Confessions Part II

Sarah Brandon-065

1. Marriage isn’t for me. I read this article recently and I really liked the author’s perspective that you should marry the one that you want to make happy for a lifetime and not the one that you think will make you the happiest. Of course, I want to marry Brandon because he makes me happy but the sole purpose shouldn’t be for that reason.

It should be because I have the desire to see his beautiful smile and to hear his infectious laugh. Even if it means compromising when I don’t want to or finding the energy to listen when I’m exhausted. Sure it might not be easy at times, but it was a great reminder for me that marriage is truly about learning to be selfless.

Sarah Brandon-029

2. I got the more expensive wedding dress. I know, right after I preach about not getting caught up in the glamour of a wedding. I admit, it was entirely my fault. I knew it was out of my budget but I grabbed it off the rack anyway. For some crazy reason, I thought to myself, I’ll just see if I like the style and then I can find something similar at a lower price.

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Yeah, no. The second I put it on, I knew it was the one and I couldn’t get it out of my head. Thankfully, my mom is incredibly supportive and encouraged me to get the dress I really wanted, so it’s official. I FOUND THE DRESS!! {happy dance} Hopefully it arrives in one piece.

P.S. That’s not a picture of the one I got. You’ll have to wait until April to see! ;)

3. I’m out of shape. Okay, I’m not entirely out of shape but I’m feeling pretty weak lately. Even though I went light with my weight in Body Pump, I could barely walk for the next three days. I actually took the elevator on my morning walks to work and I never turn down an opportunity to take the stairs. I’m thinking I might have to get a foam roller to see my muscles through as I get back on track. I feel awkward using the one at the gym. Is that weird?

4. Gluten-free baking has officially got the best of me. I’ve decided to throw in the towel on baking gluten-free cakes. Cookies and donuts I can handle, but cakes just aren’t happening for me.

I’ve had a handful of failures since I started blogging but I mustered up the courage to try again last weekend by making a gluten-free gingerbread sheet cake topped with cream cheese icing.

gluten free gingerbread

It tasted great but the texture was just way too dense for my taste. Brandon said he liked it and thought the texture was like a mix between brownies and cake but I just couldn’t bring myself to post it. I guess I can’t get the taste of a good, old fashioned cake out of my mind. That said, you will likely see a gluten-filled version in the near future because the flavor combination was perfect.

5. I’m too lazy to use my DSLR on the weekdays. I’m enjoying trying out new recipes from other blogs that I read but I just can’t bring myself to take a good picture after a long days work. I feel bad for not doing them the justice they deserve because all of these recipes are worthy of more than an three-second iPhone picture.

Lentil Mushroom Meatballs from Oh My Veggies

lentil mushroom meatballs

I prepped these meatballs on Sunday night to have for dinners during the week and they turned out to be a hit. They’re fairly easy to make, full of flavor, and even have a meaty texture.

Massaged Kale Salad with Butternut Squash, Toasted Walnuts & Goat Cheese

Butternut Squash & Kale Salad

I love a good kale salad and when I saw this one with warm butternut squash and toasted walnuts, I knew it would be happening in my kitchen. To save time, I washed and cut the kale over the weekend and bought precut squash. I added red onion and used goat cheese instead of blue cheese and it turned out to be tasty and satisfying.

Baked Spaghetti Squash from Sugar Magnolia

Spag Squash

This recipe is so simple and doesn’t require a lot of clean up afterward. Plus, it’s smothered with sauce and cheese. Need I say more?

 

So I am beyond excited for the weekend. We don’t have much planned but that’s fine by me. Happy Friday!