Workouts and Videos

Hello, hello and happy Thursday! It’s once again my favorite day of the week, and I’m currently still in my pajamas waiting for my coffee to brew.

Let’s talk workouts for the week, shall we, cuz they’ve been pretty damn good if I do say so myself.

Monday

Tuesday was very similar to the Workout of Death, but with 7 different stations this time.  As just an example, there was a TRX band station, wall sit with a barbell, squat jumps, and much more!  I was once again donezo after.

Wednesday

That was a tough one, but it felt really good to challenge myself with exercises I don’t typically do, even if I am missing some skin of the top of my knee from the deadlifts.  Today is a rest day, thankfully, because my muscles need it.  It is no coincidence that my rest days coincide with my WFH day :).

Is anyone out there as nervous as I am for the Grey’s season finale tonight?  I watched the first 6 minutes of the episode, and it’s going to be intense.  Like really intense.  You too can watch the first 6 minutes, here!  They’ve said that someone for certain dies, and I really don’t want any of them to go.  Waaaaah.

Before I leave you, I must suggest you go watch this, because it had me smiling like a fool and tapping my foot on Tuesday night (and right now if I’m being completely honest).  Tootleoo!

Sexy

I’ve been listening to this on repeat all morning:

Yeah, I liked the original version, but I like this one better, sue me.  Ok, I really just have major crushes on Darren Criss and Matthew Bomer, at least one of them is straight IRL. Sigh.  Did you guys see that “Fighter” boxing/shower montage?! I mean, come on now!  Hold on, let me pull myself back together.

…

Ok.  Yesterday I had a fitness assessment at the gym here, which I’ll write more about on another day, but for now let’s just say it inspired me to put my sweaty workout clothes back on at the end of the day for a real workout.  You know what really hurts?  Running for the first time after two months of bronchitis.  Oh my lord am I out of running shape, and my lungs are out of shape also.  I’m sore today, time to work on that.

I leave for Vegas at the ass crack of dawn on Friday morning, so I should probably pack tonight or tomorrow, but I keep procrastinating in hopes that the forecast will change.  61 degrees is not what I was expecting Vegas to be like in April, I don’t even know what to pack now! Anyway, manis and pedis are happening tonight regardless of whether or not I’ll actually get to wear sandals.

Still no news on the house, but that doesn’t mean I have already decorated and renovated the whole thing, because I have.  Paint colors and bedding included, I told you I have issues.  There may be actual tears if Darren tells me he doesn’t like something when I show him next week.

If anyone has any advice as to how I can unclog my right ear before I hope on a 5 hour flight in two days, I will appreciate it.  Tootle loo!

I’m Still Obsessed

Holler ya’ll, I finally have a new recipe for you!  Sunday evening, I was really in the mood to bake, but not it the mood to go to the store and buy any ingredients.  So I pulled out the cookbooks, and got to searching for something I could make with what I had on hand.  I had the staples, sugar, flour, spices, eggs, and canned pumpkin from my days of hoarding in the fall.  Shockingly missing from my pantry was chocolate, or anything that would make a delicious cookie.  Who else would come to the rescue but Betty Crocker herself, and these delicious Pumpkin Spice Bars.

4	eggs
2	cups granulated sugar
1	cup vegetable oil
1	can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2	cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
2	teaspoons baking powder
1	teaspoon baking soda
1/2	teaspoon salt
2	teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2	teaspoon ground ginger
1/4	teaspoon ground cloves
1	cup raisins, if desired (negativo)

Cream Cheese Frosting

1	package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4	cup butter or margarine, softened
2	to 3 teaspoons milk
1	teaspoon vanilla
4	cups powdered sugar
1/2	cup chopped walnuts, if desired ( I did not desire)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray.  Then I got out my beautiful Kitchen Aid mixer and gave it a hug, because I missed it.
2. Mixed together eggs, granulated sugar, oil and pumpkin on a low-speed in the mixer. Gradually added the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Spread in pan.
3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and bars spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
4. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla with electric mixer on low-speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable (don’t used granulated, it will not be smooth). Spreading frosting over bars. For bars, cut into 7 rows by 7 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Just a note, if you don’t have powdered sugar, regular granulated sugar will not work as a substitute.  Well I mean it will, if you like grainy icing.  Although it hasn’t stopped me or the roommates from eating them, icing and all.  They are delicious, the actual bar is moist like a cake, and the pumpkin flavor really shines through.  Love them.

As I said yesterday, it was National Margarita Day, and Dani and I had every intention of celebrating.  First I hit the gym for a tempo run.  Four miles, 2 at an 8:50 pace.  Nothing special, wasn’t too difficult and I felt good after.  I hurried home to the bottle of Jose and settled on the couch with a marg and dinner just in time for Glee to start. It happened to be Alcohol Awareness week, so the songs were all geared around boozing and partying.  Coincidence?  I think not.  Anyway, I had one Marg on the Rocks, and it was delicious and made me want to be sitting on a beach somewhere.  Not in the house with snow on the ground outside.

I stopped after one, despite how much I wanted a second, because well it’s Tuesday and tequila and I can get ugly together.  Maybe we will reunite again over the weekend.  Alright, well that’s way too much rambling for today.  So happy Wednesday!