blog – Page 15 – The Blonde Giraffe

baby, blogging

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Ryan’s grandfather passed away last week. I am thankful we had the chance to see him over Christmas and for him to meet Logan. The image below is one that Ryan says will always stay in his mind as a memory of him.

Ryan finally made it home Saturday evening after a few travel delays. I made enchiladas for dinner, we watched a few episodes of Better Call Saul and were in bed super early. Ryan taught a few tennis lessons Sunday and then met us out at Stoup Brewing. My PEPs mom group decided to plan an outting with husbands and babies for some afternoon beers. It was nice to finally get to meet some of the husbands and always nice to be out in a social setting! I’m thankful for this mom’s group. I joined two mom’s groups once Logan was born. I did one through the hospital when Logan was two weeks old that met for eight weeks. Then I joined a PEPs group when Logan was a little over two months. This group met for 12 weeks and we continue to meet up at someones house every Friday afternoon. The support, information and friendship is more than I expected when I signed up for them. I am thankful for all these ladies and all the cute babies!!

Yesterday, the wind was crazy here in Seattle. It felt like tropical storm style winds. I wore Logan in the Ergo carrier most of the time at the brewery so I could be hands free. I kept him face out most of the time so he could see and take in all the activity. Once he started melting and getting tired, I turned him around towards me so he could nap. There were lot of babies and kids at Stoup. I think we will be back again soon!

food, health

Lemon Garlic Baked Cauliflower

theblondegiraffe

March 11, 2016

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I love veggies in the oven but what I love more is my baked veggies with a little flavor and sauce! My new appetizer or side dish go-to is this Lemon Garlic Baked Cauliflower. It has been my favorite appetizer of the Italian restaurant we used to frequent in Capitol Hill. Now that we live on the other side of town, I decided it was time to recreate. The only difference in what I created and the restaurant version is mine is not quite as saucy. Hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!

Garlic Lemon Baked Cauliflower

by Sarah Johnson

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Keywords: side appetizer

Ingredients (serves 1)

1 head of cauliflower cut into bit size pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
2 gloves garlic minced
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
a dash of salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°.

Cut cauliflower in bite site pieces and then place in a glass roasting dish. Combine with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through for even roasting.

Remove from the oven and add parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

blogging, fashion, fitness fashion

Shades of Grey

theblondegiraffe

March 9, 2016

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I have been feeling a little grey lately.

I thought a new grey workout outfit was only fitting! Nothing motivates me more than a new workout outfit. This sweatshirt feels amazing and you can wear with workout leggings or throw on with some jeans and converses for a slightly less gym look. I normally wear a size small but decided to go with a medium for the slightly oversized look. I may need to buy this is a few other colors. What crop top isn’t motivation enough to get ready for that bikini season creeping up? When I saw this one, I knew if they had my size it was coming home with me. My stomach doesn’t quite look like it did before — my belly button looks like it’s frowning at me but I’m ok with that. My focused exercises on my core for my diastatis recti have helped so much with the improvement of closing that abdominal gap. I am back to doing most of the basic Pilates exercises not modified. I am hoping my frowning belly button might return to its pre baby self in the next year. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t and I’ll still be ok with that too.

Back on tomorrow to share a recipe!

blogging, food, health

Vitamix Cooking

theblondegiraffe

March 2, 2016

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My passion for being in the kitchen has been renewed.

I have been wanting a Vitamix for a long time – for at least two years now. Until now, I have been using my Ninja. The Ninja did what I needed it to do but I was never impressed with it. It wasn’t any better than the cheap blender I had before it. I had a small food processor I was using to make my homemade hummus, dressings and salsas but I rarely made them because I dreaded cleaning it. I felt it was annoying to take it apart and give it a detailed scrub every time to get the food particles out.

Since we will be starting Logan on solids soon, I decided I really really wanted the Vitamix so I can make Logan’s food.

Well…

I got a Vitamix. It’s day three and I am beyond obsessed. Already, I have made multiple smoothies, a kale pesto and I am trying out the soup option tonight. The Vitamix is easy to use and easy to clean. Double win! Put a drop of soap in the Vitamix with water, set on high and it cleans itself. I was impressed with the book of recipes it came with. I am using a lot of the recipes and altering when necessary for my own taste preferences.

A Vitamix is expensive, very expensive. We got ours at Costco. From the research I have done, our model is only carried at Costco. However, you can buy it direct from the Vitamix site here. It’s the 6500 model but was only $499 at Costco. Other similar models are here and here. We bought ours new but Amazon does offer new and refurbished ones. Other blogs and research say that going with a refurbished Vitamix is not a bad thing.

I used the kale and pesto recipe in the Vitamix book but altered it slightly. I also didn’t buy enough fresh basil so I was only able to make one serving. I might have been a little aggressive with two gloves of garlic for one serving. Hours later as I type this, I can taste all that garlic. It was so easy to make and I served over pasta noodles. When I perfect a recipe, I’ll post but today I think I used about cup of fresh basil, 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 gloves of peeled garlic, cup of kale, 1 tablespoon of pine nuts and a dash of salt and pepper. Can’t wait to keep experimenting with my new Vitamix!

blogging, seattle

Seattle: Discovery Park

theblondegiraffe

February 29, 2016

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My parents are gone now. Back to reality for me. It was a much needed break in cooking every night and having to take care of Logan by myself. We had a few really nice days while they were visiting so I took them to Discovery Park one afternoon. You have to take advantage of those nice sunny Seattle days in the winter.

Discovery Park is one of my favorite parks in Seattle with amazing views of the Olympic Mountains and Pudget Sound. The pictures you take never do those snow capped mountains justice. In person, the view is spectacular. You can read more about Discovery Park here. I would recommend it for out of town visitors who want a hike with beautiful Pacific Northwest views but don’t want to venture far out of town. It is Seattle’s largest park at 534 acres and includes a wide variety of terrain. I’m talking secluded forests, open meadows and beaches. The beach area doesn’t get extremely crowded because there isn’t parking nearby. If you don’t want to take the long trek to access the beach, stop in at the visitor center and see if you can score one of the very few parking permits by the beach.

There is also a Native American Cultural Center located in the park. I haven’t had a chance to visit it but the view below is from a lookout right by this destination. If you want to read more about the hikes I recommend my favorite website to use for researching hike here. Thanks to our friend Heather who introduced me to this site when I was eight months pregnant and trying to find the most suitable hikes for me.

blogging, food

Seattle: North Beach

theblondegiraffe

February 23, 2016

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The past week felt like vacation for me. I am caught up on my sleep, haven’t had to cook any of the home cooked meals and finally took some time to explore our new part of town. All because — my parents are in town. In December, we moved to the North Beach area which is slightly north of Ballard. North Beach is mostly a residential area with a few parks like Carkeek Park and Golden Gardens. The views of the Pudget Sound and Olympic Mountains are beautiful and picturesque from most of the neighborhood. There aren’t many restaurants nearby but we spent this weekend checking out the few that are.

Our first find was Larsen’s Danish Bakery. Ryan has seen the bakery on his bus ride home in the evenings and suggested we could go grab a few breakfast items. We dropped in Sunday morning for some breakfast goodies and have already been back once for more sweets. I have a feeling we will become regulars here quickly. Everything we ate was delicious.

Next up was a late lunch at Ray’s Boathouse. We ate at the cafe upstairs and the restaurant atmosphere and views were spectacular. We started off with a clam chowder we all shared. We all left full and happy. I can’t wait to go back in the summer and dine on the deck overlooking the water. Don’t forget to ask about the loyalty program if you plan to frequent the restaurant, The happy hours deals in the cafe will be something we make if back for this summer.

The rest of the weekend we spent at the house. A few neighborhood walks happened when the rain cleared. The hills around us will get your heart rate up for sure and that view will never get old.

We made a quick stop at Golden Gardens on a freezing day. I am excited for some bonfires and beach days here next summer.

We did a quick drive thru at Carkeek Park. It was really cold that day and Logan was asleep in the car so we didn’t spend time there. I’m excited to get back and check out some of the hiking trails here when it warms up.

Logan’s sleeping is sporadic but overall has really improved over the past two weeks.

blogging, fitness, fitness fashion

Seattle Winters & My Patagonia Uniform

theblondegiraffe

February 18, 2016

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I finally feel like I became a true Seattlite when I received my first Patagonia jacket for Christmas. Most of my days are spent wearing this Patagonia jacket along with a pair of leggings, my Nikes and a Lululemon scarf. This has become my mom uniform. If you are looking for an accessory to add to your workout or athleisure wear, this Lululemon scarf is the answer. I love these scarves because they are so versatile and can be worn like 10 different ways. They are also great to use as a blanket when traveling or for breastfeeding in public if you are feeling the need to be discreet.

The grey and rainy Seattle winter days seem never-ending and have me counting down to a Pacific Northwest summer. Thank goodness for coffee and the fact my tastebuds decided to finally like coffee.

blogging, fitness, fitness fashion

Core Focused Workouts

theblondegiraffe

February 10, 2016

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Sometimes, I wonder how the day flies by and it seems like I haven’t accomplished anything. Then I take a minute, reflect on the day and realize I haven’t stopped all day. What did I do with all my time before we had a baby come along?!!

Beyond Yoga Gathered Leggings // Lululemon Bra (similar) // Lululemon Tank // Peak Pilates Fitness Ring

Getting back into a workout routine has been harder than I thought. I try to sneak it in when Logan naps but I will go on record to say Logan is not a fan of naps. Most of his naps last about 30 mins and that doesn’t give me much time. I still haven’t incorporated any cardio or intense strength training back in to my routine. I have diastatis recti so I am really taking my time to make sure I am doing the correct core exercise to help improve the abdominal separation. After a few weeks of really focusing on this, I have seen some improvement. If you find yourself with the abdominal separation, make sure you aren’t doing core exercises that pull those muscles apart.

Now off to put something in the crockpot for dinner tonight. The crockpot has become my best friend in the kitchen since Logan came along.

blogging, fitness fashion

Officially a Licensed Personal Trainer

theblondegiraffe

February 1, 2016

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Zella Leggings

I am happy to report that I am now a licensed personal trainer! Yesterday, I took my test and passed! I received my certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). When I started on my classical Pilates certification journey last Spring, I knew I wanted to expand my fitness knowledge beyond Pilates. I wasn’t really sure how at the time but knew I wanted to learn more about how the body works and reacts during exercise. I did a lot of research and talked to people in the fitness industry before making my decision to get my personal training license through NASM. At the end of the day, the two biggest decisions for choosing NASM was the fact it was really science based and highly respected in the fitness industry.

Under Amour Leggings (similar) // Under Amour Top (similar) // Patagonia Jacket // Nike Free Shoes

We took advantage of the nice weather Saturday and went on a sunset neighborhood walk. Our wild Saturday night ended with a fire and watching TV in Ryan’s man cave.

baby, blogging

Dab On

theblondegiraffe

January 21, 2016

2 Comments

Life has been crazy over the past few weeks. There are still boxes around the house to unpack from the move. We still don’t have much furniture. Even with all that, I couldn’t be happier with our new house. I love our neighborhood. Everyone is friendly and there are always people out walking rain or shine. Rain seriously stops no one here. Neighborhood family walks have become a regular on the weekend. The water and mountain views always make me take a second to stop and reflect on how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place. I grew up in North Carolina and that state will always have a special place in my heart. There is something about the Pacific Northwest though that makes me realize we might be here to stay. Now that I have my Patagonia puffer jacket, I feel like a true Pacific Northwester.

neighborhood

neighborhood2

Our backyard view makes me happy. Sumo hasn’t had the chance to enjoy it yet because the weather has been rainy. We can’t wait to unleash him back there and watch him run his signature figure 8 crazy circles.

backyard

Since I got the ok to workout, life just seems better. I have started back slow with only Pilates and tennis. I have no plans to start any intense cardio or strength training for a while. Overall, my body feels really good but wow my core strength seems no where to be found.

pilates

Now that we have space in our new house, I am turning our guest room into a home studio. I bought a used reformer and have the space set-up with the new purchase. I have a few clients I am teaching private lessons to now. My plan is to add a murphy bed for our guests but keep the room open so I can hold small mat classes in the space.

salon

salon2

Yesterday, I finally got the chance to get my hair cut and colored. My hairdresser let me bring Logan along and I was beyond thankful. This is when I really wish we had family around to watch Logan for a few hours. He was really good till the end. Nothing a little boob couldn’t contain! On that note, breastfeeding is finally going well. I still plan to share my breastfeeding story soon. I feel like I have so many thoughts, advice and opinions I want to share.

logan2

My little man is going to be four months on Friday. He is quite the active young fella and he keeps me busy. I am still studying to get my personal training license. Nothing like waiting to the last minute… Might be a little silent on the blogging for a few more weeks so I can focus on studying.

I should also add I am thankful none of our neighbors have ripped down our Panthers flag we have flying on our house. Hopeful, they continue to dab on to the Superbowl. #keeppounding

panthers