Happy Hunger Games, Saturday & Taco Bites!

Hello - happy Saturday! I hope you're all having great weekends. Ours is super chill and relaxing - no obligations makes me a very happy girl! I had a pretty good week overall - got in good workouts, including a strength training class on Wednesday morning which I really enjoyed. Thursday I took an off day from working out, and Friday I intended to work out but it didn't happen - ended up working through lunch and after work I had a movie to see with Stacy, Amanda & Ali - The Hunger Games! I just loved it. I checked the blog to see when I'd read the book last - December 2008 - crazy! Then the second in October 2009 and the third in December 2010. I enjoyed the all, but loved the first the most. I thought they did a wonderful job telling the story. Yes, some pieces were left out and slightly distorted, but for the most part I believed it and enjoyed seeing the Capital, Katniss and District 12, feeling how truly scary and sad The Hunger Games were, etc. - great adaptation! I remember first hearing that Jennifer Lawrence would be playing Katniss and I was like what?! She's blonde. Total crap. But she did a great job and I believed her in the role!

Today I woke up early and got to work on finding some new recipes! Then it was off for Starbucks, the grocery store and a bit of cooking. Here's one of our newest favorites:

Taco Bites
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Emily Bites

Nutritional Information per serving (3): 435 calories, 49 carbs, 7 fat grams and 41 protein grams.
Great little guys! Loved the crunchiness and the idea that I get 3! I will say that the chicken/bean mixture fills up those cups, so definitely consider  using half of the beans, which would take down the calories, too! I thought it was plenty of cheese, loved the layers of the bits of salsa and the guacamole topper was perfect! I'll definitely make these again, too easy not too, and am still loving those wonton wrappers! Check out the recipe on Healthified Kitchen!

We also had a fun surprise today: my sister, Zach and baby Dane came by! Loved seeing that happy baby - such a cutie. He's grown up so fast - it's crazy - already toddling around when I swear he should still be a baby! Now i'm just chilling and reading your blogs and while catching up on Once Upon a Time - it has become such a favorite of mine!

Q: What's your favorite new TV show? I'm loving this one, and I just started watching Missing, too - pretty good! (only 3 episodes in). And i'm LOVING Smash.


Q: Hunger Games fan? I'm so glad my mom introduced me to this awesome series - I loved reading it and am already excited for the next film.

BBQ Chicken Pizza Cups, Captain America, Family Weekend

Hello! Hope you all had great weekends - I'm so sad that this one is winding down. While I wasn't 100%, I honestly felt so relaxed, really enjoyed myself and got caught up on everything from laundry and cooking to work and my DVR. It was just awesome. I also got to see my family, which was so nice! Let me back up, but FIRST let me share an awesome new recipe we've been munching on and loving!

BBQ Chicken Pizza Cups
Makes 4 Servings or 12 appetizers
Recipe Inspired by For the Love of Cooking

Nutritional Information (for 3): 448 calories, 49 carbs, 16 fat grams and 25 protein grams. For 1 (appetizer): 149 calories, 16 carbs, 5 fat grams and 8 protein grams.

Review: LOVED THESE LITTLE GUYS! I had 3 for a meal and was filled up and happy - the flavor was great, the fresh parsley gave it a nice twist and I really liked that BBQ chicken flavor, especially with the blend of cheeses. Awesome little bites - think they would make a great appetizer and tested them - they reheat well. I'm loving the biscuit cup idea I got from Pam, and hope to try more mix ins to the biscuit bites! Try these if you're a fan of BBQ pizza! Check out the recipe on Healthified Kitchen. 

And backing up, Friday I slept in and spent my morning in back-to-back meetings, worked over lunch, stayed busy all afternoon then headed straight home to a hot shower, medicine and my PJs. I was still feeling motivated to finish up work, so Austin played video games in his man room/our upstairs den, and he set me up in there with my computer & his iPad so I could stream netflix! Not. too. shabby. I got a ton done, then took a break to have a pizza dinner & a movie night - CAPTAIN AMERICA! I thought it was good. A little long, but a great, feel-good story. Loved that Tommy Lee was in it - total surprise, but happy to see him!


Saturday I woke up and felt a bit better. I rested all a.m., then Austin headed to an HOA meeting. My mom was in town, so I gave her a call to see if she wanted to meet up. She mentioned needing to hit up a Gap, so I met her and her friend Steve at the mall, then Devon came up and met us!

Nothing like a food court iPhone shot!

We had a Starbucks drink, visited a few stores (Sephora, Bare Escentuals, Gap, Macy's, Banana!), bought some powder, and hung out for a couple of hours, then I headed back home, had Taco Mac with Austin, watched football (Auburn won!), and then called it a night - falling asleep on the couch!

Today was super chill. Slept in, hung with the pups, did laundry and cooked a few recipes, went to Devon's to visit her family and see my mom, and of course to see little Dane bug. I love seeing that happy little boy, and even got to feed him a bottle! He's getting to be such a big boy!

Me and my perfect little nephew!

So all in all, sick and all, and with a bit too much work for a weekend, I had a good one and was so glad to be able to see my family so much, see little Dane, enjoy family time with Austin & the pups and just rest and feel better about being caught up.

Q: How was your weekend? Fast & Furious or Chill & Relaxing? Ours was definitely chill and relaxing, and i'm happy to say I feel better - hope to be at least 90% tomorrow, and am going to try to work out in the a.m.!


Q: Have you seen Captain America yet? If so, what did you think?


Q: BBQ pizza fan? I never order it myself, but whenever I have it I love it. Happy to be able to make a yummy, healthified variation at home. And honeslty, if you worry the calories are too high, you could easily do reduced fat biscuits, 3 (instead of 4) oz. of cheese, and a lower-calorie BBQ sauce. I was happy with it as is though!

Movie Reviews, Shredding, Weight Update

Apparently the excitement of having posted my first step-by-step meal plan overwhelmed me as I haven't posted since Wednesday which is mucho out of character! I've also been wasting time in front of the TV saving money by taking advantage of our Netflix account. However, the movies have not been very good. Maybe i've been missing something, but here's what I've been watching.

Meh. The Switch wasn't bad but Jason Bateman's character just really wasn't likeable and the whole film was very predictable. I think for me the whole premise was just silly (i.e. the party that made the situation happen to begin with). It was just odd. I wanted to like it - I like both leads and thought it could be cute, but I'd have to give it a 2/5 - watchable but nothing to chat about.

Now this was much better. No, Rachel's character and her love interest didn't have a lot of chemistry. And yes, it seemed a bit long sometimes and I had a few of those 'why was this included' moments. But overall, I enjoyed seeing her act as a neurotic over-achiever, and seeing her succeed in her career in TV. It was a cute, feel-good film that I could maybe watch again. I'd give it a 3/5.

This was so bad it was good. Really. I thought Gwenyth did an awesome job as an alcoholic country singer. Yes, I never would have thought it but was kind of blown away. And even when she made mistakes I wanted her to succeed! Tim did a great job as her somewhat-mean husband, and Leighton and Garret did a great job, too. It was so strange to see a Gossip Girl as a country girl, but it worked. I will say that the actual script/movie were way too long and the ending was just bizarre. It was a really good made-for-TV movie, but not a good movie if that makes sense. I gave it a 2.5/5.

Q: Did you see any of these? Are there movies i'm missing because I feel like i'm getting all duds?!

Outside of watching movies, Thursday was spent working, working through lunch and working some more. No workouts - rest day - just chilling with the pups. I DID finish a book, Killer Heels, i'll post a review tomorrow! Friday was a two-a-days day. I woke up early, ran 2.5 miles and walked 1/2 mile, worked, went back to the gym at lunch and walked 2 miles and did Jillian Michael's Shred Phase 1 (for the second time). I got off work early! So I headed home, hung out with the fam, then met Stacy & Shane for a few drinks (fun!) before heading to Jason & Crystal's for poker night. Always a good time!! Great Friday - loved hanging out with everyone and getting to visit with Crystal and Stacy!! And a quick weight update: My goal was to get to 120 by the end of June. The lowest I got was 122.5, and i'm maintaining there. SO, now my goal for July will be to get to 119. TOTALLY realistic goal. I'm counting on shred, spinning, running and tracking to get me there. I didn't track in June. Oy. But it's July 2 - i'm tracking this month dang it! Moving on! Today is a hodge podge - SO many things I want to do, and it's going well so far - at least on the cooking front. :)

Q: What are you up to today?!

I just added Fitting Back in to Facebook! Is your blog on Facebook? Why or why not?!

Mixed Cardio Workout, New Clothes!

I'm glad i'm not the only one who enjoys a glass of wine while spending time with babies. hehe On another more self-absorbed note, I never got around to posting some of pics of my new Destin-outlet clothes! Here's a pic of the spaghetti strap color block dress! I got it at Ann Taylor Loft - love the length, the adjustable straps and the ring in the center! (Remy liked it, too!)

Still need to take pics of the other workout clothes - but they're dirty! So here is a pink Nike running shirt and black/purple Nike capris! Love the mesh on them

Here are the shorts! I love these - got them in black and blue as well

So how was your Tuesday? Mine was pretty good, just got up early and had another great a.m. workout! This time, I:

• Hopped on the treadmill for 13 minutes: 1/8 mile at 4 mph, 1/2 mile at 6.3 mph, 1/2 mile at 7 mph, and 1/8 mile at 4 mph - so 1.25 miles in 13 minutes.
• Hopped on the stairclimber for 10 minutes: 2 minutes at 7, 2 minutes at 9, 2 minutes at left side crossing over with right, 2 minutes at right side crossing over with left and 2 minutes at 8.
• Hopped on the spin bike for 11 minutes (class was over!): 1 song alternating slow/high resistance with springing during chorus; 1 song alternating standing flat, standing climb and seated flat; 1 song with jumps and sprints (sprint for 20; stand for 8, sit for 8, stand for 8, sit for 8; repeat).

WOO! Loved mixing up the machines! Total workout was 34 minutes, with HRM 38 minutes (I guess I took 4 in total moving from machines, setting up the bike, cleaning the machines, etc.): 344 calories, 2 fat-burning minutes and 36 fitness minutes, average HR 164, max HR 186. Then I worked, had a working lunch at Figo, then worked more... and late - boo - stayed until 6:30 so not too bad. Then I headed straight home to the puppers- Austin had a work dinner so it was me and the babies which meant movie time. We watched No Strings Attached. I didn't love it, but didn't hate it. I'd watch it again which lately is high praise as I can't seem to find any movies that interest me which makes me sad. Natalie Portman is so cute but is almost too thin in this film, and i've always liked Ashton and so it was fun to see them together. Natalie's character got on my nerves a bit... they never explained why she was the way she was - it was like girl, what's your problem? But overall it was a cute, predictable chick flick.

Q: Have you seen that movie? Did you like it?

Q: Do you ever mix up your cardio in one workout session? What is your favorite mix?

Destin Fun, Movie Review

Thanks you guys! We really did have a blast at the beach - sounds like a lot of us have similar beach agendas - and I did neglect to mention people watching which is awesome! haha So Saturday we woke up pretty early and headed back out to the beach! This time, we brought more chairs, fewer boats but still plenty of food and fun! We hung out later in the afternoon, and then headed in around 6 for showers. Beach pics!

Loved it

Me trying to get artsy again

Someone made a gator

I spent my day here

Forrest spent his here

And we were all here! Loved it - hard to believe i've been haning out with these 3 people for 10 years!

Ze ladies

After the beach, we had all intentions of going to dinner and going out, so we got all prettified but then a storm came. So we ended up all dressed up with nowhere to go. The storm cleared by 9:30 but by then we were like hmmm – game night?? So we stayed in and hung out figuring we’d all done the Bay Towne bars before so why not? And we had a full day planned on Sunday, our last day! So we ended up chatting and watching an X-Men marathon, which led us to an agreement – we would go see X-Men First Class together!

the girls settled in on the couch!

then we made the boys join for some fun automatic timer group shots

yes, we're that lame! hehe loved it

Sunday we got up and me and the girls headed straight for the outlets! I got 3 pairs of shorts at Banana Republic (elastic waist/linen = love them!), 1 color block dress at Ann Taylor Loft, and a gift for a friend. I also hit the jackpot at Nike – two new pairs of workout capris (dark gray solid and light gray with purple accents), two new dry fit shirts (one black and one pink) and two pairs of dry fit socks (yesss I’m so picky with socks). Teresa & Mary had lots of luck too, then we had fro yo at 32 Degrees and headed back to get the boys, visit the pool and stay late at the beach. Before we knew it, it was 7 p.m., time to shower, eat a bite and head to the Rave 8:30 p.m. showing of X-Men First Class. You guys – LOVED the movie. I don’t know if you’re fans but if you are it won’t disappoint. So good to see how Erik got so evil, how mystique joined forces with him, how the professor ended up in a wheel chair, how the school came about, and the list goes on. So many characters, so many parallels to the holocaust – it was just a great, well done film. Predicatable? Sure – you knew what happened, but that was the fun part – seeing how it happened. I just loved it and couldn’t stop talking about it. We got back and recapped the movie, packed up and called it a night – had to get on the road early in the a.m.!

Q: What are your favorite kinds of athletic socks? I have 2 favorite pairs – both asics which is random to me as I’ve never owned asics! However, they’re thin, dry fit socks that still have a bit of padding. Anything thicker and I get blisters. Anything thinner and I feel it doesn’t provide enough support.

Q: Do you like X-Men? Will you watch or have you see the first class?

Something Borrowed Movie Review

Thanks for your sweet notes about my new bag - you guys - i'm obsessed! I've now carried it 3 days in a row. Here's another pic of me loving it. Total surprise - so sweet of Austin!

So after Thursday's late night with Katie and Cush, Friday's late night for LA's birthday and Saturday's late night with the Linc and Shana I totally slept in on Sunday! I then started some laundry, got ready and headed over to meet my mom and sister at Phipps to see Something Borrowed. I LOVED the book – loved it. I read it years ago (during my engagement so in 2007 – I remembered being like hmmm I probably shouldn’t be reading this book that has adultery themes LOL). Anyway, I loved it so much. I thought about re-reading it before the film but am so glad I didn’t because I. LOVED. THE. MOVIE. I did.

SPOILERS Yes, I thought movie Marcus was way creepier than needed be. I remember him being a normal/”good guy” in the book. I thought movie Claire was a bit insane and didn’t really remember her from the book. I know people complain that book Hilary is lacking from the movie, but honestly, she must not have left an impression on me as I didn't remember her from the book. Last semi-complaint, Kate Hudson’s portrayal of Darcy was a bit over the top. Don’t get me wrong – Darcy was quite a bitch. Fo sho. But I l felt like they forgot to show any good in Darcy. Yes, they showed how Darcy and Rachel became and remained friends, and I was happy to see the flash backs and thought those were done nicely, but short of that it was a little hard to understand why people put up with her. Also – they made her much less “fun” and more of a drunken lush. I didn't think this was necessary. On the other hand, I LOVED Jennifer as Rachel, and she didn't get on my nerves as I worried she would (i.e., He’s Just Not That Into You). I only wanted to slap her like twice. Dex was incredibly hot and played his role well (mostly because his role required him to be hot and little else). I did see the chemistry between him and Rachel, and him and Darcy, which is important. LOVED Ethan – hilarious, cute and sweet. He made the movie. So YES, I loved it, I even teared up like twice, I will own it one day and watch it over and over and, should there be a sequel, I will go to the movies to see it.

Sidenote: Normally, I hate movies after books. I do. And I can honestly say if I’d JUST read the book before seeing the movie, I could see myself having been disappointed. But because 4+ years has gone by since I read it, I was able to enjoy the book and movie, and not worry too much about what was the same vs. different. I think that’s the key!

K- sorry – had to get that out there! After the movie we just shopped around a bit, I returned 2 swim suits and got 2 others (pics to come!) then ran a few more errands and headed home to my family, laundry, work and a bit of pre-cooking. Also, it dawned on me that I never shared one of my book reviews - this one was for Laura Lippman's Another Thing to Fall. This book followed Tess, a PI who is hired to look after an actress on set after strange things occurred. It takes place in Baltimore and I really wanted to enjoy the story, as it's told from multiple perspectives which allows you to uncover the story slowly and see it from all points of view. But I was a little disappointed in the end. I don't know - just seemed kind of far-fetched and wasn't where I wanted this mystery to go. Sad too, because I liked the pace, the characters, etc., but just didn't like the end result. And the whole time I felt like I was waiting for more to happen. It was just more of a behind the scenes in film-making than a whodoneit, which was what I signed on for. I give it a 2/5. Boo.

Q: Have you ever read any Laura Lippman books? I heard this one was one of her worst - too bad I didn't realize this until I was invested in it!

Q: Have you seen Something Borrowed? Have you read the book? Thoughts?! I totally dug my book out of my office - going to reread it! :)

Movie Review, New Asian Pasta Recipe, Giveaway Winner

LOVED hearing about your two-a-days! I like the idea of two-a-days at one time (like Kacy's yogo + run), and Val who works out in the mornings, but does 3 mile walks after dinner! And of course Stacy, my workout partner, cracked me up - she says she does two-a-days with me when I make her! LOL Please - she does two-a-days without me a lot!! Also, thanks for your sweet comments about yesterday's recipe: Chipotle Chicken & Rice. Am I the only one who consistently spells that word wrong the first 3 times I try to spell it? Sigh! Yesterday was a pretty standard Tuesday! I just worked, worked through lunch, got a pedicure (much needed!), worked more, and then headed straight home after work where I watched this movie.

I thought it was super cute. Basically, it follows the story of two single people who are godparents to Sophie. Not friends, but acquaintances, who have known each other over the year through Sophie's parents, her being best friend's with Sophie's mom and him best friend's with her dad. Sophie's parents pass away and the two are asked to be guardians in the will. Maybe a little far-fetched but whateva. I loved that it was filmed in Atlanta and recognized so many of the shots! I also enjoyed both main characters, and thought the story was very cute and sweet. Predictable? Maybe, but who cares? It's not like it was masquerading as a mystery so I was fine with it. I will definitely watch it again - cutie cute!

No workouts, no cooking, but a wonderful Tuesday regardless! Even though I didn't cook, I DO have a recipe to share. It's one I made a couple of weeks ago and forgot to post about - oops!

Chinese Noodles with Beef
Recipe adapted from Fitness Magazine
Makes 4 Servings

Nutritional Information: 440 calories, 53 carbs, 10 fat grams and 35 protein grams.

Loved this dish - my first Asian-inspired dish with ground beef - wonderful! See the recipe here on Healthified Kitchen.

Lastly, you may remember my SOYJOY giveaway, where I asked you all to share your dares! My dare was to try meatless Mondays and meatless recipes. CheckMARK! I loved doing this dare.

The winner of the prize pack (done by random number generator) is Erica at Itzy's Kitchen! Here was her dare: What a fun contest! I dare to try 2 new recipes per week for the next month! And to keep up with my workouts as much as possible throughout my pregnancy :)

Something tells me little Erica did this - she ROCKS. And is totally inspiring me to workout seeing that she's keeping hers up beautifully even now that she's 6 months pregnant! Erica - i'll reach out to you for your info for Julie at SOYJOY - and thanks to you all for participating!!

Q: Dare to do anything lately? How did it go? My big outside-of-the-norm thing was definitely trying meatless. I don't think it's for me, definitely not full-time, but I loved the idea and am glad I now have so many new meatless recipes to mix in!

Q: Do you want to see this movie? If you have already - what did you think?

Q: Have any Asian-inspired recipes with ground beef? I think they're SO hard to find - they always seem to have sirloin! And to me most have chicken!

Baby Dane, Book Review, Movie Review, Recipe!

Thank you guys SO MUCH on your sweet comments on our new kitchen business center! I'm still getting used to putting items in there! I'll let you know if we make changes, add buckets, etc. Before I backtrack to yesterday I HAVE to share this picture of me and my new favorite person in the world - my nephew Dane! This photo was taken when he was about 2 hours old by his talented dad, Zach!

Here's one more, I can't resist! (he's a few days old here!)

EEEE! My sis posted the Facebook album yesterday and I just love, love loved so many! I couldn't wait to share them here - I'm just so happy for them and love this little fella. :)

So yesterday was very chill. I slept in at Danielle's until 11:30. What?! How rude am I? haha I had gotten up at 8 a.m. to use the restroom and everyone was sleeping so I settled back in and then boom, it was 11:30!! I blame Danielle and her cozy guest room with the high-quality curtains blocking out the light and the tower fan for white noise - i'm just glad I didn't sleep longer! LOL Needless to say I felt totally discombobulated and where-in-the-eff-did-my-day-go for a while, as I headed home had breakfast well after lunch time, played with the pups, and watched bad TV while working on this week's new recipes. We then hit up Yogli Mogli for some fro yo, publix for nonstick cooking spray (hate running out of that!), BB&B for a wedding gift, Macy's to return some stuff, Dilliard's for Austin to use a gift card and Z Gallerie to peruse the art. "Nice little Sunday." I also finished a book - Elizabeth Berg's Say When. The book focuses on the Griffin's - husband Griffin, his wife Ellen and daughter Zoe. The book starts out, like Page 1, with Griffin admitting that he knows about his wife's affair. Then it pretty much falls into a will they/won't they get divorced. It's interesting because it's told from the father's perspective, but it's also very sad as you see that they do still love each other, but have just not really worked on maintaining their relationship/marriage. It was a quick read, as I really wanted to see how it would end. I must say I liked it. I liked it mostly because I didn't particularly like either character. They were human. They were flawed. At times I was like "OMG, I'm so embarrassed for you, you have no pride," but it was like heck, i'd probably do that... but I wouldn't tell anybody! So it was definitely an inside look at a crumbling marriage. I give it a 3.5/5. It would have been higher if the character's were a bit more likable and if the ending had been less predictable.

Lastly, I prepared these - tis the season for DIY Fruit Cups! This is an old picture - I used to make these all the time and just kind of let it fall off my radar. But they're back!

Nutritional Information: 123 calories, 37 carbs and 1 fat gram.

Visit Healthified Kitchen for the recipe. Well, it's not really a recipe I guess, but it's a break down of what I included and how much of each (so kind of a recipe?) - whatever - yum! I'm trying to focus on fruit, beach trips, concert season, etc. so I can avoid dwelling on the miserable heat to come and the allergies i'm already suffering from - BLEH!

We also watched the movie, The Joneses. I had meant to watch this sooner but really liked it. Interesting to see Demi and David acting together - I hadn't watched anything with them in a while. I thought the movie was a fun, clever twist on materialism and a lot of it was sadly very true. Basically, the "family" is a group of sales/marketing people who are walking, talking testimonials on products. They "push" everything from Ethan Allen furniture to Audis - all on their unsuspecting neighbors. Yes, parts were far-fetched. Perhaps some areas of the story were slow. Regardless, I enjoyed it. Mostly because I've seen it happen in real life (oh - so-and-so has that, let's get it, too - and then it snowballs. The only difference is, was so-and-so being paid to want you to have it? Interesting...)

Q: Do you sleep in? I never sleep in anymore - I mean you know, 9:30 or 10 at the latest. I'm just glad I didn't sleep past noon - eek!

Q: Have you seen the Joneses? If so, what did you think of it?

Q: Favorite fruit? If I could ONLY choose one i'd go with strawberries. But i'd REALLY miss grapes, pineapples, apples, oranges, and bananas. I'm not a melon girl though - the melons could go away. (sorry, friends!). :)

Things I'm (already) thankful for this year, 3 miles, Eliptical Advice

Thanks for your sweet notes about my resolutions - and for sharing your own! I'm so inspired this year to get things accomplished that I have to remember to enjoy accomplishing them....the process, not just getting it done! I MUST focus on this or i'll drive myself crazy! I don't know about you guys, but so far this year there are already several things i'm thankful for. Here are a few!

• The second day of the year was a Sunday. A day of rest. I took full advantage making those two videos yesterday: video 1 and video 2! So very exciting. This also gave me a chance to start working on my resolutions!
• Being off work Monday. Yes, my company gave us the first Monday of the new year off. Woo! I needed one more day of nothingness.
• Having an extra week of vacay. January 2010 marks 5 years of working at my company. This means 5 extra days of vacation bringing me to 23 days. I think this is going to make SUCH a difference.
• Having an xBox in our bedroom. I know this seems ridiculous- but we have a home server so now i'm able to watch ALL of our movies off the server in our bedroom via xBox, not to mention NetFlix on demand. I can even watch the movies I make as those are on the server. Lovely! I think it's time to cancel our cable subscription for reals.

Yes, from that list it's clear that I value vacation and entertainment. haha

Sunday was truly spent making videos, hanging out with Austin and doing as little as possible. I will say that we watched The Town and I loved it. I didn't know anything about the story going into it, but really enjoyed watching it unfold although my heart was racing the whole time and it's always strange when you find yourself rooting for "the bad guys." Great recommendation from Stacy - so glad we watched it! And MAN were their mask choices creepy.

Monday was very chill. I slept in then ran errands (Wal-Mart, Michael's, Joanne's Fabric, Homegoods). I must say I hadn't been to Wal-Mart in forever and I didn't miss it - it's just not very nice, especially compared to Target. Yes, Target has spoiled me. (although wow - you really can't beat wal-mart's prices). After errands I played with the pups, cleaned up a bit around the house, then hit the gym for a 3-mile walk and 10-minutes on the elliptical. Not too bad. Then I got home, showered, paid bills and read some of Joanne Fluke's Cream Puff Murder. It's cute! So far I like it better than the last one I read (Key Lime Pie).

And, to share some of the recipes I made during marathon cooking last Thursday, here is a new recipe for Skillet Chicken with Mexican Green Rice:

Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café

Makes 4 Servings

Nutritional Information: 420 calories, 57 carbs, 6 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

See the recipe at Healthified Kitchen!

Q: As far as the elliptical, what should I do? How do I track it? I got on there and put the resistance at 5 for 3 minutes, 3 for 3 minutes, then 0 for 4 minutes to total 10. I was going fast and working up a sweat - but there's no way to track it I feel like - maybe each elliptical is different? - help!

Q: Are you back in the swing of things yet? I'm having a hard time adjusting! I really enjoyed my time of way and am just not ready to be productive yet!

New Tortellini Bake, My First Ramekin, Easy A, Karma works QUICK *#%@#

Thanks, invisible friends! Sounds like i'm not the only one who liked Going the Distance, or the one who hearts some sweet & sour chicken! It's so yummy but I refuse to order from a restaurant - so glad to have a recipe I can go to when I crave it! So my Monday was somewhat glorious! I slept in and woke up when my body wanted to. Which turned out to be 10 a.m. No judgment. I then cleaned up some recipes and found out their calories online, made a massive grocery list, played with my puppies and then headed out to Publix, Kroger and Petco for food for the whole family. I also hit up Crate & Barrel for some of these:

Um, this photo is close to scale. hehe Point being - mini quiches are ON - i'm so pumped to use these bad boys. I went ahead and got 4 of these and 2 glass ones to see which I like better. These are certainly prettier if you ask me. That counts for something, right? Anywho, after the stores and unpacking the car it was time to cook. I made two new recipes, here's one:

no - the picture doesn't do its taste justice. boo.

Chicken Tortellini Bake
Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café
Makes 4 Servings

Nutritional Information: 462 calories, 41 carbs, 11 fat grams and 43 protein grams.

Here's the Recipe on Healthified Kitchen!

After cooking and cleaning it was family movie night! We watched Easy A and thought it was hilarious! While some parts were a bit cringe-worthy, others were smart, cute and funny. We especially loved her family - her mother and father were so funny and it was nice to see how her personality made sense! I think Emma Stone is adorable and funny, and loved how the film poked fun at cliches. I also adored seeing Penn Badgley in the film - I think he's just a cute boy next door. All in all, i'd give this movie a 4/5. It probably would have been a 5 if her best friend had been less annoying, if Emma Stone had been a bit less of a pushover (at first it was nice then it was like okay chica it's okay to say no) and if there had been a little less mockery of religious peeps. Just sayin'.

Tuesday was pretty slow going - went to work (where it's DEAD), went to lunch with Stacy at P.F. Chang (great to catch up with her!), went straight home after work (no workouts - still sore from skiing but am totally going to get back to working out on Wednesday - no more excuses!), hung out with Austin and the pups and called it an early night. I WILL say that on the way home this went down: I'm waiting at a light to go right and when it turns green this car pulls out RIGHT in front of me (from an adjoining parking lot) and I almost hit it (as I'd probably only left 4 feet between me and the car in front of me). I lay on my horn and he flicks me off, turns around (to stare at me) and says 'F*CK YOU' while speeding off being an even bigger asshole and SLAMMING into the car in front of him. Karma much? Then, when I go to drive around him because, you know, he's stopped traffic with his wreck and all, he rolls his window down and says, "Thank you, you f*cking BITCH!" Merry Christmas, right? Geez! So being the classy lady that I am, I roll down MY window and say, "REALLY, you think this was MY fault, asshole?" And I drive off. Austin was on the phone the whole time. LOL Still can't believe that guy! And to answer any follow up questions, no, thankfully no one was hurt but yes, that guy will certainly have to pay at least his deductible as he sped into the car that was maybe 20 feet in front of him at approximately 25 mph. I kid you not - I've NEVER see karma work that fast.

Q: Have you seen Easy A? If so, did you like it? If not, do you want to see it?

Q: Have you ever cooked with a ramekin? If so, please, please, please drop a recipe link if you have one! :)

Q: Have you ever seen karma work that fast?

Book Review, Movie Review, New Chinese Recipe

Thanks you guys! I'm slowly catching up blogs and it seems like everyone had happy holidays, although a few of you had the flu - BOO! I hope everyone is better to prepare to ring in the new year! Sunday for me was all about relaxing and preparation. We got up early and got to the airport, where I read Blame. The new flight (in place of the cancelled one) was DEAD - like 28 people on a huge jet. We each had our own row for sure (like we were on row 19, no one was behind us and there were like 48 rows). We all relaxed and read, watched the in-flight movie and played on the computer.

I mean really, Delta - was this necessary?

I actually REALLY liked the movie, Going the Distance, I thought it was super cute and while i'm not a HUGE Justin Long fan, I liked the film, thought Drew was cute and real and loved Christina Applegate's character - she's hilarious! I'd definitely watch this little rom com again.We left the airport and went straight to the pups, who then went straight to the bath! We cleaned them, unpacked and before we knew it it was 8 p.m. and we were EXHAUSTED. I ended up finishing Michelle Huneven's Blame, here's my review: First, let me say that the synopsis had me.

A woman wakes up from a blackout drunk night to find that she's been arrested for a hit and run which resulted in the killing of a mother and child. WHOA. However, the story took a lot of twists. One, it dealt a lot with her in prison which was slightly mundane. Also, it wasn't in present-day - it was only in the 80's but it seemed like it was even longer ago as the characters all seemed wealthy and as if they were from another time. Three, it had a lot of ancillary characters that they told you enough about to where you were interested, but then not much happened. I kept expecting some big bomb to drop as there were so many opportunities, but nothing really happened. Regardless, it kept me on the edge of my seat waiting for something to happen, and I liked the twist towards the end and how it was handled. I give it a 3.5/5. I think it would have been a 5 if it had been a bit more direct, explored at least one of the "bombs" it could have taken advantage of and, truth be told, ended on a better note.

Last but not least, my new recipe! We had this before we left town but I never got to post it! Basically - it's a new Sweet and Sour recipe. The last one used jarred sauce and there was no attempt at breading. This one, on the other hand, was much more authentic with a homemade sauce and a bit of breading - YUM.

Sweet and Sour Chicken #2
Recipe adapted from a My Kitchen Café Recipe
Makes 4 Servings

Nutritional Information: 450 calories, 61 carbs, 9 fat grams and 28 protein grams.

Check out the recipe over at Healthified Kitchen!

That's all for now! I hope you're all having great Tuesdays - today was my first day back to work since Dec. 17 - I loved the break!

Q: Have you ever seen Going the Distance? Do you like Drew?

Q: If you like Chinese, what is your favorite dish? Austin's is sweet & sour, mine is truly just chicken fried rice! Really, I just like the brown sauce they make - yum!

New Bar, New Product, Another Auburn Win

Thanks you guys! I agree - some runs are just harder than others and turkey is the BOMB! Also, thanks to those who mentioned they're testing out some of me and Austin's favorite recipes - so exciting! Definitely report back and if you change anything let me know, I'm all for mixing mine up!!
So Yesterday was a really great day! I got up early and me and Reuben settled in for a movie - When in Rome. I love Kristin. I love Josh. The movie? Didn't love. It was cheesy and silly and just a pretty bad romcom.... BUT I enjoyed it nonetheless. It was light and fun and I was able to blog whilst watching! After the movie it was shower time and time to go see Shana and Lincoln! We went by there place and saw all of the new renovations- AWESOME! And we got to see little Sebastian and give him his belated birthday gift - SO fun to shop for a 4-year-old boy! I want one! hehe Great to catch up with the Marr's for sure. After we left there place we headed over to Andrew and Laura Anne's for the rest of the Auburn game - which was a TOTAL blowout with us winning by 49 points. War Eagle! They had people over so a bit of light day drinking ensued whilst playing cornhole. Around 7 we headed home, cleaned up, then left to go The Ivy, a new bar in buckhead, to watch the FL/AL game at 8. Good times!

Ze new bar (for Atlanta peeps - it's just down the road from Tin Lizzy's!

part of the gazebo bar!

hehe

ze boys

tequila

seemed like a good idea at the time

So good to hang out with LA!

Austin, Andrew, LA and Brandon

Twinkie plaid shirts

Enjoyed hanging out with Andrew and LA and the boys, fun to watch football, and great to get to know a new bar! It was really nice, valet only, clean, good decor, loved the outdoor gazebo/bar - very cool. We left the car there and cabbed it home - FUN night!

Today we slept in and Austin woke up feeling sick. Uh-oh - looks like it's time for his (AKA our) annual cold. We hung out, did some laundry, cleaned a bit and then headed out in the beautiful weather for some of my favorites: fro yo at Yoforia and Trader Joe's! I got lots of new products to try - can't wait! I went ahead and tried this one: Shrimp Fried Rice.

LOVED - very flavorful - only added a 1 tbsp of canola for cooking and it cooked up great. It's 4 servings, but I made it a meal so I did it for 2 servings. Not bad for only $3.50 a bag and it was ready in 5 minutes! Here's what mine looked like:

Q: Have you seen When in Rome? Do you like Kristen Bell? I love her! Such a huge Veronica Mars fan!

Q: Have you tried this fried rice? I'm a fan - want to try the veggie and chicken ones too!

Q: Did you work out this weekend? I didn't. I had every intention and it just didn't happen. Sigh. Oh well - i'm ready to get going tomorrow - SO hope I don't get sick. :(