MMMMM . . . Chicken!

Chimercken and me don’t have a good history. Don’t get me wrong, I love chicken . . . when someone else cooks it. I have never figured out how to make chicken taste good and not too dry. This all changed tonight. This super easy recipe was delicious and as a bonus, I got to use the grill. It’s already the end of August and for me that means summer is coming to an end. Days of grilling out are numbered and I plan on making the most of every last summer grill opportunity.

Without further ado, see how good this looks!

 

Even better it was super easy!

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts

Fresh Basil Leaves (Approximately 4)

Mozzarella

Garlic

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Instructions:

Slice the chicken breast, but don’t cut it all the way, you are going to fold it back over to seal in the cheese and basil.

Place a slice of mozzarella, two basil leaves and some garlic inside the chicken.

Fold the chicken back over and secure it with a couple toothpicks.

Brush the outside of the chicken with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Place this on the grill. Grill approximately eight minutes on each side on a medium heat.

That is it! It’s that easy! And it was delicious and very healthy. I baked up some sweet potato fries with the chicken for dinner, I followed Kristin’s recipe, you can find it here: http://iowagirleats.wordpress.com/2009/03/23/my-favorite-sweet-potato-fries/ . They were amazing. We will definitely be having these again!

Look how good it all looks together!

 

 

 

On another note I have been feeling very domestic lately. Tune in this week to catch a look a the sugar cookies and homemade salsa I made this weekend. My husband is loving this new cooking trend.

Just for fun

Yesterday we went to the Iowa State Fair. If you have never been, please make a point of visiting in future years, there is truly no better people watching anywhere! As an example of this check out some of the new friends my husband made. I apologize for the poor picture quality, for some reason my camera was acting up and didn’t want to flash unless on a strange setting!

Recomittment and focus

I want to blog but I am having trouble finding my voice and I have used that as an excuse to ignore this website and this blog. . . . but beware . . . I am back! I have put some thought into what is next for me in blogland and I think I have found focus.

If you come see me on here in the next month or next couple weeks here is what you will find:

1. A fitness blog. I need motivation! I have put on almost 10 lbs. since saying I Do. That must stop and it must stop now. I plan on journaling my workout and eating habits here! Hopefully you can help keep me honest. I’ve signed up for a 1/2 marathon and even thought it might kill me I plan to finish it. The race is October 17th and I would love to have you share your fitness related goals and we can track them together.

2. Operarationfind some hobbies and make some news friends is in effect. Randy and I are that couple that spend all of our time together. Before meeting Randy I would say I was an independent lady with lots of friends and always on the go. I love my husband and we love spending time together, but it’s time to branch out and find some individuality again. I also have a bit of the post wedding blues and would like to find some new hobbies. First up is my goal to branch out and try some new things, join me for the ride! First up, I am dedicating myself to becoming a better cook.

3. Baby fever is here. In the spirit of being brutallyhonest with Internet, I want a baby. I know if you read down you will see that I came out and said we are waiting for a couple years. Well in the last two months baby fever has hit me head on. I am ready, but is my husband? Or in reality is it going to be that easy. I don’t get my period regularly or at all at times. We threw the birth control out when we got married but we are not “trying”; just stopped trying to prevent the baby. Follow along as my baby angst takes full hold.

4. Book reviews and recommendations. I just joined a book club with some girlfriends, follow along here as we dig into a couple new books. Next up is the Time Travelers Wife. I am desperate to see the movie, but I must finish the book first  buy the book first.

That is it for now. Help me Internet find my blog voice.

Running, Running and Running

So since the discovery that my shoulder has decided that lifting heavy weights is not in my future I have rediscovered that I still like running. I’ve always had issues with shin splints so I gave it up about two years ago. Since then I have dropped about 30 lbs, yes the wedding motivated me! Plus one the newly dating stage wore off we stopped eating out 5 times a week. I am by no means skinny, but much healthier than before. I still could stand to lose 10 more pounds, but I am very happy if I stay where I am right now.

With the weight loss I have found it much easier to run. Less stress on  my joints has resulted in no current issues with shin splints! I still am very careful to not overdo it. I’ve been limiting myself to running every other day at a maximum to give my legs a rest day. For the past two months I’ve been running an average of 3-4 miles about three times a week. I feel pretty good, but now I’ve got myself backed into a corner.

This weekend I am heading to Davenport Iowa to run the Bix 7. It is a grueling race that starts out with a one mile uphill, and by uphill I mean a very sloped horrible nasty hill. I ran the two mile version of the race last year; it starts on the same course, so I have been up it before, only this year I have signed myself up to run the full 7 mile race.

Check out the map of the course if you don’t believe how hilly it is.

 

I am running with a couple of my good girlfriends and then after we plan on having a fun girls weekend . . . that is if I make it to the finish line. Wish me luck!

What’s new

Not the best title for this entry, but I have a variety of random things I have been wanting to post but not enough for a full entry. So enter, a number of short thoughts running through my head currently.

1. I really wish my shoulder would feel better, now! I am ready to get back into the gym. Three weeks off was nice, but I am starting to feel a little pudgy. This may also have to do with my poor eating habits lately. Last night I had a burger and washed it down with about half of an angel food cake.

2. I really want a new job. I am bored. I wish the economy would recover. I am thankful I have a job, but I feel I have so much more to offer. It’s not about money, it is more about finding something that makes me feel useful.

3. Summer is here in a big way. It has gone from spring to summer here in about three days. It is hot and muggy. The heat index yesterday was around 100 all day yesterday and more of the same is expected today. Even with AC, I prefer sleeping in cooler weather.

4. I finally got our thank you cards back from the printer. I have to put off procrastinating and start them this week. We are also planning our two hometown receptions. I love our families and friends and can’t wait to celebrate with them, but honestly I am ready to move on to non wedding events.

5. My husband is amazing and I am so lucky! This really should be number 1.

6. I wonder if anyone is reading me. Stop by and say hello. I am dying to fill my Reader back up with non wedding related blogs. I finally went through last week and cleared out a lot of my inspiration blogs. I’ll be honest though there are about 10 I can’t bring myself to remove!

7. I know I am not quite ready for kids yet, but that has not stopped me from having a little kid envy! I can’t wait until I am a mom! However, until we live a little closer to some family members I am scared to death to go down that path.

8. Why can I not stop watching reality TV shows. I know the Bachelorette is fake, or at least not real life, but I am sucked in again.

That is enough for now. Later!

Picture Time

Okay so I still love looking at my wedding photos and I realize I haven’t posted enough pictures for you. So enjoy!

All compliments of Spencer Combs. Amazing wedding photographer!

Wedding shoes, I ended up not wearing them much because we were in the sand so much, but I love the pictures of them. They were a last minute decision and one I am so glad I made.

R getting ready, he looks so handsome!

One of our first moments after we saw each other for the first time. I love how happy we look in all the pictures!

R and his three brothers that could make the trip.

Me and my bridesmaids. Can you tell who my sister is? I love this moment, so funny!

My Dad walking me down the aisle! Such a great memory. I love my Dad!

We did it! We are married!

Walking off into the sunset together. I love this one! Well actually these are some of my favorites so really, I love them all!

Post Wedding Blues

So I’ve heard about it but I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal. Ever since the wedding though I feel like I have nothing to do. Or maybe better stated I don’t have a checklist a mile long of things that need to be done.

We have two receptions this summer in both of our hometowns, but it is not the same as planning for a wedding. We also haven’t received a ton of gifts since the receptions haven’t happened, so I don’t even have thank you cards piling up that need to be written.

All of this has lead me to think that I need a new hobby. I became an obsessive bride to be about photography. I stalked blogs, contacted photographer upon photographer until I found the perfect person for our wedding. All that obsessive behavior makes me thing that maybe I should explore photography as a possible hobby slash possible future money maker.

My husband thinks I am crazy but I really hate working behind a computer and at a desk. I love meeting people and planning my wedding was so much fun. So here is my plan. After our receptions this summer I would like to get a SLR camera, what type I am not sure yet. I have some more research to do. Any suggestions are welcome. I am planning to self teach myself how to use the camera. However, I do want to learn more about photoshop. This fall I am planning on taking a course at the community college to do just that.

I am really excited about this. At a minimum this is the start of a fun new hobby and if I can swing it possibly a career.

Fitness = Fail!

So in an earlier post I wrote about some of my new fitness goals. I have been a big fat zero at achieving any of the exercise related goals. I go to a gym where I train with Kettle Bells. It is a great work out, but about a month ago I did something funky to my right shoulder. I took a week off and thought rest would cure it. Well, it held up for about two weeks and then started bothering me again. I finally agreed with the husband and went to see a doctor. As of right now I am on forbidden by the doctor to work out for a total of two weeks. The only excercise I can do is walk (side note, the dog has enjoyed this rule a lot). I have another week to go until this restriction is lifted. The doctor is unsure if I have done permanent damage and is confident if I take two weeks off and it feels better I can resume any type of activity. I am anxious and more determined than before to get back to the gym.

Keep your fingers crossed that after another week off I am back to 100%.

So, Do you want kids?

Any other newlywed knows exactly what I am talking about when I say I am tired of the kid question. It is amazing to me how almost strangers find it appropriate to ask if we are going to have kids or the even more blunt when are you going to have kids. I even had someone say to me “since you are an old bride you are probably going to start having kids right away, right?” ummmm? I am 29 people, it’s not like that is ever an appropriate question but I don’t feel like I am extremly old either. I can understand the question from close friends in the context of a conversation and I enjoy talking about our future, but how nosy can people get? Anyone have a good response to this one.

And now that I am mad about complete strangers asking the question I do feel somewhat able to blurt out my true feelings here. I think this question bothers me so much because the whole topic scares me. Don’t get me wrong, I love kids and I can’t wait to be a mom. But I also am scared to give up all my freedom and even more scared that when I get over that I’ll find out we can’t have kids. Is it just me or does it seem like with our generation it is really hard to have kids. I hear so many sad stories of infertility and loss when it comes to baby making. I always thought when I was younger that when I was ready to have kids it would just happen. I have started to wonder if all the years on the birth control pill or other environmental factors are having an effect on fertility, or if it’s just that people are more open about it now.

Well for us, there is no TTC in our near future, but hopefully when we get to that place it won’t be a long or hard road.

Home Ownership

We bought a house and moved in about two weeks before our wedding. I will admit that I was probably a little pushy on the home ownership front, but when I want something I go for it.

I love living in our first home! I also love that neither of us have been homeowners before. When I go home it feels like the place we will build our lives and family together. It’s funny though, home ownership has drastically changed our priorities, especially when it comes to money.

About a month ago we finally got some sod laid. It has turned into a battle to decide what lawn mower to buy. Hubby thinks we need a rider and I am not convinced. I think I am not convinced thought because not only does he want a rider but he wants the top of the line zero turn rider. I am no expert in lawn mowers, but this seems excessive. We don’t even have a 1/2 acre lot.

I am sure we will meet in the middle, but for now I am shocked at how much our conversations and little arguments have changed since becoming homeowners.

I am planning on taking more pictures of our new pad and showing them off here on the blog. All I have now is pictures from when we bought the house and there is no furniture and snow all over the place. Stay tuned!