Go Hawks!

Dustin and I are attending our good friend Jim's epic family Superbowl party on Sunday.  Each year their family goes ALL OUT for the game.  They even customize their food menu to the players and teams playing in the Superbowl.  I went last year and had a blast!  This will be Dustin's third year and my second year attending.  Jim actually just moved to Denver a few months ago with his girlfriend Molly.  So the teams are even more special this year.  Needless to say this menu I received via email is already making me hungry!

PS - The ad geek in me loves this.  Favorites include Pepsi, Nature Valley and Best Buy.

I Love West Seattle

I loved Ballard and now I love West Seattle.  I can't imagine not living by the water and seeing views like this everyday.  Pure bliss.  I was thinking the other day how much I love my bus ride into work.  It motivates me to be my best every day.  Who can resist a beautiful drive that overlooks the Seattle skyline, Alki, the ferris wheel with ferries in the background?

My Life Isn't Perfect

Our Wednesday night was uneventful.  Dustin did not join since he has been feeling under the weather, but he was able to drop me off and pick me up.  My mom and I just sat and talked.  Nothing in particular.  She shared several ideas that she had for the wedding, so it was special to talk about.

I am not normally into quotes, they really don't do much for me.  But I did like this one that I saw posted on Instagram this morning.  It reminds everyone that your life will never be perfect but it doesn't mean you can't still enjoy the special moments that life is all about.  For me, those moments are with my mom right now.

Here is a funny post about Instagram that we are all guilty of, even me! Because guess what?  No ones life is perfect and this guy sums it up pretty well.

PS - Valentine's Day is soon!

Recipes To Make

Last night I decided to make one of Dustin's favorite childhood recipes, Hamburger pie.  No, it's not the healthiest recipe but I know that he loves it and I wanted to make it for him.

So after the gym I went to Safeway and picked up the ingredients.  As I was preparing the dish I kept thinking about how dinners become rushed and routine.  My "go-to" every night could easily be a smoothie or a sweet potato.  The crazy thing is that I really enjoy meal preparation and making meals.  It never seems like a burden to me, except when I don't have ingredients readily available.

I struggle to buy a lot of fresh ingredients because Dustin and I are only home together several nights a week (I am gone on the weekends and we are both gone Wednesday nights with my mom.)  I feel like that makes it really easy to waste food.  However, I also hate when our fridge is bare and have limited food options.

One of my favorite sites that offer healthy alternatives to everyday meals is Dashing Dish.  It's also the same site where I found my favorite tortilla brand and protein powder that I use.

Here are some recipes I want to make that are healthy alternatives, easy to buy for and that are simple.

Crispy Popcorn Chicken -

Frozen chicken breasts are a staple in our freezer.  This seems like it would be a good mix-up from my traditional baked chicken that I top my salads with.

via Dashing Dish

Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla -

I buy the "LaTortilla" brand tortilla in bulk at Costco and keep them in the freezer, so this recipe is a good find and seems like an easy "go-to"!

via Dashing Dish

Buffalo Sweet Potato Fries -

I think everyone knows I eat sweet potatoes like they are going out of style.  This recipes looks like one Dustin would love to, especially with the Superbowl coming up!

via Dashing Dish

The real reason for this blog post is stemmed from my bad mood yesterday. I had a terrible attitude after a few events from the weekend.  I talked myself into going home after work and doing nothing.  I thought that would make me feel better, sulking and feeling sorry for myself.

Once I got home I made myself go to the gym.  Once I was there, I had a great work out!  That's when I was inspired to go make a nice dinner for Dustin.  We ended up having a such a good night cooking together and then talking and laughing at the dinner table until past 9 pm.

Why?  Because I need to keep myself fueled by things that I enjoy.  Even if it is the simplest things.

Spilled Coffee and Tired Legs

This morning I spilled my coffee all over my kitchen table and drenched my "spot clean only" table runner.  The spillage took place about 5 minutes before I had to run out to catch the bus.  Happy Monday to me!  Thank goodness for good coffee at work and yes my co-worker totally walked in on me taking this photo, oops!

The weekend was good but I am already tired.  

After getting off later than usual on Friday I still managed to get a quick work out in, along with laundry and dinner before picking up my sister at the airport.  Once at my mom's, Megan and I decided to tag team the nightshift for my mom together which was really helpful.  I took the 1:00 am shift and Megan the 4:00 am shift both nights down there.  Aunt Becky was fighting a cold so she really needed the extra sleep.  Normally, it is tough to get her to sleep through the night.

On Saturday morning, I woke up to feed the dogs and make my mom some breakfast.  Aunt Becky and I had the "day off" while my sister was home.  We first headed out to pick up some more CBD capsules (weed) for my mom.  These really seem to help with her pain and anxiety levels.  After our medicinal errands we decided to get lunch down on Ruston Way in Tacoma.  We chose The Lobster Shop and it was absolutely delicious and we enjoyed the amazing views of the water.

After our lunch we headed into Tacoma and browsed an antique shop for a few hours before heading back home.  The only purchase we made was a cable car tin box that Aunt Becky picked up.  Our next outing took us over to Georgia and Michaels for a "happy hour" where we enjoyed good company, drinks and finger foods!

Later that evening, Dustin came over to my mom's for dinner and we had a taco casserole that Georgia made for us. We all watched a movie up in my mom's room while we ate.  Afterwards, Megan and I decided to take a late night ice cream run in Dustin's truck using gift cards that we received over a year ago!

Sunday morning began with a refreshing 4 mile run with Megan followed by the 7 minute workout.  Dustin and I then headed to meet with a potential DJ at Starbucks and then headed to lunch afterwards to enjoy some "us" time in the midst of all of the continual chaos!  

After spending a bit more time at my mom's with Megan in town, I decided it was time to head out earlier than usual.  With Megan in town, I didn't feel the need to be with my mom all day since they were enjoying time with one another.

Dustin and I decided to drive around a few neighborhood areas that we might start looking at homes in (since West Seattle is out of our budget range).  I really am excited to see where the next few years take us.

Our night ended with a bowl of chips and two beers while we watched Good Will Hunting.  And yes, we did make a box of Mac & Cheese because sometimes comfort food is all you need!

Something fun that my sister put together!  Sisters through the good and bad.

Thursday Favorites

Some things I am loving lately -

1) My favorite little girl turned 4!  She is now totally rockin' a pair of bright pink Hunter rain boots that I sent!

2) Simple reminders.

3)  Finding these pretty and fun straws on Brickyard Buffalo for my breakfast tray.

4) Rifle Paper Company

Framing this wrapping paper for my latest home project:

Laughing at Valentine's Day cards:

5) More wedding inspiration.  Using a tassel garland for a fun and easy way to incorporate our colors.

6) Cute table number ideas.

7) Watching Captain Phillips with my mom and Becky last night.

8) This jacket.  Comfy, pretty and amazingly soft :).

Girls Night In

As I mentioned in my last post, Audra and I had planned a "Girls Night In".  So last night, Audra and Greta drove up and we enjoyed a night in my West Seattle apartment!

The night before I had prepped a recipe for stuffed shells.  This was a favorite recipe that I often made in college with my close girl friends.

Audra and Greta also brought a bottle of Pinot Noir, fresh fruit, salad and appetizers.

Our menu included:

- Smoked trout and truffle cheese for appetizers

- A fresh salad with veggies, goat cheese and prosciutto (yum!).

- Stuffed shells for dinner

- Cantaloupe and strawberries for dessert

It was so fun to have a night in and enjoying making dinner at home together.  I have grown up with these girls at church so it is always fun to get together with him and see how much everyone has changed over the years :).

Seahawks Weekend!

Hello and happy Monday!

This weekend was a good one filled with a lot of fun activities.

I'll start with Friday night.  After work I headed down to Federal Way to see mom, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Becky.  Whenever family members are here it makes it feel like a "mini-family reunion".  Mom was much better than my Wednesday night visit with her.  She was very alert, awake and so much fun to be with and she even came downstairs to have dinner with us.  (Mya too!)

On Saturday morning I woke up early to head over to my good friend Audra's house for my hair appointment (she is currently doing hair out of her adorable home).  Once together we also planned a dinner for this Tuesday night that will include her sister Greta as well, so that will be fun to look forward to.  Both Audra and Greta are two girls that I grew up with at St. Lukes.  They have turned into lifelong friends!

After my hair appointment, I was able to go back to my mom's for a few hours before meeting with Dustin and my dad at our first catering meeting with Galucci's Catering.  The meeting was a great  because the catering manager used to be the event manager at our venue, Olson Mansion.  She was very helpful and offered us a lot of insight.

After our meeting the three of us hung out at Starbucks to discuss more wedding details before I headed back over to my mom's.  I was on "mom duty" for the night while my Aunt Becky, Aunt Sue, Uncle Greg and Uncle Jeff all went out to dinner.  Once they returned, I decided to head back to West Seattle, since there was still a full house.  Dustin and I decided to watch the final episode of Breaking Bad.  We have been really into watching Breaking Bad for the last few months and it was really sad to end the series.  I highly recommend it!

Sunday was our busiest day!  Dad came up to West Seattle and we tried out a new breakfast spot before we went downtown to tailgate.  The place we chose was called Easy Street Records.  It was a "dive" type spot but was absolutely delicious!  I most definitely indulged in Eggs Benedict which has quickly become my new favorite meal after my trip to New York in June.  I also enjoyed the other half of East Street Records which was served as record store and a place you could find old cds and DVDs.

After breakfast, the three of browsed the West Seattle Farmers market before heading downtown.  It was tailgating time!  Hawk alley was filled with lots of music, drinks and chanting!

We eventually made it over to Safeco Field for some beers before Dad and Dustin headed to the Seahawks vs 49ers NFC Championship game.  I headed back down to my moms and then went over to Georgia's home where she was a hosting a small football party.

After indulging in way too much game day food, a lot of white wine and even more yelling we watched the Seahawks take the win!  They are now heading to the Super Bowl!!  It was such a fun group to be with.  Our joke of the day was making Georgia's granddaughter run to the bathroom since they seemed to always make a good play when she was gone, pretty funny.

What a great weekend, go Hawks!

My Favorite Ballard Run

Yesterday I went back in time!  I took my old bus, to my old apartment to hang out with my old roommate, Marissa!  There are many reasons why I love her, but one of my favorite reasons why I love hanging out with her is that we both love to exercise together.  Even though we were both feeling groggy, it was cold and it was dark outside, we both agreed that we wanted to run our old running route.  I love running with a friend because it makes the run fly by, as I don't even think about mileage.

My old apartment (where Marissa still lives) is 2.5 miles to Golden Gardens, a pretty beach spot that sits right next to the boat marina. The run also starts out on Market Avenue, which is a fun street illuminated by string lights, unique bars and restaurants.   It is my absolute favorite run and we both were feeling pretty good after busting out a 5 mile run.

Before we ran I laughed because both of our shoes corresponded perfectly with the color shirts we were wearing, completely unintentional (I promise!).

Wednesday Nights

Our Wednesday nights for the last few months have been pretty consistent.

They all look a lot like this:

- Dustin texts me and asks me what time I'll be down around, I say 4:50 pm - 5 (always)
- Aunt Becky texts me and asked me what time I'll be down around, I say 5:00 pm - 5:30 (always)
- I leave work after my 3:30 pm client call and hop on a bus around 4:00 pm"
- Dustin leaves work to come pick me up at the Transit Center
- We stop and pick up dinner of my mom's choice, unless she has already eaten
- We sit with her while we all eat
- Let her rest after wards to help her from getting sick
- Chat with Aunt Becky
- Watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy with her
- Hang out
- Head back up to West Seattle

Not a whole lot of excitement, but we have both really been enjoying our time down there together.  It is our new normal!  Last night, Uncle Jeff came flew in from Colorado.  We stayed at the house while Aunt Becky went to pick him up.  It is always fun to have UJ in town!  Dustin always looks forward to Jeff's visits too!

Every time I leave my mom (even if it's just going to the bathroom) she will say, "I love you to pieces"!  When I left last night (to head home) she said to me:

Mom: "I love you to the moon and back."
Me: "How about Mars, that is farther away."
Mom: "No, not Mars that is too cold there."
Me: "Ohhh okay."
Mom: "No, it has to be the moon because it is shiny and beautiful like you!"

Isn't that just sweet?  How can your heart now melt after hearing things like that.  This is why I always love my time down there.  Even though it can be tiring and annoying to be in a constant limbo, my time with her will always hold a special place in my heart and the special time that we share together.  I am so lucky to have this close relationship with my mom!

Registering at Crate & Barrel

Hello! Dustin and I kicked off our Tuesday with an early morning workout at our gym.  I love getting my workout done in the morning (along with cleaning) however, I highly doubt that Dustin will be joining me again that early ;).  After Dustin left for work I enjoyed some coffee while FaceTiming with Addison!  (Below are my new shoes (I always order ASICS GT 2000) and I am loving the bright new colors!)

Work was busy which was good since it made the day fly by.  I was so excited to do our first round of wedding registry at Crate & Barrel.  That store is filled with beautiful things!  

Dustin was still tired from his "early morning workout" so we stopped in at Starbucks before the registering fun began!  How convenient that there was a Starbucks right next door to C&B, god bless Seattle.  

Once at C&B, we met with a consultant and she gave us our handy dandy scanning device.  

It's hard not to get carried away in the store!  We tried narrow our selection down to the items we will use daily, mainly because the store is a bit pricey.

Some items we scanned included:

- Plates and Bowls
- Drinking Glasses
- Stemless Wine Glasses
- Flatware
- Bar Accessories
- Grilling Accessories
- Outdoor Patio Trays (Dustin picked out Seahawk colors of course)
- And of course a few fun things here are there!

We will unitize Macy's and Target for other smaller items, decor and kitchen machinery.

Dustin said that this chair is so expensive Abraham Lincoln would buy it...hmmm funny Dustin?

After we finished scanning our items, we needed some dinner!  Since the Seahawks scored a touch down in the Red Zone, we thought we would take advantage of the Red Robin deal going on in the Seattle area!

Not the healthiest option but it sure was tasty!  Tonight I am heading down to my mom's while my aunt picks up my uncle from the airport, so I am sure I'll be blogging again soon!