happy birthday, Papa! #August6th + making healthy choices while dining out: IHOP edition

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priorities ;) ! after teaching my early morning Barbell Strength class, i sped over to Whole Foods Market and picked up a birthday cake for Sonny!

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eeeerrrrrmygash! it was a gorgeous, layered vanilla cake on the inside. italian cream icing. almonds. sugar infused strawberries.

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happy birthday, papa!!! from your little minions <3 i found the boy's shirts @ Target.

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i told Sonny to get up and get dressed, pack an overnight bag, and to make it snappy. a kid-free trip is what i had planned, but after my sitters and backup sitters fell through we ended up bringing the boys!

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1st thing on my agenda-- FOOD.  we headed to lunch and i totally did my research on this place beforehand. Sonny wanted to stay as close to his meal plan as possible but enjoy his special day, and boy did we! Jerry Built takes pride in their all natural, organic, antibiotic-free, hormone-free, grass-fed chicken and beef, they don't use trans fat or hydrogenated oils, and the produce is organic and/or local.

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they get brownie points from me for presenting the food just like it's displayed on the menu and online!  Sonny got the super tasty Saint Arnold burger on a baked, toasted, whole wheat bun, and swapped out the french fries for a caesar salad.

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i ordered this beauty-- Jerry's Cobb.  the cashier asked me immediately, 'and would you like to add grilled chicken?' which is what i planned to do. i guess that is a popular menu combo there.  yall, the flavors in this thing were POPPIN'!

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Chiso was very happy with his nitrate-free, angus beef hotdog, fries, and chocolate milk.

there was a giant, kid friendly chalk board towards the front of the room that Chiso wanted to leave his mark on. way cool!

neeeeext, we hit the road.

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 40 minutes later we arrived on Galveston Island, but not before stopping by Kroger to get baby Dego some baby Ambesol!  about halfway to G-town, he let out a cry both Sonny & i had never heard before.  he was in so much pain from teething and i am honestly glad the kids were with us at that point.

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after some Abesol, a diaper change, and some nursing, he did a complete 180. whew.

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this pic is hilarious to me because my face looked like the minion's face on the drive there, haha!

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our view from the San Louis Resort!  i sent Sonny to the spa for his pedicure while the boys and i relaxed and did a Periscope vid.  i've been saving them via katch.me for the past few days so they aren't gone forever anymore. kinda glad the first few vids i did are though lol.

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after he finished, we hit the beach.  but not before grabbing something to eat downstairs at Grotto.  i had plans for a nice dinner later that evening but no way we could have waited that long to eat.  hunger attitudes kill good vibes every time.

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Chiso was beyond excited for his first time at the beach!

i cannot WAIT to see his reaction when we go to Disney World, then!

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he told me his favorite part of the day was this moment right here...making sand castles with papa.

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we took a dip in the hotel pool on the way back to our room.

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afterwards,  we changed and got ready for dinner.  we traveled about 12 minutes away from our hotel to Rudy & Paco. it was an excellent suggestion by my sister-in-law Kara!  birthday boy got steak and spinach, i got the salmon & sautéed sugar-snap peas, and from the 'off the menu' kids menu, Chiso requested a grilled cheese sammich and fries.

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 the owner was extremely warm, welcoming, and stopped by to chat with us and to wish Sonny a happy birthday.

back to z hotel!  12 minutes away and everybody was asleep when i pulled up to the valet.  we're familiar with co-sleeping at home now and then, so 4 in 1 bed was nothing new. we got up the next morning, checked out, and headed to breakfast at IHOP.

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this boy ate good the entire trip, right!?

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sampler platter for Sonny,

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and i stuck to IHOP's Simple & Fit selections which were all under 600 calories.  how can you make healthier choices while dining at IHOP? here are some of my tips:

1. read the entire menu.  there are sometimes specialty diet sections (gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, etc.) or sections with healthier/lighter options. All meals in IHOP's Simple & Fit section are 600 calories or less, and contain lower sodium options as well.
2. peruse the kids menu. the portion sizes are sometimes perfect for adults. at IHOP, all the Just For Kids options are 600 calories or less. they are usually smaller versions of the adult plates, so you still get a bit of everything without going overboard. 
3. switch your syrup. IHOP uses Carey's sugar-free syrup, but you have to ask for it!  most likely the syrups already out on your table are 110 calories (or higher) and 28g sugar per 1/4 cup. and who uses 1/4 cup of syrup on their pancakes!? also, nix the butter.
4. use your swaps.  my meal actually came with potatoes but i swapped them for fruit.  you can also swap turkey bacon for pork bacon. fresh fruit is now the default side for the lunch and dinner meals instead of french fries.
5. Stevia to the rescue. bring your own all natural, zero calorie Stevia to sweeten your coffee and tea with.  the artificial packets already on the table will never compare nor will they do your body any good: Splenda - yellow, Equal - blue, Sweet N' Low - pink.
6. IHOP's nutritional stats are finally listed online and are updated frequently (they were one of the last restaurant chains to release this info), so take a peek ahead of time or while you're waiting to order your food. utilize your resources; the info is right there for you!
7. chiiiiiiiill. don't stress or get apprehensive about dining out. chances are there is something on the menu for you! even if the menu is set, you can simply ask for your dish to be made your way.

best picks: 600 cals or less (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

• Simple & Fit Spinach, Mushroom & Tomato Omelette w/ fresh fruit (330 cals, 12g fat, 690mg sodium)
• Simple & Fit Veggie Omelette w/ fresh fruit (310 cals, 12g fat, 750mg sodium)
• Simple & Fit Banana & Brown Sugar Bowl (260 cals, 5g fat, 35mg sodium, 5g fiber, 20g sugar, 7g protein)
• Simple & Fit Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Bowl (320 cals, 3g fat, 45mg sodium, 73g carbs, 7g fiber, 19g sugar, 25g protein)
• Simple & Fit Fruit Bowl (130 cals, 0g fat)
• Simple & Fit Blueberry Harbest Grain 'N Nut Combo (560 cals, 23g fat, 1040mg sodium, 64g carbs, 8g fiber, 21g sugar, 25g protein)
• Simple & Fit Turkey Bacon Omelette (420 cals, 20g fat, 720mg sodium, 25g carbs, 2g fiber, 17g sugar, 38g protein)
• Simple & Fit Whole Wheat French Toast Combo (490 cals, 15g fat, 930mg sodium, 56 carbs, 5g fiber, 23g sugar, 33g protein)
• Simple & Fit Two-Egg Breakfast (350 cals,  9g fat, 44g carbs, 25g protein)
• Simple & Fit Two X Two X Two (400 cals, 12g fat, 1450mg sodium, 48 carbs, 3g fiber, 10g sugar, 25g protein) 
• Simple & Fit Grilled Balsamic-Glazed Chicken (440 cals, 22g fat, 940mg sodium, 25g carbs, 8g fiber, 13g sugar, 39g protein)
• Simple & Fit Grilled Tilapia (489 cals, 23g fat, 1270mg sodium, 27g carbs, 8g fiber, 14g sugar, 49g protein)
• Simple & Fit Take Two Combo w. Half Turkey Sandwich & Fresh Fruit (290 cals, 18g fat (nix the mayo!!!)
• Simple & Fit Mixed Greens House Salad w/ Reduced Fat Italian (40 cals, 1.5g fat, 120 mg sodium, 6g carbs, 2g fiber)

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if you didn't katch our Periscope vid explaining some of the above info, watch it here.

thanks for reading and HAAAY MONDAY!

Q: have you ever ordered from the Simple & Fit section @ IHOP?

le

what itch? 7 year anni wkend

 aaaahhh!! so many pictures! well thank God for pic collage apps or this blog post would be 2 miles worth of scrolling.  we had a low-key, relaxing time in Lakeway (right outside of Austin) at the Lakeway Resort & Spa this past weekend for our 7th wedding anni. time for a new mattress.

this sweaty selfie was taken after my last workout before our anni weekend began.  i had only managed to unbraid half of the what seemed like 1 million braids in my head at that point, so i threw on a head scarf and got some upper body and cardio done regardless.

 not gonna lie, i worked out with the anticipation of some good food in my near future! intensity is everything and i turned it UP. here's my stair slaver workout: (video coming soon)

after i posted this pic of my go-to traveling snacks on Instagram i remembered it would tip Sonny off about our trip, whoops.  it's my year to plan and i hadn't told him a thing about leaving to go anywhere. oh wells.

i hardly ever leave for trips without:

• fresh fruit (nectarines this time)
• bottled water
• turkey jerky (high protein snack)
• Quest Bars ( i like Double Chocolate Chunk and Sonny likes Cookies & Cream the best)
• gum to combat mindless munching! that gets me in so much trouble
• roasted, unsalted nuts
• granulated stevia (for my coffee, tea, and oatmeal when eating at restaurants still operating in the stone age)
• Beats headphones + Spotify
• fitness or foodie mags

off we went!  breakfast, snacks, and breast pump in tow.  i actually sat in the passenger seat first but soon as my butt hit that seat Sonny reminded me that it was my year to host.  yeah, yeah.  i actually had another stop planned along the way, but the weather ruined it! i did NOT even check nor consider the weather when i was planning everything, seriously. i just knew it would be clear, hot, and sunny as usual. no. so i'll save that stop for a later date.

we're here!  however, our room wasn't ready since we arrived earlier than expected.  we were hungry again though so we hit up the resort's breakfast buffet per the front desk attendant's suggestion.  boy was he right!  everything, and i mean everything was as delicious as it looked. so.many.options.  we love a good omelette bar and both got egg white omelets loaded with veggies.  no surprise there.  Sonny is prepping for a few upcoming shows and did his best to stick to his meal plan.

bacon, sausage, pancakes, french toast, migas, fruit... sensory OVERLOAD.

next, a couples massage i have been anticipating since i booked the appointment. we were already full and lethargic from breakfast and the massage was the icing on the cake for Sonny. at one point he was over there drooling.

the view overlooking the pool from the spa. the gym was right across from the spa and you knoooow we checked that out next.

impressive! you can get an excellent full body workout done in there, oh yeah. hotel gyms are high on our amenity list and this one gets 5 stars from us. they had my beloved arc trainer, treadmills, a full rack of dumbbells, and a bunch of machines including a Smith machine. lovely.

our room was ready by this time so we headed to check it out and take the most incredible, uninterrupted nap, EVER.  boooo to the weather though.

it didn't start clearing up until the day we left, but we will certainly be back with the kiddos so they can have the time of their lives out there on that slide!

 next up, an early dinner before the big Mayweather fight.  so this was my first time seeing my hair straightened (my beautician wrapped it at my appointment friday and i kept it that way) and i was blown away.

 may not seem like much to anybody else but man my hair has come a long way as far as length and texture! i decided not to get another perm but i knew that as soon as the tiniest drop of moisture hit my head, it would never be the same!  after wearing my braids for a year (shout out to my gorgeous, mobile (yes, she will come to you), braid lady, Ogechi) with 3 short breaks in between, they really are the best fit for my sweaty, on the move lifestyle. they'll be back very soon, but i enjoyed being girly and flipping my hair around town all weekend, lol.

one of my regular Lifetime class members, Sally,  lives in Austin and really hooked me up with the scoop on where to go in ATX.  she suggested we stay downtown close to 6th street with the youngins' but after i told her how Sonny just wants to actually relax on his vacations she said to stick with the hill country, (i.e., Lakeway).  we hit up Oasis and saw a little bit of the sunset.  through the fog.

after perusing the menu for forever i finally decided on salmon with sweet potato cakes, grilled veggies w/ a side salad, and Sonny went with a grilled shrimp salad. i ate most of those chips.

then, we stopped by the landmark Whole Foods Market in downtown Austin for snacks and gelato! so many nostalgic memories here for me. you can read about one of them in the IG post i made that day <3

gosh i love this store.

especially this aisle.

unpictured are the plantain chips and chocolate covered raisins i killed before the fight even started.

was it just me or was the Mayweather fight...boring?? anyway, the next morning we were both up super early as usual and headed to the gym before breakfast. who forgot their workout shoes? :'(  so unlike me!  i went anyway but i don't advise working out in flip-flops around weights, guys. in addition to the shoe fiasco, i had one of THE dumbest workouts ever.  complete waste of time. i was so worried about my hair puffing up i didn't want to move. and i love to move. i think i did the arc trainer for like 8 minutes super slow, then some dumbbell curls, lunges, and squats holding the dumbbells. didn't sweat a drop. ridiculous. i love my hair like this so much but unless i flat-iron it every single morning (and i definitely won't) then i just can't rock the straight look with my lifestyle. THE struggle.

we got cleaned up, explored the resort a little more, then headed to hit up the omelette bar again.

7 years in the marriage game! hard to believe i've known this dude for almost 14 years. we had plans to go out on the lake that fell through, so we hit the Lakeway Galleria Outlet Mall to look around and get some lunch and fro-yo.

found a new fave flavor i've never had before-- taro. yum! i discovered it at Red Mango back in houston too.

pistachio & taro fro-yo randomness.  worth every bit of dairy bloat.

while walking through the galleria, i did a double-take after seeing the word Chiso!  close enough. what a rare sighting.  from there we went back to the room to pack up because #Texans. yeah, they were apart of last years Miami trip too.  so was the Mayweather fight now that i think about it!

i requested a fridge to our room to freeze and store the milk i was pumping.  gotta get it out, and gotta get it done.  we headed to watch the Texans game at Sally's beautiful home in the hill country before heading home to our boys.

our actual anni this year is on monday, september 15th, and instead of going out to dinner, we went to the gym and sipped on anniversary protein shakes.

wouldn't have had it any other way.

happy 7th anni, Mr. Egwuatu!

thanks for reading:)

le

my boo is thirty two

i dropped the boy off with his grandparents before Sonny came home from his saturday afternoon workout and surprised him with a weekend birthday getaway.  i told him to go pack an overnight bag and to make it snappy.  s/n, is my husband the only man who packs his own iron from home???? *crickets* we then hit the streets of our city, downtown H-town! (that would be Houston.)

i always assume Sonny knows every detail to my 'surprises', which means my track record with them is awful.  however this time- success.  we checked into the Hilton America's downtown and right away, i made sure Sonny was on time for his much-needed pedi appointment in the hotel spa.

lemon water, sir? the spa was up on the 24th floor and the city views were a really nice touch.

there was also some trail mix for snacking.

oooh just taking a look around...

what's funny is that i now see the Four Seasons Hotel in the background which is where we spent our very 1st anniversary getting a couples massages!!  that was also the weekend of Hurricane Ike.  yeah, we had to postpone most of our celebrations that year cause of the storm. it happens.

bless her heart and hands :shock:

another view overlooking the Toyota Center.

i headed back down to the room to make sure we had the proper necessities-  a fridge and a microwave. of course i didn't ask if those things came with the room cause i'm a horrible planner, remember!  my training diet is still in effect, so please forgive me and believe me when i say i'm glad it wasn't my birthday!!! isn't that horrible!?  i would have wanted a cheat nibble, cheat snack, cheat meal, cheat ANYTHING.... but i just couldn't do it.

waiting for the elevator, and yes, the tummy was OUT that day, bay-bay!!

i did remember to ask for a great view- our room overlooked Discovery Green Park and Minute Maid Stadium below.

and nope, no microwave or fridge in the room, but they were both complementary, awesome.  i brought my seasonings, mustard, cinnamon, low sodium soy sauce, everythang.  while i was down there i warmed up/ate my next meal as Sonny finished up.

i picked up the in-room menu because, well, reading menus like actual books is fun.  just wanted to see all the goodies i would not be devouring!!!!!! :roll:

anyway, mission accomplished!

 toes done with slippers to match.

next, you know we checked out the gym-  wouldn't mind knocking out some cardio with a view like that!  unfortunately, that was our 1st and last trip up there for the weekend lol.

so, Sonny's #1 priority on vaca or a getaway is to SIT DOWN somewhere.  don't even get me started on the time we went to Vegas and he was NOT cool with walking up and down the strip like i planned. it was also July and 117 deg outside. but i didn't care.  i like to run the streets and take advantage of the free time and do all the things we don't usually get to see and do! however, it's not my birthday.  so, i kept the activities and walking to a minimum.

we explored the massive hotel a bit before making our way to catch the Metrorail.

i'll follow him anywhere.  i'll give him a hard time first though and i'm working on that!!! but i really will. i mean it.

shot of our highly recommended hotel.

tickets bought.

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what's up on that Metrorail workout? seems to be working for that guy.

he even incorporated some lower body moves too.

 we rode the Metrorail to the museum district and walked around Herman Park and talked.  the simplest things make life so ...simple.

my birthday boy!!!

i really had plans to go watch the free Shakespear play @ Miller Outdoor Theater that was being put on by our alma mater's theater department.  so, we walked up the infamous Herman Park Hill and took a peek.

  however we had no blanket, no snacks, no nothin, so walking and talking sufficed.

back to downtown we go.

what's next? dinnerrrrrr (if you wanna call it that)

snappin' pics before heading downstairs.

ready for great company and convo!

i had a plethora of tea flavors to choose from. *sarcasm*

while Sonny devoured his fried onion ring topped salad, yummy!!

looked and smelled DELICIOUS.  field greens, dried cherries, oregon bleu cheese, balsamic vinaigrette all nestled under those fried rings.

we ended the evening with movies and QT- Sonny wouldn't have wanted it any other way!!

the next morning. we ordered room service and ate our egg whites in style.

 with a side of 6 dollar *SIDE-EYE* grapes.  the bday boy wanted grapes and he got them.

this was only a teaser as we are UBER ready to celebrate 5 years of blessed married folk life next month.  it will be a much-needed break for us both that can't come quick enough!! until then, happy 32, boo.

le