Dog Sprints

With the weather warming up, I've started doing dog runs in the evenings again, after getting the kiddos down to bed.  I wrote this in August, 2011 and surprisingly, little has changed about our treks!

Looking back over the summer, we've had a pretty stressful couple months as a family.  The move was a big one.  Scott's job change was another.  We had to put our little SC house up for sale when our renter moved out on short notice and walk the tight-rope of paying two mortgages.  So I would have had just a couple excuses to see a higher number on the scales...

But, I am proud to say that I do not.  And I owe it all to my training partners...

No, not Scott.  Butch and Tina.

About every other night, I try to take them out after we get the girls to bed.  And because our dogs weren't able to leave the fence for the the two years that we lived in our rental house, they act as if they've won a million milk bones when they see the leashes appear.  

The old neighborhood had quite a few stray dogs and it was just too much for me to take them out, especially with the girls.  So we laxed on the walks...and so did my dogs' walking manners. 

No longer do they sit and quietly get their leashes attached.  I swear, I work up a sweat just trying to get Butch to let me get his harness on.  Ceasar, I am not, people.

So, as we go out the door and into the evening, we walk like civilized beings down to the end of the driveway.  Like any normal woman walking her two dogs, smelling the night air, surveying the neighborhood...

And then all hell breaks loose.

They take off at a break-neck speed, leading me into an all out sprint down the first hill, during which time I just pray that my shoe doesn't come untied and that my neighbors don't look out their windows.  I told Scott that if we ever don't make it back, to come out looking for them dragging my unconscious body along our route, because I'm fairly certain that if I tripped and fell, they wouldn't stop. 

They ease up about the end of the first hill and we stay in a pretty good jog around the first loop of our trek.  After that, we take intermittent walk breaks, mostly for Tina and myself...well, and to irritate Butch who could run the whole thing several times if we let him.  All in all, it might be a mile and a half...or a little over (I haven't measured it).  But it has a couple nice hills thrown in and we normally get done in about 20 minutes.

A little background here.  Our dogs were both pound puppies.  The year before we got married, we had an injured puppy wander into our garage and I cried so hard taking him to the pound that Scott promised that we could get a dog.  We had no business getting a puppy, as both of us were traveling all the time as coaches and we were so poor we could barely afford to feed ourselves.  But acquire Tina, we did.  She was cute and little and wanted absolutely nothing to do with us when we pulled her out of the cage.  She was much more interested in chasing after a little red ball and we were merely a means to get it and throw it for her.  The pound listed her as a German Shepherd / Rottweiler mix so we thought we were getting a strong, good sized dog in her.

Tina, about a year old,  I think.

The older she got, the more it was apparent that she was not anywhere near a large dog, but more along the lines of an annoying, self-righteous terrier.  However, she was our first and we love her.

Butch, on the other hand, did nothing but care for us from the start.  Loppy and much-obliged to follow Tina's every whim, he is the biggest wanna-be lap dog and once you start petting him, he won't let you stop.  He is now about 90 lbs and has a scary bark, but wouldn't hurt a fly. 

Butch as a puppy.

Well, I take that back...he would.  He CAN catch flies and that's one of the things I love about him.  But I digress.

So you can picture it now, me out sprinting in the dark with my big 90 lb scary looking dog and my little, fat 35 lb terrier.  We wait to go at night mainly because it has been so hot and muggy during the day that you can practically chew the air and also because they are social idiots.  They snarl at any bunny, squirrel, ant, small child or UPS truck like it is an axe murderer.  Therefore, we go after dark because they can see less.  Also because less people can witness me being hauled around the neighborhood...especially at the end, when Tina refuses to go any further and I have one dog pulling my front arm straight ahead and the other yanking my other arm straight behind me.

Oh, it is attractive.  Don't you wish I was your neighbor?

In fact, one day we were walking out of the garage and around the corner came two high school girls, out for an evening stroll.  Suddenly, I panicked.  Would it be better (and less humiliating) to take off and sprint ahead of them or let them cross the driveway and then pass them with my two panting buffoons?  I decided to go ahead of them so I could avoid hearing any comments.  I'm sure they were complementing my stunning sprint form.

Now, there are benefits.  The dogs are so tired after our runs that they are far less annoying and basically lay claim to the middle of the living room floor, after sloshing water all over the kitchen.  Tina has lost about 5 lbs since moving in June and no longer has a neck roll over her collar.  As for me?  I determined long ago that it is impossible for me to get skinny legs without running sprints so the breakneck pace down the hill has actually done wonders for my quads - as well as provided a nice little second cardio when I probably wouldn't have ordinarily done any.  

Well, and it gives daddy a little alone time in the house as well.  And don't we all need that?

Have a great day!

Workout with My Mama

Thank you so much for all your sweet well wishes on my mom's visit.  I love having her here...in addition to the extra help around the house with the housework and the girls. 

Sometimes it's just the little things - like last night, I came downstairs after getting the girls down and sat on the couch and visited with Mom and Scott.  The kitchen was cleaned up, the food put away...what a difference an extra set of hands make!

Anyway, yesterday was crazy with our schedule but with this back injury, I was able to do a little bit of cardio.  I walked with a high incline (3.5 speed with 8.0 incline) for 25 minutes and then did the elliptical for 15 minutes and felt pretty good this morning.  So mom and I checked the girls in the nursery and she gave me evil looks as we went through the following workout.  If your mom is visiting as well, maybe you would be interested in having such together time.  ;)

Workout with My Mama - biceps and triceps addition

20 minutes warm up on elliptical
Alternate 3 times through:
     2 minutes VersaClimber (the last time through, I did 30 sec sprint intervals...thanks for the idea, Amy!)
     1 minute planks
     1 minute kettlebell swings
**Cue evil look after the second rotation when I assured Mom that we had just one more to go!
Superset alternating bicep curls (3x12) with bench dips (3x12)
Superset cable bicep bar curl (3x12) with tricep rope pushdowns (3x12)

Recovering from the Weekend...

This past weekend was one of those that flew by so fast, I think I missed some of it.  I had another pitching clinic with some lessons scattered in and the girls went swimming with their daddy.  Yesterday, we had a wonderful church service, Scott's 37th birthday, a pulled back muscle and now we are anticipating the arrival of my mom on a jet plane this morning...

Shew!

Is is funny or coincidence that the older I get, the more I don't / can't obsess about my house being clean when my mother comes?  I didn't make it half way through the floors last night when some sort of disaster struck - which happened a lot yesterday with Rachel (AKA Princess Moody Pants).  Anyway, I was going upstairs to bed when I noticed the trail of dirty finger prints going up the wall.  I remember before kids when I would go on a total cleaning spree...preparing for the white glove test when my mom got settled and began thoroughly inspecting my home.  

Which I guess she can't do anymore either with two rug rats latched onto her legs.  So maybe it all comes out in the wash.

I'm excited about seeing her and a little less excited about this back injury.  I've pulled something muscular under my left rib cage and it just bugs me to no end.  Actually, it's been bugging to a sort of end for a while and I've kept pushing it and yesterday it told me ENOUGH!  I forsee a couple days of long cardio for me in hopes to burn calories and not irritate it further...

Because people, I consumed some calories this weekend.

Scott turned 37 - or as Elizabeth said, "turned 37 on his 3rd birthday."  The girls got him a Curious George floor puzzle and a Minnie Mouse and Little Mermaid balloon and he was thrilled with all efforts on their part to think of him.  I attempted, for the first time, to make an ice cream cake.  While the thing wasn't the prettiest cake I've ever seen, it was sinfully good.  I believe my husband may have taken a picture to send to my professional pastry chef of a sister after I begged him not to - otherwise, there is no evidence other than the overwhelming sense of not wanting anything sweet for the next 100 years.  

You know you've eaten too much birthday cake when you can't even bring yourself to lick your fingers as prepare to store leftover cake in the freezer...

And that is a tragedy:  to wash perfectly good icing off your fingers.

Speaking of birthdays,  today is my grandparent's 90th.  My sister sent me this picture from their birthday party yesterday that we couldn't make it up to and I just love it.

My grandparents are very unique that they were born on the same day of the same year.  How cool is that?  My favorite part of this picture is the fact that they are holding hands - that just makes me tear up and be so thankful for the example they have set forward for Scott and myself.  To be 90 years old and having the privilege of being able to spend almost 70 married years of that together...what a blessing.  (And to still be holding hands after 70 years is an even bigger miracle!!)  They raised three beautiful girls and have six grandchildren and two great grandchildren and enjoy playing games, reading books and doing jigsaw puzzles.  I hate that we don't live closer to see them more often, but today my heart is with my grandparents.

Well, at least a little bit of it.  Another part is on its way in a jet plane.

Gotta get to cleaning.  Have a great day!

I Have Determined...

That I need to pack snacks to send with my children for the whole hour they're in the Y nursery...this is after yesterday when I witnessed my 18-month-old scavenging under the high chair to eat the other children's leftovers.  *joy*

That we need a bigger bed.  Not because we are crowded sleeping-wise, but I don't think this laundry sorting business is going to get any easier...

That Rachel requires breakfast on the table as soon as her little feet hit the floor.  No exceptions.  So funny how this kid's entire life has revolved around food (please reference determination number one).

So you're telling me that it's not ready yet??

Please, please, please make me some eggs and toast!!

That my children are on a low carb diet.  Seriously...who eats a sandwich and leaves the bread??  My children, that's who...

That Butch will never fit through the kitty door...and he will probably never stop trying.

That a single cookie will immediately find it's way to my rear end - I don't even think it gets digested before it goes to fat stores.  Gotta love 30's metabolism...although I'm pretty sure it gets better from here...

That my husband and I have some strange pillow talk.  Last night, Scott wanted to have a serious discussion about why I wasn't incorporating the Versa Climber or kettle bells into my every day workout.  He really wasn't accepting the fact that I didn't like the things.  I think this probably came directly after I was complaining about the found cookie evidence on my thighs...

That my children are weird...

That Fridays are wonderful and I'm thankful for you!  Have a great weekend!

My New Maid(s)

Before you ask, yes, she IS available and NO, she's not cheap!

Why hello, Mother...I was just thinking that I would wash my hands in the sink instead of the bathroom to save you the trouble of having to mop up two floors.  You are welcome!

Hey!  What is this??!!

So fun to squeeze and then put back in the water and fill up again!

I wish I was a little bit taller...  Actually, I think I was trying to capture the collecting pool of water around the chair.

Uh oh...captain little sister to the rescue.

Don't worry, Elizabeth, I will just (grunt) bulldoze over this chair (grunt) and help you with whatever fun thing you are doing.

Um, Mama...when I squeeze this out over the floor, water gets everywhere. 

See like this??  The inspector couldn't resist checking it out for herself.

Enjoy your day!

The dreaded No Nap zone

I'm possibly entering some very dangerous territory here...the no nap time zone.

Perhaps you've never known the sweet silence of a house in the middle of the day when two children under the age of three sleep for three hours.  Maybe you've never experienced the freedom of being able to get things done in daylight around your home without requests for sippies or going to the potty or snacks.  Or the simple ability to sit and write your thoughts to other coherent adults and receive feedback and camaraderie...

Ah, it is bliss.

And I think it is almost over.  

I know...pour a little out for me, if you please.

Daddy and his girls in their night time routine.  Rachel loves Hop on Pop!

But Elizabeth is continually up and about at night - up a good hour and a half to two hours past putting her in bed.  Bounding down the stairs, she comes full of energy.  Or sneakily, she tip-toes down and hides.  Nothing like finding your child laying behind the couch as you get up to go to bed.  

Last night, I sat outside her door for an hour and a half to keep the sneaky temptation down and she got up about every 10 minutes to check on me.  I only complained a little because I have two babies that I need to crochet blankets for and I have finished about a half of one.  So the time sitting in the hallway wasn't completely lost.

Day one of being in a big girl bed - I think this was last year at this time.

We have tried everything short of locking her in her room - and I refuse that.

We have rewarded her for staying in the room - that only works at nap time though.

We have taken away her beloved Juno and the light up ladybug and anything else in her room.

We have spanked, we have scolded.

She's lost TV, dessert, McDonalds after gymnastics...

We've left the light on so she can read for a little bit if she wants.

And she's still our escape artist.

I call this her Beiber hairstyle...she refuses to push her bangs back in her headband...and refuses to let me help her put it on.  See?  Stubbornness is in her blood.  I have no idea where she gets it.

I could keep up the reward/punishment system but Rachel misses Elmo and it has now been six evenings in a row that I haven't gotten to have any kind of intelligent conversation with my husband...so something's gotta give.

And that something may be my precious nap time.

So we're going to try to theory that maybe she's just not tired and see how that goes.  I will certainly keep you updated and please, if you have any tried and true methods at your home, pass them my way.  I love success stories.  

And admittedly, it was my attempt to try this yesterday, but I was so tired and just needed to lay down for 15 minutes and my big girl cuddled up beside me on the couch and was out as fast as I was.  So that wasn't the best test.  (She doesn't wake up any later just because she's in bed later - it's 9:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. for her so she is tired and ready for a nap by the afternoon...therefore, this evening might be a struggle if we don't get one today.)

Now excuse me as I go start the coffee pot...

Planning Meals through the Crazy times: A cry for help!

My hats are off to you working mamas...

I'm not sure I could pull it off anymore and I just was in a bit of your world Saturday.  I had a clinic in the morning for an hour and a half and then traveled across town to do another clinic for another hour and then got home and gave a lesson...

And then I promptly died on the couch.  Clay-rimmed ankles and everything.

(I can't say that I miss THAT from the softball field!)

I couldn't think of anything dinner or cleaning...I'm telling you, I was down for the count. 

So, I did what any exhausted person would do = asked my loving husband if we could go out to eat.

And do you think that we went to the cleanest, healthiest restaurant in town??  Oh, you know me better than that.

Mellow Mushroom is one of our favorites and it is right in the middle of downtown and when you go a little after 5, you can get right in and get a seat with your little children who hate to wait. 

And Saturday night, after working all day, it hit the spot.

An order of soft pretzel appetizers, a token salad and half of the best calzone I've ever eaten later, I was feeling somewhat human again.  And that somewhat borderline was crossed over by a quick trip to Ben and Jerry's afterwards.

Which was a fun trip because as we walked in, Elizabeth announced that she wanted vanilla.  I said, "Honey, they have all kinds of flavors here...why don't we just look and see what they have and then you can decide what you want?"  So I picked her up and let her smear her greasy little face along the glass and peer at each tub of yumminess.  Then she turned and pointed at the one she wanted.

It was vanilla.

So later, as I lay in my food induced, sunburned coma, I began counting the endless calories I had consumed in the time that I was exhausted. 

How easy it was to say, "Forget it...I'm just hungry...it doesn't matter...I've worked hard all day."  Every statement making excuses for food I really shouldn't have been eating.  Perhaps you might be reading this, feeling sorry for me and thinking that maybe that I had earned it?  I hadn't...I didn't workout that day and I barely did more at the clinics or lesson then stand and walk around, probably only burning off the calories from the Coke I consumed in between clinics. 

Not that cheat days stress me out all that much.  There are a lot of programs that encourage you take a day to eat whatever you want - saying that it keeps your metabolism in check, as well as your mental sanity, as long as you eat clean for the rest of the week.  When Scott and I were staying pretty strict to the Body for Life once upon a time, we would wake up on Sunday mornings and celebrate with a dozen donuts and a package of bacon.  So please realize it isn't that I can't give myself a break.  But you see, we had just had a couple of McDonald's sandwiches for lunch...and Zaxby's for dinner the night before because it was Friday and I hate to cook on Friday...and Mexican two nights earlier because I had burned the soup to a crisp.  

Can you burn soup??  Oh yes...I can.

So I know that it is merely a product of me being tired and not organized.

And as my lessons pick up (such a blessing) and my time becomes busier, it will become more and more important for me to plan.  Currently, I plan my meals a week out, but think I might need to go further out - like a month.  I need to better utilize my freezer and Crockpot.

So my question to you:  how do you plan healthy meals for your family when your schedule is busy or you are working?  What are your best go-to resources for the rest of us?  (I will list mine below and please list yours in your comments.  And by all means, if you cover this on your blog, promote yourself!) 

I think...no, I know...if I knew that I was coming home to something already prepared, then I'd be less likely to go through a drive thru / order take out / go to a restaurant.  So what do you do?  Do you give into temptation?  Do you plan ahead?  How far ahead?  Do you have a single day cooking bonanza?? 

Share!  I need to get back to meal planning...

My favorite meal planning resources:

$5 Dinners

Once a Month Mom

A Year of Slow Cooking