Wine, Dinner, and DANCING!

Last week my husband John was out of town with work. He was in a location where we couldn't call each other, skype, or email like we usually do when he travels. It was pretty much the worst five days in a while. He got back on Friday morning and we went out for a special date night Friday night. We had plenty of things to celebrate...

Me and my beloved sangria at Mi Tomatinas Paella Bar, Winter Park, FL.

We were celebrating his getting back from his trip.

We were celebrating the anniversary of when he proposed to me back in 2010.

We were celebrating an early Valentine's.

And the vastness of our love for one another. :)

We started out at the Wine Room in Winter Park. It's a huge wine cellar where you get money loaded onto a card and then go around spending it on tastes of tons of different wine selections on the walls. We left feeling flushed, joyful, and if I may say so, a little frisky. :)

Our next stop was dinner at our favorite restaurant- Mi Tomatinas Paella Bar. Best food in town! We started off with some sangria, bread and a tomato gazpacho dip, and then moved on to a dinner of assorted tapas while we listened to live flamenco music.

We sat outside under the awning and it poured rain. The mixture of the wine and the food, being with my favorite person in the world, and people dancing and laughing over boisterous spanish guitar made for a  euphoric experience. And it only got better from there...

When we got to the house he had me close my eyes and having looked forward to a surprise all week it was all I could do not to peek. While we were at dinner he had some of his buddies come set up a romantic dance space at home. He walked me down the aisle there and we danced. ANd can I just say, my husband has some killer moves!

Best. Night. Ever.

Here's the pathway up to the room, were, as they say on MTV cribs, "all the magic happened." But you know what I think? I think those homies on MTV cribs don't have squat on what happened that night.

It goes down in the Malone history books as one of the most romantic and playful nights we've had.

We'll tell the kids about it one day, and they will plug their ears and say "ewwwww!"

Question of the Day:

What are you doing for Valentine's?

The Superbowl and How We Roll

If you've gotten to know me any kind of well in your time following my blog you know that one of the things I value most in life is simplicity. I love cutting down on the clutter, cutting down on spending, and making do with the little things. It is foundational in our marriage and I think that's one of the reasons we are so happy.

One of the ways we cut down is by saying no to cable. Why spend the money on it these days when you can get instant streaming on Netflix?

The only time this gets to be a problem is superbowl time. Here was our set-up last Sunday....

Yup, we watched the game on a little computer screen situated on top of our Moroccan pouf. I thought it was splendid, and it was nice and low key. I also got to learn how to be a commentator, because when John would run to the kitchen there was no big screen to keep in on the action, so I did my best to bring him back in...

"Ok, they are all lining up."

"Someone just jumped on someone else."

"There's 1 down and 10 of something...."

The only snack I made was this bean dip. I have to say that this picture isn't very appetizing, but as I find most game foods absolutely disgusting, it fits.

This dip is NOT disgusting, though. It's delicious, and even though it's not as healthy as a carrot, it isn't as bad as a steaming pot of queso either...

Mexican Black Bean Dip

1 can black beans, rinsed and mashed
3/4 to 1 cup salsa
1/3 cup mexican-blend cheese
2 tbsp cream cheese
salt and pepper
dash of garlic powder
more cheese for topping

Mix the first 6 ingredients in a bowl and microwave until melted (stirring every 30-45 seconds.)

Turn on your oven broiler to high and put the dip into a serving dish and cover with cheese. Broil for 3-4 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Question of the Day?

What's your favorite superbowl food?



Queen of the Wild Frontier

 

Who's that gliding over the still waters of Orlando and soaking up the warm Florida sunshine, you might ask?

Man, she's living the life, and look at that tan! Well...

It's me! And I am enjoying the Florida outdoors and every day I "live the life." I love my life! And taking time to slow down and enjoy my surroundings helps to remind me of that fact.  I do have to dispel one myth, though. Though I am tanner than most northerners, I think my photo editing program may have made my legs a wee bit tanner than they really are. And they look a little too orange. I swear on a seagull that I do not use self-tanners. Honestly, I don't.

Last Saturday morning we went out in our friends kayaks again. This time we kind of went out separate ways and enjoyed some quite time out on the lake. About 30 minutes in I discovered this little love nest of Sandhill Cranes. Above is the daddy, very protective. I thought it might come pluck out my eyeballs at any second while I snapped this with my phone.

He had every right to be protective. When his wifey got up off the nest I found this little guy!

Isn't nature amazing? They're just a couple of birds, working together against the wild frontier to bring a little baby bird into the world. It was the perfect gift for my morning, and one of the highlights of my kayaking time.

The other was when I stopped rowing, plopped my legs up on my boat and let myself drift away for a while. The gentle rocking, the cool breeze, and the squawking of seagulls above made for the perfect start to my day.

Question of the Day:

What kinds of things make you slow down and enjoy life?

Pancakes, Pretty Please!

Remember last week when John surprised me with this pancake?

Well, I was searching around on Pinterest yesterday and came across these beauties. I immediately posted this on my husbands wall as inspiration for next time. His response? "These wouldn't taste good because they would be cold by the time get around to shaping them!"

                                                                           Source: weeseeworld.com via Jan on Pinterest

Question of the Day:

Pancakes or French Toast?



Weekend Update| January 23, 2012

Happy Monday! I don't know why, but against all odds I am extremely happy and energetic this morning. Yup, I'm the "looks like somebody's got a case of the Mondays" girl. I just can't wait to find someone to say that to. It feels good to be her every now and then!

John was out of town last week and he came back on Friday night. I enjoyed sleeping in on Saturday and then heading out to do some shopping at Whole Foods and our local produce market. When we got back to the house I made granola protein bars (recipe to come this week) and then took a nice nap.

Protein bar preview!

After my nap I went for a 1.5 mile run. I'm really excited that our training for the 5k in February is starting to take us past the 1 mile marker on a consistent basis. I think I'll finally start to see my endurance build. Today we have another 1.5 miler and then by the end of the week we are pushing up to 2 miles! I've never run that long on my own accord without being in a race. :)

Saturday night I made a really yummy new recipe that I found on the Whole Foods recipe page. I'll also be sharing that this week. So get ready for some awesome new recipes to put on your to-do list. They are called Grilled Veggie Pitas, but I made it with a twist. Here's a teaser....

Sunday morning we got up and ate breakfast, put on our outdoor gear and headed out for some kayaking on the lake. What a beautiful morning! The birds were chirping and water was still. Look you can see my reflection...

We had a blast, and I would love to make this a weekly thing. Not only is it a great upper body workout, but it's so nice to slow down and glide across the water and notice the little things that are so easily missed in nature otherwise.

It was a great weekend, and something tells me that this week is going to be equally magnificent!

Question of the Day:

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

Weekend Update| January 18, 2012

Good morning all! This is one of those "you know your life is a little crazy when..." moments. Posting a weekend update on a Wednesday?? Unfortunately that has become the habit for me lately. But I figure pictures are pictures and you can share them anytime you want...especially if it's your blog and you can do what you want with it. :)

Saturday morning I woke up with my panties in a wad. I mean, the really bad side of the bed. I don't really get mean when I'm in a bad mood. Meanness is usually associated with hunger for me. Nope, a bad mood means I'm careless and unemotional...I'm as cuddly as an ice cube. John knew I was having a bad day and made me pancakes. And then told me to close my eyes for the best surprise of my life....

Yup, that about turned my day back around. Seriously, isn't he the sweetest man you've ever read about?

Around lunch time my mom and step-dad came up from Vero Beach to help me get ready for a bridal shower I was throwing for one of my best friends. One of our projects were making little marshmallow pops for the hot chocolate bar I put together for the shower. Aren't they cute?

Sunday morning we lounged around the house and did some cooking and preparing for the afternoon shower. My mom made this spectacular white pizza....recipe to follow this week. Aren't I such a tease? It was so good!

The afternoon was delightful and the bridal shower went off without a hitch. I can't wait to share my post on the shower and all th creative things we came up with! We had a blast putting it together. This little lady deserved all of it and so much more...

Question of the Day:

What shower has been your favorite and what made it special?



Weekend Update| December 5, 2011

Good morning everyone! Did you have a fabulous weekend? We sure did! My mom and step-dad came up for a visit and we had such a great time. The weather couldn't have been better for the activities we had planned, either. The mornings were really cool but by mid-day the sun was out and we were enjoying temperatures in the mid 70's!

They drove in Friday night and we enjoyed some dinner I had prepared. We played a couple rounds of rummy and I was destroyed at the last minute by David (step-dad). That hurt as I have been the reigning champ in our house lately. John was overjoyed at my loss. ;)

Saturday morning we got up and ran around the neighborhood together. We are all running a 5k in Melbourne (FL) in February, so it was fun to do a little training together. My family is fast! They've got quite a few years on me and still managed 12 minute miles! I discovered that I run much faster on land than on the "dreadmill", is that the same for you?

After the run we made breakfast and packed up a picnic for our day out. My parents just got a new D-SLR so we took them out to Lake Eola to practice shooting with it. They got some really great shots! Everyone and their brother was out at the lake, putting up Christmas decorations and running around the trail. Above is a picture John took of my mom and I. Below is a picture that my mom took of us. She's getting the hang of it!

 I think she really captured our love... :)

Our next stop was going to be Whole Foods for a little stocking up on the grain wall. (My parents don't have a Whole Foods in their town, so it's a ritual when they come up.) We made one last stop at the ice cream truck before we left the lake, but came away empty handed as the ice cream was way over-priced and wouldn't have done our tummies any good...we all have the same whole foods, mostly veg diet. Nonetheless, we were sad about our loss...

David had quite the smile though, he must have looked into the future to see what would happen when we went to Whole Foods. We came away with two ah-mazing smoothies! They got a PB&J fruit smoothie (almond milk, berries, peanut butter, bananas, etc.) and we got the Kalicious smoothie (kale, spinach, bananas, apple juice, lemons). Our smoothie was so good I drank it in 30 minutes. And just to give you a comparison, it usually takes me 3 hours to finish my smoothies in the morning.

I was in love!

We finished our evening with a trip to Bass Pro Outdoor World and then came home and chowed down on homemade butternut squash soup, red onion and tomato paninis, and an assortment of goodies picked up at the hot counter at Whole Foods.

I spent the evening stressing over a final group project for my online Strategies in Teaching ESOL class. Praise the Lord we finally got everything done (last minute) and were able to turn it in last night for a grade. I can't tell you how ready I was to be done with this class! I need a break!

Sunday we went to church and hung out around the house for a while playing with out pictures and teaching my mom and David to edit photos with Gimp 2. It was a nice, relaxing day before the craziness of this weeks started up again.

Something tells me this week will be a little more than I can handle.

Question of the Day:

What kinds of things do you do with your parents?



Come Sail Away

There are so many cruise-y type songs in my head right now to remind myself that I'm only a day away from one week of bliss on the high seas! Styx is, of course, in the lead at the moment. I've also been singing the Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffet and Garth Brooks' "Two Pina Coladas."

                                                                                     Source: images.google.com via Julienne on Pinterest

We set sail tomorrow at 4pm and will be back on Saturday, November 5th! We are stopping at Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and the Disney island. As you may know, there's a storm brewing in the south so that may put a damper on my sun tan, but there's plenty of fun to be had on a boat rain or shine so it should be a great time.

I've lined up some great reads for while I'm away. Here's a preview of what's to come:

Three Pieces of Greek Food Knowledge and Some Love... By Demie of Paraphernalia
If I Were On a Cruise...   By Gentri of Gentri Lee
Confessions of a (Not Quite) Wine Connoisseur... By Amy of Amy Around the Corner
The Perfection of a Norwegian Sandwich... By Megan of Suitcase and Stilettos
Anniversary Gift Round Up... By Tamra of Walks With Bella

See you guys in November!

                                                                                            Source: travelise.com via Danielle on Pinterest

Sing it with me now! Aruba, Jamaica, oooooh I wanna take ya.....Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty momma!...