Overwhelmed

Ever feel so overwhelmed that you really want to do nothing?  There seems to be so many things to do so you don't do any of them?  

That's how I feel right now.  2 of my best friends are coming into town on Sunday and I have a bunch of things to do to get ready but instead I'm sitting on the couch thinking up blog subjects.  I managed to finish the laundry though.  

I'll show you what else has been overwhelming me.  

Please excuse my messy garage

What is that??

It's a pull-up bar that hooks onto the door that Mr. Amazing bought years ago and I dug out from the garage last week.  Every time I pass it I feel obligated do a few pull-ups.  Over the course of a day I probably do upwards of 15.  Let's just say it's a good thing I have a chiropractor --my savior-- in a week.    
That bar is awesome though.  It lets me do pull-ups, chin ups, crunches, a whole variety of exercises.  I can work most muscle groups using the bar.  You can also take it off and use it for tricep dips.  You can hook it to the bottom of the door and use it to hold your feet for crunches.  Sometimes I pull myself up and see how long I can hang.  Mr. Amazing spent 30 minutes the other day giving me tips on my technique and form.

Is there a piece of exercise equipment that calls your name every time you pass? 

Gotta Love Combos

My prompt for the day was if I like my coffee sweetened or black....

I guess I should have saved my exciting coffee earning news for today.  It would have gone perfectly with my prompt.  But honestly I detest black coffee.  Black coffee only has 1 place in my world...in desserts.  Mmmm, mocha desserts.  

Back on track KT!
Okay, anyway, I like my coffee so loaded up with sugar and/or flavorings that it's not funny.  As my mom used to tell me, "you like a little coffee with your sugar and milk."  You know what I made for the girls that would go perfectly with coffee?  Flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies (Thank you Martha Stewart!)

1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350.  Mix ingredients together in a bowl.  
2. Drop cookie dough by the spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet.  
3. Bake until golden brown 12-15 minutes.

Peanut butter and chocolate, what's a better combo???

I'll tell you what an awesome non-sweet combo is.  Mushrooms and onions.  And what do you do with mushrooms and onions?  MAKE VEGAN/VEGETARIAN CHEESESTEAKS!!!

2 lbs mushrooms
2 large onions
Cheese and toppings of your choice
Hoagie Rolls

Directions

1. Slice mushrooms and onions thin
2. Saute onions and mushrooms until soft 
3. Top with cheese
4. Place on roll with your favorite cheesesteak toppings
5. ENJOY!

This can be vegan depending on the cheese, rolls and toppings you add.  I think Mr. Amazing was surprised at how good these were.  They are definately going on our monthly  menu rotations.

I'm trying to think of other combinations that I enjoy.  What's your favorite combination?

100th Post!

Source

HAPPY 100th POST!!!  

I'm amazed that I made it to 100.  I am very proud of myself too.  

I'm also proud to say that I've earned my coffee!  No, I didn't get down to my goal weight but, I have gotten down to my goal measurement.  I give all the credit to my morning workout plan.

Here it is:
It's an HIIT workout.  HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training.  So you spend 50 seconds doing each exercise and take a 10 second break.  (For beginners you can do either 45 on and 15 off or 30 on and 15 off....you get the idea)  Repeat the circuit 2 times.  

• High Knees
• Plank Jacks/Jumping Jacks
• Knee Hugs
• Wall sit
• Russian Twist (Right Side)
• Russian Twist (Left Side)
• Washing Machine (how to: stand with feet together twist your hips side to side)
• Boat Pose
• Plie Squat
• Plank
• Bicycle
• Reverse Crunch
• Push up
• Leg Lift (Right Side)
• Leg Lift (Left Side)

Normally I reverse the order for the second round.  If you get tired of the exercises or find that they are too difficult then switch them up.  Occasionally I'll do burpees instead of plank jacks or I'll modify my plank if my shoulders are hurting.

Prompt:  Do you think solitude is sweet?

Answer:  

Isaac the horrible?

It's weird how it seems like the good comes with the bad.  -Good- Today was the first day of my classes.  -Bad- Today was also the day that Isaac decided to come visit us.

I always make a point of taking photos of the waves when big storms come.  I know, I'm lame but I love to see the power behind the storm.

Besides heavy rain and wind we didn't get anything major.  But, it didn't make for the happiest start to my classes.  But it also means that I'm 1 semester closer to getting my degree.  And THAT means that I'm closer to my dream career.  

--Okay, I can't lie, my dream DREAM careers are a professional food photographer and a muppet.....yes, I want to be on Sesame Street--

What's your dream career??

Birthday Parties and "Real" Dinners

Have you ever tried being on a diet at a kids birthday party?  

Hard isn't it??? Nearly impossible right?

Sometimes I manage to amaze myself.  My neighbor's son's birthday party was yesterday.  (It was super cute!  It was a super-hero party.  Goto the bottom of the page for a really awesome idea)  She served lunch.  There were sandwiches, cheese puffs, pretzels, goldfish and candy.  I only ate 2 oranges out of everything yummy that they had to offer.  Every time I got the urge to munch I grabbed an orange.  I'm not going to lie though I stole a bite of Baye's cupcake (cake only) and licked some stray frosting off my fingers.  Other than that I didn't even have anything else.  Not even 1 tiny M&M (which was staring at me half the party saying "eat me, eat me!")  

I'm learning more about self-control all the time.  Maybe I can get to the point where I can go without sugar altogether!  (Hey a girl can dream can't she?)  I've been pretty good recently about desserts.  A piece of stone fruit and a 1/4 cup of marshmallow fluff.  

But back to the party, by the time we got home I was STARVING.  So for dinner we had cereal.  I didn't feel like making a "real meal".  This is the conversation that took place between Mo and I when she found out I was making cereal for dinner:
Mo -- Are we having a real dinner tomorrow?
Me -- What's wrong with tonite's dinner?
Mo -- It's just not the kind of dinner that we normally have.  Are you actually cooking tomorrow?
Me -- Yes I'm actually cooking a "real dinner" tomorrow.  

Who knew that my kids were so accustomed to having real homemade dinners.

How do your kids react to non-homemade dinners like cereal?  Do you ever eat a dinner like that?


Final thought:  How cute is this idea?

Please pardon the 2 mismatch floaties.  One ran away before the party

Capes!!!

Mind Body and Sloppy Joes

Look at what Baye found on the way to the bus stop this afternoon!!

A SKULL!!

We have never found anything that cool on our 4,284,951 walks.  

When Kay and Mo were little they had an obsession with nature walks.  When the weather was nice we would go on a nature walk --or an "adventure hike" -- 3-5 times a week.  Occasionally they would convince me to take them on more than 1 a day.  They would collect so many sticks, leaves, pieces of random nature-y things that I ended up buying a special backpack for our walks that was constantly stocked with ziploc bags and all the other necessities.  

I think that taking kids on walks is a total body experience for a child.  It gives them exercise, they learn about the world and in my opinion, and in my opinion connecting with nature is good for the soul.  When you go on a walk you can teach your kids about colors, numbers, shapes, and animals all while moving their bodies.

I might be a bit biased though.  I personally am a very outdoorsy person.  I'm the type of parent who pushes her kids to play outside during the comfortable months (sept-april) and spends half the day at the pool and/or beach in the summer.  

Speaking about summer, tonite's dinner was a veggie sloppy joe made with bits of various summer vegetables.

There were carrots, onions, leeks, mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, and blackbeans.  The sauce had 30 tablespoons of tomato paste, 10 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 7 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of honey, 3 tablespoons minced garlic, 4 tablespoons worchestershire sauce, and 1/2 a cup of ketchup.  

Sautee the vegetables then add the beans and sauce ingredients.  Bring everything to a boil and let it simmer for a minute or 2.  VOILA!  Easy-Peasy!!

  
Prompt:  What would you describe as the sweetest time in your life so far?

Answer:  I think that each point in my life has been sweet in it's own right.  But I think right now is the sweetest.  I have a house by the beach, 3 amazing kids and a husband who loves me.  I am (semi)happy with my weight and life is good.  My life is starting to come together and I'm happy.  

Books and Sweet Change

I finally got my books for my classes today!  After skimming through my nutrition class book I've come to the conclusion I made the right decision to pursue this career path.  3 more days until classes begin!

So many books!

Prompt:  Aristotle said, "Change in all things is sweet." Agree or disagree?

Answer:  I don't know wether I agree or disagree.  The change of me going back to school is sweet but having to leave my kids 4 days a week isn't.  Watching your children change as they grow is sweet but knowing that they are going to leave you one day isn't.  Finding your passion and perfect career choice is sweet but having to get a job isn't (atleast for me.)