One Spoiled Girl

My birthday rocked this year.  Yep....I basically celebrated my birthday for four days instead of one, and I did everything I wanted, and got everything I wanted, and felt wonderful.  SPOILED!  The perfect mishmash of birthdayness was bestowed upon me.   I'm not trying to make anyone jealous.  I think everyone should be this spoiled on their birthday.  (It's long-winded, but ya know....my blog is my journal and blah blah blah) 

My official birthday was November 6th, but it started November 4th, when we had a girls' movie night at the Durfees.  Chad encouraged me to do this, so I was a bit suspicious.  But, when I got there everything was normal, so I assumed my suspicions were wrong.  We watched "Girl In Progress," which I loved, very fun, and definitely meant for girls only.  When I got home, Chad and his dad had completed two mondo projects that I had been nagging Chad about forevas.  They finished our corrugated metal wall (pics to come) that had been 1/2 done for months.  And, they fixed the living room curtain rod.  It had been drooping ridiculously for a month, which is really annoying when you need as much privacy as possible because you're nursing and don't want neighbies to catch a show.  Wee!  So....I was overjoyed.  When I got there, I could tell both projects were total pains in the tush because it took them 4 hours, and they were pooped.  THANKS GUYS!!!!!

November 5th was Chad's day off so we celebrated my birthday that day.  This year, I really took things into my hands, and planned the perfect day.  I got up at 6:00, and ran on the gorgeous Ridgeline Trail, and saw the sunrise.  It felt great.  Then I drove to Voodoo donuts and got a Mango Tango (Tang dusted, mango filled, w/vanilla topping) and a pumpkin buttermilk donut.  I nibbled on them throughout the whole day.  Om nom nom!  When I got home, we all got ready to go to a restaurant I had been dying to try, "Off the Waffle."  They make authentic liege waffles, with amazing topping combinations.  We got 3 different waffles....my fave was surprisingly a savory one; waffle, a thick spread of chevre, (sheep's milk cheese?) 2 sunny-side-up eggs, avocado, basil, smoked paprika, and a drizzle of EVOO.  Wow!  Can I go back now?

I got a GPS running watch.  I'm addicted to it already.  While you're running, it tells your distance, pace, time, and (supposedly) calories burned.  The pace part is my fave because it really helps me push myself.  And, the distance part is awesome, because lots of trails I run don't have markers, or I'm doing weird loops with the dogs, and I have only a rough idea of distance.

Chad had to go to a meeting, so I took the dogs out with Aijah in the bjorn, to Harvest Landing.  It was magical....not even exaggerating.  The leaves were constantly falling like confetti.  It felt like a fairytale wedding.  About a 1/2 mile in, there is this clearing, and I just stood in the middle of it and had the leaves fall all around us.  I caught some, and one landed on Aijah's head.  Some would twirl down, some would drift like snowflakes, and a few would dive-bomb.  It was a golden autumn show, and it was breathtaking.  Aijah always falls asleep in the bjorn, but she watched the leaves the whole time.       

We ended up getting free tickets to the Ducks b-ball game that night.  My mum and sis watched Aijah, and we took Jet.  It was fun being in the arena, and Jet loved the duck.  Afterwards, we decided to drive around and pick a restaurant at random, that we had never tried.  This always seems like a fun idea, but we always have a hard time, and either go to a place we have already been, or don't like the place.  Well....we found Laughing Planet, and I was SO excited to try it.  LAME!!!  Okay, I like healthy food, but this stuff was like bad homemade food that was overpriced.  We spent way too much money, and ended up going to Market of Choice next door and getting Apple Cider Mousse, and sitting by the fire.  Much better.

On my REAL birthday, I took it easy.  All my siblings called.  My sister Nicole and I hung out at 5th St. Public Market.  Ofcourse, we talked to "Tracy" (imaginary phonebooth friend) in the London telephone booth there.  The rule is, if you pass by a phone booth, you gotta get on the phone and pretend to talk to Tracy in a really annoying voice about all the latest gossip.  She's gabtastic.  'Twas lovely.  chad hates this.  lol!!!!

That night, we went to the Durfees to watch the election.  I left early to shop at Target.  My love for Target is kinda intense.  Aw man, I was in heaven.  Sometimes you go, and things are okay, but sometimes you go, and everything is exactly what you want.  I got the BEST stuff.  An awesome coat, that I can't believe I lived without before, a cute mint-colored shirt, a furry hat thing, a copper watch, tangerine jeans, emerald (looking) earrings and shaun white gum.  Spoiled.  I told you.  Shopping spree full of glee. 

This last Sunday, I had dinner and pumpkin pie with my family.  I actually blew out candles.  I hadn't done it for a few years.  Yeah, I forgot how fun it was.  Definitely not foregoing that on my b-day ever again.  Don't ask me why it was so exhilarating, and we'll pretend I blew out all of them (even though I was laughing too much, and missed 4!).

Such great memories.

By the way, I am completely in love with my daughter, but nobody would ever know it, because I haven't blogged about her.  It's coming.  Promise.

     

"Growing a Foodie"

A few weeks ago, I read an article in Parenting magazine titled, " Growing a Foodie."  First off, I love food.  I love good food.  Natural, real food.  Awwww.  I just finished eating some whole wheat spaghetti with herbed (fresh garlic, onion and thyme (from the garden)) sauteed zucchini ribbons, sprinkled with parm and drizzled with olive oil.  YuM!  Every morning I eat fresh oatmeal with ground flaxseed, freshly grated ginger and nutmeg, cinnamon, finely diced fruit of choice, with a drizzle of honey and splash of cream atop.  Good morning to me!  YUM! again!

Well, Jet, eats pretty bad.  His main diet has been yoplait light yogurt (BAD, artificial sweeteners), apples, and chicken or sandwich meat.  I would do PBJ on whole wheat bread (sometimes Dave's bread (the best)) and then some other fairly kid friendly stuff, like tortilla and cheese with grapes.  Sometimes real oatmeal.  Rarely a vegetable.  YIKES.  So, this article really hit home.  I'm a foodie....why can't my son be too?!  The main quote that struck me was, "Picky eaters aren't born, they are made."  If we keep giving them the same food, how will they know any different?   If we keep giving in, what should we expect?!  Then they elaborated on different ideas about how to get your child to eat more healthy foods etc, and how we should get them eating adult food.  I think most kids' menus are SO UNHEALTHY and processed.  Bleck.

Just the idea alone has changed our lives.  It has been so much fun.  I incorporate him into my cooking.  I try to get him involved as much as I can.  We love smelling spices and trying new flavors together.  Let's see....he loves smoked salmon (who wouldn't?!) on a whole wheat bagel and light cream cheese (I didn't try smoked salmon until I was 23).  He's been eating plenty of steamed carrots.  He loved the pasta I mentioned earlier.  He likes crab meat.  He loves nonfat plain greek yogurt with frozen grapes.  It's awesome....no more yoplait light.  He loved my oatmeal this morning.  He has tried so many things.  He even tried making his own concoction of thin apple slice, and carrot.  He has been REQUESTING healthy things....like lettuce!  Well, he'll still request chocolate milk, and candy.  But, hey, progress. 

My favorite memory about this whole foodie thing thus far, was the vinegar tasting we had about 2 hours ago.  Jet and I sampled vinegars....plain.  Together.  He wasn't scared to try any of them.  We tried, balsamic, red wine, rice, cider, and white balsamic vinegar, and we both whole-heartily agreed that white balsamic was the best.  Delish!  Thank you Kara for telling me about it!  Okay, it felt like we were taking shots or something...lol.  Every time we would try about a 1/4 tsp, we'd kick it back, and wait for our taste buds to react, and say,"woooo, that's strong.  Woooo, tangy!"  And then we'd start giggling.  lol.  Good times. 

So much fun ahead.

Oh yeah, got him to try buffalo wing sauce yesterday, even though he knew it was spicy.  No big deal...just a swig of milk after, and he was good.  Brave kid.  He's still really sensitive to spice, but we'll kick that out soon enough.  I'm not cooking non-spicy food for the next 15 years.  I love jalapenos too much.

I think our favorite smell is olive oil.

And, I think I'm going to get some mulling spices to simmer on the stove.  I've never done it before.  Fresh cloves, cardamom, allspice.....what a heavenly home.