Recipes

I made the two recipes below this weekend, one just because and one for an Oscar Martini party I went to with some girlfriends. The cookies were a new recipe and were a hit!

My BFF EG keeps me stocked in body wash from Philosophy. My favorite is Grace - smells so good! The bottles have recipes on the front and I have always thought about trying. The Martini party seemed like a excellent place to try them out. Have fun baking!!

Olive Cake from Bon Appetit

1 ½ cups unbleached white flour

1 cup organic sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

2 large eggs

¾ cup milk

½ cup mild-flavored good olive oil

2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel – optional

Preheat oven to 325F.

Oil and flour 9x5x3” metal loaf pan.

Whisk first five ingredients in large bowl.

Whisk eggs, milk, olive oil, and orange peel in medium bowl to blend.

Gradually which egg mixture into dry ingredients. Transfer to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean- 60 to 65 minutes.

Cool in pan on rack 20minutes. Invert pan to remove cake. Cool completely, top side up.

I used small muffin pans and adjusted the cooking time to 30 minutes. It is easy and very tasty!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Philosophy shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath bottle

1 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter – soften

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk

1 ¼ cup flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup uncooked rolled oats

1 cup raisins – soaked in hot water for 10minutes and drained

½ teaspoon cinnamon

In large bowl, cream together brown sugar and butter.

Mix in egg, vanilla, and milk.

Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.

Stir in oats and raisins.

Bake at 350F on greased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

I cooked them on silpat pads and when storing cookies add a slice of bread to your storage container. The bread will get dried out and the cookies will stay moist.

Enjoy!

ELH

Publix run

Friday, Feb 25th - rest off day. I also did a lot of cooking. 3 homemade pizza - yes the crust was homemade! Olive oil cake and prepping oatmeal raisin cookies....recipes coming.

Saturday, Feb 26th -
I already did my long run for the week, but some friends were doing the Publix 1/2 marathon route on Saturday morning, so I decided to join along.
I did 13.16 miles in 1:56:09. My best 1/2 marathon is 1:56:00!!! Awesome!
Splits -
Mile 1 - 9:39
Mile 2 - 8:47
Mile 3 - 8:42
Mile 4 - 9:06
Mile 5 - 8:10 - think the watch was a little off at this point - lots in a sea of high rises.
Mile 6 - 8:38
Mile 7 - 9:00
Mile 8 - 8:55
Mile 9 - 8:31
Mile 10 - 9:03
Mile 11 - 8:41
Mile 12 - 8:36
Mile 13 - 8:52
0.16 - 1:25 (8:48 pace)

Very happy with this.
Enjoy!
-ELH

12 mile run

Guys showing off their argyle socks!

Wednesday, Feb 23rd
Registered for Marine Corps Marathon on October 30th!!

Workout -
Compact Chain 10->5, repeat 10 twice with 10lb weights
push-ups, bent rows, bicep curls, triceps raises, and shoulder presses.
Next was Stephanie's cardio routine - 15 burpees, 14 push-ups, 13 burpees, 12 push-ups......down to 2 push-ups, 1 burpee.
Finished with some ab work.

Thursday, Feb 24th
Today I tested out my new GPS watch with a great 12.08 mile run.
It was a ~6mile loop twice with a pit stop at 6 miles.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 8:33
Mile 2 - 8:39
Mile 3 - 8:53 (hilly)
Mile 4 - 8:29
Mile 5 - 8:28
Mile 6 - 8:38
Mile 7 - 8:33
Mile 8 - 8:42
Mile 9 - 8:58
Mile 10 - 8:32
Mile 11 - 8:37
Mile 12 - 8:30
Mile 0.08 - 41 sec
total time
1:44.18
Last time I did this loop, I finished in 1:46! Exciting.

Warm-down included stretching and a 0.51 mile walk with Molly and then 2 hours of leaf raking and pushing many wheel barrows full of the waste to our yard waste compost pile.

Good workouts!
-ELH

Workout update

At the salon getting ready for the wedding. Out photographer really like my shoes. I like that the scars on the tops of both feet are not obvious. I had surgery ~6 years ago to remove calcification on the top of my feet. The excess bone growth was so painful that I couldn't wear sneakers, all my shoes had open tops. The Dr said I would need a refresher surgery in ~15years. My left is starting to hurt again.....not happy about this.


Thursday, Feb 17th - off day. Had a SWE dinner thing at work.

Friday, Feb 18th - was tired but did go on an hour walk along the trails near work.

Saturday, Feb 19th - supposed to by my long run day - 10.6mile airport loop, but it was windy! Ok, that sounds lame, but weather.com had a wind alert - 25-35mph wind with gust of 55-60mph. Not fun! I did spend a little time outside and was happy with my decision. I did do a workout.
Compact chain 10->1
New boot camp routine:
15 burpees
14 push-ups
13 burpees
12 push-up
....down to 2 push-up and 1 burpee. Hard workout!
Finish with some abs.

Sunday, Feb 20th - Long run!!! 10.6mile airport loop. Last time I did it in 1:36.
Splits:
Started watch, split at first mile marker - 6:47.3
mile - 8:39.4
mile - 8:51.2
mile - 8:50.7
mile - 8:44.1
mile - 8:44.5
mile - 8:49.2
mile - 8:36.1
1/2 mile - 4:12.0
1/2 mile - 4:08.8 - this mile was 8:20.8!!
missed the mile marker - 8:54.7
1/2 mile - 4:23.5
1:59.08
total - 1:31:40

Happy with this. Now I need to get my act together and go buy the GPS watch I have been looking at for a few months now!

Monday, Feb 21st - Boot camp with Stephanie
42 push-ups in 2min
5min plank
We did lots of abs, band work, and cardio routines. It was a great workout.

Tuesday, Feb 22nd - off day/rest day

Enjoy!
-ELH

Save that Date...

From Earthly Affair - Rustle design that we used for our wedding.

Our wedding dance card is starting to fill up....
so if you want us to celebrate with you, lets us know soon!!
We have 2 weddings in May in GA and NV and 1 in September in the South of France!
I am excited about all of them, but the France one should be awesome.

We have been averaging ~3 weddings a year and have been to many different places -
Albuquerque, NM
Charlotte, MI
Atlanta, GA a few times!
Young Harris, GA
Dahlonega, GA
Toronto, ON
Invited to one in Nebraska
Boulder, CO
Cape Cod, MA
Washington, DC
Invited to one in Annapolis, MD
Palm Springs, CA

Some of these weddings, I order straight off the registry. Others, I do go rogue, but thoughtful rogue - stationary with the couples name or monogram in their wedding colors. My favorite stationary place is Stationary Studio. I also like, but haven't ordered from Paper Culture.
And of course I have to give a shout out to Earthly Affair - they did our wedding invitations and now have expanded their product line to include many other paper products. Love it!
At the Dahlonega wedding, I got them their registered french press and then added amazing coffee travel mugs that keep your coffee HOT for hours. Just a little rogue, but keeping with the coffee theme.
My other favorite is from Etsy - Recreart - bride and groom cake topper or picture holder made out of license plates! You can never have enough pictures in your house.

What is your favorite or go-to wedding gift idea??
-ELH

workout updates

Cactus on Maui!

Been a little busy and scattered recently, so updating the blog has been off.

Our friends just had their baby girl - Claire, 5lbs, 5oz, 19inches over the weekend. Of course I ordered them my second favorite baby gift from Pottery Barn Kids and it is personalized! We already sent them our favorite baby gift - a pig in a blanket when they announced they were expecting. I just love personalized stuff. Probably has something to do with the fact that you can't find my name anywhere!

And as an aside, yes I love to repeat gift ideas for different people in my life. Love you all! And watch out for a pig in your mail box...

Hopefully, once things calm down for the new family, we can bring them lunch or dinner and meet Claire.

Back to the update...

Thursday, Feb 10th

It was cold and still icy out. We ran a little over 3 miles in 32min.

Friday, Feb 11th - off/rest day

Saturday, Feb 12th - Altitude run

I was visiting family and friends in the Southwest over the weekend. The city has one of the highest elevations in the states at 5312ft above sea level. I swam in high school and in college at this altitude and understand how challenging it is to come from sea level to a mile up! so I was mentally prepared! The route was 7.2 miles and the first 2 miles were a neighborhood loop to make sure I could finish the remaining 5.

It was a success!! Longest run in this city for me!

Averaged 8:30min/mile

Very pleased with myself.

Splits -
2.2 = 19:10
0.8 = 7:00
0.7 = 6:09
0.9 = 7:54
0.9 = 8:06
0.7 = 6:04
0.8 = 7:14
total -> 1:01:45

I did treat myself to an epsom salts bubble bath and nap!

Sunday, Feb 13th - off/rest/recovery day

Monday, Feb 14th - Boot camp

38 push-ups in 2min

5min plank

Cardio work/lots of push-ups

Band work

And finish with killer abs.

Tuesday, Feb 15th -

~5mile neighborhood trail loop done in 49minutes.

Wednesday, Feb 16th - more boot camp!!

-Enjoy!
ELH

Lunch

I recently moved offices and now share an office with a wonderful women. We have been friends for a year or so.

Today she had Cheerios and a banana for lunch.

Now that doesn't sound awful, but those two things are tied with cooked carrots as what I would consider the most disgusting food EVER!!

Gross Gross Gross Gross Gross Gross Gross Gross Gross Gross

The daycare I went to used to serve breakfast if you got there early enough. Occasionally, with my parents schedule I would have daycare breakfast. Occasionally, they would run out of milk and we would have our Cheerios in apple juice!! I haven't been able to get past that.

Bananas, no specific story besides they smell gross, they taste gross, they look gross. Just can't stand them.

Cooked carrots - I don't like mushy things, granted the definition of mushy is gray. I love mash potatoes! and don't like oatmeal or cream of wheat. Raw carrots are crisp and tasty, cooked are mushy and disgusting.

Hopefully, tomorrows lunch won't gross me out!
-ELH

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Altitude Running

Beautiful cousin-in-law!

So my plan for tomorrow is to run ~8 to 10 miles.
But I am in a city that equivalent in altitude to Denver! so it might be an epic failure.
My route does start with 2 miles that pass by my family's house, so I can stop there....
Wish me luck!

Enjoy!
ELH

Track workout = failure

Table settings from GAH's famous cousin's wedding.

Monday, Feb 7 - Boot camp with Stephanie
2min push-ups = 34
5 min plank
Lots of band work
Some exercises from the Wii
and the big finish - Buns of Steel!! Oh my buns hurt on Tuesday
It was a great workout and I am starting to see some of my post-wedding celebration weight disappear! We sort of celebrated with 2 mini honeymoons, including a trip to Palm Springs to see GAH's famous cousin get married, then spent 2 weeks in Maui, was home just in time for Thanksgiving and headed straight into the holiday season. I had a wonderful time, but like when my clothes are not so tight!

Tuesday, Feb 8th - Track workout.
The plan was:
warm-up
1000 at 400 pace of 1:47, so 4:34 total
400 easy
2000 at 400 pace of 1:47, so 9:28 total
400 easy
1000 repeat of above
400 easy
1000 repeat of above
400 easy
warm down

It was really really cold 31F with wind chill it felt like 21F - according to weather.com
The track also had to patches of snow/ice that had not melted. It was also very windy. weather.com did have a wind advisory for our county......starting to get an idea of what happened?
I did not finish the workout.
This is what I did -
warm-up
1000 at 400 = 2:01, 400 = 1:58, total = 5:01
200 easy
2000 at 400 = 1:58.5, 2:00.9, 2:04.6, 2:02.4, 2:01.7, total = 10:09
200 easy
My legs were so cold. I just couldn't get warmed up and was worried about pulling something.
Went home and did some ab work.
Not great, but not that bad.

Wednesday, Feb 9
Cross training day
11 min of running up/down 7 flight of stairs
Compact Chain 10->1 with 8lb weights.
Pilates Series of 5 abs
Stretching

The plan for tomorrow is to run ~5miles.
Fun times!
ELH

When it rains to pours...

We opted for cupcakes at the wedding! Much tastier!!

This past week was many many things - frustrating, hurtful, fun, exciting, successful (finally finished commissioning a new tool at work!), and tiring.
Friday ended up being a great way to end my week.
I got two (sort of out of the blue) emails about exciting opportunities. I am excited to see where they lead. I also had lunch with my mentor and we talked about his new baby (due in a few months). It was great to catch-up and chat.
Ended my day with a quick run and a stationary errand for my mom.
This was my first run since last Sunday. It felt good and my bruised toe didn't bother me at all. It is now officially 1/3 black/purple.
The run was over 3miles and I did it in 32min.

Saturday, Feb 5th - in the rain....
The plan was to do 14 miles. It ended up being ~15.6 (~2.5 before meeting my running partner and then 13.1 with her)! My longest run ever.
The course was very hilly and we had to walk/stop a little for gear adjustments, water breaks, and move into the snow as multiple cars passed us, so the splits are not that great. It was the mileage that was important and Stephanie kept me motivated! Thanks!!

Splits -
~2.5 miles - 21:58
next split was 48:48 and the mile was 9:14
next split was 1:07:40 and the mile was 9:15
1:16:06 (mile was 8:25)
1:25:16 (mile was 9:10)
1:35:01 (mile was 9:44 - HILLS!!)
1:44:28 (mile was 9:27)
1:54:12 (mile was 9:43)
2:03:14 (mile was 9:02)
2:13:13 (mile was 9:57 - mentally ready to be done)
2:22:16 (mile was 9:28)
Last 0.1 mile 0:54:03
Total time 2hrs 23min 35sec!! Extremely proud of myself.

Sunday - a well deserved day off!!

Excited for what this week will bring.
Enjoy!
-ELH

Hard week

Showing off my dancing shoes.

Early Monday morning GAH and I left from the same airport heading one heading North and one heading South. Needless to say this probably did cause my blah mood.
Then I got to work and found that the new office I was moved into was not setup like I requested and I couldn't unpack.
Then I got an unsetting email from my family. Fortunately, I have a wonderful hubby, MIL (mother-in-law), and the best girl friends, who helped me realize in the long run it won't matter. And lastly, I broke the necklace that GAH gave me for Christmas when I was taking it off. I pulled the ribbon a little too hard.

Anyway, all of this have lead to a very blah mood.
I wanted to run Tuesday, but last week's snow has left the side walks covered in snow and the roads are narrow from the piles of snow, so I was going to take my bad mood and sulk. Fortunately, roomie came home and we went on a walk. It helped! The Indian food dinner and chocolate stout beer, also helped!

I was feeling much better this today, but running would still be difficult and it is really windy out. I opted for a cross-training workout.
10minutes of stairs (7 flights of stairs)
Compact chain with 8lb weights - 10(did this twice) -> 5
Abs
Stretching

Tomorrow is a scheduled off day.
I have a skin cancer pre-screening in the morning and a getting my hair trimmed in the evening.
The day will probably end with a trip to Nordstrom!

Enjoy!
-ELH