life, scraps & ink

monday thoughts.

1. Today was opening day at Miller Park. And it was glorious. And freezing. But they won! So that part was awesome.  Lucroy sac-fly.  Weeks runs it in.

I was unimpressed with the weather. Photo credit: Tim

2. But aside from the weather, we had a great time. It was so fun to hang out with my BIL and SIL. Just like old times. And for the record, we were all wearing Brewer gear under our parkas.

Summer Shandy with mittens?

3. There was chili.

4. We met this lovely little lady this weekend.  Baby Heidi is adorable!

5. Tim bottled his batch of beer this weekend. So now it's a waiting game.  So excited to try it!

6. Let's play, find the puppy.

7. Heart shaped latte makes me happy. I wish this was my secret talent. I also wish they would open a Stone Creek Coffee in Madison!

8. Pensive. 

9. Even though it's 20 degrees outside, it's spring in my kitchen.  It just costs $7.99.

10. Lots of photos and single sentences = quick monday thoughts because I'm officially exhausted. Have a great week!

how to set up a puppy cam

Do you ever wonder what your pups/cats/family do while you are at work?

Normally, Louie is in his house while we are gone. But, we have been gradually testing leaving him out - and so far, no accidents and the house is still intact (how much damage could a 5lb chihuahua make anyway? Especially one as cute as this.)

So this week, we decided to leave him out while at work.

Monday, after I let him out before I left, he immediately went to his house and sat down. So I gave him a treat, and left the door open.   When Tim went home for lunch, he was still curled up in his open house.  What a funny little dog. Did he run around? Does he hear us coming home and race back into his house? I wanted to know....

A friend at work has a camera that's live all day, so he can check in on their dogs. So I set out to create my own puppy cam to see what Louie does while the humans are away.  I downloaded the UStream app to my iPad, and positioned it appropriately to face the living room, which included his house and his favorite spot, on top of the couch, so he can look out the window.

UStream is free, and allows you to broadcase video live. It gives you a link to view your live stream and share with others.  I connected to Facebook, and made the app secure, so only I could see the link.

I set it live, and went to work.  I actually forgot that I had set it up, until my co-worker asked about it.  When we checked out the URL,  he was still in his house sleeping! Oh budge. It surprised how sad it made me to watch him.

The UStream app only lets you broadcast live 2-3 hours, so my puppy cam ended around 11am. But then you get to see the playback, and learned that he did play for a while, buried his rawhide, and then took his nap. So, the puppy cam gave us some insight.

My co-worker uses Live Stream for Producers, which allows you to have it set up all day, so maybe I'll try that for next week.

Throughout the week, Louie got braver, and now mostly sits on the couch watching the world, or taking naps.  No wonder he doesn't sleep through the night - he's taking puppy naps all day. I don't blame him, and watching him be alone breaks my heart slightly.

But, this will be a good resource to be able to check on him periodically while I can't be at home.

Yay for technology!

 What would you use a live stream for?

 

monday thoughts.

1. I am still recovering from this weekend in Chicago hanging out with my friends from high school Friday and my college girls Saturday for a bachelorette party. But it was a blast, and so worth it.

2. I attended my first drag show this weekend - and I swear two of them I never would have known that they were men in their previous life. Simply amazing...and kinda strange.

3. Louie and his dad spent a lot of time together this weekend. They also cleaned the house and did the laundry.  Lucky lady right here.

4. Speaking of good husbands, my friend Carrie and I woke up to this from her husband. Such a sweetie!  A happy hangover breakfast.

5. I majorly failed at running this weekend. The entire week actually. A total of 3 miles. I've run more than that post-marathon week.  We didn't get into Green Bay on May 19 - they were already sold out. So we've signed up for the Madison Half on May 26th. Adjusted the training schedule, and here's what we are looking at for the last 8 weeks.

Download Half Marathon Training

6. I received my first Nature Box this week! It's a box delivered once a month full of healthy snacks. I don't care for one of them, but they are still edible. They also donate to Feeding America each time a box is purchased. If you want to check it out and get $5 off your first box, click here.

 
7.  This weather SUCKS.  I'm normally super positive about things that are out of my control. But when I have to say things like, "At least it's not snowing today" in the last week of March, there's something wrong.  So I willed spring into our house by buying some tulips!  They definitely add some cheer to a gray and cold world.

8.  Oh, Louie.  This was after he got up at 4:50, and at 6:15. He gets tired again at like 7:30 when I'm getting ready for work. Figures.

9. Opening day is less than a week away! YAY BREWERS!

10. Not only did my hubs clean up around the house, he made me dinner last night.  The cover recipe from the lastest Food Network magazine. A turkey meatball pasta dish - he used whole wheat pasta, and tried making it a little spicier.  It was delicious.

monday thoughts.

1. This is what I had to scrape off my car after work today. In cold winds.

2. Which means I want to go back here.

3. We had a really great time in Mexico.  It was a much needed vacation and break. We literally did nothing. No adventures or excursions. Just pool and beach and drinks.  Oh, and no snow.

4.  Louie was so excited to see his dad when we got home, that he was actually SMILING. He has been attached at the hip, and follows him everywhere. I am chopped liver.

5. I took some time this weekend to do some spring cleaning (even though it's still winter outside), and cleaned out my scrapbook room (yes, I have a scrapbook room).  I found these gems - old cell phones! My Nokia from study aborad in Spain, my flip phone from college, and my first iPhone 3. Oh, technology.

6. My husband the chemist turned into my husband the brewmaster this weekend. White House Honey Ale is currently fermenting in our basement (yay!). I don't recommend having people over after brewing beer. It smelled like a feed barn for two days. I'm in need of new candles.

7. We ran the Madison Shamrock Shuffle yesterday. Even though it was Artic weather (it was 82 degrees last year!) I ran a PR. Full race report here.

8.  This weekend I made Skinnytaste.com's Stovetop Picadillo. I had only made the crockpot one, and I think this one takes the cake for better flavor. It was delicious. The other part of this? Dinner is made the next night (Picadillo Stuffed Peppers!) This is the third time I've made this, and it is now a dinner staple for us.

9. T-minus 13 days until Opening Day. Wahooo! I'm just hoping it's at least above freezing so my beer is drinkable.

10. And now, I will be dreaming I'm back here.

Have a great week!

 

race report: shamrock shuffle 10K

Ah, St. Patty's Day. Green beer, friends, and running.

I didn't partake in the green beer, but did in the friends and running.  This was my first year running the Madison Shamrock Shuffle, which I thought to be a well-organized event by Madisonian Steve Donovan and crew.

Tim and I signed up the day before, and decided it was a great idea to run in 19 degrees after being in Mexico for 5 days. Right.

And those 19 degrees felt like 9.  Very chilly at the beginning - although you could feel that the sun was warm, and wearing black running tights was a strategic choice.

 

We jogged from our car to State Street, and joined the mass of green-clad runners funneling down to the start line in front of Potbelly's.  We were stopped, and 5 minutes passed.  And then 10 minutes. We were getting antsy - why didn't races start on time? And then we heard: "5K starters only!" For the third time, we had missed the 10K start, and we played catch up most of the race.

This route followed Langdon - and up Observatory Hill. It wasn't as bad as I remember it in years past, but still takes the wind from your sails. At the bottom of Social Sciences, the 5K group took a left, and we ventured out west past Picnic Point and halfway around those soccer fields. The great thing about starting at the back of the pack, is that you constantly pass people, which is good for your mental game.

I felt really strong this whole race. I knew I was doing well, but tried not to think about it too much and just feel how hard I was running. I stayed away from glancing at my garmin, fearing it would mess with my head. Sometimes knowing that your body is working at a hard pace is better than seeing it on a watch. The most challenging part of the race by far was coming up the back of Observatory Hill. Yuck.

We crossed the finish line at 55:18, which is a average pace of 8:54.  I'm pretty sure the last 10K I ran was in 59 or 60 minutes, so this was a great PR for me.

We met some friends at Brocach Monroe St for lunch, and had a Guinness in honor of my Grandad, Patrick, who, was Irish and died 17 years ago on St. Patty's Day.

All-in-all, it was a great race, and a great day. (Except for the Badger game. Sad trombone).

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

birthday pupcakes

It's Louie's birthday today! Happy Birthday Loubug. 

He's so special.

In all seriousness, we love our life with Louie.  The best part of our day is coming home to him and getting "The Louie Welcome".  Ears back and wiggly butt. It's the best.  You also get "The Welcome" if you're gone for 3 minutes and come back.

For his birthday, and because I don't have kids, I went to the store to find a treat that would be really yummy for Lou.  But nothing really jumped out at me. So I decided to be that crazy dog lady that makes her pup cupcakes...so pupcakes. 

These pupcakes needed to be all natural, no sugar, and be...tiny.

So I did some googling and found this recipe for Peanut Butter and Carrot Pupcakes - but I altered it. Took out the oil, and added applesauce. Halved the recipe because, well, Louie weights 5 pounds. And made them mini pupcakes.

Needless to say, his single pupcake went over well. It probably was his entire caloric intake for 2 days.

And yes....we did try one.

Peanut Butter & Carrot Pupcakes

Makes: 20 mini cupcakes

for the cake:

4 tbsp all natural creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp apple sauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 tbsp honey
1 eggs
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shredded carrots

for the frosting:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tbsp honey
shredded carrots, for topping

directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Prep mini cupcakes with liners and spray.

Whisk peanut butter, apple sauce, vanilla, honey, and egg in a medium bowl

Mix flour and baking soda together, and sift into the peanut butter mix

Mix thoroughly; batter will be sticky

Fold in carrots

Drop tablespoons into cupcake liners

Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

Cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool completety on wire rack.

For frosting:

1. Mix cream cheese, flour, and honey in a bowl; whip with a spatula
2. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting
3. Decorate with shredded carrots

Here's to 17 more birthdays, Lou. We love you!

monday thoughts.

A long overdue Monday Thoughts.  Things have been kinda crazy.

1. Four days until Mexico.

2. Four days until Mexico.

3. Did I mention I'm escaping this Wisconsin Winter and going to Mexico?

4. Even Louie is excited. No, he doesn't get to come along and visit his homeland. But he goes on his own "vacation" with my mum.  New toys, not in his house all day, and ridiculous amounts of attention from my mum lead me to believe he won't want to come home.

5. SNOW! 8-9 inches tomorrow. Another reason I can't wait to go to....yep, Mexico.

6. New best friends! Yes, good running shoes are your best friends, seriously.  I ran in Asics GT-2160s and of course, those are no longer available. So the new 2000s are the closest to it.

I've been having some really awesome runs lately, even though it's like 8 degrees.  Getting back together with the running group has been great.

7. This guy.  He's soooo AWESOME. I know that everyone probably says that about their nephew, but I'm just so in love with him.

8. Louie hijacked my phone! He's so talented with his little paws. He sent his dad a message.

9. Whaaaaa? I can't hear you.

10. Really awesome and quick weeknight meal is this Quinoa "Fried" Rice. It's delicious, and we usually just add whatever vegetables we have in the house. Tips: cook quinoa in chicken broth for more flavor. I also start the base out with my mum's mircha masala mix, which is garlic, ginger, onion, and chili paste. It's delicious. If there's enough of a request for this, I may have her guest blog with the recipe.  Also, smother this in hot sauce.

Have a great week!

healthy chicken enchiladas with avocado cream

One of my favorite things to do when a friend has a baby is take them dinner.   What new parents have time to make a yummy, healthy dinner? If you do, you are a superheroes.

I've been wanting to try these skinnytaste.com chicken enchiladas - and so when my friends Brad and Jess had their little bean Hadley, I knew just the dish to make.

What attracted me to this recipe was that everything is from scratch - sauce included.  I've never made from-scratch enchiladas - usually it includes the Trader Joe's Enchilada Sauce (so delicious).  So I was off into new cooking territory.

My favorite way to make chicken lately is slow-cooker - it's so juicy and tender, and shredded chicken is so versatile for the week.  Just add chicken breasts into a crock pot and cover completely with water or chicken broth. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.  Take out of the broth and shred.

Low-fat Chicken Enchiladas

from skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
• 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
• kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the chicken:

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 8.5 oz (2 breast halves) cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• kosher salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

• 8 (7-inch) reduced carb whole wheat flour tortillas  (I used flour tortillas)
• 1 cup shredded low fat Mexican cheese
• non-stick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions or cilantro for topping

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chilis, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic on low until soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it.

Place on baking dish seam side down, top with sauce... 

Then top with cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Makes 8 enchiladas.

Side condiment - I love to make this Avocado Cream. It's light and fresh and just delicious. Pairs well with any Mexican dish.

• 1/8 teaspoon grated lime rind
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons skim milk
• 1/2 ripe peeled avocado, diced

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.

Little Hadley Grace is adorable, and was wide awake for our whole visit which was a treat! She's amazing. Congrats to the Greens - you grew an adorable "Green Bean."

a singular monday thought.

It's Monday. That's it. Full thoughts tomorrow...or maybe Wednesday.

Coming back from San Diego is hard.  But sure is good to be home with my two favorite boys.

sights and sounds of san diego

Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diago, which of course in German means "a whale's..." I'll let you finish that famous movie line. Thank you, Ron Burgundy.

San Diego is just lovely. I also feel like I've been here before in another life....but maybe that's just because there are so many things here that remind me of past experiences.

The weather makes me feel like I'm back in Spain. The cooler mornings with the hint of a warm day ahead of you takes me back to living in Sevilla and my 45 min walk to class in the morning.  The walking on brick-lined streets filled with shops and restaurants also reminds me of Sevilla - not busy, loud, or crowded. Just perfect.

I started my day with a 4 mile run along the Bay - while packing, I had to choose between high heels and running shoes. We know who won the battle.  It was crisp, but beautiful. The weather lady on TV said multiple times, "It's a cold one today, so bundle up."  High of 61. Uh huh.

sunrise on the bay

While on my run, I saw sailboats, which reminded me of my parents. And I passed the Coast Guard Station, which reminded me of my brother.  And there are little dogs everywhere! Louie would love it here.  I feel oddly at home.

coast guard san diego

I also found my parents a new boat - how convenient!

The actual conference is going well - learning lots and validating that the things I'm doing and what our team is doing are on the right track. It's always interesting meeting new people and grasping all the different companies that are out there.  Sometimes you get so involved that you work in this little bubble, and forget what a big world it is.  And yet, a small one at that.  In one of the sessions, I saw an attendee in front of me looking at my Twitter account and my tweet about the conference. Small world, too.

On a little walk I took at lunch to find a drug store for some forgotten toiletries and much needed granola bars, I happened upon some San Diego sights.

gaslamp entrance

Petco Park

And this is where the learning occurs. It's acutally a beautiful conference center with access to an outdoor patio right off the meeting rooms. 

San Diego Convention Center

I'm looking forward to my mum coming out here tomorrow night and exploring the city more!

You stay classy, San Diego.