food, glorious food

Breakfast//Hot Cereal with Earth Balance, Agave and Coconut Milk

Lunch//Strawberry Surf Rider Jamba Juice with sorbet instead of sherbet 

Dinner//Butternut Squash Curry

This is what I’ve eaten lately.

I’m sure that you’re on the edge of your seat; this is the post that you’ve been waiting for. :) But there are two reasons why I wanted to share them with you—one, because these are some of the pictures that I’ve taken lately. And two, because I am so happy that we finally have an oven again. It was broken for two of the saddest weeks of my life. Because of all my different food allergies there's almost no "fast food" that I can eat (not that I usually even want to.) Sometimes I get tired of how long cooking can take but never again. (read: not yet at least) 

So, here's to food.

Dear Nick,

We ate pizza on a quilt on our living room floor. We kept the door propped open to let in the after storm cool of the night. Jeopardy was on TV and we answered "What are" and "Who is" before the contestants beeped in. There were root beer floats, pizza sans gluten and sans dairy, and a brownie for dessert. You ate your pesto and cheese pizza even though it was thin crust and you prefer thick and you liked it.

Then we crawled into bed and listened to more of The Book Thief and I became more in love with you. Because I was sick and you cared for me. I was sad and you comforted me. I was alone and you stayed with me. I was hungry and you fed me. I was bored and you played with me. I was lonely and you gave me attention. I wanted to create and you supported and helped me. Thank you, Nick.

Last night I had a terrible migraine. Despite the amazing, cable destroying thunderstorms we had here we were supposed to go canoeing with some of the boys in our church, but we had to bail on them which made me feel even worse than the migraine. I felt so frail, which is not a condition I am used to since I am usually the caretaker not receiver.

Nick was very sweet and gentle with me and with a little medecine and lots of attention he made me all better. I was still weak from my episode though and had no desire to cook so we went to our trusted friend Groupon and got a great deal on pizza from Stone Hearth Pizza which is conveniently located right across the street from us. This was the third night in a row that we had pizza for dinner (and you might be able to guess what I've been having for breakfast as well) but I wasn't sick of it and theirs was seriously good pizza and service in my book. It makes me so happy whenever I find a restaurant that has a good gluten free selection on their menu. I love to cook, but sometimes you just want to go out to eat--or at least have them make your food and then eat it picnic-style on your own floor--and not feel like your dietary needs are a hassle or that you might accidentally be poisoned because the people don't know what gluten is. 

Gratitude

source

"O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!

"I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which you whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another--

"I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another--I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants."

-Mosiah 2:19-21

This a scripture that I really like because it  reminds me how indebted to God I am. It helps me to remember how blessed I am even when I don't always feel that way. 

I have a full active life every day. I can choose what I want that life to be; little things like running in the mornings or not, and big things like building a family with my Nick. 

The end might seem a little strange, that we could serve God the best we possibly could and still be "unprofitable servants" but it also reminds me that God doesn't need me because of how awesome Alison Jones is; he can do everything much better and quicker without me. But just like a parent lets their child help them cook, so that the child can learn and feel important and useful, not necessarily because the parent wanted flour all over the floor and counters. 

Today I remember all that and I am so happy to be in the sunlight, on Thanksgiving day. 

Now, pie awaits. 

Page and the lion II

 

Blazer/Shoes: Thrifted, Shirt: Gap (Thrifted), Jeans: Walmart, Belt: Nordstrom Rack, Earrings: Etsy

Thanksgiving is tomorrow. I have a long list of things I am grateful for; my job, school, my body, my brain. The last two days the weather has been very mild. I expect to take more advantage of the sunshine by going on walks and soaking up some vitamin D over the next few days. During the between walks parts of my day I am going to bake and read and watch movies and snuggle and cook and clean (but not too much) and generally enjoy the "good life" with my love Nick.

I asked him this morning, as we slept in, if he thought Thanksgiving break would always be the wonderful holiday it has been for us these past two years or if it would wind up being me awake at 6 to put the turkey in the oven. He said no, so I am writing this as documentation that if one of us, in some distant future life of ours, needs to get up and begin cooking, it's not going to be me. :) 

Anyway, I hope you are tucked in a warm house, whether or not the weather is as lovely as mine. This is the part two of three of Page and the Lion. This is dedicated to my little sister Grace. We're a lot alike; especially in terms of books and writing.

Tell me what you think. Does it kill you that there are parts or does it feel too long for a short story? 

Page made no effort to conceal the room behind her when she opened the door. Looking the

person over critically who stood in her doorway, Page said “I suppose you’d better come in too.”

The man appeared as surprised as Anthony had been. Looking at the girl before him the man

hemmed and hawed, “Uh, well . . . perhaps I have the wrong address. What did you say your

name was?”

“I didn’t,” she said smiling. “But it’s Page. And I think, judging by your outfit, that you have

found the right apartment. So do come in.” Page opened the wooden door, scraped on the outside

and gold filigreed on the other.

The man was dressed in a khaki outdoors suit with tall black boots and a whip coiled at his hip.

This must have been his formal wear because everyone knows that lion tamers wear bright-

colored tank-tops and striped pants. With a bald head and a thick black mustache that curled at

the ends, it was right away obvious that he was a lion tamer, even if he wasn’t properly dressed.

It became even more obvious when, after looking around the spacious living room, his eyes

narrowed when they rested on the lion. “Tony!” he shouted. Most people would have just

shouted “Lion!” and then run away. Instead, the lion tamer stepped inside the doorway.

“Yes, yes, Tony, as you call him is here. But please come all the way in and stop shouting. I

don’t want my neighbors to wonder what’s going on,” said Page.

“What is my lion doing here? You have stolen him!” roared the lion tamer.

“Of course I have not,” Page replied calmly. “And as for what Sir Anthony is doing here, he was

just about to answer that question when you interrupted, but since you probably have your own

side to this story, you may sit quietly until he is finished and then I will hear you as well.” This

was said with such noble bearing that Anthony nodded in what I assumed was approval.

“Well, I never –” started the lion tamer.

“Quite so,” Anthony cut him off. “As I was saying, I was kidnapped as a young cub by Porticus

here,” he motioned toward the lion tamer with his nose.

“Kidnapped you, did I?” thundered Porticus.

“Well, what would you call it?” asked Anthony.

“You asked to come with me! Wanted to visit my world, you told me.” Porticus was pacing

the length of the living room, gesturing wildly. (It was no wonder he was in the entertainment

business; he was very entertaining to watch when he was angry.)

“Yes, visit. Not stay for ten years and never see my family again and play at being a ferocious

lion forever!” These last words were roared back by Anthony.

“Well, why didn’t you just tell me you wanted to go back?” Porticus asked.

“ I tried, but you never listened. You were too worried that you would have to go back to being ‘Tic the stable-cleaner’ instead of ‘Porticus the Lion Tamer.’ Besides, it’s not like you could send me back even if you wanted to.”