It's Official!

We have our race bibs, tees, and time chips!



And I say "we" because my Dad and my sister, Bethany, are running tomorrow as well!  They are participating in the Disney's Halloween 5K.  At 7 a.m. in the morning.  Eeeek!

The race expo was held at Disney's Wide World of Sports ( which is where my half will begin tomorrow night).  We received all of our information... including shirts... and were even able to register Kev and Bethany to receive texts on my whereabouts during the race.

I thought that was so cool!! And pretty helpful considering there is VERY limited spectator viewing for my half as it will be held so late at night.  This way they can hang out at the house until I am getting closer to the finish... and then head up to watch the finale. 

Gotta love technology.

Even more so when I understand it.

My parents treated us to a celebratory pre-half marathon dinner at Giordano's.



 I have been dying to eat here ever since I read about it on an Orlando resident's blog.  They are famous for their deep dish Chicago-style pizza.  And since pizza just so happens to be my FAVORITE food... it was the perfect way to celebrate the race while carb loading at the same time.

My parents with my mysterious and mischievous sister...

 Me + Kev with my "up to no good" sister.... ( the same sister that is mysterious and mischievous)

 I am wearing my half marathon shirt from 2007.  I had never worn it before.. yet it has a small spaghetti stain on it.

So strange how that happens.

We started with a Greek salad that Kev and I shared...

The feta cheese was to.die.for.  Seriously, the best I have ever eaten.  And I felt it was important to eat some fresh veggies before I dug in to this... Tomato + basil bread...

 And this.....

We got the spinach stuffed pizza and the tropical stuffed pizza and shared them as a group. 

I have NEVER had anything like it before.  It was truly out of this world!!  My Dad even made the comment that he loved that you have to actually CHEW the cheese.  It was just that thick and stringy.  The crust was crispy and thick... but NOT greasy!  The sauce was perfection.

In case you haven't figured it out... we all LOVED it.  It was one of those memorable meals that I live for.  And what a perfect way to celebrate a little early.

At this point, I can't even think of anything else to say.  My mind is blank.  I am truly SO exhausted from every thing this week and all of the excitement and driving and eating cheese.   We are getting up at 5:30am to start the day.  Including watching the 5K race and attending the food and wine festival. 

I hope I'm not too excited to sleep!

And Off We Go....

It is almost 10pm.  We are leaving for Orlando in the morning... at the crack of crazy time.  We are packed.  We are locked.  And we are loaded.

I'm so ready for this!

We just finished eating our favorite pre-trip meal.  The infamous $5.00 footlong.  We each eat half of our sub for dinner... which means no dirty dishes and easy clean up... and then pack the other half for the road trip.

Throw in some lentil chips.. and we are good to go.

I have tried on my race outfit TWICE.  I wanted to make sure that I wasn't forgetting anything.

Yes, I am wearing TWO sports bras.  I may not have a lot left in that particular area... but what I do have prefers to head south at all times.  So, it is important.

Also, Kev got me a spi belt.  A much improved, much smaller, much better than a fanny pack, belt.
It will hold my iphone ( which will also double as my camera), my i.d., and my Clif gels.

My ipod will be strapped to my arm...

Any ideas on what my color theme is? 

Hint:  My shoes are black with hot pink designs. :)  Match much?

And last but not least.... my Clif gels.  Coffee flavored (of course) with extra caffeine (of course).

I have been reading race recaps and Disney websites all evening.  This race is going to be amazing!!

I plan to blog throughout the weekend... so stay tuned for more race weekend details.

And now I am off to bed.  I'm first behind the wheel in the a.m... And I have a mason jar full of iced coffee sitting at the ready.

Good Night!

A Taste Of Fall

Even if it is 90 degrees outside...it is important (and fun!) to eat like it is not.

Important because I feel like we don't get that much of a "Fall" and I want to savor every single bite while I can.

Fun because it is just so darn good.  And the same reason that I have been wearing boots and scarves for a month. 

It's kind of like the story line on "Field of Dreams"..... "If you build it, they will come".

So, "If you wear it and eat it, Fall will come".

Oh never mind.  Apparently, I still haven't gotten the sleep that I need.

Or maybe I always ramble nonsense like this....

Anyway, yesterday was a much better day - no major messes or spills or screw ups.

And my kitchen floor has become quite the spot for some smooth moves.  Especially, if I am wearing my running shoes.  The cabbage patch, the running man, the moonwalk.... they all appeared at some point during our meal + clean up last night.

I wish Kev still had his breakdancing cardboard square.  We could be quite the team.

One of the highlights of my day was walking over to Fresh Market during my lunch break.  I only needed to go for ONE thing.  Corn muffins.  That was it.  NOTHING ELSE.

(Their corn muffins are just about the most delicious muffins we have ever placed in our mouths - not to mention that they go great with chili - of which we were having for dinner)

But, much to my delight, the honey crisp apples had arrived.

 The most amazing apple I have ever eaten!  I read about these last year on several blogs.  They are not easy to find and are not out for very long.  I knew that when I saw them again that I was going to have to make the most of it.

Meaning: buy them every week and savor each morsel.

They are HUGE.  And smell delicious.  And feel so substantial.  And are dying to be dipped in some peanut butter... or baked with cinnamon... or put in a sandwich....

Anyway, I practically pushed the produce manager out of my way to fill up my bag with these delights. 

And I may or may not have been giggling the whole time.

 My arms also became full with some other "Fall" treats... (that I will show you on another day)

By accident, of course. 

Fresh Market, I love you and hate you at the same time.

Except for that's not true.  I could never hate the Fresh Market.

After work, I opted for a spin class... instead of running.  Once again, I got lucky with the 6pm class and scored a bike.  I love it when I run from the parking lot, run up three flights of stairs, and then bust in the door.. out of breath... to find multiple empty bikes.

People always look at me funny.  But then they must be the people that have never had to miss a class because it filled up too fast.  Spin is the hardest class to get in to!

And last night just happened to be the hardest class that I've ever taken.  She wasn't one of the usual Les Mills instructors.  She used her own music and definitely did her own thing.

It.Was.Awesome.  I was sweating profusely and out of breath for most of it.  I definitely pushed myself harder in her class than I have in the others.  The only negative is that I probably shouldn't have chosen this week to push myself so hard being that Saturday is THE HALF.  I'm really feeling that workout today.  Lots of soreness.  I will be taking it easy for the next couple of days.

My legs need all the rest they can get.

Dinner consisted of "the best corn muffins on Earth" and sweet potato chili.  I got the recipe from Emily at The Daily Garnish.

This is what I was making the night before when we had our major oil spill.

The recipe was VERY easy - minus the chopping of sweet potatoes. ( As you can see in the picture my sweet potato chunks are all kinds of random sizes.  I blame it on exhaustion and impatience.)  And I did have some trouble with the ingredients.  First of all, I am completely out of jalapeno peppers!!  I have no idea how that happened (nothing that a lot of hot sauce can't fix).  And second of all, I could NEVER find the green lentil beans.  Finding dry beans in general was even hard, believe it or not.  AND the ones that I did find were FLAVORED!!  Flavored with ham or chicken or beef.  I get the idea of cooking beans with meat - but why PRE-flavor them.  What are the non-meat eaters supposed to do. 

I think I even said out loud in the grocery store "What the heck?"  So weird.

Because I couldn't find the beans... I just used frozen black eyed peas because I have a ton in my freezer.  I know that the peas didn't give the chili the right consistency or flavor.  But the meal did it's job in filling us up and being good for us.

I will definitely be on the lookout for the lentils... so, I can make it again.

Plus, I need a reason to get some more corn muffins. :)

I've got two more days of work... and then I'm headed to Orlando.

I.CAN'T.WAIT!!

Off to finish packing......

Scrambled

That word pretty much sums up my whole day.

I got up late even though I didn't sleep.

Which forced me to eat my breakfast in the car.  A bowl of cereal.

Thank goodness runny eggs and toast were off the menu this morning.

But only because I was making eggs for dinner.

My day was busy and weirdly hectic.  And unbelievably long. 

It was as if time had stopped.

Maybe because I needed to run tonight.

Which I did. 

And I, fortunately, discovered that there are songs on my Ipod that do not inspire me like I thought they would......  I need to correct that before I get to Florida.

The grocery store was next.  Which I entered gross and sweaty per usual.  I don't think that the Publix employees have ever had the pleasure of seeing me without a sweat circle on my back and stomach and smeared mascara.

Lucky them.

I arrived home at 8pm.  Just in time for dinner.  Except for that there was nothing to eat because I was making it.

My plan for dinner was a Greek Frittata.

                                    

Inspired by a Williams Sonoma frittata starter that I received back in June in "the gift basket of gloriousness and delight".

It was roasted red peppers and kalamata olives.

Poured in to 10 eggs and topped with feta.

I poured it in the pan with all hopes of creating the perfect frittata.

But at this point in my day... I.WAS.STARVING.

I've got to do a better job of re-fueling after a workout.  Once I reach this point of starvation... I go in to crazy mode.

Crazy wild boar mode.  The mode in which I tear a large chunk off of a loaf of freshly baked bread and hover in the corner while shoving it in my mouth and swallowing without chewing.

And then I lost all patience and started scrambling the eggs.

No pretty baked masterpiece.... but a scrambled egg mess.

But boy, let me tell you... it was so yummy!  It didn't even matter what it looked like, how I cooked it, or the fact that I should name the following picture "yellow".

I served it on a bed of fresh spinach with a side of fruit.

LOVED IT!

And I felt so much better after I ate.

But the night didn't end there.  Because next on my list was cleaning the kitchen, packing lunches, and cooking dinner for the next two nights.

I've set aside my Monday evenings to get a head start on meals for the week.  That way if I'm running late from the gym (or work), dinner just needs to be heated up.

The first thing on my chore list was to refill my olive oil bottle.  Which I did.  And then promptly dropped it on the floor.

Without the lid on it.

And preceded to not only oil up the tile in my kitchen... but I also greased up my running shoes.

I'm hoping it will make me run faster.

Kev stared at me for a minute in disbelief.  And then just jumped right in like an old pro that is used to cleaning up ridiculous messes from his wife.

And actually, he is.

When it was all said and done... my kitchen floor has never looked so good.  I should oil it more often. 

Or at least sweep and mop it.

I would NOT be a good person to hire to clean your house.  I'm just sayin'.

But Kev would be.  In case you are looking for someone.

He also washed all the dishes.  Packed the lunches.  Cleaned the counters.  And pulled every thing together just in time to watch me knock some chopped sweet potato to the floor.

The sweet potato is for a chili that I'm making.  I am planning to make a different soup every week for as many weeks as I can before I get tired of it.  And not only because I love soup.  But because I can make a big batch, freeze half, and have a last minute meal at the ready.

Not to mention that they are super healthy.  At least the ones that I make.

I am now showered (finally!).... sitting on the couch watching new Fall tv (yay!)... blogging ( obviously)... and am absolutely dead on my feet.

And Kev just had to remind me that I had something on the stove.  Because I had already forgotten and had cooked it 30 minutes longer than I was supposed to.

Good thing it is chili.  There is not much you can do to ruin that.

I believe I'm about to be forced to take an early bedtime.  I'm sure it is the best thing for every one.

Good Night!

The Good. The Bad. And The Good.

The Good:

1.  I completed the race.  The Disney half marathon.  January 6, 2007.  My 12th wedding anniversary.

The Bad:

1.  I had no clue what I was doing.

2.  I was wearing more clothes than a man wearing sixteen jackets.  And that is the truth!

3.  It was 80 degrees.  And I was wearing more clothes than a woman wearing sixteen jackets.

4.  I had on TWO pairs of pants.  Not running tights.  Not shorts.  But PANTS.

5.  I was wearing a FANNY PACK!  Full of more nonsense than you would find at a flea market.

6.  Sometimes I would get tired of it hanging off of my front... so, I would spin it around to the back.

7.  It was my hump.  My hump.  My lovely lady lump.

8.  I didn't fuel properly.

9.  I drank WAY too much water before the race started.  I ended up in a port-a-potty around mile three.  It hurt my mojo.

10.  I didn't drink at all WHILE I was running....for fear of having to go to the bathroom again.  And I get nervous navigating water stations.  ( don't ask)

11.  I didn't train properly.

12.  I didn't work out at all for a couple of months prior.

13.  I didn't work out again for 3 1/2 years after the race.

14.  It took me 3 hours and 21 minutes to cross the finish line.

AND THE REST OF THE GOOD:

1.  I had an incredible time!

2.  It was a fantastic, rewarding experience.

3.  I tear up every time I think of my family cheering me on.

4.  I crossed the finish line - even if it took me 3 hours and 21 minutes.

5.  I have the AWESOME picture above to remind me of my experience.  heh. heh.

...............................................................................

Next week, at this time, I will be running in my second half marathon.  I am stronger.  I am healthier.  I am more prepared.  I am stoked! 

I definitely plan to fuel properly. I definitely plan to think positive.  I definitely plan to improve my time. 

And I definitely plan to have the most excellent adventure!

Especially because I will not be toting a fanny pack!  <== what the heck was I thinking!?

The Big Red Pot

The first day of Fall started off with RAIN.  And lots of it.

Kev said 300 inches to be exact.

Or maybe he said 3.

My ears were too water logged to hear properly.

I was drenched to my bones within one second of leaving my house.  That's what keeping your umbrella in the car will do to you.

And all that time I spent straightening my hair was a waste.  I was in complete afro mode within thirty minutes and the hair continued to grow throughout the day.

I didn't even have to say "hello" to anyone that came in to the store... because my hair did it for me.

It was pretty bad.

But the rain ended up being great for two reasons.

#1.  Because we definitely needed some rain!! 

#2.  Because I had soup on the menu in honor of Fall - and there is nothing better than soup to comfort a wet, frizzy-haired, person.

Except for maybe dry clothes and a hat.

My soup recipe came from The Pioneer Woman.  Italian Chicken Soup.

And, of course, it required me to use this...

It has been mocking me from it's permanent place on the stove all summer long.

And I finally had a reason to fill it to the brim with goodness.

The other thing that I made was bread.  We do not eat that much bread anymore... except for my Ezekiel toast and pizza dough... but it just seemed like the right thing to do.  So, I looked through the pantry and came up with Beer Bread.

I had made the bread a couple of years ago after getting the recipe from a friend's blog.  ( Hi Courtney!)  It was so easy to do and so good to eat.  But don't let the "beer" ingredient throw you off.. because it doesn't taste like beer at all.  In fact, I'm not sure exactly why it requires beer - but it does.  So, I do what I am told.

It turned out perfectly!  Fluffy and sweet.  Kev even said that he thought it could be a dessert bread.

Dessert bread.  I like the sound of that.

The soup was pretty good... just not enough "kick" for us.  Even though it required several jalapenos - of which I even left in the seeds.  But it was nothing that a little hot sauce couldn't fix.

The only problem is that it made A TON!! Like "feeding an army" ton.  Not to mention that I multi-tasked while making the soup... and made Kev an old school favorite- Mamwich.  I have to work a lot over the next couple of days..so I figured soup for dinners + Mamwiches for lunch = a happy Kev.

It's a good thing that soup freezes well. 

And a good thing that I have gotten over my fear of frozen foods.

At least when I'm in control of it.  :)

Blasts From The Past

Kev and I love to share stories of when we were kids.

Things we did.  Toys we played with.  What we daydreamed about.

I daydreamed about boys and clothes.

I know this because I wrote it down in a book that my Mom just gave me.

And because that is pretty much all I ever day dream about.

Oh.  And, of course, food.

Both of our parents have been cleaning out attics and storage units and closets and have been giving us some of our childhood possessions.

Meet Chewbacca.

He has officially become my new playmate.

Especially when the power goes out and there is nothing to do except to take pictures of Kev's toys wearing hats.

Out of the huge bag of toys and such... I became smitten with Chewey. 

I love(d) Star Wars - (hello!  I just went to a Sci Fi convention) ( well, it was really more of a tv/movie convention) (should I be embarrassed?)

Which means that I loved Chewbacca. 

But I never had this "doll".  Even though we grew up around the same time ( I'm TWO years younger!) and had similar toys.

Nor have I ever seen it.

It required a googling - which informed me that it was made in 1977, is missing a bandoleer, and is selling for $99.95 on ebay.

Score!

Except for how could I ever part with such a thing... not to mention that it is not mine to part with.

I just like to know what my house guests are worth.

For the record, I google anyone that comes to stay with me.

I'm a business woman.  It's what I do.

Chewey probably wishes he could have stayed packed up in a box forever.

Instead of being forced to attend my tea parties....

(Which I believe he secretly loves)

And posing amongst our rain forest...

Have I mentioned that our dining room has officially turned in to a green house?  Because it has.

Which fortunately happens to be a perfect home for a wookie.

The other fabulous thing that Mary gave us was this scrapbook.

She has been working on it for over a year.  It takes a long time to chronicle Kev's life.

Especially since there is so much cuteness...

I have spent so much time looking through this treasure!  It is like I'm savoring every page not wanting it to end.

The love she put in to it is amazing.  Stories, hidden notes, hundreds and hundreds of pictures... I'm telling you that every detail is covered.  And appreciated.

Except for some heinous pictures of me.  Like ones that are unrecognizable.  Like I don't even remember them being taken.  Like I wish they never were.

I hope they don't fall out of the book.

And then there are the pics that I love because they show how simple things used to be.

Like this makeshift high chair...

A wooden stool on a kitchen chair.

100% safe in 1971. 

Of course, Kev pointed out that it was just o.k for him because he was such a well behaved, calm child.

Some of us wouldn't haven't faired so well.  Cough.  Cough.  Bethany.  Cough.

In other news...

Today is the first day of FALL!!! You better believe we celebrated.  And I will tell you all about it... but right now I am watching my( majorly missed) television shows.  Because Fall brings the Fall tv line up.... and luckily it was just in time before I was sucked in to Summer Sci-Fi oblivion. 

Thank goodness for the scrapbook.  It got me through some pretty boring days.

Tanner Tot Casserole

Yes, I just named a casserole after my new nephew.

Yes, he should consider it quite an honor.

Yes, this casserole was pretty fantastic.

Just like he is!

 I mentioned yesterday when announcing Caroline's arrival that we had also had a dinner celebration in honor of Tanner's birth.

It involved tater tots because his nickname is "Tanner Tot".

But these weren't just any ole tots.  They were made of SWEET POTATOES! 

 Holy healthy (er) food!!

Proof that if you look hard enough ( even though they were easy to find) you can replace the majority of your unhealthy favorites with the good stuff.

Not only did I find these sweet puffs of yum.... but I also found a "re-make" of my favorite meal as a child.

It was on Mama Pea's blog: Peas and Thank You.

Mama Pea is a vegan and makes the most delicious meals you can think of.

So, I took a couple of her ideas and a couple of my ideas and merged them in to one.

My version was definitely not vegan ( I used grass fed beef) but it was a MUCH healthier version of the original.

I cooked the beef and then added the carrots, peas, onion, and celery.... along with some veggie broth.

 I let it all simmer in the pot for a little bit ( basically following Mama Pea's instructions) and then poured it in a 13 x 9 dish.





                                      

I covered the ingredients with the sweet potato puffs and baked on 375 for 45 minutes.

It was fantastic!!  I'm telling you those "puffs" were sent from heaven.  SO GOOD!

They would also be incredible just as a side to a sandwich... with a bit of ketchup.

Or if ketchup is a little too boring for you... you could eat them with this...

 And that is just what we did.  Actually we put the hot sauce on the casserole... but I am willing to dip just about anything in that stuff.

Anything!

And for the record... the meal would have been just as good.. if not better... without the meat.  It could be one big veggie pot pie.

Now if only Tanner could come to our next party.  Of course, that would mean that a miracle happened and Alaska moved closer to South Carolina.

So, until I either win the lottery... or Alaska floats around to the East coast... every time that I eat a tot I will have to celebrate him in his absence.

I'm sure when he grows up he will be thrilled to know I did this.

Either that or he will think his Aunt is a wack-a-doodle.

Caroline Ruth Has Arrived!

And it is about time!!

Even though I won the contest for choosing the correct date!  ( For the record, Kev did too)

We chose September 11th - 7 days past Caroline's due date... for no other reason than it is important to associate positive events with that day as well. 

And the fact that just about every other family member that we have has that same birthday.

My sister, Shannon.

My mother-in-law, Mary.

My nephew, Mason.

My sister Shannon's sister-in-law, Judy.

Bethany's boyfriend's mother, Beth.

And now Caroline Ruth.

Ok.  So, that is not necessarily "every other family member"... but it is close.  And more impactful if I say it that way.

Three cheers for exaggeration!!

And a TRILLION cheers for my sweet niece being born!!!

I am on a cloud of happiness and pride and excitement.   And that is a pretty fun cloud to be on.

First, Abigail.  Then Tanner.  Now Caroline.

A year of AWESOMESAUCE!

(Which translates to mean a year of so much love and so many blessings!)

Is it possible for this little girl to be any more precious?....

I would have posted sooner... but I have been patiently waiting for Laura to get her post up first.  I figured it was proper blog etiquette to let the blogger who has had the incredible experience be the one to announce the news.  But the post is up!  And it is a great one!

And for goodness sake.....my waterworks this year have gotten quite a workout.

Tears of joy, I tell you.  TEARS OF JOY!

Caroline Ruth Switzer

11lbs.  13ozs.

22 inches long.

And I get to meet her in person!  In less than a month.  I'm headed to Syracuse, NY.  The land of snow, ice, extreme cold, and the best BBQ place this side of the Mississippi.

And we will be fast friends.  I'm sure of it.  Because I already love this girl more than she will ever know!!

To celebrate her arrival... we made BBQ ribs with the DELISH sauce that I received from her baby shower.

(We also had a similar dinner party when Tanner was  born... which I will be posting the recipe for soon!!)

The ribs were amazing!  And the party was pretty fantastic... considering that just the two of us attended.  I even wore all white - apparently because I was determined to ruin my white shorts once and for all.. .because I did manage to drop an entire sauce coated rib down the front of me.  Stained my entire outfit.  And then I hit my head on the countertop when I was getting back up from picking it up off the floor.

It resulted in lots of laughter.  And was totally worth it!

And reminded me, once again, that I should NEVER EVER own a pair of white shorts.

But seriously, being an aunt is the best title/responsibility that I have ever been given!! (Even better than my beloved pageant title of "Miss All-You-Can-Eat Buffet")  And I truly appreciate my wonderful siblings for giving me the opportunity!

Congrats Dave and Laura on your new family!!!  And "Welcome To The World" sweet Caroline!

Pina Coladas, Pizzas, and Pumpkin

Yes, I just alliterated.  Again.

Which sounds very unlady-like.  But isn't.

I have this bizarre need to find three things in my story that all start with the same letter and then put them in the title.

And I usually end up spending WAY more time on it than is truly necessary. 

Titles are harder to come up with than you would think.

But today's was easy.  Because it involved food.  And me + food = soulmates.

My day started off with a workout.

A workout in the BEST WEATHER!

Great weather means that I spend more time outdoors.  And when you are outdoors the workouts are so much more fun.  You can get creative and change things up a bit.

I did my usual walking lunges.  But I would stop at the other side of the yard - then RUN back and do thirty jumping jacks before I started lunging again.

I did that three times.  And boy can I feel it now.

I also turned to the side and did walking squats.  While I was boxing the air.  It was extremely ungraceful and probably painful to watch.

At least that is the impression that I got from Kev when he said he saw me working out.

But I did it.  And sweated like a pole cat even though it was so chilly.

After my arm workout and a couple of leg presses (indoors), I enjoyed my breakfast of iced coffee with whey protein mixed in.

Some say "breakfast of champions".  Some say "breakfast of weirdos".

I just drank it up and got ready for the big lunch extravaganza.

Today we were celebrating.

Celebrating Mary's ( Kev's Mom) birthday.  She was out of town last weekend... so we invited her over for lunch.

And it was the perfect time to grill some pizzas ( our new favorite past time).

Specifically, one involving fig preserves.

We had been watching The Pioneer Woman's NEW Cooking show ( love it!!) and she had done a fig, proscuitto, and arugula pizza.

I passed out and died and then licked my lips until they were chapped.

(Ew.  That sounds gross!)

And decided I would HAVE to make it soon or I would not survive.

So, make it we did.  Along with three other pizzas......

A picture of all the ingredients we used.  Including a two paged to-do list of prep instructions.  It was very time consuming but totally worth it.

The main thing is to just be very organized.  Prep as much as you possibly can in advance.  And make sure you have married a Little Caesar's pizza making professional.

It truly helps in the long run.

Our stars of the show.....

Fig, Proscuitto, Arugula Pizza

Pepperoni with Peppers and Onions

Tomato + Basil

BBQ Chicken, Gouda, Carmelized Onions

OH.MY.GOODNESS.  Party in my mouth!

I had a slice of each.  And loved each one... however, the bbq ended up being my favorite!  We even used bbq sauce ( From Syracuse!) as the "sauce".  It was yum-tastic!

The fig preserves pizza was pretty great too.  It was a taste explosion but light.  Which means you can eat more of it if you feel it is necessary.

I always feel it is necessary to eat more.

Kev is truly the "grillin' machine".  He did an awesome job of pulling every thing together!

I'm already planning our next pizza cookout. 

It is for every day for the rest of my life.

And then there was dessert....

Praline Pumpkin Dessert.

Holy Yum!

It was Kev's idea for me to make a pumpkin dessert.  And as you know... I will never turn away pumpkin.  PLUS it just seemed like the right thing to do since the weather has changed and all.

It was super simple to make.  I served it with vanilla ice cream and cinnamon caramel (from Williams Sonoma!)

Do you think anyone will notice if I show up to work with a caramel mustache on my face?

Because I will probably be drinking the stuff from here on out.

A perfect end to a perfect day!

And now I'm just unpatiently waiting for my food to digest... so, I can go back for more.

I love days like this!





A Day Of Fall

Even though it is not really Fall.

I've been informed of that multiple times.

But a girl can dream, right?

I was told last night.... AS PREDICTED... that hot weather is right around the corner.

It is amazing how well you get to know a person when you have lived with them for one billion years.

I even shivered and whined that I was freezing last night and requested that my bed heater be turned on.

Kev promptly turned on the fan, pulled the comforter over his head, and probably rolled his eyes a time or five.

I'm dramatic.  What can I say?

I awoke to another crisp morning.  Another day of boots and scarves and sweaters.  Another day of complete insanity at work.... it seems that all women in the city are loving the weather and are scrambling to get their new wardrobe. 

I am not complaining!

My initial plan today was to head to the gym after work.  To run.  On a Saturday.  Like a lame-o.

But after a non-stop work day.  And a couple of hours to feel sorry for myself... ( my quads and buns are KILLING me after my lunge extravaganza yesterday!), I decided that it was probably best to head on home.

Because #1  I've learned the hard way that my body needs to rest.  Pushing myself too hard results in major soreness/ possible injury.  #2  I was too tired to run.  #3 Kev was already home from work and I wanted to be home with him.  #4  I didn't have the energy to change my clothes.

It happens.  And listening to your body is key on your performance.

At least that is what I like to tell myself.  :)

I also decided to pick up dinner.  We originally had plans tonight... but things didn't work out which resulted in nothing planned for us to eat.

It's a good thing, though.  Because I had been dying to try a place across the street but could never really come up with a good reason to try it.

Zoe's Kitchen.

 They specialize in FRESH, HEALTHY, ORGANIC food.

Good thing.  Because that is what I specialize in as well.  :)

I decided to order two of their specialities...

The steak roll ups.  Which is tri-tip steak with onions and mushrooms in a tortilla...

 With a side of Vegan potato salad.  No mayo.  Vinegar base.  Pretty darn good.

And Greek Salad...

 And Grilled Chicken Kebabs.  With rice.

 Obviously, that is a TON of food.  And for the record I did NOT order that much... but due to a miscommunication, I ended up with it.  So, we just decided to go with the flow... because goodness knows we can eat every bit of it in a couple of days.

It was pretty yummy.

The kebabs were the best part.  So flavorful!!  And the rice was a delicious side.  They also had a ton of  other yummy things on their menu... but I decided to save those for another time.

The crazy thing is that we usually don't eat dinner until about 8:30.  So, I thought I would get home.  Chill out.  Maybe do a couple of chores.

But, unbeknownst to me, Kev was out-of-his-mind starving.  So, he attacked every container the minute I walked in the door.

So much so that I was racing to get some pictures before he stuck his head back down in the aluminum tray for more food.

It was insane.  And  messy.  And even though I always eat in a hectic manner... I have NEVER seen Kev behave that way.

Apparently, I need to feed him better. 

The only good thing about eating at 6:30 is that I get a late night snack.

And I'm pretty sure that it will involve something with this ingredient...

Because it IS Fall, after all.  At least in my mind.  And that means that it is time to break out my stash of pumpkin.  That I have been hoarding since 2009. 

Happy Weekend Every one!  Hope it is amazing!