Light at the End of the Tunnel

So, I haven't posted anything in awhile, and while I'd like to say its because of all the dates I've been busy with, or because I gave up blogging for Lent, it is really because of sugar.

I grew up in a Catholic home, and every Lent we were supposed to "give something up" as a testament of our faith in the story of Jesus' crucifixtion and subsequent resurrection. My childhood was marked with Lenten seasons promising to forego my allowance or fighting with my eight siblings. It is a practice that I never really understood, and didn't participate in for many years. I decided that this year, however, I would participate; not because I still consider myself Catholic (I don't), but because I had a better understanding as to what, exactly, it was really about. Keep reading.

Fat Tuesday rolled around this year and I brought a couple dozen paczski for the staff at work. My personal consumption for the day included: coffee, three Vanilla Angels, and a packet of Skittles. And that's it. My Lenten plan? No sugar.

Yep. I decided to give up sugar. No added sugar, not even honey or Splenda. The only sweetness allowed would be that found naturally in fruits and veggies; I would even give up those food high on the glycemic index- pineapple, bananas, carrots. Might I refer you to this post for how I feel about sugar? I have followed an Elfin diet (candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup) for as long as I can remember. My personal food pyramid had only sugar, save for the tiny triangle at the top, split equally among all of the other food groups. I went to bed still hopped up on sweet, sweet sugar, hoping and praying for the strength to follow through with the very public declaration of being a one-woman sugar-free zone for the next forty days and nights.

I know you've all heard stories about the horrible-ness that is sugar detox. I'm here to tell you that they are all true. I easily could have lost it and truly, physically harmed someone if I were less in control of my bearings. The first three days were a blur of cravings, crabbiness, and crying.

And then, it got easier.

I thought every day about what I was doing; staying focused and  making it through all forty days was a goal I knew I could reach. But why? I mean, besides the very shallow hope that I'd drop a few pounds (I haven't). It was, I decided, a test of will more than a religious practice, and yet there's a spiritual aspect that cannot be denied. Once the wall is broken through, there is a clarity to your days. There have been times these past few weeks when I have been tested, like at my friend Nicki's baby shower- pistachio cake with cream cheese frosting!- or even my standing date Friday nights with my steadies, Ben & Jerry.

And then, it got clearer.

The reasoning behind the practice, my own personal reasonings, the reasons I wish I knew about before a few weeks ago. It has to do with the word I've purposely avoided using until now: sacrifice.

My understanding of the purpose of Lent is for people to reflect on and try to come to terms with the sacrifices Jesus made for us stupid humans- the taunting, the temptations, the persecution, death. And really, if you choose to observe Lent, what you choose to give up or sacrifice as a means to empathize (???) with Jesus is your business; I do, however have a problem with putting qualifiers on that choice (i.e., "I'll give up candy, except for dark chocolate because of the antioxidants," or "I'll give up beer, except during March Madness."); to me, its worse than not observing at all. Not observing is, in a way, acknowledgement of your need for spiritual strength and guidance, whereas observing with exceptions is dismissing the need for those things, almost bragging that you are above needing help, that you don't need the example Jesus set. Think about this, the definition of sacrifice:

sacrifice (verb)- 1) offering of something to a deity; (noun) 2) something so offered; (verb) 3) the giving up of something valued for the sake of something else.

Its that third one that takes my sugar-free journey from rain-spattered windshield to crystal clear. The key to voluntary sacrifice, understanding the what and why of it, is to relinquish something that makes your day-to-day comfortable, not necessarily something you just happen to like a bunch.

And now, its clearer still.

Me being sugar-free forced me to focus on other areas of my life that perhaps I've been neglecting, and at the same time it offered me the opportunity to meditate on just why the thing I was giving up was so important in the first place. Well, for me, I like sugar. A lot. It tastes awesome. It makes me happy. I love the energy that courses through my body on a sugar high, that invincibility. Giving that up forced me to find new ways to cope with my sweet tooth, to find new things or rediscover old ones that made me feel the same way, both physiologically and emotionally.

And I thought about all of the other things I've done and still do, the other sacrifices I've made in order to make others  happy: my daughters, my friends, my students, my family. I've found that much of my life is spent making others' days comfortable. I'm sure many of you are nodding your heads in agreement. Its taken me a lot of time, but I'm okay with that, with my vocation being that of a person who brings learning experiences to others, mostly by unconventional means (this blog, even?). I love sharing knowledge and helping others grow. And most days, I'm even okay with knowing I'll never make a ton of money doing it.

So where does this leave me? Six days out from a self-induced sugar coma? Most likely, yes. But it also has brought me closer to who I think I used to be, the person I think I've forgotten about these past few difficult, liberating years where I've learned to live with less, both emotionally and materialistically. And now I'm closer still, even without the sugar rush to help move me along. Read that definition again, friends, and have a blessed Easter.

Food & Memory

The photo says "Summer" without me adding any additional words.  This afternoon, I began reading a new book, based on food and memory.  I love days like today where I have no real plans, and am able to sit outside in my Zero-Gravity Lounger, and often times read an entire book.  This one I picked up from the library this afternoon, immediately connected with the author (the specifics of why I connect, is a different post altogether), and was reminded of the power of memory.

I usually get up and stretch, take a bathroom break, and maybe get a snack every hour or so.  And just now- yes, I am on a break from reading RIGHT NOW- I looked into the fridge, saw that watermelon and that lime, and was taken back to the early summer of 1990. 

I was living in San Diego, working as a live-in nanny for a family with two young kids, and had met a guy at a concert I had attended by myself.  I was nineteen, and did things like that. I can't remember the name of the stadium, but the Swap Meet was held in the parking lot every weekend, and Tower Records was kitty-corner from it as well.  I think I had seen The Smithereens that night.  I met a very sexy, very charming guy named Enrique (I am not making that up), who had long, glossy black hair, a very cute smile, and an accent.  Being the teenaged bimbo I was, we totally made out and groped each other, then exchanged phone numbers before going our separate ways that night.

Fast forward a month or so, and we are a couple, and we are at his cousin's house in Anaheim one weekend for a family barbeque/pool party.  The beer and rum and vodka and grilled food and sun are all plentiful.  The afternoon lingers on, and- a bit drunk- I am walking barefoot around the pool, and step on a glass shard from a broken beer bottle.  Enrique's brother, Cesar, sits me down and says "Alguien me traiga una lima."  He takes the lime wedge, and squeezes the juice directly on the cut.  "Para detener el sangrado."  The rest of the wedges were used to dress the slices of watermelon on the nearby food table. 

And then, people began taking the watermelon-with-lime-juice slices.  But before they ate them, they sprinkled them with salt.  I had never seen this before, and I guess it showed on my face because Enrique said to me "Try it.  Its the perfect mix of sweet and sour and salty." 

And so I did.  And he was right.

This memory hit me like a ton of bricks, but in a good way.  Its going to make me wistful for the girl I was 20 years ago (if only for a few more hours) as I read my book in the light of the setting Summer sun, in the driveway of my rented dollhouse here in Michigan, where I'm hoping my daily life-and-food combinations become memories anew.

SOS: What No Woman Wants to Hear

That's right:  its time to get serious about training again.  I've got some races picked out, and am ready to really focus on my performances.  I bought this book hoping that the author would tell me something like..."You're perfect the way you are! You just need to be doing 50-60 miles per week, that's all."  Instead, what I got was "Lose 10 pounds."

Oh, frr rrlllll?!

So frustrating.  I mean, I know that. But who really wants to hear it? And I've been trying to lose those proverbial "last ten pounds" since they found me.  My diet, by the way, is stellar, with the exception of a very robust sugar addiction.  Which, according to the author, I should try to feed with fruits and dark chocolate. *GAAAAAGGGGG*  to the dark chocolate (for  a primer on my strange food preferences, please go here and here ). 

So, now that my summer programming is under way at work, my grad class is over for the term, and I have a bit of a regular routine I can follow, I'll need to start incorporating certain things into my life if I want to be in "peak performance" for my upcoming races.  Like, breakfast everyday (duh). And more carbs (so, my preference for PB & J sandwiches can be indulged).  And more lean protein (note to self:  make friends with local fishermen).  And less sugar (DOH!). 

I guess I should also start running regularly again if I want to creep closer to that 4-hour marathon finish I want so badly.  And start doing some weight training again.  And start getting 8-9 hours of sleep each night.  And probably should start figuring out a way to save the starving children of the world, cure cancer, and end partisan politics.  What am I, Wonder Woman?  There's no way that last item is achievable.

I always have such good intentions when starting a training program, and am usually pretty good at holding myself to my commitments, exercise-wise.  But like I mentioned in my last post , I've been struggling.  There's no impetus.  Yes, I have races in mind, but have I registered for them yet? Nope.  Part of my resistance might be my propensity toward always looking forward to the next thing, and not focusing on the day-to-day, the here-and-now.  If I could afford it, I'd hire a personal trainer and a nutritionist.  And a personal chef.  And, of course, I'd be so fabulously wealthy that I wouldn't have to go to work each day, so my workouts could be my job.

Fantasy Me:  Brock, what does our workout entail today?

Brock, Fantasy Trainer: Fuel first, ma'am! Your chef has a great breakfast here for you. And your assistant should schedule you a post-workout massage. We're going to do some mile reapeats with plyo drills in between.

Fantasy Me: *sigh* I just don't know when I'll have time for that massage, what with that interview with the Nobel Prize committee and all.

Just Jack, Fantasy Personal Assistant:  And there's the fitting for your gown for the Met Gala, plus lunch with Anna Wintour, that crazy bitch!

Fantasy Me:  Oh, now, she's just so misunderstood, Jack, you know that.

Just Jack: *eye roll* 

Brock: I know its hard being you, ma'am, but we need to focus now.

 

See? Fantasy life is so much easier to navigate than real life.

But back to the exercising: the title of this post is the truth.  No woman wants to hear she needs to lose weight, even if at first glance she doesn't seem overweight (and yes, I know that I am more slender than many Americans).  So I am asking for tips and advice from my fellow runners: 

What has worked for you when you've wanted to lose weight?

Can it be as simple as "Eat and exercise more"? Because yes, I've had people suggest that I'm not taking in enough calories for the amount of exercise I'm doing.  I've even started making recovery drinks with chia, and added it to my oatmeal or yogurt.  And honestly, I'm not looking forward to the midfulness that eating properly requires.  But if you want to lose the weight and run faster, Rachel...

SOS, friends...

A Valentine's Ode to Sugar

Oh, Sugar!
You, with your many colors, your many incarnations, your many flavors!

In nature's harvest you delight me:
Golden Delicious apple goodness, sweet nectarines, June strawberries,
and oh!, the taste of Hawaii in that prickly coat- pineapple gold!

And sugar, you chameleon!
Is the list of your myriad faces ever long? Do you taste as sweet with one name, and not the other?

Nay, you are always sweet, always comforting,
always ready with your cavity-inducing powers.

Sugar wafers, frosting, caramel corn, Karo syrup.
Dulce de leche, sweetened condensed milk, sugar cubes.
My elfin diet: candy, candy canes, candy corn, syrup!

Candy shop, penny candy, stocking stuffers, Valentine.
Willy Wonka, I wish you were real.

Cupcakes, cherry pie, Cinnabons, macaroons!
Chupacabra!
Lofthouse Cookies!
I rue the day we met, yet cherish you beyond measure.

Sugar.

Do I take you alone?
Is a Fluffer Nutter the same without your touch?
Did your chocolate get in my peanut butter?
Did my peanut butter get in your chocolate?- I can only hope.

You bring rot to my mouth, energy to my muscles
frenetic-ness to my brain, padding to my hips.
My belly.
My ass.

I will take you however I can get you.
I will keep you close.
I will sing your praises at every opportunity,
And you, Sugar,
Will be mine.

My Strange Relationship with Food, Part II

My last post was all about the foods I dislike. Indeed, I have banned them from the grocery list, and will not even consider partaking in dishes which contain said ingredients. I've never thought of myself as someone who holds a grudge, but by the same token, I guess I have a memory a mile long, so...

...onward to the foods I do like. Despite my desire for nutrition-in-pill-form, there are many things I love to eat. I am not usually a "gusher," I don't go on and on and on and on about things. Okay, maybe shoes. Or clothes. But food?! Not me.

Note: these are different from foods I crave, or foods that fall into another separate category entirely: SUGAR. My philosophy on that category can be best summed up thusly:

Now, without further ado, my list of foods that will always have a spot on the grocery list:

1) Apples- As I mentioned in my previous post, my mom would hide the apples she bought. I would eat them all to the point of...let's say...intestinal upset. Or so I'm told. But apples are so versatile! Depending on the variety, they can add sweetness or tartness to a dish. There's a depth they bring to savory dishes (like my favorite Moosewood Tart & Tangy Baked Beans), and their flavor in sweet baked goods...with cinnamon and nutmeg...YUM. Favorite varieties for straight-out eating? Gala or Golden Delicious.

2) Avocados- I was a late-comer to the avocado parade. My first experience with the green goddess was at a Christmas Eve celebration at my Grandma Gert's house. A cousin's girlfriend brought guacamole, and so I gave it a try. Her version, as I remember it, had sour cream and shredded cheddar in it. Eeewww! When I finally tried avocado properly- in real guacamole, in Mexico- it was instant love. How could I have missed this for so long? I love an avocado on a veggie burger, with TexMex dishes, with grilled fish, in salads. My friend My Jenny used to feed her babies avocado mashed with cream cheese for a snack. I'm told I make a mean guacamole, and maybe one day I'll share that recipe with you. Maybe.

3) Nectarines- Is there any better taste of Summer than a perfectly ripe, juicy nectarine? I think not. Save your breath in trying to tell me that its "just like a peach, but without the fuzzy skin." Puh-leeze! No comparison, in my book. That orange/amber hue of the flesh, the smooth skin, the sweet juices...the richness of the flavor reminds me of how completely satisfying the smell of a mock orange tree is. All-consuming. I'll stop now before this gets pornographic.

4) Greek yogurt- I've always been a fan of plain ol' yogurt. I like the neat new flavors they have nowadays: Key Lime, Coconut Cream, Banana, Dreamsicle. But the moment I tried Greek yogurt- what with its heavy, heavy silken texture and impossible creaminess- I bid a final adieu to those thinly flavored varieties. Even the Red Velvet Cake flavor.

5) Beans- I'm not talking green beans here, although I do like those. I'm talking what would be considered shell beans: kidney beans, black beans, Great Northern White beans, pinto beans. As a vegetarian (and a less than wealthy one, at that), they have proven to be an economical and tasty alternative protein form. The aforementioned baked beans were a turning point for me (Homemade baked beans? Instead of from a can with that blob of pork fat? Who knew they were so easy? Who knew they'd be so delish?!). I also use them in salads and that Thrifty Girl's stand-by: Empty Out The Fridge Casserole.

6) Onions- Flavor flavor flavor flavor flavor! A staple for so many reasons. I even prefer it to garlic. That is all.

7) Salmon- As I mentioned in my last post, I have only started to incorporate fish into my diet in the past few years. I grew up with those rectangular frozen fish sticks like everyone else. And being raised Catholic, I had to endure my share of Lenten Friday Night Fish Dishes. My father is a die hard fisherman, and would often bring home buckets and buckets of blue gill and crappies. I never enjoyed fish in my childhood. Gah-rosss-ah! But as an adult, I found that I missed the satiety meat brought to a meal, yet couldn't eat farm animals (my disgust of animals is another post altogether). So, fish it was. Salmon was what was in the freezer, and it was prepared simply for me: olive oil, salt, black pepper, fresh dill, lemon slices. Foil packet on the grill. Its still my favorite way to prepare it. I have also come to appreciate such fish as tilapia, grouper, and tuna. Mmmm...sushi.

8) Cheese pizza- While technically more of a dish rather than a food, it is still a staple in my grocery cart. Tomatoes in a form I can handle? Check. Cheese in a variety I can handle? Check. Warm bread? Check. Its a food ingredient hat trick, and when you take the frozen variety, add a bit more shredded cheese, and bake it until its bubbly and golden? That's comfort food, right there.

9) Lay's Original Potato Chips- "No one can eat just one." One of the reasons I run and exercise as much as I do. No ripples, no flavors. Just greasy, salty goodness.

10) Loft House Frosted Sugar Cookies- These are my nemesis. They are also my salvation. And coupled with #9, why I run as much as I do. They are what I have referred to in the past as the Chupacabra of Baked Goods. They are Evil. They are Heavenly. Chemically soft cookies with not a single browned edge topped with Keep-Your-Dentist-In-Business frosting. And sprinkles. I prefer the pink frosting to any other color, and come Christmas time, the Candy Cane ones have an honored spot on my counter top.

Needless to say, if I didn't practice self-restraint, I'd eat only Lay's and Loft House cookies, washed down with a room-temperature Coca-Cola Classic (Not diet Coke. Ever.), read fashion magazines, stalk people on facebook, and have an ass the size of Montana. Thank you, 8 lb. 6 oz. Baby Jesus for giving me a rational, practical brain.

Next post? A love letter to all things sugar.

My Strange Relationship with Food, Part I

So, I'm a vegetarian. I have been meat-free since the birth of Daughter #1 (19 years ago). At the time, I was looking for a way to combat my genetic predisposition to the ravages of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. and cutting animal products from my diet seemed like a logical step to take. In the past maybe three years or so, I've let fish creep in to my diet, which not only makes getting enough protein easier, but makes weddings and buffet lines easier, too.

Anyway, my vegetarianism is totally not about animal rights (Au contraire, Mon Cherie! I loathe the animals!). I guess it really stemmed not only from the need to beat the genetic lottery off with a stick, coupled with the fact that I am a very picky eater.

As a child, my mother would have to hide apples from me or I'd eat the entire crop of them. My grade school lunches were always the same: PB&J on Wonder bread (because that's what my mom bought, silly!), an apple or some other piece of fruit (but NOT plums, tangerines, or peaches; oranges, bananas, grapes, and nectarines were fine), and some sort of Little Debbie snack (but NOT those icky Swiss Rolls or chocolate anything, except for the waxy chocolate-flavored coating on those delicious Nutty Bars). I still take PB&J sandwiches for lunch.

I never, ever, ever liked lunch meat. I think when I was younger I thought it was raw, and couldn't understand why people would eat it all the time. I did, however, enjoy Oscar Mayer bologna, fried with ketchup. Oh, Mama! It tasted somewhat like bacon (another weakness, although I was never very fond of say, pork chops or loin roasts).

I could go on and on with stories like these. See, I know I need food to live. And I know that a balanced diet is a good thing. I know that I need to pay even more attention to my diet than Regular Rosie because of the way I'd like my body to perform (that is, run marathons and such). But honestly, I'm waiting for the day when optimal nutrition comes in pill form. Some women are looking for the pill to help them lose weight; not me! What I'd really like to see is the evolution of food into gum form, like on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original one with Gene Wilder, not the icky one with Johnny Depp). Roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, and for dessert...blueberry pie! *chew chew chew*

And so, for the closing of Part I, I will leave you with a list of items I have stricken from the grocery list forever:

1) Tomatoes. The only way these are remotely tasty is as pizza sauce, lasagna sauce, or ketchup.

2) Pickled anything. Seriously? Letting food items stay submerged in a vinegar solution is just all kinds of wrong. I mean, I know its a way to preserve foods, but really? Ick.

3) Eggplant. While a very attractive shade (its always featured as the "purple" in that rainbow of fruits and veggies you're supposed to eat), its not tasty. Believe me, I've tried to like it- eggplant Parmesan, breaded and deep fried,etc.- but its so....blech!

4) Okra. This has one of the prettiest plants I've ever seen: lush green leaves with delicate yellow flowers. Too bad its cooked texture- um, kinda like Vaseline- is enough to make me gag.

5) Papaya. This is the one with the little black seeds that look like caviar, right? Yeah, my first experience with papaya was on a return flight from Mexico. It smelled and tasted like stinky feet. Maybe it was over ripe? Doesn't matter. I'm not eating it ever again.

6) Cheese. Ooooh, I'm gonna get it for that one, for sure. This is where my pickiness comes in to play. The following varieties are excluded from the category of "cheese," and are edible and consumable in mass quantities: mozzarella, brie, Colby jack, cheddar (only sometimes, though), Gorgonzola, Mascarpone, cream cheese, Parmesan, Romano. I must also add that these items must also be warm/melted, breaded & deep fried, or incorporated somehow into a dessert.

7) Eggs. Again, its not really a vegetarian thing, but I only like my eggs two ways: scrambled very very very very dry and cooked in butter ONLY (like, spots of brown on the eggs), or incorporated into a baked good.

8) Shellfish. This includes crabs, lobster, prawns, oysters, clams, mussels...all of it. Why? Because they all look like giant bugs. My only exception is the fake crab used in California Rolls at the sushi place.

9) Mushrooms. Several people have tried to get me to eat and enjoy mushrooms, trying to tempt me with varieties like portabella or shiitake, or even the elusive yet sought-after morel. Listen to me: they're texture is all wrong, and they smell and taste like dirt unless you add so much other stuff to them that you should've saved your money and omitted them from the recipe in the first place.

10) Mayonnaise. This also includes the Miracle Whip variety of mayonnaise-type spreads. Please note that the main ingredients in mayonnaise are mentioned previously on the list (see: #2 [vinegar] and #7).

For my next entry, I'll focus on what I do like to eat, followed by another installment where I hope to make a case for getting optimal nutrition from sugar-based foods, just like Buddy the Elf.

Have a great week!

Wait a Second...

...are those different flavors of Razzles? The delicious treat that is first a candy, then a gum? Yes, it is.  From the top:  a cute card from Katie, Original Razzles, Tropical Razzles, and Sour Razzles.

For those of you not in the know, I am a Connoisseur of all things Candy.  I'm not talking chocolate here (ick, no!); I'm talking sugary, childish goodness.  Blow Pops.  Lick-A-Stick.  Bottle Caps.  Chewy Runts.  Skittles (side note:  I have tried every flavor of Skittle out there, from spearmint & peppermint, to smoothie, to the "Carnival" variety).  The quintessential "kid in the candy store?"  Its me.

I've always loved candy, and I have a mouth full of expensive dental work to prove it.  I had the opportunity to meet up with an old friend this week while I was in Chicago, and our conversation turned to the horrible things we eat and then shrug off because of our exercise habits (he, too, is a marathoner/triathlete).  We should really stop eating things just because their ingestion can be justified by what others deem "unnecessarily extreme" exercise routines.  Or should we?  

99% of the time, I am a wonderfully healthy eater.  No meat, no poultry.  Whole grains.  Tons of fresh fruit & veggies.  Low dairy intake.  Occasional alcohol, occasional soda.  And then someone will throw me a wrench, like...Christmas Eve, when I'm obligated to make Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.  Who in their right mind would NOT eat this? "I'll get up and run tomorrow...maybe 5 miles..." and down the hatch it goes.

Is this a type of eating disorder? Dunno.  But I do know that if I didn't know my body needed food to function properly, I wouldn't eat half as much as I do.  I've never been a big eater, and really, I can't be bothered so much to stop and nourish myself.  I'm one of those people who is just waiting for the day when all of our daily nutrients can be ingested in pill form, or better yet, in a stick of gum, Willy Wonka-style:  roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy...and blueberry cobbler! Just call me Violet Beauregard!

Other news? T-11 days and counting until race day in Cincinnati.  Just got back from a great conference in Chicago with my Summer staff, and totally enjoyed the city.  I miss Chicago so much, especially when the weather is so fantastic (74 degrees when we left on Friday!).  Plus, I got to reconnect with some high school friends- such fun!  20 year reunion coming up in July (!!!), so I'll definitely have more to write about.  In the mean time, have a great week!

For My Favorite Redhead, and Fellow Cupcake Lovers Everywhere

If there is one thing I can be sure of, its that my fellow Sagittarius and Favorite Redhead loves cupcakes. In her honor, may I direct your attention to the following blog:

Cupcakes Take the Cake

Enjoy!

Renovation Update, With a Little Love

For all of you wondering how the renovation is going, I present to you my new kitchen sink. It is a lovely 18-gauge stainless steel undermount single bowl, with a depth of 10-1/2". I know it doesn't look like an undermount, but that's because the concrete counters haven't been installed/poured yet.


Nice, huh? Mr. Fix has been busy framing out the cabinets with rift-sawn maple (that means its got this cool, wavy shimmer to it) while the rest of us have been smiling at the new appliances. It was a bit strange to look in the refrigerator the first few days we had it, though; we had no food (since I am the only person in the house who knows where the grocery store is. And the laundry hamper. And the recycling bin. I could go on...) and it looked like we just picked up the floor model. Its full now, and everyone is smiling at it even more.

Mr. Fix did, however, take the time to cook us dinner on Saturday night, and cooked it up with an extra bit of love:


Awwww....yummy fingerling potatoes planted by his hands, tended in the garden by his hands, harvested by his hands, and then lovingly cooked by his hands. I ate this one in one big, noisy CHOMP! *giggle*

Hope this starts your week out with a smile!