Gimme more o' the good stuff...

Well, summer is here...which means longer daylight hours, summer rec for the kids, and the ICC Festival...the latter being the "official" sign of summer for my kids as they count down the months until the Festival arrives from oh, say, about July....

Mmmmm...funnel cake....

So with the arrival of all that is good with summer comes the abundance of food that we otherwise would not eat, let alone have any access to.  I may be tough when it comes to eating well, but about this time of year we slide quite a bit...this past week was no exception.  My kids have been in heaven, but I can say one thing for certain:  I feel like crap.

Could be the long hours I'm logging at the cafe.  Could be that I'm not getting enough sleep at night.  Could also be that I'm feeling a bit 'o stress these days, juggling babysitters, semi pre-cooked dinners at home, and a new business venture...but there's no coincidence that every year at this time I just feel terrible...can anyone say "deep fried everything"?

I always know what the consequences will be...and maybe it's good that each year I prove to myself that eating garbage all day is something that I just don't want to do because I hate the end result (including +2 lbs in a 5 day span...ugh).  So, while I wouldn't recommend anyone go on a "binge junk diet", I believe it's ok to indulge every once in a while...and I just have to  remember next year to indulge in moderation, rather than overdo it!

On another note, this week should be the official start to my training for Marine Corps Marathon.  I've tried to keep up with somewhat of a longer run on the weekend and some shorter runs during the week, but completely fell flat last week.  I'm really hoping to get into more of a routine over the next couple weeks...It would really help if the sun was out until 10pm!  Good thing there's a nice long weekend coming up...I'm looking to get a 10 miler in there somewhere...Happy 4th of July!

The Fuel Good Cafe is finally here!

Well, here I sit on the eve of our official opening day of The Fuel Good Cafe...I'm a bundle of nerves, but feeling excited...the product of nearly three years in the making is here!

My husband (whose brain doesn't ever seem to have a "pause" or "relax" mode) always used to talk about how when he's working at different sites how great it'd be to be able to provide people with "healthier" lunches - or at the very least something that will pack more nutrients and real flavor in a sandwich so people struggling to make better choices actually have a great choice to pick!  How great it would be if we could do that...but kind of hard to do when you don't have a commercial or catering kitchen to speak of...

Rewind to almost 3 years ago...on the way to my mom's birthday celebration, we drove by one of the most familiar restaurant buildings on Route 31...which has been turned over a multitude of times...and saw an Auction notice - there went that brain again - low and behold in a whirlwind amount of time, I'm informed "we got the bid" and we, along with my extended family and a group of investors now had what seemed like an incredibly daunting task ahead...turn the building located on the corner of 31 and Molasses Hill Road into that "Third Place" - in addition to our current Physical Therapy services and Personal Training...we'd be adding a "hang out" element to it all...with really great, flavorful and healthier-than-the-regular-alternative food.

So, after many months of literally blood (ask Mike about why lefties and sharp tools don't mix), sweat (heavy lifting and scrubbing, much?) and tears (when my kids were just D.O.N.E.)...we're ready to throw open the doors and welcome our friends - those we already know and love, and those we don't even know yet.

I hope everyone reading this will find some time to stop in - see what we've done with the place, and hang out for a while...

It can be more than just a race...

This past weekend, I ran a 5k for the first time in 2 years.  I used to love to do them at least 2 - 3 times a year, but have fallen away now that I'm focused on longer distance.  I thought I was going to hate it, because there's really no "pacing yourself" in a 5k if you want a great finish time, or at least, that's my take on it.  So basically you try to sprint the entire distance without keeling over, passing out, or throwing up.  My sister-in-law narrowly missed being hit by a puker at the finish line, but thanks to her ever-quick reflexes, managed to avoid being hit...good job, Aim (first place in her age group, by the way)!

Anyway, the main reason for participating in this 5k was that it was in support of a good friend who has become an advocate of the Sharing Network due to tragic circumstances within her own family.  The Sharing Network is an organization dedicated to facilitating the "gift of life" through organ donation.  They are a support network for both those who have lost a loved one and also for those who have received an organ or tissue transplant.

So often we may not really know how to help our friends in circumstances such as my own friend's loss.  Everyone deals with it differently, and we certainly don't want to push or be viewed as intrusive.  But we yearn to help, even if in the smallest of ways.  Races like the 5k this past weekend give us the perfect solution- not only are we giving a bit of ourselves by either walking or running, but by also becoming part of the community and showing our support for an organization such as this that gives us a chance to celebrate and remember those who have given the ultimate gift.  It was by far one of the best race experiences I've ever had and am grateful I was able to take part.  This is a yearly event that will be on my calendar permanently.

Aging is all in your head...until you try to act like a kid again.

So the spring/summer grown-up soccer league has finally started up again (yahoo!), and with all the observing I've done of the kids' training and games, I felt like I could march right onto the field and tear it up.  Learning by osmosis!  Works every time, right?


Let's just say I tore it up alright.  Only it's my hip flexor/groin area that's feeling the pain...another not-so-subtle reminder that I'm not a kid anymore (boo) and need to take better steps to keeping myself healthy.


It seems that we take what we've got for granted, or at least I'm guilty as charged on that account - I used to go from one thing to another, play as hard as I wanted, and have not one iota of a problem.  Now, one funny step, and it seems as if there'll be some muscle screaming at me to stop...my Physical Therapist husband has lectured me many times on the importance of warming up and stretching...and I know I'd be extremely irritated if I saw my kid start a game not having done something prior...so from now on, even if I'm the only one, I'm getting in at least 10 minutes of warm-up before games!  (I guess I got too caught up talking with my teammates and also making sure all 3 kids were situated on the sidelines so I wouldn't have to worry about them while I was in the game...)


I also believe that having a strong core (abdominal and back muscles both deep and closer to the surface) is key in helping to prevent injury...it keeps everything in line better, and this is sadly something I've neglected lately.  So, these next few weeks will be focused on strengthening my core, icing pulled muscles, and re-introducing strength training to my fitness regimen...and almost officially time to start training for the BIG RACE!

                                                          

Looking for a great side-dish for your next BBQ or potluck?  I found the following recipe on FoodNetwork.com, just eliminate the mozzarella to make it vegan:

Aida's Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

 

For the dressing:

• 1 1/2 cups packed fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salad:

• 4 ears corn, kernels removed (about 3 cups)
• 1 1/2 pounds grape tomatoes, halved (about 3 cups)
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, diced
• 2 medium avocados, diced

Directions:

Combine the dressing ingredients in a blender, using 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste; process until smooth. Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Let sit at least 15 minutes before serving, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.