The Year of My Personal Legend

Happy new year!  So far this year has been good to me.  Just before we ran out of money I got that long sought after second job in a kitchen.  It's been less than a week but so far I love it.  I feel like it's what I have always been meant to do.  Thus I have started The Year of My Personal Legend!  (Yes I did just finish reading The Alchemist)  I have even heeded to an "omen" already this year: I was going to buy some quilting equipment because JoAnn had them 40% off plus a 25% off coupon.  Well, the night before I had a dream of a madman shooting up the store and while I didn't think that would have happened in exactly that way, I decided I really shouldn't spend money I didn't have on something I didn't need, just really really wanted. 

In addition to following omens is listening to my heart.  I feel it's been wrong in the past but with out it, I guess I wouldn't have G1, so there's that.  It just made me take the difficult route and knew, better than I did, that I needed G1 because he is in fact a huge motivator in my life.

On the path to my Personal Legend I am hoping to gain better health so I can do more things with the boys and not be so embarrassed at my appearance or lack of ability (which working in the kitchen is helping; it's very physical work, more so than at school), wealth so I can, again, do more things with the boys, even free things take SOME money, like for gas (second job=more money), and knowledge (still going to school AND new job are valuable for that).

I know I won't have much free time between work, school and kids but here's to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2013! 

Post Whole30

Thirty days came and went, quickly.  I'm surprised at how easy the Whole30 turned out to be.  If it was my first foray into Paleo it would have not gone so smoothly, and even following Paleo before I had so much more to look out for on the labels.  Sugars and corn products have sneaky names such as maltodextrin (sugar) and dextrose (corn).  Oh and don't get me started on cellulose!

But, I digress.  I lost 17 pounds without exercise or counting calories, I was never hungry and most of my cravings went away (except chocolate and bacon).  I discovered new ways to cook vegetables.  My favorite happened to be grilled eggplant and served with marinara sauce.  I even had grilled beets!  I since discovered how cheese and milk do not agree with my stomach and how bloated I feel when I have any grains.  Really the only reason I miss bread is because of how easy it is to make a sandwich for lunch (and always makes me think of the the Meat Machine bit from 30 Rock).


So after that Whole30 experience I am super committed to being Paleo.  The real challenge will be when school starts.  I get lunch at school two days a week and it is all LOADED with contraband items like cheese and breads.  But I am confident I can keep this up and I'm sure I will be doing another Whole30 come January (ya know to detox from all the holiday "goodies").

Cheater Guacamole

As some may know I am loosely Paleo, some times much more strict than others.  Right now I am doing a Whole30 challenge so it's super strict.  Whether or not I am eating well (Paleo) or not (Standard American Diet or SAD) my breakfast doesn't change very much.  It's mostly two eggs sometimes with avocado and/or salsa, and fruit.  I am a HUGE avocado lover and while preparing my traditional breakfast I came up with cheater guacamole.  Now, disclaimer, Trader Joe's Avocado's Number Guac is  better but this is a quick, single serving portion.  And now without further ado:

Gather your ingredients:  Half of an avocado, pit removed, duh, and salsa of choice.  I love Herdez salsa!  It's a simple salsa with real ingredients, has no sugar AND is less expensive than other similar salsas that are in all English.  You can use mild, medium or hot, I have mild because G1 isn't into spicy salsa so he can have it mild and if I want it hotter I just add some Frank's Red Hot Sauce.

Keep your avocado in its skin and, using a butter knife, start mashing.  Keep mashing until you get avocado paste consistency.

 You can now scoop the avocado out of the skin and into a bowl and add some salsa.  How much you add depends on how you like your avocado to tomato/onion/cilantro ratio.  Also, use a fork so you get more salsa and not as much juice.  Then stir it up.  You can add salt and pepper to taste.

Now you can add it to your dish, like eggs!

Now you can have guacamole every day without it going all brown on you!

Tablet Cover!

I designed this tablet cover for G1's tablet.  I'm super proud of it because I haven't done many crafts, let alone sewing patterns, from scratch.  The tablet is secure and it props up for viewing.  The rigidity is thanks to lightweight yet sturdy foam board.  This is for a Nook Color but will work with any tablet if I have the dimensions and am hoping to get some made up to sell on my lonely Etsy store.

Pay No Attention to the Seven-Year-Old's Fingerprints.

I really should have cleaned the screen before taking these pictures >.<

Garden Stakes

 Last weekend I got a lot done!  These are some things that G1 and I painted.  I have had the garden stakes for years and have been afraid to paint them because they were so plain!  Where were the eyes going to go?  What about legs, or a mouth?  It was open for me to interpret and it scared me.  Well, trying to live by Yoda's wise words of "Try not.  Do or do not; there is no try" I decided to just start painting and see what happened, like any kid would do and how G1 did paint his butterfly.  Well, I could not be happier with the results!  It's probably the cutest frog since Keroppi!  One of the things I am most proud of is the fact that my frog is not perfect and symmetrical and I'm not bothered by it!

Yes there is also a candy corn there.  It will most likely be part of a Halloween frame.  I don't have said frame, but why wait until then?

*I just got an amazing geeky idea for the back of the stakes.  (Does anyone else think of Buffy when stake is mentioned?) Good thing I have not sealed these yet!*

Pocky Ice Cream

Sunday I rewarded myself for eating very clean during the week by making Pocky ice cream. I love Pocky and fell in love with it many years ago at anime club.  I have now passed on the Pocky love to G1.

I used the recipe from justJenn recipes. I love her recipes and I end up making at least one of them almost every week.

(I had actually planned on making a different Jenn recipe- Hello Kitty oreos but I happened to have a quart of heavy whipping cream that needed to be used.)

I was bad at taking pictures of the any of the process.  I didn't even get a picture of the end results.  But here's my summary anyway: it was amazing!

A little more in-depth:  I had planned on using chocolate Pocky because I love chocolate, of course, but G1 had slowly eaten all the chocolate Pocky and I was left with strawberry.  I was a bit disappointed and thought about buying some when I went to the store for ice.  I decided against it because regular grocery stores gouge you.  A small box of Pocky at Ralph's was over $2!

The recipe calls for the addition of Pocky during the last 5 minutes.  I don't remember the last time I had used my ice cream maker or how long ice cream would churn until done so I guessed at when the last five minutes would be.  Turns out I was not even close.  I was afraid that the Pocky was going to get soggy being in there so long.  Nobody wants soggy Pocky.

Well, good news, it wasn't soggy AND the ice cream with strawberry Pocky tasted so amazing.  The ice cream base is a perfect vanilla and the crunchy Pocky was the perfect compliment.  I will be making this again some time, but with different flavors of Pocky.

Weekly Goals June 3 - June 10

Another week come and gone.  It was a short week, but it was busy and productive.  We had our awards night for the daycare and G1 had his school carnival.  I wasn't very excited about going to the carnival but we got dropped off so we didn't have to worry about parking and once G2 started fussing and I sat down with him, G1 went along his merry way and got his fill of blowup slides.  I was very proud at how good G1 was about checking in periodically.

Anywho...my week went well, goal-wise as well.  I ate really clean this week so I homemade a treat.  I know it was supposed to be homemade oreos, but I had some whipping cream that needed to be used so I made Pocky ice cream instead!  It was sooooo delicious!  I forget how easy homemade ice cream can be, I will be making more this summer, that is for certain.  I still have not finished the book-grrrr.  I don't know why it takes me so long to finish a Redwall book.  One reason, though, is I do not get very far when reading before bed.  I really want to get onto another book.  Lined up are the Vaginal Fantasy book Kushiel's Dart, and the Geek Mom's Book Club selection of Let's Pretend This Never Happened: (A Mostly True Memoir).  I should have the book done this week!  I did get the crib sheets done, yay!  It obviously means I got my sewing machine (yes, I did and I love it!) G2 now has 5 colorful and soft sheets for his bed.  Sooooo much cheaper than the $15 they want for each one in the store AND those are not colorful with playful designs.  I don't even think I paid $15 for the materials and there is NO way labor costs could justify that kind of price, they're so easy!  I also got some work done on G1's sweater.  If I had known it was going to take me so long I would have just made it a birthday present.  Annnnd, that leaves the flowers.  I got a box for all that.  Ralph's had some sterilite containers half off so I grabbed a couple.  That means 4 out of 5 goals met this week!  I did some painting with G1 which was not a part of a specific goal for the week, but I am trying to something crafty with him every week.

Now on to new goals:

1) Continue to eat clean this week.  It's not that hard to do as long as I'm mindful and prepared.  If I eat clean this week I will reward myself with...

2) Homemade oreos!  As long as nothing else needs to get used from the fridge this will happen this weekend.  I will also be helping out at the VCDD double header this Saturday and either plan on having In-N-Out or a beer, depending on where I end up post-game.

3) Finish the one book and depending on when that happens, seeing how much of the next one I can get through.

4) Go through my miscellaneous box.  This was supposed to be for mending and then it just became a catch-all for crafty things that don't have a home.  I'm pretty sure I can find a home for most of them.  I have wanted that box gone for some time now.  And now is the time.

5) Made a car seat organizer.  Why?  When I think about it I'm not too certain why, because I know G1 is just going to stuff things in it and not keep it clean.  So I try not to think about it and just get it done and deal with the consequences later.  I'm hoping to at least get it cut out and the lining attached by the end of the week.

Possible road bumps in my brilliant plans:

Thursday: G1's last day of school and it's half day.  I plan on taking him out for a treat.  It will be after his lunch but about the time I usually eat so I have to plan to either take him to a place I can eat lunch at or eat lunch before I get him.  I think the former is a better idea because I won't just be watching him eat.

Friday:  I work in the afternoon.  It may put a damper on my plans to make dinner.  I'm planning on making skewers so I can prep them and put them in the refrigerator before going.  That way all I have to do is turn on the grill and cook them and slice up a fruit.

Saturday:  Derby game.  I'm pretty well prepared for after the game.  Depending on who is also there I may want to get a beer, otherwise I'll just pick up In-N-Out on the way home.

Well, that's my week.  I think my shoulder is well so I can go back to working out.  I have until Wednesday to find out.  I'm hoping so!  

Time for Game of Thrones!  What will I do until season 3 starts? *sob*