A Third Try at a Whole30: Week 1

Ugh.  So fat.  So tired.  So uncomfortable. Time for a reset.
Also, I'm constantly dehydrated, so I'm making a concerted effort to drink a gallon of water a day.

Official weigh-in: 162.  HO-LY CRAP.
Day 1: The Eagles just won the SuperBowl
   Breakfast--Tea, water, coffee with coconut milk
   Lunch--Chicken cilantro burger with arugula and avocado
   Dinner--Lemon roasted chicken and baby roasted potatoes
   I actually did a pretty good job getting in those mythical 64 oz. of water.

Day 2:
   Breakfast--Smoothie (banana, coconut milk, chia, cherries and blueberries), tea
   Lunch--Chicken cilantro burger with arugula and avocado
   Dinner--Chicken stock with hot italian sausage and kale
   Again, I came close to, if I didn't surpass, the 64 oz. water goal.

Day 3:  Already waking up with a spring to my step.  Which is surprising because with all of this water I'm waking up to go pee at least once during the night.
   Breakfast--Smoothie (banana, coconut milk, chia, cherries and blueberries), tea
   Lunch---Chicken stock with hot italian sausage and kale
   Dinner---Popper chili with avocado
   I drank way more than 64 oz.

Day 4:
   Breakfast--Smoothie (banana, coconut milk, chia, cherries and blueberries), tea
   Lunch---Chicken and steak on lettuce with green salsa, tomatoes, guac and cilantro
   Snack: half an apple
   Dinner---B-nut squash burrito bowl w/ arugula, salsa, avocado, cilantro and a beautifully poached egg
   I drank way more than 64 oz., thanks to a 2-hour online class in which I need to do something with my body to keep my mind engaged.

Day 5:
   Breakfast--Smoothie (banana, coconut milk, chia, cherries and blueberries), tea
   Lunch---B-nut squash burrito bowl w/ arugula, salsa, avocado, cilantro and a beautifully poached egg
   Dinner---Can't remember...
   So dehydrated.

Day 6:
   Breakfast--Sweet potato hash, bacon, and a fried egg; tea
   Snack--Smoothie (banana, coconut milk, chia, cherries and blueberries)
   Lunch--Popper chili with avocado
   Dinner--Burger with caramelized onions and dijon mustard

Day 7:
   Breakfast--Veggie omelet (spinach, tomato, onion, mushrooms), homefries with onions, tea
   Lunch--
   Dinner--Stuffed peppers (chorizo and cauliflower rice
   Snack--a spoonful of almond butter with sea salt

All-in-all I felt pretty good all week, save Day 7, when I was raging from an accidental double-dose of steroids to treat a sinus issue that reared its head (also the reason I double-dosed).  I've been sleeping better, feeling more stable with energy levels, and my skin is already starting to clear up a bit.

Total spent on groceries: $185 (includes ancillary house items) to make 35 breakfasts, 29 lunches, 35 dinners for a family of five.

5 Ways I've been succeeding and failing at my own spending challenges

In April, my last post, I wrote about my obscene credit card balance and ways I'd been trying to make that ish GO AWAY.  I had pledged that by July or August I'd have the credit card balance down to or close to $0.

And my result--total fail.

I've gotten it down by a little more than $1k, and mostly it's because I didn't anticipate a few things in my plan.

Plan re-cap:
1. Not shopping anymore.  No clothes. No shoes.
2. Bank account consolidation.  Big guy and I weren't understanding what the other was doing and where money was going to pay for what.  It was confusing and we just didn't handle it.  Now all of our accounts (his, hers, and ours) are at one bank and with only a few weeks of this, it's made everything a lot easier.
3. Tracking spending.  Sounds rudimentary, but to force myself to look at statements, copy down what I spent and where (and the anticipation of having to do this later) is really helpful.
4. When I feel the need to buy something, I've been checking to make sure I don't already have an acceptable alternative.  Especially with clothes that I haven't been able to explore in 5 years, I'm finding that there are things that got shoved to back of the closet that are in great condition and I can wear them again.  It helps that I'm Kon-Marie ing my clothes--if it doesn't bring me joy it goes to someone that will find joy in it.
5. I'm doing my damnedest to use all the leftovers.  For all of us.  I found that even if I'm really good at bringing my lunch, there's one guy in our house that was spending lots of money on lunch ($~50 a week).

Some successes:
1 .Consolidating the bank accounts at one institution is still a thing and has been working well.
2. I've also done okay at tracking my expenses, but I've been referring to my statements more than writing things down (I'm not much of a cash person).

Fails:
1. Not shopping.  Total fail.  Clothes all over the place.
2. Leftovers.  Lots of food waste at our house lately.
3. Take out/ordering in/eating on the fly.

So why the fails?

A bit of an announcement--we're unexpectedly expecting BickerBaby #3.  And since I gave all my larger clothes and maternity clothes away during the spring, I've spent a lot of money buying things that will fit over this large belly.  I've been fortunate that many friends have also been offering their clothes (or my old clothes back), but as we all know, sometimes the things don't fit or aren't your style or aren't existing (T-shirts, I mean you!) when you borrow things from someone else.

Same goes for the Little Lady, in that a lot of her clothes are hand-me-downs, so I've had to fill some gaps for her, too--mainly shorts--and little girls clothes are obscenely expensive.

We also discovered that all of my husband's shorts were literally falling apart, so I bought him a few new pairs and some shirts that didn't have holes/covered his belly. Luckily, Little Man was pretty much all set, but I bought him a new bathing suit (a size too big so he can *hopefully use it again next year, too).

BickerBaby #3 also means I've been dog tired and not feeling well, on top of having the oddest "needs" for certain cuisines.  So meal planning, lunch packing (for me), and creativity with left-overs hasn't been a priority.  Coupled with taking two night classes over the summer, and I'd say we were ordering out for dinner 3 times a week at one point.  The vast majority of spending has gone to take-out/food.

Some good news in all this doldrum:
- I've fallen in with a group of fellow MBA students that is totally keen on book sharing and swapping, so I've saved a few hundred dollars on course materials over the last few months, and will continue to do so in the future.
- My energy and normal appetite have returned, so we've been doing better at cooking/packing/re-using meals.
- I planted a garden, y'all.  And all that awesomeness is finally starting to come to fruition.  Tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers (bell and hot), as well as a ton of herbs are being brought into the kitchen daily so it's helped to off-set our grocery bills and will continue to do so even into the fall and winter (canning, freezing, fingers crossed for an extended growing season).
- People have been supremely generous with giving us gently used baby items.  We literally gave away ALL items suitable for a child from infancy-18 months old, including car seats, strollers, carriers, clothes, boppies, etc. and friends and friends of friends have really heeded the call for "stuff" (once they stop laughing at our news).  So far, we've been lucky enough to get two convertible car seats and an infant seat, a boppie, some clothes, and a bunch of random doo-dads to help usher this child into his or her first months of life.  I've also been terrible at writing the thank you notes...

So some new goals for the next few months:
- Start packing lunches and snacks again.  At least 3 days a week, better if I can do 4.
- Stop buying clothes.  I should be good for fall with the maternity stuff and both the Little Lady and Little Man should be good to go for fall.  I'm praying that the grandparents are as generous with the call for clothes as presents at Christmas this year as they were last year.  It was really awesome, and they smartly bought clothes in the next size up so I know they'll be good through the fall this year.
- Can, freeze, dry, pickle, etc. all I can from the garden until it stops producing.  I'm hoping to keep the grocery bills as low as possible for as long as possible.
- Use what I have already in the freezer.  I KNOW there are a bunch of sausages, kale, peas, chicken parts, etc. that are buried in the bottom of our freezer that I really just need to inventory and use.  Again, helping to off-set the grocery bill, which when paired with take-out (which will hopefully be eliminated) is by FAR our largest expense after mortgage and daycare. 
and finally...
- I pledge to cut down on my visits to Dunkin' Donuts.  It's only $12 a week I spend there, but that's almost $50 a month that I would be putting toward this debt that I couldn't otherwise.

Wish me luck, and let me know your pointers for staying on track.  I obviously know what I NEED to do, but help me do it! 

Lifestyle Changes

A few weeks ago, I noticed something--a 6 digit credit card bill.  For some, this might not be a big deal, but for me (the girl who pays off her credit card in full almost every month and NEVER carries a balance above $1K) this is a huge deal. 

Let's be real here, kids:  I just about lost my shit.

So what happened to get me to that point?  Basically, we moved.  We dumped all of our savings (and checkings) into buying a new home in the burbs.  And it's great!  But now I know why people truly resist moving to the burbs.  It's expensive!

So while I'm not paying city wage tax, my car insurance went down a little, and I'm not driving 40 minutes to go to retail and grocery outlets that looks like a zombie apocalypse was forecasted by Miss Cecily Tynan, I'm paying a whole lot more elsewhere.
1. My mortgage and property taxes.  They went up about 20%
2. Commuting.  That's gone up (for me anyhoo) about 30%
3. Daycare.  That's gone up an astonishing 90%.  Yes, folks, we pay almost double for daycare what we did before.

And to top it all off, now that I'm done carrying, baring, and nursing children, my body has returned to its normal shape and size.  But my 5 year old clothing is either too beat to wear or is too big (yes, I typed big.  I'm one of the lucky ones.) and I've needed to re-invest in some work clothes.

All of this unanticipated expense has forced me to rethink what I'm spending money on, and I've made some lifestyle as a result.
1. Not shopping anymore.  No clothes. No shoes.
2. Bank account consolidation.  Big guy and I weren't understanding what the other was doing and where money was going to pay for what.  It was confusing and we just didn't handle it.  Now all of our accounts (his, hers, and ours) are at one bank and with only a few weeks of this, it's made everything a lot easier.
3. Tracking spending.  Sounds rudimentary, but to force myself to look at statements, copy down what I spent and where (and the anticipation of having to do this later) is really helpful.
4. When I feel the need to buy something, I've been checking to make sure I don't already have an acceptable alternative.  Especially with clothes that I haven't been able to explore in 5 years, I'm finding that there are things that got shoved to back of the closet that are in great condition and I can wear them again.  It helps that I'm Kon-Marie ing my clothes--if it doesn't bring me joy it goes to someone that will find joy in it.
5. I'm doing my damnedest to use all the leftovers.  For all of us.  I found that even if I'm really good at bringing my lunch, there's one guy in our house that was spending lots of money on lunch ($~50 a week).

So, that's my truth serum.  And it will all be back to $0 balance in less than 3 months.  I'm cheap like that.

[Insert not-so-subtle requests from the peanut gallery on ways to not spend]

Whole30 #2: Week 4

I'm feeling like the worst Whole30-er this time around, but I actually don't really care enough to start the 30 days over again.  I'm sticking to the plan when I can, not stressing about it when I can't (damn work meals), and having ONE drink or a small treat when I really want it.

Day 22: Feeling fine.  Still got a cold, and I'm hanging out with a sick Little Lady at home.

• Breakfast: Coffee
• Lunch: Italian sausage in chicken broth with arugula.
• Dinner: Leftover spaghetti squash and marinara (no more meatballs) 

Day 23: More work meetings involving food, but I made it work...

• Breakfast:  Coffee, and then a plain tea.  Stayed strong against the free pastries at my 9am meeting.
• Lunch: Spaghetti squash and marinara
• Dinner: Cilantro chicken burgers with avocado, caramelized onions and peppers, and roasted spicy cauliflower over arugula.

Day 24: Lots of personal errands to run

• Breakfast: Coffee
• Lunch: Left-over cilantro chicken burger
• Dinner: Italian sausage in chicken broth with arugula.

Day 25: Cancelled business meetings, Nana(Claus) is coming to town.

• Breakfast: Coffee and a smoothie.
• Lunch: I FINALLY KILLED THAT MARINARA & SPAGHETTI SQUASH!!!
• Dinner: [Carb-cation commences] Meatball parm grinder from Lil' Rizzo's.  So worth it.

Day 26: Our 5th anniversary and a quick trip to the Poconos.

• Breakfast: Coffee.  And a smoothie. And then more coffee.
• Lunch:  Italian sausage in chicken broth with arugula and an apple with almond butter.
• Dinner: [Carb-cation continues at an all-inclusive buffet] Broccolini, chicken from this stirfry thingy that was really good, a little bit of pasta, a huge piece of cake.
• Extras: Some chocolates from my honey, like 5 glasses of wine, 2 glasses of champagne, 2 cups of beer, and god knows what else because I don't believe I remember the whole episode.

Day 27: Still Carb-cationing, and I have the worst headache existing in Luzerne County, PA.

• Breakfast: Tea, an egg burrito thingy, some fruit and about 8 french toast sticks.
• Lunch: A rest stop whopper junior and some advil.  
• Dinner: Some crab-stuffed talapia thingy from Outback (yay for gift cards), some chocolate thunder dessert thingy, and 2 beers.

Day 28: Toddler birthday party!  p.s. I got to meet Michael Angelo, the TMNT. 

• Breakfast: Coffee, and scrambled eggs on a whole wheat english muffin.
• Lunch: Half a grilled chicken wrap, half a grilled veggie chicken wrap, about 5 mimosas, and the best freaking Ninja Turtle cake pop ever.
• Dinner: Bourbon pork tenderloin, sweet potato, and roasted asparagus.  I later ate my truck stop cookie purchased on Day 27 and washed it down with a beer. 

[Carb-cation concludes.]

Whole30 #2: Week 3

Began the week on the cusp of a slip-up (a yummy delicious and worth it slip-up), but I'm back on the wagon!

Day 15: Feeling the sugar hang-over.  Tired, stuffy, dragging.

• Breakfast: Coffee.  I think I had 3 cups!
• Lunch: Work lunch steak salad: grilled steak, romaine, pico de gallo, lots of guac.  I also cheated a little with 2 corn chips as I stared at them longingly for almost 4 hours...
• Dinner: Peer pressure is the worst, and I'm such a sucker.  Definitely had a glass of home-brewed cider from a friend, got wasted off one glass, and then made dinner.

Day 16: Obviously dragging and tired.  Nose still stuffy.

• Breakfast: Coffee.  Again, multiple cups.
• Lunch: Leftover steak salad with avocado (since I ate all the guac at the meeting...)
• Dinner: Spaghetti squash and meatballs (no bread crumbs) with homemade marinara.

Day 17: Feeling better again, but still a little tired.

• Breakfast: Coffee.  I'm really just not hungry in the morning...
• Lunch: Leftover spaghetti squash and meatballs and an apple with almond butter.
• Dinner: Butternut squash burrito bowl.

Day 18: Energy's back. Still tough getting up, but it's not tragic.  Woke up hungry for the first time in about a week. 

• Breakfast: Coffee and a smoothie.
• Lunch: Leftover spaghetti squash and meatballs, and an apple lent to me by a friend.
• Dinner: More squash burrito bowl, with the last of the chipotle chicken, a poached egg, salsa, avocado, cilantro.  A spoon of almond butter as a snack.

Day 19:  Feeling great, except for this cold that came upon me...I also weighed myself and I'm down 7 lbs!

• Breakfast: Coffee.
• Lunch: The last of the squash burrito bowl, with a poached egg, salsa, avocado, and cilantro.
• Dinner:

And then there was a blizzard.

Day 20: Lots of shoveling, some "I earned this" beers, lots of warm things to thaw us.

• Breakfast: Coffee
• Lunch:  6 pepper chili (jalapeno, bell, chipolte, chili, ancho, and cayenne) with ground beef (no beans).
• Dinner:  

Day 21:  I'll be honest, I can't remember...there was more shoveling, and more chili to be sure.

Whole30 #2: Week 2

Better published late than never!

Other than the persistent feeling of exhaustion and the late week crankiness, we're doing good.  Looking for recipe ideas, so please help!

Day 8: Still tired, cranky, but this may be due more to life than diet...WORST. MONDAY. EVER.

• Breakfast:  Coffee and 1/2 a smoothie (the other half ended up in my purse.  See above note regarding temperament).
• Lunch: Work restaurant lunch--salad with grilled chicken, romaine, hard boiled egg, pico, avocado, vinegar (not vinagrette).
• Dinner: Chicken roasted with carrots and parsnips.  A big old spoonful of almond butter
  sprinkled with sea salt.

Day 9: The cranky is finally subsiding.  I was originally up at 5am for no good reason--just done sleeping I guess!

• Breakfast: Coffee.  Lots of coffee.
• Lunch: Leftover chicken, carrots, and parsnips with some arugula; an orange; and a not very ripe at all mango.
• Dinner: Thai red curry with veggies, cod, and avocado.

Day 10:

• Breakfast:  Coffee.
• Lunch: Chicken soup, an apple and some almond butter.
• Dinner: Chicken soup and a skinny taste inspired butternut squash burrito bowl with a poached egg and avocado.

Day 11: Feeling pretty good.  Getting out of bed easily.

• Breakfast: Coffee.
• Lunch: Leftover squash burrito bowl and a grapefruit.  I even poached an egg at work using the microwave!
• Dinner: Chicken soup.

Day 12: Feeling really good, but there's a strong need for coffee.

• Breakfast:  Lots of coffee. 
• Lunch: A weird amalgam of leftovers that I can't really describe.  And an apple with almond butter.
• Dinner: Date night!: King crab legs with strained butter, green beans, and some baked potato with strained butter.

Day 13:  Ski day!

• Breakfast: Coffee 
• Lunch:  Chicken taco salad and a grapefruit.  And a coffee.  I was just feeling the coffee.
• Dinner:

Day 14: Little Man's Birthday!  I was up 645am (everyone else was dead to the world) and got to read quietly for 45 minutes before the little lady got up.  It was awesome!

• Breakfast: Coffee and a smoothie (coconut milk, blueberries, cherries, chia seed, and a Tbsp of almond butter.
• Lunch: Salad and buffalo wings.  It probably had vegetable oil in both, but whatever...I didn't eat pizza.  Or the really awesome Ninja Turtle head cake pops my best friend made.  Or drink wine!  But I did eat chocolate cake...and it was amazing.
• Dinner: Chicken soup--finally killed that batch!

Whole30 #2: Week One

I decided to do another Whole30--luckily I've got a bunch of friends and co-workers to back me up this time.  Pretty much all of us are just trying to eat REALLY well for January since we all ate REALLY poorly during December.

I'm looking forward to feeling a lot better and sleeping better like I did the first time I did it in June 2015.  This time, I'm going to attempt to fully document it, mostly to keep myself accountable and not cheat...

Start date was Jan. 4th.

Day 1: 147 lbs. (Really?  That's 10 pounds heavier than September, the last time I weighed myself and payed it any mind), bloated, probably the worst complexion I've seen since 16, TIRED.  We all joked at lunch at how swollen our fingers were, too, thinking we're probably all OD'd on salt. Mentally feeling pretty okay.

• Breakfast: Coffee with coconut milk. (I found this boxed one which is great for storing in the fridge.  I water it down a little for cooking/smoothies.)
• Lunch: Chicken soup (homemade with mushrooms, carrots, onions, celery), a grapefruit, and 3 slices of apple with almond butter (maybe a teaspoon).
• Dinner:  Sockeye Salmon (ala Alton Brown using olive oil) served on a bed of arugula with a slice of meyer lemon, half an avocado, and roasted asparagus.

Day 2: Tired, but fine.  Wanting wine and chocolate after dinner.

• Breakfast: Coffee again, because I haven't been hungry for breakfast.
• Lunch: Left-overs from dinner the night before without the asparagus, because I ate it all.
• Dinner: Rainbow trout in a coconut red thai curry sauce with sliced bell peppers and mushrooms, avocado, and cilantro.

Day 3:  Woke up HUNGRY, but still feeling okay.

• Breakfast: Coffee and a slice of tortilla espanola, again, made with coconut and olive oils.

• Lunch: Fruit salad at a lunch meeting, because I couldn't eat anything else that was served...
• Dinner: Rib roast with roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes with ghee/clarified butter.

Day 4: Fine.  Weird dreams last night.

• Breakfast: Coffee and a smoothie of a banana, coconut milk, chia seeds, cherries and blueberries (with a little water to make it drinkable).
• Lunch: Leftover rib roast, sweet potato, half a grapefruit, and some apple slices with almond butter.
• Dinner: Chicken-cilantro burger on a bed of arugula with avocado and caramelized onions and mushrooms.

Day 5: Still slow in the mornings, but my energy level is definitely evening out during the day (vs. the peaks and pits of last week on sugar).

• Breakfast: Coffee.
• Lunch: Chicken-cilantro burger on a bed of arugula with avocado and caramelized onions and mushrooms, grapefruit, and some apple slices with almond butter.
• Dinner: Mexican chicken lettuce "tacos" with avocado and cilantro.

Day 6: Slow to get up, but feeling good.  Skied all day and was more stiff than sore that night.

• Breakfast: Coffee, smoothie.
• Lunch: Leftover Mexican chicken lettuce "tacos" with avocado and cilantro.
• Dinner: Stuffed pepper (canned tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, garlic, ground pork and beef mix, topped with basil.

Day 7: Cranky.  So unbelievably cranky. And tired.

• Breakfast: Coffee, smoothie.
• Lunch: Shake Shack double patty no-bun burger with lettuce, tomato, onion and mustard.
• Dinner:  Leftover stuffed pepper.
• Dessert: Sliced banana with almond butter.

Who else is doing a Whole30?  What are you feeling?  What are you eating?

Goals Update: 2015 In Review & 2016 Plans

Welcoming 2015

1. Sew one garment a month: Nope.  Nothing in December.  And I really didn't do so hot for the year, either, seeing as I only completed three projects and I think I only wrote about two of them.
2. Post an article a month: Nothing in December.  I did pretty well over the course of the year, though, as I posted 24 articles and posted at least one (other than this review list) in eight of those months.
3. Run at least 2 5K races: Nope.  Had one under my belt, and never got to #2.  Couldn't even muster up enough caring to go for a quick run on that 70 degree Christmas Day.

4. Exercise 3 times a week: December was great for making my daily steps.  I ended up in the top 2 or 3 every week, and consistently met or exceeded my 10K goal each day. For the year, I think I did okay seeing as there were only about 2 months there where I wasn't really exercising.
5. Have one date with my husband a month: Our annual day after Christmas movie and shopping date happened, so that's a win.  And for the year, we're at least 10 for 12 which is pretty awesome.
6. Become better at expressing my curiosity, and be more clear in the intent of my curiosity: I think I've been doing better, but I've still got a long way to go.  I think once I get into a conversation with someone (i.e. we're both actively listening), I do smashingly, but the initial broaching of the subject continues to cause some strife (and my conversation partners to shut down).
7. Read 10 books: I am SO happy to report that I accomplished this one!  I finished my 10th book the week before Christmas.  I finished up with Tina Fey's "Bossy Pants" which was a really funny read--and great perspective for a working mother.  I recommend it.

Like pretty much all other goals posts for this year, I can firmly say that I accomplished 4 out of 7.  If we count halfsies, I could make an argument for 5, but I think that'd be cheating.


2015 was an interesting year, with a BIG move for us, some major life decisions made, and a modified perspective on what my life actually is and can be versus trying to make it into something else.  I'm glad I tried to do all of this in 2015, and even though I didn't make the goal, I still feel a sense of accomplishment for having done as well as I did.

So what's on the docket for 2016?
1. Stop yelling at my kids. (It really doesn't help anyone)
2. Get at least a B+ in all of my classes (oh ya, I'm starting my MBA this month).
3. Read as many books as possible from this list, thanks to a Facebook challenge from some friends. (I've read a few already, but there's a bunch I haven't and we're all kind of in the same boat on this one.)
4. Exercise 3 times a week/meet those 10K+ steps. 
5. Become better at starting conversations/broaching sensitive subjects with people.
6. Paint my nails once a month.  (Because every girl should have something a little girly in her life once in a while.)  

I've consciously left off goals for sewing, writing, and the 5Ks in 2016.  These were the goals I didn't do well at in 2015 and are also the most time-consuming.  Since I'll be starting an MBA program in 2016, I expect most of my time will spent on studying and any free-time with my family.  I also left off the date goal because we did SO WELL at it.  I think it's officially become a habit and something we've really come to value doing each month.



What are your goals?  How can we be awesome together in 2016?

Goals Update: November in Review

1. Sew one garment a month: I finally finished that striped shirt!  I need to take some pics, and tell you about my adventures in pattern matching.
2. Post an article a month: Dos! In addition to my last goals update, too!
3. Run at least 2 5K races: Failing miserably at this one...

Thanksgiving baby selfie!

4. Exercise 3 times a week: Not really making those 10K steps, and I've not been running at ALL this past month.  In fact, I came in dead last in my FitBit friends last week...
5. Have one date with my husband a month: Got our first suburban babysitter for a night of work engagements, and managed to squeeze in a drink on our ways home.  It's not glamorous and it was with my husband's boss, but it's what we got and I'm taking it.
6. Become better at expressing my curiosity, and be more clear in the intent of my curiosity: I didn't get any complaints in November...I'm going to count that as a win.
7. Read 10 books: Apparently I mis-counted somewhere along the line--at least according to my Good Reads account, and as of Nov. 30 at 1159pm I had read 7 books! (and finished another the very next day which is annoying since I'd like to type 8).  7 down, 3 to go (but really 8 and 2) with a month left.  I've got a book in hand now, but I need one last short book suggestion.

4 out of 7 this month, again.  Maybe I can figure out how to read while I run, and then I can accomplish it all!

5 Reasons to Love Your Crockpot This Month

Although the past week or so has been hiding this fact, it's November and the colder weather is coming.

Here are 5 easy ways to show your crockpot (and wallet and sanity) some love this month:
1. Roasted Squash.  I was totally afraid of this one at first.  But seriously, wash a butternut squash, cut it in half, and just throw it in and put the lid on.  No seeding, no peeling, nada.  High for ~4 hours or low for ~6.  Then just scoop out the roasted yummy goodness (after scooping the seeds out if you don't want to eat them).
2. Roasted Chicken and Vegetables.  3 whole peeled carrots, 3 trimmed stalks of celery on the bottom, a seasoned (salt, pepper, paprika to keep it simple) whole fryer chicken stuffed with a bay leaf, a clove of garlic and a small onion on top.  Put the lid on, turn it on low for ~8 hours.  Eat the breasts and then get onto...
3. Chicken soup.  Leave everything in the crockpot but the whole chicken from #2, add back in the meat you picked off of that chicken after your meal for #2, add about 4 cups of water and voila!  Soup.  You don't even have to turn the crockpot on for this one.
4. Chili.  After browning about a pound of ground beef (or turkey), add it to the crock pot with two big cans of whole tomatoes, a small can of tomato paste, a chopped onion, a chopped green pepper, a chopped (and seeded if you like) jalapeno, a can of black beans, a clove of garlic, and 4 diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (1/2 a small can).  ~2 hours on high; ~4 hours on low.
5. Coq au Vin.  Whether you prefer it red (I recommend cote du rhone) or white (Nigella and I say Riesling), just get some skinless chicken thighs (4-5), coarsely chopped onion, carrot, celery, 2 bay leaves, and 2 cloves of garlic into that crockpot!  Serve it over some buttered egg noodles or just with some crusty bread.  ~4 hours on high or ~6 on low.

Happy slow cooking!

Pattern Review: Baby Go-To Leggings

I had found a free pattern for baby leggings online a long time ago, have some random bits of UFO (unfinished object) fabric that I need to stop looking at, and some 50 year-old elastic laying around.  YAY!

So why not try out the free pattern on the little lady (who is just over a year now)?

Here are my experiences with the Baby Go-To Leggings Pattern.

The good news:
This is a pattern with VERY well-written instructions.  Even as a first-time project, I think someone would have a very easy time putting these together.  There are explanations of terminology, explanations of fabric (and how to determine that you're using a correct fabric), and an explanation on how to piece the pattern together from the 4 pages of letter-size paper.  And thankfully, it includes the seam allowance in the pattern, and since I've found many PDF patterns (especially the free ones) don't this is pretty awesome.

This also took less than an hour to cut the pattern, tape it together, cut the pieces, and sew it all up!

The bad news:
I think this was drafted for a very short, very fat baby.  I was so worried about the waist (which was spot on and even allows for some growth for my kid) that I didn't pay much attention to the length.  Little lady ended up with pants that are 2 inches too short...

I will definitely be using this pattern again.  I will definitely add a cuff at the ankle, though.

Cost:
Pattern--Free (with newsletter subscription for Go To Patterns)
Fabric--Free, as I was really killing a UFO and stashbusting
Notions--Free, from my hoarding of my grandmother's sewing stuff
So...FREE!

All opinions expressed in this post are my own and have in no way been solicited for nor have I received compensation or sponsorship.

Goals Update: October in Review

I'm starting to realize I should have been a bit less ambitious with my goals.  I seem to get progress made in some categories at the expense of others at this point... 

1. Sew one garment a month: I completed another Renfew (my 3rd?), and a pair of Go-To baby leggings!  I also was able to make some progress on a UFO dress from 4 years ago, and get started my stripes-matching
pajama project (which I hope to post on soon).

2. Post an article a month: Nada.  I focused on the doing of projects and never wrote about it.  I'm okay with that one, but I'd like to post about a few things to document them for me.
3. Run at least 2 5K races: Signed up for one that happened Oct. 3rd, but forewent it because of some last-minute travel plans.  I might just run a 5K around my neighborhood one day...
4. Exercise 3 times a week: Doing a pretty good job of making those 10K steps,but I've not been running at ALL this month.
5. Have one date with my husband a month: Grandparents to the rescue once again!  This time the in-laws borrowed the children to allow my husband and I to attend a volunteer leadership meeting at the Linc (work), a political fundraiser (work), and some post-work drinks at the bar by our house.  We followed that up with 45 minutes of sleeping in on Sunday.  I say that's a win.
6. Become better at expressing my curiosity, and be more clear in the intent of my curiosity: Not sure if anyone noticed, but I've been trying to keep my mouth shut in October.  Practicing the listening part pretty intensely, and not voicing an unsolicited opinion unless I genuinely fear Armageddon (or its professional counterpart).
7. Read 10 books: 3/4 of the way done with The Goldfinch.  5 down, 5 to go and 2 months to do it in.  Now that I'm taking the train, I expect to do pretty good with this one.  Short book suggestions welcome.

4 out of 7 this month, which seems to be my limit.  Maybe I can knock #'s 2 & 3 off in November...

Goals Update: September in Review

The last few months have been pretty hectic, and I feel like we're finally settling into our new life in the suburbs.  Once you move in, there's still more work to be done in getting your schedule together and truly adjusting to a whole new way of doing everything.  And it's finally starting to feel comfortable...and productive!

How am I doing on my goals?  Not too bad!

1. Sew one garment a month: Nothing in September, but I was able to get a lot of my sewing projects lined up and ready to go, including getting my sewing table set-up and ready to go. I cut out another Renfew T-shirt just after Labor Day only to discover that I couldn't find my serger pedal anywhere.  The new one came in the mail last week, so October promises to be a much more productive sewing month.

2. Post an article a month: I posted twice, but neglected an August goals update and an ode to my little Lady who turned one. Meh.
3. Run at least 2 5K races: Signed up for one that happened Oct. 3rd...I'm trying to find another one to do before the fall is over.  Any suggestions?
4. Exercise 3 times a week: Doing a pretty good job of making those 10K steps, and I ran once or twice a week in September to get ready for my October 5K.  
5. Have one date with my husband a month: Thanks to a Nana visit, we went neighborhood bar hopping one night.  I think we were home and in bed b 1030pm, but it was a date and we had fun.
6. Become better at expressing my curiosity, and be more clear in the intent of my curiosity: Following my last post, I've been speaking with some friends and colleagues about how I'm working on this.  I think that by stating my anticipated goal (or that there isn't one) for a conversation has made communication in both social and professional situations more productive and enjoyable.
7. Read 10 books: Finally finished "All the President's Men".  Picked up "The Goldfinch" not realizing it's almost 800 pages...whoops! I think I'll be sorting my GoodReads lists on page count (if that's possible) next time.  5 down, 5 to go and a little under 3 months to do it in.  

Goals Update: Intent is key

On the path to better communication, I've been in search of snippets of wisdom.  This week, one came in the form of a tweet from a man after my heart with his Twitter handle (@recoveringengineer).

Paired with a news spot I heard on NPR on the way into work the same morning, I realized I have been taking my partner, my friends & family, and most likely many of my co-workers for granted when it comes to communication.

Throw in an email chain earlier this week with one of my besties in which we're scheduling an activity to do together on completely different weekends, and I'm going to make a sub-goal #6 on better expressing my curiosity:

I'm going to be more clear in the intent of my curiosity.

Rather than just assuming that those with whom I'm communicating know my goals, I'm going to tell them.  I'm a very process-driven individual, so knowing where we're going before we get in the car is REALLY helpful for me--it'll be interesting to see how this works with others who are less-so.  So here we go:

My intent with this change in communication style is share my ideas in a more succinct and less confusing manner in order to maximize collaboration and good-will while minimizing frustration for all parties concerned.

How do you all communicate effectively? What kinds of "rules" might you have given yourself to become a better communicator?

I'll keep you posted on my progress, so please let me know if this is helping you, too!

Goals Update: I actually RAN!

For months I've been lamenting the fact that I haven't been out running.  With less than 4 weeks to my second 5K of the year, I decided I have to get serious about this.

This morning, I packed away all my excuses and got out of bed at the first alarm (640am) to put on some running tights and go running.

My expectations were pretty low--especially since I was told to take a dog with me--but I'm actually kind of proud of how I did.  With the exception of a brief stop for the previously mentioned dog to use some facilities, I ran the whole time, wasn't winded until the very end, and kept a pretty good pace as I was home in less than 15 minutes.

I was surprised at the amount of outside activity in my neighborhood in the morning, and at how much friendlier people are in the morning vs. the evening, especially since I had a pitbull at my side.  I guess not everyone could stay in bed all day like our family.

If you're looking for some running inspiration, check out my friend's blog, Vito Runs 365.  After a pretty annoying and goal-killing Achilles issue, he's finally up and running again and his enthusiasm is pretty contagious.  Oh, and I'm stealing his run summary...Thanks, Chris!

Day 1: 1.1 miles, 18:41 (Weather: Clear, 56 degrees)

Suburbs Bound: I think I like it here...

You guys, I can't believe I'm going to type this, but I think I like it in the suburbs.

I wrote about the things I was already enjoying during our first week in the suburbs a few weeks ago, and I'm continually impressed by new things.

Grampa is enjoying the new yard!

Privacy.   Something I hadn't thought about when moving out of a twin (and previous row homes and apartments over the last 15+ years) into a single family home: it's really, REALLY nice to not share a wall or floor or ceiling with another family.  I don't need to know when the neighbors are up in the morning, or home from work, or having a bad day... I can let my kid tantrum it out without worrying the neighbors will call the family services (it's happened to friends...note the plurality on that one).  I can give my social security number to my husband verbally, and not worry that my neighbor is at the wall attempting to steal my identity.  I can sing in the shower without shielding my face from annoyed neighbors because I finally learned all the words to the chorus of "Shake it off."

I'm really impressed by the amount of nature that comes through our yard.  Part of the reason is our newly discovered pear tree.  No partridge yet, but there are bunnies, lots of birds, squirrels, and I even got to peep a frog in one of the bird baths with Mikey last night.

And did I mention the quiet? The lack of ambient city noise is pretty amazing.  I didn't realize how stressful it is to have noise like that all the time.  No wonder city folk have a reputation as being more gruff and quick to pounce.

Something I don't like:  I feel a bit more uneasy with unleashing the full scope of Kim onto our new neighborhood than I ever have before, but it's mostly because of the sense of permanence this move has brought.  We're in this house in the suburbs for the long haul--20 years or more most likely--and so are our neighbors.  I hate tempering myself, but I also know that most people just seriously can't handle all that is Kim without an easy intro period.  Here's to hoping it's not a long intro...

Goals Update: July in Review

Man, am I bad at updating things!  I thought June was a whirl-wind month, but throw in a bed-ridden case of strep throat and July definitely had June beat.  And hence the obligatory blog self-loathing begins...

So how'd I do in July with my goals?  Pretty good actually!

1. Sew one garment a month: Nothing.  That sewing room I was supposed to get is now Little Man's room (no monsters in that one), and a lack of a usable space to cut, sew, and/or plan things gets in the way of doing things. I may or may not have continued to impulse purchase patterns...

2. Post an article a month: Only one in the beginning of the month, but all things considered I'm proud of that.
3. Run at least 2 5K races: Still signed up for one in October.  Still haven't run a single step.  
4. Exercise 3 times a week: Still making sure I get those 10K steps in every day.  Doing okay with it, but not as good as before.  Frankly, it's been too hot to move.
5. Have one date with my husband a month: Mini weekend away for a friend's wedding, and lots of take out paired with Shameless and True Detective in our living room.  It counts...seriously guys.  It counts!
6. Become better at expressing my curiosity: Still to my knowledge, I haven't pissed anyone off.  In fact, I was able to address some potentially high-emotion issues with no issues last month.  SCORE!
7. Read 10 books: Reading "All the President's Men".  It's not a quick read by any means.  I need to find some "beach books" like Jennifer Weinder or something if I want to reach this goal.  Reading non-fiction is a bit more laborious and time intensive... Still 4 down, 6 to go and 5 months to do it in.  

I did a Whole30, and it wasn't awful

A typical breakfast

During the month of June, I went on my first "diet".  For me, it wasn't about losing weight, getting skinny, etc., though those are nice side effects.  Since my Little Lady joined the family, I've just been eating terribly and been feeling pretty strung out.

"But you've got a 10-month old baby!" is what a lot people have said.

But that doesn't mean I should be sustaining myself on caffeine and sugar just to get through the day, I say.  I needed to make a change, just didn't know what it should be.  Luckily, I had two friends who were feeling the same way, and we made a pact to support each other in our quest to just start eating better.  Problem was, we didn't really have a plan on how to eat better yet.

Just after Memorial Day, I read about this thing called the Whole30 on some blog or other.  It seemed trendy (it's all over the interwebs right now) so I was automatically turned off by it.  But, I googled it, checked out their website, and after numerous conversations with a friend who eats in the style of paleo but drinks beer and doesn't completely hate life, I called my ladies and said, "this ish is on!"

The nice thing about June for me was that this is a 30 day program, June has 30 days, and June began on a Monday.  Plus, since we were moving, we weren't traveling to see any family and friends so we'd be home to make dinners and lunches and not relying on take out or road food.

Fish Tacos with Mango Jalapeno Salsa
and Lettuce Wraps

The simple explanation of this way of eating--just eat meat and veggies.  No grains, no dairy, no sweeteners, no beans (including peanuts).

Things learned (or re-affirmed):
-Eggs are pretty much amazing on anything.  Seriously.  On sauteed kale for breakfast, on salads, on burgers, on sausage and greens, whatever.  And poached eggs--holy crap.  Amazing.
-That super full feeling that I relied on to tell me I was done eating isn't necessary.  It was bloat, not being full.  And it was from far too much bread and pasta.
-Having someone to vent to/celebrate with when doing something different like this is key.  I'm not sure if I would have been as successful if I didn't have my two friends doing it with me, sharing our frustrations, fun food finds to keep us "Whole30 compliant", and texting skinny pics back and forth.  Plus, having a really deep bench of supportive co-workers made lunchtime a lot easier.
-I eat pretty well already.  Aside from relying too heavily on grain-based foods to round out my meals before this, I was already making most of my food from scratch, and eating a ton of nuts and fruits and veggies.  Just needed to add some more of that...
-I love butter.  This restricts dairy, but allows clarified butters and ghee.  I have to admit though, butter without its dairy solids is just not as amazing.  Plus, I think I wasted a lot of butter parts, clarifying that ish.



The results?

Work version of breakfast.

- I lost 6 pounds during the month of June (and I had pizza and beer the day we moved on the 24th, so according to the Whole30, I didn't actually do a Whole30).  I've lost another two in the last 10 days by mostly sticking with the plan.
- I'm fitting into clothes I just started fitting back into when I got pregnant with #2 and hadn't really worn since before I got pregnant with #1 4+ years ago.  I'm also not fitting into a lot of things, since they're too big.
- My energy level is MUCH more consistent during the day now that I'm not having bread (read bagels, croissants) for breakfast and eating eggs on greens most days.
- I've stopped using moisturizer.  I think because I'm eating more fats and oils, my skin is as dry as it was.  And it's just as clear if not clearer as before.
- My teeth are whiter.  I had some staining kind of in between some of the teeth, and that's pretty much gone away.
- I've lost the hanger.  Amazing, I know.  After a hard first week on my body (and my mind) adjusting to life without all that sugar, and figuring out how much and when to eat, I'm not having those energy crashes that result in pure, unadulterated, ravenously, angry hunger acts.
- My husband has lost weight.  He wasn't completely on board with the plan ("I'll eat what gets put in front of me."), but I've noticed his belly is smaller and his pants are looser on him.

We're continuing this lack of grains in our daily lives, but I must say, I'm glad to be able to drink beer again.

I'm curious to hear about how others have found ways to eat a bit healthier.  Let me know 

On a roll!: June Goals Update

Even though we moved this month, I was still able to accomplish quite a bit.   Here's how I did:

1. Sew one garment a month: Nothing.  But I now have a sewing room which I'm in the process of setting up, and I impulse purchased some new patterns...

2. Post an article a month: 3!
3. Run at least 2 5K races: After last month's update, I signed up for my fall 5K.  Thanks, Amanda!  
4. Exercise 3 times a week: I have been doing a great job at getting in my 10K steps every day, and actually was the "top stepper" according to my FitBit circle one week (I used to come in around 5 every week).  Kind of a lame accomplishment, but one I'm super proud of nonetheless.
5. Have one date with my husband a month: Lots of mini dates to celebrate the selling and buying of houses.  A beer at Union Jack's, fancy coffee in Chestnut Hill, dinner in Keswick Village with the kids...
6. Become better at expressing my curiosity: To my knowledge, I haven't pissed anyone off, so I'm counting that as progress.
7. Read 10 books: I finished two books this month!  I'm onto my next one, which will probably not get finished in July (it's on Watergate and has a LOT of facts and doings to keep straight to read it too quickly).  4 down, 6 to go and 6 months to do it in.  I think I can do this!