Menu Plan Monday #17

Wow! What a week we just wrapped up. I sit here on my couch, utterly exhausted. Started off the week sight seeing around Amsterdam, flew to London, then spent an entire day just relaxing and watched way too many episodes of Gilmore Girls. Saturday I went to pick up my race packet and had dinner with some lovely ladies that are the wives of people my hubby works with. Sunday I ran a 10k and hubby surprised me with a boat trip around the canal's of Amsterdam. Check back later this week for more!

Workout
Sunday: 6 mile run (signed up for this not realizing it was mother's day and that I'd be coming off two big trips), but overall it was a great run I was surprised at how in to it I was!
Monday: Yoga and 2 mile walk
Tuesday: 2 mile run, piyo
Wednesday: 1 mile run and some stair exercises
Thursday: 3 mile run, stretch
Friday: Yoga
Saturday: 100 Burpee Burnout and outdoor exercises

Goals

• Workout each day
• Stick to the menu
• Finish Hawaii part of the scrapbook

Menu

• Breakfast
• Sunday: Granola
• Monday: Bullet proof coffee, scrambled egg whites, banana
• Tuesday: Banana, scrambled egg whites, broccoli
• Wednesday: Banana, mushroom and cheese egg white omelette, broccoli
• Thursday: Acai bowl
• Friday: Egg white oatmeal bowl
• Saturday: Scrambled eggs, toast, strawberries and cream
• Lunch
• Sunday: ate at running expo
• Monday: Sweet chili broccoli egg white scramble (everyone else will eat out because I was unorganized and didn't arrange all the proper stuff for today)
• Tuesday: Carrot chicken bowl for me, protein box for hubby, chicken sandwich with apple slices for kiddo
• Wednesday: Carrot chicken bowl with red lentils for me and kiddo, protein box for hubby, 
• Thursday: Egg white oatmeal bowl for me and the kiddo, protein box for hubby
• Friday: Veggie scramble with red lentils for me, sandwich, apple slices, and nuts for kiddo
• Saturday: snack on smoked meats, cheese, and bread
• Dinner
• Sunday: Mother's Day eat out
• Monday: BBQ Bacon cheese burgers/black bean red lentil burgers, broccoli, and fries
• Tuesday: Chicken quesadillas with corn and broccoli
• Wednesday: BBQ chicken with rice, corn, and squash
• Thursday: Tacos/veggie tacos
• Friday: Homemade pizza with salad 
• Saturday: Chicken wings and fries with carrots

I'm looking forward to getting back in to cooking this week. I've actually missed it the last couple weeks. 

What about you, what are you up to this week?

Btw, I am linking up with Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday #15

I'm not really going to do a weekend recap because the posts I have coming up this week are all from the super fun things we did this past weekend. Hubby has finally recovered from his 3 weeks straight of work (although he may be going right back into that) and since this past weekend was a three dayer for us thanks to Koningsdag on Monday I took advantage and dragged him and the teeanger to the Keukenhof, Elfia, and my friends house for some King's Day celebration in the city center.

This past week I wrote a few great posts about traveling, make sure you check them out:

Packing Tips
Road Trip Planning Tips
Suit Case Organization
Travel Essentials

Also, our friend Stacey Grice had the debut of her second book, Tapped this week...go check out the post I did for her blog tour, then buy the book because it was awesome!

Workouts
Sunday: Rest day
Monday: Yoga
Tuesday: Quiet apartment workout  coupled with some glute bridges, planks, and stretching
Wednesday: Yoga
Thursday: Same as Tuesday
Friday: T25 Cardio and T25 Stretching
Saturday: 4 mile run and stretching

Goals
Not really setting any goals for this week but to explore Berlin and make some fabulous memories learning about another country/city with my teenager.


But, despite all this excitement we must continue to eat. The menu will be abbreviated because the kiddo and I are traveling and the husband will mostly eat whatever work is providing for all the over time (ha!).

Breakfast:
*Lately my breakfasts have consisted of Bullet proof coffee (with 1 T coconut oil, 1 T butter, and 50ml of real fresh cows milk and a banana, I never thought this could fill me up but it really does the trick!)
Sunday: Cereal
Monday: Egg and cheese croissant sandwiches
Saturday: Same as Monday

Lunch:
Sunday: Lunch at Ren Fayre (meat on a stick was awesome)
Monday: King's day will probably just feast from the food vendors
Saturday: Soup and Sandwiches

Dinner:
Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: hamburgers, rice, and carrots (if we come home for dinner)
Friday: Pizza with salad
Saturday: either Monday's dinner if we don't eat that or tacos with salad

This week I will be linking up with Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm an Organizing Junkie...come check out the rest of the party for some other great ideas!

We are on our second round of spring break here, ready to wind up this school year, when do your kids get out?

As a side note, have you ever been to Berlin? Have suggestions on must see/eat places? We mostly have our itinerary set but are willing to add a few "must-do-see-eat" places to it!

Have a great week, everyone!

Menu Plan Monday #13

This week's menu is comin' atchya a little late today...with the time change and having the sun up so much later I have been in a groove to move, move, move my little behind and am not having the want I normally do to sit down and write! But, I did a bunch of meal prep and have a plan in my head, but should get it down on "paper" so I don't forget!

Workout Schedule:

• Sunday: rest day; did a little biking, a little walking, some stretching and that was about it.
• Monday: 2.5 mile run, P90X3 Isometrix and PIYO Sweat
• Tuesday: 3 mile run, T25 speed, T25 ab intervals
• Wednesday: Start the day with Blogilates 100 Burpee Burnout, sightseeing day so lots and lots of walking and biking, end the day with T25 Stretch
• Thursday: Quiet apartment workout; PIYO Drench
• Friday: 4 mile run, at the halfway mark will be at a park so will do a little bootcamp of squats lunges, jumps, pull ups, etc., evening P90X3 Yoga
• Saturday: Rest, sightseeing day, stretch

Goals:

Last week:

• cut final bit of added sugars {my one cube of sugar in coffee is all that is left *le sigh*}-done! :D
• no processed foods {gotta get off the cereal, which is a recent reintroduction and I do not feel well after eating it}-done! :D
• finish Hawaii section of scrapbook-Work in progress!
• get balcony set for spring-cleaned it off, still need to find furniture.
• organize craft supplies...don't have many but the few I do have are a bit out of control ;)-completely forgot about this lol
• make packing lists and itineraries for Berlin and London-work in progress
• keep up with A to Z Challenge-work in progress haha..didn't completely keep up last week, but I am still posting, so as long as I get them all posted within the next month I will be ok with that. 

This week:

• Finish the rest of the Hawaii Scrapbook
• Get the lists and itineraries finalized
• Keep going with the A to Z challenge
• Remember to take my camera on our sight seeing tours this week because we will be seeing some amazing things and I would like higher quality photos than my iPhone photos.

Breakfast

• Sunday: cereal
• Monday: oatmeal and hard boiled egg whites
• Tuesday: apple cinnamon oatmeal
• Wednesday: Toast with peanut butter and bananas
• Thursday: apple cinnamon oatmeal
• Friday: Toast with peanut butter and bananas
• Saturday: Big breakfast scramble with lots of veggies, toast, and apple slices

So, today I made this amazing oatmeal with water, oats, peanut butter, ground flax seeds, honey, cinnamon, butter and a touch of milk..it was amazing and pretty much all I want to eat now, I will post the recipe over on Instagram tomorrow so make sure you follow! :D

Lunch

• Sunday: at a party so snacked on pot luck snacks
• Kiddo and hubby: all week they will mostly take a variation on hard boiled eggs, half a sandwich, cheese cubes, fruit, raw veggies, and lunch meat.
• Monday: Chicken legs, broccoli, and a little spaghetti
• Tuesday: Same as monday, but with mushrooms
• Wednesday: sight seeing day, eat out
• Thursday: Mushroom egg white omelette with brown rice
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Eat out, sightseeing day...late lunch/early dinner

Dinner

• Sunday: Cereal (lame, but after food prep and a variety of foods to choose from I let the kiddo pick what she wanted us to eat since hubby was at work and she chose cereal haha)
• Monday: Spaghetti with broccoli
• Tuesday: Leftovers-attending a going away party, so will be pot lucking it again
• Wednesday: Rotisserie chicken, brown rice, squash
• Thursday: Tacos (regular for hubby, will freeze half, lentil tacos, will freeze half for the kiddo and I) served with cucumber/tomato relish
• Friday: Soup and paninis
• Saturday: Will eat a late lunch/early dinner so will snack in the evening

Snacks

• over night oatmeal
• hard boiled eggs
• string cheese
• carrot slices
• apples and peanut butter
• toasted almonds
• peanuts
• homemade bounty bars (for that sweet treat)
• Banana cappuccino
• Tea

So, this is what my week looks like. How is the time change affecting you? One of my Australian friends was complaining about how dark it is getting and how drained she feels, yet I am total opposite being above the equator! How about you, where are you and how is the time change treating you?

P.S. I'm linking up with Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday 2015 #12

Wow! It has been a while since I have written one of these! I wasn't feeling well there for a while and fell a bit off the wagon...but, I'm back!

So...on the menu this week...

Breakfast
Sunday: Cereal
Monday: Same; applewich for kiddo; cereal for hubby
Tuesday: Apple cinnamon oatmeal
Wednesday: Applewiches
Thursday: Peanut butter banana toast
Friday: Apple cinnamon oatmeal
Saturday: Egg sandwiches

Lunch
Sunday: Avocado toast with fried egg
Monday: Leftovers/eggs/smoked meat
Tues-Friday:
Kiddo: Sandwich with egg and fruit or leftovers
Hubby: Hard boiled egg with cheese and nuts
Me:
Tuesday: Avocado toast with egg
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Ladies lunch...still not sure what I will make yet
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Broccoli rice noodle soup

Dinner
Sunday: Easter...eat out
Monday: Tacos
Tuesday: Chicken legs with potatoes and broccoli
Wednesday: Hamburgers with rice and squash
Thursday: Rotisserie chicken with potatoes and broccoli
Friday: Pizza and salad
Saturday: BBQ chicken with rice, salad, whatever leftover veggies there are

Snacks
Hard boiled eggs
Cheese
Apples and pb
Pepperoni
Nuts

Workout Schedule

• Sunday: 5 mile run, challenges, and stretch
• Monday: Warm up, quick sweat workout, 5 minute workouts, challenges, stretch
• Tuesday: 2 mile run, challenges, stretch
• Wednesday: 3 mile run, challenges, stretch
• Thursday: Warm up, quick sweat, quiet apartment workout, challenges
• Friday: 5 mile run with a boot camp in the park
• Saturday: Stretch and challenges, possible bike ride
• Sunday: Challenges and yoga

Goals

• cut final bit of added sugars {my one cube of sugar in coffee is all that is left *le sigh*}
• no processed foods {gotta get off the cereal, which is a recent reintroduction and I do not feel well after eating it}
• finish Hawaii section of scrapbook
• get balcony set for spring
• organize craft supplies...don't have many but the few I do have are a bit out of control ;)
• make packing lists and itineraries for Berlin and London
• keep up with A to Z Challenge

Weekend Fun

• Saturday: Bike ride to enjoy the sun and 60 degree temperatures
• Sunday: *possible* trip to Keukenhof, but may put this off until next weekend

Doesn't look to be an incredibly busy week, but should be relaxing and full of getting stuff done! What are you up to this week?

P.S. Linking up with Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Meal Plan Monday 2015 #11

Well, this weekend was a fun one. It really started on Thursday with a 25 km bike ride with the kiddo. Thursday she is released early from school and since the sun is up longer we decided we would start doing something cultural after school each of those days. I will say I have raised such an adventurous kid with an amazing sense of direction. She managed to convince me-who has always been too scared to bike downtown-to bike downtown...and follow her! She navigated us there like a champ, coming home was a bit longer but sooooooo much fun!

Friday evening we just relaxed as she had come home sick from a bit of dizzyness. Saturday she was fine and wound up going downtown with friend to walk around in their onesies...because what else are a group of teenage expats to do on a sunny Saturday?!

While they were busy doing that the hubby and I headed over to rent a tux for a party we are attending in a couple of weeks and then we walked around De Pijp and had lunch at The Butcher.

A photo posted by Kate (@diaryofanurbanhousewife) on Mar 7, 2015 at 1:52pm PST

Best burgers we've had in Amsterdam...go try them!

After that we biked over to the Rijksmuseum (it is only a 5 minute ride) so we could ride under the building which has had a lot of controversy, which I will write about in time. It was a lot of fun, after we headed over to see Chappie.

This past week was fairly successful, I really focused on my goals and managed to get back on working out, didn't do much reading, because I got involved in Call the Midwife on Netflix, ha! But, this week all reading. ;)

Workout Schedule

• Monday: PIYO drench
• Tuesday: 2 mile run, fit tutor
• Wednesday: 4 mile run, stretching
• Thursday: Yoga
• Friday: Insanity Cardio
• Saturday: 3 mile run, fit tutor, stretching
• Sunday: Stretching

Goals

• Dutch
• Finish the Poet's Wife
• Get at least 5 cards made
• Mail birthday packages

Breakfast

• Oatmeal bowl, using up the frozen fruit X3
• Egg whites with sweet potato and breakfast greens X2
• Saturday: Pancakes
• Sunday: Cinnamon roll croissants

Lunch

• Turkey and cheese sandwiches with orange slices and cheese X3
• Leftovers X2
• Saturday: Grilled cheese and soup
• Sunday: Snack on leftovers

Dinner:
For this week I have two dinners which my husband won't touch because I highly anticipate he will have at least two dinners at work this week...he usually does. The rest are things he will eat. I didn't include any days to eat out as we are going on an over night trip the weekend after next and I don't want to spend any unnecessary extras :)

• Breakfast for dinner
• Tacos with salad
• Chicken pizza with salad 
• Parmesan Herb Roasted Potatoes with Salty Spicy Sweet and Sticky Chicken
• Twice baked cauliflower  with Sweet potato pizzas
• Salt and pepper and honey bbq chicken wings 
• Quinoa Stuffed peppers with salad 

Snacks

• Rosemary roasted almonds
• Hard boiled eggs
• Flourless Lentil Chocolate Brownies
• Leftover walnut loaf and cheese cubes
• Fruits
• Salad
• Potato leek soup {Thug kitchen cookbook}
• Raw Buckwheat Breakfast Porridge

So, what are you up to this week?

Check out the rest of the party with Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm an Organizing Junkie.

March 2015 Goals

I didn't really set any specific goals for February and I feel like the month was a crap-shoot. I fell off my workouts after being sick for two weeks. I kept eating decently most of the time so I suppose that is something. This month though I really want to be focused and get a lot done.

1. Focus on Dutch. I have been here nearly a year and still can't understand anything beyond basic greetings, "Do you want a receipt" (which I only know because of the word "bon"), and some gibberish I can't understand that is, "do you want a bag?" I want to know more than this so I am really going to get back on it.
2. Stop watching so much Netflix and get back to reading. I have so many wonderful books I wanted to complete this year so I will be focusing on reading.
3. It is March and getting warmer I will run at least 3 days a week incorporating Fit Tutor as well as Insanity Asylum Vol. 2. To hold myself accountable I will be posting on Instagram, so follow me there and let me know so I can follow you too! 
4. Clean eating.
5. Focus on creating inventory for my Etsy shop and post at least one new item every other day.
6. This is the big one so I saved it for last. We have really been trying hard to save money and focus on getting ahead. A while back I read about this 31 day no spend challenge so we are going to attempt to complete it. Things we will have to do differently are:
1. We will have a weekly grocery budget as we do not have a stock pile or stocked pantry/freezer so we will have to buy groceries weekly as usual
2. Meals will first and foremost be planned around anything in the freezer/pantry to ensure those items are used in a timely manner.
3. No prepackaged products will be purchased, most everything will be real whole foods made from scratch. 
4. We are going out of town as we have a weekend away pre-planned but we will have a budget and will not spend on souvenirs and we will bring our own snacks, breakfast items, and water bottles.
5. The kiddo and I will ride our bikes as much as possible instead of the train. there will be a once a week exception for cheer, but otherwise we need to get comfortable going longer distances on our bikes.
6.  Date nights out of the house will still happen but will need to be creative and find fun, free/cheap things to do, each date night will have a spending cap if we feel the need to spend.
7. Do a daily post of what we did that day, and how much we spent, if anything.

Spring is on its way and I really want to feel like I am accomplishing the things I aimed for this year, so this month I will be crushing goals! What goals are you focusing on completing?

Menu Plan Monday #7 +weekly goals and workouts

Weekend Recap:
This past weekend was a great time. I spent Friday night with some lovely ladies from our parent group at school while the hubby and kiddo spent some good one-on-one time together checking out Jupiter at an observatory in Utrecht.

I learned to make Japanese hot pot they got to see storms on Jupiter. It was a win-win for everyone!

Saturday night hubby and I reinstated date night. We'd sort of gotten away from our formal date nights as the kiddo has gotten older we just sort of go out whenever we want. However, we were doing more day time stuff and weren't really getting to dress up the way we like and we've been missing out on the dancing we used to do.

So, here we were ready for date night:

We didn't have a plan just played it by ear and wound up at a great wine bar for our first course called Bubbles and Wines.

They have all sorts of wines of all sorts of prices. You can even get a flight of different types of wines to try. They had all sorts of appetizers and we got a cheese fondue type thing, was quite delicious!

We then wound up over at CAU, which the last time we were there was one year ago when we went to Cambridge, which is what started us on this entire crazy journey! So, it was a fitting meal. The place is amazing. They have great quality food at a decent price, really something for everyone on the menu. The fun thing about this place is it is 3 stories high so if you are on the 3rd floor you have a fun view of some great Amsterdam architecture.

Posts this week:
In the even you missed it here is a review of some posts earlier this week:
Currently, Vol. 3
WIAW
Flawless Review
Fit Tutor Review

Upcoming workouts:
Monday: Fit Tutor Day One, Week 2, plus lots of walking for groceries
Tuesday: Interval run, foam rolling, lots of walking downtown
Wednesday: Fit Tutor Day Two, Week 2, stretching
Thursday: Yoga, mile walk, bike ride if it is nice
Friday: Fit Tutor Day Three, Week 2, Two mile run, stretching
Saturday: Yoga, bike ride if it is nice with hubby
Sunday: Rest day, stretching

Other Goals:

• Finally get some work done on my Etsy shop and have it go live
• Get my bedroom closet organized and see what we need for spring
• Get Berlin itinerary written
• Secure details for day trip to Brussels over Feb. break

Weekly Menu

Last week was an odd week and I was horrible about sticking to my menu. This week I am determined to be much better!

Breakfast:

Monday: Museli with added chia seeds for protein

Tuesday: Oatmeal power bowl

Wednesday: Smoothie power bowl

Thursday: Oatmeal power bowl

Friday: Peanut butter fruit bowl

Saturday: Omelette's and potatoes

Sunday: Leftovers

Lunch:

Monday: Veggie quinoa salad; kiddo: mixed veggies and apple with peanut butter plate

Tuesday: Light lunch out

Wednesday: Macadamia Nut Chicken Salad

Thursday: Macadamia Nut Chicken Salad

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Bread, fruit, cheese snacks

Sunday: Snacks, early dinner

Dinner: 

Monday: Chicken Wings and roasted Cauliflower with fried rice/quinoa

Tuesday: Quinoa Stuffed Peppers (made these a few weeks ago-delicious!) with shaved cucumber salad, hubby will have pork chops with salad and rice

Wednesday: Lentil Walnut Loaf/teriyaki beef for hubby with homemade apple sauce and salad

Thursday: Breakfast for dinner-omelette for hubby with potatoes, sweet potato pancakes, mushrooms, and onions

Friday: Panini's with soup and creamed spinach

Saturday: Leftovers, hubby and I have reservations at studio-k here, it is a special event on Valentine's for 24-hour oost...seating is at 10:30, first course at 11...they request everyone bring a record for the music during dinner. Late seating, but should be such a fun and cool experience, I can't wait for such a unique date! What surprised me is our kiddo is especially happy, after 16 Valentine's Days together we usually skip out because of crowds but the kiddo said we were being party poopers haha

Sunday: Tacos with salad

That is it for me this week....do you do anything special for Valentine's Day? If so, what?

P.S. As usual I am linking up with Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday 2015 #6

Week 6 of 2015! Hard to believe. How is your year coming along? Accomplishing all you'd hoped?

I am and I'm not, so we will see where this year goes.

Goals

Last week I set the following goals:

• Continue Dutch try and go for 5 times this week.-Nope
• Get Etsy shop designed and live-Nope
• Follow menu and go for 7/7-Mostly but cut out two days and ate leftovers because there was so much food! haha
• Start to get some running miles in, despite the cold.-Nope lol It snowed people, I am a Floridian.

I will say this about my running goal, I hate running, I loved it so much in FL because I had my best friends in this world to run with, without that camaraderie running sucks. I am looking into a running group. I hate paying for stuff like that but it may be the only option to find some running buddies...that ya know, don't come from Craigslist haha

Anyway, this weeks goals:

• Actually do some Dutch. I've gotten much more comfortable with basic phrases and even did exact change today when the woman told me the cents in Dutch and I was able to figure it out, after accidentally giving her 5 cents instead of fifty she said the word twice more and I had it, won't make that mistake again. She was sweet though and was patient. 
• Get that Etsy shop up and going
• Stick to the menu

Fitness Goals

• Complete all days in the Fit Tutor
• Get some running in, find a running buddy, possibly join a running club
• Stretch & stick to healthy eating.

Breakfast

• Oatmeal
• Apple Tart
• Blueberry Squares
• Acai bowl
• Weekend: blueberry muffins

Lunch

• Eat out
• Hubby comes home I will make us teriyaki chicken, mine will be served over spinach with peppers, his with rice; kiddo took a mix of apples and peanut butter with snap peas and peppers
• Rest of the week for me will be a variation on spinach salad each day except Thursday when I meet friends for lunch
• Veggie panini with salad and leftovers rest of the week for kiddo
• Weekend: we will probably eat a late breakfast so will snack for lunches

Dinner

• Vegan Red Pepper Pasta with spinach
• Regular/black and white veggie burgers with sweet potato buns, green beans
• Quinoa stuffed peppers with salad
• Teriyaki beef with rice and salad/veggie fried rice and salad
• Soup and sandwiches for hubby and kiddo, I have a ladies night out
• Date night, kiddo will heat up leftovers
• Chicken wings/cauliflower "wings", potatoes, veggies

Snacks

• Granola
• Pumpkin pancakes
• Fruit

So, that is what we are cookin' up this week. What are you making? 

Also, I am linking up with Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Currently, Vol 3

My hubby was gone all week last week making it somewhat productive/somewhat lazy. All-in-all was a good week, but so glad he comes home tomorrow!

This post almost didn't get written. I have entered a lazy streak, but trying to break it. So, here I sit, writing.

Currently....

Thinking about...this young lady I met today while walking home from the grocery store. It was bright and sunny and I had just tripped over my own two feet and was chuckling to myself, I looked up and smiled at her. She did not look happy. She said something to me in Dutch to which I responded, "Sorry I don't know that much Dutch yet", she happily conversed with me in English, it went something like this:

YL: I am not happy so I cannot laugh.

Me: I'm sorry to hear that.

YL: Why, you cannot do anything about it.

Me: Well, you are so sad that you cannot return a smile and for that I am sorry, I truly hope your day gets better.

YL: I don't.

Me: (extremely taken by surprise) Well, I am sorry to hear that but you are very young and I promise today will not be the worst day that you have. Even if you don't hope your day gets better I hope that for you, be careful out there.

A few minutes later I see her on her bike and she yells at me, "Mevrouw, look at me! I am smiling! Are you?" I told her I was and I was glad to see her smiling...she rode off as teenagers do dancing around in her bike seat and looked to be having a better day.

I initially left the conversation feeling very sad for this young lady but knew in the end I did all I could and truly hoped things got better for her, and I hope, since she smiled a bit, her day did turn around.

Excited about....hubby coming home tomorrow, lunch with friends this week, a ladies night in with friends this week, and date night with the husband! There are many other little things I am excited about, but those are the highlights ;)

Crafting...a Valentine's Day banner, centerpiece, and a ridiculously cute/cheesy Valentine's Day t-shirt set for the hubby & I!

Loving...the weather we have had. It has been a lot of fog and snow, but it was a welcome change from the just dreary cloudy weather! Today it was sunny though! 

Looking at....my yearly goals notebook trying to make sure I am on track for all the things I want to accomplish. So far I am somewhat getting there.

Thankful for....so many things! The number one has to be the opportunity to show our daughter Europe and teacher her about the history of the world in a hands on way.

So, that is what we are up to Currently. Make sure you hop on over to Becky's Blog, Choose Happy and check out everyone else that is linking up!

Menu Plan Monday 2015 #5

So, do y'all realize this week is the last week in January?! Last. That means there are only 11 more months left in this year people. I need to check back over my goals and seriously reassess. Get some balls rolling as the year is just disappearing!

Life Goals

Speaking of disappearing, how is your goal planning going if you do that sort of thing? Last week I set the following goals:

• Last week
• Last week I reevaluated some business goals and instead of playing catch up I set new, more manageable goals. 
• Worked on Dutch 3 times-getting some of the basics. 
• Stuck to my menu 6/7 days, not too shabby...the one day I didn't follow the menu we really needed to use up leftovers!
• This Week
• Continue Dutch try and go for 5 times this week.
• Get Etsy shop designed and live
• Follow menu and go for 7/7
• Start to get some running miles in, despite the cold.

Fitness Goals

• Vertical Plyo +1 mile
• Back to core, 2 miles and relief
• Vertical Plyo and relief
• Speed and agility, 1 mile
• Game day, 1 mile, relief
• Rest/Relief
• X-Trainer (Asylum Vol. 2)

Anyhoodles. We are back at menu planning. I feel like I did great at sticking to my menu last week. I am pretty sure it is all due to the prep. Easy, healthy meals were had and there was no "oh-mi-gosh it is 5pm what do I eat now?!". So, that prep will be happening yet again.

Breakfast

• Apple banana quinoa cups with potatoes x3
• Acai bowls x2
• Apple and spice breakfast lentils
• Leftovers...we have a cheer competition so it will really all depend on the times there.

Lunch

• Me:
• I will prep these ahead then eat them all week changing out the protein and other additions on my salad all week.
• Make a big batch of kale and quinoa minestrone
• Big spinach salad and dressing 
• Kiddo
• PBJ on leftover sweet potato pancakes with chopped fruit and kale x2
• Leftovers x2
• Eat out one day
• Weekend
• Vegan pizza buns and salad
• Sunday will depend, I will try and bring stuff for us but if there will be restaurants nearby the venue we will just eat out.

Dinner

• I'm really going for cleaning out the pantry and freezer here so most of this stuff I already have on hand, grocery trip will be small and easy on the budget!
• Maple baked lentils
• Vegan fried rice  (this will use up any leftovers and any veggies that are about to go bad)
• Stamppot (I've been seeing stuff for this in the grocery store. It is a dutch dish that I will post more about later)
• Lentil-bean tacos with steamed veggies (this dish uses up the triple lentil soup I made two weeks ago and froze and some black beans I've had in the freezer)
• Soup and panini's...we will use up the kale and quinoa minestrone I made for lunches earlier this week
• Roasted red pepper pasta with spinach
• Sunday will be leftovers. Just raid the fridge and pantry and eat whatever, I doubt we will be hungry if we eat while we are out, so going simple here.

Well, that is it for me this week, what do you have going on?

P.S. Join the rest of the party over at Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm and Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday 2015 #4

Last week' meal plan was fairly successful. I managed to cook all week, somedays doing just leftovers, but following pretty well.  Also, this past week I feel like I made some strides toward reaching some goals and plan to make this week even better!

Weekly Workout Plan

• Monday: Game Day and 2 mile run
• Tuesday: Vertical Plyo
• Wednesday: Back to Core and 3 mile run
• Thursday: Relief/Bike ride or easy run if it is nice
• Friday: Speed and Agility
• Saturday: Strength and one mile run
• Sunday: Game Day

Last week I really enjoyed the Relief DVD. This was the first time I had done it and it really stretches the hamstrings which is always my tightest area besides my right hip. Most looking forward to Vertical Plyo this week, that is my favorite DVD because it does the craziest moves...I feel like a total bada$$ when I do that one. ;)

Life Goals

• Last week I managed to complete one goal and finished Flawless by Jan Moran this week, so 11 books to go in my around the world in books series.
• Stayed pretty close to my meal plan, canceled out a few meals and used leftovers
• This week I need to evaluate a few of my business goals and play a little bit of catch-up
• Focus and work on Dutch
• Review all goals and make sure I'm on track
• Continue to stick to menu

Breakfast Options

Acai Bowl x2, Sweet potato pancakes, mushroom "sausage", and apple sauce x2, vegan donut holes, cereal, and leftovers

Lunch

I am going to go a little easy on myself this week I made a big pot of Vegan Paleo Tomato Soup it is seriously amazingly delicious and I will make a large salad to serve with the soup throughout the week and homemade veggie burgers.

Kiddo

Monday: Leftover wrap (I will just throw in some leftover triple lentil soup and peppers) with an apple and some tomato soup (I don't wanna share but she's going to make me lol)

Tuesday: Veggie burger wrapped in kale (yes, my kid loves raw kale), with mix of orange and apple slices, and potatoes

Wednesday: Leftovers...not sure what yet but will throw something together

Thursday: Same as Tuesday

Friday: She usually eats out with her friends

Weekend

Saturday: Panini's and Soup 

Sunday: Snacks, use up any leftovers

Dinner

Monday: BBQ Chicken for hubby and bbq shredded mushrooms and cauliflower for the kiddo and I with rice and salad

Tuesday: Quinoa stuffed peppers with salad

Wednesday: Lentil Walnut Apple Loaf with apple pear sauce and spinach

Thursday: Chicken burgers/chickpea fritters with potato/sweet potato rounds and apple/pear slices

Friday: Pizza burgers (regular for hubby, veggie for kiddo and I) with salad and garlic bread 

Saturday: Chicken wings/cauliflower wings and mini-pizza's
Sunday: Chinese at the moives

Snacks
Banana-coconut slices, apple and pb with raisins, smoothie/smoothie bowl, leftovers, baked apples

I went ahead and prepped various items to make this week easy:
400 grams of quinoa
Apple-pear Sauce
Sweet potato pancakes
Vegan mushroom sausage (made last week and froze)
Overnight oats
Pizza sauce
Ketchup
Lentils
Tomato Soup
Salad of mixed lettuce (I cheated, I bought bagged lettuce)
Balsamic Vinegar Dressing
Pumpkin Granola
Paleo Coffee Creamer
Chickpeas (in freezer)

That seems like a lot of stuff but it only took me about 2 hours to get all the prep work done and it will make all my meals a breeze to fix. The only thing I have left to make tomorrow is the veggie burgers.

So, what are you making this week?

Linking up at: Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday #66-Christmas Menu

Seriously, I know you've seen it all over the internet, but I cannot believe we are already at the week of Christmas. Next week we roll in to 2015!

I've been thinking a lot about this past year and so much has happened. I won't dive into it all in this post but my word, it feels like we packed at least 3 years into this year...no wonder we are all so tired! haha

But, lets take a look at what workouts I packed into last week and what I will be doing this week:

Last week:

Monday: Max Interval Circuit-actual Max cardio conditioning

Tuesday: 4.5 mile run-actual Max Interval Circuit

Wednesday: Rest-Acutal Max Interval Plyo

Thursday: Max Interval Circuit- Actual Max Interval Circuit

Friday: Max Recovery-Actual Rest, but lots of errands & tons of walking I was exhausted really lo

Saturday: Max Interval Plyo-Actual Max Recovery

Sunday: 3.5 mile run and stretching-Actual Core Cardio & Balance

This week: 

It is going to be raining all week. If I can fit in a run I will, but not going to force anything.

Monday: Max Interval Circuit

Tuesday: Max Interval Plyo

Wednesday: Max Cardio Conditioning & Cardio Abs

Thursday: Max Recovery...after breakfast, presents, and all the rest.

Friday: Max Interval Circuit

Saturday: Core Cardio and Balance plus mile run

Sunday: Mile run & stretch

Here is what we have planned:

Monday: Crafts at home, finish Christmas Tree, dinner out for the kiddo's birthday, sleepover-Done and a total success!

A photo posted by Kate (@diaryofanurbanhousewife) on Dec 12, 2014 at 3:07am PST

Tuesday: Go to the lunchtime Christmas concert at The National Ballet and Opera because they are doing carols & lunch with my hubby/her daddy-Done! Check out the post here.

Wednesday: Free lunchtime concert at Concertgebrouw, the Rijkmuseum and check out the boat exhibit finally and ice skate at the rink outside the museum-Skipped, after our workouts we were too exhausted to go anywhere or do anything.

Thursday: Movie marathon day & dinner at a friend's house-Done! Only it was a Gilmore Girls Marathon lol

Friday: Read-a-thon and craft day-Skipped...we finish our christmas shopping and ran errands.

A photo posted by Kate (@diaryofanurbanhousewife) on Dec 12, 2014 at 12:43pm PST

Saturday: Cinderella at the National Ballet and Opera and dinner out, do a walk around to see all the Christmas lights.-Done! What a fab day!

A photo posted by Kate (@diaryofanurbanhousewife) on Dec 12, 2014 at 4:20am PST

Sunday: Football day; rest, relax, rejuvenate.-Done! Worked on some crafts, got a great deal on a Christmas present so alles goed! :)

Since everyone is on break/vacation I am going to do a day by day breakdown for breakfasts and lunches instead of just options.

Breakfast

Monday: Peanut butter banana cinnamon toast

Tuesday: Cereal with banana and chia seeds

Wednesday: Smoothies with spinach and chia seeds for added protein

Thursday: Christmas Day: Cinnamon Rolls

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: Peanut butter banana cinnamon toast

Sunday: leftovers

Lunch

Monday: Split pea soup and half a grilled cheese (will just be hubby & I so we will eat small)

Tuesday: Chicken sliders with fried apples and sugar snap peas and salad

Wednesday: Lunch out

Thursday: Christmas Day: Snack on smoked meat, baguette, cheese, fruit

Friday: Ham and cheese crescent rolls and salad

Saturday: Omelets with bacon, cheese, veggies, salad

Sunday: Tomato soup and half a grilled cheese

Dinner

Monday: Burger sliders with salad, corn, and broccoli

Tuesday: Tacos with salad

Wednesday: Christmas Eve: Brown sugar glazed pork chops with fried apples, mashed potatoes and gravy and broccoli and salad; dessert: caramel apple tart with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream 

Thursday: Christmas Day: Chicken Wings, fried rice with mixed veggies, leftover tart

Friday: Brats with peppers, mushrooms, cheese, and leftover side dishes

Saturday: Teriyaki glazed steak bites with any leftovers or salad, baked potato/sweet potato bites, and mixed veggies

Sunday: Honey Balsamic Chicken Tenders, homemade fries, sugar snap peas

Activities, Week 2 of Christmas Break, Week 1 of Christmas Vacation for the hubs:

Monday: Watch horse riding (kiddo), hubby and I will just laze around, watch a movie, craft and play games

Tuesday: Hubby & kiddo go Christmas Shopping, I will take a trip to the Amstelveen Mall because I haven't been and I want to see all the Christmas hubbub

Wednesday: Christmas Lunch Concert at Concertgbouw, ice skating, Stadelijk Museum

Thursday: Christmas Day, the kiddo wants to stay home so we will do presents, workout, and watch movies all day

Friday: Trip downtown to Nemo Science Center

Saturday: Trip to the Rijksmuseum

Sunday: Rest and relax, nice bike ride if it is sunny

So, that is our week in a nutshell, what are you up to this week?

Btw, I am linking up at Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm an Organizing Junkie! Come join the parties!