Day 17 & 18 & 19, A Work Out, and Recipes!

 

 

Day 17

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 18 went something like this.

 The big hits today were a Fried Shallots salad. (Fried in Olive Oil) Super delicious and much better than the store bought fried onions.

For dinner I originallywanted to make Chicken Georgia, but  realized we had a lot of left over pot roast. The guys had that, and I had some Cajun Salmon, green beans cooked in leftover pot roast juice, crinkle carrots, cucumber salad, and a fresh sweet corn cob.

I've had so much pot roast for the past 2 days that I think I am going to blow up. 

The way I make my Cajun salmon is so simple. I make it all the time, seriously! 
Cajun Salmon
1 tsp olive oil
McCormick Cajun Seasoning
Garlic Salt
Ground Black pepper

-Season to taste, and cook until brown on each side. I like my skin side slight black, as you can see. :) 

Day 19

 Breakfast: Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal made with water, 1 strawberry whey protein scoop with 2 tbsp 2 % milk and 3 large strawberries sliced.

Lunch: Fresh Tomato and Corn Salad with Chicken(Recipe Coming soon.)

Dinner: 2 hot dogs sliced with ketchup, mustard, sauteed onions in olive oil, and 1 cup romaine, 1 tbsp Ken's lite creamy Caesar dressing, 1bsp shredded Parmesan.
*Weird combo, I know. I went bun-less *pats self on back* I love hot dogs, my kids love hot dogs, everyone in this house loves hot dogs. Hot dogs do not love me. I wouldn't have bought them when we went grocery shopping but we had like 4 hot dog buns leftover from our camping trip that we needed to use before they went bad. It worked that I went bun-less because Travis could have 2 and the boys had 1 each.

Camping Vacation in North Carolina

Ohmygosh. I really can’t believe I haven’t posted in like a week. I've had my posts written out on my phone for days but it just didn't want to publish. 

First, let me mention that my camping trip was fun with a mixture of miserable. It rained almost the whole time. We left a day early. However we did get a day with about 6 hours of sunlight and we made the most of it. We went hiking, looked at jams and jellies, played games, and played in the pool with the kids. Then it began to rain again and we decided to take the kids bowling. The day before that it rained but we went out to eat for lunch and Big Mike’s in Brevard, NC. I did well, and had a Greek salad with chicken. However, because it rained the whole time I didn’t eat as well as I had originally planned that I would. We had everything planned out where we would be mostly eating whatever we could cook on a campfire, but that was impossible.  I had a lot of processed junk, but this week I am trying to get back on track. Actually today is the first time I really am getting back on trap with keeping up with pictures. Which reminds me, I should mention, I didn’t have time to track my food with my Sparkpeople app or to take pictures to help track.  

Overall, it wasn’t so bad. We had a lot of help with Liam. Sleeping in a tent wouldn’t have been so bad (especially with the air mattress) except it was just so wet and damp in it. My covers felt like they never dried from the first night when I got soak during a storm. Blake loved it but he slept in a cabin with his aunt and cousins the last 2 nights, and in a big tent with his uncle and cousin. He also REALLY liked bowling. So I suppose we will be doing more of that. J He did really well hiking too. We hiked along a trail to triple falls, and he kept up really well. Liam rode on his grandpa’s shoulders for most of the trip and then on mine for the last little stretch. I really wish there were more hiking opportunities as beautiful and neat as the ones in the mountains. We didn’t get a chance to go biking but I really hope that we can go soon.  I think next time we’ll need to rent a cabin too, and then maybe pitch a tent outside. I did have a really great time, and I know it would’ve been a lot better had it not been raining.

As far as eating goes, we just went grocery shopping last night. The days before that after we got home from camping our supplies were low. I had to come up with some off the wall things, which ended up being pretty delicious. I was please. 

Bad things= we lost a goose. Benson. I’m not sure if he just went in to the woods of if something got him. We also lost the baby kitten, and my cat. I think with all the rain and our yard flooding my cat must’ve gotten really worried and ran off. She had her kitten under the house, which was also flooded. We heard it crying when we got home which was pretty late. Travis had to crawl under the house. Apparently the little guy was in a puddle all alone. Travis gave him a bath. We made some pedialytle and milk replacement. But it just wasn’t helping. He was lethargic and not drinking. We made him comfortable and kept trying through the night but he didn’t make it. I haven’t seen my cat since we got home on Saturday so there is no telling where she is. She acts like a wild cat when she is outside.

I’m on my second week of classes. Last week didn’t go so well but it must’ve been from not being able to study.

Good things= My little Liam is saying more sentences.

Day 15:

Honey nut Cheerios with ½ cup milk

Tuna Melt

Cheeseburger pie

Day 16:

Oatmeal

Tuna Salad Sandwich

Barbeque Sweet Tea chicken over Hoecakes, Field Peas and Snap over Brown Rice, Fresh Corn

Day 17:

Large Green Apple with Peanut butter

Leftover brown rice with field peas and snaps, 2 hoe cakes

Hardee’s Chicken Sandwich and French fries

Blake Traveling to NC.

Liam traveling to NC

I always look incredibly rough while traveling, or even on vacation in general. I-d-k why.

The horrible weather we had to drive through.

Camp food prep that we didn't get a chance to eat.

Cucumber Salad in a jar= cucumbers, 1 part vinegar, 1 part zesty Italian,little bit of pepper. :)

Day 6

 

Breakfast: Voskos Wild Strawberry Greek Yogurt with 5 medium sized strawberries sliced and mixed in. 

Lunch: Chicken Salad (Containing- Romaine, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, zesty Italian dressing, and a baked chicken breast. )

Dinner: Summer Fajitas (recipe follows below) 

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Tonight I was making tacos, and as I'm browning the meat...I'm feeling really grossed out by it. Sometimes I'm very anti-red meat. Plus I wanted to have some leftover meat so that Travis could have Tacos for lunch tomorrow at work. So, I thought to myself no problem I'll just make myself some chicken fajitas with my leftover chicken...except I didn't have any peppers. Then, I was like...who needs chicken? Or peppers? With all the squash and zucchini I have from the Summer crop this makes an easy simple meal. I'm always trying to come up with new ways to use my squash and zucchini. I love it sauteed as a side, but sometimes that gets boring and old. If you're like me, and you have so many tomatoes, squash, and zucchini either from relatives or your garden..(mine are from my relatives). This is an awesome recipe to use some of your Summer veggies. 

I ended up not adding my chicken to this because I checked out  my tortillas, then my veggies and realized nothing else was going to fit in them! But this would be delicious with chicken, or shrimp!

Summer Fajitas 

Serves Two. 

Ingredients:
1 cup diced squash
1 cup diced zucchini
1 yellow onion sliced
1 small tomato sliced
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chili poweder
1/2 tsp cumin 
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp light sour cream
2 flour tortillas (100 cals each or less)

 

Directions: Heat olive oil over medium heat, prepare your veggies while your pan heats up. Swirl the oil around in the pan, then add your veggies to the hot oil. Mix your veggies around with a spatula to coat with oil, then stir in seasoning. Cook, stirring often, until veggies have softened.  Add 1 tbsp of sour cream to each tortilla and top each tortilla with an even amount of veggies. Enjoy.

I like to look through magazine for recipes, workouts, house plans, garden plans, things to do with the kids, or for the kids. Here is an awesome work out I got from Redbook Magazine for your booty. I have a paper copy in a folder BUT I looked on the internet and found it for any readers I may have. Also for my own keeping. :)

Redbook's 15 Minute Best Booty Workout!!!

For Instructions Click Here! 

Day4

Breakfast: zucchini hash browns (recipe coming as soon as I perfect them)

Lunch: squash sliced thinly to act as noodles (sautéed) with one large tomato I put through my new food processor with oregano, basil, garlic, pepper , and red pepper flakes . Sprinkled with Parmesan.

Dinner: 1 slice of sausage pie, and a side salad.

Plus taste tests of waffles and waffle batter lol

I pretty much ate veggies all day so that I could have a slice of sausage pie for dinner. :) Not complaining!

For my sausage pie recipe click here! 

Day 2

I have had a day on the go, so I feel like each 'meal' was a grab and go, quick and easy type thing. I never felt hungry though because if I would've then I probably would've added a salad in here. I think that's the thing, some days we just feel hungrier than others, and other days its like we can't eat enough. Does anyone else ever feel like that?

Right after breakfast I had some down time on here. Then I left with the boys before lunch to the town over to see about adopting 2 wolf hybrids. I would've made time to eat lunch before leaving but I had to leave quickly and get to the animal shelter before anyone else could adopt them. Turns out the trip was all for naught because we didn't have any veterinarian proof that we have experience with wolf hybrids.  After leaving the animal shelter I got the boys a snack, and myself a Clif bar...walked right past the doughnuts, pizza, candy, chips, and hots dogs. After the boys and I got home Blake and I worked outside on our "outside chores"- feeding animals, playing with them, and refilling everyone's water outside. By the time we were done with that, Travis got home and we left to pick up a few things grocery wise before we can get around to doing our big shopping trip in a few days. On the way to the store we stopped at the store so everyone could get a snack and drinks (again). Instead of getting real chips I got the special k cracker chips...pretty good, actually.. I was surprised.

When I got home I had just enough time to make a pizza before we got hit by a summer storm. I don't usually have busy days that are unplanned, so this is pretty random for me. I'm still patting myself on the back for making healthier choices.

Well besides the pizza, but everything in moderation. I've learned enough after losing 40lbs to know that if I restrict myself, I will over-do it, and pig out on the next given opportunity. A slice gives me the satisfaction of eating pizza but without going overboard, especially if I add a nice side salad with it.

Breakfast: 1 granny smith apple with 2 tablespoons reduced fat creamy peanut butter
Lunch: Clif energy Bar
Snack: Special K Southwest Ranch Cracker Chips
Dinner: Three Meat Pizza 

And to make my day even better I got a surprise visit from my mail lady who handed me a packaged food processor, that I did not order, addressed to me. Turns out my really awesome aunt sent it to me after I made a whiny FB posts about needing one because my blender just wasn't cutting it! I had to do some tracking down first before I found out it was my aunt! :) It really made my day! 

Like my little stick figure guy? :p I think I will be doing this tonight plus my leg work out.

Sparkpeople app

Animal Update! :)

We moved the geese in to Ace's old dog kennel and out of the chicken coop. They are much happier!

My Acey Boy!

Happier fellas!

Alfred, my favorite guy.

They can go in to the dog house when it rains!

The Chicken Coop Travis built, he did such a good job! :)

This is the side with the nesting box.

Travis finished the chicken coop, and this is the nesting box.

Other side with little window. It's on skids so we can move it around the yard. Travis is still working on a run. 

Baby kitten. I've named it Lucky:). It's mom has it under the house I believe so I'm sure in a few weeks he/or she will be popping out.

Happy Friday!

I feel as if I haven't blogged in forever. I know it has been awhile. I'd like to say I've been busy, but that isn't very true. haha We have the boys back, so maybe its just me trying to get use to a routine again.

My little brother GRADUATED high school. I'm so proud of him. He has a Life Scholarship and got in to a certain program at USC. I really don't think that there are words to describe how proud EVERYONE is of him.

I am a FUR-Baby grandma. :) *Kitty's Birth Story* Last Friday before we left to go to my brother's graduation upstate she was bleeding a little. I assumed that she was going in to labor and figured she would have the kittens when we were gone, even though I felt like it was too soon. She wasn't very big at all. But no kittens, until a few days later. We were all in our living room, kitchen, dining room area after dinner, this is the room we have our black couch that folds out in to a bed. During the bath-time bed-time madness it is dark in that room and she blended in to the couch. So while I was walking in and out of that area I didn't see her at all. After I got the boys to bed I thought to myself, "Hmmm where is the cat?" Mainly because every night I have to bring her in to our den area which has a door that closes it off from the rest of the house, otherwise she will go in to Blake's room in the morning or in the middle of the night and bother him. I turn on the light and notice she's halfway under the blanket I keep on the couch. It is still pretty dim in that room even with the light on. I reach down to grab her and notice it's wet. At first I think, dernit Liam must've peed on the couch. Then I noticed something wriggling, almost have a heart attack. And then I grab a flash light to look closer. Yep, one little all black kitten. I moved them in to a safer place ans cleaned the couch up. At least it is a black couch, no stains. Last night she seemed to think the safe place isn't safe anymore and now keeps moving her baby around..but there are only so many spots in our small house she can move the little guy/gal..whatever it is.

I've been pretty down this week and I think because it has been both hot and wet. I can't go for a run outside because it is so wet, and the treadmill in Travis's shed is just so depressing. It's hot and gross in there. I'm really  hoping I can talk him in to moving it in to the house. I'm thinking I'll run around that house on the days Travis works and I can't really leave and run down the road. On the days he doesn't have to work I may ride my mountain bike because that KILLS my arms, especially my triceps...which is what I want to be killed. I'm just in a serious rut and I need to dig myself out.

In other news, summer veggies are coming in from Papa's garden. I'm going to start calling him Papa Claus..most morning I wake up to him bringing us grocery bags of squash, cucumbers, potatoes, and green beans...today he brought that plus some green tomatoes. He told me I could sit them on the windowsill and they would turn....yeah maybe one or two will get there, I LOVE ME SOME FAUX FRIED GREEN TOMATOES and last year I created the BEST recipe using panko and cheese. I've been dying to try an onion dip..I think I will make that as well. Needless to say, you know what I'm having for lunch today! :)

I'll try to come back tonight with some recipes and a picture of the kitty!

I miss my kids and I just feel like talking/typing. :)

I am aware that I have been posting like crazy today. I don't have my kids, my husband is working, so I'm BORED. I miss my boys. I didn't think that when they went to visit my mom for a week or two I would miss them too much, or as much as I usually do, because they've both been driving my bonkers lately. Liam and his strong willed demeanor and potty training. Blake and his anger, and not listening. It has been about a week today I think, we will be getting them back on Friday because my little brother graduates! Travis and I have to drive upstate for that, so we will bring the boys back home with us when we leave.

Like I said, in not so many words, this break is much needed. I think it is important for people, but especially moms, to have breaks to just reevaluate, readjust, and feel rejuvenated. I feel like I can tackle my children's problems now when they come home with patience and calmness. I can tackle the potty training. I can tackle these outburst of anger and not listening. I can. I thank god for my mom and my memaw (whom lives with my mom), for being available when I need them. Even if they live roughly two hours away they still try to help with the boys when they can. The distance is another big reason why my mom usually gets them for a week at a time. It is just easier that way.

It is not only that I needed a little mom vacay/break but it is so important to my relationship with my husband as well. It has been amazing being able to spend time with my husband even if its doing a normal routine, like dinner. Dinner is so much easier just us. First, I don't have to cook anything huge, or really consider the kid's taste buds (Helllloooo Buffalo Chicken and Spicy Pizza), I don't have to fight with them to eat their food or drink their milk, and I can eat in front of the TV on the couch in the den. Okay, that last part isn't a big deal, its just nice. It is just nice being able to reconnect and spend time with someone you're committed to and love.

I thought that perhaps my mom would be bringing Blake home today, early, because she has a lot going on this week and he has been rather naughty. But it turns out, with a nice little talk from his Grammy and memaw he's going to try to be a good boy because he doesn't want to come home early, or at all. Haha He loves it at my moms house.

I was kind of looking forward to some alone time with Blake but its okay, more alone time with my hubs. MORE time to get that to-do list I have done. As well as my project list. I just need to pull out my sewing machine and get some work done.

Positive outlooks!

I just need some yarn, fabric, and a food processor. Yes!!! :) I'll be back tomorrow with a LEG WORKOUT, and probably a recipe.

Active Week Without Kids

Hubby and I on the top of the Cooper River Bridge

I’d like to think that Travis and I had a really awesome week together without the kids. It was nice to relax and just spend time alone and together. Travis borrowed a mountain bike from his dad and we spent 2 days biking. Day 1 we did 4.2 miles just around our neighborhood and house. Which was super tough because we live on a dirt road, biking through dirt is killer. Travis is a big time pusher which is both annoying and good. I think we should of waiting a day before doing the bridge because my arms and inner thighs were still killing me from the day before. I think we did about 2.4 miles of the bridge on the next day. We basically went to the top and then back down, not all the way across and back. I’d like to state RIGHT NOW that it will be a new goal to build up enough endurance to do the whole thing. 

On the plus side my arms were KILLING me. I could hardly lift them up. This is excellent! Let’s hope that I lose some more inched on my arms. I’ve always been pretty thick. I just really need to tone everything and lose a little bit more weight and I will look how I want. 

Saturday I spent the day getting burnt with one of my oldest friends on Kiawah Island Beachwalker Beach. My sunburn is ridiculous. I'm praying I don't peel and it turns in to a tan.

Originally my mom was suppose to keep the boys a little longer. But turns out she had a lot more going on than she originally thought. Which is okay. We worked it out to where she will be bringing just Blake home. He really needs some one on one time with us. He's been having behavior issues lately with anger and getting so frustrated. I've been trying to find articles and read up on this all night and some more today. I hope some one on one time with mom and dad will do him some good. He hardly ever gets alone time with just us. If we get alone time with anyone it is usually Liam because everyone wants to get Blake overnight because he's older. I'm pretty excited now to spend some alone time with my baby boy. And I REALLY hope we can get all this anger under control and teach him better ways to handle his emotions.

New truck, No kids, and Whole Wheat Strawberry Banana Protein Pancakes! :)

Travis and I have been SUPER busy lately. First things first....we bought a new truck. If you know us, you know we've been trying to make our old cars work for us and save money but they just can't anymore. We have no room for groceries, the kids were running out of room in our back seats. We ended up getting a 4 door Toyota Tacoma, everything all set up with tires, rims, bed cover and lift. It is actually perfect for us. I am LOVING having a radio, A/C, and 4 doors. I'll still drive my Camaro around when I HAVE to but I don't go anywhere too often alone. It is just NICE to go from a 1994 Chevy camaro, and a 1989 jeep wrangler which both have no A/C and other issues to a new vehicle. Each have their pros and cons when it came to our family, but neither were working out. HERE it is:

 I am TRYING very hard to eat breakfast in the morning. It is something I really fail at because for 1 I don't like eggs, I don't care for oatmeal, I have to be in the mood for cereal (or at the very least I can't have a lot of milk first thing),I'm not much of a fruit person so that is also something I am trying to change. I'm just an unhealthy breakfast person. I like my toast, waffles, bagels, pancakes, hash browns, sausage, bacon, biscuits, and biscuits and sausage gravy. So, toast isn't horrible for you if you do whole wheat or whole grain. Pancakes and bagels pack a lot of calories. And let's not even talk about the meat, and biscuits n' gravy, we don't even need to discuss it to know it isn't good for us.

Travis and I will not have the boys for a week or two. So we went grocery shopping for just the two of us. Just wow! We're all set for two weeks health and fitness. Especially when it came to breakfast. I got the everything bagel thins, mini wheat, and I made some strawberry and banana protein pancakes and froze them in single servings. (Recipe will be at the end of this post). Travis is borrowing his dad's bicycle for myself and we are going to go ride the cooper river bridge tomorrow. I'm actually pretty excited for that. I'm going to try to go for a run on the treadmill tonight after dinner. Travis wanted to have a frozen pizza so I'll need to burn that off. Other than that, I am looking forward to a week or two, give or take depending on how well the kids do at my mom's house for that long, to just relaxing and living for me. I'd like to say that I am going to sleep in, and get a lot done...but probably not. I WILL get a lot done around the house of course, but I plan on catching up on lots of movies and getting myself use to waking up early while the kids are gone. That way if I am tired and grumpy it won't be around them.

Besides that, nothing new to report..I'll try to keep up with my recipe posts though. I have a few pictures uploaded and future posts in the works, but for starters I'll share my pancake recipe.

What I do when I make pancakes is I'll calculate how many calories each is after all is said and done, I'll make a big batch and then freeze single servings in sandwich bags. That way all I have to do is pop them in the microwave for a minute or two. This is a really great use of protein powder because of the sweetness of the powder and fruit I don't feel like the batter needed any sugar or sweetening.

Ingredients:

 1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup 2% milk

1 egg

2 scoops of strawberry whey protein powder

1 medium banana

6 medium strawberries, chopped

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt 

Directions: First, mix together your dry ingredients, and then start mixing in your fruit and wet ingredients. The banana should be mashed in to the batter, or if you prefer mash it before adding it. 

Heat a large pan sprayed lightly with cooking spray over medium heat. Add two spoonfuls of batter for one pancake. Flip when you see "bubbles" form. 

You should end up with about 15 pancakes.

Each pancakes is about 69 calories each. 

I freeze 3 pancakes as a serving for breakfast which gives me about 207.4 calories during breakfast.