play ground

It has been so so nice out the past few days that I've been hanging outside with the kids. We've been going to the playground and grilling at our house. Playing with the neighbors is also a favorite. Petey is living the fire pole, which he actually jumps down instead of slides, and Liza loves the little slides on the playground. She holds her own pretty well- she does everything the big kids do that she can reach.

Liza is almost 1 year old, and today she officially said "daddy". Not dada, but daddy, clear as day. I cannot believe how fast she is growing.

So beautiful and such a sweetie.

Cold weather food is awesome. This was an amazing salad, and from scratch beef stew and fried chicken. I love cooking! Although coming up with ideas is difficult some days.

 Girls are just chilling.

Liza in church clothes.

My big girl is starting to steal my clothes, its obvi that I'm a super cool mama.

I'm baaaccck

Mikayla is 9 years old. Where does the time go? We celebrated by having 12 of her girlfriends sleepover, it was quite the adventure. For her birthday day we went to 16 handles, and for breakfast she had birthday waffles. What a sweet girl she is turning out to be, she loves her sister and brother sooo much!

Petey is loving his school. He goes two days a week plus Fridays with the 4 year Olds. He gets along with them so well. Petey is so funny... Todaywe baked cookies and after he took his first bite he said, "you've really outdone your self mom". Today as well... I hear the fridge closing... Petey, what are you doing in the fridge? P says, "getting whip cream". I ask, "why are you getting whip cream?" He responds "for my spoon". Can't put anything past him!

Liza is 10.5 months and so happy. She's not fond of eggs but loves cheese! She weighs in at 20.10 lbs, her favorite thing to do is climb in and out of her radio flyer wagon. 

Right now we are smack in the middle of remodeling our bathroom, kitchen and painting the house. It sure is coming along, and we absolutely love the fact that it's ours!

I keep busy with the three kids and am getting back into the swing of things. I can't find the time to run still, but I am starting to eat healthier and get back into cooking and exploring with our meals. 

I cannot believe I'm going to be 32 soon, how fast time flies. I can vividly remember my life at Mikaylas age-living in Delmar, my friends, 4th grade... It is so bitter sweet. Sometimes I wish I could go back, or at least just stop the clock from ticking away so darn fast. some days I just wish I could be a kid again, don't you? I love where I am in my life, but some days I wish I could go back to that security. I loved my childhood and the family I grew up in and some days I wish I could spend it how we used to- always taken for granted. All I can do now is be the best mom I can be to my children and hope one day they can see me just how I see my mom now. I wish nothing but the best for my three little loves- I want God to protectt them throughout their journey and I can only hope they make nothing but good choices. Love you all so much.

Skipping Already

I skipped yesterdays workout... Day 3... because I was tired! I ended up sleeping until 10 (obvi I woke up to get Mikayla on the bus) and it just made me more exhausted, so I decided to "workout later that night".  Of course that never happened.  Who wants to work out at night? Not me.

Day 3 was done today. It was a Cardio Power and Resistance program, and I liked this one as well.  I'm finally learning how to do a push up after 28...almost 29... years of not knowing how! I am very proud of myself.  This was another 40 minute workout, but the moves are already becoming familiar and its allowing me to actually do them the right way.  Theres a pretty long warm up again, then some stretching, then right into the cardio circuits.  Sprinting, Hurdles, Squats, Globe Jumps, Power Jacks, 1-2-3's, Moving push ups, running push ups, etc.  Its really difficult but not as intense as I thought.  I hope I'm doing it right! Its all about form and your own personal pace... I know I don't get as many in as the ripped people on tv, but i know that's OK.  just getting off my butt is good enough.

After Pete made some recovery drink... muscle milk with a can of mixed fruit, a banana, some ice and some water. Then he made a nice green salad, with cukes and pretzels

I topped it off with this new bleu cheese dressing I bought. 

Its pretty good, its half yogurt and it doesn't taste like true bleu cheese, but it actually comes pretty close.  Its nice and creamy and a good, healthy substitute for something that's pretty high calorie.

We also devoured some slices of last nights dinner

Which would be a crescent roll pizza.

One crescent roll unrolled flat into a baking sheet, spread with about 1/2-3//4 cup of sauce.  I topped it with cooked, chopped chicken thighs (also leftovers) and sprinkled about 1/2 cup shredded cheese on top.  Then I baked it for about 10 minutes and voila... amazing pizza-type thing. 

I have a soft spot for crescent rolls.  And really cool 6 year olds. With fake glasses and fake hair.

Its noon and Im eating Ribs

Today was day 2 of the Insanity challenge, it was the Plyometric Cardio Circut.  The entire segment lasted about 45 minutes.  I was nice and sweaty by the end of it! This workout consisted of three different circuts, with about 5 different things in each circut, done three times, with a little bit of a variation in each circut.  Even the warm up for this was 6 moves done three time each, faster each time, with no break in between!! OMG!! By the third round in each circut I was on the floor done for, trying to push myself.  The moves were not hard for me, but I'm not used to not resting in between, so that was hard. I did have to say I enjoyed the moves on Day 2... suicide jumps, jumping squats, skiing moves, basketball jumps, football moves... it was a fun, quick spin on things I would NEVER do!

After, of course, I was super hungry, so I raided the fridge and ate some of last nights leftovers...

I told you I was eating healthy! I had some leftover tilapia, roasted cauliflower, and couscous.  I also had a slice of meaty garbage bread that i made last night, with tons of leftover hamburger in it. These were pics from last night, I was too hungry to take one today.

20 mins later it was time for lunch... heheheee

so I ate more couscous with a rib, then another rib.  All this working out and breastfeeding is killing me on calories, and I find myself pretty hungry lately, even before my two intense days of working out :)

I made Pete a burger melt last night and didn't force feed him Tilapia and cauliflower... and to make it interesting I cooked up some onions, sliced the burger, and stuffed the onions inside the burger.  Then I placed the entire sandwich in the panini maker... and it came out amazing.  Panini makers make the best sandwiches...ever.

Mikayla has cheer after school today, once again she is cheering in the high school homecoming football game... soooo excited!

Long Time No Blog

Today was my first day of Insanity.  I have taken the Insanity challenge, and it lasts for a total of 60 days.  It is 6 days on, 1 day off (Sunday).  My body already feels like jelly, although the workout wasn't as bad as I thought.  Today was the first day, so Pete and I began the first Fit Test.  A fit test in this program consists of eight intense cardio moves, and you count how many of each move you can do in one minute. 

1. Switch Kicks         107
2. Power Jacks           45
3. Power Knees          62
4. Power Jumps          27
5. Globe Jumps            5
6. Suicide Jumps         13
7. Push up Jacks         15
8. Low Plank Oblique 51

Not bad for my first time.  I think the hardest was a Power Jump because you have to jump high in the air with your knees up to the side of you and hit your knees with your hands while in the air.  I think the easiest was the Low Plank Oblique, which you get onto the floor push up style but lay on your arms, and kick your knees to your arms.  Overall, my body feels great... like cooked spaghetti!

After we worked out I made a pretty healthy breakfast... this lil man helped me.

First I coked up two leftover spicy sausages, half a leftover hamburger, chopped garlic, spinach, a chopped green tomato and some black olives

 Then I just cracked 5 eggs right into the same pan, and I like to scramble them as they cook, its so much easier and less to clean!

 I cut a pita in half and placed a slice of cheese on each side, and the cooked eggs on top

 Then squirted on some jalapeno mustard and ate it like a dog! It was so super good!!

I realize when I work out I am so much more careful about the calories I put into my body, since I know how hard I worked to burn calories off.  Hopefully this Insanity program helps me get into shape after having PJ, and provides me with motivation to begin running again, something that I haven't done since the Turkey trot and miss dearly.

School Shopping

Yesterday was a loooong day of school shopping for my super big first grader!! School shopping with her and my mom (and of course PJ) was so fun, Mikayla is into clothes and knows what she likes and what she doesn't.  She got so many new clothes (thanks nana!) and a new big girl lunch box! During our shopping trip to Target I thought Mikayla was shaking the door to the dressing room and kept telling her not to.... I kept saying "Mikayla, get away from the door!"... turns out it wasn't her and it was a 45 second earthquake!! Holy cow!!

When we arrived home last night I quickly got to work making BLT's.  I knew I wanted something fast and easy for dinner, and sandwiches oer the summer are always a favorite go-to meals.  I made mine into a salad, complete with roasted brussel sprouts in it and bleu cheese dressing

I love having kitchen scissors and usually use them instead of a knife, especially to make a "chopped salad".  Its so easy and you don't cut your fingers!

Pete had a BLT with a fried egg, and Mikayla had "Clam Soup", which would be New England Clam Chowder.  On today's agenda is lots of cooking, baking, laundry, and packing! Yay for family days spent at home!! Maybe I will even fix my camera today and finally begin taking decent photos.