I'm Either In Love, Or I Want To Be Adopted...

Ohhhh...what a night. Remember back in March when we went to see Taj Mahal at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival? Remember how much I loved it? Well we went last night, because he was in town. Our table was literally right next to the stage. I made eye contact with all 3 from the Trio throughout the entire show. Of course I gave them plenty of winks and thumbs up to let them know I appreciated their performance. I took this picture before the show, while trying to get the settings right on my camera so as not to interrupt the music with my flash. And then, horror of horrors, the emcee comes out and says "Please no flash photography... I mean actually, NO PHOTOGRAPHY AT ALL during the show." I of course planned to ignore his request, but my husband was mortified and "strongly encouraged" me to put my camera back in my bag. I didn't want to ruin our night together, so I tried to be respectful of his wishes that I be compliant to house rules, but it KILLED me. Seriously. KILLED.ME.

I swiped this picture off Google images, because it is exactly like the ones I would've taken, without even using a zoom, had I been "allowed" to use my camera. We were that close.

But because I love this man more than I love taking pictures of Taj Mahal, I showed restraint. My goal was to get a photo with Taj last night; since that didn't happen, I forced this guy to pose with me instead.

When the show was over, the Trio had to pass right in front of our table to exit. I was thrilled to be able to tell each one of the guys "GREAT SHOW! THANKS FOR PLAYING!" and have them reply with "THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ANDREA." Well, okay, the part where they called me by name is probably made up, but in my heart and in my head, I really heard it.

Take a listen, and then go download some Taj Mahal Trio. (Taj Mahal is the singer and main guitarist. He has a bassist and a drummer, who are exceptionally talented as well, and together they form the Taj Mahal Trio.) He has won 2 Grammys, and his music is just plain fun. I have a mini-crush on him, but I'm going to settle for adopting him as my Grandpa. Then at our family reunions, I can take all the pictures of him that I want.

Eyelash Candy

Do you live in Utah? Do you want to have sexy eyelashes? Maybe even for FREEEE?

Click on my handy link and maybe you could!

It's not really my thing, but I have several friends who've had it done, and I'm not kidding you, it instantly increases your WOW factor. And if you want to make sure that you're not getting nasty rat hairs glued to your lids, then you should make sure to go to my friend Dawn. She is hygienic and professional. And she's really funny, so maybe she'll do her stand-up for you while she's working. Although that could screw up the lashes, so maybe not. Anyway, go enter for a chance to win, or just get over your cheapness and pay for a set. If you do, let me know and I'll put your hottie picture up on my blog. I know, my generosity is overwhelming.

S is for Skip

Can I just start by saying that my husband actually ASKED me to write this post? I find that a risky move on his part, but who am I to say no?

As you may or may not know, I have a little "thing" for good nutrition. Let's be honest here... I am a vicious nag about eating healthy. If you are my friend, you may have felt the sting of my condescending glare as you sipped your diet Dr. Pepper. If you are my husband... well... let's just say your life may be the equivalent of a living hell.

The man I married was raised on Manwiches and processed cheese. I get a little surge of bile in the back of my throat when I think of the foods he most wants to eat. It has been a delicate balance in our marriage to find the line between me totally dominating the pantry, and him getting to actually enjoy what we eat. Mostly, I've won. And the times when he has won have been filled with a "lack of support" on my part. I have taken every opportunity to point out the damage he is doing to his insides. His heart is probably hanging on by a thread. I've pointed out that his arteries are surely strained at best... much like useless channels running through his body. I have cursed him for cutting short our golden years together.

Guess who went to the doctor this week? And guess whose cholesterol numbers came back OFF THE CHARTS? I quickly emailed my sweet friend Robin-The-Wise to ask her for some good pointers on how to negotiate the subject with my man. I realized this was no time for my traditional approach, and I felt he might be open to a rational discussion on health and nutrition after such a scare.

Well.

He broke the numbers down for me, and as it turns out, his super high number was that of his GOOD cholesterol. The number that is SUPPOSED to be high. In fact, the doctor told him that not only was it better than most men half his age, but that it was indeed THE BEST HE'D EVER SEEN. Fo'rizzle, people. I believe there was some reference to a "Teflon coating along the inner walls of his arteries." I think the man even did a jig. Yes, a jig.

All's well that ends well, however. Thanks to Sage Robin's advice, I was able to initiate a conversation with my husband that involved rational discussion followed by receptive appreciation. We do, indeed, plan to grow old together. He is actually grateful for my nutritious efforts, and I am actually penitent for my self-righteous approach. I will say it'll be a cold day in hell we probably won't go to a completely plant-based diet as a family, but we've come to a new understanding. And it's this: He is a demi-God of some sort, and we'll all just suck it up and eat more salad.

Plus, the guy really loves me. I met up with him at the memorial the other day. I saw him first, and went to take his picture. He turned and saw me, and look how big he smiled. If he can be that happy to see me in spite of my constant nagging gentle reminders about his eating habits, then we have a good thing.

Me + Lunch = Love

I am loving my lunchtimes. I look forward to them every day. I am home alone, and I only have me to cook for. I can make anything I want, and as I stated, nobody whines about it. I have cut out meats, dairy, and excess fats. I have, however, kept seafood in. Fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are so good for you. Plus, I LOVE it, and no one in my house really wants to eat it. Except for tuna sandwiches, which they all love. 'Splain me dat, Lucy.

Anyway. Today I seasoned and broiled some salmon. I chopped and sauteed a Fuji apple, sprinkling it with cinnamon. I sliced an avocado, and PRESTO! An absolutely delicious, healthy meal.

As far as the rest of my daily menu... for breakfast I've been eating a piece of grapefruit or a banana, some whole grain toast (yes, I do still use butter on it) and a bowl of cereal (yes, I do still put milk on it). I usually have a glass of 100% juice to wash it all down. I could benefit from more fruits/veggies at breakfast.

Snacks throughout the day are kept on the kitchen counter. They are readily available to me and my kids. I have three bowls of fruit with apples, pears, clementines, bananas and grapes. We cut up several pomegranates and kept the fruit seeds in a covered bowl on the counter. Note to self: covered pomegranate seeds should be stored in the fridge, as pomegranate wine is not so good for the children.

Dinner still includes standard American fare... meat, potatoes, cheese, sauces, etc. with cookies or ice cream for dessert. Winter seems to invite those comfort foods. But I am happy to report an increase in healthy options all around. Baby steps for me and mine. What's the best and the worst thing you've eaten lately??

Veterans Day

It rained a little here today. There was also some beautiful sunshine. Both felt appropriate. The city dedicated a memorial today to its citizens who have been killed in action. We went with Ann to honor Conrad's name on this memorial.

The ceremony was appropriate, and there was a mix of sorrow for loss, and happiness for memories. It felt good to honor and celebrate these heroes' lives.

Ann was beautiful, as always, and showed more dignity and grace than I believe I would ever be capable of. On an exciting note, she is about to become my next door neighbor. She bought a home a few doors down, and we are thrilled.

My husband is a man of amazing strength and courage. He is a stellar soldier, and I have so much respect for him professionally. He is also a good husband. He's a good husband because he works at it. I think it's easier for him to be a soldier, but he loves me enough to try and be as good a husband as he is a soldier. That's what makes our relationship solid. There's a lot of love, and we just keep trying. I won't lie- I do not want him to deploy again. The very thought of it causes a knot of fear, maybe even terror, in my chest. But I am proud of his desire to serve our country.

This is an interesting history of our National Anthem. It's one of my husband's favorite clips. It may be long, but take a few minutes and enjoy it. And please let patriotism be more than a warm fuzzy feeling you get on a few select holidays each year. Find a way to make sure it's a part of who you are.

My Big, Fat, Exciting News

Remember when I mentioned my lazy days would be coming to an end in January? I was waiting for my official acceptance, which I received today. Drumroll please...

I'm going back to school!

I'm so excited. I love school, and this is a perfect time in my life to do it. I'm getting my masters in TESOL... Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

The best part is, in searching for a program that met my needs, I discovered that the University of Southern California has an ACCREDITED online program. This is fabulous because not only will it offer a more challenging course than most online programs, but it looks better on my resume. Also, I can do it all in my pajamas. Which, frankly, isn't much different than my undergraduate days... but now that I'm 37, I have an image to uphold.

Anyway. I'm thrilled. My classes will be during the days while the kids are at school, and I will be able to do all of my practicum work locally. Here's to hoping my aging brain can keep up with actual thinking. Wish me luck!!

Lunch: It's All About ME!

So. I've always enjoyed a healthy menu. And by "always" I mean "ever since I got out of college and realized a pan of brownies does not a meal make." I enjoy a good sausage, a few Oreos, and a well seasoned rib eye from time to time. But truthfully, my body feels better when I eat lean and well. It seems like recently, my friend Robin has inspired many people to give "the lifestyle" a go. Call it what you will, basically it's healthy eating to the extreme. (To the extreme, I rock a mike like a vandal, light up the stage and watch me jump like a candle).

Sorry. It comes naturally.

Anyway. I have enjoyed watching many of my friends give this a try, and seeing the positive results in their lives. I, however, truly feel for me and my house, a bit of meat and dairy is still important. And yummy. So I'm unwilling to jump on board 100% with "the lifestyle." But I figured since I'm home alone every day for lunch, I would give it a whirl. This past week was my first week. I'm not looking to lose weight, I just want to keep the old system clean and fresh. So I committed to fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, no dairy, no meat, and easy on the sugar. Here's how it went:

Monday: I put my back out early on, so I spent the day at PT getting electrocuted and massaged. Eating was secondary, and I didn't do it. Monday was a bust.


Tuesday: Here's my palette:

Basically I took all this stuff and made a sandwich out of it. I used the nice kind of ginormous whole wheat bread. I shook some salt, coarsely ground black pepper, and oregano over it. Then I splashed some olive oil and pomegranate vinegar. It was really, really good.

Wednesday: Used the same stuff, and threw it all in a bowl. I love the crunch. Pretty much it was the same thing as Tuesday, minus the bread and with more oil and vinegar. I will admit I missed the Feta I would ordinarily have used, or the bleu cheese dressing. But the stuff was still good.

Thursday: Acorn squash. I cut it in half, then baked it in the oven (350) for about 30 minutes. Then I put some brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and olive oil over each half and baked for ten more minutes. I scooped it all out and had it in a bowl. I used both halves, but that was way too much. It was really flavorful and extremely filling. I wasn't hungry again until supper time.

Friday: Tofu. I finally tried cooking this. I've always enjoyed eating it when prepared by someone else. But I've been nervous to try preparing it. I soaked it in soy sauce, sesame oil and mongolian fire oil. The kids were off school, so I figured it would make a nice hot lunch for all of us. I cut it into chunks and sauteed it. I served it with rice, and our favorite topping Nori Furikake. It's roasted seaweed and sesame seeds. Verdict: A big yes for Noe and I, a big no for the boys. They did not like the tofu. It was too squishy. Whatever.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience. I think I'll keep it up for a while and see if I get magically clear skin, healthy intestines, and an increase in energy level. At the very least, I'll have a yummy lunch that no one in the family will be whining about, because I'll be eating alone. HA. I feel better inside already!

Tunesday: Missing You

I love this song. I've loved it for years. There have been times when I've missed my husband like crazy. You know that feeling? When you love someone and they're not there for whatever reason, and you feel completely vacant without them? This song is a perfect description of that feeling. Plus, it's so smooth on the vocals and the melody is right on.
Don't click on the red square in the video that says "click here." It will just redirect you to another site.