Fresh20, 50 by '15

So I bought a year's subscription to Fresh20. On sale. Which is good, because it is so far out of my comfort zone. I cook boring meals. Meat. Starch. Vegetable. Pasta with sauce. Lather, rinse, repeat. Which is part of the reason I was interested in Fresh20. That, and it comes with a shopping list AND nutritional information.

This is not my review, because I have yet to make any of the recipes exactly as listed. Some of my substitutions are based on availability--there wasn't any chicken chorizo at my grocery store. Some are based on my taste buds--I'm not putting mint in my peas. Some are based on what I've already got in my kitchen to use up--dried basil instead of fresh, pre-minced garlic, etc. Some are because I'm lazy--no whole chicken for me. Boneless, skinless breasts all the way. (My friend Shannon is shaking her head at me right now. She cooks whole chickens on the regular. In aprons. While drinking martinis. She's a dream. I'm... not that cool.) It has revealed to me that I do not own a juicer, and that's mildly problematic. So far, we've only done 3 recipes. Last week was the first week since I signed up that I've been home to cook. 5 meals a week is a good number for us because that gives us room for some comfort food (ie: things from boxes & jars & cans) or to go out or leftovers, etc. It has helped keep our grocery budget on track (for the 2 weeks that I've been buying, we've stayed under $100, even buying things for lunches, sodas, etc.) despite the increase in fresh produce. I set my account to cook for 4 adults so we've had leftovers.

But... so far J's highest praise of any of the dishes has been that they are "edible." I quite liked the chicken gyros and the lemon mustard chicken, but J didn't like tzatziki sauce with chicken instead of lamb or beef, and isn't fond of mustard in general, so I wasn't expecting that one to be a hit. The chorizo was too oily and too spicy, but that's because I used the pork kind I'm sure. So. 2 out of 3 that *I* liked, and the one that I didn't is the one that J did, mostly. Not the best record. Not the fault of Fresh20 really. I do like that it makes sure that I'm using better ingredients and I like trying new recipes. I'll make those gyros again in a heartbeat. Just on a night that J isn't home.

This week's recipes all sounded good. Meatballs. Some spicy tomato-based soup with a name I can't pronounce that looks like abalone. Salmon lemon pasta. Asparagus salad (that mu husband will insist on eating meat with). Yet, at the grocery store, I hardly recognized my cart. Kale? Proscuitto? Cannenell..cannonelli...cannannonnennellelleri beans? KEEN-WA?! (I'm sorry, my brain refuses to see quinoa and not try to say quin-noah) Needless to say, these recipes are in uncharted waters for us.

So, now that Garrison is getting on towards 6 months old, I'm trying to get the crazy nursing hunger sugar cravings under control so I can hopefully get back to a healthier weight & level of activity. I set a little goal for myself. 50 pounds by 2015. I started at the beginning of May (then went to my Grandma's house--land of daily bacon & fried eggs), which gives me a nice 1.5lb per week goal. Sustained over 7 months. We'll see. It's ambitious but maybe doable. Maybe. I'm notoriously bad at stick-to-it-iveness. Mostly I just want to fit in my clothes. Time and gravity and babies have changed the shape of me into something different, and as soon as I'm done nursing, I'm treating myself to a whole new set of things for my top half. In the meantime, time to get moving. I'm trying out the Daily Burn. So far, I've laughed my way through some dance workouts. Not too shabby.

That's all for now. Coming soon, Garrison's 6 month update. Half a year. Dude.

5 months

May. Already?

Vitals:
19.6 lb
27ish inches (hard to tell with Mr. Squirmy Squid)
He's big. And delightfully chunky. And adorable.

Highlights:
Family pictures.
First trip to Faire (no costume though, that comes later).
Easter!
His first birthday party. Not his 1st birthday party, that comes later, but he attended his first party. For his sister's birthday. Slept through practically the whole thing.

Skills:
Sitting up ALL BY HIMSELF
Getting things in his mouth (Specifically his pacifier, right way 'round)
Grabbing stuff (mostly my glasses & hair)
Drooling
Toots heard all the way across the house (not an exaggeration)

Works in Progress:
Still working on rolling all the way over (back to belly). He gets about 95% of the way there, then gets distracted by something & SPROING, back to his back

He likes:
His Jumperoo. LOVES it actually. We've had to move it all the way up to the 2nd to last setting. Almost 20lb plus leeeeegs means he won't be in it much longer.
Watching Eleanor. He thinks she's the coolest thing
Being naked. He giggles like a loon when you take his shirt off. Or wipe his butt. Babies, man.
Chewing on everything, which is making it more difficult to tell when he's actually hungry.
Sleeping on his tummy. I'm... not a fan.
Sleeping with his face burrowed into my armpit. Or belly. Or neck. Or whatever he an burrow into.
Bath time. Just like his sister.

He dislikes:
Not having all the eyeballs on him.
Sleeping alone.
This nasty chest cough he's been battling all month. (Nothing scary. We keep getting it checked to make sure his lungs & ears are clear. Just a string of colds/allergies/snot-causing whatevers)

I like:
The laughing!
He reaches for me & smiles when he gets me
Watching him watch Eleanor
His fuzzy baby hair (which is starting to look suspiciously blonde, like Eleanor's)
Adorable outfits. So many dinosaurs and sharks and an octopus or two, some yellow submarines, oh, and a bunny hat.
His beautiful grey eyes, that are still grey. Sometimes I think I see some tan creeping in, but mostly still grey.

I dislike:
Sleep deprivation
Milk barf
Blowouts