Weekly Meal Planning

In our never ending effort to "get back on track", I went all out with a stellar (and slightly OCD) meal plan for the week. It's always helpful for me to visually write out the things we are going to eat so that I can formulate a plan for cooking/organizing/shopping for what we need. I much prefer to shop on Saturday or Sunday, and do as much food prep as I can on Sunday, so that putting together lunches and snacks isn't such a chore. If fruit and veggies are cut up, and things like hummus portioned out, then I can just grab and go without having to think too much about it.

This week I'm sharing my entire meal plan, mostly because I'm just so proud of how ridiculously organized I am this week (it doesn't happen often). Most of the the meals are things we eat on a regular basis, and I'm including links to the recipes in case you want to give them a try yourself. I aim for a daily intake of 1500 calories, and so I adjust portions (and often include an extra snack like a Clif bar) for Hank so that he gets more than that. Don't need anyone thinking I'm trying to starve my poor husband!

We spent about $120 at HEB and have more than enough for 3 meals and 2 snacks a day for pretty much every day this week. We will eat out one night, but plan to be home the rest of the time. I am by no means a nutrition expert, but I do my best to include whole foods and lots of fresh fruit/veggies into all of our meals. With the exception of a few things, hardly any of our food is "processed".

Feel free to use the plan for inspiration if you need it, and please feel free to share any tips/tricks for meal planning/prepping that helps get you through the week. I'm always looking for good ideas.

You can use this link to request access to the doc if you would like to use it for yourself:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-MDBnadGSANQ3FUTE8ya2xrMjQ/edit?usp=sharing


The Asian Burger Wraps that we had today are one of my favorites, as it's easy to double the recipe and freeze half to use at another time. They are also pretty easy to make, and taste really good with the dipping sauce..

Dear Friday

Dear Friday,

I'm glad that you finally decided to show up. Not that it was a really hard week, and not that we have anything super exciting going on this weekend. It's just nice to know that I have 2 days of freedom before "the grind" starts all over again.

Please come again soon,

Amy



Tomorrow morning we are having a Gazelle (our running group) baby shower breakfast after our morning long run to celebrate a soon to be born little Gazelle in September. The rest of Saturday should be fairly relaxing, with a date night to finish it off. Hank said last night in regards to our Summer Bucket List "We either need to grow a pair, or revisit our list. All of the activities are outside, and it's too damn hot." I couldn't agree more. We've done nothing on it so far, and time is running out. Maybe we can check one thing off the list this weekend.

On Sunday we'll be heading down to San Marcos to spend some time with my sister and niece, and to help out with any last minute baby preparations. My sister is due to have my one and only nephew in less than two weeks, and I couldn't be more excited. I can't imagine loving another baby more than I do my precious niece, but the thought of another baby around just makes me all giddy. Can't wait to meet the little guy. I swear it feels like yesterday when Georgia was born, and now she's this amazing little 3.5 year old with all kinds of personality. Will be interesting to see what baby B grows into and what his personality is like.

Hope everyone has a fun and relaxing weekend!

Holding my niece for the very first time. I think it's obvious how much I love her!

A Weekend in Charlottesville

Sorry for the radio silence, but last week was a crazy work week, and then I abandoned kissed my husband and fur babies goodbye for a long girly weekend in Charlottesville to visit my friend Allison. She moved there last summer and I've been promising to visit ever since. She was kind enough to fly down for our wedding, and I wanted to get up there to visit before work gets too crazy again.

After an ungodly early flight (3am wake-up call, anyone?), I arrived in Richmond around noon on Friday, and rode the 1 hour (beautiful) drive back to Charlottesville with Allison. First impression- it's green, and oh-so humid. I thought Texas was bad, but it had nothing on the humidity of Virginia.

We went to her place to set down my stuff, check on her sweet pups (known as Six Cents- one named Penny and one named Nickel), and for me to take a super quick power nap.  Then it was time to hit up the University of Virginia grounds (not campus, as I quickly learned) and to see a little bit of Charlottesville. The campus buildings were designed by Thomas Jefferson, and built to resemble more of a village instead of an institution. Most of the buildings were completed in the early 1800s, and the school officially opened in March of 1825. It is a stunning campus, to say the least. I wish I had gotten better pictures, but I was too busy complaining about how much I was sweating, and was too lazy to pull out the phone.

The two pictures on the right are part of the Academical Village that flank the Rotunda (no picture- sorry) that was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. The picture on the left shows just some of the pretty landscaping that was seen throughout the grounds. Professors and senior year students live in the Lawn Pavilions and Rooms surrounding the Rotunda, and it is apparently an honor to be chosen to live there (even though the student rooms do not have AC or a bathroom). Many years ago, professors would live in the upstairs section, and teach on the first floor of their apartments. Students reside in the smaller rooms, with just a sink and a working fireplace. Katie Couric and Edgar Allan Poe are two of the famous former residents.

After a visit to the bookstore where I snagged a little UVA gear for Hank, we walked across the street to grab a cold beverage at Michael's Bistro and Tap House. Great selection of beer in an eclectic, cozy upstairs bar. At the suggestion of a Facebook friend we then headed next door to try a "Gus Burger" at White Spot. The Gus Burger (cheese burger with a fried egg on top) was #34 on the "50 Best Late Night College Eats" list. Considering we ate it at around 6:30, after only 2 beers, it still tasted amazing. And I don't even eat a lot of red meat. But sometimes you just can't beat a greasy spoon burger.

We called it an early night, and headed home for some wine and the best Netflix series ever- Orange is the New Black. Allison got me sucked into 12 of the 13 episodes of this series, based on the autobiography of the same name. It streams on Netflix and while graphic at times, is an equally entertaining and disturbing look into the life of female prisoners. It's a must watch.

Saturday brought about a lazy morning, and then a drive to the Nelson County region to check out a few breweries. We stopped for lunch at Devil's Backbone where we had the most amazing pretzel and beer cheese, and then rode out an afternoon storm sipping on beer at Blue  Mountain Brewery where they had a fabulous view of the mountains.

We made it back home with just enough time to fix ourselves up for a birthday dinner out with some of Allison's friends. We met the group for dinner at a tapas restaurant called Bang!, and then drinks and dancing at a small club Escafé. Someone had the brilliant idea to order champagne (not me!), and I can never turn down a glass. But unfortunately it always results in a terrific headache the next day. You would think I would learn by now....

Thankfully Sunday was a rainy day, and neither of us had any problem lounging around watching more episodes of Orange is the New Black. We didn't actually get dressed and moving until about 4 in the afternoon when we headed to the historic downtown mall for a late lunch. The mall is a red brick path covered with old trees and lined with historic buildings that house shops and restaurants. There is also an amphitheater at the end of the street. It's beautiful! We ate at Citizen Burger Bar, and then walked the few shops that were still open, including the magnificent Cat House. This store was both hilarious and totally awesome- it had anything a cat lover could want (and so much more!) I bought a little book and a catnip toy for Bailey and Katie. Had to do my part to support a fun local business!

Monday morning rolled around and it was time to head back to Richmond to catch my flight. It was such a fun weekend, and I was so impressed with what a cute town Charlottesville is. Definitely looking forward to visiting again. Thanks for the Virginia hospitality Allison!

A Red White and Blue 1st Birthday Party (and cake!)

Our friend Becky recently threw the most amazing Red White and Blue themed birthday party for her son's first birthday. I was so impressed with the effort (and results) of this fabulous party. Not a detail was missed. From a streamer covered table to crafts and games in the backyard, and a burger themed food spread and fun on the inside, she had all bases covered.

I was also impressed that Becky had enough faith in me to make not one, but two cakes for the party. A "big kids" cake, and a smash cake for Kellan. I've only made cakes for family before, so the pressure was on to make something that would be presentable for the party.

I went with a classic white cake and buttercream, because you can never really go wrong with that combination. I made the cakes on Friday night and had just enough time to layer and crumb coat the smash cake. I've always had a problem with time management when it comes to baking, so the more I could get done on Friday, the better. I made sure that I was organized and had all my materials ready, along with drawings of how I wanted the cakes to look. I just didn't want anything to go wrong!

Smash Cake

Petal Cake

The smash cake was a simple 6 inch round 3-layer cake, and I used colored buttercream for the stripes on top, and modeling chocolate for the stars and the number one. If I did it all over again, I would actually make it just a 2 layer cake. I think it ended up being too high and overwhelming for little Kellan to dig into it.

The larger 10 inch petal cake involved a pretty easy technique called the "petal technique". It might look hard, but it really only requires time and patience. It's just a matter of keeping straight lines, and wiping off the spatula after each and every dot/swipe. I used this tutorial to brush up on the technique before decorating on Saturday. I've tried this several times now, and each one has gotten easier and better. It's just a matter of practicing- but I think anyone can try this icing technique. I think it's just so pretty, and the possibilities are endless. I was really happy with the final results, and look forward to trying more things soon.

Our friend and photog extraordinaire Melanie Wright Photography was there to capture all the special moments, and I'm sure she got some great shots. Big thanks to her for sharing the first professional pictures of my cakes! She is soon to be my neighbor, and I'm hoping to employ her for some more pictures in the future. Next time you're on Facebook, head on over and "like" her professional page. Be sure to leave my name, too- I want to win the Christmas in July contest! (I have a brilliant idea involving a few animals and christmas lights for a possible family card.)

Out & About: Epicerie Cafe & Grocery

Amy usually handles the restaurant reviews but she has tasked me with our most recent experience.  I believe this is her way of saying "you need to start pulling your blogger weight darling".  Point taken.

On Saturday night, Amy and I met some friends at Epicerie Cafe & Grocery for a relatively early dinner.  I had driven by the establishment a few times in the past.  It was an old hair salon, and for those that know me you know I had to research that tidbit since well you know, I am bald and all.  It is a converted home in the Rosedale neighborhood in Austin.  Amy and I had decided to add it to our "must try" list so the timing was perfect when our friends suggested dinner last Saturday.

On an aside, we much prefer a quaint, neighborhood establishment over a chain any day.  We will go out of our way to avoid most chains, if not all chains.  Epicerie cafe & Grocery fit the bill for our quaint, local eatery.

We arrived a bit early since we heard that it can get crowded and there is not a plethora of seating.  It also doubles as a grocery, more on that in a moment.  The design work was done by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture so I was anxious to see what they had done with the space.  The interior is very inviting and obviously my attention was immediately drawn to the floor.  They had refurbished the existing oak strip floors and stained them a cool, pastel gray color.  Unfortunately, I forgot to snap a picture of the floors.  Amy and I immediately fell in love with the copper pendant lights above the tables.

 {Photo by Room Fu}

As I mentioned, Epicerie is also a grocery that features select fine foods, wines, beers and cheese. They had us at cheese!  We selected a bottle of Bourdeaux Blanc Jean Medeville to start. It is counter service so we proceeded to the counter to have them assist us with a cheese pairing.  With guidance, we selected two sheep cheeses from Spain as well as some blackberry jam and baguette.  Another aside, if you are looking for a great summer wine that is not too overwhelmingly fruity, I would suggest that bottle.

The New Orleans/French inspired menu features a variety of seasonal and farm to table options. For our entrees, I selected the shaved lamb sandwich while Amy selected the BLT and Tots.  Her sandwich featured house made, thick bacon served on top of fresh focaccia bread slathered with house made mayonnaise, and served with fresh tater tots.  My lamb was cooked to perfection and served on ciabatta bread topped with a cucumber yogurt sauce that I would drink all on its own.  I would have taken a picture but I would have had to put down the sandwich, so yeah it was good.  Everything tasted fresh and was well presented. 

Our friends ordered the Fried Oyster sandwich with bits of fried pork belly and jalapeño, and also the tri tip steak served with a side of the most amazing grilled okra.  While they keep slapping my hand away as I tried to steal their food we did not sample their dishes, I do know they must have enjoyed as much as we did as there was not a scrap of food left on their plates.  

No dinner with our friend Tony would ever be complete without a dessert of some kind.  We were all stuffed but he ordered a salted chocolate chip cookie.  Shockingly, there were mixed reviews at the table about the cookie simply because three of the four at the table prefer warm, soft cookies.  I was the oddball, go figure.  It was loaded with chocolate chips and was not very "cakey" like the others prefer. 

So if you are in the Rosedale 'hood or just looking for a new, local establishment to try, we would suggest you give this gem a try.  just don't tell too many people about it so we can still get a table. 

Cheers till next time!

My Cat From Hell

No, not my cat. Your cat! Do YOU have a cat better known for hissing, scratching, tearing up furniture and general "drive you crazy" type behaviors, than the cuddly, purring kind? If so, then you just might have a chance to meet the amazing Jackson Galaxy and his My Cat From Hell show. Seriously.

If you have not had a chance to watch this show on Animal Planet, check out the clip below featuring Ruby.



If you are in the Austin area, and any of the above behaviors describe your super special cat, then this casting call is for you. See details below about how to contact them, and keep me posted if you do!

Animal Planet's

"My Cat From Hell"

Now Casting

Is your cat's behavior driving you or others crazy? 

Are you at your wit's end? 

 JACKSON GALAXY, our expert cat behaviorist hasn't met a cat he couldn't help! From excessively growling, meowing, nipping, scratching, biting, ruining furniture, tearing the house upside down, escaping, etc., Jackson can help transform your cat back to the feline you love! 

 EMAIL: HELLCATSCASTING@GMAIL.COM 

 Please include your name, age, city, contact phone number and who you live with. Tell us about your cat and how it's affecting your life/relationship. Include your cat's name, age, breed, where you got the cat and tell us, in detail, about your cat's behavioral problems and why you (or your family) are at your wit's end. Include pictures of yourself, your family members and of your cat!

www.animalplanet.com/mycatfromhell

Baby Talk

This post has been on my mind for awhile, but I haven't really had the time to sit down and work on it, while giving it the thought that it deserves. It's a sensitive subject, but hopefully writing this allows me to sift through some of the feelings I've been dealing with lately.

As everyone knows by now, Hank and I were recently married. And as the shortened saying usually goes.....first comes love, marriage, then baby carriage. It's like everyone expects that married couples automatically intend to have a baby, and the questions and pressure that come with it can often be exhausting (and frustrating, and irritating.)

Fact: I am 37 years of age. An age that is so lovingly stamped with the Advanced Maternal Age label when it comes to carrying babies. I realize that I am not getting any younger, and that with each passing month my eggs shrivel up and die. But I also know that I waited a long time (10 years to be exact) to find someone that I love enough to promise (really and truly) to spend the rest of my life with them. I would like to enjoy a little more time, just the two of us, before changing our lives completely.

Hank and I enjoy spending time together, and like any couple we have a list a mile long of things we want to do together. Traveling is at the top of that list, for sure. But we also enjoy our lazy Sunday mornings and the ability to pretty much do what we want, when we want. Our fur babies also keep us occupied and entertained, and that's enough for now.

Does that sound selfish? To some people it might. It feels a little bit selfish just writing it, but it's the honest truth. I realize how truly amazing and life changing having a child can be, but that doesn't make it the right choice for everyone.

Fact: Hank and I both love babies (and children) and the idea of having our own is certainly something that we talk about. I think we would both make terrific parents, and find a way to balance our relationship with the needs of another little human. Lucky for me my parents live right around the corner and are already terrific grandparents to my little niece Georgia. I'm sure they would be just as involved should we have a little one, allowing us some time together.

It seems like every other day I feel differently about the matter. Some days I will see a baby, or talk to my niece, or just feel the general pangs of "what if", and I think there is no doubt that we should give it a try. And then other days I think about my career path, or I read too much research about having children at my age, or see a child in a store with severe disabilities (true story) and think that there is too much risk in going down that road. It's scary any way that you look at it. (And don't even get me started on my sheer terror of actually being pregnant.)

But the bottom line is this- it's our choice. It's our choice to decide if, and when, and how. The assumptions and questions and pressure don't really make it any easier on me- like I should feel bad about myself if we end up choosing not to. In the end, it might not be our choice after all. Given my age and history with lupus, it might not be in the cards for us. But that is something we will have to deal with should we decide to go down that road. And I wish that society as a whole went a little easier on women when it comes to decisions like these. There's nothing wrong with people who decide to have a baby, and there should be nothing wrong with people who decide not to.

Surely I'm not the only woman who struggles with this topic. If you do, please, please feel free to share. I read so much about women being pregnant and thrilled and everything just seems so cheery and exciting. But there is another side to it, and I don't seem to find as many people willing to talk about it.