What’s for dinner?

Happy Day 10!  I had to count back the days on that one.  The weekend went by too fast.  We have one week down on the Great in 8 challenge!  It’s going well.  I only had one treat over the weekend and that’s because my daughter wanted to get an ice cream with her Mom.  I can’t say no to that (:  Mother’s Day was even a breeze.  I made what I always make for my Mom’s family dinners, Oreo dessert.  It’s a crowd pleaser for sure.  Buttered Oreo crust, chocolate chip mint ice cream, homemade hot fudge layer, cool whip, and crushed oreos on top!  That would be a big NO on our healthy challenge.  I’m a fan of competition and I already had one of the highest scores for the first week.  I’ve gotta keep this UP!  Instead, I ate a handful of trail mix (minus the M&M’s) and whipped up a casein protein shake with half a banana when I got home.  Happy Mother’s Day to me!  It was a wonderful day being with family and relaxing.

O.K. Monday Menu day.  This is what I’m making tonight!  I found this recipe on Oxygenmagazine.com Yummy!

I’d better get working.  Lots to do around here and I have to get ready for my “Ball” today!  The Moms and 3rd graders are playing kick ball.  It’s called a Ball because we get to wear our prom dresses.  I’m wearing a black velvet and lacy dress I wore when I was 16.  I don’t even want to count how many years ago that was.  I’ll put a few pictures on here for sure.  Have a wonderful day and think WARM thoughts!!

FASHION Friday with a side of hard core WORKOUTS and INSPIRATION

Good good morning!  Happy Friday!  I’ve been a little discombobulated this week with the New Year and kids going back to school on a THURSDAY?  I’ve been getting ready for another personal training session.  Today I need to create my GRAND 6 week diet plan!  We are not messin’ around this time!  I read a statistic that said about 48% of people make New Year’s Resolutions and about 8% keep them.  Well…that just motivated me even more to be the 8%!!  I don’t like to hear it can’t be done.  I have my goals by my bed so I can be reminded of them every day.  Today I have 3 things of interest to me!!  Fashion Friday, Workout Schedule, and WOM.

First, I’m going to have Friday be FASHION FRIDAY day!  Since I kinda like clothes a lot, I should post a different outfit each week.  Some weeks will be workout wear.  Other times I’ll post an everyday outfit or a Sunday outfit.  Whatever I’m in the mood for.  SO…today, this is what I wore to the gym.  My husband picked this out for me.  Lululemon.  Love it!  Only two improvements I would make.  The top needs to be tighter in the middle and a little higher in the neckline.  Other than that, perfecto.Another great idea with posting photos of me each week is to keep me from cheating on my diets and workouts.  Each week will just get better and better since I am not quitting (:

Second, as soon as the new year rolled over I started thinking about training for my marathon.  I need to get flights booked and plans made!  Here is a marathon schedule I’ve been following for several years now.

I’m on week 3 right now.  Pretty mild numbers for now.  This will soon change!  Several of my friends are training for different races too so I’ll have lots of company!  I made a rough draft of my new workout schedule.  I’ve been loving weights so much I can’t give them up!

Workout Schedule

 MONDAY-Early AM run/Legs and Shoulders

TUESDAY-Early AM run/My bootcamp class ABS

WEDNESDAY-Back and Bi

 THURSDAY-Early AM run ABS

 FRIDAY-Chest and Tri ABS

 SATURDAY-Long Run

O.K. last subject of the day or the month I should say.  I want to have a WORD OF THE MONTH.  One of my favorites came to mind today and that is INSPIRE.

The last couple days I’ve been feeling a little down.  Yesterday, several LIGHTS were given to me to LIFT me up.  Albeit they were small, they were significant to me.  A small thought left for me, an email of love and appreciation from an old friend, and a fun night with my daughter and her friends driving around town with the windows down and the music high.  Working out with my friends this morning also brought a smile and a laugh to me.

Notice the little things around you and remember WHO they are from.  HE knows us and what we need. (:

100 day goal

It is time to reclaim my former life!  We have been in a whirlwind for the last week or so!  My parent’s celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and it was spectacular!  To see them so happy was wonderful to me!  I must say we know how to throw a party.  It was perfect!!  Such a great reunion of past friends and family!  Here are my parents and their 7 kids and a cut out picture of them 50 years ago!

My oldest brother and I played the part of MC.  My Dad sang “Some Enchanted Evening” to my Mom and it was so sweet!!  I’m grateful for these parents of mine and proud to be a part of our family!

Now, it is back to REAL life!  I’m completely disoriented from my normal, predictable routine.  The only fit thing I’ve been able to keep up on is my running!  We had a great 16 miler down Immigration Canyon over the weekend and today our usual 6 miles felt like a walk in the park!  I want to get back to eating healthy and lifting.  I have to SAY to my dear friend that will be reading this…I did not keep our 9 week fitness plan.  If you remember 9 weeks ago we were gung ho on shaping up!  I wanted to be at 125 and all ripped (:  HA HA !!!  July has been worse than the Christmas season!  So….that brings me to my next goal of course.  After talking with a cousin at the party this weekend, I have decided to go without sugar for 100 days!!!  Officially starting on AUGUST 1st!!!!  That means: no cookies, brownies, white bread, or candy!!!  It’ll be awesome!!  I also need to spend less money!!  So, that will be part of the plan too!!  I’ll be SERIOUSLY on this time!!  🙂  Today is hopping!  I’ve got to get moving in many directions!

Healthy eats on vacation

Good morning and good new week!  We took off for a much needed get away this last weekend!  4 1/2 hours south of us is my heavenly oasis!

I went running on Friday and Saturday along trails with green grass, flowers, palm trees, sprinklers, golf courses, and red rocks surrounding me!  This morning I woke up to a beautiful layer of snow and 35 degrees!  Yes, I am home!  I really don’t mind the spring storms, but it was nice to be outside in almost 80 degree weather.  We explored a new spot on this trip.  Just over the border into Arizona is a place called “The Glitter Mines”.  It was tough to find and it’s over several trails but it was worth the drive.  We turned the corner and knew we arrived when the whole side of the mountain shone and sparkled.  It was almost too bright to look at.  The kids climbed over crystal covered hills and were able to chisel away at the mountain.  We brought several buckets home with us!  Here is my daughter picking away!

Most of the trip the kids wanted to swim.  I think we could of stayed swimming all day and every day and they would have been completely happy.  Here are the four oldest and my youngest little “beaver”.

We watched movies, played games, and read Harry Potter.  The first day we went to the store to get some food for the trip!  I made sure to have plenty of healthy snacks on hand.  One thing I always try to tell my kids when they are hungry is to eat something healthy first.  Here are a few examples!  Just don’t look in the background at the other food items we had around the place (:

Over the next month I need to get serious with my PT training!!  I took my giant book with me on vacation and read it several times while I toasted myself in the sun!!

 I REALLY hope I am ready to take the test by May 15th.  I want to get this over and out of the way so I can concentrate on my next BIG goal…body building competition!  As usual, I have a number of diet strategies running through my head.  Over the next two weeks I’m going SOUTH BEACH.  Which means: eggs, veggies, dairy, lean meat, nuts, and lots of water.  Time to slim up!  Here is a favorite protein powder I’m loving right now.  I’ll be having this every day blended up with spinach, PB, water, and ice!  You can order it on amazon, but here is the official website too: www.lifetimevitamins.com.

As I write this post, several of my inspiring and amazing friends are pounding the streets of BOSTON!!!  I’m so jealous I’m not there!  I need to take a deep breath and think…maybe next year I’ll try for that again!!  In the meantime, just keep swimming…RiP it up this week!  Think of 20 healthy foods to eat and get to the gym 5 times!! You can do it 🙂

Give me energy!

HI!!  This is how I feel today and what NO SUGAR is doing to me!  Notice the title of the book in the picture!

I obviously don’t remember this being taken.

Happy Fall!!  These pictures were taken Saturday on one of the most beautiful trails ever!!!  We are so lucky to have this in our backyards!

We always have a lot of fun.  This time we ran into several bikers, hunters, and campers.  Every time we get comments on how loud we are.  It’s a good thing!  All the wild animals will be scared of us.  We freaked out a few times thinking we’d come across a moose or cougar.  We lucked out, only a few deer almost mowed us over.  It doesn’t help either that we share insane stories about almost fatal pit bull attacks.  We had a BLAST!

This WILL be a GREAT week!! OCTOBER is here!  I can’t believe how fast the calendar rolls.  I have lots to look forward to and to be grateful for * Have a happy Day and week!

A little bit of EVERYTHING!

We had an absolutely AMAZING workout today!  My arms are still shaky and it’s been 2 hours!!  I’m in a hurry to GET OUT OF TOWN so I’ll post it when I get back.  I LOVE TRIPS!!!  Forceful relaxation.  A MUST for me!  So,  I came across some BEAUTIFUL and INSPIRING artwork.  The artist’s name is Donna Downey.  CLICK HERE!  So bright, colorful, and uplifting.  I will decorate my next house with several pieces of her work.  Here are a few examples!!

I found them in a cute boutique and took pictures.  So pretty!

Next, is my SONG of the day!!!  This is a bit teeny bopperish of me, but I’m around a lot of young people in my church and with my kids.  Apparently this is one of the IT bands and ALL these boys are SOOOOOO CUTE!!!  It’s a fun, upbeat song and they do SING WELL!!!  ENJOY!!

Hope everyone was a GREAT weekend!!

WORK HARD. KICK BUTT.