dear santa in august

Dear Santa.
I've been good and I want a pink Bob jogging stroller.
Angela

Last night Mr Right and I took baby M for a walk in our garage sale jogging stroller. Last summer he paid $60 for it which seemed like a lot at a sale. Now that I've been shopping for a new one, seems like we got a bargain.
I'm in love with this pink Bob one.
Since I know we are using the slightly bumpy used one, I'm saving to splurge on a new one. Got get that cardio in and I can't afford one more minute away from baby.

my next bathroom

Isn't this darling?
Supposedly the set for "the L Word" on Showtime. Being non-tv person, I have no idea what that is. I think it might be the Flashdance girl's show(?).
Anyway, I love this gorgeous bathroom. Thanks to blogger at design wonderland for sharing.

Am I too old for Anthropologie?

I love the clothes in Anthrolopie's catalog, website and store. There are only 25 year olds in their photos (and mostly in their stores).
Should a 40+ mom wear this skirt to work?

how to get rid of the mean reds

I could get rid of everything that causes the mean reds.

I could get rid of my job, (sometimes) my husband, (sometimes) many family members, maybe even "cycles" and stressful days.

Not too realistic.
I guess I'll keep thinking.

And keep searching for a used jogging stroller.

the mean reds

Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" said "the mean reds are horrible." The mean reds make the blues look like happiness.

I've always counted on an extreme cardio session to chase away the blues and even the mean reds. What's a woman to do when caring for a one-year old?
I guess I need a better jogging stroller. Will start saving for that.

love the new boyfriend jeans

Have you tried on a pair of boyfriend jeans?
I'm curious if they fit "curvy" girls like me...

tea

At a Board meeting downtown and really cold in the room. Happy that I resisted the urge to go to lobby starbucks and get a latte or mocha. Had some "Paris" tea instead.
Do you ever get the feeling some teas are in fancy packages but are just plain tea?

yummy whole wheat pizza dough

We made the most delicious pizza from the whole wheat dough you can buy at Great Harvest Bakery. Got it at 83rd & Mission. SO good!

Not easy to find healthy, inexpensive stuff this yummy in Kansas City (perhaps that's why we are always on those "fattest cities" lists?)

Yummy casserole I made this weekend. My mom grew a bunch of fresh basil and it was so good in this dish. I used goat cheese and not ricotta since we minimize dairy at our house. The brown rice & parmesan combo makes a reallly nice crunchy topping that I plan to use it on other recipes too.

almond butter

An almost nutritionally-perfect snack is almond butter on rice cakes. Low calorie, good fats and decent protein.
I bought some natural almond butter and it isn't bad. The oils separate, like natural peanut butter, and you have to work a bit more to spread it out, but it tastes pretty good.
I've got the almond butter in the office fridge and the rice cakes in my drawer, so I'm hoping I can use them for afternoon snacks and prevent that end of day hunger.

Want you back...

MWSU dorm circa 1984 -- I could do a mean moonwalk.

Is there anybody out there who ever owned pompons and did NOT do a routine to Smooth Criminal (with a fedora, I bet) or Thriller (yep, white gloves).

RIP Farrah

I had a white cobra mustang like Charlie's Angel. Cancer sucks.

pizza at North

Have you been to the restaurant North at 119th and Roe?
Excellent mushroom and arugula pizza. Truffle olive oil makes a wonderful woodsy flavor.
The crust is super thin so there can't be many carbs, and there's no cheese.
Yeah for healthy pizza option!

I never touch politics, but this got me.

Washington Times: "Extramarital affairs, gambling, alcohol abuse, prostitution and sexual pursuit of minors have taken a toll on the GOP."

"...taken a toll?"
Oh My.

blogs I'm into now

I am really loving these talented blog writers:
www.joannagoddard.blogspot.com
http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/
http://decor8blog.com/
These women, of all ages, post wonderful photos, catalog pretty things and write wonderful little stories.

yeah for protein

Since I am no longer breastfeeding I can put dairy back in my diet. More and more though I'm reading dairy is not a good idea.
I was excited to get to drink an Isopure -- a protein drink in a bottle that's like a punch or kool-aid, not a shake. It's from whey protein, which is derived from cow's milk.
I was full all afternoon. Amazing how protein will quiet down your appetite and stabilize your blood sugar.
Going to make this a habit for a few days until I get my appetite under control!
Angela

Rose Brooks

I have been sick to my stomach all day.
I got a fundraising letter from the Rose Brooks Center. Apparently the economic situation has increased domestic violence significantly. Easy to imagine that. But the Rose Brooks Center is in a wait list situation.

I can't imagine a woman with a child who finally summons the courage to leave an abusive situation and then finds the shelter -- her last resort -- has a waiting list.

I wrote a check and put it in my desk to mail at the end of the week when I have money to cover it.
Having a new baby makes me feel vulnerable. Having enjoyed immense independence for my entire adult life, I can't imagine being in a situation where I had no options. A home life so bad I had to evaluate leaving. Sleeping in your car, staying with a friend, getting by until you can change things -- not options when you have a baby to care for.
I NEVER solicit and rarely do fund raising, but if you can help, please consider sending a donation to Rose Brooks Center, PO BOx 320599, Kansas City MO 64132-0599.
Angela

hormones and hunger

It's been ten days since I stopped, completely stopped, breastfeeding.
In the first week I gained ten pounds.

Every expecting mother is excited to learn that breastfeeding burns 500 calories a day.
No one tells you that you will be absolutely ravenous.
And then, when you stop breastfeeding, you have to re-train your appetite.

It didn't help that a weird neck/back injury kept me from working out for nearly two weeks.

But three days after the 10 pound gain (I nearly fainted on the scale) I have lost six pounds.

Whew. Work ahead.

Happy Earth Day

Happy Earth Day.

Did you see this article that thinner is better to curb global warming?

Regardless of how you feel about global warming, here's one more reason to eat well -- it's better for our planet. (Like we didn't have enough reasons already.)

On the consulting front, Excel Wellness celebrated their first year in business. I wrote her business plan and am tres excited to see her doing so well.

And I've known these girls for years, but recently developed a new program for them: Physical Transformation Retreats. You can learn how to get in Shape magazine cover-shape at one of their weekend retreats. If interested, tell them Angela sent you and you can attend the entire weekend for $299 (regular $499).
Create a healthy Earth Day
Angela

fit mind inspiration

Stumbled on a couple of cool sources of inspiration this week:
Jill Bolte Taylor speaking at the TED conference. You have to listen to this 20-minute presentation of this Harvard brain scientist re-telling the story of her stroke -- it is simply phenomenal.
I signed up for this online creativity circle; could use a boost since baby and demanding job have sucked up a great deal (all) of my time in the past few months. Time to re-focus on what makes me. I love this quote from Tim Ferriss: your job description is not your self-description.
Excited to go to New York in May. Attending the Yoga Journal Conference, though only one day of it, is at the top of my list while in the big apple. Also hope to do this anti-gravity yoga class which looks fascinating.
Creative not-exactly-Phit things I just have to share:
Delightful decals for decorating on Etsy: I am putting the cherry blossom branch in my office at home and "hanging" the chandelier over my desk at my "day" job office.
Another nifty find on Etsy: these darling ceramic buttons.
You can now follow me on Twitter or join me on Facebook. Hope to see you in cyberspace.
Angela