Have Some Class, People

To my loyal readers (all 4 of you), I regret to inform you that I will have to approve comments to the blog before they post from now on, thanks to a very classy person who commented on my last post with some sort of pornographic link. Nice. I have yet to figure out how to delete it, so in the meantime please do not click on it! Especially if you are on your work computer!

You will go through the same process to comment, I'll just approve them before they are visible online.

Our Menu This Week

As I said earlier, after weeks of absolute craziness, I am cooking again. Matt is stifling his excitement because he's trying to be sweet and act like eating leftovers/ready made food all the time is fine with him, but I know he's looking forward to some fresh ingredients. We were lucky enough that after having lunch with Matt's family on Sunday they sent us home with lots of leftover barbeque. I Love barbeque. Seriously, love. So eating it for several days in a row is A-OK with me. Therefore, that took care of tonight and tomorrow.

Wednesday, I'm looking forward to this Martha Stewart Everyday recipe for Sauteed Chicken in Mustard Cream Sauce. I think this sauce would be delicious on salmon and may try that instead if it is on sale this week. I love a simple sauce with white wine and can always use an excuse to pick up an extra bottle at the store ;)

For the second half of the week we'll be having these yummmy turkey burgers, also from my Martha Stewart Everyday Food cookbook. These have become a favorite in our house. I don't even eat mine with a bun, they are that good (and I'm not usually one to shy away from the carbs :)

The cookbook I'm referring to is the one pictured below. It is full of very good, simple recipes with few ingredients and quick cook time. Totally do-able even when you're busy.

Hope you all have a great week!

I'm Baaaack!

I am alive, contrary to what you may think given the lack of posts to this dear blog in recent weeks!

I returned from Germany late last Thursday after a great work meeting, and since have been in a sleep-deprived jet lag induced fog. Yesterday I finally started to feel normal again, and now here I am :) Didn't take a single picture in Germany which I am really mad at myself for. I should at least have featured the interesting buffets we sampled each night (sausage salad anyone?), or the Frankfurt Zoo where we held a dinner event, but sadly nothing. I will say I would now love to see more of Germany. It's very quaint and everyone was riding bicycles with little wicker baskets on them. So cute. The hardest part, by far, was not the lack of sleep but being away from my little monkey. I am so so SO happy to be home and back to her and Matt and some sense of normalcy. Matt is working crazy hours because while I was gone the city of Atlanta flooded and thus he is swimming (pun very much intended) in a sea of claims. Check out Kristin's blog (Better Together) for pictures. She is a much better historian than I.

This week we are doing normal family things and just enjoying being at home- cleaning house, cooking dinner (yes, I am finally cooking again), taking Madelyn for walks and enjoying the gorgeous weather Atlanta is basking in right now. Definitely planning a trip to the pumpkin patch in a few weeks so that little Miss can pick out her first pumpkin and take a hay ride. We always did this when I was growing up and I absolutely insist it become a family tradition of ours. Apple cider and cinnamon donuts not optional- not even if it's 80 degrees outside- we will enjoy them.

And last but not least, this Friday I will embark down to Key West Florida for Dai's bachelorette party. While I am not at all excited about leaving Madelyn again, I am so much looking forward to seeing all of my girls.

Until I return with some sure to be awesome pics from Key West, here are some family pictures we took with Matt's side of the fam this past weekend :)

Matt's brother Luke. There is a lot of mutual adoration between he and Madelyn :)

Labor Day Weekend Pics

Just a few pictures of our fun weekend and A-Dorable little girl :)

Madelyn got a visit from not only my Mom but my Aunt Sue and cousin Joey. She loooved all of the attention and as always, was such a well behaved little angel (naturally).

I am crazy busy at work getting ready for a huge meeting in Germany in 10 days AND our favorites Dai and Andrew are coming to visit this weekend! Hopefully I'll have more pictures and updates as to our whereabouts then.

Accidental Weight Loss? You Must Be Kidding

Becoming a mom has really finally taught me the right way to eat, and not because I struggled to lose last 5 baby pounds, but because I need energy!!

In my past baby-free life I was no stranger to diets, always trying to lose a few extra pounds, even though looking back I looked just fine. Then one day I swore off diets and decided it was no way to live. After having Madelyn I was lucky that most of the weight came off pretty easily. Now, 4 months later, I can say it is 100% gone. That's not to say that what is left underneath isn't still a bit mushy (that is still a work in progress), but I know in time that will change too.

I realized that I've actually completely altered my eating habits without even meaning to. I've always known the value in eating foods from the earth, the foods our bodies are made to process, like fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, things like that. But I realized this morning I've unconsciously done a few more things because let's be honest, eating empty food like Special K and twinkies is not going to get me through a typical day when I'm juggling 11 different things.

I've started eating appx. every 3 hours during the day and then eating a very light dinner (I'm talking 3 bites of something), mostly just for lack of time. I eat a lot more protein. I crave it because I know it will keep me full and energized for hours and the last thing I need is to crash at 5 p.m. when I finally get to see Madelyn. She deserves the best part of my day, not a tired grumpy mommy who's body is on a sugar roller coaster.

For me, almonds and edamame are my super foods. Not only are they excellent for you they are quick, easy, and I can eat them with one hand if necessary (this is critical for new moms :).
I try to eat my whole grains in the morning and taper off as the day goes on. I eat a lot of fish, chicken, spinach, beans, and this amazing frozen succotash mix from Trader Joes that I am ob-sessed with. Yum.

It's amazing how once I got most of the junk out of my system I really stopped craving it. Now, I still eat a few M&Ms with my almonds, and I'll never eat 100% healthy because I think you should treat yourself, life is too short. And I will never give up my wine. Seriously, never. But, it is amazing to see how your body performs when you fuel it the right way. What's even more awe-inspiring is that I lost those last 5 pounds without even trying!

I still rely heavily on "convenience" foods- frozen veggie burgers, canned tuna, frozen cooked brown rice (again from Trader Joe's), oatmeal... I love that even though I've been eating mostly natural foods I haven't had to slave away in the kitchen. Major bonus.

As I stumble upon new, easy, non-processed meal ideas I'll be sure to share them with you because I know we can all use a little inspiration now and then.

Hope you all have a great Labor Day weekend and Go Gators!!!

Fall is Coming!!!

Today is a good day. First of all, the first sign of Fall has shown it's face....Starbucks is now serving the pumpkin spice latte!! Much like the groundhog signals whether Winter will desist or continue, the pumpkin spice latte signals to me that Fall is just around the corner, and this is definitely good news. I know I've said it before, but I really love Fall, and this year it's even more fun because I get to share it with a little one who hasn't ever seen it (well, from an outer-utero perspective).

In addition to that, my beloved Gators begin their season on Saturday! I am a huge fan of college football so these 12 weeks are precious to me every year. While we are favored by every major poll and prediction to win the championship again this year, I'm just looking forward to the season no matter what happens. I think seeing your team win two championships in your lifetime is enough to ask, let alone in the span of 3 years.

Thirdly, I got to do a little shopping this weekend which always makes a girl happy. I found jeans for less than the $130 bucks I regularly pay which is a miracle! I have The Hardest time finding jeans (long waist, tall, big hips, the list of potential issues goes on and on), so I had just given in to spending more for the pricey ones. Well, I found a pair of jeans called the Modern Bootcut at Ann Taylor Loft for $60 and I love them! I'm going back to get another pair. I also got this cute cardigan which I'm wearing today and love love love--it's really cute and super comfortable.

They had several more items that I have my eye on, many of which were very J Crew-esque but with much cheaper price tags. I'll definitely be looking for these next time there is a big sale.

Here's to cooler temperatures, changing leaves and eating lots of pumpkin flavored goodies in our near future!!

Plan B

Sadly, spread the happiness with random acts of kindness week came to a screeching halt on Wednesday when I came down with some sort of cold. I guess it will have to wait until next week. This week has pretty much been a wash.

Between Matt working long hours (in a far away office) training for his new job, me being sick and busy at work, and of course the little munchkin, it's been a bit hectic. And tiring! I've been going to bed a 9 every night.

I will say, the one good thing about daycare is that the kids "play" so much that they are completely worn out at the end of the day. Madelyn typically falls asleep in the car on the way home and sleeps until 6-6:30. Here she is on Wednesday. So tired she couldn't even hold her little head up.

Look at the chub on those legs! I love it.

This weekend we're attending Kristin's husband Matt's 30th birthday bonanza at their new house and then spending some time with Matt's parents. Next week my mom and aunt Sue are coming into town for Labor Day so I have lots of cleaning to do in preparation for their arrival. I'm so excited for them to see Madelyn and her sweet personality. Here are a few new facts about our little pride and joy.

- She likes to be spoken to in adult voices, not baby talk, and she loooves to watch me talk to people when she doesn't think I'm looking. I think it's because she hears my voice the way she heard it in the womb and she's totally captivated. I just can't help but raise my voice a little when I talk to her! It's like a cuteness reflex.

- She wants to stand and "walk" picking up one foot after the other.

- She has started laughing and it is OhMYGoodness precious.

I'm trying to decide what I want to dress her up as for Halloween. The obvious choice would be a monkey since that's what I call her, but I don't want her to look like a little boy! check this one out:

And this is just too much- it's a peacock! She'd kill me when she found these pictures later in life. Seriously. I die. (sidenote: I've picked up saying "I die" from watching the Rachael Zoe Project on Bravo. Those of you who watch know what I'm talking about. If you aren't watching, you should.)