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Soup du Jour Vlog Hop: 32 Random Questions Tag

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For this week’s Soup du Jour Vlog, I’m sharing a prompt from Mama Kat’s Losin’ It called You Tube Tag where I answer the 32 Random Questions listed here.  Fun, right?

Unlike your usual tag, there are no rules for playing along, however, if you watch my vlog, TAG YOU’RE IT!  It’s YOUR TURN to vlog the answers to the questions.  When you do, link up here and then add your vlog to Mama Kat’s vlogging workshop.

I know this week’s Soud du Jour vlog is long, but I hope you watch it to the end. :-)

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I didn’t realize I said, “I hope you watched through it and watched me make a spectacle of myself” while wearing my spectacles.  Nice pun! lol

**Edited to add a few questions I skipped.  I only answered 29 random questions.**

#9 – “Have you ever peed in the woods?”  Yes, my family and I enjoy camping and peeing in the woods is a given.

#21 - ”Is Christmas stressful?”  Yes, the holidays stress me out.  Planning dinners, baking cookies, parties, shopping, wrapping presents and training for races/marathons all in the thick of it.

#23 – “Do you believe in ghosts?” – ABSOLUTELY!  I sense spirits and have witnessed hauntings.  And I can do a mean impression of the Long Island Medium. “I’m sensing sadness.  Have you recently experienced a loss (pronounced laus)?”

So, let’s hear your answers to the 32 Random Question Tag.



*Also sharing this Soup du Jour vlog at*

Just Let Go This Summer at the TradeWinds Island Resorts

*Disclaimer: I received a reduced rate and gifts from TradeWinds Island Resorts for my honest review of our stay there at the TradeWinds Island Grand.  The opinions shared are my own.*

For Mother’s Day, I longed to escape to the beach and just let go.  The TradeWinds Island Grand Resort located on St. Pete Beach made that all possible.

Upon arriving on the TradeWinds Island Resorts property, we were showered with warm salutations at the guard station and the superb hospitality continued throughout our stay.  The staff at the TradeWinds Island Resort would revival any Disney resort and our brief stay on the beach was as magical as any experience at the House of Mouse.

Once we entered our suite within the Island Grand, we blown away by the plush beach five-star accommodations.  The gorgeous golden interior décor paired perfectly with Florida sunshine.

After exploring the suite, we noticed the abundance of gifts provided by TradeWinds, including snacks, wine, a beach bag and towel, two Beaker stuffed toys and TradeWinds Island Resorts amenity/activity bands.  Since we packed light with few snacks, the hospitality gifts was greatly appreciated.

Our first evening at the Island Grand, we enjoyed exploring the resort and dinner at the Flying Bridge while watching sunset.

The next morning, Allana and I woke up early to explore the shore before the rest of the resort arrived on the beach.  We searched for shells in the sunrise and embraced a gorgeous cool morning.

When the rest of the gang woke up, we headed to for a delicious buffet breakfast at Bermuda’s Steak and Seafood which offered so many wonderful items to choose from along the spread.  I appreciated all the healthy options but I splurged with a chorizo cheese veggie omelet, potatoes and a side of fruit.

After breakfast, we took a cruise on a paddleboat.  My kids loved the journey along the shallow swan creek.  We spotted huge Koi and so many varieties of birds and flowers.

Following our paddleboat cruise, we ventured out to beach which falls directly behind the property and only a short walk.  On the beach, I reserved a cabana, complimentary for all resort guests and a necessary beach item with my extremely fair-skinned family.   With lots of sun block and our cabana we could spend hours in the sun.

Plus, we needed a safe place to lay our belongings while we experienced the High Tide Water Slide!  This slippery speedy inflatable water slide raised the bar on all future beach trips.  Nothing will compare to the TradeWinds Island Resorts beach experience!

Although tacky to some, the girls and I rinsed the beach off with a quick jump in the pool while my three year old napped upstairs with Daddy.  With three pools to choose from, we chose the quieter family pool just behind our room.

The girls instantly made friends playing Marco Polo and a cannonball competition.

Later that evening, we ventured off-sight for dinner.  Sadly, the kids were so exhausted from a fun-filled day, they fell asleep when we returned to the resort and we missed highlight of the evening, Captain Redbeard the Pirate.

On the morning of our departure, we played one last round of golf and played on the beach one last time.

Watching my children play in the sun and sand was a perfect way to spend my Mother’s Day weekend.  All the other amenities (the High Tide Water Slide, miniature golf, paddleboats, etc.) made it even better.  Thank you to the  TradeWinds Island Resorts for providing the opportunity for my family and I to just let go.

There are so many wonderful resort activities to enjoy that are included with the TradeWinds Island Resorts fees, such as paddleboats, minature golf, KONK (Kids Only, No kidding Activity Center, the High Tide Water Slide and more.  This summer, plan a weekend away or just let go for one day and experience the TradeWinds Splash Island in addition to all the other TradeWinds Island Resorts  fun for as low as $16 (non-guests begin at $25).

 Plus, the TradeWinds Island Resorts are offering Florida residents a high-flying special for spring and summer with rates as low as $127* per night, not including the nightly resort fee. The resort’s Florida Resident Special includes 15% off already discounted rates, a $100 JetLev jet pack credit and a Surf n’ Sun scratch-off card for one of several prizes that could include dinner for two, a beach bag and towel and more.

** Requires minimum two-night stay and must be booked Sunday through Thursday. Rates and dates are subject to change. Based on availability. Cannot be combined with any other promotion, offer, discount or group code. No refunds for early checkouts or unused portions of the package. A few blackout dates apply. Residents must show valid proof of residency upon check-in.**

Random Thoughts about a Cold, Flunking Challenges, a Koss FitClips Review and UnTrack Tuesday

It would figure. Just when stepped up my sprints, I caught a cold.  Funny, I always seem to come down with something this time of year and this May was no exception.  For the past week, I have been fighting the worst chest congestion related to my allergies.  Since I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t run and decided to take the opportunity to rest.

For Mother’s Day, we spent the weekend at the TradeWinds Resort (review to follow) and my cold started during our stay there.  As much as I longed to run along the beach as a Mother’s Day gift to myself, my chest cold had other plans for me.  I would have to simply rest in the sun on the beach instead and certainly second best to running on the beach.

All that coughing brought on the chest cold which caused me to lose my voice.  By Friday, I felt better and went to Jackie’s Body Combat class at the YMCA.  My friends, Kat and Rachel, teased me about the new release being more intense.  I thought they were kidding.  Holy uppercuts, Batman!  It was intense!  My arms were so sore!  I loved it, but I forgot to wear to the awesome Polar watch that Jenny lent me to use for her 500 calorie {exercise} daily burn. I’m totally flunky this challenge!  Although the workout rocked, my body must not have been ready for Body Combat because Saturday I felt poorly all over again.

So, I rested on Saturday and kept my activity to a minimum.  I had plans to paddleboard with my girlfriends on Sunday and I didn’t want my cold to foil my fun.  Fortunately, I felt better and had a great time paddleboarding with my friends and forgot to wear the Polar AGAIN!  UGH!

Thankfully, my voice was somewhat restored in time for Monday’s Mom Squad.  This week, we discussed Disney’s recent Merida makeover.  Did you even know that Disney revamped Merida’s look?  Personally, I didn’t even realize the change, but my oldest daughter thought Merida looked older with her new look.  Allana thought she looked too much like a princess now.  What do you think?

Merida

This morning, I finally felt better enough to run, so I ran an easy 4 miles.  I honestly needed to take it easy and stopped occasionally for walking coughing breaks.  My quads welcomed the walking breaks because between Body Combat and paddleboarding, they were so sore!  I loved it!  Since it was the first time I ran in almost two weeks, I am seriously behind in my Joggermom Marathon.  Yet, another challenge I’m losing! UGH! Oh well.  I’ll catch up soon and complete those 26.2 miles before the end of the month.

4 miles
Time 41:48
Ave Pace 10:27
Max Pace 7:18

The best part of my run this morning was that I finally tested out my new Koss FitClips headphones for another FitFluential campaign.  Koss sent me two new pairs to try just as my old Sony headphones started to go south.

 

Since I already love the over the ear headphones, the Koss FitClips were the first ones I tested.  The bright sunshine yellow was such a nice change from the usual black I normally wear.  It also came with three different size ear cushions for the perfect fit.  I chose the smallest size which you can see is much smaller than my old Sony clips.

The Koss Fit Series were developed and designed by women for women in part with 12 time gold medal Olympic winner and fitness model, Dara Torres, to help design the product line.  That much is evident by how well they fit and the five vibrant colors available online.  Plus, the cord is perfect for petite ladies like me.  Typically, I have to wind up the extra cord, but the Koss cord was just the right length for me.

Normally, my old earclips would constantly slip out from all the sweat while I ran, but Koss FitClips utilize an original and unique design that ensures the perfect fit.  Using a new inear ported design, it rests comfortably in my ear to create the ideal seal for the ultimate listening experience.  Plus, the soft, flexible clips rest comfortably around the ear to guarantee the music never stops.

And speaking of the music, the sound quality is incredible!  I actually had to lower the volume originally set on my MP3 player.  With a 15-20,000 Hz, these headphones weren’t just bright in color!  Compared to my old headphones, these had greater projection and the bass booming in my ears was simply amazing.

For more about the incredible Koss Fitclips and Fitbuds, the specs and to view all the vibrant colors, visit Koss online. For $5 off code and free shipping, use the code Fit4Life.

What earbuds do you use and does sweat ever ruin your listening experience? Do you ever skip running and rest with a cold?  Did you have sprints and a workout to share?  



*Also submitted at*

Stacy

Float On {with Stand Up Paddleboard}

Yesterday, I experienced a stand up paddleboard do-over.  After my last paddleboard adventure, I was thrilled to experience it all over again with my girlfriends.

Stand Up Paddle Life Co lead us on paddleboard adventure on the Gulf off Sunset Beach in Tarpon Springs. Before we launched, Frank and Sharon offered us very thorough instructions.

Once on the open water, one person lead the group and another paddled behind the group to carefully watch the slower paddlers (i.e. Faith and me).

Both Frank and Sharon carefully watched our form and offered tips to adjust our stance and positioning for more efficient paddling.  Plus, if you paddleboard correctly, it becomes a full body work-out.  You’ll feel it in your arms, core and legs.

During our 3 mile tour, we stopped a couple of times for additional instructions and safety tips and of course, more photos.  During that time, Daffodil decided to demonstrate her best side plank on a paddleboard and other fancy yoga moves.

Larisa and Maribel joined in on the side planking too, but as our group photographer, I passed on the planking.

We had a fabulous morning paddleboarding and we can’t wait to do it again, especially in the certified and expert hands of Frank and Sharon of the Stand Up Paddle Life Co.  I would love to try their paddleboard Boot Camp and Yoga classes. (I’ll need to invest in a waterproof camera for that!)

So, what do runners do in between races?

We’ll all float on ok.


For Music Mondays, I’m now teaming up with my good friend and fellow Marathon Mama, Chrissy.



Visit Xmas Dolly and Jade Louise Designs for more Music Monday.

Pinning and Planning – May 19

Recently I watched an informative video on YouTube about the importance of eating the right foods.  The video, Slim is Simple, wasn’t trying to sell anything.  It didn’t push a magical pill, meal replacement shake or weight loss plan.  It didn’t push Paleo or any other diet plan.  To paraphrase, Slim Is Simple simply states if you fill your body with the right foods, you will see a decrease it weight loss.

The video is a little long, but worth watching.

SlimIsSimple.org suggests staying away from starchy foods and cereals and eating more protein, fruits, vegetables and good fats.  As Slim Is Simple also states, I am guilty of spending hours running and working out and yet, I am still struggling with the last bit of baby weight and belly fat around my middle.  So, maybe I need to eat less starchy carbs? 

Hello, my name is Denise and I am a carb addict.

Last week, I decided to give up my usual granola for breakfast and my other usual carbs for dinner (rice and pasta) to see if I noticed a difference.  Within a few days, I felt lighter.

Since Hubby is struggling to lose weight, I decided to plan more low carb meals this week to see if he notices a difference too.

S – Butterflied Whole BBQ Chicken with Low Fat Classic Coleslaw

M – Lentil Shepherd’s Pie with Rustic Parsnip Crust

T – Cilantro Baked Tilapia with Mashed Cauliflower

W – Chicken and White Bean Stuffed Peppers

Th – Chicken Curry and Kachumber Salad

F – Pizza

What meals are you pinning and planning? What’s on your dinner menu this week?  Do you tend to carb load or eat low carbs?

And while you’re pinning and planning, plan to join me at the Tampa Bay Margarita Festival next Saturday.  If you’re local, enter to win tickets here.



Garden Minestrone

PhotobucketEvery May, right around Mother’s Day, I come down with the worst allergy related cold.  My chest becomes tight.  I can’t breathe and I spend my days hacking up a lung.

This May has been no exception.  Since I spend my nights coughing, I’m not sleeping well.  A lack of sleep means I’ve been too tired to run, but I can’t breathe anyway; therefore running has been replaced with resting.  Plus all the coughing has caused me to lose my voice although I don’t think anyway in this house is too terribly upset that I can’t speak to them above a whisper.

Despite being under the weather, I still have an appetite, but all I want is soup.  For me, soup is my favorite natural remedy and I crave it whenever I’m feeling poorly.  Since I was too tired and not up for the soup kitchen challenge, I submitted an order to Iron Chef Allan for Garden Minestrone.

Chopped tomatoes and chicken stock is the liquid base for the soup, which is already a healthy start.  Toss in some summer time veggies and it becomes healthy portion of green goodness with every spoonful.

Garden Minestrone
5.0 from 1 reviews

Print
Cuisine: Soup, Vegetarian
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-8
A garden flare to a favorite traditional Italian pasta bean soup.
Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
  • 2 large yellow squash, chopped
  • 2 large zucchini, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 carton (26. 46 oz) Pomi chopped tomatoes
  • 4 cups organic chicken or vegetable broth
  • ½ cup uncooked ditalini pasta
  • 1 (15.5 oz) can white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (6 oz) package fresh baby spinach
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp crush red pepper flakes
  • Grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese, (optional for topping)
Instructions
  1. In a large stock pot, heat oil iover medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until softened. Add oregano and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in squash, zucchini and carrot. Sauté five minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  2. Stir in chopped tomatoes, broth and beans and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.
  3. While soup simmers, prepare ditalini pasta as directed on package for al dente, only one minute less. Drain and add to soup. Stir until well incorporated. Remove from heat.
  4. Stir in spinach; season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
  5. Ladle soup into individual bowls. Top with freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese.

Thanks for joining our weekly Friday Food Fight! Can’t wait to see what everyone is flinging this week! 


*Also submitted at*

Tampa Bay Margarita Festival {Giveaway}

How do you like your margaritas?

With extra salt?

With extra lime?

Heavy on the agave and the tequila?

Over ice and a glass that’s never empty?

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Next Saturday, May 25, I will experience THE margarita event to remember at the first annual Tampa Bay Margarita Festival at Curtis Hixon Park.  With live music, piñatas, volleyball, food trucks, fireworks and more, the event promises to provide margaritas just the way I like them: constantly pouring.

For the ultimate margarita experience, I plan to upgrade to La Vie Grand Marnier VIP Experience Admission  for endless Grand Mariner margaritas, unlimited queso and chips, a VIP Taco Happy Hour and Grand Mariner swag.

Although I am a bit of a margarita snob, the margaritas at the Tampa Bay Margarita Festival sound almost as good as our homemade ones.  The margaritas at the Tampa Bay Margarita Festival consist of “fresh squeezed lime juice, pure cane sugar, fresh agave, and of course, the highest quality tequila and liquor”.

Yo estoy ahí. (I am so there.) And you can be too.

One lucky local Run DMT follower will win a pair of General Admission tickets to the Tampa Bay Margarita Festival on Saturday, May 25 from 2:00-10:00 pm.

TampaMargaritaFest

“GA Admission gives you access to the Tampa Bay Margarita Festival with re-entry privileges and enjoy the live band on stage all day, beach volleyball, and more while you enjoy your margaritas!    

Plus, the first 2,500 margarita lovers to redeem their tickets upon leaving the festival will receive a complimentary Budweiser/Cayman Jack gift bags filled with branded goodies and swags, in addition to one bottle of Cayman Jack Margarita (while supplies last).”

Contest ends 5/20 at 11:59 EST.  Only Tampa Bay residents, please.

For more information about Tampa Bay Margarita Festival tickets, directions, cabana rentals and other event details, visit www.tampamargaritafest.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

J&J For All You Love

*Disclaimer: I am participating in the J&J For All You Love campaign and have received compensation for sharing my heartfelt motherhood tribute for Mother’s Day and to promote JOHNSON’S® Baby CARES Care Cards, a digital e-card platform encouraging moms to share positive messages of encouragement with other moms across the country, while simultaneously supporting Save the Children®*

Twelve years ago, I stood in classroom filled with desks and children.  I loved my job and my career choice.  I loved seeing light bulbs shine above my students’ little heads once they finally processed a concept.

Though the paperwork, the parent conferences, the hours spent planning often overshadowed the bright faces that filled my classroom, I loved teaching and I did so for seven years.

Then, I became pregnant and when I heard my little one’s heartbeat in our very first sonogram, I knew my life and my career path would change forever.  That day, I willingly made the choice to be a stay at home mom to raise the baby that grew inside me.

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As my little one grew, I sang songs to my belly.  I read stories to a baby that I hadn’t met yet to ensure my little one would know my voice.  On the day she was born, the moment the nurses placed my newborn baby girl on my chest, I looked into her little swollen eyes and cried.  Though we only just met, I fell in love with my baby girl.

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Twelve years later that love has grown and multiplied as our family grew and multiplied with the birth of two more babies.  Each time, I instantly fell in love with them all.

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I am still at home, raising my children and I often miss my teaching days, but I don’t regret my choice.  I don’t need to ask for a personal day or worry about substitute plans.  Though most days balancing three kids can be tough, for the most part, we have fun.

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The other day, my seven year old completed an “All About Me” poster.  In the “What I want to be when I grow up” section, she wrote “I want to be a mommy.”

I asked, “Why do you want to be a mom when you grow up?  Why not a teacher or a doctor?”

“Because moms have fun.  Moms go on field trips and take their kids places and spend time with them and love their kids.”

Yes, we certainly do.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way.


In celebration of Mother’s Day this year, JOHNSON’S® Baby has established JOHNSON’S® Baby CARES Care Cards, a digital e-card platform encouraging moms to share positive messages of encouragement with other moms across the country, while simultaneously supporting Save the Children®.  You can help, too!

Simply pick and share a card filled with messages of reassurance for a Mom in your life on Facebook at http://www.johnsonsbabycares.com. For every card sent, shared or liked, JOHNSON’S®  Baby will donate $1.00 to Save the Children® (up to $150,000) to benefit early childhood education programs that foster education and reassurance for new moms. These cards will not only spread encouragement to Moms throughout the country but will also provide Moms in need with the skills and knowledge to successfully support their child’s growth.

J&JForAllYouLove

Roasted Veggies and Asiago Flatbread

PhotobucketI have a new Friday night favorite other than our usual pizza.  Iron Chef and I made this Roasted Veggie Flatbread as a team.  I prepared the roasted garden vegetables of baby Portabella mushrooms, red onions, zucchini and yellow squash using my roasted veggie recipe while Allan made the dough using this New York style pizza crust recipe.  The steps for flatbread are very similar to pizza but Allan has perfected his crust even more since I shared that recipe.

First, he flours the board with lots of flour.  Then, using a rolling pin, he rolls out dough as thin as possible, about ¼- 1/8 of an inch and lets the dough sit for a minute or two.  Then, he rolls it out and let again to 1/8 of inch.   This process produces a thin, crispy gorgeous crust that’s perfect for the crispness for flatbread.

This week, we decided to serve Roasted Veggie and Asiago Flatbread for Meatless Monday.  The combination of charred veggies and about 2 Tbsp of shaved Asiago cheese with the crispy flatbread was better than I had hoped.  This may replace our regular red sauce Friday night pizza tradition.

Thanks for joining our weekly Friday Food Fight! Can’t wait to see what everyone is flinging this week! 


*Also submitted at*

Soup du Jour Vlog Hop: My Mother’s Day Reflection

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Earlier this week, the Today Show shared a piece by Today Moms on how parents of three children felt more stress than parents with fewer children or even more children.  According to their survey, parents of three often feel outnumbered, whereas parents of four or more children tend to be more relaxed.

Being a mom of three, I definitely feel outnumbered, over-stressed and have resorted to self medicating with beer or wine.  However, one too many glasses and I could hit the magic number of four children. Of course, I’ll be more relaxed and I’ll drink less due to something called the “Duggar Effect“.  Sure.  I’ll drink to that.

Happy Mother’s Day!

What are you reflecting on this Mother’s Day? Do you have one, two, three or more children? Do you feel stressed or does the idea of more children stress you out?



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