Gettin' Jiggy Wit It

I haven't been experimenting with food lately, but I have picked up a new fitness hobby. DANCE! I took a lot of dance classes as a kid and I never knew just how much I missed it until wonderful husband got me a gift card to the Civic Ballet.

Over the past year or two, I've been collecting different dance shoes and randomly surprising my husband with impromptu dance workouts. For example...

• Kevin was working on the computer one evening after work, when I decided to break out the ballet shoes and some 90s music. The scene reminded me a lot of that Garrison family video of the Christmas Carol, where the Garrison trio were eloquently playing their roles a la the Mickey Mouse version. There's a couple of shots of Glenn reading the news paper totally ignoring the spectacle. Well, Kevin was Glenn and I was the trio. We're goofballs!

Anyway, I guess I finally drove him crazy enough that he wants me out of the house when I'm dancing. Ha! Not really, but it makes for a good story.

Speaking of story, let me get back to it. Locally they offer hour-long "community classes" for people who are not in training and just want to have a good workout. So far I've taken a Broadway dance class where we learn the dance steps to a Broadway musical each week. Lots of spirit fingers! Several of the people in that class were in their 30-40. I even went out to eat with several of the ladies after class. They were all, "what are you 20," and I'm like "no, closer to 30."  That made me feel good. They talked a lot about their kids, but it was fun! I did borrow my knowledge from my visits with my new nephew. Came in handy, Kayla and Terrell! Sorry for using your son!

Two nights ago I took their modern dance class, which is a mixture of Jazz and Ballet. I liked it even more than the Broadway dance class because the dance moves weren't as corny, but more fluid, and the other students were more my age with similar backgrounds. One of the girls graduated with a minor in dance while in college. I was in really good company! And the language of dance is coming back too (slowly, very slowly).

In terms of a workout, it's pretty good. Nothing can come close to running as a high impact sport, but dance can be pretty intense. Mainly a lot of controlled, anaerobic muscle movements coupled with periods of aerobics. I actually feel more fit now in these classes than I did when I was a kid because I've got more power. When we were doing several jumps the instructor commented on my "air time." So cool! Then in the same sentence she reminded me to point my toes while jazz walking. Darn!

I think there's no doubt the strength I'm feeling is from the running. I wish I had developed a love for the run at a lot earlier age. But that's okay! There's no pressure now to memorize, practice, practice, improve, and move to the next level. Now it's just DANCE! Fun dance. Plus it's really motivating me to stay fit now that we've regained our sanity and are not training for a marathon.

After the dance workouts I'm so pumped that I get home and have to show off the routine to my husband and sometimes I have to ride the bike so that I can get out all that excitement and energy. So I think I'm still driving Kevin crazy, but now I can say that I'm not nuts and that "other people are doing it tooooo!!!"

Thanks Mom and Dad for encouraging me to dance!

Spring Fever and Peachy Chicken

I've been on a hiatus. Sorry! But it's spring time and my husband and I have been spending a lot of time outside and not by a computer. To make up for it, I have a peachy keen recipe to go with the lovely weather and a picture montage of our outdoor work!

Peachy Chicken

6  skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 oven safe pan (at least 1-2 inches thick)

2 cups of orange juice

1-2 cans of sliced peaches (in 100% juice)

salt and pepper to taste

aluminum foil or oven-safe lid

Place chicken evenly spread apart in pan. Add orange juice and sliced peaches (the tops of the chicken should not be completely covered in juice). Add salt and pepper to chicken. Cover with aluminum foil or lid and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

microwave recipe

Use a microwave safe dish and vented lid to cook chicken with salt and pepper (15-20 minutes). Add 1 can of peaches during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Orange juice is optional.

Picture Montage

Here's a bush that we planted in the back yard between the two windows of our master bedroom. It's a Hawthorn bush that has white blooms in the spring. Should get pretty tall and wide.

Here's a better view of where we planted the Hawthorn (attempt number one). It's also a great picture of the dog who dug it up 24 hours later. She also kicked half of the mulch into the grass. Glad we started with one plant and not two.

Great picture of our retaliation efforts (attempt number two). We built up the stones around the bed so that if digging occurs, it all stays inside. That's wire used to keep out rabbits (Kaiya's an awfully big rabbit) and wooden stakes for support. And we have a success now. A new Hawthorn (with pink blooms) is now planted in the center of this new fandangled contraption. It's been over 5 days now and everything still looks pretty good.

Here's the front/side yard landscaping attempt number one. We've planted a new Oleander bush up front since the old one died a horrible death. Then side by side, we've planted three grape vines! Two are red grapes and one is white. They're all seeded, but should be tasty just the same. We also installed another hose and covered up our sorry looking air conditioner. Currently the grapes are doing great (they've already grown a couple of inches) and have another successful yard project accomplished. Yeah us! \

Doesn't seem like much, but that's about two weeks worth of planning a construction. Lots of trips to Lowes and Wal-Mart.

Gluten-Free, Cow Milk-Free, Soy Free Beef Stir Fry, on YouTube!

Ingredients:

1 pound of beef

2 medium onions

1/2 large can of green chillies

1 cup frozen green beans

1/2 can of mung bean sprouts

1 cup frozen peas

1 large sweet potato

dried minced garlic

fresh chopped ginger

caraway seed



Instructions:

See my video! Or visit my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.allergic2sitting/ .