Back...Again

My blog posting can be called "sporadic" at best and "miserably inconsistent" at worst. I admit it, I go in spurts. So, here's to the start of another!

You may wonder what we've been up to. Well, let's say it involves heat, exercise, and plowing through summer. I recently did my second sprint triathlon. I cam in 9th in my age group, which wasn't too shabby. Now, I'm beginning training for my first half-marathon to be completed in December. It's really, truly, is "beginning" training. Right now I'm running a couple days a week distances of 3-4 miles and cross-training on the other days. It's not much fun running in the heat. I was definitely spoiled in Michigan!!!

Next up on our agenda is a visit to Michigan to visit our dear friends and family we left behind on our great Texas adventure. I can't wait!!! I love the wonderful people I've met here, but nothing's better than the familiar. I can't wait to be at home again.

So, in about two weeks, we're Michigan-bound! Yahoo! Can't wait for a break from the lone star state!

Southern Living

Texas is treating us right so far (well, except for the drought in our area). We are enormously enjoying the sunshine, the friends we're making, and oh my gosh, the FOOD! Seriously, this place does nothing for the waistline. The Mexican, barbecue, seafood, it's really a foodie mecca. That, and we have an awesome grocery store.


Today, we former Michiganders even purchased our first crawfish (yes, they come live like lobsters) and had our own crawfish boil. Matt and I polished off 3.25lbs of crawfish. True, that's nothin' by true southern eating standards, but it suited us just fine. I got an awesome recipe off FoodNetwork.com courtesy of Emeril Lagasse. You can get it by clicking HERE. We left out the artichokes as I wasn't quite up the challenge of working with them today. As you can see, we covered our patio table with newspaper (Matt's idea) and dumped out the steaming lot to enjoy a great outdoor meal!
All in all, this has been a tasty day. Next time we'll prep things more efficiently so it doesn't take an hour-and-a-half to do the boil. But, like everything else, cooking southern style is a learning process. I think, however, we are coming along nicely!

R.I.P. Volvo V50

I had a little run-in with a concrete median a while ago. I could make it sound all dramatic but, frankly, it was nothing of the sort. It was one of those things that just shouldn't have happened but did. Watching carefully for oncoming traffic I overlooked the one stationary object that had an unknown prejudice against my car's undercarriage. One flat tire, an obliterated transmission, and a ruined suspension later, my car has been proclaimed "a total loss." I don't know what's worse at this point, the financial loss of a perfectly nice vehicle or the damage to my pride.

Now our upcoming visit to see our family has also turned into a car-buying trip. I can't lie and say I'm not excited by the prospect of a new vehicle, but I know that every time I get in said car my first thought will be "you are the car that shouldn't be."

So, dear reader, don't overlook stationary objects while driving. You never know when they will take you and your bank account for a spin.

Happy Birthday!

My little man is two today. Happy Birthday, Logan!

Birds and the Bees

Okay, so this entry is likely not what you think, but I was at a loss for a better title. After all, this post is about nature! When we purchased this house one of the reasons I knew it was "the one" was that it had a nicely sized yard. Now, little did I know that we'd be bombarded with creatures! Well, perhaps "bombarded" is a bit strong of a word, but you'll see what I mean in a second.

First of all, I have done some landscaping work since we moved in. I have ripped out some dead bushes and planted both annuals and perennials. Unfortunately, the beautiful little flowers I planted all along my back landscaping (see image below) become an entrée for a resident bunny. I spied the little critter escaping under our fence into our neighbor's yard this evening. See those little flowers? Yep, neither do I. There are no flowers on those plants now, just a few leaves. So much for that. An entire flat has gone to Mr. Cottontail.

Also, we have a new neighbor that has decided to take up residence on our detached garage. That's right, thankfully "on" and not "in." I don't mind her, though. She's been good quiet company when I'm in the yard playing with the kids. In fact, I'm guessing she'll soon have her own little ones for us to adore. It's actually been a nice nature lesson for Anna on how the mommy and daddy work together to build their home. The daddy would fly away to grab twigs for the nest, return, hand them over to the mama, and then go off again. Repeat, and repeat. They don't even seem to mind that the kids' play fort is mere feet from their chosen habitat.

Now, you're probably wondering where the bees come in. Well, thankfully they don't as of yet. But, speaking of insects, the ants are coming out in force so I'm going to make it Matt's priority to put down insect killer on the whole yard this weekend. If there's anything I want to avoid, it's stepping in a fire ant pile. Done that one too many times.

Here's hoping all of you are soon blessed with some similar signs of spring!

Summer in March

I have never spent a March picking strawberries and making freezer jam. But, I suppose, there is a first time for everything. Every year, for the past 3 years, I have made homemade freezer jam during berry season. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a staple in our house and we're jam snobs. Buying jam with real fruit and no high-fructose corn syrup can be quite expensive. As a result, I tend to make my own jam. It tastes better, in my opinion, and it's enjoyable to make.

Anna and I had some bonding time at the berry patch and then mashing up berries (a great stress-reliever, might I add). I use a handy little tool for berry mashing--the Pampered Chef Mix 'N Chop. It's a lovely little gizmo that works like a potato masher but much, much better. I use it for all my smashing needs; it also works well for breaking up ground meat into small restaurant-quality consistency for tacos and meat sauces. I can't say enough about it. Actually, I can't say enough about almost all the Pampered Chef kitchenware I own. I have considered becoming a Pampered Chef consultant, but then I decided I'd spend more money on their products than I made (which is probably what they want you to do but I don't really want to play that game).

Living in Texas is like living in another hemisphere from Michigan. Bugs are bigger, my hair has been bigger (and it's not even that humid yet!), it's like June at 78 degrees today, and the June Bugs (aka Japanese Beetles) are already banging against my back door. I left winter, skipped spring, and entered what I think of as summer. I'm told to just wait; I'll melt.

So, to those of you back home, know that I'll envy you in June when it's your turn to pick berries. Maybe I'll even turn up on your doorstep; to experience this season again would be nice!

Okay, so it's been a while

Nevermind the fact that it's been MONTHS since I posted anything. Well, here I am again. A lot has changed since the last post. Let's sum it up.

1. Totally wussed out and did not do that 10mi run in August.
2. Anna had her 4th birthday.
3. Matt got called about a job opening in Texas.
4. Just after Thanksgiving Matt accepted said job.
5. Spent WEEKS stripping wallpaper, painting, and getting our house cleaned and readied for the market.
6. Took two house hunting trips to Texas and settled on one we saw for the first time on our second visit; made an offer that same day!
7.Our house goes on the market and sells in 24hrs to someone we went to high school with!

Update to the present...

We scramble around trying to figure out how to get all the luggage, stuff the movers won't ship, two small children and a dog across the country in the least painful way possible.

What an adventure we are beginning!