recap

i'm sad to see the weekend come to a close - work was really stressful last week and due to the fact that my big project (annual report) is STILL not done, this week will be the same if not worse... i was exhausted on friday night and went to bed before 10:00, pretty sad i think but what can you do... i hung-out w/my mom on saturday and we did some canning - i've always wanted to learn since i grew-up watching her do it every summer... she would can anything and everything since it was very economical and then we could enjoy fresh veggies/fruit all year long... my grandmother did the same thing so i'm happy that this tradition has been passed down to me and i hope i can pass it along to my children... :o)

we also went to a few holiday bazaars and even though the weather was crappy (rain), it was time well spent... as for the rest of the weekend, i've been hanging out with eric doing the usual weekend thing and relaxing as much as possible... i will probably go into work early tomorrow just because i have SO much to do - i can only hope it wraps up soon so my life can get back to normal... exercise has been null & void and i'm beginning to feel it... anyway, here are some pics of my first canning experience - enjoy! :o)

i decided to make spaghetti sauce, with tomatoes from our garden, so the first step was to cook them in a spice mix for about 20-minutes...


next, you heat the mason jars in the oven and then fill them with the cooked tomatoes...


in the next step, you seal the jars and let them cook for about another 20-30 minutes...


once they're removed from the water, the jars will seal as they cool... and if done properly, the canned sauce can last for years...


i can't wait to have this sauce over pasta or on homemade pizza... yummy... :o)

fondue for two

yesterday was my mom's birthday so i took her to the melting pot - for those who aren't familiar with this place, you basically have a dinner (4-courses) that is eaten fondue style... you can chose the type of cheese, type of salad, type of entree, and most importantly - the type of chocolate... it was heavenly and our waiter was great which makes for an even more pleasant experience (they even gave a bday card to my mom!)... we ate until we were stuffed - i think my mom can totally outdo me though - i couldn't finish the last course and she just kept going... heck, if it's your 73rd birthday - i say eat and be merry! happy birthday mom! :o)

mmm, look at that cheesey-goodness...


just look at that dessert plate (strawberries, bananas, pound cake, brownies, cheesecake, rice-crispie treats, and marshmallows)...

happy fall

happy fall, everyone... :o)

i have been a TOTAL blog-slacker and want to apologize - work has been stressful and honestly, i'm not even getting on the computer when i get home at night... i just haven't been in the mood really (or for a lot of things lately), so i'm hoping to snap out of this funk soon... i can't really put a finger on what/why but i know it's there, looming behind the scenes, and the only thing i'm able to focus on is work - everything else has been put on the back burner... i know i'm not fully-depressed because i have no problems eating, sleeping, or bouts of crying but i know it's something... ugh!

i've lost focus in the last month or so and it's not that i feel myself slipping, i just don't feel in control anymore... putting myself and my health first was a no-brainer but lately, that hasn't been the case... compared to last year, i haven't done anything new exercise-wise - there's no pilates or kick-boxing class... i'm lucky to get to the gym 3-4 times a week right but know that will change soon once this annual report is done)... as for my diet - i'm not following any plan and yes, this is what i wanted a few months ago but now i'm not so sure... i've gained a few pounds and though i was safe for a while with my clothes - a few pieces are fitting differently and that's like a major wake-up call for me... i feel like i've been skating along, without getting caught, and now the alarms have gone off...

i know some of you will say, "i told you so" or "i'm surprised you lasted this long" and that's fine, but that's not why i'm telling you all this... regardless of what i decided in july, how much i've gained, or how a pair of pants fit snuggly - i do NOT regret what i did... if there's one thing that i've learned in my adult life - it's letting go and moving on... holding onto things and letting past mistakes run your life is not the answer - you will not get anywhere, learn anything new, or grow as a person... how does that saying go, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself"...

SO this is where i am right now... i have no plan nor the time to focus right now (esp. this week) but know i have to DO something... and soon... i don't want to keep sliding in the wrong direction and then hate myself for not reaching out sooner...

happy tuesday...

do you LOVE your body?

today is LOVE YOUR BODY DAY (sponsored by the NOW foundation) and even though i'm not too happy with mine right now, i still love it because i'm the only one that has it... sounds weird but think about it for a minute—sure, someone might have the same shape or size but it's your personality, your attitude, your confidence, your determination, and your inner-strength that makes you different... unlike some people, i don't see it as just a physical thing because learning to accept yourself is just the first step...

after struggling with my weight for so many years, it really wasn't until a few years ago that i began to accept who i had become and embrace what my body was capable of doing... though losing weight was a big part of the equation, it was really being able to accept that i will never be who the person i was in high school or college... yea, it would be great to weigh 140 again but seriously - i'm 37 and my body has changed so why struggle? why not learn to love the body i have today - the one that ran a 5K, or lifts weights, or goes for long walks, or takes a spin class? why compare myself to someone else when that shouldn't even be part of the equation? it shouldn't be an option, in my opinion, because YOU need to live your life and no one else...

here are a few things (from the website) that you can do:

1. indulge in your own terms - love your tastebuds
   
2. stretch your mind and your body - rejuvenate and care yourself
   
3. read - expand your mind
   
4. throw a private party - take a day for yourself and yourself only
   
5. laugh out loud - humor is the best medicine
6. have safe sex - enjoy being w/someone
7. spend time with your family - nurture your close relationships
8. listen to positive music - develop a theme song
   
9. develop a creative outlook - express daily stress/frustrations creatively
   

so on this LOVE YOUR BODY DAY, take a few moments and really think about what that means to you... have you been feeling down in the dumps lately or has that negative self-talk come back into your life? if so, focus on the GOOD things and start from the INSIDE - once love has found it's way in, it will only spread upwards and outwards... :o)

happy hump day...

food find

the next two weeks will be sketchy for me so i'm apologizing in advance for the lack of posting... i will do my best to keep up with things but sometimes, blogging is the last thing on my mind when i get home from work (esp. if i have to stay late)... anyway, i'll do my best... :o)

my mom and i had a nice time w/my sister and nieces this weekend - their log cabin is still not done though my nieces have been living in their bedrooms since school began (something about an occupancy permit)... meanwhile, my sister and her hubby are living in their camper/trailer so it makes for an interesting time when it comes to eating meals... anyway, the weather was great and the leaves were at their peak color in western maryland - quite fitting for their annual autumn glory festival... while they did their thing in the morning, i spent a few hours with my dad - he didn't recognize me but i know that's just because of the disease, not because he choses not too... as for the rest of the weekend - we basically hung out at the house, had lots to eat, went to church, and headed back home... too bad the redskins couldn't have ended the weekend on a high-note - WTF! :o(

since yesterday was an optional holiday for us here, half the office was gone, and it was pretty quiet... in between a few projects, i checked-out hungrygirl since she has new food products listed every few days... one item was arnold's select multigrain samich thins and i thought, what a great idea for my lunch... so i found what stores in my area carried them, bought two packs (they were even on sale!), and had my first one today... holy cow! it was SO tasty and went great with turkey, lowfat provolone, and field greens - i can't wait to try other fillings... i bet PB and banana would be awesome! ;o)

happy tuesday...

weigh-in

thought i'd share two of my horoscopes from today - it's funny how both seem to be saying something to me, but in different ways (i don't take them that seriously, mind you)...

1. you may find that you've been playing with fire lately, and this is a good day to change your ways and focus on a safer way of life.
2. as much as you would love for someone to know that fantastical version of yourself that you've created in your head, the real you is more lovable. so when the questions arise, you tell the truth. helplessly so.

man, oh man - these are so dead-on, i can't even tell you... somehow these horoscopes just knew that i was going to be reporting my weigh-in and today, and they decided to send me a little message... i will not lie to you guys - i have gained a few pounds (4.4 since july), so to say that i've been playing with fire is an understatement... though i've enjoyed not keeping track, perhaps i've been enjoying my comfort zone a bit too much... i am not saying, however, that i hate the way i look - i have worked way to hard at accepting myself, just the way i am, and will not let a few pounds get to me... yet on the otherhand, i can see/feel where the extra pounds have come back and even though my clothes still fit (thank god!), things like tights are a bit more snug these days...

so the fantastical me (created in my head) isn't as thin as she used to be a few months ago... is that a bad thing? not really but i guess it's all depends on how you look at it... i made an honest decision to stop tracking and gaining weight shouldn't be that big of a surprise really... i have never pretended to be perfect or to be someone that hasn't struggled while trying to lose weight... for me, i came to place this summer where i was just tired of everything... tired of counting, tired of keeping track, tired of bargaining this food for that food, and tired of reporting the same loss/gain each week... it was a choice i made and i'm not regretting it by any means but i do think i'm at a place now where i need to be careful... just thought i'd share... :o)

now back to my regular blogging...

i tried yet another new recipe last night - greens, tomato, and white bean soup... i found the recipe in the morning paper and believe it or not - i had all the ingredients in my pantry... unfortunately, i could only find a PDF of the whole paper online so i made a graphic of just the recipe and you can check it out here... the only thing i substituted was the last ingredient - i had a bag of spinach and am pretty sure it would be tasty with any greens you might have on hand... this soup was really good and it would be perfect for a chilly night at home or rainy weekend, and even better with a warm loaf of bread... :o)

work update: my boss gave me the good news on friday afternoon - sorry i haven't posted since then but friday was a blur with the whole photography thing, and then i was super-busy over the weekend... anyway, she had been waiting to get final approval (from the big cheese) and told me that even though i don't have a job description yet - i will receive the promotion which includes a new title (design director) and a 12.8% increase... i know, i know - i shouldn't be bragging about this, considering the state of our economy right now, but damn - i really worked hard for this and am SO happy! she said basically the same thing and that i deserved it, so yay me! my first goal will be to pay-off my car loan and then i'll be upping my 401(k) and putting more in savings... whooo hoooo... :o)

happy hump day...

p.s. i'm back to being a (lighter) blonde again and have updated my photo... ;o)

6 degrees of separation

so this woman that i had photographed this morning, mellody hobson (for the annual report), is dating none of than george lucas... yes, THAT george lucas from stars wars... i'm a little bit shell-shocked since that's like THE coolest thing ever! i wish i had known beforehand or i could've asked her something about him... not that i would even know what to ask but still (like does he have star wars figures laying around the house)... and if you're wondering if she's this gorgeous in person - the answer is yes... her hair is cut more in a bob now with sweeping bangs, and she had these killer platform heels on that i would break my neck wearing... i hope the next 4 photo sessions go this well because she was perfect... :o)

happy friday... :o)

calm before the storm

thought i would take the opportunity and post before the storm hits here - there will be a lot going on between now and next week... between the board of governor meeting, annual report photo sessions, web postings, and anything else crisis-realted - saying that i will be swamped is an understatement... my boss will also be out of town mon/tues which leaves me to handle everything and anything - i don't mind but when it gets chaotic, that's when i tend to panic and start worrying (natural response)... i will try my best though since that's all i can do...

i had my annual review on tuesday - my boss had given me the written version to review the day before and we didn't even discuss it in person (it was glowing, as usual)... she spoke about my promotion and says that even though it MAY not happen this month (when increases are given), that i'm not to worry because it WILL happen... she also said that if i'm patient, it will work to my benefit in the long-run – what does that mean?! i know she wants to reorganize our small department so maybe it has something to do with that, i don't know... the way she said it though was like, "please don't quit if you're not promoted" so we'll see what happens...

i've been doing more cooking as of late - i made an excellent broccoli soup the other night and as you can see, the recipe requires no cream... and it definitely makes pureeing easier if you have a hand-blender (the kind you submerge in the pot)... it was very tasty and i can see myself making it again because it makes for a great lunch, esp. now since the weather has changed... last night, i attempted to make these turkey & vegetable pies - i made the dough the night before so that made it much easier... i had a lot of filling left over though so i decided to freeze it for another batch later... they were a bit messy to assemble but i can see endless possibilities for filling, so it's worth trying if you're into this sort of thing... tip: brushing them with a bit of egg-wash made them golden brown in the oven... :o)

tonight's plans consist of MAYBE some shoe shopping and then watching the vice-presidential debate... i'm SO looking forward to seeing sarah palin squirm in her seat - who knows what's going to come out of her mouth this time... and whatever happens will most definitely be recreated on SNL - tiny fey does such an awesome job... question: are you going to watch it?

happy thursday...