SIGNING UP FOR A 10K

For my 25th Year Challenge, I wanted to incorporate some kind of fitness and health activity. I have always enjoyed being active (minus that 8 month summer in Arizona!) and outdoors. I love the feeling of a long day spent outside and coming home to slightly pink cheeks and new freckles on my skin. Living here in San Diego has provided us countless opportunities to be outside a lot & exercising. A walk on the bay, a bike ride on the board walk, or even walking the hilly zoo has us out and about about 4-5 days a week. This past weekend, Derek and I decided to reward our good behavior of exercising with some new work out clothes and signing up for a race. At first, Derek had this look in his eyes of, "Let's run a MARATHON!" Woah, boy. Simmer down. We then jumped down to a 5K. "Yeah, that sounds more like it!" we thought. The next day, we found a race that corresponds with the McKenzie family reunion in Idaho this July and told the family we would be running. We were excited, and then the comments started. "Do the 10K with us! It's not much farther! We did it last year!" So, of course.... we get sucked in. We started thinking along those lines. "Yeah, we can do this. We've got this. We are strong!" Well, that was a week ago. Are we a little sore? Yep. Is it hard? You betcha. Do we want to quit? Sometimes. But the great thing about this is, we are learning and growing. SLOWLY. But still learning and growing. Just like the race of life, sometimes we have to give ourselves those little pep talks. 

"I can do this. I've got this. I am strong." 

MY OVARIAN CYST

Last Monday was a big day. The past few months I have been waiting for the removal of a very large (13 cm) ovarian cyst from my right ovary. I am happy to report that it was removed cleanly and without any damage to my ovary & tube, which all my doctors and surgeons had warned me of. I am thankful for their skilled expertise, the prayers and faith of countless family and friends, and the chance I have to finally be rid of something that has been a very long and painful road. Derek took a vacation week and has been with me everyday, playing doctor. He's so good at it, no wonder his patients adore him. I have been up and moving more and more everyday and feeling more like myself. It's been a week of pain, love, and a lot of sleep, but more a week of relief.

Crock Pot 101

A big thing that keeps me sane in my busy & hectic life is organization. I have posted some easy organization tips with you before, and thought I would share a simple meal plan that I have put into practice the last few months. With Derek having clinical rotations, it is easy to throw something in the crock pot that will be ready when he gets home around 6:00 pm, even the nights I am working until 8:00. Thanks to the wonderful world of internet cooking sites, Pinterest, and my own adaptations, I was able to come up with 8 easy and healthy meals that could easily fit into any families dinner routine. 

 It all starts with 1 major shopping and cooking day. This is where I purchase everything I will need to make these meals, and since I have portioned them out, I get two meals for each recipe. {This works for us because we are a small family. If you have a larger family, just up the ingredients!} I have attached the recipe cards & shopping list  for your pleasure(click the link to download). Most of these ingredients are staples in our house, and of course you can change them to your own liking. When you get home, start prepping. The Taco Soup, Italian, and Mexican ground beef need to be fully cooked, so make sure you let them cool before throwing them in the bags. Write in sharpie the "Instructions for Bag" written below each recipe.Also, make sure you purchase the heavy duty Freezer bags. This is NOT the time to save a couple cents & buy cheapies. 

It's as easy as that! Now you have between 8-16 meals for you and your family to enjoy! I hope this makes your meal planning, preparation, and actual dinner time routine much easier. 

(Photo credit: ringaroundtherosies.net)

Veggie Tales

A few weeks ago, I was watching a Doctor Oz episode while folding laundry. He followed a busy Mom all day and took note of what she was feeding her family. He then had them come to his studio to present some alternatives and new items to add into their schedules. He mentioned that families should stay away from fresh produce and stick with frozen because of the amount of money everyday families end up throwing away because of rotten food. I am a big fan of frozen veggies, but I thought I would share a few easy ways to keep fresh produce from going bad in your fridge.

1. Clean, cut, and prepare your veggies

This is one of the first things I do after getting home from the grocery store. Carrots, celery, and cucumbers are staple items here at our house. It takes a little more time then just throwing them right in the fridge, but I have realized that you eat more veggies when they are cut and ready to go. We get veggies in our lunch everyday, and on busy weeknights where I work late, we can easily eat a sandwich and have some veggies right at our fingertips.

2. Keep Fruit Visible 

How many times do you buy a bunch of apples, pears, or other fruit, eat one and then forget about it? This is basically the same rule as the veggies, but I keep the apples in the fridge in a bowl ready to grab. And yes, we are normal- we drink soda here. {ha ha}

3. The BEST Way to Store Fresh Herbs

For the longest time, I was at a loss of how to store my fresh herbs. I recently found a way that has been really easy and super simple. First, make sure the leaves of your herbs are really, really dry. Next, trim about an inch or inch and a half off the stem. In a cup/jar, put about 3 inches of water and place the herbs right in. If you are storing them out on the counter, they are ready and good to go just like that. Since cilantro prefers the cold, I keep all herbs in the fridge. Place a plastic bag loosely around the leaves and stick on a label! 

Hopefully these tips and tricks help you in your new years resolutions to eat better, or just to eat more veggies! 

Some Good News

{My brothers new kitten Penny. I love her!}

According to my doctor, my cyst appears to be "shrinking". I have another appointment in about six weeks to check up on it again. Thank you all for yours sweet comments, blog &  facebook messages. It is so amazing to me that so many people are sweet enough to care. I love you all! Also, this little kitty seems to make me feel a lot better.

Lemon Lump

There is something the size of a lemon inside me. Nope, it's not a a baby. It's a cyst in my right ovary. And let me tell you something. IT HURTS, a LOT. So, please excuse me for a few days while I rest up and see a specialist to see if it's shrinking or growing. But for reals guys, pray it shrinks, because I can't imagine anything larger in there right now.