Love Day Treats

 

Today Little Bird and I made Love Day treats!  I have made this modified form of “haystack” for Doc as a Valentine’s gift for a long time.

Here is what you need:

Ruffles, Peanut Butter, Walnuts, Meltable Chocolate, Butterscotch Chips, some sort of mold or tray and ziplocs for smashing!

These are kind of like a no-bake cookie.  You start off by melting some of the chocolate and pouring it into the bottom of the molds.

I left one of the molds empty because one of my coworkers doesn’t like chocolate and peanut butter together.

Next you have mash the potato chips into little pieces.  I use the whole bag and smash them in small groups.

Smashing up potato chips is the best part!  Just ask Little Bird:

 

 

 

Next you have to melt the butterscotch chips and about a cup of peanut butter.  I like to use a wooden skewer to stir things like this because I don’t end up wasting a bunch of food that gets stuck on the stirring device.  You want to melt it at 30 second increments until it is smooth.  Then you stir the melted butterscotch peanut butter in with the potato chips and about a cup of chopped walnuts!  I would recommend buying the walnuts you use already chopped because chopping them myself sucked. was a rewarding yet time consuming activity.

You will stir these all together until everything is nice a coated with the mixture.  You want it to be pretty clumpy.  It should be a nice golden color.  Now all you have to do is press the mixture into your molds on top of the chocolate.  I used a spoon to do this (which Little Bird loved licking after I was done!)

 

 

Now simply put them in the freezer for about an hour and VOILA!

I made heart shaped ones and “cupcake” style ones to give to friends and family for Love Day!  You can pop the shapes out of silicon molds, but otherwise, sticking with something like cupcake wrappers is the easiest as far as getting them out of the tray and into your wrappings.

I put the treats in pretty boxes and then stored them in the freezer until it’s time to give them.  They can also be stored in the refrigerator but you probably want to keep them there until it’s time to give/eat!

Haystacks were something Doc’s grandma used to make.  She passed away around this time of year.  I like making these around now because it seems like a good way to remember her.  Even though it’s my own variation – the smell reminds me of her, and how excited she was when we’d bring her some.

Happy Love Day

I may as well rename my blog…

to “Real Simples Biggest Promoter Ever”!!

Ok, I rave about it all the time, but hell – it has amazing stuff!

Real Simple Magazine is the only magazine I subscribe to or buy.  I actually use a lot of the stuff in it, love the articles, and swipe the recipes constantly because they are actually practical!

This month, they had a list of 30 super healthy foods to include in your diet.  I liked this list because it made me realize that I am already doing a great job of feeding my family really healthy foods!

Of the 30, I already frequently serve these:

• Black Beans
• Broccoli
• Chicken Breasts
• Edamame
• Eggs
• Extra-virgin Olive Oil (EVOO for you Rachel Rae fans)
• Oatmeal
• Oranges
• Peanut Butter
• Whole-grain pasta
• Yogurt (nonfat Greek)

I don’t think that 11 off the list is that bad at all!  We’re adding Blueberries and Walnuts to our breakfast routine to fit two more in.

One of my biggest efforts in our lives has been to revamp how we eat.  I’ve been working on this goal for two years now.  I try to keep ingredients simple.  I buy all the fresh veggies and fruits I can (frozen when I can’t) – keep the proteins lean and the grains whole wheat.

The result has been incredible in how we feel and how we feel about food.  It really says something when fast food actually sounds awful (with the exception of Taco Bell…I still love crunch wrap supremes). 

Anyway, you can hit up their website to look for something fun to try.  I’ll be hitting up this one next week!

Love Day

Valentine’s Day is not something I have ever really celebrated.  As far as the commercialization of it, I’m not really a fan.  Doc and I became engaged on February 23rd, and often celebrate our “Engagemaversary” instead. 

However, lately I’ve been thinking a lot about expressing love for others.  I don’t think I’m necessarily that good at it.  I certainly don’t tell the people I love that I care about them often enough.  I also think I could improve at showing my appreciation for people as well. 

So this year, I’m thinking of Valentine’s Day as Love Day: a day to express love to those you care about. 

I thought I’d share this idea with those of you who may be looking for a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day apart from simply celebrating your romantic relationship (or feeling like your lack of one is being pointed out).

This year I am mailing letters to people I care about.  I want to show them that I appreciate them, even if I suck at showing it most of the time.

Does one day and one card make up for it? No.  But it’s probably a good start.

Quiet Time

The recent week off from work has given us time to implement “Quiet Play” time for Little Bird.  Instead of laying her down for a nap, we lower her lights, turn on quiet music, and shut her doors.  She plays alone, in her room quietly, and naps if she chooses to.  This has worked really well.  She hasn’t been upset about it, and we often hear blocks being stacked or her reading her books while she is relaxing.

However, this method does have a side effect.

Randomly falling asleep.

 

 

 

 

I was going to climb in bed, but I just couldn’t make it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was watching you under the door.  You were boring.

 

 

 

 

And the money shot!

Eat Simply–A Green and a Yellow

 

Some of you might have remembered the ole “eat a green and a yellow vegetable everyday” adage.  I like it.  It adds color to my meals and helps me plan out healthier food.

You can read about the benefits of different fruits and vegetable colors here.  My mom made sure we had a green and yellow daily (normally green beans and corn).   I try to keep our meals colorful and switch it up, but I have two staples that I love to turn to when I need a quick healthy and delicious side to add to my diet.

Carrots and Peas!  So here are some simple ways to cook vegetables that are delicious, family (meaning picky men and baby) friendly, and require very little work on your part.

Ginger Carrots

Thanks to a wonderful gift from family last Christmas (thanks Diane!) we now have a vegetable steamer!

If, however you do not have one, you can always microwave cut up carrots (organic please) in a dish with a little bit of water and cover the dish with plastic wrap.  When they are done, ginger them up!  They add a nice little zing to the vegetable that makes them taste fancy!

Mint Peas

You can buy frozen peas that steam in the bag.  Follow instructions, sprinkle with mint.  Voila!  You have a neat little dish that is amazing for you and pretty tasty.

The Perfect Workout: If You Want to Feel Like More of a Bad Ass

If you have heard of P90X, you know that it’s pretty much insane. 

If you know the Fowlingtons, you know we are too.

So Doc and I are doing the “Extreme Home Fitness” routine for the next 90 days.  This workout system is incredible if you want to feel like a badass or superhero.  The workouts are different each day but are INTENSE!  They are about an hour long each and on some days you have an extra 15 minute workout to tack on.

The first two days were hell, but I tell you what – Doc and I are already feeling incredible!

Screw my work out 3-4 times a week idea.  We’re working out for a solid hour every night after Little Bird goes to bed and we feel incredible!  Our stress level is down, our energy is up, and we have much better attitudes every day.

We’ve completed phase I – the first 30 days.  Granted, we have 60 to go, but we feel amazing.

I will tell you that I have brought out the Bad Ass boots and definitely feel more like Uma Thurman each day.

Here’s to being fit!

 

For those of you wondering how you do an hour to an hour and a half workout each day, here is my answer.  You don’t have to workout everyday.  You don’t have to work out for a full hour to hour and a half every time you work out either.  But this is a jumpstart to a life change for us.  You need to decide, either it is worth it to spend the time to be healthy and fit so that you live a longer and fuller life – or it’s not.  Period.

Decisions, Decisions

Ok.  So you think you’ve made your decision, but when it comes down to crunch time, you seem to always second guess yourself.

Two paths.  One that we want, and one that we want to be the kind of people that want.

How do you make the decision?  Based on who you are, or who you want to be?

Looking into the future, this choice could split our path very different ways.  It seems monumental. 

The only way you become the person you want to be, is by acting like that person until it becomes habit.  Making decisions like that person would.  And eventually, they’re instinct.

So do you chose based on who you are now and what you want – or do you risk putting yourself out there and trying to become the person you want to be.

Easier said, than done.

Who we are wants to believe that the things that are not wonderful here will get better.  The things that are wonderful, we hope will stay the same, maybe even become more amazing then they already are.  I get to stay at my outstanding job.  Doc works in a familiar setting with familiar people, though he may have fewer opportunities to branch out and try new things.  Money will not be a worry.  Staying is easier.  Staying is safer.  Staying means that we get to stay close to family that love us and Little Bird.

Going – going means adventure.  New opportunities.  A life of outdoor adventure.  More options for Doc.  A fresh start.  A chance to start over and make new mistakes instead of continually paying for old ones.  But it means throwing ourselves far away from family.  Some who will come and visit, some who might, and some who won’t.  It means taking Little Bird away from a group that love her – leaving the best job I’ve ever had.  Risking that we will struggle financially if I cannot find work.  Maybe putting off extending our family.

But it means being the go-get-em, fearless, pushing onward, experience craving family we want to be who doesn’t do something because it’s easier or safer – but leaps into the unknown and pastes “Carpe Diem” across their chests.

“Tied down”

If Little Bird wasn’t here – it would be easier to chose to take the plunge.  I guess I am maybe more tied down than I thought.  Is that really so bad?

Decisions, decisions.

Friday is the last day to enter our choice.  I will definitely need the meditation this week.