Whoooo hoooo!  Today was the last day of school for the daughters!  It means a change in schedules and me setting up the boxing ring for when they start to duke it out after the first nanosecond of being home together.

Seriously, I do get really excited for our time together in the summer;  we have lots of fun!

I started off the day with the usual…

Then shipped the daughters off for their final day (just a half). The half day gave me just enough time to fit in my run.  First, some Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar fuel…

It was such a beautiful day for a run!  Hot but no humidity.  Can I order that up for every run???  My running partner, Kerry, met up with me and we cranked out a 4.09 mile run doing 3:1 intervals a la GYMBOSS …

I rushed home for a quick breakfast – Ezekiel Golden Flax Cereal with blueberries and skim milk…

Non-epic, I know. Where is the Breakfast Sandwich, right Biz ?!

I got spruced up and headed to the bus stop to pick up the daughters.  They walked to the car…very slowly.  They knew what was coming.  I do it every year on the last day.  They got in the car, buckled up and stuck their fingers in their ears while I drove through the neighborhood wildly beeping the car horn, hooting and hollering out the window… “Whooo hoooo!!!!”

I am saving money for their therapy.

On the last day, I always take them out to lunch after torturing them in the car.  Now this tradition, they like.  They decided on Panera Bread.  Good with me!

I was starving and everything on the menu sounded enticing.  I quickly opted for the Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Salad with chicken added…

It was great!  Except for the tomatoes.  I can’t wait until tomato season is in full bloom with red, ripe tomatoes! 

After lunch, we shopped til we dropped.  Okay well, I dropped.  I can only stand so much shopping.  <—-brainwashed by the husband in my sleep.  The daughters needed a few summer things and it was nice to have them there to pick out what they wanted (read:  easier for me so I don’t have to go back to the store 957 times to return stuff).

I dragged them out and got home just in time for dinner.  Thankfully,  I had pre-planned or it would have been a pizza night for sure!

Chop and Bake…

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Chicken Legs and my “go-to” salad…

Way better than pizza

Have a great day, everyone!

What is your “go-to” take-out meal when you don’t have time to cook?

Are you tired of seeing my morning press, yet???

Maybe, I’ll get some new mugs to entertain ya!

I’ve been a little tired of pre-run smoothies, so I’m sticking with half a Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar…

It seems to give me enough energy without weighing me down.  I’m pretty sure I won’t get tired of them as it is an exercise in restraint to not eat a box of them!

I met my running partner, Kerry, for a nice run at the paved trail.  We cranked out 3.75 miles in 46 minutes doing a 3:1 interval, which seemed pretty comfortable for both of us.  I talked her into a post-run sweaty pic for the blog so that you guys don’t think I have an “imaginary friend”…

I may talk to myself sometimes, but I draw the line at imaginary friends   Thanks for being a good sport, Kerry!

After running some errands, I headed home for a yogurt bowl breakfast …

• 1 cup nonfat greek yogurt
• 3 drops liquid vanilla Nustevia 
• 1 cup blueberries
• sprinkle of Fruit and Nut Granola

Lunch was a repeat of the other day.  I had salmon on the brain!  More smoked salmon on an Ezekiel english muffin with Laughing Cow cheese and arugula for a twist…

Along with some wilting leftover broccoli slaw and dried cherries salad…

For a drink, I made a pitcher of iced tea.  Not any old iced tea…

I wanted to recreate a Blueberry Iced Tea that I had at a cute tea house with my MIL last year…

• brew 8 tea bags using 4 cups water
• let cool
• pour into a 2 Quart pitcher and add another 4 cups cold water
• sweeten as desired (I used 2 packets of NuStevia white stevia powder for the entire 2 Quarts)

Garnish with fresh blueberries and sprig of lemon balm or mint…

Fruity and refreshing!  It would exceptional with some vodka.  Kidding, kidding

Afternoon snack was crack…ers and hummus…..

I like these Mary’s Gone Crackers a lot, but they are so seedy (in a good way, not a dark back-alley way) and super crunchy that I fear my old, dental work lovin’ teeth cannot withstand its heartiness.  I may need to stop eating these.  That may not be a bad thing.

On to dinner…

Again, I am the leftover sweeper, eating up all that no one else wants.  Salad seemed like the best option for it all…

In the mix…

• baby spinach on its way to veggie heaven
• grape tomatoes
• leftover grilled chicken breast
• 1/4 diced avocado
• 3 big tbsp. organic fresh salsa
• cornbread croutons
• drizzle of olive oil and red vinegar

How’d I do, TJ?!

Today is the final chance to enter the NuNaturals Giveaway!  Winners will be announced tomorrow morning.

Have a great day, everyone!

What’s your favorite summer time drink?

You know that can’t happen.  

How about just a few words then because as of this writing, the daughters are NOT at a loss for words.  They are blabbing my ears off, so I have to make this quick. 

A necessity of life…

Running fuel – Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar – half before/half after…

Great 3.6 mile run in fabulous weather!  Changed up the GYMBOSS to 3:1 intervals thanks to no humidity…

Best. lunch.

Smoked salmon and cream cheese on an Ezekiel english muffin…

I. die.

A hearty snack – Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffin, toasted with a tiny schmear of natural peanut butter…

A new dinner item…

Tears form in the husband’s eyes as he wonders aloud what he has done so wrong in life to deserve this.

I persevere…

Grilled bison burgers on Ezekiel buns …with cheese, of course…

and broccoli slaw with dried cherries…

complete with a few baked potato wedges…

Bison is beauteous.  Love all around.  It was beefy and juicy with no gamey flavor.  A great new find!

I’m off…gotta call Guinness Book of World Records.  I’m fairly certain that the daughters have now set the World Record for consecutive “Mom” calling in an hour.  Oh, there it is again…. number 8, 746, 425,000.

Have a great day, everyone!

Have you ever tried bison?