Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Good Morning and Happy Saturday to you all!

I have to say yesterday was one of the best days off I’ve had in a while! It was a GORGEOUS day out in Maryland. Upper 70’s, sun shining, blue sky, light breeze.

After coffee, blogging, and a blueberry pancake protein fluff

Phoebe and I headed to DiPeppes new home!

The neighborhood was adorable. As I was driving through, the large trees were shading the pavement, making it the perfect place to walk on a nice day. DiPeppe and Greg you guys are going to be so happy there! So proud of the newlyweds.

Please enjoy my day with me 🙂

At first Phoebe was a little uncertain. She was in a new place, but she quickly felt comfortable in her surroundings and just jumped around and played on the deck. We decided to take her in the yard and she just had a ball! Check out how gorgeous their yard is.

We were laughing at Phoebe running around. She’s not used to a yard this big. She was a curious little thing too and sniffed around and checked out everything.

We took some great pics too!

Then Phoebe and I played around on the swing. We felt like little kids!

We had such a fabulous time and cannot wait to go back again.

When we left, we hit the road to G-Mama and Pop Pops. After catching up, I headed to the gym for leg day! I started with 30 minutes on the stairs. Then hit a hard core leg session. I used the aerobics studio to do some crazy walking lunges.

• Walking lunges across gym floor with 35 lb bar on shoulders. 16 walking lunges alternating without a stop in between steps (large continuous steps) x 3 reps. 
• Plie squats with 35 lb bar, 12 reps with 8 pulses at the end, x 3 sets
• Walking lunges across gym floor unweighted. This time longer strides and deeper lunge! 16 alternating x 3 sets
• Deep squats unweighted 12 reps x 3 sets
• Burpees, 10 reps x 2 sets

I know I am going to be so sore from these lunges! Not used to doing those.

Then I hit a little bit of kickboxing style kicks

• Alternating front kicks with squats in between each kick, 12 alternating x 2 sets
• Alternating back kicks with squats in between each kick, 12 alternating x 2 sets
• Alternating side kicks with squats in between each kick, 16 alternating x 2 sets
• Roundhouse kicks, 16 reps each side x 2 sets

I hit another quick cardio session for 12 minutes, then more legs!

• Leg extensions, 90-100 lbs, 10-12 reps x 4 sets 
• Yes I was doing 100lbs and the guy next to me was doing 70. SCORE! 
• Calf raises, 80-90 lbs, 10-12 reps x 4 sets
• Regular squats with 40 lb bar, 8 reps x 3 sets
• Glute Bridges with 25 lb plate on abs, 12 reps x 4 sets with 8 sets of pulses
• Glute kickbacks (machine), 40-45 lbs, 10 reps x 3 sets each leg

I did lots of long stretching for my legs. They needed it!

Then I headed to GNC to pick up some more Quest Bars. These HUGE boxes (12 in a box) only cost me $16.95 a piece! WHAT!? Crazy! Quest Bars are so pricey, and online with a gold card (membership) you can get them for 22. I don’t know if they had some special deal or the guy rang it up wrong but hey I didn’t ask questions. I scored a box of cookie dough and coconut cashew. My faves.

At home I looked in my fridge and thought wow I have nothing. I have plenty of proteins but nothing thawed so I made it work with stuff I had. I ended up throwing together a great shrimp dish (shrimp takes no time at all to thaw and I just popped it in the oven). I also threw into the oven leftover sweet peppers and zucchini, scrounged up some quinoa blend mix, and sliced up an avocado! Sprinkled on some fiesta seasoning and wow what a dish!

This was so filling and so delightful. It was perfect after the gym. Loved the avocado in it. I think I will make more tomorrow to be lunches for the week.

Spent the remainder of my night watching tv, blogging, and looking at the boxes I need to pack… yeah I know I need to get going!

Have a wonderful Saturday. Enjoy 🙂

XOXO With a Cherry On Top,

-Minnie