Resolutions=No bueno

I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions.  For me, they usually just put unnecessary pressure and set me up for failure. 

I didn't make any resolutions last year.  Sure, I needed to lose weight, exercise more, get organized, and pray more just as most anyone else.  However, last February I decided that it was time to start working on myself.  I started going to the gym, running, and eating less.  I didn't put any stipulations on myself.  If I missed going to the gym, oh well, try again tomorrow.  If I overate or ate unhealthy, who cares, try again tomorrow.  I never deprived myself of anything, even french fries.  I'm extremely proud to say that in almost 11 months, I've lost 52 pounds and wear a smaller size than I did my senior year of high school.  Do I exercise every day?  Heck no, a great week for me is doing some sort of physical activity 3 times.  Do I eat french fries?  At least once a week.  I've just completely changed my attitude towards food.  It's fuel for my body and I don't have to eat just because its "lunch time" or because my husband is hungry.  I also don't have to deny myself certain unhealthy foods, I just eat less of them and less often.  It's definitely been a slow but steady process and I certainly have 30ish more pounds to get to my goal, but looking back, I don't really feel deprived or pressured at all.

Anyways, I refuse to post a true before picture of myself looking absolutely disgusting, but here are a couple of before and afters:

Me, far right, before:

and after:

The best okra recipe ever invented (not by me)....

My trip to the farmer's market on Saturday left me with a bag full of okra.  Fried okra is a favorite around here, and really the only kind officer cutie will usually eat.  I mean, men like anything fried, right?  Knowing that there was no way were going to have fried anything more than once in a week span I had to figure out something else to do with the rest of that okra.  Tonight I checked around on the internet looking for some non-fried recipes for the okra.  I came across one so simple that I HAD to try it.  It sounded too good to be true (or tasty).

Roasted Okra
Cut okra into 1/8 inch slices
Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper
Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 425 degrees

The result was the most delicious okra ever made.  I think I even like it better than fried, considering all of the calories I saved by roasting it.  I paired it with fresh black-eyed peas from the farmer's market, sliced tomatoes also from the farmer's market, and country style ribs in the crock pot that had cooked all day long in a delicious vinegar based barbecue sauce. 

We gobbled the okra up before I had a chance to take a picture.  I'm definitely buying more at the farmer's market this weekend for another go at roasting it.

Delish!

I'm married to a cop.

About a week or two ago, one of my husband's brothers in blue was tragically shot and killed while responding to a domestic dispute.  To say it's been a rough few weeks around here would be an understatement.  I've spent nights without sleep and mornings wondering why he hasn't made it home yet and freaking out if he doesn't answer the phone when I call.  It's a scary thing, seeing another police officer's wife lose her husband while he is out protecting and serving the very people that shoot at him.  These things never use to bother me.

People sometimes tell me that they couldn't do what I do- live with that specter. But I love my husband and he loves being a police officer. It's what he does. I don't want to change him- he's good at his job and those rare occasions when he gets to truly help someone he's reminded why he does it. When he tells me those stories he positively shines.  It is what he was meant to do.  However, every night for a fleeting moment just after he kisses me goodnight there lingers the the shadow of the prospect of getting that phone call. I expect that other officer's wives feel the same way when they see their husbands walk out the door.  We have a ritual every night before he leaves which includes me telling him to "be safe".  I've not gone a single day without telling him this since he started policing.

I don't think anyone can possibly understand what it's like being married to a police officer unless you actually are.  It's not that I think that I do anything special just by being married to my husband, but it also takes a strong woman to be selfless and hold back those tears every time you kiss him goodnight and tell him to "be safe". I'm happy with my life and I think I have it pretty good. As long as I never get that call.

Farm to fork.

I love the farmer's market.  When I thought about planting a garden again this year, I reminded myself of two things.  First, I would rather spend time in my pool and, secondly,  I would no longer have an excuse to go to the farmer's market.  It only took about 2.5 seconds to talk myself out of that one.

Unfortunately for me, my dog and two cats (read: free to a decent home) forgot that it was Saturday this morning and expected breakfast at the usual time.  The dog I can ignore, but the cats cause total havoc until I wake up.  It always starts with knocking everything off of my bedside table one object at a time, but I digress...  So anyways, I figured I may as well get moving and drive to the farmer's market before all of the deliciousness was gone.

I love that there are so many organic products available at the farmer's market downtown.  I'm definitely not against non-organics, but my preference is organic anytime I can find it.  There is such a difference in the taste of an organic vegetable versus non-organic.  Of course, there's also that whole absence of pesticides thing, too.

Today's haul includes:  kale, squash, sweet banana peppers, green tomatoes, red tomatoes, cherry & grape tomatoes, cilantro, new potatoes, onions, chocolate cheese pie (what? It's homemade and mostly for my husband), and pico de gallo. 

My plans for these perfect little fruits (and vegetables) of nature include: kale chips (courtesy of the Neely's recipe), homemade marinara sauce, fried green tomatoes, and those baby tomatoes will go in a homemade balsamic dressing with cucumber and onion.

My favorite thing about the farmer's market is that I have more time to waste away in my pool.

What if I don't want a title?

"There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves."
~ Thomas Wolfe

 I wonder if the above is true even when I've shed the contacts, jewelry, and makeup and replaced the black pants and cardigan with a pair of Old Navy pajama pants and my husband's old t-shirt?

So, I have a public blog now.  I'm really not sure what exactly I will write blog about here, but I promise to keep it full of sarcasm and 100% organic.  O.k., maybe it will only be 95% organic because I do like traveling and eating out on occasion.  Stay tuned for my (mis)adventures in making every Paula Deen recipe written without turning into a stick of butter or buying new pants.

Here we go.........