Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Treat yourself, Tuesday!

Hi Friends,

Going to keep this one short and sweet today.

We haven't had a treat yourself Tuesday in a while and boy are WE overdue!  Once again, Trader Joe's came through with a delicious new (or new to me anyway) treat that I can't get enough of.  Enter.... Sweet Potato Gnocchi!



This wonderful sweet potato goodness with its buttery sage sauce and easy cooking instructions had me at hello. As always, my sincere apologies to those without access to Trader Joe's.  You might want to consider relocating...I kid, I kid.

I happened upon this in the freezer section near the other gnocchi and frozen snack/side item stuff.  I'm a sucker for sweet potato of any kind, and this treat did not disappoint.  For $2.99 you've got a side item for 2-3 people, or lunch for yourself for a few days.  Add a piece of grilled or baked chicken into the mix and you're a goner.  Is that a word?  Goner.?!

Anyway, I highly recommend you check this out.  I've tried both the microwave instructions and stove top instructions and they're easy and wonderful.  If you're like me, you can also jazz it up with some red pepper flakes and a touch of black pepper for some kick.  AND....to top it off, this stuff is relatively low calorie, low fat, low bad stuff.  It's not paleo, but heck, you've got to live a little, right?


Run out and treat yourself tonight.  You won't be sorry.  And, you might thank me.

yours,
whitney

Friday, January 27, 2012

Take advantage and make the best

A mind dump of thoughts today:

Sometimes ignorance really is bliss, because getting lost in your thoughts can be the mirror in your face that you've been avoiding.

Take advantage of every chance you have to be with family; tell them you love them; forgive them of wrong doings; indulge the lengthy repeat story teller.  I think the same goes for friends.  We all know the cliche, life is short, but in reality, it is short.  We don't have forever, and we are missing out on things by not making the effort.

Some of us are blessed to live 30+ years without losing anyone, while others suffer loss beginning at a very early age.  For me, it's easy to get caught up in the day to day and to 'trust' that the people I love know I love them, despite my not calling or writing for some time.  Well, that's complacent and that's lazy.  It's easy for me to say that I can't fit it all in when I travel home and I'll try to see 'you' on my next trip.  That's also lazy and selfish. 

And then, when the time comes, that next trip is too late.  I've missed the baby birth, the birthday, the final days of a grandparent's life.  Considering the latter, will he know that I loved him, despite not being in touch for some time?  Was it enough to send my love through my Dad at holidays and birthdays, instead of calling myself?  Was I being spiteful because he didn't reach out to me for years?  These are tough questions.  And there are no good answers. 

My memories are faded and I feel sorry for that.  The stories I have to tell date back some 10+ years, because it's been that long since memories were made.

All I can do is the best I can, try a bit harder, and hope that others forgive my misgivings.

 I suppose the dark skies and rain are fitting for my mood today.
______________________________________________________________________________

On a lighter note, I'm happy to report the Darcy the goat-dog wonder pup has gone a full 3 days without eating anything she's not supposed to, and she is beginning to settle in a bit.  Now, of course, when I get home, this could be out the window, but as of this morning when I left, she was in this position... waiting for Mike to return home (that will be a long 8+hour wait) after he left for work.


Yep- she's pushed her crate over, climbed up, and is perched on the desk to see out.

 yours,
whitney

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Near and Dear

 For 9 years of my adult life, I worked in different capacities for The Hole in the Wall Camps.  This is a charity that is near and dear to my heart, and the heart of many others.  If you aren't familiar, I recommend you check out their website, http://www.holeinthewallcamps.org/ to learn more.  This global family of camps for children with serious medical conditions provides traditional camping opportunities for these children and their families, free of charge.  That's right!  Children who are too sick to participate in the average summer or weekend camp experience are able to attend a Hole in the Wall Camp for free and have the experience of a lifetime, all while receiving their treatment and under full medical supervision.  What could be better, right?

Well, what's better is being able to help support this wonderful organization.  A friend and fellow CrossFitter, Leah Spector, is joining the ranks of those who are taking on the Boston Marathon this spring and raising funds and awareness of Hole in the Wall along the way.  I come to you today to help Leah spread the word of her fundraising efforts and ask for your consideration in supporting her.  You can learn more about her goals and make a donation here.  Can you imagine running 26.2 miles on purpose???  I can't, and I'm sure I won't ever be up for that challenge, which is why I felt so compelled to support Leah by contributing financially.  I know that when she's rounding out mile 18, and then 22, and then 26.0, she'll be thinking of the kids that she's running for.  She'll be proud of the work she's done and thankful for the support she's received. 

Carla and Leah at the fundraiser this past weekend

Last weekend our gym hosted a charity competition to raise money to support Leah. I'm proud to say that we raised over $700 for her in one morning.  While that is an incredible amount of money, Leah's goal is to send two campers to camp this summer, which means she's in need of more donations to support her. If you feel so compelled, please consider supporting Leah today, tomorrow, or next week.  She's undertaking a tremendous goal- training to run 26.2 miles despite injury and winter climates- this woman is dedicated and driven.

So what are you doing this spring?  If you aren't running Boston yourself, maybe you could participate vicariously this way.

Thanks for your consideration in supporting Leah, and in learning more about a charity that means so much to me.

With love,
Whitney

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Blast from the past

A Thursday quickie

Last week I was in Target buying more dog stuff for the little miss and decided to grab a few grocery things too.  Our Target, and likely yours too, have these new lights near the freezer food that turn on as you approach and off as you walk away.  It's like a disco of freezer food if you move quickly.  Anyway, I was drawn in by the lights and ended up going home with a bag of tater tots.  After the stress of the new dog, new routine,and boat load of money I spent on her last week, I thought I'd treat us to a good old blast from the past... cafeteria style.

And, these babies are gluten free to boot!  I know white potatoes aren't paleo, but they are very good for bone density in women so I figure you win some you lose some.
Last night we finished the bag, which is surprisingly a lot of tots for the $.  They were as great as I'd remembered and I think we'll be set for another 10 years before we need to have them again.  It's funny how sometimes in your dark moments you revert back to your old comfort foods from childhood, or whenever.  But one bag is enough to remind me why we work hard to eat healthy and only indulge every now and again.


-whitney

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Puppin' ain't easy

One week down and boy do we have some work to do!

Little Miss Darcy, aka Darcy Doodle (I know, I'm corny), has had quite the week of attempted adjustment and chaos.  From a whirlwind pick-up last week to instant crate training to a weekend in Vermont.  The little girl is both tuckered out and a bit manic about who she is, who she belongs to, and where she lives.

In general, Darcy is so sweet and loving.  She has mastered the art of puppy dog eyes. They are both heartbreaking when you're leaving and heartwarming when she's flashing them at you from the dog bed she settled herself into without being asked.

This past weekend in VT can be summed up in a two words: Sh*t Storm. Literally, a storm of doggy doodoo took over our lives and the lives of those who so graciously welcomed us into their home for the weekend.  Oh. My. Word. What did we do???  The poor girl got so stressed out (totally our fault for putting all this on her so soon) that she blew up the crate with poop and then proceeded to scratch and chew her way completely out of the crate.  She chewed through a zipper and canvas.  That's determination!

In her more calm moments, it was evident that she is a loving, sweet, mild mannered dog at heart.  We just need to help her bring that out and retrain the crazy out of her. 

We've started clicker training as recommended by a friend and in this book.  She's definitely a smart girl, and I know that with more time and some training both in home and professionally, she'll be a great dog.  When you're apologizing profusely for an entire weekend about the chaos your dog has created, it's difficult to remember that, but I do really believe she'll be OK.

And when you see her mugging for the camera, you're again reminded that there's a sweet, well behaved girl in there somewhere:



Thanks for your words of wisdom and encouragement last week and today.  We'll get there... but there is much work ahead of us!

*PS- What dog food works best for you?  She's between 1-2 years old, so adult food, but no need for the senior dog stuff.  We've got her on Beneful to put some weight on her, but I'm wondering if it's contributing to her poop issues. 

yours,
Whitney

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Say it ain't so

Well, the day has come. A friend to some, a secret treat to others, and an enemy to even more is going into retirement.  This morning during my work commute, NPR reported that Hostess, maker of Twinkies, HoHo's, and Wonder Bread is going to be closing up shop.  They've filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to this article: By by Twinkie


Tim Boyle/Getty Images

I remember hearing stories as a kid of people saying you could bury a twinkie for 20 years and dig it up and it'd be edible and in the same form... which is both alarming and fascinating.  I'd like to think that Hostess was doing away with these treats because they were interested in making healthier food for the masses.  It's certainly sad to see another US company that dates back to long before my 32 years failing and unable to meet it's commitments. 

Perhaps there will be some savior to swoop in and buy Hostess.  Perhaps Twinkies will live on and we will still have grilled cheese sandwiches on Wonder Bread... who knows.  This is a paleo eater's dream, and a second grader's nightmare.

Stay cool, Twinkie.  K.I.T. 

-wd

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

And then there were 3

Today is a wonderful day.  Not only because it's a Treat Yourself Tuesday, but because last night, Mike and I treated ourselves. Big time! 

Drum roll please..................

WE ADOPTED A DOG!!!!!

Yep. It's been a bit of a whirlwind the last few weeks as we've been looking at different pups in adoption shelters and foster homes online.  I would email one to Mike and he would email one to me... we both had mostly the same thing in mind with a few slight differences.  I was scheduled to have a phone interview with an adoption center last night when Mike emailed me a listing for this sweet face:


He really liked her, so I postponed the phone interview for the other pup and we drove to West Hartford to check out this little girl, Darcy.  She's a year+ old, a little skiddish, but gives lots of love. She aims to please and looks often for your affection and approval.  We spent about an hour with her at the shelter and told her foster Mom we'd think about it and call her today.

We no sooner got 1 mile down the road and wondered why we'd left her there and why we hadn't just taken her home with us.  We answered ourselves with: 1) We don't even have food at the house, 2) We don't have a crate, 3) We're going to VT this weekend, 4)???? we ran out of excuses.  And alas, on our left was a PetCo, with their blue and red light shining bright in our direction.

We pulled in, got the necessary goods, called foster Mom back, and asked if we could come take Darcy Dog home.  She said YES!  So, in a fit of excitement and a little fear of the unknown, we packed her up and headed home for Milford.

Like anything, this will take adjusting on all our parts.  We'll have to teach her and train her, and she'll have to train us too.  Within 5 minutes of walking in the door, she broke a candle holder accidentally because she tripped on an electrical cord that was not-so-delicately placed between the candles.  It's my fault, but it scared her pretty bad.  After that, we had some treats and cuddled on the floor under blankets to settle in.  I'd say night #1 went well considering 2 hours beforehand she was tucked into her own crate in West Hartford instead.  It's clear that she's never lived in a house nor been house trained.  She doesn't even know 'Sit.' Poor girl. We'll get her all learned up. :)

We're now accepting any and all dog training tips from getting her not to beg for food, to not inhaling her own food, to getting more comfortable on the leash/harness (Amanda... I'm looking to you on this one!).  Send your thoughts, suggestions, tips my way... we sure could use 'em.  Also, what shampoo, food, supplies do you love?

And now a few more pics from Miss Darcy (Kind of like Miss Daisy, except for no opposable thumbs and a tail).
checking out the kitchen... aka.. .where's my food, lady?

skinny girl

checking out the backyard

Mike assembling her 'crate' to spend her days in

afraid of the stairs. I swear it was her first time on them. Going up was easy-ish, coming down took about 3 minutes.

Harnessed and ready for a walk

So on that note, treat yourself to a puppy! 

yours in puppy love,
whitney

Thursday, January 5, 2012

If selfish dreams came true...

For the most part, I'm not a selfish or materialistic person.  I don't want for much, and I can appreciate a sweater from Target just as well as one from J Crew.  I don't ask for much other than to enjoy myself in whatever I'm doing... wherever it may be.  On occasion, my stars align and I get to do some pretty darn wonderful things.  If selfish, materialistic dreams came true, they would look something like the following:

 
                                         
                                             Almond Joy Martini!!!
 
Pina Colada Martini!
 And then the would include delicious bar-b-que, and gingerbread houses.


And I would learn how to play roulette at a real casino, and win some CASH!!!  Then Christmas would come around and I would count the many blessings in my life while I was perched in a window seat in Newport, RI watching the world go by.  And if my selfish, materialistic dreams were still coming true, the beautiful Newport condo I was spending Christmas in would look like this:





View from the window where we opened presents
 And, I would have dinner fireside at some of my favorite restaurants, and life would be good.  And the only thing that I would be left wishing for was to see my family and give them all a squeeze and remind them of how much I love them. 

Alas, a girl can dream, right???  And sometimes, her dreams come true. 

Counting my many blessings,
Whitney

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

BUSTED... at the seams

Happy New Year!  Warm wishes to you for a year of joy and prosperity.

Like everyone, I can't believe another year has gone by and I'm sitting here at day 3 of 2012!  Dang. I'm gettin' old.  And you know what else I'm gettin'?... too big for my britches... literally. 

I don't know how people make it through the holiday season still clothed.  I feel like the last two weeks have caused me to nearly bust the seams of most of my form fitting garments.  Not to worry, it's nothing two weeks of some good old fashioned crossfit and vegetables won't fix, but it still feels crazy to think that when the holidays roll in to town, I have to be rolled out the door.  Sigh.  Willpower, where have you gone? 

I do love a good fresh baked treat, and egg nog, and wine, and cheese, and stuffing, and... and... and.  It's so easy to choose lounging and football over spin class.  Or drinks and dessert with friends over crossfit.  But just like Christmas, those things come and go and what's left is the bad feeling of guilt and discomfort as your jeans cut into you like the knife you used to spread that extra pat of butter.  Mmmm... butter.

So here's to a New Year.  A new start.  Getting back to the gym (this is NOT a resolution- it's for real).  Cooking at home.

Until next year chocolate pretzel bark with your salty and sweet allure, magic bars with your coconut temptation, Godiva gift box with your map of chocolate goodness, egg nog with your ability to make my coffee so much tastier, bejgli with your special Hungarian way of reminding me of Christmas baked goodness, and homemade cookies with your sweet decorations and sparkly sugar on top.  You are all locked in to the memories of 2011.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and that the New Year has kicked off in style for you.

with love,
Whitney