MIA

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And, check out Lucky Taste Buds for a chance to win two boxes of granola here!

I really feel like I've been missing in action, and just out of the loop for awhile now, but when I just looked at my blog I saw I just posted two days ago. I guess maybe because I haven't been cooking dinner in the routine way that I normally do? The past few nights have been leftovers, or repeat dinners I didn't want to reshare, and sad to admit - some take outs.

My car has also been a major source of stress for me this past week, and that didn't help my mood or desire to whip up tasty meals. The check engine light went on last Thursday and long story short, the first shop ripped me off and didn't fix the problem, so the light came on again 2 days later. The second time I just went to the dealer, even though they're notorious for being more expensive. I knew that they would know my car, and they did. The problem was found and fixed in less than two hours, and for only a little more than the first shop cost me to begin with. Hindsight's 20/20, right?

I'm glad that is over, because back in NC I've known the mechanic for pretty much my entire life (his daughter and I went to kindergarten together) and his shop is literally just a few driveways down from my parents' house. I guess I just got spoiled by having a mechanic you know and trust, having it be within walking distance to your house, and having a family with extra vehicles that you can borrow while yours is out of commission be "the norm." Once all of that is taken away, car troubles just made me feel stressed, vulnerable, and inconvenienced.

In the spirit of Biz's post earlier today, I think I'll follow suit:

I have always been really good at maintaining a weight. I'm not a fast gainer, or a fast loser, I slowly creep up and down, but am able to just maintain a steady weight for months on end, seemingly without trying really hard. The problem now, is that I'm maintaining a weight that I'm not comfortable, or happy, with. I would also estimate that about 75% of the clothes I moved here with (less than 3 years ago) no longer fit me, or are uncomfortably tight.

I'm going to start keeping a handwritten food journal to keep track of empty calories, and hopefully start working in some regular exercise. It's hard for me to jump-start an exercise program with a DVD or inside routine. I like to start outside, walking my dog or biking until I get my stamina and energy up, and then I can feel motivated to do the inside stuff, in addition. My cousin found this adorable little weight loss ruler, that tracks your progress towards your goal. You can post it on your blog or webpage in tons of cute designs.

I found body measurements I took almost exactly one year ago today, and my arms, waist, and thighs have increased. My bust decreased (boooo), while my hips and calves have thankfully decided to stay put and remain the same. This was a big wake-up call for me, so I will be making some changes, but will not chart the progress on this blog. I'm not that brave, and would like to keep this one primarily food and recipe orientated.

Finally, it's not 100% related, but is still something that makes me feel good about myself, so it's on the same page. A lot of bloggers have been posting recently about Spring cleans, or big projects they're tackling. This has slowly, but ever so surely, started to light a fire under me. I hope, within the next few weeks, to do the same. I'd ultimately like to tackle room by room, breaking it down, organizing, and rebuilding it to a point where I'm happy with the cleanliness and order. The house is currently in a half construction zone state, so it's easy to let stuff clutter in not completed rooms, but I want to stop that habit.

Thanks for reading, I just needed to get some weight off my shoulders!