Blue Skies

Blue skies smilin' at me...


Nothin but blue skies do I see



Never saw the sun shinin' so bright



Never saw things goin' so right



Noticing the days hurrying by

When you're in love, my how they fly.


Happy Friday! :)

P90x Torture & A Good Cause

I continuously find myself getting bored with my workouts...I've strayed from my typical Jillian Michael's workouts and started P90x this week. The one con I've found is that the workouts are 2-3 times longer than JM's. I'm only 2 days into it and have only been able to get half way through the videos, primarily for two reasons: 1) my legs/arms turn to jello, 2) I need to stuff my face and sip on some delicious wine.

 I had planned on doing half of the plyometrics last night before going out to dinner with my lovely ladies. By the time I was done I was gasping for air and sweating like no other. 

The best part of the whole scene- my lovely bf was watching/yelling at me while eating Taco Bell. #rude


Today I'm so stiff, sore, practically immobile from Day 1's Arms & Back, Ab Ripper X and last night's Plyometrics. Can't wait to see how tonight's Arms & Shoulders, Ab Ripper go. I may lose a limb. My goal is to get at least 3/4 of the way through it before collapsing. #makingprogress


Considering my inability to complete the videos so far, I'm thinking of making it a P180x and repeating weeks until I can get through the whole thing. It's a great workout and this way my hope is that I won't become bored so quickly. I also need to take it a little light this week if I'm going to be able to complete a 5K on Saturday. Speaking of which... 
The Animal Welfare Association is hosting a 5K to raise money for animals. The AWA is an organization dedicated to eliminating animal suffering, promoting the importance of the human-animal bond and improving recognition of the role of animals in the well-being of people. AWA has been 'caring for animals...benefiting people' for over 60 years. It offers a wide variety of services and programs including animal adoption, low-cost veterinary clinic, foster care, pet therapy, humane education, rehoming support and so much more! My goal is to raise $100, so please, any & all contributions are welcome and extremely appreciated.

Good Food, Great Friends, and One Serious Hangover

Last week was my boy’s birthday. He wasn't nearly as excited about this as I was. I may have gone a little crazy trying to get him on the same page as me. Because it was the first real gathering we were having in our new place, I frantically cleaned all week and tried to find a place for everything that was in the last few boxes I was hiding in the spare bedroom. The birthday boy’s request was to have friends over for dinner and cake. On the menu: crab mac & cheese, pulled pork, spinach, and strawberry cheesecake (not one ounce of chocolate- boggles my mind). Recipes are at the end of this blog J

I had to work the day this was all occurring, so everything was prepared prior- including opening presents…again, I was way too excited for this to wait. I was prepared to do presents at midnight, so technically his birthday; however, my old man was already falling asleep at 9:30pm. I had to lure him awake with gifts (& a milkshake). Among his gifts: Ray-Bans, Javier Hernandez t-shirt & toy (for the kid in him).

Ray-Bans :)

& then he fell back asleep

Thursday rolled around and I was extremely happy with myself for having everything basically prepared for when I got home from work and was actually able to sit and relax for a bit before everyone started arriving. In the end it was a success….I’m thankful for everyone that came to celebrate & hope they enjoyed themselves as much as my birthday boy and I did.

Uncle Danny & Ryder (most popular guest)

Making a wish <3 

Recipes:

Crab Mac & Cheese: I couldn't find manchego cheese so I substituted with a colby & monterey jack blend.

Pulled Pork: Pork loin in the crock pot with about 1/2 c. of chicken broth & 1 bottle of bbq sauce on low for 6-8 hours.

Spinach: fresh spinach, chopped, and sauteed in minced garlic & EVOO

I made Chicken wrapped Asparagus this weekend:

Topping: 1/2 c. mayo, 3 tbsp brown mustard, chopped fresh basil

Pound chicken breasts out to 1/4 inch. Cover with shredded mozzarella cheese and 4-5 pieces of asparagus (pre-cooked in the microwave 1 1/2-2 minutes) and wrap up tightly, placing the seam side down in a baking dish. Spread some of the topping on the chicken   and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, pressing into the topping. Bake on 425 degrees for 25 minutes. #delicious I paired this with bow-tie pasta with fresh tomatoes & basil and a spinach salad with strawberries and goat cheese in a balsamic vinaigrette. I received a leg massage (ran 3.2 miles that day in preparation for a 5k on Saturday) after dinner. #itwasthatgood #winning

Home Sweet Home

First, I'd like to say that I have the best boyfriend for doing the most of the move. Anyone who rents a truck, makes 5 stops, and carries all the furniture (+ the help of some wonderful friends) into our new apartment, all while I'm at work, gets an A+++ from me! Now finding a place for everything that was brought from 2 different houses into a 2 bedroom apartment was not necessarily an easy task, but I accepted the challenge (& won!). 

The first weekend was consumed with unpacking and getting Lulu accustomed to her new environment. My baby does not welcome change with open arms. Elevators are a non-starter for her. She put on the brakes at first sight of the monstrosity. Thankfully her tiny lil 5 lb body glided very easily. She also had to endure a change in potty habits. Since we're on the top floor, walking her just didn't seem like a good idea to me. We bought a turf potty for her. I'm not sure who this was worse for, the boy or Lulu. She peeked through the door with her sad eyes, and he buried his face in a pillow unable to look at the level of patheticness. After several days of holding it in, she finally mastered the concept. The clapping and praising was endless (at 8 am). #ProudMommyMoment

It's been about 3 weeks and the last box has finally been unpacked. I can finally rest...until I need to start obsessively cleaning, cooking, etc...Having a place where you can only blame yourself (& the boy) for a mess is exhausting. I'm obsessed with Clorox wipes and 12 am vacuuming. #wackadoodle

Here are some pics :)

The first meal was prepared Day 1 at 12 am ;)

This view has been altered to include a new 55" LED Toshiba & stand. #boys&theirtoys

Lulu approves of the new couch

Master Bedroom

Cannot wait until the rain stops and I can enjoy this!

In love with this view #sellingpoint

While it hasn't all been up's (obviously a huge adjustment), there is no one I'd rather come home to then him. <3 

My boy's birthday is tomorrow and I'm (super excited to say the least) looking forward to hosting our first real gathering with friends. 

The Crib

bathroom

dining room

dining room again

kitchen

living room....to the left of the couch will be the door to the balcony

master bedroom

your room when you visit :)

I like my butt whoopin's with a kick...

The latest JM workout arrived on my doorstep today!!! Eeeppp!

Woop! Woop! I was seriously excited. The last few workouts of Ripped I was actually beginning to get a little bored. Don't get me wrong, it was still kickin my @$$, I was just bored of the moves. Enter Extreme Shed & Shred. This workout infuses kickboxing, yoga, Jiu-Jitsu, cardio, and strength training. One of the main reasons I like JM's videos is because the moves are simple, yet effective. To be honest, I...how can I put this...I almost completely lack hand/leg/foot/arm-eye coordination. It's a wonder I can put one foot in front of the other without falling on my face. (I may stumble a bit, but I don't fall down) So this workout was going to be a real challenge. 

There are three options: Level 1 (30 min), Level 2 (30 min), or Level 1 & 2 combined. She recommends doing 1&2 straight through...I however know better  then that when starting one of her new workouts. As I expected, it was awesome. The warm-up seemed extra long, probably because the workout was longer than the Ripped 20 min. I loved all the different moves, but definitely struggled through the kickboxing parts. I'll get it with practice (maybe). 

I huffed and puffed, felt muscles I didn't know I had....

But I lived to write this blog ;)  Muscles willing I'll be trying out Level 2 tomorrow before proceeding to the 1&2 combo.

I'm off to bed! It's been a fun few days, but I have some serious beauty sleep to catch up on.

xoxo

"I savored every last bite..."

Seems the Crock Pot Beef Stew was a hit :) So as promised here is the recipe:

1 package ( 1+ lb) of stew meat
1 can of Campbells condensed Cream of Mushroom
1/4 c. onion
1/4 c. celery
1 1/4 c. water
1/2 c. red wine (I used Merlot)
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 small package of baby carrots
1 small bag of baby yellow potatoes (halved)
salt & pepper

1. Combine the water, wine, and cream of mushroom soup in the crock.
2. Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine.
3. Cook on low for 10-12 hrs. (Yours may take a shorter amount of time. I had it on for 12 hrs while at work)

and....Voila!

The bestie and G came over to enjoy with me! G was especially fond of the carrots, as was the bf. Something about wine infused carrots that's just sooo 'licious. 

We ate; we talked; we played with the doggies; we had cupcakes....

Mommy & G

G lovin' her cupcake

Dear Santa, I've been VERY good ;)

It was a great night....but wasn't over yet. An 11:10 pm (yes, PM...you read that correctly) soccer game followed....I know. Blasphemy. But there's nothing I love more than going to support my boy and watch him dance circles around the other team ;)

Total domination... Poor guys. They were good spirited though. Probably a sign that they're used to losing.

I think those shoes would glow in the dark.

If anyone has any slow cooker recipes (or any recipes at all) to share, feel free to comment!

xoxo