I’m Lusting After Eagerly Waiting On:

My new running shoes to be delivered!!  The tracking shows delivery tomorrow by end of day!  I made a goal to set a PR at my last 5K (pace-wise) and succeeded so I rewarded myself with new running shoes!  

It was one of those things that I did not have the money to splurge on, but I had been pushing myself physically towards several goals and it was time to not only ‘reward’ myself, but to take care of my feet (since I am running so many races).

While the color I originally had my heart set on is apparently out of stock, I ordered these black, pink and yellow ones from 6PM.com (which is a lower price online store for shoes):

I have never tried the Pearl Izumi brand of shoes so I will keep you posted.  Since I have tried almost every other running shoe brand, I thought it was time to try something different (especially since my current Nikes seem to be tired).  Hopefully they fit my foot, look good, and enhance my running.  Fingers crossed.

I’m Reading:

About Unhealthy Grocery Store Habits.  These types of articles have been around forever, but I finally sat down and read this one from Fit Sugar.  

There are basically four important things to remember:

1. Do not start in the middle:  You should try to ‘shop on the perimeter’ and grab fresh produce, dairy, and lean meats rather than frozen/processed foods.  The first place I go when I get to a grocery store is the fruit/veggie section.  Honestly.  :)  My daughter yells out ‘nanas’ when we first get into the store… after ‘cart’, of course.
2. Do not go hungry:  Let’s face it - you’re going to get the unhealthy calorie-filled foods/snacks if you go to the store hungry.  Eat before you go the store (at least something like yogurt, nuts, fruit, etc).  Not only will you shop healthier - your bill will be less.  Trust me.  :)  If I went hungry I would come out with cookies, cake, chocolate, chips, who knows what.
3. Do not go without a list:  I always go to the store with a list.  I know what I like (I usually eat the same things on a daily basis) and I have my list arranged according to the store layout (something you get good at considering you have an antsy toddler).  Lists keep you from straying and being like my hubby who comes home with two bags of Cheetos.  :)  I DO buy Cheerios sometimes - because I love them as a late snack with unsweetened almond milk.
4. Do not skip all the prepared foods:  While I have a hard time grasping/agreeing with this concept - I can get on board with some of it.  Sometimes you do not have time to cook/prepare meals.  Therefore, the grocery store has a salad bar, cut and bagged veggies/fruits, frozen whole grains/fruit, and apparently, cooked kale.  Personally - I buy fresh fruits, marinated chicken from the butcher (to grill with the hubby’s pork chops), fresh veggies to grill, etc.  The packaged foods tend to be pricier.

Here is a look at my typical weekly grocery list:

• Bananas
• Watermelon (small and seedless)
• Green grapes (when in season and crisp)
• Golden Delicious apples (bi-weekly)
• Vegetables to grill such as yellow squash, colored peppers, eggplant, or tomatoes
• Jennie-O Extra Lean Turkey Burgers
• Jennie-O Turkey Meatballs (only found on occasion and I put in my pasta)
• Marinated 6oz skinless chicken breasts
• Canned green beans, black beans, clementines, corn, and/or peas (for my daughter)
• Whole wheat pasta
• Whole wheat bagel thins (I get this every 2-3 weeks since I only eat half of one a morning)
• Cheerios (Honey Nut is my favorite and I usually only get a box every other week)
• 2-3 egg whites (in the carton - I eat a cup every morning)
• Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk (bi-weekly)
• Whole milk (for my daughter)
• Chobani flip/bite yogurt
• Bottled Water (it tastes better than our filtered tap in my opinion)
• Vitamin Water Zero (sometimes we like a change from water and this has no calories)

What does your list look like?

I’m Watching:

So You Think You Can Dance on Fox.  It came back on last week and was on for two nights in a row.  I was so excited I could not contain myself.  ;)  This show ranks up there with The Biggest Loser when we consider ‘reality’ shows.  However, SYTYCD displays sheer talent and a variety of dance styles (some you have never seen) so I enjoy this one more.

I used to dance when I was little but never continued but this must give reason to my love of critiquing the dancers like I am a judge.  Watching these (mostly young) people do the things they do is amazing.  

Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe (still a judge on the panel) produced the show which started in 2005.  While I love the auditions, I love the choreographed dances (by some amazingly famous choreographers) on the final stage.  This is, ironically, completely opposite to American Idol.  I only like the couple days of auditions and then I am tuned out for the rest of the season.

I am very very excited to see what this seasons holds!  My hubby mainly lets me enjoy my show alone (he’s asleep when I watch) but sometimes, he really loves to watch the hip hop/krump numbers.  Who doesn’t?  :)  It is on tonight for two hours!  Go DVR, go!

I’m Drooling Over:

This Thin Mint Protein Fudge that I read on The Fitnessita (a blog that I follow).  If the name does not make you drool, then you have a problem.  :)  Or you hate fudge.  Either way… this made ME drool (and I do not really eat fudge).

She uses the following ingredients (take from The Fitnessista):

• 2 scoops vanilla or chocolate protein powder of choice (my choice would be ISOPURE)
• 1 scoop coconut flour (ground oat flour would work well, too)
• 2 tablespoons nut butter of choice (my choice would be almond)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 t xlyitol or sweetener of choice to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 -1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or a little more to help the mixture come together. This is going to be dependent on how creamy your nut butter is.

I wish I had the time/was creative enough/could bake to make things like this.  Instead, I read about them, attempt a few here and there and end up with gushy weird concocted messes.

Now I want to eat these.  :)  Healthy chocolate?  Yes, please.  I would have an issue not eating the whole pan.

Toddler-Friendly Restaurant Rating (out of 5 pacifiers):

My daughter is to the age (20 months) that we no longer use the high-chair cover (that was a lot to tote around) and loves coloring the ‘kid’s menu’ when they have one.  Otherwise, I have a pad of paper and colors in the diaper bag.  Sometimes she will color regular menus if we are not fast enough to stop her.

Side note: We still do not order off the kid’s menu unless we know there is nothing she can eat off our plates and, if we do, we anticipate having another 3 meals for her out of her leftovers.  I also always have milk in her sippy so we rarely need/order a drink.

Since I have not written about this restaurant before AND it was my first time going - I decided it was worthy!  When my brother was in town, we all went to Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop in downtown Kansas City.

I like Thai food, so I was game.  This place reminded me of one that you would find in NYC - one you would walk to/pay for parking and on the smaller side (but still much wider than NYC restaurants).  I ordered the Vietnamese Spring Rolls (2) since they were on the happy hour menu at the time and they were amazing.  I had never had rice noodles (white rice in noodle form) and my daughter loved them as well.  These were light (not fried) and came with a peanut dipping sauce that was delicious!

I also got the Thai Chicken Wrap and only ate half (the hubby had the other half a day or two later at work).  This was very heavy on the white rice (which I had not eaten for a very long time) but had that delicious peanut sauce.  My brother and hubby got some kind of noodle dish that was slightly spicy.  :)  My mom tried small plates like dumplings.

My daughter ate a culmination of everyone’s food and some of the green beans I ordered her (as a side) but they were a little too fresh and crispy for her taste.  Her favorite was the dessert we ordered - which became her dessert.  It was a sticky rice with some kind of caramel sugar sauce and sliced mangoes.  She licked the sauce clean out of the container.

I give this place 3 out of 5 pacifiers for toddler-friendliness.  They had a highchair, a kid’s menu she could color, she enjoyed the fun noodles and random bites of food, but I am not sure about the bathroom since we did not use it.  I would give it a 4 out of 5 for adult food awesomeness.  I would like to go again!

Favorite Baby/Toddler Item (at the moment):

The ‘My First Climber’ (made by American Plastic Toys) slide that my mother got my daughter.  :)  The hubby put this plastic thing together (because I tried when I was really tired one night and got frustrated) and my daughter loves it.  

However, it is short and she gets stuck trying to slide down it (especially without pants - shorts - and no socks).  Therefore, she uses it to climb and sit on (and watch TV or read books).  She also moves it around (by pushing and pulling) which is amusing to watch.  We sometimes have to holler at her to ‘SIT DOWN’ when she gets brave and stands on it.  She has figured out to use a blanket to slide down.

Considering she is ridiculously scare of swinging at the park (this has happened during the last few months) she loves sliding.  The fact that she can do so inside must blow her mind.

Random Thought(s):

I did Body Beast: Beast Cardio and Abs this morning.  I only burnt 345 calories total (not surprised) and thought about doing an INSANITY workout to burn more but decided I did not have time before my daughter woke up.

Why does un-popped popcorn have more calories than popped?  And why must they list it on the package?  Who opens the bag and eat the kernels?

I think this is how my daughter and I are going to paint in a few years.

Who taught my daughter to walk like this?  :)  Her arms swing out to the side in excitement! 

It must have been my mom!  ;)  Happy Tuesday everyone!