Friday Fave Five

This week soared by and the trees are budding, the birds are singing and the flowers blooming.

We have all been relishing the record high warm temps, and making every opportunity to get outside!

One fave this week included a 8 mile bike ride in the country with hubs.  It was a beautiful day, and we enjoyed being able to ride together.

Another favorite is grilling.  Yes I grill through the winter, but it is so nice to now sit on the deck and relax while grilling.  And not freeze, and have to wear gloves!

I made these scrumptious grilled ham steaks for Easter.  I grew up eating this yummy ham treat, and now love to make them for my family

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups orange juice
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 2 to 3 teaspoons ground mustard
• 2 to 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3 bone-in fully cooked ham steaks (1 pound each and 3/8 inch thick)

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Pour 1-1/2 cups into a large resealable plastic bag; add ham steaks. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting.
• Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Drain and discard marinade. Grill ham steaks, covered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until heated through, basting frequently with reserved marinade. Yield: 12 servings.

Also I had a good laugh when I came home the other day to find that my dear DAUGHTER and her friend had caught this little friend!

My last fave is this cool fire pot I purchased for enjoying while sitting on the deck.  I didn’t really know what is was when I got it, but it looked cool!  Fire comes out of the center of a ceramic pot.  You simply pour a citronella gel into the center of the pot, light on fire…..and you have a nice flame!  It’s actually quite relaxing to watch it on a nice night on the deck!

For more Friday Faves stop by and visit Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

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Friday Fave Five

Wow, I know I say this almost every week…..this week sure went fast!!!!

It’s been a busy basketball week at our house!  SportTman living up to his name, got to play on the Varsity team in the District basketball game at a huge indoor arena.  The first game on Sat.  his team lost miserably, but they put my freshman boy in for some playing time.  And he did great!  Played the entire 4th quarter, scored 6pts, and had several rebounds.  Such a great experience for him to play at that level as a freshman.  The team went on to play 2 other late games this week ( we got home well after 11:30 both  school nights, so if my post doesn’t make sense you know why….), and won one and lost the other.  But they now qualify for states.  And he gets to be part of the team for that too!  Big excitement….but I must admit I am one tired mom!!!

Another fav happened in my classroom this week.  I made pancakes with my special needs students.  It was a rare opportunity to do something fun.  Each student had the opportunity to pour their own pancake onto the hot griddle, and add either chocolate chips or sprinkles.  It was tons of fun, and a great opportunity to teach those critical life skills my students need.

The family joined the local rec center this past weekend.  We LOVE it!  There is a beautiful new fitness area, with LOTS of tech savvy exercise equipment……enough to inspire this workout mom.   The kids love the pool and the new gym.  It’s turning out to be a great family activity.

I see shades of green……or at least bits of brown grass.  I love each season, and after the record snowfalls of this year, I am looking forward to spring flowers, and green grass.

New York Style bagels at my favorite coffee shop.  We stopped in on Thurs this week.  I just LOVE these bagels!  Hard crusty outside, soft inside……Mmmmmm!

How was your week?  For more Favorites stop by and visit Susanne.

 

Life and Times of Me

I got home from school on a beautiful Thurs. afternoon and knew even though my schedule looked VERY busy that I really need to get a nice bike ride workout in. So I attempted to squeeze it in during a 45 min. empty time slot I had.  Thinking that it looked nice out, but that I would be cold, I dressed in a sweatshirt and sweatpants.  Now try to get a mental picture of what I am going to present to you here……..

I’m heading out on my bike, about 5 min. into the ride I knew I overdressed.  I was sweating away, so I did as any trendy 40 something momma biker does, I rolled up my pants above my knees cuz I was hot!  I happened to glance down and notice that I was still wearing my brown dress socks from school, with my lovely black sweatpants. I must also note at this time, in my rush this morning I could not find my nice girly brown dress socks, so I wore my husbands!

Feeling like a real athletic dork, I pressed on not wanting to go home to change!

As I got farther out into the county relieved that no cars had passed me for the last 10 min.  I decided that…… (this is fair warning for those who did not grow up with brothers may find my actions offensive, you may want to stop reading this post.)

I decided that I needed to hawk a good loogie, ok for those who are not familiar with 14 year old boy language that I  often hear these days………. I needed to spit.  And for those of you who grew up with sisters only and may find that offensive,  see if this sounds better…I needed to discharge some saliva.  So just as I  discharged some saliva I heard a car go by.  I looked up to see my neighbors, and as any women who was just seen by her neighbors riding her bike with hot pink headphones in her ears, discharging saliva, her pants rolled up and gorgeous brown dress socks showing for all to see.  I did as any good women would do……I waved!

I arrived home 25 minutes later to find that my children and a large neighborhood gang of 6 kids had ordered pizza and had it delivered to SportTman’s fort in the woods.  Nice I don’t have to make dinner tonight! 

I realized in that moment on my bike that as long I’m serving Jesus, being a good wife and mom, being embarrassed really doesn’t matter much anymore I don’t have time for it!  Life is about priorities, and riding my bike was a priority.

But even more important,  is that I am striving to  live a life that honors God, even if I look like a dork doing it. Sure there are those times when I end up doing goofy things, forgetful things, embarrassing things, but in the big picture, it really doesn’t matter much in this life.

I strive to have my priorities, actions, and time reflect  Him on a daily basis….even if I am wearing hubs brown dress socks!

 

Excercise!

Exercise, Exercise, come on everybody do your exercise! ( What is that song/saying from, I remember it from somewhere in my childhood ???)

So ladies who exercises regularly, or semi-regularly, or once a month, or who even thinks about exercising?

Thinking is at least a start!

Drums had an old college roomate who used to say, “Dude I exercise…….I drive!” Driving isn’t quite what I have in mind here, but it’s a start….I guess.

I was on quite a roll with exercising this spring, I was feeling like a fit mama, queen of the sweat, a women proud of her sweaty arm pits! But then I got this annoying Fifth Disease virus, and all exercising was crushed under the fatigue of this nasty virus.

So finally 2 months later, I am attempting to be an Exercising Wonder Women again. Ooops not that Wonder Women! But that is how I feel these days.

So for all you ladies needing get out there and get moving here are 10 reasons why we should get moving.

#10 – You don’t want to look like that Wonder Women!

#9 -When you are at an outdoor christian music festival, let’s take for instance, the Creation festival, and a sudden thunderstorm creeps up in the middle of the Newsboys show. You quickly realize that you need to run at least a 1/2 mile to your vehicle to safely escape the storm, it’s very helpful at this point to be in good shape! Trust me on this one!

#8 – When your 2 year old toddler goes booking down the hallway at church thinking he is free, you can easily snag him and remind him of your Wonder Women powers!

#7 – You can hike, play ball, ride bike with your children, and actually enjoy it.

#6- Obvious reason – You can eat more chocolate

#5 – You have a new reason to get out and shop for the right exercising clothes

#4 – You feel so much better when you exercise regularly!

#3 – Exercise drives more oxygen to feed your brain, making you think quickly and clearly. Thinking clearly is very helpful when you are a mom!

#2 – And for all you young 20 and 30 something ladies, this tip is for you. I can assure you, you are NOT going to wake up some day when you are over 40 and ever feel like starting an exercise program. So do it now, and it will be a healthy habit in your 40 and 50′s.

#1- God says our bodies are a temple of the holy spirit, and we need to be good stewards of this earthly body.

So there you have it, time to get moving. For fitness tips for busy moms click here. Let me know if you start exercising or if you already are, we can check in on each other. I know Liza Eyeview and Still His Girl have written exercise related post lately also.

Let’s go girls!

 

Big decision…..

Nap or exercise? Check back later to see what I end up choosing

If you guessed exercise you are right! The nap was tempting, but it was a beautiful day. So I got on my ugly stylish orange biking shirt, and rode several miles out in the hilly, manure smelling farm country near my house. I am a firm believer in regular exercise, even thou it is so hard to find the time!!! It does a body, mind and soul good. I can’t tell you how often I pray, and listen to christian music while I walk or ride bike. I even find myself praying out loud sometimes while biking on those back country roads. I just get strange looks from the cows, but no one else seems to realize what I am doing. So the big question is…who else takes time to exercise? I simply try to get in 3 days a week, for 30-45 min. But something is better then nothing!

 

Fitness

Two days ago I came home from school fully feeling the evil effects of the dreaded monthly curse. I wanted more then anything to take a nap…….until bedtime! But as many of you moms know, you can’t always just lay down and take a 7 hour nap. Thus began the battle between  “Dee Serve” and “Will.”  “Dee Serve” kept telling me, that since I had a rough day I deserved to veg out, watch a little TV, order out pizza for dinner and sleep for awhile.

On the other hand my good friend “Will” somehow got me motivated, and I actually went out and rode my bike for a quick 5 mile ride. “Will” is something else! And after I rode my bike I really thanked “Will” because I felt much better, stretched out a bit and had a renewed energy for the rest of the night. Instead of pizza we had chicken on the grill, italian noodles, broccoli, and fresh fruit!

Thus continues the on going exercise saga, and as is usually the case, once I make myself get out there and exercise I always feel so much better and I am glad I did it. So to all my dear blogging friends, let’s all make an effort to get out there and exercise…………….. even when we don’t feel like it!!!!!!

 

Fitness Challenge update

I was on an unexpected 2 week hiatus from riding my bike due to migraines, and attending the Creation Festival. But I am back!!!!!! I rode 5 miles yesterday, and 6 today. I drank an entire 24 oz bottle of Propel during each ride, it’s so stinkin hot out!!! If I could only configure an air conditioning system into my bike helmet…….. I will need to talk to my daughter…….the inventor.

Check out Mama Bright’s site, she is encouraging all of us ladies to stay fit through the summer!

 

Fitness Tips for Busy Moms

Just this past Sunday before our adult Sunday school class, as I chatted with a friend, my normally sweet son walked into the class to ask me a question, right before he left, in front of my dear friend he started wiggling and giggling my arm, right under where a bicep muscle should be. He was amused at the way my arm wiggles compared to his “guns” ( male word for muscles). He kept saying in that taunting voice “Where are your guns mom, I can’t find them.” ( He actually is a nice kid, but at that moment I was pondering ways to damage his “guns.”). So just because I have mushy biceps does that mean I am a total fitness failure……absolutely not! When you become a mom, and get older, that standard for fitness changes…..and you do the best with what you have.

As you can see I am a typical mom with leftover baby baggage! But I also strive to be a fit mom, no I do not have 6 pack ripping abs ( ha ha ha ha ha, that is me laughing so hard at the thought of having a “six pack”), I have a mushy butt and mushy biceps, but I still work at being fit!

I ride my exercise bike, or walk several miles or when the weather is nice I ride my bike out in the country. I also stretch when I am done, and do a little work with free weights, just to keep the biceps mushy, not sagging.

I know that finding time for a work out is tough when you are a mom and have to deal with kids schedules, and exhaustion…but I am also a firm believer in fitness and thought I would offer several tips that have helped me through the years.

• When the kids were younger and we would get together with neighbors for play dates, we always walked to their homes, we never drove.
• I found a nearby park with a great walking trail, I would push one kiddo in the stroller and the other would ride his little bike with training wheels. Several times I had to carry the bike back with me on the stroller, and my son on my back as I pushed the stroller, but that was ok, it was a better workout! Attitude makes all the difference!
• I run up and down the stairs in my house alot, even when I don’t have to retrieve things, my kids think I am crazy, but a little stair running never hurts. My goal is to stay on the move whenever possible.
• Ok this is really looney, but I set a timer, and mop my floor and vacuum like a mom who drank way too much coffee! I try to set a new record each time, trust me I am often out of breath after finishing these chores!
• I hike with the kids a lot, and this has also developed in them a great love for the outdoors.
• I like to get outside to work out, and during those long walks or bike rides I often pray, listen to christian music or teachings I have downloaded to myiPod. It’s doing 2 very valuable things at one time. I have done spiritual battle many times as I am battling up a hill on my bike.
• Often while playing a game on the floor with the kids, I will do leg lifts, or stretch out as I play. My kids are now 10 and 12 and no longer think I am crazy, they are just used to it now. I always say, “something is better than nothing!”
• This is a small thing, but I usually take the stairs in office buildings I encounter, or park in a distant parking space and walk quickly to the entrance.
• Our local library has tons of exercise/yoga/pilates videos and DVD’s, I have borrowed these several times and have learned a lot with out having to pay to join a gym.
• I have never joined a gym, I just don’t want to pay the money. But if money is not an issue, gyms these days are a great way of holding you accountable, and encouraging you to stick to your routine.
• Get a pedometer, it’s a fun way to challenge yourself and count your steps. Watch out, they can get addictive if you are the competitive type!

Having an active lifestyle makes a huge difference. I build workouts into my week, but when things are busy, being active helps until you can get back to your routine.

My son is currently clamoring for me to hurry up so we can ride our bikes into our town for lunch. Sure we could drive, but the adventure of riding the 3-4 miles into town, and then biking to the park with our lunch, and biking around together is worth much more then driving to our favorite pizza place for lunch.

I Corninthians 6:19-20…..remember our bodies are temples of God’s precious holy spirit, let’s keep our temples active and fit, even if we are a bit mushy!

I am going to be participating in mamma brights fitness challenge…won’t you join me? I plan to ride my bike 200 miles this summer….wow that’s a lot of gatorade I’ll be drinking!