This felt VERY different. I cannot even remember the last time I was on a treadmill. This might have even been my first treadmill run of this pregnancy!
Like everyone on the planet this year, I’m trying to figure out the right schedule for us right now. Yesterday I tried something new and it actually worked really well. Brooke wakes up early these days so I decided that we would start her school (Tuesday’s she is home) first thing while Skye was still asleep. Doing the majority of her schooling while Skye was asleep made it a million times easier for everyone involved. Based on Andrew’s work schedule each week we will just be playing around with different schedules on the days the kids do school at home.
A few hours later and we went over to my sister’s home gym to get in a run. My sister has a big toy room right next to her gym which made it so easy to get in some miles. My sister was on the elliptical while I was on the treadmill and Skye lifted some weights while we were there too;)
Remember years ago when almost every blog post that I posted included a treadmill picture? I was reminded yesterday that I actually really do like the treadmill. I love a run outside the absolute most but I’ve always had a close bond with the treadmill too (my treadmill running tips are here).
Six miles and weirdly my legs were sore afterwards which means I must run differently on a treadmill vs. outside.
I then took the girls to the library and I was very excited about one of the books that Brooke wanted to bring home… a cookbook!
PS we have decided to say goodbye to the binky once the new baby comes and Skye moves into Brooke’s room. It will be part of her turning into a big girl and she will give the binkys to the new baby. For now she calls them her ‘binky mask’ to be like us and wear a mask anytime we go somewhere ha.
PS they try to convince me every night that they need to share a room now;) I’m just holding onto the last few months of Skye being in a crib!
The bakery always happens either before or after we go to the library.
We got home and made some lunch. This might be something that everyone does but when I am mixing up my 3-4 eggs for an omelet, I add a 1 tbsp of pancake mix (like bisquick) to the eggs. The pancake mix helps the eggs to fluff up a bit and stick together when I am folding it together.
Plate sized omelets are my favorite kind of omelets.
Brooke made me a smoothie from her cookbook including the straw and umbrella for me to drink in my bed.
This is definitely my ideal time to eat dinner #1…
Nesting has kicked in and the pantry reaped the benefits. I wish that I had a before picture because it was insane in there and it took me so long to find anything…
And a random flashback memory… A year ago today I was running next to the ocean in 1000% humidity. I miss the ocean but I don’t miss running in humidity (this picture was taken 2.2 miles into my run… I don’t know how you humidity runners do it)!
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How are you switching up your normal routines to make new schedules work?
When was your last treadmill run? How do you feel about the treadmill these days?
Last organizing project that you did?
I would love to hear any random cooking tips that you use (ie my pancake mix tip for omelettes), these things are so fun for me to find!
52 comments
Mariah
I ran on the treadmill last week and was sore too! I much prefer running outside, the treadmill feels faster to me, even at the same pace. Not sure why??
Sometimes I’ll add apple sauce to meat I’m cooking in the slow cooker to keep it moist and from drying out. You can’t taste at all!
The Hungry Runner Girl
You are not alone in that! Over the years I have totally noticed that some treadmills feel way faster than others or that the inclines feel different etc. I cannot wait to try your tip of adding apple sauce to meat when you cook it in the crockpot. THANK YOU and I hope your Wednesday has been a great one so far!
Ali
Your girls are the cutest! That sister bond is so strong! Do you know if you are having a boy or a girl?
The Hungry Runner Girl
Thank you so much Ali and I love watching their bond get stronger and stronger! We don’t know yet whether it is a boy or a girl but we can’t wait to find out at the delivery! Hope you have a wonderful day!
Charlotte
I’ve never heard of the bisquick + eggs trick! I’ll have to try it.
Some of my favorite tricks: when I make hard boiled eggs I immediately submerge them in ice water for a few minutes and then peel them – makes it SO much easier to peel the shell away all in one piece. I blend the whole strawberry in a smoothie to get in some extra greens from their lil tops. My household switched to bamboo paper towels – they’re washable/reusable, soft, and extremely absorbent!
I hope you all have an awesome day! Happy Wednesday!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Okay, your tips are AWESOME! I have never thought about using the whole strawberry but that makes total sense. Off to check out the bamboo paper towels and make some hardboiled eggs. Thanks and you too Charlotte!
RK
I just weaned my two year old off of her pacifiers and it was rough few days. My daughter was absolutely devastated to lose her pacifiers, as they were her comfort object. I think the idea of giving the binkies to the baby is great, but if I were you, I would consider weaning Skye off them ASAP, as she will likely regress some when the baby comes.
My 2 year old was younger than Skye when her brother was born (only 15 months), but she went back to needing her pacifier ALL the time for several months after he was born. The internet recommends not making any big changes when a new baby arrives! Just my advice as someone who just went through this!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Thank you thank you thank you for the help! I am so sorry you guys had to go through those rough days (and I know ours is soon). Thanks for the help, definitely going to talk to Andrew about this! We need to figure this out! Have a great day RK and 15 months apart… you must have your hands full!
Melly
Yes, I was thinking that Skye will most likely have some jealousy about losing her status as “the baby” and having the new baby be the center of attention…. and will tend to revert to “baby” behaviors and feel very needy for Mommy (at least I’ve seen that happen with many other children)
I think your an amazing Mom- these aren’t easy issues! I always try to keep in mind the big picture: I guarantee that Skye will not be a teenager running around with a binky! She will get over this and outgrow the need at some point no matter how you and Andrew choose to help her.
Kristin
Running in the humidity is such a struggle! Last summer I ran mostly on the treadmill, but of course this year the gym is closed, so . . . lots of humid runs. I saw on Emily Infeld’s insta that she compared running in the humidity to running at altitude because your body has to work so much harder . . . we are going with that.
Organizing my desk to really get ready for working from home again! My cooking tip is when you fry eggs, cover them with a lid or a sheet of foil, and add about 2 tablespoons of water when they’ve started to cook a bit. It steams them, so they cook better and are softer!
Amy J.
Humidity IS brutal – I live in WI and it’s been rough this year! I’m in your same boat, organizing everything to get ready to work from home again, as I imagine it will be sooner rather than later. I would love to try a real altitude run to see if the humidity has prepped me for it… =)
Kristen
I did so much organizing on Monday! I always take the first day of school off from work but online high school left me in a weird space so I cleaned out my desk and set up a standing workspace in my kitchen. Two projects I’ve been putting off for months! It felt soo good!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
OH YAY! I am so glad you got those projects done! it feels so so refreshing to check things off like that. I hope your workday is going well today Kristen.
Liza
Good morning Janae, your pantry is dreamy! My latest organization project was turning a closet near my kitchen into a pantry which has changed my life. Thank you for posting the links to the recipes you make for dinner. Sometimes I feel like you are my menu planner. My family loved the panda chow mein. I was trying to make a lot so that there would be leftovers but there were not. And I also can’t figure out why I have never made that before in my rotation! Don’t love the treadmill but it’s necessary and super convenient at times. The best cooking tip my friend shared was not to completely defrost chicken breasts or sirloin steak. When it is still slightly frozen, you can slice it razor thin and cook it on the stove top in a jiffy. Delicious.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hey Liza! I am so thrilled that you have a new pantry… it really does make the biggest difference to have the space. So good to hear that your family loved the Panda noodles, my kids have already asked for it again ha. Brilliant tip, I can’t wait to try it. Thank you so much and I hope you have a beautiful rest of your day!
Nicole
Love your blog post, and schooling while toddler is still asleep is such a great idea! I homeschooled 6 years (now distance learning) and never thought of that!
I am in the market for a treadmill (creating a home gym since I have realized I LOVE the flexibility with time and not having to run to the gym with 5 kids ?) and will love how you went about making your decision. The fewest miles I would run on it is 7 miles, so I want whatever you have. ? the cheap treadmills I know will not cut it. So, I figure I need to find something that won’t wobble, or start to smell like burnt rubber after 4 miles, will need to be commercial grade treadmill. Such a big/important purchase and just overwhelmed. Thank you!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
HEY NICOLE! Wow, homeschooling 5 kids for the last 6 years, you are my hero. That is incredible. I am SO excited about you getting a new treadmill. I won’t recommend my sister’s treadmill (it used to be mine and I get shin splints if I use it too much on it because I think the deck of it is too hard) but at my house I have the Nordictrack x22i and we have put a million miles on it and love it. My only complaint is that sometimes the software is a little off when there are updates but as far as the actual treadmill goes, it’s amazing! Let me know what you decide on getting, I’m excited for you!
Sara
We are in St. Louis where humidity is ridiculous. I finally moved many of my runs indoors this week because I couldn’t handle it anymore. It may only be 75 in the morning, but the 85-90% humidity was really tough (and don’t even think about running later in the day at 95 degrees!) I’ve been switching it up and doing some of the Peloton running and bootcampt workouts on the tread to keep it interesting!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Sara. Two years ago we were in St. Louis and I couldn’t even handle the humidity while walking around outside, you are amazing! I can absolutely see why you are moving things indoors now. Enjoy your time with the Peloton running and bootcamp workouts!
melissa
when I was nesting I organized all our kitchen cabinets which are of course a mess again. why can’t they just stay organized!! a baking trick: when I bake muffins I bake them first at 400 degrees for 6 minutes and then turn the oven to 350 degrees (keeping muffins in the oven) for the rest of the baking time. It helps the muffins to get that nice golden brown muffin top!
hope you are feeling great in the last leg of your pregnancy!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Melissa, I cannot wait to try this tip because I love the muffin tops the most and this is just going to make them even better. Thank you so much and I hope you are having a great afternoon!
Lauren
Do you have a favorite kids’ mask that works well for Brooke and Knox? I have yet to find any that fit my kids right and they are the same age. All of them are way too big for their little faces!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hey Lauren ! Yes, the ones that my kids love are here:
https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=654501#pdp-page-content
I hope your kids love them too and have a great day!
Wendy
I was just thinking yesterday, how much I miss my favorite treadmill at the gym. A few years ago I don’t think I would ever say that, ha! I had a morning full of meetings, and didn’t want to run at 5am, and by the time the meetings were done, it was just way too hot to run outside. I’m really hoping my gym opens soon.
Ok your pantry is like a dream! We live in a house that was built in 1950, so storage is definitely small. I am itching to re-organize my closet though, so maybe I’ll get that done today.
I feel for all you parents with young kids these days… Managing school at home and figuring out some sort of normal schedule. I do feel grateful that my boys are older and school, although not what we were hoping for, is going pretty well and everyone has a “normal” schedule again. Fingers crossed that regular school is close to happening again.
Ok, need to get out the door before the heat! Have a good Wednesday ?
Isla
I was all about treadmill runs in pregnancy! I was pregnant over the winter, and it gets very snowy and icy here, so I was on the treadmill more than I was outside. Now that baby is here, he loves walking on the treadmill in the baby carrier. I think he got used to the sound and rhythm of it and now finds it soothing.
Jen
Random cooking tip – I don’t know how you feel about laughing cow cheeses (those little wedges of soft cheese usually eaten with crackers) – but try mixing a wedge of laughing cow cheese in your scrambled eggs. Game Changing!
The Hungry Runner Girl
I love laughing cow cheese wedges and I can’t wait to try this, I already know I am going to love it! Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a great day Jen.
Ehrin
Speaking of binky’s we threw my three year old a “binky party” a couple of months ago. He was pretty attached to them but I was tired of keeping track of them and he only had like 2 left that had holes bitten into them. So we told him that if he threw them away I would make a birthday cake with candles and he could have a piñata (his two obsessions haha!) He did way better than we thought he would! He only asked for them once the next day and we just reminded him he threw them away and that we were having his fun party! Maybe something Skye might be into and the big kids could totally hype up for her when the time comes!
Mary
I did not know that trick about pancake mix in an omelet! Please share others tips you learn from readers too!
I love how big your pantry is – what do you keep in the plastic containers? I keep everything in their original packages and I can’t decide if I want to switch to putting stuff in containers.
The Hungry Runner Girl
I totally will, thanks Mary! So far we keep our baking items (flour, sugar, brown sugar etc) and snacks (like goldfish, pretzels, wheat thins) in the plastic containers and it works great. We go through our cereal way too fast to keep them in containers:) Let me know if you switch and I hope you have a great day!
Megan D
I am so incredibly jealous of your pantry. I try to keep mine organized, but it’s just so small that even if it is, it feels crowded and messy.
It’s been back to 5:30 or 6am workouts now ? so I can be home in time to get all 3 kids out the door before 8 and I can use the time they are gone to do my own school/studying it get my shadowing hours in. Ross and Evan left last night to go backpacking until Saturday and I just came home to an empty house. That legit hasn’t happened since March ??
I miss you! It has been way too long.
Jaime
I was bit by the organization bug too. I bought all the bins and cute labels for the pantry. Now I am tackling my girls’ bathroom linen closet and another linen closet. So many bins and baskets purchased from Target. My husband loves it!
Kelly D
Good morning, Janae! I’ve been wanting to comment forever! My middle name is Janae and I love the name so much that my 9 year old daughter has it as her middle name too.
I like treadmill running too and miss it! Our gyms are still closed in CA and I’m not sure I’d really want to return to one anyway. :( I can live vicariously through you (which would also make me a lot faster than I am! ;)
On another note, awhile back you had asked for ideas about weaning kids off of pacifiers. *If* you’re still looking for ideas, a friend of mine gave me the idea to take all of her pacies (that is what we called them) to the Build a Bear store, where she can pick out a stuffie and then put all of the pacies in the stuffie, then she has the stuffie to cuddle (with the pacies in them) instead of using the pacies. We were SO nervous to basically have her go cold turkey, but it actually worked! And, no judgement here at all, my daughter used one until almost 3 and she just loooooooved them. It’ll happen at the right time for you all. :)
The Hungry Runner Girl
I think you have solved our problem… I LOVE THIS idea SO SO much. This is something that will totally work for Skye because she loves stuffed animals so much and this way she will still ‘have them’. Thank you for your help Kelly Janae (how fun is that!!). Have a beautiful day!
Kelly D
Yes! Very fun! My nickname is Kjay, which I also love.
And best of luck with the pacies! I hope it helps and goes smoothly. :)
One more thing: I inadvertently clicked a box to see all replies to this post, I guess, and I saw that you take so much time replying to everyone’s comments and with such thoughtful replies! That is truly a kind and generous thing to do.
Take care!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh thank you, that means a lot! The connections are what I love the most about the online world:) Have a great evening Kjay:)
Karin
I’m not sure if you’ve ever watched Life In Pieces, but there is a pretty funny episode about the Binky Fairy coming and taking them away.
When lockdown first happened I was super motivated and organized my whole house….now a few months later it is back to a disorganized mess again. It’s exasperating but my kids don’t share my love of order. The worst is the kids closet with all their art supplies and games. No matter what I do it’s always destroyed.
I love treadmill running, especially when it’s hot and I can have a fan blowing on me. Unfortunately my treadmill is packed away right now as we are finishing our basement, so I’ve had to take it outside. I just go first thing in the morning, right after the older kids go off to school and my 3 year old is still asleep.
~ R
Our schedule is still in flux – our school district is phasing in school over two weeks so this week and next week and the third week will look different – plus, we are a mix of live Zoom learning and pre-recorded learning. As a result, we are still a little bit of a scramble each morning to be online at 8:30, brief off, on at 9:00, long off, on at 10:30, off, etc…we will adjust but apparently it will take more than three days!
Not related to any of your questions but I have some serious pantry envy going on right now…not only is it beautifully organized but so much room! So many shelves! And an area with doors! It probably isn’t quite as big as my whole kitchen section but it looks like it in the photo.
Torrie
My kids aren’t school aged yet but they were in daycare full time and we’ve had them out since mid-March. We just recently decided to get a nanny instead of sending them back to daycare. The nanny starts in a few weeks and I can’t even explain how excited I am! I work full time and it has been such a challenging 6 months working and momming full time. 6 hours of uninterrupted work time every day is going to feel magical!
I’m a big fan of the treadmill but I haven’t been on mine since March! Our winters are brutal here so once the heavy snow/ice hits (usually late December) I am forced to the treadmill until April-ish. Because of that I make sure to soak up every ounce of outside running during the spring/summer/fall!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Torrie! How in the world have you survived the last 6 months? I am so excited for you to be able to have the nanny and get your work done. You are amazing. Thank goodness for treadmills to get us through those months of ice/snow and they help us to really love being outside too. Have a great day!
Karen Schlueter-Morland
Your pantry…so jealous. Beautiful
Megan
Hey Janae, i say this with respect and (of course!) knowledge that you will do what’s best for your family, but since this is something i do in my professional life, i just thought I’d offer something for you to think about. I would refrain from telling Skye that she is going to be giving her binkies to the new baby, or has to pass them down, or anything along those lines. While she may be all about it or even possibly excited for it now, it frames this in a negative way and plants the possibility for jealousy, which is already a possibility when welcoming a new baby into the home. I would suggest framing it in a positive way — even if you say you are going to leave them behind once she’s in the big girl room since big girls don’t use them — or find a way that feels authentic and genuine to your family, but leaves the new baby out of it entirely. There may be some difficulty already if she sees the new baby gets them once he/she arrives, and you can navigate that if it happens. some other ideas would be to allow her to pick out a mask (knowing that she will probably not be compliant with it!) so she can say goodbye to her binky mask, or something along those lines. Good luck! You guys will do great.
The Hungry Runner Girl
THANK YOU MEGAN! I definitely never thought about it that way but I can totally see that happening and that is not something I want Skye to feel. Thanks for the help and I’m sending what you said to Andrew. I really appreciate the help and can’t thank you enough. Have a great day!
Erica
My last TM run was this weekend when it was raining.
I also have a love affair with it. I think it is amazing for those days you have trouble getting out the door. Just get on the treadmill, tell yourself 1 mile before quitting……put on a favorite show and watch 1 mile become 6.
Betsy
Years ago my husband and I went to a national chain breakfast restaurant and they brought my husband a HUGE omelet. I made a comment to the server that it must’ve taken a dozen eggs to make. She said not as many eggs as a person would think. It was mostly pancake mix! My mom always added a couple to tablespoons of milk to about 3 scrambled eggs and it makes them a little fluffier. I do that for my kids now. Don’t ask me how they taste! I hate eggs! I wish I like them.
heather
I am interested in getting your spin bike for a workout in my apartment but I see it doesn’t have a monitor for time or rpm, how do you measure speed or distance on the bike?
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hey Heather! Yay for a spin bike in your apartment! It is so nice to have one:) Andrew uses this to measure it on our bike:
https://amzn.to/32wWnry
I just go based off of effort and don’t measure the speed or distance and go more off of intervals and length of time. I hope this helps and let me know if you get it. Have a great day!
Sharsti
Hi!
My girls loved their binkys too! We gave them to the “baby monkeys” and then they sent us a package back with fun ba nana flavored candy and yellow toys.(I just put the package on the doorstep for her to find). It worked great! My toddler always had a bit of a hard transition after a new baby and would never allow the baby to take her beloved binkys hahaha
Beth
Gosh, the girls are going to be so cute sharing a room!
I am weird I actually don’t like my eggs fluffy.
We have a play area next to our home gym and it is amazing. My four year old loves it, my two year olf doesn’t like being left in the play area while I run so it will probably work better in a year or so (fingers crossed).
kim
your girls are so cute & so big already. where is time going? I need to come & hang out with them- & knox too. hope you’re feeling great right now! love youuuu!!
Parker
I miss running on the treadmill! I never thought I would, but absence makes the heart grow fonder I guess! ? I am IN LOVE with your pantry and your sister’s home gym!!!!
Also, Brooke’s love for cooking makes me smile! I fell in love with it when I was little and it’s something that still excites me to this day! It’s so sweet and wonderful that you are encouraging her like you do!
heather
Thank you for the information. I bough the bike on Amazon, but the assembly service is not available in my area so I’m a little nervous about putting it together by myself, I’m not a handy person. Thanks again.