A case of the stressed out blahs

So I'm a bit of a stressball right now. And I can see that it is completely ridiculous on my part to be worrying about things that aren't even on the horizon for several months, but I'm feeling under the weather today, and I guess that has made me more susceptible to stressing out about random nonsense.

The kids brought home a lovely cold-y/flu-y thing from school towards the end of last week, and apparently today is my turn.

I'm just so lucky I could swoon!

No really, my head is really fuzzy and if I stand for too long I start to get a little dizzy and, well, swoon-y.

It's been a fun day so far, let me tell ya! What with the splitting headache that makes me feel like someone is stabbing dull steak knives into my brain. Or the waves of nausea that make me feel like I'm trapped in a skiff on super choppy waters. Or the weak, floppy feeling I have, where just the effort to brush my teeth or blow-dry my hair left me needing to lay down for a bit.

Oh yeah, and the utter lack of an attention span!

(Well, I guess the attention span thing may actually be pretty normal...)

But I digress. So I feel like crap today. And it's an absolutely gorgeous day outside. And I can't go enjoy these last delicious days of summer because of the I-feel-like-death-on-a-stick situation I find myself in.

So the next logical choice?

Well, have an overwhelming desire to bake brownies, for one. And anyone who knows me knows that I hate baking outside of Christmastime, so clearly I'm not well in the head!

And also?

Start worrying about the fact that you have to take three classes winter quarter, instead of the usual two.

Yeah...

You know, because winter quarter doesn't start until the middle of January. As in, 2014. As in, four and a half months away.

Let me explain.

This is my last year of school before I graduate with my degree in business management and get that little piece of paper that says "Yay you, you're smart!"

I officially have three quarters left, and I could not be more excited about it! It's taken me, oh, about a bajillion years (choosing what you want to be when you grow up is difficult, okay?) but I'm finally here. The end is nigh!

But for whatever reason, my classes worked out kind of wonky, so I have seven classes left. Which means that I either extend my timeframe and take my business capstone in the summer, or I buckle down and take three classes at once in order to be done on time.

I'm opting for the three classes option.

It's far from ideal. After all, the two classes that constitute a full-time load are generally difficult enough, the idea of juggling three is certainly daunting. Each class generally requires at least 10-15 hours of work per week. And that's not counting the extra time required for research and writing papers and taking tests and all that. Those 10-15 hours are just for the reading assignments (the average is a minimum of 50 pages per week per class), the discussion question responses, and the peer responses.

The three classes that quarter are all going to be lower-level electives, so I'm going to try and take classes that are a little gentler on my sanity, but you can't really predict how that winds up, because there is so much variation between instructors. It's a total crapshoot.

So why not just bump the capstone back, you say?

Well, for one, because I want to be done as quickly as possible. And for two, because thanks to a little-publicized policy change that our lovely former president George W. Bush instituted, undergrads can only borrow so much for their degree, regardless of school.

So if you attend a community college? You can afford to go to school for probably ten years before you hit your cap.

If you attend a higher quality school? You barely squeeze in under the cut off.

And for those attending, say, an Ivy League school? Fahgettaboutit!

(Then again, aren't all Ivy League-ers rich to begin with? So like they're borrowing for their education, amiright?!?)

Anyhoodle, so yeah, because I'm squarely in the independent middle class, and because I'm attending a higher quality school, my loan limits will be reached spring quarter. Which means I'm squeezing in three classes winter quarter. And I'll still have to pay a bit out of pocket for the third class.

But it's still cheaper than paying for the capstone completely out of pocket.

That course is freaking expensive!!!

Weight loss and diet nonsense

Just wanted to share this woman's blog post- an open apology to all her previous weight loss clients.

It's really quite powerful.

Our focus on physical perfection takes its toll. It is unhealthy, both physically and mentally. It has become "normal" to have disordered eating habits, a disordered body image, a disordered life.

And it needs to stop.

Society needs a gut check. Or a reality check.

It really is as simple as eating real, natural, wholesome foods, being active, and letting the rest go.

Perfection does not exist, nor is it attainable. But what is easily attainable is your perfection.

Just be you. Be healthy. Live your life.

And for goodness sake, stop comparing yourself to other people. It's hard, yes. But no good ever comes from it.

You are exactly who and what you are supposed to be. So be you to the fullest.

Faking fajitas

Okay.

So I know my posts have been a little food obsessed lately.

But here's another one.

Because my makeshift chicken and black bean fajitas?

Ohmygodtheyweresogood!!!

I'm not gonna lie, I was a little nervous about them. Because I'm not really that throw-random-ingredients-together-and-presto-gourmet-meal kind of cook.

I'm more of a follow-the-recipe-exactly-the-first-few-times-and-eventually-start-perosnalizing-it.

The Husband?

He's like the freaking Iron Chef.

Hand him some random ingredients, give him 20 minutes, and POOF, you have yourself a gourmet meal that always tastes great.

(Well, except for the one time with the homemade steak marinade that ended up tasting like feet and bandaids. But that was a one-off)

I've always been a recipe follower. Except for garlic. I always- ALWAYS- add extra garlic. Because I don't believe there is such a thing as too much garlic.

But I digress.

So last night, I was nervous about the fajitas, and truly had very low expectations for them.

But you know what?!?

I Iron-Chef-ed those bitches!

Sarah's Chicken and Black Bean Fajitas

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Approximately 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used three large ones, I'm guessing they were about one pound)
1 lime
1 medium onion, sliced into strips
2 bell peppers, sliced into strips
1 15 oz can reduced sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
Sea salt (to taste)
Fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
Garlic powder (to taste)
Taco seasoning (approx. 1/2 cup seasoning to 1 1/2 cups water- I didn't really measure)

I salted and peppered both sides of the chicken breasts, then sliced them into thin strips. I heated the olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, then added the chicken. I sprinkled the chicken with more sea salt, and ample garlic powder and let it cook, stirring occasionally.

Once the chicken was mostly cooked, I rolled the lime under my palm to release the juices, then cut it in half and squeezed the juice out over the cooking chicken (and added a bit more garlic, because that's how I roll).

Once the chicken was fully cooked, I added the bell peppers and onion, and sautéed it all until the veggies were tender-crisp. Then I poured in the black beans and the mixed taco seasoning, stirred, and let it simmer until it was thick and bubbly.

Et voila!

Serve with a bit of grated cheddar and your favorite toppings as desired. I didn't even add salsa or anything to mine though, because it was that flavorful!

You're doing it wrong

So in my last post I mentioned how I was making roasted chicken and veggies in the crock pot, and I just wanted to say... HOLY CRAP WAS IT DELICIOUS!!!!!

Super yummy.

The recipe calls for chicken thighs because they stay tender throughout the long cooking time, but since they make me gag I went for chicken breasts instead. I was worried they would dry out or something, but nope! Tender, juicy, yummy, all around awesomeness. I've also never cooked with pearl onions before, and I really liked them. They added a good flavor without being too overpowering. That one is definitely going in my usual rotation!

Tonight I'm making chicken and black bean fajitas. I don't really have a specific recipe for it, I'm just kinda winging it. Combining a little bit of this one with a little bit of that one- hopefully it turns out well.

I have extra chicken breasts from the crock pot meal (I bought too many) and I need to do something with them before they spoil, and fajitas are delicious, so why not?!?

Plus, I'm trying to make healthier meals, since with the whole moving brouhaha our eating habits certainly took a hit. Time to get back on track!

So this week has been a busy one for me. We finally have an address for the lot we are building on, which not only makes it seem a little more real, but it also allowed me to finally be able to register the kids for school.

It's been stressing me out, because school starts earlier here than back in Washington, so there was added pressure to get them registered and start the back to school shopping and all that jazz. Plus, having them in school was a major component in starting to feel more settled here. Even though our living situation is in a state of limbo until the house in finished, having the kids' school situated is evidence that we are here to stay, that this is our home now.

It's a good feeling.

I had some errands to run up in Cheyenne yesterday, so I got a chance to swing by our property and check out the progress on the house.

*drumroll please*

We have the beginnings of the basement and the foundation! Whoohoo!

There is a giant hole, several huge dirt piles, a rebar pile, and the beginning framing of the foundation with the first layer of concrete poured.

So, you know, no where near done, but progress nonetheless.

Okay, so now on to the real reason for this post. Music.

I've realized that I was pretty spoiled back in Seattle when it came to radio stations to listen to. I discussed my musical tastes and radio station preferences awhile back, and how between the four stations I was able to satisfy all my musical tastes.

Suffice it to say that I am not so lucky down here.

So far I have only found one, yes ONE, rock station. Tons of country, tons of Christian, a few Spanish stations, and a few pop stations that seem to combine anything from 1995 on- R&B, boy bands, hip hop, girl groups, etc- into a "new music" station.

But their crappy tastes in pop music don't concern me, as I don't listen to it.

What concerns me is what seems to constitute "classic rock" in northern Colorado.

While, yes, they play plenty of good stuff- Ozzy, Metallica, Zeppelin, The Who, all the ones you'd expect (and actually a few that I've not heard before, which is cool)- they also throw in random bands too. And therein lies the issue.

Because Stone Temple Pilots? Alice in Chains? Green Day? Nirvana? I love them all...

BUT THEY ARE NOT CLASSIC ROCK!!!!!

Apparently the division between classic rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock does not exist here.

And it's killing me.

Every time I hear Man In The Box, Basketcase, Creep, or Come As You Are, I just shake my head and think "You're doing it wrong!!!"

Come on Denver, don't let me down.

You need to add two more radio stations to your repertoire: alt rock, and metal.

Because they're different than classic rock.

Still awesome.

Just different.

Culinary creativity

So lately... as in the past several months... I've been in somewhat of a cooking rut.

Like, big time.

Between the kids' school schedule, my school demands, and the daily comings and goings of life in general, creative cooking gave way to old favorites. Same ol' same ol'. Yummy, but boring and predictable!

But since it is summer time, and since I lack much else to do since moving to a new state and not yet feeling established here, I have branched out and began experimenting with some new recipes.

Last week, I made jambalaya for the first time.

Mine didn't look this good :-(

To be honest, I didn't like it. The Husband, and my two boys did. My daughter and I... not so much.

It wasn't that it tasted bad or anything. For my daughter, I think she just found it too spicy. For me, I found it a little dry, and it was lacking something- something I couldn't put my finger on. So I'm going to find a new recipe and try again.

Yesterday was much different. I made a Four-Cheese Penne, and holy crap balls it was delicious!!!

Granted, for someone who is sensitive to dairy, it wasn't the smartest choice, per se. But it was super yummy all the same. It just requires a little portion control- both for the extreme amount of cheese in it, and for the simple fact that it is crazy high in calories and sodium. I made steamed broccoli to go with it, in an attempt to beef up the health factor of the meal. And I just have a deep love of steamed broccoli!

Crazy delicious!!!

Tonight, I'm going for something quite a bit healthier. Chicken and Roasted Veggies. In the crock pot! (I haven't used my crock pot in... years)

I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight

I'm using chicken breasts, rather than thighs, because I find chicken thighs repulsive. I also added extra gravy to it, because I added extra potatoes, so I figured it should balance out (hopefully). This recipe has less than half the calories of the penne dish, as well as less than half the sodium content. And the addition of veggies is always a plus in my book!

I may make some homemade bread to go with it, but I haven't decided yet.

I'll let you know how it turns out!

Both the chicken and penne recipes came from this little Casserole & Slow Cooker cookbook I grabbed one day in the check-out line at the grocery store. And then proceeded to forget about. For years.

Upon moving, I rediscovered it in my stacks of cookbooks, and the rest is history!

Yummy, easy, cheap, and family-friendly recipes? Score!

Housewifery, Canadians, and tattoos

So my To Do list for this weekend keeps growing. And growing.

The weather is crappy, so no yard or garden work will be getting done, but that's okay, because my inside chores are enough to keep me plenty busy.

First, my bestest friend in the whole wide world, Adrienne, is coming to visit on Tuesday, so I need to get my house absolutely spotless. Not that I need to impress her. I mean, we've been friends since we were almost five, so I'm pretty sure she won't judge me if my house isn't in museum shape. But still, my OCD requires that my house be as perfect as possible for guests. (Then again, I try to keep my house spiffy anyway for my own sanity, so I guess nothing's really new!) (A tidy house equals a tidy brain)

This is the first time Age will be visiting our new house. Well, I guess it's not that new, we've been here for over a year and a half, but she was living all the way across the continent until just recently, so her last visit was almost three years ago. I'm excited to get to spend some time with her. I feel like she makes me sane. While we have plenty of friends around here, she's the only one that I feel totally myself with. She's known me almost my whole life, and it's rare to have people in your life for that long. She's a peach!

Age is going to be here for the better part of the week, and while it sucks that the kids and I have school and The Husband has work, we'll still rock it! On Wednesday my sister and I have appointments to get tattoos, and Age is pretty much an expert in that field (*cough* cough* getthegypsytattooyouknowyouwantto *cough *cough*) so she's coming along for moral support. And I'm trying not-so-subtly (see above) to convince her to get one she's been thinking about for quite a while. She has her whole back and both sides done, but hey, there's always room for more!

This will be my second tattoo, and my sister's first, so we're both very excited about it. I'm a little nervous since I'm getting mine down my spine, and the pain factor is... unknown and intimidating. But I'm a big girl and didn't even flinch during my first one, so hopefully I won't be the sissy whimpering in the corner...

Besides that, Age will also be here for my daughter's birthday party next weekend, which is super awesome! She can help me plan and cook and decorate! Yay for free help friends!

I don't know what else we will end up doing this week, I think we'll just wing it. One of the nights we want to take her to our favorite restaurant, assuming we can get a sitter. Beyond that? Who knows!

Coinciding with Age's visit, spring quarter starts on Monday. However, the portal opened yesterday, so I'm going to try and get as much of the first week's homework done as quickly as possible. That way, I won't have much to do that will be interfering with actual, you know, fun stuff. Of course, this means that I need to get a move on, like, now.

Veggie-saurus Rex

I have been a vegetarian for approximately four or five years now, though lately, I must admit, I've been a really lousy veggie-saurus. It's something I have been struggling with since September.

The kids started back to school, my school started shortly thereafter, the holidays snuck up on me, and pretty soon it was macaroni and cheese, pizza, and takeout. There have even been a few trips to McDonald's wedged in there. And today we had Taco Time for lunch....

I know!

It's terrible!

I fully understand how gross and unhealthy it is. I'm one of those people who try and hide their face as they go through the drive thru, and then hide the bags when I get home so my neighbors don't see them and judge me for eating crap.

I figure, if I'm that ashamed of it, I shouldn't be eating it right? Of course right.

But you know what, sometimes life with kids gets a little crazy. Add in full-time school and it gets even crazier. And so I go for what's easy. And what's easiest is usually absolute garbage.

Hence my predicament.

So I'm making a point to get back on the straight and narrow and start eating right again.

See, there are a few reasons why I quit eating meat to begin with.

First of all, because I was tired of feeling lousy all the time. I'd been sick for a few years, and when I cut out meat I suddenly started feeling much better. I had previously tried cutting out dairy, junk food, soda, and sugar, but to no avail. I cut out meat, and BAM, instantly better! Apparently I just don't digest it well?

The second reason is more personal.

Reader's digest version- my dad died of colon cancer when I was 16.

Colon cancer is genetic, but it is also affected largely by diet. In fact it is, to my knowledge, the only cancer that has been directly linked to diet- specifically red meat, processed meats, and anything charred.

So yeah, I probably need to get back on track. Partly so I go back to feeling better (definitely regretting that Taco Time), but mostly to cut my cancer risks and not have it floating around in the back of my mind.

I'm not going to live my life in fear and the 'what ifs', I totally agree with enjoying yourself (within reason).

But I also need to face reality and treat my body better so that I can be here for decades to come. My dad got sick when he was 40. I'm 29. I go in for the colonoscopy later on this year.

Time to put my big girl panties on and face it, methinks.

Stricken

They got me.

I tried to avoid it.

I fought like crazy.

I tried so hard!

But they got me anyway.

It was a three-against-one battle, so the odds weren't in my favor.

But those darn, germy kids got me sick.

So I've been drinking tea like it's going out of style, and tonight I'm making chicken noodle soup for dinner in an attempt to cut this thing as short as possible. I have crap to do, man, and the flu isn't really conducive to reading assignments and case studies and the Teen Mom 2 marathon I have recorded.

(Don't judge)

(Okay, you can judge a little)

(It could be worse, it could be Honey Boo-Boo)

As an aside, I realized with shock and somewhat embarrassment today that I have never made chicken noodle soup from scratch before!

I know!!!

I've made tons of other soups. I love making soup! But for whatever reason I've never made the most iconic soup of all time.

Weird.

BUT! That all changes tonight. I found a recipe that sounds yummy, I got my shopping list ready, and I'm good to go.

Take that, flu virus!

I think I'm doing it wrong

Tomorrow we are hosting a Super Bowl party for a bunch of our friends, and while I am excited because it should be fun, I'm also somewhat irrationally nervous.

"But why Sarah, it's just a Super Bowl party, what's to be worried about?", you may ask.

Because I've never hosted a Super Bowl party, for one. I've only ever been the guest.

And for two, because I'm not sure how to... Super Bowl.

(Yes, I made it a verb. Go with it.)

I'm a chick. I watch the Super Bowl for the commercials. The little men in the tight pants running around jumping on each other? Superfluous, in my opinion.

(Sorry, bro)

Clearly, I'm missing some enigmatic plot point or something, because my idea of Super Bowl food is crudités and other assorted light appetizers, followed by a fresh, healthy meal.

(Yes, yes, laugh it up)

Our actual menu?

A bunch of artery-clogging crap.

Jalapeño poppers, deep fried mozzarella sticks, cheese fries, pizza, and, of course, enough buffalo chicken wings to feed, well, a football team. There will also be chips and salsa and beer, natch.

Being the stubborn girly-girl that I am, I am insisting on making a vegetarian chili so that we have something with actual substance and nutritive value. I'm also making some sweet and spicy roasted almonds, and a sun dried tomato, garlic, and herb crostini.

Because I couldn't resist chick-i-fying Super Bowl Sunday, the manliest day of the year.

See, this is why I'm concerned. I think I broke the Super Bowl....