What's For Breakfast?

How are those New Year's Resolutions going?  I started back to the gym this week after a very long hiatus in hopes that the N.Y R. people would have thinned out.  I know that's mean, but I don't like to work out in a crowded gym and I was surprised to see it was still crowded.  It's good to know there are still some dedicated people out there, but I have some issues that I need to vent.  Just a couple pet peeves of mine about gym etiquette.  The first one is mostly a problem with the ladies.  When you're at the gym, please get off the machine to have your conversation with your long lost friend.  You are wasting both our time. Some of us want to quickly work out and get out of there. 

source

 Now for all you big muscly men, none of you probably read my blog , but if you do, your mommy isn't at the gym to clean up after you.  Wipe down the machine after you've sweat all over it and re-rack your weights. 

Now I remember why I stopped going to the gym.

I have come to the conclusion that I don't play nice with others when I'm on a mission to workout, so for the good of all parties concerned, I will only go when it's not crowded.

Thank you, I'm done ranting, I feel better now. 

Back to the post.

 If one of your N.Y.R's was to eat a healthier breakfast this post is one you might be interested in.  My husband and I have a green smoothie around 6:00 AM to get the day started. Around 10:00 ish I have a late morning snack and this is one of my favorites.  

 I make it on Sunday evening and eat it for the week. 

It's basically a quiche without the crust. 

I start with a dozen eggs. 

 If you have cholesterol issues you can use an egg substitute like Egg Beaters. 

Beat the eggs.

I add whatever veggies I have available.  Cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, onions, mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, peppers, spinach, tomatoes, etc. all work great.

Today I'm using some left over broccoli.

About a cup, sorry I don't measure much.  It's one of the reasons I'm a terrible baker.

I had a leftover spinach salad, so that got tossed in too.  The salad had onion, tomatoes, and a little goat cheese in it.  Add everything to a greased casserole dish.

Pour in the beaten eggs and add salt and pepper.

You can also add a little of your favorite cheese and some Tabasco sauce for a kick in the taste buds.

Bake at 325- 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the center is thoroughly cooked.  You can test if it's done by sticking the center with a tooth pick to make sure it's firm not gooey. 

Slice off a square and garnish with some fresh avocados and /or salsa. 

I was out of salsa for the picture. This is a great meal if you are too busy to make breakfast in the morning.  Just take a slice with you on your way out the door to work.  Heat it up later and it makes a great breakfast or mid morning snack.  The protein from the eggs and the fiber from the veggies keep me full, energized, and satisfied. 

 Hope all you are going strong on those N.Y.R's. 
If you see me at the gym, run the other way.

Thanks for checking it out.

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My Secrete Weapon

In the Gym

Hope you had a great weekend.  I spent it in Anaheim in the Convention Center coaching volleyball at the Junior Olympic Qualifier.
Here is my team. They're an under 12 year old team and this is their first year together.  The man on the left taking a picture of the parents is my friend and head coach Nick Fotias.  Our team finished second in San Diego County and sixteenth over all in Southern California.  Being a new team, this is an amazing accomplishment.  All of the higher ranking teams come from established veteran programs.  I am very proud of them! 

 Casey's team went too, so I got to see her briefly throughout the weekend.

It's so rewarding to work with these wonderful girls and watch them grow and develop into exceptional young ladies on and off the court. 

They aren't just learning the game of volleyball, they're learning life lessons.  Their character is being challenged in only ways that playing on a team can do.  They are learning patience, how to win with grace, how to loss with grace, how to achieve goals, how to handle failure, how to work as a team, and how to have fun!

The pay is little, but the rewards are priceless.

Hope you spent the weekend doing something you love!

Thanks for checking it out.

Cedar Creek Falls

I'm a born and raised San Diego native.  I've heard about the big water fall in Ramona, but I've never gone to see it.  Well this Sunday we finally went.  If you haven't done this hike and you live in San Diego, you're missing out.  I have since talked to many S.D. natives that haven't done this hike either.

This is what you will see.

A 90 foot water Fall

The pool of water at the bottom is referred to as "Devil's Punchbowl"
There is an amazing amount of water coming off of this fall this time of year.

Here is a picture I found of the falls in the summer.

Not quite as impressive. 

For driving directions click here

It's about an hour drive from our house.  The walking part of the trip takes between two and a half to three hours.  Don't start to late in the day.  You don't want to be down in the canyon in the dark.

The start of the hike is at the top of a residential neighborhood. 
It's a little over a 4 mile hike.

What To Bring.

Lot's of water, we wore camel backs.

snacks and/or lunch. (no trash cans, so you will need to pack out your trash)

Good walking shoes

hat

sunscreen

glasses

flip flops or water shoes for the stream crossings (3 of them)

bathing suit

towel

jacket if cold

camera

cell phone doesn't work at the bottom of the hike.

Big dog if you have one.  There were lots of labs and other sturdy dog types on the hike.  Leave your lap dog at home, it's too hard for them.

We have had so much rain this winter that the hills are very green right now.

Here is the view from the beginning of the hike.

Park on the street.

New bathrooms are being completed.  They will be open April 30th. 

There aren't any bathrooms on the hike so plan ahead.
Guys are so lucky.

Casey had a sleepover (more like an awakeover) the night before so she stayed home to catch up on her Z's.
My husband and Cami took the lead while I played with the camera.  Cami regretted wearing jeans. 

The view is incredible.  This is a doable but steep hike.  A lot of switchbacks going down and very steep coming back up. The youngest child I saw on this hike was around 5 and his dad was carrying him up the hill.  I would leave the little guys at home the first time you do this. 

The path is well maintained.

"The hills are alive with the sound of music."

What's that noise?

You need to watch for rattlesnakes.  They are out this time of year.

The Yucca was in full bloom. 

This plant is also referred to as "Nature's Candelabra."

Thank you winter rain.

Lot's of wild flowers.  They will all be dried up soon when the heat comes.

It gets VERY hot here in summer.  Do this hike in the spring or fall.

When you come to the fork in the path, go to the right.

I hear water running?  When you get to the bottom of the valley you are almost half done. 

Continue East to see the water fall.

Trees grow by the river bank, we're getting close.

We passed a beautiful grass meadow.

First stream crossing. 

Next time I will bring my water shoes and change out of my hiking shoes at this point.

Continue on East past the two polls.

We're going the right way.

Second stream crossing.  Off with the socks and shoes again. 

Watch where you sit.  There were a lot of Fire Ants.

One more crossing.  Socks and shoes off again.  The water felt delicious.

First glimpse of the waterfall through the trees.  We could hear it before we saw it.

Wow!

Next time we will bring our suits.

Check out the cave.

Here is the top.

 You can even jump off into the pool below.

 OK back up the mountain.  Back over the three streams, shoes off, on, off, on, off, on. 

Cami took a break in a mini tractor.

 Did I tell you about the rattlesnakes?  We had a visitor on the trail. 

 He was just passing by, all four feet of him.

 We will definitely do this hike again!  Casey will have to come next time.

Thanks for checking it out.

Update 7/26/2011

A couple months after I posted this a young man fell to his death from the top of the waterfall.  Cedar Creek Falls is now closed indefinitely.  Please check to see if it's open before you make the trek out there.  If it is open, please be CAREFUL!  We did not climb, or recommend you climb, to the top of the falls, we just admired them from the bottom.

BE SAFE!

Drink Up!

With so many of us re-focusing on our health after the Holidays, one of the best things we can do for our bodies is drink enough water. We have all heard "drink 6-8, 8 oz. glasses of water a day," but for many of us that doesn't begin to meet even half of our daily water requirements.

Maybe you are walking around in chronic dehydration? Are you tired, is your skin dry, do your joints ache, do you get headaches, are you having trouble losing those few extra pounds you put on over the Holidays?

You might be dehydrated?
Did you know you have a 20% higher chance of sustaining an injury during exercise when you are dehydrated?

A better gage for daily water requirements is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water. More if you exercise. (not all at once).

I found a great website to calculate your exact water needs, it factors in your climate, exercise times, and other factors to give you a daily water intake goal. To find out how much you should be drinking click Here.

I love these 24 oz. Contigo autoseal BPA free water bottles. I strive to drink at least three of these water bottles every day, four when I do a hard workout. I carry one of these pretty much wherever I go and sip water throughout the day. I bought the three pack at Costco several years ago for under $20. They are easy to use (just squeeze the top around the neck), they never leak, I can measure how much water I drink, the kids love them, they're hard to break (we have managed to crack them on the tile floor). I can't find them on the Costco website, but I just bought another 3 pack right before Christmas, so I think they still have them?
As always, consult with your doctor if you have a preexisting health condition. If you aren't a huge water drinker, it's a little difficult at first to adjust to this much water intake. You might want to start on a day when you have easy bathroom access. Don't worry your body will adjust quickly.

Happy Sloshing!