creeper elf

Well Im off to work, but I wanted to show were Justin was hiding this morning.

 Is it me, or does he look a little creepy? haha.

Oh well, Happy Wednesday!

Sweet Potato and Yam Casserole

Printed this recipe from The Peanut Butter Boy last week (love his recipes!) I made a few changes, and I didn’t make the turkey part, but here is the casserole part! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes

12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed

1/3 c creamy natural peanut butter

1/3 cup maple syrup (I used agave nectar)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

1.) Dice sweet potatoes, and spray glass baking dish and place inside.

2.) Place PB in microwave for 20 seconds to melt. Drizzle over top of potatoes

3.) Top potatoes w/ syrup, cranberries, and spices.

4.) Add a little water to bottom of dish

5.) Cover w/ foil. Bake for one hour or until potatoes cooked through and tender

ENJOY!

 

 

 

 

 

andrew loved it! especially the cranberries. The cranberries were alittle tart for me but I love this recipe. Could defiantly add some more peanut butter 🙂

Gym blah and before/after

The day started by finding justin

After getting to school, I went back to bed. I have had NO energy the past few days, and Im needing tons of sleep! (no im not pregnant or depressed. Dont want any rumors haha)

Breakfast than the gym. I was not feeling ANYTHING. Started on the treadmill. After 5 minutes, moved to the step machine (1st time). Then elliptical for 20 min.

I then hit the weights! I was actually more interested in this and that NEVER happens haha. I can actually start to see my muscles again!

Lunch was nothing special

But dinner was something new! Recipe tomorrow!

We then had boy scouts. I was in charge of the craft, so we made ornaments w/ string and glue. Then you let it dry and pop the balloon

See the munchin in the back? haha

I also changed a few decorations in the house. Out w/ the fall decorations- in with the green and red!

BEFORE

AFTER

 BEFORE

AFTER

 Just a little bit at a time!

Question for you:

What is your workout at the gym?

 

 

 

 

Justin the Elf arrives

Today was busy busy. Got a lot ton.

I was not feeling the gym AT ALL this morning. Time to run errands instead. First was walgreens for a return. My parents to look at the ads in the newspaper.

Target. I got WAY too much stuff.  A lot of xmas stuff and I am looking for CHEAP riding boots. I love these from target, but I cant find them and they don’t sell them online 😦

Also, tried Macy’s w/ no luck. But I did get Andrew a lot of xmas gifts so I guess it all worked out.

By the time I got home, it was time for lunch! Quick snack and then gym!

 The gym was ok . nothing special, but I should have worked out harder.

Shower and then got Andrew from school.

While making dinner, the kitchen was a diaster!

 Dinner was pork tenderloin w/ peppers and some cheese. A side of greek yogurt and granola and grapes

 Of course, our household got a visitor!

 Have you heard of this before? Well the kids name the Elf. And each night he goes to tell Santa if you were good or bad. Then he flies back and is found in a different spot. Then in the morning the kids have to find the new spot. You can make some pretty funny ones!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(seriously check out pinterest has a ton of pictures!)

So far Andrew is having a blast w/ it (and me too!)

Meet Justin Richards the Elf

 We found him watching tv in MY spot haha.

My best friend/cousin Jill got this for Andrew, and I will keep you updated on his locations! haha

(notice: I did MUCH better on the food front! YEA me! haha)

Question for you:

Have you heard of Elf on the Shelf? Do you do it for your kids?

Are you getting ready for the Christmas?

Workin’ It

This whole weekend I have been working and Im SOOO glad I have the next two days off. And then next weekend I have a getaway!!!! YEA!!!

Today on the food front was SO much better. I still didn’t eat 100% paleo. but I made better choices when all I wanted was candy, junk, and soda

Breakfast: Coffee, Raisin bagel, and grapes

Lunch: Turkey burger on a arnolds thin w/ red pepper, spinach and ketchup. Sweet potato fries. Pudding w/ pecans

Snack: chocolate covered pretzels, greek yogurt

Dinner: pepper and hummus (REALLY wanted to eat dessert for dinner haha)

Calories: 1741 (450 calories from pretzels- damn)

Oh well. tomorrow its gym time and time to be by myself. And I have to get the house back in order 😦

Question for you:

What did you do this weekend?

 

OHH sugar

So on the food front. I can NOT get away from the candy and junk. Every since thanksgiving (imagine that!??! haha)

I have also been working the past two days, and the junk is everywhere. I also had a pretty sick kid yesterday, so the first time I actually sat down was 1 in the afternoon.

So I eat when Im tired. Also when Im bored. I eat more when I eat junk. And today, was one of those days!

Food List:

-Coffee, Oatmeal, banana

-Trail mix & swedish fish & 2 reeses

-Almonds

-Leftover thanksgiving food (turkey, sweet potatoes) Chocolate pudding

-Apple slices. More swedish fish and reese’s 😦

– Pepper and hummus (once I got home I knew I needed to get some veggies! hardly ANY today!)

It doesnt look horrible when I put it on here, but the trail mix was 400 calories ALONE!~

Well, the moral of the story is I NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER!

Question for you:

Do you find that it is hard to get back into the groove after a holiday?

And Im not sure why, but after work THIS song was in my head haha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOXG8wtxx_w

(sorry. the video feature isn’t work on my wordpress- not sure why…..)

Versatile Blogger Award

This week I was honored by Nikki at Life After Swimming w/ the Versatile Blogger award

I seriously love her blog! So I was so excited when she awarded me with this (seriously. check out her blog!)

Anywho! 7 random things about me:

1.) I hate being cold. I will layer up ALL winter (yes. weird since I have yet to turn on the heat. Thats cuz I’m cheap haha)

2.) Some of my favorite movies are transformers and harry potter (although I love chick flicks too)

3.) I am double jointed. I can put both my feet behind my head, but it isnt pretty haha

4.) I have never lived outside of St louis (except for a year and 1/2 in college) and here I have lived in the same 5 mile radius

5.) I went to catholic school from gradeschool through highshool (and highschool was an ALL GIRL school. yea plaid skirts!)

6.) I used to hate coffee, mushrooms, tomatoes, and peppers.

7.) I rarely cuss. If I do it is because I am mad or drunk. I say Oh geez, Oh Lordy, and Son of A…..

I will pass on the award!

-Caitlyn Healthy Tipping Point

– Courtney at Sweet Tooth Sweet Life

-Gretchen at Honey I shrunk the Gretchen

-Colleen at The Lunch box Diaries

THanks again Nikki!

Turkey Day (lots of photos!)

How was everyone’s thanksgiving?!?!

My day started with a big breakfast with Andrew.

Of course we goofed around too haha

Oatmeal pancake and LOTS of coffee!

 And then we watched the parade. Someone was VERY excited about santa and asked the whole THREE hours when Santa was going to be there haha

 After the parade, we headed to my parents and played baseball for two hours! Then it was time to make the rest of the food

 Of course while we were cooking, the guys were checking out the four wheeler haha

  We then ate A TON!

 Of course we took a lot of pictures!

Me and my brother

   Everyone just hanging out before dinner

 Me and Andrew

  We also played the Wii and some cards. Eventually it was bedtime and bigger pants

 haha I actually did pretty good w/ the food. I ate but didnt go crazy like usual 

 Question for you:

Do you have any thanksgiving traditions?

What is your favorite food for thanksgiving?

-I LOVE sweet potatoes and raisin dressing

One on One

Had a great day today! Started out w/ breakfast with Andrew before sending him off to school. I then went to help my mom (who is hosting the family for thanksgiving) get some food ready.

We made THREE pies: pumpkin, lemon and chocolate. Green beans, sweet potatoes and cucumbers. (my mouth was ALREADY ready for thanksgiving!)

Andrew got home from school, and it was time for lunch! Sweet potato fries, chicken and veggies w/ a sprinkle of parmesan. (I did have a few tootsie rolls for dessert- not paleo, but Ididn’t eat a million like I use to!)

After hanging out, it was time to clean! this house needed it! Andrew did help a lot, but then took a mini break haha. Love his funny face!

After dinner, I had yoga on the schedule! My neighbor Pam and I got a groupon and found this AWESOME yoga place. This is actually our second groupon w/ them.

Well, Pam kindof bailed. But instead of saying “ok Im going to stay home too” I left the house and got my butt to the yoga studio. And it was JUST ME and the teacher!

At first, I was like PLLEASE someone else come. And then when no one did, I just embraced the opportunity. I actually did a new pose too!

But I didn’t do it in heels! haha

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Question for you:

What are you doing for thanksgiving?

What household chore do you HATE?

Spinning and Paleo

I apologize for yesterday. I did not mean by the title, that I was making a casserole WITH a baby in it haha. Only that the casserole was for my friend who HAD a baby. hahaha. (I thought it was funny)

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Today, started w/ taking andrew to school and then I went back to bed. Yep. I woke up at 4 am. WIDE AWAKE. whats up with that???

After sleeping in, I grabbed a half a banana and pb and headed to the gym for spin class!

I havent been in so long and I knew I needed someone else to kick my butt because I wasn’t feeling motivated today. And it totally work. I was a sweaty mess after 15 minutes! Seriously it was gross, and I had to run out of the gym when the hour was up so people didn’t smell me or notice my cherry face!

It was SO MUCH worse than Kirsten Dunst

Next was a really long shower and my favorite breakfast in the world!

I then spent most of the day in this position. I watched a lot of Ellen and began reading this book.

(and no we havent turned the heat on. just using a space heater!)

Thanks to my awesome friend Tiffany, I am FINALLY doing something that she has been telling me for MONTHS to do. and that is reading and starting the paleo diet.

I just started the book, but basically it is about eating what our ancestors ate millions of years ago. Meats, fish, eggs, fruits, veggies, and healthy fats. No dairy

But a few weeks ago, I just started by cutting caffeine. No more diet soda! (except for a treat- like when I go out to dinner, stuff like that) I also am cutting WAY back on the sugar. I LOVE candy and sweets, so this one was really hard! I am the type that wants something sweet after a meal (who’s w/ me on that!?)

I will keep you guys updated! I actually made a Paleo dessert, that I will share with you guys this weekend!

Dinner was actually pretty good too.

Turkey burger w/ ketchup, spinach, red pepper on a arnolds thin. W/ sweet potato fries and blackberries

Even andrew liked the turkey burger! I was surprised! (and that glass of wine I didn’t drink. I wanted to, but then lost interest)

Question for you:

Have you ever tried a “diet” or the paleo diet?