Fill 'er Up Friday #2

Happy Friday! 

How was your Thanksgiving? Delicious, I'm sure. We still have one more to go on Sunday with my fam so I took it easy on the indulging yesterday. 
Anywho, let's dive right in to Fill 'er Up Friday! 

This week's workouts and running plans did not go quite as planned due to Thanksgiving, our kids being home on break and a head cold that tried to kill me but I prevailed!

I couldn't figure out why it was so difficult for me to finish 4.5 miles on Monday, but it was probably due to the lack of appetite during last weekend since I was coming down with a head cold. I loaded up on goldenseal with echinacea and kicked that cold to the curb! I did a couple home workouts since I didn't make it to the gym and today I ran 5 miles! What?! I ran in my mother in law's neighborhood and it was marvelous. A tad bit tough at around 2.25 miles but I pushed through and focused on my breathing and finished feeling great! (and no dogs chased me-a huge fear of mine!) This run was huge for me because I haven't been able to run five miles since last year around this time! Listening to my body = better runs and a stronger body! :-)

Instagram likes & my run from today. I want that cat!-sorry, I totally stole that
photo..

I apologize for not keeping up with my scheduled posts. My mind has been completely consumed lately with all the statistics of training for a half. I feel bad that I find it hard to think about anything other than training.. I did set a goal even though I said I just wanted to finish feeling strong. I set a goal to finish in 2:20 or under. 

:-D 

I plan on catching up on my posts and linking back up with the #fitfam for Tuesday's #dishthefit. I'm learning how to balance it all without getting too overwhelmed. My spiritual life and home life comes before my social media life. ;-) 

Speaking of running, oh wait, was I talking about running? Oh well, I am now. Boy have I been hungry!! Or is it rungry? Runchies? <----Yep, that's the one. RUNCHIES! I have been eating almost everything in sight! In moderation, of course. But I just polished off a pizza hot pocket, and I NEVER eat those! Do you get the runchies? 

Moving on. Actually, I'm not moving on. I forgot I wanted to mention that I made some delicious cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting! The rolls have less sugar and butter than traditional rolls, but I went all out with the frosting. DE-LICIOUS! Proceed with caution:

Yeild: About 20 Rolls

Total Time: 2 hours (most of the time is waiting for the dough to rise)

Ingredients:
1 cup warm fat-free milk (100° to 110°)
6 tablespoons melted butter, divided
1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 package quick-rise yeast
16.88 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 3/4 cups)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Frosting:

2 oz. Cream Cheese

7 Tbsp. Butter-softened

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

2 Tbsp. Milk

1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/4 Tsp. Salt

Cream together cream cheese and butter. Slowly add the other ingredients and mix until fluffy. Spread over warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!

Directions:
1. To prepare rolls, combine milk, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and yeast in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups. Add egg and remaining granulated sugar to bowl. Stir in 4.5 ounces (1 cup) flour; let stand 10 minutes.

2. Add 11.25 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) flour and salt to milk mixture; stir until a soft dough forms (dough will be sticky). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 6 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; turn to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 35 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rise 35 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.

3. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; roll dough into an 18 x 11–inch rectangle. Brush remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter (I used a little more, 3 tablespoons just didn't quite cover the dough) over dough; sprinkle evenly with brown sugar mixture. Beginning at one long side, roll up dough tightly, jelly-roll fashion; pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut dough into 18 (1-inch) slices. Arrange 9 slices, cut sides up, in each of 2 (8-inch) square baking dishes coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 35 minutes or until doubled in size.

4. Preheat oven to 350°.

5. Uncover rolls. Bake at 350° for 22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes in dishes on a wire rack. Turn rolls out onto wire rack; cool 5 minutes. Turn rolls over.

6. Frost and eat!

Do you like cinnamon rolls?

Have you ever had the runchies?

Have a great weekend friends! 

Mom Monday #2 Surviving School Breaks

Hey hey! It's Monday! 
How was your weekend? Grand, I hope! 

Before I dive into Mom Monday I want to shout from the rooftops that my husband received a conditional job offer from the City Police Department this morning!! Conditional, meaning: pass the psych and medical and you've got the job! I'm pretty sure he's not crazy so he's got this! I'm so excited I'm dancing-on the inside. ;-) 

I woke up today feeling like a change was about to happen! 

Ok, back to our scheduled broadcasting.

So this week our kids are out of school, as are so many other children around the US. As parents, we cringe and look for the nearest corner to hide in as soon as we read the words: School Break on the school calendar. Bill Cosby said something so profound, "As the years go by, my wife and I grow closer together. Mainly because we're afraid of the children." 

First day of Thanksgiving Break

It may sound like a joke, but I'm sure he was very serious. If you're a parent, you know what I'm talking about. Especially if you have children who are polar opposites and do not get along for more than 5 minutes at a time. So how does a parent survive during these school breaks? If you're lucky, you'll make it to Monday with at least some of your hair. Here's what we do to make the most of our time with our kids, and avoid tantrums, boredom, boxing matches, and keep from going crazy. 

Step 1:

Bring in some reinforcements. IE: More kids. You're probably thinking, how does more kids make things easier? Well, if you're kids don't get along and don't seem to like anything they have at home to do, set up some play dates with friends and/or cousins. My kids have cousins that are just a little younger than they are, so they'll play nicely for hours. My sister needed me to fill in for her to babysit my niece and nephew, so I gladly said ok since I knew my kids would be preoccupied for long enough for me to get this post up and maybe even do some yoga while the little one naps. :-) We all win! Plus, I'm watching them at their house so my kids are happy to have new things to play with.

Step 2: 
Always have a plan. If you seem to have a plan of attack, er, I mean, plan for the day, your kids won't get bored as often. Think of all the things they can do to keep their minds busy. Board games, chores, activities to break up the day like going outside to play are some simple ideas. You could even plan a trip to a petting zoo, the park or even the library. So when my kids wake up and ask, "what are we doing today?" I try to have a plan so I can tell them, "We have lots to do today!" That way, they don't start their day off thinking they are just going to be bored all day. Easy enough?

Step 3:
Let them stay with grandma. <---'nuff said.

Step 4: 
If 1-3 aren't working, there's always Robitussin or Dimetap. . . haha I'm totally kidding!
Use school breaks for time to do something different. Maybe save a big craft project for the days they are home from school. Or, take them to a hobby store like Hobby Lobby or Michael's and let them pick out a project that will take some time over the course of a couple days to finish. This will keep their minds occupied and give them something to look forward to the next day.

Step 5: 
Let them play video games. GASP! I said LET THEM PLAY VIDEO GAMES! I'm not saying to let them have a free for all. But I am saying to give them some free time to play on the electronics since they are on vacation. Plus it will give you some time to breathe and think of what to do next. Maybe you'll even be able to get in a 30 minute workout while they warp their minds!

So if you find yourself going crazy at the beginning of every school break, don't worry, you're not the only one! Just go with the flow and remember, what doesn't kill ya, only makes you stronger. ;-)

Have a great week everyone! 

Thankful Thursday #2

Good afternoon friends! How's your week going so far? 
Mine has been great and it just got better! My husband received a final interview for an awesome job on Monday! Now, THAT'S something to be thankful for! :-)

I've been a bit preoccupied with training for my first half marathon, and I apologize because I haven't been posting or commenting on other blogs lately. For the first several weeks of training I was pumped up mentally and physically. I'm still pumped physically, and doing quite well, but mentally I'm psyching myself out. I haven't registered for the race yet and today I realized that I should because that way the only way I'll back out is if I'm injured. *fingers crossed* that doesn't happen! So, I may register by the end of this week...I think I need to do that in order to keep my head in the game.

Ok, since this isn't a "Fill 'er Up Friday" post, I'll get back on track here. I have so much to be thankful for this week!

First off, of course is the job opportunity that could be offered to my husband on Monday! I won't go all "poor me" on you, but we have struggled ya'll. We have had our share of struggle and have had to tell our children no to many things, so it's high time for things to change! We give God all the glory and thanks for providing for us and never allowing us to go without. We are so thankful that He has kept His hand upon our lives at all times, and we trust He will continue to do so. We have always felt blessed, even while unemployed and raising two children. We have always been able to pay our bills and provide food and shelter for our family, and for that, we are thankful.


I'm thankful for the opportunity to work with a personal trainer for the next couple months. 
My trainer's name is George and he seems well educated in fitness and nutrition. He has been able to answer all of my questions. He is able to make modifications to some of the exercises that I just cannot do right now due to lack of upper body strength and core strength. (which is ok, because it gives me something to work towards) He's fun, encouraging and very respectful. I'm so thankful for this opportunity because I'm learning so much that I didn't know and I'm realizing where I need to strengthen in order to finish this half marathon strong.

I'm thankful for the rain and cooler weather! Training for this half would be much harder if it was hot out! Most of you know I suffer from exertion migraines due to over heating and dehydration. So the summer months are months where I either run before the sun comes up or run on a treadmill indoors with AC blasting in order to prevent one of those monsters from attacking. So I am definitely thankful for the cooler temps and the rain to keep the air clean and crisp for some awesome runs!


What are a couple things you are thankful for this week?
Any exciting news come your way?

Enjoy your weekend everyone! 

Shout out Sunday!

Hello! & Welcome to my first Shout out Sunday! I follow some amazing blogs, so every Sunday I'd like to shout out to some of them and give you guys the opportunity to discover new blogs if you haven't yet heard of them. 

Ready?

Here we go!

(In no particular order and chosen at random)

 Ali On The Run: Here you'll find posts by a girl named Allison (goes by Ali). I have been following her blog for 6 months or more and I love her sense of humor! She shares her racing experiences as well as her experiences with Crohn's Disease. She is a free spirited, funny and inspirational woman who loves to run. Her posts are usually longer than the "norm" but I always find myself reading to the end! Go check her out now! You won't be disappointed!



Up and Humming: This is where you'll find posts by Flower. She lives in Florida with her husband and two dogs, Boomer & Hank. She always has the most interesting posts! She always has something to surprise me with! She posts regularly with one of them being: "WTF Wednesday". (Can't believe I just typed WTF! Hahaha) She's a runner but enjoys all things out doors. She's hilarious and always has something crazy to share! Like last week a squirrel landed on her head while she was out running! If you need a good laugh, go follow her now!

Chaitali is in the middle

Running and Enjoying: This is where you'll find posts by Chaitali. She's a sweet runner living in DC (right Chaitali?) with her husband and cats. She just finished a 10 mile race and is still truckin' along! She has her first half marathon this weekend and I'm cheering her on from California! She posts anything from updates on her training/running to informational posts and recipes. She's a dedicated reader of mine and I have enjoyed getting to know her the past several months. Please go check out her blog, you're sure to find something you'll enjoy reading!



Please don't be upset that I stole your photos! :-D 

I hope you'll take the time to check out these awesome blogs! I love reading what they have to say and I think you will too! 

Have a fantastic week everyone!! 

Fill 'er Up Friday!

Good afternoon friends! Welcome to Fill 'er Up Friday-where I fill you in on how my training is going and whatever else I'd like to talk about! So sit back, relax and get yer fill!

So, this week did not go as planned and it's continuing to not go as planned, so I have let go of the wheel and I'm just going along for the ride!

It all started with the flu last weekend. I guess not being able to eat can make for a pretty crummy workout week. Who knew?.. I also had a very strange, yet strong, craving for mini Twix. Did I cave, and buy some? You bet I did. Do I regret it? You bet I do. Since I'm having eaters remorse, I'm going on a sugar free diet for this weekend. If the weekend goes well, I'll extend this "diet" a few more days. Baby steps folks, baby steps.

Monday: Scheduled 3.5 miles-didn't happen because I had no energy.
Tuesday: Personal Training Session-Went very well! Learned a lot & I'm looking forward to working with my trainer every 2 weeks! He's a rock climber so he knows his stuff when it comes to ab workouts!
Wednesday: Cross trainer-20 minutes + lots of stretching (so sore from the personal training session)
Thursday: Stayed home and did some much needed yoga.
Friday: Scheduled 4 mile run-felt like garbage. Forced myself to run 2, still having some shin splint pain...
Saturday & Sunday: Lots of foam rolling, icing, resting AND eating healthy!

Sugar is the devil!...So are germs...

I'm really loving this app that I get to use since I signed up for personal training sessions at the gym. It's called DotFitMe. It keeps track of all of your food and activities throughout the day and tells you if you are below or above your calorie level. When you sign up you pick what your goal is then you put in your weight, height and all sorts of other info and then it tells you what your daily calories should be. Mine is at 2177 and to be honest, I find it hard to eat that many calories. Right now it is 2:40 pm and I'm at 1044 calories. How am I supposed to eat over 1000 calories with only an evening snack and dinner?? I just simply cannot eat that much so I'll just have to wait and see what my trainer says. I'm not too worried about my weight right now so I think as long as I'm eating healthy and I'm satisfied throughout the day, then I'll be fine.

This app is a great way to keep my bad eating habits in check because if it's not something I want my trainer to see, then I either don't eat it or don't record it. But, I'm honest and I can't leave out something that I ate.
:-)

This week I have felt so sluggish and tired. I was thinking it was due to the fact that I had the stomach flu and was living off of crackers and water with a little soup here and there. Then yesterday I start to feel the dreaded head cold coming on! I quickly loaded up on tons of vitamins and started to feel better. What a week! Speaking of things not going as planned, I wanted to get this post up sooner (and veg out on the couch all day) but my sister needs me to watch my 2 year old nephew for a couple hours, so now it's going to be even more delayed...Let it go, let it gooo! Taking advice from a Disney Queen....Nice.

(Ok, it has been about 2 hours since that last paragraph was typed up. I'm back and I have about an hour before my kids get home.)

Here's a bit how my visit with the little man (Colton) went:

He was helping me ice my leg (shin splints)...then he snapped.

Career/School Update:

A while back I mentioned wanting to take online classes to become a Nutrition Consultant or Health Coach. After lots and lots of research, it's just not something we can pull off right now. I have the time, there's no doubt about that. I just don't have money and I do not want to take out another student loan. I payed off my Dental Assisting student loan a couple years ago but I'm obviously not even working as an assistant so (understandably) my husband doesn't think another student loan for a larger sum of money is a good idea. I have searched and searched for grants/scholarships or even federal aid and so far I haven't found any help. I'm taking a slight step back for now, but it still continues to be something I think about every day.

Recipe:
After my pathetic 2 mile run this morning, I was starving but I wanted something fast. I wasn't exactly sure how this would turn out but I tried it anyway and I'm so glad I did! Enter: Banana Protein Smoothie.

I didn't measure anything, because when you're as hungry as I was, you can't wait for things like measuring.

-Frozen Bananas
-Splash of milk
-1 tsp. Crunchy Peanut Butter
-Almost full scoop of chocolate Whey Protein powder

Blend until smooth & enjoy! This would satisfy any sugar craving I could have in the future. I'm so happy I whipped this up today because it will really help me stay away from sugar!


How was your week?

Do you ever just give up on your schedule when too many things keep throwing it off?

I hope everyone has an awesome weekend! (I hope I do too! :-D)