It's just another manic Monday here.....wish it were Sunday....cause' that's my fun day.....my I don't have to run day.....It's just another manic Monday......
Where does time go? I honestly thought I had posted in here since last Wednesday, but I guess not! Life just keeps getting in the way!
Anyhow....
We had a nice weekend. It was birthday party time and it was crazy. The girls had a great time at their Hula Girl party. We hula-hooped, limbo-ed, played pass the coconut and more. And even if Momma didn't get the hula girl cakes made in time and we had to have store bought cakes (thank goodness Easter is so close and there were premade cakes with "tropical" looking flowers on them at 10 pm the night before the party!), it was still a good time. All the kids had fun and my girls picked up some really nice presents.
On the fitness front, I kind of slacked off with all the party business going on. We had family in and I just didn't get any free time to walk/run/exercise. So I've got to pick back up today. I started day 1 of running. I downloaded a podcast for the Couch to 5K program and used that to keep track of time. 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking. I managed to get in 3 miles today in under 27 minutes. Not too shabby - although I had to wonder what people driving down the road thought of my running - I must be quite a sight!
So anyhow...another week of craziness here....just the way we like it!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Running in Heels....Aiming for a Tiara
So I mentioned that I've been walking during the day and was feeling the urge to run. I've been reading some running blogs and some fitness blogs and some foodie blogs (my faves!) along wtih teh usual craft and family ones I read. I saw some posts about the Disney Princess Half Marathon with pictures and I was totally entranced! It was as if my fairy godmother sprinkled some magic dust and my eyes were filled with the awesome-ness of running or even walking in this race!
So now I'm inspired. I've been taking about 2.5 mile walks during my lunch breaks and averaging somewhere between a 13 and 14 minute mile. To walk/run the half marathon you need to be able to keep to a 16 minute mile pace. At the rate I'm going, that shouldn't be too hard. But 13 miles is a long way!
So I'm going to start training. I have a couple friends that are up for the challenge as well, so I'm hoping we can keep each other motivated and going.....hopefully all the way to the finish line in FLORIDA next March!! After all, how can you see this and not want one with all your heart?
So now I'm inspired. I've been taking about 2.5 mile walks during my lunch breaks and averaging somewhere between a 13 and 14 minute mile. To walk/run the half marathon you need to be able to keep to a 16 minute mile pace. At the rate I'm going, that shouldn't be too hard. But 13 miles is a long way!
So I'm going to start training. I have a couple friends that are up for the challenge as well, so I'm hoping we can keep each other motivated and going.....hopefully all the way to the finish line in FLORIDA next March!! After all, how can you see this and not want one with all your heart?
And so my training begins.......
I've been walking already, as I mentioned above. And starting today, I'm beginning the Couch to 5K program. Since I'm not a runner it looks like a great program to get started....slow and steady. The Disney Princess Half Marathon is a year away, so that gives me plenty of time to get there. And honestly, I'd be happy doing a walk/run of it. Just as long as I finish!
So off I go....dreaming of running in heels and earning that tiara!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Here Chick, Chick, Chick....
Today I'm writing about chickens. More specifically, our chickens. I love our chickens. They are social, they give us eggs and meat. And they're kinda cute.
And this is coming from a girl who HATES birds. And I do mean HATE.
We started keeping chickens about three years ago. We started with a small flock of Rhode Island Reds. They were very happy with us. We raised them up from young chicks. They were just about to start laying eggs.......then the dogs got into them. That was not a fun day, let me tell you.
We added a new batch of hens to our one lone survivior of the dog attack and waited out another egg-less winter. Every day the wee things went out to the coop to check for eggs. Every day all winter long, they were disappointed. Then we started getting some warm, sunny winter days. The kids were so excited on the first sunny warmish late winter day when we got our first egg. They were even more excited the next day when we got a green egg - just in time for Dr. Suess's birthday!
We're now entering into our third spring with chickens. Last fall we got rid of some of our older chickens and picked up a bunch of pullets. We waited out the winter, watching them grow, fighting off owls and hawks (and losing about 6 of them to the predators), and now it's spring again! Imagine our suprise that out of about 30 pullets, we ended up with 15 roosters!
This spring was the first time that Thing #4 really got to enjoy the suprise and delight of the season's first egg. She walked out to the coop with me and just about screamed when she saw the "eggie" there! The brightness shining in her eyes was just melting a Momma's heart. Then when she dropped said "eggie" a few minutes later and the overwhelming sadness there just about made it break. Poor baby!
So this week, DH is taking our 15 roosters to a farmer we know and trading them out for some hens. We're hoping for a good batch to add to our flock. We did keep 3 of the roosters. Big Red, our youngster from last year is the new dominent rooster. We also kept Chicken Little, the first chicken we hatched out of our incubator last year (and a suprise rooster at that!). And one cute little speckled guy that's a cross between a Barred Rock and something else (maybe a leghorn?). We do need to find a new name for that guy though, because I think I saw murder in his eyes when Thing #1 called him Mr. Speckles. I guess he wants a more dignified rooster name!
I love our "girls" and their men. The kids enjoy running around with them in the yard and sometimes chasing them. We love the eggs we get (in fact, I'm eyeing up some new egg recipes to try this year) and the meat they provide keeps us in poultry all winter long. Not to mention that the eggs and meat taste so much better than store-bought stuff!
Yay for chickens!
And this is coming from a girl who HATES birds. And I do mean HATE.
We started keeping chickens about three years ago. We started with a small flock of Rhode Island Reds. They were very happy with us. We raised them up from young chicks. They were just about to start laying eggs.......then the dogs got into them. That was not a fun day, let me tell you.
We added a new batch of hens to our one lone survivior of the dog attack and waited out another egg-less winter. Every day the wee things went out to the coop to check for eggs. Every day all winter long, they were disappointed. Then we started getting some warm, sunny winter days. The kids were so excited on the first sunny warmish late winter day when we got our first egg. They were even more excited the next day when we got a green egg - just in time for Dr. Suess's birthday!
We're now entering into our third spring with chickens. Last fall we got rid of some of our older chickens and picked up a bunch of pullets. We waited out the winter, watching them grow, fighting off owls and hawks (and losing about 6 of them to the predators), and now it's spring again! Imagine our suprise that out of about 30 pullets, we ended up with 15 roosters!
This spring was the first time that Thing #4 really got to enjoy the suprise and delight of the season's first egg. She walked out to the coop with me and just about screamed when she saw the "eggie" there! The brightness shining in her eyes was just melting a Momma's heart. Then when she dropped said "eggie" a few minutes later and the overwhelming sadness there just about made it break. Poor baby!
So this week, DH is taking our 15 roosters to a farmer we know and trading them out for some hens. We're hoping for a good batch to add to our flock. We did keep 3 of the roosters. Big Red, our youngster from last year is the new dominent rooster. We also kept Chicken Little, the first chicken we hatched out of our incubator last year (and a suprise rooster at that!). And one cute little speckled guy that's a cross between a Barred Rock and something else (maybe a leghorn?). We do need to find a new name for that guy though, because I think I saw murder in his eyes when Thing #1 called him Mr. Speckles. I guess he wants a more dignified rooster name!
I love our "girls" and their men. The kids enjoy running around with them in the yard and sometimes chasing them. We love the eggs we get (in fact, I'm eyeing up some new egg recipes to try this year) and the meat they provide keeps us in poultry all winter long. Not to mention that the eggs and meat taste so much better than store-bought stuff!
Yay for chickens!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Dinner Tonight
Tonight's dinner is White Bean Chicken Chili. I got this recipe from a good friend and it's super-fantastic!! I'll try to get a picture of it to put up here (and see if DH thinks I've totally lost it taking photos of the food now!)
*1 lb or so of cooked chicken meat (I use breasts - baked with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper; then shredded)
*48 oz jar great northern beans, undrained
*16 oz mild thick and chunky salsa (for more heat, use medium salsa)
*1 can low-sodium, reduced fat chicken broth (I usually use chicken stock instead)
*2 tsp cumin
*8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, cubed
*1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely minced (for more heat, leave in the seeds)
I throw it all together in a crock pot and let it cook all day on low. You can also put it in a dutch oven or stock pot and make it in 10-15 mins. on the stove top. If you do this, add the cheese at the end.
We top this with sour cream and shredded cheese and serve with either corn chips or pita chips. It's super filling, fast, warm and soooo yummy!
**I'm linking this up to the Nourishing Gourmet's Pennywise Platter for 3/11/10**
White Bean Chicken Chili (soooo YUMMY!)
*1 lb or so of cooked chicken meat (I use breasts - baked with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper; then shredded)
*48 oz jar great northern beans, undrained
*16 oz mild thick and chunky salsa (for more heat, use medium salsa)
*1 can low-sodium, reduced fat chicken broth (I usually use chicken stock instead)
*2 tsp cumin
*8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, cubed
*1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely minced (for more heat, leave in the seeds)
I throw it all together in a crock pot and let it cook all day on low. You can also put it in a dutch oven or stock pot and make it in 10-15 mins. on the stove top. If you do this, add the cheese at the end.
We top this with sour cream and shredded cheese and serve with either corn chips or pita chips. It's super filling, fast, warm and soooo yummy!
**I'm linking this up to the Nourishing Gourmet's Pennywise Platter for 3/11/10**
Little Girls' Hair
Little girls' hair drives me crazy!! My wee things have hair that never seems to do what I want it to, not to mention the fact that I' m not the best braider or hair-doer in the world. In the hair-world experience my hair is not fine and when you put it somewhere, it stays there. It's heavy and thick and well, it just stays put. My girls' hair is so fine and it just goes everywhere. It's pretty thick, but light and fine and it blows every which way.
Now I've pretty gotten down the ways to do piggies and ponys and I can even so a simple basic braid. But anything fanicer than that and I'm lost! And I so want my wee thingies to have super cute hair!! Super cute hair looks so much better with the outfits I make them and put them in than just regular ole' piggies!!
And then I ran across this blog: Princess Hairstyles. What an amazing find!!! This mom has directions and pictures to all kinds of fantastic hairstyles. Some a bit more advanced than I, but still...something to work towards. Check out some of these pictures:
Now I've pretty gotten down the ways to do piggies and ponys and I can even so a simple basic braid. But anything fanicer than that and I'm lost! And I so want my wee thingies to have super cute hair!! Super cute hair looks so much better with the outfits I make them and put them in than just regular ole' piggies!!
And then I ran across this blog: Princess Hairstyles. What an amazing find!!! This mom has directions and pictures to all kinds of fantastic hairstyles. Some a bit more advanced than I, but still...something to work towards. Check out some of these pictures:
See what I mean - totally cute!! You've got to check her out!!
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