Easy-Peasy Trail Mix and A Sunburn

Here's me Monday morning, enjoying the sunshine.

Here's me Monday night, cursing the sunshine.

And to answer your question, no it will not turn into a golden bronze tan after the red. That would just be too easy wouldn't it? My skin goes from ghostly white, to red, and fades to a nice off white. :) Ahh the joys of being fair skinned!

Anyways, after working in our yard all day, I was tired and wanted a healthy pick me up. I wanted sweet and salty and didn't want to feel like crap after eating it, and I came up with something so delicious that I had to share!

Outta the Cupboard Trail Mix:

Ingredients:
Sliced almonds (raw, unsalted)
Sunflower seeds (roasted, unsalted)
Dried cranberries
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (enough so that you get chocolate with every bite!)
All ingredients from Trader Joe's.


Mix together and enjoy! 

Dreaming With a Broken Heart

I'm on the final stretch... 4 and a half days down, 1 to go! Tomorrow at midnight I'll finish my 6 day juice cleanse. I plan on baking homemade cinnamon rolls :)

This week has been a huge test of discipline for me. I don't like finishing things that aren't fun. I am a quitter by nature (or by nurture, but that's debateable). All week I've been whining. Thanks to my tweeps for not unfollowing me! So far everyone has been so encouraging, and I so appreciate that. Thank you!

Anywho, while I've been whining, I've also been dreaming of food. Stuff like this:

Source: annies-eats.com via Katie on Pinterest

Source: thenovicechefblog.com via Katie on Pinterest

pesto pasta...my very favorite kind. YUM!

Source: skinnytaste.com via Katie on Pinterest

My most favorite Skinny Taste recipe

Source: skinnytaste.com via Katie on Pinterest

More pasta. Yes it's my favorite.

Welp, I signed up for a half marathon last winter and I didn't train well and ended up being told by a cardiologist I shouldn't run it. So I didn't. I still regret giving up and not training better and I think about that as a failure all the time.

Last night I almost gave up on this cleanse. I was SO hungry and I did not want any more fruits or vegetables. (They're starting to make me nauseous I've had so many!) So I decided this will be my half marathon. I am going to finish, and finish strong.

Until next time my friends... I'll be dreaming of all this delicious food!!

Have you ever done a cleanse? How did you feel afterwards?

Juice Fast and Blogger Meet-Up!

Welp tomorrow starts our 7 day juice fast. I keep saying juice fast, but I actually mean raw fruits & vegetable fast. I will still eat bananas and make smoothies from frozen fruit & orange juice I made tonight.   Just no dairy in them. But I am super stoked and ready to start this cleanse and see how I feel at the end of it. I'll keep y'all updated, and I will definitely need some encouragement! I've never done anything like this. We were starting to get the "clean eating" thing down before we moved, and since then camp food has taken over. Somehow I've managed to lose weight while being here but I think that's just because my job is so active. Anyways, this is a huge deal for me. I love food! This week will be a huge test of my discipline. I know I can do it, I know I can do it.

It really does look delicious though, doesn't it? And so colorful!

Luckily Ashley is hosting this whole thing & there will be lots of encouragement through that group along the way.

Speaking of Ashley, I got to meet her and a handful of other bloggers today. Namely Jamie, Julie, Meg, and Hollie. I've gotten to know these girls via their blogs, emailing, twitter, and texting but it was SO COOL to meet them in person and actually hang out! I met a few other girls too but I was mostly excited to hang out with the girls I already have a relationship with because I was meeting them for the first time today. Maybe next one I'll try to mingle more :)

Jamie & Julie 

I am so mad I didnt get a picture with Meg! (Mine and Hollie's will hopefully be posted soon!) Just means we'll have to hangout again soon, Meg :)

I also won this awesome print from Orange&Park. They have tons of cool prints of California and other places like South America, Africa, & stationary too! 

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I loved meeting these girls and feeling like we'd been friends for a long time. Seriously, you guys are amazing. Now lets set up some hang-outs chicas!

PS. Thank you to the girls who hosted today's meet-up, y'all did an amazing job & it was so nice to be included!

Don't forget to linkup on Monday with your favorite Blush, Bronzer, etc! :)

Please allow me to confess...

My mind's been a-wandering since I've been working alone all week & had tons of time to think. Allow me to confess to you some of the things I dwell on while makin' all those beds and vacuuming all those meeting rooms! Don't judge me, friends.

• Pinterest: While I agree that Pinterest is super duper handy and convenient, not to mention tons of fun & overwhelmingly full of amazing ideas on the web; I am inconsolably envious of you engaged ladies [or ladies who will be engaged at some point] who have Pinterest to act as your personal wedding planner/idea board. The rest of us old married women had to use sticky notes, "bookmarks", and actual binders. I loved looking at ruffledblog.com when I was planning our wedding & had to search that site hundreds of times to find that one picture of that one cake or that one hairstyle. You honestly have no idea how many bookmarks I had on my computer at work. You are SO LUCKY to have Pinterest to help you keep all your random ideas in one cute little organized place. End rant. [yes I'm talking to you, Molly] And yes, I do dwell on this 7 months after our wedding. Oh! happy 7 months of marriage today, babe :)

• SoCal Blogger Meet-Up: I can't believe I will actually get to meet some of the girls that keep my sane while living atop this mountain. Like I've said, I did not intend to make friends by blogging, I just wanted to clear my head through writing. Well one thing led to another and now I'm in love with it & also with the friends I have made. Like real friends! [atleast they better be real!] Saturday I get to meet a few of the girls that live down here and I can't stop talking about it. Even though my coworkers think I'm weird for going to a "blogger meetup". But to be honest, [cue confession] I am soooo nervous. I am very confident behind the computer screen, but here I can think about what I type.. back up and re-type, etc. I get social anxiety when I am around new people and I have been praying all week that this doesn't happen! I know these girls already love me so I dont know why I am so nervous, but just had to be honest here people.
• Balance: While I am on the subject of blogging; I just want to confess that sometimes I don't have the time to write out everything thats in my head. Sometimes I just love reading what all you bloggers have to say and usually I find myself encouraged, inspired, and come away refreshed. So, thank you. Thank you for finding the time to write out what's on your heart. Because it really does touch me.
• God Time: I am not good at making time for God. It has always been a struggle for me ever since I realized I could have a relationship with Him. Waking up early is just not realistic because I hate mornings. After work I get distracted and honestly, just forget. I've really been convicted about this lately and so I've been searching for a remedy. I finally ordered Beth Moore's Believing God study workbook and honestly, it has been amazing. In just a few days of going through her lessons, I have seen so much growth. It encourages me and excites me for the next days' lesson. I am beyond thankful for this right now!

Source: weliveforjesus.tumblr.com via Danielle on Pinterest


• Juicing: This is my last confession. For today atleast. We bought a juicer a few weeks ago after watching Fat Sick & Nearly Dead and a few other documentaries on Netflix. So far, Zach has used it every single day since we got it & I have used it exactly once. And of course I documented it with a photo. I did commit to doing a 7-day juice fast starting on Monday [thanks to Ashley ] because I really do believe in the effects and I want to see the health results. I just dont think it tastes that good. I'll have to deal though.

Peanut Butter Protein Cookies

 

I don't bake very often, because usually baked goods upset my tummy {more on my tummy later. another post for another day}. Last year, my health obsessed roommate used to make these babies all the time and I loved them because they dont hurt my stomach AND they're good for ya! She found the recipe in Oxygen mag & I adapted a few things. Thanks Mariesa :)

Ingredients
1 large egg
1 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 1/2 cup whey protein powder [vanilla, chocolate, or unflavored. I use Chocolate]
1/4 cup pure cane sugar [or 1/4 cup sugar substitute]
1/2 cup almond meal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly beat egg. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Form little balls with your hands and place on lightly greased baking sheet. Don't use stonewear, they STICK!! Bake for 12 minutes. Balls will puff up lightly brown. Cool for a few minutes before eating. Only 100 cals each if you roll into 16 cookies! :)

mine crumbled because I used the Pampered Chef bar pan. Use a metal one :)

YUM-O! Enjoy my friends!