the weekend overhaul + spill it sundays #1

happy sun[ny]day!

yesterday was quite productive. i am delightfully satisfied. we:

1. had a meeting regarding our "wedding cake." the baker we spoke to was tickled by our request, and will hopefully be email us with the quote sometime today, so that we can finalize our order.
2. had our eyeglasses adjusted. a silly errand, but i am sure you glasses wearers out there feel me on this one. loose glasses are a pain!
3. put in our scone order for the coffee hour that will follow our wedding ceremony.
4. ordered my wedding band!!!
5. had a blast with friends at the foodie fest. it was definitely a cheat day -in all regards- but i kept the unhappy tummy food down to a couple of bites each. and i am keeping my guilt levels solidly in check! this isn't something i do very often. the stomach whoas keep my diet in check in day-to-day life. so, i went in with a decided mind to sample only what i wanted to, with a nod towards moderation.

my nibbles included:

• a bite of the dude's katsu chicken burger. i have never been a fan of battered & fried foods. or mayo, for that matter. one bite was all it took to say, "no." two thumbs down from me.
• a nibble off a white castle hamburger patty. i didn't expect much anything, but wanted to see what all the hype was about. our friend is a die-hard fan. i am decidedly not a fan. swallowing that one corner was tough. another two thumbs down for me. 
• a few bites of what i like to call the cookie dough corn dog, because that is exactly what it looked like. it was battered like a corn dog, but was filled with warm, ooey gooey cookie dough (the edible egg-less kind). i have to admit, the taste was heavenly. i allowed myself three small, delectable bites before reminding myself of the stomach ache and cramps that follow. this gets a thumbs up on taste, but a thumbs down on everything else. 
• another few bites of thai-tea flavored fluffy ice with lychee jelly and custard. the texture was mind boggling. taste, heavenly. again, the thought of the stomach ache to follow stopped me after three bites. another one thumbs up, and one thumbs down. 

the two foods i did allow myself to fully indulge in were:

the sushi "burrito."
lobster, crab, shrimp, avocado, and rice,
all wrapped up tightly inside rice paper.

and . . .

the "ultimate" dole whip.
soft serve pineapple and strawberry dole
 whip inside a fresh pineapple. below the
dole whip top was fresh, raw pineapple.
yum! this bad boy was huge!
we shared it between four people.
this delightful treat was dairy-free,
gluten-free, and vegan. not terrible,
considering we shared. 

this week i am linking up with arman, over at the big man's world.

this week's topic - BREAKFAST!

1. what is your classic go to breakfast of choice?
overnight oats with a cup of tea or coffee. on most days i can be found nosing on peanut butter vanilla overnight oats, although i have been on a vanilla coconut kick since last week.

i apologize for the repeat pic -from friday's post, none the less- but it is the only one i have currently. *blush*

2. favorite sweet style breakfast?
i like to play around with gluten-free stuffed french toast and pancake recipes on the weekend. this super simple pb&j stuffed french toast is among my most recent faves. really all it entails is making a pb&j (i used gluten-free bread, better'n peanut butter, and berry preserves), and then soaking it in an egg and milk mixture (i prefer unsweetened vanilla almond milk). i like it because it's a fun play on breakfast, and on a classic meal from my childhood.

3. favorite savory style breakfast?
i am a huge egg fan, so it is no surprise that my favorite savory breakfast is an egg dish. now don't get all excited here because it is nothing wild. my all-time-favorite morning meal consists of two eggs, over medium, with a side of toast (gf nowadays), hash browns, and a cup of coffee. diner style of course! there is just something mmm, mmm good about a diner-style breakfast every now and then. it's been a while since i have satiated this indulgence, so i don't have a picture at the ready. that is probably a good thing lol.

a mexican-style egg-white scramble is more along the lines of my typical savory breaky.

i believe this is also a repeat snapshot, so again, i am sorry. note to self: take some new food pics! haha

4. share a breakfast recipe you are a fan of - it can be your own or another blogger's!
banana vanilla bean pancakes with mixed berry compote from paleOMG.com. flavor bomb!! i have not made this in quite some time, but boy it is delicious!

this super classy picture, featuring only the best industrial strength paper plate and plasticware, is from the last time i mealprepped this for work. ;)

5. strangest breakfast you’ve ever eaten?
hmmm, i am such a creature of habit that i cannot remember the last time i strayed from the norm. what does come to mind is one of my first attempts at making a green smoothie. this was last summer. i was on a pretty serious smoothie kick, which i am known to go through every few months or so. generally i stick to making peanut butter fill in the blank smoothies, and all is well. on this particular day, i decided to play around with making a green smoothie. after looking at recipe after recipe, and coming up short on ingredients, i promptly and stubbornly decided to wing it. i threw in a little of this, and a little of that. ingredients such as: avocado, cilantro, celery, lemon juice, pineapple juice, etc . . . fruit and veggie after fruit and veggie, trying to roughly mirror the fruit-to-veggie ratio i'd read about on a few blogs. well, at first it was delicious! i could hardly believe it. i, a non-juicer, with no juicing equipment or high-powered blender, had whipped together a taste-bud-exciting delight! and that is where things get hazy. for some crazy reason, i decided that there were not yet enough veggies in my green smoothie. why, i hadn't even utilize the vibrant, leafy kale sitting right in my produce drawer. so, i though, "why not give it a little tweak?" and that is when i mixed my chef's hat up with my mad scientist's hat. the result was, well . . . memorable haha!

6. do you have a typical breakfast routine?
monday through thursday it's pretty easy peasy: wake up about 5:28 am. feed the cats. get ready for work. commute. check emails while drinking tea (usually white/green blend or chai). feel the first hunger pangs around 7:50-8:00 am. feast on my overnight oats at my desk.

fridays i generally have to myself, so they are a lot more laid back. wake up about 6:30 am. get out of bed around 7:30-8:30 am (depending on if i decide to read in bed). feed the cats. take the dogs out. catch up on my favorite blogs. take my time feeling out my food mood. make either: hot oats, egg white scramble, pb banana smoothie, or gf pancakes.

saturdays and sundays are about the same as fridays, except that i wait for the dude to wake. he isn't a morning person by any means, so i generally don't end up eating until well after 10:30-11 am.

thank you, arman, for hosting this linkup. this was quite fun!

well lovelies, the day is ticking by. i have a meal plan to put together, grocery shopping to do, and an afternoon of cooking ahead of me. enjoy your sunday!

peace. love. :)
yay

five friday favorites #6

another day in the books. happy friday all!

i worked for a bit this morning, to catch up on a few things that piled up while i was out sick. our bodies may catch cold and demand rest, but work just keeps on keepin' on. good thing it was a baby-sized work day, so i was able to log hours right from the snuggly comfort of my bed.

my body has a good sore, achy feel to it after a nice, rejuvenating yoga practice. it's the first bit of movement i've logged since being sick. it felt incredible. just what these ol' bones needed.

this noggin of mine is buzzing with anticipation for this weekend's going ons.

tomorrow is looking to be a busy day. the guy and i are tackling a few wedding related tasks. our goal is to:

• talk with (and hopefully order) the "wedding cake" vendor. air quotations are appropriate here because we aren't having a traditional wedding cake because neither of us is much of a cake fan. what we are having i will keep a mum about for now. ;) 
• put our pastry order in. since our ceremony is in the morning, we are replacing the typical "cocktail hour" with a "coffee hour," and serving coffee and scones. 
• consult with our jeweler on my wedding band. 
• return the undergarments i bought to wear under my dress, as i discovered they won't work while at my first fitting. fingers crossed i can find a suitable substitute that is also cute and re-wearable. i am much too practical to buy anything super frilly or "bridey" that can't be worn after the wedding. 

we are also meeting up with a few friends and going to the foodie fest tomorrow afternoon. this will be my first time ever. there will be food trucks from all over the country with delicious foods to taste. i just hope there will be options that are still me friendly (aka tummy friendly). 

and now that i have rambled enough, here are my top 5 favorites of the week.

1. organized . . . check!

love my cute, matching planners. funny thing is that i bought them separately, not even intending to coordinate! the big one is for all things wedding. the smaller is my personal planner that i tote just about everywhere i go. both help keep my world in check. a happy girl is a well organized girl. :)

2. daily motivation

the handsome little guy on the left ensures i have something to write about each and every day. even if it is a simple four lines of text. often times, my mind is spent after a long day at work. the last thing this noodle wants is to come home and string together enough words to make a coherent sentence. and then repeat that until i have a paragraph, blog post, journal entry, etc . . . the breezy q & a style of this five year journal keeps those dull-minded, writer's blocked moments at bay. and an unconstipated mind is a calm mind.

its companion to the right is a q & a style journal for couples. our plan is to start it the day we get married. puke city, right? haha well, as a soon-to-be bride, i reserve the right to buy as many puke-induding, cute couples things as i see fit. i promise there won't be many. ;)

3. my lips are sealed.

this little gal is my best confidant. never makes a peep about what i tell her. no matter how shocking, hilarious, or sad. she isn't really the gossiping type.

4. pets

these silly critters of mine keep me laughing each and every day. admittedly, they each have their days where they annoy the heck out of me. neo sometimes decides that barking at absolutely nothing all the day long is a great idea. or dexter begins his pawing-at-the-door wake-up-call at 3 am instead of 5:30 am. they each have their own way of acting up, but i love each one to pieces. and i can't picture my life without pets. #impossible

dexter doing what he does best, sitting
at my feet demanding attention.
he looks pissed here, but he's really just
caught pre meow.

who you callin' a toy hog?!

dexter and charles sharing the view, as the
twitterpated neighborhood birds chirp out love songs.

yoga is now a spectator sport. apparently no one ever
taught these pups that staring is rude lol

5. live to nosh

because eating really is the best.

although a tough pick (because again, i love to eat), these were my two favorite meals of the week.

vanilla coconut overnight oats
with a side of cinnamon tempest tea from TJ's 

paleo enchilada chicken soup, topped with vegan sour
cream, cilantro, served with a side of late july lime chips.
the soup recipe can be found here, on paleOMG.com.

wow, i'd planned for a much smaller post haha. guess i am just wordy!

hope you all have a fun, safe, and healthy weekend.

peace. love. :)
yay

you can go your own way

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random.

one word i am very much in tune with today.

without aim. yes. direction. yup. rule. definitely.

fandom and tandem?!?! am i the only one dying of laughter over here?!

thank goodness for amanda, over at running with spoons, and her thinking out loud linkup. i may just make it through a post today! haha ;)

1. i am obsessed . . . 

with this song lately always have been currently. if i had a personal theme song, this would be it. or it would at least be one of the many songs in my theme-song rotation. because let's face it, if i had a theme song, it would most certainly 100% for sure change depending on my mood.

2. today . . . 

i had the honor of sitting in on a presentation with the world renown, the one and only andre leon talley! now i am no fashion maven by any stretch of the imagination, but when a legend such as andre leon talley (i feel nothing less than dirty if i do not use his full name) graces the city you live in, and better yet, your place of work, you do not simply decline the invitation to listen to him wax eloquence.

i have to say . . . the man is funny! he is such a personality! and i was blown away when he stated (i am paraphrasing of course) that fashion cannot be wrong. fashion can be found in what you, me, she, he, everyone, anyone chooses to dress him or herself in, each and every day. i couldn't help feeling lovely at the moment.

i was dressed in my own carefree, boho-inspired style. flowing purple top with contrasting blue bandeau. distressed boyfriend jeans. braided hippie-meets-gladiator-inspired sandal. long, antiqued harmonica necklace. mala and friendship-style bracelets . . . conversely, nearly every one around me was a fashion goddess or prince, so all were, naturally, dressed to the nines for the occasion. now i am not easily intimidated by trendy folk when it comes to my personal style because it is just that, my personal style. but i did feel mildly out of place, surrounded by people who live and breathe the fashion industry. that comment though . . . swoon . . . i am now a true andre leon talley fan and believer.

3. wedding.

the one word that has been repeatedly on my mind oh, so, so, so, sooooo much lately. today we are officially 44 days out!! eeek!! it still feels like there is SO much to do. my mind is doing flips just trying to grasp the concept that i will be a married woman (read: the epitome of an adult) in just over a month!!

4. speaking of weddings . . .

our diy wedding projects are coming along splendidly, if not a little slowly. the dude is in charge of the planter boxes. he built 7 wooden planter boxes, that will be filled with various beautiful succulents, to serve as our centerpieces. i am in charge of the centerpiece accent pieces. i am upcycling empty wine bottles by turning them into unique, eclectic vases. each bottle is stripped of its label, painted, and then decorated with twine, glitter, burlap, and/or bows. no two bottles being the same. :)

i have a few pics, but am planning on putting together a dedicated blog post soon. ;)


5. i am mildy disappointed . . . 

in myself. the reason is epicly idiotic. i realize this. my intent was not to catch a cold. cognitively speaking, i am fully aware that regardless of how hard i try to keep this little body of mine well, germs still exist. and they do what germs do best. they infect. tis a simple fact of life. and yet, i am irked that once again, i have been rendered a snotty, voiceless mess.

i am just sick and tired of this seemingly endless cycle of being sick, feeling well, being in pain, feeling well, rinse, and repeat. ughhhh . . . 

and . . . times up. all whining must cease.


6. i have major music ADD right now.

recently played songs on my pandora:

goo goo dolls - iris

hootie and the blowfish - mr. jones

third eye blind - semi-charmed life

the beatles - hey jude 

fleetwood mac - landslide 

reo speedwagon - keep on loving you

eagles - take it easy

a few lyrics that really resonate with me at the moment . . .

"...she checks out mozart while she does tae-bo/ reminds me that there's room to grow..."

"...i've gotta know if your sweet love is gonna save me..."

"...and i don't want the world to see me/ 'cause i don't think that they'd understand..."

okay, piggybacking one random thought off of another. every time i hear goo goo dolls iris, i immediately flash back to city of angels. i mean, it was sort of the iconic theme song for this sad, sad romance. 

this scene in particular comes to mind. sigh. so beautiful . . . 

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7. spoiler alert . . . 

if you have never seen city of angels (how can you live with yourself?! j/k), and plan on watching it someday, just go on and skip this one. ;)

ironically enough, when i google searched the above image, it linked to a post on the hounds of zeitgeist blog . . . in a post entitled 7 movie characters that totally deserved to die. yup, this breathtaking image of meg ryan taking in the beauty of the moment was used to validate specifically why she deserved the tragic, tragic events that unfold just seconds from now, in movie time. tear!


ahhhhhh . . . i must say, that was the best mental cleanse i have had in a while. anyone else channeling my harry potter pensieve moment? no? is it just me?



do you ever get the chafing need to evacuate your mind of any and all thoughts?

well, until next time (tomorrow) . . . 

peace. love. :)
yay

five friday favorites #5

what a week!

it is finally friday and i'm in love! anyone else channeling the cure? ;)

can you tell i am a bit scatterbrained today? more so loopy, actually. blame the cold meds . . . i seem to be the only human being that somehow managed to catch a cold in 90 degree weather. so weird. how many times have i been sick so far this year? nuts! i have stuff to do. i do not have time to be sick. not that there is much of a choice i guess . . .  but i digress. onto this week's top 5.

1. can't hardly wait . . . 

for the second season of Orange is the New Black! after binge watching the first season last fall, i have been impatiently awaiting its return. june 6th baby!

it comes out the day before our big day. the dude asked me what i want to do the day after the i do's (we extended our hotel stay since we aren't honeymooning right away), and my answer was something along the lines of, "relax, enjoy being newlyweds, eat, sleep, repeat, and watch Orange is the New Black." lol funny thing is, i could totally see us actually doing that!




2. it's the little things . . . 

that make me smile :)

like this goofy drawing of olaf (from disney's frozen) as belle, from beauty & the beast. artist cherie potter has a deep rooted love for all-things frozen and all-things disney. choosing a favorite "olaf makeover" is so tough because they are all so darn cute! her belle rendition is one of my top three at the moment.

want to see more of her work? check out here tumblr, dailyolaf, for more frozen fun.

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3. it's like magic . . . 

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the healing powers of this fine moisturizer are currently saving my life. or less dramatically, soothing my eczema ridden skin. i broke out into hives tuesday night, and have been battling a face to toe (no exaggeration here) eczema outbreak ever since. TMI, i know, but that is current life for this girl. with year-round environmental allergies and food related triggers, both of which i have diligently been keeping in check (or so i thought), i am 100% stumped as to what could possibly be the culprit behind this unpleasant craziness. ce la vie, i suppose . . . 

any eczema sufferers out there who have random, unexplained flare ups? do you have any miracle cures you swear by?

think you may have eczema and/or want to learn more about it? this site is a really great resource, although visiting a doctor is always a good idea if you have questions or concerns.


4. can i get a round of applause . . . 

for demi lovato?!! so many women, men, girls, and boys are affected by body image issues. in the words of cady haron, "calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier." it can however, make that person more body conscious, depressed, at risk for self harm, etc . . . society today could really use a lesson in acceptance and sending out love over hate. i give no cares as to how hippy that may sound. 

so glad to see that miss demi could turn the negativity of that comment around. great lesson in not letting the "world" of social media get under your skin.

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5. i'm bringing . . . sexy back?

naps actually haha. kind of. i can usually stay on top of increasingly long work days no prob, but as i mentioned before, the germs got me. this body is sort of like a prison right now. so really, i am at the mercy of this microbial terrorists. napping throughout the day = life saver.

work a little. nap. take the pups out. nap. fix a delicious snack that i cannot smell. nap . . . you get it ;)

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well, it's about that time. nyquil is calling my name.

sweet dreams. don't let the sick germs bite!

peace. love. :)
yay

improve yo self - half month check in

i find it hard to believe that we are already half way through april! it feels like christmas was last week, and new year's eve just yesterday! sheesh! where has this year gone?!

at the end of march, i set 3 goals for myself. missed that post? no worries, you can find it here if you'd like.

the act of writing out a goal has always helped to keep myself in check. even better, when that written word is sent out into the vast, mysterious space we call the internet. makes it feel 1,000x more real. like some mystical, magical, mysterious, all-knowing being is sure to call me out if i so much as step a toe out of line. is it just me?? anyways . . . i guess you can say that this blog is my accountabilibuddy. and where measuring progress is concerned, my measuring stick is pre-goal habit versus post-goal habit.

okay, now that we have that all sorted out . . . how am i doing so far?

1. am i channeling my inner book worm?

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lol couldn't resist posting this meme! #bookwormproblems #nerdlife

okay, let's get down to business . . . on a scale from 1 to 10, i am giving myself a solid 6 so far. have i picked up a book? most definitely. has my nose been pressed up, snug as a bug in a rug, to its virtual iPad pages? yes, but . . . not as much as it could be. i can do better. i will do better.

beginning tomorrow, i am challenging myself to read on my break (which also means i have to actually take a break, since i rarely, if ever do). that is in addition to also pencilling in a block of book lovin' time on friday through sunday.

2. have i been drinking in that sweet cardio?

the ol' bod has been kind to me recently. pain has been minimal, and i am proud to say i have been able to complete 7 cardio sessions so far this month (mixed high and low impact). 7 out of 14 days. it doesn't sound like much, but i am determined to listen to and stick with my body on this. most definitely don't want to end up like these guys lol!!

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3. am i limiting libations?

my thirst has been satiated . . . by water, tea, and coffee. 14 days. 0 drinks. it's actually been longer, but i didn't begin counting until april 1st. can i get a good ol' tony-robbins-style, "yes, yes, yes!!" 

for those who may be wondering, the reason behind this goal has everything to do with altering my drinking habits when socializing. in reality, i don't drink very often, but my tendency is to say, "yes," almost automatically, when offered a glass of wine or cocktail in a social setting. i was raised to always oblige the host, and that has obviously trickled down into my core. when i really think about it, i believe the habit developed out of wanting to be polite. regardless, it is one i am set on breaking.

does this mean i will never have another sip of alcohol again? no, in fact, i have tickets to a charity wine walk in may, that i purchased months ago. what it does mean, is that i am working towards being more aware and in the moment.

if one is to indulge in a smooth, rich cab, why not be present and knowingly choose to indulge?

on a more serious note, there is history of substance abuse within my immediate family. while i have never displayed dependency or abusive traits, i feel it within my best interest to maintain an awareness.

and just to lighten the mood . . .

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i can never really think of motivation without my mind conjuring up this old poster. anyone remember this?

well, that wraps up my progress so far. there are still 16 days left in the month. still progress to be made. goals to be accomplished. aim high. aim true.

peace. love. :)
yay

lemme see you sweat!

hey there, sunday!

sunny, sunny days. can't complain! just love soaking up this gorgeous weather by throwing open all the windows and letting the cool breeze dance from room to room. in a blink of an eye, it will soon be 105F+, so i am making sure to enjoy the few weeks of spring weather that we get!

this girl has had another successful, almost painless week of sweet, sweaty workouts. my upper back and neck pain crept in towards the end of the week. nothing a light massage and back adjustment, a la my dude, couldn't fix. woke up feeling much, much better today. :)

i have been trying to get better at using my Movescount profile to track and log all of my cardio workouts. went off the grid for a while, but this week i was on point with it!

dedicated 3 of my 4 workouts to HIIT, and 1 day to spin.

i am loving how great my body feels post workout!

uploaded from my Movescount profile

still gotta finish meal prepping, so this will have to be a baby post for now.

on a random note, wish i could stay up and watch Revenge tonight! it's getting so darn intense, i can barely handle it! eek! but let's be realistic, i will be in bed before it even airs ;)

do you have a guilty pleasure show?

peace. love. :)
yay

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five friday favorites #4

it's friday! friday! [insert horrificly catchy rebecca black song & dance here].

i made it through the week! yipee! ever feel like the week went by at a turtle's pace . . . and yet at the end you're like, "wait, what? it's over already??" that was this week for me. weird!

okay, so i have some major projects planned for the weekend. wedding shtuffs. diy crafties. you are sure to see a dedicated post on that once i have some pictures to share. :)

for now, my five favorites of the week . . . 

1. hello WFH!

a couple of super awesome managers in my department surprised us all on tuesday, with the announcement of a work from home "pilot" program. work from home?! what?! you mean i can get work done and lay in bed in my pjams all day??? have i gone to heaven?!

okay, well enough with the dramatics ;) this pilot program was rolled out to all current leads, and will run for the next three months. basically, as long as we don't -pardon my french- screw things up, this opportunity could eventually be rolled out to senior coordinators, and then coordinators.

we are still of course expected to have a presence in the office. i mean, we can't go all ghost writer on them haha. it's definitely a great benefit though. i work four 10s, so really i am already out of the office three days a week. this however, gives me the opportunity to snatch up that sweet, sweet overtime without having to live in the office on my days off.

color me excited!

my workspace today!

as you can see, i am already taking advantage of this option ;)


2. fresh foods

my favorite thing about the weekend is being able to cook freshly made dishes. meal prepping during the week is a life saver, but nothing beats a hot-off-the-stove omelette or fresh-from-the-blender smoothie. i noshed on overnight oats for breakfast all week, but going back to my previous statement, i was well overdue for a real meal.

i have been craving protein like fiend! my stomach couldn't decide between eggs or a smoothie . . . so i made both.

the eggs are a breeze.
4 egg whites
tiny splash of unsweetened almond milk
dash of an herb blend seasoning
3 sweet mini bell peppers on the side

bon appetite!

3. inspiration

because really, you should live every day with this mindset.


4. lust

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truth be told, i have been lusting after this bag for far longer than i'd like to admit. i visit her regularly when strolling through the online-window-shopping world. also finally pinned her, so that i can visit her on my style me lovely board. there is still much to pay for wedding wise, so this girl is being good and keeping her pocketbook locked up tight. after the "i do's," this lovely lady is coming home to me!


5. on the tubes



this video is by no means new -i know, i know- but it still gives me the giggles. so there. enjoy. laugh. giggle. repeat!

and now this girl must shower, begin aforementioned wedding diy projects, workout, run downtown to grab my computer charger (did i mention i left it on my work desk? ugh), cook dinner, and hopefully wind down for the day with a steamy mug of tea and a good read.

peace. love. :)
yay 

she glows

happy sunday! it is sunny, nearly cloudless and cool in my neck of the woods. a truly beautiful spring day. if being an adult didn't come with the responsibility of grocery & necessities shopping, cleaning house, doing laundry, etc . . . i would be outside from sun up to sun down. but, being a grown-up does come with a pretty long to-do list and priorities. sundays are my prep-for-the-week day, so i should probably stay on track ;)

my back is still achy from my last workout, but i am so proud of my body! this girl conquered 3 amazingly intense cardio sessions this week! it may not seem like a lot, but i was able to get through each one without being in loads of pain during or after. that in itself is great! post-workout pain-pill-popping is not the norm for me, but it was necessary this past week, and has really helped reduce the usual muscle inflammation and stiffness that renders me 100% miserable. and that was my short and sweet ode to western medicine lol . . . 

my workouts for the week were:

1. 42 minutes of HITT training
2. 48 minutes hill-climb-focused spin class
3. 39 minutes of HITT training.

post cardio glow

i took my heart-rate monitor strap off after spin, and boy was it gross! i was literally dripping sweat. #proudgirl lol

holy yuck!

big hair . . .

. . . don't care :)

well, i am off to run errands. costco. vons. petsmart. possibly target. between costco and target, my pocketbook may need a bit of luck haha

is there a store that tends to empty your checkbook?

peace. love. :)
yay

five friday favorites #3

another friday is upon us, and that means it's time for my "five friday favorites."

1. experiments of the foodie kind.

i feel like i can never get enough time in the kitchen. cooking is a oddly relaxing to me. testing out new recipes and tweaking/personalizing recipes are just so soothing. must be the methodical process. it truly is like being in my very own science lab, tending to my latest experiment, and excitedly awaiting the results. okay, so i am a mad scientist at heart ;)

this morning my stomach was set on pancakes. since this body of mine is always craving protein, i try and make sure that breakfast is always chalked full of this appetite-satisfying essential. so, i decided to play around a bit. the results were even better than i could have hoped for. i give you my take on a paleo (aka tummy friendly) pancake. my gluten free banana protein pancake!

made this pretty little recipe card here

the batter made 5 pancakes total (each roughly 4 inches in diameter). surprisingly, my stomach was satisfied with 2 1/2 (yes half haha. that was my "tester" pancake). i topped these badboys with a tbs of better'n peanut butter and chowed like there was no tomorrow. it was heavenly. :)

2. nailed it!

as much as i absolutely enjoy being pampered at the nail spa (i mean who doesn't?), my budget-concious brain and extremely practical upbringing ensure my pockets stay modestly filled. can't say that is a bed thing, to be honest. every couple of months i do splurge and pay for a mani-pedi, but more often than not i can be found self-pamering at spa de moi. from cuticle trimming, to clipping, filing, and buffing. this girl runs a full-service retreat. it's definitely time consuming, but my fingers and toes always feel so pretty and refreshed afterwards.

3. a good belly laugh.



this video sums up daily life! haha . . . i also somehow manage to catch my hair in the hinges of my glasses. oh, and cooking it. yes, my nose has curled many a times to the charred stench of pan fried hair.
having long hair can be sure a pain at times. not gonna lie, i regularly daydream about cutting every bit of my hair off. keeping the lovely locks at least until the wedding. after that though, who knows ;)

4. karaoke for one.

one of the best parts about having the house to myself on fridays? solo singing parties. there is nothing quite like belting out to any and every song that pops into my head, or onto the stereo. boy, do my speakers sure get good use!

i have always been musically inclined. taught myself to play the keyboard at age 4. also regularly terrified my parents, as a small child, by sleep singing. yes, that's a real thing! don't remember actually doing it, but i've heard stories. oddly enough, i have never been a fan of singing in front of people. even after years of choir. so, i satisfy my inner music bug by channeling my inner off-broadway star.

5. aaawwww moment.

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going hand-in-hand with my musical divulgence above, is my new-found love for the disney movie frozen. even i didn't understand all the hype around this film, until i finally sat down and watched it a couple of weeks ago. it has easily become one of my all-time-favorite animated movies! the story is the cutest, and i must say, the message is so progressive! these are the kind of disney princesses i never knew i wanted! don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but this gem-of-a-movie brings a fresh new meaning to true love.

not to mention, it features the vocals of my musical-girl-crush idina menzel. her voice! seriously, perfection . . .




so, that's my five for the week!

hope you have all had a lovely week.

peace. love. :)
yay

you jokster you!

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today is the jokster's holiday. the day of pranks, gags, and giggles. truth: i was quite the prankster back in my college years. in fact, i even played the knock-knock boom! pie-in-the-face diddy once. truth: i have never played an april fools day prank. imaging that!

nowadays, i really just sit back and read about all the silly things people do to one another.

truth: my fiance and i are both fond of playing pranks, but we are both waaaayy to "into" it that trouble is sure to ensue because we are each so adamant about topping the other. it's all fun and games until an iphone is taken offline, making it virtually impossible to find. yes, that actually happened once. it was my prank. yes, it caused quite the uproar. and yes, i still find mild satisfaction when it comes to mind . . . so yea, we don't prank one another anymore! haha 

anyways, i still like to satisfy my inner joker . . . just not in the same way lol.

27 Pranks You Need to Really Own April Fools Day

5 Epic April Fools Day Pranks

for you pranksers out there . . .

Pranks for Nothing!

and if you prefer a heads up . . .

Your 2014 April Fool's Day Prank Spoiler

just try not be end up being this guy . . .



happy pranking to all and to all a good april 1st!

peace. love. :)
yay