Recipe'o the Month ~ Eggplant :P

So in honour of Easter being this month I thought I would go with an Eggplant recipe. It ended up being really yummy and even hubby's first reaction was that it tasted really good! :) Baked eggplant Melt (serves 4, 290 calories a serving) 1/2 cups Bread crumbs 4tsp Basil 1tbsp Parmesan Cheese 2 egg whites 12 slices eggplant 4tsp olive oil 2 thin buns, toasted (I used the 'one buns') 3tbsp Tomato & herb pasta sauce 4 slices mozzarella cheese

To do: Preheat oven 425 Mix bread crumbs, basil & cheese in a shallow bowl Whisk egg whites in another shallow bowl Dip eggplant in eggs then in bread crumb mix Place on cookie sheet Drizzle with oil Bake 15 min Put on toast, top with sauce and cheese Broil 2min enjoy with a salad :)

'Live in YOUR Awesome!' *ive *ove *augh ******

I'm not going back~~ I'm compelled

So last night was our family multi-tasking night where I drive the kids to Beavers and hubby runs there then he drives them home and I run home......So last night it was 3 degrees out and raining sideways it was so windy....all day I kept looking out the window wondering if the rain was going to stop...it didn't!

So first I just want to say that the Beavers was not at the normal place this week. They went to a Garden centre and had a tour and got to plant some seeds to bring home...the Garden centre was on the other side of town :O

My hubby e-mailed me that day to say that he was going to bike there tonight because he had pulled a muscle in the arch of his foot and it's sore just walking on it...ouch...but props to him for figuring out another way to still get moving eh! :-D
So at dinner it was still raining and I said to him I would understand if he didn't want to bike tonight as it really sucks biking in the rain....his reply was that he was still going to do it....IMPRESSED I must say! I just gave the guy an out and he didn't take it :O

So he biked there and arrived soaked to the bone...LOL! Poor guy!

Now even though the little voice in my head kept saying, "Don't go, it will be too cold, too wet, too uncomfortable" every time I looked out the window, I still got dressed and ran home (all across town) now in the end it was just over 7k, but when you added in the cold and rain, it was a harder 7k then normal. As I was running I kept thinking about how that little voice was trying to stop me and yet here I am anyways. As I got thinking about why that is I realized it's because I knew that if I didn't do my planned run, I wasn't going to do anything else exercise wise that night and I didn't want to do that. I realize that going back to what I use to be (overweight, unhealthy, not moving) was not an option!

As I talked to my friend at the bus stop this morning and told her about my run last night, she said, "You're crazy!"....my reply was, "Yes I am!" LOL!!! Which got me thinking about how I went out anyways, when others (including me in the past) would have used the weather as a very good reason not to go.....and way that was.

.......So funny when I'm in a grove of something that I seem to run (no pun intended! LOL!) into things that help me. So I came across the definition of the word compelled on Facebook and it all fell into place....that's it!...that's how I feel! Compelled to move forward no matter what gets in my way because going back is NOT an option.


'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


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I now have the words

So being a 'racing family' now I always think of how I will instil in my kids good sportsman ship. We had gone for a family 'run' one day, which mens all the boys biked and I ran! LOL!.....my oldest and I had gotten really far ahead of my husband and my youngest son. So we stopped and sat in the shade waiting for them. My 5yr started to say that his brother was a 'slow coach'.....he always refers to 'train' talk with things!...it was his way of saying how slow Owen was going.

We then had a talk as we waited about what he just said...the main details of it are, I explained that sometimes we are faster then someone and sometimes someone is faster then us. Even though someone passes the finish line first doesn't mean they did the best, because the people who finish last have also done their best too....so we always tell everyone that the effort they are putting into it is awesome and that they are doing a great job. Once we saw my youngest and hubby catch up both me and Nicholas yelled, "Good job you guys! Nice work!"...this is a conversation that I will be continuing through the years and something I will be role modelling for him as well.

So now I am left with what he thinks about himself when he does these activities and the impact I have on that. I once saw a Dr.Phil show were he said, always saying to your kid, "I'm proud of you" may not be the best thing. We want to instil in them to be proud of themselves.....so after Nicholas's races I always ask him, "Are you proud of your self?".....

....however today on Facebook a blog about the '6 words you should say' really hit home for me. I suggest you read the blog, but I'll share what those words are...." I love to see you play"....you can replace the word play with, run, bike, swim etc.....I think this is awesome, because as it says in the blog it takes the pressure off of the kids. They don't have to do it well, or the best, or even the fastest....just them doing it the way they are is good enough. Now this is a message that I want to send my children!



I will be using this as well now....I am SO grateful that I am learning these things while the kido's are young :)



'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


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One Hoppy Family :>

So the Good Friday Easter race was this morning!!!......AND it was my 3yrs first race too!!!

So we put on our ears, tails & bow ties and headed out. Both boys were running the 1k bunny hop so this ment that my hubby was going to have to run with one of the boys too ( so I guess technically it was hubby's first race too! LOL!)....my Dad came to take pictures. I wanted to make sure we got some of my little guys first race :)

The weather was awesome and everyone was in good spirits......So Owen's first race ended up being a ride! LOL!! He did not want to get out of the jogging stroller! So he sat with his number on and hubby pushed and ran while Nicholas (my 5yr) and I ran up ahead....and Nicholas ran the whole way again!!! I keep asking if he wanted to walk or rest for a minute but he would say no and run on up ahead.

We did take Owen out of the jogger at the start line in hopes that he would start off running/walk at first, but he hopped in before the race started! LOL!....during the race hubby kept asking if he wanted to get out and run, but he always said no..........so I always think of the fact that even though I like doing this kind of thing doesn't mean the kids will, or even want to do this as well. Now my big guy seem to LOVE it and did from the start.....I'll have to see and wait with Owen. I'm not sure if he didn't want to run cause he was really overwhelmed with it all, or because he is use to being in the jogger during the races or because he really doesn't want to do this kind of thing.......we'll wait and see, we are signed up for the Moon in June race, we'll see what happens then.

Hey I got the bunny ears on the kid, that's progress cause last year he didn't even want those on! LOL!

After I ran the 5k, which is a very hilly run. Short hill down and loooong hills going up. The plus is that it ends with a nice downhill to the finish line!!! I made sure that when I start the run hubby tells me where they will be standing so that I am sure to run on that side and wave to the kids. Seeing the spark of happy in Nicholas's eyes when he finally see's me in the crowed and then yells, "HI Mommy!!!" is just the MOST awesome feeling I must say.......

.......So keep an eye on the Burlington Post as they took a picture of Owen after the race sitting in his jogging stroller, hat down to his eyes, bunny ears leaning to one side and putting ALL his focus and attention into trying to get the foil off the chocolate egg the Easter Bunny just gave him!! LOL!!......You will also see a picture of Nicholas and I showing off our bunny tails LOL!!!.....the Burlington Post lady came up and asked us to show her our tails. So we both stick our butts out and look over our shoulder....then after I got thinking about it....I just stick my ass out to the camera!! and my ass is going to be in the newspaper!!! WTF was I thinking! LOL!! Thank GOD I was wearing my Lulu pants!!!.......so keep your eye out for Gail Van ASS-ome in the paper! ROFLMAO!!!





'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


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Fitting it all in

SO! So far I have been having to fit in this whole, raise kids, get/keep fit, do races, train others, do my own training balance thing on my own...I mean I have had help with people watching the kids but I have always had to figure it out on my own.

Well now that hubby is training for his first race I now have someone in the house with a common goal. So on Monday nights we have now become a well oiled multi-tasking machine......my 5yr has Beavers on Mon nights and we normally take my 3yr along too and sit on the side and watch. Well now that we both need to get a run in we trade off. I drive the kids to Beavers and sit on the side with the 3yr ready with a bottle of water for hubby, while he runs to Beavers. He then sits with our youngest and drives them home and I run home!! :) WOOO HOOO!! Team Van Awesome :-D

The first time we did this it was cold out. Hubby did the 3k there and he said he stopped to walk during that time, but in the end he got there! I then took a long route home and got in a cold 7k (my but was SO frozen cold!!)

Tonight we did it again. Once hubby got home we both changed and as I was coming down stairs I saw him stretching in the family room and the boys were joining him! LOL!....When I saw this I thought it was so cool. Normally the boys join me doing different exercises in that room. I thought this was way cool that they will now be seeing their Papa out there moving and being healthy and strong too.....a great role model for my boys!


So once he was all stretched he set out for his run and I drove the boys...as we passed hubby I rolled down the window so the boys could yell, " GO PAPA GO!!". When hubby got to Beavers he proudly told me that he just ran the whole 3k this time. I was so happy for him....not necessarily cause he ran the whole way (which I do think is awesome) but because I was happy for the pride he had in himself and I remember in the beginning how great it makes you feel once you have dome something like that for the first time.... I was happy that he got to feel that feeling too.

I then set out on my run. No freezing butt tonight! It was a great night to run :)...I uploaded a bunch of Jillian Michaels Podcasts and I listened to that instead of music...it was awesome!! Instead of tuning out to the music and thinking about how hard I was breathing and how my legs are tired......I was fully listening to the podcast and ended up running 10K!!!! I didn't even know I still had that in me.....

.....so overall AWESOME night :-)




'Live in YOUR Awesome!'

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Recipe'o the month ~ Carrot Cake muffins

So I found a different way to use sweet potato! and how sweet it is :P


Need:
2cups whole wheat flour
2tsp Baking powder
1/2tsp baking soda
2tsp cinnamon
1 1/2cups grated carrots
1cup milk
1cup applesauce OR grated apples (I used apples)
1cup Maple syrup
1tsp vanilla OR 1/4tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350


Mix the dry stuff together in a bowl
Mix the wet stuff together in another bowl
Mix them together in one bowl

Bake 15-18min (I did 15min)




Ok so where is the sweet potato you ask?!....in the icing! :O


*Maple cream cheese Frosting
3/4cup mashed sweet potato
1/3cup cream cheese, softened
2tbsp Maple syrup


Whip/whisk together......put on muffins once they are cool.
I made the icing while the muffins where baking then put it in the fridge to get a little hard which made it easier to spread.

*side note**** You may want to use a electric mixer. I hand whisked it...and while hubby was eating it he asked, "Why is the icing lumpy?" LOL!!!!...poor guy is always eating all these 'different' foods I make, he's a good sport.




'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


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New things still happening :)

So I'm pretty excited about some first's that will be happening this year!! :)

The first being the Easter bunny hop 1k race where Owen (my 3yr) will be doing his first race, so the whole Van Awesome crew will be out there running this year.....with our bunny ears and tails on of course :)

And another first that just came up this week, my husband will be running the Moon in June race this year!!! His FIRST race too! So awesome :D

He had said to me last year after our 4hr RockStar Adventure race that for this year he wanted to work on his running so that we could move through the trails faster. So from my experience I find that having some kind of goal to get moving (like a race) really helps me to stay motivated to keep moving....so I suggested the Moon in June race to my hubby to do. It's far enough away to get in some time to train and it's only a month before the adventure race AND the Warrior Dash race that we are doing which will get him in good cardio conditioning for that too. Plus with the hour going ahead this week there will be more light in the evenings to run in. I told him that we could carve out some time in the week for him to run too. So 2x a week, once in the week and once on the weekend....he was all for it because....wait for it.....he's awesome!!!! xoxoxoxoxoxxo

So tonight was his first run and he learned the first rule of a runner when you commit to run at a certain day, you run on that day.....no matter the weather ha ha!.....so being a good sport and wanting to be supportive we did a tag team run and I went out to run first ( I don't run in the dark) while he stayed in with the kids then he went out and I stayed in with the kids.

I must say that I am pretty impressed with him cause it was cold out and VERY windy...not really the best condition for a first time runner....but he went anyway :).....the only thing he said about the run was that the cold air was hard on this lungs and that he did have to stop and walk a few times ( he did almost 3k). I said, "Well you have to start some where"......"Yup that's right!" he replied. I was thinking of saying 'It's all up hill from here!' but running up hill is not fun! LOL!


This is hubby coming in from his run :)

So I'm really looking forward to running the 1k Moon in June race with all the boys and then running the 5k with my husband (I told him I would stick with him walking/running what ever, all the way to the finish line).....really excited to hear the boys cheer on there Papa in a race :)........................LOOK OUT!!! MR & MRS VAN AWESOME COMING THROUGH!!!!!! OHHHHHH we should get matching shirts!! LOL!!!





'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


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