Clean and Me

For months I have been aimlessly walking around our apartment, hovering over Alex as he works on projects, and overall being annoying. I need a hobby. I want to decorate but I don't have a handle on our style yet and we have a lot of stuff already. I have lots of beautiful pictures from the wedding that are still sitting in their envelope from the store. They whisper to me every once in a while but I get nervous putting holes in the walls and then deciding I don't like it.

A week or two ago I made coffee cake from scratch. Blueberry + raspberry filling. It was dang good. Even better cooled off. Warm coffee cake just tastes a little weird but the omelets were getting cold. But who doesn't love a big Sunday morning breakfast?

Alex's brother and sister-in-law camped out in our second bedroom for the funeral last week and I made two coffee cakes for them - blueberry and apple cinnamon. Loved it. I think I've found a new hobby. I like baking and cooking. I just always saw it as too expense to get blueberries (freakin $4 for a tiny container) and all that stuff. But as Alex has pointed out, any hobby costs something. Yarn, paint, fees, subscriptions, paper, stickers, etc. Every hobby costs something and it's just a matter of saying, I enjoy doing this so I'll give myself $40 a month to do as I please.

On Saturday we stopped in Barnes and Noble and as usual I grabbed Real Simple and Clean Eating magazines. I love reading magazines in the cafe and not buying them. I couldn't put the Clean Eating mag down. It was the Classic Comfort Foods one, all your favorite comfort foods redone for lower carb, fat, sugars intake.

The whole idea of the Clean Eating is eating plant-based foods or items that are only 2 or 3 ingredients. So smart.

I looked at Alex and said, "I'm going to Julie and Julia this magazine. Cook right through it." I still can't tell if he looked worried or excited. I'm not putting a deadline on it or anything but I am going to just work my way through it.

Last night we made Quick and Easy Fish Stew. I was nervous. Why oh why did I let him pick the first meal we make?! It was SO good! Shrimp, talapia, potatoes, tomatoes, and shallots in a slight creamy soup. It was so delicious. Everything ended up cooked to perfection; I blame the cayenne powder. Someone had seconds before I finished my first helping that's how good it was. Paired with an artisan 3-cheese bread, it was the best meal I've made in a while.

I'll do pictures on the next meal.

Life is tragic

My niece died today. Alex's sister Jessica carried her baby for 7 and 1/2 months and she lived for 6 and 1/2 hours.

Originally, doctors thought she had Down Syndrome and we came to terms with that. Aleena had Trisomy 13, she had an extra pinky on one hand and an extra thumb on the other.
I cannot fathom what Jessica is going through. Alex and I have been trying to think of something to do for them but every idea seems so shallow. Food, flowers, a card, brownies... the only thing she might use is Kleenex and a body pillow to hug.

Alex got a call at 4am saying she was born and he rushed down to the U of U hospital to be with the family. He said the Spirit filled the room so intensely when he walked in. Aleena must have been such a strong spirit. She was not expected to make it through child birth but she did. And Jessica got to hold her for 6 hours. I'm sure Jessica and Jonathan didn't notice anyone else in the room, they only had eyes for her.