BUSY!!

Good morning all! How was your weekend? Mine was fantastically full! As some of you know, my birthday was Thursday- and in honor of it, I threw myself a party!! Ok so maybe thats a bit lame- but it was kind of a house warming party too (though lets really be honest it was about me!! hah) It was really great! Before I go any further I just have to say how wonderful all of my friends are- I really have never felt so loved on a birthday before, I feel truly blessed to finally made some really awesome friends!! The night went great, with tons and tons of people (at least 30 at one point) all hanging out in our 874 square ft. home.. There was a fire roaring in our fireplace (the first fire we have ever burned here!) awesome conversation, and of course some adult beverages were had. I am not one to drink a whole lot- and usually one maybe two drinks is all I need to get loopy and goofy- I'm already like that 100% of the time anyway so you

can imagine what I'm like under the influence! Here is me 4 drinks in:

I'm wearing my"old lady" sweater as my friends lovingly call it. I just love this thing I got it second hand for $6 and I just love the way it fits, and the color. Apparently I was walking about with my hands clasped at the top like I was cold or something, haha. The next morning there were a TON of things to do in the cleaning department. One of our friends, Matt had decided to hide empty cans and bottles all over the house- so even though we thought we had cleaned most of them up before we went to be there were at least 2o that I had uncovered in the morning. I wasn't hung over which was awesome but I think the boys had just had too much fun and this is what they looked like for most of the morning!And heres the loot! Some friends brought wine, and I also received some leg warmers that I have been wanting, and some coconut foot cream from burts bees, a couple candles, a frame with a photo of James and I from our Saco Canoe trip, and wine glasses.. And what do you do with wine glasses?! Drink all of this wine (someday!) that others got for me!

Saturday was spent cleaning, and reading, hanging out and waiting for James to get home from school. We met up with some friends and went out to dinner, and hung in at their house for a movie!

Sunday we spent raking, and raking and raking some more leaves. My mom had come over in the morning and we drank like 3 cups of coffee a piece, then we were off to the hardware store to pick up some lawn bags... (little did we know we would be getting a ton more later in the day) But before we started, I went to making some soup to fuel our bodies for the hard work to come- this was part lentil part veggie soup that I loosely made from these recipe:http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/2009/11/recipe-damians-favorite-lentil-soup/It was awesome.. I added different veggies- opting for what I had on hand. This was a winner! Then off to the leaves.. we filled 49 lawn and leaf bags... No seriously.. I'm not kidding:

INTENSE is all I'm going to say- I'm really really sore and I was exhausted.. So I kept dinner SIMPLE!!!
Baked sweet potato with a salad or romaine, carrot, cukes, tomato, roasted garlic, walnuts, and a grilled Shroom... with some wine too!

Awesome weekend, I'm so sad to have to go to work now!

My tummy isn't at all happy with me the last few days.. It's kind of an on and off thing though- which I find really weird but whatever! So in honor of the tum tums, I ate a mostly raw diet today. Raw chocolate and banana ice cream with some dried unsweetened coconut sprinkled on top, and apple, a very green juice from TJ's, salad with romaine, broccoli, carrot, tomato, cukes and topped with some lightly cooked collards- all coated with a bit of olive oil, lemon and salt. a brown rice cake sammich with peanut butter, a home made cliff bar, 1 celery stick, 1/2 a large carrot and another apple. It seems like a lot I know, but mind you I taught two times today (one very intense class- one forward folding) and went to school for 2 1/2 hours. So all in all my tummy did feel a bit better- though I still felt sick for a couple hours today- which is annoying because I just don't know what's going on!! it really annoys me!

Tomorrow is my birthday!! I'm having a party on Friday- but as for the actual day I'm working, and cleaning, along with baking and cooking for the event. I'm not too sure how many people are actually coming.. so it can be kind of tough to anticipate how much food to prepare. Mostly it's going to be snacky type stuff, you know hummus and veggies, some cookies, and brownies.. I'm probably going to make some calzones as well.. I will have pictures finally!! The camera isn't broken. and we will have lift off!

Stove?! I almost forgot how they worked..

Yes, ladies and gents.. we FINALLY have the stove up and running!!! Unfortunately I was too exhausted last night to make anything but pasta for dinner! No worries- I'm planning on breaking this bad boy in sometime in the next few days- and especially this weekend. In an effort to save money.. since we have spent so much extra in the last few weeks to make up for not having the stove in the first place... I have really been missing my cookbooks, as silly as that sounds... I miss leafing through the pages of yummy foods that I have yet to make.. Well they will go unmade no longer.. I want to make as much as humanly possible!!! Ok- well maybe I'll take it down a notch.. I do however plan on making some fantastical foods- though I'm not certain what they will be.. Today for lunch I tried romaine lettuce leaves as the "bread" for our peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and let me tell you I think I like it better than bread! I added some raisins and coconut to both- along with Jelly in James... Even though I like jelly sometimes if I steal a bite of James' toast- I can't just eat it myself.. I dont really think I will ever be able to! I also made some of these last night: (http://enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com/2008/06/homemade-cliff-bars-no-bake.html) and they came out wonderfully! Finally a homemade granola bar type snack that stuck together and didn't take forever to concoct! James really liked them!! I also made some raw cookies for the week... Hopefully I will be better at planning and get things ready to be eaten and stocked in the fridge for our lunches and snacks.. I really don't want to buy crap when I can make some good stuff right here in my wonderfully kitchen!

House update: The bedroom is finished being painted and we are setting it up this evening after I teach my class and have dinner!!! I'm so excited I can't even describe it in words!

Last we talked- I assumed that I was on the mend. I was totally wrong about that one! Despite the stuffed nose with head and body aches, I awoke at 6:15 this morning to teach a class a cover class for my boss lady. When I only had one student show I wasn't too bummed out or surprised since I had my own 7 am class which no one ever came to.. It was the boss lady's cousin who has started teaching herself. So at the end of the class when I figured out that I wasn't even going to get the small insignificant amount of money for teaching said student (those who teach at the studio can take other classes for free) I realized that I could have hit the snooze button another 6 times... I was let's say sadfaced. Oh well- I took my shiffly ass to Starbucks and got a coffee and headed home to catch up on my bloggy friends- and cheer this sickness right out of my body. Got a call from the husband and it turns out he now is feeling the wrath of this dreaded cold/flu whatever it is.. He also told me that his brother and sister-in- law who was visiting this last couple weeks and are responsible for the sickness, had made it safely home.. But on the way got hit by a deer! Thats right kids- the deer hit them. Now as far as I know the deer is fine and alive (I hope!) and they and the kiddlets are fine..good story, But geese!!

On the stove front, James and Friend got the cement laid out so that they can come back and PASS the gas line so I can finally use my stove! They are coming today so we might have a big pot of soup cooking on my beloved, unused gorgeous stove tonight!!!

So you have noticed that there hasn't been a single picture on this blog in sometime.. Well my friends I think that my camera might be broken! I'm hoping for the best and I'm going to try and figure out what is wrong with the little guy- but if I can't fix it, it may be time to retire the little guy.. I've had it for at least 3 years if not 4 and the other day when I was shopping I came across a beauty. a whole 7 mega pixels higher than the one I have now... it was pretty- but I don't want my camera to be broken- I really think its got a few more photos left... Anywho.. I have another class today and some errands to run- See you all in a bit!

She's baaaaaack

Yes the fog has finally lifted and I'm back to my usual self.. The procrastinating, coffee drinking, yoga teaching, Denny's waitressing self.. I headed back to the day just Tuesday.. and struggled through the first half of the day.. Fortunately I had some leftover soup for lunch (which I heated in a microwave, eww.. but I needed it to be hot) And I really think that did the trick. I'm sure it was all of that garlic and ginger- and veggies galore that fixed me up quick! After work I was feeling so awesome I went to the gym for an hour.. 1/2 hour on the elliptical and 1/2 on the thread mill for a total of 5 miles and almost 500 calories.. I really needed a good sweat to kick the last of that nastiness out of my system! I headed home for some quick snackage and a shower before heading out to whole foods and to teach my class at the Y. James was working a side job so I was on my own for dinner and opted for a whole foods hot bar experience. I hit up for some the indian yummys with a little bit of salad on the side. Let me tell you it hit the spot when I finally got to eat it.. mmm I really love indian food! This morning I taught me "advanced" vinyasa class which has started to really pick up. Yes the studio is small the the 4 students that I had was actually an improvement! haha But I think people are really starting to get into me and my style which is so exciting I must say... I feel as though I improve right along with my students and it really is just awesome to keep moving forward! Unfortunately for me I have to leave for school in a few minutes. Yes I skipped class last week (we only meet once a week for 2.5 hours) so I really wasn't prepared for the test that I had to study for today. I tried to study a bit, but it's really not my thing.. So here's hoping for the best. Of course I'm off to get a HUGE Starbucks before class with the hopes that my positive attitude combines with an intense amount of caffeine to let me pass the test, and this class. Now let me be clear and say that I'm not looking for an A. The hopes of passing this class with such a grade flew out the window after the first quiz. I'm not a math girl.. and I really could care less about this crappola..I just need it to move on with my school career. I am normally a student with a 4.0- Impressive right?! (just kidding.. well not about the 4.0 but my cocky attitude :-) ) and it really bums me out that this class is kicking my ass.. But that's just how life is sometimes. You don't always do awesome at everything. With the stuff going on with my life lately I just have to be happy that I'm still in the class. The stress of home owning, teaching, working the day job, and family/ friends and whatever else is coming along the way- just adds up to me not having a whole lot of time to devote to this crazy class. PLEASE UNIVERSE.. JUST LET ME PASS!!

The one downer of the day is that the town came to inspect the gas line that we had put in so that I could have a gas stove, and it didn't pass.. which means I will be going even longer without the help of a stove. I feel like I'm living in some little village where there is no electricity or running water. I can't believe how much I really miss being able to cook, and make coffee at home... Oh the memories! The electric skillet and toaster oven just aren't doing it for me anymore. I need some cookage!

So wish me luck fellow bloggies! To passing the test!!! and Passing the class!! and well passing the gas!! (Gas line that is) heh. See you all soon!

I haven't been on my game at all for this last few days.. I've been struggling with what seems to be flu like symptoms, but I really have only had head aches, nausea and sleepiness.. Lots and lots of sleepiness. Seriously I don't think I have laid on the couch this much since I had my appendix removed.. Today I skipped out of work at the restaurant and ate a ton of raw foods that my body was craving. I started the morning out with some raw apple pie, which came out awesome. A couple hours later a grapefruit for some vitamin c, woot woot along with some raw banana ice cream which I sprinkled some uncle sams cereal for some crunch. Before I had to teach I ate some salad wrapped in collards.. For dinner I wasn't feeling so hot, so I made some really awesome soup.. I love you soup! After dinner, James and I went for a walk in the REALLY cold autumn air.. I feel a bit better at the moment, but who knows what the morning with bring. I am hoping to start tomorrow off with some yoga and a yummy raw breakfast feast of some kind. I was browsing the goneraw site for some ideas- and I'm thinking of a "caramel" dip for some celery.. I have no choice but to go to work in the morning.. James is worried that there isn't going to be enough work in the coming months, and is stressing out about money- which is weird because I'm usually the one that gets freaked out by this sort of thing.. so for now i need to get as much money as we can banked up, just incase things get scary... for now I think sleep is the most important thing for the upcoming day.. night kids.

The hook up, Woot woot!

FINALLY there is someone coming to connect my stove.. Ok- well they are actually just going to be running the line for the propane- then they have to have the town come to my house to inspect it and test it (to make sure my house isn't going to blow up) and THEN I will finally be able to have my stove.. Hurrah! So it's still going to be another week or so until I can actually use it, but we are finally moving forward. Things are still busy, we finally chose the color for our hallway and foyer (Pompeian Red) and James has been hard at work getting the bedroom ready for paint (I think we are getting close) James' brother is here with his wife and kids visiting from North Carolina- so we have been with them whenever possible. I love love love being an auntie, so I have to soak up these kids while I can. Last night I made a quickie soup for dinner and a kale salad to go along with it. The salad was just simply 1/2 a bunch of kale chopped up into bite sized pieces, a tomato, a cuke, and some black olives; tossed with the juice of one lemon, a 2 tablespoons of olive oil, some hot sauce, salt and "cracky blacky" as Averie would say! YUMMMMM! The soup was just as simple. I had two packets of instant miso soup left, so I used them up with some vegan veggie broth cubes for the soup base. Then went in some dried minced onion (I don't have any of the fresh stuff for some reason) a zucchini cut into half moons, some more kale, carrot shredded with a veggie peeler, chick peas, and cubed tofu. SImple and yummy.!!

10 random facts about me:

1.I have been shampoo free for a month now, using the no-poo method and loving it! I can't believe that I didn't try this sooner. Speaking of hair- since my teens I have had some pretty nifty hair do's. An undercut, dreadlocks, a shaved head, not to mention the colors it has been dyed: hott pink, green, blue, purple, red, bleached almost white.. After the shaving of the head I vowed that I would grow it out to my butt which I achieved this last year.. then I chopped off 6 inches last month which is more than I've cut my hair in years.. Now I'm growing it back, haha.

2. I used to have over 30 piercings at once: 3 nose rings, my lip, belly button, and MANY ear piercings.

3. My first car was a 1988 silver Subaru station wagon, which my parents bought for me for $440. I drove it around for about 6 months and then crashed it into a tree going 25 mph down a hill in a snow storm.

4. I met my husband through his brother, who was a good friend in high school. Funny thing is that I introduced him to his wife- who was a friend of mine from work!

5. In high school I was a serious swimmer, practicing 5 times a week for 2-3 hours each.. and competed mostly in the sprinting events. My best time for the 50 free style was 26 seconds flat.

6. I tore the ligaments in my right ankle 3 times, during my swimming career and had to tape my ankle for practice and meets and wear a brace for the rest of the time. I was supposed to get surgery but never did.

7. I had my appendix removed when I was 16, and had to stay in the hospital for 5 days- my dad bought be a stuffed chick that quacked a song.

8. When I was 3 years old I almost died from dehydration. We were on vacation in Canada and I got sick from the water-vomiting when even water was in my body, my parents took me to the hospital where we were staying and they said I had an ear infection (but my mom knew that I didn't because I got them all the time) so my parents drove 16 hours straight to get me back home to RI. When we got there they said another 1/2 hour I would have been dead.

9. I have two tattoos: a black star on the back of my neck, and my favorite flower, in water with a star on my right foot.

10. James and I got married on a boat on a pond. We didn't wear shoes or wear really fancy clothes. No one dressed up- we went tubing and set off a TON of fireworks!