february highlights.

Here are a few highlights from FEBRUARY:

• I celebrated L Rut's birthday with her! We went to a comedy club and then to a piano bar. It was such a fun night --- Happy Birthday, Lauren!
• It legitimately snowed one day. School wasn't canceled so I drove to school while it was pouring snow. I felt like a mountain woman (sorta).
• The cute dog pic was the "Happy Valentine's Day" text I received from Stephen while he was out of town. Haha. We celebrated a little late on Sunday! We checked out the historic downtown Plano and then had dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. It was his first time to go and we were both too full for cheesecake. Maybe next time.
• Hannah came to visit again last weekend! Her, L Rut and I went to a yoga workshop at my gym. We were introduced to Acro Yoga for the first time. Oh my gosh. So cool and fun! Can't wait to learn more about this new practice!
• (At the very last minute) Stephen and I decided to go to Shreve last weekend to visit Chels & Dave and go to the Mardi Gras parade! I haven't done MG festivities in years --it was so fun. It was great to catch up with our friends!

I'm so excited about the warmer days ahead and MARCH.

sister celebration.

Last weekend I went to visit my sister and celebrate her 22nd birthday!!! Luckily, we are only 90 miles apart and it's easy to get together.

I baked her cake Friday night before I planned to leave on Saturday morning. Somehow no matter how closely I follow directions, when I bake, everything comes out a little more brown than I would prefer. Good thing the white icing made it look beautiful! I got a strawberry box cake with cream cheese icing (since it was Valetine's Day!) and decorated it with little candy hearts. Simple but fun!

I had planned on remembering to purchase birthday candles, but forgot. So....the substitute? Tea lights! Yes, maybe a little redneck, but it got the job done!

Katleyn and I wanted to have a relaxing Saturday. First she took me to Natty Flat for lunch. It's this little bitty old town with a really good BBQ restuarant and the world's largest rocking chair! After lunch, we sat outside in an attempt to get a tan. With this long, cold winter our skin is a bit on the pale side. After a few hours of sunbathing, it was time to eat again. We went to Mary's Cafe which is known for it's world famous chicken fried steak. I'm not a huge CFS person, so I opted for a cheeseburger, but Katelyn got the CFS and it was pretty yum.

After dinner, we went back to her house for cake and ice cream! We watched a movie (a.k.a. I slept and Katleyn watched) and then went to bed. On Sunday, she took me to downtown Weatherford where we had brunch at...wait for it... Downtown Weatherford Cafe. The. Best. Pancakes. Ever. And coffee. It was basically Weatherford's version of Cafe Capp. I think I'm still recovering from the amount of food that was consumed last weekend. Totally worth it though.

Birthday girl!

I am so thankful I got to spend the weekend celebrating my sister. She really is worth celebrating. Katelyn is one of the most hardworking, genuine, selfless, loving, thoughtful, and caring persons that I know. Yes she is blood, but these things are true. Her heart is pure and her spirit is free. I love you, Katelyn Rion and I'm so glad you're my seester.

Happy birthday!

chili for the chilly.

Y'all. It has been winter for three straight months. I. Am. So. Sick. Of. The. Cold.

Everywhere I go I run because that means I'll spend less time in the cold. When my parents came to visit this weekend, I was real kind and turned the heat up from 62 to 67 (saving for Italy 2014!). My poor mother had to watch the Olympics in her ski coat and hood. She felt like she was is Sochi too. Haha.

Sooo.... I decided to cook something this week that would keep me warm! Chili!

{Paleo} Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 3 zucchini
• 3 squash
• 1 bag petite baby carrots
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2-3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil for cooking

Directions:

1. Add oil to a large sauce pan, add ground meat, garlic and onion. Cook until meat is brown --drain fat, if necessary.

2. Remove cooked ground meat. Chop zucchini and squash.

3. Add oil, all seasonings and petite baby carrots to the sauce pan. Cook for about 5 minutes. (You can use any kind of carrot -- I choose these because I don't have to chop them!)

4. Add chopped zucchini and squash to carrots. Cook for about 5-10 minutes.

5. Add cooked meat to vegetables. Cook for about 10 minutes.

6. Lastly, add diced tomatoes and cook for at least 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Enjoy!

I also LOVE a very similar Butternut Squash Chili recipe! I promise you won't be disappointed in these warm chili recipes. :)

super bowl supper.

This is definitely not your typical Super Bowl Sunday menu. I just happened to pick this recipe and cook it on SBS. I'm really working on my new year's intention "cook more!"

Chicken & Bacon (Paleo) Alfredo

Ingredients:

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
• 8 slices nitrate free turkey bacon
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 tsp dried basil
• 3 tsp dried parsley
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 head fresh chopped broccoli
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Place squash on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour on 375.

2. While squash is cooking, chop chicken, turkey bacon, and broccoli.

3. In a large sauce pan, add olive oil and cook chicken for 10 minutes. Season with oregano, salt and pepper. Remove chicken and place to the side (leave all the yummy juices).

4. Add turkey bacon and cook until crispy. Then add coconut milk and all seasonings. Cook for about 5 minutes.

5. Add cooked chicken and broccoli to the sauce mixture. Cook for about 3-5 minutes.

6. Once squash is finished cooking, cut in half, remove seeds and scrape the spaghetti into a casserole dish. Add the chicken/bacon/broccoli mixture to the squash and mix together.

7. Bake casserole on 375 for about 30 minutes. Top with parmesan cheese, if desired! Enjoy!

*Side Note*
If you or whoever you're cooking this for doesn't normally eat paleo entrees, it might take some getting used to! I loved it because I eat clean, but Stephen, on the other hand, did not. Haha.