20 things i heart about summer.

i know i've been coming on a little strong with all of my overexcited seasonal posting.

but really, i love summer....

and here's just 20 reasons why:

1. putting "yard & garden" appearance over house cleaning, or weeding over laundry.
2. tank top and flip flop tan lines.
3. sunglasses. cute ones.
4. no work (public education, baby!), only play.
5. taking chlorine baths, a.k.a. swimming instead of showering (not ALL the time, just sometimes...).
6. dirt underneath my fingernails. no-minimal makeup. natural hair.
7. pedicures and the standard black(ish) polish! (can't help it if i know what i like...)
8. falling asleep to the sound of crickets with the bedroom patio door open and waking up early to the sound of birds and sprinklers.
9. country music with windows down.
10. spending {most} weekends away on adventures--which means never fully unpacking the travel bag!
11. dinner outside. fresh cut grass. bbq.
12. farmer's markets = HERMISTON watermelon!
13. parades, fair(s), rodeo(s), concerts and rides.
14. afternoons at the river with a happy Honey and very sandy Kai.
15. happy hour. preferably patio seating. preferably with a view.
16. boating...rafting...floating...friends....
17. flowers of all kinds.
18. reading for pleasure. maybe in a hammock or on a towel in the sand?
19. late nights and early mornings. ICED coffee.
20. sunshine. on my skin and in my soul.

via

camping with KAi...

Camping with a crawling 11 month old is not for the weak in mind, body or spirit.

You can only pack so many clothes for a weekend trip, and well, whatever I packed was most certainly NOT enough. I was only able to snap a handful of pictures because, well, Kai did NOT want to be held, let alone contained by anything (i.e. pack-n-play, swing, cage, box...). Oh no. Kai wanted to crawl through the dirt, through the fire, through the brush and down the steep rocky cliff right into the rolling rapids of frigid snow melt. Needless to say, we kept him alive. I'm thankful that I had the brilliant idea of bringing his swing, which was the only way we really got him to nap, and worked well as a last-ditch effort when he was NOT going to be held.

G and I lay atop our air mattress in our tent with Kai between us and marveled at how different this camping trip was from the last pre-Kai trip. NIGHT and DAY. Not all bad, though. I LOVED throwing Kai in his backpack for cool early morning hikes, and it was fun letting him "drive" and splash in the water. It wouldn't feel right not bringing him along, but I will say that I look forward to the day when he is a tad more independant and less unintentionally suicidal!

Alas, it was breathtakingly beautiful and refreshing to spend a few days with mother nature out in the wild, nestled warmly in our sleeping bag, party of 3.

post-baby body check-in (diet & work-out included!)

i've received a handful of emails recently requesting healthy "non-boring" eating and workout advice. mostly from new mommies (i'm with ya ladies!).

i honestly didn't start seeing "real" results until i got "real" about the two dreaded C's:

1)cutting CALORIES
2) CARDIO.

i thought i was making progress. in my mind, i guess i was satisfied because i was getting to the gym most days of the week and, well, my maternity clothes were "way" too big and some of my bigger jeans were starting to fit loosely. and then, i got a wake-up call. pictures don't lie. my dad snapped this lovely photo of my siblings and i at my sister's graduation in early May. i didn't see it until he "tagged" me on facebook. as i sat there clicking (and "untagging") through those photos i was angry with myself. i'd reached the epitomy of a plateau and had been content with being complacent. complacent with my eating, my workouts and my body. i'd made some progress, but got comfortable along the way and let the intensity die. once i got over my little breakdown/tantrum over my reality check (thanks, dad) i obtained a copy of this picture and stuck it on my fridge. some people stick old "skinny" photos up as motivation...not me.

THIS was my motivation. i wanted to see a change. and i KNEW it had to start with my eating....

it was at THIS point that i realized sweating my booty off in the gym wasn't going to get me where i wanted to be unless i got serious about watching my eating. i wasn't eating horrible, but i was definitely not being disciplined with sugars, carbs and most of all, PORTION SIZE (motherhood makes you hungry!).

so with picture posted for strength on fridge, here's what i did:

1. i cut out "white" starches (breads, potatoes, rice, crackers, chips...)
2. i LIMIT dairy. i gave up my beloved cheese, yogurt, of course ice cream and even switched completely over to almond milk, which i now PREFER.
3. i eat breakfast EVERY DAY. either oatmeal or a flax/whole grain organic cereal with fresh fruit.
4. for a mid-morning post-workout snack i either make a shake or drink a muscle milk LIGHT ready-made shake.
5. for lunch and dinner, i focus on VEGGIES, VEGGIES and more VEGGIES. salads, stir-fry, soups paired with healthy whole grains like brown rice, black beans, nuts/seeds.
6. for dessert or extra snacks throughout the day= FRUIT!
7. i eat when i'm hungry, i just control my portions and make sure it's as pure and fresh as possible (not processed with a bunch of fake ingredients!)
8. i have healthy snacks on hand at all times (for me AND Kai!). this way i'm not tempted to sneak through the drive-through to satisfy my hunger! (I LOVE the south beach diet mixed nut packs! i mix em' with raisins and it's a great filling snack!)
9. i learn from Kai. i feed my baby natural, healthy, whole foods. why do we ever stop eating that way? i told my mom i was going to call my diet the "high chair" diet because i would often eat my lunch with him right off of his high chair (like chunks of avocados and cooked squash, sweet potato and asparagus!).
10. i treat myself. this one is key. i usually save my "treats" for social events. i'll have a yummy drink (or two!) or a piece of birthday cake or a cookie. this is neccesary and enjoyable.

my best friend when it came to finding healthy veggie or protein-packed recipes was the internet! seriously, if you have an internet connection you have all you need to whip up a healthy meal or come up with a good grocery list. plan for the week and sit down on sunday night and find a few meals you want to try...i will even make a bunch of brown rice and a big fat salad for the week on sunday night, that way half the battle is done!

on the WORK-OUT side things definitely shifted. i was no longer able to get to the gym 4-5 days a week for cardio and classes because G was gone in Vancouver for work and well, my Mom doesn't live at my house. i VOWED to make Kai's lovely long morning naptime my sacred workout time. NO EXCEPTIONS. and here's the kicker. i bought this dvd. at Walmart. for $10:

i followed this video religiously. i didn't cheat. i dripped sweat. i wanted to cry. i wanted to punch her in the face. but in all honestly, i started seeing results within weeks. i know i've blogged about it before, but seriously it's no joke. it's hard, and i LOVE it. it was just the "wake-up" call my body needed.

and for added cardio, i would throw Kai in the jogger and Honey on her leash and we would walk/jog for 40-60 minutes almost every evening. this is an enjoyable way that i can burn extra calories, get Kai outside and Honey some exercise. it's fun and something that i greatly MISS when life get's too full and we don't get to go.

and then, there is yoga. POWER yoga. i obviously do this every Thursday at the gym because i'm the instructor...but i like to throw it in the mix a couple of times a week as well.

So, about 2 months later, after making a CONSCIOUS effort to eat RIGHT and shock the body with a new, consistent and CHALLENGING workout routine, here i am (sorry about the picture quality--it's just me and my blackberry!)....

may 4th 2011 - june 30, 2011



blurry, i know.
but look! i'm getting tank top shoulders back! (finally...)

dirty mirror & lost inches in waist & thighs.

 It's PROGRESS!

and progress sure don't come easy.

one of Jillian's key phrases that i've engraved in my mind when tempted to eat crap:

"remember, you can eat your way through any workout."

you can log hours upon hours in the gym, but if your eating sucks, so will your results!

{cheers} to hard work and healthy living!

My "favorites" of summer...

Favorite summertime.....

coffee:
Venti sugarfree hazlenut iced coffee w/a splash of soy. bomb diggity. and easy on the pocketbook.

"adult" drink:
i usually stick to a good red wine but in the summer i like to cool off with either a tall glass of skinnygirl margarita on the rocks or a spiked Arnold Palmer. {salivating}.

snack:

vegetable:
tomatoes (from my garden, of course), corn and CABBAGE! why cabbage, you ask??

well, the two BEST summer salads in the whole wide world just happen to be cabbage based. these salads are super duper easy AND healthy (cabbage is GOOOOOD for you!)

Sarah's addictingly delicious avocado-cabbage salad/dip/salsa, whatever you want to call it!:
ingredients: cabbage, avocados, tomoatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno and/or packet of guacamole mix if desired.

finely chop all ingredients and throw in a pretty bowl. she likes to use more avocados than tomatoes, but play around with it! enjoy with chips, as a topping for fish or chicken tacos or honestly, just plain! SO GOOOOD!

ramen noodle cabbage salad:
this is a pretty well-known and popular picnic staple, but my Mom ROCKS it. here's her ingredients: 1 bag coleslaw mix, 1 cooked and chopped chicken breast, 1/4 c. red wine vinegar, 3/4 c. olive oil, 2-3 T. of sugar, 1/2 t. salt, 1 bunch of green onions chopped. sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, cranberries, 1 bag of crushed ramen noodles on top (crunchy). note: add ramen noodles just before the meal so they are crunchy and not soft!

bbq dish:
the cabbage salads listed above!

meat:
wait, i don't really eat much meat. well, it's not meat! these baby's are delish. on the grill or in the microwave!

ice cream:
you gotta splurge once in a great while, right? well, when i do i want to make it worth it and Fiesta Foods whips up THE MOST DELICIOUS pink "cupcake" ice cream. no lie, i almost fainted upon the first taste.

sunglasses:
anyone who knows me will tell you that i live in these. i have a pair in almost every color: {via}

pastime:

...and swimming/sunbathing (so sue me) and cool evening walks with Kai and Honey.

tops: breezy, light and hip. (most importantly, affordable!)

mode of transportation:

longboard.

flower:
the cheerful sunflower. i have hundreds popping up and can't wait to post photos of those big bright blooms!

ground cover:
i have this pouring out of one of my planters and it's beautiful!! and as an added bonus, it does EXCELLENT in "dry" climates.

moss rose!

means of exercise:
mowing the lawn. with kai on board (quite a workout!) AND anything in the water....(rafting, swimming, aerobics).

Hey Bloggy buddies! Re-post and showcase your summertime faves!!! :)

Yay for Summer!!!

An afternoon with Micah & Kai (and Honey & Mr. Turtle, of course)

 Kai: Mommy, look! We're picking up the living room! NOW can we go swimming??

Micah: (GASP!) Did you say SWIMMING??! Like a bath outside but with no stupid soap?

Kai: Sure did....

Kai: ok, Micah, it's kinda cold at first, but just at first...you just gotta tough it out.

Micah: Wait, isn't this turtle supposed to be filled with sand??

Micah: SAND, I said! Not balls!

I wan't this thing outta here, this turtle sandbox isn't big enough for the three of us!

 Kai: Alright buddy, the balls goin' out.

 {smack!}

 Micah: Ahhhh. Much better. So much room for activities!

Kai: Woah there, don't get ahead of yourself now.

I've slipped in here too many times to count.

Micah: Hey, what happened to the turtle's eye?

Kai (after Micah decided to take a crawling break): Time to sprawl out and stretch out my pirate feet. MA! WHERE'S MY BOTTLE?!

Micah: Pirate shmirate. I bet Kai doesn't even know how to hide under his slide....

 Kai: Well, I don't! It's scary and itchy under there. I like to stand on top of the slide. With no help. I HATE when my worry wart Mommy tries to help me, so. annoying. I'd rather fall off the back...ok, so I've done that and it kinda hurts but still, I don't like when she treats me like a baby.

All this chatter has got me all steamed up, lets get back in the pool!

Kai (behind true-to-life mischief look): I have an idea, lets bulldoze Honey!

 Kai: Micah, you want your head wet?! This is how Mommy does it in the tub..

Micah: Well, Kai, not really. But see those dry flowers over yonder?

...they look thirsty..

 Micah: Kai these are cool shoes. Ya mind if I pull this one off and give it a try?

Kai: Hey man, hands off the pirates. I need these guys for stompin bugs.

Lets shimmy ourselves outta here and play trucks!

{together ramming the turtle with anything and everything}

 and then, they napped.

~ THE END ~

when Kai met Seattle.

first, Kai wants to showcase a fun little trick he recently learned from daddy (volume needed!):

G also taught him how to head butt. yeah, like that one's NOT going to backfire down the road.

it's pretty cute right now though. perhaps i'll post proof of that soon?

Now for our wonderful little weekend escape to my favorite US city, SEATTLE :)

i love that i lived there for a few years as i feel that i am able to more fully experience the city in a shorter and more convenient amount of time as i know shortcuts and backroads and what's worth seeing/doing and what's not.

we got to see auntie beckyjo (and i HATE myself for not getting any pictures!!!!) which was long overdue and SO wonderful. we don't connect often by phone but it amazes me how we can just pick up right where we left off, like we have never moved apart. that's the mark of a best friend.

saturday was, unfortunately but not suprisingly wet and rainy. so we didn't brave the overcrowded and sloshy fremont festivities. instead we mall walked and celebrated with mommy when she bought jeans that were 4 SIZES SMALLER than the last shopping trip! yeah, i splurged a bit, but haven't done that in a LONNNNNG time. it feels good to have new, properly fitting clothes!

later we spent a few hours walking along the beach, docks and paths of Golden Gardens off of Shilshole bay. Kai loves being outside and really enjoyed crawling around in {more} sand and bird/people watching. we even enjoyed a nice light lunch at a little cafe by the bay.

then we made our way downtown to my parents hotel so Kai we could enjoy a refreshing dip in the beautiful top-floor pool at my parent's hotel (the Westin--i highly reccomend!)

once our little water bug was all tuckered out, my mom (nana) let us sneak away to our favorite Seattle dinner spot for a little Father's day/decrease in jeans size celebration (Chinooks!)

then on sunday, it was all about the mariner's game. which was perfect...

the weather AND the company.

there were several delicious meals, sights and sounds in between,

but here is a bit of what i captured from the good ol' blackberry....

golden gardens

 

waiting for some delicious hot clam chowder (he loved it!)

 

can you spot the little orange mohawk?

 

the. best. salad.
[ahi tuna, tomato, avocado, mango, papaya, sliced almonds and a sprinkle of wonton strips w/a basalmic vinegerette]

 

hit it here!



happy [father's day] to papa!



jude passed out on uncle G in Kai's backpack after the game... (Kai was stuck in her stroller!)

and now, i'll leave you with a little musical treat:

 a sweet vagabond singer who traded us a beer out of our cooler for a little jingle.

Kai was appreciative of the show....

this trip rekindled my desire to visit the city that still has so much of my heart.

there is still so much i want to introduce Kai to and do and see and taste and experience.

we are so grateful to have friends who generously open their homes to us

 (thanks to beckyjo & darrick and dallas & misty! you guys rock!)

our {jumping!} bean

our little mister is getting more fun with each day.

we recently snagged a yardsale jumperoo that Kai (obviously) enjoys, and we've been noticing how {{{crazy}}} he gets when he's in there and gets excited about something.

here's what it looks like...

(Mommy's playing "gonna GETchu!"--make sure your volume is turned up!)

...and a kiss to seal the deal.

i'm smitten :)