Monday's Weigh In

Today was weigh in day.  I am down to 183 lbs.  I would have sworn I was I lost 1 -1.5 lbs this week.  I thought I weighed in at 184 -184.5lbs last week, but according to what I put in weight watchers last week I was at 183.2 for only a 0.2lb loss this week. 

I guess my mind was off this week.  But a loss is still a loss.  I did get in a couple good days of exercise this week but not enough running.  I missed a run for my training this week, but did get in my long run.  This upcoming week/month is going to be difficult with traveling and the holidays. 

Recipe - Homemade Pasta

I have always wanted to make homemade pasta.  Why?  I have no idea.  But I decided to cross this item off my bucket list and make us some dinner.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp butter
Pinch of salt

1.  Beat the eggs.  Add the remaining ingredients and knead until smooth.  It took about 3-4 minutes.
2. Let rest in covered bowl for 10 minutes.
3. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.

4. Cut into desired shapes.

I made fun shapes

Neil made boring shapes

5. All to air dry completely before cooking.
6. Cook as you would normal pasta.

Book Review - The Lost Hours

The Lost Hours by Karen White  came to me as a Christmas present. The premise of this book is that "Every women should have a daughter to tell her stories to.  Otherwise, the lessons learned are useless as spare buttons from a discarded shirt.  And all that is left is a fading name and the shape of a nose or the color of the hair.  The men who write the history books will tell you the stories of battles and conquests.  But the women will tell you the stories of people's hearts."

Piper Mills discoveries several clues to her Grandmother's past after her death.  She decides to contact her Grandmother's childhood friend, Lillian.  Lillian at first claims not to know Piper's Grandmother, but after a lot of prodding and being faced with the memories of her past, she tells her Granddaughter and Piper the story of her past. 

Overall this book took some time to get into and was semi-predictable.  However there was one twist at the end that was unexpected.  

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Snow

Yesterday we woke up to this...

16 inches of snow.

I was in heaven!

A painful run

Last night I had great expectations for my run.  It was decent weather - in the mid 30s without any wind and I wanted to get in at least 5 miles (but I was aiming for 6).  I bundled up and headed out.  I should have known I was in for it when my Garmin took 5 minutes to find satellites.  But, finally I was off... During the first half mile I was ready to turn around (like always).  I told myself at least a mile then I could really consider turning around.  I continued on.

Right around 1.5 miles in my right foot started to hurt.  This was new for me.  The outside sole of my right foot was aching.  But I continued on.  At the 2 mile mark it was getting worse and I decided to turn around.  I walked more during the last mile home and the walking actually hurt more than the running. 

Finally home, but cold and hungry, the sole pain had subsided but the top of my toes and the inside arch on my right foot hurt.  Ugh.  A quick shower later, I curled up on the couch with my book and dogs and eventually the pain went away. Weird.

Tonight, there will be no running for me.  We are getting snow now which is supposed to turn to ice throughout the day.  So the plan for tonight is to get in a good strength session.

Training Plans...

I have been meaning to start posting my training plans weekly again, but just keep forgetting. Kier over at Life (and running) in Iowa started a blog hop for training schedules.  Sign me up!  Hope you join too.

Training Tuesday::
What event are you training for? Broad Street Run and the Buffalo Half Marathon

What is the date of the event? May 1st and May 29th

What does your training schedule look like this week? Monday - Rest, Tuesday -  5 miles, Wednesday - Strength, Thursday- Rest, Friday - 5 miles, Saturday - Strength, Sunday - 6 or 7 miles

What is the temperature where you are? We are having a heatwave in the Northeast.  It is up in the 30's today

And how cold is too cold to workout outdoors? It is not the cold that stops me but the snow and sleet.  Since we live in a fairly busy suburb, I do not like to run on the streets, but stick mainly to sidewalks.  It takes everyone around here a good 2 days to shovel their sidewalk... So I am out of commission for a couple days following each snow storm.

Does your significant other ever workout with you? Neil sometimes runs with me.  As you can see here, the outcome is unpredictable.

What other events are on your list of must dos for 2011? Broad Street and the Buffalo Half are my two big events.  I am considering a semi-local 5k near valentines day.  I will also probably be signing up for a local 5 mile run in April, which will coincide with my taper for Broad Street.

Book Review - Columbine

I received Columbine by Dave Cullen for Christmas since it was on my wish list I thought this would be a good second book of the year to read. Talk about eye opening.  Here is the description from the Author's website

"On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold left an indelible stamp on the American psyche. Their plan was staggering: to blow up their school, surpass Oklahoma City in horror, and leave "a lasting impression on the world." The bombs failed. But the unprecedented attack unleashed a new era of violence in schools—branding every future shooting "another Columbine."

When we think of Columbine, we think of the Trench Coat Mafia; Cassie Bernall, mistaken Columbine martyr; and Patrick Ireland, "the boy in the window"—the whole world watching his gutsy escape. Now, in a gripping work of journalism a full decade in the making, comes the story we never knew. In this revelatory book, Dave Cullen debunks the myths and produces a profile of teen killers that burrows to the core of psychopathology. He reveals two radically different killers: Eric Harris, the callously brutal mastermind, and Dylan Klebold, the quivering depressive who journaled obsessively about love and attended the Columbine prom three days before opening fire.

Columbine unfolds seamlessly, in an unforgettable tale of two honor students with a healthy circle of friends, secretly stockpiling a cache of weapons in the basement. They recorded their vitriol on film while manipulating every adult who could have stopped them. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold left warnings all around them—described by Cullen with a sharp investigative eye and psychological acumen. Culling from hundreds of interviews, thousands of police files, testimony from world-class psychologists brought in by the FBI, and the boys' videos and journals, he delivers the first comprehensive account of the tragic Columbine school shooting.

In the tradition of Helter Skelter and In Cold Blood, Columbine is destined to be a classic. A riveting tale of murder, redemption, police cover-up, and a town apart—the haunting cautionary tale for our age."

I remember coming home from school and watching the news about the attack in 1999.  I was a freshman in high school at that time and this attack caused some serious aftershocks across the country and within my own rural school district.

Upon reading this book, everything I remember about the shooting, the killers, the victims and the survivors has been proved wrong.  This book gives a great insight into what the two shooters were thinking and planning, what the survivors saw and how they are coping.  It really makes you think about how the media contorts the news we receive.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Product Review - Carry On Luggage

I was in dire need of a new piece of carry on luggage. For Christmas I picked out this little beauty.  I am very anti-black luggage so I opted for the gray.  The nice thing about this piece is that it has a side pocket for your laptop to slide in.   It is a padded pocket underneath your clothing accessible from the outside of the luggage.  Genius. It also has several pockets/mes sleeves on the inside attached to the lid for organizing.  I used this piece for the first time on our trip to Detroit and am in love. It rolls so much better than my last luggage.  Defiantly recommended and a good buy for the (sale) price.  

Source of picture and website 

  

Detriot Auto Show and Car Museums

This past December my hubby turned 30!  He is so hard to shop for I decided to plan a trip for his birthday.  He really wants to go the Corvette Museum and Factory Tour in Bowling Green, Ky... so that was were I started.  However, the factory tour is only open through the week and this would be a quick weekend trip.  

So, then my quick thinking brain moved onto the Detroit.  There are a billion car museums there that he would have a blast with.  Okay plan two was devised.  Detroit in December for his birthday.  Upon further investigation I decided on Detroit in January since the Auto Show would be there then.  And the plan was devised!

We went last weekend and had a blast.  Well, Neil was in his glory and I got to use my new piece of luggage (Review to come later - if you are interested).   Friday night we left Philadelphia and headed first class to Detroit.  I opted to stay downtown at the Marriott Courtyard instead of staying in the suburbs. 

Saturday morning we were up bright and early to head to the Henry Ford Rouge Factory Tour. 

I know what you are thinking.  Touring a car manufacturers plant?  It was really fun and if you have a chance I defiantly recommend it.   We were not able to take pictures inside the actual factory.  But we spend a good 1.5 hours watching the workers assemble trucks along a 4 mile assembly line.

For lunch Neil wanted to eat at White Castle, since there are none close to our house. 

Then we headed to the Buick Museum at the Sloan Center in Flint, MI. 

The highlight here was the Buick GNX since we have the same car sitting in our garage. 

That evening we hit up the outlet mall to kill some time.  I did end up finding some good deals on jeans/pants at Old Navy.  They were offering an extra 40% off clearance items.  I snatched up a 2 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of khakis and an hoodie sweatshirt.  We headed out to dinner at Joe's Crab Shack (Neil's choice).

Sunday was once again an early morning for us.  The Auto Show opened at 9am and Neil wanted to be there early. When we arrived at the convention center, there were lines of people waiting for the doors to open, so after we bought our tickets we walked to the far end of the hallway.  At 9 o'clock they opened the doors and people started streaming in.  We were able to get right as they opened. 

The Auto Show was huge.  Massive amounts of cars and lights.  Each manufacturer had lighted banners and tv's to draw your attention.  There were manufacturers there that are not even selling in the US yet. 

 Ford and GM were by far the biggest booths.  I was able to pick out my dream vehicle. 

 

After 3 hours of walking around and looking at vehicles we were done.

 Next it was off the GM World Headquarters (where they had more cars on display) for lunch and Neil to dream.

 

.After lunch, we checked out of our hotel and headed to the Henry Ford Museum.  This place was huge and another must see if you are in Detroit.  It was not full of cars as I was expecting.  There several sections... Cars, Trains, Bikes, Planes, Engines, Furniture, Farm Equipment... and many more that I cannot remember

A Presidential Limo

A 10 Person Bike

A huge snow plow.  It took two engines to push it.

The first school bus

 Lots of pictures later, it was time for us to head to the airport and back to Philly.

Happy to be headed home shortly

Detroit was a lot of fun, even for me.  But a definite for anyone with a car loving husband!

Recipe - Black and White Bean Burgers

Tonight I made up a batch of Black and White Bean Burgers.  This recipe makes 12 burgers (but I made 9 very large burgers for the hubby). If you make 12 burgers they are 6 WW ProPoints each.

Ingredients:
1 - 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 15oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
2 eggs
1 large onion
1 green pepper
3 (to 4) cups of bread crumbs
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp parsley
4 tsp basil
6 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup hot sauce (you can add more to make them spicier - these are a medium spice)

1. Chop onions and peppers.  I place them in the food processor and let it go to town

2. Mash beans.  Again I put them in the food processor

3.  Mix all ingredients including only 3 cups of bread crumbs.  If they are too soft to form into a patty then add more bread crumbs.

4. Form into 12 patties.

5. Cook and or freeze.  We cook ours for about 4-5 minutes each side on the grill.  A little less time than we would a hamburger.
6. Enjoy!

A few more updates

I added a few more pages to my blog.   You can read about me here and see weight gain/loss pictures here.  Enjoy!

Do you know how to tie your running shoes?

I just read a great post over at The Great Balancing Act on how to tie your running shoes.  I had no idea that this method could help with heel slippage (or even that you could do this).  Very interesting and good to know.

A run with the hubby...

Tonight, I headed out for a quick 3 mile run with the hubby.  He is still fairly new to this whole running thing and runs faster than I do, but take a lot more walk breaks.  So we typically start out together with him leading, then he runs/walks well I continue on.  I wait for him at the same points each run.

As we approached our typical turn around point, I wanted to go just a little farther, so I sent him to make our typical one block triangle and head back toward home... while I continue on for a half mile loop.  Our plan was for me to meet up with him along "Dermond Ave" somewhere.  Well as I was heading back I noticed that it was really "Marvine Ave" that we run down.  Dermond was one block over.  I was hoping that he realized what I meant.  I mean it was our typical route.

Well apparently somewhere on the 2 remaining sides of the triangle that he had to go himself, he got lost.  Eventually, he found Dermond and continued towards home.  I was running down Marvine looking ahead for him, while he is running down Dermond looking behind for me.

Well I made it to the school where we usually meet up and was confused why he wasn't there.  So I headed to Dermond and ran back towards him for 5/6 blocks.  Then I figured I took too long and he headed home (with our only key).  So I headed home, hoping that he would be there.  Nope.  I left my headband on the door knob and headed back out to look for him.

I was getting slightly worried that he was hurt.  I continued down Dermond looking for him, made a big loop and came back up Marvine.  There was my hubby waiting on the corner near the school for me.

He had been there for 5 minutes of so... Meanwhile I ran an extra 1.3 miles around looking for him.

So the hubby ran 2.9 miles and I ran 4.2 miles.   That man drives me crazy!  But at least I got in a good run.

Back in the Groove...

Finally.  This past weekend we headed to Detroit for the hubby's birthday present. (Pictures and a seperate post follow soon.) Well I packed my running shoes and was excited to run at the hotel.  (They have the individual Tv's on the treadmills).  Well, we arrived late Friday night = straight to bed, Saturday we were up early = breakfast instead of running, All day Saturday I was still feeling the lovely cold I came down with the week before = lots of dayquil, Saturday evening we went out to dinner and I opted for a margarita (my first drink since Costa Rica and the start of our journey for a baby), which meant bed as soon we got back to the hotel = no run, I set the alarm early for Sunday to get up and run, but opted to stay in bed for an extra hour = big fat fail.  So there was not run for me in Detriot, but my running shoes did enjoy their vacation away.

Monday evening I headed out for a run.  This week was only supposed to be 3 x 2 mile runs, but since I have missed the last 6 runs (which were supposed to be 3 and 4 miles each), I opted for a nice 4 mile run.  The first mile was rough.  The second wasn't as bad, and by the time I turned to come home, I was really enjoying it. 

Now granted it was below freezing out.  The sidewalks were ice covered and my legs were red popsicles, I am calling this a sucessful run. 

Yesterday, I had jury duty and came home with a horrible headache.  Since we had to rummage the cupboard for dinner last night, I decided a trip to the store would be necessary.  Neil convinced me to try some yogurt.  I don't particually care for yogurt.  I haven't tried it in years.  But I bought a few different flavors to try (Apple Pie, Cinnamin Roll, Orange Creamsicle, Chocalte Cake... You know the "good" flavors).  I will let you know my thoughts. 

Anyways, I am back on track with my training plan.  I signed up for Broad Street this past weekend.  I am even trying to talk my Sister-in-Law into running with me. 

In need of...

getting back into my running groove.  Between the holidays, having my sister stay with us for a week, being away each weekend and the snow we have had... I have not run in a week, nor have I strength trained either. 

Tonight that will change... I am going to put on my awesome running tights and running shoes as soon as I get home and go run.  Finally.  I have been itching to run for a couple days now. 

Depending on how I feel after that run ( I currently have a raw throat and dry cough), I want to do an hour of strentgh training.  Hopefully I can get the hubby to join me which makes the time go faster.

I really need to get back to my training plan soon.  Saturday registration opens for the Broad Street Run!

Recipe - Mini Cheesecakes

Tonight I made one of Neil's favorite recipes... Mini Cheesecakes.  I modified the recipe slightly to make it more WW friendly.  Only 3 WW ProPoints each.

Ingredients:
1 cup graham crackers crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light butter softened
3 - 8 oz packs - fat free cream cheese
14 oz low fat condensed milk
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Now on to the steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 300F.
2. Crush the graham crackers.  Up until I received my food processor for Christmas, I was doing this in a ziploc bag and just beating it.  It sure helped with anger management.  This time the food processor made this step so much easier.
3. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter.

4. Divide the graham mixture into 24 cupcake cups.

5. Press the graham mixture into the cups

6. In the meantime, beat the cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually add in the condensed milk.  Add the eggs and vanilla.

7. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the 24 cupcake cups.

8. Bake for 20 minutes.

9. Enjoy. Neil likes to place these in the freezer and eat them chilled.  Each mini cheesecake is only 3 WW ProPoints.

Book Review - The Book Thief

I just finished The Book Thief last night.  It had recieved some high praise on the internet so I was hoping it would live up to the hype.  It did. 

The book is about Liesel Meminger, who at only 9 years old, is taken to the live with the Hubermanns, a foster family, on Himmel Street in Molching Germany, in the late 1930's.  She arrives with few possessions, but among them is The Graeve Digger's Handbook, a book stole from her brothers burial place.  During the years that Liesel lives with the Hubermanns, Hitler becomes powerful , live on Himmel Street becomase more fearful, and Liesel becomes a full-fledges book thief.  She rescues books from Nazi book burnings and steals from the library of the mayor.  Liesel is illiterate when she steals her first book , but Hans Hubermann uses her prized books to teach her to read.  The book is a story of courage, friendship, love, survival, death and grief.  The book is Liesel's life on Himmel Street, told from Death;s point of view. 

Again, this book had me sucked in from the beginning.  As I was nearing the end, I was sad that it would be over soon.  I also had a scene played out in my mind of how the book would end.  That didn't happen.  The ending was good and had a couple of surprises. 

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5.

NYC Day 2 - Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty

It was an early morning for us.  We were both ready to leave the hotel by 8 am.  Seeing that I booked the wrong tickets for the ferry to the Statue of Liberty, I called the ticekt company at 8:05am (5 minutes after the opened) and hoped that they would feel for us and change our tickets. Thankfully they did.  The women on the phone said this was a one time exception and if we missed the 9am ferry on Sunday, we would have to buy new tickets.  Not a problem said I.  She stated that they recommend being at the ferry by 8:30am.  Okay, we are just 5 minutes away.  I hang up the phone and we book it out of the hotel.  Checkedn out by 8:15am and waiting for the valet to bring up the car. Finally at 8:30 my car arrives.  Plug in the GPS (to the address on thier website) and off we go. Mr. Garmin says the drive is 10 minutes.  I drive fast.  We arrive at 8:39am, but we are at a warhouse on the river.  Incorrect.  We head back out towards the highway, while calling the tour company.  Their directions are to take exit 14B and follow the signs.  Ugh.  Back to exit 14B by 8:51am.  Following the signs and we end up in an apartment complex.  Crap.  8:55. Back to the last sign.  Down a cobblestone one lane road.  We see a dock.  9:00am.  Oh man.  Pay for parking and out of the car 9:03.  Running down the sidewalk.  Find the ticket counter.  New tickets printed. 9:06am.  Out to the lobby.  Security opened 9:07am.  Through security and onto the ferry 9:20am. We made it.

Happy to be on the ferry

 Our first stop was Ellis Island.  There were only about 15 people on the ferry with us and only half of us got off at Ellis Island.  We were there for over 3 hours and it wasn't until the last 30 minutes that we started seeing people in the exhibits.

 

Our Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother (my mom's dad's parents) came through Ellis Island.  WE looked them up on the document search.  But John Smith is a pretty common name and we were not sure the year. My Great-Grandmother's name was Jospehina but we were not sure the spelling and could not find her either.  My Grandma has their immigration papers at her house, so next time I visit I may look at them.  

We also saw a statue of Annie Moore (no relation to us) at Ellis Island.  It wasn't until I saw her statue that I remembered seeing one of her in Cork Co. Ireland.  When we were in Ireland in 2009 we stopped at a museum about ships and the Titanic.  Outside the musuem is a statue of Annie.  She was the first person to be processed through Ellis Island.  I thought it was pretty cool to see both statues of her. 

After Ellis Island, we boarded the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.  For some reason, Kerrie wanted to stand outside on the ferry.  It was windy and cold the entire short ride to the green lady. 

Cold and Wind Blown

We did have pedestal tickets (not crown tickets because I did not book far enough in advance) so we went through security first.  The good thing about the security line was that it was inside and toasty warm.

Happy to be inside!

Then it was through the short exhibition hall and up the 156 steps to the top of the pedestal.  I was able to get some neat angles from the outside. 

Then it was back down the steps and multiple outside decks of the Statue.  We ended with a walk around the island before touring the warm gift shop.  One final stop of the island... For hot chocolate!

Kerrie happy to have some Hot Cocoa

Back on the ferry, where once again we stood outside. 

This picture is deceiving.  It was so cold and windy!

See windy!

Once back at the ferry terminal in Jersey City, I took a few more pictures before we loaded up in the car, cranked the heat and the radio and followed Mr. Garmin back to Philadelphia.