Sunday morning was a little better than saturday. Although since I drank too much on saturday night I woke up very tired, hung over with a fierce headache. A coffee helped a little. We had our ritual swimming lesson and since Maia has a new teacher she was a little hesitant at first. Picture quivering lips, hunched shoulder... pathetic little girl and you have an accurate picture of my daughter.
Luckily the sad pathetic look didn't last long and she had a lot of fun. Miles as usual had a blast.
We got back, went a little nature walk during which we gathered all the sticks we could. We had lunch together then kids in bed, dad relax in front of the computer, mom grocery shopping.
Got back from Trader joes with a bunch of yummy food which will have their own dedicated post.
Courageously I changed into my workout gear and headed out for a run. On my way out I asked Bryan if he had any suggestions on a run I should do. Of course he talked about a nice 5 miles run with a big hill in the middle. Since I wanted to go for 6 miles or up he suggested another route with 2 big hills in it. Not Torrey Pines hills but pretty hard. Courageously I started, of course my dear husband forgot the first hill which isn't a party. But I went for it and pushed through it and managed to have a great run and finish my 6 miles at a 9:40 min/miles pace. The only down side of this run is that I pushed so hard for so long at the end that my body just stopped when it should have gone for only 300 yards more.
I felt with these past 2 runs that I past the 10 min/miles plateau and I am also truly enjoying myself and competing with myself.
I am sure I will have shitty runs but at least I know that I can go for a truly enjoyable 6 mile run.
The neighbour invited us for mexican which kind of threw off my evening of cooking a little. But we had a great time which was well worth it.
I ended up starting my strawberry jam when we got back! I hope it will turn out ok.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Family weekly menu
Hey Jess, this post is just for you.... to satisfy your bottomless interest in food and everything around it. I promised you yesterday that I would post last week's menu. Unfortunately I haven't mastered the taking picture of my food yet so this will be a very very dry post.
I may even make it a weekly post.
Sunday: Tomato soup from the Williams Sonoma recipe from the top of my head:
Pancetta, bacon or prosciutto as much as you want the recipe calls for 3 pieces.
3lbs of tomatoes
1/4 cup arborio rice (short grain used for risotto)
1 onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic (may be less but I love garlic)
Chili flakes (usually don't put it)
1teaspoon of sugar (I think)
- Heat the olive oil, cook the pancetta/bacon/prosciutto
- when cooked remove it from the pan/pot and put it aside
- Sautee the garlic, onion in the same pan
- Add the tomatoes cut in pieces
- Let boil a little
- Add the rice
- If too dry add a little water.
- Add the sugar and the chili
- Let cook until rice is tender but I like to leave it about 15-20 minutes.
- Process it
- Add a little cream, some mozarella (love it), and sprinkle the pancetta/bacon/prosciutto on top...
Enjoy!
Monday we had porc chops with green beans and potatoes...
This was really simple, just cook the porc chops in a pan, make a sauce by putting a little water in the pan and dissolve the little bits and pieces, cook some potatoes and green beans, add a little olive oil and cream and the meat sauce.
Tuesday feast at sushi ota
Wednesday gnocchi with meat sauce:
Meat sauce,
1 Can of tomato puree or starter sauce from tradder joes or marinara
Lean ground beef
onion garlic
wine
a little cream
Sautee the garlic and onion in a little olive oil
Add the meat
Brown
Add the tomato sauce
Add some red wine
Add a dash of balsamic vinegar (optional)
Let simmer for a while the longer the better
Then add a dash of cream
You can then add cooked fusilli (small pasta) or gnocchi in the sauce, add some mozarella and stick into the oven to let it melt or just serve it with pasta.
Thursday night was our easy night and Bryan made his pirogis from Trader Joes
Friday was Sophie out night so I didn't cook
Tonight I think I will try a new recipe from Jamie Oliver with chicken... Stay tuned
Tonight I will try a new chicken recipe from Jamie Oliver... Will post next week
I may even make it a weekly post.
Sunday: Tomato soup from the Williams Sonoma recipe from the top of my head:
Pancetta, bacon or prosciutto as much as you want the recipe calls for 3 pieces.
3lbs of tomatoes
1/4 cup arborio rice (short grain used for risotto)
1 onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic (may be less but I love garlic)
Chili flakes (usually don't put it)
1teaspoon of sugar (I think)
- Heat the olive oil, cook the pancetta/bacon/prosciutto
- when cooked remove it from the pan/pot and put it aside
- Sautee the garlic, onion in the same pan
- Add the tomatoes cut in pieces
- Let boil a little
- Add the rice
- If too dry add a little water.
- Add the sugar and the chili
- Let cook until rice is tender but I like to leave it about 15-20 minutes.
- Process it
- Add a little cream, some mozarella (love it), and sprinkle the pancetta/bacon/prosciutto on top...
Enjoy!
Monday we had porc chops with green beans and potatoes...
This was really simple, just cook the porc chops in a pan, make a sauce by putting a little water in the pan and dissolve the little bits and pieces, cook some potatoes and green beans, add a little olive oil and cream and the meat sauce.
Tuesday feast at sushi ota
Wednesday gnocchi with meat sauce:
Meat sauce,
1 Can of tomato puree or starter sauce from tradder joes or marinara
Lean ground beef
onion garlic
wine
a little cream
Sautee the garlic and onion in a little olive oil
Add the meat
Brown
Add the tomato sauce
Add some red wine
Add a dash of balsamic vinegar (optional)
Let simmer for a while the longer the better
Then add a dash of cream
You can then add cooked fusilli (small pasta) or gnocchi in the sauce, add some mozarella and stick into the oven to let it melt or just serve it with pasta.
Thursday night was our easy night and Bryan made his pirogis from Trader Joes
Friday was Sophie out night so I didn't cook
Tonight I think I will try a new recipe from Jamie Oliver with chicken... Stay tuned
Tonight I will try a new chicken recipe from Jamie Oliver... Will post next week
Blah
Jess has asked me to post yesterday afternoon so she has something to read. I couldn't bring myself to write a few lines to distract her during work hours....
So here am I racking my brain for something witty and distracting to type.... Hummmm not much comes to mind ;) not very surprising I may add.
The highlight of my weeks were the following:
- Got back into my 5 days/week workout routine and back in the water.
- Had a very very satisfying run 4miles at an average of 9:18 min/mile and it trully felt good.
- Fixed a bug which sped up some display, I won't say that the cause of this problem was a brain dead if statement. (sorry for the lingo)
- Started studying for my programming exam
- Went to a girls shopping party (yeah me) with a coworker Kim. In short you have vendors selling jewelry, jeans and other item in a friends house. You chat, drink wine... Since I didn't know many people and I don't do too good in crowd that I don't like we escape after an hour, found a nice little restaurant had dinner and chatted. Much more my alley. I came home curled on the couch and watched Bones with my husband... that too is much more alley.
This morning though I have the blues.... dunno why probably aftermath of all my socializing. Yeah I'm weird that way when I reach out to get to know new people, I feel all ackward the next day. I feel like I've intruded on their life forced myself in their free time. Even when I had a great time, actually especially when I had a great time.
I also learned what Introvert, Extrovert and Ambivert actually means. I thought an introvert was somebody very very shy and inadequate when it's more like someone who likes small quiet venue, and activities.... Very much like me and a lot of other people I know.
Today I have to get my bikeride in. I hope the weather is going to cooperate.
So here am I racking my brain for something witty and distracting to type.... Hummmm not much comes to mind ;) not very surprising I may add.
The highlight of my weeks were the following:
- Got back into my 5 days/week workout routine and back in the water.
- Had a very very satisfying run 4miles at an average of 9:18 min/mile and it trully felt good.
- Fixed a bug which sped up some display, I won't say that the cause of this problem was a brain dead if statement. (sorry for the lingo)
- Started studying for my programming exam
- Went to a girls shopping party (yeah me) with a coworker Kim. In short you have vendors selling jewelry, jeans and other item in a friends house. You chat, drink wine... Since I didn't know many people and I don't do too good in crowd that I don't like we escape after an hour, found a nice little restaurant had dinner and chatted. Much more my alley. I came home curled on the couch and watched Bones with my husband... that too is much more alley.
This morning though I have the blues.... dunno why probably aftermath of all my socializing. Yeah I'm weird that way when I reach out to get to know new people, I feel all ackward the next day. I feel like I've intruded on their life forced myself in their free time. Even when I had a great time, actually especially when I had a great time.
I also learned what Introvert, Extrovert and Ambivert actually means. I thought an introvert was somebody very very shy and inadequate when it's more like someone who likes small quiet venue, and activities.... Very much like me and a lot of other people I know.
Today I have to get my bikeride in. I hope the weather is going to cooperate.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
My life since Monday...
After I allowed myself one week to recover from my half marathon both physically and emotionally, I had to get back to my efficient (most of the time) self. This meant to be start crossing stuff from my todo list at work, at home, start working out again, and start studying. Yes you saw that I have to pass a computer exam. I am complaining bitterly but I believe that at the end I will have learned a lot and will be a better programmer.
Unfortunately instead of browsing my favorite sites during my little breaks from the family of JCrew, PotteryBarn, Runnersworld, I'm starting to read about serialization, collections, generics, new features of C# and the likes.
I have to say that I am learning a lot and yes my boss is right it will make me a better programmer but I'm sliding more and more into geekiness. Please save me when you start seeing me wearing polo shirt with logos on them.
I have received my new Cynthia Steffe pants from gilt and they are gorgeous. I just need to hem them!
Besides watching a lot of Bones lately, reconnecting with Burn Notice a great show I have managed to swallow in a week a great book. Of course it is from a french author, but it was sooo good that it just made it to the comfort book list. Yes I have a comfort book list which has the same purpose than comfort food, comfort drinks and comfort movies.
The other book from this author called in english "Hunting and Gathering" by Anna Gavalda has also been on that list and has been read about 5 times in 3 years and the movie watched 3 times in the last year or so.
I would really like to know how "Ensemble et c'est tout" which means "Together and that's it" became "Hunting and gathering", especially when there nothing on hunting!!! This author knows how to tell a story and how to make people from all kinds of background connect. BTW a movie has been made out that book and it is very true to the book and absolutely awsome in a very french way.
I love stories about people, about their choice, their struggles how they shine.
This really reminds me that I have to start my "bookclub/literature" blog.
Anyways for a little while my bedside reading will be the amazing secrets of the .Net framework 2.0, Application Development Foundation.... Don't be surprised to see me super dressed up during this time as I will be fighting really hard to keep my woman shell!!!!!
Unfortunately instead of browsing my favorite sites during my little breaks from the family of JCrew, PotteryBarn, Runnersworld, I'm starting to read about serialization, collections, generics, new features of C# and the likes.
I have to say that I am learning a lot and yes my boss is right it will make me a better programmer but I'm sliding more and more into geekiness. Please save me when you start seeing me wearing polo shirt with logos on them.
I have received my new Cynthia Steffe pants from gilt and they are gorgeous. I just need to hem them!
Besides watching a lot of Bones lately, reconnecting with Burn Notice a great show I have managed to swallow in a week a great book. Of course it is from a french author, but it was sooo good that it just made it to the comfort book list. Yes I have a comfort book list which has the same purpose than comfort food, comfort drinks and comfort movies.
The other book from this author called in english "Hunting and Gathering" by Anna Gavalda has also been on that list and has been read about 5 times in 3 years and the movie watched 3 times in the last year or so.
I would really like to know how "Ensemble et c'est tout" which means "Together and that's it" became "Hunting and gathering", especially when there nothing on hunting!!! This author knows how to tell a story and how to make people from all kinds of background connect. BTW a movie has been made out that book and it is very true to the book and absolutely awsome in a very french way.
I love stories about people, about their choice, their struggles how they shine.
This really reminds me that I have to start my "bookclub/literature" blog.
Anyways for a little while my bedside reading will be the amazing secrets of the .Net framework 2.0, Application Development Foundation.... Don't be surprised to see me super dressed up during this time as I will be fighting really hard to keep my woman shell!!!!!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Obsessed
Obsessing obsessing on nothing and everything. My next work out, my weight, my home to do list etc....
Finally I did my first workout post half marathon. I went for a little bike ride yesterday to ease my way back into my workout routine. It was really pleasant a little short. I already mapped out a bunch of new rides that I have to just go for.
Tomorrow I start running again, oh boy, I don't know how that is going to feel. Bryan has been running so much lately that I want to keep up. I think we are totally motivating each other which is great!. Wednesday I will finally reconnect with the water and I hope I won't have to start all over again although I will probably have to.
On the art side, someone has asked me to do their wedding flowers after seeing Jess's. I have finally finished framing two painting we bought a while while back. They are ready to be reinforced and hung on our walls.... Things are moving slowy but surely. Maybe I will be able to read my book on the week end without feeling like I have something better to do ;)
Finally I did my first workout post half marathon. I went for a little bike ride yesterday to ease my way back into my workout routine. It was really pleasant a little short. I already mapped out a bunch of new rides that I have to just go for.
Tomorrow I start running again, oh boy, I don't know how that is going to feel. Bryan has been running so much lately that I want to keep up. I think we are totally motivating each other which is great!. Wednesday I will finally reconnect with the water and I hope I won't have to start all over again although I will probably have to.
On the art side, someone has asked me to do their wedding flowers after seeing Jess's. I have finally finished framing two painting we bought a while while back. They are ready to be reinforced and hung on our walls.... Things are moving slowy but surely. Maybe I will be able to read my book on the week end without feeling like I have something better to do ;)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Low follows high
The high was to complete a half marathon. This victory has left me emotionally drained. I have carried that wish, toy with this idea for about 7 years and now that I've succeeded what!
On monday I had the blues and my IM buddy wasn't there to chat with me. Tuesday was a bit better but being stuck on a problem at work kindof deflated me. Today was the day though, I finally blasted through this issue at work and the blues has left me.
However my body needs to exercize I do feel really lazy not doing anything but very tired nonetheless. I will start by a bike ride on saturday or sunday then back to my crazy workout routine.
Monday rest, tuesday run, wednesday swim, thursday run, friday off, saturday bike, sunday run. My goal is to try to maintain a 15-20 mile running week!
I also have to start studying for a CS exam. Since I have an all biology education and 7 years of programming experience in an academic environment in a scripting language. In short in means not much for my career unfortunately. Thus, if I want to advance and make any progress in my field I need to educate myself. Why did I chose a field which changes so much!!!!
This only means that I have to be more productive at night. Two nights a week instead of watching our favorite show I just need to study a little.
Sometimes I just want to retire from my somewhat intelectual job and give way to my more creative side. Unfortunately I know I will miss the intelectual side of things! Are we ever happy!
Speaking of which, someone saw the wedding flowers I did for Jess and wants me to make theirs. I think I'll give them a proposal and we will see where it goes.
On monday I had the blues and my IM buddy wasn't there to chat with me. Tuesday was a bit better but being stuck on a problem at work kindof deflated me. Today was the day though, I finally blasted through this issue at work and the blues has left me.
However my body needs to exercize I do feel really lazy not doing anything but very tired nonetheless. I will start by a bike ride on saturday or sunday then back to my crazy workout routine.
Monday rest, tuesday run, wednesday swim, thursday run, friday off, saturday bike, sunday run. My goal is to try to maintain a 15-20 mile running week!
I also have to start studying for a CS exam. Since I have an all biology education and 7 years of programming experience in an academic environment in a scripting language. In short in means not much for my career unfortunately. Thus, if I want to advance and make any progress in my field I need to educate myself. Why did I chose a field which changes so much!!!!
This only means that I have to be more productive at night. Two nights a week instead of watching our favorite show I just need to study a little.
Sometimes I just want to retire from my somewhat intelectual job and give way to my more creative side. Unfortunately I know I will miss the intelectual side of things! Are we ever happy!
Speaking of which, someone saw the wedding flowers I did for Jess and wants me to make theirs. I think I'll give them a proposal and we will see where it goes.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The challenge.. where it all started
I have always tried to run but never really enjoying it. I always had side aches, never found my pace etc... So of course when I met Bryan who was running every other day 5 miles like clockwork, I assured him that I would never run but would swim in the swimming pool. Famous last words! (I even assured my mom the day I stepped on the plane for San Diego that she shouldn't worry since I was NEVER going to live in the states.) So back to running, I wasn't taking into account that each time I would go walk around mission bay I would see hundreds of runners. I can't resist peer pressure. Also the sedentary american lifestyle and the food added about 5 unwanted lb to my french stature. So alone I put on my shoes and I started to run and soon enough I was running around the bay with Bryan. One day I got the strange idea to run a half marathon. So I decided that I would run a half marathon before I was 35.
So of course I procrastinated, had 2 kids (good excuse) and finally since I didn't want to start by the La Jolla half or run in August I decided to go for the Carlsbad half.
When I told Bryan that I would run the Carlsbad half marathon in January he first said that is great! Then when I told him it would be 3 weeks after our 3 week trip to France, he added sternly not a chance. I understand his doubts since I never really committed to any sports for more than 3-4 months in a row.
I started my training very early because in the end I wanted to make sure to keep at it even after the race. The miles started to add up. A 3 mile run turn into a 5. Some were easy some were not but I was progressing. During christmas I didn't run as much since I had 103 fever and a bronchitis which left me KO for 3 days.
The day of race came and I had two goals 1- to finish the race 2- to try to finish it anywhere between 2:15 and 2:10 (which is about 10:30 min/mile to a 10 min/miles).
The day before the race we had some friends over and I cooked some very very yummy pasta with meat sauce and a tarte tatin. We had a very very pleasant evening with less wine than I am used to.
I watched an episode of Bones and then went to bed at 10pm. All day I feared a UTI which I think was just caused by stress.
I got up at 5:15am, got dressed, ate breakfast and left a very sleepy household. Jessica and Ryan very very nicely picked me up and we were dropped of at the event 1 hour before the race started. Both Jessica and myself were a little tensed. I was very stressed to be honest.
We bummed into some coworkers, and finally we went to our wave.
We had the race all mapped out but the most important part of the plan was to pace ourselves at the beginning. That was hard because everyone is going way to fast but we did maintain our speed. Of course at mile 4 my left knee started to call my attention. I did maintain my 10 min pace up to mile 8 but then both my knee were really hurting. So I started to have to walk a little, then forcing myself to run again on and off until mile 12.1. By then I was really pushing through the pain, my weird stride was probably hurting me more than helped but hey I kept on going. I promised Bryan that I would finish and I would have been very disappointed if I gave up.
I managed to finish at 2:20 min which was a 10:42 min/mile.
I did run the last mile and even sprint (maybe not that fast) to the finish line.
Then I felt so lonely in a sea of humanity. I didn't have cell phone stupid shorts. I didn't expect to be separated from Jessica that we didn't really chose a meeting point. Only the last resort meeting spot. That was really overwhelming. I even borrowed someone's cell phone to call Bryan and cry on the phone mostly from the emotion.
We finally got to the car, stayed there for 2 hours, went back to the mall in search food. Finally got out of this stupid mall, back to Jess's place where the kids and Bryan picked me up. We went to Fred's for lunch where I ate 1/3 steak burrito. Then I got really tired so we went home. We put the kids to bed. Then I spent 15 minutes to find the results of the race with no success. I took a shower and laid in bed and read.... Now I'm back to life with sensitive knees, cleaned the kitchen and posting with a big grin on my face. I DID IT!!!!!
So yes I have to admit that I felt completely betrayed by my body, I felt left down and yes I did cry at the finish line mostly from emotion and fatigue
This half marathon isn't the last one and I do have another challenge... A half ironman in 10-15 years!
In the mean time after 1 week of rest I will put back my sneakers and get my knee enough training to be able to run a half marathon without pain!
In the meantime I succeeded to get my husband interested in running a half so next time I'll get to see his face when I cross the finish line. Let's be real he will get there before me ;) Next time I hope to cross the line with Jessica. I really enjoyed running the first 5 miles with her. I hope to be able to run the last 8 with her too.
So of course I procrastinated, had 2 kids (good excuse) and finally since I didn't want to start by the La Jolla half or run in August I decided to go for the Carlsbad half.
When I told Bryan that I would run the Carlsbad half marathon in January he first said that is great! Then when I told him it would be 3 weeks after our 3 week trip to France, he added sternly not a chance. I understand his doubts since I never really committed to any sports for more than 3-4 months in a row.
I started my training very early because in the end I wanted to make sure to keep at it even after the race. The miles started to add up. A 3 mile run turn into a 5. Some were easy some were not but I was progressing. During christmas I didn't run as much since I had 103 fever and a bronchitis which left me KO for 3 days.
The day of race came and I had two goals 1- to finish the race 2- to try to finish it anywhere between 2:15 and 2:10 (which is about 10:30 min/mile to a 10 min/miles).
The day before the race we had some friends over and I cooked some very very yummy pasta with meat sauce and a tarte tatin. We had a very very pleasant evening with less wine than I am used to.
I watched an episode of Bones and then went to bed at 10pm. All day I feared a UTI which I think was just caused by stress.
I got up at 5:15am, got dressed, ate breakfast and left a very sleepy household. Jessica and Ryan very very nicely picked me up and we were dropped of at the event 1 hour before the race started. Both Jessica and myself were a little tensed. I was very stressed to be honest.
We bummed into some coworkers, and finally we went to our wave.
We had the race all mapped out but the most important part of the plan was to pace ourselves at the beginning. That was hard because everyone is going way to fast but we did maintain our speed. Of course at mile 4 my left knee started to call my attention. I did maintain my 10 min pace up to mile 8 but then both my knee were really hurting. So I started to have to walk a little, then forcing myself to run again on and off until mile 12.1. By then I was really pushing through the pain, my weird stride was probably hurting me more than helped but hey I kept on going. I promised Bryan that I would finish and I would have been very disappointed if I gave up.
I managed to finish at 2:20 min which was a 10:42 min/mile.
I did run the last mile and even sprint (maybe not that fast) to the finish line.
Then I felt so lonely in a sea of humanity. I didn't have cell phone stupid shorts. I didn't expect to be separated from Jessica that we didn't really chose a meeting point. Only the last resort meeting spot. That was really overwhelming. I even borrowed someone's cell phone to call Bryan and cry on the phone mostly from the emotion.
We finally got to the car, stayed there for 2 hours, went back to the mall in search food. Finally got out of this stupid mall, back to Jess's place where the kids and Bryan picked me up. We went to Fred's for lunch where I ate 1/3 steak burrito. Then I got really tired so we went home. We put the kids to bed. Then I spent 15 minutes to find the results of the race with no success. I took a shower and laid in bed and read.... Now I'm back to life with sensitive knees, cleaned the kitchen and posting with a big grin on my face. I DID IT!!!!!
So yes I have to admit that I felt completely betrayed by my body, I felt left down and yes I did cry at the finish line mostly from emotion and fatigue
This half marathon isn't the last one and I do have another challenge... A half ironman in 10-15 years!
In the mean time after 1 week of rest I will put back my sneakers and get my knee enough training to be able to run a half marathon without pain!
In the meantime I succeeded to get my husband interested in running a half so next time I'll get to see his face when I cross the finish line. Let's be real he will get there before me ;) Next time I hope to cross the line with Jessica. I really enjoyed running the first 5 miles with her. I hope to be able to run the last 8 with her too.
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