Weekend Highlights & This Week's Menu: Paint Us with ..... COLOR!!!

We started out our Saturday morning around 8 am, yes way too early for me. We prepped all of our clothing with official race bibs and grabbed the wristbands for the iPhones and headphones. We headed out the door and to downtown Baton Rouge. Once we found parking not too far from the start/finish area, we parked and decided to take this pre-race photo. Yup, we are nice and white. I'm sorry that between our pale skin, white clothing, and white buildings that all you see is our hair and sunglasses ;-P

So we set out to get ready and enjoy the day. We followed the trail of the building vibrations until we found the start/finish area, where a girl was leading Zumba on stage. Jesse definitely was feeling the way the girl mixed up the dance moves and added different quarks to the same dances she already uses. I'd say that if Jesse had a choice, she'd re-enroll at Anytime Fitness to take Zumba from her.

Jesse and I had minor goals for the 5K, but the main one was to have a fun time together and finish our first 5K together. We wanted to push ourselves hard, but not over do it. We wanted to have fun, but not slack off where we didn't break a sweat. We wanted to try and be under the 45 minute mark for the 5K. Ok, so you're probably thinking 45 minutes is kind of a long time frame. I admit that I want to better myself even more, but our best 5K mark in exercising previously on open streets is around 46-48 minutes. So 45 would be our goal and if we did better than we'd be ecstatic.

After about 30 minutes, they started letting people gather at the starting line to begin the race at 10 am. Jesse and I over thought things and were under the notion that serious runners (24 min/5K) are at the beginning of the race and the walkers and fun runners are towards the back. So we line up in the middle of the pack. There were 9,000 runners signed up to run/walk in the event. After each wave was sent out, our wave finally left the starting line at 10:45 am. Our thoughts were to walk about 1/4 mile and let the real runners from our pack clear out and then jog ourselves. Nope, not even a chance. Like with anything else, those plans quickly flew out the window. We walked about 5 steps and realized the wave wanted to run, even though runners to the left and walkers to the right, the whole street was running.

We started a jog and before we knew it we were weaving between the slower runners in our wave and the walkers from the previous waves. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a judgmental S.O.B. who doesn't like/want kids, a stick in the mud, or anything like that, but people in a 5K run walking in the middle of a two lane street with the father and mother split apart holding the hands of a 1 1/2 year old waddling his way down the street about to get trampled by a pack of people doesn't seem to be needed. I'm all for teaching kids the value of exercise and being active at an early age, but just push the kid in a stroller as you walk or run, or leave them at the starting line so they don't get hurt by other runners. Sorry, that rant is over.

So we quickly learned that running at a constant pace in direct lines wasn't going to happen. I found myself weaving every 5 steps trying to avoid people or if there was no where to go, coming to a complete stop so that after an opening I could walk around them and start jogging again. Jesse and I had an amazing split for our first mile, 11:31 min. After running through the blue color station, we came upon the yellow color station which started to spell trouble for us. I tended to run through the middle of the color stations while Jesse ran towards the outside. At the yellow station, Jesse had a nice amount of yellow colored cornstarch hit her in the face, getting in her eye/contacts. As she cleaned her face off some and washed the contact, I cleaned her sunglasses as yellow was caked on the front and back of the right lenses. Right past the yellow station we heard my MapMyRun app tell me that our 2 mile pace was 25:35 minutes. We gave each other a high five and pushed on.

Jesse ran into a friend from Project Purr after we passed the pink station. And then the purple station drew trouble for myself. I decided to try and end the race with a little color on my shirt instead of a starch white T-shirt. I headed into the purple station on the outside and as I has hit in the face with purple, a runner in front of me crossed toward the middle while kicking my shin and I had another layer of purple hit me, ending up in my eye. So after I cleaned my eye up, Jesse and I were headed to the finish line.

After dodging a group of men standing in the road, a dumpster on the side of the road blocking runners (including us), and a runner pushing a wheelchair almost into people, Jesse and I crossed the finish line to finish our first 5K together with a total time of 41:49 minutes and 3.16 miles ran. We blow our goal our the water in my opinion since we hadn't been running that type of distance in roughly a month or two.

We pushed our way to grab a bottle of water and cool down and ran into a friend of mine who I grew up playing soccer and baseball on a travel team and locally. He and his wife finished a few minutes behind us. After explaining who Keith was to Jesse, we started walking over to the finish area for the celebration color throw, as seen below.

Jesse and I thought the signage they had displayed around the start/finish area was pretty catchy, so we took some pictures with them, as seen below.

And as anyone can tell you, when you come to Baton Rouge from outside of Baton Rouge, all you hear about is LSU from them. So in the traditional manner, The Color Run wanted to have a celebration color throw in purple/gold for LSU. (Saw that coming) But unforeseen, a few people mixed in some green and made it a little more like Mardi Gras!

Apparently Jesse and I wanted to inhale paint toxins in different formats this weekend. On Saturday we have paint thrown on us and on Sunday, we are brushing paint on a canvas at Painting with Pinot. The event was a fundraiser for the non-profit Jesse participates with, Project Purr. So like any cat lovers they are, the only painting involving cats was the one chosen for us all to paint. Jesse and I enjoyed spending time together and getting back in the mood to start our artistic sides back up, since we both used to paint some when we had more time on our hands.

Marco de Marco de Marc, yup, I call him that. Or we call him Banshee when he terrorizes the apartment. But usually we just call him Marco, as sweet and cuddly as he is. He wanted to play in the bag, even though we were trying to empty it, so Marco was picked up and seemed quite alright with it.

With our first 5K behind us, we both know that where we are now is good, but not anywhere's close to where we want to be. So we've been kicking back and forth between low carb and eating clean. Both seem to work for a lot of people, but the more and more Jesse and I kicked the idea around and by the time we got to Barnes & Nobles, we had talked about eating Paleo. The idea is scary for what we are giving up, but exciting with the expected results from the thought of getting where we want to be. We both agreed that we can do this together and not let the other off the hook. Our plan is to get where we want to be and either stay with it or stay with it and introduce minor things like lentils back into the equation for Jesse. Since we had dinner arrangements with my parents and already had a crockpot dinner cooked for Monday & Tuesday, we are starting Paleo on Wednesday, no excuses.

This week's menu:

Monday: Crockpot Spaghetti

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Buffalo & Chicken Kabobs

Thursday: Bacon Wrapped Filets covered with Bleu Cheese

Friday: TBA

Saturday: TBA

Monday Maniac's: Exercise & Cooking up a Storm

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Quesadillas were on the menu for our Monday night dinner date with my parents. Jesse and I typically pick one night of the week when we are out at the gym near my house to share a dinner together with my parents. They are just as adventurous as Jesse when it comes to food, so they are always up to try a new recipe with us. I ended up changing the recipe a little with the types of cheese and going on the healthier side of things.

So before I left to head to campus, I combined the ingredients into the slow cooker and set it on low. When we got back from the gym, it was time to shred the chicken and make the quesadillas. After standing over the stove for all of ten minutes, we all gathered around the table for a delicious dinner. 

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional Facts (per 1 serving):

430g Calories, 19g Fat, 68mg Cholesterol, 934mg Sodium, 0mg Potassium, 44g Carbs, 22g Fiber,

7g Sugars, 42g Protein, 8% Vitamin A, 0% Vitamin C, 40% Calcium, 0% Iron

Ingredients:
10 oz boneless skinless chicken breast (Market Pantry)
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp BBQ sauce (Jack Daniels No. 7 Original)
1/4 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar Cheese - Market Pantry)
8 flour tortillas (80 calorie - Market Pantry)

Steps:

1. Place chicken, 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, and 1/4 cup chicken broth in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

2. When the 5-6 hours is finished, take out the chicken and shred with two forks.

3. Mix shredded chicken with 2 Tbsp of BBQ sauce in a bowl.

4. Place 1 flour tortilla in a skillet with 1/4 cup of cheese on it. Let the cheese start to melt.

5. Add 2 1/2 oz of shredded chicken on top of the melted cheese, also add any other toppings, such as: pineapples, caramelized onions, peppers, etc.

6. Add 1/4 cup of cheese and a second flour tortilla and flip over. Let cook for about 2 minutes roughly.

7. Remove and repeat process for others eating with you.

8. Serve and enjoy.

I mentioned earlier that Jesse and I hit the gym as part of our being Monday Maniac's. Typically on Monday and Wednesday, Jesse and I head out to Snap Fitness for Jesse to go to Zumba while I do cardio and free weights.

Usually everything goes smooth and normal, we both get a great workout and feel refreshed when we leave. Of course that is typically, not this Monday though. I wanted to push myself on the treadmill since Jesse and I are running our first 5K on Saturday, The Color Run. So I knew that the 5K is 3.1 miles roughly. I started with a nice pace of 13:04 for my first mile, which I was excited about since I haven't pushed myself for time in about 2 weeks. My second mile was 13:19 which impressed myself. But for some odd reason I started feeling really horrible, like stomach in knots, overheated, wanted to throw up, etc. So I walked about 4 minutes until I reached the 30 minute mark. I got off the treadmill and grabbed some water, which I thought would help.

So I jumped on the elliptical since its easier on my knees, is less intense for me (odd I know!), and would still get a workout while trying to feel better. After spending 30 minutes on the elliptical, I was toast, done, stick a fork in me and roast me over a fire. I don't know how or by what means but in 65 minutes I burned just over 840 calories. I can honestly say that it was the first night that Jesse left the gym feeling better than me after getting her butt kicked in Zumba.

Hopefully I'll get over whatever had me feeling bad, so that I can keep getting in shape and ready for our 5K on Saturday morning.

Cinco De Mayo? Nope, Just Taco Meatloaf Night

Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf (50% Beef & 50% Turkey)

Makes 8 servings of meatloaf

Nutritional Facts (per 1 serving):

311g Calories, 12g Fat, 129mg Cholesterol, 1042mg Sodium, 16mg Potassium, 17g Carbs, 1g Fiber, 10g Sugars, 31g Protein, 12.8% Vitamin A, 5.5% Vitamin C, 12.5% Calcium, 12.8% Iron

Ingredients:

1 lb. Lean Ground Beef 93/7

1 lb. Lean Ground Turkey Breast

1 cup Salsa

2 Eggs

1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 envelope Taco Seasoning

1 cup Partially Crushed Tortilla Chips

1 cup Ketchup (Reduced Sugar)

3 Tsp. Hot Sauce

4 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

Steps to cook:

1. Mix together ground beef, ground turkey, salsa, eggs, shredded cheese, taco seasoning, partially crushed tortilla chips.

2. Form a loaf-type block of the mixture.

3. Place foil in the bottom of a slow cooker with foil folding over the edges of the pot. Place the meat mixture loaf in the middle of the foil.

4. Cover the pot and cook on high for 3 hours.

5. Mix together ketchup, hot sauce, and brown sugar.

6. Spread the mixture over the top of the meatloaf and cover.

7. Cook for 1 hour on high.

8. Let stand and serve.

Back in the Swing of Living and Eating Healthy!

I must admit that returning to a healthy lifestyle is a good thing, but it definitely takes more effort to get me in the mood to workout right now. I guess that's a downfall of Jesse and I having our birthdays exactly two weeks apart as well as having Easter the following week this year.

Fortunately for Jesse and I, I'm tired of looking in the mirror in disgust and want to do something about it. Granted I have lost a nice chunk of weight, but I know I won't be satisfied until I'm near my goal weight from my earlier years. So with that in mind, I think Jesse is about ready to strangle me at night when I want to work out at 10 pm, if we hadn't worked out earlier. We both agree that it's a good habit to have and we both feel better after we get the workout over.

I can happily say that since Easter Sunday, we've run on the Mississippi River levee, Jesse has gone to Zumba while I was working out at Snap Fitness, and we've been to the gym together with plans for a workout for Friday afternoon and Saturday morning before getting ready to go to an evening wedding.

On Monday night, Jesse and I cooked up some salmon burgers we bought on our trip to Trader Joe's in Houston. Sadly, at the age of 28, it was the first time I had tasted salmon. I actually enjoyed the salmon and didn't find it too fishy. I tend to like fish either thinly sliced and/or fried to cover the fishy taste that some can have. I'm one of those picky eaters that finds thick cuts of fish ruin the flavor. I also cooked up some turkey sausage and hot dogs for an easy grab-on-the-go breakfast.

We recently tried a recipe I found for Taco Meatloaf. Growing up, I loved tacos and liked meatloaf, but when I saw this recipe, I loved the concept. However I was unsure of how the flavors would mix together. Boy, let me tell you, this was delicious!! The flavors from the beef, taco seasoning, salsa, and ketchup all coming together just blended perfectly. It might seem like a stretch when you read those ingredients, but I'll just say to try it and you'll be adding it to your favorites when you finish.

Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf (100% Beef)
Makes 8 servings of meatloaf

Nutritional Facts (per 1 serving):

348g Calories, 16g Fat, 126mg Cholesterol, 861mg Sodium, 16mg Potassium, 23g Carbs, 1g Fiber, 16g Sugars, 29g Protein, 6.2% Vitamin A, 1.5% Vitamin C, 10.5% Calcium, 11% Iron

Ingredients:

2 lb. Lean Ground Beef 93/7

1 cup Salsa

2 Eggs

1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 envelope Taco Seasoning

1 cup Partially Crushed Tortilla Chips

1 cup Ketchup

3 Tsp. Hot Sauce

4 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

Steps to cook:

1. Mix together ground beef, salsa, eggs, shredded cheese, taco seasoning, partially crushed tortilla chips.

2. Form a loaf-type block of the mixture.

3. Place foil in the bottom of a slow cooker with foil folding over the edges of the pot. Place the meat mixture loaf in the middle of the foil.

4. Cover the pot and cook on high for 3 hours.

5. Mix together ketchup, hot sauce, and brown sugar.

6. Spread the mixture over the top of the meatloaf and cover.

7. Cook for 1 hour on high.

8. Let stand and serve.

Stephen's Weekly Recap: A Slice of Heaven

Little did I know that an ordinary Wednesday could help turn this week into an outstanding week, might I even say "A Slice of Heaven?"

Everyone always thinks that it's the major events in a young couple's relationship that helps shape the direction they end up going. I agree to some degree, but my thoughts are that Jesse and I seem to be able to stray away from the major events and let the everyday events shape our relationship.

Valentine's Day was a nice occasion to celebrate, but it shouldn't be just once a year that you give of yourself to your significant other, but often throughout the year.

Sunday
"A Slice of Heaven" comes to mind when I recall the life I've been fortunate to lead ever since Jesse stepped into it. There is a time when people consider their lives to be too fast or just plain ole busy; I felt that way this Sunday after my shift at work. Even though I just wanted to come home from work and relax, Jesse and I chose to go to church almost immediately after I got off. It's nice to know that, despite my coming home from work completely worn out, we both believe in something so heartily that we choose to spend an hour of together in silence for something we value so deeply.

Monday
Jesse had work while I was in class, and then I went to work after class. Luckily for me, Jesse wasn't too far away, volunteering with a local non-profit (Project Purr) at kiosk nearby. Granted it was not the best time at work having customer issues, but Jesse said something to me that made me realize just how happy I am with her: "Even when you are having the worst night at work and are so frustrated that you are angry, you treat me no differently than you have before. You gave me the gentlest hug and sweetest kiss as if nothing were wrong in the world." That made me realize that I treat and act with Jesse like I did when I played sports. When I cross the chalked line and onto the playing field, I block out all the exterior events and noises and only focus on whats going on inside the chalk. 

I surprised Jesse by stopping by after work to see her, even though I had said I needed to relax so I wouldn't take my bad day out on her. My stress relief is typically to cook, so Jesse was shocked when I decided that at 10 P.M., we were going to have a crab boil, minus the crab, but with red potatoes, sausage, garlic, and mushrooms.

Crab Boil Potatoes, Sausage, Mushrooms, and Garlic

Yum!! Sorry the picture is minus the mushrooms.

Yes, I did have a little too much water in the pot,
so we had a mess to clean up. (Jesse, you were correct.)

Recipe:
65.5 oz  Red Potatoes 
(roughly 25 potatoes)
28 oz   Jennie-O Turkey Kielbasa (14 servings)
8 oz (or more) whole button mushrooms
1 head of garlic
5.5 oz  Louisiana Fish Fry Crab & Shrimp Boil

The serving sizes for the following nutrition:
2 oz of Sausage
1 Red Potatoes

Nutrition Per Serving:
Sausage:
Calories: 90, Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 897mg, Carbs: 1g, Fiber: 0g, Sugars: 1g, Protein: 8g

Red Potatoes:
Calories: 10, Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 194.4mg, Carbs: 2.3g, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 0.5g, Protein: 1.4g


Tuesday
Just an ordinary day with school and work for both Jesse and I. After we both got home, I had the brilliant idea of going to Walmart at 9:30 P.M. to buy groceries. I say brilliant considering I hadn't eaten dinner yet, and Jesse ate dinner four hours earlier. Needless to say, we might have been buying groceries with our stomachs rather than our initial "shopping list" plan. Granted we did buy healthy items or ingredients to make healthy dishes, but we also learned to eat dinner before making a grocery run.

I think there are some things people dread doing, and grocery shopping is typically one of those things. As I said earlier, it's the little things that shape a relationship....even going grocery shopping is enjoyable for Jesse and I to do together.

Wednesday
Not only did I get a nice stretch in at the gym before class, but after class when I got back to Baton Rouge, Jesse and I enjoyed a nice jog around the LSU lakes at sunset. We both built up a nice sweat in the cold, but if the frigid (Yes, I said frigid.... we are from Louisiana and frigid is anything below 60 degrees) wind can help you lose weight, we should have lost an additional 10 lbs each.

Taken at the 2 mile mark of our 4 mile run!
Having a great jog in the winter night.

After our run we met up with my parents for dinner since they hadn't seen Jesse in a little while, nor myself all that much. Unfortunately, we all have such busy schedules that even though we live in the same city, we only get together for dinner once every week or two, if we are lucky.

We all enjoyed Zippy's in Baton Rouge, LA. The easiest way to describe Zippy's is a mom-and-pop Subway for Mexican food. How healthy was it you might ask? Probably not that great, but we tried to make good choices. Jesse had a veggie burrito, minus the flour tortilla. So basically she had a bowl of veggies (grilled onions, bell peppers, mushroom, black beans, corn, salsa, and a little rice. No cheese or sour cream; she's going dairy-free for Lent). I can honestly say she eats less meat than I do vegetables, haha. I, on the other hand, had ground beef soft tacos (ground beef, cheese, and salsa). Soft tacos homemade tend to be healthier, so I am content with the decision versus getting a quesadilla or a chimichanga.

What better way to end the night?? No other way except to stop in at Whole Foods for some fresh fruit and coconut yogurt (for Jesse's dairy free life) to prep for our first try at protein pancakes. Yes, we are taking part in National Pancake Week. (I think IHOP invented it for a promotion, haha)

AND... my parents texted me on the way to Whole Foods just to say how much they enjoy having Jesse as a part of my life. I mean, how nice is it to have family that enjoys spending time with their children's significant others?? I always hear horror stories about in-laws from all my married friends.

Thursday
We had a pretty standard day as usual with both of us at school during the day. The great thing about it was that I was off from work for the second night in a row, so I could spend some time with my sweetheart.

When I first got to Jesse's, we left out and stopped at Whole Foods for some Almond Milk. Jesse ran in while I was on the phone with my mother. My mom had been up at the hospital earlier in the day for a relative's injury, which spurred her to think of me and Jesse. A relative had been in the gym and apparently brushed up against a machine and had a cut which got infected over 2-3 weeks time. While my mother was at the hospital, the doctor was telling the relatives that it is actually a common thing for people who typically go to the gym to get an infection such as this. The doctor stated that if the infection gets down into the bone, then the leg or arm has to be cut open to clean all the infection out, with the worst case scenario being amputation. So after my mom heard this, Jesse and I received a phone call warning us about wiping down all the equipment before and after use and to wear pants and clothing that covered bare skin to help prevent cuts that could be infected.

While I finished the conversation with my mom, we drove over to the local animal vet office to pick up Marco (the foster cat) from being neutered. Fortunately for us there were no issues, unlike the young girl behind us in line. As we are waiting for Marco to be brought from the back of the office, the lady behind the counter asks the young girl if she needed help. The young girl steps forward and responds, "I'm not sure if I spoke to you on the phone, but I called about this earlier. I brought my dog in here back in April 2012 to be neutered, well..... he's still got his testicles. I know he has one for sure, I've seen it hanging." The look on most of people around the counter was priceless, and almost immediately and involuntarily I say, "Well this just turned rather awkward for him." Needless to say, we grabbed Marco and ran for the car, hoping they took care of him correctly.

After we got home from picking up Marco, we moved some furniture around in the living room so that we could do a core body circuit.

Core Body Circuit:

• Wall Sit
• Lunges
• Squats
• Planks
• Sit-Ups
• Push-Ups
• Leg Raises
• Bicep Curls
• Chest Expander
• Superman's

Each exercise was 1 minute, with a 15 second rest in between each rotation. We ended up completing 2 rounds of the circuit before we were worn out and starving.

Next up on the agenda was our first try at protein pancakes, which were delicious might I add. We finished up eating dinner and watching The Biggest Loser episode from Monday on the DVR.

Question: You've seen the type of week we've had, what kind of week would be your "Slice of Heaven?" 

Celebrating National Food Holidays

I was reading this post at Life's a Bowl when I learned that it's National Pancake Week! I mentioned this in yesterday's post, but today Stephen and I finally made the protein pancakes we've been planning to make for weeks.

PB2 Banana Protein Pancakes:

Ingredients:
1/2 c oats
1/2 c egg whites
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (we used Jillian Michael's Vanilla Creme Shake)
1 mashed banana
2 tbsp PB2 powder
splash unsweetened almond milk

These were amazing! Nice and fluffy (I read that sometimes protein pancakes are anything but), topped with 100% pure organic maple syrup and and fresh fruit (blackberries and strawberries for me, blackberries and blueberries for Stephen. We are slightly obsessed with berries at the moment).

In case you're curious, I also firmly believe that National Pancake Week calls for these Salted Caramel Pancakes (also from Life's a Bowl). If only I had the sugar-free salted caramel Torani syrup...

Today is also National Cook a Sweet Potato Day. Stephen and I are obsessed with roasted chipotle powder sweet potatoes, so cooking a sweet potato was not. a. problem!

Prepping sweet potatoes and having an appetizer.
We were hungry post-workout!

Well, not a problem until I burned them! My mom called, so I got distracted :/ 

Good thing it's National Cook a Sweet Potato Day,
not National Eat a Sweet Potato Day!

Since we're on the topic of national food holidays, Stephen's birthday is National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day. He's stoked! Me? I'm kinda meh. Definitely feeling National Pancake Week and National Cook a Sweet Potato Day instead.

I don't have a national food day on my birthday, March 10. Should we make one? How about National Mushroom Day? National Biscoff Spread Day? What does it say about me that these are the two days I  choose for my birthday-meets-national-food-holiday day? 

I had way to much fun reading Allison's post. Clearly.

Question: What's your favorite food holiday? Is there one on your birthday?

Nope. Nap.

Did you know? It's National Pancake Week!

[Source]

Stephen and I fully intended to celebrate tonight with our very first attempt at protein pancakes. We've planned to make them for weeks, but life always gets in the way.

Like today. Instead of pancakes, we are going to grab dinner with Stephen's parents. I'd say that's an okay reason to skip pancakes, right?

Before dinner, Stephen and  I have a run planned around the LSU lakes, but Stephen still went to the gym on his own this morning.

I received his MapMyRun push notification, which spurred this conversation:

It's been one of those days.

Question: What's your favorite pancake? Since we're newbs at protein pancakes (okay, pancakes in general aside from Bisquick), we need tips!

Meet the Parents

Jesse's side of the story:

So Stephen and I had a pretty important moment in our new relationship yesterday: he met my parents.

We were both nervous. I was worried he wouldn't like my parents. He was more nervous than I was, though. Let me explain. My dad is 6'8 and drives a Harley (he also teaches second grade, so you can get the badass biker image out of your head now ;). I'm an only child. Understandable nerves? I think so.

Stephen and I are both incredibly fortunate that we are both so close to our parents, so the stakes are pretty high when meeting them. I've met his parents a few time (they live in the same town we are currently in), but my parents live about two and a half hours north of us, so it's obviously not as convenient to spend time with my parents as it is to spend time with his. Because we all have a four-day weekend (Happy Mardi Gras!), my parents decided to drive down for the day (because they missed me, obviously).

My parents came to my apartment where they met Stephen for the first time. Then we all went to Jason's Deli for lunch. In case you're curious, I had the salad bar and chili; Stephen had some kind of sandwich he didn't like. Obviously, we finished lunch with ice cream (if you don't know, you get free ice cream at Jason's Deli!).

We'll get better at this whole "we are bloggers and need to take pictures of things" thing.

All in all, things went really well. My parents like Stephen. In fact, they say he seems to be the best guy I've dated so far (they actually said that I improve with every boyfriend), so that's always nice to hear. I guess I can keep him, right?

Stephen's side of the story:

So yesterday was the most nerve wracking day in a while for me.... D-Day, the day I met Jesse's parents for the first time. As the time passed and it got closer to meeting them, I started feeling like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. I decided to try and psych myself out by playing it as cool as an Eskimo selling Popsicles on a cool winter night. That thought lasted about all of 0.25 seconds when I saw Jesse's parents step out the pickup truck.

The first thought that ran through my head, no lie, was that this would be David vs. Goliath. So the typical David in the story is tiny; well, at 6'1, 250 lb., I'm no small David, but Goliath had me topped at 6'8 easy, and I had a crick in my neck after looking up at him all day. But instead of slaying Goliath, I just needed to befriend him as a formidable opponent. This challenge was due to the fact he is a key piece in Jesse's life.

Good thing for me that Goliath was a jolly fellow who did not care to slay the young David, but rather get to know one another. I knew things would be ok when discussing where to eat lunch and his first words were, "Anything but sushi."

*Alleluia*

Things were looking up: the discussion was flowing back and forth with Jesse's parents and lunch at Jason's Deli was good. As Jesse said above, my food wasn't the absolute best, but it was still good. Unlike Jesse, I passed up the salad bar and decided to go with a create your own sandwich. I decided to roll with a ham sandwich on herb foccacia bun with provolone cheese. Since the bread wasn't toasted, the ham was cold. (*enter disappointment*)

After enjoying laughs over lunch with Jesse's parents, we came back to her apartment to visit a little longer before I had to rush off to work. I enjoyed getting to know two individuals who raised such a beautiful and wonderful daughter, inside and out. They reaffirmed in me what I want in life, and that's to have happiness like theirs and my parents, but with Jesse by my side.

As I left, I had a good feeling about the day; the bear hug I received from momma bear helped reaffirm in my mind that I must have passed the first test. One hurdle jumped, but its a marathon of hurdles to jump get to our final destination together.

Meet & Greet: Jesse and Stephen... And Lizzie!

Who are we? We are a young couple who fell for each other and the values instilled in each of us...

We decided to make healthful eating and regular exercise a part of our relationship from day one. Jesse takes the reins in the kitchen (though Stephen can certainly hold his own! Just ask about his Turkey/Buffalo burgers... delish!). Stephen is the brains behind the fitness side of things (though Jesse... well, she's pretty clueless. But she tries!). We keep things fresh not only in the kitchen but also with our workouts by changing it up and not sticking to the typical gym day-in-and-day-out routine. And how could we forget our cuddly cat, Lizzie, who one minute is snuggling next to us and the next minute swatting Stephen's hand away... typical cat.

Travel is important to both of us, but Stephen has the schemes to get us where we're going. He came up with an incentive-based workout program which helps pay for our travel, either partially or completely (depending on the trip). The days we both workout, either together or separately, we pay the other person's mileage walked/jogged/biked. The days we don't workout, or one of the two of us doesn't, nothing gets paid towards our travel. Simple incentives, but great rewards: $1 per mile, if 2.51 miles, we pay $3. If 2.41 miles, we pay $2.

Neither of us is particularly happy with our current weights, though the pounds are being shed! This blog is a chance for us to share our weight-loss journeys, our kitchen successes and disasters (trust us, not everything is delish! Stephen is still recovering from Jesse's Spaghetti Squash au Gratin.), as well as our dating adventures.