Actually, basil, oregano, mint and thyme.
Today, I ventured out to Tagawa Gardens with the reality ahead of me:
I don't know what I'm doing.
I want to garden. I am fascinated by growing vegetables and herbs, and last summer when we grew tomatoes, the greatest feeling was picking them, cutting them, and serving them for dinner.
But tomatoes are kind of easy. We really messed it up (planted them too late, didn't use cages, planted them in a not-very-sunny place) and yet, we still had plenty of tomatoes.
This year I'm a bit more ambitious.
We're starting with herbs (and I want to include sage and rosemary, but not yet...I wasn't sure how they would fit on the window sill).
In about a month-and-a-half, I want to include tomatoes (and different types!), onions, and...the big one...eggplant.
And they will all be in containers since we're in our little townhome with the intent to move into a house.
I'm pretty sure that if I'm successful, Nicole will let me have a garden in our new home. And if I'm not, oh, the grief I'm going to hear...
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Friday, July 16, 2010
A Long Weekend in Taos
We spent Independence Day weekend in Taos, New Mexico to celebrate Mike and Pajo's wedding -- it was SUCH a lovely event. I've been to Taos before -- always alone -- and I was excited for Nicole to see it for the first time. Honestly, it's my favorite place to be in the West (though driving through Southern Utah is right up there, as well).
We stayed in a WONDERFUL condo in Taos -- the website claimed it was a ten minute walk from the heart of Taos, and of course, we were skeptical. 10 minute walk = 20 minute walk, right? When are these proclamations ever accurate? Well, this one was. It was so refreshing to walk just about everywhere instead of having to drive in to the town every day...we got to look into so many shops, see some artwork, and have New Mexican food (which Nicole did not like...).
As you can see from our shadows, we had headgear of sorts...and as we walked home from that delectable meal, almost every single car honked and/waved and every passerby had to tell us how much they loved our "hats." Nicole and I always thought that it was cleavage that made people take notice; apparently, one just needs a 4th of July headband.
And, of course, Mike's wedding was so perfect. It was quintessentially "Mike." I teared up as he sang a song for their mothers, and as they both vowed to always communicate to each other. During my four years in Colorado, I have been blessed to have a great friend in Mike; Pajo is such a lucky lady. :)
And now number 24 of our list is complete! We want to return next July 4th, as well, and stay in the same condo -- we loved it that much. It's nice to have a "new" place in which to adventure for our future years together. And thank you, Mike and Pajo, for letting us share in your beautiful event!
Monday, March 1, 2010
The End of Vegan Month
It’s March, everyone. That means Vegan Month is over – for Nicole, this is the most wonderful news ever. For me, I feel like it was quite – QUITE – the learning experience. I’m not sure how long my veganism will last, but I would like it to continue on for as long as I can. I’m shooting for six months, frankly, as a minimum.
My learning experiences:
1. When eating vegan – and mostly “real” foods (we really avoided processed foods for the most part) – fake foods lose their luster.
About halfway through the month, Nicole and I went to the movies, and we each got a Coke (okay, Vegan maniacs, there are some people who say Coke is not vegan because Coke – in other countries – tests on animals, and some that say that Coke is vegan for this that and the other…well, I had two Cokes this month. I still considered myself eating a vegan diet). The Coke just…didn’t taste right. So I thought, well, there can be a few explanations for this:
a.) Something is wrong with the Coke – it was from a fountain, and they may have just filled the fountain or the fountain was running out…something to that effect.
b.) Something I ate earlier in the day / at the theater was affecting my taste buds…
c.) Eating a vegan diet had affected my taste buds.
So I waited a week, and then bought a bottled Coke. Same thing – Coke still tasted nasty. And let me tell you, I LOVE Coke. Love it. And this month…it’s just not happening. It’s interesting, actually. I’m currently drinking a Hansen’s soda (Mango Orange…mmmm), and it tastes “right.” I can’t define “right,” only that it has to do with sweetness. It tastes real, whereas Coke didn’t (and, well, it isn’t).
Prior to this month, I would have my coffee with Splenda…not this month. It was the most vile thing I’ve ever had. Oh my heavens, it was awful.
Real foods, people. Who woulda thunk?
2. There are flavors that are absolutely delicious that have been masked, in the past, with dairy/meat products.
When I was growing up, I would put on my spaghetti (or other pasta) parmesan, ricotta, and mozzarella. Yes, three types of cheese. Fat kid, much? Nicole and I went out with Jeanne, Colleen, and Jeanne’s sister early in the month to a pasta restaurant, and we could only order one thing: spaghetti and marinara sauce. No cheese. I absolutely loved it. I can’t remember the last time I had pasta with sauce and nothing else…but it was really really enjoyable.
I felt the same way about an eggplant dish I made this month – we just put sauce on it, and it was great. It actually didn’t need the cheese to “make it.”
3. My body felt completely different this month than it has…ever.
I’m not really sure how to describe this. I just feel…differently. When I eat something processed, my body responds negatively. When I eat something “real,” my body responds positively. There is definitely a correlation between what is eaten and how I feel – I don’t think anyone is surprised by that…but what is surprising is how easily we become accustomed to “bad” food. After eating “good” food for a month, I had some fries…and felt sick for three days (including vomiting about an hour after eating them).
4. If you really explore the food industry (and there are books and/or films I can recommend to those interested), meat (and animal by-products) become far – FAR – less appealing.
I know what you’re thinking – I’ve turned into one of those liberals. But hear me out for a moment. Maybe you feel, Okay, slaughterhouses are awful places, so I won’t eat meat, but why wouldn’t I drink milk? That doesn’t harm the animals.
Actually, it does. Same cows. Same situations. And there are growth hormones riddled in cow’s milk. These cows also stand in their own manure…their entire lives. They don’t eat grass (like they are supposed to) – they eat a corn-based feed, which can seriously sicken them (hello, e.coli).
Chickens? Never see sunlight. Can’t walk.
I don’t know. The evidence is there. There is a great section in The Omnivore’s Dilemma in which Michael Pollan is sitting at a restaurant with a steak, and acknowledges that either he has to give up meat because of what he knows…or he has to admit he’s a hypocrite (or some language like that, I don’t have the book in front of me).
Do I recommend veganism for everyone? Absolutely not…not even close. I wouldn’t even recommend vegetarianism to everyone. What I do recommend is educating yourself on what you eat. Know what you’re putting into your body. There were some rules given by Pollan in The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food that I thought were pretty appropriate:
1. Eliminate high fructose corn syrup. You will be surprised if you look at labels to see what HFCS is in.
2. Buy local (Whole Foods isn’t necessarily “better”). Tomatoes in winter? Not logical.
3. Eat foods with five or less ingredients.
4. Eat foods that have ingredients you can pronounce.
5. And the overall rule of the book In Defense of Food: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
My learning experiences:
1. When eating vegan – and mostly “real” foods (we really avoided processed foods for the most part) – fake foods lose their luster.
About halfway through the month, Nicole and I went to the movies, and we each got a Coke (okay, Vegan maniacs, there are some people who say Coke is not vegan because Coke – in other countries – tests on animals, and some that say that Coke is vegan for this that and the other…well, I had two Cokes this month. I still considered myself eating a vegan diet). The Coke just…didn’t taste right. So I thought, well, there can be a few explanations for this:
a.) Something is wrong with the Coke – it was from a fountain, and they may have just filled the fountain or the fountain was running out…something to that effect.
b.) Something I ate earlier in the day / at the theater was affecting my taste buds…
c.) Eating a vegan diet had affected my taste buds.
So I waited a week, and then bought a bottled Coke. Same thing – Coke still tasted nasty. And let me tell you, I LOVE Coke. Love it. And this month…it’s just not happening. It’s interesting, actually. I’m currently drinking a Hansen’s soda (Mango Orange…mmmm), and it tastes “right.” I can’t define “right,” only that it has to do with sweetness. It tastes real, whereas Coke didn’t (and, well, it isn’t).
Prior to this month, I would have my coffee with Splenda…not this month. It was the most vile thing I’ve ever had. Oh my heavens, it was awful.
Real foods, people. Who woulda thunk?
2. There are flavors that are absolutely delicious that have been masked, in the past, with dairy/meat products.
When I was growing up, I would put on my spaghetti (or other pasta) parmesan, ricotta, and mozzarella. Yes, three types of cheese. Fat kid, much? Nicole and I went out with Jeanne, Colleen, and Jeanne’s sister early in the month to a pasta restaurant, and we could only order one thing: spaghetti and marinara sauce. No cheese. I absolutely loved it. I can’t remember the last time I had pasta with sauce and nothing else…but it was really really enjoyable.
I felt the same way about an eggplant dish I made this month – we just put sauce on it, and it was great. It actually didn’t need the cheese to “make it.”
3. My body felt completely different this month than it has…ever.
I’m not really sure how to describe this. I just feel…differently. When I eat something processed, my body responds negatively. When I eat something “real,” my body responds positively. There is definitely a correlation between what is eaten and how I feel – I don’t think anyone is surprised by that…but what is surprising is how easily we become accustomed to “bad” food. After eating “good” food for a month, I had some fries…and felt sick for three days (including vomiting about an hour after eating them).
4. If you really explore the food industry (and there are books and/or films I can recommend to those interested), meat (and animal by-products) become far – FAR – less appealing.
I know what you’re thinking – I’ve turned into one of those liberals. But hear me out for a moment. Maybe you feel, Okay, slaughterhouses are awful places, so I won’t eat meat, but why wouldn’t I drink milk? That doesn’t harm the animals.
Actually, it does. Same cows. Same situations. And there are growth hormones riddled in cow’s milk. These cows also stand in their own manure…their entire lives. They don’t eat grass (like they are supposed to) – they eat a corn-based feed, which can seriously sicken them (hello, e.coli).
Chickens? Never see sunlight. Can’t walk.
I don’t know. The evidence is there. There is a great section in The Omnivore’s Dilemma in which Michael Pollan is sitting at a restaurant with a steak, and acknowledges that either he has to give up meat because of what he knows…or he has to admit he’s a hypocrite (or some language like that, I don’t have the book in front of me).
Do I recommend veganism for everyone? Absolutely not…not even close. I wouldn’t even recommend vegetarianism to everyone. What I do recommend is educating yourself on what you eat. Know what you’re putting into your body. There were some rules given by Pollan in The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food that I thought were pretty appropriate:
1. Eliminate high fructose corn syrup. You will be surprised if you look at labels to see what HFCS is in.
2. Buy local (Whole Foods isn’t necessarily “better”). Tomatoes in winter? Not logical.
3. Eat foods with five or less ingredients.
4. Eat foods that have ingredients you can pronounce.
5. And the overall rule of the book In Defense of Food: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Veganism for Libby
Okay, so I love veganism. I never saw this coming. Nicole thinks that this is one of my obsessions, and that I'll get over it. It may be. But it doesn't feel like an obsession.
The hardest day so far was yesterday: Super Bowl Sunday. Jen and Wyndy hosted a party, and they had a slew of delicious food, with almost nothing for our vegan-ness. Queso, summer sausage, and what I love the absolute most: buffalo wings. It was....difficult. But I restrained! Definitely tempting, but I had to tell myself (numerous times) no. Oh, buffalo wings. I miss thee.
Honestly, though, I only missed them because I saw them. I'm not craving them. And after the party, when we were driving home, I didn't feel like I weighed 500 pounds (I kept with our hummus and bean dip), which I know I would have had I eaten everything I wanted.
Today, I made some fried plantains for lunch with a touch of salt. I don't know if Nicole has ever had them, so I'll make some for her as a snack one day. I also made an avocado, tomato, and kalamata olive salad with ground flaxseeds. So. Incredibly. Delicious.
For dinner, I'm making eggplant and couscous. Hopefully, Nicole likes it -- she has NOT enjoyed vegan month at all.
The hardest day so far was yesterday: Super Bowl Sunday. Jen and Wyndy hosted a party, and they had a slew of delicious food, with almost nothing for our vegan-ness. Queso, summer sausage, and what I love the absolute most: buffalo wings. It was....difficult. But I restrained! Definitely tempting, but I had to tell myself (numerous times) no. Oh, buffalo wings. I miss thee.
Honestly, though, I only missed them because I saw them. I'm not craving them. And after the party, when we were driving home, I didn't feel like I weighed 500 pounds (I kept with our hummus and bean dip), which I know I would have had I eaten everything I wanted.
Today, I made some fried plantains for lunch with a touch of salt. I don't know if Nicole has ever had them, so I'll make some for her as a snack one day. I also made an avocado, tomato, and kalamata olive salad with ground flaxseeds. So. Incredibly. Delicious.
For dinner, I'm making eggplant and couscous. Hopefully, Nicole likes it -- she has NOT enjoyed vegan month at all.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Bleh
I hate being Vegan. Today is the fourth day of this crap, and I am ready to slit my wrists. For those of you who don't know me let me express to you how much I LOVE Milk, always have and always will. I typically drink about two gallons of the stuff a week, ice cold skim milk....mmmmm. I haven't had any for FOUR DAYS!
I am sitting here trying to eat Rice Dream Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, which tastes as good as I imagine my dogs biscuits to taste. I want to open my fridge and pour myself a glass of milk, but currently I can drink water, or Rice Milk. Neither of which I want.
My brothers friend who so graciously went with us to the store to tell us what to get, informed us that Oreo cookies are in fact a Vegan product. I think I did a happy dance right there in Vitamin cottage. It wasn't until I went home and thought about it and realized that I couldn't dip them into a glass of milk. WHAT THE FRIG IS THE POINT?!?!? Oreo's without milk? NO WAY!!!
I miss chocolate, pancakes, eggs, CHEESE, Sour Cream, and MILK more than anything.
I do realize that I am eating better, and this is forcing me to make healthier choices, which is great, but I just want my milk back. Is that too much to ask?
One other interesting thing that I found out about is that Red Dye #40 is made from beetle shells. Vegans apparently won't eat it because of that, and I personally think that anything made from beetle shells should not be consumed, as its disgusting.
That's all of now, good night!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Quinoa Salad
Tonight's dinner:
Quinoa Salad....Mmmm
Last night, I made homemade hummus, which was okay, but not spectacular. I'll try again after we eat all of the leftovers.
Quinoa Salad....Mmmm
Last night, I made homemade hummus, which was okay, but not spectacular. I'll try again after we eat all of the leftovers.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Freagin' Vegan
We have begun vegan month!
Vegetarian month went well, although I don't feel like I ate any healthier than normal. It wasn't hard to eliminate meat from my "diet," but now that vegan month has started, I can see how this month is going to be very...interesting.
Mind you: it's day one.
One of Nicole's brother's friends, Lilly, took us shopping last week to Vitamin Cottage to teach us the ways of the vegan. I was surprised by how many options there are out there for vegans...although let's be honest, is there any such thing as good fake cheese? (We shall find out) Buying just about everything in the store was less expensive than we thought...and we bought a lot of stuff.
Here are some things we learned:
1. Boca is vegan; Morning Star is not necessarily.
2. Sugar is not vegan -- unprocessed cane sugar is. (Apparently they use animal bone to grind the sugar and make it white? Is that correct?)
3. They make No Chicken Noodle soup. Wow.
4. We bought a slew of food, but no tofu. Weird.
5. Vitamin Cottage is NOT nearly as expensive as Whole Foods.
Anyway, it was an interesting trip.
Over the past few weeks, I was preparing myself for the lack of cow's milk, so I tried soy (tasted almond-y to me) and coconut milk (gag)...but the winner? Rice milk. Oh my heavens, it's so delicious. Goodbye, cow's milk!
Plus, I get to drink horchata....mmmm.
But yes, rice milk has won the day. I love it in my vegan cereal (seriously. Vegan cereal!), my coffee...it's amazing.
I want to see how much variety we really get this month. I'm kind of excited about it, actually.
Vegetarian month went well, although I don't feel like I ate any healthier than normal. It wasn't hard to eliminate meat from my "diet," but now that vegan month has started, I can see how this month is going to be very...interesting.
Mind you: it's day one.
One of Nicole's brother's friends, Lilly, took us shopping last week to Vitamin Cottage to teach us the ways of the vegan. I was surprised by how many options there are out there for vegans...although let's be honest, is there any such thing as good fake cheese? (We shall find out) Buying just about everything in the store was less expensive than we thought...and we bought a lot of stuff.
Here are some things we learned:
1. Boca is vegan; Morning Star is not necessarily.
2. Sugar is not vegan -- unprocessed cane sugar is. (Apparently they use animal bone to grind the sugar and make it white? Is that correct?)
3. They make No Chicken Noodle soup. Wow.
4. We bought a slew of food, but no tofu. Weird.
5. Vitamin Cottage is NOT nearly as expensive as Whole Foods.
Anyway, it was an interesting trip.
Over the past few weeks, I was preparing myself for the lack of cow's milk, so I tried soy (tasted almond-y to me) and coconut milk (gag)...but the winner? Rice milk. Oh my heavens, it's so delicious. Goodbye, cow's milk!
Plus, I get to drink horchata....mmmm.
But yes, rice milk has won the day. I love it in my vegan cereal (seriously. Vegan cereal!), my coffee...it's amazing.
I want to see how much variety we really get this month. I'm kind of excited about it, actually.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
One Week of Pescetarianism
We're a week in, and I don't miss meat...at all. I expected to crave a steak by now, but I don't. I've been eating pretty healthily the past seven days (although today I ate a Butterfinger thanks to the snack cart during lunch).
I'm also reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, which has been mildly inspiring and incredibly interesting. Corn. It has taken over.
School has begun, as well, so I'm bringing lunch every day -- I don't have the luxury of a longer lunch this semester (sad face), but this is good in a way because it forces me to bring something from home. Money-saving and healthy.
That being said, it hasn't all been good. Nicole made dinner last night -- tofu stir-fry -- and I HATED it. I couldn't eat it. It smelled so good, but I can't even express to you the disgust I felt when I bit into it. Bless her, she tried. And, to be fair, she warned me in advance: when I walked in, she warned me that it didn't taste good.
"But it smells delicious!"
Yes, it smelled delicious...and that is where the deliciousness ended.
Vegan month is swiftly approaching. I plan on spending a lot of time and money at Whole Foods. We really have to -- what could we possibly eat at a regular grocery store?
I've been researching vegan recipes -- they seem like a good idea in theory.
But so did last night's dinner.
I'm also reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, which has been mildly inspiring and incredibly interesting. Corn. It has taken over.
School has begun, as well, so I'm bringing lunch every day -- I don't have the luxury of a longer lunch this semester (sad face), but this is good in a way because it forces me to bring something from home. Money-saving and healthy.
That being said, it hasn't all been good. Nicole made dinner last night -- tofu stir-fry -- and I HATED it. I couldn't eat it. It smelled so good, but I can't even express to you the disgust I felt when I bit into it. Bless her, she tried. And, to be fair, she warned me in advance: when I walked in, she warned me that it didn't taste good.
"But it smells delicious!"
Yes, it smelled delicious...and that is where the deliciousness ended.
Vegan month is swiftly approaching. I plan on spending a lot of time and money at Whole Foods. We really have to -- what could we possibly eat at a regular grocery store?
I've been researching vegan recipes -- they seem like a good idea in theory.
But so did last night's dinner.
Friday, January 1, 2010
It's Gonna Be a Happy New Year
2009 is over, thank goodness.
Today, we began our vegetarian month...at Maggiano's. Let me tell you how difficult it is to eat a vegetarian meal at a delicious Italian restaurant.
Let me explain something -- we ARE eating seafood, so I guess technically we're pescetarians. Or whatever they are called. For the month.
So I saw on the menu there was lobster fettucine -- no, it's not healthy, per se, but it is our New Year's lunch with Nicole's mom, so I was going to go all out.
Lobster fettucine. Mmmm.
Until I saw that the lobster is sauteed with ham. Argh!
So I went the crab cake route, which were DELICIOUS. Amazing. Sure, I couldn't get my usual chicken marsala, but crab cakes for the New Year? I'll live with that.
So day one is over. Nicole had eggplant parmigiana (which was supposed to be for dinner tomorrow, cough cough), which she said was delicious, as well. I didn't try hers -- too much of my own food to eat.
Day one. Day one. I'm hoping I enjoy this month thoroughly...because I seriously doubt I'll enjoy vegan February.
Today, we began our vegetarian month...at Maggiano's. Let me tell you how difficult it is to eat a vegetarian meal at a delicious Italian restaurant.
Let me explain something -- we ARE eating seafood, so I guess technically we're pescetarians. Or whatever they are called. For the month.
So I saw on the menu there was lobster fettucine -- no, it's not healthy, per se, but it is our New Year's lunch with Nicole's mom, so I was going to go all out.
Lobster fettucine. Mmmm.
Until I saw that the lobster is sauteed with ham. Argh!
So I went the crab cake route, which were DELICIOUS. Amazing. Sure, I couldn't get my usual chicken marsala, but crab cakes for the New Year? I'll live with that.
So day one is over. Nicole had eggplant parmigiana (which was supposed to be for dinner tomorrow, cough cough), which she said was delicious, as well. I didn't try hers -- too much of my own food to eat.
Day one. Day one. I'm hoping I enjoy this month thoroughly...because I seriously doubt I'll enjoy vegan February.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Four dogs and a sicky Nikki
We're a few days away from Christmas, and it seems like we're both getting sick. (Nicole: Getting sick?)
Okay, amend that. She's sick, and I'm right behind her. We're also watching Jeanne and Colleen's dog, which brings our total up to 4. They've all been pretty well-behaved, though Rufus has stolen food off of our plates TWICE in the past hour. They also like to run around randomly barking and riling each other up...and then stopping. And then starting again. I think they're crazy.
Christmas is coming! I won't post what I bought her for Christmas, but I wish we could open presents now so she could enjoy some of them. I've been keeping track of my bank account, so I made it through December with no issues. Hooray!
I still want us to run the Resolution Run, even though we have not kept up on our running. Maybe it'll inspire us to get back on track for the New Year.
I've been reading The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe out loud before bed to Nicole, which we're both enjoying. I'm going to count that as the "read poems aloud to each other" since it's happening fairly regularly. I want to go through the whole Narnia series -- it's something my mom used to read to Joe and me when we were younger.
I also want to get rid of some books off of my bookshelf -- I'm thinking of trading them in or just donating them somewhere. I don't know. I don't need all of these books anymore.
Not much to say...wish Nicole felt better.
Okay, amend that. She's sick, and I'm right behind her. We're also watching Jeanne and Colleen's dog, which brings our total up to 4. They've all been pretty well-behaved, though Rufus has stolen food off of our plates TWICE in the past hour. They also like to run around randomly barking and riling each other up...and then stopping. And then starting again. I think they're crazy.
Christmas is coming! I won't post what I bought her for Christmas, but I wish we could open presents now so she could enjoy some of them. I've been keeping track of my bank account, so I made it through December with no issues. Hooray!
I still want us to run the Resolution Run, even though we have not kept up on our running. Maybe it'll inspire us to get back on track for the New Year.
I've been reading The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe out loud before bed to Nicole, which we're both enjoying. I'm going to count that as the "read poems aloud to each other" since it's happening fairly regularly. I want to go through the whole Narnia series -- it's something my mom used to read to Joe and me when we were younger.
I also want to get rid of some books off of my bookshelf -- I'm thinking of trading them in or just donating them somewhere. I don't know. I don't need all of these books anymore.
Not much to say...wish Nicole felt better.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
January and February
I forgot to mention that January is our vegetarian month and February is our vegan month. This is our way to cleanse after the holiday season.
I'm Uppers, I'm Downers
Nicole keeps reminding me that I haven’t posted about the Turkey Trot, and I keep having “things” happen to me that really warrants an update. So here goes.
1. Turkey Trot: I did as well as I expected to – I ran and ran and ran and actually was caught by surprise when a colleague, who was also running, came over and high-fived me (he was going in the opposite direction and nearing the end). Though I would have liked to run three miles, the reality was that we were trying to run with walkers surrounding us. It was like a military stealth mission weaving in between everyone. And at some point, I just thought, “Why am I running and everyone else is walking? Walking sounds like a good idea.” And I stopped running. Next time, we’ll start at the end of the runners, that way we’re motivated to keep up rather than slow down. We’ve only run once since the race – I guess life gets in the way.
2. Master's program: Ah, you’re probably thinking, “This is going to be good news!” It was. Before Friday. Here’s the story: I was accepted into a Master’s in Education program at Regis University, which was excellent news. I received the email, the letter, spoke to my advisor, etcetera etcetera. And then. The next day, after telling so many people I was accepted, I got an email from my advisor asking if I had my teaching license. Well, no. But I’ve taught for three years now in my fourth…doesn’t matter. And even though I searched far and wide for the information about whether or not I needed my teaching license, it wasn’t anywhere on their website, brochure, or introductory packet. So…retroactively, I was declined. Wah wah.
3. Perhaps you’re wondering, “Libby, why don’t you have your teacher’s license? You have a bachelor’s in education from Bloomsburg.” Yes, I do. And Colorado law says that I need a program completed at a university, which I have, and three years experience, which I have. But wait. Because I did my training out-of-state, I need three years of out-of-state experience. And after many phone calls, it is true: if I worked in any of the other 49 states of the USA, I could get my COLORADO license. But because I work in Colorado and did my teacher education program somewhere else, I can’t get it. Amazing.
4. This week has taught me once again that I desperately need my medication. Nicole received a text message from me with all of my passwords and when she asked me why, I said, “In case anything happens to me.” She thought I was trying to commit suicide again (I wasn’t). I was in a very dark place in my brain, though. Meds are being taken, though, and therapy on Monday helped, so all is well in that arena.
5. Our dogs are really adorable. If you haven’t met them yet, you need to come by and see them. Ruby is getting so big!
6. Nicole gave me an engagement ring! I’m not sure I blogged about that yet, but it’s absolutely perfect. I look down at it often.
I THINK that’s everything. We need to get back to running. I have a week left of school before the semester is over. And I have to do some serious Christmas shopping soon.
1. Turkey Trot: I did as well as I expected to – I ran and ran and ran and actually was caught by surprise when a colleague, who was also running, came over and high-fived me (he was going in the opposite direction and nearing the end). Though I would have liked to run three miles, the reality was that we were trying to run with walkers surrounding us. It was like a military stealth mission weaving in between everyone. And at some point, I just thought, “Why am I running and everyone else is walking? Walking sounds like a good idea.” And I stopped running. Next time, we’ll start at the end of the runners, that way we’re motivated to keep up rather than slow down. We’ve only run once since the race – I guess life gets in the way.
2. Master's program: Ah, you’re probably thinking, “This is going to be good news!” It was. Before Friday. Here’s the story: I was accepted into a Master’s in Education program at Regis University, which was excellent news. I received the email, the letter, spoke to my advisor, etcetera etcetera. And then. The next day, after telling so many people I was accepted, I got an email from my advisor asking if I had my teaching license. Well, no. But I’ve taught for three years now in my fourth…doesn’t matter. And even though I searched far and wide for the information about whether or not I needed my teaching license, it wasn’t anywhere on their website, brochure, or introductory packet. So…retroactively, I was declined. Wah wah.
3. Perhaps you’re wondering, “Libby, why don’t you have your teacher’s license? You have a bachelor’s in education from Bloomsburg.” Yes, I do. And Colorado law says that I need a program completed at a university, which I have, and three years experience, which I have. But wait. Because I did my training out-of-state, I need three years of out-of-state experience. And after many phone calls, it is true: if I worked in any of the other 49 states of the USA, I could get my COLORADO license. But because I work in Colorado and did my teacher education program somewhere else, I can’t get it. Amazing.
4. This week has taught me once again that I desperately need my medication. Nicole received a text message from me with all of my passwords and when she asked me why, I said, “In case anything happens to me.” She thought I was trying to commit suicide again (I wasn’t). I was in a very dark place in my brain, though. Meds are being taken, though, and therapy on Monday helped, so all is well in that arena.
5. Our dogs are really adorable. If you haven’t met them yet, you need to come by and see them. Ruby is getting so big!
6. Nicole gave me an engagement ring! I’m not sure I blogged about that yet, but it’s absolutely perfect. I look down at it often.
I THINK that’s everything. We need to get back to running. I have a week left of school before the semester is over. And I have to do some serious Christmas shopping soon.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Quinoa and Red Beans
In an effort to eat healthier, I decided to build a concoction last night that sounded like a good idea. Quinoa and red beans.
First of all, if you've never made quinoa before, you're certainly missing out. Go get some immediately. Replace it for rice, and you'll never go back.
When I lived alone, I used to make brown rice and red beans all of the time as my meal, but always had to add a lot of salt (note: I love love love garlic salt, salt, anything sodium-y. 'Tis one of my many downfalls). Nicole always makes quinoa with broth instead of water, so I thought, hey, I can get my sodium fix, and see how this all turns out.
I put some olive oil in a pan (just a little), and chopped up a clove of garlic. Next time I'll put a little more in it, maybe three or four cloves. When the garlic was starting to become brown, I put in a cup of quinoa and 2+ cups of chicken broth. When we do our vegetarian month, I'll replace the chicken broth (which I had in the house) with vegetable broth (which I did not). I also added a pinch of chili powder and cayenne pepper (and Emeril's essence seasoning). Let that boil for a few minutes, then turned the stove down for it to simmer for about 20-25 minutes.
Okay, so I use canned organic red beans. I'm sure I'm supposed to avoid canned beans, but it's just so simple. Replace if you'd like with "real" beans.
After the quinoa, broth, and garlic simmered, and the broth was absorbed and evaporated, I poured two cans of organic red beans (drained, of course) into the pan. Let that cook for another five minutes or so, stirring, stirring, stirring. Voila.
I loved it. I'm loving it this morning as my leftovers (I didn't eat a "normal" breakfast before coming in to work today). I'm going to start making huge vats of it on weekends for my lunches during the school weeks. It packs a lot of protein, and while there is a bit of sodium, that's not the biggest deal in my world. Ah, well. Try it if you'd like.
Nicole reminded me that I haven't written about the race, so I'll need to do that over the next few hours. We survived! That's a big win. 5K this weekend in Boulder.
First of all, if you've never made quinoa before, you're certainly missing out. Go get some immediately. Replace it for rice, and you'll never go back.
When I lived alone, I used to make brown rice and red beans all of the time as my meal, but always had to add a lot of salt (note: I love love love garlic salt, salt, anything sodium-y. 'Tis one of my many downfalls). Nicole always makes quinoa with broth instead of water, so I thought, hey, I can get my sodium fix, and see how this all turns out.
I put some olive oil in a pan (just a little), and chopped up a clove of garlic. Next time I'll put a little more in it, maybe three or four cloves. When the garlic was starting to become brown, I put in a cup of quinoa and 2+ cups of chicken broth. When we do our vegetarian month, I'll replace the chicken broth (which I had in the house) with vegetable broth (which I did not). I also added a pinch of chili powder and cayenne pepper (and Emeril's essence seasoning). Let that boil for a few minutes, then turned the stove down for it to simmer for about 20-25 minutes.
Okay, so I use canned organic red beans. I'm sure I'm supposed to avoid canned beans, but it's just so simple. Replace if you'd like with "real" beans.
After the quinoa, broth, and garlic simmered, and the broth was absorbed and evaporated, I poured two cans of organic red beans (drained, of course) into the pan. Let that cook for another five minutes or so, stirring, stirring, stirring. Voila.
I loved it. I'm loving it this morning as my leftovers (I didn't eat a "normal" breakfast before coming in to work today). I'm going to start making huge vats of it on weekends for my lunches during the school weeks. It packs a lot of protein, and while there is a bit of sodium, that's not the biggest deal in my world. Ah, well. Try it if you'd like.
Nicole reminded me that I haven't written about the race, so I'll need to do that over the next few hours. We survived! That's a big win. 5K this weekend in Boulder.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Turkey Trot 2009
We did it!! We did it!! We did it!!
The morning started out with a LOT of nervous energy. Some cereal, a protein drink, and a bit of stretching. In true girly girl fashion, I couldn't decide what the heck to wear. I am a SWEATY Italian woman, and the weather said it was going to be 60 degrees outside, but when we left the house it was close to freezing. I decided on my running pants, a tank top and a long sleeve shirt over it. Liz wore her shorts and an orange running shirt. We left the house at 8:45 to head down to Wash Park.
Liz kept telling me to calm down, that I was making her nervous. I wasn't saying anything so I didn't really know what to change in order to make her less anxious.
We got to the parking lot of South High School and saw what looked like a million people, who were all rearing to go. We got registered, got our t-shirts and decided to walk around the parking lot to warm up. I forgot my camera which I was very upset about, but what can you do?!
There were people dressed like runners, people dressed like turkeys, an elf, an ape, and various other costumes that I can not believe people could run in.
They started the race at 10:15 for the first wave of just runners, and 10:30 if you were going to walk/run. We opted for the second group in case we weren't able to run the whole thing. A decision that I would not make had I known better.
So we get started, and we are amidst mothers, children, strollers, and dogs, and we are trying to dodge and move in and out of people to find a path that we could run at a steady pace. This never happened the entire race.
I ran down the first leg and up the second one before I just had to walk. Then for the last three legs, I did a run/walk combo. It was hot, and there were 9,000 other people and dogs trying to be on the same streets with us.
There were lots of neighborhood folk out on their lawns playing music and cheering everyone on. There was also some jackass cooking bacon, which is cruel and unusual punishment when you are a fat girl trying to run 4 miles.
I finished in 1 hour and 2 minutes, Liz in 1 hour 9 minutes. We finished, which was the most important thing in the world to both of us. 9 weeks ago we couldn't run 1 minute without getting winded, and on Thanksgiving Day we ran our hearts out, and finished our very first race.
We plan on running a 5k next weekend, as well as on New Years Eve (which I am SUPER excited about!)
It was so fitting that we ran a race on Thanksgiving, after we have worked so hard together towards this goal, and on salvaging our relationship. I felt blessed to be in gorgeous Colorado, running with so many other people, and with my love.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
'Twas The Night Before Turkey Trot
and all through the house
the dogs were barking at our new little mouse.
It is very loud here. Mostly it's Rufus. He's not really a playful dog, he doesn't "get it." Roxie and Ruby play and tumble together, and he just stands there and barks. He's barking right now -- it's close to impossible for me to form coherent sentences. Where is the mute button on this dog?
So tomorrow is the turkey trot -- what we've all been looking forward to (to an extent). I'm sore from running yesterday, probably because I hadn't run that much in about 4 days. Too bad for me, eh? Tomorrow is four miles. If I can run 3.1 miles, I'll be thrilled beyond belief. I'm going to do my best.
I just saw the race route. Oh, heavens.
Hopefully, tomorrow we'll post something really positive. Maybe a picture or two. We take off at 10:30 MT, so say a little prayer around then for us. Ah! We are almost done with C25K!
the dogs were barking at our new little mouse.
It is very loud here. Mostly it's Rufus. He's not really a playful dog, he doesn't "get it." Roxie and Ruby play and tumble together, and he just stands there and barks. He's barking right now -- it's close to impossible for me to form coherent sentences. Where is the mute button on this dog?
So tomorrow is the turkey trot -- what we've all been looking forward to (to an extent). I'm sore from running yesterday, probably because I hadn't run that much in about 4 days. Too bad for me, eh? Tomorrow is four miles. If I can run 3.1 miles, I'll be thrilled beyond belief. I'm going to do my best.
I just saw the race route. Oh, heavens.
Hopefully, tomorrow we'll post something really positive. Maybe a picture or two. We take off at 10:30 MT, so say a little prayer around then for us. Ah! We are almost done with C25K!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Bleh
So today's run SUUUUUUUUUCKED. I can't even begin to emphasize that enough. It was awful. Usually we run at night, in the dark, and the cold. Today, it was hot, and at 1:30 We started at our usual spot, and went about a quarter of the distance we normally do. I had a cramp in my right side that was killing me, and when I stopped to turn around and tell Liz, she was so far behind me and I could tell she was also in pain. Once she got up to where I was, she stopped, dry heaved and sat on the side walk. We decided to go home, and try again tonight.
I have been having a lot of fears about running this race and the fact that it will be taking place during the day has me even more freaked out now. I know how far I can run, and what my body can do now, but I am afraid the fear will set in on Thursday morning, and I will perform like I did today. We have two runs left....two....which is scary, and amazing all at once.
On a light note, baby Ruby is adorable, and having a ball right now playing with her big sister Roxie. They are just running all over the place.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
2.5+
We ran 2.5 miles last night (at the very least -- it may have been more). It took me a long time to get going, though, because I was not dressed appropriately for the cold, and my lungs were not doing well at the beginning. Once I warmed up, though, I kept a solid pace and finished strong, never stopping (not even at the beginning when running was difficult).
Today, I fit into my goal pants -- the goal pants I wanted to wear to Thanksgiving at Nicole's mom's house. They fit. They are snug, admittedly, but they FIT. I have them on. I can sit, I can walk ... it's all good. And I have a week to spare (to get rid of this spare, wah wah).
Running 2.5 miles makes me think we can do this next week. 4 miles. We'll run slowly, but we'll do it. We can do it. One step closer to running a half marathon.
Today, I fit into my goal pants -- the goal pants I wanted to wear to Thanksgiving at Nicole's mom's house. They fit. They are snug, admittedly, but they FIT. I have them on. I can sit, I can walk ... it's all good. And I have a week to spare (to get rid of this spare, wah wah).
Running 2.5 miles makes me think we can do this next week. 4 miles. We'll run slowly, but we'll do it. We can do it. One step closer to running a half marathon.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Post-It Notes
Post-it Notes are a major aspect of my teaching, strangely enough.
I tend to jot down details that I need to remember: who walked in late, what I need to cover in class tomorrow, ideas for lesson plans for next semester...there are post-it notes EVERYWHERE.
I'm a Senior Advisor this year, as well, and the post-it notes are a part of advising them -- we have a blackboard filled with our school year goals (some include getting accepted into colleges, enjoying their last year, playing video games...). The post-it notes are specifically for college applications: once a student applies, s/he receives a blank post-it note to write what school s/he applied to. So far, there are 21 post-it notes on the board.
The post-it notes symbolize goals -- what I want to accomplish, or what I want my students to accomplish.
It's not surprising, then, that I have post-it notes taped to my laptop. The one on the left where my left wrist rests as I type this says:
Washington Park
11/26 -
Thanksgiving
5K
Turkey Trot
I wrote it 9 weeks ago and it's been there ever since (with no coffee stains, which is amazing). I wrote it before I knew the race WASN'T a 5K, but instead is a 4 miler.
The right post-it note says:
11/26 - 4 miles
12/5 -- Colder Boulder
12/1 - 12/30 -- 30-45 minute runs
1/1 - 3/1 -- 10K Training
5/31 - Bolder Boulder
I like being able to make goals and ACTUALLY KEEP THEM. It's amazing to me.
I know this blog is about our 101 things together, and we've been focusing on one for a while now (running a half-marathon), but this blog is kind of like one of my post-it notes. It's a reminder.
1. Thank your lucky stars you have someone who loves you.
2. Stop eating like a heifer.
3. Keep moving forward in life.
4. I'm imperfect. That's the way it is. I can only strive to be a better person.
I tend to jot down details that I need to remember: who walked in late, what I need to cover in class tomorrow, ideas for lesson plans for next semester...there are post-it notes EVERYWHERE.
I'm a Senior Advisor this year, as well, and the post-it notes are a part of advising them -- we have a blackboard filled with our school year goals (some include getting accepted into colleges, enjoying their last year, playing video games...). The post-it notes are specifically for college applications: once a student applies, s/he receives a blank post-it note to write what school s/he applied to. So far, there are 21 post-it notes on the board.
The post-it notes symbolize goals -- what I want to accomplish, or what I want my students to accomplish.
It's not surprising, then, that I have post-it notes taped to my laptop. The one on the left where my left wrist rests as I type this says:
Washington Park
11/26 -
Thanksgiving
5K
Turkey Trot
I wrote it 9 weeks ago and it's been there ever since (with no coffee stains, which is amazing). I wrote it before I knew the race WASN'T a 5K, but instead is a 4 miler.
The right post-it note says:
11/26 - 4 miles
12/5 -- Colder Boulder
12/1 - 12/30 -- 30-45 minute runs
1/1 - 3/1 -- 10K Training
5/31 - Bolder Boulder
I like being able to make goals and ACTUALLY KEEP THEM. It's amazing to me.
I know this blog is about our 101 things together, and we've been focusing on one for a while now (running a half-marathon), but this blog is kind of like one of my post-it notes. It's a reminder.
1. Thank your lucky stars you have someone who loves you.
2. Stop eating like a heifer.
3. Keep moving forward in life.
4. I'm imperfect. That's the way it is. I can only strive to be a better person.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
and then there were six
Today was a super fun day. The plan was to get up, and meet our friends Jen and Wyndy for breakfast and then off to shop for Christmas pj's, which we did do. We hit up every single major department store looking for the appropriate attire for the upcoming party. We saw a few things that we liked, made note of them in case we couldn't find anything else. We spent a good four hours walking around the mall. We had decided to leave the mall and head over to Kohl's to see if they had anything we had to have. Auntie Anne's pretzel's called to us on our way out, so we stopped in there, got some pretzels and water and grabbed a table right outside. I ended up in the chair facing the pet store, which had two of the most adorable Yorkie puppies in their front window. We had already spent some time earlier in the day ogling these little babies but kept on our mission of Christmas nighties. I kept joking with Liz about Santa bringing me a Yorkie puppy, a phrase which I have overused for every single holiday that warrants a present. I am sure she is sick to death of hearing it. She affectionately reminded me that puppies are a lot of work, and if we got one, I would have to be the one to get up in the middle of the night, and clean up its messes. She also gave me the "look" that let me know that a puppy was not on the agenda.
So we finish up our pretzels, and the trash can just happened to be located next to the window where said adorable puppies were. So I went over to stare at them some more. They both looked so much like Sam did when he was a baby.
Jen and Wyndy decided to go inside the store, where an older mixed breed was. A dog that they had apparently been eyeing for weeks now, and no one else seemed to want to buy.
Liz and I went into the store and saw them sitting in a meet and greet room with this dog, who they had already named "Rudolph". They kept taunting me and telling me to get one of the Yorkies and go in the room next to them. I told them that I couldn't hold one of these dogs and give it back, that it would have to come home with me. So Liz turns to the pet store girl and tells her to go get one. "WHAAAAAAAAAAT"?
So we go in this room, and this 1 pound ball of fluff gets passed over the half wall to us. She was black and brown and smelled like a puppy and was the cutest thing I had ever seen. I kissed her, and she kissed me and it was just great. Then there was Liz...who just moments earlier was grumpy and complaining she wanted to go home, and ranting about how much work puppies were. Her eyes were now melting into these little pools of love for this little ball of fluff.
She asked me if I wanted her, and then all of a sudden, the four of us were at the front of the store, purchasing dogs. We came to the mall to get pj's and now we are going home with puppies. How did this happen? I have impulse purchased a purse, or a pack of gum...but never in my life would I thought I could add a dog to that list.
So she is home now, after a trip to my Mom's, Petco, and a few spouts of vomiting on my legs in the car. (Oh and apparently I was rude to a guy at Petco because I had vomit on my legs).
She is asleep in Liz's lap in her pink argyle sweater and we are both already head over heels in love with her. She bosses the other two around already and when she growls at them she sounds like Donald Duck speaking. So adorable.
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