What a great weekend. I was on the go pretty much the whole weekend and it felt nice! Saturday morning I got up, and found time in between the bit of rain we had to get in a quick 30 minute walk before getting ready for twin fest.
I had an oil change scheduled for 10:00 and twin fest was supposed to start at noon. I figured it would take an hour at the most and I had an hour drive to get there. This is the first oil change I’ve had since I bought my car in March, and all maintenance for the car for the next three years is built into my lease payment so I don’t pay anything out of pocket. At the hour mark I politely asked when my car was going to be done, and they guy looked in the back and said “they are just putting it up and starting it now.” WHAT?! I lost my shit people – it may have been because I had a super light breakfast and I walked and I was a tad bit hungry but I told them my appointment was at TEN not ELEVEN, and he said “someone should have told you that on a Saturday you typically have to wait 90 minutes for an oil change.” There was nothing I could do about it, but I texted my twin sister, she contacted our friends and we made lunch at 12:45.
We ended up going to the Ale House in Oak Park. This place has sentimental feelings for me because it was the first date Tony and I had together. The way the sun was coming in the window, I could see him right away and my first thought was “thank God he’s hot!” and he said all he could see was the outside of my body because of the sun, and then he didn’t actually see my face until I was a couple feet away from him and his first thought was “she’s beautiful.” We moved in together a week after our first date!
I had checked out the menu while I was waiting for my oil change. Friday night I got talked into getting a trio of fried food – I didn’t stand up for myself and suggest the hummus which is what I would have gotten. After that though I went to the gym and walked a 5k, in flip flops no less because I forgot my gym shoes were under my desk at work!
So I had decided on the baked goat cheese appetizer with a side of broccolini. Holy balls was this delicious. The perfect bite was a bit of broccolini, the goat cheese and a touch of the marinara on the crostini. My sister got nachos, and I think a gas station could have make better nachos. Next time she’ll just stick with the burger! Our friends got a salad and a wrap, and we all liked our food except for Jenn’s. Which sucks because she doesn’t go out much – rat farts! We did mention it to the server though, so hopefully they will either make it better or take it off the menu completely.
It was fun to catch up as always – I forgot to take a picture of my birthday loot so I’ll post that tomorrow. And that dog? That’s Jacky’s dog from Jax House! I put on instagram that I was at the Ale House and she said we could come over. It was nice catching up with her in person too, although next time we’ll have beers! Check out her recipe for seared ahi tuna at home – this is still on my list to make soon.
After visiting with Jacky, Jenn and I just walked around Oak Park, visited her son at work, then went to Whole Foods. I left the house at 9:45 in the morning and didn’t get home until 5:30 – nice!
Yesterday morning I went to our towns farmers market for the first time this year. I ended up with lots of greens! Romaine, spinach, cilantro, parsley, mushrooms, bread – lots of good stuff. Surprisingly no cheese!
My Mom was coming over and after giving her a bite to eat, we headed to the Cutlery and More outlet sale. Did I make out like a bandit! I spent $107, but it was all spent well – I desperately needed steak knives, a new knife block, a bread knife, boning knife, paring knives, a pepper mill, a silpat and some new oven mitts.
I made out equally as well at the thrift store. Anything marked with a blue tag that was under $9.19 cents was .99 cents – I got 11 pieces for .99 cents each – including a cute Coldwater Creek jacket, a J. Jill shirt and a jockey tank that is so soft and perfect to sleep in.
Mom requested ribs for dinner. My fool proof method? Dry rub and wrap in foil – bake for three hours at 250. Then finish them off on the grill. My coals were so perfect, that after cooking our dinner, I cooked up two kinds of chicken for Jacob for lunches this week, then I grilled up some Greek chicken for my lunches and then I grilled up some Italian sausage for a meal later this week.
Rummy really really wanted one of us to drop some of our ribs! It was nice spending the day with you Momma – next time I’ll see her will be in Virginia in a couple weeks! Cannot wait!
So my Zero Scale that I’ve used for the last several years will not hold a battery charge. I just replaced that batteries two weeks ago, but it was dead as a door nail today. Luckily I snapped a picture of last weeks weigh in on my other scale – I am down 3.2 pounds for the week! I wasn’t expecting to use that picture, but it says 173.8.
I got in all my water, made 10k steps every day but yesterday which was my rest day, and I was mindful of what I ate – even after the fried food fest on Friday night! It is all about balance and I think I handled it well this past week – now to just continue until next week!
So you know I’ve been loving Spotify for music lately. I heard Kelly Clarkson’s new song Invincible – and I’ve literally listened to it a couple dozen times over the weekend. It is just so inspiring!
“Now I am invincible
No, I ain’t a scared little girl no more
Yeah, I am invincible
What was I running for
I was hiding from the world
I was so afraid, I felt so unsure
Now I am invincible
Another perfect storm”
Go ahead and listen to it, and tell me it doesn’t make you want to get up and move!! I plan on being Invincible this week – how about you?! Make it a great day!
I’m FINALLY getting back in the groove and about to go read up on all the blog posts I missed last week while I was a training soooo you’re probably going to get an influx of comments. But ugh those ribs look so good and I had asparagus with my dinner tonight! Sticking to my plant based goal 😉 can’t wait to check in tomorrow morning! BTW: for the ribs, have you ever made them without putting them on the grill? My little nyc apartment doesn’t have a grill and i’m trying to figure out how to get my summer food fix up in this kitchen! xoxo
Hey Ashley! Yep, just bake like I suggested at 250 degrees for three hours – just put the bbq sauce on and then put under the broiler to get it all nice and brown – it will work great!!
I HATE it when places do that! I think doctor’s offices are the worst! Sounds like you had a fabulous weekend. I did laundry! But I did cook some good things, too. Sunday I totally vedged and am still not caught up with all my reading. Balance. I need to get better at that~
Yep, total bullshit that it should take that long – he tried to tell me that it was because they do all sorts of diagnostics on the car and I was like “it’s three fucking months old” how could anything be work with that?!
What a crock of shit on the oil change. There is a place in my hometown that guarantees you will be in and out in 25 minutes or the next one is on them. It’s a basic service, no bells or whistles, but they have several guys doing one change, so it’s SUPER FAST. I puffy heart my dealership and have been a lifelong customer, but their service department SUCKS.
Those nachos look pretty awful. Hopefully they will figure it out. How hard is it to eff up nachos?! And I love that Kelly Clarkson song; she is a badass!
So far I love every song on her new album – she’s got such an amazing voice! Yep, not sure how they could eff up nachos, but they did!
What part of Virginia will you be visiting? If it’s Tidewater (Va. Beach, Chesapeake etc…) let me know, and if you have some spare time maybe we can do dinner and/or drinks. If your checked is chocked full I totally understand.
Sadly I will be in Tappahannock which is about a couple hours from you 🙁 I’d love to meet up with you sometime though and I do go to Virginia Beach every other year 😀
It’s been a while since I’ve been to Tappahannock. The hubby went through there recently on his way home from somewhere….wanted to roam memory lane as he used to family camp there as a kid. Send me a FB inbox message with your dates and I’ll see if we can swing out that way on a weekend if it’s during a time you don’t have plans. If not, I understand and will hope to catch you next year in Va. Beach!
I hadn’t heard that song yet! Amazing. This summer’s anthem, for sure.
Yep – that’s definitely my anthem! 😀
Yay on the weight loss, you continue to motivate and inspire me!!!
Well we are even because you inspire me – with all that you do with FOUR kids – I don’t know if I could handle it like you do!
We never do car maintenance on a weekend. We usually schedule an evening appointment early in the week, go have dinner and the car is waiting when we are done.
Glad you were able to still make it to twinfest!
That’s a good idea Lori – I won’t be doing it on a Saturday again!
Great to see you, so glad you and Jenn stopped over. Next time a longer visit, and yes beers!
Deal Jacky! 😀
It looks like you had a fabulous weekend! Congrats on the loss.
Thanks Rachel!! I am loving our group!!
Great job on the weight loss and having a successful weekend! Looks like you had lots of fun, too. Glad you got to visit with both your sis and your mom. I have tried and tried to like goat cheese…I just can’t seem to acquire a taste for it. I’m off to the park for my first walk. Mid 90’s this week…barf! 🙂
It’s been muggy here and rainy the last couple days, but I can’t complain – it’s not 90s!
Rat farts? Bwahahaha!
Congrats on being down 3 pounds even after fried food fest!
Hahahaha – glad you like my rat farts!! 😀
You have way more patience than me. If my car needed a simple oil change, unless it was locked up and wouldn’t drive, I would have been checking after about 15 minutes – no way I would have sat there for an hour and a half. That is really bad service!
I’m a little jealous of your farmer’s market – ours haven’t started yet!
Ours is pretty tiny – just 10 small tents, the corn was just okay, not sure where it was from because it certainly isn’t ready where I live!
What a great weekend Biz, thanks for sharing all the lovely pictures, makes me feel a little like I was there with you.
And congrats on the loss: keep up the good work you are doing great.
Oh and last: I think it’s stupid that you have an appointment at 10 and still have to wait 90 minutes. Happened to me last time too when I had to change from Winter to Summer tires. I had to wait an hour too while it’s 20 minutes work and I had an appointment too. Don’t like it when that happens, what are appointments for?
Thanks Fran! Yep, that’s what I was thinking – why bother having an appointment at all? Maybe we should start planning our Europe trip for next year?!!
Oh yes please!
They really should have mentioned the long wait for the oil change. That goat cheese looks amazing. I am batting zero on my goal to go to the farmer’s market once a week. I am determined to make it there this week. Awesome job on the weight loss this week! The group is such a huge motivation. I had a great week and I’m determined to keep the momentum going this week too.
I agree – it’s been great having all of you guys not only cheer me on but each other as well – definitely hitting my stride this summer and so happy my bronchitis was short lived!