Adding Protein to your Workout

My friend often says, 'you should have given me an aspiration warning with that text, email, blogpost...', meaning that whatever I have written and/or transmitted may cause her to laugh, snort and/or unexpectedly aspirate. So consider yourself warned.

This will be a bulleted point presentation that will allow you to add protein to your workout.

• Go for a run after working eight hours because it was that kind of day.

• Make sure to apply some sort of lip stuff, because that's what you usually do when you run.

• This allows the swarms of white ash flies to not only fly under your sunglasses, into your eyes, up your nose, straight down your throat, but to stick directly to your lips so that you appear to be some sort of crazy (ok crazier than usual) running, spitting and waving your arms to fend of the flies that of course only you can see due to their miniscule size.

• Not that you are one of those graceful effortless runners with legs up to there anyway, but this sort of behavior really isn't helping.
• Upon arriving home when your husband asks, 'How was your run'? you answer, 'Well, I did not appreciate the effect of the ash flies prior to embarking on this run'. 'Eewwww....', he says. He is alway so loving and supportive.  He is my biggest fan!

• Try not to think of the actual amount of white flies you may have ingested. It's just added protein, right?

Apricot Season

The other day I was eating lunch in the break room at work, which this time of year sometimes resembles a farmers market. I don't know what it is about nurses, but most of us have gardens, as if we're not busy enough! It is nice however to go home with a fresh tomato or lettuce or squash depending on where we are in the growing season.

One of my friends was telling me about her most recent farmers market acquisition, as she ate her yogurt with apricots. She had recently gotten 25 lbs. of apricots for $19.95, a steal and if we can't grow it, which apricots are a little dicey this far north, getting a great deal on them is the next best thing.

And while that is a great price I couldn't help thinking, 'I don't know what I would possibly do with that many apricots!', or that much of anything for that matter.

Well she proceeded to tell me, two apricot pies, an apricot crisp, apricot cobbler, a whole batch of apricot preserves, a batch of apricot freezer jam and she was now left with a large bowl on her counter that were just a few days away from a date with the dehydrator.

Now it is her and her husband at home, so this is where you separate the men from the boys.  Any real man who knows what's best for him and his gastronomic future is in the worst quandary of all. He is being supplied with ALL of these fantastic treats and treasures, made from scratch fresh everyday so he has to measure his words. Because we're all still thinking it, 'That's A LOT of APRICOTS!'

But any words to that effect may impact his ability to be served freshly baked homemade treats in the future. So I asked her, 'What's the hubby think of all the apricots?' 'Well he hasn't said anything yet', she said.

That is one smart and loving husband who knows what side his bread is buttered on.

Captain Safety

My friend and I went running at the crack of dawn today, well actually it would have been the crack of dawn last week, but now it's just plain dark. I of course was wearing my 'please don't hit me with your car' neon yellow top and neon orange running shoes. She was wearing one of those reflective neon yellow safety vests, which I had never seen her wear before. We have been running together for over a year.  "Yes", she said, "Captain Safety (meaning her husband) insisted on it". We started running, "Oh, let me tell you about my Captain Safety" I started, "Oh, no", she laughed.

Last week my husband offered to walk the dog in the morning so I could sleep in a little. Yes I agree, he is so sweet! Anyway, most days it is me or the kids that walk this dog. This dog came to us about 3 years ago.  He is a rescue, mild mannered and cute, but with some (and I use the word loosely) separation anxiety.  There is not enough doggie Valium out there for this dog's anxiety.

If there is someone here with him he is all good, no problems. He does not however want to be left alone. On the days when we both work and all kids are at school we were having a lot of trouble with him behaving badly when we tried to leave the house and after we had gone. Through trial and error we discovered if he has a good walk in the morning, 2 - 4 miles, he is perfectly happy to sleep the day away. Pretty cheap fix, I say.

So this morning my husband was taking him for his long walk. As they strolled along they encountered, joggers, other dog walkers and a guy carrying a fairly good sized box and loading it in his car. Hmmmmmm... This is not a usual activity for people at 430am in our little neighborhood. My husband being a police officer and just suspicious by nature began watching said, 'guy'.

Now I have to say as a police officer he always has a heightened sense of security where his family is concerned. In fact if I had walked the dog that day I would have gotten the rundown before leaving the house. Do you have your phone - yes, keys - yes, flashlight - yes, pepper spray - YES, what route will you be taking.... the list goes on, but I think you can see where I am going with this.  Whenever the kids and I are out and about on foot in the evening or early am we get this line of questioning. It's as if we are headed out for overnight field exercises rather than a casual stroll to get our persnickety dog to do his business.

My generous dog walking husband arrives home.  The dog races upstairs to greet me, his tail waving as he prances into the bathroom.  He is obviously proud of himself, and he's always happy to see me. The rest of the family well that can be a crap shoot - anyway, I'm chatting with the dog about his walk, he is wagging enthusiastically, and I hear my husband dialing the phone. High alert, Mrs. Kravitz mode.  He describes a guy, gives addresses etc, then I hear him coming upstairs. "So you decided to start work a little early today"?

I guess suspicious 20 something guys aren't concerned with middle aged guys walking with poodle mix dogs at 430am. Middle aged cops watching suspicious people in their neighborhood while walking poodle-y dogs notice everything. Keeping his eye on 'the guy', he continued on his mission with the dog and started to notice the cars parked along the street had open doors and/or trunks, broken windows etc. Uh-oh. Cue Cop Voice, "Hey, what are you doing"? 'Guy' slams his car door and speeds off.

- "Why'd you wait to call?", I said.
"Well... -sheepish pause -, I didn't take my phone with me".
-What?! (mocking incredulity)
"...and I didn't think I should confront the guy armed with a bag of dog poop and a poodle so..."
- Uh-huh...Sooooo you didn't take the flashlight or pepper spray either?
"Well, no....."

Acting like this whole exchange had not happened he said, "A cop may stop by." "Well did you give them your cell phone number?" "No, just the home." Oh Good Grief! Since he left before me and I was leaving before the kids I put one of his business cards near the door and told the kids the whole story.  When I got to the part about him calling out - What are you doing? - they all said, "Did he arrest him?" I had to break the news that no he hadn't because he didn't bring anything but the dog and a plastic bag on his walk.  Almost at once the 3 said, "The leash." They refrained from adding "Duh."

All I could say was, "Really?!", but I did have to tell my husband, even though we have 2 teens and a tween and the battles for independence are raging at our house, his kids have every confidence, that armed with nothing but a bag of poop, a leash and a rescue doge with an anxiety disorder, their Dad is fully capable of apprehending and arresting a neighborhood car prowler.  That's got to make him feel good.

Post Game Post

Today was kind of weird. It started that we were going to have a friend and her kids over for the Super Bowl because her husband was out of town and she is a Seahawks Fan (sorry). Anyway, then we thought, why don't we add a few more people? I mean if you are going to pick up the house and clean the bathrooms you might as well make it worth every ones while, right?

The head count was up to 7 adults, 3 teens (2 of them boys), and 4 kids under 12. We had some light snacks and my friend was bringing the veggie tray. We bought the pizza, remember we were planning on 2 teen boys here.

As the day wore on guests were dropping like flies, people were sick, pets were vomiting, grampa's 96th birthday (ok that is a really good reason). At any rate, by noon we were back to us and my friend and her kids and A LOT of pizza.

Tomorrow is my daughter's birthday and I had been trying to find a day next week when we were home in the evening which is really impossible between three of us working, color guard & basketball practices, youth group, well you get the idea.  I was just trying to have a dessert with my parents for her birthday.

Dun-da-da-dum, Voila! Super Bowl/15th birthday party! Genius! So I called my parents, they were available, you might think that is a given for people in their 70s, but not so much. Also called some good family friends, also Seahawks fans (sorry again) they were available too! We were back up to 6 adults, 3 teens now 2 of them girls, and the same 4 kids under 12. Luckily I still had the 1 and  the 5 candles from previous birthdays, because you know those are milestone years. Game on!, Oops, I mean Birthday Party on!

When all was said and done we sent people home with pizza for their lunches, we have one pizza left for dinner later this week (yay! dinner bonus for me), 5 chocolate chip cookies, 5 mini cupcakes and 5 pieces of birthday cake. 'Mom', my daughter said, 'There are 5 of us. Everything is in alignment'.

'That's because the Patriots won.', said the 10 year old, he is a rabid Packers fan so as far as he is concerned it was one of the best Super Bowls ever.
Go Packers!

Best Brownies

Ok, so I took some brownies, well actually brownie bites, to work.  It was a birthday thing. I like to bake and take things to work then they don't sit around the kitchen calling my name until I have eradicated them from the area, usually along with half a quart of ice cream, some chocolate sauce and whatever else I may find in the general area.

Anyway there were two things about these brownies,
1) I modified and made individual brownie bites. Much less mess when dealing with a lot of people in a possible pot luck situation,
2) I made a chocolate stout butter cream frosting. Yes you read that right and frankly I could have sat down and eaten the whole bowl of the stuff with a large spatula if said dessert was not expected at work the next day.

I was asked a million times, no not exaggerating, about the recipe.  So here we go, there is a lot of stuff going on, so pay attention.

Dark Chocolate Stout Brownies

6oz. bittersweet chocolate
3/4c. unsalted butter
1c. chocolate stout beer, I used Boatswain from Trader Joe's
1c. brown sugar
1c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large eggs at room temp for 30 min, why? I don't know it's what it said to do. I don't like to challenge new recipes that will be consumed by people other than my immediate family. They of course are total Guinea pigs for all my culinary exploits.

-Preheat to 350°. Grease 9x13 pan
-melt chocolate and butter in double boiler
 whisk in sugar, set aside and let cool
-mix flour, cocoa, eggs and beer.
-add in the chocolate/butter mix
-mix until just blended

Bake for 20 min.


Modifications:

Cheater Version:
Any Brownie mix, I like Ghirardelli's dark chocolate one.
Substitute the chocolate stout for any liquid in the mix, like water or milk.

Brownie Bite Version:
Instead of baking in your usual favorite brownie pan, you know you have one and if it is not available brownies cannot be made in any other pan.  Come on it's not just me! Is it? Do I have to worry?
Either grease or use papers in a mini muffin/cupcake pan.
Ours makes 24
Use about a Tbs of mix for each bite.
Bake at indicated temp from the box for 10 min then check with a toothpick. You might end up with hockey pucks if you over bake :(

FROSTING:
3c. Powder Sugar
1/3c Unsalted Butter
1/2 to 1tsp Vanilla
Super slowly add Chocolate stout and blend with a knife
until the correct frosting consistency. YUM!

Happy New Year!

Well, it's that time of year again, that New Year time.  I don't think it really matters which year, unless your 16 or 21, but that's just me. All the other years just seem to come and go with all their activities and occasions and before you know it it's new years again!

I'm not really an in depth goal setter or resolution maker.  I just hope and pray, a lot, that I can keep everyone healthy, get them where they need to go with teeth brushed (it can be a struggle) and clean socks and underwear (there are times when I wonder!), pay the bills, make the meals, get some sleep.

I'd say that is usually a do-able list. #1 Pet peeve right about now? New Year's Resolution gym goers.  I know the fitness clubs are loving life right about now.  They are adding new members left and right, and I am all for everyone turning over a new leaf and getting healthy for a change. Only problem is there are those of us who are the year round consistent, loyal kind of people and suddenly we are having to grapple for a treadmill at 4:30 am, get there extra early to secure a bike in spin class and brush up on our hand to hand combat for a spot in Zumba.

I start worshiping the weather gods right about now so that we have some dry days and I can just run outside until all this new years fitness enthusiasm blows over.  I can do cold, but not cold and wet, so these mornings in the 20s and 30s I'm doing ok, logging my miles, just waiting for a spot to open up again at the gym.

That being said I'm happy to say I exceeded last years milage by 46.72 miles!  The total for 2014 was 653.72!

Now I'm just waiting for a pass to the Nike employee store to come along 'cause it's time for a new pair of Air Pegasus to start my 2015 milage.

Happy New Year!

No, please, not the SLIPPERS!

I'm just going to come right out and say it. Pajamas should not be worn at the grocery store. I'm really just tired of it.

Now I am not in any way saying that you need to be in full hair and make-up to purchase your groceries. I am frequently straight from the gym sweaty, so I will apologize for any possible stinkyness. I do always put on a clean dry shirt, not the nasty thermal top with the grungy cuffs that I have been wearing to sleep in, as well as actual running tights or yoga pants not the pink plaid flannel with the filthy hems where they have been dragging on the ground, and shoes.

Yes, shoes I say, shoes with soles on them that are designed to be worn outside. I know our society has gotten overly casual as far as clothing and shoes are concerned, but please, I'm actually pleading now, begging.  I am tired of seeing everyones' slippers at the grocery store!

I will admit to germaphobic tendencies, but nothing incapacitating. I do believe however that some things should stay at home and once out of the home can no longer serve in their previously assigned position.

Slippers should be worn in your own residence, or packed in your suitcase for a trip and worn in other peoples residences, once they have gone to the store, work, school, the airport, Target their work as slippers is over. They can now live in the garage for taking out garbage and getting the mail, or they can go to slipper heaven. (The garbage can)

Similarly, pajamas should be worn in your home and in your bed, or packed in your suitcase for a trip and worn elsewhere mostly surrounding the bedtime hour possibly to watch TV, a movie, eat some dessert on the couch, play cards or a board game, you get the idea.  Again once the pajamas have gone to the grocery store, the mall, the post office, Starbucks, school, work they have lost their pajama status and should no longer be worn to bed.

But really I think the issue is a total lack of pride.  Have some pride people! Is that hard to pull on some yoga pants (I'm being generous here, I really wanted to say jeans, but I know some of you are not 'jean' people) and a tee shirt.  Put your hair in a messy bun (they are in now), or a ball cap, a pony, a stocking hat, anything. Lastly some SHOES.  I will even go so far as to say athletic slides or flip flops, just please for the love of God, not the slippers.

Am I crazy or is it just me?

Last winter we were having one of those evenings where homework and/or sports practices were done before the dinner hour and if all the stars were aligned we could get home and have dinner together. One of those evenings where you just want to get home and hunker down for the night, slippers, pjs, maybe a blanket on the couch.  The kids had even gone so far as to be in pjs at the table.  Now when it comes to pajamas, we are a flannel bottoms, any kind of long sleeve tee on top family and as far as I am concerned if everyone is wearing a bottom and top I'm good.  So what if the kids have their shirts inside out?  They are just pajamas right?  Apparently this is a hot button topic for my husband, undiscovered by me in the last 23 years of marriage. We sat down to eat, something warm on a cold night I think, baked pasta or chili, who knows it's not really the point. He looks around the table, two kids have wet hair from the shower. Now this in and of itself is not a deal breaker, the problem was the hair is not combed, so as the hygiene lecture insued he then realized that one had their shirt on backwards, the other completely inside out. With that we were off to the races with the kids and I looking bewildered, my husband looking at us like we were bordering on the insane.

After dinner was over and cleared away, I finally got around to getting into my own pjs.  My husband was going to head out to the gym. We met in the kitchen for a debrief of the next day since I was headed to bed.  I started the rundown of who had to be where and when, when I realized he was silently staring at me. "What?" I said.  "REALLY?" he said. I was stumped. "What?" "YOUR SHIRT IS ON INSIDE OUT!" As I started to laugh hysterically, tears running down my face, he said, "Sometimes I really think I am the ONLY sane person in this family!"

Fast forward to this morning as I am trying to leave the house.  I need to leave by 6am to get a coffee and get to work. Now I can leave at 630, but subjecting the general population to me at 7am without the benefit of coffee is not all together a good idea. As I prepared to be on my way my car keys were no where to be found. I knew I had put them in my purse with my phone after walking the dog the night before. Now the panic is setting in, can't find the keys, the possibility of coffee is rapidly diminishing, my husband and oldest boy are headed out of town, I need to go to WORK! People need to got to school the day must begin.  With a household search in progress the 10 year old admits he had gone out to the car the night before.

#1 He went in my purse. Off limits for everyone.
#2 He let us all run around searching for a good 20 minutes before coming up with that revelation.
#3 He does not know where the keys are! AAaaahhhhhhh!

Long story short the keys were in the living room on the coffee table.  No I did not leave them there!
As I explained to the kids they may enjoy running around the house in the morning like their hair is on fire, looking for things that their father and I have repeatedly asked them to set out for the next day. I however do not enjoy starting the day that way. It tends to make me cranky. I am doing just fine going crazy on my own time line.  I really don't need extra help with that!

In a Timely Manner

I know this may be shocking to you, but I am having to impart quite a bit of wisdom - well what I consider to be wisdom - to my 14 year old daughter.  This weeks learning target?

Be where you are supposed to be when you say you will be there.

We are lucky enough to have a third driver in the family now so we are not always needed to pick her up but when we do we do not relish the idea of sitting in the parking lot while she does whatever it is she is doing inside the building.

We know the practice times 3:00 to 6:30.  But if we arrive at 6:30 the soonest we see the whites of her eyes is usually 6:45. Unless of course we leave the house around 6:35 (it takes 5 min to get to the school) then she is shooting off texts like she has been waiting for HOURS.

The other night my husband and I were crossing paths him on the way home, me heading out and the third driver? Well he was working.  I know! Who said he could get all grown up and responsible and stuff? The word on the street from the girl was, 'Practice is 3:00 to 6:00, but we might get done early.'
Herein lies the problem, 'might be done early' is code for, I will just call you whenever and then you can drop whatever it is that you are doing and come get me.

After some discussion with my husband we agreed that there was about a 45 min time period when he would not yet be available and I would have to be headed to my meeting.  I texted the daughter.

'If you r not done by 5 you will have to wait til 6 for a ride from dad we are crossing paths.'

I myself thought it was pretty clear. At 5:02 pm I received the following text, 'Im done'.
Ummmm, really?!

Now I know there are some of you out there that are saying to yourselves, 'Surely she went and got her. It was only 2 minutes after 5.' I really thought you knew me better than that.

5:03 'Sorry have to wait for dad at 6 text him if you get a ride'.
5:24 'Did you get a ride'
5:43 'Yes'
5:43 'Did you let dad know where you r'
5:57 'Yes'

I will say that there are people and activities going on at that school all day long and into the evening.  All the girls on the colorguard team live in a 5 mile radius of the school and the upper classmen drive.  I was not worried at all about her either getting a ride home or being safe if she had to wait for an hour. Worst case scenario, horror of horrors, on a lovely fall evening when it's sunny and not raining in November, she could walk the 3/4 of a mile to the house.

Time is a tricky thing. It's best to learn to use it to your advantage and you are never too young to learn.

I'm falling for Fall

We are so lucky living in the Northwest, I know people say that a lot, but really this year the weather has been stellar! The air is clear and clean and this lingering Summer is just indescribable. I was able to run outside all year long. That can get kind of sketchy in the winter, because I am a bit of a weather wiener. I mean if it is raining and its a race, well there is no help for it, but to voluntarily go out when its pouring down rain....... well that's another story all together.

Yesterday was the best day yet this year for a run.  I mean it!  I have to admit I am normally a summer runner.  I love to be up just as the sun rises, when there is a cool breeze, but the air is warm and you know that as soon as the sun comes over the horizon you will be able to feel the heat on your skin.

But yesterday, was gorgeous.  Cool, but still warm enough for short sleeves and no gloves yet! I didn't go out until 11 or so, had to get the groceries purchased and put away, I hate it when daily chores get in the way of my run. :-) (I did get some pumpkin biscotti and pumpkin cinnamon rolls by the way.)

Anyway, by then the fog had burned off, it was sunny and breezy, but not too windy.  Every corner I turned had glorious leaves drifting down. They were made even more colorful by the still warm fall sun. I just kept finding myself thinking, 'It is so beautiful out!'

I do love this time of year, the change and the mystery. Things hunkering down and putting themselves to bed for the winter, yet going out in a blaze of glory with crimson leaves and russet mums.  All the crisp, crunchy apples, and the rich, smooth squash.  Piles of pumpkins, squash and gourds bright and inviting outside all the grocery stores and weekend markets.

It may all be coming to an end with the rain setting in.  The wind and wet downing the leaves into slick, slippery piles, but yesterday, it was the best.

Is there such a thing as too much pumpkin? NO, I say!

So I will admit that I am a Trader Joes junkie.  I mean, I do most of my weekly shopping there, so it's not some sort of creepy stalker situation, but I am turning into one of those people who knows when the seasonal items show up.

In the spring there are Irish Bangers.  The best sausages, EVER. My family went crazy for them.  Available around St. Patrick's, duh.  In November the peppermint Jo-Jos show up. Now if you are a chocolate and mint person and you have not had these cookies, mark your calendars!  The usual Jo-Jo chocolate sandwich cookies, with crushed up candy cane bits in the filling. OMG!  The peppermint truffle chocolates, dark chocolate peppermint bark, dark chocolate stars-shortbread cookies, mini iced gingerbread men, and the piece de resistance, dark chocolate covered peppermint Jo-Jos.  Enough said I think.

So it is with much anticipation that I await October when the pumpkin items hit the store.  Pumpkin Greek yogurt, country spice pumpkin granola, cranberry pumpkin scone mix, pumpkin bagels, pumpkin cream cheese, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin butter, pumpkin bread and muffin mix, pumpkin cornbread mix, pumpkin spice coffee-0h, yes-, and last but not least the ginger snap pumpkin mini ice cream sandwiches. Heaven! So as my daughter was helping me unload my pumpkin laden groceries she said in her best snarky teen voice, 'Mom, clearly you have a problem'. Whatever, I gave here my patented eye roll.

Two days later when my husband took the dog in for his haircut, he got the Halloween special. Uh-oh. Yep, he came home with a jack-o-lantern tag on his collar, a jack-o-lantern bandanna and you guessed it, smelling like pumpkin spice! 'MOTHER!' my daughter said giving me the, clearly you are insane look. I tried to tell her it was not me this time, she was not buying it.

So this week as I had my sample of pumpkin spice coffee with a bite of pumpkin cereal bar while shopping, I put the pumpkin toaster pastries, cranberry pumpkin scone mix and some pumpkin yogurt in the cart.  I resisted the pumpkin Os cereal, I was proud of myself!  After all there are only 4 weeks in October and then like The Great Pumpkin it will all be gone for another year.