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Three Question Favorites and Sweatin’ and Gettin Muscles

If you haven’t done so yet, don’t forget to enter my Swiffer giveaway here!

Today was an exhausting twelve hour work day. I had an 8am meeting which meant that by the time I turned the computer off this evening and left the office I’d been hard at it for over twelve hours. Today was a meeting filled day which meant I was constantly moving from room to room and changing topics. While I love being part of a dynamic team and collaborating, sometimes the meetings mean it’s 5pm by the time I’m able to start attacking my own to do list.
Therefore, tonight consists of Grey’s Anatomy, sushi, and lots of this…

Three Question Thursday!
I really enjoy learning about bloggers and readers! Therefore, i’m going to try and get better about participating in Iowa Girl’s Three Question Thursdays! Feel free to answer these in the comments section so I can get to know you  better!
Three Question Thursday time – favorite’s edition!
1. What’s your favorite tool/gadget in your kitchen?
2. What’s your favorite candy?
3. What’s your favorite color AND your favorite color to wear?
My answers!
1. My favorite kitchen gadget/tool is our Epicurean cutting board. I was introduced to this brand when I took cooking classes at the Viking Culinary School in Philadelphia.  It is reversible, dishwasher safe, has a groove that catches juices, and is highly durable!
Epicurean Cutting Board with Well
2. I love anything chewy and fruity like Twizzlers, Swedish Fish, or gummy worms. In fact, Meg and I used to use these as our “brain food” when we were studying for finals at the AOPi house in college! Luckily I substitute raw carrots, celery, and other crunchy goodness as brain candy these days.

3. My favorite color is coral or teal. Both colors look wonderful with my complexion and perk me right up! I love wearing navy and yellow this season.
Sweatin’ and Gettin Muscles
My favorite Georgia blogger, Gina, has done it again! She is a great inspiration everyday and serves as a health and fitness role model. She is not only proof that lifting weight won’t bulk you up like Hulk but she also balances the stresses of base/service wife with great workouts, recipes, and more! Earlier this week she posted her second Iron Pumping Plan to help her readers discover new muscles just in time for summer. I always do better with a plan and some discipline. Gina’s plan is perfect for that and exactly what I needed and wanted right now. I’ve completed this two days so far (Monday and Tuesday) and have loved it. It is the perfect mix and short enough that I still have time to add in bursts of cardio to keep the sweat dripping! Here is a taste of the workout that I did on Monday and Tuesday:
Monday:
Overhead press with twist
Bent-over row and kickback
Saxon Side Bend
Bench Push Up
Plie Squat with inner thigh squeeze (place a larger stability ball in between your heels; as you squat down, touch your booty to the ball before standing back up. As you stand up, using your inner thigh muscles, squeeze the stability ball)
Hanging Leg Raises
Tuesday:
Sumo Deadlift
Side squat and leg raise
Dumbbell hammer curls
Supine Tricep extension
Pilates double leg stretch
Ultimate toe touch
Seated row
Lateral to front raises (bring the weights up to your sides (lateral raise) –making your body a capital “T”- then continue to bring the weights forward from the “T” position, so that your arms are extended straight in front of you, with the weights at the same level as your chest. Bring the weights down and repeat)
Between each set I did a 2 minute sprint on the treadmill at 8.0 MPH to keep my heartbeat up. I highly suggest clicking on the links that Gina set up before you head to the gym so you can master the proper form in order to decrease injury risk. I had NO clue what the Saxon side bend was or the pilates double stretch was until I clicked these links.
If you want to learn more about her great workouts head on over to her site and give it a try. Just seeing her great attitude will be inspiration enough to get you lifting weights the next day.  

**NYC area readers and bloggers*** Leave a comment if you’re interested in a May weeknight potluck. I’m itching to host something in our new apartment.

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ashleyd /

Three questions Thursday and a giveaway

Wahoo! It’s Thursday evening which means I get to entertain my old friend, Charlene, tonight for our favorite shiritaki italian dinner, tomorrow is Friday, and then Bo and I head up to my family’s place in Manchester Center, VT! I’m so excited to see my family! But, Thursday also means it’s Three Questions Thursday! Here they are, straight from good ol’ Iowa Girl. Similar to Iowa Girl and the other bloggers out there, I love learning about my readers, especially the lurkers. According to my most recent blog data, i’m getting around 75-100 visits a day so i’d love to get to know everyone!
  1. Do you have any summer vacation plans you’re excited about? So far we have two trips up to my family’s place in Vermont, one trip down to Savannah, my bachelorette party down at the shore, and then enjoying everything this amazing city has to offer in the summer. I have summer hours in my new job which means I get off at noon on Fridays! I am hoping to catch some matinee shows and events with friends!
  2. Would you rather live in a place with seasons, or somewhere that’s warm or cold (if you’re into that!) all year round? I absolutely love seasons! I grew up in Savannah, Georgia where you had HOT and cool. There was no in between and we only saw snow 2 times the first 18 years of my life.
  3. Is your car clean or messy? My car used to be pretty messy at times because I would live out of it when I was living between NYC and Philadelphia. But, I am not a messy person by nature and it drove Bo absolutely crazy!

GIVEAWAY

As promised guys, we have a fabulous and tasty giveaway this week! The amazing folks over at Sonny and Joes want everyone to have the opportunity to try their products. Therefore, they are offering up TWO of their wonderful sampler packs to lucky winners! You can see our review of their products here, but needless to say we have loved every flavor we’ve tried so far and will definitely be buying them again soon!

Two lucky readers will win a sampler pack from Sonny and Joes including 6 different flavors of hummus!
How to enter:
1) Leave a comment below telling me the best movie you’ve seen lately either on DVD or in the theater!
2) Add me to your blogroll or follower and let me know below
3) If you don’t have a blog, leave me a comment letting me know
4) Follow me on Twitter. Earn 2 bonus entries for tweeting about this giveaway! Healthyhappier is my twitter name or search by email aerudolph@gmail.com
The contest will end next Monday, June 8th at midnight! Good Luck!
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Three questions Thursday, new pictures, and winner winner chicken dinner!

*I thought this post went up last night but evidently I saved it instead of publishing it. Sorry for the delay!*


Per Iowa Girl’s tradition , it’s 3 Questions Thursday so here goes. 


  1. What’s your favorite season?  I absolutely love summer. I think it has to do with the fact that it is light for hours so you can enjoy the day more and be more productive. In addition, I live in cute summer dresses and my rainbows though i’m currently searching for a more “NYC appropriate” pair of sandals. If anyone has suggestions please send them my way. I am looking for two- one for the commute/long walks in the city and the other are just for evenings out in the city. 
  2. What was your favorite television show growing up? My family would laugh so hard if they knew I was telling you this but I used to be OBSESSED with Rescue 911. I don’t know if anyone else remembers it but I think it was on around 8pm on Tuesday nights. (I have a really scary memory folks- ask Bo). I would make my family watch this show religiously and since we only had one tv when I was growing up everyone had the joy of hearing “Rescue 911 what’s the cause of your emergency” 
  3. Where/how do you want to retire? I want to retire and enjoy life. My goal is to do all the things that take too much time for me to currently enjoy. For example, I have the opportunity to play golf 3-4x per year right now which is far to little to actually hone my skills. My aunt has epitomized what I hope my retirement to be like. She is more active now than ever before, enjoys countless hours of cooking, entertaining, and laughing over great wine and activity. 

Yesterday was fabulous for many reasons some of which were the GORGEOUS weather we enjoyed in NYC, the breeze our apartment gets when I have all the windows open, our wonderful dinner which I’ll discuss later in the post, and OUR SOFA AND CHAIR ARRIVED! Seriously guys, I was jumping up and down when the front desk called to let me know they were escorting the van guys up with our furniture. The color turned out perfectly and now they are screaming to be adorned with a comfy throw and some vibrant pillows . I’m currently lusting over a few at Pottery Barn and think i’ll have to put our two 10% Welcome to the Neighborhood coupons to good use this weekend! Last night when Bo got home he graced the empty wall space with two more paintings. This nook is really starting to feel like a home. We can’t figure out what to do with the bare wall space above the chair. If you have any suggestions please send them our way. As for the corner between the chair and sofa, we’ve decided on this gorgeous piece and actually found the wall accessory that holds wine bottles and glasses on Craigslist last night! Bo is picking them up this afternoon in Chelsea for $100!! I love saving some money whenever possible!


Last but not least, as promised from the title, I have a winner, winner chicken dinner recipe! My local grocery store had their organic, kosher whole roaster chickens on sale this week and therefore knew that nothing would be easier and more delicious than a whole roasted chicken complete with fresh lemon, garlic, and herbs! This really could not be any easier though for some reason I think a lot of people are intimidated by whole roasters. Follow these easy steps below and I guarantee you’ll be enjoying moist, delicious chicken for at least two days!

Easy Roasted Chicken with lemon, herbs, and garlic

Ingredients:
1 small roaster (2-4 lbs)
1 clove garlic
2 large lemons cut in half
Fresh or dried herbs of your choice (I recommend thyme and rosemary) or Herbs de Provence
Olive Oil or Olive Oil Pam
Roasting Pan 

Directions:


Preheat oven to 425°.
Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Trim excess fat. Thoroughly rinse the chicken inside and out then dry completely.  Place chicken in roasting pan spray the inside and outside with Olive Oil spray or rub with Olive Oil. Salt and pepper inside cavity and outside thoroughly.  Place lemon quarters inside chicken cavity. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon thyme to chicken cavity. Squeeze one lemon half inside the cavity and then place in the cavity. Place four-five   peeled garlic pieces in cavity then sprinkle herbs or place fresh herbs (on twigs and all) inside cavity. Place other lemon half at the end to “close” cavity.
Squeeze other lemon all over outside of chicken and place lemon pieces in roasting pan. Sprinkle Herbs de Provence and/or dried herbs/fresh herbs on the outside skin of the chicken. Bake at 425° for 40 minutes then check for doneness using a meat thermometer. You want it to register at 160-165. Depending on your oven this could take up to an hour and a half. Transfer chicken to a cutting board; cover with foil, and let stand 5-10 minutes before carving.
Remove skin (if desired) and lemon slices/garlic/herb stuffing from chicken cavity, discard. Carve chicken, and arrange on a serving platter. Garnish with lemon slices and thyme. 
Enjoy!! We served this with a salad and roasted zucchini/squash that we put in the oven during the last 30 minutes! 


GIVEAWAY ALERT:
Sara is giving away some fabulous hummus so check her out here 

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