Friday love, Cincinnati style

I plan to run through my grandma's hilly, hilly neighborhood this morning. It's going to be fun. And I will keep telling myself that as I go up each insane incline.

But Friday's not about that. It's about love. Let's show it!

Food. I plan to eat some of my favorite foods today - goetta and Skyline chili - all in moderation. Of course. Unless you are in a few select areas of the country, going on about those foods won't help you. Instead, I thought of some tweaks to my Gingerbread Oatmeal and I'm ready to share.

Gingerbread Oatmeal
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons oat bran
1 very ripe banana
1.5 cups liquid (I used 1 cup almond milk and 1/2 cup water)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger, more to taste
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon molasses
Sweetener, to taste (I used a very scant 1/2 teaspoon Truvia)

Add oats, banana, liquid, cinnamon and ginger to saucepan. Cook over medium to medium-low heat until you reach desired consistency. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, molasses and sweetener. Put in bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds if you like your food insanely hot like I do. Take dainty bites and enjoy.

Fitness. I don't know what it is lately but my runs have been very up and down. Good one day, sucky the next. The one thing that gets me through is making myself go but I give myself two "helpers": I can go as slow as I want and after reaching a set distance, I can turn around and go home. I find that once I get out there and get past that first half-mile that things look up. Or at least a little less down.

Life. One word: Family. I saw my sister-in-law at lunch Wednesday and most of my extended family for the holiday. I still have 24 hours with my grandma. Awesome. Pure awesome.