Beautiful babies! (my baby, duh) and what's goin' on in my garden

Hold on a sec - would you look at this FACE?! Couldn't be cuter. He is my food-hoover; you put it in front of him and he will eat it. What a good boy :-)

Recent pickings from the garden - radishes and oak leaf lettuce. Some people don't like radishes because of the fiery taste, but that's what I love about them! I just chop them up, throw them in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then rip up the lettuce and throw it on in...voila! I'm easy to please. I'll keep you updated on what's going on in my garden. Currently, what's growing is: lettuce, carrots, beets, radishes, peas, onions, beans, tomatoes, peppers, kale, cucumbers, strawberries, chives and kale. I'll post more pics of what I pick next!


What did you do today to better your body/mind/health? I worked (fitness assessments/consults), read a great book, and am planning on making a delicious meal for one (no kids tonight). Possibly some yoga before bedtime.

Rotini and Chicken Caprese Salad (with black beans)

1/2 a tomato

3 large basil leaves, torn into a few pieces per leaf

a few slices of fresh mozarella

1/4 cup black beans

1/2 a chicken breast

1 serving rotini pasta

~ cook the chicken in a pan over medium heat, in olive oil, seasoned with lemon pepper, cut into smaller pieces while cooking

~ cook rotini as instructed

~ slice half the tomato and set aside on a plate

~ put a slice of mozarella on each tomato slice, and top with torn basil leaves

~ place rotini on a plate (or shallow bowl), add the chicken, and then place the tomato/moz/basil slices on top of it all

~ I like to sprinkle on some black beans just for fun, but you don't need to do this.

~ drizzle with a light dressing, preferably a balsamic vinaigrette, and some more olive oil if desired. black pepper as well.

I FINALLY got my bike fixed. I haven't actually been on it in almost 2 yrs...the summer in between Logan and Nick being born...and last summer after Nick was born there was no WAY I was getting on that thing! Plus, I don't know how I would have found the time. So this summer, it's up and running and looking pretty spiffy. I now just need to get some regular biking and swimming in so that I can manage to do a sprint tri this summer/fall. I'm way out of that kind of shape...not having been on a bike in so long will probably wake up some seriously dormant muscles. Well...I've been spinning a lot...so maybe not. We'll see! It will be tough getting rides in, since it's just me and the kids. I'll have to wait til times when they are with their dad. So that means I will really have to streamline my workouts. I'm not obsessive about my workouts, and I know if I get quality rides in then I will be just fine.

Can't talk much tonight, really must get in BED. Need to catch up on sleep that was lost this wknd!

Coming back to life...

So, the reason I have been MIA, is because I just went through a pretty ridiculous divorce. In fact, it was JUST finalized about 2 weeks ago...and there are still many problems that will likely take years to iron out.

There's no need to go into great detail, plus I don't feel like talking much about it since that has been all I've been talking about for a long time now. Long story short, I left someone that was emotionally, verbally, and sexually abusive. I'm not embarassed to admit these things, because I'm proud of myself for finally putting myself first and removing myself from a poisonous environment. It was also the best thing I could do for my two beautiful boys. Yes, they still see their father, but at least I will be able to parent them the way I know I can. No more being berated and degraded on a daily basis. No more control. I am crawling out of the huge hole of depression that I had fallen into.

I'm closing that chapter of my life and starting a new one where I can make my own decisions, do what I love, and raise my boys happily.

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Speaking of doing what I love, here are some pics from the last 5k I did! Also, Logan (my almost 3 year old), did his first race the same day! (The Tot Trot)