Drum roll please

The end of the first month of the new year is already coming to an end. It's amazing how quickly time is going by. I'm trying some new things out with the layout and bare with me as things get changed up.

As for the drum roll, the kitchen is "finished"! It definitely has that new kitchen feel, but does not really have a personality, it's very much a kitchen for any average kitchen remodeling company. I suppose that's what I get for looking through beautiful kitchen renovation books...I've learned my lesson.

But of course the best news is that I get to now cook (once all the cooking and baking supplies make their way back into their new cabinetry homes). Thus far I made some yellow cupcakes from a box (it was snowing, I got out of work early and could not muster up the courage to drive to the grocery store). I figure everyone knows what regular ol yellow cupcakes look like so I didn't bother to take a picture. Today I also got out of work early (I'm not doing it on purpose!) and my first stop before going home (okay, maybe my second, I went to the library first...) was to safeway where I bought the ingredients for the worlds easiest chili. At least I think so. Onion, green pepper, packet of mccormack (sp?) hot chili mix, can of black beans, can of dark red kidney beans, can of whole peeled tomatoes, and veggie crumbles (there's an entry somewhere on this blog about my chili). I know, not the most challenging of foods to jump back into the world of cooking but it's like getting back in shape- taking it slowly. But trust me, I plan on oodles more of cooking (or actually baking).

But first things first, getting a block of havarti for all this lettuce I bought:)

the kitchenless diet

we are now into week 3 of the kitchen renovations aka the pb&j and anything else carb diet. it's amazing what cannot be accomplished without a kitchen. this so called kitchenless diet has resulted in a long list of places and foods i would like to eat on a neverending budget:
- tutti frutti
- lasagna
- i want to try making muir glen's smoky mac 'n cheese recipe
- veg chili
- dessert of some sort
- a vegetable in general

maybe i'll grab some fro-yo on my way home tomorrow. in exercise news- walked along the trolley path that goes from old ec into catonsville. it's a very nice walk although it's strange with the nice looking houses along the path. it would seem a little frightening to live out there at night.

there's going to be a hope for haiti now special on tv on friday night at 8pm. seeing all the stuff in the news it would be nice to go down there and help rebuild and do what needs to be done. anyone been down there since the earthquake?

so this is 2010...

having an interesting start to the new year. been sick, got pink eye and have eaten more pb&j sandwiches in the last 2 weeks than in the past month. but the good news- only the boogies are still with me, my eyes are no longer crusting and the marble countertops for my parents' kitchen just came in. (although i'm not sure about the color still, it does mean i am one step closer to being able to eat REAL cooked food)

as for new years resolutions, hm. probably the same for the past couple years. be a better person and get in shape. how's that for creativity.

but to be real- these are my new things to get me to tone up the fun stuff while i'm in a place that i everyone finds themselves in at one point or another during the day...the bathroom. so, push-ups against the counter and tricep dips along the bathtub (perfect height!) i end up doing most of that while i wait for the shower water to heat up. so there! something simple and not time consuming. i'll tell you how that works out. anyone else have suggestions?