Monthly Archives: August 2011

I’m Sweet and Stylish

Posted on by Run DMT
9

Did you know that I’m sweet and stylish?

Well, I am and I’ve got these awards to prove it!  Cathy thinks I’m sweet and that’s rich!  I’m more of a sweet outer layer covering a nutty center.

But Becelisa thinks I’m stylish and I think I wear that one well too.

 

By accepting these awards, I must state 7 lesser known facts about myself.

  1. I love pajamas days when I just stay in my pajamas all day.  I plan at least one a week.
  2. I don’t know what I want to be when I grown up.  In my life B.C. (before children), I taught elementary school, mostly third through fifth grade.  Sometimes I miss it, but then I think about lesson plans, grading papers, parent conferences, Sunshine State Standards and all the other political nonsense and stress involved with education these days and I don’t miss one bit.  I will happily change shitty diapers than deal with that bullshit.
  3. When I’m anxious or nervous or have a lot on my mind, I pick and bite my cuticles until they bleed.  It’s a really disgusting habit.
  4. I don’t like country music.
  5. I talk through movies, which annoys the piss out of my husband.  Over the years, I’ve learned to stay silent in the cinema and save all questions and observations until after the show.
  6. I laugh like a Pez dispenser. When I experience a good gut busting laugh, I tilt my head back and my mouth pops open with the loudest, most boisterous juiceful laugh you will ever hear.  Sometimes it’s followed up with a snort too.
  7. I often fit lines from movies, shows or pop culture references into every day conversation. I’m cool like dat. 

Now the conditions of these awards also state that I must pass them along to fellow bloggers.  So in no particular order, I present the “Sweet” award to 10 of my favorite sweeties…

Gone Bananas

Rambling Road Ramblings

Lorie of The Shewbridges of Central Florida

Stacey Uncorked

Jamerican Spice

Secret Mom Thoughts

Diary of a Coach’s Wife

Honey Mommy

Chasing the Kenyans

4 Lettre Words

 

And the “Stylish” goes to 15 of my most trendy reads…

Karen of If I Could Escape

Kelly Noel Photography

Artsnark’s Artifacts

Girlie Chef

Confessions of a Marathon Mom

Tales of a SEO Runner

Bee Fit

Run Wifey Run

Discom- BOB-ulated Running

Mom on the Run

With a Side of Sneakers

Running Betty

Running with a Bottle of Wine

Run Mom Run

Run Faster, Mommy!

 

Congratulations to all the sweet and stylish winners! :-)

 

Something in the Water

Posted on by Run DMT
17

When news of this week’s Gallery theme “Water” trickled my way, I jumped in to share my water photos.  You see, we’ve had gallons of splashy, splashy fun this summer by cooling off at the spraygrounds around town like the YMCA,

and Curtis Hixon Park,

and Highlander Spray Park,

and Busch Gardens,

and the Florida Aquarium.

Yep, we soaked up as much fun as we could this summer.  There’s most certainly something in the water.

The Gallery: Every Wednesday


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



My Own Margaritaville

Posted on by Run DMT
7

I’m not exaggerating when I tell you my husband makes the BEST margaritas.  But like so many of my favorite foodie items, he’s ruined me for order margaritas at restaurants, which is probably a good thing I suppose.

 

Many restaurant margaritas would give me heartburn, which I thought was related to the tequila.  But then I discovered that the margarita mix that many places use contains high fructose corn syrup, yellow dye #5 and blue dye #1.  Yuck.  I don’t eat that garbage, so why should I drink it?

So hubby began searching for a margarita mix without high fructose corn syrup and food coloring and he found Stirrings cocktail mixers.  Stirrings margarita mix had a nice taste, but it was a bit pricey and we were going through the mix like mad.  With two margaritas between us, the bottle would empty rapidly.

So Iron Chef Allan decided to create his own concoction.  With a little tweaking here and there, he soon made the best margarita mix, minus the high fructose corn syrup and food coloring, of course.

Iron Chef Allan’s Margarita Mix

1 container Nellie’s Key Lime Juice

7 cups filtered water

1 cup sugar

Bring to a boil.  Let cool and refrigerate.

Once mix cools, fill a 16oz glass with ice.  Add  1 ¾ oz Camarna tequila.  Add ¾ oz Patrόn Citrόnge.  Squeeze ¼ lime into cup.  Fill with margarita mix.  Pour all ingredients into a shaker and shake well.  Salt rim of glass (optional).  Pour mix back into glass.  Add a wedge of lime for presentation.

Photobucket

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



*Also submitted at*

I am a Food RENEGADE!Fat Camp Friday ButtonSweet Tooth Friday

Summer Treat

Posted on by Run DMT
15

Like so many things my husband makes, his margaritas are mucho bueno!  

He’s perfected this concoction and they’re a summertime staple in our house.

It’s my favorite summertime treat to beat the heat.

Stop by on Friday for our Friday Food Fight and I’ll share his recipe with you.  If you have a favorite food photo or recipe, we’d love for you to link it up and share it with us.

Hope to see you in the ring this Friday!

PhotobucketLive and Love Out Loud

Get the Party Started

Posted on by Run DMT
15

My 40th birthday party was just as I had hoped. THE BEST TIME EVER!


Hubby organized a private dinner party for our family and friends at The Living Room.  Surrounded by people who love me, I felt like the belle of the ball.  Everyone should experience that once in a lifetime.


After dinner, we headed over to the Dunedin Brewery were the party went slowly downhill got even better  with the help of great beer and a live band.

I had an absolutely fabulous time!  I’m ready to do it all over again this Saturday.  Hell yeah!

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

Mojo in My Mojo Marinade

Posted on by Run DMT
13

Mojo roast chicken is an entrée that’s a regular on our menu rotation, especially since my husband raves about it every time I serve it.

My mojo roast chicken always finishes nicely with the gorgeous golden brown color and crunchy charred garlic bits.  The kids devour the crispy skin which is probably not the healthiest part of the chicken, but at least they save me from eating it and that’s a good thing.  Although, if you eat the skin, it could very well clog and cleanse out your arteries at the same time with each bite since my mojo marinade recipe contains 6 cloves of garlic.  But if it doesn’t cleanse your arteries, at least it will keep the werewolves away!

After I prepare the marinade and completely coat the chicken over and under the skin, I pour the remaining mojo marinade inside the cavity and stuff the squeezed limes in there too.  This produces an even juicer and tender mouth-watering meat.  Then on top, I’ll sprinkle a bit more kosher salt and a touch more black pepper.

Then this perfectly dressed bird flies into the oven set at 450˚ and cooks for about 20 minutes per pound or until it reaches an internal temperature of 170˚.  Once out of the oven, it rests for a few minutes or until it reaches 180˚ after which my lovely assistant, Iron Chef Allan, carves it.

As for side dishes, I’ll serve slices of chicken breast or a leg portion on top of a bed of couscous with a heaping pile of roasted veggies.  I know how to put the mojo in my mojo.  Yeah, baby!

Mojo Marinade for Roast Chicken

Ingredients

¼-½ cup olive oil

Juice of two limes

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp red pepper flakes.

Directions

Add all the ingredients in a small bowl.  Whisk until well combined.

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



*Also submitted at*

I am a Food RENEGADE!friday potluck guest host girlichefFat Camp Friday Button

Good Times at the Glazer Children’s Museum

Posted on by Run DMT
13

On the first Tuesday of each month, the Glazer Children Museum offers $2 Tuesdays sponsored by Target from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Where visiting the museum could be considered a luxury spending for some, this generous community outreach program helps make a fun afternoon affordable for families experiencing financial hardships.

By the length of the queue to enter the museum on $2 Tuesdays, it is apparent that many families certainly appreciate the reduced admission for the Glazer Children’s Museum.  I highly recommend arriving early to avoid a long wait.

For this month’s visit, my SIL, our children and I played in the fountains at Curtis Hixon Park to pass the time while waiting in line.  One adult stayed with the children while the other held our spot in line.  It was a very clever and refreshing plan!

Once inside, guests can experience all the hands-on exhibits just as any other day at the museum and more.

My children love the water play of Kids Port and Gasparilla Island with its sandy-colored rubber crumbles instead of your typical beach sand.  It pours and piles just like regular sand as the children discovered and attempted to bury me alive.

Shopping is a pleasure at the Publix Super Market, but especially for my little one as he pushed his shopping cart around like a Lightning McQueen circling the track.

And the tunnel in the tot spot was almost as much fun.

My family and I love the Gazer Children’s Museum so much that we plan to visit more often than the first Tuesday of each month.  Therefore, as a belated birthday present to my children, I purchased a family membership.  Now with our annual family membership, we can enjoy the museum more regularly and other children’s museums in their reciprocal program.

And that’s a great thing, because the museum is as much fun as it is tasty.

Random Thoughts about being Secretive and Sweaty

Posted on by Run DMT
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At breakfast this morning, my girls accused me of doing “secretive things” while they are at school.  Yep, that’s me.  I’m so secretive.  I like to keep things on the down low.  I suppose this means I should start sweeping up the confetti before they get home.

Today, we spent the afternoon at the Glazer Children’s Museum with our cousins.  What a fun place!  I’m going to write a full review tomorrow for Not-So-Wednesday, so stay tuned for that.  While we were there today with the kids, I purchased an annual family pass as a belated birthday present for Emmalynn and Liam.  I’ll be using that pass o’plenty while the girls are in school.  Hmm…I guess it would appear that I do secretive things while the girls are in school.  Guilty as charged!

Last week, I registered for the All Out Running 5K and now I’m nervous about that race because of the heat.  When it’s not raining, it has been absolutely scorching during my morning runs.  To combat the heat, I’m planning my training route through my neighbors’ sprinklers.  I need to cool off somehow because it’s been hotter than hell.  In fact, it’s so hot (How hot is it?)…It’s so hot that I think I passed Satan spritzing himself with a misting fan during my run this morning.

Also during my morning run, I passed another runner who had stopped to do some elevated pushups.  His enthusiasm in the heat impressed me and I thought to myself, “You go, Boy!”  I was just trying to stay on my feet to finish my 4 miles.  If I hit the ground, I probably wouldn’t be able to get back up to finish the run.  But kudos to him for going the extra mile!

Sure enough, a few minutes later, Rocky passed me and said, “You go, girl!”  That just made me smile and put an extra pep in my step as I paced for the next mile behind him.  The sprinklers and my running partner, Rocky, made the heat a bit more bearable.

4 Miles

Time 42:37

Ave Pace 10:40

Max Pace 8:23

*Proudly submitted to Stacy Uncorked, because when I blog about my training, it’s usually pretty random.*

Stacy

I’m Bringing Sexy Back

Posted on by Run DMT
13

Despite our beach trip getting rained out and not finding a room at the Don Cesar (the pink castle), I still had a FABULOUS birthday week.  Thank you for all the lovely, sweet birthday wishes!

 

This Saturday, Allan and I are throwing birthday party in my honor and I cannot wait!  I’m looking forward to letting my hair down, laughing over drinks, dancing and acting silly with my friends.  I feel like I haven’t seen my friends in ages!

 

For the party, I will be wearing a sexy little number I picked up at White House Black Market a few weeks ago.   I don’t mean to brag…well, all right maybe I do mean to brag…but this dress looks seriously smoking on me.  You know you’re looking fine when the sales associate says, “Girl, that’s HOT!”  Sold!

 

 

With all the hours spent running my ass off and this little black dress, I’m bringing sexy back just in time for my birthday party.

 

 

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