Eclectic Lotus

Happy Holidays from the Fregoso's!  This year, we are opting to stay in Chicago just because the thought of snow elsewhere may shock us. (Then again, I could go sledding.) So we are hibernating until possibly New Years. We are not upset about it at all. We have a cool new toy that keeps us dancing throughout the home as well as all the stuff we bought each other for Christmas. "Piney" (our Northern Island Pine- living Christmas tree) is doing well! He is growing and getting all wild on us. Hubby can't even sit without running into his branches. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Holidays!

With the holidays comes resolutions. I think one will be to add more so to this blog fun and inventive things such as my ability to crochet. . . But, I have been lacking in this dept since I started working. So, this next year- GRANNY SQUARES!! Also, Quinoa is becoming widely popular so I want to finally make some quinoa loaf. I have been researching ideas and some recipes here and there. Coming soon. . . 

As I am getting ready to get my cooking on for next week for Thanksgiving I can not help but think about Christmas cards seeing as it is everywhere! Our first Christmas card as a married couple was this. . . Christmas 2009 Not bad for a Holiday card. I am thin, we look happy and we are on an ATV- How fun is that? The photo was taken when we were on our Honeymoon in Mexico. The years following there were either no cards or generic cards. This year I want to actually do something fun and sweet this Holiday season. I am also reflecting on the three years of our marriage and all that has happened. I want to actually go ahead and make some photo books of each year. It might be a little expensive this year since I have three I need to do but I would gradually do it throughout the next year and so when 2013 is almost complete I will have all four years to show off in case anyone stops by. *gears are turning* Check your mailbox. . .next month!

With The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 coming out very soon there is something to be said about when you have a friend that has not seen all of the prior movies. From someone who every time she turned on the TV there they were. . . either New Moon was playing on TV or Eclipse. I saw the first Breaking Dawn but on video and I am pretty sure they are now playing it on the premium cable channels but since we removed them due to our somewhat busy lifestyle it is not missed. So, this summer as we were heading to Wisconsin Dells- four girls decided to have a Twilight movie night. After two months of planning and juggling time last night was the set date for us but sadly there would only be one Twilight movie night and only enough time for two movies- Twilight and New Moon before the last movie would be out in theatres. At first, I thought it would be okay to get all the ladies together and watch the movies but then I thought- they have to have some Twilight movie night ideas somewhere....

On facebook and xanga I had many compliments on my "pumpkin carving" skills. Although, I love the compliments I am not one to accept it if I needed some assisitance. This pumpkin sat in front of our home with a leaf garland surrounding it.  I love real candlelight in the Jack O' Lantern. I get an unscented votive candle. It adds to the flair of the carvings. Now, here is my secret for this amazing carvings- it was based from a stencil  I wish I was joking. Every year since I have carved my first pumpkin I go to the store and pick up a carving kit. Every year either the day of or the day before I carve a pumpkin using the stencil and it takes about an hour or so. This is the first year I have not carved a face but a scene. When you are ready to try this feat next year here is the website for Pumpkin Masters- I get annoyed when I have to punch holes in the darn pumpkin but they come out amazing! Pumpkin Masters Next year, I am going to atte...

Happy Harvest! From Eclectic Lotus and Family! This was the pumpkin that was carved the night before Halloween for the trick-or-treaters. More pics to come!

So, one day I got bored and decided it would be a great day for some Chili. Here were my ingredients: All from Trader Joe's For the "meat" since I was in a rush and did not want to go to the store I remembered that I had some tri-color quinoa from a day ago. . . This became the "ground beef". I love using quinoa it is a wonder grain! (1 cup) I grabbed my trusty crock pot and threw all the above ingredients into it as well as a tablespoon of curry powder and a teaspoon of cumin in order to make it a little more healthy.  It cooked for 4 hours and loaded our apartment up with the enticing smell of curry, cumin and love! While those 4 hours were going on I made some cornbread similar to the cornbread from Bandera restaurant but this time I did not make it from scratch. . . I used Jiffy mix and went by the ingredients on the package. I added a dash of sugar and 1/2 a can of sweet corn. BAM! A healthy comfort meal. . . Each bite was loaded...

A post will be posted soon. . .

One of many candid pics of us at my sister-in-law's wedding. More to come on this event! Since I did a post on my friend Michele's wedding I must do one on the earlier wedding. Also, headed to a wedding this weekend and a bridal shower tomorrow. Have to get everything in gear for this event. One last wedding of this year. I usually get only gift cards because I have not seen the person in a while. Because there is a bachelorette party and a bridal party there will be two gift cards. Also, the bride and groom live in Seattle but the bride's family lives in Chicago so they are having it here. Great! I am not sure I have the finances to go to Seattle. But, I know if I were to get married away from home I would only want cash and gift cards. Why go through the trouble to send that heavy stuff on the plane? If it is that important, just mail it later and save the bride and groom $50 shipping all your gifts. Also, during the wedding, another gift card is given. So, where a...

Is luck something acquired or just a bunch of hooey? So, this week at work the printer goes on the fritz. So, I have been trying to catch up on my SOAP notes for the past two days. Grrr! Bought a seven day bus pass so that I can take public transportation and somehow I lost it within 30 minutes. . . a person record. Now, I am out 23 dollars and no bus pass and I have to drive to work where people drive like animals. Takes a deep breath

Happy Belated Birthday Mommy! Last year was the last time I said Happy Birthday to you when you were alive. You were being discharged from the hospital. I did not know how bad off you were. I love you and I miss you so much! Happy Belated Birthday. I ran for you in hopes you see me from heaven and smile. I wore this just for you. . . We went to church and praised God because we know you would have been happy and we went out to eat. I should have looked over the dessert because that is what you would have done. Elder Washington (September 16) You are smiling upon us in heaven

Hurray!!! This week has been a little killer. Especially with my blood sugar dropping. . .in silence. That means that it happened and no one was there to watch it. I think I might go ahead and start posting my flaws and good things so that you can see and if there are any potential Chiro's can learn from my mistakes. Good night!

Off to work! I am not going to dwindle and day dream this time. I was a minute late for work. I hate being late. I would prefer to be early so if there is something that I missed the day before I can take care of it. There was an express train yesterday and I was freaking out so much I left my phone at home. Ugh! Ooop! Gotta create a lunch! Do your best. . . be on time!

* screams* Being married to a construction guy has to be the most frustrating thing. They never mean to cover the house and the walls with soot but they seem to do it quite well. I keep telling myself to clean out our tub every night and I always forget or do something else. Never happens. So today Vince tackled me on the bed as I was making it from the day of laundry in between working. Well, the black paint that he was using to paint the gates outside made its way on our bed sheets. After panicking and threatening scrubbing and oxyclean Vince's fearful reply. "We can't get that out." I need to pinterest black paint on bed sheets. I am running out of bed sheets.

Vince planned on painting the fence to complete what he did yesterday and the day before. But, he is currently sleeping with the Packer game on in front of him. I guess he watches through osmosis. Well, it is officially football season. I can smell the screaming, the city dying until the Bears game is over and yes, in my neighborhood you will see people proudly sporting their Packer jerseys. (if you live on the south side you will occasionally see a Colts jersey or two.) The past three of so years I have been great at predicting during the playoffs. This year, I guess I am going to bump it up a notch and watch most of the games so I can make better predictions. I have predicted the last three Super Bowl winners mostly due to stats. Sometimes I just get a feeling but I get it later on. Today, we went to church and a decision was made on my behalf. I laid down a date of when we would move out of our apartment. I think we both began to get a little too comfortable here since his mom...

This Spring, I got to see so many friends I have not seen in a while and do not one but two five mile races all while getting trim and working towards being a fitness instructor. This Summer was so much more. I did not take the trips that I took in the Spring but I did become a licensed Chiropractor which puts a HUGE smile on my face as well as running in two more summer races. . . I became a Sculpt Instructor for a very small and intimate fitness studio. (Should you want to try out my class, make sure to check my facebook page. I am always blabbing about it. Also, the link is below!) I made some new friends. . . I also mean the births too! (above, Mila) Above, Emma with the snuggly baby blanket I made for her. Above, Mostafa. You gotta love the onesie mom put on him Also, a friend got to say "good bye" to her twenties and is now joining me in the "dirty thirty" club. . . Her and her "walker" smh. To end off Summer, there...

I am thinking the only thing to do in this situation is to either become an Independent contractor or just start my own practice or partner up with someone. As I have been pretty silent about things on this front, I am currently working. I will keep quiet as to who and where but basically it has become a living "career" nightmare. All through school I kept it pretty open about my thoughts: adjustments, pre-surgery, and boosting immunity has been all about the Chiropractors as we are a gentle (so I thought) therapy without the use of surgery and prescription drugs. I told people and believed that being a Physical Therapist was rehabiliation and Chiropractors can get in on it but not the rehab exercises part. As my school grew more and more into rehab and Chiropractic boards' PT examination became more and more rehab exercises and less physiotherapeutics I began to wonder to myself and worry. My dream was to work in an integrative practice working with an array of differe...

Work, cooking, caring for hubby, working out at the fitness studio I have not had much of a chance to get on here and post a blog or even go running. I have been trying to do this plank challenge and this morning I pushed myself a little further. 30 seconds for 30 days to get into a plank position. Today, I did 40 seconds because 30 didn't seem long enough. Hope your week is grand. Will post this weekend or earlier if I can find the time. The post so short due to the days being filled

Meet Brian and Michele. They look happy don't they? Here is a modern day love story. I never thought this stuff existed but then again, I am a realist. I married my husband in what I thought was practical but every one else seemed to think that we are also a modern love story (insert pic of me and husband here. . . ) Here is the story of Brian and Michele. Michele was with a guy named Brian for two years. (not her new husband- her ex boyfriend.) As she was comfortable with him there was something in her mind that let her know that she wanted more. She graduated from school with him by her side. . .  Two weeks after her graduation, she came to me and expressed how she was not ready to be engaged to this man.  Of course, like a good friend I asked her why. Her response was, "There are too many things about him that annoy me." He seemed to be a good man and I could not understand why she felt this way. So, she began to list them out and I can not remember al...