Sunday Snapshots

Two after 5 minutes of trying to nail a double under. 

When one screen isn't enough....Three playing Minecraft on Xbox, and watching a minecraft video on YouTube. 

I successfully dyed my hair purple. 

Park play between co-op and TKD this week. 

Practicing TKD forms at the park. 

He was giving me directions for my workout. A crossfit board designed by my 5 yr old. It went like this: 

Run, box jumps on that ledge, 8 lunges, run back, 8 lunges. 

Run, box jumps, 7 lunges, run back, 7 lunges. 

Run, box jumps, 6 lunges, run back, 6 lunges. 

He clearly has a future. 

Hangman with these crazies. 

Flashback Friday: Running Playlists

Here is the original post about my running playlist.

I posted that 2 full years before I ran my first half marathon.  My half marathon list needed to be around 3 hours long, my pace was right at 12 miles an hour.  When I was talking to friends about it they recommended I make it longer than it needed to be because a couple of them had run out of music before completing their half-marathon and it was tragic.  Here is a list of some of my favorite songs on my Run playlist.

The Big Bang-Rock Mafia
Bad-The CAB
What's Luv-Fat Joe
23-Miley Cyrus
The Motto-Drake
Started From the Bottom-Drake (THIS is my ALL TIME FAV running song, the beat is great.)
GUAP-Big Sean
Whistle-Flo Rida
Dance (A$$)-Big Sean
You Need Me, I Don't Need You-Ed Sheeran
Wake Up Call-Maroon 5
Gold Digger-Kanye West
See You Again-Miley Cyrus
The Man-Aloe Blacc

Skinny Housewife...sort of?

I mean...it's a vegetable recipe!  BUT...there's a lot of cheese.  And, I'm just not a fan of "low fat" cheese.  If you are, go for it.  

This post was posted by Courtney Luper on FB, but there isn't a link to a website for the recipe.  So, that's as much credit as I can give for where this recipe originates.  *shrug*

Things I did differently (c'mon...you know I hardly ever make a recipe 'as is':)  

I loathe boiled cauliflower.  If you're a fan, go right ahead, but I can tell you that you're wrong.  To start with, I roasted the head of cauliflower because I think it makes the cauliflower YUM-tastic.  Roasting cauliflower is simple.  Cut it up, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, put in oven.  Done.  I roasted mine at 375 for 30 minutes.  Stirring it around every 10.  

Second, I didn't have "light cream" in fact, I had never heard of it.  But a quick google search told me that I could use milk with melted butter (1/4 cup/1 TBLS.)  That's what I did.  

Third, I rounded the parmesan up to 3 TBLS even.  And I threw in a handful of cheddar (it's what I had) because cheese.  

Lastly,  I didn't use a hand-mixer at all.  So, it's a chunky consistency, BUT I'm not trying to "hide" what it is....I'm making it for my mom and I (who both really like cauliflower.)  If I was making it to try to pass off to my non-cauli loving kids....I might actually mix it.  Instead, I just used my hand-masher and let it be.  

This was amazeballs.  Nothing short of amazeballs.  I LOVED it.  My mom LOVED it.  My non-cauli-loving husband said "that's pretty good."  See?  Amazeballs.

CHEESY MASHED CAULIFLOWER heart emoticon

Ingredients:
1 med/ large head of cauliflower chopped up small
5 oz Cream Cheese
1/4 cup light cream
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic 3/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
2 and 1/2 Tbs Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Paprika
Non stick spray ( I used Olive oil spray)

Directions:
Pre heat oven to 350°
Chop Cauliflower and add to a boiling pot of hot water and boil for 10- 12 minutes.
Drain cauliflower well. ( while draining in colander.. I push out any excess water out with paper towels.)
Meanwhile in a bowl combine the cream cheese, light cream, salt, garlic and Parmesan cheese and using hand mixer mix until blended... add cooked cauliflower and mash together with mixture. I then use hand mixed to mix ..leaving some small chunks and place into greased baking dish, top with cheese sprinkle with paprika and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese starts to lightly brown.

Two for Tuesday

Printable Maps this week in co-op we are going to be talking about the 7 continents, so I printed maps of each of the continents and I will laminate them and let the kids try to put together Pangea.

Later on in this unit we will be discussing specific countries, and I think this will be a fun game to play:  The Continent Game  I'm currently trying to figure out a way to possibly adapt it to just the names of the continents....

And then I found this:  Continent Hop  My co-leader is bringing a globe, and I think we can adapt this game using the globe.  FUN!

Snapshot Sunday

Winter can suck it.  But, here is Three's snow angel. 

One and Two spent the snow days looking at old journals and notebooks and laughing A LOT.  (They both had all sorts of notebooks and journals that they wrote/drew in from the time they were 8 until they were probably 12....I kept them all and they dug them out of the attic.)

And, coloring.  

"No, no...it's ok mom, I'll just lay right here."

Short vowel word sort.

Testing for Yellow Belt.

This is what happens when I say "go do something else while your brother reads to me."  I clearly mean "wrap yourself in the blanket and lie on the floor 2 ft from me."

The sloth at our science museum was very active when we were there this week!

After co-op we went to the park, rode the merry-go-round and the train.

This picture is from a hike we did in January but the friend that took it just sent it to me, and I had to share.  This kid and his dimples.  <3 p="">

Sideways Saturday: A vacation!!!

We haven't gone on vacation since December of 2013.  I know for some of you, that doesn't seem like that long.  BUT we had become accustomed to getting away around Xmas each year, and then in 2014 it just wasn't a possibility.  We were all bummed.  So, when The Punk suggested that we go away for Easter weekend since he and I both have Good Friday off, I was *all in!*  Then, he looked and decided that the beach trip (our usual 'go to') was just out of the budget and he dismissively said "we'll just do it another time."  I was having none of that.  I just understand that logistically since I work on Monday and Friday another "long weekend" that works for both of us isn't going to happen any time soon.  So, I set out to find another option.  Something that would fall into our budget, and still be fun AND maybe something new.  I found it.  We are getting away to the mountains.  I've never been to the Appalachian Mountains (I've been to the Rocky Mountains though, WOOT.)  None of the kids have either.  So, it will be a new experience all around.  We can hike (something we all enjoy doing,) visit some caverns-I already am planning a lesson on stalactites and stalagmites-and also enjoy the hot tub and fire pit on site where we are staying.  I'm SUPER stoked about this.

Now, I wait a month.

And, we will get to the beach for Mother's Day (it's my gift to myself each year...a day trip to the beach with the kids) as well as for One's 17th birthday this summer (she's asked for a girls beach trip with her two best friends and her sister.)  AND I am immensely hopeful that I am going to successfully budget in a Xmas trip this year.  Seeing how much my kids preferred that to having more gifts here at home really stuck with me.  That we ALL preferred having 4 days together at the beach, and just a couple presents makes me feel like a winner.  I'm going to do my best to make that a reality again this year.

Flashback Friday

Wordy Wednesday: Do you.   I think this was the FIRST "do you" posts I penned.  It still holds true, and I am currently starting another Day Zero Project.  I logged in, and was able to cross 20 things off that list (which I had actually forgotten all about!) and was happy to see that even without looking at the list, I was still moving forward and accomplishing things that I wanted to do.

"My Ladies.." (which is what I call my senior citizen fitness class gals) mentioned that I'm always doing new 'crazy' stuff.  They meant CrossFit, Aerial Bootcamp, Mud Runs...etc, and I told them that I LOVE doing new things, trying new things, pushing myself and growing.  It's something I never want to stop.

So, now I'm off to create a new list.  *it will include some of the non-crossed off things on my original list, as some of them I'm still very interested in doing.

Skinny Housewife

If you've read here before, you know I'm big into training FOR things.  It helps motivate me and keeps me going.  Currently, I'm training for a Spartan Race series (3 races this year, Spartan Trifecta is calling my name.)  Plus, it gets me through the ENTIRE year, because there are races in April, August, and November.  

In order to build up my upper body strength-I have kick ass legs from Zumba and running-I've started a program on bodybuilding.com  I'm only in week 4, but I can see differences in my body already that are making me SUPER happy, and motivated.  I didn't set my alarm to go to the gym this morning (which I usually do) because I was SUPER exhausted yesterday, and honestly fell asleep at 8:30.  The Punk asked if I was going to the gym today (because today we don't have anything else going on, which means I COULD go at a time other than ass-crack-of-dawn...) and I said "I don't know....we'll see how sore I am, and how energized I feel once I get moving."  I just wasn't feeling it.  I'm not sleepy tired, but I'm PMS tired.  I'm sore, in every muscle group (except abs...and it's ab day...)  

Then, I rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom.  I started looking in the mirror.  I decided that my abs look better than they've ever looked.  I mean...I had 4 babies, all over 8 1/2 lbs.  My stomach is never going to be perfect, and I'm cool with that.  But, I am definitely seeing progress.  Then I turned to the side and noticed my butt (which is seriously my best ASSet) looks better too.   Perkier.  Tighter.  And, I can SEE my quads and hamstrings when I'm wearing work out gear (spandex pants, anyone??)   Ok, ok....I'm going to the gym.  

It's hard to lay out of the workout, after noticing results.  

This LiveFit with Jamie Eason  12 week program is what I am currently using.  When it's done, I'll move to the "fat burner" program most likely.  However, they have LOTS of options, and I may poke around a little more before I commit.  I may move to a "build strength" program that is tougher than this one.  If you go to the main site bodybuilding.com, choose training, find a plan...it takes you through some choices for what you are looking for.  I'm really enjoying the LiveFit, and I think it's been good for a beginner.  I have previously never lifted weights (I mean, I've done Bikini Body Mommy with 10 lb dumbells, and I teach a senior class where we use dumbells...but nothing more than that.)  I was pleasantly surprised at how much I can actually lift.  I also really like that Jamie Eason doesn't look "bulky," she just looks extremely toned.  That's what I'm looking to accomplish.  

Go check out the site!  

Two for Tuesday

Worth More Than Gold a writing craftivity with a St. Pat's Day theme!  Free from TPT.

Leprechauns Love to Race (place value game)  Also free from TPT.