Hammer of Thor

The Wooden Hammer of Thor

(Thor's Hammer)

This is the excessively large hammer Tony decided to build (large and unnecessary isn't that the goal?) that pretty much resembles a wooden version of Thor's hammer. 

(Tony's Hammer)

It is made out of Ipe wood- which for those of us that don't know, Ipe is heavy, durable, and extremely hard. It makes for great outdoor furniture because of its durability.


So far the hammer weighs a little over two pounds. There may be rumor that some decorative leather will soon be added?

He uses it to close paint cans and work on our kitchen table that he is building (though apparently it dented the side of the work bench!)

Other than that he just likes to carry it around. ;)






Read more about Ipe wood here:
 http://poolandpatio.about.com/od/patioglossary/g/What-Is-Ipe-Wood.htm

Monkey Pod Serving Tray

I'm starting to get a little behind on all of his projects going on out in the garage. Here's one of the smaller ones that he has completed in the past month.

Monkey Pod Serving Tray

This little trinket has become one of my favorites! He took a scrap piece of Monkey Pod wood and formed it into this perfect little serving tray. It works great for coffee and snacks and makes eating on the couch a possibility!

Just a little side note- MonkeyPod wood is made from the MonkeyPod tree out here in Hawaii (It's pretty common to see) a lot of people make gorgeous pieces of furniture out of this wood because of its unique grain. Its generally quite an expensive piece!

Example of a monkey pod table:

Isn't it pretty?

Fitness Calendar

I found this on a blog that I like to follow. I figured it could provide some structure for any month!

http://frame.bloglovin.com/?post=4201334844&group=0&frame_type=a&context=feed_all&context_ids=&blog=957620&frame=1&click=0&user=0

Dog training article: Teaching your dog to lay down

A new dog training article for teaching the fundamentals!

http://www.examiner.com/article/training-fundamentals-teaching-down


Be sure to check out more on my dog training page =)

I love this blog! I thought this was a creative yet simple post and a super good idea.

http://frame.bloglovin.com/?post=4195226554&group=0&frame_type=b&context=blog_profile&context_ids=4526&blog=4526&frame=1&click=0&user=0

Light and Healthy Snacks

These are a few of my favorite snacks for in between workouts or to for a small/ light meal!

Yogurt and Granola

Obviously this is very simple to put together. These are two of my favorite brands- Yoplait light is only 90 Calories but I also like to use Light Chobani Greek Yogurt (about 100 calories)

Granola can be high in calories (140 for 1/4 cup) So generally I only put in a couple tablespoons.


It makes a tasty little snack! I added a few extra almonds because I love them.

Total Calories: 160
Total Fat : 3 g
Total Protein:7 g
Total Carbs: 25 g
Total Sugar: 13 g



Fruit and Protein Smoothies

These are also very straightforward. The biggest thing with making a healthy fruit smoothie is to substitute milk and juice with almond or coconut milk. This will help decrease calories and fat content. 

Fruit is high in sugar but it is grouped into a fast burning carb. With a little added Whey Protein you can have a healthy post work out snack (Proteins and fast carbs should be paired together for optimal fat burning and energy) 
It also helps to avoid using bananas as they are a high calorie fruit and are known to help contribute to belly fat.

Crackers and Tuna

I'm pretty much convinced that these tuna packets are the best things ever. My favorite is the sweet and spicy or the lemon pepper- mush it up with some mustard and have a delicious high protein snack! They are low calorie and fish is a great source of lean protein. The crackers can be anything though I recently discovered these brown rice thins. Remember to find a fast burning carb (consists of things like wheat or brown rice. Lays Potato chips are probably not the best choice!)
(Of just the Tuna)
Total Fat: 0.5 g
Total Calories: 80-90
Total Protein: 18 g

Grilled Chicken Salad

Delicious and simple! Chop up some veggies and add them to the lettuce- I like carrots, peppers, and cucumbers. Find a low calorie dressing or simply go with balsamic vinegar. Stay away from croutons (like I didn't in this picture) because they have a lot of calories in them and are an unnecessary carb. Marinate the chicken half an hour before in some barbecue sauce for extra flavor!