etsy finds: pillows



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 As anyone who has been to my apartment can attest, I have a penchant for pillows.  They can really pull a room together and provide visual interest, but are inexpensive enough that you can switch them up every once and a while to give your space a new look.  These are some of my latest Etsy pillow faves.

thoughts on zumba




photo via

 In late January I started working out at the gym.  I've never been hugely active, and the prospect of running on a treadmill in Spandex in public while watching The Price is Right was not very appealing to me.  But when I found out some friends went regularly to a gym nearby, I used a free trial day pass and tried not to be too skeptical.  I found that the gym staff were very friendly, the people in the gym were all ages and at all different points in their exercising ability and I felt really good after working out for a bit.  The facility was lovely and expansive, featuring all of the equipment I could ever need and offering classes that are included in the price of membership.


one of the many moves that was just embarrassing to see myself attempt
photo via

 Which brings me to Zumba.  Zumba is one of the many classes I've tried since January.  After a kltuzy and embarrassing incident on the bike in my first Spinning class, I turned to Low-Impact Water Fitness where I couldnt imagine being able to pull off a similar feat (so far, so good).  I slowly built my confidence back up and added PiYo to the mix, and then Kettle Bell.  Last week, on a whim, I decided I was ready to give Zumba a shot.  I am one of the least coordinated women on the planet, which my closest friends can attest to based on seeing my moves (or lack thereof) on the dance floor.  But what I loved about the other classes was the that the instructors spent time with you to get the moves right, giving you pointers or having you mirror their moves until you started to catch on.  I did things in the PiYo class I never thought I could do, and I did them quickly.  I hoped to have the same experience with Zumba.  

PiYo--much more up my alley
photo via


 My Zumba class was packed!  Unlike PiYo, which is offered once a week, Zumba classes are offered every day, sometimes multiple times a day.  If I liked it, I'd be set.  I think this story might have gone a little differently (read: better) had I introduced myself to the instructor beforehand and admitted to her that I was uncoordinated and new.  However, I made it into the class with minutes to spare, so that was not an option.  When the music started I was so glad I didn't know anyone in the class but also wishing I hadn't picked a prime spot in front of the mirror.  While I'm sure it was helpful to see myself attempt the moves in the mirror and try to self-correct as needed, it reinforced how ill-prepared I was for the class.  I resembled a sleep-deprived sloth with a permanent deer-in-the-headlights stare.  Every once and a while I would stop to focus my whole attention on the instructor so I could take mental note of how she was moving her body.  This would be interrupted by the rest of my line going into a quick grapevine, which I'd have to quickly side-step to avoid being the victim of a Zumba grapevine stampede.  If that wasn't enough, the Latin-inspired sexay moves were about as unsexy coming from me and made me feel like a little girl sloppily applying her mom's red lipstick for the first time. Long story short--I think I'll stick to PiYo and Kettle Bell.  Luckily, not all was lost, as I stuck around afterwards for a sculpting class that I really enjoyed.  It will definitely make it into my workout routine.

Am I the only one who had this experience with Zumba?  Are there workouts that work better for you?

dusty the destroyer: bed frame edition



Dusty, in a calmer moment, resting on the bed

 I'm writing this post from the middle of my rickety bed.  The middle is the only place I can sleep without feeling like I will roll off my mattress.  The other night we had a storm.  Dusty, while usually quite calm and peaceful (at least when I'm around) sometimes flies off the handle when a storm is brewing.  The other night was no exception.  Around two o'clock in the morning, Dusty decided he just must get under the bed.  I have bins of off-season clothing and other stored items tucked under the bed, so he couldnt figure out how to get under there ( I have since moved a few bins so he can safely and easily get underneath).  The next morning, I awoke on the left side of the bed and felt like I was sinking.  When I got up, I heard the bed creak and saw the left side raise.  In all his fussing the night before, Dusty bent the bed frame.  I am hoping I can bend it back into shape, but until then, I'll be sleeping in the center of the bed.

amazing smoothie goodness

I promise this is not turning into a food blog, but I just made the most amazing smoothie.  I liked it so much I shared little samples of it all over the office, and everyone that tried it liked it.  It smells like fresh cut grass and tastes a little like mild salsa.

I just put in all the savory vegetables I would want in a smoothie, and a few that are supposed to be especially good for you. I tasted it and threw more things in until I found a consistency and a flavor that I liked.

the goods

5 kale leaves
1 chard leaf
Handful of spring spinach mix
1/2 cup water
10 mini yellow tomatoes
5 cherry tomatoes
1/8 - 1/4 c onion
1 granny smith apple
1/8 of a green pepper
1 avocado

directions

Remove the stalk from the kale leaves and chard and break into 1-2 inch pieces. 
Combine half with half of the water in the blender and pulse for 20 seconds. 
Put second half of the kale and chard, the spring mix and the rest of the water in the blender and repeat.
Add the tomatoes into the blender.
Dice the onion, green pepper and apple and throw into the blender.
Remove the skin and pit from the avocado and add to the blender.
Pulse the mixture in the blender for 20 seconds.
Pour into a large glass and enjoy.

This makes one large smoothie (about 16-20oz) or a few smaller ones.  I had most of mine for lunch.

lately

Last week was full of animals (domesticated, semi-wild and wild), hockey, basketball, a research conference, Sunday School and a wonderful lecture put on by a neighboring church. 

I ended up pet sitting again this weekend and took my dog and the dog I sat for to an "Easter Begg Hunt" for dogs in my town.  The dogs enjoyed interacting with other canines and really enjoyed the treats they got.  I also went to the zoo with Diane and Joe and we saw the cutest  Spectacled Langur monkeys, baby elephant and camel, chubby kookaburra, and pensive chimpanzee. 

I discovered more wildlife in my own front yard earlier in the week when a bird set up house in the wreath by my front step.  I now duck and wait to enter my apartment every time I come home, because mama bird makes her presence known whenever she hears movement around her nest.  The last thing I need is a bird trapped in my apartment, or a beak in the face, so I wait until I know she has flown away before standing up to open the door.

I watched more than my fair share of sports this week and learned more than ever about basketball and baseball.  I actually wish that I'd known more about baseball a little earlier because, after having the fantasy baseball draft explained to me, it sounded strategic enough to keep me interested and entertained.

In Sunday School we talked about God being our fortress (see 2nd Samuel), and though I tried to drive home the qualities of a fortress (safety, protection, an immovable and impenetrable structure, etc), the kids may have been too immersed in drawing their "castles" (complete with princes and princesses) to really get what I was talking about.  They did really enjoy finding the passage in their Bibles, though.  After Sunday School I visited a neighboring church of my same faith for a lecture on the Sermon on the Mount.  Man, was it insightful!  The Sermon on the Mount is something I try to think about, study and put into practice often, and this lecutre reinforced the importance of revisting it regularly.  You can listen to the lecture here if you are interested.

Hope your week and weekend was as fun and refreshing as the one I had!

before & after: sandals

One of my favorite dresses is a bright orange and tan colorblocked sleeveless dress.  It's a very versatile dress that can be worn to the office with a cardigan, or the zoo with sandals.  Only problem for me is that I didn't have any sandals that matched.  So I dug my old, ratty white sandals out of the bottom of my closet, grabbed some all-purpose paint that works on fabric and leather in the same color as my dress, and got to town painting my sandals.

After painting them and letting the paint dry, I applied an even coat of clear coating that helps to  protect and preserve the paint and prevent water damage.  I let the sandals sit overnight and then wore them all around town the next day.



While I will need to touch up a few spots due to people and dogs stepping on my feet throughout the day, I'm pleased with the way they turned out and will definitely be wearing them around a lot this summer.


**in other news, I am linked up on Nicole's blog today.  She is having a fun girl party, profiling several women and their blogs, so go check it out**

lip-smacking good: brownies

photo via

Ever since I heard about the wonders of flaxseed, and its ability to serve as a good egg substitute from one of my veggie friends, I've been wanting to try baking with it.  Despite my love of fried-egg sandwiches and baked goods, I frequently find myself throwing out eggs that have expired.  Flaxseed has a longer shelf life than eggs, and I am trying to minimize the amount of dairy I consume at home (so far I've eliminated milk from my refrigerator).  I loosely followed the recipe below, substituting flaxseed and for eggs.  For

The goods

• Soft butter, for greasing the pan
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed, whisked with 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 8 ounces melted butter (or 3/4 cup of vegetable oil if you want to make vegan brownies)
• 11/4 cups cocoa,
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

photo via

The method

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter an 9-inch round pan.

Use a whisk to beat the flaxseed and water in a medium bowl.

Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes or until done.
Remove to a rack and cut into squares once cool.

The brownies were delicious and no one was the wiser about my flaxseed experiment.  I will definitely be using flaxseed in baking from now on, although I might have to keep a few eggs around since I'm guessing a fried flaxseed sandwich just wont do it for me.