The Mommy Games

Brooklyn Half Marathon Race Recap

May192013

This past Saturday, I ran the Brooklyn half marathon for the first time. This race has gotten a lot of hype, enough so to have convinced me to venture off Manhattan at the crack of dawn (I hardly leave the UWS, so this was a serious jaunt). My initial plan was to treat this as a hard long run, but not go for a PR. I’m targeting a 10-k in a few weeks and didn’t want to lose training time recovering this week. Well, that went out the window in like the first mile. Here’s how it went down:

Miles 1-3 (5k in 22:54) – The weather was beyond perfect. Slightly cool and overcast. I don’t remember ever being too hot which was a huge blessing because I definitely had been skimping on the pre-race hydration. We jumped in a car around 5:45 to head over to the start and ended up with plenty of time. My friend and I had planned on running together, and I had hung back in her coral with her so that we could. Ultimately, there was no one checking corals and we all ended up pushing our way towards the front anyways, so it wouldn’t have mattered. Did anyone else find it strange that they talked up the security measures so much, but this was the first race where I didn’t even see people manning corrals or hardly anyone at the start? We never felt unsafe, but I was prepared to have more of a hassle getting lined up, when in fact it was the most relaxed of any of the nyrr races I’ve run.

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· Filed Under: Running · Tagged With: Brooklyn, half marathon, race, running

Rylan 14 Month Summary

May162013

Can I even call this little guy a baby anymore?! I guess at 14 months he is now technically a pre-toddler, but I think we will stick with baby for, oh, the next 17 years or so. We have been pretty busy for the past few months, so it really does seem like he just turned one. And he is just as cute and sweet as ever.

Rylan finally took his first steps a few weeks ago, and we were all excited thinking that he was ready to take off walking. But in typical “I’ll do as I please” child fashion, he is having none of it. Once he realizes that he is actually faster crawling than walking, he immediately drops to his knees. He even gets mad when we try to get him to walk. I guess you can’t blame him since he really just wants to chase his brother around and not have to concentrate so hard. His other gross motor skills have really improved recently though. He loves balls and can throw and catch really well. He’s also gotten more adept at playing with puzzle type toys (the “insert the square into the right hole” kind) and is super proud that he can now tee up the plastic golf ball, which he then attempts to hit with the club. Did I mention he comes from a family full of golfers who are quite possibly more excited about this than his first word?

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· Filed Under: Baby Summaries, Mommy, Our Family · Tagged With: 14 months, Baby, pre-toddler, schedule

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

May142013

I have a heck of a recipe to share with you! This hash brown casserole is pure comfort food. I mean seriously, I could not stop eating it. It’s cheesy and smooth, with just the right amount of crunch from the buttery cracker topping. YUM! When I was at the grocery store loading a few bags of these frozen shredded potatoes in my cart, some well meaning woman stopped me and told me that I really should buy something else. She claimed that she had bought them for her kids and they were awful and totally tasteless. I asked what she had added to them and she said “nothing.” I told her not to worry, that I would be adding more than enough goodness to them to make them tasty. I think this woman (who possibly would have blown away with a strong breeze) was more than a little taken aback when I described what I was making. All things in moderation, my friends. These are definitely not diet friendly, but I think they are more than worth the splurge every once in a while. You could serve these up for breakfast (they would be amazing for a brunch) or as a side with dinner. Or you could be like me, and reheat the leftovers for every single meal for the next 2 days. Just don’t tell your trainer.

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· Filed Under: Breakfast, Recipes, Sides · Tagged With: breakfast, brunch, cheese, crackers, hash browns, potatoes, side dish

Let’s Get Organized: Getting out the Door

May72013

I think most moms find the process of actually getting themselves and their children out the door a difficult one. It’s no easy feat getting little ones dressed and slathered in sunscreen, making sure you have everything you need, and getting out the door on time. We recently moved, and in our new place I developed a sort of “going-out” station. Right by our door we literally have everything we need to make our daily trips to school, the playground, or work. It’s made our mornings so much easier.

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· Filed Under: Mommy Know How, Organization · Tagged With: getting out the door, going out, organization, storage, streamlining

Classic Marinara Sauce

May22013

If there is one thing our family eats a lot of, it’s pasta. Almost every Friday night, we serve up a big bowl of pasta with marinara sauce and a crusty, buttery loaf of garlic bread. I love that this meal takes barely any preparation or thought, and it always pleases the little ones. Our toddler gets an extra kick out of grating the Parmesan on top of his plate. Sometimes I will just open a can, but most of the time I grab a tupperware of this sauce out of the freezer. Everyone needs a go-to marinara recipe, and this has been mine for years. It’s all about choosing good quality canned tomatoes, San Marzano with basil being my favorite. I usually will make a huge batch of this on a random weekend, and then I’ll be set for the next month in the sauce department. It’s really as easy as dumping it all into a big pot, stirring every once in a while, and letting it simmer for an hour while it fills your home with the most mouthwatering smell. Trust me, your family will be ready for dinner after smelling this all afternoon! My husband’s favorite pasta dish of all time is this sauce served along with cooked penne, cabbage, and Italian sausage pieces. That’s the beauty of a good, classic marinara, you can add anything you like, or nothing at all and it will still make for a delicious and soul-satisfying meal.

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· Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes · Tagged With: freezer friendly, Italian, marinara, Pasta, sauce

Potato Chip Cookies

Apr302013

My husband and I went out of town a few weeks ago while my wonderful parents stayed with the kids. Not only did we come back to 2 happy little kiddos, but also a freezer full of banana bread (my mom’s specialty) and a huge container of these cookies. That huge container didn’t last long. Seriously, these cookies should come with a warning. Just like potato chips themselves, I bet you can’t stop with just one. They remind me of Danish wedding cookies, shortbread covered in powdered sugar, but slightly lighter and with a tiny crunch. If you don’t tell people that you’ve thrown in potato chips, I doubt anyone would figure out just what gives this cookie its extra special element. These would be the perfect treat to bring to a party or barbecue. Just don’t keep them around the house because they are dangerously addicting! Thanks mom for this amazing recipe!

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· Filed Under: Recipes, Sweets · Tagged With: cookies, dessert, party food, potato chips, powdered sugar, sweets

Drunken Fruity Chicken

Apr242013

I’ve been in a bit of a cooking rut lately. There just seems to be a lot going on, and quite simply, the kitchen has not been on my must visit list. So we’ve been eating breakfast for dinner, lots of pasta, and tons of these easy no-fuss recipes. Just because I haven’t necessarily been in the mood to cook, does not mean I haven’t been in the mood to eat! Come 6 o’clock I still want something tasty to sit down to (and a dessert to follow wouldn’t hurt either). That’s why I love dishes like this that are filled with flavor (you did notice the drunken and fruity part of the title, right?), but take hardly any effort. Feel free to use nearly any stone fruit of your choosing (peaches, plums, apricots, etc). And be sure to serve with a heaping pile of rice to soak up all that yummy sauce.

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· Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes · Tagged With: barbecue, chicken, dinner, recipe, whiskey

Run for the Parks 4-Miler Race Recap

Apr222013

We are trying something a little different, so if you are here for the food and mommy talk, be sure to check back later in the week!

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m going to start touching on my running a bit here, so let’s kick it off with a race recap from a run I did with my husband yesterday. The last time I did this race was actually back in 2005 when I was in the city interning. It’s funny because most of my old race times are under my maiden name, so I got a clean slate when I officially changed my last name. I still like to look back and see how much I’ve improved though (especially since I was doing more partying than running back in those days and my times definitely reflected it!). The weather was a little chilly but an overall gorgeous day. NYRR had us all wear “I run for Boston” bibs on our backs, and tons of people were dressed in the blue and gold of the Boston Marathon. I was nearly brought to tears when the woman who sung the national anthem, a native Bostonian, started choking up. I think everyone felt the weight of what had transpired last Monday, and it was definitely an emotional moment. It felt good to be at the starting line, honoring Boston, even in the smallest way.

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· Filed Under: Running · Tagged With: central park, New York City, race recap, racing