Cut Throat Editing!

Time to do some last minute editing. It's like writing a college paper of life, cram it all in and hope it looks decent. As stated in my blog posting right below, I have not lost 10 pounds. Shocker I know. It's amazing to me that in our minds, we really want something to happen. Whether it is losing weight, changing jobs that you hate, buying the dreaded new car, or getting out of a dead end relationship. Now, my something in that list is just losing the weight, but the point of the others is that we know that we need to do something but actually doing the something is freaking hard to do. It takes commitment. That of which I do not have for my weight. Maybe in my case it is more of a number than how I feel. Yes, eating less crap is always best for you, but on the whole I am not overweight. But just because I may seem smaller than the rest of the nation, does not mean I can give in and say "well, I guess I look okay." I was truly wanting to lose the weight before I got pregnant again. I got horrible heartburn carrying Olivia, and I know that when I have extra weight on me, I get it again. Ces 'la vie, it's a bit of fat and I can half check it off my list. Four pounds down, is four less on me.

So what else am I editing, the tattoo. In my mind, again back to commitment, I thought I wanted it. I have the idea of what I want, even where to place it, but haven't felt the NEED to get it. I guess that is the biggest reason for getting one. Needing and wanting it. And it is just like buying new clothes. If I don't really want it or need it, I will not buy it. Because what happens to that little old shirt, if I do buy it, it doesn't get worn, ever. So Mr. Tattoo, you are being edited. Maybe off the list forever, or maybe one day the thought of getting one will pique my interest strongly and off to the parlor I go.

What else, Alissa. Volunteering and Life Insurance is still on the list, but probably won't get done in time for the 3-0. Why not, I did not MAKE the time for them. I will poke along and get them done, I promise. I promise. I promise. (that is me saying that to my list!)

The stay the night in the fancy hotel is on! Well a week after I have my birthday. Ron has set up for us to go to the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay. We are going on a Thursday, Friday to skip the crowd and pretend it is our home away from home. I am excited and he said he has a few tricks of the trade, so we shall see!!!!!

And the dreaded final number 10!!!!! Oh you Facebook. Do you lace your page with crack? I think you do!! Why is it in the last five months, I have so many business pages that I "like"? They are helpful and I find things I would have probably not found on the Internet without having the "like" page on FB. So for now, MethFBcrackleberry, you stay, and Blogger, you will get more lovin' from these fingers.

I have made peace with these challenges and this rough road of life to thirty. It definitely has given me something fun to do. Oh and the novel.... Pride and Prejudice is almost read through. I will have final thoughts the day after St. Patty's Day, maybe something magical will happen to me.

Taking a Cooking Class. Check.

Hello all, it has been a wild 2011 already. Why haven't I posted in awhile, well life happens. Crazy, I know. First off, today is my sister's birthday. I love her soooo much. She does not get to read my blog so often but if you are, happy birthday Ash-a-lee. I miss you soo and wish you were home. Life really is not the same with you not in MY time zone. Please come back soon. Okay enough guilt trip!!!
So it is five whole days until my birthday and this journey is done. Let's face it, I am not going to lose those 10 pounds. Although, I have lost 4 so that is something. I am fine with the fact that the last 6 or so is on me. As most of you know, Ron and I are going to start trying this spring for number 2! The couple of stubborn pounds can just stay there until after I have the little one. Then, down to serious business. I don't want to think of my gross stomach the rest of my life. Anyhoo, this title said cooking class so.....

Ashlie's boss Tiffany came into town for the week of HER 30th birthday. She brought along a childhood friend who is also turning 30 this year. They love love love food and asked if I would like to come along with them on their adventure to Napa. I am not going to pass a trip with adults AND drinking! So we drove to Sterling Winery. They have a gondola ride to their winery and tasting areas. It was so beautiful to see the valley so high up. I did have to sit forward. It's the same thing with the train. I cannot face backwards when something is moving forwards. I instantly get vertigo and sick. So I quietly took the spot facing forward and all was good. We tried four wines which were so yummy and left a mommy feeling pretty relaxed. We then took the ride down (again me sneaking to face forward, yes) and drove to the CIA. Not the intelligence agency, no, the Culinary Institute of America. This is a "food college", where everyone is obsessed with food. Right up my alley, yet when we walked into the beautifully ornate castle looking building, I felt instantly out of my "culinary" element. The menu read like a who's who of unheard of food. I felt too bumpkin to ask Tiffany what the heck 1/3 of the stuff meant. But the dishes I did chose were so yummy, I would probably eat it off the floor if it fell down. Of course the dessert was the best. Now, this was my first time meeting these wonderful girls, and first time eating with them. But when we politely asked if we could try each other's food, it was like we were old friends! Man, everyone needs to eat truly amazingly thoughtful food. I say thoughtful because even though the institute is very prestigious, the food seemed to just so well planned and not stuffy at all. Just plain good eats! Our final stop was the Oxbow Market. It was like a mall of food. Each little store had different tastes and styles. The girls had a well planned meal for dinner. I enjoyed standing back watching them decide what kind of salt they wanted, and which vegetable they were going to chose. Now, at this market they had Kara's Cupcakes. They are amazing and I have had them before. I encouraged them to try them too, since they were here in Northern California (birthplace of Kara's Cupcakes). So we got two and brought them home.

Now, for time for the actual class. On the menu was, artichoke soup, roasted chicken with shallots and grapes, sparkling apple cider carrots, rutabaga, and parsnips, and green beans in brown butter with toasted almonds. And for dessert, apple tart with homemade salted caramel sauce, and smores cupcakes. The girls were so sweet to include me in the chopping, whisking, stirring, and baking. It was like a humming kitchen with us rushing around to each station and me frantically learning what was next. We did not get to eat until about 9 at night, but I didn't mind because everything tasted so good. My whole family, grandmother, mother, and father, and myself have never had a parsnip or rutabaga in our whole lives. I don't even think I remember what they looked like when I chopped them! But they were so tasty and surprisingly we all loved them. My mother's palate, I am sorry mommy, does not care for anything new, spicy, nutty, or different. But she could not stop talking about the parsnips. She kept asking Tiffany, now what is this called again. It was so cute. The piece de resistance was the homemade caramel sauce and marshmallows. Yes, I made salted caramel sauce, and it was surprisingly easy. Now, Tiffany's friend Leslie made the marshmallows but we stood back in awe, that gelatin, sugar and water, and a few other items were actually going to make the white gooey stuff we all like in our hot chocolate. But 12 minutes into it, there it was, gooey sugary goodness. My mom and I were licking the paddles. I felt about five years old, but I couldn't help myself. I even said to my dad that he had to try. When he was done, there was marshmallow down his chin. After our last bite of smores cupcakes, there we sat, fat as cats and happy. That was the best class I ever took. I should do it more often. Well, not too often, maybe that's why the six pounds are still here!!!!

Pictures to follow of our food at C.I.A. and they process of our dinner. That's another one down, can I do it in five days?.......