Disclaimer: I was compensated for the post. As always all opinions are my own. This is my honest review of this product.

We have a juicer at home and although we juice a few times per week there are often weeks that we go without juicing just because of the labor in making our own fresh juice or because Edith is sleeping and we don’t want the crazy loud juicer to wake her up. So I have been on the search for a quick, and healthy green drink to have on days I don’t want to make my own. When I was offered the opportunity to try Cell-nique I decided that it sounded so why not?

• Cell-nique Super Green Drink is a USDA organic drink that energizes, detoxifies and nourishes your body with the equivalent of 8 servings of fruits & vegetables in every bottle.
• Cell-nique is Vegan, gluten-free, low-calorie.
• All flavors of Cell-nique Super Green contain the same 31 organic superfoods.  Most of the sugar count comes from the naturally occurring sugars in the fruits and vegetables, with a small amount of stevia and organic blue agave.

Although Cell-nique isn’t just like my favorite fresh green juices it is great when I want something quick and easy to go to. I really loved the green tea, tropical fruit and citrus vanilla flavors. I also honestly felt pretty energized after drinking it. As you know I have been off coffee this month so I have been looking for healthy alternatives and this has really done the trick.

Try your choice of any 1-3 bottles of Cell-nique now and get FREE SHIPPING! Redeem this offer at http://www.cell-nique.com/products/Try_Me-26-66.html

Connect with Cell-nique on Twitter  http://www.twitter.com/CNSuperGreen & Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CellniqueSuperGreen

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Yesterday marked the start of this summer’s Best Body Bootcamp (BBB) and I am so ready to get back in shape. I have been kind of lazy lately. Yeah, I said it LAZY. I don’t know why but after training for my last race I have just been feeling unmotivated and my workouts have been basically 1-2 short runs, 1 strength training session and 3-5 walks per week. Nothing to intense and to top it off I have more races coming up in early August so I need to get my act together.

When I found out that there was a bootcamp session this summer I decided to jump at the opportunity to work with Tina and be apart of the BBB community. This was just the support and motivation that I needed to get back on track and reach my goals. Also after going clothes shopping and finding clothes that once looked good on me just didn’t work I was feeling even more motivated to get back to my dedicated workout self. Side note: I bought a dress for a wedding at the end of July and it’s my goal to look great in it versus the okay that I look in it right now.

Yesterday I did the fit test which was actually somewhat embarrassing and alone is motivation to get myself back to work because honestly I have never run so slow in my life. Back before I was pregnant I could do a straight mile about 5 minutes faster (and without the BOB) versus right now. I also could hold a plank longer than 45 seconds. So I have a lot to work towards and it feels good. I also want to lose inches. I am not so worried about the weight number but I’d like to get more toned. I am almost a year postpartum and I’m so ready to get back to my old body or at least closer to it. Although I will probably have another year or two before that happens due to breastfeeding (my goal is to breastfeed until at least two). I’ll share my weight-loss while breastfeeding issues in another post soon.

So while I’m not up for sharing my numbers (weight, measurements, etc) with you I will share a before picture. I will also share progress photos at 4 weeks (half way) and then at 8 weeks when the program is complete.

Who else is participating in BBB? Or have you before? 

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Happy National Drink Your Veggies Day!! I’m starting my day out with a nice green juice. I have been trying to do green juice or smoothies 3-4 mornings a week and after this weekend’s festive Father’s Day event I am in desperate need of a nice green veggie juice. This week is all about eating our veggies so I also need to whip up another batch of Bloody Mary Hummus to have with veggies for healthy snacks in the house!

Also honor of National Drink Your Veggies Day, you can also take part in this Naked Power Garden Sweepstakes. You can vote for your favorite Power Garden recipe for your chance to win a $250 garden gift basket. Oh did I mention that my Bloody Mary Hummus recipe is one of the recipes you can vote for?

For a ton of great recipes using Naked’s new Power Up fruit and veggie blends head over to Glam Power Up Pinterest Board.

How are you planning to celebrate National Drink Your Veggies Day?

Power Garden is Naked Juice’s new veggie drink lineup with 1 pound of veggies in every bottle*. With delicious flavors that only Naked could blend, Power Garden offers one of the easiest ways to get your daily servings of veggies and fruits, along with good sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Learn more at http://www.nakedjuice.com/veggiedrinks.

*weight of vegetables, prior to juicing

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Naked via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Naked

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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Naked via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Naked.

I don’t know about you but I love hummus. Actually, everyone in my house loves hummus, my 11 month old could eat an entire bowl full if I let her. Since we are hummus lovers around here and we go through so much I have been trying to make my own hummus at home to save money and to make a healthier version.

Neil used to make it for us all the time but with his crazy work schedule/commuting there just isn’t time so I have taken over hummus duty and have been enjoying making a variety of flavors. Just last week I made a jar of balsamic hummus and Bloody Mary hummus (recipe below). Both jars were gone by the end of the week. I think we might all turn into chickpeas!

The Bloody Mary hummus was inspired by all the juicing that I have been doing for my cleanse. Instead of oil I used Naked Power Garden Tomato Kick juice to thin it out and provide the tomato/veggie flavor base.  My favorite Bloody Mary recipe uses wasabi instead of your traditional horseradish so I used it in my hummus recipe to give a little heat.  I also added some other traditional Bloody Mary ingredients such as (vegan) Worcestershire sauce and some lemon to brighten up the flavor.

Bloody Mary Hummus

• 2-15 oz cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tsp wasabi powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• juice of 2 lemons
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 teaspoon (vegan) Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup Naked Power Garden Tomato Kick

Add the chickpeas, wasabi powder, black pepper,salt, lemon juice, tahini and Worcestershire sauce to the bowl of a food processor that has been fitted with the s-blade. Process on low while slowly steaming in the Naked Power Garden Tomato Kick through the feeding tube. Serve up with veggies, crackers and/or pita. For the best flavor make at least an hour before eating.

What is your favorite flavor of hummus? What is the most interesting flavor you have tried?

Come back and visit on Monday, June 17 to learn how you can enter the Pinterest Sweepstakes contest with Naked Power Garden by voting for my recipe!

Power Garden is Naked Juice’s new veggie drink lineup with 1lb. of veggies in every bottle*. With delicious flavors that only Naked could blend, Power Garden offers one of the easiest ways to get your daily servings of veggies and fruits, along with good sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Learn more at

So it has been 10 days since I started this cleanse and let me tell you it has been a rough 10 days. Well I guess that’s a big of an exaggeration because days 2-7 were going okay, day 8 was tough and then day 9 happened. This is the day that I had a happy hour date with a friend that we had planned over a month before so obviously I had the intention of having a cocktail. Not only did I have a cocktail but I had bread and then I went out after with Neil and Edith and we shared a cone of sorbet.

I hate writing this post and am a little disappointed in myself for falling off the cleanse wagon but I think it’s important to be honest with you.

I dreaded each morning because of how much I hate smoothies or green juice for breakfast. I mean I like them but I also want something more substantial especially after a night of non-stop nursing, which we have had a few this past week. I have always had a hard time with doing smoothies for breakfast and yet I try again and again but I’m not sure why I bother. I can never seem to make them fill me up despite adding nut butters, protein powders, avocado, coconut, etc to bulk them up. That being said I have gone back to eating oats with fruit, or fruit with nuts and coconut or veggies and gluten free or sprouted grain bread.

The good news is that breakfast was the only real diet/food related struggle I had with this cleanse was the morning green juice or smoothies. I know I had a piece of bread and sorbet on Sunday but otherwise I have been feeling really good with my high alkaline foods diet, (pretty much) no gluten, (pretty much) no alcohol and (pretty much) no refined sugars.

I have to say I have been very successful with the no coffee aspect of the cleanse has been a success and here I am still going strong. Honestly this cleanse has transformed itself into a coffee free June cleanse and I’m going strong and staying strong with this. I have to say I have lusted after Neil’s coffee in the morning but I also know my body needs a break and that I need to get back to my old routine of only 3-4 cups per week versus the 7-10 I have been having.

I debated restarting the cleanse after my bad day this past Sunday but I decided that it just doesn’t make sense to right now. We have a rare date night coming up which we plan to enjoy with a night of amazing food at Portobello. Then there is Fitbloggin which I am sure I can keep it healthy but also want to enjoy a beer or cocktail as well and then my parents come right after that. I have to say it’s bad timing for me to even attempt to do a cleanse properly.

That being said this is my plan for the remainder of the month of June (and hopefully beyond):

• Green Smoothie or juice for breakfast 2-3x per week; for me this is so much more attainable than 7 days/week.
• Gluten Free 4-5x per week; I know that too much gluten bothers my stomach so my goal is to avoid it at lease 4  days out the week.
• Limit adult beverages to a max of 3 per week, while trying to stick closer to two.
• No coffee for the remainder of June, after June keep my coffee max at 4 per week, while trying to keep it closer to three
• Continue to eat more raw veggies, lower glycemic fruit and lots of leafy greens while limiting the amount of grains, nuts and soy.

I am planning to do another cleanse in August probably not the Crazy Sexy Diet one but rather a three-five day high raw food, juice and smoothie cleanse. I would love suggestions for one if you have any.  I am actually working on planning my own and will see how it goes. Who knows maybe I will try it after my parents head home so I can give my body a break after showing them around to all the amazing food carts, breweries and eateries in Portland.

Have you ever done a cleanse? If yes, what kind and how did you do?

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This past weekend we took our first trip to Seattle for a mini family getaway and to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary which is coming up on May 31st. One thing I will say about this trip is that first off we didn’t do enough research prior to going on our trip and making our hotel reservation. Overall I was a little disappointed in Seattle but we’ll be giving it another chance this October when we head up for my first half marathon.

Where We Stayed:

Downtown Westin Seattle- We made our reservations a few months ago for Seattle via Hotwire and got an amazing deal on this hotel.  We decided to go with a hotel downtown thinking that it would be the best and most accessible for doing things without having to worry about driving places. The hotel was nice and it was near the monorail that takes you over to the Seattle Center, it is within walking distance to a number of sites including the aquarium, Pike Place Market, and shops. It is also only a few blocks from the bus and train. The hotel had a pool, cardio room and weight room so we were able to stay active.

City Pass Sites:

Since there were so many sites we wanted to see we decided to get the City Pass Seattle to save money on admission, although I think in the end we didn’t end up really saving any money because we didn’t make it to the Pacific Science Center  or a second time up the Space Needle due to time or the Argosy Cruise due to the weather.

We did however visit the EMP Museum where Neil was in heaven because there was a Nirvana exhibit going on. It is a really fun museum filled with pop culture/music history as well as fun interactive exhibits. Unfortunately Edith was just a bit too young for most things here so we didn’t get to explore as much as we would have liked to.

Next we visited the Space Needle and a bonus of having the City Pass was not having to wait in line to get a ticket.  I have to say I might be a tall building snob because the Space Needle despite it’s beautiful views of Seattle is by no means as impressive as the CN tower, however Neil would like me to point out that if you have never been to the CN Tower that Space Needle is probably more impressive than I think.

We also used the Woodland Park Zoo pass which was really fun because it was the perfect spot for Edith. They even had a spot where she could go in and meet a few goats which she thought was just amazing. We had fun showing her all the animals and enjoyed the zoo as well.

The last City Pass we used before heading home was the Seattle Aquarium. Now let me first say that you want to get here when they open because it gets busy fast and by the time we left at 11:30a there was a line out the door to get in. This museum was fun for all of us because we got to touch some of the sea creatures, we were able to a huge octopus and lots of beautiful fish. I have to say this was my favorite of all the City Pass activities.

Beyond the City Pass:

Besides the City Pass sites we also visited the Saturday University Farmers Market where we had a yummy vegan tamale that was piled up with veggies. We admired all of the fresh produce, wishing that we would take some home with us but alas no fridge at the hotel to store it in until we headed home.

We also visited the Fremont Sunday Market which has one or two produce stands but is mostly food stands, a flea market and people selling their crafts and other goods. We strolled through and found ourselves around the corner at Theo Chocolate sampling all there dark chocolate pieces.  We wanted to go on a factory tour but unfortunately we thought about it too late and all the Saturday tour spots were filled.

After browsing around the Fremont Sunday Market and gorging ourselves on free chocolate samples we decided to walk to the Ballard Sunday Farmers Market. Now if you live in Seattle you are probably shaking your head because what crazy person walks from Fremont to Ballard? Well these crazy people do. Honestly it was fine for the first mile or so because you are on a bike path but then once you hit the Fred Myers (for anyone who knows that I’m talking about or plans to try this) you find yourself in a very industrial area which wasn’t the best place to walk through.In the end we made it to the market and were hungry so we went searching for something to eat.

After making a round of the beautiful market we decided to get a veggie sausage with all the fixings and a homemade fruit soda. Once we finished our veggie sausages we decided to catch a bus back to Fremont where are car was and do a little more exploring over there. We ended up stopping into a pub (I don’t remember the name) to have a beer and share a hummus platter before heading out. Now I wish we had stayed in the Fremont or Ballard area because it is just so much more walkable and has lots of cute shops and restaurants.

I should also add that we did go to the famous Pike Place Market which I honestly was not impressed by at all. I don’t know why but I thought it was going to be something more exciting than it was and holy tourist. I mean yes we are tourist too but it was packed to the brim and just didn’t make for an enjoyable experience. We did however find the Gum Wall both impressive and disgusting at the same time.

Stay tuned I will be back soon with where we ate.

What are your favorite Seattle sites?

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This is like the best holiday right? Doesn’t it make you want to get out and run or at least get out and buy yourself a new running outfit to celebrate?

Since it’s National Running Day I thought I’d share these fun facts from Brooks Running to hopefully motivate you (and me) to get out of the house and onto the streets to celebrate with a run!

Also did you know that according to a new survey from Brooks, 66 percent of runners believe they have more sex when they run with their significant other? So grab your partner and get out for a run!!

Disclaimer: I was not compensated in anyway for sharing these facts. I chose to do so out of my love for running and Brooks.

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Am I the only one who actually enjoys working out more on vacation than at home? I find it really fun and motivating to get up early in the morning and heading the the hotel gym or out for a run. It also helps me feel a little better when I inevitably enjoy a sweet treat or maybe something a little less than healthy.

During our latest excursion to Seattle I did a little research before we headed out and found that our hotel had a huge cardio room, a weight room and a pool. They also had these great little cards created by Runners World that have 3-5 mile running routes near the hotel. On top of that they had workout clothes and shoes that you could rent for $5/day if you forgot yours. Could you really ask for more?

We took advantage of the cardio room which had treadmills and ellipticals with personal TV’s at each which is always a nice distraction.  We went to the pool as a family and had some fun splashing around and Neil went on the 3+ mile run on the card in the photo above. On top of all that we did some major walking, about 15 miles over the entire weekend and if you have been to Seattle you know that there were some major hills as well.

On our next trip I will me in the midst of training for my half so I will be researching good running routes in Charlottesville, VA. If you have any suggestions let me know!

Do you you like to workout on vacation?

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As I mentioned before as a Fitfluential Ambassador I am participating in the Under Armour What’s Beautiful Campaign.  My goal is to complete my first half marathon no matter what, even if it means crawling to the finish line.  That being said I need to get my butt in gear and start training! The problem is there are so many training plans out there it can be challenging to decide which one to follow.

When I did my quarter marathon I followed the RunKeeper 10k training plan app on my phone.  I really liked it and thought about using it for my half as well but couldn’t find a plan that really fit my needs. I then thought about doing the Hal Higdon novice plan or the Mother Runner finish plan but then Neil started a new job and that threw a wrench in my plans so back to the drawing board.

So I really made a list of my needs and how much I would be able to commit to training:

• Two or Three runs Monday-Friday that are 30-45 minutes
• One long run on the weekends
• 16-18 weeks long

In the end I found that the Jeff Galloway plan was the best fit for me. After sitting down and laying things out I realize that I won’t have as much free time to run during the week so I need to have a plan that sets me up for success. I also have come to terms with the fact that I am not ready to exclusively run my first half and that I will be following a run/walk method which is the Galloway plan in a nutshell.

That being said training week starts this week, which is exciting because that means this race is real. On my non-running days I am planning to do strength training, yoga and cross-training workouts. I am planning to workout 5-6 days per week.

P.S. It’s not too late to sign up to be part of this amazing campaign!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Under Armour through FitFluential. My compensation was clothes to wear for the campaign. I received no monetary compensation. As always all opinions are my own.

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Hello June and summer!  As I said on my Facebook page my monthly challenges see going on dinner break. However this didn’t mean you can’t come up with your own challenges or join me in my personal challenges it just means no organized challenges (or prizes).

I will admit that the plank-a-day challenge lasted about 2 weeks before I missed a day and then it was two, then three and so on. Needless to say it was kind of a huge fail for me. I am actually pretty disappointed in myself as well.

This month I am committed to successfully competing my personal challenge. Starting tomorrow I am doing the Crazy Sexy Diet 21-Day Cleanse (#CSDCleanse). This is a cleanse I tried about 8 months ago but didn’t complete. This time I will complete it!

There have been a number of questions from you via Facebook and instagram since I announced that I was going to do this cleanse. That being said I thought I take a moment to give a few details about the cleanse and answer the questions that have come up so far. As always feel free to email me or leave a comment below if you have additional questions!

So what is the Crazy Sexy Diet 21-Day Cleanse? This cleanse is all about eating lots of whole and raw foods, green juices and smoothies, while also cleansing the mind and body. While this cleanse does have some restrictions such as no coffee, alcohol, refined sugars, gluten and a few other things it doesn’t restrict calories, require fasting (although you can) or have a specific meal plan to follow. It is all about clean eating and lots of yummy whole foods. in addition the cleanse guide has tips, workouts and guides to cleanse not only your body but your mind as well. Honestly the easiest way to find out about the cleanse is to get yourself the book or visit the website.

Green Smoothie Day #1: coconut milk, banana, kale, pineapple, coconut oil and blueberries

How can you cleanse while breastfeeding? As for cleansing while breastfeeding the CSD cleanse is totally do-able! This cleanse like I said before is not about restricting calories or fasting so there is no need to worry about getting enough calories to keep up your supply.  Additionally, you will be eating so much cleaner and more nutritious foods that it will not only be great for you but your baby as well! Basically with this cleanse you eat 20-40% cooked and 60-80% raw whole foods vegan foods for 21 days and do green juices or smoothies for breakfast.  If you are hungry you eat more if you aren’t hungry you eat less. Plain and simple.

If you would like to join me please let me know! I’d love to be able to support each other!

As always I am health coach not a doctor so if you have any concerns please consult with them prior to doing any sort of dietary change. For me I am not personally making a huge change I am just cleaning my diet up so that I can get back on a better healthy eating track.

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Remember when I used to post all kinds of recipes? Yeah I do too and I miss it so much.  I am trying to get back to writing recipes but it just hasn’t been happening. Honestly it’s like we have been in survival mode or vacation mode ever since we moved in January.  Monday through Friday I am at home with Edith and Neil gets home around dinner time which has been a transition for us since he used to get home closer to 4:30pm rather than 5:30pm. Now Neil has started a new job and is no longer home at 5:30pm but rather closer to 6:30pm which basically leaves no time at night to really work on recipes and photograph them.

On top of all that we have been spending our weekends exploring our new home so that hasn’t left me much time to work on creative meals.  I am hoping that now that we have been here for 6 months that we can spend more time at home on the weekends so I can make time for my love for recipe writing and have more recipes to post for you.  I also am going to try and do some quick meals for lunch and breakfast that I can photograph and post for you.  I know I love quick meal ideas for inspiration so I hope I can provide you with some inspiration as well.

With all that being said I do still cook real meals around here, we aren’t just living off take-out and pre-packaged meals. However most of the meals are thrown together with no measurements or so quickly that I haven’t bother posting them.  I have been posting some of my meals, mostly lunches to my Instagram account, so if you’re curious to see what I am eating and often what Edith is eating you can follow me there. I’ll also be doing regular installments of Insta Meals to give you a peak.

Me: Salad with an Amy’s veggie burger, tahini dressing, guacamole and sauteed mushrooms and onions; Edith: guacamole, sauteed mushrooms and onions and an Amy’s veggie burger with a drizzle of tahini sauce

Me: Snow peas and black beans sauteed with tamari, chili garlic sauce and chili flakes and jasmine rice; Edith: sauteed snow peas and jasmine rice and black beans

Me: Brown rice, black beans, Olykraut, Heidi Ho chia nacho sauce, Way Better chips and hot sauce; Edith: brown rice, black beans and nacho sauce

What are your favorite throw together meals?

Follow me on Instagram for more Insta Meals

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I really thought when we moved to Portland that we would spend all of our time trying the various vegan friendly food carts but honestly we have only been to a handful. While we are trying to make a better effort to diversify our food cart experiences we seem to keep coming back to The Cheese Plate.

Yes you read that correctly, The Cheese Plate.

It doesn’t seem like it would be a very vegan friendly place and at first I was skeptical of it as well but they actually have a lot of vegan options on their menu including an amazing cheese plate. This plate has a selection of their housemade crackers, housemade cashew cheese, Heidi Ho’s feta, housemade pickles and Missionary Chocolates.

I mean how could you not want to eat all of that? Plus they make two super delicious vegan grilled cheeses.

On top of that they are right next to our favorite Portland brewery Captured By Porches and if you aren’t into cheese there is an Indian cart (also vegan friendly) next door as well as a retro food cart.

Bonus on (at least) Friday nights and Sunday afternoons there are local musicians who come out to play in this little food pod area. We also love how baby/child friendly the area is so of course we will keep returning.

Although we love The Cheese Plate I guess we should try some new places as well, although we did buy two Living Socials’ for The Cheese Plate that we will be using. What are your favorite vegan friendly Portland food carts?

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Under Armour through FitFluential. My compensation was clothes to wear for the campaign. I received no monetary compensation.
As always all opinions are my own.

Dear Self,

On May 11, 2013 you ran your very first quarter marathon. You ran your first postpartum race, 10 months after giving birth to a You ran the farthest you have ever run in your life. You dedicated yourself to running 3-4 Times per week for the last 4+ months and stuck to it. So what happened last week? Did you know that you went 10 days without running? On top of that nine of those days you weren’t working out either!

So how do you feel? Probably pretty sluggish, tired out and probably a little disappointed in yourself. Let’s be honest there really isn’t any good reason why you couldn’t have gotten in a workout or a run. You were being lazy. You were getting in your own way.

So move. Get out of your own way!

Okay so let’s talk about something positive. Monday you sat down and wrote a training plan for your upcoming races. Nice job!

Tuesday you were supposed to run based on said training plan, but you didn’t. Instead you did a HIIT workout. Not what you had planned but you didn’t just sit on your ass. Nice job!

Wednesday you got out and did that run you were supposed to do Tuesday. On top of that you did it in the cold, windy rain while pushing Edith in the BOB. Nice job!

Now how do you feel? Still a big sluggish and tired, as well as a little sore,  but I bet you are also starting to feel better and stronger.

See you can do it. You just need to get out of your own way. Only you can hold yourself back. If you want to accomplish your goal to run a half this October than you have to work towards it. Really work.

So lets make a commitment right here, right now:

I WILL sick to my training plan. I will not get in my own way. I WILL remember that you never regret a workout. If I find myself getting in my own way I WILL ask for support to help me push through because I WILL accomplish my goals.

You can do it just get up off the couch and move.

Love,
Lindsay.

If you have a health or fitness goal, big or small, I encourage you to come on over and join myself and the hundreds of supportive women at Under Armour’s What’s Beautiful Campaign. Let the world know your goal and work towards accomplishing it in a supportive and inspiring place. Everyday I get more and more inspired as I check the What’s Beautiful activity feed. So much inspiration and support in one place, what more could you ask for.

What is getting in the way of your accomplishing your goals?

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Thinking about: Our trip to Seattle this weekend.  We are going on our first trip to Seattle and I feel so unprepared. Before Edith I used to spend hours researching our destinations but these days I’m lucky if I can find even an hour or two to look up a few things to do and places to eat. That being said please send me your suggestions. oh yeah and i’m also wondering if it’s bed time yet. also if it is too late to have coffee.

Feeling: Tired. Proud of myself for getting in a HIIT workout today even though I wanted to sit on the couch and relax. Full of love for my silly little girl and my amazing husband.

Watching: The Office.  Honestly it’s embarrassing how many times I have watched the entire series.  I can watch it over and over and over again. My favorite episodes are Gay Witch Hunt, Threat Level Midnight and Product Recall. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galatica.

Reading: I am almost done The Cool Impossible . I am loving this book and everytime I pick it up I just want to go out and run.  It is like I am getting a personal coaching session from Eric Orton.

Looking forward to: getting away this weekend! We are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary this weekend with a little family trip to Seattle. I am also looking forward to parents night out (local swap and play babysits) in June and Fitbloggin!

Making me happy: As always Neil and Edith.  I love to spend time with these two people. This weekend was so much fun we went to the market, out to eat and explored a few new neighborhoods.  Also making me happy is meeting new people and making new friends.  So happy that we moved to Portland. Oh and Neil is making me so happy because we starts a full time job next week (he is contracting at Nike right now).

This post was inspired by Sometimes Sweet.

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We’re moving! Neil landed a new awesome job that is in NE Portland so we are going to move once our lease is up in October (or maybe sooner) so until then we have decided to explore a variety of different neighbourhoods that have piqued our interest. This past weekend we decided to head to St. Johns for brunch and a little wandering.

Our main purpose of heading to St. Johns was to finally try the (mostly) vegan restaurant Proper Eats.  We had actually planned to go to a different spot for breakfast and then found ourselves heading towards St. Johns so we decided to take advantage of the situation and try something new.

We picked a nice table near the back of the restaurant, grabbed a few building blocks for Edith to play with, ordered beverages and then perused the menu.  After taking note of about 10 things that I would have liked to order, I narrowed it down to the tempeh scramble and the biscuits with gravy.  I decided to ask our waitress which she would recommend between the two and before I could even finish asking she enthusiastically directed me towards the biscuits with gravy, she was so enthusiastic about it that Neil switched his tofu scramble order to the biscuits as well.  They also had a great kids section so we ordered Edith a quinoa, black bean and cashew cheese burrito.

We watched as other patrons food arrived and I added to the list of dishes I wanted to try on our next visit (yes I was already making plans to visit again just based on the menu and other peoples’ orders).  Finally our meals arrived and I couldn’t have been more impressed.  The biscuits with gravy came with lots of yummy kale and veggies. Edith’s burrito came with a few pieces of fruit and was topped with avocado slices.

We all dug in and Neil threatened to steal some of mine if I didn’t watch out.  Neil and I just about licked our plates clean and probably (most definitely) would have done so had we been at home.  The biscuits were so delicious and the gravy was amazing.  The best part is, I felt satisfied but not heavy and super full at the end of my meal.  Edith also loved her burrito and devoured about half of it (okay I may have stolen a few bites).  I was pretty impressed with the burrito and would have even ordered it for myself.  I loved that it wasn’t salty and that it came with the avocado and fruit as well.  I ended up eating the leftover burrito for dinner topped with an embarrassing amount of Aardvark Hot Sauce, so good.

After our delicious dining experience, we decided to take some photos of us in our Ergobaby carriers and took a little stroll around the area.  We walked over to the St. Johns bridge, which is really beautiful and alone is worth the drive up to St. Johns. We also went to a few thrift/vintage stores where I found myself a top and a few vintage rompers for Edith. We had a great late morning/afternoon in St. Johns and we have added it to our ever growing list of potential areas to move.

If you are a PDX local, which neighborhood do you live in and why do you love it?

If you aren’t a local, tell me what your strategy is when looking to move to a new area.

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Wednesday afternoon I opened my e-mail to find an invite to the Warby Parker Class Trip kickoff party, of course I wanted to go.  After sending a quick e-mail over to check and see if Edith could come as well, I heard back with a big YES and I confirmed we would be attending.  I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check out Warby Parker‘s newest glasses.  Although Neil and I just bought new glasses in December I am in need of a pair of prescription sunglasses for driving.

After checking out some of the glasses we decided to head inside to the party. We arrived early since Edith was with us so luckily there wasn’t much of a wait for our (free) cocktail that was so delicious. We hung around the space for awhile and of course Edith was a hit with everyone, that girl can make anyone smile. We danced and Neil enjoyed a second cocktail before heading home.

Let me just tell you it was just what we needed, a night out even if it was just for an hour. We got out and socialized a little, had a great cocktail and did something besides go to baby playgroups. I can see us doing more of these types of things in the future.

As for the glasses we had wanted to stop in and check them out once more before leaving but the bus was packed, we should have known better! Oh well! Luckily the bus is here for a while longer so we are going to go find it this weekend and try on a few more styles before making any decisions.

P.S. UNION/PINE is an awesome space and after doing some lurking I found out that there is the Portland Flea there this Sunday <– so going! Also it seems to be a popular wedding venue if any of you are planning to get married and need a fun space.

Do you have a pair of Warby Parker glasses? What do you think?

Do you go out on weeknights? Do you like to bring your kids with you?

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Under Armour through FitFluential. My compensation was clothes to wear for the campaign. I received no monetary compensation. As always all opinions are my own.

As a Fitfluential ambassador I have been lucky enough to participate in a number of campaigns and I am so excited to tell you about the current one that I am participating in. Myself and a number of other ambassadors are taking part in the Under Armour What’s Beautiful campaign. This campaign is a competition to redefine the female athlete but beyond that it is an opportunity for you to push past where you have been before. To put a goal out to the world and go after it in a big way.

The Under Armour What’s Beautiful site is a venue for you to let the world know your goal while getting inspired by other women and getting the support you may want or need to accomplish your goal. On top of that you also have the ability to create teams or join a team of women who want to complete goals together.

My goal is to run a half-marathon and to not only run it but improve my performance and form while training for my half. I have already registered for a half in October and I have a 7K, 5K and 10K between now and then. I have only been participating in this campaign for just over a week now and I am already feeling more motivated and inspired by the other women who are participating. One thing that has been really helpful in keeping me motivated are the challenges that are hosted on the Under Armour What’s Beautiful site. These challenges are meant to pull you out of your comfort zone or at least pull me out of my comfort zone and really get down to work. Plus, I feel a sense of accomplishment when I upload a new challenge that I have completed.

If you have a health or fitness goal, big or small, I encourage you to come on over and join the fun. Let the world know your goal and work towards accomplishing it in a supportive and inspiring place. If you like the group setting you can find a team that is right for you or create your own team.

What is a health or fitness goal you want to accomplish?

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I am hooked on women only races lately.  I just completed my first quarter marathon which was all women, I am signed up for a 7k and a 5k in August both of which are women only and I have a 10k in September that is, you guessed it WOMEN ONLY! I just love women only races right now.

One women only race that I really wish that I could participate in this year is the Dirty Girl Mud Run on June 1st here in the Portland area. I had actually planned to run this race and just before I signed up Neil was offered a new job (out of the blue) and he has chosen to take it so we are preparing to move a little closer into Portland so he doesn’t have to have over an hour commute both ways by bus and train. So since we are going away to Seattle Memorial Day weekend and we are hoping to move by mid June we are spending all of our other weekends packing our things up.  Anyways I am on to a tangent so lets get back to the point of this post.

What is the Dirty Girl Mud Run: “Dirty Girl is a 5k womens only run for women of all ages and athletic abilities. Don’t worry, it’s not a “race” in the traditional sense. It is an untimed obstacle course designed to push you slightly out of your comfort zone, but only as far as you are comfortable going. Forming teams is encouraged, and so is helping your fellow Dirty Girls get through to the finish. At a Dirty Girl Mud Run you’ll find excitement, laughter, and camaraderie—as well as lots of music and even some adult beverages. It’s a day you’ll never forget” (source)

Dirty Girl Mud Run from Story Place Productions on Vimeo.

The good people at Dirty Girl have something special for you…..20 percent of the Portland Area race!!! Just use this 20% discount code, DGPORTBLOGGUEST, at check out.

If you do run this race please come back and tell me all about it. I would love to hear about your experience!

Disclaimer: I was NOT compensated in anyway to post this. I just wanted to share this opportunity with all of you!

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On Saturday I completed my first postpartum race and The Hippie Chick Quarter Marathon…

The night before my race I set four alarms. Yes four, I didn’t want to wake up late! I woke up at alarm #1 (5:27am) and lingered in bed until after alarm #2 (5:34).  I rolled out of bed and headed to the kitchen where I made coffee and bagels <—from my mom in Vermont because you can’t get real bagels in Oregon with Toffutti for Neil and I. I was so anxious all morning that I think I was giving myself and upset stomach but I managed to get through it and we packed up and headed out the door to the race.

After getting a little lost trying to find the parking we finally did and I stretched and we walked over to the starting line. My first impression was that things seemed super unorganized. There were people everywhere and no real orderly set up for the race.  On top of that I couldn’t hear what the race coordinator was saying over the speakers so I just made my way to the back knowing that I was going to be on the slower end of things.

All of a sudden I hear the starting gun go off announcing the start of the quarter and half marathons (they started at the same time).  Startled I started slowly walking forward with the group and finally started running once I crossed the starting line. My plan was to do 4:1 run/walk intervals throughout the entire race with a goal of finishing in 95 minutes.  I ended up running the first 10 minutes because it was so congested and I wanted to get by the slower walkers.  It took about a mile for things to loosen up but still had a lot of trouble getting around the walkers, no hate to the walkers just a challenge to get by groups of walkers going slower than I was running.

Around mile one there was a water station that also had a team handing out Luna Bars and a group of teens cheering.  I didn’t end up stopping for water although now looking back at things I probably was a little under-hydrated and could have used a few sips.

By mile two the sun overhead was getting hotter and that is when I started to overheat which resulted in chills for the remainder of the race.  Just before mile three three there was another water station and I grabbed a cup and had a few sips before heading on. At this point I found myself saying I might not make it back without walking the majority of the way.  My legs were feeling a little heavy, the slanted and torn up road was bothering my right IT band, I still had the chills and I was just losing steam. However, I pushed through made it to the turn around and head back stopping at the same water station for another cup of water which I had a few more sips of before heading back towards the finish line.

Shortly after that (around mile four) I had my chews which seemed to help rejuvenate me and reduce the chills. Just before mile 5 the stadium came into site and I knew that I was really almost done and talked to myself pushing myself forward. I kept at my 4:1 pace until around mile 6 when I really just started to hit a wall. I ended up doing a 3:2 for one interval then a 2:1 and then it was time to finish the race and I ran and ran until finally I crossed the finish line where Edith and Neil were waiting for me.

After the race we headed up to the finisher area where I grabbed a plate of orange wedges for Edith and I to share as well as some more water.  We found a shaded spot for Edith and I to nurse at and we relaxed for a bit and took a few silly photos before heading over to the awards ceremony.  We watched some of the awards before going to check the board for my official time –> 1:32:55 <– that is 2:05 less than my goal!! Also a PR for me because well it was my first quarter!

Overall it was a great race but I really could have prepared a little more and been a little more hydrated but overall I am happy with how things went.  I was surprised when I came in under my time goal because I actually thought I was closer to 1:40, so not bad.

Summary of the race:

Pros:

• Awesome SWAG bag! Shirt, Chinook book, free coffee at Peet’s and a few treats.
• Finishing the race in the stadium. So fun to run into the stadium onto the new turf.
• Water stations were well placed as well as porta potties and the staffing was awesome.
• Loved the cheering squad at the start and end by the first water/snack station.
• Great end experience with fun vendors, lots of food and beverages and massage tables (which I didn’t take advantage of).
• Had a person staffed at the Half/Quarter split and they were great. Loud and very clear on what direction to go.
• Very walker friendly!! For those of you who are not really runners but want to get out this race is super walker friendly.  There were tons of groups of women who got out and walked together and seemed to be having a great time.

Cons:

• The finisher necklace looked like something I could have gotten out of a quarter machine, okay maybe a dollar one, but either way it was terrible. On the website they had a photo of last years race necklace, which was kind of cheesy, but it said Hippie Chick Half and Quarter Marathon 2012 and was on a metal chain.  This years race necklace came in a little blue velour bag and the necklace had a peace sign charm that said Hippie Chick 2013 that was on a black plastic necklace. I was going to take a photo of it for you but I have no idea what I did with it after the race. Either way it was super lame and disappointing. I really would rather of had a race medal or at least the race necklace that was advertised on the race website.
• The organization of the race was really lacking.  The line-up organization was pretty much non existent and you couldn’t hear a word they were saying over the speakers before the race.
• No free beer or mimosas. You could buy them but no free ones for those of age.
• The race was on a really uneven road both in that it was angled and it was all torn up.  If it had been repaved it would have been better.  This is more of a minor thing that bothered me and my legs

Overall I really enjoyed the race but it wasn’t a race that at the end of it I was like I can’t wait to sign up next year.  There are so many other races around the area that I think I would try a new race.

Disclaimer: I was comped the admission of this race in exchange for a post.  As always all opinions are my own.

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1. Plank-A-Day. This is the next challenge in my monthly challenge series.  My goal is to increase my time by 2-5 seconds per day.  I started these the first and boy was I surprised at how hard to was for me, just goes to show how little I have been strength training the past few months.

2. Strength Train 2-3x/week.  I haven’t been doing any strength training at all. nada. none. zilch.  I am in major need of some strength training because I know it will help me to lose this baby weight and it will improve my running.

3. Floss Everyday. I’m that person that goes to the dentist and am ALWAYS told that I need to floss more. Hell I need to floss in general.  I am horrible at flossing but this month I will do it everyday.

4. Read Before Bed 4x/week.  I would like to say everyday but to best honest it won’t happen so I am trying to set myself up to succeed. I am hoping to read 20-60 minutes before bed four nights per week.

5. Read a New Book. I am currently reading The Cool Impossible and it is amazing.  That being said it is my goal to finish the book this month and if everything works out as planned I should also be starting another new book TBD (suggestions please).

What are your goals for this month? How do you set yourself up for success?

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I really feel like this past month I dropped the ball on accomplishing the majority of my goals.  Honestly, I look back now and I wonder what DID I do all month? I mean I know I made dinners at home for us the majority of nights, went running, spent quality time with my family and spent my days trying to convince Edith that her Sophie was more fun to chew on than empty toilet paper rolls and receipts (she’s still not convinced).

However, I made a list of goals that well lets just review them and you’ll see.

April Goals:

1. Read one new book. ACCOMPLISHED! Yes I did indeed read a new book this month.  I was actually hoping to read it in time for my moms group book club meet up but I started it a week before the meet up which was like 3 weeks ago and I finished the book April 30th, needless to say I didn’t make the meet up.  I read Wild by Cheryl Strayed and honestly it is one of the best books I have ever read. It is about one young women’s journey on the Pacific Crest Trail.  It is absolutely amazing and now I want to go back packing- has anyone gone with a baby?

2. Run/Walk/Bike 100 Miles. So I didn’t accomplish this.  Honestly, I was a bit naive to think that I would. Did you know 100 miles is a lot? Well it is. Especially when you don’t have a bike. I ended up completing 81.03 miles of running and walking.  It could have been more but I skipped a few runs, didn’t get out of long enough walks and ended up being sick the last few days of the challenge.  You know what though? I am proud of myself for completing that many miles because let me tell you it was a challenge.

3. Write 5 freelance articles. I only wrote one. Not impressed.

4. Use one of my cookbooks each week. I ended up only using two recipe books.  I guess that is better than none?

5. Finish unpacking. I don’t want to talk about it. #FAIL.

6. Return calls and e-mails to friends. I did return a number of emails although I’m behind again now. I also called some friends which was great because I ended up learning that my BFF had decided to run off to India for 3 months with her beau.

7. Write 8 new recipes this month. Zip. Zero. Nada. Yeah I didn’t write any recipes this month.  I did a lot of home cooked throw together meals this month or followed recipes in the books I did actually use. (Side note after 14 months my freelance recipe writing job has been put on hold.)

8. Spend more time at home. We have only been practicing this the past two weeks but I am already starting to see improvements around the house, as well as we are skipping less weekend workouts which is important.  I am hoping that we can keep this up.

Coming up May Goals.

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I don’t know how it happened but I got sick.

Of course it has to happen on a Monday when Neil has to go to work.

I’m tired. Achy. I have a smokers cough, attractive right?

To top it all off Edith was up all night. I am talking ALL NIGHT.  She fell asleep for around 8pm and then at 11:45 she was up and then 12:05 and then 12:15 and then it was a screaming fest until 1:50 when we finally took her to bed with us. At that point Neil needed some sleep so he slept on the futon and I stayed in our bed with Edith who still didn’t want to settle.  She nursed all night and if you’re a nursing mom you know how uncomfortable and exhausting that can be.

Oh and Edith thought that I looked like I was having so much fun being sick that she decided to projectile vomited on me. Twice. Poor baby!!!! I think we now know what was bothering her all night. So with two sick ladies at home my amazing husband Neil came to take care of us.  There is nothing better than an amazing husband who rushes home to the rescue and takes over parenting so I can get some sleep.

On a good note Edith seems to be feeling fine. She is happy and wild as can be and off at the swings with her daddy.

Also one good thing about this day (besides Neil) is that there are new episodes of Switched At Birth on Netflix.

What makes you feel better when you’re having a sick day? Mom’s how do you manage sick days?

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Thinking about: How we didn’t take any photos from this weekend. Not one on Saturday or Sunday. Along with that thinking about how I only have two more days and there is no way I am going to accomplish April’s goal with nearly 19 or so miles to go. Oh, and how much I would love to be on vacation somewhere warm and relaxing right now.

Feeling: proud of myself for getting out today and running 6.5 miles.  I woke up not feeling too hot (still don’t) and after debating whether I should run or not I decided to go and at least try running and I felt amazing so I ran further than I expected.

Watching: Fringe. Neil and I are just starting it, currently on episode 4, and so far it’s just okay.  It’s not terrible but also not my favorite but I am going to give it a chance because Joshua Jackson brings me back to the days when I used to sneak watching Dawson’s Creek. One thing that is crazy awful is all of the 3-D text- please tell me they eventually do away with that I feel like I am watching a bad high school power point presentation.

Reading: I am almost done Wild by Cheryl Strayed.  I actually started reading it for last months mom group book club night but didn’t finish it in time, however my goal for April was to read one new book so I am working through the last 100 pages so that I can accomplish this goal.  The book is really amazing and now I want to go hiking more than ever. Has anyone else read it?

Looking forward to: getting away next month.  We are taking a little family trip to Seattle for our 5th wedding anniversary.

Making me happy: Neil and Edith. Thinking about all of the activities that we will be able to get out and do this summer.  All the exploring of our new home that we have yet to do. Also knowing that I have a ton of meals prepared and ready to go for this week.

This post was inspired by Sometimes Sweet.

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Last weekend I chose not to run my first postpartum race. I had prepared for it and was ready but in the end decided not to. It wasn’t due to lack of preparation or desire but because of the course.

Neil and I had registered for a local Earth Day race back in February with the plan being that he would run the 5 miler and I would run the 5k while pushing Edith in the BOB. Since I am also training for the Hippie Chick Quarter that is Mother’s Day weekend I needed to log some extra training miles so the weekend before the race Neil and I decided to run the Earth Day 5 mile loop. We downloaded the map headed out to the starting point and started our run.

The race map showed that both the 5-miler and 5k had the same starting point but broke off shortly after so we headed on our way with the plan of doing the 5-mile route.  Just pass the point where the 5-mile route broke off from the 5k there was a few pretty huge hills that even without the BOB would have been a struggle for me but add the BOB and a baby and it made it at least 5x more challenging.  I said to myself okay no big deal it’s good for you to get these hills in and don’t worry you won’t have to do this ever again.

As I made my way along the course things were going pretty well.  There was a gradual incline which anyone who runs knows that they can be at times even more challenging than one big hill because you honestly don’t know when its going to end. It finally did end though and I met back up with the 5k course and ran along a section that had a nice gradual decline for a bit.  Then we headed through a neighborhood where we were to catch back up to the paved nature paths which would lead us back to the park where we had started.

Just before reaching the path I had taken a short walking break which I am glad I did because when I hit the path I was greeted by a drop off.  Okay not a total drop off but I am talking like steep decline which without the BOB would have been a challenge but with the weight of the BOB pulling me forward I had to use all my strength not to let it pull me head over heels. Once I made it to the end of this drop off all I could think was never again.

Things didn’t look up much from there either. Unlike the path we started on this one was uneven with lots of cracks in the path.  My legs were already feeling strained from going down the steep hill so every bump, sharp corner and crack in the path made me cringe and say never again over and over. Finally the path smoothed out and I saw Neil who of course asked if I got his text about the hill and of course I didn’t because I hadn’t bothered to check my messages. We both agreed that if that really was the race path that we both had no desire to run it again especially with other people on the path with us.  Honestly, it just didn’t seem safe at all.

After our run I went home and contacted the organizers to ask if we had indeed ran the same course that the race would be the following weekend.  I also told them about our experience on the path and how if that was the correct course that it was not stroller friendly.  In the end I didn’t ever get an answer to whether or not it was the correct course I can only assume that it was based on the map that was up on the race website. The only response we received back was to say that they would be happy to switch us to a different race, which we both did.

Race day came and I have to say that I was pretty bummed that we didn’t end up running.  I had worked hard to get to that point, running 3-4 days per week with Edith in the BOB in preparation but in the end the race course just wasn’t the right fit.  Part of me is glad we did a practice run of the race course before the actual race because it would have been quite the surprise to come up on that spot on the course mid race but I also wish we hadn’t because I really wanted to run a race.

Q: Have you ever ran a race course prior to race day? If yes, did it change your expectations? Have you ever decided not to run a race?

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I once again asked for your feedback but unlike past years I actually got some harsh (but necessary) criticism…

I dislike the lack of content. I read a lot of blogs and a lot of them I have read through their babies first year. I never felt like their quality or content dropped significantly. I feel that your blog has, and I feel like you justify it every single blog by mentioning your baby. As a reader I prefer more day in the life posts learning about you and how you are navigating through your weight/workout/life/parent struggles so I can relate and maybe apply something to my life. I feel like all I read from you are sponsored posts and posts with very little heart. I unsubscribed from Naturally Family, but I keep holding off on leaving your blog. I feel like I might miss the moment when you get it and your blog becomes one I am happy to see in my reader.

and you know what you’re right.

When I first read this it felt like a having cold water thrown in my face, I should have seen it coming up it still shocked me. I read this and re-read it and re-read it again.  I then opened up RWT went back to my archives and looked at this month last year compared to right now and it’s true.  The last few posts from this month consists of sponsored posts, post about things I like and the upcoming challenge but nothing really about me, my life or anything with real significant content.  I agree as well that I am running into the same issue over on Naturally Family (NF).

I will also say it’s true that Edith has become the excuse behind why my content has dropped. As well as the fact that I struggle between what belongs on which blog and at the end of the day I am tired and often spent but I make a half-assed effort to write a post.

I have been working on my goals for May and one of them is to slow down and make more time for the things that I love and am passionate about.  From reading RWT right now you wouldn’t think it’s this blog or NF but it is.  Transitioning from the working world to becoming a stay-at-home mom and moving across the country has really sent me into talespin and I’m trying to recover.  I write this blog for you and for me and I know I have so much more to offer. It’s about taking time to deliver more quality content vs. quantity of posts.

I appreciate your feedback and would love to continue to have it so please take a few moments to answer five questions.  I will say I am working on more personal posts to go along with the sponsored , recipes and link up posts. As always I love to answer questions from you because to be honest if you met me you’d know I am a sharer so please no question is too personal just ask–> lindsay@runningwithtongs.com

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Can you believe that it is almost May? Did this month fly or what? First just a shout out to all of the April 100 Mile Challenge participants you rock! Now on to May!

This months challenge is slightly, okay totally, more attainable than last months challenge (more on that in a future post).  This month I want you to complete a plank-a-day. That’s it. Can you do it?

So what you need:

• A stop watch- if you have a smart phone there should be one on it
• A space for you to preform your plank and that’s it!

Challenge yourself to increase your time everyday even if it is just by a few seconds.

How the challenge works:

After you do you plank record your time on the Google Drive spreadsheet that I will send you.  At the end of the challenge participants who have completed the full 31 days will be entered to win a prize (TBD). Bonus: You can Instagram or Tweet a screenshot of your stop watch time for a bonus giveaway entry (up to one tweet per day) but make sure to include @runwithtongs and #RWTPlankADay to your IG/Tweet AND you must submit the URL on your spreadsheet for it to count.

If you have little to no experience with the plank here is a quick tutorial:

SIGN UP HERE:

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Running Essentials by runwithtongs featuring athletic running shoes

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What we did this weekend…
Friday night I had the house to myself while Neil went to a concert.
Saturday Morningwe started off our morning with breakfast at AND Cafe and then we went to the Saturday Artist Market before heading home to get ready for date night.
Saturday night we dropped Edith off at a local childcare spot and we went out for a drink at Branch, had some small plates at The Station (honestly wasn’t very good), got ourselves some Kombucha Sorbet at Salt and Straw and then a coffee before heading back to pick up Edith.
Sunday we stocked up on yummy baked goods at the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale and we wondered around Mississippi, picked up some groceries and took Edith to play on the baby swings.<

Is it summer yet?…
I am ready to pimp my lemonade, aren’t you?
I also want to be sitting by the fire while I sip on my pimped lemonade or my summer sangria.

Breaking the fast…
It might be because I have breakfast on the mind but I want to veganize these and eat them all right now–> Roasted Blueberry Coconut Quinoa Parfaits, Raspberry Maple-Pecan Granola, Roasted Strawberry Parfaits and Raw Breakfast Crumble.

Recipes I want To Make…
I hear that Frito Chili Pie is one of those things everyone is “supposed to” try before they die, so maybe one day (after I have gone for a long run) I’ll make this recipe.
On a healthier note these tacos sound fantastic or how about these nachos.
If you haven’t figured it out yet besides breakfast on the brain I have Tex-Mex on the brain and this salad is on the top of my must try list.

Over on Naturally Family…
You can start off with checking some photos from last weekend.
Then you can move on to some cute photos of Edith Eating.
Lastly, I finally did a cloth diapering update.

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 I had the best intentions to write this post back on the 15th (the half way point) but with everything that happened this week I have taken a little break from posting. I have had a few post go live that I had previously worked on but other than that I haven’t been feeling ready to get back to blogging I have been to consumed with everything that has been happening this week.

Anyways I thought that it was important to an update before this challenge is over and I hope to do at least one more next week along with a post on my favorite running gear.

I honestly am not sure that I myself will be able to complete the challenge but I am trying my hardest to do so.  I think I was a little naive to think that I could easily get in 100 miles this month while taking car of a baby and my home responsibilities. I am not giving up but just being realistic.

So far I have completed 50.3 miles walking and running.  So with 49.7 to go that means I need to average 4.14 miles per day between now and the 30th. I know based on my running plan I have to run about 20-25 miles between now and the end of the month so it’s just the other 25 or so miles I need to complete as well.  Hmmm…maybe I can?

I would love to hear how other participants are doing and what your thoughts are.  It really has put things in perspective for me and makes me WANT to move more.   I sit far too much during the day and need to get these legs outside and moving around more often.

P.S. I will be posting early next week with more details but get ready for May’s challenge it’s going to be planking awesome. hint. hint.

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I love pesto, especially with pasta. I also really enjoy vegan sausages. Tofurky recently came out with a variety of artisan (vegan) sausages and so far my favorite is the spinach pesto variety. They are so good and even better with pasta and more pesto.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tofurky Spinach Pesto Sausages
• 10 oz baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup of pesto (use your favorite or this recipe)
• 1 lb of bowtie pasta (or your favorite), cooked according to package directions
• 1/4-1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• salt and pepper

Directions:

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the mushrooms and sausages and cook until lightly browned. Stir in the tomatoes. Add the pasta and pesto and stir to combine. Add a the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed to help create the sauce (I used about 1/4 cup).

Disclaimer: Tofurky sent me their new Artisan sausages to try at no cost. All opinions are my own.

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Lately I have been really thinking about why it is that I run and why it is important to me. Honestly there are so many reasons….

1. For Edith. I want to be the best role model I can for her and part of that is making sure she knows that fitness is an important part of a healthy life style and that creating and attaining your goals is an important part of life.

2. For the post run beer. Yep, I’ll be honest I love having a beer after a long run or a race.

3. Because it means wearing comfy clothes all day.  I often don’t know when I am going to get a run in during the day so if I am not headed out to interact with other people then you can find me lounging in my running gear until the opportunity strikes.

4. It gives me more energy.  We have had many sleepless nights around here due to wonder weeks and teething so getting out for a run or doing something active really helps to increase my energy and keep me going.

5. For my sanity.  Running is a time for me to clear my mind and focus on something other than whats for dinner or how many packing peanuts Edith tried to eat that day (today it’s been 5).

6. For my health.  I want to live a long and healthy life so I can enjoy my daughter and husband.

Why is running or working out important to you?

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target.

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Sending my love and thoughts to Boston and all those at the marathon.

Such an amazing event that I had the privilege of spectating at in 2006 while living and studying in Boston.

It saddens me that something so horrific could occur at such an inspiring race.  My thoughts go out to all of those participating in the event runners, organizers, volunteers, those spectating, the families and the people of Boston.

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What we did this weekend…
We started our weekend off at Vita Cafe where we indulged in a big plate of biscuits and gravy.
We then headed downtown to the library so I could do a little work and Neil and Edith had some daddy-daughter time at Book Babies.
Saturday night we were pretty wild and made homemade pizza and watched TV.
Sunday we skyped with my parents and then we slowly got ourselves together and went out for a 5+ mile run. After our run we were hangry so we headed to Alberta St where I treated us to The Cheese Plate (amazing vegan cheese plate) and Neil Treated us to beer at Captured by Porches.
We then promptly headed home, picked up a few groceries, had dinner and went to bed at 8:15pm.

Fashion…
I am totally lusting after these shoes….I might just have to buy them.

Food..
This stir fry looks insane (along with all of the other food on this blog).
I’ll be honest ever since I got pregnant I haven’t been so in love with greens, crazy I know, but this salad does look amazing.
Summer is almost here and it’s time for cold treats like this ice cream.

Fitness…
Since I spent most of my days in running gear and yoga pants of course I have this high on my too purchase list.

Over on Naturally Family…
Along with the shoes I am lusting over above I am also lusting after these sneakers and sandals.
If you really like sippy cups you may want to enter this giveaway, there is only 1 day left to enter!
Just a cute photo of Edith at Vita Cafe.
Here are a few of my favorite mom friendly swimsuits.
OH and can you believe it Edith turned 9 months last week!

New on RWT…
If you haven’t seen it yet RWT has a new look! It’s not 100% finished but it is in a good state so Neil finally revealed what he has been working on (off and on) for the past few months.

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We have been trying to make more of our favorite food items at home rather than buying processed foods that are well processed and expensive.  I have been trying to make a good replacement for vegan butter and although I’m not totally there yet I have found a pretty good replacement.  This spread isn’t your nutty spread like peanut butter or almond butter but much more of a savory buttery spread that is perfect on pasta, steamed veggies or toast.

Makes approx 1.5 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup shelled hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt

In a blender place the coconut oil, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and sea salt. Process on high for 30 seconds and then slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Process until smooth. Store in the refrigerator. This will thicken up as it cools down in the refrigerator.

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I always liked the concept of a smoothie in a bowl and for years I kept giving it a try but I just couldn’t get into it. Well that all changed when I first visited a local smoothie & juice bar that also serves up Acai Bowls. I saw a lady order one and it was the most delicious thing I had laid eyes on in a long time. After that I decided to give them a try and fell in love. Here is my current favorite recipe:

Nutty for Acai

Serves 2
Ingredients:

• 1.5-2 cups (homemade) hazelnut milk or any non-dairy milk you enjoy
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 1 Sambazon acai packet
• 1 heaping tablespoon almond butter
• 1 scoop vanilla vega protein powder

toppings:
sliced banana
sliced strawberries
a sprinkle of chopped hazelnuts
a sprinkle of granola
a sprinkle of shredded coconut
a drizzle of agave
a sprinkle of cinnamon

Directions:
blend. pour. top.

Q: Smoothies in a bowl: yay or nay?

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I knew that losing the baby weight might be a challenge. I had hopes, not too high, but hopes nonetheless that I would lose the baby weight much more quickly than I have been. To be honest I lost a bit in the first 6 weeks and then I got my IUD which seemed to make me put on a little weight (side effect) and then we entered the craziest two months of our lives with preparing to move, limbo and finally moving but being without any of our things for a month.

During the month of December I really slacked on the workouts and indulged in way too many peanut butter balls. In January we finally moved and things slowly started to improve. I started to increase my activity and only ate one cookie per day instead of three peanut butter balls per day.

You’ll probably be shocked (*sarcasm*) to hear that I became a sugar addict. So in February Neil and I decided to challenge ourselves to a cleanse. No processed sugar or caffeine, both of which I had been over indulging on.  The first three days were hell but by the end of the cleanse I had greatly reduced my dependance on both sugar and caffeine and am proud to say that two months later and I do not crave either.  I still enjoy a small piece of chocolate or a dessert once in awhile as well as one cup of coffee per day but it is nothing compared to the massive amounts of sugar and gallons of coffee I was drinking.

In late January/early February I finally got back to consistent running and I have been going strong.  I finally feel like I am back in a good routine and I have a few races coming up. I feel like this has been the tipping point for me and I am finally feeling better, looking better and even losing some weight (3.6 lbs since the beginning of March).

My goal when Edith was born was to be back to my pre-pregnancy weight by her first birthday and back to my pre-pre-pregnancy weight (I put on a few pounds before I got pregnant) by next fall.  I am currently not on track to lose the weight by then but am hoping to be back/closer to my pre-pregnancy weight by the end of August.

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This weekend…
Friday night we went to a family meet up with one of my mom meet up groups at Lucky Labrador.
We went to breakfast at Suzette and had the most amazing vegan crepes.
We went grocery shopping (I know we’re wild).
We went to buy more coffee beans for Neil to roast and then we went to REI, Whole Foods and Portland Running Company

Guilty Pleasures…
Anyone who really knows me knows that I love to snoop in refrigerators, especially the ones at department stores-hey they used to put fake food in them when I was a kid, anyways today I snooped in Kris Carr’s fridge and you can too (there is real food inside).

Food I want to Eat…
How insane does this crispy cauliflower look?
I could eat a tempeh sandwich everyday. Adding this one to the list.

Clothes I want to Wear…
I hate shorts (on me) so I have been lusting after this skort for summer activities.

Over on Naturally Family…

You can check out some snapshots from our weekend at the coast, check out what Edith has been eating and drinking and read up on Neil’s goals for the month of April.

Don’t Forget…

To enter my More Peas, Thank You giveaway!

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Mama Pea has done it again, she has released another family friendly cookbook. As a new mom I am always on the lookout for tasty, healthy and quick recipes to create for my family and More Peas, Thank You has all three of these components. Not only is this cookbook filled with scrumptious recipes it is also filled with Sarah’s humorous writing.  I mean really, how many cookbooks can you read and find yourself rolling on the floor in laughter.

This book is filled with a ton of really great recipes including her famous MMMM Sauce which we have been making on a regular basis over here.  It is also filled with tasty recipes that you haven’t seen before like this one for Sunrise Smoothies.  This recipe is husband, mama and baby approved.

Sunrise Smoothies

Makes 4 smoothies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1⁄2 cups frozen strawberries
• 1 1⁄2 cups apple juice
• stevia, honey or agave to taste (optional)
• 1 cup frozen mango
• 1⁄2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1 1⁄2 cups orange juice
• 4 strawberries, to garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a blender, combine strawberries, apple juice and sweetener, if using.

2. Pour strawberry smoothie carefully into 4 glasses, and transfer glasses to freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to allow strawberry layer to set.

3. Rinse out blender and put in mango, pineapple, orange juice and sweetener, if using. Blend until smooth. Remove glasses from freezer and carefully pour mango smoothie into each one to achieve a layered effect.

4. Garnish with a fresh strawberry and serve.

Nutrition information per serving: 150 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 30 g sugar, 1 g protein, vitamin A 8%, vitamin C 130%, calcium 4%, iron 6%

Optional ingredients and toppings not included in analysis.

PEA POINTS
The longer you let the strawberry layer set, the more distinct the divide will be between the layers. You can also make these in Popsicle molds for a two-tone frozen summer treat.

In addition to this Sunrise Smoothie we have enjoyed the Quinoa-Zucchini Lasagna and MMMM Sauce in various forms (mac and mmm, with steamed veggies and rice, on toast). So far we have enjoyed everything we have made from More Peas, Thank You and I am planning to keep this cookbook in my rotation.

Giveaway Time:

The prize is a ton of fun, and includes:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I was provided with a review copy of More Peas, Thank You.  All opinions are my own.

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Happy First National Acai Bowl Day!

Over the past few months I have become addicted to making acai bowls for breakfast and I am working on a few recipes to share with you.  I actually had planned to share a new recipe today for the first ever National Acai Bowl Day but alas it just didn’t happen (life as a mom). Anyways I did want to share some more info about this special day

More than 300 juice and smoothie bars in 30-plus states are participating by offering açaí bowls at half price. Additionally, National Açaí Bowl Day will be celebrated at Sambazon’s two Açaí Café locations in Southern California. To find specific locations, you can visit the Sambazon.com store locator and choose National Acai Bowl Day under “Products” list.

We are heading to KURE on Hawthorne to pick up our bowls this morning- so excited!

Have you ever had an acai bowl? What is your favorite kind?

You can find recipes here.

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Neil and I used to like to do a lot of city vacations before we had Edith and as much as we love those types of trips we have become more attracted to active outdoorsy vacations. This past weekend we took a spur of the moment trip to the Oregon Coast (who says you can’t take spur of the moment trips with a baby?). We really didn’t have anything on the agenda except to get outside and enjoy the beautiful warm weather.

Saturday we wandered around Astoria and then found ourselves hoping into the car and heading overthe bridge to Washington. We weren’t really sure what to do so we followed the signs to Cape Disappointment, a Washington State Park. We found a parking area and took a short hike out to a viewing area and lighthouse. We didn’t do much hiking on Saturday but definitely found a spot we’d like to return to.

Sunday we headed south to Cannon Beach were we visited Ecola State Park. We arrived just as the fog started to lift and the sun came out. We headed first to the viewing area where we saw some of the most beautiful postcard-worthy sites. After we took in the view we changed into our hiking shoes and headed out on the path to the beach. The path was described as a gradual assent and a steep descent so we weren’t sure what to expect but we headed out anyways. I strapped Edith on my back and we hiked in about a mile before hitting some trees that were down making it too much of a challenge to even attempt to get under them (there was no going over) with a baby in tow. So be grudgingly we headed back to the car where we promptly devoured half a container of hummus and carrots before heading home.

I’m looking forward to doing a lot more hiking this summer and hopefully at least one more trip to the coast.

What are your favorite types of vacations?

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Have I ever told you how much I love to run on vacation? I really do, especially when there is an amazing running route right outside our hotel*.

This past Saturday, while in Astoria, Neil and I woke up and the first thing we did was go out for our runs. We both have races coming up so even though we were on a mini-vacation there was no way we could skip our training runs. I packed Edith up in the BOB and headed out a little before Neil since my run was a total of 60 minutes and his would be closer to 45 or so.

We lucked out that the weather was amazing, sunny but not hot and not too cold for a nice morning run. After stretching I started out with a 5 minute walking warm-up and then did 50 minutes of walk/run intervals and met up with Neil to finish off with a 5 minute cool down. In all I did 4.13 miles in 60 minutes and finished the 5k in 43:18 (my goal was 45 minutes).  I have to say I felt amazing after my run because I beat my 5k time goal while running the first 30 minutes with a wicked headwind and pushing the BOB, oh yeah and because my entire run was along the water (!!).

Do you like to run on vacation? Where is the best place you have ever ran?

*We stayed at the Best Western in Astoria (we got it on Hotwire) which is right on the river walk.  It is a great location on  the water only a few miles from downtown and there is even a trolly that you can take for $2/day that drops you off/picks you up right by the hotel.

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This past weekend we took advantage of the beautiful weather and took a spur of the moment trip to the Oregon Coast. This was our first trip to the coast and of course because our trip was so last minute, I’m talking we decided Thursday night to go away for the weekend, we had very limited options for accommodations due to Oregon schools being on spring break. We ended up finding a hotel in Astoria and here are a few of the places we visited.

Breweries: Of course we had to stop into Rogue and Fort George for some beer sampling while in Astoria. While I loved the location of Rogue (right on the water literally) I have to say Fort George was the winner with it’s amazing beers.  My favorite Fort George brew was the 1811 Lager, which is surprising to me because I am a lover of hoppy beers which this one is not. Not a beer drinker? Well then you must try the wasabi ginger ale at Fort George. So good.

Night Life: If you do happen to go to Rogue at night you’ll probably walk outside and be greeted by the sound of sea lions, they are seriously so loud and so cute. You will also be able to take in a breath taking view and sunset. I recommend taking a walk along the water down to the pier so you can see the sea lions up close while enjoying the sunset.

Filmed in Astoria: I knew that The Goonies was filmed onsite in Astoria but did you know that Short Circuit, The Black Stallion, Kindergarten Cop, Free Willy, Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, Benji the Hunted, The Ring Two, and Into the Wild were also filmed in Astoria? Of course we had to grab a map (side note: seriously who uses mapquest anymore? Google Maps for the win) and visit The Goonies house and take a photo of the school where Kindergarten Cop was filmed.

Blue Schorcher: This vegetarian cafe has a small food menu, lots of baked goods, chocolates that I wish I had bought and of course coffee. The menu is vegetarian but vegans don’t get too excited because everything is very dairy heavy.  We ended up ordering the Tempeh & Toast for breakfast and coffees and it was really good, so good I’d recommend going. You can also pick up one of their wonderful homemade breads to take home and if you forget your reading material they have a wall full of really wonderful magazines you can purchase. Also for those of you with little ones there was an amazing little play area that Edith enjoyed for almost our entire meal.

Coming up later this week I’ll show you a few other adventures from this past weekend.

Have you ever visited Astoria?

Where did/are you travel for Spring Break?

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First off this is not an April Fools post, I really am setting goals for April.

I used to set monthly goals for myself and lately I haven’t been doing it and I am noticing I’m not accomplishing as much as I’d like each month. I am going to set monthly goals from here on out and do a recap of my goals at the end of the month.

On top of setting goals I am going to give myself an incentive to actually accomplish my goals. You may remember Neil & my incentive program back in 2011, well it’s going to be similar to this. Right now we have a budget for groceries, entertainment, gas and household items and at the end of the month whatever we have leftover we put 50% in savings and we each get 25% for our allowance (allowance = lunches out, coffee out, fun/non-essential purchases).  Well my incentive to accomplish my goals will be that I get to keep my 25% and if I don’t accomplish my goals then I have to put it into Edith’s college fund (we already put money aside each month for this as well).

April Goals:

1. Read one new book. I have a book that I have been reading since December (embarrassing, I know).  Well I am planning to (finally) finish this book and my goal is to read one other book as well.  I think I am going to make this a monthly goal so please leave your suggestions in the comments.

2. Run/Walk/Bike 100 Miles. My goal for this month is complete 100 miles total by doing any or a combo of the following: run, walk, or bike.  I am also challenging you to do the same (sign up here); oh and there is an incentive for you as well.

3. Write 5 freelance articles. I love freelance writing but I haven’t done nearly enough since Edith was born so I am hoping this will help me get back into the swing of things.

4. Use one of my cookbooks each week. I have a huge cookbook collection but I honestly rarely use them.  I actually probably have a number that I’ve never even used, so this month that is all going to change. My goal is to use a different cookbook each week to prepare at least two recipes for the week.

5. Finish unpacking. We still have too many unpacked boxes so my goal is to get them all unpacked with one exception: anything we won’t need between now and November 1st can stay in a box.  Why November 1st? That is when we finally get to move out of this site-unseen apartment and into a new rental that we (hopefully) love in a better neighborhood.

6. Return calls and e-mails to friends. I have been awful at staying in touch with people and returning phone calls.  There is really no good reason but I blame the time difference, the fact I’m exhausted by the end of the day and having too much on my plate. However, those excuses suck and I need to make more time for important things like my friends.

7. Write 8 new recipes this month. I have been doing a lot of throw together meals lately and not enough recipes (as you might have noticed) so I want to write 8 total this month.  That meals 4 for my freelance gig and 4 for the blog. Again I’d like this to be a monthly goal so if you’re looking for recipes using a specific ingredient or a healthier version of one of your old favorites leave me ideas in the comments.

These are my seven official incentive goals but I also have a another other non-incentive goal:

• Spend more time at home. On the weekends we have been spending a lot of time getting to know the area which means we are spending very little time at home.  This also means that we are not getting our home improvement, household tasks or other at home things done on the weekends when we have more time.

What are your April goals?

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This Weekend We…

We escaped to the coast and I can’t wait to share more about our trip this week. (Links to come)

Challenge Yourself…

Today kicks off the start of my April Healthy Challenge (you can still sign up!) but if you aren’t up for running, walking or biking 100 miles how about taking the 100 burpee challenge?

It Starting To Feel A Lot Like Summer…

Summer means BBQ’s and this veggie burger looks amazing and would go great with a side of these pickled green tomatoes and this kale and cabbage salad.

I would love to cool down after a hot day in the sun with one of these creamy milkshakes.

Over on Naturally Family…

Check out last weekends snapshots, my finds for nursing friendly dresses, our adventures in the Ergo at OMSI and our Monday links around the web.

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This Yoga Mama is Mary, here she is 6 months pregnant doing a headstand. Impressive!!

P.S. All you March Yoga Challenge participants please head over and update your spreadsheets so that I can add your name to the pot and draw a winner!

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1. Running with friends is actually fun especially when it’s beautiful outside and they are also pushing a jogging stroller.

2. The weather is supposed to be insanely beautiful and warm this weekend so obviously that means we should go to the Oregon Coast.

3. Spontaneous trips means our fridge full of food won’t be eaten so I must make a dent in it today with some juicing and lunches….I should probably go work on that. Unfortunately it also means we are probably going to waste some things, not something I like to do.

4. Leaving the house means I should probably find something besides yoga pants to wear…it also means I should probably do laundry like now.

5. I finally feel like I got my running mojo back. I feel like a runner again.

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I am head over heels in love with the new Mamma Chia snack, Chia Squeeze, they are honestly insanely delicious.  I have been snacking on them after my runs and reluctantly let Neil try one and my friend Fawn try another flavor (looking back I wish I hadn’t shared they are that good.)

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Can you believe it is almost April?!? I hope you all are feeling very relaxed and flexible after your month of yoga and are ready to get moving because this month is a real challenge.  A challenge unlike the past two that is sure to get you ready for your summer bikini body, running or bike races and triathlons.

This months challenge is to run, bike and/or walk 100 miles. Yes you read that correctly 100 miles.

I know that this sounds like a grueling challenge and you’re probably thinking “can I really complete the challenge?” Before you go doubting yourself let me tell you YES you can and just think of how proud of yourself you will be.

Healthy Challenge: Walk | Run | Bike –>100 MILES. You can count any miles that you walk, run or bike.  That means walking around the grocery store can count towards your total miles for the month; this challenge is not just about specific fitness miles but rather miles in general. I want you get moving. If you live in a city and take public transit to work get off a stop early and walk the remainder of the way or maybe you live only a few miles from work, go ahead and bike or run instead of driving.  Once you start tracking things you’ll see it isn’t that hard to complete the 100 miles (although if you’re a biker you may want to take on a personal challenge to complete 125-150 miles).

Tracking: You can track your miles via your Garmin (or similar device), run keeper or daily mile. Once you sign up for the challenge I’ll send you a spreadsheet where you can submit your daily mileage. However, I will require you to send me a screen shot of your tracking device to prove your miles.

Complete the challenge and you’ll be entered to win a pretty amazing giveaway item. That’s right if you complete the challenge not only will you get bragging rights that you walked/ran/biked 100 miles in 30 days but you will also be entered to win a great prize. Brooks Running has generously agreed to offer a pair of the #pureproject running shoes to the winner of this challenge. To win you must complete the 100 miles and submit to me your completed spreadsheet with screenshots. There will be one winner of the challenge and all entries must be received by May 2nd, 2013 at 12pm PST.

Social Media: You can follow me on twitter and instagram @runwithtongs and you can follow our April Challenge giveaway sponsor on twitter and instagram at @brooksrunning.  The challenge hash tag is #RWT100Miles.

Second Giveaway: Oh yes and there is a second prize, a package filled with my favorite running/training items. To enter “tweet @runwithtongs @brooksrunning #RWT100Miles” along with how many miles you completed for the day. You can enter once per day for a total of 30 entries.  There will be one winner of this prize.

Okay so now that you have all the details lets get you signed up:

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What we did this weekend…

Friday night we went out to for Indian.

Saturday we went to the Portland Farmers Market, the Better Living Expo, had lunch Thai for lunch and picked up green beans.

Sunday we slept in until 8:30am and then had breakfast, skyped with the ‘rents and did a little outlet shopping.

Get your yoga on….

Can you believe we are on the home stretch of March Challenge??? This is a great yoga sequence to try if you’re a runner or just really want to strength your legs (you might want to book mark this for April’s Healthy Challenge :HINT:HINT:).

Say good morning with a little yoga.

Recipes I need to try…

Well you all know how much I love kale and cabbage so obviously I need to try this recipe.

This recipe would be perfect for a hot summer night.

I am dreaming of making these for Edith and I to enjoy during future tea party.

Fit-inspiration…

I just bought this DVD and I am ready to tone it up!

Î need to try this move because I think my baby pooch is starting to bark.

City dwellers you may want to read this especially if you are planning to participate in the April healthy challenge.

Wanderlusting…

This week I am wanderlusting after this beautiful location.

Over on Naturally Family…

First stop over and check out the photos from last weekend and then you can read all about The Wonder Weeks, our lullaby song and about shopping consignment for baby.

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