Same Page Monday

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I have one thing for you today.  It’s all I can handle today.

I had a very traumatizing moment this morning at the gym.

I got an ear plug stuck in my ear!!!!!!   I thought I was going to have a panic attack!!!!!  Ok, I did have a panic attack!!!

LUCKILY, after a few minutes of panic (like this can’t be happening, I have 10 million things I need to do today and going to the ear doctor to have them fish out a piece of foam from my ear is not on the list, where will I even go to have something like this done… surely not my dentist or women’s doctor) and then after trying to get it out myself, our amazing receptionist tweezed it out of my ear with tweezers.

I would like to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to Marissa for saving my life today.

At the Tracy Anderson Studio we do dance cardio… we dance our butts off (literally and figuratively)!  They blast the music so loud and my spot is right in front of the speaker… and I really don’t want to be deaf by the time I’m 35, so I thought it would be a good idea to wear ear plugs.  But that is so uncool.  I didn’t want to have big ear plugs sticking out of my ears…so I had this “brilliant” idea to cut them in half!  It had been working for the last month and then ALL OF A SUDDEN, today, one decided that it wanted to slide alll the into my ear hole.

Needless to say, I think I’ll just be going deaf by the time I’m 35.  Major fear of ear plugs now.

Happy Monday! XO

Time to Get Back into Cooking!

The crazy summer season is over and it’s starting to feel like Fall here in the Northeast.  I know it is officially still summer (and I know my California sisters are probably still in their shorts and sun dresses) but I’m excited about sweaters, boots and getting back into cooking! Here are the recipes on my “Must Try List”:

Grilled Summer Squash & Peach Salad:  I’ve got to try this one soon because summer produce isn’t going to last forever!  I love the idea of adding fruit to the dinner plate.  It’s so fancy but not complicated.
backtocooking1Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese & Honey Drizzle Tart: How colorful, pretty and different!  And beets are just so delicious!  Sides are sometimes so uninspiring and this is a good way to change it up!! backtocooking2Flank Steak: Mrs. Lilien writes one of my most favorite blogs – her graphics are fab.  Doesn’t she make this recipe look so easy!  Asian inspired dishes are not really a go to for me – mostly because I feel like you have to buy so many ingredients.  But this looks worth a try! backtocooking3 Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls:  Looks like a good combination of sweet, spicy, fresh & healthy to me!!   backtocooking4 Spicy Thai Curry Noodle Soup: Like I said, I’m trying to incorporate more Asian inspired dishes into my rotation.  This one will be delicious to try on a chilly Fall night! backtocooking5Skillet Lasagna: There is always a pasta on my “Must Try List”.  This is a “one skillet” recipe which means less clean up for Steve!!  And it says it takes less than an hour to make!  I’ve gotta try this to believe it!
backtocooking6 Raspberry Friands:  When we lived in Australia, the after school ritual was to go have afternoon tea!  All dressed in our school uniforms, Patty would pick us up and we would go to one of the many cute cafes in town.  Our little snack of choice was usually a friand!  They are like a little muffins but they are made with almond meal which makes it a little denser.  I don’t ever see them here in the US  so these will be fun to try! backtocooking7Nutella Stuffed Brown Butter Sea Salt Cookie:  Just the name speaks for itself! backtocooking8

Is anyone else hungry??  I’ll keep you posted on how they all turn out!!

Never Forget

I will never forget.  It was September 12th for me… we were living in Australia at the time.  The events of September 11th, 2001 went down all while we were fast asleep.  I woke up that morning, went downstairs, signed onto AOL (naturally), and the image of two burning towers popped right up.  It looked like a scene from a new movie… I couldn’t believe my eyes.  This can’t be real.  My Dad was walking down the stairs and I ran to him and told him what happened.  We were in shock.

My sisters and I still had to go to school that day.  We were the only Americans at our school.  I felt so sad and alone.  I remember wishing that I was back in America with my fellow Americans… going through it together.  United.

I was glued to the TV and the news.  Mourning for my country.  Praying that they would find survivors.  Listening to the stories of strangers helping strangers and of our real life heroes.  In that moment… we were all American.  We were all apart of one race… the human race.  I was proud of our country.  I was proud to be American.  And I am still proud to be American.

I was going through pictures and I can’t even bring myself to put them on here… so sad.  Too sad.

I just want to remind us all to always choose love and not hate…

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Love you all! xo