Our Little Geekling

Y’all. Someone (I had just met) at church on Sunday asked me if I was pregnant. Um. No. I’m never wearing that shirt again, but other than that, I just said, “Nope!” with a smile and smoothed down my shirt. Even though I’ve been eating my feelings and not working out for a good two weeks, my pants still fit fine. I don’t FEEL fine, but I expected that. I was feeling crappy (both physically and emotionally) anyway, so I wasn’t really expecting eating like crap to help or hurt that. But after this woman’s comment, I feel like it’s time to get back on the Paleo wagon. So I start again tomorrow. Three cheat meals a week. Alcohol in moderation, and a healthy eating lifestyle.

Here are some things I’m planning to eat this week:

-Paleo Meatballs and Zucchini Noodles with Vodka Sauce

-Taco Salad

-Chicken and Pepperoni-Marinara Sauce and Caprese Salad

-Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia with Sauteed Squash

-Cobb Salad (made with romaine lettuce, chicken, bacon, hard-boiled egg, avocado, tomato, bleu cheese, and chives with red wine vinegar and olive oil)

-Skillet Pork Loin (made with parsnips instead of carrots (because we don’t like cooked carrots), and sweet potatoes)

And AWAY we go!

Oh, here’s a picture of Eriana, since I KNOW that’s why you actually visit my blog!

Girly loves to swing! (MULLET IN THE WIND!)

Thank you all for your kind comments on my last post. I really appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and insight.

Some quick takes for your Friday evening:

-I read a lot of books in February and March, but I haven’t updated my books list. I should do that, huh? (Apropos of nothing, I’m reading Kris Jenner’s autobiography right now, and even if you dislike the Kardashians as an empire, she has a lot to say about the O.J. Simpson trial since Nicole Brown Simpson was her best friend. Interesting stuff!)

-Eriana had her 15-month well check today and she is a healthy, growing girl. She weighed 22 lbs, 3 oz (35th percentile), measured 31.25 inches (75th percentile), and her head was in the 50th percentile. Her doctor did mention that her weight is low, but not alarmingly so, and her percentages are (apparently) better than last time. She had two shots, and she did great, with minimal hysterics, but she was super sore and whiny this evening.

-Our vacuum died a horrible death yesterday (officially; she’s been sick for awhile), and I had to buy a new one today. We’re partial to the Dyson brand, so we got another. But we’re on a more limited budget than last time we bought one, so I opted for the space-saver one, for a savings of $200. It seems to work just fine, I’ll just have to empty the canister more often.

(The handle pulls up for regular use, but Eriana will be able to use it with the handle down in no time!)

-I bought Eriana some clothes at a garage sale today, and all that was left for shorts/skirts for summer were size 2T. I’m hoping her cloth diaper will take up the extra space in her pants area and she’ll be able to wear them this summer. (I really should have thought ahead before the consignment sale a few weeks ago!)

-Yesterday we had dinner at the home of some friends, and they don’t have any pets. Their house was really clean; our house is really dirty in comparison. I guess that’s the price you pay for having a zoo?

-In one week we will be in Mexico.

-I might get to go to Africa with my church this summer.

-I like this. A LOT.

(via Pinterest, via amandatolleson)

-I bought new glasses, and they should be in next week. I’m excited. (It’s possible they’re in already, but when the optometrist’s office called today my phone died and they probably think I hung up on them. And Eriana was in the bath then I forgot to call them back.)

-I wish my hair looked like Marina’s from Fresh Beat Band (the old Marina… we only have one season on Netflix).

-Here’s what I’m making for dinner(s) this week: TexMex CrockPot Carnitas, Italian Meatballs, Deconstructed Gyro Salad, Cottage-Flower Pie, and Chicken Salad a la Queen.

What’s going on with you?

My family and I took our first long roadtrip since Eriana’s birth. It was her first time out of Oklahoma, and her first time in the car for a continuous amount of time longer than about an hour-hour-and-a-half. We went to visit the W family in Little Rock, about a six-hour drive from the OKC area. Matt was one of Jim’s best friends in high school, he and his wife, Stacyi, came to see us a couple of months ago when they were in town for a concert, and we got to meet their son, Triston, for the first time. He’s 5 and super spunky. We also got to see the L family, some friends we met when we were stationed at Yokota who are now living in Little Rock. Their daughter, A, was born in May of last year, and it was so fun to see them and meet little A.

Eriana did fantastically, all things considered. She slept the first half of both car rides, and cried for the last 45 minutes or so of each car ride (well, on the way there she cried for about 45 minutes and then fell asleep 20 minutes out from our destination). But, you know, she’s a baby. (At the time of writing, we have been home for about an hour and she has been in the best mood ever.) We slept in Triston’s room on an air mattress, and brought the pack-n-play for Eriana. She slept in our bed the first night and in the pack-n-play until about 5am on the second night. She’s been having some sleep regression issues anyway, so I didn’t really blame her or expect her to be a good sleeper all of a sudden in a new place and in her pack-n-play in the same room as us. Also, her pack-n-play is usually in our bathroom so she can play while I shower, so it’s not really a place she associates with sleep.

We had a great, great time. Man, will it be nice to sleep in our bed tonight, but it was really nice to get away. The W family was awesome. Totally accommodating and great. So accepting of Eriana’s craziness, so great with allowing her to make a mess of their home. They took us to a fancy restaurant and introduced us to the most amazing brownie ever on the Earth, they made us delicious fajitas and a wonderful breakfast (well, Stacyi gets all the credit for both meals), Jim acted like a teenager again and stayed up until 4am talking and giggling with Matt like they were girls. It was awesome to see him with someone who has known him since they were freshmen in high school and who truly knows him. I love that. Plus, Triston and Eriana are equals when it comes to energy levels and ridiculous busyness. So, that was fun.

The L family was amazing, too. They cooked us a super delicious brunch, Eriana got to play with A (and, apparently, show her how much fun crawling is, because A nailed that skill later on in the day) (totally not Eriana’s doing, I know, but it’s fun that it happened that day), and we got to catch up after about 2 years of lots of stuff going on.

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend, and we’re really glad to have gotten to go see all of them, spend a weekend away, and get to have some fun outside of the confines of the Oklahoma City metro area.

Here are some pictures from our trip. All were taken/filtered in InstaGram on my phone.

Intense “Yo Gabba Gabba” watching in the car.

Eyelashes. She was super, super grumpy and then finally fell asleep again with 20 minutes till we reached Little Rock.

Eriana and A playing together. So, so cute. About the same size, even though Eriana has 5 months on A. I adored A’s personality. And her big blue eyes are almost hypnotic!

I discovered that sweet potato tater tots exist (at Sonic), and Eriana passed out mid-bite (tot remains on her belly) after we left the Discovery Museum.

Eriana and Triston in a rare, quiet and calm moment when we were getting ready to leave. These two together, man, were so, so crazy. Love the spunky kids!

Oh, and a big shout-out to my baby sister, Kendal, for hanging out at our house with our pets all weekend! WOOHOO! (Here’s a picture someone took of her that I stole from Facebook that I ADORE. )

Back to Listless Mondays. Because I can’t think of anything else to talk about today. You’re welcome.

9 things I’m looking forward to consuming once my Whole30 is over!

1. WINE,

2. Margaritas,

3. Diet Dr. Pepper,

4. Occasional chips and salsa/queso,

5. Something sweet in my coffee,

6. Occasional things with CHEESE,

7. Occasional desserts,

8. Occasional legumes,

9. Occasional sweet potato fries at restaurants (I could have the homemade kind now if I wanted).

Wednesday night I am GOING CRAZY and I am probably going to feel like crap on Thursday, and you know what? I don’t care. (I do a little, but not a lot.) Jim is taking me to Tarahumara’s, and I am going to eat chips and salsa and queso and tortillas with butter and chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce and beans and drink Diet Dr. Pepper. I am going to Sonic for Happy Hour on Wednesday. I am going to the liquor store tomorrow for the first time in more than a month, just to prepare!

Photo is of the Enchiladas Verdes, not the chicken enchiladas I will be enjoying in a couple of days. But doesn’t it look delicious, nonetheless?

Photo from Oklahoma Food Mongers.

My Whole30 is over as of tomorrow night. I will post my results (body fat loss, weight loss, etc.) when I get it all. I think they will do the measuring Wednesday morning at CrossFit. But I’m not positive.

*I am NOT planning on going back to my previous diet. I love sour cream, cheese, sugar, carbs, etc., but I understand how they make my body carry weight and put on weight and make me feel badly. But despite not going back to the way I used to eat, there are things I am really, really looking forward to having, either in moderation, or anytime I want. So some things listed above are occasional, and some are going to be more regular!

FIRST: Everyone look at my new blog theme! (No, seriously, if you’re reading in a reader, click through. Worth it.) Jen is awesome, isn’t she? I highly recommend her work. Plus, I’ve met her and she’s great.

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Now on to Whole30 talk. WOOHOO! 3 weeks down. Hooray!

Last week:
January 23-29 goals:
-CrossFit four times. YES! Barely. Lots of life conspiring against me this week. I awoke with a stomachache one morning, and then one morning my trainer slept through his alarm. BUT! I still was able to squeeze in 4 workouts: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday. And I’m still sore from Friday and Saturday.
-Do 60 sit-ups after each workout that isn’t sit-up centered. NO! I did on three workouts, but not on Saturday. I forgot, truthfully.
-Try to SLEEP at least 7 hours per night. HA! No. Eriana was sick, and, apparently, Zyrtec makes her stay awake and angry, instead of knocking her out. So that was a fun night. The rest of the week was fine, though.
-Participate in Whole30 eating.  YES! I did. And I survived another week.

Aaaannnddd this week to the end:
January 30-February 7 goals:
-CrossFit four times.
-Do 60 sit-ups after each workout that isn’t sit-up centered.
-Try to SLEEP at least 7 hours per night.
-Participate in Whole30 eating.

Menu:*
-Shepherd’s Pie (didn’t get to this last week)
-Meatza Pie (didn’t get to this last week)
-Maki Rolls
-Rogan Josh (not a person)
-Egg Foo Yong and vegetable stir fry (made with stir fry sauce)
-Machacado & Eggs with Avocado Relish
-Czech Meatballs with Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

For breakfasts I got fruit, eggs, bacon, and sausage.
For lunches I got tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, ground beef, Italian sausage, and onions to make hot plates.

You guys. I’m ALMOST DONE. 30 days. I feel good! My clothes fit better. I still haven’t gotten up the nerve to try on my pants that are 2 sizes down from where I started, but the ones one size down are loose. I’m on a new hole on Jim’s belt, and I might get to wear MY belts again soon! I started swimsuit shopping this week for our trip to Mexico in April, but I’m going to wait until late March to buy anything, because I feel like through Paleo and CrossFit, I have no idea what size I’ll wear in just 2 months. CRAZY.

So. That’s that! HOORAY, ALMOST DONE!

*All recipes from Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan. Links for recipes go to her blog.

I’ve successfully finished 2 weeks of Whole30! HOORAY! Almost halfway there. (Actually, since I’m posting this late, I AM halfway there!)

Last week:
January 16-22 goals:
-CrossFit FOUR times. CHECK! Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday! Monday was really difficult, but I finished the WOD, and I did much better the rest of the week. And even though Monday was hard, I didn’t quit, and I didn’t cry.
-Do 60 sit-ups after each workout (that isn’t sit-up centered). CHECK!
-Try to be in bed for at least 8-9 hours a night. Um… I was in bed for at least 7 hours a night. I think that’s pretty good progress. I think I got at least 6.5 hours of sleep each night.
-Participate in Whole30 eating. CHECK!

My biggest test, since I started this challenge, was going to dinner last night with my family at my favorite Mexican restaurant. It was for my little brother’s birthday, and I just couldn’t say no. But I did REALLY WELL! I had NO chips, NO tortillas, NO queso, NO cheese, NO sour cream, etc. I didn’t even eat any salsa, because I didn’t want to have the temptation and want chips with it. I drank unsweetened tea and I ate the best ceviche in the world. I even tore tortillas apart and dipped them in queso for Eriana and didn’t sneak any. The worst part was when my older sister and her family ordered sopapillas after dinner. That was SUCKY to see and smell. Thankfully I was separated from them by a few people. Eep!

So, this week, here we go!
January 23-29 goals:
-CrossFit four times.
-Do 60 sit-ups after each workout that isn’t sit-up centered.
-Try to SLEEP at least 7 hours per night.
-Participate in Whole30 eating.

Menu:
-Chicken Fajitas
-Zucchini & Red Onion Frittata
-Tex-Mex Tuna Salad
-Cinnamon Beef Stew w/ mashed cauliflower
-Meatza Pie
-Scotch Eggs
-Shepherd’s Pie (the link goes to a Cottage-Flower Pie recipe by the same blogger, mostly the same recipe)
All recipes are from Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan.

For breakfasts I picked up some sausage, eggs, bacon, mangos, avocados, oranges, and a pineapple.

For lunches I picked up a few cans of tomatoes, artichokes, ground beef, Italian sausage, and some peppers so I can mix tomatoes, meat and veggies.

I also picked up some Larabars to eat before I workout and to keep in my purse for emergency eating.

Well, you guys, I’m on day 7. I’m done with approximately 1/4 of the Whole30 challenge. Here’s what I accomplished (or didn’t) this week:

January 9-15 goals:
-CrossFit four times: FAIL. I worked out three times. I missed Friday because my alarm didn’t go off, and meant to make it up Saturday but… didn’t.
-Do 60 sit-ups after each workout (that isn’t sit-up centered): SUCCESS! There were 2 workouts that included sit-ups and I did sit-ups after the other.
-Try to get 8 hours of sleep: FAIL. Ha, this was just a pipedream anyway, right? Eriana is going through a KILLER Wonder Week, and teething, and I just am hoping to get a consecutive night’s sleep, without being awakened by my child’s mid-sleep cries.
-Participate in Whole30 eating: SUCCESS! I did really well with my food goals, and am happy with the way things are going so far.

Menu:
Um. I bought a LOT of food last week (and spent about two weeks worth of our food budget). So I’m pleased to report that we have about half of our food left and I will be able to stretch it another week (thus, getting our food budget back on track… I know you were worried).

I was REALLY unhappy with my start weight for this challenge, and though I’m not supposed to weigh myself, because weight loss is not the only goal of the challenge, one pair of my pants is significantly looser (I have only worn the one pair since I realized), and another fit over my thighs much more easily.

So. On to week 2!

January 16-22 goals:
-CrossFit FOUR times. (FOUR times, Tara. FOUR!)
-Do 60 sit-ups after each workout (that isn’t sit-up centered).
-Try to be in bed for at least 8-9 hours a night.
-Participate in Whole30 eating.

Meals we have left for this week:
-European Hot Plate
-Chocolate Chili (I froze half, so we have some left for another meal)
-Middle Eastern Hot Plate
-Greek Hot Plate

Then we have wiggle room for a night of takeout, and a night of leftovers. I also have a roast in the freezer, so I am going to make pepproncini beef for one night (beef and pepproncinis in the crockpot). And we have LOTS of leftovers for lunch.

-School: I bought a t-shirt from the School of Library and Information Studies that says “Just A Bunch of Know-It-Alls” on it, and I LOVE it. It’s comfy, and it makes me really excited to start school next week. Speaking of school, I decided to carry a full load of courses, despite originally signing up for just 6 hours (9 is full-time for graduate work). I changed my mind last night when a new course offering came to my e-mail. I just couldn’t resist a course entitled Digital Information Ethics. I’m such a nerd.

-Whole30: My challenge, so far, is going well. I think the hardest thing to deal with is not tasting Eriana’s food! That sounds silly, but if I tear up cheese for her I usually sneak a piece, and when I put cheerios on her tray, I will grab a few for myself. I’m doing okay without sweetener in my coffee, and I have been pouring almond milk into it instead. And drinking a lot of tea. Here are my meals so far (sorry, Shalini, i could only find 2 recipes online!):
—Chocolate Chili served in a bowl of spinach
—Italian Hot Plate (ground beef with Italian Sausage Seasoning, bell peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes) served with spinach
—Moroccan Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles Aglio Et Olio
—Meat and Spinach Muffins

Tonight’s dinner will be The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat. Ever. and creamy cucumbers.

-CrossFit: I will do a comprehensive review of my week at the end of the week, but I have been to the gym three times this week, thus far, and plan to go again tomorrow. That will make up my four days. I have had pretty good workouts this week, and have felt strong and capable. This morning’s was a little rough, but I think I did it to myself. There are several new women who have been coming to my expedition time, and while I got used to being the only female, I feel like I’m competing with these women, which is ridiculous, because CrossFit isn’t a competitive sport (well, not for us mere mortals who don’t compete in the CrossFit Games). These ladies are super nice, and, obviously, were working out before they started CrossFit. I am doing a great job. They aren’t competitive toward me, so there is no need for me to get a competitive spirit in my head. Anywho, that’s what’s been going on at the gym this week.

-House: Our dishwasher began leaking awhile back, but it was only intermittently. Well, it started being more consistent this week, and Jim determined that it wasn’t draining, hence the water leaking all over the floor. I took it apart yesterday, cleaned it completely, and put it back together. But I wound up with an extra piece, so I took it apart and put it back together again today, and now it runs, but no water flows into it (even though we didn’t turn the water off). So, with much sadness, I called a repair company and they will be here tomorrow. Note to all of you building houses or buying newly built houses: construction companies cut corners. Our house is beautiful, but not super sturdy, as it turns out. They, quite obviously to us now, used bottom of the barrel components. So: if you’re building a house or buying a new-construction house, have some savings set aside for when crap breaks.

-Family: Spending time with my family has been lovely. Eriana was sick last week, and cut a new tooth this week, and has been a bit whiny, but super snuggly. Jim has been wonderful, as always, despite being sick last weekend. (We were all sick last weekend, but his man cold lingered a bit, and even though many men with a man cold are useless, Jim was not; he let me sleep in on Saturday morning, helped me with Eriana, put the Christmas decorations in the attic alone and of his own volition, and helped around the house.) I just love my family. It’s comfortable with them.

The girl helping me out by taking her pajamas out of their box (that I just put clean pjs into, of course). Good thing I vacuumed today!

As I’ve mentioned before, my CrossFit gym is starting a healthy living challenge tomorrow called Whole30. It’s 30 days of a super strict Paleo diet. I bought a new cookbook (designed by a girl from here, with whom I went to high school; need design work done? Call Kathleen!), which has many, many recipes, all but one of which are Whole30-approved. The author of the cookbook suggests doing most of your cooking/prep one day a week, so making meals takes very little time throughout the week. The meals will consist of recipes*, hot plates**, and snacks/breakfasts I throw together on a whim. Since Eriana is SO! BUSY! these days, I am going to give this a try. My mom keeps Eriana all day on Mondays, and I am going to do as much prep/cooking as I can on those days so that I can have just a bit to do for before meals the rest of the week. Jim has consented to do the challenge with me (at least for his at-home meals… which is just dinner, unless he takes leftovers for lunch). I have planned our first week’s worth of meals, and thought, for extra accountability, I should post my menu planning, my goals, and my reflective thoughts each week.

Long-term (through Paleo, CrossFit, and All-Around Dedication) Goals:
-Be stronger/build stamina for workouts
-Run long distances
-Lose weight and/or sizes
-Keep up with Eriana as she grows
-Feel more comfortable in my skin
-Get off of anti-depressants

January 9-February 7 Goals:
-Jumpstart weightloss
-Feel stronger
-Recover from workouts (in general) more easily
-Feel happier

Monday, January 9-Sunday, January 15 Goals:
-CrossFit four times
-Do 60 sit-ups after each workout (that isn’t sit-up centered)
-Try to get 8 hours of sleep
-Participate in Whole30 eating

Menu:
-Breakfast items (will vary each day): eggs, nitrate-free bacon, turkey bacon, sausage, avocados, tomatoes, oranges, mangoes

-Snack Packs (suggested by Melissa, I will pack these, varying in contents, at the beginning of the week, and grab one when I’m hungry): snap peas or baby carrots, olives, bell peppers, cucumbers, chicken

-Lunches (I figure I’ll have leftovers, especially because Jim will eat dinner leftovers or out with coworkers, so I didn’t choose a lot):
–Tex-Mex Tuna Salad
–Meat & Spinach Muffins
–American Hot Plate – ground beef, jicama home fries, bell peppers
–European Hot Plate – ground pork, apples, cabbage, spices

-Dinners:
–Chocolate Chili & Spinach
–The Best Chicken You’ll Ever Eat with Middle Eastern Cucumbers
–Moroccan Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles Aglio Et Olio
–Italian Hot Plate – roasted spaghetti squash, ground beef, tomato, bell pepper
–Middle Eastern Hot Plate – cauliflower rice pilaf, ground lamb, okra
–Greek Hot Plate – ground lamb, tomatoes, eggplant
–Thai Hot Plate – grilled chicken, green beans, red bell pepper, mango, Sunshine Sauce

Tomorrow morning I will be weighed and have my body fat measured (yikes!). And then tomorrow I have to send photos of myself, dressed in a two-piece bikini, to the female gym owner; photos of me from the front, both sides, and back. I’m terrified of this part of the challenge requirement. I am comforted a bit that only the female trainers will see these photos. Knowing that in 30 days my body can change enough to make a difference in the before/after photos helps, too.

Meanwhile, I made spaghetti for dinner, and am drinking as many glasses of wine as I responsibly can tonight. And I ate quite a bit of my Christmas candy, but will ask Jim hide it from me after I’m asleep tonight. 30 days! I can do this for 30 days.

*All of my lunches and dinners this week are from Well-Fed by Melissa Joulwan.
**A Hot Plate is a simple meal that the above-named/linked cookbook author cites that can be made from a few Paleo ingredients, most of which can be prepared and/or cooked ahead of times.

Oh, you guys. The last few days have been ridiculous. Some things I can’t talk about here, and my thoughts will have to be in bullet form because I can’t really form sentences very well. Actually, I’m going to do a Love/Hate list a la K, because I have a mixture of good and bad things in my head.

Love:
-Yesterday I kept running into a Japanese family at Target, and I had to make actual effort to speak English when I said things like, excuse me, I’m sorry, you’re okay, thank you, etc. Apparently it’s easy to remember things you’ve learned when you’re immersed. (I didn’t want to speak Japanese because I didn’t want them to think I was nuts.)
Hate:
-My last two workouts have been crap. I cried today, for the first time during a CrossFit workout, because I was so disappointed and so frustrated.

Love:
-All of our Christmas stuff is back in boxes, and our house is back to normal.
Hate:
-It’s all in boxes in our living room because I can’t put it into the attic by myself, and I don’t know when Jim and I will be able to put it away together.

Love:
-Eriana had a great day at Mother’s Day Out today at her new day school. No crying, and she napped.
Hate:
-Eriana will not nap for me now, even though she’s exhausted.

Love:
-Eriana’s one-year well-check is Thursday, and she’s big and I’m excited to see HOW big.
Hate:
-I really, really don’t like her pediatrician, and also she has a raging diaper rash that won’t go away and I’m probably going to get lectured about it.

Love:
-My CrossFit gym is starting a Whole30 Challenge on Monday, and I’m really excited to start it. I’M GONNA WIN! Well, I’m going to give it my best effort.
Hate:
-I have to take pictures of myself in very little clothing to submit for the challenge, AND have my body fat measured.

Love:
-I am super excited about the new cookbook I bought for the challenge.
Hate:
-I just found out that I can only have coffee for this month if I drink it black, which… no. Crap.

Love:
-I got to have lunch with my lovely little sister today.
Hate:
-Our families have a lot of drama, and that was our primary topic of conversation.

Love:
-My family has one more Christmas celebration, this weekend.
Hate:
-Somehow I got put in charge of contacting everyone to organize food bringing/buying, and I hate that so much.

Love:
-I ate some delicious, delicious chocolates yesterday.
Hate:
-I only got the delicious chocolates because I had to open a crappy day present.

This makes me smile through the frustration:

How are YOU this week?