Be the Bigger Person

There was once a time in my life where I would have fought tooth and nail to have the last word and make sure my voice was heard in every situation. But after having kids and growing up I realized sometimes it's okay to take a step back and not waste my breath when I know it's not going to make a difference to those that assume they know the whole story and what's going on because they're convinced that what they think is right. 

So I'll leave you with this...

Time to Get Real!

If you've been following my blog for any length of time then you will know that I am in the midst of training for my first Full Marathon, Rock n' Roll San Antonio. And although I have a real love for running and endurance sports, I do believe that I found my real place in the fitness scene...Lifting and Muscle Building. No, I didn't say Body Building because that usually brings to mind visions of overly veiny, super manly women and that is definitely NOT the look I am going for...not offense to anyone, that's just not for me personally. 

This brings me to a pretty big, and scarey, announcement...I have taken the plunge and am now in the beginning stages of Bikini Competition Prep. Yup, me...mother of 2...entering a Bikini Competition. What exactly is a Bikini Competition?? It's a category in the Figure Competition World...Bikini, Fitness, Figure. It's confusing, yes I know, But here are a few examples of the differences...

Bikini:

Fitness:

Figure:

Big differences, Right?!? Maybe one day I will be able to gain enough muscle to so Fitness but for now I am starting off with Bikini.

The Prep for Competition is pretty intense. And I can't REALLY start buckling down and really preparing until after the marathon due to needing to cut out intense cardio but I CAN start Upperbody work. 

Let's get beastin'!! I'm working on finalizing my training and eating plan so stay tuned!! 

My {BIG} Little Boy is Growing up!!

Well, the time has come...in a little over 2 weeks my oldest will be embarking on his "Big Boy" School Journey and will start Kindergarten. Where in the heck did time go?!? It seems like just yesterday we were learning the alphabet and colors and now he's reading sentences and doing static addition! My little man is not so little anymore.
And if you're anything like me this terrifies you. He is growing up SO FAST and in no time he will be in Middle School...and then Graduating. UGH!! I'm getting old!
But in all seriousness, I am so excited and proud of my little {BIG} boy and I cannot wait to see him excel in this new adventure!

{{This is his First and Last Day of Pre-K last year...}}

Organizing the House!!

I don't know about you but at our house summer wrecks havoc on just about everything. Our schedules are all out of whack, we are constantly busy and going here or there or there or there...and it just seems like there is never enough time to get anything done. And because of this, the house tends to be messier than usual!! 

As I was perusing Pinterest the other day I saw something that caught my eye. I was trying to find a good cleaning schedule {Since I do MUCH BETTER when I have it all mapped out as to what I need to do and when} and I saw a Pin for "14 Weeks to an Organized Home". My first thought was, uh, Yeah Right. But when I looked more into I found that this is something that I could actually do and it wouldn't be overwhelming!!

So...Here it is, Week 1, and I am READY to Tackle the Kitchen!! If anyone of you have ever been to my house then you will know that the kitchen it the heart of our house. We spend a ton of time there and yes, the boys tend to mess up the cabinets, pantry, fridge, etc. And I am guilty of having a junk drawer {or 5} that I throw things in to when I am in a rush to tidy before company. Who knows what I'll find in the cleaning and organizing process. 

I will be sure to take pictures along the way. Feel free to join me!! 

Happy Organizing! 

Weekly Meal Plan 7.29 - 8.3

The dog days of summer are in full swing. It feels like each week we keep getting busier and busier. I have started planning out 2-3 weeks of meals at once to try and keep us on track with our schedules, although I find myself deviating from time to time. It sure is nice to have the skeleton already created though! This week I’m planning the following...and planning on sticking to it!

MONDAY: Dinner out - The running club we meet with offers dinner options afterwards. Score!
TUESDAY: Honey Soy Chicken with Rice and Broccoli
WEDNESDAY: Corn Soup with Queso Fresco and Cilantro. This will also be my cheat meal for the week
THURSDAY: Leftovers
FRIDAY: Garlic Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus
SATURDAY: Grilled Cilantro Shrimp Kebabs over Rice

What are you eating this week?

Gluten Free Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

In the past, I’ve always felt that even the most successful gluten free, vegan baked goods needed to come with a disclaimer. “This is a really good cookie recipe, for being gluten-free and vegan!”

But last week I finally arrived at an adapted cookie recipe that didn’t need a disclaimer. In fact, I think these cookies may have become my favorite cookie recipe. No disclaimer or excuses necessary. These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are, plain and simple, my favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookie; they hold their own when pitted against their butter and gluten-laden counterparts. And I’m sure that when you make them (please make them!) you will agree.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten-free and vegan)
Makes 24 cookies
Adapted from the Baby Cakes Bakery recipe on the Bob’s Red Mill package
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups oat bran (make sure it is gluten-free)
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1/4 cup ground flax
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or canola oil
5 tablespoons applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (to make this recipe completely vegan, make sure the chocolate chips are vegan)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray Cookie Sheet with cooking Spray; set aside.
2. In large bowl combine oat bran, all-purpose gluten-free flour, flax, sugar, baking soda, xanthan gum, cinnamon and salt until well combined. In small bowl combine oil, applesauce and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to try ingredients and stir until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop mixture by heaping tablespoons onto baking sheet, rolling between your hands into balls if you want the cookies to be uniform and round. Mixture will feel oily and may take a little effort to keep the dough in round balls. Don’t worry, that’s totally normal.
4. Bake 7 minutes. Rotate baking sheet. Bake 7 minutes more or until cookies are golden brown. Cool on pan 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Happy Baking!

Just a typical morning...

What do mornings look like at your house? Are they filled with the smell of homemade waffles, freshly squeezed orange juice and the sound of laughter and the kids playing so nicely together? Yeah, that doesn't sound like my house either!
Usually it is me chasing my 14 month old around trying to wrangle his diaper and clothes on him before he pees on the floor while my 5 year old sits on the couch with his cereal playing Angry Birds on his iPad...completely oblivious to the rest of the world. All while I am attempting to manage to scarf down a lukewarm bowl of oatmeal before we're off to the gym, a playdate, a MRTT Run, the store or one of the many other places we frequent on a day to day basis.
This was a true snapshot of one of our mornings...I think it says it all...

However it is that you get the day started, get it started with a positive attitude. I've found that changes my whole outlook on my crazy, hectic days!