Red Pencils and Running Shoes

Guys.  I had the BEST lunch today.  And I’ve been thinking about writing this post for a long time, but this lunch finally gave me the proper motivation.

My senior and I are working in the city today instead of out at the client site.  Since I’ve already been going through withdrawl from the food I got used to while being out here on my last client, I decided to make the most of my lunch.  I was CRAVING veggies again, and headed down to the deli in our building.  They have this sandwich – grilled eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, and provolone cheese.  And in case I didn’t have enough veggies – I got some grilled asparagus on the side!  It was amazing!  I washed it all down with my favorite Honest Tea – Moroccan Mint Green Tea.  I could drink this stuff by the gallon – and I would if it wasn’t so expensive   It was worth the splurge for one day in the office though!

Anyway, I’d been meaning to write this post for a while and my lunch just inspired me.  I’ve noticed that a lot of my meals this busy season have been vegetarian.   I know that part of this is thanks to the blog world for letting me know how creative you can be as a veggie, and part of it is thanks to one of my bestest work friends who is a veggie for religious purposes.  Being around her makes me feel more like being vegetarian is just normal.  Anyway, I’m not gonna lie – I know that the biggest motivation for going partially vegetarian is for the ease of preparation.

As I’ve been packing my lunches and dinners for the week, I’ve tried to make things as easy as possible for myself.  This includes not having to cook chicken or beef or pork any more than I have to.  Instead, I try to incorporate my nutrients elsewhere.  I am a big fan of canned beans – they provide protein without any additional prep work.  I throw as many different veggies in my soups and meals as I can so that the fiber will fill me up.  And if I think it won’t be enough, I just add some grains.

Going veggie for most of my meals has also encouraged me to be more creative.  Instead of just chopping some chicken over rice, I have to think about the individual flavor of the beans, veggies, and any condiments.  Will carrots change the taste of my butternut squash soup?  Hardly.  But will it add additional beta carotene, and vitamin A?!  Certainly.  They were well worth the addition to the soup.  So far my two favorite meals so far have been the above mentioned butternut squash soup – and this little scrumptious number… adapted from trader joe’s “polka dot mac and cheese.”  I prepared one box of Annie’s mac and cheese, and added frozen broccoli, and shelled edamame.  Edamame and cheese?  Don’t knock it til you try it. And the protein content is out of this world!  It kept me full for hours.

I grew up in a veggie-starch-protein family.  Prior to this busy season, I’ve never appreciated a vegetarian diet before – but I’m slowly coming to find that it can be just as delectable as eating meat based dinners.  Vegetarian recipes can be so simple, and if cooked properly are missing the grease and fat which are so frequently a side dish of meat entrees.  While I don’t think I am in a proper mindset to appreciate a full veggie diet, I strongly consider giving it a shot – even if it’s just for a few days.  Your tummy and mind will appreciate your creative veggies dishes!  Godspeed

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Happy Monday friends! 

I don’t know about you guys, but this week feels like a fresh start.  I had a fantastic weekend relaxing with all of my girls… both from work, and from SJU.  On Friday, my best girls from work and I went to dinner at California Pizza Kitchen, and then we saw VALENTINE’S DAY!  I checked out the menu before hand, and decided to go with asparagus soup and half of a grilled vegetable salad for dinner.  Not only was it one of the healthier options, but I was craving vegetables!  It was so delicious… just like the cast of Valentine’s Day!  I don’t know what it is lately, but I have been boy crazy!  First my crush on King Henrik (so dreamy), then all of these gorgeous actors!  Robert’s been making fun of me like crazy because I never ever have celebrity crushes!  And the movie was so cute.  Very predictable, but quite charming.  It was just what I needed after a stressful week at work.

Saturday was almost (almost!) my perfect day.  I had to go to work in the morning, but left and went to watch a surprisingly competitive SJU game vs Temple.  Some of you might not know how fierce the inter-city rivalries are in Philadelphia, but SJU v Temple is always a scrappy game.  We held it close – even pushed it into overtime, but it just didn’t cut the mustard.  Anyway, there was no time to be sad over the loss – I had a bridesmaid’s dress fitting to attend!  My friend Georgia picked me up right after the game, and fitting with the theme of the day – I asked her to be my bridesmaid!  My bridal party is starting to come together – one girl left to ask

The dress we tried on for Kirsten was beautiful!  It was a shimmery blueish gray, with a sweetheart neckline and a big bow in the back.  It looked so good on everyone!  After the fitting, we headed up the street to StoneRose, a new restaurant in Conshohocken.  I had almost the same dinner as the night before – this time with potato soup and duck salad.  Paired perfectly with two glasses of wine

The girls and I had so much fun catching up on all things wedding related (3 of us are getting married in the next year or so!) and baby related (Georgia’s going to be an aunt!)  and house related (Mariola just bought a house!).  We had so much fun!

Anyway, back to business!  As you might have noticed, I have not gone for a run for almost two weeks now!  Yesterday, we had beyond gorgeous weather here in Philly.  I got home from running errands, and immediately set out for my first run outside in… months!  It felt so nice to have some fresh air in my lungs… until the cold started burning whenever I took a breath!  I had to take some walk breaks, but I still made pretty good time (for me), so I am happy!

Being able to run outside made me feel a lot better about the Broad Street Run – so much better in fact, that I took the plunge… and plunked down $75 to join a training group.  Mildly freaking out over here!  This is the biggest commitment I’ve taken towards a race, and I really don’t know what to expect.  So far I think that it’s sorta like Team in Training… without the fundraising part (a portion of our registration fee goes to charity, but I don’t have to raise any additional $), and the training plan is specifically tailored for the Broad Street Run.  I think there are a lot of other runners who are just starting out, so I think it will be good for me to meet people and hopefully force me to get out there and actually run!  I’m so excited, and even a little proud of myself for finally making the commitment!   It’s time to get back in the saddle!  I’ve already started off the week with healthy meals, and a little yoga this morning… so I feel like I’ve got this now.  I’m excited to challenge myself and bring my running and health to the next level!

Have any of you ever run with a training group?  What was your experience?

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Will you check this out – a real post!   I wanted to share with you guys the fun times Robert and I had last weekend.  As I mentioned, Robert is a HUGE New York Rangers fan, so for his birthday I surprised him with tickets to a game at Madison Square Garden!  (wait, is it still a surprise if I get it for him every year…?)  We stayed with his mom in Queens on Saturday night, and headed into the city just in time for the game. on Sunday afternoon

I love going to MSG because the fans and the city are so passionate about their team.  The whole building was full of Rangers jerseys!  Robert didn’t want me to feel left out, so he bought me a Marc Staal t-shirt!  I love the Staal brothers – they are so good and Marc is about my age.  I wish I had a picture of me modeling my sweet t-shirt

Before the game, they had an awesome tribute to the NHL players on the Rangers and the opposing team (Tampa Bay Lightning).  They brought out the cutest little kids holding the flags of the countries represented by the players.

Gotta love King Henrik – they adore him at the Garden!  He’s on the Swedish team, and they won the gold medal at the last Olympics.  And whoa is he hot too!  (It’s ok,  Robert knows my hockey crush!)  Ow ow!

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Phew, ok, back to the game.  It was so intense, with the Lightning going up 2-0 first, and then the Rangers answering with 4 goals in the second period!  We were hoping that one of the players would score a hat trick, but alas the game ended 5-2 with no hat trick

The crowd was going crazy!  Everyone was on their feet.

Considering it was Valentine’s Day, we weren’t surprised when we saw the makings of a jumbotron proposal.  We were all shocked to see that the girlfriend actually turned down the hopeful groom-to-be!  The woman looked so angry, and stormed out of the arena.  My jaw was ON THE FLOOR!  I had always joked with Robert that I’d say no if he proposed at a sporting event, but when this happened I had to reassure him that I wouldn’t have actually said no!  (Of course this is easier to say after he already proposed!)  Check out the video though – once you get over feeling bad for the poor guy, it’s pretty funny.  Besides, I’ve heard from more than one source that the whole thing was a hoax, so don’t feel too bad

Unlike these guys, Robert and I had a great time!  I can’t wait to see the Rangers again  when they come to Philadelphia in April!

We topped off the night with a feast of BBQ at a nearby restaurant.

We shared a platter of all sorts of goodness: ribs (my favorite!), brisket, pulled pork, and bbq chicken.  We were in heaven!  There need to be more bbq places in Philly!  The restaurant was a little dead because it was Valentine’s Day – but that’s how we like it!  I’ve never really been into the whole fancy dinner and flowers thing for V-day.  Robert spoils me enough during the rest of the year!  But it’s always fun to do something we love, and this day was perfect.

What is your idea of a perfect day?

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Hey guys!

So obviously I fibbed a little bit in my last post – clearly I have not posted since Saturday.  I’m not going to lie – I feel like I’ve gotten hit by a mack truck.  We worked until 11 on Monday and 930 last night, and I’ve been using every extra minute to sleep and catch up with robert (oh and maybe read a few chapters of twilight!).  I hope you all understand!

I have so many pictures to share with you all, but I haven’t even had time to load them to the computer.  I’ve gotta get one of those new fangled card reader devices

Hang tight – I hear tonight is supposed to be an early one.  So hopefully I’ll talk to you all later!

In the mean time, what is your best tip for getting back into the swing of healthy habits?  Since the snowstorm last Tuesday, I haven’t gone to the gym once.  And BYOD is on the outs… I’ve brought soup the past few nights, but wraps and pasta just sounded so much better.  Maybe if I take care of myself better I won’t feel so exhausted?

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Hey guys!  Sorry posting is still sporadic.  We’ve been swamped at work [still!] and haven’t even had time to get a post up at lunchtime.  Robert and I are going up to New York right after work today, so I’m pretty excited about that.  We are spending time with his mom and sister tonight, and then tomorrow we’re going to see the NY Rangers play the Tampa Bay Lightening at Madison Square Garden!  Robert’s a HUGE Rangers fan, and I bought him these tickets for Christmas… the game just happened to fall on Valentine’s Day!  I’ve never been much for the holiday itself, but we always manage to do something fun anyway! 

Anywho, I hope you all enjoy your weekend!  I’ll be back tomorrow – hopefully posting more regularly after that.  In the meantime, please aquaint yourself with this fellow.   We met yesterday morning while I was stuck in traffic on the way to work.  I loved how the kids made a snowman even though they don’t have a backyard in the city.  I miss being a kid!

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Oy vey! 

I have been neglecting you bloggies again, and I really apologize!  We got hit AGAIN with snowmaggedon v 2.0, and my life has been a whirlwind of snow!  But first let’s back up…

Remember this…?

Yesterday morning I brought my car to the body shop to get the repair process started.  Showing how much of a novice I am at this whole car-accident thing, I totally thought the repairs wouldn’t be more than a few hundred dollars.  I couldn’t believe it when I saw the estimate!  We’ll put it this way… I’ll need a rental car for TWO WEEKS.  Whoa!  Thankfully the insurance company will be taking care of it. 

Since I had my estimate appointment before work in the morning, I opted against the gym to save time.  I chose to do the “Yoga for Runners” podcast from yogadownload.com.  I was floored by the routine - it wasn’t overly hard, but felt kinda tough at 6am   I was even a little sore when I woke up today… I guess I need to pump up that lower body strength!

Work was rush rush rush so that we could get home before the snow.  We left “early” at 7ish, and I high-tailed it to the SJU basketball game.  Who cares about a little snow?!  Plus I got to park right on campus, and I had flashbacks to night classes on campus.  I grabbed this shot of my favorite building in the snow…

This morning I woke up to a whole new fresh blanket of snow, and the decision was made to work from home.  Gotta love having work-issued laptops, right?  Ugh.  Robert was home too, and we worked together in our pj’s.  It was a fun day as far as work days could go – but I wouldn’t have minded being able to go play in the snow again!  We had big plans to walk to the gym at lunchtime, but they were closed   I couldn’t sit still anymore, and busted out another yoga podcast to shake out my limbs.  I settled on the Gentle Hatha Flow #2 from yogadownload.com, as I didn’t really want a full blown workout, I just needed to open up and relax.  You guys - I love yoga.  I feel silly doing it sometimes, but once I actually get down to it, it’s always worth it.  I love how loose and calm I feel afterwards, and I think I’ll sleep well tonight as a result! 

Anyway, thats really all that’s gone on for the past few days.  yoga + snow, snow + yoga… hopefully the snow is still a nuisance in the morning so we can crash in our pj’s again!  Even if I have to work from home, it’s still better than working from the office!

Gratitude Journal 2.10.10

1)  I am so thankful that I made it home from the game safely last night.  There were a few hairy encounters with a hill and the curb, but somehow I made it.

2) I am eternally grateful for my fiance for digging my car out (as I type!) just in case we have to go into work tomorrow.

3) I am thankful for the homemade strawberry pancakes Robert made this morning!  Perfect work-from-home breakfast

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Good morning friends!

I am SO glad it’s Friday.  Between my [parked] car accident on Monday, and all the late hours we’ve been logging all week, I’m ready for a break.  Unfortunately, the weather man is predicting a “paralyzing” amount of snow for this weekend, so I might be forced into taking a break – we might be snowed in!  Maybe it will be for the best… maybe I’ll finally get to finish Breaking Dawn

Anyway, I have exciting news for you all!  Today, I’m featured as a Guest Bender on one of my favorite blogs: Eating Bender.  Jenn was so gracious to include me as a guest poster this week, and I had so much fun writing a post about my wedding.  I hope you all check it out!

Speaking of weddings, I wanted to show you guys the venue we looked at last weekend.  Robert, my mom, and I drove up to Normandy Farms to have a looksie – and we loved it.  Take a look for yourself:

Cocktail Space

Outside Porch for Cocktails

Silos Ballroom

I love all the little details in the ballroom, and the fact that it was converted from an actual old barn dating back to the 1800′s!  I didn’t take a good picture of the silos, but they were built right into the room and provide little spaces for your coffee bar or wedding cake.  It was so neat!

Last weekend, I also had the opportunity to ask my Matron of Honor to be in my wedding.  We were roommates in college, and so we relived some of our college days with chinese delivery, girl talk, and lifetime movies (the pregnancy pact was actually pretty good!)  Here we are on new years eve:

She’ll be standing up with me, along with my maid of honor (my best friend since 1st grade!)  and 3 of my other best girls.  I can’t wait!

Anyway, gotta get hoppin on this Friday.  Make sure you check out my guest post on Eating Bender!

xoxo,

Cassie

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So we had a fire drill yesterday, and on the way back to our desks a coworker said to me “you look thinner, have you been trying?”

I was in shock.  What was I supposed to say to that?  I didn’t know that was something anyone would say to me around so many people.  I mumbled something about how I was trying a little bit, but didn’t think it was noticeable yet.  In reality though, I’m not really trying to lose weight.  I just want to get fit, strong, and be able to run the Broad Street run in May.  If I lose weight in the process, so be it – but that’s not my ultimate goal.

It’s funny to note too that Robert and I had a conversation about this just yesterday morning as we were getting ready for work.  I admit – I had gotten on the scale that morning, and the number was lower than it was before.  I mentioned this to him as we were getting ready for work. 

R:  Oh, that’s good.  How many more are you looking to lose?

(Side note:  we are really open with each other regarding weight.  I feel absolutely comfortable with him, no matter how I’m feeling with myself.  He is my biggest supporter.)

C:  I don’t know how much I want to lose.  I’m not really putting a number on it.  When I stop losing weight, that’s where I’m supposed to be.  I’d rather not lose any weight, so long as I’m toned and healthy.

What I guess I’m trying to say is that I’m trying to get a grip on my life.  I don’t need to lose weight.  I am enough just as I am.  If I can improve my life by eating healthier, excercising more, and setting fitness goals for myself, then things will just fall into place after that.  By setting up my healthy habits now, I hope that I will be able to pass them along to my children, and live a long happy life.  Health shouldn’t be a race to lose the most amount of pounds in the shortest amount of time. 

While I’m glad that obesity and health are in the spotlight now more than ever, I think that we are having conversations about the wrong things.  While I do bring my dinner to work, and I do wake up early to make sure I have time to work out, this isn’t a crash diet.  As a society, we are bullied into focusing more on losing the pounds as opposed to overall health.  Between 100-calorie packs, The Biggest Loser, and co-workers who notice that you are losing weight, it is almost taboo to mention overall health and fitness without sounding like a preacher.  My hope is that one day this will no longer be true.  I am grateful for this healthy blogging community for truly inspiring me to be my best self, and until the rest of the world catches on, check out Operation Beautiful for a fantastic example of a blogger and a community that gets it.

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Is weight loss a big topic where you work?

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Yesterday wasn’t a good day. 

(Whoa did anyone just have flashbacks to their 4th grade diary?!)

Yesterday was one of those days that I knew was just going to suck.  Bad hair day, bad commute day, and it was Monday.  Nothing good comes of that combo.

The first part of the day was fine.  I was grumpy, but it was Monday after all.  Then I get an instant message from my Senior Manager: “can you call me at xxxx?” 

Oy.  When I called, he even said “well you probably know by now that a phone call from me is never really a good thing,”  and I think I saw my life flash before my eyes.  But really what he was doing was paying me a “compliment.”  You see, it has been decreed that since I “am such a good staff,” I will be spending the next 6 weeks of busy season splitting my work hours between two jobs in two separate locations.  This will require longer hours, and more stress to get everything done by all of our deadlines.  It’s a very inefficient situation, but one that tends to happen when there are so many jobs going on in the office at the same time.  They don’t call it busy season for nothing! 

This of course caused me stress to think about, but I put it on the back burner to think about after work.

Jump 3 hours ahead to “after work.”  I’m walking back to the parking lot with a friend, and like a 5 year old go “OHMIGOD I PARKED NEXT TO YOU!  HOW FUN!” (note the foreshadowing.)  We walk up to our cars, and they are literally 6 inches away from each other.  (disclaimer: i am a GOOD driver.  i am a meticulous park-er.) 

I’m holding my key in one hand and thinking to myself “if I’m holding my key, how could someone have moved my car?”  when it clicked.  Someone… or something…. must have pushed my car.   

Yes, someone ran into my PARKED car in the lot last night… at what looks to be approx 35 mph!  The guard at the lot said that the man was backing into a parking space, and missed.  Maybe he didn’t miss – maybe he just wanted my spot?  I don’t know!  Either way, this was the last thing I wanted to see at 9:45 last night.  And I might have freaked out a little bit.  But then I had a break through.  This wasn’t the end of the world.  I decided what I needed to do…

I let myself break down in the car a little, enough to get it out of my system.  Then I [wo]manned up, and dealt with it.  I started to look at the positive in things – this new opportunity at work will give me the chance to work on a hedge fund, which I’ve never done before.  I’ll be working with people that I’ve only met once or twice, which will give me the opportunity to develop new relationships.  My car wasn’t totaled, it just had a few dents.  The parking lot attendant had filled out an incident report and gathered the driver’s insurance and contact information.  And I wasn’t in the car at the time – I was alive, and still able to drive home.  These are the things that matter.  Yesterday really put things in perspective for me.  Busy season will be over in a few weeks – it doesn’t matter if I have to work late for a little while.  I need to deal with the things that don’t actually matter, and focus on enjoying my life!

Gratitude Journal 2.2.10

1)  I am grateful for one of my best friends from work who stayed with me while I took pictures and hugged me while I freaked a little, even if it was 17* outside.  And grateful that my car didn’t end up getting pushed all the way into hers!

2)  I am grateful for the parking lot attendant who was able to get all of the driver’s information for me. 

3)  I am grateful for the insurance companies (no, seriously!).  They have handled this whole issue, and made it so easy for me.  I have never been in an accident, and didn’t know what to expect.  This process has been much more efficient than I ever would have guessed.

4)  I am grateful that it was sushi night at work   yum!

p.s. the source for the picture above is this:  artsy fartsy on etsy.  my linking got all messed up, so I didn’t source it above. 

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