It's Coming!

                           

Trader Joe's is one of my all time favorite places to shop. I've always loved going in and stocking up when I'm on the West Coast, but I never have the opportunity here at home. The closest Trader Joe's is in Kansas City.

Really Fort Worth? Get it together. 

But now... now it is coming. It shall arrive June 15th and I am counting down the days. Roasted Red Pepper soup, veggie burgers, champagne pear vinaigrette, Amusant bubbly moscato, chocolate hazelnut biscotti...

I'm drooling.

And on their website they give recipes, fish prep instructions, and a vegetarian friendly list of their foods! Where have you been all my life?? 

The Hardest Step (again)

This morning my dear roommate and running buddy Carolyn woke up at 5:50 with me and stepped out for a run.

I'm just now getting back to my training schedule for the half marathon and it's been rough. It's truly incredible (and slightly depressing) how fast your mind and body regress when you choose to, or have to, take time off an exercise routine.

I want to say that I'm a runner. I want to say that I look forward to every run and that it is always just what I need. But mornings like this morning, what I love is running with someone who can laugh and say "I hate this today".  Because man, did we hate running this morning.

It doesn't mean that we stopped, it just means that we were thrilled to finish.

I'm thankful for the people in my life who can admit when something just isn't what they want it to be, but do it anyway because in the end, it's good.

Summer Essentials

If there is one item that I look forward to wearing every summer it's my white pencil skirt. It's the perfect work friend. Tuck a bright blouse into it, wear a short sleeved cardigan with it, add a striped dress shirt. Wear any shoes you like.

It also doesn't hurt that every time I wear it I'm reminded of what a good deal I got. My particular skirt is half of a skirt-suit from Anne Taylor. What was once a $120 skirt, I got for $30, just because it was orphaned from the jacket.

Who doesn't love a bargain?

Do you have a favorite summer item making its first appearance of the season?

Simplicity

 Recently on my best friend Kristin's blog she posted a call to action; she posted a call to simplify.

Simplification can mean any variety of things to any number of people. For Kristin it means: simplifying her wardrobe, her meals and her belongings.

I have been working on wardrobe purging for a while now, and for the past 2-3 months have resolved to wear what I have. After cleaning out what I never wore, I could really see all the options I have in my closet. So wardrobe - check.

For my simplification challenge, I'm aiming for budget and meal simplification. I want to buy what I need, and buy smart. I don't want to get to the end of the month and feel the ol' wallet gasping for air. I also want to keep cooking. I was off the make-it-yourself meal bandwagon for a while, but I'm hopping back on.

With the help of a produce-centric Mennonite cookbook I'll go for fun recipes that have inexpensive and unique ingredients and a short prep time.

What are you doing to simplify? For ideas - see Kristin's post.

Be Proud

Today I'm proud of myself. Because that brings me joy.

I'm proud of choosing to listen to NPR instead of watching TV.
I'm proud of getting up with my alarm without pressing snooze.
I'm proud of cooking meals for my friends.
I'm proud of clearing out my inbox at work.
I'm proud of making plans to spend time with people I love.

And that is enough. And I'm proud of it.

Be proud of yourself today. Picking on yourself is boring. And let's get real - YOU are not boring.

Recipes to Try

I have a list of recipes I'm burning through over the next week.

Thanks to the Sprouts produce sales I stocked up on some wonderful veggies and have all sorts of plans to cook them!



Potato-Leek soup is first up tonight.



Spinach and leek quiche was last night.



Indonesian Leek Pie on Friday.



and finally Eggplant Cheese Pie on Saturday.

Somewhat of a leek theme. But what a wonderful vegetable to cook with. So much flavor!

If you are looking for a wonderful produce-centric cookbook I highly recommend Simply In Season. It's a Mennonite cookbook that has transformed me into a bit a of an aspiring chef.

Thief - be gone!

I am perpetually prone to comparison.

Not just the comparison of myself to others but the comparisons of my current self to my old self.

It's that bad. I compare myself to myself - the better myself to the worse myself.

The past few weeks I've been guilty of that. I've been beating myself up internally because I'm not eating right or cooking like I was a month ago. I've given myself a black eye for not staying positive like the old me would have. I've kicked myself in the shins for taking so long to read the book that I'm moving like molasses through. Pulling my own hair for not walking the dogs or taking them out to play. I even bullied myself for not having the motivation to wash my sheets last night.

What's the point? How am I to improve my internal state if I'm continually pushing myself off the sidewalk and into the bushes for no good reason?

Today I confront this bully. Comparison - I'm putting you on notice: you're being evicted. I won't stand for your thievery any longer! My joy is mine to keep.

For the Windowsill

I think that the windowsill may be calling for a succulent garden after all... a commenter just inspired me to search out some inspiration for my room, which is sorely in need of some life.

Interested in Gardening

I've never had much of an interest in gardening. But succulents make me want to dig in the dirt and plant beautiful things.

These images bring me some peace and comfort today. I hope they can do the same for you.

I may need to plant myself a little succulent zen-garden soon.

I had da' fever

I wish the past two weeks of  illness were as exciting as Travolta's Saturday Night Fever routines.

They have been eventful, just not exciting.

So please do pardon the blog-outage over the past two weeks.

I have experienced the following symptoms over the past two weeks: high fever, exhaustion, stomach pain, dizziness, fatigue, a lovely all over body rash, yellowing eyes and a sore throat.

I have been tested and found negative for: the flu, Strep A, B, C and all its other testable sisters, mono and all three forms of hepatitis (they thought I had Hep A.)

Soooo still no answer. Out two weeks from work and school and now trying to get back into my life as the exhaustion and rash slowly subside.

Wish me luck with the liver specialist. I see them today or tomorrow.