tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44047680511271915832024-03-13T21:22:33.761-05:00Live Inside My BubbleHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.comBlogger1357125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-29097814097386662772017-08-26T20:49:00.003-05:002017-08-26T21:09:41.634-05:00Day In The Life: Summer 2017Tory, Aden and I spent the entire summer at the lake this year, and it was as magical as it seems. I feel lucky to have spent so much quality time with my kids in a natural, carefree environment and even if it never happens again, I will always cherish the memories we shared this past summer. It sounds sappy, but it's true!<br />
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In keeping with my long-standing tradition of documenting a day of our lives during each season of the year, I took a bunch of photos one day in July and jotted down notes about what we did ... and then completely neglected to blog about it! While these photos are a month old now, I still wanted to write about our day as it's always fun to look back and remember what our life was like at various points. Here's a Day In The Life on <b>Thursday, July 20, 2017</b>:<br />
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Andi and I are both 36 years old<br />
Tory is 5 years, 10 months<br />
Aden is 3 years, 8 months <br />
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<b>6:30am:</b> I wake up naturally by the light of the sun, and blink my eyes open a few times to gather my bearings. Tory and Aden are still asleep, as we've all been sleeping in later and later as the summer rolls on. The lake cabin is completely quiet except for the sounds of leaves rustling outside my bedroom window and birds chirping in the trees. <br />
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<b>6:45am: </b>I check Facebook and Instagram on my phone, use the bathroom, and then pour myself a cup of coffee. <b> </b><br />
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<b>7:00am:</b> With a coffee in hand, I walk over to the sliding glass door, open it, and give thanks for these beautiful surroundings. Birds are chirping, crows cawing, bullfrogs bellowing ... I love it all. It's crisp and dewy outdoors this morning; a chilly 61 degrees. I will never forget waking up to this view every single morning this summer; one of my favorite sights.<br />
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I sit down at my pseudo-office for the summer (the kitchen bar) and send out some messages to prospective challengers in my fitness group.<br />
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<b>7:45am:</b> Suddenly, Tory flings open her bedroom door on the middle-level of the cabin and makes a huge racket.<i> Crash!</i> the door slams into the bedroom wall. I fly off my chair and down the stairs thinking it's Aden making all the noise, but instead see Tory standing outside her door in a sleepy daze. I grab her by the hand and lead her back upstairs. She crawls into my bed, turns on the TV (a skill she's recently learned to do herself) and starts watching Strawberry Shortcake.<br />
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<b>8:00am:</b> Aden walks up the stairs shorter afterward grinning ear to ear. I wrap him up in a big hug and carry him over to the sofa to snuggle for a bit. This three-year-old moves a mile a minute during the day, so mornings are one of the only times I get to sit and snuggle my sweet little boy. A few minutes later, he tells me he needs to use the potty, so I carry him into the bathroom ... then proceed to clean up the pile of urine he trickles onto the floor. He eventually meets Tory in the master bedroom and crawls into bed to watch television with her.<br />
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<b>8:15am:</b> Tory requests chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, so I pop some pre-made ones from the weekend into the microwave. I let the kids sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips on top. True to form, Aden only eats the chocolate chips, mutilating the pancakes themselves. He asks for more chocolate chips and isn't pleased when I tell him he's got to eat the pancakes on his plate first.<br />
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<b>8:30am: </b>We have absolutely zero groceries - like I haven't left the cabin since Wednesday (as in, last Wednesday!) so I've got to make do with food available. No fresh fruit. Very few veggies. No eggs. Looks like it's an oatmeal kind of morning even though I've been trying to steer clear of gluten lately. I mix my oatmeal with half a frozen banana, cinnamon and maple syrup. Of course it boils over in the microwave... of course it does.<br />
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<b>8:45am:</b> I glance at the table and admire the absolute breakfast destruction. Aden dumped his entire plate of pancakes on the table. I push them back on his plate and try convincing him to eat it, but no dice.<br />
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<b>9:00am: </b>Aden has chocolate smeared all over his face and hands, so I chase him around the living room to wash up. Eventually he follows Tory to the bedroom to finish watching Strawberry Shortcake and I hear her tell him, "I'll give you red chips (aka: Doritos) if you shut the door..." Ha. She has him figured out.<br />
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<b>9:15am:</b> I down my pre-workout drink, then head outside to get my workout in. I set up my weights and jump mat on the patio because, seriously, how can I not workout outdoors on this beautiful day?<br />
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I spy an eagle fishing in the bay!<br />
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<b>10:00am: </b>I finish my workout as the kids bop in and out of the cabin around me. Tory writes me a note and leaves it next to my computer on the deck. When I'm finished, I read it and the message melts my heart. What a sweetheart she is!<br />
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<b>10:15am:</b> Aden turns on the hose and is busy washing one of the Cozy Coupe cars. We inherited this one from a cabin neighbor so I don't care if they fill it up with water or play with it on the beach. Have fun, kids! While they're playing together, I quickly log my workout in my fitness challenge group.<br />
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I run inside and change out of my workout clothes and into my swimming suit. I'm a sweaty mess; perfect time to go jump in the lake!<br />
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<b>11:00am:</b> The kids move over to the swing set now and are playing, climbing and sliding down the slide. It's a little too fast for a three and five-year-old to manage, so I had to add the pool floatie at the end for cushioning. (Sorry about the dead grass, Andi)<br />
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<b>11:30am:</b> The three of us move to the lake eventually, and Aden and Tory help me rake up some of the weeds that've blown into our beach. Our cabin is located in a bay on the lake, so there's not many waves or boat traffic around to keep the water moving; hence, we have to rack our beach every few days to clear the lilypads and grass clippings that accumulate. Tory and Aden use nets to catch the ones floating in the water while I use a rake to drag the rest into a pile.<br />
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<b>Noon: </b>The kids ditch beach chores for playing, and take turns slipping down the slide into the water and playing trucks on the beach. Half-way through the summer, they're finally brave enough to swim out to the floating dock about 10 feet away from land, so they find their way out there eventually.<br />
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Now they're floating around on a floatie together playing "king and queen." Aden is the king, of course, with his yellow bucket crown. "Take me over there, King!" Tory directs, as Aden paddles them around in the water.<br />
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<b>1:00pm:</b> I convince the kids to get out of the water to dry off and have some lunch. "Ah, this is the life," Tory says to nobody in particular as she and Aden lounge on a chair side-by-side.<br />
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Aden is not pleased about coming inside the cabin while I get the food ready...<br />
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<b>1:30pm:</b> For lunch, I make cucumbers rolled in deli turkey for me, leftover taco meat inside a flour tortilla with shredded cheese, cucumbers, and a yogurt for Tory, and a hot dog, grapes, and pretzels for Aden. I also make them "fancy drinks" by garnishing their water glasses with a slice of cucumber. Tory is very impressed.<br />
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<b>2:30pm: </b>When I walk by Tory's room later, I notice Aden has dumped all the clothes out of her dresser again. UGH! I don't know why he does that, but it's annoying. I spend a few minutes folding all the clothes and then notice he's done the same thing in his room, too, so I spend a few more minutes picking up his mess as well.<br />
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<b>3:00pm: </b>Outside by the lake again, we finish raking up the weeds on the beach. I hitch a small trailer to the ATV and pull it over so I can use it to transport the weeds to a nearby field. Aden is fearful I'll leave on the "TB" (the ATV) without him, so he sits patiently on the seat and waits for me to finish. While I'm raking up the weeds in the water, I step on something sharp and slice open the bottom of my foot. It doesn't hurt too badly, but it's a really deep cut and won't stop bleeding. Oy.<br />
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Meanwhile, Tory's paddleboarding around the bay ...<br />
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<b>4:00pm:</b> Aden and I haul the weeds to a nearby field, and dump them. We come back to the cabin and he decides to drive his John Deere Power Wheels tractor around while I put away the ATV and the rake. And, in true Aden style - even though I warn him to stay near our cabin - he drives off to the neighbor's cabin to find his friend Via. I hear the wheels of his little gator rumbling down the road, so I know exactly where he is. I walk over and scold him for not staying close to the cabin as I directed. He shoots me a ornery look, and peels away toward our place. As I chase after him to take away his tractor, I see Tory hop in and together they ride around the backyard. Sigh...<br />
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<b>4:30pm:</b> I ask Tory and Aden if they'd like to drive into town to a big farmer's market happening on Thursdays, and they agree they'd like to go. They shower off in our outdoor shower, then I wrap them both in beach towels and shower myself. We all get dressed, and I slam a quick snack (tomato with fresh basil and balsamic) because I know there won't be many healthy food options to eat at the farmer's market (ironically, in a place where they sell local produce!)<br />
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<b>5:00pm:</b> Tory, Aden and I load up into my car and drive about 25 minutes to the Country Lane Farmer's Market. This is one of our favorite place to go during summers at the cabin and surprisingly, it's the first time we've been this year. It's a large market with food and craft vendors, face painting, a playground for the kids and a bulk foods store. We could easily spend all afternoon here.<br />
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<b>5:30pm: </b>Our first stop is the face painting booth; Tory and Aden's favorite. Unfortunately, the line is about 10 children long, so we decide to go get some freshly-popped kettle corn to snack on while we wait. <br />
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Aden makes friends with a few kids also waiting for their turn at the face painting stand, and rolls around in the grass with them. Nicely, they share a piece of their cotton candy with Tory and Aden. Finally it's Tory and Aden's turn. Tory picks a purple heart design for her face and Aden selects a rocket ship for his arm. This is actually Aden's first time having something painted on himself; I'm proud of him for sitting so still and waiting for the artist to finish!<br />
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<b>6:00pm:</b> "Can we go play now, please, please, please?" both kids beg, as they race off to the playground equipment in the center of the farmer's market. I stand around and watch them swing and climb around for about 30 minutes wondering if I'll ever have a chance to browse the local produce stands.<br />
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<b>7:00pm:</b> Finally I convince the kids to break away from the playground equipment so I can buy a few vegetables and something for dinner. I'm starving! After surveying the offerings, I pick the healthiest thing I can find (a wood-fired margarita pizza for Tory and I to split) and a hot dog (again!) for Aden. I only have enough cash left for one bottle of water, and they're both belly-aching about sharing it. After we eat, I tell the kids it's time to go and end up dragging Aden kicking and screaming out of there. They are not happy about leaving!<br />
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<b>7:30pm:</b> I stop by the grocery store on the way home from the cabin to get a few other foods on my shopping list that I wasn't able to buy at the farmer's market. Aden is a maniac inside the store, repeatedly running away from me and filling his little kid shopping cart with 20 random canned goods from the store's shelves. I'm a wreck by the time we leave; shopping with him is my least favorite thing to do. Like, I'd rather have a root canal. Seriously.<br />
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<b>8:00pm:</b> When Tory, Aden and I arrive back to the cabin, we're greeted by Andi - surprise! He moved some things around on his work calendar and drove up to the cabin 24 hours early. What a treat! We talk for a few minutes, and then get the kids ready for bed. Andi takes over bedtime duty for Tory while I read to Aden in his bedroom.<br />
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<b>8:30pm:</b> I'm exhausted and so is Andi, so we cozy up in bed and catch up on the events from the past week. We eventually watch a TV show (Kevin Can Wait) before turning in for the night. I sleep so soundly having Andi with us at the cabin. Ahhhh, here comes to the weekend!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-60308953282322021182017-07-12T18:11:00.000-05:002017-07-12T18:11:07.196-05:00Nebraska Trip - June 2017Tory, Aden and I visited my family in Nebraska during the early part of June. It's become somewhat of a tradition for us to visit this time each year while Andi is traveling during his busy photo shoot season. This year, we drove back on a Wednesday and stayed through the following Friday making it a full 10 day trip.<br />
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My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary while we were there, and my sister, brother and I hosted a small celebration for them. 40 years! Quite a milestone.<br />
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We also visited the Lincoln Children's Zoo one afternoon which is always a fun experience. I love the size of this zoo, and how focused on play it is. Of course, Tory and Aden's favorite part is the red train at the end.<br />
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One afternoon, my sister Ashley and I took our kiddos to Lincoln to meet my cousin Jen. We met at Pain Yourself Silly to celebrate Reese's 4th birthday, then got ice cream and played in the urban park. These low-key outings are my favorite! It's so fun to spend time together.<br />
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Ashley and I also took Brooke, Neeley, Tory and Aden miniature golfing one afternoon. I remember playing here in high school with friends, so it was a trip being back again! Fortunately, we had the entire course to ourselves so the kids were able to play the holes in the order they chose, and we weren't worried about distracting others.<br />
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Tory was took to golfing, actually, and was surprisingly lucky putting the ball. She even scored a hole in one!<br />
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Despite the distance, I'm thankful we're able to spend time with my family each summer. The older Tory and Aden grow, the more they appreciate the memories we make with our Nebraska family.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-35745440202119024562017-07-11T08:57:00.002-05:002017-07-11T08:57:45.773-05:00Sayulita: Days 4-6Day 4 might've been my favorite day of our Sayulita, Mexico vacation. We started the day bright and early with breakfast at our rented airbnb home, then headed into town by golf cart to meet a fishing guide we'd hired to take us out on the water that morning.<br />
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Fishing is an activity our whole family enjoys doing together. We typically fish in North American lakes and rivers; what an amazing opportunity to experience off-shore fishing in the ocean! Andi hired a local fishing captain named <a href="https://www.sayulitalife.com/fishing-sayulita">Regis</a> to take our family fishing. I'd highly recommend him as he spoke fluent English which made it easy to communicate.<br />
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We started our fishing adventure by boating over to Punta Mita, a nearby resort town. The plan was to catch our bait, then return to waters somewhere between the two cities to fish. Our 20-minute boat ride to Punta Mita was a fast and bumpy one. Andi and I held on tight to Tory and Aden on our laps. Half-way there, Tory motioned her tummy was upset and I worried she'd be sea sick but thankfully she never was.<br />
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In Punta Mita, we trolled along near the marina. First mate, Pepe, threw out a large net and immediately pulled in thousands of sardines. In the net, he mistakenly caught a puffer fish to Tory's delight. She couldn't believe we saw a fish she remembered learning about in one of her favorite television shows, Wild Kratts. <br />
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After we'd collected enough sardines for bait, we motored out to a spot farther away from shore. The high-rolling waves rocked our boat from side to side, and this is the point where my tummy didn't feel so great. While Andi and Tory threw lines into the water, I sat with Aden on my lap and tried to keep my breakfast down. Ugh.<br />
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"The wifey doesn't fish?" Regis asked Andi.<br />
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Oh, no, the wife does, I wanted to say ... she's focusing on not throwing up!<br />
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Andi did the majority of fishing that morning, and caught a few trigger fish and red snappers. Each time Pepe caught a fish, he'd hand his rod to Tory and let her reel it in. Aden was more interested in scooping up sardines in the bait bucket. He wasn't afraid to hold onto Pepe's leg for stability when he needed it. <br />
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A few hours into our fishing adventure, Regis moved the boat to a different location (and calmer water!) and suddenly my stomach started feeling better. We traded another fishing boat some cold beers for squid cut into pieces, and continued to fish a bit longer. By now, it was about 1:00pm and the sun began to beat down on us. We decided to wrap up our fishing adventure and grab lunch in town before we had two hungry kids on our hands. </div>
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For lunch, we stopped at <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g445056-d1986812-Reviews-EL_ITACATE-Sayulita_Pacific_Coast.html">Il Itacate</a> for some of the best tacos in town. Andi ordered shrimp and arrachera tacos with fresh guacamole and salsas to share. The kids weren't as impressed, but Andi and I though the food was delicious.</div>
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After lunch, we headed back to our rented house and more specifically, back to the pool, where we spent the rest of the day. </div>
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Chopina, the housekeeper, came by the house later that afternoon to prepare dinner for us. We asked her to grill the fresh red snapper we'd caught earlier that morning, but the grill ran out of propane. Chopina fried the whole fish instead, and when she presented it at the table for dinner I was sure the kids would be turned off to eating fish forever! Parenting is never short of surprises though, and Tory and Aden gobbled up two fish each. They loved it!<br />
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Most of our first visit to Sayulita was spent eating at various restaurants and exploring the city's beaches ... so this visit we felt more than comfortable hanging around our beautiful rented home to swim and relax the rest of our vacation.<br />
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Things I'll remember from this trip:<br />
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Our view from "Sayulita House" - <br />
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Whiskers The Cat, who will remain in the kids' hearts forever -</div>
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These two: so happy, easy-to-please (with ice cream) and always up for adventure -<br /></div>
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The friendliness and charm of Sayulita -</div>
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The beaches -</div>
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and, the awesome time we spent together as a family -</div>
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-26743385835818064442017-05-10T17:04:00.001-05:002017-05-10T17:04:20.335-05:00Sayulita, Mexico: Day 3Oh, man! I should've made more of an effort to write down the details of our vacation in Sayulita, Mexico last month. I've likely forgotten all the little gems of conversation by now, but recording what I do remember is important to me as time will only erase my memories further.<br />
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Day 3 in Sayulita began the way most mornings did during our trip. Andi, Aden and I woke up with sun around 6:00am as sleepy-head Tory snoozed until around 9:00am. I completed my workout first thing to beat the afternoon heat while Andi and Aden laid in bed and watched a Stinky and Dirty cartoon on the iPad. We'd never seen that show before Andi streamed it on Amazon Prime during our trip, and it quickly became a favorite of Aden's. <br />
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Whiskers the Cat eventually made his way into the house as we got rolling for the day. The house cat ate his breakfast in the kitchen and then wandered the house to find Aden wherever he was. I'm not really a cat person so my experience with them is limited, but I was so surprised how affectionate this cat was toward Aden. Whiskers let Aden lay his head on his belly and seemed perfectly content to snuggle.<br />
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Andi made breakfast for all of us (eggs and a vegetable hash), and we sat outside and enjoyed the warm air. The house we rented for the week had a peaceful view of Sayulita and the rolling hills surrounding it. One of our favorite features of this house was the huge sliding doors that opened the living room to the patio and pool. It made the house feel like an extension of the outdoors with warm, gentle breezes blowing through constantly. <br />
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Later when the housekeeper arrived, we learned the chickens on the property laid a half-dozen eggs every day. She brought us some for our breakfast the next day. I thought this was so neat! I'd love to have fresh eggs outside my doorstep every morning if someone else did the work of caring for the chickens.<br />
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After breakfast, we hopped in our golf cart to drive to the beach. The central part of Sayulita was a 10-minute golf cart ride from our rented house, and we all enjoyed the ride down there. A baby horsse not more than a week or two old was in the pasture on the way, so we stopped to watch it for a few minutes. Further down the dirt road, there were a herd of bulls sparring with one another.<br />
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Andi and I decided to take the kids to "secret beach" -- a beach we'd discovered during our last visit to Sayulita. We remembered this beach being secluded and much calmer water than the main beach in town. It was also the place Tory tried a coconut for the first time two year prior, and we hoped there would be a stand to buy one again.<br />
<br />This time, "secret beach" wasn't so secret. We approached the sand to find many groups of locals camped out under sun awnings and umbrellas. Andi heard prior to our trip that many Mexicans have vacation during Holy Week (Easter was two days prior) so that made sense. No worries though -- we found a spot on the sand and set up our beach blanket.<br />
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The four of us played in the sand and the ocean until we were hot and hungry. Most beach-goers around us made an entire day of it by packing picnic lunches, coolers, music, and even bringing potty chairs for kids. We opted for more of a "play and go" style.<br />
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After the beach, we cruised into Sayulita's town center for popsicles. Andi promised the kids "ice cream everyday!" during vacation, so we had to make good on his promise. We all decided to try a different flavor than the day before -- Aden and Tory picked "nilla" (vanilla), Andi chose cookies and cream and I got strawberry sorbet. They melted faster than we could eat them in the warm Mexican sun. <br />
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When we returned to our Sayulita house, Chopina (the housekeeper) was making dinner in the kitchen. We hired her to cook for us several of the nights we visited for something different. Of course we could've cooked our own dinner (and we did several evenings), but it's fun to have a local cook something more authentic. On this night, Chopina made fried chicken, tons of fresh salsas and guacamole, beans and mixed veggies. In hindsight, we probably should have specified more "healthy" options but I have to admit, her fried chicken was really good. <br />
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And, who can beat that view! Dining out with kids (our kids, at least) is stressful and not enjoyable. This is a much better way for our family to eat on vacation. <br />
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We wrapped up dinner just as the sun began to set on the day. Tory, Aden, Andi and I scurried up to the rooftop patio to watch the sun go down. Tory made a wish as it dropped past the horizon, and it was a "pinch me I'm in paradise" moment of happiness.<br />
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More to come of our time in Sayulita ... Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-26150220633745561762017-04-21T09:00:00.000-05:002017-04-21T09:00:28.580-05:00Sayulita, Mexico: Day 2<div style="text-align: left;">
Our family spent Easter at our Wisconsin lake cabin last year, and it was cold and dreary. This year, we woke up to warm sunshine in Sayulita, Mexico. Andi, Tory, Aden and I celebrated our holiday a few weeks ago since we planned to be here on Easter Day, so our Sunday started as it normally would on vacation.</div>
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I thought I might be a little sad my kids weren't experiencing the typical Easter morning traditions I grew up with as a child, but honestly I wasn't. Holidays don't have to fit in a box; they can be whatever you want them to be. What's important to me is my kids are loved, our family is together and they know the meaning of the holiday which we discussed for many weeks before our trip.<br />
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On Sunday Andi, Aden and I woke up around 6:00am, and enjoyed a slow start to our morning. We watched the sun rise from our vantage point high on the Sayulita hillside, and began to familarize ourselves with our surroundings. It was dark when we'd arrived at our rented house the night before, so the three of us had fun exploring its various rooms and the gated property. It's a three-bedroom, five-bathroom house with a kitchen, private pool area, and rooftop patio. There's also a housekeeper on staff as well as a gardener, a coop of chickens and a resident cat named Dibo. Actually, we didn't know about the cat until it jumped through an open window and waltzed its way into the pantry to its food bowls. Aden and Tory affectionately named it Whiskers, but the housekeeper later told us its name is Dibo.<br />
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Andi took Aden for a walk down the drive-way while I practiced yoga with a spectacular view. You can take the boy away from cabin life, but you can't take cabin life away from the boy; Aden spotted a quad on the property and had to hop on for himself.<br />
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Then, Andi made the three of us breakfast -- eggs with chorizo and
asparagus -- and we sat outside on the deck and enjoyed the peacefulness
of the morning. In the distance, we heard roosters cock-a-doodle-dooing
and the faint sound of music from town proper. Tory woke up around 9:00am and enjoyed her fruit and toast poolside.<br />
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We swam in the pool for the rest of the morning. How wonderful to have this whole place to ourselves!<br />
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Andi grilled shrimp and artichokes for lunch, and then we were itching to check out town. We decided to take the golf cart in for a ride, not sure what would be open on a holiday. To our surprise, Sayulita was bustling with people. Every restaurant was open, every shop. The beaches were packed with locals and tourists alike. Andi and I were surprised by how much was the same since we our visit two years prior, and also noticed a few new businesses here and there. We stopped by our favorite popsicle stand, Wakika Heladeria - for a cool treat before heading back to our paradise spot on the hill.<br />
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Back at the house, the kids and I FaceTime'd my parents to wish them a happy Easter holiday, and talked with my dad and nieces for a bit. Isn't technology amazing allowing loved ones to communicate long distance?<br />
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The kids swam in the pool until around 7:00pm, and then Andi grilled chicken and veggies for our family's Easter dinner. Together, we watched the sun set from our private rooftop patio on our first full day in Sayulita.<br />
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Yep, life is pretty wonderful. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-47493090497727672112017-04-20T09:45:00.000-05:002017-04-20T09:45:13.809-05:00Sayulitia, Mexico: Day 1Hola from Sayulita!<br />
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Andi, Tory, Aden and I boarded a plane to Puerto Vallarta on Saturday afternoon for a week-long vacation in one of our favorite places - Sayulita, Mexico. Our family traveled to Sayulita once before in <a href="http://liveinsidemybubble.blogspot.mx/2015/02/sayulita-day-1.html">2015</a> and fell in love with this quaint and vibrant town. When Andi came across direct flights to PV for just under $250 each, we jumped at the opportunity to come back again. <br />
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Traveling to the same place twice isn't typically our style, but Sayulita holds a special fondness in our hearts. Plus, we're vacationing in a different way this time around: Andi rented a beautiful house in the hills for our family so we have our own private living space and pool. It's a "pinch me, I'm in paradise" kind of place with sweeping views of Sayulita and the ocean in the distance.<br />
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No trip is without a few hiccups along the way, of course. Our flight was delayed Saturday morning, so Andi, Tory, Aden and I went out for breakfast near Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis. We returned home with plenty of time to organize our things and Uber'd a ride to the airport when it was finally time to leave for our trip. As the four of us piled out of the car in the airport drop-off zone, Andi realized we'd left our carry-on bag -- the bag carrying all our electronics, camera, and the kids' special lovies -- back at home. With exactly one hour until our plane departed Minneapolis, Andi high-tailed it back to our condo to grab the bag while the kids and I checked in for our flight and waited at the gate. Big kudos to Sun Country Airlines who agreed to hold the plane for Andi until he made it back safely. Terminal 2 at the airport was pretty slow that day, and fortunately Andi made it to our departing gate with five minutes to spare. <i>Phew!</i><br />
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The rest of our flight was fairly uneventful. The airplane was more than half-empty, so we were able to spread out in our seats. A very grumpy Aden fell asleep on my lap for a good portion of the four-hour flight which helped turn his behavior around immensely. When we arrived in Puerto Vallarta a few hours later, we were ready to roll.<br />
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Sayulita is located 45 minutes north of PV on the Pacific coast, so Andi arranged for a suburban taxi service to pick us up at the airport and drive us to our rented home in Sayulita. First, we asked the driver to stop at the Mega so we could buy a few groceries to get us through the next two days. The following day (Sunday) was Easter and we expected most of the shops and restaurants in Sayulita to be closed for the holiday.<br />
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Stocking up on groceries at the start of vacation is one of my least favorite activities. It's a necessary chore, but the last thing I feel like doing after a long day of travel. At the Mega, we purchased chicken, shrimp, asparagus, broccoli, artichokes, bell peppers, avocados, cereal, bread, tortilla, eggs and bottled water. There were many other fruits and vegetables Tory was particularly curious about, but it was missed opportunity for education since we were pressed for time.<br />
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We rented a golf cart as our main method of transportation for the week, so the transport driver dropped Andi off at the golf cart rental shop to pick up our ride when we arrived into town. The kids and I continued onward into the hills of Sayulita with the driver while Andi putzed behind in the golf cart. The streets of Sayulita were packed with people and navigating through town was extremely difficult. The Easter holiday is one of the busiest weeks of the year we'd heard prior to our trip.<br />
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Our rented house in the hills was a quiet reprieve from all that. Night had fallen by this point so it was difficult to take in our surroundings, but the house itself was beautiful. We'd purchased the kids some chicken nuggets and home-style fries to eat on the drive to Sayulita, but Andi hadn't eaten much since breakfast in Minneapolis. We were starved, so Andi made us each a quesadilla with chicken, peppers and cheese for a late dinner. We lounged on chairs, poolside, and ate our dinner while Tory and Aden swim underneath the stars. What a perfect ending to our first night of vacation. <br />
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-69328033026916871682017-04-17T15:53:00.001-05:002017-04-17T15:53:58.611-05:00Letters to Aden: 3 1/2 YearsAden,<br />
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You are 3 years and 4 months old now, and a
non-stop wrecking ball of little boy energy. We always say, "there's no
one else in this world quite like you," and it's true. You are full of
interest in the world around you and determined to live life on your own
terms.<br />
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For
the most part, you are a happy, easy going child. Not much upsets you
when it comes to sharing toys with other kids, what to wear everyday, or
what you eat for meals (okay, sometimes you do have an opinion about
food). Try to get you to do something that wasn't your idea in the first
place though and whoo-boy, good luck! "I do it myself" is a phrase we
hear quite often from you, though you aren't afraid to shout, "a little
help here!" when you need it. The irrationalness of toddlerhood is still
in full effect at Age 3 1/2. Just the other day, you threw a giant
tantrum because you wanted to push the elevator button at preschool
which - as I reminded you repeatedly - you did. For the life of me, I
couldn't understand why you were crying.<br />
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Outbursts like
that one aren't very common for you though. You're typically happy when
you're along for the ride, and always up for an adventure. You remind
me of Curious George by the way you turn an everyday trip to the grocery
store into a five-alarm event. There was the time you soiled yourself
in poop from bum to boots while sitting in the grocery cart, or the time
you were lost in Target and an employee had to radio for assistance. I
carry you everywhere, despite your very capable ability to walk, because
you find running in busy parking lots to be a exhilerating experience.<br />
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<br />
See what I mean when I say life with you is full of surprises? Here's what else is new with you:<br />
<br />
<b>GROWTH</b><br />
You
weigh 32 pounds and are 37 inches tall which is average, if not a bit
on the smaller side, for your age. You wear size 3T clothing and size 9
shoes. Lately you seem to be shooting up in length, even if your
clothing size doesn't yet indicate a change. I snapped this picture of
the two of us together in a bathroom mirror last week, and I couldn't
believe how big you looked in my arms. No longer my baby; you're growing
up Aden Boy!<br />
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<br />
<b>SLEEP </b><br />
We
took the pacifier away around your third birthday (which you were
totally fine ditching, by the way) and with that, you decided to drop
your afternoon nap. The absence of the pacifier didn't cause an
interruption in your bedtime routine - thankfully you still went to
sleep at night without issue - but you were over laying down during the
day without it. Not that you seemed upset about it; you'd just stay
awake in your room and bang on the door until we let you come out. So,
rest in peace afternoon quiet time. It was fun while it lasted.<br />
<br />The
upside of dropping your afternoon nap is that we're not as limited by a
time schedule during the day. This allows the three of us (you, Tory
and I) to go to playground after Tory's morning preschool class ends or
run errands in the afternoon. You're also ready for bed when 7:00pm
rolls around often saying, "Phew, I'm tired. I want to go to bed now."
And, you do. You lay down and go to sleep almost every night without
issue.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<b>MILESTONES</b><br />
There's
been some big milestones in your development the last few months, Aden.
You're now potty trained which is a big accomplishment. For months, you
showed zero interest in using the toilet and I didn't push you toward
it. Knowing you and your temperament, I figured it would have to be your
decision. Tory and I went away for a girl's trip one weekend in late
February and when I returned home that Monday, you said you were ready
to go potty like a big boy. Wahoo! I'm not sure what Daddy said to you
(other than "boys stand up" which you've recited more than once). Just
like that, you went from wearing diapers to being fully potty trained
day and night. Easy peasy.<br />
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<br />
Since
we took away the pacifier, you've become more conversational. Some of
my favorite things you say are, "Will you come check me up?" (aka: will
you come back and check on me?) when I put you to bed at night and
"shake it off, Tory" when she's whining about something or another. You
have a bit of trouble communicating sometimes, often hanging on the
vowel sound in a word. As an example, you might say "Can I have a
tree-ee-et?" I consulted an early childhood specialist within the school
district about it, and she assured me it's part of a child's
development at this age. Soon, your language skills will be able to keep
up with your quick-moving brain and all should work itself out in the
end.<br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>FAVORITES</b><br />
You'll
all about 'things that go' in this stage of life. A cabin friend of
ours owns a big John Deere tractor which you love, and you request to go
there to ride in it nearly every weekend. You also love driving our
Ranger UTV and Sportsman ATV at the cabin with Dad. Last fall, one of
our cabin neighbors gave us their old Power Wheel tractor and it's by
far your favorite toy on the planet. You'll ride circles around the
cabin for hours on the weekends. The battery dies eventually, you cry,
we charge it up, and then you do it all over again. <br />
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<br />
You
also love riding your tricycle outside and playing in the dirt. I'm
excited for summer because I know you'll have a blast fishing at the
lake. <br />
<br />
<b>THINGS TO DO</b><br />
Once a week, you
attend a preschool class through the state's Early Childhood Family
Education program. At the beginning of the school year, you weren't a
big fan of separating from me at the mid-point of class, but now it's a
non-issue. You're a natural leader among classmates and fairly outgoing.
Week after week at school, you either play at the water table or roll
toy cars up and down a wooden ramp. You'll happily play side-by-side
friends in your class or do these activities alone.<br />
<br />
You're
also taking swimming lessons this spring in preparation for summer at
the lake. For some reason, you want nothing to do with lessons this time
around. You're not afraid of the water or the instructor; it's like
you're bored after swimming for the first 10 minutes. Time and time
again this spring, you hop out of the pool halfway through the lesson
and say, "I all done" in a matter-of-fact tone. Sigh. As I mentioned
before, you rarely do anything unless you want to. So ... we'll keep
working on it.<br />
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<br />
<b>FOOD</b><br />
Not
much is new with you in this category. You continue to be my meat and
veggies eater, and I have to remind myself over and again that you don't
like the same "kid food" as Tory. You prefer beef, pork, chicken or
fish and a side of broccoli, asparagus or green beans over PB+J any day.
In fact, you still refuse to eat any bread at all. Pancakes or waffles
are hit or miss with you.<br /><br />Also different than Tory, you prefer to
wake up a bit before you eat breakfast. I'm accustomed to Tory who
demands food the minute she wakes, and I've learned you're far more
likely to eat a substantial meal if I wait until you're truly hungry
mid-morning.<br />
<br />
Your mild allergy to dairy products
continues. Milk or butter used in baked goods doesn't seem to bother
you, but eating ice cream (which you love!) induces an almost-immediate
skin irritation in the creases of your arms and legs. It's an
eczema-type rash, so nothing life threatening, but irritating
nonetheless.<br />
<br />
One food you're obsessed with is Doritos. I
don't usually buy chips, so every time you go to Daddy's office or to
Nana and Papa's house you bee-line for the snack drawer. Nana even sent
some in your Easter basket this year because she knows how much you love
them. Not the healthiest by any means, but I suppose we all have our
guilty pleasure.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<b>PLAYMATES, FRIENDS + FAMILY</b><br />Tory
remains your very best friend; the two of you are glued to the hip! For
the most part, you play together so well and it's adorable listening to
your conversations and imaginary play the older you both grow.
Recently, I have noticed a bit more squabling between the two of you and
usually, my boy, you are the one picking on Tory. You take something
away that she had first; then, she screams and you squeal in delight.
I'm not sure how you'll react when Tory's in kindergarten full-time this
fall. It's safe to say, you'll miss her greatly.<br />
<br />
Your
best friend outside our family is Elia, the son of a friend of mine.
When it's just you and Elia, the two of you play well together. When
Tory's around, Elia tends to play with her more and you'll happily go
off to play on your own. Actually, that's exactly what happens with
Dominic - the little boy who lives in our condo building. You and
Dominic will be in the same preschool class this fall, so I curious to
see how your friendship develops over time.<br />
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<br />
You
also have an adoration for your cousin, Brooke (or Brooklie, as you
call her). We only see our Nebraska relatives a few times a year, but
you seem to pick up where you left off every single time.<br />
<br />
-----<br />
<br />
Life
with you is always an adventure, Aden, and I wouldn't have it any other
way. All the wild and crazy moments are forgiven when you wrap your
arms around my neck and give me one of your fabulous "neck hugs." My
baby boy you'll always be.<br />
<br />
XO,<br />
Mom Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-82174173943305867102017-04-13T20:04:00.003-05:002017-04-14T06:08:10.737-05:00Day In The Life: Spring 2017Time for another Day In The Life post. Thanks to Julia at <a href="http://julia-transition.blogspot.com/">My Life in Transition</a> for hosting.<br />
<br />
The day I selected to document is <b>Monday, April 10</b>.<br />
<br />
Andi and I are both 36 years old<br />
Tory is 5 years, 7 months old<br />
Aden is 3 years, 4 months<br />
Chloe (the dog) is 12 years old <br />
<br />
---------- <br />
<b>4:59am: </b>I wake up to the faint sound of Aden crying in his bedroom. Sound familiar? If it feels like most of my Day In The Life posts start this way, it's because they do. This morning, Aden's early morning wake-up is precisely one minute before my Fitbit alarm is set to vibrate on my wrist. <i>Sigh</i>, I suppose it's time to get up anyway.<br />
<br />
As I fumble downstairs in the dark to retrieve Aden, I recall the dream I was in the middle of and it makes me LOL: I was carrying a black collapsible cooler bag with a built-in sewing machine. I have no idea why I'd need such a thing, and I guess it'll remain one of life's mysteries ...<br />
<br />
<b>5:05am:</b> Andi's awake now, so the three of us snuggle together in our bed for a few minutes. Limbs are draped over one another as Aden's lovingly strokes my chest. Ten seconds later, he requests milk and an applesauce pouch - <i>aaaand</i>, the moment of sweetness has passed. Happy Monday!<br />
<br />
<b>5:10am: </b>I get up and retrieve Aden's milk and applesauce from the kitchen while Andi lays with Aden and starts Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on TV. I let Chloe outside to potty and I pull on my workout clothes that I'd laid out the night before on the desk. Slam my pre-workout drink and head to the basement to push play.<br />
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Loving the new Lululemon razorback tank I bought with my birthday gift card!<br />
<br />
<b>5:30am: </b>Downstairs, I toss Ken and some Barbie cars toward the doll house, and give myself a quick motivation pep-talk. "You have the power and the passion to achieve anything," I tell myself. Last week, I started a new workout program called Insanity Max:30 and I know today's Cardio Challenge is going to be tough, but I also know it's worth it to push outside my comfort zone. I can do this!<br />
<br />
<b>5:50am:</b> Out of the corner of my eye, I see Aden coming down the stairs and he looks unhappy. I realize Andi must've left for work, so I pull out an earbud and ask Aden what he needs. "Wahhhh!" is basically the response he gives. The point of Insanity Max:30 is to push yourself to your limit -- don't stop until you can't possibly go another second -- and that's your "max-out" time. Aden could care less about my ability to keep going because he's rolling around at my feet, trying to grab my legs as I'm jumping up and down. Bah! I finally stop and ask him what he needs in a breathless, not-so-sweet voice. I pause my workout, carry Aden back upstairs, and get him set-up with another show in my bedroom. Then, I hurry back downstairs and finish the last 10 minutes of my workout.<br />
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<b>6:30am:</b> Workout's done, and I take a few minutes to check in with my fitness accountability group and log my meal plan for the day.<br />
<br />
<b>6:45am:</b> I make myself Shakeology in the blender - today I'm having Chocolate with frozen spinach and raspberries - and wrap up some homemade granola bars I made last night while my shake blends. Here's a tip: I portion one cup of spinach into snack-size baggies for my shakes. After I've used one, I put the empty baggie back in freezer and refill them every Sunday for the week ahead. Easy way to sneak some veggies into my day!<br />
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<b>7:00am: </b>Hop in the shower with my shake in hand (Monday morning multi-tasking at its finest!) while Aden plays with a cup in the bathroom sink. I get out of the shower, get dressed and help Aden go the bathroom and brush his teeth. I always want to remember these fuzzy Mickey Mouse jammies Aden wears to bed almost every night.<br />
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<b>7:20am: </b>I ask Aden to go downstairs to wake up Tory, and he runs off. Meanwhile, I finish getting myself dressed and then go to the kitchen to start breakfast for the kids.<br />
<br />
<b>7:35am: </b>I realize Aden never came back upstairs with Tory, so I go downstairs myself to see what they're doing. Both Tory and Aden are playing in her bedroom and I urge her to get dressed quickly. For the first time in his life, Aden decides to have an opinion about his clothes. He picks a red waffle tee and blue corduroys.<br />
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<b>7:50am: </b>The kids will have to eat breakfast in the car this morning because we're going to be late. I brush Tory's hair and teeth, and rush them both to put on their socks and shoes. Like usual, Aden decides running away from me is a better idea. I finally back him into a corner and carry him to the door while he cackles with laughter. "Wait! I made this for you yesterday," Tory says, pulling cloud art from her backpack.<br />
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<b>8:05am: </b>On our way to school, phew! We're not running too far behind, thankfully. "Can we go there in a few days?" Aden points to a random building as we drive by.<br />
<br />
<b>8:20am:</b> We pull into the parking lot at Tory's school, and I help the kids get their coats on before we exit the car. Tory's still eating her granola bar as we wait in the lobby for her teacher to greet us. It's complete chaos as parents and kids rush into the school, others wait in the lobby with our group, and a pile of children's items for sale take up precious real estate standing space on the carpet. "Good-bye Tory! Have good day!" Aden shouts to Tory as she eventually walks off with her teacher and we head back to our car.<br />
<br />
<b>8:45am: </b>Every Monday morning, Aden and I drive to a local gym to pick up the fresh-prepared meals we purchase for dinners each week. As we pull into the parking lot today, Aden shouts "I have to go potty!" with panic in his voice. The gym where we pick up the meals is in the same parking lot as Andi's office, so I go there instead to take Aden to the bathroom. I'm sure the small gym has a bathroom somewhere, but it's a battle keeping Aden off the workout machines the way it is without leading his little wrecking-ball body throughout the entire place.<br />
<br />
I remind Aden we aren't there to see Daddy - we're just stopping to go to the bathroom and leaving. "Please I have red chips, too? OK!" Aden says excitedly. Favorite part about visiting Daddy's office, for sure. (Sorry Andi) I feel some Mom Guilt about letting Aden eat Doritos at 9:00am, but saying 'no' would lead to an epic meltdown I don't feel like tackling this morning. <br />
<br />
<b>9:00am: </b>When we walk in the front door, Aden beelines straight to the kitchen so I give him a friendly reminder about using the bathroom. "Oh, yeah!" he says with a laugh. This new potty training a boy experience has me up-close-and-personal with toilet lids and I have to say -- <i>ewww. </i><br />
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<b>9:15am:</b> We make a quick pit-stop by the kitchen to grab a bag of "red chips" and walk down the hallway to Andi's office, but the door is closed. I decide not to knock since Andi wasn't expecting us and I don't want to interrupt, so I usher Aden toward the door and we leave.<br />
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Across the parking lot, I run into the gym to grab my pre-made Paleo meals. On the menu this week is: pineapple ham, chicken alfredo, and chicken and cauliflower hash. They could very well serve dog food and I'd probably eat it because that meal service is just so darn easy.<br />
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<b>9:30am:</b> Back at home, I unload the dishwasher and throw in a load of laundry. Andi texts me and asks me to stuff some paper towels in his wet tennis shoes laying out to dry on the patio, so I do as he requests.<br />
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<b>10:45am: </b>After my morning chores are done, it's snack time. Today I'm having apple cinnamon quinoa with almonds which I'm really digging lately. I measure 1/2 cup cooked quinoa in a bowl, sprinkle a generous amount of cinnamon on top, and warm it up for a minute in the microwave. Meanwhile, I chop up an apple and share some with Aden who's standing beside me on a chair. I add the remainder of the chopped apple to the warmed quinoa and sprinkle sliced almonds on top. YUM!<br />
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<b>9:53am:</b> This is my favorite part of the morning. I sit down for a minute at my desk in the kitchen to work on my computer and eat my quinoa. My legs are exhausted and it's only 10 o'clock in the morning. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Aden is quietly sitting at the table watching Daniel Tiger and eating apple slices.<br />
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<b>10:15am:</b> Aden uses the bathroom and I grin over his little boy underwear. I can't get over it! So cute. Then he dribbles a little on the floor and the moment of "cute" has passed. #momlife I clean up the mess in the bathroom and decide to keep mopping the rest of the floor while I'm at it. Aden asks to help sweep so he follows me around through the kitchen and hallway.<br />
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<b>10:30am:</b> I get a text from the condo handyman saying he'll be working in our place with a HVAC contractor at 11:00am, so I decide last-minute to take the kids to an indoor play park after we pick up Tory from school. I open the fridge door and toss some food into a cooler bag for kid lunches. My Fitbit alarm buzzes on my wrist to remind me it's time to get Tory so I put the dog in her kennel, chase Aden around the condo trying to get his shoes on, and we leave for preschool in a rush.<br />
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<b>10:55am: </b>I pull into the preschool parking lot just in time. Tory gets snappy when we're late picking her up, so I jog into the building carrying Aden in my arms.<br />
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Tory and Aden pile into the car. I ask Tory to guess where we're heading and Aden shouts, "Bouncy pillow!" before she can respond. InnerActive has an indoor playground structure, blocks, ball court, and a huge jumping pillow. My kids love it. It takes us about 20 minutes to drive there.<br />
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<b>11:30am: </b>It's getting colder outside - brrr! We hustle into the building and the kids bee-line to the pillow area. Fortunately, it isn't very busy which is a nice change. There's plenty of room to jump and tumble without kid collisions.<br />
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<b>12:30pm:</b> The kids run zig zags between the sport court, climbing structure, blocks and jumping pillow. Eventually Aden says he's hungry, so I grab our cooler bag and find a spot at one of the open tables. I grabbed Lunchables in my rush out the door this morning, but I'm fairly sure Aden won't eat it. He's allergic to cheese and generally refuses crackers and lunch meat, but it was a fast and I was in a hurry this morning. As expected, he turns his nose up to my food offering. I fish out a granola bar from my purse, he takes a few bites and runs off to play.<br />
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<b>1:00pm: </b>Tory stops to eat, and scarfs down both Lunchables. Tory is a total "kid food" lover -- she'll eat anything PB+J flavored or that comes in a squeeze tube. Aden, on the other hand, is my meat and veggies boy.<br />
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<b>1:30pm:</b> The kids are jumping on the inflatable pillow when Aden falls and hurts his foot. He starts crying and just as I go to retrieve him, I hear Tory crying from the other side. Now she's fallen and says she hurt her leg. A mother nearby seems concerned by Tory's wails, but I know from the sound she's not really hurt. "Time to go," I say to the kids and carry them both to the entrance area to find our coats and shoes. The concerned mother follows us in her concern for Tory, and I again reassure her Tory's fine. The lady tries to make Tory laugh, and Tory stifles her grin. She's hurt, remember? Gotta be sad.<br />
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<b>1:45pm: </b>Tory says she can't walk on her leg, but I encourage her to do so anyway. She walks normally for a few steps until she remembers she's hurt and then hops on one foot in a dramatic display of discomfort. By the time we reach our car in the parking lot, Tory is completely fine. I'm really not trying to be mean; I know she's not hurt and I can't carry both her and Aden out of there. Carrying Aden is a necessity because I can't trust him to stay close to me in the parking lot, so I need Tory to tough it out. Thankfully, she does.<br />
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As we're leaving, I see a text message from the handyman saying the HVAC contractor is just now on his way. Oy. The whole point of going to the play place was to avoid the construction work. Oh well, the kids had fun.<br />
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<b>2:00pm:</b> Tory, Aden and I arrive home and I immediately set in on making my lunch because I'm starving by this point! I defrost some shrimp and saute them in a skillet on the stove top with zucchini noodles and spinach pesto. While I'm making my food, I bake some chicken nuggets for the kids to eat either now (because Aden didn't eat much for lunch) or for dinner tonight.<br />
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Of course, Tory says she's not hungry and runs downstairs to play in her room. Aden and I sit down at the table and play a game of tick-tac-toe while I eat my lunch. Aden's never played tick-tac-toe before, so I'm teaching him as we go and proud that he picks up on it pretty quickly! I snap a picture of him playing, and smile when I see his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Classic Aden, always paired with his devilish grin.<br />
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The HVAC guy leaves while we're playing at the table, and Eric the handyman says he'll be back in a few days to repair the drywall. It's always something here ... <br />
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<b>2:30pm:</b> Aden says he's tired and asks to lay in my bed to watch Blaze and the Monster Machines. He doesn't nap anymore, but he's also been awake since 5:00am so I'm sure he's tired.<br />
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<b>2:45pm: </b>Tory comes back upstairs and asks to watch Mia and Me. She's been playing downstairs so quietly, so I agree. I can use some quiet time, too. Something funny about Tory at this age is how she always wears her pants with one leg up - always. She says she's "hot" and apparently this helps regulate her body temperature. Or, maybe it's the latest fashion statement. <br />
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I turn on the cartoon for Tory in the living room and swipe a Shakeology peanut butter cup from the freezer. These little nuggets are my saving grace for satisfying a chocolate craving.<br />
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<b>3:00pm: </b>It's pretty quiet in my bedroom, so I got to investigate. I find Aden asleep in my bed. That's what happens when you wake up so early! Tory and I take advantage of the one-on-one time and play a few rounds of tick-tac-toe. We move to the sofa and I start typing up this post while she builds Legos beside me. I love watching her concentrate so intently on these, and I'm amazed by how well she follows the directions on her own. Eventually, we play with the Legos creations she's built.<br />
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<b>4:00pm: </b>Time to wake the gremlin or he'll never sleep tonight. I get up to get Aden, but Tory begs to wake him for me. She runs into my room and I hear her say, "Aden, it's time to wake up!" in the sweetest sisterly voice. Tory and I play a sight word / opposites puzzle until Aden joins us in the living room. Then, the three of us wrestle around the living room floor. It's one of those "pinch me, I love this life" moments. <br />
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<b>6:00pm: </b>Andi walks in the back door and the kids rush down the hallway to greet him. Tory always helps take off his shoes (I have no idea why) so she bends down right away and unlaces Andi's boots. Aden yells, "Daddy's home! Yay!"<br />
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<b>6:30am:</b> Tory and I continue to work on sight words in the living room while Andi starts dinner. Sounds about right - he's gone at work all day, comes home and cooks dinner for us. In reality, it's not too hard to warm up an Origin meal on the stove; not much "cooking" required. While the food cooks, Tory proudly shows Andi how she can read the words on the card game we played earlier.<br />
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Andi sits down to dinner at the table and I ask if he made the kids anything. He gives me a puzzled look, so I quickly chop some chicken, green beans and strawberries for the kids. We all sit down to dinner and both Tory and Aden are fighting over who gets to sit on my lap. I traveled to Nebraska over the weekend by myself, so the kids are still missing me. It makes me smile.<br />
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I planned to have ham with green beans and sweet potatoes tonight, but Andi wasn't pleased with his chicken and cauliflower hash so we switch. <br />
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<b>7:00pm:</b> I get the kids' pajamas on downstairs while Andi takes a quick shower. Tory is wearing a new pair of size 6 pajamas which blows my mind. When in the world did my little girl grow so big?<br />
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Andi and Tory peel off to her bedroom to read a Fancy Nancy chapter book while I read Pete the Cat to Aden in his room. Aden is tired so I keep it short and sweet. Andi is still reading to Tory when I'm finished with Aden so I go upstairs to clean up before bed. I find a note stuck to the side of the counter from Tory. She's drawn a heart and written our family's names all around it. What a sweetie.<br />
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I lay out my workout clothes for tomorrow morning on the desk, wash my face and put on my pajamas. Yes, it's 7:15pm and I'm heading to bed. I'm still in the habit of early nights all the way back from my years of kid up-all-nights.<br />
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<b>7:30pm:</b> Andi and I crawl into bed together and turn on Alaskan Bush People on Hulu. I have no idea how we got hooked on this show, but we've binged on an entire season this week. It's like a train wreck! We can't stop watching. While we watch TV, I check in with my fitness group on Facebook and read through their messages from the day.<br />
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<b>8:45pm:</b> Andi turns the television off; we've got to go to sleep. Five o'clock in the morning comes early. I read a page from my daily devotional, <u>Savor</u> by Shauna Niequist before I turn off the lamp on the side table.<br />
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Another day in this messy, fun, not-always-perfect life I love.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-72341080808008491722017-04-06T10:00:00.002-05:002017-04-06T10:05:10.673-05:00Two Methods for Hard Boiling EggsIt's almost Easter and that means it's time to boil a LOT of eggs for coloring. Even when it's not Easter, we eat a lot of hard boiled eggs in our house so I make a batch almost every week.<br />
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I wanted to share two non-traditional ways to hard boil eggs - in the Instant Pot and in the oven. Here's how I do it:<br />
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<b>INSTANT POT METHOD</b><br />
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<u>Ingredients:</u><br />
Eggs (however many you like - I typically do 8)<br />
1 cup water<br />
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<u>Directions:</u><br />
1. Plug in the Instant Pot.<br />
2. Place the stainless steel rack that comes with the IP into the bottom of the bowl.<br />
3. Pour one cup of water in the bottom and place desired number of eggs on the rack.<br />
4. Lock the Instant Pot lid in place. Turn the IP on by pressing the MANUAL button. Use the [+] or [-] to set the cooking time to 8 minutes.<br />
5. Let the Instant Pot come up to pressure. It will automatically count down from 8 minutes and beep when it's finished.<br />
6. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath for the eggs (large bowl of ice water).<br />
7. Quick release the pressure from the IP when the timer sounds.<br />
8. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to the ice bath and cool before peeling / coloring / eating.<br />
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Or ... <br />
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<b>OVEN METHOD</b><br />
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Hard boil eggs in the oven. This is the method I repeatedly used until I had an Instant Pot. It's simple, fool-proof, and the only equipment you need is a muffin tin (and the oven, of course).<br />
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<u>Directions: </u><br />
1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.<br />
2. Place eggs in the "holes" of a muffin pan (you could use a regular 12 "hole" muffin pan or a mini muffin man with 24 holes).<br />
3. Bake for 30 minutes.<br />
4. Immediately place eggs in an ice bath until they are cool to the touch.<br />
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It seems like everyone makes their hard boiled eggs just a bit differently than the next person. How do you make yours? Comment below. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-62726806209817286052017-04-05T09:48:00.000-05:002017-04-06T09:48:53.248-05:00Celebrating Easter 2017Andi found some crazy-good flight deals to Mexico, so we decided to book a last-minute trip to Sayulita over Easter week. Sayulita is on the Pacific Ocean about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta. We've been there once before, and we loved it - it's one of our favorite places we've traveled, and we're excited to go back again.<br />
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Since we'll be in Mexico on Easter Sunday, I thought it'd be easiest to celebrate Easter before we left. Timing-wise, this past weekend worked best for our schedules so I invited Andi's mom and dad to the cabin on Saturday and planned to color Easter eggs, have an egg hunt, and a nice dinner for everyone.<br />
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Andi's parents arrived around Noon Saturday and we started with a lunch on the deck. The weather was absolutely beautiful for spring, so spent most of our day outdoors. Andi smoked a tri-tip on the grill and we paired it with a spinach salad and roasted asparagus. I also made scandinavian deviled eggs and Janie and Jim brought a veggie platter.<br />
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After lunch, we colored eggs. Aden wasn't interested in this activity in the slightest, so he laid down in the bedroom and watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (in his defense, I don't think he felt 100%) while the rest of us sat on the deck and decorated hard boiled eggs. Janie said it was the first time in her life she can remember coloring eggs for Easter <i>outdoors</i>! The weather was too beautiful not to be outside and enjoy it. </div>
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Tory couldn't remember dying Easter eggs before, so we gave her a quick refresher course. Of course, she was upset later when I peeled an egg to eat it. "I didn't know you were going to break my beautiful egg!" she declared. Oy. Everything is a priceless piece of artwork to this girl.<br />
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Andi bought Tory and Aden a BB Gun last week, so while Jim, Andi and Tory were target-shooting on the side of the cabin and Aden was still inside watching TV, I took advantage of the kid-free moment and hid Easter eggs around the backyard. Last year, we hid plastic eggs in the woods which made more like a scavenger hunt, but Andi had double hernia surgery last Tuesday and wasn't able to walk very far. The backyard was equally exciting for Tory who ran around like a crazy lady collecting eggs. Aden eventually joined us in the backyard, but he had little interest in hunting for eggs. Whipping around the cabin in his John Deere tracker was far more interesting. <br />
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Speaking of the BB Gun -- I think it was a dream realized for Andi and his dad to teach Tory how to shoot for the first time. Andi said he has many fond memories of shooting targets with his dad when he was a kid, and they both beamed from ear to eat while they watched Tory do the same. She was proud of herself, too, and seem to take the whole thing very seriously.<br />
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To me, it doesn't matter if the celebration of Easter happens on a specific date on the calendar. It was just as special to honor our family traditions a few weeks before the official holiday, and I've been making a point to talk about the meaning of Easter with Tory all month long. We had a great day celebrating with Janie and Jim at the cabin.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-42077237848112267182017-03-28T15:59:00.000-05:002017-03-28T16:04:23.927-05:00Signs You're A 21 Day Fix-erI've been following the 21 Day Fix Eating Plan for almost two years now, and it's changed my relationship with food and exercise for the better. I've learned to appreciate food and the way it makes me feel. It's also pushed me outside my comfort zone physically, turning someone who never worked out a day in her life into someone who looks forward to exercising every single day. Pretty incredible when you think about it!<br />
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There are some things only 21 Day Fix-ers understand and if you've been following this program for any length of time, you'll know exactly what I mean ...<br />
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<b>YOU SEE FOOD IN COLORS</b><br />
Follow the 21 Day Fix Eating Plan for any length of time, and food is no longer seen in the color of its outer skin. Apples are "purple" and cottage cheese is "red" -- it takes the phrase "eat the rainbow" to a whole new level.<br />
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<b>STAIRS ARE THE ENEMY</b><br />
I can spot a fellow 21 Day Fix-er after Leg Day - easy peasy. We're the ones crawling up the stairs thanks to all those 10-second holds.<br />
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<b>DISCOVERING A NON-YELLOW TREAT IS LIKE FINDING GOLD</b><br />
Why must everything wonderful be classified as a carb? That's the world we're living in! The great thing about the 21 Day Fix program is that I can still enjoy all my favorite treats in moderation, but when I find something that's equally delicious and doesn't use a precious yellow container? Score!<br />
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<b>BLUE CONTAINER: DECISIONS, DECISIONS</b><br />
Only one blue container (healthy fat) a day forces me to make some tough life choices. Avocado? Cheese? Almonds? Ugh. The struggle is real.<br />
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<b>BANANA REBEL</b><br />
Alert the authorities: sometimes, I eat more than half of a banana. Most days, I cut my banana in two and stashing the other half in the freezer for a later use. Though, on occasion, I have been known to steal a bite of that other half. <br />
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<b>PEANUT BUTTER SHAME</b><br />
Anyone else find themselves staring down the mouth of a peanut butter jar with spoon in hand? Asking for a friend ... <br />
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<b>60 SECONDS CAN FEEL LIKE AN ETERNITY</b><br />
I find myself applying Autumn Calabrese's famous words of encouragement "You can do anything for a minute!" to other areas of my life; such as, unloading grocery bags from the car and carrying my son's metal trike home from the park.<br />
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<b>I'VE GOT A GIRL CRUSH</b><br />
Who doesn't think Autumn is the greatest thing since sliced bread? Her workouts and healthy eating plan have changed my life for the better, and I'll always be appreciative.<br />
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If you're curious about the 21 Day Fix workouts, eating plan or Coaching opportunity, I'd love to chat. Message me anytime at hcdickson@yahoo.com Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-34047712546089676132017-03-22T12:26:00.001-05:002017-03-22T12:26:06.548-05:00Disney World 2017 - Day 2Ask Tory, and the ONE THING she wanted to experience at Disney World was meeting Elena of Avalor. Elena is a new Disney Princess with a television show by the same name, and Tory's favorite right now. Since our trip to Disney World was all about Tory, Lindsay and I decided we needed to do our best to make Tory's wish a reality. <br />
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Lindsay looked up the list of attractions, and Elena was available for a Meet + Greet alongside Cinderella at Magic Kingdom. The line to meet Cinderella at Fairytale Hall in FantasyLand can get really long and we didn't have a FastPass for it, so the three of us decided to wake up early on Sunday morning and make it to the park as soon as it opened.<br />
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That was the plan at least ... but we had the tough time waking Princess Tory from her slumber. Full days and late nights tired this little girl out! She popped right up with the promise to meet Elena though. Lindsay
ordered breakfast to our room so we could get dressed and get a move on
the day, and Tory was super impressed by that. She ate her Minnie Mouse
pancakes and jelly toast with a big grin. A great day was before us!<br />
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Other people must've had the idea to arrive at Magic Kingdom when it opened because the Disney shuttles to the parks were much more crowded at this time of day. Fortunately, the three of us were able to squeeze onto the first shuttle that arrived. There happened to be a marathon race happening at the parks that morning, so traffic was slower than usual. When we made it to Magic Kingdom, Lindsay and I high-tailed it to FantasyLand to see Elena.<br />
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Fortunately, the line wasn't too long - about 20 minutes - so we hopped in it to make Tory's big wish come true. And, did we ever! Tory was absolutely SMITTEN with the princess. She'd made a picture for Elena and presented it to her when they finally met. Elena said she loved it and would be sure to share it with her sister Isabelle. Then, she displayed it proudly on a shelf near her greeting area. <br />
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Don't forget - Cinderella was there, too. Tory snapped a few pictures with her next. "I don't think she remembered me from yesterday," was all Tory mentioned afterward her princess encounter. (I explained Cinderella meets lots of kids everyday and maybe she'd forgot about meeting us yesterday at our princess breakfast.)<br />
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Since the line was short, we decided to meet Rapunzel and Princess Tiana next door. Each of the princesses Tory met signed the autograph book Lindsay had given her for Christmas. Tory liked to look at each signature afterward to see how fancy it was. <br />
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Riding the carousel is one of Tory's other favorite things to do and since there was one right across from Fairytale Hall, Tory asked if we could ride it. It's nice not having to mess with tickets for rides at Disney World. There wasn't much of a line, so we got right on and enjoyed a whirl around and around.<br />
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Next, we walked over to The Beauty and the Beast's castle for our FastPass to Belle's Enchanted Tales. I wasn't sure what to expect as the description was touted as more of an "experience." There wasn't much of a line which made us question using a FastPass, too. Soon, we were ushered into a room which looked like Maurice cottage and the whole "experience" began.<br />
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We quickly learned "Belle's Enchanted Tales" was a group performance and
Lindsay was picked among participants in the room to play Mrs. Potts.
After all the parts had been given, the organizer asked if anyone else
would like a role, and to my surprise Tory raised her hand and shouted,
"I would! I would!" She was cast as a plate. <br />
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Mrs. Potts (Lindsay), the plates (Tory and a young girl), and all the other characters performed a skit about Belle in the Beast's castle. Afterward, Belle took photos with all the participants. I really enjoyed this "experience" at Disney World; it was fun and personalized.<br />
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Next, we decided to ride some of the rides in Fantasyland. First up: "The Mad Tea Party" (aka: the teacups!) Tory isn't a big fan of rides in general, but she really liked this one because she could control how fast our teacup turned. Bonus - we had a Fastpass, so we didn't have to wait long to take a turn.<br />
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We also rode "It's A Small World" which was cute. A Disney classic.<br />
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For lunch, we stopped at Pinnocchio Village Haus for chicken fingers, fries and macaroni and cheese. I can't say I was very impressed with the dining options at Magic Kingdom. Lots of "fast food" restaurants and for someone trying to eat healthier, it was tough finding many options.<br />
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The Little Mermaid is Lindsay's favorite Disney movie, so "Ariel's Undersea Adventure" was on her list of things to do. We had another Fastpass for this ride, so we made our way there after lunch to take our turn. Tory thought this ride was scary because it was dark part of the time. <br />
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Mid-afternoon, we gave Tory the choice to stay in Magic Kingdom, ride more rides and see the parade at 3 o'clock, or go back to Animal Kingdom Lodge and swim for the afternoon. This was our last full day at Disney World, so we wouldn't be able to do everything. Tory thought and thought, and eventually decided she wanted to stay. Good choice!<br />
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We made our way to the Adventureland area of Magic Kingdom, and waited in line for Alaadin's "Magic Carpet" ride. It was a long and hot wait in the afternoon sun, but it worth it. Tory really enjoyed this ride! For me, this was best "wahoo! we're at Disney World" moment of the day. It was magical flying through the air, listening to Tory's happy giggles.<br />
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We made our way back to Cinderella's castle for the Festival of Fantasy parade. Smartly, Lindsay asked a nearly parade employee to suggest a good viewing spot for the parade. I always enjoy a good parade, and we all had a great time watching the floats and Disney characters pass by us.<br />
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After the parade ended, we decided last-minute to meet Tinkerbelle. The waiting time on the outside of the building said there was only a 5 minute wait - too good to be true! - but it ended up taking much longer. Tory was excited to see Tinkerbelle, so I suppose it was worth it.<br />
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For dinner, we made our way back to Adventureland to Pecos Bill Tall Tail Tavern for the promise of Mexican food. The restaurant was packed with people and we had a hard time finding a table. I ordered the chicken fajitas and made Tory a burrito using my tortilla and toppings from the condiment bar -- that was a nice perk since she wouldn't have eaten much from their regular menu anyway.<br />
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I have to admit, I was overstimulated by this point in the day. We'd been at Magic Kingdom for 9 straight hours, and there were kids crying and parents yelling all around us. You know what everyone needed was a glass of wine! Too bad Magic Kingdom is completely dry, ugh.<br />
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We walked back to Cinderella's castle and waited for the fireworks show. My grumbles over crowds and kids crying quickly turned when the show started. Seriously, so magical!<br />
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I'm continually impressed with Disney's ability to put on a show. The fireworks were amazing and made me appreciate the thousands of people who'd gathered that evening to celebrate the magic with their loved ones.<br />
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Lindsay, Tory and I made a mad-dash to the Disney shuttle area following the fireworks show. As luck would have it, we made it onto the first bus back to Animal Kingdom Lodge with one sleepy girl exhausted from our big day.<br />
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I was never so glad for the travel-sized boxed wine I brought along in my suitcase! Lindsay and I poured ourselves a nice glass of red after we returned to our hotel room. What a fun and exhausting day!<br />
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Monday morning, the three of us grabbed a buffet-style breakfast at the hotel's Boma restaurant and then made our way to the airport. Our weekend trip to Disney was a quick one, but the perfect amount of time in my opinion. We didn't see everything during our trip, but we sure the made the most of our time. The best part was spending three days with Lindsay and my favorite little girl. <br />
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Tory was so agreeable and understanding; Age Five really is the perfect age for this trip! I'm so glad she was able to enjoy the things we experienced without needing a break during the day. She also knew we couldn't do everything that weekend, so involving her in our plans helped keep tantrums at bay. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-30150153911114283372017-03-13T16:38:00.000-05:002017-03-13T16:38:26.105-05:00Girl's Trip! Disney World 2017About six months ago, my sister-in-law Lindsay suggested taking Tory to Disney World. We talked about a few ways we could make the trip work (big family trip / girl's trip / Lindsay and Tory only) and in the end, decided Lindsay and I would take Tory for a long girl's weekend.<br />
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So many people have asked me why Andi didn't go along and the short answer is - he didn't want to. I can't imagine Andi enjoying any part of the Disney experience so we thought it best to go our separate ways for this trip. I, on the other hand, am always looking for an excuse to get away during the winter and Tory is at the perfect age to experience the magic of Disney. Even better - Lindsay kindly organized the entire trip for the three of us, so Tory and I simply had to show up and enjoy ourselves. <br />
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Lindsay, Tory and I boarded a plane from Minneapolis to Orlando for our weekend away together. A winter storm threatened to ruin our travel plans that day, but the wind and snow stayed South of the Twin Cities and fortunately we made it to Florida with no issue. Tory is such a rock star junior traveler. We watched movies on the plane and colored pictures until our flight arrived around 6:00pm. From the airport, we shuttled to Animal Kingdom Lodge via Disney transportation, and found a quick dinner at the hotel after we arrived.<br />
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I highly recommend Animal Kingdom Lodge. Every last detail inside the hotel made it feel as if we were staying in the African jungle. After we checked into our room, the three of us walked around the hotel property to check out the sights. We stumbled upon an area with special night-vision binoculars to watch the exotic animals roaming on the property grounds. It was neat! We saw wildebeests, gazelles, birds, bunnies and giraffes and something about watching these animals through night-vision binoculars made our experience even more special. <br />
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The next morning, we were pleasantly surprised to find animals right outside our balcony. We knew there were animals on property, but we didn't expect to see them directly outside our hotel room. Lindsay and I sat on the balcony and took in the morning sunshine while we waited for Sleeping Beauty - aka: Tory - to wake up for the day. Once she did, we stopped for a quick breakfast at The Mara, a quick-service restaurant at Animal Kingdom Lodge, to grab yogurts and fruit before hopping on the Disney shuttle bus to Epcot.<br />
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Lindsay chose Epcot as our first park to visit because it's the home of Elsa and Anna, and the new Frozen ride. Forget Mickey and Minnie; Tory is all about the Disney princesses so our goal was to meet as many of those characters as we could. Lindsay made us reservations for a princess breakfast at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall so we'd have a chance to see several right away. <br />
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Neither Lindsay or I were sure what to expect at the princess storybook dining experience. A waiter seated us, took our drink orders and invited us to fill our plates at the breakfast buffet displayed in another room. We did as such, and returned to our table to find one Disney princess after another parading by our table. It was a little overwhelming! Tory was literally speechless as Aurora from Sleeping Beauty greeted her first. "You seem a little sleepy yourself this morning," she told Tory. I think she didn't know what to think, and neither did Lindsay or I. Ariel came by the table next, then Snow White and Cinderella, and slowly Tory warmed up to the idea of meeting the princesses and having her picture taken with each of them.<br />
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It was next to impossible to eat anything because there's was so much commotion at our table. Boy, was it sweet though! Tory was wide-eyed in amazement as each princess came over to speak with her. Our favorite was Ariel who commented how similar Tory's Jasmine outfit was to her own dress. "I'm not sure what to call this flouncy stuff," she said as she lifted the fabric on her dress. "Human stuff."<br />
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After our second breakfast of the morning, we walked around the big lake in the center of Epcot to visit the different "countries" there. I rented a stroller for Tory upon Lindsay's suggestion, and I'm so glad I did. Our trip would've been a lot of walking for Tory, and I was thankful I didn't have to carry her. (I rented through <a href="https://www.orlandostrollerrentals.com/">Orlando Strollers</a>, by the way, and it was super easy. The stroller was waiting for me at the hotel concierge desk when we arrived and I simply dropped it off there when we were done with it. Easy!)<br />
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We had an hour until our FastPass reservation for the Frozen-themed ride, so we decided to take a chance and hop in the line to meet Elsa and Anna. We'd checked the day prior, and knew the line got to be pretty long for this attraction, so Lindsay thought it best to do right away if we wanted to meet them. Luckily, we only had to wait for about 20 minutes until we had the chance to meet them.<br />
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Tory had the "meeting princesses" thing down by the time we saw Elsa and
Anna. She embraced each one in a great big hug and seemed absolutely
amazed to be standing in their presence. I appreciated how each of the
Disney princesses were in a private meeting room so it was quiet from
outside noise. It felt like you had their undivided attention for those
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In Epcot's China, we stopped to have Tory's face painted. My sweet girl didn't ask for one plastic trinket during our entire Disney trip (not that she couldn't have; my Magic Band was ready and willing to spoil her rotten that weekend!) so I thought face painting would be a fun and unique treat.<br />
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Lindsay wanted an Oktoberfest beer in Epcot's Germany but we were all so full from our two breakfasts that morning, we couldn't possible dream of eating something more. We continued through the villages until it was time for our first FastPass at the Frozen ride.</div>
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I'm a Disney newbie, so I didn't really understand the whole FastPass line thing - so glad Lindsay knew what to do. We used a Disney park app on our phone to check wait times for rides, locate restaurants and restrooms, and keep track of the FastPass selections we'd made. (For any Disney newbies like me, FastPasses allow you to skip the line for popular rides. You only get a few of these during our park visit.)</div>
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The Frozen line was really long, so we were glad to scoot right to the beginning. The employee asked the three of us if we wanted to sit in the front of the boat, and we say "absolutely!" even though I wasn't completely sure how Tory would react to the ride. </div>
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She ... wasn't the biggest fan. The Frozen ride wasn't scary at all, but it was dark, the boat traveled backwards for a portion of the ride and went down a small hill which she didn't appreciate. "Scary!" was her exact phase in this photo. (It wasn't.)</div>
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Afterward, we continued to wander through the various countries. Tory enjoyed an ice cream cone from France's L'Artisan des Glaces, and Lindsay eventually did get a German beer from one of the stands we passed. </div>
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We stopped in Morocco and learned Jasmine was there! There was only a 10-minute line, so we had to meet her. After all, Tory wore her Princess Jasmine costume to Disney that day. </div>
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The three of us walked over to Future World on the other side of Epcot for a chance to ride Soarin.' Tory's school friend had told her about this ride, so she was determined to ride it. We didn't have a FastPass for this one, so we waited in line for an hour to ride it. It was ... long. Fortunately, was content to watch the PBS App on my phone while we waited, and Lindsay and I had a fun time catching up with each other. </div>
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Tory did NOT like the Soarin' ride - surprise, surprise! In her defense, it probably was too much of a thrill for a five-year-old. Lindsay and I loved it though. It felt like we were hang gliding through some of the most breathtaking landmarks and sights in the world.</div>
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We walked outside the complex after the ride was over and nearly had a heart attack when we discovered our stroller was missing! It wasn't in the "stroller parking spot" we'd left it, and Lindsay and I both started to panic. We hadn't left any valuables in it, but it did have our coats and water bottles -- not to mention I didn't take out the insurance on the rental. Fortunately, we found it a few minutes later parked in another spot along the rail. Someone had moved it apparently. Oy. </div>
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Tory snapped this pic of the Epcot ball as we pushed our way to the park exit. Isn't it great? She's becoming quite the photographer. </div>
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Around 5:00pm, we decided to head back to Animal Kingdom Lodge for the campfire and s'mores party. Of course, the shuttle ride took longer than expected and we missed the s'mores by 10 minutes. Tory was disappointed because s'mores are her favorite dessert on the planet, but she managed her disappointment well. I was impressed! We decided to have dinner at the hotel's Sanaa restaurant. We didn't have a reservation, but the kind staff made a place for us.</div>
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The food was African-Indian themed, and really tasty! Lindsay and I ordered a appetizer of seasoned Naan breads with nine sauce accompaniments to start, and I think we'd forgotten we hadn't had anything to eat all afternoon. We scarfed down that plate of bread and still had room for our ethnic entrees. Tory had a cheeseburger and fries for her meal (very thankful every restaurant had kid food) and she even got her s'mores / dirt cake dessert in the end.</div>
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The three of us were exhausted after dinner, so we retired to our hotel room and went to bed. We had a great first day at Disney's Epcot Theme Park. Next up -- Magic Kingdom!</div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-60076254427523403412017-02-22T09:31:00.001-06:002017-02-22T09:31:12.409-06:00The BEST Winter DaySummer is on it's way!<br />
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Or, at least it feels like it this past week. Our Minnesota / Wisconsin weather has been unseasonably warm, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't enjoyed every minute. Sunshine and lots of time outdoors has the entire state population exhaling a big sigh of relief. <br />
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Alas, summer is most definitely NOT on its way. It's the end of February and there's still many cold (and probably snowy!) weather days left in March and April. Maybe even May ... though, goodness, I hope not.<br />
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When my friend Mirjam and I picked a day for her family to join us at the lake cabin for ice fishing, we never would've guessed the weather would be what it was last weekend. The forecast called for temperatures in the low 60's which had Andi and I worried about the condition of the ice. Would we still be able to go fishing at all? Fortunately, the ice was still 14 inches thick on our lake which meant it was safe to walk on and drive the Ranger UTV. <br />
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Mirjam, her husband Markus, and their kiddos Elia (3) and Lynn (6 months) arrived early Saturday morning and Andi and Markus quickly got to work drilling holes in the ice. We planned to have a "tip-up party" and set up lines all around the bay in front of our cabin. That way, the kids could run around and play, and everyone would be able to enjoy the warm weather together. Mirjam said she'd envisioned ice fishing as us all huddled together in our fish shack - and we could've done that - but this much more fun with lots of people, and especially with kids.<br />
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Right away, the fish started biting which was exciting for our friends to experience. Weather conditions play a huge factor in fishing, and the warm temperatures kept the fish active. "Fish, fish!" the kids would scream as they ran toward each vertical flag waving in the air.<br />
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The top layer of the ice was like a pool of water, and the kids were soaking wet in no time. Fortunately, it didn't seem to bother them much. Tory led Elia on an exploration of one of the state-owned islands on the lake, and they all had fun chipping away the ice to discover treasures (aka: leaves and sticks) once frozen in place.<br />
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Andi started a bonfire in our yard, and we all gathered around for lunch. I made shredded pork, broccoli slaw and a black bean salad for everyone, and Mirjam brought homemade grissini (Italian breadsticks) and sinfully delicious lemon bars. As we sat around the fire and listened to the kids running around, laughing, and playing "firefighters," we all commented at least a dozen times how wonderful it was to be outdoors. Such a perfect day!<br />
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After lunch, we made s'mores and hot chocolate for the kids which is Tory's very favorite thing to do at the cabin. It was absolutely quiet for at least a minute while Tory, Aden and Elia sat in their kiddie chairs and enjoyed their treat.<br />
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Andi had the idea to take the kids tubing on the ice, so he pulled out our summer boating tube from under the deck and tied it to the back of the ATV. It seemed like a crazy idea at first, but the kids had SO MUCH FUN, how could I say no? "Faster! Faster!" Elia and Tory screamed between squeals of joy. Fairly certain the neighbors thought we were crazy.<br />
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We capped off our day with a fish fry. Nothing better than eating freshly caught fish from your lake! This day will be one we remember for a long time - such an awesome day with friends!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-741608207904997282017-02-16T13:29:00.000-06:002017-02-16T13:29:19.220-06:00Stitch Fix #20I had the same stylist for my first 12+ Fixes, and she was amazing. She seemed to understand what I liked and what I didn't, and rarely sent me something I didn't keep. At the time, I was transitioning into regular clothes following my pregnancy with Aden and I owned very few pieces that made me feel beautiful. Stitch Fix definitely helped fill that void in my closet and my confidence level.<br />
Then, one month my beloved girl suggested I try another stylist. I don't know if she was bored styling me or what (?!) but the next time I ordered I was assigned a new person. It was never really the same after that. My body size also continued to change, and the clothing fit seemed 'off' no matter how many times I updated my profile. <br /><br />Eventually, I broke up with Stitch Fix.<br />
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Earlier this month, I got an email from Stitch Fix offering to waive the $20 styling fee if I'd schedule a shipment. Why not? I figured I'd give it a try again.<br />
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Now, I need opinions! What should I keep?<br /><br />Here's what I received:<br />
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<b>MIA Emerson Tassel Zip Bootie</b><br />
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While these booties were cute, they were way too big - obviously. The floor angle of this photo actually makes it look like I'm a kid wearing her mother's shoes! No question here - <b>RETURN</b><br />
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<b>41Hawthorn Shara Herringbone Vest</b><br />
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This vest is my favorite piece from this box, I think. I like wearing vests, especially in transitional seasons like fall and spring and this one is cute and comfortable. <b>KEEP </b><br />
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<b>Just Black Judy Scissor Cut Skinny Jeans</b><br />
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I really like Stitch Fix jeans - like, they're the main reason I'm still interested in their company. All of the jeans I wear are from Stitch Fix; they fit me well and hold up between washings. Except ... for the one pair of Just Black maroon-colored skinny jeans I bought in my last box. Those colored jeans fit fine initially, but stretch out super quick and I find myself pulling up the waistband all day long.<br />
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This pair of skinny jeans are exactly like those - thinner material and very stretchy. No question on this item - <b>RETURN</b><br />
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<b>41Hawthorn Kassidy Faux Wrap Dress</b><br />
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I requested an Easter-appropriate dress in my style notes for this shipment, and here's what I received. I like this dress. It fits me well and modestly covers my bust, which is usually my issue with wrap dresses. I wouldn't say I'm in love with this dress, or would wear it often, but it would be nice to own a nice dress for church or special occasions. <b>KEEP or RETURN</b> <b>- what do you think? </b><br />
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<b>Skies are Blue Charlene Button Down Cotton Top</b><br />
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My initial reaction to this button-down shirt was NO. Honestly, it's not really my style. Then, I tried it on and looked at the photo I snapped on my camera and thought, "hmmmm." It definitely looked better than I thought it did. Cute, even! What do you think? Definitely everyday casual which fits my mom-life ... but does it look like I'm about ready to paint a bedroom? <b>KEEP or RETURN</b> <b>- what do you think? </b>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-69415996903563761702017-02-09T15:22:00.002-06:002017-02-09T15:24:54.484-06:00Valentine's Day Chocolate Superfood BitesI'm always on the hunt for healthy sweets and treats I can feel good about eating and with Valentine's Day around the corner, I thought I'd share one of my favorite indulgences -- chocolate superfood bites. <br />
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One of the first things new fitness challengers usually say to me is, "I have a sweet tooth, so I need to find a solution for that." The awesome thing about the 21 Day Fix / Portion Fix Eating Plan is that you can still have chocolate, cookies and muffins - you just have to plan for them! Also, it's important they're made with the cleanest ingredients possible and these chocolate superfood bites fit the bill. <br />
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These treats taste sinfully delicious and satisfy that craving for chocolate we all get sometimes. They're also easy to make and look so fancy! Here's how to make them:<br />
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Start by assembling your favorite nuts, seeds and dried fruits. You don’t need much in quantity for this recipe, so hit up the bulk food section of the grocery store or scour your pantry to gather ingredients. I used pistachios, cranberries, dried blueberries, slivered almonds and unsweetened coconut flakes. For the chocolate, I used a bar of Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate (look for chocolate with 70% cacao or higher).<br />
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Heat chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on 50% power in 1 minute increments until melted. Then spoon melted chocolate onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and immediately top with chopped nuts and dried fruit. Pop the tray in the refrigerator when you’ve finished to let the chocolate harden. Store leftover chocolate superfood bites in the refrigerator. <br />
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How sweet would it be to receive these handmade chocolates for Valentine’s Day?<br />
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Recipe adapted from the <a href="https://www.beachbody.com/beachbodyblog/recipes/chocolate-superfood-bites">Beachbody Blog</a>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-49035847474068292862017-02-08T15:12:00.001-06:002017-02-08T15:12:50.719-06:00Letters to Tory: Five Years!And, just like that - my big girl turned F-I-V-E this past August. Somehow time slipped away from me (hello, she's basically 5 1/2 years now!) and I have yet to write about her birthday celebration or her many milestones at this stage in life. There's so much to say, I fear I won't capture the awesomeness that is Age Five ... but here's goes nothin'.<br />
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Dear Tory,<br />
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You are FIVE, little girl! How in world did this happen? As you remind me whenever we discuss you growing older, you'll always be my baby girl -- <i>even when you're 16</i>. I know this to be true, but it doesn't make change any easier on this mama's heart.<br />
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Age Five is wonderful. Dare I say, the best? You are so fun to be around these days. Your knowledge and thirst for learning is inspiring; your humor, witty and your love for others, infectious.<br />
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No trace of baby is left in your appearance; these days, you're grown up as grown up can be (at least, it seems that way to me). Your long legs stretch on forever sticking out of your swimming suit this summer. You're now wearing 5T clothes, size 9 shoes and weigh about 34 pounds. Still a peanut in comparison to your peers, though. At your five-year check-up, you measured in the 14% for height and weight.<br />
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Developmentally, you've changed so much in the year. One of the most notable things about this age is the ability to reason with you. You might not always like the answer, but you understand why thing happen the way they do. You're also very responsible and understand/follow rules around you.<br />
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You're in Pre-Kindergarten this year, and absolutely thriving in the classroom. I wouldn't say school is challenging you academically (truthfully, you're super ready for kindergarten) but you love your classmates and idolize your teacher, Ms. Jessica. Every afternoon, in fact, you come home and draw dozens of pictures to take to your teacher the next day. You have your whole life ahead to focus on concentrated learning, so I'm pleased this year you're developing a love for the classroom. You're so excited for kindergarten to start that you remind me often you'll be just fine at school all day and that you'll "send me letters" so I won't miss you.<br />
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Drawing is one of your favorite activities. You mostly freestyle hearts, flowers, rainbows and portraits of our family. Without fail, every afternoon you come up to me and ask, "So, Mom, do you have a craft idea?" I'd better have one up my sleeve, too! One of our big kitchen drawers is plump full of stickers, paper, scissors, glue and markers. All of those items can keep you occupied for hours.<br />
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My favorite part of your drawings is the way you sign your name - "Tory Mom." In your eyes, we're like one person, like you couldn't possibly be you without me. I know it won't be like this forever, so I commit those little pieces of art to memory (and usually snap a photo of them) so I can remember this stage forever. <br />
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You still very much enjoy playing with your dollhouse and Barbies. When we're at the cabin, you're a tom-boy through and through. You have no problem touching worms and minnows, love to collect rocks, to fish, snowmobile and ride the ATV. I have no doubt you'll be driving the boat by the end of summer! Really, you thrive in nature. Wild Kratts is one of your favorite television shows and your knowledge about animals and other creatures is astounding. <br />
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You've very compassionate, tenderhearted and a Mother Hen to Aden. When you're feelings are hurt, you'll often retreat to your bedroom to be alone for a while ... and almost always fall asleep in there which tells me you were tired and emotional to begin with. I often tell you you're "in charge" of Aden when I'm leaving the room for a minute, and you're very good at keeping things in order. When Dad and I have been away for a few overnights, I never worry because you know exactly how things function in our home.<br />
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Strangers often compliment you on your politeness and cooperation. This makes my mama heart happy, especially because your brother can be a little crazy! As grown-up as you appear, you quick to remind me you're still five-years-old. The baby talk stage has begun which can be a little annoying (sorry, it's true!) as well as when you refer to yourself in the third person. I know it's a stage, so I try to ignore it the best I can. <br />
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Another funny thing you do recently is sneak into our bed at night (which is a no-no) and then roll out sneaky as a mouse before we realize you're there. Your feet hit the ground and then you pop up like you just arrived. We can't help but laugh, as deceitful as it might be.<br />
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You worship the ground Grandma walks on, and still have many "best friends" including Ryan from school, Ashley in Kentucky and Hannah at the cabin. You're also especially fond of our condo neighbor, Jenn, who lives on the floor above us. Life with you, Tory, is always joyful. Age Five is shaping up to be a great year!<br />
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On your fifth birthday, I asked you the same set of questions I do every year on your special day. Here's how you responded (8/30/2016):<br />
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<b>1. How old are you today? </b>Five<br />
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<b>2. Where do you live?</b> Minnesota<br />
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<b>3. What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? </b>Go on adventures with him<br />
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<b>4. What is your favorite thing to do with Mommy? </b>Do crafts and play games<br />
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<b>5. What is your favorite thing to do with Aden?</b> Play with him<br />
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<b>6. What is your favorite color?</b> Pink and purple and yellow and turquiose<br />
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<b>7. Who is your best friend?</b> Ashley (from Kentucky), Deanna (our cabin neighbor), Mom, Dad and Aden<br />
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<b>8. What is your favorite book?</b> Cinderella<br />
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<b>9. What is your favorite food to eat?</b> Cheese<br />
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<b>10. What is your favorite thing to play? </b>With my favorite baby<br />
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<b>11. Where is your favorite place to go?</b> The pool<br />
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<b>12. What is your favorite song? </b>I made up this song called Mary Sista and it goes like this ...<br />
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<b>13. If you could buy anything at the store, what would it be?</b> Cupcakes<br />
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<b>14. What is your favorite animal?</b> Giraffes and piglets<br />
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<b>15. What would you like to be when you grow up?</b> A ballerina teacher<br />
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<b>16. What do you want to do on your birthday? </b>Go to the State Fair<br />
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Love you, Tory Bean!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-9077431067290804152017-01-30T17:17:00.000-06:002017-01-30T17:17:08.042-06:005 Yoga Poses To Do With KidsOne of the greatest benefits to working out at home is setting a positive example for my kids. I love that they're watching me live this healthy LIFEstyle, and I hope they grow to care, nourish and appreciate their own bodies.<br />
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I don't always love it when they're rolling balls and trucks across my feet while I'm working out (and that's exactly why I try to wake up super early and exercise before they're awake for the day), but we do enjoy practicing yoga together - especially on the weekends.<br />
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There's a wonderful (and free!) kids yoga program on YouTube called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga">Cosmic Kids Yoga</a> that Tory, Aden and I like to do together. The instructor uses imaginative stories to get kids doing yoga without even realizing it. They love it!<br />
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Here's a few other simple yoga poses to do with the kids in your life:<br />
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<b>Invisible Chair</b><br />
Instruct chair pose by saying something like, "Pretend to sit down in an imaginary chair." Then, reach the arms up overhead and SMILE big!<br />
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<b>Happy Baby</b><br />
Get down on the floor with your kids and have everyone (yourself included!) lay on their back. Instruct kids to bend their knees and hold onto their feet with their hands, with the bottoms of their feet facing the sky. This pose is especially wonderful at the end of the day or after a long car ride because it opens up the hips and feels awesome after sitting. Oh, and it pretty much guarantees a breakout of giggles. This pose just feels good.<br />
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<b>Downward Dog</b><br />
Even the youngest of kids can participate in yoga by practicing downward dog. Place both feet and hands on the ground and point your tush toward the sky. Encourage kids to keep their arms close to their ears and to straighten their back and legs.<br />
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<b>Cat / Cow</b><br />
This is an awesome stretch for the spine and feels good for kids and adults alike. Have kids get on their hands and knees. For cow pose, drop the belly and lift the chin. For cat, bring the chin to the chest and lift your upper back to the ceiling. Move between cat and cow poses. You can even make "moo" or "meow" noises while you do these stretches for extra fun.<br />
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<b>Table Top</b><br />
This move might be a little challenging for kids under the age of three, but that doesn't mean you can't try! Have kids place their hands and feet on the floor, then lift up their tummy toward the sky. The goal is to make yourself into the shape of a table - just like the one you sit at for breakfast! <br />
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Give these poses a try and let me know what you think!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-73141195522268657172017-01-26T07:00:00.000-06:002017-02-22T12:42:42.918-06:00My Latest Obession: Maple GranolaMy latest carb obsession is maple granola. O-M-G, I am in love with this stuff!<br />
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For the past few months, I've been in the habit of making homemade granola to sprinkle on top of Greek yogurt parfaits. It adds the perfect amount of sweet and crunch to breakfast in the morning, or my afternoon snack. The other day, I added a sprinkle of granola to the top of my peanut butter Greek yogurt dip, and WOW. So good!<br />
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Here's the recipe:<br />
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<b>Clean Eating Maple Granola</b><br />
4 Tbsp. granola = 1 yellow container on 21 Day Fix Eating Plan<br />
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<u>Ingredients:</u><br />
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats<br />
1 cup slivered almonds<br />
1/4 cup coconut oil (I used virgin, unrefined)<br />
1/4 cup pure maple syrup<br />
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract<br />
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp. sea salt<br />
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<u>Directions:</u><br />
1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees<br />
2. In a large bowl, mix together granola ingredients and stir to coat.<br />
3. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, stirring once, 30-35 minutes.<br />
4. Let cool. Store in an air-tight container.<br />
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<b>Tip:</b> For fast yogurt parfaits, assemble the yogurt and fruit of your choice in a resusable food storage container or mason jar with lid and store in the refrigerator. Top with granola just before eating. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-69618091232589139852017-01-25T08:04:00.000-06:002017-01-25T08:04:03.007-06:00Florida Getaway: Days 3 + 4The five of us (Andi, Tory, Aden, Janie and I) woke up Sunday on a mission. A severe storm was forecasted in the area later that day, so we planned to capitalize on every minute of sunshine the day had to offer.<br />
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After breakfast in our beach villa (yogurt parfaits for the grown-ups and frozen waffles for the kiddos), we hopped in the golf cart and set off to explore the southern part of Palm Island. We cruised along the quiet roads and looked at old-style Florida beach villas lining the streets. I loved this sign near the entrance of the island - if this doesn't sum up island life, I don't know what does?<br />
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Andi parked our golf cart near the docks, and we wandered out to the water to look at the boats. The tree-lined walkway was so peaceful and serene; we had the whole pier to ourselves.<br />
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Tory was itching to get to the beach, so we drove back to Stump Pass - the same place we'd gone the morning before. The weather was sunny but windy, and we hoped to find a protected spot along the trees. First though, we stopped by our condo to grab ice cream cones. Who says you can't have ice cream at 10:00am on vacation? Aden threw a little tantrum when he realized I'd thrown away the last drippy bite of his cone before he had the chance to finish it. Oh, life's rough when you're three.<br />
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A pod of dolphins swimming by were enough to change his attitude. As we walked onto the beach, we saw a dozen dolphins swimming past us about 30 yards away from shore. It was an amazing sight! The kids weren't as impressed, but Janie, Andi and I were in awe of their beauty.<br />
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The five of us spent the rest of the morning hours playing at the beach. A girl could get used to this! It was quiet, calm and absolutely perfect.<br />
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Aden began to fuss around Noon because he was hungry, so we packed up our beach spot and drove our golf cart to Coconuts Restaurant on the property. We sat outside and enjoyed a big lunch of coconut shrimp, ribs, shrimp tacos and grilled mahi mahi. The kids had chicken strips and french fries, so naturally they were in heaven.<br />
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After lunch, we headed to the pool for our afternoon swim session. There were two other couples there - busy, ha! We swam, read books on our Kindles and laid in the sun. We could tell the storm was moving into the area around 4:00pm when the skies clouded over and the air around us grew increasingly windy. I washed up the kids from the pool and Janie made them dinner. Then, Andi and I went to the property's fitness center for a quick workout. Janie, Andi and I made turkey burgers for dinner with grilled zucchini and brussels sprouts. It was the perfect end to another great day at the beach.<br />
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Monday, the weather was super windy and cool. We packed up our beach villa and headed into Fort Myers to spend our last few hours of vacation. Our weekend trip was a short one, but a perfect getaway to relax and enjoy time together as a family. I'd definitely recommend this piece of Florida paradise: Palm Island was quiet, secluded and absolutely beautifiul. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-15675625933940376182017-01-24T06:55:00.000-06:002017-01-24T06:55:06.586-06:00Florida Getaway: Day 2Saturday was our first full morning on Palm Island in Cape Haze, Florida. I felt a little better than I did the day before, so I kicked myself in the booty to get up and moving. The weather forecasted rain for Sunday, and I didn't want to miss the sunniest day of our weekend vacation. <br /><br />I got dressed and whipped together some warm maple granola to top yogurt parfaits for breakfast. This granola is like crack to me lately! So clean, so crunchy, so delicious.<br />
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Aden liked breakfast so much, he licked his plate clean. <br />
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After the five of us ate breakfast, we headed out for a golf cart ride
around Palm Island to see what we could find in our new home away from
home. The two-mile stretch of island beachfront is pristine with hardly another person in sight. We followed the road to the end and stopped to play at the beach on Stump Pass. The kids played in the sand and Janie, Andi and I sat beside them. It was relaxing and beautiful.<br />
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It's amazing how content the kids can be with a few sand toys, the beach and the sun. We could've stayed out there for hours. And, I suppose we did until it was time for lunch. <br />
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Andi grilled steak and tuna for lunch, and I made a kale salad with mango-lime dressing to go with it. We ate al fresco on the patio, and it was just fantastic. How wonderful would it be to eat outdoors in the sunshine everyday?<br />
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After lunch, we headed to the resort pool. Once again, we had the pool to ourselves and played there all afternoon.<br />
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By 4:00pm, the kids were exhausted. We left the pool and showered off the sand and sunscreen. Tory and Aden ate an early dinner, and Aden passed out on the sofa shortly after. Janie encouraged Andi and I to go for a sunset beach stroll, so we did just that.<br />
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Andi grilled fresh shrimp for dinner, and we roasted zucchini and asparagus alongside it. We ended our night with a candlelight dinner on the screen porch. It was a perfectly relaxing day.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-9313278610030203722017-01-23T06:20:00.002-06:002017-01-23T06:20:36.462-06:00Florida Getaway: Day 1When a work friend of Andi's offered to let us use his Florida beach villa for the weekend, we jumped at the opportunity. Sunny Florida in January? What's there to think about!<br />
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Andi, Janie (Andi's mom), Tory, Aden and I left the Twin Cities early Friday morning for Fort Myers, Florida. We had a direct three-hour flight that departed at 7:00am, which meant early morning wake-ups for the kids. We were on the road to the airport by 5:15am. Fortunately, we'd allowed ourselves extra time. It was busy, and all the monitors displaying gate information projected flight information from the prior day. This led to quite a bit of confusion from travelers, including us. We hustled from Concourse G to C, then back to G again, making it to our gate just in time for take-off. <i>Phew! </i>We made it, donuts in hand.<br />
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Our weekend beach villa is part of Palm Island Resort in Cape Haze, Florida. It's located about 1 1/2 hours from the Fort Myers airport, so we rented a car and decided to stop for lunch before our drive there. It's easy traveling with Andi and Janie because we all like to eat healthier foods, so Andi found a sustainable farm restaurant nearby that was both unique and delicious. <a href="http://buckinghamfarmsonline.com/">Buckingham Farms</a> offered sandwiches, salads and local Floridan dishes made with produce grown on site. Bonus points for having lunch outdoors under a big, shady tree in the garden.<br />
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I ordered a chef salad with fresh lettuce and tomatoes, hard boiled egg, sliced ham and turkey and avocado. It was so flavorful, no dressing was needed! Andi had some delicious crab cakes and Janie ordered a shrimp and kale salad with peanut dressing.<br />
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Unfortunately as the day went on, my stomach really started to hurt. I'd woke up at home feeling "off," but didn't think much of it. I didn't feel great on the airplane either, but thought maybe I hadn't eaten enough food that morning. After lunch, I felt awful but had no choice to power on until we arrived to our beach villa. Andi and I stopped by the grocery store near the ferry landing in Cape Haze to buy food for the weekend, and we made another stop to the local fish market for shrimp and tuna. Around 2:00pm, we'd made it on the ferry and were in route to our condo for the weekend.<br />
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Andi, Janie and the kids pulled on their swimming suits and headed straight to the beach. I ... collapsed onto the bed and slept for three hours. I wanted nothing more than to watch our first Florida sunset together on the beach that evening, but I just didn't have it in me. Thankfully, Andi and Janie were there to care for the kids so I could rest.<br />
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Andi said they had a lovely time at the beach. The water was calm and the kids leapt for joy - quite literally - because they were so happy to be there. Tory's been afraid of the ocean waves on our last few beach vacations, but appeared to move past that now. Hooray! Our little adventurer, Aden, proved to be the more timid one this time. <br />
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Palm Island's beaches are covered in sea shells, more than I've ever seen before. It's made for hours of entertainment for the kids - collecting, washing and examining shells, making designs in the sand with them and listening to the ocean waves. <br />
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Palm Island is only accessible by ferry boat (no road or bridge access) so the small island is quiet and secluded. It's wonderful feeling like we've got the entire island to ourselves.<br />
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Everyone was tired after an early morning flight and travel arriving here. Aden proclaimed he was ready for bed, and the rest of us followed his lead. I hoped to feel better on Saturday, so I didn't miss out on our getaway weekend vacation. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-78656650984226322902017-01-18T17:39:00.000-06:002017-01-19T05:30:51.985-06:00Day In The Life: Winter 2017Day In The Life time again! Thanks to Julia at <a href="http://julia-transition.blogspot.com/">My Life In Transition</a> for hosting. This quarter, I documented <b>Monday, January 9, 2017</b>.<br />
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Andi is 36 years old<br />
Heather is 35 years old<br />
Tory is 5 years, 4 months<br />
Aden is 3 years, 1 month<br />
Chloe (the dog) is living with my parents right now!<br />
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<b>1:37am:</b> I wake to hear Aden crying from his downstairs bedroom. "Mommy! Can you help me? MOMMY!" in a desperate, pleading voice. I don't need to go down there to know he's sitting behind his closed bedroom door, crying. We're in the middle of sleep training (again) as he's had a rough bout of sleep lately. Night terrors led to too many times sleeping in Mom and Dad's bed which have led to one little who boy who'd prefer not to sleep in his own now. No one ever tell new parents that sleep training is an on-going thing.<br />
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<b>2:00am:</b> Ten or fifteen minutes pass, and Aden is quiet now. Eventually, I drift back to sleep myself.<br />
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<b>5:02am: </b>In a daze, I notice Andi wake up for the day. I listen to him pack his gym bag and fumble around in the kitchen as I doze in and out of consiousness.<br />
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<b>6:08am:</b> Crap! I overslept. Andi is my human alarm clock and I usually get up to workout after he's left for the gym. Not that I don't set my own alarm clock - I do - but I'm so used to my Fitbit alarm buzzing on my wrist, I barely notice it anymore. I hop out of bed and pull on some comfy clothes. I remember today is my first day of a 3-Day Refresh, so I plan to do a lighter workout. Hopefully I won't get too sweaty and can skip a morning shower.<br />
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I walk down the stairs and set up my laptop to play the workout video. As I do, I can see Aden's bedroom light turned on from the crack under his door. Poor buddy. He must've fallen asleep with it on last night. I quietly turn the handle to open the door, but it won't budge. I see a sliver of his pajamas through the crack in the door and a sleeping three-year-old on the other side. Ugh, my mama heartstrings are pulled tight. Tough love, man. It's not easy! <br />
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<b>6:15am: </b>I decide to let him sleep. I push play on Country Heat: Rope and Ride which is one of my favorite low-impact workouts. I guess I secretly love to dance, at least when no one's watching, and bopping around to fun music in the morning puts me in a great mood.<br />
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<b>6:43am:</b> I workout right outside the kids' bedroom doors, so I wear cordless earbuds and try my best to be quiet in the mornings. Some days, Tory or Aden will wake up and lay on the floor beside me; other days, I can get in a 30-minute workout before they wake up. Today, they're both still sleeping, so I tip-toe upstairs when I'm finished to wash up for the day.<br />
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Workout is done and I've clocked 3,500 steps - wahoo! A few of the girls in my fitness group are participating in a weekly Fitbit step challenge, so I'm glad to have a leg up first-thing Monday morning.<br />
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I text Andi a picture of Aden sleeping behind his door. "Tough love," he responds. He's definitely the tougher parent between the two of us; I'm such a push-over (which is probably why we're sleep training Aden again in the first place).<br />
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<b>7:00am:</b> I couldn't shower upstairs this morning if I wanted to because our condo building is in the process of re-caulking the showers. The inside tile needs to stay dry for two days before they complete the work and two days afterward, which is a bit of a pain. Always something around here! Last night, I put a sticky note on the shower door to remind Andi and Tory not to turn on the water. The last thing I want is for the shower walls to get wet and to wait another few days to finish the project. <br />
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<b>7:10am:</b> I hear Aden's footsteps down the upstairs hallway. He enters my bedroom and seems happy this morning, despite the middle-of-the-night wake-up. There's a carpet imprint on his left cheek. "Please I watch show and drink milkie?" he asks politely. I give him a squeeze and tuck him into my bed sheets. Then, I go to the kitchen to retrieve him a sippy cup of soy milk and an applesauce pouch.<br />
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When I return, Aden's looking at our leftover Christmas card. "There's my Tory Bean! Oh, and there's my Dad!" he says. "Please I eat ice cream like Tory?" (There's a picture of Tory eating an ice cream cone on the Christmas card.) I turn Mickey Mouse on the T.V. for Aden, and finish getting myself dressed.<br />
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Do you ever have a favorite shirt in constant rotation? This Columbia sweatshirt is it for me right now, I have no idea why. I probably wear it (clean and washed) three times a week. </div>
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<b>7:20am: </b>I turn on the Today Show in the living room to steal a few minutes of grown-up T.V. time before Tory wakes up. As the news plays in the background, I start making breakfast for the kids and I. Tory comes up the stairs shortly afterwards. "Morning, Mom!" she says cheerfully. She climbs into her seat at the table and immediately begins crafting a picture for her pre-K teacher, Ms. Jessica.<br />
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<b>7:30am: </b>Breakfast: Tory requests a strawberry toaster strudel and pear slices, and Aden has Cheerios, sausage links and pears. As dictated by the 3-Day Refresh program guide, I make myself a Strawberry Shakeology for breakfast and eat one serving of fruit (my choice - apple slices with cinnamon).<br />
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<b>7:45am:</b> My Fitbit buzzes on my wrist reminding me to hit the auto-start button on my key chain to warm up my car. We'll need to leave the house in 15 minutes to take Tory to preschool. The kids finish their breakfasts, then I clean up the dishes and load them in the dishwasher. When I'm done, I run downstairs to pick out the kids' clothes for the day while they're both laying on the sofa watching Ready, Set, JET on television. <br />
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I set out their clothes and encourage Tory to get herself dressed for school. I'm trying to teach her more independence, and she's begrudgingly going along with it. She approaches me in the kitchen with her arms in the air and her pajama shirt stuck on her head. "A little help here!" she exclaims. <br />
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I help Tory finish getting dressed, and I also put Aden's clothes on him for the day. I tell the kids to brush their teeth in the bathroom and Tory does so on her own. Aden tries to brush his teeth first, and I follow up afterward with another scrub.<br />
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<b>8:00am:</b> Time for school! It's like herding cats down the hallway, and I've always got a handful of trash and recycling to take out as well. I nudge Tory toward the back door, and ask her to pull on her shoes and coat. She does. Aden is plopped on the floor in front of a display of Christmas cards in the living room. "We've got to go, Buddy!" I tell him as I physically pick him up and carry him to the back door.<br />
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<b>8:10am:</b> We load into the car, and Tory's upset I yelled for her to buckle her seat belt. If yelling constitutes the spoken words "buckles, Tory" I'd hate to see how she reacts when I'm really mad.<br />
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All four of these drinks are for me as I drop Tory at school and run errands this morning: water, Shakeology, green tea and a Fiber Sweep beverage I need to drink mid-morning as part of the 3-Day Refresh. In addition to the kids, backpacks, trash, recycling, etc. - this might be part of the problem in juggling to get out the door in the mornings. Hey! I like to stay hydrated, what can I say?<br />
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<b>8:20am:</b> I pull into my usual parking spot at Tory's school and spend the next few minutes turned around in my seat, work to dress Aden and Tory in their winter coats, hats and mittens. The three of us walk into school together. The kids are both so excited to be here, I half-jog to keep up with them as they run into the building. <br />
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<b>8:25am:</b> Tory, Aden and I wait for her teacher to greet the students gathered in the front lobby for class. While we wait, I snap a picture of Tory and school friend, Ryan, because they look so cute together. The girls look so much alike it's uncanny with their similarly-colored hair, height and "ear mugs" (ear muffs) as Tory calls them.</div>
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Ms. Jessica, Tory's teacher, walks down the stairway to greet us in the lobby below, and greets the children lined up alongside the wall. "Are you ready to go, Tor-," she asks, Tory who's standing next to me. Tory shakes her head no. "No?!" her teacher says, surprised. Tory absolutely loves school and her teacher knows it, so I think she's a bit confused. "I want to take a picture with you," Tory says. Tory and I are planning to decorate a picture frame of Tory and her teacher for a Valentine's Day present. "Well, of course!" Ms. Jessica says, and gives Tory a big squeeze. I quickly snap their picture as it's chaotic in the lobby area with parents and kids rushing by, then Tory joins her classmates standing along the wall. </div>
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<b>8:35am: </b>Aden and I walk back to our car in the parking lot, and I chat with Ryan's mom on the way. Aden asks to sit on "Tory's side" (in her car seat) as he does every morning when Tory's away at school. Fortunately, the have the same car seats so it doesn't matter. </div>
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I sit in the parked car for a few minutes and post a picture to Instagram of Aden brushing his teeth this morning. Aden is contently sitting in the back seat playing with Tory's iPad. </div>
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<b>8:45am:</b> First errand of the morning is to deliver Andi's breakfast and lunch to his office. Coincidently, we visited Andi's office the last time I wrote about "a day in our life" this past fall, but this isn't a usual occurance. "Where we go first, Mom?" Aden asks, and thinks it's hilarious when I tell him Andi forgot his food at home today. "Oh, Daddy forgot his eggs?" [laughs] "Oh, Daddy need us bring him?" [more giggles] I always want to remember the way Aden says "Oh, ..." at the beginning of every sentence. It makes me smile every time. </div>
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<b>8:50am: </b>Andi's office is about a mile away, and takes us five minutes to drive there. I park my car in front of the building, and unbuckle Aden from his seat. The weather is surprisingly warm this morning (19 degrees!) which feels like a heat wave compared to the frigid temps we've had the last few weeks. I pull on Aden's coat and hat, but skip the mittens. He runs up the long ramp to the front door. </div>
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Confidently, Aden walks into the front door of Andi's office confidently and waves hello to the gal sitting at the front desk. He spots a Polaris Rzr on display in the lobby area, and bee-lines over to it to get a closer look. "Oh, wow! Look at Daddy's Ranger ride!" Aden exclaims. Andi walks down the hallway to greet</div>
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<b>9:00am:</b> I say hello to Andi and hand him his food. The three of us walk to the kitchen so Andi can put the food in the refrigerator, and say hi to a few people there filling their morning coffee cups. Aden knows exactly where the snacks are in the office kitchen, and begins pulling open drawers to find mini bags of red Doritos. "Please I have some chips?" he pleads. "Sure, I tell him." Who doesn't eat chips for breakfast?</div>
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Aden and I follow Andi into the shop area of the office, so Andi can show Aden the tools. Andi and I chat a minute about a new laser-cut machine they got, as red-faced Aden runs around eating his bag of Doritos. A few minutes later, Aden and I say good-bye to Andi and leave the office. </div>
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<b>9:15am: </b>Next stop is across the parking lot from Andi's office to pick up our <a href="https://www.originmeals.com/">Origin Meals</a> for the week. We've been buying fresh-prepared dinners from this service for over a year now and it's saved my sanity in the evenings - so worth it! Inside the gym where I pick up the meals, Aden says hello to all the personal trainers. I move quickly to load the dinners into my cooler bag; Aden's already climbing onto a treadmill in the seconds it takes me to do so.</div>
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I herd Aden out the front door of the gym, and buckle him back into Tory's car seat. That's the fourth time I've wrestled him into his seat buckles this morning, if you're keeping count. Phew!</div>
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<b>9:30am:</b> I drive to Trader Joe's down the street to grab a few items for the week - yogurt cups, applesauce packets, some bulk nuts and dried fruit to make a trail mix later this afternoon. On the way there, Aden kicks off his winter boots and removes the socks from his feet. When I unbuckle Aden in the parking lot, he refuses to put his shoes back on. "No! I want to wear bug shoes!" he proclaims. Shamefully, he's discovered a pair of Tory's Crocs from this summer stuffed under the seat in my car. <i>Whatever</i>. I let him wear them. Is every mom's car a hot mess like mine? I swear I clean it out, but somehow it's always a disaster. </div>
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Aden's "bug shoes" are a big hit with the Trader Joe's staff. "I like your fancy shoes," says the lady running the sample counter in the back of the store. I aim to defend myself for allowing my son to wear Crocs with no socks in the winter, but she doesn't seem bothered by it.</div>
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<b>9:45am: </b>I stop by Home Goods to buy a blanket for Aden's bed. The store just opened, so there's no one inside; perfect so I can get in and out with my wild man. I have to use the restroom first (remember? four beverages this morning) so I chase Aden to the back of the store to find the bathrooms. He won't follow me into the stall, so I listen to him banging around the bathroom on the other side of the partion. Then he enters the stall next to me, and locks the door behind him. "Come on out, Aden, turn the lock again," I urge him. "I can't! It's stuck!" he responds. Oh, great. Just as I'm about to crawl underneath the half-wall, he pops his head underneath the door. I feel guilty leaving the stall locked, but <i>I</i> don't want to crawl on the bathroom floor. </div>
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We find a twin-size blanket for Aden's bed in a heavily picked-over Home Goods, and pay for it at the check-out counter. In true Aden fashion, he darts away from me toward the automatic doors as I'm paying for the purchase. <i>That kid!</i> I'm clearly pushing my limits for number of errands this morning. </div>
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As I carry Aden to the car through the store parking lot, I notice he pooped his diaper. I check my purse for wipes once we get to the car, but discover I don't have any. Shoot! I still have one more errand to run before we pick up Tory from school, so I decide to stop at the gas station across the street to buy wipes vs. driving all the way home. </div>
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<b>10:15am: </b>I pull up to the front of Holiday gas station, and unload Aden from the car for the 7th time this morning. He's in full-on crazy Aden mode now, ripping through the gas station like a Tazmanian devil. I grab a pack of wipes off the shelf and pick him up with my other arm. In transit to the register, he grabs an ice scraper from a display bucket. The gas station cashier is chatting with a customer foreeeeever about something or another. Meanwhile, we're standing behind the other customer and Aden is flopping like a fish to break free from my grasp. HELLO!!!! I silently scream at the worker with my crazy mom eyes, but she doesn't catch my vibe. Eventually, she acknowledges us and asks if we have fuel today. "Just this," I tell her. "The scraper, too?" she asks, and I notice it's still clenched in Aden's fist. "No, thank you," I respond as I pry it out of his little fingers. </div>
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<b>10:30am: </b>I want to squeeze in one more errand before we pick up Tory from school. Aden and I drive to the school district administration office to drop off Tory's application for the Spanish Immersion school lottery. The anticipation of kindergarten this fall has me a ball of nerves, so I want to check this to-do off my list right away. </div>
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Aden and I find the building, and park our car in front. I grab a diaper, the pack of wipes, the application form and unbuckle Aden from his seat. The building is locked and a note on the door says the buzzer is broken. <i>Hmmm.</i> Luckily, a delivery driver walks out of the building and lets us inside. An administration office worker immediately greets us, and says she can take application for me. I forgot to ask where the restrooms are so I can change Aden. </div>
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<b>10:45am: </b>I decide to change Aden's diaper in the cargo area of my SUV which is not ideal since it's wintertime. I rush to change his diaper while he rolls away from me trying to reach a kid's umbrella laying back there. Back in the car now; seat belts buckled. </div>
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<b>10:50am:</b> I drive the car down the street to Tory's school. Aden and I walk inside to wait for her to come down to the lobby with her classmates. Tory is full of energy and excitement, and happily embraces Aden in warm hug. The three of us walk out to the parking lot together. </div>
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<b>11:00am:</b> I decide to take the kids to the library before lunchtime. Tory discovers a paperclip on the ground as we're walking into the building, and proudly shows it to me. Then, she stuffs the treasure into her coat pocket for safe keeping. </div>
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We play inside the library's kids area for an hour. There's a grocery store setup for dramatic play, and Aden busily zooms the plastic cart through the aisles of books. He stops for a few minutes to read with me on the sofa and builds blocks, too. </div>
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Tory plays with magnets on a board with another little boy for a long time, then moves on to the blocks table with Aden.</div>
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<b>11:45am: </b>While the kids play, I find a few Valentine's Day books to take home. I let the kids scan the books on the check-out machine, and we leave the library. Outside, it's beginning to snow. Tory and Aden both instinctively stick their tongues out to catch the falling snowflakes in their mouths. I'm thankful I have my big camera with me today to capture the moment. </div>
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Back in the car, I post the photo of Aden on Instagram, then we set off for home. </div>
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<b>Noon: </b>I pull into our condo garage and unbuckle the kids from their car seats. I'm doing my best to control my frustration as the kids dilly-dally around in the car, and I've got my arms full of backpacks, coats, grocery bags, etc. The garage in our condo building isn't like a regular house in that the door to the building lobby automatically locks; I can't leave the kids in the garage until they eventually find their way inside. </div>
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<b>12:15pm:</b> I unpack groceries and start lunch for the kids and I. Tory wants grilled cheese and tomato soup; I make Aden buttered noodles and apple slices. Kind of random, but he likes all those foods.</div>
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<b>12:30pm:</b> The kids eat their lunches and watch Thomas the Train on PBS, and I sit at the computer desk in the kitchen and have my 3-Day Refresh lunch: cauliflower rice tabbouleh and a Vanilla Fresh shake. I can't say this is what I'd choose for lunch had it not be for the Vegan diet I'm following today, but it tastes surprisingly fresh and delicious. Or, maybe I'm just hungry! I use the 30-minutes of lunch time to catch up on emails and check in with my fitness accountability group. Aden doesn't nap anymore, so this is really the only (semi) uninterrupted kid time I have all day.<br />
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<b>1:15pm: </b>My little artist sets in on making cards and pictures for her teacher and friends at school, as she does every afternoon. We fly through reams of paper every month, but I don't mind; I think it's sweet Tory loves her teacher and classmates so much. Typically she sits at the kitchen table to work on her drawings, but today she's chosen a spot right in front of the refrigerator which makes cleaning up lunch a bit more challenging. I step around her to clear off the table and load the dishwasher.<br />
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<b>1:30pm: </b>It's snowing steadily now and I watch the big, white flakes fall outside the window. I enjoy being a stay-at-home-mom for all the obvious reasons, but I'm especially thankful on afternoons like this where I'm safe and snug in my cozy home versus being stuck in traffic on the highway somewhere.<br />
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This big kitchen window is one of my favorite features of our condo.<br />
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<b>1:45pm:</b> After I finish cleaning up, I grab my computer and go downstairs to print thank-you notes for Christmas presents. This task has been on my to-do list for weeks, and I'm finally getting around to it before it's too late. I want Tory to help me write thank you's this year, and find a few free templates on Pinterest to use.<br />
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Upstairs, I cut the cards to size and write out a list of names for Tory to copy. One by one, she writes the names of all the card recipients, and also signs her and Aden's names at the bottom. Then, I fill in the body of each card, thanking the person for their gift. I am so proud of Tory for completing this task from start to finish! It takes her about 1 1/2 hours to do it, and she never complains. <br />
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Aden's scribble contributions take six seconds. </div>
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<b>2:30pm:</b> While Tory writes cards at the table, Aden and I make <a href="http://liveinsidemybubble.blogspot.com/2016/05/healthy-banana-chocolate-chip-muffins.html">our favorite banana chocolate chip muffins</a>. He helps me mix the batter together, and portion it into a mini muffin tin. The kids request a little bowl of chocolate chips to snack on, as per usual. <br />
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<b>3:15pm: </b>Aden's growing increasingly fussy as the day goes on. He asks for a muffin, then cries when it's too hot - "why you make it hot, Mom?" I set the muffins to cool on a metal rack and he reaches up repeatedly to snag one, screaming "too hot!" every single time. Eventually, the muffins are cool enough for him to eat. Tory has one, too.<br />
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I put a few of the cooled banana muffins in the refrigerator to eat this week, and pack the remainder in Ziploc bags to freeze for later. My kids love muffins for snacks, and I feel good about giving them this treat since I know it's homemade and semi-healthy.<br />
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I'm hungry and the smell of freshly-baked muffins isn't helping. I chug some water and ask Aden to go get the mail with me in the lobby area.<br />
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<b>4:00pm:</b> I remember the package of Christmas presents my brother and his girlfriend sent earlier, so I let the kids open their gifts and hope it's enough of a distraction for Mr. Fussypants. Aden opens a remote control Thomas the Train and a book; Tory receives a really nice art set and her first chapter book to read. Immediately, Tory tears into her art set and begins painting a picture at the kitchen table. These never get old, do they? I love to see he detail in Tory's pictures as she grows older. The latest is the addition of clothes in the shape of triangles compared to previous drawings of people with a head and legs only. She mostly draws people which I think is interesting as well. People and hearts. <br />
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I spend a few minutes locating batteries for Aden's train and installing them while he cries at my feet for it to work. I've given up wine for the month of January but if I hadn't, this would be the perfect time to have a glass - <i>gah!</i> <br />
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I get the train working, and he powers it around the living room for a few minutes before getting frustrated that it's not going where he wants it to. "Why don't you lay down and watch a show in my room?" I ask him. The no-nap transition is a hard stage. He wouldn't sleep if I tried to lay him down (or he'd be up all night if he did fall asleep during the afternoon), but he's tired and cranky by 5:00pm every night. Must. Power. Through. I do whatever I can to keep him distracted. <br />
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<b>4:30pm: </b>I set Aden up with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in my bedroom, and fold some laundry next to him while he lays in my bed. I run downstairs and put away the kids' clothes and put the new blanket I bought for Aden on his bed. <br />
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<b>5:30pm:</b> Andi sends me a text message saying traffic is terrible with the snow and he's in Saint Paul for a work meeting. He decides to visit his grandma in Minneapolis until rush hour is over. I'm bummed he'll be home later tonight, but I'm secretly glad I can eat my dinner now; I'm so hungry! I make the kids eggs and pancakes for dinner while I eat the moroccan carrot salad I made yesterday during my food prep and drink another Vanilla Fresh shake. This salad isn't as flavorful as the one I had for lunch, but it is filling.<br />
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<b>6:00pm: </b>Tory and Aden monkey around in the living room while I clean up dinner. Tory's teaching Aden how to do "Spiderman handstands" from her gymnastics class against the wall.<br />
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<b>6:30pm: </b>I haven't showered yet today since our upstairs bathroom is under construction, so I invite the kids downstairs to take a shower and get ready for bed with me. I've never showered in our basement before, which is funny since we've lived here for 10 months now. It's surprisingly bright for a bathroom with no windows! It's tight quarters as I wash myself and the kids play toys on the floor of the tub. I'm in the middle of washing them up when we hear Andi outside the shower curtain. Apparently, he'd been calling for us to let him in the back door but I didn't hear him because we were downstairs. I had the child-lock activated on the door since Aden has a tendency to escape. <br />
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<b>7:00pm:</b> I towel dry myself and the kids, and get everyone's dressed for bed while Andi lays on Tory's bed and tells me about his day. Tory removes a link from the Disney countdown paper chain her Auntie Lindsay made her for Christmas. Lindsay, Tory and I are going to Disney World together next month.<br />
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Tory finds a second wind, and gives us a performance in her closet by modeling her robe and doggie purse. She hops and dances around. Aden rolls around on Tory's bed; he's tired.<br />
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<b>7:20pm:</b> Time for books and bedtime. Since we're all in Tory's room, the four snuggle up in her bed and read stories together. Aden fusses, saying "No! Mommy read me!" and I assure him I will read to him in his bed as is our usual routine.<br />
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Andi reads the Valentine's Day books we brought home from the library today, and I laugh as I notice him skipping words left and right. I <i>never</i> skip words in book I read to the kids, and not because I don't want them to miss anything. I guess I'm too uptight not to read every single word as it written on the pages. Plus, Tory will call you out if you skip words in any of the books she's read before. Tonight, she doesn't know the difference since this is the first time we've read these library books.<br />
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<b>7:40pm:</b> Aden and I say good-night to Dad and Tory, and I finish reading him one more book in his bedroom. I tuck him into bed for the night, and he asks me in a pleading voice, "Mom, will you come check me up?" (aka: come back and check on me tonight) I assure him I will, even thought I won't, and I close his door behind me. <br />
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Meanwhile, Andi finishes Tory's bedtime routine and says good-night. <br />
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<b>7:50pm: </b>Andi is already upstairs by the time I finish with Aden. He's made us each a cup of hot tea, and we carry them to the bedroom. We lay in bed and finish catching up on our day without kid interruptions. Eventually, I read a page from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Savor-Living-Abundantly-Where-You/dp/0310344972"><u>Savor</u></a>, a daily devotional book I'm reading in 2017, then pull up <a href="https://www.amazon.com/This-One-Mine-Maria-Semple/dp/0316551732/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1484782245&sr=1-1&keywords=this+one+is+mine"><u>This One Is Mine</u> </a>on my iPhone Kindle to read until I fall asleep. Andi lays beside me reading a book on his Kindle until we both fall asleep sometime around 9:00pm.<br />
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Follow me on Instagram: liveinmybubble Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-31591460565891365832017-01-17T09:59:00.001-06:002017-01-17T10:08:31.708-06:00Adventures in Ice FishingWinter is my second favorite time of the year at our lake cabin. Summer is the obvious winner, but winter brings peaceful surroundings and togetherness with our immediate family and the few neighbors who continue to use their cabins year round. <br />
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We try to spend as much time outdoors in the wintertime as possible. It's cold, yes, but it sure beats wasting away the weekend indoors! Andi's taken to ice fishing because it's something we can all do together as a family. And, it's an activity we can do regardless of temperature. We have a large 8x16 ice house that we use for "camping on the ice" as much as we do for fishing. The kids love it! Andi bought a smaller deer stand / ice house this year that we use for shorter outings on the lake.<br />
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Last weekend, Andi and I decided to pull the ice house to Hayward, Wisconsin for something fun to do. Hayward is about 1 1/2 hours north of our lake cabin, and one of my favorite cabin towns. He hired a local fishing guide to take us crappie fishing on Lake Chippewa, then we planned to fish for walleyes overnight on Gindstone Lake.<br />
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Saturday morning, Andi and I packed the big ice house with food and cooking supplies, bedding and ice fishing gear. Then, we drove north to Hayward where we met Tom, the fishing guide. After we dropped our ice house in place, we followed Tom to Lake Chippewa. It was a nice treat having a local expect lead us to prime fishing spots on the lake. His ice shack was the perfect size for our family of four to use, and had a kickin' heater inside which is the key to my happiness. And, the crappie fishing was excellent! Andi and I reeled up one after another in our first 30 minutes of fishing. <br />
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Tory was (fishing guide) Tom's little shadow outside our shack. She followed him from tip-up to tip-up, playing in the snow and throwing snowballs. Every time he caught a fish, he'd let her reel it up for him.<br />
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Aden likes to fish, but he still has a tough time focusing his attention on it for long. Fortunately, I brought lots of snacks and his iPad which kept him busy while the rest of our family fished. Tory joined us for snacks inside the ice house whenever she needed to warm up.<br />
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We fished for two hours, then decided to head back to our ice house on Grindstone Lake for walleye fishing. I appreciate all Andi's work in setting us up for fishing. The kids and I played Old Maid inside our warm house on the lake while Andi worked outside to drill holes and set up tip-ups. Next, he cleaned all the crappies we caught earlier in the day and fried him for dinner. It was delicious!<br />
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Meanwhile, Aden kept saying his "mouth felt funny." He became increasingly fussy and kept asking to be held which isn't like him at all. I wasn't sure what he meant exactly since nothing had happened to his mouth, but I wondered if it meant he was about to get sick. Sure enough, as we were cleaning up dinner, Aden vomited all over the ice house floor, his clothes and mine. It was a mess! "Open the hole!" I shouted to Andi, so Aden could throw up through the hole in the floor into the lake. With no bathroom and no running water, there was nowhere else to go. Andi and I stepped all over each other as we worked to clean up the vomit and Aden. "Why do we do this to ourselves?!" I asked Andi in the moment of chaos. We contemplated packing up and driving back to our cabin, but it would take us a while to pull up the ice house, trailer it to the SUV and then drive the 1 1/2 hours home. So, we decided to ride it out in the ice house for the night.<br />
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I laid down with Aden in the double bed, and he fell asleep shortly afterward. Andi started a movie on the TV, and he and Tory watched it while they fished for walleyes until bedtime. Tory was such a great sport throughout the evening. She happily laid on the top bunk and watched her show, or fished alongside Andi. He even made her s'mores on the stove for a "camping" treat. <br />
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Aden threw up once more around 11:00pm, then we all slept the rest of the night. Thank goodness! The next morning, he was pale but spunky and seemed to feel much better. Andi chiseled his tip-ups from the ice outside while I made us breakfast - pancakes, eggs and sauteed kale.<br />
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As I cooked breakfast, I worked to fold up our bedding from the night. I grabbed Tory's blanket from the top bunk and heard a <i>PLOP!</i> Uh-oh. Tory's iPad must've been laying on the blanket and I didn't see it. It flung off and sailed perfectly through the open fishing hole in the ice house floor. Yikes! I couldn't believe it. Andi and I used his underwater fishing camera to see if we could find the iPad, but it was long gone.<br />
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Other things that fell down the fishing hole during our 24 hours in the ice house: Aden's leg (he stepped right in the hole and was drenched from boot to waist), Tory's boot (good thing it floated long enough for Andi to grab it!), and a minnow scoop ... just to name a few.<br />
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Andi fished for a bit longer that morning while the kids and I laid around and relaxed. Then, we packed up the ice house and drove back to our lake cabin. <br />
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As eventful as our evening had been, I wouldn't have changed a thing. It's all part of the adventure. Though I have to admit, I was never so glad to take a shower!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404768051127191583.post-4516528516128131462017-01-15T21:15:00.000-06:002017-01-15T21:24:18.642-06:0021 Day Fix Meal Plan - Week of January 16-22 It's been a while since I shared my family's weekly clean eating meal plan. Click <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eLw8-V4OKecqZJQaUz6TL4t8vy-oeCgjPGxrxJE-ohc/edit?usp=sharing">here</a> to view / download a copy of my plan, including recipes and a grocery shopping list for the week of January 16-22.<br />
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So, we have an oversupply of half-eaten bananas at our house. Let me explain:<br />
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Last year, Andi began serving Tory bananas with a handle; meaning, he'd pull the peel halfway down the banana and snip the droopy parts off leaving a "handle" for her to hold onto at the bottom of the banana. While this might've been be a super genius way for Tory to eat bananas (and now is her preferred method), it has since created dozens and dozens of half-eaten bananas in our household. Maybe hundreds, really. Tory loves bananas.<br />
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What's a mom to do with so many half-eaten bananas? It pains me like no other to toss out perfectly good fruit of all things!<br />
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The answer is freeze them, of course. At any given time, my freezer contains a gallon-size Ziploc bag full of half-sized bananas. No problem, though, because I use them in my Shakeology, to make banana bread muffins, and in my beloved overnight oats recipes.<br />
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On the menu for this week is Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oats, a recipe I haven't made in a long time. I'm excited to enjoy it for breakfasts this week! If you like blueberry muffins, this oatmeal recipe is for you. The combination of banana, blueberries and lemon zest come together to make this overnight oatmeal taste like the sweet bakery treat. Here's the recipe:<br />
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<b>Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oats</b><br />
Serves: 1<br />
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<u>Ingredients:</u><br />
1/2 cup old fashioned oats<br />
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk<br />
1/2 small banana<br />
2 Tbsp. blueberries<br />
1/4 tsp. lemon zest<br />
1/2 tsp. pure maple syrup<br />
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<u>Directions:</u><br />
1. Mash together oats, banana, lemon zest and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl or reusable food storage container. <br />
2. Pour milk over top of banana oat mixture.<br />
3. Top with blueberries.<br />
4. Close lid and refrigerate oatmeal mixture for at least 4 hours, or overnight.<br />
5. When ready to eat, remove from refrigerator and microwave for 30-90 seconds to your liking, or eat cold - your choice!<br />
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<u>Please Note:</u> I'm following the 21 Day Fix Eating Plan and fall into the 1,200-1,499 calorie bracket. Each person should individually determine their own calorie level with following this plan. The colors on my meal plan represent a different color-coded portion control container. If you'd like more information about this Eating Plan or any of these recipes, email me at hcdickson@yahoo.com. I'd love to hear from you! Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467051818580697793noreply@blogger.com0