Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Valentine's Day

Ok, so I realize this post is so late because Valentine's Day was like 3 days ago…but I have been so busy loving my Valentine that I haven't had a chance to write this post. 

So, for our day of love we always choose to stay in and celebrate as opposed to go out. We make it a goal to make each other a particularly special dinner and dessert and snuggle all evening. I love it. I love not fighting crowds. And I love being able to celebrate the man I love at home with only him. 

This year Tay took over the kitchen and made both dinner and dessert for us. This isn't his first rendezvous in the kitchen and we had talked about the meal earlier that week so I had an idea of what to expect. But let me tell you, he went so far beyond my expectations that I can't even adequately describe the deliciousness that this one meal contained. Serious. 

My plate looked like this:

That is probably the biggest mound of mashed potatoes that you have ever seen, I know, but I didn't eat them all that night. Although I desperately wanted to because they were that good. 

Our meal consisted of Garlic mashed red potatoes, flash cooked asparagus and broiled steak with feta on top. Amazeballs. I am telling you. If you ever want to impress your family make them this meal!

And in case you really do believe me as to how amazing this meal was, and want to re-create it I'll give you the recipes.

Steak Marinade:
1/4 cup of a balsamic vinaigrette that you like
1-2 Tbsp. of brown sugar
1 large clove of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions:
Make sure your steaks are thawed when you go to marinate them. You'll want to poke the steaks multiple times with a fork to create pathways for the marinade to seep into. Throw the steaks into a ziplock bag with the marinade and let them sit for a good 6-8 hours in the fridge. (we let them marinate over night, but that isn't necessary)

When your ready to cook your steak, pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees (on broil), then you're going to want to sear them in a frying pan first (with olive oil). Make sure the pan and oil are really hot when you put the steak in. This will seal the juices in before you put them in the oven. After they're seared (they'll be a little brown on the outside) you'll broil them in the oven for about 10 minutes or until they're cooked to your liking. If you add the feta, which I highly recommend, crumble the feta on the top and stick the steaks back in the broiler for a few minutes, or until the cheese has turned slightly brown.



Potatoes:
These aren't anything too special. They can be found online if you google garlic mashed potatoes. But basically you wash and peel the potatoes. Boil water and, add the potatoes, and let them boil until they are soft (easily pierced with a fork). Mash the potatoes (I like to use a hand mixer to make them fluffy) and add a minced clove of garlic, and milk and butter to taste (sorry I don't have exact measurements for milk and butter. It really is to your own liking. Or you can use an online recipe…)


Asparagus:
This is the easiest recipe on the planet!! So you take your stalks of asparagus and cut off the bottom (really hard) part. I usually like to cut my stalks in half so they're a little easier to eat. Heat up a frying pan with a little bit of olive oil. You want the pan to be super hot but not so hot that the oil is burning. Once the pan is sufficiently hot, add the asparagus and toss it in the oil. We love Creole seasoning on our asparagus too. It adds a little spice and plenty of salt to make the asparagus delicious. Only cook the asparagus for a couple minutes or to desired tenderness. 


Go cook! Make this dinner. You will thank me.


Thursday, February 13, 2014

Liebster Award

Kelli over at Team Gilbert nominated me for the Liebster award which promotes new blogs and blogging collaboration. I love this idea and thank her kindly for the nomination. 
(and if you don't follow her, you are missing out. seriously. funniest girl you could ever meet)


How it works:

1. List 11 facts about yourself

2. Answer the questions of the person who nominated you
3. Create 11 new questions

4. Nominate 11 new bloggers

Facts about me:
1. I have a "hibernation" mode. Once I'm down for the count, I am not to be truffled* with. (*catch the office quote?)
2. I've single handedly devoured a whole bag of Mint Milano's. Don't Judge. 
3. My most prized possession in New England is a toss up between my Sorel's and my slippers.
4. My short hair is still my favorite spur of the moment decision.
5. I'm obsessed with kids. It's actually a mutual infatuation :)
6. Nicknames include: Baby whisperer, C-Smack (my rap name obviously), Hermi (short for Hermione- nerd alert), Chizelle, ChaChi (compliments of my 2 year old niece)
7. The white rhino in my header, is actually a picture of the one I have mounted on my wall. The love I have for it is borderline idol worship.  
8. I secretly want to meet Si from Duck Dynasty. Actually, I want to meet the whole Robertson family. I feel like we could be besties. 
9. My achilles heel is getting out of bed to brush my teeth after I've already laid down. 
10.McDonald's Diet Coke and I have a special bond. It calls to me daily. 
11. My nemesis is Spaghetti Squash. I have yet to make a successful meal with one despite my best efforts. 


Kelli's Questions for me:
1. How would you describe your blog? (what do you blog about?)
I blog about my every day life. The pretty, the ugly and everything in between. 

2. Where do you shop the most? Why?
I have a serious addiction to Target. They always have cute things that are reasonably priced to begin with. Plus, their sale racks know how to make a girl swoon. 

3. What is your dream job?
This is a toughie, because what I want to say is a stay at home mom. Glamorous, right? I just love kids so much and would love to have the privilege of staying home and taking care of my future littles. 



4. What is your favorite all-time book?
Either the Harry Potter or Hunger Games series. I could read either of those over and over again and never be tired of them. 

5. What is your favorite way to work out?
Zumba. Hands down. I've been teaching this format for 4 years and am in love with the energy and the changes that it has brought about in my body. I'm also a runner. I enjoy the fresh air when it's warm enough to be outside, but also love sweaty interval work out on the treadmill when it's not. 

^Just a transformation shot for ya.

6. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your 13-​​year-​​old self?
Get braces now and spare yourself the embarrassment of having them your Freshman year in College! Everyone else is awkward looking too, so it won't be that bad. Take the plunge.

7. What is one skill you want to master?
Sewing. I took a class in high school and haven't done much since. I recently started a few simple projects to see what I was capable of and fell in love! 

8.  Where is your favorite place you have traveled?
The Caribbean. My grandma took all of the girls on a cruise there in 2008 and the only regret I have about it is that my husband wasn't around to see it all. It was relaxing and beautiful and so fun to experience a new culture. 

9. What is your favorite blog? 
My favorite blog would have to be The Daybook. I've been following Sydney's blog for like 3 years and I still get a kick out of every one of her posts. Props to that girl!

10. What is your favorite blog post you have written?
My favorite post would probably be this one. It's not funny. Or witty. But real. And I think people can relate to real. 

11. What is your favorite childhood memory?
Lake Shasta. Every summer My family and 3 others would road trip to Northern California to camp at Lake Shasta for a week. We rented a patio boat and one of the families' brought a ski boat so we were literally on the lake from sun up to sun down. My little self's dream come true!





My nominations:
Lindsay at The Evans
Jenna at Paddington Way
Emily at The Pulsiphers


My questions:
1. Why do you blog?
2. What's a guilty pleasure of yours?
3. What are three words that your closest friends would use to describe you?
4. What's your favorite blog?
5. What is your favorite way to work out?
6. When your go to pick-me-up?
7. Where is your favorite place to shop? Why?
8. Looking back on your life, what advice would you give to your younger self?
9. Funniest story you can think of…?
10. What's something you want to accomplish in 2014?
11. What's your most ambitious dream for your self?

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

A Sad Meal.

As a new-ish newly wed, I have been constantly trying to expand my cooking repertoire. Admittedly, any cooking at all pretty much beats what I had going on prior to getting married. 

This goal of mine means I am constantly searching Pinterest, and the internet in general, for innovative (and easy) healthy recipes. I have had a lot of success with my kitchen experiments, but I have also had a few total flops. 

Tonight was a total flop.
And a disappointing one at that. 

I have been trying to find a "perfect" recipe to enhance a Spaghetti Squash. The idea of using it as a pasta is a big hit with me because it is so much better for you! So I initially thought I would do this skinny Alfredo sauce I found, but I made it last week and Tay isn't the biggest Alfredo fan, so twice in two weeks is too much. 
So I consulted Pinterest to see what gems I could find. I ended up finding this recipe that was pretty basic: oregano, basil, olive oil, crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper. Not too complicated, but things don't necessarily have to be complicated to be delicious, right?

Tonight, that was not correct.
 It was such a let down! 
I ate a small heap just to say that I had a healthy dinner, and poor Tay ate the rest.
(He's such a good sport you guys. Seriously. I had made some pretty horrific meals and he always takes it like a champ. Love that guy!)

So dinner was a disappointment. A big one.
To make up for it I made Tay's favorite chocolate chip cookies and they turned out so perfectly!
Light golden brown. Soft. And amazing.

Not exactly the healthy evening I was going for, but sometimes you've gotta live a little!


Sunday, February 9, 2014

Real talk.

Let's have a little chat.

 As I look over all of my social media feeds I am constantly bombarded with messages about thinspiration, fitspiration, eating clean etc. While I whole-heartedly support being fit and active as well as eating healthily there is such a thing as too much. Going too far. 
I will be the first to admit how much I love working out and eating well. Seriously. However, I have been guilty of taking it too seriously and earned the "gym rat" title in not the most positive of ways. I love fitness (i am a licensed Zumba instructor, and have taught for 4 years). Nothing makes me feel better about myself than a good, sweaty work out.
 But there's more to fitness than being thin. Or ripped. 
That is not to say I wouldn't be stoked to be either of those things, but those things take a serious level of dedication and a lot of time. that's not my reality. Nor is it why I go to the gym. My reality is that I'm 5'4", 138 lbs, have a little cellulite and a few  stretch marks…and get this-I haven't had kids!
But I don't think I'm the only one. 
While I do make it a point go to the gym everyday, it is not my top priority. My main focus is this guy:

And working. 
And getting ourselves ready for these:


That's what my life is all about. 
So yes, let's be fit. Let's be healthy for the sake of being healthy. But for all that's right in the world let's agree to stop hating ourselves and using that hate as motivation to exercise. Love your body. Exercise to keep it healthy, strong and capable of doing the things you want. Let exercise be a release for you, and not the punishment people have made it out to be. 

Cheers to exercising and eating right to promote healthy living and not to get to a particular number on a scale, To adopting a healthier lifestyle for our own well-being and not for anybody else! 


Friday, February 7, 2014

Five on Friday

For the first time ever I'm linking up with Darci over at the good life for five on friday!
so here we go!

#1: This neon coat I got from Target over Christmas break.
 It's so warm and so fun! Perfect for these chilly New England days. 
Did I mention that I only paid $10 for it?
boo yeah!


#2 These floral plates I got at Target just this morning.
Seriously, I love them. 
Even more so for $.88!



#3 These cutsie little plates!
Also from Target.
Also $.58. 


#4 This Valentine's banner.
The perfect compliment to my forever favorite Rhino. 


#5 Golf. 
Have you ever played this game? If not, do it! AsaP! 
Serious. Tay and I are in a never ending game that I'm currently losing. 

Badly. 
But I keep coming back for more because it's that much fun!





Grab button for FIVE ON FRIDAY AT THE GOOD LIFE BLOG

Thursday, February 6, 2014

life of the unemployed

remember how i told you that the husband only has classes three days a week? and only for four hours?

Yeah. well that's his life right now.
my life, you ask?

well, i'm currently unemployed. 
with no kids.
which basically means i don't have too much going on.
and it's so great! but...i also get super bored. i'm used to having multiple jobs and going to school full time. so this lull in my life is totally weird. i don't even know how to fill all the free time that i have right now. i can't go to the gym without tay cuz he doesn't like it when i go without him. or if i did choose to go without him, i would have to go again after i pick him up. which is not all that bad. just exhausting. (ha! that coming from a girl who should be jumping at an opportunity to do anything). 

that being said, i have been applying for jobs. mostly substitute teaching positions because i can't really commit to an actual teaching position because we will be out of New England before the end of the elementary school year. so subbing it is. except nothing has really panned out yet. 

so i'm still applying. hunting. and applying. 

but today i found a job that i want so bad! 
it's a special education aide position.
it would only be for a few hours a day, and i would work one-on-one with special ed students.
how amazing does that sound??
seriously, i'm stoked.
i want it so bad.
so cross your fingers for me that i can have this dream job!
or if you're the religious type say a prayer for me!
i would appreciate any and and all help. 

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

8 inches.

today we got the infamous snow storm nika. 
it was kind of a big deal only because it snowed on us all day. literally. every. minute. of this day was snow-filled. it was kind of beautiful for the first few hours. and then i got bored. tay was doing his thing and i was hopelessly searching social media for something good.

speaking of, to anyone who watched the biggest loser finale last night, were you as sad as i was for michelle? i'm not mad that she won because she obviously lost the most weight. i am sad that she chose to go to the extremes that she did to get there. 105 pounds is so little for someone her height. and very seemingly unhealthy in my opinion. 

anyway. we got 8 inches of snow today and it's still coming down. but luckily my husband loves me and took me out for a few minutes so i could maintain my sanity. 


he took me to my happy place. love you boo!