So Blessed

It's been a very busy summer! We had a lot of family come to visit us. Most recently my grandparents came all the way from Mississippi. Ava got to meet another set of her great grandparents. She fell in love with them and they fell in love with her too. We hadn't gotten to see them in almost a year, so it was really nice to spend some quality time together.

I just rocked Ava to sleep for her midday nap. I couldn't think of anything to sing to her and then all the sudden I decided on Silent Night. After I sang through it two times her eyes had already drifted off to sleep and I became overwhelmed with an extreme sense of joy and love. The moment brought me to tears and I couldn't sing anymore. I held her in my arms and thanked God for sending her to us. I'm the most happy I've been in such a long time.

I know I've had huge gaps in my blogging, I'll try to get better about it!

Busy, Busy, Busy

I've been a busy lady lately! Ava is changing so quickly, and she keeps me smiling :) I'm still on the path to losing all this baby weight. I'm down 35 pounds since she was born with 20 left to go (maybe more we'll see!).  My weekly workout schedule is as follows......

Sunday: 20 minutes of cardio followed by 45 minutes of weight training

Monday: 60 minutes of cardio (I usually hop around on 2 to 3 machines) or OFF day

Tuesday: 20 minutes of cardio followed by 1 hour of power yoga

Wednesday:60 minutes of cardio (I usually hop around on 2 to 3 machines) or OFF day

Thursday: 15 minutes of cardio followed by 1 hour barbell weight class

Friday: 20 minutes of cardio followed by 1 hour power yoga

Saturday: 1 hour spin class

It's great for not only my body but my mind too that I'm exercising so often. I'll admit it's a little frustrating to see how slowly my body is losing the weight from being pregnant, but I do see a difference in my shape and body tone, so I know I'm making positive changes. 

Make sure you get out and move today! You owe it to yourself!

This could be a new obsession

For dinner tonight I decided to try and make mashed cauliflower. I had heard of it a while ago as a healthier alternative to mashed potatoes. It was insanely easy to make and so delicious! Please rush to the store buy a head of cauliflower and make this as soon as you can. After you eat it I dare you to not want to lick the bowl!

Mashed Cauliflower

Mashed cauliflower tastes similar to mashed potatoes but with fewer carbs. Top with chopped herbs and grated cheese if you like.

Ingredients

1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets (about 6 to 7 cups) 
1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook until very tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and then drain well and transfer cauliflower to a food processor. Add oil and reserved water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and puree until smooth. (Or, mash cauliflower with a potato masher). Season with salt and pepper and serve. Serves 4.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 5oz/155g-wt.): 110 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 330mg sodium, 8g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 3g protein

Baby's First Easter

This weekend was laid-back,  just the way we like it.  I woke up on Saturday and went to my usual spin class at the gym. I always sweat my life away, but I feel so strong afterwards. Currently I have lost 30 of the 50 pounds I gained while being pregnant with Ava. (yes, you read that right I gained a whopping 50 pounds!) I'm on the right track though, each week I'm losing at least 1 pound. Actually this past week I lost 3 pounds! I have always been a meal planner and tracker, so upon further review of my food intake I realized I actually needed to eat a little more so that my body did not go into survival mode and hang on to my fat stores. I think I successfully flipped the switch! I'll keep you posted on my progress. My goal is to be back at pre-baby weight (or smaller) by September 9, 2011. That weekend I will be with my best girlfriends in New Orleans to have a bachelorette weekend for Emma. She is marrying Craig this coming January, and I'm so excited for her! I hope that everyone had a great Easter weekend. 




We took Ava and Lucy on a couple walks and here are some pics from the fun :)

Spring with Snow

When Jordan pulled the curtains open yesterday morning I couldn't believe what I saw, snow! April 18th and the ground was covered in snow.  I spent the day playing and napping with Ava. For dinner I had originally planned on making a stir fry, but I had purchased a couple avocados that needed to be used or they would be useless. When I can find good avocados I make this salad as much as possible, and if you try it once you will be hooked for life. The original recipe is from Ina Garten's show Barefoot Contessa. I made some small changes that will knock your socks off. Enjoy!

Guacamole Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 small can of mexicorn, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup small diced red onion
• 2 minced jalapeno peppers ( I keep the seeds for spice but they can be seeded)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (you can use less, but I like it spicy)
• 2 ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled, and 1/2-inch diced

Directions

Place the tomatoes, corn, black beans, red onion, jalapeno peppers, and lime zest in a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss well.

Just before you're ready to serve the salad, fold the avocados into the salad. Check the seasoning and serve at room temperature. It's good as a salad, or some people prefer it with tortilla chips. 

Intro to Life

In the past I have spent so many days wondering what I was meant for, what would I do with my life. I had my daughter, Ava Lee, on January 17, 2011 and slowly but surely my purpose in life is becoming clear. I have learned to live in the day and not look so much to the future. I have some of the best days watching her giggle in the mirror, snuggling on the couch, and one of my favorite times of the day is when my husband Jordan gets home. He gives me a kiss, asks me about my day, and then  Ava "talks" to him with a light in her eyes that is reserved only for her daddy.  


I take joy in the simple things these days. My favorite activities are a good workout at the gym, creating meal plans for the week, cooking  as much as possible (I regularly cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday), and spending time with my little family (me, jordan, ava, and our original baby, lucy, our golden retriever). 


I intend to write this blog to share my passions, recipes, funny stories, dreams, and experiences in this crazy wonderful life.