Catching Up

Another Monday morning! It's been a busy week around here again, filled with the usual late work nights, a few celebrations and a chore-filled Sunday. We should probably catch up, huh?

I always say the weekend begins on Thursday night, and last week was no different. Except this time it was a work party.

My company celebrated its 10th Anniversary with a big bash in the city, attended by friends, family, clients and colleagues. It was a great night, but a late night for me - I didn't get home until nearly midnight, and my alarm still rang at 5:30 the next morning. Oy. I was pretty exhausted by Friday night, so Matt and I spent a cozy night at home with the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp, pasta and The Hunger Games (finally watched it, and I thought it was okay, but not nearly as good as the book - isn't that the way it always goes?).

For dinner I made organic noodles tossed with sauteed shrimp, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, red peppers, and garden tomatoes and basil. Delish.

***

Saturday started with chores, including some housework and grocery shopping. I always love spending a Saturday morning making a meals and grocery list for the week. 

Around 3:00 we headed over to my good friend Nicole's [new!] house for her surprise 30th birthday party, which was thrown by her fiance Joe. A lot of our college friends were there, some of whom I don't get to see very often, so we had a great time catching up. 

And I think Nicole was actually really surprised to come home and find us all hiding in her house. ;-) 

The food served was from a local New Orleans-style restaurant and was quite tasty (lobster mac & cheese, and field green salad with strawberries and almonds were my faves), but that cake up there was the clear winner of the night. So, so good!

Happy birthday Nicole!

***

Yesterday was the mother of all chore days at our house. The list never seems to really get completed, but 7 hours of yard work, a billion loads of laundry and food made for the week is productive enough in my book. It's sometimes tough getting things done with Riker running around (he is literally a man on the move these days, getting into everything), but I figured out a new trick yesterday.

Kiwi! I plunked him in his high chair with a big mess of finely chopped kiwi to play with/eat, and it kept him happily occupied for a solid half hour while I worked in the kitchen. ;-)

Around noon I stopped just long enough in between my to-dos to scarf down a fresh tomato and basil sandwich for lunch. I had made a batch of pesto for later in the week, and spread a little on one side of the bread. Yum!

I can't believe I'm still harvesting tomatoes like that from the garden out back. Every time I think they're done growing, a few more pop up. I'll take it!

In other tomato news, the chilly weather yesterday got me in the mood for something comforting and home cooked, and that would make the whole house smell amazing. What could fit the bill better than lasagna?

I spent a half hour prepping a big mushroom lasagna for dinner, which was well worth the effort. Such a treat after a long day of house work. I make mine with fat free ricotta and part skim mozzarella, and chock it full with soy crumbles, mushrooms and onions. It was delicious and so satisfying.

Now I'm getting ready to start the work week again - and with that, I hear Riker stirring upstairs. Gotta go! :)