Avocado Basil Pasta

Summer is close. I mean REALLY close! I can taste it. Well, maybe I can't really taste it, but I have a recipe for you that really does taste like summer. There are plenty of delicious, but heavy, pasta dishes for the winter-time that make you feel all warm and fuzzy. This is not one of those pasta dishes. This one is really a taste of summer. The best part? It is so easy! It is a quick weeknight meal or a great dish to take to a BBQ. I made this on Monday night, and there was plenty leftover for lunches on Tuesday! This is the recipe altered from here...
Avocado Basil Pasta
Ingredients:
- 14.5 oz dried bow tie pasta
- 2 medium/large avocados, halved,  
  seeded, peeled, and chopped
- 2 medium ripened tomatoes,
  chopped
- 6-8 slices of turkey bacon, cooked
  until crispy, crumbled
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions:
- Cook the pasta according to the
  package instructions.
- While you are letting the
  pasta cook, chop everything that needs chopping, and cook your bacon.
- When pasta is cooked, rinse and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine avocados, tomatoes, bacon, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic,
  pepper, and salt. Then, add the pasta and toss to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a serving bowl and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy warm or cold after refrigerating!

Makes great leftovers!

Tonight, I made another one of my favorite dinners--Asian Lettuce Wraps. I shared the recipe back in January here. Man, these are good! This is another recipe that makes lots, so there are lots leftover!

What do you have cooking this week?

P.S.  6 more school days until summer... just in case anyone else is counting!

P90X Days 8-17 | Memorial Day

Before I talk about this past weekend, let's talk P90X. Today I completed Day 17 of P90X, and I am proud to say that I am still as motivated and committed as I was on Day 1.

Here is what I did on Days 8-17:

Day 8: Kenpo X, Ab Ripper X

Day 9: Chest and Back

Day 10: Plyometrics

Day 11: Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper X

Day 12: Yoga X

Day 13: Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X

Day 14: Rest

Day 15: Kenpo X

Day 16: Chest and Back

Day 17: Plyometrics

There are a few things I have already learned about myself throughout this process, even after only two and a half weeks:

• One thing that I have realized from this challenge to myself is that I have not been drinking enough water. I had to make that adjustment immediately. Every day, but especially when you are exercising regularly, water is an essential part of your diet. 
• Another thing that I have learned is that you would rather have "quality over quantity" in your work-outs. Upper body strength was not something I ever worked on heavily. Even in high school, as a softball pitcher, your strength comes from your legs. It has to, or you will throw out your arm. Needless to say, upper body strength/arm strength is something that I lack. The Chest and Back work-out is a variation of different push-up routines and pull-up routines. This work-out kicks my butt, but I love it. And through this work-out, I have come to realize that it is much more important to execute each exercise correctly (quality) than to rush through repetitions without focusing on form (quantity). 

Now on to Memorial Day Weekend...

Y'all. Three day weekend. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. We headed to Galveston as soon as we could on Friday after work. A mini-vacation was exactly what we needed. Although, it was a little bit of a tease, since it seemed like summer, but it is not summer yet.

It is also very easy to forget why we have this holiday. I am forever grateful for all of the men and women who have served/are serving our country. They deserve way more than one day of remembrance. Thank you!

Like I said above, we went to Galveston for the weekend with my family. It was a wonderful and relaxing long weekend full of beaching, boating, sunning, eating, and laughing.

Saturday, we went out on the boat and fished and then spent the day at the beach. We took it pretty easy. Then on Sunday we blew up the big float for lounging in the canal (pictured above). And then we took the boat out to go tubing (pictured below). Look at hubs, such a stud.

[Let's get something straight real quick--I do not take risks. I do not like water that I cannot see through. I cannot see through Galveston water.]

Okay- so we took the boat out tubing. As you can see, I was pressured/forced onto the tube with the one other person in the family that is just as petrified of risks as I am, my Mom. I guess we know who I take after. This is us right before our ride (on which we told my dad that he was not allowed to let us fall off). I think I may have even threatened that if he knocked me off, I would be crying when I got back into the boat.


    

        















As much as I would NOT like to admit, we survived and were fine. We faced our fears, and we were not knocked into the water (where who-knows-what lives).

That evening, we introduced the family to Kuub. It is a great yard game that does not require much skill, because no one is really wonderful at it (or everyone is), but nonetheless, it is fun.

After a big dinner, we had fully intended on teaching my sister how to play 42 (dominoes), but being a competitive family, she and my brother started building towers with the dominoes, and here is what happened...

I have a video on my phone of this tower tumbling to the floor right after this picture was taken, but we won't post that. 

This morning, the fun-filled weekend came to a close. We cleaned up and packed up and headed home. My favorite part about the trip home is that Avery acts like a dog for about the first 15 minutes of the car ride with her head out the window with wind in her hair, and then crashes, crawls up into the front seat, and acts like a little baby. I love it. 

Although I was able to fit P90X into our vacation, I still ate like I was on vacation. My dad assured me it was allowed. However, I went to the grocery store today for this week's meals, and there will be some healthy eating over at the Bormann house this week. For you, that means there will be some healthy recipes coming your way! 

Or at least healthier! Be on the look out for this one coming soon. This was dinner tonight! Hubs loved it, and so did I!

How was your Memorial Day Weekend?

Are you getting your body beach-ready?

Let's do it together!

My Thoughts on Yoga

Yesterday was my first experience with P90X Yoga X. Yoga is a very underestimated exercise. Before yesterday, I was guilty of falling into the category of people who believe yoga is a form of light stretching... a "rest day" if you will. I am no longer in that group of people, and it is not light stretching. It is a test of endurance. Not the half marathon kind where you can't feel your toes anymore because you've been running for the amount of time it takes to drive to Austin from Houston, but the strength kind where you are stretching muscles you didn't even know you had, much less have ever used.

Overall, I came to the conclusion that yoga is not an easy workout, but it is one that is very beneficial. I felt like I was back in my gymnastics days, and I even called Matt in the room to spot me while trying a head-stand. It wasn't pretty, but I tried. And I will keep trying. Isn't that what challenging yourself is all about?

I will leave you with Avery's version of "downward dog"...

...trying to convince me I was doing it wrong.

What are your thoughts about yoga?

P90X | Days 1-7

I am We are all busy. We don't have children yet (don't tell Avery), and I still feel like I have very little time for me. If you are like me, exercising can take a back seat oftentimes.

Why? 

• Because waking up at 4:30 AM is not fun. If you are one that can wake up that early and still make it to work and home with a smile on your face, then keep it up! That is awesome. But, I don't think that's me. Now, in the summer, I will enjoy myself a morning workout, but that may start at 7:00 AM, and I will enjoy that extra couple of hours of sleep. 
• Because you have a laundry list of things to do that are prioritized ahead of you-time. (that reminds me... I should do laundry)
• Because going to the gym takes effort and planning before you even get there. Then, you get there, and maybe you don't even know where to begin. So, you do 30 minutes of cardio (treadmill, elliptical, bike) and then try out a couple of other machines and call it a day. Did you sweat? Maybe. 
• Because of all of the other excuses you or I could come up with. But that is exactly what they are... excuses. 

If this does not describe you, then skip this post. This is just me. I need to be honest so that I can be held accountable. I want to make a change. I loved starting off the year with a Five-Week Family Fitness Challenge. It feels good to do something good for your body. Then, at the end of January, my mom and I ran the Houston Half Marathon. Once again, I challenged myself. 

Let's throw the excuses out the window and challenge ourselves. I have decided that's what I am going to do. The gym and I have a complicated relationship, so I am going to try something else. P90X. I am motivated, and I am committed. Now, I just need to be held accountable to keep it up for 90 days. I am 8 days in and feel great. The best part? I can work out in my living room! And... absolutely NO machines!! It's me, a yoga mat, a band and/or dumbbells, and sometimes Ave (who usually just stares at me).

Here is what I did the first week: 

Day 1: Chest and Back

Day 2: Plyometrics

Day 3: Shoulders and Arms

Day 4: Ab Ripper X

Day 5: Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X

Day 6: T25 Lower Focus (another Beach Body series... at school with some other teachers)

Day 7: Rest

Whenever you want to skip out on exercising, remember that you are not alone. But, also remember that we are called by God to care for our bodies.

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:29-31

What is your favorite workout regime?

Have you challenged yourself with anything new lately?

DIY | Mirror & Patio Furniture Makeover

Annie Sloan is my girl. She does it again. At least, her chalk paint does. This past weekend, Matt and I made a quick trip to the bay house to see my mom for her birthday/Mother's Day. We were there less than 24 hours, but we packed in a whole lot of fun--crawfish boil, beach trip, and some family time--my kind of weekend. While we were there, my mom gave me an old mirror than she had planned on selling in a garage sale or just throwing away, but I saw potential. Matt doubted, but I was obsessed, and pleaded with him to let me bring it home. He obliged, and we hauled the extremely heavy 3' x 4'  wood-framed mirror. He's the best.

If you missed my first Annie Sloan post, here is a furniture makeover that teaches you how to use the paint. The best part--no stripping anything. You just start painting. This mirror was no different. The only preparation I needed to to for the mirror was use painter's tape to line the edges of the mirror.

After that very little preparation, it it time to paint. If you missed the first Annie Sloan post, here is what I was using...

First, paint the color on. No stripping, no sanding, no nothing!

After the paint is on and dry, it's time for the wax. Clear wax goes on first. It is painted on just like the paint color. Once the clear wax is on, dab the dark wax onto small sections at a time, and then take an old rag and wipe away what you just dabbed, leaving behind some residue from the dark wax--making the distressed look you are going for. 

After it was dry and time to hang, we realized how heavy this mirror was and that we needed some special hardware to hang it on the wall. A quick run to Home Depot, and we were back at it. Matt helped me hang it, and he even showed me a new trick. When you are having to dig into your wall, hold a wet paper towel underneath where you are digging, so that none of the dry wall powder gets on your furniture, floor, etc. 

Once the hardware was safely and securely in the wall, it was time to hang the mirror!

Below is the finished project. It was the perfect addition to our little guest room/office.

Another project we tackled this weekend was re-painting our patio furniture. It needed a little makeover. We bought some black [outdoor] spray paint and went to town. Here is a before and after.

I will leave you with one last picture. I am always on morning potty duty for Avery. Matt does night time. Here was our morning this beautiful wet Tuesday morning. 

Happy Tuesday, y'all.

Cinco de Mayo | Chicken Enchiladas

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo has always been a special day to me, and while I care quite a bit about the Battle of Puebla, it actually has nothing to do with why I love Cinco de Mayo. My mom's birthday is on Cinco de Mayo!! Yes, every year. And I love my mom a whole lot.

Another thing I love about this holiday is tex-mex. I mean, who doesn't love tex-mex? I wish I could say that we went out for some amazing Houston tex-mex or that I whipped up some incredible meal, but I actually wasn't feeling well, so neither of those things happened. However, last weekend was our Anniversary, and I made Matt's favorite meal, which happens to be chicken enchiladas that I feel ready to share with the world now. So, if you are looking for a new recipe to try that makes a whole lot, here is the recipe for you...

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cut up/shredded

-10 (or more) tortillas

-16 oz. sour cream

-1 sm. can mild green chiles

-1 can cream of chicken soup

-1 lg. package shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

-1 [optional] onion

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients and fill tortillas (leave some cheese for topping.) Place in 9x13 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Serve with some yummy tex-mex side dishes! 

Let me know if you try this dish! Hope you love it as much as we do! 

And Happy birthday, Mom! I love you!

DIY | Mason Jar Wall Vases

If you are looking to fill some wall space and/or an incredibly easy DIY project, then this one is for you. Have you ever seen this pin? Well, if you follow the link, it takes you to a website that sells these mason jar wall vases. There are also Etsy shops out there that sell them. They can be used for many different things, and I loved them, but I didn't want to buy them if I thought I might be able to make them myself. So, that's what I did.

This was a project I tackled the summer before last. (AKA My Pre-Annie Sloan Days) If I were to do it over again, I would choose different paints, but I love how they turned out, and they are still proudly hung in our home.

What you will need:
*Pine Wood (1x6)
*Sandpaper
*Three mason jars
*Three metal hose clamps (pictured at right, find at hardware store)
*Three of the smallest screws you can find (you don't want them poking out of the back of your pieces of wood)
*Paint
*Paint brushes
*Flowers, or whatever you are planning on putting inside them (pens, toothbrushes, etc.)

Steps to make your very own:
1. Cut pine wood into 10" lengths. Hubs helped me do this with his circular saw. You could probably sweet talk someone at the hardware store to do it for you, too.

2. Use sandpaper to sand down each face, edge, and corner of each piece of wood.

3. Once sanded, paint each piece of wood. You could paint all three the same color or use up to three different colors. I tried this "crackle paint," and it was pretty much useless. Again, I would use Annie Sloan if I were to do it again.
      



      











3. Drill the backs of the metal clamps into wood pieces with the screws.

4. Place the mason jars into the clamps and tighten clamps until very snug. You don't want mason jars falling through the clamps and crashing to your floor, do you?

5. You're done :) I told you it was easy! Now, fill with your choice of... anything!

If you hang them in a bathroom, you can use them as toothbrush (or other bathroom essentials) holders. Or you could keep them in your home office and use them as pen/office supplies holders. I, however, have them hanging on a wall that is only about 12" wide that separates our kitchen from our living room, and I filled them with (fake) hydrangeas. I used to have (fake) tulips in them, but they looked very fake, and that wasn't exactly what I was going for. Here is the finished product...

      

      































     

         

Have you made anything recently?

I'm ready for a new project. 

...which translates into--I'm ready for summer so I have some time for projects!