Two years of Marital Bliss..... what is that?

Don't get me wrong, it hasn't always been rainbows and unicorns with our marriage but it has been a real eye opener with compromise and lots and lots of love. They say the first year is usually the toughest, which was true, but so has the most recent one.

July 2013 we bought my in-laws house for a reasonable price in exchange they live with us for a few years. I think that's where it started with the ongoing troubles and tribulations for me, anyway. I feel bad for Dan being the brunt of my complaints but he has been my rock through all of this. I always dreamed of going house shopping, touring the insides daydreaming of decorating and living as newlyweds in our new home. Instead, we opted to help out family and in the long run, benefit us. I'm not going to lie, it's been tough on all parties involved... but the house has a never-ending list of renovations and I want to live as husband and wife alone, I want my peace.  So finally a date has been made, Spring of 2016 of when we will be in-laws free! Don't mistaken me by saying I dislike my in-laws, I don't. Just after while, who doesn't want their own space?! Then the feeling of resentment comes along - trust me, I don't want it to! I really do love my in-laws, I ain't lying.

So October 4th we celebrated our two year anniversary, even though our date is October 5th, we just decided a Saturday night dinner would be better. We went back to the place we celebrated the night of our engagement, The Chart House in Old Town Alexandria. Being the fine dining guests we are, we were not pleased with our meal. We could have received much better quality food elsewhere such as Morton's or Ruth Chris. Not to mention, there was a very loud party going on behind us which the only thing separating the party from the other diners was a partition. Yep, a see through average height partition. We were practically screaming at each other to converse. Our waiter apologized, but not how I envisioned our anniversary dinner. 

We have made some progress with renovating our home, which I still have yet to take after pictures. I am just waiting for that "Yes! It's completely done" decorated look before I take the pictures. Although, the half bath is completely done just lazy to take a picture. Here is what is completed:

• Half bathroom
• Master Bedroom (needs few wall art/decorations/crown moulding)
• Master Bathroom (wall art)
• Living room (needs new paint job, crown moulding)

Next on our list:

• Guest bedroom
• Kitchen (this will be our second biggest renovation expense)
• Various rooms

So that's what is going on in my life. Did I mention we're trying to have a baby? Please say a prayer for us if you're the religious type, wish for us and just send us any luck you may have. We've been trying for awhile now and your support means the world. Thank you!

Springing into Summer

Sorry to all my 3 followers that I haven't been around to bring you exciting, fun and tasty entries as of late. But alas, I have returned!

I got a new job two months ago and I absolutely love it!! Morale and kindness go along way in a business setting.

I've been baking and trying out new recipes found on Pinterest which I love experimenting and receiving feedback from others. Here are my latest creations:

 

Small, healthy and light Watermelon Cake with whipped cream



 



(Sorry for bad iPhone picture..)

Cupcake Cones

 

My only tip with the cupcake cones is that they will be inhaled eaten once decorated as the cones tend do become soft and not crunchy.

 

 

Also, every year our group of friends try to make it to Smith Mountain Lake for a mini-vacation by renting a lake house, pontoon and speedboats. This year we had a large group of 16, so it was a great time. However, I went to the ER in Bedford to get my wedding band cut off as I had an accident on the boat causing my ring finger to swell. Good times, good times.

 

 

 

June is also a busy month of birthdays and anniversaries. Dan's friend's birthday is two days before his and his friend celebrated at a winery in Clifton. Dan is not a wine drinker so this was his first winery experience and looks like a pro, can't you tell? Dan's parent's also took us out to a very nice restaurant called Old Angler's Inn to celebrate Dan and his brother's birthdays plus their anniversary. The food was so delicious but I only remembered to take a picture of the dessert.

 

 

For Dan's birthday I got him two tickets to see Redskins vs. Eagles in December being the awesome wife I am :) We also went to a hibachi restaurant to celebrate his birthday with our group of friends. I'm really happy so many of his friends made it and had a good time! Here is a memento we received at the end of the night.

 

Sorry for this post being so picture heavy - maybe I need to update more frequently :)









Easter 2k14

I hope everyone's Easter was joyous and delicious! My mother-in-law always prepares a big breakfast, serves hors d'oeuvres and a big dinner. Her table settings always match the holiday and unfortunately I forgot to take a picture, but it's the same almost every year.

Easter 2013 (I think)

I also like holidays because it give me an excuse to bake (without feeling guilty!) This year I decided to make Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pie. The older women at my former job raved about this and I've never had it, so I searched for the recipe on Pinterest and gathered my materials.

Butterscotch Pie

(link here)

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 1 + 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 4 - 5 tablespoons cold water

Filling:

• 1 + 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons butter, diced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions
 
1. Make the crust: Stir together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives used scissor fashion until the mixture resembles small pebbles. Add a tablespoon of water at a time tossing with a fork until the dough comes together. Pat into a disk and refrigerate 20 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured  surface. Place in a 9-inch pie dish and trim so the pastry hangs 1/2-inch over the edge. Fold the extra pastry under, and crimp. Poke the crust all over with a fork

3. Line the crust with a double thickness of foil and bake 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 - 6 more minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

4. Make the filling: In a medium saucepan combine 1/2 cup of the brown sugar and 1/4 cup butter set over low heat. Stir until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

5. In a small bowl stir together the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar with the flour and cornstarch. Add this mixture to the butter mixture and stir until combined.

6. Stir in the whipping cream a little at a time. Place the pan over medium heat and continue stirring until thick and bubbly then reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Set a wire strainer over a bowl and strain the mixture pushing it through with a wooden spoon. Return the strained mixture to the saucepan

7. In a small bowl lightly beat the egg yolks and gradually whisk in about 1 cup of the hot filling. Whisk the yolk mixture into the saucepan. I forgot to take picture of this step because it was about timing here.

8. Set over medium heat and stir constantly until it starts to boil, reduce heat to low and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.

 Don't be afraid to taste - mmmm butterscotch!

9.   Stir in the 3 tablespoons butter and the vanilla. Pour into the cooled pie shell (if there is any stuck to the bottom of the pan DO NOT scrape it up). Place a piece of saran wrap over the surface and chill at least 2 hours.

10. Make the topping: Beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer on medium until soft peaks form then add the confectioners' and vanilla. Continue to beat the topping mixture until stiff peaks form. Spread over the cooled pie or use a piping bag to decorate. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days.

I let the pie refrigerate overnight until it was ready to be served after dinner. Let me tell you, this pie is full of sugary goodness! The texture was a little grainy, but not sure what to expect, I went with it. Still very good though!

Then Dan surprised me with this...... :)

How was your Easter and what kind of goodies did you receive and eat?

AFK

To all my 3 followers, I will resume blogging very soon. I am waiting for things to fall into place outside the Internet realm where I won't be so busy and bring you posts of recipes, my eventual weight-loss and etcetera. Thank you!

Happens for a reason

I'm the type of person who is gun-ho about superstition, fate and signs which makes me believe everything happens for a reason. I got laid off two weeks ago that led me to feeling devastated and frightened. I have never been without a job since I was seventeen, especially now that I'm an adult with responsibilities to bills and a mortgage. Luckily I have a very supportive husband and family members who stood by me through this saying I would find a job in less than a month. Sure enough, I did!

Let's back up the trolley here and refer to why everything happens for a reason. The job I was laid off from, I was not happy and was already looking for other job opportunities... unfortunately I did not find one in time. This new position I was offered sounds promising and has potential for movin' on up. I will admit that I really have not excelled as much as I could have in my previous jobs because, well, I think I was afraid of the responsibility that comes with growth. Now, after I've had two weeks doing nothing but taking the time to really search for a job that appeals to me, I want to be able to climb the corporate hierarchy and be recognized for my hard work and dedication. Maybe this is the reason I was laid off after all; to find a job that sounds promising by not being afraid of change and to really excel, not only for myself but for the company as well.

Have you ever been laid off and how did you cope?

Valentine's Day

This is the first year Dan and I decided to stay home for Valentine's Day, which I think was the best one yet. For our appetizer we had traditional cheese fondue with cubed french bread, vegetables and Granny Smith apples as dippers. I rarely make fondue because it's such a hassle but while Dan and I were at Wegman's scrounging around for our ingredients, lo and behold in the cheese section was a packaged easy fondue pack with all the cheese necessary. The best part? Just add the wine! At that point I was sold. Not only is it cheaper than buying Gruyere and Emmantaler cheese separately, but it's also shredded.

I followed the instructions on the package, because really.. there was only one thing to do: Add the wine! After five minutes of stirring and reaching the desired consistency, we digged dipped in!

Dan turned on some soft jams with a roaring fire which made things even better. Who can't resist some Backstreet Boys, I mean, c'mon.

Yummy goodness

Occasionally our cat, MacGyver would be creepy in the background which just made the night more entertaining.

 

 

Then it was time for the main course featuring Filet Mignon with a Rich Balsamic Glaze and luckily it was simple which means really no preparation needed.

Filet Mignon with a Rich Balsamic Glaze

(Recipe found here)

 

• 2 (4 ounce) filet mignon steaks  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste 
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar  
• 1/4 cup dry red wine

1. Sprinkle freshly ground pepper over both sides of each steak, and sprinkle with salt to taste.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place steaks in hot pan, and cook for 1 minute on each side, or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add balsamic vinegar and red wine. Cover, and cook for 4 minutes on each side, basting with sauce when you turn the meat over. I actually did not follow this part of the recipe as the reviews mention the sauce is too thin. So I heated the balsamic vinegar and dry red wine with a generous pinch of brown sugar in a small pot on medium-high heat to thicken it up. Wasn't as thick to my liking but it was still good.
 

3. Remove steaks to two warmed plates, spoon one tablespoon of glaze over each, and serve immediately.

After dinner, we had some champagne, slow danced a little and watched 'Stuck in Love'. Overall, one of my favorite Valentine's so far.

How was your Valentine's Day and what did you do to celebrate?

Throwback

It's Thursday and you know what that means?! One more work day until the weekend, yippie! But really, it's also Throwback Thursday which I rarely participate in because who wants to see the embarrassing years of our youth? Well, I bring to you some adorable throwback pictures of me and my younger sister, Ashley which may be embarrassing for her, but it's not her blog so deal with it.

Grammy and I, circa 1986

I must say I look quite adorable looking, probably reaching out for a sugary treat of some sort. What can I say? I started young..

Ashley and I, circa 1996 (I think?)

As you can see, she is not thrilled at all. I believe she wanted to wear the pink tutu instead, but obviously it didn't happen. Despite her grumpy look, we both look cute.

Dress up, circa 1994 (Guessing..)

When I was young and youthful, I spent most of my time at my Grammy's and there was not a lot to do. So I dressed up in her clothes! This outfit was my favorite of hers because it sparkled and the fabric was so soft. 

Looking at old photos of me or anyone is something I enjoy highly too much. I could look through your old photo album and hours would pass. Don't even get me started on home videos!

Super Bore

I don't really watch or follow football, however, being married to a sports enthusiast it's kind of hard to escape it all, so even I was not impressed with this year's Super Bowl. Even the commercials were meh, although the Budweiser commercial with the puppy and Clydesdale pulled at my heart strings, no matter how much I watched it.

Honestly, the most important thing for a Super Bowl party is the FOOD... right?! I was designated to bring desserts, surprised? Dan wanted cupcakes and I made another experimental dessert found on Pinterest.

Cute, huh?

These were a big hit and gone quickly (who knew something so simple would have a great outcome?) because who doesn't like cupcakes and chocolate?! 

Fruity Brownie Pizza
(from a Pinterest)

• 1 boxed brownies mix (for a 9x13-inch pan)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups diced strawberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-inch round (rimmed) pizza pan with nonstick spray; set aside. (You can also use the disposable round pizza pans.)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the brownie mix, eggs, water and oil. Stir until just combined. Pour into the greased pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the brownie pan from the oven and allow to completely cool in the pan on a wire rack. 

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Spread evenly over the top of the cooled brownie round and top with strawberries and blueberries.  

I really liked this dessert but it was really sweet, even for me and that's saying something! Although towards the end of the night, it was almost gone so that's always good sign.

How was your Super Bore, I mean Bowl?

150

One of the reasons for this blog is to monitor my weight loss progression (again). When I first met Dan in late 2008 and early 2009, I was already obese for my small stature. Then we started dating and I grew excessively more obese (love makes you fat, I swear!) until I saw a picture of me posted by a friend on Facebook. I was completely disgusted and decided to lose weight. I joined a gym in January 2010, when all the New Years resolutioners do as well, and kicked my butt to gear. At that time I weighed around 180 pounds and then almost a year later, I got down to 150-ish. Wish I kept more accurate track of my progression, but that's why I am doing this now! :)

July 2009

That is not a baby bump folks...

 September 2010

So flash forward few years later, after marriage, after buying a house and I am back to obese status but heavier..... like 200 pounds. Eeeep! I joined a different gym closer to my home beginning of this month and feel great! I go Monday - Thursday between 5am-6am and then cleaned up to head to work. And people wonder why I go to bed at 8pm on the week nights! I'm supposed to weigh myself on the first Monday of the month, well since the Super Bowl is on Sunday (I allow myself a cheat day, after all) I decided to weigh myself last night. I lost 7 pounds - which is the usual when first starting to work out, but I am hoping to do more HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) to really burn those calories! Here is the photo from this past November of me and my girlfriends posing in our wedding dresses:

I'm the chunky one of the left, but it's ok if you 

can't take your eyes off the girls on the right 

I really hope to keep this updated with my progression because like the title suggests, my goal weight is to be 150 again (or less!)

Oh, hello!

My first blog post, er- wait, I lie. I've actually been blogging for many years, since 2001 (eep!) but on LiveJournal. No real difference I suppose... hopefully I can keep this up-to-date.

 I was a teenager here, about to blog about something

I will most likely blog about my weight loss progression, meals and desserts, growing our family, trips, random, etc but with pictures! Yay :)