Wacky Wednesday: Work It Out Now
I didn’t want to do it. But you gave me no choice. I mentioned I had a workout routine that was helping me sleep like a baby, and in response, I got over 117 comments, emails and Tweets asking for details on what I’m doing at home to keep in shape, keep my sleep cycles in rhythm and keep men who are addicted to root beer and overpriced resort wear interested. Okay, I added that last part. Wishful thinking. I hesitated to post my workout... Read More
Peas on Film: Peas.0 (VIDEO)
House rules: 1. Don’t hit your sister with an umbrella for calling Wednesday “Wacky Wednesday.” 2. Pea Daddy isn’t allowed to fold towels. Ever. When you open the linen closet and nearly drown in an avalanche of terry cloth, you’ll understand why. “Towel wads” don’t stack. 3. Don’t say the “B” word. (Butt) 4. You must wear some sort of pants or skirt underneath sheer tutus. ... Read More
Disneyland: The Vegan Friendliest Place on Earth?
We’ve been back from Disneyland for a week and a half now, and I’m still surprised. Surprised that today was the first time I’ve cleaned a toilet and mopped the floor (we’ve been busy!). Surprised that Gigi was playing “Disneyland” this morning and was almost in tears because there was a “20- minute wait for the Teacups!” I love the imagination, but she needs to learn to have it work for her instead of against her. Surprised that... Read More
The Cupcakes That Almost Weren’t
We said that this year Lulu’s birthday celebration would be moderate. We’re leaving for Disneyland in less than 36 hours, so I wasn’t about to throw a huge party, stay up all night piping frosting hair onto a Dora-shaped cake or run all over town looking for a blasted Pillow Pet. She’d probably want a Taylor Swift cake anyway. She’s not your average three-year old. (source) That’s a little frightening. I... Read More
To Be a Sport
Despite what you may think, I’ve never been an athlete. Growing up, sports were something I always felt like I should do, but never really something I wanted to do. I was perfectly happy to sit in an empty refrigerator box and read stories about babysitting clubs, blond twins from Sweet Valley and a red-haired orphan’s adventures on Prince Edward Island. I’d plow through books faster than my mom could buy or borrow them and as... Read More
Just Your Typical Morning
No one could ever say our breakfasts are boring. I usually head out for a run or to lift weights pretty early, but I like to make sure the fort is held down before I leave. Today that included breakfast appetizers. There’s always time for a quick warm up with the old Cheerios toss. It may be a choking hazard. It may entail eating dropped cereal off the floor. It may not be teaching “good manners.” But it sure is fun. After... Read More
Sunday Breakfast
We are always late for church. Our church offers three services: 8:15, 9:45 and 11:15 a.m. You can bet we are always at the 11:15 services…exactly at 11:30. I could blame it on the fact that we refuse to set an alarm on the weekend, but the truth is, we haven’t set an alarm since May 2005. I’m having a hard time recalling at exactly what age I stopped wanting to get up at 4:30 a.m. to watch cartoons. I’d creep into my... Read More
Can a Vegan Do Body For Life?
When Gigi was a baby, we were perusing the local Borders when I stumbled across a cookbook called Eating for Life. I wasn’t looking to lose weight at the time, I’d already lost all my baby weight and then some, through skipping meals and acting as a personal all-you-can-eat buffet to a nursing baby. I had no balance in my life, and was basically at a colicky infant’s beck and call, so discovering this way of eating (and exercising... Read More
I Haven’t Got Time For the Change
Thanks a lot, Benjamin Franklin. Though Daylight Savings Time wasn’t instituted until WWI, Franklin is credited for having come up with the concept far earlier (that is the most educational information you may ever get out of this blog, so savor it). Yes, today I’m cursing old Ben for robbing me of an hour of sleep. You might as well take my Wonderbra, coffeemaker and stroller flask while you’re at it and then send a marching... Read More
She Should’ve Told Me
Do you have in your memory any moments that are just frozen in time for you? I’m not talking about your high school graduation, your wedding day or the second you felt the disc in your back rupture when an over zealous chiropractor told you, “No pain, no gain!!!” (legal action may be pending). No, I’m talking about those moments that may not seem monumental, but that for some inexplicable reason remain a perfect snapshot... Read More
You’ve Gotta Do What You’ve Gotta Do
Even when your kid is begging to go to school, you’ve got to keep her home since her nose is running like Seabiscuit, and her eyes look like she spent Superbowl Sunday with Snoop Dogg. Fo’ shizzle. Even when you feel you should branch out for breakfast, you’ve got to boost your own immunity with another green smoothie in a bowl. frozen spinach (leftover from yesterday’s dip) almond milk orange juice frozen peaches vanilla... Read More
Hitting P-Town
Or Pea-Town. Or Pee-Town…as the case may be. We took the girls to Portland today to stimulate the economy. Shopping with kids is a necessary evil. If I didn’t just suck up the fact that 85% of our time in the store would be spent pulling Lulu out from underneath her clothes-rounder sweat lodge or explaining to Gigi that yes, pink sequined mini dresses are pretty but not everyday mommywear, well, I’d still be wearing maternity... Read More
Helping Hands
You know how some people say, “I could use another set of hands”? Not me. In fact, sometimes I wish I had two less sets of hands. I have all the helping hands I need. This morning Slim Shady helped me hide my stash…of empty nut butter jars. I came in from my workout and found two near empty jars of peanut butter that I’d been hiding in the back of the cupboard set out on the counter to go in the recycling. Whoever did... Read More
I’m a Softy
I’m going soft. I now eat ice cream for dinner. Carob “Ice Cream” 2 T. carob powder stevia 1 c. almond milk 1-2 c. ice or frozen banana slices 1/2 t. guar gum 1/2 t. xanthan gum Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. You want to play with styrofoam peanuts all over the place? Knock yourself out. The secret to LOST lies in those styrofoam peanut hieroglyphs. As for workouts, so what if I slept late... Read More
The Bright Side
When life hands you lemons… make Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chickpeas! Nothing about the last 24 hours really went as expected. Still, no one wants to hear me whine, so I’m simply going to relate them to you in the most annoyingly positive way possible! I didn’t even need my alarm to wake up Friday morning and was even able to pay a visit to my general practitioner to test out my new health insurance! I was happy to let McDreamy... Read More
Field Trippin’
I’m currently playing nurse to an injured Lulu. Call it the dangers of having a home gym. Miss L was bouncing on an exercise ball in our living room when it slipped out from underneath her and she bonked her head on the tile surrounding our gas fireplace. There’s no more horrific sound than your child’s skull hitting a hard surface. It ranks up there with the sound of your cat coughing up a hairball on your down comforter, the... Read More
Site Under Construction
After my tough but enjoyable workout this morning, I came into a tangle of tent poles and two girls yapping at my heels to put together their playhouse. The poles are tethered together with thin, nylon rope, and somehow in her excitement, Gigi managed to twist and knot those poles together as if she were deliberately trying to create a Survivor challenge for her sweaty, hungry, desperate for a cup of coffee mom. Still, miracles happen. $8.50... Read More
Sunday School
We didn’t make it to church this morning, for reasons that will become obvious as this post develops. However, that doesn’t mean that we didn’t learn lessons of Biblical proportions here at home. 1. A glow is not always a “healthy glow,” and may in fact just be snot. Poor little babykins got another cold, most likely from the lollipop she shared with her sniffley big sis on the way home from the birthday party... Read More
Lingering Leftovers
The first of the many leftovers in this post will probably explain a lot. That’s the leftover (read EMPTY) bottle from our dinner with friends this evening. I was amazed that I was still feeling the lingering effects of a glass and a half of wine with dinner. 14.1%? No wonder I’m wanting to take my shirt off and eat a cheeseburger. This morning I didn’t have leftovers for breakfast (unless you count the day old coffee I chugged... Read More
Back Asswards
Today’s been like Anne Heche’s relationship history: completely bizarre and to be blamed on daddy issues. In our case, Pea Daddy had an arbitration early this morning, followed by a meeting tonight (or so he says…), so our whole day was kind of thrown off. Every morning my workout time is from 6:30 to 8 a.m. each morning, but since Pea Daddy had to leave early, I had to get up a half hour earlier than usual. That half hour... Read More
All Before Breakfast
Subtitle: How I Make My Life Harder Than it Should Be Due to just having a gut feeling that Gigi’s ballet class wasn’t the best fit for her (she can’t wear her fuchsia tutu, for goodness sake!), I decided to enroll her in the same class she took over the summer. The bad news: it’s a forty minute drive and starts at 10 a.m. Please note, we deliberately don’t collectively leave the house until at least noon each... Read More
The Grapes, er, Peas of Wrath
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I appreciate that God likes to remind me that He’s in control, and not me, but it’s a bitter pill to swallow sometimes. Much like this wine I’m drinking right now. (Sweet PEA’s farm!!!) I wanted a glass to unwind and help the words flow tonight, but am thinking that this bottle that was in my White Elephant gift from Christmas was likely also purchased at the Goodwill. ... Read More
The Fast and the…Mildly Disappointed
Wow! Thank you guys so much for all the feedback on the Dressgavagantza. It was surprising to me how much of you liked the dress that Gigi and my mom liked best (the purple Diane Von Furstenberg), and how many of you liked the dress Pea Daddy liked best (the orange Herve, shocking!). What was most surprising to me of all though, was how many of you said things along the lines of, “Please don’t choose the ____ dress!!!” I can... Read More
Blogging With Resolve
Like many of you, I have some goals and resolutions for the New Year. However, I really don’t think you all want to hear about getting Lulu out of diapers (without having to rip out my living room carpet due to it becoming a biohazard), my reading list (Entertainment Weekly and the Bible, not necessarily, but probably in that order) or big projects that may soon be coming down the pipeline (which I promise is not another metaphor for potty... Read More
Hap-PEA New Year!
You saw that one coming a mile away, eh? New Year’s is all about self-improvement. Even though I like to think as every day as “New Year’s,” in that every morning when we wake up we have the chance for a fresh start, I can still get behind doing it on January 1st as well. We definitely have seen our improvements already.We kicked off our New Years’ Eve yesterday with minimal hygiene, overplayed track suits and maximum... Read More
Dream Date
..for Gigi at least. Lulu is another matter entirely. We had nothing on the agenda for the day and with it being Winter Break, we were free to go and do whatever we wanted. I got up and got my workout done as early as possible, followed by a green smoothie in a bowl, so we could attempt to leave the house before the next presidential election. spinach 1 scoop vanilla soy protein powder frozen strawberries frozen mango almond milk cinnamon Kashi... Read More
Babes In Misfit Toyland
We took the day yesterday to break in all our new toys. Pea Daddy and I stayed up until midnight breaking in our new LOST: Season 5 DVDs. Sheer torture. Isn’t a cougar a natural predator of a “Fox”? Grrrrrrow. My own fox broke in some new books with Lulu. “Shhh…don’t tell me how it ends!” After my workout, I made some protein ice cream for breakfast. 1 scoop vanilla protein powder 1/4 c. silken tofu 1... Read More
No Sweat
There have been some highly questionable choices made in 2009: McCain’s choice of running mate, (edited to add: this was actually in 2008, but still: poor choice) the choice of Pea Daddy and I to waste two hours of our lives and 667 unique page views worth of income on Couples’ Retreat, some incredibly desperate woman’s choice to use a surrogate whose last name also is a type of hard liquor, my choice to not start even planning... Read More
A Winter Fantasy
My breakfast fantasy: After a leisurely run in the warm sunshine, I’d enjoy a scrumptious almond butter jar of pumpkin oatbran, topped with apples and granola, brought to me on a tray carried by my perfectly groomed children in adorable matching “I Love My Mommy” sweaters and pleated skirts. My breakfast reality: After cursing my alarm, Jillian’s Level 2 Shred and my freezing cold garage treadmill, I enjoyed my oats with Rapunzel... Read More
What a Faker!
I totally faked my way through a workout this morning and then had a deep yearning for Oats In a Jar. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), all my nut butter receptacles are full. Empty jars? Those I have. I made Fake Oatmeal in a Jar! In a play on Courtney’s upside down oats, I put a dollop of almond butter in an empty jar, and then smeared it all around like I’d been sneaking baby spoonfuls, carrot swipes and finger scoops out of the... Read More
The Sweet and The Sour
The Sweet: Dressing up for Gigi’s Christmas Program. The Sour: We still had no heat at this point, so our teeth were chattering and we had to wear heavy cardigans to avoid Nipplegate 2009. The Sweet: Absolutely every second of Gigi’s Christmas Program. She entered proudly waving her ribbon. The audience giggled as she placed one hand on her hip and swayed her hips with each swish of the ribbon. She sang her little heart out. And... Read More
The Why and The How
This is WHY I love our new camera. I’m like a Walmart photo studio but without this family watching our shoot from checkstand eight. This is HOW to tick off your cat. She’s thinking, “Lady, you’ve wanted nothing to do with me since those drooly, whiny, tailing grabbing, tutu wearing midgets got here, and now this!?” This is WHY you don’t let your husband test the camera when you are wearing your glasses and... Read More
Christmas Came Early
This morning was my fourth morning in a row that I’ve gotten up early to work out with Jillian. I am so SORE, specifically my legs. I’ve been waking up with terrible leg cramps that have me leaping out of bed and hopping around like someone smashed a pickle ornament on the kitchen floor and I’m avoiding dill shards. Sadly, I know exactly what that is like. After a little Googling, I learned that my nocturnal leg cramps are... Read More
A Day for Sharon
You’re thinking, “Who the H is Sharon?” Not her. What I meant to say is, “A Day for Sharing.” When you become a mom, NOTHING is your own anymore. My smoothies get divided by three, my peanut butter jars have tiny finger tracks throughout them and my bras become headwear during impromptu dress-up games(which are actually probably more necessary than me needing any form of support for my little kiwis). Still, it... Read More
Helping Ourselves
Mooch much? Today we made ourselves at home in a variety of places, and most certainly outwore our welcome. Memberships will be revoked, locks will be changed and phone numbers will be lost. I started out my day taking advantage of my own free personal trainer. I haven’t been this sore since my half marathon. Funny how you think you are in shape until you get a wake-up call like a fog horn in your eardrum at 4 a.m. However, somehow it’s... Read More
Men In Trees
In a strange twist of events, there has been an abundance of testosterone in our house today. As an undercurrent to our day was the growing anticipation of the Civil War football game this evening. For those out of our great state, this is the annual college football showdown between Oregon State and the University of Oregon. Yes, Beavers versus Ducks. The whole Beaver Snuggie thing from yesterday makes a lot more sense now. (On a side note,... Read More
So Sneaky
I’m sneaking in a post while Daddy gives the girls their baths. Last night, Lulu “dropped some kids off in the pool,” so I don’t anticipate I’m missing much. Let me just sneak in a quick “Happy Birthday Mimi” in case she happens to read the blog today. Love you, Mommy! This morning, after a quick run, I snuck in some upper body resistance training. She’s about thirty pounds, so it was actually a... Read More
Tofu Barbie
Since becoming a parent, I’ve learned that things don’t necessarily have to be all or nothing. There can be a little yin to go with the yang, and that doesn’t make me a hypocrite. I can be a woman of faith, yet religiously watch a slightly foul-mouthed and blasphemous Chelsea Handler. I can eat a tropical breakfast on a chilly December 1st and still call myself a true Oregonian. I can let my kids eat chocolate before 8 a.m.... Read More
The Sweet Smell of Christmas
With yesterday’s cleaning behind us, we set out today with one goal in mind: to transform our household of tutus, My Little Ponies, tiki idol nightstands, Brandon Roy bobbleheads and bottomless Starbucks coffee mugs into a winter wonderland. The first step in Jesus-ing out our house: a Christmas tree. I steeped a cup of Fireside Chai in half water/half almond milk to take with me and warm me to my core. Wasn’t that nice of Phyllis Diller... Read More
Breaking Mom
I’ve decided why I like Twilight: as a mom, I can relate to Edward. He never sleeps, hardly gets to eat and sometimes just wants to bite someone’s head off. Perhaps it was my boasting on Facebook yesterday about how great Lulu’s 2 year checkup went, only to be met with a chorus of kind comments of what a fantastic mom I am. Today, though, I literally felt like my brain was going to implode if I had to spend five more seconds... Read More
