The Happiest Place on Earth...

Okay, so maybe the Yuengling Brewery isn't the 'happiest place on earth' but anywhere you get a history lesson about the country's oldest brewery followed by free beer is pretty amazing in my book!  

The day started in one of the best ways possible.  My husband and I were celebrating 10 years since we started dating and I was woken up with a sweet kiss and breakfast waiting for me.  Pretty great start to my Saturday.  Logan had planned an afternoon of activities for us.  He started off by telling me how much I inspire him and this 30 before 30 challenge was an example of that, so he wanted to help me cross something off my list.  (I really did marry one of the good ones.)  We enjoyed our breakfast, got dressed and were on our way.




The brewery had a decent crowd of people.  We had a cute little tour guide who was studying history at USF.  Not a bad gig for a college job!  She showed us around the facilities and we learned all about the process of how beer is brewed from start to finish, including the bottling line.  The coolest thing we saw was the canning process.  It is pretty cool to see how they get that cold delicious beer into the aluminum cans.  

The tour took about an hour and took us back to the hospitality house where we were treated to two free beers.  They had their special Oktoberfest beer available, which of course I had to try.  I followed that up with their Porter which has a very creamy silky finish that was delicious.  

As we finished our beers and picked out some goodies from the gift shop, Logan shared the next stop on our agenda.  He explained that one of his favorite things about me is how much I value traditions and creating memories.  One of the stories that I have told him over and over again was how my dad would sneak us into Busch Garden's through the maintenance entry so we could spend the afternoon riding roller coasters, followed by a hot dog at Mel's Hot Dogs.  So of course, while we were in the area, Logan had to treat me to a Chicago Dog and a Yuengling Lager.  If you have never been, it is a Tampa staple and you truly are missing out on an experience!

The rest of the day was spent the way most of our Saturdays end up, just hanging out, laughing with each other and enjoying each other's company.  It was a great reminder why we have shared 10 years together and an awesome way to cross another item off my list.

Living in the Moment

Recently, I was having a conversation with a friend about priorities and balance in life.  We were discussing our jobs and the amount of stress, worry, and hours of the day we put into our careers.  Why do we do that to ourselves?  Sure, we want to have a good job so that we can pay our bills every month.  Is the only way to be successful by working 60 hours a week, and constantly thinking of what else can I be doing for my company?  That was how I lived my life for years.  I always wanted to get ahead.  I was always looking for that next challenge at work, and I definitely ranked my job as the number one priority in my life.  It paid off.  I was awarded employee of the year for my company in 2010.  All my hard work was noticed.  Then I thought about what I sacrificed to get there.  I had no hobbies, no time to spend with friends, and while I am blessed to have a very supportive husband, my marriage was suffering.  

It was around the time that I made this list that I decided to make a personal change.  I would still work hard when I was at the office and have no problem putting in late hours when I need to, but work will no longer come first.  Life will come first.  Relationships will come first.  I was reminded of a quote from Abraham Lincoln:  “And in the end it is not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.”  Spending all my time worrying about work is not 'life in my years.'  (Just to stay honest, I had to look up who said that quote.  I remember statements that I like, but am terrible at remembering their authors.)  

So I made new promises to myself.  I will work hard and be passionate about my job, but when I leave work, I will actually leave work.  I will discover hobbies and new passions in my life that are completely my own, for me, and no one else.  I will dedicate time to growing myself as a child of Christ.  I will make an effort everyday to develop my relationships with my friends, family and husband.  I will be the woman God made me to be.

Last night I was enjoying a night of keeping promises.  I was at a concert spending time with my two wonderful aunts and loving husband.  My work email was off, and I was doing two of my favorite things (listening to live music and spending time with family.)  During the concert, a song came on that I thought was a perfect summary for this year in my life.  I thought it was a great fit for this blog and my intentions with creating it.

 "Living In The Moment"

If this life is one act
Why do we lay all these traps?
We put them right in our path
When we just wanna be free

I will not waste my days
Making up all kinds of ways
To worry about all the things
That will not happen to me

So I just let go of what I know I don't know
And I know I'll only do this by
Living in the moment
Living our life
Easy and breezy
With peace in my mind
With peace in my heart
Peace in my soul
Wherever I'm going, I'm already home
Living in the moment

I'm letting myself off the hook for things I've done
I let my past go past
And now I'm having more fun
I'm letting go of the thoughts
That do not make me strong
And I believe this way can be the same for everyone

And if I fall asleep
I know you'll be the one who'll always remind me
To live in the moment
To live my life
Easy and breezy
With peace in my mind
With peace in my heart
Got peace in my soul
Wherever I'm going, I'm already home

I can't walk through life facing backwards
I have tried
I tried more than once to just make sure
And I was denied the future I'd been searching for
But I spun around and hurt no more
By living in the moment
Living my life
Easy and breezy
With peace in my mind
With peace in my heart
Got peace in my soul
Wherever I'm going, I'm already home

She's a vegetarian (Mary Moon, Mary Moon)

Starting on Monday, July 9th, I dedicated 30 days to living the meatless lifestyle.  Because of this change, I know there were a few more Wilburs running free.  

One of my hopes/goals of my herbivorous diet for a month was to discover more entrees using vegetables as the star.  I've always been a huge veggie lover, but have limited them to strictly side dishes.  Also, it seems that many websites I looked at limited 'non-meat' entrees to pasta dishes which are heavy carbs.  I discovered new and fun ways to prepare my greens and have shared the best recipes below.

Biggest challenge:  Dining out!  It is so easy to make fun, filling, flavorful meals at home, but dining out makes it very limited.  I ate a lot of veggie burgers, ordered side dishes as my main meal, salads without protein (not filling at all) and pasta dishes.  This does not help you lose weight if anyone is considering a vegetarian diet for weight loss purposes.  I feel like I have been carbing up which was the opposite of my plan!

Because I love a little food porn, here are some of my favorite recipes and some photos to make you nice and hungry and ready to binge eat without the guilt.

Veggie Sandwich:
This sandwich is very filling and delicious!  I layer tomato, avocado, red onion, cheese and sprouts on honey wheat bread.  I made a horseradish herb mayo that I spread a thin layer of on one side and the other side was stone ground mustard.  The small hint it adds to the sandwich is the perfect final touch.  To make the horseradish herb mayo, simply mix mayo with horseradish and your favorite herbs - I used fresh chives and dill.

Bang Bang Cauliflower -   RECIPE HERE 
Here is how mine turned out:

So Yummy!

Portobello Mushroom Burger:

We had a ton of left overs from 4th of July so while Logan ate regular burgers, I made my own portobello mushroom burgers that were amazing.  Here is what I topped it with:  herb mayo (same one I used on my sandwiches), sliced avocado, melted mozzarella cheese, caramelized onions, sauteed spinach and tomato. 
I served them with zucchini fries with an onion dip on the side. RECIPE HERE

Go to snack/appetizer:

Caprice Salad:  Juicy tomato stacked with fresh basil and mozzarella cheese then drizzled with balsamic.  Yummo!

Go To Pasta Dish:  I chopped up and sauteed spinach, mushrooms, scallions, garlic, fresh basil and zucchini then tossed in a red sauce. All the veggies gave it the texture of a meat sauce that I love.  The first time it was served over pasta.  I also served it over spaghetti squash for less carbs and topped it with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.  I was able to get 4 meals out of the sauce.  

Cheesy Brussels Casserole.  RECIPE HERE.
I used fat free cheddar cheese and brown rice to keep this dish as healthy as possible.  Turned out very tasty and filling.  It says it is enough for 2 portions, but I was able to get 4 out of it with no problem.  I just added more Brussels and kidney beans, but left the other portions the same.

 The most amazing Eggplant Parm recipe ever.  RECIPE HERE.  Fried Eggplant wrapped around a basil, ricotta and Parmesan mixture topped with a red sauce and mozzarella cheese then baked.  Served with a side of spaghetti squash.  I will be making this again and again.

This meal was very indulgent.  Avocado Fries with a basil and ricotta aioli dipping sauce served on the side of my 'grown-up' grilled cheese.  The grilled cheese consisted of a sun-dried tomato spread, goat cheese, roasted peppers and sauteed spinach with shallots.  Oh My was it amazing!  Avocado Fries RECIPE HERE

Oven-Fried Okra
RECIPE HERE 

Crispy Brussels Sprouts
RECIPE HERE

Baked Tomatoes topped with sauteed spinach,
mozzarella cheese and a balsamic drizzle

Peppers stuffed with Chickpeas and Couscous
RECIPE HERE

Unexpected Exhilaration

Today I was determined to cross an item off my list. Logan is out of town and I have a weekend of no responsibility. This was the perfect time. So I decided to spend my day in euphoria, aka the yuengling brewery. I called up a fellow beer lover and native Philadelphian, and without any hesitation a group of us were on our way. This is going to be an amazing day.

I knew I was in the right place when I read this sign.

After wandering around the gift shop for a while I headed over to the counter to find out where we needed to check in for the tour when I found out some very disappointing news.  I had the times incorrect for the tour and we were an hour late.  Tours were done for the day.  Looks like I'm not crossing anything off my list today after all.

This is when my optimistic cousin Jena piped up.  We received a few free beers for our trouble of coming all the way out to the brewery.  (Thank you to the lovely staff at Yuengling.)  We could still cross something off my list, and I had my lovely family members to help me out.

I pulled up my list and read through what I still needed to check off and we saw the perfect one.  We were pretty hungry, just got a few free beers in our bellies and I had some extra money in my pocket from selling some old CD's to Sound Exchange. This was the perfect time to buy a stranger a meal at a restaurant.  It was meant to be.  We also found out that they were not actually brewing beer today, so the tour would have been lack luster.  I guess I will have to get more free beers another day.

I decided that Monday was going to be my first day of the next 30 before 30 challenge, 'Go Vegetarian for a Month,' so what better meal than some good ole fashion BBQ.  We chose Hank's Catfish and BBQ to try a new spot and maybe make a stranger's day.

When we walked into the restaurant, the smokey aroma welcomed me up to the counter.  I looked around and saw only two other tables of people sitting at them, who have already paid for their meals.  Maybe today wasn't going to be a bucket list day after all.  We ordered our food and I decided to just give the cashier enough money to cover 2 people's meals and explained to him that the next people who come in to order food, that I wanted to pay for it.  He seemed to be caught off guard with my request, especially when he asked if I wanted to be recognized for it or if I was with any special group and I said absolutely not - just tell them to pay it forward and remember that there are still nice people in the world.  He smiled and thanked me.  

We took our seats to wait for our food while enjoying an ice cold PBR, when a older couple walked through the door.  Our table was close enough to the counter that we could hear the exchange.  As the couple was trying to decide what they wanted to order, the friendly cashier had a hard time holding back his grin with the information he was waiting to share with them.  After they placed their meal order, he shared with him that this meal was going to be on the house, thanks to the kindness of a stranger.  I couldn't tell who was more excited, the couple or the cashier that got to share the news.  It was a great feeling.  At the end of my meal, the nice employee came by with my change which promptly went back into his tip jar. 

A grainy photo of the couple placing their order.

It is amazing how things work out.  Because I took down the wrong information for the beer tour, I was able to make 3 strangers' days a little brighter.  Being able to watch from the background was a very surreal feeling and one I will never forget.  What made it even nicer was sharing it with some of the people I love the most.  It was a great reminder that everyday we control our destinies.  We choose what attitude we want to have, what impression we will make on others, and the activities that we do.  I am able to check this item off my bucket list with a smile and a happy heart.

Stand up Paddle Boarding

Yesterday, Logan and I were able to cross another item off my list when we went Stand up Paddle Boarding.  We started off the day with a cup of coffee on our patio like we do most mornings, discussing how we wanted to spend our holiday weekend.  The weather was perfect outside so we decided to start our afternoon with finally using the groupon I got for paddle boarding.  We drove down to Fort De Soto Park where we met up with our guide for lessons.  


I thought it was going to be an hour of instruction, but it turned out to be a 'lesson' that lasted less then 2 minutes followed by and hour of Logan and I exploring on our own.  It was such a pleasant surprise.  Over the next hour we enjoyed the beautiful Florida weather, getting a little exercise and pointing out all the wildlife we could find.  Afterwards we continued to enjoy the great view of the water and amazing weather with lunch at a rooftop bar where we decided not to do anything productive all weekend and just enjoy some time off.  It was a beautiful way to start the holiday weekend.

3 months and 18 lbs later...

Back in January I took a look at myself and didn't like what I saw.  I was overweight, out of shape and most importantly just unhappy.  It all started May 31, 2008.  Logan and I were on our honeymoon and we were sitting down to order lunch.  I was torn between two items.  One which was healthy and light, the other very fattening.  Logan reminded me that I had worked really hard for the months leading up to the wedding to look great in my dress and I deserved not to think about calories.  Order what you want.  So I did.... for that meal and every meal for the next 4 years.  Well, the honeymoon was over and at my peak I was 20 lbs heavier.  Time to make a change.  So I added to my list, 'spend 3 months dedicating to getting in the best shape of your life and take photos to remember it.'

One of the things I wanted to do for Logan before we got married was something many brides want to do for their grooms to be.  I wanted to give him a couple of photos of me looking my absolute best.  That way, years later when my body has been abused from childbirth, I have ketchup stains on my shirt and cheerios in my hair, he can look back and remember what I once looked like.  But then as it always does, life happened.  I got wrapped up with planning a wedding as well as our conference for work (which happened to be on the day after my wedding) that I never got around to a photo shoot.

There I was, 20 lbs heavier without the 'baby weight' excuse, dreaming of a body I once had.  So, what was I going to do about it?  I spent the first month on an extreme diet to drop the extra weight, then I spent  the following 3 month weight training with P90X and training for a 1/2 marathon.  Once complete, I finally looked and felt like me again.

Heaviest Weight tipping the scale at 148 yikes!

January 1 Official Start Weight:  146.2

May 1 Finished: 128

Down a total of 18.2 lbs, 19 total inches (6.5 inches off my waist and 6 of my hips)  Down 12.45%

Not only was I able to drop the extra weight that I wanted to lose, but I also gained confidence I haven't had in a long time, feel healthier and stronger then I ever have and now have a routine that will stick with me for life.  I plan on continuing my healthy lifestyle so I can keep my weight under 135 lbs. (I'd like to say I will keep it at 130 but the truth is I love food way too much.  I will just try to eat a couple veggies in a non-fried form more often.)

April 22nd - Completed a 1/2 Marathon!

I also wanted to share a little advice for anyone who is trying to lose weight or try to get healthy based on my experience.

1.  Set realistic goals and a realistic timeline.  Otherwise you are setting yourself up for disappointment and failure.
2.  Use a tool to see how many calories you should consume each day to get to your goal weight.  My average was 1200 per day.
3.  Find healthy foods that you love - if you don't like what you are eating, then you wont stick to it.  I found that I LOVE apples, Brussels and smoothies (recipe below) so I had a lot of them.
4.  Keep variety in your diet!  If you are eating chicken and broccoli every day for 12 days straight you are going to train yourself to HATE chicken and broccoli.
5.  Give yourself a cheat day each week.  ONE day where you don't eat healthy or work out and be okay with it.  (In moderation.  No reason to house a full pizza at lunch, 20 wings and a basket of fries for dinner and a sundae for dessert.)  Also - be able to get right back into eating healthy the next day.
6.  If you really want to lose weight, say bye bye beer.  (Alcohol in general)  Empty calories.  My first month I cut out alcohol and probably lost 5 lbs of beer weight alone.
7.  Strength training is just as important as cardio which is just as important as your diet.  You can't just do one.  You have to do all 3.
8.  There are no tricks or miracles.  Those girls you see in magazines with perfect bodies have probably never eaten a cheeseburger and are in the gym 7 days a week.  Not to mention, a crazy amount of retouch done!  There are no short cuts - you have to just work hard.  It sucks.  If one of you did find a miracle drug that allows you to eat what you want when you want, never work out and still look like a Victoria Secret's model please let me know.  I want to get in on that.  And if you are reading this saying, I eat whatever I want and I just can't gain weight - I'll always be a size 0 no matter what I do.  Then I hope you choke on a cheeseburger. 

Casey's Favorite Smoothie Recipe: (AKA the Green Monster)
In a blender combine:
1 single serving sized container of vanilla Greek yogurt
1 banana
1 large scoop of peanut butter
1 cup of vanilla Almond Milk
1 cup of ice
As much fresh baby spinach as you can pack into the blender (at least 2 cups full)

Makes about 2 smoothies - I would either make one for Logan and me or I would put the other one in the freezer for the next morning.  This is full of protein and perfect to drink after a hard work out or a long run.  It replenishes your body of the good things it needs after a work out.  Should be used in replace of your meal - so if you work out at night, this would be your dinner substitute.

To Ink or not to Ink

I have been debating on getting a tattoo since I was 16 years old.  What started off as desire for a statement of rebelling against my parents grew into wanting to have an expression of my personality on my body.  A conversation piece.  Then I turned 18.  I can now legally get the tattoo that I have dreamed about and sketched in my notebook years ago and still liked.  That is a sign in itself right?  2 years later, I still like my tattoo idea.  But, this is permanent.  I had high aspirations of being someone of importance in a professional setting so I can't have a tattoo that people can see.  I had serious self debates on the placement of my tattoo. I gave up the battle for now and jumped on the belly button ring bandwagon.  At least I could remove it once the fad is over.  Great idea Casey.  Thanks to getting it ripped out one night during a bartending shift, I will now need plastic surgery to hide the gaping hole above my navel. 

So now jump to 21 year old Casey who still wants to get a tattoo but over thinks everything.  I have a lot of friends with tattoos in various places and clearly the spot that makes the most sense (based on the millions of girls who got them) is the lower back.  You can cover it up easily with clothing and show it off when you want to.  Perfect.  Oh wait, now that is deemed the official 'tramp stamp' and every woman who chose that tattoo location will be battling with the stereotype that they are not that easy.  Looks like that is out.

So here she is, 29 year old tattoo-less Casey who for some reason still feels like this could be a cool idea. (Not sure why I keep talking in the 3rd person.)  But why?  I'm too old now to say it is something that captures my youth.  I do have a corporate America job so it would have to be some place that I would cover up.  I obviously had an overwhelming feeling that it wasn't for me with the number of times that I have sat down in a chair of a tattoo parlor and left.  Why do I think I want a tattoo so much?

Hence the reason why it got put on my bucket list.  I need to make an official statement of yes or no I want a tattoo.  Part of me judges ever person I see with a tattoo.  You think that makes you unique?  That is an expression of your individualism?  Then why are there more people with tattoos then without?  You are more a follower to society then I am.  If anything I am the rebel here!  I am more unique, so there!  (Way to be a jerk about it, judgmental Casey.)  The other part of me thinks they are so cool and I want to ask each one of them to tell me the stories of when they got them and the meaning behind them.  Please lets go somewhere to drink craft beers, listen to Indy rock and you tell me about your interesting life without rules so I can live vicariously through you.  I think that is the part of me that also wants to quit my job, get full sleeve tattoos, dye my hair purple and work as a bartender at night while surfing during the day for the rest of my life.  (Says the girl who's only been on a surfboard once and was terrible at it.)



There is something truly beautiful about this.

 
And there is the problem.  I have an inner conflict on a daily basis.  Part of me loves my job, the home I come home to and the idea of settling down and having a family in our cozy little suburban neighborhood where I spend the weekends working in the yard, coming up with my next pinterest creation and volunteering in my free time.  That's the dream right?  But then the other part of me wants to sell everything I own and go travel the world with my husband for the rest of our lives picking up small jobs when needed to get by.  But since you can't have both, it seems I have already chosen path one.  Would a tattoo be that little reminder of the other person I could be? 

The answer is no.  If I really thought a tattoo was what I needed so I could be that person, I would have already gotten it.  To be sure, I took a little online quiz to see 'if I should get a tattoo' and just the fact I took a quiz should have prompted a screen that says, 'if you are questioning your decision then you aren't ready for a tattoo and never will be.'  So I am making the final decision.  I am crossing off my list 'decide if I am going to get a tattoo' with confidence that I am not a tattoo person.  I am still Tattoo Free since '83.  I am and always will be a poser.  I will continue down the burbs life that was cut out for me where I belong, with the strongest admiration for those in my life who are fulfilling my non-conformist fantasies.