On December

Some time in 2010, my creativeness slowly started diminishing. In an effort to increase blog postage I said that once a month I would write about 5 things: My favorite dress, favorite activity, favorite recipe, favorite nap, and favorite irk. Here's the first one I ever wrote: http://myslightlysillyworld.blogspot.com/2010/11/on-october.html.  That lasted for about 3 months, then my writing ADD took me else where. Well, you're in luck folks, I'm bringing it back (until I change my mind again). I hope you enjoy my synopsis of December 2011.


Favorite Dress: Cobalt Blue Sequin Dress

Me and my friend Emily in our formal wear.

Remember when I was obsessed with dresses: Dress to Impress? I've calmed down a bit on the dress wearing. Not that I don't love them any less, however I've been working out like a mad woman and living in Lycra....gasp. I might of only wore one dress in December, but it would of been my favorite anyways. I wore this cobalt, blue, sequined dress to our annual Crossfit Excel Christmas party. I found the dress at Express and could not avert my eyes from it's shininess. I've been a bit of a sequin kick lately. Danny wore his blue dress shirt (one of two dress shirts he owns) and we looked almost as sweet as we did on our very first date (my junior prom).

One of many prom poses.

Favorite Activity: Wined and Dined at the Nutcracker Ballet in San Francisco.

Danny and his Oly coach, Jon, decided to do something really sweet for their wives (both named Jessica...which got really confusing). They took us to the Nutcracker Ballet in San Francisco. I have a small confession to make. I love Christmas, but sometimes it makes me a little depressed. No matter how sweetly I decorate the tree, no matter if I have to work or not, and no matter how many times I drive around looking at the beautiful Christmas lights, it's still never quite as magical as when I was a kid. It makes me miss my childhood....not that there is anything wrong with my adulthood, but I think we can all agree, being a kid was awesome. This really sweet random act of kindness was the perfect activity to shake off my Christmas blues. The wining and dining consisted of wraps and waters from the San Ramon Safeway. The boys had good dining intentions, but we were running late. The freeway dining was, believe it or not, quite comical and probably better than any fancy restaurant in the city. The ballet was breathtaking. The building itself was so beautiful I let out a little gasp when we entered. There was even fake snow falling from the sky as we entered. The Snow Flake Dance had to be the most breathtaking of them all. When the ballet was over we hurried to the car and all four of us practiced our ballet moves. It was quite the sight to see, a couple of big time weight lifters doing pirouettes. I think I might have felt that same Christmas magic as I did when I was a child.


Favorite Recipe:  Dill Mustard Pork Chops

I'm going to be posting this delicious recipe soon....just know that it makes a boring pork chop amazing.

Favorite Nap: Christmas Afternoon Nap

Tayler enjoying his Christmas nap

I knew I was going to take a nap at some point on Christmas. I had to prep my body for a long night at work. Little did I know, that this would be the nap of all naps for the month of December. We went to my parent's for Christmas breakfast and it was nothing but lovely. Eggs, biscuits, sausage, bacon, hot chocolate, mimosas, and blueberry cream cheese bread pudding, all made for quite the feast. My gluttonous and gluten filled Christmas meal made me very sleepy. It made me so sleepy that I took a two and a half hour, nap, which is quite the departure from my usual pre work hour long nap. Danny slept like a little Christmas angel as well.


Favorite Irk: 99 South Traffic

The shopper's delight, Vintage Fair Mall, is on my way to work. Normally this is not a problem as I take the freeway past this mecca of over charged credit cards and pre teens. The month of December is a different story. Everyone and their mother's go to the mall to buy the latest and greatest Christmas gifts. This influx of traffic spills onto the freeway causing Christmas chaos, when all I want to do is get to work and save lives. As soon as Black Friday hits, I know I have to leave for work 5-10 minutes earlier to adjust for traffic. This does not make me happy. As soon as December 26th comes around I breathe a sigh of relief. An extra 5-10 minutes at home is always appreciated.

Making it Happen

I don't know how I feel about New Year's resolutions. I am continually reflecting on life and setting new goals for myself, I don't need the number 11 to turn into a 12 to do that. However, I do think that writing down goals and telling people makes one far more likely to achieve those goals. Accountability is a big motivator. So for New Year's sake, I will jump on board with a few resolutions of my own.

1. Blog more often -I've been slacking....big time. I love writing and apparently, we should do what we love.  I don't expect the New York Times to be calling me up anytime soon, so I better keep on blogging.

2. Get back to Paleo-I have to say I usually eat very clean. I am proud of myself for the progress I made last year. The holiday season got a little sketchy, but I'm back to my meat and veggies and feeling so good about it. Six pack (of abs, not beer) here I come.

3. Increase my back squat by 30 pounds -With my new oly shoes and simply showing up to the gym regularly this will happen in no time. When you have good form and a giant caboose, squats are easy peasy.

4. New Car- White Lightening (My 2002 Nissan Sentra) is getting pretty old. I've had her since high school when my dear dad decided I should have a more reliable car than a 1990 something teal green Ford Aspire hatchback that shook anytime I went past 60 miles an hour. White Lightening has been good to me, but I'm ready for an upgrade.

The first car I ever owned... fondly called, The Turtle.

5. Fertility- I need a kid of my own. I needed one a year ago, but God had other plans. Hoping and praying that this will be the year that Danny and I finally expand our little family. Any prayers/positive vibes/ finger crossings would be much appreciated.

6. Redo our office- It's a hodge podge of hand me down furniture and bulletin boards. I am sick of looking at the mismatched woods, creepy blue/grey carpet, and white walls. A trip to Home Depot and Ikea is in the works as we speak....perhaps I'll even blog about it.


With that said, I better get to getting on these resolutions...errr I mean goals.

Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash

Recently I was blessed with an abundance of butternut squash (the most heavenly squash in the world). Every fall, like clockwork, I get an insatiable appetite for all things butternutty. Last fall, it was my recipe for roasted rosemary and balsamic vinegar squash. This year, it's my Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash. You can have it for breakfast or have it for dinner (this recipe really is a winner). I like it so much, my skin is starting to have a slightly orange hue. How Jersey Shore of me.

Ingredients:

One whole butternut squash
Olive oil
Coconut oil (optional)
Butter from grass fed cows (Kerrygold)
Massive amount of cinnamon
Chili powder
Cayenne pepper
Nutmeg
Allspice
Sea salt
Pepper
Paprika

Santa and Mrs. Claus, supervising

Santa loves nutmeg

Mrs. Claus is more of an olive oil lady

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Cut butternut squash in half width wise then length wise so that there are 4 large pieces left.  Spoon out seeds and discard. With a heavy duty vegetable peeler or knife, peel the annoyingly thick skin of the squash. Proceed to cut the squash into approximately one inch cubes. You can also take the easy way out and buy pre cubed squash, but what's the fun in that? Spread the cubed squash evenly on the cookie sheet. 

Sprinkle with a lot of cinnamon (I'm not really into measuring my ingredients). Sprinkle with some chili powder, a small amount of cayenne pepper, a lot of sea salt, and pepper to taste. Add a few pinches of allspice and nutmeg. Finish your seasoning extravaganza with a sprinkle of paprika. Of note: The main flavoring is cinnamon, the other spices play more of a supporting role in this dish. 

Santa approves

Drizzle with olive oil. Spread 4-5 pats of butter throughout pan. And if you have it, add twoish tablespoons of coconut oil (makes it a little crisp, yum).  Toss the squash with your hands so that the spices and oil cover evenly. Re-spread the squash out on the pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Taste a piece of squash, if still firm, cook for 5 more minutes. Sometimes, I'll get a hankering for a more French fry like consistency… to achieve this, skip the olive oil, just use coconut oil, and at the end of the cooking process, switch your oven to broil for 4-5 minutes for a nice crispy treat.

 Let cool a bit and add more salt if you would like. Hide a serving or two in the back of your fridge, because your husband will eat it all. Enjoy! 

Philadelphia Day 5: From Cheesesteaks to Salad Bowls.

We woke with a feeling of that intense exhaustion that most people feel at the end of their vacation...you know, the reason why people say they need a vacation from their vacation. We tidied ourselves up enough to enjoy one last so-so breakfast at the glorious Alexander Inn. 

While semi enjoying our continental breakfast, the inn keeper asked us where we were headed back to. We explained as most Riponians/Mantecans do that we were about an hour south of Sacramento. The inn keeper, which by the way is his official title, exclaimed, "Oh goodness! The salad bowl of America!"  While I think Salinas Valley is actually the official, "Salad bowl of America," I assume he meant that we were from agriculturally rich territory, in which case he would be correct: We were headed home to the salad bowl of America. 

Before our flight we had a couple hours to spare so we stopped by Liberty Center for a few last minute souvenirs. We then sauntered over to the last of William Penn's squares, that we had yet to visit. 

Of all 5 squares, Franklin Square is the most kid friendly. There's a pretty water feature in the middle, a mini golf course, and a merry go round for one's enjoyment.

Franklin Square

Everyone loves a water fountain

Perhaps the best part of Franklin Square was also the most upsetting. It turns out that the mini golf course is a mini replica of the Philadelphia. All of the city's most famous landmarks are mapped out in a minature fashion of fun and golf. You can hit a hole in one through Elfreth's Alley or make par at City Hall. (Notice how I threw in all the golf lingo I know...) The most upsetting part is that we discovered the mini Philadelphia golf course after we had already explored every single one of these landmarks. It would of been nice to get a lay of the land prior to our adventures. 

Liberty Bell/Independence Hall

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Lehr's on our 6th wedding anniversary

Elfreth's Alley

After contemplating actually playing some mini golf, then deciding  it would be better to make our flight (much to Danny's disappointment), we went in search of Philadelphia's China Town.  I don't know what I was expecting, but Philadelphia's China Town is not a bustling Asian city within a city. I suppose I was expecting a San Francisco-esque China Town. I must admit, the Chinese Friendship Gate was pretty.

Chinese Frienship Gate

Our last stop on our hustling and bustling tour of Cheesesteak town, was the Reading Terminal Market.  In 1892 the Reading Railroad opened the Reading Terminal Market underneath the storage area for its trains.  I have not confirmed this with research of the least bit (not even Wikipedia research) but I think the Reading Railroad is the same railroad that you can, "Hitch a ride on," in Monopoly.  The Reading Terminal Market has survived the Super Walmarts and Winco's of our crazy country and is still considered one of the greatest food markets in the world. 

Reading Terminal Market

Reading Terminal Market

The market is overwhelming in an extremely awesome way. Seeing, smelling, and tasting so many amazing things at once, may just send you into sensory overload. From Pennsylvania Dutch merchants to fresh cut flowers the Reading Terminal Market has everything a Foodie/Indie/Uppity soul could ever dream of. 

As sort of a last ode to all things Philadelphia (think hearty, greasy, deliciousness) we ordered some pulled pork sandwiches from Dinic's. It turns out Dinic's has been featured on the Food Network and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

 We somehow made it out of the Reading Market without falling into a deep yet delightful food coma. At the Alexander Inn we waited in the lobby for our taxi ride, which I am happy to report was much less terrifying than our taxi ride there.

Philadelphia is like most cities in that it is a mixture of art, history, food, and fun. It is unlike any city in that it grabs these common city themes, chews them up, spits them out, and makes them uniquely it's own. Philadelphia's intensity is something you can only experience if you go there. So I suggest you do that. Just be prepared for when you leave you too, will have been chewed up, spit out, somehow encased in brotherly love then left in a state of historical, artistic, and culinary disarray:

Time to head back to the Salad Bowl

To read all my Philadelphia blogs in order start here: http://myslightlysillyworld.blogspot.com/2011/06/philadelphia-day-1-killadelphia.html 

March of Dimes

My silly and slightly premature godson, Ryan.
 (Posted with permission from his Mommy)

I really like babies. I like them for many reasons. I like that that are mini versions of us big people (to be honest I like mini things in general ...mini carrots...mini dogs....mini horses etc).

I like that babies don't talk back. Babies don't smoke. Babies don't have bad health habits.

They may cry a little, but it's usually for a reasonable reason such as hunger or poopy pants. I would cry if my pants were poopy too. They also cry when we nurses poke and prod them with needles. I also think I would cry if a nurse poked and prodded me with a needle.

Babies are generous with their love. They pretty much love anyone with milk, a cuddly arm, or a sweet song. Sure they may have a favorite (usually mom or their favorite nurse, who can feed and burp them just right) but in general, they aren't too picky.

Although I wouldn't wish a preterm baby on any mother in the world, I love them so. Their all over peach fuzz (lanugo) creates this uncontrollable sigh deep within my soul. The fact that even the smallest micro,  24 week gestation, infant can grasp his little hand around my pinkie melts my heart....even if it is just a reflex.

For myself, taking care of teeny tiny babies is a dream come true. However, there are times when it is heartbreaking. If these little micro mini human beings could stay inside their moms for even one extra week, it could make the ultimate difference between life and death.

I am walking for the March of Dimes because I love the little babies that I care for and I believe that we can make the ultimate difference.


If you feel like donating to an awesome cause click here: http://www.marchofdimes.com/

30 Days of Blogging: Day 30

day 30 – movies you can watch again and again



It may not be exactly 30 days later, but I plan on finishing what I started. Again, I feel like this is kind of a lame ending to this 30 days of blogging business. I probably feel that way because I don't watch movies over and over again so my answers might be boring to you, my dearest reader.

Julie and Julia: Okay, I've watched it 3 times. It inspires me to cook and dream and wear vintage things.

Beauty and the Beast: Best Disney movie ever. Who doesn't love talking candle sticks and large ruffly dresses.

The Hangover: Funny enough that I've seen it more than once.

30 Days of Blogging: Day 27

day 27- my day job verses my passion

Guy Fieri

First let me preface this by saying...I am sooooooo happy to have a job...especially one that I like. Truthfully, my day job...err.... night job is in most respects awesome. I get to take care of the cutest little patients in the world, work with an amazing group of talented ladies (and a few men) who I am lucky enough to call my friends, and I work 3 nights a week which is considered full time. Pretty great. If I could tweak my job to make it perfect I would work from 11 am to 3 pm, three times a week. I could sleep in and come home in time to take a nap. Of course they would have to pay me like 8 million dollars an hour for that schedule to work out fiscally. Nothing sad would ever occur at my job either. While there are mostly happy positive outcomes, there are things that break my heart.
 
A wonderful thing about my job is that because of my hours (and i'll admit it, my pay) it allows me to pursue my passions. Travel, food, fun, biking, sleeping, shopping, camping, hiking, running, and crazy headband collections are all made possible because of my job, that I really am passionate about.
 
So as for my passion, besides tiny baby nursing, I would like to be the next Anthony Bourdain sans chain smoking. I would even take Samatha Brown even though she is kind of annoying. Maybe the next woMAN vs Food gal....I can seriously eat a lot if I feel like it. I'd even be the Diners, Drive ins, and Dives host, Guy Fieri, but no way am I getting that ridiculous hair cut or wearing a flame t shirt. No way.

30 Days of Blogging: Day 26

day 26- list 10 things that you are thankful for

Since it specifically says "things" and not people, I am excluding you, family and friends, from my list. Don't be sad. I'm thankful for many things.  This list is off the top of my head, so don't feel left out (strawberries) if you have been excluded.

1. Bacon

2. Polka dots

3. Headbands

4. Bikes

5. Rivers

6. Disneyland

7. Central Heat and Air

8. Pretty throw pillows

9. Arched windows

10. Shark Vac and Steam Cleaner

30 Days of Blogging: Day 24

day 24- post your favorite quote or verse of scripture and why



I'm not a quote person. I rarely remember lines from movies...even if I really like them. My brain just doesn't care enough, I guess. Back in my Sunday school days, I was a champ at memorizing scriptures. Now my championship belt has been handed to my brother. I recently read the following scripture and enjoyed it immensely. So for now, it can be my favorite.

Jeremiah 1:5  Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

It's nice to know that there is a plan out there for all of us. It takes some of life's grueling pressure off of us who feel like we need to control everything.

30 Days of Blogging: Day 21

day 21-a picture of something that makes you happy

There are a bazillion things that make me happy, but the first thing that came to mind were drawer knobs. Knobs make me so very happy. I have become a collector of cute little knobs. There are no bad thoughts when you look at a blue and white polka dotted knob or little knobs that look like clocks... never. They spice up a boring desk and make my T.V cabinet look splendid. I don't spend a fortune on them so that makes me happy too. Danny rolls his eyes when I get new knobs because they don't always fit where I want them to go, but he figures it out, because they make me happy.

A painted knob on my desk

Closet knob from Danny

Homeless knobs

This one makes me really happy

Ceramic knob

Pantry knob

A whole lotta knobs

Old Timey Clock knob

30 Days of Blogging: Day 19

Day 19- Write about a sweet memory you have from the past

Romantic, I am not. Sweet however, is a whole different ball game. I can out sweet a basket full of puppies and a small child's lemonade stand. I have many sweet memories from the past, but I will keep it simple (and sweet) by just sharing one.

Like my lovely self, my dad works nights. Instead of 12 hour shifts, he works 8 hours, five nights a week. He would get home around 8:30 in the morning from his job at Livermore Lab. My mom, brother, and I would greet him and say goodnight.

One day my mom had the fun idea for us kiddos to hide from my dad when he got home. This was great, playing a trick on Dad was always fun. We chose excellent hiding spots behind the couch and anxiously awaited his arrival.

When Dad came home, he said hi to my mom then asked where us kids were. She replied, "I don't know? They must of run away!" My dad said something to the sort of, "Oh really? Well thank goodness for that, now we can go to Disneyland." My brother and I would pop out from the most secretive hiding place in the world, rush up to our parents, and beg to not be left behind.

The best part about this sweet story, is that this was a regular occurrence in our house a few times a month throughout my childhood. Sometimes we would hide behind the couch...other times under the piano.  Every time we got a kick out of it. I think my parents did too.

A few months ago I was at my parent's house, talking to my mom, and she told me to hide behind her bedroom door. She called my dad into the room asking if he had seen me. Soon they were planning a trip to Disneyland without me and I was jumping out from behind the door begging to go.