Friday Fitness

I feel so off today. Like I know it's Friday, but it feels like...Saturday? Sunday? Vacation??

Last night my parents treated me, my husband, and two boys to a night at a local waterpark hotel while they took on the twin challenge.

We stayed at Great Wolf Lodge and had a great experience overall.

The boys were totally baffled at why there was a fridge, but no food in it.

Ahh, digging for gold. It's like he's made himself at home already.

After an afternoon and evening of wave pool-ing and lazy river-ing, we were ready for some bedtime cartoons.

PS It's all I can do to *not* reach for my phone and putz while the boys are watching their TV shows. Uggh so addicted to the screen!

It's all fun and games at Great Wolf until you go to your van the next morning and realize it's been broken into. WHAT. You know what was stolen? My $12 sunglasses and Mac's lunchbox. How messed up on meth do you need to be to STEAL A KID'S LUNCHBOX?!

What also hurts is that it was an expensive Pottery Barn Kids one, complete with insulated Thermos and water bottle. Boo hoo hoo. Guess now they can keep their meth nice and...hot? Cold? UGH.

After last night's poolside meal of burgers and fries, plus feeling lingering rage from the stealing of the lunchbox, I hopped on the treadmill for a quick workout as soon as the babies were down for afternoon nap.

A glamorous set up going on in my basement? Faaaaar from it, but, it gets the job done.

Weirdly enough my fave thing to workout to is the 90's Country Channel.

I've scrubbed the 8-pounders many times but they look chronically dusty *but* they get the job done.

Two of my favorite DVDs- love an intense 20 minute workout.

I loathe running on the treadmill. Instead I crank up the incline and walk at a fast pace. You guessed it- IT GETS THE JOB DONE.

Most of the time when I'm attempting to do a workout the boys follow me into the basement as well. Fine by me...except when they want to do the treadmill with me, or "spot" me during my push ups. Ultimately it's a good thing for them to see my husband and I place a value on fitness, not to look a certain way, but to have strength and energy to, well, parent.

One of my blogging goals for the upcoming year is to dedicate the first Friday of every month to a fitness post. I'd love to do tutorials on cardio and strength training and provide brief but effective routines. Is this something you would have interest in reading? Let me know!

'Til then...if anyone happens to see a truck print Pottery Barn Kids lunchbox set on Craigslist...or in a pawn shop...or in a ditch somewhere...let me know.

The top thing you don't want to hear in the middle of the night...

Oof.

It has been quite the 48 hours in our house.

It started Tuesday night. I was patting myself for an early bedtime (9 pm WOOP WOOP!), then before I knew it, it was 11:30 pm and our 4 year old was running upstairs bawling because "I just puked all over my bed! And the stairs! And the flooooor!"

My husband and I cleaned up as quickly and quietly as we could, went back to bed, then ONE minute later the two year old was screaming "I puuuuuuuuked!"

Ugggggggggggggggggggggggg.

Since their shared bedroom is on the lower level, I slept on the couch...er, laid on the couch, ears wide open for the teeniest of moans alerting me to spring up with bucket in hand. This is a mom-brag here but from there on out I was 8/8 for catching the barf! YEAH BABY!

Between doing that and swapping out laundry, we were all up til 4 am. Woof. Fortunately by morning the boys were feeling great. We still opted for a lazy day- I unfolded the couch bed for them and there was a lot of Daniel Tiger going on.

As a kid I always craved a blueberry muffin after a barf bout so I made a quick batch of box mix for the boys, which they happily ate.

My BFF.

Is it *not* normal to keep a tub of this in your bathroom for extra sheet washing sessions while your washer is stuffed full?

This past weekend my mother in law made a soup that the boys devoured, so I made a version of it myself. If there was ever a day that called for the slow cooker, this was it.

Cabbage Roll Soup -1 64 oz bottle tomato juice -1 tablespoon vegetable flavor Better Than Bouillon or one bouillon cube -2 lbs lean ground beef -1 large onion, diced -1 teaspoon minced garlic -1 large head green cabbage, chopped into 1-2" pieces (see photos for how I did this) -1 head cauliflower, chopped, with core removed -1 tablespoon dried parsley -1 teaspoon salt -1 teaspoon pepper -1 teaspoon paprika -1 teaspoon onion powder

#CabbageRollSoup

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, cook beef, onion, and garlic. While that's cooking, pour the tomato juice into the slow cooker. Refill the bottle half full with hot tap water and add bouillon. Shake to combine as best you can, then add that to the slow cooker as well. Add beef mixture and the remaining ingredients. The slow cooker will be jam packed and might seem too chunky, but the cabbage and cauliflower shrink down as they cook and become tender. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

Recipe makes 8 heaping servings of roughly 3 cups. Per serving: 250 calories, 19 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber (a good amount!), 8 grams fat, 27 grams protein.

I didn't plan on either of the boys eating this so close to, um, tossing their cookies, but they happily chose this over more bland foods. Good thing they are back to normal and this mama can get some sleep!

2018 is *so* last year

I gotta tell you- as much as I love Christmas, I love the anticipation of starting a new year. The whole out-with-the-old in-with-the-new really strikes a chord with me. So much so that I made my husband do a nose pore strip with me before we went to bed. FRESH START even for our faces.

The nails say WOO HOO NYE! The face mask and flannel PJs say LET'S START 2019 WELL RESTED!

Treat myself to some simple white fresh start roses? Okay!

The only thing I truly resolve to do in 2019 is stop referring to the twins as turds. Bad mom alert. I just don't want the boys picking up on that nickname and also using it.

I like to start off the New Year with a high nutrient meal. I know it's so popular to jump on a diet bandwagon and do a particular program, but I just aim to use more veggies. One of my favorite meals of the past year is curry- it's so versatile and delicious and freezable and my kids eat it up. If there are veggies you like that aren't listed, add them! This time I made a tofu version. Ahem, it's now 2019- have you tried tofu yet?? If not, this is your year, baby. And this is your recipe.

Tofu Curry -2 cups dry instant brown rice -1 package extra firm tofu, moisture squeezed out and cut into 1/2 inch-ish cubes -2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil -1 red onion, diced -1 bell pepper, seeded and diced -2 cups matchstick carrots -1 cup frozen peas -1 small bag steamer whole green beans -Half a bag of fresh spinach -1 can light coconut milk (shaken well to mix) -1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt -1 teaspoon turmeric -1 teaspoon curry powder -Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes -1/2 teaspoon salt -1 teaspoon pepper -1/2 teaspoon garlic powder -1 tablespoon lemon juice #tofucurry

If you're looking to be suuuuuper low carb here, you could omit the rice. I personally like it because it packs even more fiber and helps stretch the meal to a heaping six servings while keeping it cheap. Another alternative would be subbing two bags of frozen cauliflower rice.

Make the rice according to package instructions. You could do this earlier in the day and refrigerate until ready, or even freeze it.

To make curry, heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add cubed tofu. Stir around occasionally until it's lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion and bell pepper to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes. These veggies are the thickest and take longest to cook. Er, that reminds me- go ahead and pop in the frozen green beans and microwave those according to package instructions.

Okay back to the pan- add the carrots and frozen peas. Stir around and cook for another five minutes. Add the heated green beans and spinach. Add the tofu back. Reduce heat to medium and cover.

In a medium bowl or 4 cup measuring bowl, whisk together coconut milk, yogurt, and seasonings (the rest of the ingredients). Pour over tofu/veggie mix and let simmer for at least 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

This recipe makes six heaping servings. Per serving: 320 calories (!), 38 grams of carbs, 11 grams of fat, and 12 grams of protein.

I hope your 2019 is off to a reduced pore, packing on the veggies, no more turd-callin' start like mine!