living in the moment.

I haven't blogged in a while. My weeks have been super busy as I'm trying to get a lot of hours in before I have to leave my job. I have also been working out a lot. It is sometimes hard to find the time, but I always feel so good afterwards. I've been keeping healthy through diet and exercise and it has become something so important to me (not that it ever wasn't!).

I've been using the an iPhone app called MyFitnessPal and you can also keep track through their website. It's a good way to be aware of what you eat by keeping track of how many calories, protein, iron, calcium, carbs, fat, etc. are in the food you eat. You can keep track of how many glasses of water you drink, too. Then, you add your cardio workout to let you know how many calories you burned so you can stay consistently at 1200 calories a day of intake - if you burn calories, you eat more to be at that 1200 calorie goal. The more you burn, the more you can eat!

I have still been suffering off and on with these stomach aches and tomorrow I will go for an echo to figure out what the problem is. I also had blood-work done but haven't had the chance to go and pick up the results. All in all, it has been very busy.

Last weekend I did find the time to wind down and relax. My guy and I had breakfast out Saturday morning, and then I went for a nice run (Well, I was only outside for my run to the gym) but while on the treadmill, the window was open which was so refreshing. I was seriously smiling the whole time I was running. After, I went to lunch with a friend. I had a wonderful three course meal - green salad, salmon filet, and a café gourmand. It was such a beautiful day.

café gourmand - espresso with a few miniature desserts

Last week was one of those glorious weeks that teases you with a hint of Spring. It was poncho/no coat wearing weather. I didn't have to wait for my car to heat up in the morning (love that!) and even cracked the window a few times.

During the weekend we did some pre-birthday celebrating for my guy because we knew Monday night we'd both we working. I gave him a beautiful Montblanc pen which he loved. I wrapped the pen in a shoe box and then in a cologne box so he had to open three boxes to get to the surprise! The pen arrived a few weeks ago and I had been counting the days until his birthday because I could not wait to reveal my surprise!

Besides that, there's nothing new. However, I do want to post my Thai Curry recipe because I think I've finally mastered it!! :)

What I'm listening to right now:

TGIF

This has been a long week. Last Thursday night I started to have a fever and woke up on Friday feeling terrible. I had a horrible stomach ache and felt tired all day, despite going to bed at 10pm. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday I was totally fine! I ran 6 miles on Saturday and 6 miles on Monday. Things were fine. I woke up Tuesday morning and got out of bed and my stomach was hurting again. When I was sitting or laying on my back but standing and walking were horrible. The thud thud of my feet on the ground just vibrated through my stomach. I walked to the doctor and it was just excruciating.

I had convinced myself this was a pulled muscle from crunches or something and really didn't want to go to the doctor. However, Wednesday I finally did. He said my situation was atypical and really didn't know what to make of it. He said it wasn't the muscle and my stomach was certainly inflamed. Other than that... he really wasn't sure. Yesterday I was feeling a bit better but still not 100%. Today I feel great. I have no idea what that little problem was with my stomach. The medicine he gave me appears to have worked and I guess the mystery will never be solved. As long as I'm better, who cares!

The perfect part is... it's just in time for the weekend! Tomorrow we will go to our new city (we're moving in April) and look at an apartment. We are really excited to move to a bigger city. In fact, I can't wait. Everyday I say to my guy, "Can I tell my work today!?"

This week wasn't all bad. With my time off of work, I was obviously bored. I read a book. I watched movies and television. The Vow was really cute! This is War was really bad. So bad that I stopped halfway through, watched The Vow, and then came back to finish what I started. I also spent a lot of time experimenting with new recipes since I was able to do the slicing and dicing while seated.

I made a delicious take on Sheppard's Pie. Vegetarian, of course. It was super simple:
mirepoix
2 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 Tablespoon dried Thyme
100 ml red wine
1.5 liters vegetable broth
1 small (the baby) can of peas or some frozen ones
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
then add a big can of lentils (the big mama, not the little guy)
The red wine, of course, is optional but it added such a lovely flavor. Then, you make mashed potatoes. I put some thyme in them, too. After, you use a ladle to add the lentils and broth to the bottom of a bowl. I first used a ladle with holes to make sure to get a lot of lentils. I topped that with the sauce. I put a heaping helping of mashed potatoes in the center, topped with cheese, and added a little more sauce. This was so delicious and my carnivorous guy loved it, too. I did first cook him a steak and sat it in the sauce thenadded the potatoes and more sauce on top. He finished that and wanted more and I told him his only choice was to have the lentils and he didn't care at all and raved about it. I was pleased.

And since I had nothing to do, I made apple tarts and turnovers which were equally as tasty! By the end of the night, he was calling me a chef :) This made me feel good considering the last time I posted my dinner on the blog he had worked late and ordered takeout. Upon seeing my post, he said, "Well, if I knew you were making that for dinner, I would have come home to eat." I thought, oh okay, I should call you and then you can decide if you'll order takeout or not!! He swears he didn't mean it like that, but what can I say, I'm sensitive!

Everyone have a wonderful weekend! :)

movies and life.

Something fun that my guy and I like to do together is watching movies. We don't really have any of the same hobbies besides this. I like hiking and skiing and running and taking walks and reading. He isn't into those things. He thinks hiking is a strange thing to do and can't ski or run because of his multiple knee surgeries. I occasionally get him to come for a walk with me but let's face it... that's very rarely. So, the one thing that we can do together is watching movies and we both love that. Since we like spending time together, we watch a lot of movies. This would seem like a terrible habit to have because we spend a lot of time indoors, but in a city that is constantly covered in clouds and plagued with precipitation, it isn't a completely abnormal hobby to have.

I could make a list of 100 movies that we love, but I think I will save your time and mine by giving you a little list of the movies we have watched recently that we really liked.

Here it is (as I thought of them, in no particular order)

The Next 3 Days

Loosies

crazy. stupid. love.

Limitless

50/50

Soul Surfer

Drive

Colombia

The Help

Sarah's Key (read the book before... couldn't put it down)

In other news, I have some pictures to share from my week at home in NJ. All of these pictures are with my family <3 Check out the baby's face!!!

What I'm listening to right now:

oh, happy day. happy year.

I just love a Monday like this. I was organized and had my clothes ready the night before. I woke up in time to have a cappuccino before leaving the house. I had the time to primp and thus felt great leaving the house. AND, when I walked outside, it was sunny and magnificent (although freezing!).

Now that is surely the best way to start the morning. Usually, I am a very unorganized, unpunctual person. I am always running around like a chicken with my head cut off. As prepared as I think I am, I am always sliding by at the eleventh hour. I don't know what it is - but I can never get my butt in gear to get out the door. As much time as I think I have, every single day I end up running out of the house like a bat out of Hell. Today just wasn't one of those mornings. A new day!?! WOOOOO!!

It's 2:15. I've worked for 5 hours and gone food shopping! This is just an incentive to try to be more organized. It is one of my favorite feelings to be somewhere on time (early is too much of a dream) and put together. However, I rarely get to feel this feeling. I think I will make it one of my New Year's resolutions.

As far as New Year's Resolutions are concerned, I really didn't have the chance to think about that or to make any goals for myself. With the death of my Uncle and my travels and then trying to get back in the swing of things and then spending the weekend trying to tie up all the loose ends, I haven't had the time to sit, reflect, and set some new goals.

Some wonderful things did happen in 2011 but let me put it this way : I'm happy it's over. I think that 2012 is a wonderful opportunity for a fresh start.

If 2011 wasn't your best year, then move on. It's over. There is nothing you or I or anyone can do now.  Things happen for a reason, and perhaps through all the bad, we can make some good out of it. We are where we are today because of actions and choices that have brought us here. All we can do is seize the day. Carpe diem. We are here. We are now. Make the best of it. As Leon would say (Curb Your Enthusiasm), "Turn that shit around." 2012: Let's do it!!!!

What are your New Year's resolutions?

My New Year's Resolutions:
1. being punctual
2. being happier (more positive)
3. being more organized
4. controlling my anger
5. stop sweating the small stuff
6. saving (hence not spending so much) money
7. paying off a big chunk of my college loans
8. buying (not renting) an apartment
9. being better at calling friends and family (not all my communication should be done through e-mail and Facebook)
10. becoming fluent (!!!!) in French
11. SO I can start my dream job (rather than teaching English forever)
12. losing my last 6-8 pounds
13. taking up a hobby
14. getting on a routine of exercising and sticking to it
15. running another marathon
16. actually making progress with les écoliers du partage / friends across borders (see #10 - if I can become confident enough to make calls in French, then I could really be more useful with this)
17. visit new places


What I'm listening to right now:

jet-lag

Jet-lag is seriously such a killer. My eyelids were so heavy today! It's only Tuesday and I am already looking forward to the weekend. I need to catch up on so many things - work, cleaning, UNPACKING, rest... I just need a few spare moments when my eyelids aren't so heavy to get my life together.

You know that feeling when you feel like you're forgetting something...? That's how I feel when my things aren't organized and arranged and in order. I'm experiencing a whole lot of that right now.

I also really need some catch-up time with my guy who has been so wonderful through all of this!

What I'm listening to right now:

sunshine.

What I'm listening to right now:













So life has been crazy these past two weeks. My Uncle (who was like a brother to me) unexpectedly died. I flew home the next flight out. The time was wonderful spent with family but it was so busy. Every day was filled with running a million errands and every evening was spent with the whole extended family. I had to make a collage for the services and prepare and practice the eulogy. There wasn't enough time in the day - pair that with jet-lag and just being sad about the circumstances, it was a hard time. I was so happy to be with my family through this time and really would have regretted it if I didn't fly home. As upset as we all were, it was amazing to ring in 2012 with my whole family together. We aren't often all together in the same country let alone the same state. The circumstances that brought us together were and still are heartbreaking, but it was a wonderful time with family, regardless.

My Mom, "a snowbird", now spends her winters in my parent's condo in Florida. She had already planned to leave the day after the services. She was going to cancel but my Dad convinced her that she should still go. She didn't feel right about the whole thing since I would be home and there were still a lot of loose ends with dealing with death stuff - so my Dad said, "What if Kaylan flies down with you? Would you do that, Kay?" Well, I don't know anyone that would turn down a trip to Florida.

After the services and the gathering after, my Mom and I headed home and packed our bags for Florida. We left early the next morning. I spent Tuesday afternoon through Saturday morning with her there. We had such a great time. I ate a lot of yummy fish sandwiches and coconut shrimp and cajun fries. We made homemade guacamole with freshly picked (huge) Florida avocados. We had a lot of time to talk and read and shop and to relax!! It went by too fast.

Saturday morning I was flying home after one last apple strudel sitting by the water. I flew directly to the airport in Atlantic City where my Dad picked me up. We stopped for a late lunch, and then we drove to the airport in Newark where he unloaded me and I was off to Europe.

I had one of those crazy, exhausting trips. I just about missed my flight as I went to the wrong terminal. I was bringing my skis with me and a huge suitcase and a rolly carry-on as well as a big overnight bag. After discovering I was in the wrong terminal, I had to lug all 4 of those bags to an elevator then to an air tram then to another elevator and then to the Continental check-in desk. I, of course, at to redistribute the weight in my overweight bag which really made me angry. The bag is allowed to be 50 lbs. I had to pay $70 for an extra bag (the skis) that weighed like 20 lbs. Doesn't it seem like my bag weighing 60 lbs should be OK then considering I actually paid for more weight? No, so there I was unloading everything while sweating and freaking out because it was now 35 minutes before my flight was leaving and I hadn't gone through security yet.

I arrived at the gate just as the last few stragglers were piling on the plane. I had a layover in Paris and then for some odd reason (booking a last minute flight) I had to go to Frankfurt and then back to Switzerland/France. By the time I got home last night, I had been traveling for more than a day.

Am I exhausted today? Yes. Was it all worth it? Yes. I'll share some pics tomorrow.

we have been numb here from the loss of my uncle. he was only 47. today we had the services for him and were overwhelmed by the more than 300 people sitting in the pews of the church. my aunt and i each wrote and read a piece of the eulogy. people laughed and people cried. i laughed and i cried. it is never easy to lose someone, but there is something about sadness bringing people together that always warms my heart. i hope that wherever my uncle is, he was able to see how loved he was and how missed he is.

what i'm listening to right now: (my dad and i are sitting silently - he's grading papers, i'm packing my bags - and we're listening to a wonderful mix of the beatles, johnny cash, bob dylan, van morrison, and other talents)

good night, friends.

a message to the men in the world.

picture taken in Orlando, Florida 2009. it makes me smile!

Guys: When you say you will be home at 8pm and stroll in an hour and a half late, the fried shrimp - the shrimp that your lady spent time deviening, battering, and then frying - will not be good anymore. Whether you know it or not, it is an actual science trying to get dinner prepared and the house straightened up (after a long day of work) by the time you say you'll be arriving. So when we're tired and weary, but collect ourselves together and bust out a meal, we don't want to sit and wait and sit and wait some more to then finally have to admit defeat and eat our meal (which is then cold) alone. Any excuse you have is just not good enough at that point, because you will never understand how depressing it is eating a meal alone after an hour and a half of waiting.

Guys: The real reason why women get chubbier as they get older is this: we munch on food to keep our growling bellies from being so hungry while we wait for you or we are so hungry by the time we eat that we devour way too much food.

Guys: As much as you think it's not a big deal and say "eat without me," this isn't something we want to do. While it may seem ultra "cool" of you to suggest we do such a thing, we will continue to wait... for at least an hour... in hopes that we can enjoy a meal with you and have that opportunity to relax and share conversation, because we know the rest of the evening only segways into other less communicative distractions such as the television or the internet or returning phone calls.

Guys: Women are sensitive, loving creatures and we want you to be sensitive and loving in return (we won't tell a soul how sensitive you can be!). Paying us a sweet gesture goes a lot further than you think, so surprise us, be kind to us, and show us you love us just a little bit better (because we know you do!).

:)

Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it. . . . It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk anything, you risk even more.

             Erica Jong