooms

This is where the extraneous clothes and accessories are

Bathrooms

I am a product junkie, so I need to be ruthless here

Kitchen

Pare down tupperware-ish stuff that I do not use
Canned goods gone bad
Items we just will not eat
Get rid of paper and junk mail collections
Get rid of Dog Items I Scout does not use (and donate to the Oakland County Pet Adoption Center)

Living Room / Dining Room

Not much to get rid of here, but there are some odds and ends, extra tablecloths, etc

Family Room

Clean off my desk

Get rid of paper and junk mail collections

Get rid of books and magazines I have read
Old candles
Sort cords for charge-able items

Office

That is SOLELY my husband's ~~disaster area~~ mess -- so that one is on him.

Garage

This one is MOSTLY my husband's ~~disaster area~~ mess -- I will help, but this one will mainly fall on his shoulders.

Basement

Not ready to even go there. Yet....

Then, I will think about the garage sale. The one thing I do know is that whatever does not sell is going IMMEDIATELY to the Salvation Army. It will not (I repeat NOT) go back into the house or remain in the garage.

--happy living (and wish me luck!)

a turn of events and a new me

2011-06-29T10:25:00.002-04:00

So, last Monday morning, when I got online, I saw a meeting notice from my manager for a one-on-one that day. Immediately, I cringed. You see, for the past three years (literally, since I started at an unhappy company) they have been in a constant state of Work Force Reductions (WFRs) and BEST Shoring (a fancy term for off-shoring your job to China, India, Argentina, Puerto Rico, etc i.e. countries where they can all but steal labor -- how can a US employee that already makes less than nothing compete with them paying less than $5000 a year for someone in in India).

Anyways, I saw that meeting notice and I knew that meant my time was up. Fortunately, I work from home most of the time, so I was given the news while I was at home (which has been my wish forever). This meant that I got to assimilate the information with my husband, in private. WIN (if that's possible in this situation)!

The funny thing is, after 3 years of seeing other people (constantly) get let go, and living with that kind of stress, I was actually surprised and happy that my number one emotion was RELIEF. I felt like a HUGE weight had been lifted off of me and my stress level went way down! Don't get me wrong, I am NOT HAPPY to have lost my job, that's never a good thing. But I am happy to be unshackled by that job. Where I work, NO ONE keeps anything (or very few things) of personal nature in the office, because everyone who works there knows that it is much easier to clean out an empty desk than a full one.

From the first day that I started at that global computer company, I had this overwhelming gut feeling that this job was an absolute mistake. I have never worked in such a toxic environment, because make no mistake, that was a VERY TOXIC environment. Imagine interacting daily with hundreds of people, all of whom are in constant fear of losing their job. People throw colleagues under the bus (sometimes without even realizing it, but usually they know what they are doing) without even blinking an eye. People are forced to adapt very quickly in that kind of dog eat dog food chain, and they become very skilled. Myself included, even though I made a concerted effort to never deliberately throw someone under the bus, I know it's happened, usually to defend myself.

Who wants to exist in that kind of an environment?

And I was there for THREE YEARS, hating it from the FIRST DAY!

Fortunately, when I started there the economy (especially in battered Detroit) was in a FAR WORSE PLACE than it has been in the past 6 months or so. There are job postings now, whereas before there was primarily a void.

Here are the positives that I see:

I got "WFRd" at home.
I had very few personal effects at the office (in fact they all fit, with TONS of room left over, in a large lululemon shopper

This is what my personal belongings fit into

I knew it was coming (for the past three years)
I don't miss the job
It happened on Monday, June 20, which means that I get a summer vacation.
I already registered months ago for the Detroit Freep Marathon on Sunday, October 16. So now I HAVE. TIME. TO. TRAIN!!!!
SUMMER VACATION (and I fully intend to enjoy every single second of it)!
Time to get the house TRULY organized, which has been weighing on me for about 6 months now.
The economy is in a much better place now than it was a few months ago, so I know I will find something.
I have time to be more discerning in my search for a new job.
My husband is wonderful and supportive.
So are my parents
My 90+ grandma just moved into an assisted living facility that is only a few miles from my house, so I will have time to pop in and visit her, frequently :-D

So, there you have it -- I choose to look at this as a window opening, rather than a door closing!

--happy living

melissa, melissa, melissa -- for all that you do, this post is for you! or: ridin' the v(eg)-train

2011-06-18T16:25:00.000-04:00

Dearest Melissa,
As requested. :-)
Love,
Kelly

*** this is a bit rambly, I'm tired and don't really feel like trying to edit too much... Feel free to judge me, but i still love you ***

So in the past several months, I've made several unplanned, highly unanticipated changes in my life. The biggest of which has probably been the fact that I stopped eating meat. That's right, I've vegged out! The funniest thing about it is that I really have not missed it. At all.

More than once I have foundthat the smell of burgers and hot dogs on the grill is enough to make my mouth water like one of Pavlov's dogs. However, I have not felt tempted by it. To me, the real test was when Hubs and I were down in the basement chilling on the aerobed watching television -- it was a hot day and the basement was cool. Chilly even. Don't judge! -- and somehow ended on Food Network and we began watching a marathon (3 episodes) of Diners Drive-ins and Dives. It was ninety minutes of barbecue ribs, pulled pork, hamburgers, etc. All foods I LOVE -- or is that loved? When we turned the television off, Hubs got all hot and bothered to grill something, but I was able to watch with detachment, I guess. While the food all looked fantastic, delicious and downright delicious, I did not WANT it. I could appreciate it. But I did not want it. That was rather empowering to me, that I could resist and it was not hard! Restaurants are, on occasion, a bit of a challenge. Not all have a good list of vegetarian cuisine; and of those that do have offerings, many just go through their menu and say, "Ooh, there's no meat in this, let's label that Veg" In other words finding things beyond salads, grilled cheese sandwiches or Garden Burgers can be hard. But it's not impossible.

I should clarify, I am not vegan -- I really do not want to make that kind of a commitment. In other words, I still eat eggs and dairy (which certainly makes it much easier), and I also let myself have fish & seafood -- this makes travel a LOT easier. Not to mention that there is NO WAY I could give up sushi. I love it so.

Furthermore, I should add that there was no motivation behind my shift to vegetarianism. In fact, it was so anticlimactic that I am unable to even pinpoint when it happened. It just did. I know it was right around my three year wedding anniversary (March 7, if you were wondering), but that is the best I can do. It just happened. I'm not committed for life to this (I'm leaving myself that out as it takes the pressure off of me) but I am curious how long I can ride the V(eg)-Train.

Another change which I have made -- this one had a bit more conscious of a decision -- I switched from salon shampoos and conditioners to natural, organic ones. It took about two or three weeks before my hair stopped feeling like a straw-like, knotted mess when I washed it, but my hair has acclimated, and is shiny, full and silky. If you are wondering, I use Desert Essence Shampoo (right here) and Conditioner (and here) in Italian Red Grape. I bought mine at Whole Foods. The fragrance is AMAZING and lasts for days -- I wash my hair every other day, and I can still smell it on my hair.

Last but not least... this one has been slowly growing for the past two years! When it comes to household cleaning, I have switched from harsh cleaning chemicals, to more kid and pet friendly, green variety. Having Scout has been very eye opening, and was the biggest catalyst for this evolution. She is such a curious dog that every time I would go to clean, I would constantly worry that she would lick at something or worse, so it became important to me to find things that I would not be as paranoid about. Not to mention the fact that we are planning to have kids, why not be ahead of the curve. As it is, I already hate cleaning and scouring, so when I felt like I had to constantly put effort into keeping the dog away to clean it became an even bigger chore. Now, I am much less worried when she shadows me.

I use a couple of brands for cleaning products. The first one I love because they are actually pretty reasonable and they are effective in cleaning (obviously important) is Naturally It's Clean by Enzyme Fresh Home which you can buy at Alice.com (I love ALICE! You always get free shipping, there are frequent coupons for products and the mark-up is nominal over a grocery store -- and you more than make up for it with the FREE SHIPPING!). The best perk of using these products is that they are made and produced right here in the Metro Detroit area in Bloomfield Hills. WINNING!

The other products I use are made by Shaklee -- who have been making GREEN cleaning products since the 1956. Their Basic H2 is not only extremely long lasting -- you use a few drops to a tablespoon depending on your instant need, so a small 16oz bottle can last for a couple of years, easily! Further, it's unscented, so I add a drop or two of the essential oil of my choice for fragrance (currently lime). I love it!

What have you done to green / healthify (yep, made that word up) or otherwise spruce up your day to day routines? Tell me in the comments.

PS: Melissa, you are required to leave a comment. Consider it my reward for posting ;-)

--happy living

where it's at!

2011-05-23T18:14:00.000-04:00

This is where I was at with the house last summer.... Lots of changes!

a view from the top (of the stairs, that is)

living room. this pic is probably the closest photo representation of the blue that i have. Other pics look like it's "electric blue" I don't LOVE this color, and do want to repaint it... but I'm not there yet.

another view of the living room. plus, say hello to Audrey!

my argyle wall masterpiece. I am SO proud of how this turned out and it was (surprisingly) very easy to do!

see what i mean, electric blue!

kitchen

kitchen: view II

family room. This no longer looks like this. There is now a big wall dividing the room right at the back of the loveseat now (the house originally had a wall as well. Now that smaller area is an office.

which we already used as such!

family room area

and now, up the stairs.

large guest room (front of house)

another view

and another.

small guest room (rear of house)

blue room

ahhh, my sanctuary!

--happy living

mexiquinoa (a cinco de mayo delight)

2011-05-05T22:17:00.002-04:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo and Happy Birthday to my dear friend Maggie!!!!

So really, there is nothing special about this dish. However, because I have recently stopped eating meat, instead of rice I use quinoa, which is a source of complete protein.

If you want a really nice breakdown on quinoa, what it is and why it's wonderful, you can read Emily's post over at the Daily Garnish (read here)

Ingredients for MexiQuinoa (Yields 4 - 5 servings)

1¼ c. Quinoa
1 can of Black Beans
1 can of Pinto Beans
1 fire roasted red pepper (diced)
½ onion (diced and sautéed)
Salsa (whatever your preference)
1 to 2 tbsp Sour cream
⅛ - ¼ c. shredded cheese (depending on cheesy preference)
Tortilla chips

So first off, I rinse boil 2 cups of water. While I'm waiting for it to boil, I rinse off the quinoa in the sink.
Once the water boils, I dump the quinoa in. Stir occassionally. Like rice, it will absorb all of the water moreover, when the little tails sprout, it's done.

While the quinoa is cooking, I dice and sauté the onion and once that starts to cook down, I add the fire roasted red pepper

I open the can of black and pinto beans and rinse them off.

Once the quinoa is done cooking, I add the beans to the grain. As those are incorporated, I add the onion and pepper mixture. Then I add the salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese and mix it all together.

The brilliance of the recipe is that it really does not require a lot of cheese or sour cream before it becomes deliciously creamy...

Add to a bowl, and scoop with tortilla chips and enjoy!

--happy living

My Response to "Parents don't dress your girls like tramps"

2011-04-19T18:41:00.004-04:00

Both the CNN article AND Katy's post.

While this post is a little off topic from my usual posts, I read, posted and commented on this LZ Granderson/CNN article, Parents don't ress your girls like tramps," earlier today.

When Katy Widrick wrote her opinion over at her blog I had to write a lengthy/personal reply. Further, I wanted to share my thoughts here, as well.

Katy made the point that

This is representative of a further issue -- in my opinion, that issue is largely the fact that parents are increasingly absent. However, I can only partially agree with your point about parents letting their kids have some freedom in their choices... but I only partially agree with you. It's one thing to let your daughter wear your high heels and lipstick, it's another when they start parading around in your or their (I have no doubt that will eventually happen) lingerie.

Parents MUST to play a role in GUIDING their children's choices. Because I don't care how "free" a spirit your kid is... No little girl needs to be running around have naked and dressed like a sex symbol. That is SOLELY on the parents. Shame on companies like Abercrombie for marketing the merchandise, but even more shame goes to the parents for saying, "Yeah, that's a GREAT IDEA"

I think LZ Granderson made a HUGELY valid point which is that PARENTS are the one buying these items for their kids. And from first-hand experience, pushing and or encouraging it. Case in point: My (then) 7 year old niece Annie and her mom.

I can't begin to tell you how disgusted I was when my sister-in-law bought some kiddie bras for my niece (who at the time was seven). My SIL, Shelly bought them NOT because my niece asked or begged for them, not because Annie NEEDED them (she didn't). Shelly bought them because SHELLY thought that they were funny and cute. While I love my SIL, to me, that is just plain inappropriate. And I have friends who would/will/have bought similar items for their little girls, for the same reason.

These parents make up the demographic that companies like Abercrombie, etc are trying to "reach" with these items. I have never yet met a kid that chose outfits that are purely sexual because that's how they want to dress. TV & media have A LOT of influence but it comes from even closer. What are those kids learning at home.

Back to my niece Annie (who is now 11). Annie has had some pretty serious body image issues since she was about 8 years old. It was about this time when she (who IS beautiful and also a little toothpick)started comparing herself to other kids, real and on TV, and saying that she wasn’t pretty, or skinny, or she was too fat, she needed to lose weight. This is the girl who understands the sexual undertone to Katy Perry’s “I kissed a girl” and sings it that way in order to get attention. This, btw, is something that still leaves me appalled.

The question isn’t what are we letting our KIDS do. The real question is what are we encouraging our kids to do?

And the future right now is beginning to look pretty grim.

--happy living

Simply Delish - Vegan Muffin(tops)

2011-04-16T17:50:00.003-04:00

Every once in awhile I stumble upon a recipe that I have to try right then and there. Even more rare is when that happens and I actually have all of the proper ingredients (or acceptable substitutes) so that I actually do make them. Emily provided just one of those recipes with her vegan Blueberry Banana Whole Wheat Muffin recipe over at her blog, the Daily Garnish.

Unable to resist the promise of muffin-y goodness, I got to work. The only problem...? I didn't take any pictures until I made a second batch, anyways...

oh. my. yumness!

Emily's recipe calls for the following ingredients (my modifications will be noted in parentheses and in blue)

But wait! — there’s more...

Chili Time

2011-04-04T22:49:00.012-04:00

I saw this post the other day, and was eager to try it. So on Sunday, I finally did.

I modified Teri (over at A Foodie Stays Fit)'s Famous Vegetarian 3-Bean Chili recipe. Let me just tell you... She nailed it. It. Is. Good! Really good. She was not kidding when she said that there was just one step, "throw it all in a pot." The most time-consuming part of the process was opening all of the cans of beans and tomatoes. I topped it with some guacamole and a blend of plain yogurt and sour cream. I was very pleased that mine turned out as thick as if there were meat in it, not watery like most veggie chili.

Nom! Nom! Nom!

But wait! — there’s more...

f is for flu but b is for birthday.

2011-03-16T18:16:00.003-04:00

So, I have been sick as a dog since Monday afternoon. 'Sick is a dog' is actually a rather silly analogy as my dog is generally healthy as a horse, but... (See, a sure sign I'm sick. Dumb jokes)

But wait! — there’s more...

friday +/-

2011-03-11T17:16:00.003-05:00

So, this has been an interesting week, to say the least. Despite the negatives that I list, I can claim absolutely that the positives SIGNIFICANTLY outweighed the negatives. That said, I usually start with the negatives so that I can end on a positive note... but for this week only, I am going to flip that around. Be warned... this is probably going to get a bit ramble-y in spots.

So... Let's get started, shall we?
But wait! — there’s more...

walking in a winter wonderland

2011-03-07T18:30:00.002-05:00

First off:

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, BABY!!! WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR THREE YEARS, TOGETHER FOR NEARLY SEVEN YEARS,
AND THROUGH IT ALL, I AM STILL MADLY. IN. LOVE.
WITH YOU!

The past weekend was amazing for my husband and myself. We celebrated our third wedding anniversary on Monday -- I can't believe that it's been three years, already! -- and we spend the weekend driving southwest of Pittsburgh to Seven Springs Mountain Resort for a weekend of snowboarding. And the past weekend was epic for me!

Ryan and I just learned this winter. Well, Ryan grew up on a skateboard, so it was a really smooth transition for him. Both of us skied growing up and wanted to get back on the slopes, but also wanted a more cost effective way to do it. So... it just so happened that last August, Ryan stopped at a HUGE Dick's Sporting Goods in Novi that we normally never go to as it is an hour drive from our house. While he was there, he saw these beginner decks that were on sale for $50 each, which is really an insanely low price. That said, he bought a new 5150 snowboard deck for each of us. Below are the pictures that Ryan messaged me when he told me his plan.
But wait! — there’s more...

ABCs of Me

2011-02-25T11:10:00.065-05:00

Everyone always says that "Oh, I don't usually do these, but this one looked fun, so here I go..." Well... Count me in that bucket. I really don't usually fill these things out, but this one was easy enough without getting too overly personal. So...

But wait! — there’s more...

love is in the air!

2011-02-14T22:31:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope your days are all filled with love and sunshine! (Not practical, I'm sure--but I can hope, right?)

My husband had an amazing series of surprises planned for me when I got home from work. I love him with all my heart. I can honestly claim that I am truly blessed to have found my soul-mate in him! A claim I do not make lightly.

--happy living

friday +/-

2011-02-11T07:33:00.000-05:00

negatives:

The hubby was stuck in training on Monday and Tuesday while we were in Houston. And Tuesday was a very long day for him.
Mom almost got run off the road by a semi-truck in a dangerous spot on i-94 in Milwaukee. She wasn't hurt and neither was her car, but she was definitely shaken and it delayed her arrival to our house. Meaning, we didn't get to spend as much time with her. But--she's safe!
Hubs and I had to leave the Scout-dog for 5 days. I'll admit it--I missed her!

positives:

I got to go to Houston, Texas this week and see the sun and experience some warmer temperatures. Much needed!
Hubs and I were able to rent a car on Sunday and drive down to the Gulf of Mexico/Galveston, Texas.
We enjoyed several amazing meals whilst traveling.
I walked approximately 5 miles per day while we were there, and it was very enjoyable.
Got to give my Kindle a fantastic workout while we were there.
Enjoyed the gorgeous weather.
Came home to my puppy!
Came home to my house that my mom had (beautifully) cleaned for our homecoming. I LOVE coming home to a clean house, so it was wonderful!

All in all it's been another grand week!!!

...i missed this girl!

--happy living

everything's bigger in texas!

2011-02-10T17:56:00.000-05:00

Seriously, it is! I have been MIA the past several days as my hubby and I have been holed up in this mystical land of the south--specifically Houston. I have to say a few things have surprised me.

our view of the houston skyline from the hotel. the toyota center is where the houston rockets play.

But wait! — there’s more...

it's a marshmallow world!

2011-02-02T16:47:00.001-05:00

Well, the blizzard came and left. It did not leave as much snow as predicted (and unfortunately, it never does), but it still left a beautiful coat of snow.

Ryan, Scout and I all teamed up and cleaned out the driveway. Ryan used the snowblower, I took the shovel and played cleanup, and Scout was really just an observant (and faithfully diligent) project manager.

i've got my eyes on you!

But wait! — there’s more...

snowpocalypse now!

2011-02-01T23:15:00.000-05:00

Batten down the hatches, the storm has descended upon us!

That said, my husband and I are all prepared for being snowed in tomorrow. We stocked up on groceries over the weekend, ahead of all the blizzard warnings. And for that I'm grateful. I mentioned yesterday that when I ran to the grocery store to pick up my husband's birthday cake, all of the grocery store staples were all but depleted. No bananas, milk, etc. It was crazy!

I took my girl Scout (I don't know that you have been formally introduced yet. So I'll do that now. Scout is a one and a half year old yellow lab. She was named after one of my favorite literary characters, Scout Finch, from To Kill a Mockingbird.) for a long and gloriously snow-filled walk this evening, as the blustery wind had picked up.

Now that I am warmed up, with my blanket, my pup at my feet and a steaming cup of hot cocoa... All that is left is some entertainment.

And... With that, I will leave you with a clip from YouTube. In the past 36 hours, I have NOT been able to get this song out of my head.

--happy living ( & stay warm!)

the waffler…

2011-01-31T23:53:00.003-05:00

Today was my husband's 35^th birthday, and it was pretty low-key. We always proclaim that, 'this year we're having a party' or something similar, but we never do. It's funny—and I think my as we've gotten older, we want our birthday to be recognized. BUT, we still want to celebrate with each other.

This year, hubs genuinely only wanted a few things.
But wait! — there’s more...

lemon laws

2011-01-30T16:36:00.000-05:00

So apparently, I have been feeling very, well very citrus-y, of late. Examples:
1) My new KitchenAid mixer is Tangerine (I call her, 'Clem').

I'm in love.

2) I bought a new bottle of dish soap, as I was out. Previous frangrance? Also Tangerine. New fragrance: Clementine.
3) The week prior, I bought a new candle from Target: Meyer Lemon
4) I used Clem to make Lemon Meringue cookies

what was left of the meringue cookies, after my husband hit them

5) Feeling ambitious, I made my husband a Lemon Meringue pie.

at least i managed to snag a picture of this before the hubs tore into it. :-)

I've heard of 'lemon laws', but not like this. Maybe this is a different kind. ;-)

--happy living

the cow says "moooooo"

2011-01-29T13:00:00.003-05:00

Love is finding a vintage 'Moo Cow Creamer' that takes you back to your childhood and summers spent at your grandparent's house. OK, so that might not be the true definition of love, but it certainly brings me 'warm & fuzzies'.

But wait! — there’s more...

friday +/-

2011-01-29T00:15:00.004-05:00

I am borrowing this post idea from Christine over at the new me. I think it's a fantastic way to sum up the week.

negatives:
The hubby worked a really long, stressful week and did not get home until 7:30pm on Friday.

But wait! — there’s more...

pizza for my baby

2011-01-28T22:10:00.002-05:00

My husband had a horrible day at work today (both bad and just plain long). So I decided to cheer him up by making him pizza. Specifically his favorite pizza. Pepperoni, mushrooms, onion and bacon.

My one cheat was that I buy pre-made pizza dough from my local gourmet grocer. It's only a couple of bucks, and well worth it.

As for the toppings, I used the following:

But wait! — there’s more...

sandwich of champions -- a caprese-esque blt

2011-01-26T22:36:00.002-05:00

Today was a work from home day (my favorite work days of the week).

For some reason, I don't usually eat lunch on my work from home days. Today however, I decided to try something new and this sandwich fit the bill perfectly.

It was incredibly. Simple. I made a modified version of this recipe from Ashley over at (Never Home) Maker. If you haven't already, you should definitely check it out.

The sandwich is effectively a "caprese" sandwich.

the ingredients -- minus the bacon

But wait! — there’s more...

a game of squash...

2011-01-25T14:56:00.002-05:00

My 80lb lab puppy, who is seemingly misinformed about her true size.

introducing katie!

2011-01-23T23:16:00.003-05:00

Keurig, that is!

Welcome to the family, Ma'am!

But wait! — there’s more...

oh. sweet. cornholio (cornbread)...

2011-01-23T10:22:00.001-05:00

Let the cooking adventures commence...

I've been feeling much more inspired in the kitchen lately. This might have something to do with the fact that the "2010 black friday sales" led to us buying brand-new (stainless *grin*) kitchen appliances! YIPPEE!!! We only got to have them delivered at the beginning of January, so they are still very new to us. Either way, for the first time in a long time, I've actually been left feeling rather inspired in the kitchen.

(love. love. love.)
But wait! — there’s more...

ch-ch-ch-changes...

2011-01-22T15:58:00.002-05:00

In the relatively short time that we have owned our house, my husband and I have put it through many changes.

I love the things I've done to the house, but I am still learning about my house and her personality. What she likes, what she doesn't like. You know... The ol' "what makes her tick" if you will.

For instance:

the family room when we bought the house

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in the beginning...

2011-01-21T20:47:00.001-05:00

Just over one and a half years ago (Friday, June 19, 2009, if I must be specific), my husband and I closed on our first house. It was ours and we were in love with it.

our house the day of the home inspection

It was so much more than our wildest dreams imagined was possible for us (many thanks to the crash of the housing market) and in SO MANY WAYS, this house was meant to be ours.

Seriously. You want proof?

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Bumps in the Road

2010-11-19T23:57:00.003-05:00

Okay, so the past few weeks have been busy, and crazy, and when it came to working out, I’ve even been a bit lazy.

I haven’t been working out as much in the past few weeks, and I can FEEL it. I can just tell that I am sluggish and not as into it. However, because this weekend is crazy clean and prep weekend, because thanksgiving is coming… I am going to be making a few trips to the gym if only to restore some of my sanity. It will be solely for my own survival.

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Running -- Not a Twelve-Step Program

2010-10-30T21:03:00.001-04:00

I first saw this video on Kara Goucher's blog.

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My Support Crew

2010-10-29T17:35:00.000-04:00

This is a shot of my husband and our pup, Scout (a la Scout Finch, from TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD).

Week One - Done!

2010-10-27T18:17:00.000-04:00

(Tracking those calories)

Tracking calories has long been the one facet of fitness that has eluded me. I mean, really... taking note of every single bite of food can be a hugely daunting task. As such, it's something that I'll try and after 2 hours, i've already given up. Then when you try and estimate the calorie content of each item you nibble on. Forget it. Not gonna happen.

Enter technology (with a huge thank you attached!). Last Christmas, my wonderful hubby got me an itouch, and I have to be honest, that thing has barely left my hand SINCE. One of the first apps I had downloaded, which I later even read a review about on FitSugar. However, it took me until about Labor Day of this year before I finally decided it was time to get serious.

Enter today.

I love this app. First off, it already has a pretty decent sized catalogue of foods and exercises. If you can't find a the same or similar food item, it is really easy to add new items to your list. Secondly, there is a corresponding website (click on the image above to check it out) which communicates with your app, so that you can easily update items on the computer as well... helpful if you don't like typing new food data on the itouch.

This tool is incredibly easy to use and as a result, I have been surprisingly good about entering everything into the log since I've started. You enter your current stats; height, weight, goal weight, etc and it gives you a daily calorie budget that automatically adjusts for you as you lose weight.

By tracking all your foods and activities (even such mundane things as vacuuming) it's amazing how many calories you both burn and consume that you don't even think about. As a result, you actually start to become more thoughtful about what you CHOOSE to eat, as opposed to just absently snacking.

Anyways...I love this tool, even if you don't have an itouch, I recommend using the website. Just seeing how many calories you are allowed during the day, and how many you've consumed and burned, really allows for better results.

----

Now onto other things... in the past 7 weeks, I've lost 15 pounds. (Granted, I lost about 6 of them two weeks ago due to a really nasty upper respiratory infection. All I ate during this week were quarts Chicken & Dumpling soup (from a local Polish diner, 2 Sisters--it's AMAZING). But... I've kept it off.

I'm still running. Slowly. But I'm still running. Now if I could just hit the same pace/run that I used to be able to hit--I'll be a happy camper.

Further, my parents and I have all registered for the first annual Kalamazoo Marathon next May. I'm nothing if not both ambitious and a glutton for punishment.... This will be my second 26.2

Love and Running,
--Kelly

inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes

2010-09-23T14:07:00.000-04:00

i bet you've never heard of NF (Neurofibromatosis), but this little girl is one of the many faces of it.

this little girl's mom tirelessly champions for her kids health and well-being. always raising funds, always searching for ways to learn more, be involved and to help find a cure for this awful illness.

please take a moment, and--if you any--some spare change, to help with a worthy cause.

http://www.active.com/donate/nfdisney2011/TumorTrample

words that move.

2010-09-22T12:16:00.000-04:00

"The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself - the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us - that's where it's at."

Jesse Owens, American track and field athlete and Olympic gold medal winner (Today's Runner's World Quote of the Day)

Off the Bandwagon...

2010-03-23T13:14:00.001-04:00

So I was doing really good there, going to the gym and running consistently. The beautiful weather has been a great motivator. H
However, I started falling off of the wagon, and HARD, last week. The time change (or at least, that's what I'm associating it with) really threw me. I had a lot (and by a lot I mean, all) of sleepless nights last week from Saturday (13 March, 2010) on. Plus, Tuesday was my birthday (I turned 29 for the third year in a row), Wednesday was St. Patrick's Day. Thursday and Friday, I drug my butt to the gym, but...in my opinion, did not have good workourts. Saturday and Sunday were crazy, That said, I spent the week trying to maintain sanity, and the gym fell by the wayside.
Effective immediately, I am back to the gym. Or maybe I will take the dog for a run... But most likely, I will make myself go to the gym. Wish me luck!
--Happy Running!

Words that make me move

2010-03-16T12:37:00.001-04:00

"I don't believe in restricting calories, I believe in burning them. "
Chanamalla Samagond, Indian National Champion at 800m and 1,500m

Inspiration

2010-03-16T12:35:00.000-04:00

Taken in 2007 in South Haven, MI. (Summer Sunset, Lake Michigan)

Blog Voyeur

2010-03-10T09:54:00.000-05:00

I love reading people's blogs. Truly, I do. I love reading about recounts of someone's day, or an activity, or even something seemingly mundane. It all interests me. I love those intimate little snapshots into a person's thoughts. Their feelings. How they process things.

And I find it somewhat ironic that I enjoy them so much, since I am not a fan of reality shows. I may watch once in awhile (The Biggest Loser, but even then, I think I've watched all 3 or 4 episodes), but really, they just don't interest me. I don't care to see a bunch of vapid twits swear they are madly in love with someone they met 6 minutes ago, or drink cow's blood, or cook pig intestines or sing horribly (to be made a fool of) on TV. I don't really get into that.

I wonder if a blog would be my equivalent to how 9.9 times out of 10, a book is profoundly better than a movie. To me, the visual stimulation of READING words surpasses the visual stimulation of an inage on the screen. Words just have an effect on me.

Really though, I love seeing photo albums of peoples lives, and I love reading blog entries. Why? Because everyone wants to be a voyeur to other people's thoughts and observations. And what better medium than an online diary of sorts. The internet is such a tremendous tool.

Don't you find it so much easier is it to open up your own thoughts and feelings when the audience is nameless and faceless--or the face is that of an avatar? It takes so much of the rejection out of the equation. Think about it. It takes so much of the fear out of speaking your mind.

Either way, I enjoy reading me a good blog, and hope you enjoy the snippets of my own head.

--Happy Running

Inspiration

2010-03-09T12:03:00.000-05:00

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

Winston Churchill

Truckin' Along

2010-03-08T09:46:00.000-05:00

I can proudly state that despite some SERIOUS procrastination, yesterday... I did go to the gym last night. I did my alternating run/walk varying my mph and length of time in order to push myself.

And trust me when I say I procrastinated. It was a gorgeous day yesterday...and it was my 2 year wedding anniversary to the man of my dreams. AND, Puppy (her name is actually Scout--as in Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird--but very often my husband and I refer to her as Puppy, because she's so darn cute, and because we can) was being an absolute cuddle-bug to me yesterday. Trust me when I say that It makes it so hard to want to get up and move when she's laying there snuggling with you.

But despite all of those obstacles, I still went. I still did my 60 minutes. And I am feeling pretty darn good about it!

--Happy Running!

And Honey, I love you with all my heart! Happy Anniversary!

Makin' it Back

2010-03-07T17:08:00.000-05:00

After a hiatus that has lasted longer than I care to mention, I been actually been draggin' my lazy butt back to the gym for the past couple of days... I'm slow, to be sure.. but I can proudly say that I'm running! And frankly, that feels good!

Of course I'm very sore, which is to be expected, but darnitall, it feels really good! :-) Just tootin' my horn.

--Happy Running

Back to the Gym Sickness

2010-03-01T15:42:00.002-05:00

This always happens to me... I finally make a committment to get back to the gym and back into shape, I get a couple of visits in (usually up to a week or so) and then BAM... I'm sick! I'm beginning to think that it's some sort of cosmic joke... Does anybody else experience this?(and just to make sure that I don't have to clarify later, I am militant about cleaning the gym equipment--both after AND BEFORE I use it. Cause I find that people are LAZY about that.)

You called it! (1 vote)
I've gotten sick a couple of times, but not enough to say it's related. (1 vote)
No, not that I've noticed. (0 votes)
I don't think so, lady! (0 votes)