Half Marathon Training Week One: CHECK

So, I've officially started training for the half-marathon I'm running on December 13th. No more "training to train" or skipping workouts when I'm really not feeling all that into it. Although, I've been pretty good about to sticking to all of my scheduled runs the past few weeks to get myself into the habit. This week was not really anything new...a couple of 3 mile runs and a 4 mile run over the weekend. It took me almost 43 minutes to run those 4 miles. Not horrible, but I'm coming to terms with the fact that I'm just slow. The only real change was that Jon was out of town all week, which meant treadmill runs during the week (blah). Oh, and I came down with some nasty, funky head/chest cold or sinus infection thing. I was cracked out on all kinds of over the counter stuff all week because that's all I could really do. I'm just glad that I didn't wuss out and skip any runs or workouts, even though I felt like total crap. It's funny to think back to right after I had Liam and I would run (if you could even call it that) on the treadmill, thinking how awesome I was doing, but the thought of running outside scared the bejeebus out of me. Now I despise that stupid treadmill. It's boring, and makes 3 miles seem like they take all freakin' morning. Crazy how that's changed in a matter of months! So, even diseased and left to fend for myself (clearly, I survived!), my first week was a success. Now to start all over tomorrow :) One week down, eleven more to go.

Just Slap a Bumper Sticker on Me

Because I have officially entered "Soccer Mom" territory. Lord help us all! If you're waiting for me to cave and bust out with a minivan to go with that sticker, don't hold your breath ;) After 2 rain outs, and a couple of interesting practices (3 year old girls who pretty much all know each other running around for an hour, use your imagination), Ava had her first real game this morning. Her team is called the Rockettes, and her friend Marcy's dad is coaching. Alot of the girls on the team are from school or ballet, but she has met a few new friends too. There are only 2 teams of 3 year olds, so they are playing four, and even some five year olds this season. The team they played this morning was older, faster and most definitely more coordinated. What they did not have going for them were rockin' pink and white tie-dyed shin guards...thank you very much! Needless to say, the Rockettes got their cute little booties handed to them. Luckily, they have absolutely no clue! They had fun, and sweet Lily even scored a goal. I have to say that Ava does seem to get the basic concept of the game, but she is way too nice. We have to work on that! She seems to really enjoy it though, and it holds her attention for more than five minutes. That's always a plus :)

I'm sorry, WHAT?

That was my response when my daughter, who is obsessed with all things pink and princess...twirly and girly, informed me a while back that her new name was...are you ready for it: SPACESHIP ROCKS! Huh? I kind of blew it off at first, because she does have a slightly over-active imagination. She has not one, but at least two full time imaginary friends that we are aware of. Then, of course, those friends have friends, siblings, and so forth. You get the picture. While I was surprised at the name itself (I mean "Princess Fancy Pants" I wouldn't even bat an eye at), I was even more surprised at how adamant she is that I use it. I'll ask her to do some simple little thing and her response will be "But Mommy, my name is not Ava." I have found that there is no sense in arguing, because as soon as I ask "Spaceship Rocks, can you pick up your room"...voila, you can see her floor! Who knows how long it will last. I'm sure it's just another passing phase, and at least it's an amusing one. I think Jon and I are the only people that are required to call her this, and it's at random intervals. This officially confirms my theory that all kids have multiple personalities from birth, well into their teens :)

Kind of like Shampoo, but without the "P"

We went to Sea World with the madre this past weekend and when Ava asked for the millionth time what the whale's name was, that's what I came up with to help her remember. Maybe not the most creative thing in the world, but it seemed to do the trick. Ava absolutely loved it, and Liam was even more intrigued than I thought he'd be. It was fun to watch them. Ava even went on her first roller coaster, and put one hand up in the air...the little dare devil ;) I think it was worth the arm and leg you have to pay to get in!






The sea lions were so precious...loved them!


Obligatory "we were here" family pics. All hot and sweaty and my camera was about to die...nice one!

Because we are total suckers, we agreed to a $15 face paint job. Justifiable because she was on her very best behavior that day, and because I'm pretty sure we're the only business the poor kid who did it had all day!






We also got to hang out with Angie and her sweet family. She's getting married in November and we got to celebrate a couple of wedding showers with her. That wedding is definitely at the top of the list of things I'm looking forward to. Can't wait to see you guys in Asheville :)

Rain, Rain, Go Away....No, Seriously!

I am SO OVER all of the rain, drizzle, gray clouds, and overall gloominess. I love a good storm and we needed some rain, but enough is enough already. I have a stir crazy kid, I think we're all getting cabin fever. Ava has decided that if it keeps raining, we are going to have to build an ark. Even my dogs have gotten the memo and haven't left the back patio in a while...fine by me because I'm not exactly a huge fan of cleaning up their muddy paw prints. The silver lining here is that I *think* all of this nasty weather may finally cool things off a bit. I'm officially ready for summer to be over. I'm ready for a break from the heat, plus I love fall!! I'm looking forward to running in the cooler weather. Speaking of, running in the rain and mud and puddles has been a bit of a mess. I used to think those people who were out running when it was pouring down rain were C.R.A.Z.Y. Then, all of a sudden that was me. I have to say that except for one slightly disastrous run last weekend with Andrea, where we had to turn back because of all the mud, running in the rain was actually kind of enjoyable. Did I just say that? My shoes, however would not agree. They have suffered from all of it, and this is what they look like after a week or so of sloshing through puddles.



I'm scared to wash them, because I love them and don't want to ruin them. At this point, it would be like throwing my wedding dress in the washer. They will just have to stay dirty, I suppose.

Dig in....the Dancing Queen!

Ava started her first REAL dance class last week, and while there are always things that she does that make me proud, excited and all goose-bumpy, this is currently topping the list. If you know me at all, you can practically feel all of that oozing off of your screen this very minute at the thought of my daughter in ballet shoes! She is absolutely loving it as much as I am. She has always been a big fan of our little dance parties and getting her groove on in the back seat, so it will be interesting to see how she does in a more structured environment. No tu-tu's or pink leotards (can you imagine how that conversation went?). She has to wear a black leotard and pink tights, just like the big girls! One reason I just adore her teacher, Ms. Janie, is because she is all about teaching them how to be proper little ballerinas. That means being on your very best behavior and remembering your manners at all times, in the studio as well as at home. She is the sweetest, tiniest woman, but commands all of their respect and attention because they are simply in awe of her. She is, after all, a REAL ballerina! THANK YOU MS. JANIE!! I'll take all the help I can get in the manners department. Of course, when it's combined with arabesques, grand jetés, and pliés...well then it's all good in the eyes of most 3 year olds! Ava does all of those at least a thousand times a day; the grand jetés over a pillow for the full effect! It's adorable and hilarious, because they are so eager to learn but completely uncoordinated still at this age. Who knows how long she'll want to do it, but you know I'll encourage it as long as she wants to go :)

Walking up to class...shoes in hand!!



Just before she went in. What a cheeseball.



Circle time before class. Then Ms. Janie closed the door and they got down to business.

Baja Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sour Cream

aka: Crack in a Tortilla! When I lived in College Station, there was this restaurant called La Bodega that had the BEST chicken tacos. I was beyond obsessed with them. Not only did they have the best tacos, but the most amazing sauce. I'm 100% sure that it was laced with some sort of illegal substance because I would drown my taco in that stuff, have it dripping onto my hands, and actually lick it off my fingers so that I didn't miss out on any. Yep...I did this in public, with absolutely no shame. As I moved away and my visits back became few and far between (insert sad face) I realized that I was going to have to figure out how to get my crack taco fix without driving 3 hours to get the real thing. So, here's my version at re-creating my all time favorite taco. It's by no means the original, but pretty damn good!

Recipe disclaimer: I am not a "measurer", so most measurements are purely guesstimates. But, this isn't baking, or rocket science...so you'll be fine!

Marinade for Chicken:

Zest and juice of 1 lime (then throw the lime in for good measure!)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 oz tequila
1 oz triple sec (If you don't have triple sec, use a little orange juice, orange zest, orange extract, whatever you've got on hand. You're just going for a hint of orange. I just choose to get mine in the form of liquor...yes, I know it all cooks off, not the point!)
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro
salt and pepper
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
If you have any type of Mexican seasoning, throw a little of that in. I have a good Mexi-Cali blend...or just plain old Cumin is great in this.

Dump it all in a bag w/ 3-4 chicken breasts and marinate for at least 30 min. If you have frozen chicken breasts, just let them thaw in the marinade.


Cilantro Lime Sour Cream (aka, crack sauce):

8 oz sour cream (I use light, but fat free is completely worthless...blah)
zest and juice of one lime
1-2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

If you love cilantro, add more. I am not a cilantro person (apparently this is a genetically inherited trait, or so I've been told at least a dozen times!). I'm always picking it off of things, and never understood why someone would ruin a perfectly good BBQ pizza, or salad by putting it on there. However, the combo of cilantro and lime is so good, and refreshing.

Mix this all together, then let it get it's groove on in the fridge for a while. The longer it hangs out, the better it's going to be. Try to resist eating it by the spoonful. I usually cannot.

Pico de Gallo:

4-6 Roma tomatoes - finely chopped
1/4 onion - finely chopped (If you feel like branching out a bit, try a red onion. I always get a big thumbs up on that one!)
1 small jalapeno - chopped so small I can barely see it! I take the seeds and ribs out b/c I'm a wuss
zest and juice of one lime
2-4 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (again, depending on how much you love it)
salt and pepper to taste

Same w/ the sour cream, the longer it sits, the better it tastes!


When you are all set, grill and slice the chicken. Serve in grilled white corn tortillas and top with:

Shredded red cabbage (even if you are not a cabbage fan, just trust me and try it. If you hate it, you can curse me while you pick it all off!)
Monterrey Jack Cheese
Pico and Sour Cream

Serve with black beans and rice! Oh, and you'll want to have a bag of tortilla chips on hand for the leftover pico!



Makes me happy every time I eat it...hope I can pass a little of that along :)

Bug Catchin'...

...That's what I seem to be doing a lot of these days. "Brother Bug" as Ava calls Liam, is on the move! He hasn't completely mastered crawling, since he likes to go backwards rather than forwards, but he is officially mobile. His favorite thing is to work his way under my bed when I'm not looking...something new to explore, I suppose. Too bad I can't teach him to dust while he's under there. He couldn't care less about sitting up most days. He can do it, but I think he has figured out that it gets him absolutely nowhere. Oh, and we are now the proud owners of two very sharp teeth! Real food, here we come :) Here are a few recent pics:





I think these were all taken maybe within a week or so, and it just amazes me still how different they can look on any given day!

"YOUR HARD WORK IS ABOUT TO PAY OFF"

Or at least it is according to my Panda Express fortune cookie from last night! Reading that completely made me smile 1) because I needed some new motivation and 2) because I always get the WORST fortune cookies. I've never gotten one worth holding onto in my entire life. They are usually beyond cheesy. I'm not only keeping this one, but putting it somewhere that I'll see it every day!
There are some days when telling myself that in just 3 short months I'm actually going to be able to run 13.1 miles doesn't really cut it. Most days the "I think I can, I think I can" mentality gets me through, but others, even the best of pep talks doesn't do the trick.
So far, my biggest accomplishment was my 4 mile run on Friday. It was officially the farthest I've run since I was in College. It was HARD, but at the end I didn't have that feeling of dread like I've had in the past...like there's absolutely no freaking way that I can ever go any farther than that. This time I thought, "Well, just triple that, add another mile, and I'm good". Then I flipped out a little.
The thought of not being able to do it is just flat out stupid. I would not have said that I would do it if I did not KNOW that somewhere inside myself I am capable of doing this. I just need a little extra kick in the rear every once in a while, and now I'll have it right on front of me...in all caps!

Has anyone seen the Remote?

I was going back over and looking at old posts yesterday (noting the long span between many of them!) and remembered that I started this thing when Ava was just turning ONE!! She was still a BABY! Then realized that in less than 5 months, that will be LIAM. Cue me freaking out, and holding back a few tears. How do I slow this the heck down?
Ava was just a little munchkin, and before I know it, my little dude really will be a little DUDE. The baby phase goes by so fast, and I love it so much. I love all of it really, but if you've ever heard the term "Baby Rabies", well that's me in a nutshell. I love everything about them. Except for the being knocked up part, and I'm not ashamed to admit that. Don't get me wrong, I love the IDEA of it, and there are a few months in there that are okay, enjoyable even. The rest, not so much. If someone would just give me one every few years, I'd be good! Even now, when I have no intention of having another for a little while (No, I'm NOT DONE!!) the thought of not having a baby in the house makes me want to cry.
Although, I absolutely love the stage he'll be heading into pretty soon as well. That early toddler stage where they're into anything and everything, but everything is so new and fresh...and it's all a big adventure. It's like they KNOW you can't keep up with them! But watching them figure it all out it so worth it, and so much fun. I remember Ava being there, and it was never a dull moment! I treasured every single second of it. It's times like this when I'm even more thankful that I have a husband who works his ass off so that I don't have to miss any of it. I have all of these memories of her, and get to have them of Liam too...I didn't miss a single thing and even on days when they drive me batty it is SO WORTH IT.
I'm even managing to see the good in the terrible 3's. Just FYI, whoever coined the term "terrible 2's" was an idiot. There are days where I want to put her on the curb w/ a sign that says "3 going on 30. Free to a good Home". But watching the little person she's become over the last 3 years has me truly amazed most days. She is SO smart...and not in that "smart because she's my kid" kind of way. I think she's going to know more than I do before she's in High School...then what? Plus I SEE so much of myself in her (good and bad!). It's different when they are babies because they are just developing their little personalities, and it's mostly about who they look more like on any given day. Now I look at her and literally see myself. It's so crazy, and amazing, and scary...all at once. If my grandmother were to read this, she would simply say to me "Retribution Veronica, retribution". Oh, but I love that child , both of them, more than I can describe in any amount of words. There simply are no words. I think that Jon is going to have the same reaction to Liam in a few years. I just have this feeling that he is going to be an exact little replica of his daddy! He's going to look at him one day and just go "Holy crap".

There's no real point to all of this, other than the fact that I'm still amazed at how fast it all flies by. Even with all the warnings everyone gave me about how "fast it was going to fly by"!

...And I'm still looking for my DAMN Pause Button.

Watch Out Colicchio

Because Ava might be coming after your job in a few years! Maybe that's a little ambitious, but I definitely thing she has inherited my love for cooking! She's always asking to help out in the kitchen, but last night she said that she wanted to cook dinner! She has a great little Sesame Street cookbook that her Aunt April gave her a couple of years ago, and I told her she could pick any recipe out of it and make it. She picked "Abby Cadabby" Bowtie Pasta, and after we made some alterations to the recipe, she embarked upon her first (semi) solo cooking experience. I chopped the veggies, measured out the olive oil and seasoning, and boiled the pasta...but the rest she pretty much did on her own. I was so proud of her, not just because she actually did it, but because it was GOOD!

Here's our version of what will forever be known as Abby Cadabby Pasta in our house: (the original is carrots, sliced ham and parsley...not all that appealing, and I'm thankful she let me take a few liberties!)

7 oz Farfalle (bowtie) pasta
1 small zucchini thinly sliced
1 carrot thinly sliced or 10-12 baby carrots
Large handful of cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter (we used smart balance)
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese...or that's about what it looked like while I was watching her shake it in :)
salt and pepper to taste

While pasta is boiling:

Add olive oil to large skillet (on med heat) then add carrots and saute for 3-4 min. Add zucchini and seasoning, saute for 2-3 more min. Add tomatoes and turn skillet to low. I like my veggies al dente, but if you're a soggy veggie fan, up the cooking time and/or temp a bit.
Drain pasta and add to skillet (reserve just a little pasta water and add to skillet as well). Add butter, Parmesan, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

Quick, healthy, and easy enough that a 3 year old can do it!!







The finished product!! Don't think we'd win Top Chef with it or anything, but not too shabby if you ask me.