Marathon Missed :(

Well my cough has turned into a nightmare.  Still sounding like I've chain smoked for the past twenty years (I don't smoke), the pouring rain, and Hubby's sleepless night were all indicators that a half-marathon was not in the day's destiny.  We wound up going to early mass, eating eggs and whole-wheat toast, and calling it a morning.  

Between the rain and the missed marathon, I'm feeling pretty blue.  Top it off with a bit of guilt ($150 spent to enter the race), it's shaping up to be a glum day.  But Hubby, my favorite person in the world, spins this into a positive.  He said, "if it took $150 and the prospect of a race to keep us faithful to our training for 11 straight weeks, then this race was still worth it."  And he's right (again).  We have been doing so well at keeping up with our training, we've both remarked repeatedly how much better we feel.  In turn, we've used our training to help us make better food choices at the grocery store.  Definitely worth the entry.  Not to mention the fact that it supports our local hospital network.  Another positive.  

So I'm turning the glum into some fun.  We are celebrating my sister's birthday this weekend and I'm excited for Sunday family dinner.  The priest this morning gave us homework during his homily.  We are supposed to think throughout the week of the handful of people closest to us.  Then we are supposed to think of all of their positive traits.  In doing this, it will inspire more positive thinking in our day-to-day lives while also helping us appreciate those closest to us. I thought it was a lovely message for the day and I will actually do this homework! (I have been known to skip homework at times.)  

Last night I fell in love.  I fell in love with the most adorable kitten on the planet.  A little kitten from a dairy farm and no one knows exactly what happened to her…the top theories are that she was stepped on by a cow or caught in some milking machinery.  Either way, she has two broken front legs (hence the bright yellow casts).  Her temporary name is Bobo (which the name won’t stay if we keep her).  One of my best friend’s mom is her foster owner until someone can adopt her.  When we were over last night to visit, it was so hard not to love her!  We are taking the week to decide if we are capable and ready for a kitten.   I’m typically anti-pet owning, but I’m sure you can see why this little is having me whistle a different tune!  Here's Hubby with the cutest kitty...her casts matched his T-Shirt! (a sign?!)

Hubby with the world's cutest kitten!

Some house pictures!

My Target Chairs...I'm obsessed :)

Fresh Bread (the yellow) and Vino (the back wall)

Ham Bake Beginnings ...

A few posts back I mentioned that I downloaded the iPhone APP, “Tasty Bytes” from my girl, RR!  Of course, in all of my no-time-ness, I haven’t really used it….

Until last night!  I was in the grocery store, thinking, Wow I really should have made myself a list…I have no clue what to make tonight.  Then, I remembered her app!  I quickly (and easily) searched by ingredient for something different.  I came to:

Broccoli, Cheddar, and Ham Bake.

Yum-O!

In the words of RR, Yum-O!  This was one of the easiest things I have ever made!  It was the first time I tackled a “rue” and it was way easier than I expected!  No more passing on ‘rue –ified recipes!

It was delish!  Now not exactly the healthiest thing I’ve ever made, but it hit the spot.  Well the week has ended and so has the painting.  All the touch ups are done and the decorations back on the walls!  It finally feels like home!  Will post pics as soon as my camera make up! :) We are still fighting!  Here's a teaser...the kitchen reminds me of fresh bread and vino! (Probably because those are the paint color names...)

Sorry about the iPhone picture, he's my friend with benefits I shamelessly use while my camera plays the diva role!  Anyway, the half-marathon is in 3 days and we could not be less prepared.  It certainly will be interesting!  We made an executive decision to wear our headphones and blast music (typically race days we don’t to small chit chat, make sure the other is still breathing, and focus on not quitting!)  We will see how it goes!  Any tips for a good / new super healthy pre-race dinner?  What about morning of?  I’m going to need allll of the help I can get! 

Slow, Sluggish, and Scared!

The knockout from the 10K persists!  Being the workaholic that I am, I was still going to work and trying to keep up with all of my homemaker duties.  But when my fever reached 101.2 degrees, Hubby made an executive decision and put me on the couch.  So for the past week, I have been getting up, working, returning from work to my place on the couch in front of the TV.  I have watched more TV than ever.  Too Fat for Fifteen, Jersey Shore, Keeping up with the Kardashians, Real Housewives (DC AND JERSEY)…you name it, I’ve seen it!  Quiz me on my pop culture, I know it all!  I could write Joel McHale’s jokes for the Soup…I’m that ready!  I’m like a walking US Weekly encyclopedia!

This morning I was so excited to go to my doctor to get some real medicine. You know you are really sick when you are EXCITED to go to the doctor! And you aren’t working on a Friday! The Dayquil and Nightquil combos were not enough to beat whatever this is and it was time for some real meds!  Another clue to help you realize that you are in fact really sick is if you exit the house in a purple t-shirt, navy shorts, and lime-green flip-flops and you don’t even notice it.  It took me about ten minutes in the waiting room to realize that I was a walking Gay Pride Billboard.  I had to laugh.  I am all about Gay Pride (everyone should be allowed to love anyone I think), but this outfit would have had me on Joan River’s worst list for sure!  And I know the Gays would hate it!  Hubby of course, didn’t even notice!

I was feeling pretty bad about myself, thinking of all the bad food I’ve had and the no exercise (and my horrendous style as of late)…Hubby is an amazing help, but he’s not exactly health-conscious.  He turns his nose up at all of my low-fat labels in the fridge.  Many times in the grocery store he’ll plead with me, “can’t we just get the regular strength.  Just this once?”  Ha-ha.

But my doctor was very reassuring.  He told me that the average person burns 2,000 calories a day.  A sick person burns 6,000-10,000 calories each day, as the body works to fight the sickness. Whoa!  Who knew??  He told me that I should definitely be resting and NOT pushing it.  Still, the (half) marathon NEXT SUNDAY and all I can think is, what if we can’t finish?  We have to finish!  We’ve been training for 2+ months for this!  I am going to try in three days to jog a light 2-3 miles, to get loose.  I’m going to keep the mileage light this upcoming week, and hope (and pray) for the best on Sunday.  Please blogworld – pray for me! 

Here’s hoping I’m back in action soon!  Forgive my picture-less post, I’m too groggy from my new strong meds to add any!  Who takes care of you when you are sick?

Thanks, Hubby!

10 K-O, what a knockout...I'm DOWN!

Well blog friends...I am in a slump.  I have been feeling under the weather since the 10K and the Hubby has reclaimed his place in the kitchen during my slump.  He's doing well and in good spirits, but I feel like RR would be disappointed with me.   She probably cooks for her Hubby even when she is sick.  Sigh.  Still, Hubby and I did finish the 10K and in great time for us...one hour and 2 minutes...exactly a ten minute mile pace!  But after the race and the days since, I've felt both beat up and blue...a combo of under the weather and mentally bruised somehow...lots of stresses in lots of areas...more on that later though.

I also got into a spat with my SILs (Sister in Laws)...they can be a tough bunch at times.  It reverts me back to high school.  There is a cool table, they are all sitting at it, occasionally glaring over at me -- letting me know there is no room for me there, best to stick at the lame table.  Which I do.  Anyway, said spat was really ridiculous (as all high school arguments are), and I'd rather not comment about it anymore...does anyone else struggle to get "in" with their new family?


The bottom line is Hubby is super supportive, but I feel badly when he is put in the middle.  I am so lucky though, most wives complain that their Hubby's never consider their point of view when it comes to the fam...I am so lucky!  Still, I won't pretend I'm always right -- I will just say that I try.  I do not always succeed (in fact most often I fail miserably in the new family department).  I keep looking forward to the day when I have a baby to look after the entire time, so it won't be as obvious that I am just there not fitting in...then I will be busy.  Until then, I will continue to try, try, try.... eventually I will have to improve -- right?!


Well, I've missed my training and my cooking...here's hoping that tomorrow goes better than today.   As the Japanese proverb says..."Fall seven times, stand up eight."


I am standing up tomorrow.  Are you?

Rain Rain Go Away, Now I Can't Grill Today!

So the good news is that the recipe from yesterday re-heats really well.  Tastes ten times yummier than last night’s premiere.  I’m so excited about it!  The bad news is…it’s pouring here and my big plans to tackle grilling tonight are now put on the back burner (love those corny cooking puns!).  So instead of trying a new recipe, Hubby and I are going to have a repeat of last night’s pasta, with a side of vino. J  Good thing the challenge is five nights a week.  Hubby and I don’t believe in wasting food anyway, so I’m really glad this recipe is great the second time around!  And there is so much leftover. Thanks to my BFF, RR!  (We’re not actually friends yet, we should probably meet once to make that happen, but maybe some day!)

Since I don’t have a fabulous cooking adventure to share with you this evening, I will send you some other thoughts.   First, I read an article about a month ago by RR (contributed to Women’s Health, seriously does that girl ever sleep – and I think I have no time!).  In it, she talked about how she turned to exercise when she had her mouth wired shut and couldn’t talk.  In that experience, she turned from an exercise dreading normal person (much like myself), to an exercise junkie!  I read it and at the time thought my RR was a little nuts.  Loving exercise, I don’t think so!  Hubby and I are training for our first half-marathon and it’s tough.  We notice each step we run and it’s brutal.  We are not those skinny-mini people you see running down the street at 100 mph.  These people, I’m convinced, ran their way out of the womb and have been running ever since.  I am not one of those lucky, naturally thin people. 

But today, just before the rain started, Hubby and I ran for a new record of 8 MILES!  Woohoo!!  We jogged for a solid 10 minute pace and finished in an hour and twenty minutes.  Somewhere around the 55 minute mark, I realized I was smiling!  And not just at the really cute kids in the park, but in the in-between strides too!  I think I may have finally fell in love with jogging and being fit. 

Also, bonus, it may have been my imagination, but I’m pretty sure that not as many things were jiggling around while running.  Dare I say it, I think my tummy may be shrinking!  Hubby has a barrel (my loving nickname for his beer gut – culprit, his Beer Meister in the basement) and I have a mini-girl version barrel (I blame the thesis stress eating, but Lord knows I’ve taken a trip downstairs once or twice myself to see Hubby’s friend).  Now don’t get me wrong, it was a painful 8 miles, but we did it!  I felt great afterwards and enjoyed feeling proud of myself all day.

Double bonus, I was just logging my meals, snacks, and exercise into my iPhone Lose It App, and saw that the long jog burned 739 calories! I’m so excited!  Still not losing any weight, but maybe things are turning to muscle!  Who knows, I’m just excited to feel better. Maybe I am a fitness junkie like RR! 

If I’m being completely honest, I’m sort of relieved that I didn’t have to take on the grill today, I’m a little afraid of it.  I’ve never grilled anything before in my life.  Not to send women back a few decades, but it seems like a guy’s job in life to do the grilling.  I have visions of burning off my eyebrows in a millisecond.  They are super-pale already, I can’t afford to sear them off for good!

Ladies, are any of you out there into grilling?  Any tips for tomorrow?  Also, does it infuriate you that all the meat/grilling commercials are clearly targeting men?  Cross your fingers that tomorrow I become a grilling goddess and maybe we can start a revolution!