I was pleasantly surprised: As soon as I saw the bags of dough, inspiration struck!

Pizza!  Simple, easy, one of my favorite foods, and a lot cheaper to make at home rather than ordering delivery.  (See, I wasn’t lying when I said that I could eat pizza once a week!)

I had a tough time spreading the dough on my pizza stone.  It was really sticky, and every time I stretched it out, the dough shrunk back into a ball.  I added a little bit of flour and that made the dough less sticky.  After working with the dough and complaining for several minutes, I succeeded in stretching it out so it covered the entire stone.  (I’ve heard that wheat dough is even trickier than white flour dough!)

I spread 1/3 of a jar of marinara sauce on top of my pizza dough.  Then I sliced 2 balls of fresh mozzarella cheese.  Fresh mozzarella tastes so much better than the bags of shredded stuff.

A  fresh Basil leaf mustache!

Eventually I stopped goofing around and got back to work making the pizza.  I shredded several fresh basil leaves and spread them around on top of the cheese.

Everyone was very excited when it was time to put the pizza in the oven.

It only took 20 minutes at 450 degrees before my little pizza was ready for consumption.

Maybe I’m biased because I was the chef, but I thought this pizza tasted pretty damn close to the one we ordered from the Upper Crust last week.  It would’ve been an exact replica if Jared had OKed tomatoes on top. 

(“ll get my revenge on Jared nixing the tomatoes by adding them to the tofu dinner that I’m planning for tomorrow night!)

Around 9:30 last night, Jared noticed that the basement had flooded.  The entire thing was covered with 3 inches of dirty DIRTY water.

We used the basement to store junk and lots of empty boxes that need to be recycled.

Nothing has been ruined, but it’s a big mess to clean.  Plus it doesn’t help that it’s still raining!  I hope the landlord gets here ASAP so we can get the pump working and start getting the water out of here before things get moldy and stinky.

After the race in the rain, I didn’t want to set foot outside.  We ordered pizza for lunch.

Mmmm, that same selection from the Upper Crust that you guys always see.  I just love it!

By 8 pm, I was ready for a light dinner.  I cooked some quinoa in vegetable brought and then mixed in a few broccoli florets and some artichoke hearts.

Breakfast this morning was honey Greek yogurt with vanilla granola and Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter.  I’ve always been afraid to try the honey flavored yogurt, but this Trader Joe’s version had a slight subtle sweetness and I really enjoyed it.

I’ve really missed making yogurt and peanut butter blends for breakfast.  After so many days without this typical morning meal, this was delicious!  That scoop of PB for protein and substance helps my breakfast keep me full for so much longer.

2 leftover slices of Upper Crust pizza for lunch.  I reheated them in the toaster oven because I hate soggy microwaved pizza.

One of my bosses stopped by to tell me that she had been holding a package for me while I was on vacation.  It was my Secret Blog Valentine!

Andrea, you went above and beyond!  Opening the box felt a little bit like Christmas morning.

And when I saw the Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride tea, I almost squealed with delight.  After seeing this on other blogs, searching stores, and trying to win some in giveaways, I can’t wait to make a cup later this afternoon!  Thank you so much, Andrea!

And also thanks to Janetha for organizing this event!

This pizza from the Upper Crust had to make a repeat appearance.  So fresh and delicious!

Corgis really like pizza.  I felt bad telling him that it’s not for dogs.

I ate one too many pieces, but I knew I needed to have enough energy to make it through an hour of public skating at Fenway Park.

Our ice time wasn’t until 9:15  pm, but we arrived around 8:40 so we could take our time getting in and taking pictures.

Fenway Park!

More views inside a chilly Fenway Park.

Frozen Fenway!!!

It was COLD out and I was really bundled up:

• Layer 1:  Under Armour leggings and a turtle neck
• Layer 2:  Sweat pants and a fleece zip-up
• Layer 3:  Hooded sweatershirt
• Layer 4:  Winter jacket, scarf, hat, and gloves

On the ice!

When we first started out, I stayed close to the boards cuz that was the only way I could stop.  But as the night went on, I got more and more confident and ventured closer to center ice.

In the penalty box!

I can’t believe we stayed on the ice for the entire hour of public skating.  I thought I would get bored after 20 minutes, but I loved it.  My parents were skating too…so my mom and I did laps together and chitchatted while we were gliding around the ice.

Skating got my blood flowing.  By the time we had to get off the ice, I was actually warm and tempted to suggest walking home.  I’m glad we took the T cuz we didn’t get back to the apartment until 11 pm and by the time I relaxed and got ready for bed, it was close to midnight!

I slept great with the aid of my Night Guard so it wasn’t too painful when my alarm went off.  Just grabbed a bowl of Special K before heading out the door to go to work.

Yesterday was all about resting and recovering, not just from New Year’s Eve but also from all of the exhausting holiday travels.  I don’t even want to admit what time I finally rolled out of bed.  But I did enjoy my leftover veggie wrap from lunch the day before.  Plus some Food Should Taste Good chips.  Loving the corn flavor!

I watched the NHL Winter Classic (yay Bruins) and hung out around the apartment.  I did venture outside around 4 pm to go to the Apple store to pick up my laptop with it’s new disk drive.  Yes, my Lady Gaga CD successfully uploaded to i-tunes!

Jared and I ordered a pizza from the Upper Crust.

My dinner, times 3!  This pizza was SO good.

While I packed up Christmas decorations, I drank a cup of green tea.

Around 10:30 last night, I felt SO hungry.  I knew a snack wouldn’t satisfy my stomach so I made a sandwich on an Arnold Thin with green peppers and melted cheddar cheese.  Mmm, I felt much better after eating and watched Something About Mary before going to bed.

I slept in again this morning.  Boston is going to be snowy from now until tomorrow night so I didn’t feel the need to get up and at ‘em.  I made a DELICIOUS bowl of oatmeal using

• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of oatmeal
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of frozen berries
• Squirt of Justin’s Maple Almond Butter

I loved the combination of the berry’s tartness with the sweet almond butter.  I might need to buy a large jar of Justin’s so I can make this combination again.  That 99 cent packet of AB didn’t last very long.

Thanks for leaving some feedback about whether or not you think it’s ok for girls to work out in sports bras.  I didn’t stick to the Whittle My Middle challenge for the 3 weeks as planned, but I’m not gonna worry about that.  Screw it; I’m more comfortable running if either a tank top or a sports bra.  Gotta stay cool and comfortable while I’m doing my cardio!  (I say this now but cross your fingers that my confidence will be up next time I hit the treadmill.)

My Uncle Jon drove into Boston tonight because my cousin Kyle arrived at the airport.  Yup, Kyle is done with finals already and looking forward to his winter break.  They stopped at California Pizza Kitchen before Kyle went to spend the night with friends at Tufts, and Uncle Jon and Jenna drove home with Kyle’s luggage.

Even though it was CPK, I didn’t order pizza.  I ordered the Asparagus and Spinach Spagettini.  Mmm, very light and tasty.  Plus I’ll have leftovers for lunch later this week.

Jenna loved her Hawaiian pizza!

Friday night pizza from Bostone

Saturday morning stove top oats with:

• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon of blueberry flax seed
• 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
• squirt of maple syrup
• 3 shredded dried apple slices
• 1 tablespoon of Cinnamon Swirl peanut butter

Burger and fries from B. Good

Love these french fries!

Mmm, such a tasty and fresh burger!

I was inspired by Rachel on Glee.  She always wears short dresses or skirts with cute flats.  Since it’s Boston and it’s COLD, I had to wear tights too…and they were green diamond patterned tights to add some texture to the outfit.

After work, I drove to Harvard Square to shop for charity at Mint Julep.

I could get used to shopping with a glass of champagne in my hand!

There was a delicious spread but I walked away without trying a bite.  Too bad!  I did leave with a pair if earrings.  I HAD to; it was for charity!

The main reason for stopping by Mint Julep was because Tina had organized a blog meetup.  After meeting some of the girls at Mint Julep, we headed over to Noir at the Charles Hotel.

I sat with Lauren, Elina, and Tina.  It was fun to hang out with all of these great blog girls and I’m glad I got to meet some new people!  (Had to laugh at Corinne when she ran to my end of the table to say hi!)

Tina arranged for us to sample some tasty foods from Noir.  Pizza!

Lot of pizza!  I had 2 slices of the tomato and goat cheese flatbread.  It was SO good.

Munching on some pizza while trying to pick a film-themed cocktail.

Mac and cheese with tortilla chips!  Not the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had, but I can’t complain when I got to use it as a chip dip!

I finally decided to order a drink called My Favorite Brunette.  Gotta represent all of the dark haired girls out there!  This drink contained buttered bourbon, stoli vanil, apple cider, simple syrup, fresh lemon, and salt and sugar on the rim.  I’ve never had bourbon, but I thought this mixture was delicious!  Such a fun and different drink.  I normally order wine so I enjoyed getting out of my comfort zone and having an unique cocktail.

I was the first one to leave.  Miles had been left in the house all day and I knew he was going to need to go outside plus have some dinner.  Thanks again to Tina for organizing this event.  I had a great time!

Kashi cereal topped with pomegranate arils.  I had completely forgotten my pom in the fridge.  Thankfully Jared’s mom reminded me, cuz the arils added a nice flavor to my breakfast.

Jared and I hit the road at 10:15 am.  We made a pit stop near Utica, NY at noon and each got a slice of pizza.  It was greasy and tasty!  But there was no lingering to enjoy the meal.  I just wanted to chew and screw…get the long drive done and over with.

We stopped home to let the dogs out and then went to eat dinner with my Auntie Carol and Uncle Jon.  There was one small bump in the relaxing evening when my parents called from NY to say they had gotten a call that their dog was loose.  I had forgotten to shut the breezeway door and now Natasha was wandering around the high school near my house.  Oops!

My aunt used a Rachel Ray recipe to make angel hair pasta, asparagus, and sugar snap peas.  She also added some beef for a bit of protein.  It was delicious!  A very subtle Asian flavor with a little bit of spiciness. (Auntie Carol, you’ll have to leave a comment w/ the name because I forgot it again, haha.)

My cousin Jill made this dessert for Thanksgiving, instead of the one she featured a few posts ago.  Jared had a piece and said it was really good.

I opted for a tiny piece of apple oatmeal crumble.  Mmmm!  The oatmeal part of the dessert was my favorite.

Jenna wanted to be featured on the blog!  (Hey Jenna, are we going to decorate gingerbread houses this year?)

Since my parents were away, I had to take care of all of the animals: my dog, their dog, and the cat.  Both dogs slept on the bed.  Kitty was wandering the house late night and around 2 am, she knocked a glass off the kitchen table.  Natasha asked to be let outside around 4 am.  My dad’s alarm clock went off at 5:15 am.  I did not get a good night’s sleep!

Sunday…

I snoozed until 8:30 and then it was time to get up.  I ate a cranberry muffin before heading to Woonsocket to go running with my Auntie Carol, cousin Becky, and their gym buddy Lolly.

Natasha was still outside, but was very curious as to what was going on in the kitchen.

We went for a quick and hilly 3.5 mile run.  I was SO sweaty when we finished.  It was a great workout.  I prefer running outside over running on the treadmill, but I’ll only go if the weather is nice.  Becky and I chatted about Disney’s Food and Wine Half Marathon in October.  I’m definitely signing up, along with Jared, and Becky seems pretty sure that she’s going to do it too.  Now we just need to convince her boyfriend that he needs to join us!

In between cleaning, reading, and multiple loads of laundry, I had a plate of leftover lasagna.

I also ate my leftovers from dinner on Friday night.

I’m hoping that my parents will be home within an hour or two.  It will be nice to see them before we have to drive back to Boston.

Yesterday before we left to go to my parents’ house in Blackstone, I snacked on a PB&J.

I was really happy to spend the day at home.

I went to the nursing home to visit my grandmother.  She was really funny:  She’s been having dreams that I’m getting married so as soon as I walked in, she asked if I had any news for her.  She also told me that my teeth look really white.  Ummm ok, thanks Grandma!

My mom and I went to the Christmas Tree Shop to stock up on holiday essentials.

After shopping, we stopped at my Auntie Carol’s house to drop off some pumpkin butter I’d offered to get for her.  She gave us samples of her homemade protein bar.  It reminded me of my oatmeal breakfast cookie, but it was a more solid texture.  It was really good and I didn’t taste the chalkiness of the whey protein at all.

My dad was craving pizza for dinner so we ordered from our local spot: Ideal Pizza.  Jared and I split a small with chicken, broccoli, and artichokes.

I liked the artichokes on this pizza more than the one we ordered from Bostone because these were finely chopped.  Much easier to scatter all over the pizza!

Because my pizza serving was small (4 little pieces), I had plenty of room for Apple Pie a la Mode for dessert.  Mmm!  Even though my plate looks like a little sloppy, I guarantee that this was delicious!  (My dad has been taking pictures of all of the food he cooks lately, and he showed me the photos while I was at home.  I was jealous that there wasn’t leftovers!  I did eat an unphotographed piece of Pumpkin Pecan Crumble which is like a crust less pumpkin pie.  Yum!)

I also discovered that my mom has a Cannon Rebel!  Why has she been hiding this great camera from me?!?!  I tried to convince her to let me try it out for a week before I decide if I want to purchase one, but she couldn’t part with it.  I guess she needs to take pictures of my brother playing hockey this weekend.

I stayed up WAY too late last night watching the Pats lose to the Colts in the final seconds of the game.  Sadness for New England and more hate for Peyton Manning!

Good Monday Morning to everyone!

I made Sweet Tart oatmeal for breakfast this morning:

• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup of water
• about tablespoon of brown sugar (I didn’t really measure)
• 1 tablespoon of Cranberry Apple Butter
• 1 handful of pomegranate arils

Plus after I took the photo, I added a spoonful of Justin’s Maple Almond Butter.  This combo was delicious!  So sweet, yet tangy at the same time.  I am really grateful for the container of pom arils I got from Trader Joe’s.  I have a whole pomegranate, but that will take a while for me to peel and de-seed.