a random drive-by posting....

Ok, so I know that picture is really big, ok? But it's cute, so I'm going with it - for now.

There are a few things I'd like to address in today's posting......

- week 1 of the diet went well! I'm down 2.4 pounds, and my blood pressure is already making some improvement! A big part of my "success" last week was because I started cooking at home again. I know I'm a good cook. And I like to cook for other people. But cooking EVERY night gets boring. But, since the chef's at Chez Everywhere But My House are a little heavy handed with the salt, we're eating at home. That being said, I made some KICK ASS roasted veggies last week: cauliflower one night and carrots another night. The cauliflower was good, but I need to work on my technique a bit (they were tender and yummy, but I want them more browned and caramelized than they were). The carrots, on the other hand, were a freaking MASTERPIECE. I used baby carrots (I think it was a 2 pound bag?), tossed them in a bit of olive oil, dusted with dried oregano, and roasted them at 425 for a really long time, shaking the roasting pan every once in a while to make sure they were getting caramelized on all sides. I think they ended up cooking for about 30 mins, but when they were done they were tender, sweet, browned and lovely! The huz and I wolfed them down! Yum! I've got some zuccinni I need to cook, so I might try that tonight. Stay tuned for more on the zuccini. As a side note, the slim fast website says that if I continue to loose 2 pounds a week, I will have lost 40 pounds by June 1st! And, seeing as June 1st might be the start of a very big month at Casa de Formerly Known As, that's a VERY good thing! If I can keep it up even longer, I'll have lost 66 pounds by Brooke and Kyle's wedding! Well, actually, probably not, since I'll (hopefully) need to stop focusing on loosing weight at some point over the summer. But still! Something to shoot for, right?

-I'm tired of spending up to 4 hours a day in the damn car. Actually, if it was just me, I wouldn't really mind it. But LYLA! She spends more time in her car seat during the week than she does playing at home, and it kills me. Usually she sleeps to and from work, but still....what the hell kind of life is that for an 11 month old?!?! I'm probably going to start taking the train again. It's a pain in my ass, but at least that way my commute time is guaranteed, and she and I can sit and visit with each other, rather than just have her in a car seat staring out the window at all the jackasses clogging the 101.

-Brooke and Kyle's engagement party has been set for March 13th! I'm super excited, but I don't think Kyle is going to turn over the reigns to me. :( Oh well. We finally get to meet most of Kyle's family, so that's exciting!

-I bought a sewing machine!!! Did I tell you already? And, guess what? IT'S STILL IN THE BOX. Boooo. I have no freaking clue how to use this thing. But, I've signed up for a beginners "getting to know your sewing machine" class at Joann's....hopefully I'll be making crafty shit in no time! I think I've already given up on my idea about knitting. Between sewing and knitting, I think I'll be happier if I just stick to learning to sew first. Maybe I'll have time later to learn to knit. But, for now, I'm choosing to focus on running cheap fabric towards a rapidly moving GIANT needle with my bare hands. Eeek. It makes my fingers tingle - do you think anyone has ever lost a diget from a sewing machine? Besides Sleeping Beauty, of course. She didn't even end up with a scratch.

As you can tell, I'm pretty off my game right now. Someone is eating salt and vinegar chips a few feet from me, and, even though I've just had a Trader Joes salad and a shake within the last hour, I'm ready to jump them for those chips. It's very distracting!