It's Wednesday and I'm Blogging

I bet you're surprised to wake up and find a blog from me on a Wednesday!  I can't remember the last time I blogged on a Wednesday.  I have to go into the office today because I need to work from home tomorrow, so I'm on the bus.  And what better way to pass the time than to blog?  Well, there is sleep and sometimes that is way better than blogging, but I will sacrifice for you.

I really should be more tired.  Every day I set my alarm and it says how much time I have left before the alarm goes off...and it's never more than 5.5 hours.  Yesterday it said I had 5 hours and 26 minutes.  I really think I need more than five hours and 26 minutes of sleep every night.  Especially since it's said the same think for Sunday night and Monday night too.  Except I feel pretty rested this morning, definitely not tired enough for a regular coffee by any means (although I read a very persuasive article about the benefits of coffee in the March issue of Runner's World).  I wonder how much better I would feel if I actually got 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night.  I will probably never know.

Yesterday I finally got a run in.  Pretty amazing,huh.

As you can tell from the photo, it is hard for me to take a selfie with the iPad.  It's too small to hold in one hand and very difficult to angle.  I am wearing my Anna skirt, which I love.  I am tempted to break out my entire Anna outfit one of these days and run through DC dressed up like a Disney Princess.  I'm not sure if I'm that brave though.

The run wasn't't too bad.  We finally have some early spring weather so I really wanted to get out and enjoy it.  Thursday is supposed to be back to the 30s again so it won't last long.  I brought my stuff today too but we'll see if I have time to get out.  I was also starving after my run.  I hate how that happens. I didn't bring enough food to fill my belly.  It was plenty of food the day before but not enough on a run day.

Evan was getting plenty of recovery food though.

Seriously, look at how happy he looks!  I am not a huge fan of ice cream but I love sugar.  I guess Evan gets his sweet tooth from me, because his father is not a sugar person.

Ok - off to sleep.  I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!!!

I got in my run, but I took no photos

I am a tad bit proud of myself for getting in my run yesterday.  I had a long, two hour phone call in the morning and after that I felt a bit lethargic and unmotivated.  Plus, I felt like I had a lot of work to do.  However, it was 70 degrees out and it seemed almost a crime to not go for a run in such nice weather, especially because the nice weather was only going to last a day.  So, I dragged my unmotivated bum out of my office chair and put my running clothes on.  I figured if I at least had my clothes on I would be a lot more likely to go for a run.  I probably should have drank more than a cup of coffee, but it was too late to down a jug of water.

As I headed out the door I ran into some coworkers who were headed downstairs for flu shots.  I guess they were giving out free flu shots in the building.  I don't normally get a flu shot, the only time I've ever had one was when I was in the Peace Corps and they made us get them.  I just don't think it really works that well and I've never been compelled to get it.  I know the government spouts it's amazingness but a lot of the research I've read does not support that amazingness.  However, I'm not against the flu shot and I don't think it's bad...so I wasn't going to make it a point to refuse a free vaccine with no line that would only take five seconds.  So I got it.

And then I went for a run.  I was going to do six miles but felt that was a bit long, especially since I still had a lot to do that day and I hadn't had much to drink.  So I did 4.5 miles instead.  It's a good thing too because this was not my best run.  I felt really tired and like my legs weighed 50 pounds.  And it was super windy!  I hate wind and for a good 1/3 of the run the wind was in my face forcing me to exert myself even more.  And I think I would have felt better with a bit more to drink and more than 4.5 hours of sleep.  But I finished it and it was good to be done.

Then I ate lunch.  And it was a delicious lunch.  It included my favorite English muffin: cranberry.  It is so yummy, especially with loads of butter and toasted.  It's only seasonal item so I won't get to eat it forever, but for now, I'm on a enjoy it.

Doesn't that look so good!!!  All that yummy butter is making me hungry just looking at it.  Have I mentioned on this blog how much I love butter?

My other favorite part of my lunch is this salad:

What makes that salad so goods??  The dressing!!  It's Brianna's Rich Poppyseed.  It is divine.  I am so excited every day for this salad because the dressing is that good.  It's not exactly "good for me" but then again, neither is all that butter on my English muffin - but sometimes you just have to sacrifice your health for a bit of butter and salad dressing.  I've eaten this lunch every day for three weeks now and I'm not tired of it.  I also have an apple (you can see it in the side of the picture), and if I'm still hungry I also have pretzals and greek yogurt...but the highlights are the English muffin and salad dressing.

I have an exam today in Chemistry so I'm gonna try and stay awake on the bus to study rather than nodding off - but I'm not sure if that will work out.  I am slowly nodding off as I write this already.  I tried to study yesterday evening but there were no lights on the bus and since it's DARK when I leave work already, I was forced to listen to music the entire time.  And you know it's a bad commute day when your playlist ends and you are STILL not home yet.

Ok - happy Tuesday and wish me luck on my last exam before the final.  I can see the end of Chemistry and I think I might make it!

Lunch boxes and rude kids

The weather this weekend was amazing!  I'm a little sad that autumn is already here because I didn't feel like I got to fully enjoy the summer, but I love the fall so I will adjust easily.  The leaves are already falling and the cooler temps are here.  Yesterday I went for a run with my sister in the morning and I had to put Evan in pants, socks, and a sweatshirt.  And toddlers in sweatshirts are adorable.

The fall also brings about football and this means I don't have to worry about what I' going to wear two days a week.  On Friday I make sure to wear my football shirt for my brother's-in-law team (he's a high school football coach and we go to his games every Friday) and on Sunday I wear a Ravens shirt (or purple shirt).

Hubs just bought me this shirt on Friday when we went to the mall.  He bought one for himself too, but obviously not the same style.  Now we have official Ravens outfits.  Last year I just wore purple (not that this shirt would have fit me anyway).

This weekend I was determined to get caught up from last weekend when my parents were here.  I had clothes that needed to be folded that had been sitting on the floor for weeks.  I finally got it all folded and hung up and I feel SO much better.  Ivan kept trying to go to sleep but I refused to budge until everything was put away.

Yup, I told you it was a lot.  For some reason in the photo it doesn't look as impressive as it did in real life though.  I'm not sure if I had any clothes left in my drawers.  I even folded the baby clothes!

I also tried to be a bit more organized when it comes to Evan's eating.  He is not gaining weight consistently so I want to make sure I'm giving him enough opportunities to eat.  So, I made a list of all the possible food items we have in the house for him to eat and then made some meals.

 I just did breakfasts, snack, and lunch because that's what he eats at my sister's, but I might add dinner because another change we are making is having Evan eat dinner earlier (like 5pm), and then have a snack before bed (around 7pm).  I left some food for Ivan to give him, since I don't get home until 6:30pm, so hopefully he eats a bit more.  I also bought a cute little lunch pail for Evan.  Isn't so cute??  Sometimes the food I put in the diaper bag and give my sister gets lost or buried under diapers and clothes and I clean out the bag at night and find string cheese or something.  So, I felt like this would make it easier for everyone.

And switching topics from kids' lunches to just kids, can I tell you about the kids I encountered on my walk on Saturday.  I was out walking the dog (Evan was sleeping and at home with Ivan) and as I passed the playground two boys (about 11) were swinging on the swings.  I was on the sidewalk, so a decent distance from them, but I hear them yelling "What the $&*#!" really loudly.  I just keep walking and ignoring them, but they were obviously trying to get my attention.  Then they start yelling "I'm gonna kill your *#$@&*% dog!".  Now I realize they are yelling at me (because no one else had a dog), but I refuse to look over and let them know that I heard them (because this is obviously what they wanted).  So then they start yelling "*%*#&^@ piece of white trash!".  I still continued on without looking over, but I sure wanted to go over there and pop them on the head.  I mean, seriously, that was a bit over the top.  I realize they were just looking for attention and felt so "tough" because they were using the "F" word out loud (I could tell by the tone of their voice that they felt really cool using that word).  It still made me mad and took all my self-control to continue ignoring them.  I had half a mind to find out where they lived and talk with their parents, but most likely their parents' could have care less.  Right?  Parent's who care don't have kids that do that, do they?  I kept thinking that my Evan had better NEVER grow up to act like that.  I was so appalled by their behavior and the things that came out of their mouths - and they were only 10 or 11!  

Ok - my eyes are slowing closing so I better snooze at bit on the bus!

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Do you pack lunches or eat out every day for lunch (if you work outside the home)?

What do you do when kids act completely inappropriately in public places - like the playground - and their parents are nowhere to be seen???

Fitting in a Run

It is a bit hard finding time to run when I have a newborn four-month old at home (how long is a newborn called a newborn???).  By the time I get home from work it is 6:30pm and I have too much to do.  Plus, when I get home I want to see my baby and tickle him and make him smile and catch up with my husband.  Not lace up my shoes and go for a solo run.  It is also dark and freezing by the time I get home – a huge deterrent.

When I work from home, I could go for a run but I am more excited to be done work early and spend time with the baby and husband.  So I usually don’t.  I am “supposed” to do strength training on work-from-home days but I haven’t gotten myself organized to do that yet.  One day it will happen.

So, the only other option I have left is to run during my lunch hour at work.  This works for now because it is freezing outside and I don’t sweat too much.  We don’t have showers in our office building so I pretty much have to change back into my work clothes after going for a run.  I usually cool off while I eat my lunch and then change.  If I am a bit sweaty, I wipe off with Ponds Wet Cleansing Towelettes.  It’s not the same as a shower, but it works just fine. 

                        ^^After getting my run on^^

It is nice running during lunch because it gets me away from my computer and recharges my brain.  I get tired of running around the White House and National Mall over and over and over again, but I’ll live.  It is the best option because it has the least number of streets to cross.  City running annoys me because I have to stop for so many lights that I feel like I don’t go anywhere.  People walking catch up to me every block.  Once I get to the mall area in DC there aren’t any lights and I can run a bit easier.

Sometimes I am too busy to run during lunch though, so that is annoying.  Plus, I sometimes get passive aggressive remarks from coworkers about how I don’t have enough work if I have enough time to run and get my work done.  First, I try to be as efficient as possible.  Second, I work really long days.  I am in the office from 7:30am until 4:50pm – that’s almost a 9.5 hour day.  So, I don’t feel too guilty getting a run in when I have the time.  I am not running 10 miles during lunch or anything.  The most I do is 4 miles but that is rare.  I usually only have time to squeeze in a 3 mile run.  Obviously, if I have to choose between meeting a deadline or going for I run, I meet my deadline. 

And if it is below 20*F outside, I don’t run.  I don’t really have clothes for that temperature, so I skip it.  If we had a gym at work I could run on a treadmill, but we do not. 

After having a baby and having way less time, I find that I am much more motivated to go for a run at lunch.  I know that if I don’t get my run in that day at that specific time, I won’t have a chance to make it up.  I can’t just go another day because there aren’t many other options.  So, unless it’s impossible to squeeze in, I am usually out there running around the monument during lunch.

                       ^^Back in my work clothes, after a good run^^

See, you can hardly tell I went for a run.  Just my hair is a bit ugly since I had it in a ponytail for the run and then tried to shake it out afterwards.  Now, once summer comes and it’s 95*F outside, I’m not sure what I’ll do.  Maybe I’ll take a short lunch and then run after work before getting on the bus.  We’ll see what happens when the time comes.

When do you get a run in?

Anyone else run during lunch?

My failed Pinterest recipe...

Before I get started, I would like to say that I think I'm getting hot flashes.  Is this a result of pregnancy?  I NEVER get hot, especially in my office.  However, a few times today I've started getting really hot and even a bit sweaty.

But I cooled down and now feel normal.

Not sure if the heating/air conditioning is playing a trick on me or if my body is finally starting to heat up a bit with this pregnancy.

Just thought I'd mention that.

This weekend I decided I would make some soup that I could freeze and easily bring to the birthing center to eat while laboring.  Remember, since it's a birthing center there is no cafeteria.  Or even someone who cooks.  There is a kitchen, but you have to do your own cooking.

Since Ivan doesn't cook much I figure I better have some stuff prepared so that I don't starve.  There is a grocery store kinda close by and across a busy street there is McDonalds and Subway.  So we aren't completely in a food wasteland.

But, anyway, I figured this Gnocci, Sausage, and Spinach Soup that I found on Pinterest looked so yummy and was filled with carbs, fat, and veggies.  What a great thing to make.  Here is my versions (next to the real version):

Source: Picture on right is from Reeni at Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice

Yeah, I'm not sure what happened.  I'm still really curious as to how Reeni (from Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice) got hers to look so much tastier than mine.  And redish colored.  Hers looks like tomato cream and mine looks like alfredo.  I skipped the roasted red pepper but that was it.  Is the pepper what gave it such a richer color?  Did I pour in too much cream?  Hmm, not sure.  The soup isn't bad, it's pretty tasty actually, but I think it would taste better if it looked liker hers.

It's a mystery!

And since I have nothing else to talk about, here are some more pics of my lunch:

Lovely fruit

According the the Bradley Method nutrition guidelines, I'm suppose to eat a citrus fruit at least once a day.  So, every day I try to have an orange or grapefruit.  It's suppose to build strong membranes (so my water doesn't burst prematurely).  I've eaten so much citrus my baby will probably come out in it's bag of water!  And who can resist $1.99 lb cherries?  YUM!

Tricking myself into thinking I'm not drinking water...

In an attempt to drink more water, I decided to buy these sparkling waters with "essence" of fruit.  This one is raspberry and the other one I got was lemon/lime.  Hmm, "essence" doesn't actually mean a ton of flavor.  It's ok, but I sure would like something that tasted a bit more like Orangina, but without sugar or too many calories, of course...since the midwives told me to avoid drinking too much juice.  I think my body's too smart though - it doesn't really crave these drinks like it does Pepsi or real orange juice.  I guess it's better than water though.  And since my pee was the color of my bridesmaids' dresses, I better get on the drinking bandwagon!

Oh, and another tidbit of info.  Check out my new work shoes:

I am a fashion queen!

Yup, I have resorted to wearing tennis shoes every day to work.  I lost my work shoes last week (can't remember if I told you that or not) and had to wear flip flops and tennis shoes.  Then I found my work shoes and wore them but they were so tight I decided to wear tennis shoes instead.  And I haven't turned back.  Everyone in my office thinks I just got back from a walk and everyone in the street thinks that I changed out of my high-style pumps into tennis shoes (at least that what I pretend they think, since I don't actually know).

My feet are so much happier.

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What did you have for lunch today?

Have you ever made a recipe that you found on Pinterest?

What do your work shoes look like?