Monkey See, Monkey Do September 4, 2012

After going to bed early and getting a good night’s rest last night, we have all recovered from our weekend. Isn’t it the best feeling when you wake up rested and refreshed? My goal for this month is to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night because I feel and function so much better. It is also better for your health! Starting tonight, I’m going to make sure I get to bed early. We’ll see how it goes!

Speaking of sleep affecting your health….over the weekend, I had a great conversation with my husband’s cousin about modelling healthy habits for your children. My husband’s cousin is a Librarian, and a mother and her son recently came into her library asking for book recommendations and how to get her child to read more. The mother admitted that she doesn’t read that often, but she wanted to make sure her son developed a joy for reading. As my husband’s cousin helped her with finding books, the mother stopped as she was walking away and said, “Wait, if I read more, and my son sees me reading, he will probably want to read more.” This is powerful and really stuck with me. It is a perfect example how we as parents are crucial and important role models for our children. We can’t expect our children to do something, if we don’t do it ourselves. We need to model the behaviour we want our kids to exhibit. If we want our children to eat healthy foods then we need to eat them. If we want our children to develop a love for exercise and/or being active, then we need to demonstrate for them and incorporate them into our activity, i.e. family bike rides, jogging (having our child ride in a jogging stroller), swimming, hiking, etc. If we want our children to learn to be polite and be respectful to others, we need to respect others. Too often, we get busy or too tired to remember to be consistent in modelling the behaviours or actions that we want our children to learn, but it shouldn’t be an excuse to forget about it. Children are like little sponges and pick up things from us and their environment so easily; we need to remember how our actions effect them, both positively and negatively.

Since Keenan has turned two, he’s even more of a little sponge these days. He mimics what we say and do all the time, so we always have to be careful with what we say. I aim to be the best role model for him as possible, which is why I bring him to the gym, we go for family walks and bike rides, he is our “Sous Chef” in the kitchen, my “Little Shopper Helper” at the grocery store, picking out fresh produce and being respectful to others. In order for Keenan to be the best that he can be, I need to be the best that I can be. How do you influence your children? How do you handle negative influences?

Once we got up and made our way downstairs this morning (Keenan is now waking up at 7:00 a.m. again, ugh!), we had breakfast. We had some of the peach oatmeal bake that was leftover from yesterday, with yogurt and blackberries on top. It was a perfect combo! Keenan loved it, because he inhaled his breakfast in 5 minutes! I also made myself an iced coffee using the coffee concentrate that my husband made (he made another batch last week). It was tasty!

Breakfast this morning!

Today has been a nice and somewhat relaxing day. After breakfast, Keenan and I played at his table with his new toy, thanks to our friends, Elisa and Jon! He loves sticking random things, like his salt and pepper shakers, in the holes!

Thinking about what he wants to stick in the holes next!

A little while later, we headed upstairs, got dressed and had some “piano time.” We hadn’t played the piano together for a while, so it was fun to play and sing together. Keenan did so much better today, playing the keys (instead of banging them!) and singing with me. We played and sang several songs from one of his music class books!

Piano time with “Mr. Turtle!”

After playing the piano, we skyped with my brother and niece and then headed to the park for some outside play time (riding his trike there). It was a fun morning!

Playing on the Teeter Totter!

Playing on the play structure!

By the time we got home from the park, Keenan was pooped! He had a busy morning and played really hard at the park! He loved going on the “roundy slide” (as he calls it)!

Going down the “roundy slide!”

For lunch, Keenan had some leftover pasta (whole wheat noodles with pasta sauce), chicken and carrots. I made myself a salad with half of a peach, chopped chicken, dried cherries, walnuts and feta cheese with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Keenan was so tired from this morning that during lunch, he kept saying “sleepy-sleep!”

My lunch.

Once Keenan wakes up from his nap, we are heading to CrossFit. After our food-filled weekend, I’m looking forward to a good workout today! For dinner tonight, we are having Chinese long beans that got at our local farmer’s market over the weekend sautéed with an onion, sun dried tomatoes and Italian sausages with feta cheese. I know, you are probably thinking…Chinese long beans and Italian? The flavors actually blend really well together (and the Chinese long beans are more tender, so they’re easier for Keenan to eat).

Well, it is time to do some packing for our little getaway before we go to CrossFit. We are heading to the North Coast for a few days before my cousin’s wedding on Saturday. They are getting married in Healdsburg, so we thought it would be nice to make it a little getaway. I’ll be sure to post from over there and share some of the activities we will be doing. Have a great afternoon!

Oh, before I forget, here is the recipe for the basil avocado edamame dip:

Basil Avocado Edamame Dip: (Adapted from Bon Appetit)

Ingredients:

– one 14-ounce bag frozen shelled edamame, unthawed

– 1/2 ripe avocado

– 1yellow onion, peeled and sliced into quarters

– 1 clove of garlic, peeled

– 2 teaspoons olive oil or more, if needed, to create a smoother dip

– 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice or more to taste

– 1 large handful fresh basil or more to taste

– pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Cook edamame in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
2. Place cooked edamame, avocado, onion, garlic, oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid in food processor. Blend in more olive oil, if mixture is too thick.
3. Transfer to a bowl and serve with pita chips.

Notes: I doubled the recipe, since it didn’t seem like enough for 8 people. I’m glad I did, because most of the dip was all gone by the end of the evening. I also added a little of our sodium-free garlic all-purpose seasoning from Costco for added flavor. Since I didn’t have any lemons, I added a little red wine and white wine vinegar, instead. The dip turned out okay, but I think the lemon juice would have added the zip that it needed.

Silliness and the Love of “Baba!” August 31, 2012

Showing his love for his “Baba!”

Today was once again all about being silly and goofy at our house. Keenan literally wrestled his “Baba” on the couch for 10 minutes straight this morning! He kept saying, “Ummm, I love you Baba” as he hugged and laid on him. Keenan loves “Baba” so much that he practically goes everywhere with us, not to mention “Lambie” (or his new additions: Elmo and Polar Bear). But, “Baba” and “Lambie” still reign at the top, amongst all of Keenan’s critters! Poor “Baba,” he has travelled to two countries and back, not to mention Alaska, Oregon and Hawaii while still staying intact. Every time he goes through the wash, I swear he comes out looking a little less stuffed! 🙂

Wrestling with “Baba” round one!

More wrestling and showing his love for “Baba!”

Anyhow, more about today: As soon as Keenan got out of his crib, he demanded to have peanut butter for breakfast. So, I made him a frozen whole grain waffle with peanut butter and blueberry honey with a side of strawberries. I ate a waffle topped with a scoop of Fage 0% Greek yogurt, honey, strawberries and banana. It was the first time I had yogurt on a waffle and it was delicious! I will definitely do it again!

My lovely breakfast…a good change from my usual!

After breakfast, we headed outside to feed Slinky. Since we were outside, I decided to do a bit of pruning/dead-heading flowers, while Keenan played in his sandbox. After being outside for awhile, we headed to a play date (rather, a book club meeting) for my MOMs Club. On our way home, we stopped by Marshalls and picked up Keenan’s sunglasses! They called me last night telling me that they had found them. Keenan and I were both happy to have his sunglasses back! I still feel bad about the whole thing.

Busy playing while I pruned!

For lunch, I made Keenan a turkey and cheese sandwich with a side of carrots, nectarine and a glass of milk. I made myself an egg white sandwich (microwaving a 1/2 cup of egg whites with a little Parmesan cheese and spices mixed in a small bowl for 1 minute and 30 seconds) with lettuce, tomato and mustard. I used to be on an egg white kick, but for some reason, I just forgot about it, until I saw the container in our fridge today. The sandwich was exactly what I was craving!

Keenan’s lunch.

My lunch.

Speaking of lunch, I just read an interesting article on BabyCenter about popular characters helping kids eat healthy foods. The article talked about how popular kid’s characters are used frequently to sell junk food, but recent research has shown that the same characters can be used to promote eating healthy foods. As soon as I read this, I thought, well…duh! After seeing Keenan be so infatuated with Elmo and wanting to do what he does, of course kids would be influenced to eat healthier food, if their favorite characters were eating it! The article goes on to say that the method can be used in schools to help promote healthier eating. In one study, researchers had children pick between cookies and apples. A group of kids were offered plain (non-branded) apples and cookies, while another group was offered plain cookies or Elmo apples that had stickers of some of the Sesame Street characters. The Elmo apples were chosen more frequently than the cookies. Although, this seems to be a no-brainer for me, I think this is very powerful. Hopefully schools, government organizations and even some parents will use this effective strategy. How do you feel about using popular kid’s characters to influence children to eat healthier foods?

After Keenan’s nap, we went to CrossFit and did a good, but not so gruelling workout. It was a nice change, compared to the past few days! Today’s skill included hanging snatches and the WOD was 3 rounds for time of 10 snatches (women weight: 95 lb) and 15 facing the bar-facing burpees. Since I can’t seem to snatch anything above 85 lbs (another weakness I have to work on!), I stuck with 75 lbs for the workout. I finished my 3 rounds in 9 minutes and 21 seconds, not too bad.

For dinner, we had roasted brussel sprouts with a simple pasta sauté of whole wheat spaghetti noodles, cherry tomatoes, onions, fresh basil from our garden and feta cheese. It was very satisfying! This was Keenan’s first time eating brussel sprouts and he did pretty well.  At first he didn’t want to eat them, but after I sprinkled a little balsamic vinegar on top, he liked them!

Dinner tonight!

Keenan’s plate!

Well, it’s time for bed, since I’m heading to CrossFit in the morning, instead of in the afternoon. My husband and I have a double date with some friends tomorrow night. We are going to dinner at Kupros Bistro and seeing “Crazy For You” at Sacramento’s Music Circus, while my in-law’s babysit! Night, night!

Our bodies are like cars… August 17, 2012

Before I forget, here is a picture our dinner last night, Sauteed Kale with mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, a red onion and feta cheese. It was delicious!

We had a busy morning today. After a quick “usual” breakfast, I took my latte to go and dropped off my car for its 40,000-mile service and then headed to my MOMs Club board meeting. After the meeting, Keenan got his second haircut! The guy who cut his hair the first time (my husband’s previous hair stylist) moved, so I found a new person that did a fabulous job! In addition, it only cost $7.0o! Keenan’s first haircut was $15.00, so today’s cut was a steal! If you live in the Natomas area and are looking for a great place to get your child’s hair cut, I highly recommend A-Z Cuts!

Showing off his new haircut!

After being in Alaska for two weeks and prior to that, San Diego, it is time for me to re-evaluate my eating habits and get back on track. I ate WAY too many sweets and bread (thanks to my Mother-in-Law for her wonderful baking!), so this week was all about “detoxing,” or rather eating proper portions again and lots of veggies and fruit! Since there are no grocery stores where my in-law’s have a lodge, everything has to be flown in, so you can’t go to the store every other day or every few days to get fresh produce. You either have to grow it or have it shipped and ration out the amount you eat. Needless to say, I missed having a lot of fruits and veggies on hand! Since we ate SO MANY carbs the past two weeks, our dinners this week consisted of protein and veggies. For breakfast and lunch, we have included carbs, i.e. Kashi Cereal and sandwich thins, but other than that, we haven’t eaten many of them. I stepped on the scale today and I put on a couple of pounds, so I definitely need to get back on track. My husband also put on a few pounds, so we are both watching our food consumption. Since we didn’t really workout while we were in Alaska, I think the lack of activity coupled with the additional sweets/carbs did us in. Oh, well, we were on vacation, so it was a good excuse to splurge, right??! Do you allow yourself to splurge when on vacation? What foods do you like to splurge on?

When talking to clients about their eating habits, I love to give them the analogy of a car. In order for our bodies to run properly and efficiently, they need the right fuel, as well as regular maintenance to withstand daily exercise (whether light, moderate or vigorous) on a daily basis and/or what life throws our way. If you have a sports car and it takes premium gasoline, you can’t put regular unleaded and expect it to run as well as it does with premium. Our bodies are the same way. If you are working out 7 days a week and doing very intense exercise, you need to eat enough protein to repair and build muscle, good carbs for re-filling your glycogen stores and staying hydrated to replace the amount of water you lose during your workouts. In addition, without proper maintenance, i.e. recovery, your body will run itself into the ground, being prone to injury and fatigue, thus decreasing performance (just as a car does when it doesn’t receive regular oil changes and maintenance checks). Some people think that we “live to eat,” but really, we “eat to live.” We need to take proper care of our bodies, whether for light to moderate exercise, vigorous workouts or playing with your kids.

Proper fuel requirements made me question if I am eating the right amounts (just right, too little or too much) of protein, carbs, veggies and fruit for the workouts that I am doing. I eat a good amount of protein with every meal and a little bit combined with a few carbs for my pre-workout snacks (which I need to start posting about and taking pictures), but is it enough? I do CrossFit 5 days a week, doing pretty vigorous activity, so I think I need to increase my protein intake. Prior to going to Alaska, I felt tired during my workouts (even though I was well hydrated, sleeping well and felt like I was eating enough), which could have been due to not eating enough protein. The American Dietetic Association recommends an endurance athlete consume between 1.2-1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you are doing heavy strength training, your protein needs are definitely in the high range and can go up to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. With that said, I calculated the amount of protein I consume on a regular basis and I am short a few grams. So, my first focus is increasing my lean protein intake for all of my meals, without increasing my overall calorie intake. By doing so, I am going to decrease the amount of carbs I eat (still consuming them, though!) to make-up for the additional calories of protein. I know, it seems a little confusing, but it shouldn’t be too hard to do!

The main thing that I try to practice on a daily basis is being mindful, listening to my body. I eat when I’m hungry and hydrate when I am thirsty (though in Alaska, I definitely ate when I wasn’t hungry with all of the sweets laying around!). I listen to my body after a workout. If I’m feeling really fatigued, I think back to what I consumed during the day to see if I ate enough. The next day, I make sure to eat enough, especially protein and see if that makes a difference in how I feel after I work out. I find that if you listen to your body, you will learn a lot! Practicing mindful eating can help you reach your goals, whether they are losing weight, maintaining your weight or increasing your performance. How do you practice mindfulness?

Ok, enough of the boring nutrition stuff. Tonight is our “at home date night” after Keenan goes to bed, so I can’t wait! My husband is cooking an Asian dish with grilled chicken, zuchinni, carrots, onion over brown rice noodles served with a nice white wine; it should be good! We are planning to watch something on Netflix, but we’ll see if we can agree on something!

Well, it’s time to get ready for CrossFit. Have a great evening!

Alaska… August 15, 2012

Enjoying the beauty of life (Lake Clark, Alaska).

We made it home safe and sound (well, maybe not sound, as we are still trying to adjust to the HOT weather and face reality again!) yesterday afternoon. It was nice coming home in the afternoon; we had time to unpack, do laundry, put Keenan down for a nap (he was SO tired from all of the traveling, poor little guy!) and get to bed early. It was a LONG day of traveling…we had to be at the airport at 5:00 a.m. for our flight (not fun)!

It is good to be home, but at the same time, I kind of miss being in Alaska. It was nice to be completely remote without any communication with the rest of the world (no phones, internet or TV). It allowed us to appreciate the simple things that we often forget in the hustle and bustle of  life, and most importantly, it allowed us to truly spend quality, uninterrupted time together as a family: Rolling logs down the lawn, picking wild strawberries and blueberries with Keenan, smelling the flowers, fishing, enjoying the sounds of nature, getting excited when a bald eagle landed on the lawn in front of my in-law’s lodge to eat the remains of the fish I caught, playing board games and reading. It made me realize what is truly important in life: Family, health, faith, food and shelter. Everything else is not that important (if at all).

I was fortunate to meet a native Alaskan man the night before we left my in-law’s lodge to fly back to Anchorage.  After talking with him, I saw the world so differently. His worries are so different than ours. He has to worry about staying safe from bears or moose, picking enough wild blueberries to freeze for the winter, catching enough fish to freeze and/or smoke to feed his family, providing a safe house for other native kids who live in a horrible household, and finally having enough money to put a roof over his family’s head. Having a car or the latest technology is foreign to him. Wearing the newest clothes is not important, as long as you have them to stay warm. We (myself included) too easily get caught up in the game of life, needing the latest cell phone, computer, TV, new car, or new clothes, but is that what really matters in the grand scheme of things? Does that new cell phone add value to your life and to your family’s life? Or, is it taking time away from your family because you are spending too much time on it? Is materialism and consumerism the essence of modern life?

Here is a recap of our trip:

Leaving for Anchorage (actually Seattle; we had a layover before getting on another plane to head to Alaska).

Keenan was SO excited to fly on a “big airplane!” If you are wondering why my eyes are red and somewhat puffy, I had an allergic reaction to a new eyeliner that I tried the day before.

Leaving for my in-law’s lodge at Lake Clark, an hour and 15 minutes Southwest of Anchorage, in a little plane.

Keenan was SO tired and SO silly!

The view from the small airplane was incredible! Here are few pictures that I captured. Keenan had a great time on the plane ride (despite being OVERLY tired), playing with a few native kids who sat behind us!

A glacier runoff into the lake.

The beautiful Lake Clark.

Our little plane!

Once we arrived at my in-law’s lodge, we had dinner, put Keenan to bed, relaxed for a bit, bathed in the sauna and went to bed. It was a VERY LONG day of flying. Our flight in Sacramento left at 9:20 a.m. and we arrived in Lake Clark at 7:30 p.m. Alaska time (they are one hour behind us). We traveled for 12 hours and Keenan, once again, was a trooper. He was a great traveler! He slept part of the way from Seattle to Anchorage which was nice! It also helped that I had some episodes of “Elmo’s World,” “Shaun the Sheep” and “Timmy Time” on my nook to keep him entertained for a while!

Keenan being silly on the little plane to my in-law’s lodge! I just had to take a picture!

After getting unpacked and settled the next day, we  headed in the boat to go across the lake to visit my in-law’s friends and introduce Keenan. Keenan was a little unsure of the boat, but once we were in it, he had a good time. After that first boat ride, he couldn’t wait to go again! Once we got home, we enjoyed some relaxing time, playing with Keenan and cooking, since the weather was bad. It was raining for the first 3 days that we were there, providing a great excuse to rest and relax, which we all needed.

Helping Daddy drive the boat with Grandpa!

Play time!

The next day we went fishing (in the rain) for Pike and my husband caught one, but I only had a few bites. I love fishing for Pike (aka Fresh Water Barracuda) because they jump up to bite your bait. They have huge mouths with razor sharp teeth. It is fun and exhilarating! Keenan was mesmerized with the fish my husband caught. He was so focused on watching my husband reel in the fish, unhook it and put it in the bucket to bring home. In the afternoon, my husband created a WOD for us which included sprinting down the runway (3,000 ft), throwing logs down and up a hill in the lawn and doing 25 pushups for three rounds. It was a good workout, especially doing it in pouring down rain! For dinner, we baked the Pike and made “Pike pasta” with a garlic cream sauce. It was SO yummy! Sorry, I completely forgot to take a picture of our dinner.

Keenan ready to go fishing in the rain, wearing his make-shift “waterproof pants” out of a kitchen garbage bag that Daddy made (which actually worked quite well)!

After another day relaxing at the lodge and playing outside with Keenan, we headed up the river to fish for Grayling (which I caught two!), had a picnic and found a moose and bear print for my mother-in-law to do a print with Keenan’s boot and hand out of Plaster of Paris. It was a fun day! When we got back, Keenan rode on the four-wheeler with Daddy, which he loved! While Keenan was napping, my husband and I went kayaking, since it was such a beautiful day. That night, we baked the Grayling that I caught, flaked out the meat and made pizza, using Arugula, pancetta, caramelized onions and goat cheese! Again, I forgot to take a picture of our pizza, sorry!

The view heading up the river!

The first Grayling that I caught!

The second Graying that I caught!!

The weather was stormy again, so we all lounged around the lodge and did some more reading and relaxing, while my mother-in-law and Keenan made bread! He loved being my mother-in-law’s “Baking Assistant!”

Baking bread with Grandma!

“Show me the measuring cup!”

Kneading or rather, “punching” the dough to relax it a little before letting it rest.

A couple days later we headed across the lake again to check the mail and visit with my in-law’s friends (who sure enjoyed Keenan!). Later that day, Keenan helped Grandpa mow the lawn.

Riding the tractor (mowing the lawn) with Grandpa!

The day before we left, we did some Pike fishing again, and this time, I caught two fish! We tried to get a picture, but my husband accidentally let it go (you can sort of see the mouth of the Pike before I reeled it in). Keenan also fished this day, using a little pole that my in-law’s had. He had a ball, saying “Fishing like Mommy and Daddy!” He didn’t catch anything because we didn’t put a hook on it, but he certainly learned how to drop the line in the water and reel it in.

Keenan fishing with Grandpa.

The first Pike that I caught!

On our last day at the lodge, we packed up and headed back to Anchorage to drive down the cost to Seward. It was a cute little seaside town with a wonderful Sea Life Center. We stayed in Seward for two nights, visiting the Sea Life Center (seeing Puffins, a baby Walrus, lots of neat colored fish, seals and sea lions), hiking up to a glacier, eating WONDERFUL seafood and shopping. It was a nice little getaway before flying back to Sacramento. I highly recommend visiting Seward, if you are traveling to Alaska!

Keenan had to hug the bear outside of a store in Anchorage. It was too cute!

The family, after hiking to the top of the glacier in Seward!

Our little family with Keenan in the Ergobaby Carrier (the best thing ever when traveling, hiking or just going shopping!).

Keenan driving the boat in the little play area at Seward’s Sea Life Center!

Horsing around in the car (Keenan wearing my sunglasses) on the drive back to Anchorage from Seward!

We arrived in Sacramento yesterday and Keenan wanted to help with the luggage. Once we got home, Keenan was so exhausted, he slept for 2 hours!

Helping with Grandpa and Grandma’s luggage (cooler filled with frozen fish)!

Sound asleep after a long day of traveling!

It was a fun two weeks! We all had a great time and Keenan saw a lot of wildlife and learned so much. It was fun to see the world through his eyes! Now, it’s back to reality for us (which started with CrossFit this afternoon that wiped us out!).  Time for bed and on to tomorrow…

All packed and ready to go! July 30, 2012

Playing in the wading pool at Land Park today.

Well, we are all packed and ready to go! We leave bright and early tomorrow morning. I hope Keenan will sleep on the plane, so my husband and I can get some rest, but I think that is wishful thinking! We loaded my nook with several “Shaun the sheep” and “Elmo’s World” episodes, along with a few of his favorite toys, stickers, coloring book and crayons to keep him busy. What kinds of things do you bring to keep your child entertained on a long plane ride?

Today was a busy, but fun day! We made banana nut oatmeal pancakes for breakfast (along with lattes, of course!) and soon after, we started packing. Since we were meeting my parents at Land Park (and then to dinner at Tower Cafe afterward) after Keenan’s nap, I wanted to get everything packed before we left. Needless to say, we had every intention, but it didn’t happen! So, at 11:00 p.m. tonight, we finally finished! Everything is ready to go, except for our toiletries. I am exhausted, but I hope I can sleep tonight. It seems that every time we leave for a trip, I have a hard time falling asleep because I’m excited and/or anxious. Do any of you have a hard time going to sleep the night before leaving for a trip?

A great start to the day, banana oatmeal pancakes with peach slices on the side!

Once we got home from dinner (I highly recommend the Tower Cafe if you live in Sacramento. It is causal, but has a very eclectic (but delicious) menu, including wonderful desserts!), we put Keenan to bed and finished packing. It’s funny how much little room my husband and I have in our suitcases, since Keenan’s stuff overtakes everything (diapers, wipes, pac n’ play, ergo carrier, etc). After several “rearranges,” we finally made it work with only 2 bags (finally deciding to check-in the pac ‘n play) and 1 carry-on, without either bag being over the weight limit.

Swinging with Nonna and Avo at Land Park.

Back to dinner: my husband and I shared/split our meals. I got the “African Veggie Burger,” a patty made with peas, sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans, sesame and sunflower seeds, topped with a peanut sauce, lettuce, onion and pickles on a whole wheat bun (sorry, I completely forgot to take a picture of it, yet, again!). It was sure yummy! I also had a small side salad, instead of fries. My husband ordered the regular burger, so we cut our burgers in half and shared them (we each got to enjoy half of the other person’s burger). Since my husband got fries with his burger, I had to steal a few! They are so good! Every once an while, I get a craving for thick steak fries!

Since we are heading to a very remote place in Alaska (Lake Clark, where my in-laws have a lodge) for the next two weeks, I won’t be able to do much posting (if at all), since there is no cell phone reception or internet. I will be sure to take lots of pictures and post a full recap once we get back. Have a good week! Night!

A somewhat relaxing Saturday July 29, 2012

One of my favorite breakfasts, a great pre-workout meal!

Today was somewhat of a relaxing day, aside from running last minute errands and getting things ready for our trip. Since Keenan is still getting over his cold (he came down with it a few days ago), we laid low. After breakfast, (which was different today: whole grain frozen waffles spread with peanut butter and banana slices on top), we headed to the gym for one last workout before we leave for Alaska. Since my husband was still really sore from yesterday’s WOD and his ankle was bothering him, he just took pictures, while I did the WOD with our friend. It was a good one! Below, is a picture of the workout, as well as me (and my nice CrossFit face!) doing an overhead squat.

Today’s WOD, a modified “Chipper” from the CrossFit Games this past month.

My lovely CrossFit face doing an overhead squat of 85 lbs, thanks to my husband!

After we got home from the gym, we had lunch: leftover Grilled Corn Salad with half of a sandwich thin and a nectarine. It was tasty after the crazy workout! Once I was done, I got ready and headed out to run errands, which included a trip to Nordstrom to exchange and return some things. I just love Nordies (as I call it)! Their return policy is awesome; you can take anything back (even if worn and without a receipt) and they will fully refund you. They have a 100% satisfaction guarantee policy, which is fabulous! After wearing shoes for a couple of times and if they still don’t fit right, you can take them back at Nordies and they will refund your money or exchange them. This is another reason why I do most of my shopping at Nordies!

Keenan playing in his pool, yes, I know, naked.

Once I got home, Keenan woke up from his nap (almost 3 hours!), so we headed outside for some pool time! My husband and I enjoyed his “special summer drink creation” while Keenan played in the pool. Once Keenan was done playing in the pool, we went inside and watched a little “Elmo’s World” (Keenan’s request) and played several rounds of “Ring a Round the Roses” and “Tag.” It was a fun-filled afternoon of quality family time!

Watching an episode of “Elmo’s World,” while having a snack of my niece’s leftover gold fish crackers.

Tonight is our at-home “date night,” so it’s time to open a bottle of wine and start cooking! We are grilling some zucchini and an onion and tossing it with sun dried tomatoes, chicken, Kalamata olives and feta cheese over whole wheat penne noddles. It should be good! After dinner, we watching some Olympics! What are your plans for tonight?

Forgetful July 25, 2012

I don’t know what it is…maybe too many things on my mind lately or just “mommy brain”, but unless I write things down, I easily forget them. With that said, I completely forgot to take a picture of our dinner last night, sorry! I am going to work on this by making sure to keep my camera handy, so I can take plenty of pictures. As far as last night’s dinner goes, it was delicious and very satisfying, especially after another brutal workout (running 2,400 meters and finding your 1 rep maximum of front squats, which I maxed out at 135 lbs)! Here is the recipe that I created, if you are interested:

Sauteed Kale with Sun dried Tomatoes and Onions: (serves 3)

Ingredients:

– 2 bunches of kale (chopped)

-1 red onion (diced)

– 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil)

– 1 clove garlic (minced)

– 1 tablespoon olive oil

– 3 Italian sausages

– 1 tsp. Italian seasoning

– 1 tbs. balsamic vinegar

– pinch of salt and pepper

– 1/4 cup of feta cheese

– 1/2 cup cooked couscous

Directions:

1.) Saute onion with garlic and olive oil in a large pan.

2.) Add sausages and cook until browned.

3.) Add kale, balsamic vinegar, spices and saute for 10 minutes, or until soft and vinegar is absorbed.

4.) Divide cooked couscous among 3 plates, pour kale mixture on top and sprinkle with feta cheese. Enjoy!

My morning latte that my husband so kindly made me!

On to today: Keenan had his swim class this morning, so it was rather rushed to get out the door on time, especially since he slept-in to 8:30 a.m. again! I’m loving that he is sleeping-in; I sure hope it lasts! We had a quick “usual” breakfast with blueberries (Keenan’s favorite fruit) and I took my latte to go (thanks to my loving husband for making it). After class, we ran some errands, delivered a meal to a mom in my MOMs Club who recently had a baby, and then headed home for play time before lunch. Since Keenan got his Play Doh ice cream maker set from Uncle E, Auntie Mimi and his cousin, he hasn’t wanted to play with anything else! All he wants to do is make and pretend to eat ice cream cones! Does your child (or children) have a favorite toy that they always want to play with?

For lunch, I made my “typical:” a turkey sandwich on Orowheat whole wheat sandwich thins with lettuce, tomato and a little bit of jalapeno yogurt dip from Costco (it is scary good!), along with carrots and a peach. I made Keenan his favorite: a peanut butter and honey sandwich with blueberries and a glass of milk. He sure loves his peanut butter! As we were eating our lunch, we sang, “The Wheels on the Bus.” Since we got back from San Diego, he has wanted to sing that song over and over…it’s funny, but also tiring at the same time!

My typical lunch, very satisfying!

The best spread for sandwiches and a dip for veggies!

Since today is Wednesday, it is gymnastics day at CrossFit Gold so I’m excited to see what today’s WOD includes. I love Wednesdays at the box, since I used to do gymnastics when I was younger.

Since my husband is gone for the night (for a work event), tonight’s menu is all about salad!! Though I don’t like it when he has to travel for work, I love that I get to make HUGE salads for my dinners (my husband thinks I’m crazy!)! If I had it my way, I would eat salad every night. I love that there are so many things that you can do with a salad: add fruit, nuts, meat, veggies, cheese and different vinegars. You can be as creative as you want. I don’t think there is a wrong way to make a salad. When my husband was gone for four days a few months ago, I made myself a different salad each night, it was great! Tonight, I’m going to make “everything, but the kitchen sink” salad that will include, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, avocado, peperoncinis, kalamata olives, carrots, chicken and a few roasted unsalted walnut pieces with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Since I’m having salad, I’m going to make Keenan some chicken with avocado, carrots, bread and some blueberries. What do you eat if you are by yourself for dinner?

Peanut butter hands!

Hard to Say Goodbye July 24, 2012

Keenan licking his plate clean after finishing a piece of his early birthday cake last night!

It is always hard saying goodbye to my brother, sister-in-law and niece. Every time they leave, I always have tears in my eyes, no matter if I’ll see them next month or 3 months from now; I just hate goodbyes! My husband just took them to the airport, to fly back home to Montreal. Thank goodness for skype, because it would be hard to not see my niece for a while! Fortunately, we will see them in September, since my cousin is getting married. Knowing that we will seem them in little over a month, makes saying goodbye a little easier this time. We had a great time with them this past month and Keenan and his cousin had SO much fun! They played so well together and shared lots of laughs. We called them “Ooga and Booga,” because they were always so silly together!

Last night, we had one last family dinner together (Mexican food from our favorite taqueria) and my brother and sister-in-law surprised Keenan with an early birthday cake and gift (since they won’t be here for his birthday on Aug. 20th). It was so sweet and Keenan was excited, but he didn’t really know what to do. He was mesmerized by the candles, so my niece and I helped him blow them out. They got an ice cream cake (a perfect choice, since Keenan is infatuated with ice cream cones these days!), so Keenan devoured his slice and ate some of my mom’s cake, too! They got him a set of balls: soccer, basketball and football, as well as a Play Doh ice cream maker set. Keenan was thrilled!

This morning, after we all finished a simple breakfast of Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal, Fage yogurt, nectarines and blueberries (lattes, of course!), we opened the ice cream maker set and Keenan and his cousin had a blast making different kinds of ice cream cones.  As they were playing and Play Doh was flying everywhere, onto our rug and in the crevices of our coffee table, it made me realize how little space we have, especially as Keenan is getting older and accumulating more toys (and bigger ones). So, as his birthday approaches, I need to start thinking about making more room, i.e. purging and reorganizing (which my husband loves…not really!). We want to get Keenan a little table to use for art projects and playing with Play Doh, but the question is “where do we put it?” Before I was pregnant, my husband and I always said we didn’t want our house to be overrun by our children. We wanted it to still look like our home, but with a small play area for our kids. We have to think creatively in finding more space, so it doesn’t become overrun with Keenan’s things. I can only imagine what it will be like when we have another child! Do you have the same issues with space and finding room for your child’s toys? Does your house feel overrun with your child’s or children’s toys? How do you make room for all of your child’s or children’s things?

Speaking of Keenan’s upcoming birthday, call me old fashion, but I like traditional mailed invitations. I know evites are the new thing, which are much easier and most importantly, environmentally friendly, but I just like receiving an old fashion invitation in the mail. I enjoy making cards, thank you notes and invitations, so I look at it as a fun project to make his birthday invites. I know most people might think that making your own invites takes too much time and since I’m at home with Keenan everyday, I  have plenty of time to do them. Creating your own invitations doesn’t take much time at all. I made Keenan’s 1st birthday invites last year when I was working. You can make them as simple or as intricate as you like. For his 2nd birthday invitations that I just completed and mailed, I purchased cream colored card stock (already cut in a A6 size) from Cutcardstock. They are very reasonably priced, about 10% cheaper than purchasing a package at Michaels or Office Depot. I formatted the invitation in Microsoft Word, added Keenan’s picture and wording. Since I didn’t have as much time as I would have liked (since we are getting ready to leave for Alaska), I made them very simple, but cute. We are going with a theme of “Keenan’s Favorites” for his birthday this year, so the invite was geared to some of his favorite foods, which we will have at his party. It should be fun!

This afternoon, we are heading back to CrossFit for another awesome workout and then home for dinner. Yesterday’s workout was brutal for our first day back after a week off! It was a partner WOD, consisting of rope climbs, box jumps, over-the-bar burpees and deadlifts (women weight: 205/men weight: 325). The workout was 2 rounds for time and my partner and I completed 1 round and 23 reps at 175 pounds for our deadlifts. It was tough! I could definitely tell that my lack of working out last week and not eating as I usually do, affected my performance. When we are in Alaska, my husband and I are making sure to at least workout every other day, so we don’t feel like this after being gone for two weeks!

On the menu for tonight is sauteed Kale with a torpedo onion (diced), sun dried tomatoes and chicken sausages over whole wheat couscous. It should be yummy! I will make sure to take pictures and post the recipe tomorrow! Have a great rest of your afternoon!

Home Sweet Home July 23, 2012

Such a tired boy!

We got home late Saturday night, around 10:30 p.m. Keenan was SO tired. He fell asleep on the way home, around 9:00 p.m. and then woke-up after an hour, crying and saying, “Keenan all done!” Poor little guy, he just wanted to get out of the car and be in his crib. The drive back was the LONGEST drive we have ever taken! There was so much traffic on the road, it was ridiculous, thus making the drive even longer. Needless to say, we were all glad to be home (though, not for long, since we leave for Alaska next Monday).

Yesterday, we spent the day unpacking, cleaning out the car, doing laundry, getting groceries, working on Keenan’s birthday invites (which I’ll post about later this week) and catching up on sleep, since we were all so tired. Keenan slept till 9:00 a.m. yesterday morning and still took a 3 hour nap!

Keenan is still catching up on his sleep because he slept till 9:15 a.m. today, sleeping for over 13 hours! So far, he has been napping for over 2 hours! We are putting him to bed on time tonight and hopefully, he will be back to his normal “schedule,” tomorrow (but, it sure is nice that he is sleeping in so late!).

As promised, here is a recap of our trip:

Beach: Our house was 7 blocks from the beach, so we tried to go to the beach as much as possible, which ended up being every other day. Our beach days were our “relaxation days,” after a busy day of site-seeing the day before. Our house was on a hill, so the walk to and from the beach was a great workout, especially pushing Keenan in his stroller with all of our beach gear (thank goodness for our BOB!). Keenan and his cousin loved playing in the sand and building sand castles. Keenan loved getting more water in his bucket with my dad and “jumping the waves!”

Having fun “jumping the waves” with Nonna and Avo!

Keenan and his cousin after a morning of playing on the beach…they were tired!

Sea World: The day after we arrived, we headed to Sea World. It changed SO much since I was there 15 years ago! The park now has roller coasters and water rides (my dad, brother, husband and me managed to squeeze in a ride on the Manta, which was fun!). We saw all of the shows and I think I enjoyed watching Keenan’s reaction to seeing dolphins, whales and sea lions for the first time, more than the actual shows! He was mesmerized! We also watched a Sesame Street show and Keenan and his cousin got to meet Elmo, Abby and Cookie Monster. I wasn’t sure how Keenan was going to react, but all he wanted to do was “hug Elmo!” I had to hold onto him during the entire show because he kept wanting to climb-up on stage to see Elmo. After the show, we stood in line and Keenan and his cousin got to take pictures with all of the characters. When it was our turn, Keenan ran to Elmo and gave him a big hug; it was adorable! Since he was so enamored with Elmo, we had to get him a little Elmo doll and Elmo sandals, which he loved (he sleeps with Elmo every night and hasn’t wanted to wear any other shoes, but his Elmo ones!).

The Shamu show!

Keenan was SO happy that he got to meet Elmo!

USS Midway: After a “relaxation day” at the beach, we headed to the USS Midway, a retired aircraft carrier that has been turned into an aviation museum. It was incredible! We learned so much. It was especially interesting, since my dad was a Naval Officer and lived on a similar ship (though a lot smaller) many years ago.  The Midway provided me a glimpse of what life was like for my dad (something he hasn’t talked much about). In addition, Keenan enjoyed seeing and sitting in all of the airplanes and helicopters!

Standing in front of the “Top Gun” plane.

Zoo: On our last day in San Diego, we went to the Zoo. It has also changed so much from when I was there 15 years ago; there are so many more animals to see! Like Sea World, I couldn’t wait to see Keenan’s reaction to all of the animals, since this was his first time going to a Zoo. He was mesmerized by the Elephants, Kangaroos, Giraffes and especially the Polar Bears (we saw one sitting-up and eating a carrot!). But, the highlight of the day was the petting zoo, where Keenan and his cousin were able to pet sheep and goats. Keenan was in awe; he loved petting the goats and giving them hugs. I think we stayed there for at least 30 minutes, because Keenan and his cousin did not want to leave!

Petting the goats at the Zoo.

“Hugging” the goats!

Our Eats: Since we stayed in a house, we cooked every night, to make things easier and to save money. It’s hard (and expensive) for a family of 8 to eat out every night. For all of our family vacations, my mom usually takes the lead to cook most nights. But, we made sure to give her a break and cooked every night during this trip. During the day on our “relaxation days” we made sandwiches for lunch and when we were out and about, we dined out. My husband and I went to Costco and Trader Joe’s to stock-up on groceries, once we arrived in San Diego. We planned most of the week’s menus, except for a couple of nights that my brother and sister-in-law cooked. We made roast chicken with roasted broccoli mixed with cherry tomatoes and feta cheese, pork loin with roasted cauliflower, fish tacos, burgers with oven-baked zucchini fries and an antipasti picnic night. Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the food we made!

Keenan enjoying an ice cream cone after visiting the USS Midway, thanks to Nonna and Avo!

Beer: My husband’s favorite brewery is Stone Brewing Co. (which is located near San Diego), so we had to visit. We tasted almost all of their beers and my favorites were the Smoked Porter, Levitation Ale and Ruination IPA! The brewery is huge. It’s out in the middle of of an industrial park, but their restaurant and outside patio (where we sat) was quite nice and relaxing. I highly recommend visiting their brewery if you are ever in the area, or at least trying some of their beers (you can find them at BevMo or some grocery stores).

The lineup that we tasted at Stone Brewing Co.

Coffee: We brought our french press, grinder and some coffee beans, so we were able to make fresh coffee everyday. But, since we were in Southern California, my husband and I made sure to stop at as many Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf  shops as possible. They only have one shop in Northern California, in San Francisco, so anytime we are down south, we take advantage of them! Our favorite drink is their Carmel Blended! It is probably the best frozen coffee drink I have ever had! They make it with the toddy and add their non-fat vanilla powder, caramel and ice. It is creamy and not overly sweet. Again, I didn’t manage to take a picture of any of the ones we had, sorry!

It is time to get back to reality and head to CrossFit this afternoon (my goal is to workout 6 days this week, to maximize my time before we leave for Alaska next week) and start getting ready for our next trip. I have lots of errands to run this week, as well as things to do, such as cleaning the house (I’m not looking forward to it, but it needs it!).

What are your plans for the week? What kinds of things do you do to get ready for a trip?

Goodbye, San Diego! July 21, 2012

Keenan wiped-out after a fun, but long day at Sea World.

All things good must come to an end (unfortunately). We are packing-up and getting ready to leave San Diego bright and early tomorrow morning. It is going to be a LONG drive home, around 8 hours or so, UGH! Even though I’m sad to leave, I’m looking forward to being home, getting back into my routine and working out (I need to after all of the yummy goodies we ate this past week!)! I miss CrossFit!

The week went by WAY too fast. I could have easily spent another week here; it’s so beautiful and we all had so much fun! We definitely kept busy: going to the beach, Sea World, the Zoo, USS Midway and even tasting beer at Stone Brewing Co. (one of my new favorite beers is their Levitation Ale!). It was a perfect balance of activity and relaxation; I just wish we had a few more days! It was so nice to spend quality time together as a family. Keenan and his cousin had so much fun together, they were practically joined at the hip! 

Well, it’s time to get some sleep, so we are rested for the long drive tomorrow. I will post a full re-cap of our week, once we are home! Night!