working out for Disney

[HouCuseChickie]

Apple slaw sounds good. I like broccoli slaw with raisins and red onions, and lots of mayo too. The mayo makes it less healthy, but I tried it with a greek yogurt dressing instead one time and that did not work for me. Maybe I should try half yogurt and half mayo sometime.
I tried mashed cauliflower as a substitute for mashed potatoes one time as well. Let's just say I won't make that mistake again.

I try and use the canola oil or olive oil mayos to reduce the fat and calories as well as add in a healthier fat. If you really want to get creative, you can make your own and control everything. And I'm with you on the cauliflower. I like it as a veggie and don't mind roasting/seasoning it for a healthy snack, but mashed/riced/pizza crusted just doesn't do it for me. I tried those pre-made cauliflower tots for a while before taking certain things out of my diet, but they are just so packed with fillers that I suspect regular old tater tots may be no worse.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

My tummy is still angry about all of the rich foods from the weekend. I was trying some intermittent fasting the last couple of days to help. It's helped with some things, but not so much for my tummy. I did hit up the gym again this morning. I'm about 1/2 mi behind my normal biking pace, but I'm still safely above my minimum mileage, I've switched into a different pair of shoes for the treadmill and have a lot more foot comfort and getting a good sweat from all of it...although, that could be from our building humidity levels.

I posted it in my PTR in the TR section, but after a week of debating, I decided to sign up for the Disney half marathon. It puts me into training a bit earlier than I'd planned, which means it'll still be fairly hot here when I start to ramp things up, but I guess it's better than me having to train for something like the Wine & Dine. I've never considered that one because I don't want to be training in the summer months. If you've ever been to Houston in August, you can relate. I mean, I've put in 10+ miles on a summer day, but it's such a sweat fest and requires above avg hydration. Early October can still be pretty hot here, but mornings should be more pleasant and we should be cooled off a bit more as I get into peak training.

 

[epcotisbest]

So excited I had to tell someone. I have mentiioned the synchronous fireflies at Elkmont in Gatlinburg before and we have gone several times. This year I could not get reservations for the campground and the only other way to see this is to enter the National Park Service lottery and ride the trolley in from the visitor center if you are lucky enough to get in.
The amount of people let in is strictly montitored because crowds over the years have grown so much.
So anyway, we are registered for the lottery but the results won't be announced until May 10. I have been checking for a campsite just about every day for the last few months, but the campground sells out six months in advance in just a few minutes for this and we did not secure a spot this year.
Today, I checked and there was a cancellation for the Friday and Saturday night we could go, so I grabbed it! So now, whether we get passes through the lottery or not won't matter, because if you are camping there, all you have to do is walk over to the viewing site, no trolley pass or parking pass required.
Don't know if I am going to try to surprise my wife later, or go ahead and tell her today. Either way, yeah!
Here is a neat little video about it if you have any interest:

 

[93boomer]

So excited I had to tell someone. I have mentiioned the synchronous fireflies at Elkmont in Gatlinburg before and we have gone several times. This year I could not get reservations for the campground and the only other way to see this is to enter the National Park Service lottery and ride the trolley in from the visitor center if you are lucky enough to get in.
The amount of people let in is strictly montitored because crowds over the years have grown so much.
So anyway, we are registered for the lottery but the results won't be announced until May 10. I have been checking for a campsite just about every day for the last few months, but the campground sells out in just a few minutes for this and we did not secure a spot this year.
Today, I checked and there was a cancellation for the Friday and Saturday night we could go, so I grabbed it! So now, whether we get passes through the lottery or not won't matter, because if you are camping there, all you have to do is walk over to the viewing site, no trolley pass or parking pass required.
Don't know if I am going to try to surprise my wife later, or go ahead and tell her today. Either way, yeah!
Here is a neat little video about it if you have any interest:

Congrats!!! I know you guys really love going there so that is just awesome news! I would surprise her, only if she is good at surprises

 

[epcotisbest]

I have not posted any grilling photos lately so today seems like a good day to do so. I made an excellent meal tonight. Grilled chicken, with grilled veggies. I may have put a little too much spices on the veggies, but they were still good. Red potatoes, orange bell peppers, jalapenos, broccoli and cauliflower, sprinkled with paprika, cajun seasoning, Penzey's Forward spice and crushed red pepper flakes, drizzled with olive oil and roasted on the grill for about 35 minutes.
The chicken is just boneless, skinless marinated in a homemade marinade then grilled direct until just right. Sometimes I tend to dry these out, but they came out good today. And of course, I put Tiger Sauce on mine.
I served this with some grocery store deli macaroni salad which added nothing to the meal and I should have just left it off, but had it in the fridge so put it on the plate..

 

[epcotisbest]

 

[epcotisbest]

 

[epcotisbest]

These were extra good, but again, spicey.

 

[epcotisbest]

So the very last, late-bloomer azalea is starting to fade away. This one is a light lavender color and is always the last one. We love the azaleas as they burst open with lots of color to welcome spring, but then it is kinda sad they don't last real long and we won't see that color again until next spring.

 

[epcotisbest]

As the azaleas fade out the Mountain Laurel steps up to provide more spring color. These are full this year.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

As the azaleas fade out the Mountain Laurel steps up to provide more spring color. These are full this year.

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Those are beautiful!!! The food up there looks pretty darn yummy too!

 

[Figgy1]

Congrats @epcotisbest and I'll just pretend the chicken is tofu

 

[Figgy1]

It's still wet here, even when we get a break the puddles are just a bit much to deal with so LS and Adrienne have become my bffs At least I've gotten some sewing and lots of cooking done, hoping the weather is better where you are!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Still nothing too crazy in my workouts. I'm still varying up days where I focus on legs, arms and speed during my cardio and trying to vary up my muscle training. I'm also being more mindful of my pacing on the treadmill. Saturday was a bit of a different day though...DD12 had her music trip to Dallas, which involved spending the day at Six Flags over Texas. I got in about 18k steps, so that was pretty decent. Sunday was a rest day. I'm also about ready to throw the scale out the window. I mean, I've even cut way back on all sugars (even natural stuff) and have been swapping tofu shirataki for certain normally carby things. I'm still losing mass...as evidenced by certain clothes that are now too big and calf measurements I've been taking in hopes to get a really cute pair of riding boots this fall. Maybe the scale will start moving again once I go into training.

I have about two weeks until I officially start training, since I've decided to try and get in a 10k in September to get in a proof of time for Disney. I really want to make it into a better corral for the half so maybe...just maybe...I can stop for a character or two. I'm hoping to get fitted for new joggers this weekend so I can start getting used to them.

 

[Figgy1]

@HouCuseChickie the scale doesn't matter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're heading in the right direction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

@HouCuseChickie the scale doesn't matter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're heading in the right direction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It would feel pretty cathartic to smash it to pieces! But then the frugal side of me would get all made because I'd eventually want to weigh myself again and I'd have to buy a new scale. I said frugal...I mean the shoe and travel obsessed side of me that likes putting $ towards that kind of stuff

 

[Songbird76]

As the azaleas fade out the Mountain Laurel steps up to provide more spring color. These are full this year.

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Oh wow....I don't think I've ever seen these before...beautiful!!

 

[epcotisbest]

Oh wow....I don't think I've ever seen these before...beautiful!!

Thank you. Yeah, they are pretty. This particular plant is right at the corner of our porch. It was here when we bought this house in 1991. It has grown and been cut back several times and now it is kinda scraggly and thinning out some but, even with thinning limbs, the blooms still fill in nicely.

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello-

Still working out, I just got busy with life.

I switched gears from yoga to kettlebells. I wasn't enjoying my yoga practices and I thought I should step away for a bit. So, I am doing 25-30 min. of kettlebells for now. It's where I am right now.

I am *still* waiting for an invite to go to Houston or a thanks, but no thanks from United. LOL They have filled their FA classes for the summer and won't offer them again until the Fall. I have to pay off a cruise very soon. I am *not* pulling out at this point. It's not fair to my roommate, plus, life goes on. I am not pressing the pause button for something that may or may not happen.

I met Tiggerish/Siobhan for Brunch in Philly on Sunday. It was a fun, little place and I had a great time.

I am going to catch up with everyone tomorrow. I've been up since 3 AM (yay insomnia) and my bed is beckoning me. Just wanted to say "hi."

 

[Songbird76]

Hello-

Still working out, I just got busy with life.

I switched gears from yoga to kettlebells. I wasn't enjoying my yoga practices and I thought I should step away for a bit. So, I am doing 25-30 min. of kettlebells for now. It's where I am right now.

I am *still* waiting for an invite to go to Houston or a thanks, but no thanks from United. LOL They have filled their FA classes for the summer and won't offer them again until the Fall. I have to pay off a cruise very soon. I am *not* pulling out at this point. It's not fair to my roommate, plus, life goes on. I am not pressing the pause button for something that may or may not happen.

I met Tiggerish/Siobhan for Brunch in Philly on Sunday. It was a fun, little place and I had a great time.

I am going to catch up with everyone tomorrow. I've been up since 3 AM (yay insomnia) and my bed is beckoning me. Just wanted to say "hi."

Wasn't your invitation for an interview really late, too? Perhaps they had an overload of applicants and are handling them in batches and you're just in a different batch.