Veggie monster

These are all from our garden!  Zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers...and tons more to come!  We can't believe that our first little garden is providing us so many salads :)

So, new things since the last time I wrote:

My brother Dan moved to Boulder

I started my job and am loving it

I decided to run the Las Vegas Marathon 12/10 and am on day #2 of training

I got and learned to ride a road bike

I tried out being platinum blonde for a night

First Day of Summer

How appropriate that after many, many days of abandoning the blog that I started on the first day of spring, I return on the first day of summer?  Fresh start.  New Every Day.

Since my last entry on May 18, my beautiful, funny, & fearless friend from high school, Debbie Miller, went to Heaven.  I had a dream a few nights ago that I was standing somewhere, surrounded by friends and family, waiting to catch a glimpse of Debbie amidst a beautiful background of clouds and light.  Suddenly she appeared, looking radiantly beautiful and happy with a smile on her face that you could only picture if you were fortunate enough to have known her.  I called her name over and over, so excited to see her, as she waved peacefully and kept smiling.  I woke abruptly, feeling at peace that she is in a far better place than all of us, and happy.  However, these tears of sadness because she was too young and because she no longer walks on earth, sharing her joy and laughter with everyone around her, will continue.

We love and miss you, Debbie.

What's going on Lini?!

We're just planting our garden!

Tomatos, peas, carrots, basil, thyme, cilantro, swiss chard, jalapenos, oh my!

Woo woo

"Even before health care legislation took the top spot on the national political agenda, experts forecast that health- related professions would experience substantial job growth. Late last year, the U.S. Department of Labor identified the 30 fastest growing occupations for the 10-year period beginning in 2008. All were expected to see an increase of nearly 30 percent or more, and half were directly related to health care.

The surprise? Nurses and physicians were not among the 15 health professions on this list. However, such allied health professionals as physician assistants, physical therapists, dental assistants and hygienists, and occupational therapists were prominently listed.

By 2014, the Association of Academic Health Centers anticipates 82,000 nationwide openings for dental hygienists, 43,000 for occupational therapists, 72,000 for physical therapists, 40,000 for physician assistants and 57,000 for respiratory therapists."

Hopefully some of those 40,000 PA openings will be in Boulder!  :)

minced words...

coming soon...

White Roses

These have lasted since Thursday and are SO gorgeous!

Lina watches MTV

She's such a teenager...

Dinner Chez Guerri

I tried another new recipe, Chicken&Orzo Soup w/ Arugula&Basil, Mmmm Mmmm!  Alex and I love the French Baby Boule from Whole Foods...it's addicting...

Past few days...

Shully visited and we had an awesome weekend of sun & snow...

Red Rocks                                     

Rocky Mtn Nat'l Park

Chix Parm Sliders

I made this Rachael Ray recipe last night, much to Alex's dismay, but we both thought they were pretty tasty!

Before cooking...

And after! Served on half brioche roll w/ ricotta, arugula & tomato basil sauce!  And potato salad!

Loaves&Fishes

While I may be New Every Day, I'm certainly not doing a good job at keeping my blog new every day!  This may be due in part to the new little life I am now responsible for...Lina's keeping me on my toes with her incessant rooting around the back yard...

I did have time this week to do some cooking!  I made my first EVER rising bread!  And it turned out pretty great if I do say so myself.  It's a simple spelt bread with only a few ingredients...

3 1/3 c Organic spelt flour
1 packet Yeast
2 T Vegetable Oil
2 T Honey
1 t Salt
1 c Warm H20

Ok, 6 ingredients. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Dissolve yeast in warm H20 with honey and oil.  Add salt and 1 1/2 c flour.  Beat well for 3 to 4 minutes.  Cover with a damp cloth and stick it somewhere warm for about 30 mins (it should double in size).  I sat mine on the top of the stove and this worked well. 

Add remaining flour and turn onto floured countertop or board to knead.  I put some flour on my hands to keep the dough from sticking too much.  Knead until smooth.  Put in oiled loaf pan, cover with damp cloth and stick it back in the warm spot until it doubles in size again, about 30 mins.  Bake 30-40 mins, or until it's delightfully golden brown.

Enjoy!

I made Mahi Mahi last night, that's the fishes of Loaves&Fishes.

God always provides more than we need :) 

Kibera

Kibera is the biggest slum in Africa and one of the biggest in the world.  It's in Kenya, just outside Nairobi.  My Dad is going there in May with a group from Mclean Presbyterian to work on a building project and provide medical care.  It's his first mission trip and I'm very excited for him, because I know how much my first trip changed my life.  It's impossible to see that kind of hurt in our world, and people's joy despite the hurt, and not be changed by it.

Lina (lee-na)

Carolina Guerri

Alex and I are proud to announce the adoption of Carolina!  She is a Retriever/Australian Cattle Dog (we think!), 2 1/2 months, and 13.5 lbs.  She has already brought endless joy to our lives :)

We had a great Easter weekend!  Here's my Easter table with, of course, cupcakes galore!

Chocolate Nest Cupcakes & Spice Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

It's the weekend!

Now you see him..............................Now you don't!               

        This is our beautiful dining room :)

Wierdest, ugliest piece of sausage

Read the article.  You'll get the title.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/24/news/economy/tanning_tax/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=Sbin

So as an ex-avid tanner, I have mixed feelings about this.  As a freshmen at Trinity in sunny San Antonio, I succumbed to frequent tanning so I would blend in with everyone else who was abnormally tan.  I spent money I didn't have on monthly memberships, and made it a point to get to the beds almost daily.  Eeesh.  Makes my skin crawl just to write that.  I have a vivid picture in my mind of myself, oddly orange, standing on the balcony outside my freshmen dorm.  Which will *not* be posted here.  A few months ago, I read an article about a girl who died a year after she got married from melanoma on her scalp that metastasized to her brain.  Ok.  No more tanning beds for me.  While I admit the plethora of tanning salons around Boulder are tempting, you will not find me donning the goggles anymore.
I like how the "regular tanner" quoted in the article says she goes several times a week to maintain adequate levels of Vitamin D.  Huh.  I bet Vitamin D supplements are much less than her tanning bill, especially after the 10% tax.  While I would never wish it upon anyone to lose their job, or have their small business close down b/c of new legislature, it's a tough call when the service being offered has been shown time and time again to lead to cancer. 
When does the 10% tax get tacked on to butter?  Soda?  Booze?  As humans, we will use everything in excess, ultimately to our own demise.

Alex's pets in the snow

So until we can get a puppy, Alex decided these bunnies from TJ Maxx would have to do.  Of course they didn't come this color...someone spray painted them verrrrry carefully...

That's right! Cupcakes are more than *just a trend*...

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/wayoflife/03/23/cupcake.craze/index.html?hpt=Sbin

Lemon vanilla cupcakes!

(made w/ soymilk of course for Alex)

I think Sarah liked them...  ;)

Dr. Oz's Ultimate Smoothie

Alex's Mom Ann found this recipe and I've been making it for breakfast...sooo good and really filling!  We found all the ingredients at our local health food store, Vitamin Cottage ( i love this place)
  
~ one cup juice (all natural, no sugar added- if I'm in the mood for something a bit creamier I use 1/2 c juice and 1/2 c soy milk)
~ 1/2 banana OR 3/4 cup berries
~ 2 Tbs whey powder
~ 2 Tbs ground flaxseed
~ 1 Tbs ground psyllium husk
~ 1 Tbs chia seeds (also called Salba)
~ 1 Tbs wheat germ
~ 600 mg fish oil (I break 2 liquid capsules into the mix)

Happy Blending!!!

Alex and I woke up to this guy in our backyard, with 3 of his deer friends! It felt like Spring this morning, but snow is supposed to start around 3 this afternoon...maybe up to 20 inches by tomorrow! 

Spritzed at Anthro this week...it's amazing!

       Tokyo Milk French Kiss No. 15 Parfum

Spring ~ Day 1!

My first First Day of Spring in Boulder!  What a gorgeous day~ crystal clear blue skies and earth blanketed in soft white snow.  Like a cupcake perfectly frosted with marshmallow frosting.  The pine branches are drooping- looking surprisingly un-sad or defeated, the compost pile is buried in a foot of snow, nestled into its beautifully crafted wooden box (perhaps Alex was right...I should have built a lid), and an occasional snow flake drifts softly past my window, wafting down from the rooftops and branches above.  While the word Spring usually connotes visions of sunny beaches, daffodils blooming, and bunnies hopping, I think I am okay, maybe more than okay, with this First Day of Spring- undoubtedly Boulder style.