Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Miscellaneous

It's been a month since my last blog.  So today, I'm just going to get it all out!  Be prepared to jump from topic to topic in seconds flat!

First, I know you're all dying to hear about my weight loss progress.  I've lost 3 pounds.  Not stellar, but it's three less than I started with.  The really frustrating thing is that I lost those 3 pounds within the first two days of the diet during the "jump start" phase!  I guess I should consider it a success that I've actually kept them off!  I did really well at first with the healthy eating; it was about 2 weeks before I started to slip down the proverbial slope.  But this week, I've gotten back on track.  Last night we had pretty amazing turkey lettuce wraps (recipe to follow)!  The 10 minute workout videos aren't going so well either.  That lasted about a week :{  But I'm going to try to start those again.  However, Jessica and I are going to start going to the Power Pump class at the gym (hopefully twice a week).  I went with her last week and was sore for 3 days!  She's been 3 times now and is starting to get some muscle definition...she's definitely a beast :}  I haven't been more than the one time because I've been trying to get Cam registered with on-post child care.  Which is hopefully complete now and I can start taking him.  I'm extremely nervous about it.  I wasn't at all before, but the more I think about it, the harder I think it is going to be to say goodbye to his sweet face!

Speaking of Cam...this leads me to the second topic :}  I haven't talked about him much on the blog, and I just wanted to let everyone know what he's up to these days...he's quite the busy four-month-old!

Milestones:
Smiling (at pretty much everything and everyone!)
Laughing
Rolling from back to tummy (almost ready to go from tummy to back)
Sitting up with his hands propping him- "the tripod" :}
Reaching and grabbing
"Babbling" (he seems to have a lot to say!)
He's just starting to hold his bottle by himself

Favorite Things:
Eating his hands
Playing with and eating his toes
"Flying"- throwing him in the air or running around the room while making swooshing sounds
Dancing with Mom (especially if it's to Yellow Submarine!)
Blowing raspberries (hilarious!)
High pitched squealing
Playing and spending time with Mom and Dad

He's such a good baby :}  So much fun...exhausting, but fun!!  This week has been tough because it's the first time he's been sick.  I think he just had a little stomach bug.  Subsequently, this brought on our first experience with diaper rash, too.  We were just about to start adding rice cereal to his bananas when he got sick, so I stopped the solid food altogether until he get's well.  So, more to follow on the solid food adventure!

Thirdly, as some of you know, I've been really into getting my house decorated.  It's going really well and it's pretty exciting!!  I actually can't wait to have visitors (i.e. my Sister-in-law in two weeks!)  My recent projects have been the dining room, laundry room, my bathroom, and the living room.  Here's what I've done so far (with some help from Josh :} ):











And finally, during the month of February I'm going to start taking a picture everyday.  A pin on Pinterest has a list of "subjects"- one for every day.  I'm so excited to practice my photography and use my awesome zoom lens that my hubby got me for Christmas! Today's subject is "Your view today."  Here's my pic:
It's called "Positive."  I view today with positivity :}  I like the way it turned out, except that it's slightly blue tinted.  Any photography tips?

So, thanks for hanging in there for the entire post!  I promise to blog more often so they're not quite as long :\  And now, for those who are interested, the recipe:

Quick Sriracha Beef Lettuce Wraps
(Makes 3-4 servings or 6-8 lettuce wraps; recipe adapted from Nigella Fresh.)

Ingredients:
2 tsp. neutral-flavored oil like grapeseed or peanut oil
1 lb. lean ground beef [I used ground turkey and it was delish!]
1 T fish sauce (I like Three Crabs Fish sauce by far the best)
1-2 T Sriracha Sauce (depending on how much heat you want)
1 T water
zest from one large lime
juice from one large lime (about 1 1/2 T juice)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion (or double that amount if you're not using the cilantro)
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 head iceberg lettuce

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan, then saute the beef until it's cooked through and starting to brown, breaking apart with a turner as it cooks.  

While beef cooks, mix together the fish sauce, Sriracha Sauce, and water in a small bowl.  Zest the skin of the lime and squeeze the juice.  (You may need two limes to get enough juice, but only use the zest from one lime.)  Thinly slice the green onions and chop the cilantro.  (Most iceberg lettuce doesn't need washing, but if yours does break the heads apart gently and wash and dry the lettuce.)

When the beef is done, add the Sriracha Sauce mixture and let it sizzle until the water has evaporated, stirring a few times to get the flavor mixed through the meat.  Turn off the heat and stir in the lime zest, lime juice, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro.

Serve meat mixture with iceberg lettuce leaves to fill with meat and wrap around it, to be eaten with your hands.

Recipe courtesy
Kalyn's Kitchen

El Paso friends: I have fish sauce and Siracha if you would like to borrow them :}

1 comment:

  1. Blach.. you lost me at fish sauce.

    Your house is really coming together.. it looks better and better every time I see it. Can't wait to see the laundry room.

    Also, the gym class is the answer to everything. Promise.

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