Pumpkin Pancakes

I've been making these pumpkin pancakes almost every morning this month. I found the recipe online one day while searching all things pumpkin. They are very easy to make and so delicious! Jack and I have been enjoying them on a regular basis. I've made them for different guests we've had in town, and they have all loved them and asked for the recipe. 

You must give these a try- you will not regret it! 

Fabulous Light French Toast

This morning I created something glorious, easy, and oh so delicious. When I looked around my kitchen for inspiration for breakfast, I saw a loaf of French bread I bought yesterday. I am planning on using some of it for dinner tonight, but do not need the whole loaf. I decided this would be the perfect foundation for some great French toast. Good bread is a key component when making French toast. I also had 3 pounds of strawberries I bought on sale yesterday and figured they would be a perfect topping.

So with these two components in mind, I didn't need much more. This version is a little lighter than most, using skim milk and adding no sugar (other than what is in the syrup). Here is how to create my Fabulous Light French Toast:

• Cut 4 slices of French bread (about 1 inch. thick)
• Whisk together 1/2 cup of skim milk, 1 egg, and a dash of cinnamon. 
• Dip each slice of bread into the milk mixture, making sure both sides are coated. 
• Heat 1/2 tbsp. butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread to skillet, cook until golden brown, flip bread and cook until other side is golden brown as well.
• Top each serving (2 slices per person) with sliced strawberries and a light drizzle of maple syrup. 

This was so incredibly delicious and easy to make! Plus, it's a great way to use what's left of that loaf of French bread you have hanging out in your kitchen. 

New Mexico Green Chile Hash

After making delicious green chile enchiladas the other night, I had some of the green chile sauce leftover. Because I loved it so much, I could not let them go to waste. So I created this lovely New Mexico Green Chile Hash. It's a simple dish perfect for breakfast or any other meal.

To make it you will need:

• Olive oil
• 1 russet potato, peeled and chopped into about 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 egg
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (or your favorite salsa)
• Cilantro
• Salt & Pepper
• Chili Powder

Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add potatoes to pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and chili powder. Cook potatoes until crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, about 5-10 minutes. Push potatoes to one side of pan and add egg on empty side (as pictured above). Reduce heat to medium and cook until egg is over easy or however you prefer.

Place potatoes on a plate, sprinkle with cheese, top with egg, sauce, and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste. This would also be great with chorizo, sausage, bacon or other veggies. I was just using what I had on hand that day.

Fresh Southwest Breakfast

I have always loved to sleep in and was pretty good at it. After having Jack, it wasn't much of an option. He doesn't seem to enjoy sleeping in as much as I do. So in order to preserve our sanity, Josh and I have a system for sleeping in on the weekends. He gets up with Jack on Saturdays so I can sleep in and I wake up with Jack on Sundays so he can sleep in. It's wonderful. I highly recommend it to all parents.

This Saturday was one of those lovely lazy days where we stayed in our pajamas the entire day. After sleeping in I decided I would make some breakfast for Josh and me. I looked around our kitchen to see what was available. Through this process, I created a masterpiece.

Here is the recipe for my Chipotle Sweet Potatoes with Corn, Avocado, & Fried Egg:

• 1/2 tbsp. olive or canola oil
• 1 1/2-2 cups sweet potatoes, chopped
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen corn (thawed)
• 2 tbsp. shredded Mexican cheese
• 1/4 c. diced onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salsa Verde
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• Chipotle powder
• 2 eggs

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, sprinkle with salt and chipotle powder. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onions and garlic. Cook for a few more minutes until potatoes are crisp on the outside and soft inside and onions are translucent. Add corn and stir in just to heat it up a bit. Remove potato mixture from pan dividing between two plates. Top with cheese and avocados. Sprinkle avocados with salt.

Fry eggs over easy in pan. Place on top of potato mixture. Sprinkle with pepper and chipotle powder.

This would also be great with black beans or other Mexican cheeses such as cotija and some fresh cilantro if you have it on hand.

Saturday in Santa Fe

On Saturday we went to Santa Fe with some friends for the morning. The husbands went skiing and the wives and kids went to breakfast and played around town. I love living so close to Santa Fe. It is one of my favorite cities to visit, and each time I go I seem to find something new to enjoy about it and of course, I love going back to all my old favorites too!

We decided to eat breakfast at Cafe Pasqual's, which has become one of my favorite spots. The atmosphere is colorful and lively and the service is friendly. Please excuse the poor photo quality above. I was wrestling a squirmy toddler while trying to take it. We did not have to wait for a table thankfully, which would have been difficult with three kids under the age of four. Shortly after we sat down, it became very busy and many people were waiting. So be prepared to wait, it is a very popular place! The food here is fresh, delicious and unique. I ordered the French Toast, which was good and my friend ordered the Huevos Barbacoa con Chile D'Arbol Salsa and it looked amazing. She loved it. I definitely want to try that next time. I have only been to Pasqual's for breakfast, so I cannot say what it would be like during dinner, for instance, but from our experience, it is very kid friendly. It's loud enough that you don't feel your chatty kiddos will disturb everyone, and the kids loved the colorful, festive decor. Plus, they loved the French toast I ordered!

Many people consider Santa Fe more of a destination for a romantic getaway, or a trip with friends. Although it is perfect for both, it is also a great place to bring your family. In warm weather, there is plenty of hiking and outdoor activities plus a nice plaza with a grassy area in the middle for kids to run around. In the winter you can ski or enjoy other winter activities like snow shoeing  or sledding.

The ski area at Santa Fe does not have a "village" like many ski towns. There are no hotels, shops, or other amenities such as that at the mountain, just a day lodge with a food court, ski rentals, etc. It's a 16 mile drive from town. Although some may see this as a disadvantage, for many groups and families, this is an ideal set up. If not everyone in your group will be skiing, there are plenty of other things for them to do in the town of Santa Fe. Also, the weather in town is generally pretty mild compared to the mountain, so for those who are not big fans of the snow and super cold weather, they can stay in town. Although the mountain is not as good as Taos or those in Colorado, Utah, and other areas, it is still good skiing. If you live in the Albuquerque area, this is a great option as it is relatively close. My husband and his friend left in the morning, skied a half day, and were back in the afternoon.

After breakfast my friend and I took our kids to the Santa Fe Children's Museum. This is a great option for families with young kids. It was my first time to visit, and I was very impressed. It is not as big as other children's museums we've been to in bigger cities, but there were still plenty of fun things for the kids to do. I am pretty sure they would have stayed there all day if we would have let them! It is one big open room, which is very nice if you have multiple children to keep an eye on! Admission is $9 per person unless you are a New Mexico resident, then it is $6.

I also took my friend to my favorite store, Design Warehouse. It is filled with beautiful, modern furniture, and fun accessories for the kitchen and the rest of the home, including items for children. It's a great spot to find fun gifts and inspiring modern design.

I look forward to more visits to Santa Fe in the future, whether for the day or a weekend, with the entire family, or for a romantic getaway, it is a great place!

Open Faced Prosciutto and Egg Sandwich

Yesterday morning I was inspired to use what I had in my kitchen to make an open faced prosciutto and egg sandwich for breakfast. Well, actually, I was inspired the night before and went to bed thinking about it. I rarely have much happening in my brain when my sweet son wakes me up before sunlight.

I sliced a baguette in half horizontally, drizzled it with olive oil, and grilled it on my panini press. Then I placed provolone cheese and prosciutto on top. I fried an egg over easy on the panini press as well (minimal clean up), placed it on top of the prosciutto, and sprinkled with pepper.

This was so good and easy! Although, it was not the peaceful, calm morning I was hoping for. I imagined myself slowly enjoying my breakfast, drinking my coffee, and reading articles online (I guess I was still in dreamland). But once I had the sandwich made and snapped the last photograph, the demands of the morning got in the way. So I slapped one piece of bread on top of the other (meaning it was no longer and "open-faced" sandwich) and scarfed it down. At least I got to eat it, right?

Eggless Pancakes

On Sunday morning I told Jack I would make some pancakes for breakfast. And he got very excited. So I went in my kitchen, and to my dismay, realized we had no eggs. So I did what any 21st century mom would do and Googled "no egg pancakes" (what did people do before the internet?). I found a recipe for Fluffy Eggless Pancakes and decided to give it a whirl. 

I did not have vegetable oil so I substituted canola oil for that, and I decided to throw in some blueberries since I had a lot. These turned out very good. This is definitely a recipe I will use again. I think I still like pancakes with eggs a little better, but this is a great options for those mornings you are out of eggs or for people with allergies, etc.

Somebody else liked them too...

Easy, Healthy Breakfast

This morning I wanted something light and easy for breakfast. I was popping a frozen waffle in the toaster for Jack (don't worry, it's multi-grain, so it's a little healthier, right?), so I decided to make one for myself. I have seen in both Cooking Light and Self magazines the use of part skim ricotta cheese to spread on breads and such for a healthy meal or snack. I have never considered using ricotta for anything but lasagna or pasta, but I had some leftover in the fridge and figured I'd give it a try. So I spread it on a waffle along with some blueberry jam. I ate it with bananas and a small glass of orange juice. This was a great alternative to my usual oatmeal or toast. It was filling yet still light and delicious.

Bacon Day

Yesterday was unofficially National Bacon Day (well, at my house at least). I did not plan it this way on purpose, but I ended up eating bacon at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Ridiculous, I know. I am now on a self-imposed bacon hiatus (at least for a day or two).

For breakfast I had bacon with scrambled eggs, and topped my eggs with shredded havarti dill cheese. One little hint I have for making some great scrambled eggs is to cook the bacon in a pan first. Then remove the bacon, drain the grease, but do not wipe the pan completely clean. Cook the scrambled eggs in the same pan, and it gives the eggs great flavor.

For lunch I had some leftover pasta from Sunday night with half of a grilled turkey sandwich. For the sandwich I put turkey, guacamole, dijon mustard, some chipotle cranberry cheddar, and of course, bacon on a slice of whole wheat cut in half. I grilled it in a pan in olive oil. This sandwich was fantastic! It was full of great flavors, and just half of a sandwich was very satisfying!

I made the guacamole before lunch. Here is my recipe for easy guacamole. Mix together 2 large avocados, 1/2 can rotel (drained), 1 clove of minced garlic, juice of one lime, Julio's seasoning, and pepper. It is very easy to make, and has lots of flavor.

If you have made guacamole before, you probably have figured out that it has a tendency to turn brown after awhile. Some people say squirting lime juice on top will keep it from turning brown, but that does not work. One time I was watching Tyler's Ultimate on the Food Network, and he gave a great tip for keeping guacamole fresh. When you need to store it in the fridge, cover it with plastic wrap, and press tightly on the guacamole so that none of it is exposed to air. Then you can put the regular lid on your container. He said the reason guacamole will turn brown is exposure to air, so covering it tightly really helps. This was my first time to try this, and when I took it out of the fridge at dinner time (about six hours later), I took the picture above. It looked perfectly fresh and green!

For dinner we made burgers. For the patties, I combined about 2/3 pound of lean ground beef, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Josh grilled the burgers, and I made some homemade fries. I cut baking potatoes into wedges then drizzled them with olive oil and sprinkled them with chili powder and Julio's seasoning. I baked them at 425 degrees until they were brown (I didn't pay attention to the time because I was a little distracted). We topped our burgers with colby jack cheese, diced roasted green chiles, guacamole, and for the grand finale, bacon. Let me tell you, this was one delicious burger!

I bought a pound of ground beef for the burgers, and since I would not need to use it all, I took out about 1/3 pound before making the patties, and put it in the fridge for dinner tonight, which was pasta with meat sauce (more on that in my next post). When buying meat or other ingredients that will expire within about a week, it is helpful to plan out multiple meals you can make with those ingredients so that they don't go to waste hanging out in the fridge too long.

I Love Breakfast Food!

This post is dedicated to all the wonderful breakfast foods out there. I love most everything that is available for breakfast, which I think I got from my dad. My dad eats a big breakfast almost every morning, and loves cooking breakfast foods too. The funny thing is, when I was a teenager, I went through a stage where I refused to eat breakfast foods, which I guess was my odd way of rebelling as a teenager...teenage girls are strange.

I found a great Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix from Arrowhead Mills that I tried for the first time on Monday night. It is all natural, and a little healthier than most other ready mixes. I followed the instructions on the package for waffles, and used my waffle maker. We got our waffle maker as a wedding gift three years ago, and although it is the very expensive one we registered for, we had yet to master the art of making the perfect waffle with it...until now. Our waffles on Monday night were very good and really easy to make. I topped them with fresh fruit and real maple syrup...yum.


For breakfast the other day, I made whole wheat toast topped with two slices of bacon, scrambled eggs, fresh grated parmesan, and fresh basil. I also had some great fresh fruit!

A Few More Cheap & Easy Meals

Here are a few more budget friendly meals I have cooked in the past few days. For breakfast a couple of days ago, I heated up a tortilla in the oven, folded it in half, then topped it with a fried egg, cheese, cilantro, and salsa.

For dinner on Tuesday, I fixed stir fry with rice, as I have many times before. Cut up chicken breasts and put in plastic storage container. Pour Teriyaki sauce over the chicken (I use Very Teriyaki). Cover and let sit in refrigerator for a few hours. Spray wok with canola oil spray, and heat to medium high heat. Pan sear vegetables in wok for a few minutes. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and add to veggie mix in wok. This time I added about 2 teaspoons of garlic chili paste. Cook chicken completely. Pour chicken and veggies over rice. Serve with soy sauce and Huy Fong Chili Sauce for extra flavor.

The other day for lunch I wanted to use the leftover tomato sauce from the night before. So, I spread a few spoonfuls of sauce over a whole wheat tortilla, sprinkled with shredded Italian cheese blend, and topped with diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper. I baked it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes or until the cheese wass melted and the tortilla was golden and crispy. Then I topped it with oregano and crushed red pepper. This was so easy and cheap. It also could be made with a lot of different sauce and topping variations.

Summer Is Almost Here!

On Tuesday night, I tried a new recipe I found in the latest issue of Southern Living. The meal felt like summer to me, and we enjoyed it out on our patio. I love summer cooking, grilled food, fresh fruits and vegetables, and dining al fresco!

The recipe was for grilled chicken thighs, but I had chicken breasts in my freezer, so I used those instead. It also had a recipe for a white barbecue sauce, which sounded great, but I did not have all the ingredients for that, so I did not make the sauce. We just used our barbecue sauce we had in the fridge. The chicken was really easy to make. You just combine spices, which you should have in your spice rack already to make a rub. Then you grill the chicken, so it was very simple! You can find the recipe here. The chicken was really tasty, so we will definitely do it again. It would also be great for entertaining, because you could prepare the chicken earlier in the day, so all you have to do is throw it on the grill.

To accompany the chicken, I made green chile cheese grits. I just cooked some quick grits from the box, and once they were cooked, stirred in colby-jack cheese and chopped green chiles. It was pretty easy, but I think next time I will go easy on the green chile, I put a little too much in and it kind of overpowered the grits.

I also served a spinach strawberry salad. It was just organic baby spinach leaves with sliced strawberries and pepper, and a drizzling of basalmic vinaigrette. It is very good, healthy, and easy!

For breakfast on Monday, I had a little more time than normal, so I made a quick and healthy breakfast, similar to what I made on Saturday. This time there were no potatoes, and no bacon, but I used spinach and fresh grated parmigianno reggiano. Saute fresh spinach in a pan with olive oil, place the cooked spinach on top of a piece of whole wheat toast, then top with a fried egg, roasted cherry tomatoes, and the cheese. This was very good, and very easy. It's a great vegetarian meal too!


On Sunday night, we decided we wanted a light dinner since we had the big taco lunch. I went to Market Street and picked up sushi. We had tuna rolls, salmon rolls, and vegetable rolls. It was a nice meal for Sunday night, especially when you have eaten a big lunch.

We are moving in a couple of weeks, so we went ahead and canceled our cable and internet. So, my writing may be a little sporadic until we move into our new place! I have to write whenever I am somewhere that I can get online!

Taco Dinner & Saturday Breakfast

Today for lunch I made turkey tacos. I used ground turkey and Lawry's taco seasoning (just follow the directions on the seasoning packet). I served it with black beans, and covered the tacos with cheese, salsa, and cilantro. Tacos have always been a favorite of mine. I use to love when my mom would make us tacos for dinner! Using ground turkey is a great way to make this meal much healthier than when using ground beef. Also, this is one of the meals when using ground turkey where there is enough seasoning so that the meat is not too bland. Unlike beef, turkey does not have much flavor on its own.


I used these taco shells for the first time, and they were pretty good. They were much smaller than most taco shells, but they were very light and crispy. I think we might have them next time too!


Yesterday we had a laid-back Saturday morning, which we have not had in awhile. So, I figured it would be a good time to cook a great breakfast. So, I looked at what we had in our kitchen: bread, 2 eggs, bacon, cherry tomatoes, a couple of baking potatoes, cilantro, and a little leftover manchego cheese. So, this is the meal I came up with:

Toast 2 pieces of wheat bread in toaster. Cut cherry tomatoes in half, place in baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and pepper. Cook in oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Cook 4 pieces of bacon in pan. After bacon is cooked and crispy, remove bacon and place on paper towels. Drain most of grease from pan, but do not wipe clean. Add chopped up pieces of baking potatoes, a little oil, and salt. Once potatoes are soft and cooked through, remove from pan (if you get impatient like me, you can throw them in the oven for a little bit). Then clean pan and fry eggs over easy. To assemble dish, place toast on pan, cover with 2 pieces of bacon and one egg. Place potatoes and tomatoes on plate next to bread. Then top entire dish with fresh grated manchego and chopped cilantro. This will make enough for two of these dishes.

This meal was very tasty and easy to make. We will definitely do it again!

Breakfast Date

Josh left town this morning for a mock trial competition in Phoenix, so we decided to have a little breakfast date before he left. I made bacon, scrambled eggs, and whole wheat toast. I bought this new pomegranate jelly that was really good on the toast. It was nice to enjoy a meal together before he had to leave.

Last night we went out on a date to a new restaurant in town called Rain Uptown. It is on 98th St. between Quaker and Slide. I had been wanting to try it for awhile, so I was glad we finally got to check it out. The atmosphere in the restaurant was pretty nice, and we thought the food was okay, but nothing great. At dinner they serve all Italian dishes, and it's a bit pricey. We don't go out for Italian much, because it is so much cheaper to make it at home, and at most restaurants it isn't that much better than at home. It seems like making above average authentic Italian dishes is an art that few have mastered (especially in West Texas). Also, the wine list at the restaurant was mostly cheap wines you can buy by the bottle at the grocery store for almost the same price they were charging for one glass. If I am going to pay that much for a glass of wine, I would rather it be something unique. I have heard that the restaurant has a really good breakfast, and I think their lunch menu might have a little more variety, so we may try it again, but probably not for dinner.

I will be here in Lubbock by myself tonight, but tomorrow I am flying to Tyler to see my parents. I am looking forward to spending time with them. I am actually flying in to Dallas, and we are going to go out to dinner there, so I will write about where we go, as well as anywhere we eat out in Tyler.

Valentine's Meals..A.M.

This morning, we started our Valentine's Day celebration with a nice big breakfast. I cooked bacon and scrambled eggs with blueberries and strawberries. It was a wonderful way to start the day! I decided to make the eggs extra tasty by scrambling them in the pan with the remaining bacon grease. I know it sounds gross (and unhealthy), but it sure is delicious! You just don't want to make your eggs like this too often!

I bought bacon from the deli counter at the grocery store, where you can buy it by the slice, and it is nice and thick. Then I sprinkled cracked black pepper over it and cooked it in a pan until it was nice and crispy. After removing the bacon, I drained most of the grease (but left enough for some good flavoring for my eggs), then poured the eggs in the pan (after removing it from the heat, because the pan is very hot).

For the fruit, I placed chopped strawberries and blueberries in a bowl, then sprinkled about 1/2 tsp. of sugar over them. Mix it around, and let it sit, and it gives the fruit a nice sweet flavor! This would make a great dessert too.

Weekend Fun

On Saturday night, we decided to try Blue Sky Burgers again. My curiosity was too much, I just couldn't wait! So, it was very crowded once again, but Josh was sweet and said he would wait because he knew how much I wanted to try it! The line was almost out the door, but it moved fairly fast considering. We were getting annoyed with the people who would get up to the counter and still not know what they wanted to order. Come on, people! You should be figuring out what you want while you are in line!

I ordered a cheeseburger with green chiles and grilled jalapenos. Mmm! It was really good! I have never tried grilled jalapenos, but it was delicious. We also got an order of fries to split, which were very good as well. Overall, the food was good, and the atmosphere was nice too. We had to wait a little while to find an open table, and noticed a few others doing the same. However, I think once the newness wears off a little, there will be less waiting there. They do not have a website, and are located on 98th St., just west of Quaker.

Sunday morning I made my "Hippie Yogurt" again, this time with blueberries and chopped strawberries. I knew I would be eating tons of junk at our Super Bowl party, so I tried to have a healthy breakfast and lunch.
I also had a cup of coffee in my Cafe Du Monde mug to support the Saints!


For lunch I made these bagel sandwiches, which were a toasted whole wheat bagel with scrambled eggs (which I cooked with chopped jalapenos in them), shredded low fat Mexican cheese, fresh chopped cilantro, and my homemade salsa. Pretty tasty!

Breakfast Tostada

This morning I woke up sore once again, but I think a little less than yesterday (although that could all just be in my head). Anyway, I am hoping the more I exercise, the less sore I will feel.

I decided to make a new recipe today for breakfast for Josh and me. I had looked at a recipe in a cookbook, and made some changes to accommodate what we had available.

This was pretty easy to make. There was a good amount of the bean mixture left over as well, so it will be easy to make again or use in another dish. Josh and I both really liked this, and I will do it again soon. Just make sure you watch the tortilla in the oven. I forgot about it and it got a little too crispy.

Slow, But Good Start

Well, today is the first official day of being a healthy person. Last night Josh and I were very ambitious about starting the day off early. We do not go back to most of our school and work until next week, so we are still on vacation (the joys of being a teacher and a law school student, still on an academic schedule). Anyway, we have been staying up late and sleeping in most of the break, which has messed up our regular routine. So, Josh said we should get up at 7:00 this morning, eat, exercise, then get to work on things we both need to do to get ready for the semester.

Well, when we got in bed around 1:00 last night, we changed the alarm to 8:30. Then, Josh had a hard time sleeping and turned the alarm off. I had my phone alarm set for 9:00 (planning on our laziness), so when that went off, we hit snooze until 10:00. Not quite the early morning we were planning on, but we are taking baby steps!

For breakfast this morning, I made an old favorite of mine from college. When I worked at the Outdoor Pursuits Center at Texas Tech, one of the meals we would bring on canoe trips was yogurt with granola and fruit. It is a tasty, healthy breakfast that can be made in no time. Everyone is always saying breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but when you are short on time in the morning trying to rush to work, the meal is often skipped. So, I like this because it is so fast and simple.



To make my Hippie Yogurt (I will call it this since it is from my hippie days), you will need:

• About 1 cup of nonfat vanilla yogurt-I like to use all natural yogurt so I am not getting high fructose corn syrup and all the other junk that is in many yogurts. I used Brown Cow brand this morning, which is a good find because it is all natural, so it is a little cheaper than organic, but still better than the other stuff

• About 1/2 cup granola-I love granola, but it is not always as healthy as you think. Make sure you find a brand that is low in sugar. Many granolas have tons of sugar.

• Fruit of your choice for topping-blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and bananas are some of my favorites.

Today is also the first day of my new exercising self! I put an exclamation point there, but that doesn't mean I am actually excited, I am just trying to convince myself that I am. Anyway, after my healthy hippie breakfast, I did some strength and core exercises. They actually weren't too bad and only took about 10 minutes. I pulled out these 3 pound weights, which I bought about two years ago, but don't think I actually ever used.


I found the exercises in the January issue of Cooking Light. I tried to find them online to post a link, but they weren't on their website. So you may just want to pick up that issue if you are interested. One was just lunges where you hold the weights down to your side while you are doing them. Another core workout I did is called "Superman." You lay flat on your stomach with your arms stretched straight in front of you and palms down. Then you lift your head, arms, and legs, and hold them up as long as you are able. You repeat that 2 to 3 times. There was another exercise I did with the weights called a curl press that was good. I felt like they worked out my muscles well but weren't too difficult to where I felt discouraged. I feel good now, but may be sore tomorrow. Now Josh and I are going to the rec center to walk around the indoor track for awhile. I get to use these, which I bought last week and haven't used yet. Hopefully they will get lots of use, and I will be running in them soon, not just walking!