Clean Eating Before Race

Last night I went to the store to pick up some provisions for our long, long, long drive down to Orlando. While I was there I kept thinking, I will be running I can't have candy and crap weigh and drag me down. And frankly, most of the candy didn't see to grab me like it usually does. (I did get some double chocolate Milano cookies though, but again not a huge pull that I have to have them.)

I think thinking about this race and wanting to do as good as possible and being super mindful in what I am putting in my body really helped shaped my wants and desires in the junk food department. I am going to be making energy bites (see below for recipe and thanks to my friend Jenna who shared the recipe with me) for the trip down and for after the race and snacks during the week, if they last that long. I also noticed that I have been increasing my water intake this week too. I know I need to drink lots of water because I am pregnant but I feel like I am downing an extra 32 ounces a day right now on top of what I am already drinking. (I try to drink around 100-120 ounces of water a day.) Just a habit I got into a couple of years ago!

One thing that I need to do better though, is the sleep department. I haven't be resting during the day, too many things to do! And night sleeping is getting more and more difficult. I feel like I am flopping around like a fish out of water just tossing and turning all night long trying to get comfortable. I see lots of falling asleep to HypnoBirthing in my future. I tend to get a deeper sleep and don't toss and turn when listening to it!

Energy Bites

Recipe by Jenna V.

You can add any nuts or chopped dried fruit and berries that you think would taste good.

1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned GF oats, but 1 min or regular oats works fine too)

2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter 

1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ (much prefer flaxseed)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (I like dark chips)
1/3 cup honey (I usually do about 1/2 agave nectar
    and 1/2 honey - if only using agave it doesn't bind as well)
1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla extract ( pure vanilla, not imitation)

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until it looks like a evenly distributed uniformed dough. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Stick in the fridge to harden and store in a air tight container in the fridge.

~This is what happens when a 2.5 year old LOVES THEM! He sticks his hand in the shot right as you take the pix!~

Last Run Before My Half

I am so excited! Today is my last 3 mile run before I run my half, and possibly my last 3 mile run while pregnant. Still haven't decided yet how much I will run beyond next week. This training has really taken a toll on my body. I am ready to just take it easy a little bit. I will still do some walking. 3 mile+ walks are definitely on the books even up until I have the baby, got to get the baby out somehow, right! And I will try to do some running every week to keep up with it until I can't but it will be no more than 2 miles at a time. So this is my plan.

On a plus side, I am glad that I have ran as long as I have because it has helped in other departments during this pregnancy! I have had no weight gain beyond what I started at, yea! I am losing fat/parts of my body are not growing as much as they did with Mason. The pants I wore when I was pregnant with Mace I am wearing now and they are a little baggy on me yea! And I passed my glucose test with flying colors. This is the one test I am so scared of because I am overweight, but I was 20 points better on this test than I was with Mason. The biggest change for all of this is that I have been running/doing more consistent exercise.

One other note! Mason moved to his big boy bed on Monday. He has slept in his new room 2 nights now and hasn't fallen out of bed and really enjoys his new room! So excited for our big boy! Now if we could only teach him that the potty is not scary!

QOTD: How do you taper your runs before a race?

Less Than 1 Week

Less than 1 week to go and I will be running in my first 1/2 marathon, (while pregnant). I seriously think I am still crazy for wanting to do this but I am proud of the fact that I am because it is a very, very, VERY hard thing to train for while pregnant! I am so excited that we are actually leaving in just a few short days! I still have a lot to do before we go but I know I will get everything done. I have to!

As far as a weekly workout recap last week was not supposed to be my taper week but it kind of turned out that way in a bad way, as in no workouts! Just didn't happen. NOT GOOD! But this week is tons of walking and tomorrow is my last run before the race. 3 miles is on the books for me! But I feel good and ready for the race. I know I can do it. It is going to be hard and I will have to push myself slightly but I can do this!

I am so excited to run my race with my best friend K! It will be such a fun experience for both of us and yeah I am a little excited, more than a little to run through the castle. This race is going to be AWESOME!

In A FUNK!

The last few days have been very interesting for me. Since Sunday I have just been flat out exhausted by midday and I pass out for a good 2-2.5 hour nap. At first I thought it was just because of the long run I did on Saturday but as the days are going by and I am the same way everyday I believe that it is just the pregnancy fatigue coming back with a VENGEANCE! It doesn't help that I am waking up in the middle of the night and have a hard time falling back to sleep! Around 1pm though I feel like I can just curl up anywhere and just fall right to sleep. So it has been a weird few days with me dealing with that.

Plus we are getting ready for the storm which is in progress right now! Hoping that we keep our power through the storm. Last year during this time we lost power for the day. But we are very prepared and able to go without power for a few days without it being too much of a trouble. It won't be fun when our house gets super cold but we could handle it! Done it before for a few days in a row at our other house a few years ago.

Tomorrow the whole city it seems is shutting down. So there won't be any yoga for me. :( I actually really have been enjoying yoga. So indoor activity it will be. Matt could very well be home from work tomorrow too if it is still snowing pretty bad in the morning so we could have a full day together. That will give me some time to tape up Mason's new bedroom in preparation for Saturdays painting fun!

Time to go back to bed. This momma is tired!

Nesting: Round 1

I am almost 27 weeks pregnant and I am feeling that weird thing that happens to pregnant mommas. The urge to nest and make everything perfect before baby. I keep looking at my calendar and I just assume that Feb is a lost cause and that it is just going to fly by me and before I know it we are in March and then I only have 2 months to do anything. Because I am naturally OCD about certain things, I had already planned on having everything ready to go by April. But man oh man I am feeling that itch like crazy to just get started.

The first phase of the plan is this weekend to paint Mason's new room, a beautiful light grey I might add. All the new bedding for his "new big boy twin sized bed" is arriving this week, including the quilt which I was told was on back order until June but is currently being shipped to my house! And get that room all ready for him to move into when we get back from our trip. Planning on doing the second coat of paint next Monday and what's the point in moving him into his room when we are leaving 4 days later. But I will have it all set up made all pretty so that when we get home he can graduate to his new bed. And move all his clothing into the new walk-in closet in his new room (debating on getting a lock for the closet, advice?)

~The quilt for Mason's room and will have matching curtains, and getting a navy comforter for the winter months.~

Pottery Barn Kids Quilt

March, paint the nursery and change the current toddler bed to a crib with the mattress set super high for a baby, (AH, IT WILL BE FOR A TINY BABY AGAIN!) And get it set up with the changing table in it. And put the baby clothing for 0-3 months or 0-6. However much I can fit in there.

April, all the bags packed for the "just in case" and pack n play assembled. Car seat set in the van by 36 weeks. See how OCD I AM! But I will tell you I am starting to get nervous because I look at my calendar and it is just flying by. Even if I take it just a month at a time, the months will fly by being busy with teaching, concerts and prepping for baby. I just have to make it to May 3rd. I can have the baby anytime after May 3rd. (That is the date of my studio's piano recital. I will be huge but that's ok. It's my last day of teaching before baby.)