Healthy Life Happy Wife

YTD: 219/600 miles for 2012

Tuesday June 26

3 mile run over the Williamsburg Bridge with music <3

I felt really good during this run & finished out the last mile in 9:20.

I was a sweaty mess (I’m aware how amazing I look…I should totally be a model)

Then I stretched, foam rolled & did a quick paper plate workout.

Yep. Too lazy to find a piece of paper. Regardless, this was a good little workout & only took me about 20 minutes.

Afterwards, I made the easiest dinner ever. Wanna know why?

Because my mom made it & all I had to do was put it in the oven. She is an amazing cook, BTW.

Meatless lasagna rolls with soy chorizo from TJ’S. (I’ve gotten her obsessed with Trader Joes, too. Not like it’s hard.)

I did make the side dish…

Heated up frozen broccoli & mixed in nutritional yeast and ICBINB. Easy & tasty. Plus, I was tired

The best part about dinner was the dessert. But, duh.

Free ice cream!

I had just received a free coupon for Starbucks ice cream from Run, Eat, Repeat & it was definitely burning a hole in my pocket. This flavor certainly didn’t disappoint. Coffee ice cream with chocolate chips. Delicious. BLC liked it, too!

Wednesday June 27

In the morning, I foam rolled.

Hurt so good.

While I was foam rolling, I was making my lunch. Prob the best way to make hardboiled eggs EVER. Super easy & much easier to peel. I really dislike peeling hard boiled eggs. I have a hard life.

First, set your oven to 325F.

Next, put eggs in a muffin tray so they don’t roll around (these are the ones after they had been baked).

Finally, put the eggs in the oven for 25-30 minutes. That’s it.

They taste the same IMHO & they were much easier to peel (did I say that already?). Do it!

I found this fun little recipe on Pinterest.

So smart.

After lunch, I packed for Aruba (!!!) & waited for BLC to get home.

When he got home we went for a nice little 2 mile run. Felt wonderful but it was hot out!!

I hydrated with some coconut H2O.

I’ve gotta say, the chunks of coconut (?) in this were a little much. Plus, they all sunk to the bottom & that was pretty disgusting. Not my fav.

BLC ate dinner & watched So You Think You Can Dance with some scotch. I’m obsessed with SYTYCD – so you will probably be hearing some more about it. Get ready.

Before bed, I did two 60sec planks & 60 squats. Go me.

Now I’m gonna drive to Philly on the dreaded BQE (worst road EVER…pray for me.)

YTD: 214/600 for 2012

This past week was dedicated to Running, Loving, Living’s Welcome to Summer Virtual Run!

For the past two weeks, I increased my weekly mileage & my knee has been bothering me a bit (not hurting, just annoying) so I decided to limit myself a little this week.

I’ve also starting being more diligent when it comes to drinking my Joint Health drink -

At least once a day…

& I just started taking HiActives Tart Cherry Extract supplement from Swanson Vitamins.*

The reviews were all great & the price was excellent (Swanson Vitamins is super reasonably priced & has a wide variety of supplements, health food items, etc.)! Plus, Tart Cherry Extract is supposed to benefit joint health by strengthening collagen structures in your connective tissues. I thought, why not try it out!

I’ll let ya know if I notice any improvement

Any way – onto my runs!

On Monday June 18, BLC & I ran our 5k in about 32 minutes (cooled down for about .9 miles for an even 4 on the day) over the Williamsburg Bridge. It was pretty warm but there was a nice breeze on the bridge. Overall, nice little run!

On Thursday June 21, I had a tempo run scheduled but I wanted to get my 10k in before the weekend. I decided to run a progression 10k! Progression runs are supposed to train your body to gradually increase your pace so that when you are running a race, your body is comfortable picking up your speed at the end when your legs are tired. Here was what I did on the treadmill:

Warmup – 5.6 speed, 1mile
6.0, 1mile
6.1, 1mile
6.2, 1mile
6.3, 1mile
6.4, .5mile
6.5, .5mile
6.6, .2mile
Cool down

10k – dunzo!

Thanks for hosting the Welcome to Summer Virtual Run, Toni!!

Now for some articles that may be of some interest.

Lovely Links:

Wanna run with your doggie? Some tips on how to handle the heat!

You know you are a runner if….

Boost your running confidence!!

How to make running feel easier

Running on vacation/running on the beach! (This is a big one for me & BLC – we are going to Aruba on Saturday for a week & we just signed up for a race! Hint: It’s my first & I’m pretty nervous it! I will write about it soon but if you just NEED to know now – it’s on my Twitter! Also, ADD ME

*Swanson Vitamins provided me with a $25 coupon that could be used on any products of my choice at swansonvitamins.com. All choices & opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated in any other way for this post.

Monday June 11

Ran 3 miles in 33 minutes with BLC over the Williamsburg Bridge.

Tuesday June 12

Crunches, 3×1 min planks, push-ups

Wednesday June 13

Ran 3 miles in 33 minutes with BLC over the Williamsburg Bridge (notice a trend here?)

Thursday June 14

Speedwork on the treadmill. Did not go as planned. Started off way too fast, ended way too slow. I think I overestimated my speed because of last week…oops. 5 miles in 52 minutes in the books.

Also of note, I tried the Apple Turnover Über Larabar before my run.

I was a big fan. Very different from the original Larabars – much more chunky & sweet. Really good, though. I will definitely be trying the other flavors.

On Thursday night, I was in Philly for a close friend of my brother’s memorial service. So sad. 21 year old kid…if you couldn’t guess, it had to do with drugs. The service was very emotional because I had known him when he was quite a bit younger & he was always the sweetest, most caring kid. But he was also very impressionable & always wanted people to like him.

What I took away from the service was:

1. Don’t take for granted the moments you have with the ones you love. You never know what tomorrow will bring.

2. If you have a family member or friend that you are even somewhat concerned about, don’t ignore it. While they may not listen to you (they probably won’t), the more help that is offered to them, the easier it may be to change their lives.

<3 r.i.p. L.A.

Friday June 15

Needless to say, Friday I was a bit down. I worked at my Dad’s office & took NJ Transit back to NYC.

BLC & I watched some Natgeo & drank some scotch…then went to bed early. Wild & crazy Friday!

Saturday June 16

BLC and I woke up early for a long run on the East River. I did not bring my hydration belt (spoiler alert: bad idea) because I thought I would be able to use the water fountains on the East River path.

I ate a banana & we left around 9:30a (probably should have left a little earlier…) We ran over the Williamsburg Bridge and down the East River Path toward Chinatown. We turned around once we got to the Manhattan Bridge.

It was pretty hot & humid. I took advantage of every water fountain I passed & ran in the shade whenever possible. Regardless, it was wonderful to run with BLC! <3 husband/wife run dates.

When we got back to the Williamsburg Bridge, BLC headed back home & I continued up the East River Path.

The water fountains slowly stopped popping up. I kept hoping that I would miraculously stumble upon one…but no such luck. I crossed over at 34th street & then ran down 1st ave. I had wanted to run 10 miles but without any water…it just wasn't happening. Plus, I happened upon a Dunkin Donuts at 8.25 miles – so guess when I stopped my run?

I went into Dunkin Donuts & got a gigantic iced coffee which I purchased with sweaty money (sorry, cashier lady). I then walked down 1st ave about a half mile to the Essex stop & took the subway back home.

Things I learned on this long run:

1. I love running with BLC! We have been taking the pace really slow & stopping whenever he starts feeling like his shins are hurting. (he has had some shin splint issues in the past so we are doing everything possible to avoid it happening again)

2. When in doubt, bring water! Especially now that it is summer on the East Coast. Happy Summer Solstice!

3. Run long runs earlier if possible!

4. Put money in a plastic bag in your pocket so you don’t have to be embarrassed about giving soggy dollar bills to the DD cashier lady.

5. Always bring a Metro card (I did on this run but I will continue to do so even if I don’t think I will need it).

After our run, I came home, showered & then headed back into the city to meet up with a friend for lunch & a Central Park romp.

We went to SaraBeth’s across from Central Park South. We got seated right away & each got a drink. I had the Strawberry Mimosa – excellent! Our food was really good (we all had breakfast foods – Salmon Benedict, Salmon Scramble). Would recommend this restaurant if you are near Central Park.

After that we stopped by the liquor store & made rum/cokes for our walk through Central Park (straight class, I know).

I love Central Park!

It was totally packed with people…

BLC never believed me when I said that people laid out in Central Park…but I wasn’t lying!!

We wandered around for a while, in awe that we were in the middle of NYC…

Central Park is truly gorgeous.

But then we stumbled upon something that I will be frequenting every Saturday, Sunday or Holiday for the rest of my life (FYI 2:45p-6:45p)…

The Central Park Dance Skaters!!!!!

Um, amazing!

There is a section gated off, with a DJ in the middle & roller skaters/roller bladers DANCING around. This is by far the most entertaining thing I’ve ever seen in my life. We didn’t want to leave.

Did I mention this is in the middle of Central Park?!

There were quite a few characters who were participating…do you see that pup? Can you tell who her owner is? Also, can you see what is on her back?!

A bird! Guess where else that bird ended up?

Yep. That happened. Crazy amazing Saturday.

Sunday June 17

Nothing all day

Although we did head over to a friend’s house for a True Blood party that night. Obsessed.

Monday June 18

Ran 4 miles in 40 minutes over the Williamsburg Bridge & back with BLC. Beautiful running weather.

Also, made a wonderful dinner!

Tilapia & roasted cauliflower. This time I added the capers & used the same dressing for the cauliflower on the Tilapia. I cooked the tilapia for 12 minutes at 400 degrees & it turned out perfectly!

Now – my end of the year goal:

I want to run 600 miles by the end of the year. I have been running a bit more the past few weeks & while it is a lofty goal considering I am currently only at 208 miles for the year (I had a very low April & was not very consistent while moving), I think I can do it! I will keep you updated!

YTD: 208/600 miles for 2012

Sorry it has taken me so long to write my recap but I was hoping I could wait for some race pictures to add. But no such luck!

Anyway – I ran the NYRR Mini 10k on Saturday. It was an insta-PR (because this was the first 10k race I have ever run). But let’s start from Friday.

On Friday afternoon I went to the NYRR office to pick up my bib. Just an FYI, it is not very easy to get to for me. I have to transfer twice then walk about 6 blocks – not complaining, just kinda explaining why I waited until the last minute to go pick up my bib.

So I got there at around 6:15 ish (they close at 7 – way to cut it close, Alex) & it was pretty packed. I went upstairs, got my bib & came back downstairs to get my shirt (which I was very excited about because it was in women sizes!!!). I got in line & realized they only had large & extra large left. Bum City. So I got my shirt & swag bag & moved on. They had Lara bars (love – grabbed 2 cashew cookies) & they had samples of the new Über Lara bar (pretty excited to try them!)

Freck wanted in with all my Lara bars & large t-shirt…there was a progression…

All up in my grill like usual…

Finally, a good pic…but wait!

Freck left her bone! Obviously, that was too important to leave…

Getting sick of this, yet? Me, too.

Well, Freck is only finished when she wants to be finished. It’s Freckles world, we’re just living in it.

But I digress.

Once I left NYRR I checked out my bib…& was pretty disappointed. I was in the 10:44 pace corral. Bum city numero dos. I knew that they had gotten my pace from my Brooklyn Half time but this was one day after my super amazing sub-9 minute 10k so I was bummed. Plus, I know a lot of people were put in corrals based on 5k paces or the pace they estimated themselves. But I’ll stop bitching now

I met up with BLC after my bummer of a trip to NYRR & we wandered around Central Park for a minute.

Gorg.

Unbelievable that this is in the middle of NYC. <3

Then I kinda did exactly what you are not supposed to do the night before a race.

I went out with BLC & a girlfriend. We went to Boukies in the East Village for some Greek food (really, really good! Try it if you are in the area!) I had lots of bread & one wheat beer. But then…we went to International Bar (my new fav dive bar in the city). We had a tad too much fun, drank a little too much (don’t I always say this?) & didn’t get home till about 2:30a. Eek. I am quite the party animal.

Set alarm for 6a. Slept for about 3 1/2 hours. Smart, real smart.

But I got up! Made some coffee & put it in a water bottle. Classy.

BLC woke up for 5 seconds to take a pic and wish me luck then he went back to bed & didn’t wake up till I got home. Lucky.

I ate my Double Latte Gel because I felt like I needed a little bit more caffeine and I didn’t have a banana to bring with me. (I was really prepared.)

I will reiterate even though I’ve said it before, I am not a fan of the Double Latte flavor. Blech!

So my subway transfers went pretty smoothly & I got to the start at around 7:40a. I bought a water from the bodega at the start & waited in my corral with my tunes blasting.

At about 7:55a ish, there were a few speakers (all of which inspirational & amazing – one of which was my run-crush, Desi Davila). I honestly got a little teared up during the speakers considering what a lot of them helped to do for women’s running.

The race started right on time which I loved because I was the loser standing by herself. I didn’t actually cross the start line till about 2:50 in.

The race was hard. I actually overheard Desi saying it was a “tough course” when i saw her sitting at the end of the race. There were rolling hills throughout most of the course & it probably didn’t help that I only slept for less than 4 hours & ran a very fast 10k (for me) only two days prior (legs weren’t exactly fresh). But I ran that sucker, didn’t stop and passed quite a few runners.

Plus, I had originally wanted to finish under an hour & guess what?! I did! Even without a Garmin to tell me my paces.

Official time: 59:48
Pace: 9:38
Place: 2820/6122

Insta-PR!

At the end of the race, they had bagels, plums &…wait for it…Popsicles! What a great idea, right?

So as I was eating my Popsicle, I saw Desi & all of the other winners near the stage so I went over to see the award ceremony & kinda stalked Desi from a far.

Then I decided to head home to the hub. But I felt great, the weather was perfect running weather (overcast with a slight occasional drizzle) & I didn’t feel like transferring subways. So I ran to the 14th street L stop from the middle of Central Park. For those of you who don’t know, that’s about 4 miles. I figured I would round out the day with a solid 10 miles. Why not?

I took the miles slow (about 4 miles in a little over 40 minutes), took in NYC & grabbed a giant iced coffee at the end.

All in all, a pretty amazing day before the time of 11a.

Then we did what I absolutely love to do after a race – gorge

We had lots of pizza, Stella’s & water. Then, I laid around with Freck all night.

She acts like she ran 10 miles…what a little princess.

But she’s cute, ain’t she?

I was not even planning on running today.

I wore my old running shoes.

I brought my new Runner’s World to read on the stationary bike.

But I decided to run a mile before I got on the bike…on the treadmill (ps I hate the treadmill).

It should NOT have been a great run.

But…it was. It was one of those runs that made me feel amazing & appreciate all of those bad runs.

Like geeked out, cheesy smile the entire run. I was that crazy chick running smiling from ear to ear for her ENTIRE run. Not even joking.

Perhaps, my great run was due to my ninja attire…

Or my amazing playlist –> thank you very much Alesso – Calling, Carly Rae – Call Me Maybe (yep, not old yet…still amazing), Swedish House Mafia – Save the World Tonight, Benny Benassi – Cinema, Robyn – Dancing on my own & Skrillex – Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites.

I do not know what happened…but all the stars aligned. & not only did I feel great the whole time, I barely sweat, my face didn’t flush…& I ran faster than I ever have in my life.

Um…I ran a 10k in sub-9 minute miles. Unheard.of. What?! 6.2 in 54:00. Omigosh. (Sorry, still in awe of how freaking fast I am)

This is my “I just ran the best run in my life-the fastest in my life-I wanna go run again right nooooowww” face!

Sorry for the cheesy post but omg.runners.high.so.excited.so.so.so.excited.

Now I’m compressing…

& eating lots of grapes…

& thinking about my next AMAZING run

Did something happen to you today that made you smile?!

So two days ago, I made Seared Ahi Tuna Steak on a bed of steamed kale, spinach & whole-wheat couscous.

(Yes, it was as good as it looks)

& I realized that every ingredient I used was from Trader Joe’s. I’m talking every ingredient.

Spices, tuna, produce, marinade & couscous. All TJ’s. & I drove 30 minutes through Brooklyn to get to the Trader Joe’s.

P.S. driving through Brooklyn is my least favorite thing to do in the world.

But it was totally worth it. & it got me thinking that I always talk about Trader Joe’s…I may as well dedicate an entire post to my TJ Favs!

Love you, Joe hold on, this might be a long one!

Crumbled Goat Cheese – super cheap & excellent mixed in eggs, a salad, couscous…the possibilities are endless.

Whole wheat couscous – cooks really fast & I’ve used it for bulking up soup or as a side dish.

Giant bags of Spinach or Kale for super cheap, already chopped. Easy to add to smoothies, soups or make kale chips (my fav!).

Super Spinach Salad – comes with cranberries, edamame, quinoa & carrot ginger dressing. Please try this!

‘Nuff said.

Edamame Hummus – a little lower in calories than regular hummus & tastes great with Pretzel Crisps. Got my dad obsessed

TJ’s Almond Milk is just as good as Silk & tends to be cheaper. Why not?

Big bags of produce – typically cheaper & better than any where else I have purchased produce. I always get the organic Pink Lady apples & organic pears because they are my fav & they are a part of the dirty dozen

.

Roasted Wasabi Seaweed – I really like them but I think they may be an acquired taste

These remind me of those old fashioned fruit roll ups but just bits and pieces.

Sunflower Seed Butter – my favorite nut butter! I bought some while I was staying with my parents & my little brother took the jar to work with him. He was a big fan. It is a little thinner than regular PB & spreads easier which I really like.

I’m normally not a big fan of instant coffee but this is very good! I bring it with me every where, especially traveling.

Quinoa is my favorite grain but it is normally kinda pricey…not so at TJ’s. This is what I used in my Spicy Vegetable and Quinoa soup last night!

Yum! These are the only tortilla chips I buy. & what are tortilla chips without…

Salsa! I put this salsa in eggs & salads & of course, pair it with chips.

I used to buy Fiber One when it was on sale but this is just as good…if not better..& less expensive.

Whole grain mustard – really good in homemade salad dressings.

They kinda fall apart when you cook them in marinara sauce but they taste good!

Just made an excellent recipe with tempeh – really good & will post it sometime soon!

By far my favorite non-meat product! Try it in eggs or in tacos. Sooooo good & spiced to perfection.

BLC loves this dressing. I like adding some Frank’s Buffalo Sauce & goat cheese on my salad with this dressing. Mmmm.

Yes. I have bought numerous jars of Cookie Butter. It is good. Try it. NOW. (Tip: put it in a smoothie with almond milk, frozen banana & chocolate protein powder)

Bok Choy – grilled it with a soy sauce marinade & some Sriracha. OMG.

Greek yogurt. 1 buck. Always & just as good as Chobani IMHO.

Tastes like legit orange chicken. I swearsss.

Recommendation: undercook slightly. These are heavenly.

Tart. Excellent low cal substitute for ice cream. Yum-o.

I buy my dog food & treats here for Freckles. It is all natural & she seems to love it.

All their spices are super cheap! & the 21 seasoning salute is my go to for everything.

BLC read somewhere that the honey that most grocery stores sell is not actually honey..or bee pollen. You can read more about it here if you are interested. Needless to say, TJ’s honey is the real deal.

Ridiculously indulgent but really good. But, duh.

My new favorite snack. Super filling, & very tasty. Love <3

And now that I have listed every product Trader Joe’s sells, I’m gonna go for a run. It is National Running Day after all.

What do you run for?

If you know me at all, you know that I love soup! I think it comes from my mother always making Matzo Ball soup when I was sick & making the best Minestrone soup I have ever had. (She’s a pretty dang good cook!)

So since it has been rainy & cold in NYC, I started craving soup (or at least something warm!). I decided to just throw together a bunch of diced veggies that I had in my fridge & some quinoa to make it a little thicker & add some protein. Plus, I hadn’t had quinoa in a while so I was missing it! Definitely my favorite grain!

What came out was sooo tasty! BLC & I had the soup with a grilled cheese & avocado sandwich…and the soup was certainly the highlight. Overshadowing grilled cheese & avocado – you know it’s good oh & did I mention it is super healthy?

& without further ado:

Spicy Vegetable & Quinoa Soup

Ingredients:

Olive oil cooking spray
1 1/2 cups carrots, diced
10 celery stalks, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 onions, finely chopped (I used OXO mini chopper to make the onions & garlic extra fine)
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
7 cups of water & 4 vegetable bouillon cubes OR 7 cups of veggie/chicken/beef broth
2 cans of diced fire roasted tomatoes (I used TJ’S brand – highly recommended!)
2 TBS Sriracha (it was spicy – omit or lessen if you can’t take the heat!)
3 tsp sea salt
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Put carrots, celery, mushrooms, onions & garlic in large soup pot & spray with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat & cover for about 5-10 minutes or until vegetables have softened. Make sure to stir occasionally.
2. Add quinoa, water, bouillon cubes, tomatoes, Sriracha & all other spices. Stir all ingredients together.
3. Bring soup to a boil.
4. Lower to medium heat and let simmer, covered for 40 minutes.
5. Serve & enjoy! (With a grilled cheese & avocado sandwich, perhaps?)

Nutritional information:

Makes about 10 bowls.

Calories per serving: 132cals; Carbs: 23g; Fat: 2g;Protein: 5g

After a super indulgent, yet amazing weekend, including

College friends, (who I FINALLY told about my blog…hi Bang!)

A bit too much Jameson,

My little bro & his girlfriend,

A bit too much beer (Brooklyn Brewery was great, though! Definitely recommend it if you’ve never been!)

A tasty brunch at Harefield Road (um…Salmon Benedict, coffee & a Bloody Mary for $12? Ahhmazing!)

Now I am ready to make some June Goals!

Yes I know this weekend was technically June but that’s okay…it will be our little secret

So this past week BLC & I had to get physicals for an incentive program through our insurance. While I know I am healthy or at least try to be the majority of the time, it is always nice to be told by a doctor to continue to do exactly what I have been doing. Literally, we had dozens of tests & I was within the healthy range for all of them.

Not bragging, I promise…just nice to know when you put forth the effort, you get the benefits!

But the doctor trip wasn’t all wonderful news…I found out that i have gained quite a few lbs since BLC & I moved out to New York (I have noticed my clothes fitting a little differently but I don’t own a scale so I didn’t realize how much I had actually gained). I know I’m in no way overweight (or even close for that matter) but it is summer so I wouldn’t mind losing a few lbs & getting back to my fighting shape!

But without further ado…

My June Goals:

1. Try to follow my new summer training closely. (I use SmartCoach through the Runner’s World website…you type in a recent race time, what you are training for, how many miles you want per week, when you want your long run, the date of the race, etc. It then gives you a calendar with a complete training program with paces, speed work, tempo runs…all for free. I definitely recommend it.)

2. Leg workouts 3x a week. I did my first set of exercises today!
20 leg extensions
30 second wall sit
20 plié squats
10 regular squats
20 walking lunges
Repeat 3x

3. Yoga at least 2x a week. I definitely think all the yoga I did last month helped with my flexibility & I know it can’t hurt mentally

4. Mindful eating! I am going to try to limit my sugar intake, keep drinking at least 80 ounces of water per day, more fiber & proper portions.

5. Floss everyday! I hear every where that flossing is so important but I am not very diligent about doing it every day. I want to make it a habit – starting now!

So that’s that…totally doable, right? Plus, I wouldn’t mind toning up a little since BLC & I are going to Aruba at the end of the month! Jealous?!

And now to clear up my tabs…

Lovely Links:

1. GPS Device Accuracy – really interesting article about how accurate your Garmin is on a regular basis as compared to the accuracy of road races.

2. 23 Paws – if you have a dog & you have a blog OR you just like hearing/looking at pictures of dogs – check this site out!! I will be linking up!

3. 10 mile run on the beach – sounds kinda hard but fun! My uncle is running it so I am thinking about it. Plus it’s pretty cheap, too.

4. Zombie Dash – need I say more? Check out the website! Kinda crazy yet insanely awesome.

5. In honor of summer running – an article on Foot Blisters. Super sexy.

6. Foam rolling! Yay! Another thing I need to do more of.

7. Another ode to summer running – how to take care of your running clothes properly. Kinda necessary.

8. How to improve running endurance. Most of the tips I have heard before but still a good article.

9. The age old question – Do you burn more calories running or walking? I was definitely under the impression a mile equals a mile but I was surprised by the real answer.

And last but certainly not least…

10. 4 reasons why you should run.

And a picture of my pup because she is adorable. & cause I can

I was so goofy excited when I saw that Megan over at Run Like a Grl nominated Healthy Life Happy Wife for the One Lovely Blog Pink Tree Award!

She left me a super sweet message telling me she had nominated me & I’ve gotta say I was shocked! I’m still accepting the fact that people other than my mother, mother-in-law & husband actually read my blog so getting nominated was really an honor (cheesy, I know – but true!). I’m just glad that someone actually enjoys reading my rants

Thanks, Megan! BTW, I love your blog, too! I’m so glad we are running RTB together in the fall! Hopefully we can run together before that! Make sure to check out her blog!

So there are a few rules you need to follow to accept this award:

Link back to the blogger who nominated you.
Paste the award image on your blog, anywhere.
Share 7 facts about yourself.
Nominate some other blogs you like for this award.
Post a comment on each of your nominees’ blogs telling them about the nomination.
__________________________________________________________

& now for 7 facts about me:

1. I am obsessed with my pup, Freckles. (As if you didn’t already know that…)

I mean, how could you not be in love with that face?

She is like a little person & it is really amazing how she can do any little thing & all I wanna do is hug her forever. I’m totally weird but it is the truth. I think it may be because I lost my first dog way too early (long, sad story…we won’t go there) so I think it makes me cherish Freck that much more.

Dang, I’m obsessed.

2. I only started running in college & never ran more than 4 miles straight until this year – as in January of 2012.

Since then I have run the NYC Half &

The Brooklyn Half. It’s amazing what training & dedication can do

3. I hoard magazines. Mainly because I subscribe to 9 different magazines. I used to be able to read them all because I would constantly go on the elliptical & read a magazine. Since I have started running, no more magazine time! Now I have a stockpile in my bedroom that I’m sure BLC would love to disappear…

My magazine subscription list:

Runners World
Running Times
Fitness
Shape
Self
Glamour
Marie Claire
Allure
US Weekly

My fav is Runners World!

4. I got married on April 16, 2012 to my best friend. BLC is absolutely amazing & I’m so lucky to have him. I tend to have a bit of a temper & he is super mellow so he definitely evens me out. I have no idea what I would do without him!!

5. I am always the first one to know any & all celebrity gossip. My Google Reader is full of Perezhilton, TMZ, etc. I also get emails from US Weekly. It is sad but I’m almost proud when I find out the news first & get to tell everyone. Maybe proud shouldn’t be the word…

6. I am an attorney…albeit an unemployed attorney. I am licensed in CA & NY. Anyone wanna give me a job?

7. I will drive 30 minutes to go to a Trader Joe’s even if another supermarket is only five minutes away. I just love TJ’s.

Swoon.

I have been meaning to write a My Favorites of Trader Joe’s post – & I will soon! I swear…I say that a lot. But I mean it this time!!

xoxoxo.

So now I get to nominate some other blogs for the award! I have a lot of blogs that I read but a few that have recently stuck out in my mind that I really love! I would nominate a ton but that just isn’t practical so I decided on 7 to stay with the 7 theme…(I know they may already be nominated but I still wanna pass on the love!)

Couch to Ironwoman

The Nut Kase

Sour as a Grapefruit

Runs on Greens

Runner in Denial

Howdy from New York City

A Healthy Happier Bear

Thanks to all those wonderful blogs who make my procrastination sooo much easier

I am totally terrible! I have been running around like a lunatic for the past 3 days (& have been too overwhelmed about my Google Reader to even open it) & just remembered that it was Foodie Penpals reveal!! I’m sooooo sorry, Part Time House Wife!

On that note, lemme just say – Thank you, Lauren! Lauren sent me my package this month & blogs over at Part Time House Wife. I was out of town when my package arrived so I actually just got it a few days ago! I was definitely excited about the contents

She wrapped the contents with pink & orange tissue paper – love! It was definitely a nice little touch.

Lauren sent me a recipe for Trail Mix Bars that I will definitely be making – the pictures look excellent!!

Spicy Cucumber dip – I will probably mix this with some Greek yogurt for a veggie dip when we have company.

Big fan of dried mango!! Definitely a tasty sweet snack that will be gone in no time

I’m not a big baker but these cupcake cups are ADORABLE! They make me want to make some cupcakes just so I can use them!

This item made me think my husband had contacted Lauren with what he would want! I love dark chocolate but he lovesss chocolate & raspberries. I may have to hide it.

I have never seen black & white striped pasta but I like! It will make my pasta fancy. You fancy, huh?

Another BLC item! It’s funny because we actually bought my parents a giant bucket of Johnson’s Carmel Corn from Ocean City, New Jersey this weekend! (served warm, sooo good – try if you are in Jersey!) So now, we have our own!!

& this is when I realized the box was actually for me love love love magazines – & even though I subscribe to about 9 magazines, the one I always want to buy is the bible AKA Cosmopolitan (Legally Blonde, anyone?)

Thank you, Lauren!! You did a wonderful job & I can’t wait try the recipe!

& if you’d like to check out what I sent this month, check out Kath’s blog at The Nut Kase. Her blog is super cute & I had a lot of fun getting her package together this month! (p.s. I think she liked it )

& if you would like to become a part of the Foodie Penpals Program (i definitely recommend it!), here is the info:

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penpals is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.

If you’re interested in participating for June, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.

You must submit your information by June 4th as pairings will be emailed on June 5th!