jack lalanne 1914-2011

i remember jack lalanne from a shirley temple movie.
only his voice on the radio leading a work-out.

he was pre-kanye's work out plan.
pre 8-minute abs.
pre-jane fonda.
he was an original.

my dad says he remembers my grandmom working out to jack.
today my work out had meaning.
because i did it for jack.

did you do it for jack today?
he would like that.

also, have i told you how much i love my new balances?
check them out!
even bought a pair for my ma for christmas.

bow-tie lasagna

it's funny that michelle just talked about her delicious.com site
because i have her site as a favorite at work
and just last night made a recipe i find on it:

i adapted this recipe for bow-tie lasagna
this is already the second time i've made this dish.
james compares it to a home-made hamburger helper.
i use to love hamburger helper as a kid.
and now this healthier version is an easy week-night meal.

bow-tie lasagna
1. cook one box of bow-tie pasta
2. brown a pound of ground beef
3. combine cooked pasta & beef, dash of olive oil, jar of tomato sauce, italian seasoning and garlic powder
4. add 1 cup mozz cheese & 4-6oz of sour cream
5. heat over low heat until cheese is melted & combined.

yuuuum!

how to survival the mental & physical cost of day-care...

our baby is blessed to have two grandmoms
who are splitting three days a week of babysitting
come august when i have to had back to work.

but two days he will attend day-care.
& no this isn't a rant about day-care in any way.
(even though i've ranted in my head for both sides everyday recently)!

except that we did decide to send him to best.
& the best costs $$$.

so in order to not have to sell my body.
or my first born..

helen's hassack will be busssyyy.
so keep checking it out for new items..
& sale items.

like this awesome vintage empire state building penant !

the year of magical thinking - joan didion

not my normal read.

a non-fiction.
one year in the life of the author.
i enjoyed her thoughts on grief, marriage & death.
life in general.
lots of medical info,
but not overwhelming.

what i liked the most:
i walked away thinking.
usually i'm down for a fiction book that takes me away from my life.
this book really made me examine a lot about my current situation.

i really didn't think i was going to like a book with so much talk of death.
i hate death.
like nighmares about death are normal for me.
it surprised me that i was able to read this book
& not have nightmares or be fearful.

like the author i always plan on j & i dying together.
mayber when we're 95,
a plane crash on the way home from hawaii.
never expecting what life will be like for one of us without the other.
favorite quote:
'marriage is memory, marriage is time'

she really highlights the experience of marriage
& the relationship that goes beyond love and romance.
recommended for:
someone experiencing grief.
anyone experiencing marriage.
those like me who are fearful of death.

speaking of books - more cook books are available @
Helen's Hassack

& thank you atlantic city?

so happy to see boardwalk empire win a few golden globes last night.

but everyone forgot to thank the real star of the show.

atlantic city & the surrounding county (our homeland).

when the economy crashed it hit atlantic city too.

so here is my little shout-out of why you should come visit atlantic city.

1. the beach (it's free. no beach tags)

2. the boardwalk (since the 1920s - the rolling chairs still roll & the taffy is still the best @ fralingers)

3. newer hotels are bringing back old school class & charm without the casinos (a la the chelsea)

4. vegas charm without the vegas distance & price.. (most like vegas - the borgata)

5. good eats - (our favorite late night pizza - tony's baltimore grill)

6. good drinks, already planning my first post-baby martini - continental

three days of freedom.

a three-day holiday weekend.
the perfect excuse to relax after a long holiday season.
& conquer some of the recipes i've been collecting.
i was in complete recipe overload!

i chose a turkey & broccoli slow cooker lasagna.
& spent the day cleaning the kitchen
& cleaning out the soon-to-be nursery.
it's.. umm.. getting there?

turkey & broccoli slow-cooker lasagna..
adapted from some magazine which i've lost the title to.. oops.

1. cook one onion & a spoonful of minced garlic over medium-heat about four minutes, or until onion is soft.
2. add 1.25lb ground turkey to onion & cook until pink is gone, drain. add salt, pepper & oregno to taste.
3. in a small bowl combine 15oz of low-fat ricotta and 1/2 cup of shredded italian cheese blend.
4. thaw and squeeze dry 10oz package of frozen chopped broccoli (next time i might double this?)
5. in crock pot layer 6 lasagna noodles (broken in pieces as needed), top with half meat mix, half broccoli mix, half a 24oz jar of tomato sauce and 1/4 cup of water.
6. spread cheese mix over top of layer in crock pot.
7. add another same amount layer of noodles, meat, broccoli, tomato sauce & water.
8. cook on low for 5 hours or high for 4 hours.
9. top with another 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and let heat for 15 minutes in crock pot.

& ta da..

a long lost friend.

i've gone back to the library.
i drive out of my way to go to the good library.
the same library i browsed as a kid & a teen.

it's a mix of trying to save money
& the free time of not being in grad school.

yesterday i requested two books
& took out three other books.

today my books came in..
now i have five books to read.

snow day please?
book reviews to follow.

i also caught up on my google reader yesterday.
the first time since november?!
wowza.

so excited to find out that two of my favorites are expecting
& loved getting caught up on their journeys:
we met in a bar
summer harms

a new favorite.

no one tells you how dry your skin will get.

you hear about the stretch marks.

i expected the stretch marks.

but not this pain of dry skin.

or the bloody noses.

or the chapped lips.

i've fallen in love with this c.booth lotion.

these are tubs four and five of my pregnancy.

from ulta.

only $6.99 a tub.

i started buying two tubs a pop once the first tub felt so good.

three favorite smells:

1. Italian Olive Oil Body Butter - smells so clean & fresh, helps with those stretchmarks.

2. Japanese Rose Oil - prettiest smell. i get more compliments with this on than any perfume i wear.

3. Egyptian Argan Body Oil - mix of pretty & clean smell.. not so strong but works just as good!



if you don't take care of yourself..
who will?

just another day living for 32.

it happens everytime there's a mass shooting.

the media begins to reflect on that april morning in blacksburg.

they never mention the victims.
the killer's haunted face adorns my tv screen.

i turn it off.
and continue the same path i've been living for almost four years..


living for 32.

a brand new day.

a year defined

rebuilding
starting fresh

in the last few days my outlook on life has not changed
but strengthened

i am a big believer in practicing what you preach
as a therapist i tend to preach a lot
and have to keep practicing

stay positive
how can this make you a better person?

on christmas eve my brother's family home burned down
the same home we spent our childhood

the family was not home
but lost everything in a flash
including their dog

two young children know something has changed
but are unaware of the entire impact

what has surprised me the most is the outpouring of help
people who i have not seen in years
girls who spent nights at my house as kids
then disappeared from my later life
have reappeared offering words of comfort

people who have never met my brother or his family
have sent clothes, toys, gift cards and money

they will rebuild
gone will be the 1890s farm home that is etched forever into our memories

but a new fresh start
will bring much joy
& so many more possibilities.

*my first day of preschool, typical front porch picture.

** pretty blue hat available at Helen's Hassack