Today started with a kitchen-fest. I made [...]]]> First, I just want to thank everyone for the well wishes. I’m feeling MUCH better. Not 100% but I’m able to be up and about without yelping in pain. I’m making an appointment with a specialist to get another opinion on my back. I’ll keep you posted.

Today started with a kitchen-fest. I made an amazing batch of Banana Pancakes…

Click here for the recipe.

I also made a batch of Homemade Sauce…

(Click here for the recipe)

… an egg yolk omelet for Bean, and an egg white omelet for me.

After breakfast we cleaned up a bit. Someone is obsessed with the dishwasher…

as was his brother before him. It’s cracks me up.

We had fun doing laundry, of course.

Then I did something I rarely get to do.

Grocery shopping ALONE!

What a treat!

I came home, put everything away and then got lunch ready for the boys…

before heading out for a lunch of my own. I had a date to meet two friends for a movie and we hit a local restaurant before hand.

I started with the a cup of Maryland Crab Soup.

Got a veggies wrap…

and replaced the fries with a side of veggies.

And of course… Popcorn at the movies!

We saw Woman in Black. (These were my horror movie friends.) It was good but not as good as I thought it would be.

When I got back Little Guy showed off the new Ninjago set he put together with Daddy while I was gone.

Then he helped me clean the fruit I bought earlier.

I decided to make applesauce out of some aging apples we had with wrinkly skin.

I chopped them up small (with skin) added a splash of lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and simmered it for the rest of night. I’ll show you the result later.

Little Bean had a snack.

He’s funny with the blueberries. He’ll bite one, chew for a minute and then spit them out. BUT he keeps going back for more. It’s cute.

All this was happening while I made my Super Bowl treat…

Won Ton Nacho Bites. They were awesome! Click here for the recipe.

I also roasted myself some spaghetti squash.

The boys were having pasta but I knew I’d be the one to eat all of the Won Ton Nacho Bites so I kept dinner light.

While dinner was cooking there was an awful lot of playing going on…

The Husband’s plate was just insanity. I mean seriously..

And he ate it ALL!

Just looking at it gives me a belly ache.

After dinner I checked in on the applesauce…

Perfect! You can now run it through the blender but I’m gonna keep it chunky and add it to some yogurt for the baby and maybe some oatmeal for me. :)

After we cleaned up it was all about the super bowl (and blogging for me cause I multitask like that. ;)

Click here to see how Little Bean went from here…

to here…

He’s on the move!

That’s all I have tonight! I’m now watching the Voice with the hubby. It’s time to log off. :)

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It all started at 7AM. Little Guy had an early soccer [...]]]> Today was truly a Sensational Sunday in every sense! The house is clean, the fridge is stocked, I spent time with the family AND caught up with an old friend at the movies. It was just a fantastic day all around! You’ll see…

It all started at 7AM. Little Guy had an early soccer game. Here he is writing his name on his water bottle before they left.

The Husband took him to the game while I stayed home with Little Bean.

He was not as amused with my dancing as he normally is. With 2 front teeth breaking through he was quite the grump. I could barely get a smile out of him!

We split 2 eggs for breakfast…

…like this.

With Dad and Big Brother gone, Little Bean and I had to handle the laundry on our own.

We sorted… crawled… sorted… and crawled. :)

While organizing his clothes I was inspired to to write… 5 Baby Fashions I Could Never Get Away With. Click here to see his striped pants. lol

I then decided to tackle the fridge.

It was so messy I didn’t even know what I had in there!

That’s when the boys came home with…

They were nice enough to bring me home my favorite, a chocolate frosted.

I didn’t eat it.

Why?

Because I didn’t want it.

More on this later this week. I had a revelation on the weight loss thing.

Anyway, back to the fridge.

MUCH better.

With the baby napping and the boys relaxing, I decided to grab some mags and take a bath.

Real Simple contacted me after seeing GreenLiteBites and sent me some issues. I hope to get a chance to work with them one day!

I came down from the bath to 3 boys watching "How It’s Made" on the Science Channel. They are running a 5 day marathon. We’ve been obsessed.

Then we took a break for a family game of UNO Roboto. We LOVE this game!

I made myself THE Smoothie as I was planning a late lunch out.

Irish was chilling on the stairs.

Someone caught a glimpse.

They are so cute together!

I decided to save the cat and swiped Little Bean for some kitchen dancing…

… while we cleaned up.

Everyone was doing their share.

We finished just in time for me to head out for my friend date! I met an old friend for lunch and movie. We went to Carrabbas. I’ve never been.

I had a cup of Mama Mandola’s Sicilian Chicken Soup…

…and an Insalata Fiorucci salad with the dressing on the side.

Both were amazing!

After lunch we saw The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 at the cheapo theater. It was as bad and as good as I thought it would be. lol

On the way home I hit the grocery store ALONE! That rarely happens. Little Guy helped me put everything away.

Dinner was a mish mosh of leftovers.

After dinner I gave Little Bean a bath…

made Little Guy’s lunch… (I’ll post a better photo on the GreenLiteBites School Lunch Idea page tomorrow)

and rallied the whole family to put away their clothes. (yes we ACTUALLY got it all done. The husband kept it going while I was at the movies.)

While making Little Guy’s bed The Husband did a little impersonation of him.

It cracked us up! If you can’t tell, Ryan is laughing hysterically. lol

Before bed we snacked on some strawberries and opened a LEGO minifigure.

Series 6 came out and we’re ecstatic. Click here to see our shrine of Minifigures. The Husband has officially turned me into a collector.

Afterwards I read Little Guy a story and then relaxed in my clean living room while watching Once Upon a Time.

Now I’m frantically trying to get this post up while watching the Food Network. :)

Hope you had a great weekend!

(Note for those looking: There’s a finger but it’s a tough one. I didn’t even know until he mentioned it.)

Oh! and I forgot I wanted to share this video of Little Bean knocking down block Little Guy and I set up for him. It’s super cute.

Ok, now I’m REALLY go to bed. :)

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However, over the last 5 years (yes, that’s how long I’ve been doing them!) [...]]]> I have to thank you guys. When I first started these Sensational Sunday posts the idea was simply to share how I prepare for the week. It was about starting fresh, being active and putting any weekend craziness behind me.

However, over the last 5 years (yes, that’s how long I’ve been doing them!) they’ve evolved into these photo driven journals mostly because of your feedback, and I love it! I love waking up on a Sunday morning, grabbing my camera and trying to capture the essence of the day. I can’t explain why, but it’s fun and motivating. Not to mention, I’m capturing family moments I otherwise wouldn’t.

Thank you for the inspiration.

Now on to the photos!

I woke up to find Little Guy watching Power Rangers on the iPad.

He was mimicking the karate moves.

We checked in at our new Command Center.

And planned out the day.

First up, chores.

Then breakfast.

Look how TALL he is on the stool. I remember when he needed it just to reach the counter.

(note: We made Banana Pancake Waffles while sharing some oranges and yogurt.)

Then playtime.

More chores. Little Guy’s room was a disaster zone!

Not that I could talk…

I kind of let my room go these past few weeks. It was seriously time to clean up.

By mid-morning I was ready for a snack.

I’m not sure when I turned into someone who grabs a bowl kale out of the fridge to snack on but that’s what I did, and it was fantastic! (click here for my Raw Kale Salad with Feta and Dried Cranberries)

Time for "me time!" I decided instead of hitting the gym I’d treat myself to a pedicure.

Looks like going with Ravens purple may have been a bad move. ;)

Soon it was time for Little Guy’s soccer game.

So much fun watching him out there!

Little Bean had fun too, eating his lunch. :)

Afterwards the boys wanted McDonald’s for lunch but I wasn’t game. So we hit a drive-thru and brought it home…

I stuck with leftovers.

Last night I whipped up BBQ Chicken Pasta. The boys both loved it! I’ll have to make again to post on GreenLiteBites.

With the rooms now clean…

we made some Kale chips for the Raven’s game.

Seriously, I’m just a kale FREAK anymore. It’s in season right now and I can get loads super cheap at a local farm.

Kitchen is now clean!

Living room is not.

A little half time stroll.

It was a nail biter!

I went all out for dinner…

A little Beer Can chicken cures all.

Little Bean fits right into our asparagus loving family.

After dinner I boiled up a little stock.

I can’t waste chicken bones. I just can’t. Planning some classic chicken noodle soup tomorrow.

I also boiled a bunch of eggs for the week.

I am prepared!

The day ended with my "wine." A shot of Irish Cream in hot cocoa.

Is it wrong to use a Diego cup? ;)

In other news…

• I have collected 15 of the funniest baby faces on the internet. You have to check it out. Will totally make you smile.
• My baby has been pinching me.
• I posted a new video on GreenLiteBites, Egg Muffin.
• Little Guy decided to change the Star Wars plot.

That’s it. That’s all I’ve got. Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

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and a date night with The Husband. We saw the new Mission Impossible. It was [...]]]> This morning I just did not want to get out of bed. Saturday was a jam packed day with a long workout in the morning, a walk to the park (it’s unseasonably warm here in Maryland),

and a date night with The Husband. We saw the new Mission Impossible. It was great but we stayed up way too late, and The Baby’s getting up earlier and earlier.

I was tired but making breakfast for these two guys…

cheered me right up! So did my awesome breakfast…

That’s a 1 egg, 2 egg white, onion, pepper, spinach, ham and bacon bit omelet with a side of orange I split with The Baby, WHO also ate the extra 2 yolks and a banana pancake all by himself. I was so proud of him!

After breakfast I lounged around watching Power Rangers and playing a variety of games with the kids.

First up, Stackadoos!

We LOVE these. So much fun.

Then Ryan and I played Hedbanz…

No comment.

Then Mr. Turkey wrangled me into a game of Operation.

We were having fun but I was done. There’s only so many games you can play with a 6 year old before your head explodes.

I tried so hard to muster up some energy to get off the couch but it just didn’t happen. Not till almost 11 which is late for me, especially after getting up at 6:30 AM.

It was finally the baby waking up from his morning nap that snapped me out of it. I wrangled the troops and put them on laundry detail.

Then I blasted the iPod to snap me out of my slow moving morning funk. This one always works.

Someone got quite a kick out all my crazy dancing and singing.

The husband was unfazed.

After a little Lego time…

we headed out to run some errands. Little Guy needed new sneaks for his indoor soccer league.

For lunch we hit Red Robin which may be my new favorite chain! They have so many great ways to lighten up some really tasty dishes. Today I had this…

A Blacked Chicken sandwich on a lettuce bun, no mayo with a side of steamed broccoli instead of fries. I added on the carrots extra.

This is the first time I’ve ordered the lettuce bun and it ROCKED! I was able to pic up the sandwich and take a bite as if it was a real bun. The lettuce added such a great fresh crunch that went great with the spicy chicken. The best part…

(screen shot from the Red Robin meal customizer)

300 calories?!? It was the most satisfying 300 calories ever! Totally ordering it again.

After lunch we got the sneaks and headed home to relax. I contemplated taking a nap but it never happened. Instead I prepped some squashes. I figured I might as well roast them while at the game.

The fries were for dinner. I planned on putting them in as soon as we got home.

Little Guy’s first game was a blast! Little Bean was fascinated.

We came home to cooked squash…

and I made the rest of dinner while the boys played and folded.

Dinner rocked…

and I learned Little Bean LOVES cauliflower.

After dinner I gave Little Bean a bath while the husband cleaned up the kitchen. Then Little Guy read us a goodnight story. Just thinking about it makes me smile. I love hanging with my boys. :)

So my Sunday may have started slow but it ended Sensationally!

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Once they were fed I made myself breakfast and then remembered the camera.

Grandma and Grandpa visited so Mom and Dad could have fun Friday night at an office Holiday party and fun we had! Let’s just say Saturday I had a bad case of the "Beer Flu" or rather the "Vodka Flu." It wasn’t pretty but Friday [...]]]> Today started with 3 generations in the house.

Grandma and Grandpa visited so Mom and Dad could have fun Friday night at an office Holiday party and fun we had! Let’s just say Saturday I had a bad case of the "Beer Flu" or rather the "Vodka Flu." It wasn’t pretty but Friday night rocked and The Husband and I had a blast. I look forward to his office party every year. It’s a fun dressed up night out.

Anyway, for breakfast I made myself a mushroom and kale omelet.

Start keeping track, this is kale consumption #1.

Little Bean had some cheerios, banana and eggs.

Now it may look like he’s pounding the omelet, but truth be told he needs a little help getting it down. Check out our latest Baby Food Adventure and you’ll see what I mean.

Little Guy didn’t have breakfast with us, he was at a sleep over.

The rest of the morning was spent following around our little crawler.

Grandma and Grandpa left once Little Bean went down for nap and soon it was time for lunch.

That’s kale consumption #2 – a Kale, Pear and Hummus Wrap. Click here for the recipe.

I actually didn’t plan on eating so much kale today. I just have a huge bag and every time I open the fridge it’s staring me at the face. This is why I organize my fridge the way I do.

It was already midday and I really didn’t get much accomplished. I attempted to start the laundry, but it just sat in the foyer.

It was a really laid back weekend. I feel like we are winding down for the end of the year. It’s nice.

Around 2 we picked up Little Guy and finished up some Christmas shopping. I have a few more things to pick up for the husband but other than that and wrapping, we are done.

We came home and I actually got a load of laundry in. The Baby went down for nap and so did somebody else…

Right next to him on the couch…

Little Guy and I played Don’t Break the Ice. A classic. :)

Dinner time and kale consumption #3 – Tacos!

I used a little less than 1/2 pound of lean beef, a can of black beans, 2 cups of chopped kale, my taco seasoning and a splash of salsa. No one said a thing about the beans or the kale. Everyone loves taco night! Especially me. It’s so easy to bulk it up with healthy stuff.

I also discovered Little Bean LOVES black beans. He was pounding them while I was cooking!

After dinner we did our Science Sunday experiment. This is a weekly tradition we are trying to keep although, to be honest, we forget most weeks. Thankfully Little Guy got a Chemistry Lab as an early Christmas gift from Grandma. It gave us just the nudge we needed.

With the boys getting ready for bed I prepped a Spaghetti squash I roasted earlier. Honestly, I totally forgot about it. Around lunch time I popped the whole thing in the oven without even cutting it. Then when we left I shut off the heat figuring it would still cook and…

It did! Perfectly! I’m psyched to have it all ready for the week.

Right now I’m watching the finale of Iron Chef. I’ve been a bit obsessed.

I wasn’t sure what I was going to call today’s post. I normally go with some variation of Sensational as that’s the whole point of my Sunday’s, but I honestly felt like I didn’t do much. I didn’t workout. I didn’t take the boys on some adventure. It was just a low-key day with the family. Then, when I looked at the photos, I realized how awesome it really was (and how much kale I ate.) What else could I possibly want out of the day? I ate good food, spent time with the family and got ready for the week the best I could. That’s what Sensational Sunday’s are all about.

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I also made a big veggie omelet for Mom and I to split.

While it cooked the kids played.

It was a nice morning and a fabulous breakfast!

After [...]]]> Even while visiting Grandma, my morning pretty much starts the same: feeding this little guy…

I also made a big veggie omelet for Mom and I to split.

While it cooked the kids played.

It was a nice morning and a fabulous breakfast!

After breakfast, everyone had errands to run except me! I stayed home and finished the Christmas cards…

while Little Bean napped and Little Guy watched one of my all time favorite movies.

Goonies!

Once the cards were done (Oh! And if you are a Hallmark user like me, I found a 30% off promo code: SPECIAL30 – It saved me almost $10!) I headed over the Shutterfly to finish a photo book I’ve been working on.

This is my first photobook attempt. I can’t wait to see how it comes out!

Before everyone came back I made lunch for Little Guy and I munched on some veggies with hummus.

Then it was Party Time!

Little Guy played a classic game of "Don’t Touch the Ground" with a balloon…

…and had WAY too much fun with the party hats.

Of course we had pizza and I had 3 slices sans-crust.

They went to Little Bean. He was quite a fan!

Cake Time!

I had a slice.

Plus the 2 bites Little Guy left on his plate. WHY do I do that? It’s a habit I need to stop.

After cake we all had fun opening presents, playing, and chatting. Someone had fun crawling…

…dancing with Dad….

…and standing with me.

Even though we were having a blast, it was time to hit the road.

Little Bean did great!

And Little Guy and I kept busy taking turns playing Angry Birds on the iPad.

Of course there was a car snack involved, but not for me. Little Guy asked if he could open the Sour Patch kids he got for "pre-Christmas."

I said yes and tried one. That’s right.. ONE! I know, I’m impressed too! ;)

When we got home the cat was so excited to see us she even greeted Little Bean!

The house was a mess while we unpacked our gifts.

Mom gave me a new silverware set and Little Guy helped me get organized.

By this time we were already late for dinner, so The husband fed the baby while I whipped something up.

Breakfast for dinner. YAY!

Those are waffles made out of my Quick Whole Grain Banana Pancake batter. One of our favorites.

Dad had his traditional…

and I stuck with just a simple can of soup. Honestly, I was still quite full from the pizza and cake.

After dinner we straightened up, got both kids a bath and sent them to bed almost in time for my new favorite Sunday show obsession: Once Upon a Time. It’s so clever!

Now? Well now I’m watching Iron Chef while snacking on these…

and enjoying a cup of tea.

With our pre-Christmas celebration on Saturday and my Niece’s birthday today, it was an awesome weekend. Now I’m trying to wrap my head around the week ahead. I have a recipe waiting to write-up for GreenLiteBites and 2 Laughing Cow posts to get done by Thursday, I’m behind on Babys1stYear posts, there are 3 BlogToLose chats scheduled this week AND FitBloggin’12 is in full planning mode with speaker applications rolling in and sponsor negotiations started.

Yikes. I better get to bed!

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Little Bean had some "Pudding" like this except I used raspberries instead of blueberries.

I made a giant veggie omelet/frittata for everyone else….

Little Bean kept the Grandparents amused while it cooked.

I had a wedge for breakfast.

Brothers at Breakfast….

Little Bean had some "Pudding" like this except I used raspberries instead of blueberries.

I made a giant veggie omelet/frittata for everyone else….

Little Bean kept the Grandparents amused while it cooked.

I had a wedge for breakfast.

Even with guests the laundry had to be started. (Notice who’s still in bed. ;)

A mid-morning snack! (Yogurt and frozen raspberries)

Time to make room for the tree!

Someone showing off our new stockings!

Little Bean wasn’t sure what to make it.

Everyone left, we strung the lights and I made a sandwich (like this but with turkey instead of pork) while the husband had a plate of leftovers.

Back to the tree!

Little Bean got to see the ornament his Daddy bought me last Christmas to represent him. (Click here to see when he gave it to me and for a link to our ornament tradition)

Time to head outside and hang the lights. SOMEONE actually made a schematic. (GEEK!)

I don’t get involved. It’s totally his thing.

Someone else had a fun little LEGO project to put together. (Dad surprised him.)

Dad was doing the lights, Little Guy was playing with LEGOs, Little Bean was napping and I was running out of steam. I’m not a coffee person and I don’t normally do energy drinks but I had one in the fridge and I needed a mid-day pick me up.

It worked! I relaxed for a bit and then cleaned like mofo.

Little Guy didn’t help like he normally does. Our neighbor came over and they hung out. (How old is my baby getting?!?!)

With the tree up it was time to set up the camera for our Christmas card photo shoot. This was one of our test shots.

We had fun with it.

A lot of fun.

But we also got "the shot." (I can’t believe we got The Baby to look!)

Afterward the husband convinced me to head to McDonald’s. His "reward" for finishing the lights. (*eye roll*)

And every time we go to McDs we normally end with some ice cream. (Notice the fire truck. We had front row seats to an accident)

When we got home. I folded the laundry while watching my baby CRAWL! (In case you missed it, click here to see a video of him crawling on Baby’s First Year. It happened this weekend!)

Once the laundry was done we danced to Christmas music…

…while the boys did more LEGOs. They are working on The LEGO Creator Winter Toy Shop.

It was FINALLY dark enough to see The Husband’s hard work!

Then a peak at the back to see the tree!

Dinner time! I made a plate of turkey quesadillas using this enchilada filling. Click here for the recipe. Little Bean had some turkey and applesauce which he loved!

It really was an awesome day. I love love LOVE The Holiday Season.

This is the 3rd day I’ve kept an accurate and honest food journal (click here for the why) and I’m loving it. I also put on my PJs and brushed my teeth right after the kids went to bed. I haven’t done that in YEARS. Not sure why, I feel FANTASTIC right now…

Ready to relax WITHOUT food and TOTALLY ready to face this week.

Hope you had a fantastic day!

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It’s called the Zoo Zoom. There were critters at the start…

and the last mile we ran through the zoo. I HAD to stop and take a picture of the Chimpanzees.

It was so early all the [...]]]> This Sunday started with an 8K run through The Maryland Zoo

It’s called the Zoo Zoom. There were critters at the start…

and the last mile we ran through the zoo. I HAD to stop and take a picture of the Chimpanzees.

It was so early all the animals were out and about.

I came home to two hungry boys and made myself a smoothie.

I know it’s weird, but after a long run I’m never in the mood to eat. My latest smoothie creation is 1/2 banana, kale, frozen blueberries, protein powder, dark cocoa powder and almond milk. UPDATE: Click here for the recipe and a video post of how to make this smoothie.

We drew while eating (drinking) our breakfasts.

Then danced while we cleaned up.

Our chore for the day: Clean out and organize the mudroom.

It’s been so unorganized we just throw our coats on the floor. Yes. That bad.

Within minutes I lose my cleaning partner.

But it was all good. The brothers are bonding.

What’s the saying? It’s gotta get worse before it gets better?

Little Bean went to nap and Little Guy hit the Legos while I finished.

Then we had the big reveal.

LUNCH TIME!

The boys split half an avocado. A quesadilla for Big Brother and Banana Blueberry "Pudding" for Little Bean.

I plan on making that our next Baby Food Adventure.

I made myself some Bulgur with Peas and Pomegranate…

It’s been awhile. I forgot how good it was! Click here for the recipe.

After lunch the boys and I hit the park.

It was so warm I was able to wear my birks.

I hope it stays mild like this for a little longer. I’m loving it!

We got back from the park just in time for me to leave for my date. I met an old friend at the movies. We found a late run theater that shows matinees for $3. That’s THREE DOLLARS. How awesome! We saw The Help and it was A-mazing! I laughed. I cried. Definitely a must see.

I got back to hungry boys AGAIN…

Actually, only 2 hungry boys. The Husband fed the baby. He can handle opening a jar of baby food, but that’s about it. ;)

I was planning on making Tacos but they convinced me to pick up KFC on the way home from the movie and honestly, I was relieved. I’m not sure I had the energy to cook dinner.

Our KFC meal of choice: a 10 Piece bucket with mashed potatoes and baked beans. I get some grilled for me and the rest original for them.

After dinner….

Then my day ended like this…

Ok, MUST go. I’m literally falling asleep at my computer, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This Sensational Sunday was a success!

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