August 08, 2011

What a workout!

So as I mentioned yesterday, I decided to mow the lawn while Jerry was at work. I picked up the kids' toys in the yard and then wrestled the lawn mower out of the shed. I filled it with gasoline and primed it, and then had a hard time starting it. Finally, I realized that I had to hold the lever down WHILE pulling the starter, and it started right up.

I was sweating within seconds. It doesn't seem like it would be a tough workout, but it is! Everyone else that lives around here uses a riding mower, but we don't have one, so we have to use the push mower. Anyway, I was determined to do a good job, so I spent a long time maneuvering the stupid thing around the kids swing set, eyesore trampoline, etc. I must say, it looked pretty good when I was done! And according to Sparkpeople, I burned 388 calories. I believe it.

I think I was sweatier after mowing the lawn than I was from the super humid run the day before.

Anyway, I was super proud of my accomplishment (haha) and so I took a picture to send to Jerry's phone. I don't know if I expected applause, or fireworks and music, or a trophy, or what... but all he said was, "Oh good, it's supposed to storm later." 

Well then. That'll be the last time I tackle one of YOUR chores, Grateful.

I went inside and made a delicious lunch of pasta with oil, garlic, peas, and parmesan cheese:
If you saute garlic in oil, you could pretty much put it on ANYTHING and it would taste good. I like this combo much better than a tomato sauce.

I went grocery shopping last night, and spent $93 for the week (budget was $100). My kids are obsessed with ramen noodles for lunch, so I grabbed a pretty full box of them off the shelf and put it in the cart. A full box has 24, and this box had 20. So when I went to check out, the cashier scanned the box (charging me for 24). The bagger told her that it wasn't full, so she would have to cancel it and scan them all by hand. Are you freaking kidding me?! I had grabbed the box because it was convenient, didn't take up as much space as throwing a bunch of bags of ramen noodles in the cart, AND because I figured I could tell her I had 20, so she could just scan one and type in the quantity. But she manually scanned each one and passed it to the bagger, who put them in BAGS instead of in the original box.  If I had known she was going to do that, I would have just grabbed a full box. They're like 18 cents each or something.

So anyways, my food log for yesterday:
Breakfast-chocolate peanut butter oats, coffee (271)
Lunch- pasta with peas (367)
Dinner- kielbasa & corn hash (423)
Snacks- carrots and peanut butter; Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia!!! (453)
Exercise: 75 minutes with the lawn mower (and yes, I'm counting that as cross-training--I'm SO SORE today!)

Oh yes, I did. I bought Ben & Jerry's when I went grocery shopping. I just bought a single-serve cup for each me and Jerry. I got Cherry Garcia and he got the fudge brownie one. I forgot just how good Cherry Garcia is--it seriously tasted like HEAVEN last night. Totally worth 220 calories.

Favorite Ben & Jerry's flavor?  Mine is definitely the Cherry Garcia. Normally I go for anything with chocolate and peanut butter (that's my favorite Haagen Dazs flavor) but the Cherry Garcia is seriously orgasmic! The Chubby Hubby is really good too--that has chocolate-covered peanut butter-filled pretzels in peanut butter ice cream. Sorry, I probably shouldn't be talking about this. Drool.


  1. You're so fit and trim in that pic, good job. Mowing is a good workout, which is why I hire that job out... (lame, I know). That is a hilarious story about the Ramen noodles, really? Some people....

  2. A few years back, we bought a newer version of a lawn mower that doesn't use gas, but instead has a long cord that you plug in, so it's electric! We love it!! It's lighter-weight, easier to manuever, and doesn't stick up the place (I *hate* the smell of gasoline, which if you can believe it, is different from the smell of gasoline up north - they use different chemicals or something in the processing).

    My fav Ben & Jerrys is the new york super fudge chunk OR chubby hubby, but only the first comes in little packages here. However, if I had to choose ice cream, I would go with gelato or godiva ice cream every time. Ben & Jerry's and Haagen Dazs aren't really to my liking - too sweet. And for the past few months, I haven't really liked ice cream at all, oddly...

  3. Chubby Hubby and the monkey one...shoot. Chunky Monkey! Duh. Banana ice cream and other stuff and I usually (used to) dip pretzels in it. Mmmmm.

  4. Tammy/texzanAugust 08, 2011

    You guys look to young to be married and have Kids,, You have got the cutest, sweetest family,,, I adore You.


  5. You are motivating me to get my butt out there...thanks!

  6. My FAVORITE flavor ever is their Red Velvet one(it's fairly new), but that one is difficult for me to ever find. So, close seconds would be Karamel Sutra or Triple Caramel Chunk! *drooling* thanks for the craving Katie! Haha just kidding.

  7. I come here every single day hoping you posted a new blog for me to read and I get excited when you have! I have been a happy reader for a long time, but never once have I commented... until now. You bring up something I cannot help, but comment on! BEN & JERRY'S HALF BAKED all the way!!!

  8. Ben and Jerry's Heath Bar Crunch in a waffle cone. YUM! I have eaten the whole pint more than once of course.

  9. O my goodness, that ice cream sounds so good! I didn't know they sell them in single servings! I have to keep a look out! Mowing the lawn is one of my favorite exercises, We have a push mower without gas which sucks sometimes but gives me one hell of a workout! ;)

  10. I have never had Ben and Jerry's or Hagen das. I know, I must have been living under a rock all my life! I don't know how I've missed it but anyway at this point I probably don't want to open that pandora's box!!! ha ha. My favorite ice cream lately is a diet A&W rootbeer float. Oh yeah!!

    -Jen (jennygump21)

  11. I love Cherry Garcia too. Now you've made me hungry for it--its been a very long time! Only 220 calories huh? Is that for the whole little container of it? That's not bad at all, might have to check that out. I made some peach cobbler tonight. I have been hungry for it since January of 2010, when I saw them make it on a cooking show on TV, so I waited a long time! I made it with heart healthy Bisquick, it was 250 calories/serving. Like your ice cream--totally worth it!
    I don't mow either. I shouldn't say either, since you DO mow sometimes. We have a riding mower for our 3 acres, but I could help with it I suppose. My 25-year-old son who is still at home, mows sometimes, so it's not like hubby has to do it every single time. Like you guys, we each have our own domain! He doesn't help out much inside, and I do very little outside. It's worked for 41 years, why mess with a good thing?

  12. My favorite B&J is Chunky Monkey ... I found a mini 70 calorie dark chocolate bar today and will get a tablespoon of walnuts from the bulk buns at Whole Foods tomorrow, both destined to wind up in a bowl with some frozen banana faux soft serve!

  13. you look really good in that picture! very skinny and you have pretty eyes!

  14. LOVE the photo of you!!! Have a great week Katie!



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