Blogging while watching a movie about blogging

I have discovered that I absolutely love the movie "Julie and Julia." I am watching it right now for about the third time this week. I am completely inspired to cook my way through my cookbooks and blog about it, which I probably will start doing very soon. I've always been interested in cooking, as I remember my middle school life plan was to go to culinary school and become a chef. Also, more recently, I have erred on the side of pastry, and as I mentioned in previous posts, I've looked into pastry schools. Until I pursue that again, this'll be a fun, close-enough adventure.

In the spirit of not being completely unoriginal, I've come up with a way to bring at least a little something different to the table, pun intended...

Eric and I are about to make a major move - literally. We're about to relocate five states away! As everyone who has ever moved in their life knows, it is expensive! We're going to rent out our house here and then we'll rent in the new city. So, with getting back into a rental, you have the security deposit, the first month's rent, the pet fee, the parking fee, the "move-in" fee (whatever that means), the utilities fees, an arm, a leg, and your firstborn child. Also, though these are all one-time fees at the time of moving in, where we're going has a much higher cost of living and we'll have MANY expenses that we do not currently have. I would like to start this new fun adventure of cooking through my cookbooks very soon, but I cannot, however, spend a billion dollars every week on groceries. (Not to mention, I'm also quite a bit out of practice.) To help with both of these concerns, I'll be starting with a cookbook that my mom gave me this past Christmas - a 5-ingredient-recipes cookbook.

Over the last few days, I completed a long and tedious task that I'm surprised I actually did. (To be completely honest, i actually enjoyed it!) I went through the cookbook, recipe by recipe, to find out which ones had ingredients in common with others, in order to cut down on the number of ingredients I buy weekly and to avoid having ingredients going bad and then having to re-buy them later for another recipe. While I think it'll help enormously,  I'm honestly not sure I'll be able to do that on a book that's any longer or that has recipes with endless ingredient lists. Those are probably the ones I really need to do that for though in order to save money! I guess we'll see how it all goes.

Starting out with this particular cookbook I think is a great way to jump into this endeavor. Since I haven't put much effort into cooking lately, 5 ingredient recipes will allow me to get my feet wet again, hopefully without being overwhelming.

Well, I'll get started after we move, because we can't buy gaggles of perishable groceries between now and then since we can't take them with us. The latest we should be there is September 30th, Lord willing. I suppose in the mean time I could try to work on coordinating the recipes of the other cookbooks. We shall see! Until next time, "Bon Appetit!"

Tuesday

Eric and I went to the gym again yesterday! I probably shouldn't be excited that we did, it was only the second day, but I am. we're 2 for 2. We went to do the spinning class again and we got there early, so we both got on elliptical machines for about twenty minutes. We went to the class and unfortunately I couldn't finish it because my butt hurt so bad! Apparently riding a bike for the first time in a long time makes you very sore on your behind from that little seat. We are definitely going to have to get a couple of those gel-pad seat covers for the bikes. Ouch!

Eric somehow made it through the class. I was in it for about 15 minutes and then got back on the elliptical. SOO much better. We're planning to go to the gym again this afternoon, but there's no way I could do the cycling class. Maybe I'll try again on Thursday.

I have discovered that working out is great for getting a good night sleep. I slept SOO good last night because I was worn out. I hope this is an every night thing - probably will be because I think it'll be a while before the work out doesn't wear me out. Good stuff.

So after a 2 month long sabbatical...

I'm finally posting again! I can't believe I got away from this for so long! Actually, I guess I can. I'm really bad about following through on things like this, as I'm sure was clear from one of previous posts about challenges. Anyway, so since we last talked, I have started a bakery business!! I've been in the preliminary stages for a while, selling goods at a farmers market and providing freebies for neighborhood and community events, just to get my name out there. I am so thankful with how it has all been going so far! I've gotten several orders! We'll see where it goes! Praise the Lord!

As for my weight loss, I am in pretty much the worst business you can be in while trying to lose weight. I can't not try what I'm serving to other people! Well Eric and I have joined a gym because amazingly his company will pay for it! We just joined two days ago (Sunday). We went to a spinning class yesterday as we understand that it is one the biggest cardio calorie-burners. It was freaking tough! But we're going again today. We figure that while our motivation is high about our shiny new toy of this membership, we better hit it hard (well, let's be realistic, not too hard).

I am unfortunately at the most I ever remember weighing. I guess it's not that unbelievable, as the increase in weight came when starting a bakery. I'm going to need to be pretty good with the rest of my eating habits to try to fend off the sweets. Like I said, I can't serve someone something I haven't tried. It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.

TGIF

Wow, I haven't updated in what feels like quite a while. I think it's because I'm embarrassed. I haven't exactly been the beacon of discipline this week. With the days being a little unpredictable from my brother's move and other things, I haven't been watching things this week.I got on the scale this morning to see if I have back tracked, but fortunately, I'm exactly where I was on Monday - still down the original 3 pounds. I am the queen of maintaining. No, really. I have been in the same 5 pound range for at least 2 years. I apparently burn right around the amount of calories that I consume on a given day. SOO, if I would stick the exercise and calories-conscious eating, I know I would lose the weight. I'm actually (surprisingly) still very motivated, so I'll hopefully get back in the swing of things. When I feel discouraged, I just think back to the turning point moment and remember how i felt and that image in the mirror.

Calories Burned:

General sleeping, sitting, reading, brushing teeth, showering, hairstyling, driving – 1319 calories burned


Calories Consumed:

Breakfast
Granola Bar - 100

Should've Posted this on Monday

Wow. What a weekend. I'm so tired I'm not going to use exclamation points because they have too much energy. No, actually, I'm not too bad. I had the deepest night sleep I've had in a long time last night, I just wish I could have stayed in it a lot longer. I had a great, but BUSY weekend of helping my brother move. My parents came into town to help too. So as it always goes, all of the men were on heavy lifting duty. My brother's wife was helping with the moving too, while my mom and I kept their kids.

I didn't really watch things this weekend with the calories but I know I burned a lot!
Here's Monday #2 of May... I lost 3 pounds!

Friday, May 14, 2010 Tracking

Calories Burned:

General sleeping, sitting, reading, brushing teeth, showering, hairstyling, driving – 1319 calories burned

AM Elliptical - 30 minutes, intervals, 238 (burned a few more than usual today!)

Calories Consumed:

Breakfast
Granola Bar - 140

Lunch
Chicken and sausage gumbo - 240
5 crackers 70

Snack
bowl of fruit loops 1 cup with 1/2 cup milk 155

Dinner
Five Guys hamburger with tomato, lettuce, mustard, grilled onions, ketchup - 600
1/2 a regular fry - 310

Total Consumed: 1515
Total Burned: 1557

Thursday, May 12th, 2010 Tracking

Calories Burned:

General sleeping, sitting, reading, brushing teeth, showering, hairstyling, driving – 1319 calories burned


Calories Consumed:

Breakfast
Granola Bar - 140

Snack
apple - 80
almond granola bar - 160

Lunch
southwest veggie soup - 100
crunched up taco and salsa - 80

Snack
I fell off the wagon :( Not feeling good today and it got the best of me
cheez-its - 500-600
Laughing cow cheese 35

Dinner
chicken 70
green beans 30
peas 100
blueberry cobbler topping on ice cream - 200

Total Burned: 1319
Total Consumed: 1495-1595

I'm surprised, that's more than my daily goal of around 1200, but it's still actually not that bad. And considering how few calories I had yesterday, I'm okay with it for one day. The trick is to not give up. That happens so often it seems - you mess one time and you think, "well, I've blown it. Might as well eat whatever the rest of the day or maybe even quit the whole thing." I'm not going to do that this time. I'm staying on track! I want this more than I want to quit.

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 Tracking

Calories Burned:

General sleeping, sitting, reading, brushing teeth, showering, hairstyling, driving – 1319 calories burned

PM Elliptical - 30 minutes, intervals, 220

Calories Consumed:

Breakfast
Granola Bar - 140

Lunch
Sandwich -2 slices of toast, cheese, tomato, lunch meat chicken - 250
Cheez-its serving - 167 (a serving plus 3)

Dinner
Honey chicken 120+100
asparagus (oil) 50
toast with garlic butter 100

Total Consumed: 927
Total Burned:1539
+

Tuesday, May 11th Tracking

I realize that I'm posting these a day late, but it'll probably be that way often. So far I've recorded the dinner calories the next morning in my tracking journal, thus they show up the next day.

Calories Burned:

General sleeping, sitting, reading, brushing teeth, showering, hairstyling, driving – 1319 calories burned

Calories Consumed:

Breakfast
No breakfast today – had a crisis this morning (no exercise for the same reason)

Lunch
Leftover taco salad from last night – 300

Snack
Granola bar 160
With an apple 80

Dinner
Chicken pot pie and Caesar salad at home – 400
Cobbler and ice cream – 300

Total consumed: 1240
Total burned: 1319
+

Monday, May 10th Tracking

Here is the info I'm tracking with my exercise and nutrition.

Calories Burned:
General sleeping, sitting, reading, brushing teeth, showering, hairstyling, driving – 1319 calories burned (I'm not entirely sure about the accuracy of this, as I got it from an internet calorie estimator, but I'll go with it)

AM Ellipitcal – 30 minutes, intervals, 2.15 miles, 220 calories burned (this info I got from the machine)

Calories Consumed: (these numbers come from the labels/restaurant's website nutritional info)

Breakfast
Granola bar – 140

Lunch
Subway Turkey Breast – 280
With Apples slices – 35
With lemonade – 10 (they didn't have any diet coke, and since I paid for a drink, it's hard for me to choose water)

Snack
Carrots - 35

Dinner
Taco salad at home – ground turkey, taco seasoning, crunched up taco shells, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, shredded cheese – around 600

Other
Lots of water, I probably won’t record this because I always drink a lot of water.

Total consumed - 1065
Total burned - 1539
+ (this means I was on the positive side, more calories burned than consumed; I will put a minus sign if I consume more than I burn for the day)

And, we're back

Well, I'm back after a few weeks of absence. Actually, quite a lot has happened since I've last posted. Maybe my blog will be interesting now, haha. Well, I've been to Destin, Florida and Baltimore, Maryland over the last two weeks. I'm so glad to have gotten to visit the beaches before the effects of the oil spill shows its ugly face. I'm from the coast and am SO sad about what might happen to our beautiful beaches.
Anyway, both locales were very nice. This was my first time to Charm City and I liked it, but I was really ready to be home after having been gone for 2 weeks.
Another thing that happened in the last week is that I've made a very important life decision. I'll report on this soon...

Coming up this week is the deadline to sign up for a local Farmers Market which is now open to home bakers! I think I'll do it! Yay!

One of the most important things that happened since I last wrote is a new challenge, surprise, surprise. This one feels different though. I don't think this is something that I'm doing just because. I experienced a turning point, an aha moment, if you will, while I was in Baltimore.

I've fought the weight battle forever, as many have. I've tried a million "diets" and exercise programs. I'm not going to say that these programs don't work for me, I'm going to be honest. I did not give them the effort. I did not stick with them. I gave up long before they could present results. It's probably not so bad that I didn't continue some them, as they're not all the healthiest approaches.
So I told you that to tell you this. When i was in Baltimore, I was standing by the sink area of a ladies' room waiting on a friend of mine and I just happened to look in the mirror. That was the moment. I had a realization. The question came to my mind, how did I let it get this far? That was it. Right then and there I decided it's time for some changes. And it's not just about the way I look, it's about health.

As of yesterday, Monday May 10th, I, and my husband actually, have started making some healthier choices. It comes down to it - you have to burn more calories than you consume to lose weight. You also need to include not only low cal items, but nutritious elements like fruits and veggies - they're naturally low in calories mostly anyway.

This feels different to me than other "attempts". I feel fed up. I'm tired of being defeated by something that is 100% in my control. I can do this. I think I'll use this as a forum for tracking my progress. Who knows, maybe someone will be inspired!

Even though I have a new outlook, there will be some challenges. Other than the usual food temptations, as I mentioned before I will likely be participating in the Farmers Market. That means I'll be preparing numerous baked goodies every week. As a rule, I cannot serve something that I have not tasted, so this should make this pretty interesting. I suppose we'll see!

Yesterday's tracking info to follow...

It has arrived!

The info pack with the pastry program info came yesterday! I'm so excited! It has a little more about the full-on culinary program versus the pastry track, but it's still good! I really hope that this will happen in the future! We'll see! (I am very attached to the exclamation point apparently. (guess it should be "...apparently!")

Response

I got a response back about the pastry program! The email said that they are mailing me an information packet in the next few days and that I can call if I want to make an appointment to come to the campus and discuss the program. Yay!! I'll be in the area very soon so I'll probably be able to do that shortly! So excited!

Exciting Possibility

I have been doing a lot of thinking over the past few months and very in depth-ly over the last couple of weeks (yes, in-depthly) about what it is that the Lord has for me to do. I know that He has a special purpose for me in His plan and a place and task for me as a part of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:1-31). I have been praying for this to be revealed to me. I am not absolutely certain yet what my calling is, but I know that the Lord empowers us all with natural tendencies, talents, and gifts through which we are to contribute to the glory of God and the expanding of His kingdom, according to the scripture, as well as my own experiences (I have found that we are equipped to handle what we are led into).

So looking to what I feel are talents and interests of mine, I have such a strong desire and pull toward baking and culinary endeavors. I have no idea how or if the Lord plans to use this, but I am oh-so drawn to it. I feel that the Lord has really given me a heart for feeding people and perhaps He plans to use this as a way to help feed the hungry. Speculating about His plans, however, has proven to be quite futile in my walk (I say this with a little chuckle). He always blows my mind and my limited idea and comprehension of what He'll do by proving that He has something much larger or totally different in mind.

So without trying to figure it all out and leaving it in His hands, I have come to what I think may be the next step in cultivating a baking/food-related pursuit: culinary or pastry school. Now, what is interesting about this idea is that as a teenager in high school, my plan was to get a business degree while pursuing a culinary degree in order open a restaurant! Very interesting - this is quite a recurring theme in my life.

Of the two, I would MUCH prefer pastry school. I definitely ere on the side of desserts, decorating cakes, etc. There are some culinary education options relatively nearby, however the problem was that I could not find any pastry school options anywhere close enough to be able to stay even in the state...

UNTIL TODAY! I had resigned to the fact that if I wanted to stay close to home, I would need to go to culinary school, where I knew I could still learn a lot. So today, I decided to look at the website of the community college near my home town, just to read up on their culinary arts program. To my excited, ecstatic, elated surprise, they have a pastry/baking program!!! I still can't believe it! No search I've ever done online for pastry schools has ever shown this - and apparently, somehow, it's a really good program! I am SOOO excited!

Earlier today, I called the admissions office to find out if some of my undergraduate non-major courses (you know - the no getting around them Englishes, histories, and maths) would count toward the program (which would be an associate degree, a certificate, or a training certificate, depending on which one I chose to do). Unfortunately, I couldn't find out very much today, but I sent in an info request on the pastry program page. Hopefully I'll hear something soon!!! I'll report on that soon!

I don't how or when I'll do this, but I feel so ready for it. As I browsed the curriculum of the program, I just got more and more excited. I feel like that was confirmation - the fact that I really WANT to go to the classes. I can't say for sure truthfully that I ever felt that way about the classes I took during my previous college years.

Anyway, we'll see how/if the Lord opens that door! I'm just so relieved to know that I can count on Him to lead me where He wants me to go, even if I can't see where that is yet!

Inspired

Being new to the blogosphere, I started exploring other blogs yesterday. This was not on purpose, but I ran across one and from that one, I found another, then another, and so on. Not that it was surprising, but it became quite apparent what I like to read about. They were all sites that have to do with baking and decorative desserts. I am so inspired by all the ideas others are sharing! I have added a list of the blogs that I'm now following and spending way too much reading. I can't wait to open a bakery! (which by the way is now a bakery/candy shop/every kind of wedding and party dessert shop)

I do have a cake order coming up in a few weeks - the first in a while. Last year, I worked with a large group of people who when I started bringing cakes in for birthdays, started ordering cakes - really often. I was also a full-time student at that time and held that part-time job. It was a busy, but very fun time! Since finishing school and transitioning into the real world, however, my baking has become pretty sporadic. The cake I have coming up is for a graduation party and I'm so excited about it! After reading all of these other blogs, I really would like to create a complete dessert buffet. I'm not entirely sure at what formality level the party will be so this might not be quite what they need, but I hope it is! There are a lot of people coming so maybe they will want something like that. We'll see!

Thank you all of you oh-so-helpful, inspiring, and talented bloggers that are sharing ideas!

Challenges

I have learned that I like challenges. I get inspired by a success story or have a “light bulb” moment and decide to begin pursuing some new goal. I usually write down the target, make a list of the steps or benchmarks that lead up to the target, and then off I go. Day one. Excited. Motivated. Focused. This is a great day. I’ve found, however, that inevitably day two comes. Hmm. Herein lies the problem. I have therefore also learned that I have a tendency to not see challenges through to the target. I wonder if anyone can relate to this? I am assuming so since just about everyone has “lose 20 pounds” as their New Year’s Resolution…every year.

(This realization has brought me to a new challenge idea: maybe I should see how long i can go without giving up on challenge?)

I would like to make a list of goals that I really want to achieve (I completely admit that some of these are quite random and that some may make you ask, “is that really a goal of yours?” ) 

• Read the Bible in a year

• Lose around 40 pounds

• Learn to make meals that are healthy, delicious, easy, and cheap (you usually have to pick two)

• I’d like to see if I can achieve the above by only using items on the Publix buy-one-get-one and sale list

• Play The Sims for only 15 minutes

• Make a collection of dummy wedding cakes and create a portfolio of them

• Plant a garden with veggies, herbs, and fruit trees/bushes

• Keep the house clean for one whole week – 7 days, every room

• Commit to and stick with picking a certain day every week to do certain house chores, i.e. every Tuesday, clean the bathroom, every Thursday clean the floors, etc. Perhaps this would keep down the big overwhelming cleaning day that after a while becomes inevitable once you can’t see the TV over the stuff on the coffee table

• Vacation in Europe

• Cheer up a basset hound

• Try every recipe in my smallish/medium-sized cookbook collection

• Find out how long we can go using only the food we currently have without buying any new groceries (with the exception of milk, bread, and eggs – or maybe not!)

• Volunteer at a soup kitchen

• Go camping, again – I’d really like to get my money out of all that camping equipment we bought so enthusiastically last fall and used once

• Eat only one potato chip

• Tour Israel

• Watch an infomercial and at no point think to myself “that’s cool, I could use that” (I do not need a combination hair brush/plant stand, even though it comes with a second one for free as well as a set of steak knives)

• Leave no room for Jello

About Me

Hi everyone. My name is Mallory Friese and I have never blogged before. (Pause for, "Hi Mallory.") I'm from the sunny south, I'm a Capricorn, and I like long walks on the beach...honestly. I'm married to my best friend and love of my life Eric, who I can't believe I met when I was only 14. The Lord really knew what He was doing! To Eric - When God made you, He must have been thinking about me. I love you!

I work in the financial industry, I have a bachelor's degree in Communication, and I love to decorate cakes. Yes, I realize that those have nothing to do with one another. I'm what you would call "well rounded," (or maybe confused).

I would absolutely love to one day own a bakery, specializing in cake decorating. As many dreams begin, it started as just a hobby and is now a life time goal. We shall see... 

My husband and I cannot communicate without movie quotes. You'll also probably see them appear in my posts relatively often, again for the inability-to-communicate-without-them problem. Actually, I'll pose a challenge: see if you can identify any of them. If you recognize a quote (and they may or may not have quotation marks), post who said it and in what movie or tv show.

Some posts will be me just jotting down and sharing my thoughts and others will be more thought out and researched. I'm excited about this outlet and I thought Paul's words to the Philippians were the perfect jumping off point. They are uplifting and cover just about anything I'd want to write about. I hope you enjoy!