Blueberry Muffins

What does one do when snowed in during a blizzard? Well, if you're me you take the time to try out a new recipe. Another winner from ATK! I swear, they can do no wrong!
AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN: BEST BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
INGREDIENTS:
Blueberry Compote:
1 cup blueberries
2 tsp. sugar
Lemon-Sugar Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
Muffin:
2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
2 large eggs
1-1/8 cups (8 oz.) sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk (I used skim milk and it tasted fine)
1 cup fresh blueberries

Make the compote: Combine berries and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat. Break berries with spoon and cook down to 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Let cool.



Make the topping: Mix sugar and zest together in small bowl. Set aside.

Make the Muffin: Heat oven to 425F (400F for dark or coated pans). Set baking rack to upper middle of oven. Grease muffin tins. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in large bowl. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar till light, about 45 seconds. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil,vanilla, and buttermilk. Add egg mixture and continue to whisk till well combined. Fold wet mixture into flour mixture with a spoon or spatula. Mix lightly and leave the batter slightly lumpy. Fold in remaining blueberries.

Using an ice cream scoop, divide batter evenly among tins. Spoon about 1 tsp. of compote onto tops of standard muffins.



Swirl the jam into the muffins using a skewer or chopstick and a figure eight motion. Sprinkle each muffin with some of the lemon-sugar mixture.




Bake minis 10-13 minutes (they won’t brown). Bake standards 16-19 minutes, or till tops are set and toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. Cool in pan 5 minutes before transferring to rack to finish cooling.

Winner of this year's Best Superbowl Ad

How flippin' cute is that kid?

(stupid blogspot won't let me upload the link to the commercial, so cut and paste the web address below)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0

SNOMG

On one hand, it's looking to be a doozie of a storm.

On the other hand, we're Chicagoans - Bring it.

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

A couple of weeks ago I had a hankerin' for some meatloaf. It's a meal I haven't eaten in probably, oh, like 8 years, but it sounded good and I was looking for something I could get some leftovers from, so meatloaf it was! I pulled out my handy America's Test Kitchen cookbook and found a delicious recipe for "Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf".

We had some ground hamburger from our farmer I used, even though I couldn't be sure it was specifically ground chuck. We also had some ground pork and bacon from our farmer. For the ground veal, I visited our local Whole Foods where I was able to purchase just a half pound. Perfecto!

I'm sure, if you wanted to, you could omit the bacon topping but, honestly, if that's what you want to do then I don't think this is the blog for you. :)

This meatloaf was a lot for 2 people, we had leftovers for like 4 nights (which were still really good reheated). Next time, though, I would probably cut the recipe in half.

I found this recipe to be delicious and would for sure make it again. It was really moist and tender (I'm guessing the mix of beef, pork, and veal had a lot to do with that). The glaze over the top was sweet and tangy, which played off perfectly with the salty bacon. Yum!!

Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze
1/2 cup ketchup
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons white vinegar

Meat Loaf
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 pounds meat loaf mix (50% ground chuck, 25% ground pork, 25% ground
veal)
1 1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
6-8 ounces thin-sliced bacon (8 to 12 slices, depending on loaf shape)

1. For the glaze: Mix all ingredients in small saucepan; set aside.
2. For the meat loaf: Heat oven to 350F. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add
onion and garlic; saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to
cool while preparing remaining ingredients.
3. Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper
sauce, and milk or yogurt. Add egg mixture to meat in large bowl along
with crackers, parsley, and cooked onion and garlic; mix with fork until
evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture
sticks, add additional milk or yogurt, a couple tablespoons at a time, until
mix no longer sticks.)
4. Turn meat mixture onto work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into
approximately 9 x 5-inch loaf shape. Place on foil-lined (for easy
cleanup) shallow baking pan. Brush with half the glaze, then arrange
bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking only
bacon tip ends under loaf.
5. Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and internal temperature of loaf registers
160 degrees, about 1 hour. Cool at least 20 minutes. Simmer remaining
glaze over medium heat until thickened slightly. Slice meat loaf and serve
with extra glaze passed separately.

Stir-Fried Chicken and Pineapple in Sweet and Sour Sauce

Last night I rushed home to try a new recipe from ATK: Stir-Fried Chicken and Pineapple in Sweet and Sour Sauce.
It took about an hour to prep and cook the dish, but that's because I opted for fresh pineapple (instead of canned) and freshly grated ginger (instead of dried). But the amazing flavor from the fresh ingredients made the wait worth while! And the other perk is I already had most of these ingredients on hand, so this dish didn't require a pricey trip to the grocery store first!

Ingredients:
6 T. red wine vinegar
6 T. orange juice
6 T. sugar
3 T. ketchup
1 t. cornstarch
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (trimmed)
2 T. vegetable oil
1 large red onion, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 c. pineapple chunks
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. grated ginger
2 scallions, sliced thin

Directions:
Whisk the vinegar, orange juice, sugar, ketchup, and cornstarch together, set aside. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and slice it into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 3 mintues. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until just beginning to soften, about 2 mintues. Add the pineapple and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Whisk the vinegar mixture to recombine, then add with the chicken to the skillet. Toss until all the ingredients are well coated with sauce. Sprinkle with scallions before serving.


Chris and I both ate heaping bowls full of this while watching The Social Network last night. What a great way to spend a Tuesday evening. :)

Isla Mujeres

In two weeks, Chris and I are flying down to Isla Mujeres for a week of relaxation, sunshine, and fun. This small island is located near the Riviera Mayan on the east coast of Mexico. We have friends getting married on the island and we're some of the lucky few who were asked to witness their vows and celebrate their union with them.

I. Can't. Wait. :)

And to top it off (I know, you're thinking how the heck could this get any better?!) I found out that my brother, Lance, will be in Mexico the same time we are! He'll be in Cancun, which is a short boat ride from the island we're staying on! So Chris and I are planning on meeting Lance in Mexico for dinner, drinks, and dancing! Sweet!

The New Best Recipe

Lookie what I got for Christmas! A ginormous cookbook of recipes from the editors of Cook's Illustrated (i.e. America's Test Kitchen). It's gonna be a delicious 2011!

Happy New Year!

Medium Raw

I've been reading Anthony Bourdain's latest book, Medium Raw. Although his communication style is a bit crass for my liking, I respect his opinion on the food industry and how food should play out in people's everyday lives.
There is a chapter in the book titled Virtue, in which he discusses how it should be required to teach young men and women how to cook for themselves and for others. He's not talking Home Economics of the 60's where you learn to bake a cake, he's talking the essentials of cooking: how to cook an omelet, roast a chicken, grill a steak, blanche vegetables, and basic knife skills.
I like this idea of making this a requirement, like typing class and driver's ed. Everyone should know how to feed themselves and how to feed others, without using a take-out menu. So here's my short lesson on how to cook on omelet:

The first thing to understand about omelets is that they are a French recipe. And if you've ever been to France and had an omelet, you know that they have perfected this food. So if you want to make a good omelet, you need to mimic the French. First off, don't refrigerate your eggs.
Eggs are made of some protein and when cold protein hits hot heat it tends to get very dense and heavy. If you want a light and fluffy omelet, allow your eggs to sit on the counter-top until they come to room temperate and then cook them over a low heat. This will make the proteins expand and become fluffy.
Second, salt and pepper the raw eggs. Most folks in the US wait to season their food until it's on a plate in front of them, seconds before eating. By seasoning the pre-cooked eggs, the seasoning/flavor will pull through the dish making it much more tasty.
Third, use butter. This tastes so much better than any non-stick cooking spray or oil ever will. And flavor is what we're going for here, people!

Here's how you make a decent omelet.
First, scramble 3 eggs in a bowl and salt and pepper (2:1 ratio - so a pinch of kosher salt and a half pinch of fresh cracked/ground pepper). Set aside. In an omelet pan, heat up about a tablespoon of butter till it begins to bubble. Throw in any veggies or meat you may want to cook (I enjoy red bell pepper in my omelet). Sautee until slightly tender. Give the eggs another quick whisk and pour on top of the veggies. Let cook slowly over medium-low heat. Using a spatula, pull up on the sides and let the uncooked egg pour back out onto the pan. Cook until the underside is firm.

Flip the omelet in the pan and sprinkle any cheese you may on your dish. Using the spatula, fold the omelet in half and keep over low heat for another minute or so, till the cheese gets soft and melted.

Slide omelet onto a plate and serve. Super easy, healthy, and delicious!

The Amazing Race - Pittsburgh!

A couple of weeks ago, my family-in-law all gathered in Pittsburgh for a weekend to celebrate my father-in-law's 60th birthday. His wish for his birthday was to gather all of his children (and their spouses) for a weekend of food, drink, and merriment. And believe you me, we had all three!

On Sat, Will and Thea surprised us all with a friendly (but very serious) game of The Amazing Race! They drove all 8 of to the Lift in Pittsburgh where they divided us into two teams: Whoa Piggy and Pink Safari. I was on the Pink Safari team with Strampie and Chris O. (my brother-in-law). (The name Pink Safari is an old joke about the time Strampie wore a pink shirt on a safari in Africa. I'm sure he blended in well with the scenery! Ha! He'll never live that down!!)

So the game started out on top of a hill in Pittsburgh, overlooking the three rivers. There we had to each take turns hula-hooping. Surprisingly, I am the only person in the Hein family who can hula-hoop. So I helped get my team out of the blocks pretty darn fast!



After successfully hula-hooping, we grabbed a map of the city, our next clue, and an envelope with $55. The first clue read "Don't Bach, but you're going to need to get a Handel on your next location!"

We hopped into a rental car (Will and Thea thought of everything!) and drove to the next stop, Heinz Hall. Where the Pittsburgh symphany plays!

Then we had to scavenger hunt for a Terrible Towel (which I found at a 7-11 store) and quickly drove to Heinz Stadium, to take a photo outside the Steeler's stadium.



Our next clue eluded to the chapel where Strampie and Kay married, so off we drove to the Heinz chapel on the campus of Pitt. Once we arrived there, our next clue hinted at a staple food for Pitt students - Strampie knew that we had to race 8 blocks to the Original Hot Dog Shop! There we each had to drink a beer and consume a large plate of french fries. Then we ran the 8 blocks back towards the car, where we got our next clue "I am out hunting dinosaurs and my gosh it's cold!". That involved Chris O sprinting into the Museum of Natural History to take a photo with the Ice Age caveman!


Once this last photo was taken, we realized we were in the home stretch! We had seen the other team, Whoa Piggy, racing back from the Original Hot Dog Shop so we knew we were neck and neck! We jumped in the rental car, where Strampie proceeded to ignore most traffic laws. The final clue said "Let's meet up where there are saints and spirits! First team there, wins! Last team there, buys!"

The Pink Safari Team immediately knew where to go...the Church Brew Pub, an old church in Pittsburgh that was converted into a pub.

So off we raced the the Church Brew Pub and guess what! We beat the other team by 15 seconds! Woo-hoo! Pink Safari won the race!!

What an awesome game that was! We all had such a great time and what a wonderful way to see the city of Pittsburgh! And we all enjoyed sharing pints after wards, hearing the stories from the other team and see their photos.

And then the next day we got to cheer the Steeler's on for a win against the Raiders! I think Strampie was pretty pleased with his birthday weekend. Happy Birthday Stramps!

Breaded Pork Chops

There are few chefs that I trust their recipes flat out. Ina Garton is one. Alton Brown is another. But Christopher Kimball and his staff at America's Test Kitchen can give me a recipe any day of the week and I will cook it without hesitation. Those folks know how to cook and, as their name suggests, they test and test and test recipes until they get them perfect!
So it was no surprise to me, a couple of months ago, when I made their breaded pork chop recipe and was bowled over by how tasty those chops were. (That is partly due to our farmer raising great pigs but also due to this awesome recipe.)
It's a bit time consuming but is so good, it's the only way I've made chops since. I encourage you to give this recipe a try:

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops
This recipe was developed using natural pork, but enhanced pork (injected with a salt solution) will work as well. If using enhanced pork, eliminate the brining in step 1. The bread crumb mixture can be prepared through step 2 up to 3 days in advance. The breaded chops can be frozen for up to 1 week. They don’t need to be thawed before baking; simply increase the cooking time in step 5 to 35 to 40 minutes.

Table salt
4 boneless center-cut pork chops, 6 to 8 ounces each, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 large egg whites
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve 1/4 cup salt in 1 quart water in medium container or gallon-sized zipper-lock bag. Submerge chops, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Rinse chops under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

2. Meanwhile, pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about eight 1-second pulses (you should have about 3 1/2 cups crumbs). Transfer crumbs to rimmed baking sheet and add shallot, garlic, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss until crumbs are evenly coated with oil. Bake until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. (Do not turn off oven.) Cool to room temperature. Toss crumbs with Parmesan, thyme, and parsley.

3. Place 1/4 cup flour in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until combined; add remaining 6 tablespoons flour and whisk until almost smooth, with pea-sized lumps remaining.

4. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Season chops with pepper. Dredge 1 pork chop in flour; shake off excess. Using tongs, coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of chop with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to chop. Transfer breaded chop to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 chops.

5. Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 150 degrees, 17 to 25 minutes. Let rest on rack 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

Butternut Squash Soup

This past weekend, Chris and I drove up to Madison, WI to visit our friends Dan and Jess and to meet their 6-week-old son, Reid. The weather was chilly and drizzly, so Jess and I decided to spend Saturday afternoon in the kitchen preparing a warm, comforting meal. We turned to Alton Brown for a recipe on homemade butternut squash soup. It was pretty easy to make and had layers of flavors that were so good! The finished meal consisted of butternut squash soup, fresh bread, roasted beet salad, grilled pork chops and a lemon tart brulee for dessert. Mmmmm.....


Ingredients

* 6 cups (about 2 large squash) seeded 2-inch wide chunks butternut squash
* Melted butter, for brushing
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon
* 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
* 4 tablespoons honey
* 1 teaspoon minced ginger
* 4 ounces heavy cream
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush the flesh of the squash with a little butter and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper. On a sheet pan lay the squash flesh side up. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the flesh is nice and soft.

Scoop the flesh from the skin into a pot and add the stock, honey, and ginger. Bring to a simmer and puree using a stick blender. Stir in the heavy cream and return to a low simmer. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Since coming back home, I've been craving more soup but haven't had a three hour block of time to make a batch. So I swung into our local Trader Joe's and found this. It's what I like to think of as the next best thing. :) Bon Appetite!

The Woman in Black

Chris and I landed safely in Chicago this past weekend, after spending 2 weeks traveling around Ireland and England. The entire trip was amazing and there were so many sights we saw and people we met, I don't even know where to begin when explaining how wonderful the trip was. So I guess I will start first with the itinerary and a bit of theater.

The trip went a little something like this...
Land in Dublin and fly down to Cork - > drive to Kinsale (a charming fishing village on the southern tip of Ireland) for the night - > drive west along the coast, up through the Dingle Peninsula into Bunratty for the night (where the pubs are open late and the piano player is happy to have the girl from Iowa lead the crowd in songs) - > drive north to Doolin and take the afternoon to hike around the Cliffs of Moher (simply majestic) - > drive East to Dublin and catch a flight to Liverpool -> hang with Nick and Kris in Liverpool for a few days -> drive south through the Cotswold's (stopping for afternoon tea in a little town of Painswick) and on to Bath(dining at Jamie's Italian!) -> drive east to London to spend a few days seeing sights, taking in the theater, and enjoying all that London has to offer.

London's theater was amazing! We saw two shows while visiting: The Woman in Black (a 2 man staged play about a horror story) and Oliver! Because what's more British than Oliver!?

I wish Chicago offered half price theater tickets, I would go see more shows if they only cost $25! And with both shows we had excellent seats (front and center, about 10 rows back from the stage!)

Both shows were fantastic performances (I didn't expect to like Oliver! but was surprised at how fun the show was). Here's a bit of info about The Woman in Black:
Proud and solitary, Eel Marsh House surveys the windswept reaches of the salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway. Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, the house's sole inhabitant, unaware of the tragic secrets which lie hidden behind the shuttered windows. It is not until he glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black - and her terrible purpose. Years later, as an old man, he recounts his experiences to an actor in a desperate attempt to exorcise the ghosts of the past. The play unfolds around the conversations of these two characters as they act out the solicitor's experiences on Eel Marsh all those years ago.

Hooray for the theater!

Bakasana

This is the first week where I upped my yoga practice to 4 times a week. I've been doing yoga 3 times a week for about 3.5 months now and have seen great improvements in my flexibility and strength. Back in May, I couldn't even touch my toes without bending my knees. Now not only can I touch my toes, I can palm the floor!!

So when asked if I wanted to do a 4th class each week, I responded with an enthusiastic YES!!

Watch this video and see my instructor, Blanca, rock at yoga and you'll understand how easy it is to be inspired and motivated by her!

http://vimeo.com/9358141

So WEEK 1 of 4 classes per week and my arms want to fall off. Yesterday's class focused a lot on arm, shoulder and core strength building. I swear if we weren't in downward dog pose then we were in plank. Plus with push-ups, side plank and backbends, yeah let's just say my arms were jelly by the end of class.

Today Blanca decided to focus on Bakasana pose (crane pose - see photo). Which is great, when you have arm strength. Today, for me, it was more challenging than usual. I'm able to hold the pose for like 2 or 3 seconds which is far from where I want to be. Ideally, I would hold the pose for 5-10 slow breaths. I think when I reach that goal I will jump up and down for joy!

But for now, I just want to nap.

Jamie's Italian!

With one week until we fly to Europe, I'm getting more of the smaller details planned for our trip. After we spend 5 days driving around Ireland, Chris and I are taking a puddle jumper over to Liverpool to stay with his friend Nick for a couple of days. After which we are driving south through The Cottswolds to spend a night in Bath. Finally wrapping up our trip by driving east to London for a few days of sight-seeing, theater, and food.

While staying in Bath, Chris and I are making dinner plans at Jamie Oliver's new restaurant, Jamie's Italian! I'm very passionate about Jamie Oliver's mission of changing the food in our culture and school systems and I can't wait to dine on his menu!

Ireland!

In 5 weeks, we'll be driving around Ireland soaking in the views, the fresh air, and the endless pints of beer!
Our plan is to land in Dublin, head down to Cork/Kinsale for a day, drive on over to the Dingle Peninsula, drive on up to Doolin (Cliffs of Mohr) then head back to Dublin. 5 days of pure pastoral bliss. I can't wait!

Commute

There are so many things I love about our new home but I think one of the most surprising joys I've found is my new commute. When living in our last place (a condo in Logan Square), I drove 20 minutes to get to work. It was a fast commute but could be stressful with traffic and it didn't really encourage any physical activity since my car was usually parked just a few feet from my home and office.

With this new commute, it's just slightly longer and yet more refreshing! In the morning I bike to the train, which is about a mile's distance, take a quick 20 minute express train into Union Station and then a quick 4 block walk to work (half mile). So every day I start and end my day with a bit of exercise.

So on top of 3 yoga classes a week, I'm biking at least 2 miles a day and walking at least 1 mile a day. It feels great! Chris and I even bought new bikes to motor around town in! (Mine is the blue one pictured - a vintage Schwinn! His is a similar version only the men's bike in red.)

I love the morning bike ride to the train station. It helps wake me up, breathing in the fresh, morning air and hearing the birds chirp and such. A stranger actually waved to me this morning and shouted "Hello!" as I biked past his house.

I love our new home and our new neighborhood!

Water Management

When we did our house inspection, before closing on our home, our inspector Mike drilled two words into our brains over and over again. "Water Management". In order to maintain a property, shield it from serious harm and keep your pocket book filled with bills, you need to, above all else, have Water Management.

Chris and I knew one of our first projects moving into the house was going to be cleaning out the leaves from the gutters and the debris from the drain outside the back door (which leads into our mud room). But we thought first we should paint the basement, mow the lawn, get unpacked, have the electrician put in more outlets in the kitchen, hang artwork, grill out dinner, watch LOST, etc, etc.

Well, it thunderstormed last night and I woke up to small puddles of water in our downstairs bathroom and laundry room.

Mike would be so disappointed in us.

So tonight we're cleaning out the drain and on Saturday we'll clean out those gutters. And for as long as I'm a home-owner I will never lose sight again of those two, very important words: Water Management.

Flint Smoke

Chris and I are wrapping up week 2 of being homeowners and already I've learned so much just by trial and error. The family room, for instance, has been a journey in it's self. I started out painting one accent wall red (which took 3 coats of paint to cover properly) and then the other walls were going to be a neutral color.

Well the first "neutral" was too white. The second "neutral" was too flesh-toned. But the third "neutral" was perfect! Thank goodness!

Flint Smoke from Behr is a beautiful mix of blue-grey and works perfectly in the family room setting!

But once I got the Flint Smoke on the walls I decided that red wall had to go. So two coats of primer later and it should be set to take on some Flint Smoke.

So tonight, Jenn and I will tape and paint the last two walls of the family room. Flint Smoke all around with the beautiful white baseboards, trim and window sills.

Thank goodness....I'm so sick of painting this room. :)

Vinyasa

I'm going on my third week of yoga classes and so far I'm feeling strong, tired and stretched like taffy. Probably normal for the third week.

My company has begun offering 3 free yoga classes every week, over the lunch hour. Myself, along with about 10 other women, spend the hour breathing, stretching, stretching farther, posing, breathing and then stretching even farther before allowing ourselves to be still and quiet for a few minutes. It's a great practice.

I also really enjoy our instructors, two women who alternate leading the class. They're very patient and yet encouraging and already I can see and feel an improvement in my flexibility.

On Tuesdays, the yoga we're practicing is called Vinyasa. It's very rhythmic and active, with long sequences of movements timed with our breath. For instance we do a sun salutation sequence 3 or 4 times in a row, to warm up before class.

Some of the poses we're working on are:
Downward Facing Dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana
Extended Side Angle Pose - Utthita Parsvakonasana
Garland Pose - Malasana
Raised Hands Pose - Urdhva Hastasana
Standing Forward Bend - Uttanasana
Triangle Pose - Trikonasana
Warrior II - Virabhadrasana II
Seated Forward Bend - Paschimottanasana
Child's Pose - Balasana
Happy Baby Pose - Ananda Balasana
Bridge Pose - Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Cat - Cow Stretch
Cobra Pose - Bhujangasana
Plank Pose


So far, Vinyasa is my favorite type of yoga. :)

Happy Birthday!

It's Chris' birthday today so I figured I should write a little post about him. :) First, to explain the photos: the windblown hair picture was taken during our wedding ceremony. Holy cow was it windy that day! But the setting was beautiful and it was amazing hearing the waves crash up on the beach. The second photo was taken at the top of Thira, an ancient Grecian city on the island of Santorini. It was windy and dry at the top of the hill, so we were grateful for the huge bottles of water we brought along.

Chris will be drinking like that at his party on Saturday but it won't be water in his hand. It will either be a beer or a glass of scotch (depending on what time of they day/evening it happens to be).

I've only known Chris a few of the years he's been alive but what I know about him is that he's a fantastic person, he's genuinely caring, he's brilliant (I mean really, flippin' brilliant), he's humble (he would never admit to be being brilliant), he's hilarious and he's tall. And now he's also middle-age.

Happy Birthday, babe!