photography

I had these ladies on for a Cartagena debut Saturday night. At the last minute I pulled them off and put them back in their safe red duster bag. I had a mini shoe anxiety attack in which I envisioned their pretty red soles being brutalized by the rough Cartagena streets.

celebrating seven

It's hard to believe it has been seven years.
Each one has been full of memories...
family, friends, vacations, weddings, work, moves, Bella, and adventure.

Gifting is a difficult task in Cartagena, so we made it easy on ourselves this year and purchased a joint gift.
My grandparents refinish antiques and over the past 7 years, we have gotten quite a few pieces from them, dressers, a wardrobe, and a hutch. We love the look and warmness they bring to our home.
{when we had them displayed in a home}

We're not exactly sure what we will use this piece for {maybe a bar?}, but we look forward to displaying it in our home someday* as a reminder of lucky number seven.

*sadly, for now, it will sit in our storage unit among our other beautiful pieces

We decided to begin our celebration on Saturday.
I made red velvet small cakes/large cupcakes and for dinner we went to a new {to us} seafood restaurant on the bay for a lovely dinner.



On the big day of celebration, I was surprised with flowers before we made our way to dinner where we toasted to the love we've shared for seven years and all that is to come.

seven

seven years ago today...

five things

{one}
I've been searching high & low for a laundry basket since we arrived in Cartagena. I've never come across one. From time to time I am reminded about how convenient a laundry basket would be.
A glimpse into the mind of an ama de casa.

{two}
I got to hang out with this babe at the pool.


{three}
I also landed a babysitting gig three times a week while Mama Alice goes to pilates.


{four}
We moved to Texas at the end of October 2007. I haven't lived through a proper winter since then. Watching the news lately, I have been questioning my ability to do so ever again.

I shared this information with a friend, facing the bitter cold temps, who informed me that it gets more difficult as we get older...
"you feel it in your bones"

She very well may have sealed my fate.

{five}
My parents were in Florida this week.
I received this picture.
Upon seeing it, I felt pure joy.

Immediately followed by jealousy.

field trips

Last week I began an 8 week photography class on-line.
I'm excited to learn a bit more and to have something productive to do the next two months.

The other good thing about participating in a photography class?
It involves field trips,
which gets me out of the house.







Plus I get to partake in an after school snack.

Who doesn't like that?

perks

Matt had to work all weekend so I stayed busy cleaning, baking, and embroidering.

A very domestic weekend.


Saturday night we went out for ceviche.
This may be the only food I will miss when we leave Colombia.
It doesn't really even count, since you can get ceviche just about anywhere.


In between my domestic duties, I watched a full out marathon of Downton Abbey: Season 1 and enjoyed every second of it.
One of the perks of being an 'ama de casa'...
guiltless television marathons.

five things

{1}
I started another photography class this week.


{2}
I have a confession.
I can't poach an egg. 
It's hard.
So when I saw this egg poacher last week at the mall, I thought my ama de casa dilemma was solved.

Wrong.
It wasn't much help.

{3}
Last night Matt and I tried Mashed Cauliflower.
Try it.
We were quite pleasantly surprised.

{4}
I really like slippers. It very well may have something to do with the type of footwear I choose,
{i don't always prioritize comfort}
but slippers feel great and make me happy.
For my birthday my sister gifted me with a pair of Minnetonka slippers.

Obsessed.
Wear them constantly and if it wasn't 85 degrees outside, I would probably try to leave the house in them.
They make me ponder buying moccasin boots.
Which makes me ponder if I could pull off moccasin boots.

{5}
We grew up as Royals baseball fans and even bigger fans of third-baseman, George Brett, my father's all time favorite player.
My dad and Tyler had a chance to attend a function in which George was speaking.
Unfortunately, the event was scheduled the same day that it decided to snow in Knoxville.
If you've ever lived in or visited a Southern city that gets snow... it is madness. Everything shuts down, people burrow in their homes, and those on the road have no idea how to drive.
Fortunately, the snow didn't stop them and they made a little dream come true.

creamy avocado pasta

I'm not a big alfredo sauce fan, 

but sometimes a creamy pasta dish really hits the spot

When I saw a recipe for Creamy Avocado Pasta on Pinterest,

I was intrigued.

What sold me?

{besides the avocado...}

The pine nuts.

jungle & dressings

I've told you the people here are crazy drivers.
Today, I was walking from pilates to the gym and was crossing the street.
There was a car at the corner beginning to turn right. My attention was then focused on the oncoming car.
There is no rule for pedestrians here.
It's like many things in Colombia... you go for it and see what happens.
You've got a 50/50 shot it will turn out okay.
So my attention was focused on the car coming towards me, gauging whether he was aware enough to slow down when he saw me step into the street or if I was risking my life.
He appeared to be slowing down so I made my way across the street...
but
before I made it to the other side that car on the corner decided he really didn't want to turn right and he needed to reverse.
Regardless of the cars behind him or of the gringa pedestrian attempting to cross the street.
His car was literally touching me and his lights were still on as if he was continuing to reverse,
even when cars started honking
{pretty sure this was for their own safety and not mine}
I made it across alive {obviously}
but not before I gave the irresponsible driver and very dirty look and raised my arms in that "what the hell?" kinda way.
Welcome to the jungle.

After such a dramatic morning, I figured I deserved a delish lunch.

I found this recipe for Cilantro Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing.

Combined with a cobb salad, it was divine.

Take it from an ama de casa...
who almost got ran over.

routine

If there is anything I've learned since being in Colombia, it's that the locals love them some holidays.
If there is anything I've learned since beginning expat/ama de casa life, it's that routine is key.
These two things don't go well together.
For the past month, my routine has been shot. No pilates and no spanish lessons, which may seem simple enough, but has completely thrown off my daily schedule.
I've got plenty of little projects that have kept me busy, but there is just too much time on my hands.
Thankfully, vacation is over and my normal expat routine begins this week.
Not a moment too soon.

To celebrate the return of said routine I bought flowers.

Perfect start to the week.

*****

Matt and I had a quiet weekend.
We enjoyed a new pizza restaurant,
{no matter how long we live here we will never run out of restaurants to try}
used some gourmet mustard we bought in Paris for a Sunday sandwich,

and tried a new craft beer.

Best beer I've had in Cartagena.
If you have visited us, you know this doesn't seem like a great compliment,
but this was actually really good.

Sunday night we went to the movie, The Impossible.
{yes, we attended the correct film}
Upon my return home, I googled the chances of a tsunami in the Caribbean Sea.
Slim to none.
Whew.

effen beautiful

Last night while walking from the gym to the grocery store, Matt and I spotted a horse drawn carriage.

Matt slyly spoke up, revealing a bit of a grin...
"Take a horse drawn carriage to the grocery store... where else can you do that but Cartagena.
It's effen beautiful."

There's a story.

On my return from my first solo trip to the US, I met an interesting character. Waiting to board a flight from Houston to Panama a ginger man donning a redneck cap began speaking to me.

Sidenote: Randoms talk to me pretty often.  I have been amazed by the life stories and tales that have been told by total strangers.   It may be the reason I pursued a counseling degree. I also think it is very likely hereditary, because it happens even more to my mother.

Back to the story.

After the small talk, Mr. Talkative Ginger begins telling me about his brand new baby.

{I can't promise that the following is verbatim, but it's close.}

Mr: "I was working on a job outside of Boston. That's where my wife is. We just had a baby. Effen beautiful. Baby boy. Looks exactly like me. Effen gorgeous. Red hair. Blue eyes. He's effen amazing.

Obviously I've made this post soothing on the ears.
Mr. Talkative Ginger did not do the same for me.

He proceeded to ask me why I was flying to Panama. I explained that I was on my way to Cartagena.

Mr: "Cartagena. I worked out there. Effen beautiful, that place. I tell you what, I don't know if it gets much better. It's effen gorgeous."

He continued to ask me about the location I live in and then if I like to take the horse drawn carriages. I don't know if I have ever mentioned my disdain for the horse drawn carriages, but it's strong. My heart breaks for the poor ponies. They are so skinny, like exposed ribs. Their conditions can't be good and they just don't look like they get a lot of love. It makes me sad, so I want nothing to do with adding to their sadness. I obviously don't share this with Mr. Talkative Ginger. Instead I respond with a simple 'no'.

Mr: "Oh it's effen amazing. Where else in the world can you take a horse and carriage to the grocery store... have it wait for you... and ride it home? That's effin beautiful. It's effin great. That city is effin gorgeous. Effin amazing."

I silently sent a message to the universe, hoping that Mr. Talkative Ginger would not be my seat mate during the four hour flight that was in front of me.

He was not.
He was two rows up.
Talking. The. Entire. Time....
sharing his colorful language and adjectives with another unassuming soul.

Bless his heart.

|five things|

{one}
Cartagena has been crazy since New Years.
Monday was a holiday {Dia de los Reyes Magos or Epiphany}.  Apparently these back to back holiday weekends makes it quite 'posh' to be seen in Cartagena, so the city fills with tourists, the beaches are packed, the traffic is sick, and it's very difficult to get around.
Word is the crowds are supposed to dissipate.
However, the beach is still pretty full.

Matt and I braved the traffic and went out to the Old City on Friday night for sushi, where two other tables sitting near us spoke English.
This never happens, unless the city is packed with tourists.
Instead of fighting crowds over the weekend, I decided to relax with a puzzle.
Of London.
Which was a lovely way to spend the day.


{two}
On Sunday, Matt went golfing and I went to PriceSmart with some friends. It was a good trip with lots of loot, including cheese, turkey, animal crackers, almond milk and pine nuts.
I am ridiculously happy about these.
After asking several people in Cartagena, I decided that pine nuts don't exist here.
Once again, PriceSmart came through. I embarrassed to say how much I paid, so I wont.
But I am very excited to add them to pastas and salads,
but mostly to make my own pesto.


{three}
I've obviously shared my love for the barre3 workout before. They started off the new year with a 28 to great challenge.  Basically it involves a month of scheduled barre3 workouts and a nutrition plan, which is mailed to your house with a shopping list, recipes, and additional information. This was a problem for two reasons. 1} We've now come to the conclusion that mail is not reliable here. 2} A grocery list that includes almond butter and flax seed isn't going to get you very far in Cartagena.
So I Colombified the plan to suite me and scheduled a little 28 to great challenge of my own.


{four}
While I compose this post I'm snacking on this.

Beet, Carrot, Apple, & Ginger in a juice.
The juicer is a hit in our house and has been used nearly everyday.

{five}
I'm the Champion.

Team Bella Boxer won the PetSafe Fantasy Football League Championship.
I don't have a trophy, but I don't mind the bragging rights.
Plus I have the cutest mascot ever.