Category Archives: Around the House

I’m Still Alive!!

Posted by ljb in Around the House and tagged with , , , , ,

Hello hello friends!! Just wanted to let you know I am still alive! And to prove it, here is a picture:

sand turtle

This is how we spent our 4th of July – building a sand turtle named “Neil”.

I promise I haven’t forgotten about you! My life has suddenly become super crazy! I started a new job last week and my sister was in town visiting. The day she left, my in-laws (mother, father, sister and brother) and our two nieces came to visit! So basically, I have been out having fun and haven’t had a ton of time to devot to you :( And for this, I am very sorry. But I promise once things go back to normal, this blog will continue as before!!

Love to you all!

An Anniversary Surprise!

Posted by ljb in Andy, Around the House, Dinner, Vegan Options at Restaurants and tagged with , , , ,

The wedding jar had turned the day before our anniversary and I thought “I wonder what he possibly has planned?” Turns out that Mr. B is quite creative under pressure. He knows that I love to dance. I am by no means good at it at all, but every time we are at an event where there is music involved, I have to beg and plead with him to get out there on the dance floor with me and boogie. Basically, the man doesn’t like to dance. He told me we had somewhere we needed to be by 6:30, but we HAD to get drinks before. He obviously needed to calm his nerves about something.

Andy drinking old fashions When he got home, I asked if I was dressed appropriately for our date and that is when he dropped the surprise: We were going to take salsa dancing lessons! Beyond excited. So excited I was doing my best attempt to salsa dance before we even got out the door! This was really special to me because I have told him quite a bit in the past year that I am sick of buying/getting “stuff”. What is really want is to experience things. So instead of buying me something, he bought me an awesome experience that I will remember forever. We stopped by O’Tooles in New Haven for a quick drink then if was off to get our dance on.

We went to Alisa’s House of Salsa on Chapel St. I walked in with a little bounce in my step and Andy walked in looking a tad bit nervous. We stepped into the studio and poor Andy was the only man. Alisa, our instructor, was beyond amazing! So helpful and took it at a pace that even I could understand. We learned the basic steps, then went on to learn turns and dancing with a partner. Mr. B was the man of the hour! All the girls lined up and took their turn learning to salsa dance with him. He was a pro by the end of the night. What a trooper! She told us to download some salsa music once we got home so we could continue to learn the basics on our own. Um, done son. Andy probably had no idea I would get this into salsa when he signed us up.

Can I just say that I think I have finally found something that actually makes me comfortable with my big hips? I mean, I have rather large hips and we were encouraged to swing those babies and find our rhythm. It was quite freeing actually. And don’t you worry because we each bought 6 more classes :) After an amazing and addicting lesson, he then took me to Red Lentil, a vegetarian and vegan restaurant right downtown. I have been asking for him to go with me for months! So this was especially fun. He ordered the Santa Fe Salad and I got their delicious Shepherd’s Pie.

Santa fe salad at red lentil

red lentil shepherd's pie

If you live in this area you really should try it. Veg head or not.

After our meal, it was time to head home so I could give him his surprise. My friend, Lydia, makes these amazing cakes. Super elaborate and beautiful cakes. Andy always says he doesn’t want/need any gifts. But I know he loves to eat so I decided to give him a delicious treat of anniversary cake. Lydia did such an amazing job coming up with the design. It even fooled Andy into thinking it was a real wine bottle when he first saw it! wine bottle cake bennett vineyards So cute right? Andy loved it and is continuing to snack on it today. We also got quite the gift from our amazing neighbors. Now, those of you who know us know why this gift is appropriate, but in case you don’t. I will fill you in. The day we got married, a hawk flew into a transformer which caused a power outage in half our town. Including our church. Yeah, super inconvenient when you have a large amount of people coming to see you get married and it is 96 degrees outside. So we moved everything to a church that did have power only to find out the power at our church came back on just as that happened. The other piece to this story is that for our first anniversary, we went on a dinner cruise in Newport, RI. It was beautiful and so much fun! Until…..the boat caught fire and the power went out. Yes, this is a true story. But the real tragedy is because of the fire and power outage, they didn’t serve us dessert. So with that being said, our marriage creates lots of sparks. And just as a precaution, our neighbors, Kris and MacKenzie bought us a fire extinguisher. fire

I have a feeling it will come in use someday knowing how I cook. So there you have it. It was a wonderful anniversary with many awesome surprises. So meet me back here next year, when the wedding jar has once again turned! Well, I mean, I hope you come back before then.

Love love,

Jar Watch 2012: Important Announcement!

Posted by ljb in Andy, Around the House and tagged with , , , , ,

Alright Ladies and Gent. I must admit. I was getting a tad nervous here. It is currently June 25th. Our anniversary is June 26th. You do the math.

He is a smart guy and knows how it just makes me squirm to see that he hasn’t turned it yet.

But it happened!

Yes folks. The jar has been turned with hours to spare :) Now I should tell you that this June has been one of the busiest of his life. Yes, even including the year we were married. As a bridge engineer on a huge project, the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge (which is insanely cool and you should check it out), here in New Haven, he has had just a few other things on his mind the past few weeks. So I am grateful that he has taken time to figure out a plan for our anniversary and turned that darned jar. Even if it was only to make me happy.

lauren andy wedding

“We’ve got a lot to learn, but God knows we’re worth it”

Jar Watch 2012: Update 2

Posted by ljb in Around the House, In The News and tagged with , , ,

Are you ready ladies and gentlemen for update #2?? It has been two weeks since the jar did a 180. And now, as I looked at it this morning, I think it moved slightly. It hasn’t been turned, but it has made a slight move to the right signaling that he saw it, thought about it and touched it, only to leave me hanging.

Now as you are reading this, I don’t want you to think that by him turning the jar, it means I am expecting to have the most awesome surprise ever. It simply means to me, that he has taken the time out of his incredibly busy day to think of me. He could write me a love letter and go turn the jar and I would be the happiest woman alive.

Which brings me to my next point. Has anyone else seen this article?

It is actually a sad/hilarious/puzzling story about these two turtles who after 115 years together decided to “call it quits”. I highly recommend you read the article and read the comments as well. They are hysterical. So how did the zookeepers know they had finally had enough of each other? Mrs. Turtle bit Mr. Turtle’s shell. Yep. Straight up bit him. Apparently, the zookeepers tried everything to rekindle their love including “couple’s counseling.” Ha. Hm…I would love to sit in a session of turtle’s couple’s counseling.

Honestly, I think the problem probably stems from something very simple that the zookeepers over looked.

I wonder if he forgot to turn their wedding jar….

andy and lauren

In my heart you’ll always know, there is a place only you can go – needtobreathe

Jar Watch 2012: Update 1

Posted by ljb in Around the House and tagged with , ,

So it has only been 5 days since the official turning of the wedding jar. But I thought I would provide you with an update.

I have no update. It is still sitting in the same position it was 5 days ago, which can mean a few things:

  1. He hasn’t noticed.
  2. He noticed, then forgot.
  3. He has noticed and is still planning something awesome.
  4. He noticed and is just making me wait because he knows it is killing me.

For those of you that know him and know how busy he is, I would think you assume it is option #2. For those of you who only know him through this blog, I think it is safe for you to assume option #4. Why? Because he is the only man who knows how bratty and impatient I can be and I think he actually gets a kick out of watching me squirm. He is also the only man who I think would ever put up with my impatient ways. Bless his big beautiful heart.

wedding photo june 26 2010

“My favorite place is me and you”

More updates to come,

PS. If you sitting here wonder what the H I am talking about, get up to speed on my first post about the wedding jar!

Help! All I Want Is Cheese….

Posted by ljb in Around the House, Random Thoughts and tagged with , , , ,

The title really says it all. Pretty much sums up how I have been feeling for about 2 or 3 days. First, I was craving shrimp. Avoided that disaster and now….NOW…my body says “You know what you would really love…cheese.” I would go as far as to say I would even eat a block of cheese like a candybar. Yep, just peel back the wrapper and gnaw away. Sick right? Don’t judge me please. This is a no judge zone.

Why am I sharing this with you? What possibly could I gain by telling you my weaknesses? The answer is nothing. Absolutely nothing. When I started this blog, it was more or less a way to keep myself accountable. I thought, if I wrote everything in a public forum for anyone to see, then I would have to stick with my new lifestyle. I will tell you one thing, that while it has helped, it is still hard. Flat out brutal at times.

The best advice I received was from the author of Eat Vegan on $4 a Day, Ellen Jaffe Jones. I met her at the 1st Annual Connecticut Vegetarian and Healthy Living Festival back in April. When she signed my book, she asked if I was vegan and I proudly told her that I was a “baby vegan” she just smiled, congratulated me and said “Ya know, it is hard. It is two steps forward one step back. Everyone has their moments.” I was so encouraged by that. As with any diet, it is so incredibly hard to stay true to it 100% of the time. And if this “vegan guru” could admit that she sometimes had her weak moments, then it must be ok. Now, this doesn’t mean that I am actually going to head to the fridge and grab that block of cheese I mentioned earlier. It just means that it is ok for me to crave it. It doesn’t mean I am a bad plant-based dieter. I mean I ate the stuff for 26 years so of course my body is going to want its old friend to visit. But it doesn’t mean I have to let it.

Whatever you weakness is, food-related or not, remember that you are bigger than it. Instead, distract yourself with your hobby. Hence why I am here now! Turn to your friends, faith or family for help if it gets too hard. In my opinion, and maybe this is just stems my Midwest upbringing, but people are inherently good. They want to help and they want to see you succeed. As the old saying goes: Help me help you.

In the meantime, I am going to make myself a Grilled Daiya Cheese sandwich. It should satisfy my cravings for the time being.

Til the next post,

L signature

The Turning of the Wedding Jar

Posted by ljb in Around the House, CSA, Inspiration, Random Thoughts and tagged with , , , , ,

It is June 1. I always love when I can flip my calendar. It is such a clean and welcoming feeling to only have a few events marked down, which currently include:

  • June 9th – My CSA with Stone Garden Farms starts
  • June 26th – Our 2-year anniversary
  • June 28th – My older sister and one of my very bestest friends comes to visit for a week

So since it is our anniversary month something else has happened. Something huge. Something I have never ever done before and it is monumental. It is the first time I have ever turned the wedding jar.

Now before you go to Google “wedding jar” let me give you a little background. When I first received this gift from my parents it also came with a explanation:

“This jar was commissioned by family and friends. It was presented filled with buttons, small gifts, sewing implements, ribbon and lace and on rare occasions, a little money. The couple’s name and date of the wedding were on the front. The decorations on the jar symbolized the union of the couple; the double tulip on the front and the heart of tulips on the back. Eleven months of the year, the jar was displayed with the back facing out. The month of the anniversary, the wife would turn the jar around reminding her husband of the coming anniversary. After he made arrangements for the day, he turned the jar around to let her know he had not forgotten.”

So fun right? We received this as a gift from my parents last year for our 1st anniversary, so this is the first time I have turned it and am (im)patiently waiting to see when it will be turned back around which will mean Mr. B has something awesome planned for us! This jar may seem a little different to you all, but to me it symbolizes so many things:

  1. Obviously, our anniversary.
  2. Charleston, SC – since this is where my mom first found it and ordered it for us and it was our first home.
  3. The knowledge that our parents wish  for our marriage to be successful.
  4. The knowledge that my dad has probably once or twice forgotten about their anniversary and does not wish the same wrath upon Andy.
The Wedding Jar has officially been turned for our anniversary!

So there you have it folks! Jar Watch 2012 has officially begun! I’ll keep you posted with updates.

Jar Watch 2012 Commissioner,

L signature

UPDATE: I had a few people interested in where the wedding jar came from: Jim Phillips at PBJ Originals. He sells most of his pieces at the Charleston City Market but can be reach via his Facebook page or at jimthepotter@hotmail.com

A Nice Little Weekend For This Lady

Posted by ljb in Around the House, Juicing, Organic, Out and About, Vegan-Friendly Restaurants, Weekends and tagged with , , ,

What? It’s Monday already, huh? Well shoot. Here goes another week….

But, before I plunge into whatever great things might be ahead, let’s chat about the weekend. It was a gorgeous one here in Southern CT. Friday, I had a hot date consisting of Whole Foods and grocery shopping. Side note: a big thanks to John for sending my husband home early and telling him a few times to “go spend time with your wife”. You are the best! Anyway, Mr. B had never been to Whole Foods (gasp) so I told him that he was allowed to sit and eat while I gathered up the groceries. He was like a kid in a candy store. Did he want pizza? How about a sandwich? He could get both. And they have beer! Heaven. He opted for pizza, by the way. I left him mid-bite to go off on my grocery shopping adventure.

I have lots of great recipes coming up this week that I am super pumped to tell you about!

Saturday was “the best, day, evvvvv, eerrr” (that was me singing). I got up bright and early, made my greenish smoothie that I posted about and headed off to yoga. This time, I decided to try slow flow, a practice I had never done before. It was such a different experience from Vinyasa yoga, which is quicker and a little more intense I thought. Some of you may be reading this and thinking “I didn’t understand that last sentence.” Fear not! I have a post in the queue to tell you all about yoga and my experiences with it since I am fairly new to the practice. So look forward to that soon. (Hurray!)

Back to my story, so after an awesome yoga session at Fresh Yoga, I headed off down the street to my new favorite little coffee and tea shop in the area, green well Organic Tea and Coffee. A recent addition to the area, it is so close to my yoga studio that it was fate. Amazing teas, great juices and awesome owners who I found out were not only from the Chicago area, but actually lived in the same town and fairly close to me! What are the odds? Fate right? Duh. Oh, and one of the owners had a Cubs hat on. How could I pass up a “Go Cubbies”!? I plan on doing a dedicated post on green well just so I can fully explain how much I am in love with this place. Anyway, I grabbed an apple, ginger and rhubarb juice. Having never experienced rhubarb in juice form, I was a little anxious to be honest. But as assumed, I fell in love.

I was still in the mood to enjoy the day so I walked down to the Wooster Square Farmers’ Market which is part of CitySeed. CitySeed is an organization whose mission is “to engage the community in growing an equitable, local food system that promotes economic development, community development and sustainable agriculture.” Rock on. Being a farmer’s daughter in all sense of the word (or words I guess?), I fully support farmers’ markets and always love to try to buy local. I have a passion and large respect for those that work the land to feed us. And, I love my dad so I am doing my part in supporting his occupation even though I am 900 miles away from the home land.

The cool thing about CitySeed, besides running markets all over the area, is that they are nice to those of us who rarely carry cash. So, I never have cash on me. It worries my husband sometimes. But if I have it, I spend it. I don’t know what it is. I walked down to the market unexpectedly so I didn’t even think about having some readily available. Luckily for me, they have “coins” you can purchase with a credit card. Since most, if not all, vendors at this market don’t accept credit cards, these coins acted as my cash, that the vendors then turn in to CitySeed for their share of sales. Pretty neat idea if you ask me.

I came home with delish whole wheat sourdough bread, rhubard (because I love it now), some homemade pasta sauces and some little vegan baked goods. Successful trip yeah? Um, yes.

Saturday night we spent at the casino with some amazing friends. We lost a total of $16. All my fault. Don’t gamble, Lauren. Just don’t.

Sunday was an amazing day consisting of a morning yoga class, church, outdoor conversations on our neighbors new patio and some yard work. It also involved an amazing grilled “cheese” sandwich made from the fresh sourdough bread I picked up at the market. It. Was. To. Die. For. I had been craving a grilled cheese of sorts for weeks now and I finally got my fix. Hallelujah. And to top it all off, my friend J convinced me to do some mini-hiking up East Rock, right by my house. Now, I use the term “mini” very loosely, because when you haven’t hiked for over a year, mini-hikes seem like climbing Mt. Everest. But it was accomplished and was followed by a nice downhill walk and some great conversation. Good for the soul, I tell ya.

I live for weekends like these. Weeks filled with love and just being content. No big plans, but lots of simple, little ones that together make up a life worth living.

Enjoy your amazing week!