I wanted to stop by this morning to share a random post with you guys peppered with scenes from the week and other randomness. It’s a hodgepodge post and includes a smattering of food, fitness and fun.
Heeere we go!
Scenes From The Week
- Monday’s Cardio Workout
From a fitness standpoint, my week started out with a bang at Burn Boot Camp. A cardio workout was on the agenda and I know enough by now to never expect an easy workout on cardio days! The workout was a partner-style workout that will sound crazy-confusing when I try to type it out and explain it, but I will do my best.
First, one person did the orange exercise in each pair while the other person did the exercise in purple before they switched. After 10 reps of the orange exercise, the partners would flip-flop and then the second person would do 10 reps of the orange exercise before they switched back again and did 9 reps, then 8 reps… all the way down to one. (The partner doing the purple exercise didn’t count anything and would just do the purple exercise until the partner completing the orange exercise was done with the prescribed number of reps. I hope this makes sense!) Once all 10 reps of the orange exercise were completed by both partners, we headed outside for a 3-minute run around the building. It was awesomely sweaty and the workout passed by SO fast. It was definitely one of my favorite BBC cardio workouts to date. Loved this one!
- Strawberry Smoothie That Tasted Like A Milkshake
I’m not sure how it happened, but late Tuesday morning, I made a strawberry smoothie that came out tasting more like a milkshake. It was wonderful! I think the key was using over-ripe frozen strawberries that were extra sweet. (I froze a bunch of berries that were about to go bad a few weeks ago.) The smoothie wasn’t anything fancy – just a combination of Greek yogurt, Fairlife whole milk, a frozen banana, frozen strawberries and a drizzle of honey – but MAN, it was good!
- Gymboree = Chase’s Happy Place
Last week, my friend Carrie and I took our two little ones to a Gymboree class for the first time. Unsure what to expect, I went in hoping for the best but could not have been more impressed. You guys, Chase LOVED it. He was SO engaged and I knew immediately that we had to sign up for regular classes.
(The bubbles absolutely blew his mind.)
Every class ends with parachute time on the floor (yes, the awesome parachutes you may remember from gym class of yore) and I don’t think I’ve ever seen Chase’s eyes get bigger! He squealed his little head off and smiled so big. We’ve since been back twice and Chase is all about it. Plus, I love the way the class incorporates both mental and physical challenges for babies in a very fun way.
- Sadie Not-So-Passive Aggressively Demanding More Attention
When Chase and I arrived home from Gymboree on Wednesday, this sight greeted me the moment I walked through the door. Someone clearly felt a little neglected while we were away. The rain all week put a serious damper on Sadie’s evening walks and I think this was her way of telling me that scrapping her evening walk is unacceptable.
Ryan and I dug into this dish for dinner last night. I dog-eared the recipe in Clean Eating magazine and though I made a couple of changes (I used sesame oil in place of the coconut oil, ground beef in place of the sirloin and added extra fresh ginger and soy sauce), we thought this dinner was fantastic! I loved the fresh citrus flavor and it felt great to get a lot of vegetables in my belly at the end of the day since my lunch was lunch was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a KIND bar on the fly. I will definitely be making this dish again soon!
- Packing Up Maternity Clothes
A while ago, I put a bunch of my maternity clothes in a pile to store away but never got around to actually moving that pile until this week. Better late than never, right? And is it weird that one of the first thoughts I had when I packed up some of my maternity clothes was just how much I used to sweat in them? I was such a sweaty beast and could never cool down. (Ryan said I finally understood what it felt like to be him on a daily basis.) Oh the joys of a summer pregnancy!
And speaking of pregnancy…
- 38 Weeks Pregnant Bump Pic
During my pregnancy, I shared weekly pregnancy updates on the blog. Well, I never got to share my 38-week update because Chase decided to arrive early so a 38-week recap never happened. I realized this the other day when the one of the belly pictures came up during the scrolling slideshow screensaver I have on my desktop. It still blows my mind that Chase was actually in there and born only a couple days after this picture was taken!
- Chocolate Fairlife Milk Tastes Like Childhood
I’ve been buying Fairlife whole milk to use in my coffee for months now after my brother-in-law raved about it (it’s so creamy but somehow lower in sugar and higher in protein than regular milk), but for some reason I never thought to try their chocolate milk until this week. Well, my friends, it is wonderful and tastes like childhood in the best possible way. I chugged the entire bottle in the parking lot of Target and the only reason the bottle made it home was so I could photograph it for you guys without getting run over by a car. As a kid, I loved making my own chocolate milk with chocolate syrup and this milk took me back to the good ol’ days.
Questions of the Morning
- What was the best thing you ate this week?
- What was the best workout you did this week?
- What is one thing that made you laugh out loud this week?
Best thing I ate: Dark chocolate squares dipped in crunchy peanut butter.
Best workout I did: Monday’s BBC cardio workout.
One thing that made me laugh out loud: Chase giggling at me when I pretended to eat his fingers.
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
To answer your workout question: I did 3 pound weights with a Billy Blanks Workout for the first time! And to answer your laughing out loud comment, it was his outfit. I love B.B., but his outfits, um, no thanks, he certainly doesn’t leave much to the imagination in some of them! But he’s so motivation so I go for it anyhow.
My best friend and I used to do his Tae Bo workouts in college!
Chase is such a cutie! He looks like such a happy and content little guy! What kind of dark chocolate do you get that isn’t so bitter tasting? I’m trying to find one that might help take care of that after dinner sweet tooth I seem to have.
Thank you!
I LOVE Endangered Species dark chocolate (I buy it at Publix). I’m kind of weird though and really LIKE super dark/almost bitter tasting dark chocolate. I’d maybe just select a dark chocolate with a lower cocoa percentage.
Fair life milk is SO good!
Best thing I ate: seared ahi tuna
Best workout I did: spin class!
One thing that made me laugh out loud: Watching Mitch “shovel” the snow with a dustpan. Such a good helper at 16 months! Haha
So cute!!!
The workout looks awesome…what’s a power plank?
Holding yourself in a high plank (not on your elbows), jump your feet toward the outside of your elbows and back! Your hands shouldn’t move while your feet hop toward the outside of your elbows and then back to the plank position. They’re tough!!
You should do a post on that dinner recipe! Looks so good
Oh my gosh, THANK YOU for posting that workout! It’s been pouring where I am so getting out for a run isn’t happening today, and I don’t have time to get to any group fitness classes, so that workout is about to happen now!
Favorite thing I’ve eaten: green smoothie from my favorite juice/smoothie place
Best workout I did: 3.5 mile run on a trail followed by a hot yoga class
Something that made me laugh out loud: how much work I should be doing on my week off that hasn’t gotten done 😉
Aww poor Sadie! haha Josh and I wonder what our cat Punkin will be like when we have kids!
Oh my goodness I LOVE Fairlife milk!! It is so much creamier than normal milk, and with an added bonus that I can drink it although being lactose intolerant – it has something to do with their uber-filtering system. Normally i drink almond milk but being able to have “real” chocolate milk is such a treat
My Therapist Says Instagram posts made me laugh a number of times this week.
Loved the sleep training post. Your posts since Chase’s birth have given me a regained sense of confidence as I prepare to have baby number 2 in a short 2 months. My friend and I, who are both pregnant, have also been noting how quickly you bounced back. You go girl!
What was the best thing you ate this week? kakaos csiga (chocolate pastry in budapest and i need to stop)
What was the best workout you did this week? tried a private pilates reformer session over the weekend, and will be going again!
What is one thing that made you laugh out loud this week? a co-workers wife and kids nearly got hauled to the police station, mostly b/c of a language barrier. it’s funny but it’s not.
I never would have thought of trying a whole milk! You make it sound delish though!
I had this fancy pizza with huge leaves of swiss chard and leeks. Gatta love Asheville food 🙂
That ‘Fun Size’ shirt is adorable!! Where did you find it?
My kids loved Gymboree! It is great for the kids and moms! 🙂
Since you’ve been raving about fair life I gave it a try and I LOVE the 2% buy I’m having trouble finding the whole! Now I have more milks in the fridge than possible cashew, flax and fair life! I had to put some in out mini fridge which is suppose to be for water and beer!
What are volleyball tip ups? And the ledge moves? Thanks.
Enjoyed today’s post! I have a pile of clothes waiting to be driven to Goodwill – maybe today will be the day 🙂
Best thing I ate – Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP Kettle Corn is dangerously good. I usually prefer salty, buttery, and cheesy but this stuff is seriously the best combo of salty and sweet!
Best workout I did – I set out to go on a run to the grocery store and power walk back. I ended up running all the way back holding a bag of 5 mangoes! I had to alternate arms just about every other minute (and I probably looked like I stole something) but it was definitely a good workout!
Laughed out loud – Saw something on Instagram that said “I’m on a new diet where I eat everything in sight and hope for a miracle”. A little too relatable!
To answer this question:
What is one thing that made you laugh out loud this week?
That Sadie’s-toys-on-the-floor pic made me LOL. I can so relate. We have a terrier mix who lashes out the same way when she feels neglected. “I’m going to spread all my toys on the floor. That’ll show ’em!”
I’m not a huge chocolate milk fan, UNLESS it’s Fairlife! So tasty. We buy their regular milk as well, love it.
I would have to say that my husband’s chili was the best thing I ate this week! It is so funny that Sadie did that this week because last night when we got home from work, our husky had clearly had a grand ol’ time while we were away. His toys were everywhere and he decided to set up camp in my husbands closet and destroy some diapers (clean and dirty) and some medicine. Luckily everything he ate was harmless but it must be dogs gone wild week!
That workout looks tough! I can see why it would be your hardest workout of the week.
Fairlife’s chocolate milk is SO GOOD. Almost too chocolatey for me though, and I’m a major sweet tooth. (I mean, my blog is called Semi-Sweet Tooth after all.) I like to mix it with their regular milk for a lighter punch. And that makes it last longer. Wins all around!
Best thing I ate this week: Yesterday, I made this tuna sandwich, but instead of using mayo, I used sriracha and greek yogurt, and it was SO good and I felt really good about eating it because there was no mayo. Maybe not the most delicious thing I ate all week, but I was so proud of myself for figuring that one out that it’s at the top of my list anyway.
Best workout I did this week: I got my first Toe to Bar at my Crossfit gym yesterday! It was a really exciting moment because it’s something I’ve been working towards for a really long time.
One thing that made me laugh out loud: I re-watched an old episode of Grey’s Anatomy, and Bailey just always cracks me up. I laughed pretty much every time she sassed someone!
Hope you have a great weekend, Julie!
My mom used to make that same strawberry smoothie but with ice cream… so it actually was a milkshake. 😉 That sounds like the perfect healthy alternative though! I’ll have to give it a shot. I screens hotted it and sent it to my mom. Also, your mention of the parachute totally bought me back to childhood! Those were good times!
Best thing I ate this week: a really solid salami sandwich on garlic bread with a good portion of mayo on it! They got the ratio right.
Best workout I did this week: not really a workout, but I went for a long walk with my boss and we had a nice chat.
Make me laugh: My boss’s baby just learned how to laugh, and I cannot get enough!
Happy Thursday, Julie 🙂
The best workout I did this week was definitely Saturday’s 13 miler- watch out marathon, here I come!
I’ve been in a grouchy mood this week too!! I wonder if its the full moon that got us or what?! I was thinking it was PMS but nope haha #womanproblems
I love random blog posts-they’re so fun to read! Fairlife chocolate milk is sooo good. It’s our go-to when we want chocolate milk.
Best workout this week: a hilly run and strength45 class at Jazzercise
Best thing I ate this week: I can’t answer this one yet because I’m going out to dinner tomorrow and Saturday night and both restaurants are supposed to be really good
Something that made me laugh this week: Watching my dog try to get food off the counter by stretching her paw out as far as it could go. It’s hard to explain but it was so cute.
Hi! What size moccasins is Chase wearing? My son is just a few days younger and on the smaller side like Chase (He was 14 lb 11 oz at 6 months). Every time I try to put shoes on him, they seem so big!
I love Chase’s shirt! Fun size…Cute!
Also, that beef dish looks awesome. I’d definitely want to make that!
That stir fry looks really good! Best workout of the week was yesterday’s Kayla Itsines BBG abs workout.. I’m for sure feeling it today haha.
You looked SO good at 38 weeks!! I’m 29 weeks right now and I HOPE I look at good as you do! Haha I definitely feel ya on feeling hot all the time…and it’s winter! Man alive, I couldn’t imagine being pregnant in the summer!
Best thing I ate this week was Cafe Rio and the best workout was my run today! It just felt good and that is super nice since I’m almost 29 weeks pregnant. 🙂
I made fried rice for the first time this week and it tasted EXACTLY like the kind you get at hibachi restaurants. Major win! It was ridiculously easy too. So bad for you but so delicious!
Best workout – when I finally got to run for about 10 min after three months off for a knee injury! Felt so good and a nice change from the elliptical.
Best thing I ate – this morning’s breakfast – simply an English muffin with peanut butter and pumpkin butter on top!
Thing that made me laugh out loud – this week’s episode of John Oliver!
Best thing I ate: I have been loving spinach chickpea salads with hummus and crisp crackers (added hot sauce of course!)
Best workout I did: I did a HIIT workout on Wednesday and I am a bit sore today- 5 rounds- thrusters, KB swings, dips, sumo squats (I am 33 weeks preggo so it was a good one!)
One thing that made me laugh out loud: Walking in on my husbands and scaring him bc he had been sleeping with earplugs (he’s work nights) lol
The best thing I’ve ate this week is without a doubt discovering almond butter on my chia seed pudding and berries it’s fantastic!
My mom used to take me to Gymboree classes, and I’ve taken my cousin. So fun – and those parachutes are awesome 🙂
Best thing I ate this week: a plethora of fresh-fried tortilla chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant!
Best workout this week: I did a great upper-body and cardio HIIT from FitnessBlender that I loved.
Laugh-out-loud moment of the week: My friends and I send each other GIFs in our group message for those times words just don’t cut it, and yesterday my friend sent me Oprah jumping up and down to express a “celebratory” message. It was funny and fitting 🙂
Aww, Sadie! Aren’t dogs so silly!? The best thing I ate this week was a filet mignon that my boyfriend grilled, my best workout was one I got off of NTC, and a thing that made me laugh would be a story one of my co-workers told about his furniture experience.
Packing up the maternity clothes… are you putting them in storage or getting rid of them?
That beef stir fry looks pretty amazing. I love dishes like that. The best thing I ate this week was my husband’s sweet potato and chicken enchiladas. SO GOOD!
One thing that made me laugh out loud → we recently started my son on solid foods and let’s just say his first “solid food poop” was hilarious!!! It ended up everywhere (oh the things parents talk about these days).
Julie. I bought some Fairlife milk, and I’m dying of happiness right now. I’m not even the biggest milk gal, and I’m on cloud nine. Thanks for the PSA!