It’s been a little while since I did a catch-up post, a la my old Scenes from a weekend posts. So let’s wrap January up with a big, shiny, red bow, shall we?
This month I did an amazing online course on using Pinterest for blogging, through the Blog Clarity website. It was so helpful. I’ve used Pinterest for quite a while, but sort of sporadically and just to keep track of stuff I want to read and refer back to later. I learned so much not only about how to use Pinterest for the blog, but also cool ideas for using Pinterest that I’d never thought of – for instance, one of the course participants mentioned she uses a secret board and pins the recipes she’s making that week, so she has them all in one place. Then, if they work out great, you can move them to a board of awesome recipes – once you already know they’re successful.
Visit Fine Fit Day – Carly Pizzani’s profile on Pinterest.
If you didn’t catch my third trimester update, the big news is that this pregnancy is flying by for me. Seriously – where did the time go? I have been doing SO much organizing and cooking and planning and rearranging this month and I put it all down to some weird nesting compunction. Nesting is REAL, you guys!
With all the cold weather this month, Roman and I have had some indoor adventures:
But we try to get out and about as much as possible (he has so much energy, I need to run him around if I want the chance of a good nap time in the afternoon!):
Part of my nesting impulses lately have meant that I have been meal planning for each week and doing a LOT of cooking. Here are a few new things I’ve tried that were particularly delicious:
Clockwise from top left: Potato Leek Soup – I followed this recipe, but skipped the lemon. It was delicious. Flemish Beef Stew – I used this recipe, but despite the dire warning to use brown beer, not stout, I totally used Guinness. And it was still excellent. Broccoli Soup – I finally checked out this recipe I think I pinned about a year ago. It’s the kind of recipe I love with an ingredient list like, “Lots of broccoli florets; cauliflower if you like.” I also added about half a cup of heavy cream. We had enough for four of us, plus leftovers for freezing. Turkey Lasagna – which I use my own made-up recipe for…I probably should write it up one of these days! (It has a couple of secret ingredients in it).
Our “blizzard of the century” dire warnings for NYC came to next to nothing – we didn’t get pummeled as much as elsewhere, with only about 10 inches. I actually love the snow and probably always will, since a blizzard was something I always wanted to experience growing up in Australia when our “cold winter” was rarely below freezing temperatures. So, Roman and I headed out for a lot of snowy adventures that week:
January saw the return of Fit Mama Friday! Woo Hoo! It had been a little while since this had been an actual weekly feature on the blog, but this month I featured three awesome fit mamas. In case you missed them, check out Nikki, Angie and Marcia, all featured in January.
I got tagged on Instagram by the lovely Jenelle (who has also been featured on Fit Mama Friday!) to list my 5 dream races. Number one is, of course, the Paris Marathon! Because the photo below is how I would refuel. Cheese = protein, check! Bread = carbohydrates, check! Wine = hydration…or antioxidants…or just wine, check! The other races I listed were the Rome Marathon, anything in Hawaii (just so I could go to Hawaii), the City to Surf in Sydney, Australia (which I’ve actually run before, but loved and would run again in a heartbeat) and last but not least, the Boston Marathon, because it would mean I was one speedy mother. 😉
As far as working out went, I got lots of activity in during the month. I’ve actually been sick the last week or so – just a head cold – so I haven’t been doing much. A little yoga, a lot of stretching. I’m feeling 100% again now and itching to go out for a run.
In case you missed it, I reviewed the Gigabody online workouts and offered a reader the chance for a free month subscription to their service in a giveaway. The lucky winner is Calli – I will email you this week with your special code and instructions! 🙂
For book club this month we read The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell. It was AMAZING. I actually posted on Facebook that I might be ready to call it as the best book I’ll read this year. That was also how I felt after I read his book Cloud Atlas, so clearly I need to go and read everything he’s ever written now.
A few posts you may have missed this month:
Running Tips: When to Choose the Treadmill
10 Things you DON’T Want to Say to a Runner
Taking Action Leads to Opportunity
I also had two articles published on RunHaven, so please check them out, too!
The 10 Things You Should Do After Your First Race
5 Tips For Owning Your Running Goals
Finally, January is a very special birthday month in our household! A certain special little someone turned three (OMG how did that happen??). I knew I wanted to get a little play kitchen for him – anytime we go to someone’s house who has one, I can’t tear him away. I spent weeks researching them to find one that would fit in our small apartment, one that hopefully wasn’t pink, with good reviews, etc etc. Finally I picked one and had it delivered. I stayed up to put it together the night before his birthday, so it would be ready and waiting for him when he got up in the morning.
He woke up, we heard little thumping feet out to the living room, long pause and then…. “MAMA!!!!! Daddy got me a kitchen for my birthday!!!” Good work, Daddy.
He had such a great birthday. Grandma made the trip to come visit and we had a little party for him with some of his small buddies. We decorated with a ton of balloons, put out a little spread of nibbly food and let the little ones play to their heart’s content. There weren’t any arguments over toys of course…oh wait, who am I kidding, Roman was a total tyrant about the use of his kitchen and Fran and I took turns explaining the concept of sharing for the umpteenth time. 😉
And just like that, the first month of the year is done and I’m that much closer to meeting my new little one.
Anything special happen in January for you?
Do you love the snow?
What’s the best book you’ve read lately?
What a month!! I grabbed The Bone Clocks from the library and didn’t get to it but I’m thinking I should give it another go, huh?
Ruthie@She’sWickedHealthy recently posted…Weekly Progress Report Plus “To Thine Own Self Be True”
Go back and get it out again and just start reading!! You will LOVE it!!
The Pinterest course sounds really interesting! I use Pinterest mainly for myself but would like to start using it for my blog as well. Always so much to learn! I love the play kitchen you got Roman. I had one as a kid (they were not as cool as they are today!) and it is one of the few toys I actually remember. My sister in law is running London this April and I’m so excited for her. I would love to run any international marathon! I love snow but I don’t like traveling in it. I always worry about my family if they have to go to work, and I worry about my dad shoveling because he’s got a bad back. Other than that, I love having all four seasons . We got about 24″ here in CT and we are getting another 8-12″ as I write this. That’s a little much for me!
Emilie recently posted…2015 Goals: January Check-In
CT really got pummeled this week! It was super icy here today, I actually cancelled clients because I didn’t want to risk falling. That Pinterest course was so worth it – especially for a blogger, because it will help so much with traffic and exposure for your posts. You should check out the Blog Clarity website in the meantime, because it’s just an awesome blogging resource as well. 🙂
Nesting has definitely just taken full force for me too. I am all about being productive now! It’s awesome to see that that translates to cooking for you. I’m definitely making cooking/healthy eating a priority and pretty soon, I want prep a bunch of freezer meals & stock up on essentials before baby comes!
Melissa @ Freeing Imperfections recently posted…Currently // February 2015
Ooh, you need to check out New Leaf Wellness for freezer meals! I think it’s newleafwellness.biz – Kelly McNellis is the blogger behind it. She is the queen of stocking the freezer for busy mamas. I’ve used a bunch of her recipes for the crockpot, they’re great. Nesting is awesome – I only wish it lasted!! 😉
I saw your picture of the kitchen – love it!! I wanted to get the boys one when they were little and somehow we never did.
Glad your mom was able to come for a visit!!
Kim recently posted…American Sniper
The kitchen is so cute. Today I found my empty coffee cup on the stove – Roman told me he was reheating it for me. 🙂 It’s Fran’s mom who visited – she lives in VT. My parents are actually planning to come out in May for a long visit, once this new little one has arrived! 🙂
Happy birthday Roman! He is such a little cutie! I love that little kitchen.
I just finished reading Little Big Lies by Liane Moriarity and I really loved it (it’s set in Sydney!). I liked it so much I also downloaded Three Wishes by her. I really need a new book to read so I might give your recommendation a try!
I’ve heard really good things about Liane Moriaty – I have to read something of hers soon!
I didn’t take the Pinning Perfect course but I took Anna Luther’s Pinterest course in person at BlogU last year and she rocks. She knows her stuff!
I love broccoli soup. Mmm… now I need to see about getting some tonight, thanks to you!
Tamara recently posted…The Long and Winding Road.
She was SO helpful! The broccoli soup was ridiculously good. 🙂
Whew – that is a lot for a pregnant mama. Let’s see – I’m now salivating over that lasagna, I was already following you on Pinterest and I also took that course. It was really eye opening and I decided that I just can’t dedicate that much time, but I am happy I understand the concept of the site and how to post better. It was definitely worth it!
And I love that kitchen!! The boys want one so badly for their birthday and my brother is actually building them one. I think he’s trying to make it a little more manly 🙂 Happy Birthday to Roman and happy days to you my friend.
PS – I just downloaded a preview of The Bone Clocks for my Nook. 🙂
Allie recently posted…The Rundown: Snowstorms, Sickness and Snowboarding!
I’m pretty sure by now if you read the preview of The Bone Clocks that you’ve now bought it, so enjoy!! I definitely am not spending as much time on Pinterest as I could, but it did help me correct mistakes I was making, for sure.
The nesting stage of pregnancy was one of my favorites! I love feeling so accomplished. The Bone Clocks didn’t get picked as one of our book club books (you recommended it over on my blog) but I haven’t given up on it. I really want to read it and I’m bringing it back during our next selection night. Your little guy is adorable! It’s great that he has so much fun in the kitchen. In no time he’ll whip up some real food for you in the kitchen, I’m sure.
Angie @ A Mother’s Pace recently posted…100 Miles in January!
Oh Angie, a woman can dream! I’d LOVE it if Roman became a little at-home chef!! 🙂
Great post – it sounds like you’ve been busy! I have read Cloud Atlas, but not the Bone Clocks. Thanks for sharing.
Liz recently posted…Why Cook with Cast Iron
Bone Clocks was *amazing*!! You’ll love it. 🙂