Weekend Wrap Up

Its sad when this time rolls around on a Sunday night.  I wish weekends could last one day longer.  But no luck.  I shouldn't complain though - I had a stellar weekend. 

Friday night I got together with friends to make some vegan recipes and drink some wine.  The food was good but the company was better.

Saturday morning after my TRX class I ran with some old friends and caught up.  Rick who I ran my first marathon with ran the Pittsburgh marathon at the start of May and smashed our PR of 4:08 coming in at 3:49.  It was fun to run with him again.  And guess what - we ran 8k and I didn't once think about anything but the run!

Then Saturday night a hot tub party - not nearly as exciting as it sounds.  My girls were invited and enjoyed bobbing in the hot tub.

Today the weather was beautiful and I was home alone - unexpectantly.  Thanks to a birthday party and a play date.  I will be away all week for work so I made sure all the house work and laundry was caught up... then I hung out here for a bit.

And with the extra time I had I made a few new recipes - carrot hummus and soft tortillas.

Carrot Hummus

by Denise Boyd Dunlop

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 30 min

6048518

Ingredients

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. graham masala
• 4 cloves garlic peeled
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• water
• salt & pepper

Instructions

Toss carrots and garlic in oil with graham masala. Roast on parchment line cookie sheet in over preheated to 375 for 30 minutes or until carrots are tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Add to food processor with remaining ingredients except water. Begin to process adding water as necessary until mixture has the consistency of hummus. Season with salt & pepper.

Powered by Recipage

It's Not You, It's Me.

I've admitted that I've been a huge wimp over the past few months and ran on the treadmill a lot.  But with the weather finally turning warm, I've ran outside more often.  I'm gradually building up my distance and my goal is to be running 10k by June 15th.  Last weekend I ran a lovely 8.5k outside and was feeling quite confident in myself to easily reach my goal.

So yesterday I planned my run.  It was raining and I was not in the mood to go outside (I really am made of sugar).  I headed to the gym armed with a spectacular play list and the intention of running 6 miles, just under 10k.  What could go wrong.

I started off very slow for speed 6.2 mph.  I decided that I would increase by 0.2 or 0.3 mph every mile.  Here's my synopsis of how the run went....

Mile 1 - time in 9:45.  Thought running through my head - 'Wow that was really slow.  This playlist isn't as great as I thought it was.  Should I just run 5 miles instead of 6? No - stick it out do 6.'

Mile 1.25 - Thought - 'I'm only running 5. Yes definitely 5 miles.'

Mile 1.45 - Thought - 'JJ Grey & Mofro, The Sun is shining down - why did I put this song on my playlist - its a great song but maybe I would appreciate it more if I was sitting on a porch.... drinking beer.  Yes beer is good.'

Mile 1.77 - Thought - 'Why can't I get into this run?  Do I need better music.  Should I change playlists?'

Mile 1.99 - Thought - 'Good in a few seconds I get to press a button and increase my speed to 6.8.'

Mile 2.13 - Thought - 'Maybe I should turn the TV on.  I can't reach the remote. Never mind.  Thinking of TV - do I like the new Arrested Development?  Its weird seeing the actors older. I wonder what I will look like in 10 years?  I think I look better than I did at 27, but maybe not.'

Mile 2.56 - Thought - 'Are those my feet making so much noise.  I sound like an elephant.  Soft feet, soft feet, soft feet - I should go for a pedicure.'

Mile 2.99 - Thought - 'Good - time to push a button again - up to 7.0.'

Mile 3.07 - Thought - 'Back to Arrested Development - does Portia de Rossi look better with short or long hair?  She's gorgeous either way.  Speaking of hair, I have had highlights and no one has noticed.  They're quite light... does this mean people don't like it and are just being polite? Who cares - I like them and its summer.  But really, no one has said anything.'

Mile 3.25 - Thought - 'Let's make this a game.  I need to get into the run.  Ok - pretend you're on a track.  Seven more times around the track.  Speed work would be better than this treadmill today.'

Mile 3.43 - Thought - 'I haven't even made one lap.  This game is stupid.'

Mile 3.56 - Thought - 'Another JJ Grey & MoFro song, Beautiful World.  Great song.  Not great for this run.  I wish I was on my deck or a patio and the sun was shining.  Hmmmm deck or patio.  I like beer.  How many calories are in a Corona.  I should google that when I get home.'

Mile 3.75 - Thought - `Finally - a good song.  Cold War Kids - Miracle Mile.  How many times would I have to hear this song if I listened to it for the rest of this endless run?'

Mile 4.0 - Thought - 'Ohhh good time to push a button.  7.2 - why does this feel so fast.  Should I hang on to the handle bars?  That would look dumb.  Besides it doesn't count.  Suck it up and run.'

Mile 4.28 - Thought - 'This song is ok - maybe I don't need to hear it a third time.'

Mile 4.5 - Thought - 'Hey two more times around the track.'

Mile 4.67 - Thought - 'Maybe I should go that extra mile.  Screw that - you're almost done.'

Mile 4.75 - Thought - 'One more lap.'

Mile 4.76 - Thought - 'Seriously that's as far as I've gotten?'

Mile 4.80 - Thought - 'Let's count down from 20.'

Mile 4.96 - Thought - 'Should I go that extra.... NO!'

Mile 5.0 - Thought 'Thank God.'

This workout is what I`m chalking up to a character building experience.  I got through it.  From now one I will run long distance outside.  I still have to run 10k but I will happen - just not on a treadmill.

Kids Stuff and Pretty Things

I'm going to start this post by saying I love being a mom.  Usually a statement like this follows up with a giant but.  But no but.

I love watching them forming their own thoughts about the world around them. I love watching them playing their games and trying their best.

I love watching my kids in their activities when it is warm, but not hot, freezing cold, crowded, raining or snowing. 

Here is the way I'll be spending my Tuesday and Friday evenings for the next 3 months... by the way it was quite chilly last evening.

So as much as I love my children and right now I'm attempting to savour as much growth and development as I can there are times where I just don't want to hear Farily Odd Parents first thing in the morning or step over toys in every single room of my house.  I know this won't last for ever and its my mantra at times. 

So here is my saving grace, it's cheesy and I'll admit it.  Running.  In preparation for training for the Road2Hope half I have been pre-training.  I'm working on one 5k run a week at my race pace and gradually building myself up to running 10k.  Through this training I realized how much running helped me not need my 'not lasting forever' mantra.

But despite how much running saves my sanity and helps me be a better mother sometimes a girl just needs something nice.  Check out my new purse. 

I decided to treat myself to this.  I had a rather subdued birthday this year.  Not like this or this from years past.  Mother`s day was cold and not as relaxing as I would have liked.  So a little retail therapy helped out.

Happy Victoria Day!!!

I celebrated the unofficial start to summer in typical hardy Canadian style this year... yes people - I went camping.  Way back in the day pre-mother days I used to go away every Victoria Day weekend.  There was the typical mix of wonderful weather, soggy tents, mosquitoes the size of humming birds with the sprinkling of snow.  All of my long weekend 'hardiness' ended one sad trip...the final straw for going away on the May long weekend was a freezing cold weekend we went away with another couple - and their two year old and crying screaming new born.  We were trapping in the middle of nowhere for 3 TORTUOUS days.  After that fiasco I decided to pack it in and stay put doing something useful - like gardening on the long weekend.

That is until this year, I really just wanted to get away.  So we packed up and headed to Killarney. I've posted about staying in Killarney before - it is my favourite provincial park.  So how did it rate this year - well not as busy at this time of year.  It was still beautiful as always- quartz and granite rock faces gorgeous lakes..... crazy long weekend traffic to get there and hair full of black flies. 

I hiked the Granite Ridge trail for and hung out for a while staring at Georgian Bay.

Practised yoga - yes the self gratuitous yoga shots are back.....

.... look I have followers.

My girls bravely swam to the buoys and back on a $5 bet.

Sadly we had rain the day of our planned hike on The Crack - so an old photo.

Instead we headed to Science North in Sudbury for the day.  I actually think the kiddos had more fun there instead.

This morning we packed up early leaving before 8am avoiding most of the major traffic.  The trailer is unpacked, my sixth load of laundry is almost done, I'm wearing clean clothes and I no longer smell like bug spray or a campfire.  I'm glad we went away - happy we had warm weather but I think I'm good to stay put for a few Victoria Day weekends.

It's Like Poking a Sleeping Bear.....

OK - so my first post title in over 6 months is kinda lame... but I am finally waking up from what feels like a bit of a hibernation.  Nonetheless - I'm back

So what has happened since October...

I took the kiddo's to St. Augustine FL right after Christmas and of course you want to see pictures of that trip.

One freezing day - it was 13 degrees.  I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit - but chilly.

The rest of the weather was warm.  Swimming in the ocean and New Year's at the beach, it doesn't get much better than that!

Following that trip - I got a new job.  Still working at the same place but new role.  Who really wants to hear about work though - boo.

In addition to that excitement, I was also teaching a lot of classes - spin, trx and yoga.  Sometimes as much as 14 classes a week.  It was way too much and guess what I got - fat!! I didn't have a huge weight gain, but a muffin top over my workout capris.  So I decided to scale things back.  I'm teaching 3-4 times a week now and this summer only once a week.  I love teaching and have met some amazing people through my classes, but I need to focus on my own fitness for a bit.  Hence why I'm back.

Over the past 6 months I also scaled way back on my running sometimes not running for two weeks at a time.  But I was very lucky to have a wonderful friend who would drive over to my house and drag my butt outside for a run.  Thank you Tracey! I haven't raced in over a year - and not seriously for much longer than that. 

So its time for a goal, or three.  I'm stating it, putting it out there and releasing my intention to the universe.....

This year I am going to compete in:

1. The Wellington Warrior Challenge
2. A duathalon - either Wasaga Beach or Toronto Island
3. And finally..... I'm getting retribution on this bad boy

That being said... I have some training to do... its good to be back!

September Foodie Pen Pal Reveal!

Time for Foodie Pen Pals!!  This month past I was paired up with Kara.  Kara lives not too far from me - about a 45 minute drive from me.... in Justin Beiber's hometown for a reference. 

Anyway she sent me an amazing package of items from Ontario... but they were all things I had not tried before.

The first thing, I could smell even before I saw what was in the parcel was chocolate... not just any chocolate but...Chocosol this kind was hemp and sea salt.  It was as expected... delicious!  I managed to make the chocolate bar last me a whole week... talk about self control.

The second item was Arvinda's madras masala.  I've never tried this spice blend before.  I've looked at them many times, but never tried it before.  I didn't have time to try the suggested recipes, but I did add it to pumpkin seeds before roasting them.  These spices were amazing and so much better than the masala spices I had been cooking with before a perfect blend of spice and a little bit of heat.

The third item was Barrie's Asparagus pasta.  Kara said that this was what she was most excited about sending.  I couldn't agree with her more.  I made a pasta dish combining tomatoes, pumpkin, mushrooms and a bunch of other stuff turning it into this...

the pasta was delicious - I tried some before I added the sauce as well.

Thanks again Kara - awesome goodies!

Weekly Menu Planning

Laura at Mommy Run Fast and Jill at Fitness, Health and Happiness have created a forum for everyone to share their weekly menu planning ideas.  I've started to get back into the habit of planning out my family's weekly dinners simply because it makes life a lot easier and prevents me from ordering take out.  So win-win healthier meals and saving some money.

I also have a few wrinkles in meal time preparation because I am vegetarian but my husband and oldest daughter eat meat and my youngest just told me this week past that she doesn't want to eat meat.  So a bit of a balancing act.. I need to teach my youngest daughter that if she is not eating meat, she needs to make sure she eats the proper amount of protein and not solely from cheese.

Right now I am only going to plan dinner, not breakfast and lunch.  I am going to incorporate leftovers and salads into my lunches and typically oatmeal or cereal for breakfast.  I don't know about you, but I often go through stages where I will have smoothies everyday for breakfast for about two months then switch to something else.  Currently my breakfast of choice for those of your who are interested is apple, cinnamon oatmeal - it is so good even my husband a non oatmeal eater loves it.

But back to the weekly menu...

Monday - vegetarian chili - for everyone (wish me luck) with salad and tea biscuits
Tuesday - chicken, rice and green beans - I run so I usually eat later and will eat leftovers or a salad
Wednesday - stuffed shells and salad
Thursday - pumpkin soup & grilled vegetable sandwiches
Friday - build your own pizza (based on this recipe)