because i do. Chevron Houston Marathon EXPO

we moved right on along to carrots today in the homemade baby food chronicles!

i switch new foods every 4 days or so to give any allergic reactions time to reveal themselves. we'll see what happens. i just eyeballed and simmered raw carrots + cinnamon + water until tender then puree in the Ninja. carrots are naturally sweet like sweet potatoes so they don't need any extra sugar! they also:

• slow down aging
• reduce blood pressure
• reduce risk of stroke
• helps prevent cancer
• facilitates digestion
• boosts immune system
• improve eyesight

my eyesight has been terrible for as long as i can remember.  i've worn glasses since elementary school and only need them to see far distances and to drive.  i pray the boys get Sonny's eyesight cause i am pretty much legally blind!  i hope they get his teeth too cause i went through braces, a head-gear, a retainer...the whole 9.  i'd love to get Invisialign as they are shifting again from not wearing my retainer years ago. i was so happy to be DONE with all that stuff i didn't care. but now i do. that's how it goes!

so far so good!

i've been doing solo dates once a week with Chiso for a while now and today i took him downtown to the GRB for the Chevron Houston Marathon EXPO!  i registered for the 5k while i was there and ran right into my Sorority sister and fitness expert, Crystal!  she was there to do the same thing.

only she was using the 5k for her warmup for the marathon on sunday! superwoman status!  I will be running along side her in a marathon one day, mark my words!  i have yet to do my very first full marathon, but my goal is to do a half mar sometime this year.

i can't wait until this guy can keep up and run alongside me.  i plan to put him in his first 1k this year and i am SO excited to watch him run across his first finish line.

we walked around and visited the booths for a little while,  ate Cliff Bar samples, and eventually made our way to the 'I RUN HOU BECAUSE....' wall.  i gave Chiso the marker and he started drawing shapes :D.  then i asked him, 'why do you like to run, Chiso?' and he simply looked at me and replied 'because i do.'

i didn't even ask him to explain! this time.

pose for the frame! neat idea!

then we went to Whole Foods for lunch.  we discussed his new friends in the child care center at our gym and also sports he would like to try this year.  3 is still tougher than 2 in my opinion but it has its highlights like all ages i'm sure!  i'm loving our discussions these days.  pepperoni pizza for Chi,

spring mix salad with pomegranate vinaigrette,

and a few scoops of the hot bar items for me which included: chicken fajitas w/ peppers & onions, hoke (white fish), cilantro-lime rice, and a scoop of spinach/mushroom enchiladas- they looked too good not to try!  the enchilada pan was pretty much empty and i saw why. YUM.

i got my race stuff ready as soon as i got home!  the ABB 5k shirts matched my shoes this year, how cool is that?  bib #55808 is ready to RUN! that said,

and blogging of course!  have a relaxing friday night, friends!

Q: what special things do you do for one-on-one time with your kiddos?

le

zucchini pepperoni pizza poppers

Bey and J are performing in Houston tonight and guess who's going!??!?! all of Houston!!!  except us. we're at home eating zucchini pizzas and staring at each other.

these healthy, light snacks are bursting with Italian, cheesy goodness and make THE perfect party appetizers by the way! you just need to serve them immediately while they are hot and bubbling. else, the cheese hardens up. but i can eat cheese at any temperature. especially burnt cheese. yummy.

Zucchini Pepperoni Pizza Poppers

the stuff:

• 2 raw zucchini, coined 1/2 in thick
• 1/3 cup homemade marinara
• 1/4 cup turkey pepperoni rounds, chopped
• no stick cooking spray
• Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice (vegan, dairy-free, cheddar, monterey  jack, pepperjack, mozzarella, etc.)

do this:

1. wrap a large flat baking plan with foil and coat with no-stick cooking spray and set your oven broiler to high
2. heat a large griddle to med-high heat  (i made pancakes for breakfast and the griddle was already out but you can use a very large skillet too) and coat it with no-stick cooking spray
3. place as many zucchini coins flat on the griddle as possible and cook for 1 minute (you may have to work in batches)
4. flip the coins over and cook for an additional minute
5. transfer the cooked coins to the baking sheet lined with foil
6. dab some marinara sauce on the top of each coin and using the back of a small spoon, spread mixture out
7. 
8.  sprinkle a few shreds of cheese on top of the sauce
9.  sprinkle some chopped turkey pepperoni on top of the cheese
10. place entire pan in your oven as close to the broiler flames as you can get and cook for approx. 5 minutes or until the cheese is melty and bubbly
11. sprinkle with Italian seasoning. done.

s/n: if you have more zucchini to use up, see if you can stretch your ingredients even further as you might have sauce/cheese, etc. left over.

 i upgraded my fry cutter!  this is the Deluxe Fry Cutter from Bed Bath & Beyond and i got it for 13 bucks after using the 5 bucks off coupon that comes in the snail mail flyer.  great, affordable investment.  the only thing i did have to do first is peel the potato, then slice it in half.  the device only opens so wide, so you might have to cut the ends off to make it fit.  other than that, no microwaving needed before cutting!  sign up for their ads directly on their website to get their coupons.

what a big helper! not just in the kitchen with me but with his little brother as well which is a huge answered prayer. many have asked how the transition with the boys has been and i can honestly say smooth.  putting Dego's dirty diapers in the diaper genie for me is exciting to him. yeah, i'm milking that for as long as he lets me.

also, these are the delish, Spicy Smoky Sweet Potato Fries from my ebook!

WHY didn't i think of this sooner... Quest Bars help out big time with my sweet toof.  i really i only get them when i go to my gym, so now that i'm going almost regularly the bars are making appearances again. THIS time though, i'm going to GNC and buying an entire box. can't keep buying them for 3 bucks at a time, pretty stupid and not cost-effective.  20g protein, 17g fiber, 170-180 cals. coconut cashew is one of my fave flavors! .

didn't get to have my early gym rendezvous this morning so i went power walking this evening.

 i strapped down the girls with two sports bras and hit the bricks.  let me tell you how much i appreciate working my back 2 or more times a week when i was preggo! the weight of these boobs right now..... whew.

le

40 weeks preggo + Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti Squash

 glory to God! we made it! 40 weeks in the bag.

wednesday i had (what i hope to be) my very last routine check up with my OB before meeting Odego.

did some reading to pass the time in the waiting area and my eyes were immediately drawn to "why it's OK to get an epidural" after picking up this magazine, lol.  this birth plan is the same as my first... to give it my best shot  naturally, and call for the epi if i need it. God has already gone before me and everything is in His hands. everything.

i love that my OB involves Chiso somehow at every visit.  especially when i forget to bring his ipad!  i just love her to pieces and thank God for connecting us.  according to Chi's calculations, my belly is currently measuring at 39.7 cms (the number your belly measures in cms usually corresponds with your current week, fyi).  pretty happy to have progressed to 2 cms dilated without feeling a thing at that.  well, what i HAVE felt has not been painful at all, rather.

so i left my appointment with JUST enough time to hit the gym for one last TKB (turbo kickboxing) class!!! i also just wanted to tell the best kickboxing instructor i know that i'd be seeing her in a few weeks, or whenever i'm cleared to come back.

i started that day with lean turkey sausage, 1 whole egg, 3 egg whites, the last of a ripe avocado, all over  a sweet potato hash i could have sworn i had already added  to my blog, sorry guys!! here are the ingredients i sautéed in my no stick skillet with 1 tbsp coconut oil:

• 1 small peeled/cubed sweet potato (microwave for 1 min first to make it easier to chop)
• 1 yelllow oinion, chopped
• 1/4 cup cubed zucchini
• 1/4 cup cubed yellow squash
• 1/2 cup  cubed red bell pepper
• red pepper flakes
• sea salt (i used liquid aminos) & pepper
• fresh chopped cilantro

and i scarfed down those rotisserie chicken breast deli sammiches on Sara Lee whole wheat 45 calories & delightful bread and raw carrots after the TKB class.

   

here's dinner from tonight with the recipe as promised:

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti Squash

the stuff:

• 1 lb raw, de-veined, shelled shrimp
• 1 roasted small - medium spaghetti squash  ( i throw the whole thing in my oven on 375 for 45 min)
• 1/2 cup whole grape tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1-2 tbsp or more lemon pepper seasoning
• cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 lemon

do this:

1. heat a large wok to med-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil.
2. add 2 tbsp garlic and stir constantly so it doesn't burn for about 2 minutes; add shrimp.
3. season shrimp with 1 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning and black pepper; remove from wok and set aside.
4. add in another tbsp olive oil and the remaining 2 tbsp of garlic; cook for about 1 minute.
5. add bell pepper if wanted at this point and let it cook/soften for 2 minutes. if no bell pepper, just add cooked spaghetti squash into wok along with another tbsp or two of lemon pepper seasoning and black pepper. mix well.
6. halve the grape tomatoes then add them to your wok along with the cooked shrimp and cilantro; mix very well.
7. squeeze the fresh lemon over the top of everything and serve!

nutritional stats coming right up, asap. as for now, the baby waiting game continues!  have a safe, fun, friday night :)

le

friday fun - what NOT to say to a preggo woman

it's fridaaaaaaay!

 i subbed a 10am Total Conditioning class (it's now called Total Conditioning Extreme or TCX)  for a Lifetime Fitness instructor friend this morning and it was AWESOME teaching my fave class ever in the real day time, lol!  it's still dark when my tuesday and thursday classes are over at 6:30am. i had so much more energy too since i'm unable to drink coffee in the early mornings anymore :lol:

a 6 month sweaty mess.

soooo since my little man and i were in the area, we hit up Ruggles Green for lunch and ordered what we always order:

the Atlantic Salmon Salad for me, a fire-grilled cheese pizza for him (he couldn't wait for the pic but at least he prayed first) and some organic roasted butternut squash that i'm hoping Chiso will eat a spoonful of ONE day!! until then i'll gladly continue to kill it myself. i'm enjoying this solo time with Chi as much as possible before baby #2 arrives in less than 4 months. 4 months. whoa.

for kicks:

stuff not to say to or ask a preggo woman!

1. wow, you sure were hungry! translation: you just ate enough to feed a small city. of Jabba the Hutts.
2. omg are there twins in there?! translation: you're huge.  however far along you are.
3. sleep all you can -- NOW. well thanks for the reminder!
4. do twins run in your family? translation: did you use fertility drugs? does it matter?
5. how much have you gained so far? i personally don't mind this one and will share that unknown number just before i deliver.
6. if cavewomen gave birth without drugs so can you. it's a personal choice.
7. can i rub your belly? some people don't even ask! another one that doesn't bother me one bit. #imatroll #rubmybelly #itsalllove
8. i was ripped from end to end. omg! i had an episiotomy too but i would never be that graphic and scare another mom-to-be, ROTFL
9. are you still with the father? really, REALLY personal... like best friend personal. however if they're your BFF then they should already know that answer :shock:
10. Moooooooo. 

comment below and add to the list!

le

life is

haaaay, it's FRIDAY!  friday night. and i'm on the computer talking to you.  livin' the life.

this caught my attention today while we were waiting for our food at one of Houston's most popular Jamaican spots, Cool Runnings.

i feel guilty when i don't pack Sonny's food for the day for whatever reason and today was one of those days :shock: , so we scooped him up on his break and enjoyed some lunch together.

afterwards, fro-yo @ Swirll.  cause when you make an ice cream promise, you gotta keep it.

our conversations get deeper by the week as his vocabulary expands!

after Sonny got off later, we went with Uncle Bri-Bri to The Hill for an endurance workout before the sun went down.

ok they worked out, not me, boo.  i mean i couldn't really participate cause i had to keep an eye on the boy with those cyclists speeding by and all. however i improvised and put Chi on my back and went up and down the stairs a few times for a super slow lower body burn.  i've got sample cardio workouts coming right up by request!

then the mosquitoes quadrupled and we left.

here's the recipe for those stuffed peppers i made for dinner last night! i used what i had in my fridge:

veggie stuffed lean ground turkey bell peppers

the stuff:

• 6 med-large bell peppers, any color
• 1 medium shallot
• 1 lb. 97% lean ground turkey
• 1 bunch asparagus, chopped
• 5 portabella mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
• 2 tbsp liquid aminos
• tops of the bell peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup fat-free feta (wish i had some at the time!)

do this:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray your pan (big enough to fit 6 large bell peppers in) with no-stick cooking spray.
2. cut the tops off the peppers & also cut the bottoms to make them sit flat in your baking pan. arrange and seat them in pan.
3. in large skillet on medium heat, saute the shallot until translucent.
4. add ground turkey & seasonings and cook until browned and chopped into crumbles.
5. add all chopped vegetables, mix, cover, and let steam on medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until tender.
6. add feta, mix again, and spoon mixture into your bell peppers evenly.
7. bake for 25-30 minutes or until desired bell pepper tenderness.

approximately 130-150 cals for 1 stuffed bell pep.

have a blessed night!

le