Thanks for all your sweet comments on my last post!! God has really laid it on my heart to help girls develop healthy body image. I know one of the ways I overcame my struggles was by the help of my wonderful boyfriend/fiancé/husband (we’re coming up on 7 years together, so he’s been around for A LOT) and my amazing family! And speaking of family…

I had an excellent weekend at home with the Normally Family while David owned the slopes in NY. There was another baby shower…

…and precious puppies!

…and green monsters galore!

(this would be Momma Normally modeling my favorite green monster. Isn’t she lovely? ..my mom, not the drink)

And now it’s back to reality…and a new month which means I’m turning a NEW LEAF.

I always thought that I was a relatively lazy person, but the past few months I have realized that that is NOT true. I tend to bite off more than I can chew and end up exhausted (thus the lazy feeling).  But regardless of all that I do in one week’s time (work, run, blog and read blogs, teach latin, take greek, be a wife) I end up feeling like I haven’t accomplished anything.

So, time for some changes! Abby is about to have a new normal! I like changes and spontaneity, so I am not forcing myself into a new “routine”, because I promise you it won’t last and I will be miserable. But here’s how it’s going to be.

There will be one night every week that I am technology free. This scares me, but I’m promising myself and my husband that one night of the week will be devoted entirely to him and our life together. It’s not that he complains about the laptop sleeping with us me spending a lot of time on my laptop, in fact he is perfectly content to play video games and watch hockey. We’re both low maintenance, but I don’t want to co-exist.

This also means more morning workouts to free up my evenings. Uh oh.

I want my new normal to include more homecooked food. One simply cannot live off of Greek yogurt, clif bars, and bagged romaine lettuce. And after finally watching Julie and Julia this weekend, I’m feeling very convicted! And that movie actually made cooking look fun. Imagine that?

I don’t really like to cook. It’s not that I’m a bad cook, I just find it a waste of time. You spend so much time preparing the food, in 15 minutes it’s gone, and then there’s a ton of clean-up left. Having such a sensitive stomach also makes cooking more difficult, so why mess with it. I can throw some veggies together and buy a loaf of bread and voila! A wonderful meal!

My mom passed along her cooking habits to me. We frequently joke that the only thing we like to make for dinner are reservations. Well, I had the good fortune to marry someone who’s mom lived and breathed 1950′s cookbooks, and so he was really making a big sacrifice marrying the girl who thought a successful meal was box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (that didn’t catch the kitchen on fire–yes, that happened before). 

I like to bake, but that’s because if given the choice between a cookie or a casserole, I’d obviously choose the better of the two (cookie). I like to eat baked goods, it’s no lie. I don’t buy junk when I’m at the store because I don’t want it sitting around–so I just bake it instead. Figure out that logic.

Here are the rules:
1) Vegetarian or, if meat, only white and as a “side” so we’re eating the same thing.
2) Preferably not tofu because we’re both freaked out by it. If it’s a secret ingredient, we’re ok with it, but please, no one suggest hunks of marinated tofu as a main course.
3) Not greasy. I have never been able to handle greasy foods. It’s like it lubes up my colon and the food passes through totally wasted (TMI?). Since Dave has been eating a much cleaner diet, he now notices how heavy, greasy foods make him feel.
4) Can be easily frozen or stored for lunches and/or later meals. I want to cook more, not be the next Rachel Ray, ok? Also, the cooking will be done primarily on weekends, because I’m just too busy during the week.

So, dear Normally readers, I’m begging you to send recipe suggestions my way. I’m willing to try just about anything!!! I know most of you are significantly better at the “cooking” thing than I am, so please, help a sister out! I promise to give your recipe some publicity on the blog (not that that would mean much and sorry in advance for messing it up).

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