Sausage and Kale Ragu, it's what's for dinner

This one I had to try when the kids were with their dad.  I wasn't sure that they would like it and I knew as soon as they saw all of that GREEN they would be anti-Sausage and Kale Ragu!  It was good, I followed the recipe exactly and would probably add a bit more spice next time.  I'm still not sure that my kids would eat it but it sure does look pretty!

I've had 3 great days of workouts.  I can't believe how good I feel after a good workout. My mood is improved and I have a more positive outlook overall.  Also, I truly love being sore the next day.  It is such a feeling of accomplishment (even when I can hardly walk up the stairs)!

I am off to bed for a little reading.  Is there anything better than reading a book you can't put down?  What are you reading right now?

Keep On Keepin' On

I knew this past weekend would not be my healthiest.  I knew that I was not going to spend Easter weekend counting calories and working out for hours at the gym, and I didn't.  My parents came up for the weekend and stayed at a hotel. The kids and I spent the weekend hanging out with family and swimming at the hotel pool.  After way too much candy, I did put in Jillian Michaels' Ripped in 30 for a short workout.  It is time to get back on track!  Here is my workout schedule for the week (I've found writing it down holds me accountable):

Monday: Rest
Tuesday:  Weightlifting w/my trainer
Wednesday: HIIT
Thursday: Weightlifting w/my trainer, run
Friday: Run
Saturday: Run
Sunday: Ripped in 30

Since I share custody with my ex-husband, my workout schedules are kind of goofy.  I work out at the gym almost every day during the weekends I don't have kids because it is harder to fit it in when I do have the kiddos.  This is what my "Yay, I have the kids" workout weeks look like:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Weightlifting w/my trainer
Wednesday: HIIT
Thursday: Weightlifting w/my trainer, run (sometimes I have classes for work on Thursday so if I can't make it to the gym to weight train, I go after my class and get on the treadmill for 40 minutes or so)
Friday: Run or Ripped in 30
Saturday: Ripped in 30
Sunday: Ripped in 30

I truly believe that working out needs to become habit.  I have to work out A LOT or I just won't.  I have heard trainers say, "don't ever go 3 days without working out", I believe this is so true.  It is easier for me to keep going if I am consistent and it is easier for me to quit if I miss several days.  I feel like the exercise piece has become habit for me but I also know that it won't be hard to slip right out of that habit!

The hardest part for me is DIET/NUTRITION!  I am still working at this everyday.  The recipes that I have been trying have been really fun to make (NEVER thought I would say that), which helps.  My kids are loving them, too, which is great!  Stay tuned for more yummy food pics!

On a totally unrelated note, one of my hobbies is digital scrapbooking.  How do you preserve your family's memories?  Get ready for lots of my digital pages to be posted here.  I would encourage everyone to take lots of pics and DO SOMETHING WITH THEM!  Don't let them sit on your camera, computer, or on a C.D.  Put them in albums.  I find digital scrapbooking to be the easiest way to record all of those memories because you can upload your pics right into your scrapbooking program (I use Creative Memories SBC 4, and love it).  Here are some recent pages: