We Found Love in a Hopeless Place

November 18, 2016 by kpjenn

When you’re alone and life is making you lonely
You can always go downtown
When you’ve got worries, all the noise and the hurry
Seems to help, I know, downtown

I think Petula Clark was on to something – because last weekend, when I was still deep in the dark place, the fiance and I took a quick little jaunt down to Charlottesville, VA (not exactly “downtown”) to spend some time together outside of our normal routine.

It was a short trip, but it was just what we needed.

Between crazy work schedules and travel and extracurricular commitments, finding time to be together and just enjoy each other’s company has been a challenge, because when we are together, we’re usually running errands, or cleaning the house, or hosting our friends for Sunday football, or collapsing on the couch after a long day and zoning out in front of Netflix. And trying to save money for the wedding has meant that we have been keeping things pretty low-key.

So, we planned a weekend away. But what was supposed to be a two-night stay became a “less-than-24-hour excursion” because, wouldn’t you know it, work happened and we needed to get back in time for that. That said, we managed to capitalize on all of our time there and it was just what we needed.

Friday morning, we hopped in the car and drove back country roads to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s estate just outside of Charlottesville. We spend lunch and the early afternoon there exploring the grounds, enjoying the unseasonably warm sun, and touring Jefferson’s house. Consequently, I think we also managed to get Hamilton songs stuck in everyone’s heads if they were following us on social media.

Following Monticello, we had planned to visit a winery, but we were tired and hungry, and decided that checking in to our hotel sounded like a better plan. Because that involved stopping for snacks and then laying in bed watching tv and napping without any reason to move.

(I know. I vacation hardcore.)

One of the big reasons we wanted to visit Charlottesville is that it is the birthplace of the Dave Matthews Band. Dave was living and working as a bartender in Cville when he formed the group and there are a number of DMB landmarks there. Clay really wanted to see a few of them, so we spent the evening on a DMB mission.

It was important to Clay for us to stop at Leroi Moore’s gravesite – Moore, one of the founding members of the band, passed away in 2008. He, and the band, have meant a lot to Clay over the years, and getting to pay his respects was something Clay had wanted to do for a long time.

Afterwards, we decided we needed a drink and some dinner – and we needed to pour one out for Leroi. Or shoot whiskey. Same thing, right? I thought so. So, we headed to Miller’s Downtown – the bar that Dave Matthews was tending at when he put the band together. Yes, there was fangirling. No, we’re not sorry. The burger and the wings were awesome and downtown Charlottesville is the cutest. They’ve taken a few blocks of the downtown area and closed them to vehicles, so it’s just a pedestrian mall. We walked up and down it after dinner and explored that little corner of the city before retiring to bed.

When you try to get the Miller’s sign and your faces in one picture… with little success.

Saying goodbye to Charlottesville the next morning happened early and cold – but we left feeling rejuvenated and energized and, honestly, more connected. That sounds so sappy, but it’s true and I’m grateful that in the midst of what has been a very uncertain and emotional week, we were able to find time to focus on each other.

Weekend Hangover and #WeddingWednesday

October 19, 2016 by kpjenn

I’m writing this post to you on Tuesday, for Wednesday, but it was originally supposed to be up Monday.

That should give you some idea of how this week has started for me.

I had a three-day weekend, which you think would mean that I got lots done or rested or got my ish together. Unfortunately, none of that was the case. The things I took off to do on Friday? Not done. Lunch with friends? Spoiled by a parking ticket (that I didn’t even deserve!). No time for the gym for three days between running errands, and rehearsals and choir concerts. Football Sunday was shaping up to be a good day, and then the Packers lost.

And then it was Monday and I forgot to write a post. So, here we are.

I think I’ve managed to move past that nonsense though, finally getting back in the gym yesterday with Clay (he’d been traveling for two weeks for work). Brilliant us decided that leg day was the best way to get back at it and though these deadlifts look easy, they were just the beginning of a “let’s just slay ourselves” evening under the barbell.

Picking up heavy things really helped me shake off the weekend and the general bummer that it was. I remembered that my guy was finally home and how much more I like working out when he’s with me. I remembered that even though the Packers lost, I still got to spend Football Sunday with good friends and enjoyed good food. I remembered that despite a parking ticket, I got to see some of my favorite people, even if it was just for a couple of hours. And at the end of the day, all the weekend lameness was just that. Lameness. It goes away.

There are so many more things to be grateful for – I really don’t need to complain about anything at all.

My mission for the rest of this week?

Sleep more. I’ll feel a lot more together with more than 5 hours of sleep each night.
Meal Plan. Now that Clay is home, I can’t just skate by with half a grilled chicken breast for dinner anymore. Back to the list making!
Gym. Our schedules are pretty normal for the next couple of weeks – time to find our routine again.
Work on Wedding Playlists. We’re doing our own DJ-ing, so I’ve been collecting song ideas for the ceremony, cocktail hour and dance portions of the evening. Time to sit down and spend some quality time with my iTunes library and a spreadsheet.

Happy Hump Day!

What are some of your must-hear wedding jams? What gets you on the dancefloor? I’m taking suggestions!

Chick Chat: It’s Fall Y’all!

October 14, 2016 by scootadoot

Did somebody say FALL? Sign us up – we are totally embracing the cozy nights on the couch, the crisp leaves, and the apple picking. We all agree, Fall gets an A+!

As such, we decided to play a little fill in the blank game, and would love for YOU to play too. You ready?

Fall in my area means_______________.

The one fall tradition I never skip is______________.

The best Halloween candy is____________. But I’m not a fan of__________.

kylename1

Fall in my area apparently means apple-picking, but in the four years that I’ve lived in Virginia, I still haven’t gotten out to an orchard. Ha. So I guess what I mean to say is that Fall in my area actually means Football. Every Sunday. And Thursday Night. And Friday Night. And Saturday. And Monday Night? Jeez. When I put it that way it sounds like all I do is watch football. Which isn’t necessarily wrong.

Taken on a 2013 hike in VT on the Appalachian Trail

The one Fall tradition I never skip? Sorry, not sorry: Pumpkin Spice Latte. Or Americano. But I get at least one every year. Usually just one. But I always have to check that box in the annual welcoming of pumpkin flavor back into my life.

The BEST Halloween candy are Reese’s cups. There was a heavy barter system and black market candy trade in my house when we were kids to see who could get their hands on the most Reese’s. Pretty much any of the chocolate candy is near the top of my list. I’m not, however, a big fan of licorice-flavored anything, though. Keep that vile junk away from me. No. Thank. You.

Fall in my area means weekly trips to the farm stand for freshly picked apples (and seasonal trips to my in-laws’ farm to pick apples and make pies and cider! It’s also time for stunning, vibrant foliage. I seriously can’t get enough of it!

The one fall tradition I never skip is seeking out stunning foliage and making fresh veggies from local farmers. Unfortunately I also can’t skip raking leaves as I have a huge yards with lots of trees. Ah well.

The best Halloween candy are Reese’s PB cups (pumpkins) and Kit Kats. But I’m not a fan of Snickers, candy corn or any sort of black licorice. Ick.

Fall in my area means pretty much the same as Spring. California doesn’t believe in seasons. Erratic temperatures in the morning that lure you into a false hope that today might be the day you get to wear a jacket. By mid afternoon, you’re cursing the very existence of jackets as the temperatures reach the 90’s. I really love jackets. I hate that California makes me hate them.

The one fall tradition I never skip is apple picking in Oak Glen. Also, trick or treating! We love Halloween! We try to get to Disneyland during the fall, I think the Halloween decor is even better than Christmas!

The best Halloween candy is Kit Kat and Twix. But I’m not a fan of anything shaped like eyeballs.

Fall in my area means yellow aspens and corn mazes (which I avoid like the Red Death). Although I love to write scary stories, I hate reading them, and I certainly refuse to pretend to be in one (cue corn maze). Pardox personified? So much yes. But it also means Halloween, a.k.a the BEST holiday ever. If I’m honest, costuming is the real reason I learned to sew. If only we wore costumes everyday, the world would be a much more interesting and fun place.

Picture courtesy of Jenn's friend, @espyphoto

Crystal Mill near Aspen. Picture courtesy of Jenn’s friend, Jen. @espyphoto

The one fall tradition I never skip is pumpkin scones. Mmmmmmmm. I’m not really a fan of the pumpkin spice thing, but mix it with white flour and sugar, and I’m there. By the way, does anyone have a healthy pumpkin scone recipe??

The best Halloween candy is caramel apples. And mini Baby Ruths. And maybe Reese’s Peanut Butter pumpkins. And Smarties. Can I just say all the candy? But I’m not a fan of candy corn. Gross.

Fall in my area means a crazy amount of things to do. And I truly want to do all of the things! In our family in particular it means lots of Cub Scout and Boy Scout meetings/fundraisers/Halloween parties. It means fall racing (and hopefully PRs!) for me. I love the colorful leaves and the cooler temps. I can borrow Cam’s jackets!

The one fall tradition I never skip is something that signifies fall to my family in particular. We have a tin man made out of cans that Jay and I got as a wedding gift. The boys absolutely love our tin man and it wouldn’t be fall without it on our front steps!

The best Halloween candy is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I will gladly take those off anyone’s hands. But I’m not a fan of licorice (Twizzlers doesn’t count, btw).

Okay, now it’s YOUR turn. We want to hear what makes you swoon when it comes to Fall!

Chick Chat: Let’s Catch Up!

September 30, 2016 by scootadoot

Hey friends! 2016 has been a whirlwind and we’ve been busy, busy, busy! Seriously – how is it the end of September already? We wanted to take this opportunity to catch up with you guys – let you know what we’ve been up to and hopefully you’ll share a bit with us too.

It’s been one big long year of change for me. As many of you know, my father passed away in February after a 10 month battle with leukemia, my office moved and job responsibilities shifted (again.) But earlier this month, our biggest change arrived- all 8 lbs. 1 oz. of him.

On Sept. 7, my husband and I met the light of our lives, our son Joseph Luis. Since then it’s been a whirlwind of nursing, round the clock schedules and everything baby. We’re happily exhausted and feeling a bit more confident each day. I’m on maternity leave through the end of the year, and once cleared by the doctor, I’ll be easing my way back into a fitness regimen. Stay tuned as I explore this incredible new chapter in life.

Life snapshot: Work, wedding planning, exercising, hosting football parties, choir, dogsitting all the time, playing with my cat, trying to eat healthy, sleeping… maybe. Basically, right now I feel like Leslie Knope, trying to do all the things at once and still have everyone like me at the end of the day. What my life requires at this moment is lists, boundaries, compartmentalization and coffee. Lots of coffee.

Exercising and eating healthy (and sleep, I guess) help keep me feeling physically good and give me the energy to put in to all of my other endeavors. Wedding planning is going well, but I’m always looking for more ideas and ways to create a budget friendly celebration. I’ve had to step back from a few commitments in the last month or so because I realized that they 1. were causing me too much undue stress, and 2. were making things I loved way less fun.

Don’t keep that kind of negativity in your life, friends. Just don’t.

Setting boundaries and protecting your heart and happiness is easy to say and hard to do, but super important and something I’m working on getting better at. That’s the underlying focus of all the things I’ve got going on in life at the moment!

My life has been dominated by one big thing, looking for a new home. There have been some changes in our neighborhood recently, so we’re cashing out our equity and downsizing to something that gives us more freedom to live. We want to work to live, not live to work just to pay for our stuff that we don’t use anyway. Since I don’t have children, the options are wide open. We’re even talking about buying a 5th wheel and living out of that while we sock away a few years of income. Just about everything is on the table!

Maybe this will be my backyard!

After reading “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying-up“, I’m on a mission to purge. You should totally read it too because it was life-changing. After reading it, I have the tools I need to par down my possessions and my life so I can focus on family, fitness, writing, and finishing my novel. Only good things are ahead!

While Jenn has been busy considering a new home, my family and I are on the other side of… things? The fence? The grass? Is there a saying here that I’m forgetting?

Anyway, we’ve been finding our new routine in our new home. The summer felt like one big pool party (possibly because we have a pool in our yard now). Now my kids are getting their new school routines down while I figure out the best days to do laundry, go food shopping, volunteer, etc. I’m a type A to the extreme so I thrive with plans, lists (fist bump, Kyle!), and other things that make me feel like I’m in charge of it all.

Training for a couple of upcoming 10ks and the Philly half marathon is going well. I’m injury free, thank goodness, and planning on staying that way. Really focusing on spending time with my family and trying to enjoy the moments that are going so fast and ignore the fact that my 11 year old is going to be taller than me very soon. Looking forward to all that fall has offer: crisp air, snuggly attitudes, and cute Target decorations!

Now that grad school is over and done with, I have effectively learned how to say no to additional responsibilities and freed up all kinds of time to do whatever I like…said no Cam ever. Yeah, all that time I freed up graduating has now been officially assigned to work and soccer. I have a 3/4 combination class, a new principal, and new math AND reading curriculum to learn. My days are literally packed with preparing for the next lessons. A combo class has forced me to plan and organize EVERYTHING or else I have 30 kids staring at me while I lose my shit.

I’ve also sold my sole (ha ha, get it?) to soccer. My guy is coaching so I’m splitting my time between playing Ms. Coach and carting my daughter to her practices, which are on the same nights at a park on the complete opposite side of town. All this mommy stuff is putting the brakes on my fitness goals, though I did just finish a 6 week transform class where I lost 6% of my body weight and lots of inches. So that was nice. With Hawaii Ragnar just around the corner, there’s no time to slack off. Looks like I’ll be hitting the field with the kids!

So, what’s the haps with you? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Falling Into Fall Racing

September 9, 2016 by Meridith

What is it about fall that makes me want to run all the races?

Maybe it’s the lack of summer races (and ahem, summer training). Maybe it’s all this talk about PSL. Maybe it’s because these two handsome boys started school this week.

2nd and 6th graders in the house!

I’ll tell you what it’s not. It’s not the weather.

Because at the moment it is nearly 100 degrees. One zero zero. I’m making such a face right now, Mother Nature.

I’m working under the assumption that eventually Mother Nature will work things out and when she does, I’m going to be ready for fall racing! And in the meanwhile, I will try to remember my sunscreen.

acbeach5mile

At the beginning of this week, I was signed up for just two. Run the Bridge 10k and the Philly half marathon (which, by the way, is having a screaming deal TODAY ONLY 12pm-8pm with pricing from way back in April when registration opened. Use coupon codes PM16FULL or PM16HALF).

And now I’m up to four!

I’ll be doing a 5k at my son’s school to later this month and the 10k in Atlantic City next month. #cantstopwontstop

Using the City Fit Girls plan that we used in the winter/spring, my training buddy, Chrissy and I are preparing to tackle all the fall races (or at least the ones I can afford)!

We thought it would be cooler by the ocean. We thought wrong.

The first run back after not running all that much was exactly what we expected it to be: awful. It wasn’t fun, it was hot, and I’m pretty sure I was dripping sweat all over the boardwalk.

That said, I’m so glad that we did it. There’s always going to be that first run back and more than likely, it’s not going to be great. But it’s behind us now and we can move forward!

2016 has been pretty good to me as far as being injury free and I’m pretty stoked about that fact because it’s been awhile since I’ve been able to say that. However, I do have some time goals that I would like to hit and I’m hoping that the fall is when I’m able to accomplish them.

Clear skies ahead!

What do you have planned for the fall? Any tips for me as I head into the longer runs?

Danke Switzerland!

September 5, 2016 by Meridith

Last Friday I shared our Germany adventure and today I’m back with the Switzerland portion! Guys, Switzerland was absolutely incredible and I’m anything but neutral about it. (See what I did there?)

My husband, Jay, has been visiting Switzerland for many, many years. Without me, much to my dismay. Granted, he was there on business. And granted, he wasn’t able to do much in the way of sightseeing, but still! We made up for that in spades on this trip.

Our hotel was in Lenzburg and it’s where Jay considered home base when he’s there on business. It had a great view of Castle Lenzburg!

hotelochsen

We grabbed lunch at the courtyard restaurant in the hotel before hiking up to the castle.

Aubergine Cordon Bleu

Castle Lenzburg from our balcony

Live life, make waves! I just loved this guy.

Sorry dragons.

We took it easy the first day because we had a big journey planned for the following day! Why? Because we got the golden ticket! (Shout out to Gene Wilder, may he rest in peace.)

merandjaylucerne

This golden ticket had little in the way to do with chocolate but did include a boat ride, cogwheel railway (at times a 48 degree angle!), aerial cable car, and panorama gondolas. We started in the city of Lucerne and took an hour boat ride to the base of Pilatus.

boatride

There was some down time before we were able to take the cogwheel railway up to the peak of the mountain but we had lunch and entertainment.

The majority of the time we were on our excursions we heard more German than anything else (which makes sense, of course). However, our ears perked up on the cogwheel railway where we sat with a few members of the Cleveland Orchestra. We spent the ride chatting with them and checking out the views.

Up we go!

uppilatus

Once off the cogwheel railway, we climbed to one of the higher points.

I can’t fully explain the feeling once we reached the top of Pilatus. We were surrounded by clouds and it felt as though we were touching the sky.

After we returned back to the city of Lucerne, we did get our handmade Swiss chocolate at Max Chocolatier; our golden ticket was truly complete!

The following day we took some time in the morning to visit the Swiss division of Jay’s company, which was fantastic. It was wonderful to put faces to the names and one of his coworkers even drew a map for us to follow while we visited his hometown of Zurich.

Zurich was my favorite of the “big” cities we visited. Driving there was a bit daunting (thankfully, I wasn’t driving!) but once we got situated, it was absolutely gorgeous.

zurich1

zurich2

zurich3

I think what I loved so much about Zurich is that we had no agenda. We wandered through the streets, visited a few churches and towers, and took in the sights.

The view from Grossmunster.

That evening we had a reservation at restaurant blindekuh; this was something that we had been planning since the very inception of our trip. It is a restaurant where you eat in complete darkness.

blindekuh

So much of our vacation had relied on our sense of sight. Experiencing great heights and views, as seen by the photographs. However, this was completely different. We had to rely on our other senses, which became hyper focused. Our waitress, Laila was visually impaired, as was all of the wait staff at blindekuh.

blindekuhcow

Once I got over a mild panic attack after being lead into the darkness (not exaggerating – there was a moment I wasn’t sure if I would be able to stay), I got a sense of where I was in the room, where Jay was in the room, and somewhat of what was going on around me. It was a bit jarring because the majority of the conversations around us were in a different language but Laila spoke English, which helped immensely.

It was an incredible 3 hour experience.

For the record, carrots and radishes have a very similar texture and I’m still not sure which one was in my salad.

I had a pasta dish, Jay had chicken (which was slightly more challenging), and we let them pick our ice cream because we weren’t quite to the point where they gave us an entire mystery meal.

The following day was another “easy” day – we spent more time in Lenzburg before heading to Hallwyl Castle in Seengen.

hallwyl1

Even the audio guide did not help us understand what exactly was going on here.

hallwyl2

hallwyl3

That evening we enjoyed an incredible dinner at Jay’s boss’ home. His family was gracious and lovely and really liked giving me alcoholic beverages.

saturdaydinner

The following day was our last full day of our vacation and we had big plans. We drove 2 hours to Grindelwald, primarily to do this.

A tip from me, if you ever go there… don’t wear a dress unless you like constantly doing the Marilyn Monroe pose. I had shorts on underneath my dress but even still. It was breezy!

Breezy but worth it!

first1

first2

first3

We couldn’t have asked for a better last day on First Summit.

Next time I’ll do that!

We’ve been back home in New Jersey now for a week and with school starting for my kids on Wednesday, I’m back to being mom, cook, home project doer, and all the other responsibilities that were forgotten for just a little while on our vacation.

It’s good to be back with the experiences that I was exposed to while in Germany and Switzerland. They won’t soon be forgotten!

Happy Labor Day and enjoy each other.

Adventure Is Out There!

September 2, 2016 by Meridith

I am of the firm belief that when you go on vacation for any amount of time you come back home with a renewed sense of self and purpose. You see things differently when you’re on vacation. You notice little things that you might not otherwise. And when you return home, it carries over into every day life as you slide back into the routine.

Jay (my husband of 13 years and only #relationshipgoal for the past 19 years) and I have always enjoyed traveling and visiting new and different places. We don’t get it do it nearly often as we’d like because as you’re probably well aware, travel is not exactly cheap. At least not the way we do it. But we have had some incredible adventures!

2000 – cruise while we were in graduate school

2004 – Spain selfie on a legit camera (check out the blonde!)

Babymoon cruise while pregnant with my second baby.

Our most recent adventure has been years in the making. Yes, years.

Practically since we’ve been together Jay has been traveling to Switzerland (and in more recent years, Germany) with his company for business trips. I’ve heard countless stories about these countries, drooled over pictures, and gotten many souvenirs – usually of the chocolate variety.

The stars aligned this year and it was finally my turn to go on holiday (doesn’t that sound so European?) with him. We haven’t had the opportunity to travel alone together for awhile; it was really awesome to spend 10 days of Schmoopy time together.

During our visit we hopped from Zurich airport to Germany for 5 days and back to Switzerland for 5 days. On our way back to Switzerland we took a brief, unexpected drive through Austria. It amazes me how you can do that in Europe!

But enough of me prattling on, you want to see pictures, don’t you?

mineau

Our first day was spent at Mainau Island, which is a Botanical Garden off of Lake Constance in Germany. Our main goal this day was to stay awake. It was not easy but the scenery definitely helped!

All tomatoes shall be grown!

That’s not an optical illusion, you can see right through the butterfly’s wings!

After finally sleeping and getting over jetlag (staying awake the first day really did help), we visited Bavaria to see Castles Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein.

Hohenschwangau

From the window of Castle Hohenschwangau.

Hanging in the castle garden.

hike

The hike between these castles was about 20 minutes long and we hoofed it back and forth between each. Although it was gray and raining much of the day, the views were spectacular!

neuschwanstein

Castle Neuschwanstein’s design and architecture largely inspired both Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella’s castles in Disney. Rightly so!

viewfromthetop

Our home base in Germany was Ravensburg and after driving to visit the Castles, we decided to do things around the city on our 3rd day. Ravensburg is home of Museum Ravensburger, an interactive museum dedicated to puzzles and games.

memory

I made a friend!

merijay

gamepiece

puzzlepieces

Since we were hanging around our “home turf” and Ravensburg is known as the city of “towers and gates” we decided it would only be appropriate that we visited the Blaserturm, located at the center of town.

ravensburgtower

Well done, Ravensburg!

topoftheworld

For our final full day in Germany, we decided to drive to Munich. It wasn’t exactly close by but Jay had heard about the Rathaus-Glockenspiel in the center of town and he was really looking forward to checking out the show.

From there we spent the rest of the day walking around the city, shopping for souvenirs, and taking a riding tour on a double decker bus. When we were in Spain we used them a lot to get from point A to B to C and decided to take advantage once again!

Marienplatz

munichfountain

munichpark

As we were traveling to Switzerland the next day, we decided to make it an earlier night, eat locally in Ravensburg and hang out back at our hotel (Hotel Obertor).

hotelobertor

Next up, Switzerland! But that will have to wait for Monday’s post. See you soon, world travelers!

Where have you traveled lately? What is on your travel bucket list?

Ragnar is returning to PA

August 3, 2016 by vfreile

The scoot chicks love a good Ragnar Relay. You know we do.

Cam, our resident Ragnar expert has tackled numerous relay races around the country. The rest of us simply dreamed of the day we could manage a 12-person, 200-mile relay.

Meri was beyond jazzed to take on the challenge, but her plans and potential teams repeatedly fell through.

Me? I didn’t want to travel far for the race. When my dream Ragnar was discontinued a few years back, promptly ending my interest in participating in a relay….until today.

What changed, you ask? The return of the Pennsylvania Ragnar Relay in June 2017.

This is really happening! Reebok Ragnar Pennsylvania: 200-ish miles through Pennsylvania'… https://t.co/27Amo0Cp9e pic.twitter.com/0vY3DQn7m5

— Ragnar (@RagnarRelay) August 2, 2016

You see, this race begins in my hometown of Lancaster, PA. The first leg kicks off in front of my elementary school. It loops through downtown Lancaster, past my former employer and my childhood church, through the park where I attended day camp as a child and attended many an elementary school field trip.

It winds through rural Lancaster County, past Amish farms and through rolling hills of my hometown before heading north, ultimately ending in Mt. Pocono, PA, not far from Hickory Run State Park, one of my favorite PA state parks.

If ever there was a Ragnar made for me, this is it. Sure, I’ll need to figure out what to do with my infant son, how to fund my entry fee and how to coordinate to make this happen, but I know one thing for sure. I will be there as part of team Scootadoot. Who is with me?

Have you run a Ragnar? Which ones and what advice would you offer to a novice like me?

Cotopaxi’s Journey to Good Health: Get Outdoors

July 29, 2016 by kpjenn

Last week, I introduced you all to Cotopaxi and their Journey to Good Health initiative. I kicked things off talking about some of my favorite healthy snacks and how I fuel my body with the right things to keep me feeling good throughout my day and my workouts.

This week, I had planned on talking about the second item on the list – taking care of the mind, specifically through yoga and meditation. I was going to take my fiance to his first yoga class, but, as fate would have it, life happened and our schedules got really busy. SO. Instead, this week I’m going to talk about taking care of the body – through hiking! One of my favorite activities.

I talk a lot about how growing up in Alaska afforded me many opportunities to be outdoors as a kid. For weekend and summer activities, my parents took us out on the trails and into the mountains to climb higher and see farther. I learned that my body was capable of summiting the highest peaks and reaching the lowest valleys.

When I lived in Wisconsin, my friends and I would visit Hixon Forest and climb the bluffs and the coulees of the driftless region. We spent so many afternoons looking out across the Mississippi and taking in the beauty around us. I learned that even when under the stress of school, my body could work and sweat and I could feel more alive in the fresh air.

Living now in Virginia, I get to explore the Appalachians and the Great Smokies. I go backpacking with my good friends. I spend time exploring our National Parks with my love. We go to the mountains to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and work and obligations. When we are taking in the views from the Blue Ridge Mountains, I learn that no matter where I am in the world, climbing a mountain will always feel like home. That no matter what I’m doing, as long as I can get out and move my body, I know I’m okay.

Hiking is one of the most fun ways to enjoy the world around you – and you can make it as easy or as challenging as you want. Go for an hour, go for two, an overnight, a week. Pack your backpack, lace up your shoes and get out there – your body will work hard and feel good and you’ll get to see some of the most beautiful parts of this place that we live.

In the next Cotopaxi installment, I’ll finally get to talking about that yoga thing. Fingers crossed that our schedules work out and the boy can join me!

Cotopaxi’s Journey to Good Health: Good Eats

July 21, 2016 by kpjenn

I love food. Like, a lot. I love food so much, this is the second food-related post you’re getting from me this week!

But my focus this week is prompted in part by Cotopaxi, a company dedicated to making a positive impact on the world. Our friends there shared their mission:

At Cotopaxi, we’re all about encouraging people to get out, stay active, and do something good everyday. Giving is a huge portion of who we are, and as a Benefits Corporation, our hiking backpacks tend to be the most popular and create a big impact. We donate a percentage of every sale to various organizations that support global health initiatives, which is why we’re excited for all ways that we can promote better livelihood!

That’s totally rad, if you ask me! Not only providing equipment and promoting healthy living, but giving a portion of those proceeds to help fund initiatives dedicated to global health? Yeah, that’s a cause I can get behind.

When Cotopaxi contacted us, they also provided this cool infographic, highlighting ways to live a healthy lifestyle. I’m going to break it down over the next few weeks and share with you my favorite ways to do each of these things.

This week? I start with Energy.

I talk a lot about healthy eating and meal planning and making sure I’m eating the right food to fuel my workouts. One of my favorite tips they offer is “focus on adding nutritious foods rather than eliminating food groups and specific foods.” Can I get an amen?! That’s probably one of the hardest things for people to understand, especially in a society that has been completely inundated with fad diets and nutrition styles. I mean, if you’re going to eliminate something from your diet, getting rid of soda and highly processed foods isn’t the worst plan, but entirely cutting out carbs? NONSENSE.

Carbs are fuel, guys! Your body needs them if you want to feel good and perform well. The same can be said for proteins and fats. And making sure you get lots of veggies in during the day? Yeah, that’s another awesome tip. Veggies are so delicious – and I’m always working on making sure I’m getting enough.

Homemade Turkey Burger on a bed of mixed greens and advocado. Mmmm.

Homemade Turkey Burger on a bed of mixed greens and avocado. Mmmm.

I typically work out 5-6 days a week, and my workouts are usually made up of a healthy mix of cardio and strength – and I usually go to the gym after work, before dinner. Consequently, if I don’t have a snack beforehand, I’m usually starving and have a crummy workout. I like to have something small before I head out just to make sure I’ve got the energy to work hard and feel good.

Some of my favorite things to snack on? There’s a variety! Lately, it’s been a Quest protein bar, an Rx Bar or a handful of trail mix. I try to find something that doesn’t have a ton of sugar and doesn’t make me feel too full – having an upset stomach during a heavy training day is no bueno friends. Sled pushes will turn into pukies otherwise.

Quest Bars are heavy on protein and light on sugar!

Rx bars are great because of their simple ingredient list!

To be fair, this trail mix is kind of candy…

These snacks are easy to keep on hand – I have some stashed in the pantry and at least one protein bar in my car all the time, just to make sure I’ve got fuel when I need it. My philosophy? Put good in and you’ll get good out. Fuel your body with good, healthy, well-balanced food and your body will reward you with solid performances in the gym, on a run, on a hike and in life!

Stay tuned next week for a fun yoga adventure, featuring my fiance, who has never really done any yoga before! #tryallthethings

Scootadoot

fitness, food, friends, fun

Category Archives: Fun stuff