Monthly Archives: February 2011

Throwing Some Good Fortune Your Way

Posted on by Run DMT
6

PhotobucketGung Hay Fat Choy!

It’s Chinese New Year and in the Run DMT house, we celebrate with some homemade Chinese food.  This year, Allan made his famous veggie fried rice and then I attempted Steamy Kitchen’s Chinese Pot Stickers for the occasion.

 

Unfortunately, the ground chicken I bought went bad so Allan saved the day by running out and buying pot stickers from the neighborhood Chinese takeout.   Oh well.  Better luck fu next time!

 

We finished the meal with fortune cookies, but with new and improved kid-friendly yellow dye free fortune cookies which I discovered in the Asian section at Target.  Upon my discovery, I wondered what makes fortune cookies kid-friendly.  I hoped for at least silly jokes, like the ones you find inside Christmas crackers or Laffy Taffy, but the fortunes were just as corny as the ones from the Chinese restaurant, minus the lucky numbers and how to speak Chinese lessons.

 

 

And funny enough, much like the ones from the Chinese restaurant, you could read each one and follow it up with the expression “in bed”.  So not-so-kid-friendly, but funny as hell Diyu!

 

My fortune was very encouraging…

 

 

…in bed.

 

Of course, fortune cookies have nothing to do with Chinese New Year or even China for that matter, but for my family and me, no Chinese meal is complete without them.

 

Now link up and see what If I Could Escape and Gone Bananas are serving for this week’s Friday Food Fight.


 

*Also submitted to*

My Crafty Valentine

Posted on by Run DMT
12

Although I may grumble and grouse

About random piles of paper

Strewn throughout the house

I really do love all the little notes

And pictures you leave for me

 

My life is cluttered by your drive-by drawings

And random acts of artwork laying about

But I can’t seem to toss them in the trash

No more than I would toss you out

 

So my floor may sparkle

No thanks to floor cleaner of pine

But rather from the sparkly glitter

You leave behind

 

Nonetheless

The mess masterpiece is mine

Just like you

My creative and crafty Valentine

 

 

*This poem was inspired by and proudly submitted to

Mama Kat’s World Famous Writer’s Workshop.*

Mama's Losin' It

and also submitted to

I Heart Faces: Hearts

Posted on by Run DMT
21

I love the I Heart Faces photo challenges even though I don’t participate as often as I’d like. But this week’s challenge seemed fun and very timely for me and I couldn’t let it pass me by.

 

Recently, Emmalynn realized she can make a heart with her fingers and she is quite proud of her new found talent.  Seeing her freckled face smile peeking through her little heart-shaped fingers warms my heart.

 

It’s the best Valentine’s Day gift ever.

 

 

Random Thoughts about Some Pricks, a Strong Wind and the Runs

Posted on by Run DMT
6

For me, running has always melted the pounds away, but I honestly I had no earthly idea that it would melt so quickly in such a short amount of time.  I realize that most diet plans recommend only losing 1-2 pounds a week, so I hope that I’m not losing weight too quickly.  But I ain’t gonna lie.  It also feels really freaking good to be losing all this baby weight so quickly and to be squeezing into smaller dress sizes every week. With each pound, I’ve double my wardrobe by fitting into some of my old clothes.

 

Each Saturday, I weigh myself after I return from my long run.  I only expected to have lost about a pound this week, so you can imagine my delight when my scale said I dropped another 4.5 pounds for a grand total of….drum roll…16 pounds!!!   INCREDIBLE!

 

On Sunday, the ladies competing in my mom’s group Weight Loss Challenge (WLC) met at the gym where @jellisfl measured and calculated our loss for the first month.  I couldn’t be more thrilled with my progress!  I honestly don’t care if I win the WLC, because I’ve already won in my mind!  Here’s what @jellisfl calculated for me:

 

Inches lost- 18.7
Weight lost- 10.2
Body Fat % down 3
Fat mass down 9lbs

 

Last week, I went for my third round in three years of allergy testing to learn that I’m not allergic to oak any more but I’m allergy to some funky weed that doesn’t even grow in Florida.  WTF?  Whatever.  I’m not buying it or those dumb desensitizing drops for a year and pay a $35 co-pay every visit.  I’ll just stick with Zyrtec.  Thank you.  It seems to do the trick when my allergies flare up.

 

Because of that stupid skin prick test, I wasn’t allowed to run Thursday morning before the test.  So, Wednesday morning was the last morning I ran.  I had hoped to run on Friday morning but I had to complete a late phase of the skin prick test.  In other words, I had to walk around with rows of lovely bumps on my left arm and watch how the lesions developed in a 24 hour period.  Um…yeah…they developed into larger lesions and I looked like I had some bizarre fleshing eating disease.  So in 24 hours, I learned that I’m still allergic to EVERYTHING?!  Oh, except oak.  Duh!

 

Ironically from all the blood work I had done over the past few weeks, I’ve also learned that I have a Vitamin D deficiency which is so strange for such a sun goddess like myself.  I guess I need to scale back on the SPF 50 sunblock, eat more oily fish and eggs, and drink more milk.

 

Speaking of eggs…for the past week, the winds have been ridiculously strong as a result of all the arctic cold fronts making their way down south.  Have I mentioned how much I hate running in the wind?  Despite the wind, I still did pretty good.

 

5 miles

Time 58:55

Ave Pace 11:47

Max Pace 9:09

 

Saturday, I ran 10 lonely miles by myself because Tiffany flaked due to her foot giving her some trouble. The solitude must have made me run a better pace, because at 9 miles, I beat my 9 mile time (1:50:07) from the previous week (1:58:32).

 

10 Miles

Time 2:01:37

Ave Pace 12:10

Max Pace 9:27

Calories Burned 1010  :-)

 

The weather was so damp and yucky on Monday and I missed the Mom’s Mid-Morning Run at Suncoast Running.  Bad mommy! Or am I a good mommy because I didn’t take my baby out it that icky weather?  Either way, I’m a total slacker runner because I missed my Monday run and I’ve not done any yoga or Boot Camp stuff in weeks.  My BFF Sharon Mann is totally going to make me suffer when I see her next.

 

This morning, I fit 4 miles in even though the wind made me want to stay in bed.

 

4 miles

Time 44:37

Ave Pace 11:09

Max Pace 8:21

 

***Proudly submitted at The Un Mom’s Random Tuesday Thoughts, because when I blog about my runs, it’s usually pretty random.***

randomtuesday

Music Monday: Love Songs

Posted on by Run DMT
21

It’s February and love is in the air thanks to Hallmark, Hershey’s and florists.  Years ago, my husband and I decided to stop spending money on cheesy Valentine’s Day gifts and challenge each other to be more creative and thoughtful (and more frugal) when demonstrating our affection and admiration of each other.

 

One year, I loaded Allan’s MP3 player with a bunch of love songs and other tunes that made me think of him when I heard them.  I think I may do this again, but with some of my more recent favorite love songs, like Guster’s Do You Love Me?

 

Hubby isn’t a huge Guster fan, but this song always puts a smile on my face and a little pep in my step.  It’s a feel good song that sounds much like a sunshiny song from the 60s, reminiscent of something by Herman’s Hermits.So although he’s not a huge Guster fan, he’ll think of me bouncing around happily to the tune when he hears it.

 

 

I’d also add the soulful sound of James Morrison’s Precious Love. It’s another song reminiscent of the 60′s. I love the Ottis Redding sound and style of James Morrison’s demonstrates.

 

 

And since my hubbie is learning to play this song on the guitar, I would also add the acoustic version Train’s Marry Me. I couldn’t find any videos that weren’t blocked by Sony and the video is so lovely. I highly urge to follow the link and watch it on YouTube.

 

 

What love songs on your playlist?

 

 

Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.

 

Feeling Like a Jerk

Posted on by Run DMT
15

After visiting the Cayman Islands for our honeymoon many moons ago, Allan and I began to crave Caribbean flavors.  Fortunately living in Florida, we’re relatively close to the Caribbean, its lifestyle and wonderful foods. Whenever we spot a dish with Caribbean flair on a menu, we don’t pass it up.

 

Last summer, Allan found a Bobby Flay Jerk Grilled Chicken recipe but tweaked the recipe (as only Iron Chef Allan could do) into fabulous a Jerk marinade that sends us back to the Caribbean with every bite.

 

When Allan last prepared this dish, he cubed the chicken and grilled it on skewers as bite size morsels for wraps and as his sous-chef, I made the mango salsa. The sweet paired with the heat is simply delicious!

 

 

This marinade and mango salsa also works well with whole boneless chicken breasts for sandwiches or served on a bed of rice.

 

Jerk Chicken

Ingredients

1 lb boneless chicken breast

1/4 cup olive oil

½ red onion

1 large Habanero pepper, stem and seeds removed

1 tablespoon fresh ginger (about 1″)

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp thyme

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Pinch ground clove

1 Tbsp ground allspice

1 Tbsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 2 fresh limes

¼ cup orange juice

 

Place all ingredients in a food processor (except the chicken) and puree until almost smooth. Place the chicken breasts into a gallon size Ziploc bag and pour marinade over the chicken.  Place bag in refrigerator and marinade for 24 hours.  The longer the chicken marinades the more intense the flavors and heat becomes.

 

Grill chicken on each side for 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked through.

 

Mango Salsa

2 mangoes, peeled and diced

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (about one half red onion)

1 Habanero pepper seeded and minced

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Juice of one lime

3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Salt

Pepper

 

Combine the mangoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, habanero pepper and orange juice in a bowl and gently mix. Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste

 

Now link up and see what If I Could Escape and Gone Bananas are serving for this week’s Friday Food Fight.

 

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*Also submitted at*

 

Magnificent Manhole Covers

Posted on by Run DMT
12

Allan and I have a rather unusual obsession with manhole covers. Tampa has some unique ones, but St. Petersburg does as well. While strolling along sidewalk with my sister a few weeks ago, I spotted the St. Petersburg sewer system for the first time and of course, I had to stop and take a photo and embarrass my sister.

 

 

With all the races I’ve done in St. Pete, how have I missed these magnificent pelican manhole covers?

 

Random Thoughts about Celery, New Shoes and Strange Sounds

Posted on by Run DMT
8

First off, I need to brag.  I lost 10.5 pounds since joining the Janathon and Shrinking Jeans: The Power of One!  WOOHOO!  I dropped a whole dress size and that feels GREAT!

 

But the good news of losing weight was overshadowed by the bad news I received at my physical last week.  I learned my cholesterol was high (225) and my liver enzymes were elevated.  Jokingly, my doctor asked if I enjoyed the holidays.  Um…yeah…Based on those lab results, I think I enjoyed them a little too much. I tried to dig myself out of my unhealthy hole by explaining that I already had begun to change my eating habits.  “That’s good”, she said, “Because it could have been worse.”  *Insert game show loser sound effect* Wa wa waaaaaaa.

 

In a couple of months, I’ll redo my blood work to check my cholesterol and liver enzymes.  Of course, in the meantime, I’ll have to continue with the low fat, small portions and no alcoholic beverages.  But now, I have to omit cheese out of my menu.  Good Lord!  That may be the death of me!  I’d rather eat cheese than eat dessert.  And just how am I supposed to get through the Super Bowl not eating cheese or fatty foods?  Oh the humanity! I’ll have some wings with blue cheese and celery.  Hold the wings and blue cheese. Blah.

 

Unfortunately, I was unable to combat my cholesterol with running when hubbie got sick and I couldn’t leave the baby under his care while I snuck off to run.  Thankfully, last Tuesday I got 4 miles in before my 9 miles on Saturday.  And despite needing new shoes, Tiffany and I did really well.  Better than last week, that’s for sure!  So I guess the forced rest paid off!

 

9 miles

Time 1:58

Ave Pace 13:10

Max Pace 8:50

Calories Burned 892 (LOVE THAT!)

 

After our stellar Saturday run, I rewarded myself with a pair of new running shoes and they are so SWEET! John at Suncoast Running really knew his stuff and matched me with a pair of
Brooks Trance 10.  They’ve got this mac daddy gel cushioning system in the heel and a really wide toe.  Plus, the shoes are stretchy on the
side so I don’t get that weird pain on the side of my foot.  My new shoes ROCK!

 

Another rest day on Sunday and then on Monday, I met my friends, Jackie and Chrissy, at Suncoast Running for the Mom’s Mid-Morning Run.   Holy Hades, it was hot and pushing a cranky baby in a stroller while trying to chat run didn’t help, but at least the company made it bearable.

 

3.1 Miles

Time 36:23

Ave Pace 11:45

Max 8:40

 

This morning, like many other dark mornings, I ran my miles with pepper spray in one hand and a flashlight in the other hand.  However, this morning, when I felt someone sneaking up from behind, I readied myself to spray the lurker.  Once I realized the lurker was another runner, I lowered my aim and giggled.

 

“You startled me and you almost got sprayed” and then I made some weird guttural juvenile scream that sounded similar to Pee Wee Herman.  I’m sure the male runner wished he had his own pepper spray after hearing that strange sound I made in the dark.

 

5 Miles

Time 57:41

Ave 11:32

Max 7:43

 

If it wasn’t for my ridiculous Pee Wee Herman spasm, it would have been a really nice 5 mile run this morning.  The weather was perfect, cool with no wind.  I hope the weather is like this for the Gasparilla Half Marathon at the end of the month.

 

***Proudly submitted at The Un Mom’s Random Tuesday Thoughts, because when I blog about my runs, it’s usually pretty random.***

randomtuesday