Taking sick days for a nasty cold
Reconnecting with (aka binging on) Scandal
Teaching Yoga!!!
Hosting dinners
Problem solving how to type when the x key is broken on my computer
Appreciating the sunshine
Baking Breads
Taking yoga and barre classes
Meeting my niece
Drinking a ton of espresso
Reading Books
Spending Saturday nights in
Watching Indiana basketball
Sitting by our fireplace
Cuddling with Cooper
Celebrating my parent’s Birthdays
What have you been doing lately?
I spent time in my kitchen cooking, baking, and then cooking some more.
Bet you thought I was going to say blogging…
I guess you were right too!
So, where have I been? Well…it’s a pretty long list!
Champaign for Christmas
Yoga Six
Working
Mariano’s
Wisconsin for New Years
Attempting Barre
Reading
Drinking Bubbles
Doing yoga on the Sky Deck
Meeting Friends at Begyle Brewery
Baking Banana Bread
Teaching Kids Yoga
Taking Pics with the World Series Trophy
Rockclimbing
Cuddling with Cooper
Meal Planning
Traveling to DC
Told you it was a long list : ) Did I mention that it was also a fun one!
So here I am back at the blogging with Cooper on my lap and I’ve got some recipes for you.
Last Friday, after a busy morning, I decided to spend a bit of time in my kitchen. Isn’t the whole point of having this awesome kitchen actually using it?
The more challenging problem has been coming up with some down time to sit, type, and share all the amazing recipes with you. With some help from impromptu house guests (my mom and dad), I made meatballs, jalapeno mac n cheese, Red Velvet Cake Batter Dip, and the most incredible Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars.
I was a bit worried about the looks of these bars, but looks can be deceiving!
These bars are absolutely delicious!
And were met with rave reviews from everyone who tried them!
Of course, I went dessert first, but I should also share with you the recipe I found in the Whole Foods Market Cookbook for Jalapeno Mac N Cheese. And I will…just not tonight because I have to run. We’ve got Saturday night dinner plans with friends (and I am bringing these oldie but goodie salad…Mmm!)
What are you cooking and baking this winter???
Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
From Mom Endeavors
Ingredients
Frosting
Instructions
We are having a serious problem in Chicago (and from what I hear other parts of the country are as well). It’s a 70 degree November!
Although this doesn’t sound like a serious problem, or even a problem at all, I can assure you that it is. You see, it is really quite challenging to get anything done when it is absolutely gorgeous outside. Case and point, I had a 3 day weekend and spent very little time at home at all. It wasn’t until Sunday afternoon that I finally slowed down enough to grocery shop, finish laundry, and ‘adult’ for a bit.
Friday, I was supposed to go to a continuing ed course but after a busy and exhausting week, I decided I needed a mental health day. I didn’t set an alarm and took my time enjoying a morning latte and breakfast while doing some yoga planning. It was such a beautiful day, I knew I wanted to run. I figured it’d be fun to head down to Wrigleyville to catch some of the Cubs action and say ‘Hi’ to my mom.
I ran the two miles down to Wrigley with the crowds of blue shirts growing as I got closer. I explored a bit and then finally found my mom and our friend. We had a great spot to watch the trolleys go by and then moved into another fabulous location to see the players head off on top of their buses.
I ran back home and showered before spending the afternoon with some out of town friends and then hosted an impromptu dinner at our house Friday night. Saturday, I was up and on my bike teaching a private yoga lesson and then getting in a strength session at the gym. With all the beautiful weather (plus our move), my gym time has been limited and I’m beginning to miss my muscles.
The BOY and I decided to walk a few blocks over to Lincoln Square for lunch and the butcher. We were debating which place to stop for outdoor seating and a beer. We changed our mind on the butcher and walked a mile and a half down Lincoln where we did find lunch, a delicious new beer, and college football.
It was a spectacular day and we Ubered home with our meat to go hang out on the back porch.
I had a much needed quiet Saturday night in catching up on sleep. Sunday was another stunning day. I took a yoga class across the street and then the BOY and I met my brother and SIL for Dim Sum in Chinatown.
Everyone was shocked to hear that this was my first time in Chicago’s Chinatown (other than running through during the marathon) and so we took a quick walk along the square before driving back home. The BOY had work to do and I strolled down to the grocery store for food for the week. Although I knew I had a few important things to do once I got home, it was tempting to just walk to the lakefront and spend the afternoon in the sunshine. Hence…the sunshine problem!
I must admit this problem is a great problem to have as I know that any week now we could be hit with a snow storm. So until then I will enjoy the extra vitamin D and know that there will be plenty of winter weekends to finally clean my closets and ‘adult’ a bit more : )
Tonight, I went running out of work with barely a goodbye to my coworkers and friends telling my boss I was in need of some ‘Self Care’ in hopes of getting home in time for a 7pm yoga class. My work schedule has been fairly inconsistent which has made planning in workouts and classes more difficult. On top of that, the Cubs have me partying like it’s 1999 (the college not the high school portion, mom and dad!).
So I ran out of work, sped home, changed quickly and felt grateful that the yoga studio was right across the street. When I walked in, the yoga teacher said to me…I was just thinking about you (we are collaborating on a course) and was just looking at your resume today. It was like she knew I was coming. I said how happy I was to be there and found a place for my mat.
We got started with breath work and stretching and it was clear from the start what a cohesive class we formed. When it came time to set an intention, the teacher suggested that we set one for Self-Care…I mean seriously universe, could your message be more clear??? I set my intention, worked through my practice and VERY happily left the studio 80 minutes later. And then entered the doorway straight across which happens to belong to this absolutely spectacular wine bar called Ampersand.
I picked up a kale salad to go (because it is the most amazing thing ever) and paired it with some leftovers and red wine for dinner. Life has been pretty non-stop lately in only the BEST way! On top of my regular work and yoga teaching schedules, the Chicago Cubs madness has taken over our lives a bit. I come from a mixed household when it comes to baseball and am your stereotypical fair weather fan, but this excitement 108 years in the making is hard to escape when you’re living just a few miles away…not that we would want to.
Last Saturday, the BOY and I met friends for a local brew tour followed by lunch with all our new best friends. We ended up enjoying some fun local beer and walking all over the neighborhood.
We had just enough time when we got home to shower and change into our blue and red for the (sad) Saturday night World Series game. By Sunday night, a bit of the chaos had calmed down and I decided to accompany my mom and our friends for a walk around Wrigley. It was unlike anything I have ever seen and really incredible. The energy of the city was electric!
It even had me staying up way past my bed time for a baseball game. Rare!!! By Monday everyone was exhausted, but we kept trucking on making it out for Tuesday nights game and staying up until the wee hours to watch the Cubs win the World Series on Wednesday night. The win was followed by cheering, singing, and horn honking, even in our quiet neighborhood. Which of course had Cooper running for cover. It’s not at all surprising that I was craving a yoga class tonight. I am working hard to find balance in this new city with a much more active social life and so many fun opportunities.
And with that in mind, I decided to skip the free continuing ed class I was supposed to go to tomorrow in favor of some sleep and exercise…and perhaps a bath!
I just keep reminding myself…it’s not selfish, it’s SELF CARE! And much needed!
How do you fit in ‘self care’?
Ahh! Isn’t that always the question! Clearly, recently I have not been doing much blogging. I also have not been doing much cooking or exercising but we can save that discussion for another day.
What have I been doing? Well, you know, the usual ‘I just moved to a fun city after waiting 8 years’ kind of stuff like drinking wine with friends, going out on school nights, and working/networking!
When I started this blog, I had a lot of free time on my hands. Ever since we moved in July, there seems to be less of this down time. The BOY and I have spent a lot more time doing things together (even on week nights) and we have spent more time with our family and friends. Blogging isn’t the only thing that has kind of gotten lost in the shuffle. Other than sporting events, I watch WAY less TV (we are super behind on every show) and I haven’t spent full days in my kitchen whipping out snacks for an army.
I have been thinking about this shift and I believe there are a few things going on. First of all, I am choosing to do different things with my down time than I did before. This means less blogging/TV time and more reading and yoga planning. In some ways, I look at this as non-attachment. I read somewhere in my yoga books over the summer about the importance of non attachment. I didn’t understand it at the time, but after living 2 months with all of my ‘stuff’ (okay, most of it, Mom…not all of it) in storage, I became less ‘attached’ to things that I once thought I needed. TV falls into this category as does all of the boxes of my belongings that I donated after our move. I think that this is a good thing. It means that I am a little less stressed when I miss an episode (or season) of my favorite shows and just make/cook something without any pictures or stories to share on the blog. It also means that I went through and cut way back on the blogs that I follow. I also decluttered my inbox by unsubscribing to the majority of mass emails I get and renewed less magazines. Do I miss blogging and a few great shows? YES! But am I happy? Definitely!
Unfortunately, the non attachment has not carried over to wine or chocolate. Which leads me to my second point. When something is new, it feels way more fun, and that makes it tough to miss out on. The BOY and I are both working a bunch of hours so when we aren’t working, we are always excited to explore our new neighborhood. We have had tons of city plans, a trip to Door County, and hometown sports rolling in. I anticipate as the newness of living in the city wears off and the reality of Chicago winters arrives that I will find myself with more down time and the desire to reconnect with my blogging. I guess we will just have to see.
So what does this mean for the blog? I dunno yet! My plan is to continue to share my adventures, recipes, and pictures of my cute Cooper but for now at a less frequent pace. We’ll just have to take it one day at a time. Right now I want to make sure that I have the energy to get acclimated to my new jobs, keep up with my weekly yoga classes, connect with my husband and kitten, host friends for chili (like we did this past weekend), and FINALLY bike to work!
What big changes are coming your way this fall?
Bloggers, do you have ups and downs?
Biking through Chicago
Celebrating the Holidays with my Family
Teaching A TON of kids yoga
Trying to find an adult yoga teaching gig
Making French Toast
Unpacking the last of my boxes
Making Chili
Actually watching baseball (in my Cubs tshirt)
Trying to figure out an exercise routine
Enjoying fall
Hosting friends for chili and football
Taking tons of skyline pictures during my commute
Cuddling with Cooper
Going out for dinner
Celebrating 1 Year of Marriage with my Best Friend!
What’s new with you lately???
The BOY and I got invited to a Burgers, Brownies, and BS party for Monday night’s debate, and because we live in the city, we were able to go…on a school night. Not surprisingly, I only supplied the brownies. And maybe a bit of BS!
Also because we live in the city, we have been SO BUSY that I haven’t been able to sit down and share this recipe or do much of anything except work and play. So for that reason, the BOY and I are spending Saturday night in chilaxing, watching TV, and doing a bit of laundry. Sometimes, life is just too exciting : )
So the real reason for this post is not political or to tell you how much fun I’ve been having lately although that might come up…It’s brownies!!!
I went outside the norm and whipped up my first batch of black bean brownies!
They were surprisingly easy and even more surprisingly tasty!
Our game plan was to make a batch of homemade ice cream to serve with them. However, we didn’t freeze our ice cream bowl overnight and sadly the ice cream stayed in liquid form.
So instead, we concocted Brownie Cookie Dough Surprise (which really doesn’t have a surprise) and just consists of the brownies (warmed up is best!) topped with the cookie dough that didn’t go into our ice cream, whip cream, and a raspberry on top. They were a HUGE hit and I don’t think anybody minded one bit. The debate on the other hand…that is a whole another story…
Do you ever hide sub beans or healthy foods into your desserts?
Black Bean Brownies
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Really blend well. (A blender can work if you absolutely must, but the texture—and even the taste—will be much better in a food processor.)
Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8×8 pan. Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. Cook the black bean brownies 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. If they still look a bit undercooked, you can place them in the fridge overnight and they will magically firm up!
Makes 9-12 brownies.
Friends…old and new! How are you??? Where has the time gone???
I swear it was like yesterday that I was blogging up a storm and then I took a quick break to move in with my P’s, start a new job, get my yoga certificate, enjoy summer, then move again (this time to Chicago), start another new job, unpack…and…Yeah…I’m still not unpacked…and yeah, I seem to still be on a break. But anyways, the point is it is mid September and I haven’t blogged in a month. Which earns me the Worst Blogger Ever Award!
So just a quick update…the BOY, Cooper, and I moved into the city Labor Day Weekend and we haven’t slowed down since.
With help, we have been unpacking a million boxes (with many more to go)…
I started another new job, cut off all of my hair again, and haven’t cooked a thing.
Which might be why you haven’t heard from me. I am working two part time jobs, learning the ropes, teaching a ton of yoga classes (last week, I taught 4 kids classes), exploring the city by bike, drinking wine, buying new furniture, and eating all of the Thai food my tummy can handle,
Check me out…I’m a bike commuter!
I bought a bubbie cart so I can walk to the HUGE Mariano’s down the block.
Which is what I did this afternoon. Have I mentioned that I live across the street from a yoga studio?! It is right in between a coffee shop and wine bar and it makes me happy every time I look out the window.
So this morning, I went to the most amazing yoga class, then came home to organize our bathroom. Cooper had an afternoon vet appointment, which was very traumatic for both of us. He wouldn’t go into his crate so we were super late. When we got home, he ran and hid under the bed, so I took my bubbie cart to the grocery store.
I’m sure you guys missed me but I am guessing that you missed Cooper more so I threw in a few of his pics. After a busy week, I was happy to make dinner and decided on this Island Pork Tenderloin. I came back from the grocery store and got started on dessert first. As I was pulling out all of the ingredients, I realized that I didn’t have sugar. Luckily, the BOY passes the store on his walk home from the train so he swung by and picked up sugar.
Just some Friday night baking essentials. My dessert came together easily except I couldn’t find sprinkles anywhere in our house. I tried all of my many kitchen cabinets and drawers (my new kitchen also makes me happy!) but there were no sprinkles. I gave up and subbed in white chocolate chips for the sprinkles and threw some in the middle and on top.
Apparently I am also the worst baker ever…ha ha! Although I thought I had everything timed out, it appears our oven is not so strong so everything took WAY TOO LONG! That being said, the bars still turned out phenomenal and were devoured by the BOY and I after dinner.
I just couldn’t decide if I like the crunchy sugary ends or the ooey gooey middle better!
I kept the recipe as written below but know that this is a very forgiving dessert so you can probably whip it together with whatever you have in your pantry! Even if you haven’t even unpacked all your pantry boxes : )
I have no idea what my blogging future holds but hoping to check in with ya’ll more often!
What’d I miss with you guys???
Cake Batter Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Directions
Well Hello There Everyone!!!
I am back and settled(ish)! Cooper…is another story, but we will get to that!
Let’s see…since last we chatted, life has been BUSY…
We packed up our entire house. And by we, I mean myself and my parents. The BOY did pack one full box but before you think he did nothing, he was in charge or organizing our last minute move on a holiday weekend. Not an easy job!
July 1st was a gorgeous day and our movers were amazing and efficient. Before we knew it, were standing in an empty home. Full of emotion, of course, as the excitement of our next adventure begins with the nostalgia of having 10 years of memories in this house (including our first kiss!).
I was super grateful for the assistance of my P’s but even more thankful that they took us in to their home when we had none without question. The three of us traded in our 3 bedroom home for a bedroom. The first few nights were rough as we couldn’t find a thing and had Cooper crammed in with us.
But Saturday night we had a BBQ with my bestie and her family and it really did feel so good to be home!
The rest of the weekend was catching up on life, unpacking, getting organized, laundry, and grocery shopping. The 4 us had a meeting to meal plan out the week, which has been very successful. My dad found a white board to keep track of everything and has also added a countdown until our move out date : )
Which brings me to the excitement of the week. We signed a lease for a Chicago apartment (and there was much rejoicing!) but it’s not available until September 2nd…
So we are living it up with my parents, appreciating the home cooked family meals (including my dad’s famous stir fry) and laundry service and hoping that Cooper can adjust to living with 4 adults as opposed to his usual 2. There has been a bit more hissing lately!
#trainselfie
The BOY and I are also commuting together which might be an even bigger challenge than moving in or planning a wedding : )
On the yoga front, I am LOVING my training. We had some time off but are probably about half way done and I am already feeling sad for when it will be over. I am reading a ton and learning a lot.
I am doing way more yoga than running and feeling really good about it. Comfortable with myself as I am growing each day of this journey that I know (hope) is just beginning. This past weekend we taught each other which was exciting and nerve wrecking!
And if that’s not enough excitement…the Tour de France started this week (more rejoicing!!). I’ve got the entire family watching and cheering on my favorite riders. Between that and the Olympic trials, our blooming social life, and trying to capture a few minutes of down time, life has been plugging along!
But I’ve miss you guys! Tell me what’s going on with you…
This non-blogging thing is becoming quite the bad habit, but after you read this post, I am pretty sure you will forgive me!
I’ll start by filling you in on the PAST week (or so)…
After maintaining some nice balance of work and play, water and wine, sleep and fun, our house went up on the market for rent last Friday. The BOY and I got some instant attention and spent all of last Saturday out and about while people came by to check out the place.
By Saturday night, we were happy to just be home enjoying a cheese plate and wine out back. Even this guy liked chilling in the back yard…
And by Sunday, I realized that wine and warrior III don’t mix so well after a 75 minute hot class and a few hours of pose clinics during yoga teacher training : ) Sunday night, we had rental applications and a lot of good feedback on our house! And by Monday night, we had renters…who needed to move in July 1st!
OMG!!!
This week was a mix of work, yoga, and apartment searching in hopes of finding a quick place to move in to!
We spent Wednesday night and Thursday in the city, desperately searching for apartments and drinking and dining with my brother and sister in law (who were kind enough to house us!). By this morning, it was pretty obvious that we did not have a place to live, despite one last attempt of walking through the 606 pleading my eyes to find a ‘For Rent’ sign.
All while enjoying the most amazing Bucktown coffee…
Which brings us to the PRESENT…
This picture is the EXACT present…
My Friday off was not nearly as bad as the one in which I scrubbed my grout, but was pretty busy.
With 1 week until our move, it was time to start packing! I called in reinforcements to help make the most of the day…
My parents arrived with lunch around noon and because they were dog sitting, they brought Dancer along as well. We packed what seemed like a million boxes and I was feeing accomplished until I realized all that was left to pack.
Around 4pm (with physical and mental exhaustion), we went in different directions as I headed off to yoga training and my parents took a bunch of boxes home. Which brings us to your next question, I am sure…
What’s Next? For now, the FUTURE looks like this…
Meet our new roommates!!! We are moving in with my parents…Cooper and all for a month while we continue our apartment search in Chicago. The pros…we have a place to live and the location allows me easy access to work and yoga training. The BOY and I may be commuting together on the train into the city. The crazy…we are moving in with my parents…Cooper and all! In 1 week!!!
Which means tomorrow is day 2 of packing and because of yoga training Sunday, it needs to be SUPER productive. After that, I fear you may not hear from me for a bit. It will just be short break, I promise, but with all of these changes and responsibilities, I may not be able to prioritize the blog until things have settled. Like I said, I knew you would understand : )
Tell me about your past, present, and future!
Anyone have a 2 bedroom apartment they want to rent me in Chicago?!
