1/2 slice of bread with Ham, mustard, 1/2 slice colby and 1/2 pickle
1/2 slice of bread with Turkey, colby, pickle 1/2.
Salad: romaine, bean sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, radish, snap pea, cabbage, hummus, a little goddess dressing
I know, I should have made this look much prettier but I didn't and it was delicious nonetheless. It was pumpkin pie for one, with steel cut oats as a crust and pumpkin "filling" . I didn't have anything else in our fridge really and no fresh fruit- so I threw frozen blueberries on top since it was too hot to eat immediately anyway.
Quick and Easy! I spent the morning putting away presents ( new hairdryer, candles, clothes, pillows etc etc!) and I went to the gym for a great workout. Stopped at the grocery store on the way home, had lunch, showered, then headed out to the bustling stores to make some returns.
Lunch:
Salad!! I LOVE VEGETABLES! My salad had romaine, raddichio, radishes, carrots, snap peas, purple (red) cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower! I added some reduced fat feta ( BOGO at Harris Teeter!) and lovely Athenos Lemon Garlic Greek Hummus (also BOGO at Harris Teeter). I had a whole wheat wrap with a salmon burger, pickle, and some goddess dressing. Delish!
Off to the stores, Bath and Body works is having their semi-annual sale and although I was considering more, I got another wallflower (Black Ameythst) and a scented oil as a gift for Momma Mo ( they are on sale for $3!!). I also stopped at Micheal's Craft Store and picked up some clips I needed for frames I made for Jeff ( he doesn't know exactly what they are yet!)
Jeff's football team was playing in a bowl game this afternoon, so we are watching it now.
with Popcorn
Tonight, his brother Jonathan bought us tickets to his alum's basketball game ( lower level!) for christmas and we are going with his brother PJ too!
Dinner: Sandwich and veggies (turkey and ham with mustard and a pickle)
Body:
Cardio at the gym: I ran a 5k in 23 minutes! It felt great aside from my toes still being weird. I have tried new shoes but now I know that it has something to do with my knee. I kept running but at a slower pace for another 2 miles. So total- 5.3 miles.
I cooled down with the elliptical for 5 minutes.
Mind:
suduko was super fast... organize house stuff now that we are back home. Next week I am planning a trip back to my parents before school starts. We also havent figured out what we are doing for New Year's Eve yet.
Soul:
I love running. I love my new leather purse, I love the beach ( going there while I am at my parents), I love all of my christmas presents from everyone and I feel spoiled but in an enjoyable way.
The football team lost but the basketball team won.
I am also conjuring up new year's resolutions, new blogging ideas, a romantic getaway ( one of the presents Jeff gave me) and hoping that my brother will be able to visit this week! I would LOVE to see him, that would be the most wonderful present ever.
I couldn't make up my mind what I wanted for lunch at first but it all came together so nicely.
I made a sandwich with just turkey and toasted bread, then wanted more protein ( my protein powder has some extra "recovery" ingredients so perfect for after a run!). I made a smoothie with 1/2 milk 1/2 water, mango, pineapple and protein powder. I wasn't sure what vegetable I wanted, but then saw frozen spinach and artichokes. So I heated those up in a bowl, added a little dab of smart balance, some salt and cracked black pepper, some pre-chopped bacon, some chobani, some fat free mayo, some shredded cheese. Mixed all of it really well then microwaved for another 1 minute. I threw in a glob of leftover sicilian sauce from yesterday too.
I don't really enjoy crackers or chips that much so I hardly ever have em on hand. I dipped my rather plain sandwich in it... SO GOOD! 
Body:
Run!!!!! No pain/twisty feelings ... I warmed up for 2 miles at speed 6.8 ( about an 8:35 min/mile) then jogged for 2 miles at speed 7.7 ( pace 7:47 min/mi )on the treadmill and then sprinted the last 1 mile,
My last mile sprint was:
0.25 at 9 mph
0.25 at 8.4
0.25 at 9.2
0.25 at 8.6
I walked for another 1 mile to cool down. It felt fantastic~
Mind:
suduko of course
i have did searching but nothing to write about yet. back to searching now
Soul:
Jeff heard back from the insurance company and they finally accepted liability for the accident and offered him a tiny settlement.... but at least its one big step in the right direction so he can rent a car and it will be paid for and he can find out soon what he will be offered for his truck!!
I love running, i swear it beats out any "case of blah" I ever have. It just makes me a happier person.
I am excited to have dinner at Momma Mo's and trim the tree!
Sunday Brunch:
French Toast with Fry Pan Bananas ( literally slice a banana into a frying pan, flip after a few seconds...heaven) and cottage cheese cloud
Pre-Run Snack / Lunch:
Body:
I really wanted to go for a run since the weather is so mild lately- this week is supposed to be 60's too! I was scarred to head out to this one trail because I didn't know if there would be enough people in December to make it feel safe. Well... Jeff said he would go with me!!!!!
Woohoooo!!! He has had such a difficult work schedule this year and its made it hard for him to exercise as much as he wants to. When we first met we would workout together all the time- runs, hiking trails, the gym, etc.! It was SO great to be outside with him and Jack and get fresh air & exercise again!
We walked most of the loop (2.82 miles) but jogged the last half mile, then I took off and ran the set of hills, turned around and ran back through the hills again and met back up with Jeff.
I ran a total 5.75 miles , 2 miles of that is all hills ( elevation was 6%, 4%, 3%, 2%), and I walked 2.5 miles with Jeff and Jack! It felt fantastic! My knee and toes are definitely still twisted/weird- I have no idea yet what the connection is but I'm not spending the money to see that crappy orthopaedic again
So now we get back home, Jeff the super-boyfriend decides that he wants to cook dinner for me AND do the dishes
Isn't he the best?!?! It was oh so yummy too..
Sweet Potato & Apple "Fries"
- chopped potato and apples baked with a sprinkling of sugar
"Fried" Okra
I was actually going to make this because I usually do it all healthy style. But Jeff really wanted to so I showed him how I do it : Here's how I do it
-heat a pan with smart balance light made with olive oil ( or just a T smart balance olive oil), thawed frozen okra then dipped em in a batter of egg whites & 1% milk, then in mix of equal parts cornmeal/whole grain organic flour (s& p), into the pan and done.
Teriakyi Chicken Breast ( cage free w/o hormones)
- he even cut it all up for me! single tear * ( i always cut mine up but we were eating on the couch and its too hard to do while on there )
Off to make a surprise treat!
The morning air was SO cold!! Temperature at 8:30 am race start was 35* !!! I had to take my inhaler a couple times at mile 2 then again at the end of the hill series ( about mile 3) - THOSE HILLS WERE SOOOO HARD!! The first two miles were the same as the last two but at a slight downhill slope to begin, then obviously slight incline the last two. The middle is what crushed me! I ran the first "Up down up down" then stopped and walked up then jogged down then had to walk up , jogged up down walked half way up then jogged the rest of the hill back up to the main 2 miles. I stopped again for water and mile 4 I just went all out- I wanted to pass every girl that I saw because I figured that was one more person I could get ahead of in my age group! I walked over 3 minutes ( I kept time on my ipod - I watched it for 1 minute during those hill times) . I finished 5.11 miles at 42 minutes 36 seconds!
I am very proud of that because with walking, I RAN faster than my overall pace 8:40 min/mile because that is based on the total time and I stopped/walked parts! Plus, I haven't been running for two-three weeks b/c of the respiratory infection- so super happy with my time! Woohoo! I am hoping now to work on that 3 minute stopping time so that I can cut the 3 minutes down for next race!
Here was my pre-run breakfast: banana bread, lots of banana, some non-fat yogurt for a little protein, some peanut butter and pumpkin butter
I have to say I was hoping it would be great fuel- lots of carbs, a little protein, a little fat- I think it was fine especially with my performance. But, I did get a weird knot- I was burping up all the garlic and pine nuts from the pasta the night before( *note- no garlic and pine nuts the night before my next race!)
The best part: My mom, dad, brother and his girlfriend and Jeff all got to see me run! 
After I cooled down my mom and i jetted over to Jeff's hockey game to watch him play... 
Then we jetted back to the house to shower and head over to Jeff's parents for turkey day!
Once there we had some quick nibbles ( two whole wheat crackers, some dip, I had four squares of that cheese, and three olives total, green pepper strips, cucumber and celery, those two little pastry puffs were filled with bacon, cream cheese and some kind of jalepeno)
Everyone played a long game of cards and I helped make the corn casserole and then we played football!!!!
My legs were SO dead by the end of our game! Jeff and I played against his brother and friend- We each scored two touchdowns but Jeff's brother won ( It was totally because i couldn't run around anymore)..Dinner was of course fantastic afterwards
Here is the Table: 
19.4 lb Turkey
My mother's cranberry relish ( SOOOO GOOD! fresh cranberries, pineapple, some oj, a little sugar )
Butternut Squash
Mashed Potatoes
Jeff's stepdad made Rolls
Stuffing ( at the bottom )
Homemade Green Bean Casserole ( fresh mushrooms, fresh green beans, cream, butter, etc etc)
A family friend brought sweet potatoes with apples and cinnamon- yum!
And my ginormous plate: 
I was soooo hungry! Butternut squash, cranberry relish, Turkey on top ( there was a roll that I ended up not eating under neath), Sweet Potato bits, corn casserole, green bean casserole.
I didn't quite finish the corn, butternut squash, the roll or the turkey but it was all delicious!
Jeff's mom tells this hilarious story every year and his brother and I decided to record it this year! Jeff's mom's mom (she turned 90 this year!) was there too, she had 8 kids ( so Jeff has 16 aunts/uncles!) - she is so hilarious too - you can hear her at the beginning of the video...
The video is in two parts and I am trying to figuring out how to add it on here- SO FUNNY!
