Caught!

Maggie is always getting into trouble! One of her favorite things to do is dig through the garbage looking for food scraps and used gum (ewwww). Here she is using her expert skills to pull a paper plate out of the small space between the doors. Now the paper plate is almost out. If it weren't for my swift reflexes, Maggie would then proceed to EAT the paper plate, I kid you not. That can't be good for her, although it could give her her daily allowance of fiber. Silly dog.

The Cleanse Update

I am now a week into my third month of the cleanse. Well, I did cheat a lot the first month, but for the second month I have been a saint. Last month I completely avoided sugars of all kinds, white flour, fruit, fruit juice, peanut butter and breads (milk, cheese, mushrooms and alcohol must also be avoided, but that was not a problem for me). That was one of the LONGEST months of my life. Now, I am allowed to add fruit and bread back in, but I must continue to avoid sugar, fruit juice and white flour. Eating fruit and whole wheat bread again was heaven.

Yesterday I had a true test of will when I saw at the health food store two new flavors of soy ice cream: snicker doodle cookie dough and blueberry cheesecake! Now you have to realize that these were my most favorite flavors back in my dairy days (well, strawberry cheesecake) and I have not had these flavors for over eight years! So it took everything in me to walk on by. I now have two more reasons to reach my goal weight.

Anyway, I am feeling better. It's really, really tough, but it's paying off. I feel less bloated and moody, and I have lost seven pounds so far! (To your left you will see my newly added, handy-dandy weight-loss ticker). Now I just need to increase my workout time and keep thinking that being thin and healthy tastes better than ice cream. (o:

Design Book Junkie

I am a design book junkie! I love decorating, and I can never get enough of these books. I'm always open for fresh ideas to try. Over the years I've looked through a ton of them, but these four are probably my favorite to date. This one shows you how to decorate on a dime. Examples include using an ice bucket as a modern lamp shade, and turning a vintage suitcase into a funky nightstand.

This book shows you how to surround yourself with things that represent your dreams and goals in life. Katillac argues that homes should not be generic, but rather be personalized with items that have an inspiring and healing effect.
This book has some of the strangest rooms in America! If you think you're a quirky decorator, you haven't seen this book!

A book for the artist and free-spirited, it includes photos of well-known artists' homes.

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

Mmmm...I found this recipe on vegweb.com. They look soooo good. Do you even know how long it has been since I've had a peanut butter cup? I'm salivating just looking at the picture. (Okay, it's obvious I haven't had a treat for a while, this is my second blog within a week with a picture of a dessert on it!) As soon as I'm done with my cleanse, I'll have to give this recipe a try. And another try, and another try...

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1 cup peanut butter (reduced fat and creamy)

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups of vegan chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 paper muffin cups

Directions: Cut the top half of the muffin cups to where they are about half the original height. Microwave the chocolate chips for about 2 minutes at 50% power in a glass or microwaveable bowl. Stir until creamy, you might need to microwave them a little more. Make sure you do not overcook them.Using a spoon or paint brush spread the chocolate evenly within the muffin cups making sure you fill the crevices on the sides. Place the coated muffin cups in the freezer so that the chocolate hardens. In a separate bowl combine the peanut butter and salt and fold in the powdered vegan sugar.When the chocolate cups have hardened put the peanut butter mixture into the microwave for 1 minute. Wait a minute for it to cool and then bring out the chocolate cups. Spoon the peanut butter into the chocolate cups leaving a little room for the top layer of chocolate. You have the option of putting the top layer of chocolate on now or after the peanut butter has hardened in the freezer. Both ways work just as well in my opinion. Place the cups in the freezer and wait an hour (or as long as you can).

Serves: 12

Preparation time: 1 hour

Oh, To Be A Kid Again...

This morning I had a real struggle getting Averi to go to school. She kept whining, "I don't want to go to school, I just want to play outside today." I must have heard that a dozen times. Meanwhile, I was struggling to get out of bed myself. Summer is on it's way, and with it comes memories of magical, carefree days. I miss how the days seemed to last forever. I have to admit that I actually get anxiety near the beginning of the season because I freak out that summer will go too quickly and before we know it, it will be fall again! (And then dreaded winter, which seems to go on and on and on...) I've even had dreams, no NIGHTMARES about summer lasting only one day.

I've been unusually busy lately with a variety of responsibilities, commitments, and other stuffy "grown-up" activities. Inside of me is a rebellious inner child that just wants to play! If I had the means to spend the summer wandering Europe, or sipping Pina Coladas on a tropical island, you better believe I'd do it. If I don't do something seriously fun PRONTO, I think I'm going to suffer an early death due to being to responsible and boring. Why can't I put off being an adult for the summer and just play, play, play like the old days?

Quote of the Week

Remember, happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have, it depends solely upon what you think.
-Dale Carnegie

My "Have Done" List

I'm usually complaining about how little I manage to get done in a day. Some days I am too busy, others, I'm just plain lazy. But today I did a little bit of everything, and I feel great. So instead of making a "to do" list, like I do most days, I'm making a "have done" list, which I highly recommend. It gives you a real self-esteem boost, hehe.

Today I....

changed the sheets on our bed

wrote a friend a long email

had lunch at Cafe Rio with Jeff

bought a few groceries

returned my library books and checked out a few more

organized and read the mail

completed an entire painting, plus started two others (This was a HUGE accomplishment. I had been neglecting my art for awhile.)

picked up Averi from school

walked the dog for 20 minutes (which doubles for exercise)

threw something in the microwave for dinner (Okay, I'm NOT Superwoman or anything).

did the dishes

did lots of homework with Averi, plus read her stories

sent a card to a friend

wrote this blog

What I Miss

My brother and I were having lunch at PF Chang's recently. Our server must have noticed I ordered only vegetarian dishes because she then proceeded to ask me numerous questions about my diet. Each time she'd come outside to refill our water glasses or ask how we're doing, she had another set of questions for me. After telling her I've been a vegetarian for fifteen years, and a vegan for almost eight, her next question was one I get a lot: "Do you ever miss any foods?" The answer is yes. And while I am more than happy with my current diet and plan to stay on it until my dying day (the benefits far outweigh the sacrifices I make), I have to admit, I do miss a few things. Here are a few of them:

• Cheesecake, cheesecake, cheesecake! Years ago I made a vegan version of this, and it was good, but it just didn't compare.
• Tuna fish sandwiches. The only kind of fish I liked as a kid.
• Soft-serve ice cream cones. There is magic in just going through a quick drive-through for an ice cream cone. I know of one place in SLC that has vegan soft-serve called Squirrel Brother's Ice Cream, but how often am I in SLC?
• Arby's roast beef sandwiches. Actually, a on-again, off-again vegetarian said she thought she missed those, too, until she tried them again. She very forcefully told me, "Trust me, you DON'T miss those!"
• Eclairs. No, wait, strawberry tarts. Actually, any French pastries.
• REAL cheese. Vegan cheese just doesn't compare.
• Pizzzzzza. I've had some amazing vegan pizza, but that hasn't kept me from missing the more conventional kind.
• Candy bars, especially Twix, Snickers and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

I could actually probably go on forever, but those are probably my top choices.

Wishy-Washy Girl

Will I ever make up my mind?? Once again, this will be my regular LIFE blog. I have started an ART blog here:

http://juliettesartblog.blogspot.com/

Note: Because this is now is on a public setting, I will not be posting pictures of my daughter (although I don't in anyway judge those who do, I'm just infamous for being overly cautious), nor anything too personal or revealing. Blah, blah, blah and la-dee-dah.

Quote of the Week

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.
-Martha Graham

Then and Now

It's interesting to look back and see what I loved as a child, and compare them to my passions now. Art is an obvious one. I loved creating for as long as I can remember. The picture on the right is of me on Christmas morning, having just opened my gifts that included paints, markers, scissors, and an art pad. Creating brought me so much joy as it still does today. I remember doing something creative on a daily basis, without fear and inhibition. I wish I could recapture that boldness and playfulness that I somehow lost over the years.

Other lifelong interests:

• Rollerskating. I still love it, but I'm a little rusty. I go maybe once every few years and I want to change that. I even have a pair of vintage skates that are feeling lonely in the dark, cold basement.
• Writing. I loved writing poetry, but have unfortunately neglected it for years. I do still work on my novels from time to time, and I'm almost finished with my autobiography.
• Animals. Still love them. Love my dog, love going to the pet store just to visit the adorable little critters.
• Finger painting. I did it then, and yes, I still do it now.
• Collecting things. As a kid, I collected Garbage Pail Kids cards, stickers, rocks, hats, and coins. Today I still collect hats, cool stickers, and I've started collecting masks from exotic countries, Converse All-Star shoes, CD's, etc.
• Swimming, hiking, dancing, reading, sleep-overs, travel and the list goes on...
  

Five Things That I Find Odd

1) I was looking through online classifieds, pricing freezers when I happened upon an ad for "half a cow". No, I'm not joking, that is what it really said. Who would want to buy half a cow? Would that same person also be interested in half of a couch? Half of a car? Okay, obviously the cow was being sold as meat, but still, I found the way it was phrased pretty amusing.

2) Snow in May. Is there not global warming? Maybe not here, hehe.

3) The daily news. Hmmmm...I think I'm going to turn on the tv to see death, disaster and destruction, maybe that will brighten my already challenging day. Okay, so it's good to be somewhat aware of what is going on in the world, but where is all the good news? Back in the day I had tv, I got so sick of hearing about every local murder, car accident and house fire. What about the good stuff?

4) Blogs. I think it is so strange that people are more than willing to expose their private lives to the public. An yet, here I am blogging.

5) The tradition of leg shaving. If you're going to shave your legs, shouldn't you also shave your arms so that they match?

I Love....

Chandeliers. I'm not sure why, but as of late I've become quite fascinated with them. I would love the one on the left to hang above my kitchen table. And purple is a great color, I think. I love color in my home, lots of it. People who visit often say, "Wow, you have so much color in your home." I think my bright orange accent wall in the living room shocks many of my conservative neighbors.

Okay, back to my original subject. I love chandeliers. I even have two t-shirts with chandeliers gracing the front. So maybe someday I'll actually get one. What do you love?

My Birthday

I had a surprisingly amazing birthday, probably one of the best of my adult years. The weather was interesting, to say the least. It rained, shined, snowed and hailed all in one afternoon. I had an overwhelming amount of birthday wishes, including a surprise phone call from a good friend from Holland. I got to spend the day with some of my favorite people in one of my favorite cities. I ate a favorite dish, soy chicken and potato curry at Evergreen House Cafe. It's sooooo good, I crave it constantly. Then I shopped until my feet hurt, spending the cash that my parents and in-laws gave me. We got fruit smoothies for dessert (I'm off sugar right now). We finished off the evening with an episode of My-So Called Life, which brings me back to my magical teen years, which were shockingly oh so long ago. Yes, it was a near perfect day. I didn't even cry once. Some of my favorite gifts/finds:

A pillow from Urban Outfitters. Every time I see it, it will remind me of my week in Paris from WAY back when, and my goals for future world travel.

This fun tee from Black Chandelier. I lucked out and got three of them for 75% off. It's been a longtime favorite store of mine.

Other nice gifts: A Killers CD, The Invisible dvd, a fish-eye camera. I've wanted one for a while now, and now I can cross it off my 101 in 1001 list. And last but not least. I got a lovely painting titled Bittersweet by Scott French as an early birthday present for myself. I don't usually give myself birthday presents, but turning 30 is a big deal.

Quote of the Week

In painting, you have to destroy in order to gain... you have got to sacrifice something you are quite pleased with in order to get something better. Of course, it's a risk...
-Graham Sutherland