Scenes from Conference weekend

Sleeping in

Yummy cinnamon roll waffles and bacon

doggy snuggles

Re-listen here.

Menu planning

Here's this coming week's menu. Pretty simple since we're leaving for GREECE!

Menu

Sunday—Cinnamon roll waffles (Conference weekend=yummy breakfast!)

Dinner: BBQ chicken pizza

Monday— easy thai coconut soup

Tuesday—tomato artichoke pasta

Wednesday—leftovers

Thursday—leftovers

Friday/Saturday—LEAVE FOR GREECE!!!!

Spring with Julie!

Last weekend, the prodigal daughter, the sweet Julie Mack graced NYC with her presence and brought California weather. It was beautiful!

While walking in Central Park, we found some Forget Me Nots

Saw lots of blossoming trees

Julie modeled

And showed us the proper way to enjoy a perfectly shaped swing branch

I mean really! How did that branch grow like that?!

More blossoms

Then we got Korean

And Kami and Chris got all tender : )

Oh how I miss that sweet Julie Mack! She is just one of those friends who can pick up right where we left off and it never seems as long as it has been because it's always wonderful. Come back soon and bring more California weather!

The Great Oreo Taste Off

Our group of friends here have long debated which type of oreo is the best. Robert was always a staunch supporter of the cakester oreo and we finally put it to vote. Did you know there are 47185743890157489013572804312 different types of oreos or oreo adaptations? It's crazy.

We had, cakesters, standards, cake filling, raspberry creme fillling, golden things, brownies, homemade with mint filling, truffles, double filling triple cookie craziness, and probably some more that I'm forgetting about

And then we dug in

Dan would want me to point out the map he made to help him keep track of which cookies he was eating

The aftermath...

Marking the ballots

And then we waited for Robert to tell us the winners

I think the regular oreo won overall with a nod to the golden thin and then the triple double with a smiley face to the home made truffles

It was definitely good times!

Menu Plans

So it's the last week of the month and Dan and I are trying to follow a budget so he doesn't freak out about me buying stuff and I don't go buying everything in sight. Last week of the month tends to be a bit tight and as Dan-o did a Costco run it's even smaller. Thus this weeks menu is "what do I have on hand so I buy the least possible groceries."

Menu

Sunday—slow cooker orange chicken recipe with rice and edemame

Monday— onion sandwiches (we never made the ones on the previous menu plan and those ingredients don't go bad quickly so now we'll enjoy those!)

Tuesday— avocado pesto pasta

Wednesday—leftovers

Thursday—leftovers

Friday/Saturday—out

This is what my grocery list looks like for today

Groceries

Produce

Salad boxes (for lunches)

Fresh basil

2 avocados

1 carton cherry tomatoes

Meat

Dairy

Blue cheese

Pantry

bread

6oz can frozen orange juice concentrate

½ cup pine nuts

Pretty good! The only expensive part is going to be the produce but this California girl really can't go a week without any fresh produce.

That cheesey, rosey, loverly day...

So it's Valentine's Day, yes? I'm in the kitchen making up some cookies for a work baby shower tomorrow (third baby event of 2012 people, 3rd and it's barely halfway through February!). I'm listening to the Adele station on Pandora and I think it believes I'm a sad mopey without a Valentine (vs. a happy more power to me single Valentine!). But this song came on and it perfectly describes the beginning of my relationship with Dan (except my previous relationship being beautiful, cause it wasn't. Just dysfunctional and he never would have loved me how I needed and I'd never have loved him how he needed).

A Fine Frenzy--Near To You

He and I had something beautiful
But so dysfunctional, it couldn't last
I loved him so but I let him go
'Cause I knew he'd never love me back

Such pain as this
Shouldn't have to be experienced
I'm still reeling from the loss,
Still a little bit delirious

Near to you, I am healing
But it's taking so long
'Cause though he's gone
And you are wonderful
It's hard to move on
Yet, I'm better near to you.

You and I have something different
And I'm enjoying it cautiously
I'm battle scarred, I am working oh so hard
To get back to who I used to be

He's disappearing
Fading suddenly
I'm so close to being yours
Won't you stay with me
Please

Near to you, I am healing
But it's taking so long
'Cause though he's gone
And you are wonderful
It's hard to move on
Yet, I'm better near to you.

I only know that I am
Better where you are
I only know that I am
Better where you are
I only know that I belong
Where you are

Near to you, I am healing
But it's taking so long
Though he's gone
And you are wonderful
It's hard to move on

Near to you, I am healing
But it's taking so long
'Cause though he's gone
And you are wonderful
It's hard to move on
Yet, I'm better near to you.

Yet, I'm better near to you.

Tender fake tattoo times from the beginning...

 

How incredibly grateful that the Dan found me and he helped me heal and find myself again. I can't imagine what my life would have been without having found him and myself again. He breathed life into me.

PS. my friend Diana has been posting engagement stories about her friends leading up to today. Mine was published a few days ago. Go here to check it out!

Menu plans

Here's the menu for the next two weeks!

Menu

Sunday—grilled rib eye steak with onion blue cheese sauce and salad (this is delicious and incredibly rich. I recommend using half and half rather than straight heavy cream)

Monday—eggs and toast (keepin it simple)

Tuesday— Valentine’s Day! Pasta with tomato-blue cheese sauce and red velvet cupcakes (one of my favorite PW pasta recipes! love adding the spinach at the end, delish!)

Wednesday—leftovers

Thursday—leftovers

Friday/Saturday—out

Sunday— BBQ pizza (I love this easy recipe and just use premade whole wheat crust that I roll out)

Monday— pasta Bolognese with mushrooms  (WW recipe so I can't link it but this one looks fairly similar)

Tuesday—onion sandwiches (So to make this I use toasted rye bread, 1 granny smith apple thinly sliced, and an herbed soft cheese like brie spread on the bread. For the onion, cut it into thin slices, place in a pan over medium/high heat, drizzle with olive oil and stir around until they become translucent. Then add 1 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar and a pinch or two of sugar and mix it all together. Then I put the onions between the bread and enjoy!)

Wednesday—leftovers

Thursday—leftovers