To Cut or Not To Cut!

After about 4 months without a haircut and 5 months without highlights, my hair is looking like a hot mess. My bangs are under my chin, my layers are all over the place, the ends of my hair are all split, and my hair is a dirty, dishwater blonde. It wouldn't be bad except for that combo coupled with my pasty, white skin, makes me look sickly. As much as I would like to just wait until I get home, I don't think I can.

Getting my hair done in the States is easy, regardless of where we are located and when we were in England, finding a hair dresser wasn't a problem for me. In fact, the best haircut I've ever had was in Basingstoke, England from one of Kevin's teammates. I wonder if he'll fly over and do my hair? But seriously...I'm in a place where I don't speak the language and I'm scared as hell that I'll leave the salon looking like this...

Sorry Pink, but this is not a good look.
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I'm not as scared about the haircut as I am the highlights. I usually go for a nice, sun-kissed blonde look, but I have yet to see that here in Vipiteno. Instead, it is an allover yellow-orange or platinum color. Debbie and I like to refer to it as Euro-blonde. But I think I am going to take my chances. I know one of the hairdressers from the games and she has cut Kevin's hair once before. I am going to put my trust in her and hope for the best. Wish me luck!

Let's Talk Baby Carrots

Maybe you would rather we not talk about baby carrots, but I recently came across some information the other day that has put me off of baby carrots for life and I had to share it.

Long story short, a farmer was sick of wasting carrots because they were not the perfect size and shape so he invented the baby carrot. He cut the carrots into two separate pieces and then peeled them to make them all look uniform. All of this because consumers don't like to buy 'ugly' carrots!

Can carrots really be ugly?
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Then things went one step further and a new kind of carrot was born, the Imperator. This carrot is bred to grow longer and ripen faster. Then it is peeled and cut into three separate pieces. This process results in the baby carrots being sweeter.

The interesting thing about baby carrots is that they only have 70% of the beta carotene of a normal carrot. In fact, baby carrots hold little nutritional value. And it turns out, for all you frugal people out there, that baby carrots are, on average, more expensive than regular carrots.

At an away game last week, a few wives and I started talking about baby carrots (weird, I know) and we all agreed that we prefer the taste of 'regular' carrots more. Since there are no baby carrots here, we have all been buying 'regular' carrots this year and will continue to do so once we get back to the States.

So, next time you go to the store, treat yourself to a 'regular' carrot (preferably organic or locally grown). You, too, may decide that they are the perfect carrot for you.

The Bigger, The Better!
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And if you want to do some additional reading on baby carrots, check out these articles.
Wisebread
Squidoo
GirlieGirlArmy
CarrotMuseum

Lent

The Lenten season officially starts today and that means it's time for all the crazy Catholics to figure out what they want to give up until Easter. Every year I rack my brain to try to figure out what it's going to be and this year is no different. Kevin said I should give up cussing, but that just made me cuss more. I know it isn't very ladylike, but I like to do it and sometimes I just can't help it. So instead I ran through a list of things I love and indulge in (that are foods) and this is what I came up with: soda, coffee, pizza, chips, chocolate, and cheese.

Soda wouldn't be a hard one for me to give up, but Kevin just got me Sprite Zero the other day in Bolzano and I really want to 'indulge' in it. I haven't had a Sprite all year. As for coffee, I just don't think I can do it. I'm in Europe; people drink coffee all day long here, with every meal. Giving up my latte macchiato or cappuccino would be like giving up on my European experience.

I've never really been a fan of sweets. Back home, I might have a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup or a Snickers occasionally, but nothing extreme. Here, things have changed and in a bad way. After I eat dinner, I feel like I have to have something sweet. Maybe it's a piece of chocolate or it could be an ice cream bar covered in chocolate. Then, I also am obsessed with chocolate croissants. Every week Kevin and I go to one of the bakeries and get a treat and I'll give you a wild guess on what I usually get.

Oreo Milka Bars are amazing!
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Cheese and pizza are two of my favorite things. Right now, I probably have 8 different kinds of cheeses in my refrigerator. As for pizza, let's be practical here...there is no way that I could give it up. I live in Italy and eat pizza numerous times a week. In fact, I'm going to eat it for dinner tonight.

I love potato chips! I typically have them at least once a day. I know they aren't good for me, but that doesn't stop me. They are my weakness and I don't want to ever give them up.

Out of all of my indulgences, I have to pick something so I'm going to be giving up potato chips. I hate to do it especially since I have a drawer full of chips that are already tempting me and it's only day one. But Easter will be here before I know it and I can celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus with a bag of Paprika chips.

This is what our chip drawer looks like on a regular basis.

Ouch!

So I think I overdid it at the gym the other day. I usually rotate cross-training and running days and arms and legs days. But since I started working out again (after a few years off), I've really been slacking on the legs. I usually use a couple of the machines to do leg curls and leg presses, but I figure since my cardio is working my legs, I really don't need to do too much more.

Well, the other day Kevin worked out with me and it was a cross-training and leg day. Kevin gave me some new leg exercises using free weights so I thought I'd try them out in addition to using the weight machines. Bad call! I am in pain, I can barely walk, and it hurts to sleep. Kevin's advice to me is to take an ice bath, but I refuse. I don't care how good it feels or how much faster I'll heal, I cannot bring myself to sit in a freezing cold bath full or ice (or in our case, snow).

Nothing about this looks appealing.
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I took yesterday off so I don't want to take today off too, but I think I'm going to have to. Hopefully I'll at least be able to walk on the treadmill tomorrow. And next time I decide to do legs, I'm going to cut the workout in half because walking around looking like an 80-year-old is not a good look for me.

Good Luck!

Kevin's team started the first round of playoff in the beginning of February. The way things work in Serie A, the top Italian League, are really weird and confusing. After the regular season, all the points are cut in half. Then the top 4 teams play each other (one home and one away game) and the bottom 6 teams play each (one home and one away game). After that round, the 8 teams with the most points go on to the next round of playoffs. Confusing...right?

Kevin's team finished the regular season in 9th place out of 10 teams. Considering this is their first year in the league, they have fewer imports than any other team, they play with a non-import goalie, and they have a limited budget, I think that is pretty good. Especially since the 4 bottom teams were only a few points ahead/behind each other. Well, playoffs haven't started like the team wanted them to. They lost their first 3 games, but they aren't out of the running yet.

All year, the coaches have alternated bringing 'Good Luck Breakfast" on game days. Usually this consists of some type of pastry bought from the store. Today, I decided they needed something homemade to bring them luck so I made my Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake (minus the buttermilk) and I've got my fingers crossed for a big win tonight. Kevin has already warned me that a win tonight will require me to make the cake again on Saturday (and so on and so on). I could potentially be making the cake 7 times in the next 2 weeks and I am okay with that.

GO BRONCOS!

Pizzaholic

I have a problem and I'm not afraid to admit it. I love pizza! In the States, it is bad, but being in Italy has only made my addiction worse. I feel like an alcoholic sitting in a bar...I always want pizza. Usually I get my fix because we get pizza on game nights, but this week there isn't a game and I am feinding. I already had pizza on Monday when I made calzones, but now, it's Thursday and I need it again.

Back home, I am a thick crust or deep dish girl. My favorite pizza in the whole world is a ham and mushroom stuffed pizza from Giordano's. Over here everything is thin crust and back home I would never order thin crust, but recently I have fallen in love with it. I look forward to trying new things and new pizzas wherever we go. I took a menu from the Derby, the place we go after games, and translated it so I never have the same pizza twice.

Apparently, I also have a problem with taking pictures of pizza.

Oh, Giordano's...we miss you!

Debbie, the other wife, and I had no problem showing these pizzas who's in charge.

Focus on the pizza, not me. I was hungover and look disgusting.

Even pizza on the go is delicious

Pinterest Recipes Reviewed- Round 2

I love Pinterest and I can't seem to get enough. My recipe boards definitely have the most pins, but I love to cook and have all the time in the world to do it so it's perfect. Some recipes I can't make right now since we don't have the same ingredient here in Italy as we do in the States. Plus, I am lacking in my cooking appliances (I would kill for a hand or a standing mixer right now). But I've still been busy in the kitchen. Check out my latest dishes.

Recipe 1: Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Lasagna isn't an easy dish to make, but it is so convenient because you can prepare it ahead of time and there are usually leftovers (at least there are with only two people). I've made this lasagna twice since pinning it and I can't wait to make it again. I'm sure this dish would be perfect if you followed the recipe exactly, but I did modify it a little.

First, I substituted a small eggplant for the yellow squash. I also used 8 oz of ricotta and 8 oz of cottage cheese for the filling to help me watch my waistline. In regards to the spices, I used fresh basil in place of dried and didn't add the nutmeg because I could find it here. The recipe says you can use any sauce and I opted for homemade.

Recipe 2: Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Actually my cake was just Blueberry Breakfast Cake since I have no idea if they have buttermilk here and didn't care enough to find out. I just used regular milk in its place. I made this cake when we had guests visiting and I would say it was a hit because it didn't even last 2 days. Kevin never even got a piece, but don't worry, because I have all the ingredients to make another one tomorrow.

Recipe 3: French Onion Soup

For the last four years I have been using the same recipe for French Onion Soup. It was good, but not great. Since I started using Pinterest I have tried two new recipes. The one I made a few months ago was okay, but nothing to blog about. Today I found a new recipe by Tyler Florence and decided to give it a try for dinner tonight. I must say, it is delicious and my favorite French Onion Soup recipe so far. I've already had a bowl (without the bread and cheese) because I can't wait until Kevin gets home.

I read a couple of reviews before I started so I tweaked it according to what they said. First I used 6 onions (4 yellow and 2 red) instead of only 4. I also used half chicken broth and half beef broth because that is what I had on hand. When caramelizing the onions, I found that it took about 40 minutes (not 25) and the red wine took about 15 minutes (not 5 to evaporate). I haven't tried it with cheese yet, but the recipe calls for Gruyere. It don't have any Gruyere and again, I don't know if we even have it in Italy so I'll be using Emmental (Swiss) cheese.

Sorry about the small picture, but this is the only one there is on the website.

Europe's Big Freeze

Europe is currently getting a lot of press in the paper and on the news because of the cold spell we are experiencing. Freezing temperatures are to blame for hundreds of deaths across Europe. Places that rarely get snow are trying to figure out how to operate with the foreign white stuff that is falling from the sky. Flights are being cancelled and delayed, trains have quit running, and people who are trying to drive are getting stranded. It is madness!

I love season change and could never live in a place that doesn't have all four seasons. Winter brings me so many things I love...snow, curling up on the couch in a blanket, and wearing chunky sweaters with boots. But the winter we are currently experiencing in Italy is crazy, freezing cold! I know for a fact that I have never lived anywhere that gets this cold. The high for today was -14°C or 7°F. Brr!

Last night, there was a hockey game and I went despite the forecast of a low of -19°C or -2°F. In an North American rink, the temperature outside wouldn't matter because almost all rinks are heated, but this is not the case here in Italy (and in a lot of Europe). The temperature outside is pretty much the temperature in the building. Kevin told me to consider not going because it was so miserable, but I insisted. I look forward to the games. They are my one night out a week with people other than my husband (sad, I know). I get to catch up with the other wife, Debbie, and we get to see our hairdresser, bank tellers, bakery ladies, and the best nurse in Vipiteno, Sylvia. And then after the game, we all go out for pizza, which is what I really look forward to.

Well Kevin was right, the rink last night was miserable. I had on a tank top, long sleeve t-shirt, sweater, tights, jeans, three pairs of socks, boots, gloves, hat, scarf, and a down coat. Plus Debbie and I both had blankets, one to sit on and one to put over our legs. I could barely moved and felt like Randy from A Christmas Story and I was still freezing!

This is pretty much what I felt like last night. Putting skinny jeans on over tights is not an easy task.
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Luckily, the hockey team is on its Olympic break for the next 10 days and there isn't another home game until February 18. I'm really hoping that in the next 2 weeks the temperature can rise above freezing so I don't have to sit through another hockey game feeling like my feet are going to shatter once I stand on them.

Yep, that's right!

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For starters I am a horrible singer, but I know it and I am the first to admit it. But what makes it worse is that I usually only know about 50% of the words to a song, but I insist on singing them all. I either mumble the ones I don't know or just put in a word that sounds good. A lot of times, Kevin and I will argue over what the word of a song is and have to go to lyrics.com to find out who is right.

My new thing now is that I really like some Italian and German songs that are on the radio and TV here, but I don't have any clue what they are saying. I know the beat so I just go with that and make up my own words. But I'm pretty sure the words I'm singing aren't really words. Here is one of my songs that I love, but, again, I don't know what they are saying.

All My Friends!

After a week of company and only one trip to the gym in 9 days, I've been trying to get back into my routine of working out this past week. I actually really missed my trips to the gym and seeing all my friends there. Okay...so I've never talked to anyone there and I have no idea what their names are, but I refer to them as friends and have come up with nicknames for most of the regulars I see.

First off, there is my best friend; I usually see him at least once a week. He speaks Italian, but always gives me a smile whenever he comes, goes, or walks past me and this is a big deal because people here aren't very friendly. I also like that he doesn't smell like body odor or wear spandex. Then we have Ab-man. He is a 50-something year old man with a sweet moustache, a gold hoop earring, and abs of steel. He likes to look at them in the mirror at least 10 times a workout and I have to admit they are impressive abs for an older gentleman. My least favorite person is Wife Beater and I don't call him that because of the tank tops he wears. Him and his gf/wife actually got into an argument one day at the gym and he grabbed her by the hair. She likes to comes watch him workout...weird. I just want to tell him what a douche he is with his spandex shorts and homemade tank tops, but I'm pretty sure we don't speak the same language. There is also Grandma, Smokey, the Three Amigos, Disney, and Austin.

I'm waiting for the day when someone tries to talks to me and I can't answer in "ja", "nein", or by using hand motions. But I've been practicing "Ich spreche kein Deutsch" (I do not speak German) and "Non parlo Italiano" (I do not speak Italian) so hopefully I can at least get one of those phrases out. For now, I'll just stick with "hallo" and "ciao" when seeing my friends.