Green Week 2

You have no idea how much I love this jacket.

It is the perfect spring jacket. Of course, I love the brilliant green color but what sold me was the gorgeous interior. It looks very 70s with the linked chains. I like to think my mom owned something like this.

Anyway, I don't know what is wrong with me but now I'm sick again! Pinkeye! How old am I??? Also, Tuesday is my TV night (Biggest Loser, Big Brother and Carpoolers) so I'm off to finish watching with my watery, itchy eye.

Green Week 1

Hi Friends,
I found a new blog that I love and Emily has started a Green Week for the new month of March. I suggest you all participate! Dreary February is finally over and spring is approaching. Over here in San Francisco, spring (or fall) feels just around the corner all year because it is always 50-65. This area really takes the climate "temperate" to heart. My camera is dying so I couldn't really get great pictures but the two things I've taken so far have some meaning to me at least.

Green Week 1 (this was supposed to be yesterday): My very dear friend Bethro remembered that I always love to read Young Adult books when I asked her to recommend something not fantasy (my usual read). This was the perfect book to really let go and just have fun (and its green!)

Twins

Finished my first two hats! So now Nick and I are kind of matching... which definitely wasn't my intention. Here is what we look like :)


Had a little bit of a rough Saturday night/Sunday with some sickness so I'm off to rest.

I'm Back!

Hello world. How have you been? I know I've been ignoring you recently but I'm terribly sorry. Can you ever forgive me? Yes? Okay then! Let's start again.

I'm back from Philadelphia and now that work has settled down a little (though the learning curve is still very sharp), I can get back to blogging! Nick and I were in Philadelphia from Thursday - Sunday. Saturday night his band, Sex Piano, played an amazing show. Here are a couple of pictures from that adventure.

Left to right (Matt playing bass, Zack playing guitar, Nick singing and playing guitar, their drummer is back in there somewhere - sorry Pete)
Mike and Adam playing horns, Zack and Nick singing together

Today is a good day in my crafting world. Kate is having Bethro and I over to do some knitting/sewing/whatever our little crafting hearts desire. I finished my first hat before Philadelphia and am now half way through with one for Nick (though I haven't been working very hard on it, sorry sweetie!) I'll let you know my progress when I return!

Off the Record

That's what I've been recently. Thanks to all the people who have checked to make sure I've been alive and given me nice notes! (Thanks Angie!) I've been around but working after work and barely been having anytime to myself!

So I'm in Philadelphia right now doing some visiting. I'll have lots of pictures and entries to post when I get back (Yeah Sex Piano!)

Lots of Love,
Jess

Stress

Stress = no brain power or motivation
Stress = gaining another pound this week
Stress = unproductive workdays
Stress = fatigue and leg pain that I call my stress pains
Stress = cranky Jess

Hopefully I'll feel a little more up to this tomorrow...
Still love you all though! Valentine's Day is coming up - here is a little something different for that. My friend's circus troupe from college - Vassar's Barefoot Monkey's - twirling fire.

Love the Lists

Yes, it's a list. This is how my brain works, so get used to it! Some of my favorite things: NY sports, shopping, eating and crafting!

1) Super Bowl
Super Bowl weekend turned out better than I could have imagined: YEAH GIANTS! I was so surprised they won, but then again, I irrationally hate Boston teams (this comes from being a die-hard Yankees fan) so I was thrilled! I don't really have much else to say about yesterday, except that I ate way too much and fell off my healthy eating wagon. A couple of friends at work and I have been using SparkPeople to lose weight and I love the site! It has a nutritional tracker, exercise track/plan and tons of articles and supportive people. It isn't just for people who are trying to lose weight either; you can also choose the option to "get healthy" and it gives you all kind of support for that as well.

2) New Purchases
Craft stores with Kate = trouble. I spent way more than I meant! I will admit that it was stuff I needed, but I'm not used to the price tag that comes with crafting + I'm way too addicted to fun crafting stuff to enter those stores without buying too much anyway!3) Food
I didn't take a picture but I've just got to share this lentil soup recipe. Nick and I have made it twice but somehow I always forgot to get my camera involved. It is from Epicurious and it was so delicious. I would eat it everyday! I highly recommend it- if you don't want to eat vegetarian, I'm sure it would be good with some sausage or bacon in it!
Below is the recipe edited for how we made it (to find the full recipe, click on the link above):

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra–virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery stalks
1 cup chopped carrots
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
1 1/4 cups lentils, rinsed, drained
1 14 1/2–ounce can diced tomatoes in juice *Italian style

Preparation
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium–high heat. Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, lentils, and tomatoes with juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium–low, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.

Transfer 2 cups soup (mostly solids) to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to soup in pan; thin soup with more broth by 1/4 cupfuls, if too thick. Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of *lemon, if desired. Ladle soup into bowls.

Enjoy with corn bread!

4) Love the hat!
Almost done with the hat! I just need to thread a piece of yarn on the top and pull, but you can get a perfectly good idea from this WIP picture. The color is actually a little darker than that but I couldn't get it quite right with photoshop.

Thanks

I just wanted to throw up a quick post and say thanks to everyone who has supported the change and commented recently!

Of course, I love my friends (Dianna, Jean, Beth, Kate, Jacki, Jill, Emily and Danny who have been reading along with me - and I didn't even know it!) and I really appreciate Beki and Angie for checking out my site because I'm in love with both of their blogs!

I had tried to write emails to both, but wasn't paying attention to the actual address when I responded to the comments. I'm sure they didn't go anywhere... but I just wanted to let you know, I am reading the comments and I really appreciate the thoughts!

East Coast Loving

Here are some pictures from Christmas of my favorite people. This is a picture heavy post! It is also random because blogger won't let me move my pictures around!

My first kitty- Pepper, she's a bitch... can't you tell?

My mom and me

My dad and me - doing the face we always do every picture

Rusty - my baby catMolly - Nick's eldest niece... soon to be mine as well!

Annika and Toby - Nick's niece and nephew

The Fizzys - that is what my high school friends call ourselves, playing the game that Danny made up - CHEN , best game ever!Annika- cutie pootie!

Grace - the new niece in the family!

Kacy - reading along with her Grammy

Pizza - done right

New York Pizza. Portofino's to be exact... If you are ever in Westchester, NY- get off 684 at the Goldens Bridge exit, up (1 minute or so) Route 22 to an A&P shopping center. Seriously- check it out.


How can you pass this up? It needed two plates to hold the whole thing. Not only is it huge, it is DELICIOUS! Slice of pizza + drink = 5 dollars. Can't beat that. I can't even type in full sentences because this has me drooling all over again and I can't think! Tomorrow I'll post some of my favorite people in NY... it isn't all just about the pizza, you know!