I did a little baking over the weekend… I was attempting to make my favorite cookie recipe of all time gluten-free BUT super simple (AKA without 5,000 strange and wacky ingredients that cost $15 each and can only be located at Whole Foods). But unfortunately, I couldn’t make it work. Maybe next weekend?
So, while I was “mourning†my cookies (you know, by eating the leftover batter out of the bowl), I decided to whip up this pumpkin dip. I make this almost every year for a holiday party. It’s pretty straightforward and truly delicious.
The best part? You pair it with green apples and gingersnaps. Trust me – these two things taste amaaaaaaaaaaaaazing when dipped in this, well, dip.
Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Dip
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (makes it easier to combine)
Good morning! I’m off on another jet plane – this time to Colorado for an Operation Beautiful event at Colorado State University. It’s a super short trip; I’ll only be gone for about 30 hours. But I am looking forward to hotel sleep…
I am also 35 weeks pregnant TODAY! Holy heck. I can’t believe I only have 5 weeks or so left. When we got home from our week of travels on Friday, I was suddenly hit with the enormity of what we’ve done. I was so very tired and having lots of pregnancy symptoms… then, all the sudden, I felt a lot of pressure and a big SHIFT. I think Little One turned head down (and maybe dropped a little, too!). This is pretty exciting because he/she has mostly been transverse (sideways) during the last few weeks, which was super uncomfortable. I hope Little One stays this way. I have a midwife appointment on Wednesday so… fingers crossed.
Anyway, after two solid weekend days at home, I’m feeling much better and not as crampy.  I was even up to doing this workout on Sunday:
This workout is AWESOME for someone is just getting into fitness or wants a beginner’s treadmill workout with no running. It’s challenging without being too tough, and it’s a perfect distance (about 2.0 miles) and duration (35 minutes). My legs were burning thanks to the inclines, and I never felt bored because I was constantly fiddling with the settings. It’s a good one – let me know if you try it and like it!
Randomly, here’s a great meal I ate over the weekend:
One year ago, I did the Miami Half Ironman! <—race recap. It was the coolest but hardest thing that I’ve ever done. I worked with a triathlon coach for the race and finished in 7:03:07. I’m totally proud of my swim time (1.2 miles in 45 minutes) and the fact that I never really lost my shit, emotionally or physically. I don’t think I will do another Half Ironman anytime soon, but that’s okay with me! It was an awesome experience and just looking at the pictures gets me excited about training for shorter triathlons once Little One is old enough.
I’m back home! So excited to be here after being gone for a long, long week.
I ended my trip in Charlottesville with Kath, Matt and Mazen. We had an awesome lunch in the walking mall. It was only after my food was delivered that I realized that I ordered two kind of potatoes – oh well. You can never go wrong with mashed AND sweet. Hah.
In the evening, I went to University of Richmond for my third Operation Beautiful presentation of the week – there was a turnout of about 400 students! I spoke to around 1000 people this week, which may be a new record for a single week!
Thankfully, I got home early and slept like a rock.
After breakfast, Henry and I drove the 5.5 hours home, picked the dogs up from the kennel, and practically skipped through our front door (where we were reunited with the Husband!). It feels so good to be back, even if I’m only home until Monday (when I fly to Colorado for my last event).
I was SO. SO. SO. happy to go on a walk when I got home. I have not really “exercised†at all in the last 10 days or so – walking around Charlottesville’s walking mall was my big physical activity of the trip. I feel the lack of movement and excess of car/plane sitting deep, deep in my bones.
On my walk, I was thinking about what I’d like to focus on for the next 5 weeks or so (let the countdown to Little One commence!!):
Wrap up a few long-term work projects <— I swear, if these big ticket items are not done before the baby’s birth, I will never, ever get them done.
Finish cleaning out the last two closets! <— I can do it!
Order all last-minute baby supplies <— easy and fun!
Stay super hydrated
Eat a lot of vegetables
Walk every single day
Try to swim at least twice a week
Soak up time with just the Husband
Soak up time with just Henry
Get one last prenatal massage <— obviously necessary
I’ve been kind of thinking of the past crazy work week as a major milestone on the way to the arrival of Little One… Now that I’m nearly the other side of the work crush, I really want to focus on things at home, my relationships, and my health. <3 <3 <3 I’m excited to get down to it!
Short answer… I feel like I’ve been everywhere! On Tuesday morning, the Husband and Henry dropped me off at the Philadelphia airport. I went from Philly –> Des Moines. Iowa is so pretty this time of year.
I went by a Trader Joe’s for some snack, dinner, and breakfast essentials.
And then I drove to Iowa State University for my first Operation Beautiful presentation of the week. There was an excellent turnout and my water didn’t break on stage, so – win-win!
Random side note: I hate fluffy pillows – and hotel pillows are always super fluffy. Sometimes I put two bath towels in a pillowcase and call it a pillow. Hah.
On Wednesday morning, I went from Des Moines –> Baltimore. My layover was actually in the Charlotte airport on both legs of the trip, which was kind of strange.
I had nachos for lunch. Lunch occurred at 10:30 AM. Hah.
I left Iowa at 7 AM and landed in Maryland at 1 PM, so I had a few hours to kill before my event at Towson U. I ended up checking into a cheapo hotel for a few hours just so I could nap and shower… Best $60 I ever spent.
Got Thai food afterwards! Not ideal public speaking food, but it sure was good.
Then it was time to speak at Towson – we had another awesome turnout of 300+ students.
And Wednesday night after the event, I drove from Maryland –> Virginia (3.5 hours in the dark) and ended up at…
….Where I was reunited with Henry! Kristien had him on Tuesday and Wednesday but dropped him off at Kath’s on his way to a football game in Blacksburg. Henry has been thrilled to see his bestie Mazen and play with all his train tracks. <3
My plan for today includes hanging out with Kath and (God willing) taking a nap. Because tonight, I’m driving from Charlottesville –> Richmond for an event at University of Richmond! It’s my third event of the week. Tomorrow, I drive back home to Charlotte, and then I have a fourth event next Monday. AND THEN I plan to lay on my pregnant butt for the next five weeks and prepare myself for this baby to arrive!
So, to sum it up, here’s where I’ve been:
Seven cities since Tuesday (Philadelphia, Des Moines, Ames, Baltimore, Towson, Charlottesville, and – later – Richmond), but I’ve been in nine since the start of our vacation (New Hope and Wilmington)
I was browsing my Pinterest boards and checkin’ out a few of my favorite workouts. I’m currently in “waddle†or “cleaning counts as cardio†mode, but it’s nice to have a collection of home, gym, and pool-friendly workouts to tackle when I’m ready to turn it up a notch or so. Here are a few of my favorite creations! Happy Pinning.
