Take Care!

I am a teacher. Did you know that (I think you do)? I teach 10th grade English (please don't judge me on my poor grammar and misspellings, I like to take a break from such things when I blog) and I love my students. Really, I do.

It seems as we get more into the school year, there is a phrase that I keep hearing on repeat:

Make sure you are taking care of yourself...

At first, it seemed like a silly bit of advice. Of course I am going to take care of myself. I'm not married, don't have children, I have one roommate and sometimes I have a dog (shared custody). Who else am I going to take care of??

But, as school has picked up, I find myself forgetting myself. Don't ask me when was the last time I went to the gym. Don't ask why I have Kabob Palace on speed dial. And don't ask how much sleep I'm not getting at night.I think as we get caught up in the hazards of life, we forget that in order for things to run as smooth as possible, we need to be in running as smooth as possible.

So, I offer a challenge to those of us who are neglecting ourselves (yes, I see you in the back of the room. I am talking to you). Instead of overwhelming ourselves with a need to be fixed right away, I challenge us to do one thing this week for us. And keep it up for the week.

Go to bed early. Have a salad for lunch instead of a cheeseburger. Go for a walk. Pray (for the spiritually inclined). Do something that makes you happy.

Me? What am I going to do? Well, I think that I am going to start moving more. We are having beautiful weather in DC, perfect for biking and being outside. I will update you next time on how I did...

Post a comment and let me know what you plan to do.

training--for a different sort of goal.

now that my pants don't fit very well anymore (thank heavens for birthday gifts of belly belts!), i'm beginning to feel the effects of all of these pregnancy changes.  namely: my back HURTS. frequently. differently. 

at first i thought "hmm. must have slept wrong." but when it's fairly consistent and it doesn't really change much, i began to think about what i could do, proactively, to solve this, my particular brand of pregnancy woe.  in my mind, i thought: "if my back hurts now, boy howdy, 37 weeks is going to be no fun."

unless i plan ahead. unless i prepare myself. unless i--wait for it--train for my third trimester.

do whaaa?

in thinking about how i want my labor, delivery, and late pregnancy to go, i've been reading a little and thinking a lot about what i can do now to prepare myself well for that ultimate of endurance tests.  the birth plan we're considering requires me to understand and be able to work with my body throughout labor and delivery, staying connected to my own instincts and the messages my body is sending me.

it's also going to require a whole heck of a lot of stamina.

but the time constraints that have faced me this semester are daunting at best.  to try to get to the gym is a monumental task, and i'm often frustrated by my lack of energy or the way that my body now moves differently.  my feet seem to not like my shoes, the treadmill seems to go to fast, and the only real prenatal class offered by my gym is a water class that happens exactly when i have a job to do.

i let this get at me for a couple of weeks--i'll admit it.  but when my back started to really hurt, i began to think that maybe the "training" that i need isn't the training that i'm used to. 

enter yoga.

the idea of prenatal yoga is practically in the water around these parts--everyone seems to know about it and praise it to high heaven, but a couple of things really stood out to me: the way that it builds muscle strength and flexibility, the deep stretches that accompany the practice, and the breathing techniques that help prepare one for labor and delivery.

those are three reasons right there to sign me up.

so i bought a DVD (shiva rea's prenatal yoga) that came highly recommended from the nameless, faceless masses on amazon, and i tried it for the first time yesterday.  (yesterday was also the first time that my back hurt so much that i had to bring a pillow with me to class to put in the small of my back, if that tells you anything about my physical condition yesterday.)

it was challenging and it was motivational and it WORKS.  the dvd is broken up into three sections, beginning with a stretching and meditation section (which was far more challenging than i initially thought it would be), followed by one standing pose section and one floor pose section, and ending with a guided meditation at the end.  i've done yoga dvds and classes before, so i'm not a total novice, but i found this one challenging and accessible after nearly three months of no (real) physical activity. each of the sections provided not only modifications for each trimester, but also challenges.  i assumed that the standing poses section would be the most challenging, but each section provided me with something that i wasn't great at.  far from being frustrating, it showed me that i had much to learn and encouraged me to keep at it.  challenges keep me hungry.

by the end of the 50 minute session (which you can easily break into smaller, shorter bits by skipping sections), i felt more muscles than i have in a while (hello legs--did you like those lunge poses?) and i felt like my back was FINALLY loosening up.  today, it's infinitely better. 

while i suppose a review of a prenatal yoga dvd doesn't do much for those of you who currently pregnant, but let me just say this: yoga is an amazing way to work on lengthening your muscles and gaining balance and strength.  it can be an excellent supplement to an aggressive cardio workout routine, because it not only focuses on other elements of your physical well-being, but it also encourages you to become aware of your body and how it works. the term "namaste," often used by those in yoga practice, means "peace be with you."  in our quest for healthy living in this noisy, frantic world, a few minutes of peace can only be a positive thing. 

try it.  it can't hurt--well, except in good ways. :) 

Swamp Stompers

When the crisp fall finally hits Florida, there is one exercise activity I am always pumped to do…channeling my inner Tim Tebow on the stadium steps. A friend and I hit the UF stadium (aka the Swamp) last night for a workout, something we hadn’t been able to do in months because it has been so incredibly hot. We had a workout that would leave almost anyone gasping for breath.

Don’t feel like you have to have a college stadium nearby in order to do this workout. Any high school football stadium (or really any place with a ton of stairs) will do.

1.     Start out by walking/running (whichever is preferable to you) two loops around the stadium/field to warm up

2.     Run up and walk down 5 rows of steps - In our stadium, there are generally about 90 steps in a row. Adjust the rotation to whatever works best for you.

3.     Every 5^th row of steps, rotate between 10 pushups (on the ground or on the benches) and doing lunges

4.     When feeling daring, sprint up 45 steps 

5.   Cool down by walking/jogging two more loops around the stadium

6.   Stretch! 

 

We found a jar of pickled peppers. They were an excellent weight lifting tool!

Tips:

1.     Remember that in some stadiums (including the Swamp) the steps become more steep as you go higher

2.     Do not push yourself too hard with this workout if you are a beginner. It can be a killer on your knees.

3.     Do not workout alone in a large stadium…especially at night

4.     Take breaks when necessary

5.     Drink plenty of fluids

Chi...chi...chili!

People. I have an announcement.

Fall is here (in case you weren't aware).

I don't know about the weather where you live, but the weather in DC has been miserable lately. Rainy and cold. Not a good combination.

I was working late one night and noticed how the rain had picked up. No good, I thought to myself. And then I realized I had absolutely nothing to eat at home. I wanted something that would make the chill in the air go away and warm my toes...
And then I thought of my chili...

And then I thought that I would share the recipe with you.

Simple Turkey Chili

Brown the turkey and add onions and green pepper...Add some garlic, water, crushed tomatoes and the beans (mashed)
The seasoning!

Let it simmer about 30 minutes
Eat!

Oh my goodness. The chili totally hit the spot! My roommate and I both ate very well that night and I was able to take some for lunch the next day (and I put some in the freezer for another night...or two).

Here is the full recipe:

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound ground turkey

1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper

2 cups water

1 (28 ounce) can canned crushed tomatoes

1 (15.5 ounce) can canned kidney beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed
1 (15.5 ounce) can canned black beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

	1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Place turkey in the pot, and cook until evenly brown. Stir in onion and pepper, and cook until tender.
	2. Pour water into the pot. Mix in tomatoes, beans, and garlic. Season chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. See, told you it was easy!!

puree your way to deliciousness.

the chill in the early morning air over the past week, even here in the super south, has convinced me that what i needed to do when i was at the store today for my normal weekly shopping was to hunt down the ingredients for something delicious and pumpkin and baked.

well, i looked in the usual places for those convenient cans of pumpkin puree, but they were nowhere to be found. rather than hunt down an employee, who probably would have been very helpful but probably would have told me that the recent announcement that the pumpkin shortage was over had yet to catch up with my local grocery store, i decided to do what i know to do anyway.

create purees myself.

i know i've spoken of this puree presence in my cooking life before, but i don't think i've discussed how easy it is.

seriously.

i'm pregnant, just out of my first trimester. what this means is that the current state of my house indicates that i am loathe to do anything that involves multiple steps. the laundry can get washed and dried, but it ain't folded or put away.  i can make a meal, but i can't manage to figure out how to think ahead to defrost meat for said meal.  i can barely get my junk together to put together a slow cooker chili, which is possibly the easiest meal ever (other than delivery pizza, which was last night). 

i'm not superambitious teachergirl of late is my point.

so when i tell you that it's easier, cheaper, and more healthy to create your own pumpkin puree, i'm totally serious.

first of all, you have to think outside the pumpkin box.  yes, it's pumpkin season. yes, you will find pumpkins at your local grocery, home improvement, or roadside stand.  however, they are priced at a premium right now because, well, it's 'tis the season to bake, carve, and decorate with pumpkin.  so, any self-respecting capitalist is going to jack those prices up.

you know what ISN'T jacked up? the price of butternut squash.

now before you go "EW!" and dismiss everything i'm telling you, please let me assure you: you can make PIE with pureed butternut squash this thanksgiving. i dare your guests to know the difference. they won't. in fact, it may be the most delicious "pumpkin" pie they've ever had.  i think it's better.

(and they call butternut squash pumpkin in other countries, like australia, where my wonderful husband served our church for two years. so there's that.)

today, they were $0.99 a pound. i picked up the biggest one i could find, which was about 3.7 pounds. so, all told, i spent about $4 on the whole thing.

here's how easy it is to turn your oddly shaped "pumpkin" into purees for now and later (sorry for no pictures--see earlier explanation about pregnancy and lack of the ability to plan ahead):

• find the biggest and sharpest knife you have. the hardest part of this whole process is cutting the beast in half.  I suggest sitting it upright and letting gravity do the work.  be CAREFUL. it doesn't have any give to it. if you have to, just work your way around and through it. you want to slice it lengthwise in half, though, not into slices.  just two halves.
• scoop out the bottom, bell-shaped halves. it has a filling like...wait for it...pumpkin! so just like you'd clean out a pumpkin, you clean out the seedy, stringy middle of the bell. that's it, though. the rest of it will be awesome deliciousness.
• put it on a cookie sheet or broiler pan and put it in your oven to roast. i put my oven on approximately 450-475 and cooked it for a little less than an hour.  you can tell if it's done by sticking a knife into it. it should be the consistency of a cooked baked potato, approximately.
• take it out and let it rest. you want to let it cool for a sufficient amount of time that you can work with it effectively (with no toasted fingers!).
• scoop out the flesh into a bowl.  there will be more than you think.  make sure that you do not get the skin, which should allow you to pull the flesh away easily with a large spoon.
• grab a blender or a food processor as well as about a cup of water.  you'll start to blend the puree with the water together to get it to the consistency of baby food.  I found that using enough water made this process INFINITELY easier than when i've done it previously.  i had a huge amount of flesh to puree, and i just kept adding to my blender. when i added enough water, i had it blending with no trouble.  
• divide the puree up into sandwich bags.  i measured it out by cupfuls this time, but half-cup purees also work well for inclusion into recipes.

from my 3.7 pound butternut squash, i got 5 cups of puree.  that's FIVE recipes of 18 pumpkin muffins each.  what an amazing return on a little bit of investment and time!

of course, the options for pumpkin related things are endless. these are the muffins that i made today, but there are also these cookies which look like a pretty decent (and vegan/lowfat!) option if you're bored with the pumpkin bread/muffin variation. and, of course, there's always the pie route.  but you can also use this puree with a cake mix to make a healthier, calorie-reduced brownie mini-muffin (this is a huge favorite of my husband's).  i pretty much add a handful or two of chocolate chips to all of these, fyi, and they're all DELICIOUS.

while i'm all about convenience, some times it's just as easy (and even more inexpensive!) to do things yourself. the added benefit is that you know what's processing has happened to your food--and you can feel good about the vitamins, minerals, and healthy elements that have gone directly from your oven to your fresh purees!

i'd encourage you to try it this holiday season. see what you can do with it, and then share your experiments! with all of these pumpkin purees, i'll soon be dying for new recipes to try so that i can fill my house with the smell of fall.

next step for me? might be homemade applesauce.  such are the effects of fall on me.

10 Things To Do Outside this Fall

With a high of 62 degrees, Fall is in the air here in Virginia. I love this time of the year because the weather is cool and the outdoor activities abound.

Here's ten family-friendly things to do outside this Autumn:

1. Visit a local pumpkin patch.

2. Take a hay ride.

3. Try your luck in a corn maze.

4. Attend a sporting event (ahem, Go Gators!).

Or better yet, organize a neighborhood flag football tournament.

5. Rake up piles of leaves and have jumping contests. Best "splash" wins!

6. Go apple picking.

7. Check out state and local parks and take a hike.

8. Have a picnic.

9. Attend your local fall festival.

10. Make a bonfire and roast marshmallows.

(I love this picture)

a week of reflection

Most days start with the goal of putting your best foot forward, having a positive outlook, and the pursuit of making one good choice followed by another. (Kellogg's NutriGrain commercials ring a bell...?) As a wife, and now a mother, I find myself carrying the yolk of making wise decisions for three, not just myself ... and I'm happy to do so...on most days. :)

This week, however, I have found myself just trying to make it through the day next hour. 

Daniel, the hubby, flew to Colorado at the crack of dawn Monday morning; he will be out of town through this Sunday. (Which reminds me - am I the one getting him at the airport...? I digress.) A nursing baby with another dual ear infection. Phoebe, a spastic dog that thinks she must protect the 'castle' at all costs, a fact of which the neighbors within a five mile radius are now all too painfully aware. Three cats who have recently made the switch to soft food, for dietary reasons - see first paragraph, and serve as a living, breathing, clawing alarm clock if not fed promptly at 5:30AM. A part-time job that lately consumes my full-time thoughts. Oh - and don't forget the cherry on top: the phone call from my dad who saw a summary of the above in a status message on Facebook and felt it necessary to call and remind me that in his mother's day the wife/mom took care of all of that and more every week before gender roles became more balanced. Thanks, Dad.

This was my week and my selfish complaints ... until Wednesday.

As I sat down in the family room, with my well deserved glass of wine, ready to unwind from the day I was jolted as I read, "Missing Plane Wreckage Found In Alaska." I became sick to my stomach as I read further: "Officials said there were no signs of survivors."

For five weeks now, family and friends of Mason McLeod and three others have done all they can to keep efforts alive to find the plane that went missing on August 21st. This story has been featured on every news outlet and in every publication in the Northeast Florida area ever since.

This wasn't just a news story to me, or many close to me. Mason was a friend - and always will be.

Details on his life, his dreams, a synopsis typically given as if someone's life can be summed up in a sentence were all included in the broadcasts and news articles. But that wasn't the Mason I knew. Who was the Mason I knew? First boyfriend in the 6th grade. Amazing writer. Humanist. Homecoming date, freshman year. Witty observer. Entrepreneur. Friend. Son. Intelligent. Lover of art. Jaguars fan. Classmate. Avid reader. Jack of all trades. Political activist. Pilot. Ranger. A goof. Serious. Genuine.

Last night friends gathered from all over to celebrate the life of the one we've lost at a benefit held in Mason's name. All money raised will go into a scholarship fund, as well as pay for gas to continue the search for the still missing remains. (To donate, please visit www.bringmasonhome.myevent.com.) As I stood surrounded by faces from past and present, hearing and sharing so many stories of how Mason inspired a laugh or a life choice from everyone in attendance, I started to realize how much I took for granted this week.

I was able to hold my son every day and tell him how much I love him. My husband made it safely to CO, and with God's help, will make it safely back to me in just a few days. I have a dog, that as spastic as she may be, loves me so much that she wants to protect me from anything she fears may cause me harm. I have three cats that recognize that we made a decision for them to better their health and they are meowing to let me know they approve. I have a job, and it helps me to provide for my family. I have my life.

Sometimes it can be so much easier to look at the negative, than to search for the silver lining.

Tomorrow when I wake up, as I'm preparing my mental "to do" lists for the day, deciding what the healthiest breakfast choices are for myself and the baby, scheduling the day, feeding the pets, and "Shh-ing" the dog, I am going to take a moment and acknowledge how truly blessed I am, and to find a reason to laugh.

For that, and so so much more, I have my dear friend Mason to thank.