Happy Sunday! I had a really great weekend. How about you? Here are some of the highlights from our corner of the world.
#5: Running!
I absolutely adore spring. This weekend had especially nice weather and I have been logging in the miles on my shoes. Did you know that you should dress for 20°F warmer than it is outside when you’re going for a run? This rule was well met on Saturday when it was 80°F out and I could pull on my cute new running shorts.
Ever since quarantine last year, running has become one of my more regular hobbies. Before then, I was more of a begrudging runner, often dwelling on whether I should run that last mile or just walk home. Now that I implement high intensity intervals into running (30 seconds run, 30 seconds walk), I can run for a much longer time. HIIT significantly improves endurance.
I’m suspicious it has spread to the twins, too, who regularly go out for runs in nice weather and use their own HIIT timers. Jim has finally pulled out his sneakers and met up with me for a run on Saturday! It never fails to make my heart flutter to see him running towards me!
So far this year I have run and/or walked 111 miles! Now that it’s really warming up, I hope to make that 300 miles before the summer ends! Do you have any workout goals this year?
#4: Big Macs & Burgundy
Jim and I went to pick up my glazed rainbow plate from Lauren’s birthday pottery painting pottery, and it was so nice outside that I just felt like being out for a bit longer. My husband is much more planned, and I knew when I asked him if he’d want to go to Barnes & Noble since we were already out, his preference would be not to, but he indulged me anyway.
I am almost finished with the Silk & Song series and am ready for a new book. Just this week, Malcolm Gladwell’s newest book, The Bomber Mafia, was released, so I decided to pick it up. Of course, books in bookstore are like Pringles and once you pop you can’t stop, so I also got two other books as collateral.
One was a bartender guide which you may have noticed has had quite an influence on my recent posts, and the other was this hilarious little book on pairing wine with real world food called Big Macs & Burgundy by Vanessa Price. She has a great knack for humorous and informative writing, and she supplied all of her research and charts into this charming book where she pairs wine with the entire Taco Bell menu, movie theater candy, hot dogs, and every dipping sauce for McDonald’s chicken McNuggets.
She has pairings for more fancy, “refined” foods, too, but it is refreshing to know that wine can be enjoyed beyond the snobby realm it is notorious for. My first one to try from her books is Sancerre and Cheetos.
#3: Mucci's Italian
My favorite restaurant FINALLY reopened for dine-in after over a year of COVID beginning. It is a fantastic little hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant with a Golden Fork award and a never disappointing rotating menu.
The last time I was there, in fact, was February 2020, when Jim and I met up with my childhood best friend, Kaylee, for dinner because she was in town for a business trip. Little did I know that Kaylee, Jim, my mom, and my bridal crew Morgan and Lauren were all in on a secret singing telegram delivery who A) looked just like Vince Vaughn in a top hat and bow tie and B) would serenade/announce the destination for my bachelorette party to the tune of I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane in front of my tiramisu and 45 other people.
It was a pretty mortifying experience, one I have reminded all parties involved that I will not forget when any of their celebratory moments come. I was also fairly certain Mucci’s would never allow me back in because A) Vince’s voice filled/disturbed the entirety of the restaurant (which is about 10 sqft including the kitchen) and B) the owner stood at the bar cleaning the same wine glass for the 5-minute duration of the song with a harrowing glare that laser beamed right into my soul.
In fact, I’m pretty sure he remembered me when Jim and I walked in for our reservation yesterday for our date night, but COVID has been so hard on small businesses, I’m pretty sure all has been forgiven.
Anyway, we feasted!!! We ordered hangover kale, sweet pea agnolotti, a fried chicken pizza, and (what I thought was) a fantastic rosemary olive oil cake with grapefruit curd and Italian buttercream. (I will be attempting to recreate this soon, probably with orange curd.)
#2: Playing Music with Jim
We went back to where it all started yesterday for our monthly date night: the piano room at Jim’s parent’s house. My husband and I met at work in July 2016, volunteered (with Jim’s twin, Joe) to create a holiday trivia game for a work party in December 2017, and began playing music together in January 2018. Jim plays the piano beautifully and I get by on my cello.
Once a month I’d drive my cello to have a classical jam session with Jim in the lovely piano room. The first piece we worked on was Largo from Chopin’s Cello Sonata. We moved on from that to other Romantic era music and our friendship bloomed.
We both love to play music together and reminisce on our origin story. Yesterday was no exception! Romantic classical music holds a special place in our hearts. We came over to Jane and Joe’s house and quickly jumped in to Schubert’s Nacht und Träume. I really love that we can do something together we both enjoy and create something out of it.
#1: Mother's Day Weekend
I cannot express how excited I am for next weekend!!! And I am writing about it now because I’m pretty sure next Sunday will be very busy. My mom and I are having a girls weekend on the lake! I get to dote on her and we get to share some much needed mother-daughter time.
My mom is such a special woman and I love her so much. She deserves massive recognition for being the most kind and generous human being I’ve ever met and been fortunate enough to have been raised by. She is my inspiration, conscience, and life coach.
She is also the perfect lady, hostess, badass boss, traveling companion, brunch buddy, wedding planner, fashionista, and mom. Happy Mothers’ Day to my incredible mom!
My mom has given me an appreciation for what it means to be a nurturer and maternal figure, and I recognize that in all of the important ladies in my life! So I also have to wish my husband’s mother, Jane, the happiest Mothers’ Day as well! Jane has gracefully conquered motherhood in raising four wonderful gentlemen, and I am incredibly blessed to be married to one of her creations. She is also my inspiration!
Happy early Mothers’ Day to all moms out there! You are SO loved.
Such great context!!! Love these stories of life and love! They are invigorating and wake up all my senses. An enjoyable read!
I’m so glad to hear spring has sprung and now you’re both on the the “run”! Keep that heart active, I hear it’s good for the soul! I too had a decent weekend with the warm weather. Got a pedi with my bestie and enjoyed a drink or two at a local watering hole…good times! Discussed the wonderful concoctions you’ve managed to come up with and will have all summer to try them out. So, keep the recipes coming!!!
Looking forward to seeing you’re painted pottery make a cameo appearance on one of your food “shots”..,let’s see who catches a glimpse first!
Jim is an incredibly talented pianist…what beautiful music we enjoyed during Thanksgiving last year; and don’t sell yourself short on the cello! Your were 1st string in the Fox Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra for a few years and we always enjoyed your musical talent !!! ( that’s on the Ordonez side of our family)
I too am looking forward to spending the weekend with my baby girl!!! She’s the best gift God has ever graced me with. I am so thankful for the wonderful, talented, smart beautiful and loving woman you’ve become. I pray for God’s continued graces upon you and Jim and to always keep you both safe from any harm.
God bless.