Happy Halloween!

Halloween is one of those fun holidays...just so many possibilities.  It can be cute and fun or scary and dark - whichever you prefer and it's all okay.  I love the cute and fun, but then again, I am a child care provider and I love planning fun activities for the kids.  One of my most favorite parts of October?  Singing "Spooky Walk" every day.  Yes, every day.  I love that cute little song.  And the kids love it too.  If you've never heard spooky walk, check out this little video.  It's not my kiddos, but it's cute kids anyway!



Another great thing about Halloween is all of the treats!!  And my kiddos were spoiled today!

[caption id="attachment_1321" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Boo! Ghosts found their way into the pancakes...[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1324" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Spooky lunch!! I made the "mummy hot dogs" and my daycare moms took care of the rest. Isn't it awesome???[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1322" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Don't mess with these kids! Too cute to not give them treats to![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1325" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Stop with the pictures already! Can I EAT???[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1327" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Digging into those yummy strawberry ghosts...[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1326" align="aligncenter" width="800"] And the Jack O Lantern fruit cups too![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1328" align="aligncenter" width="800"] YUM![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1329" align="aligncenter" width="800"] And don't forget the hot dogs!! These are pretty tasty too![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1323" align="aligncenter" width="682"] Happy Halloween from all of us!![/caption]

We still have a few treats to eat.  We had cute pumpkin cookies for am snack and we'll be enjoying some cupcakes for afternoon snack.  Luckily, we've had lots of good food and fruit in between!  I hope you enjoyed sharing our Halloween day with us.

  Sheri

Happy Monday!

So, I guess as long as I can manage a post a week, I'm going to just have to be happy with it.  I'd rather give you lots of good stuff than a few posts here and there!  So, as usual, we've been busy around here.  For once, it's not been as much running as usual though.  Just enjoying life.

Thought I might start with giving a glimpse into our menu for the week ahead.  I haven't done that for awhile, and thought it would be a good start to the week...

Keep in mind that breakfast and lunch are geared toward the daycare kids, and may include meat.  Dinner is for the hubby and I, and occasionally the boy, and won't include meat.  :)

Monday:

Breakfast: Banana Smoothie, Toast, Lunch: Chicken & Rice Bake, Dinner: Veggie Soup & Grilled Panini\

Tuesday:

Breakfast: Applesauce Baked Donuts, Lunch: Pizza Stuffed Pita Shells, Dinner: Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadillas

Wednesday:

Breakfast: Pancakes, Lunch: PB Banana Wrap, Dinner: Veggie Stromboli

Thursday:

Breakfast: French Toast, Lunch: Egg & Potato Hash, Dinner: Large Salad, Corn Fritters

Friday:

Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal, Lunch: Spaghetti, Dinner: Out with Friends!

So, there's our plan for the week.  I try to plan flexible meals and I change things up as needed. I have to say that I am looking forward to Friday night's dinner the most!!  We're headed out with some very good friends to Gettysburg and going out to dinner and then are doing a ghost tour through downtown Gettysburg.  The hubby and I did it last year and, besides the frigid weather of last year, it was a great time.  We're doing a different tour this year, with a different company and there will be 8 of us.  The weather is looking perfect too!!  No hat, gloves and boots required!  I will try and snap as many pics as possible to share with all of you.  :)

Now, what have I been making this past week, you wonder???



A great sauteed veggie platter with potatoes, kale, feta cheese and some spinach and feta pierogies added in.  Delicious and healthy!



And this was our Sunday breakfast...yummy!!



And while I was at it...I made some buns for Sunday lunch to use with our veggie burgers.  :)



And these are the apple hand pies I made for the daycare kiddos breakfast last week...they were tasty!



And this was the inside of the apple pies.  I used my Pampered Chef cut and seal tool to make them.  I love that tool.  I make my own uncrustable PB&J with it too.  Kids (and the hubby love it!)

So, I've shared our menu, shared our past meals and I guess all that's left to do is share about my running.  Of course!

I had a rough week last week.  Healing up from running my unofficial marathon was a little time consuming.  My ankles were the most sore I guess from running all that uneven surface of the Appalachian Trail.  So, I did 2 runs - one on Tuesday that was only 4 miles and speedwork at a local park, and then the next day on the trails I love at Rocky Ridge I did 6 miles.  Then I took Thursday and Friday off and had a great run at an alumni 5k for my high school.  The cross country course was tough but I broke 30 minutes and I was thrilled.  29:59 is breaking 30, right!?!  I did take first place in my age group too, but it was a pretty small field.  But I got a trophy.  My first one.  Even more special that it was from my high school and my hubby paced me the whole run!

Then, I skipped my long run yesterday.  I just wasn't feeling like running.  WHAT!?!  I hope that by listening to my body I can prevent injuries and hopefully I'll still hit my 1000 miles for running this year.  I am at 816 miles.  SO CLOSE!  So, I really want to keep that momentum going.  Fingers crossed I make it.

Anyway.  Enough rambling.  Time to wrap this up!

Have a fantastic week everyone!!

Sheri

 

 

Has It Really Been a Week?

I'm so sorry.  A week since my last post?  Really?  Wow.  I have no excuses other than life is a whirlwind sometimes.  Here's my rundown...

First off...the trail half marathon last weekend was BRUTAL!  I felt so good in the beginning...like I was flying up and down the hills, but, then, mile 7 came and I just completely bonked.  Hard.  It was a disappointing 3:08 finish.  But it was a finish.  And the hubby did so fantastic!!  He won his age group.  I love that guy!  He is AMAZING!  Best part of the trip?  Hanging with my in-laws and having some time away with the hubby.  I loved it.  I needed it.  So, bonked half marathon or not, it was a good weekend. Check out that elevation chart...isn't that rough looking.  I still don't want to look even though it's done.  :)



Next up, just what a freaking busy week.  Wow.  The hubby went for another vision followup and we got the official diagnosis.  I know I've been sorta keeping this one quiet and not sharing but that was really more because we just weren't sure what to do, and I wasn't really ready to share yet.  I still doubt that anyone will know what it even means, but he has Stargardt disease or Fundus Flavimaculatus is another name for the adult onset version like he has.  Not much is known about it and there aren't treatments yet but we're staying positive.   We're good over here.  Of course, we'd rather not have this to deal with but at the same time, we at least know what it is and that's a far cry from all the guessing we'd been doing.  Any and all prayers, healing thoughts and good vibes for our family are appreciated!  Choosing to be positive is a much better place than falling into negativity or freaking out so I'm hoping I can make that choice as much as possible!

One great part of the day of his doctor visit?  Peanut Butter and Jelly pancakes!  I don't have a recipe because I completely made this up as I went along.  But I'm sure you could do that too.  These were delicious!!!! A little, teensy bit on the dense side but an awesome pancake experience.



And, then, the hubby had a craving for something cinnamon that night.  Hmm....well, monkey bread or cinnamon rolls take some time.  But coffee cake doesn't...so I found this Best Coffee Cake Ever recipe from Pioneer Woman and had to try it.  And, it was pretty good.  A little heavy for me, but really, really good.



And, did you notice that Coco Cafe in the picture?  I have a friend who loves coconut water.  Okay, I have several friends who swear by it, but I have one who loves it.  Yes, Jen, I'm talking about you.  So, when I saw this in the store, I had to give it a try.  And, guess what?  I still don't like it.  Even when a shot of expresso and milk is added to it.  I just can't get into it.  I tried, Jen, I really, really did.



To top off all of that, I went out for a training run yesterday and decided to do 26.2 with my friend Stacey.  We decided to run on the Appalachian Trail and once you've gone out 13 miles, you really don't have a choice to but to finish it out and go back.  I was beyond excited to have gone that far!  I really feel ready to tackle my marathon in November, but it is a great feeling knowing I ALREADY have gone that far!!  Yeah, that's me looking like a silly idiot when Stacey snapped a pic as I was wrapping up the .2 of the whole deal.  I'm surprised at how great I still feel.  Maybe it's still the runners high?  I don't know but I like it.



Oh, and I did forget to mention it was fire safety week last week and one of my daycare dads is a firefighter.  He does the COOLEST. THING. EVER. for us every year and brings the fire truck to our house, gives the kids a lesson the equipment, fire safety, and rides on the truck around the neighborhood.  It's awesome.  The kids (and us grown ups!) love it.  Two of my friends who are also child care providers bring their kiddos over, and we have a great morning.

Here's my kiddos waiting...



And here's a quick shot from inside the truck...fun times!!



And, now that I think you're all completely caught up...I'll tell you something shocking.  I ate....a turkey burger today.  It was my first taste of meat in many, many months.  I don't think I will be making it a habit but it wasn't terrible.  I think I'll just end on that...

Enjoy and have a fantastic week!

Sheri

 

Looking Ahead...and Enjoying Some Pumpkin Muffins Along the Way

I don't know if I've ever dreaded and awaited another week more than this one.  There's a lot going on and a lot of it affects our future so profoundly that it's hard not to let it overwhelm me.  I don't know about you, but when I'm feeling overwhelmed, I like to do things that I can control...like cleaning, cooking, shopping, etc.  I guess it gives me back that sense of control that I feel like I'm losing.  Not that I'm ever in control.  It's an illusion because, in reality, God is in control and I trust his promises and know that he won't leave us.  So, even when I'm feeling lost and alone, he's still there, guiding my way.  So, for the next few days I am going to try my best to leave Him in control and not try to interfere.  Very, very hard for me but still.  :)

This morning, I decided to make some pumpkin muffins.  I mean, fall is HERE in full force!  The temps are dipping and the leaves are falling.  I am looking forward to those cool weather runs ahead but hoping that my marathon next month will be seasonal temps, not too cold.  This weekend's trail half marathon in Lynchburg, VA was great temps, maybe just a tinge on the warm side because I was sweating a bit too much.  Or maybe that was just me working my butt off...?  Hmmm...I don't know.  It was a rough course though.  My official time was 3:08 and I was pretty disappointed.  My last trail half was 2:47 and I was really, really hoping to shave a minute or two off of that.  But I made the mistake that will do in any runner...I went out too fast.  Way too fast.  I mean like running 9 minute miles up the first hill fast.  Let me put that in perspective by saying that I usually run 10:30 pace.  By mile 7 I was bonking hard.  I waited too long to use fizzy hydration tablet and by the last hill at mile 12, I was dying.  But, I made it, and I'm trying to be proud of that.  I did place 3rd in my age group, but that was due more to the fact that there were only 6 people in my age group.  I know that the trails and hills are building my muscles up and for that I am thankful but I am still trying to hold out hope for a sub 5 hour marathon on November and this run made me start to worry.  At least my marathon is mostly flat!  :)



Back to those muffins...I found a recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins from the Girl Who Ate Everything and it was perfect.  I was short 2 eggs because our farm delivery hasn't made it here yet this morning but it was fine with 2 eggs.  I also tweaked the spices because I thought 1 t of cloves was excessive.  It was perfect with just a few dashes of cloves in it's place.  I also did not have time to freeze the cream cheese mixture and it was great as it was too.



The daycare kids were excited for these muffins. and had seconds and even shared a third.  They love muffins and muffins with cream cheese in the middle and sugar on top are especially a treat.  I also had an ulterior motive for making these muffins because while we were off running the trails at Liberty University, our neighbors were helping out with the dogs.  And some of these delicious muffins will make their way over to their house as a thank you.  Don't you love when you bake for other people?  I love sharing things that I love, so it makes me happy. Hopefully they enjoy them!  We are lucky to have good people like them in our lives.

I hope you all have a wonderful crisp fall morning!

Enjoy,

Sheri

Not Your Average Oatmeal Cookie from Cooking from a SAHM

Alyssa is spoiling all of you with her goodies!!!  She brought cookies this week - one of my favorites, oatmeal!

Happy almost weekend everyone!

Sheri



Good Morning Everyone,

Months ago I constructed a new oatmeal cookie :-) I love to experiment and I had some fresh berries on hand. So I came up with " Not your Average Oatmeal Cookie" :-) It was soo good.  Now if you do not want to add the chocolate chips you can substitute it for something else.  Now that its fall its so much better to turn the oven on :-) I really hope you enjoy this cookie recipe :-)

 

Not your Average Oatmeal Cookie

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups rolled oats

1/4 C. Walnuts

1/4 C. chopped cranberries

1/4 C chopped blueberries

1/4 C chocolate chips

1/4 C Raisins

Instead of the 1 Tsp of Vanilla I use 1 tsp of Coconut Extract

Directions

In large bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and Coconut extract until fluffy. Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in oats and raisins, blueberries, cranberries, chocolate chips,walnuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

 

 

Pictures...Nope. Lots to say? Yep.

I haven't picked up my camera in weeks.  At first, I was stressed, just wondering what was wrong with me, but then, I decided to not force something that I love to be that something I love and just go with it.  And I have...I've gone right off the map...  Okay, not off the map, but I have been quiet and not writing.  I guess we all need those introspective times, and I've been thankful to have the chance to do that.

This past weekend, I went away with a group of friends to Winefest in Ocean City.  This is an annual trip that I've done for three years now.  You may remember me mentioning it in last years blog post on HSH.    This year's Saturday menu was created by my wonderful friend, Lisa and her mom, Karen and it was a full out Mexican buffet. It was pretty delicious.  She even made sure to have veggie-eater friendly stuff just for me.  I hate to cause more work, but you can't help but feel loved when people do stuff like that for you.

We had our biggest group ever this year - 8 - and it was a great mix of personalities.  We just laughed and had a good time all weekend.  We had a rough start to our weekend sitting on a closed highway in Delaware for four hours but being in the car with 3 friends and being able to call and laugh with everyone already in Ocean City made it tolerable.  It was smooth sailing after that and we had a great weekend.  I even managed to squeeze in a 5 mile run Sunday morning while the sun was rising.  There is no comparison to that.  I love running on the boardwalk and being able to see the sky changing color and reflecting off of the water was amazing.  But, all too quickly, it was time to head back to home and getting ready to dive back into the workweek.  But that little retreat made me feel a little more like myself.  Life will always have it's ups and downs and that's what makes it life.  I try not to dwell on the stresses anymore but sometimes they start to pile up and I don't even realize it.

So, I am working hard at feeling like me, and I am enjoying my cooking adventures so much more again.  I think right now one of my biggest cooking stresses is feeling torn between how everyone in the house wants to eat.  Is it like that in your house?  I have basically returned to vegan and am trying to stomach the occasional dairy product to keep my b12 up. I asked my doctor to test my b12 and iron levels, so hopefully I'll know that soon and can plan better?  But in the meantime, the hubby is eating vegetarian with the occasional fish added in because that's how feels best and on top of that, the boy wants nothing but processed meats and snacks all the time.  I don't buy that so he eats out all of the time, even when I try to explain how awful it is for him.  I know at 17 he's not listening much but I keep hoping it will sink in.  So, I never know what to make anymore.  It's a difficult thing.  Anyone else go through the same thing?  I'd love to hear how blended diet households do it.

Enjoy your day!

Sheri