Things I want of now that the cold is here

Because now that the wedding is over, I'm free to concentrate on ME. ha. I kid, I kid! So the Houston cold is here, or whatever you call it when it's 90 degrees one day and 70 the next and so on.
A good pair of riding boots, similar to the one of following

A good pair of semi-skinny jeans preferably black

A nice high-waist pencil skirt

And I'm very much in like with Karen O's hair and I think I want it. Whats with that, every time I grow my hair out I want it short and when it's short I want it long. WTF?

a table for two please.

I can’t remember the last time I cooked a home-cooked meal. And I don’t mean the kind that includes me opening a box of Lundberg’s farms garlic risotto (http://www.lundberg.com/) and a box of quorn naked chic’n cutlets (http://www.quorn.us/) and making my own sauce and steaming some veggies. I mean the real, homemade from scratch type stuff like my Italian meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I recently found out that you can sub cauliflower instead of potatoes, less calories, less carbs and you’re adding another veggie! Nor have I made my enchiladas, rice and beans in more than a year. Really, I’m half Mexican, but I’m sure if I don’t use this knowledge of cooking, it’ll be forgotten. And lets not forget my favorite, the pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving where I over-do myself and make the likes of broccoli rice casserole, hash brown casserole (I’m the ONLY one who likes this!), macaroni & cheese, green bean casserole, brown sugar bourbon turkey, jack daniels chocolate chip pecan pie, gravy, banana pudding and the sorts. And I only say over-do myself because I REFUSE to allow anyone in the kitchen to assist me, I’m a martyr that way ;-). I don’t know what it is about this time of year that makes me want to cook, perhaps it is that it is so close the Thanksgiving and Christmas. Or maybe it’s the upcoming nuptials that makes me feel like I should be providing better sustenance for my soon to be hubby and myself and perhaps one day our children. It’s not that I don’t know how to cook, I do, believe me, I love it too, I just don’t have the time. Lately my days have been work and school, or work and run and homework and wedding stuff. Leaving not much time (or energy for that matter) to cook or to spend some good QT with my honey (it’s even been more than a month since we’ve had date night!). It is my sincere hope that after the wedding, I will be less preoccupied with other things and have more energy to focus on our home and our life and this includes cooking! So, if you’ve got any favorite recipes you’d be willing to share, please do, I’m open to new ideas!

eyes wide open.

I’ve had this feeling for a while that I couldn’t quite put into words. Happiness just didn’t cover it. Balanced didn’t either. I really and truly have no idea how to explain it all. For the first time, and yes I’m positive that it is truly the FIRST time in my life I feel at home. This really and truly began a few years ago when B and I began dating. He smelled familiar, being in his arms was warm and comforting, he made me smile and laugh like never before, I could get lost in his eyes. I enjoyed every moment with him and spent the moments without him waiting to get back to him. And 15 days away from our wedding, all of this still rings true. Recently, I was reading a friends blog about how she should explain to her young son that saying of home is where the heart is, is where you and the people you love are and it occurred to me that B is my home. I bought our house on my own, and lived it in with a great roomie, but it didn’t feel “lived in” until B and the pugs got there. I have a family now, my own family, my soon to be husband and our little family of four-legged babies. My own private paradise resides at 1140 Dorothy St.

Containing with this theme, as you know I’ve been training for the half-marathon coming Jan. 17, 2010. I’ve been doing anywhere between 9 and 16 miles a week for the past 6 weeks. My scale hasn’t budged, not even a little. But B told me that he can tell I’ve lost weight. So today, I did something that I’ve avoided doing for the last 4 years, I looked at myself, really looked at myself and what I discovered what that I’ve got the beginnings of a runners body. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a way to go. But wow, definition in my calves and thighs, thinner waist and arms, stronger back – it’s all there. I was able to do 3 miles in 37 minutes on Tuesday, a personal best so far. It wasn’t too long ago that I couldn’t do a half-mile without stopping 3 or 4 times. And it occurred to me that this is something I’ve done all by myself, for myself. I feel amazing inside and I feel good about my body, another first in my life.