A Chill is in the Air. Yippee!!

Fall is finally here.  The best season ever!  One of my favorite parts about autumn is the leaves changing colors, unfortunately, in central Texas this is not really a major characteristic of fall.  I know this initially sounds like the worse thing ever; however I believe this just opens an opportunity for me to focus more on the other reasons why autumn is the best season!  I love the sweaters, the pumpkins, the cider, the stews, the chilly weather, the football and the beautiful autumn décor.  I’m not sure if anyone was able to read between the lines but I am definitely grateful to be out of the 100 and something degree weather!  Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 50’s for us and I cannot wait!! 

Don’t get me wrong, there were some great times during those 100-something degree days.   

Here's one of those summer memories...Once Kyle and I got back from visiting Illinois we were quickly welcoming Kyle’s mom and aunt to Texas.  They took a long road trip in August.   First to New Mexico to visit with Kyle’s cousin, Meg, and then they swung by Austin to spend some time with Kyle and I.  It would be an understatement to say this visit was wonderful. We experienced lots of laughs, yummy foods and a lot of Austin!

Summer Time Fun

Kyle and I also had the chance to see the musical, Little Shop of Horrors, at the city’s outdoor community theater.  I’m game any day for a picnic, spectacular entertainment and some great company!  We actually have many great moments this summer of going out and just simply enjoying our friends’ and the company they have to offer. 

One of our last big summer hoorah’s was celebrating Museum Day in Austin.  Kyle and I hit up two museums in Austin: an art museum and a history museum.  I would recommend the art museum to everyone!  The history museum….hmmm I would say if history is your thing….you should check it out.  I personally had to put a little effort in to stay engaged.  Kyle seemed to really enjoy it though!   

 Enough about looking into the past…let’s look more into the future! 

Patrick and I: Independence Brewery Fun!

Kyle and I are going to see Les Miserables  this upcoming weekend.  I am sooo excited!  One of my favorite musicals ever!  We are also checking out a tapas restaurant we’ve never been too before.  Yummmmm! I can't wait for all the many adventures and fun fall has to offer for us!!!!

Here are a couple more bullet points to the goings-on of these transplant Austinites :)  - 

• Kyle's roomies (& our good friends) just got a puppy!!! He was found outside of Shawn's work and after a couple of days of waiting for someone to claim him...he quickly became a part of the family.  His name is Phoenix and he is super duper cute!!!
• We just had a fantastic time last weekend at one of our favorite Austin breweries.  Independence was celebrating their 9th anniversary.  
• Kyle and I are cat sitting for our friends who got married in Hawaii this past week!  It is so amusing getting to know another cat other than socrates...they are like night and day.  
• Theresa, my sister, safely moved to Canada and seems to be getting acclimated quickly to a whole new life in a whole new country.  I actually talk to her more now than I did when she was in Illinois....thanks Skype!!!  
• Molly is going to be Little Red Riding Hood for Halloween and Owen I believe will be a ninja?  I couldn't really understand him through all his little happy squeals the other night...hmmmm.    

Happy Birthday to all the fall babies out there! 

And happy wedding fun for our good friends  We are soo happy for Crystal and Matt!!!

XX

Mads

P.S. Recipe of the months??  :)  

Baked Ziti

Weight Watchers Recipe

7 PointsPlus Value

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 40 min

Other time: 0 min

Serves: 12

Here’s a tasty, healthy version of the Italian classic. For more robust flavor, add crushed fennel seeds. For a meaty version, add lean ground beef to the sauce.*

Ingredients 3 spray(s) cooking spray    1 pound(s) uncooked pasta, rigatoni or penne    3/4 pound(s) part-skim ricotta cheese    1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste    1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, divided    4 cup(s) store bought marinara sauce, divided**    1/2 pound(s) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese    1/4 cup(s) basil, cut into ribbons, for garnish***    Instructions Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat bottom and sides of a lasagna pan with cooking spray. Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cool water and drain. While pasta is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, red pepper flakes, 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and 1/3 cup marinara sauce. To assemble ziti, spoon 1/2 cup sauce on bottom of prepared pan; top with half of pasta in an even layer. Evenly spread pasta with ricotta mixture; cover with half of remaining sauce. Top with remaining pasta and spoon remaining sauce over top; sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining tablespoon Parmesan. Bake until cheese melts and is browned, about 20 to 30 minutes. Allow ziti to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving. Notes *Could affect PointsPlus value. **If you don’t have a store-bought sauce on hand, you can use fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead (could affect PointsPlus value). *** To watch a video of this technique, click here.

Home Sweet Home with a Side of Ale

There has not been too much excitement happening for Kyle and I since we arrived home from Illinois.  The few weeks ago Kyle and I went to see the movie Crafting. A Nation at Jester King Brewery.  The land the brewery is located on is absolutely beautiful with its rustic look.  Hmmm maybe a nice spot for a wedding??? J  The movie we watched was right up Kyle’s alley.  I enjoyed it as well but I believe Kyle found more inspiration from it than I did.  It was awesome seeing how much people put their heart and life into running a brewery.  I never associated pure happiness with running a company until I watched this documentary.  There were two true downsides to the night for me though…boooo. 

1.       Most of the beer is made in aged oak barrels.  YUCK!  Kyle doesn’t mind this but it makes it a little too sour for me.  So unfortunately I could not enjoy the beer as much as I would have liked to. 

2.       GIANT.  SPIDER.  Did I make myself clear???   Giant meaning bigger than a silver dollar and its body was thicker than your two thumbs put on top of each other. This spider was so quick on the dark ground that it looked like it was just floating.  This movie was outside in the grass so let’s just say I was paranoid during the whole movie wondering when this huge spider was going to attack.  I probably distracted every single audience member with my constant kicking and shuffling of my feet.  Ugh. 

Last weekend Kyle and his housemates hosted a housewarming party.  It was a ton of fun and surprisingly not awkward.  The reason there was thought that it might become awkward was because it was 4 housemates invited their own separate group of friends, coworkers and family.  This was bound to be a crazy group of randoms, but it turned out being this beautiful mix.  Everyone got to know each and stayed for such a long time.  Beautiful celebration. 

 

A few other highlights of the last few weeks:

1.       I learned how to Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) at my good friend Crystal’s bachelorette party.  Such a fun party! 

2.       Linds and I spent three weeks carrying for an abandoned baby mocking bird.  It seemed to be doing great, then it broke either a foot or a wing and wouldn’t stand up and then the grand finale consisted of a road runner eating our baby bird.  LINDSAY AND I HATE ROAD RUNNERS.  They are vicious….they eat other small birds for pete’s sake!!!!  Jerks. 

3.       Kyle learned how to make some pretty darn delicious lemon bars. 

Other than all that fun stuff, things have been fairly quiet in these parts of the Hill Country.  The summer has not been as hot as most in the past so thank God for that!!!!  We’re just livin and lovin life over here!!! 

 

Xx

 

P.S. Recipe of the week! 

Lemon Squares

Recipe adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood (c) Clarkson Potter 2010

Total Time:  1 hr 0 min

Prep 15 min

Cook  45 min

Yield:   15 squares

Level:  Easy

 

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for sprinkling
•  

Filling:

• 4 large eggs
• 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 2 large lemons)
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Mix the flour and confectioners' sugar in a bowl and add the melted butter, mixing until a dough forms. Press the mixture firmly into a 9- by 13- by 2-inch pan. Bake the crust for 25 minutes.

For the filling: While the crust is baking, with an electric mixer, combine the eggs, lemon juice and zest until smooth. Add the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and salt, and beat until smooth. Pour the mixture over the baked crust. Bake for 20 minutes more.

Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely. Sprinkle the top with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares and serve.

Sum, Sum, SUMMERTIME!

This summer has been filled with a lot of great times already.   Mentioned in the previous post were the grand visits of my sister and Kyle’s sister.  What wasn’t mentioned was the grand birthday that took place during one of these visits!!  A certain fiancé of mine celebrated his 30^th birthday this past June!  I know, I know baby face Burnside is not as young as you once thought.  Those mutton chops LIE!  His birthday was splendid…or at least I think so J  Not only did he get to celebrate it with Beth and Mark, but later in the evening a bunch of our other friends met us at The Salt Lick Barbeque for some delicious eats.  Even one of our really good friends who is a VEGETARIAN attended this celebration (Thanks Kristi J)!!  What a wonderful start to a great summer!

Soon after Kyle’s birthday he moved into his new home this summer with some of our good friends.  The house they are living in right now is super cute and normal J  Ahhh nothing screams “splendid summer” like moving people into their new home in 100 degree weather!!  Regardless of the work and eat it was a great day none the less.

 

Grandpa, Anna & Molly

 Recently Kyle and I came down to Illinois to spend some time with friends and family.  We also were able to attend our lovely engagement party thrown for us by our families and my niece’s baptism.  Both events were spectacular!!! I was blessed with the opportunity to actually be home for an extra week than Kyle because my job makes it possible for me to work sometimes away from the office.  Having the opportunity to just spend time with my oldest sister, Becky, and her kids was worth it.  My favorite part of the whole trip was having coffee in the mornings with Becky and going for runs with Beth, Theresa and Kyle.   It’s really awesome to see how these little acts of everyday life are what mean the most.  The most moving thing I experienced while at home was seeing my sister Claire and her boyfriend, Bryce.  These two traveled all the way from northern Minnesota just to spend a few days with me and the rest of the family.  It is so overwhelming to see how generous and selfless people are in your life.   These two weeks I spent back home made me feel so loved and lucky to have such wonderful people in my life.  Here are some other highlights of my/our time back home:

Kyle and Anna

·         Kyle became Anna’s (my niece) Godfather

·         Socrates survived 2 plane rides!!!!

·         Surprise visits from Dad

·         Fantastic bike ride with Kyle’s mom, Pat

·         Hot Tubbing J 

·         4^th of July at the Nachman’s (quality time with the Vogts, Ryans and sisters)

·         Lots of sister shots J

·         Wine bar and pizza

·         A few hours spent with Miss Jamie Sanders….love this gal J

 

·         Baby shower for a dear friend, Lambie J 

       
          ·               Owen, Molly and Anna….Duh. 

 

Owen and Socrates...love/hate relationship :)

·         …this list is basically endless!

Thank you to all those I got to catch up with so far this summer.  I’m excited to continue many more wonderful memories this summer!! 

XX

P.S. Recipe!  Watch out all you slow cooker users!!!

Slow Cooker Creamy Macaroni and Cheese (makes a generous 4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

4 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Boil the macaroni in water for six minutes and drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Heat over medium high heat and stir until the cheese melts. Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine cheese mixture, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper in your slow cooker. Add the drained macaroni and stir again. Cook on low for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally (I cooked mine for about 2 hours and stirred it twice and it was perfect).

Recipe source: six sisters stuff blog

"I Wish I was a Little Bit Taller, I Wish I was a Baller..."

Thank you Skee-Lo for such a great one hit wonder :)  This song kept playing in my head for the last few weeks as if it was the temporary soundtrack of my life.  Yes, lots of dreaming happening over here, more particularly about something I am not nor ever will be....hmmmmmm actually, maybe I will be. 

These lovely lyrics originally made their recent debut in my head from a rather entertaining rav-4 series of commercials.  Marketing and advertising really does amaze me!  It's as if those in that industry are magicians who so swiftly brainwash us to buy.  Regardless, those rav-4 magicians waved their wand and I now think of them everytime I hear the "I wish" lyrics. AND every hour something has happened in the last 2 weeks that reminds me of the "I wish" song...so basically what I am saying is that it is only a matter of time until I get a 2nd brand new car :) 

The first encounter of the "I wish" song playing in my head was a couple of weeks ago when my sister, Theresa, and her daughter, Brigid, came to visit me.  First off, let me just tell you all that this was by far one of the best vacations ever!  It was a relaxing week and a low stress week.  There was a lot of playing, swimming and laughing to be had.  One morning we all woke up and planned our day.  It turned out the day we planned involved a lot of sun and the great outdoors.  SO what would any logical person in central Texas do first thing...SUNBLOCK!!!  Somehow during all of the sunblocking a conversation arose about how and why we need to protect our skin. Long story short the conversation ended with Brigid commenting on how she intended to look like a goddess when she gets older.  I mean this wasn't just a haha I want to look like a goddess comment...NO!  This was a serious I need to care for my skin because I am going to grow up looking like a goddess comment.   Theresa, Lindsay and I all looked at each other in astonishment that this was a 10 year-olds mission in life and then we all laughed due to how amusing it was.  OR maybe we all laughed a knowing laugh because the three of us all are all quickly approaching or have approached our thirties and starting to understand the concept of aging.  Yuck.  Either way you'll never guess what song busted out in my head....."I WISH I WAS A LITTLE BIT TALLER, I WISH I WAS A BALLER..." 

I kid you not from this point on this song was playing like a broken record in my head.  Once Theresa and Brigid headed back home on their merry way, Kyle and I were already welcoming with open arms his sister, Beth and her husband, Mark.  Once again I cannot speak enough wonderful words about this week.  Kyle and I were given a great opportunity to show Beth and Mark why Austin is a city so near and dear to our hearts.   This trip entailed some wonderful gluttony (so worth it!), lots of outdoors and relaxation!  During this trip there were some "fancy*" moments for me as well.  Right before one of our nights out, Beth took it upon herself to shower and get ready for the evening.  While she was prepping for this fun night out, I chose to sit like a lump on a log and watch everyone get ready.  Some point during all this I made the comment of..."I wish I wanted to shower more frequently..."  Maybe that wasn't the exact quote but I definitely made it a point to note my laziness.  I suddenly get hit with the "I Wish" lyrics!!  Beth did not even flinch at this comment and just said something along the lines of, "hey, don't worry about it you just do what works for you."  Ahhh how accepting she is of my stanky self :)  And suddenly the lyrics vanish from my psyche. 

Another night comes around and once again things get fancy for me.  Beth puts on high heels for the evening.  What!?!? I spend the majority of the evening just mesmerized by her ability to walk so eloquently in these heels and make high heels look so good.  I'm pretty sure about 50 times throughout the night I made some sort of comment about how I would die to be able to wear high heels and actually pull them off.  I'm not even going to mention what jumps into my head at this point because I am sure you already have the whole song playing in your mind :)   Beth of course accepts me whole heartedly and tells me to just wear what works for me and makes me happy. Once again the song disappears.  Who is this woman??  She's like my own personal life coach suddenly! 

Moral of the story is that we all go about our lives constantly wishing to be something that just doesn't fit exactly who we are.  And nothing is necessarily wrong with that but just don't forget who you are through all that wishing.  I know I am not going to shower twice a day, HECK, maybe not even everyday!  Although I am still thinking that deep inside I really am a high heel wearer...I just haven't figured out the science of it all yet. 

Aside from all the wishing...Kyle and I are doing well.  Other than the awesome 2 weeks of family coming to visit nothing huge has been going on in our lives.  Kyle did get approved to lease out a house with 3 of our other friends for the year.  This is extremely exciting because A. we love these friends and we get to see them all the time now!  B. we will hopefully be able to save a little more for our wedding!  YAY!  Otherwise I guess no news is good news!  SO things are going well here and smooth.  Those of you who had birthdays that Kyle and I missed HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  And to all you father's out there....THANK YOU!

*Madeline's definition of fancy:  If you do more than just putting on deodorant and brushing your teeth to get ready for the day or an event than you are being FANCY :)

xx
Mads

P.S. Recipe of the week (Or several months!) 

Baked Rigatoni with Three Cheeses 

                           

7 PointsPlus Value

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 17 min

 

Serves: 6

If you’re making this dish for company, try baking it restaurant-style, in 6 single-serving, 1-cup baking dishes; decrease the baking time to about 5 minutes.

Ingredients 12 oz uncooked pasta, rigatoni variety 3/4 cup(s) canned tomato sauce, reduced-sodium variety 1/2 cup(s) fat-free half-and-half 1/4 cup(s) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 2 Tbsp part-skim ricotta cheese, (1 ounce) 1 oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (2 tablespoons) Instructions Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and keep warm. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Combine the tomato sauce, half-and-half, mozzarella, ricotta, and Gorgonzola in a medium bowl. Add the hot pasta and toss to coat. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish and bake until bubbly and browned on top, about 7 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Love the Car! Hate the Smell!

I have been told that the smell of a brand new car is the best smell in the whole world!  Really!?  I personally feel this is a loaded statement.  You love the smell of a newly manufactured vehicle, a product which is merely made of chemically pumped plastics, fabrics and metals, more than any other scent this world contains?  Last time I checked I was getting massive headaches in my brand new equinox I just got due to the new car smell.  WHOA!?!? WHAT!?!? Yes folks...it is true, it was finally time and I purchased a new vehicle!! 

Me and my new golf ball.....I mean car!

Other than discovering my hate for the new car smell, I couldn't be happier with my decision.  I was not planning on getting a car until the end of this year so I could save up more money for a USED car.  However, there was a terrible hail storm not too long ago here and the opportunity arose.  I bought a car with some pretty good hail damage and because of that it is technically considered used in the eyes of the dealership.  Long story short I bought a "used" chevy equinox with 55 miles on it. I'm not too self-conscience about the cute dimples on the drive side, so figured why the heck not get a car that is running beautifully? This is one of many good things that has happened since the last post! 

Kyle also received a promotion since the last post!  I've never meant anyone so committed and determined when it comes to their work.  His hard work has certainly paid off and I am so proud of him!   Along those lines, I've also heard some great things for Kyle's sister, Beth, who just switched to a new job!!  Good things are going on work wise for her husband, Mark as well.  And now that I really think about it the same goes for my cousin, Chris.  Golly, and if I keep thinking of people doing well with new jobs or their current ones, Claire just moved up to northern Minnesota for a new job, too! Ahhh and then there is our friend Emily Brake...good things good things. Okay okay I'll stop.  Either way....people in my life are doing pretty darn well in the working world :)

Here are some other great things (in bullet point form) that have been going on as of late for Kyle and I:

• Kyle and I visited the Gallmore's (Lindsay's fam) in Katy, TX for Easter.  They are THE SWEETEST family ever and I am so thankful the let us be a part of their family for the Holiday.  It was a wonderful time.  Lot's of confetti egg craziness!!!  

  

  Easter Fun!

  
    
• We both completed the Cap10K in Austin!  Kyle kicked butt and let's just say I meandered right on over that finish line!  This race was incredible...about 5 bands performing along the route, a giant trampoline in someone's front yard for a "running break", a beer station (duh), a good friend handing out water with coconuts and a hula skirt (duh)...and the list keeps going!!
• Becky and I are doing weight watchers together and by golly we are actually doing it!! WOOT!
• We checked out the bluebonnet festival.  Mind you, we never actually saw legit bluebonnets at the festival...weird.  However, in honer of Mark, Kyle and I made sure to stay for a couple of the weiner dog races.  Yep...that's a thing out here.  Once again, altogether very weird. 
• My good friends Kate and Tyler adopted a baby girl, Olivia Joan!!! She is soooo beautiful in all the pictures I have seen, and I hope I get to meet her sometime in the near future!!  Congrats to you both! 
• Our other good friends, Carolyn and Jack are going to have a baby later this year!! WOOHOO!!  YAY babies!  I am sooo happy for them!
• AND I'M NOT DONE WITH THE BABY THEME YET!!  Our other close friends, Maggie and Nate are going to have a  baby too!!! YAY!!! 
• WAIT I'M STILL NOT DONE.... I don't believe I mentioned in my last blog about my new neice, Anna.  Becky and John had a baby girl, Anna, in mid-february.  I am so exctied to meet her this summer and give her a big ol' hug and kiss!!!
• Moving on from babies....Beth and Mark have booked a trip out to visit Kyle and I this summer!  I'm so excited, but I'm pretty sure with all the planning Kyle has already done for their visit his excitement completely exceeds mine!!  Needless to say...we are counting the days down. 
• A couple days ago...I discovered that Theresa and Brigid are also planning on visiting just a couple of days before Beth and Mark's visit!  Ahhhhh I cannot wait to show those two Austin.  Theresa and I have been talking about this visit ever since I moved here, so this is a pretty big deal to me :) 
• I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to everyone you had birthday's in between my posts!  Some of you are: Pat Burnside, Beth Peluse, Tracy Amoroso, Becky Nachman, Greg Johnston, Brigid Kissane, Becky Ryan...oh goodness I believe I am not mentioning a lot of people....if you had a birthday in the last 2 months....HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

I'm sure I am missing some wonderful things that happened in the last couple of months.  Hopefully, Kyle will fill in the missing pieces with one of his upcoming posts* :) 

Before I end this particular post I did want to take a minute to address the ridiculous week that has just occurred.  My thoughts and prayers are with all in Boston and those connected in any way shape or form to that particular tragedy.  Boston Strong!   My thoughts and prayers also go out to those in West, Texas and once again anyone connected to this tragedy.  I'm so grateful Kyle and I live far enough that we experience no impact from this at all.  My thoughts and prayers go out to those in the Chicago area and all those affected by the flooding.  Some of our loved ones lost precious possessions and I am so sorry and wish I could turn back time for you.  But in the end I am so happy everyone I know is safe and out of harm's way!  Sorry, to make this a little more somber but I really felt like these were important events to acknowledge. 

*I'm sure there are so many fantastic things that have happened to people in my life these past 2 months that I am not mentioning....If I missed something, please feel free to comment and mention it so that we can take the time to celebrate you!



Weiner Dog Pep Talk..Duh.

I apologize for this posting being so disorganized and off the wall, but there are so many thoughts swirling around in my head.  I hope to actually collect my thoughts and organize them next time.  But for today let's just enjoy the madness :)  Hope everyone had a splendid Earth Day and I hope you all have a wonderful week!!! 

xx
Madeline

P.S.
Recipe of the week  (I, personally, omitted the black olives)......

Greek Salad

2 tbs. extra virigin olive oil
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
salt and black pepper
1 c. grape tomatoes (quatered)
1/2 c. sliced unpeels cucumber (1/2 small)
1/2 c. sliced green bell pepper (1/2 medium)
6 pitted large black olives (about 1 oz)
1/4 feta cheese

Whisk in a small bowl the olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice.  Mix in the oregano and season with salt and black pepper. In a separate bowl combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and olive oils.  Pour the olive oil/vinegar dressing over the veggies and toss well.  Add the feta cheese and ENJOY!!!  This can be eaten alone as a salad, or with romaine lettuce OR in a wrap.  Yummmm! 

- I got this recipe from my Pink Ribbon Diet recipe book.  Super Healthy!