Eastertime

Wow…time has really gotten away from me. Apologies to the three people who actually read this -- I’m sorry for the delay in posts. For the past two weeks life has been carrying on as usual. And actually, I’m drawing a blank right now – what in the heck have I been doing!? Ah yes….after my shopping spree in the snow storm, Sean decided to get in on the clothes action himself. The very next weekend we hit up Kohl’s and Macy’s and he bought some great new clothes for Spring/Summer. My favorite item was the pair of plaid shorts…I’m a sucker for the preppy look and Sean wears it well. In addition to clothes, we took a long awaited trip over to Williams-Sonoma. Uncle Kevin and Aunt Sandy gave us a gift card for Christmas and we finally remembered to bring it with us to the mall! It took some serious browsing before we decided on what to buy. Since our poor kitchen is bursting at the seams (due to lack of cabinet space), we couldn't splurge on any utensils or appliances so we settled on specialty foods -- Margarita mix, soft pretzel mix, coffee cake muffin mix, and yeast. I know...yeast is way out of place there, but it came with a recipe for Parmesan Black Pepper No-knead bread. I couldn't pass it by. These items are sure to set us up for some great Summer parties.

Choosing to avoid green beer and shamrocks, I spent St. Patrick’s Day with my good friend Jill at the Bonefish bar. She’s one of those friends, full of positive energy, who puts me in a great mood whenever I see her. We could spend hours talking without running out of things to say, and I love that. We bounced around between hundreds of stories - some sad, some serious, some funny – and before we knew it, three hours and three glasses of wine had passed. Spending time with Jill was way better than green beer.

The rest of last week was just ho-hum. I did manage to dye a few eggs. Check it out -

I know they're boring, but green was the only food coloring I had at home. Anyway, work asked us to bring in Easter eggs for a contest, so this was my contribution. I decided to spice up my entry by adding a third egg. Get it? Ham? HAM? Green Eggs and Ham. I know, I know...side splitting material.

I was excited that my company allowed us a holiday for Good Friday. The day was beautiful and I was able to do some last minute shopping for an Easter dress (which will also act as "The Dress Stacey Wears to Summer Weddings".) I made Coffee Cake Muffins for Easter breakfast, and after a very inspiring service on Sunday, Sean and I went to Bonnie and Ed’s house for dinner. Along with honey ham, pineapple casserole, and deviled eggs, potato salad was part of the spread. I normally don’t enjoy potato salad – too much mayonnaise for my taste – but Ed surprised me with a delicious batch. I made sure not to overeat since I’m still part of this weight loss program, but then a piece of cheesecake started calling my name…Oops. You can imagine my surprise when I was down 3 pounds at the weigh-in the following Monday. It was my biggest weekly loss since the beginning of the challenge. So thank you, Cheesecake, for not sticking to my thighs.

Bonnie put Casey in a lovely yellow Easter dress complete with a matching straw hat. It was adorable, hilarious, and mildly freaky all at the same time. Casey loves wearing clothes.

Another significant part of Easter weekend was that Sean replaced his own brakes. This may not be a big deal for some of you, but I was really impressed with his mechanical talent. Sure, it took him most of the day to figure it out, but the point is that he did it! (and he saved himself a big chunk of change…which also makes me proud.) I can't even change a tire...

As this week comes to a close I have 2 things on my mind: 1) Will Sean finally mow the yard? And 2) Will Lost be good tonight? I hope so…because last week’s episode was somewhat of a bust. I actually fell asleep at the end.

****UPDATE**** LOST was a re-run. ARGH! They ran out of the new episodes, so we are officially on hold. This island drives me crazy...

Shopping up a Storm

Just as predicted, the cold weather swooped in last weekend and Nashville got a whopping THREE INCHES of snow. You’d have thought it was a full-on blizzard with the way everyone was acting around here. The grocery stores were packed with families stocking up on canned goods and water. Some schools and offices closed early on Friday in anticipation of the snow, which didn’t start falling until 7:30 p.m. Seriously, people…get a grip! I’d hate to see what would happen if there was an actual disaster. I can’t really blame anyone for overreacting. The Nashville weather people and newscasters blow the slightest chance of snow way out of proportion.

I was at my mom’s house Friday night where my sister hosted a Premier Jewelry party for some neighborhood friends. We looked outside to see big snow flakes falling and accumulating. (“Accumulating” being the operative word here since it doesn’t happen that often.) I left the party around 8:00 with plans to buy a pair of boots at Kohl’s (clearance sale – yay!) Soon after I started my journey to the other side of town, I realized that this snow thing was a bit more challenging than I anticipated. I couldn’t see lines in the road! You see, the entire town had shut down by 6 p.m. leaving a solid blanket of snow on the roads, and I was one of only a handful of brave people trekking through the treacherous weather. Thankfully, my 20 years of residency made driving by memory a bit easier, but I was still a little nervous about my car sliding. Driving very cautiously I made it to Kohl’s and slid my way through the super-slick parking lot. Again, not being able to see any lines, I made up a parking space and went in to shop. Much to my surprise, I was not the only person in Kohl’s that night as there were a few families browsing the aisles with me. I’m glad I braved the storm because I got the last pair of boots in my size. Shopping success!

Getting from Franklin to my house in Nashville normally takes 30 minutes, but the BIG SNOW STORM turned my trip into an hour and a half. I opted for the interstate knowing that the secondary and back roads would be completely untouched. (see also: scaredy cats) My thought was that the constant flow of cars on the interstate would’ve prevented a lot of accumulation, thus leaving the roads more passable. WRONG. Again, I was one of only a few drivers, and no one could make out any lines on the road. We played follow the leader as we headed into the city at a whopping speed of 15 miles an hour. I saw several cars spin out on the side of the road, and one guy ended up facing me in the center lane. Oops! Thankfully, I was completely safe and I managed to keep my car under control. It wasn’t that difficult after all. After 25 years, I can now add ‘Driving through a Snow Storm’ to my list of accomplishments.

The snow was completely gone by the following afternoon.

Saturday meant more shopping for me. Turns out, going to the gym 5 days a week means eventually buying a new wardrobe. I had been putting off shopping for several weeks because I absolutely dread spending the day trying on clothes. It was also a matter of timing for me. What if I continue to get smaller? Why should I spend hundreds of dollars on clothes if they will be too baggy in a couple of months? But it was time to bite the bullet -- my pants were unprofessionally baggy. So baggy, in fact, that my co-workers were making comments about them.

Hell, I was SAFETY PINNING my pants on the side because my belt was too big. It was bad. My saggy clothes had become an official “thing.” Like a monster living in my closet…A Fat Clothes Monster.

Sherri and Tiffany graciously spent the day with me picking clothes off racks, brining pants to my dressing room, and objectively critiquing my choices. I treated them to lunch as a thank you for all their hard work. Seriously, shopping can wear you out! Having their company made the experience much less painful for me. In fact, I actually enjoyed myself. I was so pooped after a day of shopping that I came home and took a 2 hour nap.

Feed Me

I'm hungry. I've been hungry all week. Even after a decent-sized meal, my stomach growls saying, "Feeeeeeed Meeeeeee. Feeeeeeed Meeeeeeeee." It's a mildly painful and miserable feeling to be hungry after you've just eaten. I mean, really I just want the hunger to go away. It's difficult to ignore sometimes, but I can't give into it. Must....be.....strong....

I was recently asked to write an essay as part of a challenge for the weight loss program. Here are a few paragraphs of what I wrote:

For me, food has always been a form of celebration. So many wonderful memories are sparked when I recall the sounds, smells and events involved with good food. (And believe me; I consider most food to be “good.”) Whether it’s gathering around my grandmother’s table with the whole family, attending a fellowship pot-luck at church, or sharing a special occasion at a nice restaurant, food somehow finds its way into every significant, and not-so significant, moment in my life. In my opinion, a good meal mixed with good company is the perfect recipe for happiness. And in my case, it also became the recipe for gaining weight.

I knew I was getting fat, but where and when did it happen? It wasn’t an easy diagnosis. For several years I ignored the fact that I was adding pounds. I gained the majority of my weight during college when unhealthy, cheap food (namely Wendy’s) was readily available for a student on the go. Stopping by Waffle House or Krystal was the perfect way to end a night out with friends. I was no stranger to scattered, smothered, covered and topped. One word comes to mind while reflecting on this period of my life: Overindulgence. If it was cheap, fast, hot and cheesy then I was going to find some way to eat it. Even though I knew my eating habits were terribly unhealthy, I felt strangely entitled to this lifestyle. What college student has the money or time to prepare fresh healthy meals? I sure didn’t know any. And why should I be any different? This attitude was detrimental, and it was quite some time before I realized the consequences of my actions.

As the weight came on, I found myself buying bigger clothes until I reached the largest available size in the Misses department. When size 16 started to get snug, shopping for clothes became a huge ordeal. I was now restricted to shopping in the Plus Size stores which was a dreadful experience. While I was too big for “normal” clothes, I found that I was too small for the plus sized clothes. I was in the midst of Clothing Purgatory where nothing fit my body. NOTHING.Every outfit I bought was ill-fitting and unflattering. The fact that I was so uncomfortable in my clothes kept me from enjoying social activities. Choosing an outfit for a dinner date with friends would send me into depression before I ever left the house, keeping me in a sour mood for the rest of the night. I continued going out with my friends, but there was always an underlying sense of embarrassment that kept me from being completely happy.

Unfortunately, my new plus sized body wasn’t enough of a wake up call for me. Instead, I would get angry at the clothing companies for failing to suit my overweight frame. “I’m not that big!” I would say. “Haven’t they seen curves before? Can’t they just make this shirt one size bigger so I can wear it?” Friends and family would make comments such as, “You’re tall and you carry your weight well.” While they meant well, these statements only enabled me to continue ignoring my problem. When my doctor warned me that I was pre-obese, I thought, “I don’t look like those people. They’re so much fatter than me. She’s can’t be right about that!” But she was right. What I failed to realize was that I was harming my body by continuing my bad habits. My day-to-day life included zero exercise and I ate anything I wanted regardless of how unhealthy it was. Oh sure, I would eat healthy food on occasion. I’d be so proud of myself if I chose a salad instead of a steak. “Look at me, everyone! I’m such a healthy eater!” But that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. Those handfuls of times when I made a good choice didn’t even begin to make a dent. I needed a complete body overhaul, and one salad just won’t do it – not for me, and not for anyone. It was difficult for me to face the fact that my weight was a direct result of my bad choices. While I wasn’t technically obese, I was on an extremely unhealthy path that would’ve inevitably led to obesity.

Obesity scared me. I couldn’t believe that I reached the point where my health was becoming a medical concern all because of my weight. For the first time in years, I finally started to think about the kinds of food I was putting into my body and the real effect it had on me. But there’s a big gap between thinking and doing. Change wasn’t instant. Part of my struggle came from the fact that I simply accepted my fate as a fat person. I thought, “Hey, it’s in my genes! There’s nothing I can do about it.” I’ve always been a larger person, and I come from a large family. Even in my younger years when I was actually a healthy weight, I still referred to myself as “fat” because I was bigger than everyone my age. Not necessarily fatter, just bigger. I had a terrible body image growing up. I was accustomed to feeling fat and frumpy, so when it finally happened to me, I just accepted it. Was I happy with my new fat body? Certainly not. But I felt extremely helpless, as though something had done this to me, and there was nothing I could do to change it. “This is just the way God made me. I’m just a big girl,” I’d say. Looking back I realize that all these thoughts of helplessness were just my way of avoiding responsibility. I saw other people – friends, family, co-workers – enjoying all kinds of foods with a carefree attitude, and I wanted to do the same. If no one else had to worry about their weight, then why should I?

The build-up was a slow process, but eventually something clicked with me. I realized that I needed to stop comparing myself to other people, and instead focus on myself alone. This problem was now about my weight, my body, and my choices. Some people can enjoy unhealthy foods and get away with it, but I’m not one of those people. It was time for some real change, and I needed to find a successful way to get healthy. Knowing that I wanted to make changes, my mom bought me a gym membership for Christmas. It was, without a doubt, a gift that changed my life forever. I slowly but surely started visiting the gym on a regular basis. It took a while to form a routine that fit my lifestyle, but over time it became second nature to pick up the gym bag on my way out the door. Today I can’t imagine going back to a life without exercise. It’s given me so much more energy and strength along with the self confidence that comes from losing weight. I’m proud of myself for finally learning to take care of my body. I’ll always be tempted by food, but I will strive to continue making healthy choices. -- THE END.

So tonight is our weekly weigh-in at the gym and I'm really hoping to have lost 2 lbs. So far I haven't lost more than 1 pound a week which is extremely discouraging considering how much I work out. I did just okay with my eating this weekend. It could've been better, but I found myself at the Bound'ry with Sean and his friend Kenneth on Friday night. We ordered up several plates of delicious tapas and there's no telling how many calories we consumed between the oysters, foie gras, Korean BBQ wraps, cheese and meat tray, duck breast, sushi rolls, etc.... I was proud of myself for only having 1 glass of wine with dinner and for skipping dessert, but that may not have been enough to get me to 2 lbs. We'll see...

This past weekend was absolutely beautiful. I could definitely use some more of this weather to get me out of the winter funk. I really hate winter. We got a small glimpse of the Spring to come -- 75 degrees, sunny, and NO HUMIDITY. Sean and I enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine by working in the yard on Sunday. We cleaned out the flower beds and Sean climbed on the roof to tackle some of our clogged gutters. I couldn't believe how much dirt came out of those things! Today is the last day of nice weather as the temperature is supposed to drop considerably over the next few days. I'm not so excited for the upcoming weekend - High of 35? YUCK! Looks like the yard work will have to be postponed.

And finally, yesterday was my very first attempt at roasting a chicken. I'm not sure why, but I've always been very intimidated by the thought of roasting a bird at home. I was surprised at how easy it was, and I was really pleased with the final result!

Out on the Town

This past weekend Sean and I went out with friends 2 nights in a row – that’s T-W-O – which is way a bit out of the ordinary for us. We enjoyed ourselves, but boy did we feel old! Maybe I shouldn’t speak for Sean…ok, I felt old. Going out with friends isn’t quite what it used to be. Come midnight, I’m ready to crash. I was proud of us, though – we hung in there with the young folk.

Sean’s good friend Price was driving through town and stopped to stay with us Friday night. I was so excited – “A house guest is coming! A house guest is coming!” It was the perfect excuse for a nice steak dinner. Afterwards we decided that Price, being the cool and casual California man, needed a real taste of Nashville. We headed to town with one destination in mind - Lonnie’s Western Room…there’s no place like it on earth. Just a step above Hole-in-the-Wall status, Lonnie’s is a small, crowded, smoky karaoke bar on Printer’s Alley. And y’all, people in Nashville take their karaoke seriously. Lonnie’s only takes cash, and their beer is served by the bucket. Don’t even think about getting the munchies here because they don’t serve food. No fear, though – you can order up a super-delicious hot dog or BBQ sammich from Joe just outside the entrance. Lonnie would probably let you order a pizza, but I’ve never tried…at least not yet. Scoring a seat in the VIP lounge is a treat. With mirror-clad walls, torn vinyl seats and a big skull on the wall what more could you want? Plus, there’s room for dancing up there, and a girl’s gotta dance when some drunken redneck starts singing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing’.” Unfortunately for us, Lonnie’s wasn’t all the white-trash glory we had hoped for. Lonnie recently opened another lounge on the other side of town, and I’m guessing he took all of his regulars and staff over there.

Here's a shot of Printer's Alley

Here I am at Lonnie's (June '07)
Emily and Sherri enjoying the VIP lounge
See, I told you the hot dogs were good!

Since Lonnie’s was somewhat of a bust, we decided to check out Paradise Park on Broadway. It’s a relatively new concept bar. The concept? Trailer Trash. But unlike Lonnie’s, this redneck vibe is not original. Still, it was a pretty neat place, and I’m definitely looking forward to going back. These people went to great lengths to recreate the glory of the All-American White Trash Trailer Park. It may not be authentic, but it’s pretty darn close: green Astroturf, broken lawn chairs, a beat-up Dodge Charger, plastic cups, patty melts, and a Wall of Mullets!

Price left Saturday morning to continue his trip up to West Virginia. (Why do I always say “West Virginny” in my head when I think of that state?) Sean and I laid around in our PJ’s until 5 p.m. It was the laziest Saturday I’ve had in years! And it was wonderful. The only reason we got showers and cleaned up was because we had plans to meet friends at Big Bang. I may have mentioned Big Bang before…I can’t remember. It’s the dueling piano bar, and it’s a lot of fun if you like singing along to pop music with a bunch of strangers….which I do. My throat usually hurts after leaving Big Bang because I scream sing along to the music.

So, that’s our weekend in a nutshell. Everything is back to normal – work, gym, dinner, sleep, work gym, dinner sleep….

Valentine's and Lost

Love was definitely in the air yesterday. Valentine’s Day is just another day for some people, but for me it was a chance to gush over Sean even more than I usually do. I received a beautiful arrangement of violet-colored orchids (it pays to have your mother-in-law be a florist!). As my co-workers passed my cubicle they would stop and ask, “Are those for Valentine’s Day?” Well, Dummy, why else would I have flowers at my desk on February 14^TH? The orchids are so cool…much sassier than red roses, which is probably why there was so much confusion surrounding them. Yes, my husband sends me orchids on Valentine’s because he’s thoughtful, creative, and because he thinks roses are just too boring. I love him.

After work and a quick stop at the gym, I met Sean at the house and we freshened up for dinner. He had reservations for 7:15 at The Yellow Porch which is right down the street from our house. The fact that we were dining in our neighborhood gave me a little sense of pride. Once a house itself, The Yellow Porch is now a notable restaurant tucked away in a small lot off Thompson Lane. Even after dining there on several occasions, I still have trouble spotting it. Oh, and by the way, the porch is not yellow.

The atmosphere at The Yellow Porch is difficult to describe. From the menu to the décor, everything is an eclectic blend coolness. It’s one of those places where you feel comfortable wearing your “going out” jeans and a black turtleneck while sitting next to a man in a suit. Because it’s an old house, the dining room is much smaller than a traditional restaurant so you have to enjoy being a cozy diner….a really cozy diner. The lighting is low, the walls and curtains are velvet red, and original artwork and stained glass give it some flare.

The Valentines Day menu offered some fanciful new dishes, but when it came to the starters we went straight for the classic muscles. There’s no way we could pass on the warm, garlicky, buttery white wine dippin’ sauce. For the entrée I chose Lamb in Chianti au jus with Cranberry Beans. I know what you’re thinking – cranberry beans? I’m right there with you. I was a little hesitant to order the dish based on the beans alone, and I even consulted our server who assured me they were tasty. I was worried they would be too sweet or fruity, and I just didn’t want sweet beans. Who does, really? The beans were basically a jazzed up version of kidney beans (I think) that had some little bits of i-don’t-know-what (cranberries?) floating around in them. But the beans were more savory than they were sweet, which made my belly happy. The lamb was spot-on and the au jus was perfectly thick and rich. Sean decided on the Abodo Marinated Port Porterhouse with Sweet Potato, Sage and Parmesan Hash, Haricot Vert and Whole Grain Mustard Thyme Sauce. (Thank you, Website, for providing such a detailed description.) FYI: Haricot Vert = French Green Beans. I’d be perfectly fine with the menu reading “Green Beans,” but I understand they need to keep up appearances. We wouldn’t want any straggling tasteless diners from Applebee’s wandering over from next door, would we? I’d say the prices and Haricot Vert are enough to keep them at bay.

Sean and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal and each other’s company. It was the perfect dinner date with my Valentine, and there was no need to rush home to watch LOST because Sean set the VCR. (Yes, you heard me…VCR!) There was only one small problem…we set the VCR to start taping at 9:00 p.m. which is exactly when LOST ends!!! We realized our mistake at approximately 8:10 just after the show had started. What to do!? Do we rush home to catch the last half? It was decided that we would order dessert to make up for our devastating error. The Chocolate Espresso Torte was enough to make me forget about the island. Oooey gooey rich and creamy…it was heavenly. The slice we split was like the luscious filling of a chocolate truffle, and it disappeared from the plate in about 30 seconds flat.

So what does a couple of D.I.N.Ks like us do after a lovely Valentine’s dinner? Candles and wine? Not quite. We came home, changed into PJ’s and pulled out the guitar. Sean played a rendition of Rocky Top that sounded much like a Coldplay song. (Give him a break – he’s still learning.) We then busted into a jam session – Sean playing melodramatic chords while I sang along. “Lost, we missed you tonight….we missed you tonight…we missed you tonight. Who will get off the island? We still do not know…we still do not know…we still do not know….” It. Was. AWESOME.

Pictures from New Years Eve 2007

I promised these pictures almost a month ago and they're finally here!

Adrienne, Me and Jolene

(I'm making a weird smile, and that's a 2008 stick-on tattoo you see on my chest.)

You can't do New Year's Eve without having a dance party!

Just mingling...

Richard and Tiffany chillin' and keeping away from the dance party.

Canned wine? Ok! It's bubbly!

Sean enjoys some of Sarah Anne's homemade vanilla mousse - De-freakin-licious!

Gather 'round the table for some grub

I really wish I could remember who Cole was insulting in this shot...

Knit This

This is the old pair of socks from 5 years ago. I'm using 2 circular needles to create these.
This is the new pair of socks from the Threaded Bliss class. I'm using multiple double poited needles to get the same circular effect.

There's been a knitting revival in the Carroll household, folks! I spent the past 3 Saturdays at Threaded Bliss in Brentwood participating in a sock class. Yes, socks. No more boring scarves for me. I'm on to bigger and better knits...

The last time I attempted socks was in college about 5 years ago. I suffered from "Second Sock Syndrome" which means after knitting the first sock, I never finished the second one. And five years later, I couldn't even begin to interpret the pattern. Lucky for me, I visited Threaded Bliss during their first session of Socks 101, and I signed up on the spot.

The class is from 9:00-10:30 a.m., but I rarely make it home before 1:00 in the afternoon. At first I felt guilty for abandoning Sean...but I do think he enjoys his alone time on lazy Saturdays. I'm not at home asking him to pitch in with chores. He gets to drink a full pot of coffee, lay around in PJs, play computer games, and read the paper...all in silence.

So what exactly do I do at the knit shop for 4 hours? Well, in addition to the new pair of socks from the class, I dug out the old pair from 5 years ago! The instructor Emily is a knitting genius and has helped me bring the dead pair back to life. Sitting in the store for so long gets me inspiried to work on other projects. I picked up a skein of gorgeous yellow for a hat that I hope to make after the socks are done. And just yesterday I bought a book called Itty Bitty Hats so I can give baby gifts to all my pregnant friends. Yes, people, I said MY FRIENDS. (Don't even go there...)

The knit shop is a lot like a beauty salon. Women of all kinds sitting around a big table, gossping, sharing stories...except they're all knitting instead of cutting hair. Those of you who know me probably think I'm one of the ring leaders of girl talk, but that's not so...I take my knitting seriously. I get into the "kntting zone," and I don't do a whole lot of talking. Instead, I enjoy watching, listening, and soaking in the environment. It's much like the mood I get in when I'm at the airport. Being in a public place like that is like watching television. I get lost in other people's stories, and I fill in the missing details on my own. Before I know it, hours and hours have passed, and I literally have to pull myself away from the knit shop.

I would love to have a knit shop of my own one day. Obviously, it wouldn't be for financial gain, but rather a chance to share my own cozy space with the community. You never know...