With an active day in store for us, I used my workout time this in morning to make some head way on packing and other turning-our-lives-upside-down prep work. I got my heart rate up a couple hours later during an outdoor homeschooling mid-morning adventure with 28 extra pounds strapped to my back.
She looks thrilled, no? Let’s let this picture be a little cranky pants foreshadowing.
We met up today with our friends for a hike through the woods and to build a shelter made with sticks.
Almost a month ago my sweet friend Cindy asked me if I might be interested in trying a recipe she created. I said “Sure!” and she sent the recipe to me, and that recipe has sat in my inbox all this time, patiently waiting for me to make good on my promise.
Well today is finally the day! Cranberry Orange Bites here we come!
I did a little tweaking of Cindy’s recipe, so check hers out for the original version.
Crust
1 C soaked, raw cashews
4-6 ripe large medjool dates (pitted)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
Today we had plans to meet up with some new homeschooling friends for a nature hike. This informal group meets weekly – outside – all year round. The idea is that “kids need to be outside and surrounded by nature”. What a concept! A small group, a few of whom we know from other homeschooly places, this idea is right up our alley. The central theme is that we’ll get outside, exploring nature, no matter the weather. So even when it’s cold and snowy or wet and rainy, we still meet up and do something outside together.
I swapped my early morning work out today for a little early morning de-cluttering/getting-ready-to-pack-up-this-entire-house-and-move-our-worldly-possessions-25-minutes-east-of-here instead.
La de da just taking stuff we don’t use any more to drop off and donate! Don’t mind me!
Wait a minute. Not so fast. Have you ever tried to donate or get rid of something with your children around? Be it their old toys or your own kitchen and household items? Trying to move stuff OUT when you have curious creatures wanting to know what they are missing out on or are being robbed of makes this a very delicate operation. This should only be attempted in the wee hours of the morning when no one is around to protest the donation of old toys. Old toys that are haphazardly thrown from toy bins directly to the floor while in search of the toys they actually play with.
Children with Granny, the man off with some friends, I had the joy of making lunch in total peace and quiet this afternoon.
And I had a hankering for a veggie burger.
1 can of black beans, rinsed, drained and mashed
1/4 c ground flax seed
3 Tbsp bone suckin’ bbq sauce
When I was getting out veggies for burger toppings, I spotted some mushrooms hiding in the back of the fridge. Into the burger mix they went.
Shhhhh, listen? Do you hear that? Just a quiet burger sizzle and a gentle bubble of my veggies steaming.
Today’s day of calorie counting began with a freezing bike ride to the gym. Well, actually it was 33 degrees so I guess it wasn’t exactly freezing. I’m such an exaggerator sometimes.
30 minutes on the treadmill with some speed work intervals (4 two minute sets at 9.3) thrown in to keep things interesting – a total of about 4 miles. I noted today what the calorie total said and it was about 450.
Treadmill dues paid, followed by a Very Cold (but this time welcome!) ride home for my first calories of the day.
Packed in today’s magic basket of super snacks?
Whole Food Energy Bar from Vega that I was sent last week to review.
I liked this one better than the Vibrancy bar actually. I especially liked that at 220 calories, this sucker easily held me over all afternoon while Maxine and I ran errands and Ava spent the afternoon at her homeschooling class.
And I totally needed the energy to play along with Maxine’s latest Take-My-Socks-and-Shoes-Off-Everytime-I-Get-in-the-Car antics.
This afternoon, just as I was sitting down to a cup of tea, Ava ran out to fetch the mail. (Reason #454 having kids pays off.)
Look what was waiting in the mailbox for me!
A seriously hilarious card from a seriously hilarious healthy everythingtarian – and she even doctored the card up with a little “‘s food“. I told you she was funny!
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, there was an awesome little present inside.
It was my turn to be one of the parent assistants in Ava’s homeschooling class this week. Each week there are two parent assistants who work in the classroom on a rotating basis along side the teacher and teacher assistant. That’s four adults for 16 children. Overkill? That’s what I thought until I was actually working in the classroom!
Today we did nothing but stay home most of the day and play catch up. I wore my stay at home mom uniform all day: t-shirt, hoodie, sweat pants, no bra. I swapped out my sweat pants for jeans when we ran Ava to dance class and got a few groceries late this afternoon – still no bra, thank you hoodie. You’ll be glad to know I’m back in my uniform once again.
I’ve been in search of the perfect homemade veggie burger recipe for a while now. The black bean burgers I make are quick, easy and tasty, but they aren’t perfect. They are pretty mushy and need a little more structure.
More Mama’s Weeds
