A Glance in the Rearview Mirror: February 2012

Happy Leap Day! What a month this has been! The weather in Tennessee has been treating me so well. It’s February, people, and we’ve had quite a few days with full sun and a high of 70. Love. It. Probably the most exciting piece of news from the Laurel of Leaves homefront is just that – a new home! The hubster and I signed a lease on a great house to the west of the city with a massive yard perfect for gardening. We’ve been making a list, drawing out plans, and dreaming about all that we’ll grow. Building a worm compost bin is also on the to-do list. Right now, we’re focused on that final bit of unpacking and decorating. But don’t worry, it’s a far cry from the first week we moved in:

Crazy, right? But did you notice my cool new belt? I’m sure that’s (not) the first thing you noticed amidst all the boxes that threw up in my kitchen. I just felt the need to show it off. You might notice the name on the back. And the fact that my husband is named Drew. And the fact that said belt appears to be used and worn. Perhaps you’ll make the connection that this piece of my wardrobe is approximately 22 years old and was worn by a much smaller version of my husband ;)

Certified to Teach BarreAmped

Probably the other most exciting accomplishment for this past month is my certification to teach BarreAmped! The amazing Suzanne Bowen (whose website was just redesigned by the older version of the owner of that belt) created this ultra results-oriented method to lengthen and elongate your muscles, strengthen your core, and tone your entire body. The class pulls from modern and classical dance (we use a ballet barre, but it’s not a dance class), yoga, Pilates, and deep stretching. It’s a kick-butt workout that leaves you feeling incredibly refreshed after class. And you WILL see change in your body.

If you’re in Nashville, come take a class with me! Or check out the BarreAmped website to find a studio that offers the class in your city.

I was also pretty geeked to assist Suzanne at the recent Blissdom blogging conference in Nashville as she led the Friday morning fitness track! Such a fun experience to join hundreds of other bloggers to learn and get inspired.

New Recipes & Meal Planning

Meal planning consistently over the past couple months has been awesome. I absolutely love walking into the kitchen having already planned out meal options and knowing all the ingredients are available in the fridge or pantry. It’s so helpful when I want to try out new recipes! Some new creations from this past month:

• Stuffed Eggplant with Quinoa & Burdock
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts (my new obsession!)
• Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage & Browned Butter
• Winter Chop Salad with Apple, Pear, & Pomegranate
• Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa
• Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Who said healthy food wasn’t droolingly delicious? (Did I just make up that word? Most likely I did.)

Look forward to some Sweet Potato & Goat Cheese Flatbread in the coming weeks:

Books & An Update on Goals

Ok, I’ll admit it. I’ve not done great with following through on my goals. No guest posts on Laurel of Leaves and none elsewhere by me. And I’m only halfway through my book for the month. But I have to tell you — it’s changing my life. I can’t recommend Folks, This Ain’t Normal highly enough! You might have seen some of the quotes that I’ve pulled from the book if you follow me on Twitter. Get it. Get it now. It’s worth it.

Looking Ahead to March

This month I’m planning to start a fun Recipe Club with some foodie friends where everyone brings a dish to a once-a-month dinner (maybe themed? Suggestions are welcome!) The only rule is that the dish MUST be a recipe you’ve never made before. We might end up with some disasters, but they make for good laughs and good stories later.

I also thought it would be fun to participate in The Purple Carrot’s March Foodie Photo-a-Day. Following the schedule, tweet out your pictures using #marchfoodphotos. I’m excited to see the images everyone captures!

How did February treat you? What are you excited about in March?