Week 8: session 3, Valentines Day Cupcakes & John Mayer OH MY!!

Sorry this will be a LONG post since I'm combining 2 days worth.
BUT we have some sick kiddies around here this weekend so there was NO Running on Saturday.
There was some coughing and some throwing up and a whole lot of fever. 
There was also a lot of whining, because that's what you do when they aren't feeling well and it's absolutely ok to do that when you are sick.
There was also no date night for Mommy and Daddy on Saturday, it will need to be reschedule at some point in time.


We did manage to make some Valentines Day Cupcakes on Saturday, not exactly healthy food but these are filled with LOVE and were made with tender loving care. 

Valentines Day Cupcakes 
adapted from “Easy Yellow Cupcakes” (from The Artful Cupcake, by Marcianne Miller)

• 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degreesF and prepare the muffin pans with nonstick spray and flour or paper cups.  (I used a mini cupcake pan and lined with Mini paper cups)
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly blended.
3. Whisk together the oil and milk and add to the dry ingredients.  Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again for 2 minutes on medium.
5. Pour the batter into the pans, filling at least halfway.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cakes test done. (My mini cupcakes took 10 minutes.)
6. Remove the pans and turn out the cupcakes onto a wire rack to cool.

Yields 24 cupcakes (I got 24 mini bite-sized cupcakes & 6 regular cupcakes) The Kids really love the mini bite-size cupcakes as do the adults.


CLASSIC BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

• 6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar (I think I might have only used about 1 1/2 cups) 
• 2 tablespoons milk

1. Place the softened butter in a large bowl.
2. Gradually add the sugar by sifting a small amount over the butter and stirring to incorporate.  Continue until all the sugar is blended in. (What I like to do is as 1Tablespoon at the time until I find it has the right consistency, plus we don't like our icing super sweet) 
3. Beat hard with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until the icing is pale and fluffy.
4. Beat in the milk until smooth.

I like to use a Wilton 1M tip and make a swirl on top... we also sprinkled some Red Sugar on top.

On Sunday I was finally able to get my run in.

on the treadmill
5 minute warm up
Run for 5minutes and walk for 1minutes (repeat 9 times/54minutes)
5 minute cool down
6.5km in 64minutes
It was an OK run today. I haven't been getting much sleep and my eating has been a little off. I also need to start paying better attention to what I eat before my run. I stole a couple of fries from the kids plates and I could totally feel them during my run, it was disgusting!! !!  

I will try to run again today ... this will be Week 9 which means run 7mins walk 2 !! YIKES. My Girlfriend Robyn has been bugging me to sign up for a race but I just can't picture myself running a race. That's just crazy talk, me running a race!! 

Sunday night I ended up going out with my Girlfriends Ana, Tania & Claudia to a John Mayer Concert. We had such a great time, this was our second time seeing John Mayer and he is amazing in concert. I have to agree with Brittany  JM probably does have more guitars then God, every song he would switch to new one and they all looked the same to me, but I'm sure there must be a reason.

I don't pay attention to what is being said in the Tabloids about artist these days. I think people are people and everyone makes mistakes. Tabloids and newspapers seldom write about the good in people; I guess it’s not what the world wants to hear.  But John Mayer is more than what you see on TV or what your read about in magazines. Last night he shared with us a Valentines heart that this little boy Isaac gave him, it was truly the sweetest thing I have seen in a while. Isaac is 5 years old and has MPS VI  a rare, progressive disease caused by an enzyme deficiency, you can read more about his story here The Isaac Foundation. As a Mom I can't even imagine what it would be like, it just breaks my heart.

My question for you today is;

What's your go to pre workout snack?