Making Running Fun and Syrup

Billy decided to be all cool again and desert me on Monday and Wednesday nights because of another LSAT prep class…..something about our future being kind of important or something.

Fine, if that’s how you wanna play, than I will just have to hang out with my mom, sister and fluff ball jr. and eat syrup, and lots of it.

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She was so happy to have her aunt watch ‘Strawberry Shortcake’ with her!

The first thing that jumped out at me as I was grocery shopping in my mom’s kitchen for dinner was syrup.

Shocking, I know.

I was too lazy to actually mix up pancake mix with water so I reached for the frozen waffles and cooked up two eggs and dinner was served.

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At first I was mad that the syrup dripped onto the pretzels but once I tasted them I realized that it was probably the work of an angel.

I don’t even know how this happened……

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I think that my mom just missed me so so much she brought home billy and I fro-yo……..

Or maybe it is because she knows I am needing to carb-load (do you do that with biking) for my CENTURY that is a month away:)

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Time for a random running quote that I found while reading, ‘Cross-Country Running’ by Jeff Galloway.

“Most of your runs must have some fun in them, to help you through this journey.  Even after a hard workout, focus on how GOOD you feel afterward, and the satisfaction from meeting the challenge!

He also said in the next paragraph…’The reality of a speed training program is that you’ll have more setbacks than victories. But you WILL learn more from the setbacks and they will make you a smarter runner, and a stronger runner.”  I love how true that is!

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Do you like green, purple or red grapes the best?

-Usually red are my favorite but I last nights green one’s were amazing!

How do you add some FUN into your runs or workouts?

-I think I have mastered soaking up the feeling of satisfaction from meeting the challenge but I want to find more runs to make the actual run for me and my team MORE fun:)  I already promised them popscicles or chocolate milk at least once a week……so something non-food related any ideas?

We are having a BBQ tonight for my BIL’s b-day…..We NEED some fun ideas of what to BBQ?  What are your favorite things to eat at a BBQ?  Any creative ideas (main course, marinades, side dishes or dessert)?

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79 comments

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I love both red and green grapes! Grilled corn is pretty much amazing for a BBQ. I have been dying to try grilled watermelon salads :)

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i love love love grapes! :) a bit addicting!
can’t go wrong with corn.
maybe grilled pizza.
of course i love hummus and veggies, chips and salsa/guac.
have fun!

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Bahaha that picture with your niece is PRICELESS.

How exciting that you’re going to a BBQ! Best main dish: Shish kabobs! Best side: Tomato caprese salad (tomatoes, mozzarella, basil on French bread) Best dessert: Eclair cake (SOOO good and insanely easy)! I’m not sure how well all three of those would combine..but who cares? :)

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Barbecued bulgogi–it is seriously one of the most amazing meats I have ever had!!

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Your niece looks JUST like you when she makes that face!

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OH THAT MAKES ME HAPPY!! Thanks Michelle!

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I love potato salad in any form at BBQ’s. Also corn, which is pretty standard, but I like to spice it up by having herbed butter on the side. Tabbouleh is also a great summer side dish, full of flavor and a bit healthy too!

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Your dinner and dessert looks awesome. I should really go to my parents’ for dinner when Mike’s not home. I’d totally eat better.

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Love your little niece in this pic :) melts my heart. I just had syrup yesterday for the first time this year (I have no clue why I was depriving myself) NO LONGER!

green grapes,
great motivational quotes = great running
I usually use music to stay motivated and if that doesn’t work I start running like Pheobe :) lol
Do you do vegetarian b/c I posted a very EASY (syrup INCLUDED) marinade recipe for tofu steaks (it’s vegetarian time) you could most likely use it on chicken or pork too!

enjoy your day!

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It’s funny – I only eat red grapes in my chicken salad… Normally I eat green ones! Hmmm….best things to grill (my favorite) is Seared Tuna…YUM then you make a grilled pineapple salsa…YUM!
xoxo from Trinidad

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Purple grapes are my favorite :)
My favorite is grilled veggies but I have been wanting to try grilled peaches and pineapple with vanilla ice cream! And maybe some syrup on top ;)

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this is not barbeque from a grill, but so delicious! : cover some drained and rinsed chickpeas with barbeque sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and a little dash of paprika. stir and roast at 400 for 15 minutes, stir around on pan and cook for another 10 minutes. sort of an alternative to baked beans!

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This is a food related idea but….one fun thing I always did with my cross country team in high school was go on an ice cream run. For our longish run of the week, we would run 7 miles to the nearest ice cream place and Coach would buy us each a treat…it definitely kept the runs fun and gave us something to look forward to! Also incentives for interval training on the track were a big help…things like if you beat your 400 PR you got to sit out the next one

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Oh geez I can’t decide between those colors!!!!!

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let me start by saying that i’m so excited for you and your Century ride! that sounds like an amazing experience, i’m a little jealous…I really really wanna take up riding next summer (hopefully by then I can afford a decent bike)

I used to think green grapes were my fave but now i adore red grapes <3

I love choosing new routes or scenery for my runs…me and my cousin made a promise to do some trail runs this fall, and Im really looking forward to trying that out. To be honest, i'm not huge on keeping up a fast pace for running, I try and do my best and its always a fun time for me.

GAHH what a rough question about the BBQ, i feel like all ive done this summer is find new dishes and stuff to try out…since summer is winding down here, these are a couple of my faves that i've tried:

Bacon wrapped asparagus bundles (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/bacon-wrapped-asparagus-bundles-recipe/index.html)

Black Bean and Corn Salad (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/black-bean-and-corn-salad-recipe/index.html)

Fresh Fruit Tart (omg…this one was DELISH and easy!)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/fresh-fruit-tart-recipe/index.html

i love making guacamole…its SO great during the summer..this one was my fave recipe by far:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/guacamole/detail.aspx

ok done now :) have fun at your bbq!

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the youngest niece. SHE IS PRECIOUS and so good at imitating your blog faces. :)

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I have never met a grape that I didn’t like ;)

Grilled pineapple and grilled corn on the cob are both delicious sides.

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Your dinner looks amazing- breakfast any time of the day works! Apparently grilled watermelon tastes great, worth trying at the BBQ! Ketchup with anything is also a must!

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I love green grapes, but any color grape will do! Have you ever tried frozen grapes?! Yum, they’re great, especially in the summer heat.

I add fun in my workouts/running with my music! Music usually always gets me pepped up and having fun. I also like to take my lab running with me which makes it more entertaining…he’s so darn cute.

I love barbecuing turkey burgers, grilled chicken, any vegetable (particularly corn on the cob, zuchinni, squash, tomatoes, peppers…ok, I love them all), PINEAPPLE is amazing. We love to barbecue.

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HS girls love clothes/fashion etc. so how about an ugly t-shirt run, or buy some ribbon and do bows around the pony tails, fun knee high socks run.

Also, during homecoming week (do you have it?) since our kids already compete by grades throughout the week do some speed work or relays that are fresh, soph, jr, senior teams.

Deesert for BBQ, google betty cocker poke cake.

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raspberry poke cake is my favorite!

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Okay, that is the best idea EVER!! Thank you so so much….I can’t wait to participate in the ugly t-shirt run too! Okay, that recipe looks like the best thing I have ever seen, the carmel topping made me drool!

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First off, I just got back from HLS and I cannot tell you how many times we talked about YOUR blog. I wish you could have been there :-)

I like purple grapes the best – no contest. I love putting them on my salads and then slathering them in dressing.

Music and mantras is how I make my workout fun. I like to use music that motivates me and makes me smile. So, I’ll have an Eminem track next to a Glee song. That’s how I roll. I also like to zone out and pretend I’m famous ;-).

I once did an entire post on grilling on the foreman. I grilled veggies, tofu and lots of different fruit. By far, my fave fruit was the GRILLED BANANAS! yummmm (sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar and drizzle of caramel – top with ice cream ;-))

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When I moved half way across the country, I made the biggest mistake of my life: I SOLD MY BIKE! WHAT THE h-mo was I thinking? I have regretted it every single day. You are going to do AWESOME on the ride! I love reading your biking updates.

Red grapes times 1,000.
BBQ: Macaroni Salad and grilled pineapple (not together….. ew.)

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I like my apples and my grapes green! There’s something about the tartness of the green ones I like. How about some fruit on the grill like pineapple or peaches? That’s always fun :)

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best thing at a bbq for me is the pie and cookies and ice cream!

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I LOVE pulled pork and I have an awesome recipe for it but it is a crock pot recipe!! It goes great with other BBQ products such as grilled corn, grilled peppers, grilled mushrooms and grilled pineapple!! So yummy!!

I make my workouts fun by listening to annoying pop songs and smiling through them since it is more working out than I have been able to do in MONTHS!!! And I think about when I hit the number of pushups the man set for me to be able to do and the stick he will be buying me than!!!

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Grilled potatoes and grilled corn rubbed with butter for a BBQ!

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Y’all gotta barbeque some pineapple slices. You really must. (If you want)

It’ll go good with any meat, really. Shrimp sounds good.
Yeah.
Shrimp, avocado and pineapple.

PS- Maybe get some great colorful nailpolishes and each time someone reaches a milestone or goal they can get a “stripe” on– I dunno what. Something with nailpolish, though. (0:

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Sounds like a good dinner to me! :D
You could grill some pinapple and mango! Then serve it with (lots of) ice cream!

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I’m so excited for you to do the Century race! You’ll kill it :)

I love green grapes ones when they are sweet… but red are pretty awesome too.

I try to do workouts that I enjoy! I try to remember to work out because of how great ill feel afterwards instead of telling myself I have to do it to lose weight. It’s all about perspective :)

My mom and dad make the most amazing potatoes on the BBQ. They cut up a potato in slices (thick enough that they wont fall through the bbq cracks); toss them in a little olive oil and whatever spices you want… and then place directly on the bbq and cook until lightly crispy on both sides. They are to die for!

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Green grapes, definitely. And the fun in my workouts is how I bribe myself (AMAZINGLY effective). Like if I run so far, I can have Five Guys. Or a brownie. Something like that. A good friend said to me recently that “I need to let my mind wander.” So I have been working on that recently.

The Kidless Kronicles

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I just discovered a new, and now my absolutttteeeeee favorite grape last night. Hubs brought home champagne grapes (Correctly pronouced: cham- pag- nay, it makes me sound super awesome, you can sound super awesome too!! Actually, I stole that from Futurama). They are amazing… little concentrated grape flavor. :)

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I love that photo of you and your niece! You two are adorable together!!!

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I love green and purple grapes. YUMM!!!

Making running fun happens when I get into the moment and my element….and when I push/challenge myself as well :)

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I try to make sure I am having fun with everything that I do

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I LOVE THAT ATTITUDE!!

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I’m a green grape girl!

And bbq some pineapple with some margarine and brown sugar! Soooo yummy!

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Green grapes are my favorite fruit in the whole world, but I can’t eat them because my husband is allergic and just kissing him after eating them makes him swell up. :(

On my longer runs, I usually make up stories about people I encounter. I’ve done this since I was a kid, but it cracks me up every time.

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I love red grapes, but they never last long in my house because I eat them all.the.time.
I ususally add fun into my runs by dancing and running at the same time. Its a ‘hybrid’ style of running (I’m trying to sound smart ;) ). It’s called run-ancing. Takes talent. lol :P But the main thing I do is think of how great I’ll feel afterwards, and the satisfaction I’ll get from finishing.

Hope your BIL’s Bday goes great :D

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Okay, that picture of your niece is the CUTEST ever!!! and I love Strawberry Shortcake!

Also – I’ve never had eggs on a waffle – but that looks legit.

Do you like green, purple or red grapes the best?
-Only green. And only green apples too – I like sour fruits :)

How do you add some FUN into your runs or workouts?
-New music is a big one, if the weather is nice and I can drive somewhere pretty that’s another one — I’m so ready for the temperature to drop back under 100 — please!!!! Maybe take them to run some really cool trails? Or have some sort of a running scavenger hunt??

Texas is King of BBQ:
Appetizer – grilled avocado!! These are really good, cut them in half – de pit them, spritz with olive oil and sea salt or pepper if you prefer and put them face down on the gril til they soften a bit and get grill lines. You can eat them however you want – some ppl even add some smoked salmon on top.

My favorite thing on the grill has to be veggie skewers… you don’t need anything more than a spritz of olive oil spray but I also love to squeeze a little lemon over the top – mushrooms and sliced bell peppers cook pretty delicious! Get at least medium sized mushrooms if you do bc they shrink up on the grill..
A fun way to mix it up is pineapple shrimp skewers! the pineapple helps flavor the shrimp and is super sweet and you can serve with a little extra sweet & sour sauce for those who like it saucy ;)

For dessert I’ve been meaning to try grilled s’mores which I saw a recipe for – they make them and wrap them in foil and toss them on the grill til they’re hot and gooey!!! yum!

Have a fun dinner!

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ahhh I WANT TO COME TO YOUR HOUSE FOR DINNER!!!!!

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LOVE those quotes and your neice is seriously the cutest thing on this earth. I am in love with her. I like to make running fun lately by making it an adventure. Planning out a crazy route and finding great friends to enjoy it with. It seriously is all about the adventure in my opinion. Happy B-day to your BIL!!

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I like red grapes best! Billy likes green, so we usually get a mix. Your niece is so stinking cute I can hardly stand it! What a dollbaby. Love her!

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grilled corn smeared with mayo, lime juice, and dusted with chili pepper. MMMM. Also, it’s peach season, GRILL those babies and top with sweetened ricotta cheese and honey!!

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How to make it fun: enjoy the fact that you CAN run!

I ran today for the first time in 9 months! 9 months, guys! My babies are now 6 weeks old so I went for it and it was the most amazing feeling!! I am going to try to not take running for granted ever again now that I know what it feels like to not be able to it.

Half marathon here I come!!

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AHHH CONGRATS LAURA!! That is so so so exciting!! Please keep me updated with your running and training!

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Thank you so much, Janae! I knew I could get support here. And running with a double jogging stroller puts a whole new spin on things!

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Have you read, “Born to Run”? If not, you MUST.

http://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307266303

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I second this!!! SO Good!

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I am half way through and I am OBSESSED!!! Thanks so much girls!

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Having an egg sandwich with waffles as the bread is the BEST idea EVER!!! Holy Moses, I’m trying that this week.

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I am so excited for you as you train for the Century. Its so inspiring that you are jumping right into something new and just going for it!!!!!

My favorite BBQ foods are grilled corn on the cob and grilled peaches (best when put on top of icecream!) YUM

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I love Quinoa Salad w/Black Beans and Avocado as a side dish w/BBQ. It just tastes so darn good!

Purple grapes are my fave! I especially love them frozen on a hot day!!

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Have you ever tried grilling pizza? It’s so easy and soooo good. I did a post about it on my blog if you want to check it out!

http://www.acheapchiclife.com/2/post/2011/07/a-different-use-for-your-grill.html

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Costco green grapes are the best!

Whenever I’m doing cardio at the gym, I multitask and play games on my phone or if I’m with someone we’ll catch up on the latest gossip ;P On long runs, I enjoy trying new routes and listening to Pandora!

BBQ suggestions, sticking with the grilling theme: grilled romaine, grilled pineapple and BBQ chicken kebabs, and a slice of grilled angel food cake with fresh strawberries!

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Red grapes!!

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loveee that picture of you are your niece so so cute!!!
red grapes all the way and i still have to tell you HOW FREAKING EXCITED I AM FOR YOU CENTURY!!!! so so COOL!!! and AMAZINGGGG
corn on the cob, watermelon, veggie, shrimp, chicken skewers so so good too! have fun girl :)

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Oh friend, since I’ve gone sugar free, i haven’t had syrup or anything of the like. I haven’t missed it until I thought of the taste of syrup with pretzels. That must be fabulous.

Grapes…All grapes are little nuggets of awesome in my book.

Now, I don’t run unless someone is chasing me, but I DO work out….And to make it fun I listen to gangsta rap as loud as I can. Usually I’m a classic rock girl, but there’s something about some hard core gangsta rap that puts me in the mood to kick my own butt!

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Yum! That egg & waffle sandwich looks delicious! :)

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We always have green grapes in the house as a summer staple! I love going home to my mom’s house too, she always has mine and my hubby’s fav ice cream flavors.

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For your making running fun – get your kids to do a time trial for a specific distance and record the results, then have them choose a specific goal for them selves (something measurable and encouraging them to focus on personal improvement rather than competition – so ‘run 1 mile 30 seconds faster’ as opposed to ‘finish in the top 3 at a race’)- that way they can see their progress and they learn to make it about improving as a runner and not necessarily about winning. Maybe a ‘most improved’ award at the end of the year based on the most improvement in time trial would be fun!

As a sidenote – tell Billy the biggest help I found in preparing for LSATs was ordering a book of official LSAT exams from past years (in Canada you can order them from the LSAC, there must be somewhere you can get them in the US!) and every Saturday morning I did a complete timed mock exam, even doing the last few at the university in the room where the exam was being held. Every week you see improvement in scores and you learn to time yourself well and to sustain the levels of focus you need for the lonnnng exhausting exam!

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Okay, THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!! I love the idea of setting goals like 30 seconds faster for the mile, BRILLIANT!! Thank you for the help for billy….I just texted him to read your comment! THANKS!!

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Grilled pineapple is awesome with pork or even chicken.

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Set your kids reachable goals. Like someone else has already said, telling them they need to place in the top 3 isn’t helpful…they know they want to place there, you need to give them small goals that will eventually help them get there. And praise – after a tough run it always feels amazing to hear even a simple “good job!” and a high five or something. And just be genuinely excited about their successes. Which I somehow think won’t be a problem ;)

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hahaha! i was thinking how much the little one looked like you in the first photo, and then i realized it might be because of her super-stoked, huge eyes in the picture! so cute.

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I love all grapes!!!
Christian music…gets me motivated and thinking of all the blessings in my life, including the ability to run!!!
Grilled Mushrooms, squash, red peppers, potatoe, tomatoes, onion and cucumbers (all mixed together)!!! Yummy!!!

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I first heard of carbloading in reference to biking… particularlyw hen you’re going such long distances! My dad did the Seattle to Portland (known as the STP) a few times and there’s always a massive pasta dinner hte night before. :) So get your carbs on, girl ;)

PS that dinner looks fantabulous & your niece is seriously adorable!
<3
n

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grill some fruit! peaches pineapples and mangos for dessert! its an excuse to buy ice cream.

If I need a “fun” boost on a run I’ll take my iPod and do a music workout where I run to the tempo of the songs – I have a couple good mixes that alternate fast and slow; maybe you could make a playlist and have them all put it on their ipods and they all push “play” at the same time…or if you do a track workout with them play music for the repeats?

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Janae!
I have been blog-stocking you for like 7 months or something, and I finally started my own blog, so now I can comment on your incredibly entertaining posts!! Your niece is the cuuuutest thing ever! Family is everything :)

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You can try a honey mustard marinate for some chicken on the grill. I usually use Dijon mustard, honey, a little bit of garlic, pepper, lemon juice (fresh squeezed), and some curry powder. I experiment with the measurements.

I love running up a hill and the feeling I get of making it to the top, like I am untouchable. I also get great views here in Hawaii, so it is a great reward. I really like getting new running shoes or a new outfit. It makes me want to work harder during my next run. I just got compression socks too, which I am super excited about!

By the way you niece is very cute, but weird story for you. Your sister looks just like my old neighbor I had here in HI (she has moved). My husband and I were on a Mexican Rivera cruise for new years about 2 years ago. We thought we saw her on the cruise, but she was not with the family that she had back in HI, so we quickly realized it wasn’t her, but maybe it was your sister. I am telling you they look very much alike.

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I’m just starting to try this “running” thing. I can’t believe how much I DON’T know. Should I run every day?

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NO!!! I would definitely start with 3 days a week!! You should email me and we can talk more!

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1. Purple!
2. I like to sing out loud to my music– it makes people look at me funny, but I really love it! I sing especially loud to Dancing in the Streets right now! :)
3. Grilled sweet potato and asparagus….SO GOOD!

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Portabellas are the best! Some olive oil and crushed garlic and you have the most fantastic bbq item!

I love red grapes and I am actually eating them right now at my desk!! HAHA! You read my mind. :) The kids in your family are so stinkin’ cute!

I make my runs fun by watching Glee and singing and dancing and running all at once. It’s hard but super fun. As for a team… I have no ideas. SORRY !

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purple grapes in salads, red grapes frozen (AMAZING!) green grapes plain :)
Grilled and buttered corn on the cob is an awesome classic, grilled pineapple and peaches with sugar and cinnamon, and veggie/meat kabobs are fun. personally I love me some grilled portabellas too, actually any veggie grilled is my thing :) Oh, and the pic is too adorable for words, you girls look so much alike there!

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Purple grapes are my fave! To make my workouts more fun I get creative with my playlist…and sometimes, I run with a friend! :)

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I like red grapes. I try to alternate in our house between red and green, since my husband loves green grapes. The things you do for those you love.

I try to remind myself how much I like the burning feeling I have after a good workout. It’s a love/hate relationship.

I love BBQ Brisket the most. BBQ Chicken and scallops.

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You need this in your life.

This is so simple, but amazing. I bring it to every BBQ and it’s always the first thing gone. It can very simply be doubled, which I often do. :)

1 cup mayo
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (not the kraft sprinkles–the shredded kind)
1 can drained and roughly chopped artichoke hearts (in water, not oil)
Paprika
Optional: For a dip with more of a kick, throw in some diced, fresh jalapenos.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and spread in a 8×8 baking dish. Sprinkle with paprika (for color) and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, baguette slices, etc. Watch it be devoured.

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