Lately I've been:

Here is my first survey for the blog! This one is called “Lately I’ve been” and I found it on the blog Run Pretty.

Lately I’ve been:

Making: a list of tasks for our future cleaning person! Brian and I have decided to look into hiring some cleaning help for two hours every other week. It took a bit of convincing on Brian's end because I found it hard to justify spending money on something I could easily do myself, but in reality we both hate cleaning and it doesn't get done nearly as often as it should.  Brian made me realize that our time is so much better spent doing things we enjoy, like yard work/gardening, home improvement/projects, and spending time together. To make ourselves (well, myself) feel less financially irresponsible a we are we are decreasing the amount of spending money we each get every week so the extra expense will (hopefully) fit seamlessly into our budget.

Cooking: baked ziti. I made a huge batch on Tuesday and Brian loves it because it gives him lunch and dinner meals for at least four days.  I definitely need to cook more so Brian doesn't feel the need to eat Panera every day...also so he doesn't have to eat baked ziti every day.  For anyone looking for a good recipe keeping app, Paprika is what I use and I love it.  It easily lets you save online recipes and also lets you create your own.  I love the note section because sometimes I like to alter recipes or remember exactly how long it takes to make or bake.  So helpful!

Drinking: water. No surprise there, I rarely drink anything other than plain water.

Reading: Ready Player One on my Kindle iPhone app. I've been reading this book for months now because I don’t read on my phone very frequently. I never thought I'd be interested in a book so centered around a video game and the 80's (though it takes place in 2044), but I find it pretty entertaining and unique and should really think about finishing it one of these days.

Wanting: to start a vegetable garden. I know exactly where I want to plant the seeds but I'm not sure it's the best area because it doesn't get much sun.  I'm going to try just a few veggies this year and see how it goes. I've heard lettuce does well in the shade so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! My basil and tomato seeds I've already planted in a pot and they will spend a few weeks inside before I expose them to the direct sunlight outside.  Growing my own veggies has always been a dream of mine.  I think it will be so fun and fulfilling to eat what I've grown!

Playing: tennis! I just finished a four week class of cardio tennis I took with one of my coworkers. It was a small group of five including me, my coworker Theresa and three middle aged men. In the beginning I was nervous because I don't play tennis very often, maybe three or four times a year.  The other members were better and more experienced than me but none of them were extremely advanced (aka. Brian level) and the class actually turned out to be really fun.  Not only that but it has also improved my tennis skills and hopefully I'll continue to play this summer on a regular basis. 

Wasting: spinach.  Why can't I ever seem to remember to finish the bag of spinach before it starts to go slimy?  Wasting food is the worst!

Wishing: I would finally have the time and motivation to put things I've learned in the book The Magic of Tidying Up to use.  They are great concepts and I know the feeling of being free of things I don't need or love would be amazing. 

Using: the Hoopla app. It's free through your library (if they offer it) and you can rent ebooks, audiobooks, movies (they have some good workout/yoga videos)  and music (my favorite! they seem to have everything).You are limited to 12 rentals a month which is the only downside, but if you have a husband who doesn't use the app, you have 24! :)

Enjoying: watching Zuzu learn and grow.  She's changed so much in the two months we've had her. She doesn't nip at our feet or go crazy biting our hands. She still has accidents every once in a while, but she's only four months old and dogs don't become fully potty trained until at least eight months. We are trying to mold her into the dog we want which includes not letting her sleep in the bed (she's so cute and fluffy though!) and not letting her bark when she watches people outside the window. She still has a ways to go with not chewing on things and walking nicely on a leash, but hopefully we will get there! 

Loving: gummy frogs! In November I bought a five pound bag of gummy grapefruit slices which lasted about six months.  We've had these gummy frogs less than a month and I think they are already half gone!  I promise it's not all me, Brian loves them too.  We tell ourselves the gelatin in the candy is helping our digestive systems. :)

Needing: some ME time. Brian has a tennis match in Kalamazoo today and that will be the perfect time for me to chill and catch up on some YouTube/Game of Thrones.

Hoping: for some US time. With all the things that need to be done around the house, working full time, raising a puppy, Brian's tennis and golf and my going to bed early, we really have to plan quality time together. Maybe it will be easier when Zuzu can be alone and outside of her crate but for now we feel like we have to keep our outings short.  Today it's Saturday and we are planning on going to the Downtown Market. I want to buy some fresh produce from the outdoor vendors and get something delicious for lunch.  Today the market is hosting a food truck rally so maybe we will order food truck food for the first time!

Missing: my family. Brian and I haven't seen my family since... January? It seems longer though and so I'm excited to finally go to Wisconsin to see everyone for Meara's high school graduation.  It will be especially good to see my dad after the health scare in January. Also it will be fun introducing Zuzu to everyone.  Hopefully everything goes smoothly, from the car ride to Lia's fear of dogs!

Trying: to not feel stressed. We've recently had a few big expenses come up (house/car/condo), and sometimes it seems like our money plan will never pan out and our house will be empty forever.  I've realized, though, that I'm just fine with living with the things I have.  Sure it would be nice if the entire house was renovated and furnished, but Brian and I haven't even been here a year and also, it's only the two of us. As long as I can buy the food I want to eat, drive a reliable car, live in a comfortably warm/cool house depending on the season, and have no fear of an impending foreclosure, I have no reason to worry or complain.  I recently heard the quote, "Worry is a misuse of your imagination" and I completely agree. I want to fill my mind with things that matter and things that make me peaceful and happy.  Like mornings with Zuzu and planning fun times with Brian. :)

                                                           THE END!

Does this look like fun? Feel free to use these topics or add your own and play along in the comments or create your own blog post!  Here are some more ideas:

Waiting
liking
wondering
wearing
following
noticing
knowing
thinking
feeling
bookmarking
opening

A day in the life of me!

(Also lets just pretend I've been blogging this whole time.)

 

Happy Monday! 

 

Perhaps more happy for me than others as I have the day off of work, but still, every day can be a happy day!

I began my day by waking up at 6 and spending 20 minutes in bed checking social media and emails. I didn't stay in bed as long as usual because I like to get Zuzu up early so she is sleepy and calm for most of the morning. (On work days I take her out at 630 and then it's right back into the crate for another snooze until Brian gets her out at 8:30. ) 

 

Zuzu's morning face:

 

 

Instead of getting my workout out of the way, I decided to have a relaxed morning with one of my favorite breakfasts:  Green tea and a bowl of quick oats mixed with a spoonful of crunchy peanut butter, honey, cinnamon and dried cherries.

 

 

 

 

Zuzu waiting patiently on her pillow for me to put her on the couch. She's so sweet and perfectly behaved in the mornings. 

After lounging around and having a second cup of tea I decided to get my workout in.  I did yoga yesterday so today was a more intense workout involving hiit training. 

Z usually needs to be restrained with a leash around a weight otherwise she is into everything! In the mornings though she usually naps in her bed. 

 

 

 I made myself a shakeology shake after the workout but unfortunately I was out of bananas and even with the frozen berries it was not as good. :(

 

After showering and making myself look presentable  I played with Z for a bit and then made lunch: an open faced tuna melt on toasted Ezekiel bread, carrots and sweet peas. 

 

A little while later Brian took a short work break to take a walk with me and Zuzu.  Z is still learning to walk nicely and she does much better when Brian and I are on either side of her as opposed to just one of us walking her. 

Then it was time to paint! 

After a long hiatus I am FINALLY getting back into it. I've taken a good 2-3 months off due to lack of motivation and raising a puppy. Mostly the former.  I made it a goal today to get some painting done in Brian's office. I needed to finish a small section of the wainscoting on one wall and also put the first coat of paint on the built in desk.  

The desk has been sitting there with only primer on it for a long time which is not good because I read that primer is somewhat sticky and any dust or dirt will cling to it.  Luckily, despite my procrastination the desk didn't look terrible and I was able to wipe it down with a cloth and call it good before starting to paint.  The desk is kind of a poor excuse for a built in, but at least it will look better and bring more light to the room then it did with the glossy black paint.  Since I am not the one to rip out a built in, I've gotta work with what I got! (And what I got is a paint brush and white paint.)

 

The painting took less than an hour and afterward I headed to the grocery store to grab some zucchini. I bought a spiralizer a few months ago and there was no zucchini to be found.   I'm so happy it's so easy to find now.  Did you know in England they call zuchinni 'courgettes'?  I learned that from EssieButton on YouTube.

 

On the menu for tonight was garlic zucchini pasta with shrimp. I mixed in some regular pasta so it was a bit more filling and also because we have a bit of spaghetti pasta to get through. 

 

The pasta turned out excellently and was a real crowd/Brian pleaser. 

 

 Now the kitchen is somewhat clean and we are watching "The Holiday" and it's 842 and about time for me to get ready for bed.

I'll leave you with my favorite photo of the day: