Lehigh-Lafayette Tailgate Party

On Saturday I celebrated the playing of the Lehigh-Lafayette football game at a tailgate party hosted by my aunt and uncle.  With a history of Lehigh grads in their family, this party has become an annual gathering for all of us and we look forward to it every year.   

Just a little background, the Lehigh-Lafayette game is "the most played football rivalry in the nation and the longest uninterrupted annual rivalry series," according to an article on Wikipedia.  Lafayette College also announced on Saturday that they will host the 150th game meeting in November 2014 at Yankee Stadium and my family is already organizing a bus trip!

My aunt always does a nice job decorating the tables and laying out an amazing food display.  I personally love the football vase filled with flowers.  A clever idea for any tailgate, it is just an old football which has been sliced at the top and filled with a small vase, Styrofoam and fresh flowers. 

Fried chicken is a standard on the tailgate table... 

Go Lehigh!

In the end, Lehigh beat Lafayette for the fifth time in a row, 38-21.
 

I got to spend some quality time with my mom and sister...

Brooke {my cousin-right} and her friend, Nicole, were hanging out while watching the kids play baseball.  Hmm, I wonder which team they wanted to win? 

As always, it was a fun time for everyone...especially since the right team won! 

RUNNING: The past few day's I've been putting between 4 - 6 miles/day.  For now, I've decided to concentrate on building up my base with a once-a-week workout and long run, plus some moderate runs in between rather than entering any more races this fall.  Even though it's been sunny, the air has been cold so I my body needs some time to adjust to the cooler temperatures.  

What are your racing plans for the rest of the fall season?  

Loving Lately

Based on yesterday's post, you can probably guess that I'm excited that it's Friday.  Relaxing tonight, followed by a tailgate football party tomorrow will make for a nice weekend. 

First things first...one of my recipes was featured in Runner's World's food blog, The Ravenous Runner.  This site includes great recipes that are both delicious and nutritious for runners, and I chose to submit my Caprese Farro Salad.  It combines the classic flavors of the caprese salad {tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil} with farro.  Check it out to see more!

Breakfast out with my daughter is a special treat for us both…especially when a carrot cake muffin is involved.  When we split a baked good, our deal is this: one of us cuts the cupcake/cookie/muffin in half while the other gets first choice of the half they want to eat.  It works every time. 

How good do these cupcakes look?  They were a part of the tailgate at Moravian's football game last weekend and I love the vibrant blue.  It’s always fun to add color into food!

Halloween and pumpkin season is past, but these two painted ghourds were featured at the door of a restaurant.  What a cute idea for any tailgate or sports party!

The other day I groggily walked into my dark classroom to a life-sized Freddy Krueger cardboard figure.  I can’t say that I was loving this disfigured serial killer in my room on an early, rainy morning, but I do love the fun I have with the colleagues I work with.  

 

For a little extra fun at school, we have our 4th graders create "turkeys in disguise" with their families.  The completed turkeys are then hung in the hallway for parents to view during parent-teacher conference week.  One of my students decided to make a "Mrs. Harris" turkey, complete with blonde hair and a chalkboard.

What are you loving lately?

Top 10: Why I Am Looking Forward to Thanksgiving {Already}

Thanksgiving is a mere week away and there are many reasons why I am looking forward to this late fall celebration.  Move over David Letterman, here are my top ten reasons why I love this time of year…

10.  Deals!  Who doesn’t love to shop, especially when there are deals?  I normally don’t wake up at 3am to head to the local Target for the toy of the season…that’s just not me.  But in my experience, stores still have their Black Friday prices later on in the day, minus the crazy crowds and pushy shoppers.  

9.  Holiday Specials: Even though my cheesy Christmas movies began last week, their playing time gets amped up after turkey day.  I am a sucker for the Lifetime and Hallmark channels around this time of year, and I freely admit that I see almost every new release that is aired. 

8.  Mini-vacation from work: I have so much that I would like to do at home and these few days off will help me get them done.

7.  Decking the Halls {and home}: The weekend after Thanksgiving has traditionally been my time to get the house ready for the holidays and I look forward to it every year.  My theory is this: I spend a considerable amount of time decorating, so why not have my house looking festive for as long as possible?  

6. Blog Renovation: Something that has been on my to-do list for a while is to redo the overall look of this blog.  I have some ideas in my head, but I just need the time to execute them.  Hopefully #8 will allow me to spend the time needed to start this process. 

5. Pumpkin sangria: I have been meaning to make sangria that involves pumpkin liquor, apples and oranges all season because it sounds so tasty and that is exactly what I plan on doing over the next week.  

Taken from Food Network -- Sandra Lee's Pumpkin Sangria

4.  More time to run:  Running is normally one of my priorities, but sometimes I have to step out the door at inopportune times.  Having a few days off will allow me to run at a normal time in the morning, rather that at 6am, or afterschool when I am tired from my day at work.  Plus, I will even have time to stretch afterwards!! 

3.  Spending time with family:  I love having meals and celebrating with my friends and family.  This year, we will be heading to central PA for a Thanksgiving feast with the in-laws and I am looking forward to that since we rarely get to see them. 

2.  NYC Christmas Spectacular:  My mom and I will be taking my daughter to see the Christmas Spectacular at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.  I’m not sure who is more excited, Payton or me.  I love the city, especially when all of the stores and streets are decorated for Christmas, and I know Payton will love the whole experience as well.  I’ve been holding off a trip to New York with her because she wasn’t quite old enough to enjoy it.  Now, I think she is going to have an amazing time! 

1.  Eating, of course! What better time of year to eat scrumptious food is there than Thanksgiving??  Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, pie...the list goes on and on.  But before I partake in the amazing feast, I always make sure to go for a run first.  It helps to eliminate some of the guilt!  

So there you have it…my top ten reasons why I am looking forward to the long Thanksgiving break.  A little early to be this excited?  Probably, but what can I say?   

What are your reasons?  I’d love to hear them!!   

Breakfast with Dad / No-Bake PB Granola Bars

Today is Breakfast with Dad at our daughters’ school and Fred will have the pleasure to start his day with two dates.  The school always requests members of the PTA to donate or bake goods to be served at this event and this year, I decided to make No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars from Anne at fANNEtastic Food.  In the past, I assembled mini yogurt parfaits in clear plastic tumbler cups.  They were normally a hit but due to time, I decided to make these bars because they are quick, easy and delicious.  Plus, I think the dads will appreciate a healthy snack among the sea of bagels, donuts and pastries.    

This recipe includes simple ingredients such as oats, brown rice cereal, flaxseed, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and peanut butter. The best part?  There is no baking involved!  Just place them in the fridge for a few hours and they are all set, literally.  

Because this is a school event, I decided to individually wrap the bars in clear plastic bags and label them with these homemade labels.  Since they include peanut butter, I thought it was important to make sure everyone was aware of that particular ingredient.  

Once they were bagged, I placed them all in a cardboard tray and they were ready for Fred to take with him.  I hope my husband and the gals have a fun time together at their Breakfast with Dad!  And I wonder…what could possibly be served at Breakfast with Mom?? 

What is your favorite recipe to make for a school function or a bake sale? 

Super Moist Banana Muffins

Over the weekend I had a few ripe bananas to use and rather develop my own, I decided to look for a new banana muffin recipe online.  After a little perusing, I came across this one from a blog titled The Cookbook Chronicles.  The ratings were good so I thought I would give it a try.  Rather than bread, my family prefers individual muffins and from the original recipe, I got about 18 in total when the cups were filled approximately three-quarters of the way up.  

The final product was crazy moist!  I try to never overbake anything, and the same went for these.  When I took a few to school for my team to try them out, the muffins received rave reviews and four thumbs up!   

What have you been baking lately?

Moravian College Hall of Fame

Friday night was a wonderful night for our family.  My sister {Tara} was inducted into the Moravian College Hall of Fame for her accomplishments in cross-country and track while attending the school in the mid-late 90's. 

Tara's forte was cross-country in the fall and the longer distances on the track ranging from the 3,000 - 10,000 meters.  She was a several time Division III NCAA All-American, most notably finishing 3rd in the 3,000 meter run on the track and 7th overall in cross-country. 

Always the running supporters, my parents were very proud!  

Payton, here with my nephew, was so excited to be a part of the evening.  She told me that one day she wanted to be in the Hall of Fame too. 

Both Bobby T, our longtime friend, and I nominated Tara for this special honor.  Bob ran for Moravian with us and now is a very successful XC coach at Freedom, our high school alma mater.    

After the ceremony, we all posed for a few random photos...

Fred was very happy for Tara since he also was involved in Moravian athletics.  He is a year ahead of me in school and played baseball for the Hounds back in the mid-90's. 

Fellow teammate, Pat Egan, flew in from Ohio for the occasion.  Pat used to be a great runner on the men's side. 

Because two former runners, plus the 1989 men's track & field team were inducted this year, Jesse put his assistant coach in charge of the runners at the XC Regional meet and headed back to Bethlehem to show his support. 

The next day, the inductees were honored at halftime of the football game so I took Tara over for that event. 

Amos, the greyhound!

Proud sis!!

Patrick met us at the game and then we headed across the street for a celebratory beverage... 

It was such a fun weekend and Tara is well-deserving of this prestigious honor! 

As for my running, I did an easy four miles on Saturday and then came back with a 10-miler on Sunday with Jesse.  I ran between 7:30 - 7:40 for a total time of 1:16 and the second five was quicker than the first.  

Hopefully this week {with the warmer temperatures early in the week} I can get some good runs in before the Thanksgiving holiday.  Enjoy your Monday! 

Loving Lately

This past week was all about trying to find comfort and routine after the wrath of Hurricane Sandy, which sort of left me in a bit of a funk.  When I am feeling lackluster, I tend to look for things around me that I can wrap myself in, kind of like a warm blanket.  

For years, I have looked to crocheting as a way to relax in front of the TV after a long day.  In my opinion, the monotonous strokes of the needle weaving through the yarn is mind calming and serene.  Recently I started making children’s hats again, like this one.  Most of mine include affixed silk or crocheted flowers or tassels bouncing on the top.  

 

There is nothing like a girls’ night…especially with my own kids.  The other night, we treated ourselves to a meal that is normally not on our diet…Five Guys burgers and fries.  Healthy? No. Delicious? Absolutely.   

Sometimes finding the motivation to run in the chilly temps can be tough, especially after a long day at school.  But when I’m done…I feel better about myself and glad that I got out the door, even if it is only for 36 minutes and 2 seconds.

Willsey can be a handful, but he also is such a love.  The other night, my daughter and I were hanging out in the dining room doing homework as Willsey looked on from across the room, behind the sofa.  This was a first.

Tonight my sister will be inducted into the Moravian College Athletic Hall of Fame for her accolades in cross-country and track.  I sure am proud of her and can’t wait to be a part of the special evening ahead.  In my closet, I had a dress to wear…but not the right pair of shoes to pull it off.  Of course, my favorite store {DSW} had just what I needed with these.  I already own the exact pair in tan, so the black was an obvious choice because I love them so much.  They are classic and feminine, a combination that will work with any outfit. 

Nothing says comfort like a bowl of chicken noodle soup, and that's what I made last night.  We all needed a little something to take the chill off of our bones and this soup was the perfect remedy.

What are you loving lately?