winding down...

For Today {March 30} Can you believe another month is drawing to an close...

Looking out my window we went for a bike ride Monday night after supper.

I am thankful for time for things like this ^^^

I am thinking about goals- my goals as I begin my 37th year and also goals for the month of april...

One of my favorite things Being outside! Looking forward to the warming weather.

I am reading (reading more is one of my goals ;-)

     Sophie: the Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog also listening to this book on CD in the van Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace- One School at a Time

I am learning to be more confident

In my kitchen

     Sunday: Beef Stew, salad & beets

     Monday: Teriyaki Chicken Subs

     Tuesday: *bad* we hit up Mickey D's between piano lessons and the library

     Wednesday: Pork Chops w stuffing, green beans

     Thursday: Pizza NITE! Digiorno this week :P

     Friday: Beef Stroganaff (PC Freezer Meal)

     Saturday: Chili (PC Freezer Meal) & corn bread

In my garden I bought myself two blueberry plants with my birthday money

Board room

 

Post Script this week's What's She Makin' Weekend?  --Naughty Brownies-- 

What would you like to see this weekend... I'm thinking about making an appetizer to share at Mom's Connect...

A moment from my day 

Library Haul... I wasn't going to get any since I still had 5 books at home but I could resister these...

Closing Notes: I currently have FIVE real live pampered chef parties on my calendar next month! I am so, so excited! 

I am now part of a GROW challenge group and part of the challenge is to have 6 on the calendar...just one more!  These are are all live shows but it can be any type...Catalog, virtual, fundraiser, bridal shower, Facebook LIVE or of course LIVE in  home party! So who wants to party. . .

My birthday and getting back on track

My company treats our birthday as a holiday- so I had Friday off. Which was fun.

I started it off with a run with my pup.

Waiting for him to be done sniffing....

I got discouraged mid run and started writing a blog in my head...

But we finished strong and made an egg sammie for breakfast when we got home.

After my run I headed to the DMV to renew my license- I can now drive legally for another 8 years. =)  Then I headed to my sister's- we planned to go to a children's consignment sale.  But we didn't- it looked packed and crazy when we arrived so we headed to the mall instead. We wandered and mostly window shopped. I did make some purchases at Michael's-- they now carry some Bible journaling supplies. I got the date stamp I have been wanting for ages as well as a red stamp pad... some stickers, washi tape and a stamp set. =) Happy, happy. =)

For lunch I made the very unhealthy choice of Johnny Rockets... but boy was it delicious!

When I arrived home Mikayla was in the midst of making the yummy little numbers-

My birthday greeting from Pampered Chef!

Rhett took the evening off so we all hit up Ruby Tuesday for my birthday dinner. The first time the 5 of us have gone out together in ages... It was so fun! We laughed so much.

My birthday gift was cold hard cash- I am planning to get a new GPS watch and running shoes- I am debating between these two but 90% sure I'm going with the blue ones since they match my current running wardrobe better.... but man I love the red ones! I'm also getting one of those hands free leashes for my runs with Chance.

Saturday morning I went for a run with Mom and Becca- It was a little rainy but good. I enjoyed it. 4.15 miles- my longest run in quite sometime. Planning to get back to running more. The springtime 10K is so close! Also the Syracuse Half is moving to November and I'm pretty sure its going to be on my fall race schedule.

In the evening I had a Pampered Chef party at one of my best friends house.  We made these Tropical Wantons- a little labor intensive but tasty.

Today I am getting back on track- I got up and did Total Body Cardio.  Followed by a veggie egg scramble and devo time.

Healthy lunch and snack packed in my Make and Take Mason Jar Set.

this n that

Guess who finally got registered for the Pittsburgh Marathon Relay! I am so stoked to be headed back to Pittsburgh this May! And so excited to be running the relay with my mom, sister and cousins <3

This week I decided to officially discontinue the beachbody program.  I'm a little bummed since overall I did like the program.  I just can not afford the shakeology. Its crazy expensive.  But I am not sorry I did it. It gave me the push I needed to get this year off on the right foot. Start exercising and eating better. I plan to start my own round of 21 day fix again on Sunday. I still have part of a bag of shakeology left and will be using it until it runs out.

Shortly after I drew out my menu planner during lunch my brother in law came back to the office with a dozen donuts ...

Eh, everything in moderation... Also reminded me of this that I saw on Hungry Runner Girl's blog this morning. ;-)

Speaking of Hungry Runner Girl- she also had this survey up on her blog today...

1.  Would you rather go on a morning run to see the sunrise, or a night run to see the city lights?

Probably morning run

2.  What indulgent food do you wish was on the ‘good for you’ list?

Chocolate and cake... and maybe pizza ;-)

3.  If you could wear one color of running shoe for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Blue...any form or shade

4.  Split shorts:  good or bad?

indifferent...

5.  How do you celebrate a good race or run?

Dunkin' is whats coming to mind ;-)

6.  What song have you listened to most while running this year?

Let it Go and Shake it Off

7.  What time do you normally eat dinner each night?

Between 5:30 and 6ish, mostly depending on kid activites

8.  Would you choose to get a free running tank and shorts or running shoes delivered to you right this second?

Shoes! I could def use a new pair of shoes!

9.  Do you like spectators to be at the race you are running or not?

YES! Love it when people come.  My mom and dad are my most faithful spectators, although more often then not now Mom is running too <3... the few races my mister has spectated at made my century.

10.  What do you do with your key while you are running?  Do you usually drive somewhere to run or leave straight from your house?

Depends on the season. Hoodie/jacket pocket in cold weather or flip belt in summer...if I am running from home...per usual I don't carry a key.

In my kitchen...

Last night I found our family's new favorite dinner- it was so, so good! Like unbelievably good, and pretty quick and easy. =)   It is in the NEW Season's Best Recipe collection.  This little cookbook has been a gold mine so far- every recipe I have made so far has been a keeper!

Nashville Hot Chicken Hoagies

Ingredients 

Chicken 

2 tbsp (30 mL) pickle juice 

1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder 

1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar 

1 tsp (5 mL) cayenne pepper
1 tsp (5 mL) paprika 

½ tsp (2 mL) salt 

1 lb (450 g) chicken tenderloins 

Coleslaw 

1 lemon 

½ cup (125 mL) low­fat mayonnaise 

1 tbsp (15 mL) sugar 

⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) black pepper 

2 cups (500 mL) prepared shredded coleslaw mix 

4 hoagie or sandwich rolls, split open 

4 dill pickle spears (I used the sandwich slices)

Directions 

1. Combine the pickle juice, chili powder, brown sugar, cayenne, paprika, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the chicken tenders to the bowl and let them sit, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 5 minutes, or up to 30 minutes. 

2. For the coleslaw, juice the lemon with the Juicer to measure 1 tbsp (15 mL). Combine the lemon juice, mayonnaise, sugar, and black pepper in a medium bowl. 

3. Transfer ¼ cup (50 mL) of the dressing to a small bowl. Add the coleslaw mix to the bowl with the remaining dressing and stir to combine. 4. Heat the Executive Nonstick Double Burner Grill over medium-­high heat for 3–5 minutes. Brush the reserved dressing onto the cut side of the rolls. 

5. Add the rolls, cut­side down, to one side of the pan, and add the chicken to the other side. Grill the rolls for 3–5 minutes, or until grill marks appear. Grill the chicken for 3–4 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). 

6. To serve, place ¼ cup (50 mL) of the coleslaw in each roll and top with 2 grilled chicken tenders and 1 pickle spear.

I did a little test run of menu 3 of our Freezer meal workshops last night. I took me about an hour to put together 6 dinners to pop in the freezer.

Me- trying to carry them all at once to the basement freezer...

Here's what I have in my freezer (minus the pork, I thought I still had a pork tenderloin but I didn't so I will have to pick up one of those.)  When Mikayla got home and looked over the list she exclaimed so was so excited to eat every single one.

A little side note: I ask you... does this look like a cucumber to you? The whole bin was full of zucchinis instead of cukes!

Weekend Review~

Thursday I was able to accompany Mikayla on a field trip to see Wicked! We were beyond excited about this. We had been wanting to see it for ages and when we heard it was coming to Syracuse, declared we'd go for my birthday.

In the fall it was announced that Concert Choir was going to go see it. What, no!?! She was supposed to see it with me!

She asked her teacher if I could be a chaperone and told him he was ruining my birthday.

Thus I got to go see the show!  It was fantastic!

After the show we (90 people in all) went to Spaghetti Warehouse for dinner.  I wasn't sure at all how this would go... 90 is a B I G group! But turns out that place is way bigger than I ever realized. They had a room all set up with us, bread and salad on the tables with a small menu of 5 or 6 choices to choose from for our entrees.  I opted for spaghetti and meatballs. As did Mik.  I wasn't crazy about the sauce, but it was OK. I wish I had picked something different- like the manacotti or fettuccine Alfredo or chicken Cesar salad... or pretty much anything else... oh well...

In front of the Wicked truck after the show outside.

Let's just say I didn't get much sleep Friday night...

Also at 1:30 in the morning you make dumb grammatical errors
that are almost enough to make me delete this pic

Saturday morning we headed out for a cookie booth... it was pretty chilly!  Cookie season is wrapping up!

After the cookie booth I rushed home to get ready for our jewelry party.  The girls helped me make snacks and we made our weekly LIVE video. =)  This week we featured Skinny Cesar Salad w Grilled Romaine.

The party was great fun... and the jewelry really wows you in person.... My wish list is sooooo long.  My party is still open, here's a link to Aimee's website if you'd like to peruse-->  http://aimeewalrath.mypremierdesigns.com/

My host gift- LOVE!

Eating party leftovers while watching Moana with Hannah, and then again with Mikayla when she got home... they also watched it on Sunday and Monday- I guess its a hit!

Sunday I had a pampered chef party! 

Chance and I were able to get out for a run, for the first time in ages! It felt amazing. It was a beautiful day!

We got just a little muddy... he loved the puddles.

Yesterday was a little bit rough- to say the least... I needed some cooking therapy and chocolate cake. I made Chicken Marsala (my favorite!) and Chocolate Magic Cake.

Today will have a bit more of Joy and a bit less Sadness.