What I'm Loving

Life has been so busy lately.

Can you believe that half of April has already faded away in a sun-filled and blossom-frangranced blur?

I feel like it was just snowing.

Oh, that's right. It was.

Alas, time does not favor us mere mortals and flits and flies away at its own selfish pace.

It didn't help that for the entirety of last week, I was glued to a television screen or tuned into NPR awaiting updates on the Boston bombings. I think that the older I get and the closer I come to having children the more these senseless acts of violence affect me. I spent most of last week on the verge of tears and was hardly comforted by the capture of Suspect 2. I can't help but wonder at the wide and tangled web of which these two brothers were most likely a very small part.

Its scary. And I was scared and heartbroken and discouraged.

So, yesterday, I scrubbed the apartment and sat in the sun and read magazines and blogs and listened to good music and ate jalapenos on everything.

And that sort of made things a little better.

Now, instead of diving into Reading with Marilyn as I had planned (since her's is not a very happy story either), let's enjoy something light and lovely.

In honor of Spring in all of its pastel glory, I would like to shine the spotlight on some of my current loves.

Because, who doesn't need some LOVE right now?

1. I love everything on Design*Sponge, but lately, I can't get enough of the Biz Ladies Profiles on creative women entrepreneurs. Its fascinating and inspiring. Check them out! I also adore the Sneak Peeks--they make my Mondays sunny.

I am still reading (very slowly) Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates. It is fascinating. I can't wait to share with you all that I have learned about Marilyn. 

2. I love, love, love smearing this lotion all over my face. It makes you glow, I swear! And, it has SPF 15. Aveeno Ultra-Calming Moisturizer, $14.99

3. JALAPENOS. My new favorite thing. Here are a few tried and true recipes with the sassy pepper:

Jalapeno Hummus

Mario Batali's Fettucine with Lemon, Hot Peppers and Pecorino Romano - my ALL-TIME favoritve (I don't de-seed the jalapenos when I make this. Bring the heat!)

Michael Simon's Corn Salsa with Jalapenos - he serves this with double-cut porkchops, but seriously, I could eat this stuff with just a spoon. We had it Sunday night with porkchops and rice and black beans. W keeps asking when we can have it again!

4. When we first moved to Lewisburg, one of the first purchases I made for my wardrobe was a bright yellow infinity scarf from a crazy expensive boutique. It was the cheapest thing in there at $25! I wear it all the time (year around), so I feel like it was worth the investment. Yellow infinity scarf, $14.00 (On Etsy: handmade and hand-dyed scarf that looks just like mine for a fraction of the cost!)

5. Are you as excited as I am for the finale of Project Runway this Thursday night?! I might have to indulge myself in some champagne and chocolate to celebrate. And, yes, I would be doing that alone.... Project Runway Finale, Thursday, April 25 at 9pm ET on Lifetime.

6. I cannot stop listening to the Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros station on Pandora. It is so good. W concurs. Give it a try!

7. With Spring came my renewed obsession with La Croix grapefruit a la all of high school. I was addicted to flavored sparkling waters. And not because I was some health nut. My stomach (pathetic, sensitive organ that it is) cannot handle sugar-packed sodas, so the fizzy alternatives became my indulgence. Its ba-ack! And, of course, W is NOT happy about it. Oh well.

I love white wine, but W prefers red, so I indulge him. There is nothing better than a glass of red wine, good tunes and lounging on our newly transformed porch-ony.

Porch-ony. See Below:

Our fragile porch-ony is accessed from our living room. Its a tight space, hence the terrible picture angle and the name--not quite a porch but more than a balcony. I added some lighting, two beautiful ferns and a dill and basil plant from the farmers market, and some accessories I found while, ahem, basement diving. We then picked up two, cheap, plastic adirondak chairs since the porch-ony is exposed to all elements. We didn't want to invest in anything too nice that we would also have to haul across a few states when we move for residency.

Next on the To-Do list, is to find and buy: an outdoor rug to hide the hideous, moss-covered astroturf; pillows/cushions for the chairs; a low, weatherproof ottoman; a low table.

Here it is at night, seen through our very dirty window. So romantic though!

What are you loving right now?

-b

On Running and Skinny People

So, remember this? I try to forget it daily but the looming deadline of, um, THIS WEEKEND*, has me running scared. Literally.

After I created this cute little graphic and posted it, I proceeded to not run again until this past Sunday.

Don't you all want to be my best friend now? I'm so committed.

All last week, I found myself scrolling through the interweb, where I kept reading about amazing women who do amazing things while looking amazing.

And, this kept happening: 

Scroll, scroll. Stop. Read. Get distracted by svelte arms and toothpick thighs. Think:

That skinny bitch. She does it all. She's got it all.

And, she's skinny.

Scroll, scroll, scrolling. Stop. Stare at adorable picture of said skinny bitch with her six beautiful children, wearing their crafted crowns and eating homemade apple sauce from their home grown apples, along with her bearded husband, two goats, one pot-belly pig and a litter of white kittens. BLAH.

Gah, I really want to hate her.

How does she do it?

I bet she would explain how she has achieved her amazing life with some ridiculous crap like: 

 "I do yoga at 5:30am before even the chickens are up. And, I just can't drink my fill of green tea. (smiles a huge, toothy smile). We also grow our own produce year around in our greenhouse. I don't like cheese and abhor meat. We are vegan. The goats are for looks. We like to roll around in the mud with the pig. Oh, and, no grains!"

So, you eat vegetables and vegetables?

OH.

I'd be Sports-Illustrated-cover-ready if I lived in that household, too.

I would also be mean. Like, stab-you-for-a-piece-of-chocolate-and-lick-your-salty-fingers-I'm-so-effing-hungry mean.

Scroll, scroll, scroll. Stop. Let mind wander to a world without cheese. No grains--no rice?! No way. No steak!? How. Think.

Exercise. Everything in moderation and exercise. I run. I'm good. Well, I mean, I ran last week. It was pretty far. 3.1, right? Wait. It wasn't last week. NO, the week before?!

 

OH MY GOD I HAVE TO RUN A 10K IN LESS THAN A WEEK. 

This is my friend Margaret who I adore and who informed me just last night that as long as you eat right, you don't have to exercise and will be skinny. Hahahahahaha. I love you, Marg! (As we eat cupcakes, BTW.)

Still with me? Let's go back to this past Sunday when I donned the running shoes after, ahem, a few days of being utterly inactive. I decided to run along the river path, since Darling Spring has decided to stop and stay a while and it was gorgeous and sunny. Cap and I had previously done this run, and it. defeated. me.

W decided to join me, which at once thrilled and terrified me. I would have to beat him.

From my starting point on the path to the bridge where the path ends is 1.7 miles. That morning, I had two goals: 1. Beat W and 2. Just make it to the bridge no matter what.

A few things you should know, W does not run regularly. Prior to Sunday, he had run maybe twice this year. I thought that even though he is perfect and excels at everything he does he would surely suck it up--supplying me with ample confidence and motivation. Oh, and of course, a good run...... Thanks, W......

We started our run. A mile in and my hammies were screaming. (I had weeded the garden at work a few days before and was already sore from bending over--hahahaha, I am so lame.) I thought I would never make it. I kept going though because W didn't seem even close to stopping. I don't even think he was breathing let alone sweating. Jerk.

As we approached the bridge (1.7 miles), I decided to make myself keep going. We turn around, and BAM, are running against strong, whipping wind. We keep going. I actually didn't mind the wind. It sort of forced oxygen into my lungs without me having to gasp and gulp it in. I am sure this is a scientific fact.

About 2.5 miles into it and I'm thinking that I'm going to do one of two things 1. Puke or 2. Push W in the river and end the torture.

But, I soldiered on.

At 3.1 miles, I say, "Not much farther. We will stop where we started."

Of course, I really was just grunting at him while gasping for air. He speaks running-ese, though, so he understood. I said it more to comfort myself but thought he surely must be struggling by now.

He says, "How far have we gone? 1.5 miles?"

STOP EVERYTHING. Did he really just say that? Surely the lack of oxygen to my brain has me hearing things.

I wanted to push him in the river but my arms wouldn't listen to any commands.

1.5 miles?!!? We had been running for 35 minutes at this point.

I somehow manage to breath out, "It will be 3.4 miles."

"Really!?" W says. "Want to keep going? I got my second wind."

I WILL MURDER HIM IN HIS SLEEP ONE OF THESE NIGHTS.

Are you running along with us? Making any progress? I think I am going for 4 miles today. Fingers crossed for me!

-b

*Cap and I are attempting running a 10k on Saturday morning  

hello spring!

This winter seemed as though it would never end.  After some unexpected snowfall last week, I was seconds away from a breakdown.  That would have marked a first in breakdowns from precipitation... and it would have been well deserved.

This is what my front yard looked like on April 4th.  I laughed at first, and then nearly cried when reality set in...

A SOUTHERN GIRL NEEDS HER SUNSHINE.

Mother Nature was apparently only playing a delayed April Fool's joke on all of Southern WV, because the dreaded snow melted by sunrise the following morning.

AND THE ANGELS SING.

I get that snow can be beautiful and magical and all that jazz, but trust me dear friends... those qualities fade!

Today, I opened my front door and felt the warmth of morning light on my bare legs and arms.  It was MARVELOUS.

Hello Spring! You seem brighter and warmer this year.  Would you care to stay for a while?

It is quite fascinating to see what 70 degree weather can do to someone's soul.  In my case, it makes me eat less, run more, and smile often.  There is one downfall, and that is the sudden urge I get to eat Key Lime Pie.  Which is quite detrimental for whipping into bikini season.

But sometimes in life, you just have to say...

("Eff" picture inspired by Bri Jackson.  I think she has a "Chive On" phenomenon waiting to happen)

To celebrate Spring, here's my favorite Key Lime Pie Recipe:

Courtesy of Nicole Green

Key Lime Pie  

3 cups condensed milk

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup lime juice

1T lime zest

Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 for 5 mins.

Graham Cracker Crust

I did not make my own crust this time, but just in case you're feeling very Martha Stewart-esque....I have used this recipe before. 

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3 T confectioners' sugar

Whip heavy cream until it starts to thicken.  Add in vanilla extract and sugar until soft peaks form.  Spread over pies using a spatula or piping.

Serve with love and ENJOY!

Happy Spring Friends!

-Cap