Preventing Boredom on the Long Runs | Week 5 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon

Every week between now and early May, I will be charting my progress as I train for my next half marathon in Pittsburgh. I'll post everything about my training from the actual distances to what I wear to how I stay hydrated, nourished and entertained while running.

Long runs can get tedious at times. It's just me, myself and I. Boredom sets in and I start to drive myself crazy. Usually I've got to-do lists, grocery lists, and blog ideas blitzing my brain. Sometimes I wish there was an app that dictated what was streaming through my brain while I was running. Wouldn't that make a great app? At the end of a run, I wouldn't have to strain to remember the great ideas that I had at mile 2.

A change of scenery could help, but often I run as the sun is coming up, so I tend to stick to my neighborhood which isn't very exciting. So to prevent boredom, I listen to podcasts or my favorite music. If I'm running 4 miles or less, I listen to podcasts. I like Michael Hyatt's This is Your Life and Dave Ramsey's EntreLeadership and they usually run 30-40 minutes.

If I'm running over 4 miles, I turn on the music and listen to my eclectic playlist. Here are some of my favorites in my mix of about 50 songs:

• You Get What You Give - The New Radicals - My ALL-TIME Favorite song to run to.
• Dancing Queen - ABBA
• Poison Arrow - ABC
• Accidentally In Love - Counting Crows
• In Between Days - The Cure
• Times Like These - Foo Fighters
• Don't Change - INXS
• Orange Crush - REM
• Beautiful Day - U2
• Tempted - Squeeze

Sometimes, if I have a problem or dilemma that I need to sort through, I don't listen to anything. Just silence. 

 How do you prevent boredom on your long runs? What are your favorite songs on your playlist? Let us know in the comments.

...and now my workouts.

My Week 5 Workouts

• Tuesday - 3 miles, easy pace
• Wednesday - 4 miles, outside
• Friday - 3 miles, easy pace on the treadmill - I needed to make up for a missed run, so I skipped yoga this week. I didn't have time for both and I needed to prepare for my 8 mile long run.
• Saturday - 8 miles at conversational pace

My Training Plan for Upcoming Week 6

• Monday - 3 miles, easy pace
• Wednesday - 4 miles, tempo run for 3 miles
• Thursday - 3 miles, easy pace
• Friday - 1 hour yoga at the Y
• Saturday - 6 miles, run at conversational pace

Week 6 is somewhat of a rest week for the upcoming weeks 7 & 8 where the long runs hit 10 and 12 miles. I'll take the rest!

How did your training go this week? Let us know in the comments.

Read more:

• My Road to Half Marathons.
• Week 1 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon
• Week 2 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | My Must Have Gear
• Week 3 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | What I Wear
• Week 4 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | Hydration

A note about my training plan: I am not a medical professional or a certified trainer, just an avid runner. Please consult a professional if you feel you need one. Also, the half marathon training plan that I follow is designed for beginners. Although, it is advised that you do not start using the 10 week training plan until you are able to run 6 miles. If you are new to running, start by training for a 5k. There is plenty of information online to help you with 5k training.

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• have updates sent to your email,
• through your RSS Feed
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20 Ways to Use Hard-Boiled Eggs

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Are you stuck with too many hard-boiled eggs the Monday after Easter?

I guess you could just eat them plain, but in case you get bored with that option, here are some interesting recipes that use hard-boiled eggs.

20 Ways to Use Hard-Boiled Eggs

1. Asparagus Salad with Hard Boiled Egg at Coconut & Lime
2. Avocado Deviled Eggs at Mother Thyme
3. Brussels Sprouts & Hard Boiled Egg Chop Salad at With Style & Grace
4. Green Beans, Artichoke and Hard Boiled Egg Salad at The Healthy Foodie
5. Ricotta Crostini (& Hard Boiled Egg) at Honestly YUM 
6. Classic Egg Salad at Martha Stewart
7. Egg Casserole (Using Hard Boiled Eggs) at Paula Deen
8. Hard Boiled Egg & Spinach Stuffed Meatloaf at Saveur
9. Hard Boiled Egg Chocolate Chip Cookie at Plain Chicken - YEP, you read that right!
10. Hard Boiled Egg Oatmeal Toffee Cookies at Plain Chicken
11. Leeks Vinaigrette at Saveur
12. Lentil Salad at Martha Stewart
13. Lettuce Cups with Spiced Corn, Danish Feta, and Hard Boiled Eggs at Two Loves Studio
14. Spanish Chickpea and Chorizo Soup at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
15. Spicy Indian Keema Mince at Samantha's Supper
16. Spicy Sweet Deviled Eggs at My Recipes
17. Spinach Gratin at Simply Recipes
18. Tuna Stuffed Hard Boiled Eggs at Foodista
19. Warm Mustard Potato Salad (No May0) at Naturally Ella
20. Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon, Mushrooms & Hard Boiled Eggs at Brown Eyed Baker

What's your favorite way to use hard-boiled eggs? Let us know in the comments. If you have a recipe to share, leave the link in the comments.

Thanks for reading. If you would like to receive FREE updates of FBS, there are four ways to do so:

• have updates sent to your email,
• through your RSS Feed
• become a fan and 'like' FBS on Facebook
• become a Twitter follower

5 Bible Study eBooks for Just $7.40

Strengthen your faith and deepen your knowledge of the Bible with this week's bundle, which includes an encouraging devotional, three Bible studies and a guide to studying the Bible on your own. This week only, get all 5 ebooks for just $7.40 (a savings of more than 70%)!

Savoring Living Water by Katie Orr and Lara Williams
In Savoring Living Water: How to Have an Effective Quiet Time, Katie and Lara offer a practical how-to method for studying the Bible on your own. You'll find tips for connecting with God in a meaningful way through journaling and Scripture memory, ways to deal with the distractions that inevitably arise during a quiet time, and ideas for applying God’s Word to the moments of daily living.

Pursuit of Proverbs 31 by Amy Bayliss
Through the Pursuit of Proverbs 31 study, Amy gives readers a biblical view of the scriptures that are found tucked away at the end of the book of wisdom. With Southern charm and raw, real emotions, she’ll give you a new perspective and inspire you to pursue Proverbs 31 and Jesus himself.

Focused15: 1 Corinthians 13 by Katie Orr
Katie's goal is to teach you how to study the Bible on your own as you work through the Focused 15: 1 Corinthians 13 Bible study together. She'll show you how to look at scripture through a different lens each day and use the tools that are already at your fingertips to dig deeper into the Bible in just fifteen minutes day.

31 Days of Faith by Tracie Stier-Johnson
Many of us are walking through trials, suffering, pain, and heartache, and faith doesn’t mean God is going to take all of that away. But faith can replace anxiety and worrying with the peace that surpasses all human understanding, and in 31 Days of Faith, Tracie will show you how to turn your anguish into joy.

Beholding Him, Becoming Missional by Laura Krokos
Dig deeper into 1 Samuel with Laura's 12-week Bible study, Beholding Him, Becoming Missional, which is designed to help you discover your passion, purpose and mission in life. This ebook is perfect for individual or group study!

The Bible Study bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 4/1. Get yours today:



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Christmas Savings Club | March Meeting

On the 25th of every month from January to November in 2013, I'm holding a virtual meeting for the Christmas Savings Club. The goal for this monthly accountability meeting is to give updates on our progress, motivate one another and help all of us save for a cash Christmas. Today is the third meeting, but anyone can join at any time.

If you are new, please read more about the Christmas Savings Club in the first post and join us. I'm still offering a FREE Christmas Gift & Spending Budget excel spreadsheet, click that link for more information.

On with the meeting...

How Did I Do in March?
My monthly goal is $100. That number includes gifts for our kids, extended family members, teachers, friends, neighbors, bus drivers, service people, our Christmas cards, stamps, and our donations towards the Salvation Army's Adopt-a-Family program.

My husband and I started Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University last month, so we scrutinized our March budget more than ever before. One of our budget problems is eating out at restaurants, so we cut back our restaurant budget to $100 from an average of $250 a month in 2012.

It is a big change for us, but I was able to put some of that difference towards our Christmas savings account. At the beginning of March I was still $40 behind from January & February, but I transferred $125 to our account this month and I'll aim to get the $15 in April along with our $100 goal.

How Are You Doing?
Are you meeting your goals? Are you struggling with saving money now (in March) for something that you won't need until November or December? Just remember, we're saving for A CASH CHRISTMAS!

Stay Strong! We'll get there together...okay, enough cheesiness!

April's Assignments
1. If you have not done so, complete the Christmas Gift & Spending Budget worksheet.

2. If you have not done so, open up a separate checking account specifically for your Christmas Spending Savings.

3. Find your monthly savings goal for April and any shortfall that you have from January through March.

In the comments, let us know how you are doing so far with your Christmas Spending savings. You don't have to divulge your goal, but please let us know if you were able to save the money. Also let us know how you saved the money.

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• have updates sent to your email,
• through your RSS Feed
• become a fan and 'like' FBS on Facebook
• become a Twitter follower

Hydration | Week 4 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon

Every week between now and early May, I will be charting my progress as I train for my next half marathon in Pittsburgh. I'll post everything about my training from the actual distances to what I wear to how I stay hydrated, nourished and entertained while running.

Hydration

I learned the hard way about the importance of hydration and how dehydration can be sneaky and dangerous.

Back in October 2011, I ran my first half-marathon. I followed this same 10 week plan that I  am currently using for this series. I felt really prepared when the gun went off that beautiful morning. I was cruising along nicely trying to decide if I should pick up my pace, because I felt so good. At the mile 8 drink station, I grabbed a cup of sports drink instead of water. While I don't care for sports drinks--they always seem to make me more thirsty--something inside me told me that I needed more than water. Up to that point I grabbed only water at every drink station along the course. Soon after drinking that sport drink, I developed a side stitch that was almost unbearable. I pinched my side for the last 5 miles just to relieve the stitch.

I finished the race and drank 2 bottles of water from the time I crossed the finish line until we got in the car to leave the race. I continued to drink water the rest of the day.  I was also ravenous. I had quite an appetite the rest of the day.

At 8 pm that night, I couldn't fight exhaustion any longer, so I went to bed. I awoke around 11 pm when my husband came to bed to go to the bathroom. As I sat down on the toilet, I remember a wave of nauseousness coming over me...

Meanwhile, my husband was in our bedroom when he heard a loud thud. When he ran into the bathroom to check on me--he found me lying on the bathroom floor.

"KRISTIA! KRISTIA! KRISTIA!"

He was panicked and was about to call 911 when I started to open my eyes. As I was coming back to consciousness and shaking the cobwebs out of my head, I was wondering, "why is my husband yelling at me and shaking me? And why am I laying on the bathroom floor?" I was so confused.

He went to get me some water and a banana. When I felt better I eventually went back to sleep. However, my poor husband was up most of the night checking on me.

The next day, I was very loopy. I ate normally and continued to drink water, but I felt out of it most of the day.

My mom called me to see how I felt after my first half-marathon and I explained to her what had happened. "You were dehydrated", she said.

What? I drank water all day before the race, in the morning before the race, through out the entire race, AND the whole day after I ran! How could I be dehydrated?

I shook it off and two days after the race I was back to normal. About a month later, I went to the running store to get some new shoes. I was explaining to the sales guy what had happened and he said, "you were dehydrated."

"How? I drank water all day before the race, in the morning before the race, through out the entire race, AND the whole day after I ran! How could I be dehydrated?", I asked.

There's a reason why I shop for my running shoes at running stores--the sales staff is usually very experienced in running. The sales guy explained to me that water is fine for running short distances, like a 5k, but when training for and running longer distances, like a half marathon I should be drinking sports drinks to replenish my electrolytes. Water doesn't replace electrolytes and I had depleted my body of them during the race which caused me to pass out later that day. He also told me to drink them during my long training runs, anything over 6 miles.

For the entire 10 weeks of training for my first half, I only drank water. I dislike sports drinks as they seem to make me more thirsty and leave a weird film on my tongue. He recommended electrolyte drink tablets. They are lighter tasting than the bottles that you buy in the store. You just put a tablet in a bottle of water and let it dissolve.

I use these two electrolyte drinks for my long runs (anything over 6 miles):

• GU Energy - Brew Pure Performance Electrolyte Drink Tablets in Orange
• Electrolyte Enhanced Drink Tabs in Tri-Berry

There are 12 tablets in each tube and you just add one to 16oz of water and in a minute or two the tablet fizzles into a sports drink. They each cost between $5 - $6.50, depending on where you buy them. I've seen them online, running stores, and Dicks Sporting Goods.

I have not had a problem with dehydration ever since that first race. Personally, I take a bottle with me on every run over 6 miles. I might also drink another one throughout the day after my long run. Also, I avoid running in really high heat. Usually, I'm an early morning runner to avoid the high heat, but if for some reason I am running any distance (even less than 6 miles) in high heat, I take a bottle with me.

If dehydration is an issue for you, I'd also suggest you talk to your doctor.

The moral of this story, REPLENISH YOUR ELECTROLYTES!

And now on to my workouts:

My Week 4 Workouts

• Monday - 3 miles, easy pace
• Wednesday - 5 miles, with 3 miles at tempo pace
• Thursday - 3 miles, easy pace
• Friday - 1 hour yoga at the Y. I love this class! It really helps my super tight hamstrings.
• Saturday - 7 miles, run at conversational pace. The temp was about 38, but it was a sunny day, just really breezy.

My Training Plan for Upcoming Week 5

• Monday - 3 miles, easy pace
• Wednesday - 4 miles, easy pace
• Thursday - 4 miles, easy pace
• Friday - 1 hour yoga at the Y
• Saturday 8 miles, run at conversational pace

Are you training for a particular race? How did your training go this week? Let us know in the comments.

Read more:

• My Road to Half Marathons.
• Week 1 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon
• Week 2 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | My Must Have Gear
• Week 3 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | What I Wear

A note about my training plan: I am not a medical professional or a certified trainer, just an avid runner. Please consult a professional if you feel you need one. Also, the half marathon training plan that I follow is designed for beginners. Although, it is advised that you do not start using the 10 week training plan until you are able to run 6 miles. If you are new to running, start by training for a 5k. There is plenty of information online to help you with 5k training.

Thanks for reading. If you would like to receive FREE updates of FBS, there are four ways to do so:

• have updates sent to your email,
• through your RSS Feed
• become a fan and 'like' FBS on Facebook
• become a Twitter follower

Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Family Balance Sheet! You can read the site's full disclosure here.

March 23 & 24 | FREE Events for Kids and Families

Lowe's Build & Grow

• Saturday, March 23, 10 AM | Build a Piranhakeet Chomper inspired by DreamWorks Animation's THE CROODS.

Michael's

• Saturday, March 23, 10 - 11:30 AM | Kids' Club - Easter Egg Mosiac. Only $2 per child reserves 30 minutes for your creative kid. Sessions starting every half hour from 10AM - 11:30AM.
• Saturday, March 23, 1 - 3 PM | FREE D.I.Y. Fashion Bracelet Show IN Tell. Create your own fashion statement! Learn how to add a trendy look to your attire with a color-coordinated fashion bracelet.
• Sunday, March 24, 1 - 3 PM | FREE Easter Charger Show IN Tell. See how easy it is to add a unique touch to your Easter table setting.

A.C. Moore

• Saturday, March 23, 1 - 3 PM | Make & Take: Fashion Angels Tapeffiti Easter eggs

Toys R Us

• Saturday, March 23, 12 - 2 PM | Lego Friends Event

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• have updates sent to your email,
• through your RSS Feed
• become a fan and 'like' FBS on Facebook
• become a Twitter follower

Old Me, New Me & Financial Peace

I walked into the kitchen yesterday afternoon to start dinner when I realized that I totally forgot to take the pork chops out of the freezer the day before. It was almost 5 pm and there was no way they would thaw in time. And my kids were literally chanting, "dinner. dinner. dinner."

Rats!

The old me would have called my husband and asked him to pick up some Thai on the way home from work.

The new me could hear Dave Ramsey barking in my ear, so I headed to our freezer instead. I pulled some breakfast sausage out and placed the package in some cold water to thaw just enough to remove from the packaging to cook on the stove. As the sausage was browning, I fried up some eggs, made some toast, and cut up some fruit. Breakfast for dinner was served.

In the past, we would have put the Thai food on the credit card. We would have paid it off at the end of the month along with the multiple other trips to restaurants.

Today, we're taking Financial Peace University and we are paying cash for restaurant meals, a line item in our budget that has been slashed. I allotted $100 for the month for restaurants and we are saving most of it for a nice dinner at Bonefish Grill with some family next week. If I would have ordered the Thai, we wouldn't have enough money for Bonefish.

So it was eggs...and I make really good dippy eggs!

Have you fought the urge to order take-out recently? What did you make instead? Let us know in the comments.

This post is linked to ShareFest.

Thanks for reading. If you would like to receive FREE updates of FBS, there are four ways to do so:

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5 Gluten- & Grain-Free eBooks for Just $7.40

Going grain-free can be overwhelming for families dealing with gluten-intolerance or Celiac disease, and this week's bundle includes more than 275 gluten-free and grain-free recipes plus a wealth of information and tips from the authors' own experiences.

This week only, get all 5 ebooks for just $7.40 (a savings of more than 80%)!


Against the Grain by Kate Tietje
Grain-free doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, it can include all kinds of interesting flavors, spices, and even sauces. Against the Grain is a cookbook full of delicious, fun to eat, whole food recipes that are grain-free -- and mostly dairy-free and GAPS-friendly. You'll even find a few bread and dessert recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Beyond Grain & Dairy by Starlene Stewart
In Beyond Grain & Dairy, Starlene shares 113 grain-free recipes that contain no grains, no gluten, no dairy, no soy, no corn, no gums and no processed sugars. With full-color photos and a handy ingredients index to help you find recipes by ingredient, Starlene has put together a cookbook to show you that there's no reason to feel deprived!

The Grain-Free Snacker by Carol Lovett
Going grain-free doesn't mean you have to give up tasty snacks, and in this brand new ebook, Carol offers more than 45+ homemade, grain-free recipes -- everything from gluten-free dorito chips, crackers and cookies to ice cream, frozen treats and mini pizzas.

Best of the Grain Free Meal Plans by Cara Faus
Cara has helped people from all over the world enjoy their grain-free transition with her meal plans, and she's now packaged the best of her menu planning service in a helpful, full-color cookbook. With more than 70 child-friendly, easy-to-follow recipes for busy households, this ebook makes going gluten-free fun and exciting rather than stressful and overwhelming.

Gluten Free and Good for You by Kimberley Tandee & Laura Coppinger
Filled with tips and information to help you to eat gluten-free or serve gluten-free meals and snacks to family members and friends who have special dietary needs, Gluten Free and Good for You is both a handbook and a cookbook that uses basic, everyday ingredients that you’re likely to have on hand in your kitchen. Laura and Kim make gluten-free cooking accessible for every family!

The Gluten-Free and Grain-Free bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 3/25. Get yours today:



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• become a fan and 'like' FBS on Facebook
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Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Family Balance Sheet! You can read the site's full disclosure here.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

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My oldest daughter requested Chocolate Chip pancakes recently for breakfast and who am I to deny my sweet daughter chocolate chips for breakfast.

Of course, I let her know that it was a special treat and won't happen often. Honestly, it was a moment of weakness for mommy and I probably ate more than any other person in my family. Have I told you recently how much I love pancakes? And when you add chocolate...oh my!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen..

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar or applesauce
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups buttermilk or ** see below for buttermilk substitute
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ cup chocolate chips

** Don’t have buttermilk? For this recipe, combine 2 tablespoons white vinegar with enough milk to get to 2 cups. Sit for 5 minutes.

Instructions

1. Combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt . Set aside.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: buttermilk or substitute, melted butter, egg, and vanilla.

3. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix together until just combined. Batter might be lumpy.

4. Heat a non-stick griddle on low. Pour the batter onto the griddle in ¼ cup measurements.

5. Sprinkle chocolate chips onto each pancake.

6. When the batter starts to bubble and the underside is golden brown, flip the pancakes and cook the other side until cooked through.

Note: I’ve learned that it’s better to sprinkle the chips onto the pancakes on the griddle. I originally added the ½ cup of chips to the batter, but I ended up with some pancakes with A LOT of chips and some pancakes with hardly any. It wasn’t consistent.

Print recipe for Chocolate Chip Pancakes.

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What I Wear | Week 3 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon

Every week between now and early May, I will be charting my progress as I train for my next half marathon in Pittsburgh. I'll post everything about my training from the actual distances to what I wear to how I stay hydrated, nourished and entertained while running.

What I Wear When Running

I have two rules when it comes to running clothing: it must be comfortable and it can't be made of cotton. In the past, I would throw on any cotton t-shirt, but I now only wear the fabrics that wick away moisture (including my socks and undergarments), like Nike's Dri-FIT--although all brands have their own moisture wicking fabric. I don't want to feel the sweat as happens with cotton.

Spring/Fall Weather
This is my favorite time of year to run. It's not too hot or too cold and I can usually just lace up and head out the door...or maybe it's because I love the running clothes the best. I usually wear my very favorite Nike Pro Core V-Neck Long Sleeve Running Top. It's fitted, so I don't feel like I'm wearing a bag. It's also made of Dri-FIT which wicks away moisture. I love this top and I also have the short sleeve version. For bottoms, I like to wear capri length running pants.

Summer Weather
I am very fair-skinned, so I avoid the sun during the summer and run in the early morning, usually around 6 AM. Running isn't enjoyable for me when it's blazing outside, so early summer mornings are perfect conditions. I wear running shorts and a non-cotton short-sleeved shirt.

Cold Weather
I thought we were headed into spring weather last week, but yesterday the weather took a dive again. It was in the mid-30's when I went out and by the end of my 6 miler snow flakes were starting to fall. Thankfully, it wasn't windy.

When temperatures dip below 40 and it's cloudy outside, I wear more layers. I always cover up my ears with my silly looking Adidas cap, but I'm warm. I also wear a long sleeved non-cotton top, a fleece jacket, gloves, and my favorite Adidas boot-cut pants. I don't even think they make these pants any more which is too bad, because they are so comfortable. And surprisingly they are long enough for my almost 5'11 frame. They sit higher on the waist and don't slide down when running. I have them in 5 colors and they have lasted for years. I got them about 8-10 years ago and they're still going strong.

Which leads me to a piece of advice: Buy quality workout clothing. You don't have to pay full price. I bought all of those Adidas pants at an outlet store. Good clothing will last much longer--at least that has been my experience.

So that's what I wear when running...now on to my workouts.

My Week 3 Workouts

• Monday: 3 miles, easy pace.
• Wednesday: 5 miles with 2 miles at tempo pace.
• Thursday: 3 miles, easy pace.
• Friday: 1 hour yoga at the Y.
• Saturday: 6 miles, run at conversational pace

It's been several months since I've run 6 miles and I felt really good during the run. I feel like I'm getting into a groove. The yoga class that I've been taking every week has really helped. My teacher focuses on stretching and that helps my really pathetic and tight hamstrings.

My Training Plan for Upcoming Week 4

• Monday - 3 miles, easy pace
• Wednesday - 5 miles, with 3 miles at tempo pace
• Thursday - 3 miles, easy pace
• Friday - 1 hour yoga at the Y
• Saturday - 7 miles, run at conversational pace

Are you training for a particular race? How did your training go this week? Let us know in the comments.

Read more:

• My Road to Half Marathons.
• Week 1 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon
• Week 2 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | My Must Have Gear

A note about my training plan: The half marathon training plan that I follow is designed for beginners. Although, it is advised that you do not start using the 10 week training plan until you are able to run 6 miles. If you are new to running, start by training for a 5k. There is plenty of information online to help you with 5k training.


Thanks for reading. If you would like to receive FREE updates of FBS, there are four ways to do so:

• have updates sent to your email,
• through your RSS Feed
• become a fan and 'like' FBS on Facebook
• become a Twitter follower

Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Family Balance Sheet! You can read the site's full disclosure here.

Clean Your Bath & Kitchen Drains Naturally

Years ago, I learned the hard way how important it is to keep your bathroom drain clean and clear. We had quite the clog and at the time my first inclination was to buy some drain cleaner. I hesitated when I read the warnings on the label, but I was desperate to not have to brush my teeth in the bathtub.

 I also decided at that point that I never wanted to buy that stuff again. After some research I realized how easy it is to avoid the toxic cleaners by just cleaning the drains on a regular basis.

In fact, it only takes 4 simple products to clean, deodorize, and unclog your kitchen and bathroom drains naturally and three of them are most likely in your kitchen.

Clean Your Bath & Kitchen Drains Naturally

1. Baking Soda
See #2 vinegar.

2. Vinegar
To deodorize and unclog your drains, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain. Follow with 1/2 cup vinegar that was warmed up in the microwave. Don't be alarmed the vinegar will cause the baking soda to fizz, but it soon dissolves. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or more. Flush down with very hot water. I try to do this every 2 to 4 weeks to keep the drains clear and fresh.

3. Citrus fruit
Instead of throwing a used lemon or lime in the trash or compost, cut it into smaller pieces and drop it down the garbage disposal. Run the cold water and turn the disposal on and the stinky smell disappears.

4. Snake Drain Hair Removal Tool
Snake this simple tool down the drain and wiggle.

It will dislodge hair and soap junk to help it flush down the drain. It will also drag some stuff up as you pull the tool up out of the drain. YUCK!

I use the snake all the time to remove bathroom sink gunk. It can be found at hardware stores, is relatively inexpensive, and will last for years.

By using the above 4 products regularly, I haven't had to buy the toxic drain cleaners in years.

What natural tips do you have to clean and unclog the bathroom and kitchen drains? Let us know in the comments.

This post is linked to One Project at a Time.

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We Cancelled Our Cable TV and Land Line

As of March 1, we are a cable TV and land line free home.

We like TV, so it was a bold move for my family. We were paying for a deluxe bundle package that included high speed Internet, a land line, a gazillion cable channels, and HBO, which we enjoyed quite a bit.

But when our cable/Internet/phone bill increased over $100 from the previous month, we thought twice about our love for cable TV in our home. While I sheepishly admit that I may have had a slight addiction to the reality shows on Bravo TV, I also realized that I was spending too much time watching grown women cat fight in their Manolo Blahniks--that they clearly can't afford. And I definitely don't want to spend an additional $1200 a year to watch that train wreck

Anyway, following the advice of personal finance bloggers everywhere, I immediately called the company to understand why our bill increased by so much and negotiate a new price. I was told that we had enjoyed a promotional price for two years and the new price reflected on our bill is the actual price for the package we had originally chosen. Huh, no budging, not an inch.

So, my husband took a different approach and chatted with an online customer service representative only to be told that the online reps are not able to offer anything but the prices that are listed on the website.

Wow, they're really making this decision easy for us. After quite a bit of research, we decided to cancel our cable to pursue other TV options, which I'll describe further in an upcoming post.

And in the process, my husband point blank asked me, "who calls us on the land line?" Back in October, I would have said, "President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney", but campaign season is over, so my reply was, "NO ONE." Honestly, we are using our iPhones for everything.

So we cut that cord too!

A funny thing happens when you call a cable company to cancel services--they reduce their price. But it was too late. They weren't in any hurry to help us out previously when we hadn't even considered leaving cable TV and we were already intrigued by much cheaper online TV viewing options.

We kept the Internet, of course! So now instead of paying an additional $100 a month for our deluxe cable package, we will now pay about $55 less than our original bill for our high speed internet, so we are saving about $660 a year.

It's now March 14 and we can honestly say that we do NOT miss cable TV one bit!

Do you have cable TV and a land line or have you cut the cord too? Let us know in the comments!

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5 Spring Cleaning eBooks for Just $7.40

Spring is just around the corner, and this spring cleaning eBook bundle will walk you through decluttering, cleaning and organizing your home!

This week only, get all 5 Spring Cleaning ebooks for just $7.40 (a savings of more than 75%)!


31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae
Part cleaning handbook, part devotional, this ebook is not just about the how of cleaning, but about the why. In 31 Days to Clean, Sarah Mae provides you with two challenges each day -- a Mary challenge to encourage and engage your heart and a Martha challenge with a specific cleaning task. At the end of 31 days, your house will be clean, and you'll have a new perspective on housekeeping as well!

Simple Living by Lorilee Lippincott
Deal with tangible and intangible clutter in just 30 days with Simple Living, which will help you have a simpler and cleaner home...and keep it that way. Tackle thirty different clutter areas in under an hour a day and create drastic and permanent changes.

A Simply Homemade Clean by Lisa Barthuly
Rid your home of commercial, toxic products without the high price of all natural, organic products that line the shelf. Learn to make everything from your own laundry soap, to homemade dryer sheets, antibacterial spray cleaners, potpourri blends and fabric softeners!

Project Organize Your Entire Life by Stephanie Morgan
With a simple and customizable approach, Project Organize Your Entire Life helps you walk through your daily habits and weekly routines to conquer some of the biggest obstacles to living the simplified life you’re yearning for: decluttering, cleaning, organizing, meal planning and more.

Pulling Yourself Together by Becky of Clean Mama
In Pulling Yourself Together, Becky provides you with the tools to declutter and organize your home in the midst of a busy life, implement a cleaning routine that really works and strategies to continue with the perfected plan!

The Spring Cleaning bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 3/18. Get yours today:


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20 Ways to Use Ripe Bananas

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While I love to eat bananas in their original form, I much prefer them baked, grilled, whipped, blended, and frozen. I love it when our bananas get so ripe that my kids won't eat them because they look funny, because that is when bananas are at their best--ripe & sweet!

20 Ways to Use Ripe Bananas

1. Banana Oatmeal Muffins at Family Balance Sheet
2. Banana Walnut Baked Oatmeal at Family Balance Sheet
3. Grilled Banana Splits at Family Balance Sheet
4. Banana Nut Pancakes at The Happy Housewife
5. Banana Daiquiri at The Daily Noff
6. Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies at OMFG So Good
7. Banana "Ice Cream" at Whole Living. Just TWO ingredients!
8. 3 2 1 Custard at Greenbacks Gal. Just 3 ingredients! Also a Paleo recipe.
9. Eatmore' Fudge Squares at Chocolate Covered Katie
10. Banana Blueberry Swirl Popsicles at Martha Stewart
11. Banana Pops at Bakers Royale
12. No Bake Banana Sundae Cheesecake at The Messy Baker Blog
13. Dark Chocolate & Banana Truffles at Love and Olive Oil
14. Bananas Foster Bread Pudding at Confessions of a Baking Queen
15. Back Yard Bananas Foster at The LoveBite
16. Barbecued Stuffed Bananas at The Paleo Mom
17. Roasted Banana Cake at The Faux Martha
18. Slow Cooker Honey Bananas at skinnyms.
19. Butterscotch Banana Blondies at Hungry Rabbit
20. Coconut Lemon Banana Bread at Good Life Eats

Did you know you can freeze ripe bananas? I do it all the time when I don't think I'll use them up before they get too bad. I just unpeel them and stick them in a freezer bag. When I want to use them, I thaw in a strainer, unless I'm using them for smoothies, to allow them to drain a bit before using them in recipes. You can also freeze in their peel, but I think it's easier to peel before freezing.

For even more Ripe Banana recipes, check out my Pinterest Board, "Ideas for Ripe Bananas". I'm always adding to it. If you have a recipe you'd like me to include on the board, leave the Pinterest link in the comments.

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My Must Have Running Gear | Week 2 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon

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Every week between now and early May, I will be charting my progress as I train for my next half marathon in Pittsburgh. I'll post everything about my training from the actual distances to what I wear to how I stay hydrated, nourished and entertained while running.

My Must Have Gear

I don't leave the house with my gear.

1. Mizuno Wave Rider Running Shoes. I am a strong believer in high quality running shoes when you are running high mileage. There's nothing wrong with buying cheaper sneakers, but you get what you pay for and I've had less injuries since I started investing a little more money to buy better shoes. I buy my running shoes at a local running store where everyone on staff is an experienced runner. They have given me a lot of advice over the years and  they also led me to Mizuno's. This is my second pair and I LOVE them.
2. My Nike shades.
3. Timex Ironman Watch
   
4. iPhone.
5. Belkin Armband for my Apple iPhone.
   
6. Sony Ear Buds.
   
7. a hat. If it's cold, I wear the blue Adidas hat that covers my ears. Otherwise, I wear a baseball cap, usually my Life is Good running hat.
8. During the cold weather months, I always wear my gloves.

I store all of the gear, except for my iPhone, in a bin in our garage. Everything is ready to go when I head out the door.

My Week 2 Workouts:

• Monday: 3 mile run outside, easy pace -
• Thursday: 3 mile run outside, easy pace
• Friday: 1 hour of yoga at the Y
• Saturday: 3 mile run outside, easy pace
• Saturday: 5 mile run outside, run at conversational pace

I ran a 10 minute pace all week. Week 2 is over and it marks the end of the easy workouts. Every run in the first two weeks was  at an easy pace, but that changes with week 3. It's time to kick it up a notch.

Training Plan for Upcoming Week 3

• Monday: 3 miles, easy pace.
• Wednesday: 5 miles with 2 miles at tempo pace.
• Thursday: 3 miles, easy pace.
• Friday: 1 hour yoga at the Y.
• Saturday: 6 miles, run at conversational pace

Tempo pace is when you run a portion of your workout at a faster pace. This article in Runner's World explains it well. In my past training, I just ran my 10 minute pace through out the entire 10 weeks. I didn't push myself to run much faster than that. Now that I have a goal of beating a particular time, not just finishing a race, I need to increase my pace with these tempo runs. I have no way of timing that pace and I currently do not have a heart rate monitor to track my output, so I'm just going to push myself to run a faster pace.

Read more:

• My Road to Half Marathons.
• Week 1 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon
• Week 2 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon | My Must Have Gear

A note about my training plan: The half marathon training plan that I follow is designed for beginners. Although, it is advised that you do not start using the 10 week training plan until you are able to run 6 miles. If you are new to running, start by training for a 5k. There is plenty of information online to help you with 5k training.

Are you training for a particular race? How is your training going? Let us know in the comments.

This post is linked to Motivation Monday and Busy Monday and Fitness Friday.







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