Simplify

2014 is all about making my day to day less stressful. I have so many things I want to get done and only so many hours in my day. So I started off my day looking for new and different crockpot recipes. Specifically I want make ahead dishes that I can freeze and pop them into the crockpot for a yummy home cooked meal. I started pretty simple. First up is my tried and true crockpot Mac and cheese. That will be followed by an Apple BBQ pork tenderloin, then a Mexican casserole consisting of ground beef, kidney beans, diced tomatoes and chilis, taco seasoning and gree pepper. Also threw together cranberry BBQ chicken breasts that I put into the freezer for next weekend. This should get me through the week with plenty of leftovers for lunch or dinner since Grayson and I will be on our own after Wednesday for a few days. I enjoy a nice cooked dinner, but getting home with a mobile almost one year old doesn't allow a lot of time for cooking. So we shall give this a try.




Got a smaller crockpot for Christmas after Grayson broke the handle off of my other one. It's still usable, but I felt like I always made way too much. This one is a 4 quart and seems more manageable. I already made a chicken dish the week after Christmas and it should get plenty of use in the next few weeks as I experiment with new recipes. Thankfully the interweb is a great resource for recipes and I hope the freeze ahead method works well.

On another note I got my new running sneakers out today. Anything to make the treadmill a happier experience. And yes they made me run fast!

Now it's off to think about taking the Christmas tree down and reclaiming my house.

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Location:White Birch Rd,Barnstead,United States

New year, new goals!

So I sat here last year on this very day and set a ridiculous running goal for myself. I don't remember how many I said I was going to run. It was something like 500 or some crazy number. I did not know then that I would be laid up for 8 weeks after the baby was born or that he was going to grace us with his presence a week late. Needless to say I did not reach my groove until late summer. Then I did manage several months of 45 plus miles.

Bring on 2014. I can now run sub 8 minute miles and I have dropped all of my pregnancy weight plus another 15 or pounds. I am back at my high school weight and feel awesome. I still have that annoying post baby hernia, but it doesn't cause me any pain so I will ignore it for now.

Well what are my goals...I am going to run the big lake in May and I would like to do it under 2 hours. I want to run a sub 25 minute 5k and I can't find one for this weekend! If anyone has one coming up...let me know I will join you. I have been running like a gazelle this week and am itching for a road race.

I am going to the Seacoast Series again. I really enjoyed the series. Also hoping for a destination race with my running buddy. Looks like I will have a full plate this year. Hoping to stay healthy and injury free as I pile on my miles. Here's to 500 happy miles!



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Who knew??

65.73 miles completed for September! That is all!


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In the home stretch...

I am in the home stretch of my September goal. I set my lofty goal back on September 1 to do 45 miles this month. I am safe to say that I am well over 30 miles. This may not seem like a lot to a seasoned runner, but I have come a long way this year. I have also fell below the 120 lb mark for the first time since high school. I went into the hospital topping the scales at 179 and have since lost 61 pounds. I feel great and I stepped into my first pair of skinny jeans over the weekend. Thanks to John who convinced me to get them instead of my usual boot cut jeans.

If all goes well, I should be almost at my goal before I leave for my conference next week. The weather forecast for San Antonio is the low 90s, but everyone keeps telling me its a dry heat so I should be able to get outside to run after our sessions let out for the day. But really I am looking forward to the RiverWalk and doing some shopping while there. It'll also be the first time I am away from Grayson for more than one night. I think it's going to be a lot worse on me than him.

So now it's time to relax with my pointy sticks and string and some chai tea. Made it through Wednesday...looking forward to the rest of the week and my treasured weekend.


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Another one down

Last night was our last long race of the Seacoast Series. I have lived in New Hampshire all of my life and I had never been to the town of Newington prior to last evening. I mean I have been to the mall and Pease Air Force Base, but never to the actual village of Newington. It was quaint and secluded. Great small town field that happens to have a runway bordering it on one side and Great Bay on another. It has all the benefits of being a small town, but with the Seacoast just down the road. I could live there very easily.
All that aside it was a pretty tough 5 miler with lots of hills, but I think all of my running with the jogging stroller is paying off. I managed 9.17 minutes per mile. Crazy! That is almost as fast I was two years ago before the pregnancy. And I have to say I feel great. From Sunday to Saturday I put in 20.5 miles and that was only four runs.
Today is my off day. I am going to lounge around the house, do some housework and hopefully get my wrap done. And of course, the Patriot play their opener today. All in all looks to be a good day.
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Change in routine

I am not one for change. It's Saturday and normally I am getting ready for my run, but not today. We have an off hour road race today and it starts a 5pm. Just strange for a weekend. Instead I am going to start my early morning with a cup of tea and my knitting. Something I don't do enough these days.

I have a wrap to finish before I get cranking on my Christmas knitting. It's a lovely linen lace piece that I have been working on and off all summer. And I want it done before my conference in two weeks. I just have to sit down and make it happen. It's an eight row repeat and I find I am bored with it at this point. Don't get me wrong, it's very pretty and I will post pictures when I am done, but it just seems to be taking forever with the fingering weight.



So I am off...to make things happen today! Happy Saturday! Enjoy the picture from our camp fire last night. It was the perfect night at home.


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We made it to September.

Well it's September 3rd and I am 10.5 miles in. Only 32 more to go to hit my September goal. And it's going to be a busy month. One race on the docket, a business trip to Texas, camping in Vermont, and apple picking round out the weekend plans.

So onto September 5 and I completed another 5 miles. I like having a goal and even though I am no where near my year long goal made back on New Years...I am still happy with my achievements thus far. It has felt like a long road back and I am finally seeing some serious progress. I have been running a lot by myself pushing the jogging stroller and towing the little dog. She has finally gotten the hang of where she needs to be in relation to the stroller so she does not get the run down feeling. Although she has learned that if she drags behind enough we will put her in the stroller with Grayson. We aren't going to lolly gag! I usually have to get a baby ready for bed and dinner going so there is time factor in my afternoon runs.



And besides my fulltime job, I have also taken on teaching a lab at UNH this fall. Because really...I didn't have enough going on in my life. I guess I like the challenge of being really busy.


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