No Ceremony Here

I have decided I really want to get back to blogging and I think I have found a little trick that might make it a bit more manageable. One of the biggest issues I have now that we are fostering is time. I take most of my blog pictures with my phone and then had to go through the whole process of transferring them to my computer and then uploading them to my blog. It was cumbersome and time consuming. So while driving today it hit me - can't I just upload the pics for a post directly from my phone? Then all I have to do is hop on my PC to write the actual text of the blog. I am never going to be decent and typing on my phone so I still have to do a combo. Why didn't I think of this sooner?

So here I am back again. I am NOT making any grandiose plans or declarations. I am just picking up where I am in the moment and we will go from there. I am hopeful some of my old followers are still out there and we can reconnect.

A quick foster care update. We have had a 4 year old girl since May. We also had her brother with us, but  he returned home about a month ago (he was 14 months old when he left). It was a huge surprise to us when the courts sent him back home - never dreamed they would be separated. It was super hard to see him go, but we have settled into a good routine. I won't deny it is much simpler with one, especially when the second was quite needy. We have so many fun memories with him - a ton of pictures and videos. One of my favorite memories is when he learned to walk. Those first precious weeks of Frankenstein steps and the sheer joy on his face as he found a new freedom. We don't know for sure how much longer we will have Minnie - at least three more months and then we will see. No doubt she will tear my heart out and take it with her. I try not to think about it too much. I am focused on keeping her happy and healthy until then - enjoying the adventure that is life with a sweet, funny, smart, adorable, rambunctious 4 year old.

Update on the "weight loss" or in my case "weight gain". I am not at an all time high, but I have gained back all that I had lost (and a few extra) since I started the blog. My husband did too :(  He got himself together back in July and has lost about 40 pounds - I swear it drops off him. To be fair he is consistent and does the work.

Last weekend we celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. It was so good to have a day alone to really reconnect with each other. We spent some time at the art museum. It was fun to see what caught each others' attention (good or bad). Contemporary art...I just don't get it. We had lunch at a taco joint. It was an ideal meal for me...love tacos and love variety. All the tacos were a la carte so you could mix and match. We tasted almost all of them. My favorite was a shrimp taco with mango salsa and a hops aioli. I almost didn't order it cause I am not a mango or beer fan. Glad the waitress recommended it. The only one I didn't like was the portabello mushroom and goat cheese taco. I have finally accepted that I just don't like goat cheese. As much as I want to every time I get it in something, I don't enjoy the dish. I loved this meal too for its color and variety of fresh ingredients. We didn't leave with overloaded tummies and a funky greasy after taste. We will definitely go back.

I am technically on Day 3 of my "recommittment." All that I am asking of myself is for 10 days is to track my food (good or bad) and exercise 20 minutes a day. So far I am doing okay. The biggest reason I am doing the 10 days is to break my cycle of sloth and stuffing my face. Seriously it was ridiculous. Once I get through the 10 days I will re-evaluate and decide how to proceed.

This morning I made some soup from the leftover chicken/sauce from our Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas (or toast-a-tatos as they are pronounced in our house now.) The chicken is cooked in the crockpot with a jar of salsa verde. I saved all the juice and little bits of shredded chicken for the base. I added some chicken broth, zucchini, onions and jalapeno. I grilled up a couple of corn tortillas and cut them into strips. I will toss them in the bowl after I heat up the soup. I love meals with leftovers that can be reinvented into another meal. Soups are a pretty ideal way to do that. And now that the weather is cooling off let the soup adventures begin.

Lunch update:  It isn't the most colorful meal, but it was tasty. It was a bit saltier than I would like - I didn't check if the broth was reduced sodium, plus the salt of the canned salsa verde was a bit more than I like. I do wish I had remembered some fresh cilantro to sprinkle on top.

There is so much more that I want to say, but if I try to say it all I will never post anything. There may be a thing or two I revisit and share from my time away, but for now I am letting this be my start back.

I hope all is well in your world :)