WIAW: Quick, Simple, and Healthy

Happy Wednesday!

First, I have some good news – if you follow me on Twitter, you know I went to the doctor yesterday to see if I have plantar fasciitis or a stress fracture. After waiting 90 minutes to see a doctor (a whole ‘nother story!), she told me I have plantar fasciitis and should go to physical therapy. So, I see that as good news, though I’m still not thrilled that I have to take it easy and lower my mileage.

Since it’s Wednesday, I’m linking up with Jenn’s WIAW party. Be sure to check out everyone else’s tasty meals as well!

First off…I’m back in to loving avocados lately!

Since I stayed with Charlie for the past four days, I had to be creative about meals. I didn’t want to go full out grocery shopping and wanted meals to be quick, easy, and mostly healthy. This is a pinto bean and shredded cheese quesadilla, topped with mashed avocado.

And a corn salsa and chipotle tabasco sauce quesadilla. Loved the chipotle tabasco sauce – smokey with a bit of spice!

Remember last week I made venison burgers? This is a leftover venison burger, topped with Hatch Pepper cheese, eaten in a tortilla covered with mashed avocado and corn salsa. Yum!

And you know I love breakfast…

Typical breakfast for me. Chobani Coconut yogurt, topped with strawberries and blueberries. Coffee on the side, of course!

Note: I used a french press to make coffee all weekend and OH. MY. GOD. I’m seriously debating trading out my Keurig for a french press, that’s how good the coffee was!

And have you ever tried making dark chocolate peanut butter and strawberry jam pancakes? Winner!

I think I told you how I’ve been really into tea lately? Yup, still am. Loving Bigelow’s French Vanilla! Perfect after dinner treat!

Finally, life isn’t complete without ice cream on a cold day. And I had to share with my best bud (don’t worry, he only licked the empty container!).

Yum – it’s been a tasty week! I’m thinking tonight I might try to do an easy run – I took two days off and would like to make sure I’m keeping up with training, just at a slower pace. We’ll see!

I’m also looking forward to connecting with my fellow Girls on the Run coaches to plan the season tonight! I’m planning to share more about GOTR tomorrow, so if you’ve ever wondered about the organization, hopefully this will help (and inspire you to coach?!).

Your Turn!

• When you’re not at home, what are your quick and easy go-to meals?
• Do you give your dog people food? I know I’m not supposed to, but Charlie loves having a taste of ice cream and greek yogurt!

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MIMM: Doodles, Frozen Water Bottles, and Obsessive Magazine Reading

Happy Monday al! For many of you who work in education in some capacity (K-12, higher ed <–like me!) or are college students yourself, we’re gearing up for the beginning of another school year. I love the buzz on campus during the first week; there is so much excitement and hope and it’s as if the possibilities are endless. (Remind me of this when I’m complaining in November that things are drab, students are cranky, and I’m tired!).

Today I’m hooking up with Katie’s Marvelous in My Monday, because my weekend was quite marvelous!

Marvelous is…spending lots of quality time with Charlie! If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you know that I’m dog sitting Charlie this week. We’ve had such a fun time snuggling, going on LOTS of walks (think four per day), and playing in the backyard. Even though he is a ton of work (and wakes me up at 5am!), I’ve really been reminded how much I love having him around. It’s like a constant love fest!

Left: Selfie. Yup, I do that. Right: Before a workout – it’s nice to have a running partner!
That’s his “Mom, stop taking pictures of me” look. I get it a lot…

Marvelous is….completing my first week of half marathon training and already seeing progress! I’ve started a training log (because I’m super hardcore, obviously!), to track my mileage, average pace, and splits. This week alone I’ve improved my average place and each mile split. I ‘m sure I can attribute a lot of it to getting more comfortable with my plan, but I also feel like I”m getting stronger and more confident with each run. Woo hoo!

I am still flying through my last mile, time wise. My long run on Sunday was miles, and my splits were: 10:20, 10:23, 10:21, and 9:45. I just think it’s so interesting how I’m running out of gas and also full of energy. Love it! (We’ll see if this keeps up for my 11 mile long run, right?!).

Marvelous is…heading to my alma mater, UW-Madison, for my Sunday run. For my long run yesterday, I got up and drove to campus. UW is a beautiful campus and is incredibly runner and biker friendly. I went to the Lakeshore Path and ran out to Picnic Point. It was such a gorgeous backdrop and perfect day (70 degrees, 73% humidity, but with a breeze) for a run. And I was super motivated because when I was an undergrad (or even a grad) student, there was no way I could comfortably run 4 miles. It felt good to see the progress I’ve made in my life over the past how many years!

Picnic Point is the little isthmus in the distance

Marvelous is…tennis balls and frozen water bottles. Random, right? Well, I’ve been experiencing a lot of pain in my heel lately, and after chatting with some friends and asking at my local shoe store, I’m pretty sure I have plantar fasciitis. Ugh. What that means is the ligament that stretches from my heel to toes and supports my arch is inflamed. Common ways to help relieve pain is to run your foot over a tennis ball and/or frozen water bottle twice a day for 15 minutes. I’m also going to chat with my shoe store today to see about other options, such as wraps, compression socks, etc. Hopefully this is something I can manage on my own and will get better.

Marvelous is…magazines! I got the new Self and Runner’s World this weekend and have been devouring them. I’ve been debating back and forth about getting a subscription to Runner’s World and I think I’m going to! I was really surprised by how much I loved the articles and tips!

     

Finally, marvelous is…Orange is the New Black. OMG. I watched the series in about a week and a half (it’s only 13 episodes and I don’t have cable!). I loved it – I think it’s hilarious, but also has some real heart. Looking forward to season 2!

   

 

So what’s on the docket for this week? Well, training week #2. But, I’m going to scale back on my miles and training to hopefully help my foot heal and recover a bit. It’s killing me, but I know in the long run it’s what is in my best interest.

Be sure to check out tomorrow’s guest post from Beth at Mangoes and Miles! She has some great insight to share with those of us who are training for our first half marathon!

Your Turn!

• What was marvelous about your weekend?
• Ever have a running/sport related injury? What was it? How did you recover?
• Seriously, who else is watching Orange is the New Black?!

Looking to connect with Racing Bananas even more?! Here’s how:

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Twitter: @RacingBananas
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Taking a Step Back

Happy Friday! I’m basically on Cloud 9 right now – I haven’t been home to my parent’s house since Memorial Day AND I have Charlie with me all weekend. Besides Charlie’s need to (sorry for the TMI) hump me to death (no lie), our trip has been great so far! Not to mention I FINALLY GET TO SEE JESSI TONIGHT (cue freak out – haven’t seen my bestie since May!!).

I didn’t have a quote planned for today and instead of finding one and then writing a post, I’m taking a step back and taking the morning off. I’m planning to play with Charlie, drink some coffee, and enjoy everything about being home.

Charlie, last night. That nasty stuffy he has is a Care Bear I gave him when we were still living together. It’s still his favorite toy – aww!

Enjoying the view in the backyard, having coffee with my mom and reading Food Network Magazine

Hope you all have a great weekend! I’m looking forward to one!

Your Turn!

• How are you spending your weekend?

Movin’ Day!

Wow. Just wow. The past couple days have been indescribable. I said goodbye to Charlie (tear), moved in to my new place (yay!) and got my first run in (woohoo!). I’m physically and mentally drained, but I’m also feeling good. Since I have a few minutes before heading out to clean the old place, I thought I’d check in with you guys!

Charlie:
Ugh, it was so hard to say goodbye to him. I have been mentally preparing for this all year, but on Thursday night, my dad dropped my mom off in Madison and the sob fest began. Every time my mom or I looked at Charlie, we began to cry. My mom getting to Madison made everything – the move and moving on – so much more real. The sob fest continued all day on Friday, until I emailed his “other” mom that she should come pick him up. It was time to say goodbye and my crying was really putting Charlie on edge. He’s so intuitive when it comes to how I’m feeling, and he was so hyped up with all the emotions. So, I said my final goodbye (which was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done!) and my mom and I left and headed over to my new apartment. Phew. The hardest part was over!

Our last day pics – can you tell I’ve been crying?

As of today, I’m feeling better about Charlie today. I’m still really sad that he’s gone and am feeling incredibly lonely and like a part of me is missing. But, I’ve had a lot of time to process this and am feeling exciting about my next chapter as well. I’m so incredibly grateful that I got to spend the last year with my goofy, loving, silly doodle and I know I’ll be seeing him soon. So it will be ok!

And, his other mom sent me a really sweet email about how they hope to keep me a part of Charlie’s life and they really would like me to reach out when I’m feeling the need for a Charlie fix! I hope they mean it, because I plan too! So really, it’s not a goodbye, as much as it is a “see you soon, buddy!” sort of thing.

Moving:
I’m all moved in to my new place (by all, I mean everything is IN the apartment, NOT unpacked, haha). On Friday, my mom and I moved a lot of the small stuff to my new place and set up some of the kitchen. After all of that hardwork, we headed over to the Original Pancake house (YUM) for lunch. I had the strawberry pancakes, which came loaded wiht fresh strawberries and fresh whipped cream. I definitely had a special moment with my lunch!

Left: Strawberry Pancakes, Right: Morning Roll and coffee

On Friday, we were up bright and early, ready to start the day. After eating a yummy morning roll from Clausen’s Bakery, we got to work! The movers showed up at 8am and worked their butts off to get everything moved in 3 hours. After the movers were done, my dad conveniently showed up and treated me to lunch at the Great Dane (double YUM!) and then hung up some stuff around the apartment. I also opened the new bedspread my mom got me for my bday – it looks awesome in my room with the blue accent wall! After everything is unpacked I’ll definitely post some pictures!

The boxes…

I have to say, I’m really excited to be moved and the apartment is already starting to feel like home. I’ve unpacked a lot of boxes and things are starting to look more normal…my goal is to be completely unpacked by Wednesday. We’ll see!

Run:
After saying goodbye to Charlie and moving things for the past three days, I was exhausted. But after my parents left, it was about 4pm and I thought, “What the heck?! Go for a run!!” I live right on a great nature trail, so I laced up my shoes and headed out. The trail and view are gorgeous and I covered about 3 miles, alternating between walking and running. I know it’s going to be a challenge to get back in to my groove, but I’m looking forward to the challenge. This week I’m hoping to put together a training schedule for myself, and I’m looking forward to sharing my journey with you!

My new running trail…

After my run! Feeling good and rocking my new BAMR band (which was awesome!)

So now…
I made sure to start today off right with an avocado, tomato and goat cheese sammie and am getting ready to head over to clean the old place (tear!). I’m hoping it won’t take too long to clean everything (though I was SHOCKED by the amount of dog hair there was when all the furniture was moved…so much for doodles being non-shedding dogs!) and then I’ll head back to my place for a quick run, shower, and then movie. I’m staying positive about everything and am looking forward to this new chapter in my life!

Mmmmm, breakfast!!! I ❤ avocados and goat cheese!

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

Quotable Friday | Sappy Pet Edition

Happy Friday! Especially happy for me, as I’m on day one of a four day mini vacay. Not going anywhere…Charlie and I are spending the weekend at my parent’s house. I’m looking forward to some family time, catching up with friends, and going see Jillian Michaels on Sunday. Yesss. Can’t wait to tell you all about it.

But…we’ll chat about that on Monday!

Check out the king of the castle!

For today’s Quotable Friday, I actually thought I would reflect on pets, particularly dogs. Yes, this is probably because I’m starting to get a little weepy about losing my best friend in a month. But also because I want the world to know all the wonderful things having a pet can do for you! So, I headed over to my quote board on Pinterest and found a couple of quotes…

I think this is good advice regardless of whether you’re a pet owner or not. But if you are the parent of a pup, you know how they look at you with those big, expressive eyes, thinking that you are their entire world. You give your dog everything; food, walks, and unconditional love. No matter the type of day you had or how you’re feeling, you go home and give you’re dog the best of you, because that’s what they deserve. Why can’t we act that way with everyone in our lives?

This quote is especially true for me. I knew going in to this that Charlie and I would have a year together, and it has absolutely changed my life (you can read more about our story here). In this short time, he has completely changed my life. Charlie has really taught me how to be more patient (especially on walks when he needs to sniff EVERY blade of grass) and how to love unconditionally (like when he needs me to pull animals out of his mouth..yes that happens). As sad as I am that our time together is ending, I’m forever grateful for the time we’ve had together.

Best Buds!

That’s about all I have. Writing this has made me just a little sappy (aka a blubbering mess!). Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Your Turn:

• Do you have a dog (or pet!) in your life? What kind of positive affect do they have on you?
  

May Goals!

Happy Thursday! It’s the beginning of the month, which can only mean one thing…new goals! But first things first.

How did April go? Well…

Run at least five miles per week. I wasn’t so successful here, but I’m ok with that. As the weather got nicer, Charlie and I started going on longer walks and spending more time together. Honestly, since Charlie and I are in our last month together, I’m going to focus on spending time with him. Starting in June, I’ll have all the time in world to focus on running.
Plan and cook five healthy meals per week. CHECK! I did a great job of meal planning and cooking healthy at home. Pretty proud of this, and hope to keep it up!
Drink more water per day. I’m getting there. I drink between 46-60 oz of water at work…I’m still having trouble drinking enough water at night. Something to focus on.
Be a better friend. I connected with friends a lot in April. Since sharing my blog with Jessi, I feel like we’ve gained this whole new world of things to talk about! I’m also planning a mini vacay in June with friends – looking forward to it!
Try chia seeds. CHECK! Tried them and love them. Check out Tuesday’s post for a new recipe I tried!

May Goals:

Plank a Day Challenge. I’ve seen plank a day challenges on Pinterest and wanted to do when and yesterday I came across the #PlankADayInMay challenge that Kayla over at Blondes Have More Fun is hosting. Seemed like a great way to challenge myself and have a sense of community. My plank is pitiful – 1 minute 8 seconds, so I’m hoping to really improve my time this month!
Appreciate each day as it is. This month is a month of endings for me. My last month with Charlie, my last month at my house before I move, last month of saving some money on rent/utilities… Instead of focusing on how sad I am this chapter is ending, I want to appreciate the time I have left with Charlie and live in the present, instead of dreading the future.
Eat at least one meal a day at the kitchen table. Ugh, this is a problem. I totally eat my meals on the couch, in front of the tv, which leads me to scarfing down my meals without realizing it. So for at least one meal a day, I want to focus more on what I’m eating. Maybe this will help me pay attention to my hunger cues a little better!

Only one month left with this sweet pea!
Gotta appreciate the time together while we have it!

Your Turn!

• Do you like to set monthly goals for yourself? What are your goals for May?
  

Weekend Recap | A New Perspective

Happy Monday all! And it is a very happy Monday indeed. I’m going to be completely honest – I had an awesome weekend. It was a combination of the weather, walking my butt off (about 20 miles!), eating healthy, and the company.

This weekend was exactly what I needed.

I feel really refreshed and excited for the summer. I’m also feeling good about myself, which is a really good thing to feel.

So without further ado…here’s my weekend, mostly in pictures!

Friday

Friday was great. I went on FOUR walks – three with Charlie and one over my lunch break with a co-worker. It felt good to get out and move and not be chained to my desk or the couch all day.

He’s not thrilled I interrupted his walk for a picture!

Friday night I decided I was in a baking mood. So I made s’more cupcakes. Graham cracker crust, chocolate cake, with marshmallow filling and topped with s’more frosting and graham cracker crumbles. OMG. Yum. I would include the recipe, but it’s from a box. Still good!

Seriously, how good do these look?

Saturday

Saturday was beautiful. I started the day by making birdseed (aka homemade granola…recipe tomorrow!).

Charlie and I spent A LOT of time outside. I didn’t realize until mid-afternoon that I was wearing all orange. Whoops!

I also made ice cream this weekend! I’ll include the recipe because it’s incredibly easy. I took 1.5 frozen bananas and put them in my Vitamix. Then I blended until the mixture turned into an ice cream consistency. Then I topped with chocolate chips and a teaspoon of peanut butter. OMG. New favorite dessert – I’m going to start keeping a ridiculous amount of frozen bananas in my freezer! (I adapted from this recipe on Two Peas and their Pod).

I spent Saturday night with EG. After dinner, she jumped the wagon and I pulled her ALL around the neighborhood. We made a pit stop at the park and had fun running around the playground. No lie, I was completely physically exhausted by the time I left. Wagon pulling and playground playing is a pretty good workout! My arms were definitely feeling it on Sunday!

Sunday

Sunday was absolutely beautiful! 70s and sunshine – it was pure bliss. I started the day by taking Charlie to the dog park (the Prairie Moraine Dog Park in Verona, if you’re curious) for the first time this year. As you can see, I went a little camera happy (this is just a handful of the pics I took…). Charlie and I walked about two miles. Halfway through our walk, we came across a tennis ball and Charlie went nuts! We played fetch for a bit and I swear, I haven’t seen him run so fast and so far in ages! It was great.

Isn’t this last picture great? I swear he’s smiling!

After we got home, I made a quick lunch and then “set-up” my patio. Pathetic, right?!

I was planning on a quiet afternoon reading when Heidi called and asked if I wanted to go the terrace and grab a beer. Yes, please! We spent some time catching up at the terrace and then went for a walk. First we walked ALL the way up Bascom Hill (if you didn’t go to UW, Bascom is a RIDICULOUSLY huge hill in the middle of campus). After making it to the top and realizing it maybe wasn’t as bad as we remembered it to be (ha!), we headed down to the Lakeshore path. As you can see, it was a gorgeous day!

I got home, took Charlie for another walk, and made myself dinner. I had to take a picture because it tasted as good as it looks! Whole wheat pasta, with steamed butternut squash and goat cheese. It was fabulous.

I spent the rest of the night outside with Charlie. And it was perfect.

Your Turn!

• How was your weekend? Is the weather getting nicer by you?
  
• Have you had a weekend lately that really helped to rejuvenate your spirits?