Q&A

Do you plan your meals in advance?

Yes. I have a dinner calendar that I put our weekly dinners on, that way I don’t have to think too hard when bedtime and dinnertime are rapidly collide. It also helps me make my weekly grocery list.

What kind of camera do you have?

Canon Rebel t2i

What’s been your biggest accomplishment in life thus far?

My sweetest little babycakes – Adrienne Bren.

Does your hubby cook for you? Do you think it’s important that men learn to cook, or do you think it’s better to let the ‘natural chef’ make most of the meals?

Meeker would definitely cook for me if I asked him to. I LOVE cooking, I look forward to making dinner all day long – and the husband knows that, so he usually just lets me do my thing. There have been several special occasions (anniversary, birthday, etc.) where he has surprised me by cooking, but for the most part, I’m the cook and I love it.

I think it’s important that guys can “fend for themselves”- usually in our house that means scrounging together some sustenance for a Sunday night meal (I usually don’t cook on Sunday nights). Most guys I know can manage to throw some meat on a grill or pour a bowl of cereal, and that prevents them from starving when the girls aren’t around.

What kind of food processor do you have?

A beloved Kenmore Elite. Works like a gem, but it’s hard to clean.

How tall are you?

I’m 5’8” – but I have always wanted to be shorter! I am by far the shortest person in my family, and I love it!

What’s your favorite comfort food?

Any creamy dessert does it for me. Bread pudding would probably be #1.

What is your favorite cake?

Oh, I love them all so much! I think my absolute favorite is a good old chocolate cake with white icing. But I don’t know if I’ve ever met a cake I didn’t like.

What’s your favorite movie?

It’s a tie between Shawshank Redemption and The Departed

Is ‘Meeker’ your husband’s real name?

No – his name is Michael, but I’ve never called him that.

What does your hubby think of the blog?

He loves that I love blogging. He (usually) reads it, and I know he appreciates the fact that I have joined him in being a “computer nerd”. He also likes the free food samples that come along with the job!

How did you evolve and learn to eat such healthy foods? Were you raised that way or is it self-taught?

Ahh, loaded question! I grew up on smoothies, natural peanut butter, whole grain bread, and broccoli. My family doesn’t eat much meat – and vegetables were present at every meal. I also grew up being EXTREMELY athletic – I played every sport known to man, so I was always hungry, and I got away with eating massive portions. However, when I went to college, my activity level and healthy food consumption both plummeted. No joke, my diet consisted mostly of pizza, beer, and ice cream. I put on some unwanted chub, and I felt awful. After my freshman year of college, I went on The South Beach Diet and saw major success. I lost all the weight I had gained in only 2 months – and then I kept going. A series of unfortunate events in my life (death of several friends, my grandparents, and a very stressful summer job) caused me to become obsessive about controlling my diet, and eventually I made the decision to just stop eating. That’s right – the day my grandfather died, I remember thinking: I just can’t eat anymore. For about 2 years, I ate as little as possible. I was a malnourished, grumpy skeleton for the last 2 years of college, and by the grace of God – I still managed to finish school, get married, and get a job. My incredibly supportive family stood by my side every step of the way, and eventually I came back around to what I think is a healthy lifestyle. To be honest, I still struggle with body image, and I can’t fathom not exercising, but like I mention on my About Me page – I am slowly learning that my identity is more than my appearance and there are more important things in life than what size jeans I wear.

If you have any other questions, please leave them in the comment section, and I’ll be sure to add them!