She Says: Ikea is Fun!
Ikea was lots of fun! But before we went there, I went to Mark’s gym again. I think I’ve officially been more than Mark has in the last year. Just kidding, he’s been probably ten times. Today I ran a little bit and then used the elliptical to catch up on my People magazine reading. In total I did 30 minutes running (3.35 miles) and 30 minutes ellipticizing. I don’t know why, but running on this treadmill was very hard!
When I returned I ate more seeds and nuts. Bumble Bars have really helped me during this move to New Jersey! We’ve had no food in the house until today and I’ve eaten one Bumble Bar/day! I would have starved without them.
Today I had the Chai Bumble Bar and boy was it good! I promise a full review of all Bumble Bar flavors as soon as they are all gone.
When we got to Ikea, I kicked off the shopping with a deliciously lopsided frozen yogurt. Only $1 because it’s Ikea.
Have you ever been to Ikea? It’s fabulous. It has everything from plants to Swedish meatballs to kitchen cabinets. I always go in and walk around for hours, with no concept of what time it is when I leave.
Today we got lots of great things like curtains, red mixing bowls, forks, spoons, a vegetable peeler, ice cream scooper, whisk, etc.
Then we went to Stop & Shop for groceries and I cooked some dinner. Going grocery shopping with a boy is interesting. You get things like Lean Pockets and Campbell’s Chunky Soups. Mark would suggest something and I would make a face. Eventually he said, “Ok, so we’re only actually getting things Heather wants on this trip.” I guess I will have to learn to stop making faces at his supermarket picks.
For dinner, I made Megan’s Black Beans and Rice with Pumpkin Vinaigrette with spinach again. Love it!
While I cooked, Mark whipped up some salsa/Greek Yogurt dip and chips and cheese. It was quite a tasty cooking appetizer even though he says the chips burnt in the super powerful microwave.
Mark also had a manly beer in our girly glasses.
Well everyone, I am tuckered. Tomorrow we are going to Boston for my nieces 11th birthday party. On Monday, Mark starts working again and I start looking more intensely for some sort of teaching job in New Jersey. Back to reality I guess!
Oh, we have our next challenge sort of planned out. It’s something that’s definitely necessary for us right now. We’ll work out the details on the drive to Boston and post about it soon!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Tags: beer, black beans, bumble bar, chips & salsa, elliptical, Greek yogurt and salsa dip, ikea, pumpkin, running, spinach
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:50 am
haha ikea is the best store ever!! i need to make a trip back there…except that I always spend more than planned! it’s dangerous in there!!!
lovely eats!! and that tuscany wrap from the previous post sounds wonderful!
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:58 am
I can’t wait to see what your new challenge is! Have a fun time in Boston!
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:02 am
Ikea is always fun – you can spend hours checking out all the displays! I didn’t get a chance to go when I was home for Christmas, but I fear it would have been insane (as it always is). Maybe next time.
Looking forward to your new challenge
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:05 am
omggggg that black bean/rice/spinach medley looks AMAZING!
i have never been to ikea, so i am uber jealous! delaware needs one, especially if they have $1 ice cream… mmm
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:07 am
i went to ikea today too
it was my first time and i LOVE it!
can’t wait to hear what the challenge is!
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:10 am
glad you had such a great time at ikea! I love that place!!!! And I stay there for hours!!
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:23 am
mmmm yummy dinner, kinda looked like mine:) We love Ikea, I think it’s like a trip to DLand!!!! When I am in NJ this spring we need to meet up!
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:34 am
I honestly have never been to IKEA! I was just talking about this with Gina at our bloggie meet up because she went there today, too! I’ve heard great things about the Swedish meatballs. I think your fro yo looks even better, personally
You are totally selling me on those Bumble Bars! And I know what you mean about shopping with boys – I usually end up with pop-tarts and a pound of cheap ground beef in my cart. Yummers.
I can’t wait for the next challenge. Have fun in Boston!
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:36 am
I’ve actually NEVER been to Ikea… they opened up a huge one in Red Hook that I’m sure I’ll go to at some point, especially with that $1 fro-yo! Love that black bean dish!
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:47 am
Ikea IS fun. I get that frozen yogurt every time I go. I actually just convinced Bobby to take me tomorrow because yours looks so good
He’s says he’s going to get a hot dog.
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:50 am
Ugh, I am so bummed. I just found out there is an Ikea here in Phoenix and we’re leaving tomorrow. I’ve always wanted to go, but we don’t have one in Nashville. I really want a $1 frozen yogurt cone.
Good luck with the job search, and I can’t wait to hear about your next challenge.
January 3rd, 2009 at 2:05 am
LOL!!!
I went to IKEA today too, I also had a $1 frozen yogurt
It was soooo good!
January 3rd, 2009 at 2:21 am
I call Costco the “One Hundred Dollar Store” (can’t get out without spending less than $100) and I call Ikea “the Black Hole” because I swear time stops and then you leave and its seriously three hours later! They have such neat stuff and it is all well made, but inexpensive. Love it!
Excited for the next challenge!
January 3rd, 2009 at 2:22 am
Haha–I had no idea that there was a verb for using the elliptical trainer. I will now include “ellipticizing” in my everyday vocabulary.
Those Bumble bars look delish!
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:52 am
I’ve never been to Ikea- There’s one in Orlando, but I’ve never made it there. I’ve heard that it’s addictive.
I’m interested to hear about your upcoming challenge!
January 3rd, 2009 at 8:48 am
I love IKEA, half of our furniture (ok maybe more) is from IKEA. We always end up cracking up trying to put it together too because the directions are so out there. Love that little froyo
January 3rd, 2009 at 9:18 am
i’ve been to ikea twice, and was so overwhelmed i’ve never bought anything
have a great time in boston!
January 3rd, 2009 at 9:47 am
HELL YES FOR IKEA!! And for beans & rice
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:17 am
our closest IKEA is 5 hours away
it sucks because where I grew up there was one like 15 minutes!
i can’t wait to try the chai bumble bar either! I really liked the cherry ones best so far but thats all i’ve had
thank goodness you didnt go hangry with the aid of bumblebars
Nice mileage on the crappy treadmill! you should copyright the term “ellipticizing”
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:58 am
I love IKEA!! I miss having a store in our city. I used to love going there all the time.
Have fun in Boston
zesty
January 3rd, 2009 at 11:09 am
Since I do all the cooking Scott’s job at the grocery store is to push the cart and keep it organized. *hee* He’s free to make suggestions and I have the right to veto. That doesn’t happen to often because he’s pretty go with the flow and will eat whatever.
Good luck with your job search!
January 3rd, 2009 at 11:28 am
I love Ikea!
The manly beer in the girly glasses is so cute! Can’t wait to see what the new challenge is!
January 3rd, 2009 at 11:52 am
oh my gosh, i LOVE ikea! I can’t wait until i get my own place so i can go major ikea shopping. i used to love it when i was little too because there was a little kids play area filled with balls and fun so that the kids AND adults can have an amazing ikea-filled day.
sign up for the catalogue, its HUGE and so much fun to look through.
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Heh — when I go shopping with my boyfriend we end up with 3 different kinds of ice cream. Looking forward to reading about your new challenge!
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:16 pm
ikea is the best place ever isn’t it
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:23 pm
I LOVE IKEA!!!!!!!
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I’ve never been to an Ikea! Someday…
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Looks great! Ha. I always ask Brent to help me make the grocery list and meal ideas, but he gets mad because apparently whenever he suggests most things I make faces. And he always asks “why do you even want my help?”
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:50 pm
oh my gosh i WISH we had an IKEA here! the closest one is in Atlanta…which is five hours away!!! im so jealous!
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:49 pm
I love Ikea!! I always come home with the most random things!
Can’t wait to hear what the next challenge is
January 3rd, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Apparently I make “faces” too at some of my family’s grocery pics and then they usually get an explanation of why its “yucky.”
January 3rd, 2009 at 2:26 pm
My city will be getting an Ikea in a couple years- SO excited! I love it.
Am looking forward to hearing about your next challenge.
January 3rd, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Have a safe trip. Um, People magazine is a guilty pleasure of mine too!
LOVE Ikea!
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:42 pm
whooooo… I love Ikea.. If I ever got a blank check I would be in serious trouble there! that and Home Goods.. love it there!
: )
have fun in Boston!!!!
January 3rd, 2009 at 4:45 pm
I have that potato peeler in purple!
January 3rd, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I love frozen yogurt…and Ikea!!
January 3rd, 2009 at 5:53 pm
[...] I’m hoping an Ikea frozen yogurt ($1!!) is in my future… I got a craving after I saw Heather’s yesterday. What is your favorite yogurt/soy yogurt/frozen yogurt flavor? And what do you like to eat it [...]
January 3rd, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Yes, IKEA is great!! Your dinner looks amazing! I’m jotting this one down!
January 3rd, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Love Ikea! I can spend hours in that place!
January 3rd, 2009 at 9:47 pm
i absolutley love Ikea, i can spend days just wondering round admiring all the housing set ups and what not! that black bean dinner looks so good I’m off to look at the recipe right now
January 3rd, 2009 at 11:13 pm
We have had an IKEA near my work for 3 years now, and I still haven’t visited yet. Maybe it is time!
Thanks for the mention and for reminding me to make the black beans and rice with pumpkin vinaigrette again.
January 3rd, 2009 at 11:44 pm
How funny about the supermarket! I do the same thing
That dinner looks SO.GOOD. definitely bookmarking this one!
Also, can’t wait for the next challenge!
January 4th, 2009 at 3:37 am
i love ikea! never tried their yogurt though…i shall one day!
January 4th, 2009 at 8:54 am
I love IKEA!!! everything in there is great!
have a nice/safe trip!
January 4th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Ikea is the greatest place ever. Unfortunately for me it’s a fair distance away but at the same time I think it’s a good thing because the rare occasion we actually DO make it there is so much more special! I want to completely Ikea-fy my house someday.
January 4th, 2009 at 11:30 am
I LOVE Ikea, and absolutely have to get a frozen yogurt every time we’re there. Only $1! Who can resist?
January 4th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Hello! Where in NJ are you? I am in Clifton. I see you went to the pub in Nutley which is not far from me.
January 4th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
LOVE IKEA! Just bought a chair there last week. Do you go to the one off the Turnpike? Have fun in Beantown!
January 4th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Ikea is magical. I sooo wish I had one close to me!
January 4th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
I love Ikea too, but who doesn’t?!
That pumpkin rice and beans combo looks delicious!!
Hope you had a good time in Boston!
January 5th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
First trip to Ikea: “Wow this place is so cool! Look at the way they can fit an entire apartment into 250 sq. ft.!”
Second trip to Ikea: “Why do I have to walk through kitchenware? Why am I in the desk section? All I want is a freaking lampshade! I hate Ikea!”
January 10th, 2009 at 11:49 am
[...] loved the Chai Almond and Lushsus Lemon, which is not surprising because I am generally in love with chai and lemon [...]