March 2011

March 01, 2011

Nana Visit and Oscar Party!

This weekend was WONDERFUL! Just what we needed after last week. My Mom arrived on Friday night, we had yummy Barley Lentil Soup for dinner with garlic bread before we all retired to bed early.

My favorite thing about the weekends is getting to wake up and snuggle with Gigi and Kyle. Most mornings he's up and studying while G and I sleep in and cuddle. She is such a happy baby in the morning and it was so fun to get to share her giggles with my Mom.

While G took her morning nap, Mom did my Tracy Anderson workout with me and then we bundled up the babe and went out to lunch at the bakery. After lunch, we visited with friends and had a really lovely day. We made a simple dinner and had a quiet evening.

Sunday morning came too soon and it was already time for Nana to head home. She got some good bb cuddle time in while Kyle started making French Baguettes and I whipped up some crêpes stuffed with lemon ricotta and topped with banana and blueberry sauce!

After breakfast, Nana had some play time with Gigi before she had to head for home.

Gigi LOVES her Nana!

Once my Mom headed out, I started getting ready for our Oscar Party! I freakin' love cozying up on the couch and watching the Academy Awards. I sarted making this fantastic vegetarian chili that I make every year (if you make it do not add more than the recommended amount of chilis! It's super spicy just the way it is! Serve it with sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese and cilantro to cool it down) and...

...normally, I would make these yummy cornbread muffins.

But this year Kyle wanted to make baguettes! They turned out so good!

I got out the Oscar books...

...printed up the ballots for voting...

...got out the tiny oscar...

...and started admiring the red carpet fashion!

When my Dad and Stepmom arrived they got right down to business picking their winners.

I made Gigi this silly onsie. (Yes, I know I'm a HUGE dork.)

"Dude, Mom, you are soooo weird. Plus, it's not fair to take advantage of my reflexes by making me hold this thing!"

We had such a nice evening watching the show, eating chili and fresh baked bread, cuddling with the babe and sipping wine. I hope you all had a lovely little weekend too!

tags: family, films, gigi, holidays

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March 02, 2011

Me and G Do PDX.

Whew! Yesterday was cah-ray-zay! I had my first post-pregnancy audition so it was me and the babe on the town in Portland (locals refer to it as PDX) all day. It was a little hectic getting everything ready and together for our big day but somehow I managed and we had a fantastically busy day being girls on the town. I took pictures every hour throughout the day...

9am

A little embarrassing but this is what I looked like after attempting to put in curlers while breastfeeding.

10am

Drivin'.

11am

Eryn (casting director) holding G after my audition. Maybe this will help me get jobs? ;-)

12pm

Next up was a trip to REI where I considered getting this very responsible rain jacket that was on clearance. But... then I figured, I've made it 28 years in the Pacific NW without a rain jacket and I'd rather buy something less logical... like shoes!

2pm

Time for lunch at the Daily Cafe. I got this delicious salad which was very healthy and satisfying. However, the girl next to me got a big plate of fries and a cappuccino... I was jealous that I didn't think of it first.

3pm

A quick trip to Trader Joe's and a stop in to pick up my shoes from the repair shop!

4pm

Back at the casting office for a callback! Gigi needed a quick change of clothes after she peed all over the first set! Thank goodness I came prepared!

5pm

Back in the car after the callback ready to head home! We spent a bit of time sitting at stop lights. I knew I was going to be an hour late for class because the audition time went over. I was feeling a little stressed until I got a call that class was canceled! Woohoo!

6pm

Since I didn't have class and since the day had been so long, we decided to grab beer and burgers for dinner! I got the incredible XXX burger which has pickles and peanut butter on it with sweet potato fries. I know it sounds gross, but trust me, it's sooooooooo good. It's the only thing that keeps me from being a vegetarian.

7pm

Finally home.

tags: acting, all of the above, gigi

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March 04, 2011

2 Months Old!

A few things that happened this month:

You really started to smile! You crack yourself up.

You learned how to self soothe. We just swaddle you up and pop you in bed and within five minutes you are sleeping! You also started sleeping through the night!

Calypso is starting to, kind of, like you... she's still a little jealous.

You watched your first Oscar ceremony.

You rocked my 1980's leisure suit.

You. Me.

You sleep in with me every morning.

You officially charmed us. We'll do anything you want us to do.

And, with that, I am going to take a week off for a bit of R&R with the fam. See you all next week.

tags: baby baby, gigi

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March 14, 2011

¡Viva México!

After a long, cold winter we were so in need of a vacation. Lucky for us, Kyle's parents had bought us tickets to go to Cabo, Mexico for Christmas! It was our first time ever taking a vacation where all you do is sit on the beach! It was WONDERFUL! There's nothing like getting up in the morning and putting on your swimsuit at 8:30. I took a lot of pictures... just apparently not many without the baby in them. It would appear that she never got set down during the whole vacation. She's gonna need attention detox this week. Here's a few pics from our trip.

Brunch at the restaurant.

Siesta by the pool.

Life was pretty chill in Cabo.

Siesta on the beach.

This was pretty much how we spent 8 hours a day. Not too shabby.

Seriously... we never put her down.

Enjoying cervezas in downtown Cabo.

Gorgeous sunset.

Having coffee on the deck of the condo.

First swimsuit from Aunt Meghan.

Life was rough in Mexico.

Up early to watch the sunrise.

Thanks Dave and Erika for a wonderful vacation!

tags: family, gigi, travel

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March 16, 2011

The Best Garlic Bread

Garlic Bread

This week has gotten off to kind of a rough start. Kyle has a bit of a yucky cold (although he's feeling a bit better today) and all I want to do is sit on the couch in my pj's, cuddle with G, watch Project Runway and eat comfort food! Instead I am cramming for my final and catching up on all the work we missed while on vacation. In honor of what I wish I was doing, I decided to post my recipe for garlic bread. This is, without a doubt, my favorite comfort food. It's a great addition to any meal... soup, pasta, fish. It's super easy to make and, while it's not on my list of healthy recipes, it's so good it doesn't matter.

Ingredients:

1 baguette

2 large garlic cloves, finely minced by hand

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded or grated

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced (1 teaspoon dried parsley will work too)

1/4 cup mayonaise

paprika

Directions:

Turn on the broiler. Add the garlic to the hot, melted butter and stir. Then add in the rest of the ingredients. Slice your baguette down the middle (like in the photos) or thin round slices. I do it both ways depending on what it's being served with. Place the bread on a cookie sheet. Evenly distribute the garlic spread onto the slices. Sprinkle with a little bit of paprika. Put the cookie sheet in the oven on the middle rack and broil until it's bubbly, fragrant and golden. Slice it up into pieces if needed and enjoy!

Printable Recipe:

Kacie's Garlic Bread

tags: all things culinary, recipes

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March 18, 2011

F-F-F-Fashion (Fall 2011 RTW: Part 1)

It's a dreary, grey Friday and I just got home from a dentist appointment. I had to get two cavities filled despite the fact that I am insane about my teeth. Apparently cativies are a common "side effect" of pregnancy... something about your body being more acidic. So, what else is there to do when your face is half-numb than to come home and drool (literally) over the various Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear collections that paraded down the runways from New York to Paris? I had sooo many favorites this time I had to break the posts up into three posts. All the images are from Style.com. Enjoy!

Alexander McQueen

Lee McQueen has been gone for a year now but Sarah Burton is keeping his design astetich alive and thriving. Beautiful. Dark. Romantic. Very McQueen.

Alexander Wang

Cool.

Balmain

They sure know how to do short hemlines over at Balmain. Guess I'll need to shave my legs before next fall. I love this collection. It's sexy, simple and super cool.

BCBG Max Azria

Very unique. I love the range of colors.

Band of Outsiders

These clothes seem very Pacific Northwest to me.

Burberry Prorsum

I love this collection by Christopher Bailey. Very classy clothes.

Carolina Herrera

Ladylike and elegant, as usual. I love a belted dress!

Chloé

There were such contrasting, chic looks in this line.

Christain Dior

I know... John Galliano is in hot water right now for some anti-semetic remarks he made while drunk in a bar in Paris. But, if you can separate the man from the art, this collection is gorgeous. I think it's amazing.

Derek Lam

His dresses are so great! Perfect Sportswear.

I'll post Part 2 next week!

tags: fashion

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March 21, 2011

Spring Cleaning! (Part 1)

It's time again for Spring Cleaning, otherwise known as House Detox (you can read about my method on this link). It's the start of my Spring Break and I am so excited to get this house whipped into shape. After being pregnant/lazy for 9 months, moving and having a newborn, this house is looking pretty, ridiculously messy! But we are really feeling motivated to get things clean, organized and more functional. I am a big fan of the divide and conquer method. So, we started with our bedroom, bathroom and Gigi's room. It feels so good! Once we are done with the cleaning part, we can finish painting the rest of the house, demolish and rebuild the kitchen and put in laminate flooring! I'm feeling so motivated! Here's the before and after pictures!

Bedroom before...

We had to strip everything off the bed because G spit up all over it this morning!

Everything was very cluttered.

Drawers were overflowing!

The closet was a disastorous mess of old clothes, pregnancy clothes and boxes.

Bathroom before...

Ugh. Messy and cluttery.

Mid cleaning....

It always gets worse before it gets better.

Stuff to give away!

Bedroom after...

We went through every drawer. Dusted everything and cleaned everything! I even cleaned my makeup brushes.

Got my closet sorted out and got rid of a bunch of clothes!

Ahhhh! Done!

Bathroom after...

Totally clean and organized. Also, we made a list of fixtures that we need to keep it that way!

Gigi's room before...

How does a room that is rarely used get so freakin' messy?!?

Seriously a disaster!

I had to sort through all of the clothes in her dresser and closet and bring in the next size from the bins in the garage. She's outgrown her Newborn size...kind of. She's such a string bean that she is too tall for her 0-3 month clothes but too skinny for them!

See! She looks ridiculous!

Gigi's room after:

I decided to move rearrange the room a bit. Having the crib next to the window blind drawstring was making me nervous.

Nice and organized.

Closet and dresser full of clothes that will fit!

The finished tutu!

Teddy bear made by my best friend for G.

Yay! I love the way it feels to have everything sorted, organized and clean! Other zones to tackle this week are: the hallway, the office, the living room, dining room, kitchen and garage! It's going to be a lot of work but it's so rewarding. Are you planning to Spring Clean?

tags: house and home

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March 23, 2011

Post-Pregnancy Fitness: 2 Month Update

My goal was to start going for nice long walks again (2-4 miles) and to do my Tracy Anderson Post-Pregnancy Mat Workout 3-5 times each week.

Well, here's the sorry truth...I have only done my workout about a dozen times and I've only gone for a couple of walks! Between the varying weather, doing my best to stick to my new schedule, working on a routine for Gigi and work and homework and auditions, the days sometimes pass me by without a window for exercise! I'm trying to amp up the workouts to at least 3 times a week and I definitely need to get out and get some walking done! Thank goodness the sun is finally coming out! This week I should be approved for aerobic exercise and am looking forward to sweatin' a little bit and doing my Tracy Anderson Dance Cardio workout. I'm sooo out of shape it's going to be rough!

It's really important that I get stay committed to exercise because, unlike most women, my back actually felt better during pregnancy! Now that the lovely muscle relaxing hormones are leaving my body my back is starting to hurt again. I'm working hard to rebuild my core and strengthen the stabalizing muscles in my back so that I can hopefully have a pain free back in the not-to-distant future. This is a major aspect of my motivation for exercise.

Here's what I'm looking like these days:

Here are the updates stats:

I haven't lost any more baby weight. Still at 131. Damn all that fried food in Mexico (and my self control)! Hee hee.

Last measurements:

38-31-38

Current measurements:

37-28-37 I have a feeling this has more to do with the natural progression of things that my workouts!

This weekend Kyle and I are going to come up with a fitness/healthy eating plan for the month of April. We are both feeling the need for a major jump start on the exercise and a little detox on the diet front. I'll let you know what we come up with!

tags: health and fitness, pregnancy

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March 25, 2011

F-F-F-Fashion (Fall 2011 RTW: Part 2)

Here's some more wonderful fashion!

Halston

Gorgeous draping!

Jason Wu

I pretty much loved this whole collection! So many new takes on black and white and lace. The red dress in the finale is incredible!

Jenni Kayne

Minimalistic, simple, young and fresh.

John Galliano

Galliano's designs are so dramatic.

L'Wren Scott

I love the fresh colors and the body conscious designs. The proportions are spot on.

Marchesa

Wow!!!

Matthew Williamson

I love his color palette and comfortable, but sexy designs.

Monique Lhuillier

So elegant and ladylike!

I'll post Part 3 next week!

tags: fashion

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March 28, 2011

Mad Men

I absolutely love Mad Men. Tomorrow the fourth season becomes available to rent and I can't wait! Kyle and I just finished re-watching seasons one, two and three and they were even better the second time around. The show is totally brilliant. It's cleverly written, perfectly cast, well acted and meticulously produced. It's by far the best show on television. Mad Men feels classically shot. The pace and quality of the production have the feeling of a film from the 50's and 60's. Sitting down on the couch with a hot toddy and watching an episode (or four) is my favorite thing to do these days. Since the show is aired on AMC there is very limited violence and no nudity which is refreshing. Don't worry there's plenty of sizzle. I would recommend this show to everyone... seriously. Make yourself a toddy and start with the first season. At first it might feel a bit slow but be patient! In no time you'll be hooked and loving every minute.

Follow this link to read a great article about Mad Men from Vanity Fair. The photos (shot by Annie Leibovitz) below accompany the article.

All images: Vanity Fair

tags: films

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March 30, 2011

April Menus

I can't believe it's already the last days of March. I sat down this morning to plan out our April Menus. The goal for this month is to eat as healthy as possible and to get a jump start on exercising. Kind of a April Boot Camp to get a kick start on a super healthy and active summer. If we don't do something we're gonna look like this...

This morning Kyle pointed out to me that we are incredibly broke. Like, really, really broke. Like, can barely pay our bills broke. We already live paycheck to paycheck but having a few thousand dollars in doc bills and taking a week off of work to go to Mexico (which was wonderful!) and having to pay for school and the new health insurance and... well, you get the point. March expenses really put us in pinch, financially speaking, for spring. After discussing the grocery budget with a few friends, it turns out that most of us spend between $400-$700 each month on our groceries. The last three months we've spent about $475. That's taking into account that we eat all organic, free range, etc. and we don't eat out often. I love to cook and we love to eat at home together so our grocery budget kind of doubles as our entertainment budget. Anyway, long story short, not only have I attempted to make super healthy April Menus, but I'm also hoping to only spend $50 per week! Luckily, we recently stocked up at Costco so that should help us get by. We won't be able to buy coffee and at $8 a pop, it looks like I might have to cut out wine. Maybe. Okay, probably not.

Our goals for eating are... for the entire month of April we are cutting out as much as possible of the following: fried foods, refined foods, processed foods, bad saturated fats and desserts/sugar.

Our goals for exercising are... to do something active (workout, go for a walk, shoot some hoops) five days out of the week. Rain or shine. No matter what.

Here's our April Menus!

3/1-3/10

Fri: Veggie Egg Scramble

Sat: Vegetarian 13 Bean Soup

Sun: Leftovers

Mon: Baked Eggplant (with olive oil and herbs) with Pasta and Marinara

Tues: Leftovers

Wed: Vietnamese Salad with Tofu

Thurs: Leftovers

Fri: Fresh Fish and Brown Rice

Sat: Ground Turkey Tacos (using whole wheat tortillas and light sour cream)

Sun: Leftovers

3/11- 3/17

Mon: Tuna Noodle Casserole (using whole wheat pasta and cutting out 1 cup of cheese)

Tues: Leftovers

Wed: Pasta with portabello mushrooms

Thurs: Leftovers

Fri: Teriyaki Chicken Breasts over Brown Rice (homemade Teriyaki sauce... it’s really easy to make, cheap and has less “stuff” in it)

Sat: Leftovers

Sun: Homemade Pizza

3/18-3/24

Mon: French Onion Soup

Tues: Leftovers

Wed: Grilled Kale Caesar Salad with Chicken

Thurs: Leftovers

Fri: Fresh Fish and Spanish Spinach

Sat: Pasta Primavera

Sun: Leftovers

3/25-3/30

Mon: Tuna Salad

Tues: Leftovers

Wed: Emerald City Salad

Thurs: Leftovers

Fri: Healthy Chicken Soup

Sat: Leftovers

For snacks I'm going to make some yummy Kale Chips, my granola, and easy trail mix with almonds and craisins and few chocolate chips.

This month I'll add recipes for Spanish Spinach and Grilled Kale Caesar Salad!

Here's to a healthy and inexpensive April! I'll let you know how we do!

tags: all things culinary, monthly menus

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March 31, 2011

3 Months Old!

Poppy LOVES you!

Week 12... (photos by www.mkmphoto.com and me)

We love everything about you.

Your little rolls.

Your beautiful eyes.

Your eyelashes.

Your smile.

Your laugh.

A few thing that happened this month...

You laughed!

Aunt Meghan came to visit.

You got your first stamp in your passport.

You grew out of your Newborn size clothes... and you're a bit too tall for the 3 Month clothes. You are now as tall as a five month old (but still using newborn diapers). Silly baby.

p.s. Calypso loves you.

tags: baby baby, gigi

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