Morning Runs Are the BEST!

Yesterday, we kicked off our day with a run.  Thank goodness for a running date with a friend to get me out the door and for chatting with me the whole time to help the 6+ mile run fly by.  It's nice to be able to chat with a friend AND get a workout in at the same time once in a while.  The boys were great company too...

Colton's ready to party but Mason's still waking up.  Haha!

There's something about starting your day with an early morning run that just helps the rest of the day to go better.  We had a fun, productive day after getting that run in.

After breakfast and a shower, our next stop was Publix...

Like Mickey said, the boys are going to have their drivers licenses before we know it.  Watch out!!  

Shopping was definitely a pleasure at Publix.  We love it there...cookies, balloons, good deals...what's not to love??  

We got home just in time for a special delivery...

15 bottles of yummy red wine delivered straight to my doorstep is definitely a cause for celebration.  The boys did a little happy dance on top of the box.  Who can blame them??  When I opened up the box to put the wine away, they said "Look, Mom!  Lots of red juice!!"  Yes, son, that is indeed a lot of delicious red juice!  I think I'll be saving it all to share with a certain someone this fall...not all in one sitting of course.  Can't wait!!

The box gave the boys lots of entertainment while I did my Thursday thing of sorting yummy organic 

 fruits and veggies.

We got another GIANT pineapple I can't wait to cut into and I finally got smart and ordered a different combination of shares to get us extra berries.  Hopefully our stash last will at least last us through the weekend.  We sure do love our strawberries around here.  YUM!!!  I'm excited to make another batch of zucchini enchiladas with my zucchini too.  My plan is to add chicken to the mix this time and leave out most of the cheese to amp up the protein and cut back on the dairy.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  

We had some good friends over for dinner last night and I tried out this recipe for chipotle sweet potato black bean burgers.  I thought they were really yummy.  They were a little mushier than I would have liked but the flavor was great.  Maybe I need to dry the beans after rinsing them next time???

Thank God for friends who put up with my quirks and hold me accountable.  I treasure friends who help me to be myself...friends who are EASY to be friends with.  I am learning what a blessing true friends are.  Good friends are HARD to find and I'm so blessed by the friendships in my life, especially in my life as a mom.

Last night, while eating dinner, we got to talking about fat loss and how there seems to be a different equation that works for each person trying to achieve it.  I told her about a book I've been reading that's been really intriguing to me along those lines...

As someone who's trying to find a healthier workout/eating/rest balance, this book peaked my interest.  After being pregnant with and nursing twins, I was able to be an eating machine.  While nursing I could eat ANYTHING and still lose weight.  Now that I've stopped, I'm having a more difficult time remembering what it's like to eat "normally" for an active person.  I'm also trying to adjust my diet to meet the needs of my weight-training body since that has been more of my focus lately.  The information in this book, combined with the knowledge from my fitness nutrition class has been helping me learn some things about myself as I slowly tweak things to try to figure out what works for me.  It's really an interesting, and sometimes frustrating, process.  Not enough protein -- too hungry.  Too much fiber -- you can guess.  Waiting to long to eat -- poor choices made out of hunger.  Lots of snacks in the house -- poor self-control.  I'm a work in progress... 

I'm always intrigued by the people who say they can go all day without eating.  I feel like all I want to do all day is eat sometimes.  I used to work with a lady who would forget to eat.  I'm the type of person who's thinking about what I'm going to have for dinner while I eat my lunch.  Some people struggle with limiting salty foods, and others, like me, have a weakness for sweets.  Some people feel better when they eliminate meat and seafood from their diet whereas I feel so much better when it is part of my diet.  We're all so different!  I think it's pretty interesting stuff.

I stumbled across this interesting article on thier facebook page this morning to add to the interesting factor.  It talks about the differences between males and females.  This article linked from Peak313, a favorite fitness-minded blog of mine, also caught my attention.  No wonder this has been on my brain so much lately...it seems to be everywhere I turn.  

Enough food talk!

Today's plan is to hit the gym for an upper body workout and a little time on the elliptical.  Then we have a play date with a friend before lunch and nap time.  Who knows what the post naptime will bring...hopefully something fun.  I hear my munchkins calling...

Fitness Thoughts and Park Fun

It's a lovely thing when there's no place we HAVE to be on a weekday morning.  Mornings (when the boys sleep til at least 7) are my favorite time of day with the boys and I love when we all don't have to be rushed out the door to be somewhere.  Yesterday was one of those days.  I had some quiet time to myself before the boys woke up and I was able to catch up on some e-mails and do a little reading.  Check out this quote I found in Oxygen magazine...

...so fitting for me right now.  Love when that happens!

I also read a post from Clare yesterday at Peak313 that was spot on with combining fitness and faith...love her blog!!  Check it out!  The following picture is what caught my attention to read the article, since things like that are so atypical of her...

Crazy coming from a fitness blog, right??  Once I read her post, it all tied together.  She's an inspiration!!

I also had time to make some fresh salsa...

Would you believe I've never done that before??  I'm bummed that I totally forgot to eat it yesterday too.  Guess what I'll be having with my egg whites this morning?!  YUM!

When the boys joined me in my wakeful state, we embraced the opportunity to just hang out a bit together in the morning before making a quick outing to the gym for a little lower-body burner.  I learned a couple of tricks to "up the ante" so to speak with a couple of exercises that kept things very interesting and challenging.

After the gym, we headed home to chat with Mickey before playing outside on such a gorgeous day.

We keep working on our basketball skills.  I tried to raise the hoop to challenge the boys a little bit more but they weren't interested in the increased difficulty of having to throw the ball up into the basket...slam dunking is more their style.  They got their way and the goal is at fingertip-level again.  

After naptime, we headed out to join a great group of friends for a birthday party at the park.  

Thanks, Michelle, for the photo!

You know me...I seized the opportunity for a run and we loaded up the stroller for our journey to the park.  I love that the park is within running/walking distance.  The boys loved the cake at the party...

Whipped icing seems to be the determining factor in whether or no the boys will eat cake.  Vanilla seems to be a winner too--they take after their dad.  I NEVER choose boring old vanilla, haha!  They devoured those cupcakes!  

The boys entertained me with songs and rhymes for the entire run home.  I have the best running buddies in the world! 

After two hard leg workouts and 3 runs so far this week, today is a rest day for the legs...time to hit up the upper body again.  I'll might do the elliptical for a bit today just to stretch out my legs a bit and get some reading done.  Reading on the elliptical seems to be the only way I can read more than 5 pages without falling alseep...haha.

We've got a couple of errands on the agenda for today...one being to go buy shampoo since I realized yesterday that when I thought I was on the ball, stocking up ahead of time with my replacement shampoo and conditioner, I grabbed two conditioners rather than one of each...so much for being "on the ball."  Back to the store I go...

It's a produce day today...can't wait for our fresh goodies and a big green juice!  I missed my green goodness yesterday since we depleted our stash.  My coffee is gone and I hear the boys stirring...perfect timing.  I'm off to go snuggle my sillies.

Arms Women Would Kill For :-)

This morning I woke up in one of those fogs where you're not sure if you're dreaming or awake.  I could have sworn I heard a hug thunder clap but then had convinced myself I must have dreamt it when there was no more thunder and not a drop of rain or a flicker of lighting.  It was completely bizaare...  About 10 minutes later there was another huge boom followed by some lighting and a sprinkling of rain that helped me feel a little better but it was strange nonetheless.  Anyone else hear that around 6:30am???  Please tell me it wasn't just me...

Nevertheless, it did help me drag myself out of bed and I managed to finish one cup of coffee along with some reading before the boys started stirring.   They woke up quite happy this morning, well-rested and full of energy.  I love when that happens!

They went to their play group this morning and made these adorable rainbows...

Colton's is on top of Mason's

...while I ran to BJs to stock up on some essentials before going to the eye dr for a way-overdue exam.  It had been over 3 years since I'd been for a check-up...whoops!  It was nice to have the doctor confirm that my eyes indeed have improved and I am happy to report I have returned to 20/20 vision again.  Ever since I had the boys I haven't felt like I needed glasses anymore and my instincts were confirmed today.  I swear my body is CRAZY but I'll take it...a good report from any doctor is always welcome!  Maybe all the produce I eat is working its magic?!?!

After I picked up the boys, I asked them if they wanted to go to the gym or to our house.  They unanimously voted for the gym.  They must want me to get back on track just as much as I do.  I only had about 45 minutes before child watch closed so I made the most of my time with some an intense full-body weights circuit and some sprint intervals on the elliptical.  I was spent at the end!

One of the trainers made my day today when he gave me a couple of tips.  I love working out when he's training other people cause I can steal his moves and he doesn't mind one bit, he even gives me pointers.  Free training...score!  Then, he told me how great my arms looked..."you have arms other women would kill for" he said.  I told him I work hard for them and it was very nice to have my hard work noticed by someone who knows about fitness.  It was especially nice to hear when I've been feeling frustrated with my body.  Apparently my husband is a lucky man to have a wife with my arms...lol.

Speaking of workouts, check out this new workout from Peak313...I can't wait to try it during a non-peak hour at the gym.  Talk about taking full advantage of the treadmill.  How fun!

Time for some tutoring and then some quality time with my boys before dinner.

Multitasking Pros

We're very lucky to have some wonderful friends right around the corner from us who treat us like family and invited us over last night for a little Valentines get-together.  We were pampered with margaritas, yellow lentil soup served with vinegar which was a divine combination I will definitely be trying to reinvent, ahi tuna, and chocolate cake with the best frosting I've ever tasted.  I'll definitely be hitting her up for the recipe so I can try to recreate it for the boys' birthday since it was the first time they've even shown any interest in cake...they inherited their daddy's very selective sweet tooth for ice cream and exceptionally delicious homemade desserts, which includes Maura's creations--YUM!

After a late night, you'd think the boys would sleep in, but there was no such luck.  We kicked off our morning bright and early with a chat with daddy...

The boys are becoming pros at FaceTime.  Today they decided to multitask and doodle while chatting. They were very serious about their drawing...

We squeezed in a morning trip to the gym so I could spend some time on the stepmill and the elliptical. I am convinced the stepmill is a torture device, especially since I haven't mastered the art of reading while climbing.  I'm a pro at devouring novels while cranking out the miles on the elliptical and I don't take it easy with the intensity either.  I'm a day ahead with my best body bootcamp workouts and decided to use the elliptical workout from Peak313 as my cardio for today using pages rather than minutes for breaking down the activities...

This is BY FAR my favorite way to keep the elliptical interesting and challenging.  I especially love the backwards squats while balancing...and reading!  So far this book has me thoroughly engaged...

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After the gym, we hit up PetSmart and Target.  The boys have really been enjoying the double carts there...

You know me, I can't make it out of  Target without some impulse buys such as this dino sandwich cutter from the dollar section...

We tried it out with our lunch and it was a winner...

I'm trying to think of other things I can cut with it besides bread...ideas anyone?  Speaking of bread, the boys and I have been loving this Rudi's Organic Bread we found in the freezer section at Publix.  It's one of the few store-bought breads I've found where I actually recognize all of the ingredients, feel good about feeding it to the boys, and the boys LIKE it.  Let me tell you, that's a winning combination.

I also had to make a quick pass through the discounted Valentines Day goodies and decided to try this coffee for $3...

I'm enjoying it right now as an afternoon pick-me-up on this dreary day.  It's GOOD!  We also scored some dark chocolate M&Ms for me and some mini M&Ms for the boys.  We all know that we'll all be sharing all of them.  I also found some of my mom's favorite candies, Turtles, on sale for half off too. It will be a nice treat for her when she visits later in the spring.  I hope I can keep my hands off of them until she gets here.  

We returned home ready for lunch and I threw together this delicious "pizza" made with broccoli pesto, shrimp, and some mozzarella all on a Joseph's lavash bread.  SOOOOOOO good!

Time to tackle some chores and hopefully still have some time to relax before the boys wake up.   I hope this rain goes away so we can get some fresh air later today or at least this weekend.  We've got a fun weekend ahead of us.  Can't wait!

Thursday...

What a full day we've had!  Our house started out as a circus this morning with these little daredevils and their stunts...

Apparently riding the rocking horse on the ground isn't daring enough.  We need to take it up a notch and ride it on the couch.  Silly boys!

I knew I wouldn't make it through the day without making sure to squeeze in some exercise.  I had a FANTASTIC workout on the elliptical using this workout from Peak313...

I loved the squat and single leg components of it.  I ended up adding an additional 15 minutes to it, just to get more bang for my buck.  I do love my cardio!  I will definitely be trying that one out again sometime soon.

We swung by Starbucks to get my January tumbler filled for free before heading home.  I'm going to be sad when January is over and I have to for over money for Starbucks again.  Good thing I'm stocked with Intelligensia coffee at home.  I'll survive and stick to the budget too.

We got home in time for some chores before our Thursday produce routine.  The boys were quite helpful...

At least it kept them busy while I got some laundry going. the dishes done, and my paperwork ready to go for pickups.  The most exciting item in my share this week was this lovely acorn squash...

I can't wait to roast it.  I think the boys are most excited about the blueberries and strawberries.  SOOO glad it's berry season again.  

We got a lovely package from our favorite man this morning.  The boys were thrilled with their rhino and frog...

They knew to use his horn for ramming things like giraffes right away.

 

Mason was even protecting his poor frog from the rhino.  I think they've got the sound effects for each animal down, don't you?

I got 4 BEAUTIFUL scarves from my favorite man and can't wait to wear them.

My man has style!

You can hardly see the best one in the right corner.  I'll have to model it sometime to show it off on here.  I'm a lucky gal!!

Our next stop of the evening was the local high school basketball game.  The boys were quite the cheerleaders...

 They love cheering for Sam!  I think he's their hero...especially now that they know he makes cookies and cream milkshakes.  His mom is my hero for serving me yummy cocktails and helping to entertain my boys.  

We just finished up our evening with the fastest bedtime routine ever.  Time to kick back and catch up on some reading...

Santa Jammies and A Visit to the Vet

After a less than stellar weekend, this morning got off to a good start--THANK GOODNESS!  I woke up refreshed from a good night's sleep over a half an hour before the boys did which gave me plenty of time to drink a cup of coffee, do my devotion, and catch up on my emails, facebook, etc.  I love when that happens!

Check out the jammies the boys insisted on wearing to bed last night...

   Colton - always the ham these days            Mason - working on his dribbling skills

I love how happy they are first thing in the morning.  

Keep the Christmas spirit alive as long as you like, boys!  I won't judge.  They love Santa...on jammies that is.  

We enjoyed some pancakes before hitting the road.  They got to go to a play group while I took the cat to the vet.  Lucky me!!  He cried the WHOLE way there, which was kinda funny, but it turned out a lot better than I had expected...except for the bill.  I must say, he is a pretty darn cool cat.  

That's our Mango!  Not bad for a 15 year old cat with only about 5 teeth left and arthritis in his hips.  The vet bill to take care of that adorable face kills me though.  How is it cheaper to give medical care to my children than it is to take care of my cat?  $30 to dispose of his poop?  $25 for a fecal float test? What is that even?  And they won't give him the rabies or leukemia vaccines without doing that??  Say what??  They even conned me into the $25 drops for his water to help with his tarter.  Crazy stuff!  He should be in the clear until 3 years from now when I'll be forced to take him again for his Rabies shot.  Better start saving up now, haha!  Enough complaining about that though...

After the vet visit, I still had a little time to squeeze in a workout before picking up the boys.  I like this week's workout from Tina's Best Body Bootcamp workout SOOOOOO much better than last weeks.  The deadlift to row was my favorite move.  LOVED it!  I am definitely adding that one to my regular routine.  Thanks, Tina!  I enjoyed watching the inauguration while I got in some intervals on the elliptical as well.  I think it's so cool that the inauguration fell on the same day as MLK day.  Our country has come a LOOOONG way!  I'm excited to see what's in store for us in the future. 

After picking up the boys, we got home in time to FaceTime with my parents and grandparents who are spending the weekend together.  I'm so happy that I have technology to keep us all in touch even though we're so far away from each other.  Hopefully we'll get up there for another visit sometime soon.  

Tonight, I plan to roast a kabocha squash that has been calling to me for the last couple of weeks.  That darn squash is all the rage on so many blogs I read.  I can't wait to try it out myself.  

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Stuft Mama is always roasting them up and they always look so yummy.  I'm hoping to try half of it the savory way and half of it sweetened up a bit.   Here's to hoping it lives up to the hype.  

Clare, another blogger with some great posts posted this today, and it really struck a cord with me so I thought I would pass it along...

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Her thoughts on it were pretty intriguing.  I hope you'll check it out.  Good stuff!

Off to do my daily transverse exercises with Bethany Learn at Fit2Be studios.  If you're a mom struggling with  your abs and you haven't checked her out yet, you should!  Her core exercises work miracles.