I went to Costco and Safeway today to purchase groceries and on my way home started thinking about all of the good things we have to eat for the next couple of weeks. Since the results of today's grocery shopping is pretty indicative of how we eat and since I like to think that someday maybe my grandkids will read my blog posts (hi kiddies - granny loves you!! haha, cracking myself up right now), I thought it might be interesting for them (probably none of you who currently read) to see what I bought. So here goes:
10 roma tomatoes
fresh mozzerella
fresh basil
4 pounds of strawberries
2 oranges
2 bunches of green onions
cilantro
2 gallons skim milk
colby jack cheese sticks
string cheese
6 jars of chunky mushroom spaghetti sauce
penne pasta
brussel sprouts
1 mango
rocky road, mint chip, and strawberry ice cream (on sale for $2.99 and got me a $10 coupon to Safeway for my next shopping trip so I stocked up)
green chili enchilada sauce
canned seasoned tomatoes
1 loaf french bread
NyQuil (Paul has had a cold)
2 sweet vidalia onions
6 bell peppers (2 red, 2 yellow, 2 orange)
2 dozen eggs
1 brick cheddar cheese
1 wedge parmigian reggiano cheese
bag of pine nuts
hot dogs
chocolate chips
baby formula
I forewent mushrooms (out of stock), kiwis (too hard), avocados (too soft), meat (all too pricey this week and we are decently stocked in the freezer anyway) and oreos (because I am being good - or because I felt guilty about the ice cream). Pair the above with the tortillas, rice, pasta, and meat that we have at home and this should get the three of us through at least a couple of weeks. Except we may have to buy milk again.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
On being who I want to be
There are a number of things that I used to be good at. Or at least, that I felt like I had at least a modicum of ability in those areas. Things like playing the piano, understanding the German language, reading scriptures on a daily basis, running, journaling, ballroom dancing, writing, keeping in touch with friends, singing, reading (as opposed to only listening to) books, etc.
Then there are things I have never been very good at. Like saying no to sweets, giving compliments (seriously, some people just give the best compliments and I am astonished at how insightful, sincere, and kind those people are - I think it is a talent to give meaningful compliments), accepting compliments, any kind of sport played with a spherical object, flossing, art, multi-tasking, budgeting, etc.
So I have decided to try to recapture some of those previous talents, skills, and/or characteristics that I spent a lot of time developing and maybe even trying my hand at some areas where I don't have any natural ability or inclination and seeing if I can grow in ways where I currently feel limited.
I'm starting small.
Last week I went to the gym four times and ran between 1 to 1 1/2 miles each time and walked another 1 to 2 miles. It is a far cry from the regular 4 to 6 mile runs and 8 to 12 mile weekend runs I used to do when I was training for the marathon I ran back in 2006 (has it SERIOUSLY been that long?!), but at least it is doing something.
I have pulled out sheet music for the easy versions of Disney songs from "Aladdin" and "Beauty and the Beast" and dusted off Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" and have been playing them (and sometimes singing along) for Clara most days in an effort to reclaim some of my musical abilities.
I am recommitting to being a daily scripture reader and I am going to start a novel and try to read each night before bed.
All of these things make me feel good about myself and happier and more relaxed about life, so why do I struggle to stay motivated or maintain these efforts on a regular basis? I consider myself a fairly goal-oriented person and I sometimes wonder if that actually hinders me after I "achieve" a particular goal because I feel like it is okay to drop that activity or take a break and then I never come back to it. For example, once I finished the only marathon I have ever run, I had pretty much zero desire to run anymore and have only run sporadically, with four miles being my longest distance, ever since then. Or as a different example, when I have been really, really good about daily scripture study for a long time and then go on vacation and for some reason feel okay about taking a one-week break reading, I then have a bear of a time getting back into it after returning home.
I don't want to be like this. I mean, while I am actually very happy with my life and feeling pretty good about myself, I know that there is a lot more that I can and should be doing to feel like I am growing and bettering myself as a person. It is time for me to stop just going with the flow of things and being lackadaisical about living my life.
Then there are things I have never been very good at. Like saying no to sweets, giving compliments (seriously, some people just give the best compliments and I am astonished at how insightful, sincere, and kind those people are - I think it is a talent to give meaningful compliments), accepting compliments, any kind of sport played with a spherical object, flossing, art, multi-tasking, budgeting, etc.
So I have decided to try to recapture some of those previous talents, skills, and/or characteristics that I spent a lot of time developing and maybe even trying my hand at some areas where I don't have any natural ability or inclination and seeing if I can grow in ways where I currently feel limited.
I'm starting small.
Last week I went to the gym four times and ran between 1 to 1 1/2 miles each time and walked another 1 to 2 miles. It is a far cry from the regular 4 to 6 mile runs and 8 to 12 mile weekend runs I used to do when I was training for the marathon I ran back in 2006 (has it SERIOUSLY been that long?!), but at least it is doing something.
I have pulled out sheet music for the easy versions of Disney songs from "Aladdin" and "Beauty and the Beast" and dusted off Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" and have been playing them (and sometimes singing along) for Clara most days in an effort to reclaim some of my musical abilities.
I am recommitting to being a daily scripture reader and I am going to start a novel and try to read each night before bed.
All of these things make me feel good about myself and happier and more relaxed about life, so why do I struggle to stay motivated or maintain these efforts on a regular basis? I consider myself a fairly goal-oriented person and I sometimes wonder if that actually hinders me after I "achieve" a particular goal because I feel like it is okay to drop that activity or take a break and then I never come back to it. For example, once I finished the only marathon I have ever run, I had pretty much zero desire to run anymore and have only run sporadically, with four miles being my longest distance, ever since then. Or as a different example, when I have been really, really good about daily scripture study for a long time and then go on vacation and for some reason feel okay about taking a one-week break reading, I then have a bear of a time getting back into it after returning home.
I don't want to be like this. I mean, while I am actually very happy with my life and feeling pretty good about myself, I know that there is a lot more that I can and should be doing to feel like I am growing and bettering myself as a person. It is time for me to stop just going with the flow of things and being lackadaisical about living my life.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Easter
This year for Easter, we just did one basket for Clara with a chocolate bunny for Paul and a See's Rocky Road egg for me. Clara got goldfish crackers, animal crackers, a bunny sippy cup, a lamb, bubbles, a flashing light egg-wand thing, and Crayola washable markers that are supposedly appropriate for kids who are 12+ months old. Clara's Easter dress, cardigan, and sandals are from Gymboree. I was hoping to take a family picture after church but Clara fell asleep in the 45 seconds it takes to get from our house to the church building and by the time she woke up Paul and I had already changed clothes, so it didn't happen. The only photo we got was on my iPhone as we were walking out the door for our meetings.
We did our own little easter egg hunt for Clara in the backyard on Saturday. She can't eat candy yet anyway and is more interested in sticking leaves and grass in her mouth than finding colorful plastic orbs, so we didn't bother finding a local egg hunt. Next year. Instead, I just put some puffs in a few eggs and scattered them in a small radius in the backyard so she would know what she was going for.
We often get comments about how grown-up she looks, but to me, she is still just such a tiny little thing. I think there are three reasons why she looks bigger than she is - first is that her hair is so thick and long whereas lots of baby still have pretty much no hair at 10 1/2 months, second is that she is a lithe little gal so she doesn't exhibit the same chunkiness that other babies her age seem to have, and third is that I usually get down on her level to photograph her and I fill the frame, which makes her seem bigger than she is. A friend who was visiting us from Oregon recently confirmed this when she saw Clara in person and exclaimed that she expected someone bigger based on the blog pictures but instead she found our dainty girl. I tried to give a better sense of scale in some of the egg-hunt pics by taking the photos looking down at Clara rather than getting all the way down in the grass like I normally do.
Paul spoke in church on Easter Sunday and he had stressed about it all week long, but in the end he needn't have worried too much because between the other speakers, multiple musical numbers, two confirmations, and a letter from the First Presidency, he ended up with about 5 minutes to talk. He did a great job and I loved listening to him talk about his testimony of the Savior, even though by that point in the meeting I was standing at the back of the gym with Clara who was starting to melt-down from need of a nap.
After church we drove to Dublin to have dinner with Paul's cousins, who are our only family in the area. It has actually been a while since we have gone up there to hang out with them so it was fun catching up with them and playing with their kids. There was a new trampoline at their house and I simply cannot resist jumping on those things, so I slipped off my shows and climbed up with Clara to see how she likes to bounce. She loved it and in the video I made, you can hear her shrill squeals of delight.
We did our own little easter egg hunt for Clara in the backyard on Saturday. She can't eat candy yet anyway and is more interested in sticking leaves and grass in her mouth than finding colorful plastic orbs, so we didn't bother finding a local egg hunt. Next year. Instead, I just put some puffs in a few eggs and scattered them in a small radius in the backyard so she would know what she was going for.
We often get comments about how grown-up she looks, but to me, she is still just such a tiny little thing. I think there are three reasons why she looks bigger than she is - first is that her hair is so thick and long whereas lots of baby still have pretty much no hair at 10 1/2 months, second is that she is a lithe little gal so she doesn't exhibit the same chunkiness that other babies her age seem to have, and third is that I usually get down on her level to photograph her and I fill the frame, which makes her seem bigger than she is. A friend who was visiting us from Oregon recently confirmed this when she saw Clara in person and exclaimed that she expected someone bigger based on the blog pictures but instead she found our dainty girl. I tried to give a better sense of scale in some of the egg-hunt pics by taking the photos looking down at Clara rather than getting all the way down in the grass like I normally do.
Paul spoke in church on Easter Sunday and he had stressed about it all week long, but in the end he needn't have worried too much because between the other speakers, multiple musical numbers, two confirmations, and a letter from the First Presidency, he ended up with about 5 minutes to talk. He did a great job and I loved listening to him talk about his testimony of the Savior, even though by that point in the meeting I was standing at the back of the gym with Clara who was starting to melt-down from need of a nap.
After church we drove to Dublin to have dinner with Paul's cousins, who are our only family in the area. It has actually been a while since we have gone up there to hang out with them so it was fun catching up with them and playing with their kids. There was a new trampoline at their house and I simply cannot resist jumping on those things, so I slipped off my shows and climbed up with Clara to see how she likes to bounce. She loved it and in the video I made, you can hear her shrill squeals of delight.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Bliss
Paul mowed the lawn right after he got home from work on Monday evening and between mowing the back and front lawns, he took a break to let Clara have her first tangy taste of the stem of the mustard flower. The lighting was insanely beautiful and it was so joyful sitting there in the freshly cut grass of the backyard with the two people I love most in this world. I ran inside and grabbed the camera to snap a few quick photos.
Clara finds it hilarious when Paul puffs his cheeks out them blows the air out in a gust like he is doing in the last photo. I find it hilarious when Paul wears all-plaid (which he does ALL the time since he has couple of favorite plaid shirts and he has two different plaid shorts that are also his favorites). I used to complain, but he explained that it is just the Scot in him coming out and so I let it go unless we are going somewhere other than Home Depot.
Afterwards we had leftover ham with macaroni and cheese for dinner with cut-up bananas and strawberries for dessert (Clara ate it all, but especially liked the ham). It was a perfectly blissful evening.
Clara finds it hilarious when Paul puffs his cheeks out them blows the air out in a gust like he is doing in the last photo. I find it hilarious when Paul wears all-plaid (which he does ALL the time since he has couple of favorite plaid shirts and he has two different plaid shorts that are also his favorites). I used to complain, but he explained that it is just the Scot in him coming out and so I let it go unless we are going somewhere other than Home Depot.
Afterwards we had leftover ham with macaroni and cheese for dinner with cut-up bananas and strawberries for dessert (Clara ate it all, but especially liked the ham). It was a perfectly blissful evening.
Friday, April 6, 2012
General Conference and the Golden Gate Bridge
My parents flew into San Jose for General Conference weekend and for part of the following week while my mom was on Spring Break from teaching first grade. They got in on Friday evening and Clara and I picked them up from the airport. Saturday and Sunday we watched General Conference and it was kind of rainy and cold. I dragged my parents along with me to Lowe's between sessions so I could show them our cabinets and order new front and side doors. Clara played and played and played with her Grandma Cece and Grandpa Russ - she loved all the attention and showed off her clapping skills and started responding to "dance." She also showed off how close she is to walking by standing almost all the time and ambling between the couches and cupboards and chairs.
Clara just loves eating pears. We went through an entire big bag of pears from Costco last week and I bought another bag today since she loves them so much.
I love her little pigtails tucked into loose knobs with her tiny bows in place. She has a bunch of new baby hair growing at the nape of her neck.
On Monday, my mom, dad, Clara and I drove into San Francisco while Paul went to work. My parents had never walked across the Golden Gate Bridge, so after lunch at the Boudin sourdough bread factory (their clam chowder and oatmeal raisin cookies are so yummy!), we drove across the bridge, parked on the far side, and then went for a long walk. This is the bridge's 75th anniversary and it really is just such a beautiful structure.
My dad spotted a huge cargo ship coming in from somplace like China (most likely) while it was far out on the horizon. Since it was coming in fast, we took a break at the mid-point of the bridge and waited for it to go underneath us. It was huge and rumbled loud and strong beneath us.
My dad had to go to work meetings for the rest of the week but my mom and I got to go shopping on Tuesday and Wednesday and just hang out at the house and play with Clara. I got my haircut on Tuesday while my mom was there to stay with Clara and it is now probably 5 or 6 inches shorter than in the pictures above. It has been awfully quiet around here the last couple of days with just me and Clara at home, but we Skyped with my mom tonight so Clara can make the connection that Grandma who was just here is the same as Grandma on the computer. Hopefully the next time my family is in town, we will have a brand new kitchen to enjoy with them!
Clara just loves eating pears. We went through an entire big bag of pears from Costco last week and I bought another bag today since she loves them so much.
I love her little pigtails tucked into loose knobs with her tiny bows in place. She has a bunch of new baby hair growing at the nape of her neck.
On Monday, my mom, dad, Clara and I drove into San Francisco while Paul went to work. My parents had never walked across the Golden Gate Bridge, so after lunch at the Boudin sourdough bread factory (their clam chowder and oatmeal raisin cookies are so yummy!), we drove across the bridge, parked on the far side, and then went for a long walk. This is the bridge's 75th anniversary and it really is just such a beautiful structure.
My dad spotted a huge cargo ship coming in from somplace like China (most likely) while it was far out on the horizon. Since it was coming in fast, we took a break at the mid-point of the bridge and waited for it to go underneath us. It was huge and rumbled loud and strong beneath us.
My dad had to go to work meetings for the rest of the week but my mom and I got to go shopping on Tuesday and Wednesday and just hang out at the house and play with Clara. I got my haircut on Tuesday while my mom was there to stay with Clara and it is now probably 5 or 6 inches shorter than in the pictures above. It has been awfully quiet around here the last couple of days with just me and Clara at home, but we Skyped with my mom tonight so Clara can make the connection that Grandma who was just here is the same as Grandma on the computer. Hopefully the next time my family is in town, we will have a brand new kitchen to enjoy with them!
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