Planes, trains, and automobiles”¦ and I’m home!
Breakfast
My alarm went off at 6:01 AM this morning. I woke up in Katie’s guest room, took a quick shower, packed up all of my stuff, ate a banana with peanut butter, and then headed to the airport to catch my flight home. It was a whirlwind weekend, but an awesome one, no doubt.
At the airport, I bought an iced decaf latte made with almond milk.
And a Good n Natural bar, which was just okay. I’m not sure I’d buy this one again.
Plane —>Shuttle —>Subway —>Taxi —>Home!
When I walked in the door of our house, I received the most excited pug welcome I have ever experienced. Murphy was running around and barking like a nut job and wagging his curly tail straight! Apparently, he was really happy to see me. And, of course, I was happy to see him! Dog welcomes are the best.
When I walked into our living room, I noticed Mal did a little rearranging while I was away.
Hmm”¦ I have a feeling we’ll be getting rid of this chair soon. I wonder why Mal moved it into the back room? Maybe he’s trying to make space for a new couch? 
Mal also meal planned and went grocery shopping for the week. Best husband ever!
This week’s meal plan:
- Monday: Take-out (Dave is staying with us tonight!)
- Tuesday: Honey Cashew Chicken
- Wednesday: Flank steak with red onions, potatoes, and broccoli
- Thursday: Spiced Mini Burgers with Couscous Salad
- Friday: Wing it/leftovers
- Saturday: Out to dinner
Lunch
I was hungry when I got home, but I wasn’t sure what I was in the mood for, so I just mixed a whole bunch of foods together in a bowl and just hoped for the best: sautéed spinach, sliced deli turkey, fresh basil, half of an avocado, cashews, salt, and pepper. Random, but delicious.
Once I finished, I still wanted something more to eat, so I whipped up a two-ingredient pancake with sunflower butter on top. Perfect. Satisfied.
Snack
Just now, before starting this post, I mixed up a batch of iced Pumpkin Spice Dandy Blend. (I just added 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice before I added water.) Mmm! Pumpkin spice deliciousness!
And now I’m off to walk Murphy and then unpack from this weekend! I’m happy to be home!
Weekly Workouts
- Sunday: Army 10-miler
- Monday: Off
- Tuesday: Off
- Wednesday: Yoga
- Thursday: CrossFit
- Friday: Off
- Saturday: CrossFit <— special Halloween class!
Plank Challenge
My Plank Challenge officially starts today! I’ll give you all of the details tomorrow, but if you want to participate, all you have to do today is time yourself doing a plank. (I do them on my elbows, but feel free to do them straight-armed if you prefer.) Try to go as long as you can and then record your time. It’ll be your starting point for the Challenge. More to come tomorrow morning!
Health News & Views
I absolutely love pumpkin. I love it so much, I labeled myself a pumpkin-holic. I add it to everything””from breakfast to dessert””and it’s one of my favorite (ok, the favorite) fall food. With that said, here’s a healthy treat that is seriously indulgent without all of the calories and fat of a typical chocolate chip cookie. In this recipe, sugar and butter are replaced with more nutritious canned pumpkin and date puree, and mini chocolate chips replace regular-sized chocolate chips to add even more tiny bits of sweetness throughout the cookie without added calories. Enjoy this guilt-free seasonal treat with friends and family!
Fall Baking: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
P.S. Speaking of pumpkin, this article is hilarious: Halloween Horror Story: The Case of the Missing Pumpkin Lattes. Some of the quotes seriously cracked me up!
