The Most Delicious Supper known to man.

Chicken & Couscous.

1 cup cooked chicken, shredded

1 medium-large tomato

1/2 onion

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup couscous, prepared

salt

pepper

garlic powder

Dice onion & tomato into bite-sized pieces. In a sauce pan, sautee the onion & tomato in 1/4 cup water for 2-4 minutes. When onions are softening, add chicken until heated through and remove from heat. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Place prepared couscous on plate  & spinkle with cheese. Top with chicken mixture.

Serves 1.

This is DELICIOUS!!! The flavors are fantastic together and really meld well!!

This also is a filling meal that takes very litle prep or cook time I literally spent 5 minutes preparing and cooking. I keep home-canned chicken in my pantry or freezer, so it takes just a minnute to throw this together. This is a perfect meal for summer when tomatoes and onions are bountiful from the garden. I x'ed this recipe by 4 or 5 and made several servings that I put in tupperware to freeze for lunches or suppers on the go.

Enjoy!! :)

Totally Talkable Thursday.

1. I have yet to figure out why anyone would ever design an article of clothing without pockets. I have bought clothing that I will never wear for the sole reason that it has pockets! I am sure that at some point, some person in the US is going to drop their phone and sue the company of the clothes they are wearing because they are pocket less.

2. Chai tea is pretty much an exceptional mood booster. I have yet to meet a cup I didn't like. I have to say, Starbucks has nailed their iced chai recipe. I've contemplated working there just to get their recipe.

3. This week my brother had a non-injury wreck after he blew a tire in his vehicle. Ya'll have any idea how expensive insurance is for a 15 year old male?? Add a couple of zeroes and you have the adjusted number post- wreck. Seeing as it wasn't even his fault, I feel super bad for him. Praise Jesus he was unharmed!!

4. Everytime I get ready to say the words "I like Country music"; they play a Jason Aldean song and I quickly change my mind. And then Jason Aldean goes and writes "Tattoos on this Town" and "Fly over States" and I immediately realize that I don't like Country music. I LOVE it.

I'm a Runner. Yes, I'm Slow.

I got this running survey from Hanna @ Bouffe e Bambini.

 (Wanna talk amazing weightloss story and super-Momma?? Okay, we'll save it for another post, but go check out her blog!)

I thought it would be a fun thing to do now- and then again in a year or so and see if any of the answers change. I am so new to running, I am sure I will change considerably with time!!

Running Survey:

Are you a morning, afternoon or evening runner?

I promise not to be this undecisive on every question, but I would have to say this is a tie between morning and evening. I LOVE going for sunrise runs and getting in some serious miles before my day starts. But I equally love a good run while dusk settles and all the crickets and cicadas start singing in the evenings.

Solo or Pack Runner??

I love running by myself because I can just get wrapped up in my own little world with my thoughts. I enjoy running with other people, but I am always terribly self-concious about slowing them down or not keeping their pace. I would also have to say that this one is a tie. :) I get in the mood for solo runs, but I also really love running with others, especially my sister Tabitha. She's the best running partner to ever run the planet.

Favorite Post-Run Snack??

Definitely a power smoothie. I love a light and refreshing smoothie to refuel and rehydrate after a run.

Favorite Race??

To date the only race I've run is a 5k, so this one is hard to answer.

Do you wear a Garmin? How do you track your miles?No garmin. It's in the budget, and I'm too much of a tightwad to cheat on my budget and just get one. (Christmas and my birthday are right around the corner, and I will love you forever if you want to get me one!!) I use the runtastic app on my Iphone, which works well but it starting to be a bit unreliable..........ahhh.

What is your least favorite race?

The one where I don't meet my goal. (Not what that question means, I know.)

Where is your favorite medal from?

Medal? Medal? They give those out to the GOOD runners. I don't qualify!! :)

How long have you been a runner?

 About 8 months. I started transitioning from walking to running in January of this year. It has been amazing to see what my body can actually do!!!

Do you run with your engagement/wedding ring on??

My engagemnent ring is worth about $14,000 so it wouldn't be the smartest or safest thing to run with it, but I do anyway. I love it too much to part with it. I kid, I kid. I don't have an engagement/wedding ring, so this question doesn't actually apply to me. (yet.)

Where is your favorite place to run??

OUTSIDE. One of the best things about running is it allows you to see the world on your own two legs. It's like traveling on a motorcycle. It's just you and this big, amazing world. Running outside is so fun. I love running in the city, country, mountains, desert, beach- everywhere!!! :)

Do you use Gu?

Gold Underwear? Green Umbrella? What?? No, I don't use Gu. I haven't ever tried one. I am usually a wuss when it comes to things that have a wierd texture, so I'm not sure how well I would like them. I do plan to try them at some point because I am sure they would be useful on longer runs.

What do you drink to stay hydrated?

Water. Water, and some more water.

What do you take with you on a run?

My lipgloss, some money, car keys, baby photos of myself, corndogs, bug spray, a swiss army knife, an extra pair of shoes and a smart car. I'm a real heavy runner. haha.

Just my phone. My phone is multi-functional because it serves as my ipod and my mile tracker while also providing the safety net of having 911 at my finger tips at all times. I refuse to run without my phone for safety reasons, especially because I run in different places all the time, and I'm by myself more often than not.

What is your favorite type of Cross-Training?

This is also a tie between the Turbo Fire Hiit workouts and my weight sessions. I LOVE burning it up in the weight room, but I also relish the Turbo Fire burn. :)

What brand of shoes do you wear?

I originally wore Asics, but switched to Brooks this last pair that I bought. They are both comfortable, but I wouldn't say I'm married to either pair.

Do you wear a hat when you run?

Not unless it's raining.

What is your favorite running temperature?

40-50. Cool, but doesn't hurt your lungs.

Any big races coming up?

I'll be running my 3rd 5k this coming Saturday where I expect to have a major PR and am training for my 1st 1/2 marathon in November!! :)

Now your turn! Runners- ready, set, GO!!

The Rain in Spain falls Mainly on the Plain.

I was one happy camper waking up to cloudy skies and a drizzle on Friday! Yay! Something about stormy weather puts my mood into over-drive!!

After work on Friday I was finally feeling almost back to my regular self. Yay for kicking that nasty bug! When I got home from work I couldn't wait to get out in the rain for a good hard run!

Not totally soaked.....

When I got home from my run I was feeling good. My legs felt pretty dead through most of the run, but I didn't take it easy on them. I finished with all my miles under 10 minutes- woot!!

I should move to England because I could run in the rain every blessed day.

Post run I decided to have an omelet and fruit. Good idea, but apparently my omelet making skills are not as sharp as I thought they were.. Ahem.

Rain or shine for your runs?

Pass the chicken noodle soup, please.

This has been one looong week battling a severe head cold/the flu. Since I work in an office alone, I didn't have to call in sick out of thoughtfulness to other's health, so everyday was a battle with myself- how tough am I?? Each day I went to work I fully planned on going home at noon! I am proud to say that I got in my full 40 hours this week.

I am tough as nails.

I realize that sometimes being healthy and taking care of yourself is NOT pushing, and taking that sick day, but for me this was a major accomplishment. I am a wimp and I never push myself. I cough twice and call in sick. So this week I showed myself that I could be tough if I need to be!!

I have improved as the week as gone on and today feel pretty much 100%. Unless I swallow.

Thursday was the worst day and when I got home all I wanted was soup and toast and my bed. I nearly cried when I found out that there was not a slice of bread within the four walls of this house. While I diluted my soup with my tears, my sweet brother took the bread off his sandwich he had packed for work the next day, toasted it and served it to me in bed. And then I cried REAL tears. :) best.brother.ever.

And yes, I made absolutely no plans for the weekend and I fully intend to sleep and inhale garlic and slurp up chicken broth until this thing is kicked.

(Oh, no plans except work tomorrow. And a run with Natalie. And go to church.)

Despite being sick I stuck with my training schedule and got in every scheduled work out!! Two runs, two strength session and a cross training day. Natalie & I ran on the hottest windiest night of the week. Whew. We had a NASTY head wind that pretty much died as soon as we turned around. :)

You have not lived until you have run alongside cows. Seriously, a bellow of moos is the best cheer-team ever.

Post-fuel smoothies are a friend of my sore throat!

I am living up my Friday night like any normal girl would- run. refuel. sleep.

Do you work-out when you are sick?

Home remedy or anti-biotic?

Totally Talkative Thursday.

Every Thursday; 4 things you need to know before you die.

1. My OCD backfired on me last night. My iphone told me I had an update available for my pinterest app. As a general rule of thumb, my iphone will self destruct if I do not update the apps immediately upon seeing that little red number pop up. Since the update I now officially hate pinterest on my iphone. Be warned- don't accept the update no matter how annoying and life-threatening that red number may be. 

2. I am admittedly the most uncreative person on the planet but I do have a soft spot for hand made/custom designed greeting cards. I purposely avoid craft fairs because I cannot afford to buy every adorable card I fall in love with. I can't bear to part with the really cute ones, so they don't even ever get filled out or sent.

3. Speaking spanish with the wait staff at Mexican resturants can be entertaining. Today my waiter had the case of the down in the dumps and needed a listening ear. I'm glad to oblige fella! Hope your land lord evicts your noisy neighbors so you can sleep and not look tired all the time. :)

4. While I am generally not a clutzy person, I had more than my fair share of oopsies yesterday. My lunch date with a friend involved knocking over a broom and hitting my head on a hanging light fixture. Before the afternoon was out I also couldn't get my car out of park, dropped a pack of gum in the toilet and broke a pair of sunglasses.  

1/2 Marathon Training Begins!!

So, so, so--- I'm getting ready to get a little crazy!

This week I officially began training for a 1/2 marathon!!

I'm so excited! Right now I am focusing on training my mind even more than my body. I KNOW I can run it, but I need to KNOW it with everything I am- my mind, my soul & my body. It's a race you run in your mind- and I fully plan to run it and run it well!

In my typical OCD fashion I spent several hours online googling local races before I finally settled on the Pilgrim Pacer in Shawnee Park, KS. I have friends who live in Shawnee Park area, so I've run a few runs in that area and it's beautiful.

The 1/2 is on November 10th and I am already praying for good weather I am praying for overcast skies, 50* and no rain. I guess I should also specify that I'm hoping for no snow as well. :)

I am using Hal Higdon's 1/2 marathon training plan to train for this 1/2. I don't think I need a specific training plan, but I want to be really focused, stay on track, taper well and make sure I get the right ratio of rest and cross training. Having it all out on paper for me is super motivating. Maybe it's my OCD but just looking at my freshly marked calendar of training runs give me a blast of endorphins. 

When I originally decided to run this 1/2 I immediately started bouncing around times in my head for how fast I wanted to finish. I've really vacillated between setting a goal time and not because I can see a lot of pros and cons to both.

In my two 5ks this summer I set a goal time for both of them; one of them I met and the other I didn't. I have only been running for 8 months and it is still work for me. It's not smooth gliding and shut-my-brain off and think about what-ever-I-want-to. It's put one foot in front of the other and try and make it to the next mail box. I'm my own worst critic and I am always telling myself I need to run faster, further, with better form, more often.

Balancing this with believing in myself and pushing myself to my limits is something I'm still learning. It's a tough tight-rope. :)

I have decided to set a goal to finish the 1/2 marathon sub 150 minutes/2.5 hours.

Honestly deciding to run this 1/2 marathon is several miles outside of my comfort zone.

Aren't runners supposed to be skinny?

Aren't they supposed to be fast?

Aren't they supposed to have cute, matching workout gear?

Maybe. I don't know. But I do know that

 Runners are strong. Runners are positive. Runners reach for the stars.

Q's;

Have you run a 1/2 marathon?

What was the hardest part?

What is the best advice you give someone training for one?

What color socks will make you run the fastest?