Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts

2.20.2012

{kitchens and menu plan}


My current obsession is organizing my kitchen. It's either because I saw this post, or because I really don't feel like packing for our trip to Disney. I am the worst packer ever. Thank goodness for my Pack ME!!

But back to my kitchen. I attempting something like this, but with dark brown baskets. I know that we're not using our pantry space in an optimal way, and things get lost as a result. This could easily be a year-long project! Luckily there's pinterest and its never-ending ideas!

On my menu (when we get back):

I actually started to try this, but burned the last of our quinoa. Sunday mornings are too distracting in this house!

I'm late to the Pioneer Woman party, but saw her make this on her Food Network show. I'm obsessed.

And this, because I really love quinoa. It must be the Peruvian in me.

And this, because I also really love avocados. Did I mention I'm half Peruvian?

I'm also overwhelmed with the amount of ground deer meat in my freezer and desperately need suggestions. I can only make so many meatloafs (although, this is our current favorite).

image from here

1.25.2012

{rainy day}


Today is a yucky rainy day in Houston. It makes me want to stop at the store on my way back from the gym later to get the ingredients for this.

In the mean time, I've been thinking about chores lately. My twins turn 4 this summer and will *hopefully* be starting Pre-K 4 at a new school. We've always considered where they are now more of a daycare. They'll have to be there by 7:30 am! Eek! Lately I've been dropping them off closer to 8:30... or 8:45.

Speaking of late drop-offs, today was really bad because my son was up all night throwing up, but no fever. So I kept them later this morning to make sure he kept his breakfast down. I can't believe I still woke up to do Yoga X this morning! I might have to do these this afternoon to make it through the day!!

I have been doing good with my New Year's resolution to get in shape, workout-wise, but the eating has been a struggle. Down 2 lbs since New Years, but it's been slow. If I can get out in this rain, I plan on heading to the gym for some treadmill time this afternoon. I LOVE this blog on slow runners. I am very slow. Very.

I hope you have better weather wherever you are! Any tips on chore charts for the preschool crowd?

Image from here

1.13.2012

{getting it in order}


I've really tried to spend January getting everything in order. From my house, to my workout plan, to my businesses. My accomplishments so far have been cleaning out one box from our bedroom (baby steps?), learning how to count drawers at our Baskin Robbins, starting my P90X/Turbo Fire hybrid (and creating a separate blog for it) and brainstorming new products with my husband.

I did make a meal plan for this week, but my hubby kept bringing home meat that he wanted to cook, so alterations have been made. I really wanted to make these mini meatloafs, but it might have to wait till next week. I did make this mango chicken and it was delish! We ate it over quinoa, but I would recommend it as part of a salad (hubby doesn't do salads).

Amidst all that, this is what I'm reading now:

I am newly in love with this blog, and found this post at exactly the right moment.

I pre-ordered this book and still haven't started it. I had signed up for the online Jump Start, and just started that yesterday. It's already changed my entire perspective... there are no words!!

This post both scares me and reassures me that there are good teachers out there. We just registered the twins for Pre-K 4, and I am so nervous and overwhelmed about their upcoming educational journey.

I'm also dying to try this if for no other reason that it's cited to someone in my hometown of Corpus Christi!!

image from here

12.30.2011

{it's a new year... almost}


Well, 2011 was a crazy year full of ups and downs. Luckily in my case, there were more ups: leaving the office for lobotoME and more time with my kids, celebrating their 3rd birthday and my 5 year anniversary. But I still had to face the downs: the fire, losing site of my fitness goals. This was our first full year as Baskin Robbins owners (opened December 2010), and the year I quit my corporate job and gave up a fixed salary. We've learned a lot, made a few mistakes, and while 2011 was a year of transitions, 2012 will be a year of growth.

I try not to focus on the past, except for the ways that I can learn from it. So, I'm trying to learn why I let my eating habits go without disparaging myself for doing it. I'm learning how to be a better business owner, not only of lobotoME, but also of my Beachbody business and our Baskin Robbins (especially since we hope to open location #2 soon!). I'm also constantly learning how to be a better mom. Especially since 3 is a fun age where my kids are little sponges!

Whether you believe in resolutions or not, I love the way a new year almost forces us to take a second and look back on our lives as well as looking forward. And there are so many ideas out there for resolutions, goals, etc that I want to try them all! I love this calendar, and this project. I also love these resolutions (but so much fish?? not a huge fan) and must do this.

With all that said, here are my 12 for 2012:

1. Read this everyday. I find this very intimidating, but my mom is reading it too. It will be nice to have someone to call if I want to talk about that day's reading.
2. Be more active in the day to day at our Baskin Robbins. As I've mentioned, we're hoping to open our second store soon, so it would be nice if I could contribute something. Scooping makes me nervous but surely I can handle some of the money stuff. I mean, I am a CPA.
3. Get back on the fitness track. I do have a weight loss goal, and it's a big one. It sounds huge to me, but it involves losing the weight I gained this year, plus a few more. Okay I'll tell you. I want to lose 20 pounds. And I want to lose the first 10 in 3 months. I'm starting a P90X/Turbo Fire hybrid in January that will last 3 months. I was hoping to start it on 1/1/12, but we're missing two P90X discs! Must call Beachbody to see about getting them replaced.
4. Take my kids to Disney World. Okay, this is cheating a little since our trip is already booked for February. They're vaguely aware of its existence, but have no idea we're going. I can't wait to see their little faces light up when they see the castle!!
5. Start volunteering again. I used to have a regular gig with Children's Art Project once a week in the evenings, but being a mom took over that time slot. I just don't want to force this because I want to find the right situation. I may wait till the fall when the kids move to PK4 and are there 5 days a week. Unless something finds me first.
6. Be more consistent with my meal planning. I make the meal plan, but allow myself to veer away. I may forget to defrost something, or lose track of time, or who knows what else. I think I'm just not confident in my cooking skills yet, so I make excuses. Maybe my Christmas gift will help?
7. Get our family cookbook printed. I was inspired by this post. My January goal is to get a preliminary outline put together and set up something in Google docs so everyone in my family can contribute recipes. I am a little worried that it will contain mostly baked goods...
8. Make our bedroom what I want it to be. This is mostly an organizational issue since somehow a huge pile of stuff has accumulated there. Most of it is stuff I can clear out, but there is a large safe waiting for our second Baskin Robbins. I'm also dying to put in some crown molding. I really want to paint it another color, but I doubt I can convince the hubs.
9. Open our second Baskin Robbins. Granted, this is mostly my husband's doing, but I consider it a family goal. We think we found our location, but the lease hasn't been signed. Hoping to have good news soon.
10. Organize my workspace. This is a constant battle because my husband thinks the desk is his too. I might need to convince him to move exclusively to his desk at our store. I might be in trouble if he reads this.
11. Start a debt payoff plan. We've had struggles as of late with giving up my salary, the fire, and all that. Once we open the second store (again, really hoping this works out!), we can really start to evaluate our finances and expected income. The fire did show us how much money we need to keep on hand in case our store is closed for an extended period. We're fully insured, but the insurance company has their own timeline on when they'll pay you, and it takes awhile for people to come back.
12. Launch new lobotoME products. I have a few ideas, but nothing to announce just yet. Hope to have some new stuff very soon!

What are your goals/resolutions/wants for 2012? If anyone is looking for a fitness accountability buddy, just let me know!

image from here