I'm back! Round 2

Gentle reader,
It's been 215 days since my last post. Whoop whoop!

But now I'm back and ready to blog.

To briefly catch you up on the past 7 months:

- The big news is Andrew and I are engaged! We got engaged June 4th and I couldn't be any more excited about marrying him. We're planning a mountain wedding in Breckenridge, CO, next July.

- I was promoted at work from Assistant Marketing Manager to Associate Marketing Director. Though nothing's really changed but my title, it sounds way fancier, don't you think?

- We had a busy summer with lots of camping, concerts, and work. Projects on the house gave way to more fun things like a roadtrip to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, but we're revving up again for the fall.

- Leigh and Matt are having a baby! Just kidding.

That's it in a nutshell. New content (and maybe a new look) coming soon!

Happy Friday!

To brighten your (probably gray) day, some beautiful flowers in the yard of a Louisville Master Gardener taken last summer. Have a wonderful weekend!

Before & After: The Guest Room

Here's the first Before & After from the house in Denver! It's the guest room. So without further ado...

Before

After

There are still some things I'd like to do...add a second lamp, paint, finish the closet, but it's starting to come together.

Another sneak peak...

Sneak Peak!

I finally finished the curtains for my office...here's a sneak peak. Reveal coming soon!

Cook at Home: Healthier You, Healthier Planet

Image Source: Heads of State


I've been a big fan of Mark Bittman for a few years now. The New York Times columnist, author, and advocate preaches a simple but powerful message: fill your plate with more veggies, know where your food comes from and how it's produced, make less of an impact on our planet. Food Matters is a quick read espousing these principals, and he's now come out with The Food Matters Cookbook. (I just ordered it yesterday. I'll let you know what I think!)

One way to improve your health (and the health of the planet) is to cook at home. In this article from the NYT, Mark offers this solution to those who say they can't cook or don't have time: "a cooking repertoire of three basic recipes can get anyone into the kitchen and beyond the realm of takeout food, microwaved popcorn and bologna sandwiches in a few days." Check out the article to learn which three basic recipes he stands behind.

Here's to a 2011 full of delicious, home-cooked food!

1.1.11

Happy New Year!

To make sure your year starts out on the right foot, don't forget to eat your....

Collard Greens for wealth

Image: Simply Recipes

Black-eyed Peas for luck

Image: Simply Recipes

Pork for prosperity

Image: MyRecipes.com

Cornbread because it goes well with this meal

Image: MyRecipes.com

Check out this article from Epicurious about the origins of these and other lucky foods.

Happy 2011!