Thursday, August 11, 2011

What I'm learning in hot yoga.....

My first "real" yoga experience was with my husband actually. It was part of his off-season training. His instructor, Kelly,  was AMAZING - she actually has her own studio down in Sarasota, Fl called Body Heat. Meet Kelly....






When I got back to Atlanta I started taking classes again at my local studio - Atlanta Hot Yoga. I've become addicted to the 102 degree work out. (Although, I swear the other day it was much hotter than that.) The heat really helps you to get further into your "practice" (stretch).

My yoga instructor told me I really needed to focus more on what I wanted to get out of it.... well duh... I want to be able to do this...



and.. like the girl next to me the other night this...

and mainly this...



I saw a girl that worked at lululemon do that one..... and I wanted to punch her!

I was jealous.

I feel like I can't really get into it (mind, body and soul wise) until I feel comfortable and cocky confident like some of my class mates. Maybe I'll take some pictures of what I've been working on. :-)

Going to see the hubbs tom!!!






Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Chicken Fried Rice

My husband recently said that he ordered a Dr. Pepper just because he missed me so much. (I haven't seen him in almost 5 maybe 6 weeks) Well, I guess I miss him too, because tonight after running I made his favorite dinner. We love home made chicken fried rice almost as much as the kind you get at an asian restaurant except its so much healthier. So, I will share....


So start with cooking chicken - I cook mine in about a tablespoon of butter. I think it stays more moist when cooked in butter as opposed to olive oil, but it's your choice. 
  

In the meantime start cooking white or brown rice following the directions on the package - I definately don't know any other way to cook rice, but would love some hints, because my rice is ALWAYS mushy even when I leave out 1/3 cup of the water.....what gives?


Get your other items ready - An egg, cooked peas and carrots, s/p, and soy sauce.


Like my new set up??


When the chicken is finished cooking (which in this picture mine is not...) cut it up to as small or large as you want it.


Do NOT clean the pan, instead crack an egg in it and start frying the egg, then add the rice and veggies.
(The egg doesn't need to be fully cooked before adding the rice/veggies. Cooking the egg while mixing it with the other ingredients is what fries the rice.)



 Add the chicken, soy sauce and s/p to taste and WALA!


Bamskis!! - our favorite healthy chicken and rice.


EAT ME!!!


I sat back and enjoyed my dinner and a game. :-)

Monday, August 8, 2011

Allergies - The Story of My Life

After going to the doctor the same time every year for 4 years in a row, I was diagnosed with chronic sinusitis. Basically, I have sinus infection year round. This year I was tested to see just what I was allergic to. My doctor scratched me with 70 different allergens and left the room. He said when he came back if anything looked like a bug bite then I was allergic.....well long story short....


I'm allergic to everything!!! And the top three are things I live with/near everyday!

#3 - The Dog - As cute as he is, I wake up every morning with him snuggling right next to me accompanied by a huge headache on whatever side of the pillow my face is on.


#2 Dust mite - Change your sheets much? I have to change mine at least once a week- which I realize I should probably do anyways. The pillows and mattress are also covered in allergen protectors to keep these guys away. What do I do in a hotel or families house?? Take a Benedryl. ;-)


#1 Bayberry - Don't worry I didn't know what it was either, but an hour after I was pricked with it at the doctors office it spread all the way up my shoulder. This is what keeps me in bed some days and its everywhere! Bayberry is a ornamental shrub often used in landscaping. In fact 5 feet from my front door ....


The bad news - medicine doesn't help and I often get nosebleeds from the pressure.

The good news - you can be treated for your allergies holistically!

Next week I am starting immunotherapy - a treatment which will put doses of these allergens and several others that I'm allergic to into my body via a shot. The goal is that hopefully after a couple of years I will be immune to these allergies and no longer suffer sinus headaches every February through November.

In other news I just got back from the hottest HOT yoga class and I'm a little tired! Sweet dreams Monday!


Friday, August 5, 2011

A Cookbook Challenge

Ever since I saw the movie Julie and Julia I was inspired to cook my way through a cookbook. Cliche - I know. The problem is I have no desire to cook most of the selections in the cookbooks I own - except maybe my Barefoot Contessa books. For fear that I might not finish one of her books, I kept searching. I knew I wanted to cook through a cookbook that made sense to me, appealed to my taste buds, and was a cook who's recipes I have already tried.

I think I'm ready to begin....enter the Dr. Pepper Pork Butt...


 I've never made a pork butt. To be honest - I'm not the biggest fan of pork, but I love pulled pork! I saw this recipe on Ree Drummond's "The Pioneer Woman" website. I was intrigued.


Everyone knows I love Dr. Pepper, but I wasn't sure I would love a chunk of meat being cooked in it all day. (Those are chipotle peppers on top - YUM) Since I'm not the type of cook who can make up recipes on the whim I love finding original recipes with ingredients I love.


It smelled so good as it cooked and then I shredded it. She's not kidding either when she says you'll be shredding and shredding till your hands fall off.

 Then the meat goes back in the "sauce" and cooks some more.

The result: I LOVED IT! I actually had the wives club over to share it with me since the guys were on a road trip. It was so much fun!


Don't tell my hubby, but I may or may not have found a copy of her book on sale and treated myself to a little present. I have never read through a cook book, but I promise I loved every page of this book! She is such a cool woman! Here's to a new adventure - and maybe I'll blog about it too. Happy Friday!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Where have I been?!

Well friends I have completed a long journey! I basically went in a big circle across 7 states (give or take a few) and ended up back in my home in Atlanta. Just to see how crazy my trip was....see this map I created of my travels.

Now darken that line in a little more to show that I went back and forth from Memphis to Atlanta twice and you'll see that in the past month I drove more than 2,544 miles in three weeks. That pretty much whooped my butt for the whole month.

However, I did accomplish a few things.


 Got to see the hubbs rehab in Florida while working on my farmers tan...




Moved all of our wedding gifts from Florida to our house in Atlanta.


Caught our first house spider......and hopefully the last.


Took Ms. Stella back to Memphis to be with her mom and dad.

Then found out my husband would not be coming back as planned. So I packed up most of our Memphis stuff and came back to Atlanta again....


Don't worry Perchie - I wouldn't have left you!


Yes, that's a Kroger grocery cart...don't judge me. Its a long walk from the parking garage to the 4th floor of the building across the street. Us baseball wives do what we have to .... I shared it don't worry.

 What's that you ask? Oh just a random bird who's life I saved. (Brushing my shoulders off.) He was left to die by so many, but not this great Samaritan. I drove him 15 miles across town to a vet who told me he was not only a baby, but that he would be just fine. He had a broken leg and he was hungry. Good luck little birdie!

2 days after I came back to Atlanta I found out the my hubbs was on his way back to Memphis. Awesome. Because he was going on the road right away I did not drive 300 miles back to see him. Instead Hershey and I started unpacking...and we don't have much progress to report. 

I can, however, report that my husband is healthy and playing his heart out. I couldn't be more proud of him! After such a long year full of surgery and rehab, this night made it all worth while. I always tell Shane to "hit me a homer" when I talk to him before the game. This night he hit me two and one was the best kind! A WALK OFF GRAND SLAM!




Love ya Sugar Shane!