Look at me, look at me!

Today is a very special day, my friends... I have an all-new, beautiful blog design that I absolutely love! If you're reading this in some sort of feeder, please click over and take a look - it finally looks like my blog wasn't designed by a kindergartener playing with MS Paint ;) The design is courtesy of Jessica at Diamond Doll Designs, who is an absolute doll herself. I am tickled pink with what she dreamed up for Typically Late!

A recent addition that you may not have noticed is that there is now a special "Recipes" tab - every recipe posted on the blog has it's own special link over there, so you can find exactly what you're looking for, or browse through my creations to try something new. Take a peek!

Anyone else feel like this week absolutely flew by? It's going to be Thanksgiving before we know it! Whew. Today's Five for Friday is a bit of a jumble... bear with me!

1 // These views. I can't even. Virginia in the fall is almost too gorgeous to handle (unless it's a rainy day.. then ick!) - so lucky to live in a place that looks like a picture.

2 // SOMEONE managed to get himself locked in a spare bedroom before work one day this week, and spent the day ripping the heck out of the carpet trying to escape. (He has a total complex about being behind closed doors - something about his life before we rescued him makes him absolutely go nuts about this - so I can't really blame him, even though it's totally frustrating). Lucky for him, he was so snuggley and cute when he was finally freed...

3 // My dad and I often find ourselves watching TV "together" - this week it was the CMAs, and we were texting all night about the singers and performances. He's funny sometimes... :)

4 // dinner last night, brought to you by Trader Joe's... we don't usually do frozen, pre-made things (if we do frozen, it's homemade!), but I keep a couple of things for "emergency" nights. Last night, with a Caps game, Redskins game, and allergy shots for me on the agenda, we pulled out a new TJ's entree to try. It was actually pretty good! We've discussed my love of Mexican food... enchiladas would have to be awful to not pass my taste-test. Ha! Anyone else had these before?

5 // We've got a cold front coming through this weekend, and there is nothing like a steaming cup of fresh coffee in the morning! We use K-cups most mornings, but on the rare days when we break out the coffee pot, it's such a treat to drink "real" coffee.

Monday is Veteran's Day - hope you've got a long weekend like we do :) I've got a big event on the calendar for Sunday morning - my next half-marathon! I'll be in OBX with some girlfriends running the race, so say a little prayer for me if you're up early on Sunday. Also, there's a running-related post in the works right now... it's about to get deep around here, y'all. Have a great day!

A first time for everything

It's an exciting day around these here blog-parts: a blogging first for me! Today, I'm guest posting over at Stephanie's blog, Never the Same Spice Twice! (NTSST is the co-home of C's favorite link-up, The Boys Behind the Blog.) Stephanie is a new mama to a beautiful baby girl named Ella, and keeps managing to inspire me with weekly meal plans and new recipes nonetheless. While she is snuggling her sweet ladybug today, I'm sharing a brand new recipe - so click over and check it out!

~~~~~

We had a three-day weekend (thanks, Mr. Columbus, for "discovering America," and yay for government holidays even in a shutdown...), and having the day off yesterday was delightful. We slept in, had lunch with C's friend, and  I got a pedicure. Plus, I had a blog-date (blate!) with my new blog-friend, Stephanie! We met up at a local coffee shop called Hyperion Espresso, and spent the afternoon sitting in the sunshine enjoying pumpkin spice coffee and lots of chatting. Stephanie and I seem to have a lot in common (right down to almost-matching phone numbers!), and we managed to kill several hours talking about anything and everything. After not having seen the sun for almost a week, it was the perfect way to spend an afternoon. I loved being able to be outside enjoying a nice October day!

I got home just in time to remember that is was Monday (not Sunday), and made it over to the gym for the newest BodyPump launch! For you non-Les Mills people, a "launch" is when they release the new choreography (every 10 weeks or so), and it's kind of like a party - decorations, prizes, and lots of fun! I was excited to see what the new moves were for my favorite class. This version is definitely a booty-burner - the squat and lunge tracks are no joke!

C & I wrapped up the day by watching the Caps win (what a game!) and catching up on the Walking Dead. Couldn't have planned a better day off if I tried! Now, it's already Tuesday, and that is the best way to start a week. Who's with me?

One.

Typically Late is one year old today!

A year ago today, I was sitting on the couch, and made a decision - I was going to start blogging, and actually stick with it. I was going to find my voice again, and I was going to find the words that used to come so simply. I didn't really know what I was getting into, but I was determined to start.

I have spent the last year documenting so many things - my recipes, my fitness, my relationships... My cat. (Normal.) I've been working through the writing process, which feels like an old friend. I've been dusting off my creative writing skills (which were carefully honed in high school and college, but packed away once I got to the "real world") and it feels good to really be writing again. Sometimes I babble like an idiot. Sometimes I ramble and lose track of my thought process. But it's always a representation of how my mind works. And it's always from the heart. I think I'll stick with it for a while.

I've decided over the past year that I have a motto, a catch phrase, a slogan (whatever you want to call it): be inspired, be inspiring. I read those words somewhere this year, and they've stuck with me. It's important to motivate and influence you - it leads to creativity and growth. I've been inspired by other bloggers, other runners, and other writers. But it's just as important to do the inspiring - and that is what I hope has happened over the last year. If I've inspired anyone over the last year, if I've encouraged even one person to try a new recipe or go for a run or do something different, then it means I've kept up both ends of that deal. Be inspired, be inspiring. Words to live by.

Happy birthday, little blog. I hope you have a nice long life.

The Liebster Award!

I was recently given the Liebster Award by Lisa at Sorority Life to Army Wife. Thanks, Lisa!

I’ve seen this award before, and even been given it once or twice (I think…) but have never actually followed through. WHOOPS. Bad blogger. I’m on board now, though, and excited to participate! There are two ways of looking at this award: more fun facts about someone super interesting (moi) or TMI. You choose. 

The Liebster award is given by bloggers to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

RULES:

1. Each person posts 11 things about themselves
2. Answer the questions the nominator made for you, and create 10 more questions for the blogs you nominate.
3. Choose nominations and link them to your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.

11 Facts About Me:

1. I haven’t seen my natural hair color since I was in 8th grade. Seriously. Right now, it’s pretty close to normal, but since I don’t exactly remember what “normal” is, it’s still just a guess. I like to play with my hair color pretty regularly.
2. Virginia Tech was the only college I wanted to go to, and the only college I applied to. Good thing I got in!
3. My best friend’s name is also Lindsey (she spells it wrong!) and this adds a challenging uniqueness to our relationship.
4. I am definitely a cat person – I had three throughout my childhood, and now my husband and I have one of our own. However, I’ve always wanted a dog, and I’m pretty sure we will get one when we get a big enough yard.
5. I am truly the Queen of Procrastination. If it can be done later, it will be.
6. I generally dislike drinking water, but have gotten a lot better about it over the last year or so. It’s still a challenge – I’d always prefer something else. Along those same lines, I am a recovering Diet Coke addict.
7. I am terrified of having children. I know that I want to be a mom, and I know that C & I plan on having kids, but I can’t wrap my head around being pregnant and actually doing so.
8. I have a touch of wanderlust – I love travelling and exploring new places. I don’t get to travel nearly as much as I’d like to.
9. I have the worst sweet tooth. There is almost nothing that is candy or dessert or a treat that I don’t like.
10. I love presents – giving and receiving. I just think there’s something wonderful about picking something out for someone that you know they are going to love, or giving someone something that they’ve really wanted or maybe didn’t know they wanted. Obviously, I love Christmas time!

My Answers to Lisa's Questions:

1. Why did you start blogging? I started blogging because I felt like, since college, the amount of writing I was doing had really diminished - and I missed it! Plus, I really enjoyed reading other people's blogs. I think it's fun to get a snapshot of other people's lives (to a certain extent!).
2. What is your favorite dish at your favorite restaurant? This is actually a lot harder than I imagined it would be... I think my absolute favorite is the spinach ravioli in lemon cream sauce at Zeppoli's, an Italian restaurant in Blacksburg. It is so decadent, and so good.
3. Do you prefer shopping in brick-and-mortar stores or online? It depends - if I know exactly what I'm looking for, I like to just go online and get it (and it tends to keep me from buying other stuff, too!), but I do enjoy just going to shops and perusing.
4. Was your favorite college (or high school) class taught by your favorite instructor? What were they? My favorite high school class was actually a number of classes - I took a couple of different writing classes from the same instructor, who turned out to be one of my favorites of my whole college career. I got lucky!
5. Where did you last vacation? Outer Banks! We went in the beginning of October with C's family.
6. Tell me your family's most unique Thanksgiving tradition. We always bake pies the night before Thanksgiving. When my sister and I were little, we used to make a huge fort on the living room floor the night before Thanksgiving, and then we'd wake up and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in our pajamas and eat pie for breakfast. It rocked! I still eat pie for breakfast on Thanksgiving.
7. If you could own any exotic animal as a pet, what would you choose? An otter! I don't know how exotic that is, but it's what I want.
8. How did you come up with your blog name? I thought for a while about various things that make me unique.. bahahahaha. I'm almost always late. Even when I truly try to be early. It's an issue. But it worked at the time, and I've stuck with it!
9. Who created the recipe you cook the most? The recipe I currently cook the most is probably Crockpot Salsa Chicken... and it's just one of those Pinterest/Interwebz thing.
10. You can ask any three historical figures (including those who are still alive) to dinner. Whom do you invite? Anne Frank, George Washington, and Britney Spears. (What a group.) (I really hate this question - so much pressure to pick the right people! I want to invite 100 people instead...)

My Nominees:

Lindsey @ From Virginia with Love
Elizabeth @ A Chronic Venture
Jordan @ Jordan in Pearls
Anna @ My Semi-Charmed Life
Kirstin @ Kiss, Laugh, & Dream

10 Questions for My Nominees:

1. What is your number one “comfort food” and why?
2. If you could move anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go?
3. What is your dream job?
4. Who would star as you in the movie of your life?
5. What did you eat for dinner last night?
6. What is the next movie that you want to see in theaters?
7. What is your favorite movie quote or song lyric?
8. Do you have a “go-to” recipe that you make all the time? What is it and why?
9. Describe your favorite way to de-stress or blow off steam.
10. What’s your favorite app (if you have a smartphone) or website, if you don’t?

It's OK!

I'm trying something new today - I'm linking up with two bloggers who do a weekly spot called "It's OK! Thursdays."
  It's OK...   ...to wish we had watched the Season Premiere of Homeland last night instead of the debates.   ...to be mildly completely obsessed with Homeland and have watched all of Season 1 in three days.   ...to wear my flipflops to work and bring my big girl shoes with the intention of changing but not actually do so.   ...to go running around the office stalking everyone who normally has chocolate on their desk until I found some - M&Ms to the rescue.   ...to regularly de-friend people who annoy me on Facebook - especially if I can't remember why we were friends in the first place.   ...to be terrible at keeping my fingers nails polished and nice-looking, not chipped and gross.   ...to forget to fill in my timesheet daily.   ...to be really, really looking forward to having Chipotle for dinner tomorrow since C & I made that plan on Tuesday.   ...to not really care about the Nationals or the fact that Teddy won. I want hockey back!   Happy Thursday!

Foodie PenPal UNfail.

Well, well, well.

Guess what?

Look what I found in my mailbox. Hmmmmmm.

We were out of town for the holiday weekend visiting friends, and when we got back and checked the mail on Monday, lo and behold, there was a package. Post-marked August 31 from Baltimore. Interesting.

My Foodie PenPal came through after all! Hooray!

I haven't really had a chance to try anything in the box yet, but here's a look at what was inside:

Unsure about these - I'm not a huge fan of ginger,
but the package says they are good for motion sickness.
I DO get motion sick... I'll save them for my next trip :)

Truth: C & I immediately broke into these. We like chocolate.
This was pretty good - the coffee flavor is not very strong,
just enough to enhance the flavor of the chocolate

Pretty excited for this! I love any & all salsa.
I think this would be yummy with my Chili-Lime Tilapia!

Haven't opened these yet, but they seem interesting.
I think I'm going to try them with
a schmear (technical measurement) of cream cheese
and a dab (technical measurement) of jam.
Sounds like a good breakfast!

 There was also a note in the box:

No mention of what the delay was about or if she read my post and I guilted her into sending something... I sincerely hope not. I hope it was just purely coincidence that she wasn't able to send it until the very last day of the month, and she did it because she wanted to. Either way, I appreciate the effort! It was nice to not be completely let down. Foodie PenPal for the win!

**C asked if I was going to issue an apology for my "FAIL" post - the answer is, absolutely not. What I said in the post was that I was disappointed and a bit mad about the situation, especially given the fact that there was zero communication about the whole thing. That still stands. It's not that hard to send an email and let someone who is counting on you know what's going on, and I still think my FPP should have done that. In the end, though, it is what it is - all's well that ends well. WHOOOO cliches.

Foodie PenPal FAIL.

Here's a picture of all the amazing goodies that my Foodie PenPal sent me this month!!:













Wait, there's no picture.

That's correct.

That's because this month's Foodie PenPal exchange was a great big FAIL. I did not receive a package. Whomp whomp.

I got paired up with Rachael from Around, Wondering as the person I was sending a package to, and another girl (She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named [SWSNBN]), who doesn't have a blog or any internet presence that I can find (so I'm starting to wonder if she's even real), as the person who was going to send me my package. Great, I thought! Let's do this! (LERROOYYYY JENKINS! Five points if you get that reference.)

I sent out my email to establish contact with Rachael, and got an email from SWSNBN. I told SWSNBN all about myself, my food preferences, my hobbies, my eating habits, blah blah blah. She emailed me back and told me about herself, including that she's a student in Maryland, and I thought that was great, because we'd have some local food things in common. All was well.

Packages are supposed to be mailed out by the 15th of the month. I got Rachael's package together, had a great time searching for fun things in Occoquan, wrapped it all in pretty tissue paper, and got it in the mail a day or two early, even. Then I get an email from SWSNBN saying that she won't be able to have my package in the mail by the 15th, but should have it by the 18th at the latest. OK - no big deal. It's just coming from Maryland, shouldn't take long to arrive, all is still well.

So....... then nothing. No email. No package. No carrier pigeon. I'm checking the mail daily, figuring that at some point this package will arrive. Nope. Nadda. I email SWSNBN asking what's going on. No response. I email Lindsay to tell her that things do not appear to be going well. She emails me back saying that she emailed SWSNBN - as far as I know, no response.

And that is all folks. SWSNBN has disappeared, I received no fun Foodie PenPals package this month, and August is over. I repeat... whomp whomp. Sads all around - even C is disappointed, because he liked the last box, and he helped me shop for this month's box, and we were looking forward to seeing what we'd get. So now there are TWO sad, fun-food-less people in our house. Two and half, if you count Mac, who's sad on our behalf.

So sad he's falling over.

I don't know what's going on here,
but this picture cracks me up.
Camera fail. Kitty pirate.

All funnies aside, I have to admit that I'm pretty disappointed/a little mad. I know that I take a chance when I sign up for an exchange like this that something will go wrong. I know that shit happens, and sometimes you just can't get your act together like you'd like, and maybe that's what happened this time. I'd like to give SWSNBN the benefit of the doubt. My issue with the whole thing is, though, that she didn't own up to it. At least answer my email. At least tell me that no box is coming. Don't just disappear off the face of the planet and leave me wondering WTF happened. Not cool, SWSNBN. Not cool. Blerg.

So there ya have it. This month's Foodie PenPals was a bust. I hope everyone else got awesome boxes, and I can't wait to read Rachael's post later and see if she liked what I sent her. I'm not doing FPP next month, because there's just too much going on, but I think I will take the chance again after that. After all, my first time around was pretty awesome. I couldn't possibly get screwed twice, right?? **knocks on wood**

~~~~~

If you want to know more about the Foodie PenPals Program, here is the basic info:

Foodie PenPals

• On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
• You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! 
• The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
• You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
• Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month. 
• Foodie Penpals is open to US & Canadian residents.  Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We've determined things might get too slow and backed up if we're trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa. 

~~~~~

Unrelated - this is my 100th post! Hooray!

Killer Cardio & THE Tweet

Yesterday, I was looking for a little change-up for the gym (I did BodyPump on Sunday afternoon, and didn’t want to do it two days in a row, as my lower back has been hurting  a bit [sad face]) and came across a recent post from the Fitnessista with a cardio routine  she dubbed the Triple Threat Cardio Workout. Seemed simple enough, so I printed it out and took it to the gym with me.

Part one is on the treadmill. Part two is on the StairMaster. Part three is on the elliptical. I should note that I really only ever use the treadmill. I used to use the elliptical when it was cool to be a sorority girl on an elliptical reading a magazine buuuuut…. I quickly got over that phase of my life. (And for good reason... I'm not really coordinated enough to read and move, and the elliptical is not really as fun as it seems.) So, this was two machines that were relatively foreign to me.

Let me tell ya – those two machines kicked my booty. It was cardio in a totally different way than I am used to! Reminding me once again to step outside my comfort zone and try something new every now and again. I was a gross, dripping mess by the time I was finished. I promptly did what any good blogger/social media addict does, and tweeted a picture of myself, running mascara and crazy hair and all, and credited the Fitnessista for such a great workout.

Just finished the Triple Threat Cardio Workout from @fitnessista - sweaty mess, crazy hair, running mascara. instagr.am/p/O2YnSBgnDR/
— Lindsay (@cooperla) August 27, 2012

End of story.

NOT!

The most important part of the story is the end: THE FITNESSISTA RESPONDED TO ME. No, really. The one and only!

great job! “@cooperla: Just finished the Triple Threat Cardio Workout from - sweaty mess, crazy hair, running mascara. instagr.am/p/O2YnSBgnDR/”
— fitnessista (@fitnessista) August 28, 2012

This officially made my day (week? Month?) – not even ashamed to admit it. In my head, we are now best friends and she will be my personal trainer and I will have a kick-ass body like she does. I now consider myself basically famous. And creepy. But that is neither here nor there.

I think it's so great when the big bloggers take time to see who is commenting, or tweeting, or trying to interact with them, and then take the time to actually respond. It's encouraging to those of us who are small in the social media scheme, as well as those of us who are dripping with sweat thanks to a great workout that someone else took the time to put together. I like people who feel and seem like normal people. Normal people are good.

I'll add this one to the list for my cardio rotations - definitely going to be doing it again!

BlogLovin!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

You can now follow me on BlogLovin! Go check it out!

Race Day & June Foodie PenPal Reveal

It's race day! This morning, I'll be in Anacostia Park in DC participating in the Semper Fi 5K, a race that raises money to support the Semper Fi Fund (similar to Wounded Warriors).

There was supposed to be a group of coworkers doing it with me, but I'm not sure how many of them are actually going to turn out - it is hot hot hot here right now, and I know a lot of people may not be brave crazy enough to venture out into the heat for the event. That's ok, though! The money will still go to the fund, and those of us who do go should have a blast.

I'm aiming to beat my 5K PR - wish me luck!
~~~~~
It's the last day of the month, and that brings exiting news! It's Foodie PenPal Reveal day!!

This program was started by Lindsay, and I've seen it on lots of blogs over the last few months. This month, I decided to join in on the fun! I received an AMAZING box of goodies from Sara - this box was a great way to kick off my participation in the program! I'm so excited to finally get to show off all the sweet things that I got. Everything that Sara sent me was locally-sourced from her home state of Michigan - I thought that was so cool!

I was so excited to see this!

Sent with <3 from Michigan

Excellent illustration of where my box came from :)

And here's what was inside...

This handmade pasta was SO good - C & I enjoyed it with a side of turkey meatballs, tossed with just a little bit of olive oil so we didn't mess with the flavor of the noodles. It was so tender and delicious!

Quite possibly the BEST cookies I've ever eaten - they were lemon! I could smell them as soon as I opened the box, and I will be honest, one of them did not survive much longer after this picture was taken. So soft and sweet and lemony... I'm dying. So happy and at the same time sad that Sara only sent two ;)  Sara... I would not be mad at ALL to find about a dozen more of these in my mailbox some day... just sayin'! hehe

Coffee & biscotti to enjoy together - but I haven't had a chance to make the coffee yet, so I dipped one of the biscotti in my bedtime tea and enjoyed it thoroughly!

Monster munch! This candied popcorn was incredible - this treat is also gone. It wasn't your typical candied corn... it was fruity flavored! Definitely something new, and something I really enjoyed.

Haven't had a chance to pop this Fireworks Popcorn yet, but I'm excited for when we do - I love fresh popcorn, and these dried kernels are just gorgeous.

I was thrilled to find this honey in my box - I love honey and use it in my tea and all sorts of other things. I didn't realize just how special this honey was, though, until I read Sara's note: it's from her parents' bees! Her dad keeps bees as a hobby, and they get to reap the sweet benefits. I have a jar of local Virginia honey, and I can actually taste the difference, which is fascinating to me. #nerdy

Sara threw in a post card showing some local parks and picnic areas in case I ever find myself in the great state of Michigan... you never know! And she wrote me a sweet note detailing everything in the box:

I couldn't have asked for a better Foodie PenPal for my first month in the program! Sara, you are FANTASTIC, and I definitely have some great ideas for the next box I put together for a penpal! Thank you so much for this introduction to the amazing local foods that you have around you :)

If you want to see what I sent MY penpal, head on over to Emma's blog and check out her Reveal post! This was a great experience, and I'm so glad I chose to participate this month. I'm not sure I am going to be able to commit to July, as my schedule is pretty packed, but I'm looking forward to joining in again soon.

~~~~~

If you want to know more about the Foodie PenPals Program, here is the basic info:

Foodie PenPals

• On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
• You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! 
• The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
• You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
• Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month. 
• Foodie Penpals is open to US & Canadian residents.  Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We've determined things might get too slow and backed up if we're trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa. 

If you’re interested in participating for July, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions. You must submit your information by July 4th as pairings will be emailed on July 5th!

new design!

As I'm pretty new to blogging, it's a bit confusing to dive into the world of "blog design" - I know what I like, and what I don't like, but I'm not entirely sure how to make it happen on my screen. I'm not satisfied with the basic templates offered by Blogger, so I turned to the interwebz to see if I could find something new (& free!).

Success! The new layout I'm using is a free one, courtesy of the girls at The Cutest Blog on the Block. It's so simple and sweet! They do custom designs as well, and if I decide I'm in this for the long haul and want a personalized design, I may very well go with them. Their portfolio is fantastic!


I made a few changes regard fonts and sizes, but other than that, this layout is great for me (for now! I'm too indecisive) - what do you think? Do you use a provided template, or a free layout? Design your own? Pay someone? Can you design mine? Tell me your best blog design secrets!