Happy Halloween!

As a kid growing up my Dad use to go all out for Halloween. He'd decorate the outside of the house super spooky and even have creepy music playing in the garage to scare trick-or-treaters. We would go through bags upon bags of candy and sometimes Mom or Dad would even have to go back for more! I swear they must've spent $75 just on candy each year!

I haven't been that into Halloween but now that our Nephew Gunnar is starting to really enjoy the holidays I wanted to do something fun for him. So, I threw together some Pinterest ideas together and we partied like it was 1999. We even had a dance party in the living room! I can't say I did as well decorating the outside, but I did pretty good with the Mummy Dogs, Apple Teeth and Jack-o-Lantern Quesadillas!

After our bellies were full of dinner it was time to head out the door. Gunnar was so excited that his Mommy had a doggy costume too!

Unfortunately we live in a pretty lame neighborhood when it comes to homes that hand out candy. I would say we only hit 10-15 houses but a couple were very festive. One even had their whole front yard done up as a haunted house! I swear when I was a kid every house handed out candy! What happened to those times?! Next year we'll plan to go to a trick-or-trunk event or a more festive neighborhood.

Trick-or-Treat!

Patient Puppy

We were lucky enough to be joined by a couple of Gunnar's cousins and one of my favorite friends and her sweet little one. Thanks again for joining us Nicole!

 

We had so much fun that it has been decided that this will be an annual Halloween tradition. Party at Tee-Tee and Uncle's house followed by trick-or-treating! In fact I've already got some costume ideas in mind! ;)

What did you do this year for Halloween? Does your family have any Halloween traditions?

 

Wordless Wednesday

Fall Recipe: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bowls

Besides the changing colors, rainy weather and the chance to wear my favorite boots, I love Fall for the change in produce. Squash is a hot commodity these days and since I'm trying to return to a healthy lifestyle I wanted to find a fun, easy, and healthy recipe to make for dinner this week. I looked to my trusty friend Pinterest and found this recipe from The Tasteful Pantry. I changed it up a tad by using less cheese to keep it more on the "lighter" side and it was delicious. Scott even loved it and asked if we could have it again soon!

While the recipe calls for two spaghetti squash, we only purchased one which left us with quite a bit of leftover sauce. We popped it in the freezer and will use it for a future meal. Nothing better than making one recipe that can create two meals!

You can change up this recipe however you'd like depending on what you have in your pantry. I didn't have fennel seeds or paprika so I left those out. I also didn't love the idea of a bay leaf in the mix so I kept that out as well. In a hurry? Grab a couple jars of your favorite sauce and add to ground beef or turkey. BOOM you have your sauce!

Oh and by the way, I promise next time I'll take more photos along the way! 

What you'll need (serves 4):

• 2 small spaghetti squash
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon basil 
• 1 cup low fat (2% or less) cottage cheese or ricotta
• 1 cup part skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and slice your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds (similar to how you'd carve a pumpkin), brush with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Place skin sides up on a cookie sheet or shallow pan covered in tin foil (easy clean up) and bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

While your squash is baking, brown the ground beef and chop your onion. Saute the onion in a separate pot until it starts to soften, about 5-6 minutes. Once soft, add the garlic, red pepper flakes and fennel and let them cook for about 1 minute. Next, add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, tomato paste, paprika, balsamic vinegar, bay leaf and basil. Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer while the squash bakes away.

Once the squash is done, remove from oven and scrap out small portion of the insides. Top each half with cottage cheese, then meat sauce, and finally mozzarella cheese. Place back in the oven on broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and brown.
 
I can't wait to try more squash recipes this Fall and Winter. What's your favorite spaghetti squash recipe?

Surprise!!!

I am not easily surprised for multiple reasons. I like to be included in the planning of everything, and I'm not good with the "unknown" so surprising me is no easy task. Well my wonderful Husband and Mom were able to conquer the nearly impossible and threw me the most amazing surprise graduation party last month.

A few weeks ago I finished my bachelors degree and while it was a long time coming and totally unconventional compared to the "traditional" path of a four year degree, I finished and I was excited to celebrate. Scott and I picked a date to host a BBQ with my family and a few friends in October. It was going to be low key, low maintenance and really just an excuse to get together with my favorite people. Well about halfway through my final quarter my Mom and Scott asked that I let them take care of the details and focus on school and upcoming work travel.

Thankfully I got swallowed up by the final weeks of school and prepping for a busy travel month and forgot all about the plans. Then came the final days of school and a week of Birthdays. Fun fact: Scott, my sister-in-law Brittany and I have our birthday's on three consecutive days in September-- the 17th, 18th and 19th. So because of this we always share our "birthday dinner" and this year planned to go to a fancy Italian restaurant near by and even thought it would be fun to dress up.

The night of the dinner we were on our way to the restaurant when I got a call from my Dad that the they had lost our reservation and the wait was over 35 minutes. My family is a lot of things but we are definitely NOT patient, so we decided to venture over to Farrelli's for our favorites --Firesticks, pizza and beer.

Scott and I arrived and were told that our party grew quite a bit and they were swamped, so we'd have to go across to their separate dining room. He sort of gave a bit of the surprise away but I still only thought that maybe my Mom had invited my Aunts to join the fun. Boy was I wrong!!

Scott walked me into a room full of my very favorite people. They yelled surprise and left me speechless (not normal for me at all). I had no idea what to say or do as I was trying to take it all in. There was a room full of my favorite people all there to celebrate with me! It was a wonderful feeling but if you've ever been the center of a surprise party you can understand when I say you just don't know what to do next! I greeted everyone with great big hugs and was so excited to start celebrating.

This is my "you guys knew and didn't tell me" face.

The food was delicious and there was plenty of Fireball for all. Except I forgot that part and drank most of it myself. I just figured that since I missed out on the four year college experience of college parties I would fully enjoy my graduation party. ;)

You may think it is silly to celebrate finishing a degree this late in life but one thing about my family is we love to plan parties and can always find a reason to celebrate. Plus my Mom loves to plan parties and always has the best decorations.

THANK YOU to everyone who came out to celebrate with me. It is because of all of you that I made it through the last two years. It means a lot to have such a great support system. I also have to send a heartfelt and sincere thank you to my Mom and Husband who made that night happen. From the decorations to day of preparation, you did amazing and I am so thankful for you both. My first surprise party was one I won't soon forget (despite the Fireball).

Here's a few more pictures from the fun, along with a series of Fireball induced selfies...

Mom and I have a very special bond.

Gunnar gets pretty into pictures!

I had the cutest helpers when I opened up my gifts.

Yep, another shot. This time with my other best friend Jenni. :)

My Mom, Uncle Bob, Aunt Teresa and Jenni. Love those four!

Loved the candy pops Mom and Britt made!

Ramona and Molly, two of my Mom's greatest friends and mine too!

My brother Nick doesn't do selfies but I wouldn't take no for an answer!

Wordless Wednesday

Weight Loss: Goals

Photo Cred: www.strollalongfitness.com

Goals are a required component to obtain long-term success, whether you're striving for something personally or professionally. It's nearly impossibly to get where you are trying to go without clearly defining where exactly that is. When it comes to weight loss or fitness, set goals that are both short term and long term. Want to lose 70 pounds? Well if that is all you focus on you'll find yourself discouraged and likely give up. Instead focus on losing 5-10 pounds at a time. Bite off little chunks at a time and you'll find greater success.

When you set your goals, make sure they're specific, realistic and attainable. For example I really want to lose 25 pounds but to say I'm going to do that by November 15th would be unattainable and unhealthy. Instead I am setting measurable goals, and with those goals come rewards. Weight loss and fitness aren't easy and they take a lot of determination that should be rewarded a long the way.

The other important thing about goals and even weight loss is that you must take one day at a time. There are going to be days when I overindulge. There will be days when I don't get in a workout because of one excuse or another, but instead of dwelling on those road bumps I am promising myself to get back up the next morning and start over. The beauty of our lives is that every day we get a new beginning. Don't let one bad day, one "bad" meal, or one missed workout throw you off your path. It's important to always remember why you started!

I recently shared my weight loss journey so now it's time to share my goals. While you're likely use to goals in the form of pounds lost, my goals are not solely focused on what the scale has to say. While this is a good measure of weight loss, it is not always accurate and can be discouraging. You can lose inches and tone up without losing much weight. In fact you can lose a lot of inches before the number on the scale ever budges! I don't know about you but I'd rather my clothes fit me well and for my body to tone up, than to see a certain number on the scale. Besides, even at my goal weight I was on the heavy end of my "suggested weight" and BMI, so I can agree that it is not all about the number.

"It’s true, the scale can only give you a numerical reflection of your relationship with gravity. That’s it. It cannot measure beauty, talent, purpose, life force, possibility, strength, or love. Don’t give the scale more power than it has earned. Take note of the number, then get off the scale and live your life. You are beautiful!” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Here are my goals for the next few weeks:

1. Eat clean 80% of the time
2. Cut out alcohol other than 1-2 glasses of wine per week
3. Try new, healthy meals
4. Work out 3 days per week for the first few weeks then eventually work up to 4-6 days a week
5. Lose 8 pounds by Thanksgiving

What are some of your personal fitness goals? How do you reward yourself after meeting those goals?

My Weight Loss Journey

I've been contemplating this post for a few weeks now. A post about my weight loss, my weight gain, and a personal challenge to myself. It terrifies me to talk about my weight loss but I'm hopeful that my story will inspire yours, so here goes nothing.

For those of you that have known me for many years, you know that I have had quite the weight loss story and journey. For those of you that haven't known me that long or are a new reader, here's a quick look into where I've been, how far I've come and how far I have left to go.

For much, if not all of my childhood I was overweight. This caused for a lot of bullying and torment from classmates and also created a severe lack of confidence. Most days I would get off of the school bus in tears or dread having to get back on the bus. I loved school but as we all know, kids are cruel and unfortunately I was an easy target. Thankfully I had the greatest parents and extended family that would always tell me that I was better than the tormenting and that I could be and do anything I wanted to. I truly don't know how I would have made it through those tough days without their support.

During my sophomore year in high school I decided to join Weight Watchers. I was desperate for a change and needed the support and guidance so weight watchers was a great place to go. The silly thing is I was nervous to tell any of my friends because for whatever reason it felt embarrassing. Why would we ever be embarrassed about trying to get healthy? Thanks to weight watchers I lost 104lbs and kept it off for almost two years. This weight loss helped me feel comfortable in my own skin and have confidence in myself.

Weight watchers was great at teaching portion control and creating a community to lean on and be accountable to, but unfortunately they didn't teach healthy habits. Without having these healthy habits I easily put weight back on. In early 2011 after ending a long term tumultuous relationship, I found myself 40lbs heavier, but most importantly unhappy with myself. After wallowing in a bit of self pity-- because that was the easy thing to do, I came to a realization that has changed my outlook on weight loss.

For me, weight loss and keeping weight off would not be successful using the newest diet, diet pills, wrap or quick fix. I needed to make a lifestyle change, something that I could keep up and continue even after I dropped the weight. While I wish I could be one of those girls who could eat a quart of ice cream and not gain an ounce, that just wasn't in the cards for me.

After finally realizing that my diet and exercise were something I would have to watch for the rest of my life, I joined a local CrossFit gym and started eating "clean" 80-90% of the time. By clean I mean low fat, low sugar, lean proteins and lots of leafy greens and fruits. When you face the point where you know this is something you'll do for the rest of your life it is easier to accept and stick to. There just isn't another option for me if I want to live a healthy, active and confident life.

I later met my now husband and continued to lose weight by exercising and eating healthy. I lost the 40lbs I had previously gained and about 15 more. In fact, I was finally at my goal weight!! I cannot even begin to describe the feeling I had the morning I stepped on that scale and saw my goal weight, a number I never thought I would hit. The feeling was amazing but what was strange was when I looked in the mirror, I DIDN'T see the change. If you've ever struggled with your weight, but then lost a large amount, you'll know what I mean. It is like you know you're thinner and more in shape but for some reason psychologically you still see the same overweight person in the mirror... More on that to come in a future post.

Anyways, I kept that weight off for nearly two years while my husband and I went on adventures, planned a wedding and got married. As many of you married ladies and gentleman might know, there's a bit of "wedding weight" or "newlywed comfort" that happens in your first year. Well mix a pinch of "wedding weight" with a scoop of work travel to places like NYC and The Land of All Things Queso (Austin, TX.), finishing a bachelors degree, and moving twice, you'll get 25 whole pounds. Yep, 25lbs that sneak up on you and stare at you in the mirror every morning or when you put on those jeans that are WAY too tight to even THINK about wearing in public. Can you say "hello muffin top"?!

Can I get an amen?!

 So that is where I am currently, and why I want to share my journey with you all. I have 25lbs to lose in order to get back to my happy place, to feel 100% confident in my skin and in control. I hope my journey can serve as inspiration for those of you thinking about losing weight or for those who are having to lose some they've previously lost before. The good news is I know from experience that it is 100% possible, but you have to want it and you have to be willing to work for it. I would be lying if I told you there wouldn't be bad days when all you want to do is order the biggest ice cream sundae on the menu, when you really don't want to go to the gym, or when you just want to give up completely, but WE CAN DO THIS!

I can't promise daily updates or weekly recaps, but I am promising to keep you updated, to share my tips and tricks, my success and failures, and my before and afters. In fact here's a few for you to start.

This photo was taken not long after hitting my goal weight. Can't wait to look and feel that way again!

This was the eye opener for me. Time to get to work!

I'm hopeful that sharing this very personal journey will help me stay accountable and alert to my daily activities and indulgences. I'll be tracking my food on MyFitnessPal and my activity using FitBit. Here's to the long journey ahead, it won't be easy but it will be SO worth it!

Wordless Wednesday

Soul Sisters Take Iowa

I am lucky enough to have had three of the most wonderful friends over the past few years. Debbie, Caren, Pam and I use to work at the bank years ago and have grown very close as you may notice from the term "Soul Sisters". These girls have been there for me through some of my hardest days and have also celebrated my happiest moments right along side of me. Whenever we're together we're constantly laughing and I am truly blessed to have their friendship.

L to R: Me, Caren, Pam & Deb)

About two years ago Debbie moved back to her home state of Iowa. We were heart broken when we got the news that their house sold and there was no turning back, but we knew the age old saying is true-- "home is where the heart is". Debbie surprised us last year and came to my wedding but otherwise we hadn't had a chance to see or visit with each other in two years.

The Soul Sisters decided a "shin dig" was well over due and those of us back in Washington really wanted to see Debbie's new home. One quick note about Debbie-- she always has a yard that looks like one out of an HGTV magazine and her home always feels cozy. Dates were picked, plane tickets were bought and before we knew it we were on our way to the small town of Elkhorn Iowa.

We had no plans before we left. In fact I think I can speak for all of us when I say we would've been more than happy with just sitting in Debbie's living room drinking wine and catching up. Well we did that and SO MUCH more. In fact we actually got three states for the price of one. We landed in Nebraska, spent most of our time in Iowa, but also ventured down to Missouri! It was an absolute blast, I think we laughed non-stop for four days straight, and we got to see the beautiful Mid-West first hand.

From what I saw of Iowa, it is made up of miles and miles of rolling hills, corn fields, soy bean fields, dirt roads and windmills.

Debbie's home is a 114 year old farm house that is like something out of a movie. No really, take a look...

Her home is wedged in between soy bean and corn fields and besides the sounds of locusts in the trees above us, it is almost silent. There are miles upon miles of dirt roads and even more miles of corn fields but it was absolutely beautiful. We got in a little late on Thursday so we just enjoyed dinner together and then adventured out on a walk before it got too dark.

 

We also had the cutest walking partners-- ZZ and Addie followed us the whole way and made sure we made it back safely.

The next morning we had breakfast and were ready for our trip to Des Moines. After a couple of hours and a few pit stops later we were starving! Pam and I pulled out our handy Urban Spoon app and were surprised to find an Ecuadorian spot just a few minutes away with a 98% rating. So off we ventured to Mi Patria.

We started off lunch with a yummy Strawberry flavored Ecuadorian soda which paired well with Llapingachos (ya-ping-gachos) which are potato patties stuffed with cheese and topped with warm peanut sauce and beef Empanadas (turnover stuffed with meat). The Llapingachos were much different than anything I'd had before but they were yummy!

 

I ordered a Sandwich de Bistec that was Ecuadorian style steak served on the most delicious ciabatta bun with tomatoes, avocado, and lettuce. The meat was a little tough and seemed to be seasoned with a LOT of Cumin, but otherwise it was pretty good.

After our tummy's were full of Ecuadorian we made our way to Historic Valley Junction where we explored cute little shops, did some wine tasting with a store owner who use to live 10 minutes from my house (small world right?) and discovered a cute coffee spot where I got my first peanut butter mocha. Yep you read that right, peanut butter mocha. That's a real thing, and you should try it. 

Interesting fact: Wine made in Iowa is much sweeter than wine made elsewhere...

Spending the afternoon "in town" made us all hungry and eager for our next adventure. We were finally going to meet the lifelong friends Debbie had told us about for years and have "the best nachos in Iowa" at a small town bar. And by small town, I mean total population 128. Not even kidding. On our way to the bar we ran into a little trouble. We were so busy chatting and laughing that we failed to notice this object in the road...

And instead ran it over and got it wedged underneath the car...

After laughing until we cried and switching drivers we finally got the mysterious object dislodged and happily continued our adventure to Marne. Oh and by the way, the Nachos were pretty good, and a Friday night Marne Bar (a.k.a Road House Bar/Grill) special!

We went home, tummy's full once again and shared laughs until we were all half asleep. A perfect first full day in Iowa!

Day two started early as we got up with the sun and headed out for a 3 hour drive to Jamesport Missouri, one of the largest Amish settlements in the state. We picked the perfect day and were able to catch their annual Heritage Days event!

After walking through town we decided to go on a self guided tour which included started with a stop at the Amish H&M Market where I happily discovered that the Amish have also hopped on the Pumpkin Spice bandwagon, or should I say buggy?

Next, we ventured over to Countryside Bakery, an Amish bakery where we got to try "Fried Pie". If you ever find yourself in an Amish bakery, don't leave without getting a fried hand pie.

Finally we ended our adventure with a buggy ride, homemade ice cream and shopping at an Amish furniture store where I found my new favorite cutting board. "Photo caption: you know you're married and getting older when a cutting board excites you"

Oh and I can't forget the lovely farewell we received on our way out...

Well played Amish folk, well played.

On our last day we visited the historic Hitchcock House which was built in 1856 by Reverend George Hitchcock and had a secret room in the basement that was used to hide runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad.

The house was occupied by the Hitchcock family for just over 9 year, then farmed for 100 years after that and then abandoned. In 1983 a group of local citizens created the Hitchcock House Restoration Committee to help restore the house to the original state. In 2006 the house was recognized as a national historical landmark and has continued to receive national recognition since induction. The house was an eerie place to be but so remarkable to be standing in the exact place where hundreds if not thousands of slaves stopped on their way north to freedom.

Quilts similar to this would be used as secret maps for slaves to figure out safe houses, churches and other locations to make their next stop.

The underground cellar where slaves would hide from headhunters.

 

Oh, and we couldn't have left Iowa without stopping in the Danish town of Elkhorn where one can find a real Danish Windmill, a tiny chapel and a viking cave.

I had an absolute blast in Iowa and am so thankful to have made great memories with three wonderful friends.

See that giant hill behind us? Iowa is beautiful and provides for great morning walk inclines!

 

Morning sunrise on our last day. What a farewell!