Legs like Jell-o

After being inspired by Biggest Loser on Tuesday, I thought it would be a great idea for Styker to come up with some workouts I could do. Not only do I get stuck in a rut and keep doing the same things over and over, but I push myself harder if I have a plan and am accountable to someone else for it. (Who isn't?)

Yesterday was my first one, and my legs felt like jello afterward. I'm rethinking this idea....


Actually I'm not, it was fun to do something different than I usually do, and he enjoyed thinking some up for me too. The best part is that he made some for me to do at home (or outside), and some for the gym. So on days when going to the gym isn't an option, I have a back up.

Fuzz got a kick out of it too. Squat jumps induce giggles, and her trying to replicate. And really, how does that not make a workout more fun?

Wordless Wednesday

And the award goes to...

...Kiki for Mother of the Year!!!

Wait, what? Why are you taking my trophy away? You mean mothers of the year don't turn their backs for two seconds as their child kicks herself away from the kitchen counter and falls backward while strapped into a booster seat in her chair?

Seriously. We were having a nice morning, she was eating a good breakfast while I ate next to her. I was done so I got up, threw my plate in the garbage, asked her if she was done, she wasn't, so I turned around, and BANG! Chair hits the floor (and breaks), and Fuzz screaming ensues. She has a little goose egg, but she's fine. I'm still traumatized (and mad at myself). Well, she might be too. For about an hour after it happened, everytime she walked by the chair she whimpered.

Poor thing.

Pretty in pink

We had a girly kinda day.

Banana Bread Recipe

Teresa requested this recipe, so I thought I'd share it with everyone. Make sure you bake it long enough! I didn't bake mine quite long enough and when I transferred it to the wire rack it pretty much collapsed. Also it wouldn't hurt to leave it in the pan for a little longer.

Special Banana Nut Bread Courtesy of Taste of Home

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups granulated pure cane sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 medium)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped pecans, divided

ORANGE GLAZE:
1 cup Domino® or C&H® Pure Cane Powdered Sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel


Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Fold in 1 cup pecans.

Transfer to two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Sprinkle with remaining pecans. Bake at 350° for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

In a small bowl, whisk the glaze ingredients; drizzle over loaves. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

I love food

Another great thing about having Stryker home is that I am cooking for more than myself and an occasional guest. It's great. I've been able to try several new recipes, and most of them have been wonderful.

I've been really into making homemade bread lately. I'm not sure why, but I love it! I've tried a couple different recipes for french bread. I've found a really great recipe for pizza dough (seriously, it's d.e.l.e.c.t.a.b.l.e). Homemade cinnamon rolls anyone? Best I've ever made. Even better than the ones out of the can.

My mom gave me an awesome recipe for banana bread with an orange glaze on top. It sounds like a weird combo but it's the best banana bread I've ever had, and I already had a great banana bread recipe. I've also tried an applesauce bread with a cream cheese filling that I found on this website. It was good but very spice-y. Very Thanksgiving/Christmas. I'd cut back on the nutmeg next time. This is what it looked like:



We've tried great seafood recipes like ginger-glazed mahi-mahi, and awesome grilled recipes like a southwest turkey breast with avocado salsa. Italian, Mexican, American....you name it. The best part is that we have so many more to try!

Alright, I'm hungry...gotta go.

Wordless Wednesday

Beauty

We've been incredibly lucky since Stryker has gotten back. He only took a handful of leave days during block leave, so while everyone else was on block leave, Stryker "worked" for a couple hours a day and had four day weekends. Can you say family time?!

It's been great, and so relaxing. I don't know about you, but block leave always has been a huge runaround for us. Being pulled this way and that, so many people to see, and so many things our families plan for us to do. By the time we get back we're exhausted. Not much of a "leave". So this time we decided we'd just stay put. And it was amazing, not to mention a lot less expensive! Besides, who needs to go anywhere when you see this across the street...





Now everyone's back and they are back to work. It will be two months since he got back on Thursday. We've been lucky to have all this family time, and we're getting back to normal (whatever that is).

Next month we're having some visitors. My cousin is visiting from California for a long weekend, and shortly after he leaves my sister is coming for about a week and a half! I can't wait for her to get here. I miss her a lot, and she needs a Fuzz fix.

Goodbyes

PCS season has begun. This past weekend we partook in a little get together for a friend who is leaving this week. Yummy Mexican food and a homemade cake (by me of course). It was fun. After dinner I came home with Fuzz and the rest of the guys went out for a few drinks. Well, maybe more than a few. Stryker got home and had the hiccups for about an hour and a half before he finally fell asleep. Haha.

This was the first close family that I have had to say goodbye to. I've been pretty lucky I guess. Married almost four years and this is the first one. Stryker and I aren't far behind, and neither are the other families that I've grown close to over these four years. I just hope at our new location I meet more couples and families like the ones I've met here. Maybe I'll meet some of you!

Assignment #1

For assignment one of my photography workshop we were instructed to capture motion. I've taken two pictures that I like and can't decide which one to use. Check them out and let me know what you think. Which one speaks to you?

Ceiling fan:


Running stream: