Well. It’s official. I survived my six 12 hour shifts in the NICU.
WAHOOO!
Unfortuantly, it wasn’t that great and included several difficult days. First, with the babies, and then with the rest of this week.
To lift my spirits, pizza and wine with ALL of Andrew’s pumpkins haha
I hope ALL my blogging buddies and their families are ok on the East Coast. Here in the NICU, we were talking about how they had to evacuate their NICU babies. I can’t imagine!
Sometimes a song comes on the radio, and you immediately think of someone or some event in your life. These remind me of someone very special to me ❤
-these are all lovey dobey songs. I apoligize haha
While the meatloaf was baking in the slow cooker, I wiped up this fast pumpkin bread. It took about 5 minutes!
Ingredients:
Directions:
1.) Mix flour, salt, baking soda, and spices
2.) Add pumpkin, honey, stevia, and eggs
3.) Scoop into loaf pan
4.) Bake at 350 for 35-45 min
5.) cool for 1 hour
ENJOY!
When it came to planning meals for the rock n’ roll weekend, it was no surprise TIffany, Angela, and I had it all planned out. We are also lucky, Tiffany has some AMAZING paleo recipes.
Friday, I was DESPERATELY trying to get the house clean because my guest were only a few hours from arriving, I put together the easiest meatloaf recipe from TIffany, and then I found paleo pumpkin bread. BOTH were completely finished off! THEY WERE THAT GOOD!
(which is actually from paleo slow cooker book by Christie Gower)
Ingredients:
Directions:
1.) Finely chop cauliflower and garlic in food processor
2.) In large bowl, mix ground beef, salsa, and eggs.
3.) Add cauliflower mixture to meat mixture.
4. ) Add almond meal and spices to meat mixture.
5.) Kneed and mix all together, shape into loaf and place in slow cooker.
6.) Spread tomato paste over top
7.) Bake 4-6 hours of until internal temperature is 160 degrees
ENJOY!
Paleo pumpkin bread to come tomorrow……
I was lucky enough to have the past 7 days off! Working three 12 hour shifts can be really nice that way. But now, now I pay. haha. I have to work Thursday-Tuesday. It won’t be pretty.
But instead of worrying about it. I decided to make a BIG batch of stew
I added carrots, peas, green beans, and sweet potatoes to the beef stew. YUM!
So now, I just have to make it to Tuesday. And then Mr Flowers will be here- OFFICIALLY!!!!!!
This past weekend, I completed the 2nd rock n roll half marathon in St Louis and the expo.
Last years medal
So this year, training didn’t go as planned. Well, to be honest it went the total OPPOSITE of planned, considering I was signed up for the full. Oh well
(rewind to sunday)
Tiffany and I woke up MIGHTY early to get so yummy food, get dressed, and on the road! We only had a 10 min drive haha
We walked around trying not to freeze to death (it was a windy 40 degrees!), went to the bathroom, and found Rob and ANgela!! Tiffany was in corral 5 (ms speedy!) while Rob, Angela, and I hung back.
Before we knew it, it was time to get going! I think we stayed together for about a half mile. So it was just me and my IPOD. We are best friends haha. I was actually feeling pretty good. I was wide awake, even my knee was cooperating. I was keeping a 10 min/mile pace. I felt great till about 7 miles.
Then it went down hill a bit….. My left ankle was in A LOT of pain. Running was kindof out. Which was really frustrating, because I have never had to walk before. But I didn’t want to make it worse.
At mile 8, I was feeling better so I told myself, you can run down hill and on flat, but NOT uphill. That seemed to help. (along with texting Tabor and my brother. I needed the emotional support to keep going!)
So I walked. Eventually, I was ok with that. And I finished, which was my goal haha
Check Angela’s blog. She has a few posts all about the race with great pictures!
(fast forward to Monday night)
I mayyy have had a bit of a break down.
I decided it was time for wine while watching the Cardinals game. Then they lost.
I was getting any better, so it was time for the big guns! Bath, muscle, magazine, and candles (I used the pillow gift you gave me tiffany!)
I hoping the week (and my ankle, knee, hip) have a better week starting today!!!
Yesterday, I decided I needed to get a GOOD stretch in. I wasn’t as sore as I thought, or dying haha.
Sunday night, I made sure to ice everything! ankle, hip, knee. CHECK! while watching the Cardinals game, and checking emails
Monday, was all about relaxing. I took Andrew to school. Laid in bed while I iced everything, again. And check millions of emails. It was the perfect rainy day to do nothing!
Then it was time for yoga!
And boy did yoga help!
After I did Day 1, I still wasn’t over stretching. So I went to youtube, and found this music.
It was heavenly, and I’m feeling a bit better too
-I used to think if you weren’t sweating you were getting a good workout. Now I know the truth. The video I did today was definitely more of a stretch, I didn’t sweat, but it still felt SO GOOD!
Right now, Tiffany, Angela, Rob, and I have just finished our races!! More on that tomorrow……
(rewind to Saturday)
Andrew and I were up bright and early Saturday. Ready to seize the day….right!?!?! Tiffany woke up a bit later, and then Rob and Angela arrived! It’s time to get the party started!!!
We headed downtown to the Rock n Roll expo.
It was the place to be!
lucky number 14022
Of course the girls got their picture together
Rob is running too!. Andrew was a great photographer
Andrew will beat us all!
Trying to get fancy with the photos
Later on, I packed all my goodies while I’m waiting for my marathon friends to finish.
I am still a bit bummed that I didn’t make the cut for the marathon. But if it’s meant to be, it will happen. I don’t think I will sleep because I am SO excited for them! Tiffany is going to run her marathon in like 4 hours!!! ” She is crazy fast” as Rob would say. He has me laughing all the time (I don’t know how you do it Angela). Angela is so upbeat and friendly! I feel like I have known her forever! But I guess, we DO know each other from the past two years! Tiffany is like my mentor. I had a million questions for her about recipes, her girls, running, you name it!
Andrew and I are definitely sad they will be leaving us 😦
– this will be my second!
You know what this means……..
Tiffany, Rob, and Angela are here!
And Tiffany’s famous 3lb sweet potato
Today, we are heading to the St Louis Rock n Roll Expo, maybe the farmers market, and possibly a rugby game in Forest park for Rob to WATCH! (he desperately wants to play)
In just ONE day, Angela, Tiffany, and Rob will be here to run the marathon! (I think I’ve mentioned it a few times…..)
Only because I am So excited! The day started with a trip to Sam’s for groceries, and then yoga. I was STILL tight from my run a few days ago. (Hollie you were right, I NEED to stretch more!)
Then it was time for Trader Joe’s (just some of my things I picked up)
This looks much better
Yum pumpkin butter
Also started to get stuff together for the race. Charging the IPOD while listening to Stereo Hearts Radio on Pandora
I also just finished surrendering playing light sabers and guns with Andrew and two of his friends. I think I won…. haha
Tomorrow: deep cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms, start crock pot dinner, go for a LIGHT run, there was something else….darn it. It will come to me haha
My new favorite song
-Thats a tough one. I LOVE whole foods (its bigger) but trader joe’s is a better price
Livin' Life In Louie 