#12 Everything Checked Off on the To-Do List

I LOVE it when the to-do list gets completed! Early enough in the day to enjoy the afternoon and evening without any guilt about things I should be doing instead... it just feels awesome! Today was one of those days (paper mailed off, bills paid, laundry done, dishes done, exercise done, scripture study done, dinner done, cupcakes done...EVERYTHING done!!!) when it all came together. And that basically just means that I can feel peaceful and free. and that, my friends, is something I love.

#13 Soup in Winter

#13 I love soup on a cold day.

Perfect because it is warm and comforting, makes the entire house smell delicious, and fills you up.

ps. not my pic, just one I got off the internet. Basically what it looked like, though. Enjoy!

My current faves are pureed veggie soups, mostly because they are super healthy and filling without extra calories. They help me feel satisfied and confident that my 'indulgence' isn't going to destroy my goal. If anything, it will help it. Since we got back from vaca, I've instituted Wednesday night as soup night. We've had some awesome ones and more awesome ones scheduled... but the best was our soup last night:

Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash

(from Soups, Starters, and Salads edited by Felicity Forster)

serves 4-5

• 2 garlic bulbs, outer papery skin removed
• 5 T olive oil (I used 2 and it was still awesome!)
• a few thyme sprigs
• 1 large butternut squash, halved and seeded
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1t ground coriander
• 2 pints/5 C chicken stock
• 1-2 T fresh oregano (or t if using dried)
• salt and ground black pepper

1. preheat oven to 425
2. place garlic bulbs on a piece of foil and pour over half the olive oil. add the thyme sprigs, fold foil around garlic so enclosed completely.
3. place foil parcel on a baking sheet with the butternut squash and brush squash with the a T olive oil.
4. roast the veggies for 25 minutes. reduce temp to 375 and cook 20-25 min more, or until the squash is tender.
5. heat remaining oil in a pan, cook the onions and ground coriander gently for about 10 min, until softened.
6. squeeze roasted garlic out of its papery skin into the onions and scoop the squash out of its skin, adding it to the pan. add the stock, 1 t salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
7. stir in the oregano, cool soup slightly, then puree in food processor or blender.
8. reheat the soup without allowing it to boil. serve in bowls with salsa and oregano garnish if desired (but we didn't and I didn't miss them. the soup is plenty flavorful by itself!)

a smooth, creamy soup (without cream-- just the great creamy texture of veggies), the deep, nutty flavor of roasted garlic, the sweet subtlety of butternut squash-- absolutely amazing! Caroline thougth this was the best dinner ever!

I am in love!

Countdown to Love

Inspired by a friend's blog, I'm going to share a lil somethin somethin that I love every day leading up to Valentine's Day. I am not going to limit this to 'romantic' love alone, though I'm sure there will be some of that too. And to keep the scope narrow, I'm going to shoot for things

relevant to my day, not just something I adore in general.

#14 I love Chinese ink landscapes and nature paintings

I love the composition, the beautiful forms, the skilled portrayal of nature, and especially the provocative use of negative space. Gorgeous.

The current section of my class right now is on Chinese art... and even though I am positive I will not be able to remember names and dates of even the most famous Chinese artists (despite having to write a paper... due in 2 days, I might add), I am truly inspired. I've got some great ideas for my own versions of Chinese-inspired paintings that I want to do. Something with color, but still muted and subtle. Not quite as bold as this:

but with that same gorgeous use of line and silhouette.

For those of you artistically minded who might care: I'm planning a triptych of square paintings that together depict an entire plum blossom branch. I'll paint in oil for more texture and depth, but try to capture those gorgeous lines and perfect composition. My future dining room will thank me, I'm sure.

I am in love.

Good Morning.

What do YOU do at 2:48 in the morning when you'd like to be sleeping but are up with a baby that thinks it is time to get up for the morning? Apparently, I blog.

Wednesday, assuming we get the all clear that the ear infection is gone, we begin cry it out. Because as much as I love my girl, I love my sleep too. :)

Preschool

Doesn't she look so grown up? At least, I always think so until I see how short she is next to the other kids. Then she remains my lil gal.Gwen was soooooo excited for her first day of preschool. We could hardly get her to hold still for any photos at all! and when I went to pick her up to come home, she bawled!

It has been exciting having our girl bring home "school" work. Today (I am writing this on Wednesday, even though it won't get posted til Friday) she brought home a pretty craft project-- some cottonball and cupcake liner flowers in a 2-D pot-- but the best part was her paper explaining her version of "what is that smell?". She drew a scribbly mess which the teacher labeled for her: "trash can". LOL. If it had been an assignment in our house it probably would have read "diaper".

I am excited for Gwen. She is loving this new stage of learning and socialization and that is exactly what we wanted for her.

Thank You Little Foot

I'll forever be grateful for a little dinosaur that could convince a very stubborn picky eater--

who cried and refused anything with even a speck of green

(I had to pick off EVERY SINGLE piece of herb from her meal or she'd turn it down flat)...

into a toddler who willingly and without a fuss consumed a pile of raw spinach with raspberry 'juice' (aka vinaigrette) for 3 consecutive dinners in a row because they were "tree stars".

Yes. Thank you Little Foot.

You did in one movie what we could not do in a year of persuading.

20 lb loss, hooray!

Well, folks, I am excited to report that I have successfully lost 20 lbs since I started trying (gym and eating healthy) in late June (6 months ago)!

I am thrilled to have reached my pre-pregnancy weight! I've noticed, though, that even achieving my pre-prego weight has not gotten me back to my pre-prego figure. Apparently, I'm going to have to keep going. In fact, based upon the improvements I've seen over the past 20 lbs and the way I WANT to eventually look, I think I'm going to have to modify my goal weight (which is still 10 lbs away) down another 10 lbs. Which means, if you do the math, that I've reached the half way point! I am happy about it and super motivated to keep working because I'm feeling great and looking great too! My ultimate goal is more ubiquitous, rather than arriving at a specific weight: I want to be back in my favorite jeans from when I was engaged (size 6) and be trim and strong in general. I can't wait to be HOT by summer! (and I'll look awesome in all those graduation pics!)

So even though I'm only half way there, I'm stoked about a 20 lb milestone and looking for a non-food way to celebrate. Trouble is, we don't have any money. Hmmmm.... any ideas?