Category Archives: Scoot a Doot chatter

A little ‘Chick on Chick’ action- Part 2

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We told you last week that we’d be conducting Chick-on-Chick interviews on Fridays, so that you could get to know us better. Here’s our second installment!

Brooke on Bec

becabout

Bec and I have known each other for about two years and while we haven’t met in person- YET- we’ve read books together (she was “with” me when I finished The Fault in Our Stars and had to hide in the pantry for a cry), planned Thanksgiving desserts together and encouraged one another in reaching our fitness goals. I think she’s pretty rad, and I know you will too.

Brooke: I know you enjoy shaking it at a good zumba class. Do you prefer group fitness or solo exercise?

Bec: Definitely not solo! I don’t need a big group, although for Zumba, a large enthusiastic group makes for an awesome class. But I don’t like to be alone, especially when I’m running. It allows me to be in my own head too much. I find it much more enjoyable with someone to chat with (especially my running partner, Sara) and the time/miles fly by so much faster. 

Brooke: I’m going through a phase where I haaaaate to run alone. And my running partner is named Sara too.

Brooke: We’ve chatted a lot about our mutual love of baking- especially pies! What is your best pie? And what’s your favorite to eat?

Bec: I love that you are my baking buddy! Can we open a bake shop? Call it B&B? Pie is a personal favorite of mine. To make, I’m a traditionalist. Apple. It tastes like fall, and I love that whether you tweak it with funky ingredients (ginger, cranberries, etc) or go strictly traditional, it always turns out wonderfully. To eat, definitely my great aunt’s Walnut Pie. Think Pecan, but darker and richer in the filling. It’s absolutely sinful. Every year, that and a big cup of coffee are my day-after-Thanksgiving breakfast. 

Brooke: I would like to try Walnut Pie. We’d definitely serve it at B&B!

Brooke: You and I read books in a similar fashion, in that we like to be completely consumed by them or it almost isn’t worth it. What makes a book good, in that can’t-do-anything-until-I-finish-this way, in your view?

Bec: This is such a hard question, seriously. Sometimes, I read a book and it’s fine and good and whatever. And then I read a book and it’s MAGIC and I’m ruined for other books for a while. What makes that magic? I wish I knew. Because then I’d only read books that have it. Or write my own. But, what it comes down to, is I want a book that will make me – make me cry, make me laugh, make me think, make me feel. Those things can’t be optional for me to consider a book great. I don’t want to feel like I might cry. I want to cry because I can’t stop myself. I want the characters to feel like my friends, my family. And I want to be left wanting more, without there actually being more coming. Does any of that make sense? Probably not, but I think you know what I mean. Also, kissing. Lots of kissing. 

Brooke: I know exactly what you mean. It’s weird because you crave that experience with every book and it doesn’t always happen. Which doesn’t mean you wouldn’t enjoy it anyway, but for me, it’s hard to keep reading. And kissing! I know I’ve sent you texts complaining about the lack of kissing in a book, haha. It’s a dealbreaker for me!

Brooke: What did you do for your birthday last year?

Bec: We usually keep my birthday pretty low key. It’s three weeks before Christmas so everyone is always super busy. This past year, I took the day off, went and had a facial, bummed around the house for a while, went and grabbed lunch and an AMAZING coconut cupcake with my mom and then had dinner with my family. It was pretty awesome. 

Brooke: That sounds like a perfect day.

Brooke: You’re an accessories girl, like me. Tell me about your current handbag.

Bec: OH. It’s so pretty. It’s the Coach that I hardly ever use, because the colors don’t go with that much. But I switched to it a few weeks ago and I don’t want to switch back because I’m loving the pink! My standby is my pewter Kate Spade. I love bags. And shoes. This is just one of the many reasons we’re friends. 

Brooke: You’re an awesome mom to an elementary age kid and a teenager. How do you find time for yourself between their activities? (Help me, please!)

Bec: It ain’t easy, I can tell you that much. I thought once they were older, time would be easier to come by, but with my teenage daughter being a three season high school athlete who also takes modeling classes and my son’s swimming lessons and homework and doctors and dentist and time with friends, I’m in my car a lot. What helps? I’ve got an amazing husband who helps me a lot. If they’ve both got an activity, we can split the difference, and I’ve come to love the hour we spend sitting together on a soccer field watching a game together. When I want truly ‘alone’ time, I usually take a weekday off from work and just chill or spend it with my bffl. 

Brooke: I’m tired just hearing about it. Yay for amazing husbands and best friends!

Brooke: What’s your favorite thing to do on a Friday night?

Bec: Takeout and movie night. It’s almost every Friday and it’s the perfect way to end a week. 

Brooke: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? (yes, I stole your question to Meri. It’s a good one!)

Bec: It’s funny, when Meri said ice cream, I was like YES. But then I thought about it some more, and while I love ice cream, that’s not my pick. Cheese. Definitely cheese. 

Brooke: I totally thought you would say cheese! My husband would pick cheese too.

Brooke: Who is your book boyfriend and why?

Bec: B, these book questions are HARD. I have a few. I read a lot of Young Adult fiction (although I’ve branched out into contemporary adult fiction some recently). There are a lot of swoony boys in YA. Four (Divergent trilogy) because he’s smart and strong and a badass who is also sensitive. Alex (Delirium trilogy) because he’s the kind of boy you fall in love with, even when love is forbidden. Adam Wilde (If I Stay/Where She Went) because “Please Mia, don’t make me write a song.” Adam (Shatter Me), Cricket (Lola and the Boy Next Door). And at the moment, I’m falling hard in love with Jase in My Life Next Door (which you should totally read with me, B!)

Brooke: Can Gayle Forman write an amazing guy, or what? And you know I love Four. And I’ve read My Life Next Door! Those characters are great.

See? I told you she was cool. Next week, we’ll have another interview. In the meantime, if you have any questions for Bec, or any of us, please let us know in the comments. We’re a chatty bunch.

Parental Advisory (Explicit Content Requested)

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When my youngest brother was three, my aunt gave him a mix tape with only one song, repeating over and over. Front AND back. His favorite song; Blue’s Traveler’s Runaround. At the time, I thought it was hilarious and adorable. Now that I’m in the car with my kids for a good portion of the day, I fully understand what fresh hell it must have been for my mother.

Here’s a tip: if you like a song, do not play it for your children. Kids are song ruiners. They take such delight in hearing a song they like (even more so once they learn the words) that you will have to listen to that song again and again, and again and again, until you hate it. At that point, they will ask you to play it, “Just one more tiiiiiime, Mommy!” before they acquiesce and allow you a turn (“But nothing slow, okay?”) And know this- you will only get one selection before they ask for THAT SONG again.

Sigh.

Just a few tunes I used to enjoy before my kids loved them:

Paparazzi by Lady Gaga
Firework by Katy Perry
A-Punk by Vampire Weekend
The entire Wicked soundtrack

I’m in the car quite a bit with my littles, and the older two (mostly) control our radio. This Spring, we listened to the Sophia the First soundtrack for three months straight. Awkward is your husband walking into the kitchen as you belt out, “I’m not ready to be a princess, I don’t have what it takes…” while washing dishes.

Right now, they’re in a Kidz Bop phase. I used to let them listen to actual pop songs, but they started repeating some unsavory lyrics. (Not curse words, but not appropriate for children either, you know what I mean?) For those lucky people who aren’t familiar with Kidz Bop, let me fill you in. The Kidz Bop kids cover popular, Top 40 music, but alter the lyrics so that all songs are kid-friendly. In “California Gurls”, for example, Katy Perry croons, “Sun-kissed skin, so hot, we’ll melt your popsicle…” while the KB kids sing “Sun-kissed beach”, and voila! No worries when they sing that one in the grocery store checkout line.

They each have favorites (Oldest likes “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne, while my middle girl prefers “Who Let the Dogs Out”. Yayyyy), and there are so many songs they enjoy that we aren’t falling into a pattern of requesting the same song ad nauseum. Yet. (And only because the Kidz have, like, 25 albums. Note to my Chicks, we should totally form a Momz Bop group.)

My husband and I took them to see Kidz Bop in concert last Sunday. (Yep, they tour. Who knew?) Watching my girls dance and sing their little hearts out was the best part of my weekend, even if I had to endure a KB cover of “Ho Hey”.

Singing like Taylor Swift!

Singing like Taylor Swift!

So, you can understand that during my time “off”, which is pretty much my running time, I like to listen to adult music. Give me the big butts, the rump shaking, sex on fire, Slim Shady, and all the words I wouldn’t even type here.

Recently, I got a new iPod shuffle, and asked my girls for some dirrrty tunes for my workouts:

Bec-
Crazy Bitch – Buckcherry
What’s Your Fantasy- Ludacris and Lil Kim
Tear You Apart – She Wants Revenge
Closer – Nine Inch Nails
Work It – Missy Elliott

Jess-
Big Poppa – The Notorious BIG
HAM – Kanye West and Jay-Z

Meri-
We Run This- Missy Elliott

Thanks, Chicks!

Share your favorite PG-13 and rated R running tunes with me. Please? Or tell us what songs our Momz Bop group would cover. 

A little ‘chick on chick’ action – Part 1

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The chicks here at Scoot A Doot all know each other pretty well. There are a lot of emails, texts, phone calls and Heytells that go back and forth about everything from blog business to what we ate for lunch. (Admittedly, there are a lot about lunch.)

But, we wanted to let you guys get to know us better! And who better to interview us than… well… US!

So, for the next six Fridays, we’ll be posting some Chick-on-Chick interviews. You’ll definitely hear some stuff about health and fitness and what motivates us. But you’ll also get to find out more fun stuff about us! And heck, if there is anything we don’t cover, any burning questions you’re just dying for us to answer, just ask.

We’ll pretty much talk to anyone. About anything. We’re a chatty lot.

So, here is our first installment!

Bec on Meri

Meri representing Bec's hometown in her City Sports Boston shirt.

Meri representing Bec’s hometown in her City Sports Boston shirt.

Since all this sillyness was my idea, I took on matching up our interviewer to our interviewees. It was completely random, I swear. I have little slips of paper in my work wastepaper basket to prove it. But truth be told, I was pretty excited when I got matched up to interview Meri.

Mer and Bec snuggling in an Irish Pub.

Mer and Bec snuggling in an Irish Pub.

Meri and I have known each other for just over three years, and in that time, she has become one of my dearest friends. She never fails to lift my spirits, and she’s been known to ‘full name’ me on occasions when I really need it. Being that I’m in Massachusetts and Meri is in New Jersey, we don’t get in person visits nearly often enough, but we’ve both hung out with each other’s families and I can’t wait to see her and her’s again next Spring (if not before…universe, be kind).

Bec and Mer (with fellow Scooter Cam and honorary Chick Jenn) on the Boston Chocolate Tour.

Bec and Mer (with fellow Scooter Cam and honorary Chick Jenn) on the Boston Chocolate Tour.

Prior to this interview, I would have told you that there wasn’t much I don’t know about Meri. But I would have been wrong! So, without further ado (a.k.a. babbling by me)…

Bec:  When was the first moment you really felt like an athlete?

Meri: Well, there’s been many moments when I really DIDN’T feel like an athlete, despite taking part in athletic events. 😉 However, with running, I think one of the coolest moments for me was when I did the Run the Bridge 10k and I was able to call my time, to the minute before we ran the race.

It was my first 10k ever and hillier than any run I’d ever done (the Ben Franklin bridge from Camden into Philadelphia is essentially one giant hill, btw – I don’t think I was really cognizant of that fact when I signed up). Vic, Brandi, Sean and Kate were all running too and as we split up at the start line, I said, “Okay, I’ll see you at a 1:10/1:11 – cheer for me!” And sure enough, that’s exactly when I ran across the finish line (and they were all cheering for me).

To know my capabilities and push myself through those hills was a really fantastic experience. That’s definitely as real as it gets.

Bec: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Meri: Ice cream. 

Bec: I didn’t know this. I mean, Meri and I share a love of ice cream, but I think I would have said oatmeal. Meaning I thought Meri would say oatmeal. I would definitely not say oatmeal. I would say ice cream.

Bec: Do you have an ultimate health/fitness goal, be it a specific weight or something you want to be able to do? What is it?

Meri: You know, it’s funny because when I started running in 2011, I was 30 pounds heavier than I am now and I was very number focused. As I’ve lost weight and became more fit, it’s become less and less about the number and more about how I feel.

I’m 10 pounds heavier than I was last summer but I’m okay with that. My goal is to be healthy and fit, but I also have an obsessive personality so finding the balance of all of these things is numero uno important. My self confidence has never been higher and I know that when I put the work in and focus on my goals, good things will happen.

Bec: Tell me about your dream ‘girl’s weekend’.

Meri: Mount Airy Lodge. Where all you have to bring is your love of everything. I still have dreams of the champagne shaped hot tub. And all my best girls, of course.

All kidding aside, I want to do Campowerment! 2014? 

Bec: I don’t even know what Campowerment is but I already kind of want to do it!

Bec and Mer and one of our best girls, Jenn, exploring Salem, MA.

Bec and Mer and one of our best girls, Jenn, exploring Salem, MA. It’s no Mount Airy lodge, but we had a great weekend!

Bec: What is your biggest challenge in being a healthy mom to two (adorable) boys?

Meri: My boys are adorable, aren’t they? Biggest challenge would be getting everything done. And having time enough at last (aka to read).

           And laundry. Always laundry.

Bec: Laundry is my world. *eyeroll*

Bec:  Best Boy Band of all time? And favorite member of said Boy Band?

Meri: Of ALL time? The Beatles. Don’t tell me they’re not a boy band – they were THE boy band.

But if we’re talking more recently, the N’SYNC. And JC. I still love him on ABDC. He’s blowin’ me up with his love. Yep.

Bec: I love this answer. So much.

So, that’s Meri in a nutshell. (Let her out! A nutshell is very cramped!) Next week, we’ll have another chick-on-chick interview. You’ll just have to tune in to see who! 

And if you have questions for Mer… or me… or any of the chicks… pop them in the comments. We love hearing from you guys! 

Chick Chat: Snack Attack!

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What’s the best meal of the day? Snack. Boom. Done.

The Scoot a Doot chicks LOVE us some snacks. We try to keep the snackage on the healthy side, and we’re more than willing to share. Okay, maybe not more than willing, but at least willing. At the very least, we share snack ideas with each other… and now we’re going to share them with you!  And rest assured, this is nothing but our unbridled opinions. The links below are just for your information. No one sent us free snacks. But, you know, we certainly wouldn’t object to getting free snacks! Would you? (Hint, hint).

Mer

Oh, yay! We are back to my favorite subject: FOOD!

I feel like all the time is snack time at our house. Snacks for everyone! My kids are grazers, they like to eat smaller meals throughout the day rather than full meals. Breakfast can last all morning long and as far as I’m concerned, that’s not a bad thing!

Some favorite afternoon snacks are mixed nuts, trail mix, that sort of thing. Whole wheat sandwich thins with either Justin’s or MaraNatha peanut or almond butters, sliced bananas and cinnamon. Fage or Chobani Greek yogurts are delicious and easy.

Now I’m hungry.

Me too, Mer. Me too. 

Jess

I’m not always the healthiest of snackers, so I need easy grab-and-go snacks in order to make the right choices. You can always find some sea salted almonds or cashews in my snack drawer at work, nestled next to a bag of sweet potato Pop Chips. Whole wheat bagels with chunky organic peanut butter and a banana is yummy and filling.

But my absolute favorite healthy snack is Greek yogurt with Nature’s Path pumpkin flax granola. People, this stuff is amazing. I mean really, really delicious. When in doubt, I always fall back on it for breakfast or a snack!

Jess

Greek Yogurt and delicious looking granola a la Jess!

Cam

My favorite snack currently is juiced veggies and fruits but since you can’t put that in a basket and ship across the country, a very close second is belVita Breakfast Biscuits.

They’re like graham crackers but come in a couple different varieties, like blueberry and apple cinnamon.  They’re not very low in calories but they’re high in fiber, grains, and vitamins.  They’re a cookie substitute that satisfies my sweet cravings when I don’t have time to juice or make a smoothie.  The package comes with 4 biscuits but it usually only takes 2 to fill me up.  And my kids love them too!
Belvita. Not Velveeta.

Belvita. Not Velveeta.

Vic
I’m a snacker. And I usually crave fritos.

Yes, I know they are bad for me. Yes, I know they have no redeeming qualities. But I love them nonetheless.

Occasionally, I throw caution to the wind and eat them anyway, but I typically snack on fresh fruit (apples, bananas and grapes are my faves) or yogurt (Noosa, Chobani bites or Oikos Greek yogurt.)  I also love pretzel thins, raisins, pita chips with hummus, sunflower seeds and nuts – any type of nut, I don’t discriminate.

Vic is never too busy for Noosa!

And to try to stave the cravings, I also drink LOTS of water. I’m hoping it will fill me up so I’m not hungry – read, snacking – but that rarely works as well as I’d hoped.

Brooke

I love snacks! Who doesn’t? I have a lot of awesome crackers and cookies in my house, because I have kids and we don’t completely
deprive them of treats (aka junk food), but I always make sure they have a healthy snack first. And I try to avoid most of the treats by
keeping the pantry and fridge stocked with my favorite healthy stuff.

Flavored almonds and I are totally having a moment right now. I love the wasabi spiced almonds and the vanilla roasted are great if I want something sweet.

Brooke likes sugar AND spice!

Brooke likes sugar AND spice!

Kashi trail mix bars are my “on the go” snack; I always have one in my tote. And some days, my favorite snack is a latte from Starbucks. That totally counts, right?

Of course, I eat lots of fruits and veggies too.

Bec

If I were a dinosaur, I’d be a Snackosauras. Seriously. If I could realistically make my entire diet of snacks, I’d be a happy girl. Don’t get me wrong, I love mealtime, but I LOVE snacktime. And it happens so often, which is even better!

In my unhealthier days, snacks were a box of Cheez-its. Or a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. Yeah, the whole thing. In both cases. These days, I’m working on making snack time part of my healthy diet and making sure my snacks are nutritious, tasty and satisfying.

Like a lot of the chicks, I’m a big fan of Justin’s Almond Butter (the vanilla flavored packet is a go to high calorie snack when I need protein) and Greek yogurt (Noosa and Chobani top my list, but Oikos does in a pinch). Lara Bars, Kind Bars, nuts or seed based snacks (Somersaults… delicious), fruit and veggies, or cheese and whole grain crackers are all in heavy rotation.

But when I’m craving something salty by the handful, it’s all about Boom Chicka Pop. This four ingredient wonder is addictive, so be careful. But at 35 calories a cup, you don’t have to be too careful. Three cups of that in a baggie is the best 100 calorie pack known to man. It’s salty and fresh and just so good.

Chicka chicka yeah yeah! (Name that film).

Chicka chicka yeah yeah! (Name that film).

So, who’s hungry? Me? Yes. You? Probably. And we don’t want to leave our readers hungry! So…..

We’ve decided to share our snacks with you, for real. There’s a link below for a little giveaway. We’ll select two winners and you will receive a box of yummy snacks from either Chick Bec or Chick Brooke. We probably won’t mail you any Greek yogurt, because ewww, but we’ll make up boxes of our faves and send them out to you. Good? Good!

rafflecoptersnackattack

Click the pic to enter!

These are the Chicks’ favorite snacks. What are yours? Tell us all about them! 

Chick Chat: Whatcha Reading?

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We’ve mentioned before that we chicks love reading. In fact, most of our friendships were formed while chatting about our favorite writers, words, phrases and fictional characters. (And in a plot twist, we started a fitness blog. Crazy, huh?)

We share books with each other all the time, and today, we’re sharing some of our favorites with you.
BEC

What was the last book you read?

I haven’t had much time to read lately, but I did manage to finish Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan. It was good, although I think part of the reason I enjoyed it so much is that it takes place in my local area so I knew a lot of the locations in the book.

Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster. Really, anything by Jen Lancaster, but this one is my favorite. The author is frank, and funny, and basically my spirit animal.

Top books on your summer reading list?

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham and From Notting Hill with Love… Actually by Ali McNamara. Both of these fall into my chick lit wheelhouse, and I think they’ll be fab while lounging by the pool. After an energetic swim, bien sur.

The Nonrunner’s Marathon Guide for Women: Get Off Your Butt and On with Your Training by Dawn Dais. This was recommended to me for the laughs, and considering that I’m supposed to be training for my first half, I’m hoping it will have good tips. I may follow this up with Triathalon for the Every Woman: You Can Be a Triathlete. Yes. You. by Meredith Atwood, Bree Wee and Chrissie Wellington because I really want to do a triathalon within the next few years. Stop laughing.

The Last Summer of You and Me by Ann Brashares. I’ve been reading this for over a year. It pick it up, read some, put it down, forget all about it, find it under a pile of laundry, read some more. I really like it, so I’m not exactly sure why I’m not motivated to keep reading, but I am bound and determined to finish it this summer. Which I said last summer. So there’s that.

CAM

What was the last book you read?

I’m currently reading Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert, the 2nd book in the Dune series. It’s the kind of book you need to sit down for a week and read all the way through, ignoring every other obligation. Which is why I’m still reading it. I just haven’t had one of those weeks yet!

Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

The Four Agreements. This book changed my life. I listen to parts of it every day, especially the part about not taking things personally. (I’m a huge fan of audio books.)


Top books on your summer reading list?

The Gunslinger by Stephen King
Watchmen Graphic Novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Siege and Storm by Leigh Barduga

And so many more!!! You can check out my whole freaking list on Goodreads!

Cam's nightstand, covered in books.

Cam’s nightstand, covered in books.


JESS


What was the last book you read?

Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara. It’s a young adult novel and, as the title indicates, quite lovely. Mister Jess always says, “do you think it’s weird that you read the same books as 12-year-old girls?”

No. No, I don’t.


Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

In theory I would say The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. However, I don’t think I have a friend who hasn’t read it and loved it and cried over it. It is one of my favorite books of all time and worthy of everyone’s time.

Top books on your summer reading list?

I just started NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children, which so far is a pretty fascinating read about child development and how modern strategies for nurturing kids might not be so nurturing after all.

I also have The Book Thief and Me Talk Pretty One Day on my list, but I’ll probably end up reading a number of fluffy YA books!

Jess loves to read in this big, cozy chair.

Jess loves to read in this big, cozy chair.

MER

What was the last book you read?

The last book I read in its entirety was Let The Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger. I started reading Deathless (Catherynne M. Valente) at the recommendation of a friend and the writing was incredibly rich and vivid. But at the time I began reading, I couldn’t totally immerse myself so I plan to pick it up again when I have a few days to throw myself into it. When I read a good book, I become totally engaged, where things like laundry and dishes sort of fall to the wayside. So I need a situation where that’s ideal. (Basically, I need a mom. Or at least for my kids to be at camp.)


Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

Just one? Within the past couple of months I read Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, which I thought was pretty brilliant. The characters weren’t characters, they were people; as a reader, I really appreciate when authors are able to give their characters so much dimension that I’m worried about their well being after the book is over and I’m out of their world.

I tend to lean toward reading Young Adult books. Not necessarily because that was the best time in my life; it was not. But I suppose it’s when the feelings run rampant and characters are more likely to do things that they wouldn’t as adults. There’s such a fine line between believability and taking it a step too far so when an author is able to find that very delicate balance on the line, I notice and respect it.

Top books on your summer reading list?

Currently I’m reading The History of Love by Nicole Krauss (thanks to Kyle for that rec!). I’m hoping to return to Deathless. And just today, we had to stop at Barnes and Noble for a potty break for Littleberry. Since we were there, I bought Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan.

No e-reader for Mer! (Just kidding, she has one of those too.)

No e-reader for Mer! (Just kidding, she has one of those too.)

VIC

What was the last book you read?

Dead Ever After, the final book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, by Charlaine Harris
(I just mailed a pic of this – why? Because I borrowed it from the library a few weeks back and was the FIRST person to borrow/read that copy) that’s never happened to me before… was really excited about it. Book was meh.

Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

The Fault in our Stars by John Green (Brooke loaned this to me! Thanks B!)

Top books on your summer reading list?

Inferno by Dan Brown
Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

I just started reading J.K. Rowling’s latest, The Casual Vacancy. So far so good. I borrowed this one from the library too because I love not having to buy new books to enjoy them!

Vic was the first reader to borrow this book from her local library.

Vic was the first reader to borrow this book from her local library.

BROOKE

What was the last book you read?

Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan, which made me laugh so hard. I kept taking screen shots of passages to text to my husband until I finally told him he just had to read the entire thing.

Name one book that you wish all of your friends would read.

This is a tough question because I always want my friends to read everything I read. It’s one of the reasons I still buy actual books; so I can loan them. Wonder by R.J. Palacio is a beautiful book that made me want to hug all of the characters by the end. And I’m always bugging people to read the Divergent series because FOUR. The final book will be out this year and the movie is coming and FOUR.

Top books on your summer reading list?

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak and David Sedaris’s new one; Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls. I also picked up the first Harry Potter on audio book so maybe I’ll finally get around to those. (I know. I knowwwwww. We can still be friends, right?)

Some of Brooke's summer reading.

Some of Brooke’s summer reading.


What’s your favorite book? Tell us what’s on your summer reading list! Or you know, flail over Four with Brooke. (or lecture her about reading Harry Potter)

Happy Independence Day!

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Happy birthday, America!

The ScootaDoot Chicks love a good party. And what better summer holiday celebration than July 4? Fireworks, parades, food … sounds like heaven!

We’ve rounded up the Chicks and asked each to share special holiday childhood memories with you. One Chick couldn’t make the chat party but wishes you a happy holiday. She’s having a blast making new holiday memories with loved ones.

MER

When I was small, the days seemed longer. My family and I would spend the majority of the summer at our swim club and on the fourth of July, we’d participate in special events there. Swim races, finding coins on the bottom of the pool, water balloon tosses, bounce houses and cotton candy.

Memorial Day weekend was when the pool club opened but July 4th is when summer was considered to be in full swing. When I was young, time was based on holidays. Now it’s based on waking up and going to bed. The days are fast, no matter what the month or the season, but they are happy.

This is a picture from last year’s 4th of July, one of my favorite days as a mom and quite by accident. The days that stand out to me are the ones where you don’t necessarily have anything planned but everything falls into place. The only thing I had on the agenda last Independence Day was a hot and humid 4 mile race through town and watching the subsequent parade that followed.

It was ridiculously hot so we set up the water slide for the kids. I played lifeguard and they spent hours climbing up the back wall and sliding down together. Over and over. We were out there for hours. We barbecued on the grill and then randomly decided to wander over to our town’s fireworks display. Pooks had always been very frightened of loud noises but he did beautifully, as did Littleberry.

The days are long for them; they base time on holidays, on birthdays. And days like the 4th of July remind me to slow down, embrace the length of the summer day, and enjoy.

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The Berries enjoy the water slide last July 4.

CAM

As a kid, I spent the 4th on my street with sparklers. As a young adult, I began spending the 4th with my best friend Jason and his family at the river. We stayed in Cottonwood Cove but would drive in to Laughlin, Nevada to sit on the grass and watch the big fireworks show. The rest of the weekend was spent on the river, attempting to water ski or playing bumper tubes. We celebrated our country by jumping from cliffs into the sparkling blue of the Colorado River and hiking in the heat of the Arizona sun. Since I’ve had children, it’s been more difficult to get back to the river for the 4th, but these trips are among my most cherished memories.

Cam4thCam’s river montage

BROOKE

My Fourth of July memories involve swimming at my grandparents’ house and lighting fireworks in the street. We rarely ventured out to any celebration because there wasn’t one in our city at the time, and the others were so crowded.

My husband LOVES fireworks (Shouty caps are totally necessary). Before we had kids, we always threw a huge party; complete with margarita machine, some of my favorite baked goodies and the best fireworks we could find.

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Brooke and her then-fiance Josh at their July 4 party in 2006.

VIC

Most of my childhood Independence Days were spent at the Sweetest Place on Earth. You got it, chocolate-lovers. We went to Hersheypark!

As young kids, my sister and I raced into the park, jumped on the kiddie rides in Carousel Circle, the now-defunct Giant Wheel and begged our parents to let us ride the park’s famous looping coaster, the sooperdooperlooper. (Fun Fact: It was the first looping coaster on the East Coast when it opened in the mid-70s.) We were never allowed because “we might fall out,” according to my father. We both secretly sneaked rides when dad wasn’t around.

As teens, we scoffed at the ‘looper and set our sights on far more thrilling rides – newer and faster roller coasters like the Sidewinder, spinning thrill rides and water rides galore. We played arcade games – yeah Skee Ball! – skipped out on shows, and searched out friends with summer jobs at the park.

We always went as part of my father’s annual company picnic, so the day included a BBQ cookout inside the park, ice cream and Hershey-themed door prizes. One year ALL FOUR OF US won door prizes!

And because my parents didn’t waste a penny, we went rain or shine. I recall one year, when I was 11 or 12, when we braved a constant downpour and walked onto every ride imaginable. Until the thunder and lightning arrived that is.

The day always ended at dusk, “one last ride,” (usually on the Tilt-a-Whirl) and fireworks. And of course, we ate some chocolate.

vic4thFive-year-old Vic on the bumper cars in Hersheypark

JESS

Every important (and non-important) event happened at my grandma’s house. It was someone’s birthday? Let’s all meet at Gram’s. Christmas? Gram’s. Third Thursday of the week? Dinner at Gram’s house!

When I think back to the summers when I was little, I think about ice-cold veggies and ranch dip, about my grandpa’s “bullet burgers” (they were so overcooked that they were hard as bullets). I think about about doing hand stands and somersaults in the pool with my cousin, Charity. I can almost smell the chlorine and feel the heat of the pavement we stretched out on to warm up after what felt like HOURS of swimming.

If I close my eyes hard enough, I can hear the adults – I use that term loosely! – laughing and yelling because inevitably someone was trying to push someone else into the pool. All of that was the soundtrack to my childhood.

I don’t remember a specific 4th of July at my grandma’s house, but I know that we were there. Where else would we have been?

jess4thUncle Rob gives little Jess a boost in the pool

Do you have any special July 4 memories? How do you plan to spend Independence Day this year? However you choose to celebrate, the Chicks hope you have a wonderful holiday!

Chick Chat: Who’s who? And why?

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What’s in a name? And what’s in a name that we get to choose for ourselves? And if asked to pick a pic, any pic at all, to share with Scoot a Doot readers, what would it be?

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VICTORIA: My userID, VFreile, is the least inventive of the Scoot a Doot bunch. It’s my first initial and my last name. It’s the same for my twitter handle and instagram account and pretty much anything I use professionally. I kept it simple because of my job. As a newspaper reporter I cover a lot of tragedy, so using something cute or trendy just wasn’t an option.

This pic was taken last year by a colleague in the Hall of Justice. I was reviewing my notes and calling my editor with an update (to be posted online) in between court cases. I can’t specifically remember the two cases involved, just that they were high-interest. But I do recall my colleague snapping this pic after the first court appearance ended, before the second.

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REBECCA: Bec2point0 – It’s like me, only better! I have a history of reinventing myself. Pretty regularly, actually. I’m a writer. I hate writing. I’m a runner. I don’t feel like running anymore. I’m not a runner; but I’m a vegan! Where is the cheese?? Lather, rinse, repeat.

I feel like most of my life I’ve been in a constant state of evolution. I don’t really know what I want to be when I grow up, and I think that’s okay. Because no matter what I am, I’m always me.

Here’s me with my fellow Scooters Cam and Mer, and honorary Chick Jenn, wandering the streets of Boston, eating chocolate and just being us.

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CAMILLE: Camoozle is the blending of my first and last name sounds.  It originally started with my “Who” name.  Every good teacher has a Who name, it’s mandated in our credential.  I was christened Cammy Zoo Who.  Which eventually got shortened to Cammy Zoo, then, out of sheer laziness, got turned into Camoozle.

My Rainbow Sisters were the first to nickname me Cammy Zoo.

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MERIDITH: When I was a wee lass, I was an only child. As an only child I had an overactive imagination, which included my imaginary friend: Jenereesa.

Jenereesa was a pretty cool chick. She opened doors for me (aka automatic doors – remember when you had to step on a mat to make that happen?) and was always down to take the blame if we did something wrong. She also could do what I could not because she was magical.

Somewhere along the way, right around the time that I began my healthy living journey, she reappeared as the “person” I wanted to become.

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JESSICA: WriteitDownJess – I have a terrible memory and need to write things down in order to remember them. I’m always telling myself, “write it down, Jess!” Beyond that, I’ve always been a bit of a storyteller (in written form only. Please don’t ever ask me to tell a story if it’s not written out), so it seemed like a fitting name for me.

My personal motto:

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BROOKE: BeeWhoBabbles – Because my first name is Brooke, I hear some variation of “Oh, babbling Brooke?” from at least half the people I meet. (Clever, no?) When I set up my twitter account, I tried to use “bwhobabbles”, but it was already taken. I didn’t want to use that name plus numbers, so I settled on “beewhobabbles” and now, I like that better. It’s a perkier, cutesy spelling and I can be a chatterbox- so it fits.

My new favorite running shirt (that I haven’t actually run in yet) from Run Pretty Far. It’s super lightweight, soft, and I put it on as soon as it arrived. Love!

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What’s the story, morning glory? What’s the word, hummingbird? How’d you settle on your name?

Road Tested: Injinji Socks

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We love trying new things, and we love them even more when they’re free!  Hey, we’re easy. So when Outside PR gave us the chance to try Injinji Performance Toesocks, we said “you betcha!”

According to their website, Injinji Performance Toesocks have an anatomical 5 toe sleeve design to properly align your toes, prevent blisters, and promote proper posture and balance, among other benefits. They looked cool and very unique, but did they deliver?

Curious? Read on to see our road-tested results.

Brooke

I tried the Run 2.0 mid-weight crew sock and for me, the best thing about these socks is how incredible they are at wicking away sweat. I’m in Florida, where it’s hot and hotter, and my socks and feet usually feel wet and gross after a run. Not so with these! I’m happy to report that the sock was damp but my foot felt pretty dry, even after an outdoor run.

It took some toe-wiggling, but I quickly adjusted to the shape of these socks. I am prone to toe blisters, so I think they would be awesome for a longer run.

Vic

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My toes were confused. They didn’t know what to think. But honestly, they got over it pretty quickly.

I took the socks on a test run (ha!) a few times last week. Each time I thought there would be no way my toes would adjust. But they always did – and in the first mile. Instead of thinking about the socks and how each toe was cushioned by fabric, sort of like a glove, I found my mind wandering.

Ouch, my legs are tight. Damn, it was 35 degrees yesterday and 75 degrees today. What’s THAT all about? The new neighbors are building a hideous trellis. OK mister motorist! Don’t. Hit. Me.

Since I wasn’t thinking about my socks, that means nothing nagging my tootsies. And that’s a compliment. They were comfortable and cushy and my toes felt protected.  The trickiest part was putting them on, as you need to guide each toe into its sleeve and my toes are – um – flawed.

Long story short. I like them.

Meri

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“Those are some fancy socks.” Pooks was eying up my Injinji socks from the moment they arrived.

“They sure are,” I replied.

He picked the package up and investigated, curiously looking at the toes. “So they’re like gloves for your feet?”

“Very much like that.”

A bit later, I put the socks on, preparing for my run. He silently (which is a rarity) eyed me up in them. “Your baby toe doesn’t fill up the sock.” Way to make the little guy feel inadequate, kid.  But it was true; genetically, my toes might not be as long as others. I’ve come to accept that.

Once I put my sneakers on, he looked somewhat disappointed.

“What?”

“Oh, they look like regular socks now. Do they feel like regular socks?”

“Well, no. My toes are separated, which is a bit different. I’m going for a run to try them out.”

Once I ran far away from my child and his probing questions, I have to say that I forgot about the toes being separated and just enjoyed my run (as much as I ever enjoy a run!). The material of the Injinjis was the biggest draw for me, light and breathable. They also washed well.

When I returned from my run, Pooks was waiting by the door. I was gross and sweaty and he watched as I kicked off my shoes, anxious to see the socks once more.

“Can I have fancy socks like that?”

I won’t be at all surprised if the Injinji socks disappear from my sock drawer and wind up in my eight year olds. We might just have to get him a pair, too!

Cam

I found the socks pretty comfortable when I first put them on.  I’ve never worn toe shoes or socks before, so it was a little tricky at first.  They fit pretty well, there wasn’t any loose fabric bunched around my feet or toes.  I really liked the feel of the fabric and the fit through the middle of my foot.

When I put my shoes on, they felt a little bit too snug in the toe box.  My toes were being pressed apart more than normal, which is expected given the nature of the sock.  During my first run, I started cramping in the balls of my feet.  I’m assuming this is due to the adjustment that my feet were making because my toes were now in a different place and different muscles were having to work harder than normal.  I couldn’t wear them for very long.

The second time I wore them, I used them for my boxing class.  Boxing requires a lot of shuffling around on your toes and jumping rope, and I wear a different, wider and flatter shoe for this class.  I didn’t have as much cramping as during my run, and I did like how the socks allowed for easier balance.

I’m thinking these socks might be something I have to train my feet for, but I like the idea of running with a more natural foot.  I’m going to continue wearing them for short runs and workouts in the hope that my feet will acclimate.

Jess

I’ve always been a fan of toe socks. In fact, I rocked some pretty stylish rainbow ones in high school (only at home. My parents didn’t judge, bless them). So, I was pretty excited to try these out. Who doesn’t love the idea of sliding each of their toes into little toe sleeping bags?

I received the no-show style, which is my favorite kind of running sock. I want people to see my flashy shoes, not my socks. But I’m forever and ever and ever adjusting them because normally they slide down while I’m exercising and bunch up at the bottom of my heel. The Injinji socks didn’t move. Not an inch. They conformed beautifully to my foot and felt super secure. I was a little worried at first that they might have felt too secure to the point of constriction, but that feeling went away within a minute or so. I just wasn’t used to having a sock that fit nice and snug.

Overall, the socks fit my feet really well, stayed where they were supposed to, and felt lightweight enough that I didn’t really feel them after a while. They were super comfortable and as a cherry on top of the sock sundae, my feet weren’t a sweaty mess when all was said and done. Very impressed with Injinji, even if I can’t say it!

Bec

I expected to hate these socks, honestly. Stuff between my toes is NOT my favorite thing. Plus, I have pudgy pork sausage toes, so I fully anticipated pinky toe strangulation. But, I actually found these pretty comfy! They are super soft and they stretch well. So, while they won’t replace my beloved race day socks, they’ll totally go into my rotation.

To the Moms, With Love

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Little Jess with her momma.

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Jess with her bug.

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Vic with her sissy, Alicia, and mom.

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Vic and mom at Niagara Falls.

Meri and the Berries.

Meri and the Berries.

Mer's mom with Pooks

Mer’s mom with Pooks.

Aunt Toria with Littleberry

Aunt Toria with Littleberry.

Brooke with her mom and her first born.

Brooke with her mom and her first born.

Pregnant Brooke and her girls.

Pregnant Brooke and her girls.

Brooke's Mom-in-law and little dude.

Brooke’s mom-in-law and little dude.

Cam and her kiddos.

Cam and her kiddos.

Cam and her Mom.

Cam and her mom.

Bec and her boy.

Bec and her boy.

Bec and her girl.

Bec and her girl.

Bec's Mom, Bec, Bec's dude, and Bec's sibs.

Bec’s mom, Bec, Bec’s dude, and Bec’s sibs.

We are daughters.

We are moms.

We are aunts.

We are friends.

We are sisters.

We are family.

Happy Mother’s Day from Scoot a Doot.

Chick Chat: Firsts

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Everyone has to start somewhere. When our friend, Shannon, asked us to share some information about first starting out, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for a Chick Chat!

When did you first start working out – running, walking, whatever?

Cam – I feel like I’ve been working out forever… it started with dance when I was a kid, then swimming and belly dance and yoga when I was a teenager.  I started R.I.P.P.E.D. after I had my daughter and worked with a personal trainer for lifting weights and strength training to lose baby weight.  The running came when my trainer suggested it for cardio.  I was skeptic, but my friend Jana asked me to do this awesome thing called Ragnar and I really didn’t want to be left out.  So basically I started running so I could hang out with my friends.

Victoria – I started walking  – then – running regularly a few years back  as cross training for crew. I first ran a minute, walked a minute. Then increased it to two minutes of each, then three and so on. Soon enough, I ran a mile. Then two. Then three.

Meri – When my elder son was 15 months, I learned of a new franchise called Stroller Strides. Within the first year I had such great success with the program, I went on to become an instructor. During the last seven years, I’ve picked up different classes along the way: Jazzercise and Bikram yoga.

I had a couple of false starts with running, I’d attempted the Couch 2 5k program once or twice. However, I first started actually running two years ago when I got my treadmill. My weight has always fluctuated but with running, I’ve been able to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and that’s important to me.

Jess – I started running in late 2011 because all of my friends were doing it, and they’re pretty cool chicks so I thought “I want to be cool, too!” It’s maybe not the best reason to start up a healthy habit (maybe I should have started because I wanted to be, you know, HEALTHY), but that’s what it took.

My love affair with yoga has been going on for much longer, since 2001 when I took a class my first semester of college. Prior to 2001, I was pretty much a bump on a log. Except when I was dancing, of course!

Bec – About five minutes ago. Okay, no, about 16 months ago, but I’m still very much a newb. All of my adult life, I’ve had an on again/off again relationship with exercise. But if I’m honest, it was mostly off again. I just… didn’t like it. Last winter, I started Zumba and my first C25K attempt right around the same time, partially because I felt like it was time to change my life and my body, and (bigger) partly because, like Jess, all of my friends were doing it. Baaaaah. Hee.

Brooke – I’ve been active my entire life- dancing, running, teaching aerobics, practicing yoga. I’ve gone through phases where I’m less active, or I’m more into one thing than another, but I’ve always exercised. I’m fairly athletic (and competitive, ha), so it comes easy to me. I also enjoy it, which helps!

Vic's first rowing regatta.

Vic’s (middle) first rowing regatta.

What newbie mistakes did you make?

Cam – Newbie mistakes would be under-eating and under-hydrating. I never took myself seriously as an “athlete” and kind of blew off any warnings about taking care of basic needs first. I was a horrible eater and didn’t properly fuel my body. As a result, I’d puke after every race. I now have this complex, when I see the finish, I get nauseated. It’s my greatest fear to toss my cookies in front of everyone at the finish line.

Victoria – One of my big newbie mistakes was not investing in decent running shoes right away. The proper support makes all the difference! I also didn’t understand the importance of replacing shoes every few hundred miles. The tread wears – for me, rather unevenly – so when my feet or ankles start feeling a bit sore, new sneakers are always my first line of defense.

Meri – What newbie mistakes didn’t I make? I started with the wrong shoes that created such pain and blisters that I was absolutely miserable. I figured since I was already miserable, I’d attempt barefoot running, on the treadmill, without any training or preparation. I signed up for a mud run as my first 5k. I didn’t cross train at first and had horrible IT band issues. But I feel like this is all a learning process and you just pick things up as you go. There’s many things that I try once and then say, “Well, I won’t do that again.” But so many more that I try and feel elation.

Bec – So many. All of them? Maybe. I ran faster than I was ready to. I ran longer than I was ready to. I did a Zumba class and a two mile run back to back (owwwwww). But the most common mistake I made, one that I’m still making today, is not trusting my body to tell me what it can handle when I’m running. My body is fine, chugging along, and my brain gets right in the way by thinking we’re not ready for this. Guess which one wins? I’m working on not running “in my head” so much, but that is definitely a work-in-progess.

Cam's first 5k - she's the one chatting on her phone on the far left.

Cam’s first 5k – she’s the one chatting on her phone on the far left.

What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

Cam – I wore the wrong shoes for so long, and lived with horrible joint pain. I wish I would have had my feet evaluated years ago.

Victoria – I initially tended to overdress, and overheat. It’s good to remember you’ll heat up generally 15 degrees while running, so it’s a GOOD thing to feel chilled as you head out the door for a 3-4 mile loop. You’ll warm up five or so minutes in and will be thankful you don’t have to haul extra layers along for the next few miles.

Meri – For so long, I just thought that I couldn’t run. I had such a lack of confidence when it came to running. I wish I’d gotten past that sooner because running is so freeing. To know that I’m capable of running great distances is incredibly rewarding. For me, it’s about doing it and I’m glad that I finally got to a point in my life where I believed and wanted it enough to do it.

Jess – My newbie mistake was giving myself permission not to be amazing at what I was doing from the start. I set really, really high expectations for myself, so it’s easy to get frustrated when I’m starting something new. Learning curves are not for the impatient, but I’ve learned to really force myself to just enjoy the process. I’m not going to be the fastest at the race or the most limber in class, but I can keep learning and growing within my respective practices. That’s what it’s all about!

Bec – That it gets easier. Well, no, it actually gets harder, but you get stronger and it doesn’t feel so hard. Yeah, that.

Brooke – The most important thing, for me, is consistency. You won’t improve if you’re only running once each week. Run easy, run hard, run fast, run slow, run/walk. Just go for a run! At least three times each week, if you can.

Once you finish your run, you have to stretch. Running tightens everything; you’ll feel great the next day if you take some time to loosen up while your muscles are still warm. I usually stretch for at least ten minutes.

Also, find some support! I don’t mean in a bra, or the perfect sneakers (though those are obviously important too). I mean, find a friend to run with you. Find a friend to talk to about running. Most activities are more fun when you have a buddy to do it with you and this sport is no different.

Mer's first 5k, the Philadelphia Down & Dirty mud run.

Mer’s first 5k, the Philadelphia Down & Dirty mud run.

We’re all at different points of our fitness paths. When did you start out? What sort of newbie mistakes did you make? What’s something that you wish you could tell your past self?