2 years!

This was R and me two years ago today, on our beautiful wedding day.

I am so thankful I found R in this big big world.  What are the chances people from Northern Ireland and California could meet in beautiful Edinburgh, at the right place at the right time?  I thank my lucky stars everyday :)  Here's to two down, and many more to come.

Latest edition to the family!

We also have a new edition to the family!  R's brother and his wife were expecting a baby on 5th May.  The baby had other ideas and decided to stay put for awhile longer, but finally made his appearance on 10th May!

Little AJ, such a sweetie!

I'm almost almost almost finished with the most fiendish blanket ever (169 squares), and will post it once I finally finish it!  We haven't met him yet, but we should be able to go this weekend and finally give him some cuddles.  So excited!

Getting into the groove

It's been a busy old month for me!  We went to LA, got stranded in LA, flew back from LA and are now just about over our jet lag.  Just in time to get stuck into my triathlon training (well, 3 weeks behind, but who's really counting?)

We landed back in the UK on 6th May (in time for R to vote) and I was back in the gym on Friday.  I'm in the middle of a 16 week training plan, and I knew that week 4 would make or break my training.  I swam/ran/cycled a little in LA, but I know I need to get serious this year.  Last year, I skimped on my training and it had a huge effect on my performance.  This year, I want to stick to at least 90% of my plan.  And last week (week 4), I stuck 100%.  Start as you mean to go on!

So today I've got a 58min cycle scheduled (still indoors as I need to get my bike sorted) plus some weights for added strength training.  I ate like a fiend in LA, so have added a few extra lbs (but oh so worth it!).  But now I'm ready to get back into my healthy eating routine, too.  I normally eat pretty healthy, but before we went to LA, I was doing really well eating strictly during the week, with absolute freedom on the weekends.  I'm back into it, and it feels good.  I also need to up my protein intake, but I'm looking for more non-meat ways to do this, including beans and pulses.

Was anyone else affected by the volcanic ash (who is still erupting!)?

More Reminiscing - this time, LA

It's Friday afternoon, and rather than work, I'm having fun doing a photo dump, and getting excited about my upcoming trip to LA!!!  I know we can't really afford to go once (sometimes twice *gulp*) a year, but I would be devestated if we didn't.  So we make do.  Here are some of my favorite pictures from the past few times we've been! (Warning: massive photo overload!)

 

Only 12 more days to go!!!

Back in the day

A few weeks (months?) ago, my mom posted some old pictures up on Flickr.  She had bumped in with the woman who ran the daycare my sisters used to go to, Karen.  It was really sad to hear that her husband Earle had passed away, but I'm so glad she gave these pictures to my mom.  Things have been really tough for my family for the past year or so, and whenever I get really upset about this, it's nice to look at these pictures.

I grew up in the epitomy of an 'unconventional family', but it was one filled with warmth and love, and it's strange to think how much my life has changed since then.  And now that I'm thinking of starting my own family, I'm glad I can look up to my mom and be inspired by her amazingness :)

Me, Mom, Rick, Kaley and Kendall at the pumpkin patch for Halloween

Teeny tiny (brunette!) Kaley with Earle

Giggly girls - Kendall and Kaley

Giggle girls with mom - isn't my mom beautiful???

My fave one of me and my sisters (and a random little boy!)

And here's a picture of me with my sisters from my wedding a couple years ago (they're such posers!)



And while we're reminiscing, might as well have a little laugh at my super cool swimming style 15+ years ago!

Rainbow pancakes

I don't take Valentine's Day very seriously.  In fact, most of my life has been filled with singlehood, so that might have something to do with it.  But I've always thought, 'Hey, if you love someone, why do you need a special day to show affection?'  And for the most part, I still agree with that.  Our first Valentine's Day, R and I got takeaway Chinese (2-4-1 special, ka-ching!) and had cheap Cava.  We've stepped it up a bit recently, though, and have somehow got in the habit of going to Planet India (my fave restaurant in Brighton - veggie Indian).  But in the morning, I decided I wanted to do something special.  Now, R was very impressed and they were yummy, but they didn't quite turn out how I wanted.  In fact, I'm debating whether to show the original inspiration for them.  I'll post mine first and see if I've made up my mind by then...

First, I made the batter.  Then I separated it into 6 bowls.

This is my favourite - it looks like an egg!

The colours were so vibrant, it looked fantastic!  Then I cooked each colour individually and made a stack.  But I forgot, of course, that when you cook pancakes, the outsides brown.  So I was a bit dissappointed with the final ... presentation.  But they were a surprise and R loved them (and they were delicious, of course)!

Okay, I've decided to show the original ones because boy oh boy were they amazing.  And probably (definitely?) photoshopped, so that makes me feel better.

I found them on Oh Dee Doh, one of Apartment Therapy's babies.

So lovely and thick and bright and everything mine weren't but I'm still pretty darn impressed!  I will definitely make them again sometime :)

A Single Man House

Last night, we went to go see A Single Man.  I really enjoyed it, I thought it was lovely, beautiful, painfully sad, but a great movie experience.  But what did I fall in love with?  The most beautiful house in the world.  I've already told R I want to live in this house.  After a bit of hunting, not only did I find beautiful pictures of the most amazing house (see below) but I found out it's for sale!  Amazing!  And of course, it's in Los Angeles!  And only $1.5 million!  Now $1.5 million is obviously about.... $1.5million more than I have.  But!  That's not half bad.... A lot of houses in the South East of England will cost £700,000-£1million, and not be nearly as lovely as this house.

Beautiful beautiful beautiful house

So hopefully the next time I live in LA, I'll be living it large in my very own Beautiful House (that's the official TM name now).