Happy Halloween, y’all! Nothing like some real, spooky stories to freak you out!
Oh, the Joys of Spring
Alright guys. There seems to be a pattern..I’m trying to maintain this blog, but I think that I accumulate so much that I don’t think I’ll have time to do it all justice. From here on out, I’m gonna try and post things as they happen: recipes, pics, inspirations, etc. We’ll see how that goes. It’s a learning experience, after all!
I decided to give up sweets for Lent along with one of my good friends, Kelsey.
An empty Arch’s cup
At the time, I thought it would be a chance for me to prove to myself that I don’t need sweets though I’m very obsessed with some extra dark chocolate…WRONG. In fact, it’s made me crave them even more. Just like a diet doesn’t work because you’re restricting yourself instead of making a lifestyle change, this “giving up sweets” thing is killing me. I decided halfway through to cheat on Sundays because that’s ok. Research it if you don’t believe me! Now, I binge on sweets on Sundays to get my fill.
St. Paddy’s Day Donut with Chrissy, suffering alongside me!
It’s quite unhealthy in fact, which drove me to decide that I’ll NEVER do this again. But hey, I guess I’ve learned my lesson: everything in moderation! I faltered over Spring Break, and celebrated by making cookies with my sisters. I also ate very well (Thanks Pop), and hung out with my handsome nephew!
Shrimp & Crab Ravioli, and some tasty red wine, of course!
Only the best: Little Man Cookies
The most handsome man
I felt guilty though, and have decided to keep it up ‘till Easter. Let me just say, I don’t think I’ve EVER been this excited for Easter—including even when I was little.
Either way, I’ve made some tasty granola bars for snack for my Teaching English classmates thanks to this terrible Lenten promise of mine.
Peanut Butter & Banana Granola Bars
They are filling and tasty. A healthy sweet for those of you in my same sweet-forbidden boat. For this SUPER yummy recipe, go here: http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/06/peanut-butter-and-banana-granola-bars.html
Here’s the recipe for some granola bars I just made, but didn’t take a picture of them before they were all gone..! I know! They were a bit salty, so I’d take it down a notch. Also, I didn’t have goji berries (they’re quite expensive) so I substituted them with some Craisins. They were a success! http://friskylemon.com/2011/08/23/ironman-coco-nut-bars/
So, I guess this Lent hasn’t been THAT bad…but I still will never do this again. Mark my words!
I’m beginning Insanity Asylum on Monday with one of my housemates, Margot. We finished Insanity (Round Two for us—yes, we’re champs) yesterday, so we need something new. What’s more fitting than some more of our favorite trainer, Shaun T? I’m stoked. I need a change in my routine! Also, thanks Gaby for kicking my butt into gear. I’m going to try and be better about posting!
Until next time,
Happy trails y’all!
My Recent, Tasty Dishes
I was quite upset last night (and super peeved), but I decided to forget all that once I woke up refreshed (or still super groggy, but aren’t we all?) this morning.
So here are the pics of my latest healthy adventures:
Five-ingredient cauliflower (including the cauliflower!)
**Let me know if you’d like the recipe–it’s super simple and oh so tasty! [Thanks Margot!]
Spaghetti Squash!
It’s as big as my face–and that’s just the half of it!
Spaghetti squash + pasta sauce + parmesan cheese = YUMMMM.
So friends, I guess I’ve learned my lesson. This post was MUCH less annoying, AND I’ve already met my goal of posting at least bi-weekly. Though this morning wasn’t off to the best start (I still have pinkeye/some congestion), it’s looking up! I’m looking forward to my Insanity sesh (Core Cardio & Balance–thank God for Recovery Weeks) and then Cavalier Xfit later this evening! Wooo!
Stay healthy & happy, my friends
Catch-up, Round Two?
Hello faithful fans! I know it’s been a little over two months now…and I’ve basically lost the title “blogger” due to this inactivity, but I’m about to catch you all up. Then we’ll be even, right? My goal is to post AT LEAST once every two weeks. I figure that’s manageable until I can fit more regular posting into my schedule. This blogging thing can be time consuming!
Regardless, I’m going to try and keep this short and sweet because though I’ve been silent for a while, I don’t want to bore any of you with all of the deets. Therefore, I’ll give y’all a lightning reel of these past two months, complemented with little blurbs.
Let’s begin where I left off:
I nominated myself “social chair” of Cavalier XFit (CrossFit, though we aren’t technically an official branch, hence the “XFit”), and I’m lovin’ it!
I finished my exams and did surprisingly well!
To celebrate, I had a baking extravaganza with my main future English teacher, Kelsey:
Sam came and kept me company once my housemates left for break (ah, the joys of being a babysitter!), and she helped (watched) me make some very tasty peppermint bark, indeed!
Then came the most memorable Christmas Eve yet…
I’ll be telling this story for years to come. A scavenger hunt, a near head-on collision, ice-skating, a Pandora bracelet, the question, hiding family and friends, snowflakes, champagne, AND catching it all on camera? Yup, I starred in a fairy tale that day, one that actually came true!
Here’s the link in case you’d like to see it again (I’ve watched it countless times), or for the first time!
And yes, I still love gazing at my rock in all types of different lighting 🙂
Christmas came,
and New Year’s followed
My birthday snuck up on me
and I had a blasty blast!
I’ve randomly developed a love for nail polish (who knew I’d ever be this girly?!)
Now classes have begun, and are in full swing. It’s tough trying to maintain a healthy diet when you’re so busy, as many of you all know, but I’m trying my hardest!
My latest and favorite creation: homemade ALMOND BUTTER.
I’ve made plain almond butter (gone in two days) and cocoa-nut (cocoa and coconut—get it?) almond butter. Let me just say that I’m in LOVE.
I made spaghetti squash and this bangin’ cauliflower recipe last night, but WordPress isn’t letting me post any more pics. Boooo. 😦
I guess I’ve been putting off posting because my eating habits have been up and down, up and down over these past two months. I’ll do fine, and then crash at night. I’m struggling like everyone else–and I want to be a solid example.
Well, we all crack sometimes, but the important thing is to not be so hard on ourselves. My dad asked me in the midst of a near-meltdown: “Can you change it, Mary?” I responded “no,” and he told me “Well, if you can’t change it, don’t worry about it. Focus on what you can change. Everything else you’ll just have to accept.”
Ahh, such wise words from a wise man (ha!)
On that note, I’m out. Look forward to my post in two weeks, y’all!
Let’s play catch-up!
Hello there, faithful readers!
First off, Happy Monday! It’s beautiful here in Cville. I’m actually wearing shorts…it’s supposed to be 70 degrees today! Second off, I know I haven’t posted in quite some time, and I know you guys are JUST DYING to hear what’s going on in my life.
Did I mention that I tried to post a week or two ago, and my post was somehow deleted? Yeah…that was frustrating! I was procrastinating and spent an hour on a post…just to lose it. I guess that kinda stuff happens. Damn you, technology!
Besides that, it’s been a wild few weeks, lemme tell ya. After Italian exams, papers (an 8-pager & a 10-pager), and Thanksgiving, it’s just been a whirlwind. Seeing all of my family over Thanksgiving break was delightful—I can’t wait to go back in a couple weeks!
After indulging in a glooorious dinner on Thanksgiving, it occurred to me how easy it is to wallow in yummy food, eating more and more just because it tastes amazing.
For example:
There’s no way to deny ANY of that.
And it’s quite alright to do so over the holidays, but why wait till New Year’s to make a resolution? I meant to post this Saturday December 1st so it would make more sense, making a resolution a month early, but the weekend simply flew by. Y’all know how it is.
So, I downloaded the Lose It! app, and I’m feeling lovely. I’m not necessarily trying to lose a lot of weight, but I’d like to monitor my food intake so that I make healthy choices, especially during the most difficult season to do so (in my opinion that is!). The idea of adding that scoop of peanut butter or that extra cookie into my app is encouragement enough for me to think twice about doing so. I know that doesn’t work for everyone, and everyone doesn’t have a smartphone capable of these apps, but there are online ones and there are other alternatives.
It’s important to keep in mind that “food is fuel,” and although it always makes me feel better, that’s not its soul purpose. I certainly support little treats, such as a few squares of dark chocolate alongside some fruit, or a few bites of ice cream, but getting carried away is where we go wrong.
(my new fav ice cream..TRY IT. If you like coconut, you’ll be in heaven.)
So while you’re out doing your holiday shopping, bring some healthy snacks along so you aren’t tempted to snatch a Cinnabon or an Auntie Anne’s pretzel because you’re dying of hunger. Since hunger is a force (a driving one in my life!), you must feed it, literally and figuratively, so that your body can keep going.
On that note, I’ll leave you all with a song I heard for the first time with my sisters on Black Friday (we like to lounge in the comfort of Michelle & Keith’s home instead of braving the masses at the malls):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpmFletV_pU
4th Year 5k!
Ran my second 5k this morning with Danielle & Gaby! My time improved, and I think I’ll start trying to run these regularly, for fun. That way I can eventually work my way up to a half marathon one day? Maybe??
Hello!
Welcome to my glorious blog, and thanks for stopping by! I hope you all find some inspiration, chuckle a little, and most importantly, enjoy your ride on this merry-go-round we call life!
Mary-Go-Round 