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Chicken, no head.

So it's been the usual brand of chaos around here, except a bit more so because 1. The kids have been a bit sick, 2. We're training for that half marathon thingy, 3. We're getting ready to leave for a trip and 4. I have a new freelance project.

Saturday was a good day. We ran 10 miles. Seriously. I was as surprised as could be when Sporty Pal gave me the verdict. But it was doable … and not even too bad, although I could have eaten a side of beef when we were done. And I am not much for the meat-eating. It was a loooong trek with some nasty hills and while I did take short walking breathers, I ran 95% of it or more. It felt pretty damn good.

Saturday night we got together with a bunch of people: our best friends and their boys, my mom, sister and grandma. Three generations of noisy, messy chaos that was extra enjoyable. I even drank wine!

This week I've been churning out mock-ups, doing endless laundry and phoning in the cleaning/cooking thing. I got to try an excellent restaurant for the first time, Tomayo. Better believe I'll be going back there with Matt next date night.

We're heading out tomorrow. Posts will be spotty over the next week or so. And you nefarious sorts stay away … I've got my gun-toting neighbor and his pitt bulls watching the place, fo real.

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The Great Outdoors

Well it is the perfect season for Matt and I to abandon the treadmill and get outside! The weather is warmer, but not too warm and the days are getting longer. Everything is in bloom and it is beautiful outside!

We have been on two longish outdoor runs and I have been pleased and surprised by how well I've done. Saturday we took the kids in the jogging stroller and ran to the park, about 3 miles away from our house. We let the kids get out and play for about 10 or 15 minutes and then packed them back in and ran home. We put up 10 min miles the whole way, which is really really good for me. I listened to music and talked to Matt and the kids and the time and miles just flew by.

Last night we got out again for a longer run, closer to 8 miles, without the kids (Aunt Gaga watched them – thanks, Kells!) and we had a great run. There was a bit of walking, but we ran it, mostly and in just as good a time as before.

I can only assume that I am a (much?!) faster runner outside than I am inside. I also think the hill work and intervals I have been doing all winter on the treadmill are paying off. Yay.

I have no idea if I can finish the whole 13.1 miles at a jog, but I will try, and hopefully I will make it.

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Links For Good Boys and Girls

A new pile of links for you … the full compliment, as always, is available here.

• Love this mailbox installed in this playroom.
• Super Cute tea cupcake molds
• A great thread on cooking brown rice – I want to try a few methods
• Funny tax form for the marginally employed
• Lessons from preschool has some really interesting things to share
• Manpacks … I don’t really love the tone of this post, but the idea is cool enough
• Loving this Grow.Cook.Eat. blog, it’s an excellent resource for noob gardeners like me.
• Extra adorable lunch bags
• teeny tiny modern things – very very cute
• This might just trump my backyard movie theatre
• Magazines on the cheap
• Very interesting multi-purpose home office
• Many many ways to decorate an Easter egg
• Where to stay for the best fitness perks.
• Peeps sushi! … the thought kind of makes my teeth hurt
• Inspiration for your next kitchen remodel
• Awesome Lego b’day party
• If you’ve never seen the Peeps Show, you must check it out!

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What's Cooking: Volume 10

The slacking on the cooking continues, sort of. I still do it, mostly, even when I don't feel like I've really got my A game, so that's something I guess.

This week I finally tried a Green Monster. What is a Green Monster you ask? It is a smoothie with LOADS of spinach in it. Yes, I typed that right … SPINACH. And it makes it green! The internets have been abuzz about them for a few weeks now and I decided I had to try. So I chunked SPINACH, milk, a frozen banana and a bunch of assorted berries into the blender and hit “liquefy.” Sure enough, lovely green smoothie. Best of all, and I swear this is true, it tasted AWESOME. Other than the color, I don't think I would have known there was spinach in there. It just tastes fresh and nice. Tabby wanted to try her some, so I poured her a toddler-sized cup, which she promptly drank and asked to be refilled. I've made a couple more since. They are excellent.

What else is going on in the kitchen? I made Chicken Enchiladas yesterday. They were pretty tasty and I am having leftovers today. Loki must have liked how they looked too, because he scarfed down most of the second tray I had cooling on the counter. He's on my bad list now.

Strawberries have been super cheap and AWESOME recently. I got them for $.97/lb at our local organic market on Saturday and I must have purchased about 5 lbs. They are practically gone already. I've just been serving them with dinner or topped with a little yogurt for breakfast.

I am having one last go at the lamb stew soon before it is too hot to want such things (we might be there already, actually). I want to try it in the crockpot this time, cook it up on the stove a bit and then leave the simmering part to the crockpot. We're also going to have shrimp fried rice, which is quick and easy and maybe a spinach fritatta since I bought a ton of spinach at Costco.

Next week will be a fridge/pantry clear out week since we're heading to Nashville mid-week and everything must go. But I think we'll start up the grill when we we get back. I'm particularly looking forward to some blackened fish.

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Walking, Running, Other

Another nice weekend that went by way too fast.

• I think I can officially say that Ben is walking. I remember it being different with Tabby … one day she just started walking, everywhere. But Ben is a bit more uncertain (and 2 months earlier) and is taking progressively longer strolls, now around rooms. He's hugely pleased with himself.
• He has also turned into a big cuddlebug. I got him out of his crib on Saturday morning before Matt and Tabby were up and he and I played in his room and got him dressed. Mostly, he just wanted to crawl into my lap and cuddle. Heart melting.
• Matt and I ran 10K on Saturday, outdoors with the kids. Definitely my best pace to date, with 10 min miles (6 MPH). No idea where that came from … going to assume a good night's sleep and the hill work I've been doing on the treadmill.
• We are also officially registered for the Disneyland Half Marathon on Labor Day weekend. So psyched about this. AND I registered for the Title 9K on Mother's Day. Lotsa running to be done.
• Taxes are mostly done, thanks to my dad. Just a few charitable contributions to be detailed. Let's put it this way: we loaned a terrible credit risk (the gov't) way too much of our $$. Blech.
• Tabby, Ben and I went shopping on Saturday with my mom and we all (minus Ben) have lovely new shoes … mostly sandals. Yay! (and Thanks, Mom)
• My new laptop should be here today. I cannot wait.

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Easter Pics

Just a bit overdue, here are the kids on Easter.

Aren’t they cute? They had a great time. Tabby elected to wear her b’day dress. I had a little sweater to put over it, but miraculously, we did not need it. Ben tried to eat chocolate with the wrappers still on, but mostly just enjoyed shaking the eggs. He was feverish that whole day and still a pretty happy little guy.

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Weather, Cleaning, Planning

Well I'm still recovering from the past weekend (things broken, kid sick, busy busy), which means the cute photos of Ben & Tabby in their Easter finery are still trapped on the camera. I did at least get in an hour on the treadmill last night. There's hope for us all.

Spring keeps peeking its head around the corner here. We have gorgeous (and cheap!) berries in our grocery stores. The grass is getting greener. I am excited for summer. Of course I woke up to an inch of snow this morning. Boo. On the other hand, it is gone again. Yay.

As usual, the anticipation of spring/summer makes me want to … clean. Why is that? I always feel the itch, though. Maybe it starts with clearing out the kids clothing … it's amazing what they outgrow over the course of a few months … no wait, I had this urge long before I had kids. Now I'm noticing that our plastic-ware storage cabinet is a huge mess that needs to be tamed and the drawers in my bathroom have way to much k-r-a-p in them. Not to mention my clothing drawers. At least all the maternity stuff is gone. And did I mention my office needs spiffed up? Someday.

Soon, though, we've got to get our yard cleaned up and ready for planting. Soon after we get back from Nashville is Mother's day, which means we're officially frost-free and ready for planting. But not on Mother's day. On Mother's day, I'm planning to run the Title 9K and make Matt take me out to brunch since my own Mamacita will be out of town.

What are your plans for spring?

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What's Cooking: Volume 9

I'm a bit off my game right now. Matt was gone all last week (longer than usual, actually), which never helps. Then Ben was sick over the weekend, the kind of sick where he only wanted to be snuggled. He is doing much better now, thankfully. 24 hours fever free, an all-clear from the doc, who could not see anything wrong with his ears or a sign of strep and a much-improved mood.

Anyway, not really sure what the heck we ate last week. I made a fritatta at some point, which was pretty good. I also made blueberry muffins to go with that fritatta and for the playdate we hosted on Friday. They turned out wonderfully, even after I subbed half whole-wheat flour and half applesauce (for the oil).

This week I'm once again endeavoring to use up what we've got. I bought a couple of quiches at Costco on Saturday, not knowing if we'd have them for dinner with my family or at another time, and so those need to be eaten (along with the leftover blueberry muffins). I also have everything I need to make black bean (& tofu) quesadillas and we've also got the ingredients for sweet & sour meatballs.

Also, I finally made the crackers two weekends back. They turned out really well and everyone loved them! Mine were not nearly as pretty as the cute triangle shapes, but it didn't much matter. I would definitely make them again, but I'd probably use some better cheddar cheese (the stuff I picked up from Sunflower was kinda salty).

Up next week? Well we'll sort that out soon enough, I'm sure.