I needed more stuff on my TiVo to watch during the time I don’t really have, and here it comes…I am so there. Even if it feels a little disconcerting that my beloved old shows are now referred to as “retro programming”, I can be cool with that.

P.S. Hope my fav old show Doug is included in the lineup! Are you listening, TeenNick?

Some things to look forward to as December arrives:

12 Days of Cookies from The Food Network! I love the recipes, and each one is emailed daily. Of course, there are plenty of extra options on the website too, but there’s something special about the daily cookie selection <3

25 Days of Christmas on ABC! Gotta love all those movies & cartoon classics. Our newest tradition is saving up a selection to watch on Christmas Eve after dinner and before opening gifts with my family : – )

As tempting as it is to absolutely throw all common sense, health, and nutrition out the window during this time of year, it is still important to make good choices to balance out the less-good ones : – ) It isn’t fair to deprive yourself of all the goodies that come once a year, but make time for some exercise and healthy meals in between the parties and splurges. Here are a few tips to help make that balance happen.

P.S. Here’s another casserole I want to try making for the holidays! Looks yummy and reminds me of the amazing dish my Granny used to make. Disclaimer: while what I said before about making healthy decisions is true, this recipe doesn’t quite meet that criteria due to its butter content, so file this one under splurges ; – )

Love it. Courtesy of the New York Times : – )

watching: The Marriage Ref, American Idol (yeah, yeah…I resisted for years but got hooked!), music videos (my constant love), The Office, Tosh.0, and a stream of Netflix.

listening to: Cage the Elephant, Solid Gold, Phoenix, Flaming Lips, Pixies, LaRoux, MuteMath, and Pandora radio!

wearing: big earrings, Old Navy Sweetheart jeans, headbands, Burt’s Bees anything & everything, Ulta lipgloss, Aveeno Positively Radiant moisturizer, boots, Lemongrass Cardamom stress relief lotion, and pearls.

pining after: this adorable gold-dipped mint leaf necklace and recycled sea glass jewelry, both on Etsy, as well as a pair of red Toms Classics!

pursuing/enjoying: running, Pilates/Yoga, power walks, stability ball stretches, hot tea just after waking, making endless notes and to-do lists, keeping a notepad by the bed for “remember this” purges before sleep, homemade popcorn, and planning a garden with red flowers to jazz up our greenspace at home as soon as the weather permits. Whee!

…self-indulgent compilation, perhaps. But I imagine that one day I’ll look back on my current favs and passions, and compare them to whatever I happen to be interested in then. It will be a nice peek into my past, and…this is my blog! wink*wink

I first found them on one of my fav MTV projects ever, You Rock the Deuce, and then last night on Subterranean, where I learned how to find & download this song – finally! iTunes, you disappoint. You should have all of their music! Tsk tsk.

So here’s the video & the song I can’t get out of my head. Enjoy!

Solid Gold-Matter of Time

Oh, and did I mention I am officially at the start of my Spring Break? Yes, glory & hallelujah!!!

We stopped by the grocery store on the way home last night, and I washed up our new gadget while Jerry prepped ingredients for our first PC (pressure cooker) meal – risotto. Yummy. It was super easy – basically just tossing things into a pot with a little liquid, sealing the lid, and letting it work its magic. We blended 2 recipes – one detailed, one not so much – and were a bit creative with what veggies we had on hand. In only 7 minutes time, dinner was ready. In the end, our risotto was a little closer to soup consistency, so we learned about liquid portions, but for a first try, it was delicious! We both had seconds, and even that short time later, it was already thickening up into something even yummier. WIN!

While we dined, we watched Julie & Julia – great movie! Perfect sidekick to our own kitchen adventure, and a very good story to get lost in, too. This was kind of like Julia Child 101 for me – I knew the name, but my knowledge pretty much ended there. Now, I am amazed and touched! Such a unique persona. I even have a favorite new YouTube clip, hehe. So, if you haven’t seen the movie, you should. And if you’ve never used a PC, you should consider it. Apparently you can make anything from chicken to cheesecake in it, and I am sure I will be documenting more of our attempts as we go.

Bon Appetit!

Hope 2010 is off to a good start for everyone!